the dolefull euen-song, or a true, particular and impartiall narration of that fearefull and sudden calamity, which befell the preacher mr. drury a iesuite, and the greater part of his auditory, by the downefall of the floore at an assembly in the black-friers on sunday the . of octob. last, in the after noone together with the rehearsall of master drurie his text, and the diuision thereof, as also an exact catalogue of the names of such as perished by this lamentable accident: and a briefe application thereupon. goad, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) the dolefull euen-song, or a true, particular and impartiall narration of that fearefull and sudden calamity, which befell the preacher mr. drury a iesuite, and the greater part of his auditory, by the downefall of the floore at an assembly in the black-friers on sunday the . of octob. last, in the after noone together with the rehearsall of master drurie his text, and the diuision thereof, as also an exact catalogue of the names of such as perished by this lamentable accident: and a briefe application thereupon. goad, thomas, - . [ ] p. printed by iohn hauiland, for william barret, and richard whitaker, and are to be sold at the signe of the kings head, london : . foreword signed: t. goad. signatures: a-d⁴ f² h-k⁴. the first leaf is blank. leaves in quire d signed d, d , e, e . leaves in quire f signed f, g. variant: foreword signed "t.g." the relationship between this state and the "t. goad" state is complicated; see transactions of the cambridge bibliographical society ( ), p. - and the library, ( ), p. - . in the "t.g." version, "a catalogue of the names of such persons as were slaine by the fall of the roome", quire k, is largely in the same setting of type as that in william crashaw's "the fatall vesper". identified as stc a on umi microfilm reel . reproductions of the originals in the folger shakespeare library and the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. appears at reel (folger shakespeare library copy) and at reel (union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library copy). created by 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encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng drury, robert, - . catholics -- england -- controversial literature. providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the dolefvll euen-song , or a trve , particvlar and impartiall narration of that fearefull and sudden calamity , which befell the preacher mr. drvry a iesuite , and the greater part of his auditory , by the downefall of the floore at an assembly in the black-friers on sunday the . of octob. last , in the after noone . together with the rehearsall of master drvrie his text , and the diuision thereof , as also an exact catalogue of the names of such as perished by this lamentable accident : and a briefe application thereupon . matth . . . iudge not , that yee bee not iudged . london , printed by iohn hauiland , for william barret , and richard whitaker , and are to be sold at the signe of the kings head , . to the christian moderate reader . vpon judden accidents men commonly passe sudden censures , and for want of deliberate and steady aime , vnder or ouershoot the marke : especially that kinde of marke , which the most skilfull hand , guided by the sharpest eie , can neuer certainly hit , scarce distinctly discerne . of gods iudgements iudiciously saint augustine , and modestly , iudicia dei nemo potest comprehendere , nemo certe reprehendere . no man can comprehend them , no man may reprehend them . boldly therefore may a moderate spirit vndertake to reprehend those encroachers vpon gods prerogatiue , who take vpon them to comprehend in the small vessell of their shallow vnderstanding the boundlesse ocean of gods secret iudgements : hauing no other conduit thereunto , then the ouert act of a corporall stroake , and outward chastisement . jn the sounding the depth of this late dismall accident , it is not hard to discerne what tongues and pens haue , out of partiall obliquitie , or precipitate iudgement , cast too short , or lost their plummet in the deepe . to auoid which inconueniences , the chiefe care and endeuor , taken in this ensuing tract , hath beene partly by a more certaine information to strengthen the line , and partly to lengthen the same by a more particular and fuller relation : that so the indifferent reader , taking the plummet into his owne hand , may cast with the better aime , for the shunning all rocks and quicksands , either of stupid neglect , in not considering at all , or of ouer-curious prying , in the personall application , of gods extraordinary works in this kinde . so iudge well , and farewell . thine in christ , t. goad . black-fryers london , . octob. . nouemb. . stilo veteri nouo , being sunday . about three of the clocke in the afternoone of the aforesaid sunday , in a large garret , being the vppermost , and from the ground the third storie of an high building of stone and bricke , were assembled a multitude of people , men and women , of diuers ages and conditions , amounting to the number of two or three hundred persons , to heare a sermon there to be preached by one master drury , a romish priest , and iesuite of name , and speciall note . to this garret or gallery , ( being situated ouer the gate-house of the french ambassadors house ) there is a leading passage by a doore close to the vtter gate of the said house , but without it , open to that street : by which passage many men and women vsed to haue daily recourse to the english priests chambers there . there is also out of the said lord ambassadors with-drawing chamber , another passage meeting with this , and both leading into the said garret . which garret was within the side walls , about seuenteene foot wide , and fortie foot long : at the vpper end whereof was a new partition of slit deale , set vp to make a priuate roome for one of the priests , which abated twelue foot of the length . about the middest of the gallery , and neere to the wall , was set , for the preacher , a chaire , raised vp somewhat higher then the rest of the floare , and a small table before it . in this place the auditorie being assembled , and some of the better sort hauing chaires and stooles to sit on , the many standing in throng , and filling the roome to the doore and staires , all expecting the preacher , hee came forth out of an inner roome , clad in a surplice , which was girt about his waste with a linnen girdle , and a stole of scarlet colour hanging downe before him from both his shoulders . whom a man attended , carrying in one hand a booke , and in the other an houre-glasse . an embleme not vnfit to suggest to him , his auditorie , and vs all , that their , and our liues , not onely passe away continually with the defluxion of that descending motion of the sand ; but also , euen in such times and places , may possibly fore-runne the same , and bee ouerturned before that short hourely kalender should come to recourse . master drury the priest , as soone as he came to the chaire , kneeled downe at the foot of it , making by himselfe in priuate some eiaculation of a short praier , as it seemed , about the length of an aue marie . then standing vp , and turning his face toward the people , hee crossed himselfe formally : premising no vocall audible prayer at all , ( neither before his text , nor vpon the diuision of it ) wherein the people might ioyne with him , for the blessing and sanctifying an action of that nature . which omission , whether it were a lapse of memorie in him , or a priuiledge of custome belonging to those supereminent instructors , i dispute not ; but leaue it to the conscionable iudgement of euery christian . immediatly he tooke the booke , being the rhemists testament , and in it read his text , which was the gospel appointed for that sunday , according to the institution of the church of rome ; which day now fell vpon the fift of nouember by the gregorian kalender , current ten daies before ours , and accompted by the romanists the onely true computation . whereupon some goe so farre as to make a numerall inference of a second reflecting tragedy . but , for my part , i surrender all such iudiciarie calculation into the hands of the highest , who according to his prouidence disposeth of times and seasons , and of all euents befalling in them . the said gospell in the rhemists translation , is as followeth in these words : therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened to a man being a king , that would make an account with his seruants . and when hee began to make the account , there was one presented vnto him that owed him ten thousand talents . and hauing not whence to repay it , his lord commanded that he should bee sold , and his wife and children , and all that he had , and it to bee repaied . but that seruant falling downe , besought him , saying , haue patience toward me , and i will repay thee all . and the lord of that seruant moued with pitie , dismissed him , and the debt he forgaue him . and when that seruant was gone forth , he found one of his fellow-seruants that did owe him an hundred pence : and laying hands vpon him thratled him , saying , repay that thou owest . and his fellow-seruant falling downe , besought him , saying , haue patience toward mee , and i will repay thee all . and he would not : but went his way and cast him into prison , till he repayed the debt . and his fellow-seruants seeing what was done , were very sorie , and they came , and told their lord all that was done . then his lord called him : and hee said vnto him , thou vngracious seruant , i forgaue thee all the debt because thou besoughtest me : oughtest not thou therefore also to haue mercy vpon thy fellow-seruant , euen as i had mercy vpon thee ? and his lord being angry , deliuered him to the tormenters , vntill he repayed all the debt . so also shall my heauenly father doe to you , if you forgiue not euery one his brother from your hearts . which when he had read , hee sat downe in the chaire , and put vpon his head a red quilt cap , hauing a linnen white one vnder it turned vp about the brimmes : and so vndertooke his text ; first shewing in plaine and familiar stile the occasion of our sauiours deliuering this parable , then distributing the whole into parts , as they depended one on the other ; out of which he chose three principall points of doctrine , which he propounded to insist vpon in that sermon , viz. the debt which man oweth to god : and the accompt which he is to make vnto him of that debt . gods mercy in remitting this great debt . mans hardnesse of heart , and frowardnesse , both towards god and towards his brethren : together with the remedies , which man may vse for the procuring of gods mercy , and curing himselfe from this contagious disease of ingratitude . mans debt he amplified in regard of our creation , and redemption , the spirituall and temporall benefits , which we enioy in this world , and in gods church , &c. vpon the following parts hee discoursed with much vehemency , insisting especially vpon those words , i forgaue thee all thy debt , shouldest not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow , euen as i had pitie on thee ? and thence extolling the infinite mercy and goodnesse of god , whereby he doth not only giue vs all that we haue , but forgiues vs all our trespasses and offences , be they net uer so deepely stained with the scarle ▪ dye and tincture of our guiltinesse which mercifull bounty of our heauenly father is here parabolized vnto vs by a certaine man that was a king , &c. two or three of that auditory auow with ioynt testimony , that , in the processe of the latter part , which he handled , he earnestly laid open the terrors and burthen of the heauy debt of punishment , which we are to pay at the last iudgement , if the debt of sinne be not acquitted before . declaring withall the mercy of god in prouiding meanes to cancell this debt , by the sacraments ordained in the catholique church , in speciall by the sacrament of penance ; and therein by contrition , confession , and satisfaction . and thence inferring in what miserable case heretiques are , who want all such meanes to come out of this debt , because they are not members of the catholique church . but whatsoeuer the matter , or manner of his last speech was , i doe not curiously enquire , as making interpretation of gods iudgement in stopping the currant of his speech at that instant . lest in ouer forward censuring the same , we should be deemed as vncharitable , as our aduersaries , especially the iesuits , are against those churches and persons that admit not the papacy . most certaine it is , and ouer manifest by lamentable euidence , that , when the said iesuite had proceeded about halfe an houre in this his sermon , there befell that preacher and auditorie the most vnexpected and suddaine calamitie , that this age hath heard of to come from the hand , not of man , but god , in the middest of a sacred exercise , of what kinde or religion soeuer . the floare , whereon that assembly stood or sate , not sinking by degrees , but at one instant failing and falling , by the breaking asunder of a maine sommier or dormer of that floare ; which beame , together with the ioyces and plancher thereto adioyned , with the people thereon , rushed downe with such violence , that the weight and fall thereof , brake in sunder another farre stronger and thicker sommier of the chamber situated directly vnderneath : and so both the ruined floares , with the people ouerlapped and crushed vnder , or betweene them , fell , ( without any time of stay ) vpon a lower third floare , being the floare of the said lord ambassadors withdrawing chamber ; which was supported vnderneath with arch-work of stone , ( yet visible in the gate-house there ) and so became the bundarie or terme of that confused and dolefull heape of ruines , which otherwise had sunke yet deeper by the owne weight and height of the downfall : the distance from the highest floare , whence the people fell , to the lowest , where they lay , being about two and twentie foot in depth . of the gallery floare only so much fell , as was directly ouer a chamber of . foot square , called father redyates chamber , and being the vsual massing roome for the english resorting thither . the rest of the gallery floare , being not so full thronged , stood firme , and so was a refuge and safeguard to those of the auditorie that had planted themselues at that end . from whence they beheld that most tragicall scene of their brethrens ruine ; themselues also being not onely surprized with the stupifying passions of affright , and apprehension of that danger , which as yet they could not think themselues to haue escaped , but also , for the time , imprisoned in the place it selfe ; from whence there was no passage by doore , or otherwise , vnlesse they should aduenture to leape downe into the gulfe of their fellowes wofull estate . in this perplexity , dismay it selfe not bereauing them of counsaile , but rather administring strength to their trembling hands , they with their kniues opened the loame-wall next vnto them , and so making their passage thence into another chamber , escaped that danger . as for the rest ( being the farre greater part of this assembly ) who in a moment all sunke downe to the lowest floare , their case , as it can scarce be paralleled with a like example of calamitie , so hardly be described with the due and true circumstances . who can to the life expresse the face of death , presenting it selfe in so ruefull and different shapes ? quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis ? what eare , without tingling , can heare the dolefull and confused cries of such a troope , men , women , children , all falling suddenly in the same pit , and apprehending with one horror the same ruine ? what eie can behold , without inundation of teares , such a spectacle of men ouerwhelmed with breaches of weighty timber , buried in rubbish , and smothered in the dust ? what heart , without euaporating into sighes , can ponder the burthen of deepest sorrowes and lamentations of parents , children , husbands , wiues , kinsmen , friends , for their dearest pledges , and chiefest comforts in this world , all bereft and swept away with one blast of the same dismall tempest ? such was the noise of this dreadfull and vnexpected downefall , that the whole city of london presently rang of it , and forthwith the officers of the city ( to whom the care of good order chiefly appertaineth ) and in speciall sergeant finch the recorder , repaired thither the same euening , carefully prouiding for the safety of the said ambassadors house and familie , and , for preuenting all disorders in such a confusion , that might arise by the confluence of the multitude , shut vp the gates and set guards vpon the passages . with all speed possible some were imployed for the releeuing and sauing such as yet struggled for life vnder this heauy load : which could not so soone be effected , as they in charity desired ; for that the ruines , which oppressed the sufferers , did also stop vp entrance to the helpers : who thereupon were faine to make a breach in through an vpper window of stone . from hence they hasted downe with pickaxes and other instruments , to force asunder , and take of , by peece-meale , the oppressing load of beames , ioyces , and bords . at the opening whereof , what a chaos ? what fearefull obiects ? what lamentable representations ? here some bruised , some dismembred , some onely parts of men : there some wounded , and weltering in their owne and others bloud , othersome putting forth their fainting hands and crying out for helpe . here some gasping and panting for breath , others stifled for want of breath . to the most of them being thus couered with dust , this their death was a kinde of buriall . haue the gates of death beene opened vnto thee ? or hast thou seene the doares of the shadow of death ? verily if any man could looke in at those gates , and returne , he would report such a pourtrait as was this spectacle . in this dolefull taske of withdrawing those impediments , laying forth the dead bodies , and transporting the maimed , all that night , and part of the next day was spent , though charitie and skill did whet their endeuours with all dexteritie and expedition . the next morning , according to the lawes of our land , which prouide that the kings maiestie should haue an account of his subiects dying per infortunium , the coroners inquest was there impanelled vpon the dead corpses , that after their view of them , they might be buried with conuenient speed . by the said coroner , and iury , especiall care was taken to suruey the place , and materialls of the ruines with all diligence , for the finding out the immediate cause and manner thereof : the rather for that it was giuen out by some presently vpon the mischance , that some protestants , knowing this to be a chiefe place of their meetings , had secretly drawne out the pins , or sawed halfe a sunder some of the supporting timber of that building . which was found to be a calumny no lesse ridiculous , then malitious . the most probable apparant cause of the suddaine failing of that floare , charged with such a weight of people , was iudged to bee in the maine sommier thereof , which being not aboue ten inches square , had in the very place , where it brake , on each side a mortaise hole directly opposite the one against the other , into which were let the tenants of two great pieces of timber , called girders : so that betweene those mortaises , there was left not aboue three inches of timber . this sommier was also somewhat knottie about that place , which , in the opinion of architects , might make it more brittle , and readie to knap in sunder . the maine sommier of the lower roome , was about thirteene inches square , without any such mortaise ; and brake , not ( as the former ) in the middest , but within fiue foot of one end , and more obliquely and shiuering then the other . no foundation , nor wall failed . the roofe of the gallery with the seeling vpon it remaine yet intire ; as also a small filling wall , fastned to the rafters , which yet hangeth where the floare is gone . this downefall was not to al deadly : to some only frightfull , or in part hurtfull : who being thus taken vp out of the pit of horrible danger , nay plucked out of the very iawes of death , as also those other of this assembly , who ( as before said ) fell not at all , but yet stood in the verie brinke of this mortall ieopardie , haue all great cause neuer to forget this day , but to enter it into their kalender for a mercifull and miraculous deliuerance . neither is it enough for them to lift vp their hearts in thanksgiuing to god ( as i make no doubt they doe ) for this vnexpected rescue from so great an vnsuspected death , but they are also to lay it to their hearts , whether this sudden stroake and cracke be not the hand , and voice of god , to call them home from wandring after forraine teachers , that lead the ignorant people captiue and carry them hood-winked into the snares of danger , corporall , ciuill , and spirituall : that hereupon they may seriously consider what ground they haue to forbeare , or forsake our church-assemblies , and to refraine from hearing so much as our diuine seruice , against which they haue no other exception , but this , that in hearing it they may heare , and vnderstand , whereas in the romish seruice , euen in the euen-song then intended in this conuenticle , audientes audirent , & non intelligerent , videntes viderent , & non cernerent . the women , and common people might vnderstand as much as they doe this sentence in latine , taken out of the prophet isay , too truly prophecying of such . of those that fell , and escaped without any notable hurt , i heare of by name some persons of note , as mistris lucie penruddock of a worthy family , who fell betweene two that then perished , the lady webb and her owne maid seruant , yet was herselfe preserued aliue by the happy situation of a chaire , which falling with her , rested hollow ouer her , and so became to hir a shelter , or penthouse to beare off other ruines : also the lady webbs daughter , though falling neere vnto hir mother , and eleanor saunders , who was couered with others that fell vpon hir , yet by gods mercy , recouered out of those bloudy ruines . there was also a scholler , ( whom my selfe since saw and had speech withall ) who was the easier drawne to that assembly , because he formerly was inclining and warping to that side , as hath appeared by publike euidence . he was also inuolued in this common downefall , whereout he escaped beyond expectation : being one of the vndermost in that heape , and lying vpon the very floare , and ouerwhelmed with the boards and timber , which lay vpon him , yet not so flat , and sad , as vpon others , but somewhat hollow and sheluing , by the leaning of some of the timber against the wall . out of this den of death he , with maine strength & much difficulty , wrought himselfe , by tearing the laths of the seeling , and creeping betweene two ioyces , from vnder the timber to an hole where he espied light : & then one of the ambas . family opening a doore releeued him being yet so astonished that he scarce was apprehensiue of the courtesie done to him . who thus refreshed , presently returned and vsed his best strength to draw others out of that snare , which he himselfe had newly broken , without any other detriment than of his clothes ; of which faire escape i hope , he will make good vse , & often call to minde our sauiours caueat , ( which since in my hearing hath beene rung in his eares ) vade & ne pecca amplius , ne deterius conting at tibi . there was also ( as he reporteth ) a young girle of the age of ten yeeres , or thereabout , who then crying said vnto him , o my mother , o my sister , which are downe vnder the timber and rubbish . but hee wishing her to be patient , and telling her that by gods grace they should get forth quickly , the child replied , that this would proue a great scandall to their religion . a strange speech proceeding from a childe of so tender yeeres , who , euen in that perplexity , seemed to haue a deeper apprehension of publique scandall , then of priuate losse . a lesson fit for farre elder to learne , ex ore infantium , & lactentium , &c. out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength . moreouer , one of the men that fell , then saying , o what aduantage will our aduersaries take at this ; another of them replied thereto , if it be gods will this should befall vs , what can wee say to it ? a pious answer , and christian resolution , borrowed , as it seemes , from the patience of the prophet dauid , tacui , domine , quia tu fecisti . i held my peace , because thou , lord , hast done it . an hard taske it were to vndertake the giuing a particular account of the number and quality of those that any waies suffered in this fall , the diuersity of reports , according to mens priuate inclinations , enlarging or contracting the same . in generall most euident it is that of the people that fell , those that escaped best for bodily hurt , were , at 〈◊〉 howsoeuer deeply stricken in their minds with affright and feare : others were bruised or wounded , but not mortally , receiuing only a gentle stripe from the mercifull hand of a chastizing father ; others for the present came forth , or rather were carried out , with life , but enioyed it for a short time , yeelding vp the same in their seuerall homes within a few daies , yea some not many houres , as by after-enformation to the coroners iury , yet depending , may appeare . but the greater number of those that fell neuer rose againe , nor shall , till the elements shall melt with heat , and the ruines of a farre greater fabrique than that house , ( euen of the whole earth with the workes thereof ) shall awake them , and vs all , out of the bed of death , to giue account of what we haue done in the body . of these , whom it pleased god thus to call out of this world , the number is most currently estimated to be betweene . and . if any man , out of affection to them , or curiosity , enquire more exactly , of the ambassadours house , was digged a great pit , ( eighteene foot long , and twelue foot broad ) in which were laied foure and forty corpses in order , piled one vpon the other , partners in the same bed , as a little before they were in the same passage to it . vpon this common graue , was set vp in the earth , a blacke crosse of wood , about foure foot high , which on tuesday in the afternoone , was by one of the ambassadors seruants taken vp and carried into the house , lest ( as it seemeth ) any scandall should bee taken thereat by the people , that then , and after , came to that house to view the stage of this mournfull tragedy . there was also another pit , ( long twelue foot , broad eight foot ) made in the said ambassadors garden neere adioyning , wherein fifteene other were interred . beside these dispersedly here aboue numbred , there are heard of vpon diligent enquirie of the said iury and others , diuers more encreasing the list of this funerall troope , whose names follow in the catalogue . as for interpretation and application of this so remarkeable and dolefull an accident , our duty is first to entertaine a christian and charitable opinion of their persons whose lot it was to become an example vnto others : and secondly to make a profitable vse thereof vnto our selues . too well knowne it is to the world , how hardly our aduersaries conceiue , speake , and write , not onely of our religion , but also of our persons , damning and tumbling downe all of vs without difference into the bottomlesse pit of destruction , and throwing vpon our heads , not the ruines of one loft or house , but the whole mountaines of gods wrath and heauiest iudgements . such curses and edicts of damnation against vs their pulpits thunder out , their printing presses grone vnder , their pamphlets and libells proclaime ; all wee are giuen gone for cast-awaies , miscreants , damned heretiques ; with vs no church , no faith , no religion , no god. if such a calamitie had befallen any flocke of ours in our common prayer , or sermons , all must haue gone quicke to hell : there would haue beene more inuectiue seuerall censures and bookes against vs than were here persons suffering . what exclamation of the downfall of heresie , of the passing away of nouelties with a cracke , of receiuing a terrible blow , of the very beames in the wall crying out against vs , of the ruine of old wormeaten heresies , of the trash and rubbish of the new gospell demolished . in such sort vpon lesse occasions , are wee and our profession traduced and slandered publikely beyond the seas , and priuately in corners at home . nor is it maruell that such flashes to scorch vs in our good names , are cast forth out of that fiery aetna of romish zeale , which hath sent forth materiall flames to consume many of our liuing bodies , and some also of our dead . hic liuor nec post fata quiescit . and though this fire hath beene couered with ashes in these parts , for many happy yeares , yet of late a sparke thereof brake forth , euen in the middest of the bonfires kindled in london at the happy returne of our prince ; when as a certaine roman zelote , repining at the excessiue expense of fuell therein , said openly in the hearing of many that if such waste of wood were made , there would shortly be neuer a fagot left to burne heretiques . but we haue otherwise learned christ , who being reuiled , did not reuile againe , but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously ; et preces effudit pro ijs etiam , qui sanguinem eius effuderūt ; and powred out prayers for those , that shed and powred forth his bloud , ( as saith an ancient father . ) from him we learne not to insult ouer our enemies , or to reioyce at their ruine , but to weepe at their calamitie : not to enter into gods secrets , but to tremble at his iudgements . and therefore our dutie , in regard of their persons , is first to be tender and carefull how so much as in our inward thoughts we passe any particular iudgement vpon them . for though the euent it selfe may seeme to offer a topicall inference from the fall of both the floores ; namely , of the preaching and the massing roome , that both their doctrine and sacrifice are weakely and slenderly supported , and that god was displeased as well with their pulpits , as altars ; yet for the particular estate of those who were combined in that action , and enueloped in the same passion , it were most vncharitable and groundlesse from their temporall destruction in this time and place , to collect their eternall confusion . and howsoeuer our aduersaries for the truth of their church draw an argument no lesse vnnaturall than vncharitable , from the supposed , sudden , and vnhappy ends , of some of those whom they call heretiques , and to that end forge hideous fables of the death of luther , caluin , &c. and in particular , very lately some of them haue passed an heauy censure vpon doctor sutton , a learned and painefull preacher , and solid refuter of their errors , whom to the great losse of our church , abstulit vnda vorax & funere mersit acerbo , ouer whom they triumph , as if the deepe therefore swallowed him , because he was vnworthy to tread vpon the earth , or breathe in the ayre ; yet we ought to be , and are farre from saying that the plancher of that building would not beare these romanists , because they were more loaden with the weight of sinne , then others . wee are taught by the chapter appointed in the kalender to bee read in our churches the very next morning after this dolefull accident , to iudge otherwise . luke . there were present at that season , some that told him of the galileans , whose bloud pilate had mingled with their sacrifices . and iesus answered , and said vnto them , suppose yee that these galileans were greater sinners then all the other galileans , because they haue suffered such things ? i tell you nay . secondly , wee are to condole for them , and that in three respects . first , out of naturall humanitie , as they are men , of the same mould with vs , subiect all to the same passions , and liable to the same outward calamities , and dangers of this mortall life . in this consideration euery of vs is to say to himselfe , of himselfe and others . homo sum , humani nihil à me alienum puto . secondly , out of morall ciuilitie , as fellow-borne country-men , and naturall subiects vnto the same most gracious king , in whose eies the death of his meanest subiects is precious . in this respect euery of vs , either presently viewing that tragicall spectacle of so many bruised and battered carkases , so many smothered corpses , which yesterday breathed the same english aire with vs : or shortly after hearing of so wofull an historie , is , with teares in the eye , and melting griefe in the heart , to deplore at least with some such epitaph , or funerall elegie , as was vsed by a lacedemonian . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thirdly and principally , out of christian charitie , as towards those who professe the name of christ , and deuotion in his worship , howsoeuer tainted with many errors and superstitions , of which their leaders and guides are more guilty than the simple obedient flocke misled by them . in this duty we are euery of vs to grieue for those that are gone , and to commiserate with the holy apostle , the present estate of such other as remaine captiuated in the same blindnesse of ignorance , rom. . & . i have great heauinesse , and continuall sorrow in my heart , for my brethren , my kinsmen according to the flesh . brethren , my hearts desire and praier to god for israel , is that they might bee saued . for i beare them record , that they haue a zeale of god , but not according to knowledge . this for our construction hereof , as we looke downe vpon others in their fall . now for our instruction as this example reflecteth vpward vpon our selues . wherein first our ingratitude is checked , and thankefulnesse awaked which we owe vnto god for our manifold preseruations , as in other kindes perpetually , so not seldome in this . surely if our heauenly father should cease his care of preseruing vs , as we too oft giue ouer our due care of seruing him , nor field , nor house , nor church it selfe should be safe vnto vs : carnall security and forgetfulnesse of god creeping into not only our chambers , halls , and receptacles of mirth and iollity , but too oft euen into the house of god it selfe : the temple of our spirituall sacrifices being not so reuerently frequented as our duty and profession require . and yet , howsoeuer wee may obserue gods hand sometimes to haue ouertaken diuers of our brethren by downfalls vpon the earth , or into the water , and of late by the fearefull dint of fire darted from heauen with thunder , and other humane casualties , at home or abroad , yet haue our sacred assemblies ( for ought i can remember ) beene free from mortality by ruine . and whereas we haue many examples of the decay and sudden lapse of diuers our materiall temples made with hands , yet hath god so disposed of the time or manner of such ruines , that none of the liuing temples of the holy ghost haue beene demolished thereby . witnesse in london the churches of lothbury , of st. butolfs , of st. giles in the fields , and the church it selfe of the black-friers : in all which the stones forbare their downeward motion , till the peoples absence . and most lately in the towne of netesherd in norffolk , the beames of the church roofe being by the fall of the steeple beaten downe among the people in time of prayer , yet not one perished thereby . to these perhaps many reading and pondering this , can adde other examples of the like preseruations in other places of this land . the memory whereof must reuiue our hearty thanks to god , with praier for our future protection , especially in the houses of praier , wherein he is worshipped in spirit and truth by vs , and his word preached soundly and faithfully vnto vs. secondly , forasmuch as some few of this assembly were not in opinion romanists , nor came thither out of affection to the popish partie , but rather out of curiositie , to obserue their rites and manner of preaching , especially vpon the ●ame giuen out , and expectation of then and there hearing a rare man , an admirable iesuite , a preacher nonpareil , in comparison of whom the greatest lights of the protestant ministerie are but glowormes ; this may be a speciall caueat to such roauing wanderers as only tasted of that cup whereof others dranke the dregs : they were some of them iustly stricken in body , though not mortally , but all in minde , with terror , amazement , and horrible consternation . and one , as is said , felt the vtmost of that stroke , and for company tooke part with those in death , with whom he consented not in life and opinion . plinie the elder ( as his nephew reports of him ) paid deare for the satisfaction of his curiositie , when , not content with contemplation , and relation from others , hee would needes in person approach neere , to behold with his eies the very flames of the burning hill vesuuius in italy , the sulphureous smoake and vapour whereof , presently stifled him . to come neerer to our selues , those christians escaped not much better , who ( as both tertullian and cyprian obserue ) when they were present at the theaters and shewes , instituted to the honour of the heathen gods , were suddainly surprised and vexed by the deuill , who was nimble enough to maintaine his claime to them , by pleading inueni in meo , i tooke them as i found them , vpon mine owne ground . what though the romanists presume farre without warrant , and dare out-face our lawes , which wholesomly prouide against such conuenticles , yet let euery obedient subiect and childe of our church , beware how he put his foot into such snares : resoluing rather with the holy patriarch , and saying in his heart , o my soule , enter not thou into their secret : vnto their assembly mine honour be not thou yoaked . in such cases the prophets haue vsed and enforced from exorbitant examples argument , not of imitation , but auersation , and opposition . though israel transgresse , yet let not iuda sinne . thirdly , for vs all , these dead corpses ought to bee a liuely mirror , wherein we are to behold what we may expect in that kinde , or some other , euen farre worse , if we doe not preuent and auert gods iudgements by iudging our selues , and vnfeinedly repenting of our sinfull courses . out of such examples our sauiour readeth vs a double lecture , not onely of charitie , in not censuring others , but also of repentance , in censuring and condemning our selues , that we be not condemned of the lord. vnlesse yee repent , yee shall all likewise perish . a vaine plea it will be , that wee haue cast out of our churches romish superstitions , if wee still reteine in our soules and bodies our predominant corruptions ; that our faith & doctrine is most pure , if our liues remaine impure ; that we haue faire leaues & blossomes in our outward profession , if we bring forth no fruit in our practise and conuersation . reatus impij pium nomen , saith the most religious bishop saluian . an holy title and profession , if the life bee not sutable , is , not a plea , but a guilt , not a diminution of offence , but an improuement . well said tertullian of himselfe that , whereto euery of vs is to subscribe his owne name , ego omnium notatorū peccator , nulli rei , nisi poenitentiae , natus . a sinner i am , marked with spots of all kinds , & born to no other end , thē to make my life a taske of repentance . we are all by profession bound apprentises to this christian trade , nay borne vnto a kinde of interest and propriety to it . of all intelligent natures onely man is capable of that . god cannot repent , because he cannot sinne , nor erre : an angell , though mutable in his owne nature , ( and so liable to sinne ) yet once falling by sinne , can neuer rise by repentance . onely man , falling , both in the vniuersall ruinous estate of all his kinde , and daily in his actuall lapses , hath by the hand of gods grace and mercy in christ , the cords of loue reached forth , and let downe into the pit vnto him , whereof by repentance and faith he taketh hold , thence to be raised to newnesse of life , and so forward to eternall life , through the merits and passion of our blessed redeemer , who came , not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . lament . . . it is of the lords mercies that we are not consumed : because his compassions faile not . a catalogue of the names of such persons as were slaine by the fall of the roome wherein they were in the blacke-fryers , at master druries sermon , the . of octob. . taken by information of the coroners iurie . master drurie the priest that preached . mr. redy are the priest , whose lodging was vnder the garret that fell : the floore of which lodging fell too . lady webbe in southwarke . lady blackstones daughter , in scroops court. thomas webbe her man. william robinson taylor , in fetter lane . robert smith , master 〈…〉 anne dauison , mr. dauisons daughter , of the middle-row in holburne , tayler . anthonie hall his man. anne hobdin . marie hobdin . lodging in mr. dauisons house . iohn galloway vintener , in clarkenwell close . mr. peirson , iane his wife , thom. & iames , his two sonnes . in robbinhood court in shooe lane . mistris vdall . katharine pindar , a gentle woman in mrs . vdals house . in gunpowder alley . abigal her maide . iohn netlan a taylor of bassingborne in cambridge shiere . nathaniel coales , lying at one shortoes in barbican , tayler . iohn halifaxe , sometimes a waterbearer . mary rygbie , wife to iohn rygbie in holburne , confectioner . iohn worralls sonne in holburne . thomas brisket , his wife , and his sonne , and maide , in mountague close . mistris summers , wife to captaine summers in the kings bench. marie her maide . mistris walsted in milkestreet . iohn raines , an atturney in westminster . robert sutton , sonne to mr. worral a potter in holburne . edward warren , lying at one adams a butcher , in saint clement danes . a son of mr. flood in holborne , scriuener ▪ elizabeth white , andrew whites daughter in holburne , chandler . mr. stoker tayler , in salisburie court. elizabeth sommers in graies-inne lane . mr. westwood . iudeth bellowes , wife of mr. william bellowes in fetter lane . a man of sir lues pembertons . elizabeth moore widow . iohn iames. morris beucresse apothecarie . dauie vaughan , at iacob coldriches , tayler in graies inne lane . francis man , brother to william man in theeuing lane in westminster . richard fitzgarrat , of graies inne , gent. robert heifime . mr. maufeild . mr. simons . dorothy simons . thomas simons a boy . in fesant court in cow lane . robert parker , neer lond stone , merchant . mistris morton , at white-fryers . mistris norton , marrian her maide . at mr. babingtons in bloomesburie . francis downes , sometimes in southampton house , tayler . edmond shey , seruant to robert euan of graies inne , gent. iosilin percy , seruant to sr. henry caruile , lying at mistris ploidons house in high holburne . iohn tullye , seruant to mr. ashborn , lying at mr. barbers house in fleetstreeet . iohn sturges , the lord peters man. thomas elis , sr. lewis treshams man. michael butler in woodstreet , grocer . iohn button , coachman to mistris garret in bloomesberry . mistris ettonet , lying at clearkenwellgreene . edward reuel , seruant to master nicholas stone the kings purueyor . edmund welsh , lying with mr. sherlock in high holborne , tailer . bartholomew bauin , in white lyon court in fleetstreet , clarke , dauie an irish man , in angell alley in graies inne gent. thomas wood , at mr. woodfalls ouer against graies innegate . christopher hopper , tailer lying there . george cranston , in kings street in westminster , tailer . iohn blitten . iane turner , lying at one gees in the old baily . frithwith anne . mistris elton . mr. walsteed . marie berrom . henry becket , lying at mistris clearks house in northumberland alley in fetter lane . sarah watsonne , daughter to master watsonne a chirurgian . iohn beuans , at the seuen stars in drury lane . master harris . mistris tompson , at saint martins within aldersgate , habberdasher . richard f●●guift . george ceaustour . master grimes , neere the hors-shooe tauerne in drury lane . mr. knuckle a painter dwelling in cambridge . master fowell , a warwickshire gent. master gascoine . francis buckland and robert hutten , both seruants to master saule confectioner in holburne . iohn lochey , a scriueners sonne in holburne . one william seruant to master eirkum . iohn brabant , a painter in little-brittaine . william knockell , a man-seruant of mr. buckets a painter in aldersgate street . one barbaret , walter ward , richard garret , enquired after , but not found . the particulars concerning those that suffered in this lamentable accident , hath beene so obscured that no exact account could bee had of them , no maruell then that dilligence of enquiry could not preuent some mistake in the catalogue formerly printed with this relation ; which catalogue is now renewed and rectified , by more certaine intelligence than heretofore hath beene related . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the gospell vpon the . sunday after pentecost . iob. . . this party was one of the assembly , yet liuing , and receiued a marke of remēbrance there , by a peece of wood , who thus a little before took care for sauing wood . gen. . luke . . vindiciae legis, or, a vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of papists, arminians, socinians, and more especially, antinomians in xxx lectures, preached at laurence-jury, london / by anthony burgess ... burgess, anthony, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) vindiciae legis, or, a vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the errours of papists, arminians, socinians, and more especially, antinomians in xxx lectures, preached at laurence-jury, london / by anthony burgess ... burgess, anthony, d. . the second edition, corrected and augmented. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by james young, for thomas underhill ..., london : . "the table" [i.e. index]: p. 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such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. law and gospel. covenant theology. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion o. junii , . we the president and fellowes of sion colledge london , earnestly desire master anthony burgess to publish in print his elaborate and judicious lectures upon the law and the covenants against the antinomian errours of these times , which at our entreaty hee hath preached , ( and for which wee give him most hearty thanks ) that so as well the kingdome , as this city , may have the benefit of those his learned labours . dated at sion colledge the th of june , . at a generall meeting of the ministers of london there . arthur jackson president , in the name and by the appointment of the rest . vindiciae legis : or , a vindication of the morall law and the covenants , from the errours of papists , arminians , socinians , and more especially , antinomians . in xxx . lectures , preached at laurence-jury , london . the second edition corrected and augmented . by anthony burgess , preacher of gods word . london , printed by james young , for thomas underhill , at the signe of the bible in wood-street . . to the truly pious and worthily honoured lady , the lady ruth scudamore . honoured madam , i have observed your ladiship carefull in two things : to improve the duty commanded in the law , and to imbrace the promise tendered in the gospel ; the former hath been a spurre to holinesse , the latter a curb to unbeliefe . the consideration of this ( together with the remembrance of those manifold favours which your ladiship hath plentifully vouchsafed to me and mine ) hath provoked me to dedicate this treatise unto you , which although it hath much controversall matter in it , yet it is not without many practicall directions and consolations . it hath been gods goodnesse unto you , that although in these times of calamities your portion hath been one of the afflictions in paul's catalogue , without settled aboad ; yet god hath lest your minde fixed and immoveable in the truth , being enabled to magnifie grace in the highest manner , out of the reall sense of your necessity and unworthinesse , yet to avoid antinomianisme : and on the other side , to be punctuall and exact in the duties of mortification and holinesse ; yet to take heed of pharisaicall popery . and indeed , this is the right sense , when we are so diligent in working out our salvation with feare and trembling , as if there were no grace to justifie ; and yet so resting and beleeving in the grace of christ , as if no good thing had been done by us . madam , goe on with the assistance of god , and account the things of grace more excellent then the things of parts ; and while others rejoyce in opinions , and new notions about faith and holinesse , doe you delight in the things themselves . the lord keep his best wine for you in the later end of your age , and give you to see the fruit of your prayers , a settled reformation in the church , that so ( when your time shall come ) you may depart in peace , feeling much of the power and love of god living , and much more of them , dying . madam , this is the prayer of your ladiships humble servant in the lord , anthony burgess . septemb. . . to the reader . reader , if the father said true , that books were the fruit of the mind , as children are of the body , naturall affection must compell me , ( as she did for moses ) to provide some ark for the safety of this book , lest it perish : and i know no better way , then to give thee some account of the matter and method of it , if thou vouchsafe to peruse it . for the matter of it , it is chiefly improved to maintain the dignitie and use of the morall law against late errours about it , and thereupon i have been forced to consult more with those books that are filled with such poyson , then to peruse those authors that have maintained the truth ; and i found the looking upon their heterodoxies a speciall help to propagate and confirme the truth , as that romane painter curiously drew the picture of an horse , by constant looking upon an asse , avoiding whatsoever he saw ridiculous or deformed in him . i acknowledge this work above my strength , it being a subject not much handled by former writers , and so i could not be guilty of that fault , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : but i say , as austin , ego parvas vires habeo ; sed dei verbum magnas habet ; i have small strength , but the word and truth of god hath great power . none is more unwilling then my self to come in print ; but , because he that writeth good books , doth retia salutis expandere , spread the nets of salvation to catch some men in ; and the good works of such will last as long as their books live ; i have hardened my selfe , and overcome mine owne temper , to publish to the world these conceptions of mine . i have not affected to appeare in this book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , about words and phrases , because it 's controversall matter , and so fitter to be represented to the understanding in naked unaffected explications , then curiously adorned to please fancy : yea , i have grudged at words , as being too long and cumbersome , desiring ( if possible ) to conveigh my sense in as briefe a manner as may be , lest any that comes to look for fruit , should finde the leaves too broad , and so cover it from sight . and this endeavouring of brevity will make the matter seeme too obscure and abrupt , till there be a familiar acquaintance with my way . my method is after some generall discourses about the usefulnesse of the law , more particularly to handle it as given to adam , and afterwards as promulgated by moses to the people of israel ; and herein i have taken in all the materiall questions that papists , arminians , socinians , and more especially , antinomians have started up . in all this i have endeavoured to give the law its due , and the gospel its due , remembring that of luther , qui soit inter legem & evangelium distinguere , gratias agat deo , & sciat se esse theologum ; he that knoweth how to distinguish between law and gospel , let him give thanks to god , and know he is a divine . it is the allegoricall interpretation of one writer , that the great feasting and musick which was used at the reconciliation of the father to his prodigall son , did signifie the sweet harmonie and agreement between law and gospel . if this were so , then some doe represent the elder brother , that grudge and murmure at this excellent accord . if any adversary shall assault this book , i shall not be solicitous to answer it , because i endeavoured so to state the question , that at the same time truth might be maintained , and falshood demolished ; i am preparing for thy view another discourse about justification , which precious doctrine hath also been much sowred by the leaven of antinomian opinions . the contents . . in what respects the law may be said to be good . page . . . of what use the law is to the ungodly . p. . . of what use the law is to beleevers . p. . . how many wayes the law may be abused . p. . . what are the consequences of trusting in the law. p. . . what is required to the essence of a godly man in reference to obedience . p. . . wherein are good works necessary . p. . . . whether the law have a directive regulating and informing power over a godly man. p. . . how the law is said to be written in mans heart . p. . . wherein the law of nature doth consist . p. . . of what use is the light of nature . p. . . whether the light of nature be sufficient to judge in matters of faith , or to prescribe divine worship . p. . . . whether a man can by the light of nature , and by the consideration of the creatures come to know there is a god. p. . . whether the masterie of the trinitie , and of the incarnation of christ can be found out as a truth by the light of nature . p. . . whether the light of nature be sufficient to salvation . p. . . whether that be true of the papists , which hold , that the sacrifices the patriarchs offered to god were by the meere light of nature . p. . . whether originall sin can be found out by the meere light of nature , or whether it is onely a meere matter of faith , that we are thus polluted . p. . . what is the meaning of that grand rule of nature which our saviour repeateth , that which you would not have other men doe to you , doe not you to them . p. . . . whether the practice of the apostles , making all their goods common , was according to the precept of nature , and so binding all to such a practice . p. . . what a man cannot doe by the power of nature . p. . . . whether there are any antecedaneous works upon the heart before grace . p. . . whether a man by the power of nature be able to work any good thing . page . . . why god would give a positive law to adam , beside the naturall law in his heart . p. . . whether the positive law to adam would have obliged all his posterity . p. . . how the threatning was fulfilled upon him , when he did eat of the forbidden fruit . p. . . whether adam was mortall before the eating of the forbidden fruit . p. . . whether upon this threatning , thou shalt die , can be fixed that cursed opinion of the mortality of the whole man in soul as well as body . p. . . whether image or likenesse doe signifie the same thing . p. . . wherein doth this image consist . p. . . what are the properties of that righteousnesse and holinesse that was fixed in adams heart . p. . . whether this righteousnesse was naturall to adam , or no. p. . . whether justifying faith was then in adam , or whether faith and repentance are now parts of that image . p. . . whether the image of god shall be restored to us in this life . p. . . whether god did enter into covenant with adam . p. . . how god can be said to covenant , or enter into a promise with man. p. . . why god will deale with man in a covenant way , rather then in a meere absolute supreme way . p. . . whether there can be any such distinction made of adam while innocent , so as to be considered either in his naturalls or supernaturalls . p. . . whether christ did intervene in his help to adam , so that he needed christ in that estate . p. . . whether the tree of life was a sacrament of christ to adam , or no. p. . . whether there was any revelation unto adam of a christ . p. . . whether the state of reparation be more excellent then that in innocency . p. . . whether we may be now by christ said to be more righteous then adam . p. . . whether that which god requireth of us be greater then that demanded of adam in the state of innocency . p. . . whether adams immortality in the estate of innocency be not different from that which shall be in heaven . p. . . what law this delivered in mount sinai is , and what kinde of lawes there are , and why it 's called the morall law. p. . . whether this law repeated by moses , be the same with the law of nature implanted in us . p. . . why god did then , and not sooner give this law unto his people . p. . . whether this law was not before in the church of god. p. . . why god gave the morall law. p. . . whether the ten commandements , as given by moses , doe belong to , and bind us christians , or no. p. . . whether christ did adde any thing unto the law. p. . . whether christ did forbid all swearing . p. . . whether under the gospel death or any capitall punishment may be inflicted for some offences . p. . . . whether the law be an instrument of true sanctification . p. . . whether christ have abrogated the morall law. p. . . whether the law was a covenant that god made with his people of israel . p. . . whether the law be a covenant of grace . p. . . wherein the law and gospel doe oppose or differ from each other ; under which is handled the false differences between the law and gospel made by anabaptists , papists , and antinomians . p. . . why god appointed such various and different administrations . p. . . whether the gospel preach repentance , or no. p. . . whether the law command faith . p. . . how christ is the end of the law. p. . vindiciae legis : or , the vindication of the law , called morall . lecture i. tim. . , . knowing the law is good , if a man use it lawfully . this epistle to timothy may be called , paul's directory for the church of god : and , in the first place , he enjoyneth timothy , to preserve the truth against all false teachers , as he himselfe doth in all his epistles . though he derived much hatred upon his person thereby , yet this was his comfort and glory , as hierome wrote to austin , when he had vindicated the truth against pelagians , quod signum majoris gloriae est , omnes haeretici te detestantur : it is a signe of thy greater glory , that all heretiques hate thee . his injunction to timothy begins , ver . . charge them , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erasmus translates it , not to follow another doctrine , as if it did belong to the followers : but the words afterwards [ teachers of the law ] doe plainly refute that . now the word may be extended both to the matter ( as some ) to teach no other thing ; or to the manner ( as others ) not to teach in another way : not to teach nova , new things ; no , nor yet novè , after a new manner . the rule is , qui fingit nova verba , nova gignit dogmata : and it was melancthons wish , that men did not onely teach the same things , but in iisdem verbis , in iisdem syllabis , in the same very words , and syllables . the second part of injunction is higher then the former : though they doe not teach other things , yet they must not spend their gifts in an uselesse way ; as , to give heed to fables : this they apply to the jewes , who had a world of fictions . so tertullian of valentinus , multas introduxit fabulas ; we see here the word fable in an ill sense : therefore grotius cannot be excused , who calleth our saviours parables fables , as that of the prodigall who spent his portion , haec sabula ( saith he ) nos decet , quod omnes ortu sunt filii dei , where both his words and matter are very offensive to the truth . it is true , we finde the fathers , gregory nazianzen , and others , use sometimes a fable in their orations , to denote some morall matter ; but such the jewes did not use . as they must not give heed to fables , so neither to endlesse genealogies . we see a good use made of genealogies in the scriptures , but here is reproved the sinfull use of them ; as those grammarians among the heathens , that spent their time about heeuba's mother , or achilles pedegree , and what it was that the syren's sung : and these he calls endlesse , because vaine curiosity is more unruly then the waves of the sea ; it hath no limiting , hitherto shalt thou goe , and no further . although some referre genealogy not so much to persons as things , for that the jewes called genealogy , when one thing was fained to flow from , and , as it were , to be begotten of another ; therefore ( saith one ) paul , ver . . gives a short , but profitable genealogy , when he makes a good conscience to flow from a faith unfained . now mark , the apostle condemneth all these , because they doe not edifie . the shell-fish among the jewes was accounted uncleane , because it had but a little meat , and a great deal of labour to get it : and this is true of all doctrines , which have no profit in them . the apostle therefore tells us , what is the true use of the law , the end of the precept . scultetus , who hath it out of chrysostome , makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not to be the law , but the ministry , or preaching ; and so the apostle useth the word , v. . but grant it be so , yet they all agree , he speaks of the law strictly taken afterwards . the apostle therefore , reproving these false teachers , that did turn bread into stones , and fish into serpents , the good law into unprofitablenesse , lest this should be thought to traduce the law , he addeth , we know ( as if that were without question to all . ) so that there is a position , the law is good , and a supposition , if a man use it lawfully ; with a correction , the law is not made to the righteous . as austin said , it was hard to speak for free-will , and not to deny free-grace ; or free-grace , and not to deny free-will : so it 's hard to give the law its due , and not to seeme to prejudice the gospel ; or the gospel , and not to prejudice the law : for , take but these two verses , videtur apostolus pugnantia dicere , the apostle seemeth to speake contradictions , saith martyr : for , seeing none can use the law well , but a righteous man , how then is not the law given to him ? but this knot shall be untyed in its proper place . i shall at this time handle the first proposition , that is conditionall ; only i might insist upon opening the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or law : for , i conceive , the neglect of the different use of this , doth breed many errours ; for there is a law that we are to be antinomians , or contrary to ; and there is a law , that we must submit to : but of this i will speak in one particular caution . observ . . the law of god is good , if a man use it lawfully . observ . . ( which is implyed ) that the law of god may be used unlawfully . the law is good , . in respect of the matter of it therein contained ; for , if you take the spirituall interpretation of it , you will finde all the matter exceeding good : to love god , to trust in him , &c. how good are they ? yea , there is no duty now required of us , but is contained there : therefore peter martyr did well resemble the decalogue to the ten predicaments , that , as there is nothing hath a being in nature , but what may be reduced to one of those ten ; so neither is there any christian duty , but what is comprehended in one of these , that is , consequentially , or reductively . and , if tully durst say , that the law of the twelve tables did exceed all the libraries of philosophers , both in weight of authority , and fruitfulnesse of matter , how much rather is this true of gods law ? it 's disputed , whether justifying faith be commanded in the law : here are different opinions ; but when i handle this question , whether the law of moses , and that which was ingraffed in adams heart in innocency , be all one , it will be proper to speak of that . peter martyr , handling the division of the ten commandements , how the number should be made up , makes that , which is commonly called the preface [ i am the lord thy god , which are words of a covenant ] to be the first commandment : and if so , then must justifying faith be enjoyned there . and thus did some of the fathers , though those words are only enunciative , and not preceptive . but more determinatively of this in its place . . in respect of the authority stamped upon it by god , whereby it becomes a rule unto us . the former is agreed on by all : and i see few that dare openly deny the other ; for , seeing the matter is intrinsecally and eternally good , it cannot but be commanded by god , though not to justifie , for that is separable from it . there are some things that are justa , because deus vult ; as in all positive things : and then there are other things just , and therefore god wills them , though even they are also just , because they are consonant to that eternall justice and goodnesse in himself : so that , indeed , it is so farre from being true , that the law , which hath gods authority stampt on it for a rule , and so is mandatum , should be abrogated , that it is impossible , nè per deum quidem ; for then god should deny his own justice and goodnesse : therefore we doe justly abhorre those blasphemous questions among the school-men , an deus possit mandare edium sui , &c. for it's impossible . therefore we see , matth. . that our saviour is so farre from abrogating it , that he sheweth the spirituall extent of the mandatory power of the law , farre beyond pharisees expectation ; and thus james urgeth the authority of the law-giver . the obligation by the law is eternall and immutable , insomuch that it doth absolutely imply a contradiction , that there should be in mans nature an holinesse or righteousnesse without a law or subjection to the command of god. hence it is a dangerous opinion of some , who say , the holinesse of our natures is not commanded by the law , but of our actions , and so not originall sinne but onely actuall sinne shall be forbidden by the decalogue . . it 's good instrumentally , as used by gods spirit for good . it 's disputed by some , whether the law , and the preaching of it , is used as an instrument by the spirit of god for conversion : but that will be an entire question in it self ; only thus much at this time . the spirit of god doth use the law , to quicken up the heart of a beleever unto his duty , psal . . thou hast quickened me by thy precepts . and so psal . . the law of the lord enlightneth the simple , and by them thy servant is fore-warn'd of sinne . you will say , the word law is taken largely there for all precepts and testimonies . it 's true , but it 's not exclusive of the precepts of the morall law ; for they were the chiefest ; and indeed , the whole word of god is an organ and instrument of gods spirit for instruction , reformation , and to make a man perfect to every good work . it 's an unreasonable thing , to separate the law from the spirit of god , and then compare it with the gospel ; for , if you doe take the gospel , even that promise , christ came to save sinners , without the spirit , it worketh no more , yea , it 's a dead letter as well as the law : therefore calvin well called lex , corpus , and the spirit , anima : now , accedat anima ad corpus , let the soul be put into the body , and it 's a living reasonable man : but now , as when we say , a man discourses , a man understands , this is ratione animae , in respect of his soul , not corporis , of the body ; so when we say , a man is quickened by the law of god to obedience , this is not by reason of the law , but of the spirit of god : but of this anon . . it 's good in respect of the sanction of it : for it 's accompanied with promises , and that not only temporall , as command . . but also spirituall , command . . where god is said to pardon to many generations ; and therefore the law doth include christ secondarily and occasionally , though not primarily , as hereafter shall be shewed . it 's true , the righteousnesse of the law , and that of the gospel differ toto coelo ; we must place one in suprema parte coeli , and the other in ima parte terrae , as luther speakes to that effect : and it 's one of the hardest taskes in all divinity , to give them their bounds , and then to cleare how the apostle doth oppose them , and how not . we know it was the cursed errour of the manichees and marcionites , that the law was only carnall , and had only carnall promises ; whereas it 's evident , that the fathers had the same faith for substance as we have . it 's true , if we take law and gospel in this strict difference , as some divines doe , that all the precepts , wheresoever they are , must be under the law , and all the promises be reduced to the gospel , whether in old or new testament ; in which sense divines then say , lex jubet , & gratia juvat ; the law commands , and grace helps ; and , lex imperat , the law commands , and fides impetrat , faith obtaineth ; then the law can have no sanction by promise : but where can this be shewed in scripture ? when we speake of the sanction of the law by promise , we take it as in the administration of it by moses , which was evangelicall ; not as it was given to adam , with a promise of eternall life upon perfect obedience : for the apostle paul's propositions , to him that worketh , the reward is reckoned of debt ; and , the doers of the law are justified , were never verificable , but in the state of innocency . . in respect of the acts of it . you may call them either acts or ends , i shall , acts . and thus a law hath divers acts , . declarative , to lay down what is the will of god : . to command obedience to this will declared : . either to invite by promises , or compell by threatnings : . to condemne the transgressors : and this use the law is acknowledged by all to have against ungodly and wicked men , and some of these cannot be denyed even to the godly . i wonder much at an antinomian authour , that saith , * it cannot be a law , unlesse it also be a cursing law ; for , besides that the same authour doth acknowledge the morall law to be a rule to the beleever , ( and regula hath vim praecepti , as well as doctrinae ) what will he say to the law given to adam , who as yet was righteous and innocent , and therefore could not be cursing or condemning of him ? so the angels were under a law , else they could not have finned , yet it was not a cursing law . it 's true , if we take cursing or condemning potentially , so a law is alwayes condemning : but for actuall cursing , that is not necessary , no not to a transgressour of the law , that hath a surety in his roome . . in respect of the end of it . rom. . . christ is the end of the law. by reason of the different use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there are different conjectures ; some make it no more then extremitas , or terminus ; because the ceremoniall law ended in christ : others make it finis complementi , the fulness of the law is christ : others adde , finis intentionis , or scopi to it ; so that by these the meaning is , the law did intend christ in all its ceremonialls and moralls , that , as there was not the least ceremony , which did not lead to christ ; so not the least iota or apex in the morall law , but it did also aime at him . therefore saith calvin upon this place , habemus insignem locum , quòd lex omnibus suis partibus in christum respiciat ; imò quicquid lex docet , quicquid praecipit , quicquid promittit , christum pro scopo habet : we have a noble place , proving , that the law in all its parts did look to christ ; yea whatsoever the law teacheth , commandeth , or promiseth , it hath christ for its scope . what had it been for a jew to pray to god , if christ had not been in that prayer ? to love god , if christ had not been in that love ? yet here is as great a difference between the law and gospel , as is between direction and exhibition , between a school-master and a father : he is an unwise childe , that will make a school-master his father . whether this be a proper intention of the law , you shall have hereafter . . in respect of the adjuncts of it , which the scripture attributeth to it : and it 's observable , that even where the apostle doth most urge against the law , as if it were so farre from bettering men , that it makes them the worse ; yet there he praiseth it , calling it good and spirituall . now i see it called spirituall in a two-fold sense : . effectivè , because it did , by gods spirit , quicken to spirituall life ; even as the apostle in the opposition calls himself carnall , because the power of corruption within , did work carnall and sinfull motions in him . but i shall expound it spirituall . . formaliter , formally , because the nature and extent of it is spirituall : for it forbids the sins of the spirit , not only externall sins ; it forbids thy spirit pride , thy spirit envie : even as god is the father of spirits , so is the law , the law of spirits . hence it 's compared by james to a glasse , which will shew the least spot in the face , and will not flatter , but if thou hast wrinkles and deformities there , they will be seen ; so that there is no such way to bring pharisaicall and morall men out of love with themselves , as to set this glasse before them . . in respect of the use of it : and that to the ungodly , and to the beleever . . to the ungodly , it hath this use : . to restrain and limit sin : and , certainly , though it should not reach to renovation and changing of mens hearts , yet here is a great deale of good , that it 's an outward whip and scourge to men , whereby they are kept in honest discipline : and this made the apostle say , the law was added , because of transgressions . the people of israel , by their being in the wildernesse , having forgotten god , and being prone to idolatry , the lord he added this law , as a restraint upon them . even as you see upon mad-men , and those that are possessed with devils , we put heavie chaines and fetters , that they may doe no hurt ; so the lord laid the law upon the people of israel , to keep them in from impietie . the apostle useth a word , shut up as in a dungeon , but that is to another sense . it was chrysostomes comparison : as a great man , suspecting his wife , appoints eunuchs to look to her and keep her ; so did god , being jealous over the jewes , appoint these lawes . . to curse , and condemne : and in this respect , it poureth all its fury upon the ungodly . the law to the godly by christ , is like a serpent with a sting pulled out ; but now to the wicked , the sting of sinne is the law , and therefore the condition of that man , who is thus under it , is unspeakably miserable . the curse of it is the sore displeasure of god , and that for every breach of it ; and , if men , that have broken onely mens lawes , be yet so much afraid , that they hide themselves , and keep close , when yet no man or judge can damne them , or throw them into hell ; what cause is there to feare that law-giver , who is able to destroy soul and body ? therefore consider , thou prophane man , are not thy oaths , are not thy lusts against gods law ? you had better have all the men in the world your enemy , then the law of god. it 's a spirituall enemy ; and therefore the terrours of it are spirituall , as well as the duties . let not your lives be antinomians , no more then opinions . oh that i could confute this antinomianisme also ; such a mans life and conversation was against gods law , but now it 's not . . to beleevers it hath this use : . to excite and quicken them against all sinne and corruption : for , howsoever the scripture saith , against such there is no law , and , the law is not made to the righteous ; yet , because none of the godly are perfectly righteous , and there is none but may complain of his dull love , and his faint delight in holy things , therefore the law of god , by commanding , doth quicken him . how short is this of that which god commands ? not , that a man is to look for justification by this , or to make these in stead of a christ to him ; but for other ends . hence psal . . and psal . . and . who can deny , that they belong to the godly now , as well as heretofore ? have not beleevers now , crookednesse , hypocrisie , luke-warmnesse ? you know , not only the unruly colt , that is yet untamed ; but the horse , that is broken , hath a bit and bridle also : and so , not only the ungodly , but even the godly , whose hearts have been much broken and tamed , doe yet need a bridle , lest they should cast off the spirit of god , that would govern them , nè spiritum sessorem excutiant . and , if men should be so peremptorie , as to say , they doe not need this ; it 's not because they doe not need it , ( for they need it most ) but because they do not feele it . . to enlighten and discover unto them daily more and more heart-sinne , and soul-sinne . this use the apostle speaketh of , rom. . per totum : for , how should a man come to know the depth of originall sinne , all the sinfull motions flowing from it , but by the law ? and therefore that is observed by divines , the apostle saith , he had not knowne sinne , but by the law ; intimating thereby , that the law of nature was so obliterated and darkened , that it could not shew a man the least part of his wickednesse . seneca , who had more light then others , yet he saith , it is thy errour , to think sins were born with thee , no , they afterwards came upon thee , erras , si tecum vitia nasci putas ; supervenerunt , ingesta sunt . and so pelagius his assertion was , that , we are born as well without vice , as virtue , tam sine vitio , quàm sine virtute nascimur . and you see all popery , to this day , holds those motions of heart , not consented to , to be no sins , but necessary conditions , arising from our constitution , and such as adam had in innocency : therefore the people of god see and are humbled for that wickednesse , which others take no notice of . this will satisfie man , but not gods law. . to drive them out of all their own power and righteousnesse . and this is another good consequence : for , when they see all to come short of the law ; that the earth is not more distant from heaven , then they from that righteousnesse , this makes them to goe out of all their prayers , and all their duties , as you see paul , rom. . he consented to the law , and he delighted in it , but he could not reach to the righteousnesse of it ; and therefore crieth out , oh wretched man that i am ! how apt are the holiest to be proud and secure , as david , and peter ? even as the worms and wasps eat the sweetest apples and fruit ; but this will keep thee low . how absurd then are they , that say , the preaching of the law is to make men trust in themselves , and to adhere to their own righteousnesse ? for , there is no such way to see a mans beggery and guilt , as by shewing the strictnesse of the law : for , what makes a papist so self-confident , that his hope is partly in grace , and partly in merits , but because they hold they are able to keep the law ? god forbid , saith a papist , that we should enjoy heaven as of meere almes to us ; no , we have it by conquest : whence is all this , but because they give not the law its due ? . hereby to quicken them to an higher price and esteem of christ , and the benefits by him : so paul , in that great agony of his , striving with his corruption ( being like a living man tyed to a dead carkasse , his living faith to dead unbelief , his humility to loathsome pride ) see what a conclusion he makes , i thank god , through jesus christ . it 's true , many times the people of god , out of the sense of their sinne , are driven off from christ ; but this is not the scriptures direction : that holds out riches in christ for thy poverty , righteousnesse in christ for thy guilt , peace in christ for thy terrour . and in this consideration it is , that many times luther hath such hyperbolicall speeches about the law , and about sinne . all is spoken against a christians opposing the law to the gospel , so , as if the discovering of the one , did quite drive from the other . and this is the reason , why papists and formall christians never heartily and vehemently prize christ , taking up every crumb that falls from his table : they are christs to themselves , and self-saviours . i deny not , but the preaching of christ , and about grace , may also make us prize grace and christ ; but such is our corruption , that all is little enough . let me adde these cautions : . it 's of great consequence in what sense we use the word [ law. ] he that distinguisheth well , teacheth well . now i observe a great neglect of this in the books written about these points ; and , indeed , the reason why some can so hardly endure the word [ law ] is , because they attend to the use of the word in english ; or the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and lex , as it is defined by tully and aristotle , which understand it a strict rule only of things to be done , and that by way of meere command . but now the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth comprehend more ; for that doth not only signifie strictly what is to be done , but it denoteth largely any heavenly doctrine , whether it be promise , or precept : and hence it is , that the apostle calleth it , the law of faith ( which in some sense would be a contradiction , and in some places , where the word law is used absolutely , it 's much questioned , whether he mean the law or the gospel ) and the reason why he calls it a law of faith , is not ( as chrysostome would have it ) because hereby he would sweeten the gospel , and , for the words sake , make it more pleasing to them ; but happily , in a meere hebraisme , as signifying that in generall , which doth declare and teach the will of god. the hebrewes have a more strict word for precept , and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet some say this also sometimes signifieth a promise , psal . . . there the lord commanded a blessing , i. e. promised ; so john . . his commandement , i. e. his promise , is life everlasting : so then , if we would attend to the hebrew words , it would not so trouble us , to heare that it is good . but yet the use of the word [ law ] is very generall : sometimes it signifieth any part of the old testament , john . it is said in the law , ye are gods . and that is in the psalmes : sometimes the law and the prophets are made all the books of the old testament ; sometimes the law and the psalmes are distinguished ; sometimes it is used for the ceremoniall law only , hebr. . . the law having a shadow of things to come ; sometimes it is used synecdochically , for some acts of the law only ; as galat. . against such there is no law : sometimes it is used for that whole oiconomy , and peculiar dispensation of gods worship unto the jewes ; in which sense it is said to be untill john , but grace and truth by jesus christ : sometimes it is used in the sense of the jewes , as without christ : and thus the apostle generally in the epistle to the romans and galatians . indeed , this is a dispute between papists and us , in what sense the law is taken : for , the papists would have it understood onely of the ceremoniall law . but we answer , that the beginning of the dispute , was about the observation of those legall ceremonies , as necessary to salvation : but the apostle goeth from the hypothesis to the thesis ; and sheweth , that not only those ordinances , but no other works may be put in christs roome : therefore the antinomian , before he speaks any thing against , or about the law , he must shew in what sense the apostle useth it : sometimes it is taken strictly , for the five books of moses ; yea , it is thought of many , that book of the law , so often mentioned in scripture , which was kept with so much diligence , was onely that book called deuteronomy : and commonly it is taken most strictly for the ten commandements . now , the different use of this word breeds all this obscurity , and the apostle argueth against it in one sense , and pleadeth for it in another . . the law must not be separated from the spirit of god. the law is only light to the understanding , the spirit of god must circumcise the heart to love it , and delight in it , otherwise that is true of gods law , which aristotle , . polit. cap. . said of all humane lawes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it 's not able of it self to make good and honest citizens . this is a principle alwayes to be carried along with you : for , the whole word of god is the instrument and organ of spirituall life , and the law is part of this word of god : this i proved before ; nay , should the morall law be quite abolished , yet it would not be for this end , because the spirit of god did not use it as an instrument of life ; for , we see all sides grant , that circumcision and the sacraments are argued against by the apostle , as being against our salvation , and damnable in their own use now ; yet in the old testament , those sacraments of circumcision , and the paschall lamb , were spirituall meanes of faith , as truly as baptisme , and the lords supper are . it is true , there is a difference in the degree of gods grace by them ; but not in the truth : and therefore our divines do well consute the papists , who hold those sacraments onely typicall of ours , and not to be really exhibitive of grace , as these are in the new testament . therefore , if the apostles , arguing against the morall law , would prove it no instrument of gods spirit for our good , the same would hold also in circumcision , and all those sacraments ; and therefore at least for that time they must grant it a help to christ and grace , as well as circumcision was . if you say , why then doth the apostle argue against the works of the morall law ? i answer , because the jewes rested in them without christ : and , it is the fault of our people , they turn the gospel into the law ; and we may say , whosoever seeks to be saved by his baptisme , he falls off from christ . . to doe a thing out of obedience to the law , and yet by love and delight , doe not oppose one another . about this i see a perpetuall mistake . to lead a man by the law is slavish , it 's servile , say they ; a beleever is carried by love , he needs no law : and i shall shew you , chrysostome hath some such hyperbolicall expressions upon the words following , [ the law is not put for the righteous . ] but this is very weak , to oppose the efficient cause and the rule together ; for , the spirit of god worketh the heart to love and delight in that which he commandeth : take an instance in adam ; while he stood , he did obey out of love , and yet because of the command also : so the angels are ministring spirits , and do obey the commandments of god , ( otherwise the apostate angels could not have sinned ) and yet they are under a law , though doing all things in love . we may illustrate it by moses his mother ; you know , she was hired , and commanded by pharaoh's daughter to nurse moses , which was her own childe : now she did this out of love to moses , her childe ; yet did obey pharaeh's daughters commandement upon her also : so concerning christ , there was a commandement laid upon christ , to fulfill the law for us , yet he did it out of love . it is disputed , whether christ had a command laid upon him by the father strictly so called : and howsoever the arrians , from the grant of this , did inferre christs absolute inferiority to the father ; yet our orthodox divines doe conclude it , because of the many places of scripture which prove it , act. . . john . . as my father hath commanded me , so i you . john . . ( if you keep my commandements , and abide in love , &c. ) and , indeed , if it were not a commandement , it could not be called an obedience of christ ; for , that doth relate to a command : now this i inferre hence , that , to doe a thing out of obedience to a command , because a command , doth not inferre want of love ; although i grant , that the commandement was not laid upon christ , as on us , either to direct him , or quicken him . besides , all the people of god have divers relations , upon which their obedience lyeth ; they are gods servants , and that doth imply obedientiam servi , though not obedientiam servilem , the obedience of a servant , but not servile obedience . again , a beleever may look to the reward , and yet have a spirit of love ; how much rather look to the command of god ? a godly man may have amorem mercedis , though not amorem mercenarium . if god in his covenant make a promise of reward , the eie unto that is suteable and agreeable unto the covenant , and therefore cannot be blame-worthy . and , lastly , there is no godly man , but he hath in part some unwillingness to good things ; and therefore needs the law not only to direct , but to exhort and goad forward : even , as i said , the tamed horse needeth a spur , as well as the unbroken colt . . though christ hath obeyed the law fully , yet that doth not exempt us from our obedience to it , for other ends then he did it . and , i think , that if the antinomian did fully inform himself in this thing , there were an agreement : for , we all ought to be zealous against those pharisaicall and popish practices of setting up any thing in us , though wrought by the grace of god , as the matter of our justification . but herein they do not distinguish , or well argue : the works of the law do not justifie , therefore they are needlesse , or not requisite : for ( say they ) if christ hath fully obeyed the righteousnesse of the law , and that is made ours ; therefore it is not what ours is , but what christs is . this would be a good consequence , if we were to obey the law for the same end christ did , but that is farre for us . i have heard indeed some doubt , whether the maintaining of christs active obedience imputed to us , doth not necessarily imply antinomianisme : but of that more hereafter ; onely let them lay a parallel with christs passive obedience . he satisfied the curse and threatning of the law , and thereby hath freed us from all punishment ; yet the beleevers have afflictions for other ends : so do we the works of gods law , for other ends then christ did them . a fifth caution or limitation shall be this , to distinguish between a beleever , and his personall acts : for , howsoever the law doth not curse or condemne him , in regard of his state ; yet those particular sins he commits , it condemnes them , and they are guilty of gods wrath , though this guilt doth not redound upon the person : therefore it is a very wilde comparison of * one , that a man under grace hath no more to doe with the law , then an english-man hath with the lawes of spain or turkie : for , howsoever every beleever be in a state of grace , so that his person is justified ; yet , being but in part regenerated , so farre as his sins are committed , they are threatned and condemned in him , as well as in another : for there is a simple guilt of sin , and a guilt redundant upon the person . . that the law is not therefore to be decryed , because we have no power to keep the law : for , so we have no power to obey the gospel . it is an expression an antinomian * useth , the law ( saith he ) speaketh to thee , if troubled for sin , doe this , and live ; now this is , as if a judge should bid a malefactor , if you will not be hanged , take all england , and carry it upon your shoulders into the west indies . what comfort were this ? now , doth not the gospel , when it bids a man beleeve , speak as impossible a thing to a mans power ? it 's true , god doth not give such a measure of grace as is able to fulfill the law , but we have faith enough evangelically to justifie us : but that is extraneous to this matter in hand . it followes therefore , that the law , taken most strictly , and the gospel , differ in other considerations then in this . . they doe not distinguish between that which is primarily and per se in the law , and that which is occasionally . it cannot be denied , but the decalogue requireth primarily a perfect holiness , as all lawes require exactnesse ; but yet it doth not exclude a mediatour . the law saith , doe this and live ; and it doth not say , none else shall doe this for thee : for , if so , then it had been injustice in god , to have given us a christ . i therefore much wonder at one , who , in his book , speaks thus , the law doth not only deprive us of comfort , but it will let no body else speak a word of comfort , because it is a rigid keeper : and he confirmeth it by that place , gal. . . but how short this is , appeareth , . because what the apostle calleth the law here , he called the scripture in generall before . . he speaketh it generally of all under that form of moses his regiment , so that the fathers should have no comfort by that means . use . of instruction . how dangerous an errour it is , to deny the law : for , is it good ? and , may it be used well ? then take we heed of rejecting it . what ? because it is not good for justification , is it in no sense else good ? is not gold good , because you cannot eat it , and feed on it , as you do on meat ? take the precept of the gospel ; yea , take the gospel acts , as , to beleeve : this , as it is a work , doth not justifie : ( therefore that opinion which makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere , to justifie , may as well take in other acts of obedience ) but , because faith , as it is a work , doth not justifie , do you therefore reject beleeving ? a man may abuse all the ordinances of the gospel , as well as the law. the man that thinks the very outward work of baptisme , the very outward work of receiving a sacrament will justifie him , doth as much dishonour god , as a jew , that thought circumcision , or the sacrifices did justifie him . you may quickly turn all the gospel into the law in that sense ; you may as well say , what need i pray ? what need i repent ? it cannot justifie me , as to deny the law , because it cannot . use . how vain a thing it is , to advance grace and christ oppositely to the law : nay , they that destroy one , destroy also the other . who prizeth the city of refuge so much , as the malefactour that is pursued by guilt ? who desireth the brasen serpent , but he that is stung ? if christ be the end of the law , how is he contrary to it ? and , if christ and the law could be under the old testament , why not under the new ? it is true , to use the law otherwise then god hath appointed , it 's no marvell if it hurt us , if it poyson us ; as those that kept the manna otherwise then they should , it turned to wormes . but , if you use it so , as christ is the dearer , and grace the more welcome to thee , then thou dost well . the law bids thee love god with all thine heart and soul ; doth not this bid thee goe to christ ? hast thou any strength to doe it ? and what thou dost , being enabled by grace , is that perfect ? vae etiam laudabili vitae ei , &c. said austin , make therefore a right use of the law , and then thou wilt set up christ and grace in thine heart , as well as in thy mouth . now thou holdst free-grace as an opinion , it may be ; but then all within thee will acknowledge it . lecture ii. tim. . , . knowing the law is good , if a man use it lawfully . in these words you have heard , . the position , [ the law is good : ] . the supposition , if a man use it lawfully . now , this know in the generall , that this is no more derogative to the law , that it is such a good , which a man may use ill , bonum , quo aliquis malè uti potest , then god , or christ , or the gospel , or free-grace are ; for , all may turn this hony into gall : yea , an antinomian may set up his preaching of grace , as a work more eminent , and so trust to that more then christ . i doe acknowledge that of chrysostome to be very good , speaking of the love of god in christ , and raised up in admiration of it , oh ( saith he ) i am like a man digging in a deep spring : i stand here , and the water riseth up upon me ; and i stand there , and still the water riseth upon me : so it is in the love of christ and the gospel , the poore broken heart may finde unsearchable treasures there ; but yet this must not be used to the prejudice of the law neither . and take this , as a prologus galeatus to all i shall say , that , because the law may be used unlawfully , it is no more derogation , then to the gospel : wo be to the whole land , for the abuse of the gospel ; is it not the matter of death to many ? i shall shew the generall wayes of abusing the law : . that in the text , when men turn it unto unfruitfull and unprofitable disputes : and this the apostle doth here mainly intend . cui bono ? must be the question made of any dispute about the law : and therefore , if i should , in this exercise i have undertaken , handle any frivolous or unprofitable disputes , this were to use the law unlawfully ; and therefore let ministers take heed that be not true of them , which one dreamed about the school-men , that he thought them all like a man eating an hard stone , when pure manchet was by . besides , he preacheth the law unprofitably , not only that darkeneth it with obscure questions , but that doth not teach christ by it : and i see not but that ministers may be humbled , that they have pressed religious duties , but not so as to set up christ ; and hereby people have been content with duties and sacraments , though no christ in them . but , as all the vessels were to be of pure gold in the temple , so ought all our duties to be of pure and meere christ for acceptation . tertullian saith of cerinthus , legem proponit , ad excludendum evangelium , he preacheth the law , to exclude the gospel ; therefore there may be such a legall preacher , as is justly to be reproved , the apostle of the teachers in this chapter , saith they will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , teachers of the law , yet he rebuketh them , for they brought in many fables about it , as they feigned a dialogue between god and the law before the world was made , and that god made the world for the lawes sake . . when men look to carnall and worldly respects , in the handling of it . this is also to use the law unlawfully . and thus the priests and the jewes did , as thereby to make a living , and to have temporall blessings : and it is no wonder that the law may be used so , seeing the doctrine of christ is so abused . there are , as nazianzen saith well , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , christ-merchants , and christ-hucksters , that hope , as judas did , for carnall ends by christ ; therefore so we are to handle law and gospel , not as thereby to make parties , or to get applause ; but of a godly love and zeale to truth . it was an honest complaint of a popish writer , we ( saith he ) handle the scripture ( tantùm ut nos pascat , & vestiat ) that we might only live , and be cloathed by it . and how doe we all fall short of paul , as , act. . where he was preaching night and day with great affections , and desired no mans gold or silver ? how well might chrysostome call him , angelus terrestris , & , cor pauli est cor christi ? . when men would quite overthrow it , or deny it . thus the marcionites and manichees of old , and others of late , though upon other grounds . now the ground of their errour , are the many places of scripture that seeme to deny the law ; and , i doe acknowledge , it is hard to get the true sense of those places without diligence : and therefore austin said well ( as to that purpose , if i mistake not ) they are not so much the simple , as the negligent , that are deceived herein : and , as chrysostome saith , a friend that is acquainted with his friend , will get out the meaning of a letter or phrase , which another could not that is a stranger : so it is here in the scripture . now , two things let such consider : . that as there are places that seem to overthrow it , so there are also many places that doe confirme it ; yea , the apostle makes objections against himself , as if he did disanull it , and then answers with an absit , as if it were an horrid thing to doe so . . that they must take the apostle in the particular sense he intends it . it is a good rule , quaelibet res eâ capienda est parte , quâ capi debet : you doe not take a sword by the edge , but the handle ; nor a vessell by the body , but the eare : and so this doctrine of the law , not in every part , but where the apostle would have you take it . . when they doe ill interpret it . and herein all popish authors are in an high degree to be reproved ; for , they limit exceedingly the spirituall meaning thereof , even as the pharisees understood it only of externall acts : and therefore our saviour , matth. . did not make new commands or counsells there ( as popish expositors dreame ) but did throw away all that earth , which the philistims had tumbled into that spring . and this was so generall a mistake , that it was a great while ere paul did understand the strictnesse of it . this discovers a world of sin in a man , which he was ignorant of before . the papists , they also use it unlawfully in that corrupt glosse , as if it might be kept so farre forth as it 's obligatory . in a great part of it , they make it commonitory , and not obligatory ; and the power of man they make to be the rule of his duty , whereas it is plaine by scripture , that that measure of grace , which god giveth any man upon earth , is not answerable to the duty commanded there . it is true , hierome said , it was blasphemy to say , god commanded any thing impossible : but in this sense impossible absolutely , so that man could never have fulfilled it . . when they doe oppose it to christ . and this was the jewes fundamentall errour , and under this notion doth the apostle argue against it in his epistles to the romans and galatians . and , howsoever they would have compounded christ and the law together , yet this composition was to make opposition . there can be no more two suns in the firmament , then two things to justifie : therefore the reconciliation of the law and christ cannot be , in matter of justification , by way of mixture ; but yet one is antecedaneous and subordinate to the other , and is no more to be opposed , then the end to the meanes . nor is it any wonder that the law , through errour , may be opposed to christ , seeing that christ may be opposed to christ ; as , in popery , christ sanctifying is opposed to christ justifying : for , when we charge them with derogating from christ , in holding our graces doe justifie ; nay ( say they ) we set him up more then you , for , we hold , he doth make us holy , that this holinesse doth justifie . thus , you see , christ in his workes is opposed to christ in his justifying . and here , by the way , you may see , that that only is the best way of advancing christ or grace , which is in a scripture way , and not what is possible for us to think , as the papists doe . . when they look for justification by it : and this is a dangerous and desperate errour ; this is that which reigneth in popery , this is that inbred canker-worm , that eateth in the hearts of all naturally . they know not a gospel-righteousnesse , and for this end they reade the law , they heare it preached onely , that they may be self-saviours : and , certainly , for this two-fold end , i may think , god suffers this antinomian errour to grow ; first , that ministers may humble themselves , they have not set forth christ and grace in all the glory of it . if bernard said , he did not love to reade tully , because he could not reade the name of christ there ; how much rather may we say , that in many sermons , in many a mans ministery , the drift and end of all his preaching is not , that christ may be advanced . and in christians , in protestants , it is a farre greater sin then in papists : for , it is well observed by peter martyr , that the apostle doth deale more mildly in the epistle to the romans , then in the epistle to the galatians ; and the reason is , because the galatians were at first well instructed in the matter of justification , but afterwards did mixe other things with christ , therefore he thunders against them . i desire to know nothing , saith paul , corinth . . but jesus christ , and him crucified . and secondly , another end may be , to have these truths beaten out more : as , the deity of christ , because of the arrians ; and , grace in predestination and conversion , by the pelagians : so , the grace of justification , because not only of papists , but antinomians . and , certainly , these things were much pressed by luther at first , as appeares in his epistle to the galatians : but , perceiving how this good doctrine was abused , he speaks in his commentary on genesis ( which was one of his last workes ) much against antinomists : but yet , because generally people are fallen into a formality of truths , it 's good to set up christ . and the poison of this opinion will be seen in these things : . it overthroweth the nature of grace . and this holdeth against the works of the gospel , as well as those of the law. take notice of this , that justification by works doth not only exclude the works of the law , but all works of the gospel , yea , and the works of grace also . hence you see , the opposition is of works , and of grace . here the apostle makes an immediate opposition , whereas the papist would say , paul hath a non sequitur ; for , datur tertium , workes of and by grace . but works doe therefore oppose grace , because the frequent acception of it in the scripture is for the favour of god without us , not any thing in us . i will not deny but that the word [ grace ] is used for the effects of it , inherent holinesse wrought in us , as in that place , grow in grace and knowledge ; but yet commonly grace is used for the favour of god. and the ignorance of the use of the word in scripture , makes them so extoll inherent holinesse , as if that were the grace which should save us . as ( saith the papist ) a bird cannot fly without wings , the fish swimme without scales , the sculler without his oare cannot get to the haven : so , without this grace , we cannot fly into heaven , and that as the meritorious cause . but this is ignorance of the word [ grace ] and so the troubles and unbelief of the godly heart , because it is not so holy as it would be , cometh from the mistake of the word [ grace . ] i shall anticipate my self in another subject , if i should tell you how comprehensive this word is , implying no merit or causality on our part for acceptance , but the clean contrary ; and therefore , for god to deal with us in grace , is more then in love : for adam , if he had continued righteous , he had been partaker of life ; this had been the gift of god , but not by the grace of god , as it is strictly taken ; for adam was not in a contrary condition to life . i will not trouble you with pareus his apprehension , that thinketh adams righteousnesse could not be called grace , therefore reproveth bellarmine for his title , de gratia primi hominis : neither will he acknowledge those habits of holinesse in christ to be called grace , because there was not a contrary disposition in his nature to it , as it is in ours . and this also cameron presseth , that , besides the indebitum which grace implyeth in every subject , there is also a demeritum of the contrary . thus then justification is of grace , because thy holinesse doth not only not deserve this , but the clean contrary . now what a cordiall may this be to the broken heart , exercised with its sinnes ? how may the sick say , there i finde health ? the poore say , there i finde riches ? and as for the papists , who say they set up grace , and they acknowledge grace ; yet first it must be set down in what sense we take grace . it is not every man that talketh of grace , doth therefore set up scripture-grace . who knoweth not that the pelagians set up grace ? they determined , that whosoever did not a knowledge grace necessary to every good act all the day long let him be an anathema : and this faire colour did deceive the eastern churches , that they did acquit him : but austine and others observed , that he did use the word grace , to decline envie , gratiae vocabulo uti ad frangendam invidiam ; even as the papists do at this time : therefore if they say , thy patience is grace , thy hope is grace , and therefore by grace thou art saved ; say , this is not the gospel-grace , the scripture-grace , by which sins are pardoned , and we saved . . it opposeth christ in his fulnesse : it makes an halfe-christ . thus the false apostles made christ void , and fell off from him . neither will this serve , to say that the apostle speakes of the ceremoniall law : for ( as we told you ) though the differences about the jewish ceremonies , were the occasion of those divisions in the primitive times , yet the apostle goeth from the hypothesis to the thesis , even to all works whatsoever , and therefore excludes abrahams and davids works from justification . now christ would be no christ if workes were our righteousnesse ; because the righteousnesse by the faith of christ is opposed to pauls own righteousnesse , and this is called the righteousnesse of god : yea , this is said to be made righteousnesse unto us , and he is called the lord our righteousnesse ; and howsoever bellarmine would understand these phrases causally , as when god is called the lord our salvation ; yet we shall shew you it cannot be so , therefore if thy works justifie thee , what needs a christ ? can thy graces be a christ ? . it destroyeth the true doctrine of justification . i shall not lanch into this ocean at this time , only consider how the scripture speaks of it , as not infusing what is perfect , but forgiving what is imperfect ; as in david , blessed is the man to whom the lord imputeth no sin . i shall not at this time dispute whether there be two parts of justification , one positive , in respect of the term to which , called imputation of christs righteousnesse ; the other negative , in respect of the term from which , not accounting sin . this later i only presse : therefore , what is it to be justified ? not to have holinesse accepted of us , but our sins remitted : justitia nostra , est indulgentia tua domine . now , what a comfortable plea is this for an humbled soul , o lord , it is not the question , what good i have , but what evil thou wilt forget : it is not to finde righteous works in me , but to passe by the unrighteousnesse in me ? what can satisfie thy soul , if this will not do ? is not this ( as i told you ) with chrysostome , to stand upon a spring rising higher and higher ? . it quite overthroweth justifying faith : for when christ and grace is overthrowne , this also must fall to the ground . there are these three main concurrent causes to our justification : the grace of god as the efficient , christ as the meritorious , and faith as the instrumentall ; and although one of these causes be more excellent then the other ( the efficient then the instrumentall ) yet all are equally necessary to that effect of justification . that faith doth instrumentally justifie , i here take it for granted . as for the antinomian , who holdeth it before faith , and thinketh the argument from infants will plainly prove it , i shall shew the contrary in its due time : onely this is enough , that an instrumentall particle is attributed to it , by faith in his bloud , and , by faith in his name , and , justified by faith . it is true , it 's never said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for faith , as if there were dignity or merit in it ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . now to set up works is to oppose faith , as the apostle argueth : therefore faith , as it is a work , is to be opposed to it self , as it 's an instrument justifying . . it quite discourageth a broken-hearted sinner , taking away peace with god , the effect of justification , and glorying in tribulations . if you consider chapt. . of rom. you will finde , that peace onely comes this way , yea and to glory in tribulations ; for , ver . . being justified by faith , we have peace with god. alas , what patience , what repentance , what pains and religious duties can procure thee peace with god ? can that which would damne , save ? can that which would work woe in thee , comfort thee ? vae etiam laudabili vitae erit , saith austin , as you heard ; woe to the most worthy life that is , if it should be judged strictly by god. and then mark the object of this peace , peace with god. take a pharisee , take a morall or a formall man , he may have a great deale of peace , because of his duties and good heart ; yet , this is not a peace with god : so also for glorying in tribulations , how can this be ? if all a mans glory were for himselfe , would not every affliction rather break him , saying , this is the fruit of my sinne ? . it brings men into themselves . and this is very dangerous : a man may not only exclude christ from his soul by grosse sins , but by self-confidences ; you are they which justifie your selves . and so the jewes , they would not submit to their own righteousnesse ; see how afraid paul is to be found in his own righteousnesse . beza puts an emphasis upon this word found , implying , that justice , and the law , and so the wrath of god is pursuing and seeking after man : where is that man that offends god , and transgresseth his law ? where is that man that doth not pray , or heare as he should doe ? now ( saith paul ) i would not be found in mine own righteousnesse . and this made luther say , take heed , not only of thy sins , but also of thy good duties . now , if this were all the wine that the antinomian would drink in christs cellar , if this were all the hony that he would have in christs hive , none would contradict it : but we shall shew you the dangerous inferences they make from hence , turning that which would be a rod , into a serpent . . it overthroweth the doctrine of imputation , and reckoning righteousnesse to us : which is spoken of rom. . and in other places . i know how this point is vexed divers wayes ; but this is enough for us : if righteousnesse were in us , and properly ours , what need a righteousnesse be reckoned and imputed to us ? the papist maketh imputative , and putative , and imaginary all one . who can say , a lame man ( say they ) goeth right , because he hath other mens shooes ? who can say , a deformed thersites is a faire absalom , because of borrowed beauty ? but these are easily refuted by scripture , and we shall shew you christs righteousnesse is as really ours , as if it were inherent . they differ not in reality , but in the manner of being ours . now , here the antinomian and papist agree in the inferences they make from this doctrine ; if christs righteousnesse be ours , then there is no sin in us seen by god , then we are as righteous as christ , argueth the antinomian : and this absurdity the papists would put on us . . it keeps a man in a slavish servile way in all his duties : for , how must that man be needs tossed up and down , which hath no other ground of peace , then the works of grace ? how is the humble heart soon made proud ? how is the heavenly heart soon become earthly ? now , you may see the scripture speaking much against doubting and feares ; and , james . it is made the canker-worm , that devoureth all our duties : therefore the scripture doth name some words that doe oppose this evangelicall temper of sons ; as , be not afraid , but beleeve ; so , why doubted ye ? the word signifieth to be in bivio , that a man cannot tell which wayes to take to , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be carried up and down , as meteors in the aire . now , how can a man be bold by any thing that is his ? by faith we have confidence and boldnesse : faith is confidence , and faith works confidence ; but faith , whose object is christ , not any thing of ours : it 's made the first word also we can speak , when we are made sons , to cry , abba , father . . a man may as lawfully joyne saints or angels in his mediation with christ , as graces . why is that doctrine of making angels and saints mediators and intercessors so odious , but because it joyneth christ and others together in that great work ? dost not thou the like , when thou joynest thy love and grace with christs obedience ? the papist saith , let such and such an holy saint save me ; and thou sayest , let my holy love , let my holy repentance save me . what advantage then hast thou , if thou cryest down saints , and then makest thy self one in a popish way ? could therefore thy graces speak , they would say as the angel to john that would worship him , worship thou god , worship thou christ , put thy trust in christ ; he hath only born our sins , so as to take them away : and therefore , as grosse idolatry makes the works of god a god ; so doth more subtle idolatry make the works of christ , a christ . . it overthroweth the grace of hope . when faith is destroyed , then also hope is . this grace of hope is the great support of a christian : now , if it be placed in christ , and the promises , it is as firme as faith ; therefore saith the apostle of hope , rom. . it makes not ashamed : but , if it were an hope in our selves , how often should we be confounded ? that is good of austine , noli sperare de te , sed de deo tuo ; nam si speras de te , anima tua conturbatur ad te , quia nondum invenit unde sit secura de te : do not hope in thy self , but god ; for if so , thy soul will never finde ground for security . it 's an ignorant distinction among papists , that they may have a certainty of hope , but not of faith in matters of salvation : whereas they have both the like certainty , and differ onely thus : faith doth for the present receive the things promised , and hope keeps up the heart against all difficulties , till it come to enjoy them . now , to have such an hope as the papists define , partly coming from gods grace , and partly from our merits , partim è gratia dei , and partim à meritis nostris proveniens , must needs be destructive . . it taketh away the glory due to god in this great work of justification . if you have not meat or drink but by god , shall you have pardon of sin without him ? abraham beleeved , and gave god glory : we are apt to account beleeving no glory to god ; but could we mortifie our corruptions more and more , could we exhaust and spend our selves , yet this is no more to give glory to god , then when we beleeve . now , it is good to possesse christians with this principle , to beleeve in christ , is to give glory to christ : we naturally would think , to go far on pilgrimages , to macerate our bodies , were likelier wayes for our salvation ; but this would be mans glory more then gods glory : therefore how did that wretched monk , dying , blasphemously say , redde mihi aeternam vitam , quam debes , pay me eternall life , which thou owest ? . it maketh sin , and the first adam more and greater for condemnation , then christ for salvation . now the apostle , rom. . makes the opposition , and sheweth , that the gift is far above the transgression : therefore take thy sins in all the aggravations of them , there is not more in them to damne , then in christ to save . why should sin be an heavie sin , a great sin , and christ not also a wonderfull saving christ ? when we say , the guilt of sin is infinite , that is , onely infinite objectivè ; but now christs merits and obedience are infinite meritoriè : they have from the dignity of the person an infinite worth in them ; and therefore , as sin is exceeding sinfull , so let christ be an exceeding christ , and grace exceeding grace . . it overthroweth the true doctrine of sanctification : which declareth it to be inchoate , and imperfect ; that our faith hath much unbelief in it , our best gold much drosse , our wine much water . it is true , both the papists and the antinomian agree in this errour , that because sin is covered , therefore there can be no sin seen in the godly ; that the soul in this life is without spot and wrinkle : but they doe it upon different grounds ; whereas paul , rom. . doth abundantly destroy that principle . how blasphemous is that direction of the papists to men dying , who are to pray thus : o lord , joyn my obedience with all the suffrings of christ for me , conjunge ( domine ) obsequium meum cum omnibus quae christus passus est pro me ? and how absurd is that doctrine , si bona opera sunt magis bona , quàm mala opera mala , fortiùs merentur vitam aeternam ? . it taketh away the true doctrine of the law , as if that were possible to be kept : for , works could not justifie us , unlesse they were answerable to that righteousnesse which god commands ; but rom. . that which was impossible for the law , christ hath fulfilled in us . . it overthroweth the consideration of a man , while he is justified : for , they look upon him as godly , but the scripture as ungodly ; rom. . who justifieth the ungodly . some by [ ungodly , ] meane any prophane man , whereas it is rather one that is not perfectly godly ; for abraham is here made the ungodly person : i know , it is explained otherwise ; but , certainly this is most genuine . use . of instruction . how uncharitably and falsly many men charge it generally upon our godly ministers , that they are nothing but justitiaries , and legall preachers ? for , do not all sound and godly ministers hold forth this christ , this righteousnesse , this way of justification ? do not all our protestant authours maintain this truth , as that which discerneth us from heathens , jewes , papists , and others in the world ? may not these things be heard in our sermons daily ? use . it is not every kind of denying the law , and setting up of christ and grace , is presently antinomianisme . luther , writing upon genesis , handling that sin of adam , in eating of the forbidden fruit , speaketh of a fanatique , as he calls him , that denyed adam could sinne , because the law is not given to the righteous . now , saith bellarmine , this is an argument satis aptè deductum ex principiis lutheranorum , because they deny the law to a righteous man. here you see he chargeth antinomianisme upon luther ; but of these things more hereafter . use . to take heed of using the law for our justification . it 's an unwarranted way ; you cannot finde comfort there : therefore let christ be made the matter of your righteousnesse and comfort more then he hath been . you know , the posts that were not sprinkled with bloud , were sure to be destroyed ; and so are all those persons and duties , that have not christ upon them . christ is the propitiation , and the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used for covering , and propitiating of sinne , is genes . . used of the pitch or plaister , whereby the wood of the ark was so fastened , that no water could get in : and it doth well resemble the atonement made by christ , whereby we are so covered , that the waters of gods wrath cannot enter upon us . and do not think , to beleeve in christ , a contemptible and unlikely way ; for , it is not , because of the dignitie of faith , but by christ . you see the hyssop ( or whatsoever it was ) which did sprinkle the bloud , was a contemptible herb , yet the instrument to represent great deliverance . lecture iii. tim . . , . knowing the law is good , if a man use it lawfully . it is my intent , after the cleare proofe of justification by the grace of god , and not of works , to shew how corrupt the antinomian is in his inferences hence-from ; and , this being done , i shall shew you the necessity of holy and good works notwithstanding . but before i come to handle some of their dangerous errours in this point , let me premise something , as , . how cautelous and wary the ministers of god ought to be in this matter , so to set forth grace , as not to give just exception to the popish caviller ; and so to defend holy works , as not to give the antinomian cause of insultation . while our protestant authors were diligent in digging out that precious gold of justification by free-grace , out of the mine of the scripture ; see what canons the councell of trent made against them , as antinomian : can. . if any man shall say , the ten precepts belong nothing at all to christians , let him be accursed , decem praecepta nihil ad christianos pertinere , anathema sit . again , can. . if any man shall hold , that a justified person is not bound to the observation of the commandements , but only to believe , let him be accursed . si quis dixerit hominem justificatum non teneri ad observantiam mandatorum , sed tantùm ad credendum , anathema sit . again , can. . if any shall hold christ jesus to be given unto men , as a redeemer in whom they are to trust , but not as a law-giver , whom they are to obey , let him be accursed . si quis dixerit christum jesum datum fuisse hominibus ut redemptorem cui fidant , non autem ut legislatorem cui obediant , anathema sit . you may gather by these their canons , that we hold such opinions as , indeed , the antinomian-doth : but our writers answer , here they grossely mistake us ; and , if this were all the controversie , we should quickly agree . it is no wonder then if it be so hard to preach free-grace , and not provoke the papist ; or , on the other side , to preach good works of the law , and not offend the antinomian . . there have been dangerous assertions about good works , even by those that were no antinomians , out of a great zeale for the grace of god against papists . these indeed , for ought i can learn , did no wayes joyn with the antinomians : but in this point there is too much affinity . there were rigid lutherans called flacians , who as they did goe too far , at least in their expressions , about originall corruption ( for there are those that doe excuse them ; ) so also they went too high against good works : therefore in stead of that position , maintained by the orthodox , good works are necessary to salvation , bona opera sunt necessaria ad salutem ; they held , good works are pernicious to salvation , bona opera sunt perniciosa ad salutem . the occasion of this division was the book called , the interim , which charles the emperour would have brought into the germane churches . in that book was this passage , good works are necessary to salvation : to which melancthon and others assented ( not understanding a necessity of merit , or efficiency , but of presence ; ) but flacius illyricus and his followers would not , taking many high expressions out of luther ( even as the antinomians doe ) for their ground . hence also zanchy , because in his writings he had such passages as these , no man grown up can be saved , unlesse he give himself to good works , and walk in them : one hinckellman , a lutheran , doth endeavour , by a troop of nine arguments , to tread downe this assertion of zanchy , which he calls calviniana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as a most manifest errour . now , if all this were spoken to take men off from that generall secret sin of putting confidence in the good works we doe , it were more tolerable : in which sense we applaud that of luther , take heed not only of evil works , but of good , cave non tantùm ab operibus malis , sed etiam à bonis ; and that of another man , who said , he got more good by his sins , then his graces : but these speeches must be soundly understood . we also love that of austin , all the commands are accounted as if thou hadst done them , when what is not done , is forgiven , omnia mandata tua facta deputantur , quando quicquid non fit , ignoscitur . . that is the incommodious , yea and erroneous passages in antinomian authors , were used for some reasons hereafter to be mentioned , it were the more tolerable : but that seems not to be . there is more poison then can be concocted in them . but if this were their ground of many unsavory assertions among them , meerly their want of clear judgement to expresse themselves , so that they think more orthodoxly then they write ; then they might be excused , as being in a logomachy : but with this proviso , as austine said of them that used the word fatum in a good sense , let them hold their opinion , but correct their expressions , mentem teneant , sed linguam corrigant . now , that there may be injudiciousnesse in them , as a cause in part of some of their erroneous passages , will appeare in that they frequently speake contradictions . this is a passage often , but very dangerous , that , let a man be a wicked man , even as high as enmity it self can make a man , yet while he is thus wicked , and while he is no better , his sins are pardoned , and he justified . yet now in other passages , though a man be never so wicked , yet if he come to christ , if he will take christ , his sinnes are pardoned : now what a contradiction is here , to be wicked and , while he is wicked , and , while he is no better , and yet to take christ , unlesse they hold that , to take christ , or , to come to him , be no good thing at all ? but happily more of their contradictions hereafter . their injudiciousnesse and weaknesse doth also appear , that when they have laid down such a truth as every godly author hath , they have so many words about it , and doe so commend it , as if they had found a philosophers stone , or a phenix ; as if the reader should presently cry out and say , behold a greater then solomon is here : and yet it is but that which every writer almost hath . again , their injudiciousnesse doth appeare , in that they minde only the promissory part of the scripture , and doe stand very little upon the mandatory part . there are five or six places , such as , christ came to save that which was lost , and , he hath laid on him the iniquities of us all , &c. these are over and over again : but you shall seldome or never have these places urged , make your calling and election sure . work out your salvation with feare and trembling ; whereas all scripture is given for our use . therefore , . if weaknesse were all the ground of this controversie , the danger were not so great . or , ly , if the end and aime they had , were only to put men off from glorying in themselves , to deny the concurrence of works to the act of justification . if their desire were that men should not ( as michal ) put an image in davids roome , so neither that christians should put their works in christs stead , thus farre it might be excusable : but then their books , and their aimes cannot be reconciled . or , if , ly , their maine drift was only to shew that good works follow a justified person , and that they doe not antecede ; here would be no opposition : but they deny the presence of them in time . or , ly , if the question were about preparatory works to justification and conversion ; though ( for my part ) i think there are such , with those limitations that hereafter may be given to them : this also were not so hainous . or fifthly , if the dispute were onely upon the space of time between a profane mans profanenesse , and his justification , or the quantity of his sorrow ; these things were of another debate . i do acknowledge , that the christian religion was matter of offence to the heathens , in that they taught , though a man had never been so wicked , yet , if he did receive christ , he should be pardoned ; and how soon this may be done , it is as god pleaseth : but there is an alteration of the mans nature at that time also ; and chrysostome , indeed , hath such a passage upon that scripture , the righteous shall live by faith , rom. . by faith onely a man hath remission of sins ; now ( saith he ) this is a paradox to humane reason , that he who was an adulterer , a murderer , should presently be accounted righteous , if he doe beleeve in christ : but this differs from the antinomian assertion , as much as heaven from hell . so it 's related in ecclesiasticall history of constantine the great , that when he had killed many of his kindred , yea and was counselled also to murder his own son , repenting of these hainous crimes , askt sopater the philosopher , who succeeded plotinus in teaching him , whether there could be any expiation for those sins ? the philosopher said , no : afterwards he asked the christian bishops , and they said , i , if he would beleeve in christ . this was feigned , to make our religion odious . or sixthly , if it were to shew , that there cannot be assurance before justification , or that to relye upon christ for pardon , it is not necessary i should know whether i have truly repented , or no ; this were also of another nature . therefore let us see what prejudiciall inferences they gather from this doctrine of justification . i know , the proper place of handling this will come , when we speak of that point ; but yet , to give some antidote against their errours , i will name some few : as , . denying them to be a way to heaven . thus one expresly ( sect. . on christ being a way , pag. . ) it is a received conceit among many persons , that our obedience is a way to heaven ; though it be not causa , yet it's via ad regnum : now this he labours to confute . as for the speech it self , divines have it out of bernard , where , among other encomium's of good works , calling them seeds of hope , incentives of love , signes of hidden predestination , and presages of future happinesse , spei quaedam seminaria , charitatis incentiva , occultae praedestinationis indicia , futurae felicitatis praesagia , he addeth this , the way to the kingdome , not the cause of reigning , via regni , non causa regnandi . now it 's true , that they are not a way in that sense that christ is called a way , no more then the spirituall life of a christian is life in that sense christ stileth himself life ; for , here he understands it of himself , as the causall and meritorious way : therefore there are articles added to every one , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which followeth makes it cleare , no man can come to the father , but by me . object . oh , but say they , our works are our businesse and imployment , not our way . sol. i answer , when we call them a way , it 's a metaphor , and such a metaphor , that the scripture doth often delight in : thus the wayes of god are said to be perfect , deut. . that is , the works of the lord ; and thus , when it 's applyed to men , if signifieth any religion , doctrine , manners , actions , or course of life , pet. . , , . so that good works are both our way , and imployment ; for an imployment and way in this sense are all one . thus matth. . . strait is the way that leadeth to life : what is this , but the work of grace and godlinesse ? for , as for that exposition of the same author , to understand it of christ , as if he were strait , because men do account him so , and therefore would adde works to him , this is to compell scripture to go two miles with us , that would not go one ; and then , by the opposition , not wickedness , but the devil himself would be the broad way . . denying the presence of them in the person justified . and truly , this is so dangerous , that i know not how charity can excuse it : it is such a naevus , that ubera charitatis cannot tegere , cover it . for , thus saith the authour expresly , speaking of that of paul , therefore we conclude , a man is justified without the deeds of the law : here ( saith he ) the apostle doth not only exclude works from having any power operative to concurre in the laying iniquities upon christ , but excludes all manner of works men can doe , to be present and existent in persons , when god doth justifie them . and he instanceth of a generall pardon for theeves and traitors : now ( saith he ) one may take the pardon as well as another . and so speaking upon that place [ he hath received gifts for men , even for the rebellious . ] he concludes , that therefore though a man doe rebell actually from time to time , and doe practise this rebellion ; yet , though this person do thus , the hatefulnesse thereof is laid upon christ : is not this such a doctrine that must needs please an ungodly heart ? . in the denying of gaining any thing by them , even any peace of heart , or losing it by them . now this goeth contrary to scripture . thus page . ( the antinomian saith ) the businesse we are to do is this , that though there be sinnes committed , yet there is no peace broken , because the breach of peace is satisfied in christ ; there is a reparation of the damage before the damage it self be committed . and again , page . if god come to reckon with beleevers for sinne , either he must aske something of them , or not ; if not , why are they troubled ? if so , then god cannot bring a new reckoning . and in other places , if a man look to get any thing by his graces , he will have nothing but knocks . to answer these , it is true , if a man should look by any repentance or grace to have heaven and pardon , as a cause or merit , this were to be ignorant of the imperfection of all our graces , and the glorious greatnesse of those mercies : what proportion hath our faith , or godly sorrow with the everlasting favour and good pleasure of god ? but first , the scripture useth severe and sharp threatnings even unto the godly , where they neglect to repent , or goe on in sin , rom. . . if ye live after the flesh , you shall die : especially consider that place , hebr. . two last verses ; the apostle alludeth to that place , deut. . and he saith , our god ( as well as the god of the jewes , who appeared in terrour ) is a consuming fire : now then , if the scripture threatens thus to men living in sin , if they doe not , they may finde comfort . secondly , our holy duties , they have a promise of pardon , and eternall life , though not because of their worth , yet to their presence : and therefore may the godly rejoyce when they finde them in themselves . lastly , their ground is still upon that false bottome , because our sinnes are laid upon christ. what then ? they may be laid upon us in other respects , to heale us , to know how bitter a thing it is to sinne against god. god doth here , as joseph with his brethren ; he caused them to be bound , and to be put in gaoles , as if now they were to smart for their former impiety . . in denying them to be signes and testimonies of grace , or christ dwelling in us . and here , indeed , one would wonder to see how laborious an author is to prove , that no inherent graces can be signes : and he selects three instances , of universality of obedience , of sincerity , and love to the brethren ; concluding , that there are two evidences only ; one revealing , which is the spirit of god immediately ; the other receiving , and that is faith . now , in answering of this , we may shew briefly how many weak props this discourse leaneth upon : . in confounding the instrumentall evidencing with the efficient ; not holy works ( say they ) but the spirit : here he doth oppose subordinates ; subordinata non sunt opponenda , sed componenda . as if a man should say , we see not by the beames , or reflection of the sun , but the sun. certainly , every man is in darknesse , and , like hagar , seeth not a fountaine , though neare her , till her eyes be opened . thus it is in grace . . we say , that a christian , in time of darknesse and temptation , is not to go by signes and marks , but obedientially to trust in god , as david calls upon his soul often ; and the word is emphaticall , signifying such a relying or holding , as a man doth that is falling down into a pit irrecoverably . . his arguments , against sincerity , and universality of obedience , goe upon two false grounds : . that a man cannot distinguish himself from hypocrites ; which is contrary to the scriptures exhortation . . that there can be no assurance , but upon a full and compleat work of godlinesse . all which are popish arguments . . all those arguments will hold as strongly against faith ; for , are there not many beleevers for a season ? is there not a faith that indureth but for a while ? may not then a man as soon know the sincerity of his heart , as the truth of his faith ? now let us consider their grounds for this strange assertion , . because , roman . . it is said , that god justifieth the ungodly . now this hath a two-fold answer ; . that which our divines doe commonly give , that these words are not to be understood in sensu composito but diviso , and antecedenter : he that was ungodly , is , being justified , made godly also , though that godlinesse doe not justifie him . therefore they compare these passages with those of making the blinde to see , and deafe to heare ; not that they did see while they were blind , but those that were blind doe now see : and this is true and good . but i shall , secondly , answer it , with some learned men , that ungodly there is meant of such , who are so in their nature considered , having not an absolute righteousnesse , yet at the same time beleevers , even as abraham was ; and faith of the ungodly man is accounted to him for righteousnesse : so then , the subject of justification is a sinner , yet a beleever . now it 's impossible that a man should be a beleever , and his heart not purified , acts . for whole christ is the object of his faith , who is received not onely to justifie , but to sanctifie . hence rom. . where the apostle seemeth to make an exact order , he begins with prescience , ( that is approbative and complacentiall , n●● in a popish or arminian sense ) then predestination , then calling , then justification , then glorification . i will not trouble you with the dispute , in which place sanctification is meant . now the antinomian , he goeth upon that as true , which the papist would calumniate us with , that a profane ungodly man , if beleeving , shall be justified : we say , this proposition supposeth an impossibility , that faith in christ , or closing with him , can stand with those sins , because faith purifieth the heart ; by faith christ dwells in our hearts , ephes . . therefore those expressions of the antinomians are very dangerous and unsound , and doe indeed confirme the papists calumnies . another place they much stand upon is rom. . christ dyed for us while we were enemies , while we were sinners : but , . if christ dyed for us while we were enemies , why doe they say , that if a man be as great an enemy as enmity it selfe can make a man , if he be willing to take christ , and to close with christ , he shall be pardoned ? ( which , we say , is a contradiction . ) for , how can an enemy to christ , close with christ ? so that this would prove more then in some places they would seem to allow . besides , christ dyed not only to justifie , but save us : now will they hence therefore inferre , that profane men , living so , and dying so , shall be saved ? and indeed the grand principle , that christ hath purchased and obtained all graces antecedently to us , in their sense , will as necessarily inferre , that a drunkard , abiding a drunkard , shall be saved , as well as justified . but , thirdly , to answer that place , when it is said , that christ dyed , and rose again for sinners , you must know , that this is the meritorious cause of our pardon and salvation ; but , besides this cause , there are other causes instrumentall , that go to the whole work of justification : therefore some divines , as they speak of a conversion passive and active , so also of a justification active and passive ; and passive they call , when not onely the meritorious cause , but the instrument applying is also present , then the person is justified . now these speak of christs death as an universall meritorious cause , without any application of christs death unto this or that soule : therefore still you must carry this along with you , that , to that grand mercy of justification , something is requisite as the efficient , viz. the grace of god ; something as meritorious , viz. christs suffering ; something as instrumentall , viz. faith ; and one is as necessary as the other . i will but mention one place more , and that is psal . . . thou hast received gifts even for the rebellious also , that the lord god may dwell among them . here they insist much upon this , yea for the rebellious ; and saith the author , pag. . seeing god cannot dwell where iniquity is , christ received gifts for men , that the lord god might dwell among the rebellious ; and by this meanes , god can dwell with those persons that doe act the rebellion , because all the hatefulnesse of it is transacted from those persons upon the back of christ. and , saith the same author , pag. . the holy ghost doth not say , that the lord takes rebellious persons and gifts , and prepares them , and then will come and dwell with them ; but even then , while they are rebellious , without any stop , the lord christ hath received gifts for them , that the lord god may dwell among them . is not all this strange ? though the same authour presse sanctification never so much in other places , yet certainly such principles as these overthrow it . but as for this place , it will be the greatest adversary they have against them , if you consider the scope of it ; for , there the psalmist speaks of the fruit and power of christs ascension , as appeareth ephes . . whereby gifts were given to men , that so even the most rebellious might be converted , and changed by this ministery ; so that this is clean contrary : and besides , those words , with them , or among them , are not in the hebrew ; therefore some referre them to the rebellious , and make jah in the hebrew , and elohim , in the vocative case , even for the rebellious ( o lord god ) to inhabit ; as that of esay , the wolfe and the lamb shall dwell together : some referre it to gods dwelling , yet doe not understand it of his dwelling with them , but of his dwelling , i. e. fixing the arke after the enemies are subdued . but take our edition to be the best ( as it seemeth to be ) yet it must be meant of rebels changed by his spirit ; for the scripture useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of gods dwelling in men , but still converted , rom. . . ephes . . . cor. . . lecture iv. tim . . , . knowing the law is good , if a man use it lawfully . having confuted some dangerous inferences , that the antinomian makes from that precious doctrine of justification , i shall at this time answer only one question , upon what grounds are the people of god to be zealous of good workes ? for it 's very hard to repent , to love , to be patient , or fruitfull , and not to doe them for this end , to justifie us : and , howsoever theologically , and in the notion , we may make a great difference between holinesse as a way or meanes , and as a cause or merit of salvation ; yet practically the heart doth not use to distinguish so subtilely . therefore , although i intend not to handle the whole doctrine of sanctification or new obedience at this time ; yet i should leave my discourse imperfect , if i did not informe you , how good works of the law done by grace , and justification of the gospel , may stand together . first therefore take notice what we meane by good works . we take not good works strictly , for the works of charity or liberality ; nor for any externall actions of religion , which may be done where the heart is not cleansed ; much lesse for the popish good workes of supererogation : but for the graces of gods spirit in us , and the actions flowing from them : for , usually , with the papists and popish persons , good works are commonly called those superstitious and supererogant workes , which god never commanded : or , if god hath commanded them , they mean them as externall and sensible ; such as , coming to church , and , receiving of sacraments ; not internall and spirituall faith , and a contrite spirit , which are the soule of all duties : and if these be not there , the outward duties are like clothes upon a dead man , that cannot warme him , because there is no life within . therefore much is required even to the essence of a godly work , though it be not perfect in degrees : as , . it must be commanded by god. . it must be wrought in us by the spirit of god. all the unregenerate mans actions , his prayers , and services are sinnes . . it must flow from an inward principle of grace , or a supernaturall being in the soule , whereby a man is a new creature . . the end must be gods glory . that which the most refined man can doe , is but a glow-worm , not a starre : so that then onely is the work good , when , being answerable to the rule , it 's from god , and through god , and to god. . that the antinomian erreth two contrary wayes about good works : sometimes they speak very erroneously and grosly about them . thus islebius agricola , the first antinomian that was ( who afterwards joyned with others in making that wicked book , called , the interim ) and his followers , deliver these positions , that saying of peter , make your calling and election sure , is dictum inutile , an unprofitable saying , and peter did not understand christian liberty . so again , as soon as thou once beginnest to thinke , how men should live godlily and modestly , presently thou hast wandered from the gospel . and again , the law and works only belong to the court of rome . then , on the other side , they lift them up so high , that , by reason of christs righteousnesse imputed to us , they hold all our workes perfect , and so apply that place , ephes . . christs clensing his church , so , as to be without spot or wrinkle , even pure in this life . they tell us not onely of a righteousnesse or justification by imputation , but also saintship and holinesse by this obedience of christ : and hence it is , that god seeth no sin in beleevers . this is a dangerous position : and , although they have similies to illustrate , and distinctions to qualifie it ; yet , when i speak of imputed righteousnesse , there will be the proper place to shew the dangerous falshood of them . . you must , in the discourse you shall heare concerning the necessity of good works , carefully distinguish between these two propositions : good workes are necessary to beleevers , to justified persons , or to those that shall be saved ; and this , good works are necessary to justification and salvation . howsoever this later is true in some sense , yet , because the words carry as if holinesse had some effect immediately upon our justification and salvation , therefore i do wholly assent to those learned men , that think , in these two cases , we should not use such a proposition : . when we deale with adversaries , especially papists , in disputation ; for then we ought to speak exactly : therefore the fathers would not use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the virgin mary , lest they should seem to yeeld to nestorius , who denyed her to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the second case is in our sermons and exhortations to people ; for , what common hearer is there , that , upon such a speech , doth not conceive that they are so necessary , as that they immediately work our justification ? the former proposition holds them offices and duties in the persons justified ; the other , as conditions effecting justification . . these good works ought to be done , or are necessary upon these grounds : . they are the fruit and end of christs death , titus . . it 's a full place : the apostle there sheweth , that the whole fruit and benefit of christs redemption is lost by those that live not holily . there are two things in our sins : . the guilt , and that christ doth redeem us from : . the filth , and that he doth purifie from : if christ redeem thee from the guilt of thy lusts , hee will purifie thee from the noisomenesse of them . and mark a two-fold end of this purification , that we may be a peculiar people : this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hierome saith , he sought for among humane authours , and could not finde it : therefore some think the seventy feigned this , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it answers to the hebrew word segullah , and signifieth that which is precious and excellent , got also with much labour : so that this holinesse , this repentance of thine , it cost christ deare . and the other effect is , zealous of good workes . the greek fathers observe , the apostle doth not say followers , but zealous ; that doth imply great alacrity and affection . and , lest men should think we should onely preach of christ and grace ; these things speak , ( saith he ) and exhort : and calvin thinketh the last words [ let no man despise thee ] spoken to the people , because they are for the most part of delicate eares , and cannot abide plaine words of mortification . . there is some kind of analogicall relation between them and heaven , comparatively with evill works . so those places , where it 's said , if wee confesse our sins , he is not onely faithfull , but also just , to forgive us our iniquities : so tim. . . a crowne of righteousnesse , which the righteous judge , &c. these words doe not imply any condignity , or efficiency in the good things wee doe ; but an ordinability of them to eternall life : so that evill and wicked workes , they cannot be ordained to everlasting life , but these may . hence some divines say , that though godlinesse be not meritorious , nor causall of salvation , yet it may be a motive : as they instance ; if a king should give great preferment to one that should salute him in a morning , this salutation were neither meritorious , nor causall of that preferment , but a meer motive arising from the good pleasure of the king : and thus much they think that particle , for i was an hungry , doth imply . so that god , having appointed holinesse the way , and salvation the end , hence there ariseth a relation between one and the other . . there is a promise made to them . tim. . . godlinesse hath the promises ( as it is in the originall ; ) because there are many promises scattered up and down in the word of god : so that to every godly action thou doest , there is a promise of eternall life . and hereby , though god be not a debtor to thee , yet he is to himselfe , and to his owne faithfulnesse ; reddis debita , nulli debens , cryed austine : so that the godly may say , oh , lord , it was free for thee before thou hadst promised , whether thou wouldst give me heaven or no ; but now the word is out of thy mouth : not but that we deserve the contrary , onely the lord is faithfull ; therefore , saith david , i will mention thy righteousnesse , i. e. faithfulnesse , onely : and the apostle , this is a faithfull saying , and worthy of all acceptation . this made them labour , and suffer shame . if you aske , how then is not the gospel a covenant of workes ? that in brief shall be answered afterwards . . they are testimonies whereby our election is made sure . pet. . ver . . make your calling and election sure . the vulgar translator interposeth those words [ per bona opera , ] and complaineth of luther , as putting this out of the text , because it made against him , but it 's no part of scripture . now observe the emphasis of the apostle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first they must be very diligent , and the rather ( which is spoken ex abundanti ) [ to make their calling and election sure ] what god doth in time , or what he hath decreed from eternity to us in love : [ to make sure , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] estius and other papists strive for firme , and not sure ; and so indeed the word is sometimes used : but here the apostle speaketh not of what it is in it selfe , but what it is to us , and the certainty thereof . and observe the apostles motives for making our election sure ; . ye shall never faile : the word is used sometimes of grievous , and sometimes of lesser sins ; but here hee meaneth such a failing , that a man shall not recover again . . an entrance shall be abundantly ministred into heaven . it 's true , these are not testimonies without the spirit of god. . they are a condition , without which a man cannot be saved . so that although a man cannot by the presence of them gather a cause of his salvation ; yet by the absence of them he may conclude his damnation : so that it is an inexcusable speech of the antinomian , good works doe not profit us , nor bad hinder us ; thus islebius . now the scripture , how full is it to the contrary ? rom. . . if ye live after the flesh , ye shall dye . so , except yee repent , yee shall all likewise perish . such places are so frequent , that it 's a wonder an antinomian can passe them all over , and alwaies speak of those places which declare gods grace to us , but not our duty to him . without holinesse no man can see god : now , by the antinomians argument , as a man may be justified while he is wicked , and doth abide so ; so also he may be glorified and saved : for this is their principle , that , christ hath purchased justification , glory , and salvation for us , even though sinners and enemies . . they are in their owne nature a defence against sinne and corruption . if we doe but consider the nature of these graces , though imperfect , yet that will pleade for the necessity of them . eph. . , . there you have some graces a shield , and some a breast-plate : now every souldier knoweth the necessity of these in time of war. it 's true , the apostle speaks of the might of the lord , and prayer must be joyned to these ; but yet the principall doth not oppose the instrumentall . hence rom. . they are called the weapons of the light. it 's luthers observation , he doth not call the works of darknesse , the weapons of darknesse ; but good works he doth call weapons , because we ought to use good works as weapons , quia bonis operibus debemus uti tanquam armis , to resist satan : and he calls them weapons of light , because they are from god , the fountaine of light ; and because they are , according to scripture , the true light ; although drusius thinketh light is here used for victory , as jud. . . psal . . , . and so the word is used by homer : and marcellinus speaks of an ancient custome , when , at supper time , the children brought in the candles , they cryed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . they are necessary by a naturall connexion with faith , and the spirit of god : hence it 's called faith which worketh by love . the papist lorinus thinketh we speak a contradiction , because sometimes wee say , faith only justifieth ; sometimes , that unlesse our faith be working , it cannot justifie us : but here is no contradiction ; for it 's onely thus : faith , which is a living faith , doth justifie , though not as it doth live ; for faith hath two notable acts : . to apprehend and lay hold upon christ , and thus it justifieth . . to purifie and cleanse the heart , and to stirre up other graces , and thus it doth not : and thus paul and james may be reconciled ; for james brings that very passage to prove abraham was not justified by faith alone , which paul brings to prove he was ; because one intends to shew that his faith was a working faith ; and the other , that that alone did concurre to justifie : and thus in this sense some learned men say , good workes are necessary to preserve a man in the state of justification , although they doe not immediately concurre to that act : as in a man , although his shoulders and breast do not concur immediatly to the act of seeing ; yet if a mans eye and head were not knit to those parts , hee could not see : and so , though the fire doe not burne as it is light , yet it could not burn unlesse it were so ; for it supposeth then the subject would be destroyed . it 's a saying of john husse , where good workes are not without , faith cannot be within , ubi bona opera non apparent ad extra , ibi fides non est ad intra : therefore , as christ , while he remained the second person , was invisible , but when he was incarnated , then he became visible ; so must thy faith be incarnated into works , and it must become flesh as it were . . they are necessary by debt and obligation : so that god by his soveraignty might have commanded all obedience from man , though he should give him no reward of eternall life : therefore durand did well argue , that we cannot merit at gods hand , because the more good wee are enabled to doe , wee are the more beholding to god. hence it is , that we are his servants , servus non est persona , sed res : and we are more servants to god , then the meerest slave can be to man ; for , we have our being and power to work from him : and this obligation is so perpetuall and necessary , that no covenant of grace can abolish it ; for , grace doth not destroy nature , gratia non destruit naturam . . by command of god. this is the will of god , your sanctification : so that you may prove what is that good and acceptable will of god. and thus the law of god still remaineth as a rule and directory : and thus paul professed hee delighted in the law of god in his inward man ; and that place , rom. . presseth our renovation , comparing us to a sacrifice , implying we are consecrated , and set apart to him ( a dog or a swine might not be offered to god : ) and the word [ offer ] doth imply our readinesse and alacrity . he also addeth many epithets to the will of god , that so we may be moved to rejoyce in it . there is therefore no disputing or arguing against the will of god. if our saviour , matth. . saith , he shall be least in the kingdome of heaven , that breaketh the least commandement ; how much more inexcusable is the antinomian , who teacheth the abolition of all of them ? . they are necessary by way of comfort to our selves . and this opposeth many antinomian passages , who forbid us to take any peace by our holinesse . now it 's true , to take them so as to put confidence in them , to take comfort from them , as a cause , that cannot be ; for , who can look upon any thing he doth with that boldnesse ? it was a desperate speech of panigarola a papist ( as rivet relates ) who called it folly to put confidence onely in christs bloud . we know no godly man satisfieth his own heart in any thing he doth , much lesse can hee the will of god. wee cannot at the same time say , lord , forgive me , and , pay me what thou owest ; yet these good works , though imperfect , may be a great comfort unto us , as the testimony of gods eternall love to us . thus did hezekiah , kings . . hezekiah is not there a proud pharisee , but a thankfull acknowledger of what is in him : and some consider , that this temptation might fall upon hezekiah , that when he had laboured to demolish all those superstitions , and now became dangerously sick that hee had not done well ; therefore he comforts himselfe in his heart , that hee did those things with , not that he meant an absolute perfect heart , but a sincere , and comparatively perfect . hence it 's observed , the word i have walked , is in hiphil , i have made my selfe to walke ; implying the dulnesse , and sluggishnesse , and aversnesse he found in his heart to that duty : so that prayer being , as one calls it well , speculum animi , the soules glasse , you may gather what was a comfort to him . thus paul , tim. . i have fought a good fight , &c. it is true , those words , a crown of righteousnesse , the just judge , and render , doe not prove any merits in paul , as the papists plead ; but yet paul declareth this , to keep up his heart against all discouragements . we are not therefore to take comfort from them , so as to rest in them ; but so as to praise god thereby . it 's a good way , nesciendo scire , that so wee may praise god for them ; and , sciendo nescire , that so we may be humble in our selves . . they are necessary in respect of god , both in that hee is hereby pleased , and also glorified . when we say , they are necessary in respect of god , we understand it declaratively , to set forth his glory ; for , when god is said to be the end of all our actions and goodnesse , he is not finis indigentiae , an end that needs them ; but finis assimilationis , an end that perfects those things , in making them like him : now two waies they relate to god ; . god is hereby pleased ; so the apostle , hebr. . hee is well pleased : so that as leah , though blear eyed , yet , when shee was fruitfull in children , said , now my husband will love me ; so may faith say , now god will love me , when it abounds in the fruits of righteousnesse ; for , our godly actions please god , though imperfect ; onely the ground is , because our persons were first reconciled with god. secondly , they referre to god , so as to glorifie him ; as his name is blasphemed , when we walke in all wickednesse . it 's true , it 's gods grace to account of this as his glory , seeing it 's so defective . . they are necessary in regard of others . matth. . . let your light shine before men . hee doth not there encourage vain-glory , but he propounds the true end of our visible holinesse ; for godlinesse , being light , it ought not to be under a bushell . hence , both in the tabernacle and temple , the light was placed in the midst ; and it ought to extend to others , that hereby they may glorifie god in heaven : as , when we see an excellent picture , we doe not praise that so much , as the artificer who made it . wee ought so to walk , that men should glorifie god , who hath made us so heavenly , so humble , so mortified . hierome said of austin , that he did diligere christum habitantem in augustino ; so ought we to walk , that others may love christ dwelling in us . pet. . . it 's an exhortation to wives , so to walke , that their husbands may be won to the lord. thou prayest for thy husband in a carnall condition , thou wouldst have him go heare such a minister , and such sermons ; see that thy life also may convert him . the apostle by the phrase , without the word , meaneth the publique preaching ; so that the wives life may preach to him all the day : and that same phrase , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth imply , . the great price that every mans soule is worth ; . the delight that they ought to take in converting of others , even the same that merchants doe in their trade . . holinesse and godlinesse inherent is the end of our faith and justification : and that is the meaning of our divines , who say , charity , or love of god is the end of faith , because god hath appointed this way of justification by faith , till he hath brought us into eternall glory , and there we have perfect inherent holinesse , though even then the glory and honour of all that shall be given to christ . now , indeed , it hath pleased god to take another way for our acceptation , then shall be hereafter ; not but that god might , if he had pleased , have given us such a measure of grace inherent , whereby we might have obtained eternall life , being without sin , and conformable to his will : but this way hath pleased his wisdome , that so christ and grace may be exalted , and wee for our sins debased in our selves . therefore good is that of anselme , terret me tota vita mea ; namapparet mihi aut peccatum , aut tota sterilitas : my whole life terrifieth me , for i see nothing but sin , or barrennesse . only this may make for the excellency of sanctification , that therefore is christ , and grace , and justification , and all , that at last we may be made perfectly holy . now some divines have gone further , but i cannot goe along with them : as , . those that doe give them causality and efficiencie of our justification and salvation : and , if they should use the word efficiency in a large sense , it might be true , but dangerous : but otherwise , to take efficient strictly , they cannot ; for so was the covenant of works at first . adams obedience would not have meritoriously , but efficiently procured his happinesse . hence , by the apostle , faith is not included as works are rejected , for they are rejected as efficients of our salvation ; but faith is included as the instrumentall and passive receiving of it . . some learned men have said , though good works doe not merit eternall life , for that is wholly purchased by christs death ; yet , say they , accidentall degrees of glory our godlinesse may obtaine : but that is not safe ; for , first , it 's questioned by some , whether there be such degrees at all , or no ; but grant it , yet even that must be of grace as well as others . lastly , some hold our temporall mercies to come to us by a covenant of workes , but not our spirituall : this also is hard ; for , we may have these good things either by christ , or else by the forbearance of god , who doth not take the advantage against us for our sins . i shall say no more of this , then by answering a main doubt . object . if good workes be still necessarily requisite , why then is not the covenant of grace still a covenant of works : not as at first in adam , when they were to be perfect and entire ; but by grace , pardoning the imperfection of them , in which sense the arminians affirme it ? answ . although good workes be requisite in the man justified or saved , yet it 's not a covenant of workes , but faith : and the reason is , because faith only is the instrument that receiveth justification and eternall life ; and good workes are to qualifie the subject beleeving , but not the instrument to receive the covenant : so that faith onely is the condition that doth receive the covenant , but yet that a man beleeve , is required the change of the whole man ; and that faith onely hath such a receiving nature , shall be proved hereafter ( god willing ) . use . of exhortation , to take heed , you turne not the grace of god into licentiousnesse : suspect all doctrines that teach comfort , but not duty ; labour indeed to be a spirituall anatomist , dividing between having godlinesse , and trusting in it : but take heed of separating sanctification from justification . be not a pharisee , nor yet a publican : so that i shall exhort thee at this time , not against the antinomianisme in thy judgement onely , but in thine heart also . as luther said , every man hath a pope in his belly ; so every man an antinomian . paul found his flesh rebelling against the law of god , reconcile the law and the gospel , justification and holinesse . follow holinesse as earnestly , as if thou hadst nothing to help thee but that ; and yet rely upon christs merits as fully , as if thou hadst no holinesse at all . and what though thy intent be onely to set up christ and grace , yet a corrupted opinion may soon corrupt a mans life ; as rheume , falling from the head , doth putrefie the lungs , and other vitall parts . lecture v. tim. . . knowing this , that the law is not made for a righteous man. we are at this time to demolish one of the strongest holds that the adversary hath : for , it may be supposed , that the eighth verse cannot be so much against them , as the ninth is for them : therefore austin observeth well , the apostle ( saith he ) joyning two things , as it were contrary , together , doth monere & movere , both admonish and provoke the reader to finde out the true answer to this question , how both of them can be true . we must therefore say to these places , as moses did to the two israelites fighting , why fall you out , seeing you are brethren ? austin improveth the objection thus , if the law be good , when used lawfully , and none but the righteous man can use it lawfully , how then should it not be but to him , who onely can make the true use of it ? therefore , for the better understanding of these words , let us consider , who they are that are said to know : and secondly , what is said to be knowne . the subject knowing is here in this verse in the singular number , in the verse before in the plurall : it 's therefore doubted , whether this be affirmed of the same persons or no. some expositors thinke those in the eighth , and these in the ninth , are the same , and that the apostle doth change the number from the plurall to the singular ; which is very frequent in scripture : as , galat. . . others ( as salmeron ) make a mysticall reason in the changing , because ( saith he ) there are but few that know the law is not made for the righteous , therefore he speaketh in the singular number . there is a second kind of interpreters , and they do not make this spoken of the same , but understand this word , as a qualification of him that doth rightly use the law : thus , the law is good , if a man use it lawfully ; and he useth it lawfully , that knoweth it 's not made for the righteous . which of these interpretations you take is not much materiall : onely this is good to observe , that the apostle , using these words , we know , and knowing , doth imply , what understanding all christians ought to have in the nature of the law. secondly , let us consider , what law he here speaks of . some have understood it of the ceremoniall law , because of christs death that was to be abolished , and because all the ceremonies of the law were convictions of sinnes , and hand-writings against those that used them : but this cannot be ; for circumcision was commanded to abraham a righteous man , and so to all the godly under the old testament : and the persons , who are opposed to the righteous man , are such , who transgresse the morall law. others , that do understand it of the morall law , apply it to the repetition and renovation of it by moses : for , the law being at first made to adam upon his fall , wickednesse by degrees did arise to such an height , that the law was added because of transgressions , as paul speaketh : but we may understand it of the morall law generally ; onely take notice of this , that the apostle doth not here undertake a theologicall handling of the use of the law , ( for that he doth in other places ) but he brings it in as a generall sentence to be accommodated to his particular meaning concerning the righteous man here . we must not interpret it of one absolutely righteous , but one that is so quoad conatum and desiderium ; for the people of god are called righteous , because of the righteousnesse that is in them , although they be not justified by it . the antinomian and papist doe both concurre in this errour , though upon different grounds , that our righteousness and works are perfect , and therefore do apply those places ; a people without spot or wrinkle , &c. to the people of god in this life , and that not onely in justification , but in sanctification also . as ( saith the antinomian ) in a dark dungeon , when the doore is opened , and the sun-light come in , though that be dark in it self , yet it is made all light by the sun : or , as water in a red glasse , though that be not red , yet , by reason of the glasse , it lookes all red : so though we be filthy in our selves , yet all that god seeth in us looks as christs , not onely in justification , but sanctification . this is to be confuted hereafter . thirdly , let us take notice how the antinomian explaineth this place , and what he meanes by this text. the old antinomian , islebius agricola , states the question thus : whether the law be to a righteous man as a teacher , ruler , commander , and requirer of obedience actively : or , whether the righteous man doth indeed the works of the law , but that is passivè ; the law is wrought by him , but the law doth not work on him . so then , the question is not , whether the things of the law be done , ( for they say the righteous man is active to the law , and not that to him ) but , whether , when these things are done , they are done by a godly man , admonished , instructed , and commanded by the law of god : and this they deny . as for the later antinomian , he speaketh very uncertainly , and inconsistently : sometimes he grants the law is a rule , but very hardly and seldome ; then presently kicketh all down again : for , saith he , it cannot be conceived that it should rule , but also it should reigne ; and therefore think it impossible , that one act of the law should be without the other . the damnatory power of the law is inseparable from it : can you put your conscience under the mandatory power , and yet keep it from the damnatory ? ( assertion of grace page . again , the same author , page . ) if it be true that the law cannot condemne , it is no more a law , saith luther . i say not that you have dealt as uncourteously with the law , as did that king with davids servants , who cut off their garments by the midst : but you have done worse , for even , joab-like , under friendly words , you have destroyed the life and soule of the law. you can as well take your appendices from the law , as you terme them , and yet let it remain a true law ; as you can take the brains and heart of a man , and yet leave him a man still . by this it appeareth , that if the law doth not curse a man , neither can it command a man , according to their opinion . the same author again , pag. . he dare not trust a beleever to walk without his keeper [ the law , ] as if he judged no otherwise of him then of a malefactor in newgate , who would kill and rob if his jaylor were not with him : thus they are onely kept within the compasse of the law , but are not keepers of it . yet , at another time , the same author calls it a slander , to say , that they deny the law. now , who can reconcile these contradictions ? nor is this shufling and uncertainty any new thing ; for the old and first antinomian did many times promise amendment , and yet afterwards fell to his errour again ; after that he condemned his errour , and recanted his errour in a publike auditory , and printed his revocation , yet , when luther was dead , hee relapsed into that errour : so hard a thing it is to get poison out , when it 's once swallowed downe . in the fourth place we come to lay downe those things that may cleare the meaning of the apostle : and first know , that humane authors , who yet have acknowledged the help of precepts , doe speak thus much of a righteous man , onely to shew this , that he doth that which is righteous , for love of righteousnesse , not for feare of punishment : as aquinas said of his love to god , amo , quia amo ; & amo , ut amem . thus seneca , ad legem esse bonum exiguum est : it 's a poore small thing to be good onely according to the law . and so aristotle , lib. . polit. cap. . sheweth how a righteous man would be good , though there were no law ; as they say of a magistrate , he ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a living law . thus socrates said of the civill law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and plato , polit. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is not fit to command or make lawes for those that are good . these sayings are not altogether true , yet they have some kinde of truth in them . hence it was that antisthenes said , a wise man was not bound by any lawes : and demonax told a lawyer , that all their lawes would come to nothing ; for good men did not need them , and wicked men would not be the better for them . and as the heathens have said thus , so the fathers : hierome , what needs the law say to a righteous man , thou shalt not kill , to whom it 's not permitted to be angry ? yet we see david , though a righteous man , needed this precept . but especially chrysostome , even from these words , doth wonderfully hyperbolize , a righteous man needs not the law , no not teaching or admonishing ; yea , he disdaines to be warned by it , he doth not wait or stay to learn of it . as therefore a musician or grammarian , that hath these arts within him , scorns the grammar , or to go to look to the rules ; so doth a righteous man. now these are but hyperbole's ; for what godly man is there , that needs not the word as a light , that needs it not as a goad ? indeed , in heaven the godly shall not need the law ; no more shall they the gospel , or the whole word of god. . there are three interpretations which come very neere one another , and all doe well help to the clearing of the apostle . . some learned men lay an emphasis in the word [ made ] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is not made to a godly man as a burden , he hath a love and a delight in it ; lex est posita , sed non imposita : he doth not say , justi non habent legem , aut sunt sine lege ; sed non imminet eis tanquam flagellum , it 's not like a whip to them . the wicked wish there were no law , and cry out as he , utinam hoc esset non peccare ! the righteous man is rather in the law , then under it . it 's true , the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] in the generall doth signifie no more then to lye , or be , or is ; therefore , in athenaeus , ulpianus was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because of his frequent questions , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; where such or such a word might be found : but yet sometimes it signifieth to be laid to a thing , as to destroy it ; so matth. . . the axe is laid to the root of the tree , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall , and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , posita for opposita , as we say positus obex . now this is to be understood so farre forth as he is righteous , otherwise the things of god are many times a burden to a godly man. let us not oppose then the works of the law , and the works of the spirit , grace and gospel ; for the same actions are the works of the law ratione objecti , in respect of the object ; and the works of the spirit ratione efficientis , in respect of the efficient . indeed the scripture opposeth grace and works , and faith and works , but in a clean other sense then the antinomian , in time is to be shewed . the second interpretation is of the damnatory and cursing part of the law : the law is not made to the beleever so , as he should abide under the cursing , and condemning power of it : and in this sense we are frequently denied to be under the law. it 's true , the godly are under the desert of the curse of the law , but not the actuall curse , and condemnation : nor doth it therefore follow , that there is no law , because it doth not curse ; for it 's a good rule in divinity , à remotione actûs secundi in subjecto impediti , non valet argumentum ad remotionem actûs primi ; from the removall of an act or operation , the argument doth not hold to the removing of the thing it self : as it did not follow , the fire did not burn the three worthies , therefore there was no fire ; god did hinder the act : and if that could be in naturall agents , which work naturally , how much rather in morall causes , such as the law is of condemnation , which works according to the appointment of god ? so then the law is not to curse or condemne the righteous man. the last interpretation is , that the law was not made because of righteous men , but unrighteous . had adam continued in innocency , there had not been such a solemne declaration of moses his law ; for it had been graven in their hearts : therefore , though god gave a positive law to adam , for the tryall of his obedience , and to shew his homage ; yet he did not give the morall law to him by outward prescript , though it was given to him in another sense : and so the phrase shall be like that proverb , e malis moribus bonae leges nascuntur , good lawes arise from evil manners : and certainly lawes , in the restraining and changing power of them upon the lives of men , are not for such who are already holy , but those that need to be made holy ; and so it may be like that of our saviour in a sense which some explaine it in , i come not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance . by repentance they meane conversion , and by the righteous , not pharisees , but such as are already converted . thus tacitus annal. . usu probatum est leges egregias ex aliorum delictis gigni , &c. nam culpa quam poena , tempore prior ; emendari quam peccare posterius est ; excellent lawes are made , because of other mens delinquencies ; the fault goeth before the punishment , and sinne before the amendment . now that these interpretations , much agreeing in one , may the better be assented to , consider some parallel places of scripture : galat. . . speaking of the fruits of the spirit , against such there is no law ; the law was not made to these , to condemne them , or accuse them : so that what is said of the actions and graces of the godly , may be applyed to the godly themselves . you may take another parallel , rom. . . rulers are not a terrour to good works , but to evil : wouldst thou not be afraid of them ? doe no evil . and thus the apostle , to shew how the grace of love was wrought in the thessalonians hearts , i need not ( saith he ) write to you to love , for you have been taught of god to doe this : his very saying , i need not write , was a writing ; so that these expressions doe hold forth no more , then that the godly , so farre as they are regenerate , doe delight in the law of god , and it is not a terrour to them . and if because the godly have an ingenuous free spirit to doe what is good , he need not the law directing or regulating ; it would follow as well , he needed not the whole scripture , he needed not the gospel that calls upon him to beleeve , because faith is implanted in his heart . this rock cannot be avoided : and therefore upon this ground , because the godly are made holy in themselves , the swencfeldians did deny the whole scripture to be needfull to a man that hath the spirit : and that which the antinomian doth limit to the law , it is a killing letter , they apply to the whole scripture ; and i cannot see how they can escape this argument . hence chrysostome that spake so hyperbolically about the law , speaks as high about the scriptures themselves , we ought to have the word of god engraven in our hearts so , that there should be no need of scripture : and austin speakes of some , that had attained to such holinesse that they lived without a bible . now who doth not see what a damnable and dangerous position this would be ? that the law must needs have a directive , regulating , and informing power over a godly man , will appeare in these two particulars : . we cannot discerne the true worship of god from superstition and idolatry , but by the first and second commandement . it is true , many places in scripture speak against false worship , but to know when it is a false worship , the second commandement is a speciall director . how do the orthodox writers prove images unlawfull ? how do they prove that the setting up any part or meanes of worship which the lord hath not commanded is unlawfull , but by the second commandement ? and , certainly , the want of exact knowledge in the latitude of this commandement brought in all idolatry and superstition . and we shall shew you ( god willing , in time ) that the decalogue is not onely moses his ten commandements , but it 's christs ten commandements , and the apostles ten commandements as well as his . . another instance at this time is , in comparing the depth of the law , and the depth of our sinne together . there is a great deale more spirituall excellency and holinesse commanded in the law of god , the decalogue , then we can reach unto : therefore we are to study into it more and more : open mine eyes , that i may understand the wonderfull things of thy law ; thus david prayeth , though godly , and his eyes were in a great measure opened by the spirit of god. and as there is a depth in the law , so a depth in our originall and native sin : there is a great deale more filth in us , then we can or doe discover , psal . . who can understand his errours ? cleanse me from secret sins . therefore , there being such a world of filth in thy carnall heart , what need is there of the spirituall and holy law , to make thee see thy self thus polluted and abominable ? certainly , a godly man groweth partly by discovering that pride , that deadnesse , that filth in his soule he never thought of , or was acquainted with . the practicall use that is to be made of this scripture explained , is , to pray and labour for such a free heavenly heart , that the law of god , and all the precepts of it may not be a terrour to you , but sweetnesse and delight . oh how i love thy law ! cryeth david ; he could not expresse it . and again , my soul breaketh in the longing after thy judgements . in another place , he and job do account of them above their necessary food ; you do not hale and drag an hungry or thirsty man to his bread and water : i doe not speak this , but that it 's lawfull to eye the reward , as moses and christ did ; yea , and to fear god : for who can think that the scripture , using these motives , would stirre up in us sinfull and unlawfull affections ? but yet such ought to be the filiall and son-like affections to god and his will , that we ought to love and delight in his commandements , because they are his ; as the poore son loveth his father , though he hath no lordship or rich inheritance to give him . there is this difference between a free and violent motion : a free motion is that which is done for its own selfe sake ; a violent is that which cometh from an outward principle , the patient helping it not forward at all : let not , to pray , to beleeve , to love god , be violent motions in you . where faith worketh by love , this maketh all duties relish , thsi overcometh all difficulties . the lacedemonians , when they went to war , did sacrifice to love , because love only could make hardship , and wounds , and death it selfe easie . doe thou therefore pray , that the love of god may be shed abroad in thine heart ; and consider these two things : . how the law laid upon christ to dye , and suffer for thee , was not a burthen or terrour to him . how doth he witnesse this by crying out , with desire i have desired to drink of this cup ? think with thy self , if christ had been as unwilling to die for me , as i to pray to him , to be patient , to be holy , what had become of my soule ? if christ therefore said of that law , to be a mediatour for thee , lo , i come to doe thy will , o god , thy law is within mine heart ; how much rather ought this to be true of thee in any thing thou shalt doe for him ? thou hast not so much to part with for him , as he for thee . what is thy life and wealth to the glory of his god-head , which was laid aside for a while ? and then secondly , consider how that men love lusts for lusts sake , they love the world because of the world . now evill is not so much evill , as good is good ; sin is not so much sin , as god is god , and christ is christ . if therefore a profane man , because of his carnall heart , can love his sin , though it cost him hell , because of the sweetnesse in it ; shall not the godly heart love the things of god , because of the excellency in them ? but these things may be more enlarged in another place . lecture . vi. rom . . , . for when the gentiles which know not the law , do the things of the law by nature , these having not the law , are a law unto themselves : which shew the work of the law written in their hearts . before i handle the other places of scripture that are brought by the antinomians against the law , it is my intent , for better methods sake , and your more sound instruction , to handle the whole theology of the law of god in the severall distributions of it , and that positively , controversally , and practically ; and i shall begin first with the law of nature , that god hath imprinted in us , and consider of this two waies : . as it is a meere law ; and secondly , as it was a covenant of works made with adam : and then in time i shall speak of the morall law given moses , which is the proper subject of these controversies . the text i have read is a golden mine , and deserveth diligent digging and searching into : therefore , for the better understanding of these words , let us answer these questions : . who are meant by the gentiles here ? it is ordinarily known , that the jewes did call all those gentiles that were not jewes , by way of contempt ; as the greeks and romans called all other nations barbarians . hence sometimes in the scripture the word is applyed to wicked men , though jewes : as , psal . . why doe the heathen rage ? it may be interpreted of the pharisees resisting christ . indeed , the jewes will not confesse , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentes , is any where applyed to them : but this is very false , for genes . . abraham is there said to be the father of many nations , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentes : ) therefore they must either deny themselves to be abraham's seed , or else acknowledge this word belonging to them . but generally it signifieth those that had not the lawes of moses , nor did live by them . therefore gal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to live like a gentile , is , not to observe the lawes of moses : and in this sense it is to be taken here ; for the apostles scope is to make good that great charge upon all mankinde , both jew and gentile , that naturally they are wholly in sin ; and god , being no accepter of persons , will destroy the one as well as the other . and whereas it might be thought very hard to deale thus with the gentile , because no law was delivered unto him , as unto the jew , the apostle answereth that objection in this place . but grant it be understood of such gentiles , then there is a greater question whether it be meant of the gentiles abiding so , or the gentiles converted and turned beleevers ; for , that the apostle speaks of such , most of the latine interpreters , both ancient and modern , doe affirme : and so the greek father , chrysostome , and estius , a learned papist , doe think there are so many arguments for it , that it 's certaine . i confesse , they bring many probable reasons ; but i will not trouble you with them : this seemeth a strong argument against them , because the apostle speaks of such who are without a law , and a law to themselves , which could not be true of gentiles converted : we take the apostle therefore to speak of gentiles abiding so ; but in this sense there is also a dangerous exposition and a sound one . the poysonous interpretation is of the pelagians , who understand the law written in their hearts , in the same sense as it is used , jerem. . even such a fulfilling of the law which will attaine to salvation ; and this they hold the heathens by the law and help of nature did sufficiently : but this is to overthrow the doctrine of grace and christ . therefore the sound interpretation is of the gentiles indeed , but yet to understand the law written in their hearts , onely of those relicts of naturall reason and conscience , which was in the heathens , as is to be proved anon . the d. question is easily answered , how they are said to be without a law ; to wit , without a written law , as the jewes had ; so that we may say , they had a law without a law ; a law written , but not declared . the d. question , in what sense they are said to doe the things of the law , and that by nature . to doe the things of the law is not meant universally of all the heathens , for the apostle shewed how most of them lived in the chapter before : nor secondly universally in regard of the matter contained in the law , but some externall acts , as aristides and socrates , with others . and here it 's disputed , whether a meere heathen can doe any work morally good ? but wee answer , no : for every action ought to have a supernaturall end , viz. the glory of god , which they did not aime at ; therefore we do refuse that distinction of a morall good , and theologicall , because every morall good ought to be theologicall : they may do that good matter of the law , though not well . and as for the manner how , by nature ; those interpreters that understand this text of gentiles beleevers , say , nature is not here opposed to grace , but to the law written by moses ; and therefore make it nature enabled by grace : but this is shewed to be improbable . by nature therefore we may understand that naturall light of conscience , whereby they judged and performed some externall acts , though these were done by the help of god. the next question is , how this law is said to be written in their hearts ? you must not , with austine , compare this place with that gracious promise in jeremy , of god writing his law in the hearts of his people . there is therefore a two-fold writing in the hearts of men ; the first , of knowledge and judgement , whereby they apprehend what is good and bad : the second is in the will and affections , by giving a propenfity and delight , with some measure of strength , to do this upon good grounds . this later is spoken of by the prophet in the covenant of grace , and the former is to be understood here , as will appeare , if you compare this with chap. . . the last question is , how they declare this law written in their hearts ? and that is first externally , two waies : . by making good and wholesome lawes to govern men by ; and . by their practice , at least of some of them , according to those lawes : and secondly internally , by their consciences , in the comfort or feare they had there . observat . there is a law of nature written in mens hearts . and if this be not abolished , but that a beleever is bound to follow the direction and obligation of it , how can the antinomian think that the morall law , in respect of the mandatory power of it , ceaseth ? now , because i intend a methodicall tractate of the severall kindes of gods law , you might expect i should say much about lawes in generall ; but because many have written large volumes , especially the school-men , and it cannot be denyed but that good rationall matter is delivered by them ; yet , because it would not be so pertinent to my scope , i forbeare . i will not therefore examine the etymology of the words that signifie a law ; whether lex in the latine come of legendo because it was written to be read ( though that be not alwaies necessary ; ) or of ligando , because a law binds to obedience ; or of deligendo , because it selects some precepts : nor concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek , whether it come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is improbable ; or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because it distributes to every one that which is right : neither the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which some make to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to instruct and teach ; others of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that signifieth a disposition , or compiling of things together as lawes use to be . in the next place , i will not trouble you with the definition of a law , whether it be an act , or habit , or the soul it selfe : onely this is good to take notice of , against a fundamentall errour of the antinomian , about a law in generall ; for they conceive it impossible but that the damning act of a law must be where the commanding act of a law is , and this is frequently urged ( as i shewed the last time : ) therefore observe , that there are only two things goe to the essence of a law , ( i speak not of externall causes ) and that is , first , direction , secondly , obligation : . direction , therefore a law is a rule ; hence the law of god is compared to a light . and , prov. . . there is a notable expression of the law of nature , it 's a candle of the lord , searching the inwards of the belly . so it is observed , that the chaldee word for a law , is as much as light . the second essentiall constitute of a law is , obligation , for therein lyeth the essence of a sinne , that it breaketh this law , which supposeth the obligatory force of it . in the next place there are two consequents of the law which are ad bene esse , that the law may be the better obeyed ; and this indeed turneth the law into a covenant , which is another notion upon it , as afterwards is to be shewn . now as for the sanction of the law by way of a promise , that is a meere free thing ; god , by reason of that dominion which he had over man , might have commanded his obedience , and yet never have made a promise of eternall life unto him . and as for the other consequent act of the law , to curse , and punish , this is but an accidentall act , and not necessary to a law ; for it cometh in upon supposition of trangression : and therefore , as we may say of a magistrate , he was a just and compleat magistrate for his time , though he put forth no punitive justice , if there be no malefactors offending ; so it is about a law , a law is a compleat law oblieging , though it do not actually curse : as in the confirmed angels , it never had any more then obligatory , and mandatory acts upon them ; for that they were under a law is plaine , because otherwise they could not have sinned , for where there is no law , there is no transgression . if therefore the antinomian were rectified in this principle , which is very true and plain , he would quickly be satisfied : but of this more in another place . but wee come to the particulars of the doctrine , the pressing of which will serve much against the antinomian . therefore , for the better understanding of this law of nature , consider these particulars : . the nature of it in which it doth consist , and that is in those common notions and maximes , which are ingraffed in all mens hearts : and these are some of them speculative , that there is a god ; and some practicall , that good is to be imbraced , and evill to be avoided : and therefore aquinas saith well , that what principles of sciences are in things of demonstration , the same are these rules of nature in practicals : therefore we cannot give any reasons of them ; but , as the sun manifests it selfe by its owne light , so doe these . hence chrysostome observeth well , that god , forbidding murder , and other sins , giveth no reason of it , because it 's naturall : but , speaking of the seventh day , why that in particular was to be observed , he giveth a reason , because on the seventh day the lord rested , not but that the seventh day is morall , ( as some have denyed . ) but because it 's not morall naturall , onely morall positive , as the learned shew . . the difference of its being in adam and in us . this is necessary to observe ; for it was perfectly implanted in adams heart , but we have onely some fragments , and a meere shadow of it left in us . the whole law of nature , as it was perfectly instructing us the will of god , was then communicated to him : and howsoever god , for good reasons hereafter to be mentioned , did give , besides that law of nature , a positive law to try his obedience ; yet the other cannot be denyed to be in him , seeing he was made after gods image , in righteousnesse , and holinesse , and otherwise adam had been destitute of the light of reason , and without a conscience . therefore it 's a most impudent thing in socinus , to deny that adam had any such law or precept , and that hee could not lye , or commit any other sin though hee would ; for , it may not be doubted , but that if adam had told a lye , or the like , it had been a sin , as well as to eate of the forbidden fruit . . the naturall impression of it in us . we have it by nature ; it 's not a superadded work of god to put this into us . this assertion is much opposed by flaccus illyricus , who , out of his vehement desire to aggravate originall sin in us , and to shew how destitute we are of the image of god , doth labour to shew , that those common notions and dictates of conscience are infused de novo into us , and that wee have none of these by nature in us . and a godly man , in his book of temptations , holdeth the same opinion . illyricus indeed hath many probable arguments for his opinion , but he goeth upon a false supposition , that the apostle his scope is , to compare a gentile supposed onely to doe the law , and not asserted to doe it , before a jew who was an hearer of the law , but not a doer of it : therefore , to debase the jew , he saith , the apostle speaketh conditionally , to this purpose , if an heathen should keep the law , though he be not circumcised , yet he would be preferred before you ; not ( saith he ) that the apostle meaneth assertively and positively that any such doe : and therefore presseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is a particle of the subjunctive mood , and is equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if the gentiles , &c. but his supposition is false ; for the apostle's scope is , to shew that the gentile hath no excuse if god condemne him , because hee hath a law in himselfe : as appeareth , verse . as for the other consideration of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though erasmus render it [ cum fecerint ; ] yet that particle is applied to the indicative mood , as well as the subjunctive . it cannot therefore be true , which hee saith , that the apostle speaketh such great things of men by nature , that if they were true , it would necessarily justifie all pelagianisme . i shall not speak of his many arguments against naturall principles and knowledge of a god ; for he doth in effect at last yeeld to it . . the extent of it . and here it 's very hard to measure out the bounds of the law of nature ; for , some have judged that to be condemned by the law of nature , which others have thought the law of nature approveth : so true is that of tertullian , legem naturae opiniones suas vocant , they call their opinions the law of nature . there are foure waies of bounding this law . . some make it those generall things , wherein man and beast agree ; as , defence of it self , and desire of life : but by this meanes , that of naturall honesty and righteousnesse would be excluded ; for , a beast is not capable of any sin , or obligation by a law . and howsoever that be much disputed upon , why god would have the beast killed that killed a man ; yet , to omit the thoughts of many about it , that was not because a beast could be tyed by a law : but god , to shew the horridnesse of the fact , would have the very instrument punished . . some bound it by the custome of nations , that is , jus gentium ; but that is so diversified , that a sin with some was a vertue with others . . some doe bind it by reason in every man : but this is very uncertaine , and one mans reason is contrary to anothers , and one mans conscience is larger then anothers ; even as it is with measures in divers countries , though they have the same name , as a bushell , &c. yet they are different in quantity , one is larger then another . lastly , others bound it by the will of god , declared and manifested first to noah in seven precepts , and afterwards to moses in the ten commandements : but these extend the law of nature not onely to first principles , but conclusions also deduced from thence . . the obligation of it , when the law of nature doth bind : and that is from god the authour of it , god onely is under no law . every beleever , though justified by christ , is under the morall law of moses , as also the law of nature : but now this law of nature doth not so properly bind , as it's mans reason or conscience , as that it is the vicegerent of god , or a command from him : and thus cain by the law of nature found a tye upon him not to sin , and guilt because he did sin in murdering his brother , although there was no morall law as yet given . it is true , indeed , our divines doe well reprove the papists , for calling all that time from adam to moses , a state , or law of nature : and this the papists doe , that therefore to offer sacrifice unto god may be proved from the law of nature ; whereas those sacrifices , being done in faith , had the word of god , otherwise we were bound still to offer lambs or kids to god , which they deny . . the perpetuity of this obligation . this law can never be abrogated . and herein we may demand of the antinomian , whether the law of nature doe bind a beleever , or no ? whether he be bound to obey the dictates of his naturall conscience ? suppose a beleever hath his naturall conscience dictating to him , this sin he may not doe ; is he not obliged hereunto not onely from the matter ( for that he grants , ) but as it is a law and command of god implanted in his soule ? i know there is a difference between the law of nature , and the ten commandements , as may be shewed hereafter ; but yet they agree in this , that they are a rule immutable , and of perpetuall obligation . therefore think not , that because he dyed to free you from the curse of the law , that therefore you are freed from the obedience unto the law naturall , or delivered by moses . to deny this , is to deny that a beleever is bound to obey the sure dictates of a naturall conscience . i know we are not alwayes bound to follow what conscience suggests , for that is obscured and darkened ; but i speak of those dictates which are naturally known . other particulars , as , the insufficiency of it to direct in worship , as also , to save men , i do put off , and make application of what hath been delivered . use . of instruction , against the antinomian , who must needs overthrow the directive and obligative force of the law of nature , as well as that of moses ; doth not even nature teach you ( saith the apostle ? ) now if a man may not care for moses teaching , need he care for nature teaching ? it is true ( i told you ) sometimes they grant the law to be a rule , but then afterwards they speak such things as are absolutely inconsistent with it . there were some ( as wendelinus reports ) swencfeldians , that held a man was never truly mortified , till he had put out all sense of conscience for sinne ; if his conscience troubled him , that was his imperfection , he was not mortified enough . i should doe the antinomians wrong , if i should say , they deliver such things in their books ; but let them consider , whether some of their positions will not carry them neere such a dangerous rock : for , if the law have nothing to doe with me in respect of the mandatory part of it , then if i be troubled for the breach of it , it is my weaknesse , because i am not enough in christ . use . of reproofe , to those who live against this law. sins that are against the law of nature do most terrifie . how many live in such sins that the law of nature condemneth ? doth not nature condemne lying , couzening in your trades , lusts , and uncleannesse ? how many trades-men are there that need not a paul ? even tully in his book of offices will condemne their lying , sophisticate wares , and unlawfull gain . it 's much how farre they saw this way . sinnes against naturall conscience are called crying sinnes ; and , though men have repented of them , yet how long is it ere faith can still their cry ? have not many heathens been faithfull and just in their dealings ? it 's true , that man hath not godlinesse , who hath only naturall honesty ; therefore there are many spirituall sinnes that he never humbleth himself for : as paul saith , he knew not the motions of his heart to be sinne . hence men are to be exhorted to get further light , and more tendernesse then a naturall conscience can ever attain unto . neverthelesse , if men so live , as if they had not this law in their hearts , they are the more inexcusable : are there not men who call themselves christians , that yet the very heathens will condemne at that great day ? use . why it is so hard to beleeve in the lord christ ; because here is nothing of nature in it , it 's all supernaturall . the papists say , we make an easie way to heaven ; for , let a man be never so great a sinner , yet if he doe but beleeve , all is well . now the people of god , sensible of their sin , find nothing harder for , it 's in the law of nature they should not lye , or steale , but that they should beleeve in christ for pardon , when labouring under their offences , here nature doth not help at all . i acknowledge it 's a dispute among divines , whether in that law implanted in adams heart , there was not also a power to beleeve in christ , when revealed ? but of that hereafter ; but the orthodox deny , that he had explicite justifying faith , for that was repugnant to the condition he was in . but the thing i intend is , to shew how supernaturall and hidden the way of beleeving is . no marvell therefore if it be made such a peculiar work of the spirit , to convince of this sinne . lecture vii . rom . . . for when the gentiles , which have not the law , doe by nature the things of the law , &c. the doctrine already gathered from these words is , that , the gentiles have a law of nature written in their hearts : which law doth consist partly in light and knowledge of speculative principles ; and partly in practice and obedience to practicall principles . so then from hence we may consider , first , of the light of nature , and then secondly , of the power of nature ; and from both these we may have profitable matter , and also may confute some dangerous errours , which have poisoned too many . i shall begin therefore with the light of nature , or reason , and shall endeavour to shew the necessity of it , and yet the insufficiency of it : it is not such a starre that can lead us to christ . in the first place take notice , that this light of nature may be considered in a three-fold respect : first , as it 's a relict or remnant of the image of god : for , howsoever the image of god did primarily consist in righteousness and true holinesse ; yet secondarily it did also comprehend the powers and faculties of the reasonable soule in the acts thereof : and this later part abideth . it is true , this light of nature , comparatively to that of faith , is but as a glow-worme to the sun ; yet some light and irradiation it hath . god , when he made man , had so excellently wrought his owne image in him , that man could not fall , unlesse that were also destroyed ; as they write of phidias , who made alexanders statue , yet had wrought his own picture so artificially in it , that none could break alexanders statue , but he must also spoile phidias his image , who was the maker of it : and thus it is in adams fall , yet there remaineth some light still , which the apostle calleth ( rom. . ) truth ; he vouchsafeth that name to it , they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse . now this moon-light or glimmering of nature is of a three-fold use : . for societies and publike common-wealths , whereby they have made wholsome lawes . it 's wonderfull to consider , how excellent the heathens have been therein . thus chrysostome , speaking how the most excellent men need the counsell of others , instanceth in jethro's advice to moses , about choosing assistant officers : that great man moses ( saith he ) who was so potent in words and workes , who was the friend of god , which commanded the creatures , was helped incounsell by jethro his father-in-law , an obscure man , and a barbarian : although , to speak the truth , jethro , when he gave this counsell , was not so , but had the knowledge of the true god. . this light of nature serveth for the instigation and provocation of men to many good actions and duties towards god and man. hence still observe that phrase , they detain : reason and naturall light is bound , as a prisoner , by the chaines of lusts and sinfull affections ; which thing aristotle doth fully set forth in his incontinent person , whom he describeth to have a right opinion in the generall about that which is good ; yet , being too much affected to some particular pleasure or profit , by that meanes the better part is over-born : and therefore aristotle saith , the better part of the minde did provoke to better things . this agreeth with that of paul. and as they bound captivated practicall truths towards man , so they also imprisoned them about god. plato had the knowledge of one god , yet he dared not to communicate it to the vulgar : therefore ( saith he ) opificem universorum neque invenire facile , neque inventum in vulgus promulgare tutum : it was not easie to finde out the maker of the world , nor yet safe to make known to the people him , when he was found out . here for feare of the people , he detained this truth . and austin hath a most excellent chapter , cap. . lib. . de civit. to shew how seneca kept the truth in unrighteousnesse : he speaks of a book seneca wrote ( which now is lost ) against superstitions , where he doth most freely and boldly write against the practices of their worship ; but , saith austin , he had liberty in his writing , but not in his life , libertas affuit scribenti , non viventi . i will name some passages , because they are applicable to popish idolatry , as well as paganish . they dedicate their gods in most base materialls , and call them gods , which if taking life , they should meet us on a sudden , we should judge them monsters . they doe things so unseemly grave men , so unworthy free-men , so unlike wise sound men , that no man would doubt but that they were mad , if there were but few of them , whereas now the multitude of those that are thus mad is a patronage to them ; immortales deos in materia vilissima & immobili dedicant — numina vocant , quae si spiritu accepto subitò occurrerent , monstra haberentur — faciunt tam indecor a honestis , tam indigna liberis , tam dissimillima sanis , ut nemo fuerit dubitaturus furere eos , si cum paucioribus furerent ; nunc sanitatis patrocinium est insanientium turba . but seneca , when he had spoken thus , and much more , in the scorn of those gods , what doth he resolve upon that his wise man shall doe in those times ? let him not religiously account of them in his minde , but feigne them in his outward acts , in animi religione non habeat , sed in actibus fingat . and again , all which things a wise man will observe , as commanded by law , not as acceptable to god , quae omnia sapiens ser vabit tanquam legibus jussa , non diis grata . and further , istam ignobilem deorum turbam , quam longo aevo longa superstitio congessit , sic adorabimus , ut meminerimus cultum ejus ad morem magis pertinere quam rem . some say , seneca was coetaneous with paul , and that he had paul's epistles ; might he not ( if so ) see himself described in this phrase , detaining the truth in unrighteousnesse ? but how well doth austin in the same place stigmatize him ? he worshipped , what he reproved ; did , what he argued against ; adored , what he blamed ; colebat , quod reprehendebat ; agebat , quod arguebat ; quod culpabat , adorabat . and are there not many such popish spirits , that know their superstitions and falshoods , yet , because of long custome , will not leave them ? what else was the meaning of domitianus calderinus , when , speaking of going to masse , he said , eamus ad communem errorem ? and so it was a speech of a disputing sophister , sic dico quando sum in scholis , sed , penes nos sit , aliter sentio . you see then by this , that naturall truth would encline to better actions , but it is suppressed . when i say , naturall light enclineth the heart to good , it is to be understood by way of object meerly , shewing what is to be desired , not that we have any strength naturally to what is good . if you aske why truth , apprehended by naturall light , should be lesse efficacious to alter and new-mould the heart and life , then truth received by faith ( for in the scripture we reade of wonderfull conversions ; and the heathens have but one story that they much boast of , of one palemon ( if i mistake not ) who was a great drunkard , and came to deride socrates , while he was reading his discourse to his scholars , but was so changed by that lecture , that he left off his drunkennesse : this alteration was only in the skin , and not in the vitalls . what then should be the difference ? ) i answer , not that one truth in it selfe is stronger then another , but the difference is in medio , or instrumento , the instrument to receive this truth . when nature receives a truth , it 's but with a dimme eye , and a palsie-hand ; but when we receive it by faith , that is accompanyed with the power and might of the holy ghost . the influence of truth by naturall light , is like that of the moon , waterish and weak , never able to ripen any thing ; but that of faith is like the influence of the sun , that doth heat , and soon bring to maturity . . the last use of this naturall light is , to make men inexcusable ; for , seeing they did not glorifie god according to their knowledge , for that they are justly condemned . this indeed is not the onely use of the light of nature , as some say ; but it is a main one , rom. . . not that this is the end of god , in putting these principles into us , but it falleth out by our sinfulness . but how are they inexcusable , if they could not glorifie god by nature , as they ought ? some answer , the apostle speaks of excuse in regard of knowledge : but if you understand it of power , it is true ; for by our fault we are unable , and none went so farre as naturally they were able . and thus nature is considered in the first place . secondly , you may consider it as corrupted and obscured by sin : and in this sense it 's no help , but a desperate enemy to what is good : and the more reason this way , the more opposition to god : and thus it fell out with all the great naturall luminists ; they became vain in their reasonings , the more they enquired and searched , the further off they were from what is true , cor. . . the naturall man perceiveth not the things of god : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is not a man carnall and grosse in sinne , but a souly man , one that doth excolere animam , such as tully and aristotle . now the wiser these men were , the vainer they were . chrysostome's comparison doth well agree with them : as if ( saith he ) a king should give much money to a servant that by it he should make his family more glorious , and he goeth presently and spends all his money upon whores and bawds . thus did the heathens : as austin wrote to a man of great parts , ornari abs te diabolus quaerit , the divell seeks to be adorned by thee . hence egypt , that is accounted the mother of sciences , and moses in regard of knowledge is preferred before the egyptians ; yet that was the seat also of idolaters : and so the astronomers , who lifted up themselves above others in their knowledge of heavenly things , brought in those monsters into heaven , and attributed worship to them , and in their worship of their gods they added many feasts and sports . thus they invented an happinesse , which austin calleth scyllaeum bonum , consisting of humane and brutish parts . if you aske how this naturall light cometh to be thus obscured ; i answer , three waies : . by ill education . this is like the first concoction , or the first settling of the limbs of a man. secondly , by long custome and degeneration . hence some nations have by their publike lawes allowed grosse sins lawfull ; as some nations have allowed robberies , some incest , some that all old men should be thrown down headlong a steep hill . thirdly , by the just judgement of god ; therefore three times in rom. . god is said to give them up to sin . thirdly , you may speak of nature as informed , and enlightened by gods word : and while it 's thus , you need not cast this hagar out of doores . let scripture and the word of god lay the foundation stone , and then reason may build upon it . it is stella his comparison : it is with faith and reason , as with the mould that is at the root of the barren and fruitlesse tree ; take the mould out , and throw in muck or other compost , and then put the mould in , it will much help the tree , which hindered it before . thus , lay aside reason at first , and then receive truths by faith ; and afterwards improve them by reason , and it will excellently help . divine truths are not founded upon reason , but scripture ; yet reason may bear them up : as you see the elme or wall bear up the vine , but the elme or wall doth not bring forth the fruit ; onely the vine doth that . as long therefore as the light of nature is not the rule , but ruled and squared by gods word , so long it cannot deceive us . the second grand consideration is , that the light of nature is necessary in religious and morall things , though it be not sufficient . we speak of the light of nature in the first consideration , as it is the residue of the glorious image of god put into us ( for of the later , as it is informed by scripture , it is no question . ) now this is absolutely necessary two wayes : . as a passive qualification of the subject for faith ; for , there cannot be faith in a stone , or in a beast , no more then there can be sin in them : therefore reason , or the light of nature , makes man in a passive capacity fit for grace ; although he hath no active ability for it : and , when he is compared to a stone , it is not in the former sense , but the later . and secondly , it 's necessary by way of an instrument ; for we cannot beleeve , unlesse we understand whether knowledge be an act ingredient into the essence of faith , or whether it be prerequisite : all hold there must be an act of the understanding , one way or other , going to beleeve . hence knowledge is put for faith , and hebr. . by faith we understand . thus it is necessary as an instrument . . there is nothing true in divinity that doth crosse the truth of nature , as it 's the remnant of gods image . this indeed is hard to cleere in many points of divinity ; as in the doctrine of the trinity , and the doctrine of christs incarnation , which seemeth paradoxall to reason ; of whom tertullian , lib. . de carne christi , cap. . thus , natus est dei filius , non pudet , quia pudendum est ; mortuus est dei filius , prorsus credibile est , quia ineptum ; sepultus resurrexit , certum est , quia impossibile . yet , seeing the apostle calls the naturall knowledge of a man truth , and all truth is from god , which wayes soever it come , there can therefore be no contradiction between it . and hereupon our divines doe , when they have confuted the popish doctrine of transubstantiation by scripture , shew also , that for a body to be in two places , is against the principles of nature . they indeed call for faith in this point : and lapide , upon these words , hoc est corpus meum , saith , if christ should aske me at the day of judgement , why did you beleeve the bread to be the body of christ ? i will answer , this text , if i be deceived , these words have deceived me . but we must compare place with place , and scripture with scripture . as for the doctrine of the trinity , though it be above reason , and we cannot look into that mysterie , no more then an owle can into the sun beames , yet it is not against it . . the same object may be known by the light of nature , and by the light of faith. this may easily be understood : i may know there is a god by the light of nature ; and i may beleeve it , because the scripture saith so : so hebr. . i may by faith understand the word was made , and by arguments know it was made ; and this is called faith , by james . the divels beleeve , that is , they have an evident intuitive knowledge of god , and feel it by experience ; not that they have faith , for that is a supernaturall gift wrought by god , and hath accompanying it pia affectio , to him that speaketh , as the first truth . faith therefore , and the light of nature go to the knowledge of the same thing different waies : faith doth , because of the testimony and divine revelation of god ; the light of nature doth , because of arguments in the thing it self by discourse . and faith is not a dianoeticall or discursive act of the understanding , but it 's simple and apprehensive . . though reason and the light of nature be necessary , yet it is not a judge in matters of faith . the lutheran seemeth to depresse reason too much , and the socinian exalteth it too high : they make it not onely an instrument , but a judge ; and thereupon they reject the greatest mysteries of religion . i know some have endeavoured to shew , that religio est summa ratio ; and there are excellent men that have proved the truth of the christian religion by reason : and certainly , if we can by reason prove there is any religion at all , we may by the same reason prove that the christian religion is the true one . but who doth not see how uncertaine reason is in comparison of faith ? i doe not therefore like that assertion of one , who affects to be a great rationalist ( it is chillingworth ) that saith , we therefore receive the scriptures to be the word of god , because we have the greatest reason that this is the word of god. but we must not confound the instrument and the judge : holy truths , they are scripture truths , though hammered out by reason . as the smith that takes golden plate , and beates it into what shape he pleaseth , his hammer doth not make it gold , but only gold of such a shape : and thus also reason doth not make a truth divine , onely holds it forth , and declareth it in such a way . . it 's altogether insufficient to prescribe or set down any worship of god. hence god doth so often forbid us to walk after our own imaginations , and to doe that which we shall choose . the apostle calleth it will-worship , when a mans will is the meere cause of it . now , it 's true , men are more apt to admire this , as we see in the pharisees and papists ; they dote upon their traditions more then gods institutions . hence raymundus , a papist , speaking of the masse , it is ( saith he ) as full of mysteries , as the sea is full of drops of water , as the heaven hath angels , as the firmament hath starres , and the earth little crummes of sand . but what saith our saviour , luk. . that which is highly esteemed before men , is abomination before god ? that word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is applyed to idols and false-worship . it 's true indeed , even in worship , light of nature and prudence is instrumentally required to order the institutions of god ; but as reason may not make a new article of faith , so neither a new part of worship . now natures insufficiency is described in these three reasonings : . to have all the worship of god sensible and pleasing to the eye . it was well called by parisiensis , a madnesse in some , who doubted not to say , the church was better ruled by the inventions of men then by the scriptures . the people of israel would have sensible gods , that they might see them : and certainly men doe as much delight in sensible pompous worship , as children do in gay babies ; therefore the prophet speaketh of their goodly images . but all this ariseth , because they are ignorant of spirituall worship , and cannot tell how to make spirituall advantage from god. it was well said by one , that a superstitious man is gods flutterer , and not his friend ; he is more officious then needs : and where a man is busie ubi non oportet , ( said tertullian ) he is negligent ubi oportet . such carnall sensible worshippers are well compared to those that , because they have no children , delight in birds and dogs ; so because they have no true graces of the spirit of god , they delight in these imitations . . to appoint mediatours between us and god. this was the great argument of the heathens ; they thought themselves unworthy , and therefore appointed others to mediate between them and god ; which argument of the heathens , some of the fathers wrote against . but , doe not the papists the same thing ? doe not they tell us , petitioners at the court doe not addresse themselves immediately to the prince , but get favourites to speak for them ; so must we to god ? and therefore salmeron doth give some reasons why it 's more piety and religion to pray to god and saints together , then to god alone . but is not this to forget christ our head , who is made neerer to us then angels are ? and , indeed , angels are reconciled to us by christ . if therefore we follow the light of nature thus , we shall fall into the ditch at last ; and superstition is never more dangerous , then when it 's coloured over with the specious colours of arguments . . to doe all by way of compensation , and satisfaction to god. upon this ground were all the sacrifices of the heathens . and is not all this with popery ? doe they not make all penall things compensative ? if they pray , that is meritorious ; if they fast , that is satisfactory . hence ariseth that seeming not to spare the flesh , col. . ult . and the apostle saith , it hath a shew of wisdome . but the more like any actions are to worship and wisdome , and are not so , the more loathsome they are : as in an ape , that which makes an ape so much deformed and loathsome , is because it is so like a man , and is not a man. use . of instruction . what hath made the idolatry of the church of rome so like paganish and ethnicall idolatry ? even because they followed their light , the light of nature and reason . look over all their paganish gods , and they have answerable saints . as the heathens had their ceres , and bacchus , and aesculapius ; insomuch that varro said , discendum fuisset quâ de causâ quisque deorum avocandus esset , nè à libero aqua , à lympho vinum optaretur : so here , they have their st. martin for the vineyard , christopher for suddaine death , nicholas for mariners , &c. and this was done at first , they say , to gain the heathens ; but the contrary fell out . let us then follow the light of nature no further then we ought ; let her be an hand-maid , not a mistresse . and then we must take heed of going against her where she doth truly direct . are there not many , not only unchristian , but also unnaturall actions ? let us remember that . lecture viii . rom . . . for the gentiles , &c. you have heard of two things considerable in the law of nature ; the knowledge or light of it , and the power or ability of it . we shall ( god willing ) at this time prosecute the doctrine of the former part , and the taske we have at this time is to answer some questions about the light of nature : for , as there are some who depresse it too much ; so there are others advance it too high . the philosophers called the christians credentes , by way of reproach , because they did not argue by reason , but receive upon trust : and there are some , who doe not indeed , with abilardus , make faith [ aestimatio ] a fancy , yet they make it ratio . let us see therefore what this light can doe , by way of answer to some questions onely ; not to answer all . the first question , whether a man can by the light of nature , and by the consideration of the creatures , come to know there is a god ? this is denyed by socinians and others . indeed bellarmine chargeth tenets to this effect upon calvin , but that which the protestant authours hold , is , that he may indeed have a knowledge that there is a god , but what this god is , whether he be one , and what his attributes are , they cannot so reach to . nihil deo notius , nihil ignotius : otherwise , they say , there is no naturall atheist in opinion , though many in affections , desiring there were no god. as tully argueth , let us take heed , how we bring this opinion into the world , that there is a god , lest hereby we bring a great slavery and feare upon our selves . are there not many polititians have too much of this poison in their hearts ? but of this more anon . onely that there is such a knowledge naturall , appeareth by some places : as first , rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that which may be knowne of god : for there are some things , that by nature could never be known , as the trinity and incarnation of christ . now this knowledge is by the book of the creatures . this whole universe may be called the lay-mens book ; rebus pro speculo utamur , we may see the power and wisdome of god in them . tully hath a good comparison : as a man that seeth and readeth a book , and observeth how every letter is put together to make an harmonious sense , must needs gather , that all those letters did not fall together by chance , but that there was a wise authour in the composing of them : so it 's in the world , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , none can think such a sweet compagination of all the parts of it should come together meerly accidentally . it 's said to be the speech of one antony , much spoken of in ecclesiasticall story , that he called the world a great volume , and the heaven , and water , and earth were the pages and leaves ; the starres and living creatures were the letters in those pages : and how glorious a letter is the sun , when eudoxus said , he was made onely to behold it ? the wayes and arguments by which naturalists have proved this , have not been by demonstrations à priori , for that is impossible ; but by the effects . as a man that cannot see the sun in it self , it is so dazeling , doth look upon it in a bason of water : thus we who cannot know god in himself , know him in the creatures . the second proof is from psal . . compared with rom. . where the psalmist makes the creatures so many tongues speaking a god , yea the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eructat doth signifie the plenty and serenity , as also the fluid eloquence of the heavens ; and this is quoted by the apostle . and here two doubts are by the way to be removed : first , whether that of bellarmine and others be true , that the text is here corrupt : and , whether the psalmists meaning be not perverted . for the first ; in the hebrew it's there line , but the apostle , following the septuagint , renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if they had read colam for cavam : but the answer is , that the septuagint regarded the sense , and , the psalmist having spoken before of the words or speech of heaven , they therefore interpret according to that sense : and by line , is meant the structure and exact composing of all these things , which declareth the admirable wisdome of the maker . as for the later , it is indeed generally taken , as if the apostle did speak this of the apostles preaching the gospel , which the psalmist did of the heavens : insomuch that the lutherans interpret all the former part of the psalme allegorically . others think the apostle alledgeth that place allusively , not by way of argument , as in that place of the epistle to the corinthians , where the apostle applyeth the speech about manna to matter of liberality . but jansenius and vasquez among the papists , and beza with others among the orthodox , think the apostle keepeth to the literall meaning of the psalmist ; as if this should be the apostles meaning , israel hath heard , for god made known himself even to the very heathens by the creatures , how much more to the jewes by the prophets ? which way soever you take it , it proveth that god hath a schoole of nature by his creatures , as well as a schoole of grace by his ministers . the last proofe is from john . he is the true light , which enlightneth every man coming into the world : for so we think [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] doth referre to man , not light ; though socinus and grotius plead much for it . some indeed understand this of the light of grace ; but it will be more universally and necessarily true of the light of reason , which is in infants radically , though not actually . i shall not here relate what unsound positions an antinomian authour hath in a manuscript sermon upon this place , because it is not pertinent . so then there is an implanted sense and feeling of a deity ; which made tertullian say , o anima naturaliter christiana ! and cyprian , summaest delicti nolle agnoscere , quem ignorare non potes . if you object , that the scripture speaks of the gentiles as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to be understood of a distinct and obedient knowledge of him . and as for some atheists spoken of , that have expressedly professed it ; what they did was partly in derision of the many gods , as socrates , and another , who needing a fire , threw a statue of hercules into the fire , saying , age hercules , xiii . laborem subiturus adesto , obsonium nobis cocturus . besides , they did this with their tongue more then their heart , as appeareth by diagoras , who when he had made a famous oration against a deity , the people came applauding him , and said , he had almost perswaded them , but only they thought , that if any were god , he was , for his eloquence sake : and then this wretch , like herod , was content to be thought a god . we read act. . . of an altar to the unknown god ; but that is in this sense , among the heathens , it was uncertaine , which of their gods were appropriated to such or such offices : hence when a plague was once at athens , epimenides brought sheepe , some whereof were black , others white , to areopagus , and letting them goe from thence , whither they would , directed them to sacrifice ( where they should lye down ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to the proper god , and hence came their altars to an unknown god , because they knew not , which god to sacrifice to , for the removing of their calamities . the second question is , whether the mystery of the trinity , and of the incarnation of christ , can be found out as a truth by the light of nature ? and here , certainly , we must answer negatively ; for the apostle , cor. . speaking of the mysteries of the gospel , saith , it hath not entered into the heart of a man to conceive of them : which is to be understood , not onely of the blessed joy and peace of those truths , but also as they are truths ; so that all these things are of meere supernaturall revelation . hence we reade , that when , by reason of the arrians , there was an hot dispute about these mysteries , there was a voice heard from heaven , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the fall of the wise men . i doe acknowledge , that austin and others have sought the foot-steps or representations of the trinity in the creatures ; yea , nierembergius a jesuit , de origine sacrae scripturae , lib. . cap. . doth hold , that god did intend by the works of creation , to declare the mysteries of graces ; as by those artificiall things of the ark , tabernacle , and temple , he intended spirituall mysteries : but this is false . but then they did first know and beleeve this doctrine by scripture , and then afterwards goe to represent it . yet it must be confessed , that all these similies have scarce one foot , much lesse foure , to run on . the school-men speak of the three things in every creature , esse , posse , & operari . but especially that is taken up about the soule , when it understandeth or knoweth , and when it loveth : and the son of god is represented by that verbum mentis , and the holy ghost by amor. now here is a mistake , for christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , joh. . by john , imitating , the chaldee , not in respect of any such scholasticall sense , but because he doth reveale and make knowne the will of god to us : so the union of the humane nature and the divine in one person , though learned men give many examples , yet none come up to the full resemblance : and indeed , if you could give the like instance , it were not wonderfull or singular . we conclude then , that the scriptures are the onely ladder , whereby we climb up to these things , and our understandings are of such a little stature , that we must climb up into the tree of life ( the scriptures ) to see jesus . the third question concerning this naturall light is , whether it be sufficient for salvation ? for , there are some that hold , if any man , of whatsoever nation he be , worship god according to the light of nature , and so serve him , he may be saved . hence they have coined a distinction of a three-fold piety : judaica , christiana , and ethnica . therefore say they , what moses was to the jewes , and christ to the christians ; the same is philosophy , or the knowledge of god by nature , to heathens . but this opinion is derogatory to the lord christ ; for onely by faith in his name can we be saved , as the scripture speaketh . and , certainly , if the apostle argued that christ died in vain , if workes were joyned to him ; how much more if he be totally excluded ? it is true , it seemeth a very hard thing to mans reason , that the greater part of the world , being pagans and heathens , with all their infants , should be excluded from heaven . hence , because vedelius , a learned man , did make it an aggravation of gods grace to him , to chuse and call him , when so many thousand thousands of pagan-infants are damned : this speech , as being full of horridnesse , a scoffing remonstrant takes , and sets it forth odiously in the frontispice of his book . but , though our reason is offended , yet we must judge according to the way of the scripture ; which makes christ the onely way for salvation . if so be it could be proved , as zwinglius held , that christ did communicate himself to some heathens , then it were another matter . i will not bring all the places they stand upon , that which is mainely urged is act. . of cornelius ; his prayers were accepted , and , saith peter , now i perceive , &c. but this proceedeth from a meere mistake ; for cornelius had the implicite knowledge and faith of christ , and had received the doctrine of the messias , though he was ignorant of christ , that individuall person . and as for that worshipping of him in every nation , that is not to be understood of men abiding so , but whereas before it was limited to the jewes , now god would receive all that should come to him , of what nation soever . there is a two-fold unbelief : one negative , and for this no heathen is damned : he is not condemned because he doth not beleeve in christ , but for his originall and actuall sinnes . secondly , there is positive unbelief , which they only are guilty of , who live under the meanes of the gospel . the fourth question is , whether that be true of the papists , which hold , that the sacrifices the patriarchs offered to god , were by the meere light of nature : for so saith lessius , lex naturae & obstringit & suadet , &c. the law of nature both bindeth and dictateth all to offer sacrifices to god ; therefore they make it necessary that there should be a sacrifice now under the new testament offered unto god : and upon this ground lessius saith it is lawfull for the indians to offer up sacrifices unto god , according to their way and custome . and , making this doubt to himself , how shall they doe for a priest ? he answereth , that as a common-wealth may appoint a governour to rule over them , and to whom they will submit in all things ; so may it appoint a priest to officiate in all things for them . this is strange for a papist to say , who doteth so much upon succession , as if where that is not , there could be no ministery . now in this case he gives the people a power to make a priest . but , howsoever it may be , by the light of nature , that god is religiously to be worshipped ; yet it must be onely instituted worship that can please him : and thus much socrates an heathen said , that god must onely be worshipped in that way wherein he hath declared his will to be so . seeing therefore abel , and so others , offered in faith , and faith doth alwayes relate to some testimony and word , it is necessary to hold , that god did reveale to adam his will , to be worshipped by those externall sacrifices , and the oblations of them . it is true , almost all the heathens offered sacrifices unto their gods , but this they did , as having it at first by hear-say from the people of god ; and also satan is alwayes imitating of god in his institutions : and howsoever the destructive mutation or change of the thing ( which is alwayes necessary to a sacrifice ) doth argue , and is a signe of subjection and deepest humiliation ; yet how should nature prescribe , that the demonstration of our submission must be in such a kind or way ? the fifth question is , whether originall sin can be found out by the meere light of nature ? or , whether it is onely a meere matter of faith that we are thus polluted ? it is true , the learned mornay labours to prove by naturall reason our pollution , and sheweth how many of the ancient platonists doe agree in this , that the soule is now vassalled to sense and affections , and that her wings are cut whereby she should soare up into heaven . and so tully he saith , cum primùm nascimur , in omni continuò pravitate versamur ; much like that of the scripture , the imagination of the thoughts of a mans heart is onely evil , and that continually : but aristotle ( of whom one said wickedly and falsly , that he was the same in naturals , which christ was in supernaturals ) he makes a man to be obrasa tabula , without sin or vertue ; though indeed it doth incline ad meliora . tully affirmeth also , that there are semina innata virtutum in us , onely we overcome them presently : thus also seneca , erras , si tecum nasci vitia putas , supervenerunt , ingesta sunt , as i said before . here we see the wisest of the philosophers speaking against it . hence julian , the pelagian , heaped many sentences out of the chiefest philosophers against any such corruption of nature . but austine answered , it was not much matter what they said , seeing they were ignorant of these things . the truth is , by nature we may discover a great languishment and infirmity come upon us ; but the true nature of this , and how it came about , can only be known by scripture-light : therefore the apostle , rom. . saith , he had not known lust to be sin , had not the law said , thou shalt not last . the sixth question is , what is the meaning of that grand rule of nature , which our saviour also repeateth , that which you would not have other men doe to you , doe not you to them ? matth. . . it is reported of alexander severus , that he did much delight in this saying , which he had from the jewes or christians : and our saviour addeth this , that , this is the law , and the prophets ; so that it is a great thing even for christians to keep to this principle . men may pray , and exercise religious duties , and yet not doe this ; therefore the apostle addeth this to prayer , so that we may live as we pray , according to that good rule of the platonist , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . how would this subdue all those proud , envious , censorious , and inimicitious carriages to one another ? but now when we speake of doing that to another , which we would have done to our selves , it is to be understood of a right and well-regulated will , not corrupted or depraved . the seventh question is , whether the practice of the apostles , making all their goods common , was according to the precept of nature , and so binding all to such a practice ? for there have been , and still are those that hold this . but now , that communion of all things is not jure naturae , appeareth , in that theft is a sin against the morall law ; which could not be , if division of goods were not according to the law of nature . indeed , by nature all things were common , but then it was natures dictate to divide them ; as aristotle sheweth in many reasons against plato . what would have been in innocency , if adam had stood , whether a common right to all things , or a divided propriety , ( i speak of goods ) is hard to say . but as for the practice of the church of jerusalem , that was occasionall , and necessary , therefore not to be a ground for perpetuall command ; for other churches did it not , as appeareth by the almes that were gathered , nor was it laid necessarily upon all to sell what they had , as appeareth by paul's speech to ananias . use . if god be so angry with those that abuse naturall light , how much rather then with such , who also abuse gospel light ? these doe not put light under a bushell , but under a dung-hill . there are many that are solifugae , as bats and owles are . in one chapter god is said three times to deliver them up , because they did not glorifie god according to natures light ; how much more then according to the gospels light ? gravis est lux conscientiae , said seneca , but gravior est lux evangelii : the light of the ministery and word must needs be more troublesome to thy sinfull wayes . use . of examination , whether , even among christians , may not be found men no better then heathens . now such are , . ignorant people : how few have any knowledge of god ? . violent adherers to former idololatricall courses , taken up by fore-fathers . there is this difference between an idolater and a true beleever : the beleever is like those creatures , that you can make nothing lye on their backs , unlesse it be fastened by some scripture or reason ; but the heathen is like the camell , that had a back for burdens on purpose : so that any idolatry he would bear , though it were not tyed on by arguments . . such as are inordinately distracted about the things of this world , matth. . after these things doe the heathens seek . hast thou not much of an heathen in thee ? . such as rage at christ , and his reformation , psal . . why doe the heathens rage ? lecture ix . rom . . . for the gentiles doe by nature the things of the law . we have handled those things that concern the light and conduct of nature : now we shall speak of that which belongs to the ability and power of nature ; for herein are two extreme errours : one of the pelagian , papist , and arminian , with others , who lift up this power too high , the enemies of grace lurk under the praises of nature , sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae ; and the other of the antinomians , who seem to deny all the preparatory works upon the heart of a man ; holding , that christ immediately communicateth himselfe to grosse sinners abiding so : and though they hold us passive at the first receiving of christ , which all orthodox do ; yet they expresse it in an unsound sense , comparing god unto a physician , that doth violently open the sick mans throat , and poure down his physick whether he will or no ; whereas god , though he doth convert fortiter , yet he doth it also suaviter . now for the full clearing of our inability to any good thing , we will lay down these propositions : . there is a naturall power of free-will left in us . free-will is not indeed a scripture name , but meerly ecclesiasticall , and hath been so abused , that calvin wished the very name of it were quite exploded : but if we speak of the quid sit , and not the quid possit , the being of it , and not the working of it , we must necessarily acknowledge it . the neerest expression to the word free-will , is that cor. . . having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , power over his own will : but generally the scripture useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is as much as we intend . there is in all men naturally that power , whereby , through the help of reason , he chooseth this , and refuseth another-thing ; only this must not be extended to the things of grace . now to say what this free-will is , is very hard : perkins , following some schoole-men , maketh it a mixed power of the understanding and the will ; others a third reall distinct power from them : but it may probably be thought , that it is nothing but the will in electing or refusing such things ; so that we call it the will in those things it 's necessarily carried out to , as to will what is good , and not sin as sin : and then free-will , when it 's carried out to those things that are not necessarily connexed with it : even as in the understanding , while the understanding doth consider first principles , it 's called intellectus ; while conclusions that are gathered from them , it 's called ratio . therefore our adversaries do but calumniate us , when they say , we turn men into beasts ; for we hold the understanding going before , and the will after : and this is more then a meere spontaneous inclination in things naturall . therefore it is , that we do not bid the fire burn , or perswade an horse to goe , because there is not understanding or will in these things , as there is in a man. . this which is left in us is not able to performe naturall actions , without the generall help of god. that which we have acknowledged to be in a man naturally , must still be limited to his proper sphere , to naturall , and civill actions , or some externally religious duties : but even then we must acknowledge a generall help , or assistance of god , without which we could not doe any naturall thing ; so that place in the acts , in him we live , and move , and have our being : by which we prove , that god doth not onely give us the principles of being and moving , but we move in him , i. e. by him . therefore hierome did well reprove the pelagians , that thought , without the generall aide of god , a man might move his finger , or write , and speak . there have beem some who have thought , that all which god doth for us in our naturall actions , is onely to give the principles and power o● actions ; and then afterwards we need no further aide , then mee● preservation of our being , no concourse or aide of god helping us in the action : thus durand of old , and one dodo of late , who hath written a book onely to that purpose : but the place abovesaid doth evidently convince it ; and we see , that god did hinder the fire from burning the three worthies , though he did preserve the fire at the same time in the power of burning , which could not be otherwise , then by denying his actuall aide to the working of the fire : for , to say that the reason was because of gods doing something upon their bodies , were to make the miracle there , where the scripture doth not lay it . if you aske then , why this may not be called a speciall help of god , as well as that whereby we are inabled to beleeve , or repent ; i answer , there is a great deal of difference : . because this generall aide is necessary to wicked actions , in regard of their positive nature , as well as to good . . god doth this in the way of his providence , as a creatour , the other he doth in the way of predestination , as a father in christ . . the other aide may be said to be due , as our divines speak of originall righteousnesse , upon a supposition that a man is made a creature to do such actions ; yet not properly a debt , but that for our sin we are deprived of it : but this speciall help of grace cannot be called so . . it is wholly unable to work any good thing . all this while we have considered the power of man but as in the lower region ; and if you doe consider him , in reference to good things , so he hath no power , or will , or free-will at all ; but , as austin said before luther , it 's servum arbitrium , a servant , and inslaved will to sin onely . indeed we have not lost our understandings or our wills , but to know or will that which is good , is wholly lost : though we have not lost the will , yet we have the rectitude in that will , whereby we should encline to good . and this may be proved from many arguments : . from all those places of scripture which declare our estate to be full of sin and corruption , and altogether wicked . now , doe men gather grapes of thornes , or figs of thistles ? hence the father compareth us well to the ship in a tempest , that is destitute of a pilot : we are dashed continually upon rocks , though this speak of the negative onely , not the positive corruption . . all those places , which speak of grace , and conversion , and regeneration , as the work of god. as for those places , where we are said to repent , and to turn unto god , in time we shall cleare ; only these texts prove , that all the good things we do , they are the works of the lord : not that god beleeveth or repenteth in us , but he worketh those actions in us efficiently , which we doe formally and vitally . . all those places whereby glory and praise is to be given unto god onely , and not unto our selves . what hast thou thou hast not received ? we are to glory in nothing , because no good thing is ours . therefore , we bring forth good things , as sarahs dead womb brought forth a child ; it was not a child of nature , but a child of the meere promise : thus are all our graces . and , indeed , if we could either in whole or part work our own conversion , we might thank god , and our wils : but how absurd would this be , lord , i thank thee for the turning of my heart , when i was willing to turn it ? . it cannot prepare or dispose it self for the grace of justification or sanctification . as it cannot immediately work any good thing , so neither can a naturall man dispose , or prepare himself for the great works of grace . there is no truth in such an assertion . let man do what he can naturally , god will meet him graciously : and the reasons are plain : . because no naturall thing is in it self an order or a disposition to a supernaturall thing ; for they differ in their whole kind and nature . hence it is , that we never read of any heathens , that , by the improvement of a naturall light , had supernaturall vouchsafed unto them . . those places that speak of our totall corruption , intensively onely evil , and extensively , all the thoughts of a man are evil , and protensively , continually , do sufficiently declare , that we cannot prepare our selves to meet god. . if we could prepare , or dispose our selves to grace , then the greatest cause of glory would still be in a mans own self for , why doth peter repent , and not judas ? because , may some say , he disposed and set himself to repent , and not judas . but still here is the question , why did peter set himself to repent and not judas ? here it must be ultimately resolved either into the grace of god , or the will of man. . all those similitudes that the scripture useth , do illustrate this thing . we are not said to be blind , or lame , but dead in sin : now did lazarus prepare himself to rise ? so it 's called regeneration . can a man dispose himself to have life ? i know these comparisons must not be extended too far ; yet , the scripture using such expressions to declare our utter inability , we may well presse those breasts of the scripture so farre , and bring out no blood . the parched earth doth not dispose it self for the rain , nor doth the cold ice of it self thaw , which is the fathers similie . yet fifthly , we may hold truly some antecedaneous works upon the heart , before those graces be bestowed on us . this take to antidote against the antinomian , who speaks constantly of the soul taking christ , even while it 's a grievous polluted soul ; as if there were no polishing of this crooked timber and rough stone , but even taken out of the quarry , and so immediately put into the building . those in the acts that were pricked in heart , were yet bid to repent ; and so they cried out , what shall we doe to be saved ? the sick feeleth his burden before he cometh for ease , so that a grosse sinner is not immediately put out of his vile wayes into christ ; onely these limitations you must take : . that all these things , sight of sin , trembling for fear , confused desires , they are the works of gods grace moving us , they do not come from our own naturall strength . . these are not absolutely necessary in every one . we know how matthew and lydia did follow christ ; and god saith , he was found of some that did not seek him . paul was in a most cursed indisposition when the lord called him : but generally god takes this way . . these are not necessary antecedents , so as the grace of conversion doth necessarily follow . wee reade of cain and judas troubled for sin . these are a wildernesse that a man may dye in , and never goe into canaan : there may be throes and pangs , when yet no childe , but wind is to be delivered . hence a people that have been civill , have not been called : but publicans and harlots . the object of election is for the most part few for number , infirme for power , and sinfull for conversation : though in the godly these are needles that will draw in the threed , yet this state must not be called a third middle estate between regenerate and unregenerate , as some feigne . lastly , none of these workings can be called so properly preparations , or dispositions in themselves , but onely intentionally in god. our saviour looked on a young man , and loved him , and said , hee was not farre from the kingdome of heaven : that is , the life hee lived was not farre from the kingdome of heaven ; yet this was no preparation in it selfe to it : nay , he may be further off , as two high hills may be neer in the tops to one another , but the bottomes some miles asunder . and this is so great a matter , that great sins are made by god a preparation to some mans conversion , which yet of themselves they could never be : as a childe , whose coat is a little dirty , hath it not presently washed ; but when he falls wholly all over in the dirt , this may be the cause of the washing of it : so that they are preparations only so far as god intendeth them . . all determination to one doth not take away that naturall liberty . this will further cleere the truth : for it may be thought strange , that there should be this freedome of will in a man , and yet thus determined to one sin onely ; whereas it 's plaine , a determination to one kind of acts , good or evill , doth not take away liberty . god can onely will that which is good , and so the angels and saints confirmed in happinesse ; yet they doe this freely : and so the divels will that which is wicked onely . it 's true , some exclaime at such passages , but that is onely because they are prepossessed with a false opinion about liberty ; for a determination to one may arise from perfection , as well as naturall imperfection . it is from gods absolute perfection that hee is determined to will onely good ; and when adam did will to sin against god , it did not arise from the liberty of his will , but his mutability . there is a naturall necessity , such which determineth a thing to one ; and that is imperfection : but a necessity of immutability in that which is good , is a glorious perfection . the learned speak of a three-fold liberty : . from misery , such as the saints shall have in heaven . . from sin , to which is opposed that freedome to righteousnesse , of which our saviour speaketh , then are yee free indeed , when the son hath made you free ; and of which austine , tunc est liberum , quando liberatum . . from naturall necessity , and thus also man , though hee be necessarily carried on to sin , yet it is not by a naturall necessity , as beasts are , but there is reason and will in him when he doth thus transgresse : onely you must take notice , that this determination of our will onely to sin , is the losse of that perfection we had in adam , and doth not arise from the primaeve constitution of the will , but by adams fall , and so is meerly accidentall to it . . nor doth it take away that willingnesse or delight in sin , which we are inevitably carried out unto : for now , if man were carried out to sin against his will and his delight , then there might be some shew of pleading for him ; but it is not so , he sinneth as willingly , and as electively in respect of his corrupt heart , as if there were no necessity brought upon him . therefore that is good of bernards , the necessity takes not away the willingnesse of it , nor the willingnesse of it the necessity . it 's both an hand-maid , and so free , and , which is to be wondered , eoque magis ancilla , quò magis libera . hence therefore no wicked or ungodly man can have any excuse for himselfe , to say the fates or necessity drove him : for , besides that by his fault he hath cast himselfe into this necessity , and so is , as if a man in debt , who was once able to pay , but by his wilfull prodigall courses hath spent all , should think to be excused because he cannot pay . besides ( i say , this just and full answer ) this also is to be said , that no man sins constrainedly , but every one is carried on with that delight to sin , as if he were independent upon any providence , or predefinitive permissive decrees of god , or any such corrupt necessity within him . hereby he pitieth not himselfe , hee seeth not his undone estate , & nihil miserius misero non miserante scipsum . hence it is , that a mans whole damnation is to be ascribed to himselfe . wee ourselves have destroyed our owne soules , wee cannot cast it upon gods decrees . and this is necessarily to be urged , because of that naturall corruption in us with adam , to cast our sinne upon god. . a man may acknowledge grace and give much to it , and yet not give the totall efficacy unto it . this is a maine particular to consider ; for pelagius , and arminius , and papists , all doe acknowledge grace . pelagius , it 's noted of him , that hee did foure times incrustate his opinion , and held grace in every one of them : hee did gratiae vocabulo uti ad frangendum invidiam , as you heard before ; yea , by this meanes hee deceived all the easterne churches , and they acquitted him when he said thus : if any man deny grace to be necessary to every good act wee doe , let him be an anathema . so papists and arminians , they all acknowledge grace , but not grace enough ; gratia non est gratia , nisi sit omni modo gratuita : as for example ; first , they acknowledge grace to be onely as an universall help , which must be made effectuall by the particular will of man : so that grace is efficacious with them , not by any inward vertue of it self antecedaneous to , and independent upon the will , but eventually only , because the will doth yeeld ; and therefore bellarmine compareth it to sol & homo generant hominem : one as the universall cause , the other as the particular cause . thus grace and free-will produce a good action ; grace as the generall cause , and free-will as the particular : but how derogatory is this to grace ? how can our actions be said to be the fruit of grace ? for , if i should aske , who is the father of such a man ? it would be very hard to say , the sun in the firmament : so it would be as absurd to say , grace regenerated and converted this man. again , they make grace a partiall cause only ; so that it stirreth up our naturall strength to work this or that good thing : and therefore we are synergists or co-workers with god in the work of conversion ; but this supposeth us not dead in sinne . . men may naturally performe the outward act of a commandement . now though we be thus corrupt , yet for all that , men by nature may doe that outward act which is commanded by god , or abstaine from the matter prohibited . thus alexander abstained from the virgins hee took captives , which is so much related in stories , and many other famous instances of the heathens , though some indeed think they had a speciall helpe and aide from god to doe that : but here the apostle in the text is cleare , they doe by nature the things of the law . some doe not like that dictinction , they may doe the substance of the work , but not the manner of a good worke , because they think the substance doth comprehend that indeed which makes a good work ; howsoever , they agree that the externall act may be done . thus ahab hee externally humbled himselfe , and some think that uriah , which esay calls , the faithfull witnesse he took to him , to be the same with him that brought in the altar of damascus : so that , though he was an idolater , and an ungodly man , yet hee was reputed a faithfull man in his word . and certainly this is something , to make many men inexcusable . they may forbeare those acts of grosse impiety which they doe , supposing they have not customarily , or by the just judgement of god throwne themselves into the power of such sins ; not that this will helpe to save them , onely their punishment will be lesse . thus fabricius and camillus ( saith austin ) will be lesse punished then verres or cataline , not because these were holy , but because they were lesse wicked , & minora vitia virtutes vocamus . i know it 's a question , whether a godly man can doe more good then he doth , or lesse evill then he doth : but this may be handled in the controversall part ; we speak now of a wicked man , who can doe no good at all , unlesse in the externall act . yet . all that they doe is a sin before god. this is an antidote to the former : whatsoever they have done , though for the matter glorious , yet they were but glorious sins ; for , . they could not come from faith , or one reconciled with god : and the person must be first accepted before the action , heb. . without faith it 's impossible to please god. . it could not come from a regenerate nature : and therefore the tree not being good , the fruit was also bad . it 's not in divinity , as in morall philosophy , where justa , & justè agendo fimus justi ; but we have the esse or being first , and then the operari . it 's a question worth the disputing , whether the grace of god works the act of beleeving and other graces in us first , and then by them we receive the habits . the papists , and arminians , and some others go that way ; but it is not consonant to scripture , as may be shewed hereafter . . they could not be good , if you regard the end : they could do nothing for the glory of god. this made theophylact say , wee could not instance in one good heatken ; for , that which they did was for their vain-glory , & carnalis cupiditas non aliâ fauatur , one divell did but cast out another : and if they did intend some particular good end , as to relieve the miserable , to help the commonwealth , this was not enough ; for the ultimate and chief end ought to be intended by them . lastly , there is no promise of god made to any thing a man doth , that hath not faith . ahab indeed , and nebuchadnezzar had temporall rewards , but in what sense , i shall shew in answering the objections . use . to bewaile the wofull condition of man by nature . how is every bird in the aire , and beast in the field in a better naturall condition then they are ? this is worse then to be blind , to be lame ; for our soules are all blind , lame , deafe , yea and dead in sin . what a sad thing is it , to be all the day and yeare long damning our soules ? if we eat or drink , we sin ; if we buy or sell , we sin . and consider , that sin is the greatest evill , and that onely which god loaths and abhorres . let all thou doest therefore terrifie thee , and make thee to tremble ; let this make thee cry for grace , as the poore , blind , and lame did , that they might be healed : and , because you doe not feele this , or are unwilling to be heard , therefore you are the more miserable ; nolunt phrenetici ligari , & lethargici excitari . lecture x. rom . . . for if the gentiles doe by nature the things of the law , &c. we have already positively and plainly ( so farre as wee conceived necessary ) declared and proved the truth about the power and ability of a man by nature to doe that which is good : now it remaineth we should antidote against those objections that doe militate against this truth , and that indeed with much shew of reason ; for never have men been more witty , then when they have undertaken to be the patrons of nature . but austin well called it vitreum acumen : the more it glitters , the easier it 's broken . the heathens are very obstinate in propugning mans power . onely sluggards need gods help , ignavis opus est auxilio divino , saith seneca the tragedian ; and so the other seneca : it is the gist of the gods that we live , but our own doing that we live well , deorum quidem munus esse quòd vivimus , nostrum verò quòd bene sancteque vivimus : and that of tully is very arrogant , lib. . de nat . deorum , quia sibi quisque virtutem acquirit , neminem è sapientibus unquam de ea gratias deo egisse : and ( saith he ) wee are praised for our vertue ; which could not be , if it were the gift of god , and not of our selves . but how different are the holy men in the scripture , from these wise men of the world , who when they have been enabled by god to doe any good thing , have not taken the glory of it to themselves ? and , as joab did about rabbah , when he had taken it , sent to david to come and take all the glory ; so doe they say , not i , but the grace of god , corinth . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is to be understood , which was present with mee , not which did work with mee . finst therefore they say , if so be we are not able to doe any thing towards our salvation , this is to turn men into stockes , and stones , or beasts , and so no difference between them and us . but we say , although those similitudes the scripture holds forth doe prove our inability for that which is good , yet they must not be made alike in all things . it 's true , to convert men , is to make children unto abraham out of stones ; yet we must not think that is therefore an universall likenesse between men and stones : for first , consider this vast dissimilitude ; in stones and beasts there is no passive capacity of grace , but in man there is . we say , there is a power for grace in a mans nature ; and the papists say , there is a power : only they say it 's an active power , though remote ; we say , only a passive . there is a power to be converted to god , which is not in stones or beasts : they say , there is a power to convert or turn to god ; here is a great difference . besides , wee may consider these degrees in the creatures : . there is an inclination to such an act , as in the fire to burne . . a spontaneous inclination to some acts accompanied with sense , and sensible apprehensions , as in beasts . . a willing inclination accompanied with reason or judgement , and this is in man : now , because man is thus affected , therefore god in converting , though he doth it by a potent work , yet by arguments , which we never use to horses , or brute beasts : and although man hath lost that rectitude in his will and mind , yet hee hath not lost the faculties themselves ; therefore though he be theologically dead , yet hee is ethically alive , being to be wrought upon by arguments . hence is that saying , to will is of nature , to will well of grace , to will ill of corrupt nature . hence wee may grant those objections , that if a man had not this free-will ( if you doe not extend it to good things ) there could be no conversion or obedience ; for grace doth not destroy , but perfect nature . . this putteth men upon speaking and preaching contradictions : for so some have said , that the calvinists ; though they be calvinists in their doctrines , yet they are arminians in their uses . and they say , how incongruous is it , to tell us we can doe nothing of our selves , and then to make this use , therefore let us seek out for the grace of christ ? but to answer , . this contradiction may be cast as well upon christ and paul : take christ for an instance , john . in that sermon , he bade the jewes labour for that meat that perisheth not , and yet at the same time said , none can come unto mee , except my father draw him . might not the arminian say , how can these two things stand together ? so john . our saviour telleth them , without him they can doe nothing , and yet at the same time he exhorteth them , to abide in him , and keep his commandements : so paul ; take two instances from him , rom. cap. . & cap. . the apostle there sheweth , god will have mercy on whom he will have mercy , and that it is not of him that runneth or willeth , but of god that calleth ; yet he bids them that stand take heed lest they fall : and , be not high-minded , but feare . so phil. . , . work out your salvation with feare and trembling ; for it 's god that worketh in you both to will and to doe . this reason , in their sense , would quite overthrow the former . nay ( say they ) it being attributed thus to god , and to man , it seemeth both doe it how this may be answered , wee shall see anon . but to make u● speak contradictions , because we presse a duty , and yet acknowledge gods grace or gift to doe it , is to make a perpetuall discord between precepts and promises : for the same things which god commands us to doe , doth hee not also promise to doe for us , as , to circumcise our hearts , and , to walk in his commandements how much better is that of austius , o man , in gods precepts acknowledge what thou oughtest to doe , in his promises acknowledge that thou canst not doe it ? but . we may returne upon them , that their sermons and prayers are contradictions ; they say , they can doe it , and then they pray god they may doe it : they say , the will may receive the grace of god , and may obey god calling ; and then they pray , god would make them obey his calling ; as much as to say , o lord , make me to obey if i will. . this evacuateth the whole nature of gods precepts and commands : for , say they , is not this to make god mock us , as if wee should bid the blind man see ; or tell a dwarfe , if hee would touch the heavens with his singer , he should have so much mony ? now , to this many things are to be said : as , first , if these things were absolutely and simply impossible , that which they say would be true ; but a thing may be said to be impossible three waies : . simply and universally , even to the power of god : and so all those things are , that imply a contradiction ; and this impossibility ariseth from the nature of the thing , not from any defect in god : yea , wee may say with one , potentissimè hoc deus non potest . . there may be a thing impossible in its kind ; as for adam to reach the heavens , for a man to work above naturall causes . . that which is possible in it self to such a subject , but becomes impossible accidentally through a mans fault . now for a man to be commanded that , which through his own fault he becometh unable to do , is no illusion or cruelty . if a creditor require his debt of a bankrupt , who hath prodigally spent all , and made himself unable to pay , what unrighteousnesse is this ? therefore they are but odious instances , of touching the skies , of bidding blind men to see ; for this rule observe , whatsoever is so impossible , that it is beyond a duty required , or power ever given , extra officium debitum , and potentiam unquam datam , that indeed were absurd to presse upon men . again consider , that the commands of god doe imply if any power , then more then they will acknowledge ; for they suppose a man can doe all of himself without the grace of god , and therefore indeed the old pelagian , and the new socinian speak more consonantly then these , that divide it between grace , and the power of man. lastly , the commands of god are for many other ends , as to convince , and humble , though they be not a measure or rule of our power . that place , deut. . . is much urged by the adversary , where moses seemeth to declare the easinesse of that command : and certainly it hath a very great shew ; for , as for that answer , that moses speaketh of the easinesse of knowing , and not fulfilling , calvin doth not stand upon it ; and indeed of our selves we are not able to know the law of god. the answer then to this may be taken out of rom. . . that howsoever moses speaks of the law , yet paul interprets it of the gospel . what then ? doth paul pervert the scope of moses ? some do almost say so ; but the truth is , the law ( as is to be shewed against the generall mistake ) if it was not in it self a covenant of grace , yet it was given evangelically , and to evangelicall purposes , which made the apostle alledge that place : and therefore the antinomian doth wholly mistake , in setting up the law as some horrid gorgon , or medusa's head , as is to be shewed . . how can god upbraid or reprove men for their transgressions , if they could doe no other wayes ? this also seemeth very strange , if men can do no otherwise . is not this as ridiculous to threaten them , as that of xerxes , who menaced the sea ? i answer , no , because still whatsoever man offends in , it 's properly his fault , and truly his sin ; for whatsoever he sinneth in , he doth it voluntarily , and with much delight ; and is therefore the freer in sin , by how much the more he delights in it . and this austin would diligently inculcate , that so no man might think to cast his faults upon god. there is no man forced to sinne , but he doth it with all his inclination and delight . how farre voluntarinesse is requisite to the nature of a sinne , at least actuall , though not to originall , is not now to be determined ; for we all acknowledge , that this necessity of sinning in every man , doth not hinder the delight and willingnesse he hath in it at the same time . nor should this be thought so absurd , for even aristotle saith , * that though men at first may choose , whether they will be wicked or no , yet if once habituated , they cannot but be evil : and yet for all that , this doth not excuse , but aggravate . if an ethiopian can change his skin , saith the prophet , then may you doe good , who have accustomed your selves to doe evil . the oake , while it was a little plant , might be pulled up ; but when it 's grown into its full breadth and height , none can move it . now if it be thus of an habit , how much more of originall sin , which is the depravation of the nature ? and howsoever austin was shye of calling it naturale malum , for fear of the manichees ; yet sometimes he would doe it . well therefore doth the scripture use those sharp reproofes and upbraidings , because there is no man a sinner or a damner of himself , but it is by his own fault : and withall , these serve to be a goad and a sharp thorn in the sinners side , whereby he is made restlesse in his sin . . to what purpose are exhortations and admonitions ? though the other answers might serve for this , yet something may be specially answered here , which is , that though god work all our good in us , and for us , yet it is not upon us as stocks or stones ; but he dealeth sutably to our natures , with arguments and reasons : and if you say , to what purpose ? is it any more then if the sun should shine , or a candle be held out to a blind man ? yes , because these exhortations and the word of god read or preached , are that instrument , by which god will work these things . therefore you are not to look upon preaching , as a meere exhortation , but as a sanctified medium , or instrument , by which god worketh that he exhorteth unto . sometimes indeed we read , that god hath sent his prophets to exhort those , whom yet he knew would not hearken : thus he sent moses to bid pharaoh let the people of israel go , and thus the prophets did preach , when they could not beleeve , because of the deafnesse and blindnesse upon them . but unto the godly these are operative meanes , and practicall , even as when god said , let there be light , and there was light ; or , when christ said , lazarus , come forth of the grave . and this by the way should keep you from despising the most plain ministery or preaching that is ; for , a sermon doth not work upon your hearts , as it is thus elegant , thus admirable , but as it is an instrument of god , appointed to such an end : even as austin said , the conduits of water , though one might be in the shape of an angel , another of a beast , yet the water doth refresh as it is water , not as it comes from such a conduit ; or the seed that is thrown into the ground fructifieth , even that which comes from a plain hand , as well as that which may have golden rings or jewels upon it : not but that the minister is to improve his gifts , qui dedit petrum piscatorem , dedit cyprianum rhetorem , but onely to shew whence the power of god is . bonorum ingeniorum insignis est indoles , in verbis verum amare , non verba . quid obest clavis lignea , quando nihil aliud quaerimus , nisi patere clausum ? . the scripture makes conversion and repentance to be our acts , as well as the effects of gods grace . and this cannot be denyed but that we are the subject , who being acti ▪ agimus , enabled by grace , do work ; for , grace cannot be but in an intelligent subject : as before the manna fell upon the ground , there fell a dew , which ( say interpreters ) was preparatory to constringe and bind the earth , that it might receive the manna ; so doth reason and liberty qualifie the subject , that it is passively capable of grace : but when enabled by grace , it is made active also . these be places indeed have stuck much upon some , which hath made them demand , why , if those promises of god converting us do prove conversion to be his act , should not other places also , which bid us turn unto the lord , prove that it is our act ? the answer is easie : none deny , but that to beleeve , and to turn unto god , are our acts ; we cannot beleeve without the minde and will. that of austin is strong and good , if , because it 's said , not of him that willeth and runneth , but of him that sheweth mercy , man is made a partiall cause with god , then we may as well say , not in him that sheweth mercy , but in him that runneth and willeth . but the question is , whether we can doe this of our selves , with grace ? or , whether grace onely enable us to doe it ? that distinction of bernards is very cleere : the heart of a man is the subjectum in quo , but not à quo ; the subject in which , not from which this grace proceedeth : therefore you are not to conceive , when grace doth enable the mind and will to turn unto god , as if those motions of grace had such an impression upon the heart , as when the seal imprints a stamp upon the wax , or when wine is poured into the vessell , where the subject recipient doth not move , or stirre at all : nor is it as when balaam's asse spake , or as when a stone is thrown into a place , nor as an enthusiasticall or arreptitious motion , as those that spake oracles , and understood not ; nor as those that are possessed of satan , which did many things , wherein the minde and will had no action at all : but the spirit of god inclineth the will and affections to their proper object . nor is the antinomians similitude sound , that ( as you heard ) makes god converting of a man , to be as when a physician poureth down his potion into the sick-mans throat , whether he will or no : for it is most true , that the will , in the illicite and immediate acts of it , cannot be forced by any power whatsoever : it's impossible that a man should beleeve unwillingly ; for to beleeve , requireth an act of the will. the school-men dispute , whether fear , or ignorance , or lust do not compell the will ; and they do rightly conclude , that it cannot : therefore , though a mans conversion be resisted by the corrupt heart & will of a man , yet when it is overcome by the grace of god , it turneth willingly unto him . therefore this argument , though it seem strange , yet we may say of it as he in another case , hoc argumentum non venit à dea suada . . then men may sit still and never stirre , onely expecting when grace shall come ; for , if we have no power , why are men exhorted to come to christ , and reade the word ? and indeed , this hath so wrought upon some , that they have not used any meanes at all , but expect gods providence to be a supplyer of all , as brentius ( if i mistake not ) relateth of an anabaptist woman , who invited many to supper , and never provided any thing , expecting god would do it . now this question is built upon a falshood , as if a mans working were wholly excluded ; whereas you are to know , that there are two kinds of holy things : . there are holy things that are internally and essentially so , and these we cannot doe without god , john . without me ye can do nothing . austin observes the emphasis ; he doth not say , no hard thing , but nothing : and he doth not say perficere , perfect ; but facere , you cannot doe it any way . . there are holy actions externally so , as to come to heare the word preached , to reade and meditate upon the word : experience teacheth , that men have a naturall power to this ; witnesse those many comments and learned expositions , that men without any grace have made upon the scripture . now it 's true , to doe any of these holily is gods act , the naturall man perceiveth not the things of god : and , god opened lydia's heart . but yet god converteth in the use of these meanes . he will not ordinarily change the heart of any , that doth not wait at the gates of wisdome . therefore god doth not work upon the heart , as the artificer useth his instrument , but he commands to reade and hear ; and this is the organ , or the meanes by which the spirit of god will change his heart . now indeed , when a man readeth or heareth any naturall or philosophicall truth , he is able by these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , strength left in nature , to comprehend them , but he cannot in the same manner bring forth any thoughts or affections of heart sutable unto those spirituall mysteries laid open before him . but now the patrons of nature speak otherwise ; they say it is , as if a man , almost spent by a disease , should receive physick , and so that physick doth repaire and increase strength , not infuse strength : or , as a bird tyed by a string , that hath a power to flye , onely is outwardly hindered , so that they suppose a latent power in nature to be excited and stirred up by grace : we say , the power must be first infused . . if they thus necessarily sin , then they were not bound to pray , nor to come to hear the word of god preached ; for then also they sin and no man is bound to sin . now to this the answer is clear , that though a wicked man cannot but sinne in praying and hearing , yet he is bound to these things : and the reason is , because , that he sinneth in them , it is meerly accidentall , but the duty is a duty essentially in it self ; and a man must not omit that which is per se requisite , for that which is accidentally forbidden : so that his resolution should not be , not to pray , or to heare , but deponere peccatum , to lay down his sin , which corrupteth , leaveneth , and maketh sowre all he doth . besides , there is lesse judgement to him that prayeth , then to him that prayeth not , although in some particular consideration his aggravation may be the greater . . the scripture doth say , to him that hath , shall be given , and , when god distributed his talents , it was to every one as he was able , matth. . if we answer to this , that theologia symbolica non est argumentativa , that is denyed , and is now a-late questioned ; although austins and others comparisons about parables must needs be granted : which are , as in a picture there are lineaments and essentials of it , but , besides these , the shadowes and colours , which are for meer ornament ; so in parables : or , as others , as in the musicall instrument , onely the strings touched make the noise or tune , yet they could not do so , unlesse fastened unto the wood ; so onely the scope of the parable is that which is argumentative , though this principall have many accessaries joyned to it : and thus we may say of that passage , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that it 's taken from the custome of men , and goeth to make up the parable . but let us consider it otherwise , and theophylact referreth it dangerously to our preparations and dispositions . in the vessell ( saith he ) which i am to bring to god , he poureth in his gift : if i bring a little vessell , he giveth a little gift ; if a great vessell , he giveth a great gift : but , seeing that under the name of these talents , be understood not onely dona sanctificantia , but ministrantia , and the apostle saith expresly , that the spirit of god giveth these diversity of gifts , as he pleaseth , this wholly overthroweth that exposition . therefore the papists , barradius and maldonat , do confesse it makes onely ad ornatum , non ad rem per parabolam significatam ; and that it 's taken from the custome of men , who use indeed to look to the gifts of men , their prudence and fidelity : but we know by experience , god did not so . but if we make an argument of it , then this disposition or capacity must be either supernaturall , and then it 's the gift of god ; or if of naturall capacity , as sometimes to him that hath excellent parts , a prompt wit , an happy memory , god giveth the habit of divinity ( for there is such a thing that is distinct from the habit of faith ) and a gift of interpreting scripture , although that naturall dexterity be a gift of god also , but in another kind ; and then god doth not tye or bind himself to this way : and therefore , if we should say , as some do , god gave the spirit of government to moses , because by nature he was most prudent and meek ; yet it 's not universally so , because god gave to saul a spirit of government from his own meere good will , without any respect to saul . and how many men of parts have been so farre from being blest , because of these naturall endowments , that they have turned their wedge of gold into an idoll , to worship it ? use . to extoll the work of grace for the initiall , progressive , and consummative work of conversion : for by all that hath been said , you have seen the weaknesse of nature , and the power of grace ; the strength of our disease , and the necessity of a physician . how uncomfortable will it be when thou dyest , to commit thy soule to that grace , which thou hast disputed against ? and be not content with giving something to it , unless thou give all to it ; grace that justifieth , grace that sanctifieth , grace that saveth . use . not to abuse the doctrine of grace to idlenesse or negligence . you see how both these promises and precepts , grace and duties , may be reconciled . and as not to negligence , so not to curious disputes : doe not so trouble your selves about the doctrine of grace , that you feel not the power of grace in your hearts ; and doe not so farre dispute about your naturall corruption , and how deep you are in it , as not to labour to get out of it . austin compareth this to one , who being fallen into a great pit , his friend asked him how he came in ; nay ( saith he ) rather seek how to get me out . and thus doe ye in these matters of sin , wherein you are wholly plunged . lecture xi . genes . . . but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou mayest not eate ; for in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt surely die . we come now in order to the law god gave adam ; and this may be considered two wayes : first , as a law , secondly , as a covenant . we will handle it first in the former notion . now , because the law god gave adam was partly naturall , and partly positive , both which did goe to the making up of that covenant , i shall handle both those distinctly : and first , let us consider gods positive law in the text , which is also called by divines , a symbolicall precept , because the obedience unto it was a symbolum or outward testimony of our homage and service to god. and the object of this command is not a thing good or bad in its own nature , but indifferent , and only evil because prohibited : so that in the words you have the object of this negative precept described two wayes ; first , by that which is proper to it , the tree of knowledge of good and evil : secondly , by that which is accidentall to it , viz. death infallibly upon the eating of it . and that this commandement might be the better received , in the verse before , god giveth a large commission to eate of any other tree besides this . when god made this world as a great house , he puts man into it as his tenant ; and by this tryall of obedience , he must acknowledge his land-lord . that adam did eate in the state of innocency , and was hungry , doth appeare by this text ; onely hunger was not in him , as it is in us , with paine and trouble . the difficulties must be handled in the opening of the doctrine , which is , that god besides the naturall law engraven in adams heart , did give a positive law , to try his obedience . the doubts in explicating of this point are , . what is meant by the tree of knowledge of good and evill ? and here , certainly , wee must take heed of being too curious , lest , as it was adams sin , to eate of it ; so it may be our curiosity to dive too farre into the knowledge of it . now when i aske what is meant by it , i doe not understand what kind of fruit or tree it was , whether apple or fig , ( that cannot be determined ) but why it had that name . the rabbins , who have as many foolish dreames about the old testament , as the friars about the new , conceive adam and eve to be created without the use of reason , and that this tree was to accelerate it . and , indeed , the socinians border upon this opinion , for they say , adam and eve were created very * simple , and weak in understanding ; and , say they , it 's impossible to conceive , that if adams soule were created so adorned with all knowledge and graces ( as the firmament is bespangled with stars ) how he should come to eate of the forbidden fruit , or to sin against god. but both these are false . that he had perfect knowledge , appeareth in his giving names to the creatures , and to eve , so fitting and apt ; and , eph. . the image of god is said to have a renewed mind : and that though thus knowing , he did yet sin ; and though thus holy , hee did yet fall ; it was because hee was not perfectly confirmed , but mutable . indeed divines doe much labour to expresse how his sin did begin , whether in the will first , or in the understanding ; but that is impertinent to this matter . that which is the most received , both by austin and others , is , that it was so called , not from any effect , but from the event , because it did indeed experimentally make to know good and evill : and so it 's usuall in scripture to call that by a name , which it had afterward . now though this be generally received , and cannot well be rejected , yet certainly it may be further said , that it was not called so by the meere event , but by the divine decree and appointment of god , as being given to be a boundary and limit to adam , that hee should not desire to know more , or otherwise then god had appointed . . why god would give a positive law , besides that of the naturall law in his heart . there are these reasons commonly given : . that hereby gods dominion and power over man might be the more acknowledged : for to obey the naturall law , might be a necessary condition , and not an act of the will : even as the heathens doe abstaine from many sins , not because forbidden by god , but as dissonant to their naturall reason . and even among christians there is a great deale of difference between good actions , that are done because god commands , and because of a naturall conscience . these two principles make the same actions to differ in their whole nature . therefore god would try adam by some positive law , that so the dominion and power which god had over him might be the more eminently held forth : and therefore adam in this was not to consider the greatnesse or goodnesse of the matter , but the will of the commander . . another reason , which floweth from the former , is , that so adams obedience might be the more tryed , and be manifested to be obedience . for , as austine , speaking of himselfe in confessing his wickednesse , that though he had no need or temptation to sin , yet to be a sinner he delighted in that ; nulla alia causa malitiae , nisi malitia : so on the contrary , it 's an excellent aggravation of obedience , when there is nulla alia causa obedientiae , nisi obedientia ; so that the forbearing to eate , was not from any sin in the action , but from the will of the law-giver . and austine doth well explaine this : if a man ( saith he ) forbid another to touch such an herb , because it 's poyson , this herb is contrary to a mans health , whether it be forbidden or no : or if a man forbid a thing , because it will be an hinderance to him that forbiddeth ; as to take away a mans mony , or goods , here it 's forbidden , because it would be losse to him that forbiddeth : but if a man forbids that which is neither of these waies hurtfull , therefore it 's forbidden , because bonum obedientiae per se , & malum inobedientiae per se monstraretur . and this is also further to be observed , that though the obedience unto this positive law be far inferiour unto that of the morall law , because the object of one is inwardly good and the object of the other rather a profession of obedience , then obedience ; yet the disobedience unto the positive law is no lesse hainous then that to the morall law , because hereby man doth professedly acknowledge he will not submit to god : even as a vassall , that is to pay such homage a yeare , if he wilfully refuse it , doth yearly acknowledge his refractorinesse . hence the apostle doth expresly call adams sin disobedience , rom. . not in a generall sense , as every sin is disobedience ; but specifically it was ( strictly taken ) the sin of disobedience : he did by that act cast off the dominion and power that god had over him , as much as in him lay ; and though pride and unbelief were in this sin , yet this was properly his sin . . why god would make this law , seeing he fore-knew his fall , and abuse of it . for such is the profane boldnesse of many men , that would have a reason of all gods actions , whereas this is as * if the owle would look into the sun , or the pigmee measure the pyramides . although this may be answered without that of pauls , who artthou , o man , &c. for god did not give him this law to make him fall ; adam had power to stand . therefore the proper essentiall end of this commandement was to exercise adams obedience . hence there was no iniquity or unrighteousnesse in god. bellarmine doth confesse , that god may doe that , which if man should doe , hee sinned : as , for instance , man is bound to hinder him from sin that he knoweth would doe it , if it lay in his power ; but god is not so tyed , both because hee hath the chiefe providence , it 's fit he should let causes work according to their nature ; and therefore adam , being created free , hee might sin , as well as not sin ; as also because god can work evill things out of good ; and lastly , because god , if hee should hinder all evill things , there would many good things be wanting to the world , for there is nothing which some doe not abuse . the english divines in the synod of dort held , that god had a serious will of saving all men , but not an efficacious will of saving all : thus differing from the arminians on one side , and from some protestant authours on the other side ; and their great instance of the possibility of a serious will and not efficacious , is this of gods to adam , seriously willing him to stand , and with all giving him ability to stand : yet it was not such an efficacious will , as de facto did make him stand ; for , no question , god could have confirmed the will of adam in good , as well as that of the angels and the glorified saints in heaven . but concerning the truth of this their assertion , we are to enquire in its time . but for the matter in hand , if by a serious will be meant a will of approbation and complacency , yea and efficiency in some sense , no question but god did seriously will his standing , when he gave that commandement . and howsoever adam did fall , because he had not such help that would in the event make him stand , yet god did not withdraw or deny any help unto him , whereby he was enabled to obey god. to deny adam that help , which should indeed make him stand , was no necessary requisite at all on gods part . but secondly , that of austins is good , god would not have suffered sin to be , if he could not have wrought greater good then sin was evill : not that god needed sin to shew his glory ; for he needed no glory from the creature : but it pleased him to permit sin , that so thereby the riches of his grace and goodnesse might be manifested unto the children of his love . and if arminians will not be satisfied with these scripture considerations , wee will say as austine to the hereticks , illigarriant , nos credamus , let them prate while we beleeve . . whether this law would have obliged all posterity . and certainly wee must conclude , that this positive command was universall , and that adam is here taken collectively ; for , although that adam was the person to whom this command was given , yet it was not personall , but to adam as an head , or common person : hence rom. . all are said to sin in him , for whether it be in him , or , in as much as all have sinned , it cometh to the same purpose ; for how could all be said to have sinned , but because they were in him ? and this is also further to be proved by the commination , in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt dye : now all the posterity of adam dyeth hereby . besides , the same reasons which prove a conveniency for a positive law , besides the naturall for adam , doe also inferre for adams posterity . it is true , some divines that doe hold a positive law would have been , yet seem to be afraid to affirme fully , that the posterity of adam would have been tryed with the very same commandement of eating the forbidden fruit : but i see no cause of questioning it . now all this will be further cleared , when wee come to shew , that this is not meerly a law , but a covenant , and so by that meanes there is a communicating of adams sinne unto his posterity . and , indeed , if god had not dealt in a covenant way in this thing , there could be no more reason , why adams sinne should be made ours , then the sinnes of our immediate parents are made ours . i know peter martyr ( and he quoteth bucer ) is of a minde , that the sinnes of the immediate parents are made the sins of the posterity ; and austin inclineth much to that way : but this may serve to confute it , that the apostle , rom. . doth still lay death upon one mans disobedience . now , if our parents and ancestors were as full a cause as adam was , why should the accusation be still laid upon him ? but of this more hereafter . . how the threatning was fulfilled upon him , when he did eat of the forbidden fruit . we need not run to the answer of some , that this was spoken onely by way of threatning , and not positively , as that sentence upon the ninivites ; for these conclude , therefore adam died not , because of his repentance : but adam did not immediately repent , and when he did , yet for all that he died . others reade it thus , in the day thou eatest thereof , and then make the words absolute that follow , thou shalt die : as if god had said , there is no day excepted from thy death , when thou shalt eate . but the common answer is best , which takes to die , for to be in the state of death : and therefore symmachus his translation is commended , which hath , thou shalt be mortall ; so that hereby is implyed a condition and a change of adams state as soon as he should eate this forbidden fruit : and by death , we are not onely to meane that of the actuall dissolution of soule and body , but all diseases and paines , that are the harbingers of it . so that hereby christians are to be raised higher , to be more eagle-eyed then philosophers : they spake of death and diseases , as tributes to be paid , they complained of nature as a step-mother ; but they were not able to see sin the cause of this . yea , in this threatning we are to understand spirituall death , and eternall also . indeed , it 's made a question , whether , if adam had continued , be should have been translated into heaven , or confirmed onely in paradise ? but that his death would have been more then temporall , appeareth fully by rom. . indeed , the things that concern heaven and hell , or the resurrection , are not so frequently and plainly mentioned in the old testament as in the new ; yet there are sufficient places to convince , that the promises and threatnings in the old testament were not onely temporall , as some doe most erroneously maintain . . whether adam was mortall , before his eating of the forbidden fruit . and this indeed is a very famous question ; but i shall not be large in it . the orthodox they hold , that immortality was a priviledge of innocency , and that adams body then onely became mortall , when his soule was made sinfull . this is vehemently opposed by papists , and by socinians : now they both agree , that man should not actually have dyed , but for sin ; only they say , he was mortall , as the socinians , or immortall , by a meere supernaturall gift of god ▪ but a thing may be said to be immortall severall wayes , as the learned observe : . from an absolute necessity , either inward or outward ; in this sense god only is said to be immortall . . when there is no inward materiall cause of dissolution , though outwardly it may be destroyed ; and thus are angels , and the soules of men . . a thing may be said to be immortall by some speciall gift and appointment of god , as the bodies glorified : and , as some say , the heavens and maine parts of the world shall have only a qualitative alteration , not a substantiall abolition . . that is immortall , which hath no propensity to death , yet such a condition being put , it will die ; and thus adam was : therefore in some sense he may be said mortall , in another immortall : but because he is commonly called mortall that is obnoxious to death , therefore we say , adam , before his sin , was immortall ; and this is abundantly confirmed by this sentence of commination . and therefore though adam would have eaten and drunk , though his body was elementary , and the originall of it dust , though he would have begotten children ; yet none of these can prove him mortall , because the righteousnesse in his soule would have preserved the fit temperament of his body , especially having gods promise made to his obedience . . whether upon this threatning , thou shalt die , can be fixed that cursed opinion of the mortality of the whole man , in soul as well as body . of all the errours that have risen up , there is none more horrid in nature , and more monstrous in falshood then this : so that if it could be true of any mans soul , that it was not an immateriall substance , but onely a quality of the temperament ; it would be true of the authour of that book , which seemeth to have little sense and apprehension of the divine authority in the scriptures concerning this matter . what an horrid falshood is it to call the doctrine of the immortall soul an hell-hatched doctrine ? and what a contradiction also to call it hell-hatched , when yet he holdeth there is no hell ? but certainly you would think , for a man to dare to broach such an opinion , he must have places of scripture as visible as the sun. but this text is his achilles , and all the rest shrowd under this , from which he frames his first and chiefest argument , thus : what of adam was immortall through innocency , was to be mortaliz'd by transgression : but whole adam was in innocency immortall : therefore all and every part , even whole man was lyable to death by sin . but what logician doth not see a great deale more foisted into the conclusion , then was in the premises ? whole adam was to be mortaliz'd , therefore all and every part . what a non sequitur is here ? that is true of the whole ; as it is the whole , which is not true of every part . if i should say , whole christ dyed , ( for death is of the concrete , the person ) therefore all and every part of christ died , therefore his divine nature died ; this would be a strange inference : yet upon this fallacy is the frame of all his arguments built . man is said to be mortall , whole man dieth , therefore every part of man dieth . there is difference between totum and totalii as , the whole , and every part of that whole . it 's true , death doth bring the compositum , the person , to a non-entity , but not every part of that compositum to a non-entity . besides , that which was immortall , is mortalized , according to their natures , the soule dieth a spirituall and an eternall death . but see how the devill carries this man further , and sets him upon the pinacle of errour , and bids him throw himself head-long ; because he doth evidently say , that if the souls were destroyed as well as the bodies , then there would be no heaven nor hell as yet ; he is bold , and confesseth there is none till the resurrection . now if this be so , then how shall that be true , that the heaven must contain christ till he come ? this doth exceedingly puzzle him , but he takes the heaven for the place where the sun is , and concludes peremptorily ( as if he had been in the same also ) that christs glorified body is in the sun : without doubt ( saith he , pag. . ) he must be in the sun ; and ( saith he , pag. . ) the sun may be called well the right hand of god , by which through christ in him we live , and move , and have our being : and there speaketh nothing but darknesse about light , as that the sun is the vaile , to keep off the light of christs body from us , which otherwise would be so glorious , we could not see it and live . but how dare any man make this interpretation , the heavens must contain him , that is , he must be in the sun , till he come to restitution of all things ? the naming of these things is confutation enough , onely this i brought as in a passage meerly , to see what cause we have to pray to god to keep us from our selves , and our own presumptuous thoughts . use . of instruction , that a law may be made , even to a righteous man , and that threatnings may be menaced to a man , who yet is not under the actuall curse and damning power of the law. use . to see the goodnesse of god , that tryed adam but with one positive precept . this should be a caution against multitude of church precepts : how did austin complain of it , and gerson in his time ? use . how the devill doth still prevaile over us with this temptation of knowledge . there were hereticks called gnostici , and ophitae . this desire to eate of the tree of knowledge , hath brought much ignorance and errour . i know there are many people so sottish and stupid , that the divell could never intice them with this temptation : they account it a trouble , even the knowledge of meere necessary things to salvation ; but when men desire to know above that which is written , this is a dangerous precepice . use . to take heed of our selves . if adam , thus perfect , did faile in a command of tryall about so little a matter , take heed where you set gun-powder , seeing fire is in your heart . compare this of adams with that of abraham , what a vast difference ? austin thanks god that the heart and temptation did not meet together . lecture xii . gen. . . and god said , let us make man in our image , after our likeness . you have heard of a two-fold law given to adam : one by outward prescript , for tryall and exhortation of his obedience , the other by implantation , which was the morall law , and of that at this time . when god had made all other things , then man , the immediate and proxime end , was created ; it being gods goodnesse to make no living creature before he provided the food and nourishment of it . and thus man , the last , but the choicest externall and visible piece of his workmanship , is created , but in a great difference from the former ; for his creation is brought in by way of deliberation and advice , let us make man : which words denote , . the excellency of the man to be made , . the mysterie of the trinitie is here implyed ; for , howsoever the jewes would have it , that he spoke to the angels , or the inanimate creatures : or others , that the word is used in the plurall number for dignitie sake , as they shew examples in the hebrew : yet we rather joyn with those that doe think it implyed , not indeed that this text of it self can prove a trinity , for the plurall number proveth no more three , then foure or two , but with other places that doe hold forth this doctrine more expresly : so that in the words you have the noble and great effect , man ; the wise and powerfull efficient , god ; the excellent and admirable pattern or exemplar , after our image : god made man after his image , and so implanted it in him , that that image could not be destroyed , unlesse man destroyed himself ; not that this image was his naturall substance and essence , but it was a concreated perfection in him . now , for the opening of this truth , let us consider these particulars : . whether image or likenesse doe signifie the same thing . for the papists , following the fathers , make this difference : that image doth relate to the naturalls that man hath , his rationall soule with the naturall properties ; and likenesse to the gratuitalls or supernaturalls , which were bestowed upon him . now the orthodox , especially the calvinists , though they deny not but that the soule of a man , with the faculties thereof , may be called the image of god , secondarily and remotely , ( herein differing from the lutherans , who will not acknowledge thus much ) so that principally and chiefly it be placed in righteousnesse and holinesse ; yet they say , this cannot be gathered from the words , for these reasons : . because verse . where there is the execution of this decree in the text , there onely likenesse is named , and gen. . there is onely image named , and gen. . adam is said to beget seth after his image and likenesse ; where such a distinction cannot be made : and this is so cleare , that pererius and lapide doe confesse it . nor is that any matter , because they are put down as two substantives : for that is usuall with the hebrewes , when the later is intended onely as an adjective : so jerem. . . to give you an end and expectation , that is , an expected end ; so here , image and likenesse , that is , an image most like . . it 's considerable in what an image doth consist . now the learned , they speak of a four-fold image , or likenesse : . where there is a likenesse in an absolute agreement in the same nature : and thus the son of god is the expresse image of the father . . by participation of some universall nature : so a man and a beast are alike in their common nature of animality . . by proportion onely : as the pilot of a ship , and the governour in the common-wealth are alike . . by agreement of order , when one thing is a pattern for another to be made after it : and this is properly to be an image ; for two things goe to the nature of an image : . likenesse , and then . that this likenesse be made after another as a pattern . thus one egge is like another , but not a pattern of another : so man was made like angels , yet not after their image , as the socinians would have it . so that , to be made after the image of god , implieth a likenesse in us to god ; and then , that this likenesse in us , is made after that pattern which is in god. and howsoever man is a body , and god a spirit ; yet this image and likenesse may well be in other considerations . it was the opinion of osiander , that therefore we are said to be made after the image of god , because we are made after the likenesse of that humane nature , which the second person in trinity was to assume : and this hath been preached alate as probable ; but that may hereafter be confuted , when we come to handle that question , whether christ , as a mediatour , was knowne and considered of in the state of innocency ? . let us consider in what that image or likenesse doth consist . where , not standing upon the rationall soule of a man , which we call the remote image of god , in which sense , we are forbid to kill a man , or to curse a man , because he is made after the image of god ; we may take notice of the severall perfections and qualifications in adams soul : as , . in his understanding there was an exact knowledge of divine and naturall things : of divine , because otherwise he could not have loved god , if he had not known him , nor could he be said to be made very good . hence some make a three-fold light : . that of immediate knowledge , which adam had . . the light of faith , which the regenerate have . . the light of glory , which the saints in heaven have . now how great is this perfection ? even aristotle said , that a little knowledge , though conjecturall , about heavenly things , is to be preferred above much knowledge , though certain , about inferiour things . how glorious must adams estate be , when his understanding was made thus perfect ? and then for inferiour things ; the creatures , his knowledge appeareth in the giving of names to all the creatures , and especially unto eve. adam indeed did not know all things , yea he might grow in experimentall knowledge ; but all things that were necessary for him , created to such an happy end , to know , those he did : but to know that he should fall , and that christ would be a mediatour , these things he could not , unlesse it were by revelation , which is not supposed to be made unto him . so , to know those things which were of ornament and beauty to his soul , cannot be denyed him . thus was adam created excellent in intellectuall abilities ; for sapience , knowing god ; for science , knowing the creatures ; and for prudence , exquisite in all things to be done . . his will , which is the universall appetite of the whole man , which is like the supreme orbe , that carrieth the inferiour with the power of it , this was wonderfully good , furnished with severall habits of goodnesse , as the firmament with stars : for in it was a propensity to all good , ephes . . . it 's called righteousnesse and true holinesse : and eccl. . . god made man upright : his will was not bad , or not good , that is , indifferent ; but very good . the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only good , and that continually . and certainly if david , job . and others , who have this image restored in them but in part , doe yet delight in gods will , how much more must adam , who when he would doe good , found no evil present with him ? he could not say as we must , lord , i beleeve , help my unbelief : lord , i love , help my want of love . he could not complain , as that man , libenter bonus esse vellem , sed cogitationes meae non patiuntur . yet , though his will was thus good , he needed help from god to be able to doe any good thing . i know there are some learned divines , as pareus , that doe deny the holinesse adam had , or the help god gave adam , to be truly and properly called grace ; righteousnesse they will call it , and the gift of god , but not grace . therefore pareus reproveth bellarmine for stiling his book de gratia primi hominis : and his reason is , because the scripture makes that onely grace which comes by christ , and when the subject is in a contrary condition , as we are ; but it was not so with adam : but i cannot tell whether this be worth the while to dispute . this is certain , first , that adam could not persevere or continue in obedience to god , without help from god. nor secondly , was he confirmed in a state of goodnesse , as the angels are ; yea , as every godly man now is through christ : and therefore being mutable , we may well conceive a possibility of his falling , though made thus holy . . in his affections . . these tempests and waves were under the command of that holinesse : they were to adam as wings to the bird , as wheels to the chariot ; and he was not , as actaeon ; devoured of those that followed him , as it is with us : for , if you consider affections in the rise of them , they did not move , or stirre , but when holinesse commanded them . this is proved , in that he was made right : therefore there could not any affection stirre or move irregularly ; as it 's said of christ ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he troubled himself . there were indeed affections moving in christ , and so in adam ; but they were as clean water moved in a clear glasse : but in us they are as water stirred in a muddy place , which casteth great defilement . adam therefore , being made right , he could set his affections , as the artificer doth his clock , to make it strike when and what he will. . these affections are subjected in regard of the continuance of them . when our affection and passions are raised , how hardly are they composed again ? how are we angry , and sin ? how doe we grieve , and sin ? whereas in the state of innocency , they were so under the nurture of it , that , as we command our dogs to fetch and carry , and to lay down ; so could adam then do , bid come fetch such an object , and then bid it to lay down again . . in regard of the degrèes of them . we are so corrupted , that we cannot love , but we over-love ; we cannot grieve , but we over-grieve : all our heat is presently feaverish ; but it was then far otherwise . now then by this righteousnesse you may perceive the glorious image that god put upon us , and apply it to us , who are banished not onely out of a place of paradise , but out of all these inward abilities : and who can deplore our estate enough ? thus was the morall law written in his heart : and what the command is for direction , that he was for conversation . and howsoever the socinians deny this law written in his heart , yet acknowledging he had a conscience , which had dictates of that which was good and righteous , it amounts almost to as much . non is it any matter , though we reade not of any such outward law given to him : nor is it necessary to make such a question , whether the breach of the morall law would have undone adam and his posterity , as well as the transgression of the positive law . for all must necessarily think , that the morall law implanted in his heart , and obedience thereunto , was the greatest part of adams happinesse and holinesse . although we told you , disobedience unto that positive precept , which was onely for tryall , might in some sense be judged more hainous , then disobedience to the morall law. in the next place , the image of god did consist in a freedome from all feare of misery and danger , even proportionably as god is without feare : and this happinesse is the consequent of his holinesse . and if it be true of the image of god repaired in us , that it is to make us serve him without fear all , the dayes of our life , how much more must it be verified of adam in that estate ? and if you demand how adam could be without feare , seeing he knew he might fall , and so become miserable : the answer is to be taken from that state wherein he was created ; having no guilt within him , he could have no feare : even as some learned men say , the godly shall remember their sins in heaven , yet without shame and sorrow , because that glorified nature is not capable of it . and this is a reason why eve was not a friend of the serpent , thought it was used by the devill to speak . lastly , this image of god consisted in the dominion and soveraignty he had over the other creatures . and this was rather a consequent of this image , then part of it ; for when god had declared his will to make man after his image , then he also said he should rule over the rest . the socinians indeed make this the onely ground or particular wherein this image doth consist , and therefore hold that the woman was not made after the image of god , because she was made in subordination to the man. but that is easily answered ; for , although she was made in subjection to him , yet with dominion over the rest of the creatures . now we might adde also , that in his body there was something of gods image ; as the impassibility of it , and the immortality : but these things do not come within my subject . we therefore come to shew the properties of this righteousnesse and holinesse that was thus fixed in adams heart . . it 's called originall , to difference it from actuall holinesse ; as we call it originall sin , to distinguish it from actuall : and therefore the learned call it originall , partly in regard of it self , because it was the first righteousnesse ; partly because of adam , who had it as soon as he was created . as the schools say of originall sin , quàm primum originatur homo , originatur itidem peccatum ; so we may of adam in his righteousnesse , in ortu virtus , as the father said , in ortu vitium est : and partly in regard of his posterity , for it should have been propagated to them . . another property of this righteousnesse is , that it is universall , comprehending the rectitude of all the parts and faculties of the soul : so that adam was , for his soul , as absalom is said to be comely for his body , from the head to the foot no blemish at all : so that this was not a perfection in one part onely , but all over ; as our corruption makes us , as he said of the martyr wounded in many places , totum vulnus . . it was harmonious : there was not onely rectitude in every part , but a sweet correspondency one with the other ; there was no rebellion or fight between the inferiour appetite and the understanding . therefore some learned men say , this righteousnesse is not to be conceived as an aggregation of severall habits , but as an inward rectitude of all faculties : even as the exact temperament of the body is not from any superadded habit , but from the naturall constitution of the parts . . this righteousnesse and holinesse it was a perfection due to adam , supposing the end to which god made him . if god required obedience of adam to keep the law , and happinesse thereupon , it was due not by way of merit , but condecency to gods goodnesse , to furnish him with abilities to performe it ; as the soul of adam was a due to him , supposing the end for which god made him . indeed , now it 's of grace to us , and in a far different consideration made ours , because we lost it . lastly , this was to be a propagated righteousnesse ; for , as it is to be proved hereafter , god did all this in a way of covenant with adam , as a publike person : and howsoever every thing that adam did personally was not made ours , ( we did not eate in his eating , nor drink in his drinking , we did not dresse the garden in his dressing of it ) yet that which he did federally , as one in convenant with god , that is made ours ; so his sin and misery is made ours , then his righteousnesse and happinesse : as it is now , by one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin ; so then it would have been by one man righteousnesse , and life by righteousnesse . questions to be made : . whether this righteousnesse was naturall to adam , or no ? howsoever some have thought this a meere contention of words , and therefore if they were well explained , there would be no great difference ; yet the papists make this a foundation for other great errours : for , grant this righteousnesse to be supernaturall to adam , as it is to us , then . it will follow , that all the motions rising in the appetite against reason , are from the constitution of our nature ; and so no more sin , then hunger and thirst is . . that free-will is still in us , and that we have lost nothing but that which is meerly superadded to us . or they compare this righteousnesse adam had , sometimes to an antidote , which preserves against the deadly effect of poyson : sometimes to a bridle , that rules the horse ; so that they suppose mans nature would of it self rebell , but onely this was given to adam to check it : sometimes to sampsons haire , whereby he had supernaturall strength , but when that was cut off , he had onely naturall : so that by this doctrine , man , now fallen , should be weaker then he was , but not corrupted . therefore we must necessarily conclude , that this righteousnesse was naturall to him ; not indeed flowing from the principles of nature , for so it was of god , but it was a perfection sutable or connaturall to him ; it was not above him , as it is now in us . as a blind man that was made to see , though the manner was supernaturall , yet to see was a naturall perfection . . whether justifying faith was then in adam ? or , whether faith and repentance are now parts of that image ? this is a dispute among arminians , who plead adam had not a power to beleeve in christ , and therefore it 's unjust in god to require faith of us , who never had power in adam to doe it . the answer is easie , that adam had power to beleeve , so farre as it did not imply an imperfection in the subject . it was a greater power then to beleeve in christ , and therefore it was from the defect of an object that he could not doe it : as adam had love in him , yet there could be no miserable objects in that state to shew his love . as for that other question , whether repentance be part of the image of god ? answ . so farre forth as it denoteth an imperfection in the subject , it cannot be the image of god ; for we doe not resemble god in these things : yet as it floweth from a regenerated nature , so farre it is reductively the image of god. . whether this shall be restored to us in this life again ? howsoever we are said to be partakers of the divine nature , and to be renewed in the image of god ; yet we shall not in this life have it fully repaired . god hath declared his will in this , and therefore are those stubs of sin and imperfection left in us , that we might be low in our selves , bewaile our losse , and long for that heaven , where the soule shall be made holy , and the body immortall : yet , for all this , we are to pray for the full abolition of sin in this life , because gods will and our duty , to be holy as he is holy , is the ground of our prayer , and not his decree for to have such or such things done . yea , this corruption is so farre rooted in us now , that it is not cleansed out of us by meere death , but by cinerifaction , consuming the body to ashes : for we know , lazarus and others that died , being restored again to life , yet could not be thought to have the image of god perfectly , as they were obnoxious to sin and death . use . to humble our selves under this great losse . consider what we were , and what we are , how holy once , how unholy now : and here who can but take up bitter mourning ? shall we lament , because we are banished from houses and habitations , because we have lost our estates , and comforts ? and shall we not be affected here ? this argueth us to be carnall more then spirituall : we have lost a father , a friend , and we wring our hands ; we cry , we are undone : and though we have lost god and his image , all happinesse thereby , yet we lay it not to heart . oh think what a glorious thing it was to enjoy god without any interruption ; no proud heart , no earthly heart , no lazie heart to grapple with : see it in paul , o wretched man that i am , &c. basil compareth paul to a man thrown off his horse , and dragg'd after him , and he cryeth out for help ; so is paul thrown down by his corruptions , and dragg'd after them . use . to magnifie the grace of god in christ , which is more potent to save us , then adams sin can be to destroy us . this is of comfort to the godly , rom. . the apostle , on purpose , makes a comparison between them , and sheweth the preheminency of one to save , above the other to destroy . there is more in christ to save , then in adam to damne : christs obedience is a greater good , then adams sin is an evil : it 's more honour to god , then this is or can be a dishonour . let not then sin be great in thy thoughts , in thy conscience , in thy feares ; and grace small and weak . as the time hath been , when thy heart hath felt the gall and wormwood of sin ; so let it be to feel the power of christ . as thy soul hath said , by one man sin ; so let it say , by one man life . lecture xiii . genes . . . in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die . i have already handled this text , as it containeth a law given to adam by god , as a foveraigne lord over him ; now i shall re-assume this text , and consider it as part of a covenant , which god did enter into with adam and his posterity ; for these two things , a law , and a covenant , arise from different grounds : the law is from god as supreme , and having absolute power , and so requiring subjection ; the other ariseth from the love and goodnesse of god , whereby he doth sweeten and mollifie that power of his , and ingageth himself to reward that obedience , which were otherwise due , though god should never recompence it . the words therefore being heretofore explained , and the text eas'd of all difficulties , i observe this doctrine , that god did not only , as a law-giver , injoys obedience unto adam ; but as a loving god , did also enter into covenant with him . and for the opening of this , you must take these considerations : . that this covenant with adam in the state of innocency , is more obscurely laid down , then the covenant of grace after the fall : for afterwards you have the expresse name of the covenant , and the solemne entring into it by both parties ; but this covenant made with adam , must only be gathered by deduction and consequence . this text cometh the neerest to a covenant , because here is the threatning expressed , and so by consequent some good thing promised to obedience . we are not therefore to be so rigid , as to call for expresse places , which doe name this covenant ; for that which is necessarily and immediately drawn from scripture , is as truly scripture , as that which is expresly contained in it . now there are these grounds to prove god dealt in these commandements by way of covenant : . from the evil threatned , and the good promised . for , while there is a meere command , so long it is a law onely ; but when it is further confirmed by promises and threatnings , then it becomes a covenant . and if that position be true of some , which maketh the tree of life a sacrament , then here was not onely nudum pactum , a meer covenant ; but a seale also to confirme it . and certainly , being god was not bound to give adam eternall life if he did obey , seeing he owed obedience to god under the title of a creature , it was of his meere goodnesse to become ingaged in a promise for this . i know it 's a question by some , whether adam , upon his obedience , should have been translated into heaven , or confirmed onely in that naturall life , which was marvellous happy ? but either way would have been by meer promise of god , not by any naturall necessity . life must be extended as farre as death ; now the death threatned was not onely a bodily death , but death in hell : why therefore should not the life promised be a life in heaven ? in the second place , another argument to confirme that god dealt in a covenant with adam is , in that his posterity becomes guilty of his sin , and so obnoxious unto the same punishment which was inflicted upon adam in his own person . now we must come to be thus in adam , either by a naturall propagation , and then adam should be no more to us then our parents , and our parents sins should be made ours as well as adams ; which is contrary to the apostle , rom. . who chargeth it still upon one man. and besides , who can say , that the righteousnesse , holinesse and happinesse , which we should have been partakers of in adams standing , could come by a naturall necessity , but onely by the meere covenant and agreement of god ? adams repentance might then have been imputed to us , as well as his sin . lastly , the apostle rom. . makes all men in adam , as the godly are in christ : now beleevers come to receive of christ , not from a naturall necessity , because they have that humane nature which christ took upon him , ( for so all should be saved ) but by a federall agreement . . let us consider in the next place , what a covenant doth imply ; first in the word , then in the thing signified . for i should deal very imperfectly , if i did not speak something of the generall nature of it , though hereafter more may be spoken of . you may therefore take notice , that there are things among men , that doe induce a publike obligation , that yet doe differ : a law , a covenant , and a testament . now a law and a testament , they are absolute , and doe not imply any consent of the party under them : as a law requireth subjection , not attending unto , or expecting the consent of inferiours ; and so a testament , or a will of man , is to bequeath such goods and legacies unto a man , not expecting a consent . indeed sometimes such goods are bequeathed with a condition , and so a man may refuse whether he will be executor , or no ; but this is accidentall to the nature of a testament . but a covenant , that differs from the two former , in that it doth require consent and agreement between two parties : and in divinity , if it be between man entire and upright , it is called by some , a covenant of friendship ; if it be between god and man fallen , it is called , a covenant of reconciliation . hence in covenants , that are not nuda pacta ( meer covenants ) but are accompanied with some solemnities , there were stipulations added , which were done by question and answer : doe you promise ? i promise . hence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we call it stipulation , from the latine word , which comes from the greek word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because these words did make the covenant valid . as for isidorus his etymology of stipulation , à frangendis stipulis , because , when they promised or entred into an agreement , they brake a stick between them , and then joyning it together , so made a promise , and every party kept a piece , as a tally , to maintain their agreement ; this is rejected by the learned salmasius . but because a covenant doth thus differ from a testament , hence hath it troubled the learned , why the hebrew word , which signifieth a covenant , should be translated by the septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a testament ; and so the new testament useth it in this sense : for , if it be a covenant , how can it be a testament , which implyeth no consent ? let us answer first to the word , and then to the matter . therefore is a covenant called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a testament , and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as aquila translates it ) because this word is of a large sense , coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to order and dispose : and when we say , the new or old testament , it is not to be taken so strictly , as we call a mans will and testament , though sometimes the apostle doth , in reference to christs death ; but more largely , for gods gracious ordering of such mercies and spirituall benefits to us , by the death of christ : for the covenant of grace implyeth christs death , it being a covenant of reconciliation . now , because there is in the covenant of grace something of a covenant , and something of a testament also , hence some do call it a testament-covenant , because it is of a mixt nature . the rise of the hebrew word berith is variously conjectured : some make it to come from a word that signifieth to eat , because of the sacrifices and feasts that were at a covenant : some from a word that signifieth to cut , because then in the striking of the covenant , there was a division of the beast that was killed : some from the word that signifieth to create , as also to order and dispose things by way of likenesse : some from a word that signifieth to be pure , and to choose , either because it 's by agreement , or because in covenants they ought to deal without all fraud : but i stand not upon these things . by this which hath been said it may appeare , that the covenant god made with adam , though it be truly called a covenant ; yet no wayes a testament , because there did not intervene the death of any to procure this good for adam . now to all this that hath been said , there must this caution be added , that a covenant is not so properly said to be with god and man , as between man and man : for among them consent is requisite , and doth mutually concurre to make the covenant valid : but neither in the covenant of nature or grace is this consent anteceding the validity of the covenant required in man. therefore if you regard the use of the word , and the application of it , it doth denote gods decree , and will , or promise about things , whether about the irrationall creatures , or the reasonable : such was gods covenant not to drown the world , and gods covenant with day and night ; yea , gods covenant with abraham did induce an obligation and tye upon abraham to circumcise his childe . and thus it was with adam , gods covenant did not depend properly upon his consent and acceptation , for he was bound to doe as god commanded , whether he would agree , or no. that adams consent was not necessary to make the covenant valid , doth appeare , in that he was bound to accept what god did require . and it 's indeed disputed , whether adam did so much as know ( and if he did not know , he could not consent ) that god did indent with him as a publike person , and so all his posterity in him ; although it may truly be thought , that adam did know this precept to be to him and his posterity : for hereby his sinne is made the more hainous , in undoing himself and all his ; as also , by the knowledge of this , he would be the more thankfull unto god , that should propagate such great mercies to him and his , and also be made more vigilant against falling . . in the next place let us consider , how god can be said to covenant , or enter into a promise with man : for it may be thought an imperfection , and hereby god may seeme to lose his right , that he cannot doe what he will. but this may be easily answered ; for , if god can give good things to man , he may also promise to give them : and therefore both to give , and to promise to give , are acts of liberality and dominion , and so not repugning to the majesty of god : nor doth god by promising to give , lose his dominion , no more then he doth by giving . it is true , a promise doth induce an obligation , and so in man it is with some imperfection ; but in god it is not , because he doth not hereby become obliged to us , but to his own self : so that we have not a right of justice to the thing , because god hath promised it to us ; but only god cannot deny himself nor his word , and therefore we are confident . and so aquinas well , deus non est debitor , quia ad alia non ordinatur , sed omnia ad ipsum , god by covenanting and promising doth not become a debtor , because he is not to be ordered for other things , but all things for him . hence is that saying of god , reddit debita nulli debens , donat debita nihil pendens : and so again , justus est , non quia reddit debitum , sed quia facit quod decet summè bonum : so that when god entreth into a covenant or promise , you must conceive of this sutably to his great majesty ; you must not apprehend of it , as when two men agree that are equall , and therefore a debt of justice ariseth between them , and one may implead the other ; but as a mercifull condescension on gods part , to promise such things to us , that so we might be the more confirmed in our hope in him . hence durand and ariminensis labour to prove , that gods promises doe not induce an obligation , but denote the disposition of god to give , although their arguments exclude onely a debt of justice from god. therefore although in the covenant god makes with man , there is a compact of mutuall fidelity , yet there is not a reciprocall , and equall right of covenanting , because of the inequality of the covenanters ; so that the whole disposition and ordering of the covenant with such conditions is on gods part , and not mans : hence it 's called gods covenant , and not mans . . consider why god will deale with man in a covenant way rather then in a meere absolute supreme way . there may be these reasons : . that god might hereby sweeten and indeare himself to us . for , whereas he might require all obedience from us , and annihilate us at last , or at least not vouchsafe heaven and ever lasting happinesse ; to shew how good and loving he is , he will reward that most bountifully , which is otherwise due to him : for god did not make man , because he needed him , but that there might be objects to whom he would communicate his love . thou needest not my goodnesse , or , that extendeth not to thee , saith david . it 's austins expression , the earth doth farre otherwise dry up , or swallow the water , thirsting for it , then the sun beames , which also consume the water : the one doth it indigentiâ out of want ; the other potentiâ , out of power and strength : so that adam could not but have thankfull and loving thoughts of god , that would thus condescend . . another reason might be , to incite and incourage adam the more to obedience . for , howsoever there was no sin in adam , or remisnesse : yet this might serve as a meanes to preserve him in his obedience to god. and here you may see , that to do a duty , because of a reward promised , is not a slavish and unlawfull thing ; for did not god deale thus with adam ? if he would obey , he should live ; but if not , then he must dye . will you say , with the antinomian , that this was an unlawfull thing , and this was to make adam legall , and one that was not affected with the goodnesse of god to him ? it is true , if a man obey god out of love to any thing more then god , or equally with god , this is unlawfull , according to that , minus te amat , qui tecum ( domine ) aliquid amat . . that hereby adams obedience might be the more willing and free . an absolute law might seeme to extort obedience , but a covenant and agreement makes it to appeare more free and willing , as if adam would have obeyed , though there could have been no obligation upon him to doe it . . consider that the nature of this covenant was of works , and not of faith . it was not said to adam , beleeve , and have life eternall ; but , obey , even perfect and entire obedience . it is true indeed , there was faith of adherence and dependance upon god in his promise and word , and this faith doth not imply any imperfection of the state of the subject as sinfull , ( which justifying faith doth ) for it was in christ , who in his temptations and tryalls did trust in god. and what the old testament calls trusting , the new calls beleeving ; yea , some say , that this kind of faith shall be in heaven , viz a dependance upon god for the continuance of that happinesse which they doe enjoy . this faith therefore adam had , but in that covenant it was considered as a gracious act and work of the soul , not as it is now , an organ or instrument to receive and apply christ . with us indeed there is justifying faith and repentance , which keeps up a christians life ; as the naturalists say , the calor innatus , and humidum radicale doe the naturall life : faith is like the calor innatus and repentance is like the humidum radicals ; and , as the philosopher saith , if the innate heat devoure too much the radicall moisture , or the radicall moisture too much the heat , there breed presently diseases : so it is with us , if beleeving make a man repent lesse , or repenting make a man beleeve the lesse , this turneth to a distemper . yet , though it were a covenant of works , it cannot be said to be of merit . adam though in innocency , could not merit that happinesse which god would bestow upon him : first , because the enjoying of god , in which adams happinesse did consist , was such a good , as did farre exceed the power and ability of man. it 's an infinite good , and all that is done by us is finite . and then in the next place , because even then adam was not able to obey any command of god , without the help of god. though some will not call it grace , because they suppose that onely cometh by christ ; yet all they that are orthodox do acknowledge a necessity of gods enabling adam to that which was good , else he would have failed . now then , if by the help of god adam was strengthned to do the good he did , he was so farre from meriting thereby , that indeed he was the more obliged to god. . god , who entred into this covenant with him , is to be considered as already pleased , and a friend with him , not as a reconciled father through christ . therefore here needed no mediatour , nor comfort , because the soul could not be terrified with any sin . here needed not one to be either medius , to take both natures ; or mediatour , to performe the offices of such an one . in this estate that speech of luthers was true , which he denieth in ours , dens est absolute considerandus . adam dealt with him as absolutely considered , not relatively : with us , god without christ is a consuming fire , and we are combustible matter , chaffe and straw : we are loathsome to god , and god terrible to us ; but adam he was deo proximo amicus , & paradisi colonus , as tertullian , and therefore was in familiarity and communion with him . but , although there was not that ordered administration and working of the three persons in this covenant of works , yet all these did work in it . hence the second person , though not as incarnated , or to be incarnated ; yet he with the father did cause all righteousnesse in adam : and so the holy ghost , he was the worker of holinesse in adam , though not as the holy spirit of christ purchased by his death for his church , yet as the third person ; so that it is an unlikely assertion which one maintains , that the trinity was not revealed in this covenant to adam : so that this sheweth a vast difference between that covenant in innocency , and this of grace . what ado is here for the troubled soul to have any good thoughts of god , to have any faith in him as reconciled ? but then adam had no fear , nor doubt about it . . this covenant did suppose in adam a power , being assisted by god , to keep it ; and therefore that which is now impossible to us , wa● possible to him . and certainly , if there had been a necessity to sin , it would have been either from his nature , or from the devill : not from his nature , for then he would have excused himself by this , when he endeavoured to clear himself . but tertullian speak● wittily , nunquam figulo suo dixit , non prudenter definxisti me , rudis admodum haereticus fuit , non obaudiit , non tamen blasphemavit , creatorem , lib. . ad mar. cap. . nor could any necessity arise from the devill , whose temptations cannot reach beyond a moral swasion . therefore our divines doe well argue , that if god did not work in our conversion beyond a morall swasion , he should no further cause a work good , then satan doth evil . nor could this necessity be of god , who made him good and righteous : nor would god subtract his gifts from him before he sinned , seeing his fall was the cause of his defection , not gods deserting of him the cause of his fall . therefore , although god did not give adam such an help , that de facto would hinder hi● fall , yet he gave him so much , that might and ought to prevent● it . and upon this ground it is , that we answer all those cavills , why god doth command of us that which is impossible for us to doe : for the things commanded are not impossible in themselves , but , when required of adam , he had power to keep them ; but he sinned away that power from himself and us . neither is god bound , as the arminians fancy , to give every one power to beleeve and repent , because adam in innocency had not ability to doe these ; for he had them eminently and virtually , though not formally : but more of these things in the covenant of grace . use . to admire with thankfulnesse gods way of dealing with us his creatures , that he condescends to a promise-way , to a covenant-way . there is no naturall or morall necessity that god should doe thus . we are his , and he might require an obedience , without any covenanting : but yet , to shew his love and goodnesse , he condescends to this way . beloved , not onely we corrupted , and our duties , might be rejected ; not onely we in our persons might be abashed , but had we all that innocency and purity which did once adorn our nature , yet even then were we unprofitable to god , and it was gods goodnesse to receive it , and to reward it . was then eternall life and happinesse a meere gift of god to adam for his obedience and love ? what a free and meere gift then is salvation and eternall life to thee ? if adam were not to put any trust in his duties , if he could not challenge god for a reward ; how then shall we relye upon our performances , that are so full of sin ? use . further to admire gods exceeding grace to us , that doth not hold us to this covenant still . that was a covenant which did admit of no repentance : though adam and eve had torn and rent their hearts out , yet there was no hope or way for them , till the covenant of grace was revealed . beloved , our condition might have been so , that no teares , no repentance could have helped us : the way to salvation might have been as impossible , as to the damned angels . to be under the covenant of works , is as wofull , as the poore malefactour condemned to death by the judge , according to the law , he falls then upon his knees , good my lord spare me , it shall be a warning to me , i have a wife and small children , o spare me : but , saith the judge , i cannot spare you , the law condemnes you : so it is here , though man cry and roare , yet you cannot be spared , here is no promise or grace for you . lecture xiv . genes . . . in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die the death . having handled the law of god both naturall and positive , which was given to adam absolutely ; as also relatively in the notion of a covenant god made with adam , i shall put a period to this discourse about the state of innocency , by handling severall questions , which will conduce much to the information of our judgement against the errours spread abroad at this time , as also to the inlivening and inflaming of our affections practically . these questions therefore i shall endeavour to cleare : . whether there can be any such distinction made of adam , while innocent , so as to be considered either in his naturalls , or supernaturalls ? for this is affirmed by some , that adam may be considered in his meere naturalls , without the help of grace , and so he loveth god as his naturall utmost end , in that he is the preserver and authour of nature : or else in his supernaturalls , as god did bestow righteousnesse upon him , whereby he was inabled to enjoy god as his supernaturall end . and for this end is this errour maintained , that so man now born , may be made no worse then adam in that condition at first : which errour , if admitted , would much eclipse all that glory which is attributed in scripture to grace converting and healing of us . therefore to this question these things may be answered : . that it cannot be denied , but that in adam such qualities and actions may be considered , which did flow from him as a living creature , endued with a reasonable soul ; so cor. . . there the first adam is said to be made a living soul , that is , a living creature in his kinde , whereby he did provide and prepare those things for his nourishment and life that he needed : and this is to have a naturall body , as the apostle calls it . but we may not stay in the consideration of him as a man in an abstracted notion , but as so created by god for that end , to be made happy . therefore howsoever some learned speak of the animall state and spirituall estate of adam , yet both must be acknowledged to be naturall to him . . in the next place , we doe not hold in such a manner his righteousnesse and holinesse to be naturall to him , as that we deny every thing to adam that was supernaturall ; for , no question but the favour of god , which he did enjoy , may well be called supernaturall ; so also that actuall help of god ( say some , ) which was to be continued to him : for howsoever the principle , and habit as it were of righteousnesse , was naturall to him ; yet to have help from god to continue and persevere , was supernaturall . even as you see the eye , though it hath a naturall power to see , yet there is a further requisite to the act of seeing , which is light , without which it could not be . the second question is , whether christ did intervene in his help to adam , so that he needed christ in that state ? for here we see many learned and sound men differ : some say , that christ , being onely a mediatour of reconciliation , could no wayes be considered in any respect to adam ; for god and he were friends : others again make the grace of christ universally necessary , even to angels , and adam ; saying that proposition , [ without me ye can doe nothing , ] is of everlasting truth , and did extend to adam , not indeed by way of pardon or reconciliation , but by way of preservation and conservation in the state of righteousnesse : thus those excellent pillars in the church of god , calvin , bucer , and zanchy , with others . now for the clearing of this truth , we must consider these particulars : . that it cannot be denyed , but that christ , as the second person of the trinity , did create and make all things . this is to be diligently maintained against those cursed opinions that begin , even publikely , to deny the deity of christ . now there are three generall waies of proving christ to be god : . in that the name jehovah , and god , is applyed to him , without any such respect as to other creatures . . in that he hath the attributes of god , which are omnipotency and omnisciency , &c. . in that he doth the works which god only can doe ; such are , raising up from the dead by his own power , and creation : now that christ doth create and sustain all things , appeareth , john . col. . and hebr. . . so that it 's impudent blasphemy which opposeth clear scripture , to detract this from christ . indeed , his creating of the world , doth not exclude the other persons , onely he is included hereby . . what help the angels had by christ . here i finde different thoughts , even of the judicious . that place colos . . . to reconcile all things to himself by him , whether things in heaven or earth , is thought by some a firme place , to prove that the angels needed christ , even as a mediatour : and calvin upon the place brings two reasons why the angels need christs mediation : . because they were not without danger of falling , and therefore their confirmation was by christ . but how can this be proved , that their confirmation came from christ , and not from god , as a plentifull rewarder of their continued obedience ? indeed , if that opinion of salmerons were true , which holds it very probable , that the fallen angels were not immediately condemned , but had a set space and time of repentance given them , this would with more colour have pleaded for christs mediation ; but that opinion cannot be made good out of the scripture . . the second reason of calvin is , that the obedience of the angels was imperfect , or not so perfect , but that it needed pardon ; which he groundeth upon job . . his angels he charged with folly . this may be answered thus , that the obedience of the angels may be said imperfect negatively , or comparative , in respect of god ; it is not answerable to his greatnesse : but yet it is not imperfect privatively , as if it did want any perfection due to it , and so was to be pardoned . therefore eliphaz his expression tends onely to this , to shew the greatnesse and majestie of god , and that even angels themselves are but darknesse to his glory . if you aske then , what shall be thought of the place colos . . ? i answer , this place compared with ephes . . . [ that he might gather together in one all things in christ , ] may well be laid together ; for they speak the same thing . in the epistle to the colossians it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to reconcile ; and that to the ephesians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which word some expound to be as much as to bring to its first beginning ; and so it 's explained by them , that all things have suffered a defect from the beginning , and by christ are to be restored to their former state : others expound it of reducing all to one head , which is christ : others make it a metaphor , from those things which are largely set down , and then briefly capitulated , and summed up again ; thus , say they , all that was prefigured by the sacrifices , is fulfilled in christ : but we take the word in this sense , as it doth imply , to gather together those things which were scattered and divided ; and so it doth excellently describe the ruine and confusion that is brought upon all by sin . but then here is the difficulty again , how the angels can be said to be gathered , seeing they were never divided . to this some answer , that the all things here spoken in the text , are to be limited to men onely : so that the things in heaven , shall be the spirits of godly men already translated thither ; and the things in earth , those men that are living . but suppose it be extended to angels , yet will not this inferre their need of mediation by christ , but onely some benefit to redound unto them by christ ; and that is certain : for , first , by christ they have a knowledge of the mysteries of our salvation , as appeareth , ephes . . . and secondly , hereby they have joy in the conversion of a sinner ; and , lastly , angels become hereby reconciled with man : and this seemeth to be the most proper and immediate sense of the place . so that i cannot see any ground for that assertion , which saith , because there is no proportion between a creature and the creatour , therefore there must be a mediatour . and if this hold true of the angels , then it will also hold about adam ; for , there being no offence or breach made , there needed no mediatour to interpose . it 's hard to say , christ would have been incarnated , if adam had not sinned . all those , who hold the necessity of christ to adam and angels , must also necessarily maintain , that , though adam had not fallen , christ would have been incarnated . now when the scripture nameth this to be the principall end of christs coming into the world , to save that which is lost ; unlesse this had been , we cannot suppose christs coming into the flesh . whether indeed christ was not the first object in gods decree and predestination , and then afterwards men , and then other things , is a far different question from this . as for colos . . which seemeth to speak of christ as head of the church , that he might have preheminency in all things , this doth not prove his incarnation , though no fall of adam , but rather supposeth it . . whether the tree of life was a sacrament of christ to adam , or no ? for this also is affirmed by some , that the tree of life was a sacrament given to adam , which did represent christ , from whom adam was to receive his life . but upon the former grounds i doe deny , the tree of life to have any such sacramentall signification . it is true , i grant it to be a sacrament ; for there is no good reason to the contrary , but that sacraments may be in the state of innocency ; onely they did not signifie christ . why it was called a tree of life , is not the same way determined by all : some think , because it had a speciall quality and efficacy with it , to preserve adam immortall ; for , although he was so made , yet there were meanes appointed by god to preserve this state . but we will not conclude on this ; only we say , it was a sacrament , not only to admonish adam of his life received from god , but also of that happy life , which upon his obedience he was alwayes to enjoy . hence revel . . . happinesse is called eating of the tree of life , which is in the midst of paradise . we do not in this exclude adam from depending upon god for all things , or acknowledging him the sole authour of all his blisse : but onely there was not then that way of administration of good to us , as is now by christ to man plunged into sin . and this must be said , that we must not curiously start questions about that state in innocency ; for the scripture , having related that there was such a state once , doth not tell us what would have been , upon supposition of his obedience . . and so we may answer that demand , whether there was any revelation unto adam of a christ ? now what might be done , we cannot say ; but there is no solid ground to assert it : for , howsoever the apostle indeed makes a mysterious application of that speech of adam unto christ and his church , to set forth their immediate union ; yet it doth not follow , that adam did then know any such mysterie . indeed zanchy saith , that christ did in an humane shape appear , and put adam and eve together in that conjugall band ; but we cannot affirme this from scripture . and by this also it doth appeare , that the sabbath , as it was figurative of christ , had this consideration added unto it , as it was given to the jewes afterward , and in that respect it was to be abolished . that opinion is very much forced , which makes those words of gods blessing and sanctifying the sabbath day , gen. . to be by way of anticipation ; and therefore would deny the command of the sabbath to be given to adam , saying , there was onely one positive law , which was that of not eating the forbidden fruit , that was delivered unto adam . now , though this be false , yet that consideration of the sabbath , as it was figurative of christ , was not then in the state of the innocency . . another main question is , whether this state of reparation be more excellent then that in innocency . now here we cannot say one is absolutely better then the other , only in some respects one is excelled by the other : as , the first estate of adam did far exceed this in the rectitude it had , being altogether without any sin ; for he was not created ( as some would have it ) in a neutrall estate doth plainly repugne that image of god , after which he is said to be created . now what a blessed estate it is to have an heart not stained with fin , to have no blemish , nor spot in the soul , will appeare by paul's bitter complaint , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? that estate also doth excell ours in the immortality and outward felicity he enjoyed ; for our second adam , christ , howsoever he hath destroyed the works of sin and satan , yet he hath not fully removed the scars which those sins have left upon us : christ doing here , as those emperours , who had taken their enemies prisoners and captives , but yet killed them not immediately , till the day of triumph came . but on the other side , our condition is in one respect made happier then adams ; which is the certainty of perseverance in the state of grace , if once translated into it . and this consideration austin did much presse . we have indeed much sin with our grace , yet god will not let that spark of fire goe out : but adam had much holinesse , and no sin ; yet how quickly did he lose it ? not but that grace of it self is amissible as well as that of adams , but because of the speciall promise and grace of god in christ ; therefore whom he loves , he will alwaies love . the next question is , whether we may be now by christ said to be more righteous then adam ? for so an antinomian in his treatise of justification , pag. . . quoteth places out of some authours , as affirming this , that now by christ we have a more perfect righteousnesse , then that of angels , or was lost in adam ; and by this meanes labours to prove , that we are so holy , that god can see no sin in us . now , to answer this , i deny not , but the orthodox sometimes have used such expressions , and upon this ground , because the righteousnesse of christ as it was his , was of infinite value and consequence ; and so as we are in a mediatour , we are in a better and surer condition , then the angels or adam was : but they never used such expressions to the antinomian sense , as if hereby we were made not onely perfectly righteous , but also holy , and without sin . this opinion is at large to be refuted in the treatise about justification ; only thus much take for an answer , that the doctrine , which holdeth the imputation of christs righteousnesse , doth not necessarily inferre , that therefore we have righteousnesse more excellent then angels or adam ; for it is onely imputed to us for that righteousnesse which we ought to have : it is not made ours in that largenesse or latitude as it was christs , but as we needed it . now god never required of us such an holinesse as the angels have , or a greater righteousnesse then adam had ; and therefore it 's a senslesse thing to imagine , that that should be made ours which we never needed , or ever were bound to have : so that those expressions of the orthodox must be understood in a sound sense . . whether that which god requireth of us be greater , then that he demanded of adam in the state of innocency ? for thus the arminians hold , that greater abilities are now required of a man to beleeve the gospel , then were of adam to fulfill the law ; partly , because the mysterie of the gospel doth consist in meere revelation , which the law doth not ; as also , because all the actions required by the gospel do suppose a resurrection from that first fall . now ( say they ) more is required to rise from a fall , then to prevent a fall . and all this they urge , to prove the necessity of universall grace given to all . now to answer this : first , i conclude ( as before hath been proved ) that the nature of justifying faith was in adam , though there was not such a particular object about which it may be exercised ; for a thing may be for the nature of it , and yet not have such a name which it hath from a certain respect to some object that now is not , or from some effects which it cannot now produce : so mercy and grace was in god for the nature of it alwaies , but as it hath respect to a miserable and wretched creature , that was not till the creature was made so . and so in adam , there was the nature of love and pity , but yet in regard of some effects , which could not be exercised in that estate , his love could have no such name , as mercy or pity . thus adam for his faith , that faith which he did put forth in gods promise about eternall life , upon his obedience , was a justifying faith for the nature of it , but had not the denomination or respect of justifying , because such an object was impossible in that condition . hence that faith of dependency which adam had , was the same in nature which justifying faith is . therefore to the arguments proposed , we deny , that greater strength is required to rise , then to keep from falling ; for the same things which would have preserved adam from falling , as faith in the first place , the same also are required for a man to rise . and as adam would have stood , as long as his faith in god stood , the devill labouring to shake that by his temptation ; so christ praying for peter , a man fallen by adam , doth especially pray , that his faith may not fail , because by that he was supported and strengthned . lastly , whether adams immortality in that estate , be not different from that which shall be in heaven . yes , it is very plain it is so ; for he was so immortall , as that there was a possibility of mortality , but it is not so with those that are glorified . again , he was so immortall , as that he had a naturall body , which did need nourishment ; but it is not so with those that are made happy . it is true , we have heretofore concluded , that adam in his first estate was naturally immortall , for if death had been naturall , god had been the authour of death , and man would not have abhorred it . neither did christ dye simply because he was a man , but because he was a man made for us , who ought to dye because of our sin . indeed , because adam did eat and drink , and his body was a naturall body , therefore there was mortality in him in a remote power , but actuall mortality was hindered , by reason of that glorious condition he was placed in ; and therefore not actually to dye , but to be in a mortall state was threatned as a punishment to him of all apostasie from god. use . of instruction . what comfort may be to the godly from christ , though by nature all is lost . who can heare without trembling of this great losse ? righteousnesse and immortality lost , god and his image lost . if thou lookest upon thy proud earthly sinfull heart , thou mayest say , it was not thus from the beginning : if upon thy sick , weak , and mortall body , it was not thus from the beginning . now here is no way to keep up the heart , but by looking to christ . though thou hast lost the image of god , yet he is the expresse image of his father . though thou hast not perfect righteousnesse , he hath . whatsoever thy losse and evil be by the first adam , thy gain and good may be by the last adam . admire herein the mysteries of gods grace and love . what may we not expect for temporalls , if needfull , when he is thus gracious in spiritualls ? are riches , subsistence , equall to christ ? use . of exhortation , not to rest in any estate , but that of restauration again . the word ( as you heard ) ephes . . . to gather , doth imply that all mankind is like an house fallen down , lying in its rubbish and ruines . let us not therefore stay in this condition : it 's a condition of sinne , of wrath : oh , much better never to have been born , then to be thus . how happy are all the irrationall creatures in their estate above us , if not repaired by christ ? and know , that to be restored again to this image of god , is a great and rare blessing , few partake of it . holinesse must be as inwardly rooted and settled in thee , as ever sinne and corruption hath soaked into thee . thou didst drink iniquity like water ; doest thou now , as the hart , pant after the water-brooks ? the resurrection of the soul must be in this life . it was sinfull , proud ; but it 's raised an holy , humble soule . lectvre xv. exod. . . and god spake all these words , saying , &c. having handled the law given to adam in innocency , both absolutely as it is a law , and relatively as a covenant ; we now proceed to speak of that law given by god , through the ministery of moses , to the people of israel ; which is the great subject in controversie between the antinomians and us . there were indeed precepts and laws given before moses . hence the learned speak much of noah's precepts . the talmudists say ( as cuneus relates ) that these seven precepts of noah did contain such an exact rule of righteousness , that whosoever did not know them , the israelites were commanded to kill . but because these are impertinent to my scope , i pass them by . and in the handling of this law of moses , i will use my former method , considering the law absolutely in it self , and then relatively as a covenant : for , as god ( you have heard ) hath suffered other errours about the deity of christ , and the trinity , and the grace of god , therefore to break forth , that the truth about them may be more cleared and manifested ; so happily the law will be more extolled in its dignity and excellency then ever , by those opinions which would overthrow it . the text , upon which most of the matter i have to say , shall be grounded , are the words now read unto you , that are an introduction to the law , containing briefly , . the nature of the matter delivered , which is called words ; so deut . ten words : hence it s called the decalogue . now the hebrew word is used not for a word meerly , as we say , one word ; for so the ten commandments are more then ten words : but it signifieth a concise and brief sentence by way of command . hence it s translated sometimes by the septuagint , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deut. . . and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , psal . . . so in the new testament , that which is called by mark . . the word of god , is by matthew named the commandment of god. so , paul also , gal. . . the whole law is fulfilled in one word , that is , one brief sentence by way of command . . you have the note of universality , all these words , to shew , that nothing may be added to them , or diminished : onely here is a difficulty , for deut. . where these things are repeated again by moses , there some things are transposed , and some words are changed . but this may be answered easily , that the scripture doth frequently use a liberty in changing of words , when it repeateth the same thing , onely it doth not alter the sense . and happily this may be to confute that superstitious opinion of the jews , who are ready to dream of miraculous mysteries in every letter . . there is the efficient cause of this in the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this word is used in the plurall , as some of the learned observe , defectively ; and is to be supplied thus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to denote the excellency of god , as they say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for excellentissima fera . by the septuagint its translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because ( saith a learned man ) they interpreting this for the grecians , and the wise men amongst them attributing the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , therefore they would use a word , to shew , that he who gave the law , was lord even over all those . now god is here described to be the author of these laws , that so the greater authority may be procured to them . hence all law-givers have endeavoured to perswade the people , that they had their laws from god. . you have the manner of delivering them , god spake them , saying : which is not to be understood , as if god were a body , and had organs of speaking ; but only that he formed a voice in the air . now here ariseth a great difficulty , because of acts . where he that spake to moses on mount sinai is called the angel : this maketh the papists and grotius go upon a dangerous foundation , that god did not immediatly deliver the law , but an angel ; who is therefore called god , and assumes unto himself the name jehovah , because he did represent the person of god. but this is confuted by the learned . i shall not preface any further , but raise this doctrine , that god delivered a law to the people of israel by the hand or ministry of moses . i shall ( god willing ) handle this point doctrinally in all the theological considerations about the law : and , first , you must still remember , that the word law may be used in divers senses ; and , before this or that be asserted of it , you must clear in what sense you speak of the law. not to trouble you again with the several acceptions of the word , which you must have alwaies in your eye , take notice at the present , of what a large or restrained signification the word law is capable of : for we may either take the word law for the whole dispensation and promulgation of the commandments , morall , judiciall , and ceremoniall : or else more strictly , for that part which we call the morall law ; yet with the preface and promises added to it : and in both these respects the law was given as a covenant of grace ( which is to be proved in due time : ) or else most strictly , for that which is meer mandative and preceptive , without any promise at all : and in this sense , most of those assertions which the learned have concerning the difference between the law and the gospel , are to be understood ; for , if you take ( as for the most part they do ) all the precepts and threatnings scattered up & down in the scripture , to be properly the law ; and then all the gracious promises , wheresoever they are , to be the gospel , then it s no marvell if the law have many hard expressions cast upon it . now this shall be handled on purpose in a distinct question by it self , because i see many excellent men peremptory for this difference : but i much question , whether it will hold , or no. . what law this delivered in mount sinai is , and what kindes of laws there are , and why it s called the morall law. it is plain by exod. . & cap. . all the laws that the jews had were then given to moses to deliver unto the people , only that which we call the morall law , had the great preheminency , being twice written by god himself in tables of stone . now the whole body of these laws is , according to the matter and object , divided into morall , ceremoniall , and judiciall . we will not meddle with the queries that may be made about this division . we may , without any danger , receive it , and that law which we are to treat upon is the moral law. and here it must be acknowledged , that the different use of the word morall , hath bred many perplexities ; yea , in whatsoever controversie it hath been used , it hath caused mistakes . the word morall , or morally , is used in the controversie of the sabbath , in the question about converting grace ; in the doctrine of the sacraments , about their efficacy and causality ; and so in this question , about a law , what makes it morall . now in this present doubt , howsoever the word moral beareth no such force in the notation of it , ( it being as much as that which directeth and obligeth about manners , and so applicable even to the judiciall and ceremoniall : and these are in a sense commanded in the moral law , though they be not perpetuall ) as to denote that which is perpetual and alwaies obliging ; yet thus it is meant here , when we speak of a thing moral , as opposite to that , which is binding but for a time . . whether this law repeated by moses be the same with the law of nature implanted in us . and this is taken for granted by many : but certainly there may be given many great differences between them : for , first , if he speak of the law of nature implanted in adam at first , or as now degenerated , and almost defaced in us , whatsoever is by that law injoyned , doth reach unto all , and binde all , though there be no promulgation of such things unto them : but now the moral law in some things that are positive , and determined by the will of god meerly , did not binde all the nations in the world : for , howsoever the command for the sabbath day was perpetuall , yet it did not binde the gentiles , who never heard of that determined time by god : so that there are more things expressed in that , then in the law of nature . besides , in the second place , the moral law given by god doth induce a new obligation from the command of it ; so that though the matter of it , and of the law of nature agree in many things , yet he that breaketh these commandments now , doth sin more hainously then he that is an heathen or pagan ; because by gods command there cometh a further obligation and tye upon him . in the third place , in the morall law is required justifying faith and repentance as is to be proved , when i come to speak of it as a covenant ; which could not be in the law given to adam : so the second commandment requireth the particular worship of god , insomuch that all the ceremoniall law , yea our sacraments are commanded in the second commandment ; it being of a very spirituall and comprehensive nature : so that although the morall law hath many things which are also contained in the law of nature , yet the morall law hath more particulars then can be in that . hence you see the apostle saith , he had not known lust to be sin , had not the law said so , although he had the law of nature to convince him of sin . . why it was now added . the time when it was added appeareth by the . chapter , to wit , when the people of israel were in the wilderness , and had now come to their twelfth station in mount sinai . that reason which philo giveth , because the lawes of god are to be learnt in a wilderness seeing there we cannot be hindred by the multitude , is no waies solid two reasons there may be , why now , and not sooner or later , god gave this law : first , because the people of israel coming out of aegypt , had defiled themselves with their waies : and we see , while they were in their journie in the wilderness , what horrible gross impieties they plunged themselves into : therefore god to restraine their impietie and idolatry , giveth them this law , to repress all that insolency , so rom . and gal. . the law came because of transgressions : hence theophilact observeth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it was added , signifieth that the law was not primarily , and for it 's own sake given , as the promises were , but to restrain transgressions then over flowing : but , secondly , i conceive the great and proper reason why god at this time , rather then another , gave the law , was , because now they began to be a great people : they were to enter into canaan , and to set up a common wealth , and therefore god makes them lawes , for he was their king in a speciall manner ; insomuch that all their lawes , even politicall , were divine : and therefore the magistrates could not dispence in their lawes , as now governours may in their lawes of the common-wealth , which are meerly so , because then they should dispensare de jure alieno , which is not lawfull . this therefore was the proper reason , why god at this time set up the whole body of their lawes , because they were now to grow into a common-wealth . hence josephus calls the common-wealth of the jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a place where god was the governour . . whether this law was not before in the church of god. and certainly , he that should think this law was not in the church of god before moses his administration of it , should gratly erre . murder was a sin before , as appeareth by gods words to cain ; yea the very anger it selfe that goeth before murder : so all the outward worship of god , as when it s said , then began man to call upon the name of the lord ; so that the church of god never was , nor ever shall be without this law. and when we say , the law was , before moses , i do not meane only , that it was written in the hearts of men , but it was publikely preached in the ministry that the church did then enjoy , as appeareth by noah's preaching to the old world , and gods striving with men then by his word so that we may say , the decalogue is adams , and abrahams , and noahs , and christs , and the apostles , as well as of moses . indeed there was speciall reason , as you heard , why at that time , there should be a speciall promulgation of it , and a solemn repetition ; but yet the law did perpetually sound in the church , ever since it was a church . and this consideration will make much to set forth the excellency of it , it being a perpetuall meanes and instrument which god hath used in his church for information of duty , conviction of sin , and exhortation to all holiness : so that men who speak against the use of the law , and the preaching of it , do oppose the universall way of the church of god in the old and new testament . . the end why god gave this law to them . i spake before of the end , why he gave it then ; now i speak of the finall cause in generall : and here i shall not speak of it in reference to christ , or justification , ( that is to be thought on when we handle it as a covenant ) but only as it was an absolute rule or law . and here it will be a great errour , to think the promulgation of it had but one end , for there were many ends : . because much corruption had now seised upon mankind , and the people of israel had lived long without the publick worship and service of god , it was necessary to have this law enioyned them , that they might see far more purity and holiness required of them , then otherwise they would be perswaded of . . by this meanes they would come to know sin , as the apostle speakes , and so be deeply humbled in themselvs : the law of god being a cleare light to manifest those inward heart-sins and soul-lusts that crawl in us as so many toads , and serpents , which we could never discover before . . hereby was shadowed forth the excellent and holy nature of god , as also what purity was accepted by him , and how we should be holy , as he himselfe is holy ; for the law is holy as god is holy : it s nothing but an expression & draught of that great purity which is in his nature ; insomuch that it s accounted the great wisedome of that people of israel to have such lawes ; and the very nations themselves should admire at it . . the great goodness and favour of god in delivering this law to them . and this comes fitly in the next place to consider of , that it was an infinite mercy of god to that people to give them this law . hence deut. . and in other places , how often doth god press them with this love of his , in giving them those commandments ? and that it was not for their sakes , or because of any merit in them , but because he loved them . so david , psal . . he hath not done so to other nations . hosea also aggravates this mercy hos . . . i have written unto him the great things of my law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplitudines legis meae , where the prophet makes the law a precious gift deposited in the jews hands . and to this may be referred all the benifits that the psalmist and prophets do make to come by the law of god : insomuch that it is a very great ingratitude and unthankfulness unto god , when people cry down the law , and the preaching of it . that which god speaks of as a great mercy to a people , they do reject . nor , because that god hath vouchsafed greater expressions of his love to us in these latter dayes , therefore may those former mercies be forgotten by us , seeing the law doth belong unto us for those ends it was given to the jews now under the gospel , ( as is to be proved ) as much as unto them . and therefore you cannot reade one commandment in the spirituall explication of it , ( for the law is spirituall ) but you have cause to bless god , saying , lord , what are we , that thy will should be so clearly , and purely manifested to us , above what it is to heathens , yea , and papists , with many others ? therefore , beloved , it is not enough for you to be no antinomian , but you are to bless god , and praise him for it , that it s read , and opened in our congregations . . the perfection of this law , containing a perfect rule of all things belonging to god or man. and here againe i shall not speak of it as a covenant , but meerly as its a rule of obedience . and thus , though it be short , yet it s so perfect , that it containeth all that is to be done , or omitted by us . insomuch that all the prophets , and apostles do but adde the explication of the law , if it be not taken in too strict a sense . hence is that commandment of not adding to it , or detracting from it . and in what sense the apostle speakes against it , calling it the killing letter , & the ministration of death working wrath , is to be shewed hereafter . when our saviour , mat. . gave those severall precepts , he did not adde them as new unto the morall law , but did vindicate that from the corrupt glosses and interpretations of the pharisees , as is to be proved . indeed it may seem hard to say that christ , and justifying faith , & the doctrine of the trinity , is included in this promulgation of the law ; but it is to be proved , that all these were then comprehended in the administration of it , though more obscurely . nor wil this be to confound the law and the gospel , as some may think . this law therefore and rule of life which god gave the people of israel , and to all us christians in them , is so perfect and full , that there is nothing necessary to the duty and worship of god , which is not here commanded ; nor no sin to be avoided , which is not here forbidden . and this made peter martyr ( as you heard ) compare it to the ten predicaments . use . of admonition , to take heed how we vilifie or contemne this law of god , either doctrinally , or practically . doctrinally , so the marcionites , and the manichees , and basilides ; whereof some have said , it was carnall , yea that it was from . devil , and that it was given to the jews for their destruction because it 's said to work wrath , and to be the instrument of death and those opinions and expressions of the antinomians about it are very dangerous . what , shall we revile that which is gods great mercy to a people ? because the jews and papists do abuse the law , and the works of it to justification , shall it not therefore have its proper place and dignity ? how sacred are the laws of a common-wealth , which yet are made by men ? but this is by the wise god. take heed therefore of such phrases , an old-testament-spirit , and , his sermon is nothing but an explication of the law : for it ought much to rejoyce thee , to hear that pure and excellent image of gods holiness opened . how mayest thou delight to have that purity enjoyned , which will make thee loath thy self , prize christ and grace more , and be a quick goad to all holiness ? and if you say , here is nothing of christ all this while : i answer that is false , as is to be proved , if the law be not taken very strictly : and besides , the law and the gospel are not to be severed , but they mutually put a fresh relish and taste upon each other . and shall no mercy be esteemed , but what is the gospel ? thou art thankfull for temporall mercies , and yet they are not the gospel ; but this is a spiritual mercy . lectvre xvi . exod. . . god spake these words , saying , &c. i have already begun the discourse about the morall law ; and shall at this time consider those historical passages , which we meet with in the promulgation of it ; that so the excellency of it may hereby be more known ; for , whosoever shall diligently observe all the circumstances of the history of the law , he shall finde , that god did put glory upon it : and howsoever the apostle , hebr. . and corinth . . doth prefer the gospel above this ministration of moses ; yet absolutely in it self , it was greatly honoured by god. in the general therefore , you may take notice , that therefore did god so solemnly , and with great majesty give the law , that so the greater authority may thereby be procured to it . hence it is related of many heathens , that they have feigned some familiarity with their gods , when they made their laws , that so the people might with greater awe and reverence receive them : thus numa feigned his discourse with the goddess aegaeria for his laws ; and it 's related of pythagoras , that he had a tamed eagle , which he would cause to come flying to him , to make people think his sentences were delivered from heaven to him . if laws of men might well be called by demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . how much rather this law of god ? it 's but a conceit of prospers , that judaei were so called , because they received jus dei , the law of god. it s further also to be observed in the general , that god hath alwaies had apparitions sutable to the matter in hand . thus he appeared in a burning bush to moses , like an armed man to josua ; and with all signs of majesty , and a great god , being to deliver laws to the people that they might see how potent he was to be avenged for every breach . again , in the next place , take also this generall observation , that although the judiciall and ceremoniall lawes were given at the same time with the morall law , yet there is a difference between them . and this is to be taken notice of , lest any should think , what will this discourse make for the honour of the morall law , more then the other lawes ? it 's true , these three kinds of lawes agree in the common efficient cause , which was god ; and in the minister , or mediator , which was moses ; in the subject , which was the people of israel ; and all and every one of them ; as also in the common effects , of binding and obliging them to obedience , and to punish the bold offenders against them . but herein the morall law is preheminent : . in that it is a foundation of the other lawes , and they are reduceable to it . . this was to abide alwaies , not the other . . this was immediately writen by god , and commanded to be kept in the ark , which the other were not . lastly observe , these two things in the generall , about the time of the delivery of the law : first , god did not give them his law , till he had deeply humbled them ; and it may be now , christ will not settle his ordinance with us , till he hath brought us low : and secondly , before they come unto the land of promise , god setleth his worship and lawes . when he hath done this , then he bids them , deut. . . goe towards canaan . this sheweth , a people cannot have canaan , till the things of god be setled . but we come to the remarkable parts of the history of the promulgation of this law ; and first , you may consider the great and dilligent preparation of the people to heare it . exod. . for , first , they were to sanctifie themselves , and to wash their clothes . this indeed , was peculiar unto those times , yet god did hereby require the cleansing & sanctification of their hearts . the superstitious imitating of this was among the gentiles , who used to wash , that they may goe to sacrifice , plaut in aulul . act , . scen . . yea , this superstition was brought into the church , chrysost . hom. . in mat. we see ( saith he ) this custome confirmed in many churches , that many study diligently how they may come to church with their hands washt and white garments : and , tert. cap. . de orat. hae sunt verae mundiciae , non quas plerique superstitiosè curant , ad omnem orationem etiam cum lavacro totius corporis aquam sumentes this is true cleannes , and not that , which many superstiously regard , washing their whole body in water , when they goe to pray . but this by the way , god did hereby fignifie what purity and holiness of heart should be in them to receive his law. the second thing requisite was , to set bounds , so that none might touch the mount. it 's a violent perverting of scripture which the popish canons have , applying this a llegorically to a lay-man , if he reade , or medle with the scripture ; whereas not only a beast , but not the priests themselves should touch this mountain : and hereby god would have men keep within their bounds , and not to be too curious . the doctrine of the trinity , of predestination , are such a mountain , that a man must keep at the bottome of it , and not climb up . the third thing was , not to come at their wives . some do refer this to those women that were legally polluted ; but it may be well understood of their conjugall abstinency , not as a thing sinfull , but that hereby god would have them put off not only affections to all sinnes , but all lawfull things : so that this preparation for three dayes , doth make much for the excellency of the law , and sheweth how spirituall we should be in the receiving of it , . the declaration of majesty and greatness upon the delivery of it : for , although it must be granted , that this was an accommodated way to the law , that did convince of sinne , and terrisie , ( hence the apostle , heb. . , , &c. preferreth the ministration of the gospel above it ) yet this also was a true cause , why thundrings and terrours did accompany the promulgation of it , that so the people might be raised up to fear , and reverence of the law-giver . hence rev. . . god is described in his majestie sitting upon his throne , and lightnings with thunders proceeding from him . now it 's very probable , that these were raised by god in an extraordinary manner , to overcome the heart of the stoutest . and in this nature we are still to suppose the law preached to us ; for , howsoever all that terrour be past , yet the effect of it ought to abide upon every man , so far forth as corruption abideth in him : for , what man is there , whose pride , lukewarmness , or any sinfull corruption needs not this awakening ? it 's said exod. . . god descended upon the mount sinai in a smoak of fire , and a cloud : all was to shew the incomprehensible majesty of god , as also his terrour to wicked men ; and in this respect the dispensation of the gospel was of greater sweetness . hence gal . . the apostle makes this mount sinai to be agar , generating to bondage . this i say , must be granted , if you speake comparatively with gospel-dispensations ; but yet the psalmist speakes of this absolutely in it selfe , as a great mercy , psal , . . out of sion , the perfection of beauty , god hath shined ; and the fire about him did signifie his glorious splendour , as also his power to overthrow his enemies , and consume them : so psal . all the earth is bid to rejoyce at the lords reigning , which is described by his solemne giving of the law , which the church is to rejoyce at ; yea , ver . . it is applyed to christ . heb. . though the apostle followes the septuagint : so that if you take these things absolutely , they are lookt upon as mercies ; yea , and applyed to christ . and it is made a wonderfull mercy to them that god did thus familiarly reveale himselfe to them , deut. . . and deut. . . yea learned men think , that christ , the son of god. did in the shape of a man deliver this law to moses , and speake familiarly with him ; but especially see deut. . . where the word loving signifies imbracing by way of protection in the bosome . the gifts of the holy ghost were given with fiery tongues , and a mighty rushing wind , so that the gospel is fire , as well as the law. . gods immediate writing of these with his own fingers in tables of stone , exod. . . which honour was not vouchsafed to the other lawes . now by the finger of god , howsoever some of the fathers have understood the holy ghost ; and , because the finger is of the same essence with the body , infer the holy ghost to be of the same nature with god : yet this conceit is not solid : although luke . . that wich is called the finger of god , matth. . . called the spirit of god : we must therefore understand it of the power and operation of god , who caused those words to be written there . the matter upon which this is writen , is said to be tables of stone . the rabbins conceit , saying , that because it is said of stone in the singular number , that therefore it was but one table , which sometimes did appeare as one , sometimes as two , is not worth the confuting . that which is here to be considered , and makes much to the dignity of the law , is , that it was written by god , upon tables of stone , to shew the perpetuity , and stability of it . and howsoever this of it selfe be not a demonstrative argument to establish the perpetuity of the law against any antinomian , yet it may prevaile with any reasonable man. hence law-givers , that have laboured the stability of their lawes , caused them to be ingraven in brass , or a marble : so pliny , lib ● . ca. . speakes of brassie tables ad perpetuitatem monumentorum : & plato , as rhodoginus reports , lib. . cap. . thought that lawes should be written in tabulis cupressinis , quod futuras putabat aeterniores , quàm aereas . it is true , there is also a mysticall signification , which is not to be rejected , because the apostle alludes to it that hereby was signified the hardness of the jews heart , which could not easily receive that impression of the law. hence the excellency of the gospel doth appear , in that it is by grace wrought in the hearts of men . but yet this is not so to be understood , as if god did not in the old testament , even then write his law in the hearts of men . therefore that promise of the gospel mentioned by jeremiah is not to be understood exclusively , as if god did not at all write his law in their hearts , but comparatively . . the sad breaking of this law by the people of israel . as the law given by god to adam was immediately broken ; so this law given in such a powerfull manner to keep the israelites in an holy fear , and reverence ; yet how soon was it forgotten by them : for , upon moses his delay , they presently fell into idolatry . some think , they thought moses was dead , and therefore they desired some visible god among them , as the egyptians had : and because they worshiped apis , an oxe , hence they made a calfe , wherein their wickedness was exceeding great ( though , against the truth , some rabbins excuse them from idolatry ) because they did immediately upon the promulgation of the law , when they had so solemnly promised obedience , fall into this sin ; and not only so , but worshipped it , and gave the glory of all the benefits they injoyed unto this : not as if they were so simple , as to think this a god , but to worship the true god by this . and this confuteth all those distinctions that idolaters use , especially papists , about their false worship . we are not to follow our own hearts , but the word . as the childe in the womb liveth by fetching nourishment by the navell only from the mother , so doth the church by fetching instruction and direction from christ . . the time of moses his abode on the mount. this also is observable in the story ; for hereby god did not only procure great ground of authority for moses among the people , but also unto the law : and therefore , as some compare the time of giving the law , with the effusion of the gifts of the holy ghost in the gospel , making the former to be the fiftieth day of their egresse out of egypt , called pentecost : so at the same time the holy ghost was given to the church : thus also they compare moses forty dayes upon the mount , with our saviours forty days in the wilderness , when he was tempted . it was certainly a miraculous preservation of moses , that he should be there so long , and neither eat , nor drink . but this example of moses , with that of our saviours , is very vainly , and unwarrantably brought for fasting in lent. . moses his zeal against this their idolatry , and breaking of the tables . when moses came down , he saw how the people had transgressed the law of god , which so moved him , that , in his zeal , he brake the tables that were first made . this certainly was by the immediate ordering of god , to signifie , that this could not be a way of justification for them : and indeed , to hold that the law can justifie , is so great an errour , that we are all antinomians in this sense . one hath said , that the law was like the tree of knowledge of good and evil , but the gospel that is like the tree of life : yet this must be rightly understood ; for god useth the law , as he doth his whole world , to beget and increase the life of grace in us , only this life is not that which can justifie us : and in this effect of the law , to increase life , david doth often commend it . now some have attributed this to moses , as a sin , accounting it his impatiency and rashness to break the tables . they acknowledge it to be a good zeal for the main ; onely they think here was some strange fire , as well as the fire of the sanctuary . but although this excandescency of moses was sudden , yet i see not , why it should be attributed as rashness in him to break the tables ; for he had brought those tables as a sign of their covenant stricken with god : but now , they having broken it by their idolatry , it was very just to have the tables broken in the eyes of the people , that so they might see how god was alienated from them : so that we think , he did it not with any sinfull perturbation of minde , but an holy zeal : god hereby also ordering , that they should understand , god would enter into a new covenant with them ; which made austin cry out , o ira prophetica , & animus non perturbatus , sed illuminatus ! o anger propheticall , and a minde not disturbed , but inlightned . . moses his petition unto god for his presence , and the manifestation of gods glory unto him , with gods answer . howsoever this doth not immediatly concern the promulgation of the law , yet , because it 's inserted before the reparation of the tables again , and maketh for the honour which god put upon moses , while he was setling the laws of israel , we will give a touch at it . cap. . ver . . moses desireth gods presence to be with him in conducting of the people of israel ; and , as a sign , whereby he might be confirmed of his presence , he desireth to see gods glory . it is hard to say , what was moses his petition in this thing . i cannot be of their minde , who make this onely a vision , and nothing really acted : nor of theirs , who think that moses desired to see the essence of god. i will not dispute that question , whether the bodily eyes of a man may be lifted up to that perfection , as to see god , who is a spirit . nor can i think that they attain to the truth , who think by the glory of god , to be meant the reasons and grounds of gods mercies , and in particular , his providence to the israelites and by the back-parts , which moses was allowed to see , the effects themselves of his mercy and providence , as if god intended to shew moses his wonderful effects , but not the reasons of them . nor lastly , that moses desired to see the humanity of christ in glory , like that vision of transfiguration : therefore i judge this most literall , that although it 's said , ver . . that moses spake with god face to face , which argueth familiarity , yet for all that , even then god was clothed as it were in a cloud interposing it self . now moses he desireth , that god would manifest himself in a more sensible , visible , and glorious way of an outward shape ; even as before he would have known gods name . now god in part answereth him , and in part denieth him , shewing such a glorious object , that yet he was not able to see , but where the light was lesse intense . . the reparation of the tables again . and here is some difference between the former and the later tables : the former , god provided both for the shape and the writing , as you heard ; but here the forming or polishing of the table is moses his work , and the writing is gods. the first is said expresly , exod. . . go , hew thee two tables of stone like the former , and i will write upon these tables . here is the second expresly . so deut. . , , . so that the writing of the law on the second tables , was as immediately gods work , as the former ; but not the polishing or preparing of the tables . onely there is one place of scripture , which troubleth the learned much , that seemeth to oppose this , and to make the writing upon the second table to be immediately the act of moses , and mediately onely of god , because he commanded and directed moses to do so . the place that seemeth to oppose this , is exod. . , . i confesse , if we look into the coherence of these texts , we shall finde some things difficult . but two things will help to clear it : first , that the things which moses did write , were not the ten commandments , but the severall precepts , that were by way of explication ; and then the second thing is , that whereas the . verse seemeth to speak of the same subject , moses ; yet the two former predicates are to be attributed to him . viz. his staying with god fourty dayes and nights , and his neither eating nor drinking all that while : then the third predicate is to be given to god , viz. writing upon the ten commandments ; for it 's ordinary with the hebrews , to refer the relative to some remote subject , and not the neerest ; and this may untie that knot . there is this remarkable , that though the former tables were broken , yet now god enters into a covenant of grace with them , as appeareth by proclaiming himself long-suffering , and gracious ; but yet god causeth the ten commandments to be written again for them , implying , that these may very well stand with a covenant of grace , which opposeth the antinomian . . the extraordinary glory that was upon moses . this is a considerable passage ; for the apostle speaking of this , cor. . doth acknowledge the ministration of the law to have a great deal of glory ; but yet such as was to vanish . where , by the way , take notice against the antinomian , that the apostle doth not there speak of the law absolutely in it self , as if that were to be done away ; but , the particular administration and dispensation of it , that was no more to continue , which all grant . now the antinomian confounds the law , with the administration of it . this glory and shining that was upon moses , was ( as it may seem probable ) communicated unto him , when he beheld the glory of god. how long it continued , is not certain : that hath no probability of the rabbins , who hold , it did continue all his life time . the vulgar translation makes it horned , cornuta ; hence the painters pictured moses with horns : but the word that signifieth an horne , is also for to glitter , and shine : as also those rayes of light might be cast forth from moses his face like horns . this was so glorious , that he was forced to put a vail upon his face , when he spake to the people . now the text saith , moses did not know his face shone . it 's an excellent thing , when god puts a great deal of glory upon a man , and he doth not know it . gregory applyeth this of moses to ministers , that , as moses , because the people could not endure the glorious light of his face , put a vail upon it , that so the people might converse with him : thus the minister , whose parts and scholarship is far above the people , should put on a vail , by condescending to the people . but the apostle maketh another mysticall meaning , wherein the hard things shall in time ( god willing ) be opened . . the custody and preservation of the law in the ark. and this shall be the last observation , that will tend to the excellency of the law. as this one was witten by the immediate hand of god , so was it only commanded to be preserved in the ark. now here is a great dispute in matter of history : for kin. . . it's expresly said , that in the ark there was nothing save the tables of stone ; but hebr. . . there is joyned aarons rod , and the pot of manna . those that for this respect would reject the epistle to the hebrews , as of no authority , are too bold and insolent . some think we cannot reconcile them ; yet the scripture is true , onely our understandings are weak . some think , that at first god commanded those two to be laid with the tables of the covenant ; but when the temple was built by solomon , then all were laid aside by themselves : and therefore , say they , that the history of the kings speaketh of it as a new thing . some , as piscator , make in to be as much as coram , before or hard by : and so they say , the pot and rod were by the ark. but i shall close with that of junius , who observes , that the relative is in the feminine , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and so doth not relate to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ark , the word immediatly going before ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tabernacle , in which tabernacle . and this is frequent in the scripture to do so . and this , though it may be capable of some objection , yet doth excellently reconcile the truth of the history with paul. now how long these tables of stone were kept , and what became of them at last , we have no certainty . this proveth the great glory god did put upon the law above any thing else , which i intended in all these historicall observations . vse . of instruction . how willing god was to put marks of glory and perpetuity upon the law ; and therefore we are to take heed of disparaging it . for , how necessary is it to have this law promulged , if it were possible , as terribly in our congregations , as it was on mount sinai ? this would make the very antinomians finde the power of the law , and be afraid to reject it . certainly , as the physitian doth not purge the bodies till he hath made them fluid , and prepared ; so may not the ministers of christ apply grace , and the promises thereof , to men of epicurean or pharisaicall spirits , till they be humbled by the discovery of sin , which is made by the law. and i doubt it may fall out with an antinomian , who accounts sin nothing in the beleever , because of justification , as with one dionysius a stoick ( as i take it ) who held , that pain was nothing ; but , being once sick , and tortured with the stone in the kidnies , cried out , that all that he had writ about pain was false ; for now he found it was something : so it may fall out that a man , who hath writ , and preached , that god seeth no sin in a believer , may sometime or other be so awed and troubled by god , that he shall cry out , all that he preached about this , he now findes to be false . therefore let those that have disparaged , or despised it , see their sin , and give it its due dignity . they report of stesichorus , that when in some words he had disparaged helena's beauty , he was struck blinde ; but afterwards when he praised her again , he obtained the use of seeing . it may be , because thou hast not set forth the due excellency of the law , god hath taken away thy eye-sight , not to see the beauty of it ; but begin with david to set forth the excellent benefits of it , and then thou mayest see more glory in it then ever . an additionall lectvre . gal. . . and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator . the service and ministery of the angels about the promulgation of the law , will much make to the honour of the law ; for we never read of laws enacted by so sacred and august a senate as the moral law was , where jesus christ accompanied with thousands of angels , gave these precepts to the people of israel : we read of three solemn services of the angels ; the first was , their singing at the creation of the world , job . . for by the morning stars , are meant the angels : the second was at christs birth , when they cried , glory be to god , &c. and the third may be this in the promulgation of the law. for the unfolding of the words , know that the apostle in the former part of the chapter , brings many arguments to prove , that we are not justified by the law , and that the promise and eternall life could not come by it now lest this discourse should seem derogatory to the law , he doth here , as in other places upon the like occasion , make an objection : to what use then is the law and v. . is that law against the promises ? which he answers with great indignation , god forbid ; and to the former objection , he answereth in my text , showing the end of the law , that is , not the end of the law absolutely in it self , but of the delivery at that time ; it was added because of transgressions , to convince the proud and hypocriticall iews of their wickedness , and thereby to seal that righteousness of christ . he doth not here take all the manifold uses of the law , but that which was accomodate to his present scope . this use he doth illustrate from the circumstance of duration ; it was to be till the coming of christ , whereby you see , that the apostle meaneth not the morall law , as a rule of life ( for that is eternall as is to be shewed ) but the regiment , or mosaicall administrations in the ceremoniall part thereof : and there is nothing more ordinary with paul , then to take the law synecdochically , for one part of the law ; which rule if observed , would antidote against antinomianisme : in the next place he commends this law by a seasonable , and fit digression from a two-fold ministerial cause , one proxime and immediate , the angels ; the other remote , by the hand of a mediator : some indeed think this is added for the debasement of the law , and to difference it from the gospel , because the law was given by angels , but the gospel immediatly by christ : but i rather take it for a commendation , lest he should have been thought to have condemned it , for you know his adversaries charged this upon him , act. . . that he spake against the law : now though the apostle doth extoll the gospel infinitely above the law , yet he always gives the law , those titles of commendation which are due to it ; now in what sense the law is said to be ordained by angels , is hard to say . that you may the better understand this place , compare with it , act. . v. . who have received the law by the disposition of angels heb. . . if the word spoken by angels was stedfast , &c. deut. . . the lord came from sinai with ten thousands of saints , from his right hand went a fiery law for them : though this seemeth to refer to the people of israel , rather then the angels : but the septuagint interpret it of angels : in the greek we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as command , sanction , and ordaining , as rom. . . the ordinance of god ; so then the sence of the places put together amounts to thus much , that iesus christ , act . . who is the angel that spake to moses in the mount , and the same which appeared to him in the bush , ver . being accompanied with thousands of angels , did from the midst of them , give moses this law , and jesus christ is here called the angel , because of his outward apparition like one . the sanctuary did express this giving of the law ; for their god sate between the cherubims , and from the midst of them uttered his oracles , for moses was commanded to build the tabernacie , according to the pattern as he saw in the mount , and that is the meaning of the psal . . . the chariots of god are twenty thousand angels , the lord is in the mi●st of them , sina● is in ●he holy place : so a learned man , deiu , interpreteth it ; that is , god doth in the sanctuary from the cherubims , deliver his oracles , as he did the law on mount sinai from between angels , and thus you have this fully explained . in the next place , you have the remote cause , by the hand of a mediator . some understand this of moses , that he was the mediator in giving the law between god and the iews , and so that text , deut. . . where moses is said to stand between the lord and them , may seem to confirm this interpretation ; and moses indeed may be said to be a mediator typically , as the sacrifices were types of christs blood , and as he is called , act. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a redeemer , though beza , and our english bible renders it a deliverer . but many interpreters understand it of christ , that he was the mediator in the law , and indeed the words following seem to approve of this ; for saith the apostle , a mediator is not a mediator of one , that is , of those that are one in consent , and accord , but of those that dissent ; now moses could not be truly and really a mediator between god , and the people of israel , when god was angry with them for their sins . besides , the law , as is to be shewed , is a covenant of grace , and christ onely can be the mediator in such a covenant by way of office , because he only is medius in his nature . beza indeed brings arguments against this interpretation , but they seem not strong enough to remove this sense given , neither doth this phrase , by the hand ( which is an hebraisme ) denote alwaies ministery and inferiority , but sometimes power and strength , but more of this in the explication of the doctrine . obser . it was a great honour put upon the law , in that it was delivered by christ , accompanied with thousands of angels : there was never any such glorious senate , or parliament , as this assembly was , wherein the law w●● enacted , iesus christ himself being the speaker : and by how much the m●●● glory god put upon it , the greater is the sin of those doctrines , which do d●rogate from it . indeed though christ gave the law , yet the apostle make the preheminency of the gospel far above it , because christ gave the law onely in the form of an angel , but he gave the gospel when made man , whereby was manifested the glory not of angels , but of the onely begotten son of god. how carefull then should men be , lest they offend , or transgress that law , which hath such sacred authority . it is a wonder to see how men are afraid to break mans law , which yet cannot damn , but tremble not at all , in the offending of that law-giver , who is only able to save , or destroy . for the opening of this consider : first , that iesus christ is the angel that gave this law , as the chief captain of all those angels that did accompany him : for act. . . it is the same that appeared to moses in the bush , god the father hath committed the whole government and guidance of the redemption of that people of israel into the hands of christ : hence isa . . . . he is called the angel of the covenant , because he made that covenant of the law , with his people on mount sinai : this is the angel , that exod. . . god said he would send before them to drive out the nations of the land , and v . there he is called the face of god , or his presence which should go before them , and you have a notable place , exod. . . i will send an angel before thee , to keep thee in the way , and to bring thee into the place , which i have prepared : beware of him , provoke him not , for he will not pardon your transgressions , for my name is in him : by this it is clear , that it was iesus christ who was subservient to the father , in this whole work of redemption out of aegypt . grotius in the explication of the decalogue judgeth it a grievous errour , to hold that the second person in the trinity was the angel who gave this law , and indeed all the socinians deny this , because they say , christ had no subsistency before his incarnation : some papists also think it to be a created angel ; but he must needs be god , because this angel beginneth thus in the promulgation of the law , i am the lord thy god , which brought thee out of the land of aegypt . neither wil that serve for an answer , which grotius saith , that the angel cals himself the god that brought them out of aegypt , because he is an embassador , and speaks in the name of the lord : for were not the prophets gods embassadors , yet their language was , thus saith the lord , they never appropriated the name of iehovah to themselves , whereas this angel is called iehovah , and cor. . . the iews are said to tempt christ , because he was the angel that did deliver them by moses . it is disputed , whether , when any angel appeared who was also god , that it was also the son of god ; so that in the old testament , the father , and the holy ghost never appeared , but the son only ; austin thought it a question worth the deciding , when he spent a great part of his second book of the trinity in handling of it . many of the ancient fathers thought that it was the son onely that appeared , so that all the apparitions which were to adam , to abraham , to moses ; the god that spake then , they understand to be the son , and this was done they say , as a preludium to his incarnation : but some of those ancients give a dangerous , and false reason , which was , because they held , the father only was invisible , and so apply unto the father only that text , no man hath seen god at any time , so that they thought the son might be seen , but not the father , which passages , the arrians did greedily catch at afterwards . but this is certain , the second person is no more visible , or mutable then the first ; only it may be doubted , whether all those administrations and apparitions which were by god in the old testament , were not by the second person : indeed , in the new testament , that voice from heaven , this is my welbelou son , must needs be from the father immediatly : it hath been very hard to know when the angel that appeared hath been a created one , or increated , the son of god. tostatus gives this rule , when the things communicated in scripture , as done by an angel , are of small consequence or belonging to one man , or a few men , then it is a created angel ; but if they be matters of great concernment , or belonging to many people , then it is by an increated angel ; he enumerates many examples , which are not to my purpose , neither may we be curious in determining of the former question . let the use of this be to take heed , how we cry down this law , which god hath so honoured , either by doctrines , or practises . we may live down the law , and we may preach down the law , both which are a reproach to it ; and the law is of such a perpetuall , immutable obligation , that the very being of a sin is in this , that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the law , so that if there be no obligatory power of the law , there can be no sin . if the heathen thought politicall laws , were the wals of a city , and it were no advantage to have fortified wals , and prostrated laws ; how much more is this true of gods commandments : those three things which are required in a law giver , authority , wisdom , and holiness , were transcendently in god , therefore every sin hath disobedience in it , because it is against authority ; folly in it , because it 's against wisdom ; and injustice in it , because against righteousness . in the next place , it 's worth the observing how paul in this place , and so in his other epistles is still carefull so to bound the doctrine of the law and the gospel , so as neither may incroach upon each other , from whence floweth this doctrine . that the law ought so to be preached , as that it should not obscure the gospel , and the gospel so commended , as that there may be no destruction to the law. this was pauls method in all his epistles , which he diligently observed : indeed , it hath been very hard so to give both their due , that either the preacher , or the hearer , hath not thereby been inclined to make one prejudiciall to the other : not but that the gospel is to be preferred , and that in divers respects , but when it is so extolled that the law is made useless , and unprofitable , this is to go beyond lawfull limits ; and how difficult it hath been to hit the mark here , appeareth in that the iews , papists , arminians , socinians , and generally all heretiques have advanced the law , to the eclipsing of the gospel , and there have been few who have extolled the gospel to the prejudice of the law. to proceed therefore regularly , we will shew when the law is preached prejudicially to the gospel , and when the gospel to the law. in the first place , the law is then stretched too far , when the works of it are pressed to justification , whether these works be the fruits of grace , or antecedaneous to grace , it is not much difference to this point ; and this is that dangerous doctrine of the law , which the apostle in his epistle , doth so vehemently withstand , and for which , he is not afraid to charge the teachers thereof , with apostacy from christ , and such who make christ , and all his sufferings in vain . and this is indeed to be a legall preacher , insomuch that it is an high calumny to charge protestant preachers , with the odious accusation of legall preachers ; for he is not a legall preacher in the scripture sence , which presseth the duty and works of the law but that urgeth them for justification , and that righteousness which we must rely upon before the tribunall of god : and thou mayst justly fear it is thy unsanctified & corrupt heart , which makes thee averss from the law in the former sence . . the law is used derogatory to the gospel , when christ is not indeed excluded from justification , but christ and works are conjoyned together , and this is more sugred poison then the former : now this was the doctrine of those false apostles among the galatians , they did not totally exclude him , but yet they did not make him all in all : but god doth not approve of such unequall yoking . it is equall impiety to preach no christ , or an half and imperfect christ ; and therefore as those were cursed doctrines which take away any of his natures , so also are those which diminish of his sufficiency . there is but one mediator , and as god will not give his glory to another , so neither will christ that of his mediatorship to any other ; so that , as god is jealous of his honour , when men give it to fools , no less is christ , when men give it to the works they do . and this makes the way of justifying faith so difficult , because it is so inbred in mens hearts , to have something of their own , and so unwilling are they to be beholding to christ for all . . then is the law preached prejudicially to the gospel , when it is made of it self instrumental to work grace . it cannot be denied , as is hereafter to be shewn , that the law is used by god to begin and increase grace , but this cometh wholly by christ . it is not of the law it self , that this spirituall vertue is communicated to men . even as when the woman touched the hem of christs garment , it was not efficacy from the hem , but from christ that wrought so wonderfully in her . it is one thing to say grace is given with the preaching of the law , and another thing by the law ; so that the gospel must be acknowledged the onely fountain both of grace justifying , and sanctifying , for as in natural things , if no sun did arise , every creature would lie dead , as it were in its own inability to do any thing there would be no naturall life , or growth ; so if the son of righteousness do not arise with healing , no law , or ordinance , could ever be beneficiall to us . in the second place , the gospel may be extolled to the ruin of the law ; and that first , when it is said to bring a liberty not only from the damnatory power , but also the obligatory power of it : how well would it be if the antinomists , in all their books and sermons , while they set up grace and the gospel , would make to themselves this objection with paul , do we then make void the law ? god forbid . certainly if you take away the condemning power , and the commanding power of the law , there will not so much remain of it , as did of jezebels corps , when the dogs had gnawn it . therefore stand fast indeed in the liberty of the gospel , but study again , and again , whether that be gospel-liberty , or prophane licence that thou pleadest for : certainly , he that sets up the gospel in a scripture way , and not a fancy-way , will go no further then the bounds of the scripture ; do not use gospel-grace as a cloak for thy more secure and loose walking . i tell thee , there is a great danger in those expressions , i have had enough of the law ; the time was , i dared not omit time of prayer : i was strict on the sabbath day , and in all family duties , but now i understand my liberty better . oh , know this is a gospel of thy own making , free-grace of thy own minting . i deny not , but that the people of god may by the devil be kept among the tombs , as that demoniack was in sad thoughts , and slavish fears , which are opposite to the promise : i grant also , that a minister may as unseasonably press the law upon some humbled christians , as if the samaritan had taken salt instead of oil , and poured it into the wounds of that man of jericho . but for all this , the unskilfulness of the physitian , may not derogate from the medicine ; and as there is a time , when the law may be unseasonably preached , so also there may be a time , when the promises should not be prest . . then is the gospel , or grace set up contrary to the law , when christians are wholly taken off from humiliation for sin , or from the threatnings that are in the law. what a dangerous expression is that of an antinomian , that the law hath no more to do with a believer , then the law of spain , or france with an englishman ; there is nothing more ordinary , even in the new-testament , then to awaken believers with sad , and severe threatenings . take heed therefore , lest that condition , which thou so blessest thy self in , by gospel light , be not worse , and more dangerous , then that wherein thou groanedst under the law. i speak not this , as if the people of god ought not to seek for a spirit of adoption , and to strive for an evangelicall temper , which certainly is most heavenly , and holy ; but to take heed of temptations , and being drunk with this sweet wine . let therefore from hence , both ministers and people make an harmonious accord of the law and gospel in their practical observations . if on the mount of transfiguration , christ was in glory , and moses in glory , and yet both together without any opposition ; so may the law be a glorious law , and the gospel a glorious gospel in thy use , and to thy apprehension . lectvre xvii . exod. . . and god spake all these words , saying , &c. we have already considered those historical observations , which are in the delivery of the law , and improved them to the dignity and excellency thereof . i now come to the handling of those questions which make much to the clearing of the truths about ithat are now doubted of . and , first of all , it may be demanded , to what purpose is this discourse about the law given by moses ? are we jews ? doth that belong to us ? hath not christ abolished the law ? is not moses , with his ministery , now at an end ? it is therefore worth the inquiry , whether the ten commandments , as given by moses , do belong to us christians , or no ? and in the answering of this question , i will lay down some propositions by way of preface , and then bring arguments for the affirmative . first therefore , though it should be granted , that the morall law , as given by moses , doth not belong to us christians ; yet the doctrine of the antinomians would not hold : for there are some learned and solid divines , as zanchy and rivet ; and many papists , as suarez and medina , which hold the law , as dilivered by moses , not to belong to us , and yet are expresly against antinomists : for they say , that howsoever the law doth not binde under that notion as mosaicall ; yet it binds , because it is confirmed by christ : so that although the first obligation ceaseth , and we have nothing to do with moses now ; yet the second obligation , which cometh by christ , is still upon us . and this is enough to overthrow the antinomian , who pleadeth for the totall abrogation of the law. thus , you see , that if this should be granted , yet the law should be kept up in its full vigour and force as much as if it were continued by moses . but i conceive that this position goeth upon a false ground , as if our saviour , matth. . did there take away the obligation by moses , and put a new sanction upon it , by his own authority ; as if he should have said , the law shall no longer binde you as it is moses his law , but as it is mine . now this seemeth to overthrow the whole scope of our saviour , which is to shew , that he did not come to destroy the law : and therefore he doth not take upon him to be a new law-giver , but an interpreter of the old law by moses . this i intend to handle , god willing , in that question , whether christ hath appointed any new duties , that were not in the law before , only this seemeth to be very cleare , that our saviour there doth but interpret the old law , and vindicate it from corrupt glosses , and not either make a new law , or intend a new confirmation of the old law. secondly , consider in what sense we say , that the law doth binde us in regard of moses ; and , first , this may be understood reduplicatively , as if it did bind , because of moses ; so that whatsoeveer is of moses his ministery doth belong to us : and this is very false , and contrary to the whole current of scripture ; for then the ceremoniall law would also binde us , because à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia ; so that you must not understand it in this sense . secondly , you may understand it thus , that moses as a pen-man of the scripture , writing this down for the church of god , did by this intend good to christians in the new-testament : and this cannot be well denyed by any , that do hold the old-testament doth belong to christians ; for why should not the books of moses belong to us , as well as the books of the prophets ? thirdly , therefore we may understand it thus , that god , when he gave the ten commandements by moses to the people of israel , though they were the present subject to whom he spake ; yet he did intend an obligation by these laws , not only upon the jewes , but also all other nations that should be converted , and come to imbrace their religion : and this is indeed the very proper state of the question , not , whether moses was a minister , or a mediator to the christians as well as the jewes ? ( for that is clearly false ) but , whether , when he delivered the ten commandements , he intended only the jewes , and not all that should be converted hereafter ? it is true , the people of israel were the people to whom this law was immediately promulged ; but yet the question is , whether others , as they came under the promulgation of it , were not bound to receive it as well as jews ? so that we must conceive of moses as receiving the morall law for the church of god perpetually ; but the other lawes in a peculiar and more appropriated way to the jewes : for the church of the jewes may be considered in their proper peculiar way , as wherein most of their ordinances were typicall , and so moses , a typicall mediator ; or , secondly , as an academy , or schoole , or library , wherein the true doctrine about god and his will was preserved , as also the interpretations of this given by the prophets then living ; and in this latter sense , what they did , they did for us , as well as for the jewes . and , that this may be the more cleared to you , you may consider the morall law to binde two wayes : . in regard of the matter , and so whatsoever in it is the law of nature , doth oblige all : and thus , as the law of nature , it did binde the jewes before the promulgation of it upon mount sinai . . or you may consider it secondly , to binde in regard of the preceptive authority , and command , which is put upon it ; for when a law is promulged by a messenger , then there cometh a new obligation upon it : and therefore moses a minister , and servant of god , delivering this law to them , did bring an obligation upon the people . now the question is , whether this obligation was temporary or perpetuall ? i incline to that opinion , which pareus also doth , that it is perpetuall , and so doth bellarmine and vasquez . howsoever rivet seemeth to make no great matter in this question , if so be that we hold the law obligeth in regard of the matter , though we deny it binding in regard of the promulgation of it by moses : howsoever ( i say ) he thinkes it a logomachy and of no great consequence ; yet certainly it is : for , although they professe themselves against the antinomists , and do say , the law still obligeth , because of christs confirmation of it ; yet the antinomians do professe they do not differ here from them , but they say , the law bindeth in regard of the matter , and as it is in the hand of jesus christ . it is true , this expression of theirs is contradicted by them , and necessarily it must be so : for islebius , and the old antinomians , with the latter also , do not only speake against the law as binding by moses ; but the bona opera , the good works , which are the matter of the law , as appeareth in their dangerous positions about good works , which heretofore . i have examined : but , truly , take the antinomian in their former expressions , and i do not yet understand how those orthodox divines differ from them . and therefore if it can be made good without any forcing or constraining the scripture , that god when he gave the ten commandements ( for i speak of the morall law only ) by moses , did intend an obligation perpetuall of the jewes , and all others converted to him , then will the antinomian errour fall more clearly to the ground ; only when i bring my arguments for the affirmative , you must still remember in what sense the question is stated , and that i speak not of the whole latitude of the ministery of moses . and , in the first place , i bring this argument , ( which much prevaileth with me : ) if so be the ceremoniall law , as given by moses , had still obliged christians , though there could be no obligation from the matter , had it not been revoked and abolished ; then the morall law given by moses must still oblige , though it did not binde in respect of the matter , unlesse we can shew where it is repealed . for the further clearing of this , you may consider , that this was the great question , which did so much trouble the church in her infancy , whether gentiles converted were bound to keep up the ceremoniall law ? whether they were bound to circumcise , and to use all those legall purifications ? now how are these questions decided , but thus ? that they were but the shadows , and christ the fulnesse was come , and therefore they were to cease . and thus for the judiciall laws , because they were given to them as a politick body , that polity ceasing , which was the principall , the accessory falls with it ; so that the ceremoniall law , in the judgement of all , had still bound christians , were there not speciall revocations of these commands , and were there not reasons for their expiration from the very nature of them . now no such thing can be affirmed by the morall law ; for the matter of that is perpetuall , and there are no places of scripture that do abrogate it . and , if you say , that the apostle in some places , speaking of the law , seemeth to take in morall , as well as ceremoniall , i answer it thus : the question which was first started up and troubled the church , was meerly about ceremonies , as appeareth act . and their opinion was , that by the usage of this ceremoniall worship they were justified ; either wholly excluding christ , or joyning him together with the ceremoniall law. now it 's true , the apostles , in demolishing this errour , do ex abundanti shew , that not onely the works of the ceremoniall law , but neither of the morall law do justifie ; but that benefit we have by christ onely : therefore the apostles , when they bring in the morall law in the dispute , they do it in respect of justification , not obligation ; for the maine question was , whether the ceremoniall law did still oblige : and their additionall errour was , that if it did oblige , we should still be justified by the performance of those acts ; so that the apostles do not joyn the morall and ceremoniall law in the issue of obligation ( for , though the jewes would have held , they were not justified by them , yet they might not have practised them ) but in regard of justification : and this is the first argument . the second argument is from the scripture , urging the morall law upon gentiles converted , as obliging of them , with the ground and reason of it ; which is , that they were our fathers : so that the jews and christians beleeving are looked upon as one people . now , that the scripture urgeth the morall law upon heathens converted , as a commandment heretofore delivered , is plain when paul writeth to the romans , chap. . , . he telleth them , love is the fulfilling of the law ; and thereupon reckons up the commandments which were given by moses . thus when he writeth to the ephesians , that were not jews , cap. . . he urgeth children to honour their father and mother , because it 's the first commandment with promise . now this was wholly from moses , and could be no other way : and this is further evident by james , chap. . , . in his epistle , which is generall , and so to gentiles converted , as well as to the jews . now mark those two expressions , v. . if you fulfill the royall law , according to the scriptures ; that is , of moses , where the second table containeth our love to our neighbour : and then , v. . he that said , do not commit adultery , said also , do not kill ; where , you see , he makes the argument not in the matter , but in the author who was god by moses to the people of israel . and if you say , why should these commandments reach to them ? i answer , because ( as it is to be shewed in answering the objections against this truth ) the jews and we are looked upon as one people . observe that place , cor. . the apostle , writing to the corinthians , saith , our fathers were all baptized unto moses in the cloud and sea , &c. now how could this be true of the corinthians , but only because since they beleeved , they were looked upon as one ? the third argument is from the obligation upon us to keep the sabbath day : this is a full argument to me , that the morall law given by moses doth binde us christians ; for , supposing that opinion ( which is abundantly proved by the orthodox ) that the sabbath day is perpetuall , and that by vertue of the fourth commandment , we cannot then but gather , that the commandments , as given by moses , do binde us : for here their distinction will not hold of binding ratione materiae , by reason of the matter ; and ratione ministerii , by reason of the ministry : for the seventh day cannot binde from the matter of it , there being nothing in nature , why the seventh , rather then the fifth , should oblige ; but only from the meer command of god for that day : and yet it will not follow , that we are bound to keep the jewish seventh day , as the learned shew in that controversie . now then , those that deny the law as given by moses , must needs conclude , that we keep the sabbath day at the best , but from the grounds of the new-testament , and not from the fourth command at all : and , howsoever it be no argument to build upon , yet all churches have kept the morall law with the preface to it , and have it in their catechismes , as supposing it to belong unto us . and when those prophane opinions , and licentious doctrines came up against the sabbath day ; did not all learned and sound men look upon it as taking away one of the commandments ? therefore that distinction of theirs , the morall law bindes as the law of nature , but not as the law of moses , doth no wayes hold : for the sabbath day cannot be from the law of nature , in regard of the determinate time , but hath its morality and perpetuity from the meere positive commandment of god. the fourth argument from reason , that it is very incongruous to have a temporary obligation upon a perpetuall duty . how probable can it be , that god , delivering the law by moses , should intend a temporary obligation only , when the matter is perpetualy ; as if it had been thus ordered , you shall have no other gods but till moses his time : you shall not murder or commit adultery but till his ministry lasteth , and then that obligation must cease , and a new obligation come upon you . why should we conceive that , when the matter is necessary and perpetuall , god would alter and change the obligations ? none can give a probable reason for any such alteration . indeed , that they should circumcise , or offer sacrifices till moses ministry lasted onely , there is great reason to be given ; & thus austin well answered porphyrius , that objected god was worshipped otherwayes in the old-testament then in the new : that is no matter , saith austin , if that which be worshipped be the true object , though it be worshipped divers waves ( when appointed by him ) no more then when the same thing is pronounced in divers languages . the fifth argument , if the law by moses do not binde us , then the explication of it by the other prophets doth not also belong unto us : for this you must know , that moses in other places doth explane this law ; and davids psalmes , and solomons proverbs , as also the prophesies of the prophets , so farre as they are morall , are nothing but explications of the morall law. now what a wide doore will here be open to overthrow the old-testament ? if i bring that place deut. . . [ set your hearts upon these words which i testifie to you this day , because it is your life , &c. ] to urge christians to keep the commandments of the lord , it may be replyed , what is that to us ? we have nothing to do with moses : the matter , indeed doth belong to us as it is in the new-testament , but as it is there written , so we have nothing to do with it . and by this meanes all our texts , and proofes , which are brought in our sermons may be rejected . and therefore dominicus à soto ( who is among the papists for the negative ) expresly saith , lib. . de just . & jure , quaest . . art. . that no place can be brought out of the books of the old-testament , unto christians , as in respect of the obliging force of it . this is plainly to overthrow the old-testament . now let us consider what are the chiefest arguments which they bring for the support of this opinion , that the law , as given by moses , doth not binde christians . and , first , they urge the preface [ i am the lord thy god , which brought thee out of egypt . ] this doth not belonge to us , because we nor our fathers ever were in egypt : & , say they further , the temporall promise to keep the law , doth not belong to us : therefore ephes . chap. . when paul urgeth that commandment with promise , he doth not keep to the promise particularly , that thy life may be long in the land the lord thy god shall give thee ; but speakes generally , first by adding something , that it may be well with thee , which was not in the first promise ; & then secondly , by detracting , saying only , that thou mayest live long upon the earth in generall . now to the preface some answer thus , that we may be said literally to be in egypt : and they goe upon this ground , that we are made one with the people of the jewes ; and they bring the eleventh of the romanes to prove this , where the gentiles are said to be graffed in , so that they become of the same stock . and it is plane , that the beleevers are abrahams seed ; and then , by this interpretation , whatsoever mercy was vouchsafed unto them , we are to account it as ours . this cannot well be rejected , but yet i shall not pitch upon this . others therefore they say , that this bondage was typicall of our spirituall bondage ; and the deliverance out of it was typicall , of our deliverance from hell. but this is not so literall an interpretation as i desire , though i think it true . therefore , in the third place , i shall answer , that there may be peculiar arguments that do belong to the jewes , why they should keep the commandments , and there are genarall ones that belong to all . the generall arguments are , i am the lord thy god , this belongs to us ; and then that peculiar argument may belong to them . and this is no new thing to have a perpetuall duty pressed upon a people , by some occasionall , or peculiar motive . hence jerem. . . . god saith there by the prophet , that they shall no more say , the lord that brought up out of the land of egypt , but that brought up out of the land of the north. where you see a speciall new argument may be brought for the generall duty . and as for the particular temporall promise , i grant that did onely belong to them ; but ideny the consequence , that therefore the precept doth not : for the scripture useth divers arguments to the obedience of the same command . davids psalmes for the most part , and some of paul's epistles , as philemon , &c. were written upon particular occasions , yet the matter of them doth still belong to us . the secoud argument is , that , if the law did oblige us as given by moses , then it did the gentiles , and heathens also , and so the heathens were bound to those commandements , as well as the jewes : but that is not so ; therefore paul , rom. . speaketh of the gentiles without this law , and as those that shall be judged without it . now this may be answered : it doth not follow that the law by moses must presently binde the gentiles , but when promulged and made known to them ; as at this time , infidels and pagans are not bound to beleeve in iesus christ : but if the doctrine of christ were promulged to them , they were then bound . and i make no question but other nations were then bound in the time of moses his ministery , to enquire after the true god , and to worship him in the jewish way , so far as they could . thus we read of the eunuch coming up to jerusalem to worship and certainly , if a whole nation had then been converted , either they must have worshipped god according to their own institution , or god would have revealed unto them some different way of worshipping him from the jews , or else they were bound so far as they could ( for the ceremoniall worship bound them no otherwaies ) to worship god in the jewish way , then appointed by him . the law then given by moses did binde gentiles , as it was made known to them : thus the stranger in the gates was to keep the sabbath , though that be meant of a stranger that had received their religion ; yea , nehem. . . nehemiah would not suffer the tyrians that were strangers , who did not submit to the jewish law , to pollute the sabbath . now to all this that hath been said , you must take this limitation , that the law given by moses doth not belong to us in all the particulars of the administration of it . the giving of the law in that terrible manner might be a peculiar thing belonging to the jewes , as becoming the dispensation of the old testament ; but yet the giving of the law it self , in the obliging power of it , doth belong to us . we all acknowledge that the old testament had a peculiar administration from the new ; it was fuller of terrour , and so did gender more to bondage then the new : hence some say , that the law was given on mount sinai ; which it was so called from seneh , a bramble bush ( the bush god appeared in . ) the mountaine being full of bramble bushes , representing unto us the terrible and pricking power of the law. use . to take heed of rejecting the law , as given by moses , lest at the same time we reject the whole old-testament : for it is said of the prophets , as well as the law , that they are till john ; and then why should they limit the law to moses his hands , more then others ? why should they not say , the law , as by david , as by isaiah , and ieremiah , doth not binde ? and if you say , they in other places speake of christ ; so doth moses also , as our saviour expresly saith . so that i see not how an antinomian can follow his principle , but he must needs cast off the old-testament , except it be in what it is propheticall of christ . lectvre xviii . matth . . , . ye have heard that it was said by them of old time , &c. but i say unto you , &c. the law as you have heard , may be considered either absolutely , as a rule , or relatively , as a covenant : we are handling of it in the first consideration , and have proved , that , as it was delivered by moses , it doth belong to us christians . i shall now handle the perfection of it , and labour to shew , that christ hath instituted no new duty which was not commanded before by the law of moses . and this question will be very profitable , partly against the antinomians , partly the papists , and lastly the socinians , as will appeare in the handling of it . that therefore i may the better come to my matter intended , take notice in the generall , that these words are part of christs sermon upon the mount ; so that as the law was first given upon a mount , so also it is explained and interpreted by christ upon a mount. and in this sermon is observable ; first , that christ begins with the end of actions , blessednesse ; for so morall philosophy , which is practicall , doth also begin . secondly , he describes the subjects who shall be made partakers of this , and they are described by severall properties . in the next place as some think ver . . he instructs the apostles about their peculiar office , ye are salt ( not honey , as one observeth ) which is bitter to wounds : ye are light , which is also offensive to sore eyes . in the next place he instructs the people ( though some make this only spoken to the disciples ) and that first about the substance of the precepts , what duties are to be done , against the false interpretations of the pharisees and scribes : and in the next chapter he sheweth the end , why we do the good things god requireth of us , and that is for the glory of god , which ought to consume all other ends , as the sunne puts out the light of the fire : and the first substantiall duty of the commandments which he instanceth in , is this in my text . now , before i raise the doctrine , i must answer some questions : as , first , a what is meant by these words , [ it hath been said by themof old ] for here is some difference . it is understood by some in the dative case , ( thus ) it hath been said to them of old : and hereby our saviour would comprehend the auditors , or hearers that have been heretofore . others do understand it equivalent unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did answer the ablative case among the latines ; and so it seemeth our interpreters take it , and thus others that are orthodox : but , truly , the opposition that seemeth to be in those words , [ it hath been said to them of old : but i say unto you ] makes me incline to the former way , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the dative case . it is also demanded , who are meant b by those of old , to what age that doth extend ? some referre it to those times only , that were between esdras and christ : but i rather think it is to be extended even unto moses his time , for we see our saviour instanceth in commands delivered then , and thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally ( except act . . ) referreth to the times of moses , or the prophets . secondly , whether those precepts which are said to be heard of old , be the law and words of moses , or the additions of corrupt glossers . and that most of them are the expresse words of moses , it is plain ; as thou shalt not kill , or commit adultery : but the doubt lyeth upon two places ; the first is ver . . shall be in danger of judgement . here is , say some , a two-fold corruption : . by adding words , which are not in the scripture ; for they speake peremptorily , he shall dye : whereas these words seem to be obscure and doubtfull , he shall be brought before the judges to be tryed , whether he be guilty or no. the second corruption they conceive in the sense , and that is , as if the pharisees did understand the commandment only to forbid actuall murder , but not murderous thoughts , affections , or intentions : and this last seemeth clearly to be the truth , as is to be shewed afterwards : but for the former i do something doubt , because , though that addition be not exprest in so many words , yet there seemeth to be that which is equivalent ; for , numb . . . there we read , the murderer who was to be put to death , was to be tryed by witnesses , which argueth there were judges to determine the cause . the second particular , is that ver . . thou shalt hate thy enemy : where some learned men observe a three-fold depravation : . an implyed one , as if a friend were only a neighbour : . a plain omission ; for lev. . it 's added , as thy self , which is here omitted . . a plain addition of that which was not only not commanded or permitted , but expresly prohibited , as exod. . . prov. . . and this may probably be thought an interpretation of the scribes and pharisees arguing on the contrary , that if we were to love our neighbours , then we were to hate our enemies ; yet there are some who would make the sense of this in the scripture ; that is , in a limited sense to the canaanites ; for they think that because they were commanded to make no covenant with them , but to destroy them , and not to pity them , therefore this is as much as to hate them : and thereupon , they understand the two fore quoted places , that speak of relieving of our enemies , to be only meant of enemies that were jews their country-men and not of strangers . and the jews thought they might kill any idolaters ; therefore tacitus saith of them , there was misericordia in promptu apud suos , mercy to their own ; but contra omnes alios hostile odium , hostile hatred against all others : yet this command of god to destroy those nations , some understand not absolutely but limitedly , if so be they did refuse the conditions of peace . i therefore incline to those , who think it a perverse addition of the scribes and pharisees , yet am not able to say the other is false . . whether our saviour do oppose himself here to others as a law-giver , or as an interpreter , cleansing away the mud and filth from the fountain . and this indeed is worthy the disquisition : for this chapter hath been taken by the manichees and marcionites of old , and by other erroneous persons of late , to countenance great errours ; for some have said , that the author of the old-testament , and the new testament are contrary ; some have said , that the new-testament or the gospel containeth more exact and spirituall duties then the old : hence they conclude , that many things were lawful then which are not now ; and they instance in magistracy , resisting of injuries , swearing , and loving of our enemies ; and many counsels of perfection added . and this is a very necessary question ; for hereby will be laid open the excellency of the law , when it shall be seen , that jesus christ ( setting aside the positive precepts of baptisme and the lords supper , &c. ) commanded no new duty , but all was a duty before , that is now . now , that our saviour doth only interpret , and not adde new laws , will appear , . from that protestation and solemn affirmation he makes , before he cometh to instruct the hearers about their duties : think not that i came to destroy the law , but to fulfill it . now , although it be true , that christ may be said to fulfill the law diverse wayes : yet i think he speaks here most principally , for his doctrinall fulfilling it ; for he opposeth teaching the law , to breaking of the law : and if this be so , then our saviours intent was , that he came not to teach them any new duty , to which they were not obliged before ; onely he would better explicate the law to them , that so they might be sensible of sin more then they were , and discover themselves to be fouler , and more abominable then ever they judged themselves . thus theophylact , as a painter doth not destroy the old lineaments , only makes them more glorious and beautifull , so did christ about the law. in the next place , christ did not adde new duties , which were not commanded in the law , because the law is perfect , and they were bound not to adde to it , or detract from it : therefore we are not to continue a more excellent way of duty , then that prescribed there . indeed the gospel doth infinitely exceed in regard of the remedy prescribed for afflicted sinners , and the glorious manifestation of his grace and goodnesse ; but if we speak of holy and spirituall duties , there cannot be a more excellent way of holinesse , this being an idea and representation of the glorious nature of god. . that nothing can be added to the law , appeareth by that commandment of loving god with all our heart and soul : now there can be nothing greater then this ; and this command is not only indicative of an end which we are to aime at , but also preceptive of all the means which tend thereunto . and lastly , our saviour saith not , except your righteousnesse exceed that of moses his law , or which was delivered by him , but that of the scribes and pharisees ; implying by that plainly , his intent was to detect and discover those formall and hypocriticall wayes which they pleased themselves in , when indeed they never understood the marrow , and excellency of the law. question . what was the opinion received among the pharisees concerning the commandments of god ? that you may know the just ground our saviour had thus to expound the law , it will be manifest , if you consider the generall opinion received among the jews about the sense of the commandments ; and that was , the law did onely reach to the outward man , did only forbid outward acts , and that there was no sin before god in our hearts , though we delighted in , and purposed the outward acts , if they were not outwardly committed . and this we may gather by paul , that all the while he was bewitched with pharisaicall principles , he did not understand inward lust to be sin : and as famous , as it is false , is that exposition brought by the learned of kimchy upon that psalm . . if i regard iniquity in my heart , he will not hear : he makes this strange meaning of it , if i regard iniquity onely in my heart , so that it break not forth into outward act , the lord will not hear , that is , hear , so as to impute it , or account it a sin . and thus it is observed of josephus , that he derideth polybius the noble historian , because he attributed the death of antiochus to sacriledge onely in his purpose and will , which he thought could not be ; that a man , having a purpose onely to sin , should be punished by god for it . but the heathens did herein exceed the pharisees , fecit quisque quantum voluit : its seneca's saying . and , indeed , it s no wonder if the pharisees did thus corrupt scripture , for its a doctrine we all naturally incline unto , not to take notice , or ever be humbled for heart sins , if so be they break not out into acts . oh , what an hell may thy heart be , when thy outward man is not defiled ? good is that passage , chron . . hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart . certainly , as god , who is a spirit , doth most love spirit-graces ; so he doth most abhor spirit-sins . the schools do well observe , that outward sins are majoris infamiae , of greater reproach , but inward heart-sins are majois reatûs , of greater guilt , as we see in the devils . and from this corruption in our nature , ariseth that poisonous principle in popery , which is also in all formall protestants , that the commands of god do onely forbid the voluntary omission of outward acts , whereas our saviours explication will finde every man to be a murderer , an adulterer , &c. now our saviours explications of the law go upon those grounds which are observed by all sound divines , viz. . that the law is spirituall , and for . bids not onely the fruit and branches of sin , but even the root it self and fountain : and . that wheresoever any sin is forbidden , and in what latitude soever ; the contrary good things are commanded , and in that proportionable latitude . this therefore considered , may make every man tremble and be afraid of his own heart , and with him to cry out , gehenna sum domine , i am a very hell it self . let us not therefore be afraid of preaching the law as we see christ here doth , for this is the great engine to beat bown the formality , and pharisaisme that is in people . and thus i come to raise the doctrine , which is , that the law of god is such a perfect rule of life , that christ added no new precept or duty unto it : but even as the prophets before did onely explicate the law , when they pressed morall duties ; so also christ and the apostles , when they urge men unto holy duties , they are the same commanded heretofore : i do not speak of sacraments , or the outward positive worship , which is otherwise then was in the old-testament ( they had circumcision , and we have baptisme ) but of the morall duties required of us . it is true , in the old-testament many things were expressed more grosly and carnally , which the people for the most part understood carnally ; yet the duties then commanded were as spirituall as now : there is onely a graduall difference in the manifestation of the duties , no specificall difference of the duties themselves . and that this may appeare the more to the dignity and excellency of the law , i will instance in particulars : first , the law of god required the heart-worship and service . that this may be understood , take this for a generall rule , which is not denied by any : that when there are any morall duties pressed in the old-testament , the prophets do it , as explainers of the law ; they do but unfold and draw out that arras which was folded together before . this being premised , then consider those places in the old-testament that call for the heart : thus pro. . let thine heart keep my commandements ; so pro. . . my sonne , give me thine heart : so that all the duties then performed , which were without the heart and inward man , were not regarded : god required then heart-prayer , and heart humiliation . it s true , the people for the most part understood all carnally and grosly , thinking the outward duty commanded onely : and that is no marvell ; for do not people , even in these times of the gospel , look to the externall duty , not examining whether they pray or humble themselves according as the word speaks of such duties ? thus david was very sensible of his heart-neglect , when he prayed , unite my heart to feare thy name : and are not the people of god still under the same temptations ? they would pray , they would humble themselves ; but oh how they want an heart ! that is so divided and distracted , that if after any duty we should put that question to it , as god did to satan , from whence commest thou ? it would returne satans answer , from compassing the earth . . it preferred duties of mortification and sanctification , before religious outward duties . this you shall see frequently pressed and inculcated by the prophets . isaiah . how doth god abhorre there all their solemne duties , making them abominable even like carrion , and all because they did not wash them , and make them clean ? so david saith , a broken and contrite heart , it was more then any burnt offering now under the times of the gospel . this is an high duty , and few reach unto it . doth not the apostle reprove the corinthians for desiring gifts , rather then graces ; and abilities of parts , rather then holinesse ? so that this is an excellent duty prescribed by gods law , that to be able to mortifie our affections , to have sanctified natures , is more then to have seraphicall knowledge , and cherubinicall affections in any duty . who then can be against the preaching of the law , when it is such an excellent and pure rule , holding forth such precious holinesse ? . it required all our duies to be done , . in faith : for who can think , that when god required in the first table having him for their god , that hereby was not commanded faith and trusting in him , as a god in covenant , who would pardon sinne ? how could the jewes love god , or pray unto him acceptably , if they had not faith in him ? therefore the law is to be considered most strictly , as it containeth nothing but precepts of things to be done in which sense , it is sometimes , though seldom , taken . and . more largely , as it had the preface , and promises added unto it : and so it did necessarily require justifying faith ; for it cannot be conceived , that when god commanded the people of israel by moses , to worship him , and to acknowledge him as their god , but that his will was , they should beleeve on him as a father : but more of this when we speak of the law as a covenant . . in love : and this is so much commanded by the law , that christ makes the summe of the law to be in these two things ; love of god , and of our neighbour . therefore i wonder at the antinomian , who is so apt to oppose the doing of things in love , and doing of them by the law together : for , doth not the law of god command every duty to be in love , to pray in love to god ? yea , by the law we are to love god , because hee hath given christ for us ; for the law commands us to love god for whatsoever benefits he bestoweth upon us : now , if we are to love him for temporall benefits , much more for spirituall . it is true , the dispensation of the law was in a terrible way , and did gender to bondage ; but the doctrine of the law , that was for love , and the more any jew did any thing in love to god , the more conformable he was to gods law. . it required such an heavenly heart , that we are to love god more then any thing else . it did not only require love to god , but also it commanded it in such a preheminency , as that none under the times of the gospel can do an higher duty , or expression of love than then was commanded ; suppose a man be a martyr , will lose his life for gods cause , this is an obedience to the first commandement . when our saviour saith , he that loveth father or mother more then me , is not worthy of me ; he commands no higher thing of any christian , then every jew was bound to do ; hence levi was so commended , because in executing of justice , he knew not father or mother : and it must needs be so ; for what can be more then all ? and yet god requires all the minde , all the heart , all the strength ; not that we are bound to love god in quantum est diligibilis , for god can only can love himself , but nihil supra , aequè , or contra . . it required spirituall motives for all our solemn addresses unto him . there are some men who look upon all the jewes under the old testament as so many bruit beasts , that did only minde earthly things : and that as children are allured by apples and nuts rather then by a great inheritance ; so they were only invited to duties by carnall and temporall motives , not by any spirituall considerations . now how false this is , appeareth by the prophets generall complaints , that when they fasted , it was not to him , even to him ; and so they howled , because of their miseries , but not becase god was offended : and thus david , though he had received the pardon of his sinne , yet how kindly , and spiritually doth he mourn , against thee , thee only have i sinned ? thus micah . i will beare the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him . what can be more spirituall ? . it required joy and contentednesse in him more then in any creature ; yea , to the contempt of all creatures : & doth the gospel-administration rise higher in any command ? we judge those very spirstuall expressions , reioyce in the lord alwayes ; and , set your affections on things above ; and , our conversation is in heaven : but doth not david go as high , when he saith , whom have i in heaven but thee , and none in earth in comparison of thee ? did not david preferre the word of god above gold and honey ? did not his heart faint , and yern within him ? what a sweet strain is that of him , when banished , he doth not wish for his kingdome , nor outward estate , but to see god in the beauties of holinesse ? therefore , howsoever the dispensation was not so cleare and manifest , yet those that were diligent and blessed by god , did arise to such excellent tempers . . yea , it required all perfection . but what need i runne further in perfection , seeing it comanded all perfection ? perfection of the subject , the man ought to be in minde and soul and affections all over holy ; perfection in the object , there was no duty , or performance , but the law requireth it ; perfection in degrees , it did require love without any defect , without any remissenesse at all : so that there cannot be a more excellent doctrinall way of holinesse then the preaching of the law. . god ●●d work grace in us by this , as well as by the gospel . i a 〈…〉 this particular , lest any should say , all this terrifieth the more , because it only commands , and doth not help : i answer , that god doth use the law instrumentally , for to quicken up grace , & increase it in us , as david , psal . . doth at large shew . it is true , the law of it self cannot work grace ; no more can the gospell of it selfe work grace : only here is the difference , we cannot be justified by any works of the law that we are inabled to do , only we are justified by faith ; not as it is a work , for so it s commanded in the law , but as an instrument applying christ . therefore gods spirit doth graciously accompany us in the pressing of these duties ; and hereby we become like a living law : neither doth this exclude christ , but advance him the more . use . of instruction , how necessary a duty it is for a minister of iesus christ to be diligent in preaching and explicating of the law of god. we see christ here , the first , and the longest sermon that ever he preached , was to vindicate the law , and to hood forth the excellency of it : and if we be legall preachers in so doing , then christ also is so to be accounted : and indeed some have not been affraid to speak so of christ . but to speake the truth , the preaching of the law is so necesstry , that you can never be spirituall , heavenly , heart-christians , unlesse these things be daily set before your eyes . can the boy ever learn to write well , unlesse an exact copy be laid before him ? therefore you can never advance the law too much , or heare of it too much , if so be it still be propounded as a rule , as a doctrine . indeed when it is made a ground for our justification , then we turne the precious manna into corrupt wormes . therefore be so farre from condemning , or disputing against the law , as that you would earnestly desire to have more and more of this excellent rule laid downe before your eyes . how proud will be my best humility ? how carnall will my best heavenly-mindednesse be , if so be that i go to this rule ? where will formality , and customary duties appeare , if so be that we attend to this guide ? oh know , there is a great deale of unknowne sinfulness in thy heart , because the law is unknown to thee . lectvre xix . matth . . , . ye have heard , it was said of old , &c. because my purpose is to set forth the dignity of the morall law , i shall therefore briefly demonstrate in this present sermon , the falshood of that opinion , maintained by papists , anabaptists , and socinians , that christ came to give us more exact precepts then moses delivered to the jewes , and therefore that christ was not here an interpreter , but a reformer . it cannot be denyed , but this sermon of our saviours hath bred many thoughts of heart : for , because of these precepts here , not rightly understood , the heathens took occasion to calumniate the christian religion , as that which could not stand with a common-wealth : and the ancient fathers were much troubled in answer to their objections ; for when julian and others did urge , that seeing by christs commands we might not resist evill , but rather be prepared to receive more injuries , therefore no warre no magistracy , no places of judicature were lawfull : the fathers in their answer did seeme to yeeld this , only they said , here was a lawfull way , and a better way : to warre , or to take places of justice were lawfull wayes ; but yet to refuse these , and not to medle with them at all , was a more sublime , christian way . and from this mistake came that erroneous opinion of precepts and councels . besides , it 's thought by the learned , that some of the ancient fathers , being philosophers before , did retaine much of that stoicall disposition in them , and so made christs precepts comply with their affections : but this i shall endeavour to prove , that there is no lawfull morall way heretofore commanded by moses to the jewes , which doth not at this time also belong to christians . only let me premise thus much , that , howsoever the things questioned by the adversaries , are lawfull to christians ; yet there are few that rise up to the practise of them as christ commanded . certainly these places ; of not resisting evill , of giving our cloak to him that would take away our coat , &c. though they do not exclude the office of a magistrate , or our desire of him to aide us in our defence ; yet they do forbid the frequent and common practise of most christians ; so that we may say , there are few states ; and kingdomes which do rise up to the practise of that patience , and christian meeknesse , which we see here commanded . inso much that kingdomes are more the kingdomes of the world then of christ , and the lawes and practises of common-wealths are such as sute more with humane states then with the lawes of christ . but i come to the particulars . and first , whereas it 's granted to be lawfull by the law of moses to swear , now ( say some ) under the gospel it 's made absolutely unlawfull , under any pretence whatsoever , and ( say they ) here our saviour forbids it absolutely , swear not at all ; and james , following this of our saviour , doth the like . hence their opinion is , that it is not only unlawfull , to swear falsely and vainly , but at all in any respect . and this ( say they ) is a perfection required of christians above those of the law. nor is it any wonder that men of late have doubted of this , seeing the learned shew , that some of the fathers of old have thought it absolutely unlawfull for a christian to swear . in eusebius one basilides , a christian , being commanded to swear , replied , it was not lawfull for him , because he was a christian : and hierome saith , that to swear was permitted to the jews , or infants , as to offer sacrifices unto god ; yet i cannot see , but that they did swear also , although sometimes they speak as if they thought there were an absolute prohibition of it . yet athanasius made a solemn oath , to purge himself , when accused to the emperour : and tertullian saith , though the christians refused to swear per genium principis , because that they conceived it a devill , yet they did swear per salutem principis . some again have thought , that it is lawfull to swear , but then only in religious things , or in things that do concerh the safety of the publique , but that it is not lawfull to swear in any thing of our own , or about any money matter : and basil doth object to the christians of his time , the example of one clinius a pythagorean , who being fined a great summe of money , and might have escaped it by an oath , yet chose rather to undergoe that dammage then to swear . some have thought it better , if in humane affairs , where promissory oaths use to be , there were only a naked promise , yet with as great a punishment upon the breaking of it , as if it were perjury , because men are for the most part more awed with fear of punishment then breaking an oath but , whatsoever the thoughts of men may be about limiting of swearing ; yet it is lawfull in some cases to swear : neither is our saviour so to be understood as universally forbidding . first , because then he would have destroyed the law , which yet he denyeth that he doth ; for deut. . to swear by god , is a command not indeed of a thing absolutely in it self , but occasionally , as opportunity shall be : therefore the word that signifieth to sweare in the heb. is in the passive sense ▪ implying that we are not voluntarily to choose to do so , but when necessity requireth it . secondly , again , christ doth not absolutely prohibit it , because the use and end of an oath is perpetuall , which is to end controversies , heb. . therefore . aquinas saith well , that , what first principles are in speculatives , to determine all conclusions , the same an oath is in practicalls , to end controversies . thirdly , and lastly , we have the example of paul swearing sometimes in his epistle ; so that our saviour doth not altogether forbid it , but he reproveth the pharisees corrupt glosses , which were , . to think that if a man did not name god in his oath , though it were by other creatures , it was not perjury , if he did falsifie that oath . and how many come neer this , who think if they sweare by the creatures , so that god is not named , it 's not such an hainous thing . the second corrupt interpretation was , they thought that gods name was not polluted , if so be they intended to make good their promise , though they did use the name of god in their oathes , about unnecessary , and vain matters . now this our saviour forbids by his affirmative direction , let your yea , be yea , and nay , nay , what soever is more then this is of sinne . he speakes there of our ordinary & familiar discourse as private persons ; not concerning a publike consideration : even as afterwards , when he mentioneth the duty of not resisting evil , he forbids private revenge , and not publique justice . although some understand this of our saviours , and that of james , not of assertory oathes ( for it 's spoken by our saviour , in addition unto that , thou shalt pay unto the lord thy vows ) but of promissory oaths ; and so the meaning , is , although thou intend to performe or do such a thing , yet doe not sweare , because things are so uncertain , and many things may fall out : and this is very probable . only if you understand it the former way , you must not take it so , as if an oath were such a lawfull thing , as that it is propter se appetendum ; but only as physick is , which is sometimes necessary for another thing . thus therefore having cleared , that our saviour intendeth no higher thing then that was lawfull before , give me leave to reprove the common practise among men , who say they are christians , about swearing . if you observe men in their discourse , in their trading , do they carry themselves so , as if christ had said , sweare not at all ; and not rather , as if he said , sweare alwayes and altogether ? oh therefore that this common customary way of swearing , which doth so directly oppose christ , were wholy laid aside ! the very heathens will condemne us herein , and among the heathens , ex animisui sententià , was in stead of an oath . it seemeth this custome of swearing in discourse hath been of old ; for chrysostome and austin are very vehement against it in their sermons . now let us proceed . there are some who from those words of our saviour spoken ver . , , , . do gather , that now under the gospel it 's not lawfull , . to put any man to death for any fault whatsoever . . that it 's not lawfull to warre . . not to go to law in any case , . not to seek to a magistrate for the defence of our selves ; therefore in these opinions they thinke they hold forth much of christian meeknesse and patience : but before we come to the particulars , let us consider in what sense it'a said , an eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth . this kind of law was an ancient one among other nations : aristotle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and we read of a double retaliation , one pythagoricall , which was wicked and ungodly , holding that if a man did thieve from one , the same might thieve from him again : the other mosaicall , which was good , and had justice in it . onely the question is , whether this be literally to be understood , that it was lawfull for a man , who had his eye or tooth struck out by another , to desire of the judge , that he , who did this violence , should also have his eye or tooth beaten out . you may reade the law exod. . . and how it ought to be moderated by judges , ( private men not being left to revenge themselves ) deut. . . this law was not given ( as one wickedly saith ) to indulge the childish condition of the jewes , as being apt to revenge , and therefore makes it an imperfect law , ( saying that many lawes of men were more perfect lawes ) but it was given against private revenge , and the end was that justice might be done . now some have said , this law was literally observed , and that a man who was wounded by another , hee himselfe was wounded againe . but i doe rather thinke that the command in the letter of it was not observed , but that a recompence was made according to the judgment of the judge for the losse : and it would have been a very hard thing , if one man had wounded another , to inflict just such a wound , neither deeper nor broader , nor doing no more hurt upon the man who offered violence . wee therefore come to the questions : and first concerning capitall punishments to be inflicted upon some offenders . there are those that say , it doth not stand with the goodnesse and meeknesse of a gospel-spirit to put any man to death for any crime whatsoever . but the falsenesse hereof doth appeare , . in that it 's a command of god from the beginning , with a perpetuall reason added to it , that he who was guilty of murder , should be put to death ; so that at least in this case there ought to be a capitall punishment . now the command that god gave is gen. . . whatsoever sheddeth mans blood , by man shall his blood beshed , and there is the reason given of it , because the image of god , viz. in his soule , is in him to elude this , they say that this is not a command but a meere prediction : god doth here fore-tell ( say they ) what will befall the murderer , not what a magistrate is bound to do . but that is a meere evasion ; for why should god fore-tell this , but because it was a duty to be done ? therefore it 's not said indefinitly , he that sheddeth mans blood , his blood shall be shed , but he addeth , by man it shall be shed . therefore , howsoever a great * scholar saith , that those are deceived , who think capitall punishments are appointed by the law of nature , or any perpetuall law of god ; yet this place demonstrateth the contrary : neither is it any matter that plato would have reduced into his common-wealth the abrogation of capital punishments ; or that the romans for a while did use no heavier punishment , then deportation , or banishment ; we must live by commands , and not by examples , especially humane . it's instanced in cain , who , though he killed his brother abel , yet god did not destroy him . it must be granted , that , gods indulgence to cain was very great ; for he doth not only spare his life , but sets a marke upon him to preserve him ( what this was , they are most to be commended , who dare not determine it , because the scripture is silent in it . ) and not only so , but he addeth a more severe punishment to that man that shall kill cain , then was due to the killing of any man. although it may be thought god in suffering cain to live , was not so much indulgent as severe , in suffering him to be an instance of his displeasure against him to all the world ; as psal . . . slay them not ( saith the psalmist ) lest my people forget : so that it is one thing , what god may do for speciall reasons ; and another , what the common law of nature , and the perpetuall law of god requireth . a second argument for capitall punishents under the gospel , is from the magistrates office , who , rom. . is said , not to beare the sword in vaine : now the sword , doth imply a power of life and death , and therefore paul said , if i have done any thing worthy of death , implying there were some things that did deserve it . lastly , that to put to death men for faults , is not repugnant to the spirit of the gospel , appeareth by the judgement upon ananias and sapphira . you cannot reade of a-more severe expression under the law , then that was of the gospel ; so that as we are indeed to labour for the meeknes and patience of a christian , yet we are not to forget zeale for godsglory , and the publick good , it being cruelty to the good to spare the bad : and if we would pity such a man offending , we must much more pity the common-wealth . that which is objected to this is , . the rebuke that our saviour gave to his disciples , when they would have had fire come downe from heaven : they are reproved upon this ground , because they knew not what spirit they were of . now , say they , this spirit is the spirit of the new testament , which is opposed to the spirit of elias in the old. the answer is obvious that christ doth not there oppose the spirit of the new testament & the old together , but their spirit , and elias his spirit . what elias did , he was moved unto by the spirit of god , not for any private revenge , but that the glory of god might be illustrated . now this fire of theirs was rash and vindicative : it was not elementary fire , but culinary ; nourished by low and unworthy considerations . in the next place they urge the fact of our saviour , john . to the adulteresse ; where he doth not proceed to the stoning of her , but rather freeth her . the answer is , that christ in his first coming was not as a judge , and therefore did not take upon him to medle in temporall punishments , only as a minister , he laboured to bring them unto repentance , both the woman , and the accusers . and whereas againe it 's objected , that this way of putting to death , is against charity and love of mens souls , because many are put to death without any seeming repentance , which is presently to send them to hell. the answer is , that all magistrates , they are to take care for the salvation of the melefactors soules , as much as in them lyeth ; but if they doe perish in their sins , this ariseth not from justice done , which is rather to bring them in mind of their sins , and to humble them but it cometh from the frowardnesse , & obstinacy in their owne hearts . and in that , we see a magistracy confirmed in the gospel , we need not require an expresse command in the new testament for the putting of some malefactors to death . the third thing which they say was allowed in the law , but forbid by christ in the gospel is warre : and certainly we may reade in antiquity , that the christians did refuse warre , but not universally ; for there were christian souldiers , only there were some peculiar causes , why in those times , the christians might decline it ; as , first , because in their military oath , there was a calling upon a heathen god , and their banners lifted up were polluted with idolatry . and secondly , because they should be forced sometimes to be instruments in accomplishing the emperours edicts against the christians , which they would not do : now if we bring places out of the old-testament for the lawfulnesse of warrs , they care not ; for , say they , the laws of nature , and of moses are to be reformed by the lawes of christ , god indeed ( say they ) gave the jewes in the old-testament leave to fight , because they had a temporall inheritance and possession given them which they could not keep but by force of armes : now under the new-testament , god hath not done so to his people . thus they say , but this is a shift , for we know abraham , by a meere law of nature , went to war , and delivered his nephew lot , being oppressed by enemies . by that warre is allowed by christ , appeareth plainly by comparing . tim. . . and rom. . where the apostle would have us pray for magistrates , & supposeth , that while they are magistrates , they may be christians , and come to the faith ; so that thereby we may live a quiet and godly life under them ; now how can this be unlesse they draw their sword upon offenders ? and if they cannot in an ordinary legall way be brought to judgement , then by force of armes . the second knowne argument is from luke . . where john baptist counselleth the souldiers not to lay downe their office , but to look to such duties as were necessary to them in that place ; and , which is to be observed , these were mercenary souldiers , as it is thought , they were at that time . as for the objections , they are taken from such considerations , as will be examined in the next particular ; only the orthodox that do hold war lawfull , they do acknowledge many rules necessary for the godly and holy managing of it : and it is an hard thing to have an holy camp ; and this made austin say , in regard of the concomitant evils of it , that omne bellum etiam justum esse detestandum ; yet not but he thought it necessary to have it used , when it concerned the glory of god , and the good of the publique . lectvre xx. matth . . , . ye have heard it hath been said by them of old , &c. there remain two questions more to be decided in this businesse , concerning christs interpretation of the law of moses : the one is about the lawfulnesse of repelling force by force : the other about applying our selves to the magistrate , to defend us against the injury , and violence of others . now , that i may not be tedious in the discussing of these , i will lay down fome few grounds that serve to the clearing of the truth herein , and so proceed to other matter , although ( as you have heard ) this tendeth much to the dignity and excellency of the law. first therefore take notice , that there is in all a cursed pronenesse to do things by way of revenge : insomuch that there is not one in a thousand that doth rise up in practise to this excellent way , and rule of patience . the heathens , they thought to revenge our selves was lawfull : thus tully , it is the first office of justice to hurt no body , unlesse first provoked by injury : o quam simplicem , veramque sententiam ( saith lactantius ) duorum verborm adjectione corrupit ! but seneca , he was against this , immane verbum est ultio ; and , qui ulsciscitur , excusatiùs peccat . now whatsoever the thoughts of men may be about the lawfulnesse , it 's certain , the practises of men are much contaminated this way . in state and civil matters , in church matters , what a revengefull spirit breatheth in men ? this certainly cometh much short of our saviours directions . there is no injury or violence offered unto thee , but , in stead of revengefull affections , there may be holy mortifying thoughts in thee : as when sheba cursed david , see how that brought him to the sense of sinne , to look up unto god more then to the instrument . all defamations and reproaches may serve to make thy graces more splendent . as plutarch observeth , the gardener planteth his unsavory herbs , garlike and onyons neer his sweetest roses , that so the smell thereof may be the more prized . that was an excellent temper of calvin , when reviled by luther , he said , etiamsi lutherus millies me diabolum vocet , ego tamen illum insignem domini servum agnosco . although luther call me a thousand times a divell , yet i acknowledge him , an eminent servant of god. why is it , that there are such suspicions , heart-burnings , defamations of one another , hard speeches and censures , but because this lesson of christ is not learned by us ? . consider this , that the primitive christians have gone very farr in this question , holding it unlawfull to defend a mans self from another who would kill us , by killing of the invader . austin saith , he cannot tell how to defend those that do kill the invader ; and to this purpose others . it is maintained by some , that though indeed a man is not bound to be killed rather then to kill ; yet if he do chuse the former rather then the latter , he doth a work full of charity , and worthy of admiration . another saith , these precepts of christ were given to the disciples , who were by their blood to increase the church , and by their patience and humility to convert tyrants : but now modernis non congruit , nec locum habet hodie , esset enim ad detrimentum ecclesiae ; it doth not hold in these latter times , for that would be to the prejudice of the church ; a foolish assertion . as these go too high , so the jesuits in their cases , they go too low , and give too much roome to the revenge of man ; for so it 's determined by them , that a noble man , though he may save his life by flying , when invaded suddenly , yet is not bound to fly , but may lawfully kill the invader , if he cannot otherwise preserve his life and honour together . but this is corrupt counsell , and opens a way to many murders upon a pretence of honour . . take notice of this , that the law of god in the old-testament , was as strict against revenge as any precept in the new-testament , and therefore nothing is now required of us , which was not then . consider that place , lev. . . thou shalt not avenge , or beare any grudge against the children of thy people , but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe : what can be clearer then this , to subdue those waves and tempests that do rise in our hearts ? so prov. . . say not , i will do to him , as he hath done to me : i will render to the man , according to his work : here also revengefull expressions & resolutions are forbidden ; yea the reason why we are forbidden to avenge our selves given by paul , rom. . . because vengeance belongs unto god , is that which was drawn from the old-testament . in stead therefore of disputing , let us seriously set upon the practise of the duty , & the rather because it 's sweeter then honey it selfe to our corrupt hearts ; and at this time this sinne doth much rage every where . lastly , our saviour doth not here forbid a lawfull publique revenge , but a private one . this distinction of publique and private revenge , being unknown to the fathers in the primitive times , made them runne into very hard and incommodious expressions ; some giving occasion hereby of that distinction of counsels and precepts : others , as austin , making the revenge allowed in the old-testament to be peculiar to the dispensation of those times : hence , when one volusianus objected to him , that the doctrine of christ did not agree to the manners of a common-wealth ; he answereth by comparing the precept of christ with that of caesars , that he used to forget nothing , but injuries . now this doth not indeed speake according to the scope of our saviour here , who is giving rules to private christians , not to publique magistrates . now that there is such a distinction as this , appeareth plaine , thus ; paul , rom. . . exhorteth christians not to avenge themselves , because vengeance belongs to god ; yet , chap. . speaking of the magistrate , ver . . he saith , he is the avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil : so then there is revenge and a revenger , which is not god ; nor yet our selves , but the magistrate ; yet the revenge that the magistrate inflicteth may well be called the vengeance of god , because it 's gods appointment he should doe it . thus numb . . . arme your selves , and avenge the lord on the midianites : so . chron. . you execute the judgments of the lord , and not of men ; yet for all this , you must know that magistrates may have revengefull affections in them , even when they execute justice ; and so people , when they implore the magistrates aid , it may not be out of zeale to justice & love to the publique good , but because of private affections , and carnall dispositions . and oh the blessednesse that would accrew to the common-wealth , if all were carried in their severall places upon this publique ground ! having therefore dispatched briefly these controversies , i come to another , wherein the antinomian doth directly derogate from the profitable effect & benefit of the law. this therefore is an assertion which an ●ntinomian authour maintaineth , that the law is not an instrument of true sanctification , & that the promise or the gospel is the seed and doctrine of our new birth & for this he bringeth many arguments , and the judgments of diverse learned men , assertion of grace , pag. . and it may not be denyed , but that many speeches might fall from some men , which might seem to comply with that opinion . i shall now labour to maintaine the positive part , viz. that the law of god preached , may be blessed by him instrumentally to work the conversion of men : and it is necessary to make this good ; for , were the contrary true , it would be a ministers duty in great part to lay aside the preaching of the morall law , as not instrumentall , or subservient to that maine end of the ministery , which is the conversion of soules . nor can i yeeld to that , that the preaching of the law works onely preparatorily , or some terrours about sinne , and can goe no further ; but ( i suppose ) that jesus christ hath obtained of god by his death , that such efficacy and vertue should goe forth in the ministry that whether it be by law , or gospell he preacheth , the soules of men may be healed , and converted thereupon : onely two things must be premised ; first , that the law could never work to regeneration , were it not for the gospel-promise . nemo potest implere legem , per legem , none can obey the law , by the law meerly . had not god graciously promised to give a new heart through christ , there had been no way to make any thing effectuall that we preach out of the law ; so that ( for instance ) while a minister , preaching of any commandement , doth thereby mould , and new frame the heart ; all this benefit comes by christ , who therefore died , and ascended into heaven , that so the things we preach may be advantagious to our souls : so that there never was in the church of god meer pure law , or meer pure gospel . but they have been subservient to each other in the great work of conversion . the question is not then , whether converting grace , be ex lege , or vi legis , of , or by the power of the law , but whether it may be cum lege , with the preaching of the law. i know it 's of great consequence to give an exact difference between the law and the gospel . it is well said of luther , qui scit inter legem & evangelium discernere , gratias agat deo , & sciat se esse theologum : but i shall not meddle with that now . this is that which i assert , that , as to the point of a mans conversion , god may make the opening of the morall law instrumentally to concur thereunto , onely this cometh by christ . the second thing which i premise is this , that howsoever the law preached may be blest to conversion , yet the matter of it cannot be the ground of our justification , or adoption : so that when a man doth repent , & turn unto god from his sins , he cannot have hope or consolation in any thing he doth , but it must be in the promise of the gospel ; so that the difference of the law and gospel lieth not in this , ( as some do assigne ) that one is the instrument of grace , and the other not ; ( for god useth both , as i shall shew ) but in this , that the holinesse wrought in us by preaching of the word of god , whether it be law or gospel , doth not justifie us ; but this favour is in an evangelicall manner , by forgiving whatsoever is irregular in us , and communicating christ his righteousnesse to us . therefore let us not confound the law , or gospel , nor yet make them so contrary in their natures and effects , that where one is , the other cannot be . to these two , there is also a third thing to be premised , and that is , how the word of god in generall is a medium , or instrumentall to our conversion . for , the clearing of this well , must needs discover , that the law of god , being part of gods word , doth convert as well as the gospel : and this must needs be the opinion of all sound divines , whatsoever may fall from them at other times , as appeareth by their common answer to the papists question . if the law , and the commands thereof be impossible , to what purpose then doth he command them ? why doth he bid us turne to him when we cannot ? then we answer that these commandements are not onely informing of a duty , but they are practicall and operative means appointed by god , to work , at least in some degree , that which is commanded . hence those commands are compared , by the learned , to that command of our saviour to lazarus , that he should rise up and walk . it doth also further appeare , in those ends they assigne of gods revealing the law , viz. to make us see as in a glasse our deformity , to be humbled before god ; to be affrighted out of our selves , to seek for grace in christ ; now can the meer law of it selfe do this ; doth not grace work this in us by the preaching of the law ; and is not this the initiall grace of conversion ? as austin said , tract . . in johan : cumcaeperit tibi displicere quod fecisti , inde incipiunt bona opera tua , quia accusas mala operatua : initium operum bonorum , est confessio malorum : the beginning of good in us , is the accusation of that which is bad . therefore , for the clearing of this generall , take notice , . that the word of god as it is read , or preached , worketh no further then objectively to the conversion of a man , if considered in it self . take it ( i say ) in it self , not animated by the spirit of god , and the utmost effect it can reach unto , is to work onely as an object upon the understanding . and in this sense it is that the scripture is compared to a light . now we know the sun giveth light by way of an object , it doth not give a seeing eye to a blind man. it is a noble queston in divinity , seeing regeneration is attributed both to the word , and to baptisme , how one worketh it differently from the other : or , if both work it , why is not one superfluous ? now concerning the word preached , we may more easily answer , then about the sacraments , viz. that it works by way of an object upon the soul of a man : and were it not set home by the spirit of god , this is the furthest worke it could obtaine . and this doth plainly appeare , in that the word of god doth only convert those who are able to heare and understand . and the word of god being thus of it selfe onely a directive and informative rule : hence it 's compared to the pilots compasse , to theseus his thred , leading us in the circean gardens of this world : and therefore take away the spirit of god , and we may say , the whole scripture is a letter killing , yea that which we call the gospel . preach the promises of the gospel a thousand times over , they convey no grace , if the spirit of god be not there effectually . indeed , if the communicating of grace were inseparably annexed to the preaching of the gospel , then that were of some consequence which is objected by the antinomian . but sad experience sheweth , that notwithstanding the large promises of grace to overflow like a fountain ; whereas in the old testament , it was by drops only , yet the greater part to whom the grace of god is offered , are not converted . therefore in the next place consider this , whatsoever good effects , or benefit is conveyed to the soul by the preaching of the law , or the gospel , it 's efficiently from gods spirit : so that we must not take the law without the spirit of god ; and then compare it with the gospel , having the spirit of god , for that is unequall . and by the same reason , i may preferre the law sometimes before the gospel ; for i may suppose a minister , opening the duties of the law , as christ doth here in this chapter , and the spirit of god accompanying this , to change the heart of a man : and on the otherside , one preaching the gospel , in the greatest glory of it , yet not accompanyed with gods spirit , there may not be the least degree of grace wrought in any hearer : therefore i cannot well understand that , the law indeed that sheweth us our duty , but the gospel , that giveth us grace to do it ; for , if you take the gospel for the promises preached , how many are there that heare these , that yet receive no benefit by them ? and on the other side , if the law , setting forth our duty , be accompanyed with gods spirit , that may instrumentally work in us an ability to our duty ; and without the spirit the gospel cannot do it . it is true , if this were the meaning , that had there been only law , there could never have been any grace vouchsafed , but it is by reason of christ , and so the promises of the gospel , that any good is brought to the soules ; and so the law worketh as a medium to our conversion by christ . if , i say , this be the meaning , then it 's true ; but the obscure , and unclear expressing of this , giveth an occasion to the antinomian errour . now that the scripture , as it is written , or preached , without the spirit of god cannot convert us , is plain , partly because then the devils , and great men of parts , which do understand the letter of the scripture better then others , would be sooner converted ; partly because the scripture , so far as it 's a word read , or preached , cannot reach to the heart , to alter and change that . hence the word of god , though it be compared to a sword , yet it 's called a sword of the spirit , ephes . . . yet , although this be true , we must not fall into that extream errour of some , who therefore deny the necessity of the scripture , and would have us wholly depend upon the spirit of god , saying , the scripture is a creature , and we must not give too much to a creature ; for the spirit is the efficient , and the word is the subordinate , and these two must not be opposed , but composed one with the other . now having cleared this generall . i bring these arguments to prove the law , and the preaching of it , the means of conversion . . that which is attributed to the whole word of god , as it is gods word , ought not to be denyed to any part of it . now this is made the property of the whole word of god , to be the instrument of conversion , tim. . . where you have the manifold effects of gods word , to reprove , to correct , & to instruct in righteousness , that the man of god may be thorowly furnished to every good work . now mark the universality of this , all scripture , whether you take all collectively or distributively , it will not invalidate this argument , because every part of scripture hath it's partiall ability , and fitnesse for these effects here mentioned . thus math . the word of god in generall is compared to seed fown , that bringeth forth fruit : see also heb. . . . the second argument is taken from those places where the law is expresly named to be instrumentall in this great work . not to name that place of rom. . . where the law is called spirituall , in this respect as well as in others , because it is that which works spiritually in us ; as paul was carnall , because he worked carnally : the places are cleare out of the . psal . and psal . . . the law of god is perfect , converting the soul . it is true , some understand the converting of the soul , to be as much as the reviving of it , as if the soul were ready to swoune away through the troubles thereof ; but then the law doth revive them again , and comfort them : and according to this sense they take law largely , as comprehending the gospell ; but it seemeth hard to expound that phrase in such a manner . that therefore which the antinomian doth object against this place is , that the hebrew word doth signifie largely any doctrine , and so may comprehend the whole word of god. but this is easily answered : first , the same hebrew word is commonly used for the law , when it is strictly taken ; and therefore this maketh more against them , that the word [ law ] in the hebrew notion doth not signifie such a commanding , terrifying and damning thing , but rather that which doth instruct and informe . but , in the next place , grant that the word hath such an extensive and comprehensive sense , yet it doth not exclude the morall law , but doth alwayes include . can any man think , when david commends the law of god , that he meaneth all the word of god but the morall law , when indeed that was the greatest part of it at that time ? . that opinion , which would make christ not take an instrumentall way for the conversion of men in his first sermon , wherein he was very large , that must not be asserted ; but to hold that the preaching of the law is not a medium to conversion , must needs be to say , that christ did not take the neerest way to convert his hearers ; for if you consider that sermon , it 's principally spent in the opening of the morall law , and pressing the duties thereof : and how can we thinke , but that our saviour judged this profitable and soul-saving matter ? nor can i see , why it should be said to be only the occasion , and not medium , if powerfully set home by gods spirit . . if the law of god have that objectively in it , that may work exceedingly upon the heart , when set home by gods spirit , then it may be used instrumentally as well as the gospell ; but it hath objectively such a nature in it : which doth appeare by davids approving and delighting in gods law : by paul. rom. . who delighted in the law of god. when therefore a minister setteth forth the lovely purity and excellency of the matter of the law , how it resembleth the nature of god , why may not the spirit of god , in the exercise hereof , raise up the heart and affections to be more and more in love with it ? if the heathen said of vertue , that if it could be seen with corporall eyes , the beauty thereof would ravish men : how much more may this be true of the purity and holinesse of the law ? . if the ceremoniall law , the sacraments and sacrifices were blessed by gods spirit , while they were commanded to be used for the strengthening and increase of grace , notwithstanding the deadly nature of them now ; then the morall law may also be blessed by god for spirituall effects , seeing it standeth still in force . let the use then of this be , by way of admonition , that in stead of disputing about or against the law , that we would pray to have the savory benefit and fruit of it in our souls . urge god with that promise of writing his law in our heart : be thou so farre from being an antinomian , that thou hast thy heart and life full of this holy law of god : not that the matter of the law can be the ground of thy justification , but yet it is thy sanctification . what is regeneration , but the writing of the morall law in thy heart ? this is that image of god , which adam was created in . oh therefore that we could see more of this holy law in the hearts and lives of men , that the law of god might be in mens mindes inlightning them , in their wils and affections inflaming , and kindling of them . lectvre xxi . rom . . . do we then make void the law through faith ? god forbid : but we rather establish the law. i shall in the next place discusse that famous question , about the abrogating of the morall law : only i must answer to some objections that are made against the former position , that the law may be used by god in the preaching of it to mans conversion , in the sense explained : which , if not attended unto , may make the assertion seem harsh , and incredible . but before i answer the objections , let us consider a great mistake of the antinomian author , assert . of grace , pag. . where he makes the very ground , why they are charged with antinomianisme , to be , because they do not hold the law to be used by god instrumentally for the conversion of men . certainly this is a great mistake , for there are many learned men , who hold the work of the law by the power of gods spirit to be no more then preparatory ; yet for all that , do peremptorily maintain the use and the obligation of the law in respect of believers . therefore they are not in this respect condemned for that errour . another consideration that i will propound is this , that the work of conversion is not wrought totally in a man without the gospel : for , as i told you , now in the preaching of the word there is not meere law , nor meer gospel , but they are to be composed and to be made helpfull to each other ; and also , whatsoever benefit or effect we get in the hearing , preaching , or meditating upon the law of god , it is to be attributed unto the convenant of grace in christ . and therefore all these places , which attribute conversion and holinesse to the gospel , do not at all make against my assertion ; for the question is not , whether by the power of the law we come to obey the law ; but , whether grace may not use the precepts , or law preached , for the inflaming of our affections so in love with the things commanded , that we are thereby made more holy . and thus i interpret those authors that deny the law to be instrumentall to holinesse , that is , not animated by gods spirit , or seperated from it . i come therefore to consider of those places which are brought against this truth delivered : i shall not take all , because one answer may serve for many , they being built upon the same ground . and , first the state and question is obscurely propounded by him ; for thus he saith , [ the promise , or the gospel , and not the law , is the seed or doctrine of our new birth . ] assert . of grace , pag. . now here are ambiguities ; as first , the promise or gospel , for by this he seemeth to decide a great question , that whatsoever is a promise in the scripture , that belongs to the gospel ; and whatsoever is not that , but a command or threatning , that belongs to the law : whereas this needs a great discussion . . the state of the question is not about the gospel , or the law , as they are both a doctrin in the scripture : but about the spirit of god , working by one or the other ; and the not attending to this , makes the argument so confounded . . he saith it 's not the seed of the new birth ; whereas conversion or regeneration is made the writing of the law in the heart : and mat. . the word of god in generall is compared to seed sowne , that brings forth different fruit ; as was said before : but to let this passe . the first instance that is brought , cometh from john . v. . sanctifie them through thy truth , thy word is truth . where , saith the authour , to sanctifie , is to seperate any thing from a common use , and to consecrate it to god : and , applied here to man includeth two things ; . justification by the communication of christs perfect holinesse , whereby the believer is presented holy and without blame to god. . an inward renewing , & changeing , purifying the heart and life by degrees , &c. pag. . i answer . . the word sanctifie , when applied to men , doth not only signifie justification , or renovation , but setting apart to some peculiar office and charge : and there are learned men who take this to be the meaning of christs prayer here ; that as the priests and levites , who were to enter into the sanctuary , did first wash their hands and feet , being also cloathed with goodly garments : so the apostles are here prayed for by our saviour , that they may be fitted for their great charge . and thus chrysostome : you have a parallel place jer. . , before thou camest forth out of the womb , i sanctified thee , and i ordained thee a prophet unto the nations . and this exposition is confirmed by the manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth ( so they reade it , & mention not the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is not in some copies ) so that they take it as an expression opposing the sanctification of the priests , which was by legall types and shadowes . but that which doth especially confirme this exposition , seemeth to be the two verses following , as thou hast sent me into the world , so have i also sent them into the world , and for their sakes i sanctifie my selfe , that they also may be sanctified through the truth . now sanctification as it comprehends justification and renovation , cannot be applied to christ : but it must signifie the segregating and setting apart himselfe for the office of the mediatour . besides , if sanctification do here include justification , how , by the antinomian principle , can our saviour pray for the justification of those , who are already justified ? but in the next place , grant that interpretation , of sanctification for renovation , how doth this prove that the law is not used instrumentally ? for our saviours argument is universall , thy word is truth . and may not this be affirmed of the law , as well as the gospel ? doth not david , speaking of the law , call it pure , and cleane , that is true , having no falshood in it ? yea , it is thought probable by a learned man , that this speech of our saviours is taken out of psal . . . where are these words expresly , thy law is the truth : where the word law cannot exclude the morall law , though it may include more . the next instance is tit. . ver . . . for the grace of god that bringeth salvation , hath appeared to all men , teaching us , that denying ungodlinesse , and wordly lusts , &c. i answer , all this may be granted , and nothing makes against this opinion : for none deny the gospel , to be the instruments of holinesse : but is not here a contradiction ? the author before made the gospel and a promise all one , whereas here it doth command holinesse and godlinesse . is not this , with the papists , to make the gospel a new law ? let him reconcile himselfe . in the next place , he doth ambiguously put into the argument , the word effectually which is not in the text ; for , although god doth by his grace in the gospel effectually move those that are elected to godlinesse ; yet scripture , and experience sheweth , that where the grace of the gospel hath appeared , thus teaching men , yet all are not effectually turned unto holinesse from their wordly lusts . besides , the argument may be retorted upon him : what word teacheth to deny all ungodlinesse , that sanctifieth , instructeth , but the law doth so , insomuch that the psalmist saith , psal . . a young man whose lusts are strongest , and temptations most violent , may be cleansed by attending thereunto : only you must alwayes take notice of the preheminency of the gospel , above the law ; for the law could never have any such good effect upon the heart of man , were it not for the gracious promise by christ : therefore all the godly men in the old testament , that received benefit by the morall law , in studying of it , and meditating upon it , did depend upon the gospel , or the grace of god in christ , as appeareth by david , praying so often , to be quickned by gods law. and here , by the way , let me take notice of a remarkable passage of peter martyr in his comment on the . chapter of the epistle to the rom. ver . . where , speaking of the great commendation the psalmist gives the law of god , that it converts the soul , ( and we may adde those places , of inlightning the minde , that they cleanse a mans way , &c. ) he maketh this question , whether the law doth ever obtain such effects or no ? and he answereth affirmatively , that it doth , but then when it 's written not in tables , but in the hearts and bowels of men : so that he conceiveth the spirit of god doth use the law instrumentally , so that he writeth it in our hearts . and this is all we so contend for . a third and last instance out of scripture , in answering of which all is answered , is from gal. . . received ye the spirit by the works of the law ; or by the hearing of faith ? that is , of the gospel , the doctrine of faith . in the opening of this text , we must take heed of three errours : first , of those , who hold we have faith first , before we have the spirit ; for how can we come to have faith ? by our own reason and will ? this were to make it no work of god. the apostle therefore certainly speakes of the increase of the graces of the spirit ; for it is well observed by peter martyr , that in causes and effects , there is a kinde of circle , one increasing the other : as the clouds arise from the vapours , then these fall down again , & make vapours ; only you must acknowledge one first cause , which had not it's being from the other , and this is the spirit of god , which at first did work faith . the second errour is of the papists , that maketh this difference between the law and the gospel , that the same thing is called the law , while it is without the spirit ; and when it hath the spirit , it is called the gospel ; this is to confound the law and gospel , and bring in justification by works . the third is of the socinian mentioned afterwards . these rocks avoided , we come to consider the place : and first i may demand , whether any under the old-testament were made partakers of gods spirit , or no ? if they were , how came they by it ? there can be no other way said , but that god did give his spirit in all those publique ordinances unto the beleeving israelites ; so that although they did in some measure obey the law , yet they did it not by the power of the law , but by the power of grace . again , in the next place , ( which hath alwaies much prevailed with me ) did not the people of god receive the grace of god offered in the sacraments at that time ? we constantly maintain against the papists , that our sacraments and theirs differ not for substance . therefore in circumcision and the paschall lamb , they were made partakers of christ as well as we : yet the apostle doth as much exclude circumcision , and those jewish ordinances from grace , as any thing else . therefore that there may be no contradiction in scripture , some other way is to be thought upon , about the exposition of these words . some there are therefore that doe understand by the spirit , the wonderfull and miraculous works of gods spirit : for this was reserved till the times of the messias , and by these miracles his doctrine was confirmed to be from heaven ; and to this sense the fifth verse speaketh very expresly : and beza doth confesse , that this is the principall scope of the apostle , though he will not exclude the other gracious works of gods spirit : and if this should be the meaning , it were nothing to our purpose . again , thus it may be explained , as by faith is meant the doctrine of faith , so by the works of the law , is to be understood the doctrine of the works of the law , which the false apostles taught , namely , that christ was not enough to justification , unlesse the works of the law were put in as a cause also . and if this should be the sense of the text , then it was cleare , that the galathians , were not made partakers of gods spirit , by the corrupt doctrine that was taught them alate by their seducers , but before , while they did receive the pure doctrine of christ : and therefore it was their folly , having begun in the spirit , to end in the flesh . this may be a probable interpretation . but that which i shall stand upon , is this , the jewes and false apostles they looked upon the law as sufficient to save them without christ : consider rom . , , . or when they went furthest , they joyned christ , and the observance of the morall law equally together for justification and salvation : whereas the law separated from christ , did nothing but accuse and condemne , not being able to help the soul at all . therefore it was a vain thing in them , to hope for any such grace , or benefit as they did by it . so that the apostles scope is , not absolutely to argue against the benefit of the law , which david and moses did so much commend , but against it in the sense , as the jewes did commonly dote upon it , which was to have justification by it alone ; or at the best , when they put the law and christ together . now both these we disclaime , either that god doth use the law for our justification ; or that of it selfe , it is able to stirre up the least godly affection in us . more places of scripture are brought against this , but they will come in more fitly under the notion of the law as a covenant . thus therefore i shall conclude this point , acknowledgeing that many learned and orthodox men speake otherwise , and that there is a difficulty in clearing every particular about this question : but as yet that which i have delivered , earrieth the more probability with me ; and i will give one text more , which i have not yet mentioned , and that is act. . . where the morall law that moses is said to receive , that he might give the isrealites , is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lively oracles ; that is , not verba vitae , but verba viva & vivificantia , so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , giving life : not that we could have life by vertue of any obedience to them ; but when we by grace are inabled to obey them , god , out of his mercy , bestoweth eternall life . let me also adde this , that i the rather incline to this opinion , because i see the socinians , urging these places , or the like , where justification and faith is said to be by christ , and the gospel , that they wholly deny that any such thing as grace and justification was under the law , and wonder how any should be so blind as not to see , that these priviledges were revealed first by christ in the gospel under the new covenant ; whereas it is plain , that the apostle instanceth in abraham and david , ( who lived under the law as a schoole master , ) for the same kinde of justification as ours is . and thus i come to another question , which is the proper and immediate ground of strife between the antinomian and us , and from whence , they have their name ; and that is , the abrogation of the morall law : and howsoever i have already delivered many things that do confirme the perpetuall obligation of it ; yet i did it not then so directly , and professedly , as now i shall ; the text ( i have chosen ) being a very fit foundation to build such a structure upon . i will therefore open the words and proceed as time shall suffer . the apostle paul , having laid down in verses preceding , the nature of justification , so exactly , that we may finde all the causes , efficient , meritorious , formall , instrumentall and finall described ; as also the consequent of this truth , which is the excluding of all self-confidence and boasting in what we do ; he draweth a conclusion or inference , ver , . and this conclusion is laid down first affirmatively and positively , [ a man is justified by faith , ] the phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are all equivalent with the apostle : and then , to prevent all errours and cavils , he doth secondly lay it down exclusively without works . and this proposition he doth extend to the jews and gentiles also from the unity or onenesse of god ; which is not to be understood of the unity of his essence , but will and promise . now when all this is asserted , he maketh an objection ( which is usuall with him in this epistle ; ) and he doth it for this end , to take away the calumny and reproach cast upon him by his adversaries , as one that would destroy the law. the objection then is this , ( propounded by way of interrogation , to affect the more , ) do we make voyd the law ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the apostle used this word in this chapter , ver . . and it fignifieth to make empty and voide , so that , the law shall be of no use , or operation . now to this , the apostle answereth negatively , by words of defiance and detestation , god forbid : so that by this expression you see how intolerable that doctrine ought to be unto the people of god , that would take away the law. and the apostle doth not only defie this objection , but addeth , we establish the law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a metaphor from those that do corroborate and make firm a pillar , or any such thing that was falling . it hath much troubled interpreters , how paul could say , he established the law , especially considering those many places in his epistles which seem to abrogate it . some understand it thus , that the righteousnesse of faith , hath it's witnesse from the law and prophets , as ver . . in this chapter ; so that in this sense they make the law established , because that which was witnessed therein , doth now come to passe . even as our saviour said moses did bear witnesse of him . but this interpretation doth not come up to the apostles meaning . those that limit this speech to the ceremoniall law , do easily interpret it thus : that the ceremonies and types were fulfilled in christ ; who , being the substance and body , they are all now fulfilled in him . but the apostle comprehends the morall law under the word [ law. ] the papists they make the gospel a new law , and they compare it with the old law having the spirit , as two things differing only gradually ; so that they say , the old law is established by the new , as the childhood is established by elder age : which is not by abolition , but perfection . that which i see the orthodox pitch upon , is , that the law is established three wayes by the gospel . first , whereas the law did threaten death to every transgressor , this is established in christ , who satisfied the justice of god. secondly , in that the law requireth perfect obedience , this is also fulfilled in christ . now this is a matter worth discussion , whether the righteousnesse we are yet justified by , be the righteousness of the law. for those learned men , that are against the imputation of christs active obedience , they urge this argument , which seemeth to carry much strength with it : that if christs active obedience be made ours , and we justified by that , then are we still justified by the works of the law , and so the righteousnesse of faith and works is all one ; faith in us , and works in christ . if therefore active obedience be made ours , ( as i conceive the truth to be in that doctrine ) then we may easily see the law is established . thirdly , but lastly , which i take to be the truth , and austin heretofore interpreteth it so , the law is established , because by the gospel we obtain grace in some measure , to fulfill the law ; so that we still keep the law in the preceptive and informative part of it : and do obtain by faith in christ , obedience in some degree to it ; which obedience also , though it be not the covenant of grace , yet is the way to salvation . lectvre xxii . rom . . . do we then make void the law ? this text is already explained ; and there are two observations do naturally arise from it , as first , that it is an hard thing so to set up christ & grace , as not thereby be thought to destroy the law. thus was paul misunderstood by some ; and so the antinomians , not rightly understanding in what latitude the orthodox in their disputations against popery did oppose the law to the gospel , were thereby plunged into a dangerous errour . but on this point i will not insist . the second doctrine is that which i intend , namely , that the doctrine of christ and grace in the highest and fullest manner , doth not overthrow , but establish the law. and this doctrine will directly lead us to lay our hands on the chiefe pillars of that house , which the antinomians have built . the question then at this time to be discussed is , whether the law be abrogated or no by christ , to the beleevers under the gospel . and this question i will answer by severall propositions that may conduce to the clearing of the the truth : for it would seem , as if the scripture held out contradictions in this point . in my text it 's denyed , that the apostles do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make void the law ; yet cor. . . the apostle speaking of the law hath this passage , [ if that which be done away , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] where the word is expresly used , that yet here is denied : so ephes . . christ is described [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] that maketh voyd the hand-writing against us . and in that place the apostle useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when yet mat. . he denied that he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dissolve the law. grave therefore and serious is chemnitius his admonition , in all other things , generall words beget confusion , and obscurity ; but in the doctrine of the abrogation of the law they are very dangerous , unless it be distinctly explained , how it is abrogated . in the first place therefore consider , that about a law there are these affections ( if i may call them so ; ) there is an interpretation , a dispensation , or relaxation : and these differ from an abrogation ; for the former do suppose the law still standing in force , though mitigated ; but abrogation is then properly , when a law is totally taken away . and this abrogation ariseth sometimes from the expresse constitution at first , which did limit and prescribe the time of the lawes continuance : sometimes by an expresse revoking and repealing of it by that authority which made it : sometimes by adding to that repeale an expresse law commanding the contrary . now it may be easily proved , that the ceremoniall , and judiciall lawes they are abrogated by expresse repeale . the judiciall law pet. . . where they are commanded to be subject to every ordination of man : and this was long foretold genes . . . the law-giver shall be taken from judah . the ceremoniall law that is also expresly repealed act. . and in other places : not that these were ill or that they did come from an ill author ; but because the fulnesse and substance of them was now come , of whom the ceremonies were a shadow . yet still you must remember , that while they were commanded of god , they were the exercises of faith and piety , & god did dispense grace in the use of them ; only they were beggarly and empty to such who trusted in them , & neglected christ . nor doth this assertion contradict that of the apostle , ephes . . . where he cals those ordinances enmity , and decrees against us : for those ceremonies may be considered two wayes ; first as they were signes of gods grace and favour : and secondly as they were demonstrative of a duty , which we were tyed unto , but could not performe , and in this sense all those purifications and cleansings were against us . thus we see these lawes in every consideration made void ; so that it is not now an indifferent thing to use them , though we would not put our trust in them , but sinfull . hence i cannot see how that of luther is true upon gal. . who sath , he beleeveth , that if the jewes beleeving had observed the law and circumcision in that manner which the apostles permitted them , that judaisme had yet stood , and that all the world should have received the ceremonies of the jews . in the second place , if we would speake exactly and properly ; we cannot say , in any good sense , that the morall law is abrogated at all . it is true indeed , our learned writers shew , that the law in abrogated in respect of justification , condemnation , and rigour of obedience ; all which i shall instance in afterwards : but if a man would speake rigidly , he cannot say , it is abrogated wee may say , it 's mitigated , as to our persons , though christ our surety did fully undergoe its : for if god had taken away the law so , that man nor his surety had been under the curse of it , or should have obeyed it , then had it been properly abrogated : whereas now , seeing our surety was bound to satisfie it , and perfectly to obey it and we still obliged to conforme unto it , we cannot so properly in the generall say , it was abrogated . therefore we may more properly say that there is a change and alteration in us towards the law , then that the law is changed or abrogated . hence observe , though the apostle denyeth that he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make void the law , yet he useth this expression rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are freed or abrogated from the law , rather then that is abrogated . thus it is , if we would speake properly : yet , because the satisfaction and obedience is by christ , and not by us , we may say , that it is abrogated to us , so that we may not look for remission of sins , or justification by it . but you must still distinguish , when we speake of the law , some parts of it from the whole : some parts of the law may be abolished , and yet not the whole nature of it : for there is in the law these parts ; first the commands . secondly , the promises of life to him that doth them ; and thirdly , the threatnings of eternall wrath to him that faileth in the least . now the morall law , though it be abrogated in respect of the two later to a beleever , yet in respect of the former it doth still abide ; yea , and will continue in heaven it selfe . and we have already proved against the antinomians , that one part of the law may abide , when the other doth not . the third proposition , those that say the law is abolished as it is foedus , but not as it is regula ; say true . the law may be considered as it is a covenant , or as it is an absolute rule , requiring conformity unto it : now it may be truly granted , that the law is abolished in the former notion , though not in the later ; only in expressing this covenant there is difference among the learned : some make the law a covenant of works , and upon that ground that it is abrogated : others call it a subservient covenant to the covenant of grace , and make it only occasionally , as it were , introduced , to put more luster and splendour upon grace : others call it a mixt covenant of works and grace ; but that is hardly to be understood as possible , much lesse as true . i therefore think that opinion true , as shall be hereafter shewed , that the law given by moses was a covenant of grace ; and that god did not . since man fallen , ever transact with him in any other covenant , but that of grace : though indeed this covenant of grace did breake out more clearly , in succession of ages , according to the wise dispensation of gods good pleasure . so then the law , as a covenant , though of grace , is abrogated , because though there be still the same essence of the former and later covenant , yet the administration of the former is altogether antiquated . this fully appeareth in heb. . , . and again , heb. . , . whosoever therefore expects life and justification by the law , he sets up the covenant of works again . nor is it any advantage to say , these workes are the workes of grace , and wrought by christs spirit ; for still if we were justified by doing whatsoever the works were , yet it would be in such a way as adam was , though with some difference . we therefore doe desire to lift up our voices , as vehemently as any antinomian , against self justiciaries , against pharisaicall , popish , formall men , that say unto the good workes they doe , these are thy christ , these are thy jesus , oh my soul . in matter of justification , we would have all of pauls spirit , to know nothing but christ crucified , to account all things dung and drosse we desire to bewaile , and abundantly to bewaile the little need and want that people feel of christ in all their duties . we are troubled , that any can be quiet in their duties , and performances ; and do not cry out , none but christ , none but christ . all this we pleade for , and preach ; only we hold the law as a rule still to walk by , though not a covenant of works to be justified by . . the antinomian distinction of the law abolished as a law , but still abiding in respect of the matter of it , is a contradiction . this is a rock , that the adversary hath daily refuge unto . the law ( saith the antinomian ) in the matter of it , so farre as i know , was never denyed to be the rule , according to which a beleever is to walk and live : therefore i take the contrary imputation to be an impudent slander . asser . of grace , pag. . but to reply , if they hold the matter of the law to be a rule , how can they shelter themselves from their own argument ; for if the matter oblige then when a beleever walketh not according to his duty , he sinneth , and , to sinne the curse is due : so that this evasion will no wayes helpe them , for still an obligation or bond lyeth upon them , which , if broken they are made obnoxious unto the law , of god. again , to say the matter of the law bindeth , but yet not as a law , is a meere contradiction ; for what is a law , but such an object held forth by the command and will of a superiour ? then i demand whether [ love to god ] being the object , or matter held forth , have not also gods will passing upon it that it should binde . according to the antinomian assertion , it should be true , that love to god should binde us , because the matter it selfe is good ; but nob ecause god willeth us to love him : nay , they must necessarily deny the will of god obliging us in the law to love him ; for a law is nothing but the will of the law-giver , that such things should be obeyed , or avoided . and if there were any colour for that distinction between the matter of the law binding , and not the law , it would only hold in that matter which is perpetually and necessarily good ; as . to love god , to honour parents : but in that matter which is only good by some positive divine institution ; as , keeping of the lords day , there we must say , that the law binds , as a law , and not meerly from the matter of the law. . the law is no more abrogated to a beleever under the old-testament , then to one under the new. this assertion will much discover the falsenesse of the adversaries opinion : for they carry it , as if the law were abrogated only to the beleevers under the gospell . now how can this ever be made good ? for either they must deny that there were any beleevers under the old-testament ; or , if there were , then they are freed from the law as much as any now . indeed if you take the law for the whole administration of the covenant in the old testament , we grant that it was pedagogicall , and more servile ; so that a beleever under the old-testament , did not meet with such cleare and evident dispensations of love as a beleever under the gospel : yet in respect of justification and salvation , the law was the same to them as to us , and to us as to them . we do not deny but that the administration of the later covenant is farre more glorious then that of the former , and that we enjoy many priviledges which they did not then : but whatsoever is necessary and essentiall to justification or salvation , they were made partakers of them , as well as we . the ordinary resemblance of theirs , and our happinesse ; is by those two , spoken of numb . . . that bare upon the staffe the cluster of grapes from the land of canaan , if then we speake of the law in regard of the essentiall parts of it , which are directing , commanding , threatning , promising life upon perfect obedience : these are either still equally in power , or else equally abrogated unto all beleevers , whether under the old or new testament . let them therefore consider whether the arguments against beleevers subjection under the new testament , be not also equally as strong against those that are under the old. therefore it is wild divinity of an antinomian ( in chap. . of the honey-combe of free justification : ) who makes three different estates of the church : one under the law , and another under john baptist , and a third under the gospel . now he compareth these together , and sheweth how we under the gospel exceed those of the law that were godly : and among other things , there are two notorious falshoods ; as first , that god indeed saw sinne in the beleevers of the old testament , but not in those of the new. but how absurd and contradictory to the author himself is this assertion ? for was not that place which they so much urge [ god seeth not iniquity in jacob ] spoken of the church in the old testament ? and besides , if the godly were then in christ , doth it not necessarily follow by his principles , that god must see no sinne in them ? this i bring , not as if there were any truth in that opinion of god his seeing no sinne in beleevers , whether of the old , or new testament ; but only to manifest their absurd contradictions . the second difference he makes is , that god seeing sinne in those of the old testament , did therefore punish them and afflict them for sinne but he doth not this under the gospel . hereupon he sheweth , how moses for a word was strucken with death , and so jonah , uzzah , eli : these had sudden punishments upon them . hence also ( saith he ) came there terrible faimines upon them . now who seeth not how weak and absurd these arguments are ? for , doth not the apostle cor. . speaking of those under the new testament , that some were siok , and some did sleep , and that they were judged of the lord ? were not ananias and sapphira stricken dead immediately ? are there not famines , pestilence , and the bloudy warre upon men under the gospel ? besides , these assertions are contradictions to themselves : for if their arguments from gods law , and from christ prove the quite taking away of sin , and the punishments of it ; then it holdeth as firmly for all beleevers as for some . . the arguments of the antinomian for the greater part , which they urge do not only overthrow the use of it to beleevers , but also unbeleevers . this also is good to be attended unto ; for the apostle in many places , where he speaks of the law as a schoolmaster , and the continuance of it for a time , doth not speake comparatively of a beleever with an unbeleever , but of the state of the gospel , and the state of the old testament : so that , as a wicked man may not circumcise , or take up the sacrifices , so neither may he use the morall law , as commonly the jewes did , which was as distinct from christ , and as if that of it self were able alone to save . therefore i wonder why the antinomians bring many of their arguments to prove that a beleever is freed from the law ; for , certainly , most of those places will inferre , that unbeleevers also under the new testament are ; for , the apostle , for the most part , doth argue against that state of the church and administrations that were used formerly ; as in the cor. . when the apostle makes the administration of the law to be death , and of the gospell life . here he speaketh not of particular persons , but of the generall state under the gospel : so in gal. . and . chapters he argueth against the whole dispensation of the law , and makes it equally abrogated unto all . and it may probably be thought , that that famous expression of the apostle [ ye are not under the law but under grace ] is not only to be understood of every particular beleever ; but generally of the whole dispensation of the gospell under the new testament . . we will grant , that to a beleever the law is , as it were , abrogated , in these particulars : . in respect of justification . though , i say , mitigation might be properly here used , yet we will call it abrogation ( with the orthodox ) because to the godly it is in some sense so . and that which is most remarkable , and most comfortable , is , in respect of justification ; for now a beleever is not to expect acceptation at the throne of grace in himself , or any thing that he doth , but by relying on christ . the papists they say , this is the way to make men idle and lazy ; doing in this matt er , as saul did , who made a law that none should eate of any thing , and so jonathan must not taste of the honey . saul indeed thought hereby to have the more enemies killed ; but jonathan told him , that if they had been suffered to eate more honey , they should have been more revived and inabled to destroy their adversaries . thus the papists , they forbid us to eat of this honey , this precious comfort in christ , as if thereby we should be hindered in our pursuit against sinne , whereas indeed it is the only strength and power against them . . condemnation and a curse . thus still the condition of a beleever is made unspeakably happy , rom. . there is no condemnation : and , christ became a curse for us : so that by this means the gracious soul hath daily matter of incouragement , arguing in prayer thus : o lord , though my sins deserve a curse , yet christ his obedience doth not : though i might be better , yet christ needeth not to be better : o lord , though i have sinned away my own power to do good , yet not christs power to save . heb. . . you have a phrase there [ flying for arefuge ] doth excellently shew forth the nature of a godly man , who is pursued by sin as a malefactor was for his murder , and he runneth to christ for refuge : and so beza understands that expression of the apostle , phil. . . [ and be found in him , ] which implyeth the justice of god searching out for him , but he is in christ . now when we say , he is freed from condemnation , that is to be understood actually , not potentially : there is matter of condemnation , though not condemnation it selfe . . rigid obedience . this is another particular , wherein the orthodox declare the abrogation of the law : but this must warily be understood ; for christ hath not obtained at gods hands by his death , that the law should not oblige and tye us unto a perfect obedience : for this we maintain against papists , that it 's a sin in beleevers , they do not obey the law of god to the utmost perfection of it : and therefore hold it impossible for a beleever to fulfill the law : but yet we say , this mercy is obtained by christ , that our obedience unto the law , which is but inchoate and imperfect , is yet accepted of , in , and through christ : for , if there were only the law and no christ , or grace : it is not any obedience , though sincere , unlesse perfect , would be entertained by god : neither would any repentance or sorrow be accepted of , but the law strictly so taken , would deale as the judge to the malefactor , who being condemned by the law , though he cry out in the anguish of his spirit , that he is grieved for what he hath done , yet the law doth not pardon him . . it is not a terrour to the godly ; nor are they slavishly compelled to the obedience of it . and in this sense they are denied to be under the law : but this also must be rightly understood ; for there is in the godly an unregenerate or carnall part , as well as a regenerate and spirituall ; see rom. . , . with my minde i serve the law of god , but with my flesh the law of sin . now although it be true , that the law , in the terrible compelling part of it , be not necessary to him so far as he is regenerate ; yet , in regard he hath much flesh and corruption in him , therefore it is that the scripture doth use threatnings as so many sharpe goads to provoke them in the waies of piety . but what godly man is there , whose spirit is so willing alwayes , that he doth not finde his flesh untoward and backward unto any holy duty ? how many times do they need that christ should draw them , and also that the law should draw them ? so that there is great use of preaching the law even to beleevers still , as that which may instrumentally quicken and excite them to their duty . qui dicit se amare legem , mentitur , & nescit quid dicit : tàm enim amamus legem , quàm homicida carcerem , said luther : and this is true of us , so far as we are corrupt . he that saith he loveth the law , lyeth , and knoweth not what he saith , for we love the law , as a murtherer doth the gaol . . it doth not work , or increase sin in them as in the wicked . the apostle , rom. . . complaineth of this bitter effect of the law of god , that it made him the worse . the more spirituall and supernaturall that was , the more did his earnall and corrupt heart rage against it : so that the more the law would damm up the torrent of sinfull lusts , the higher did they swell . now , this sad issue was not to be ascribed to the law but to paul's corruption : as in the dropsie it is not the water or beere , if frequently drunk , that is to be blamed for the increase of the disease , but the ill distemper in the body . or as chysolologus explaineth it , serm. . the greatnesse of the light doth not blind , and hebetate the eyes ; for light was especially created of god for them ; but it is the infirmitie and weaknesse of the eyes , which are not able to endure such clearnesse : so the law which of it's selfe is holy and just , of fraile man requiring severe obedience , doth more and more overwhelme him : and in another place serm. . as the thorns that are by the axe cut downe , do more and more sprout out ; so do , corruptions , while cut off by the law , because they remain fixed in the root of us . now in the godly , because there is a new nature , and a principle of love and delight in the law of god wrought in him , his corruption doth not increase and biggen by the law , but is rather subdued and quelled : although sometimes , even in the godly , it may work such wofull effects : thus asa grew more enraged because reproved by the prophet for his wickednesse . and this also take notice of , that as the commandement of the law , so also the promises of the gospel , do only stirre up evill in the heart totally unsanctified . . it is abrogated in many accessaries , and circumstantials . even the morall law , considered in some particulars , is abrogated totally : as in the manner of writing , which was in tables of stone . we know the first tables were broken ; and what became of the last , or how long they continued , none can tell : and this makes paul use that opposition , cor. . . not in tables of stone , but in the fleshly tables of the heart : although this you must know , that the doctrine of the gospel , as written with inke and paper , doth no more availe for any spirituall working , then the law written in tables . therefore the apostle useth in that verse this phrase , [ not written with inke ] as well as [ not in tables of stone . ] and this is to be observed against the antinomians , who to disparage the law , may say , that was written in stones , what good can that do ? may we not also say , she doctrine of the gospel that is written in paper , and what can that do ? . but the law doth perpetually continue as a rule to them : which may thus appeare : . from the different phrases that the apostle useth concerning the ceremoniall law , which are no where applyed to the morall law. and these chemnitius doth diligently reckon up , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ephes . . . so again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antiquare , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , senescere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evanescere , heb. . ult . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , abrogatio . heb. . . now , saith he , these words are not used of the morall law , that it is changed , or , waxeth old , or , is abrogated ; which do denote a mutation in the law ; but when it speaks of the morall law , it saith , we are dead to it , we are redeemed from the curse of it : which phrases do imply the change to be made in us , and not in the law. if therefore the antinomians could bring such places that would prove it were as unlawful for us to love the lord , because the morall law commands it , as we can prove it unlawfull to circumcise , or to offer sacrifices ; then they would see something for their purpose . . from the sanctification and holinesse that is required of the beleever , which is nothing but conformity to the law : so that , when we reade the apostle speaking against the law , yet that he did not meane this of the law as a rule , and as obliging us to the obedience thereof , will easily appeare : for when the apostle , gal. . . had vehemently informed them of their wofull condition who would be justified by the law , yet ver . . and . pressing them not to use their liberty as an occasion to the flesh , he giveth this reason , for all the law is fulfilled in one word , even in this , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe . what doth the apostle use contradictions in the same chapter ? presse them to obey the law , and yet reprove them for desiring to be under it ? no certainly , but when they would seek justification by the law , then he reproveth them : and when , on the other side , they would refuse obedience to the law , then he admonisheth them to the contrary . as for their distinguishing between the matter of the law , and the law , we have already proved it to be a contradiction . . in that disobedience to it is still a sin in the beleever : for there can be no sin , unlesse it be a transgression of a law , as the apostle john defineth sin . now then , when david commits adultery , when peter denyeth christ , are not these sins in them ? if so , is not davids sin a sin , because it is against such and such a commandement ? as for their evasion , it is a sin against the law as in the hand of christ , and so against the love of christ , and no otherwayes , this cannot hold ; for then there should be no sinnes , but sinnes of unkindnesse , or unthankfulnesse . as this law is in the hand of christ ; so murder is a sin of unkindnesse : but as it is against the law simply in it self , so it is a sin of such kind as murder , and not of another kinde ; so that the consideration of christs love may indeed be a great motive to obey the commands of god , yet that doth not hinder the command it selfe from obliging and binding of us , as it is the will of the law giver . but of this distinction more in it's place . . from the difference of the morall law , and the other lawes , in respect of the causes of abrogation . there can be very good reasons given , why the ceremoniall law should be abrogated , which can no wayes agree to the morall : as , first , the ceremoniall law had not for it's object that which is perpetuall , and in it self holinesse : to circumcise , and to offer sacrifice , these things were not in themselves holy and good , nor is the leaving of them a sin ; whereas the matter of the morall law is perpetually good , and the not doing of it , is necessarily a sin . i speak of that matter , which divines call morall naturall . can we thinke that to the apostle it was all one , whether a man was a murderer , adulterer , or chast and innocent ; as it was whether a man was circumcised , or not circumcised ? tertullian said well , lib. de pud . cap. . operum juga rejecta sunt , non disciplinarum , libertas in christo non fecit innocentiae injuriam , manet lex tota pietatis , sanctitatis &c. the burthens of the ceremoniall law are removed , not the commands of holinesse ; liberty in christ is not injurious to innocency . again , the ceremoniall law was typicall , and did shadow forth christ to come . now when he was come , there was no use of these ceremonies . and , lastly , the jewes and the gentiles were to consociate into one body , and no difference be made between them . now to effect this , it was necessary that partition-wall should be pulled down , for as long as that stood , they could not joyn in one . lectvre xxiii . rom . . . do we then make void the law ? yea , we establish it . i shall not stand upon any more arguments to prove the perpetuall obligation of the morall law , because this is abundantly maintained in that assertion already proved , that the morall law as given by moses , doth still oblige us . i come therefore to those places of scripture which seeme to hold forth the duration of the morall law for a prefixed time only ; even as the ceremoniall law doth . i shall select the most remarkable places , and , in answering of them , we shall see the other fully cleared . and i will begin with that , luke . . the law and the prophets were untill john. it should therefore seeme , that the law was to continue but untill johns time . i will not herestand to dispute whether john baptist was to be reckoned under the old testament , or the new ; only take notice that we cannot make a third different estate , wherein the covenant of grace should be dispensed , as an antinomian author doth : for our saviour seemeth fully to conclude , that he did belong to the old testament ; therefore he saith , the least in the kingdome of heaven is greater then he * : although in this respect he was greater then any of the prophets that went before him , that he did not prophesie of a messias to come , but pointed with his hand to him who was already come . and , as for the text it selfe , none can prove that the law was to be abrogated when john baptist came ; for , least any should by that expression think so , our saviour addeth , heaven and earth shall sooner passe away , then that one title should fall to the ground . therefore the meaning is , that the law , in respect of the typicall part of it , as it did shadow forth , and prefigure a christ , so it was to cease . therefore the law and the prophets are put together , as agreeing in one general thing , which is , to foretell of christ , and to typifie him : and this will be clearer , if you compare matth . . with this of luke , where it is thus set down , all the prophets and the law prophesied unto john : whereby it is cleare , that he speakes of the typicall part of the law ; yet not so , as if the ceremonies were then immediatly to cease , only from that time they began to vanish . the next place of scripture , is that famous instance , so much urged in this controversie rom. . . [ for you are not under the law , but under grace . ] now to open this , consider these things : . in what sense the apostle argueth against the law ; and what was the proper state of the question in those dayes . and that appeareth act. . . where you have a relation made of some beleeving jewes that were of the sect of the pharisees , who pressed the necessity of circumcision : and so would joyn the mistery of moses and christ together . now it seemeth , though the apostles in this councell had condemned that opinion , yet there were many that would still revive this errour ; and therefore the apostle in this epistle to the romans , and in that to the galathians doth reprove this false doctrine , and labour much against it . stapleton , and other papists , they think that the controversie was only about the ceremoniall law ; and this they do , to maintain their justification by the works of the law ; when wrought by grace . but , though it must be granted , that the doubts about keeping the ceremoniall law were the occasion of that great difference , and the most principall thing in question ; yet the apostle , to set forth the fulnesse of grace , and christ , doth extend his arguments and instances even to the morall law : for the jewes did generally think , that the knowledge and observation of the morall law without christ , was enough for their peace and comfort . that the apostle argueth against the law in their abused sense of it , is plain , because when he speaks of it in it's own nature , he commends it , and extols it . the jewes because they had the law given them in such a divine and glorious manner , attributing too much to themselves , thought by the obedience to this alone , without christ , to be justified , as appeareth rom , . . hence the apostle speaketh against it in their sense , looking for justification by it ; as if a learned man confuting some philosophers , which do hold that the second causes do work by their own proper strength , without any concourse of god ; he must in his arguments , suppose such a power of the second cause , which the adversary pleadeth for in his minde , and in expressions sometimes , yet none can gather from that , therefore there is such a power in the second causes . and if they could perswade themselves , that the externall performing of the ceremoniall law was enough to make them acceptable with god , though they lived in grosse disobedience to the morall law , ( as isai . . & alibi , it many times appeareth they did ) how much more , when they lived a life externally conformable to the morall law ; must they needs be secure of their favour with god ? and in this sense it is , that the apostle speaks seemingly derogatory to the law , because they took it without christ : even as he calleth the ceremonies beggerly elements , when yet we know , they were signes of an evangelicall grace . . that the apostle useth the word [ law ] in divers senses , which hath been the occasion of so much difficulty in this point . now in most of those places , where the law seemeth to be abolished , it is taken in one of these two senses : either , first synecdochically , the law put for part of the law : to wit , for that part which actually condemneth , and accuseth ; as when the apostle saith , [ against such there , is no law : ] here he speaketh as if there were nothing in a law but condemnation ; whereas we may say , a law is for a thing by way of direction and prescription , as well as against a thing by accusation . or , secondly , the word [ law ] is put for the ministery of moses , which dispensation was farre inferiour unto the ministery of the gospel : and in this sense , the apostle doth much use it in the epistle to the galathians , and in the epistle to the hebrewes . so that here is a continuall mistake , when the antinomians heap place upon place , which seem to abolish the law , and do not first declare what law , and in what sense those places are to be expounded . . consider these phrases , of the law , without the law , under the law , and in the law. without the law is two wayes : first , he is without the law , that is , without the knowledge and understanding of it . thus the gentiles are without the law : and secondly , without the law , that is , without the sense and experience of the accusing and terrifying power of the law ; and thus paul , rom. . said , when the law came , he died . now the godly , though they are denied to be under the law , yet they are not said to be without the law ; for if the morall law were no more obliging beleevers now , then it was heathens or gentiles before they ever heard of it , both in respect of knowledge and observation of it , then might beleevers be said to be without the law : and to this without the law , is opposed , in the law , rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vulgar in legem : beza cum lege ; it signifieth those that do enjoy the law , and yet sinne against it . and much to this purpose is that phrase of the law , rom. . . which sometimes is as much as , of the circumcision , to wit , those that are initiated into the ministery of moses : but in other places it signifieth as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the opposite to it is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as in this . of the rom. and ver . where the apostle declaring that the promise made to abraham was not of the law , he cannot meane the law of moses , for all know , that was long after ; but he meanes what 's done in obedience to the morall law so farre as it was then revealed . the apostle useth also another phrase , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the law ; which is to be understood in this sense , by works done in conformity to the law : and in this sense the apostle urgeth , that righteousnesse , or the promise , are not by the law : but all the difficulty in this controversie is about the phrase , under the law : therefore take notice , . there is a voluntary being under the law , as christs was ; and there is to be under it in an ill sense . a voluntary and willing obedience unto the law , is acceptable : and thus the apostle . cor. . . the apostle saith , he was made to some as under the law , though there indeed he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but that is added because of the ceremoniall part of the law. therefore he calleth himselfe excellently , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though a godly man be not properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and he addeth to christ , lest they should think that he spoke of the whole law , the ceremoniall part of it which was abolished by christ ; so that a godly man in a well explained sense , may be said to be under the law. aquinas comment . ad cap. . v. . hath this distinction , a man may be under the law , or subjected to it , two wayes , first , willingly and readily , as christ . secondly , unwillingly & by way of compulsion , when not out of love but feare , men do obey the law & this is sinful , in the former sense all beleevers may be said to be under the law but yet , because the apostle useth it for the most part in an ill sense , as here in the text , and in that place , tell me , ye that desire to be under the law , ( though law there be used for the whole ministery of moses , and not of the morall law ) let us consider in what sense this is denied to the godly . . that interpretation of some , though of solid judgement , who make the phrase [ not to be under the law ] to be as much as , not under the curse of the law ; or , not obnoxious to the guilt by it , seemeth not to agree with the context . i know this is generally received as the sense of the place ; and there is this argument urged for it , because the apostle maketh an objection from hence ; shall we sinne because we are not under the law , but under grace ? therefore it should seem that the law is taken for the condemning power of it , and grace for pardoning and free justification : but because the apostle is here speaking of sanctification , both in this chapter , and the chapter following , i preferre beza's interpretation , which makes the being under the law , to be the same in sense with , under sin ; for the apostle , speaking of himselfe as carnall , chap. . saith , that the law wrought in him all manner of evill : and this indeed is the work of the law in every unregenerate man ; so that the more the law is applyed to him , the more doth his corruption break forth . now then this is the apostles argument , let not sin reign in you , for now you are not under the law stirring up sin , and provoking it in you , but under grace ; not justifying or pardoning , as properly and immediately meant here ( though they were under that also ) but sanctifying and healing . and the apostle maketh the objection following [ what then , shall we sin , because we are not under the law ? ] because the phrase was ambiguous , , and might be thought to have such a sense , as the libertines make it to have , to wit , to do every thing as we please without any controule by any law : and in this explication , we shall see a sweet harmony in the context . the third instance is rom. . especially in the beginning of the chapter : but the answer to the former objection , will also cleare this , because the apostle continueth in the same matter , explaining what it is to be under the law , by a similitude from a wife married to an husband , who is bound to him so long as he liveth , but when he dyeth , she is free . now in the reddition of the similitude , there is some difference among commentators : but i take it thus , sin , which by the law doth irritate and provoke our corruptions , that is the former husband the soul had , and lusts they are the children hereof ; but when we are regenerated , then christ becomes the husband of the godly soul : so that they are deceived who make the morall law the husband , but sin is properly the husband : and if you will say the morall law , you must understand it in this sense only , as it doth inflame the heart to all evil ; therefore the apostle ( as is well observed by the learned ) doth not say , the law is dead , but , we are dead ; for indeed the law is never so much alive as in the godly , who do constantly obey it , & live accordingly to it . this will also serve for that place , gal. . . if ye be led by the spirit , ye are not under the law ; that is , under the law forcibly compelling . austin distinguisheth of four states of men ; those who are ante legem , and these commit sin without knowledge of it : sub lege , and these commit it with some fighting , but are overcome ; sub gratia , and these do fight and shall overcome : and sub pace , these we may make to be those in heaven . lectvre xxiiii . deut. . . and he declared unto you his covenant , which he commanded you to performe , even ten commandements , &c. i have already handled the law as it is a rule , and now come to consider of it as a covenant , that so the whole law may be fully understood . i shall not be long upon this , though the matter be large and difficult , though the subject be like the land of canaan , yet there are many gyants , and great objections in the way . i will rather handle it positively , then controversally ; for i do not finde in any point of divinity , learned men so confused and perplexed ( being like abrahams ram , hung in a bush of briars and brambles by the head ) as here . that i may methodically proceed , observe the context of this verse , and the scope , moses being to perswade the people of israel to obedience of the law , useth severall forcible arguments . as , ver . . the good and profitable issue thereof , which is to live and possesse the land , not as if this mercy were only temporall , but by this was represented eternall life in heaven . a second argument is , from the perfection of it , that nothing may be added to it , or detracted from it . the third argument is , from the great wisdome and understanding they shall hold forth hereby to all other nations , there being no people under the sun , that had such holy and perfect lawes as they had , and if that be true of bernard , sapiens est cui res sapiunt pro ut sunt , he is a wise man to whom things do taste and relish as they are divine and holy things , as holy ; earthly things , as earthly and fading ; then certainly , by this law of god , there was true wisdome prescribed . other arguments moses doth bring , as , the great authority god put upon the law , the great mercy in giving it to them rather then another nation . and the verse i have read belongs to that argument which proveth the dignity and glorious authority of the law , from the manner of delivering it : which law he declareth to us by the name and title of a covenant . now this take notice of , that the word covenant ( to omit other significations ) is taken sometimes syecdochially , for part of the covenant , as it is here in these words . the doctrine i will insist upon , is , that the law was delivered by god on mount sinai in a covenant way : or , the law was a covenant that god made with the people of israel . this will appeare in that it hath the name of a covenant , and the reall properties of a covenant . . the name of a covenant . king. . . because they obeyed not the voyce of the lord their god , but transgressed his covenant , and all that moses , the servant of god , commanded . deut , . . if there be found any — that hath wrought wickednesse — in transgressing the covenant , which was the ten commandements , as appeareth ver . . and more expresly , chro. . . in it have i put the arke wherein is the covenant of the lord , that he made with the children of israel . yea , if we would speake exactly and strictly , the books of moses and the prophets cannot be so well called the old covenant , or testament ; as this doctrine that was then delivered on mount sinai , with all the administrations thereof ; as appeareth . heb . & chap. . even as when the apostle saith , cor. . . god hath made us able ministers of the new testament , he doth not meane the writings , or books , but the gospel , or covenant of grace . take but one place more , where the law is called a covenant , and that is jer. . , , . . in the next place you may see the reall properties of a covenant , which are a mutuall consent and stipulation on both sides : see a full relation of this . exod , : . from the . v. to the th . the apostle relateth this history , heb. . wherein learned interpreters observe many difficulties : but i shall not meddle with them . in the words quoted out of exodus , you see these things which belong to a covenant : first , there is god himselfe expressing his consent and willingnesse to be their god , if they will keep such commandements there and then delivered to them ver . . secondly , you have the peoples full consent , and ready willingnesse to obey them , ver . . & ver . . thirdly , because covenants used to be written down for a memoriall unto posterity , therefore we see moses writing the precepts down in a book . fourthly , because covenants used to be confirmed by some outward visible signes , especially by killing of beasts , and offering them in sacrifice , therefore we have this also done , and halfe of the blood was sprinkled on the altar , to denote gods entring into covenant , and the people also were sprinckled with blood , to shew their voluntary covenanting . thus we have reall covenanting when the law is given . so also you may see this in effect , deut. . , , , . where it's expresly said , that they stood to enter into covenant with god ; that he may establish them to be a people unto himself , and that he may be a god unto them . again , you have this clearly in deut. . , . where it is said , thou hast avouched the lord this day to be thy god , and to walke in his wayes — and the lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people . so , that it 's very plain , the law was given as a covenant ; yea , the apostle cals it a testament : for howsoever some have disliked that distinction of the old and new testament , especially as applied to the books & writings of the holy pen-men of scripture ( thinking as austin , they may be better called the old and new instruments , because they are authenticall , and confirmed by sufficient witnesses : as tertullian cals the bible , nostra digesta , from the lawyers ; and others called it , our pandects , from them also ) yet cor. . doth warrant such a distinction . only the question is , how this covenant can be called properly a testament , because christ died not twice , and there cannot be a testament , without the death of a testator . but the answer is , that there was a typicall death of christ in the sacrifices , and that was ground enough to make the covenant to be called a testament . having proved it is a covenant , all the difficulty remaineth in declaring what covenant it is ; for here is much difference of judgements , even with the learned and orthodox : and this doth arise from the different places of the scripture , which , although they be not contrary one to another , yet the weaknesse of our understandings is many times overmastered by some places : some ( as you have heard ) make it a covenant of workes , others a mixt covenant , some a subservient covenant ; but i am perswaded to goe with those who hold it to be a covenant of grace : and indeed , it is very easie to bring strong arguments for the affirmative ; but then there will be some difficulty to answer such places as are brought for the negative ; and if the affirmative prove true , the dignity and excellency of the law will appeare the more . now , before i come to the arguments , which induce me hereunto , consider in what sense it may be explained , that it is a covenant of grace . some explaine it thus , that it was indeed a covenant of grace , but the jewes , by their corrupt understanding , made it a covenant of workes , and so opposed it unto christ : and therefore , say they , the apostle argueth against the law , as making it to oppose the promises and grace : not that it did so , but only in regard of the jewes corrupt minds , who made an opposition where there was none . this hath some truth in it , but it is not full . some make the law to be a covenant of grace , but very obscurely ; and therefore they hold the gospel and the law to be the same , differing only as the acorne while it is in the huske , and the oke when it 's branched out into a tall tree . now if this should be understood in a popish sense , as if the righteousnesse of the law and the gospel were all one , in which sense the papists speake of the old law and the new , it would be very dangerous and directly thwarting the scripture . some explain it thus : god ( say they , ) had a primary or antecedent will in giving of the law , or a secondary and consequent : his primary will was to hold out perfect and exact righteousnesse , against which the apostle argueth , and proveth no man can be justified thereby : but then god knowing mans impotency and inability , did secondarily command repentance , and promiseth a gracious acceptance through christ ; and this may be very well received , if it be not vexed with ill interpretations . but , lastly , this way i shall go : the law ( as to this purpose ) may be considered more largely , as that whole doctrine delivered on mount sinai , with the preface and promises adjoyned , and all things that may be reduced to it ; or more strictly , as it is an abstracted rule of righteousnesse , holding forth life upon no termes , but perfect obedience . now take it in the former sense , it was a covenant of grace ; take it in the later sense , as abstracted from moses his administration of it , and so it was not of grace , but workes . this distinction will overthrow all the objections against the negative . nor may it be any wonder that the apostle should consider the law so differently , seeing there is nothing more ordinary with paul in his epistle , and that in these very controversies , then to doe so : as for example , take this instance , rom. . ver . , . where paul describeth the righteousnesse of the law from those words , doe this and live , which is said to have reference to levit. . . but we find this in effect , deut . v. . yet from this very chapter the apostle describeth the righteousnesse which is by faith : and beza doth acknowledg , that that which moses speakes of the law , paul doth apply to the gospel : now how can this be reconciled , unlesse wee distinguish between the generall doctrine of moses which was delivered unto the people in the circumstantiall administrations of it , and the particular doctrine about the law , taken in a limited and abstracted consideration ? onely this take notice of , that although the law were a covenant of grace , yet the righteousnesse of works and faith differ as much as heaven and earth . but the papists , they make this difference : the righteousnesse of the law ( saith stapleton , antid . in hunc locum ) is that which we of our owne power have and doe by the knowledge and understanding of the law : but the righteousnesse of faith , they make the righteousnesse of the law , to which wee are enabled by grace through christ : so that they compare not these two together , as two contraries , ( in which sense paul doth ) but as an imperfect righteousnesse with a perfect . but we know , that the apostle excludeth the workes of david & abraham , that they did in obedience to the law , to which they were enabled by grace ; so necessary is it in matter of justification and pardon to exclude all workes , any thing that is ours ; tolle te à te , impedis te , said austine well . nor doth it availe us , that this grace in us is from god , because the apostle makes the opposition wholy between any thing that is ours , howsoever we come by it , and that of faith in christ . having thus explained the state of the question , i come to the arguments to prove the affirmative : and thus i shall order them ; the first shall be taken from the relation of the covenanters ; god on one part , and the israelites on the other : god did not deale at this time , as absolutely considered , but as their god and father . hence god saith hee is their god ; and when christ quoteth the commanders , hee brings the preface , heare o israel , the lord thy god is one . and , rom. . . to the israelites belong adoption , and the glory , and the covenants and the giving of the law , and the promises . now , unlesse this were a covenant of grace , how could god be their god , who were sinners ? thus also if you consider the people of israel into what relation they are taken , this will much confirme the point . ezod . . , . if yee will obey my voice , you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me , and yee shall be unto me a kingdom of priests , and an holy nation : which is applied by peter to the people of god under the gospel . if therefore the law had been a covenant of works , how could such an agreement come betweene them ? . if we consider the good things annexed unto this covenant , it must needs be a covenant of grace : for there we have remission and pardon of sinne , whereas in the covenant of workes , there is no way for repentance or pardon . in the second commandment , god is described to be one shewing mercy unto thousands : and by shewing mercy is meant pardon , as appeareth by the contrary , visiting iniquity . now doth the law , strictly taken , receive any humbling & debasing of themselves ? no , but curseth every one that doth not continue in all the things commanded , and that with a full and perfect obedience . hence , exod. . ver . , . god proclaimeth himselfe in manifold attributes of being gracious , and long-suffering , keeping mercie for thousands , and forgiving iniquity ; and this he doth upon the renewing of the two tables : whereas , if the people of israel had been strictly held up to the law , as it required universall perfect obedience , without any failing , they must also necessarily have despaired , and perished without any hope at all . . if we consider the duties commanded in the law so generally taken , it must needs be a covenant of grace : for what is the meaning of the first commandment , but to have one god in christ our god by faith ? for if faith had not been on such tearmes commanded , it had been imposible for them to love god , or to pray unto god. must not the meaning then be , to love , and delight in god , and to trust in him ? but how can this be without faith through christ ? hence some urge , that the end of the commandment is love from faith unfeigned ; but because scultetus doth very probably , by commandment , understand there , the apostles preaching and exhortation , ( it being in the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the apostle using the word in that epistle in the same sense ) i leave it . it 's true there is no mention made of christ , or faith in the first commandment , but that is nothing , for love also is not mentioned : yet our saviour discovers it there , and so must faith and christ be supposed there by necessary consequence . and can we think , that the people of israel , though indeed they were too confident in themselves , yet when they took upon themselves to keep and observe the law , that the meaning was , they would do it without any spot or blemish by sinne , or without the grace of god for pardon , if they should at any time break the law. . from the ceremoniall law. all divines say , that this is reduced to the morall law , so that sacrifices were commanded by vertue of the second commandment . now we all know , that the sacrifices were evangelicall , and did hold forth remission of sinns through the blood of christ : if therefore these were commanded by the morall law , there must necessarily be grace included , although indeed it was very obscure and dark . and it is to be observed , that the apostle doth as much argue against circumcision , and even all the ceremoniall law , as the morall ; yea the first rise of the cōtroversie was from that : now all must confesse , that circumcision and the sacrifices did not oppose christ , or grace , but rather included them . and this hath been alwaies a very strong argument to perswade me for the affirmative . it is true , the jewes they rested upon these , and did not look to christ ; but so do our christians in these times upon the sacraments , and other duties . . this will appear from the visible seale to ratifie this covenant which you heard , was by sacrifices , and sprinkling the people with blood : and this did signifie christ , for christ he also was the mediatour of this covenant , seeing that reconciliation cannot possibly be made with a sinner , through the mediation of any mortall man. when therefore moses is called the mediatour , it is to be understood typically , even as the sacrifices did wash away sin typically . and , indeed , if it had been a covenant of works , there needed no mediatour , either typicall , or real ; some think christ likewise was the angell spoke of act. . with whom moses was in the wildernesse ; and it is probable . now if christ was the mediatour of the law as a covenant , the antinomian distinction must fall to the ground , that makes the law as in the hand of moses , and not in the hand of christ ; whereas on mount sinai , the law was in the hand of christ . . if the law were the same covenant with that oath , which god made to isaac , then it must needs be a covenant of grace : but we shall finde that god , when he gave this law to them ; makes it an argument of his love and grace to them ; and therefore remembers what he had promised to abraham , deut. . . wherefore it shall come to passe , if ye hearken to these judgements , and do them , that the lord thy god shall keep unto thee the covenant , & the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers . and , certainly , if the law had been a covenant of works , god had fully abrogated and broken his covenant and promise of grace which he made with abraham and his seed . therefore , when the apostle , gal. . . opposeth the law and the promise together , making the inheritance by one , & not the other ; it is to be understood according to the distinction before mentioned of the law taken in a most strict and limited sense : for it is plain , that moses in the administration of this law , had regard to the covenant and promise , yea made it the same with it . now to all this , there are strong objections made from those places of scripture , where the law and faith , or the promise , are so directly opposed , as rom. . before quoted , so gal. . . rom . . so likewise from those places , where the law is said to be the ministery of death , and to work wrath . now to these places , i answer these things : first , that if they should be rigidly , and universally true , then that doctrine of the socinians would plainly prevaile , who from these places of scripture do urge , that there was no grace , or faith , nor nothing of christ , vouchsafed unto the jewes ; whereas they reade they had the adoption , though the state was a state of bondage . in the second place consider that as it is said of the law , it worketh death , so the gospel is said to be the savour of death , and men are said to have no sin , if christ had not come ; yea they are said to partake of more grievous judgements , who despised christ , then those that despised the law of moses : so that this effect of the law was meerly accidentall through our corruption : only here is the difference , god doth not vouchsafe any such grace , as whereby we can have justification in a strict legall way : but he doth whereby we may obtain it in an evangelicall way . thirdly , consider that the apostle speaketh these derogatory passages ( as they may seem to be ) as well of the ceremoniall law ; yet all do acknowledge here was christ and grace held forth . fourthly , much of these places is true in a respective sense , according to the interpretation of the jew , who taking these without christ , make it a killing letter , even as if we should the doctrine of the gospel , without the grace of christ . and , certainly , if any jew , had stood up and said to moses , why do you say , you give us the doctrine of life ; it 's nothing but a killing letter , and the ministery of death , would he not have been judged a blasphemer against the law of moses ? the apostle therefore must understand it , as seperated , yea and opposed to christ and his grace . and lastly , we are still to retain that distinction of the law in a more large sense , as delivered by moses ; and a more strict sense , as it consisteth in precepts , threatnings and promises upon a condition impossible to us , which is , the fulfilling of the law in a perfect manner . lectvre xxv . rom . . . where is boasting then ? it is excluded . by what law ? of works ? nay , but of faith . the apostle delivered in the words before most compendiously and fully the whole doctrine of justification in the severall causes of it , from whence in this verse , he inferreth a conclusion against all boasting in a mans self ; which he manageth by short interrogations , that so he might the more subdue that selfe confidence in us : where is boasting ? saith he . this is to be applyed universally both to jew and gentile ; but especially to the jew , who gloried most herein . and chrysostome makes this the reason why christ deferred so long , & put off his coming in the flesh , viz. that our humane pride might be debased : for if at first he had come unto us , men would not have found such an absolute necessity of a saviour . the second question is , by what law boasting is excluded ; and this is answered , first negatively , not by the law of works . secondly positively , by the law of faith . the apostle , by the law of works , meaneth the doctrine of works , prescribing them as the condition of our justification and salvation ; and he saith works , in the plurall number , because one or two good works , though perfectly done ( if that were possible ) would not satisfie the law for our acceptation , unlesse there were a continuall and universall practise of them , both for parts and degrees : and he cals the doctrine of faith , the law of faith , either because ( as chrysostome saith ) he would sweeten and indeare the gospel to the jewes , by giving it a name which they loved ; or , as beza , he speaks here mimetically , according to the sense of the jewes , as when john. . he calleth faith a work , because the jewes asked , what should they do ? now we have in the scripture two lively comments upon both these parts of the text. the pharisee mentioning what he did , reckoning up his works , and never naming the grace of god , is a boaster by the law of works , but the publican , that looketh upon himselfe only as a sinner , and so judgeth himself , he excludeth all boasting by the law of faith . the papists they mean by works here in the text , those which go before faith , and they quote a good rule out of gregory , though to a foul errour , non per opera venitur ad fidem , sed per fidem ad opera : we do not come by works to faith , but by faith to works . but this glosse of theirs corrupts the text , because the apostle in this controversie instanceth in abraham , shewing how he had not wherewith to glory in himself , and therefore by beleeving gave glory to god. if you ask why works do imply boasting , though we be enabled thereunto by the grace of god ? the answer is ready , because we attribute justification to that work of grace within us , which yet is defective , that is , wholly to be given unto christ . the doctrine i shall pursue out of these words , is , that although the law , given by god to the israelites , was a covenant of grace , yet in some sense the law and gospel do oppose and thwart one another , and this matter i undertake , because hereby the nature of the gospel and the law will be much discovered . it is an errour , saith calvin lib. . instit . cap. . in those who do never otherwise compare the gospel with the law , then the merit of works with the free imputation of righteousness : and ( saith he ) this antithesis or opposition is not to be refused , because the apostle doth many times make them contrary , meaning by the law that rule of life , whereby god doth require of us , that which is his own , given us no ground of hope , unlesse in every respect we keep the law ; but , saith he , quum de totâ lege agitur , when he speaks of the law more largely taken , he makes them to differ , only in respect of clearer manifestation : or , as , pareus saith of the old and new covenant , they differ not essentially , but , as we say , the old and new moon . therefore , before i come to shew the exact opposition , take notice of two things as a foundation : first , that the law and the gospel may be compared one with another , either in respect of the grace god gave under the old-testament , & the new , and then they differ onely gradually ; for they under the law did enjoy grace and the spirit of god , ( though socinians deny it ) although indeed in respect of the gospel , it may comparatively be said , no spirit , and , no grace ; as when it is said , the holy ghost was not yet given , because it was not so plentifully given : or , secondly , the doctrine of the law in the meere preceptive nature of it , may be compared with the doctrine of the gospel , having the grace of god annexed unto it and going along with it . now this is in some respects an unequall comparison ; for if you take the doctrine or letter of the gospel without the grace of god , that letter may be said to kill as well as the letter of the law : only this is the reason , why we cannot say , the spirit of god , or grace , or life is by the law , because whatsoever spirituall good was vouchsafed to the jewes , it is not of the law , but of the grace of god , or the gospel . therefore , whensoever we compare law and gospel together , we must be sure to make the parallel equall , and to take them so oppositely , that we may not give the one more advantage , or lesse , then the nature of it doth crave and desire . in the second place therefore , in this controversie , still remember to carry along with you the different use of the word [ law ] as to this point ; for if you take law strictly , and yet make it a covenant of grace , you confound the righteousnesse of works , and of faith together , as the papists do : but if largely , then there may be an happy reconciliation . for the better opening of this , consider , that as the word [ law ] so the word [ gospel ] may be taken largely , or strictly . we will not trouble you with the many significations of the word ( or whether it be used any where of a sorrowfull message , as well as glad newes , as some say , in two places it is used , . sam. . . sam. . . according to that rule of mercers , non infrequens esse , specialia verba interdum generaliter sumi . ) it is enough to our purpose , that in the scripture it is sometimes taken more largely , and sometimes more strictly : when it 's taken largely , it signifieth the whole doctrine , that the apostles were to preach , mar. . . preach the gospel to every creature : & so mar. . . the beginning of the gospel , i. e. the doctrine & preaching of christ . or else it is taken most strictly , as when luke . . behold i bring you glad tydings , &c. in which strict sence it 's called the gospel of peace , and of the grace of god : so that you see , the word [ law ] is taken differently , largely and strictly ; thus also is the word [ gospel . ] now it 's a great dispute , whether the command of repentance belong unto the gospel , or no ? i finde the lutherans , antinomians , and calvinists to speak differently : but of that , when we take the law and gospel in their most strict sense . bellarmine bringeth it as an argument , that the protestants do deny the necessity of good works , because they hold that the gospel hath no precepts , or threatnings in it , lib. . de justif . cap. . and he urgeth against them , that cap. . ad rom. where the wrath of god is said to be revealed from heaven in the gospel ; but ( as is to be shewed ) he there doth mistake the state of the controversie taking the word [ gospel ] in a larger sense then they intended . thus on the other side islebius , the father of the antinomians , he taught that repentance was not to be pressed from the decalogue , but from the gospel ; & that , to preserve the purity of doctrine , we ought to resist all those who teach , the gospel must not be preached but to those who are made contrite by the law : whereas the right unfolding of the word [ gospel ] would make up quickly those breaches . the law therefore and the gospel admitting of such a different acception , i shall first shew the opposition between the law and the gospel taken in their large sense and then in the limited sense , and this is worth the while , because this is the foundation of all our comfort , if rightly understood . now the question in this larger sense is the same with the difference between the old and new-testament , or covenant ; wherein the learned speak very differently , and , as to my apprehension , most confusedly . i shall not examine whether that be the reason of calling it old and new , which austin chemnitius , and others urge , because it presseth the old man & condemneth that ; whereas the new incourageth and comforteth new : i rather take it to be so called , because the old was to cease and vanish away , being before the other in time . now in my method i will lay down the false differences , and then name the true . the false differences are first of the anabaptists and socinians , who make all that lived under the law to have nothing but temporall earthly blessings in their knowledge and affections . and for this they are very resolute , granting indeed that christ and eternall things were promised in the old testament but they were not enjoyed by any till the new testament , whereupon they say , that grace and salvation was not till christ came . and the places which the antinomians bring for beleevers under the new testament , they take rigidly and universally , as if there had been no eternall life , nor nothing of the spirit of god till christ came . hence they say , the gospel began with christ , and deny that the promise of a christ , or messias to come is ever called the gospel , but the reall exhibition of him only . this is false ; for , although this promise be sometimes called act. . . act. . . the promise made to the fathers , yet it is sometimes also called the gospel , rom. . . rom. . , . and there are cleare places to confute this wicked errour , as the apostle instancing in abraham and david , for justification , and remission of sinnes , which were spirituall mercies ; and that eternall life was not unknown to them , appeareth by our saviours injunction , commanding them to search the scriptures , for in them they hope for eternall life , john . . thus also they had hope and knowledge of a resurrection , as appeareth , act. . . therefore our saviour proved the resurrection out of a speech of gods to moses . and howsoever mercer ( as i take it ) thinke that exposition probable about jobs profession of his knowledge [ that his redeemer liveth , and that he shall see him at the last day ] which make his meaning to be of jobs perswasion of his restitution unto outward peace and health again ; yet there are some passages , in his expression , that seem plainly to hold out the contrary . though therefore we grant that that state , was the state of children , and so carried by sensible objects very much ; yet there was under these temporall good things , spiritual held forth . hence the apostle , cor. . maketh the jewes to have the same spirituall matter and benefit in their sacraments which we partake of . in the next place , let us consider the false difference of the papists ; and they have the socinians also agreeing with them in some things . first , they make this a great difference , that christ , under the new testament , hath added more perfect laws , and sound counsells then were before , as , wilfull poverty , vowed chastity : and the socinians , they labour to shew how christ hath added to every precept of the decalogue ; and they begin with the first , that he hath added to it these things : . a command to prayer , whereas in the old testament , though godly men did pray , yet ( say they impudently ) there was no command : and then christ ( say they ) did not only command to pray , but gave a prescript form of prayer . the second thing added ( say they ) is to call upon christ , as a mediatour in our prayers , which they in the old testament did not . and thus they go on over all the commandements , shewing what new things christ hath added , smal. refut . thes . pag. . but i have already shewed that christ never added any morall duty which was not commanded before . the second difference of the papists , is , to make the law and the gospel capable of no opposite considerarion , no not in any strict sense , but to hold both a covenant of works , and that the fathers under the old testament , and those under the new , were both justified by fulfilling the law of god. and herein lyeth that grosse errour , whereby christ and grace are evacuated . but the falshood of this shall be evinced ( god willing ) when we speak of the law and gospelstrictly , which the papists , upon a dangerous errour , call the old law , and the new. lastly , the papists make a third difference , that under the old testament , the fathers that dyed went not immediatly to heaven ; therefore ( say they ) we do not say , saint jeremiah , or , saint isaiah , but after christs death then a way was opened for them and us : hence is that saying , sanguis christi , est clavis paradisi , the blood of christ , is the key of paradise : but this is sufficiently confuted in the popish controversies . i come therefore to the antinomian difference , and there i finde such an one , that i am confident was never heard of before in the world ; it is in the honey-comb of justification , pag. . god ( saith he ) saw sin in the beleevers of the old testament , but not in these of the new ; and his reason is , because the glory of free justification was not so much revealed , the vaile was not removed . what a weak reason is this ? did the lesse , or more revelation of free justification make god justifie the lesse freely ? it had been a good argument to prove that the people of god in the old testament did not know this doctrine so clearly as those in the new , but that god should see the more or lesse , because of this , is a strange consequence . the places of scripture which he brings , zech. . . dan. . . would make more to the purpose of a socinian , ( that there is no pardon of sin , and eternall life but under the gospel ) rather then for the antinomian : and one of his places he brings , jer. . ver . . maketh the contrary true ; for there god promiseth pardon of sin , not to the beleevers under the gospel but to that residue of the jews which god would bring back from captivity , as the context evidently sheweth : so the place heb. . . how grosly is it applyed unto the beleevers of the gospel only ? for , had not the godly under the old testament the law written in their hearts ? and had they not the same cause to take away their sins ( viz. christs blood ) as well as we under the gospel ? his second reason is , god saw sin in them , because they were children , that had need of a rod ; but he sees none in us , because full grown heirs . what a strange reason is this ? for parents commonly see less sin in their children , while young , then when grown up : and their childishness doth more excuse them . and although children only have a rod for their faults , yet men grown up they have more terrible punishments . hence the apostle threatens beleevers that despise christ , with punishment above those that despised moses . his third reason is , because they under the law were under a school-master , therfore he seeth sin in them , but none in us , being no longer under a school-master . but here is no solidity in this reason : for first , the chiefest work of a school-master is to teach and guide ; and so they are said to be under the law as a school-master , that so they may be prepared for christ : and thus it is a good argument to christians under the gospel , that their lives should be fuller of wisdome and grown graces , then the jewes ; because they are not under a school-master as children : as if one should say to a young man , that is taken from the grammar school , and transplanted in the university , that he should take heed he doth not speak false latine now , for he is not in a grammar schoole now , but in an university . thus you see , the chief notion of a school-master is to prepare and guide , his correcting is accidentall ; yea , if we may believe qintilian a master in this kinde , he is against the school-masters beating of boyes , as that which would make them of a servile disposition . but solomon giveth better rules . grant therefore that this is to be understood of knocks and blows which they had , what can we say under the gospel , that we are children freed from the rod ? though we have not a shoolmaster , yet we have a father to correct us . heb. . , , , . do we not in that place finde a plain contradiction of this doctrine ? for the apostle doth there alleadge a place of the old testament , to us now under the gospel : and , certainly , afflictions are as necessary to the godly now , as fire to the drossy vessell and filing to the rusty iron . as the scourging and beating of the garment with a stick , beateth out the mothes and the dust ; so do troubles and adversities corruptions from the children of god. the fourth reason why god saw sin in them , war , because they were not made perfect according to the conscience , heb. . , . who would not think that the author were some papist , or socinians ? for if the text prove any thing to his purpose , it will evince that the godly then were made partakers of no more then a legall bodily cleansing . but as for the place , that is miserably arrested ; for the apostle , his intent is to shew , that the godly then could not obtain righteousness by any of those sacrifices , and therefore the good they enjoyed was from christ the true sacrifice : so that unless he will deny christs blood to be effectuall and operative in the old testament , this reason must fall to the ground . other reasons he brings , which are to the same purpose , and therefore may easily be overthrown ; as , that god saw no sin in them , because their preachers did not open the kingdome of heaven , but he seeth none in us , because the least of our ministers do bring us , into this kingdome . every-one may see the weakness here ; for it supposeth that god did not so fully pardon and forgive , because the doctrine of these things was not so clearly preached . if the authors arguments had been , that christ died not so fully for them , or that christ his righteousness was not so fully imputed unto them , then there had been some probability . thus you see this false difference also . i do not medle with that opinion , of seeing sin in the beleevers , because it is not the proper place . i find other differences between the law and the gospel , made by another antinomian , and they are in a sermon upon the two covenants of grace , where the authour , hauing truely asserted , that god did transact with the jewes in a covenant of grace ; yet he makes that covenant , and this under the gospel , to be two distinct covenants : they are not ( saith hee , pag. . ) one and the same covenant diversly administred , but they are two distinct covenants : his arguments are , because they are called old and new : but those names inforce no essentiall difference . the commandment of love is called an old commandment , and a new ; yet it is the same for essence : so likewise the termes of a good , and better , do imply no more then a graduall difference in their excellency . but that which i shall especially animadvert upon , is , the differences he giveth between these two covenants of grace so really distinguished , as he supposeth , and in this matter , the authour speaketh much error in a few lines . the first difference assigned by him is in respect of remission of sinnes ; but he goeth on other grounds then the hony-combe doth . they had not ( saith he ) a plenary remission of all sorts of sinnes : there were sacrifices for sinnes of ignorance , but notfor other sinnes that were done presumptuously : and if no sacrifices were admitted , then consequently no pardon obtained : but under the gospel , christs blood cleanseth from all sin , pag. . now here is an heape of falshoods : first , that all the legall sacrifices were only for sinnes of meer ignorance ; ( this is also an errour among socinians ) but levit. . , . there is a sacrifice appointed for him that shall lye , and sweare falsly in detaining of his neighbours goods , and this could not be but a sinne of knowledge . this is also aboundantly confirmed in levit. . where the feast of expiation and atonement is made for all the sinnes of the people , ver . . he shall make an atonement , because of the uncleaness of the children of israel , and because of their transgressions in all their sinnes . so ver . . he shall confess over the live goat all the iniquities of the children of israel , and all their transgressions in all their sinnes . thus ver . . that ye may be cleane from all your sinnes before the lord ; & ver . . this shall be an atonement for the children of israel once a yeare for all their sinns . thus you see the scripture speakes plainly for all their sinnes ; yet the antinomian speakes as boldly , as if nothing were true ; that there were sacrifices for some sorts of sinnes only . so that you are wisely to judge of such books , and not beleeve every confident expression . it 's true the apostle calls these sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . we translate it errours ; for the apostle doth not meanesinnes , as appeareth levit. . but therefore are all sinnes called , so because omnis malus ignorat : there being no sinne which doth not proceede from some errour in the practicall judgment ? for although a man sin wilfully and advisedly , so that there is nulla alia causa malitae nisi malitia , ( as austin speakes of some of his sinnes ) yet there is even an errour in that mans conscience . but in the second place , grant , that there were no legall sacrifices appointed for some sins , ( as indeed particular sacrifices were commonly for sins , either of ignorance , or if wilfull , not of such an high and mortall guilt ; particular ( i say ) for that feast of expiation was generall ) yet there is no consequence in the world , that therefore there was no pardon to be sued out . how foolish then were david and manasses , in suing out pardon for their blood-guiltiness , if there were no such thing allowed by god ? how gross is this errour ? if this doctrine were true , then most of those that are reckoned as godly in the old testament could have no pardon , because many of them did fall into such gross sins , for which there was no particular sacrifice appointed . . again under the new testament , is there not the sin against the holy ghost for which no pardon is promised ? not indeed but that christs bloud is sufficient to take away the guilt of it ? and gods mercy is able to pardon it , and to give repentance to those that have committed it ; but he hath declared he will not . but , saith the author , under the gospel it is said , the bloud of christ cleanseth us from all sin . now , if the jews would have brought all their estates to have been admitted , to bring a sacrifice for such or such a sin , they could not have done it . i reply what and if they could bring no sacrifice , could they not therefore have pardon ? why then doth god proclaime himself to them , a god gracious , forgiving iniquity , transgression and sin ? why doth he , isa . . call upon ierusalem to repent of her whoredoms , murders , saying , if their sins were as scarlet , they should be made as white as snow . this errour is such a dead fly , that it is enough to spoile the authors whole box of ointment . besides , was not that true ever since adams fall , as well as under the gospel [ christs blood cleansing from all sin ] i cannot see how any but a socinian will deny it . . another difference that the author makes about remission of sinnes to them , and us under the gospel , is as strange , and false as the former : it is this , god did not give the grace of remission of sinnes to any under the old covenant , but upon antecedent conditions ; they were to be at cost for sacrifices . ( how doth this agree with his former reason , if he mean it universaly ? ) they were to confess their sinnes to the priests , yea , in some cases to fast : but now under the gospel there is no antecedent doing of any thing to the participation of the covenant . but in this difference also there is much absurd falshood , and contradiction to himselfe : contradiction ( i say ) for he bringeth ezech. . where god speaks to the church , that while she was in her blood , he said to her , live ; therefore there was no antecedent condition . but what man of reason doth not see that god speaks there of the church of the iews , as appeareth through the whole chapter ? therefore it makes strongly against the author , that she had no preparations ; so that other place , isa . . . i am found of them that sought not for me ; grant that it be a prophesie of the gentiles , yet was it not also true of the iews , before god called them ? did the iews first seek god , or god them ? how often doth god tell them , that the good he did to them , was for his own names sake , and not any thing in them ? again , if these things were required as antecedent qualifications in them for the remission of sins , then all those argumments will hold true upon them , which they would fasten , as injuries to christ and grace , upon us . if ( say they ) we must repent , and humble our selves , and so have pardon , this is to cast off christ , this is to make an idoll of our owne righteousness , &c. it seemeth the jews under the old testament might do all these things without blame : a iew might say , my services , my sacrifices , my prayers will do something to the remission of my sinnes : but a christian may not . the author urgeth also that place , while we were enemies , we were reconciled to god : but doth not this hold true of the iews ? did they first make themselves friends with god ? what is this but to hold the doctrine of free-will and works in the time of the law ; and the doctrine of grace under the new only ? as for faith , whether that be a condition or not , i shall not here meddle : only this is plain , it was required of them under the old covenant , in the same maner , as it is of us now . a third difference made as to remission of sinnes , is this : their remission of sinnes was gradatim , successively , drops by drops . if a man had sinned , and offered sacrifice , then that sinne was pardoned ; but this did not extend to future ignorance , that was not pardoned till a new sacrifice . therefore the apostle saith , there was a remembrance of sinne ; but christ by one sacrifice once offered , hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified . to this i answer , . that this difference grew upon this supposition , as if the sacrifice offered did by it's own vertue take away sinne . for , if we suppose ( as we must ) that christ the true sacrifice was represented in every sacrifice , and all the vertue and benefit to come from christs bloud , and not the bloud of the sacrifices , then could that take away all sinnes as well as some sinnes : unless the author were a socinian , denying the efficacy of christs blood , at all , under the old testament , he can never expedite himselfe from this . again , this contradicts themselves ; for the reason why they say , faith doth not justifie , but evidence and declare it only , is , because gods love and free grace to justifie , is from all eternity , and therefore no sins past , or future , can hinder this . now i ask , whether god did not justifie david , and the ungodly in those dayes from all eternity , ( as they speak ) and if he did , why should not all their sins be remitted fully once , as well as the sins of beleevers under the gospel ? certainly , the apostle brings david for an instance of justification and remission of sins , as well under the new testament , which doth suppose that we are justified , and have our sins pardoned in the like manner . in the mean while , let me set one antinomian to overthrow another , for one of that way brings many arguments to prove that we are justified , and so have all our sins done away before we beleeve . now , if all sins are done away , then there is no successive remission . well then , you shall observe most of the arguments hold for the beleevers under the old testament , as well as new ; for they are elected as well as we , god laid their sins , upon christ as well as ours : if god love us to day , and hate us to morrow , let arminians heare and wonder why they should be blamed that say , we may love god to day , and hate him to morrow . now all these reasons will fall foul upon this antinomian whose errour i confute , and he much necessarily hold , that the godly had but halfe pardons , yea , that they were loved one day , and hated the next . again , consider that the place of the apostle urged by him for his errour , viz. christ offering himselfe once for all , to perfect those that are sanctified , is of a perpetuall truth ever since adams fall : and it was as efficacious to those before his death , as after ; therefore he is called a lamb slain from the beginning of the world , although the socinians would pervert and wrest that place . lastly , i deny that even under the gospel that all sins are forgiven to the justified person at once . he is indeed put into a state of justification , whereby no condemnation will fall upon him , yet his sins are not forgiven before they are committed and repented of . and for this purpose we pray for the daily pardon of them , which is not to be understood of the meer declaration or assurance of the pardon , but for the pardon it self . but this shall be on purpose spoken to in the matter of iustification . the forenamed author hath some other differences , but they are confuted already for the substance of them . lectvre xxvi . rom . . . where is boasting then ? it is excluded . by what law ? of works ? nay , but by the law of faith . we have confuted the false differences , and now come to lay down the true , between the law and the gospel , taken in a larger sense . and , first , you must know that the difference is not essentiall , or substantiall , but accidentall : so that the division of the testament , or covenant into the old , and new , is not a division of the genus into it's opposite species ; but of the subject , according to it 's severall accidentall administrations , both on gods part , and on mans . it is true , the lutheran divines , they do expresly oppose the calvinists herein , maintaining the covenant given by moses , to be a covenant of works , and so directly contrary to the covenant of grace . indeed , they acknowledge that the fathers were justified by christ , and had the same way of salvation with us ; only they make that covenant of moses to be a superadded thing to the promise , holding forth a condition of perfect righteousness unto the iews , that they might be convinced of their own folly in their self-righteousness . but , i think , it is already cleared , that moses his covenant , was a covenant of grace : & the right unfolding the word law , and gospel , doth easily take away that difference which seemeth to be among the learned in this point ; for , certainly , the godly iews did not rest in the sacrifices , or sacramenrs , but by faith did really enjoy christ in them , as well as wee in ours . christ was figured by the mercy-seat : now , as both the cherubims looked to that , so both the people of the jews and gentiles did eye and look to christ . for although christ had not assumed our flesh then , yet the fruit and benefit of his incarnation was then communicated , because of the decree and promise of god , . pet. . . . this difference is more particularly seen , in respect of the degrees of perspicuity and clearness in the revelation of heavenly objects . hence , pet. . . the light in the old testament is compared to the light in the night time ; and that in the new , to the light of the sun in the day . the summ of all heavenly doctrine is reduced to these three heads : credenda , things to be beleeved : speranda , things to be hoped for : & facienda , things to be done . now , if you consider the objects of faith , or things to be beleeved , they were more obscurely delivered to them : the doctrine of the trinity , the incarnation of christ , and the resurrection , these things were but in a dark manner delivered , yet , according to the measure of that light then held forth , they were bound to beleeve those things : so that , as moses had a vail upon him , thus also his doctrine had ; and , as the knowledge we have here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in respect of that in heaven , so that in the old testament may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in respect of that in the new. as it is thus for the credenda , things to be beleeved , so it is also for the speranda , things hoped for . the opinion of the socinians and others is very wicked , which makes them before christ , only to hope in temporall good things , and the notion of the papists observing that the church under the new testament is called ecclesia , but never synagoge ; & the meeting of the jews , called always synagoge , but never ecclesia , doth suppose that the jews were gathered together as so many beasts , rather then called together as men . but this notion is judged false ; and they instance heb. . and james . where the church of the christians is called synagoge ; although cameron , praelect . de eccles . pag. . doth industriously labour to prove that the apostles did purposely abstain from the word synagoge in reference to christians : but his reason is not that the papists urge , for howsoever the good things promised were for the most part temporal , and carnal , yet these figured spirituall and heavenly . it 's austins observation , shewing that the jews should first be allured by temporal mercies , and afterwards the christians by spiritual : as , saith he , first that which is animal , and then that which is spiritual : the first man was of the earth , earthly ; the second man was of heaven , heavenly : thus we may say of the jew and the christian , that which was animal was first , and then that which is spiritual . hence , heb. . . abraham and others are said to seek an heavenly country ; so that although it be true which austine ( as i remember ) said , though you look over the whole book of the old testament , yet you shall never find the kingdome of heaven mentioned there : yet we see david making god his portion , and professing that he hath nothing in heaven but him , which argueth , that they looked farther then meer outward mercies . these good things promised to the jews were figurative , so that as a man consisteth of a soul and body , thus also doth the promises ; there is the kernel and the shell : but the jews , for the most part , looked only to the outward . hence christ , when he opened those things to his disciples , did like a kind father , that breaketh the shell , and giveth the kernel to his children . in the third place , there are facienda , things to be done . now although it be true , ( as i have proved ) that christ hath added no new command to the law of moses ; and whatsoever is a sin now in moral things , was also then ; yet the doctrine of these things was not so full , penetrating , and clear as now under the gospel . there is a dangerous book , called , the practicall catechisme , that venteth much socinian poyson , and in this particular , among other things , that christ added to the law , and perfected it , filled up some vacuities in it ; certainly , the law of god being perfect , and to which nothing must be added , cannot be said to have vacuities in it ; and christ is said to fill the law , in respect of the pharisees , who by their corrupt glosses had evacuated it . and one of his reasons , which he brings to prove his assertion , makes most against him , viz. except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees , &c. this maketh against him , because our saviour doth not say . except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the law and the prophets ; ( which he must have said , if his opinion were true ) but , of the scribes and pharisees , who had corrupted the text with their false glosses . i will not consider his other reasons ; for they are so weak , that he seemeth to be afraid of them : and , certainly , it would be strange divinity , to say , that a jew might have lusted after a woman in his heart , and not have sinned ; but now it would be sin in a christian . the second particular difference is in respect of the measure of grace . hence the scripture speakes , as if they had under the old testament none at all , meerly because there was not such a plentifull effusion of his spirit upon them : not but that if we consider some particular persons , they might have such degrees of grace , that few under the gospel can be compared unto them , as abraham and david ; but this was not according to the ordinary dispensation of his graces then : so that as one starre differeth from another in glory , thus did the church of the jewes , from that of christians . they had drops , but we have the fountaine ; they had glimmerings , but we have the sun it selfe . now , as these are priviledges , so they are also great engagements for more eminent knowledge , and holiness then was in those dayes . but all that the prophets reproved in their people , ignorance , selfe confidence , resting upon externall duties , &c. the same may we in our hearers . their condition was more servile . all things did press more to fear , and bondage , then now among us . hence the apostle , gal. . . compareth their condition to the sons of the bond-woman . hence austine makes timor , and amor , the difference of the two testaments ; god met man sinning in the law , as he did adam , with terrour , charging sin upon him ; but under the gospel , as the father did the prodigall son , coming home to him . see heb. . this difference considered by paul , yee are not come to mount sinai , &c. only you must rightly understand this . the jewes had a two fold consideration ; one , as being servile , and another of them , as sonnes , but under age : so that they were not wholly excluded from the spirit of adoption : yea , the apostle saith , that the promises , and adoption did belong unto thom ; and david doth appropriate god unto himselfe as his god , in his prayer , which argued he had the spirit of adoption , inabling him to call , abba , father . now , as they were more obnoxious to an inward bondage , so they were under an outward bondage also , opposite unto which is that christian liberty paul speakes of , whereby the yoke of all those ceremonious burdens is taken off them ; and paul doth vehemently and fervidly dispute against those that would introduce them . in the asserting of this difference , one scruple is to be removed , which is this , how could the jewes be said to be in more servitude then the christians ; meerly because of those ceremonies and sacrifices ? for , seeing they were commanded by god , and had spirituall significations , they did thereby become helpes unto their faith , and were exercises of their piety . as under the gospel none can say that the sacraments are a burden , and tend to bondage , because they are visible signes : but rather god doth hereby condescend in his great love unto us for , as chrysostome observeth , if wee had been incorporeall , god would not then have appointed visible sacraments , ( no more then he doth to angels ) but now consisting of soul and body , he doth institute some things in an accommodated way to helpe us , and to promote our faith . but this may be answered , that although they were spirituall in signification , yet they being many , and requiring much bodily labour , they could not be observed without much difficulty : and therefore no priest , or levite , that was spiritually minded , in those dayes , but would rather choose to exercise the ministery under the gospel , then to busie himself in the killing of beasts , and fleaing of them , which was their duty to do . therefore well did austine observe the love of god in appointing for us sacraments , fewer in number , easier in observation , and more cleare in signification . again , those bodily exercises did rather fit those that were children , and were more convenient to that low condition , then unto the full age of the church : and sacraments , though they be an help , yet they suppose some imbecillity in the subject : therefore in heaven there shall be none at all . only take notice , that popery , having introduced so many ceremonious observations , and such a multitude of church-precepts , hath made the times of the gospel to be the times of none-age again . this also discovereth that such are not spirituall , that delight in ceremoniall wayes : and the more men fix their heart upon sensible observations , the less they partake of spirituall . i will instance but in a fourth ( because these differences are given by most that treate on this subject ) and that shall be the continuance and abode of it . the law , in that mosaicall administration , was to indure but till christ the fulness came ; and then , as the scaffolds are pulled down when the house is built , so were all those externall ordinances to be abolished , when christ himselfe came . a candle is superfluous when the sun appeareth . a school-master is not necessary to those that have obtained perfect knowledge . milke is not comely for those who live on solid meat . the chaff preserves the corn , but when the corn is gathered , the chaff is thrown away . and when the fruit commeth , the flower falleth to the ground and in this sense the apostle , heb. . doth argue against it , saying , it could bring nothing to perfection , neither could any of those purifications work any good and spiritual effect . it behoved therefore that a christ should be exhibited , which would work all those spirituall mercies for us , hence had there been no farther proceeding , but we must alwaies have stayed in such offerings , and sacrifices , it had been impossible for ever that god should have been pleased with us . it is therefore in this respect , that it was to be antiquated , and a better covenant to come in the room of it . the apostle calleth those things , heb. . a shadow : now a shadow , that doth shew a man , but yet the shadow , that doth not live , or eate , or speak : so those sacrifices they shadowed out christ , but yet they could not exhibite the reall benefits by christ . as elisha sent his servant with a staff to raise up the shunamites son , but he could doe nothing ; then cometh the prophet himself , and raiseth him up : so it 's here , moses was like the prophets servant , he went with a staff to raise up those dead in sin , but could not do it without christ . here may be one question made upon these things , and that is , why god appointed such various and different administrations ? this providence of god became a rock to the marcionites , and manichees , insomuch that they denyed the same god to be author of both the testaments . to answer this ; certainly god , if he pleased , could have as clearly revealed christ , and poured out his pirit , giving eternall life as plentifully under the law , as under the gospel . but to aske why he did thus , would be as presumptuous and arrogant , as to aske , why he created the world no sooner . if the school-master teach the new beginner in another way , then he doth the proficient in study , no man doth blame his wisedom . as in the paschall lamb , they were to eate the flesh , but to throw away the bones ; so in all matters of religion , those things that are revealed and profitable we may feed upon , and whatsoever is abstruse and difficult , we may let goe . praestat per deum nescire , quia ipse non revelaverit ; quàm per hominem scire , quia ipse praesumpserit , tert. de anima . now , to conclude , i come to give the difference between the law strictly taken , as requiring exact and perfect obedience , promising eternall life upon no other termes : and the gospel strictly taken , as a solemne promulgation of christ , and his benefits to a broken sinner . and the first is this , the law in some measure of it is made knowne by naturall light , and so agreeable to a naturall conscience . i say in some measure ; for there is much of the duty of the law that is unknown to naturall consciences , yet the most externall and outward duties are knowne , and accordingly , as the truth of them is discerned by naturall light , so the will doth joyne with them as good to be done ( though not in a godly way . ) but it is otherwise with the gospel , for the very truth of it must be wholy revealed by god , so that no naturall acumen in the world , could ever excogitate this wonderfull remedy , of justification and salvation by christ . and as it is thus above knowledg , so the heart is more averse from this way . and by this you may see , why it is such an hard thing to beleeve ; why the people of god are so hardly perswaded , when loaden with guilt , to roule their soules upon christ . the reasorris , there is nothing in his natural conscience to further him in this duty . press a man against murder , theft , adultery ; here is naturall conscience joyning for this duty : but urge him to beleeve , this is altogether above nature . hence it is also , that naturally we seek to be justified by the works we do ; so that to be justified by faith is another way , then corrupted nature in us , or right nature in adam would have inclined unto , therefore let not the people of god be so discouraged in their agonies and combats about their unbeliefe : let them know , that a little degree of faith is of great consequence . and if he said , that christi anity was perpetua naturae violentia , a perpetuall violence offered to nature , this is most sure in a matter of faith . we are as froward in rejecting of a promise , as stubborn in refusing of a command . the second difference is in the object matter : the law holdeth forth a perfect righteousness , and will not admit of any other ; but the gospel , that condescends , and brings pardon through christ . and this is the maine difference , and in which they can never be made one . now the papists , arminian , socinian , and others do overthrow this grand and maine difference holding justification by works under some notion , or other : whereas the apostle maketh an immediate opposition , if of faith , then not of works . the apostle doth not distinguish of works of nature , and works of grace , or works of grace perfect imperfect : but speaketh absolutely , & so doth also exclude that subtile opinion , of making faith to justifie as a work ; for the apostle , making an opposition between faith and works , must necessarily take faith under such a notion , as cannot be a work . and this truth is that which is the pillar of the church of god , and that which differenceth us from jews , turks , papists , and many hereticks . the third difference is from the manner of obtaining the good thing promised : he that shall obtain eternall life by the law , hath it of debt , and by way of justice , rom. . . not as if adam in the state of innocency could have merited at gods hands ; or as if god became in strict justice a debtor ; seeing adam was beholding to god for all : but in some sense it would have been so . hence boasting would not then have been excluded : eternall life being the reward of those holy works , which he should have done , but now all is of grace , through christ ; our righteousness is meerly gods indulgence : not the holiness that is in us , but the sinn pardoned makes us acceptable . so that the broken contrite heart can never sufficiently admire the grace and goodness of god in the gospel-way : and no marvell if so be that paul is so frequently ravished with the considerations thereof . this may well be cailed good newes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if our hearts were spiritually affected , we should say , how beautifull are the feet of those that bring these glad tydings ? the fourth difference is in respect of the subject : the law , strictly taken , is only for those who have a perfect and holy nature : therefore it 's a covenant , ( as you heard ) of friendship , and not of reconciliation , so that there is no necessity of any mediatour . indeed , there is good use of urging it to proud pharisaicall men , to bring them out of love with themselves ; to gross sinners , that their hearts might be broken , seeing the curses belong to them ; yea , to the godly also , to teach them the faire copy they are to write after : but , in respect of justification by it , and eternall life , there is none can have that benefit but such who shall be found perfectly holy : it was not moses , but the serpent that did heale ; so it is not the law , but christ that can comfort broken hearts stung with sin . the priest , and the levite they pass by , not pitying of him . but now the subject to whom the gospel is given , is a broken hearted sinner , one that feeleth himselfe ready to be covered over with all confusion , one that lyeth wounded in conscience , crying for some oyle to be poured into his wounds . oh! what miserable comforters then must all popish and socinian doctors be , who will advise the sinfull tempted man to seek out works for the law , which is as uncomfortable , as to bid a sick diseased man get some of the philosophers stone , or to eat a piece of a phoenix , and then , and not till then , he shall be in ease ? lastly , the law differeth in the forme of it from the gospel : the law is conditionall , but the gospel absolute . i find this question a very troublesome one , whether the gospel be absolute or no ? whether gospel be a doctrine of works ? whether it hath precepts , or threatnings ? now the meaning of this question is not , whether the gospel be so absolute that it requireth not faith as a condition : or whether it be so absolute , as that it excludeth all repentance and holiness ; he is an infant in scripture that thinketh so : but , whether the gospel doth promise eternall life to a man for any dignity , intention , merit , work , or any disposition in us under any distinction or notion whatsoever ; or only to faith apprehending christ . now the answer is , that if we take the gospel largly , for the doctrine of christ and the apostles , there is no question , but they pressed duty of mortification & sanctification , threatning those that do not so : but if you take the gospel strictly , then it holdeth forth nothing but remission of sins through christ , not requiring any other duty as a condition , or using any threatning words thereunto . but then it may be demanded , to which is repentance reduced ? is it a duty of the law , or a duty of the gospel ? of the law strictlytaken , it cannot be , because that admitteth none . must it not therefore be of the gospel ? and i find in this particular , different either expressions or opinions , and generally the lutheran divines do oppose the antinomians upon this very ground , that the gospel is not a sermon of repentance , nor doth exhort thereunto ; but it must be had from the law , which doth prepare them for christ . i shall therefore , because this was the foundation of antinomianisme , and it had it's rise from hence , handle the next day this question , whether the gospel doth command repentance , or no. or , whether it be only from the law. lectvre xxvii . rom . . . where is boasting then ? it is excluded . by what law ? of works ? nay , but by the law of faith . i proceed to the handling of this question , whether the gosspel preach repentance or no : seeing this made the great commotion at first between the orthodox and antinomians . i shall dispatch this in few words , . the word [ repentance , ] is taken sometimes largely , and sometimes strictly : when it is taken largely , it comprehends faith in it , and is the whole turnign unto god rev. . . sometimes it is used strictly , for sorrow about sin , and so distinguished from faith . thus , they repented not , that they might beleeve ; and faith and repentance are put together , now all the while a man hath trouble and sorrow for sin , without faith , it is like the body without the soul ; yea , it carrieth a man with cain , and judas , into the very pit of dispair ; when a man seeth how much is against him , and not how much is for him , it cannot but crush , and weigh him down to the ground . the tears of repentance are like those waters , very bitter , till christ sweeten them . . consider this , that the law was never meerly and solely administred , nor yet the gospel , but they are twins , that are inseparably united in the word and ministery . howsoever strictly taken , there is a vast gulf of opposition between each other ; yet in their use they become exceeding subservient , and helpfull mutually . it is not good for the law to be alone , nor yet the gospel . now the old antinomians , they taught repentance by the gospel only , that so the law might be wholly excluded . thus they did not consider what usefull subserviencie they had to one another . the law directeth , commandeth , and humbleth : the gospel , that comforteth , refresheth , and supporteth . and it is a great wisedom in a christian , when he hath an eye upon both . many are cast down , because they only consider the perfection of the law , and their inability thereunto : on the other side , some grow secure and loose , by attending to free-grace only . i do acknowledge , that free-grace will melt the heart into kindness , and the fire will melt , as well as the hammer batter into pieces ; but yet , even this cannot be done , without some use of the law. . therefore , being there is such a neer linck between both these in their practicall use , we need not , with some learned men , make two commandements of the gospel only ; to wit , the command to beleeve , and the other command to repent : neither need we , with others , make these commands appendices to the gospel . but conclude thus , that , seeing faith and repentance have something initial in them , and something consummative in them , therefore they are both wrought by law and gospel also : so that , as they say there is a legal repentance and an evangelical ; so we may say , there is a legal faith , which consists in believing of the threatnings , & the terrours of the lord ; and there is an evangelical faith , which is in applying of christ in the promises . so that legal faith , and repentance , may be called so initially ; and when it is evangelical , it may be said to be consummate . if therefore you aske , whether faith and repentance be by the law , or by the gospel ; i answer , it is by both and that these must not be seperated one from the other in the command of these duties . hence , fourthly , unbeliefe is a sin against the law , as well as against the gospel . indeed the gospel , that doth manifest , and declare the object of justifying faith , but the law condemneth him that doth not believe in him : therefore moses and the law is said to bear witness of christ , and to accuse the jews for refusing the messias . the law , that requireth belief in whatsoever god shall reveal : the gospel that makes known christ ; and then the law , is as it were , enlightened by the gospel , doth fasten a command upon us to beleeve in christ . this is true , if you take the law strictly and seperately from moses his administration of it : but if you take it largely , as it was delivered by moses , then faith in christ was immediately commanded there , though obscurely , because ( as is proved ) it was a covenant of grace . you see then , that as in the transfiguration , there was christ , and moses together in glory ; so likewise may the law , and the gospel be together in their glory ; and it is through our folly , when we make them practically to hinder one another . though all this be true , yet if the gospel be taken strictly , it is not a doctrine of repentance , or holy works ; but a meere gracious promise of christ to the broken heart for sin ; and doth comprehend no more then the glad tydings of a saviour . it is true , learned men do sometimes speak otherwise , calling faith and repentance the two evangelicall commands , but then they use the word more largely , for the doctrine of christ and the apostles , but in a strict sense its only a promise of christ , and his benefits : and in this sense we may say , the gospel doth not terrifie , or accuse . indeed there are wofull threatnings to him that rejecteth christ ; yea more severe then to him that refused moses , but this ariseth from the law joyned in practicall use with the gospel . and in this sense also it is said to be the savour of death unto many . this ariseth not from the nature of the gospel , but from the law , that is enlightened by the gospel : so that he being already condemned by the law , for not beleeving in christ , he needeth to be condemned again by the gospel . if you say , may not the sufferings of christ make us to repent of sin , and all the love he shewed therein ? do not godly ministers , to work people into an hatred of sin , tell them the price of blood is in every sin committed ? is it not said , that they shall look upon him whom they have pierced , and mourn for their sins ? i answer , all this is true , but then these things work by way of an object , not as a command ; and it is from the law , that we should shew our selves kind unto him who loved us unto death ; so that the object is indeed from the gospel , but the command , to be affected with his death , because of his kindness therein manifested , doth arise from gods law : let therefore those who say , that the preaching of the gospel will humble men , and break their hearts for their sins , consider how that it is true , by the gospel as an object , by the law , as that which commands such affections to those objects . let the use of this doctrine be , to direct christians in their practicall improvement of law and gospel , without hindring each other . there are many things in christianity that the people of god make to oppose one another , when yet they would promote each other , if wisely ordered . thus they make their joy and trembling , their faith , and repentance , their zeal and prudence , the law and gospel to thwart one another ; whereas by spiritual wisdom they might unite them : take the law for a goad , the gospel for a cordial : from the one be instructed , from the other be supported : when thy heart is careless and dull , run thither to be excited ; when thy soul is dejected and fearfull , throw thy self into the armes of the gospel . the law hath a loveliness in it as well as the gospel : the one is a pure character and image of the holiness of god ; the other is of the mercy and goodness of god ; so that the consideration of either may wonderfully inflame thy affections and raise them up . lectvre xxviii . rom . . . for christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth . as the physitian , ( saith peter martyr ) who intends to give strong physick which may expell noxious humours in the diseased body , doth prepare the body first by some potions to make it fluid and fit for operation : so paul , being sharply to accuse the jews , and to drive them out of their selfe righteousness , doth manifest his love to them , sugaring the bitter pill that they might swallow it with more delight , and this his love is manifested , partly by his expression [ brethren , ] partly by his affections and prayers [ my hearts desire and prayer . ] the occasion of this his affection is the zeale that they have for god , but in a wrong way : as the skillfull husbandman , that seeth a piece of ground full of weeds , and brambles , wisheth he had that ground , which by culture and tillage would be made very fruitfull . amo unde amputem , said the orator , i love the wit that needs some pruning . the luxuriancie is a signe of fertility . this zeale was not a good zeale , partly because it wanted knowledge , and therefore was like sampson without his eyes : partly because it made them proud , which the apostle fully expresseth in two particulars : , they sought to establish their owne righteousness . they sought , this did imply their willfull pride and arrogancy , and to establish , which supposeth their righteousness was weak and infirme , ready to fall to the ground : but they would set it up for all that , as the philistims would their dagon , though he was tumbled downe before the ark. . the apostle expresseth it signally , when he saith , they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of god ; in the originall , they were not submitted , in the passive signification , which still supposeth the great arrogancy that is in a man naturally , being unwilling to deny his owne righteousness , and to take christ for all . this being so , take notice by the way of a foule errour of the antinomian , who denying assurance and comfort by signes of grace , laboureth to prove , that an unregenerate man may have universall obedience , and sincere obedience , bringing this instance of the jews for sincere obedience . but sincerity may be taken two waies : first , as it opposeth gross hypocrisie , and so indeed the jews zeale was not hypocriticall , because they did not goe against their conscience : or , secondly , it may be taken as it opposeth the truth of grace , and so the jews zeale was not a true gracious zeale for the reasons above named . now my text , that is given as a reason , why the jews did look to their owne righteousness , & not that of gods , because they neglected christ , who is here said to be the end of the law for righteousness . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometime signifie , the extreme and last end of a thing : thus mark. . . the end is not yet ; so those who are against the calling of the nation of the jews , bring that place , thes . . ver . . wrath is come upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if there were no mercy to be expected . but this may admit of another exposition . sometimes the word is used for perfection and fullfilling of a thing , acording to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . shall not uncircumcision , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it fullfill the law ? so james . . if you fullfill the royall law. in this sense aristotle called the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that which did perfect : and the sacrifices before marriage , which was the consummation of that neer bond , or because of the cost then bestowed , were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . erasmus takes it in this sense here , and doth translate it perfection : for which beza doth reprove him , saying , he doth not remember that the word is so used any where . but that place , tim. . . the end of the commandment is charity , may seem to confirme this sense ; for , certainly , that phrase is no more then that in another place , love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the fulfilling of the law. therefore i think , this is a great part of the meaning here , christ is the end , that is , the perfection , the fulness of the law. yet , i shall take in also the end of intention , or a scope , unto which the law-giver aimed when he gave the law : and this will be shewed in the particulars ; the doctrine is , that christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every beleever . for the opening of this consider , . that an end may be taken either for that of consumption and abolition ; or for that of perfection and confirming : finis interficiens , and finis perficiens , as austine called it . now , in the former sense , christ was the end of the ceremoniall law : the end abolishing ; although that was also an end of perfection to them : and so some understand it of the ceremoniall law , & the prophesies : they all shadowed out christ , and ended in him . and this indeed is a truth , but it is not pertinent to the scope of the apostle , who speaketh of such a law , that the jews expected righteousness by in the performing of it ; which must be the morall law only . now , when we speak of the morall law , having christ for the end of it , then in the second place that may be considered two wayes . . either rigidly , and in an abstracted consideration from the administration of it , as it doth require perfect obedience , and condemning those that have it not : now in this sense christ cannot be the scope , or end of the law , but it is meerly by accident , & occasionall , that a soul abased and condemned by the law doth seek out for a christ : only you must know , that the law even so taken doth not exclude a christ . it requireth indeed a perfect righteousness of our own ; yet if we bring the righteousness of a surety , though this be not commanded by the law , yet it is not against the law , or excluded by it ; otherwise it would have been unjustice in god to have accepted of christ our surety for us . . or else the law may be taken in a more large way for the administration of it by moses , in all the particulars of it ; and thus christ was intended directly , and not by accident ; that is , god when he gave the law to the people of israel , did intend that the sense of their impossibility to keep it , and infinite danger accrewing thereby to them , should make them desire and seek out for christ : which the jews generally not understanding , or neglecting , did thereby , like adam , go to make fig-leaves for their covering of their nakedness , their empty , externall obedience . according to this purpose aquinas hath a good distinction about an end ; that an end is two-fold : either such , to which a thing doth naturally incline of it self : or secondly , that which becometh an end , by the meere appointment and ordination of some agent . now the end of the law , to which naturally it inclineth , is eternall life to be obtained by a perfect righteousness in us ; but the instituted and appointed end , which god the lawgiver made in the promulgation of it , was the lord christ : so that , whatsoever the law commanded , promised , or threatned , it was to stir up the israelites unto christ . they were not to rest in those precepts or duties , but to go on to christ ; so that a beleever was not to take joy with any thing in the law till he came to christ , and when he had found him , he was to seek no further , but to abide there . now this indeed was a very difficult duty , because every man naturally would be his own christ , and saviour . and what is the reason , that under the gospel belevers are still so hardly perswaded to rest only on christ for righteousness , but because of that secret selfe dependance , within them . having premised these things , i come to shew how christ is the end of the law taken largely in the ministry of moses . and in the first place , christ was the scope and end of intention : god by giving so holy a law requiring such perfect obedience , would thereby humble and debase the israelites ; so that thereby they should the more earnestly fly unto christ , even as the israelite , stung by a serpent , would presently cast his eyes upon the brasen serpent . it is true , christ was more obscurely and darkly held forth there ; yet not so , but that it was a duty to search out for christ in all those administrations . and this you have fully set forth in that allegory which paul maketh corinth . . . i shall explain that place , because it may be wrested by the antinomian ; as if , because that kinde of ministery which was by moses , was to be done away and evacuated , therefore the preaching of the law was also to be abrogated : but that is far from the apostles scope ; for the apostle his intent there is to shew the excellency of the ministery of the gospel above that of the law , and that in three respects . . in regard one is the ministery of death and condemnation , the other of life and righteousness therefore the one is called letter , and the other spirit . now this you must understand warily , taking the law nakedly , and in it self , without the spirit of god , and the gospel with the spirit ; for , as beza well observeth , if you take the gospel without gods spirit , that also is the ministration of death , because it is as impossible for us to beleeve , as it is to obey the law by our own power : only life and spirit is attributed to the gospel , and not to the law ; because christ , who is the author of the gospel is the fountain of life ; and when any good is wrought by the law , it cometh from the spirit of christ . the second excellency is in regard of continuance and duration . the ministery of moses was to be made void and abolished ; which is to be understood of that jewish pedagogy , not of every part of it ; for the morall , as given by moses , doth still oblige us christians , as hath been already proved : but the ministery of the gospel is to abide alwaies ; that is , there is no new ministery to succeed that of the gospel ; although in heaven all shall cease . the third difference is in regard of glory : god caused some materiall glory to shine upon moses , while he gave the law , hereby to procure the greater authority and majesty to the law ; but that glory which cometh by the gospel is spirituall , and far more transcendent , bringing us at last into eternall glory . so that the former glory seemeth to be nothing in comparison of this : even as the light of a candle or torch seemeth to be nothing ( saith theophylact ) when the light of the sun ariseth . now the apostle , handling these things doth occasionally open an allegory , which had not paul by the spirit of god found out , we neither could , or ought to haue done it . and the consideration of that , will serve much for my present matter . i know divers men have divers thoughts about exposition of this place ; so that there seemeth to be a vail upon the text , as well as upon moses his face : but i shall plainly understand it thus ; moses his face shining when he was with god , and coming from him , doth signifie the glory and excellency of the law , as in respect of gods counsells and intentions ; for although the law did seem to hold out nothing but temporall mercies , devoid of christ and heaven , yet , as in respect of gods intention , it was far otherwise . now saith the apostle , the jews were not able to fix their eyes upon this glory ; that is , the carnall israelites did not behold christ in the ministery of moses , because a vail is upon their hearts . the apostle makes the vail upon moses to be a type of the blindness and hardness of heart in the israelite : so that , as the vail upon moses covered the glory of his face , so the vail of blindness and stupidity , upon the heart of the jews doth hinder them from the glory of the law , which was christ . and that this is so , doth appeare viz. where the israelite is denied to look stedfastly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the word in my text ) to the end of that ministery , which was to be abolished , and that end was christ : so that this text doth fully prove my intent , which is , that christ was in some measure a glorious object in the administration of the law , but the vail upon the israelites heart hindered the sight of it . now ( saith paul ) when it shall turn ( as we translate , or rather when they shall turn , for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to be used alwayes of persons , and though the word be in the singular number in the originall , yet , according to the custome of scripture , it may be understood plurally , because he speaks of a collective body : ) when , saith the text , this turning shall be , the vail shall be taken away : or rather , as camero well observeth in the present tense , it is taken away : for you cannot conceive that the jews shall be first turned unto god , and the vail afterwards to be taken away ; but they both are together . i will give another instance , that christ was the end of intention or aime in the dispensation of the law , from galat. . , . we were kept under the law , till faith came : wherefore the law was our school-master , to bring us unto christ . in which words , not the morall law simply taken , but the whole dispensation of the jews , is compared to the instruction of a school master . now , as a school-master doth not only beat or correct , but teach also and direct : thus the law did not only severely curb and keep from sin , but did also teach christ . hence we are said to be kept under the law ; which although some make an expression from the strict keeping and watching which souldiers in a garrison use to make , yet a learned man makes it to denote the duty of a school master , as one who is to give an account of such committed to his charge : in which sense cain said , am i my brothers keeper ? the law then as a school-master did not only threaten and curse , or , like the egyptian task-masters , beat and strike , because the work was not done , but did shew where power and help was to be had , viz. from christ only . in the second place christ is the end of perfection to the law : for , the end of the law being to justifie , and to bring to eternall life , this could not be attained by our own power and industry ; not by any defect of the law , but by reason of our infirmity . therefore christ he hath brought about this intent of the law , that we should be justified , and have life . if the end of humane laws be to make good and honest men , much rather is the end of the morall law appointed by god himself : but the law is so far from making us good , as that it worketh in us all evill , which effect of the law in himself the apostle acknowledgeth : so that as good food and nourishment received by a diseased stomack , doth increase the disease more , according to that rule , corpora impura , quantò magis nutrias , deteriora reddis ; thus it is in every man by nature : the law , which is for holiness and life , becometh to cause sin and death . christ therefore , that the law may have its end , he taketh our nature upon him , that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , . christ is the end of perfection of the law , in that the meere knowledge of the law , with the externall obedience only to it ; was not availeable to any benefit . therefore christ vouchsafeth his holy spirit unto us , regenerating of us , whereby we come in part to obey the law of god : so that the people of god have a righteousness or holiness of works but it is imperfect , and so not enabling us to justification ; and in this sense it is , that the people of god are said to keep gods commandements . so then , whereas our condition was so by sin , that we were neither able non willing to obey the law of god in the least degree , christ doth give us grace , and cureth us so far , that we are said to walk in his law. now herein was the great mistake of the jews , they gloried and boasted of the law , but how ? of the knowledge of it , and externall observation , without looking to christ ; and this was to glory in the shadow without the substance . . christ is the end of perfection of the law , in that his righteousness and obedience unto the law , is made ours , and so in him , as our surety we fulfill the law. i know this assertion hath many learned and godly adversaries , but as far as i can see yet , the scripture seemeth to hold it forth , rom. . there is a parallel made of the first adam and his off spring , with christ the second adam and his seed ; and the apostle proveth , that we are made righteous by christ , as sinners in him , which was partly by imputation , so , corinth . . ult . as christ is made our sin by imputation , so we his righteousness . so rom. . , . that which was impossible to the law — god sent his son that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit . i know there are answers made to these places , but the proper discussion of them will be in the handling of justification : only here is an obvious objection , if the righteousness of christ be made ours , so that we may be said to fulfill the law , then we are still justified by a covenant of works , and so there is no new covenant of grace . i answer , learned men , as beza and perkins , have affirmed , that we obtaine eternall life according to that rule , doe this and live , because of christs fulfilling the law as our surety ; for the imputation of it doth not make it cease to be our real righteousness , though it be not our inherent righteousness . but i see not why we need grant the consequence , [ viz. because christs fulfilling of the law is made ours therefore we have eternall life by the law : ] and the reason is , because this righteousness of christs is not ours by working , but , by beleeving . now the law in that command , do this and live , did require our personall working and righteousness ; so that we cannot be said to have salvation by that rule , because it is not the righteousness which we in person have wrought : and this will fully appear , if you consider in the next place the subject to whom christ is made righteousness , and that is to him that beleeveth : he doth not say , to him that worketh , so that we have not eternall life by our do this , but by beleeving , or resting upon christ his do this . and this phrase doth plainly exclude stapletons , and other papists observations on this place , as if the righteousness by faith , or of christ , were the same in kinde with the righteousness of works , differing only gradually , as an infant , and a grown man ; for , if so , the apostle would have said working , and not beleeving . it is a great skill in divinity to amplifie this righteousness of faith without works , so as neither the papist , or the antinomian may incourage themselves thereby : but of that in some other place . as you take notice of the subject [ beleever ] so the universality , every one , which doth take in both jew and gentile : therefore the jew could not , or ought not to think that those externall rites and observations could bring them to a true righteousness . lastly , consider in the text , for what end christ is thus the perfection of the law ; and that is for righteousness . the proper seat of handling this is in the doctrine of justification , only let me briefly answer a question made by some , whether the righteousness of faith , or that we have by christ , be the same in nature with the righteousness of works and of the law ? stapleton saith , they must needs be one , because the law will direct to no other righteousness then that of its own . it it true , the law strictly taken , will not properly and per se direct to any righteousness , but that which the law requireth ; yet by accident , and indirectly it may : yea , as it was given by moses , it did directly and properly intend christ , though not primarily , as some think ; but finding us unable to attain to its own righteousness , did then lead us unto christ : yet these two righteousnesses are divers , rather then contrary , ( unless in respect of justification , and so indeed its impossible to be justified by both those waies ) otherwise they are both together in the same subject , yea a righteousness of faith doth necessarily draw along with it in the same subject a righteousness of works , though it be imperfect and so insufficient to justifie . use . is christ the end of the law for righteousness ? then let the beleever bless and praise god for providing a righteousness , and such a righteousness for him . how destitute and naked was thy condition ? had justice taken thee by the throat , and bid thee pay what thou owest , thou couldst not have returned that answer , let me alone , and i will pay thee all . neither angels nor men could provide this righteousness for thee . dost thou thank god for providing clothes for thy body , food for thy belly , an house for habitation ? oh , above all thanke him that he hath provided a righteousness for thy soul . thou troubled soul because of sin , thou thinkest with thy selfe , oh if i had no sin , if i were guilty of no corruption , how well were it ! o ye glorious angels and saints , ye are happy , because ye have a righteousness ! why doest thou not consider , that god hath found out for thee , even for thee , in this world , a righteousness , whereby thou art accepted of him ? again consider it is such a righteousness that satisfieth and pleaseth god. thy holiness cannot content him for justification , but that of christ can . as the light of the stars and moon cannot dispell totally the darkness of the night , only the light of the sun can do that . lectvre xxix . mat . . whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandements , and shall teach men so , shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven . our saviour being to vindicate the law from all corrupt glosses of the pharisees , he doth in the first place ( as chrysostome thinketh ) remove the odium that might be cast upon him as if he did indeed destroy the law ; for it was then generally received , that only was law , which the pharisees declared to be so . and this he doth , ver . . think not that i am come to destroy the law. the reason he giveth , is from the perpetuall nature of the law : heaven and earth , the whole world shall sooner fall into pieces , then any tittle of that . and the prophets are here joyned to the law , not so much in regard of their predictions , as because they were interpreters of the law. the second reason is from that evill which shall befall him , that doth breake it , and here he nameth a two-fold antinomianisme ; one in life and practise , the other in doctrine : that in practise is aggravated , though it be one of the least commandments . they are called least , either because the pharisees thought them so , or else indeed , because all the commands of god were not concerning duties of the same consequence . the other in doctrine is expressed in those words , and teach men so . i cannot consent to beza's interpretation , making this teaching to be by example and life , or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , although , as if the meaning were , he that doth break in his practice my commandment , although he do teach them in doctrine . there is no necessity of offering such violence to the text. but if we interpret it of doctrinall breaking , it will very well agree with the pharisees , who made void the commandements of god by the doctrines of men . the evill that shall befall such , is in those words , [ he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven . ] called is put for is . or be ; he shall be the least . by kingdom of heaven , some understand that kingdome of glory in heaven ; and by least , meane nullus , none : he shall not at all enter into the kingdome of heaven . others by kingdom of heaven do understand the church of god , and so they express it , when there shall be a reformation in the church , and truth should break forth , which was presently to come to pass , then those corrupt teachers , who would poyson men , should be discovered , and then they should be least , that is , of no account ; even as it fell out to the pharisees , though for a while they were highly esteemed among men . i forbeare to touch upon that question hotly disputed with some , whether our saviour doe in this discourse meane only the morall law , or the ceremoniall also , as being not to my purpose . that it is meant cheifly of the morall law , appeareth by the instances which christ giveth . from the text thus opened , i observe , that any doctrine , which teacheth tho abrogation or dissolution of the law , is highly offensive unto god. for the opening of this consider , that the doctrines of men may either directly , and with an open face overthrow the law , as the marcionites and manichees did : or else interpretatively , and more covertly ; and that is done three waies . . when they make not the law of god to be so full and exensiue in it's obligation , as indeed it is ; and thus the pharisees they made void the law , when they affirmed outward acts to be only sins : and thus the papists do in part when they make the law no further to oblige , then it is possible for us to keep it . these doctrines doe in tantum , though not in totum destroy the law. . when men hold such principles , that will necessarily by way of consequence inforce the abrogation of the law. and thus , though some antinomians do expresly and boldly assert the abolishing of it , at least to beleevers ; yet those that have more learning and wariness , do disclaime it , and account it a calumny : but even at the same time , while they do disclaime it ( as it is to be shewed presently ) they hold such assertions , as do necessarily inferr the abrogation of it . . the law may be doctrinally dissolved , by pressing such duties upon men , whereby they will be necessitated to breake the commandments of god. thus when the pharisees taught , that whatsoever vow was made concerning any gift , they were bound to do it , though thereby they were disinabled to honour their parents . and this is most remarkably seen in the church of rome , who , by the multitude and necessity of observation of their church precepts and constitutions , make men to break the plain commandments of god. now i shall briefly instance generally about those errours that dissolve gods law , and then more particularly about the antinomian doctrine . the first hereticks that opposed it , were the marcionites and manichees , marcion ( whom tertullian calls mus potincus , because of his arroding and gnawing the scripture , to make it serviceable to his errours ; he , among other errours , broacheth this , that the old law ( as he calls it ) was evill , and that it came from an evill god . to him in this opinion succeeded manes , ( who truly might be so called , because of his madness , although his followers to take away that reproach , called him mannichaeus , as much as one that poured forth manna , as some affirme . ) this mans errours , though they were very gross , yet so propagated , that it was two hundred yeares ere they were quieted . these and their followers all agreed in this , to reject this law of god. there were also hereticks called anomi , ( as it were sine lege ) but their errour was , to think that they could by their knowledge comprehend the divine nature : and they gave somuch to this their faith , that they held , whosoever should imy brace it , though he committed hainous and atrocious sins , yet thes should do him no hurt , epiphan . lib. . haeres . . but to let pasthese , we may say , popery is in a great part antinomianisme . and antichrist he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that lawless one : for , is not their doctrine , that the pope may dispense with the laws of god , and that the pope and christ have the same consistory , antinomianisme ? and in particular , we may instance in their taking away the second commandement out of some carechismes , because it forbiddeth the worshipping of images . hence vasquez , one of their goliahs , doth expresly maintain , that the second commandement did belong only to the jews , and so not obliging us christians , thinking it impossible to answer our arguments against their image-worship , if that be acknowledged still in force . is there not also a generation of men , who do by doctrine deny the fourth commandement ? how many late books and practises have been for that opinion ? but hath it not fallen out according to the later exposition of my text , that they are the least in the kingdome of heaven ; men of little account now in the church while reforming ? i might likewise speak of some anabaptists , ( for there are of that sect that disclaim the opinion ) who overthrow the fifth commandement by denying magistracy lawfull for christians . but i will range no further : the antinomians do more fall against this text then any , in that they do not only by doctrine teach the dis-obligation of the least commandement , but of all , even of the whole law. this doth appeare true in the first antinomians in luthers time , of whom islebius was the captain : he was a school-master , and also professor of divinity at islebia . it seemeth he was a man like a reed shaken with every winde : for first he defended , with the orthodox , the saxon confession of faith ; but afterwards was one of those that compiled the book called the interim . when luther admonished him of his errour , he promised amendment , but for all that secretly scattered his errour ; which made luther set forth publikely six solemn disputations against the antinomians , that are to be seen in his works : which argueth the impudency of those that would make luther on their side . by these disputations of luthers he was convinced , and revoked his errour , publishing his recantation in print : yet when luther was dead , this euripus did fall into his old errour , and publikely defended it . now how justly they might be called antinomists , or , as luther sometimes , nomomachists , appeareth by these propositions , which they publikely scattered about in their papers : as . . that the law is not worthy to be called the word of god. . to heare the word of god , and so to live , is a consequence of the law. . repentance is not to be taught out of the decalogue , or any law of moses , but from the violation of the son of god in the gospel . . we are with all our might to resist those , who teach the gospel is not to be preached but to those whose hearts are first made contrite by the law , these are propositions of theirs set downe by luther , against which he had his disputations , vol. . sousselberge , lib. contra antin . pag. . relateth more : as , . the law doth not shew good works , neither is it to be preached that we may do them . . the law is not given to christians ; therefore they are not to be reproved by the law. . the preachers under the gospel are onely to preach the gospel , not the law ; because christ did not say , preach the law , but gospel to every creature . . the legall sermons of the prophets doe not at all belong to us . . to say that the law is a rule of good works , is blasphemy in divinity . thus you see how directly these oppose the law , and therefore come under our saviours condemnation in the text : yet at other times , the proper state of the question between the orthodox & antinomists , seemeth to be , not , whether a godly man do not delight in the law , and do the works of the law ; but , whether he doth it , lege docente , urgente , & mandante , the law teaching , urging , and commanding : as for the latter antinomians , doctor taylor , and mr. burton , who preached , and wrote against them , do record the same opinions of them . doctor taylor in his preface to his book against them , saith , one preached , that the whole law , since christs death , is wholly abrogated and abolished . another , that to teach obedience to the law , is popery . another , that to do any thing , because god commands us ; or to forbeare any sin , because god forbids us , is a signe of a morall man , and of a dead and unsound christian . others deliver , that the law is not to be preached , and they that do so , are legall preachers . master burton also in his book against them , affirmeth , they divided all that made up the body of the church of england into hogs or dogs : hogs were such that despised justification , living in their swinish lusts ; dogs such , who sought to be justified by their works . he tels of one of their disciples , that said , away with this scurvy sanctification ; and that there is no difference between godly here , and in their state of glory , but only in sense and apprehension . many other unsavory assertions are named by those authors , but these may suffice to give a tast of their opinions ; for it is elegantly spoken by irenaeus , in such falshoods as these are , lib. . c. . adversus haereses . we need not drink up the whole sea , to tast whether the water be salt ; but as a statue that is made of clay , yet outwardly so gilded , that it seemeth to be gold , if any man take a piece of it in his hand , and discover what it is , doth make every one know what the whole statue is : so it is in this case . for my my part , i am acquainted with them no other waies , but by their books which they have written , and in those every errour is more warily pressed , then in secret . there i finde , that sometimes they yeeld the law to be a rule of life , yea they judge it a calumny to be called antinomists ; and if so , their adversaries may be better called antifidians and it cannot be denied , but that in some parts of their books there are wholsome and good passages ; as in a wood or forrest , full of shrubs and brambles , there may be some violets and primroses : yet for all this , in the very places where they deny this assertion as theirs , they must be forced to acknowledge it . the author of the assertion of free-grace , who doth expresly touch upon these things , and disclaimes the opinion against the law , pag. . and pag. . yet he affirmeth there such principles , from whence this conclusion will necessarily follow . for first , he makes no reall difference either in scripture , or use of words , between the law reigning and ruling ; so that if the law rule a man , it reigneth over him , now then , they deny that the law doth reign over a beleever ( and so do the orthodox also ) therefore they must needs hold , that it cannot be a rule unto him . and then , pag. . whereas doctor taylor had said , the apostle doth not loose a christian from the obedience to the law , or rule thereof ( he adds , ) he dare not trust a beleever without his keeper , as if he judged no otherwise of him , then of a malefactor of newgate , who wouldrob and kill , if his gaoler be not with him . again , this is most clear by what he saith , pag. . he refuteth that distinction of being under the mandatory power of the law , but not the damnatory : he makes these things inseparable , and as impossible for the law to be a law , and have not both these as to take the brains and heart from a man , and yet leave him a man still . now then , seeing he denieth ( and so do all protestant writers ) that a beleever is under the damnatory power of the law , he must also deny , he is under the mandatory , because ( saith he ) this is inseperable . i will in the next place give some antidotes against this opinion , and the authors thereof . luther calleth them , hostes legis , organa satanae : he saith , their doctrine is more to be taken heed of , then that of the papists ; for the papists , they teach a false or imperfect repentance , but the antinomians take all away from the church . rivet cals them furores antinomorum . in the first place , awe thy heart with a feare against errours in doctrine as that which may damn thee , as well as an open gross sin . consider that place galat. . . where heresies are reckoned among those sins that are very gross , and do exclude from the kingdome of heaven : and that he takes heresies there in a religious consideration , is plain , because it 's made to differ from seditions , strifes , and variances . neither do thou please thy self in that question , what is heresie ? tu haereticus mihi & ego tibi ; for , the apostle makes it there a manifest work of the flesh , and john . see how much afraid the people of god ought to be of any evill doctrine ; and there the apostle cals evill doctrine , evill deeds . . look to all the places of scripture , as well as some only . that is a perpetuall fault among the antinomians : they only pitch upon those places ; where christ and his grace is spoken of ; but not of those texts , where duties are commanded , especially those places of scripture , where the law of god is wonderfully commended , for the many reall benefits that come by it ; where likewise the perpetuity and eternity of it is much celebrated . lex dei in aeternum manet ; vel implenda in damnatis , vel impleta in beatis , the law of god abideth alwaies , either to be fulfilled in the damned , or already fulfilled in those that are made happy , said luther . what a curb would it be unto this errour , if they would consider , with what an holy passion & zeal the apostle doth deny , that he destroyeth the law , making this very objection to himself , do we then make void the law ? god forbid . now can we thing that the apostle , who in the third chapter to the romans , doth so vehemently deny , that he destroyeth the law , should so much forget himself , as in the fourth chapter to abolish it ? no ordinary man would fall into such a contradiction . . do not affect applause among people , as having found some new nigher way about christ and grace , then others have . i have observed this itching humor in the antinomian sermons printed ; where they will call upon their hearers to mark ; it may be they shall heare that , which they have not heard before , when the thing is either false ; or , if it be true , is no more then ordinarily is taught by others . but now , when men desire to be applauded in the world , they suggest to their inward disciples , as if they had found out some new unheard thing ; and their followers broach it abroad , and so they come to be exalted . thus they do like psaphon the libyan : it 's reported of him , that he kept ten tame birds at home , and taught them to sing , magnus deus psaphon ; and when he had done so , he let these birds flye into the woods and mountains , where all the other birds learned the same song of them : which the libyans perceiving , and thinking it no plot , but a divine accident , decreed to sacrifice to psaphon , and to put him in the number of their gods. . do thou diligently study fundamentals and the principles of religion . as the childe groweth crooked , for not being well looked to at first ; and many errours do now spread themselves , because men are not well catechised . they build without a foundation . it was a grave complaint of maximus an ecclesiasticall writer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is a great matter to have a sound and accurate knowledge in matters of religion . it was a wise speech of aristides , who being demanded by the emperour to speak to something propounded ex tempore , answered , propound to day , and i will answer to morrow , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we are not of those who vomit or spit out things , suddenly , but take time to be diligent , and considering . . when thou doest begin to encline to an opinion , that differeth from the learned and godly , be not too rash and precipitate in publishing it . the apostle giveth a good rule , rom. . hast thou faith ? have it to thy self . he doth not there command a man to equivocate , or dissemble , and deny a truth ; but not needlesly to professe it , when it will be to the offence of others . cyprian reproving the rashnesse of those christians that would goe on their own accord to the heathen magistrates , professing themselves christians , whereby they were put to death , hath a good and elegant speech , confiteri nos magis voluit , quàm profiteri : he doth confesse , that doth it , being asked and demanded ; he doth professe , that doth it out of his own free accord . . consider , that antinomianisme is the onely way indeed to overthrow grace and christ . for he sets up free grace and christ , not who names it often in his book , or in the pulpit , but whose heart is inwardly and deeply affected with it . now , who will most heartily and experimentally set up christ and grace of these two , i. who urgeth no use of the law , who takes away the sense or bitternesse of sin , who denieth humiliation ; or he , who discovers his defects by the perfect rule of the law , whose soule is inbittered and humbled because of these defects ? certainly , this later will much more in heart , and reall affections set up free grace . finis . the table a. the law abolished as a covenant , not as a rule . page the law abrogated to beleevers in six particulars . p. . . . three causes of the abrogation of the ceremoniall law , which agree not to the morall . p. six abuses of the law. p. . . . conversion and repentance are our acts , as well as the effects of gods grace . p. whether adam was mortall before his eating of the forbidden fruit . p. whether adam in his innocency can be considered in his naturalls or supernaturalls , answered in two positions . p. whether adam needed christs help . p. whether god required lesse of adam then us . p. amorem mercedis a godly man may have in his obedience , though not amorem mercenarium . p. what help the angels had by christ . p. calvin's two reasons why angels needed christs mediation . ibid. some antecedaneous works upon the heart before grace be bestowed . p. foure limitations concerning those antecedaneous works . p. . the first antinomian . p. antinomian differences betwixt the law and gospel confuted . p. . the antinomian why most inexcusable . p. the antinomian distinction of the law being abolished as a law , but still abiding in respect of the matter of it , a contradiction . p. the antinomian arguments overthrow the use of the law to unbeleevers as well as beleevers . p. the opinion of the old antinomians . p. the word [ as ] taken variously . p. antidotes against antinomian errors . p. antinomianisme is the onely way indeed to overthrow christ and grace . p. b. a blaspheming monk. p. blaspheming papists . ibid. the lay-mans book is the whole universe . p. master burton his report of antinomians . p. c. a cordiall for a broken heart . p. . contradictions of the antinomians . p. a community of goods not taught by the law of nature . p. christs incarnation cannot be supposed , but upon supposition of adams fall . p. it is an hard matter so to set up christ and grace as not thereby to destroy the law . p. the doctrine of christ and grace in the highest manner doth establish not overthrow the law . p. god entred into covenant with adam , in giving him a law . p. . what a covenant implyes . p. why the covenant of grace is not still a covenant of works , seeing works are necessary . p. a covenant of friendship . reconciliation . p. no covenant properly so called can be betwixt god and man. p. how god can covenant with man. ibid. five reasons why god would deal with man in a covenant-way , rather then in an absolute way . p. . a vast difference betwixt the covenant in innocency and in grace . p. . the morall law delivered as a covenant , proved . p. it hath the reall properties of a covenant ib. in what sense the law may be a covenant of grace , explained . p. . arguments proving the law a covenant of grace . p. . . objections answered . p. doctor crisp confuted . p. cursing taken two waies : potentially , so a law is alwaies condemning . . actually , so a law is not ever condemning . p. d. decalogue resembled to the ten predicaments by martyr , and why . p. the threatning of death to adam if he did eat , &c. was fulfilled , in that he became then mortall , and in a state of death , not naturall onely , but spirituall and eternall also . p. . determination to one , takes not away naturall liberty , nor willingnesse or delight in sin , which we are inevitably carried unto . p. . three generall waies of proving the deity of christ . p. . foure differences ( not substantiall but accidentall ) betwixt the law and the gospel . p. , &c. fire differences betwixt the law and gospel strictly taken . p. . . &c. all doctrine reduced to three heads : credenda . speranda . facienda . p. . . e. the papists notion concerning ecclesia , and synagoge confuted . p. if the antinomians end were only to put men off from glorying in themselves , to deny the concurrence of workes to justification , it were more tolerable . p. but then their books and end were not reconcileable . p. other ends which might make the antinomians more excusable . ibid. how christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse . p. end taken two waies . ibid. four waies christ is the perfective end of the law. p. . aquinas distinction of end . p. eudoxus said hee was made to behold the sun . p. exhortations , to what purpose given to them who have no power of themselves to doe them . p. errours in doctrine damnable . p. f. fables and fictions how used by the fathers . p. how faith justifies . p. two acts of faith. p. faith and repentance wrought both by the law and gospel . p. . the same object may be known by the light of faith and of nature . p. whether justifying faith were in adam at first . p. faith of adherence and dependence in adam in innocency , and shall be in heaven . p. adams faith considered as an act of the soul , not as an organ to lay hold on christ . p. finger of god. p. finis indigentiae & assimilationis . p free-will by nature . p. arguments for free-will answered . p. . g. genealogies how usefull , and how vain . page how the gentiles are said to be without a law. p. who are meant by the word [ gentiles . ] p. the gospel and law may be compared in a double respect . p. . the word gospel ] taken two wayes . p. whether the gospel be absolute or no. p. gospel taken strictly is not a doctrine of repentance or holy works . p. all good morally is good theologically . p. good works , how taken . p. foure things required to the essence of good works . ibid. the word [ grace ] used sometimes for the effects of grace , but more commonly for the favour of god. p. grace is more then love . p. grace implyeth indebitum and demeritum of the contrary , as cameron observes . ibid. what grace the pelagians acknowledge . ib. much may be ascribed to grace , and yet the totall efficacy not given to it . p. h. a two-fold writing of the law in the heart . p. the properties of holinesse fixed at first in adams heart . p. humiliation comes by the gospel as an object , by the law , as that which commands such affections to those objects . p. i. image and likeness signifie one thing . p. an image four-fold . ibid. wherein the image of god in man consists . p. . . a thing said to be immortall , four wayes . p. the injudiciousnesse of the antinomians . p. whether adams immortality in innocency be not different from that which shall be in heaven . p. some things just because god wills them : other things are just and therefore god wills them . p. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere justifies no more in it self , then other acts of obedience . p. expecting justification by the law very dangerous . fifteen evils which follow thereupon mentioned . p. . . . . . . islebius , captain of the antinomians in luthers daies . p. how the justification of the gospel may stand with the good works of the law done by grace . p. paul and james reconciled in the point of justification . page k. kingdome of heaven ] not mentioned in all the old testament . p. how [ kingdome of heaven ] is taken in mat. . . p. l. how the law is good in eight respects . p. . . . . . . four acts of the law. p. . the two-fold use of the law to the ungodly . p. . a four-fold use of the law to the godly . p. cautions concerning the law. p. . the word law diversly taken . ibid. & p. . . the law must not be separated from the spirit . p. . to do a cōmand out of obedience to the law , and out of love , are not opposite . p. . christs obedience to the law exempts not us from obedience our selves , unlesse it be in respect to those ends for which he obeyed . p. . the law condemnes a beleevers sinne , though not his person . p. . inability to keep the law , exempts not from obedience to it . ibid. . distinguish betwixt what is primarily , and what is occasionally in the law. ibid. that the law hath a directive , regulating , and informing power over a godly man. p. the derivation of the word [ lex . ] p. two things necessary to the essence of a law. p. how the law becomes a covenant . ibid. the division of lawes in generall , and why the morall law is so called . p. the law of moses differs from the law of nature in three respects . p. . why the law was given in the wilderness . ib. that the law was in the church before moses . p. three ends of the promulgation of the law. p. . the law of moses a perfect rule . p. three differences betwixt the judiciall , ceremoniall , and morall law. p. generall observations about the law , and the time of the delivery of the law. pag. . . . &c. three observations concerning the preparation to the delivery of the law. p. whether the law , as given by moses , do belong to us christians . p. . proved . p. . objections answered . p. though the law , as given by moses , did not belong to christians , yet the doctrine of the antinomians holds not . p. christ in the gospel onely interprets the old law , and doth not adde new : proved by four reasons . p. . the law is spirituall in the old testament , as in the new : proved by eight instances . p. . . &c. the law may be instrumentall to worke sanctification and conversion . pag. . . cautions about it . ib. & . proved by six reasons . p. . & . objections answered . p. the law is established three wayes by the gospel . p. three affections belonging to a law. p. three parts in the law. p. those phrases considered [ of the law ] and [ without the law ] and [ under the law ] and [ in the law. ] p. a two-fold being under the law. ibid. false differences given by some betwixt the law and the gospel . p. law and gospel united in the ministery . p. law opposed and oppugned two waies : directly . interpretatively . page law opposed interpretatively three waies . p. law by men abrogated or made void three waies . ibid. a three-fold liberty . p. a three-fold light . p. m. ministery of the gospel more excellent then that of the law in three respects . p. moses in his zeal breaking the tables , vindicated from rashnesse and sinfull perturbation . p. the opinion of souls - mortality confuted . p. . adam was under the morall law in innocency . what 's meant by the word [ morall . ] p. morall law bindes two waies . p. . that the morall law perpetually continues a rule and law , proved by four reasons . p. . objections against the continuance of the morall law , answered . p. morall law having christ for the end of it , may be considered two wayes . p. marcionites , and manichees the first hereticks that opposed the law. p. n. what is meant by the word [ nature ] in scripture . p. . there is a law of nature written in mens hearts . p. wherein the law of nature consists . p. four bounds of the law of nature . p. light of nature considered in a three-fold respect . p. a three-fold use of the light of nature . p. the light of nature obscured three waies . p. the light of nature is necessary ( though insufficient ) in religious and morall things . p. . it 's necessary two waies . ib. see p. . . the light of nature no judge in matters of faith . p. it 's no prescriber of divine worship . p. natures insufficiency described in three reasonings . ibid. the mystery of the trinity and incarnation of christ , cannot be found out by the light of nature . p. how farre nature will reach in some other things . p. . . man by the power of nature wholly unable to performe good actions , proved by . arguments . p. nature cannot dispose , or prepare a mans self for justification , or sanctification . p. . proved by four reasons . p. . all works of meere nature are sins before god , proved by foure reasons . p. the etymology of the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] . p. o. corrupt glosses of the pharisees concerning oathes reproved . p. promissory oathes dangerous . p. the obedience of the saints implies obedientiam servi , though not obedientiam servilem . p. christs active obedience to the law imputed to beleevers . p. the obligation of the law of nature is from god. p. gods promises are obligations to himself , not to us . p. why the old covenant is called old . p. how an opinion may corrupt the life . p. whether originall sin may be found out by the meere light of nature . p. p. palemon converted from his drunkenness by plato's lecture , which he came to deride . p. papists make three false differences betwixt the law and the gospel . p. paul and james reconciled in the point of justification . p. the perpetuity of the obligation of the law of nature . p. a distinction of a three-fold piety confuted . p. the law of god by moses is so perfect a rule , that christ added no new precept to it . p. different phrases used concerning the ceremoniall law , which are never applyed to the morall law . p. ● the opinion of the pharisees concerning the law. p. why , besides the morall law , a positive law was given to adam in innocency . two reasons . p. . the positive law did lay an obligation on adams posterity . p. the seven precepts of noah ▪ what the thalmudists speake concerning them . p. it 's a generall rule that the pressing of morall duties by the prophets in the old testament is but as an explanation of the law. p. the primitive christians held it unlawfull to kill in defence . p. capitall punishments lawfull in the new testament . p. . to what purpose are exhortations to them who have no power to obey . p. popery in a great part antinomianisme . page r. why a reason is rendred by god for the fourth commandement , rather then others . p. remission of sinnes under the law plenary , as well as under the gospel , proved against the antinomian . p. . . repentance how taken . p. . resemblances of the trinity cōfuted . p. . every rule hath vim praecepti as well as doctrinae . p. to do a duty because of reward promised , is not slavish and unlawfull . p. revenge forbidden in the old testament , as strictly as in the new. p. . righteousnesse of the law and gospel differ much . p. whether we may be now said by christ to be more righteous then adam in innocency . p. the law of retaliation , matth. . . opened . p. the properties of the righteousnesse at first fixed in adams heart . p. whether righteousnesse were naturall to adam . p. s. the sabbath in innocency not typicall of christ . p. satan cannot work beyond a morall perswasion , as god doth in conversion . p. what the word [ sanctifie ] implies . p. . how the jewes were in more servitude then christians . p. sinners . outward which are majoris infamiae . sinners . inward which are majoris reatus . p. sincerity taken two waies . p. socinians and papists make additions in the gospel , besides what was in the law. p. . why the shell-fish was unclean to the jewes . p. law called spirituall in a two-fold sense : . effective . . formaliter . p. how the state of innocency excelled the state of reparation in rectitude , immortality , and outward felicity . p. the state of reparation excells the state of innocency in certainty of perseverance . ib. eudoxus said he was made to behold the sun . p. summe of all heavenly doctrine reduced to three heads : credenda . speranda . facienda . p. symbolicall precept . p. t. teaching nova , & novè . p. tully said that the law of the twelve tables did exceed all the libraries of philosophers , both in weight of authority , and fruitfulnesse of matter . p. . the threatnings of the gospel against those who reject christ , arise from the law , joyned in practicall use with the gospel . p. tree of knowledge . p. whether the tree of life was a sacrament of christ to adam or no. p. no truth in divinity doth crosse the truth of nature . p. doctor tayler his report of antinomianisme . p. v. the reason of the variety of gods administrations in the two t. p. a two fold unbelief : negative which damnes none . positive which damnes many . p. unbelief a sinne against the law as well as against the gospel . p. how god justifies the ungodly . p. . w. ministers ought to be wary , so to set out grace , as not to give just exceptions to the papists , and so to defend holy works , as not to give the antinomians cause of insultation . p. . warre lawfull under the gospel . p. will , serious , and efficacious : the distinction examined . p. how the word in generall is the instrument of conversion . p. . . two rules about it , proved . p. word ] how used . p. works denyed by the antinomians to be a way to heaven . p. there have been dangerous assertions concerning works , even by those who were no antinomians , out of a great zeal for the grace of god against papists . p. the presence of good works in the person justified , denied by the antinomians . p. . they deny any gain or losse to come by them . no peace of conscience comes by doing good works , nor lost by omitting them . p. . which is confuted ibid. they deny good works to be signes or testimonies of grace . p. . confuted . ibid. upon what grounds are the people of god to be zealous of good works . p. the antinomian erreth two contrary waies about good works . p. distinction betwixt saying that good works are necessary to justified persons , and that they are necessary to justification . p. good works necessary upon . grounds . p. . . . . . . . . a table of divers texts of scripture , which are opened , or vindicated by this treatise . genesis . chap. ver. page . exodus . . leviticus . . numbers . deuteronomy . samuel . sam. . kings . kings . psalme . . & . & isaiah . jeremiah . . ezek. .   daniel . zech. . matthew . .   .   mark. luke . john. acts.   romanes .   .         . . .   per totum .       . corinthians .   corinthians . galat. .         . . . . ephesians . .     . philip. . thes . . timothy . . timothy . titus .   hebrewes .     . . . .   ult . jam. . peter . . peter .   . . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clem. alex. notes for div a -e the text opened . . the law is good in respect of the matter . . in respect of the authority of it . . it 's instrumentally good . . the law is good , in respect of its sanction . . in respect of the acts of it . * assert . of free grace , pag. . . in respect of the end . . in respect of the adjuncts . . in respect of the use of it . . because it restrains and limits sin in the ungodly . . because it condemnes them . . it quickens the godly against sin and corruption . . it discovers sin unto them . . it makes them disclaim all their own righteousnes . . it makes them set an higher value of christ and his benefits . . the law , according to the use of the word in the scripture , is not onely a strict 〈◊〉 of things to be done by way of command ; but denoteth any heavenly doctrine , whether it be promise , or precept . the acceptions of the word law in scripture , are divers . . the law and the spirit of god must not be separated . . obedience and love oppose not one another . . christs obedience exempts not us from ours . . beleevers sins condemned , though not their persons . * dr crisp . . inability to keep the law , exempts not from obedience to it . * dr crisp . . the law , though primarily it requireth perfect holinesse , yet it excludes not a mediatour . the law , though it cannot justifie us , is notwithstanding good , and not to be rejected . grace and christ not to be advanced oppositely to the law. the abuse of the law no derogation to it . . the law is abused , when converted to unprofitable disputes . . when , in the handling of it , respect is had to worldly ends . . when men deny it . . when they misinterpret it . . when they oppose it to christ . . when they expect justification by it . . justification by the law overthrowes the nature of grace . . opposeth the fulnesse of christ . . destroyes the true doctrine of justification . . overthrows justifying faith . . discourageth the broken-hearted sinner . . brings men into themselves . . overthrowes the doctri●e of imputed righteousnesse . . keeps a man slavish in all his duties . . joyns a mans own graces to christs mediation . . overthrowes hope . . robs god of his glory . . makes more in sin to damne , then in christ to save . . overthrowes the doctrine of sanctification . . takes away the doctrine of the law. . overthroweth the consideration of man while he is justified . ministers ought so to set forth grace , and defend good works , as thereby to give the enemy neither cause of exception , nor insultation . . antinomians deny works to be a way to heaven . . they deny their presence in the person justified . . they deny any gain or losse to come by them . . they deny them to be signes of grace . how god may be said to justifie the ungodly . foure things required to the essence of good works . good works are necessary : . because they are the fruit of christs death . . because ( in respect of evill workes ) there is some analogy between heaven and them . . because a promise is made unto them . . because testimonies assuring us of our election . . because we cannot be saved without them . . because they are a defence against sin● . because necessary by a naturall connexion with faith , and the spirit of god. . by debt & obligation . . by command of god. thes . . . rom. . . . by way of comfort to our selves . . because god is glorified by them . . because others are benefited thereby . . because godlinesse inherent is the end of our faith and justification . the law to a godly man is a delight , not a burden . the godly are under the desert of the curse , but not the actuall condemnation of the law. the law , in the restraining power thereof , was not made for the righteous , but unrighteous . . the true worship of god cannot be diseerned from false , but by the law. . the depth of sin cannot be discovered without it . who meant by gentiles . how the gentiles are said to be without a law. how said to do the things of the law by nature . the distinction of morall and theologicall good rejected . what is here meant by nature . a two-fold writing of the law in mens hearts , and which here meant . the law written in mens hearts two waies . rom. . . the law of nature consists in those common notions which are ingraffed in all mens hearts . some fragments onely of this law left in us . those common notions , in which this law consists , are in us by nature . foure bounds of the law of nature . the obligation of the law of nature is from god. the obligation of the law of nature is perpetual and immutable . the light of nature is a remnant of gods image . . the light of nature usefull and necessary for the making of wholsome lawes in common-wealths . . it instigateth to good duties towards god and man. . it makes men inexcusable . the light of nature , as corrupted by sin , is an enemy to god and goodnes . the light of nature obscured three wayes . the light of nature inform'd by gods word an excellent help . the light of nature , as it is a relict of gods image is necessary in religious and morall things , and that two wayes . though some divine truths may transcend the reach of nature , none do crosse the truth thereof , as it is the remnant of gods image . faith and the light of nature go to the knowledge of the same thing different wayes . the light of nature a necessary instrument , but no judge in matters of faith. nature insufficient to prescribe divine worship . . because it would have all the worship of god sensible and pleasing to the eyes . because it 's prone to appoint mediatours between god and us . . because it performes all duties by way of compensation & merit . that there is a god , may be known by the light of nature . the mysterie of the trinitie , and the incarnation of christ cannot be found out by the light of nature . the light of nature insufficient for salvation . the patriarchs did not offer sacrifices by the light of nature , but god revealed his will to adam to be so worshipped . originall sin can onely be truly knowne by scripture-light . matth. . . expounded . communion of all things no precept of nature , and the apostles practise of it was only occasionall , not binding to posterity . god is more off ended with those that abuse gospel light , then those that abuse the light of nature . three sorts of christians little better then heathens . there is in man a natural power , by the help of reason , to chuse or refuse this or that thing . this naturall power in man not able to performe naturall actions without gods generall assistance . man by the power of nature wholly unable to performe good actions . . because our natures are full of sin and corruption . . because grace and conversion are the work of god. . because glory is to be given to god onely , not to our selves . nature of it self cannot dispose for justification , or sanctification : and the reasons why . there are , and may be some preparatory and antecedaneous works upon the heart before justification or sanctification . determination to one kind of acts takes not away liberty . a threefold liberty . determination to sinne , takes not away that delight in sinne which man is inevitably carried out unto . much may be ascribed to grace , and yet the totall efficacy not given unto it . the outward act of a commandement may be preformed by the power of nature . whatsoever meere naturall men doe , is sin before god ; because . the act wants faith , the person reconciliation with god. . it proceeds not from a regenerate nature . . 't is not done in reference to gods glory . there is no promise annexed to any act that wants faith . there is in mans nature a passive capacity of grace , which is not in stones and beasts . to presse a duty , and yet to acknowledge gods grace or gift to do it , is no contradiction . mans inability to observe gods precepts , maketh not vo●d the nature of the precepts , because this in ability proceeded from mans owne fault . a thing said to be impossible three waies . gods commands , though they be not a measure of our power , may serve to convince , humble , &c. necessity of sinning hinders not the delight and willingnesse man hath in sin , and consequently god may reprove him for his transgressions . * cap. . l. . ethic. ad nicom . though god works all our good in us , yet exhortations are the instrument wherby he works it . how conversion and repentance may be said to be our acts . gods working upon the heart of a sinner for conversion , excludes not mans working . though wicked men cannot but sinne in praying and hearing , yet they are bound to these duties . god doth not bind himself to this way . * tanta fuit adami recens conditi stupiditas , ut major in infantos cadere non postit . the tree of knowledge why so called . god , besides the naturall law engraven in adams hea●● , did give a positive law : . that the power which god had over him might be the more eminently held forth . . to try and manifest adams obedience . the proper essentiall end of the positive law was to exercise adams obedience . * altitudinem consilii ejus penetrare non possum , & longè supra vires meas esse confiteor , aug. the positive law did lay an obligation upon adams posterity . adam , by eating the forbidden fruit , became mortall , and in the state of death , not naturall onely , but spirituall and eternall also . adam before his sin was immortall . a thing may be said to be immortall foure wayes . the mortality of the whole man cannot be evinced from this threatning , in the day thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die . image , and likenesse signifie one and the same thing . an image consists in likenesse to another pattern after which it is made . a four-fold image . the image of god in adam consisted in the severall perfections and qualifications in his soul . . in his understanding was exact knowledge of divine and naturall things . . his will was wonderfully good , and furnished with many habits of goodnesse . . in his affections regularity and subjection . . the image of god consisted in a freedome from all misery and danger . . it consisted in that dominion and soveraignty adam had over the creatures . that righteousnesse and holiness fixed in adam was , . originall . . universall . . harmonious . . a perfection due unto him , upon supposition of the end wherunto god made him . righteousness was a perfection sutable and connaturall to adam . adam had power to beleeve , so farre as it did not imply an imperfection in the subject . repentance , as it flowes from a regenerate nature , reductively the image of god. gods image not fully repaired in us in this life . doctr. the covenant with adam before the fall more obscurely laid down , then the covenant off grace after the fall . that god dealt with adam by way of covenant , appeares , . from evil threatned , and good promised . . because his posterity becomes guilty of his sin , and obnoxious to his punishment . a covenant implies gods decree , will , or promise to , & concerning his creatures , whether rationall , or irrationall . god enters into covenant with man by way of condescension , & makes promises unto him to confirme him in his hope and confidence in him . god deales with man by way of covenant , not of power , . to indeare himself unto him . . to incite man to more obedience . . to make this obedience more willing and free . the covenant god made with adam was of works , not of faith . god , entring into covenant with adam , must be looked upon as one already pleased with him , not as a reconciled father through christ . gods covenant did suppose a power and possibility in adam to keep it . . in adam such qualities and actions may be considered , as did flow from him as aliving creature , endued with a rational soul . the principle and habit of righteousnesse was naturall to adam , but help from god to persevere , supernaturall . adam in the state of innocency needed not christ by way of reconciliation , but of conservation in righteousnesse . the obedience of angels may be said to be imperfect negatively , not privatively . christs incarnation cannot be supposed , but upon supposition of adams fall . the tree of life was not a sacrament of christ to adam . the scripture doth not affirme any revelation of a christ unto adam . the state of innocency excelled the state of reparation in rectitude , immortality , and outward felicity . the state of reparation more happy then that of innocency , in respect of the certainty of perseverance in the state of grace . the imputation of christs righteousness doth not inferre , that therefore we are more righteous then adam . what god requireth of us , is not greater then what he demanded of adam in innocency . adams immortality in the state of innocency different from , and short of that which shall be in heaven . . what meant by words . . nothing to be added or taken from them . . god the author of this law. . the manner of delivering it . doctr. the word law is capable of diverse senses and significations . of the division of laws in general , and why the morall so called . the law of moses differs from the law of nature : . in respect of power of binding . . the breach of the law given by moses , is a greater sin then the breach of the law of nature . . the morall law requires justifying faith and repentance , and contains more particulars in it , then the law of nature . the law was given when the israelites were in the wilderness , and not sooner . . because , being come out of aegypt , they were to be restrained of their impiety and idolatry . . because they were now to grow into a common-wealth . the law not only was , but was publikely preached in the church before moses . the ends of the promulgation of the law were ▪ . that the israelites might see what holiness was required of them . . that they might come to kn●w sin , and be humbled . . to shadow out unto them the excellent and holy nature of god. the delivering of this law to the israelites , 〈…〉 at m●●●● unto them . the law of moses is a perfect rule . . the law was given with great majesty , thereby to procure the greater authority to it there is a difference between the morall , iudiciall , and ceremoniall law , notwithstanding they were given at the same time . the morall law more excellent then the iudiciall and ceremoniall in three respects . god humbled the israelites before he gave them his law. god setled his worship before he gave them canaan . preparation required before the hearing of the law. . the people must sanctifie themselves . . they must not touch the mount. . nor come at their wives . . the law was given with great majesty , that so the people might be raised up to reverence the law-giver . . the law was written by god in tables of stone , to denote the dignity and perpetuity of it . what meant by the finger of god. a iob . . the israelites , notwithstanding the delivery of this law , was with power and maiesty , quickly broke . it . . moses his abode in the mount , procured authority both to himself and the law. . moses his breaking of the tables intimates , that justification is not to be had by them . moses his zeal in breaking the tables , vindicated from rashnesse , and sinful perturbation of minde , . gods manifestation of his glory unto moses makes for his honour . . though the writing of the second tables was gods work , yet the forming and polishing them was the work of moses . . the extraordinary glory that was upon moses , argues the administration of the law to be glorious . . the preservation of the law in the ark makes much for the glory of it . seeing god hath put such marks of glory upon the law , let us take heed of disparaging it . the doctrine of the antinomians heterodox , though the law , as given by moses , did not binde christians . the law given by moses doth not bind us in regard of moses . the law given by moses , as written for the church of god , and intended for good to christians in the new testament , is binding . though the people of israel were the present subject to whom the morall law was given , yet the observation thereof was intended for the church of god perpetually . the morall law is binding . . in regard of the matter of it . . in regard of the preceptive authority put upon it . the obligation of the morall law perpetuall , proved by severall arguments argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . arguments of the antinomians , whereby they would prove , that the law , as given by moses , does not bind christians , examined & answered , argum. . answ . . answ . . answ . . argum. . answ . though the law given by moses doth not belong to us in all the particulars of the administration of it , yet in the obliging power of it . it does . take heed of rejecting the law , as given by moses . a what is mean by it hath been said by them of old . b vvho meant by those of old those precepts said to be of old , are the law and words moses . christ does only interpret the old , adds no new laws . the pharisees were of opinion , that the law did only reach the outward man , and forbid out ward acts . doctr. no specificall difference of the duties in the old testament , from those of the new , but only graduall in their manifestation . the law did not only command the outward duty , but required the worship of the heart . . the law preferred inward graces before outward duties . all the duties required by the law , were to be done , . in faith. . in love . love to god in as great a measure commanded by the law as by the gospel . in all our addresses to god , it required spirituall motives . it required joy in god above all things else . it required perfection of the subject , object . degrees &c. the law instrumentall to work grace in us , as well as the gospel . it is the duty of ministers to be diligent in preaching and expounding the law. swearing neither absolutely unlawfull , not universally forbidden by our saviour with reasons why . corrupt glosses of the pharisees , touching swaring , reproved . in what sense the words , an eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth , are to be taken . capitall punishments even death it selfe , may be inflicted upon ofsenders : . because . commanded by god. * grotius . . because it is the magistrates office . . because practis'd under the gospel , upon ananias and sapphira , and so not repugnant to it . object . . sol. object . . sol. object . . sol. warre allowed by christ under the gospel . two causes for which the primitive christians might decline warre all men naturally prone ta revenge injuries . the primitive christians held it unlawfull for a man in his own defence to kill the invader . revenge as strictly forbidden in the old test . as in the new. private revenge unlawfull , and forbidden by our saviour . the preach ing of the law not onely preparatively , but ( being blessed by god ) instrumentally works the conversion of men . the law without christ cannot work to regeneration . the law may be blessed to conversion . yet the matter of it can neither be ground of justification , or consolation to us . the scripture in generall is a medium , working by christ to our conversion . the word read or preached concurres obejctively onely to mans conversion . all the benefits conveyed to the soul by the preaching of the word , are efficiently from gods spirit . the vvord without the spirit , cannot convert us , and why . six arguments to prove the law , and the preaching of it , means of conversion . . . . use . pray for the benefit of the law in our souls . conversion not wrought totally by the word read or preached , but is to be attributed to the covenant of grace in christ . instance ● answer . answer . . gerhard . instance . answ . instance . answ . three errours to be taken heed of in opening gal . . errour . errour . errour . the text opened . the law established three wayes by the gospel . 't is hard to set up christ and grace , and not be thought to destroy the law. the doctrine of christ and grace , doth establish the law. interprtation , dispensation , &c. affections of a law. we may say that the morall law is mitigated , as to our persons , but 't is not abrogated . three parts of the law. the law is abolished as it is a covenant , but not as it is a rule . the law given by moses a covenant of grace . it is an absurd contradiction to say the matter of a law bindeth , but not as a law. the law equally abrogated to beleevers under the old and new testament . antinomian arguments mostly overthrow the use of the law both to beleevers and unbelevers . the law to a beleever is abrogated . . in respect of justification . . in respect of condemnation . . in respect of rigid obedience . . in respect of tefrour and slavish obedience . . in respect of the increase of sin . . in respect of many circumstantials . . yet that it continues to them as a rule , appears , . from the different phrases used concerning the ceremoniall law. . from that holinesse that it requires of the beleever . . in that disobedience is still a sin . . because it differs from other lawes in respect of causes of abrogation . three reasons why the ceremoniall law should be abrogated . places of scripture seeming to hold forth the duration of the moral law for a time only , answered . * minimum maximi , est majus maximo minimi . the apostle argueth against the law , in comparison of christ . the word law taken in a two-fold sense . these phrases of the law , without the law , under the law , and in the law , explained . a two-fold being under the law. the commonly received sense of that phrase , not to be under this law. rejected . beza's inrerpretation of the phrase approv'd . arguments used by moses to perswade obedience to the law. that the law god delivered to israel was a covenant , appears . . in that it ha●h the name of a covenant . in that it hath the reall properties of a covenant . the judgements of the learned different in declaring what covenant is here meant . in what sense it may be a covenant of grace explained . arguments proving the law a covenant of grace . argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . obiections impugning the former arguments answered . the words opened . the papists corruptly glosse upon this text. doctr. the law and the gospel may be compared one with another in a double respect . the different use of the word [ law ] carefully to be observed . what meant by law taken largely and what strictly false differences between the law and the gospel : . of anabaptists , and socinians , affirming , that they under the law in the old testament enioyed only temporall blessings . . of papists . . that christ hath added more perfect laws under the new testament . . that the law and gospel are capable of no oposite consideration . . that the fathers that died under the old testament , went not immedatly to heaven . . of antinomians . that god saw sin in the beleevers of the old testament , not of the new. . that the covenant god made with the iews & this under the gospel are two distinct covenants . . that plenary remission of sins under the gospel , not so under the law , because no sacrifice save for sins of ignorance . confut. . all sacrifices were not only for sins of ignorance . . no legall s●crifice , therefore no remission o● sin , in consequent . . the sin against the holy ghost under the gospel not cleansed by christs bloud . . that under the old covenant , god gave not remission of sins to any , but upon antecedent conditions ; not so under the gospel . that remission of sinnes under the law was successively and imperfect , under the gospel at once and perfect . the difference between the law and the gospel is not essentiall , but accidentall only . heavenly obiects more clearly revealed in the n. testament , then in the old. . it is so for the credenda . . for the speranda . . for the facienda . the measure of grace ordinarily greater in the gospel , then under the law. the iews under the law were in a more servile condition , then christians under the gospel . the continuation of the law was to last , but till the coming of christ . difference between the law strictly taken and the gospel strictly taken . . the law in some measure is known by the light of nature , but the truth of the gospel must be wholly revealed by god. . the law requires perfect righteousness : the gospel brings pardon through christ . . if righteousness were by the law , eternall life were a debt , but the gospel holds it forth as gods meere indulgence . . the law is only for those that have a perfect nature the gospel . for broken-hearted sinners . . the law conditional . the gospel absolute . repentance strictly taken , is distinguished from faith. the law and the gospel are inseperably united in the word and ministery . faith and repentance are wrought both by the law and the gospel . vnbeliefe a sin against the law , as well as the gospel . the gospel taken strictly , comprehends no more then the glad tidings of a saviour . zeal that either wants knowledge , or puffs up , no good zeale . sincerity taken two waies . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth . the law , as it is considered rigidly , and in the abstract , so christ is not the end thereof , unless it be by accident . as the law is taken largely for the administration of it by moses , so christ was intended directly . christ is the end of intention in the dispensation of the law. cot. . . opened . the ministery of the gospel more excellent then that of the law in three respects . . because it is the ministery of life and righteousness , the law of death and condemnation , . because of its duration , it being to abide alwayes , but the ministery of moses to be abolished . . because the glory that cometh by the gospel is spirituall , that which shone upon moses but materiall . what signified by the shining of moses his face . . christ is the end of perfection to the law. . christ is the end of perfection of the law , in vouchsafing us his spirit , that we may obey it . . christ is the end of perfection of the law , in that his obedience to it is made curs . object . a●sw . the bel●ever is the subject to whom christ is made righteousness . righteousness is the end for which christ is thus the perfection of the law. the beleever hath great cause to bless god , for providing such a righteousness for him . the text opened . what meant by kingdom of heaven . doctr. the doctrines of men may either directly or covertly overthrow the law. covertly , there waies . when they make it not so extensive in its obligation as it is . vvhen they hold principles by necessary consequence inforcing the abrogation of it . . vvhen they press such duties up on men , as will necessitate them to break the commandements of god. the marcionites and manichees , the first oppugners of the law. postions of antinomians . antidotes against antinomian errours . . be afraid of entertaining errours in doctrine , as that which may damn thee . . look upon those places of scripture , where duties are commanded , as well as those where christ and grace are spoken of . . beware of affecting applause among the people . . get to be well grounded in the principles of religion . . be not rash in publishing any new opinion . . antinomianisme overthrows christ and grace . an essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have hapned this last age, especially in new-england / by increase mather, teacher of a church at boston in new-england. mather, increase, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have hapned this last age, especially in new-england / by increase mather, teacher of a church at boston in new-england. mather, increase, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by samuel green for joseph browning and are to be sold at his shop ..., boston in new-england : . errata on p. . reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. witchcraft -- new england -- early works to . new england -- history -- colonial period, ca. - . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an essay for the recording of illvstriovs providences : wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events , which have hapned this last age ; especially in new-england . by increase mather , teacher of a church at boston in new-england . psal. . . oh that men would praise the lord for his goodness , and for his wonderful works to the children of men. psal. . . one generation shall praise thy works to another , and shall declare thy mighty acts ▪ boston in new-england , printed by samuel green for ioseph browning , and are to be sold at his shop at the corner of the prison-lane next the town-house , . the preface . about six and twenty years ago , ● design for the recording of illustrious providences , was under serious consideration among some eminent ministers in england and in ireland . that motion was principally set on foot by the learned mr. matthew pool , whose synopsis criticorum , and other books by him emitted , have made him famous in the world. but before any thing was brought to effect , the persons to have been imployed , had their thoughts diverted another way . nevertheless , there was a m. ss . ( the composer whereof is to me unknown ) then written , wherein the subjects proper for this record , and some rules for the better managing a design of this nature , are described . in that m. ss . i find notable stories related and attested , which elsewhere i never met with . particularly , the sory of mr. earl of colchester , and another mentioned in our subseqnent essay . and besides those , there are some very memorable passages written , which have not as yet been published , so far as i understand . there are in that m. ss . several remarkables about apparitions , e. g. it is there said , that dr. frith , ( who was one of the prebends belonging to windsor ) lying on his bed , the chamber doors were thrown open , and a corps with attending torches brought to his bed-side upon a bier ; the corps representing one of his own family : after some pause , there was such another shew , till he , the said dr. his wife and all his family were brought in on the bier in such order as they all soon after died . the dr. was not then sick , but quickly melancholly , and would rising at midnight repair to the graves and monuments at eaton colledge ; saying , that he and his must shortly take up their habitation among the dead . the relater of this story ( a person of great integrity ) had it from dr. frith's son , who also added , my fathers vision is already executed upon all the family but my self , my time is next , and near at hand . in the mentioned m. ss . there is also a marvelous relation concerning a young scholar in france : for , it is there affirmed , that this prophane student , having by extravagant courses outrun his means ; in his discontent walking solitarily , a man came to him , and enquired the cause of his sadness . which he owning to be want of money , had presently a supply given him by the other . that being quickly consumed upon his lusts ; as soon as his money was gone his discontent returned ; and in his former walk , he met with his former reliever , who again offered to supply him ; but askt him to contract with him to be his , and to sign the contract with his blood. the woful wretch consented : but not long after , considering that this contract was made with the devil ; the terrors of his conscience became insupportable ; so as that he endeavoured to kill himself to get out of them . some ministers , and other christians being informed how matters were circumstanced , kept dayes of prayer for him and with him : and he was carefully watched that so he might be kept from self-murder . still he continued under terror , and said he should do so , as long as the covenant which he had signed , remained in the hands of the devil . hereupon , the ministers resolve to keep a day of fasting and prayer in that very place of the field where the distressed creature had made the woful bargain , setting him in the midst of them . thus they did , and being with special actings of faith much enlarged to pray earnestly to the lord to make known his power over satan , in constraining him to give up that contract , after some hours continuance in prayer , a cloud was seen to spread it self over them , and out of it the very contract signed with the poor crearures blood was dropped down amongst them ; which being taken up and viewed , the party concerned took it , and tore it in pieces . the relator had this from the mouth of mr. beaumond , a minister of note at caon in normandy , who assured him that he had it from one of the ministers that did assist in carrying on the day of prayer when this memorable providence hapned . nor is the relation impossible to be true , for luther speaks of a providence not unlike unto this , which hapned in his congregation . this m. ss . doth also mention some most remarkable iudgments of god upon sinners , as worthy to be recorded for posterity to take notice of . it is there said , that when mr. richard iuxon was a fellow of kings colledge in cambridge , he led a most vicious life : and whereas ▪ such of the students as were serious in matters of religion , did endeavour by solemn fasting and prayer to prepare themselves for the communion which was then ( this was about the year ) on easter-day . this iuxon spent all the time of preparation in drunken wild meetings , and was up late and drunk on the saturday night . nevertheless , on the lords day , he came with others to the communion , and sat next to the relator , who knowing his disorder the night before , was much troubled : but had no remedy ; church-discipline not being then so practised as ought to have been . the communion being ended , such of the scholars as had the fear of god in their hearts , repaired to their closets . but this iuxon went immediately to a drunken-meeting , and there to a cockfight , where he fell to his accustomed madness , and pouring out a volley of oaths and curses ; while these were between his lips , god smote him dead in the twinkle of an eye . and though iuxon were but young , and of a comely person , his carcase was immediately so corrupted as that the stench of it was insufferable , insomuch that no house would receive it ; and his friends were forced to hire some base fellows to watch the carcase till night ; and then with pitch and such like gums covered him in a coffin , and so made a shift to endure his interment . there stood by a scholar , whose name was george hall , and who acted his part with iuxon in his prophaneness : but he was so astonished with this amazing providence of god , as that he fell down upon his knees , begging pardoning mercy from heaven , and vowing a reformation ; which vow the lord enabled him to keep , so as that afterwards he became an able and famous minister of the gospel . one strange passage more i shall here relate out of the m. ss . which we have thus far made mention of . therein i find part of a letter transcribed ; which is as followeth : lismore , octob. . . in another part of this countrey , a poor man being suspected to have stollen a sheep was questioned for it ; he forswore the thing , and wished that if he had stollen it , god would cause the horns of the sheep to grow upon him . this man was seen within these few dayes by a minister of great repute for piety , who saith , that the man has an horn growing out of one corner of his mouth , just like that of a sheep : from which he hath cut seventeen inches , and is forced to keep it tyed by a string to his ear , to prevent its growing up to his eye : this minister not only saw but felt this horn , and reported it in this family this week , as also a gentleman formerly did , who was himself an eye-witness thereof . surely such passages are a demonstrative evidence that there is a god , who judgeth in the earth , and who though he stay long , will not be mocked alwayes . i shall say no more concerning the m. ss . only that it was sent over to reverend mr. davenport , by ( as i suppose ) mr. hartlib . how it came to lie dormient in his hands i know not : though i had the happiness of special intimacy with that worthy man , i do not remember that ever i heard him speak any thing of it . but since his death , looking over his m. ss's i met with this , and communicated it to other ministers , who highly approved of the noble design aimed at therein . soon after which , some proposals in order to the reviving of this work were drawn up , and presented at a general meeting of the ministers in this colony , may . . which it may not be unsuitable here to recite . some proposals concerning the recording of illustrious providences . i. in order to the promoving of a design of this nature , so as shall be indeed for gods glory , and the good of posterity , it is necessary that utmost care shall be taken that all , and only remarkable providences be recorded and published . ii. such divine iudgements , tempests , floods , earth-quakes , thunders as are unusual , strange apparitions or what ever else shall happen that is prodigious , witchcrafts , diabolical possessions , remarkable iudgements upon noted sinners : eminent deliverances , and answers of prayer , are to be reckoned among illustrious providences . iii. inasmuch as we find in scripture , as well as in ecclesiastical history , that the ministers of god have been improved in the recording and declaring the works of the lord ; and since they are in divers respects under peculiar advantages there unto : it is proposed , that each one in that capacity may diligently enquire into , and record such illustrious providences as have hapned , or from time to time shall happen , in the places whereunto they do belong : and that the witnesses of such notable occurrents be likewise set down in writing . iv. although it be true , that this design cannot be brought unto perfection in one or two years , yet it is much to be desired that something may be done therein out of hand , as a specimen of a more large volumn , that so this work may be set on foot , and posterity may be encouraged to go on therewith . v. it is therefore proposed that the elders may concurre in desiring some one that hath leisure and ability for the management of such an undertaking , with all convenient speed to begin therewith . vi. and that therefore other elders do without delay make enquiry concerning the remarkable occurrents that have formerly fallen out , or may fall out hereafter , where they are concerned , and transmit them unto the aforesaid person , according to the directions above specified , in order to a speedy publication . vii . that notice be given of these proposals unto our brethren , the elders of the neighbour colonies , that so we may enjoy their concurrence , and assistance herein . viii . when any thing of this nature shall be ready for the presse , it appears on sundry grounds very expedient , that it should be read , and approved of at some meeting of the elders , before publication . these things being read and considered ; the author of this essay , was desired to begin the work which is here done ; and i am engaged to many for the materials , and informations which the following collections do consist of . it is not easie to give an account of things , and yet no circumstantial mistakes attend what shall be related . nor dare i averr , that there are none such in what follows . only i have been careful to prevent them ; and as to the substance of each passage , i am well assured it is according to truth . that rare accident about the lightning which caused a wonderful change in the compasses of a vessel then at sea , was as is in the book expressed page . . only it is uncertain whether they were then exactly in the latitude of . for they had not taken an observation for several dayes , but the master of the vessel affirms that to be the latitude so near as they could conjecture . since the needle was changed by the lightning , if a lesser compass be set over it , the needle therein ( or any other touched with the load-stone ) will alter its polarity , turn about to the south , as i have divers times to my great admiration experimented . there is near the north-point a dark spot , like as if it were burnt with a drop of brimstone , supposed to be caused by the lightning . whether the magnetic impressions on that part of the needle being dissipated by the heat of the lightning , and the effluvia on the south end of the needle only remaining untouched thereby , be the true natural reason of the marvelous alteration ; or whither it ought to be ascribed to some other cause , the ingenious may consider . there is another remarkable passage about lightning which hapned at duxborough in new-england , concerning which i have lately received this following account . september . . ( being the lords day ) there were small drizling showers , attended with some seldome and scarce perceivable rumbling thunders until towards the evening ; at what time mr. constant southworth of duxbury returning home after evening exercise , in company with some neighbours , discoursing of some extraordinary thunder-claps with lightning , and the awful effects and consequents thereof , ) being come into his own house ( there were present in one room , himself , his wife , two children , viz. thomas ( he was afterwards drowned ) and benjamin , ( he was long after this killed by the indians ) with philip delano a servant , ) there broke perpendicularly over the said house and room a most awful and amazing clap of thunder , attended with a violent flash , or rather flame of lightning ; which brake and shivered one of the needles of the katted or wooden chimney , carrying divers splinters seven or eight rods distance from the house : it filled the room with smoke and flame . set fire in the thatch of a leanto which was on the backside of a room adjoyning to the former , in which the five persons abovementioned were . it melted some pewter , so that it ran into drops on the out-side , as is often seen on tin ware ; melted round holes in the top of a fire-shovel proportionable in quantity to a small goose-shot ; struck mrs. southworths arm so that it was for a time benummed ; smote the young child benjamin in his mothers ' arms , deprived it of breath for a space , and to the mothers apprehension squeased it as flat as a planck ; smote a dog stone-dead which lay within two foot of philip delano , the dog never moved out of his place or potsture , in which he was when smitten , but giving a small yelp , and quivering with his toes , lay still , blood issuing from his nose or mouth . it smote the said philip , made his right arm senseless for a time , together with the middle finger in special ( of his right hand ) which was benummed , and turned as white as chalk or lime , yet attended with little pain . after some few hours that finger began to recover its proper colour at the knuckle , and so did gradually whiten unto its extremity ; and although the said delano felt a most vioilent heat upon his body , as if he had been scorched in the midst of a violent burning fire , yet his clothes were not singed , neither had the smell of fire passed thereon . i could not insert this story in its proper place , because i received it after that chapter about thunder and lightning was printed . some credible persons who have been eye-witnesses of it , inform me , that the lightning in that house at duxborough , did with the vehemency of its flame , cause the bricks in the chimney to melt like molten lead : which particular was as remarkable as any of the other mentioned in the narrative , and therefore i thought good here to add it . in this essay , i design no more than a specimen ; and having ( by the good hand of god upon me ) set this wheel a going , i shall leave it unto others , whom god has fitted , and shall incline thereto , to go on with the undertaking . some digressions i have made in distinct chapters , handling several considerable cases of conscience , supposing it not unprofitable , or improper so to do ; since the things related gave the occasion : both leisure and exercise of judgement are required in the due performance of a service of this nature : there are some that have more leisure , and many that have greater abilities than i have : i expect not that they should make my method their standard ; but they may follow a better of their own , as they shall see cause . the addition of parallel stories is both pleasing and edifying : had my reading and remembrance of things been greater , i might have done more that way , as i hope others will in the next essay . i could have mentioned some very memorable passages of divine providence , wherein the countrey in general hath been concerned . some remarkables of that kind are to be seen in my former relations of the troubles occasioned by the indians in new-england . there are other particulars no less worthy to be recorded , but in my judgement , this is not so proper a season for us to divulge them . it has been in my thoughts to publish a discourse of miscellaneous observations , concerning things rare and wonderful ; both as to the works of creation and providence ; which in my small readings i have met with in many authors : but this must suffice for the present . i have often wished , that the natural history of new-england , might be written and published to the world ; the rules and method described by that learned and excellent person robert boyle esq. being duely observed therein . it would best become some scholar that has been born in this land , to do such a service for his countrey . nor would i my self decline to put my hand ( so far as my small capacity will reach ) to so noble an undertaking , did not manifold diversions and employments prevent me from attending that which i should account a profitable recreation . i have other work upon me , which i would gladly finish before i leave the world , and but a very little time to do it in : moreover , not many years ago , i lost ( and that 's an afflictive loss indeed ! ) several moneths from study by sickness . let every god-fearing reader , joyn with me in prayer , that i may be enabled to redeem the time , and ( in all wayes wherein i am capable ) to serve my generation . increase mather , boston in new-england , ianuary , / . remarkable providences . chap. i. of remarkable sea deliverances . mr. anthony thacher's relation concerning his and his wives being marvelously preserved alive , when all the ships company perished . the wonderful preservation of major gibbons and his company . several other remarkable sea-deliverances mentioned by mr. janeway , wherin n. e. men were concerned . mr. grafton's preservation . a vessel lately coming from bristol for new-england , saved out of great distress at sea. some providentially met with by a new-england vessel in an open boat , many leagues off from anyshoar , strangely preserved . an account of a remarkable sea-deliverance which hapned this present year . another like unto it which hapned above twenty years ago . the royal pen of the prophet david hath most truly affirmed , that they who go down to the sea in ships , that do business in great waters , see the works of the lord , and his wonders in the deep . and in special , they see wonders of divine goodness in respect of eminent deliverances wrought by the hand of the most high , who stills the noise of the seas , the noise of their waves . it is meet that such providences should be ever had in remembrance , as most of all by the persons concerned in them , so by others , that the god of salvation , who is the confidence of them that are afar off upon the sea , may have eternal praise . many remarkable stories of this kind , are to be seen in books already published . e. g. in mandels●o's travels , h●ck●uit , and linshoten's voyages ; wanley's histo●y ; causin's holy court ; mr. burton's treatises lately printed , and in mr. ianeway's sea-deliverances . i shall in this chapter confine my self unto things which have hapned either in new-england , or wherein n-england vessels have been concerned . we shall begin with that remarkable sea-deliverance which mr. anthony thacher did experience at his first coming to new-england . a full and true relation whereof , i find in a letter directed to his brother mr. peter thacher , then a faithful minister of christ in sarum in england ( he was father to my worthy dear friend mr. thomas thacher late pastor of one of the churches in this boston . ) this letter of mr. anthony thacher's to his brother being written within a few dayes after that eminent providence hapned unto him , matters were then fresh in his memory ; i shall therefore here insert his narrative in his own words ; who expresseth himself as followeth ▪ i must turn my drowned pen and shaking hand to indite the story of such sad news as never before this hapned in new-england . there was a league of perpetual friendship between my cousin avery ( note that this mr. avery was a precious holy minister who came out of england with mr. anthony thacher ) and my self never to forsake each other to the death , but to be partakers of each others misery or welfare , as also of habitation in the same place . now upon our arrival in new-england , there was an offer made unto us . my cousin avery was invited to marble-head to be their pastor in due time ; there being no church planted there as yet , but a town appointed to set up the trade of fishing . because many there ( the most being fishermen ) were something loose and remiss in their behaviour ; my cousin avery was unwilling to go thither , and so refusing we went to newbery , intending there to sit down . but being solicited so often both by the men of the place , and by the magistrates , and by mr. cotton , and most of the ministers , who alledged what a benefit we might be to the people there , and also to the countrey and common-wealth ; at length we embraced it , and thither consented to go . they of marble-head forthwith sent a pinnace for us and our goods . we embarqued at ipswich , august . . with our families and substance , bound for marble-head , we being in all twenty three souls , viz. eleven in my cousin's family , seven in mine , and one mr. william eliot sometimes of new sarum , and four mariners . the next morning having commended our selves to god , with chearful hearts , we hoised sail ; but the lord suddenly turned our chearfulness into mourning and lamentations . for on the fourteenth of this august . about ten at night , having a fresh gale of wind , our sails being old and done were split . the mariners because that it was night , would not put to new sails , but resolved to cast anchor till the morning . but before day-light , it pleased the lord to send so mighty a storm , as the like was never known in new-england since the english came , nor in the memory of any of the indians . it was so furious that our anchor came home . whereupon the mariners let out more cable , which at last slipt away . then our sailers knew not what to do , but we were driven before the wind and waves . my cousin and i perceived our danger , solemnly recommended our selves to god the lord both of earth and seas , expecting with every wave to be swallowed up and drenched in the deeps . and as my cousin , his wife , and my tender babes sat comforting and chearing one the other in the lord against ghastly death , which every moment stared us in the face , and sat triumphing upon each ones forehead , we were by the violence of the waves and fury of the winds , ( by the lords permission ) lifted up upon a rock between two high rocks , yet all was one rock , but it raged with the stroke which came into the pinnace , so as we were presently up to our middles in water as we sat . the waves came furiously and violently over us , and against us , but by reason of the rocks proportion could not lift us off , but beat her all to pieces . now look with me upon our distress , and consider of my misery , who beheld the ship broken , the water in her , and violently overwhelming us , my goods , and provisions swimming in the seas , my friends almost drowned , and mine own poor children so untimely ( if i may so term it without offence ) before mine eyes drowned , and ready to be swallowed up and dashed to pieces against the rocks by the merciless waves , and my self ready to accompany them . but i must go on to an end of this woful relation . in the same room whereas he sat , the master of the pinnace not knowing what to do , our fore-mast was cut down , our main-mast broken in three pieces , the fore part of the pinnace beat away , our goods swimming about the seas , my children bewailing me , as not pittying themselves , and my self bemoaning them ; poor souls , whom i had occasioned to such an end in their tender years , whenas they could scarce be sensible of death . and so likewise my cousin , his wife , and his , children , and both of us bewailing each other , in our lord and only saviour jesus christ , in whom only we had comfort and cheerfulness , insomuch that from the greatest to the least of us , there was not one scri●c● or out-cry made , but all as silent sheep were contentedly resolved to die together lovingly , as since our acquaintance we had lived together friendly . now as i was sitting in the cabbin room-door with my body in the room , when lo one of the sailers by a wave being washed out of the pinnace was gotten in again , and coming into the cabbin room over my back , cried out , we are all cast away , the lord have mercy upon us , i have been washed over-board into the sea , and am gotten in again . his speeches made me look forth . and looking towards the sea , and seeing how we were , i turned my self to my cousin and the rest , and spake these words , oh cousin , it hath pleased god to cast us here between two rocks , the shoar not far off from us , for i saw the tops of trees when i looked forth . whereupon the master of the pinnace looking up at the scuttle hole of the quarter deck , went out at it , but i never saw him afterwards . then he that had been in the sea , went out again by me , and leapt overboard towards the rocks , whom afterwards also i could not see . now none were left in the barque that i knew or saw , but my cousin , his wife and children , my self and mine , and his maid-servant . but my cousin thought i would have fled from him , and said unto me , oh cousin leave us not , let us die to-together , and reached forth his hand unto me . then i letting go my son peter's hand took him by the hand , and said , cousin , i purpose it not , whithe shall i go ? i am willing and ready here to die with you and my poor children . god be merciful to us , and receive us to himself , adding these words , the lord is able to help and deliver us . he replied , saying , truth cousin , but what his pleasure is we know not ; i fear we have been too unthankful for former deliverances , but he hath promised to deliver us from sin and condemnation , and to bring us safe to heaven through the alsufficient satisfaction of jesus christ , this therefore we may challenge of him . to which i replying said , that is all the deliverance i now desire and expect . which words i had no sooner spoken , but by a mighty wave i was with the piece of the barque washed out upon part of the rock , where the wave left me almost drowned , but recovering my feet i saw above me on the rock my daughter mary , to whom i had no sooner gotten , but my cousin avery , and his eldest son came to us , being all four of us washed out by one and the same wave , we went all into a small hole on the top of the rock , whence we called to those in the pinnace to come unto us , supposing we had been in more safety than they were in . my wife seeing us there was crept up into the scuttle of the quarter deck to come unto us , but presently came another wave and dashing the pinnace all to pieces , carried my wife away in the scuttle , as she was , with the greater part of the quarter deck unto the shoar ; where she was cast safely , but her legs were something bruised , and much timber of the vessel being there also cast , she was sometime before she could get away being washed by the waves . all the rest that were in the barque were drowned in the merciless seas . we four by that wave were clean swept away from off the rock also , into the sea ; the lord in one instant of time disposing of fifteen souls of us , according to his good pleasure and will , his pleasure and wonderful great mercy to me was thus . standing on the rock as before you heard , with my eldest daughter , my cousin and his eldest son , looking upon , and talking to them in the barque , whenas we were by that merciless wave washed off the rock , as before you heard . god in his mercy caused me to fall by the stroke of the wave flat on my face , for my face was toward the sea , insomuch that as i was sliding off the rock into the sea , the lord directed my toes into a joynt in the rocks side , as also the tops of some of my fingers with my right hand , by means whereof , the wave leaving me , i remained so , having in the rock only my head above the water . when on the left hand i espied a board or plank of the pinnace . and as i was reaching out my left hand to lay hold on it , by another coming over the top of the rock , i was washed away from the rock , and by the violence of the waves was driven hither and thither in the seas a great while , and had many dashes against the rocks . at length past hopes of life , and wearied in body and spirits , i even gave over to nature , and being ready to receive in the waters of death , i lifted up both my heart and hands to the god of heaven . for note , i had my senses remaining perfect with me all the time that i was under and in water , who at that instant lifted my head above the top of the water , that so i might breathe without any hindrance by the waters . i stood bolt upright as if i had stood upon my feet , but i felt no bottom , nor had any footing for to stand upon , but the waters . while i was thus above the water , i saw by me a piece of the mast , as i suppose about three foot long , which i laboured to catch into my arms . but suddenly i was overwhelmed with water , and driven to and fro again , and at last i felt the ground with my right foot . when immediately whilest i was thus groveling on my face , i presently recovering my feet , was in the water up to my breast , and through gods great mercy had my face unto the shoar , and not to the sea. i made hast to get out , but was thrown down on my hands with the waves , and so with safety crept to the dry shoar . where blessing god , i turned about to look for my children and friends , but saw neither , nor any part of the pinnace , where i left them as i supposed . but i saw my wife about a butt length from me getting her self forth from amongst the timber of the broken barque : but before i could get unto her , she was gotten to the shoar : i was in the water after i was washed from the rock , before i came to the shoar a quarter of an hour at least . when we were come each to other , we went and sat under the bank. but fear of the seas roaring and our coldness would not suffer us there to remain . but we went up into the land and sat us down under a cedar tree which the wind had thrown down , where we sat about an hour almost dead with cold . but now the storm was broken up , and the wind was calm , but the sea remained rough and fearful to us . my legs were much bruised , and so was my head , other hurt had i none , neither had i taken in much quantity of water : but my heart would not let me sit still any longer , but i vvould go to see if any more were gotten to the land in safety , especially hoping to have met with some of my own poor children , but i could find none , neither dead nor yet living . you condole with me my miseries , who now began to consider of my losses . now came to my remembrance the time and manner , how and when i last saw and left my children and friends . one was severed from me sitting on the rock at my feet , the other three in the pinnace : my little babe ( ah poor peter ) sitting in his sister ediths arms , who to the uttermost of her power sheltred him from the waters , my poor william standing close unto them , all three of them lo●king ruefully on me on the rock ; their very countenances calling unto me to help them , whom i could not go unto , neither could they come at me , neither would the merciless waves afford me space or time to use any means at all , either to help them or my self . oh i yet see their cheeks , poor silent lambs , pleading pity and help at my hands . then on the other side to consider the loss of my dear friends , with the spoiling and loss of all our goods and provisions , my self cast upon an unknown land , in a wilderness , i knew not where , nor how to get thence . then it came to my mind how i had occasioned the death of my children , who caused them to leave their native land , who might have left them there , yea , and might have sent some of them back again and cost me ●othing : these and such like thoughts do press down my heavy heart very much . but i must let this pass , and will proceed on in the relation of gods goodness unto me in that desolate island , on which i was cast . i and my wife were almost naked both of us , and wet and cold even unto death , . i found a snapsack cast on the shoar , in which i had a steel and flint and powder-horn . going further i found a drowned goat , then i found a hat , and my son william's coat , both which i put on . my wife found one of her petticoats which she put on . i found also two cheeses and some butter driven ashoar . thus the lord sent us some clothes to put on , and food to sustain our new lives which we had lately given unto us ; and means also to make 〈◊〉 , for in an horn i had some gun-powder , which to mine ow● ( and since to other mens ) admiration was dry . so taking a piece of my wives neckcloth , which i dried in the sun , i struck fire , and so dried and warmed our wet bodies , and then skinned the goat , and having found a small brass-pot , we boyled some of her . our drink was brackish water ; bread we had none . there we remained until the monday following , when about three of the clock in the afternoon , in a boat that came that way , we went off that desolate island ; which i named after my name , thachers woe , and the rock avery his fall : to the end that their fall and loss , and mine own might be had in perpetual remembrance . in the isle lieth buried the body of my cousins eldest daughter , whom i found dead on the shoar . on the tuesday following in the afternoon we arrived at marble-head . thus far is mr. thachers relation of this memorable providence . we proceed to some other : remarkable was that deliverance mentioned both by mr. ianeway , and mr. burton , wherein that gallant commander major edward gibbons of boston in new-england , and others were concerned . the substance of the story is this . a new-england vessel going from boston to some other parts of america , was through the continuance of contrary winds , kept long at sea , so that they were in very great straits for want of provision , and seeing they could not hope for any relief from earth or sea , they apply themselves to heaven in humble and hearty prayers , but no calm ensuing , one of them made this sorrowful motion , that they should cast lots , which of them should die first , to satisfie th● ravenous hunger of the rest . after many 〈◊〉 sad debate , they come to a result , the lot is cast , and one of the company is taken , but where is the executioner to be found to act this office upon a poor innocent ? it is death now to think who shall act this bloody part in the tragedy : but before they fall upon this in-voluntary execution , they once more went unto their prayers , and while they were calling upon god , he answered them , for there leapt a mighty fish into the boat , which was a double joy to them , not only in relieving their miserable hunger , which no doubt made them quick cooks , but because they looked upon it to be sent from god , and to be a token of their deliverance . but alas ! the fish is soon eaten , and their former exigencies come upon them , which sin● their spirits into despair ; for they know no● of another morsel . to lot they go again the second time , which falleth upon another person ; but still none can be found to sacrifice him ; they again send their prayers to heaven with all manner of fervency , when behold a second answer from above ! a great bird lights , and fixes it self upon the mast● which one of the company espies , and he goes , and there she stands , till he took her with his hand by the wing . this was life from the dead the second time , and they feasted themselves herewith , as hoping that second providence was a fore-runner of the●r compleat deliverance . but they have still the same disappointments , they can see no land , they know not where they are . hunger encreaseth again upon them , and they have no hopes to be saved but by a third miracle . they are reduced to the former course of casting lots , when they were going to the heart-breaking work , to put him to death whom the lot fell upon , they go to god their former friend in adversity , by humbl● and hearty prayers ; and now they look an● look again ; but there is nothing : their prayers are concluded , and nothing appears , yet still they hoped and stayed ; till at last one of them espies a ship , which put new life into all their spirits . they bear up with their vessel , they man their boat , and desire and beg like perishing , humble supplicants to board them , which they are admitted . the vessel proves a french vessel , yea , a french pirate . major gibbons petitions them for a little bread , and offers ship and cargo for it . but the commander knows the major , ( from whom he had received some signal kindnesses formerly at boston ) and replied readily , and chearfully , major gibbons , not a hair of you or your company shall perish , if it●ly in my power to preserve you . and accordingly he relieveth them , and sets them safe on shoar . memorable also is that which mr. ianeway in his remarkable sea-deliverances , p. . hath published . he there relates that in the year . a ketch whereof thomas woodbery was master , sailing from new-england for barbadoes ; when they came in the latitude of . gr . because there was some appearance of foul-weather , they lowred their sails , sending up one to the top of the mast , he thought he saw something like a boat floating upon the sea , and calling to the men below , they made towards it , and when they came near , it appeared to be a long-boat with eleven men in it , who had been bound for virginia ; but their ship proved leaky , and foundred in the sea ; so that they were forced suddenly to betake themselves to their long-boat ; in the which they had a capstone bar , which they made use of for a mast , and a piece of canvas for a sail , so did they sail before the wind. but they having no victuals with them , were soon in miserable distress . thus they continued five dayes , so that all despaired of life . upon the sixth day they concluded to cast lots for their lives , viz. who should die that the rest might eat him , and have their lives preserved . he that the lot fell upon , begged for his life a little longer ; and being in their extremity , the wonder-working providence of god was seen : for they meet with this new-england vessel , which took them in , and saved their lives . an hour after this a terrible storm arose , continuing forty hours , so that if they had not met the vessel that saved the● in the nick of opportunity , they had all perished : and if the new-england men ha● not taken down some of their sails , or ha● not chanced to send one up to tallow the mast , this boat and men had never been seen by them . thus admirable are the workings of divine providence in the world. yet further ; that worthy and now blessed minister of god mr. iames ianeway , hath published several other remarkable sea-deliverances ; of which some belonging to new-england were the subjects . he relates ( and i am informed that it was really so ) that a small vessel ( the masters name philip hungare ) coming upon the coast of new-england suddenly sprang a leak , and so foundered . in the vessel there were eighteen souls , twelve of which got into the long boat. they threw into the boat some small matters of provision , but were wholly without fire . these twelve men sailed five hundred leagues in this small boat , being by almost miraculous providences preserved therein for five weeks together . god sent relief to them by causing some flying fish to fall into the boat , which they eat raw , and were well pleased therewith . they also caught a shark and opening his belly , sucked his blood for drink . at the last the divine providence brought them to the west-indies . some of them were so weak as that they soon died ▪ but most of them lived to declare the works of the lord. again he relates that mr. ionas clark of new-england going for virginia , the vessel was cast ashoar in the night . they hoped to get their ship off again ; to which end the master with some others going in the boat , when they were about sixty fathom from the shoar , there arose a great sea which broke in upon them , and at last turned the boat over . four men were drowned . mr. clark was held under water till his breath was gone , yet ( through the good hand of a gracious god ) he was set at liberty , and was enabled to swim to the shoar , where the providence of god did so over-rule the hearts of barbarians , as that they did them no hurt , until at last they were brought safe unto the english plantations . these things have ( as was said ) been related by mr. ianeway . i proceed therefore to mention some other sea-deliverances . and that notable preservation deserves to be here inserted and recorded ; wherein mr. iohn grafton and some others of his ships company were concerned ; who as they were bound in a voyage from salem in new-england , for the west-indies , in a ketch called the providence ; ( on september ● . ) their vessel suddenly struck upon a rock ; at the which they were amazed , it being then a dark and rainy night ; the force of the wind and sea broke their vessel in a moment . their company was ten men in number , whereof six were drowned . the master and the mate were left upon the rock . as they sat there , the sea came up to their wasts . there did they embrace each other , looking for death every moment ; and if the tide had risen higher it would have carried them off . by the same rock was one of the sea-men , being much wounded and grievously groaning . in the morning they saw an island about half a mile off from them . the rocks were so sharp and cragged that they could not tread upon them with their bare feet , nor had they shoes or stockins . but they found a piece of tarpoling , which they wrapped about their feet , making it fast with rope-yarns ; so getting each of them a stick , they sometimes went on their feet , and sometimes crept , until at last they came to the island , where they found another of their company ashoar , being carried thither by a piece of the vessel . upon the island they continued eight dayes , four of which they had no fire . their provision was salt fish and rain water , which they found in the holes of the rocks . after four dayes they found a piece of touch-wood , which the mate had formerly in his chest , and a piece of flint , with which having a small knife they struck fire . a barrel of flower being cast on shoar they made cakes thereof . now their care was how to get off from the island , there being no inhabitants there . finding a piece of the main-sail , and some hoops of cask they framed a boat therewith . yet had they no tools to build it with . but providence so ordered , that they found a board twelve foot long , and some nails ; also a box was cast ashoar wherein was a bolt-rope needle ; they likewise found a tar-barrel , wherewith they tarred their canvas . thus did they patch up a boat in fashion like a birchen canoo ; and meeting with some thin boards of sieling which came out of the cabbin , they made paddles therewith , so did they venture in this dangerous vessel ten leagues , until they came to anguilla , and st. martins , where they were courteously entertained , the people admiring how they could come so many leagues in such a strange kind of boat. besides all these particulars , which have been declared , information is brought to me concerning some sea-preservations which have hapned more lately . there was a small vessel set sail from bristol to new-england , sept. . . the masters name william dutten . there were seven men in the vessel , having on board provision for three moneths , but by reason of contrary winds , they were twenty weeks before they could make any land ; and some unhappy accidents fell out which occasioned their being put to miserable straits for victuals , but most of all for drink . the winds were fair and prosperous until october . when they supposed themselves to be gotten leagues westward . but after that the no● west winds blew so fiercely , that they were driven off from the coast of new-england , so that december . they concluded to bear away for barbadoes . but before this , one of their barrels of beer had the head broken out , and the liquor in it lost . they had but seven barrels of water , three of which proved leaky , so that the water in them was lost . when their victuals failed , the providence of god sent them a supply by causing dolphins to come near to the vessel , and that still as their wants were greatest , nor could they catch more than would serve their present turn . but still their misery upon them was great , through their want of water . sometimes they would expose their vessels to take the rain-water , but oft when it rained the winds were so furious , that they could save little or no rain , yet so it fell out that when they came near to the latitude of barmudas they saved two barrels of rain-water , which caused no little joy amongst them . but the rats did unexpectedly , eat holes through the barrels , so that their water was lost again . once when a shower of rain fell they could save but a pint , which though it was made bitter by the tar , it seemed very sweet to them . they divided this pint of rain-water amongst seven , drinking a thimble full at a time , which went five times about and was a great refreshing to them . on ianuary . a good shower of rain fell ; that so they might be sure to save some water , and not be again deprived thereof by the rats ; they layed their shirts open to the rain , and wringing them dry , they obtained seven gallons of water , which they put into bottles , and were for a time much refreshed thereby . but new straits come upon them . they endeavoured to catch the rats in the vessel , and could take but three or four , which they did eat , and it seemed delicate meat to their hungry souls . but the torment of their drought was insufferable . sometimes for a week together they had not one drop of fresh water . when they killed a dolphin they would open his belly and suck his blood a little to relieve their thirst . yea , their thirst was so great that they fell to drinking of salt-water . some drank several gallons , but they found that it did not allay their thirst . they greedily drank their own urine when they could make any . they would go over-board with a rope fastned to their bodies , and put themselves into the water , hoping to find some refreshment thereby . when any of them stood to steer the vessel ▪ he would think a little to refresh himself by having his feet in a pail of sea-water . in this misery some of the sea-men confessed that it was just with god thus to afflict them ▪ in that they had been guilty of wasting good drink , and of abusing themselves therewith before they came to sea. the divine providence so ordered , that on february , they met with a vessel at sea , which hapned to be a guiny man ( samuel ricard master ) their boat was become leaky , that they could not go aboard , if it had been to save their lives . but the master of the other vessel understanding how it was with them , very courteously sent his own boat to them , with ten pieces of guiny beef , two ankors of fresh water , and four bushels of guiny corn , whereby they were sustained until they arrived at barbadoes ; being weak and spent with their hardships , but within a fortnight they were all recovered , and came the next summer to new-england . this account i received from the mate of the vessel , whose name is ioseph butcher . remarkable also , is the preservation of which some belonging to dublin in ireland had experience ; whom a new-england vessel providentially met , in an open boat , in the wide sea , and saved them from perishing . concerning which memorable providence , i have received the following narrative : a ship of dublin burdened about seventy tuns andrew bennet master , being bound from dublin to virginia ; this vessel having been some weeks at sea , onward of their voyage , and being in the latitude of . about leagues distant from cape cod in new-england , on april . . a day of very stormy weather , and a great sea , suddenly there sprang a plank in the fore part of the ship , about six a clock in the morning : whereupon the water increased so fast in the ship , that all their endeavours could not keep her from sinking above half an hour : so when the ship was just sinking , some of the company resolved to lanch out the boat , which was a small one . they did accordingly , and the master , the mate , the boat-swain , the cook , two fore-mast-men and a boy , kept such hold of it , when a cast of the sea suddenly helped them off with it , that they got into it . the heaving of the sea now suddenly thrust them from the ship , in which there were left nineteen souls , viz. men and three women ; who all perished in the mighty waters , while they were trying to make rafters by cutting down the masts , for the preservation of their lives , as long as might be . the seven in the boat apprehended themselves to be in a condition little better then that of them in the ship , having neither sails nor oars , neither bread nor water , and no instrument of any sort , except a knife and a piece of deal-board , with which they made sticks , and set them up in the sides of the boat , and covered them with some irish-cloth of their own garments , to keep off the spray of the sea , as much as could be by so poor a matter . in this condition they drave with an hard wind and high sea all that day , and the night following . but in the next morning about six a clock , they saw a ketch ( the master whereof was mr. edmund henfield of salem in new-england ) under sail ▪ which ketch coming right with them , took them up and brought them safe to new-england . and it is yet further remarkable , that when the ship foundred , the ketch which saved these persons was many leagues to the westward of her , but was by a contrary wind caused to stand back again to the eastward where these distressed persons were ( as hath been said ) met with , and relieved . another remarkable sea-deliverance , like unto this last mentioned , hapned this present year ; the relation whereof take as followeth . a ship called the swallow , thomas welden of london master ; on their voyage from st. christophers towards london , did on march . last ( being then about the latitude of . ) meet with a violent storm . that storm somewhat allayed , the ship lying in the ●rough of the sea , her rudder broke away . whereupon the mariners veered out a cable , and part of a mast to steer by ; but that not answering their expectation , they took an hogs-head of water , and fastned it to the cable to steer the ship ; that also failing , they laid the ship by : ( as the sea-mens phrase is ) and on march . an exceeding great storm arose , which made the vessel ly down with her hatches under water , in which condition she continued about two hours , and having much water in the hold , they found no other way to make her rise again , but by cutting down her masts , and accordingly her main-mast and her mizen-mast being cut●down , the ship righted again . the storm continuing , on march . the ship made very bad steeridge , by reason of the loss of her rudder and masts , the sea had continual passage over her , and one sea did then carry away the larbord quarter of the ship , and brake the side from the deck , so that there was an open passage for the sea to come in at that breach ; and notwithstanding their endeavours to stop it with their bedding , cloathes , &c. so much water ran in by the sides of the ship , that it was ready to sink . now all hopes of saving their lives being gone ; the divine providence so ordered , that there appeared a vessel within sight , which hapned to be a french ship bound from st. iohn de luce to grand placentia in new-found land ; this vessel took in the distressed english-men , carried them to grand placentia , from whence the master and sundry of the m●●iners procured passage in a ketch bound for boston in new-england . there did they arrive iune . . declaring how they had seen the wonders of god in the deep ▪ as hath been expressed . there was another memorable sea-deliverance like unto these two last . the persons concerned in it being now gone out of the world , i have not met with any who perfectly remember the particular year wherein that remarkable providence hapned ; only that it was about twenty two years ago : when a ship ( william laiton master ) bound from pas●●taqua in new-england to barbadoes , being leagues off from the coast , sprang a leak . they endeavoured what they could to clear her with their pump for fourteen hours . but the vessel filling with water , they were forced ( being eight persons ) to betake themselves to their boat , taking with them a good supply of bread , and a pot of butter . the master declaring that he was perswaded they should meet with a ship at sea that would relieve them : but they had little water , so that their allowance was at last a spoonful in a day to each man. in this boat did they continue thus distressed for dayes together . after they had been twelve dayes from the vessel , they met with a storm which did ●ery much endanger their lives , yet god preserved them . at the end of eighteen dayes a flying fish fell into their boat , and having with them an hook and line , they made use of that fish for bait , whereby they caught two dolphins . a ship then at sea , whereof mr. samuel scarlet was commander , apprehending a storm to be near , that so they might fit their rigging in order to entertain the approaching storm , suffered their vessel to drive right before the wind ; and by that means they hapned to meet with this boat full of distressed sea-men . captain scarlet 's vessel was then destitute of provision ; only they had on board water enough and to spare . when the mariners first saw the boat , they desired the master not to take the men in , because they had no bread nor other victuals for them ; so that by receiving eight more into their company , they should all die with famine . captain scarlet who as after he left using the sea , he gave many demonstrations both living and dying of his designing the good of others , and not his own particular advantage only , did at this time manifest the same spirit to be in him ; and therefore would by no means hearken to the selfish suggestions of his men , but repli●● to them , ( as vet not knowing who they were ) it may be these distressed creatures are our own countrey-men , or if no● , they are men in misery , and therefore what ever come of it , i am resolved to take them in , and to trust in god who is able to deliver us all . nor did god suffer him to lose any thing by this noble resolution . for as in captain scarlet 's ship there was water which the men in the boat wanted , so they in the boat had bread and the two dolphins lately caught , whereby all the ships company were refreshed . and within few dayes they all arrived safe in new-england . chap. ii. a further account of some other remarkable preservations . of a child that had part of her brains struck out , and yet lived and did well . remarkable deliverances of some in windsor . of several in the late indian war. the relation of a captive . skipper . how 's memorable preservation . several examples somewat parallel , wherein others in other parts of the world were concerned . besides those notable sea-deliverances which have been in the former chapter related , many other memorable providences and preservations have hapned . a multitude of instances to this purpose are now lost in the grave of oblivion , because they were not recorded in the season of them . but such observables as i have been by good hands acquainted with , i shall here further relate . remarkable was the preservation and restoration which the gracious providence of god vouchsafed to abigail eliot , the daughter of elder eliot of boston in new-england ; concerning whom a near and precious relation of hers , informs me , that when she was a child about five years old , playing with other children under a cart an iron hinge being sharp at the lower end hapned to strike her head between the right ear and the crown of her head , and pierced into the skull and brain . the child making an out-cry , the mother came ; and immediately drew out the iron , and thereupon some of the brains of her child which stuck to th● iron , and other bits were scattered on her forehead . able chyrurgeons were sent for ; in special mr. oliver and mr. prat. the head being uncovered , there appeared just upon the place where the iron pierced the skull , a bunch as big as a small egg. a question arose , whether the skin should not be cut and dilated from the orifice of the wound to the swelling , and so take it away . this mr. pr●t inclined unto , but mr. oliver opposed , pleading that then the air would get to the brain , and the child would presently die . mr. oliver was desired to undertake the cure. and thus was his operation . he gently drove the soft matter of the bunch into the wound , and pressed so much out as well he could ; there came forth about a spoonful , the matter which came forth was brains and blood ( some curdles of brain were white and not stained with blood ) so did he apply a plaister . the skull wasted where it was pierced to the bigness of an half crown piece of silver or more . the skin was exceeding tender , so that a silver plate like the skull was alwayes kept in the place to defend it from any touch or injury . the brains of the child did swell and swage according to the tides . when it was spring tide , her brain would heave up the tender skin , and fill the place sometimes . when i● it was nip tide , they would be sunk and fallen within the skull . this child lived to be the mother of two children . and ( which is marvelous ) she was not by this wound made defective in her memory or understanding . in the next place , we shall take notice o● some remarkable preservations which sundry in windsor in new-england have experience● the persons concerned therein being desiro●● that the lords goodness towards them may be ever had in remembrance : wherefore a faithful hand has given me the following account . ianuary . , three women , viz. the wives of lieut. filer , and of ioh● drake , and of nathaniel lomas ▪ having crossed connecticut river upon a necessary and neighbourly account , and having done the work they went for , were desirous to return to their own families ; the river being at that time partly shut up with ice old and new ▪ and partly open . there being some pains taken aforehand to cut a way through the ice , the three women abovesaid got into a canoo , with whom also there was nathaniel bissel , and an indian . there was likewise another canoo with two men in it , that went before them to help them in case they should meet with any distress , which indeed quickly came upon them ; for just as they were getting out of the narrow passage between the ice , being near the middle of the river , a great part of the upper ice came down upon them , and struck the end of their canoo , and broke it to pieces ; so that it quickly sunk under them : the indian speedily got upon the ice , but nathaniel bissel , and the abovesaid women were left floating in the middle of the river , being cut off from all manner of humane help besides what did arise from themselves , and the two men in the little canoo , which was so small that three persons durst seldom , if ever , venture in it , they were indeed discerned from one shore , but the dangerous ice would not admit from either shore , one to come near them . all things thus circumstanced , the suddenness of the stroke and distress ( which is apt to amaze men , especially when no less then life is concerned ) the extream coldness of the weather , it being a sharp season , that persons out of the water were in danger of freezing , the unaptness of the persons to help themselves , being mostly women , one big with child , and near the time of her travel ( who was also carried away under the ice ) the other as unskill'd and unactive to do any thing for self-preservation as almost any could be , the waters deep , that there was no hope of footing , no passage to either shore , in any eye of reason , neither with their little canoo , by reason of the ice , nor without it , the ice being thin and rotten , and full of holes . now , that all should be brought off safely without the loss of life , 〈◊〉 wrong to health , was counted in the day 〈◊〉 it a remarkable providence . to say , how 〈◊〉 was done , is difficult , yet something of 〈◊〉 manner of the deliverance may be 〈◊〉 , the abovesaid nathaniel bissel perceiving their danger , and being active in swimming , endeavoured what might be , the preservation of himself , and some others , he strove to have swum to the upper ice , but the stream being too hard , he was forced downwards to the lower ice , where by reason of the slipperiness of the ice , and disadvantage of the stream , he found it difficult getting up ; at length by the good hand of providence , being gotten upon the ice , he saw one of the women swimming down under the ice , and perceiving an hole , or open place , some few rods below , there he waited , and took her up as she swum along . the other two women were in the river , till the two men in the little canoo came for their relief ; at length all of them got their heads above the water , and had a little time to pause , though a long , and difficult , and dangerous way to any shore , but by getting their little canoo upon the ice , and carrying one at a time over hazardous places , they did ( though in a long while ) get all safe to the shore , from whence they came . remarkable also , was the deliverance which iohn and thomas bissel of windsor aforesaid , did at another time receive . iohn bissel on a morning about break of day taking nails out of a great barrel wherein was a considerable quantity of gun-powder , and bullets , having a candle in his hand , the powder took fire , thomas bissel was then putting on his clothes , standing by a window , which though well fastened , was by the force of the powder carried away at least four rods ; the partition-wall from another room was broken in pieces ; the roof of the house opened and slipt of the plates about five foot down ; also the great girt of the house at one end broke out so far , that it drew from the summer to the end , most of its tenant : the woman of the house was lying sick , and another woman under it in bed , yet did the divine providence so order things as that no one received any hurt , excepting iohn bissel , who fell through two floors into a cellar his shoes being taken from his feet , and found at twenty foot distance , his hands and his face very much scorched , without any other wound in his body . it would fill a volume to give an account of all the memorable preservations in the time of the late war with the indians . remarkable was that which hapned 〈◊〉 iabez musgrove of newbery , who being sh● by an indian , the bullet entred in at his ear and went out at his eye , on the other side of his head , yet the man was preserved from death , yea , and is still in the land of the living . likewise several of those that were taken captive by the indians are able to relate affecting stories concerning the gracious providence of god , in carrying them through many dangers and deaths , and at last setting their feet in a large place again . a worthy person hath sent me the account which one lately belonging to deerfield , ( his name is quintin stockwell , ) hath drawn up respecting his own captivity and redemption , with the more notable occurrences of divine providence attending him in his distress , which i shall therefore here insert in the words by himself expressed : he relateth as followes ; in the year . september . between sun-set and dark , the indians came upon us ; i and another man , being together , we ran away at the out-cry the indians made , shouting and shooting at some other of the english that were hard by . we took a swamp that was at hand for our refuge ; the enemy espying us so near them , ran after us , and shot many guns at us , three guns were discharged upon me , the enemy being within three rod of me , besides many other , before that . being in this swamp that was miry , i slumpt in , and fell down , whereupon one of the enemy stept to me , with his hatchet lift upto knock me on the head , supposing that i had been wounded , and so unfit for any other travel . i ( as it hapned ) had a pistol by me , which though uncharged , i presented to the indian , who presently stept back ; and told me , if i would yield , i should have no hurt , he said ( which was not true ) that they had destroyed all hatfield , and that the woods were full of indians , whereupon i yielded my self , and so fell into the enemies hands , and by three of them was led away unto the place , whence first i began to make my flight , where two other indians came running to us , and the one lifting up the butt end of his gun , to knock me on the head , the other with his hand put by the blow , and said , i was 〈◊〉 friend . i was now by my own house which the indians burnt the last year , and i was about to build up again , and there i 〈◊〉 some hopes to escape from them ; there 〈◊〉 an horse just by , which they bid me take , ● did so , but made no attempt to escape ther● by , because the enemy was near , and the beast was slow and dull , then was i in hopes they would send me to take my own horses , which they did , but they were so frighted that i could not come near to them , and so fell still into the enemies hands , who now took me , and bound me , and led me away , and soon was i brought into the company of captives , that were that day brought away from hatfield , which were about a mile off ; and here methoughts was matter of joy and sorrow both , to see the company : some company in this condition being some refreshing , though little help any wayes ; then were we pinioned and led away in the night over the mountains , in dark and hideous wayes , about four miles further , before we took up our place for rest , which was in a dismal place of wood on the east side of that mountain . we were kept bound all that night . the indians kept waking and we had little mind to sleep in this nights travel , the indians dispersed , and as they went made strange noises , as of wolves and owles , and other wild beasts , to the end that they might not lose one another ; and if followed they might not be discovered by the english. about the break of day , we marched again and got over the great river at p●comptuck river mouth , and there rested about two hours . there the indians marked out upon trays the number of their captives and slain as their manner is . here was i again in great danger ; a quarrel arose about me , whose captive i was , for three took me . i thought i must be killed to end the controversie , so when they put it to me , whose i was , i said three indians took me , so they agreed to have all a share in me : and i had now three masters , and he was my chief master who laid hands on me first , and thus was i fallen into the hands of the very worst of all the company ; as ashpelon the indian captain told me ; which captain was all along very kind to me , and a great comfort to the english. in this place they gave us some victuals , which they had brought from the english. this morning also they sent ten men forth to town to bring away what they could find , some provision , some corn out of the meadow they brought to us upon horses which they had there taken . from hence we went up about the falls , where we crost that river again ; and whilst i was going , i fell right down lame of my old wounds that i had in the war , and whilest i was thinking i should therefore be killed by the indians , and what death i should die , my pain was suddenly gone , and i was much encouraged again . we had about eleven horses in that company , which the indians made to carry burthens , and to carry women . it was afternoon when we now crossed that river , we travelled up that river till night , and then took up our lodging in a dismal place , and were staked down and spread out on our backs ; and so we lay all night , yea so we lay many nights . they told me their law was , that we should lie so nine nights , and by that time , it was thought we should be out of our knowledge . the manner of staking down was thus ; our arms and legs stretched out were staked fast down , and a cord about our necks , so that we could stir no wayes . the first night of staking down , being much tired , i slept as comfortably as ever ; the next day we went up the river , and crossed it , and at night lay in squakheag meadows ; our provision was soon spent ; and while we lay in those meadows the indians went an hunting , and the english army came out after us : then the indians moved again , dividing themselves and the captives into many companies , that the english might not follow their tract . at night having crossed the river , we met again at the place appointed . the next day we crost the river again on squakheag side , and there we took up our quarters for a long time , i suppose this might be about thirty miles above squakheag , and here were the indians quite out of all fear of the english ; but in great fear of the mohawks ; here they built a long wigwam . here they had a great dance ( as they call it ) and concluded to burn three of us , and had got bark to do it with , and as i understood afterwards , i was one that was to be burnt . sergeant plimpton an other , and benjamin wait his wife the third : though i knew not which was to be burnt , yet i perceived some were designed thereunto , so much i understood of their language : that night i could not sleep for fear of next dayes work , the indians being weary with that dance , lay down to sleep , and slept soundly . the english were all loose , then i went out and brought in wood , and mended the fire , and made a noise on purpose , but none awaked , i thought if any of the english would wake , we might kill them all sleeping , i removed out of the way all the guns and hatchets : but my heart failing me , i put all things where they were again . the next day when we were to be burnt , our master and some others spake for us , and the evil was prevented in this place : and hereabouts we lay three weeks together . here i had a shirt brought to me , to make , and one indian said it should be made this way , a second another way , a third his way . i told them i would make it that way that my chief master said ; whereupon one indian struck me on the face with his fist. i suddenly rose up in anger ready to strike again , upon this hapned a great hubbub , and the indians and english came about me ; i was fain to humble my self to my master , so that matter was put up . before i came to this place , my three masters were gone a hunting , i was left with an other indian , all the company being upon a march , i was left with this indian , who fell sick , so that i was fain to carry his gun and hatchet , and had opportunity , and had thought to have dispatched him , and run away ; but did not , for that the english captives had promised the contrary to one another , because if one should run away , that would provoke the indians , and indanger the rest that could not run away . whilest we were here , benjamin stebbins going with some indians to wachuset hills , made his escape from them , and when the news of his escape came ; we were all presently called in and bound ; one of the indians a captain among them , and alwayes our great friend , met me coming in , and told me stebbins was run away ; and the indians spake of burning us ; some of only burning and biting off our fingers by and by . he said there would be a court , and all would speak their minds , but he would speak last , and would say , that the indian that let stebbins run away was only in fault , and so no hurt should be done us , fear not : so it proved accordingly . whilest we lingered hereabout , provision grew scarce , one bears foot must serve five of us a whole day ; we began to eat horse-flesh , and eat up seven in all : three were left alive and were not killed . whilest we had been here , some of the indians had been down and fallen upon hadley , and were taken by the english , agreed with , and let go again ; and were to meet the english upon such a plain , there to make further terms . ashpalon was much for it , but wachuset sachims when they came were much against it : and were for this , that we should meet the english indeed , but there fall upon them and fight them , and take them . then ashpalon spake to us english , not to speak a word more to further that matter , for mischief would come of it . when those indians came from wachuset , there came with them squaws , and children about four-score , who reported that the english had taken uncas , and all his men , and sent them beyond seas , they were much enraged at this , and asked us if it were true ; we said no , then was ashpalon angry , and said , he would no more believe english-men . for they examined us every one apart ; then they dealt worse by us for a season than before : still provision was fearce . we came at length to a place called squaw-maug river , there we hoped for sammon , but we came too late . this place i account to be above two hundred miles above deerfield : then we parted into two companies ; some went one way and some went another way ; and we went over a mighty mountain , we were eight dayes a going over it , and travelled very hard , and every day we had either snow or rain : we noted that on this mountain all the water run northward . here also we wanted provision ; but at length met again on the other side of the mountain , viz. on the north side of this mountain at a river , that run into the lake , and we were then half a dayes journey off the lake , we stayed here a great while to make canoos to go over the lake ; here i was frozen , & here again we were like to starve : all the indians went a hunting but could get nothing : divers dayes they powow'd but got nothing , then they desired the english to pray , and confessed they could do nothing ; they would have us pray , and see what the english-man's god could do . i prayed , so did serjeant plimpton , in another place . the indians reverently attended , morning and night ; next day they got bears : then they would needs have us desire a blessing , return thanks at meals : after a while they grew weary of it , and the sachim did forbid us : when i was frozen they were very cruel towards me , because i could not do as at other times . when we came to the lake we were again sadly put to it for provision ; we were fain to eat touch●wood fryed in bears greace , at last we found a company of raccoons , and then we made a feast ; and the manner was , that we must eat all . i perceived there would be too much for one time , so one indian that sat next to me , bid me slip away some to him under his coat , and he would hid● it for me till another time ; this indian as soon as he had got my meat , stood up and made a speech to the rest , and discovered me ; so that the indians were very angry , and cut me another piece , and gave me raccoon grease to drink , which made me sick and vomit . i told them i had enough ; so that ever after that they would give me none● but still tell me , i had raccoon enough : so i suffered much , and being frozen was full of pain , and could sleep but a little , yet must do my work . when they went upon the lake , and as they came to the lake , they light of a moose and killed it , and staid there till they had eaten it all up ; and entring upon the lake there arose a great storm , we thought we should all be cast away , but at last we got to an island , and there they went to powawing . the powa● said that benjamin wait , and another man ▪ was coming , and that storm was raised to cast them away : this afterward appeared to be true , though then i believed them not . upon this island we lay still several dayes , and then set out again , but a storm took us , so that we lay to and fro upon certain islands about three weeks : we had no provision but raccoons , so that the indians themselves thought they should be starved . they gave me nothing , so that i was sundry dayes without any provision : we went on upon the lake upon that isle about a dayes journey : we had a little sled upon which we drew our load ; before noon , i tired , and just then the indians met with some french-men ; then one of the indians that took me came to me , and called me all manner of bad names ; and threw me down upon my back : i told him i could not do any more , then he said he must kill me , i thought he was about it , for he pulled out his knife , and cut out my pockets , and wrapt them about my face , helped me up , and took my sled and went away , and gave me a bit of biscake , as big as a walnut , which he had of the french-man , and told me he would give me a pipe of tobacco ; when my sled was gone , i could run after him , but at last i could not run , but went a foot-pace , then the indians were soon out of sight , i followed as well as i could ; i had many falls upon the ice ; at last i was so spent , i had not strength enough to rise again , but i crept to a tree that lay along , and got upon it , and there i lay ; it was now night , and very sharp weather : i counted no other but that i must die there ; whilest i was thinking of death , an indian hallowed , and i answered him ; he came to me , and called me 〈◊〉 names , and told me if i could not go 〈◊〉 must knock me on the head ; i told him he must then so do ; he saw how i had wallowed in that snow , but could not rise : then ▪ he took his coat , and wrapt me in it , and went back , and sent two indians with a sled , one said he must knock me on the head , the other said no , they would carry me away and burn me ; then they bid me stir my instep to see if that were frozen , i did so , when they saw that , they said that vvas wurregen ; there vvas a chirurgeon at the french that could cure me ; then they took me upon the sled , and carried me to the fire , and they then made much of me ; pulled off my vvet , and vvrapped me in dry clothes , made me a good bed. they had killed an otter , and gave me some of the broth , and a bit of the flesh : here i slept till tovvards day , and then vvas able to get up , and put on my clothes ; one of the indians awaked , and seeing me go , shouted , as rejoycing at it : as soon as it vvas light i and samuel russel vvent before on the ice , upon a river , they said i must go vvhere i could on foot , else i should frieze . samuel russel slipt into the river vvith one foot , the indians called him back and dried his stockins , and then sent us avvay ; and an indian vvith us to pilot us : and vve vvent four or five miles before they overtook us : i was then pretty well spent ; samuel russel was ( he said ) faint , and wondred how i could live , for he had ( he said ) ten meals to my one : then i was laid on the sled , and they ran away with me on the ice , the rest and samuel russel came softly after . samuel russel i never saw more , nor know what became of him : they got but half way , and we got through to shamblee about midnight . six miles of shamblee ( a french town ) the river was open , and when i came to travail in that part of the ice , i soon tired ; and two indians run away to town , and one only was left : he would carry me a few rods , and then i would go as many , and that trade we drave , and so were long a going six miles . this indian now was kind , and told me that if he did not carry me i would die , and so i should have done sure enough : and he said , i must tell the english how he helped me . when we came to the first house there was no inhabitant : the indian spent , both discouraged ; he said we must now both die , at last he left me alone , and got to another house , and thence came some french and indians , and brought me in : the french were kind , and put my hands and feet in cold water , and gave me a dram of brandey , and a little hasty pudding and milk ; when i tasted victuals i was hungry , and could not have forborn it , but that i could not get it ; now and then they would give me a little as they thought best for me ; i lay by the fire with the indians that night , but could not sleep for pain : next morning the indians and french fell out about me , because the french as the indian said , loved the english better than the indians . the french presently turned the indians out of doors , and kept me , they were very kind and careful , and gave me a little something now and then ; while i was here all the men in that town came to see me : at this house i was three or four dayes , and then invited to another , and after that to another ; at this place i was about thirteen dayes , and received much civility from a young man , a batchelour , who invited me to his house , with whom i was for the most part , he was so kind as to lodge me in the bed with himself , he gave me a shirt , and would have bought me , but could not , for the indians asked a hundred pounds for me . we were then to go to a place called surril , and that young-man would go with me , because the indians should not hurt me : this man carried me on the ice one dayes journey : for i could not now go at all : then there was so much water on the ice , we could go no further : so the frenchman left me , and provision for me ; here we stayed two nights , and then travailed again , for then the ice was strong ; and in two dayes more i came to surril ; the first house we came to was late in the night , here again the people were kind . next day being in much pain , i asked the indians to carry me to the chirurgeons , as they had promised , at which they were wroth , and one of them took up his gun to knock me ; but the french-men would not suffer it , but set upon him , and kicked him out of doors ; then we went away from thence to a place two or three miles off , where the indians had wigwams ; when i came to these wigwams some of the indians knew me , and seemed to pity me . while i was here , which was three or four dayes , the french came to see me , and it being christmas time , they brought cakes and other provisions with them , and gave to me , so that i had no want : the indians tried to cure me , but could not , then i asked for the chirurgeon , at which one of the indians in anger , struck me on the face with his fist , a french● m●n being by , the french-m●n spake to him , i knew not what he said , and went his way by and by came the captain of the place into the wigwam with about twelve armed men , and asked where the indian was that struck the english-man , and took him and told him he should go to the bilboes , and then be hanged : the indians were much terified at this , as appeared by their countenances and trembling . i would have gone too , but the french-man bid me not fear , the indians durst not hurt me . when that indian was gone , i had two masters still , i asked them to carry me to that captain that i might speak for the indian , they answered , i was a fool , did i think the french-men were like to the english , to say one thing and do another ? they were men of their words , but i prevailed with them to help me thither , and i spake to the captain by an interpreter , and told him i desired him to set the indian free , and told him what he had done for me , he told me he was a rogue , and should be hanged ; then i spake more privately , alledging this reason , because all the english captives were not come in , if he were hanged , it might fare the worse with them ; then the captain said , that was to be considered : then he set him at liberty , upon this condition , that he should never strike me more , and every day bring me to his house to eat victuals . i perceived that the common people did not like what the indians had done and did to the english. when the indian was set free , he came to me , and took me about the middle , and said i was his brother , i had saved his life once , and he had saved mine ( he said ) thrice . then he called for brandy and made me drink , and had me away to the wigwams again , when i came there , the indians came to me one by one , to shake hands with me , saying wurregen netop ; and were very kind , thinking no other , but that i had saved the indians life . the next day he carried me to that captains house , and set me down ; they gave me my victuals and wine , and being left there a while by the indians , i shewed the captain my fingers , which when he and his wife saw , he and his wife run away from the sight , and bid me lap it up again , and sent for the chirurgeon , who when he came , said he could cure me , and took it in hand , and dressed it ; the indian towards night came for me , i told them i could not go with them , they were displeased , called me rogue , and went away ; that night i was full of pain , the french did fear that i would die , five men did watch with me , and strove to keep me chearly : for i was sometimes ready to faint : often times they gave me a little brandy . the next day the chirurgion came again , and dressed me ; and so he did all the while i was among the french. i came in at christmass , and went thence may d. being thus in the captain 's house , i was kept there till ben. wait● came : & my indian master being in want of money , pawned me to the captain for . beavers , or the worth of them , at such a day ; if he did not pay he must lose his pawn , or else sell me for twenty one beavers , but he could not get beaver , and so i was sold. but by being thus sold he was in gods good time set at liberty , and returned to his friends in new-england again . thus far is this poor captives relation concerning the changes of providence which passed over him . there is one remarkable passage more , affirmed by him : for he saith , that in their travails they came to a place where was a great wigwam ( i. e. indian house ) at both ends was an image ; here the indians in the war time were wont to powaw ( i. e. invocate the devil ) and so did they come down to hatfield , one of the images told them they should destroy a town ; the other said no , half a town . this god ( said that indian ) speaks true , the other was not good , he told them lies . no doubt but others are capable of declaring many passages of divine providence no less worthy to be recorded than these last recited ; but inasmuch as they have not been brought to my hands , i proceed to another relation . very memorable was the providence of god towards mr. ephraim how of new-haven in new-england , who was for an whole twelve moneth given up by his friends as a dead man , but god preserved him alive in a desolate island where he had suffered shipwrack , and at last returned him home to his family . the history of this providence might have been mentioned amongst sea-deliverances , yet considering it was not only so , i shall here record what himself ( being a godly man ) did relate of the lords marvelous dispensations towards him , that so others might be incouraged to put their trust in god , in the times of their greatest straits and difficulties . on the . of august , in the year . the said skipper how with his two eldest sons set sail from new-haven for boston in a small ketch , burden tun or thereabout : after the dispatch of their business there , they set sail from thence for new-haven again , on the th of september following : but contrary winds forced them back to boston , where the said how was taken ill with a violent flux , which distemper continued near a moneth , many being at that time sick of the same disease , which proved mortal to some . the merciful providence of god having spared his life , and restored him to some measure of health ; he again set sail from boston , october . by a fair wind they went forward so as to make cape cod ; but suddenly the weather became very tempestuous , so as that they could not seize the cape , but were forced off to sea ; where they were endangered in a small vessel by very fearful storms and outragious winds and seas . also , his eldest son fell sick and died in about eleven dayes after they set out to sea. he was no sooner dead , but his other son fell sick and died too . this was a bitter cup to the good father . it is noted in chron. . . that when the sons of ephraim were dead , ephraim their father mourned many dayes , and his brethren came to comfort him . this ephraim when his sons were dead his friends on shore knew it not , nor could they come to comfort him . but when his friends and relations could not , the lord himself did : for they died after so sweet , gracious and comfortable a manner , as that their father professed he had joy in parting with them . yet now their outward distress and danger was become greater , since the skipper's two sons were the only help he had in working the vessel . not long after , another of the company , viz. caleb iones , ( son to mr. william iones one of the worthy magistrates in new-haven ) fell sick and died also , leaving the world with comfortable manifestations of true repentance towards god , and faith in jesus christ. thus the one half of their company was taken away , none remaining but the skipper himself , one mr. augur , and a boy . he himself was still sickly , and in a very weak estate , yet was fain to stand at the helm hours , and hours at a time ; in the mean time the boisterous sea overwhelming the vessel , so as that if he had not been lasht fast , he had certainly been washed over-board . in this extremity , he was at a loss in his own thoughts , whether they should persist in striving for the new-england shore , or bear away for the southern islands . he proposed that question to mr. augur , they resolved that they would first seek to god by prayer about it , and then put this difficult case to an issue , by casting a lot. so they did ; and the lot fell on new-england . by that time a moneth was expired , they lost the rudder of their vessel , so that now they had nothing but god alone to rely upon . in this deplorable state were they for a fortnight . the skipper ( though infirm ( as has been expressed ) yet for six weeks together , was hardly ever dry ; nor had they the benefit of warm food for more then thrice or thereabouts . at the end of six weeks , in the morning betimes , the vessel was driven on the tailings of a ledge of rocks , where the sea broke violently ; looking out they espied a dismal rocky island to the leeward , upon which if the providence of god had not by the breakers given them timely warning , they had been dashed in pieces . and this extremity was the lords opportunity to appear for their deliverance ; they immediately let go an anchor , and get out the boat ; and god made the sea calm . the boat proved leaky ; and being in the midst of fears and amazements they took little out of the vessel . after they came ashoar they found themselves in a rocky desolate island ( near cape sables ) where was neither man not beast to be seen , so that now they were in extream danger of being starved to death . but a storm arose which beat violently upon the vessel at anchor , so as that it was staved in pieces ; and a cask of powder was brought ashore , ( receiving no damage by its being washed in the water ) also a barrel of wine , and half a barrel of molosses , together with many things useful for a tent to preserve them from cold . this notwithstanding , new and great distresses attended them . for though they had powder and shot , there were seldom any fowls to be seen in that dismal and desolate place , excepting a few crows , ravens and gulls . these were so few as that for the most part , the skipper shot at one at a time . many times half of one of these fowls with the liquor made a meal for three . once they lived five dayes without any sustenance , at which time they did not feel themselves pincht with hunger as at other times ; the lord in mercy taking away their appetites , when their food did utterly fail them . after they had been about twelve weeks in this miserable island , mr. how 's dear friend and consort mr , augur died ; so that he had no living creature but the lad before mentioned to converse with : and on april . . that lad died also , so that the master was now left alone upon the island , and continued so to be above a quarter of a year , not having any living soul to converse with . in this time he saw several fishing vessels sailing by , and some came nearer the island than that which at last took him in ; but though he used what means he could that they might be acquainted with his distress , none came to him , being afraid : for they supposed him to be one of those indians who were then in hostility against the english. the good man whilest he was in his desolate estate , kept many dayes of fasting and prayer , wherein he did confess and bewail his sins , the least of which deserved greater evils than any in this world ever were or can be subject unto ; and begged of god that he would find out a way for his deliverance . at last it came into his mind , that he ought very solemnly to praise god ( as well as pray unto him ) for the great mercies and signal preservations which he had thus far experienced . accordingly he set apart a day for that end , spending the time in giving thanks to god for all the mercies of his life , so far as he could call them to mind , and in special for those divine favours which had been mingled with his afflictions ; humbly blessing god for his wonderful goodness in preserving him alive by a miracle of mercy . immediately after this , a vessel belonging to salem in new-england providentially passing by that island , sent their boat on shore , and took in skipper how , who arrived at salem , july . . and was at last returned to his family in new-haven . upon this occasion it may not be amiss to commemorate a providence not altogether unlike unto the but now related preservation of skipper how. the story which i intend is mentioned by mandelsloe in his travails , page . and more fully by mr. clark in his examples , vol. . page . mr. burton in his prodigies of mercies , page . yet inasmuch as but few in this countrey have the authors mentioned , i shall here insert what has been by them already published . the story is in brief as followeth : in the year . a fleming whose name was pickman , coming from norway in a vessel loaden with boards , was overtaken by a calm , during which the current carried him upon a rock or little island towards the extremities of scotland . to avoid a wreck he commanded some of his men to go into the shallop , and to tow the ship. they having done so , would needs go up into a certain rock to look for birds eggs : but as soon as they were got up into it , they at some distance perceived a man , whence they imagined that there were others lurking thereabouts , and that this man had made his escape thither from some pyrates , who , if not prevented , might surprize their ship : and therefore they made all the hast they could to their shallop , and so returned to their ship. but the calm continuing , and the current of the sea still driving them upon the island , they were forced to get into the long-boat , and to tow her off again . the man whom they had seen before was in the mean time come to the brink of the island , and made signs with his hands lifted up , and sometimes falling on his knees , and joyning his hands together , begging and crying to them for relief . at first they made some difficulty to get to him , but at last , being overcome by his lamentable signs , they went nearer the island , where they saw something that was more like a ghost than a living person ; a body stark naked , black and hairy , a meagre and deformed countenance , with hollow and distorted eyes ; which raised such compassion in them , that they essayed to take him into the boat : but the rock was so steepy thereabouts , that it was impossible for them to land : whereupon they went about the island , and came at last to a flat shore , where they took the man aboard . they found nothing at all in the island , neither grass nor tree , nor ought else from which a man could procure any subsistence , nor any shelter , but the ruins of a boat , wherewith he had made a kind of a hutt , under which he might lie down and shelter himself , against the injuries of wind and weather . no sooner were they gotten to the ship , but there arose a wind , that drave them off from the island : observing this providence , they were the more inquisitive to know of this man , what he was , and by what means he came unto that uninhabitable place ? hereunto the man answered ; i am an english man , that about a year ago , was to pass in the ordinary passage-boat from england to dublin in ireland ; but by the way we were taken by a french pirate , who being immediately forced by a tempest , which presently arose , to let our boat go ; we were three of us in it , left to the mercy of the wind and waves , which carried us between ireland and scotland into the main sea : in the mean time we had neither food nor drink , but only some sugar in the boat ; upon this we lived , and drank our own urine , till our bodies were so dried up , that we could make no more : whereupon one of our company being quite spent , died ; whom we heaved overboard : and a while after a second was grown so feeble , that he had laid himself along in the boat , ready to give up the ghost : but in this extremity it pleased god that i kenned this island afar off , and thereupon encouraged the dying man to rouse up himself , with hopes of life : and accordingly , upon this good news , he raised himself up , and by and by our boat was cast upon this island , and split against a rock . now we were in a more wretched condition than if we had been swallowed up by the sea , for then we had been delivered out of the extremities we were now in for want of meat and drink ; yet the lord was pleased to make some provision for us : for on the island we took some sea-mews , which we did eat raw : we found also in the holes of the rocks , upon the sea-side , some eggs ; and thus had we through gods good providence wherewithal to subsist , as much as would keep us from starving : but what we thought most unsupportable , was thirst , in regard that the place afforded no fresh water but what fell from the clouds , and was left in certain pits , which time had made in the rock . neither could we have this at all seasons , by reason that the rock being small , and lying low , in stormy weather the waves dashed over it , and filled the pits with salt water . when they came first upon the island about the midst of it , they found two long stones pitched in the ground , and a third laid upon them , like a table ; which they judged to have been so placed by some fishermen to dry their fish upon ; and under this they lay in the nights , till with some boards of their boat , they made a kind of an hutt to be a shelter for them . in this condition they lived together , for the space of about six weeks , comforting one another , and finding some ease in their common calamity : till at last one of them being left alone , the burden became almost insupportable : for one day , awaking in the morning he missed his fellow , and getting up , he went calling and seeking all the island about for him , but when he could by no means find him , he fell into such despair , that he often resolved to have cast himself down into the sea , and so to put a final period to that affliction , whereof he had endured but the one half , whilst he had a friend that divided it with him . what became of his comrade he could not guess , whether despair forced him to that extremity , or whether getting up in the night , not fully awake , he fell from the rock , as he was looking for birds eggs : for he had discovered no distraction in him , neither could imagine that he could on a sudden fall into that despair , against which he had so fortified himself by frequent and fervent prayer . and his loss did so affect the surviver , that he often took his beer , with a purpose to have leaped from the rocks into the sea , yet still his conscience stopped him , suggesting to him , that if he did it , he would be utterly damned for his self-murther . another affliction also befel him , which was this ; his only knife wherewith he cut up the sea-dogs and sea-mews , having a bloody cloth about it , was carried away ( as he thought ) by some fowl of prey ; so that , not being able to kill any more , he was reduced to this extremity , with much difficulty to get out of the boards of his hutt , a great 〈◊〉 which he made shift so to sharpen upon the stones , that it served him instead of a knife . when winter came on , he endured the greatest misery imaginable : for many times the rock and his hutt were so covered with snow , that it was not possible for him to go abroad to provide his food ; which extremity put him upon this invention : he put out a little stick at the crevice of his hutt , and baiting it with a little sea-dogs fat , by that means he got some sea-mews , which he took with his hand from under the snow , and so kept himself from starving . in this sad and solitary condition , he lived for about eleven moneths , expecting therein to end his dayes , when gods gracious providence sent this ship thither , which delivered him out of the greatest misery that ever man was in . the master of the ship commiserating his deplorable condition , treated him so well , that within a few dayes he was quite another creature ; and afterwards he set him a shore at derry in ireland ; and sometimes after he saw him at dublin : where such as heard what had hapned unto him , gave him money , wherewithal to return into his native countrey of england . thus far is that ●●ation . i have seen a manuscript , wherein many memorable passages of divine providence are recorded . and this which i shall now mention amongst others . about the year . a ship fell foul upon the rocks and sands , called the rancadories , sixty leagues distant from the isle of providence . ten of the floating passengers got to a spot of land , where having breathed awhile , and expecting to perish by famine , eight of them chose rather to commit themselves to the mercy of the waters ; two only stood upon the spot of land , one whereof soon died , and was in the sands buried by his now desolate companion . this solitary person in the midst of the roaring waters was encompassed with the goodness of divine providence . within three dayes god was pleased to send this single person ( who now alone , was lord and subject in this his little common-wealth ) good store of fowl , and to render them so tame , that the forlorn man could pick and chuse where he list . fish also were now and then cast up within his reach , and somewhat that served for fewel , enkindled by flint to dress them . thus lived that insulary anchorite for about two years , till at last having espied a dutch vessel , he held a rag of his shirt upon the top of a stick towards them , which being come within view of , they used means to fetch him off the said-spot of sand , and brought him to the isle of providence . the man having in so long a time conversed only with heaven , lookt at first very strangely , and was not able at first conference promptly to speak and answer . chap. iii. concerning remarkables about thunder and lightning . one at salisbury in new-england struck dead thereby . several at marshfield . one at north-hampton . the captain of the castle in boston . some remarkables about lightning in rocksborough , wenham , marble-head , cambridge . and in several vessels at sea. some late parallel instances , of several in the last century . scripture examples of men slain by lightning . there are who affirm that although terrible lightnings with thunders have ever been frequent in this land , yet none were hurt thereby ( neither man nor beast ) for many years after the english did first settle in these american desarts . but that of later years fatal and fearful slaughters have in that way been made amongst us , is most certain . and there are many who have in this respect been as brands plucked out of the burning , when the lord hath overthrown others as god overthrew sodom and gomorrah . such solemn works of providence ought not to be forgotten . i shall now therefore proceed in giving an account of remarkables respecting thunder and lightning , so far as i have received credible information concerning them ; the particulars whereof are these which follow : in iuly . a man whose name was partridge ( esteemed a very godly person ) at salisbury in new-england was killed with thunder and lightning , his house being first set on fire thereby , and himself with others endeavouring the quenching of it , by a second crack of thunder with lightning ( he being at the door of his house ) was struck dead , and never spake more . there were ten other persons also that were struck and lay for dead at the present , but they all revived , excepting partridge . some that viewed him , report that there were holes ( like such as are made with shot ) found in his clothes , and skin . one side of his shirt and body was scorched , and not the other . his house , though ( as was said ) set on fire by the lightning in divers places , was not burnt down , but preserved by an abundance of rain falling upon it . iuly . . there hapned a storm of thunder and lightning with rain , in the town of marshfield in plimouth colony in new-england : mr. nathaneel thomas , iohn philips , and another belonging to that town , being in the field , as they perceived the storm a coming , betook themselves to the next house for shelter : iohn philips sat down near the chimney , his face towards the inner door . a black cloud flying very low , out of it there came a great ball of fire , with a terrible crack of thunder ; the fire-ball fell down just before the said philips , he seemed to give a start on his seat , and so fell backward , being struck dead , not the least motion of life appearing in him afterwards . captain thomas who sat directly opposite to iohn philips , about six foot distance from him , and a young child that was then within three foot of him , through the providence of god received no hurt , yet many bricks in the chimney were beaten down , the principal rafters split , the battens next the chimney in the chamber were broken , one of the main posts of the house into which the summer was framed rent into shivers , and a great part of it was carried several rod from the house , the door before philips , where the fire came down , was broken . on the of april a. d. . a company of the neighbours being met together at the house of henry condliff in north-hampton in new-england , to spend a few hours in christian conferences , and in prayer ; there hapned a storm of thunder and rain ; and as the good man of the house was at prayer , there came a ball of lightning in at the roof of the house which set the thatch on fire , grated on the timber , pierced through the chamber-floor , no breach being made on the boards ; only one of the jouyces somewhat rased ; matthew cole ( who was son in law to the said condliff ) was struck stone dead as he was leaning over a table , and joyning with the rest in prayer . he did not stir nor groan after he was smitten , but continued standing as before , bearing upon the table . there was no visible impression on his body or clothes , only the sole of one of his shoes was rent from the upper leather . there were about twelve persons in the room ; none else received any harm , only one woman ( who is still living ) was struck upon the head , which occasioned some deafness ever since . the fire on the house was quenched by the seasonable help of neighbours . iuly . . there were terrible cracks of thunder . an house in boston was struck by it , and the dishes therein melted as they stood on the shelves , but no other hurt done in the town . only captain davenport ( a worthy man , and one that had in the pequot war , ventured his life , and did great service for the countrey ) then residing in the castle where he commanded : having that day wrought himself weary , and thinking to refresh himself with sleep , was killed with lightning , as he lay upon his bed asleep . several of the souldiers in the castle were struck at the same time ; but god spared their lives . it has been an old opinion mentioned by plutarch ( sympos . lib. . q. . ) that men asleep are never smitten with lightning ; to confirm which it has been alledged , that one lying asleep , the lightning melted the money in his purse without doing him any further harm : and that a cradle , wherein a child lay sleeping , was broken with the lightning , and the child not hurt ; and that the arrows of king mithridates being near his bed , were burnt with lightning , and yet himself being asleep received no hurt ; but as much of all this , may be affirmed of persons awake . and this sad example ( triste jaces lucis evitandumque bidental ) of captain davenport , whom the lightning found and left asleep , does confute the vulgar error mentioned . and no doubt but that many the like instances to this have been known in the world , the records whereof we have not . but i proceed : iune . . in marshfield , another dismal storm of rain with thunder and lightning hapned . there were then in the house of iohn philips ( he was father of that iohn philips who was slain by lightning in the year . ) fourteen persons ; the woman of the house calling earnestly to shut the door , that was no sooner done , but an astonishing thunder-clap fell upon the house rent the chimney , and split the door . all in the house were struck . one of them ( who is still living ) saith , that when he came to himself , he saw the house full of smoke , and perceived a grievous smell of brimstone , and saw the fire ly scattered ; though whether that fire came from heaven or was violently hurled out of the hearth , he can give no account . at first he thought all the people present , except himself , had been killed . but it pleased god to revive most of them . only three of them were mortally wounded with heavens arrows , viz. the wife of iohn philips , and another of his sons a young man about twenty years old , and william shertly , who had a child in his arms , that received no hurt by the lightning when himself was slain . this shertly was at that time a sojourner in iohn philips his house ; having been a little before burnt out of his own house . the wife of this shertly was with child and near her full time , and struck down for dead at present , but god recovered her , so that she received no hurt , neither by fright nor stroke . two little children sitting upon the edge of a table , had their lives preserved , though a dog which lay behind them under the table was killed . in the same year ( in the latter end of may ) samuel ruggles of rocksborough in new-england , going with a loaden cart , was struck with lightning . he did not hear the thunder-clap , but was by the force of the lightning e're he was aware , carried over his cattle about ten foot distance from them . attempting to rise up he found that he was not able to stand upon his right leg , for his right foot was become limber , and would bend any way , feeling as if it had no bone in it , nevertheless , he made a shift with the use of one leg to get to his cattle ( being an horse and two oxen ) which were all killed by the lightning . he endeavoured to take off the yoak from the neck of one of the oxen , but then he perceived that his thumb and two fingers in one hand were stupified that he could not stir them ; they looked like cold clay , the blood clear gone out of that part of his hand . but by rubbing his wounded leg and hand , blood and life came into them again . as he came home pulling off his stocking , he found that on the inside of his right leg ( which smarted much ) the hair was quite burnt off , and it looked red . just over his ankle his stocking was singed on the inside , but not on the outside , and there were near upon twenty marks about as big as pins heads , which the lightning had left thereon . likewise the shoe on his left foot , was by the lightning struck off his foot , and carried above two rods from him . on the upper leather at the heel of the shoe , there were five holes burnt through it , bigger than those which are made with duck shot . as for the beasts that were slain , the hair upon their skins was singed , so that one might perceive that the lightning had run winding and turning strangely upon their bodies , leaving little marks no bigger then corns of gun-powder behind it . there was in the cart a chest which the lightning pierced through , as also through a quire of paper and twelve napkins , melting some pewter dishes that were under them . at another time in rocksborough , a thunder storm hapning , broke into the house of thomas bishop , striking off some clapboards , splitting two studs of the end spar , and running down by each side of the window , where stood a bed with three children in it . over the head of the bed were three guns and a sword , which were so melted with the lightning that they began to run . it made a hole through the floor , and coming into a lower room it beat down the shutter of the window , and running on a shelf of pewter , it melted several dishes there ; and descending lower , it melted a brass morter , and a brass kettle . the children in the bed were wonderfully preserved : for a lath at the corner of it was burnt , and splinters flew about their clothes and faces , and there was not an hands breadth between them and the fire , yet received they no hurt . on the of may ( being the lords day ) a. d. . the people at wenham ( their worthy pastor mr. antipas newman being lately dead ) prevailed with the reverend mr. higginson of salem , to spend that sabbath amongst them . the afternoon sermon being ended , he with several of the town went to mr. newman his house ; w●●lest they were in discourse there , about the word and works of god , a thunder storm arose . after a while a smart clap of thunder broke upon the house , and especially into the room where they were sitting , and discoursing together ; it did for the present deafen them all , filling the room with smoke , and a strong smell as of brimstone . with the thunder-clap , came in a ball of fire as big as the bullet of a great gun , which suddenly went up the chimney , as also the smoke did . this ball of fire was seen at the feet of richard goldsmith , who sat on a leather chair , next the chimney , at which instant he fell off the chair on the ground . as soon as the smoke was gone , some in the room endeavoured to hold him up , but found him dead ; also the dog that lay under the chair was found stone dead , but not the least hurt done to the chair . all that could be perceived by the man , was , that the hair of head near one of his ears was a little singed . there were seven or eight in that room , and more in the next ; yet ( through the merciful providence of god ) none else had the least harm . this richard goldsmith , who was thus slain , was a shoemaker by trade , being reputed a good man for the main ; but had blemished his christian profession by frequent breaking of his promise , it being too common with him ( as with too many professors amongst us ) to be free and forward in engaging but backward in performing . yet this must further be added , that half a year before his death , god gave him a deep sence of his evils , that he made it his business not only that his peace might be made with god , but with men also , unto whom he had given just offence . he went up and down bewailing his great sin in promise-breaking ; and was become a very conscientious and lively christian , promoting holy and edifying discourses , as he had occasion . at that very time when he was struck dead , he was speaking of some passages in the sermon he had newly heard , and his last words were , blessed be the lord. in the same year , on the . of iune , being saturday in the afternoon ; another thunder-storm arose ; during which storm iosiah walton ( the youngest son of mr. william walton late minister of marble-head ) was in a ketch coming in from sea , and being before the harbours mouth , the wind suddenly shifted to the northward ; a violent gust of wind coming down on the vessel , the seamen concluded to hand their sails , iosiah walton got upon the main-yard to expedite the matter , and foot down the sail ; when there hapned a terrible flash of lightning , which breaking forth out of the c●o●d , struck down three men who were on the deck , without doing them any hurt ; but iosiah walton being ( as was said ) on the main-yard , the lightning shattered his thigh-bone all in pieces , and did split and shiver the main-mast of the vessel , and scorcht the rigging . iosiah walton falling down upon the deck , his leg was broken short off . his brother being on the deck , did ( with others ) take him up , and found him alive , but sorely scorched and wounded . they brought him on shore to his mothers house . at first he was very sensible of his case ; and took leave of his friends , giving himself to a serious preparation for another world. his relations used all means possible for his recovery ; though he himself told them he was a dead man , and the use of means would but put him to more misery . his bones were so shattered , that it was not possible for the art of man to reduce them ; also , the violent heat of the weather occasioned a gangrene . in this misery he continued until the next wednesday morning ; and then departed this life ; he was an hopeful young-man . in the year . on the th . of iune , at cambridge in new-england ; a thunder-clap with lightning broke into the next house to the colledge . it tore away and shattered into pieces a considerable quantity of the tyle on the roof thereof . in one room there then hapned to be the wife of iohn benjamin ( daughter to thomas swetman , the owner of the house ) who then had an infant about two moneths old in her arms ; also another woman . they were all of them struck ; the child being by the force of the lightning carried out of the mothers arms , and thrown upon the floor some distance from her . the mother was at first thought to be dead , but god restored her , though she lost the use of her limbs for some considerable time . her feet were singed with the lightning , and yet no sign thereof appearing on her shoes . also the child and the other woman recovered . in the next room were seven or eight persons who received no hurt . it was above a quarter of an hour before they could help the persons thus smitten , for the room was so full of smoke ( smelling like brimstone ) that they could not see them . some swine being near the door as the lightning fell , were thrown into the house , and seemed dead awhile , but afterwards came to life again . a cat was killed therewith . a pewter candlestick standing upon a joynt-stool ; some part of it was melted and carried away before the lightning , and stuck in the chamber floor over head , like swan shot , and yet the candlestick it self was not so much as shaken off from the stool whereon it stood . iune . . there was an amazing thunder-storm at hampton in new-england . the lightning fell upon the house of mr. ioseph smith , strangely shattering it in divers places . his wife ( the grand-daughter of that eminent man of god , mr. cotton , who was the famous teacher of the church of christ , first in old , and then in new boston ) lay as dead for the present ; being struck down with the lightning , near the chimney , yet god mercifully spared and restored her . but the said smith his mother ( a gracious woman ) was strvck dead and never recovered again . besides all these which have been mentioned , one or two in connecticut colony , and four persons dwelling in the northern parts of this countrey , were smitten with the fire of god , about sixteen years ago ; the circumstances of which providences ( though very remarkable ) i have not as yet received from those that were acquainted therewith ; and therefore cannot here publish them . also , some remarkables about thunder hapned the last year . a reverend friend in a neighbour colony , in a letter bearing august . . writeth thus ; we have had of late great storms of rain and wind , and some of thunder and lightning , whereby execution has been done , though with sparing mercy to men : mr. jones his house in new-haven , was broken into by the lightning , and strange work made in one room especially , in which one of his children had been but a little before . this was done june . . a little after which at norwalk , there were nine working oxen smitten dead at once , within a small compass of ground . the next moneth at greenwich , there were seven swine and a dog ●illed with the lightning , very near a dwelling house , where a family of children ( their parents not at home when lightning hapned ) were much frighted , but received no other hurt : what are these but warning pieces , shewing that mens lives may go next ? thus he , i proceed now to give an account of some late remarkables about thunder and lightning , wherein several vessels at sea were concerned . iuly . . a vessel whereof mr. thomas berry was master , set sail from boston in new-england , bound for the island of madera●● about . h. p. m. being half way between cape cod and brewsters islands , they were becalmed ; and they perceived a thunder-shower arising in the north-northwest . the master ordered all their sails ( except their two courses ) to be furled . when the shower drew near to them , they had only the fore-sail abroad ; all the men were busie in lashing fast the long-boat ; the master was walking upon the deck , and as he came near the main-mast , he beheld something very black fly before him , about the bigness of a small mast , at the larboard side ; and immediately he heard a dreadful and amazing noise , not like a single canon , but as if great armies of men had been firing one against another ; presently upon which the master was struck clear round , and fell down for dead upon the deck , continuing so for about seven minutes ; but then he revived , having his hands much burnt with the lightning . the ship seemed to be on fire ; and a very great smoke having a sulphurous smell came from between the decks ; so that no man was able to stay there , for more than half an hour after this surprizing accident hapned . the main-mast was split from the top-gallant-mast head to the lower deck . the partners of the pump were struck up at the star-board side , and one end of two cabbins staved down betwixt decks . two holes were made in one of the pumps about the bigness of two musquet bullets . they were forced to return to boston again , in order to the fitting of the vessel with a new mast. through the mercy of the most high , no person in the vessel received any hurt , besides what hath been expressed . yet it is remarkable that the same day , about the same time , two men in or near wenham were killed with lightning , as they sat under a tree in the woods . on iune the sixth a. d. . a ship called the iamaica merchant , captain ioseph wild commander , being then in the gulph of florida , lat. . gr . about h. p. m. was surprized with an amazing thunder shower ; the lightning split the main-mast , and knocked down one of the sea-men , and set the ship on fire between decks , in several places . they used utmost endeavour to extinguish the fire , but could not do it ; seeing they were unable to overcome those flames , they betook themselves to their boat. the fire was so furious between the cabbin and the deck in the steeridge , that they could not go to the relief of each other , insomuch that a man and his wife were parted . the man leaped over-board into the sea , and so swam to the boat : his wife and a child were taken out of a gallery window into the boat. three men more were saved by leaping out of the cabbin window . there were aboard this vessel which heaven thus set on fire , thirty four persons ; yet all escaped with their lives : for the gracious providence of god so ordered , as that captain iohn bennet was then in company , who received these distressed and astonished creatures into his ship : so did they behold the vessel burning , until about h. p. m. when that which remained sunk to the bottom of the sea. the master with several of the seamen were by captain bennet brought safe to new-england , where they declared how wonderfully they had been delivered from death which god both by fire and water had threatned them with . march . , . a ship whereof robert luist is master being then at sea ( bound for new-england ) in lat. . gr . about . h. a. m ▪ it began to thunder and lighten . they beh●ld three corpusants ( as mariners call them ) on the yards : the thunder grew fiercer , and thicker than before . suddenly their vessel was filled with smoke , and the smell of brimstone , that the poor men were terrified with the apprehension of their ships being on fire . there came down from the clouds a stream or flame of fire as big as the ships mast , which fell on the middle of the deck , where the mate was standing , but then was thrown flat upon his back with three men more that were but a little distance from him . they that were yet untouched , thought , not only that their fellow mariners had been struck dead , but their deck broken in pieces by that blow , whose sound seemed ●o them to exceed the report of many great guns fired off at once . some that were less dangerously hurt , made an out-cry that their legs were scalded ; but the mate lay speechless and senseless . when he began to come to himself , he made sad complaints of a burden lying upon his back . when day came , they perceived their main-top-mast was split ▪ and the top-sail burnt . the lightning seemed like small coals of fire blown over-board . there is one remarkable more about thunder and lightning , which i am lately informed of by persons concerned therein ; some circumstances in the relation being as wonderfull , as any of the preceding particulars ▪ thus it was : on iuly . in the year ▪ the ship called albemarl ( whereof mr. edward lad was then master ) being an hundred leagues from cape cod , in lat. . about h. p. m. met with a thunder storm . the lightning burnt the main-top-sail , split the main-cap in pieces , rent the mast all along . there was in special one dreadful clap of thunder , the report bigger than of a great gun , at which all the ships company were amazed ; then did there fall something from the clouds upon the stern of the boat , which broke into many small parts ; split one of the pumps , the other pump much hurt also . it was a bituminous matter , smelling much like fired gun-powder . it continued burning in the stern of the boat , they did with sticks dissipate it , and poured much water on it , and yet they were not able by all that they could do to extinguish it , until such time as all the matter was consumed . but the strangest thing of all , is yet to be mentioned . when night came , observing the stars , they perceived that their compasses were changed . as for the compass in the biddikil , the north point was turned clear south . there were two other compasses unhung in the locker , in the cabbin . in one of which the north point stood south , like that in the biddikil ; as for the other , the north point stood west . so that they sailed by a needle whose polarity was quite changed . the seamen were at first puzled how to work their vessel right , considering that the south point of their compass was now become north , but after a little use , it was easie to them . thus did they sail a thousand leagues . as for the compass wherein the lightning had made the needle to point westward , since it was brought to new-england the glass being broke , it has by means of the air coming to it , wholly lost its virtue . one of those compasses which had quite changed the polarity from north to south , is still extant in boston ; and at present in my custody . the north point of the needle doth remain fixed to this day , as it did immediately after the lightning caused an alteration . the natural reason of which may be enquired into in the next chapter : but before i pass to that , it may be , it will be grateful to the reader , for me here to commemorate some parallel instances , which have lately hapned in other parts of the world , unto which i proceed , contenting my self with one or two examples , reserving others for the subsequent chapter ; where we shall have further occasion to take notice of them . the authors ephemeridum medico-physicarum germanicarum , have informed the world , that on august . . it thundred and lightned as if heaven and earth would come together . and at the house of a gentleman who lived near bergen , the fiery lightning flashed through four inner rooms at once , entring into a beer cellar , with its force it threw down the earthen vessels , with the windows and doors where it came : but the tin and iron vessels were partly melted , and partly burnt with black spots remaining on them . where it entred the cellar , the barrels were removed out of their right places ; where it went out , it left the taps shaking . in one room the binding was taken off from the back of a bible , and the margin was accurately cut by the lightning without hurting the letters , as if it had been done by the hands of some artists : beginning at the re●elation , and ( which is wonderful ) ending with the twelfth chapter of epistle to the corinthians , which chapter fell in course to be expounded in publick the next lords day . six women sitting in the same chimney filled with a sulphurous and choaking mist , that 〈◊〉 could scarce breathe ; not far from the bed of a woman that was then lying in , were struck down , the hangings of the room burnt , and the mother of the woman in child-bed lay for dead at present ; but after a while , the other recovering their sences , examined what hurt was done to the woman thought to be dead : her kerchief was burnt as if it had been done with gun-powder ; she had about her a silver chain , which was melted and broke into five parts : her under garments were not so much as singed ; but just under her paps she was very much burnt . after she came to her self , she was very sensible of pain in the place where the lightning had caused that wound . to lenifie which womens milk was made use of . but blisters arising , the dolour was increased , until a skilful physician prescribed this unguent . r. mucilag . sem. cydoniorum c. aq . malv . extract half an ounce . succ. planta● . rec . an ounce and half . lytharg . aur . subt . pert . half a drachm . m. ad fict . whereby the inflamation was allayed . by the same authors , it is also related , that in iune a. d. . an house was struck with lightning in four places , in some places the timber was split , and in other places had holes made in it , as if bored through with an awger , but no impression of fire 〈◊〉 any where to be seen . a girl fifteen years old , sitting in the chimney , was struck down and lay for dead , the space of half an hour . and it is probable , that she had never recovered , had not an able physician been sent for , who viewing her , perceived that the clothes about her breast were made to look blewish by the lightning : it had also caused her paps to look fiery and blackish , as if they had been scorched with gun-powder . under her breast the lightning had left creases , a cross her body , of a brownish colour . also some creases made by the lightning as broad as ones finger run along her left leg reaching to her foot. the physician caused two spoonfuls of apoplectick water to be poured down her throat , upon which she instantly revived , complaining of a great heat in her jaws and much pain , in the places hurt by the lightning . half a drachm of pulvis bezoarticus anglicus , in the water of sweet chervil was given to her , which caused a plentiful sweat , whereby the pain in her jaws was dimi●ished . being still feave●ish , an emulsion made with poppy seed , millet , carduus benedictus , &c. was made use of , upon which the patient had ease and recovered . it appears by this as well as other instances , that great care should be had of those that are thunde-struck , that they be not given up for quite dead , before all means be used in order to their being revived . paulus zacchias in questionibus medicis giveth rules whereby it may be known whether persons smitten with lightning be dead , past all recovery or no. and the history put forth by iaccbus iavellus in an epistle emitted with his medicinae compendium , describes the cure of persons struck with lightning . i have not my self seen those books ; but whoso shall see cause to obtain and consult them , will i suppose find therein things worth their reading and consideration . something to this purpose i find in the scholion on the germ. ephem . for the year . obs . . p. . the reader that is desirous to see more remarkable instances about thunder and lightning , wherein persons living in former age were concerned , if he please to look into zuinger his theatrum vit . human. vol. . lib. . p. . & lib. . p. , . & vol. . lib. . p. . & vol. . lib. . p. . he will find many notable and memorable passages which that industrious author hath collected . though none more awful ( to my remembrance ) than that which hapned a. d. . when meckelen ( a principal city in brabant ) was set on fire , and suffered a fearful conflagration by lightning : so it was , that at the very time . when this thunder-storm hapned , an inn-keeper ( whose name was croes ) had in his house some guests , who were playing at cards . the inn-keeper going into his wine-celler to fetch drink for his merry guests , at that moment the furious tempest plucked up the house and carried it a good way off . every one of the men that were playing at cards were found dead with their cards in their hands ; only the inn-keeper himself , being in the wine-cellar ( which was arched ) escaped with his life . this brings to mind a strange passage related by cardan ( de variet lib. . c. . ) who saith , that eight men sitting down together under an oak , as they were at supper , a flash of lightning smote and ●lew them all ; and they were found in the very posture that the lightning surprized them in : one with the meat in his mouth , another seemed to be drinking , another with a cup in his hand , which he intended to bring to his mouth , &c. they looked like images made black with the lightning . as for scripture examples of men slain by lightning ; it is the judgement of the judicious and learned zuinger , that the sodomites & those that being with corab in his conspiracy presumed to offer incense ▪ numb . . . and nadab and abihu , and th●● two semicenturions with their souldiers , who came to apprehend the prophet elijah , were all killed by lightning from heaven . chap. iv. some philosophical meditations . concerning antipathies and sympathies . of the loadstone . of the nature and wonderful effects of lightning . that thunder-storms are often caused by satan ; and sometimes by good angels . thunder is the voice of god , and therefore to be dreaded . all places in the habitable world are subject to it more or less . no amulets can preserve men from being hurt thereby . the miserable estate of wicked men upon this account , and the happiness of the righteous , who may be ●●●ve all disquieting fears , with respect unto such terrible accidents . having thus far related many remarkable providences , which have hapned in these goings down of the sun ; and some of the particulars , ( especially in the last chapter ) being tragical stories : the reader must give me leave upon this occasion a little to divert and recreate my mind , with some philosophical meditations ; and to conclude with a theological improvement thereof . there are wonders in the works of creation as well as providence , the reason whereof the most knowing amongst mortals , are not able to comprehend . dost thou know the ballancings of the clouds , the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge ? i have not yet seen any who give a satisfactory reason of those strange fountains in new spain , which ebb and flow with the sea , though far from it ; and which fall in rainy weather , and rise in dry ; or concerning that pit near st. bartholmew's into which if one cast a stone though never so small , it makes a noise as great and terrible as a clap of thunder . it is no difficult thing to produce a world of instances , concerning which the usual answer is , an occult quality is the cause of this strange operation , which is only a fig-lea● whereby our common philosophers seek to hide their own ignorance . nor may we ( with erastus ) deny that there are marvelous sympathies and antipathies in the natures of things . we know that the horse does abominate the camel ; the mighty elephant is afraid of a mouse : and they say that the lion , who scorneth to turn his back upon the stoutest animal , will tremble at the crowing of a cock. some men also have strange a●tipathies in their natures against that ●ort of food which others love and live upon . i have read of one that could not endure to eat either bread or flesh. of another that fell into a swoonding fit at the smell of a rose . others would do the like at the smell of vineger , or at the sight of an eel or a frog . there was a man that if he did hear the sound of a bell , he would immediately die away . another if he did happen to hear any one sweeping a room , an inexpressible horror would sieze upon him . another if he heard one whetting a knife his gumms would fall a bleeding . another was not able to behold a knife that had a sharp point , without being in a strange agony . quercetus speaketh of one that died as he was sitting at the table , only because an apple was brought into his sight . there are some who if a cat accidentally come into the room , though they neither see it , nor are told of it , will presently be in a sweat and ready to die away . there was lately one living in stow-market , that when ever it thundred would fall into a violent vomiting , and so continue until the thunder-storm was over . a woman had such an antipathy against cheese that if she did but eat a piece of bread , cut with a knife , which a little before had cut cheese , it would cause a deliquium , yet the same woman when she was with child delighted in no meat so much as in cheese . there was la●ely ( i know not but that he may be living still ) a man that if pork , o● any thing made of swines flesh were brought into the room , he would fall into a convulsive sardonian laughter ; nor can he for his heart leave as long as that object is before him , so that if it should not be removed , he would certainly laugh himself to death . it is evident that the peculiar antipathies of some persons are caused by the imaginations of their parents . there was one that would fall into a syncope if either a calves-head or a cabbage were brought near him . there were n●●vi materni upon the hypocondria of this person , on his right side there was the form of a calves head , on his left side a cabbage imprinted there by the imagination of his longing mother . most wonderful is that which libavius and others report , concerning a man that would be surprized with a lipothymy at the sight of his own son ; nay , upon his approaching near unto him , though he saw him not , for which some assigned this reason , that the mother when she was with child , used to feed upon such meats as were abominable to the father ( concerning the rationality of this conjecture see sr. kenelm digby's disco●●●e of bodies , p. , . ) but others said that the midwife who b●ought him into the world was a witch . nor are the sympathies in nature less wonderful than the antipathies . there is a mutual friendship between the olive tree and the myrtle . there is a certain stone called pantarbe which draws gold unto it . so does the adamas hairs and twigs . the sympathy between the load-stone and iron , which do mutually attract each other , is admirable . there is no philosopher but speaketh of this . some have published whole treatises ( both profitable and pleasant ) upon this argument ; in special gilbert , ward , cabeus , kepler , and of late kircherus . i know many fabulous things have been related concerning the load-stone by inexperienced philosophers , and so believed by many others , e. g. that onions , or garlick , or ointments will cause it to lose its vertue . iohnston , ( and from him dr. brown in his vulgar errors ) hath truly asserted the contrary . every one knoweth that the head of a needle touched therewith will continue pointing towards the north pole : so that the magnet leaveth an impression of its own nature and vertue upon the needle , causing it to stand pointed as the magnet it self doth : the loadstone it self is the hardest iron ; and it is a thing known that such mines are naturally so ( notwithstanding the report of one who saith , that lately in devonshire , load-stones were found otherwise ) posited in th● earth . just under the line the needle lieth parallel with the horizon , but sailing north or south it begins to incline and increase according as it approacheth to either pole , and would at last endeavour to erect it self , whence some ascribe these strange effects to the north star , which they suppose to be very magnetical . there is reason to believe that the earth is the great magnet . hence ( as mr. seller observes ) when a bar of iron has stood long in a window , that end of it which is next to the earth will have the same vertue which the load-stone it self has . some place the first meridian at the azores , because there the needle varies not : but the like is to be said of some other parts of the world ; yea under the very same meridian in divers latitudes there is a great variation as to the pointing of the needle . it is affirmed , that between the shore of ireland , france , spain , guiny , and the azores , the north point varies towards the east , as some part of the azores it deflecteth not . on the other side of the azores , and this side of the aequator , the north point of the needle wheeleth to the west ; so that in the lat. . near the shore , the variation is about gr . but on the other side of the aequator it is quite otherwise , for in brasilia the south point varies gr . unto the west , but elongating from the coast of brasilia toward the shore of africa it varies eastward , and arriving at the cape d●las aquilas , it rests in the meridian and looketh neither way . dr. brown in he psudodoxia epidemica p. . does rationally suppose that the cause of this variation may be the inequality of the earth variously disposed , and indifferently mixed with the sea. the needle driveth that way where the greater and most powerful part of the earth is placed . for whereas on this side the isles of azores the needle varies eastward , it may be occasioned by that vast tract , viz. europe , asia and africa , seated towards the east , and disposing the needle that way . sailing further it veers its lilly to the west , and regards that quarter wherein the land is nearer or greater ; and in the same latitude , as it approacheth the shore augmenteth its variation . hence at rome there is a less variation ( viz. but five degrees ) than at london , for on the west side of rome are seated the great continents of france , spain , germany ; but unto england there is almost no earth west , but the whole extent of europe and asia lies eastward , and therefore at london the variation is degrees . thus also , by reason of the great continent of brasilia , the needle deflects towards the land degrees ▪ but at the straits of magellan , where the land is narrowed , and the sea on the other side , it varies but or . so because the cape of de las agullas hath sea on both sides near it , and other land remote , and as it were aequidistant from it , the needle conforms to the meridian . in certain creeks and vallies it proveth irregular ; the reason whereof may be some vigorous part of the earth not far distant . thus d. brown , whose arguings seem rational . some have truly observed of crocus martis or steel corroded with vineger , sulphur , or otherwise , and after reverberated by fire , that the load-stone will not at all attract it : nor will it adhere , but ly therein like sand. it is likewise certain , that the fire will cause the load-stone to lose its vertue ; inasmuch as its bituminous spirits are thereby evaporated . porta ( lib. . cap. . ) saith that he did to his great admiration see a sulphurous flame brake out of the load-stone which being dissipated , the stone lost it 's attractive vertue . moreover , the load-stone by being put into the fire may be caused quite to change its polarity . the truly noble and honourable robert boyle esq , many of whose excellent observations and experiments have been advantagious , not only to the english nation but to the learned world ; in his book of the usefulness of experimental ; natural philosophy , page . hath these words ; taking an oblong load-stone , and heating it red hot , i found the attractive faculty in not many minutes , either altogether abolish● , or at least so impaired and weakened , that i was scarce if at all able to discern it . but this 〈◊〉 been observed , though not so faithfully re●ated , by more than one ; wherefore i shall add , that by refrigerating this red hot load-stone either north or south , i found that i could give its extream● a polarity ( if i may so speak ) which they would readily display upon an 〈◊〉 needle freely placed in aequilibrium : and not only so ▪ but i could by refrigerating the ●●me end , sometimes north , and sometimes south , in a very short time change the poles of the load-stone a● pleasure , making that which was a q●arter of 〈◊〉 hour before the north pole , become● the south ; and on the contrary , the formerly southern pole become the northern . and this change was wrought on the load-stone , not only by cooling it directly north and south , but by cooling it perpendicularly : that end of it which was contiguous to the ground growing the northern pole and so ( according to the laws magnetical ) drawing to it the south end ; and that which was remotest from the contrary one : as ●f indeed the terrestial globe were as some magnetic philosophers have supposed it , but a great magnes , since its effluvium's are able in some cases to impart a magnetic faculty to the load-stone it self , thus far mr. boyle ; also d. brown shews , that if we erect a red hot wire until it cool , then hang it up with wax and untwisted silk where the lower end and that which cooled next the earth does rest , that is the northern point . and if a wire be heated only at one end , according as the end is cooled upwards or downwards , it respectively requires a verticity . he also observes , if a load-stone be made red hot in the fire , it amits the magnetical vigor it had before , and acquireth another from the earth , in its refrigeration , for that part which cooleth next the earth will acquire the respect of the north ; the experiment whereof he made in a load-stone of parallelogram or long square figure , wherein only inverting the extreams as it came out of the fire , he altered the poles or faces thereof at pleasure . unto some such reason as this , must the wonderful change occasioned by the lightning in the compasses of mr. lad's vessel be ascribed : probably the heat of the lightning caused the needle to lose its vertue , and the compass in the bidikle might stand pointed to the south , and that unhung in the locker to the west , when they grew cold again , and accordingly continue pointing so ever after . there is also that which is very mysterious and beyond humane capacity to comprehend , in thunder and lightning . the thunder of his power , who can understand ? also , can any understand the spreadings of the clouds , or the noise of his tabernacle ? hence elihu said ( some interpreters think there was a thunder-storm at the very instant when those words were spoken ) in iob . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he thundreth marveils . it is indeed manifest that these wonderful meteors are generated out of a nitrous and sulphurous matter . hence it is commonly out of dark and thick clouds that hail and coals of fire break forth , psal. . , . the scent which the lightning useth to leave behind it , in places where it falls , is a sufficient evidence of its being of a sulphurous nature . nay the persons ( as well as places ) smitten there with have sometimes smelt strong of brimstone . two years ago there was a ship riding at anchor in a place in france ; and a furious tempest suddenly arising , the main-mast wes split in pieces with a clap of thunder ; the pendant on the top of the main-top-mast was burnt to ashes , twelve men were beat upon the deck , five of which lay for dead a considerable time , no pulse or breath being perceived , their eyes and teeth immovable , yet had they no visible wound , only an intolerable smell of brimstone ; about half an hour after by rubbing and forceing open their mouths , and pouring down some cordials , they recovered . at the same time six others were miserably burnt , their flesh being scorched , yet their garments not so much as singed ; their skin much discoloured . see mr. burton's miracles of nature , page . likewise , august . . a man walking in the field near darkin in england , was struck with a clap of thunder . one who was near him , ran to take him up , but found him dead , and his body exceeding hot● and withal smelling so strong of sulphur that he was forced to let him ly a considerable time ere he could be removed . it is reported , that sometimes thunder and lightning has been generated out of the sulphurous and bituminous matter which the fiery mountain aetna hath cast forth , we know that when there is a mixture of nitre , sulphur , and unslaked lime , water will cause fire to break out . and when unto nitre brimstone is added , a report is caused thereby . and unquestionably , nitre is a special ingredient in the matter of thunder and lightning ; this we may gather from the descension of the flame , which descends not only obliquely but perpendicularly , and that argues it does so not from any external force , but naturally● mr. william clark in his natural history of nitre , observes that if the quantity of an ounce be put in a fire-shovel , and a live coal put upon it , the fire-shovel in the bottom will be red hot , and burn through whatever is under it ; which demonstrates that this sort of fire does naturally burn downwards , when as all other fires do naturally ascend . for this cause stella cadens is rationally concluded to be a nitrous substance ; the like is to be affirmed of the lightning . hence also is its terrible and irresistable force . the nitre in gunpowder is as the aforesaid author expresseth it anima pyrii pulveris , sulphur without salt peter has no powerful expulsion with it . the discharging great pieces of ordnance is f●tly called artificial thundring and lightning , since thereby men do in a moment blow up houses , beat down castles , batter mountains in pieces . so that there is nothing in nature does so admirably and artificially resemble the thunder and lightning , both in respect of the report , and the terrible , and sudden and amazing execution done thereby : flammas iovis & sonitus imitatu● olympi : hence as those that are shot with a bullet do not hear the gun , being struck before the report cometh to their ears ; so is it usually with them that are thunder-struck , the lightning is upon them before the noise is heard . men commonly tremble at the dreadful crack when as , if they hear any thing , the danger useth to be past as to that particular thunder-clap ; though another may come and kill them before they hear it . the nitre in the lightning may likewise be esteemed the natural cause of its being of so penetrating and burning a nature . for there is not the like fiery substance in the world again as nitre is . many have been of the opinion that there is a bolt or stone de●cending with the thunder , but that 's a vulgar error , the fulmen or thunder-bolt is the same with the lightning , being a nitro-sulphurious spirit . it must needs be a more subtile and spiritual body than any stone is of , that shall penetrate so as these meteors do . it s true that our translation reads the words in psal. . . he gave their flocks to hot thunder-bolts : but the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated thunderbolts , signifieth burning coals ; so that lightning is thereby intended . avicenn● doth indeed say , that he saw a thunder-bolt which fell at corduba in spain , and that it had a sulphurous smell , and was like a●moni●● . it is possible that not only sulphurous and bituminous but stony substances may be generated in the clouds with the lightning . george agricola writeth that near lurgea , a mass of iron being fifty pound in weight , fell from the clouds , which some attempted to make swords of , but the fire could not melt it , nor hammers bring it into form . in the year . at ensishemium , a stone of three hundred pound weight fell from the clouds , which is kept as a monument in the temple there . and in , a stone came out of the clouds in thuringia , which was so hot that it could not be touched , with which one might strike fire as with a flint . there is now to be seen at dresden a stone which descended out of a cloud ; and is reserved amongst the admiranda belonging to the elector of saxony : some lately living were present at the fall of that stone . again an● . in bohemia , a considerable quantity of brass●mettal fell from the clouds . no longer since than may . . at a village near 〈◊〉 in germany , there was a tempes● of lightning , and a great multitude of stones of a green and partly caerulean colour fell therewith , and a considerable mass of mineral matter , in tast like vitriol , being pondrous and friable , having also metallick sparks like gold intermixed . that which is by some called the rain-stone or thunder-bolt , was by the antients termed ceraunia , because of the smell like that of an horn when put into the fire , which does attend it . learned gesner . ( who in respect of his vast knowledge in the works of god , may be called the solomon of the former age ) saith that a gentleman gave him one of those stones , supposing it to be a thunder-bolt , and that it was five digits in length , and three in breadth . this sort o● stone is usually in form like unto an iron wedge , and has an hole quite through it . ioh. de laet in his treatise de gemmis lib. ● gap. . relates that he saw another of those stones . boetius ( de gemmis lib. . cap. . ) reports that many persons worthy of credit , affirmed that when houses or trees had been broken with the thunder , they did by digging find such stones in the places where the stroke was given . nevertheless , that ful●inous stones or thunderbolts do alwayes descen● out of the clouds , when such breache● are made by the lightning , is ( as i said ) 〈◊〉 vulgar err●r . the effects produced by the lightning are exceeding marvelous , sometimes gold , silver , brass , iron has been melted thereby , when the things wherein they have been kept , received no hurt ; yea , when the wax on the bags which contained them , has not been so much as melted . liquors have been thereby exhausted out of vessels , when the vessels themselves remained untouched : and ( which is more wonderful ) when the cask has been broken by the lightning , the wine has remained as it were included in a skin , without being spilt ; the reason whereof sennertus supposeth to be , in that the heat of the lightning did condense the exterior parts of the wine . it is also a very strange thing , which histories report concerning marcia ( a roman princess ) that the child in her body was smitten and killed with lightning , and yet the mother received no hurt in her own body . it is hard to give a clear and satisfactory reason why if a piece of iron be laid upon the cask it prevents the thunder from marring the wine contained therein , and also keeps milk from turning . the virtuosi of france in their philosophical conferences ( vol. . p. . ) suppose a sympathy between iron and the gross vapors of thunder and lightning . they say that which is commonly called the thunder-bolt does sometimes resemble steel , as it were to shew the correspondence that there is between iron and thunder : so that the air being impregna●e by those noisome vapours which are of the same nature with iron , meeting with some piece of it laid on a vessel , is joyned to the iron by sympathy , the iron by its attractive vertue receives them , and by its retentive retains them , and by that means prevents the effects . this conjecture is ingenious nor is it easie to give a solid reason why the lightning should hurt one creature rather than another . naturalists observe that it is 〈◊〉 feles canes & capras magis illorum obnoxios 〈◊〉 observatio sedula dedit , saith iohnston . bart●●linus conjectures the reason to be the hali●●s in the bodies of those creatures , which are●●it nutriment for the fulminious spirits to p●● upon . when fire is set to a train of gunpowder ; it will run accordingly straight or crooked , upwards or downwards as the matter it feeds upon is disposed : so proportionably here : but this is a subject for ingenious minds further to inquire into . it is moreover difficult to determine how men are killed therewith , when no visible impression is made upon their bodies . some think it is by meer instantaneous suffocation of their a●mal spirits . that poysonful vapours do sometimes● attend the lightning is manifest . seneca saith , that wine which has been congealed with the lightning , after it is dissolved , and in appearance returned to its pristine state , it causeth the persons that shall drink of it , either to die or become mad . naturalists observe , that venemous creatures being struck with lightning lose their poyson ; the reason of which may be , not only the heat but the venome of those vapours attracting the poyson to themselves . and that vapors will kill in a moment is past doubt . in the philosophical transactions for the year . ( p. . ) it is related that seven or eight persons going down stairs into a coal-pit , they fell down dead as if they had been shot : there being one of them whose wife was informed that her husband was stifled , she went near to him without any inconvenience ; but when she went a little further , the vapors caused her instantly to fall down dead . and it is famously known , concerning the lake avernus in campania , that if birds attempt to fly over it , the deadly vapors thereof kill them in a moment . but the lightning doth more than meerly suffocate with mortiferous vapors . it sometimes penetrates the brain , and shrivels the heart and liver when nothing does appear outwardly . and it does ( as dr. goodwin in his lately published judicious discourse about the punishment of sinners in the other world ( p. . ) aptly expresseth ) lick up . the vital and animal spirits that run in the body , when yet the body it self remains unburnt . those spirits are the vinculum , the tye of union between the soul and body , which the lightning may consume without so much as singing the body or cloaths there● nevertheless , upon some it leaveth direful marks , and breaketh their very bones in pieces , and sometimes tears away the flesh from the bones . there are some remarkable instances confirming this , published in the philosophical transactions . dr. wallis in a letter written at oxford , may. . . giving an account of a very sad accident which had then newly hapned there . he saith , that two schollars of wadham colledge , being alone in a boat ( without a waterman ) having newly thrust off from shore , at medley to come homewards , standing near the head of the boat , were presently with a stroke of thunder or lightning , both struck off out of the boat into the water , the one of them stark dead , in whom though presently taken out of the water ( having been by relation scarce a minute in it ) there was not discerned any appearance of life , sense or motion : the other was stuck fast in the mud ( with his feet downwards , and his upper parts above water ) like a post not able to help himself out ; but besides a present astonying or numness had no other hurt : but was for the present so disturbed in his senses that he knew not how he came out of the boat , nor could remember either thunder or lightning that did effect it : and was very feeble and faint upon it ( which though presently put into a warm bed ) he had not throughly recovered by the next night ; and whither since he have or no , i know not . others in another boat , about ten or twenty yards from these ( as by their description i estimate ) felt a disturbance and shaking in their boat , and one of them had his chair struck from under him , and thrown upon him , but had no hurt . these immediately made up to the others , and ( some leaping into the water to them ) presently drew them into the boat or on shore ; yet none of them saw these two fall into the water ( not looking that way ) but heard one of them cry for help pesently upon the stroke , and smelt a very strong stinking smell in the air ; which , when i asked him that told it me , what kind of stink ? he said , like such a smell , as is perceived upon the striking of flints together . he that was dead ( when by putting into ( a warm bed , and rubbing , and putting strong waters into his month , &c. no life could be brought into him ) was the next morning brought to town ; where among multitudes of others , who came to see ; dr. willis . dr. mellington , dr. lower , and myself , with some others , went to view the corps , where we found no wound at all in the skin ; the face and neck swart and black , but not more than might be ordinary , by the setling of the blood : on the right side of the neck was a little blackish spott about an inch long , and about a quarter of an inch broad at the broadest , and was as if it had been seared with a hot iron : and as i remember , one somewhat bigger on the left side of the neck below the ear . streight down the breast , but towards the left side of it , was a large place , about three quarters of a foot in length , and about two inches in breadth ; in some places more , in some less which was burnt and hard , like leather burnt with the fire , of a deep blackish red colour , not much unlike the scorched skin of a rosted pig : and on the forepart of the left shoulder such another spot about as big as a shilling ; but that in the neck was blacker and seemed more seared . from the top of the right shoulder , sloping downwards towards that place in his breast , was a narrow line of the like scorched skin ; as if somewhat had come in there at the neck , and had run down to the breast and there spread broader . the buttons of his dublet were most of them off , which some thought might have been torn off with the blast , getting in at the neck , and then bursting its way out , for which the greatest presumption was ( to me ) that besides four or five buttons wanting towards the bottom of the breast , there were about half a dozen together clear off from the bottom of the collar downwards , and i do not remember that the rest of the buttons did seem to be near worn out , but almost new . the collar of his doublet just over the fore-part of the right shoulder was quite broken asunder , cloth and stiffening , streight and downwards , as if cut or chopt asunder , but with a blunt tool ; only the inward linnen or ●ustian lining of it was whole , by which , and by the view of the ragg'd edges , it seemed manifest to me , that it was from a stroke inward ( from without ) not outwards from within . his hat was strangely torn , not just on the crown , but on the side of the hat , and on the brim . on the side of it was a great hole , more than to put in ones fist through it : some part of it being quite struck away , and from thence divers gashes every way , as if torn or cut with a dull tool , and some of them of a good length , almost quite to the edges of the brim . and besides these , one or two gashes more , which did not communicate with that hole in the side . this also was judged to be by a stroke inwards ; not so much from the view of the edges of those gashes ( from which there was scarce any judgement to be made either way ) but because the lining was not torn , only ript from the edge of the hat ( where it was sown on ) on that side where the hole was made . but his hat not being found upon his head , but at some distance from him , it did not appear against what part of his head that hole was made . another sad disaster hapned ianuary , . when one mr. brooks of hampshire going from winchester towards his house near andover , in very bad weather , was himself slain by lightning , and the horse he rode on under him . for about a mile from winchester he was found with his face beaten into the ground , one leg in the stirrup , the other in the horses main ▪ his cloathes all burnt off his back , not a piece as big as an hankerchief left intire , and his hair and all his body singed . with the force that struck him down , his nose was beaten into his face , and his chin into his breast ; where was a wound cut almost as low as to his navil ; and his clothes being as aforesaid torn , the pieces were so scattered and consumed , that not enough to fill the crown of a hat could be found . his gloves were whole , but his hands in them singed to the bone. the hip-bone and shoulder of his horse burnt and bruised , and his saddle torn in little pieces . very remarkable also was that which hapned forty five years ago at another place in england , viz. withycomb in devonshire , where on october . a. d. . being sabbath day , whilest the people were attending the publick worship of god , a black cloud coming over the church , there was suddenly an amazing clap of thunder , and with it a ball of fire came in at the window , whereby the house was very much damnified , and the people many of them struck down . some of the seats in the body of the church were turned upside down , yet they that sa● in them received no hurt . a gentleman of note there ( one mr. hill ) sitting in his seat by the chancil , had his head suddenly smitten against the wall , by which blow he died that night . another had his head cloven , his skull rent in three pieces , and his brains thrown upon the ground whole . the hair of his head through the violence of the blow stuck fast to the pillar that was near him . a woman attempting to run out of the church , had her clothes set on fire ; and her flesh on her back torn almost to the very bone . see mr. clarks examples vol. . chap. . p , . it is not heresie to believe that satan has sometimes a great operation in causing thunder-storms . i know this is vehemently denied by some . the late witch-advocates call it blasphemy . and an old council did anathematize the men that are thus perswaded : but by their favour ; an orthodox & rational man may be of the opinion , that when the devil has before him the vapors and materials out of which the thunder and lightning are generated , his art is such as that he can bring them into form . if chymists can make their aurumfulminans , what strange thing● may this infernal chymist effect ? the holy ptures intimate as much as this cometh to in the sacred story concerning iob , we find that satan did raise a great wind which blew down the house where iob's children were feasting . and it is said , chap. . ver . . that the fire of god fell from heaven , and burnt up the sheep and the servants ; this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire of god was no doubt thunder and lightning ; and such as was extraordinary , and is therefore expressed with the name of god , as is usual amongst the hebrews . satan had a deep policy in going that way to work , thereby hoping to make iob believe god was his enemy . mr. caryl ( according to his wonted manner ) does both wittily and judiciously paraphrase upon the place ; the fire of god ( saith he ) here is conceived to have been some terrible flash of lightning ; and it is the more probable because it is said to fall down from heaven , that is , cut of the air. there satan can do mighty things , command much of the magazine of heaven , where that dreadful artillery which makes men tremble , those fiery meteors , thunder and lightning are stored and lodged . satan let loose by god can do wonders in the air ; he can raise storms , he can discharge the great ordnance of heaven , thunder and lightning ; and by his art can make them more terrible and dreadful than they are in their own nature . satan is said to be the prince of the power of the air , eph. . . and we read of the working of satan with all power and signs , and lying words , thess. . . it is moreover predicted in the revelation , that antichrist should cause fire to come down from heaven , rev. . . accordingly we read in history , that some of the popes have by their skill in the black art , caused balls of fire to be seen in the air. so then it is not beyond satans power to effect such things , if the great god give him leave , without whose leave he cannot blow a feather : much less raise a thunder-storm . and as the scriptures intimate satan's power in the air to be great , so histories do abundantly confirm it by remarkable instances . one of the scholars of empedocles has testified , that he saw his master raising winds and laying them again ; and there were once many witnesses of it , whence they called empedocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clemens alexandrinus mentions this as unquestionably true . our great rainold ( de libris apoeryphis lect. . ) saith , that we may from iob conclude , it was not impossible for empedocles by the devils aid , to do as has been reported of him . dio relates that when the roman army in the dayes of the emperour cl●udius , pursuing the africa● , was in extream danger of perishing by drought : a magician undertook to procure water for them , and presently upon his incantations , an astonishing shower fell . iovianus pontanus reports , that when king ferdinand besieged the city suella , all the waters in the cisterns being dried up , the citizens had like to have lost their lives by the prevailing drought . the popish priests undertook by conjuration to obtain water . the magical ceremonies by them observed were most horrid and ridiculous . for they took an asse , and put the sacrament of the eucharist into his mouth , sang funeral verses over him , and then buried him alive before the church doors ; as soon as these rites , so pleasing to the devil were finished , the heavens began to look black , and the sea to be agitated with winds , and anon it rained , and lightned , after a most horrendous manner . smetius in his miscellanies , lib. . relates that a girl foolishly imitating the ceremonies of her nurse , whom she had sometimes seen raising tempests , immediately a prodigious storm of thunder and lightning hapned , so as that a village near lipsia was thereby set on fire ▪ this relation is mentioned by sennertus , as a thing really true . at some places in denmark , it is a common and a wicked practice to buy winds , when they are going to sea● if satan has so far the power of the air as to cause winds , he may cause storms also livy reports concerning romulus , that he was by a tempest of thunder and lightning transported no man knew whither , being after that never heard of . meurerus ( in comment meteorolog . ) speaketh of a man , that going between lipsia and torga , was suddenly carried out of sight by a thunder-storm , and never seen more . and the truth of our assertion , seems to be confirmed by one of those sad effects of lightning mentioned in the precedeing chapter . for i am informed that when matthew cole was killed with the lightning at north-hampton , the d●mon● which disturbed his sister ann cole ( forty miles distant ) in hartford , spoke of it ; intimating their concurrence in that terrible accident . the iewish rabbins affirm , that all great and suddain destructions are from satan , the angel of death . that he has frequently a● hand therein is past doubt . and if the fallen angels are able ( when god shall grant the● a commission ) to cause fearful and 〈◊〉 thunders , it is much more true concerning the good and holy angels , king. . , 〈◊〉 when the law was given at mount 〈◊〉 there were amazing thundrings and lightnings , wherein the great god saw meet to make use of the ministry of holy angels , act. . . gal. . . heb. . . some think that sodom was destroyed by extraordinary lightning . it s certain that holy angels had an hand in effecting that desolation , gen. . . we know that one night the angel of the lord smote in the camp of the assyrians an . it is not improbable , but that those assyrians were killed with lightning : for it was with respect to that tremendous providence , that those words were uttered , who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire , isai. . . ecclesiastical history informs us that the iews being encouraged by the apostate iulian , were resolved to re-build their . temple ; but lightning from heaven consumed not only their work , but all their tools and instruments wherewith that cursed enterprize was to have been carried on , so was their design utterly frustrate . why might not holy angels have an hand in that lightning ? there occurs to my mind , a remarkable passage mentioned by dr. beard in his chapter about the protection of holy angels over them that fear god ( p. . ) he saith , that a certain man travelling between two woods in a great tempest of thunder and lightning , rode under an oak to shelter himself , but his horse would by no means stay under that oak , but whither his master would or no , went from that tree and stayed very quietly under another tree not far off ; he had not been there many minutes before the first oak was torn all to fitters with a fearful clap of thunder and lightning . surely there was the invisible guardianship of an holy angel in that providence . but though it be true , that both natural causes and angels do many times concurre when thunder and lightning , with the awful effects thereof , happen ; nevertheless , the supream cause must not be disackno●ledged . the eternal himself has a mighty hand of providence in such works . he thundreth with the voice of his excellency . among the greeks thunder was stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the scripture calls it the voice of the lord. the god of glory thundereth . the voice of the lord is very powerful , the voice of the lord is full of majesty , the voice of the lord breaketh the cedars , the voice of the lord divideth the flames of fires : lightnings are also said to be the arrows of god , psal. . . upon which account the children of men ought to dread the hand of the highest therein . and the more for that all places in the habitable world are exposed unto dangers and destruction by this artillery of heaven ; though some parts of the earth are naturally subject thereunto more than others . acosta saith , that it seldom thunders about brasil ; but such lightnings are frequent there , as make the night appear brighter than the noon day . travell●rs report , that there are some snowy mountains in africa , on which the cracks of thunder are so loud and vehement , as that they are heard fifty miles off at sea. in some parts of tartaria , it will both snow and thunder at the same time . in the northern climates , there use to be vehement thunders , and men are often struck dead thereby ; in the province of terravara in spain , grows the wood for the cross , to which superstious papists attribute a power to preserve men from thunder . so did the gentiles of old , vainly think to secure themselves from heavens gun-shot , by carrying those things about them , which they supposed would be as amulets to defend them from all harm . the tents of the old emperors were made of seal-leather , because they imagined that the sea-calf could not be thunder-struck . tyberius wore a crown of lawrel upon his head , for that the philosophers told him that the lightning could not hurt the bay tree . r●diginus affirms the like concerning the fig-tree . but others declare that they have seen the laurel smitten and withered with the lightning : therefore the conimbricensian philosophers acknowledge this immunity to be fictitious . the like vanity is in their opinion , who suppose that the stone by philosophers called brontias ( i. e. ) the thunder-bolt will secure them from harm by lightning . to conclude , most miserable is the state of all christless sinners , who know not but that every thunder-storm which comes , may send them to hell in a moment . hi sunt qui trepidant & ad omnia fulgur● pallent , cum tonat , exanimes primo quoque murmure coeli . the psalmist alludes to a thunder● storm , when he saith , the lord will rain upon the wicked snares ( the lightning cometh suddenly , and taketh men as birds in snare before they think of it ) fire and brimstone ▪ and a tempest of horrors , psal. . . the atheism of epicurus of old , ( and of some i● these dayes ) who taught , that inasmuch 〈◊〉 thunder proceeds from natural causes , it is 〈◊〉 childish thing for men to have an awe upo● their hearts when they hear that voice , i say such atheism is folly and wickedness . for the great god maketh the way for the lightning of thunder ; nor does it ever miss or mistake its way , but alwayes lights where god has appointed it , iob . . he directs the lightning under the whole heaven , and unto the ends of the earth ; after it a voice roareth , that they may do whatsoever he commanded them upon the face of the world in the earth , iob . , . yea , and good men should from this consideration be incited to endeavour that their garments be kept from defilement , and that they be alwayes walking with god , since they know not but that death may come upon them suddenly in such a way and by such means as this ; as to outward evils , there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked ; to him that sacrificeth & to him that sacrificeth not , as is the good so is the sinner . the examples mentioned in the proceding chapter do confirm it , since divers of those whom the thunder killed , were good men . and they that are in christ , and who make it their design to live unto god , need not be dismayed at the most terrifying thunder-claps , no more than a child should be afraid when he hears the voice of his loving father . notable is that passage related by mr. ambrose , in his treatise of angels ( p. . & by mr. clark , vol. . p. . ) a prophane man , who was also a persecutor of mr. bolton , riding abroad , it thundred very dreadfully ; at the which the man greatly trembled ; his wife , who was eminent for godliness being with him , asked , why he was so much afraid ? to whom he replied ; are not you afraid to hear these dreadful thunder claps ? no ( saith she ) not at all , for i know it is the voice of my heavenly father ; and should a child be afraid to hear , his fathers voice ? at the which the man was amazed , concluding with himself , these puritans have a divine principle in them , which the world seeth not , that they should have peace and serenity in their souls when others are filled with dismal fears and horrors . he thereupon went to mr. bolton , bewailing the wrong he had done him , begging his pardon and prayers , and that he would tell him what he must do that so his soul might be saved : and he became a very godly man ever after . this was an happy thunder-storm . chap. v. concerning things preternatural which have hapned in new-england . a remarkable relation about ann cole of hartford . concerning several witches in that colony . of the possessed maid at groton . an account of the house in newberry lately troubled with a daemon . a parallel story of an house at tedworth in england . concerning another in hartford . and of one in portsmouth in new-england lately disquieted by evil spitits . the relation of a woman at barwick in new-england molested with apparitions , and sometimes tormented by invisible agents . inasmuch as things which are praeternatural , and not accomplished without diabolical operation , do more rarely happen , it is pity but that they should be observed . several accidents of that kind have hapned in new-england ; which i shall here faithfully relate so far as i have been able to come unto the knowledge of them . very remarkable was that providence wherein ann cole of hartford in new-england was concerned . she was , and is accounted a person of real piety and integrity . nevertheless , in the year . then living in her fathers house ( who has likewise been esteemed a godly man ) she was taken with very strange fits , wherein her tongue was improved by a daemon to express things which she her self knew nothing of . sometimes the discourse would hold for a considerable time . the general purpose of which was , that such and such persons ( who were named in the discourse which passed from her ) were consulting how they might carry on mischievous designs against her and several others , mentioning sundry wayes they should take for that end , particularly that they would afflict her body , spoil her name , &c. the general answer made amongst the daemons , was , she runs to the rock . this having been continued some hours , the d●mons said , let us confound her language , that she may tell n● more tales . she uttered matters unintel●igible . and then the discourse passed into a dutch-tone ( a dutch family then lived in the town ) and therein an account was given of some afflictions that had befallen divers ; amongst others , what had befallen a woman that lived next neighbour to the dutch family , whose arms had been strangely pinched in the night , declaring by whom ▪ and for what cause that course had been taken with her . the reverend mr. stone ( then teacher of the church in hartford ) being by , when the discourse hapned , declared , that he thought it impossible for one not familiarly acquainted with the dutch ( which ann cole had not in the least been ) should so exactly imitate the dutch-tone in the pronunciation of english. several worthy persons , ( viz. mr. iohn whiting , mr. samuel hooker , and mr. ioseph hains ) wrote the intelligible sayings expressed by ann cole , whilest she was thus amazingly handled . the event was that one of the persons ( whose name was greensmith ) being a lewd and ignorant woman , and then in prison on suspicion for witch-craft ) mentioned in the discourse as active in the mischiefs done and designed , was by the magistrate sent for ; mr. whiting and mr. haines read what they had written ; and the woman being astonished thereat , confessed those tings to be true , and that she and other persons named in this preternatural discourse , had had familiarity with the devil : being asked whether she had made an express covenant with him ; she answered , she had not , only as she promised to go with him when he called , which accordingly she had sundry times done ; and that the devil told her that at christmass they would have a merry meeting , and then the covenant between them should be subscribed . the next day she was more particularly enquired of concerning her guil●●especting the crime she was accused with . she then acknowledged , that though when mr. hains began to read what he had taken down in writing , her rage was such that she could have torn him in pieces , and was as resolved as might be to deny her guilt ( as she had done before ) yet after he had read awhile , she was ( to use her own expression ) as if her flesh had been pulled from her bones , and so could not deny any longer : she likewise declared , that the devil first appeared to her in the form of a deer or fawn , skipping about her , where with she was not much affrighted , and that by degrees he became very familiar , and at last would talk with her . moreover , she said that the devil had frequently the carnal knowledge of her body . and that the witches had meetings at a place not far from her house ; and that some appeared in one shape , and others in another ; and one came flying amongst them in the shape of a crow . upon this confession , with other concurrent evidence , the woman was executed ; so likewise was her husband , though he did not acknowledge himself guilty . other persons accused in the discourse made their escape . thus doth the devil use to serve his clients . after the suspected witches were either executed or fled , ann cole was restored to health , and has continued well for many years , approving her self a serious christian. there were some that had a mind to try whither the stories of witches not being able to sink under water , were true ; and accordingly a man and woman mentioned in an cole's dutch-toned discourse , had their hands and feet tyed , and so were cast into the water , and they both apparently swam after the manner of a buoy , part under , part above the water . a by-stander imagining that any person bound in that posture would be so born up , offered himself for trial , but being in the like maner gently laid on the the water , he immediately sunk right down . this was no legal evidence against the suspected persons ; nor were they proceeded against on any such account ; however doubting that an halter would choak them , though the water would not ; they very fairly took their flight , not having been seen in that part of the world since . whether this experiment were lawful , or rather superstitious and magical , we shall ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) enquire afterwards . another thing which caused a noise in the countrey , and wherein satan had undoubtedly a great influence , was , that which hapned at groton . there was a maid in that town ( one elizabeth knap ) who in the moneth of october , anno. . was taken after a very strange manner , sometimes weeping , sometimes laughing , sometimes roaring hideously , with violent motions and agitations of her body , crying out money , money , &c. in november following , her tongue for many hours together was drawn like a semicircle up to the roof of her mouth , not to be removed , though some tried with their fingers to do it . six men were scarce able to hold her in some of her fits , but she would skip about the house yelling and looking with a most frightful aspect . december . her tongue was drawn out of her mouth to an extraordinary length ; and now a daemon began manifestly to speak in her . many words were uttered wherein are the labial letters , without any motion of her lips , which was a clear demonstration that the voice was not her own . sometimes words were spoken seeming to proceed out of her throat , when her mouth was shut . sometimes with her mouth wide open , without the use of any of the organs of speech . the things then uttered by the devil were chiefly railings and revilings of mr. willard ( who was at that time a worthy and faithful pastor to the church in groton . ) also the daemon belched forth most horrid and nefandous blasphemies , exalting himself above the most high. after this she was taken speechless for some time . one thing more is worthy of remark concerning this miserable creature . she cried out in some of her fits , that a woman , ( one of her neighbours ) appeared to her , and was the cause of her affliction . the person thus accused was a very sincere , holy woman , who did hereupon with the advice of friends visit the poor wretch ; and though she was in one of her fits , having her eyes shut , when the innocent person impeached by her came in ; yet could she ( so powerful were satans operations upon her ) declare who was there , and could tell the touch of that woman from any one 's else . but the gracious party thus accused and abused by a malicious devil , prayed earnestly with and for the possessed creature ; after which she confessed that satan had deluded her ; making her believe evil of her good neighbour without any cause . nor did she after that complain of any apparition or disturbance from such an one . yea , she said , that the devil had himself in the likeness and shape of divers tormented her , and then told her it was not he but they that did it . as there have been ●●veral persons vexed with evil spirits , so divers houses have been wofully haunted by them . in the year , the house of william morse in newberry in new-england , was strangely disquieted by a daemon . after those troubles began , he did by the advice of friends write down the particulars of those unusual accidents . and the account which he giveth thereof is as followeth ; on december . in the night time , he and his wife heard a noise upon the roof of their house , as if sticks and stones had been thrown against it with great violence ; whereupon ●e rose out of his bed , but could see nothing . lo●k●ng the doors fast , he returned to bed again . about midnight they heard an hog making a great noise in the house , so that the man rose again , and found a great hog in the house , the door being shut , but upon the opening of the door it ran●out . on december . in the morning , the●● were five great stones and bricks by an invisible hand thrown in at the west end of th● house while the mans wife was making the bed , the bedstead was lifted up from the floor , and the bedstaff flung out of the window , and a cat was hurled at her ; a long staff danced up and down in the chimney ; a burnt brick , and a piece of a weather-board were thrown in at the window : the man at his going to bed put out his lamp , but in the morning found that the saveall of it was taken away , and yet it was unaccountably brought into its former place . on the same day , the long staff but now spoken of , was hang'd up by a line , and swung to and fro , the man's wife laid it in the fire , but she could not hold it there , inasmuch as it would forcibly fly out ; yet after much ado with joynt strength they made it to burn . a shingle flew from the window , though no body near it , many sticks came in at the same place , only one of these was so scragged that it could enter the hole but a little way , whereupon the man pusht it out , a great rail likewise was thrust in at the window , so as to break the glass . at another time an iron crook that was hanged on a nail , violently flew up and down ▪ also a chair flew about , and at last lighted on the table where victuals stood ready for them to eat , and was likely to spoil all , only by a nimble catching they saved some of their meal with the loss of the rest , and the overturning of their table . people were sometimes barricado'd out of doors , when as yet there was no body to do it : and a chest was removed from place to place , no hand touching it . their keys being tied together , one was taken from the rest , & the remaining two would fly about making a loud noise by knocking against each other . but the greatest part of this devils feats were his mischievous ones , wherein indeed he was sometimes antick enough too , and therein the chief sufferers were , the man and his wife , and his grand-son . the man especially had his share in these diabolical molestations . for one vvhile they could not eat their suppers quietly , but had the ashes on the hearth before their eyes thrown into their victuals ; yea , and upon their heads and clothes , insomuch that they were forced up into their chamber , and yet they had no rest there ; for one of the man's shoes being left below , 't was filled vvith ashes and coals , and throvvn up after them . their light was beaten out , and they being laid in their bed with their little boy betvveen them , a great stone ( from the floor-of the loft ) vveighing above three pounds vvas throvvn upon th● mans stomach , and he turning it down upon the floor , it was once more thrown upon him . a box , and a board were likewise thrown upon them all . and a bag of hops was taken out of their chest , wherewith they were beaten , till some of the hops were scattered on the floor , where the bag was then laid , and left . in another evening , when they sat by the fire , the ashes were so whirled at them , that they could neither eat their meat , nor endure the house . a peel struck the man in the face . an apron hanging by the fire , was flung upon it , and singed before they could snatch it off . the man being at prayer with his family , a beesom gave him a blow on his head behind , and fell down before his face . on another day , when they were winnowing of barley , some hard dirt was thrown in , hitting the man on the head , and both the man and his wife on the back ; and when they had made themselves clean , they essayed to fill their half bushel but the foul corn was in spite of them often cast in amongst the clean , and the man being divers times thus abused was forced to give over what he was about . on ianuary ( in particular ) the man had an iron pin twice thrown at him , and his inkhorn was taken away from him while he was writing , and when by all his seeking it he could not find it , at last he saw it drop out of the air , down by the fire : a piece of leather was twice thrown at him ; and a shoe was laid upon his shoulder , which he catching at , was suddenly rapt from him . an handful of ashes was thrown at his face , and upon his clothes : and the shoe was then clapt upon his head , and upon it he clapt his hand , holding it so fast , that somewhat unseen pulled him with it backward on the floor . on the next day at night , as they wer● going to bed , a lost ladder was thrown against the door , and their light put out ; and when the man was a bed , he was beaten with an heavy pair of leather breeches , and pull'd by the hair of his head and beard , pinched and scratched , and his bed-board was taken away from him ; yet more in the next night , when the man was likewise 〈◊〉 bed ; his bed-board did rise out of its place , notwithstanding his putting forth all hi● strength to keep it in ; one of his 〈◊〉 brought out of the next room into his bed ▪ and did prick him ; the clothes wherewith he hoped to save his head from blows we●● violently pluckt from thence . within a nig●●● or two after , the man and his wife received both of them a blow upon their heads , but it was so dark that they could not see the stone which gave it ; the man had his cap pulled off from his head while he sat by the fire . the night following , they went to bed undressed , because of their late disturbances , and the man , wife , boy , presently felt themselves pricked , and upon search found in the bed a bodkin , a knitting needle , and two sticks picked at both ends . he received also a great blow , as on his thigh , so on his face , which fetched blood : and while he was writing a candlestick was twice thrown at him , and a great piece of bark fiercely smote him , and a pail of water turned up without hands . on the of the mentioned moneth , frozen clods of cow-dung were divers times thrown at the man out of the house in which they were ; his wife went to milk the cow , and received a blow on her head , and sitting down at her milking-work had cow-dung divers times thrown into her pail , the man tried to save the milk , by holding a piggin side-wayes under the cowes belly , but the dung would in for all , and the milk was only made fit for hogs . on that night ashes were thrown into the porridge which they had made ready for their supper , so as that they could not eat it ; ashes were likewise often thrown into the man's eyes , as he sat by the fire . and an iron hammer flying at him , gave him a great blow on his back ; the man's wife going into the cellar for beer , a great iron peel flew and fell after her through the trap-door of the cellar ; and going afterwards on the same errand to the same place , the door shut down upon her , and the table came and lay upon the door , and the man was forced to remove it e're his wife could be released from where she was ; on the following day while he was writing , a dish went out of its place , leapt into the pale , and cast water upon the man , his paper , his table , and disappointed his procedure in what he was about ; his cap jumpt off from his head , and on again , and the pot-lid leapt off from the pot into the kettle on the fire . february . while he and his boy were eating of cheese , the pieces which he cut were wrested from them , but they were afterwards found upon the table under an apron , and a pair of breeches : and also from the fire arose little sticks and ashes , which flying upon the man and his boy , brought them into an uncomfortable pickle ; but as for the boy which the last passage spoke of , there remains much to be said concerning him , an● a principal sufferer in these afflictions : for on the . of december , he sitting by his grandfather , was hurried into great motions and the man thereupon took him , and made him stand between his legs , but the chair danced up and down , and had like to have cast both man and boy into the fire : and the child was afterwards flung about in such a manner , as that they feared that his brains would have been beaten out ; and in the evening he was tossed as afore , and the man tried the project of holding him , but ineffectually . the lad was soon put to bed , and they presently heard an huge noise , and demanded what was the matter ? and he answered that his bed-stead leaped up and down : and they ( i. e. the man and his wife ) went up , and at first found all quiet , but before they had been there long , they saw the board by his bed trembling by him , and the bed-clothes flying off him , the latter they laid on immediately , but they were no sooner on than off ; so they took him out of his bed for quietness . december . the boy was violently thrown to and fro , only they carried him to the house of a doctor in the town , and there he was free from disturbances , but returning home at night , his former trouble began and the man taking him by the hand ▪ they were both of them almost tript into the fire . they put him to bed , and he was attended with the same iterated loss of his clothes . shaking off his bed-board , and noises , that he had in his last conflict ; they took him up , designing to sit by the fire , but the doors clattered , and the chair was thrown at him , wherefore they carried him to the doctors house , and so for that night all was well . the next morning he came home quiet , but as they were doing somewhat , he cried out that he was prickt on the back , they looked , and found a three-tin'd fork sticking strangely there ; which being carried to the doctors house , not only the doctor himself said that it was his , but also the doctors servant affirmed it was seen at home after the boy was gone . the boys vexations continuing , they left him at the doctors , where he remained well till awhile after , and then he complained he was pricked , they looked and found an iron spindle sticking below his back ; he complained he was pricked still , they looked , and found pins in a paper sticking to his skin ; he once more complained of his back , they looked , and found there a long iron , a bowl of a spoon , and a piece of a pansheard . they lay down by him on the bed , with the light burni●g , but he was twice thrown from them , and the second time thrown quite under the bed ; in the morning the bed was tossed about with such a creaking noise , as was heard to the neighbours ; in the afternoon their knives were one after another brought , and put into his back , but pulled out by the spectators ; only one knife which was missing seemed to the standers by to come out of his mouth : he was bidden to read his book , was taken and thrown about several times , at last hitting the boys grandmother on the head . another time he was thrust out of his chair and rolled up and down with out cries , that all things were on fire ; yea , he was three times very dangerously thrown into the fire , and preserved by his friends with much ado . the boy also made for a long time together a noise like a dog , and like an hen with her chickens , and could not speak rationally . particularly , on december . he barked like a dog , and clock't like an hen , and after long distraining to speak , said , there 's powel , i am pinched ; his tongue likewise hung out of his mouth , so as that it could by no means be forced in till his fit was over , and then he said 't was forced out by powel . he & the house also after this ●●d rest till the ninth of ianuary : at which time because of his intolerable ravings , and because the child lying between the man and his wife , was pulled out of bed , and knockt so vehemently against the bed-stead boards , in a manner very perillous and amazing . in the day time he was carried away beyond all possibility of their finding him . his grandmother at last saw him creeping on one side , and drag'd him in , where he lay miserable lame , but recovering his speech , he said , that he was carried above the doctors●house , and that powel carried him , and that the said powel had him into the barn , throwing him against the cart-wheel there , and then thrusting him out at an hole ; and accordingly they found some of the remainders of the threshed barley which was on the barn-floor hanging to his clothes . at another time he fell into a swoon , they forced somewhat refreshing into his mouth , and it was turned out as fast as they put it in ; e're long he came to himself , and expressed some willingness to eat , but the meat would forcibly fly out of his mouth ; and when he was able to speak , he said powel would not let him eat : having found the boy to be best at a neighbours house , the man carried him to his daughters , three miles from his own . the boy was growing antick as he was on the journey , but before the end of it he made a grievous hollowing , and when he lighted , he threw a great stone at a maid in the house , and fell on eating of ashes . being at home afterwards , they had rest awhile , but on the of ianuary in the morning he swooned , and coming to himself , he roared terribly , and did eat ashes , sticks , rug-yarn . the morning following , there was such a racket with the boy , that the man and his wife took him to bed to them . a bed-staff was thereupon thrown at them , and a chamber pot with its contents was thrown upon them , and they were severely pinched . the man being about to rise , his clothes were divers times pulled from them , himself thrust out of his bed , and his pillow thrown after him . the lad also would have his clothes plucked off from him in these winter nights , and was wofully dogg'd with such fruits of devilish spite , till it pleased god to shorten the chain of the wicked daemon . all this while the devil did not use to appear in any visible shape , only they would think they had hold of ▪ the hand that sometimes scratched them ; but it would give them the slip . and once the man was discernably beaten by a fist , and an hand got hold of his wrist which he saw , but could not catch ; and the likeness of a blackmore child did appear from under the rugg and blanket , where the man lay , and it would rise up , fall down , nod & slip under the clothes when they endeavoured to clasp it , never speaking any thing . neither were there many words spoken by satan all this time , only once having put out their light , they heard a scraping on the boards , and then a piping and drumming on them , which was followed with a voice , singing revenge ! revenge ! sweet is revenge ! and they being well terrified with it , called upon god ; the issue of which was , that suddenly with a mournful note , there were six times over uttered such expressions as alas ! alas ! me knock no more ! me knock no more ! and now all ceased . the man does moreover affirm , that a seaman ( being a mate of a ship ) coming often to visit him , told him that they wronged his wife who suspected her to be guilty of witchraft ; and that the boy ( his grandchild ) was the cause of this trouble ; and that if he would let him have the boy one day , he would warrant him his house should be no more troubled as it had been ; to which motion he consented . the mate came the next day betimes , and the boy was with him until night ; after which his house he saith was not for some time molested with evil spirits . thus far is the relation concerning the daemon at william morse his house in newbery . the true reason of these strange disturbances is as yet not certainly known : some ( as has been hinted ) did suspect morse's wife to be guilty of witchcraft . one of the neighbours took apples which were brought out of that house and put them into the fire ; upon which they say , their houses were much disturbed . another of the neighbours , caused an horse-shoe to be nailed before the doors , & as long as it remained so , they could not perswade the suspected person to go into the house ; but when the horse-shoe was gone , she presently visited them . i shall not here inlarge upon the vanity and superstition of those experiments , reserving that for another place : all that i shall say at present is , that the daemons whom the blind gentiles of old worshipped , told their servants , that such things as these would very much affect them ; yea , and that certain characters , signs and charms would render their power ineffectual ; and accordingly they would become subject , when their own directions were obeyed . it is sport to the devils when they see silly men thus deluded and made fools of by them . others were apt to think that a seaman by some suspected to be a conjurer , set the devil on work thus to disquiet morse's family . or it may be some other thing as yet kept hid in the secrets of providence might be the true original of all this trouble . a disturbance not much unlike to this hapned above twenty years ago , at an house in tedworth , in the county of wilts in england , which was by wise men judged to proceed from conjuration . mr. mompesson of tedworth being in march . at lungershall , and hearing a drum beat there , he demanded of the bailiff of the town what it meant , who told him , they had for some dayes been troubled with an idle drummer , pretending authority , and a pass under the hands of some gentlemen . mr. mompesson reading his pass , and knowing the hands of those gentlemen , whose names were pretended to be subscribed , discovered the cheat , and commanded the vagrant to put off his drum , and ordered a constable to secure him : but not long after he got clear of the constable . in april following , mr. momposson's house was much disturbed with knocking 's , and with drummings ; for an hour together a daemon would beat round-heads and cuckolds , the tattoo and several other points of war as well as any drummer . on november . the daemon made a great noise in the house , and caused some boards therein to move to and fro in the day time when there was an whole room full of people present . at his departure , he left behind him a sulphurous smell , which was very offensive . the next night , chairs walked up and down the room ; the childrens shoes were hurled over their heads . the minister of the town being there , a bed-staff was thrown at him , and hit him on the leg , but without the least hurt . in the latter end of december , . they heard a noise like the jingling of money , the occasion of which was thought to be , some words spoken the night before , by one in the family ; who said that faires used to leave money behind them , and they wished it might be so now . in ianuary lights were seen in the house , which seemed blue and glimmering , and caused a great stiffness in the eyes of them that saw them . one in the room ( by what authority i cannot tell ) said , satan , if the drummer set thee a work give three knocks and no more , which was done accordingly . once when it was very sharp severe weather , the room was suddenly filled with a noisome smell , and was very hot though without fire . this daemon would play some nasty and many ludicrous foolish tricks . it would empty chamber-pots into the beds ; and fill porringers with ashes . sometimes it would not suffer any light to be in the room , but would carry them away up the chimney . mr. mompesson coming one morning into his stable , found his horse on the ground , having one of his hinder legs in his mouth , and so fastened there , that it was difficult for several men with a leaver to get it out . a smith lodging in the house , heard a noise in the room , as if one had been shoeing an horse , and somewhat come as it were with a pincers snipping at the smith's nose , most part of the night . the drummer was under vehement suspicion for a conjurer . he was condemned to transportation . all the time of his restraint and absence , the house was quiet . see mr. glanvil's collection of modern relations , p. . &c. but i proceed to give an account of some other things lately hapning in new-england , which were undoubtedly praeternatural , and not without diabolical operation . the last year did afford several instances , not unlike unto those which have been mentioned . for then nicholas desborough of hartford in new-england , was strangely molested by stones , pieces of earth , cobs of indian corn , &c. falling upon and about him , which sometimes came in through the door , sometimes through the window , sometimes down the chimney , at other times they seemed to fall from the floor of the chamber , which yet was very close ; sometimes he met with them in his shop , the yard , the barn , and in the field at work . in the house , such things hapned frequently , not only in the night but in the day time , if the man himself was at home , but never when his wife was at home alone . there was no great violence in the motion , though several persons of the family , and others also were struck with the things that were thrown by an invisible hand , yet they were not hurt thereby . only the man himself had once his arm somewhat pained by a blow given him ; and at another time , blood was drawn from one of his legs by a scratch given it . this molestation began soon after a controversie arose between desborough and another person , about a chest of clothes which the other said that desberough did unrighteously retain : and so it continued for some moneths ( though with several intermissions . ) in the latter end of the last year , when also the man's barn was burned with the corn in it ; but by what means it came to pass is not known . not long after , some to whom the matter was referred , ordered desberough to restore the clothes to the person who complained of wrong ; since which he hath not been troubled as before . some of the stones hurled were of considerable bigness ; one of them weighed four pounds , but generally the stones were not great , but very small ones . one time a piece of clay came down the chimney , falling on the table which stood at some distance from the chimney . the people of the house threw it on the hearth , where it lay a considerable time : they went to their supper , and whilest at their supper , the piece of clay was lifted up by an invisible hand , and fell upon the table ; taking it up , they found it hot , having lain so long before the fire , as to cause it to be hot . another providence no less remarkable than this last mentioned , hapned at portsmouth in new-england , about the same time : concerning which i have received the following account from a worthy hand . on iune . . being the lords day , at night showers of stones were thrown both against the sides and roof of the house of george walton : some of the people went abroad , found the gate at some distance from the house , wrung off the hinges , and stones came thick about them : sometimes falling down by them , sometimes touching them without any hurt done to them , though they seemed to come with great force , yet did no more but softly touch them ; stones flying about the room the doors being shut . the glass-windows shattered to pieces by stones that seemed to come not from without but within ; the lead of the glass casements , window-bars , &c. being driven forcibly outwards , and so standing bent . while the secretary was walking in the room a great hammer came brusling along against the chamber floor that was over his head , and fell down by him . a candlestick beaten off the table . they took up nine of the stones and marked them , and laid them on the table , some of them being as hot as if they came out of the fire ; but some of those mark't stones were found flying about again . in this manner , abou● four hours space that night : the secretary then went to bed , but a stone came and broke up his chamber-door , being put to ( not lockt ) a brick was sent upon the like errand . the abovesaid stone the secretary lockt up in his chamber , but it was fetched out , and carried with great noise into the next chamber . the spit was carried up chimney , and came down with the point forward , and stuck in the back-log , and being removed by one of the company to one side of the chimney , was by an unseen hand thrown out at window . this trade was driven on the next day , and so from day to day , novv and then there would be some intermission , and then to it again . the stones vvere most frequent vvhere the master of the house vvas , vvhether in the field or barn , &c. a black cat vvas seen once vvhile the stones came , and vvas shot at , but she vvas too nimble for them . some of the family say , that they once savv the appearance of an hand put forth at the hall windovv , throvving stones tovvards the entry , though there vvas no body in the hall the vvhile : sometimes a dismal hollovv vvhistling vvould be heard ; sometimes the noise of the trotting of an horse , and snorting , but nothing seen . the man went up the great bay in his boat to a farm he had there , and while haling wood or timber to the boat he was disturbed by the stones as before at home . he carried a stirrup iron from the house down to the boat , and there left it ; but while he was going up to the house , the iron came jingling after him through the woods , and returned to the house , and so again , and at last went away , and was heard of no more . their anchor leapt over-board several times as they were going home and stopt the boat . a cheese hath been taken out of the press and crumbled all over the floor . a piece of iron with which they weighed up the cheese-press stuck into the wall , and a kittle hung up thereon . several cocks of english-hay mowed near the house , were taken and hung upon trees ; and some made into small whisps , and put all up and down the kitchin , cum multis aliis , &c. after this manner , have they been treated ever since at times ; it were endless to particularize . of late they thought the bitterness of death had been past , being quiet for sundry dayes and nights : but last week we●e some returnings again ; and this week ( aug. . . ) as bad or worse than ever . the man is sorely hurt with some of the stones that came on him , and like to feel the effects of them for many dayes . thus far is that relation . i am moreover informed , that the daemon was quiet all the last winter , but in the spring he began to play some ludicrous tricks , carrying away some axes that were locked up safe . this last summer he has not made such disturbances as formerly . but of this no more at present . there have been strange and true reports concerning a woman now living near the salmon falls in barwick ( formerly called kittery ) unto whom evil spirits have sometimes visibly appeared ; and she has sometimes been sorely tormented by invisible hands : concerning all which , an intelligent person has sent me the following narrative . a brief narrative of sundry apparitions of satan unto and assaults at sundry times and places upon the person of mary the wife of antonio hortado , dwelling near the salmon falls : taken from her own mouth , aug. . . in iune . ( the day forgotten ) at evening , the said mary heard a voice at the door of her dwelling , saying , what do you here ? about an hour after , standing at the door of her house , she had a blow on her eye that settled her head near to the door-post , and two or three dayes after , a stone , as she judged about half a pound or a pound weight was thrown along the house within into the chimney , and going to take it up it was gone ; all the family was in the house , and no hand appearing which might be instrumental in throwing the stone . about two hours after , a frying-pan then hanging in the chimney was heard to ring so loud , that not only those in the house heard it , but others also that lived on the other side of the river near an hundred rods distant or more . whereupon the said mary and her husband going in a cannoo over the river , they saw like the head of a man new-shorn , and the tail of a white cat about two or three foot distance from each other , swimming over before the cannoo , but no body appeared to joyn head and tail together ; and they returning over the river in less than an hours time , the said apparition followed their cannoo back again , but disappeared at landing . a day or two after , the said mary was stricken on her head ( as she judged ) with a stone , which caused a swelling and much soreness on her head , being then in the yard by her house , and she presentl● entring into her house was bitten on both arms black and blue , and one of he● b●easts scratched ; the impressions of the teeth being like mans teeth , were plainly seen by many : whereupon deserting their house to sojourn at a neighbours on the other side of the river , there appeared to said mary in the house of her sojourning , a woman clothed with a green safeguard , a short blue cloak , and a white cap , making a profer to strike her with a fire-brand , but struck her not . the day following the same shape appeared again to her , but now arrayed with a gray gown , white apron , and white head-clothes , in appearance laughing several times , but no voice heard . since when said mary has been freed from those satanical molestations . but the said antonio being returned in march last with his family , to dwell again in his own house , and on his entrance there , hearing the noise of a man walking in his chamber , and seeing the boards buckle under his feet as he walked , though no man to be seen in the chamber ( for they went on purpose to look ) he returned with his family to dwell on the other side of the river ; yet planting his ground though he forsook his house , he hath had five rods of good log-fence thrown down at once , the feeting of neat cattle plainly to be seen almost between every row of corn in the field yet no cattle seen there , nor any damage done to his corn , not so much as any of the leaves of the corn cropt . thus far is that narrative . i am further informed , that some ( who should have been wiser ) advised the poor woman to stick the house round with bayes , as an effectual preservative against the power of evil spirits . this counsel was followed . and as long as the bayes continued green , she had quiet ; but when they began to wither , they were all by an unseen hand carried away , and the woman again tormented . it is observable , that at the same time three houses in three several towns should be molested by daemons , as has now been related . chap. vi. that there are daemons . and possessed persons . signs of such . some mad men are really possessed . notwithstanding many fabulous stories about witchcrafts . that there are witches proved by three arguments . that houses are sometimes troubled by evil spirits . witchcraft often the cause of it . sometimes by the devil without witchcraft ; ordered by providence as punishment for sin. the disturbance in waltons house further considered , with a parallel story . that the things related in the preceding chapter were undoubtedly praeternatural and diabolical . the sadduces of those dayes being like unto avic●nna , and averroes , and other atheistical philosophers in former times ; say that there are no spirits , and that all stories concerning them are either fabulous or to be ascribed unto natural causes . amongst many others , the learned voetius ( in disp . de operationibus daemonum ) has sufficiently refuted them . and as the experience of other ages and places of the world ; so the things which divine providence hath permitted and ordered to come to pass amongst our selves ( if the scriptures were silent ) make it manifest beyond all contradiction , that there are devils infesting this lower world. most true it is , that satan and all his wicked angels are limited by the providence of god : so as that they cannot hurt any man or creature , much less any servant of his , without a commission from him , whose kingdom is over all . it is a memorable passage , which chytraeus relateth concerning luther , that when he was sought after by his popish and implacable enemies ( being then hid by the duke of saxony ) they consulted with magicians that so they might find where luther absconded , but the wizzards confessed they could not discover him . undoubtedly the devils knew where luther hid himself ; only god would not suffer them to reveal it . nevertheless , the lord doth for wise and holy ends , sometimes lengthen the chain which the infernal lions are bound fast in . and as there are many tremendous instances confirming the truth hereof , so that of satan's taking bodily possession of men , is none of the least . sometimes indeed it is very hard to discern between natural diseases and satanical possessions ; so as that persons really possessed have been thought to be only molested with some natural disease , without any special finger of the evil spirit therein . fernelius ( de abditis rerum causis , lib. . cap. . ) speaketh of a certain young gentleman , that was taken with strange convulsions , which did surprize him at least ten times in a day . in his fits he had the use of his speech and reason free . otherwise his disease would have been judged no other than an ordinary epilepsy . much means was used by skilful physitians for his relief , but without success for three moneths together ; when all on a sudden , a daemon began to speak out of the miserable patient ; and that with not only latin but greek sentences , which the afflicted party himself had no knowledge of ; and the daemon discovered many secrets both of the physitians and of other persons that attended , deriding them for their vain attempts to cure a man whom he had the possession of . there are sundry authors ( in special balduinus in his cases of conscience , and darrel in his history of the seven possessed persons in lancashire ) who have endeavoured to describe and characterise possessed persons . and such particulars as these following are by them mentioned as signs of possession . . if the party concerned shall reveal secret things , either past or future , which without supernatural assistance could not be known , it argueth possession . . if he does speak with strange languages , or discover skill in arts and sciences never learned by him . . if he can bear burthens , and do things which are beyond humane strength . . uttering words without making use of the organs of speech , when persons shall be heard speaking , and yet neither their lips nor tongues have any motion , t is a sign that an evil spirit speaketh in them . . when the body is become inflexible . . when the belly is on a sudden puft up , and instantly flat again . these are thought to be certain arguments of an energumenical person . some other signs are mentioned by thyraeus ( de obsessis part . cap. , . ) there are who conceive ( and that as they suppose upon scripture grounds : ) that men may possibly be daemoniacal , when none of those mentioned particulars can be affirmed of them . the excellently learned and judicious mr. mede , is of opinion , that the daemoniacks whom we read so frequently of in the new-testament , were the same with epilepticks , lunaticks , and mad men. the turks at this day have their mad men in great veneration , supposing them to be acted by a spirit , but they ( in that being themselves mad ) take it to be a good when as 't is an evil spirit that does operate in such persons . and that the iews of old did look upon maniacks to be possessed with an evil spirit , is evident from that expression of theirs , ioh. . . he hath a devil and is mad. moreover , we read of one , mat. . . that was lunatick , and did oft fall into the fire , and oft into the water . now that this lunatick person was a daemoniack is clear from ver . . where t is said , that iesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him . and of the same person t is said , in luk. . a spirit taketh him and teareth him . so beza and heinsius , in mat. . . & . . it has been commonly said that in christs time more persons were possessed with evil spirits than ever was known before or since ; but if that were so , the iews , and probably some historians would have noted it as a thing strange and extraordinary ; whenas we read of no such observation to be made on those times . and saith mr. mede , ( in his discourse on iohn . . ) if those possessed persons were not such as we now adayes conceive to be no other than mad men , the world must be supposed to be well rid of devils , which for my part i believe it is not . there is in special , a sort of melancholy madness , which is called lycanthropia , or lupina insania , h. e. when men imagine themselves to be turned into wolves or other beasts . hippocrates relates concerning the daughters of king praetus , that they thought themselves kine . wierus ( de praestigiis daemonum , l. . c. . ) speaketh of one in padua , that would not believe to the contrary but that he was a wolf : and of a spaniard , who thought himself a bear. euwichius ( and from him horestus ) writeth of a man that was found in a barn under the hay , howling and saying he was a wolf. the foolish rusticks , who surprized him , began to flay him , that so they might see if he had not hair growing on the inside of his skin .. forestus has many instances to this purpose . heurnius saith , that it is a disease frequent in bohemia and hungaria . no doubt but this disease gave occasion to pliny's assertion , that some men in his time were turned into wolves , and from wolves into men again . hence was ovid's fable of lycaon , and the tale of pausanias , being ten years a wolf , and then a man again . he that would see more instances , may read austin de civ . dei. l. . c. . burton of melancholly . pag. . they that are subject unto this malady , for the most partly hid all the day , and go abroad in the night , barking and howling at graves and in desarts . we may suppose that nebuchadnezzar was troubled with this disease . and that such persons are molested with a daemon is evident from luk . . with mark. . , . the possessed person there spoken of was lycanthropos . there are that acknowledge the existence of spirits , and that the bodies of men are sometimes really possessed thereby ; who nevertheless will not believe there are any such woful creatures in rerum naturâ , as witches , or persons confoederate with the devil . i have read of a famous wizard , whose name was william de lure , that after he had laboured much in opposing their opinion , who think that there are men on earth joyned in an explicit confoederacy with the fiends of hell , was himself convicted and condemned for that crime which he designed to make the world believe that no man was or could be guilty of . i shall not suspect all those as guilty of witchcraft , nor yet of heresie , who call the received opinion about witches into question . there are four or five english writers , viz. mr. scot , ady , and of late wagstaff and webster , and another anonymous author ; who do with great vehemence affirm that never any did maintain that familiarity with the evil spirits , which is commonly believed . wierus ( otherwise a judicious author ) conceiveth that all those things supposed to be done by witches are done by the evil spirits themselves , without any confoederates . but he is sufficiently refuted by binsfieldius , bodinus , sennertus , and others . true it is , that many things have been looked upon as proceding from witchcraft , when it has not been so . the sympathies and antipathies of nature have sometimes been esteemed the effects of witchcraft . a sympathetical powder , made without any magical ceremonies has done strange things , so as that the artist which used it , has upon that account been suspected of witchcraft . a man may easily by such natural magick , as is described by porta , and by weckerus de secretis make the ignorant beheve he is a wizard . it is also true , that the world is full of fabulous stories concerning some kind of familiarities with the devil , and things done by his help , which are beyond the power of creatures to accomplish . what fables are there concerning incubi and succubae , and of men begotten by daemons ? no doubt but the devil may delude the fancy that one of his vassals shall think ( as the witch at hartford did ) that he has carnal and cursed communion with them , beyond what is real . nor is it impossible for him to assume a dead body , or to form a lifeless one out of the elements , and therewith to make his witches become guilty of sodomy . austin saith , they are impudent who deny this . but to imagine that spirits shall really generate bodies , is irrational . i am not ignorant , that that there have been men in the world ( more than one or two ) pretended to be thus begotten and born . thus doth niderius affirm concerning all the old inhabitants of the isle of cyprus . the like has been reported concerning arcturus , and concerning our british merlin . yea , the gentiles believed that homer , aeneas , hercules , and others were begotten by daemons ; whom thereupon they esteemed as semidei . and olympias the mother of alexander the great , supposed her self to be with child by iupiter hammon . when her husband king philip of macedon was absent from her , nectanebus ( an egyptian prince and a great magician ) sent her word that iupiter would embrace her , and that he would come to her such a night in the form of a dragon ; at the time appointed nectanebus himself by his magical impostures made olympias believe that a dragon was in the room , and so did himself do that which the deluded queen thought iupiter had done . i doubt not but that merlin and others imagined to come into the world not in the usual way , were the sons of daemons just as alexander was . it has been a received maxim , that though the devil may by his art produce insects and vermin ( to the generation whereof a seminal vertue is not alwayes necessary ) yet he cannot bring forth a perfect animal . how then is it consistent with reason , that he should produce a real man , who is of all animals the most perfect , and noble ? it is also extreamly fabulous , that witches can transform themselves or others into another sort of creatures , e. g. into horses , wolves , cats , mice , &c. carminibus circe socios mutavit ulyssis . a blind heathenish phansie : and yet stories of this nature have been generally believed ; and i have not without wonderment seen grave authors relating them , as if the things had been really so . but it is beyond the power of all the devils in hell to cause such a transformation ; they can no more do it than they can be the authors of a true miracle ( see horstius inst. med. disp. . exercit. . quest. . ) though i deny not but that the devil may so impose upon the imagination of witches as to make them believe that they are transmuted into beasts . sennertus ( in pract. med. l. . part . cap. . ) reports that a noble person , and one worthy of credit , gave him an account of a strange passage to this purpose , which himself was particularly acquainted with . the story is this ; a certain woman , being in prison on suspicion for witchcraft ; pretneding to be able to turn her self into a wolf , the magistrate before whom she was brought promised her , that she should not be put to death , in case she would then in his presence so transform her self . which she readily consented unto . accordingly she anointed her head , neck and arm-pits ; immediately upon which she fell into a most profound sleep , for three hours ; after which she suddenly rose up , declaring that she had been turned into a wolf , and been at a place some miles distant , and there killed first a sheep , and then a cow ; the magistrate presently sent to the place ; and found that first a sheep and then a cow had there been killed . wierus and baptista porta have divers stories to the same purpose . it is then evident , that the devil himself did that mischief , and in the mean time the witches who were cast into so profound a sleep by him , as that they could not by any noises or blows be awakened , had their phansies imposed upon by dreams and delusions according to the pleasure of their master satan . it must moreover , be sadly confessed , that many innocent persons have been put to death under the notion of witch-craft , whereby much innocent blood hath been shed . especially it hath been so in popish times and places . superstitious and magical wayes of trying wtiches have been a bloody cause of those murders . sometimes persons have been tried for witch-craft by hot , sometimes by cold water ( of which more in the eighth chapter of th●s essay ) sometimes by pricking them ; sometimes by sticking awls under their seats , sometimes by their ability , or otherwise to repeat the lords prayer . an irish witch which was tried at youghall , sept. . . being by the court put upon repeating the fifth petition , alwayes left out the words forgive us our trespasses . another witch tried at taunton . could not repeat the last petition , but though she was directed to say it after one that repeated it distinctly , would say lead us into temptation , and could never repeat it right , though she tried to do it half a score times . but judge archer did wisely admonish the jury , that they were not in the least measure to guid their verdict by that , since it was no legal evidence . the author of the advertisement to mr. glanvil's relations ( p. . ) saith that his curiosity led him to examine certain witches at the castle in cambridge , and that the most notorious witch of them all pleaded that she was no witch , because she was able to say the lords prayer and the creed , and though she was out in repeating the creed , and said the lords prayer right . but from such considerations as those which have been mentioned , wierus and some others not atheists but persons of worth , have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 run into an extream on the other hand , so as to question whether there were any persons really confoederate with the infernal spirits . nevertheless , that there have been such , the following arguments do manifest . . the argument by many insisted on from the scriptures is irrefragable . therein witch-crafts are forbidden . and we often read in the scripture of metaphorical bewitchings , nahum . . gal. . . which similitudes are undoubtedly taken from things that have a real existence in rerum natura . yea , the scripture makes particular mention of many that used those cursed arts and familiarities with the devil , e. g. iannes , and iambres , balaam , manasseh , simon , elymas . nor is the relation which the scripture giveth of the witch of endor , and the reasons from thence deduced , to prove the being of witches , sufficiently confuted by any of our late witch-advocate● . though ( as one speaketh ) some men to elude the argument from that instance , play more hocus-pocus tricks in the explication of that passage than the witch her self did in the raising deceased samuel . it is a poor evasion in those who think to escape the dint of this argument , by pretending that the witches and familiar spirits spoken of in the scripture , were only iuglers , or men that by legerdemain would do strange feats of activity . the divine law requires that such witches should be cut off by the sword of justice ; which may not be affirmed of every one that shall without any confoederacy with the devil play tricks of legerdemain . . experience has too often made it manifest that there are such in the world as hold a co respondence with hell. there have bin known wizards ; yea such as have taught others what ceremonies they are to use in maintaining communion with devils . trithemius his book de septem intelligentiis , and cornelius agrippa's books of occult philosophy , wherein too much of these nefandous abominations is described , are frequently in the hands of men . several other books there are extant , which do professedly teach the way of familiarity with daemons . the titles whereof , as also the names of the authors that have published them , i designedly forbear to mention , lest haply any one into whose hands this discourse may come , should out of wicked curiosity seek after them to the ruine of his soul. there are famous histories of several , who had their paredri or familiar spirits , some in one likeness , some in another , constantly attending them . thus had apollonius thyanaeus of old . and of later times mich. scot , and iosephus niger . likewise cardanus ( de subtilitate , lib. . p. . ) writeth , that his own father had such a familiar for thirty years together . so had christopher waganeer a familiar in the form of an ape for seven years attending him ; so had folpardus , which two were at last carried away body and soul by the devil ; unto whose service they had devoted their lives . there is also a true ( as well as a romantick ) story of faustus . the excellent camerarius in his horae subs●civae cent. . cap. . relateth strange things of him , which he received from those who knew faustus , and were ey-witnesses of his magical and diabolical impostures : he also had a familiar devil in form of a monk accompanying of him for the space of twenty four years . housdor●ius , and lonicer ad praec . p. . speak of faustus . melancthon declares that he knew the man : so that naudeus is to be convinced of vanity , in denying that ever there was such a person in the world. in a word , it is a thing known , that there have been men who would discourse in languages , and reason notably about sciences which they never learned ; who have revealed secrets , discovered hidden treasures , told whither stolen goods have been conveyed , and by whom ; and that have caused bruit creatures , nay statues or images to speak , and give rational answers . the iews teraphims oftentimes did so : vide r. sol. iarchi in hos. . . selden de diis syriis . part . cap. . thom. contra gentes lib. . cap. . such things as these cannot be done by the help of meer natural causes . it must needs be then , that the practisers of them are in confoederacy with satan . . there have been many in the world , who have upon conviction confessed themselves guilty of familiarity with the devil . a multitude of instances this way are mentioned by bodinus , codron●hus , delrio , iacquerius , remigius , and others . some in this countrey have affirmed , that they knew a man in another part of the world , above fifty years ago , who having an ambitious desire to be thought a wise man ; whilest he was tormented with the itch of his wicked ambition , the devil came to him , with promises that he should quickly be in great reputation for his wisdom , in case he would make a covenant with him ; the conditions whereof were , that when men came to him for his counsel , he should labour to perswade them that there is no god , nor devil , nor heaven , nor hell ; and that such a term of years being expired , the devil should have his soul. the articles were consen●ed to . the man continuing after this to be of a very civil conversation , doing hurt to none , but good to many ; and by degrees began to have a name to be a person of extraordinary sagacity , and was sought unto far and near for counsel , his words being esteemed oracles by the vulgar . and he did according to his covenant upon all occasions secretly disseminate principles of athe●sm , not being suspected for a wizard . but a few weeks before the time indented with the devil was fulfilled ; inexpressible horror of conscience surprized him , so that he revealed the secret transactions which had passed betwixt himself and the devil . he would sometimes , with hideous roarings tell those that came to visit him , that now he knew that there was a god and a devil , and an heaven , and an hell. so did he die a miserable spectacle of the righteous and fearful judgement of god. and every age does produce new examples of those that have by their own confession made the like cursed covenants with the prince of darkness . in the year , several who were indicted at the assizes held at taunton in somersetshire , confessed that they had made an explicit league with the devil , and that he did baptise pictures of wax with oyl , giving them the names of those persons they did intend mischief unto . anno. . one iohn stuart , and his sister annabil stuart , at the assizes held at paysley in scotland , confessed that they had been in confoederacy with the devil ; and that they had made an image of wax , calling it by the name of sr. george maxwel , sticking pins in the sides and on the breast of it . such an image with pins in it , was really found in the witches houses ; and upon the removal of it , the pins being taken out , sir george had immediate ease , and recovered his health . there is lately published ( by dr. horneck ) the history of the witches in sweden , by whose means that kingdom was fearfully plagued : upon examination they confessed their crime , & were executed in the year . and no longer since than the last year , viz. on aug. . . three women who were executed at exon in devonshire , all of them confessed that they had had converses and familiarities with the devil . but the instance of the witch executed in hartford , here in new-england ( of which the preceding chapter giveth an account ) considering the circumstances of that confession , is as convictive a proof as most single examples that i have met with . it is a vain thing , for the patrons of witches to think that they can sham off this argument , by suggesting that these confessions did proceed from the deluded imaginations of mad and melancholly persons . some of them were as free from distemperature in their brains , as their neighbours . that divers executed for witches have acknowledged things against themselves which were never so , i neither doubt or deny . and that a deluded phansie may cause persons verily to think they have seen and done these things which never had any existence , except in their own imaginations is indisputable . i fully concur with a passage which i find , in worthy dr. owen's late excellent discourse about the work of the spirit in prayer ( page . ) where he has these words : we find by experience that some have had their imaginations so fixed on things evil and noxious by satanical delusions , that they have confessed against themselves things and crimes that have rendred them obnoxious to capital punishment , whereof they were never really and actually guilty . this notwithstanding , that persons whose judgement and reason has been free from disturbance by any disease , should not only voluntarily acknowledge their being in cursed familiarities with satan , but mention the particular circumstances of those transactions , and give ocular demonstration of the truth of what they say , by discovering the stigmata made upon their bodies , by the devils hand : and that when more than one or two have been examined apart , they should agree in the circumstances of their relations , and yet that all this should be the meer effect of melancholly or phrensie , cannot without offering violence to reason and common sense be imagined . and as there are witches so many times they are the causes of those strange disturbances which are in houses haunted by evil spirits , such as those mentioned in the former chapter . instances concerning this may be seen in mr. glanvils collections , together with the continuation thereof ; published the last year by the learned dr. henry more . sometimes providence permits the devil himself ( without the use of instruments ) to molest the houses of some as a punishment for sin committed . most commonly either for the sin of murder . plutarch writes that the house of pusanias was haunted by an evil spirit after he had murdered his wife . many like instances , have been reported and recorded by credible authors . or else for the sin of theft . as for walton the quaker of portsmouth , whose house has been so strangely troubled , he suspects that one of his neighbours has caused it by witchcraft , she ( being a widow-woman ) chargeth him with injustice in detaining some land from her . it is none of my work to reflect upon the man , nor will i do it ; only if there be any late or old guilt upon his conscience it concerns him by confession and repentance to give glory to that god , who is able in strange wayes to discover the sins of men. i shall here take occasion to commemorate an alike notable scene of providence , which was taken notice of in another part of the world s●il . at brightling in sussex in england : the minister in that town ( viz. mr. ioseph bennet ) has given a faithful account of that strange providence , which is published by mr. clark in his examples , vol. . page , &c. i shall relate it in his words , thus he writeth concerning it : anno christi . there was at brightling an amazing providence , containing many strange passages . a wonderful hand of god , by what instrument or instruments soever ; which was , a fire strangely kindled , which burnt down a mans house , and afterwards kindled in another , to which the mans goods were carried , and to which , himself , and his wife , and his servant girl were removed ; and several things were thrown by an invisible hand , powerfully convincing , and thereby discovering the hypocrisie and theft of the man , and for a warning to others to take heed of the like . november . in the evening . the fire first kindled in this man's milk-house , and november . there was dust thrown upon this man and his wife , as they lay in bed together , and there was knocking several times and the same morning divers things were thrown about , and the fire again kindled in the milk-house , which was yet put out by the woman her self ; then it kindled in the eves of the house , in the thatch , which was put out by a man which was their next neighbour . that night as the man had a pot of beer in his hand , a stone fell into the pot : then did he set down the pot upon the table . when some men came to be with them that night , they were speaking how convenient it would be to have a tub filled with water , to stand ready , in case they should have occasion to use it , and as they were going out of the door to prepare it , the fire again kindled in the milk-house , and suddenly the whole house was on fire , but most of the goods and household-stuff were carried out and preserved : the fire was a strange fire , very white , and not singing their hands when they pulled the things out of it . the next day the houshold-stuff was carried to another house , wherein was a family : but those were to be in one end of the house , and the other , in the other end . but before the man and his wife went to bed , there was dust thrown upon them , which so troubled them , that the man having another man with them , and a candle and lanthorn in his hand , came up to me ( saith my author ) who was in bed , and asleep , but when i was awakened , i heard him say , the hand of god still pursues me , and so he intreated me to go down with him , and accordingly i and my brother went down , where we found them in the house , greatly troubled by reason of things that were thrown about , and some things were thrown presently after we came in . hereupon we went to prayer , and as i was kneeling down , dust was thrown upon me , but afterwards all was quiet , so long as we were at prayer . when we arose from prayer , i applied my self to the reading of a portion of scripture , which was psal. . the man standing by me , and holding the candle , but presently something did beat out the light ; whereupon the man said , that some body else must hold it . presently a knife was thrown at me , which fell behind me ; my brother said , he saw it come . then a chopping knife was thrown ( i think at the man's wife ) whereupon the man said , things are thrown at others for my sake . at length he fell upon his knees , and confessed that he had been an hypocrite , and a pilfering fellow , and that he had robbed his master , &c. and he was willing to separate the things which he had taken wrongfully from the rest , which he did accordingly ; laying forth several things which he said , were none of his , naming the persons from whom he had taken them : and as a great chest was carrying forth , trenchers , platters , and other things were thrown about in so dreadful a manner , that one not much noted for religion , said , pray you let us go to prayer ; and indeed that was our only refuge , so to go to god ; and so we spent our time as well as we could , in prayer , reading some portions of scripture , and singing of psalms : and though divers things were thrown , as a dish several times , so that once i had a smart blow on the cheek with a dish , and the man that lived in the house had his boots thrown at him , and a chopping knife twice , crabs out of a tub standing in the midst of the room , a fire brand though without fire , and an hammer thrown twice , and a bible . the man's wife who lived in the house , usually took up the things thus thrown ; yet still in time of prayer , all was quiet . in the morning after i had prayed ( before which prayer i was hit with a dish ) my brother and i came away , and as we were coming near home , we turned aside to speak with a friend , but before we got home , we heard that the house was on fire : hereupon they sent for me again , and in the mean time , they carried out their goods , pulled off the thatch , and quenched the fire ; yet ( as i heard ) it kindled again , and again , till all the man's goods were carried out : and when these people whose house was burnt down to the ground , together with all their goods , were removed into the field , all was quiet in this second house ; but somethings were thrown in the field ; and in the afternoon , when another minister and i went to them , some assured us that some things had been thrown . this was november . the night following some noise was heard among the houshold-stuff , as was testified to me . thus these poor creatures were distressed , their house was burned down , that to which they were removed several times fired , so that neither they nor their goods might stay any longer there , nor durst any other receive them : but they , with their goods were forced to lie in the open field for divers dayes and nights together ; being made a sad spectacle to all sorts of people that came far and near , to see and hear of the business . hereupon i sent to some neighbouring ministers , to joyn with us in keeping a fast on november . and four spent the time in prayer and preaching . the sermons were upon these texts , iob . . if thou prepare thine heart , and stretch out thine hands towards him : if iniquity be in thine hand , put it far away , and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles . for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea , thou shalt be stedfast , and shalt not be afraid , &c. amos . . shall a trumpet be blown in the city , and the people not be afraid ? shall there be evil in a city and the lord hath not done it ? luk. . , . &c. suppose ye that these galileans were sinners above all the galileans , because they suffered such things ? i tell you nay : but except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish : or those eighteen , &c. isai. . , , . the sinners in sien are afraid , fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites . who among us shall dwell with devouring fire ? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly : he that despiseth the gain of oppression , that shaketh his hand from holding bribes , that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood , and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil : he shall dwell on high . his place of desire shall be the munitions of rocks : bread shall be given him , his water shall be sure . the distressed persons attended diligently , and a great congregation was assembled . these providential dispensations were not ordinary ; yet there was a seeming blur cast , though not on the whole yet upon some part of it ; for their servant girl was at last found throwing some things : and she afterwards confessed that an old woman came to her , november . a little before these things come to pass , and told her that her master and dame were bewitched , and that they should hear a great fluttering about their house for the space of two dayes ; she said also , that the old woman told her , that she must hurl things at her master and dame , and withal bad her not to tell , for if she did the devil would have her : and she confessed that she hurled the fire-brand , an hammer , and an iron tack ; and said , that she did it because the old woman bad her , and said to her , that if she hurled things about the house it would be the better . but besides the throwing of the things about , there were other passages of providence very observable an remarkable . one house was at several times strangely fired , and notwithstanding the warning they had , at last quite burned down : and another house to whom they removed , greatly molested , and at length fired . besides the efficacy of prayer is most observable , for the encouragement of the duty , and god's omniscient and omnipotent providence wonderfully magnified , thus to discover the hypocrisie and theft of the man , and yet withall , graciously and mercifully delivering them . for though they were not wholly delivered when the fast was first appointed , yet after the fast they were fully freed , and not at all any more troubled in that manner . thus far is mr. bennets relation . that the things which have been related in the chapter immediately praeceding , came not to pass without the operation of daemons is so manifest , as that i shall not spend many words concerning it . though whether the afflicted persons were only possessed , or bewitched , or both , may be disputed . as for the maid at groton , she was then thought to be under bodily possession : her uttering many things ( some of which were diabolical railings ) without using the organs of speech , and being able sometimes to act above humane strength , argued an extraordinary & satanical operation . concerning the woman in berwick . evil spirits without being set on work by instruments , have sometimes caused the like molestation ; but commonly such things are occasioned by witchcraft . dr. balthasar han ( who was chief physitian to the prince elector of saxony ) relates concerning one of his patients : that in november . she was to the amazement of all spectators , pricked and miserably beaten by an invisible hand ; so as that her body from head to foot was wounded , as if she had been whipped with thorns . sometimes a perfect sign of the cross was imprinted on her skin ; sometimes the usual configurations whereby astronomers denote the caelestial bodies , such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their conjunctions , and oppositions by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the characters used by chymists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. ( in which sciences , though that be not usual for those of her sex , she was versed ) these characters would remain for several weeks after the invisible hand had violently impressed them on her body ; also a needle was thrust into her foot , which caused it to bleed . once she took the needle & put it into the fire ; & then an old woman to whom she had given some of her wearing linnen , appeared to her with a staff in her hand , striking her with a cruel blow , & saying give me my needle . at last the miserable patient by constant attendance to prayer and other religious exercises was delivered from her affliction . many instances of an alike nature to this , are to be seen in the writings of those that treat upon subjects of this kind . sometimes ( as voetius and others observe ) bodily possessions by evil spirits are an effect of witch-craft . examples confirming this , are mentioned by hierom , in the life of hilarion ; theodoret in his history of the fathers , and by anastasius . and there are more instances in sprenger , and in tyraeus de daemoniacis . it may be ann cole of hartford might be subject to both of these miseries at the same time . though she be ( and then was ) esteemed a truly pious christian ; such amazing afflictions may befall the righteous as well as the wicked in this world. the holy body of iob , that so his patience might be tried ; was sorely handled by satan . we read in the gospel of a daughter of abraham , whom satan had bound for eighteen years , luk. . . mary magdalen , and several others who had been molested and possessed by evil spirits , yet belonged to god , and are now in heaven . so might ann cole be a true christian , and yet be for a time under satan's power as hath been related . and that her malady was not a meer natural disease , is past all doubt , inasmuch as in those strange paroxysmes wherewith she was at times surprized , the tone of her discourse would sometimes be after a language unknown to her . lemnius indeed supposeth that melancholly humors may cause persons not only to divine , but to speak with strange tongues ; and forestus lib. . observat . ) does not contradict his opinion . but the unreasonableness of that phansie has been sufficiently evinced by sundry learned men. vide iohnston , thaumatograph , sect. . chap. . art. . la torr , disp. . how shall that be in the mouth which never was in the mind ; and how should that be in the mind , which never came there through the outward senses ? this cannot be without some supernatural influence . as when things destitute of reason , have given rational answers unto what hath been demanded of them ; it must needs have proceded from the operation of a supernatural agent . it is reported that one of the popes in way of pleasancy , saying to a parrat , what art thou thinking of ? the parrat immediately replied , i have considered the dayes of old , the years of antient times ▪ at the which , consternation fell upon the pope and others that heard the words , concluding that the devil spake in the parrat ▪ abusing scripture expressions ; whereupon they caused it to be killed . de la cerda speaketh of a crow , that did discourse rationally ; undoubtedly , it was acted by a caco-daemon : some write of achilles his horse , and that simon magus had a dog that would discourse with him ; yea , it is storied concerning the river causus , and the keel of ship argus ; and of many statues , that they have been heard speaking . the image of memnon in aegypt , as the rising sun shined upon its mouth began to speak . the image of iuno moneta , being asked if she would be removed to rome : replied , that she would . the image of fortune being set up , said rite me consacrastis . valer. maxim. lib. capult . a gymnosophist in ethiopia caused an elm with a low and soft voice to salute apollonius . such things must needs be the operation of caco-daemons . the like is to be concluded , when any shall utter themselves in languages which they were never learned . it is not they but a spirit which speaketh in them . the noble man whom fernelius writeth of , was first known to be possessed by a daemon , inasmuch as many sentences uttered by him were greek , in which language the diseased person had no knowledge . a maid in frankford was concluded to be possessed , it that when in her fits , she could speak the high dutch language perfectly , though she never learned it . manlius writeth of a possessed woman , who used to speak latin , and greek to the admiration of all that heard it . i remember an honourable gentleman told me , that when he was at somers in france a woman there was possessed with a devil ; many learned divines , both protestants and papists discoursing with her ; she would readily answer them , not only in the french tongue , but in latin , greek or hebrew . but when one mr. duncan , after he had discoursed and received answers in more learned languages , spake to her in the british tongue , the daemon made no reply ; which occasioned great wonderment , and too much sporting about a sad and serious matter . chap. vii . concerning apparitions . that they are not so frequent in places where the gospel prevaileth as in dark corners of the earth . that good angels do sometimes visibly appear . confirmed by several histories . that caco-daemons oftentimes pretend to be good angels . that satan may appear in the likeness of holy men ; proved by notable instances . concerning the appearance of persons deceased . the procuring cause thereof is usually some sin committed . some late remarkable examples . of mens covenanting to appear after their death . it is an heavy judgement when places are infested with such doleful spectres . as yet no place , nor any person in new-england ( excepting the instances before mentioned ) have been troubled with aparitions : some indeed have given out , that i know not what spectres were seen by them ; but upon enquiry , i cannot find that there was any thing therein , more than phansie , and frightful apprehensions without sufficient ground . nevertheless , that spirits have sometimes really ( as well as imaginarily ) appeared to mortals in the world , is amongst sober men beyond controversie . and that such things were of old taken notice of , we may rationally conclude from that scripture , luk. . . where it is said , that the disciples were terrified and affrighted , and supposed that they had seen a spirit . it is observable , that such frightful spectres do most frequently shew themselves in places where the light of the gospel hath not prevailed . some have propounded it as a question worthy the inquiring into ; what should be the reason that daemons did ordinarily infest the gentiles of old , as also the east and west indians of later times , and that popish countries are still commonly and grievously molested by them ; but in england , and scotland , and in the united provinces , and in all lands where the reformed religion hath taken place , such things are more rare . popish authors do acknowledge that as to matter of fact it is really thus ; and the reason which some of them assign for it , is , that the devils are so sure of their interest in heretical nations , as that they pass over them , and come & molest papists , whom they are most afraid of losing . but they should rather have attributed it to the light of the gospel , and the power of christ going along therewith . iustin martyr , tertullian , and others observe that upon the first promulgation of the gospel , those diabolical oracles , whereby satan had miserably deceived the nations , were silenced ; in which respect the word of christ luk. . . was wonderfully fulfilled . the like may be said as to protestant being less imposed upon then popish nations , by deceitful daemons . it is moreover , sometimes very difficult to pass a true judgement of the spectres which do appear , whether they are good or evil angels , or the spirits of deceased men . that holy angels were frequently seen in old times , we are from the scriptures of truth assured . and that the angelical ministration doth still continue is past doubt , heb. . . but their visible appearance is less frequent than formerly . they do invisibly perform many a good office for the heirs of salvation continually . nor is it to be questioned , but they may still appear visibly , when the work which they are sent about cannot otherwise be performed . i would not reject as fabulous all those passages which are related by judicious authors referring to this subject . at a time when grynaeus , melancthon , and several other learned men were discoursing together at an house in spyres , there came a man of very grave and godly countenance into the house , desiring to speak with melancthon ; who going forth to him , he told him that within one hour some officers would be at that house to apprehend grynaeus , and therefore required melancthon to advise grynaeus to flee out of that city ; and having so spoken , he vanished out of sight . melancthon returning into the room , recounted the words of this strange monitor ; whereupon grynaeus instantly departed ; and he had no sooner boated himself upon the rhine , but officers came to lay hold of him . this story is mentioned by melancthon in his commentary upon dani●l . and he concludeth that the man who had appeared to him was indeed an angel , sent in order to grynaeus his being delivered from the bloody hands of them that sought his life . many instances like to this i could mention . but i shall only take notice of a strange providence which came to pass of late years ; the particulars whereof are known to some who i suppose may be still living . i find the history of the matter i intend in mr. clark's examples , vol. . page , . it is in brief as followeth ; one samuel wallas of stamford in lincolnshire , having been in a consumption for thirteen years , was worn away to a very skeleton and lay bed-rid for four years . but april . . being the lords day , about h. p. m. finding himself somewhat revived , he got out of the bed , and as he was reading a book entituled , abraham's suit for sodom , he heard some body knock at the door . whereupon ( there being none then in the house but himself ) he took a staff in the one hand , and leaning to the wall with the other , came to the door , and opening it , a comely and grave old man of a fresh complexion , with white curled hair , entred ; and after walking several times about the room , said to him , friend , i perceive you are not well . to whom wallas replied , he had been ill many years , and that the doctors said his disease was a consumption , and past cure , and that he was a poor man , and not able to follow their costly prescriptions , only he committed himself and life into the hands of god , to dispose of as he pleased . to whom the man replied , thou sayest very well , be sure to fear god , and serve him ; and remember to observe what now i say to thee ; tomorrow morning go into the garden , and there take two leaves of red sage ▪ and one of blood-wort ; and put those three leaves into a cup of small beer , and drink thereof as oft as need requires ; the fourth morning cast away those leaves , and put in fresh ones , thus do for twelve dayes together ; and thou shalt find e're these twelve dayes be expired , through the help of god thy disease will be cured , and the frame of thy body altered . also he told him that after his strength was somewhat recovered , he should change the air , and go three or four miles off ; and that within a moneth he should find that the clothes which he had on his back would then be too strait for him : having spoken these things , he again charged samuel wallas to remember the directions given to him , but above all things to fear god , and serve him . wallas asked him , if he would eat anything ? unto whom he answered , no friend , the lord christ is sufficient for me . seldom do i drink any thing but what cometh from the rock . so wishing the lord of heaven to be with him , he departed . samuel wallas saw him go out of the door , and went to shut the door after him , at which he returned half way into the entry again , saying friend , remember what i have said to you , and do it , but above all fear god , and serve him . wallas beheld the man passing in the street , but none else observed him , though some were then standing in the doors opposite to wallas his house . and although it rained when this grave person came into the house , and had done so all that day , yet he had not one spot of wet or dirt upon him . wallas followed the directions prescribed , and was restored to his health within the dayes mentioned . the fame of this strange providence being noised abroad , sundry ministers met at stamford , to consider and consult about it , who concluded that this cure was wrought by a good angel , sent from heaven upon that errand . however it is not impossible , but that holy angels may appear , and visibly converse with some . yet for any to desire such a thing is unwarrantable , and exceeding dangerous . for thereby some have been imposed upon by wicked daemens , who know how to transform themselves into angels of light. bodinus hath a strange relation of a man that prayed much for the assistance of an angel ; and after that for above thirty years together , he thought his prayer was heard ; being often admonished of his errors by a caelestial monitor , as he apprehended , who once appeared visibly in the form of a child ; otherwhile in an orb of light. would sometimes speak to him when he saw nothing . yet some fear that this spirit which he took to be his good genius was a subtle cacodaemon . plato writeth concerning socrates , that he had a good genius attending him , which would still admonish him if he were about to do any thing that would prove ill or unhappy . the story of the familiarity which was between dr. dee and kellet , with the spirits which used to appear to them , is famously known . those daemons would pretend to discover rare mysteries to them , and at times would give them good advices in many things , so that they verily thought they had had extraordinary communion with holy angels , when as it is certain they were deceived by subtile and unclean devils , since the spirits they conversed with , did at last advise them to break the seventh commandment of the moral law. satan to insinuate himself and carry on a wicked design , will sometimes seem to perswade men unto great acts of piety . remigius ( and from him others ) write of a young man whose name was theodore maillot , unto whom a daemon appearing , advised him to reform his life , to abstain from drunkenness , thefts , uncleanness , and the like evils ; and to fast twice a week , to be constant in attendance upon publick worship , and to be very charitable to the poor . the like pious advice did another daemon follow a certain woman with , unto whom he appeared . could a good angel have given better counsel ? but this was satans policy , hoping that thereby he should have gained an advantage to take silly souls alive in his cruel snare . like as thieves upon the road will sometimes enter into religious discourse , that so their fellow-travellers may have good thoughts of them , and be the more easily dispoyled by them . and as the evil spirit will speak good words , so doth he sometimes appear in the likeness of good men , to the end that he may the more effectually deceive and delude all such as shall be so unhappy as to entertain converses with him . no doubt but that he knows how to transform himself into the shape of not only an ordinary saint , but of an apostle , or holy prophet of god , cor. . , . this we may gather from the sacred history of dead samuel's appearing to saul . some are of opinion that real samuel spake to saul , his soul being by magical incantations returned into his body , so divers of the fathers and school-men ; also mendoza , delrio , and other popish authors . of late m. glanvil and dr. windet , do in part favour that notion . but tertullian , and the author of the quest. and respons . which pass under the name of iustin martyr are of the judgement , that a lying daemon appeared to saul in samuel's likeness . our protestant divines generally are of this judgment . it was customary amongst the gentiles for magicians and necromancers to cause dead persons to appear , and they would bring whomsoever they were desired to call for . thus did a wizard by pompeys command , call a dead souldier , of whom he enquired of the event of the pharsalic war , vide lucan lib. . many examples to this purpose , are recorded in the histories of former times ; and mentioned by the old poets . those apparitions were cacodaemons , which feigned themselves to be the spirits of men departed . i see no cogent reason why we should not conclude the like with respect unto samuel's appearing unto saul . most certain it is , that the souls of holy men departed , are not under the power of devils , much less of magicians to bring them hither when they please . as for those that are gone into the other world , there is a gulf fixed , that if men would they cannot pass into this world again without leave , luk. . . if dives could not bring lazarus his soul out of abraham's bosome , how the witch of endor should be able to bring samuel's soul from thence i know not . lyra ( and from him others ) pretends that god then interposed and sent real samuel as he unexpectedly appeared to baalam , when imployed about his magical impostures . but i dare not believe that the holy god , or the true samuel would seem so far to countenance necromancie or psycomancy as this would be , should the soul of samuel really return into the world , when a witch called for him , saul desiring that it might be so . this opinion establisheth necromancy , the main principal upon which that cursed and lying art is built , being this , that it is possible for men to cause the souls of dead persons to be brought back again . this seeming samuel did not at all ascribe his appearance to the extraordinary providence of god , but rather to the devil , since he complained that saul had by the witch disquieted him . the appearing samuel was seen ascending out of the earth , whenas the true samuel would rather have appeared as descending from heaven . moreover the words of the witches , samuel , when he said , tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me , sam. . . are hardly consistent with truth . nor is it likely , that the true samuel would preach nothing but desperation to saul , without so much as once exhorting him in a way of repentance , to endeavour that his peace might be made with that god whom he had provoked by his sins , v. p. martyr . in sam. . p. , . and voet. de spectris page . this instance then , doth suffic●ently prove that satan may appear in the shape of an holy man. some acknowledge that he may do so as to persons that are dead , but that he cannot personate good and innocent men who are still living . it is by some reported , that mr. cotton did once deliver such a notion . nothing is more frequent , then for the judgment of worthy men to be misrepresented after they are gone , and not capable of clearing themselves . i know mr. cotton was a man of great reading , and of deep judgment . i shall therefore rather suppose that they who relate mr. cotton's opinion , did themselves mistake him , then believe that a man so learned and wise , would express himself , as some say he did . sure i am , that authentick historians mention examples to the contrary . memorable is that which lavater ( de spectris part. cap. . p. mihi . ) hath testified , sc. that the praefect of zurick travelling abroad with his servant betimes in the morning , they saw an honest citizen committing nefandous villany , at the which being astonished , they returned back , and knocking at the citizens door , they found him in his own house , nor had he been abroad that morning , so that what the praefect and his servant beheld , appeared to be nothing else but a diabolical illusion ; a spiteful daemon designing to blast the credit , and take away the life of an innocent man. it is also reported by albertus granzius ( lib. . cap. . ) that kunegund the empress , was for some time thought to be guilty of adultery , by reason that a noble person was frequently seen going out of her chamber ; but it after appeared that the suspected noble person had not been there , only a daemon in his shape . i concern not my self , with the authentickness of that relation . the matter in hand is sufficiently confirmed by a thing that hapned more lately , and nearer home : for if any of the old puritans , who lived in colchester in england , fifty years ago , be yet surviving , they can doubtless remember the strange things which hapned to one mr. earl , a young man in those dayes . the devil did then frequently appear to him in the shape of some of his acquaintance , and would perswade him to three things . . that he should abstain from praying . . that he should not frequent church-meetings . . that he should never marry . but he did not hearken to these suggestions . the night wherein he was married , soon after he and his wife were bedded , the devil came into the room , and pulled two of his teeth out of his head , which put him to great pain ; whereupon he cried out , and when his friends came in , they found his mouth bloody , and used means to ease his pain . this mr. earl was afterwards for the space of ten years ever and anon assaulted by the devil , who under many appearances of his friends , did endeavour to seduce him . there were then two famous men ministers of those parts , viz. mr. iohn rogers of dedham , ( who was father to the late eminent mr. nathaniel rogers of ipswich in new-england ) and mr. liddal of colchester . with these mr. earl did converse for comfort and instruction ; but chiefly with mr. liddal , then whom there was not a man more eminent for godliness . it fell out once that the devil came to mr. earl in mr. liddal's shape , and as mr. earl's custom was , he did propose to the seeming mr. liddal his cases of conscience , but found that mr. liddal did not discourse after his ordinary rate , which made him suspect whether he was not imposed upon by a deceitful daemon . the next day going to mr. liddal's house , he enquired whether he was with him the day before , mr. liddal told him that he was not ; then said mr. earl it was my enemy in your shape . what a miserable man am i , that know not when i speak with my enemy or with my friend ? to which mr. liddal replied , if you would know when you speak with a spirit or with a man , remember and follow the advice of christ ; who when he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection , and they thought he had been a spirit , and were therefore troubled ; he said to them , handle me and see , for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have , luk. . . this advice mr. earl followed . for not long after the devil coming to him in mr. liddal's shape , he went to take hold on his arms , but could feel no substance , only a vanishing shadow . it seems that this mr. earl was once an athiest , that did not believe that there was either god or devil , & would often walk in solitary and dismal places , wishing for the sight of a spirit ; and that he was first assaulted by a devil in a church-yard . and though god mercifully gave him repentance yet he was miserably haunted with an evil spirit all his dayes . i find that mr. clark in his first vol. of examples , chap. . p. . hath some part of this strange providence , but he mentions not mr. earl's name . a gentleman worthy of credit affirmed this relation to be most certainly true , according to the particulars which have been declared . i have thought it therefore not unworthy the publication . there is another remarkable passage to this purpose , which hapned of later years , wherein the turkish chaous baptized at london , ianuary . a. d. . was concerned . this chaous being alone in his chamber , . h. p. m. a person in the likeness of mr. dury , the minister with whom he did most ordinarily converse , came and sat by him . this seeming mr. dury told him , that he had waited with a great deal of patience as to the matter of his baptism ; and that himself had endeavoured by all means possible to procure it , to be performed with publick countenance ; and to that effect , had dealt with richard , and several of his counsel , but that now he perceived that it was in vain to strive or wait longer . and therefore advised him not to be much troubled at it , but setting his mind at rest , to leave these thoughts , and take up his resolution another way . when the chaous heard this discourse , being much perplexed in his spirit , he lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven , uttering words to this effect . o my lord iesus christ , what a miserable thing is this , that a true christian cannot be owned by other christians ; that one who believeth on thee cannot be baptized into thy name . when he had so spoken , looking down , he saw no body , the appearance of mr. dury being vanished , which was at first an amazement to him ; but recollecting himself , he began to rejoyce , as hoping that satan would be disappointed of his plot. about h. at night , the true mr. dury met with the chaous who acquainted him with what hapned to him , so did he more fully understand how he had been imposed upon by satan . the mentioned instances , are enough to prove that the devil may possibly appear in the shape of good men , and that not only of such as are dead , but of the still living . it might as a further confirmation of the truth we assert , have been here noted , that the devil doth frequently amongst the papists visibly appear , pretending to be christ himself , as their own authors do acknowledge . they affirm , that he came in the shape of christ to pachomius and to st. martin . so hath he often appeared in the form of the virgin mary , whereby miserable souls have been seduced into gross idolatries . it is likewise reported , that when luther had spent a day in fasting and prayer , there appeared to him one seeming to be christ ; but luther said to him , away thou confounded devil , i will have no christ but what is in my bible , whereupon the apparition vanished . as for the spirits of men deceased , it is certain they cannot reassume their bodies , nor yet come to men in this world when they will , or without a permission from him , in whose hand they are . chrysostom in his second sermon concerning lazarus , saith that daemons would oftentimes appear , falsly pretending themselves to be the souls of some lately dead . he saith , that he himself knew many daemoniacks , that the spirits in them would feign the voices of men lately killed , and would discover the secrets of such persons , professing that they were the souls of those very men . but those were no other then devilish lies . upon which account men had need be exceeding wary what credit they give unto , or how they entertain communion with such spectres . i do not say that all such apparitions are diabolical . only that many of them are so . and as yet i have not met with any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby the certain appearance of a person deceased , may be infallibly discerned from a meer diabolical illusion . the rules of judging in this case described by malderus are very fallible . as for the moving and procuring cause of such apparitions , commonly it is by reason of some sin not discoverable in any other way . either some act of injustice done , or it may be some murder committed . platina , nauclerus , and others relate , that pope benedict . . did after his death appear sitting upon a black horse before a bishop of his acquaintance , declaring the reason to be , in that he had in his life time nefariously consumed a great sum of money , which belonged to the poor . and there are fresh examples to this purpose lately published in the second edition of mr. glanvils sadducismus triumphatus . he there speaks of a man in guilford , unto whom belonged some copy-hold land , which was to descend to his children , he dying , leaving no child born , his brother took possession of the estate . so it hapned that the deceased man's wife conceived with child but a little before her husbands death , which after she perceived , by the advice of her neighbours , she told her brother in law how matters were circumstanced ; he railed upon her , calling her whore , and said he would not be fooled out of his estate so . the poor woman went home troubled , that not only her child should lose the land , but which was worse , that she should be thought an whore. in due time she was delivered of a son. some time after which , as her brother in law was going out of the field , his dead brother ( the father of the injured child ) appeared to him at the stile , and bid him give up the land to the child , for it was his right . the brother being greatly affrighted at this spectre , ran away , and not long after came to his sister , saying , she had sent the devil to him , and bid her take the land ; and her son is now possessed of it . the same author relates , that the wife of dr. bretton of deptford ( being a person of extraordinary piety ) did appear after her death . a maid of hers , whose name was alice ( for whom in her life time she had a great kindness ) married a near neighbour . as this alice was rocking her infant in the night , some one knocking at the door , she arose and opened it , and was surprized by the sight of a gentlewoman , not to be distinguished from her late mistriss . at the first sight she expressed great amazement , and said were not my mistress dead i should conclude you are she . the apparition replied , i am she which was your mistriss ; and withal added , that she had a business of great importance to imploy her in , and that she must immediately go a little way with her . alice trembled , and entreated her to go to her master , who was fitter to be employed than she . the seeming mistriss replied , that she had been in the chamber of him who was once her husband , but he was asleep ; nor had she any commission to awake him . alice then objected that her child was apt to cry vehemently , and should she leave it , some hurt might come to him . the apparition replied , the child shall sleep until you return . seeing there was no avoiding it ; alice followed her over the style into a large field , who said , observe how much of this field i measure with my feet , and when she had took a good large leisurly compass , she said , all this belongs to the poor ; it being gotten from them by wrongful means , and charged her to go and tell her brother , whose it was at that time , that he should give it up to the poor again forthwith as he loved her and his deceased mother . this brother was not the person that did this unjust act , but his father . she added , that she was the more concerned , because her name was made use of in some writing that related to this land. alice asked her how she should satisfie her brother that this was no cheat or delusion of her phansie ? she replied , tell him this secret which he knows that only himself and i am privy to , and he will believe you . alice promised her to go on this errand . she entertained her the rest of the night with divine discourse , and heavenly exhortations . but when the twilight appeared , the spectre said , i must be seen by none but your self , and so disappeared . immediately alice makes hast home , being thoughtful for her child , but found it as the spectre said , fast asleep in the cradle . that day she went to her master , the doctor , who amazed at the account she gave , sent her to his brother in law. he at the first hearing of alice's story , laughed at it heartily ; supposing her to be troubled with strange whimsies . but then she told him of the secret , which her appearing mistriss the gentleman's sister , had revealed ; upon which he presently changed his countenance , and told her he would give the poor their own , which accordingly he did , and they now enjoy it . d. bretton himself ( being a person of great sincerity ) gave a large narrative of his wives apparition , to several ; and amongst others to dr. whichcot . and this narrative was attested unto by mr. edward fowler , feb. . . see mr. glanvil's collection of relations , p. . in the same book , p. . he relates concerning one francis taverner , that in september . riding late at night from hilbrough in ireland there appeared to him one in the likeness of iames haddock , formerly an inhabitant in malone , where he died five years before . taverner asked him who he was ? the spectre replied , i am iames haddock ; you may call me to mind by this token , that about five years ago , i and two other friends were at your fathers house , and you by your fathers appointment brought us some nuts , therefore be not afraid . and told him if he would ride along with him he would acquaint him with a business he had to deliver to him . which taverner refused to do ; upon his going from the spectre , he heard hideous scrieches and noises , to his great amazement . the night after there appeared again to him , the likeness of iames haddock ; telling him , that the woman , who had been his wife , when living ; was now married unto one davis in malone ; and that the said davis and his wife wronged the son of iames haddock ; and that the will of haddock , who had given a lease to his son , was not fulfilled ; and therefore he desired taverner to acquaint them therewith , and to see his son righted . taverner neglected to deliver his message , whereupon the spectre appeared again unto him in divers formidable shapes , threatning to tear him in pieces , if he did not do as he was required . this made him leave his house where he dwelt in the mountains and remove to the town of belfast , where it appeared to him again in the house of one pierce , severely threatning of him . upon which taverner being much troubled in his spirit , acquainted some of his friends with his perplexity . they take advice from dr. downs , then minister in belfast . and mr. iames south , chaplain to the lord chichester , who went with taverner to the house of davis , and in their presence he declared to her , that he could not be quiet for the ghost of her former husband iames haddock , who threatned to tear him in pieces , if he did not tell her she must right iohn haddock her son by him , in a lease wherein she and davis her now husband had wronged him . two nights after the spectre came to him again , looking pleasantly upon him , asking if he had done the message ? he answered , he had . then he was told , he must do the like to the executors . the day following dr. ieremie taylor bishop of down , conner , and dromore , being to keep court at dromore ; ordered his secretary ( thomas alcock ) to send for taverner , who accordingly came , and was strictly examined . the bishop advised him , the next time the spectre appeared to him , to ask him these questions : when●● are you ? are you a good or a bad spirit ? where is your abode ? what station do you hold ? how are you regimented in the other world ? and what is the reason that you appear for the relief of your son in so small a matter , when so many widows and orphans are oppressed in the world , and none of their relations appear as you do to right them ? that night taverner lodged at my lord conways , where he saw the spectre coming over a wall ; and approaching near to him , asked if he had done his message to the executor also ? he replied , he had , and wondred that he should be still troubled . the apparition bid him not be afraid , for it would not hurt him , nor appear to him any more , but to the executor , if the orphan were not righted . taverners brother being by , put him in mind to propound the bishops questions to the spirit . which he did ; but the spectre gave no answer to them ; only seemed to crawl on his hands and feet over the wall again , and vanished with a melodious harmony . the pe●sons concerned about the lease ( much against their wills ) disposed of it for the use of haddock's son , only for fear lest the apparition should molest them also . thus concerning this . before i pass to the next relation , i cannot but animadvert upon what is here expressed , concerning the questions which the bishop would needs have propounded to , and resolved by this spectre . i am perswaded , that the apostle paul who speaks of a mans intruding into those things which he hath not seen , col. . . would hardly have given such counsel as the bishop did . one of his questions , ( viz. are you a good or a bad spirit ? ) seems to be a needless and impertinent enquiry . for good angels never appear in the shape of dead men ; but evil and wicked spirits have oftentimes done so . his other queries favour too much of vain curiosity . they bring to mind what is by that great historian thuanus ( lib. . page . ) reported concerning peter cotten the jesuit , who having a great desire to be satisfied about some questions which no man living could resolve him in ; he applied himself to a maid who was possessed with a devil , charging the spirit in her to resolve his proposals . some of which were relating to this world , e. g. he desired the devil , if he could , to tell him when calvinism would be extinguished ; and what would be the most effectual means to turn the kingdome of england from the protestant to the popish religion . what would be the issue of the wars and great designs then on foot in the world ? other of his enquiries respected the old world , e. g. how noah could take the living creatures that were brought into the ark ? who those sons of god were that loved the daughters of men ? whether serpents went upon feet before adam's fall , &c. some of his questions respected the other world ; he would have the spirit to resolve him , how long the fallen angels were in heaven before they were cast down from thence ? and what is the most evident place in the scripture to prove that there is a purgatory ? who are the seven spirits that stand before the throne of god ? who is the king of the arch-angels ? where paradise is ? now let the reader judge whether d. taylors questions , when he would have the spectre resolve him , where is your abode ? what station do you hold ? how are you regimented in the other world ? &c. be not as curious as some of these of the jesuits . wise men thought it tended much to the disreputation of peter cotton when through his incogitant leaving the book wherein his enquiries of the daemon were written with a friend ; the matter came to be divulged . i cannot think that dr. taylors secretary his publishing these curiosities of his lord , hath added much to his credit amongst sober and judicious persons . there is a tragical passage related in the story of the daemon which for three moneths molested the house of mr. perreaud a protestant minister in matiscon . one in the room would needs be propounding needless questions for the devil to answer , though mr. perreaud told him of the danger in it . after a deal of discourse ; the devil said to him , you should have hearkened to the ministers good counsel , who told you that you ought not to ask curious questions of the devil , yet you would do it , and now i must school , you for your pains . presently upon which , the man was by an invisible hand plucked up by his thumb , and twirled round , and thrown down upon the floor , and so continued in most grievous misery . i hope then , that none will be emboldened from the bishops advice , to enquire at the mouth of devils or of apparitions , until such time as they know whether they are devils or no. but to pass on . that the ghosts of dead persons have sometimes appeared that so the sin of murder ( as well as that of theft ) might be discovered , is a ●●hing notoriously known . i shall only mention two or three examples for this ; and the rather because some who are very unapt to believe things of this nature , yet have given credit to those relations . two of the stories are recited by mr. webster in his book of witchcraft . he saith , ( p. . ) that about the year . one fletcher of rascal , a town in the north-riding of yorkshire , a yeoman of a good estate married a woman from thornton brigs , who had formerly been naught with one ralph raynard , who kept an inn , within half a mile from rascal , in the high road betwixt york and thuske , his sister living with him ; this raynard continuing in unlawful lust with fletcher's wife , and not being content therewith , conspired the death of fletcher ; one mark dunn being made privy , and hired to assist in the murther ; which raynard and dunn accomplished upon may day , by drowning him , as they were travelling all three together , from a town called huby , and acquainted the wife with the deed , she gave them a sack , therein to convey his body , which they did , and buried it in raynard's back side , or croft , where an old oak had been stubbed up , and sowed mustard-seed in the place , thereby to hide it ; they then continued their wicked course of lust and drunkenness ; and the neighbours did much wonder at fletchers absence , but his wife excused it , and said , he was only gone aside for fear of some writs being served upon him , and so it continued till about iuly th . after , when raynard going to topcliff-fair , and setting up his horse in the stable , the spirit of fletcher in his usual shape and habit , did appear unto him , and said , o ralph , repent , repent , for my revenge is at hand ; and ever after , until he was put in the goal the spirit seemed continually to stand before him , whereby he became sad and restless , and his own sister over-hearing his confession and relation of it to another person , did through fear of losing her own life , immediately reveal it to sr. william sheffield , who lived in rascal ; whereupon raynard , dunn , and the wife , were all three apprehended , and sent to the goal at york , where they were condemned and executed , near the place where raynard lived ; and fletcher was buried ; the two men being hung up in chains , and the woman burned under the gallows . i have recited this story punctually , as a thing that hath been very much fixed on my memory ( being then but young ) and a certain truth , i being ( with many more ) an ear-witness of their confessions , and eye-witness of their executions , and likewise saw fletcher when he was taken up , where they had buried him in his clothes , which were a green fustian doublet pinckt upon white , and his walking boots , and brass spurs , without rowels . thus mr. webster . again , the same author ( p. . ) relates that about the year . there lived one walker , near chester , who was a yeoman of a good estate , and a widower ; he had a young kins-woman to keep his house , who was by the neighbours suspected to be with child , and was sent away one evening in the dark , with one mark sharp a collier , and was not heard of , nor little notice taken of her , till a long time after one iames grayham a miller , who lived two miles from walker's house , being one night alone very late in his mill , grinding corn , about twelve a clock at night , the doors being shut , there stood a woman in the midst of the floor , with her hair hanging down all bloody , and five large wounds in her head ; he was very much frighted , yet had the courage to ask her who she was , and what she wanted ? to whom she answered , i am the spirit of such a woman , who lived with walker , and being got with child by him , he promised to send me to a private place , where i should be well lookt to , till i was brought a bed , and well , and then i should come again and keep his house , and accordingly ( said the apparition ) i was one night late sent away with one mark sharp , who upon a moor , ( naming a place which the miller knew ) slew me with a pick ( such as men dig coals withal ) and gave me these five wounds , and after threw my body into a coal-pit hard by , and hid the pick under the bank , and his shoes and stockins being bloody , he endeavoured to wash them , but seeing the blood would not wash off , he left them there ; and the apparition further told the miller , that he must be the man to reveal it , or else she must still appear and haunt him . the miller returned home very sad , and heavy , but spake not one word of what he had seen , yet eschewed as much as he could to stay in the mill in the night without company , thinking thereby to escape the seeing this dreadful apparition ; but notwithstanding , one night when it began to be dark , the apparition met him again , and seemed very fierce and cruel , threatning him , that if he did not reveal the murder , she would continually pursue and haunt him ; yet for all this , he still concealed it , until st. thomas eve before christmas , when being soon after sun-set walking in his garden , she appeared again , and then so threatned and affrighted him , that he promised faithfully to reveal it the next morning : in the morning he went unto a magistrate , and discovered the whole matter , with all the circumstances , and diligent search being made , the body was found in a cole-pit , with five wounds in the head , and the pick , and shoes , and stockins yet bloody , and in every circumstance as the apparition had related to the miller● ▪ whereupon walker and mark sharp were both apprehended , but would confess nothing . at the assizes following , ( i think it was at durham ) they were arraigned , found guilty , and hanged ; but i could never hear that they confessed the fact. it was reported that the apparition did appear to the judge , or the fore-man of the jury , but of that i know no certainty . there are many persons yet alive that can remember this strange murder , and i saw and read the letter which was sent to serjeant hutton about it , from the judge before whom they were tried , which maketh me relate it with greater confidence . thus far we have mr. webster's relations . it is also credibly attested that a thing no less remarkable than either of the former , hapned but nine years ago at another place in england . the sum of the story as it is published in mr. glanvil's collection of relations , p. . is this : on the ninth of november . thomas goddard of marlborough in the country of wilts , as he was going to ogborn , about . h. a. m. he met the apparition of his father in law edward avon , who had beed dead about half a year . he seemed to stand by the stile , which goddard was to go over . when he came near , the spectre spake to him with an audible voice , saying , are you afraid ? to whom he answered , i am , thinking of one who is dead and buried , whom you are like . to which the apparition replied , i am be ; come near me i will do you no harm ; to which goddard replied , i trust in him who hath bought my soul with his precious blood , you shall do me no harm . then the spectre said , how stand cases at home ? goddard askt what cases ? then it asked him , how doth william and mary ? meaning belike , his son william and his daughter mary , whom this goddard had married . and it said , what ? taylor is dead ; meaning as goddard thought , one of that name in london , who had married another of avon's daughters , and died in september before this . the spectre offered him some money , desiring it might be sent to his daughter that was lately become a widow ; but goddard answered , in the name of iesus christ i refuse all such money . then the apparition said , i perceive you are afraid , i will meet you some other time : so it went away . the next night about h. it came and opened his shop-window , and looked him in the face , but said nothing . and the next night after as goddard went into his back-side with a candle light in his hand , but he being affrighted ran into his house , and saw it no more at that time . but on thursday november . as he came from chilton , the apparition met him again , and stood ( about eight foot ) directly before him , and said with a loud voice , thomas , bid william avon take the sword which he had of me , which is now in his house , and carry to the wood as we goe to alton to the upper end of the wood by the wayes side , for with that sword i did wrong above thirty years ago , & he never prospered since t was his . and do you speak with edward lawrence , and i desire you to pay him twenty shillings out of the money which you received of iames eliot at two payments ; for i borrowed so much money of edward lawrence , and said that i had paid him , but i did not pay it him . this money was received of iames eliot on a bond due to avon and goddard had it at two payments after avon had been dead several moneths . lawrence saith that he lent avon twenty shillings in money about twenty years ago , which was never paid him again . november . goddard did by order from the mayor of the town , go with his brother in law william avon , with the sword to the place where the apparition said it should be carried . and coming away thence goddard looking back saw the same apparition , whereupon he called to his brother in law , and said , here is the apparition of your father ; william replied , i see nothing , then goddard fell on his knees , and said , lord , open his eyes that he may see . but william said , lord grant i may not see it , if it be thy blessed will. then the ghost did to goddard's apprehension becken with his hand . to whom goddard said , what would you have me to do ? the apparition replied , take up the sword and follow me . to which he said , should both of us come ? or but one of us ? the spectre replied , thomas do you take up the sword. so he took it up and followed the apparition about ten poles into the wood . then the spectre coming towards goddard he stept back two steps ; but it said to him , i have a permission to you , and a commission not to touch you . then it took the sword , and wen● to the place at which before it stood , and pointed the top of the sword into the ground and said , in this place was buried the body of him whom i murdered in the year . but it is now rotten and turned to dust. whereupon goddard said , for what cause did you murder him ? the seeming avon replied i took money from the man , and he contended with me , and so i murdered him . then goddard said , who was confederate with you in the murder ? the spectre answered , none but my self . what ( said goddard ) would you have me do in this thing ? the apparition replied , only to let the world know that i murdered a man , and buried him in this place , in the year . then the spectre laid down the sword on the bare ground there , whereupon grew nothing , but seemed to goddard to be as a grave sunk in . all this while william avon remained where goddard left him , and said he saw no apparition , only heard goddard speak to the spectre , and discerned another voice also , making reply to goddard's enquiries , but could not understand the words uttered by that voice . the next day the mayor caused men to dig in the place where the spectre said the body was buried , but nothing could be found . these examples then , shew that the ghosts of dead men do sometimes appear , and that for such causes as those mentioned . there have been some in the world so desperate as to make solemn covenants with their living friends , to appear unto them after their death ; and sometimes ( though not alwayes ) it hath so come to pass . it is a remarkable passage which baronius relates concerning marsilius ficinus , and his great intimate michael mercatus . these two having been warmly disputing about the immortality of the soul , entred into a solemn vow , that if there were truth in those notions about a future state in another world , he which died first should appear to his surviving friend . not long after this , ficinus died. on a morning when mercatus was intent upon his studies , he heard the voice of ficinus his friend at his window with a loud cry , saying , o michael , michael , vera , vera sunt illa : o my friend michael , those notions about the souls of men being immortal they are true , they are true . whereupon , mercatus opened his window , and saw his friend marsilius ficinus , whom he called unto , but he vanished away . he presently sent to florence to know how ficinus did , and was informed that he died about the hour when his ghost appeared at mercatus his window . there are also later instances , and nearer home , not altogether unlike to this . for in mr. glanvil's late collection of relations , ( which we have had occasion more than once to mention . ) it is said , that dr. farrar and his daughter , made a compact , that the first of them which died , if happy , should after death appear to the surviver if possible ; his daughter with some difficulty consenting to the agreement . some time after , the daughter living then near salisbury , fell in labour , and having by an unhappy mistake a noxious potion given to her , instead of another prepared , suddenly died. that very night she appeared in the room where her father then lodged in london , and opening the curtains looked upon him . he had before heard nothing of her illness , but upon this apparition confidently told his servant that his daughter was dead , and two dayes after received the news . likewise one mr. watkinson , who lived in smithfield , told his daughter ( taking her leave of him , and expressing her fears that she should never see him more ) that should he die , if ever god did permit the dead to to see the living , he would see her again . now after he had been dead about half a year ; on a night when she was in bed but could not sleep , she heard musick , and the chamber grew lighter and lighter , she then saw her father by the bed-side . who said mall , did not i tell thee that i would see thee again ? he exhorted her to be patient under her afflictions , and to carry it dutiful towards her mother ; and told her that her child that was born since his departure should not trouble her long . and bid her speak what she would speak to him now , for he must go and she should see him no more upon earth , vid. glanvil's collections , p. , . sometimes the great and holy god , hath permitted , and by his providence ordered such apparitions to the end that atheists might thereby be astonished and affrighted out of their infidelity . nam primus timor fecit in orbe deos. remarkable and very solemn is the relaon of the appearance of major sydenbam's ghost , mentioned in the book but now cited ( p. . ) it is in brief this . major george sydenham of delverton in somerset , and captain william dyke of skillgate in that county ; used to have many disputes about the being of god , and the immortality of the soul : in which point they continued unresolved . to issue their controversies , they agreed that he that died first should the third night after his funeral , between the hours of twelve and one , appear at a little house in the garden . after sydenham was dead , captain dyke repairs to the place appointed between them two . he acquainted a near kinsman , dr. thomas dyke with his design , by whom he was earnestly disswaded from going to that place at that time ; and was told , that the devil might meet him and be his ruine , if he would venture on in such rash attempts . the captain replied , that he had solemnly engaged , and nothing should discourage him ; accordingly betwixt twelve and one he went into the garden-house , and there tarried two or three hours , without seeing or hearing any thing more than what was usual . about six weeks after , captain dyke rides to eaton , to place his son a scholar there . the morning before he returned from thence , after it was light , one came to his bed-side , and suddenly drawing back the curtains , calls cap. cap. ( which was the term of familiarity which the major when living used to call the captain by ) he presently perceived it was his major , and replieth , what my major ! on the table in the room there lay a sword which the major had formerly given to the captain . after the seeming major had walked a turn or two about the room , he took up the sword , and drew it out , and not finding it so bright and clean as it ought , cap. cap. ( said he ) this sword did not use to be kept after this manner , when it was mine . he also said to the captain , i could not come to you at the time appointed , but i am now come to tell you , that there is a god , and that he is a very just and a terrible god , and if you do not turn over a new leaf , you will find it so . so did he suddenly disappear . the captain arose , and came into another chamber ( where his kinsman dr. dyke lodged ) but in a visage and form much differing from himself , his hair standing , his eyes staring , and his whole body trembling , telling with much affection what he had seen . the captain lived about two years after this , but was much altered in his conversation , the words uttered by his majors ghost , ever sounding in his ears . thus of that remarkable providence . i have not mentioned these things , as any way approving of such desperate covenants . there is great hazard attending them . it may be after men have made such agreements , devils may appear to them , pretending to be their deceased friends , and thereby their souls may be drawn into woful snares ▪ who knoweth whether god will permit the persons , who have thus confederated , to appear in this world again after their death , and if not then the surviver will be under great temptation unto atheism ; as it fell out with the late earl of rochester , who ( as is reported in his life , p. . by dr. burn●t ) did in the year . enter into a formal ingagement with another gentleman , not without ceremonies of religion , that if either of them died , he should appear and give the other notice of the future state , if there were any . after this the other gentleman was killed , but did never appear after his death to the earl of rochester , which was a great snare to him , during the rest of his life . though when god awakened the earl's conscience upon his death-bed , he could not but acknowledge , that one who had so corrupted the natural principles of truth as he had , had no reason to expect that such an extraordinary thing should be done for his conviction . or if such agreement should necessitate an apparition , how would the world be confounded with spectres ? how many would probably be scared out of their wits ? or what curious questions would vain men be proposing about things which are ( and it is meet they should be ) hid from mortals . i cannot think that men who make such covenants ( except it be with very much caution , as i have heard that mr. knewstubs and another eminent person did ) are duely mindful of that scripture , deut. . . the secret things belong to the lord ; but those things which are revealed belong to us . moreover , such sights are not desirable . for many times they appear as forerunners of notable judgements at hand . i could instance out of approved history , how particular families have found that things of this nature , have come to them as the messengers of death . lavater in his book de spectris , and goulartius in his select history , say , that spectres are the harbingers of publick mutations , wars , and calamitous times . voetius in his disputation de peste , sheweth that sometimes the plague or strange diseases follow after such appearances . there was lately a very formidable apparition at meenen ▪ we are advised , that there did appear in that place , a person all in white , with a mitre on his head , being followed with two more in black ; after him came four or five squadrons , who drew up as if they intended to storm the town . the souldiers there refused to stand their centry , having been so affrighted as that some of them fell down in their posts . these spectres appeared every night in iune , . how it is there since that , or what events have followed in that place , i know not ▪ but i find in credible authors , that oftentimes mischief and destruction unto some or other hath been the effect of apparitions . luther tells us of a shepherd ( of whom also he speaketh charitably ) that being haunted with a spirit ; the apparition told him , that after eight dayes he would appear to him again , and carry him away , and kill him ; and so it came to pass : the ministers whom the poor man acquainted with his sorrowful estate , advised him not to despair of the salvation of his soul , though god should suffer the devil to kill his body . i have read of threescore persons all killed at once by an apparition . george agricola giveth an account of twelve men , that as they were digging in the mines , a spectre slew them . some have been filled with such anxiety at the appearance of a spectre , that in one nights time the hair of their heads has turned white . lavater speaketh of a man , who one night meeting with an apparition , the terror of it caused such a sudden change in him , as that when he came home , his own children did not know him . we may then conclude that the witlings of this drolling age know not what they do , when they make themselves sport with subjects of this nature . i shall only add this further here , that from the things which have been related , it is evident that they are mistaken who suppose devils cannot appear to men except with some deformities whereby they are easily discovered . the nymphs which deluded many of old , when the world was buried under heathenism ; were daemons , presenting themselves in shapes very formose . vide martinit lexic . in verbo nymphae . chap. viii . several cases of conscience considered . that it is not lawful to make use of herbs or plants to drive away evil spirits . nor of words or characters . an objection answered . whether it be lawful for persons bewitched , to burn things or to nail horse-shoes before their doors , or to stop urin in bottles , or the like , in order to the recovery of health . the negative proved by several arguments . whether it be lawful to try witches by casting them into the water . several reasons evincing the vanity of that way of probation . some other superstitions witnessed against . the preceding relations about witchcrafts and diabolical impostures give us too just occasion to make enquiry into some cases of conscience , respecting things of this nature . and in the first place the quaere may be ; whither it is lawful to make use of any sort of herbs or plants to preserve from witchcrafts , or from the power of evil spirits ? the answer unto which is ; that it is in no wise lawful , but that all attempts of that nature are magical , and diabolical , and therefore detestable superstition . as appears . in that if the devils do either operate or cease to do mischief upon the use of such things it must needs be in that they are signs which give notice to the evil spirits what they are to do ; now for men to submit to any of the devils sacraments is implicitly to make a covenant with him . many who practise these ne●arious vanities little think what they do . they would not for the world ( they say ) make a covenant with the devil , yet by improving the devils signals , with an opinion of receiving benefit thereby , they do the thing which they pretend to abhor . for , . angels ( bad as well as good ) are by nature incorporeal substances . there are some authors who by a corporal substance intend no more but a real being ; so that the term is by them used in opposition to meer phantasms in that sence , none but sadduces will deny angels to be corporeal . and in that respect the antient doctors , tertullian and others call them corpora . but commonly a body is set in opposition to a meer spiritual substance , mat. . . heb. . . and thus it is certain that daemons are incorporeal , eph. . . they are frequently , not only by authors , but in the holy scripture stiled spirits , because of their being incorporeal . and thence it is that they are not visible or palpable or any way incurring the outward sences , luk. . . homer saith that when the ghost of anticlea appeared to ulysses , he attempted three times to embrace that image , but could feel nothing ; for it had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but as virgil expresseth it , tenues sine corporevitas . cajetan & vasquez affirm , that apparitions can at no time be felt . it is not to be doubted but that spirits may make use of vehicles , that are subject to the outward senses ; nevertheless , a meer spirit cannot be touched by humane hands . moreover , we read of a legion of daemons possessing one miserable body , luk. . . a legion is at least ; now if they were corporeal substances , it could not be that so many of them , should be in the same person at the same time . and if they are incorporeal substances , then it is not possible that herbs or any sensible objects should have a natural influence upon them , as they have upon elementary bodies . this argument is of such weight , as that porphyrius , & other heathenish authors who affirm that daemons are affected with smells , & with blood , &c. suppose them to have aereal bodies . so do some talmudical & cabalistical writers ; they hold that there are a middle sort of devils , made of fire and air , who live upon the liquidity of the air , and the smoke of fire , &c. these they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . munster in his notes on lev. . does out of r. abraham , cite many passages to this purpose . but such iewish fables are so foolish , as that they need no confutation . and as the argument we have mentioned is a sufficient refutation of them that imagine a natural vertue to be in herbs , whereby evil spirits are driven away ; so may it be improved against their superstition , who suppose that fumes are of force to expel daemons . the author of the book of tobit chap. . tells a tale , that the heart and liver of a fish , if a smoke be made therewith , the devil will smell it , and then be forced to flee away from any one that shall be troubled with an evil spirit ; and that tobit following the counsel which raphael gave him about these matters , the devil was fain to run for it , as far as to the utmost parts of aegypt , chap. , ver . , . this passage , is so far from being divine , as that indeed it is prophane and magical . whereas the author saith , that whoever is troubled with an evil spirit , shall by that means ●ind relief , he does expresly contradict the son of god , who has taught otherwise , mat. . . mark . . and his ascribing such vertue to the heart of a fish , is as true as what cornelius agrippa saith , who affirms that the gall of a black dog will drive away evil spirits , and free from witchcrafts . and there is as much credit to be given to these things as to another iewish fable , viz. that the clapping of a cocks wings will make the power of daemons to become ineffectual ; yet that this fable hath obtained too much credit in the world is evident by words of prudentius , who saith , ferunt vagantes daemonas laetos tenebres noctium gallo canente exterritos sparsim timere & cedere . . god in his holy word has forbidden his people to imitate the heathen nations . he requires , that those who profess his name should not learn the way of the heathen● nor do after their manners , lev. . . ier. . . but to attempt the driving away of evil spirits by the use of herbs , fumes , &c. is an heathenish custom . whoso shall read proclus his book de sacrificio & magia , will see how the ethnicks taught , that smells and smokes would cause daemons to depart . and the like they believed ( and practised accordingly ) with respect unto several sorts of herbs . see sennertus med. pract. l. . part. . cap. . dioscorides being deceived with the doctrine of that great magician pythagoras , saith , that the sea-onion being hung in the porch of an house , will keep evil spirits from entring therein . in that book which passeth under the name of albertus magnus de mirabilibus mundi , ( though picus mirandula in his disputation about magick is so favourable as to think albertus was not the author of it ) but that the true author has abusively prefixed albertus his name ) there are many superstitious vanities of this nature ; which in times of popish darkness were received from the arabians and other heathenish worshippers of the devil . it is true , that the iews did some of them practise this kind of magick . iosephus ( antiq. lib. . cap. . ) confesseth that those of their nation ( in special one whose name was eleazar ) did by holding an herb ( viz. that called solomons seal ) to the noses of daemoniacks , draw the devils out of them . he speaketh untruly , in saying , that they learned such nefarious arts from solomon , for they had them from the heathen , who received them from the devil himself ; as is evident from another passage in the mentioned iosephus . in his history of the wars with the iews , lib. . cap. . he says , that there is a root by the iews , called baaras , which if a man pluck it up , he dieth presently ; but to prevent that they make bare the root , and then tye it with a string to a dog , who going away to follow his master , easily plucks up the root , whereupon the dog dieth , but his master may then without danger handle the root , and thereby fright the devils out of persons possessed with infernal spirits : whom he ( in that also following the heathen ) supposes to be the spirits of wicked men deceased . and that the iews received these curious or rather cursed arts from ethnicks , is manifest , inasmuch as pliny taught that the herb called aglaophotis had power to raise the gods , ( so did they call the devils whom they served . ) now that was the same herb with baaras ; for as delacampius , rainold , and others have observed , both name● have the same signification . so then the making use of herbs to fright away devils , or to preserve from the power of witches , is originally an heathenish custome , and therefore that which ought to be avoided and abhorred by those that call themselves christians . it is no less superstitious , when men endeavour by characters , words or spells , to charm any witches , devils or diseases . such persons do ( as fuller speaks ) fence them selves with the devils shield against the devils sword , agrippa in his books de occulta phi●osophia has many of these impious curiosities . but in his book of the vanity of sciences , chap. . he acknowledgeth that he wrote his other book of occult philosophy , when he was a young man , and bewails his iniquity therein , confessing that he had sinfully mispent precious time in those unprofitable studies . there is also an horrid book full of conjurations and magical incantations , which the prophane author hath ventured to publish under the name of king solomon : there cannot be a greater vanity than to imagine that devils are really frighted with words and syllables : such practices are likewise of diabolical and heathenish original . they that have read subjects of this nature , are not ignorant of what is related concerning the strange things done by the incantations of that famous wizard apollonius . the like has been also noted of the brackmanes of old , who were much given to such unlawful arts. it is still customary amongst the heathenish africans , by incantations to charm serpents ; which when they are in that way brought to them by the devil , they use with the blood of such serpents to anoint their weapons , that so they may become the more mortiferous . and that the like incantations were practised amongst the gentiles of old is evident from that verse of virgil , in his eclog. frigidus in pratis cantando rumpiter anguis . as also by that of ovid in metam . lib. . viperias rumpi verbis & carmina fauces . yea , the holy scriptures intimate , that such diabolical practices were used by some in the dayes of old , those words of david , psal. . , . imply no less , as our excellent rainold has with great learning and judgement evinced . it must be acknowledged that the notion which many have from austin taken up , as if serpents to avoid the power of charms , would lay one ear to the ground , and with their tails stop the other ear , is to be reckoned amongst vulgar errors ; nevertheless , that there were then charmers in the world , the mentioned ( as well as other ) scriptures notifie . moreover , those inchanters had their formulae , whereby they did imprecate the persons whom they designed hurt unto ; and the devil ( when the great and holy god saw meet to permit him ) would upon the using of those words go to work , and do strange things . hence livy speaks of the devotaria carmina used by wizards . the truth of this is also manifest from some passages in aeschines his oration against ctesiphon . and of this nature were balaams curses , desired by baalak , as enchantments against iacob , numb . . . & . . if it had not been a thing famously known , that baalam ( a black wizard ) did mischief others by his incantations , the king of moab would never have sent to him for that end . and as witchcrafts of this kind were frequent among the gentiles who kn●w not god ; so in a more especial manner amongst the ephesians before they were enlightened by the gospel of jesus christ. upon their conversion to the christian faith , as many as had used curious ( i. e. as the syriac translation rightly interprets magical ) arts , brought their books together and burned them before all men , acts . . which sheweth that ephesus did once abound with these heathenish superstitions . they pretended that they could by certain words cure diseases , eject devils , &c. hence it became a proverbial phrase , to say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when magical spells and incantations were intended . hesychius mentions some of those charms being obscure & barbarous words ; such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. these words they would sometimes carry about with them , fairly written ; and then they were a sacrament for the devil to operate by . that insignificant word abr●dacara , is by sammonious mentioned as a magical spell ; which hobgoblin word the late miracle monger or mirabilarian stroaker , in ireland , valentin greatrix attempted to cure an ague by . porphyrius saith , that the egyptians had symbols , which serapis appointed them to use in order to the driving away d●mons . now he whom the egyptians called serapis , is by the greeks called pluto , and by the i●ws bel-zebub . and as the heathen learned such things from bel-zebub , so have the papists ( who are called gentiles in the scripture , rev. . . and well they may be so , since as to all manner of idolatry and superstition they gentilize ) from them learned to cure diseases , and drive away evil spirits by words and spells , exor●izations , &c. matthiolus reports that he knew a man that would and that without seeing the persons wounded , by charms heal those that were stung with deadly serpents ; and fernelius saith , that he has seen some curing a feaver only by muttering words , without the use of any natural means . not only professed heathen but papists , have by reciting certain verses , bin wont to cure other diseases . yea they have practised to free persons from the epilepsie ; by mentioning the names of the three kings of colon ( as the wise men which came from the east , are usually called ) hence are those celebrated verses : haec tria qui secum portabit nomina regum solvitur a morbo christi pietate caduco . it is too well known , that popish countries do still abound with such superstitious vanities as these mentioned . and as voetius ( in his dissertation de exorcismo ) truly tells them , the exorcizations of the papists are as like those of the heathen as milk is like to milk , or as one egg is like to another . i know that some popish authors ( who are more ingenious ) write against attempting the cure of diseases by words or charms . fernelius , benevenius and ( as i remember ) valesius disapprove of it . but few ( if any ) of them are against conjuring away evil spirits , by words , and i know not what formulae of their own , or rather of the devils inventing . one of them ( viz. hieronymus mengus ) having published a book filled with con●urations entituleth it , the scourge of devils . it adds to the abomination when men shall not only break the first and second commandment , but the third also , by making use of any of the sacred names or titles belonging to the glor●●●s god , or to his son jesus christ , as charms ; 〈◊〉 which nothing is more frequent amongst r●manists . to conclude , god in his word doth with the highest severity condemn all such practices , declaring not only that ●●chanters and charmers are not to be tolerated amongst his people ; but that all who do such things are an abomination to him , deut. . , , . the iews are wont to be extreamly charitable towards those of their own nation , affirming , that every israelite shall have a part in the world to come ; only they except such as shall by incantation heal diseases . there are some that practise such things in their simplicity , not knowing that therein they gratifie the devil . voetiu● in his disputation , de magia , p. . speak● of one that according to the vain conversation received by tradition from fo●e fathers would sometimes attempt things of this nature , but upon voetius his instructing him concerning the sin and evil which was there● in , the man durst never more do as formerly if this discourse fail into the hands of an● whose consciences tell them they have been guilty of the same iniquity ; god gran that it may have the same effect on them . it is a marvelous and an amazing thing , that in such a place as new-england , where the gospel hath shined with great power and glory , any should be so blind as to make attempts of t●●s kind ; yet some such i know there have been . a man in boston gave to one a sealed paper , as an effectual remedy against the tooth-ach , wherein were drawn several confused characters , and these words written , in nomine patris filii , & spiritus sancti , preserve thy servant , such an one . ( bodinus and others write of a convicted witch , whose name was barbary dore , that confessed she had often cured diseases , by using the like words unto those mentioned . ) not long since a man left with another in this town , as a rare secret a cure for the ague , which was this , five letters , viz. 〈…〉 , &c. were to be written successively on pieces of bread and given to the patient , on one piece he must write the word kalendant , and so on another the next day , and in five dayes ( if he did believe ) he should not fail of cure . these considerations have made me the more willing a little to inlarge upon the argument in hand . but before i proceed to handle the next case , it may not be amiss to answer that which seems the most considerable allegation against the arguments thus far insisted on . it is then by some objected that musick driveth away evil spirits . for when david took an harp and played with his hand , the evil spirit departed from saul , sam. . . so that it seems the devils are driven away by sounds , and why not then by words , or fumes , or herbs ? ans● . it is confessed that satan does take great advantage from the ill humors and diseases which are in the bodies of men greatly to molest their spirits . especially it is true concerning melancholly , which has therefore been called balneum diaboli , the devils bath , wherein he delights to be stirring . . when bodily diseases are removed by the use of natural means , the matter upon which the evil spirit was wont to operate being gone , he does no more disturb and disquiet the minds of men as before that he did . the passive disposition in the body ceasing , the active affliction caused by the devil ceaseth also . rulandus writes of possessed persons who were cured by emetic medicines , clearing them of those melancholly humors , by means whereof the evil spirit had sometimes great advantages over them . this also po●p●natius does by many instances confirm . s●nn●rtus likewise has divers passages to the same purpose . also we see by frequent experience , persons strangely hurried by satan , have by the blessing of god upon the endeavou● of the physitian been delivered from those woful molestations . ferrarius , delrio , burgensis , and others , commenting on sam. . conceive that the ingress and egress of evil s●irits depends upon the humors and dispositions of the body ; which assertion is not unive sally true : for sometimes the devil hath laughed at the physitians , who have thought by medicinal applications to dispossess him . examples for this may be seen in fernelius and codronchus . wherefore voetius in his disputation , de emergumenis , page . speaketh cautiously and judiciously , in asserting that we may not suppose that the devils taking bodily possession of this or that person , depends wholly upon corporeal dispositions ; nevertheless that natural distempers sometimes are an occasion thereof . . it is also true that musick is of great efficacy against melancholly discomposures . this notwithstanding , there is no reason to conclude with mendozo , bodin , and others , that musick is so hateful to the devil , as that he is necessitated to depart when the pleasant sound is made . if that were so , how comes it to pass that appearing daemons do sometimes depart with a melodious sound ? or that in the conventicles of witches there is musick heard ? but la torr has notably confuted such imaginations . indeed the sweetness and delightfulness of musick has a natural power to lenifie melancholly passions . they say that pythagoras by musick restored a frantick man to his wits again . thus was saul's pensive spirit refreshed by david's pleasant harp , and when he was refreshed and well , the evil spirit which took advantage of his former pensiveness , upon his alacrity departed from him . so that it remains still a truth , that corporeal things have no direct physical influence upon infernal spirits , and that therefore for men to think that they shall drive away daemons by any such means is folly and superstition . i shall add no more in answer to the first quaere proposed . a second case , which we shall here take occasion to enquire into , is , whether it be lawful for bewitched persons to draw blood from those whom they suspect for witches , or to put urin into a bottle , or to nail an horse-shoe at their doors , or the like , in hopes of roc●vering health thereby ? ans. there are several great authors who have discovered and declared the evil of all such practices . in special voetius , sennertus , and our perkins disapprove thereof . there is another question much what of the same nature with this , viz. whether a bewitched person may lawfully cause any of the devils symbols to be removed in order to gaining health ? as suppose an image of wax in which needles are fixed , whereby the devil doth at the instigation of his servants , torment the diseased person whether this being discovered may be taken away , that so the devils power of operation may cease , and that the sick person may in that way obtain health again ? the affirmative of this quaestion is stiffly maintained by scotus , cajetan , delrio , malderus , and by popish authors generally . yet amongst them hesselius , estius , and sanchez , hold the negative . and so do all our protestant writers , so far as i have had occasion to observe . and although some make light of such practices , and others undertake to justifie them , yet it cannot justly be denied but that they are impious follies . for . they that obtain health in this way have it from the devil . the witch cannot recover them , but by the devils help . hence as it is unlawful to entreat witches to heal bewitched persons , because they cannot do this , but by satan , so is it very sinful by scratching , or burnings , or detention of urin , &c. to endeavour to constrain them to unbewitch any ; for this is to put them upon seeking to the devil . the witch does neither inflict nor remove the disease , but by the assistance of the devil ; therefore either to desire or force thereunto , is to make use of the devils help . the person th●s recovered cannot say , the lord was my heal●r , but the devil was my healer . certainly it were better for a man to remain sick all his dayes , yea ( as chrysostom speaks ) he had better die then go to the devil for health . hence . men and women have by such practices as these mentioned , black commerce and communion with the devil . they do ( though ignorantly ) concern and involve themselves in that covenant which the devil has made with his devoted and accursed vassals . for , whereas it is pleaded , that if the thing bewitched be thrown into the fire , or the urin of the sick stopped in a bottle , or an horse-shoe nailed before the door , then by vertue of the compact which is between the devil and his witches , their power of doing more hurt ceaseth ; they that shall for such an end so practise , have fellowship with that hellish covenant . the excellent sennertus argueth solidly , in saying , they that force another to do that which he cannot possibly do , but by vertue of a compact with the devil , have themselves implicitly communion with the diabolical covenant . and so is the case here . who was this art of unbewitching persons in such a way first learned of ? if due enquiry be made , it will be found that magicians and devils were the first discoverers . porphyrie saith , it was by the revelation of the daemons themselves that men came to know by what things they would be restrained from , and constrained to this or that : eujeb . praep . evan. l. . c. . dr. willet in ex. . quest. . to use any ceremonies in vented by satan , to attain a supernatural end , implies too great a concernment with him . yea , such persons do honour and worship the devil by hoping in his salvation . they use means to obtain health which is not natural , nor was ever appointed by god , but is wholly of the devils institution ; which he is much pleased with , as being highly honoured thereby . nay such practices do imply an invocation of the devil for relief , and a pleading with him the covenant which he hath made with the witch , and a declaration of confidence that the father of lies will be as good as his word . for the nefandous language of such a practice , is this : thou o devil , hast made a covenant with such an one , that if such a ceremony be used , thou wilt then cease to torment a poor creature that is now afflicted by thee . we have used that ceremony , and therefore now o satan we expect that thou shouldest be as good as they word which thou hast covenanted with that servant of thine , and cease tormenting the creature that has been so afflicted by thee . should men in words speak thus , what horrid impiety were it● therefore to do actions which import no less , is ( whatever deluded souls think of it ) great and hainous iniquity . . let such practitioners think the best of themselves , they are too near a kin to those creatures who commonly pass under the name of white witches . they that do hurt to others by the devils help , are called black witches : but there are a sort of persons in the world , that will never hurt any , but only by the power of the infernal spirits they will un-bewitch those that seek unto them for relief : i know that by constantius his law , black witches were to be p●nished , and white ones indulged : but m. perkins saith , that the good witch is a more horrible and detestable monster than the bad one . balaam was a black witch , and simon magus a white one . this later did more hurt by his cures , than the former by his curses . how persons that shall unbewitch others by putting u●●n into a bottle , or by casting excrements into the fire , or nailing of horse-shoes at mens doors , can wholly clear themselves from being white witches , i am not able to understand . . innocent persons have been extreamly wronged by such diabolical tricks . for sometimes ( as is manifest from the relation of the groton maid , mentioned in the fifth chapter of this essay ) the devil does not only himself inflict diseas●s upon men , but represent the visages of innocent persons to the phansies of the diseased , making them believe that they are tormented by them , when only himself does it . and in case they follow the devils direction , by observing the ceremonies which he has invented , hee 'l afflict their bodies no more . so does his malice bring the persons accused by him ( though never so innocent ) into great suspicion . and he will cease afflicting the body of one , in case he may ruin the credit of another , and withal endanger the souls of ●hose that hearken to him . if the devil upon scratchings , or burnings , or stoppings of urin , or the nailing of an horse-shoe , &c. shall cease to afflict the body of any , he does this either as being compelled thereto , or voluntarily . to imagine that such things shall constrain the evil spirit to cease afflicting , whether he will or no , is against all reason . but if he does this voluntarily , then instead of hurting their bodies , he does a greater mischief to souls . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the devil heals the body that he may wound the soul. he will heal them with all his heart , provided that he may but thereby draw men to look unto him for help , instead of seeking unto god alone , in the use of his own means , and so receive that honour ( the thing that he aspires after ) which is the lords due . how gladly will that wicked spirit heal one body upon condition that he may entangle many souls with superstition . and if men and women ( especially in places of light ) will hearken to him , it is a righteous thing with god to suffer it to be thus . it is past doubt that satan , who has the power of death , heb. . . has also ( by divine permission ) power to inflict , and consequently to remove diseases from the bodies of men . in natural diseases he has many times a great operation , and is willing to have them cured rather by the use of superstious then of natural means . it is noted in the germanic ephemeris for the year . that a man troubled with a fistula , which the physitians by all their art could no way relieve ; a person that was esteemed a wizard undertook to cure him ; and applying a powder to the wound , within a few dayes the sick party recovered . the powder was some of the ashes of a certain woman who had been burnt to death for a witch . this was not altogether so horrid as that which is by authors worthy of credit reported to come to pass , in the days of pope adrian vi. when the plague raging in rome , a magician ( whose name was demetrius spartan ) caused it to be stayed by sacrificing a bull to the devil . see p. iovius histor. lib. . such power hath the righteous god given unto satan over the sinful children of men ; yea such a ruler hath he set over them as a just punishment for all their wickedness . his chief design is to improve that power which by reason of sin he hath obtained to seduce into more sin . and the holy god to punish the world for iniquity , often suffers the enemy to obtain his desires this way . what strange things have been done , and how have diseases been healed by the sign of the cross many times ? by which means satans design in advancing 〈◊〉 to the destruction of thousands of souls , has too successfully taken place . and this 〈◊〉 did he early and gradually advance amongst christians . i have not been able without astonishment to read the passages related by austin de civitate dei lib. . cap. . he there speaks of one innocentia , whom he calls a most religious woman , who having a cancer in her breast ; the most skilful physitians doubted of the cure . but in her sleep she was admonished to repair unto the font where she had been baptized , and there to sign that place with the sign of the cross , which she did , and was immediately healed of her cancer . in the same chapter , he reports that a friend of hesperius did from ierusalem send him some earth that was taken out of the place where our lord christ had been buried ; & that hesperius had no sooner received it but his house which before had been molested with evil spirits was rid of those troublesome guests . he giveth an account also , of strange cures wrought by the reliques of the martyrs . it was not ( he saith ) known where the bodies of protasius and gervas ( holy martyrs ) were buried ; but ambrose had it revealed to him in his sleep ; and a blind man approaching near unto th● bodies instantly received his sight . another was cured of blindness by the reliques of the martyr stephen . and a child playing abroad , a cart wheel run over him and bruised him , so that it was thought he would immediately expire ; but his mother carrying him into the house that was built to honour the memory of st. stephens life and health were miraculously continued . many other wonderful cures doth austin there mention , as done by stephen's reliques . but who seeth not that the hand of ioab was in all these things ? for by this means satan hath filled the world with superstition . the cross is worshipped ; the reliques of martyrs are adored ; the honour due to god alone is given to the creature . the same method has the grand enemy observed , that so he might bring that superstition of iconolatry or image worship , which is so provoking to the jealous god , into repute amongst christians . it would be endless to enumerate how many in popish countries have been cured of diseases which for their sins god hath suffered the devil to punish them with , by touching the image of this or that saint . nay , some whose bodies have been possessed with evil spirits , have in that way of superstition found relief ; in a more especial manner , when the image of the virgin mary hath been presented before persons possessed , the devil in them hath cried out , and shrieked after a fearful manner , as if he had been put to horrible torture at the sight of that image , and so hath seemed to depart out of the miserable creature molested by him ; and all this that so deluded papists might be hardened in their superstitious opinion of that image . many such devices hath satan to ensnare and ruin the souls of men. some report that the bodies of excommunicates in the greek churches at this day , are strangely handled by the devil , after death hath taken hold of them . m. ricaut in his relation of the present state of the greek churches , page . &c. saith that a grave kaloir told him that to his own certain knowledge , a person who fell under their church-censure , after he had been for some time buried , the people where his corps lay interred , were affrighted with strange apparitions , which they concluded arose from the grave of the accursed excommunicate , which thereupon was opened , and they found the body uncorrupted , and replete with blood , the coffin furnished with grapes , nuts , &c. brought thither by infernal spirits . the kaloirs resolved to use the common remedy in those cases , viz. to cut the body in several parts , and to boyl it in wine , as the approved means to dislodge the evil spirit , but his friends intreated rather that the sentence of excommunication might be reversed , which was granted . in the mean time prayers , and masses , and offerings were presented for the dead , and whilst they were performing these services , on a sudden was heard a rumbling noise in the coffin of the dead party . which being opened , they found the body consumed and dissolved into dust , as if it had been interred seven years . the hour and minute of this dissolution being compared with the date of the patriarchs release when signed at constantinople , was found exactly to agree with that moment . if there be truth in this relation , 't is a dreadful evidence of satans reigning amongst a superstitious people , who nevertheless call themselves christians ; and that he does by such means as these keep them under chains of darkness still . the devil hath played such reax as these are , not only amongst christians but amongst the gentiles of old . for titus latinus was warned in his sleep that he should declare unto the senate that they must reniew that stage-plays ; he neglecting to deliver his message , was again by the same daemon spoken unto in his sleep● and severely reproved for his omission , and his son died . still persisting in his omission the daemon again cometh to him , so that he was surprized with an acute and horrible disease . hereupon by counsel of his friends , he was carried in his bed into the senate , and as soon as he had declared what he had seen , his health was restored , that he returned home upon his feet : the issue was , stage-plays were more in fashion than ever before . augustin de civitate dei , lib. . cap. . learned men are not ignorant that strange● cures were effected amongst the heathen by the use of talismans , or images ; of which inventions zoroaster ( the father of magicians ) is supposed to be the first author . it is reported that virgil made a brazen fly , and a golden horse-leach , whereby flies were hindred from coming into naples , and the horse-leaches were all killed in a ditch . thus doth beelzebub draw miserable men into superstition . and although i am upon a serious subject , and my design in writing these things ; that is so i might bear witness against the superstition , which some in this land of light have been found guilty of ; and that ( if god shall bless what has been spoken to convince men of the error of their way ) the like evils may no more be heard of amongst us ; this notwithstanding ; it may not be improper here to recite some facetious passages , which i have met with in hemmingius his discourse , de superstitione magica , since they are to my present purpose , as discovering what delight the infernal spirits take in drawing men to make use of superstitious means for the recovery of health unto their bodies . the learned author mentioned , reports , that as he was instructing his pupils in the art of logic , he had occasion to recite a couple of verses consisting of nine hobgoblin words , fecana , cajeti , daphenes , &c. adding by way of joke , that those verses would cure a feaver , if every day a piece of bread were given to the sick person , with one of these words written upon it . a simple fellow that stood by , thought hemmingius had been in earnest in what he spoke , and not long after having a servant that fell sick of a feaver , he gave him the first day a bit of bread , with a paper wherein fecana was written , and so on for six dayes until he came to the word gebali ; and then on a sudden his servant was well again . others seeing the efficacy of the amulet did the like , and many were cured of feavers thereby . in the same chapter , p. . hemingius writeth of a knavish scholar , that a certain woman repairing to him for help , who was excedingly troubled with sore eyes , promising him a good reward for his cure , the knave , though he had no skill , yet for lucre sake , he promised to effect the cure ; and in order thereto taketh a piece of paper , and maketh therein characters , unto which he never saw the like before , only then devised them , and writeth in great letters these abominable words , diabolus eruat tibi oculos , & foramina stercoribus impleat . ( the papists say that their saint francis caused the devil to depart out of a possessed person by using an alike bruitish expression . ) he folded up the paper in a cloth , requiring the diseased party to wear it about her neck , which she did and her disease was healed . after two years , being desirous to know what was in the paper , she caused it to be opened and read ; and being greatly offended and inraged at this indignity , cast the paper away , immediately upon which her sore eyes returned again . without doubt then , the devils design in this cure , was to● encourage the prophane impostor to endeavour the removal of diseases by like superstitious and wicked practices , whereby his own and the souls of others unto whom he should impart the mystery , would be endangered . the like is to be affirmed concerning attempts to heal diseases , by scratching suspected witches , or stopping urin in bottles , nailing of horse ●shoes , &c. it may be the time will come , when they that have been thus foolish , will feel their own consciences smiting them for what they have done . let them remember the example of that gracious and famous gentlewoman , mrs. honeywood ; the occasion of whose sorrowful and doleful desertion , was , in that having a child sick , she asked counsel of a wizard about its recovery . certainly , it is better for persons to repent of sin the procuring cause of all affliction , and by the prayer of faith to betake themselves to the lord jesus , the great physitian both of body and soul , and so to wait for healing in the use of lawful means , until god shall see meet to bestow that mercy on them ; i say this is better , than to follow such dark methods as those declared against , wherein if they have found any success , they may fear it is in wrathful judgment unto them or theirs . some observe that persons who receive present healing in such unlawful wayes , usually come to unhappy ends at last . let me then conclude the answer unto the case propounded with the words which th angel bid the prophet elijah speak to ahaziah's messengers , king. . . is it because there is no god in israel , that you go to baalzebub the god of ekron ? there is another case of conscience which may here be enquired into , viz. whether it be lawful to bind persons suspected for witches , and so cast them into the water , in order to making a discovery of their innocency or guiltiness ; so as that if they keep above the water , they shall be deemed as confoederate with the devil , but if they sink they are to be acquitted from the crime of witchcraft . as for this way of purgation it cannot be denied but that some learned men have indulged it . king iames approveth of it , in his discourse of witch-craft b. . chap. . supposing that the water refuseth to receive witches into its bosom , because they have perfidiously violated their covenant with god , confirmed by water in baptism . kornmannus and scribonius do upon the same ground justifie this way of tryal . but a worthy casuist of our own , giveth a judicious reply to this supposal , viz. that all water is not the water of baptism , but that only which is used in the very act of baptism . moreover , according to this notion the proba would serve only for such persons as have been baptized . wierus and bodinus have written against this experiment . so hath hemmingius ; who saith , that it is both superstitious and ridiculous . likewise , that learned physitian iohn heurnius has published a treatise , which he calls , responsum ad supremam curiam hollandiae , nullum esse aequae innatationem lamiarum indicium . that book i have not seen , but i find it mentioned in m●ursius his athenae batavae . amongst english authors , dr. cott hath endeavoured to shew the unlawfulness of using such a practice . also mr. perkins is so far from approving of this probation by cold water , as that he rather inclines to think that the persons who put it in practice are themselves after a sort practisers of witch-craft . that most learned , judicious , and holy man , gisbertus voetius in his forementioned exercitation de magia , p. . endeavours to evince that the custom of trying witches by casting them into the water is unlawful , a tempting of god , and indirect magic . and that it is utterly unlawful , i am by the following reasons convinced : . this practice has no foundation in nature , nor in scripture . if the water will bear none but witches , this must need proceed either from some natural or some supernatural cause . no natural cause is or can be assigned why the bodies of such persons should swim rather than of any other . the bodies of witches have not lost their natural properties , they have weight in them as well as others . moral changes and viceousness of mind , make no alteration as to these natural proprieties which are inseparable from the body . whereas some pretend that the bodies of witches are possessed with the devil , and on that account are uncapable of sinking under the water ; malderus his reply is rational , viz. that the allegation has no solidity in it , witness the gadarens hoggs , which were no sooner possessed with the devil but they ran into the water , and there perished . but if the experiment be supernatural , it must either be divine or diabolical . it is not divine ; for the scripture does no where appoint any such course to be taken to find out whether persons are in league with the devil or no. it remains then that the experiment is diabolical . if it be said , that the devil has made a compact with wizards , that they shall not be drowned , and by that means that covenant is discovered ; the reply is , we may not in the least build upon the devils word . by this objection the matter is ultimately resolved into a diabolical faith. and shall that cast the scale , when the lives of men are concerned ? suppose the devil saith these persons are witches , must the judge therefore condemn them ? . experience hath proved this to be a fallacious way of trying witches , therefore it ought not to be practised . thereby guilty persons may happen to be acquitted , and the innocent to be condemned . the devil may have power to cause supernatation on the water in a person that never made any compact with him . and many times known and convicted wizards have sunk under the water when thrown thereon . in the bohemian history mention is made of several witches , who being tried by cold water were as much subject to submersion as any other persons . delrio reports the like of another witch . and godelmannus speaks of six witches in whom this way of trial failed . malderus saith it has been known that the very same persons being often brought to this probation by water , did at one time swim and another time sink ; and this difference has sometimes hapned according to the different persons making the experiment upon them ; in which respect one might with greater reason conclude that the persons who used the experiment were witches , then that the persons tried were so . . this way of purgation is to be accounted of , like other provocations or appeals to the judgement of god , invented by men : such as camp-fight , explorations by hot water , &c. in former times it hath been customary ( and i suppose t is so still among the norwegians ) that the suspected party was to put his hand into s●alding water , and if he received no hurt thereby then was he reputed innocent ; but if otherwise , judged as guilty . also , the trial by fire ordeal has been used in our nation in times of darkness . thus emma the mother of king edward the confessor , was led barefoot and blindfold over certain hot irons , and not hapning to touch any of them , was judged innocent of the crime which some suspected her as guilty of . and kunegund wife to the emperour henry ii. being accused of adultery , to clear her self , did in a great and honourable assembly take up seven glowing irons one after on other with her bare hand , and had no harm thereby . these bloody kind of experiments are now generally banished out of the world. it is pity the ordeal by cold water is not exploded with the other . . this vulgar probation ( as it useth to be called ) was first taken up in times of superstition , being ( as before was hinted of other magical impostures ) propagated from pagans to papists , who would ( as may be gathered from bernards serm. in cantica ) sometimes bring those that were under suspicion for heresie unto their purgation in this way . we know that our ancestors , the old pagan saxons had amongst them four sorts of ordeal ( i. e. trial or iudgement as the saxon word signifies ) whereby when sufficient proof was wanting , they sought ( according as the prince of darkness had instructed them ) to find out the truth concerning suspected persons , one of which ordeals was this , the persons surmised to be guilty , having cords tied under their arms , were thrown with it into some river , to see whether they would sink or swim . so that this probation was not originally confined to witches , but others supposed to be criminals were thus to be tried : but in some countries they thought meet thus to examine none but those who have been suspected for familiarity with the devil . that this custom was in its first rise superstitious is evident from the ceremonies of old used about it . for the proba is not canonical , except the person be cast into the water with his right hand tied to his left foot . also , by the principle , which some approvers of this experiment alledge to confirm their fansies ; their principle is , nihil quod per necromantian fit , potest in aqua fallere aspectum intuentium . hence william of malmsbury , lib. . p. . tells a fabulous story ( though he relates it not as such ) of a traveller in italy that was by a witch transformed into an asse , but retaining his humane understanding would do such feats of activity , as one that had no more wit than an asse could not do ; so that he was sold for a great price ; but breaking his halter he ran into the water , and thence was instantly unbewitched , and turned into a man again . this is as true as lucian's relation about his own being by witch-craft transformed into an asse ; and i suppose both are as true as that cold water will discover who are witches . it is to be lamented , that protestants should in these dayes of light , either practise or plead for so superstitious an invention , since papists themselves have of later times been ashamed of it . verstegan in his antiquities , lib. . p. . speaking of the trials by ordeal , and of this by cold water in particular , has these words ; these aforesaid kinds of ordeals , the saxons long after their christianity continued : but seeing they had their beginnings in paganism and were not thought fit to be continued amongst christians ; at the last by a decree of pope stephen ii. they were abolished . thus he . yea , this kind of trial by water , was put down in paris a. d. . by the supream court there . some learned papists have ingenuously acknowledged that such probations are superstitious . it is confessed that they are so , by tyraeus , binsfeldius , delrio , and by malderus de magia , tract . . cap. . dub. . who saith , that they who shall practise this superstition , and pass a judgement of death upon any persons on this account , will ( without repentance ) be found guilty of murder before god. it was in my thoughts to have handled some other cases of the like nature with these insisted on : but upon further consideration , i suppose it less needful , the practices which have given occasion for them being so grosly superstitious , as that they are ashamed to show their heads openly . the chaldae●ns and other magicians amongst the heathen nations of old , practised a sort of divination by sieves ( which kind of magic is called coscinomantia ) the like superstition has been frequent in popish countries , where they have been wont to utter some words of scripture , and the names of certain saints over a sieve , that so they might by the motion thereof , know where something stollen or lost was to be found . some also have believed that if they should cast lead into the water , then saturn would discover to them the thing they enquired after . it is not saturn but satan that maketh the discovery , when any thing is in such a way revealed . and of this sort is the foolish sorcery of those women that put the white of an egg into a glass of water , that so they may be able to divine of what occupation their future husbands shall be . it were much better to remain ignorant than thus to consult with the devil . these kind of practices appear at first blush to be diabolical ; so that i shall not multiply words in evincing the evil of them . it is noted that the children of israel did secretly those things that are not right against the lord their god , king. . . i am told that there are some who do secretly practise such abominations as these last mentioned , unto whom the lord in mercy give deep and unfeigned repentance and pardon for their grievous sin. chap. ix . a strange relation of a woman in weymouth in new-england , that has been dumb and deaf ever since she was three years old , who nevertheless has a competent knowledge in the mysteries of religion , and is admitted to the sacrament . some parallel instances of wayes to teach those that are naturally deaf and dumb to speak . another relation of a man in hull in new-england , under whose tongue a stone bred . concerning that petrification which humane bodies are subject unto . that plants and diverse sorts of animals have sometimes bred in the bodies of men. having dispatched the digression , which the things related in some of the preceding chapters did necessarily lead us into : i now proceed in commemorating some other remarkables , which it is pity but that posterity should have the knowledge of . i shall in this chapter only take notice of two particulars amongst our selves , with some parallel instances which have hapned in other parts of the world. i am informed that there is now at weymouth in new-england a man and his wife who are both of them deaf , and that the woman had been so from her infancy ; and yet that she understands as much concerning the state of the country , and of particular persons therein , and of observable occurrences , as almost any one of her sex ; and ( which is more wonderful ) though she is not able to speak a word , she has by sings made it appear that she is not ignorant of adam's fall , nor of man's misery by nature , nor of redemption by christ , and the great concernments of eternity , and of another world , and that she her self has had experience of a work of conversion in her own soul. i have made enquiry about this matter of some that are fully acquainted therewith , and have from a good hand received this following account . matthew prat aged about fifty five years , was in his minority by his godly parents educated religiously , and taught to read : when he was about twelve years old , he became totally deaf by sickness , and so hath ever since continued ; after the loss of his hearing he was taught to write : his reading and writing he retaineth perfectly , & makes much good improvement of both , but his speech is very broken , and imperfect , not easily intelligible ; he maketh use of it more seldom , only to some few that are wonted to it . he discourseth most by signs , and by writing . he is studious and judicious in matters of religion , hath been in church-fellowship , a partaker of all ordinances near thirty years , hath approved himself unto good satisfaction therein , in all wayes of church communion , both in publick and private ; and judged to be a well wrought convert and real christian. sarah prat his wife , being about forty three years old , was also quite deprived of hearing by sickness , when about the third year of her age , after she could speak , and had begun to learn letters , having quite lost hearing , she lost all speech ( doubtless all remembrance and understanding of words and language , ) her religious parents being both dead , her godly brother ephraim hunt ( yet surviving ) took a fatherly care of her , she also happily fell under the guardianship and tuition of the reverend mr. thomas thacher , who laboured with design to teach her to understand speech or language by writing , but it was never observed that any thing was really effected ; she hath a notable accuracy and quickness of understanding by the eye , she discourseth altogether by signs , they that are able to discourse with her in that way , will communicate any matter much more speedily ( and as full ) as can be by speech , and she to them . her children sign from the breast , and learn to speak by their eyes and fingers sooner than by their tongues . she was from her child-hood naturally sober , and susceptible of good civil education , but had no knowledge of a deity , or of any thing that doth concern another life and world . yet god hath of his infinite mercy , revealed himself , his son , and the great mysteries of salvation unto her by an extraordinary and more immoderate working of his spirit ( as t is believed ) in a saving work of conversion . an account of her experiences was taken from her in writing by her husband ; upon which she was examined by the elders of the church , they improving her husband and two of her sisters , intelligent persons , and notably skill'd in her artificial language ; by whose help they attained good satisfaction , that she understandeth all the principles of religion : those of the unity of the divine essence , trinity of persons , the personal union , the mystical union , they made most diligent enquiry about , and were satisfied that her knowledge and experience was distinct and ●ound , and they hoped saving . she was under great exercise of spirit , and most affectionately concerned for and about her soul , her spiritual and eternal estate . she imparted her self to her friends , and expressed her desire of help . she made use of the bible and other good books , and remarkt such places and passages as suited her condition , and that with tears ; she did once in her exercise , write with a pin upon a trencher three times over , ah poor s●ul ! and therewithal burst forth into tears , before divers of her friends . she hath been wont to enquire after the text , and when it hath been shewed to her to look and muse upon it . she knoweth most , if not all persons names that she hath acquaintance with . if scripture names , will readily turn and point to them in the bible . it may be conceived , that although she understands neither words , letters , nor language ; yet she understands things hieroglyphically . the letters and words are unto her but signs of the things , and as it were hieroglyphicks . she was very desirous of church-communion in all ordinances , and was admitted with general and good satisfaction , and hath approved her self to the best observation , a grave and gracious woman . they both attend publick worship with much reverence and constancy , and are very inoffensive ( and in divers respects ) exemplary in their conversation . thus far is that narrative , written iune . . i suppose no one that rightly consider the circumstances of this relation will make a scruple about the lawfulness of admitting such persons to participate in the holy mysteries of christ's kingdom . all judicious casuists determine , that those who were either born , or by any accident made deaf and dumb , if their conversation be blameless , and they able by signs ( which are analogous to verbal expressions ) to declare their knowledge and faith ; may as freely be received to the lords supper , as any that shall orally make the like profession . of this judgement was luther . and melancthon ( in consil . part . page . ) gerhad loc. com. tom. . thes. . alting loc. gom. part . page . voetius disp. select . part . in appendice de surdis . balduinus in his cases of conscience ( lib. . c. . ) does confirm this by producing several instances of dump● persons admitted to the communion . it s certain that some such have been made to understand the mysteries of the gospel , so as to suffer martyrdome on that account . in the year , one that was deaf and dumb , being solicited by the papists to be present at masse , chose rather to suffer death . it is also a thing known , that men are able by signs to discourse , and to communicate their sentiments one to another . there are above thirty mutes kept in the ottoman court for the grand seignior to sport with : concerning whom mr. ricaut in his history of the present state of the ottoman empire ( p. . ) reports , that they are able by signs not only to signifie their sence in familiar questions , but to recount stories , and understand the fables of the turkish religion , the laws and precepts of the alcoran , the name of mahomet , and what else may be capable of being expressed by the tongue . this language of the mutes is so much in fashion in the ottoman court , that almost every one can deliver his sense in it . and that deaf persons have been sometimes able to write , and to understand what others say to them by the very motion of their lips is most certain . camerarius tells us of a young man and a maid then living at noremberg , who though deaf and dumb , could read and write , and cypher , and by the motion of a mans lips , knew his meaning . platerus speaketh of one deaf and dumb born , that yet could express his mind in a table-book , and understood what others wrote therein , and was wont to attend upon the ministry of o●colampadius , understanding many things by the motion of the lips of the preacher . mr. clark in his examples ( vol. . chap. . ) saith , that there was a woman in edinburg in scotland ( her name was ●●nnet lowes ) who being naturally deaf and dumb , could understand what people said meerly by the moving of their lips. it is famously known that mr. crisp of london , could do the like . borellus giveth an account of one that lost his hearing by a violent disease when he was five years old , yet if they did but whisper to him , he could by their lips perceive what they said . there is one now living ( or that not many years since was so ) in silesia in whom that disease of the small pox caused a total deafness ; who nevertheless , by exact observing the motion of mens lips , can understand what they say ; and if they do but whisper he perceives what they say better than if they vociferate never so loudly . he attends upon publick sermons , being able to give an account of what is delivered , provided he may but see the preacher speaking , though he cannot hear a word . it is consistent with reason that mutes should understand what others say by the motion of their lips , since it is evident that the lips are of great use in framing speech . hence iob calls his speech , the moving of his lips , chap. . ver. , and we know that tongueless persons by the help of their lips and other organs of speech have been able to speak . ecclesiastical story informs us of several confessors of the truth , who after their tongues were cut out by bloody persecutors could still bear witness to the truth . honorichius ( that cruel king of the vandals ) caused the tongues of many to be violently pluckt out of their mouths ; who after that could speak as formerly : only two of them when they became guilty of the sin of uncleanness were able to speak no more ; this has been attested by three credible witnesses who knew the persons : see mr. baxter's church history , p. . there is lately published ( in latin ) a very strange relation of a child in france ( his name was peter durand ) who being visited with the small pox when he was about six years old , his tongue putrified , and was quite consumed . after which ( the uvula in his mouth being longer than it was before ) he could by the help of the other organs of speech discourse as plainly as if he had never lost his tongue . these things are marveilous . and yet i have lately met with a passage more strange than any of these related . there is ( or was in the year . ) living near kerchem in germany , a man ( his name is iohn algair ) who suddenly lost the use of his speech : the case has been so with him , that fourteen years together , he can never speak but at one hour of the day , just as the sun cometh to the meridian he has the liberty of his speech for an hour and no more ; so that he knoweth exactly when it is twelve a clock , because then he can speak , and not a minute before that , nor a minute after one . this is related in the germanic ephemerides of miscellaneous curiosities , for the year . observat. . it is evident that the sun has a marvelous influence as to some diseases , which the bodies of men are subject unto . for in egypt though the plague rage the day before , on that very day when the sun enters into leo , it ceaseth , when also the floods of nilus abate , as geographers inform us . moreover , it is possible by art to teach those that are by nature deaf and dumb to speak . the dectylogy of beda is pretty , whereby men speak as nimbly with the fingers as with the tongue ; taking five fingers of the one hand for vowels , and the several positions of the other for consonants . but that deaf persons may learn to speak , happy experience hath proved , and that by many instances . a castro has given an account of the method by him successfully observed in teaching a boy to speak that was born deaf . after the use of some purgative medicines , he caused the hair to be shaved off from his head , over the coronal ●uture ; and then frequently anointed the shaven place with a mixture of aqua vitae , salt peter , oyl of butter , almonds , &c. having done this , he began to speak to the deaf person ( not at his ear , but ) at his coronal ●uture ; and there after the use of unctions and emunctions the sound would pierce , when at his ears it could not enter , so did he by degrees teach him to speak ( vide ephem . german . anno . observat. . ) but others have with good effect , followed another kind of method . there was a spanish noble man ( brother to the constable of castile ) who being born deaf and consequently dumb from his infancy , physitians had long in vain tried experiments for his relief . at last a certain priest undertook to teach him to speak . his attempt was at first laughed at , but within a while the gentleman was able ( notwithstanding his deafness still remained ) to converse and discourse with any friend . he was taught to speak by putting a cord about his neck , and straitning or losening the same , to advertise him when to open or shut his mouth , by the example of his teacher . nor was there any difference found between his speech and that of other men , only that he did not regulate his voice , speaking commonly too high ( vid. conferences of virtuosi p. . ) not long since fran. mercur. helmont , designing to teach a deaf man to speak , concluded it would be more easily practicable if the experiment were made with an eastern wide-mouthed language , which does remarkably expose to the eye the motions of the lips , tongue and throat . accordingly he tried with the hebrew tongue ; & in a short time his dumb schollar became an excellent hebrician . others have lately been as successful in their attempts to cause deaf persons to speak and understand the europaean languages . we need not go out of our own nation , for there we find living instances . in the philosophical transactions for the year . numb . . an account is given concerning mr. daniel whaley of north-hampton in england ; who by an accident lost his hearing when he was about five years of age ; and so his speech , not at once , but by degrees in about half a years time . in the year . the learned and ingenious dr. wallis of oxford , undertook to teach the deaf gentleman to speak and write . nor did the doctor fail in attaining his end . for in the space of one year , the dumb man had read over great part of the english bible , and had attained so much skill as to express himself intelligibly in ordinary affairs , to understand letters written to him , and to write answers to them . and when forreigners out of curiosity came to visit him , he was able to pronounce the most difficult words of their language ( even polish it self ) which any could propose unto him . nor was this the only person on whom the doctor shewed his skill , but he has since done the like for another ( a gentleman of a very good family ) who did from his birth want his hearing . likewise dr. holder in his late book about the natural production of letters , giveth rules for the teaching of the deaf and dumb to speak . i have the rather mentioned these things ; for that there are several others in this countrey who are deaf and dumb ; whenas if they had an ingenious instructor ; i am abundantly satisfied that they might be taught to speak , their deafness notwithstanding . nor is this more difficult than it is to learn those that are blind to write ; which though some may think it impossible and incredible , there is ( or at least three years ago there was ) a living instance to convince them . for in the weekly memorials for the ingenious , lately published at london ( in page . ) i find an observable passage which i shall here cause to be transc●ibed and inserted . from the journal des scavans , set forth march . . an extract of a letter written from lyons , by m. spon . m. d. &c. concerning a remarkable particular . esther elizabeth van waldkirk , daughter of a merchant of shaffhausen , residing at geneva , aged at present nineteen years , having been blind from two moneths old , by a distemper falling on her eyes , nevertheless hath been put on to the study of learning by her father , so that she understands perfectly french , high-dutch and latin ; she speaks ordinarily latin with her father , french with her mother , and high-dutch with the people of that nation ; she hath almost the whole bible by heart ; is well skill'd in philosophy ; plays on the organs and violin ; and which is wonderful in this condition , she hath learned to write , by an invention of her fathers , after this manner : there was cut for her upon a board , all the letters of the alphabet , so deep as to feel the figures with her fingers , and to follow the traces with a pencil , till that she had accustomed her self to make the characters . afterwards they made for her a frame , which holds fast her paper when she will write , and which guids her hand to make straight lines ; she writes with a pencil rather than with ink , which might either foul her paper , or by failing , might cause her to leave words imperfect . 't is after this manner that she writes often in latin to her friends , as well as in the other two languages . but thus much may suffice to be spoken about mutes , and the possibility of their being taught intelligibly to express themselves , though their deafness should still remain . i now proceed unto things of another nature : and the next remarkable which we shall take notice of , is , concerning one now in hull in new-england ( viz. lieutenant collier ) who about sixteen years ago , being sensible of pain in his throat , made use of the common remedies in that case , but to little effect . at last the pain about those parts became very extream , especially when he drank any beer , nor was he able to swallow without much difficulty , so that he lived upon water and liquid substances . after he had been for some time in this misery , a stone appeared under his tongue , which though visible to the eye , continued there for some dayes before it was taken out ; and at last of it self fell into his mouth , ( and so into his hands ) leaving an hose behind it at the roof of his tongue . this stone i have by me , whilest i w●ite this , only some part of it is broken away ; that which remains , weighs twelve grains . the person concerned , affirms , that it was first of a yellowish colour , but now it is white , not being an inch in length , in shape somewhat resembling a mans tongue . but that which made the matter the more strange , was , that when he had occasion to void urin , he was in as much pain as if the stone had been in his bladder or kidney ; for when his urin passed from him , he was usually put into a sweat with pain and anguish ; the reason whereof i shall leave unto the more curious inquisitors into nature to determine . there are lapideous humors in the bodies of men , occasioned sometimes by colds , sometimes by ill diet which are apt to become stones . it is related by the late german curiesi , that in the year . a person of quality in● dantzick was much afflicted with a painful tumor in his tongue , a skilful chirurgeon perceiving a stone there , cut it out , upon which the patient recovered , the stone being as big as a small olive . the like hapned to another in the year . again in the year . a gentlewoman in gr●nberg , having been for several years in the spring and in the fall aff●icted with a pain in her tongue , at last the pain became intollerable , untill a stone as big as a a filberd● nut came out of her tongue , upon which she had ease . in the philosophical transactions , for the year . page . an account is given of a man in england who had a stone breeding under his tongue , occasioned by his suffering much cold in a winter sea-voyage . not long after his landing , he found an hard lump in the place where the stone was generated . there were eight years between the time of the stones first breeding and its being taken away . upon a fresh cold-taking he suffered much pain , but when his cold was over his pain ceased . at last it caused a swelling about his throat , especially at the first draught of beer at meals . the last summer of his af●●iction , the stone caused him to be vertiginous ; and some dayes before its excision , such an abundance of rheume and spittle f●owed out of his his mouth , as would presently wet all the bed about him . the stone weiged but seven grains , being much of the shape of our ordinary horse-beans . this stone was by judicious observators judged to be one of those tumors called atheroma , and therefore the name they would have it called by , is lapis atheromatis . stones have been taken out of the jovnts of many gouty persons , some cold imposthume arising in their joynts before . senner●us , flat●rus , barth●linus , skenckius , and other learned men have observed that humane bodies are subject to p●trification in every part of them , and many notable instances to this purpose are mentioned in the philosophical transactions at london ; and by the curiesi in forreign countries . i presume it will not be unacceptable unto such as have not those books , for me to relate some examples out of them to our present purpose . there was then , a man who being troubled with a catarrh and obstruction of urin , when a vein was opened there came four stones out of it . again a person that was much afflicted with a distillation of rhume . and another that was continually imployed in preparing lime . small stones bred in their lungs , many of which ( as big as peas ) were coughed up . a stone as big as a gooses egg was found adhaering to the liver of the countess of nadasti . one that died by a violent pain in his head , there was found a stone therein between the dura and the pia mater . a woman that died by nephretick pains , the physitian found her left kidney to be filled with large stones , as for the right kidney the substance of it was converted into a perfect stone . in the same year there was an ox near padua , in italy , which could by no means be made fat ; but was observed to be strangely stupid , and to hold down his head after an unusual manner ; they that killed him , found that his brains were petrified , being as hard as marble . the like hapned to another ox in suecia . nor are humane bodies wholly free from the like petrification ; for anatomists of good credit , affirm that they have known several dissected by them , whose brains were in part petrified . nay the heart it self is not exempted from this misery . there were three stones found in the heart of the emperour maximilian ii. it is no less strange that bones should be generated in the lungs , heart , and other bowels . nothing in nature seems more mysterious than that which hapned to the brother of the illustrious caspar horwath , a baron in the kingdom of hungaria , who having been for some 〈◊〉 consumptive , after his death the 〈◊〉 opened him , and found in the midst of 〈◊〉 heart ( which was very much dried ) a bone like an almond , perfectly expressing the genuine effigies of the dead gentleman , representing his very beard , and all the feature● of his face so exactly , as that it was not possible for any artist to have drawn a pic●●●e more like the person , than nature had performed in this bone ( vide germ. ethem . ●n . . o●serv . . p. . ) moreover , credible hi●tories report , that in africa , the bo●●●s of men ( and of other animals ) have been turned into perfect stones . nor is that much less prodigious which 〈◊〉 reports concerning a tailors wife ( her 〈◊〉 was c●lu●ba chatry ) who having 〈◊〉 with child , the usual time for deliver being come , was in great pain , and other 〈…〉 of birth appeared , yet she was never delivered , but lived twenty eight yea●s in much mis●ry , still retaining her burden . 〈…〉 death , the physitians foun● 〈…〉 child within her was turned into 〈…〉 med. lib. . part . c●p. . 〈…〉 hath 〈…〉 this . and within a 〈…〉 a thing as prodigious and aston●●●ng ( though without any lapidification ) as any of the fo●mer relations . for in the year . the wife of iohn ●●get at t●louse in france , being with child and come to her f●ll time , was in travailing pains , but no child followed . for the space of twenty years she perceived the child to stir , with many t●oublesome symptoms accompanying ; but for the six last years of her life , she perceived it not to move ; falling sick she requested a chirurgeon to open her after she was dead ; that being done , a child was found in her body , neither putrifi●d nor yet petrified . all the inward parts of the child were discoloured with a blackishness , except the heart , which was red , and without any issuing blood . this infant weighed eight pound averdupoise . the mother died , iune . . being about the sixty fourth year of her age. i should hardly give credit to a story so stupendous and incredible , were it not mentioned in the philosophical transactions ( no. . p. . as a thing most undoubtedly true . but to conclude the discourse we are upon , i shall only add here , that it is not so strange for stones to breed in all parts of the bodies of men , as for plants , and diverse sorts of animals to be formed therein : yet many authors have attested to this . and a late writer affirms that there was not long since a woman who having drunk stagnating water out of a pond where frogs used to keep , grew cachectical , and swelled so as that she was thought to be hydropical . one evening walking near the ponds where the frogs croked , she perceived frogs to croke in her belly . acquainting a physitian , he gave her a strong cathartick , whereupon she cast up two living frogs pretty large , green on their back and yellow under their bellies , and voided three dead by siege , with a great deal of greenish serum , after which she was well disposed . again in the year . a man living near lyons in france , voided a worm seven ells long , scaly like a serpent , and hairy . see the weekly memorials for the ingenious , p. , , . chap. x. of remarkable tempests in new-england . a remark upon the hurricane , anno. . a remarkable accident by a sudden freezing of rain in the year . a strange whirl-wind in cambridge . another in new-haven colony . another at springfield . some parallel instances . of earthquakes in this countrey . land wonderfully removed . parallel stories . of remarkable floods this year , not only in new-england , but in other parts of the world. an account of a prodigious flood in france five years ago , with conjectures concerning the natural reason of it . other remarkables besides those already mentioned , have hapned in this countrey , many of which i cannot here insert , as not having received a full and clear account concerning them . nevertheless , such particulars as i have by good and credible hands been informed of , i shall further add . and let it be here recorded , that we have seen diverse tempests in new-england , which deserve to have a remark set upon them , in respect of some notable circumstances wherewith they have been attended . i have not heard of any storm more dismal than the great hurricane which was in august . the fury whereof threw down ( either breaking them off by the bole or plucking them up by the roots ) thousands of great trees in the woods . of this some account is given by mr. 〈◊〉 , in the first chapter of our present collection . and i must confess , i have peculiar reason to commemorate that solemn providence , inasmuch as my father and mothe● , and four of my brethren were then in a vessel upon the coast of new-england , being at anchor amongst the rocks at the isles of sholes when the storm began ; but their cables broke , and the ship was driving directly upon a mighty rock , so that all their lives 〈◊〉 given up for lost , but then in an instant of time , god turned the wind about , which carried them from the rock of death before their eyes : this memorable providence is mentioned in my fathers life , both in that edition published in this countrey , page , . and also in that published by mr. cl●rk in his last volumn of lives , page . wherefore i shall not here further enlarge upon it . in the year . near the town of concord in new-england , there hapned that which is somewhat rare , and therefore to be reckoned amongst remarkable accidents . in the moneth of february , it having rained a great part of the day , at night it froze extreamly , so as that many limbs were broken off from many trees by the weight of the ice , caused by the sudden friezing of the rain upon the boughs . it was somewhat formidable to hear the crackings ma●e a good part of the night , by the falling of so much wood ( thousands of cords ) as was by that means occasioned . of later years several places in this countrey have been visited with strange and awful tempests . that was very remarkable which hapned in cambridge in new-england , iuly . . the persons who were witnesses of that very amazing providence have declared what themselves observed about it . the history whereof i shall here insert , a worthy person having furnished me with the following narrative . samuel stone of cambridge in new-england does declare and testifie , that iuly . . about two of clock in the afternoon , he being with his young son in the field , the wind then southerly , he observed a cloud in the north-west in opposition to the wind , which caused a singing noise in the air , and the wind increased , till the whirl-wind came , which began in the mead●● near where he was , though then it was not so violent as it proved afterwards , as it passed by him it sucked up and whirled about the hay that was within the compass of it : it passed from him towards his house over an hill , tearing down several trees as it went along ; and coming to his barn car●ied off a considerable part of the roof ( about twenty four foot one way , and thirty the other , fell near the dwelling-house where people were , yet could not its fall be heard by them ( yet it was so great that it was heard by some a mile off ) by reason of the great rushing noise of the wind. afterwards as it pressed towards matthew bridge's house , it tore down some trees and indian corn , and there rose up into the air for the space of a quarter of a mile ; afterwards it came down upon the earth in a more violent manner ; the effects whereof he saw not , but it may be known by the following relation . matthew bridge who was an eye-witness of what hapned , declares that he observed a thick cloud coming along his fathers field before his house , as to appearance very black ; in the inside of the cloud as it passed over him , there seemed to be a light pillar as he judged about eight or ten foot diameter , which seemed to him like a screw or solid body . it s motion was continually circular , which turned about the rest of the cloud . it passed along upon the ground , tearing all before it , bushes by the roots , yea the earth it self , removing old trees as they lay along on the earth , and stones of a great magnitude , some of which could not be found again : great trees were twisted and torn down , and carried a distance from the place where they were ; branches of trees , containing about a load of wood , were blown from their bodies ▪ and carried forty yards or more . the cloud it self was filled with stones , bushes , boughs , and other things that it had taken up from the earth , so that the top and sides of the cloud seemed like a green wood. after it went from him , it went a mile and half before it scattered , bearing down the trees before it above a mile in breadth ; passing through a thick swamp of spruse , pine , and other young trees ( which was about half a mile through ) it laid all flat to the ground , yet the trees being young , are since risen up : it was observable as it passed through a new planted orchard , it not only pulled up some of the young trees by the roots , but broke off some of them in the bodies , about two or three foot high ▪ as if they had been shot off not hurting the stocks . moreover , there was such a great noise made by the storm , that other considerable noises at the same time , as falling of very great trees very near one , 〈◊〉 not be heard . the above said 〈…〉 , and a boy with him endeavoured to run to 〈…〉 , but were prevented by the sto●m , so that they were necessitated to ly 〈◊〉 upon the ground behind some bushes , and this thick cloud and pillar passed so near them as almost to touch their feet , and with its force bent the bushes down over them , and yet their lives were preserved . iohn robbins a servant man was suddenly slain by this storm , his body being much bruised , and many bones broken by the violence thereof . thus concerning that . the last year was attended with sundry remarkable tempests in several parts of this countrey . one of which hapned in new-haven colony , iune . . concerning which i have received from a good hand the following account . this storm began about h. p. m. and continued two hours . it reached stratford , milford , ●airfield , new-haven , and it was very violent in every one of these places , especially milford , where three barns were blown down by it , and one house new built , that was forty foot in length , well inclosed , was moved from the foundation at one corner , near two foot and an half ; but the greatest strength of the storm was about six miles above stratford , as is evident by the great havock , that is there made , for the compass of half a mile in breadth , scarce a tree left standing , which is not shaken by the storm ; the strongest oaks are torn up by the roots , some two foot , some three foot and more over ; young saplins that were not so big as a mans middle , were broken off in the midst : this storm came out of the west , and the wind did before the end somewhat vere towards the north ; it was attended with a violent rain : the very noise of the wind in the woods , was such , as that those that were in it could not hear the fall of a tree a few rods from them . great limbs of trees were carried like feathers in the air an incredible distance from the trees they were broken from : many that were at work in the woods were in great danger , and had no way to preserve themselves but by running into open plains , where there were no trees . the strength of the storm passed along east and by south , over stratford river , and between milford and new-haven , and there it passed away into the sound towards long-island : many thousands of trees were blown down both above and below the place before specified , but in the compass of that half mile , the greatest strength of the storm was ; for here almost there was an universal destruction of all the trees , leaving the place upon hills so naked that very few trees are found standing . thus of that tempest . also , on iune . . there were the most amazing lightnings that have been known in new-england , a great part of the night being thereby made as light as the day . in some places grievous hail fell with the lightning , breaking the windows of some houses . but at springfield it was most dreadful , where great pieces of ice , som● seven , some nine inches about , fell down from the clouds with such violence that the shingles upon some houses were broken thereby , and holes beat into the ground , that a man might put his hand in . several acres of corn ( both wheat and indian ) were beat down and destroyed by the hail . yet this hail-storm ( though terrible ) was not comparable to that which hapned three years ago in another part of the world , viz. at the town of bl●is in france , where the people were by the amazing fury of a prodigious tempest affrighted out of their sleep , and forced to rise out of their beds that they might save their lives . several houses , and two ( churches ) meeting-houses , were beat down to the ground . this tempest was likewise accompanied with a most prodigious hail , many thousand stones being found as big as a mans ●ist . this unusual artillery of heaven , broke all the slates wherewith the hou●es were covered , and the glass-windows , all over the town , as if they had been beaten in a morter . without the town eight whole parishes with the fields adjacent were wholly ruined by that hail , in such a terrible manner , that it seemed as if no corn had been sown , or vines planted there . four other parishes were much endamaged , multitudes of chimneys beaten down , so that the damage thereby , with the breaking of the windows and tyles , were valued to be above two hundred thousand crowns ; and the harm in the vineyards , and corn-fields invaluable . the divine providence was very much seen , in that man , woman nor child were killed in this fearful desolation . the reader may see a more full relation of this prodigious hail-storm in mr. burton's surprising miracles of nature , page , . as for those sudden gusts wherewith part of cambridge , and several towns near new-haven in n●●-e●gland were alarm'd , the like hapned at a 〈◊〉 in england , fourteen years ago ; the 〈◊〉 whereof may be seen in the 〈◊〉 transactions numb . . page . 〈◊〉 i shall here insert . it is that which 〈◊〉 , octob. . . betwixt five and ●ix of the clock in the evening , the wind 〈◊〉 , at ashley in north-hamptonshire , hapned a formidable hurricane , scarce bearing sixty yards in its breadth , and spending it self 〈◊〉 about seven minutes of time . its first disc●●n'd assault was upon a milk-maid , taking her pail and hat from off her head ; and carrying it many scores of yards from her , where it lay undiscovered some dayes . next , it storm'd the yard of one sprigge , dwelling in westthorp ( a name of one part of the town ) where it blew a wagon-body off of the axel-trees , breaking the wheels and axel-trees in pieces , and blowing three of the wheels so shattered over a wall. the wagon stood somewhat cross to the passage of the wind. another wagon of mr. sali●b●ries marched with great speed upon its wheels against the side of his house to the astonishment of the inhabitants . a branch of an as●-tree of that bigness that two lusty men could scarce lift it , blew over mr. salisburies house without hurting it ; and yet this branch was torn from a tree , an hundred yards distant from that house . a slate was found upon a window of the house of samuel templer esqr. which very much bent an iron bar in it ; and yet t is certain ▪ that the nearest place , the slate was at first forced from , was near two hundred yards . not to take notice of its stripping of several houses ; one thing is remarkable , which is , that at mr. maidwells senior , it forced open a door , breaking the latch , and thence marching through the entry , and forcing open the dairy door , it overturned the milk-vessels , and blew out three panes or lights in the window ; next it mounted the chambers , and blew out nine lights more : from thence it proceeded to the parsonage , whose roof it more than decimated ; thence crosseth the narrow street , and forcibly drives a man headlong into the doors of tho. brigges ▪ then it passed with a cursory salute at thomas marstones , down to mr. george wignils , at least a furlongs distance from marstons , and two furlongs from sprigges , where it plaid notorious exploits , blowing a large hovel of peas from its supporters , and settling it cleaverly upon the ground , without any considerable damage to the thatch . here it blew a gate post , fixed two foot and an half in the ground , out of the earth , and carried it into the fields , many yards from its first abode . thus much concerning remarkable tempests . earthquakes deserve to be mentioned amongst remarkable providences , since aristotle himself could say , that the man is stupid and unreasonable who is not affected with them . this part of the world hath not been altogether free from such tremendous accidents , albeit , through the gracious providence of god ) there never was yet any harm done amongst us thereby , so far as i have heard . the year . was attended with a considerable earth-quake . there are who affirm that they heard a strange kind of noise before the earth began to tremble . another earth-quake was observed in some parts of new-england , anno domini . also in in the year . on the , , and of ianuary , the earth was shaken at least six times in the space of three dayes . i remember that upon the first approach of the earth-quake , the things on the shelves in the house began to move . many people ran out of their houses with fear and amazement : but no house fell , nor was any damage sustained . there was another earth-quake● april . . we in boston were sensible of it , but some other parts of the countrey were more terribly shaken . the indians say that the earth-quake this year , did stop the course of a considerable river . it is also reported , that amongst the french in nova-scotia , there hapned an earth-quake which rent an huge rock asunder to the center , wherein was a vast hollow of an immeasurable depth . concerning earth-quakes which have lately hapned in remoter parts of the world ▪ i shall not here insert any thing , having mentioned them in my discourse of comets , printed the last year . only therein i have not taken notice of that memorable earth-quake ▪ may . . having received information concerning it more lately . such readers as are inquisitive into things of this nature ▪ may see that earth-quake described and discoursed on , in the weekly memorials for the ingenious ▪ page , &c. remarkable was that which hapned a. d. . at a place called kenebunck , in the province of main in new-england , where not far from the river side a piece of clay ground , was thrown up over the top of high oakes that grew between it and the river , into the river , stopping the course thereof , and leaving an hole forty yards square , wherein were thousands of clay bullets , like musket bullets . it is also remarkable , that the like to this hapned at casco ( twenty miles to the eastward of the other place ) much about the same time : whether the removal of this ground did proceed from an earth-quake , or by the eruption of mineral vapors , or from some other cause , may be disputed . they that would give a probable conjecture concerning the natural cause , must first know whether a great drought , or much rain , or both successively , did not proceed , of which i am not informed . the like memorable accidents have hapned in several places in england , both in the former , and in this present age ; which it may be t will be pleasing and edifying to some readers for me here to commemorate . to proceed . the like to what hath been related , fell out . in hereford-shire ; marcley hill , in the east part of the shire ; with a roaring noise , removed it self from the place where it stood , and for three dayes together travelled from its old seat . it began first to take its journey , february . being saturday , at six of the clock at night , and by seven of the clock next morning , it had gone forty paces , carrying with it sheep in their cotes , hedg rows , and trees , whereof some were overturned ▪ and some that stood upon the plain are firmly growing upon the hill , those that were east were turned west , and those in the west were set in the east . in this remove it overthrew kinnaston chappel , and turned two high-wayes near an hundred yards from their old paths . the ground that thus removed was about twenty six acres , which opening it self with rocks and all , bore the earth before it for four hundred yards space , without any stay , leaving pasturage in place of the tillage , and the tillage overspread the pasturage . lastly overwhelming its lower parts , it mounted to an hill of twelve fathom high , and there rested , after three dayes travel . again on the third of ianuary , a. d. . at hermitage in dorset-shire , a place of ground of three acres , removed from its old place ( as is testified by stow in his summary ) and was carried over another closure where alders and willows grew , the space of forty rod or perches , and stopped the high-way that led to corne , and the hedges that it was inclosed with , inclose it still , and the trees stand bolt upright , and the place where this ground was before , is left like a great pit. also on the fourth of august . at motingham in kent , after a very violent tempest of thunder and rain , the ground suddenly began to sink , and three great elms growing upon it , were carried so deep into the earth , that no part of them could any more be seen . the hole left is in compass eighty yards , and a line of fifty fathom plummed into it finds no bottom . also december . . a mile and half from westram southward ( which is not many miles from moti●gam ) two closes lying together , separated , with an hedge of hollow ashes ; there was found a part thereof twelve pearches long , to be sunk six foot and and an half deep ; the next morning fifteen foot more ; the third morning eighty foot more at the least , and so daily that great trench of ground containing in length about eighty pearches , and in breadth twenty eight , began with the trees and hedges on it , to lose it self from the rest of the ground lying round about it , and withal to move and shoot forward day and night for eleven dayes . the ground of two water-pits , the one six foot deep of water , the other twelve at the least , and about four pearches over in breadth , having sundry tuffs of alders and ashes growing in the bottoms , with a great rock of stone under them , were not only removed out of their places , and carried towards the south , at least four pearches a pieces , but withal mounted aloft , and become hills , with their sedge , flags , and black mud upon the tops of them , higher than the face of the water which they had forsaken ) by three foot , and in the place from which they are removed ; other ground which lay higher is descended , receiving the water which lies upon it . moreover , in one peace of the plain field , there is a great hole made by linking of the earth to the depth of thirty foot at the least , being in breadth in some places two pearches over , and in length five or six pearches . also there an hedge thirty pearches long , carried southwad with his trees , seven pearches at the least ; and sundry other sinkings there be in divers places , one of sixty foot , another of forty seven , and another of thirty four foot , by means of which confusion is is come to pass , that where the highest hills were , there be the deepest dales , and the lowest dales are become the highest ground . the whole measure of breaking , was at the least nine acres . one instance more i find to the like purpose in mr. childrey his britannia baconica , pag. where speaking of the natural rarities of cheshire , he thus writeth , iuly . . about . h. in the parish of bukley , was heard a very great noise like thunder afar off , which was much wondered at , because the sky was clear , and no appearance of a cloud . shortly after a neighbour comes to me ( saith the author of this relation ) and told me i should see a very strange thing , if i would go with him , so coming into a field , called the lay-field , we found a very great bank of earth which had many tall oaks growing on it , quite sunk under the ground , trees and all . at first we durst not go near it , because the earth for near twenty yards round about is exceeding much rent , and seems ready to fall in ; but since that time my self and some others by ropes have ventured to see the bottom , i mean to go to the brink , so as to discern the visible bottom , which is water , and conceived to be about thirty yards from us , under which is sunk all the earth about it for sixteen yards round at least ; three tall oaks , a very tall awber , and certain other small trees , and not a sprigg of them to be seen above water : four or five oaks more are expected to fall every moment and a great quantity of land is like to fall , indeed never ceasing more or less , and when any considerable clod falls , it s much like the report of a canon . we can discern the ground hollow above the water a very great depth , but how far hollow , or how far deep is not to be found out by man. some of the water was drawn out of this pit with a bucket , and they found it to be as salt as sea-water ; whence some imagine that there are certain large passages there , into which the sea flows under ground , but i rather think , that this salt-water is no more but that which issues from those salt springs about nantwich , and other places in this shire . but of this no more at present . some remarkable land-floods , have likewise hapned in new , england . nor is that which came to pass this present year to be here wholly passed over in silence . in the spring time the great river at connecticot useth to overflow , but this year it did so after midsummer ▪ and that twice : for iuly . . a considerable flood unexpectedly arose , which proved detrimental to many in that colony . but on august . a second and a more dreadful flood came . the waters were then observed to rise twenty six foot above their usual boundaries . the grass in the meadows , also the english grain was carried away before it . the indian corn by the long continuance of the waters is spoiled : so that the four river towns viz. windsor , hartford , weathersfield , middle-town , are extream sufferers . they write from thence , that some who had hundreds of bushels of corn in the morning , at night had not one peck left for their families to live upon . there is an awful intimation of divine displeasure remarkable in this matter ; inasmuch as august . a day of publick humiliation with fasting and prayer , was attended in that colony , partly on the account of gods hand against them in the former flood ; the next week after which , the hand of god was stretched out over them again , in the same way , after a more terrible manner then at first . it is also remarkable that so many places should suffer by inundations as this year it hath been . for at the very same time when the flood hapned at connecticot , there was an hurricane in virginia attended with a great exundation of the rivers there , so as that their tobacco and their indian corn is very much damnified . moreover , we have received information this summer , that the mighty river danow ( the biggest in europe ) hath overflowed its banks , by means whereof many have lost their lives . also near aix in france , there lately hapned an unusual flood , whereby much harm was done ; and had the waters continued rising but one hour longer , the city had probably been destroyed thereby . there was likewise a sudden and extraordinary flood in iamaico , which drowned many ( both men and beast ) and was very detrimental to some plantations there . they that came lately from thence , assure us that the waters in some places arose an hundred and fifty foot . such mighty streams did the heavens suddenly power down upon them . thus doth the great god who sits king upon the floods for ever , make the world see how many wayes he hath to punish them , when it shall seem good unto him . many such things are with him . there are who think that the last comet , and those more rare conjunctions of the superiour planets , hapning this year , have had a natural influence into the mentioned inundations . concerning the flood at connecticot , as for the more immediate natural cause , some impute it to the great rain which preceded . others did imagine that some more than usual cataracts did fall amongst the mountains , there having been more rain then what now fell , sometimes when no such flood has followed . it is not impossible , but that the wind might be a secondary cause of this calamity ; judicious observators write concerning the river dee in cheshire in england , that though much rain do fall , it riseth but little , but if the south wind beat vehemently upon it , then it swells and overflows the grounds adjoyning extreamly ; the reason of which is , that the river being broad towards the sea , when the rain falls it hath a quick and easie passage , but the south wind brings the sea in , and doth somewhat stop the free passage of the river into the sea. whether there might not be some such natural reason of the great flood in connecticot at this time ; the ingenious upon the place , who know best how things are there circumstanced may consider . with us in boston it was then at first an euroclydon ; but in the afternoon the wind became southerly , when it blew with the greatest fierceness . if it were so at connecticot , it seems very probable that the fury of the wind gave a check to the free passage of the river , which caused the sudden overflowing of the waters . it has moreover been by some observed , that the breaking forth of subterraneous waters has caused very prodigious floods . since the dayes of noah , when the fountains of the great deep were opened , no history mentions a more surprizing and amazing inundation than that which hapned five years ago at gascoyn in france ) proceeding ( as t is probably judged ) from the irruption of waters out of the earth . concerning which remarkable accident , a judicious account is given in the late philosophical collections , published by mr. robert hook , page . there being but one of these books in the countrey ; the ingenious will not blame me , if i here insert what is there related , which is as followeth ; in the beginning of the moneth of iuly , . after some gentle rainy dayes which had not swelled the waters of the garonne more than usual ; one night this river swelled all at once so mightily , that all the bridges and mills above tolouse were carried away by it . in the plains which were below this town , the inhabitants who had built in places , which by long experience they had found safe enough from any former inundation , were by this surprized , some were drowned together with their cattle ; others had not saved themselves but by climbing of trees , and getting to the tops of houses ; and some others which were looking after their cattle in the field , warned by the noise which this horrible and furious torrent of water ( rowling towards them with a swiftness like that of the sea ( in britain he means ) made at a distance , could not scape without being overtaken , though they fled with much precipitation : this nevertheless did not last many hours with this violence . at the same time exactly , the two rivers only of adour and gave , which fall from the pyraenean hills , as well as the geronne , and some other small rivers of gascoyn , which have their source in the plain , as the gimone , the save and the ratt , overflowed after the same manner , and caused the same devastations . but this accident hapned not at all to the aude , the ariege , or the arise ▪ which come from the mountains of toix , only that they had more of the same then those of the conseraut , the comminge , the bigorre . those who have heard talk of those inundations at a distance , were not at all astonished at it , believing it to proceed from the violent rains of some tempests which had suddenly filled these rivers , or that they had caused a sudden thaw of the snow of the pyraeneans , which had swelled the rivers that were near . monsieur martel of montabaun , advocate of the parliament , and inquisitive and learned man hath searched after this cause of this deluge ( by the order of monsieur foucault intendant de iustice en la generalite de montaban , one not less seeing and understanding in ingenious sciences , than expert and exact in the performance of his charge and imployment ) understanding that this overflowing could not be produced by either of the forementioned causes , and being assured that it must have had one more extraordinary than all these . and first he grounded his thoughts upon the report of the people of the place who were witnesses of this prodigy . and above all of those who being in the highest valleys of the pyraeneans at the very source , had either seen or known all circumstances , for they all agreed , that it had rained indeed but that the rain was neither so great , nor lasted so long as to swell the rivers to that excess , or to melt the snow off the mountains . but the nature of these waters , and the manner of their flowing from the mountains , confirmed him perfectly in his sentiments . for , . the inhabitants of the lower pyraeneans observed , that the waters overflowed with violence from the entrails of the mountains , about which there were opened several channels , which forming so many furious torrents tore up the trees , the earth and great rocks in such narrow places where they found not a passage large enough . the water which also spouted from all the sides of the mountain in innumerable jets , which lasted all the time of the greatest overflowing , had the tast of minerals . . in some of these passages the waters were stinking ( as when one stirs the mud at the bottom of mineral water ) in such sort that the cattle refused to drink of it , which was more particularly taken notice at lombez , in the overflowing of the save , ( which is one of the rivers ) where the horses were eight hours thirsty before they would endure to drink it . . the bishop of lombez having a desire to cleanse his gardens , which the save passing through by many channels by this overflowing , had filled with much sand and mud ; those which entred them felt an itching like to that which one feels when one bathes in salt-water , or washes one self with some strong lixivial : these waters have caused the same kind of itching risings in the skin . this last observation is not less strong then both the others to prove ▪ that this over-flowing was not either caused by the rains , or by the meltings of the snow , because this itching could not be produced by either of the said waters , which are not at all of this nature , but by some mineral juice , either v●riolic or aluminous , which the waters had dissolved in the bowels of the mountains , and had carried along with it in passing through those numerous crannies . and t is for this reason that monsieur martel believes he had found out the true cause of this overflowing to be nothing else but the subterraneous waters ; for if the heavens have not supplied his prodigious quantity of waters , neither by the rain , nor the melting of the snow : it cannot come else where then from the bowels of the earth , from whence passing through divers channels , it had contracted and carried along with it that stinking and pungent quality . but this much concerning late remarkable floods . chap. xi . concerning remarkable judgements . quakers judicially plagued with spiritual iudgments . of several sad instances in long-island . and in plimouth colony . that some of the quakers are really possessed with infernal spirits . proved by a late wonderful example of one at balsham near cambridge in england . of several who imprecated vengeance upon themselves . the woful end of drunkards . and of those that have designed evil against the churches of christ in new-england . those memorable iudgements which the hand of heaven has executed upon notorious sinners , are to be reckoned amongs remarkable providences . lubricus his locus & difficilis . he undertakes a difficult province that shall relate all that might be spoken on such a subject , both in that it cannot but be gravaminous to surviving relations , when such things are published , also in that men are apt to misapply the unsearchable judgements of god , which are a great deep , as iob's friends did ; and wicked papists have done the like , with respect to the untimely death of famous zuinglius . we may not judge of men meerly by outward accidents which befal them in this world , since all things happen alike unto all , and no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them . we have seen amongst our selves , that the lords faithful servants have sometimes been the subjects of very dismal dispensations . there hapned a most awful providence at farmington in connecticot colony , dec. . . when the house of serjeant iohn hart taking fire in the night , no man knows how , ( only it is conjectured that it might be occasioned by an oven ) he and his wife , and six children were all burned to death before the neighbours knew any thing of it , so that his whole family had been extinguished by the fatal flames of that unhappy night , had not one of his children been providentially from home at that time . this hart was esteemed a choice christian , and his wife also a good woman . such things sometimes fall upon those that are dear unto god , to intimate , if this be done to the green tree , what shall be done to the dry , that is fit for nothing but the fire . nevertheless , a judgement may be so circumstanced , as that the displeasure of heaven is plainly written upon it , in legible characters . on which account it is said , that the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men , rom. . . sundry learned men have published whole volumns profitable to be read , on this subject , e. g. goulartius his historical collections . honsdorsius in his historical theater ; which is inlarged by lonicerus . chassalion his memorable histories of the judgements of god. and amongst our english writers , d. beard in his theater of gods judgements , with dr. taylor 's additions ; and mr. clark in his two volumns of examples , have said enough to convince atheists that there is a god , and that there is a judgement . yea , the divine providence in remarkable punishments inflicted upon very wicked men has been so conspicuous and glorious , as that the gentiles of old could not but take notice of it . the poet could say , raro antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede paena claudo . and whereas epicures did object that evil men sometimes escape punishment a long time ; plutarch ( whose works beza esteemed to be amongst the most excellent of humane writings ) has a notable treatise , the design whereof is to vindicate divine justice in this matter . many remarkable example to our present purpose , have hapned in new-england , and more than i shall at present take notice of . all wise men that are acquainted therewith , observe the blasting rebukes of providence upon the late singing and dancing quakers , in signal instances , two or three of which may be here recorded , that so others may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly . the first instance , shall be that which concerns the unhappy man that was murdered in long-island , of which a good hand in those parts , in a letter bearing date , decemb. . . writes as follows . there went down about a moneth since three mad quakers , called thomas case's crew , one man named denham , belonging to newer-snicks , and two women with him belonging to oyster-bay ; these went down to south-hold , where they meet with samuel banks of fairfield , the most blasphemous villain , that ever was known in these parts . these joyning together with some other inhabitants of south-hold , of the same spirit ; there went into their company a young merchant , named thomas harris , who was somewhat inclining to the quakers before ; ( he belonged to boston ) they all got about him , and fell a dancing and singing , according to their diabolical manner . after some time , the said harris began to act like them , and to dance , and sing , and to speak of extraordinary raptures of joy ; and to cry out upon all others as devils , that were not of their religion ; which also they do frequently : when the said harris manifested these signs of conversion , as they accounted it ; they solemnly accepted of him as one of their company ; and banks or denham ( for i have forgotten which of the two ) gave him this promise , that hence forward his tongue should be as the pen of a ready writer , to declare the praises of their lord. after this , the young man who was sober and composed before , ran up and down , singing ioy , and calling such devils as should say any thing in way of opposition : and said his father was a devil that begat him . quickly after he went from the town of south-hold , to a farm belonging to that town , to the house of a quaker of the same spirit , and went to bed before the rest of the family , and when a young man of the same house went to go to bed to him , he told him that he must get up , and go to south-hold that night , where he had left banks and the rest ; the young man endeavoured to perswade him to lie still till day , but he would not , but gat up , and went away ; after some time he was missed , and enquiry made for him , but he could not be heard of , only his hat , and gloves , and neck-cloth was found in the road from the farm to the town . and two dayes after , banks looking into a bible , suddenly shut it again , crying out , his friend harris was dead ; the next day he was found by the sea side , about a quarter of a mile from the place , where his hat and other things were found , but out of the road , with three holes like stabs in his throat , and no tongue in his head , nor the least sign thereof , but all was clear to his neck-bone within , his mouth close shut , one of his eyes hanging down upon his cheek out of his head , the other sunk so deep in his head that at first it seemed quite out , but was whole there . and mr. ioshua hobart , who was one of them to view his dead body , told me that there was no sign of any tongue left in his mouth , such was the end of that tongue which had the promise of being as the pen of a ready writer . further the night after he was buried , captain young ( who is high sheriff and chiefly concerned in looking after the business ) as he told me himself , being in bed , in the dead of the night , was awakened by the voice of this harris , calling to his window very loud , requiring him to see that justice was done him ; this voice came three times in that night ; the next night when he was asleep , it came into his house , close to his bed-side , and called very loud , asking him if he heard him , and awaked him . thus concerning that tragical story . an intelligent and credible person living upon that island , in a letter , dated september . . adds as follows ; there was about four years since , by some of the same crew , another attempt made amongst us , which was also attended with the like providence , though not so fatal an issue ; there was a young woman , a daughter of a quaker among us , who was howled into their society , as harris was , and quickly fell to railing on others , and then to raving , being in a dreadful condition , so that several persons of their gang watched with her , and she was made wonderful strong to out-strive them , and to break away from them . one of their own party newly in favour with them , told me that he was by in the night when they watched with her , and in the very darkness of the night , they heard a very doleful noise , like the crying of a young child in the yard or field near the house , which filled the auditors with some fearful apprehensions , which when the young woman heard , she violently brake from her attendance , saying , the lord calls me , and i must go , so in the dark she got from them , to the cry-ward as they supposed , and it was a good space of time before they could find her , and then she was as one affrighted , and bereaved of understanding , and continued so a space of time , sometimes ridiculous to behold , sometimes very awful , till such times as justice wood of huntington , by the use of means recovered her , which her quaking friends notwithstanding their brags could not do ; so that i heard her husband say , that he was convinced that the devil was among them . this providence was at that time fearful among us , yet since , both that woman and her husband are railing quakers , and do hum and revile as the rest of them , though several forsook their society upon this account . thus hee : that which was perpetrated by this woful generation of quakers , no longer since than this last summer in plimouth colony , is horrid to be related . yet inasmuch as the publication of it , will make appear unto all mankind , that quakers are under the strong delusions of satan ; i think my self bound to acquaint the world , that not many moneths ago , a man passing under the name of ionathan dunen ( alias singleterry ) a singing quaker , drew away the wife of one of marshfield to follow him ; also one mary ross falling into their company , was quickly possessed with the devil , playing such frentick and diabolical tricks , as the like hath seldom been known or heard of . for she made her self naked , burning all her clothes ; and with infinite blasphemy said that she was christ , and gave names to her apostles , calling dunen by the name of peter , another by the name of thomas , declaring that she would be dead for three dayes , and then rise again ; and accordingly seemed to die ; and while she was pretendedly dead , her apostle dunen gave out , that they should see glorious things after her resurrection . but that which she then did , was , she commanded dunen to sacrifice a dog. the man and the two women quakers danced naked together , having nothing but their shirts on . the constable brought them before the magistrates in plimouth , where ross uttered such prodigious blasphemy as is not fit to be mentioned , dunen fell down like a dead man upon the floor , and so lay for about an hour , and then came to himself . the magistrates demanding the reason of his strange actings , his answer was , that marry ross bid him , and he had no power to resist . thus when men will not receive the truth in the love of it , the righteous judgement of god sends upon them the efficacy of error , that they shall believe a lie . that the quakers are some of them undoubtedly possessed with evil and infernal spirits , and acted in a more than ordinary manner by the inmates of hell , is evident , not only from the related instances , but by other awful examples which might be mentioned . they are indeed to be pitied , in that they themselves know not that an evil spirit doth possess and act them . yet others should from that consideration dread to come among such creatures , lest haply the righteous god suffer satan to take possession of them also . memorable and marvelous is that relation published the last year , by dr. henry more , in his addition to mr. glanvils collections , page . &c. wherein a true and faithful account is given of a man whose name is robert churchman , living at balsham in cambridge-shire , who was for some time inveigled in quakerisme , and then an infernal spirit spake in him , pretending to be an angel of light. inasmuch as there is ( so far as i have heard ) but one of those books in this countrey ; i suppose it will be a service for the truth , and may ( if the lord please to add his blessing ) tend to reclaim some from the error of their way , and to deterr those from quakerisme who have through the temptations of satan any inclinations thereunto , if that notable history should be more divulged ; i shall therefore here insert it . and thus it was , dr. templar ( the minister in balsham ) perceiving that robert churchman was in danger of being poysoned and seduced by the papers which the quakers had been dispersing in that place , desired him , that when any of their books came to his hands , he might have the perusal of them . which being granted , he suggested that it would be very convenient that the person who had given him that book should be present when they considered it together . this also was consented to . when the quaker came , a special subject of the discourse was , whether the scripture is to be owned as a rule : this the quaker denied , asserting that the rule was within them . hereupon dr. templar desired churchman to take notice , that the quakers did not own the scriptures to be their rule , which before this conference he would not believe concerning them . the next time he met with his brother thomas churchman , he acquainted him with the conference which had been in dr. templars house , and said for his part he would not be of that religion which did disown the scripture to be the rule . not long after , the wife of the forementioned quaker coming to his house to visit his wife , he met her at the door , and told her she should not come in , intimating that her visit would make division betwixt them . after some parley the quakers wife spake unto him in these words , thou wilt not believe unless thou see a sign , and thou mayest see some such . within a few nights after , robert churchman had a violent storm upon the room where he lay , when it was very calm in all other parts of the town , and a voice within him , as he was in bed , spake to him , and bid him sing praises , sing praises ; telling him , that he should see the glory of the new ierusalem ; about which time 〈◊〉 glimmering light appeared all about the room . toward the morning the voice commanded him to go out of his bed naked , with his wife and children . they all standing upon the floor , the spirit making use of his tongue , bid them to lie down and put their mouthes in the dust ▪ which they did accordingly . it likewise commanded them to go and call his brother and sister , that they might see the new-ierusalem , to whom he went naked about half a mile . when he had delivered his message , that which spake within him to denounce wrath against them , and declare that fire and brimstone would fall upon them , as it did upon sodom and gomorrah , if they did not obey ; and so he returned to his own house . where upon the floor of a low room , he stood-about three or four hours . all that while he was acted in a very unusual manner , sometimes the spirit within forced him to sing , sometimes to bark like a dog. when his brother and sister who followed him were very importunate with him to resist it , it bid him to kill them , making use of these words , these my enemies which would not that i should reign over them , bring them and slay them before my face . it made him to utter with great readiness ; many places of scripture , which he had no knowledge of before . the drift of what was spoken , was to perswade him to comply with the quakers , and it named some which lived in the neighbouring towns. about three or four hours being thus spent , he came to himself , and was able to give a perfect account of what had be fallen him . several nights after , the same trouble returned upon him . his wife was tortured with extraordinary pains ; the children which lay in the room , complained that their mouthes were stopped with wool as they were in bed. the disturbance was so great , that he had thoughts of leaving his house for a time , and made it his desire to be at dr. templars ; who prevailed with him not to be so sudden in his removal , but to make some further trial. it pleased god upon a continuation with him in prayer every day in the house , that he was at last perfectly free from all molestation . the quakers hearing of his condition , gave it out , that the power of god would come upon him again , and that the wound was but skinned over by the priest. which made dr. templar the more importunate with him to keep close to the publick worship of god , and to have nothing to do with them or their writings . which direction he followed till november . and then perusing one of their books , a little after upon the tenth day of that moneth his troubles returned . a voice within him began to speak to him after the former manner . the first sentence which it uttered was , cease thou from man , whose breath is in his nostrils , for wherein is he to be accounted . the design which he discerned it did aim at , was to take him off from comeing to the church ( where he had been that day ) and from hearing the word of god it suggested several other scriptures in order to the perswading of him to a compliance with the quakers , and told him , that it would strive with him as the angel did with iacob , until the breaking of the day , at which time it left him . the two next nights it gave him the same molestation , saying , it must be with him as it was with david , who gave no sleep to his eyes , nor slumber to his eye-lids , until he found a place for the lord , an habitation for the mighty god of iacob . upon wednesday at night he was very peremptory in his resisting of it . when it began to solicit him , he replied , that he saw it was a spirit of delusion , which he would not obey . upon which the spirit deno●nced a curse against him in these words , go ye cursed into everlasting fire , and so left him with a very great heat in his body . after this , he was in his own apprehension in a very comfortable condition , and while he was considering what had hapned , a voice within him speake to him , saying , that the spirit which was before upon him was a spirit of delusion , but now the true spirit of god was come into him . it acquainted him , that the doctrine of the trinity was true , and that god had an elect people , and that those whom the father elected the son hath redeemed , and when christ redeemeth , the holy ghost sanctifieth , and told him that the minister of the town would further instruct him about the truth of these things . upon thursday morning about break of day , it set him upon his knees as he was in bed , and bid him farewel . the same day it came upon him in the field as he was going to , and coming from the market , & pressed upon him to believe that it was the good spirit which he was acted with , which he still doubted of . one night that week amongst many arguments which it used to that purpose , it told him if he would not believe without a sign , he might have what sign he would . upon that robert church-man desired , if it was a good spirit , that a wier-candlestick which stood upon the cup-board might be turned into brass , which the spirit said he would do . presently there was a very unsavoury smell in the room , like that of the snuff of a candle newly put out ; but nothing else was done towards the fulfilling of the promise . upon the lords day following , he then attending the publick worship of god , it came upon him . when the chapters were named , he turned to them in his bible , but was not able to read . when the psalm was sung , he could not pronounce a syllable . upon monday morning his speech was wholly taken away from him . when the minister in that place came to him , and asked him how it was with him , he moved his head towards him , but was not able to speak ; the minister waited an hour or two in the room , hoping that his speech might have returned unto him , and that he might have gained from him some account of his condition . but finding no alteration , he desired those who were present to joyn with him in prayer . as they were praying churchman's body was with much violence thrown out of bed , and then with great vehemency he called to the minister dr. templar to hold his tongue . when prayer was done , his tongue was bound as before , till at last he broke out into these words : thine is the kingdom , thine is the kingdom ; which he repeated ( as was judged ) above an hundred times . sometimes he was forced into extream laughter , sometimes into singing , his hands were usually imployed in beating his breast . all of them who stood by , could discern unusual heavings in his body . this distemper did continue towards the morning of the next day , and then the voice within him signified to him that it would leave him , 〈◊〉 him get upon his knees in order to that end , which he did , and then presently he had a perfect command of himself . when dr. templar came to him , he gave a sober account of all the passages of the day before , having a distinct remembrance of what the spirit forced him to do , and what was spoken to him by those that stood by . in particular he told the doctor that he was compelled to give him that disturbance in prayer , before-mentioned ; the spirit using his limbs and tongue , as it pleased , contrary to the inclination of his own mind . upon the thursday following , the spirit began to rage after its former manner , as dr. templar was at prayer with him , it was very discernable how it wrought upon his body , forced him to grate his teeth , and draw his mouth awry . he told the minister after he had done , that it bid him to denounce woe against him . it pleased god upon continuance in prayer with him , at last to release him of all his trouble , and so far to make it advantagious to him and to his wife , and some others , which were too much by-assed with the principles of the quakers , that now they have a perfect dislike of that way , and do diligently attend upon the publick worship of god. thus concerning this strange but true relation . we may by this judge whose servants the singing quakers are ; and what spirit doth powerfully breath in , and act those miserable and deluded enthusiasts . but i shall say no more to the quakers at present ; only pray that such of them as have not sinned unto death , may have their eyes opened , and ( if possible ) be delivered out of the snares of satan , by whom they are taken captive at his will. it hath been by many observed , that men addicted to horrid cursings and execrations , have pulled down the imprecated vengeance of heaven upon themselves . sundry very awful examples of this kind have lately hapned : i shall here mention one or two . the hand of god was very remarkable , in that which came to pass in the narraganset countrey in new-england , not many weeks since . for i have good information , that on august , . a man there ( viz. samuel wilson ) having caused his dog to mischief his neighbours cattle , was blamed for his so doing . he denied the fact with imprecations , wishing that he might never stir from that place if he had so done . his neighbour being troubled at his denying the truth , reproved him , and told him he did very ill to deny what his conscience knew to be truth . the atheist thereupon used the name of god in his imprecations ; saying , he wished to god he might never stir out of that place , if he had done that which he was charged with . the words were scarce out of his mouth before he sunk down dead , and never stirred more ; a son in law of his standing by and catching him as he fell to the ground . a thing not unlike to this hapned ( though not in new-england yet ) in america , about a year ago . for in september . a man at the isle of providence belonging to a vessel whereof one wollery was master , being charged with some deceit in a matter that had been committed to him , in order to his own vindication , horridly wished that the devil might put out his eyes , if he had done as was suspected concerning him . that very night a rhume fell into his eyes , so as that within a few dayes he became stark blind . his company being astonished at the divine hand which thus conspicuously and signally appeared ; put him ashore at providence , and left him there . a physitian being desired to undertake his cure , hearing how he came to lose his sight , refused to meddle with him . this account i lately received from credible persons , who knew and have often seen the man whom the devil ( according to his own wicked wish ) made blind , through the dreadful and righteous judgement of god. moreover , that worse than bruitish sin of drunkenness , hath been witnessed against from heaven by severe and signal iudgements . it was a sign of the fearful wrath of god , upon that notorious drunkard , at a place called seatucket in long-island ; who as he was in drink , fell into the fire ( the people in the house then being in bed and asleep ) and so continued for some considerable time , until he received his deaths wound . at his first awakening he roared out fire ! fire ! as if it had been one in hell , to the great astonishment of all that heard him . one in the house flung a pail of water on him to quench his clothes , but that added to his torment ; so he continued yelling after an hideous manner , fire ! fire ! and within a day or two died in great misery . and though this drunkard died by fire , it is remarkable that many of those who have loved drink , have died by water , and that at the very time when their understandings have been drowned with drink . it is an awful consiration , that there have been at several times above forty persons in this land , whom death hath found in that woful plight , so that their immortal souls have gone out of drunken bodies , to appear before god the judge of all . that remarkable iudgement hath first or last fallen upon those who have sought the hurt of the people of god in new-england , is so notorious , as that it is become the observation of every man. this israel in the wilderness hath eat up the nations his enemies , he hath broke their bones , and pierced them through with his arrows . some adversaries have escaped longer unpunished than others ; but then their ends have been of all the most woful , and tragical at last . i shall instance only in what hath lately come to pass , with respect unto the heathen who rose up against us , thinking to swallow us up quick , when their wrath was kindled against us . blessed be the lord , who hath not given us a prey to their teeth . the chieftains amongst them were all cut off , either by sword or sickness in the war time , excepting those in the eastern parts , whose ring-leaders outlived their fellows ; but now god hath met with them . there were in special two of those indians , who shed much innocent blood , viz. simon and squando . as for bloody simon , who was wont to boast of the mischiefs he had done , and how he had treacherously shot and killed such and such english-men , he died miserably the last winter , another indian discharging a gun hapned to shoot simon , so as to break his arm. after which he lived two years , but in extremity of pain , so as that the indians when enquired of , how simon did ; their usual answer was worse then dead . he used all means that earth and hell ( for he betook himself to powaws ) could afford him for his recovery , but in vain . thus was the wickedness of that murtherer at last returned upon his own head . concerning squando , the sachem of the indians at saco ; the story of him is upon sundry accounts remarkable . many years ago he was sick , and near unto death , after which he said , that one pretending to be the english-mans god , appeared to him in form of an english minister ; and discoursed with him , requiring him to leave off his drinking of rum , and religiously to observe the sabbath day , and to deal justly amongst men , withal promising him that if he did so , then at death his soul should go upwards to an happy place ; but if he did not obey these commandments , at death his soul should go downwards , and be for ever miserable . but this pretended god said nothing to him about iesus christ. however , this apparition so wrought upon squando , as that he left his drunkenness , and became a strict observer of the sabbath day ; yea , so as that he alwayes kept it as a day of fast , and would hear the english ministers preach , and was very just in his dealing . but in the time of the late indian war , he was a principal actor in the bloody 〈…〉 in that part of the countrey . 〈…〉 year the pretended english-mans god , appeared to him again , as afore , in the form of a minister , requiring him to kill himself , and promising him that if he did obey , he should live again the next day , and never die more . squando acquainted his wife , and some other indians with this new apparition , they most earnestly advised him not to follow the murderous counsel which the spectre had given . nevertheless , he since hath hanged himself , and so is gone to his own place . this was the end of the man that disturbed the peace of new-england . chap. xii . an account of some remarkables at norwich in new-england : special answers of prayer made in that place . that people marvelously preserved . the scandalous miscarriage of one so over-ruled by providence , as to be an occasion of the conversion of several others . a further account of some personal deliverances in norwich . concerning sudden deaths which have hapned in new-england . there is lately come to my hand an account of some remarkables , which have hapned at norwich in new-england ; drawn up by mr. fitch , the judicious and eminently faithful pastor of the church in that place ; which that others may be incouraged to follow his example , in observing , and recording the special works of divine providence , i shall here insert , as i received it , and so hasten to finish this essay . it is that which follows . remarkable providences at norwich . . many times the heavens have been shut up but god hath answered our prayers in sending rain , and sometimes so speedily and so plentifully after our seeking the lord by fasting and prayer , that the heathen , now for more than twenty years upon occasion of want of rain , will speak to us to call upon the name of the lord our god ; one especial instance of this kind i have already given , and it s upon record , in the history of the war with the indians in new-england . . many among us have been in more than ordinary hazard by rattle-snakes , some have set their feet upon them , some have been bitten by them upon the skin , and one as he was stooping down to drink at a spring of water , spied a rattle-snake within two foot of his head rising up against him ; thus manifold wayes in danger by this venimous creature , and yet none of us have suffered any harm , but only one was bitten in the finger , and in a short time perfectly healed . . in the time of the wars with the indians , we were not only preserved from the heathen in the midst of the heathen , but by the lords making some of them to be a wall of defence unto us . and thus we were saved by a destroying means . and at this time the providence of god was very remarkable in preserving many of our people , in one of our garrisons , who were driven to garrison several houses , and the house of which now i speak , did contain about sixty persons ; and in this house one of the souldiers taking a gun loaden with bullets into his hand , as he stood in a lower room , the lock being half bent , and he holding the gun right upwards , the gun was discharged , though many people were in the chamber , yet none of them suffered any harm , because providence did guid the shot into the summer , that piece of timber which is the support of the chamber . also one in the same house , looking with a candle under a bed for something he wanted , fired some flax , which filled the room with flame and smoke , and two small children lay sleeping in this peril , but were preserved from the fire , or any harm by the throng of people in the room , at length one of the children was taken up by one of the men with a purpose of throwing it out of the chamber window , but at that very moment thers was such an abatement of the flame , and hope that the worst of the danger was past , that he held the child in his arms ; and yet presently after the fire brake out again in the uppermost room in the house , nigh to a barrel of gun-powder : but some were guided , strengthened and succeeded in their endeavour , to the extinguishing the fire ; so that the lives , and limbs , and goods of all these was preserved by the good hand of god , who doth wonderfully when we know not what to do . . one of the children of the church grown up , ( though not in full communion ) was left to fall into a most notorious abominable practice , which did occasion the church to meet and humble their souls by fasting and prayer , and at this time in the sermon and prayer , it was declared , that the lord had determined either to bring our children nearer to him , & not to suffer them to live out of full communion with his church , or else he would in his anger leave them to such abominations as shall cut them off from his church ; and since this time , many young people have by the grace of the lord been prepared for full communion , and have taken hold of the covenant , confessing , that they have felt the impression of that word upon that abashing occasion spoken : and thus the fall of one hath been the rising of many . where sin abounds , the lord can make grace to superabound . concerning some personal deliverances . there was a young-man endeavouring to subdue a young horse ; and a rope at one end of it was fastned about the horses neck , but the horse running with great speed , the other end of the rope caught the foot of this young man , as in a snare , and was so entangled therein , that he was drawn ten rods upon his back in a very rough and uneven place of land , he being utterly unable to free himself , and none at hand that could help him ; and thus it being come to this extremity , the horse of himself stood still , so long , and no longer time , than that the young man did clear his foot out of the rope ; and thus was delivered out of the danger , and suffered not a broken bone , nor any considerable bruise or harm . there was another young , man , who sat upon a plough-beam , and suddenly his cattle moving his plough turned , and one of his legs was entangled within the plough , and the plough-irons pressing hard against some part of his body , but could not free himself ; and the more he called to the cattle , the more speedily they moved , and thus was in danger of being torn in pieces ; but in this extremity it was not long before the cattle of themselves stood still . there was another young man , who did fall about ten foot from some part of the mill timber into deep waters , and a place of many rocks , a stream very violent , and he was carried about eleven rod down the stream , where there was a great piece of ice , and while he was in this confounded and amazed posture , his hand was guided to take hold of that ice , and there to hold until one who saw him fall , did adventure upon that ice , and drew him out of the waters , and thus they were both delivered . there was a very aged man among us , who riding in his cart over a river , and when the cattle were coming out of the river , he endeavoured to come out of the cart , but he did fall down so nigh to the wheel , that it began to press hard against his breast , and he only speaking to the cattle they stood still , and ceased moving till he was removed out of the danger , otherwise , if they had moved a few inches more , he had been prest to death . thus far is mr. fitch's narrative . had all others been as diligent in observing the works of god , as this worthy person has , the account of new-englands remarkabl●s would have been more full and compleat . but other things must be left for another attempt of this kind . i shall only add at present , that there have been many sudden deaths in this countrey , which should not pass without some remark . for when such strokes are multiplied , there is undoubtedly a speaking voice of providence therein . and so it hath been with us in new-england this last year , and most of all the last summer . to my observation in august last , within the space of three or four weeks , there were twelve sudden deaths ( and it may be others have observed more than i did ) some of them being in respect of sundry circumstances exceeding awful . let me only add here , that sudden death is not alwayes a judgement unto those who are taken out of an evil world : it may be a mercy to them , and a warning unto others , as the sudden death of the prophet ezekiels wife was . many of whom the world was not worthy , have been so removed out of it . moses died suddenly . and so have some excellent persons in this countrey done . governour eaton at new-haven , and governour haines at hartford died in their sleep without being sick . that excellent man of god mr. norton , as he was walking in his house in this boston , was taken with a syncope , fell down dead and never spake more . the like has hapned to other servants of god in other parts of the world. famous mr. v●nes , on a lords day after he had preached and administred the sacrament , went to bed well , and went to heaven that night . nor is there any rule or reason for christians to pray absolutely against sudden death . some holy men have with submission to the will of the most high , desired and prayed for such a death . so did mr. capel , and god gave him his desire ; for on september . . having preached twice that day , and performed religious duties with his family , he went to bed and died immediately . the like is reported by dr. euller , in his church history , concerning that angelical man mr. brightman , who would often pray , ( if god saw fit ) that he might die rather a sudden than a lingring death , and so it came to pass . for as he was travelling in the coach with sr. iohn osborne , and reading of a book ( for he would lose no time ) he was taken with a fainting fit , and though instantly taken out in the arms of one there present , and all means possible used for his recovery , he there died , august . . the learned & pious wolfius ( not the divine who has written commentaries on several parts of the scriptures ; but he that published lectionum memorabilium & reconditarum centenarios ) on may . . being in usual health , was , after he had dined , surprised with a sudden illness , whereof he died within a few hours . that holy man iacobus faber , who did and suffered great things for the name of christ , went suddenly into the silent grave : on a day when some friends came to visit him , after he had courteously entertained them , he laid himself down upon his bed to take some repose ; and no sooner shut his eyes , but his heaven-born soul took its flight into the world of souls . the man who being in christ , shall alwayes be doing something for god , may bid death welcome when ever it shall come , be it never so soon , never so suddenly . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 errata . page . line . for lat. . read lat. . p. . l. . r. his psudo doxa . p. . l. . for those r. these . p. . l. . for so r. see . p. l. ult . r. horstius . p. . l. . dele were . p. l. ult . r. goodly . p. . l. ult . for any r. away . p. . l. . r. serrarius . p. . l. ult . before if . add p. . l. . r. stephen . p. . l. . for that it r. is that , p. . l. . after instance should have been a full point . p. . l. . r. dactylogy . p. . l. . for butter r. bitter . p. . l. . for proceed r. precede . p. . l. . r. thomas . the contents . chap. i. of remarkable sea-deliverances . mr. anthony thacher's relation , concerning his and his wives being marvelously preserved alive , when all the ships company perished . the wonderful preservation of major gibbons and his company . several other remarkable sea-deliverances mentioned by mr. janeway , wherein new-england men were concerned . mr. grafton's preservation . a vessel lately coming from bristol for new-england saved out of great distress at sea. some providentially met with by a new-england vessel in an open boat , many leagues off from any shoar , strangely preserved . an account of a remarkable sea-deliverance which hapned this year . another like unto it above twenty years ago . page . chap. ii. a further account of some other remarkable preservations . of a child that had part of her brains struck out and yet lived and did well . remarkable deliverances which some in windsor had experience of . several in the late indian war. the relation of a captive . skipper how 's memorable preservation . several examples somewhat parallel , wherein others in other parts of the world were concerned . page . chap. iii. of remarkables about thunder and lightning . one at salisbury in new-england struck dead thereby . several at marshfield . one at north-hampton . the captain of the castle in boston . some remarkables about lightning in roxborough , wenham , marble-head , cambridge , hampton : and in several vessels at sea. some late parallel instances . of several in the last century . scripture examples of men slain by lightning . page . chap. iv. some philosophical meditations . concerning antipathies and sympathies . of the load-stone . of the nature and wonderful effects of lightning . that thunder-storms are often caused by satan ; and sometimes by good angles . thunder is the voice of god and therefore to be dreaded . all places in the habitable world are subject to it more or less . no amulets can preserve men from being hurt thereby . the miserable estate of wicked men upon this account , and the happiness of the righteous , who may be above all disquieting fears , with respect unto such terrible accidents . p. . chap. v. concerning things praeternatural , which have hapned in new-england . a remarkable relation about ann cole of hartford . concerning several witches in that colony . of the possessed maid at groton . an account of the house in newbery lately troubled with a daemon . a parallel story of an house at tedworth in england . concerning another in hartford , and of one in portsmouth in new-england lately disquieted by evils spirits . an account of the woman at kitry molested with apparitions , and sometimes tormented by invisible agents . page . chap. vi. that there are daemons . and possessed persons . signs of such . some maniacks are daemoniacks . notwithstanding many fabulous stories about witchcrafts , that there are witches proved by three arguments . that houses are sometimes troubled by evil spirits . witchcraft often the cause of it . sometimes by the devil without witchcraft ; ordered by providence as a punishment for sin . the disturbance in walton's house further considered ; with a parallel story . that the things related in the preceding chapter were undoubtedly preter-natural and diabolical . page . chap. vii . concerning apparitions . that they are not so frequent in places where the gospel prevaileth , as in the dark corners of the earth . that good angels do sometimes visibly appear . confirmed by several histories . that cacodaemons oftentimes pretend to be good angels . that satan may appear in the likeness of holy men ; proved by notable instances . concerning the appearance of persons deceased . the procuring cause thereof is usually some sin committed . some late remarkable examples . of mens covenanting to appear after their death . it is an heavy iudgment when places are infested with such doleful spectres . page . chap. viii . several cases of conscience considered . that it is not lawful to make use of herbs or plants to drive away evil spirits . nor of words or characters . an objection answered . whether it be lawful for persons bewitched to burn things , or to nail horse-shoes before their doors or to stop vrin in bottles , or the like ' in order to the recovery of health . the negative proved by several arguments . whether it be lawful to try witches by casting them into the water . several reasons evincing the vanity of that way of probation . some other superstitions witnessed against . page . chap. ix . a strange relation of a woman in wey-mouth in new-england that hath been dumb and deaf ever since she was three years old , who nevertheless hath a competent understanding in the mysteries of religion ; and is admitted to partake of the sacrament . some parallel instances . of wayes to teach deaf persons to speak . of a man in hull in new-england under whose tongue a stone bred . concerning that petrification , which humane bodies are subject to . that divers sorts of animals have sometimes been formed in the bodies of men. page . chap. x. concerning some remarkable tempests in new-england . a remark upon the hurricane , anno. . an observable accident by a sudden freezing of rain in the year . a strange whirl-wind in cambridge , a. d. . another at new-haven the last year . an hail-storm at springfield . some parallel instances . of earth-quakes in this countrey . land wonderfully removed . parallel stories . of remarkable floods this year , not only in new-england but in other parts of the world. an account of a prodigious flood in france five years ago , with conjectures concerning the natural reason of it . p. . chap. xi . concerning some remarkable judgments . quakers judicially plagued with spiritual iudgements . of several sad instances in long-island ; and in plimouth colony . that some of the quakers are really possessed with infernal spirits . proved by a late wonderful and astonishing example of one in balsham in cambridge-shire . of several that have● imprecated vengeance upon themselves . the woful end of drunkards . and of those that have designed evil against the churches of christ in new-england . page . chap. xii . an account of some remarkables at norwich in new-england . special answers of prayer made in that place . that people marvelously preserved . the scandalous miscarriage of one so over-ruled by providence as to become an occasion of the conversion of several . a further account of some personal deliverances in norwich . concerning sudden deaths which have hapned in new-england . page . finis . advertisement . some sermons concerning the works of divine providence , and on several other subjects , preached by the author of this book about remarkable providences ; are designed to be shortly published . the divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. by edward polhill of burwash in sussex esquire polhill, edward, - ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. by edward polhill of burwash in sussex esquire polhill, edward, - ? owen, john, - . seaman, lazarus, d. . the second edition. [ ], p. printed, and are to be sold by thomas shelmerdine, at the sign of the rose-tree in little-britain, london : . with prefaces signed by john owen and lazarus seaman. a reissue, with cancel title page, of the edition. imperfect: copy catalogued misbound; pp. - are misbound before pp. - . reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the divine will considered in its eternal decrees , and holy execution of them. by edward polhill of burwash in sussex esquire . the second edition . london , printed , and are to be sold by thomas shelmerdine , at the sign of the rose-tree in little-britain , . the preface to the reader . the doctrine of gods eternal decrees , with their execution in his works of providence and grace , is of great importance in it self , and was ever so esteemed in the church . it is that revelation which god has been pleased to make unto us in his word , of those counsels of his sovereign will and pleasure , with those actings of infinite wisdom , power , goodness and grace in the pursuit of them which rise and issue in eternity . hereby the whole series of divine operations is represented unto us , in their beauty & order , wherein god disposes all things in this world , unto the final issue of his eternal glory . an enquiry therefore into these things is so far from being a needless and curious speculation , as some fondly imagine , that without some diligence therein , we can never attain that distinct apprehension of divine excellencies and their effects which is necessary unto the direction of our faith and obedience . the nature indeed of the things themselves , which is sublime and mysterious , with that opposition which the pride of corrupted reason rises up unto , against the sovereignty and wisdom of god , hath exposed the truth concerning them unto great and fierce contradiction in all ages : but as god in the primitive times preserved the knowledge and interest of it in the church , by the holy and learnéd endeavours of persons famous on that account in their several generations , against the subtil assaults of men of corrupt minds ; so in these later ages he has provided for its vindication and defence , by the faithful làbours of many worthy instruments , against all that opposition which under various pretences and apprehensions hath continually broken forth against it . and it hath so fallen out , that among all those digladiations which the church hath been exercised withal about spiritual things , there are none which have been managed with more confidence and seeming satisfaction , unto the parties at variance about them , than these concerning the decrees and grace of god : for whereas they procede on various principles , each party find such assurance in those they build upon , as they suppose is not capable of any reasonable contradiction . those who judge it their safest course in heavenly mysteries to captivate their understandings unto the obedience of faith , and to regulate their apprehensions about them by divine revelation , with a due reverence of the infinite wisdom and sovereignty of god , can discern nothing in the reasoning contrary to what they have so learned , that is of weight with them or takes any impression on their minds ; when others , who procede upon and make their own inclinations , desires and reason the rule and measure of their conceptions , forcing divine revelation and mysteries into compliance with them , have no valuation of those arguments which are resolved purely into divine revelation , as representing an idea of god , his excellency , his will and his power , unsuited unto what in themselves they conceive of them : but it will be found that as god , who alone perfectly knows himself , and all the effects of his wisdom and power , can alone give us true notices and apprehensions of them , so it will be found that it is our wisdom and understanding to confine our conceptions about them , and faith concerning them unto divine revelations . and whatever contradictions there may be therein unto the carnal affections of men , there is none indeed unto right reason , when the infinite distance between god and us is once really admitted and acknowledged . of these things treateth the ensuing discourse , if i mistake not , in words of truth and soberness , for the substance of what is pleaded therein ; and i could not but upon the first view judge it both useful and needful unto the present season . for whereas the truths here declared and contended for , have in former ages been opposed with more subtilty , diligence and specious pretences , than of late by any ; yet being never that i have observed treated with more rage , contempt and scorn , the common way whereby men supply their defects in learning and ability , to oppose what they dislike and condemn , the worthy author hath handled them with that gravity and modesty , with that particular regard unto express divine testimonies , as is best suited to rebuke unchristian virulency about sacred things , without taking any notice of them . and sundry things in perusal of his discourse i take no small satisfaction in ; as ( first ) that in handling of these mysterious and sacred truths he chose briefly to state and solidly to affirm his assertions with scripture and reason , clearing positive truths , and not handling them merely in a way of controversie , though he avoid not the consideration of any material objection against what he has asserted and proved : for as this way of teaching divine truths is suited unto the nature , use and end of them , as also the manner of their original revelation ; so the mind is therein preserved sedate and free from such disturbing or diverting provocations as we are commonly too incident unto , when engaged even in the defence of truth by way of controversie . again there appeared unto me that vein of piety and spiritual affection , reverence unto god , and satisfaction in the things themselves pleaded about , as hath given me a great esteem of the author as well as of his work , though he be otherwise utterly unknown to me ; and this respect was increased , when i found he was no minister or church-man , whose business it is or ought to be to enquire diligently into these things ; but a gentleman acted by a voluntary concernment in truth and piety . it would not be to the disadvantage of the nation , or the church of god in it , if we had more of that rank and quality alike able and alike minded . the modesty wherewith he dissents from others or opposes their sentiments , without severe reflections on persons or opinions , is also another thing which deserves both commendation and imitation ; and the consideration thereof gives me the confidence in these few lines , designed unto another end , to express my own dissent from some of his apprehensions , especially about the object and extent of redemption . had i seen this discourse before it was wholly printed , i should have communicated my thoughts unto him upon that subject , and some few other passages in it : but where there is an agreement in the substance and design of any doctrine , as there is between my judgment and what is here solidly declared , it is our duty to bear with each other in things circumstantial , or different explanations of the same truth , when there is no incursion made upon the main principles we own . the argumentative part of this book is generally suited unto the genius of the age past , where in accurdcy and strictness of reason bare sway ; the language of it unto this , concerning which every one may judg as he pleases , truth is little concerned therein ; nor is it thereunto that i assign that perspicuity which appears in the main parts of this discourse , but unto the clear and distinct stating of the things themselves in the authors mind , which alone enables any to speak with evidence unto the understanding of others . and hence it is that although he be forced to make use sometimes of scholastick notions , yet he hath so expressed the matter intended , as to make it obvious unto the meanest capacity any whit exercised in the knowledge of these things . having said thus much of this discourse , which i hope god will bless unto good use and fruit , i shall not need to mind the reader of how great importance it is to have the truths here pleaded for , well vindicated and established ; the fulness and frequency of the scriptures in the revelation of them the great influence into our faith , obedience and due reverence of god , with the eminent tendency unto the exaltation of his glory , and the debasement of the pernicious pride of corrupt nature which they have , the opposition made unto them by all sorts of persons for saking the truth , who , however differing and fiercely contending among themselves , as papists , socinians , arminians , quakers and others , yet all agree in contradiction unto the sovereignty of god in his decrees , the special fruits of eternal redemption by the blood of christ and the infallible prevalency of divine grace , do all sufficiently evince , both the weight of these truths themselves , and the eminency of the service which is done to the church of god in their vindication . john owen . a preface to the reader , concerning the author of the tract ensuing . it may well be reckoned among problems or hard questions , whether it were better for those who write and print , to publish their names or conceal them ; because many things pro and cou might be argued upon that subject ; especially about things polemical , when they are handled . but when causa dei , the cause of god ( as our learned and famous bradwardine intituled his book , when he wrote against the pelagians ) comes to be treated of , all circumstances are duly to be weighed . quis , quid , quare , quando , quomodo , &c. who , what , why , when and how. among those of this kind , it 's very momentaneous to know for one , that this gentleman is one of the sages of the law , an oracle in the country where he lives . an eirenarches , well worthy of that name and place . a justice of peace and not of trouble , according to the distinction which our unhappy times have made . conformable himself ; yet one who affects rather to be orthodox , and to mind the power of godliness , more than the form thereof . i write this testimony of him ( though be neither needs , desires or knowes of it ) because i have bad knowledge of him à teneris , from his childhood , and have been certified of his domestical piety , and exemplariness in all which appertains to the practice of piety . concerning the book , it needs not patron or advocate : let it speak for it self . aetatem habet . it quickly shews arma virúmque , the spirit of the man and his weapons . this pleases me above all the rest , that though it treats of most intricate and mysterious controversies , yet that is done humbly , reverently , freely and with candor . i make not my self his hyperaspistes or second , or a party to his opinion ; but because his habitation is remote in a corner of the land ; his converse more with books than with men ; he seldom sees london ; and is not yet in these parts , any of our anshe shem , noted or famous persons . lest any reader should cast him off with a scornful ignoramus , i know not the man , i have presumed to prepare this little lenitive , that no offence should be taken in such respects as are herein mentioned . i shall not conclude with ecce hominem , but ad rem . lazarus seaman . errata . pag. . lin . . read object . p. . l. . betwixt election . and and , insert , . what the things designed . p. . l. . r. predefinition . p. . l. . r. person . p. . l. ult . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. forbearance . p. . l. . r. nolition . p. . l. . r. crea●rix . p. . l. for nail r. vail . p. . l . r. agony . p. . l. . after , that law , add , and that it was . p. . l. . for rom. . r. acts . p. . l. . r. mea . p. . l. . r. little . p. . l. . r. vegetative . p. . l. . for creature-deadness r. creature-comforts . p. . l. . r. actively . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. no object . chap i. that god is . that god is , is a primordial verity , from whence all other verities derive their original . if god were not , ( which is the highest contradiction ) there could be nothing but perfect nullity ; because nullity can never pass that infinite vast gulf , which lies between it self and being , without an infinite god. if god were not , he could not be ; a mere possible god is utterly impossible : for a god he cannot be , unless he be supreme perfection , a pure act , immoveable eternity , and eternal necessity , in suprema essendi vehemontia . this glorious truth , that god is , can no where be doubted of ; not in heaven , where his glorious face is opened to the blessed spirits ; not in hell , where his righteous breath , as a river of brimstone , doth kindle the fire unquenchable ; nor on earth , whilest any glimpses of heaven irradiate the godly , or any sparks of hell flame out in the guilty consciences of the wicked ; whilest the candle of the lord shines within men , or the heavens and the earth ( those natural preachers ) declare a deity without , and wonderfully render the invisible power and godhead as it were visible unto them . every particle of being in heaven and earth leads us to the infinite being of beings ; every motion within the sphear of nature and grace draws us to adore a first immoveable mover ; every breath of life in the old and new creature tells us of the great fountain of life ; every beam of light in the natural and spiritual world owns the high father of lights ; every drop of rain , natural on the earth , and spiritual on the heart , witnesses a deity . this truth is so indubitable , that none but a fool in his greatest folly can deny it . cur dixit stultus , non est deus ? cur , nisi quia stultus est ? chap. ii. that god hath a will. god's being being laid down as a sure foundation , i proceed to prove that god hath a will. which may be evinced by these reasons . . god is an immense sea of infinite perfections , or rather one infinite transcendent perfection ; and a will ( the fountain of liberty ) cannot be wanting in him , but there will be a maim in his perfection . liberum arbitrium ( saith luther ) est nomen planè divinum ; solùm competit divinae majestati : si hominibus tribuitur , nihilo rectiùs tribuitur quàm si divinitas ipsa eis tribueretur , quo sacrilegio nullum esse majus possit . sovereign and supreme liberty is a perfection too high for any creature ; for that , by natural and intrinsecal justice , owes subjection to its maker . this is one of god's crown-jewels , who sitteth king for ever and ever , dwelling in that light , which no creature can approach unto , and in that liberty , which no creature can attain unto . . god is blessed for evermore , blessed in all perfection , and perfect in all blessedness in the fruition of himself : he is infinite light , to see his own infinite perfection ; he is infinite love , to embrace his own infinite loveliness : as he cannot comprehensively know his own infinite perfection , unless he have an infinite understanding ; so neither can he adequately embrace his own infinite loveliness , unless he have an infinite will. god hath but one simple nature , and therefore but one simple pleasure , which is no other than the intellectual and amatorious reflexion of the divine understanding and will , on the divine goodness for ever . . if there be no divine will at all in god , then the divine arm must needs be shortned , so that it can produce no creature at all ; for if it produce any thing , it must do it either freely , or necessarily : not freely , for want of a divine will ; nor yet necessarily ; for then it must produce things ad extremum virium , and so must produce all the possible worlds and creatures lying in the bosom of omnipotence ( which would be infinite actual beings ) and produce them all as early as eternity it self ; and all those infinite actual beings , so produced , should be necessary beings , as well as god himself . in all which many great contradictions are involved . . if there be no divine will in god , then the glass of the divine prescience must needs be broken ; because , as god knows all essences in his own glorious essence , all possibles in his own wonderful omnipotence , and all congruities and tendencies to his own glory , in his own unsearchable wisdom ; so he knows all futures in his own will. for all things future were in their own nature but mere possibles , and could never of mere possibles become futures without the divine will ; and unless they become futures , they could never be known as such , no , not by the divine intellect it self : for , as infinite omnipotence cannot effect that which is not possible , and potenter non potest ; so infinite omniscience cannot know that which is not knowable ; for this were to erre , and not to know , and consequently a blemish in the clarity of the divine intellect . . the glory of god ( which passes before the faith of his children ) is his grace and mercy ; and the glory of his grace and mercy is the freeness and self-movingness of it ; and this freeness and self-movingness can no where be found but in the divine will alone , into which all grace and mercy is resolved by god himself , who saith , i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious , and will shew mercy to whom i will shew mercy , exod. . . . god is a living god , and lives the most perfect life , because he is the most perfect being ; and this divine life doth not merely consist in the comprehension of his infinite understanding , nor only in the exertion of his infinite power ; but also in the volition of his divine will. with thee , ( o divine will ! ) is the pure fountain of life , the precious well-head of grace and glory , all the saints and angels must stand still and adore thee , in the embraces of free election , and crown of eternal glory , in every drop of christ's redeeming blood , and gale of his gracious spirit . chap. iii. of the decrees of god in general . having proved that god hath a will , i proceed to the acts thereof . the divine will ( although one pure act ) is considerable under a double notion ; either as it is voluntas complacentiae , or else as it is voluntas decreti . voluntas complacentiae is that whereby god doth love himself and his own image . himself , for himself , as infinite love doth by an amatorious reflexion embrace himself as infinite goodness : and his own image ; for where-ever that is found , whether shining out in holy laws , or living in holy creatures , there is his delight . voluntas decreti is that whereby god doth foreordain events . both these are acts of his will , and free acts ; because they spring out of his divine knowledge . even god himself , through the intuition of his own beauty , loves himself , as well as he makes his decrees out of the treasury of his wisdom : but herein they differ , that god's act of loving himself is such as cannot be otherwise ; but his act of decreeing ( if he had been so pleased ) might have been otherwise framed than it is . pretermitting his complacential will , i shall direct my discourse to his decretive . the decrees of god may be thus described , viz. that they are the wise , eternal , immutable , immanent acts of his will , whereby for his own glory he decrees whatsoever comes to pass in time . every decree of god is an act of his will ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the will of god , acts . . 't is an immanent act ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a purpose in himself , eph. . . 't is a wise act ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the counsel of his will , eph. . . 't is an eternal act ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a foreknowing and foredetermining , rom. . . 't is an immutable act ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the immutability of his counsel , heb. . . 't is an act definitive of events ; hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the determinate counsel of god , acts. . . and the end of all is his own glory , whereby the whole will of his decrees circulates into that will of his complacence , whereby he loves himself ; himself being the ultimate end , all meet there as in their true centre . now in the decrees of god there are four things to be chiefly considered . . that they are founded on infinite wisdom . . that they are situate in eternity . . that they are cemented with immutability . . that they are crowned with infallibility as to the event . . the decrees of god are founded on infinite wisdom : god hath a mass and treasury of all wisdom in himself , and from thence he draws out all those orders and series of things , which through his decrees are poured forth into being . extra deum there is no reason of his decrees , but within there is summa ratio ; god , even as decreeing , dwells in light , though to us unapproachable : every decree is irradiated with infinite wisdom , though our eyes cannot enter into it . the apostle calls the world the wisdom of god , cor. . . and no wonder ; for all the rare artifices and harmonies in the sphear of nature , are but the shadows and picture of his wise decrees : all the excellent shows in time , are but the apocalypse or revelation of the wise co●trivances in eternity . god possessed wisdom in the beginning of his way , even in the framing of his eternal decrees ; not only when he prepared the heavens in creation , but also when he prepared all things in his ideal counsel ; not only when he set a compass on the face of the depth , but also when he set the compass of his decrees upon the face of all futuritions . every one of his decrees is most wise and rational ; hence 't is called his counsel , and the counsel of his will. in the eternal rolls , causes and effects , means and end , modes and methods of being are all set down , but not a tittle without the advice of an infinite understanding ; there is no such thing as mere will in god ; no caecus impetus , but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a depth of knowledge in every one of his decrees . . the decrees of god are situate in eternity . mutable creatures and their acts are measured by time , which is a perpetual flux ; but god and his immanent acts have no other measure but eternity , which is a perpetual instant . scripture and reason will both assert this . . scripture will do it . when that speaks of the decree of election , it saith that god hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , before the foundation of the world , eph. . . heaven was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , at the founding of the world , matth. . . but god's chusing of us to it was long before , his mercies are from everlasting to everlasting , psal. . . reaching ( as i may say ) from one end of eternity to another . so also when it speaks of other pieces of providence , it intimates an eternal preordination of things before the great hour-glass of time was set up . there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , foreappointed times , acts . . not a sand of time but it runs out according to an eternal decree ; not a member in the body , but it is written in the eternal book , psal. . . not a place of habitation , but it was eternally bounded , acts . . not a sparrow falls to the ground but by an eternal will ; not an hair but it was numbred in eternity ; not a particle of being among all the hosts of creatures but it was registred in eternity . all god's works are known to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eternally , act. . . known eternally as essences they might be in the divine essence ; known eternally as possibles they might be in the divine power : but known eternally , as works to be done by god , they could not be , but only in his eternal decree , which is rerum omnium amantissima genetrix , & suavissima nutrix . . reason also will make out the eternity of his decrees ; for . the act of god's will is all one with god's will , and his will is all one with his essence , and his essence is one pure simple act ; god is love , essentially love : amat deus , nec aliunde hoc habet , sed ipse est unde amat , & ideo vehementiùs , quia non amorem tam habet , quàm ipse est . all the decrees of god are but deus volens ; and , as god being , and god knowing inhabit eternity ; so likewise doth god willing : the very creatures willed , as they are in god in esse indeali , are eternal . notable is that of anselm , creaturae , prout sunt in deo , sunt essentia creatrix . sutable is that of s. austin , who on those words ( in ipso vita est ) distinguishes between arca in arte & arca in opere ; arca in opere non est vita , sed arca in arte est vita , quia vivit animâ artificis : sapientia dei , per quam fact a sunt omnia , secundùm artem , continet omnia , antequam fabricet omnia ; terram vides , est in arte terra ; coelum vides , est in arte coelum ; solem & lunam vides , sunt & ista in arte ; sed foris corpora sunt , in arte vita sunt . videte , si quo modo potestis ; magna enim res dicta est . oh the comprehensions of the divine essence , wisdom , power and will ! essences are life and eternity in the divine essence ; congruities are life and eternity in the divine wisdom ; possibles are life and eternity in the divine power ; and futuritions are life and eternity in the divine will. . the eternity of futures doth demonstrate the eternity of the divine decrees : 't is impossible that any thing should begin to be future . si aliquid nunc non futurum ( saith bradwardine ) incipiet esse futurum , ergo post aliquod instans futurum erit , ergo erit , ergo est futurum , ergo aliquid non futurum est futurum . now if it be impossible that any thing should begin to be future , then all futures must needs be eternal ; and if so , whence are they ? not from themselves , for in their own nature they were but mere possibles ; and if one possible might by a self-motion become future , all the infinite possibles lying in the bosom of omnipotence might also become such ; nor from any creature ; for that which is but temporal , cannot be the cause of that which is eternal . the spring then of eternal futures cannot be found any where but in the eternal god , and where in him ? not in the divine essence , for that in it self , and abstractively from the divine will worketh no change in any thing at all ; not in the divine prescience , for that doth suppose and not make its objects . and how then without eternal decrees can there be any foundation of futures ? i may conclude with that of anselm , nihil est futurum nisi in summa veritate . if then god should make any decree in time , the thing decreed would begin to be future , which is impossible . . the decrees of god are cemented with immutability . aristotle by the light of nature saw the simplicity of god's nature , and from thence rationally concluded the simplicity of god's pleasure . the eternal and immanent acts of his understanding and will are ever immoveably the same , or else infinite simplicity could not take pleasure in them . god saith of himself , mal. . . i am the lord , i change not . should he change , he would lose his name , i am that i am . i know ( saith the wise preacher ) that whatsoever god doth , it shall be for ever , eccl. . . his decrees are unchangeable . the apostle speaking of the decree of election , saith , the foundation of god standeth sure , having this seal , the lord knoweth them that are his , tim. . . every word hath its weight : election is not a structure upon faith , but a foundation ; humane foundations may be destroyed , but this is the foundation of god , laid by him , nay in him in the bosom of the divine will ; there is no standing , much less sure standing , in the flux of time and matter ; but this foundation , because of god , and in god , standeth sure ; it standeth in god's eternity , which is nunc stans ; it is sure in god's immutability , which is ever the same ; and the seal upon all this , is god's unerrable and infallible knowledge , including within it unvariable and unchangeable love to his people : god is the father of lights , with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning , james . . the visible corporeal sun rides circuit round the world ; but whilest he salutes one hemisphear , in the turn he leaves a dark shadow on the other : but god is an immutable and supercelestial sun , there can be no shadow in his eternal and unconvertible light. neither are the various changes among the creatures , shadows cast by any turn in god or his will , but events ordered and disposed by him . and because the apostle speaks in this verse of perfect gifts , and in the next of regeneration by god's . will , therefore there is a further sence in it , that if the father of lights purpose to make the day-star arise in any poor soul , his gracious purpose never turns away from that soul , nor leaves it in the dark shadow of death . the names of the elect are all indelibly written in god's book ; and if the scripture cannot be dissolved , joh. . . surely the book of life must be irrasible . saint austin on those words , deleantur de libro viventium , & cum justis non scribantur , psal. . . raises an objection , si homo dixit , quod scripsi , scripsi , deus quemquam scribit & delet ? quomodo isti inde delentur , ubi nunquam scripti sunt ? to which he answers , hoc dictum est secundùm spem ipsorum , quia ibi se scriptos putabant . quid est , deleantur de libro viventium ? & ipsis constet non illos ibi esse . deleantur ergo secundùm spem ipsorum , secundùm autem aequitatem tuam non scribantur . in a word ; whatsoever god doth in his decrees is immutably the same , his decrees are as mountains of brass , zach. . . unremoveable by any creature , because situate in the eternal will. the strength or eternity of israel will not lye or repent , sam. . . if god's time cannot lye , but will infallibly shew forth the verity of his promises and prophecies , surely god's eternity cannot lye , wherein he decrees and knows all . the world is full of vicissitudes , matter is in a perpetual flux , the glass of time is running out , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the wheel of nature is running round : but all the while , god's will is immoveable ; it doth not rowl about with the heavens , rise or set with the sun , or ebb and flow with the sea ; but sits king for ever and ever upon the throne of its own immobility . apud te , domine , rerum omnium instabilium stant causae , & rerum omnium mutabilium immutabiles manent origines , & omnium irrationalium & temporalium sempiternae vivunt rationes . now besides what hath been said out of scripture , to prove the immutability of his decrees , these reasons may be offered . . the decrees of god are immanent and eternal acts in god , therefore cannot but be unchangeable . god in framing his decrees non egreditur extra seipsum , goes not out from his own eternity . . as the eternity of futures proves an eternity in god's decrees , so the immutability of futures proves an immutability in his decrees . if the decrees ( which are the basis of futurition ) may be changed , then that , which was future by the decree , may yet cease to be future , sine positione ejus in esse actuali , which is impossible . if a new decree be made in succession after a former , then the thing decreed begins to be future , which is also impossible . . if the divine decrees should change , oh! what amazing changes ? what an horrible tempest must needs ensue ? must not god's own dwelling-house , even his glorious eternity , sink and fall to the ground ? non enim est vera aeternitas , ubi oritur nova voluntas , nec est immortalis voluntas , quae alia & alia est . must not god's eternal prescience fall a doubting and faltring about every future ? seeing god cannot now know his own works , no , not a moment before their actual existence ; because even then their being may be prevented by a change in his will : may not eternal grace and truth lose their glorious light , and jesus christ , the sun of righteousness , drop out of the gospel-orb , and all the starry promises in the word , and lightsom comforts in the saints go out in a moment , leaving all in darkness and confusion ? may not the evangelical banquet let down to poor worms be called back again into heaven , and the precious blood of christ return again into its veins , and his humane nature be cast away into nothing , and every saint , instead of grace and peace in his heart , may have a lye in his right hand , and lie down in sorrow ? nay , in such a case , must there not fall a change upon the very being of god himself ? and seeing every change is a kind of death , must not the deity suffer , and as it were die in this mutation ? all which astonishing catastrophes being to be for ever abhorred , i conclude that god's decrees must needs be immutable , as long as there is any stability in his eternity , infallibility in his prescience , sureness in his grace and truth , or immortality in his life or essence . . the decrees of god are crowned with infallibility as to the event ; the event is so certain , that the spirit of god in scripture speaks of future things as if they were already done . behold ! ( saith enoch in the morning of the world ) the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints , as if he had been then in the clouds coming to judgment . jesus christ cries out of god forsaking and men piercing him , psal. . . and . as if he had then been upon the cross with all the wrath of god and fury of men upon him . whom he did predestinate ( saith st. paul , rom. . . ) them he called ; whom he called , them he justified ; whom he justified , them he glorified ; he speaks as if all the elect were already in heaven : hence god is said to be ( isai. . . as the sept. there hath it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a maker of things to come ; the event is as certain as if it were already done . now for the understanding of this point , we must distinguish of events ; either they are good things , or else evil , viz. sins . touching the first , the decree of god is effective ; touching the last , the decree of god is permissive . the first come to pass , deo efficiente ; the last , deo permittente ; but both do fall out infallibly . . those events which fall under his effective decree do fall out infallibly . this is clear upon a double account . . the will of god is causa causarum , an universal supreme cause , having all things under it ; it reigns over all the armies in heaven and the inhabitants of the earth , dan. . . the poor sparrow is no more forgotten by it , than the great image of worldly monarchy . natural agents must be under it , as the primum movens ; free agents must be under it , as the primum liberum : the lot is the greatest casualty , and yet wholly disposed of by it : sin is the most monstrous ataxy , and yet it is reduced into order thereby . now albeit particular and inferiour causes may fail of the intended issue ; yet the universal and supreme cause cannot be frustrated , because it governs all . . the effective decree of god is backed with his omnipotence . who ever resisted his will ? he that doth it must first grapple with omnipotence . the lord of hosts hath purposed , and who shall disanul it ? his hand is stretched out , and who shall turn it back ? isai. . . can any creature hinder the purpose of the lord of hosts ? all creatures are ready prest for his service . but if one creature could steal away all its fellow-creatures from him , yet who shall turn back his almighty hand ? none can stay his hand , nor say to him , what dost thou ? dan. . . his power is insuperable , therefore none can stay his hand ; his sovereignty is unaccountable , therefore none can say , what dost thou ? he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will , eph. . . and if he work , who can let it ? isai. . . surely none . when god's hand and god's counsel go together , the effect cannot fail . . those events which fall under his permissive decree , do also fall out infallibly . as on the one hand , without god's permission , no sin can come into being ; if god suffer it not , no man can wrong israel , psal. . . and ( which is less than an injurious act ) balaam cannot curse her , numb . . . and ( which is yet less than a cursing word ) the idolatrous nations cannot so much as desire her land , exod. . . so on the other hand , upon god's permission sin doth follow . all nations will walk in their own ways , acts . . nay , and the israel of god ( if but suffered ) would do so too , deut. . . if god permit it , the wicked will do wickedly , the jews will fill up the measure of their sins , mat. . . wickedness will build her an house in shinar , in the reprobate world , there it will be established and set upon her own base , zach. . . and what would not a saint do , if but left in manu consilii sui ? jeremy falls from praising his god , to cursing his birth-day , as it were in one breath , jer. . , . peter falls from his profession of martyrdom , to the denial of his master , matth. . if god permit sin , sin follows upon it ; i say , upon it , not from it , as an effect from a cause , but upon it , as a consequent upon an antecedent . to shut up this point ; the decrees of god , whether as effective of good , or as permissive of evil , are still infallible as to the event . chap. iv. of gods decree of election , as touching men. having spoken of god's decrees in general , i pass on to his decree of election in particular ; this is respective either of angels or men : pretermitting it in the first respect , i shall treat of it in the second . god's decree of election , as touching men , is set forth in scripture under various words , which do not a little illustrate the nature of it : 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because god's purpose ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because his gracious purpose ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he separates or singles out some to mercy , in a way of choice ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he knows them as his own , in a way of singular love ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because he infallibly predestinates them to grace and glory ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because all is out of the pure self-motion of his own good will. election is that gracious decree of god , whereby , out of the mere good pleasure of his own will , he chuses some certain individual men out of the corrupt mass of mankind , unto the infallible attainment of grace and glory , in and through jesus christ. now in the opening of this description , there are several things considerable , viz. . who is the great agent ? . what are the things designed ? . to whom these things are designed ? . what is the impulsive cause thereof ? . in and through whom it is done ? . who is the great agent ? it is no other than god himself : he chuses us , eph. . . he predestinates us , ver . . hence the elect are called god's elect , tit. . . and election is stiled god's election , thess. . . the elect are said to be god's own , john . . and election is named god's own purpose and grace , tim. . . he that frames this high design must be a god indeed , a creator of souls , and infuser of graces , one able to provide an infinite ransom for the satisfaction of justice , and a glorious heaven for the patefaction of mercy ; no less than an almighty potter , able even out of the mass of perdition to make vessels of mercy , and fill them with glory . all divines will at least in words confess god to be the great agent ; but how the remonstrants according to their principles can own him as such , is well worthy their consideration : for they assert that the object of gods election is a believer ; and whether there shall be a believer or not , after all the operations of grace , ultimately depends upon the will of man ; and if so , how can god chuse at all ? seeing the act of his election depends upon the object , and the oject upon the will of man. the remonstrants will contend , that man , with his petty created liberty , cannot chuse as a man , if he be under the pre-determining will of god ; and can god , with his soveraign supreme liberty , chuse as a god , if he be under the pre-determining will of man ? and what is he less than under it , when , whether he shall have an election or not , depends upon the object ; and whether there will be an object or not , depends upon the will of man ? man's will must go before , and make the object , or else for want of one , god's will must stand still and not chuse at all . and is this for god to chuse like himself ? are not all souls his own , and may he not chuse which he pleases ? is not all grace and glory his own , and may he not do with his own what he pleases ? but how can he do so , if as to the act of election he be under the pre-determining will of man ? but you 'l say , god is not under it for all this : for he first , and antecedently to any foreseen faith in man , did decree in general to save believers , and believers only , as appears in the gospel ; and thereby did , out of his mere good pleasure , set down this law or rule to himself , that believers , and believers only , should be the object of particular election ; and so he is not pre-determined by man's will , but his own , and chuses particular persons in his own way : unto which i answer two things . . that god hath set such a law or rule unto himself , that believers , and those only , should be the object of his election , is utterly untrue : for then all infants , dying such ( because no believers ) must be out of the sphear of election , and by consequence , out of the sphear of salvation also ; unless ( which is very strange ) we could imagine those to be actually saved , whom yet god never elected or decreed to save . neither is there any such law or rule manifested in the gospel : there god's will is thus set forth , whosoever believes shall be saved ; which imports that believers are the objects of salvation , but not in the least that they are the objects of election . it is written in the gospel , relieve and thou shalt be saved ; but in what gospel is it written , believe and thou shalt be elected ? . that law or rule ( if supposed ) doth not answer the argument ; for still ( as to particular election ) god is under the pre-determining will of man : if that say , nay , god shall have never a chosen vessel in all the world to fill with grace and glory ; and how then is he the great agent in election ? solomon set a law or rule to shimei , that if he passed over kidron , he should die for it ; he passes over , and dies : what now was the chief cause of his death ? solomon's law or execution , or else shimei's passage ? clearly , it was shimei's own act ; solomon was but as a legislator . pariratione ; if god set a law or rule , that believers should be elected , if a man believe and be elected , that which chiefly determines the business is not god's first law or after choice , but man's faith ; god is no agent therein , but as a mere legislator . so naturally do the remonstrant principles run out into that of theophylact , 't is god's part to call , but man's to be elect or not ; which principles must be renounced , or else god cannot be owned as the great agent in election . and here a three-fold enquiry offers it self . . what the things themselves are ? . in what order these are designed ? . in what manner these are designed ? . what the things themselves are ? these are grace and glory , or faith and salvation . grace is designed : hence we are said to be called according to purpose , rom. . . and chosen that we should be holy , eph. . . do we see a saint in his spiritual glory , clothed with humility , arrayed with righteousness , girt with truth ; his eyes flowing with repentant tears , his heart burning with holy love , and his hands laden with good works ? all these were prepared in eternal election , as well as wrought by the holy spirit in time ; there was decretum dei in the foreordaining , as well as digitus dei in the forming of them . thus shall it be done to the man whom the king of heaven will honour . in election there is a designing of grace , nay all grace ; faith it self not excepted . the remonstrants shut out faith from this design , in as much as they pre-require faith thereunto . but how unscriptural is this ? paul was chosen to know god's will , acts . . not to a bare notional knowledge , but to a saving practical one , such as justifies , isai. . . such as is eternal life , joh. . . which must needs include faith. the apostle calls faith , the faith of gods elect , tit. . . if faith had been precedent to election , he would have told us , that election is of believers ; but because it is consequent , he saith , that faith is of the elect. and how irrational is it also ? election is a design of secretion ; it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a chusing or singling out of some to grace and glory ; the elect are said to be chosen out of the world , joh. . . and chosen unto god , acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( saith christ ) thine they were , joh. . . thine in a select peculiar manner : and faith is the choice and prime grace of secretion , it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of all , thess. . . if all men did believe without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or difference , the righteousness of god would be upon them all , rom. . . the rivers of living water would flow in them all , joh. . . but faith is not of all , whereby it appears , that of all inherent graces , faith firstly and properly makes the secretion . now that such a prime grace of secretion as faith should not be decreed , in suoh a great design of secretion as election , seems to me incongruous even to absurdity . if faith go before election , then how doth god chuse them out of the world , who by faith are out of it already ? how doth he chuse them unto himself , who by faith are his own before ? if man's will in believing make the first and proper secretion , then god's will hath no room to make one by electing ; wherefore , if we will allow god his choice indeed , we must confess faith it self to be designed in election . . glory is designed in election ; we are chosen to salvation , thess. . . and before prepared to glory , rom. . . the names of the elect are written in heaven , and registred in the book of life . all the glory above rayes out of the bosom of election , and every crown of bliss is set on by god's good pleasure . . in what order are these things designed ? no doubt , by one pure simple act in god. but what is our most congruous conception thereof ? some divines assert , that god first decreed salvation and then faith. salvation is the end , and therefore first ; faith the means , and therefore last in god's intention . but this reason is not cogent ; for neither can any thing in the creature , no , not its utmost perfection ( such as salvation is ) be god's end , all whose decrees do circulate into himself : neither ( if it were such ) should god therefore will it in the first place , and in order before faith ; for he wills the end and means with one simple act. excellent is that of aquinas ; sicut deus uno actu omnia in essentia sua intelligit , it a uno actu omnia in sua bonitate vult : unde sicut in deo intelligere causam , non est causa intelligendi effect us , sed ipse intelligit effect us in causa ; it a velle finem , non est ei causa volendi ea quae sunt ad finem , sed tamen vult ea quae sunt ad finem ordinari ad finem . vult ergo hoc esse propter hoc ; sed non propter hoc vult hoc . other divines conceive thus ; that god first decrees faith and then salvation , and that upon this account : such and in such order as god in time doth save , such , and in the very same order , doth god in eternity decree to save : but god in time doth save only believers , therefore god in eternity did decree to save only believers , that is , such as were so considered by him ; and so considered by him they could not be , without a precedent decree of giving faith unto them . wherefore faith is first decreed , and then salvation ; and thus the decree and its execution harmonize , and both sute with the gospel method , which sets faith in order before salvation . but neither hath this colourable reason any nerves in it : for that proposition , such , and in such order , as god saves , such , and in the very same order , he decrees to save , may be taken two ways : either thus ; god decrees to save in the very same order as he saves , that is , as in time faith goes before salvation , so in eternity he decreed that faith should go before salvation ; and this is true . thus the decree harmonizes with the execution , and both with the gospel ; but thus faith is not made first in the decree , but first in the execution according to the decree . or else thus : there is the very same order observed in god's decreeing as in his saving ; that is , as faith is first in time , so it was first in god's decree ; and thus it is untrue : for it stands upon this false bottom in general ; there is the very same order in god's internal intention , as there is in the external production , that which is first in the one is first also in the other . this bottom is such , as neither the harmony between the decree and the execution , nor yet the gospel-way and method doth require . the harmony between the decree and the execution doth not require it ; for that only requires that that , which is decreed to be and exist first , should accordingly be and exist first ; but it requires not that that , which is first in production , should be first in intention . in production the sun was first before the beams ; but was it first also in intention ? then god decreed a sun , and in that instant meant no beams . in production , the chaos was first before the complete world , but was it so in intention ? then god decreed a chaos , and in that instant meant not a complete world. neither can it avail to say , that these instances are in naturals ; for the harmony between the decree and the execution is as accurate in naturals as in spirituals . neither doth the gospel-way or method require it ; for that only requires , that faith be and exist first , but not that it be first intended or decreed . in order of nature , faith is first before adoption ; but was it first also in intention ? then god decreed faith to some persons , and in that instant meant not their adoption , which yet by the gospel is a necessary resultance from their faith. in order of existence , faith is first before salvation ; but was it first also in intention ? then god decreed faith to some persons , and in that instant meant not their salvation , which yet by the gospel is a necessary consequence of their faith. and this is the rather to be marked , because the remonstrants assert , that god first , and antecedently to his decree of giving faith , did decree in general to adopt and save all believers ; and if so , then how doth god decree faith to a person , and not in and by the same decree , decree adoption and salvation to him ? these are a conclusion naturally flowing from faith , by vertue of the general decree ; and therefore that decree , which designs faith to a person , cannot but design these also to him . in order of nature faith is before perseverance , yet both are by one and the same decree : for god in decreeing faith , decrees the duration thereof , which is but mora in esse a kind of stay in being ; else his decree would be very imperfect . in point of existence , perseverance is not simultaneous or all at once , but successive , one sand as it were dropping after another , and one instant drawing on another : yet all perseverance is in one and the same decree . to imagine a succession of decrees in eternity , suiting with the succession of instants in time , were strangely to metamorphose eternity into time. thus it evidently appears , that there is not the same order in the internal intention , as in the external production ; that which is first in existence here , is not first in contrivance there . wherefore the argument for faiths firstness in the decree , because of its firstness in the execution , falls to the ground . in brief ; waving both these opinions , as built on sandy foundations , i conceive it is most congruous to say , that god decreed faith and salvation in the very same decree , yet so , as that withal he intended , that in the execution , faith should go before salvation . as in naturals , god decrees the sowing and harvest in the very same decree , yet so , as that in actual existence the sowing shall precede the harvest : so in spirituals god decrees grace and glory , the sowing to the spirit and reaping of life eternal , in the same decree ; yet so , as that in actual existence , first there is grace and then glory ; first sowing to the spirit , and then reaping life eternal . wherefore in god's decree faith is not before salvation , nor salvation before faith , but both are simultaneous : nevertheless , in time faith comes forth first , according to the gospel-method , and afterwards salvation crowns it . . in what manner are these things designed ? i answer , in an infallible way , such as never fails : hence election is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an infallible predestination , or predestination of grace and glory to the elect. thus the apostle : whom he did predestinate , them he called ; whom he called , them he justified ; whom he justified , them he glorified , rom. . . the first link of predestination and the last of glorification are surely joined by the middle links of vocation and justification . the remonstrants to decline the force of this golden place , tell us , that the apostle here speaks only of believers , such as love god , ver. . and of a predestination and vocation to the cross , and of a justification and glorification after it patiently endured . but what is this interpretation but mere a perverting of scripture ? the apostle speaks of believers , such as love god ; but did they believe and love antecedently to god's election or consequently , and as the fruit thereof ? if antecedently , what is the calling according to purpose ? what purpose is this but the purpose according to election , rom. . ? the purpose according to which god saves and calls us , tim. . ? what calling is this , but that efficacious one which makes a man hear and learn of the father , so as to come to christ by faith and love , joh. . ? wherefore faith and love stream out of the fountain of vocation , and vocation comes down out of the bosom of god's purpose . to say , that the called according to purpose , are those which are ready to obey all the will of god , is against the usage of scripture , to turn god's call into man's obedience , and god's purpose ( which is the measure of his own acting ) into his command ( which is the measure of man's . ) again , if antecedently , what becomes of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ver. ? how could god foreknow , that is , fore-love them who loved him before ? if they loved first , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must out , it is not pre-dilection , but post-dilection . it remains then that they did believe and love consequently to god's election , and by a divine influence from thence . but to go on ; what is the predestination here , but to a conformity to the image of christ ? and are sufferings all the image of christ ? are and glory no part thereof ? what divine will not blush to say so ? and how then is not predestination to these ? but if sufferings were all christ's image , yet are all sufferings his image ? what if they be mere sufferings , such as have no tincture of faith and holiness upon them ? are these his image also ? if not , the predestination to his image must include in it a predestination to faith and holiness . and what is the calling following upon predestination ? is it a calling to sufferings ? such a calling uses to be particularly expressed ; hereunto were you called , saith st. peter , pet. . . and we are appointed hereunto , saith s. paul , thess. . . but where in all the scripture doth the word [ calling ] being put absolutely , and without such addition , ever signifie a call to sufferings ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we meet with therein , but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore the calling is to faith and holiness . and what is the justification which hangs upon calling ? if the calling be to sufferings , are they not justified before that calling ? no doubt they are in the instant of believing ; and how then is calling set first and justification last ? you 'l say , this place speaks not of the justification of their persons , but of the approbation of their cause . and where in all this epistle is the word [ justifie ] so taken ? and why so here ? lastly , the called are justified , and the justified glorified , saith the apostle . and are all those which are called to sufferings justified and glorified ? the experience of thousands denies it . you 'l say , they are all justified and glorified , if they bear the cross with faith and patience . but who dares add an [ it ] to gods word , and in this text to the two links and not to the former ? the apostle faith expresly , whom he did predestinate , them he also called , and whom he called , them he also justified , and whom he justified , them he also glorified . in the original , the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fasten every link to its precedent , and that with appropriation to the very same persons ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fastens calling to predestination , and justification to calling , and glorification to justification , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropriates all throughout the whole chain to the same persons . if therefore any person predestinated or called within this text , be not also justified and glorified , the chain is broken , and the truth of the text cannot ( for ought i see ) be salved . wherefore i conclude that this text doth not treat of predestination and calling to sufferings , notwithstanding which many fall short of justification and glorification ; but of predestination and calling to grace and glory , such as doth infallibly bring them to justification and glorification . god's electing mercy towards his chosen ones is sure and unfailable ; before they had any being , free grace embraced them in an eternal decree , and laid them in its bosom , and when they left the common nullity , and in the first moment of their being , lay in the blood of their natural enmity and iniquity , free grace would not pass them by , but there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( as the sept. hath it , ezek. . . ) a time for love to let out and dissolve it self in gracious operations ; to cast its skirt over them , wash them in the blood of the covenant , anoint them with the holy spirit , and put a chain of graces about their necks . and after all this , when their faith wavers like a wave of the sea , his faithfulness is as a mountain of brass ; when their love cools and slacks , his love is ever the same , and inflames theirs afresh ; when their holiness is full of creature-weakness and impersection , there are with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , holy mercies and compassions which never fail ; when they sin and go on frowardly in the way of their hearts , yet he will see their way and heal them , as the expression is , isai. . . how many millions of times , after their conversion , might he have seen their way and damned them ? but because of his unchangeable love he will see their way and heal them . his covenant is as the waters of noah , isai. . . when they sin again and again , yet his pardoning mercy and healing grace will never suffer them to lie under water , nor the deluge of sin to overwhelm them for ever . in a word ; his electing love never leaves off till it hath lodged them safe in heaven . thus the foundation of god standeth sure , and the election infallibly obteineth grace and glory . . to whom are these things designed ? i answer in two things . . these are designed to some certain individual persons . . these certain individual persons are considered as lying in the mass of perdition . . these are designed to some certain individual persons . the lord knoweth them that are his , tim. . . their names are all down in the book of life , phil. . ● . he called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by name , joh. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith god to ananias ) this individual persons , this very paul , who but now was breathing out blood against tho church , this is a vessel of election , acts . . the elect are a determinate number ; what else were the . which bowed not to baal , kings . ? what the . which were sealed in their foreheads , rev. . ? if there were no set number , why are they called a remnant according to the election of grace , rom. . ? what remnant can there be unless made up of individual persons ? what election but of such ? a chusing or singling out , if not of individuals , is no chusing or singling out at all . and this is one remarkable difference between the will of god's complacence , and the will of his benevolence : the will of his complacence is properly respective of graces , and that where-ever those graces are , without any distinction of persons , in every nation he that feareth god and worketh righteousness is accepted with him , saith st. peter , act. . . if cain do well , shall he not be accepted ? if a judas believe , shall he not be justified ? without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the righteousness of god is upon all them that believe , rom. . . his pleasure is in them that fear him , psal. . . a good man ( where-ever he be ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ draws out favour or complacence from the lord , prov. . . and the reason is , because this will of complacence , issuing out of his perfect sanctity , cannot but embrace his image where-ever he finds it ; but the will of benevolence ( such as election is in the supreme degree ) is distinctive of persons : for this is decretive of certain blessings , and ( unless the persons , to whom those blessings shall be given , be designed also ) the decree is very imperfect : and this is decretive of certain blessings out of supreme and sovereign liberty ; and to this as a flower of its crown , it appertains to define all persons as well as blessings . wherefore , in election , not only grace and glory , but the very individual persons , who shall have and receive the same , are punctually designed . in heaven there are many mansions , and the elect vessels must fill them up ; or else there might be a vacuum in that blessed place : wherefore those elect vessels are all numbred in god's decree . . these certain individual persons are considered as lying in the mass of perdition : this ( as i conceive ) is most congruous to scripture . there election is stiled voluntas miserendi , a will of shewing mercy , rom. ● . . and the elect are called vessels of mercy , rom. . . there we are said to be chosen in christ , and chosen that we should be holy , eph. . . there we are said to be appointed to obtain salvation , and that in and by jesus christ , thes. . . but if god electing did not consider men as sinners lying in the corrupt mass , what need was there of mercy where there was no misery ? what room for a christ , a mediator , where there was no transgressor ? why should holiness be designed , which was yet in being and unforfeited ? why should salvation be appointed , when as yet there was none lost , or in the state of perdition ? wherefore i conceive , that in election men are considered as sinners lying in an undone condition ; such only are objects capable for mercy to embrace , christ to redeem , holiness to sanctifie , and salvation to crown . the remonstrants assert , that men in election are considered not merely as sinners , but as believers ; but the scripture doth pregnantly contradict them : for predestination is set before vocation , rom. . . and yet vocation goes before faith. christ calls the elect his sheep , before their bringing home , joh. . . and yet that bringing goes before believing . again , christ tells us , thine they were , and thou gavest them me , joh. . . which passage , if compared with that other , all that the father giveth me shall come to me , joh. . . doth evidently point out to us the true method of these things : election , imported in that phrase [ thine they were ] is antecedent to giving , and giving to coming or believing . whence it appears clearly , that faith is not antecedent to election as a condition prerequisite in its object , but consequent thereunto , as a stream flowing out of its fountain . wherefore i conclude , that in election men are considered not as believers , but as sinners . . what is the impulsive cause of election ? i answer , there is no other impulsive cause but his own good pleasure . it was the saying of plato , that the first mover moves himself . god in the volition of himself , doth as it were move himself ; the divine essence , as volent , being ravished with it self as infinite goodness . but in other volitions he moves other things , himself remaining unmoveable . learned bradwardine distinguishes the objects of god's will into volita priora & posteriora ; priora ut deum esse , posteriora ut mundum esse : volita priora sunt aliqua causa divinae volitionis , volita autem posteriora nonsunt causa ejus ; voluntas dei cst causa omnium posteriorum : si ergo aliquid esset causa volitionis divinae , illud esset causa sui ipsius . but to speak in particular ; the decree of election hath no other cause but the divine pleasure only . this is evident in scripture ; we are predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will , eph. . ver. . to the praise of the glory of his grace , ver. . according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will , ver. . if we ask , why god will call a church out of the common mass , samuel will tell us , it hath pleased the lord to make him a people , sam. . . but if we ask , why it pleased him so to do , moses will tell us , god loves his people because he loves them , deut. . . when god will set forth the self-beingness of his essence , he stiles himself by that wonderful name , i am that i am . when he will magnifie the self-movingness of his grace , he gives a wonderful reason , i love because i love . god is an immense sea of being and love ; let the elect vessels sail by the plerophories of faith and holy contemplation , as far as they can , still there will be a boundless sea of being and love before them . he that will presume to spie out the cause of either of these , must first pass over immensity , and through eternity . when moses desired to see god's glory , god proclaims the absolute sovereignty of his will , i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious . methinks these words , i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious , import a perfect absoluteness and incausability in gods will ; even as that name , i am that i am , imports a perfect absoluteness and incausability in god's essence . some have grounded election on good works foreseen ; but this is utterly exploded by the apostle , who tells us , that god hath saved and called us , not according to our works , but his own purpose , tim. . . and that there is a remnant according to the election of grace , and if it be by grace , it is no more of works ; otherwise grace is no more grace , rom. . . canaan , the land of promise and type of glory , was divided by lot , and suitably the apostle saith , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we inherit by lot , eph. . . now in the disposal of a lot , what reason or cause can be assigned , exparte creaturae ? is not the whole disposing thereof of the lord , prov. . ? can any thing in the world hang more purely on the will of god than a lot ? why have such and such worms a lot in light , and not in utter darkness ? the apostle answers in that place , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , predestination lots them in , the lord shews whom he hath chosen by giving grace and glory , according to his good pleasure . when ahasuerus could not rest , he calls for the records , and reading there of mordecai's service , he thereupon resolves to honour him , esth. . this was done like a man : but it is not so with god , who doth not honour after the manner of men , sam. . . but in a way becoming his glorious sovereignty and bounty , he purposes in himself , eph. . . perinde valet ( saith calvin ) ac si diceretur , nihil extra se considerâsse , cujus rationem in decernendo haberet ; he rests in his love , zeph. . . and unless that complacential rest , which he takes in his own will , could be broken , we cannot imagine , that he should fall a searching the records of his prescience ; and for the good works written therein , make a decree of election unto glory ; for such an election would not be an election of grace but of works ; and the elect vessels would be vasa meritorum , and not vasa misericordiae . but where is the holiness and obedience of the saints recorded , but in the very decree of election ? therein god doth not only chuse men to glory , as the end , but also unto saith and holiness , as the way leading thereunto . god hath chosen us that we should be holy , eph. . . non quia futuri eramus , sed ut essemus sancti . i have chosen you ( saith christ ) that you should go and bring forth fruit , joh. . . and happy are ye if you do these things , saith he , joh. . . but would all the apostles bring forth fruit ? would they all do so and be happy ? our saviour answers plainly , ver. . i speak not of you all , i know whom i have chosen . he speaks not of election to the apostleship , but of election to grace and glory ; for it is such an election as shuts judas out of the number . neither doth he say , i know which of you will be holy and obedient , but i know whom i have chosen , because all the holiness and obedience of the saints is built upon free election . inter gratiam & praedestinationem hoc tantùm interest ( saith st. austin ) quòd praedestinatio est gratiae praeparatio , gratia verò est ipsa donatio . quod ait apostolus , ipsius sumus figmentum creati in christo jesu in operibus bonis , gratia est ; quod autem sequitur , quae praeparavit deus ut in illis ambulemus , praedestinatio est . si propriè appellentur ( saith st. bernard ) ea quae dicimus nostra merita , sunt quaedam spei seminaria , charitatis incentiva , occultae praedestinationis indicia , futurae foelicitatis praesagia , via regni , non causa regnandi . others build election on foreseen faith and perseverance , as if these were the moving causes , or at least the antecedent conditions thereof . thus the remonstrants , herein outstripping the jesuits themselves . praedestinatio , ( saith ruiz . ) tota est ex voluntate dei , & quantùm ad merita , & quantùm ad retributionem . and in another place ; deus dat ut velimus , facitque ut faciamus , and withal gives an instance in faith and perseverance . bellarmine spends some chapters in proving this thesis , praedestinationis nulla est causa in nobis : electio ( saith he ) non pendet ex ulla praevisione operum nostrorum , sed ex mero beneplacito dei. si spectes ( saith gregory de valentia ) praedestinationis rationem , nihil est in praedestinato , sed potius in ipso deo ; imò est ipse deus , à quo ( quae sua est infinita perfectio ) nulla ejus operatio reipsâ distinguitur . and , praedestinationi sunt ascribenda omnia dei dona quibus salus nostra continetur . deus suos electos ( saith suarez ) ante praevisa merita suâ gratuitâ voluntate elegit , non tantùm ad unum vel aliud beneficium gratiae , sed ad totam seriem mediorum , quibus infallibiliter perducuntur ad regnum . and again , electio non est ex praescientia perseverantiae futurae , sed est origo illius . who can but blush at these passages , wherein the jesuits themselves attribute more to free grace , than the remonstrants ? but for the thing it self ; the very same scriptures , which overthrow election as founded on foreseen works , do overthrow it as founded on foreseen faith. that place , rom. . . is very pregnant against it ; there is ( saith the apostle ) a remnant according to the election of grace : the reservation there spoken of is not man's act but god's , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith the holy oracle , ver. . non dixit ( saith austin ) relicta sunt mihi , aut reliquerunt se mihi , sed reliqui mihi . the word in the old testament is very emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciam remanere , i will cause or make to remain , kings . . and how doth god reserve or make men to remain unto himself ? how , but by giving of faith unto them ? this is that which puts them into the ark of salvation , neither is there any other way of reserve found in the gospel . now this reservation ( which imports in it the giving of faith ) is ( saith the apostle ) according to the election of grace : election therefore is not according to faith , but faith according to election . but as if the apostle had not yet spoken enough in calling it the election of grace , he goes on , and if by grace , then it is no more of works , otherwise grace is no more grace ; where he doth include faith within the word [ works . ] indeed in other places treating of justification , he opposes faith to works , but here speaking of election he includes faith within them ; and the reason is evident , faith hath a peculiar organicalness or receptivity to receive the free grace of god , that the believer may be justified , gal. . . but it hath no organicalness or receptivity to receive the free grace of god , that the believer may be elected : wherefore , as to justification it is opposed to works , but as to election it is included within them . it is written in the gospel , believe and thou shalt be justified ; but in what gospel is it written , believe and thou shalt be elected ? now that election is not bottomed on foreseen faith and perseverance , i shall demonstrate divers ways . . from the glory of election , which breaks forth in its eternity , sovereignty , grace and efficacy . if election be founded on foreseen faith and perseverance , where is the eternity of it ? no man , according to the remonstrants doctrine , is completely elect until he believe , nay , not until the last instant of perseverance , wherein he ceases to believe . but if this may be salved by the divine prescience , yet where is the sovereignty of it ? hath not the potter power over the clay , of the same lump to make one vessel to honour , and another to dishonour , rom. . ? to order different vessels out of the same lump to different ends is glorious power ; but to sever out believers from unbelievers is not so much power as skill . whether god in predestination look on men in statu integro , or in statu lapso , it is out of the same lump still ; but if he elect out of foreseen faith , it is not out of the same lump with the unbelieving world ; for he looks on them in statu reparato . to elect out of skill , according to the goodness of the object , becomes a rational creature ; but to elect out of sovereignty and supreme liberty becomes the great god , who can make and meliorate the object as he pleaseth . but if this also might be satisfied , yet where is the grace of it ? if god do but eligere eligentes , if man's faith be earlier than god's grace , then we chuse god before he chuseth us , contrary to that of our saviour , joh. . . then we loved god before he loved us , contrary to that of the apostle , joh. . . to love , as moved by the attractive goodness of the object , is to love like a man ; but to love blackamores , & then give them beauty ; to love enemies , and then overcome them with love , is to love like god , whose grace is pure grace , whose love is all from himself ; which is emphatically implied in that remarkable reduplication , mark . . the elect whom he hath chosen ; as if our saviour should have said , in election there is nothing but pure election ; like that speech of god , i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious , in which there is nothing but will and grace , will and grace doubled , as the only reason of it self . but if all the rest might consist , yet where is the efficacy of it ? if election be founded on foreseen faith and perseverance , then it affords no help at all to any man in the way to heaven . how can that ( saith a learned bishop ) be the cause leading infallibly in the way to eternal life , which cometh not so much as into consideration , untill a man have run out his race in faith and godliness , and be arrived at heavens gates ? such a falsly named predestination might more truly be called postdestination : but call it as they please , it enacteth only , per modum legis , that men thus living and dying shall be received into heaven ; but it doth not , per modum decreti operantis , infallibly work those graces whereby men are brought unto heaven . if election take its rise from the last gasp of persevering faith and holiness , then how came the poor church by the chain of graces on her neck , the bracelets on her hands , the crown of gold on her head ? whence had she her fine linnen , wedding-garment , gold tried in the fire ? these are not natures riches , but pearls of grace ; common providence gives no such gifts ; wherefore they are the love-tokens of election , sent indeed in time unto the church , but prepared for her in eternity . o how much better were it that the sun should be snatched out of the world , than that the influences of electing love should be suspended from the church ! all her light and life , holiness and comfort comes down from god in these precious beams . but the remonstrants ( instead of these heavenly influences ) have framed such an election , as hath no more influence on the faith and holiness of the church , than a sun set up at domesday would have upon the world that was before it : it is so far from working , that it presupposes all the faith and holiness of the church , even to the last minute of perseverance . . 't is evident from the predestination of jesus christ , who was god's chosen servant , matth. . . the lamb foreordained , pet. . . and ( as st. austin stiles him ) praeolarissimum lumen praedestinationis & gratiae , he was , as man , predestinated unto the superlative glory of the hypostatical union ; and this high predestination was not out of any foreseen holiness in his humane nature , for all that did flow out of the hypostatical union , but it was ex mera gratia . respondeatur quaeso , ( saith the same father ) ille homo , ut à verbo patri coaeterno in unitatem personae assumptus silius dei unigenitus esset , unde hoc meruerit ? quid egit ante ? quid credidit ? quid petivit , ut ad hanc ineffabilem excellentiam perveniret ? nonne faciente & suscipiente verbo ipse homo , ex quo esse coepit , silius dei unicus esse coepit ? nonne filium dei unicum foemina illa gratiâ plena concepit ? nonne de spiritu sancto & virgine mariâ dei filius unicus natus , non carnis cupidine , sed singulari dei munere ? respondeat hic homo deo , si audeat , & dicat , cur non & ego ? & si audierit , o homo ! tu quis es qui respondeas deo ? nec sic cohibeat , sed augeat impudentiam , & dicat , quomodo audio , tu quis es , o homo ! cùm sim quod audio , id est , homo , quod est & ille de quo ago , cur non sim quod & ille ? at enim gratiâ ille talis & tantus est , cur diversa est gratia , ubi natura communisest ? certè non est acceptio personarum apud deum . quis non dico christianus sed insanus haec dicat ? apparuit it aque nobis in nostro capite ipse fons gratiae , unde secundùm uninscujusque mensuram se per cuncta ejus membra diffundit ; sicut est praedestinatus ille unus ut caput nostrum esset , it a multi praedestinati sumus ut membra ejus essemus . humana hîc merita conticescant , quae perierunt per adam , & regnet quae regnat dei gratia per jesum christum . surely the members must not be set above the head. the members were not elected to the beatifical vision out of foreseen faith and perseverance , when the head was elected to the hypostatical union out of mere grace . the elect stones in zion were not laid for their orient lustre and beauty , when the precious corner-stone ( who bears up all the building ) was laid with a behold , in a wonder of grace and love. . 't is utterly impossible that faith and perseverance should be the causes or antecedents to election , when these are the fruits and effects thereof . if we search the scripture for the well-head of these , we shall find it to be in the decree of election . therefore when the apostle blesses god for the work of faith in the thessalonians , he elevates his praises as high as election it self , knowing brethren beloved your election of god , thess. . . and in the very same strain of praise , blessing god for blessing the ephesians with all spiritual blessings in christ , ( amongst which faith cannot but be a prime blessing ) he sets forth the eternal rule of dispensing them , he hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according as he hath chosen us , eph. . , and . where it is plain , that those whom god blesseth with faith and perseverance , he chuseth unto faith and perseverance , because he blesses according as he chuses . the remonstrants strangely interpret these words , he hath chosen us in christ , that is , say they , being in him in the divine prescience . but this interpretation cannot stand ; the apostle saith not , he hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but he hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in him , that is , in christ ; now where in all the scripture do the words [ in christ ] import our being in christ in the divine prescience ? the words [ in christ ] in such scriptures as relate to justification or adoption , do import our being in christ by actual faith ; but in such scriptures as relate to election , they do import that all the grace and glory , prepared in election , is conferred in and through christ : this appears in that famous place , tim. . . who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling , not according to our works , but according to his own purpose and grace , which was given us in christ jesus before the world began : here the words [ in christ ] relating to election , do not import our being in christ ; for the text saith , that he called us according to his grace given us in christ , and calling goes before faith or being in christ , and is the immediate cause or fountain thereof : but they import that vocation and salvation , with all the blessings thereof , are communicated unto us in and through christ , and that the eternal decree or design was so to communicate them . neither doth the apostle simply say , he hath chosen us in him , but he hath chosen us in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that we should be holy ; thereby pointing out unto us christ as the designed fountain of all the holiness in the elect. moreover , the apostle saith , that he hath chosen us in him , that we should be holy , and faith is a choice part of holiness ; and that he hath blessed us in him with all spiritual blessings , and faith is a prime spiritual blessing ; and that he hath blessed us according as he hath chosen us , and therefore he chuses us to faith as well as blesses us with faith : but if he chuse us for faith , and bless us with faith , he doth not bless us according as he chuses us . by all which it appears that the remonstrants interpretation is an arrow shot besides the text. but to go on to other scriptures ; blessed is the man ( saith the psalmist , psal. . . ) whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee ; and what approach can a sinful worm have to the holy one , what but by the faith of christ ? and whence is this approach but from god and god electing ? he chuseth and causeth to approach unto him . if faith were antecedent to election , the approach must have been before the chusing , the contrary whereof appears in the text. as many as were ordained to eternal life , believed , acts . . the apostle saith not as many as believed were ordained to eternal life , but as many as were ordained to eternal life believed . but here the remonstrants tell us , that in the text 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that imports not god's eternal preordination , but man's present condition or disposition ; so that the meaning is , as many as were disposed or well-affected to eternal life , believed . should it ( say they ) import god's preordination , then all of that assembly ( which were elected ) did believe at that one sermon , and all the rest were absolutely reprobated ; for the [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] in the text is an universal particle : now that all the elect of that assembly did believe that day , or that all the rest were reprobates , is not imaginable . i answer ; first , as to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the import thereof will best appear by taking notice in what sence st. luke doth use this word , in the book of the acts , acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they decreed or appointed that paul should go up . acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , having appointed him a day . acts . . god promises paul that it should be told him of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which are appointed or ordained for him to do ; and what these were ananias sets forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god hath chosen thee to such and such things , ver. . now in all these places of the acts , the word signifying appointing or ordaining , why should it be taken otherwise in this controverted text ? nay , where in all the scripture doth this word import an inward quality or disposition ? in that place ( which seems most of any to speak that way ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints , cor. . . there this word imports no less than a certain purpose of mind in them to do that work . wherefore i conceive that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the text , doth import an ordination , and that of god : neither doth the absence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all hinder it ; for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acts . . doth without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 import god's eternal counsel , and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designs an antecedent ordination , and that ordination must be god's ; unless ( which is the grossest pelagianism ) it be said that they were ordained by themselves to eternal life . but to pass over the word ; the remonstrants take the text thus , as many as were disposed to eternal life , believed : but can a man without faith , who neither lays hold on christ the prince of life , nor yet hath any thing of the spirit of life , can such a man be disposed to eternal life ? every disposition to eternal life must be such , either because it hath some intrinsecal dignity meriting eternal life , or else because it hath some evangelical congruity , to which eternal life is annexed by promise . as to the former , the remonstrants as protestants cannot own it ; and as to the latter , they cannot in all the gospel shew forth one promise of eternal life made to a man void of faith ; and how then can a man void of faith be disposed to eternal life ? but if he could , the remonstrants of all others must not say so , for they assert that none but a believer can be the object of election ; because ( say they ) god cannot will eternal life to any but to a believer , to a man in christ ; and how then can an unbeliever , a man out of christ be disposed to eternal life ? such a mans disposition to eternal life , if it be not such by its meriting condignity , must be such divinâ ordinatione ; and if so , what is that but to say , this is the man to whom god wills eternal life ; and if before faith god may will eternal life to him , why may not he before faith elect him ? again ; this disposition to eternal life must be either some moral virtuousness , or else some better grace of the spirit ; if but a moral virtuousness , how can it dispose to eternal life ? if a better grace of the spirit , how can it precede such a mother-grace as faith ? but let us hear how the remonstrants paint out this disposition in words of scripture . these disposed ones ( say they ) are the sheep of christ , joh. . . the drawn of the father , joh. . . such as do the truth , joh. . . such as will do god's will , joh. . . such as have honest and humble hearts , apt and idoneous to embrace the gospel . but what a perplexed labyrinth of words is here ? to be the sheep of christ , argues a being in the state of election , which is antecedent to all good dispositions in us ; they are called sheep before their bringing home to god , joh. . . and their bringing home goes before all gracious dispositions . the fathers drawing imports god's action , and not man's disposition ; the doing of the truth is man's action , and not his disposition ; the willing to do god's will is a gracious disposition , but such as goes not before faith. indeed the young man ( who yet had no true faith ) had some kind of will to walk in god's commandments , mark . . but it was not of the true stamp ; but with a reserve of his darling covetousness . to have a right will to do god's will is to be one spirit with the lord , which without faith is unimaginable . 't is not to be conceived that an heart can indeed be either honest to god , which is not purified by faith , or humble before him , which is not irradiated by faith. as for the last objection , that if these words import god's preordination , then all the elect of that assembly did believe at that one sermon , and all the rest were reprobated , it is built upon two false hypotheses ; the one as if the evangelist spake only of one sermon , whenas the apostle had now preached two sabbath-days there ; so that these words are most properly to be understood of the continued success of the gospel , according to that , acts . . the lord daily added to the church such as should be saved ; which continued success is also hinted out in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , immediately following after the words , ver. . the other as if the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] were always an universal particle ; whenas in some scriptures , as acts . . it doth not design universality , ( for all the high priest's kindred were not at that meeting ) but quality : also in the text in question , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather points out the condition of believers than their number . wherefore i conclude , that this famous text holds out such an eternal preordination of god , as is the very well-head of faith in men . every believer is an isaac , a child of promise , wonderfully begotten , begotten of god's own will , saith st. james , chap. . . and begotten according to his abundant mercy , saith st. peter , pet. . . and what is this will and mercy but god's gratuitous design of grace and glory to his elect ? the will in st. james is such a will as designs grace and consecration to god in holiness , even as the first fruits were holy ; and the mercy in st. peter is such a mercy as designs glory , even an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance in heaven : and both places demonstrate that the believer is generated out of electing love. and as faith is an effect of election , so also is perseverance , which is no other than fides continuata , faith standing in the power of god , cor. . . and fulfilled by the same power , thess. . . god ( saith the apostle ) shall confirm you unto the end , cor. . . and as a reason , he subjoyns , god is faithful , ver. . faithful , as in his gracious promises , so in his gratuitous election ; therefore he confirms his own unto the end . there are rivers of living water in the godly , but the eternal spring thereof is election ; there is the seed of god in them , but the vital root of it is election . hence the false christs and false prophets cannot seduce them , mark . . the canker of hymenaeus and philetus cannot eat into them , tim. . . now if faith and perseverance are the fruits of election , they cannot be the causes or antecedents thereof . let me shut up this reason with that of fulgentius : deus praedestinatione suâ & donum illuminationis ad credendum , & donum perseveraniiae ad proficiendum & permanendum , & donum glorificationis ad regnandum , quibus dare voluit , praeparavit ; nec aliter persicit in opere , quàm in sua sempiterna & incommutabili voluntate habet dispositum . . my last reason shall be taken from the grand scope and design of the scriptures , which is to exalt god and abase the creature . there god's glory is revealed , and all flesh is but grass ; there god is all in all , and all men are nothing ; the willer and runner are nothing , and gods mercy is all ; the planter and waterer are nothing , and gods giving the encrease is all . there all men lie very low in a dungeon of darkness , grave of sin , and miserable chains of hardness and unbelief ; and god sits very high , and out of the sovereign self-motion of his own will , shines into one heart and not into another ; opens one grave and not another ; frees one spiritual prisoner and not another . there zions dust , i mean the creature-weakness , and defectibility of the church and all her inherent graces , appear on the one hand , and the sureness of god's mercy , and the everlasting immutability of his love and counsel shines forth on the other : and what 's the meaning of all this , but to cut off boasting and stain pride , abase the creature and exalt god ? in nullo nobis gloriandum quando nostrum nihil est . but if ( as the remonstrants assert ) election be built on faith and perseverance , and this faith and perseverance be wrought by god in a superable way only , so as men may believe or not , or believing , may persevere or not ; then the crown is plucked off from free grace and clapt upon free will ; god is dethroned and man is exalted , and so may fall a boasting in some such language as that of theophylact ; 't is god's part to call , but mine to be elect or not ; 't is god's part to reveal gospel , but mine either to believe and persevere , and so found the decree of election , or else not to believe and persevere , and so to impede it . and if , to silence such swelling words of vanity , god should put forth such astonishing questions to him about the spiritual world , as he did to job about the natural , yet might man return an answer to his maker . should god ask , where wast thou when i laid the foundation of my church in my divine decrees ? when i laid the measures of her graces in my eternal purpose ? man may say , my faith was there stretching out the line , and fastning the corner-stone of election . should he ask , canst thou bind the sweet influences of predestination , that it shall not cause a spring of faith and holiness in my church ? man may say , i can so bind them up , that ( if i please ) god shall have never an elect vessel to fill with mercy , nor christ any where to lay his merits among all the sons of men . should he yet ask , who hath known the mind of the lord , or been his counseller ? man may answer , my free will was consulted with from time to time , even to the last gasp of perseverance , before the decree of election was concluded in heaven . should he ask on , who made thee to differ from another ? the believer may answer , adam did not difference me , for he left me in the common mass ; neither did god difference me , for he gave me only the common grace : but i my self have made the difference , by freely embracing the very same grace which others freely rejected . in a word ; should he expostulate with his church as with jerusalem , ezek. . , . what is the vine-tree more than any tree ? will men take a pin of it to hang a vessel thereon ? the church may answer , my own free will is such a pin , that my faith and perseverance chiefly hang upon it , and my faith & perseverance are such pins , that god himself hangs up the eternal rolls of his election upon them . thus and much more may the will of man by the remonstrants principles , sit as a queen glorifying her self , and opening her mouth in blasphemies against the sovereignty of god's will , and the freeness and power of his grace . but all this while a deaf ear is turned to the scriptures , which cry aloud , no flesh must glory in it self ; he that glorieth must glory in the lord ; 't is not of the runner or willer , but of god who sheweth mercy ; he hath mercy on whom he will , and whom he will he hardneth : and if any man reply to this , he must hear his own nullity ; nay but o man who art thou ? and god's sovereignty , hath not the potter power over the clay ? that so he may fall down astonied at the glory of god , and cry out , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! indeed according to the remonstrants doctrine ( which bottoms god's election on mans faith and perseverance ) there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all in it , all is ultimately resolved into the shallow will of man ; there is no unsearchableness or untraceable difficulty at all in it , all is plain and easie , every jot of it carries a clearness and visible equity . election being only god's decree to save believers , there is no more scruple or intricacy in it , than there will be in the judicial proceeding at the last judgment , when all things shall be as obvious to every eye , as if they were represented in a sea of glass . but if , according to the apostles scope , we do consider the absolute sovereignty of god's will in that expression , he will have mercy on whom he will , and whom he will he hardneth , there is a very glorious abyss in it , such as may justly astonish us into eternal admiration . oh the heights and depths of divine love ! all the elect of god may here lose themselves in holy mazes and trances , my god! my god! ( may every one of them say ) why hast thou chosen me ? i know , and not without wondring , that heaven is mine through christ , and christ is mine through faith , and faith is mine through the election of grace : but my god! my god! why hast thou chosen me ? i know that thy blood was shed for me , and thy spirit is shed into me , and thy glory is reserved for me ; and all this out of love : but my god! my god! why hast thou loved me ? oh that i could adore calling , justifying , glorifying grace , from the top of predestination ! thou hast loved me because thou hast loved me ; thou hast chosen me because thou hast chosen me : even so ( holy father ! ) because so it seemeth good in thy sight . . having dispatched the impulsive cause of election , i proceed to the last thing , viz. in whom god doth elect us ; i answer with the apostle , god chuseth us in christ , eph. . . but because these words are variously taken , it is to be considered how christ may be stiled the purchaser of election ; whether only quoad res in electione volitas & praeparatas , or also quoad actum volentis : to which i answer . . affirmatively ; jesus christ as god-man our glorious mediator did purchase election , quoad res in electione volitas . all the churches grace and glory , sanctity and salvation , faith and fruition must sing hosannahs and hallelujahs to him , whose precious blood ( more worth than a thousand worlds ) is the glorious price of all these . god , in the decree of election , did not only design the communication of these to his own elect , but also he did design that communication to be in and through christ. . negatively ; i conceive that jesus christ as god-man our mediator did not purchase election , quoad actum volentis : and that for these reasons . . that phrase [ chosen in christ , eph. . . ] doth not evince christ to be the cause of election ; for in another place we are said to be chosen to salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the sanctification of the spirit , thess. . . which sanctification is for all that not a cause but an effect of election . . christ was delivered up to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the determinate counsel of god , acts . . first , he was delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by a counsel or decree of god ; and if being delivered by god's decree , he merited the decree of election , then god made one decree , that christ should come and merit the making of another . christ our mediator stands in the midst between god and man ; but that he should stand so between the two decrees of god , as a fruit of the one and a cause of the other , seems very incongruous . but further , he was delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the determinate counsel of god , that is , by a decree perfectly designative of his death and the fruits thereof , and in a special manner perfectly designative of those individual persons , who should have grace and glory in and through him . if it be not so perfectly designative , how is it a determinate counsel ? if it be so perfectly designative , is not the decree of election at least included therein ? undoubtedly it is . now this determinate counsel ( which is inclusive of the decree of election ) was not merited by christ ; for he was delivered by it , and did not merit that by which he was delivered . . christ came to do his fathers will , heb. . . all that he did and suffered was a faithfulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to him that made him a mediator to do and suffer the same , heb. . . now aliud est facere voluntatem deo , aliud facere voluntatem dei. christ did not make a new will in god , but do the will of god : if he had made a new will in god , then at his death there was not only a passion in the flesh of god , but ( as it may seem ) in the very will of god too ; wherefore he not making a new will in god , did not merit the decree of election . but further ; how did he do the will of god ? did he not do it by laying down his life for his sheep , joh. . ? by redeeming a people out of every nation , revel . . ? by purifying to himself a peculiar people , tit. . ? by bringing many sons unto glory , heb. . ? and what is all this but the executing of the decree of election ? and if christ's errand into the world was to execute election , then how did he merit it ? . god might have exacted satisfaction from poor sinners in their own persons , he was not bound to accept payment from another ; wherefore christ's blood and righteousness are meritorious as for us , not merely by their intrinsecal dignity , but by the divine acceptation ; god receiving them as on our behalf . whence it clearly appears that the divine will doth guide the merit of christ in all its procurements ; and how then doth the merit of christ guide the divine will in its eternal election ? can it guide its guide ? can it go before its leader ? surely that divine will which goes before those meritorious procurements by its acceptation , doth not follow after them in its eternal decrees . . the father is the first person in the sacred trinity , and works from himself ; the son is the second and works from the father . thus he tells us , that he can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the father do , joh. . . and in his prayer to his father , he saith ; thine they were and thou gavest them me , joh. . . thine they were by election , and thou gavest them me , as the peculiar purchase of my passion . but now if christ by his merits do found the very decree of election , is not the order of working in the sacred trinity inverted ? is not the son the first origine of our salvation ? doth not the father , even in his eternal election , work from the son ? might not the scripture rather have said , that the elect were given by the son to the father , than by the father to the son ? wherefore to me it seems most congruous to say , that the fathers love laid the first plot of our salvation , and then the sons blood purchased grace and glory for us . i shall shut up all with an answer to an objection . this thesis [ that christ did not merit the decree of election ] seems to abase christ , as if he were a mere medium for the executing of election ; nay , to nullifie his merits ; for it supposes , that god doth amare peccatores ad salutem etiam extra christum , that god doth destinate eternal life to them , even without a mediator ; and then what necessity is there at all of christ's merits ? i answer : far be it from every christian to abase and nullifie the merits of christ ; but ( as i take it ) the thesis aforesaid doth neither of these . not abase christ as a mere medium under the decree of election : for though he merited not the decree of election , yet must his praise be ever glorious , and his name above every name ; in that he is both the glorious head of the elect , and the meritorious fountain of all the blessings and good things of election . in eternity the elect are predestinated to be conformed to his image , as the first-born of all , and in time they are called , justified , sanctified and glorified in and through him , as the purchaser of all . neither doth he vilifie christ , who calls him the grand medium for the executing of election : the apostle cries up christ by those glorious titles , the head of the church , the beginning , the first-born from the dead , one who hath the primacy or preeminence in all things , col. . . yet immediatly after puts all under the father's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ver. . his decree or good pleasure did preordain and direct all . neither doth this thesis nullifie the merits of christ ; for these consist not in procuring the decree of election , but in procuring grace and glory ; and these he procured , though not the decree it self . neither doth it at all follow , that , if christ merited not the very decree , then god doth amare peccatores ad salutem extra christum , or destinate eternal life to them without a mediator . for seeing christ is predestinated to be the head of the elect , and fountain of all grace and glory unto them ; and the elect are predestinated to be the body of christ , and to receive all grace and glory in and through him ; and both these predestinations are simultaneous in the heart of god , and framed together in the same instant of eternity : there is not , nor cannot be any colour at all to say , that god doth love sinners extra christum , or destinate eternal life to them without a mediator . when god in free election resolves with himself , such individual persons shall by an effectual call be united to christ as members of his body , and being such , shall be washed in his blood , filled with his spirit , and at last crowned with his everlasting salvation ; when he resolves , every grain shall come through joseph's hands , every particle of grace , every income of the holy spirit , every glimpse of divine favour , every beam of glory in heaven , shall pass through jesus christ's hands ; nay , through his very heart-blood and crucified flesh unto the elect , doth he now love them extra christum ? doth he yet destinate them to eternal life without a mediator ? undoubtedly he doth not . if therefore you ask me , what necessity there is of christs merits , i must answer , that all grace and glory , sanctity and salvation , faith and fruition are thereby purchased and procured for the elect. the pure fountain of election rises of it self in the will of god , but the gracious streams thereof issue forth through the bleeding wounds of christ. chap. v. of gods decree of reprobation , as touching men. having treated of the decree of election , as respective of men ; i proceed to the decree of reprobation , as it relates to them . in the old testament we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the septuagint rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and importing as much as reprobare , to reprobate or reject . in the new testament we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , importing a rejectaneous or disallowed person , and rather pointing out man's state than god's act. but to pass over the word ; reprobation is that eternal decree of god whereby he purposes in himself not to give grace and glory to some individual persons lying in the mass of humane corruption , but to leave them to final sin , and for the same to punish them with eternal damnation . in this decree the divine will hath ( as i may so say ) a triple act : for . it purposes , not to give grace and glory to some persons , and this is called among divines preterition or non-election ; and is of all other the most proper act of reprobation , as it stands in opposition to election . hence reprobates are called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rest or residue , in opposition to the elect , rom. . . the nunquam noti , or never known , matth. . . in opposition to the foreknown , and the not written in the book of life , revel . . . in opposition to the written ones , whose names are enrolled in heaven . . it purposes to leave them to final sin . i say final sin ; for god permits sin even in the elect , but final sin only in the reprobate . thus god suffered the nations to walk in their own ways , acts . . and thereby gave them pereundi licentiam . thus he hardneth whom he will , rom. . . and hardening in that place imports a not giving the mollifying graces of faith and repentance , and withal a permission of final sin in the reprobate ; for it is set in opposition to that mercy which bestows those mollifying graces , and thereby prevents final sin in the elect. . it purposes to punish them with eternal damnation for their sin ; and this is stiled among divines pre-damnation , or positive reprobation . and hence reprobates are said to be vessels of wrath , rom. . . made for the day of evil , prov. . . and of old ordained to condemnation , jude , ver. . in the original we have , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of old fore-written or registred to this condemnation ; forewritten , not ( as some would have it ) in scripture-prophecies , but in the eternal decree of god ; the ordained event whereof is notably pointed out by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text. to say that men are fore-written in a decree to condemnation is very proper , but to say that they are forewritten in a prophecy to condemnation , is very incongruous ; for a prophecy is of an event , and not to it as a decree is . in that place where 't is said that christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports not a decree , but a setting forth or lively painting out of christ ; for there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all as in the former text , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to whom before the eyes jesus christ was set forth . but the plain meaning of the former text is , they were decreed to this condemnation , viz. to spiritual judgments ( which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specially points at ) and by consequence to eternal damnation also . now touching this triple act of reprobation i shall enquire . who is the author thereof ? . what are the things decreed therein ? . to whom those things are decreed ? . what is the impulsive cause thereof ? . who is the author thereof ? even the same great god who is the author of election ; he , who chuses some , passes by others ; he , who hath mercy on some , hardens others . grace and glory are at his dispose ; the keys of heaven and hell are in his hands alone . in some he prevents final sin , by the mollifying graces of faith and repentance ; others he leaves to final sin , actual or at least original . some he raises up out of the hell of their corruption into an heaven of glory ; others he tumbles down from one hell to another , from the hell of iniquity to the hell of misery . this is the almighty potter , who , out of the same lump of corrupted mankind , makes one vessel to honour , and another to dishonour ; and all the while , the earthen pitcher must not strive with his maker , or say , why hast thou made me thus ? but rather hasten down into the abyss of his own nullity and pravity , and from thence adore the infinite heights of sovereignty and equity in the divine decrees . . what are the things decreed therein ? these i shall consider according to the triple act thereof ? . as for the first act of preterition or non-election , the thing decreed is the not giving of grace and glory to the reprobates . . 't is the not giving of grace unto them . not that there is a preterition of them as to all kind of grace ; for reprobates may be children of the kingdom , matth. . . called to the marriage-supper , matth. . . and coming may eat and drink in christ's presence , luk. . . they may be enlightned and partakers of the holy ghost , and taste the good word of god and the powers of the world to come , hebr. . , . and ( which is a very high expression ) they may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to believe in the name of jesus , joh. . . but that there is a preterition of them as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those better things which accompany , and by a near contiguity touch upon salvation , heb. . . as to such a precious faith , love in incorruption , holiness of truth , repentance unto life , real and thorough conversion , as are found in the elect. there is not then a preterition as to all kind of grace , no , nor all kind of preterition as to saving grace ; for god doth will the conversion of reprobates in a double manner . . god wills their conversion , voluntate simplicis complacentiae ; conversion even in a reprobate would make joy in heaven , it would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , grateful and well-pleasing to god ; if we believe him swearing by his life , his pleasure or delight is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wicked mans turning , ezek. . . god delights in his image where-ever it be . . god wills their conversion voluntate virtuali vel ordinativâ mediorum ; for the right understanding whereof i shall lay down four things . . the proper end and tendency of all means is to turn men unto god : within the sphere of the church , such is the end and tendency thereof . why did christ come but to turn every one from his iniquities , acts . ? why did he preach , but that his hearers might be saved , joh. . ? why did the apostle warn and teach every man , but to present every man perfect in christ , col. . ? john's baptism was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , matth. . . church-censures were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . even the delivering to satan was for the destruction of the flesh , cor. . . conversion is the true centre of the means . nay , without the sphere of the church , the true end and tendency of things is such , that god might be seen in every creature , rom. . . sought and felt in every place , acts . . witnessed in every showre , acts . . feared in the sea-bounding sand , jer. . . humbled under in every abasing providence , dan. . . turned to in every judgement , amos . . in a word , the end and tendency of all god's works is that men might fear before him , eccl. . . the whole world is a great ordinance , at it is in it self , preaching forth the power and goodness of god who made it ; and as it is the unconsumed stage of so many crying sins , preaching forth the clemency and mercy of god who spares it , and dashes it not down about the sinners ears . all the goodness and forbearance of god leads men to repentance , rom. . . that piece of gospel [ whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy ] seems legible in his patience ; for it may be naturally and rationally concluded , that that god , who in his clemency spares men though sinners , will in his mercy pardon them when repenting and returning . this is the true duct and tendency of his patience , even that men might turn and repent . . the tendency of the means to conversion is such , that if men under the administration thereof turn not unto god , the only reason lies within themselves , in their own corrupt hearts . if god purge and men are not purged , 't is because there is lewdness in their filthiness , ezek. . . if he would gather , and men are not gathered , 't is because they will not , matth. . . if he spread out his hands , and men come not in , 't is because they are rebellious , isai. . . if he be patient and long-suffering , and they repent not , 't is because of their hardness and impenitent heart , rom. . . the apostle calls the heretical seducers in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , such as did turn or transfer the grace of god from its true end or scope , jud. ver . . and what those seducers did doctrinally , that do all sinners practically ; so far forth as they live under the means and turn not , they do thereby transfer and remove the means from their genuine end . . god doth by a formal decree will the means with their tendencies . all ordinances are sealed by the divine will , and go out in its name , and are what they are from its ordination . without this , means are no longer means , but mere empty names and vain shadows . . out of god's formal decree of the menas doth result his virtual will of mens conversion . that god , who doth formally will the means with their tendencies even unto reprobates , doth virtually will their conversion as the true scope and end of those means . hence 't is said , that christ would have gathered the unbelieving jews , matth. . . and god would have all men to be saved , tim. . . viz. in respect of his virtual or ordinative will. hence god is brought in , wishing , oh! that there were such an heart in them , deut. . . oh! that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments , isai. . . and what are these wishes ? surely all the diffusions of light , promulgations of laws , expansions of gospel grace , waitings of divine patience , and strivings of the holy spirit are ( as i may so say ) god's o's after conversion , in as much as they have a tendency thereunto ; and god in willing that tendency , doth virtually will mens return also . excellent is that of learned ames ; deus eminenter & virtuali quâdam ratione eatenus vult salutem hominum , quatenus vocat ipsos ad salutem . thus with this virtual will god doth will the conversion of reprobates . but then you 'l say , if so , god's will is frustrated ; for reprobates are never actually converted . i answer , that god's formal decree is only of the means with their tendencies ; and therefore is not frustrated but fulfilled in the actual exhibition of such means . and god's virtual will ( though it be of the conversion of reprobates ) yet in their non-conversion is not frustrated , because it is not an absolute but conditional will , nisi per ipsos steterit , unless their own voluntary corruption do impede the effect ; which in reprobates it always doth . but you 'l yet reply , then god's will is conditional , and by consequence imperfect . to which i answer with the judicious bishop davenant , that volitions merely conditional agree not with the perfection of the divine nature ; for that were to suspend god's will for a time , and then , post purificatam conditionem , to make it become absolute . but mixtly-conditional volitions , that is , such as are grounded on some absolute decree , may be allowed : as for example , that mixt conditional decree , that if cain or judas believe they shall be saved , is grounded on that absolute decree , that whosoever believes shall be saved . now this virtual will of the conversion of reprobates is not purely conditional , but mixtly conditional ; for it results out of god's absolute decree of the means with their tendencies . wherefore ( notwithstanding these objections ) i conclude , that god doth virtually will the conversion of reprobates , so far forth as the means have a tendency thereunto . these things being thus laid down ; i conceive that the thing decreed in preterition or non-election , is the not giving or working saving grace or thorough conversion in reprobates , in such a sure and insuperable way as in the elect. reprobates have not such intimate in-shining , efficacious drawing , law-engraving , and heart-opening and melting grace as the elect. and this not giving or working conversion in such a way , clashes with neither of the aforesaid wills. not with the will of complacence ; for still if a reprobate did turn or convert , he should be accepted with god : nor yet with the virtual or ordinative will of god ; for still means are means , and ordinances are ordinances , and their true end and tendency is to turn men unto god : i say their true end ; for there is a vast difference between an infallible ordination of means for the working of conversion in men , and a true ordination of means for the same purpose . as to the elect , there is an infallible ordination of means thereunto ; and as to the reprobate , there is a true ( though not infallible ) ordination of the same . the perfection of the non-elect angels was truly ordinated to their perseverance , but not infallibly . the integrity of adam in innocency was truly ordinated to his continuance in obedience , but not infallibly . wherefore non-election or preterition , though it stand not in conjunction with an infallible ordination , yet it carries no contradiction to a true ordination of the means . notwithstanding the decree of non-election or preterition , god may still expostulate with a reprobate , as the apostle did with the galatians , quis te impedivit ? who hindred you from obeying the truth , gal. . ? have you not had many awakenings of conscience , thundrings from the fiery law , wooeings from the gracious gospel , strivings from the holy spirit , and long waitings of infinite patience and forbeance ; and all these to draw you to repentance ? and what hindred you from turning unto me ? what , but your own perverse rebellious heart ? how often have i called and you would not hear ? knocked and you would not open ? moved and you would not stir ? offered christ and heaven and you would not accept ? and why would you not ? let conscience say , if it were not for some base indulged lust ; which , when i had searched after , you have hid it in the secret of your heart ; when i have stript and laid it naked before you , you have sewed fig-leaves and covered it ; when i would have slain and crucified it , you have spared it and laid it in your bosom . well , i can truly say , perditio tua ex te , thy destruction is from thy self alone ; 't is not because thou hadst no means of grace ; 't is not because those means were not ordinated to thy conversion ; 't is not because thy conversion should not have been accepted with me ; no , 't is merely from thy voluntary corruption . . another thing decreed in preterition is the not-giving of glory unto reprobates . but this is not such a not-giving , as if god would upon no terms at all give glory unto them : no ; for the promise [ whosoever believeth shall be saved ] doth both import god's will , and extend in general to all , reprobates as well as others ; but it is a not-giving glory to them in such a sure infallible way as to the elect. heaven is seriously offered to the reprobates , and offered upon the very same terms as to the elect ; but here lies the difference : god gives special effectual grace to the elect , cloaths them in the fine linnen of righteousness , makes them meet for the inheritance in light , col. . . works them for this very thing , cor. . . and at last causes them to arrive safe at heaven . but thus he deals not with reprobates ; for he leaves them without that effectual grace which infallibly leads to glory . . as to the second act of reprobation , viz. the permission of final sin , the thing decreed is double . . the permission of sin in reprobates . . the permission of the finality of sin . . the permission of sin in them is decreed . now what is this permission ? 't is not an ethical permission , as if they might sin by a law ; for this were to unsin sin . 't is not a mere dreaming speculation , as the sleeper suffered tares among the wheat ; for divine providence never slumbers nor sleeps . 't is neither a simple volition , for then god would hinder sinful actions from coming into being ; nor yet a simple volition , for then god should be the cause and author of sin . 't is not such a permission of sin , as if reprobates had no remora's at all in their sinning ; for every beam of light , item in conscience , rod of affliction , striving of the holy spirit , and particle of holy means is a kind of impediment cast in their perverse way . but permission is an act of providence issuing forth from god , not as he is a righteous legislator , but as he is the supreme rector and provisor , moderating in all events . hence the scripture owns god's mission in joseph's sale , gen. . . gods commission in ahab's seduction , kings . . god's bidding in shimei's cursing , . sam. . . and god's hand and counsel in christ's crucifixion , acts . . more particularly ; 't is such an act of providence as carries with it , first , an administration of such objects and circumstances ; which are good in themselves ; yet occasionally like achan's golden wedge draw out mens corruption into act ; then a suspension or nondonation of such grace and means as would effectually and de facto prevent the commission of sin ; next , an actual concurrence of the holy one to the material act or entity of sin , though not in the least measure to the anomy or sinfulness thereof ; and withal a bounding sin in its measure and duration , and ordering sin to his own glory . thus god permits sin , and permits it volent : for none will say that he doth it nolent ; therefore all must say , that he doth it volent . and in all this , neither can the reprobate ery out of hard measure ; for in the same manner god permits the sins of the elect : nor can the least blot light upon the holy one ; for which of all these may he not justly do ? may not he marshal objects ? then he may do nothing in his own world. not so much as proclaim his law ; for sin will take occasion thereby : no , nor his gospel neither ; for grace will be turned into wantonness . may not he suspend his efficacious grace ? then grace is not his own ; but if it be , by what law is he bound to give it ? if there be no such law , why may he not suspend it ? but if there be , how can he permit sin , seeing he is bound to give such grace as will actually prevent it ? but you 'l say , permission is no such suspension of grace , but a leaving a man in manu consilii sui , a dimission of him to his own genius and free will ; if so , then how doth god hinder sin ? doth he in hindring sin offer violence to man's liberty , as in permitting it he leaves him thereunto ? surely , if god hinder it , it must be by some kind of grace or other ; and therefore if he permit it , it must be by some suspension of grace , or not at all . but to go on . may not he concurr to the material act of sin ? then how much motion is there independent from the first mover ? how much entity is there independent from the being of belings ? may not also the great clock of the world stand alone without the everlasting arms , and all the creature-wheels therein go alone , without any touch of providence ? lastly ; if god did not bound sin , would not that moral monster soon devour all religion and humanity ? and if he did not order it to his own glory , how should light come out of darkness , and order out of confusions ? in a word : god in great wisdom permits the folly of sin ; in providential power the weakness thereof ; and in unspotted purity the pollutions thereof . . the second thing decreed is the permission of sins finality ; and this is the critical difference between the elect and reprobate . god permits sin in the elect , but sins finality only in the reprobate . now how doth god permit sin's finality , but by that blinding and hardning of reprobates , which is so frequent in scripture ? but how doth he blind and harden them ? not by infusing the least drop of malice into their hearts : no , darkness may sooner issue from the sun , than blindness from the father of lights ; and drought may sooner issue from the sea , than hardness from the father of mercies : but he doth it in a double manner . . deserendo , or by way of negation . dicitur deus ( saith st austin ) excaecare quando non illuminat , indurare quando non emollit . every reprobate is born with a veil upon his eyes , and a stone in his heart ; and in that condition god leaves him , not imparting to him such enlightning and mollifying grace as he doth unto the elect. not such enlightning grace ; and hence reprobates are called blinded ones , rom. . . nor such mollifying grace , and hence they are called hardened ones , rom. . . in this negative blinding and hardening , doth properly and formally consist the permission of final sin . for as god doth impede final sin in the elect , by irradiating and softning them by his grace ; so he doth permit final sin in the reprobate by not irradiating and softning them thereby . . judicando ; or by way of penal infliction . after many rebellions against light , god at last gives men up to a reprobate mind , void of all spiritual judgment ; to a fat heart , void of all spiritual sense ; to a spirit of slumber , such as wakes not under the loud calls and roaring judgments of heaven ; to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a brawny hardness and sensless obduration , such as feels nothing , no not the weighty mountains of sin and wrath lying on the soul. and this he doth partly by a tradition to satan , who rules in darkness and hardness , and hath a wonderful art to promote and aggravate both these in the children of disobedience ; partly by a giving them up to their own lusts , which are the most intimate devils of all , and by degrees put out the eyes , and obstinate the hearts of men ; partly by presenting such objects as occasionally prove snares and stumbling blocks to them . hence we find in scripture an ensnaring table , psal. . . a destroying prosperity , prov. . . a sin-irritating law , rom. . . a death-savouring gospel , cor. . . an enraging adversity , such as makes them like a wild bull in a net , isai. . . with many more like providences , which occasionally harden and blind men into further degrees of sin and wickedness . now this judicial hardning and blinding is neither to be found in all reprobates , but in the grand rebels ; nor yet only in reprobates , but in the elect , at least some of them . hence that out-cry , o lord ! why hast thou made us to err from thy ways , and hardened our hearts from thy fear ? isai. . . only here is the difference ; this judicial blinding and hardning in the elect is but partial ; all the holy light is not out , all spiritual tenderness is not gone . wherefore in that place they groan after a return ; but in the reprobate it is more total . again , in the elect it is but for a time ; through auxiliary grace the closed eyes will open again , the stony heart will melt again : but in the reprobate it is final , the darkness is upon them till they come to utter darkness , the stone is in them till they come to hellish obstinacy . wherefore in them 't is a kind of sealing up of damnation . negative blinding and hardning suffices to the permission of final sin , but judicial is an earnest of final perdition . . as to the third act of reprobation , the thing decreed is eternal damnation ; hence reprobates are said to be made for the day of evil . neither can any man doubt that there is such a decree ; for god doth actually condemn them in time , and both reason tells us , that whatsoever god doth , even in his judgments , he doth it volent ; and scripture tells us , that whatsoever he doth , he doth it according to the counsel of his own will ; wherefore both assure us that there is such a decree . but you 'l say , doth not that promise [ whosoever believeth shall be saved ] both import god's will , and extend even to reprobates , and how then can god decree their damnation ? which way can both these wills stand together in the heart of god ? i answer ; 't is true that the promise doth both import god's will , and extend to reprobates ; nevertheless it very well consists with the decree of damnation , and this will appear by a double distinction . . let us distinguish the decrees of god : some of them are merely productive of truths , others are definitive of things which shall actually exist . the first are accomplished in connexions , the last in events . to clear it by scripture instances : the decree , that david should be king of israel , was definitive of a thing ; but the decree , that if saul obeyed , his kingdom should have continued , sam. . . is but productive of a truth . the decree that david should not be delivered up by the men of keilah , was definitive of a thing ; but the decree , that if he had staid there they would have delivered him up , sam. . . was but productive of a truth . the decree , that jerusalem should be burnt with fire , was definitive of a thing ; but the decree , that if zedekiah did go forth to the king of babylon it should not be burnt , jer. . . was but productive of a truth . moreover , that there are decrees definitive of things , is proved by the events ; that there are decrees productive of truths , is proved by the connexions ; if there be no such connexions , how is the scripture verified ? but if there be , how are these things connected ? there is no natural connexion between saul's obedience and his crown , david's stay and the keilites treachery , zedekiah's out-going and jerusalems firing : wherefore these connexions do flow out of god's decrees as productive of truths . now to apply this distinction to our present purpose : the decree of damning the reprobate for final sin is definitive of a thing ; but the decree imported in the general promise , is but productive of a truth , viz. that there is an universal connexion between faith and salvation ; such a connexion , that reprobates themselves , if believers , should be saved . now these two decrees may very well stand together ; for decrees definitive of events contradict not decrees productive of truths ; unless the event in the one decree contradict the truth in the other . wherefore if ( which is not ) there were a decree of damning reprobates , whether they did believe or not , it could not stand with the general promise ; for the event of that decree would contradict the truth of the promise . but the decree ( such as indeed it is ) of damning reprobates for final sin , may well consist with the general promise ; for the event of that decree no way crosses the truth of the promise . reprobates are damned for final sin , that 's the event of one decree ; and reprobates , if believers , shall be saved , that 's the truth of another : both which may well consist together . . let us distinguish the objects of these decrees ; the objects stand not under the same qualifications as to both of them . the decree of salvation upon gospel terms respects men as lapsed sinners ; but the decree of everlasting damnation respects them as final sinners ; and so there is no inconsistency between them . thus much by way of answer to the objection : yet withal , before i pass on to the next thing , suffer me a little to stand and adore the stupendious abyss of the divine decrees . the elect arrive at heaven , yet by the way see hell flaming in the threatning ; the reprobate sink to hell , yet by the way see heaven opening in the promise . the elect cannot live and die in sin , but they will be sub gladio ; the reprobates cannot repent and return , but they will be sub corona . tremble , work and watch , o saints , for the holy one thunders out from heaven in that sacred sentence , if you live after the flesh you shall die . repent , return and believe , o sinners , for the divine philanthropy wooes you in those real undissembled offers of mercy , whosoever believes shall be saved ; whosoever forsakes his sins shall find mercy . here , o here , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the manifold wisdom of god ; a fit reserve for the apocalypse of the judgment day , whose clear light will display these wonderful consistencies before men and angels . . having dispatched the things decreed in reprobation , i procede to speak of the persons to whom these things are decreed ; and here i shall consider , . what they are for quantity . . what they are for quality . . what are they for quantity ? they are certain individual persons . as some certain individual persons are chosen , so others are passed by ; as some are by name in the book of life , so others are by name left out of it . there is a great difference between the reprobation of sin and the reprobation of sinners : the reprobation of sin issues from the sanctity and holiness of god's will ; but the reprobation of sinners issues from the sovereignty and justice thereof . the reprobation of sin is universal , and without any distinction of persons ; god hates sin where-ever it be , be it in his own beloved jedidiahs , 't is an abominable thing , such as his soul abhorrs : but the reprobation of sinners is particular ; esau and not jacob was hated ; judas and not peter was a son of perdition . indeed he that denies particular reprobation , must by necessary consequence deny particular election ; and he that asserts an election of some individual persons , doth , in eodem rationis signo , assert a reprobation of others . . what are they for quality ? i answer in two particulars . . reprobation , as to the first and second acts thereof , viz. preterition , and permission of final sin , respects them as lying in the corrupt mass. this appears by those names and titles whereby reprobation is set forth and described in scripture : there 't is hatred , and god hates none but sinners ; 't is hardening , and god hardens none but such as are in a corrupt estate ; 't is abjection or casting away , and god doth not cast away an upright one , or a man standing in integrity ; 't is , not knowing , and god knows and approves every sinless creature ; 't is , not shewing mercy , and that supposes men to lie in a state of misery , or else they are not capable of mercy , or the denial thereof . wherefore i conceive that in preterition , and permission of final sin , men are considered as lying in a corrupt and undone condition . . reprobation , as to its third act , viz. the decreeing of damnation , respects them as final sinners . 't is true , every sin , as sin , is in it self intrinsecally meritorious of damnation ; but through gospel grace in jesus christ , no sin but such as is final , doth actually produce damnation . god condemns none but for final sin , and decrees to condemn none but for it . those vessels of wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fitted to destruction , rom. . . are ( as i take it ) final sinners only . great sinners may be vessels of mercy , and repent unto life eternal ; but final sinners are vessels of wrath and fitted to destruction . god swears by his life , that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked , ezek. . . not unless he be a final sinner , in whom there is no true turning or repenting : not in such a way as to leave no place or room at all for conversion ; for the sinners turn is in the text opposed to his death , and opposed as a thing more destrable to god than his death . should the decree of damnation objectively terminate on a sinner , merely as a sinner , there could be no place or room for repentance ; but if it terminate on him as a final sinner , there is no such obstruction at all . wherefore i conceive , that as god condemns none but for final sin , so he decrees to condemn none but for the same ; and by consequence , that decree respects them as final sinners , that is , they are first considered as final sinners , and then the decree of damnation terminates on them . object . but here an objection meets me ; god condemns none but final sinners , and decrees to condemn none but such ; yet hence it follows not , that the decree of damnation respects them as final sinners , or that they were considered as such antecedently to that decree : for god saves none but final believers , and decrees to save none but such ; yet from thence it follows not , that the decree of salvation respects them as final believers , or that they were considered as such antecedently to that decree : for ( as hath been laid down before ) faith and salvation are comprized in one and the same decree ; and therefore there is no antecedency of faith to salvation in the very decree , but only in the execution thereof . answ. to which objection i answer , that between the two cases there is a triple difference , which ( if considered ) will make it appear , that the consequence which fails in the one case , doth hold good in the other . . these two propositions [ god decrees to save none but final believers , and , god decrees to damn none but final sinners ] must be taken in a different meaning . when we say , god decrees to save none but final believers , the meaning is not , final believers so preconsidered antecedently to that decree ; for faith and salvation are comprized in one decree ; but final believers so to be made by force of that decree . but when we say , god decrees to damn none but final sinners , the meaning is not , final sinners so to be made by force of that decree ; for god's decree makes no man a final sinner ; but final sinners so preconsidered antecedently to that decree . wherefore , from that proposition , [ god decrees to save none but final believers ] it cannot be concluded that the decree of salvation respects them as final believers : but ( because of the different meaning ) from that other proposition , [ god decrees to damn none but final sinners ] it may be rightly concluded , that the decree of damnation respects them as final sinners . . there is an immediate contact between grace and glory ; hence these two may very aptly be comprized in one decree , and if so , final faith is not preconsidered to the decree of salvation . but between preterition or permission of sin and damnation there is no immediate contact ; for the act of the creature , even his final sin , comes between : hence preterition or permission and damnation cannot ( according to our understanding ) be congruously comprized in one decree , but in distinct decrees ; and if so , final sin is preconsidered to the decree of damnation . for no sooner doth the decree of preterition and permission pass in the divine will , but therein , as in a glass , there is a prescience of final sin ; and thereupon passes the decree of damnation . but you 'l say ; neither is there such an immediate contact between grace and glory , as you assert ; for between the donation of grace and glory the act of the creature , viz. final faith , doth intervene . i answer ; 't is true , it doth intervene , but as a fruit or effect of that donation ; it doth intervene , but that donation hath a causal influence and attingency into the creatures act , and its perseverance : wherefore it so intervenes as not to break the immediate contact in the least measure . but between preterition or permission and damnation the creatures act , viz. final sin , doth intervene , not as an effect of preterition or permission , but as a fruit of man's corrupted and depraved will ; and that intervention cannot stand with an immediate contact . wherefore there being distinct decrees , first preterition and permission are decreed , and then ( upon the prescience of final sin ) damnation . . the third difference is that of the apostle , the wages of sin is death , but the gift of god is eternal life through jesus christ our lord , rom. . . eternal life is a gift freely given ; therefore the consideration of final faith is not a prerequisite to the decree of salvation : but death is wages exacted by the intrinsecal merit of sin , and paid only to a final sinner ; therefore the consideration of final sin is a prerequisite to the decree of damnation ; without that consideration i see not how it can be decreed as wages . but you 'l say , is not eternal life also a reward of faith and holiness ? and how then can that be decreed as a reward without a preconsideration of these ? i answer ; eternal life is a reward , but 't is a reward of pure grace , 't is grace upon grace , glorifying grace upon sanctifying ; therefore to the decreeing thereof , as a reward , it suffices that it be decreed to believers and saints . not believers and saints so preconsidered to that decree ; for grace and glory ( being both mere gifts , and gifts of immediate contact ) are comprized in one decree ; but believers and saints so to be made by force of that decree , and so to be made before they wear the crown . this is enough in the decreeing of a reward so purely gratuitous . but in eternal death there is nothing at all gratuitous ; all is mere wages and pay for sin , sin doth really and intrinsecally merit it . wherefore eternal death , as such wages , is decreed only to final sinners . not final sinners so to be made by force of god's decree , for that makes no man a final sinner ; but final sinners so preconsidered to the decree of damnation : for , without that preconsideration , it is not , as i conceive , decreeable as wages or pay due unto them . to shut up this point in a word . reprobation , as to the decree of preterition and permission , respects men as lapsed sinners ; and as to the decree of damnation , respects them as final sinnets . . what is the impulsive cause of reprobation ? to which i make answer . . as for the decree of preterition and permission of final sin , it is from god's will , as cloathed with supreme sovereignty . god passeth by and hardneth whom he will. this appears in two particulars . . first , god doth not give so much as the gospel-means unto some men . he suffered all nations to walk in their own ways , acts . . some sin and perish without law or gospel ; all the law they have is the dark glimmering of nature , and all the gospel they have is the patience and goodness of god leading to repentance . the sun , moon and stars are divided to all nations , dent. . . but jesus christ , a sun of infinite light and lustre , shines in a narrower compass on the earth than the finite sun ; the moon is lesser than the earth , the visible church than the world of men. the apostles , those stars of light , must not shine in asia and bithynia , acts . , . by what way is this evangelical light parted ? surely by the divine will alone ; the difference is not from the worthiness or unworthiness of men : for those in asia and bithynia were as good as others . christ was manifested to a thief , and not to a socrates or plato . rebellious israel hath the light of the word in it , and a more flexible nation , which would hearken thereunto , wants it , ezek. . , . impenitent corazin and bethsaida have a visible deity before them in christ's miracles , when poor tyre and sidon , much nearer to repentance , hath it not , matth. . . in all which the sovereign will of god is to be adored ; for that is it which divideth between the light and the darkness . . in the visible church , the orb of gospel-light , god doth not give saving grace unto all . 't is true , the mercy of god is so immense , that all the sins of men are but as the drop of the bucket to it ; the blood of god is so meritorious , that all the crimson crimes in the world are as nothing to it ; and the spirit of god is so almighty , that all the chains of hardness and unbelief fall off before his converting grace . nevertheless this immense mercy doth not pardon all ; this meritorious blood doth not wash all ; nor this almighty spirit doth not convert all unto god. oh the wonderful abyss of the divine counsel ! all men naturally lie in bloody pollution , and god saith to one , live , and not to another ; all are as it were one entire rock of obstinacy against god , and he calls abraham's children out of one part of the rock , and leaves all the rest to be rock still . all are dead in sins and trespasses , nay , and sealed up in their graves with a stone of hardness and unbelief ; and one grave-stone is rolled away , and the dead under it raised up by almighty grace , and not another . external revelation is all over the church , why is not the inward holy unction so too ? the gospel sounds in every ear , why do not all hear and learn of the father ? the gospel calls and knocks at every door , why are not the demonstrations of the spirit , and the drawings of the father in every heart ? the gospel says in general , whosoever will , may take the water of life freely , why doth not god work the will in all ? why are any dimissi libero arbitrio , left to the miserable servitude of their own free will ? here there is no other resolution but that of the apostle , he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy , and whom he will he hardneth ; and beyond this we can only wonder , and in quodam mentis excessu cry out , oh the depth ! cur hoc illi operetur ( saith st. austin ) illi non operetur , metuentem me & trementem judicia ejus inscrutabilia & incomprehensibilia nolo interroges , quia quod lego ercdo & revereor , non autem discutio . and , ne dicas deo interrogando , quae est voluntas tua ? sed tremendo , fiat voluntas tua . and again ; posset deus ( saith he of wicked men ) ipsorum voluntatem in bonum convertere , quoniam omnipotens est ; posset planè , cur ergo non fecit ? quia noluit ; cur noluerit ? penès ipsum est . if there were any thing extra deum moving him to the decree of preterition and permission , it must needs be sin , either original or actual , or final impenitency and infidelity therein ; but none of all these moved god thereunto : not original sin ; for this is the common blood wherein all men , elect as well as reprobate , lie by nature . and this is st. ambrose's mirum , touching infants ; ubi actio non offendit , ubi arbitrium non resistit , ubi eadem miseria , similis imbecillitas , causa communis est , non unum esse de tanta parilitate judicem ; quales reprobat abdicatio , tales adoptat electio . indeed original sin makes all men reprobable ; for all are by nature children of wrath , transgressors from the womb , an unclean and corrupt seed , lying in bloody and abominable pollution ; fit and worthy to be put away from the holy one as dross , and for ever to be cast out into utter darkness : but it makes no man a reprobate ; for the elect are as deep in this filthy mire as others . nor yet doth actual sin do it ; for jacob was loved and esau hated before they had done good or evil . artaxerxes decreed that jerusalem should not be built again , because upon search of his records he found that it had been a rebellious city , ezra . , . should god have founded his decree of preterition and non-election on a prescience of humane rebellion , the holy city of the church had never been built , nor the divine image ever repaired therein : all men had eternally lay as sodom and gomorrah in the dust and rubbish of adam's fall , with a line of spiritual confusion stretched upon them . who is there that lives and sins not ? what man on earth hath not rebelled , and vexed god's holy spirit ? even little infants rebelled in voluntate adae ; and besides , imbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens est , non animus infantium . neither yet doth final impenitency and infidelity do it ; for there is no final impenitency and infidelity but such as is permitted ; and permitted it is not , but out of the decree of preterition and permission ; wherefore that decree cannot be caused thereby . final impenitency and infidelity may be considered two ways ; either as being in actual existence , or else as foreseen by the divine prescience : but neither way doth it cause the decree of preterition and permission , but presuppose the same . not as it is in actual existence ; for final impenitency & infidelity come into being after permission , and permission flows out of the decree ; wherefore final impenitency and infidelity coming after permission , are not the cause of the decree out of which permission doth issue . nor yet as it is foreseen by the divine prescience ; for the decree of preterition and permission is that very glass wherein final impenitency and infidelity are foreseen : for had god made no decree of preterition and permission , he had seen all men repenting and believing , as the fruit of his effectual grace unto all ; had he made that decree universally touching all , he had seen no man repenting and believing . wherefore final impenitency and infidelity , as foreseen , do not cause but presuppose the decree . in a word ; i conclude , that the decree of preterition and permission doth merely depend upon the supreme and sovereign will of god. neither is there any colour of injustice in all this ; for . non-electio ( as suarez hath it ) non est poena , ut culpam praerequir at ; sed est quaedam negatio gratuiti beneficii , quod deus ut supremus dominus negare potest . god may do what he will with his own ; election ( the primum indebitum ) is god's own , therefore he may pass by whom he pleaseth : the holy spirit ( the fountain of all faith and repentance ) is god's own , therefore it may breath only where it lists . all souls and graces are god's own ; therefore he may infuse or not infuse graces into souls ad placitum . neither is it imaginable that god should be obliged to give restituent grace to fallen man , when he was not obliged to give custodient grace to the innocent angels . if faith and repentance are the gifts of god , may he not suspend them ? if he be bound to give them , why is there ae peradventure put upon some mens repentance , tim. . ? why a cannot upon some mens faith , john . ? why a perhaps upon some mens forgiveness , acts . ? why aforbidding upon the means of grace , acts . ? why a manifestation to disciples and not to the world , joh. . ? why a revelation to babes and not to the wise and prudent , matth. . ? in short ; god's election must be either arbitrary or necessary ; if necessary , how is his election free ? if arbitrary , how is non-election unjust ? the donation of faith and repentance must be grace or debt ; if debt , why is not the veil off from every eye , and the stone out of every heart ? why is not grace as common as nature , and saintship as humanity ? but if grace , then where it is conferred , it is freely conferred out of self-moving mercy ; and where it is denied , it is justly denied out of unaccountable sovereignty . . in the permission of final sin there is much of sovereignty , but nothing of injustice ; the great god is absolutus faber suae permissionis ; he could let legions of angels at once drop out of heaven into hell ; he could let innocent adam ( as rare a piece as he was ) break himself all to shivers by a fall ; and what may he not permit sinful worms to do ? what are creatures to him ? if they miscarry , how many thousand thousand worlds are there in the bosom of his omnipotence ? if he suffer all nations to walk in their own ways , he doth but let a drop fall off the bucket , or a small dust fly off the ballance ; he doth but leave vanity to its own lightness , and a quasi-nothing to its own nullity and defectibility . if he suffer sinful man to run into sin , and that finally , he doth but leave the dog to his own vomit , the swine to his own mire , the viper to his own poyson , a corrupted piece of old adam to act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , out of his own , as the expression is , joh. . . he doth but let the fountain of blood flow out , the corrupt flesh putrifie , the vitious womb of concupiscence conceive and bring forth , and the depraved will of man forge out its own iniquities , and fetter and intangle it self with the cords and bonds of its own voluntary rebellions ; and what injustice can be in all this ? especially seeing this permission is not a subtraction of any inherent grace , but only a suspension of assistent grace as de facto would impede sin . if god be bound to afford such grace , where is the charter of that engagement ? if he be not bound thereunto , where is the injustice of that suspension ? the saints before a temptation , cast down their souls before god and cry out , nèinducas , lead us not into temptation ; and after a victory , they cast down their crowns before him , and sing out , thanks be to god who giveth us the victory through jesus christ. wherefore when sin is prevented , god's free grace is to be praised ; and when sin is permitted , god's absolute sovereignty is to be adored . . justice in god is agere juxta condecentiam bonitatis & veracitatis suae ; therefore the decrees of preterition and permission must needs be just , because they cross not either his goodness or his truth . not his goodness ; for that doth not necessitate him either to diffuse one drop of grace unto fallen man , or to prevent one jot of sin in him : nor yet his truth ; for ( notwithstanding the decrees of preterition and permission ) all the promises in the great charter of the gospel are yea and amen , not a tittle thereof fails or falls to the ground . . as the decree of preterition and permission is from god's will , as cloathed with sovereignty ; so the decree of damnation is from god's will , as cloathed with justice . in the former god acts as supreme lord , according to his transcendent sovereignty ; in the latter god acts as a righteous judge , according to his vindictive justice . now here i shall offer my thoughts in two positions . . the final sin of reprobates is not properly the very cause of the decree of damnation ; it is the proper very cause of damnation , but not of the decree it self . that passage in scotus is remarkable ; non est aliqua causa propter quam deus effectivè reprobat , in quantum est actio in deo ; quia tunc deus esset passivus . what is moved by a thing ab extra , seems in order of nature before that motion to be in potentia , and in that motion to be passive in some degree . but god's will in all its decrees , even in that of reprobation , is a pure act , perfectly excluding passiveness and potentiality , and by consequence motion ab extrá . . the final sin of reprobates , though it be not properly the cause of the decree it self , yet it is conditio in objecto necessaria , making men meet objects for the decree to terminate upon . the vessels of wrath are fitted to destruction . final sin as produced in actual existence fits them for actual destruction ; and final sin , as foreseen in the divine prescience , fits them for a decree of destruction . where final sin is foreseen , there the decree of damnation terminates ; and where final sin is not foreseen , there the decree of damnation terminates not . after all thy wickedness , woe , woe unto thee , saith the lord , ezek. . . hells woes are after final wickedness , and the decree of hells woes are after the prescience of final wickedness . in a word ; that which causes men to be capable objects for the decree of damnation to terminate on , is the final sin which is in the unrighteous will of man ; and that which causes the decree of damnation to terminate on them , is the vindictive justice , which is in the righteous will of god. in tophet the torments are as unquenchable fire . the final sin is as much wood , and that which kindles it is vindictive justice breathing out from the righteous will of god ; in all which there is nothing at all but exact righteousness . god may say to man , thy perdition is of thy self , and man must say to god , thou art righteous , o lord in all thy ways . i will shut up all with an answer to an objection . you will yet say , god's justice is not cleared in this point ; for the decree of preterition and permission is merely out of sovereignty , and upon this preterition and permission doth infallibly follow final sin , and upon final sin doth infallibly follow eternal damnation : wherefore hereby god is made the great author of the reprobates sin and damnation . to which i answer in three propositions . . 't is true that upon preterition and permission final sin doth infallibly follow . when god gave them up to their own lusts , they walked in their own counsels , psal. . . when he suffered all nations to walk in their own ways , they did so , acts . . if upon god's permission man's sin follow not , then ( which is very strange ) god may permit that which yet will never be . but . upon preterition and permission final sin doth infallibly follow ; but not as an effect from a true cause , but as a consequent upon its antecedent . hence god is no more the author of sin , than the sun is of the darkness which follows upon its departure . also the objectors may be asked , doth not god foreknow that the creature set in such a state and order of things will finally sin ? foreknowing this , doth not he willingly and actually set the creature in that state and order ? from or upon this setting the creature in that state and order , doth not its final sin infallibly follow ? i suppose they will deny nothing of all this ; yet they will by no means say that god is the author of sin , neither need they say so ; for in sins following there is only sequela ordinis , and not sequela causalitatis . moreover , god , in preterition and permission , doth not subtract from men any creaturedue , but suspend such special effectual grace as is undue unto them . this is clear ; for preterition and permission respect men as sinners lying in the corrupt mass , and to sinners god owes nothing but punishment . verbum [ debet ] venenum habet , nec deo propriè competit , qui non est debitor nobis nisi fortè ex promisso , saith peter lombard . if god be bound to give special effectual grace to all , shew me a promise for it ; if he be not bound , the suspension of that grace can in no wise make him the author of sin. wherefore final sin is indeed no fruit of god's reprobating will , but the proper issue of man's perverse will. and this is one grand difference between election and reprobation ; election doth effectually work final faith and holiness in the elect , but reprobation doth not effect the least drop of sin or malice in the reprobate . faith and holiness come down from heaven , out of the bosom of free grace ; but sin and malice grow at home in the reprobate's own heart , dea non operante sed permittente . . hence it follows , that god is the author of the reprobate's damnation only as a just judge inflicting the same for final sin : god's vindictive justice is the inflicting cause of damnation ; but man's final sin is the proper meritorious cause thereof . and thus god is perfectly justified in the decree of reprobation , because that final sin of reprobates , which follows consequently upon god's preterition and permission , doth flow effectively from man's perverse and corrupt will ; and that everlasting damnation of reprobates , which is inflicted by god as a righteous judge , is also merited by a man as a final sinner . chap. vi. of the work of creation . having treated of the divine will as to its eternal decrees , i procede to speak thereof as to its external works , which are ( as it were ) the royal display thereof . and that there may not be a chasme in my discourse , i shall first touch upon creation as the first of god's ways . there are besides the ens entium , three several worlds or ranks of beings , viz. spiritual , material and mixt ; the first , is the intellectual world , made up of those invisible glories , spirits by nature , angels by office , principalities and powers , spiritual stars of light and flames of love , all of them at first inhabitants of that pure spiritual body the heaven of heavens ; but afterwards part of them were for their proud apostasie cast into hell. the second is the world of visible wonders ; the stupendious heavens eyed with a glorious sun , and spangled with moon and glittering stars , encircling all the rest with their spherical stories , and wheeling round about with an indefatigable motion , spinning out time for all the world , and with admirable influences hatching and hovering over all the living creatures . under these is the vast air , encompassing the earth and sea , coated with woolly clouds , and those sometimes laced with the curious rain-bow ; every morning putting on the bright-shining robes of light , and at evening exchanging them for the black mantle of the night : now all on a flame with flashes of lightning , and anon all in a sea with the bottles of heaven : sometimes rent in pieces with thundring tempests , and then made up again into serenity , and clear as a molten looking-glass . this is the fan of all creatures breathing on the earth , and it self is fanned with various winds : this is the inn where the visible species , the imagery of the worlds beauty and glory , and the audible species , the multiplied progeny of sounds and voices , lodge together : this is the common road , where the influences of the heavens and the vapours of the earth , the beams of the sun and the sweet perfumes of herbs and flowers meet and embrace each other in their passage . within this is the massie earth the centre of the world , hanging upon nothing , inwardly boweled with rich minerals and precious stones , and outwardly teeming with numberless births of grass and corn , shaded with trees and woods , and laughing with odoriferous herbs and flowers , bubling with lively springs and fountains of water , and admirably enterlaced with gliding streams and rivers , inhabited with strange variety of beasts , and lorded with man. and the girdle of this earth is the wonderful sea , swadled with clouds , swarming with fishes , lodged and locked up in the hollows of the earth , and from thence secretly winding and straining its moisture into the inward veins thereof : now swelling with the pride of winds and waves , as if it meant to swallow up heaven and earth ; and then sinking down again into its den , as if it were afraid to be drunk up by the little sands . the third is the mixt world , the mariage or copula of the other two , made up of men ; whose immortal souls claim kindred with the world of angels , and whose earthen bodies are the breviaries and epitomes of the visible world ; virtually summing up the elements in their harmonious mixture , the plants in their life , the beasts in their senses , and the heavens , with the sun , moon and stars in their heads , eyes and beautiful faces . now touching all this catalogue of beings i shall briefly demonstrate three things . . that all these beings had a beginning . . that their beginning was from god. . that it was from god as a free agent , and according to the counsel of his own will. . all these things had a beginning ; and this i prove three ways . . i argue ex absur do ; if they had no beginning of being , then every one of them is a god by nature , a jehovah in self-beingness , and an alpha in primacy : if they had no beginning of duration , then are they all inmates in god's eternity , copartners in his immutability , and ( which is a step higher ) possessors of his infinity , and boundless beings without any limits of being : for what imaginable limits of being can they have , which want a beginning , which is the first limit of being ? . the motions of the creatures evince this ; the elements have their enterchanges , the earth its seasons , the sea its tides , the air its winds , the stars their courses , the moon her variations , the sun runs its race between the tropicks , the heavens , the common carriers of all the rest , turn about with an uncessant motion ; nay , the immaterial angels and rational souls are never without some motions in their understanding and will ; neither can they do any thing without a change , because their being and their doing are two things . now what do all these motions speak but a first mover , a beginning at some first point , and a measure of time ever since ? such moveable beings cannot be measured with eternity ; for that is unmoveable and unvariable , but these are in motions and mutations ; that is instantaneous and simultaneous , but these are under a flux of priority and posteriority in their motions and mutations : wherefore it must needs be that these had a beginning . . if these had no beginning , then what shall we say of the years , days and minutes past ? are they finite or infinite ? if finite , then numerable , and there was a beginning ; if infinite , then how past ? infinity cannot be passed over ; but and if it could , then there are infinite numbers of minutes past , infinite numbers of days past , and infinite numbers of years past , and ( because there cannot be infinito infinitius ) by most necessary consequence , there are as many years past as days , and as many days past as minutes , which is utterly impossible ; therefore these things must needs have a beginning . . the beginning of all these was from god. the scripture speaks evidently ; in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth , gen. . . of him and through him and to him are all things , rom. . . he that built all things is god , heb. . . when we look upon the stately palace of the world , roofed with the glorious heavens , floored with the fruitful earth , chambered with the cloudy air , watered with the stupendious sea , and furnished with all variety of creatures ; we cannot dream of any other architect but god alone . and ( because job bids us speak to the earth , job . . and the psalmist tells us that there is a language in the heavens , psal. . , , . and the apostle asserts that there is a witness of god in the rain , acts . . ) therefore suffer me to parly their original out of their own mouths , creatures , whence came you ? ex nihilo . what , ex nihilo ? how then came you over that vast infinite gulf which lies between nothing and being ? infinite power filled it up to make our passage . but since you came over , where do you stand ? in a being betwixt two nothings , nothing negative and nothing privative . and who set you there at first ? the first and chief being , who is ipsum esse , suum esse , infinitum esse , infinitè elongatum à non esse . but whence had you all that truth and goodness which is in you ? our truth is but a beam from his infinite verity , and our goodness the redundance and super-effluence of his infinite goodness . and whence came all these numbers and hosts of beings ? out of perfect unity ; every one of us is numbred by our finiteness and composition , and every number is from infinite simple unity . monas est principium & radix omnium ; there is but one god of whom are all things . but how came you into such ranks ? why have not the elements life , the plants sense , the beasts reason , and men angelical perfections ? when infinite power brought us out of nothing , infinite wisdom shut up every one of us within the bounds of his proper being . but your beings being of such different sorts , how came you to be so kind each to other ? the clouds drop down rain on the earth ; the earth brings forth grass ; that feeds the beasts ; and these serve for man , the breviary of all , and steward of all . all these and innumerable more links of amity were made by the god of order . but if you be of god's own make , shew me your tokens . 't is most apparent that all beings must be from the chief being , all truth from the first truth , all goodness from supreme goodness , all numbers from perfect unity , and all ranks and orders from infinite wisdom ; and this chief being , first truth , supreme goodness , perfect unity , and infinite wisdom can be no other than god alone . but if this satisfie not , you may yet further see god's glorious immensity in the vast capacious heavens , his invariable immobility in the unmoveable earth , his faithfulness in the great mountains , his unsearchable judgments in the great deep , his dreadful justice in the devouring fire , his wonderful omniscience in the sun the rouling eye of the world , his transcendent beauty in the varnish of the light ; the plain foot-steps of the eternal power and godhead in every creature , and the glorious impress of his own image and likeness in men and angels . thus the very creatures themselves tell us , that their beginning was from god. . their beginning was from god as a free agent , and according to his own decree ; for either god did produce them naturally and necessarily , or else freely and voluntarily . not naturally and necessarily ; for then he should produce things ad extremum virium , and so ( besides these beings ) produce all the possible beings producible by his glorious omnipotence , all the possible orders and congruities contrivable by his unsearchable wisdom , all the possible goodness effluxive out of his infinite goodness , and all the possible numbers which his infinite unity can bring forth into being and produce them all as early as eternity it self ; and all of them so produced must be necessary beings as well as god himself : in all which many great contradictions are involved . wherefore it remains that he did produce them voluntarily and according to his own decree ; the will of god was the first mover in this great work. 't is true that the world is ( as damascene stiles it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a kind of redundance of god's infinite goodness ; but not a drop of this goodness runs out ad extrà but by his good pleasure . 't is true that there is the various and admirable wisdom of god in this work ; but that wisdom shews forth never an order or rank of being , unless it be taken into the divine decree , and so become the counsel of his will , according to which he worketh all things . 't is true that the eternal power and godhead are clearly seen in the creation ; but these had never shewed themselves at all , if the divine will had not spoken the word . god made all things by the word of his power ; that is , the divine will eternally expressed to the divine power , what beings it should produce in time . 't is true that all the numbers and hosts of beings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they flow from him who is perfect unity ; but not in the way of natural necessity , but of his free decree . qui dicit , quare dous fecit coelum & terram ? respondendum est ei , quia voluit ; qui autem dicit , quare voluit ? majus aliquid quaerit quàm est volunt as dei : nihil autem majus inveniri potest . when the psalmist made that general summons to the angels , heavens , sun , moon , stars , waters , dragons , deep , fire , hail , snow , vapours , wind , trees , beasts , cattel , creeping things , flying fowl , even all the hosts of nature to sing praises to their great makes , he added this as the supreme reason of all , he commanded and they were created , psal. . . sermo dei volunt as est , opus dei naeturae est . unto whatsoever his will speaks a fiat , it comes forth into being ; but if that be silent , not the least atom can appear . the egyptian magicians cannot produce so much as the shadow or counterfeit semblance of a louse , but as men mazed and nonplus'd they are forced to cry out , this is the finger of god , exod. . . and what these wicked atheists mutter out touching this poor creature upon the rack of conviction , that the catholick church confesses touching all the world in a triumphant gratulation . the twenty four elders ( in the name of all saints ) falling down and worshipping before the throne of the everliving god , cry out , thou art worthy , o lord , to receive glory , honour and power ; for thou hast created all things , and for thy pleasure they are and were created , rev. . . o thou divine will ! thou art worthy to be adored in the angels above , and men below ; in the luminaries of heaven and fruitfulness of earth ; in the meteors of the air and wonders of the deep ; in the life of the plants and senses of the beasts : at thy imperial word all these came pouring out of the barren womb of nothing ; the births of their existence were all dated by thine hand ; the dowries of their goodness were all given by thy love ; the proprieties of their being were all stamped on them by thy ideal truth ; and the various ranks and orders of their standing were all set out by thy glorious wisdom . o glorious creator ! who hast made all these things , go on one step further ; create in us an admiring heart , which by the scale of creatures , as by jacob's ladder , may ascend higher and higher in the adorations of thee ; when we are at the lowest step of all , i mean mere being , let 's remember thee the chief and first of beings ; when at the second step , which is being with life , let 's praise thee the only fountain of life ; when at the third , which is being and life crowned with sense , let 's tremble at thee the all-seeing and all-hearing deity ; when at the fourth , which is being , life and sense irradiated with beams of reason , and impowered with liberty of will , let 's adore thy infinite wisdom which contrived , and thy allmighty will which created all these things , and us to see thy glory in them ; when at the highest step of all , angelical perfections , let 's be lost in holy mazes and trances at thy infinitely purer glory , in comparison whereof , the very angels themselves are but as spotted lamps and duskish beauties . in a word ; from the sublimest seraphim to the poorest worm , let 's admire thee , humbly confessing that none can shew forth all thy praise . chap. vii . of the works of conservation and gubernation . having briefly touched upon creation , i procede to its appendants , conservation and gubernation . the almighty and all-wise creator is not as man , who builds a house or ship and leaves it , but like a faithful creator , he repairs the house of the world by his conservation , and steers the ship of it by his gubernation , and that according to the counsel of his own will ; aliter mundus nè per ictum oculi stare poterit , as the father expresses it . and first , as touching conservation , i shall demonstrate four things . . that no creature can preserve it self . . that no fellow-creature can preserve another . . that the preservation of all is from god. . that it is from god according to his decree . . that no creature can preserve it self ; and this is clear . from the creatures station ; even the highest seraphin stands juxta non esse , at the brink of nullity , his being is between two nothings , nothing negative and nothing privative : and as his passage from nothing into being could not be without an infinite power creating ; so his natural fall from being into nothing would certainly be without an infinite power conserving . creatur a habet redire ad non esse à se ; if god should but say to the highest angel , tolle quod tuum est & abi , he must immediately away into nullity . all creatures by their natural vanity press downwards towards nothing , as their own centre , and none but the almighty shoulders can bear them up in being . . from god's royal prerogative , which the scripture most emphatically decyphers out , as it were in figures of glory : he only hath immortality , tim. . . as if there were none at all in angels and rational spirits : nay , there is none besides him , sam. . . as if there were no being at all in the creature . and the reason of these expressions is this ; god hath being and immortality originally from himself , but the creature hath them but derivatively and in a dependence upon him ; wherefore in comparison of his being creatures are but nullities , and in comparison of his immortality angels are but smoak . but now if a creature could preserve it self in being , and so immortalize it self , it would become a self-subsistence , and consequently a god unto it self . . that no creature can preserve another , ( i mean as a principal agent ) and this is evident ; for . if one creature might so preserve another , it should be a god to it , yet so weak as not to preserve it self : but if it could preserve another , it must be by some transfusion of virtue into it , and that but finite , ( for more a creature cannot give ; ) and then if god transfuse as much virtue into the creature conserved as the creature conservant did , the creature conserved might subsist of it self , and be a god to it self . . the nature of conservation evinces this : what is it but an influx of being ? now suppose all the angels in heaven would try to guard the poorest worm in the earth , and that but for one moment only , what could they do towards an influx of being ? being only streams from god , as light from the sun ; if the sun be gone , who can keep light in the air ? if jehovah withdraw , who can keep being in the creature ? all the creatures are ( as i may so say ) sensible of this dependance , and look up to god for their preservation , psal. . . which leads me to the next thing , . that the preservation of all is from god ; as of him , so through him are all thing , rom. . . and this appears . by a survey of all the creatures ; angels are under god the strongest of spirits , but cannot subsist one moment without him ; he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . he is making the angels even to this day by a daily conservation ; their immortality is a continual . spiration from the father of spirits . the heavens are the strongest of bodies , yet cannot stand alone ; god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 building his stories in the heavens , amos . . he is still a building of them , or else all those glorious arches would totter down ; if he be but angry , the pillars of heaven tremble and are agast , job . . if he withdraw his hand , all the heavenly volumes pass away as a scroll , and out go the fair letters of sun , moon and stars in the twinkling of an eye . the earth is the centre of the world , and as to sense it hangs upon nothing , as if it were only poised by its own gravity ; but this created centre is bore up by the infinite centre of all being , and as to faith and reason hangs upon him ; the pillars of it are the lord's , sam. . . he by his strength setteth fast the mountains , psal. . . or else they would be wavering towards nullity . the sea is a vast spreading element , but ( lest it should be contracted into nothing ) it is held in the hollow of his hand , isai. . . and that imports no less than a preservative comprehension . all the numberless birds in the air , beasts in the earth , and fishes in the sea wait on him for their preservation ; the sending forth of his spirit is their being , the opening of his hand their provision , and the shadow of his wings their protection ; not a sparrow forgotten before him ; not a poor fly without an infinite preserver . man ( who is the epitome of all the rest ) cannot but own him ; o how soon would the earthen pitcher break , if he did not keep it ! how soon would the lamp of the soul go out , if he did not light it even every moment ! hence god is stiled the preserver of men , job . . a most universal preserver , even from the utmost hairs which are numbred by him , matth. . . unto the inmost spirit which is preserved by his visitation , job . . thus running through the whole catalogue of creatures we must conclude with st. austin , deus est per omnia diffusus , non ut qualitas mundi , sed ut substantia cratrix ; sine labore regens , & sine onere continens omnia . . by the very nature of preservation , what is it but continuata creatio ? god is still a making the angels , and building the heavens , my father worketh hitherto , saith christ , joh. . . he doth per intimam operationem continuò facere . creatura ( saith a famous school-man ) quamdiu est , creatura deo , quia pro quolibet instanti habet esse à deo. preservation is but the eeking out of creation , and therefore can be from no other but god alone . omnia in illo subsistunt à quo creata sunt . but to pass on ; . the preservation of all is from god , according to his decree ; and this is evinced by these reasons . . either god preserves creatures naturally or freely : not naturally , for then he should preserve them perpetually , and so every fly must run parallel in eternity with an angel ; nor naturally , for then he should preserve them uniformly , and so every mortal body would subsist without food as well as the immaterial spirits ; therefore he preserves them freely . there be various ways of preservation , viz. preservation of creatures as to their being , and as to their adjuncts of order , beauty , goodness and truth ; preservation of them as to their individuals and as to their kinds ; preservation of individuals by means and without means ; preservation of them in perpetuum and for certain periods of time . now all this variety of preservations doth evidently display the glorious liberty of the divine will in the dispensing thereof . angels are preserved in their individual beings , and that in perpetuum , and that without means ; but the nodus perpetuitatis is the divine pleasure ; or else their immortality would dissolve in a moment . men , beasts and vegetables are preserved in their individuals , but 't is by means , and but for a time , and lest the kind should perish with the individuals ; generation is a supplement to their mortality , and the ruler in all this is the will of god. as for preservation by means , it is god who bringeth food out of the earth , psal. . . and when 't is in our hand , we cannot eat thereof unless god give us an heart , eccl. . . and when we do eat thereof , 't will not be the staff of life to us without the word of his blessing , matth. . . without this we may eat and not be satisfied , drink and not be filled , hag. . , . every creature saith , the blessing is not in me , but in the will of god. as for the periods of preservation , they are all fixed in the divine decree ; there the days of men are determined , their months numbred , and their unpassable bounds appointed , job . . hezekiah had fifteen years added to his days ; but there was no addition to the divine decree . bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days , psal. . . yet they live out all the days set down in the divine decree . if a sparrow fall not without god's will , matth. . . much less can a man do so ; if our very hairs are all numbred , matth. . . much more are our days . as for the preservation of kinds , all propagations are from that primitive benediction , crescite & multiplicamini , which dropt from the divine will. vegetables multiply , but 't is god who gives to every seed his own body , cor. . . men and beasts generate their like , but 't is god who sows a land with the seed of man and the seed of beast , jer. . . the man written down childless in god's book must be without the blessing of posterity ; the member unwritten or left out in that book , must never be extant in nature . when monsters are brought forth , there is an abertation in the particular nature , but none in the will of god : when bastards are generated ( which cannot be without a moral monstrosity ) the sin is man's , but the creature is god's . in brief ; if we run through all varieties of preservation , either as to the being of creatures , or as to the adjuncts of order , beauty , goodness and truth , we must resolve all into the will of god. alas ! what is the mutable being of creatures , unless fixed by the will of the necesse esse ? what are all the orders and harmonies of things , unless kept in tune by the counsel of his will ? by him all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , col. . . not only subsist in their beings , but consist in their orders . his will is the virtus unitiva , which glues and tacks the whole system of heaven and earth together , or else all would unframe and fall asunder in a moment . what an empty nothing is creature-beauty , unless shined upon by his gracious pleasure ? 't is he that reneweth the face of the earth , psal. . . or else the spring would lose her fresh complexion ; nay , and the face of heaven too , or else all the starry beauty-spots would drop off . what is all the goodness in the creature , unless supplied from the great original ? 't is but as water in a broken cistern , soon running out , and never to be gathered up again . what is all the truth in the creature but an impress made from his ideal truth ? the impress the creature can no more preserve in it self , than it could at first stamp it there . wherefore the will of god is that vas conservativum , which preserves and conteins all things within their beings and modes of being , or else they would immediately run into nullity . . preservation is but continuata creatio ; if creation had been natural , so must conservation have been too ; but seeing creation is voluntary , such also is conservation : hence the twenty four elders attribute both to god's pleasure ; for thy pleasure they are and were created , rev. . . they were by his creation , and are by his conservation , and both were and are for his pleasure . . whatsoever god preserves , he preserves rationally and for some end ; as he made all for himself , so he preserves all for himself . the heavens and the earth are by god's word kept in store , pet. . . his word , that is , his will is the great storier , which treasures up the world with all its furniture for its own ends ; god preserves all rationally , and by just consequence freely also . thus far of god's conservation ; but to procede . . god's gubernation is also to be considered by us . now here i shall touch on two things . . that god rules and governs all creatures and events . . that god doth it according to his decree . . god rules and governs all creatures and events ; he is king of kings , tim. . . his kingdom ruleth over all , psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wisd. . . he steers the ship of the world and all the passengers in it ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wisd. . . he orders the great house of the world and all the families of creatures therein . all the hosts of the universe are ruled by him : the spiritual world is ruled by him , the holy angels are still a doing of his will ; sometimes they are guarding the godly , sometimes destroying the wicked ; sometimes transporting souls to heaven , sometimes striving with devils ; but they are always beholding god's face , matth. . . waiting for his imperial command as their perpetual rule . these have a great share in turning about the wheels of the world ; when these stand still , the wheels stand also , when these go , the wheels go too ; but these go not one step of their own heads , but whither the spirit of god goes , they go , ezek. . . and when they go , they go straight on to the period of their work , and then they return , ver. . that is , to the face of god for a new commission , and till that come , they let down their wings , ver. . listening to his voice , and adoring at his footstool ; all that they do is subordinated to his pleasure . nay , not only the good angels , but the devils ( will they , nill they ) are subject unto him . they lost their obediential wings in their fall , and since that , he never trusts them to go without their chains . hence , without his divine sufferance , these , though princes of the air , cannot raise a storm , though gods of the world , cannot enter into a swine , though rulers of darkness , cannot inject a temptation ; indeed they would undermine the fathers election , cheat christ of his purchased possession , and murther all the new creatures made by the holy spirit ; but they cannot get off their chains , and when their chains are a little loosened , yet their actings fall under providence . an evil spirit troubled saul , but 't was from the lord as a righteous judge , sam. . . satan afflicted job , but 't was with a commission to try his graces ; the devil tempted christ , but 't was that he might succour the tempted , heb. . . which way soever satan turns himself , still he is under god , as the supreme moderator . but the spiritual world is not all , the material world is also under his dominions ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the wheel of nature is all turned about by his counsel ; the heavens with all their luminaries , rapid wheelings , spinnings of time , and hovering indulgent influences are under his ordinance , his immense hand spans them , isai. . . at once twirling them about with an indefatigable motion , and squeezing out their quickning influences into the lower world ; 't is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , matth. . . raises up the sun to rule the day , and the moon and stars to rule the night ; the air with all its meteors is at his command , he maketh the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth , psal. . . and forms them into clouds in an admirable and exact proportion , the airy and watery parts ballancing each other , job . . these are the bottles of heaven ; when he breaks a bottle , down comes a refreshing showre ; when he turns and tosses a bottle , 't is by his counsel , job . . the winds are all in god's hand , prov. . . and when he lets out any of them , 't is by weight , job . . just so much and no more , and 't is to fulfil his will , psal. . . and when one command is done , it returns by its circuits to execute another , eccl. . . thunder is god's majestick voice , and lightning his glittering arrow ; both are at his beck , and say to him , here we are , job . . the treasures of snow and hail he purses up in the clouds , and those pay them out again according to his pleasure . the stupendious sea is but a little babe in his almighty arms , clouds and darkness are its swadling-band , job . . and the hollow of the earth its cradle , there he rocks and rules it as he pleaseth ; if it cry and roar , he stills and rebukes it , till he lull it fast asleep in a calm . the vast earth is but instar puncti before him , at his command are all the living creatures ; the greedy ravens were caterers for elijah , untrained kine faithful carriers of the ark , the dumb ass a reprover to the prophet , clamorous dogs moved not their tongues at departing israel , laban's cattle change colour to pay jacob's wages , peter's fish brought tribute-money in his mouth ; and when proud pharaoh said , who is the lord ? an answer was sent him by wonderful hosts of frogs and flies , lice and locusts proclaiming the sovereignty of their great maker and master . in summ ; man is the epitome of all the rest , and in governing him god governs all ; man hath an inward principality of reason and will , yet still he is under the almighty and all-wise moderator , who rules and disposes the hearts of men as he pleaseth . 't was but his touch on their hearts , and saul had a band , sam. . . 't was but his turning the key in lydia's heart , and the gospel had entrance , acts . . titus went to the corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . a word importing high liberty , yet god put it into his heart , ver. . the king's heart ( and who can be freer than he ? ) is in the hand of the lord , as the rivers of waters he turneth it whither he will , prov. . . he turneth it whither he will , there is the sovereignty of providence ; yet he turneth it as the rivers of waters , there is the salving of humane liberty . for as when the husbandman leads the waters this and that way by channels and trenches , they lose nothing of their natural fluency ; so when god turns the hearts of men to such and such objects , they part with nothing of their natural liberty . god is infinitely greater than our hearts , wiser than our reason , and freer than our liberty ; therefore he is able and worthy to rule over us in our freest actions . lastly , as his gubernative providence is over all creatures , so 't is over all events , the greatest events are not above it . when kingdoms are tossed and bandied up and down like a tennis-ball , isai. . . not one event can fly out of the bounds of providence ; the smallest are not below it , not a sparrow falls to the ground without it , not a hair but 't is numbred by it ; he is maximus in minimis ; the most natural effects are but casual , till his free concourse makes them certain . the iron with all its gravity is not sure to sink , kings . . the fire with all its fury is not sure to burn , dan. . . the most casual effects are not casual to him ; when the lot is cast into the lap , the whole disposing thereof is of the lord , prov. . . when a bow was drawn at a venture , kings . . providence sent it as a certain messenger of death to the king of israel . thus far i have been surveying the hosts of creatures and events ; i now procede to demonstrate that god is the great and universal governour over them all : for . he hath an absolute authority over all ; his just title is king of kings and lord of lords ; all the sphere of nature and world of creatures was of his making ; he that ruled over nullity it self in their creation , is worthy to rule over all creatures by his providence : but ( because authority is liveless without presence ) therefore . his presence is every where ; creatures lie in the shell of time and place , angels have their definitive ubi ; the body of christ , which subsists in an infinite person , is circumscribed by a finite place ; but god is every where present , he is higher than heaven , deeper than hell , longer than time , and greater than place ; and who like him to be universal governour ? if he were only on the throne of heaven , how should the footstool of the earth be ordered ? if his hand only spanned the celestial spheres , what should the sea do ? but he is every where ; where-ever any creature is , there is i am supporting and governing it . but ( because power is the crown of presence ) therefore . he is almighty , the only potentate , tim. . . power belongs to him , nay , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eph. . . a pleonasm of power , such as can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eph. . . superexcessively above all thoughts of men . no wonder then if the omnipotent reign ; who should reign else ? he can call things that are not , rom. . . even a world of creatures out of the barren womb of nullity , and a church of new-creatures out of the dead womb of nature . he is a god doing wonders , exod. . . wonders to us , but none to himself ; for all things are easie to omnipotence ; his government can have no blemishes , because his power can have no obstacles . but ( because powers hands cannot be without wisdoms eyes ) therefore . he is infinite in wisdom to manage all . he is a god of knowledge , sam. . . seeing the thoughts afar off , even from the high arch of eternity . he hath treasures of wisdom , such as cannot be told over : sapientiae ejus non est numerus , psal. . . and who should rule but the only wise ? if we cast our eyes on the millions of creatures , angels above and men below , stars in heaven , and living creatures in earth and sea ; and all these pouring forth millions of acts , and falling under millions of events , & that from the morning to the evening of the world ; surely nothing less than an infinite understanding can comprehend all these , and reach à fine usque ad finem , wisd. . . if we ponder the beautiful timings , harmonious orders and sweet compaginations of things , the heavens hear the earth , the earth hears the corn and the wine and the oil , and these hear man , hos. . . surely it must be an all-wise artist who made these golden chains , and stands at the uppermost link ordering all . i will hear the heavens , saith he , or else all the creatures would turn a deaf ear to one another . he guides every wheel , in nature , and when there is a wheel within a wheel , never so much intricacy and crossness of motion , yet the wheels are full of eyes , ezek. . . directing them to their journeys end , and those eyes are always open to perpetuate that direction . st. austin derides the gods in the roman capitol , dii dormiebant , anseres vigilabant ; but divine providence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an eye that never slumbers nor sleeps ; his waky wisdom claims an universal government over all : but that which makes up his imperial crown is , . his perfect unity . his sovereign authority , glorious omnipresence , almighty power and infinite wisdom are his crown-jewels ; but that which completes and makes up all these into a crown is his unity ; he is unus , nay unicus , nay unissimus , his singularity cannot bear a compeer , nor his simplicity a compound ; if there were either of these , what would become of the government of the world ? suppose a compeer ; then one omnipresent might resist the other , one almighty counterwork the other , and one all-wise counterplot the other . suppose a compound ; then his power might go one way , his wisdom another , and his presence might withdraw from both . but now he being one god , one in singularity , so that there is none else , and one in simplicity , so that his presence , power and wisdom are but one essence in him , he and only he is worthy to govern all : omnis multitudo revocanda est ad unitatem , and perfect unity is no where to be found but in him alone . thus much for the first point ; but to go on . . god rules all according to his decree , he works all things according to the counsel of his own will , eph. . . he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and in earth , psal. . . that which escapes the pleasure of his will , must first fly out of the sphere of nature . now this i evince by these reasons . . all those rare jewels of his imperial crown , cemented in his perfect unity , do shew forth their lustre according to his will ; because his will put forth a world out of nothing , therefore doth his sovereign authority give laws to it , and his glorious omnipresence fill and cherish it , his infinite wisdom ministers to the making of his gubernative decree , and his almighty power ministers to the executing of it . there are infinite orders and congruities lying in wisdom's breast , but his will chuses out of them all what it pleaseth , and so makes up its decree ; there are infinite possibles within powers arms , but his power only exerts it self according to his decree : wherefore it is plain that god governs all according to his decree . . the various ways of government set forth the freedom of the governour ; all things are not ruled in the same way : matter is ruled by forms , bodies by spirits , inferiour bodies by celestial , the visible world by invisible angels , angels and spirits immediately by god himself . neither do the same things always keep the same track ; in joshua's time the glorious sun did make a stand ; in daniel's time the fire did not burn ; in elisha's time the iron swam , as if it had forgot its centre ; in moses's time the floating sea stood up as a rock , and the flinty rock flowed as a sea ; in christ's time oh ! what excesses of nature ! what actings by prerogative ! what epiphanies of divine glory ! how many wonderful ways did the divine will triumph over the order of nature , evidently demonstrating that the supreme order of all was in it self alone ? if the god of nature did govern naturally , all the wheels would move one way , and in one road ; wherefore the variety of motions doth display the liberty of the first mover or governour . . the government of all things is no other than the efficacious direction of them by congruous means to their supreme end , and that is done by the divine will alone ; the end of all is the manifestation of his glory , and this his will freely embraceth . i say , freely ; for the all-sufficient god was under no necessity to manifest himself , the congruous means are all of his own choice , and that out of the infinite mass of wisdom in himself ; and the efficacious direction of all by those means to that end is according to his decree . god had designed preferment to joseph , but first he lay bleeding under the murderous intentions of his brethren , then he was sold as a slave to the ishmaelites , afterwards he was wretchedly accused by his mistress , rashly imprisoned by his master , and ungratefully forgotten by the chief butler ; and yet after all these windings and turnings of providence , this is the worshipful sheaf , the ruler over egypt , and the wise preserver of jacob and all his posterity in the famine . there are millions of creatures which know not what an end means , but a divine intelligence conducts them thither ; millions of events casual , as to us , but the divine will hath fixed them ; millions of acts free , as to us , but the divine liberty is above them ; millions of confusions dark , as to us , but the divine decree orders them . in all god is alpha and omega , the first mover and the last end , the wise contriver and sure moderator of every thing for his own glory , according to the counsel of his own will. o thou divine will ! the tender nurse and sweet disposer of all , thou bearest up the pillars , and turnest about the wheels of the universe ; the guide of every creature to its journeys end is thy wise ordination , and the safe conduct of it thither is thy gracious preservation . the swiftest angel cannot fly out of thy dominions , and the poorest worm hath a safe abode within them . thou hast an eye in every wheel , an order in every ataxy , and a line in every confusion : without thee all beings would moulder into nothing ; congruous means prove vain abortions , and natures harmonies jangle into sad confusions . without thee the breath of the living is but a puff of vanity , the reason of the intelligent but a snuff in the socket , and the liberty of the free but a dead broken idol . shouldest thou but for one moment withdraw thy hand , oh ! what a tumbling cast would there be among the angels ? what a crack in the heavenly orbs ? what a chaos in the elements ? what a strange dooms-day by the blending of sun and sea , heaven and earth together ? thou , o divine will art all in all ; thy wisdom is a wakeful eye , thy power a supporting centre , thy presence a lively cherisher , thy authority a supreme law-giver , and thy pleasure an universal orderer to all the world. oh that there were such an heart in us as to eye thy wisdom in every wheel , own thy power in every preservation , awe thy presence in every place , acknowledge thy authority in every law , and submit to thy pleasure in every event ; always praying , fiat voluntas tua , which cannot be perfectly prayed sine infimâ humilitate & altissimâ charitate . chap. viii . of the work of redemption . i have now passed over the work of creation , with its appendices of conservation and gubernation ; but behold ! a greater than creation is here , stupendious redemption , the wonder of angels and envy of devils ; at which creation starts back and gives up its sabbath . i am come to the tree of life growing in paradise , hanging full of pardons and graces , and spreading forth a broad and indefective shadow of merits over sinful worms . i am now at the pure well of salvation springing out of the deity of the son of god , issuing through the bleeding wounds of his humanity , and filling every vessel of faith. i am now to open my eyes upon the most tremendous mystery that ever was ; god in the flesh , the brightness of glory under a veil , the fulness of the godhead tabernacling in dust , and a sun of infinite light and lustre cloathed in sack-cloth in his incarnation , and turned into blood in his passion . oh! for some illapses of that holy spirit which takes the things of christ and shews them in their spiritual glory . redemption may be thus described ; it is the procuring of freedom for a captive by a price paid by him who is to redeem , and accepted by him who is the supreme detainer in that behalf , that the captive may be delivered out of a state of captivity into a state of liberty according to the wills of the payer and receiver of that price . i say , it is the procuring freedom : actual freedom is the crowning issue of redemption ; but the procuring of freedom is an essential ingredient in it . hence christ is said to obtain eternal redemption for us , heb. . . 't is the procuring of freedom for a captive , free-men are not capable of it , but captives only ; and such are all men become by sin . they owed ten thousand talents to god as the great creditor , and traitor-like they rebelled against god as the great law-giver ; and for those debts and rebellions god as a righteous judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shut them up in the prison of wrath , rom. . . 't is the procuring of freedom for a captive by a price , not by mere power , but by a price : when it is procured by mere power , 't is but a naked deliverance ; but when it is procured by a price , then 't is a true proper redemption . hence in the evangelical charter we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a price , and that which issues from it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , true proper redemption . again , 't is the procuring of freedom for a captive by a price paid by him who is to redeem , and accepted by him who is the supreme detainer in that behalf ; for if it be not paid , 't is no price ; if it be not paid by him who is to redeem , he cannot be a redeemer ; the detainer must accept of it in that behalf , or else no freedom can be justly procured ; and the supreme detainer must accept of it , for not the jailor or fetters , which are but under-detainers , but the creditor & law-giver , who is the supreme detainer , must receive satisfaction , or else the captive cannot be justly released . and all these are couched together by the apostle ; christ gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to god for a sweet-smelling savour , eph. . . christ , there 's he who was to redeem ; gave himself an offering and a sacrifice , there 's the price paid down by him ; to god , there 's the supreme detainer : the jailor satan , and the fetters of guilt are but under-detainers , but god is the supreme and must have satisfaction ; and for a sweet-smelling savour , there 's the price accepted by god in that behalf . lastly , the end of all is , that the captive may be delivered out of a state of captivity into a state of liberty , according to the wills of the payer and receiver ; redemption moves towards the actual deliverance of the captive , as its proper centre ; and that actual deliverance comes forth according to the wills of the payer and receiver , as its rule and measure . if their wills be , that upon the very payment and acceptance of the price the captive should be ipso facto delivered , then he is delivered without any more adoe ; but if their wills be , that the captive should be delivered but upon certain conditions to be by him first performed , then he is not delivered till after the performance thereof . thus the redemption wrought by christ moves towards the actual deliverance of sinful captives , and that actual deliverance , according to the will of the father and the son , comes forth not immediately upon the payment and acceptance of the price , but upon faith and repentance , which are the terms of the gospel . hence the apostles testified repentance towards god and faith towards our lord jesus christ , acts . . hence also those expressions of propitiation through faith in his blood , rom. . . and of receiving the atonement , rom. . . which with many more shew us the terms , upon which actual deliverance comes forth into being . now in this discourse of redemption i shall gather up all under four heads . . the captive . . the captivity . . the redeemer . . the price . . the captive is fallen man ; and here two things are considerable . . man fallen in opposition to man standing . . man fallen in opposition to fallen angels . . man fallen in opposition to man standing ; man as he came out of his makers hands was a spotless creature , his mind a pure lamp of knowledge , his will a throne for the holy one , his heart a sanctuary of all graces , his affections all in harmony with the rational faculties , the image of god sparkling within him , and the favour of god sunning him round about . here all was freedom , no chain but that of graces , no bands but cords of love , no prison but a paradise , no captive but the lord's free-man ; the least drop of wrath could not fall on him here . but alas ! how soon was this star shot ! man turned from god , and god departed from man , and instantly the captive appeared all in chains of sin and wrath ; his lamp went out in obscure darkness , satan ascended up into the throne , the fire of lust rose up in the sanctuary , the affections were all in a mutiny against the upper powers , and the whole man became a prisoner under sin and wrath ; and all this because he left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his original state of rectitude and holiness . . man fallen in opposition to fallen angels : when man ( though but an earthen pitcher ) fell from god , the whole trinity seemed to be moved at it ; the bowels of the father yearned over him , and as not content with inward compassions , grace breaks out at the lips of the son , unto you , o men , do i call , saith the eternal word , prov. . . and ( because words , such as made a world , could not do it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . he catches hold of the humane nature , and rather than fail , he would live and bleed and die in it for our redemption : and lest after all this man should not catch hold of his own salvation , out comes the holy spirit to make sure work of it in an application of it unto us . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith st. chrysostome . when mankind fled , and fled far from christ , he pursued and caught hold of it : but when those vessels of gold , the angels , dropt out of heaven , there was no such matter ; the father's bowels ( though of immense largeness ) were shut up , not a thought of mercy rose in his heart towards them ; the son's lips , which drop sweet smelling myrrh unto men , let fall never a syllable of comfort unto them , he saw them tumbling down from heaven , yet caught not hold of them : the holy spirit would not stir a foot to recover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , their original rectitude for them again , that so they might be capable of staying in the holy heavens , but down they must into chains of darkness , such as for ever shut out every glimpse of mercy . but why a philanthropy rather than a philangely ? why a redemption for men and not for devils ? here men give their conjectures . man ( say some ) sinned by seduction , but devils by self-motion : in the fall of men ( say others ) all the humane nature fell , but in the fall of angels all the angelical nature fell not . others alledge that the sin of angels was more damnable than man's , because their nature was more sublime than his . others yet affirm , that men are capable of repentance , but devils not , because whatever they once choose , they do immobiliter velle ; the devil sinneth from the beginning , joh. . . 't is not said , he sinned , but he sinneth ; because from his first apostasie he sinneth on uncessantly . but alas ! who can limit the holy one ? might not his boundless mercy have saved the selftempted devils ? what if his devouring justice had broke out against devil-seduced men , nay , against all the race of men ? who should accuse him for the nations that perish , which he hath made and sin hath marred , wisd. . ? could not the blood of god have washed out the blackest spots of fallen angels ? was not the almighty spirit of grace able to melt a devil into repentance ? had we poor worms been to dispute with the devil about the body of christ , as michael did with him about the body of moses , o how easily would he have reasoned us out of our redeemer ! what ( would he have said ) shall the tender bowels of god be let down to you on earth and restrained to us in heaven ? will the all-wise god repair his clay-images in the dunghil of the lower world , and neglect his fairer pictures once hung up in his own palace of glory ? may not the son of god be a redeemer at an easier rate , without stepping a foot out of his fathers house , and will he travel down so far as an incarnation ? how much better were it for him to spot himself with an assumed cherubin , than to take flesh into his glorious person ? but the great god hath neither given angels a day to plead for a redeemer , nor man a licence to pry into his ark. wonder then , o man , at this astonishing difference made by the divine will alone . angels must be damned and men may be saved ; golden vessels are irreparably broken , and earthen pots are set together again ; inmates of glory drop to hell , and dust and ashes fly up to heaven . when i consider thy heavens and the stars glistering there , lord , what is man that thou mindest him , psal. . ? but when i consider thy heaven of heavens , and thy angels dropping from thence into utter darkness , lord ! what is man that thou savest him ? misericordiâ domini plena est terra ; quare non dictum est , plenum est coelum ? quia sunt spirituales nequitiae in coelestibus , sed non illae ad commune jus indulgentiae dei , remissionémque peccatorum pertinent , as holy ambrose expresses it . even so gracious father , because so it seemeth good in thy sight . thus having found the right captive i pass on . to the captivity ; and this i shall set out in three things . . the chains . . the prison . . the jailor . as for the first , i shall first touch upon the chains themselves , and then upon the distinct links thereof . . the chains themselves are no other than original and actual sin. . original sin is a very heavy chain ; and here i shall view . the upper end of this chain , i mean , that first sin of eating the forbidden fruit , called in the schools peccatum originale originans : here there was truly magnum in parvo , a vast world of sin in a small act. there was an idol of self-excellency a framing , and to adorn it , a concupiscential stealth of the forbidden fruit ; and in this stealth a bloody homicide , a slaying of all humane nature at one blow ; and which is more , a kind of deicide too , a slaying ( as much as in man lay ) even of god himself ; the pride of this primordial sin snatching at god's excellency , the unbelief stabbing at his truth , the rebellion fighting against his sovereignty , the ingratitude trampling his goodness under foot , and the presumption as it were daring out his justice into warlike arms ; and all this contra praeceptum tam breve ad retinendum , tam leve ad observandum . this is the upper end of this chain , and it reaches down to us all ; for in him we all sinned , rom. . . the sweetest bonaventure cannot say , in adamo non peccavi : for adam was not here considered as a private person , but as the root and head of mankind ; adam's person was the fountain of ours , and his will the representative of ours ; we were all in him naturally as latent in his loins , and legally too as comprized within the covenant made with him ; therefore we all sinned in his sin. omnes nos unus ille adam , saith one father ; genus humanum in primo parente velut in radice computruit , saith another . but that of nazianzen is fullest of spiritual sence , who cries out , o infirmitatem meam ! meā enim duco primi parentis infirmitatem . if any reply , but how could we sin in adam ? i answer , that our humane nature was in him , and why might it not sin there ? you 'l say , it could not for want of a will ; i answer , that our wills were put into adam's by that covenant which was made with him for himself and all his posterity . if one man may put his will into another man's will in a comprimise , why may not god ( who is more lord of our wills than our selves ) put all our wills into adam's by a covenant ? and here god did it with abundant equity , because our wills were put into adam's as well for the obteining blessedness upon his obedience , as for the incurring punishment upon his disobedience . . the lower end of this chain , the universal depravation of nature , called peccatum originale originatum ; this hangs upon the former , all habitual sin hath an essential relation to some actual sin precedent . 't is impossible that one should be a sinner habitually , who in no kind sinned actually . if adam had not sinned actually , he had never been habitually vitiated ; nay , if we had not sinned in his sin , we had never been so . this original depravation is the sinning sin , the body of sin , a body in our souls , flesh in our spirits , a nail on our eyes , a plague in our hearts , and a root of bitterness in our whole nature ; this turns our minds into dungeons of darkness , our wills into gulfs of sin , our memories into leaking vessels , our fancies into forges of vanity , our affections into chambers of imagery , our members into weapons of unrighteousness , and our whole man into a man of sin ; insomuch that to be carnal is to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cor. . . when we are formed in the womb , this chain lies upon us , even in primo ardore , in the first warmth of natural conception , psal. . . and when christ is formed in our hearts , this chain presses so hard upon the spiritual embryo , that as soon as ever it begins to live , it falls a sighing and groaning with tears , oh! my hard heart ! oh! my unbelieving heart ! oh! my carnal sensual heart ! oh wretched man that i am , who shall deliver me from this body of death ? rom. . . nay , the very philosophers themselves ( who never kenned so far as the top of this chain , i mean adam's sin ) yet seem to feel the weight of it : wherefore sometimes they complain of a sepulchrum corporis , as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a grave to the soul ; and sometimes they cry out of a defluvium pennarum , as if the soul had lost her wings . whither also may be referred the trismegists indumentum inscitiae , pravitatis fundamentum , corruptionis vinculum , velamen opacum ; with many such like expressions touching the weight and pressure of this chain , involving men in a horrid slavery and captivity . . besides the chain of original sin , there is that of actual ; the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , joh. . . lies in wickedness , as a slave in his chains . oh! the open profaneness , secret hypocrisies , spiritual wickednesses , carnal pollutions , daring presumptions , faultring infirmities ; impieties against god , unrighteousness against men , vast armies and hosts of sin which cover the world. as original sin turns man into a man of sin ; so actual sin turn the world into a world of sin. this is a long chain reaching from adam's fall to the worlds period , and from first to last enwrapping captives all along . . the links of the chains are considerable , and those are three great ones . . the first link is macula peccati , the stain of sin ; this is the filth of the chain , a brand of deformity on the naked captive god is the beauty of holiness , and there is no turning from him without a blot : god is a sun of infinite light , and there is no holding up our hands against him without casting a dark shadow on our faces . every sin is a filthiness ; if it be a brutish lust , 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , filthiness of flesh ; if a spiritual wickedness , 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , filthiness of spirit , as the apostle distinguisheth , cor. . . nay , that which is filthiness of flesh in the external commission of the act , is yet filthiness of spirit in the internal commaculation of the soul. the wicked cast out mire and dirt , and the more they cast out in the transient acts of sin , the more there is within in the abiding spot of it . when the act of sin is passed and gone , the spot and stain thereof stays behind , and denominates us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , children of disobedience . . the second link is reatus peccati , the guilt of sin , a dreadful link chaining the naked captive to divine wrath , fastened within him by the desert of sin , and bound upon him by the justice of god ; and hence he becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a child of wrath . no sooner doth he turn from god as his law-giver , but he meets him as his judge , and that in the face ; the face of the lord is against them that do evil . whilest he flies extra ordinem praecepti , hee falls intra ordinem justitiae , the wages of sin is death . . the third link is regnum peccati , the reign of sin , sin is an absolute tyrant over us ; his laws are all writ in letters of blood , his strong holds are in our very reasons , cor. . , . his throne is in our wills , his winged chariot in our affections , his weapons in our earthly members ; and our whole man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the slave of sin , joh. . . . the next thing in the captivity is the prison , and that is the wrath of god : but here we must distinguish the walls from the dungeon , the walls are very strong and dreadful , infinite justice and holiness are the flaming cherubims that guard them ; and the hand-writing upon them is , a curse to the sinner and woe to the worker of iniquity . the poor captive ( as long as his chains are unbroken ) lies within these walls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , under the judgment of god , rom. . . wrath abides upon him , joh. . . a sad state. nevertheless , whilest but here , he is a prisoner of hope , a captive capable of redemption . the dungeon is hell it self , a place of darkness , a gulf of unquenchable fire , a bottomless pit of perdition , into which impenitent sinners are still a sinking deeper and deeper , without any hope of ascending out of it ; when the captive is once here , the utmost farthing will be exacted of him . . the last thing in the captivity is the jaylor , even satan , and he doth three things . . he takes the captive into his custody , the natural man's heart becomes his palace , and every room in it is full of hellish furniture ; not the turret of reason , nay , not the reliques of the divine image left free , but have ( as a learned bishop speaks ) habitatorem diabolum ; and it appears that a proud devil dwells under the same roof , because men seek to be justified thereby . . he keeps on the captive's chains , he sooths up the old man , as if there were no such thing as a new-creature , and flatters the earthly members as if there were no such place as heaven ; he blows up the miserable captive into proud reflexes , as if he had reason enough to span all mysteries , and will enough to teem all graces out of the dead womb of nature . he stands at the right hand of original corruption , brooding and fly-blowing corrupt nature into concupiscences , concupiscences into acts , acts by iteration into habits and customs , which are a second corrupt nature ; and all this while he keeps the house in peace , that the captive may sleep on in his chains . and if the chains rattle too much in crying scandals , he lines them with some moralities ; if legal convictions make them too hot , he sprinkles and cools them with some presumptions of mercy ; if they be weighty and pressing upon conscience , he lightens them with some forms of godliness ; if after all this the captive will yet awake , he shall ( if satan can do it ) dives-like open his eyes in torments , and desperation shall swallow him up for ever . he works all manner of ways in men , that he may keep on their chains , and add one link of filth and guilt to another . . he keeps the captive ( as much as in him lies ) within the walls of the prison . oh! what serpentine windings ! what circumventing methods ! what untraceable depths ! what lying promises ! what shews of happiness doth he use to keep them there ! he is well content to allow the ambitious one his pinacles of honour , the covetous his bags of mammon , the voluptuous his paradise of carnal pleasures , the curious his fine-spun cobwebs of school-notions , every captive his peceatum in deliciis , his beloved corruption , so as they will but stay where they are , in a state of wrath. . having seen the captive and captivity , let us pass on to consider the redeemer ; and here i would first premise that no creature could redeem us out of this captivity . sin is an infinite evil , objectively infinite ; 't is a fighting against an infinite majesty , a striving against infinite sovereignty , an enmity to infinite holiness , a provocation to infinite justice , a deicidium , a striking at the very life and being of god ; god hath no other opposite but sin , and were it possible that the least drop of it could get into him , he would instantly cease to be god ; and now where shall god have satisfaction for such an evil as this ? shall the brutal world be a sacrifice for the rational ? alas ! the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin . can the captive do ought in it ? can he wear off his chains with repentant tears , or work them off with after-holiness ? alas ! the captive is in love with his chains , and therefore at a vast distance from repentance and holiness . but if he had both , doubtless those repentant tears would be black or salt in some measure , and therefore want a laver ; that holiness in comparison of spotless perfection would be but as a filthy rag , and therefore want a cover . but suppose he had such tears as are the pure blood of a filial heart without any blackness or saltness in them , and such holiness as is pure linnen , fine and white without any spot in it ; yet all this must be of free grace and nothing of his own , and then how can he who sins ex proprio , satisfie ex alieno ? but admit that these graces were his own too ; yet how can finite graces satisfie for an infinite evil ? there is no proportion at all between finite and infinite . but you 'l say , sin is infinite objectively , and so are repentance and holiness too ; therefore they may satisfie for sin. i answer ; the difference is vast , for sin is measured by the object , and therefore being against an infinite god is in a sort infinite ; but satisfaction is measured by the subject , and therefore repentance and holiness being subjectively finite cannot satisfie for sin. but you 'l yet reply , these graces flow from an infinite spirit , and therefore may satisfie for sin. i answer ; this is the grand disproportion between those works which christ works for us as a surety , and those works which the spirit works in us as a sanctifier : in the first there is god and man in one person , and therefore they are of an infinite dignity ; but not so in the second , and therefore they are but of a finite value . the forlorn captive can by no means help himself , and what shall he do ? shall he pray in aid of the holy angels ? but o! what trembling fits would there be in them ? what paleness in the cherubims at such a task ? but suppose they could all be induced to become a sacrifice for us , would the holy one open his eyes upon such a satisfaction ? but if he did , what would become of them ? how soon would our debts empty all their coffers , and god's wrath break all their backs , and who should redeem these redeemers ? therefore every creature must say , 't is not in me to redeem . this premised , the redeemer is the lord jesus christ , the true immanuel , the word made flesh , the man god's fellow , the great trismegist , a royal priest , priestly prophet , and prophetical king all in one ; a priest upon his throne , a couquerour on his cross , a healer by his wounds . oh! could we see his glory , his head is a fountain of holy oil , his hairs woolly with eternity , his eyes flaming with omniscience , his feet brassed with invincible power , his robe of righteousness as long and broad as the law , his girdle of truth all of pure gold , his heart graven with the names of saints , and his tender bowels shewing themselves through his bleeding wounds . this is the saviour of the world , and redeemer of man , this is he ; and he hath a threefold right to be so . . jus proprietatis , as god. . jus idoneitatis , as the son of god. . jus conjunctionis , as man , as a surety for men , and as a head to his church . . jus proprietatis , as god , who should redeem a creature but the true owner ? and who is he but god the creator ? ovem perditam quis requirit , ( says tertullian ) nonne qui perdidit ? quis autem perdidit , nonne qui habuit ? quis autem habuit , nonne cujus fuit ? homo non alterius res est quàm creatoris . he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , truly a saviour ( as the expression is , joh. . . ) must be god indeed . should one mere creature redeem another , he should ipso facto pluck away a creature from his creator , inasmuch as redemption is a greater tie than creation . now jesus christ , who came to redeem us , is very god , not a metaphorical but the true god , joh. . . not a petty , but the great god , tit. . . not an under subordinate god , but over all god blessed for ever , rom. . . not a god by office , but a jehovah , jer. . . a god by nature ; though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as to his subsistence , yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as to his essence . gods name is in him , exod. . . one great letter of that name is eternity , and his going forth was from everlasting , mic. . . another is immutability , and he is yesterday , to day and for ever the same , heb. . . another is omniscience , and he knoweth all things , joh. . . another is omnipotence , and he hath all the power in heaven and earth , matth. . . another is immortality , and he hath life in himself , joh. . . another is immensity , and he whilest on earth was in heaven , joh. . . and though long since ascended to heaven , is still on earth , matth. . . all these golden letters are graven on the godhead , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all the fulness of the godhead dwells in him , col. . . all these shed forth a divine glory and majesty , & he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the brightness of divine glory , heb. . . and what need we any more witnesses of his deity ? his name is wonderful , isai. . . far above all creatures ; his generation is unutterable , being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the proper son of the father , rom. . . not as creatures made ex nihilo , but as a proper son begotten out of his very substance ; his standing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the essential form of god , the very divine nature , phil. . . and his special ubi there is the fathers bosom , joh. . . and from thence together with him he breathes forth the holy ghost . his works are divine and all one with the fathers , joh. . . he sat in counsel with him in framing his eternal decrees , and since wrought with him in making first a world of creatures and then a church of saints ; and still he works with him in the preservation and gubernation of both . lastly , his two testaments ( which face each other as the cherubims upon the ark ) by their sweet glances and respective aspects upon each other do disclose his deity . for in the old testament 't is said , that jehovah brought israel out of egypt , exod. . . in the new testament 't is said , that christ did it , jude . and . ver. in the old jehovah circumcises the heart , deut. . . in the new christ doth it , col. . . in the old jehovah poured out the spirit , joel . . in the new christ , acts . . in the old every knee bowes to jehovah , isai. . . in the new to christ , rom. . . in the old miracles were done in jehovah's name , kings . . in the new in christ's , acts . . in the old jehovah is the first and the last , isai. . . in the new christ is alpha and omega , revel . . . in the old there is deus absconditus , isai. . . in the new deus manifestatus in carne , tim. . . all which do most pregnantly prove the deity of christ unto us . nevertheless proud reason will be babling , how can the father beget the son ex propriâ substantiâ ? can any part of the divine essence be discinded in such a generation ? or if not , can the whole be given to the son ? and if so , how is it retained to the father ? i answer ; the father gave unto the son the whole essence , non alienatione sed communicatione , non generatione emanante , sed immanente ; the father so begets the son , as that he still possesses him , prov. . . the son so goes forth from the father as that he still abides in him ; his eternal egress , micah . . is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not by defluxion , but immansion , i am in the father and the father in me , saith christ , joh. . . indeed if we speak accurately , the father begets the son out of himself rather in essentiâ divinâ , than ex essentiâ divinâ . hence the entire essence is in the father ; and the entire essence is in the son too ; and what if it could not be thus in a finite essence ? yet why may it not be so in an infinite ? what if reason cannot fathom it ? must therefore faith reject it ? i conclude then , that christ is very god , and as god hath a right to redeem us his creatures . . jus idoneitatis , as the son of god , he was most fit to be our redeemer ; what can be more perfectly congruous than reconciliation by god's beloved one , adoption by his natural son , reparation of his gracious image by his substantial , a shine of favour by the brightness of his glory , beams of light by his wisdom , restitution of life by the prince of life , and mediation between god and man by the middle person in the sacred trinity ? there be three great goings forth of god , into which all others may be resolved ; the first is that fundamental one of creation , and upon sins entry , which is but an apostasie from creation , in comes the second , viz. redemption , and out of this as out of a fountain flows the third , and that is sanctification ; these hang in order one upon another . unless there had been a creature , and that apostate , there had been no place for redemption ; and unless there had been a redemption , there had been no room for sanctification ; for god would never have reimplanted his image of holiness in a creature left under the eternal stroke of his justice , nor have plucked away the spot of sin there , where the guilt of sin is left behind . now albeit it is a most sure rule , that opera trinitatis ad extrà sunt indivisa , yet among divines creation is in a sort peculiarized to the father as the first , redemption to the son as the second , and sanctification to the spirit as the third person in the glorious trinity . thus in these three goings forth of god , each person in the trinity hath his special shine , and that in the very order of his subsistence ; wherefore it was very congruous that the son , of all the persons in the trinity , should be out redeemer . . jus conjunctionis ; he that redeems a captive must be persona conjunct a with him , and so was christ with us in a threefold respect . . conjunctione naturali , he was our goel , isai. . . that is , our next kinsman by his incarnation , and our redeemer by his passion ; he assumed our nature into himself that he might redeem us ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the great god a sucking child ; regens sydera , yet sugens ubera , he that ruled the stars sucked the breasts . the word was made flesh , joh. . . and a strange making it was ; all other creations are ( as it were ) extra deum , but here was a creation in the very person of god. the glorious trinity in the very instant of drawing the humane nature exnihilo interweaved it with the person of the son , so that it never was any where but there ; all other creations stand under the roof of providence and preservation , but here the humane nature is an inmate in the very same person with the divine : all other creatures have their proper sutable seats and ubi's in the sphere of nature , but here 's the sackcloth of an humane body cast upon , and the rush-candle of a reasonable soul lighted up in the sun it self . the glorious son of god espoused flesh and blood , and the bride-chamber ( where the knot was tied ) was the virgins womb ; there was he made of a woman , consubstantial with us as to his humanity , who was consubstantial with the father as to his divinity . o how great is this mystery , god manifest in the flesh ! o domine ! quàm admirabile nomen tuum ! non modò mundi hujus staturam admiror , non stabilitatem terrae , non lunae defectum & incrementum , non solem semper integrum & laborem ejus perpetuum : miror deum in utero virginis , miror omnipotentem in cunabulis , miror quomodo verbo dei caro adhaeserit , quomodo incorporeus deus corporis nostri tegumentum induerit ; in caeteris aliquae satisfaciant rationes , hîc solus me complectitur stupor . god never came so near to us as in this wonderful conjunction . in the creatures we see god above us , in the law we see god against us ; but here we see immanuel , god with us : he is one with us by a natural conjunction , but that 's not all ; for being in our nature he became one with us . conjunctione legali , he was our sponsor or surety , and so in law one person with us ; his stile is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , surety of the covenant , heb. . . and the covenant being mutual on both parts , from god to man and from man to god , he is in both respects a surety of it ; a surety on god's part that his promises should be performed to us , and a surety on our parts that our debts should be paid to god. we were double debtors to god ; as rational creatures we owed perfect obedience , and as sinful creatures we owed eternal sufferings ; the first is a debt to god's holiness , and the second to his justice . now jesus christ was our surety for both , a surety to fulfil all righteousness for us , and the fidejussorial bond which he gave for this was his circumcision ; for he had no sinful flesh to be cut off , but would become a debtor to the whole law for us ; and in circumcision he signed security for it with his own blood : and also a surety to take our sins on him . hence the righteous god ( who cannot but judge according to truth ) charged our iniquities upon him , isai. . . and he as our surety accepted the charge , and those words , my sins are not hid from thee , psal. . . are ( as st. jorom thinks ) spoken ex personâ christi , for he was though not commissor , yet susceptor delictorum ; our flesh and blood was taken into his divine person , and our sins ( which could by no means enter in there ) were yet cast upon him , and being cast upon him , god exacted satisfaction of him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was exacted and he answered , isai. . . satisfaction was exacted from him as our surety , and he answered for us ; and what was his answer ? why , i 'le lay down my life , i 'le pour out my soul , saith he ; let all the wrath due to those sins be squeezed into one cup and i 'le drink it up to the bottom ; let the fire of god's anger drop down from heaven , and i 'le be the paschal lamb roasted in it . thus jesus christ was a surety , nay , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the noblest of sureties , putting his soul in our souls stead , to bear our sins and god's wrath ; and for this very purpose was he one with us in nature that he might be one with us in law too . but neither is this all , for both these conjunctions are crowned with a third , and so he is one with us . conjunctione mysticâ , christ is the head , and the church is the body , and both together make up one mystical christ , cor. . . the head in heaven , and the body on earth ; and the spiritual continuity between both is one and the same holy spirit , which is on the head without measure , and on the members according to measure . if the jew ask us where is christ ? we can truly answer , he is at the right hand of god in heaven ; and on earth , loc here is christ and there is christ living and breathing in his saints ; every saint is a piece of him , and all together are his fulness , eph. . . so that he doth not count himself complete without them . this conjunction is so near and full of spiritual sense , that a poor member cannot suffer on earth , but instantly the head in heaven cries out of persecution , acts . . and even the suffering member reckons himself sitting in heaven , as long as his head is there , eph. . . thus our redeemer comes very near unto us in a threefold conjunction , and in each conjunction there is a rare condescention . in the first he came down into our natures by a stupendious incarnation , in the second he came down into our hell by a fidejussorial passion , in the third he comes down into our hearts by the spirits inhabitation ; the first opens a way to the second , the second is the purchase of the third , and the third , as in design , was a motive to , and , as in existence , is a crown upon the work of redemption . . having considered the redeemer , i pass on to the price ; and here i shall reduce all to three questions . . what this price is ? . what manner of price it is ? . for whom it was paid ? . what this price is ? and this is the humane nature of christ , as subjected to the law. when the son of god came forth to redeem us , he was made of a woman , made under the law , to redeem us that were under the law , gal. . , . made of a woman , there 's his humane nature ; made under the law , there 's his subjection to the law , and the end of all is our redemption : christ through the eternal spirit offered up himself to god , heb. . . and that in a way fully answering the demands of the law. the law demanded of the captives two things ; perfect obedience from them as rational creatures , and penal suffering from them as sinful creatures ; and christ gave up his humane nature a price both ways , in doing and in suffering ; he gave himself , that is , his humane nature for us an offering and a sacrifice , eph. . . an offering in his active obedience , and a sacrifice in his passive , and both these together were the entire price of our redemption . . christ gave up himself in his active obedience . that holy thing , his humane nature , as soon as it came out into the world , fell a breathing forth of holiness , burning with zeal for god , melting in compassions over men , bowing it self down in miraculous humility , and in a rape of love doing all the will of god , even to the last gasp upon the cross. his thoughts were all births of holiness , his words oracles of truth , his works a fulfilling all righteousness , and his meat and drink was to do his father's will : he ascended up to the top or pinacle of the moral law in the sweetest strains of love , and fetched about the breadth or vast compass of it in the largeness of his obedience , and passed down to the very hemm or border of it in the lowness of his humility . rather than fail , he would be subject to his own creature , luk. . . pay tribute to his own subject , matth. . . and wash his disciples feet with those very hands which had all the power in heaven and earth in them , joh. . , , . nay , he stooped down as low as the fringe of the ceremonial law ; his sinless flesh was circumcised , luke . . his holy mother purified , luk. . . the true passeover kept the typical one , matth. . , . and so obedientially stood under his own shadow . in every respect he was obedient unto death : his obedience was a fair commentary on the whole law , written in glorious characters of holiness and righteousness all his life long , and at his death clasped and sealed up with his precious blood. thus the mandatory part of the law was answered ; now for the minatory . . he gave up himself in his passive obedience , he was in some sence crucifyed in the womb , in that he was made of his creature ; and coming forth into the world , all his life was a perpetual passion . the gospel shews us the immense god in swadling clouts , the builder of all things working as a carpenter , the holy one hurried up and down by a tempting devil , the filler of all things hungry , the fountain of living water thirsty , the power of god weary , the eternal joy of the father weeping , the owner of all things extreme poor ; and not knowing where to lay his head in his own world . thus as a man of sorrows he passes on towards his cross ; one of his own apostles betraying him , another denying him , the rest forsaking him , the chief priests bloodily conspiring against him , false witnesses unjustly accusing him , the tumultuous rabble crying out , crucify , crucify , and pilate first confessing his innocency , and then condemning his person . and now arriving at his cross , sorrows break in upon every part , his head raked with thorns , his face besmeared with spittle , his eyes afflicted with the tears of friends , his ears filled with the blasphemies of enemies , his lips of grace wet with vinegar and gall , his hands and feet nailed to the cross , and his sacred body hanging between thieves , racked and tortured to death in a golgotha of stench and rottenness . but all this is but the outside of his passion ; at the same time hell was let loose , and from thence the devils as so many roaring lyons came with open mouth to devour him , and ( which is much more ) heaven thundred over his head , and the righteous god , as angry as our sins could make him , fell a smiting of him , isai. . . and smote him in his soul too , verse . and with smiting wounded and bruised him , verse . the smart and anguish whereof was so great that he was afraid , hebr : . . and his fear was so high , that he began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to faint away , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be sore amazed , mark . . and in this amazement , the eclipse was so dark , that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surrounded with sorrows even unto death , verse . and in this spiritual siege , he falls a praying , father if it be possible , let this cup pass from me , nevertheless not as i will , but as thou wilt , matth. . . and in prayer he sinks into an agnony . his soul became like that poor ship , that fell into a place where two seas met , the fore-part sticking fast , and remaining unmoveable , and the hinder-part broken with the violence of the waves , acts . . even so here were two seas met , a sea of wrath storming against him as our surety , and a sea of love breathing in him after our redemption : his humane will as nature shrunk at the sense of gods wrath , but as reason it stedfastly pointed at the work of our salvation . redemption stood fast and unmoveable in his heart , yet the same heart ( though without the least spot of sinful contrariety ) was broken with the waves of amazing horrors , and so dreadful was this agony , that it cast this grand heroe ( the strength of all the martyrs ) into a bloody sweat , there fell from him great drops of blood , luke . . the sins of the world ascending up as a vast cloud before gods tribunal , now came dashing down upon him in an horrible tempest of incomprehensible wrath , and this makes him cry , nay ( as the psalmist hath it psal. . . ) roar out upon the cross , my god! my god! why hast thou forsaken me ? mat. . . one would have thought at the first blush , that the humane nature had been dropt out of his divine person ; but though that were not , yet the sense of gods favour was for a time suspended from his humane nature . never was sorrow like to his sorrow . in all the legal sacrifices there was destructio rei oblatae , and all those destructions were summed up in his sufferings . as the corn he was bruised , as the wine and oil poured out , as the lamb slain and rosted in the fire of gods wrath , and as the scape-goat driven into the dismal wilderness of desertion . he did as it were sport in creation ▪ but in redemption he sweats , suffers , bleeds and dyes . now his humane nature thus made under the law , both in his active and passive obedience , is the complete and integral price of our redemption ; i say , both in his active and passive obedience , for these were not sundred either in existence or merit . . not in existence ; for there was passion in his actions , and action in his passions : from first to last , his obedience was with suffering , and his suffering with obedience . there was passion in his actions ; 't was a great suffering for the great law-giver to be under the law , for the lord of the sabbath to observe it . the noblest and purest piece of the law is the knowing and loving of god , and yet even in that there was a great suffering ; for he who eternally knew the father in an infinity of light , now knew him as it were by candle-light in a finite reason ; he who eternally embraced the father in an infinity of love , now loved him in the narrow compass of a finite will ; and therefore even in these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself as the apostle speaks , phil. . . and on the other side , there was action in his passion ; his passions were with knowledge , he shut not his eyes when he drunk off the cup of wrath ; his passions were free-will offerings , loe i come , saith he , to do thy will o god , hebr. . . gods will was , that he should suffer , and his will runs before , and as it it were anticipates his sufferings , loe , i come : nay , in his passage he breaks out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , how am i straitned till it be accomplished ? luke . . he was as it were in pangs of forward obedience to be baptized in his own blood , and posted on towards an agony of wrath in an agony of love ; and when he arrived at his extremest sufferings , his signal willingness turned his suffering into doing , and his cross into a triumphant chariot , he triumphed in it , saith the apostle , col. . . even there his obedience and love rode in triumph ; triumphant obedience spread out his hands upon the cross , and triumphant love opened his naked heart to the wrath of god. his soul was not snatched away but poured out , isai. . . his life was not meerly taken away , but laid down , joh. . . he was willing to be forsaken of god himself for a time , that thereby he might fulfil the will of god ; and before the fire of gods wrath could fall on him , he was all in a flame with his own love . thus the active and passive obedience of christ were not severed in their existence ; but like his seamless coat were interwoven from the top throughout even to his last gasp upon the cross. . neither were these severed in merit ; christ is not so to be divided as if his sufferings apart by themselves were the price of remission , and his righteousness apart by it self the price of glory . if the active obedience of christ apart make us perfectly righteous , where is the glory of the passive ? if the passive obedience of christ apart purchase all for us , where is the glory of the active ? but if both together make up the total sum , the glory of both is preserved . our redeemer was made under the law that he might redeem us ; now as he was under the whole law as to the command , and as to the curse of it , so his active and passive obedience adequately answering both , is the entire price of our redemption . but here i am obviated by objections . . saith the socinian , there is no price at all . . say some of our divines , the passive obedience of christ is all the price ▪ and the active no part at all of it . as to the first , i shall not need spend many words about it , because the scripture is so pregnant in it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye are bought with a price saith s. paul , cor. . . and this price ( as s. peter tells us ) is not corruptible things as silver and gold , but the precious blood of christ , pet. . , . a transcendent price able to purchase as much , nay far more in the spiritual world , than silver and gold can in the material ; and 't is not meerly a price of emption , but of redemption : christ gave his life , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a price of redemption , matth. . . and which is more emphatical , he gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a counterprice of redemption , tim. . . doing and suffering in the room of poor captives ; and this price was paid into the right hand , viz. into gods , eph. . . and hence issues out , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper redemption , the prison doors are opened ▪ and the poor captives may go out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free indeed , john . . that then there is a price is as clear in scripture , as if it were written with a sun-beam ; but yet the socinian shuts his eyes , and cryes out , all is but a metaphor . god redeemed ( saith he ) israel out of egypt , and moses is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acts . . and yet there was no price at all paid . but alas ! that ever such vain consequences should drop from the masters of reason ; redemption in some scriptures is metaphorical , therefore 't is so in all ; moses was but a naked deliverer , therefore christ is not a proper redeemer ; moses's redemption was a redemption by power only , therefore chists redemption is no redemption by price ; redemption out of the hands of an unjust pharaoh was without price , therefore redemption out of the hands of a righteous god was so too . but on the other side how cogent is the argument ? if moses paying down no price was but a naked deliverer , then christ paying down one was a proper redeemer . if i believe that to be but a metaphorical redemption , because the scriptures speak of no price paid for the same ; pari ratione i must believe this to be a proper redemption , because the scriptures tell us of a price . if there must be power to redeem a captive from humane oppression , surely theremust be a price to redeem him from divine justice . we were all as captives locked up under the curse of the law and wrath of god , and christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , both a redeemer and a ransom for us : wherefore concluding that there was a price , i pass on . . as to the second objection , i conceive that the active and passive obedience of christ do both together make up the perfect price of our redemption ; i say , both together . the active is part of the sum : and this i shall demonstrate . in general by those scriptures which set out the managery of redemption . long before our saviour christ came about it , the father calls him his servant , isai. . . and one part of his service was his active obedience ; and just at his entrance into the world he expresses himself , loe i come to do thy will , o god , heb. . . he came in his incarnation , his errand was redemption , and the way to compass it was by doing god's will , and that he did partly in his active obedience ; being come , his state was subjection , he was made under the law to redeem us , gal. . , . his humane nature was so far a price as 't was made under the law in part as to his active obedience ; this being his state , his ear was bored , psal. . . which the apostle renders , a body was prepared , heb. . . his humane nature was ( as i may so say ) all ear to the commands of god , among which one was that he should fulfil active obedience ; this obedience he fulfilled all along even unto death , nay , and in death : and by this entire obedience accomplished in doing and suffering we are made righteous , rom. . . and so righteous , that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us , rom. . . and so fulfilled , that the law hath its end , rom. . . and this so accurately , that one jot or tittle doth not pass from the law but all is fulfilled , matth. . . in all which series of scriptures his active obedience concurrs as part of the price . . in particular , i evince this truth by three reasons . . because he fulfilled his active obedience not merely for himself , but mainly for us ; he was our surety , and so received the obligation of obedience on himself . hence he would be baptized , because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it became him to fulfil all righteousness , mat. . . it became him , not as for himself , for he was the spotless lamb , and needed no baptism at all , he could baptize with the holy ghost , and needed no water-baptism ; but it became him as our surety , to be subject to gods command even in this . and so in all other his active obedience : for the impletion of the law was by god translated upon him : what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh , god sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh , and for sin condemned sin in the flesh , that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , rom. . , . here all the obligations of the law are cast upon christ as our surety ; we could not satisfie for our sins , christ did it ; we could not fulfil righteousness , christ did it . but you 'l say , this place only concerns his passive obedience ; for it speaks of condemning sin , and that was done in his passive only . i answer , that this place extends to all christs obedience , active as well as passive , and this seems clear by the first and last part of the words compared together : the first are , what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh ; and what was that ? could it not curse the sinner ? yes undoubtedly ; and here the flesh , that is , sin was the strength of the law ; but for want of perfect obedience , it could not give life , gal. . . and here the flesh , that is , sin was the weakness of the law. now christ ( the power of god ) came to supply this weakness : but how doth he do it ? the latter words tell us , sin was condemned in his flesh , that is , his humane nature ; and it was condemned there not only by his passive obedience , but by his active too . every act thereof did as it were sit in judgment on sin ; even as every knock of noah on the ark condemned the old world : sin was so condemned , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us , the law hath its rightful demands , one whereof is perfect obedience ; the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us , that is , for us , in our stead and room : wherefore christ's active obedience being fidejussorial and on our behalf , must needs be part of the price . but you 'l say , christ's active obedience was not fidejussorial , for it was the debt of his humane nature , as a rational creature ; and therefore being due as for himself , it could not be paid down as for us . i answer , that christ's humane nature was but a creature , and so its will could not possibly be supreme , but indispensably subject to the will of god ; yet nevertheless his active obedience was paid down for us , and was part of the price ; and this will appear if we view it in these four particulars . . as to the spring of it , 't was freedom , his humane nature was necessarily subject to the will of god , but it was freely assumed into the person of god ; christ as man was bound to the law , but as god was not bound to become man. as he freely took a body with its circumscriptive dimensions , so he freely took a soul with those legal obligations , which are as it were the moral circumscriptions of it ; he freely assumed the humanity , and with it all incident duty . . as to the circumstances of it , 't was unobliged . christ was bound by the law as man ; but he was not bound to perform it in such a debased manner , for such a space of time , in such a place as earth , unless as our surety ; for he might have carried up the humane nature into heaven in the first instant of its assumption . . as to the end of it , 't was for us , it points at the same end with the humane nature to which it was incident : as he was made man for us ; to us a son is born , isai. . . . so his active obedience was for us . hence the apostle joins both these together ; he was made of a woman , made under the law , and then superadds as the end common to both , that he might redeem us , gal. . , . . as to the value of it 't was infinite ; a finite righteousness may serve for its single performer , but christ's righteousness stamped with his deity amounts to an infinite sum , enough for himself and a world besides . hence the very same righteousness is christ's , rom. . . and ours too , cor. . . st. bernard sweetly expresses it . domine , memorabor justitiae tuae solius ipsa est enim & mea , nempe factus es mihi tu justitia à deo ; nunquid mihi verendum , nè non una ambobus sufficiat ? non est pallium breve , quod non possit operire duos ; justitia tua in aeternum , me & te pariter operiet , quia largiter larga & aeterna justitia . to sum up all in one word ; though christ as man were under the law , yet his active obedience performed in an humane nature freely assumed , and in a way as to that nature unobliged perioding in our redemption , and elevated into a kind of infinity by his deity , was paid down for us , and was part of the price . . because christ's whole obedience , active as well as passive , being fulfilled for us makes us righteous before god : famous is that place , rom. . . as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners ; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous . but you 'l say , the passive obedience is only meant there ; but if so , why doth the apostle oppose it to adam's actual disobedience ? and why doth he say obedience in general ? and when he says so , who may pare off ought , and say , it was not all but some ? why doth he call it christ's righteousness , ver. ? and where are his sufferings alone so stiled in scripture ? or what is so properly such as his active obedience ? nay further , he speaks of such a righteousness as brings justification of life , ver. . the promise of life was , do this and live , and christ's active obedience fully answered the terms of it ; wherefore christ's active obedience is within this text , and jointly with the passive makes us righteous , and consequently is part of the price . but here it will be objected , that if christ obeyed the law for us , so as to make us righteous , then we need not obey it in our own persons : to which i answer two things . . this argument presses as much upon those that are for his passive obedience only , as upon those that are for his active also ; for they assert that the passive alone purges away all sin , as well of omission as commission , and consequently makes us as righteous before god , as if we had done all and omitted nothing ; and then by their principles , what need we obey in our own persons ? but . that christ obeyed for us , and therefore we need not obey , is as vain a consequence as to say , christ died for us , and therefore we should not die . but the different ends reconcile all : christ died that there might be satisfaction for sin as to the guilt of it , and we die that there may be a destruction of sin as to the being of it : also christ obeyed that our justification might be effected , and we obey that our sanctification may be promoted ; christ obeyed that we might reign in life , and we obey that we may be more and more meet for it . nay , christ obeyed that we might obey ; for one fruit of redemption was , that we might be a peculiar people zealous of good works , tit. . . and we obey that his obedience may not be in vain as to us ; for he is the author of eternal redemption to them that obey him , heb. . . hence it appears that christ's obedience and ours may as well consist together as justification and sanctification , life and the way to it , redemption and the fruit thereof . . because the price of our redemption is a thing of superexcellent fulness and superimaginable glory , redeeming captives in a way completive and perfective of the law broken by them . do we make void the law by faith , or by its object our redeemer and redemption ? nay , we establish the law , rom. . . when man was in innocency , the royal law sate in glory commanding upon its throne , holding forth in its right hand a crown of life in the promise , and in its left a sword of vengeance in the threatning : but when monstrous sin entred into the world , the very throne of the law seemed to shake , and the crown in its right hand to wither , only the sword was glittering and fiery in the left , the minatory part of the law stood fast captivating and cursing the sinner ; but the mandatory and promissory parts thereof fell a trembling and staggering , as if their natural and primary end , viz. perfect obedience and all the ensuing bliss were utterly lost . now jesus christ our wonderful redeemer redeemed us in such a way as that he established the law in every respect ; by his active obedience he fastened and newpinned the very throne of the law , and made the old promise to bud again with life ; and in his passive obedience the fiery sword of god's wrath did awake against him , zach. . . and smote and wounded him for our iniquities ; he paid down his humane nature in doing and suffering , and what could the law desire of him more ? thus jesus christ became the end , the fulness , the perfection of the law , rom. . . but if the passive obedience of christ be only the price , then indeed the curse or wrath , which is in the left hand of the law , and which comes accidentally by sin , is satisfied : but where is the primary and natural end of the law ? where is that perfect obedience which is in the right hand and right eye of the law ? you 'l say , 't is in the person of christ our redeemer : but how is it there ? the apostle says , that christ is the end of the law to the believer ; now if it be there only personally as for himself , then as to that he is the end of the law only for himself ; but if it be there also fide jussorially as for us , then 't is part of the price , and so he is the end of the law to us also . but you 'l reply , that though christ's active obedience be no part of the price , yet his passive suffices ; for that takes away sin and death from us , and sin being removed , righteousness follows , and death being removed , life follows ; and so the law hath its end . i answer ; i might deny these consequences , for adam in innocency was free from sin and death , yet in that state had neither all the righteousness performable , nor all the life attainable by him . but if i admit , that upon the remotion of sin and death righteousness and life do follow , yet these may follow from christ's whole obedience as their total principle , and not only from the passive . if they follow from the passive only , the glory of redemption is much darkned ; for who sees not that the law is not , nor cannot be so completely accomplished by the mere sufferings of christ , as if over and besides those he also performed perfect obedience for us ? who sees not more glory shining out when perfect righteousness is a part of the price , than if it be only an effect thereof issuing by consequential resultance from the remotion of sin ? wherefore the messiah is set out to us in the prophet not only as making an end of sin , but as bringing in everlasting righteousness , dan. . . and in the evangelist , not only as giving his life , but as fulfilling all righteousness , matth. . . and in the apostle , not only as made sin , but as made righteousness too , cor. . . and thus the law hath its perfect accomplishment by our redeemer . wherefore concluding that the humane nature of christ paid down in his active and passive obedience is the entire and integral price of our redemption , i pass on to the second quaere , . what manner of price this is ? and this i shall open in three things . . 't is a price redemptive from evil. . 't is a price procurative of good. . 't is a price sufficient for both . . 't is a price redemptive from evil , even from all the evils of our captivity , viz. the chains of sin , the bloody jaylor satan , and the prison of wrath ; our great redeemer by laying down this price hath hroke off our chains , vanquished the jaylor , and opened the prison-doors for us ; only here is an observable difference : for . as to the guilt of sin and the wrath of god this price is redemptive in a more immediate way by it self . . as to the stain of sin , the power of sin , and the tyranny of satan , this price is redemptive in a consequential way by procuring the holy spirit for us . . this price is redemptive from the guilt of sin and wrath of god ; and this in a more immediate way by it self . now albeit the entire price concurr herein , yet because as to this there is a special relucency in some parts thereof , i shall only insist on five things , viz. . our sins were laid upon christ. . he suffered the same punishment ( for the main ) that was due for these sins . . he suffered it in our stead . . suffering in our stead , he satisfied god's vindictive justice and minatory law. . these satisfied , god is reconciled . . our sins were laid upon christ. whilest the chains are upon the captive , captivity is unavoidable ; whilest sin is on the sinner , redemption is impossible ; god therefore gave sin a remove from its proper ubi , i will remove iniquity in one day , saith he , zech. . . that is , in the day of the messiah , ver. . but how far will he remove it ? the psalmist tells us , as far as the east is from the west , psal. . . and so he did , he removed it from us , who were in occasu adami , as far as christ , who is oriens sol justitiae ; by this remove all our sins met upon him , as the prophet speaks , isai. . . never such a concourse of sins as here , sins of all weights , pence and talents ; sins of all magnitudes , gnats and camels ; sins of various degrees , frailties and presumptions ; sins of vast distances as far remote in place as the parts and quarters of the earth , and in time as the morning and evening of the world met all together upon him ; he is the lamb of god that takes or bears away the sin of the world , joh. . . he saith not sins , but sin ; because all the sins of the world were as it were made up into one burthen , and so laid upon him . sins past were present to him ; for there was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a transmission of them unto him , rom. . . there was indeed an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a remission , as to the faithful , but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a transmission as to the surety ; sins future were all one to him as if already existent , all our sins met upon him . hence he cries out , my iniquities have taken hold upon me , psal. . . my iniquities , a strange word to drop from the holy one of god ; but the apostle clears it , god made him for us to be sin , cor. . . there was no sin in him by inhesion , but god made him sin by imputation ; not only a sacrifice for sin ( which yet includes that imputation ) but sin it self : the double antithesis in the text carries it this way ; he was made that sin he knew not , and that was sin it self ; he was made that sin which is opsite to righteousness , and that was sin it self . hence luther brings in the father casting all our sins on him with these words ; tu sis petrus ille negator , paulus ille persecutor , david ille adulter , peccator ille in paradiso , latro ille in cruce , person a illa quae fecerit omnium hominum peccata , all our sins were imputed unto him . but you 'l say , how can these things be ? can the righteous god , who judges according to truth , impute sin to his holy one ? i answer ; as there are in the apostle two distinct comings of christ ; in the first he bore our sins , in the second he appears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without sin , heb. . . so in his first coming he susteined two distinct persons , his own and ours : as he was in his own person , he was without sin ; but as he was our surety and susteined our persons , so our sins were imputed to him , and imputed to him according to truth , because he was such . the holy one was righteously made sin , because first he was a surety for sinners ; a world of sins was justly cast on the innocent lamb , because he stood in the room of a world of sinners . in eadem persona christi ( saith luther ) congrediuntur illa duo , summum & maximum peccatum , & summa & maxima justitia ; this is one of the wonders in theology . reason and philosophy can shew sin in the sinner , but the sublimer gospel shews sin on a spotless lamb ; here darkness seized upon the sun ; here the abomination of iniquity stood where it ought not ; i say , where it ought not , because upon the holy place ; yet withal where it ought , because of an holy imputation . god can by no means clear the guilty , exod. . . that is , the guilty remaining such , therefore he first translated the guilt upon christ , and then he justifies the ungodly through him , rom. . . oh the glory of the divine will ! it s purity cannot but hate sin , yet its power removes it ; its justice cannot but punish sin , yet its mercy translates it from the sinner to the surety , that it may be condemned there where it was never committed , even in the flesh of christ , rom. . . . our sins being laid on him , he suffered the same punishment ( for the main ) that was due to us for them ; for how doth the scripture express the punishment of sin ? 't is death , gen. . . and he died for us ; 't is the second death , rev. . . or death unto death , cor. . . and he suffered deaths , isai. . . not the death of the body only , but all the deaths in moriendo morieris , as far as his holy humanity was capable thereof ; 't is wrath , rom. . . and he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a man set in the stroke of gods wrath , as the septuagint hath it , isai. . . 't is a curse , deut. . . and he was made a curse , gal. . . not only a ceremonial but a real curse , even that which he redeems us from . tu christe ( saith luther ) es peccatum meum & maledictum meum , seu potius ego sum peccatum tuum & maledictum tuum ; 't is hell , psal. . . and he descended thither ; though not by a local motion , yet by an immense passion , his soul travelling under the wrath of god. he began to descend into hell , when he sweat drops of blood , and he descended yet further into it when he cried out , my god , my god! why hast thou forsaken me ? there are two essentials of punishment in hell , poena sensûs & poena damni , and he suffered both : when the fire of god's wrath melted him into a bloody sweat , there was poena sensùs ; and when the great eclipse of god's favour made him cry out of forsaking , there was poenadamni . christ suffered the same punishment ( for the main ) which we should have suffered ; the chief change was in the person , the just suffering for the unjust , the surety for the sinner . but you 'l say , christ did not suffer the same punishment , for he neither suffered eternal death , nor yet the worm of conscience . as to that of eternal death i answer by two distinctions . . in eternal death we must distinguish between the immensity of the sufferings and the duration ; the immensity is essential to it , but the duration is but mor a in esse and accidental . christ suffered eternal death as to the immensity of his sufferings , though not as to the duration of them ; he paid down the idem , as to essentials of punishment , and the tantundem as to the accidentals ; what was wanting in the duration of his sufferings , was more than compensated by the dignity of his person : for it was far more for god to suffer for a moment , than for all creatures to suffer to eternity . . we must distinguish between punishment as it stands in the law absolutely , and punishment as it stands there in relation to a finite creature , which cannot at once admit a punishment commensurate to its offence ; and so must ever suffer , because it cannot satisfie to eternity . punishment as it stands in the law absolutely , is death ; punishment as it stands there in relation to a finite creature , is eternal death : the first was really suffered by christ , and the second could not be justly exacted of him ; for he paid down the whole sum of sufferings all at once , and so swallowed up death in victory . as to that of the worm ; i answer , the worm attends not sin imputed but sin inherent , 't is bred out of the putrefaction of conscience , and that putrefaction is from the in-being of sin. now christ being withot spot , suffered punishment not as it follows sin inherent , but as it follows sin imputed ; and so he suffered the same punishment ( for the main ) as was due to us . . christ suffered this punishment in our stead , he died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for us , rom. . . and which is more emphatical , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in stead of many , matth. . . the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes in scripture signifie only the utility or benefit of another , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly imports a subrogation or substitution of one in the room of another ; and so christ as our surety died in our room or stead . hence the apostle argues thus ; if one died for all , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then all died , cor. . . all died in the death of one , in as much as that one died as the surety of all . hence our sins were condemned in his flesh , rom. . . and so condemned there , that upon gospel terms they are remitted to us . but unless he had stood in our room , divine justice could neither have adjudged him to punishment , nor yet have admitted us to an absolution from sin. . suffering thus in our stead , he satisfied both god's vindictive justice and minatory law. . he satisfied god's vindictive justice . god is a righteous god , a god that loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity ; nay , he so perfectly hateth it , that his pure eyes cannot look upon it ; and his righteous hands cannot but punish it , he will by no means clear the guilty , exod. . . not unless his justice be satisfied , for he is a righteous judge , tim. . . so righteous , that he cannot but do right , gen. . . his judgment is righteous judgment , rom. . . and every sin must have a righteous recompense , heb. . . and no wonder , for sin is an horrible ataxy , and god will not inordinatum dimittere ; the subjection of a rational creature to its creator is indispensable . god whilest god must be above , and the creature whilest a creature below ; and this dependance so far as it is broken off by sin , must be salved up by punishment , or else god loses his dominion over his creature . this is that which the apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the righteousness of god , rom. . . and this is so naturally in him , that the very heathens knew it by the light of nature . the viper upon paul's hand made the barbarians cry out of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , acts . . now what doth this vindictive justice require ? not precisely that the sinner himself should be punished , for then redemption should be impossible ; but that the sin should be punished , and so it was in christ ; he for our debt was cast into prison , and paid every farthing of it . the damned in hell pay a little and a little , and can never satisfie , but he paid down the total sum of sufferings all at once ; they are always striving with god's wrath , but he wrastled with it and prevailed : hence in isai. . ver. . he is called israel a prince with god. his sufferings were so satisfactory to divine justice , that the pains of death could not hold him , acts . . neither could the prison of wrath detain him , isai. . . and all because there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a redemption of transgressions , heb. . . that is , a compensation or satisfaction made to divine justice for them . i go to my father ( saith he ) and ye shall see me no more , joh. . . justice did not stop him in his passage to heaven ; neither did his father send him back again to mend his work . you shall see me no more , no more bleeding under the burthen of sin , no more paying down sufferings to divine justice , for all 's discharged ; and to assure us of it , god who received the sum , pawns heaven and earth in mortgage that he will forgive our sins without any further satisfaction , jer. . , , . by all which it appears that justice was fully satisfied . but here 't will be objected , that the innocent should suffer for the nocent is unjust , & that which is such cannot satisfie justice . i answer ; 't is unjust if the innocent suffer compulsorily , but not if he suffer freely ; 't is unjust if the innocent sink under his sufferings , but not if he be able to bear them ; 't is unjust if there be no good in his sufferings commensurate to the evil , but not if the evil be exceeded by the subsequent good ; 't is unjust if the innocent stand in no relation to the nocent for whom he suffers , but not if he stand in relation to him . suppose a natural relation ; saul's sons were hanged up for saul's sins , sam. . . suppose a political relation ; seventy thousand fall for david's sin , sam. . . which makes him cry out , lo ! i have sinned , but these sheep what have they done ? suppose a voluntary relation ; sureties must pay for their principals , and that not only in money-matters but in capital punishments : thus the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 engaged life for life , which the apostle seems to insinuate in that passage , peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die , rom. . . and why then may not christ who by all these ways is conjoin'd to us , naturally as a man , legally as a surety , and mystically as a head , justly suffer for us ? especially seeing there was free action in his passion , victorious strength under his burthen , and the penal evil crowned by such a grand good as redemption is , why may not he justly suffer for us ? the scriptures are positive in it , christ died for the ungodly , rom. . : the just for the unjust , pet. . . and one for all , cor. . . wherefore if humane reason will not subscribe , it fights against god himself . . he satisfied the minatory law ; for this is no other than the voice of vindictive justice uttering death and a curse against sinners , and to satisfie this he died and died an accursed death in their room . but you 'l say , though he died for us , yet the law is not satisfied , because it requires that the sinner himself should die , thou shalt die the death , gen. . . and cursed is he that doth not all the words of this law , deut. . . in which places [ he and thou ] relate to the person of the sinner ; and therefore though vindictive justice as in it self might have been satisfied with punishing sin in another , yet the minatory law ( which is the voice of justice ) cannot be satisfied , unless the punishment fall on the sinner himself ; and the reason is , because in this minatory law the veracity of god is engaged , which it was not before ; now justice speaks out , which it did not before , and that which it speaks must be true . for answer whereunto , . some ( as the learned grotius ) say , that here was dispensatio legis , quâ legis manentis obligatio circa quasdam personas tollitur : but i take it , that god's threatnings are indispensably yea and amen as well as his promises ; for albeit god doth not dare aliquod jus creaturae in his threatnings , as he doth in his promises , yet is he debitor sibi-ipsi in both , and not one jot or tittle of either can fail , because of his infinite veracity ; god will not call back his words of threatning , isai. . . neither will he himself turn back from them , jer. . . his words stand surely for evil , jer. . . that threatning that nineveh should be destroyed , had a tacit condition in it ; which had it been expressed , the threatning would have run thus : it shall be destroyed except it repent ; therefore it repenting , there was a remotion of the judgment , according to the tenour of the threatning , but no dispensatio juris at all . wherefore . i answer that here god did interpret his law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an equitable way ; equity is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a filling up of a general law by a benign interpretation in that part which was not precisely determinate . the divine sanction was , the sinner shall die ; but it was not precisely determinate , that he should die in his own person ; for then god's unalterable truth should have barred out a surety : neither was it precisely determinate , that he should die in his surety ; for then the threatning should originally have been a promise , and a promise unto sin , such as god never made : but the sanction was general , the sinner shall die , and two interpretations lay before god ; the first , that the sinner shall die in his own person ; the latter , that he shall die in his surety ; the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , just severity ; the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condescending mercy ; in the first there is more of the sound of the law-letter ; in the latter more of the sounding of the law-givers bowels ; the first is much like the first delivery of the law with thundrings and lightnings and devouring fire , exod. . , , . the latter is like the second delivery of it with a proclamation of grace and goodness and pardoning mercy for thousands , exod. . , . now these two interpretations lying before god , he as the supreme law-giver in order to redemption interpreted his law according to a merciful equity , the sinner shall die , that is , in his surety christ. oh the immense love of the father and the son ! the fathers love fills up the law by a gracious interpretation , and then the sons love fulfils it by a perfect satisfaction ; mercy and truth are met together , mercy in a favourable construction of the law , and truth in the evident veracity of the law-giver ; the person of the sinner may be saved , and yet the truth of the threatning is salved , through christ's satisfaction , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are abrogated from the law , rom. . . and yet we do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abrogate the law , but establish it , rom. . . because it is fulfilled in christ. neither doth this equitable interpretation suppose any defect in the divine law , as it doth in humane laws ; for humane laws are made general for want of providence in men to forsee all particular cases which fall out ; but this law was made general out of the perfection of providence in god , that there might be room for a surety to come in and satisfie it . but you 'l say , if god interpret the threatning in such an equitable way , the sinner shall die in his surety , then no sinner is in a state of wrath here , nor can be condemned in hell hereafter ; for both these issue out from the first interpretation , thou shalt die in thine own person , and that is now waved by the judge . i answer , that god doth not totally and absolutely either wave the first rigorous interpretation ; for the elect are under wrath till they believe and repent , and the reprobate not believing and repenting are cast into hell , and both by virtue of the first interpretation ; but he waves the first and makes the second interpretation in order to redemption , and only so far forth as redemption requires it : now what doth that require ? it requires that all that embrace christ should be saved from the death in the threatning , and therefore thus far the first interpretation is waved and the second takes place ; but it requires not , that any person should either be out of a state of wrath before faith , or be saved without faith , and therefore the equitable interpretation doth not go thus far , and so far as that goeth not , the rigorous interpretation takes place , because pro tanto it is consistent with redemption ; redemption is the end , and the all-wise god measures and proportions out the equitable interpretation in such a way as serves unto it , and the rigorous interpretation in such a way as stands with it . in a word , according to this equitable interprepretation , christ hath so satisfied the threatning , as that all believers shall be saved from it ; yet this satisfaction hinders not , but that the rigorous interpretation should abide upon unbelievers whilst such ; for whilst such , they embrace not that satisfaction , and therefore are justly cursed by the law till they receive the gospel . fifthly , god's vindictive justice and minatory law being thus satisfied , he becomes reconciled . there are two degrees of reconciliation ; the first is that whereby god is ready to receive men into grace and favour if they believe ; the second is that whereby god is actually reconciled to them upon their believing . the apostle mentions both these , col. . , . for first he tells us , ver . . that god did reconcile all things to himself by the blood of his cross , and then it follows , ver . . yet now hath he reconciled you , you o believing colossians ! all were reconciled in the first degree , and believers in the second ; the first was done all at once upon the cross , and the second is yet now a doing , and so will be till the believers are all come in ; therefore the apostle says , god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself , cor. . . reconciling , which imports a continued act , a carrying on the work of reconciliation from one degree to another by particular applications . now both these degrees of reconciliation are wrought by the death of christ ; the first was wrought by it ipso facto , without it god would have breathed out nothing but wrath , but through it he is ready to forgive , psal. . . as full of mercy as he is , he could not forgive in a way opposite either to his justice , which in its nature calls for satisfaction for sin , or to his truth which in the law pronounces death on the sinner ; but justice and truth being satisfied by christ's death , he is ready to forgive . the mercy-seat was covered with a cloud of incense , levit. . . and the reason there rendred is very remarkable , lest he that was before it should die . what , die before the mercy-seat ? yes , even there , unless the merits of christ be as a cloud round about it . mercy as of it self alone would not save us , but every sinner must have died before it , had it not been surrounded with the incense of christ's merits . god out of christ is a consuming fire to sinners , but in christ he is reconciling them to himself . the second is wrought by christ's death as applied by faith ; therefore 't is called propitiation through faith in his blood , rom. . . and both these were typified by the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice under the law. that blood was sprinkled on the mercy-seat , levit. . . prefiguring the first degree of reconciliation by christ's death in it self ; and it was sprinkled on the people , exod. . . prefiguring the second degree of reconciliation by christ's death as applied to us by faith. but you 'l say , if god be first angry , and then reconciled , and reconciled by degrees , there must be a change in god and his will , which cannot be admitted . i answer , that reconciliation is not an immanent act but a transient , not so properly abiding in god , as passing from him upon the creature : as when the scripture saith , the wrath of god at such a time was kindled or arose , 't is not meant that the will of god was novelly inflamed , but that the flame of wrath then broke forth in transient effects from thence ; so when it saith , god is reconciled , it imports not a cooling alteration in the will of god , but a gracious effluxion of love breaking out from thence . as in punishment wrath goes out from the lord against sinners , num. . . and is upon them , chron. . . so in reconciliation love goes out from the lord towards believers and is upon them ; so that the change is not in god but in the creature . proportionably to the nature of reconciliation as a transient act , christ reconcileth us unto god , not by making a new will in god , but by doing his will ; for so he himself saith , when he came about the work , loe ! i come to do thy will o god. god's will as to this point may be considered under a double notion ; either as naturally pregnant with vindictive justice , and decretively issuing out the minatory law , both requiring that sin ( if committed ) should be punished ; or else as decreeing within it self the way and manner how this justice & law should be satisfied by a surety in order to the redemption of sinners . now christ perfectly fulfilled god's will in all these respects ; in him our sins were punished according to the exaction of justice , and the equitable interpretation of the law , and that in such a way as was preordained by god's will for our redemption . this will being thus satisfied , god is truly reconciled , not only ( as the socinian would have it ) we reconciled to him , but he to us : and this appears in three things . . in that sin is not objected before god's will as it would have been , had not christ satisfied ; it would have been objected before it , as that just cause for which god might , nay , according to the naturality of his justice and veracity of his law must have punished us sinners to all eternity : but now it is not so objected before it ; for albeit there be an intrinsecal and inseparable desert of wrath in the nature of it , yet now its obligation or redundancy upon the sinner appears not , because expiated in the surety : this the apostle calls the reconciling of sin , heb. . . without christ's death sin like a fury would have cried and clamoured for wrath and vengeance to be poured down on the sinner , but through his death sin as one reconciled hath nothing to say against him , but that he may have life and salvation on gospel-terms . . in that the effects of wrath do not issue out from god's will against the sinner as they would have done . god who is infinite holiness and essential rectitude cannot but hate sin , and in this hatred there is nothing less than a velle punire ; and from thence condign punishment must have poured down upon the sinner , if it had not by the will of god been derived upon the surety ; but being derived thither , that righteous will is satisfied , and the merited wrath comes not forth against the sinner , but instead thereof . effects of love break forth from god's will towards him ; grace appears to all men , tit. . . to all men in a gracious reconciliability , and to believers in actual reconciliation ; believers are actually accepted or ingratiated in the beloved , eph. . . and so shall all others as soon as they become believers . thus god is truly reconciled , yet without any change in his will ; only sin doth not cry to that will against the sinner , punishment doth not break out of that will upon him , and grace beams and sparkles out of that will towards him ; whilest in all these his will remains unchangeable . hence in scripture we are rather said to be reconciled to god than god to us ; not ( as the socinian would have it ) because we only are reconciled to god , and not god to us ; but because god is reconciled to us in such a way , as is not alterative , but perfective and completive of his unchangeable will. thus christ bore our sins and god's wrath , in a way so satisfactory to god's justice and law ; that thereby god is reconciled to us , and we are redeemed from sin and wrath. but here i am obviated by an objection . if there be such a compensatory price paid for sin , where is free remission ? free remission cannot stand with plenary satisfaction ; what is fully paid cannot be at all remitted . i answer ; it cannot , if there be a solution by the debtor , but it may , if there be a satisfaction by a surety ; it cannot , if that surety were of the debtors own providing , but it may , if he were of the creditour's procuring ; it cannot , if the suretie's paiment be irrecusable , but it may , if the creditor's acceptance be free ; it cannot , if the remission were to the same person who makes satisfaction , but it may , if one person make satisfaction and another find remission . and thus it is in this case ; our debts were paid to god , but by a surety jesus christ , and this surety was of god's own sending , and that his payment went for ours was of god's own grace : and hence it comes to pass that god hath full satisfaction , and we free remission , and this without any repugnancy ; for christ who satisfied had no remission , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . god did not spare or bate him a farthing , and we who are remitted make no satisfaction ; all our tears , prayers , sorrows , services pay not a mite to divine justice . why should corrupt reason mutter as if satisfaction and remission , which are matches in scripture , were inconsistencies in nature ? what saith god , levit. . . the priest shall make an atonement , there 's satisfaction , and it shall be forgiven , there 's remission ? what saith the great apostle , rom. . . we are justified freely by his grace , there 's remission , through the redemption that is in christ , there 's satisfaction ? take both in three words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god for christ's sake hath forgiven you , eph. . . for christ's sake , there 's satisfaction , hath forgiven you , there 's remission , and free remission ; for 't is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a dismission or discharge of sin , but 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a dismission or discharge of it in a gracious way . in christ our surety there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . but towards us there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tit. . . christ may say , totum exsolvi , and god may say , totum remisi ; there was nothing forgiven to christ , for he paid all , but there was all forgiven to us , for we paid nothing . thus this price is redemptive from the guilt of sin and wrath of god ; but this is not all . . this price is redemptive from the stain of sin , the power of sin and the tyranny of satan , and that by procuring the holy spirit for us ; we are saved by the renewing of the holy ghost , and that is shed on us through jesus christ , tit. . , . and where it is shed , there it redeems . . from the stain of sin ; sin is the dross or rust of the soul , isai. . . but the spirit refines and purifies from it ; sin is the wrinkle of the old man , eph. . . but the spirit smooths and removes it . christ came by water and blood , joh. . . and the water sprung out of the blood ; the spirit is that clean water , ezek. . . which fetcheth out the spots and stains of sin , and that healing water coming out from the side of the temple , even the pierced side of christ , ezek. . . which by degrees cures all the ulcers and plague-sores of the heart . the corinthians were all over mire and dirt , but they were washed in the name of the lord jesus , and by the spirit of god , cor. . . the spirit washed them , and washed them in the name of jesus , that is , for his merits sake . the soul in sinning runs to the cabul of the creature , dirtying and fouling it self ; but the spirit brings it back again to the holy one , and as it approaches nearer and nearer to him the macula peccati goes off , and the nitor animae appears . . it redeems from the power of sin. sin merited christ's crucifixion , and christ's crucifixion merited the crucifixion of sin ; and upon this account out comes the holy spirit and nullifies the law of sin , batters down the strong holds of it , plucks up the very throne of it , and crucifies the old man with all his members , by outward restriction nailing his hands and his feet , and by inward circumcision cutting and piercing into his heart , and from thence gradually letting out his vital blood , even the love of sin ; hence his motions wax feeble , his members weak , his natural heat of original lust spent and exhausted , and his whole body drooping and languishing to his dying day ; and all this by a secret virtue from christ's death . we are planted together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith the apostle , rom. . . he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the conformity , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the conformation of his death , because his death procured that conformity in us . hence sin doth not reign in us as a prince upon his throne , but die as a man upon the cross ; thanks be unto god who giveth us the victory through jesus christ. . it redeems from the tyranny of satan . christ in his own person spoiled principalities and powers on the cross , col. . . and christ by his spirit spoils them in the hearts of men ; satan hath his palace there , but christ hath bought him out , and the spirit will cast him out ; satan would keep on our chains , but christ dissolves them , joh. . . as he by his spirit enlightens , off go the chains of the mind ; as he converts , off go the chains of the will ; as he spiritualizes , off go the chains of the affections ; and as he sprinkles his blood upon us , off goes the weighty guilt of all these : satan would keep us within the prison , but christ comes with an habeas animam , translating us from the power of darkness into his own kingdom , col. . . a region of grace and light , where satan the ruler of sin and darkness cannot have the victory ; because christ the wisdom and power of god fights against him who is ( as i may so say ) the wisdom and power of sin. hence he falls as lightning from heaven , luke . . falls and breaks his serpents head , even his design against poor souls ; the ruine of souls is a heaven to him , and in falling short of that , he falls as it were from heaven . the prince of this world shall be cast out , saith christ , joh. . . and he adds as a reason , if i be lifted up , i will draw all men unto me , ver. . lifted up upon the cross , he purchased the spirit , and lifted up into heaven he sends down the spirit , which draws men out of satans world into christ's , where the gates of hell can never prevail . the god of peace bruises satan underfoot , rom. . . the apostle saith not , the god of mercy or power shall do it , but the god of peace ; because , unless peace had been made through the blood of the cross , satan would have kept us in everlasting chains . but now justice being satisfied , the spirit comes forth with a quo jure ; first rescuing the captive-soul , and then treading down satan under its feet . thanks be unto god for this victory also through jesus christ. thus this price is redemptive from evil , but . this price is procurative of good. infinity is a boundless ocean , and may run over in effects as far as it pleaseth ; infinite power might have run over in making millions of worlds more , and infinite mercy might have run over in saving millions of sinners more . the price of redemption hath a kind of infinity in it ; no wonder then , if after remotion of evils , it run over by its transcendent excess of value in the procuration of good ; such was the glorious redundance and supereffluence of its merit , that it paid divine justice to the last mite , and over and besides made a purchase of three worlds ; i mean the lower world of nature , the middle world of grace , and the upper world of glory . . as to the world of nature , christ procured two things . . the standing of it . . the deliverance of it . . the standing of it , and that in a threefold respect . . the standing of it in being . sin filled it with so much spiritual stench and rottenness , that the power of the holy one would not have endured to have been there supporting and bearing it up in being , if the death of christ had not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sweet-smelling savour , eph. . . to perfume and sweeten it ; the world was as it were new founded by the cross , or else sin , that abomination of desolation , would have dashed it down about the sinners ears ; justice ( if unsatisfied ) would not have spared so much as the stage whereon sin was acted , but hurled it down into its first nullity . christ upholdeth all things by the word of his power , heb. . . before sins entry they stood merely by the word of his power , but since they stand not without the blood of his cross. redemption is the great buttress of creation ; as it rears up the little world after its fall , so it keeps up the great world from falling . . the standing of it in order . when the prophet describes god's judgments , he speaks as if the old chaos were come again ; loe ! the earth was without form and void , jer. . . all the orders and harmonies in nature were at first set by the wisdom of god , and afterwards cemented by the blood of god , or else sin would have unframed all . by christ all things consist , col. . . not only subsist in their beings , but consist in their orders . . the standing of it in its usefulness to us . sin was the blast and forfeiture , but christ is the purchaser and heir of all things , heb. . . and in and through him all are as it were new-given to us . we became such wretches by sin , that the earth would not have bore our persons , if christ had not bore our iniquities ? the sun in the firmament would not have lighted the material world , if the sun of righteousness had not appeared in the spiritual ; these lower heavens would not have spun out a day for us , if christ had not purchased the upper ones of glory ; the blood of creatures should never have been shed for the life of our bodies , if the blood of god had not been poured out for the life of our souls . under the law , before harvest began the passeover was killed ; at harvest a sheaf of the first-fruits was brought to the priest to be offered to god ; and after harvest there was the feast of tabernacles to bless god for the fruits of the earth , which by the jews was kept with booths and hosannahs . had not christ our passeover been sacrificed for us , there would have been no harvest of creature-blessings at all ; and now that there is one , the praise of every sheaf must be brought to christ the high-priest of good things , and in and through him offered up to god : therefore there is a spiritual feast of tabernacles under the gospel , zach. . . whilest we sit under the booths of the creature , we must sing hosannahs to the son of god , who tabernacled in our flesh , and in it merited all comforts for us . every bough of nature hangs upon his cross , every crum of bread swims in his blood , every grape of blessing grows on his crown of thorns , and all the sweetness in nature streams out of his vinegar and gall. a right-born christian is the best philosopher ; for he sees the sun of righteousness in the luminaries of heaven , the waterings of christ's blood in the fruits of the earth , the word incarnate in creature-nourishment , and the riches of christ in all the riches of nature . all are ours , and we are christ's , and christ is god's . . christ by this price procured the deliverance of it . god made the house of the world for man , and whilest there is sin in the inhabitant , the curse-mark is on the house ; the heavens wax old as if there were mothes in them , the stars have their malignant aspects , the earth hath its thorns and thistles , and the whole creation groans and travels with an universal vanity ; the sun groans out his light on the workers of darkness , the air groans with vollies of oaths and blasphemies , and the earth groans forth its corn and wine into the lap of the riotous ; and as sin grows heavier , so the creaturegroans wax lowder every day . but at last in and through christ , there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a restitution of all things , acts . . the balm of his blood will perfectly heal all the stabs and wounds in the body of nature ; the groaning and traveling creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , rom. . . there shall be new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness , pet. . . and all the steps and traces of the old curse shall be razed out of the world. thus christ hath purchased the world of nature ; but this ( as appears by the purchaser's own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , matth. . . ) is not the main bargain , but the casting in or overplus thereof ; therefore . christ by this price purchased the world of grace . grace may be considered two ways ; either as it is in the map or charter of the gospel , or as it is in the subject or receptacle of the heart ; and both ways 't is christ's purchase . . grace in the map or charter is the covenant of grace , comprized in the promises , called the covenant of promise , eph. . . in this covenant there are promises reaching down as low as the world of nature , and promises reaching up as high as the world of glory ; and betwixt these two run the promises which water the world of grace , and these are either promises of grace such as those , i will give an heart to know me , jer. . . i will circumcise the heart to love me , deut. . . i will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts , heb. . . i will give a new heart and a new spirit ; i will take away th● stony heart , and give an heart of flesh , ezek. . . or else they are promises to grace , such as those , god will justifie the believer , rom. . . beautifie the meek with salvation , psal. . . dwell in a broken heart , isai. . . comfort the mourners , fill the hungry , and be seen of the pure in heart , matth. . , , . now all these promises are the purchase of christ , and the whole covenant made up of them is the new-testament in his blood , cor. . . without his satisfactory blood there would have been no room for promises , no , not for the least twinkling of a promise to the sons of men ; for unsatisfied justice would have hurried all to hell. all the promises issue out to us in and through christ , the rivers of life gushed out of the true rock , the gospel-wine run forth from the true vine ; if god meet us and commune with us in words of grace , we must thank the true propitiatory , or mercy-seat for every syllable . . grace in the proper seat or receptacle of it is christ's purchase ; and this i shall make out . in general ; christ purchased the spirit of all grace . there is a double oblation of christ ; a personal oblation on the cross , and that is moritum spiritûs ; and a doctrinal oblation in the gospel , and that is ministerium spiritûs ; and so the holy ghost is shed on us abundantly through jesus christ , tit. . . christ ascended up on high that he might fill things , eph. . . one would have thought that his descent should rather have done it ; but he ascended up in the glory of his merits , he carried up all the purchase-money to his fathers house , and from thence the spirit came pouring down upon men ; some droppings of it were before , but then it was richly poured out ; it came down in cloven fiery tongues and a rushing mighty wind , acts . , . tongues to utter magnalia dei , and above all , the master-piece of redemption , and cloven tongues to utter them to all nations in their own language , and fiery tongues to enlighten and enflame the auditors hearts with the knowledge and love of christ , and a mighty rushing wind to blow home that fire strongly and insuperably in a thorough conversion ; and all this was shed forth from christ , ver. . never any tongue truly preached christ , but by a secret touch from him ; never any holy fire kindled on the heart , but by a coal from his altar ; never any gales of grace on the soul , but from the breathings of his spirit : not one drop of his blood is spiritless , but full fraught and flowing with the spirit of life . . in particular ; and so christ hath purchased three things . . the radical grace of faith. . all other graces of the spirit . . all the crowns of these graces . . christ hath purchased the grace of faith ; the apostle is express in it , to you it is given , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for christ's sake not only to believe on him , but also to suffer for his sake , phil. . . the apostle evidently points out the merits of christ as the spring of faith , and faith persevering unto suffering . and in another place he saith , we joy in god through jesus christ , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by whom we have now received the atonement , rom. . . he doth not only say , that by and through him the atonement was made but that by and through him the atonement is received ; and what is this receiving of the atonement but faith it self ? that therefore is part of christ's purchase . these express places might suffice us ; but because the remonstrants oppose this truth , i shall propose two quaeries unto them . . is not faith comprized within the covenant of grace ? let 's come to the touch-stone ; is it not written there , i will give an heart to know me , and is not faith a justifying knowledge , a sight of the just one , and a beam or dawning of eternal life ? is it not written there , i will take away the heart of stone , and is not unbelief a part of that stone ? doth it not directly resist the blood and righteousness of christ ? and can there be a worse stone than this ? is it not written there , i will give a new heart , and is not unbelief the heart and life of the old man , and faith of the new ? is it not written there , i will put my spirit within you , and is not the spirit a spirit of faith , and faith a fruit of the spirit ? is not unbelief of our spirit , and faith of gods ? is it not written there , i will circumcise the heart , and is not unbelief flesh ? god saith , there is life in his son , and the unbeliever saith , no , and does what in him lies to make god a lyar , and can there be any filthier or rottenner flesh in the old man than this ? and unless this be cut off , can there be a true circumcision ? by all this it clearly appears that faith is within the covenant , and if so , is not the whole covenant sanctio à sanguine , the new-testament in christ's blood ? is not he the mediator and purchaser of the whole ? are not all the promises yea and amen in him ? who dares distinguish and say , christ purchased part of the promises and not all ? he purchased notional knowledge and not justifying , he breaks the stone in the heart , all but that which opposes his own blood and righteousness , the old man is crucified with christ , all but his heart and life of unbelief , the spirit of grace flows out from christ , all but the spirit of faith , the circumcision of christ , col. . . ( so called because it is procured by the merits , and produced by the spirit of christ ) cuts off the flesh of the heart , all but that of unbelief which upbraids god with a lye ; who dares thus tear in sunder the covenant , mangle the promises , dimidiate christ and divide the spirit by unscriptural distinctions ? such shuffling is unworthy of christians . wherefore i conclude my first quaere thus ; faith is within the covenant , and the covenant is christ's purchase ; therefore faith is such also . . is not faith a grace of the spirit ? it seals to the gospel , sanctifies the heart , works by love , waits by patience , overcomes the visible world , and sensibly presentiates the invisible ; for shame let it be a grace , and if so , it must be christ's purchase . the spirit never effected that grace in fallen man which christ never merited . as every creature in the world is of god's making , so every grace in the church is of christ's meriting : he that saith , yonder is a precious stone but 't is not of god's making , blasphemes the creator ; and he that saith , yonder is a precious faith but 't is not of christ's meriting , does no less to the redeemer . but further ; is not faith the grace of union with christ ? doth not christ dwell in the heart by faith ? is not faith the mother-grace of all ? first faith gives a touch to christ , and then love is enflamed with him , joy triumphs in him , and obedience follows him . where do all the rivers of living water flow but in the believers belly , joh. . ? what holds all the starry graces of the church but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the firmament of faith , as the apostle calls it , col. . ? now will it not grate thine ears , o christian , to hear that the spirit of holiness is from christ , but not the spirit of faith ; all the starry graces are christ's but the firmament of faith is our own ; we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in christ , but not with the mother-grace which broods and teems out all the rest , not with the grace of union which lies nearest to christ eating his flesh and drinking his blood ; that faith which is nearest to the merits of christ in its union , is furthest off from them in its origination . what is this but to darken the sun of righteousness , damm up the well of salvation , and trample the blood of the covenant under foot ? at which every sober christian cannot but tremble . therefore i conclude my second quaere thus ; faith is a prime and excellent grace , wrought by the spirit and purchased by the merits of christ. . christ hath purchased all other graces ; for all graces are the fruits of the spirit , and the spirit is shed on us through christ. but in stead of proving , let me parly with the saints . speak , o ye excellent ones , whence came your lovely meekness , your undissembled love , your untired patience , your holy unction , your melting compassions , your broken hearts , your repentant tears , your law-engraven spirits , and all your sweet-smelling perfumes of grace ? speak for the glory of christ. methinks i hear them all with one consent cry out , thus , o thus it is ; all our meekness came from the lamb , our love from the beloved one , our patience from the captain-sufferer , our unction from the christ of god , our compassions from the bowels of christ , our broken hearts from a broken christ , our repentant tears from his bleeding wounds , our law-engravings are the epistle of christ , and all our sweet-smelling graces are the powders of the merchant , cant. . . even of jesus christ who bought them all with his sweetest blood. the church is the house of god made up of lively stones , floored with humility , roofed with knowledge , cemented with charity , warmed with the fire of zeal , and filled with the spiritual glory of heavenly graces ; but christ is the chief corner-stone which bears up all : all the churches humility is from christ's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-emptying , all our knowledge from christ the sun of righteousness , all its charity from the hyperbole of his love , all its zeal is from a coal of his altar , and all the spiritual glory which fills it , comes by the way of the east , ezek. . . even from jesus christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the east or day-spring of all graces , luk. . . . christ hath purchased all the crowns of these graces , i mean such as are set on the saints head in this life ; the believers shall be justified , but 't is by the righteous christ ; the meek shall be beautified with salvation , but 't is because of the lamb ; the broken heart shall have god dwelling in it , but 't is for the merits of a broken christ ; the mourners shall be comforted , but 't is by the consolation in christ ; the hungry shall be filled , but 't is from the fulness of christ ; the pure in heart shall see god , but 't is through christ the brightness of his glory : all the crowns of grace must be cast down at the feet of jesus christ the great purchaser of them . thus christ hath bought the world of grace ; but yet we are not at the top of the purchase : for . christ hath purchased the world of glory ; that is the none-such , the world of worlds , to which all natures glories are but a shadow , and the churches graces but a portal ; there are plenitudes of joy , crowns of life , weights of glory , treasures of bliss and oceans of sweetness , and all of christ's purchasing : all the mansions of glory are of his preparing ; joh. . . all the wine in heaven is for his marriage-supper , revel . . . his blood is the key to open the holy of holies , heb. . . the pure river of life clear as crystal issues out of the throne of god and of the lamb , even out of gods grace and christs merit , rev. . . christ on the cross purchased a heaven for us , christ in the gospel proffers it unto us , and christ in the heart gives us an actual hope thereof . had it not been for christ , we could never have entred into such a place as heaven , where the walls are pearls , the rivers pleasures , the hills frankincense , the air purity , and the light , life , love and all in all god himself . now christ did not only purchase heaven for us , but purchased it in a way completive of the law. the old promise of the law was , do this and live , and that seemed quite blasted and withered by our sins ; but christ by his perfect obedience made it revive and bud again with life . god would not give eternal life , but upon a do this ; and christ fulfilled all righteousness for us , and by that righteousness we come to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , justification of life , rom. . . such a justification as is crowned with eternal life . but you 'l say , that old do this required obedience in our own persons ; and therefore christ could not fulfil it in our stead , and so purchase life for us . i answer , that god did here also interpret his law in an equitable way ; the divine sanction [ do this ] on which life did depend , was not precisely determinate that we must do it in our own persons , for then a sureties obedience should have been totally excluded ; neither was it precisely determinate that we should do it in our surety ; for there was a do this in the state of innocency where there was no need of a surety ; but the sanction was general , do this , and two interpretations lay before god ; the first that it should be done in our own persons , the second that it should be done in our surety ; the first a rigorous and literal , the second an equitable and merciful interpretation . now these two interpretations lying before god , he as supreme law-giver takes the equitable interpretation ; had he taken the rigorous one , there would have been no room for a surety , nor life for the sinner ; but in rich mercy he takes the equitable one , and so through a surety's obedience eternal life is purchased for us . these two interpretations of the law seem to me to be figured out by the double making of the tables ; the law in the rigorous interpretation is like the first tables which were broken : for as the law was first written in those tables , so the rigorous interpretation firstly rises out of the letter of the law ; and as those first tables were broken , so sin made such a breach upon the law , that the apostle puts a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it , rom. . . it could not give life according to the rigorous interpretation . and the law in the equitable interpretation is like the second tables which were put into the ark : for as those tables were kept inviolate in the ark , so the law was kept inviolate in the equitable interpretation ; and as the mercy-seat covered the tables in the ark , and from the mercy-seat so covering them god manifested his presence ; so christ , the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mercy-seat , did by his perfect obedience cover the law all over , and in and through him so covering it god manifests his presence , not only his back-parts on earth but his face in heaven . thus by the admirable wisdom of god heaven was purchased , and yet the law established , the do this turned upon the surety , and the promised life made good to us sinners . but you 'l object further , if the law be thus interpreted in an equitable way , viz. to be done by a surety , then it is not so much as a rule of life to us ; for that issues out of the first interpretation , viz. the doing of it in our own persons . i answer , that still the law is a rule of life to us ; and the reason is , because god doth not wave the rigorous and take the equitable interpretation totally and absolutely , but in order to redemption , and so far only as redemption requires it . now what doth that require ? it requires that the obedience of a surety should be admitted for the impletion of the law ; and therefore thus far the rigorous interpretation is waved , and the equitable takes place . but it requires not that the redeemed ones should be exempted from the law as a rule ; and therefore the equitable interpretation doth not go thus far ; and so far as that goes not , the rigorous one takes place ; because pro tanto it is consistent with redemption . hence it comes to pass that christ as our surety fulfilled the law for us , and yet still the law is a rule of life to us ; christ is the end of the law to the believer , and yet the believer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , under the law to christ , cor. . . thus this price is redemptive from evil and procurative of good , but the crown of all is yet behind . . it is a price sufficient for both the former . there is a double sufficiency , sufficientia nuda , and sufficientia ordinata ; the first consists in the intrinsecal value of the thing , the thing in value transcending or at least equalizing the thing to be redeemed ; the second consists in the will of the payer and receiver , the one intentionally paying and the other intentionally accepting that thing as a price of redemption : the first is that radical sufficiency whereby the thing may possibly become a price ; the second is that formal sufficiency whereby the thing doth actually become a price . let the thing be in it self of never so vast a value , the former without the latter doth not constitute it a price . now the glorious price of our redemption hath both these sufficiencies in it . . it hath sufficientiam nudam ; the active and passive obedience of christ have intrinsecal value enough to equalize , nay infinitely superexcede all our debts , and over and besides to purchase three worlds for us ; and the reason is because his deity poured out a kind of infinity into his doings and sufferings . the righteousness which he fulfilled was the righteousness of god , rom. . . the blood which he shed was the blood of god , rom. . . & the life which he laid down was , the life of god , joh. . . and what nakedness cannot the righteousness of god cover ? what debts cannot the blood of god pay for ? and what worlds cannot the life of god purchase ? remember , o poor trembling soul , remember , he that was pierced for thee was jehovah , he that was smitten for thee was the man god's fellow , and he that obeyed for thee was in the form of god. o what manner of actions and passions were those wherein the law-giver stood under his own law , and the creator suffered in his own world ? how was his obedience elevated into infinity , and transfigured into glory by his godhead ? what a mass of sweet-smelling merits must that be into which the deity it self transfused riches and odours ? this may be one reason why christ is stiled the heir of all things , heb. . . though he be the purchaser of all , yet he is heir of all ; because he received his divine nature from his father , and that divine nature stamped an infinite value upon the purchase-money which bought all . may i shadow it out by an imperfect similitude : a son receives vast sums from his father , and with them purchases an estate in lands to himself ; that son is the purchaser of those lands in respect of his own payment of the money , and yet in a sence he is heir to them in respect of his receipt of the money from his father ; so the eternal son of god is the purchaser of all , for he paid down his own blood and righteousness as the price ; and yet he is heir of all , for that price had its value from the divine nature , and that divine nature was received from his father in the eternal generation . there is no doubt then ( as long as christ is god ) but that his obedience hath value enough in it self . . it hath sufficientiam ordinatam , and this appears . by the will of christ who paid down the price . . by the will of god who received it ; both their wills concentre in the work of redemption , and the counsel of peace is between them both , zach. . . . it appears by the will of christ : when he paid down his obedience , what was his meaning ? surely not a tittle of his obedience was irrationally done , nor a drop of his blood irrationally shed ; what then was his meaning in it ? was it not to dissolve the chains of sin , open the prison of wrath , and spoil and triumph over the bloody jaylor satan ? was it not to procure the standing of the body of nature , the shedding down of the spirit of grace , and the opening a door to heaven and eternal life ? these were the things on which the divine and humane will of christ were both set : his divine will was set upon them ; for before the foundations of the world , even in his joyous eternity with his father , his delights were with the sons of men , prov. . . and when the world was up , he appeared to abraham in a humane shape , and to moses to usher in a temporal redemption ; the first as a praeludium to his incarnation , and the latter as a praeludium to our redemption , and both as a demonstration that the work of salvation was in his heart . and afterwards in the days of his flesh , his humane will never parted from his divine , but in a rape of love always run upon redemption ; this he sought for in a long circuit of obedience , and sought with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till it was finished ; this he sought for in his bloody agony , and when his humane will as nature shrunk back from the cup of wrath , yet the same will as reason kissed and drunk it off to the bottom in order to redemption ; this he ardently pursued after through cross-tortures and soul-travels , and rather than fail of it , he would for a time be forsaken even of god himself ; and when he cried out , i thirst , his greatest thirst of all was after this , and could never be quenched till he came to a consummatum est . thus stood the mind of christ in the business . . it appears by the will of god , and that in two things . . god decreed this price to be paid for the ends aforesaid . . god accepted it being paid for the ends aforesaid . . god decreed this price to be paid ; christ did not glorifie himself in making himself an high-priest or surety ; but he that said unto him , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , heb. . . christ's person was begotten out of the substance of god , and his office as it were begotten out of the will of god , god eternally ordained him to that office , pet. . . and in the fulness of time called him to it , heb. . . and for more assurance , superadded his seal to his call , joh. . . and his oath to both , heb. . . and all to shew forth his immutable purpose touching the same . christ was booked down for a redeemer in the eternal volumes , and slain above in the decree long before he was slain below in time . infinite love impregnated the divine will with the decree of redemption , and that decree sent forth our redeemer , and put a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his righteousness , matth. . . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the cup of wrath , joh. . . and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his death and sufferings , matth. . . and all this that the mystery of redemption , hid from ages in the will of god , col. . . might come abroad into the world ; when the fulness of time was come , god sent forth his son made of a woman , made under the law , to redeem them that were under the law , gal. . , . o what a fair window is here opened into god's heart ! redemption was decreed , and therefore god sent forth his son ; the time was decreed , and therefore he sent him forth in the fulness of time ; and the price was decreed , and therefore he sent him forth made of a woman , made under the law , that is , to take a humane nature , and pay it down in all obedience as the price of our redemption . . as god decreed this price to be paid , so he accepted it being paid , and this includes in it two things . . that this price was paid to him . . that this price was accepted by him . . this price was paid to him ; christ offered himself to god , heb. . . whether we consider this price as redemptive from evil , or as procurative of good , both ways it was paid to god ; as redemptive from evil it was paid to him as a righteous law-giver and judge , and as procurative of good it was paid to him as a great remunerator and faithful promiser . god is the law-giver against whose laws we rebelled , and god is the judge who for our rebellions against his law , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shut us all up in prison , rom. . . there we lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , under the judgment of god , rom. . . and his wrath abode upon us , joh. . . therefore this price as redemptive from evil was paid to god as the law-giver and judge . that socinian cavil , that if this were a proper redemption , the price should be paid to sin and satan , because we are redeemed from them , is but a mere trifle ; for god is the supreme law-giver and judge , he only hath the keys of death and hell ; strictly and properly sinners are prisoners only to him , satan is but as the jaylor or under-officer , acting under the authority of this judge ; the guilt of sin is but as the chains or fetters , binding under the justice of this law-giver ; and who ever read or heard of a price of redemption paid to the jaylor or fetters ? and yet upon the payment thereof the captive is delivered from them both . hence it is that our saviour christ was both mercator and bellator , mercator as to god to whom he paid the price , and bellator as against satan whom he conquered ; and both these the apostle expresses together , he blotted out the hand-writing , nailing it to his cross , and spoiled principalities and powers triumphing over them in it , col. . , . he paid god the price and not satan , he spoiled and triumphed over satan , and not over god. again ; as this price as redemptive from evil was paid to god as a law-giver and judge , so this price as procurative of good was paid to god as the great remunerator and faithful promiser . god is a great remunerator , for he rewards according to the condecency of his goodness ; and a faithful promiser , for he will not suffer one jot or tittle of his promises to fall to the ground ; he engaged himself to christ , that his blood should be returned in all good things , he gave him the promise of a seed , and to raise it up , the promise of his spirit , and to crown it , the promise of eternal life ; he bound himself by express compact to make him a light to the gentiles , a covenant to the people , and salvation to the ends of the earth , isai. . , . wherefore this price as procurative of good was paid to god as a remunerator and promiser . . as this price was paid to god , so it was accepted by him for the ends aforesaid . indeed simply and abstractively from his own decree he was not bound to accept of this price ( though of an immense and infinite value ) as for us ; i say , as for us ; for he might have stood upon the rigour of the law , do this and live , transgress this and die in thine own person ; the tables of the law might never have been put into the ark , nor covered with a mercy-seat ; but this is the joy of our faith , that he hath accepted it . when christ was baptized , there was a voice from heaven , this is my beloved son , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in whom i am well-pleased , mat. . . duo grata vocabula , silius & dilectus , saith an ancient , and that sweet word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes up the third . when christ was sacrificed , there was a sweet smell to god , eph. . . god cries out , i have found a ransom , joh . . and christ , it is finished , joh. . . afterwards when he came into the grave , off flew the bands of death , acts . . as a pregnant evidence that justice was satisfied ; he was taken from prison and from judgment , isai. . . because all was paid ; god's power raised him up , and god's justice could say nothing against it . and when he was risen from the dead , he raises up the faith of his disciples , why do thoughts arise in your hearts ? saith he , luk. . . do you doubt whether i am he who paid down the price of redemption ? behold ! my hands and my feet ; fossus est saccus , & manavit pretium orbis , the sack of my humanity was broke , and out run the price of redemption . do you scruple whether that price were accepted of god or not ? lo ! here are the returns of it , i 'le breath the holy ghost upon you , i 'le betrust the gospel with you , go preach it to every creature , make the world know , that redemption , remission , grace , peace , sanctity , salvation are the returns of my blood. and afterwards just at his parting he blessed them and ascended up into heaven ; he blessed them , to shew that the curse was gone , and ascended up into heaven to possess the purchase of glory , and being there , he sate down at god's right hand ; his work was now done , and therefore he sate down , and his work was now accepted , and therefore he sate down at god's right hand ; there he received gifts for men , and from thence he gave them out again ; he gave out what he received , and received what he purchased . christ's sacrifice was so sweet a favour to god , that the minister , who preaches it , is a sweet savour to him , cor. . . and the believer who accepts it is accepted of him , eph. . . nay , so far accepted , that he becomes a priest , revel . . . and his good works pleasing sacrifices , heb. . . his prayers are turned into odours , revel . . . and his charity into a sweet smell , phil. . . and all this by a perfuming touch from christ's merits . in a word ; all the proclamations of mercy in the scripture , all the pardons of sin in the conscience , all the influences of grace on the heart , and all the openings of heaven in the promises are as so many pregnant proofs unto us , that god accepted the price . thus having shewed what manner of price this is , viz. redemptive from evil , procurative of good , and sufficient for both , i pass on to the last question . . for whom was this price paid ? and this i shall cleave asunder into two quaeries . . whether christ died for all men ? . whether he died equally for all men ? in both which , whilest i name the death of christ only according to the usual language of divines , i comprehend his whole obedience active and passive , whereof his death was the complement and extreme act. . as to the first quaere , whether christ died for all men ? i answer affirmatively , that he did ; and here i shall do two things . . i shall lay down the reasons of my opinion . . i shall answer the objections made against it ; and in both it will appear how far , or in what sence i assert that christ died for all men . . i shall lay down my reasons for it , and these are drawn . from the will of god as the fountain of redemption . . from the covenant of grace as the charter of it , and the promises comprized therein . . from the ministers commission who publish it . . from certain blessings which are the fruits of it . . from the unbelief of men which is the denial of it . . from the fulness and glorious redundance of merit in christ's death which paid for it . . from the large and general expressions in scripture concerning the same . . i argue from the will of god. god's will of salvation as the fontal cause thereof , and christ's death as the meritorious cause thereof are of equal latitude ; god's will of salvation doth not extend beyond christ's death ; for then he should intend to save some extra christum : neither doth christ's death extend beyond god's will of salvation , for then he should die for some whom god would upon no terms save ; but these two are exactly coextensive . hence 't is observable , that when the apostle speaks of christ's love to the church , he speaks also of his giving himself for it , eph. . . and when he saith god will have all men to be saved , tim. . . he saith withal , christ gave himself a ransom for all , ver. . therefore there cannot be a truer measure of the extent of christ's death , than god's will of salvation , out of which the same did issue ; so far forth as that will of salvation extends to all men , so far forth the death of christ doth extend to all men . now then how far doth god will the salvation of all ? surely thus far , that if they believe they shall be saved : no divine can deny it , especially seeing christ himself hath laid it down so positively , this is the will of him that sent me ( saith he ) that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life , joh. . . wherefore if god will the salvation of all men thus far , that if they believe they shall be saved ; then christ died for all men thus far , that if they believe they shall be saved . but you 'l say that promise , whosoever believes shall be saved , is but voluntas signi and not voluntas beneplaciti , which is the adequate measure of christ's death . unto which i answer ; if that promise be voluntas signi , what doth it signifie ? what but god's will ? what will but that good pleasure of his , that whosoever believes shall be saved ? how else is the sign of the true god a true sign ? whence is that universal connexion betwixt faith & salvation ? is it not a plain efflux or product from the decree of god ? doth not that evidently import a decree , that whosoever believes shall be saved ? surely it cannot be a false sign ; wherefore so far god's will of salvation extends to all men , and consequently so far christ's death extends to them . . i argue from the covenant of grace , and the promises comprized therein . christ is the mediatour of the covenant , and the covenant is the new-testament in his blood ; christ's death doth not extend beyond the covenant , for then there should be less in the charter than in the purchase ; neither doth the covenant extend beyond christ's death , for then there should be more in the charter than in the purchase : but both these run parallel in extent . therefore so far forth as the covenant extends to all men , so far forth the death of christ extends to all men . now then for the extent of the covenant ; are not those promises [ whosoever believes shall be saved ; whosoever will , let him take of the water of life freely ] with the like , a part of the covenant ? and are they not extensive to all men ? both are as plain as if they were written with a sun-beam : wherefore so far doth christ's death extend to all men , as the covenant in any part thereof doth extend unto them . moreover ; these general promises undeniably extend to all men , and in that extent are infallibly true ; they are all faithful sayings , and words of truth , and their truth is sealed up by christ's blood ; wherefore as these promises extend to all men , so the death of christ ( in which they are founded ) doth extend to all men . if christ did no way die for all men , which way shall the truth of these general promises be made out ? whosoever will may take the water of life . what , though christ never bought it for him ? whosoever believes , shall be saved . what , though there were no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no price paid for him ? surely the gospel knows no water of life but what christ purchased , nor no way of salvation but by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or price paid . but you 'l say , that albeit christ died not for all men , yet are those general promises very true , and that because their truth is founded . upon the sufficiency of christ's death , which hath worth enough in it to redeem millions of worlds . i answer , there is a double sufficiency , sufficientia nuda consisting in the intrinsecal value of the thing , and sufficientia ordinata consisting in the intentional paying and receiving that thing as a price of redemption ; the first is that radical sufficiency , whereby the thing may possibly become a price ; the second is that formal sufficiency , whereby the thing doth actually become a price . let a thing be of never so vast a value in it self , 't is no price at all , unless it be paid for that end , and being paid , 't is a price for no more than those only for whom it was so paid ; because the intrinsecal worth how great soever doth not constitute it a price . hence it is clear , that if christ's death ( though of immense value ) had been paid for none , it had been no price at all ; and if it were paid but for some , it was no price for the rest for whom it was not paid . these things premised , if christ no way died for all men , how can those promises stand true ? all men , if they believe , shall be saved ; saved , but how ? shall they be saved by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of redemption ? there was none at all paid for them ; the immense value of christ's death doth not make it a price as to them for whom he died not ; or shall they be saved without a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price ? god's unsatisfied justice cannot suffer it , his minatory law cannot bear it , neither doth the gospel know any such way of salvation ; take it either way , the truth of those promises cannot be vindicated , unless we say , that christ died for all men . but you 'l yet reply , that albeit christ died not for all , yet is the promise true ; because christ's death is not only sufficient for all in it self , but it was willed by god to be so . i answer , god willed it to be so , but how ? did he will that it should be paid for all men , and so be a sufficient price for them ? then christ died for all men ; or did he will that it should not be paid for all men , but only be sufficient for them in its intrinsecal value ? then still it is no price at all as to them , and consequently either they may be saved without a price , which is contrary to the current of the gospel ; or else they cannot be saved at all , which is contrary to the truth of the promise . if it be yet further demanded , to what purpose is it to argue which way reprobates shall be saved , seeing none of them ever did or will believe ? let the apostle answer , what if some did not believe ? shall their unbelief make the faith of god of none effect ? god forbid ; yea , let god be true , but every man a liar , rom. . , . and again , if we believe not , yet he abideth faithful and cannot deny himself , tim. . . no reprobate ever did or will believe , yet the promise must be true , and true antecedently to the faith or unbelief of men ; true , because it is the promise of god , and antecedently true , because else it could not be the object of faith. wherefore i conclude that christ died for all men so far , as to found the truth of the general promises , which extend to all men . . i argue from the ministers commission which is , go , preach the gospel to every creature ; by virtue of this , they command all men every where to repent , and to induce them thereunto , they open a door of hope to them , and to raise up that hope , they set forth jesus christ evidently before their eyes , as if he were crucified among them , opening his bleeding wounds , and through them shewing his naked heart , and the inward bruises there made by gods wrath for man's sin ; they lift up their voices and cry , come , o poor sinners ! come , for all things are ready , here 's christ and his redeeming blood ready , here 's an act of free grace & pardon seal'd in that blood , here 's a heaven of reconciliation , and at the end thereof a heaven of glory open before you ; come , o come without delay ; behold ! now is the accepted time , the day of salvation , come , and your sins shall be blotted out , come and your souls shall live for ever ; whilest it is called to day , we beseech you , be you reconciled unto god ; why should your immortal souls , saveable through christ , be choaked with worldly thorns , or inchanted with base lusts , or inhabited by unclean devils ? turn ye , turn ye , why will ye die ? and in all this , they bespeak not the elect only , but others too ; for their commission reaches to every creature : neither do they utter their own humane passions , but pursue their divine commission ; for in all their pathetical beseechings god himself beseeches , cor. . . in all their loud out-cries wisdom it self cries out , prov. . , . in all their earnest expostulations , christ himself stands at the door and knocks , rev. . . in all their holy doctrines the kingdom of heaven comes nigh unto men , luk. . . and in all their invitations to the evangelical feast made up of christ's flesh and blood , which is meat indeed , and drink indeed , god himself invites , and bids men , eat and drink for his heart is with them . these things being so , it necessarily follows that christ died for all men ; because the oblation of christ in the gospel is founded on his oblation on the cross , and the ministery of reconciliation is founded on the mystery of it . hence the apostle joins both together ; god was in christ reconciling the world to himself , and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation , cor. . . and in another place , christ gave himself a ransom for all , to be testified in due time , tim. . . the word of reconciliation is extensive to all , therefore so is the work ; the price of redemption may be testified to all , therefore it was paid for all , so far as to found that testimony of jesus which is the spirit of prophecy . but if christ no way died for all men , how came the ministers commission to be so large ? they command men to repent that their sins may be blotted out , but how can their sins be blotted out for whom christ was not made sin ? they beseech men to be reconciled to god , but how shall they be reconciled for whom christ paid no price at all ? they call and cry out to men to come to christ that they may have life , but how can they have life for whom christ was no surety in his death ? if then christ died for all men , the ministery is a true ministery as to all ; but if christ died only for the elect , what is the ministery as to the rest ? those exhortations , which as to the elect are real undissembled offers of grace , as to the rest seem to be but golden dreams and shadows ; those calls , which as to the elect are right ministerial acts , as to the rest appear as extraministerial blots and errata's ; those invitations to the gospel-feast , which as to the elect are the cordial wooings and beseechings of god himself , as to the rest look like the words of mere men speaking at random and without commission : for alas ! why should they come to that feast for whom nothing is prepared ? how should they eat and drink for whom the lamb was never slain ? wherefore i conclude that christ died for all mens so far as to found the truth of the ministery towards them . . i argue from the blessings purchased by christ's death ; one great blessing is salvation on gospel terms . lapsed angels must be damned , but men , nay , all men may be saved on gospel-terms ; there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a common salvation to them ; and o what a blessing is this , especially to such as live under the gospel ! there is nothing stands between them and heaven but their own will , they will not come to christ that they may have life : oh! what would the damned spirits in hell give for such a door of hope , as hath no other bar but what is in their own hearts ! how would they sweat and strive with tears and strong cries to enter in at it ! a second blessing is the patience of god , which waits upon sinners , and by some glimmerings of mercy leads them to repentance . a third blessing is the dispensation of gifts ; even in the wilderness of the pagan-world there are moral vertues , and in the eden of the church there are even in those that perish , some touches of the holy ghost , tastes of the heavenly gift and feelings of the powers of the world to come , and whence are these but from the death of christ ? as david called the water of bethlehem the blood of his worthies , so may i call these blessings the blood of christ. wherefore christ died so far for all , as to procure some blessings for them . . i argue from the unbelief of men , which is wonderfully aggravated in scripture : through jesus christ there is a real offer of grace made , but unbelief receives it in vain , cor. . . great salvation is prepared , 〈◊〉 ●nbelief neglects it , heb. . . eternal 〈◊〉 is promised , but unbelief comes short of it , heb. . . the kingdom of heaven comes nigh to men , but unbelief draws back from it , heb. . . god himself bears witness that there is life in his son , even for all if they believe , but unbelief saith no to it , and doth what it can to make him a liar , joh. . . christ is set forth before our eyes as the great expiatory sacrifice , and evidently set forth as if he were crucified among us , his blood runs fresh in the veins of the gospel , but unbelief recrucifies the son of god , heb. . . tramples his precious blood under foot , heb. . . and doth as it were nullifie his glorious sacrifice ; so that as to final unbelievers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there no more remaineth a sacrifice , heb. . . as to their salvation , 't is as if there were no sacrifice at all for them : but if christ died not for all men , how can these things be ? how can those men receive grace in vain for whom it was never procured ? or neglect salvation for whom it was never prepared ? how can they fall short of eternal rest for whom it was never purchased ? or draw back from the kingdom of heaven which never approached unto them ? how can there be life in christ for thos● for whom he never died ? and if not 〈◊〉 way doth their unbelief give god the lye ? how can they recrucifie the son of god for whom he was never crucified ? or trample on that precious blood which was never shed for them ? the devils , as full of malice as they are against , christ , are never said to do it , and why are men charged with it ? i take it , because men have some share in him , and devils none at all . . i argue from the death of christ , which hath a superexcellent redundance of merit in it , not only because of its intrinsecal value , but because of the divine ordination ; there are unsearchable riches in christ , enough to pay all mens debts ; there are pleonasms of grace in him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , grace superabounded , saith the apostle , tim. . . salvation flows out from him actually upon all believers , and by a glorious supereffluence it would run over upon all men if they did believe : as it was with the widows litte pot of oil , kings . . the oil did run till all the vessels were full , and then it staid ; the widow called for another vessel , and if she had had many more there , the oil in the pot would have filled them all ; even so ( pardon the comparison ) it is with the immense sea of christ's merits , it actually fills all the vessels of faith , and then it stays as it were for want of vessels ; mean-while christ calls and cries out for more and if all men would come and bring their vessels to him he would fill them all ; doubtless if all men did believe , all would see the glory of god , all would have the rivers of living water flowing in them , all would feel spiritual miracles wrought in their hearts , by that christ who sits at the right hand of power , and consequently all would find an experimental witness in themselves that christ died for them all . . i argue from the general and large expressions in scripture touching christ and his death ; christ died for all , cor. . . for every man , heb. . . he gave himself for the world , joh. . . for the whole world , joh. . . he is stiled the saviour of the world , joh. . . and his salvation is called a common salvation , jude ver. . a salvation prepared before the face of all people , luk. . . and flowing forth to the ends of the earth , isai. . . the gospel of this salvation is to be preached to all nations , matth. . . and to every creature , mark . . there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , grace bringing salvation to all men , tit. . . a door of hope open to them , because christ gave himself a ransom for all , tim. . . i know not what could be more emphatical to point out the universality of redemption ? but you 'l say , all these general expressions do but denote genera singulorum , some of all sorts , the world of the elect , or the all of believers . in answer to which i shall only put two quaeries . . if those general expressions denote only the world of the elect , or the all of believers , why is it not said in scripture , that god elected all and every man , the world and the whole world ? in that sence 't is as true that god elected them all , as 't is that christ died for them all ; why then doth the holy spirit altogether forbear those general expressions in the matter of election , which it useth in the matter of redemption ? surely it imports thus much unto us , that redemption hath a larger sphere than election ; and therefore the scriptures contract election in words of speciality only , whilest they open and dilate redemption in emphatical generalities . . if those general expressions denote only the world of the elect or the all of believers , why doth the scripture use such very different language in the same thing ? sometimes christ is called the saviour of the world , and sometimes the saviour of the body ; sometimes 't is said that christ died or gave himself for all , or for the world , & sometimes it is said that he died or gave himself for the church or for his sheep . who can imagine that such words of universality , and such words of speciality should be of the same latitude ? that one and the same thing should be imported in both ? moreover , the scripture doth make a signal distinction ; when it speaks of his giving himself or dying for all , it says only that he died for all or gave himself a ransom for all : but when it speaks of giving himself for his church , it says that he sanctified himself that it might be sanctified through the truth , joh. . . and that he gave himself for it , that he might purisie to himself a peouliar people , tit. . . and that he gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the word , and present it to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle , eph. . , , . never in all the scripture is it said that he gave himself for all , or for the world , that he might sanctifie , or cleanse it , or make it a peculiar people , or glorious church , which yet might have been truly said , if the all were no more than the all of believers , or the world than the world of the elect ; wherefore to me it seems clear from those various expressions and the observable distinctions in them , that the all for whom christ died is larger than the all of believers , and the world for whom christ gave himself larger than the world of the elect. . having laid down my own reasons , i procede to answer the objections made against this opinion . object . . if christ died for all men , then all would believe , for christ's death procures all graces , and in particular , faith ; seeing then all men have not faith , either christ did not die for them all , or else he loseth part of his purchase . i answer that christ's death is procurative of all graces and particularly of faith , so far as it is a price ; and it is a price so far , as it was paid down by christ and accepted by god for that purpose : for in a price there must be both sufficientia nuda consisting in the intrinsecal value of the thing , and sufficientia ordinata consisting in the intentional paying and receiving that thing as a price . now christ's death was paid down by him and accepted by god as a price with a double respect . as for all men it was paid and accepted as a price , so far forth , as to procure for them a ground for their faith , viz. that they might be saved on gospel-terms . and as for the elect it was further paid and accepted as a price ; so far as to procure the very grace of faith for them . thus our saviour christ ( who best knew both upon what terms he paid down the price , and upon what terms his father received it ) opens this mysterious dispensation ; i came down from heaven ( saith he ) not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me , joh. . . and what was that ? as to all men , 't was that every one that seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life , ver. . and as to the elect , 't was that all those should by faith come unto him , ver. . and never be lost , ver. . christ then died for all men , not so far forth as to procure the grace of faith , but so far forth as to procure salvation on gospel-terms for them ; therefore , albeit all do not believe , it follows not either that christ did not at all die for them , or that he loseth part of his purchase . christ's death is procurative of faith , not in reference to all , but to the elect. object . . if christ died for all men , why is not the gospel revealed to them ? many pagan nations have no glimpse of a christ. i answer two things . . god hath not left himself altogether without witness , no , not in the pagan-world ; the invisible spirit renders himself visible in the glass of the world , rom. . . and as it were palpable in the body of nature ; the very heathens may see and feel him in every creature , acts . . nay , and in themselves too , for his presence is not far off from them , & his candle burns within them , prov. . . & when by this candle it appears , that there is justice in god and sin in them ; yet that they may still seek after him , he lets out some glimmerings of mercy & placability towards them ; the very standing of the world utters somewhat of this . this psalmist tells us of a line in the heaven , psal. . . god in the creation drew lines of power and wisdom over the sphere of nature , but christ in redemption struck a line of mercy quite through it , and that legible even to the heathens , forasmuch as they know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vindictive justice of god , rom. . . and yet see the world standing , and not dashed down about the sinners ears ; they know there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a divine vengeance , acts . . and yet they are not consumed ; they see justice as it were winking , acts . . judgment slumbring , pet. . . and infinite patience and long-suffering waiting and leading them to repentance , rom. . . they have some glimpses of pardoning mercy ; where there is no pardoning mercy at all , there is no room for repentance : but the patience of god is a kind of temporal pardon of the punishment , & that temporal pardon of the punishment points out that mercy which can give an absolute pardon of the sin , and the true duct and tendency of that mercy is to lead men to repentance ; and if there were any man in the pagan-world who did in truth repent and convert to god , i make no question at all , but that he should be saved , and probably not without the express knowledge of christ indulged to him ; for upon all that fear gods name will the sun of rigteousness arise with healing under his wings , mal. . . here then is aliquid evangelii , though not the express knowledge of christ. . as to the argument , let us weigh what may be deducted from christ's death as universal : if christ died for all men , it follows from thence that christ may be preached to all , but it follows not from thence that christ shall be preached to all ; it follows that christ may be preached to all , for he , who was offered for all on the cross , may be offered to all in the gospel ; there is no pagan in the world to whom christ may not be offered . and if there were but one great ear or organ of hearing common to all , how would christ's ministers always be filling it with gospel ? but it follows not that christ shall be preached to all ; for the gospel is god's own , and he may do with his own as he pleaseth ; and christ who purchased for all the being of the gospel as far as the general promises go , yet purchased not for all the publication thereof . in a word ; the pagans have some glimmerings of gospel , and may be saved on gospel-terms , which shews that christ so far died for them ; and that they have not the express knowledge of christ , is a deep abyss much fitter to be adored than dived into by us . object . . if christ died for all men , then he intercedes for all ; but he intercedes only for the elect , therefore he died for them only . i answer that christ doth in some sort intercede for all men ; and this i shall clear several ways . . from the nature of christ's intercession ; that is not a formal prayer , but an appearing in the holy of holies before the face of god as an advocate , and there presenting his blood and righteousness in their freshness and endless life of merit , with a will that all the grace purchased thereby may be dispensed to the sons of men ; therefore christ even in glory stands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as one slain , rev. . . shewing his bleeding wounds to make intercession with god. hence it follows , that his intercession ( being a kind of celestial oblation ) perfectly answers to his oblation on the cross ; he is an advocate above , so far as he was a surety here below ; his blood speaks the very same things in heaven as it did on earth , and his will stands in the same posture towards sinners there as here . now , how far was christ a surety for all ? surely thus far , that all may be saved if they believe ; else either they cannot be saved at all which is contrary to the truth of the promise , or they may be saved without a surety , which is contrary to the current of the scriptures . but if he were so far a surety for all , then he is so far an advocate for all ; for he appears an advocate in heaven for all those for whom he appeared as a surety on the cross. hence the apostle saith in general , if any man sin we have an advocate with the father , joh. . . he saith not strictly , if the elect sin , but at large , if any man sin , we have an advocate ; and as the true ground-work of this general advocation , he adds , he is the propitiation for the whole world , ver. . so far forth as he was a propitiation for the world , so far forth he is an advocate for it . and another apostle affirms that christ is a mediator between god and men , tim. . . he saith not betwixt god and his church , but betwixt god and men ; and the following words give the true reason of it , christ gave himself a ransom for all , ver. . he is no less a mediator for all , than he was a ransom for all . christ's blood shed on the cross spake thus far for all men that they might have their pardon on gospel-terms ; and afterwards being carried to heaven it speaks the very same language for them ; for the voice or speech of that blood is its merit , and that merit is of an indeficient virtue . hence that blood cannot be speechless , because it cannot be meritless ; and so far on earth as it merited for all , so far in heaven it speaks and intercedes for all . moreover , as christ's blood speaks the same things for them in heaven , as it did on earth , so christ's will in heaven stands in the same posture towards them as it did on earth ; wherefore in a sort he intercedes for all . . from the patience of god which waits on men , even such as at last perish . if christ did not stand with the incense of his sweet-smelling merits between the living and the dead , between the reprieved sinners on earth and the damned spirits in hell , the patience of god would not wait one moment upon them . . from the working of god's spirit ; for as christ is our paraclete or advocate in heaven , joh. . . so the holy spirit is gods para. clete or advocate on earth , joh. . . surely if the advocate in heaven spake nothing for the non-lect , the advocate on earth would not wooe them to salvation ; if the blood of christ did not at all plead for them , the spirit of christ would give no touches at all upon them , much less such touches as to make them taste the powers of the world to come . . from the liberty of prayer . simon magus ( even whilest in the gall of bitterness ) was commanded to pray , acts . . but , what without a mediator ? no surely , that sinful man , who hath no mediator in heaven , must not presume to pray on earth . i see no reason why a man merely mediatorless should have more lieve to pray than a devil , who is therefore without hope because without a mediator . the apostle commands men to pray every where , tim. . . but a little before he lays down this as the ground-work , there is one mediator between god and men , the man christ jesus who gave himself a ransom for all , ver. and . the mediation of christ opens the door to prayer . wherefore as to this objection i answer thus ; christ intercedes for all men in such sort as he died for them ; i say in such sort , for there is a vast difference between his general intercession for all , and his special intercession for the elect : for as christ by his blood shed on the cross merited for all in general that they might be saved on gospel-terms , and merited for the elect in special that they should believe and be saved ; so by the same blood presented in heaven he intercedes for all that they may be saved on gospel-terms , and intercedes for the elect that they may believe and be saved . and thus he is the complete mediator of the covenant ; as the general promises extend to all , so answerably he intercedes for all ; and as the special promises point only at the elect , so proportionably he intercedes for the elect. object . . if christ died for all men , then he was a surety for all and satisfied for the sins of all , and consequently god hath a double satisfaction ; one in christ the surety , and another in the persons of the damned , which is against the nature of his justice . in this argument are two consequences to be weighed . . if christ died for all , then he was a surety for all & satisfied for the sins of all . . if christ so satisfied for the sins of all , then god hath a double satisfaction , which is against justice . as to the first consequence i admit it as a very truth , that christ was a surety for all , and satisfied for the sins of all ; for if all did believe and repent , the sins of all should be remitted , and remitted they could not be without a surety , and a surety making satisfaction ; therefore such a surety was christ for them all . as to the second consequence , if christ satisfied for the sins of all , then god hath a double satisfaction , and that is against justice . i shall first premise some distinctions and then answer . . i shall premise three distinctions . . either the first satisfaction was made to the creditor or law-giver by the debtor or offender himself , or else it was made by a surety ; if it was made by himself , justice forbids a second satisfaction . . the first satisfaction being made by a surety , was either made by a surety of the debtors or offenders own procuring , or else by a surety procured by the creditor or law-giver ; if it was made by a surety procured by the debtor or offender himself , justice forbids a second satisfaction ; for 't is all one as if he had satisfied by himself . . when a surety provided by the creditor or law-giver makes the first satisfaction , either he makes satisfaction in such sort , as that the debtor or offender shall be thereby immediately , ipso facto , without any more ado discharged , or else he makes satisfaction in such sort , as that the debtor or offender shall be thereby discharged , but upon the performance of some conditions and not otherwise ; if the surety make satisfaction in the former way , still justice forbids a second satisfaction ; but if he make satisfaction in the latter way , then upon the final non-performance of those conditions , justice may admit a second satisfaction . i will illustrate this by two instances : suppose a man indebted to another in . l. the creditor procures his son to lay down the mony in satisfaction of the debt , but withal it is agreed between them , that the debtor shall be discharged from his debt , if he assent to this payment and not otherwise ; if then the debtor dissent , the creditor may justly demand of him a second satisfaction . again ; suppose multitudes of attainted traitors be shut up in prison , and the king procures his son to suffer punishment in their stead , but withal the king and his son proclame it as a law , that none of the traitors shall be thereby absolved , unless such as honour and do homage unto them ; if any traitor refuse to do it , the king may justly exact a second satisfaction : and the reason of both is this , because the debtor or traitor not performing the conditions can have no benefit by the first satisfaction , and therefore must be subject to a second , as if there had been no first at all . . these distinctions premised , i answer , mens sins are debts and rebellions , and satisfaction for them is due to god as the great creditor and law-giver ; but this satisfaction was not made by men themselves , but by jesus christ as their surety , and this surety was not procured by men , but provided by god himself ; and being provided by god , he did not pay down his satisfactory blood in such sort , as that men should be thereby immediately , ipso facto , absolved from their debts and rebellions , but in such sort , as that men may be acquitted from their debts and rebellions if they repent and believe : wherefore if they do neither , they can have no benefit by christ's satisfaction , and by consequence a second satisfaction may be justly exacted from them . now for the more distinct clearing of this momentous objection i shall propose four things . . god out of mere grace procured christ to be a surety for men ; and therefore it was in his power to prescribe the conditions , upon the performance or non-performance whereof men should have or not have benefit by christ's satisfaction . . according to this power , god hath plainly set down the conditions in the gospel , viz. he that believes shall be saved , and he that believes not shall be condemned . . these conditions being thus set down by god himself , no man falling short of them , can have benefit by christ's satisfaction : if men will not receive the atonement , rom. . . how can they be at peace ? if they will not receive remission of sins , acts . . how can they be pardoned ? we are all in a worse dungeon than jeremy's , and if we will not put the cords of grace under our arms , we cannot get out ; we are all servants of sin , and if we say to it , we love thee , and will not go out free , we must be bored for eternal slaves . christ hath opened the fountain of his blood , but we must wash in it , zach. . . christ hath made a purchase of souls , but we must believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to the purchasing of the soul , heb. . . not that faith is part of the purchase-money , but that it is the condition of the gospel , without which the glorious purchase of christ profits not ; if men live and die in unbelief , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there remaineth no more sacrifice for them , heb. . . indeed christ offered a sacrifice for them , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the benefit of that sacrifice doth no more remain unto them ; upon their final unbelief they have no more benefit by it than if there had been none at all for them : in which sence i understand that of the father , si non credis , non tibi descendit , non tibi passus est christus . . if final unbelievers can have no benefit by christ's satisfaction , then god may justly require a second satisfaction of them , because they cannot plead the first ; and so 't is in law as to them as if there had been no first at all . shimei had a pardon from solomon , but passing over kidron lost it ; and therefore ( notwithstanding the same ) was justly put to death for his offence : jesus christ as a surety made satisfaction for men , but they through their final unbelief lose the benefit of it ; and therefore ( notwithstanding the same ) god may justly require a second satisfaction from them . if shimei had pleaded his pardon , solomon would have told him , that 's nothing to thee ever since thou didst pass over kidron ; and if unbelievers should plead christ's satisfaction , god would tell them , that 's nothing to you , seeing you have lived and died in unbelief . object . . millions of men in the world reject christ , and drop into hell , and god eternally foresaw that it would be so ; if then christ died for these , there seems to be a blot upon the divine wisdom , a failure in his efficacious will , and a loss in the precious purchase made by christ. i answer ; 't is true that god eternally foresaw those rejecters of christ , and that christ in time died for them , nevertheless there is no blot hereby cast on the divine wisdom ; 't is no disparagement to the all-wise god to bestow means of eternal bliss on such as he eternally foresaw would abuse the same to their own destruction : oh! what rare perfections did he set up in the angels , and yet he eternally foresaw a great part of them apostatizing and dropping to hell ; what an excellent image of holiness did he stamp upon adam ? and yet he eternally foresaw him falling , and breaking all his glory by the the fall ; what waitings of patience , wooings of the gospel and touches of the holy spirit doth he dispense to such men as he eternally foresaw would abuse all these ? and yet in all this god's wisdom suffers not . the very same i may say of christ's dying for such as abuse this great blessing ; neither is there here any failing in the efficacious will of god , for he wills that the elect shall believe and be saved , and he wills that the rest shall be saved if they believe , and both these wills are accomplished , the first in the event of faith and salvation , and the latter in the connexion between faith and salvation , even as to all men . god may be said to will the salvation of men through christ's death two ways ; either because he wills that christ's death should be a price infallibly procuring their faith and salvation , or else because he wills that there should be in christ's death an aptness and sufficiency to save them on gospel-terms : the former will points only at the elect , and is fulfilled in their grace and glory ; the latter extends to all men , and is fulfilled in the aptness and sufficiency of christ's death to save them on gospel-terms ; in both god's will hath its effect . neither lastly is there any loss in christ's purchase , for what did he purchase ? as for the elect , he purchased faith and salvation , and as for the rest , he purchased salvation on gospel-terms , in both he hath what he paid for ; for the elect believe and are saved , and the rest may be saved if they believe : therefore when men by their unbelief barr themselves of the benefit of christ's death , and make him in that respect cry out , i have laboured in vain , yet he adds , surely my judgment is with the lord , isai. . . as if he had said , for all this never a drop of my blood is irrationally shed , for god ( with whom my judgment is ) knows , that i purchased salvation for them on gospel-terms , although they by their unbelief deprive themselves of the benefit of the purchase . if final unbelievers should be saved , christ should have more than his purchase , but if they are not saved , he hath no less ; for he purchased salvation for them on gospel-terms which they do not perform through their own voluntary unbelief . object . . if christ died for all men , then he loves all with the greatest degree of love ; for greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends , joh. . . and this must needs be the greatest degree of love , because it draws all other things after it ; if god gave his own son for us , how shall he not with him freely give us all things , rom. . ? but christ doth not love all with the greatest degree of love , neither doth god give all things to them ; therefore christ did not die for all . i confess that christ doth not love all men with the greatest degree of love , neither doth god bestow all blessings on them : wherefore we must examine these places from whence these inferences are made . as for the first place , greater love hath no man than this , that a man lay down his life for his friends , it doth import one of these two things ; either it doth import , that he that dieth for his friends hath the greatest degree or height of internal love towards them , or else it imports , that a mans death for his friends is the greatest external effect and proof of his love : the first cannot be the meaning of the place ; for if it be the greatest and most intense degree of love to die for our friends , what is it to die for our enemies as christ did ? if it be the height and top of love to lay down our lives , how can that be done without any love at all as the apostle supposeth , cor. . ? the apostle commands us to lay down our lives for the brethren , joh. . . but when a man doth it , he is not to have the same degree of love towards all the brethren ; for he is to love those most in whom there is most of god , and to whom he is nearest in nature . jesus christ laid down his life for all the elect , yet without doubt his love was greater to his apostles than to ordinary christians ; nay , and among the apostles , there was one dearly beloved , one who lay in his bosom , joh. . . wherefore the meaning of the words is not , that he that dieth for his friends hath the greatest degree or height of internal love towards them , but that such a death is the greatest effect and proof of his love . christ in the . verse exhorted his disciples to love one another , and in this . verse he shews what is the greatest outward evidence of love , viz. to die for our friends . now albeit christ died for all men , and that death was a great and high proof of his love , nothing hinders but that christ , over and besides his common philanthropy to all , may bear a special affection to the elect ; the universality of his death infers not a parity in his love. if jacob had died for all his sons , yet he might have loved joseph and benjamin above the rest , and left them some special legacies : if christ died for all men , yet he may and doth love his elect above others , and leave some secret love-tokens upon their hearts . as for the second place , if god delivered up his son for us , how shall he not with him freely give us all things , rom. . . the key to unlock this text is the word [ us ; ] who are the us in the text ? who but the elect of god ? ver. . who according to election are effectually called , ver. . and upon their callings are justified and glorified , ver. ? these are the us in the text ; wherefore the plain meaning of it is , not that if god gave his son for all men , he would give them all things , but that if god gave his son for the elect , he would give them all things , viz. all things necessary to salvation ; the text extends not to all men . but you 'l say , though the text extend not to all men , yet the argument doth : for if the argument be good , that if god gave his son for the elect , he would give them all things ; then the argument is as good , that if god gave his son for all men , he would give them all things . i answer , that if god's intention and love in giving his son for all were one and the same towards all , the consequence were undeniable ; but seeing god in giving his son , had towards the elect a special love and intention to bestow grace and glory on them , and towards the rest but a common philanthropy and ordination that they might be saved on gospel-terms , hence it is clear , that albeit the giving of all things to the elect may be inferred from his giving his son for them , yet the giving of all things to all men cannot be inferred from his giving his son for them all ; because in that gift there was not the same love and intention towards all : wherefore i conclude that christ died for all , and yet neither are all loved with the greatest degree of love , nor yet are all blessings conferred upon them . object . . if christ would not pray for all men , then he died not for all ; but christ would not pray for all , for he saith , i pray for them , i pray not for the world , joh. . . answ. this argument must be formed one of these two ways ; either thus , if christ prayed not at all for the non-elect , then he did not at all die for them ; but he prayed not at all for them , ergo , he died not for them . now here i must deny the minor ; for even upon the cross he prayed for his crucifiers , father forgive them , luk. . . not that he would have them forgiven though final impenitents and unbelievers , for that would have been against his father's purpose and his own purchase , but that he would have them forgiven if they did believe and repent , which was congruous to both . but suppose there had been no vocal prayer of christ for them , yet surely there was a mental one ; for he could not but desire of god to have all the fruits of his passion , amongst which one was , that all men might be saved on gospel-terms ; that grand gospel-axiom [ whosoever believes shall be saved ] was no doubt one of his desires , for it cost his precious blood ; wherefore the non-elect were not totally excluded from his prayers . or else the argument must be formed thus ; if christ prayed not for the non-elect in that famous prayer , joh. . then he did not die for them ; but he prayed not for them in that prayer , therefore he died not for them . now here the consequence fails ; for what kind of prayer was that , joh. ? 't was a prayer peculiarly fitted for apostles and believers ; a prayer for their perseverance in faith , ver. . for their perfection in unity , ver. . for their growth in sanctification , ver. . for their abode with him in glory , ver. . and in all respects a prayer which could be congruously prayed for no other but believers , ver. . now that christ did not pray such a prayer for all men as was only proper for believers , doth not conclude , either that he did not at all pray for them , or that he did not at all die for them . thus much in answer to the first quaere , whether christ died for all men ? i pass on to the second . quaere . whether christ died equally for all men ? i answer , that albeit christ died in some sort for all men , and , by virtue of his death , all men ( if believers ) should equally be saved ; nevertheless christ did not die equally for them all , but after a special manner for the elect , above and beyond all others ; and this i shall demonstrate by several arguments drawn . from the will of god. . from the covenant of grace . . from the issue of christ. . from the working of the holy spirit . . from the blessings purchased . . from the intercession of christ. . from the event following upon christ's death . . from the special expressions in scripture . . i argue from the will of god. christ's death is the meritorious cause of salvation , and respects men more or less proportionably as god's will ( which is the fontal cause thereof ) doth more or less respect them : god wills that all men should be saved if they believe , & proportionably christ died for them all ; god wills that the elect should infallibly believe and be saved , and sutably christ died for them in a special way ; there is a peculiarity in christ's redemption answering to the peculiarity of god's love. god eternally resolved with himself that he would have a church and a peculiar people , and christ gave himself for it , that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word , that he might present it to himself à glorious church without spot or wrinkle , eph. . , , . he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity , and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works , tit. . . if christ had given himself thus far for all , all would have been his church and people . you will say , unbelief is the only obstacle . i answer , that if christ had given himself for all , that he might wash them as he washes the church , and redeem them from all iniquity as he redeems his peculiar ones , there would have been no such thing as unbelief left among men ; that christ , who washes out every spot and wrinkle , would not have left unbelief ; that christ , who redeems from all iniquity , would not have left unbelief , no , not in any one man's heart ; nay , i may truly say , he could not leave it there , because he could not lose his end , nor shed one drop of his blood in vain . there are among men some chosen ones , such as are chosen out from among men , and chosen out of the world , joh. . . and christ in his death had a special eye upon these : hence , proportionably to their election , they are said to be redeemed from among men , rev. . . and redeemed out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation , rev. . . now how is it possible that all men should be thus ▪ redeemed ? christ's death as it respects all men , redeems them ( as i may so say ) from among devils , for that it renders them capable of mercy which devils are not ; but christ's death as it respects the elect redeems them even from among men , for that it procures faith for them , and thereby pulls them out of the unbelieving world ; and what is peculiar redemption if this be not ? but you 'l say these are said to be redeemed from among men , not because christ specially died for them above others ; but because these particularly applied his death by faith which others did not . i answer , that either this application by faith was merited by christ's death or not ; if so , then christ redeemed them in a special manner , because by his death he impetrated faith for them , which he did not for all ; if not , then they were redeemed from among men by themselves and their own free will , and not by christ and his death , which ( i tremble to think ) puts the lye upon the church triumphant , who sing the new song to the lamb in these words ; thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to god by thy blood out of every kindred & tongue & people & nation , rev. . . how can that blood of christ , which merited alike for all men , redeem one man from another ? how can it redeem some from among men , unless it merit for them that faith which is the grand distinction between man and man in the matter of salvation ? christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , purchased the church with his blood , acts . . and purchased it in a special manner : hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a purchased people , is not a title common to all , but proper to the church , pet. . . god's children lay scattered up and down the wide world , and christ died that he might gather them all together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into one , one faith here and one glory hereafter , joh. . . if christ had died so for all , all should have come into the same unity . we find in scripture many signal distinctions made among men ; there are some on whom god will have mercy , and others whom he will harden , rom. . . some written in the lambs book of life , and others left out of it , rev. . . some given unto christ , joh. . . and others ●eft to themselves ; some are gods own jewels , mal. . . and others but as dross . now how incredible is it that jesus christ ( who came to do his father's will ) should in his death respect those whom god will harden , as much as those whom he will have mercy on ; those that are out of the book of life , as much as those that are in it ; those that are left to themselves , as much as those that are given to him , and those that are the dross of the world , as much as god's own jewels ? believe it who can , 't is a monstrous opinion , worthy of nothing but exile from christians : seeing god's will hath so distinguished men , it is no more possible that christ should die alike for all , than that he should dissent from his father's will , which to do was his great errand in the world. christ suffered between two thieves , a type of the elect and reprobate world ; but who dare say that he had as much respect to the one as to the other ? . i argue from the covenant of grace . christ is the mediator of the covenant , and the covenant is the new-testament in his blood ; as then the covenant is more or less respective of men , so the mediator's death is more or less respective of them . there are in the covenant two sorts of promises ; the one general and conditional , such are those , whosoever believes shall be saved , whosoever will , may take of the water of life , if any man come to christ he will not cast him out ; the other special and absolute , such are those , i will circumcise thy heart to love me , i will put my fear in their hearts , i will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh , i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes , i will put my laws in their mind and write them in their hearts , and i will be to them a god and they shall be to me a people ; there is a vast difference between these promises : for . the general and conditional promises are as it were the hands of the covenant , pointing out the true way and path leading to salvation , but the special and absolute promises are as it were the veins of the covenant , carrying in them the blood and spirit of life and power to enable us to walk in that way . here god himself engages to work all saving graces in us : are our hearts hard ? he 'l roll away the stone from them ; do our hearts resist holy impressions ? he 'l give us hearts of flesh capable thereof ; are our hearts void of god's law ? he will write it there and turn them into the epistles of christ , and for the effectual doing hereof , he will put his spirit into us , and as a real proof of it , he will cause us to walk in his ways ; and in this walk love shall be the motive , for he will circumcise the heart to love him , and fear the bridle , for he will put his fear in the heart never to depart from him ; and , which is the crown of all , he himself will be a god to us , and we shall be a people to him in an everlasting covenant . stand still o saints ! and adore ; here , loe , here is the ministration of the spirit indeed , cor. . . here are words which are spirit and life , joh. . . here is the supernal jerusalem the mother of spiritual freedom , gal. . . here is the immortal seed which begets all the sons of god , pet. . . here is that vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or formative virtue which moulds us into the divine nature , pet. . . here is the day of god's power , which makes his people willing to serve him in the beauties of holiness , psal. . . happy , yea thrice happy they , who dwell in this land of promise and drink of these wells of salvation . . the general and conditional promises are extensive to all men , but the special and absolute promises respect the elect and them only , for they are fulfilled in them , and them only ; had these extended to all , that god ( who cannot lye , nor deny himself ) would have fulfilled them in all . you will say , he would have fulfilled them in all , but that men themselves will not : but what a strange word is this [ they will not ] ? will they not , if god give them a will , a new heart and a new spirit ? will they not , if god take away the nilling and resisting principle , the heart of stone ? will they not , if god write his laws in their hearts and inward parts ? o what is this , but by an absurd blasphemy to change god's truth into a lye , his omnipotence into weakness , and his glory into the old broken idol of creature-freedom ? surely if god ( who is truth and power ) engage to make a new heart , the old one cannot hinder it ; if he promise to remove hardness , hardness cannot resist it ; if he say that he will write the law in the heart , the heart will not say nay to his almighty fingers . seeing then these promises are not fulfilled in all but in the elect only , i may safely affirm that they respect not all but the elect only . these things being so , it appears how & in what manner christ's death respects men , even more or less , as the promises of the covenant founded on his blood do more or less respect them : as the general promises extend to all men , so the death of christ the mediator proportionably extends to them all ; and as the special promises point only at the elect , so the death of christ the mediator hath a peculiar respect to them . christ by his death ( over and besides the general promises ) founded those special promises for the elect ; hence they come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sons of promise , gal. . . begotten by it to spiritual life , which others , standing only under the general promises , are not . all the saving graces of the elect suting to those special promises are no other than the fruits of christ's merits ; they are renewed with the renewings of the holy ghost , but that is shed on them through jesus christ ; they have the law written in their hearts , but that is the epistle of christ ; their filthy flesh is cut off from their hearts , that they may love god who is a pure spirit , but this is the circumcision of christ , col. . . in a word , all the saving graces of the elect are as so many legacies of the new-testament , and the new-testament is founded in his blood : wherefore it is clear from the covenant of grace and its special respect to the elect , that christ died in a special and peculiar manner for them . . i argue from the issue of christ ; christ was to have a seed , and this i shall demonstrate three ways . . from the preciousness of his blood. . from the purpose of his father . . from the promise of his father . . from the preciousness of his blood. that there should be a laver made of god's blood , and never a sinner washed in it , that such a vast sum of precious merits should be paid down , and never a captive released by it , is to me no less than prodigious blasphemy ; every little grain in nature doth confute it ; if that do but fall into the ground and die , it bringeth forth much fruit , and shall the son of god bleed and die in his assumed flesh and be fruitless ? god in his waky providence gives to every little seed his own body , and shall the peerless flower of heaven sow his blood and righteousness and have none at all ? a cup of cold water given in charity shall in no wise lose its reward , and can it be so with the blood of christ poured out in a transcendent excess of love , and glorified into an infinite merit by his deity ? when christ fed the multitude but with barley-loaves & small fishes , nothing was lost , and can all be lost when he makes a feast of spiritual marrow and fatness , and gives his flesh to be meat indeed and his blood to be drink indeed ? oh! far be the thought from every christian . from the father's purpose , which ( as the scriptures hold forth ) clearly was , that his son should be a king , a captain , a shepherd , an husband , an head and a father : and what is a king without subjects , a captain without souldiers , a shepherd without a flook , an husband without a spouse , an head without a body , and a father without posterity ? empty names are below him whose name is above every name . wherefore this king must have a sion a mountain of holiness to reign in , psal. . . this captain a militia , an army with banners to fight under him , cant. . . this shepherd a flock to hear his voice and follow him , joh. . . this husband a spouse , a queen in gold of ophir maried to him , psal. . . this head a body to be animated with his spirit and filled with his life , col. . . and this father a numerous issue , begotten and brought forth into the spiritual world to honour and serve him , heb. . . . from the father's promise , which was in terminis , that he should have a seed , isai. . . a seed begotten by his spirit , and by that generation bearing his image , and in that image serving of him ; and to make it sure , god engages by special promises to take away the stony heart , to write the law there , to put his holy spirit into them , and so infallibly to raise up a seed to him ; and for the continuance of this seed successively , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen ejus , his name shall be sonned or childed from generation to generation , psal. . . the special promises shall be ever budding and blossoming and bringing forth the fruits of grace ; thus christ shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied , isai. . . and as a sign of this satisfaction , he breaks out , behold i and the children which god hath given me , heb. . . should he miss but one of his seed or children , his heart would not rest or be satisfied ; for they are in a peculiar manner the travel of his soul. but now if christ died alike or equally for all , what becomes of his precious blood ? how can the purpose and promise of god stand ? which way shall christ have a seed ? shall his seed be begotten out of man's will ? no such generation ever was there , joh. . . 't is not of him that willeth , rom. . . nothing less than the holy spirit , which formed christ in the womb , can form him in the heart : but shall they be begotten by the holy spirit ? that spirit doth nothing in the work of regeneration but what christ merited in his passion ; every new creature which is efficiently begotten by the spirit , was first meritoriously begotten by the death of christ , or else it would not be the seed of christ , at least not the travel of his soul. now christ did not travel or merit for all men that they should be begotten again by the holy ghost ; for then either all would be so begotten , which experience denies , or else the merit and travel of christ must be lost , which the preciousness thereof abhorrs : and if christ did not merit it for all , then neither did he ( if he died alike for all ) merit it for any , and how then shall he have a seed ? his seed must be begotten by the spirit , and the spirit begets no new creatures but what christ merited , and christ dying equally for all did not merit such a thing for any , because not for all . moreover ; when god promised christ a seed , either the meaning of that promise was , that some men should become his seed , or that all should be so ; if that some , then christ died not equally for all ; if that all , then all must be begotten by the spirit , and renewed after christ's image , the stone must be cut out of every heart , and the law written there ; for in these things is the very spirit and life of regeneration : but seeing these things are not wrought in all , it appears , that the promised seed is not all , but some , for whom christ merited the very work of regeneration . . i argue from the working of the holy spirit . as the holy spirit eternally procedes from the father and the son in his personal subsistence , so he goes forth in time from the father and the son in his working in men. hence he is called the spirit of the father , and the spirit of the son , the father sends him , and the son sends him ; and as the holy spirit works in men from the father and the son , so he works in them more or less , as the love of the father and the merits of the son do more or less respect them . the father doth in some sort love , and the son did in some sort die for all men . hence the holy spirit hath some workings in the non-elect . within the church many of them taste the powers of the world to come ; nay , in the pagan-world the holy spirit drops some moral vertues and beams of light , from whence have issued many excellent sayings , some of which the holy spirit hath so far owned as to quote them in his own book : but the father doth in a special manner love , and the son did in a special manner die for the elect. hence proportionably the holy spirit works in them after more glorious strains of power and grace ; as a spirit of grace and supplication he melts them into repentance ; as a spirit of faith he makes them catch hold upon christ for righteousness and life ; as a spirit of wisdom he unveils their hearts , and makes the light to shine out of darkness ; as a spirit of liberty he unshackles and unbinds their wills , and makes them free indeed in the ways of god , and as a spirit of truth and holiness he leads them into truth , and by inward law-engravings moulds and changes them into it . moreover , the holy spirit , after such glorious workings on them , comes and dwells in them , and that intimately in the very secrets of their hearts , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i will indwel in them , saith he , cor. . . there are two [ in 's ] to denote an intimate inhabitation , as if god could never be near enough to them : as in christ personal , who is the head , there is god in the flesh by an hypostatical union ; so in christ mystical , which is the body , there is god in the flesh by a gracious inhabitation ; and to shew that he is there , he cries abba father in their devotions ; he is a spirit of love in their charities , a spirit of power in their infirmities , a spirit of comfort in their distresses , and a spirit of glory in their sufferings . seeing then the holy spirit ( who works in men more or less according to the fathers love and sons merits ) works in such a special way in the elect , 't is as clear as if it were written with a sun-beam , that the father loves them and the son died for them in a special way . hence we find these three folded and wrapt up together by the apostle , elect according to the foreknowledge of the father , through sanctification of the spirit , and sprinkling of the blood of jesus christ , pet. . . and again , the grace of our lord jesus christ , the love of god , and the communion of the holy ghost be with you all , cor. . , if the father's love and the son's blood had respected all men as much as the elect , doubtless the holy spirit ( who in subsistence procedes and in operations works from them both ) would have converted all as well as the elect ; why then are not all men actually converted ? is it because the holy spirit works not equally in all , or because the holy spirit is resisted in some ? is it because the holy spirit works not equally in all ? i answer , that the spirit is sent forth from the father and the son , and works exactly according as it is sent ; the inward impulsive cause of pouring out the spirit is the father's love , and the outward meritorious cause of it is the son's blood : wherefore if the father equally love all , and the son equally died for all , the spirit works equally in all ; for there can be no breach in the sacred trinity . or is it because the spirit is resisted in some ? i answer ; their resistance is a grand obstacle to the work , but if the spirit did roll away the stone , and new-mould the heart , and work the will in all , as he doth in the elect , that obstacle would at last be removed out of the way . . i argue from the blessings purchased . christ's death is more or less respective of men , as it is more or less procurative of blessings for them : christ purchased a salvability for all , but over and besides he purchased many choice blessings for the elect , he purchased repentance for them ; for he is a prince and a saviour to give repentance to israel , acts . . he purchased a room for repentance even for all men ; but he purchased repentance it self for his chosen israel ; he purchased faith for them , unto you it is given for christs sake to believe in him , phil. . . for others he purchased a ground-work for faith , but for them he purchased the very grace of faith ; he purchased effectual vocation for them : others have a call by the gospel , but these have a call by the gospel coming in power , and in the holy ghost , and in much assurance ; he purchased holiness and sanctification for them . indeed there is no man living on the earth , but ( if he did really believe ) he should have the rivers of living water , the spirit of holiness flowing in his heart , joh. . . but the elect were destined and chosen in christ to be holy , eph. . . and christ sanctified himself in a special manner for them , that they might be sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in truth , actually & truly , joh. . . lastly , he purchased heaven and glory for them ; others may have heaven upon believing , but these shall certainly arrive at it , these are the sheep , to which christ gives eternal life , joh. . . these are the sons , which without fail shall be brought to glory , heb. . . now seeing christ purchased so many blessings for the elect , 't is evident he died for them in a special way . . i argue from the intercession of christ. christ intercedes for men more or less proportionably as he more or less respected them in his death , for his death is the foundation of his intercession ; the very same blood of christ , which as shed on earth made satisfaction , as presented in heaven makes intercession . now how far doth christ intercede in heaven ? what doth his blood speak there ? for all men it speaks thus , father , let them all be saved on gospel-terms ; but for the elect it speaks thus , father , let them have repentance ; this the apostle hints out , him hath god exalted with his right hand to be a prince & a saviour to give repentance to israel , acts . . israels repentance on earth comes from christ exalted in heaven ; for there he intercedes for it by his merits , and from thence he works it by his spirit . again it speaks for them thus , father , let them be made a willing people ; this i gather from the . psalm , where we find christ sitting at the right hand of god , ver. . and sitting there he intercedes for us , and from this session and intercession comes forth a willing people , ver. . here 's the true original of spiritual willingness ; the right hand of god ( which is a right hand of power ) works it in our hearts , and works it at the instance of christ , who sits and intercedes there for it . again , it speaks for them thus , father , sanctifie them with thy grace , preserve them with thy power , and crown them with thy glory in heaven . thus christ in his sweet prayer a little before his bitter passion , interceded for them for their sanctification , sanctifie them through thy truth , joh. . . for their perseverance , keep them through thine own name , ver. . and for their glory , i will that they be with me where i am to behold my glory , ver. . and what he spake for them by his oral intercession on earth , that he speaks for them by his real intercession in heaven . thus christ doth in a special manner intercede for the elect , which proves that he died for them in a special manner ; because his intercession is but the presenting of the merits of his death to his father in heaven . . i argue from the event following upon christ's death ; some men do believe , when others draw back , and whence comes this distinguishing faith ? either it comes merely of man's free-will , or of god's free grace ; if we say the first , 't is the very mire and dirt of pelagianism , 't is to set up free-will as an idol to cast lots upon christ's blood , whether any one person in the world shall be saved thereby or not : if we say the latter , then god and christ had a special eye upon some above others ; for god ordained , that christ should be the grand medium to salvation , and that faith should be the only way to christ : if then he gave christ for all , and faith but to some , it is because he did in a special way intend their salvation , and consequently christ ( who came to do his fathers will ) had in his death a special respect to them . . i argue from the special expressions in scripture : as the death of christ is set out there in words of universality , so it is set out there in words of special peculiarity . christ died for the elect , rom. . , . died for the children of god scattered abroad , joh. . . gave himself for the church , eph. . . gave himself for a peculiar people , tit. . . laid down his life for the sheep , joh. . . sanctified himself for the given ones , joh. . . and . purchased the church with his own blood , acts . . redeemed a people from among men , rev. . . is a jesus to his own people , matth. . . and a saviour to his own body , eph. . . and is there no emphasis of love ? are there no strains of free grace ? is there no import of singular respect and affection in all these expressions ? we cannot say so without dispiriting the scripture : experience it self tells us , that all are not christ's elect , children , church , peculiar people , sheep , given ones , body , & redeemed ones from among men ; wherefore when the scripture saith that he died for these , it imports that he died for them in a peculiar manner . but you 'l say , these scriptures speak rather of the application of christ's death , than the impetration ; and though the impetration be equally for all , yet the application is proper to believers only . i answer , that if those phrases , of dying for the elect or children of god , giving himself for a church or peculiar people , laying down his life for his sheep , purchasing the church with his blood , and sanctifying himself for the given ones , do not import impetration , i know not what can import it . you will reply , that these expressions import not impetration as it is barely and nakedly in it self , but as it hath application following upon it , and this is the emphasis of them : but if these expressions import impetration with application following upon it , whether doth that application follow upon impetration as a fruit thereof or not ; if so , then christ merited that application for the elect , and consequently died in a special manner for them ; if not , then there is no emphasis of special love & grace in all those expressions of his dying , giving himself , sanctifying himself and laying down his life for them : for there was no merit in all this to procure the application of his death unto them . but let us further enquire , what these elect children , church , peculiar people , sheep , given ones and redeemed ones from among men were before or without the purchase made by christ ; were these elect called and justified without christ or not ? if so , why did he die for them ? if not , then he died for them that they might be so called and justified . were these children meritoriously begotten by christ's blood or not ? if so , then that blood did more for them than for others ; if not , then they were not the seed of christ. was that church an actual church before or without christ's purchase ? or was it a church in his intention ? if an actual church , what need he purchase it ? if a church in intention , then the special design of his death was to make it an actual church . was that peculiar people such without the merit of christ's death or not ? if so , why did he give himself for it ? if not , then he gave himself for it that it might be such . were those sheep brought into christs fold without his death or not ? if so , why did he lay down his life for them ? if not , he laid it down to bring them thither . were those given ones actually sanctified without the virtue of christs sacrifice or not ? if so , then why did he sanctifie himself for them ? if not , then he sanctified himself for them , that they might be sanctified . were those redeemed from among men redeemed by christ or not ? if so , then he redeemed them in a special manner ; if not , then they are the redeemed ones of their own free-will . but let the texts themselves breath forth their own native strains of love and grace ; he so died for the elect as to effectually call and actually justifie them , rom. . , . he so died for his children as to gather them together into one , one faith on earth and one fruition in heaven , joh. . . he so gave himself for the church , as to make it a glorious church without spot or wrinkle , eph. . , . he so gave himself for his people as to make them his peculiar ones , tit. . . he so laid down his life for his sheep as to bring them into his fold , and make them hear his voice , joh. . , . he so sanctified himself for the given ones as to sanctifie them through the truth , joh. . . he so redeemed his chosen ones from among men as to make them first fruits to god and the lamb , rev. . . in all these special scriptures , it evidently appears that christ in his death had a special respect to his elect. wherefore i will shut up all with that of an ancient , etsi christus pro omnibus mortuus est , pro nobis tamen specialiter passus est , quia pro ecclesia passus est . chap. ix . of the work of conversion . having passed over redemption , i come to conversion ; there we had christ formed in the womb , here we have him formed in the heart ; there we had christ coming in the flesh and working miracles on mens bodies , here we have him coming in the spirit and working miracles in mens souls ; there we had christ pouring forth his blood and reconciling us to god's justice , here we have him pouring forth his spirit and reconciling us to god's holiness . now in my discourse touching conversion , i shall reduce all to . quaeries . . what is mans state before conversion ? . what is the nature of the work ? . who is the worker thereof ? in the first we shall meet with the extreme necessity of the work , in the second with the intrinsecal excellency thereof , and in the third with the power and grace of the great agent . . what is man's state before conversion ? i mean man fallen , for man standing needed no conversion ; and this i shall consider two ways . . what it is in general in relation to the whole man ? . what it is in particular in relation to the several parts of man ? . what it is in general ? and this i shall open in two things . . 't is a state of estrangement from god. . 't is a state of enmity against god. . 't is a state of estrangement from god ; a natural man is estranged from the womb , psal. . . without god in the world , eph. . . god is all round about him in the witnessing creatures , and yet he is without god in the world ; god is in him in the lamp of conscience , & yet he is without god in his heart , for there he saith , there is no god , psal. . . which way soever god comes forth to meet him , whether from mount sinai in the fiery law , or from mount sion in gospel-charms of free grace , still he flies away from god's presence ; and if god pursue after him , he 'l say to god in plain terms , depart from me , job . . . and if any reliques of light will not depart , but stay behind in his heart , he shuts them up in the prison of unrighteousness , rom. . . his ubi is with cain in nod the land of wandring and demigration , and with the prodigal in a far country , where he is far off from god , psal. . . and god far off from him , prov. . . & if ever he be saved , he must be brought from far , isai. . . now upon a distinct view this is a deplorable condition ; for . a natural man being estranged from god the fountain of life , must needs be a dead man , dead in sins and trespasses , eph. . . because alienated from the life of god ; he is not only as the man in the gospel , half dead , luk. . . ( who is there set forth not as a figure of original corruption , but as an object of charity , as is very evident by the scope of the parable , which is ushered in with that question , and who is my neighbour , ver. ? and at last closed up with the like , which of the three was neighbour to him ver. ? ) but he is altogether dead in spirituals ; there are no true vital spirits of faith in him , no true motions of obedience , no pulse of heavenly affections , no breath of spiritual prayer , no taste of the gospel-wine and marrow , no feeling of all that massy sin and wrath which lies upon him ; all his life is a death-wandering , all his rest is in the congregation of the dead , prov. . . give him all the statures of natural excellencies , strew him over with the flowers of sweetest morality , and spangle him with the notions of sublime theology , yet still he is but a dead man , his soul a dead soul , his faith a dead faith , his works dead works , and his hopes and comfors but as the giving up of the ghost . but you 'l say , is not man a living creature ? hath he not a reason and reliques of light in it ? hath he not a free will and seeds of moral vertue in it ? and why then do you call him dead ? i answer ; man is a living creature , alive in naturals , but dead in spirituals ; he hath a reason , but , because there is no light of life in it , 't is but a dead reason ; his reliques of light argue no more spiritual life in him , than knowledge doth in devils ; he hath a free will , but for want of the freedom indeed , 't is only free among the dead , i mean , to this or that carnal or natural work , and not to the will of god ; he hath some seeds of moral vertue in him , but alas ! these are of too low an extraction to be any particles of spiritual life . mere moral vertues are by god's blessing on humane industry struck as sparks out of natural principles , but spiritual life is a fire dropt down from heaven into the heart ; mere moral vertues descending but from natural principles never ascend up to god as their end , but spiritual life as it is originally born of god , so it is ultimately terminated in him . wherefore a man may be naturally , nay morally alive , and yet be spiritually dead . . a natural man being estranged from god , who is an infinite spirit , must needs be flesh : thus god calls the men of the old world flesh , gen. . . thus our saviour sets out regeneration by its opposite , that which is born of the flesh is flesh , and that which is born of the spirit is spirit , joh. . . as the body separate from the soul is flesh , such as moulders into dust , and putrifies into worms ; so the soul separate from god is flesh too , such as turns into the dust of earthly things , and rots in those lusts which breed the never-dying worm in hell ; neither is this flesh only in the lower rooms of the soul , but in the upmost faculties of reason and will. in the reason there is the cankred flesh of errors and heresies , and in the will there is the dead flesh of impotency , and the proud flesh of obstinacy against the will of god. hence the apostle tells us of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a mind of flesh , col. . . and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wills of flesh , eph. . . and therefore the true circumcision is in the heart and in the spirit , rom. . . even in the highest faculties and powers of the soul. . a natural man being estranged from god , who is the beauty of holiness , must needs be very impure ; he is filthy or stinking , psal. . . an unclean thing , joh . . he lies polluted in his blood , with a leprosie in his head , and a plague in his heart , clothed in filthy rags of sin , and rolling in the mire and vomit of corruption ; so great is his filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness , that he taints whatsoever he touches ; his very prayers are an abomination , and his services as dung before god : neither is this pollution only in the sensitive soul but also in the rational , there is filthiness of spirit , cor. . . and disilement in the very mind and conscience , tit. . . there is no sound part , but all over wounds and bruises and putrifying sores . . a natural man being estranged from god , who is jehovah or beingness , must needs be a very nullity in spirituals . if a creature be separate from the god of nature , 't is a nullity in naturals ; and if a rational creature be separate from the god of grace , he is a nullity in spirituals . sure , if he were any thing at all , he might speak or think , but he can do neither : as running a fountain of words as his tongue is , he cannot say , jesus is the lord , cor. . . and as swarming a hive of thoughts as his heart is , he cannot think any thing as of himself , cor. . . the great apostle gives a double account of himself , an account what he is in himself , i am nothing , saith he , cor. . . and an account what he is by grace , by the grace of god i am what i am , cor. . . all his nothingness is in and of himself , and all his spiritual essence is in and of grace . a mere natural man is nothing in spirituals , his eyes are on that which is not , prov. . . his joy is in a thing of nought , amos . . and all the false gods in his heart are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihilitates , nothingnesses , psal. . . as they are creatures in the world , they are beings , but as they are idols in his 〈◊〉 , they are nothing , nothing to make a god of , and he , who makes them such , is like unto them , even nothing in spirituals . . 't is a state of enmity against god ; he is not only a stranger but an enemy too , col. . . nay , which is more , his carnal mind is enmity against god , rom. . . enmity is irreconcileable , it is not subject to the law of god , neither indeed can be , not unless the enmity be slain in it ; nay , further the apostle call the gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of god , rom. . . and hatred is enmity boiled up to the height . hatred ( saith the philosopher ) seeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the not-being of the thing hated ; and such is man's wickedness that strikes as it were at the life and being of god , it had rather that god should not be , than that lusts should be restrained . the scripture sets out some grand enemies as opposing god openly and upon the stage of the world , and by what they did openly , we may discern what spirit and mystery of iniquity is working in every natural man's heart secretly ; there is in him some of the corrupt flesh of the old world ; somewhat of pharaoh's spirit , which secretly saith , who is the lord that i should obey his voice ? somewhat of the bloody jew , which is ready to crucifie the son of god afresh , and trample his precious blood under-foot ; somewhat of the proud antichrist , the man of sin , which exalts it self above god , it s own reason above the wisdom of god , and its own will above the will of god. the very same venom and poyson of enmity , which the grand enemies of god pour out openly , privily lurks and works in every natural man. thus in general , man's state is estrangement and enmity . but to procede . . what is man's state in particular , in relation to his several parts ? now here the same estrangement and enmity shews forth it self according to the nature of each part . . as for the understanding , 't is turned away from god , the first and essential truth , and so become a forge of lying vanities ; 't is turned away from god the first and essential light , and so become a dark place , nay , darkness it self , eph. . . and if the light be darkness , how great is that darkness ? so great it is , that a natural man sets an higher estimate on the follies of time than on the blessedness of eternity , and rates the broken cisterns above the fountain of living waters . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the souly man , who hath nothing but a rational soul , the spirit of a mere man in him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , receiveth not the things of the spirit of god , cor. . . one would think that all truths should be welcome to a rational soul , and above all , the mysteries of heaven ; but he receiveth them not . and this the apostle lays down distinctly ; the spirit of man knows the things of man , because they are within his own line ; but the things of god are only known by the spirit of god , because they are above the sphere of natural reason . as the things of man are above the sphere of sense , so the things of god are above the sphere of reason ; and yet as if they were below it , the natural man counts them foolishness , which evinces an extreme foolishness in his own heart ; he is not a man , not an understanding creature in spirituals . agur is a brute in his own eyes , i have not the understanding of a man , saith he , prov. . . the apostle proving all under sin , asserts that there is none that understandeth , rom. . . millions of ratinal creatures in the world , and yet there is none that understandeth ; and his proof is invincible , there is none that seeketh after god , which sure would be done , if there were any spark of spiritual understanding in him . 't is true there may be a mass of notions in a man unconverted , but not a dram of spiritual knowledge . seeing he sees not ; he sees the things of god in the image or picture of the letter , but he sees them not in their liveliness and inward glory : just as the carnal israelites who saw their manna and sacrifices only in the outside , but saw not christ in them ; or as those false seekers , of whom christ saith , ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles , but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled , joh. . . there was a miracle in those very loaves , but they saw only the carnal and grosser part of the miracle , and not the glory and power of christ's deity sparkling out in it . an unconverted man knows nothing as he ought to know it ; no , not in the midst of his notions , there is no savouring , tasting or practical knowledge in him , nothing but a husk , shell or form of knowledg , and in the midst thereof a real enmity against the things known . whilest the light of truth shines only in the notion , he likes it well enough ; but if it waken conscience , check lust , press duty , or any way offer to assume its supremacy in his heart or life , he instantly hates it as an enemy . . as for the will , the principle of freedom , 't is turn'd from god the primum liberum , and from his service the vera libertas ; and so it is become servum arbitrium , an arrant slave , bound in the bonds of iniquity , and ( which is the height of slavery ) 't is in love with its bonds ; and ( which is the intenseness and intimateness of that love ) when christ comes to break these bonds , 't is loth to be made free indeed , the iron is so entred into his soul ; the bondage is so intimate in the forlorn will , that it looks on god's service as bondage , and sins bondage as freedom : and hence it is dead and lame to god's ways , but runs and flies in sins . again , the natural will is turned away from god the holy one , and so it 's become desperately wicked , jer. . . a fountain of blood , out of which evil thoughts , murders , adulteries , fornications , thefts , false witness , blasphemies naturally procede , matth. . . a forge of iniquities . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the forming or framing of the heart ; every purpose and desire effigiated there is only evil continually , gen. . . all 's marred upon the wheel of man's corrupt will. nay further , the natural will is turned from god who is being , and so it 's become a nullity in spirituals . what god says of israel , he mav well say of every natural man , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath no will to me , psal. . . the object of the will is good , and yet all the fontal goodness in god moves it not . nay , lastly , there is an enmity in the will against god. every natural man , as a part of the corrupt world , lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the devil , joh. . . and his heart as a hell sets his tongue on fire , james . . deum ipsum ( quantum in ipsâ est ) perimit voluntas propria , saith one , clearly , it would ( if it could ) abrogate god's holiness , blindfold his omniscience , and chain up his justice in order to the fruition of its lusts . . as for the affections , there 's nothing but monstrous ataxy in them . love in a natural man dotes upon abomination , and hatred breaks out against goodness it self ; hope hangs upon a broken reed , and fear starts and trembles at its fellow-mortal ; joy triumphs in the pleasures of sin , and therein virtually sports it self with the flames of hell ; and sorrow which should wait upon sin pours out it self over worldly crosses : all the affections are out of frame and place . at first they were born subjects to the kingdom of reason , but the rational faculties ( which are the man ) rebelling against god in the first adam , the affections ( which are the brutal part ) mutin and rise up in arms against reason , and by an unnatural violence depose it ; and so unman the man. hence he becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the unreasonable beasts that perish . what asaph was in his envy at the foolish , that is every man in his inordinate affections ; he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great beast before god , psal. . . here dinah , that is , the judgement is deflowred by the son of chamor , that is , an ass ( as his name imports . ) a generation of bruitish lusts ravish the soul. here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vile affections , which debase the immortal soul to the dust of the earth . here the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dii stercorei , those dungy gods of sensual lusts , carnal profits , and worldly honours ascend up into the heart , and as gods assume the throne of it , command the power of it , and by a kind of omnipresence fill the whole circumference thereof . here is the troubled sea of passions and affections , where satan the great leviathan raises up the winds and waves of all inordinate motions , making the heart boil as a pot , and sporting himself in the sinful tossings thereof . . as for the members of the body , they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , weapons of unrighteousness , rom. . . the law of sin issues out its commands in the soul , that speeds them to the members of the body , and these are ready to put them in execution . thus deplorable is mans state before conversion , which if duly weighed , is enough to make every one cry out , oh! what shall i do to be saved ? wherefore i proceed to consider the second quaere . . what is the nature of the work ? and here i shall unfold two things : . what are the preparatives to conversion ? . what is the work of conversion it self ? . what are the preparatives to conversion ? for as god makes a way to his anger in punishing , so he makes a way to his mercy in converting sinners . first , the fallow-ground of the heart must be broken up , before the seed of god be cast into it : first , moses must hew the tables of the heart , and then god writes the law upon them . manasseh will not humble and turn unto the lord , till he be in chains . every natural man is a manasseh , a forgetter of god ( as that name imports ) and will not remember and turn unto the lord , till the spirit of bondage lay him up in chains under deep convictions of sin and wrath. as when christ came in the flesh , john baptist prepared his way by the doctrine of repentance : so when christ is formed in the heart , john , that is , gods grace prepares his way by legal humiliations . now the preparatory works to conversion are these . . there is a conviction of sin , the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall convince the world of sin , joh. . . not only of sin in general , but in particular . the law as 't is in the letter only operates little , but as 't is in the spirits hand it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . it comes home to the heart , and gives it a full charge , as nathan to david , thou art the man. these are sins , saith the law , and these hast thou done , saith conscience ; and from particular sins , the spirit leads up the sinner to the fountain of blood in his nature , it shews him a seminary of corruption in his own heart , it makes him smell the sink of sin in his ownbosome ; neither is this conviction only rational and notional , but real and intuitvie . sin with all its hosts is as it were mustered and set in order before his eyes , psal. . . nay , it takes hold upon him , and he is made to possess it as his own , which forces him at last to cry out , guilty , guilty . . there is a conviction of wrath. when satan gave man his first fall , he instilled this principle into him , thou shalt not surely dye , gen. . . no , though thou eat the 〈◊〉 thou shalt not . on the contrary , when god comes to recover a soul out of its fall , he speaks in the same language as to abimelech , behold thou art but a dead man , gen. . . the wages of sin is death ; and because such sins are found in thee , thou hast the sentence of death in thy self . in conviction god sets up a judgement-seat in the heart ; and there after law-accusations and conscience-proofs , the sinner is sentenced to death , and after sentence he is drawn into the valley of achor , or trouble , to be stoned with the curses of the law , and scourged with scorpions of wrath ; he hangs by the thred of his life over the bottomless gulph of perdition , and out of the fiery law hell doth as it were flash in his face . . out of these convictions there ariseth legal fear . gods judgements , which before were far above out of his sight , now approach near unto him ; qualms come over conscience , and hell-pains begin to seize the soul : this fear hath torment , a kind of hell in it , and out of this legal fear issues a flood of legal sorrows for sin , as procurative of wrath ; gods arrows stick fast in the soul ; and hence men are pricked in heart , acts . . and which is more , wounded in spirit , prov. . . and these wounds stink and are corrupt , till the balm of christs blood be poured into them . such is the weight of these fears and sorrows , that it presses the soul into a self-weariness , and by degrees breaks it all to pieces , that there is scarce left a shard thereof to take a little fire from the hearth , or water out of the pit of any creature-comfort . . in the midst of these fears and sorrows , some glimmerings and appearances of mercy in christ offer themselves to the soul , and the soul begins to have some vellcities and imperfect wouldings after mercy , anguish and bitterness make it cry out , oh! what shall i do to be saved ? the scorching flames of gods wrath leave a thirst in the heart after the coolings and refrigerations of pardoning mercy , and in proportion to these wouldings and velleities , there are some light touches and tasts of free grace , some flashes of joy in the word , and christ the marrow thereof ; and yet all this while there is no root of spiritual life in the heart . these are the preparatories of conversion , only we must not conceive them to be such formal immediate dispositions as infallibly inferr conversion after them ; for such prepared ones , though not far from the kingdom of heaven , may yet possibly never enter into it : neither must we look on these preparations , though gods usual method , as necessary on gods part ; for if he please to use his prerogative , he can make even dry bones to rattle and come together again without any previous dispositions . he can say unto men , even when they are in their blood , live ; and that word , as with child of omnipotency , shall instantly bring forth the new creature . . what is the work of conversion it self ? i answer , 't is that inward principle of grace , whereby a man is made able and willing to turn from all creatures unto god in christ. conversion is a motion of the soul , and therefore there must be an inward principle , called in scripture a root ; the root of the matter is in me , saith job , job . . friends , you look upon me as if i were nothing but leaves of hypocrisie , but the inward root of holiness is in me . conversion is a supernatural motion , and therefore there must be an inward principle of grace , called by the apostle , the divine nature , pet. . . the humane nature cannot elevate it self so high as conversion , but the divine nature can do it . by this inward principle of grace man becomes able , he hath an active posse convertere , and which is more , a velle too , he becomes able and willing to turn . conversion is called in scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a returning unto god. mans natural state wants a turn , and gods supernatural grace effects it . motion is between two terms ; the terminus à quo in conversion is all creatures . creatures as creatures are the footsteps of gods power and goodness ; and so we must not turn from a worm , but see god in it : but creatures as they are deifyed and idolized in the heart become lying vanities and empty nothings , and so in conversion we turn from them all . the world without us is a glass of the divine wisdom and goodness , and so conversion gives a sanctified use of it ; but the world within us , the world in the heart is nothing but a lust , john . . sitting in the place and throne of god , i mean , the chief and uppermost seat of the soul , and so conversion casts it out of the heart . the soul in conversion moves towards god as its true centre , and therefore must leave all the world behind its back . the terminus ad quem in conversion is god. a man before conversion walks in an image , psal. . . he thinks that he moves towards happiness in this or that creature , but all the while he is but in an image or picture of happiness : but in conversion he moves really to god the centre and sabbath of souls . lastly , in conversion there is a turning unto god in christ. to turn to god is a most rational act , for he is the only true end of the soul ; and to turn to god in christ is a most regular act , for he is the only true way to that end . the way into the holy of holies is only through the vail of christs flesh . if we go to god out of christ , we go to a consuming fire ; but if we go to god in him , we go to a reconciled father , who is ready to fall upon our necks , and kiss and welcome us with his love revealed in the face of christ. now in conversion there are two instants or moments to be distinctly considered . . the first instant is habitual conversion , or the habits or vital principles of grace which incline and dispose the soul to actual conversion . . the second instant is actual conversion , or the actuation and crowning issue of those principles in an actual turn to god. . as to the habits or vital principles of grace i shall do two things . . i shall demonstrate that there are habits or principles of grace . . i shall particularly unfold what they are . . i shall demonstrate that there are such things . the remonstrants mince the business ; there is ( say they ) potentia supernaturalis concessa voluntati ad hoc ut credere & bene agere possit ; but as as for any habitual grace , they tell us , scholasticorum figmentum est , & corum qui simul & somel optant infundi omnes illos habitus , quos actibus crebris comparare nimis laboriosum esse arbitrantur . now there is a vast difference between a mere posse convertere , and those habits or principles of grace which dispose and encline the soul to actual conversion . a mere posse convertere doth not include in it any inward disposition or inclination in the soul to turn to god , no more than the posse peccare in innocent adam did include in it an inward disposition or inclination in the soul to depart from god ; but the habits or principles of grace do incline and dispose the soul to actual conversion . again , a mere posse convertere doth not denominate a man gracious no more than the posse peccare in innocent adam did denominate him sinful ; but the habits or principles of grace do denominate a man gracious . and the reason is , a mere posse may be abstract from the nature or essence of the thing into which it is reducible , but the habit or vital principle hath something of the nature or essence of the thing in it ; nay , it is virtually and seminally the thing it self . a mere posse peccare in adam before his fall did not denominate him sinful , because it had nothing of the nature of sin in it ; but the habits and seeds of corruption after the fall did denominate him very sinful , because they were virtually & seminally all sin. a mere posse convertere doth not denominate a man gracious , because it is abstract from the nature and essence of the thing ; but the habits or principles of grace do denominate him such , because they were virtually and seminally all grace . now that there are such habits or principles of grace , and not only a naked power , i shall thus demonstrate . . out of the scriptures , which do elegantly and emphatically decypher out those habits or principles to us . wonderful is the variety of expressions to this purpose . these habits or principles are called , the new heart and new spirit , ezek. . . the new man , eph. . . the new creature , cor. . . the hidden man of the heart , pet. . . the good treasure of the heart , matth. . . the glory within , psal. . . eternal life abiding in us , joh. . . a well of water springing up into everlasting life , joh. . . the teaching and abiding anointing , joh. . . the renewing of the holy ghost , tit. . . the seed of god remaining in us , joh. . . the life of god , eph. . . and , which is the sublimest word of all , the divine nature , pet. . . and is all this glory of words poured out upon a mere posse ; which doth not so much as encline to conversion ? are not here the noblest and highest inclinations set forth unto us ? hath not the new heart , which hath eternal life in it , a propensity to acts of spiritual life ? will not the new creature renewed by the holy ghost , and sweetned by the holy unction have some odours and fragrancies breaking forth from it ? can the hidden man be ever hid , the good treasure ever sealed , and the glory within ever shut up ? must not the well of life break forth , the seed and life of god spring up , and the divine nature shew forth it self ? and do not these denominate him gracious in whom they are ? what doth a new heart speak him ? how doth the good treasure enrich him , the glory within illustrate him , the holy unction perfume him , the life and seed of god quicken him , the renewing of the holy ghost alter him , and the divine nature glorifie him ? here are pregnant denominations indeed , but there is not a tittle of this in a mere posse convertere ; wherefore these expressions are of a nobler emphasis than so . you 'l say , 't is true , these expressions shew forth habits or principles of grace , but not such as go before the actual consent of the will to gods call , but such as follow after it , nay , after frequent acts thereof . unto which i shall answer two things : . the habits and principles of grace decyphered in the scriptures aforesaid , are there set out as the royal acts of pure free grace , and not as pendents upon mans will ; and for this i shall give two eminent instances , omitting others ; the first is in that famous place , ezek. . where god promises a new heart , ver . . and his own spirit , ver . . but withal he enters a double protestation , one before the promise , thus saith the lord , i do not this for your sakes o house of israel , but for mine own holy names sake , ver . . and another after it , not for your sakes do i this , saith the lord god , be it known unto you , be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes o house of israel , ver . . what could be more said to exalt god and his free grace , and to annihilate man and his works ? how could the true god enter such protestations , if the great promise of a new-heart hang in suspence upon mans actual consent ? when a man without the new-heart gives that actual consent , there in something , which instead of shame and confusion , is worthy to be noted as a matter of praise and glory . but you 'l say , these protestations respect not the way or order of working these gracious habits , but exclude mans worth or dignity in the business . now albeit god do not give the new-heart for mans consent , yet he may do it upon or after mans consent . i answer , these protestations shew , that before the new heart there is nothing in man but what is matter of shame and confusion , and by consequence the actual consent of the will , which is a matter of praise and glory , cannot so much as in order exist before the new-heart . the second instance is that , tit. . . where the apostle opens the fountain of regeneration ; not by works of righteousness which we have done , but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost . we are saved by washing and renewing , but in what way or method is this wrought ? the apostle tells us , not by works of righteousness , but of mere mercy . surely if there be any righteousness in man , it must be in his will , and if any work of righteousness be in the will , an actual consent to gods call must be such a work . yet the apostle asserts that our regeneration was not by works of righteousness but of gods mercy . again , 't is observable , that the apostle doth not say , not for works of righteousness , as only excluding the meritorious dignity thereof , but he saith , not by works of righteousness , as denying the very existence thereof in order to regeneration . . if the actual consent of the will to the calls of god do indeed precede the habits or principles of grace , then what is that which gives an actual consent to gods call ? what else but the stony heart , the old creature , the wisdom of man , and the humane nature ? for the mere posse convertere doth not include in it a heart of flesh , a new creature , an holy unction , or divine nature ; therefore the consent precedent to these gracious principles must be given by the stony heart , old creature , humane wisdome and nature , which is very incongruous . let us hear anselms determination in this case , voluntas non rectè vult nisi quia recta est : sicut non est acutus visus , quia videt acute , sed ideò videt acutè quia acutus est ; it a voluntas non est recta , quia vult rectè , sed rectè vult , quoniam est recta . to the same purpose is that of our saviour ; a corrupt tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot bring forth good fruit , mat. . . that is , whilst it is corrupt , it cannot , a corrupt tree may become a good tree , but whilst it is corrupt it cannot bring forth good fruit ; as when the apostle saith . the carnal mind cannot be subject to gods law , rom. . . the meaning is , that whilst it is carnal it cannot ; and how then can the will , whilst it is a corrupt tree , bring forth so precious a fruit as an assent to gods call ? how can such a grape of heaven grow upon the thorns of an unregenerate heart ? you 'l say , i must not call the will a corrupt tree , when there is a posse convertere supernaturally poured into it ; but if that posse do not denominate it gracious , surely it is as yet but corrupt , and whilst it is such , it may be so called . . i argue from the glory of free grace , one of its crown-jewels is , that it makes gracious principles where there were none before ; it new creates in christ , and so gives principles of spiritual being ; it quickens the dead , and so gives principles of spiritual life : thus free grace is blessed from the fountain of israel , from the fontal principles of the new creature . but those which deny gracious principles , darken free grace in that which is its prime lustre . but here i shall be asked whether that posse convertere be not such a principle ? i answer no ; a principle is more than a bare , posse . there was in adam in innocency a posse peccare , and yet there was no principle of sin in him ; after the same manner , there is ( say the remonstrants ) a posse convertere given to fallen man , but this is no principle of grace in him . but not to strive about words , suppose it might be called a principle , yet what a grand disparagement to free grace is it , to say , that there was as much of principle in innocent adam by nature towards his sinful transgression , as there is in fallen man by grace towards his actual conversion ? such as deny gracious habits , and grant only a naked power must say so . . i argue from the sweetness of providence . as 't is the glory of free grace that there are gracious principles made , so 't is the sweetness of providence , that those principles are made first ; and then congruous acts issue from thence . the only wise god disposes things in the sweetest method . in the body of nature first a sun and then a beam , first a fountain and then a stream , first a root and then a fruit . in the soul of man negative faculties precede acts of life , sensitive acts of sense , and intellectual acts of reason . hence those acts issue forth in an easie connaturalness to their principles . and can there be less of the beauty of providence in the spiritual world than in the natural ? should there not be as sweet an order in the new creature as in the old ? ought not supernatural acts to issue forth in as great connaturalness to their principles as natural ? if so , then there must be habits of grace to precede the acts ; if not , then those acts , which are above nature in facto esse , as to their essential excellency , must be below it in fieri , as to their procedure from causes ; nay , 't is hardly imaginable , that those acts should at all come forth into being without gracious principles . if the will be not changed by regenerating grace , how is it constituted in ordine agentium supernaturalium ? and if not , how can it actually turn to god , seeing that is actus ordinis supernaturalis ? every one that doth righteousness is born of god , joh. . . to turn unto god is a prime act of righteousness ; and how then can it be done before regeneration ? wherefore the scripture method is clear ; first a good tree and then good fruit , mat. . . first a good treasure in the heart , and then good things out of it , mat. . . first we are created in christ , and then we walk in good works , eph. . . and thus spiritual acts are done in the easiness of the new creature , because in a way connatural to spiritual principles . . if there be no habits or principles of grace , what is that that makes the grand difference between a godly and an ungodly man ? surely , either it must be the acts of faith and other graces , or else the habits and principles thereof . 't is not the acts of faith and other graces , for two reasons : . because that which makes the difference must be somewhat permanent ; such was caleb's other spirit which differenced him from the murmuring congregation , numb . . . such was job's root which differenced him from the leavy hypocrite , job . . but the acts of faith and other graces are transient ; wherefore if these be all the difference , what becomes of a godly man in his sleep or phrensie , wherein no such acts are put forth ? doth he drop out of the state of grace without any apostasie , or continue in it without any differencing quality ? neither is possible ; he back-slides not from god , and how can he be out of the state of grace ? he is but as other men are , and how can he be in it ? it remains therefore that the habits of grace make the difference ; for by reason of these he is not as other men are , no , not when the acts of grace are suspended , because he hath another spirit in him . . all men being by nature ungodly , that which chiefly makes the difference must denominate a man changed . now in every change the terminus is somewhat permanent ; in alteration 't is a permanent quality , in augmentation 't is a permanent quantity , in generation 't is a substantial form , and in regeneration 't is a new creature born of the incorruptible seed of the word , pet. . . the terminus of this gracious change is set out in scripture as a permanent thing ; sometimes 't is called light ; ye were darkness but now light in the lord , eph. . . sometimes life ; this my son was dead and is alive again , luk. . . sometimes the new man ; old things are past away , behold all things are become new , cor. . . still it is somewhat parmanent . hence it appears , that the acts of faith and other graces ( which are transient ) do not so properly denominate a man changed , as improve the change already made . the wild tree is changed by the graff , and not by the after-fruit ; the natural man is changed by the ingrafted word , and not by the fruits of faith and other graces , which naturally grow upon the root of habitual grace . that a corrupt tree is made good is a great change ; but that a good tree brings forth good fruit is altogether connatural . if there be no habits or principles of grace , how can the natural man's deadly wound , i mean original corruption ever be healed ? habitual corruption cannot be healed but by habitual grace , the plague of the heart cannot be healed but by the holy unction ; instead of the old heart there must be a new one , or else there is no healing , and without healing how can such a sound act as conversion come forth ? it remains therefore , that there are habits or principles of grace . . having proved that there are such habits or principles , i come to unfold what they are ; and this i cannot better do , than by shewing what they are in the several faculties . wherefore . as to the understanding , there is a principle of excellent knowledge ; i say , excellent , not only in respect of the matter of it , being heavenly mysteries ; but also in respect of the nature of it , 't is too high for a fool ; nay , 't is a story higher than the knowledge of all the unregenerate rabbies in the world : t is ' not a mere literal knowledge , a knowing of christ after the flesh , but a spiritual , a revealing spiritual things in their spiritual glory ; 't is not a dead knowledge called by the apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a form of knowledg , rom. . . such as is but a liveless figure or appearance , but 't is a lively knowledge called by the wiseman a well-spring of life , prov. . . and by our saviour the light of life , joh. . . 't is not a knowledge without sense , but such as hath sense , nay , all the senses of the inward man in it ; 't is a seeing of the just one , acts . . a hearing and learning of the father , joh. . . a smelling and savouring the sweet odours of the gospel , . cor. . . a tasting how good and gracious the lord is , psal. . . a tactual knowledge , a spiritual touching and handling of the word of life , joh. . . here are seminally and virtually all those spiritual senses which discern good and evil . 't is not a dark and duskish knowledge , but clear and lightsome ; 't is seeing with the veil off and face open , cor. . , . 't is the day dawning and the day-star arising in the heart , pet. . . here god shines into the heart , and things are seen eye to eye , as the expression is , isai. . . that is , in a clear evidence of the truth . 't is not a knowledge at a distance and afar off , as dives saw abraham , and as every natural man sees the things of faith , but a near and intimate knowledge . 't is wisdom in the hidden parts , psal. . . 't is wisdom entring into the heart , prov. . . 't is a reason delivered over to the power of holy truths , rom. . . 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the word engrafted or innaturalized in the mind , jam. . . hereby the truth approaches and presentiates it self to the soul in so clear and near a manner as that it works a firm assent and perswasion thereof , and that upon the divine authority shining and sparkling out in the same . this principle saith amen to all the truths in scripture ; by it we come to know truths in our selves , heb. . . and to carry the witness thereof within us , joh. . . as jesus christ is the amen , the faithful and true witness who sealed the truths of the gospel outwardly by his blood , so the holy unction dropping down fom christ is an amen , a faithful and true witness sealing up those truths inwardly in the heart . and this clear and near knowledge , as it assures and perswades a man of those truths , is faith in the understanding ; for this sets to its seal that god is true in them , joh. . . 't is not a mere notional knowledge floating in the brain , vaunting in the tongue or flourishing in a leavy profession ; but 't is a practical knowledge influxive into the will , inflammative to the affections , and directive to the whole life . this is that principle of excellent knowledge whereby the soul is enabled to see god as the only supreme end , christ as the only true way , and sin as the only great obstacle thereunto . . as to the will there is a principle of holiness and rectitude , such as makes the heart pure and right , such as sets the will into a right frame and posture in a threefold respect . . in reference to the true end of man. . in reference to the right means . . in reference to the grand obstacle . . it sets the will into a right posture in reference to man's true end. man's true end is god alone ; for he is fontal goodness , allness of perfections ; the primum amabile , and ultimus finis , the great alpha and omega of spirits , perfectly able to still all the desires , and fill all the crannies thereof . now this rectifying principle in the will , as respective to this supreme end , shews forth it self three ways . . in that it is a desiring principle . desire is the first-born of the will , the first opening of the rational appetite , and this principle sanctifies it and sets it apart for god as its supreme end ; it enclines and disposes the will to pant and thirst after god , to faint and cry out for him , to enquire and seek after him with all the heart . before the will cain-like did go out from the lord's presence , but now david-like it desires to dwell in his house and behold his beauty . before the will lay dead in the grave of creature-deadness , but now it hath the life of god in it quickning it to holy breathings after him : before there was such a gravedo liberi arbitrii , such talents of carnality upon the will , that it could in no wise lift up it self , but lay among the pots and embraced dunghils ; but now it hath the wings of a dove to elevate it self to god. here is the first resurrection of the will ; here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ascensions in the heart , as the septuagint hath it , psal. . . the nature of this principle is to ascend up to god and leave all the world behind its back . as the principle of perswading knowledge is faith in the understanding , so this desiring principle is love in the will in its primordial propensities ; there is spiritual life in primoradio , in its first light , and here is spiritual life in primo ardore , in its first heat . . in that it is a purposing principle , such as inclines and disposes the soul to pitch by a serious determination upon god as its only happiness , and to cleave unto him with purpose of heart , act. . . this renders a man a true spiritual levite , who ( as his name imports ) is joined to the lord & become one spirit with him , cor. . . and as the first-born were dedicated to god , and afterwards the levites ; so the desiring principle first dedicates the desires the first-born of the will to god , and then this purposing principle makes a man a spiritual levite consecrated to god by a holy conjunction with him . this is that key of david or love ( as david imports ) which opens the everlasting doors of the will that the king of glory may come in , psal. . . this is that sweet voice of david or love which upon mature deliberation is ready to break out , whom have i in heaven but thee ? whom on earth besides thee ? psal. . . in heaven there are glorious angels , and on earth multitudes of good creatures , but none of them all are my end or happiness ; none , none but god alone . were heaven and earth emptied of all their furniture , still i should have my end as long as i have my god , who fills them both with his presence ; whilest he is with me there can be no such thing as emptiness , for he is all in all , waving all the world , i pitch upon him alone as my only end . i can truly say to the covetous , god is my gold , job . . to the ambitious , god is my glory , psal. . . to the voluptuous , god is my delight , isai. . . to the souldier , god is my buckler and high tower , psal. . . to the mariner , god is my broad rivers and streams , isai. . . to the potentates and emperours of the world , god is my crown and diadem , isai. . . and to those who with esau have enough of the world , jacob-like , i have all , gen. . . all in one , even in god alone . such resolutions as these are the proper issues of this purposing principle , this makes the will free indeed ; before it was free in naturals , but now in spirituals , which is freedom indeed . when the will fixes it self upon the creature as its end , it is in straits in a house of bondage . take the world in its own place , 't is a spacious looking-glass of god's power and goodness , but take it as a man's end and happiness , 't is too strait and narrow for the immortal spirit to breathe in . hence carnal men even in the fulness of sufficiency are yet instraits , job . . but when the will through this purposing principle fixes it self upon god as its end , 't is free indeed . the rabbins call god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place , and a large one he is ; no less than an infinity and immensity of goodness , such as no desire or out-going of the will can ever pass thorough . here there is room enough for an immortal spirit , goodness enough to satiate the rational appetite for ever . now as the desiring principle is love in the will in its first plantation ; so this purposing principle is love further rooted and grounded in the same faculty . . in that it is a resting principle , such as enclines and disposes the will to a double rest in god. . to a rest of innitence . . to a rest of complacence . . to a rest of innitence ; it inclines the will to lean and roll it self upon god , and to set its faith and hope in him : hereby the heart hath an access unto god , and casts and ventures it self upon him for all its happiness , as being fully resolved in it self to be happy only in him . and this is no other than faith in the will considered ut in ultimo termino , in god its only resting-place . we which believe ( saith the apostle ) do enter into rest , heb. . . faith makes a man cease from himself and enter into rest by a fiducial repose on god's all-sufficiency . . to a rest of complacency ; it enclines the will to delight in the almighty , isai. . . and count him its exceeding joy , psal. . . hereby the soul dwells at ease , or lodges in goodness ( as the original hath it ) psal. . . hereby it lies down in the bosom of bliss and hath peace for its tabernacle , job . . god was the levites inheritance , deut. . . as the purposing principle makes a man a spiritual levite , so the resting principle gives a man an inheritance in god ; and this is love in its triumph and joy inheriting all things in gods mercy and glorious all-sufficiency . . this principle of rectitude or holiness sets the will right in reference to the true means . the true means is jesus christ the mediator ; the only way into the holy of holies is through the veil of his flesh . we are in a treble incapacity of returning unto god our ultimate end : we are in the darkness of sin and see not the right path thither , and as to this , christ is the way , as a prophet teaching us by his spirit and word : we are in the guiltiness of sin and dare not approach thither , and as to this , christ is the way , as a priest offering up his blood and righteousness for us : we are in the impotency and enmity of sin , and cannot , will not of our selves return thither , and as to this , christ is the way as a king , subduing and ruling us by his gracious sceptre ; god hath sealed christ to all these offices for this very end to bring us home to himself . now this principle sets the will right in reference to christ in all his offices . . take him as a prophet , this principle sets the heart right in a threefold respect . . 't is a principle of humble teachableness . god ( who is the soul's centre ) dwelling in light unapproachable , and christ ( who is in the father's bosom ) being the great revealer of him , this principle enclines the will to hearken to christ ; the ear is opened or revealed to hear the great prophet in all things . there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or readiness of mind to let in every beam of light and catch at every drop of truth which falls from christ. before man was a wolf and a lion for bruitish untractableness , but now a little child may lead him , isai. . . even the least truth or message from christ ; he will not be unruly or break away from it for a world , but meekness and humility make him as a little child ruleable by every word of christ. . 't is a principle of faith , ready to receive christ in the name of a prophet . christ doth no sooner usher in a truth into the soul , but this principle clasps about it with fiducial embraces , and says , this is a beam from the sun of righteousness , this is a message from the angel of the covenant , sent on purpose to setch me away to god. hereby the soul is disposed to believe christ's words , and receive his testimony . . 't is a principle of love , ready to embrace christ as the angel of god's face or presence , and kiss the son as revealing holy secrets from the fathers bosom . this principle hangs upon christ's myrrh-dropping lips , and when he speaks , it catches up his words as the words of eternal life ; every truth is received in love as from christ's hand , and above all , christ himself is very precious , because he is the brightness of glory . . take him as a priest , this principle sets the heart right towards him . under the law the levites were given to the priest ; under the gospel those who are spiritual levites , are given to christ the high-priest . now the principle ( whereby they are given to christ as a priest ) is double . . 't is a principle of faith enclining the soul to wash in the laver of christ's blood , and wrap up it self in the robe of his righteousness . this is called in scripture trusting in christs name , matth. . . faith in his blood , rom. . . receiving the atonement , rom. . . and receiving the gift of righteousness , rom. . . when a soul comes up out of the wilderness of sin to return to god , all the way it leans upon jesus christ , cant. . . . 't is a principle of love enclining the soul to love jesus christ as its priest. when once there are faith-glances in the understanding at christ crucified , and faith-rollings in the will upon him , the holy fire ( called a vehement flame , or , as it is in the original , the flame of god , cant. . . ) kindles upon the heart and makes it burn with true love to christ : oh! says the soul , this is he who made the robe of righteousness for me , and how much love was there in every thread of it ? this is he who drunk off the cup of trembling for me , and how much wrath did my sins squeez into it ? when on earth he bore my sins upon the cross , and now in heaven he bears my name upon his heart ; his person is all desires , his blood all preciousness , his righteousness all glory , his love all heights and depths and breadths surpassing knowledge , and who can chuse but love him ? there is no high priest or sacrifice but himself , no balm or healing but in his wounds , no intercessor above but his blood and righteousness , no beauty or glory in all the visible world like that in his cross , and how can the heart refuse his espousals ? this is a principle of sweet closure with christ ; this makes the soul breathe after , nay approach to christ , and when it hath a being in him , such is the holy aspiration of this principle , that still it desires to be more perfectly and intimately in him ; no embraces near enough , there 's too much distance in every union : when the soul is brother and sister and mother to him , still 't would be nearer , nothing less than one spirit , cor. . . and when 't is so in some measure , still it presses hard after more oneness with him : oh! that the veil of darkness were quite off ! that the remnants of separating corruption were quite out ! oh! for more gales of faith and prayer to blow up this holy fire ! for more effusions of the holy unction to feed and enflame it ! thus this principle is hiatus voluntatis , the opening or thirsty gaping of the will for more and more of christ , and all that it may dwell in god who is love it self . . take him as a king , this principle sets the heart right towards him . hence a man becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a fit posture towards the kingdom of god , luk. . . and that in a threefold respect . . this principle is a principle of faith : god made christ a king , & faith owns him as such ; god gave him all the power in heaven and earth , and faith gives him all the power in the upper and lower faculties of the soul. this principle rests upon him as a king , able to put all his enemies under his feet : are there strong holds of sin in us ? this principle rests on him as the power of god to cast them down : are there armies of temptations round about us ? this principle rests on him as the captain of salvation to scatter them . as soon as this principle is in the soul , the soul is no longer where it was , but translated into the kingdom of christ , col. . . before it was in a region of darkness , but now in a place of marvellous light ; its native soil was spiritual sodom and egypt , where sin is a law , but now it is in the dominions of christ , where the law of the spirit frees from the law of sin : and because , after the law or reign of sin is broken , the remnants or reliques of corruption are still in us , therefore this principle doth in a wonderful manner rest upon christ for a more thorough purging out thereof . . this principle is a principle of love , disposing the soul to love christ as a melchisedek , a king of righteousness , and to kiss his sceptre as a sceptre of righteousness . this principle desires and delights above all places to dwell in immanuels land , and by a holy acquiescence under his law , it sits down ( as it were ) in the kingdom of god. hence the heart is willing that christ should reign over it , & that all his enemies should be made his footstool , even those that dwell in its own bosom ; if he come & search for darling lusts there , this principle will open every fold , and unlock every secret place of the heart to discover them : if he come and slay them with the sword of his mouth , this principle will be consenting to their death , and pray , so let all thine enemies perish , o lord , even all the remainders of corruption lying in my heart . . this principle is a principle of obedience ; and this is no other but the two former principles of faith and love conspiring together to do the will of christ. christ is at the right hand of god , and the soul by faith and love is at the right hand of christ , psal. . . ready to hear and do all his pleasure , ver. . faith hath two eyes , & whilest one is upon the propitiatory cross , the other is upon the holy crown of jesus . love hath two hands , and whil'st one is thrust into his side and bleeding wounds , the other is busie in keeping his righteous laws and commands . no sooner doth a command drop down from him , but faith catches it up ; oh! says faith , this comes from the king of kings and must be done ; and this great king ( says love ) obeyed for me even to the cross , and how can i do less than obey him ? his commandments are all right , his yoke easie , his service freedom , and his love constraining . . this principle sets the will into a right frame in respect of that great obstacle , sin. sin separates between god and the soul , but this principle separates between the soul and sin ; and this in three respects . . as it is a principle of evangelical sorrow . sin is contracted with pleasure and must be dissolved with sorrow , and this dissolution will not be kindly , unless the sorrow be evangelical ; legal sorrow is a preparative to conversion , but evangelical is an essential ingredient in it ; in legal sorrow the heart breaks under the fears of hell and death , but in evangelical it thaws under the beams of free grace ; it melts for the exceeding sinfulness of sin , it bleeds over the bleeding wounds of christ , it grieves at the grievings of the holy spirit , it blushes and shames it self for the stains cast upon gods glory , & it is offended & full fraught with displicency at its many & great offences of the divine majesty . this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sorrow according to god , cor. . . sorrow for sin as sin , such as god would have . this turns the sweet morsels of sin into bitter herbs , and the pleasant streams of lust into blood ; hereby sin is in some degree loosened out of the heart . . as it is a principle of hatred enclining the will to hate every false way . the scripture sets out sin as a very odious thing , 't is the poyson of asps , rom. . . the dogs vomit , pet. . . a menstruous cloth , isai. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the superfluity or excrement of all evil , jam. . . enmity to god , rom. . . the abominable thing which god hates , jer. . . and that with great hatred , hos. . . now the heart ( when this principle is in it ) hates and abhorrs the taste of this poison , the smell of this vomit , the touch of this menstruous cloth , the sight or appearance of this filthy excrement , the thought of this enmity to god , and the very presence of this abominable thing ; this hatred is the very life and spirit of repentance : as the love of sin is the vinculum unionis or vital spirit whereby the soul and sin are intimately united together , so the hatred of sin is the solutio vinculi , or the extinction of that vital spirit , whereby the soul and sin are separated one from another . . as it is a principle of actual reformation or forsaking of sin ; and this is no other than the two former principles of sorrow and hatred conspiring together to make away with sin. sorrow nails the old man with all his members upon the cross there to die in pains and agonies , and hatred pierces into his very heart and le ts out his vital blood , i mean , the love of sin , that he may be sure to die and not revive again ; where these two are , a man suffers in the flesh and ceases from sin , pet. . . he cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , commit sin , joh. . . not so as he did before . sorrow forbids it to be the joy of his way , and hatred forbids it to be the love of his heart , and both cast it out as an unclean thing , causing god's departure from the soul. . as to the affections , there is a principle which tunes and harmonizes them , and that in a threefold respect . . 't is a principle reductive of the affections to the rule of reason . god in creation made man a lord over brutes , & anointed reason to reign over the affections ; but as soon as man rebelled against god , all within him and without him was hurled into confusion : without , the brute beasts rebelled against his person ; and within , the brutish lusts rebelled against his reason ; but when converting grace reduces man into order again , then the beasts of the field are at peace with him , joh . . and the affections of the heart throw down their arms and confess their homage to the kingdom of reason . this principle makes a man able to rule over his own spirit , prov. . . and say with authority to one affection , go and it goeth , and to another , come , and it cometh . 't is true , moral vertue doth in its way subject the affections to reason , but this supernatural principle doth it in a more excellent manner ; there the subjection is to reason as the supreme faculty of the soul , but here it is to it as the candle of the lord ▪ even for his sake who lighted it up for the guidance of the blind faculties ; there it is to reason as a natural light , but here it is to it as supernaturally illuminated . the holy spirit makes the truths of the gospel to become the law of the mind , and this law of the mind rules over the affections ; the affections are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the woman-part in us , the head of this woman is the man or reason , and the head of this man is christ and his holy unction . . 't is a principle moderative of the affections as to the things of the world. before conversion the earth hath its throne in the heart , but this principle shakes the earth out of her place ; before , the affections are as sails spread open to the gales of the world , but this principle contracts and folds them up lest the spirit of the world should fill them : earthly things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the smallest things of all , cor. . . and ( where this principle is ) a very small portion of them will suffice , agur's dimensum , daniels pulse , our saviours daily bread , pauls food and raiment , luther's herring , any thing with the word of blessing will serve the turn ; when there is little or nothing without , still there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a self-sufficiency of holy content within ; and when there is a concourse or affluence of all outward blessings , this principle is as balast to keep the heart from drowning and overwhelming it self therein ; there is such an holy allay upon the soul , that in the lowest ebbs of adversity it possesses all things in its god , and in the highest tides of prosperity it will not be possessed by any thing in the world : alas ! saith the soul , all this is but thick clay , and why should i lade my eagle-affections with it ? all this is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , much fancy , and why should an immortal soul be set upon it ? the whole world is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a figure or shadow , and that time ( which invelopes it ) is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , time contracted , and contracted into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for so the apostle calls the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the now world , tim. . . wherefore a shadow of affections is big enough for a figure , and the shortest glance of the heart long enough for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a transient and momentany thing which perishes with the very using . the world in scripture is set out as a nullity , a thing that is not , prov. . . and this principle deals with it as such ; it makes a man rejoyce as if he rejoiced not , and buy as if he possessed not : the affections , like translated enoch , are not found here below , because god hath translated them . . 't is a principle inflammative of the affections towards god and the things of god ; before , the affections run down to the world as their centre , but this principle turns the stream of the soul upward towards god ; now love , which is the key of the heart , opens & unlocks it unto god ; desire , which is love in motion , goes out in holy breathings and thirstings after him ; and if he stay away from the soul , hope , which is love in expectation , looks and waits for his approaches to the soul ; and when he doth approach thither , delight , which is love in rest or acquiescence , joys and keeps sabbath in his presence ; and lest this sabbath should be broken , fear , which is the soul's sentinel , watches against sin as the great make-bate and incendiary ; and when sin offers to enter the soul , hatred , which is the soul's guard , shuts the doors against it with an holy displicency and antipathy ; and if it do enter there , anger , which is the soul's sword , strikes at it with indignation , and sorrow , which is the soul's issue , vents and lets out the corrupt blood and humours out of it ; and ( which is the heat and height of all ) zeal sets the soul on fire and makes it burn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in that which is good , for the glory of god who is the supreme good , and against the commission of sin which is the supreme evil. thus the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trade or converse of the affections is in heaven , phil. . . this principle sets the heart upon god above all ; it may and doth love creatures as the prints of his power and goodness , ordinances as the conduit-pipes of his grace and spirit , and saints as the lively pictures and resemblances of his holiness , but it sets the heart upon god above all . this principle is a fire dropt down from heaven into the heart to consume the dross of corruption , and inflame the affections towards god ; 't is a touch from christ risen and sitting in glory to raise up the affections out of the tombs and graves of earthly vanities , and to quicken and inspire them with the life of god , that god may be all in all therein . . having shewed what conversion is in the first instant , i procede to the second ; in the first instant the lamps of grace are made , in the second they are lighted up ; in the first instant the new creature is begotten of god in all its parts and proportions , in the second it is born into the spiritual world ; in the first instant the tree of righteousness is planted , in the second it buds and blossoms and brings forth precious fruit ; there is an actuation of gracious principles , an actual turning of the soul to god. the understanding doth actually see god as the supreme end , christ as the true way , and sin as the great obstacle . the will , as to god the supreme end , doth actually breathe after him in holy desires , fix on him by serious purposes and rest in him fiducially and complacentially for all happiness . as to christ , the true way , it doth actually embrace and receive him as a prophet for guidance and instruction , as a priest for satisfaction and intercession , and as a king in the government of his spirit and word . and as to sin , the great obstacle , it doth actually surround it with sorrow , fight against it with hatred , and overcome it by a real reformation . the affections do actually bow down under reasons sceptre , come off from the world's breasts , and ascend up in holy flames towards god ; and under this sanctified and actually returning soul , the members of the body become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , weapons of righteousness , actually performing and executing the commands thereof . thus all the habits and principles of grace are actuated , and all the powers and faculties of man are actually returned unto god. now this actual conversion comes into being three ways . . as from the inward vital principles of grace ; there is a divine life and vigour in them putting forth the soul to acts congruous and connatural thereunto ; the divine nature will be shewing forth it self , the well of living water will be springing up , the seed of god will be shooting forth , the kingdom of heaven , though but as a grain of mustard-seed , will at last become a tree . when there is a principle of right knowledge in the understanding , it is a well-spring of life , prov. . . and the wise ( who have it ) shall understand , dan. . when there is a principle of rectitude in the will , integrity will guide it and direct its way , prov. . , . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rectitudes or rightnesses will love jesus christ , cant. . . that is , such hearts as have right principles in them will assuredly love him , for the byass of those principles draws to it ; converting israel will cast forth his roots , hos. . . the root of faith casts forth it self in actual believing , the root of love in actual loving ; the root of the righteous yieldeth its fruit , prov. . . the very nature of these principles is to dispose the soul to actual conversion . even moral vertues dispose to moral acts , how much more do supernatural principles dispose to spiritual acts ? moral habits are of our own house , but supernatural principles are of a higher extraction , coming down from heaven and stiled the vertues of god , pet. . . therefore there must needs be more vertue and vigour in them than in moral habits , which come forth out of principles of reason and are the vertues of men. . actual conversion comes into being , as from the assistant and auxiliary grace of god. when the apostle gives account of himself as to the principles of grace , he saith , by the grace of god i am that i am ; all his spiritual essence was from free grace : when he gives an account of himself as to the exercise of grace , he saith , i laboured , yet not i , but the grace of god which was with me , cor. . . auxiliary grace ( which was with him ) moved the principles of grace ( which made up his spiritual essence ) into actual exercise . the new creature can no more do ought of it self than the old : as natural agents live and move in the god of nature , so spiritual agents live and move in the god of grace . wherefore , that there may be actual conversion indeed , there is help from the holy one , a quickning virtue from god , psal. . . a stirring up and fluttering over the nest of gracious principles , deut. . . a supply of the spirit , phil. . . and grace with our spirit philem. ver. . nay , in a sober sence , immanuel , god with us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord with us to encline our hearts to him , kings . , . god himself is as dew to israel , and then the roots of grace cast forth themselves , hos. . . god blows and breathes upon his garden by auxiliary grace , and then the spices thereof flow out in the actual exercise of grace , cant. . . . actual conversion comes into being as from the soul it self . timothy must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , stir or blow up his grace , tim. . . auxiliary grace stirs and blows up the principles of grace , the principles of grace stir and blow up the soul , and the soul , by virtue of those principles and assistances , stirs and blows up it self unto actual conversion . anima ( as a learned man hath it ) priùs act a agit , & priùs mota movet , & priùs à deo conversà convertit se ad deum . hence in scripture conversion is stiled man's act , he believes to righteousness , rom. . . he returns to the lord with all his heart , sam. . . he gives himself unto the lord , . cor. . . he obeys to the form of gospel-doctrine , rom. . . still it is man's act : where we may note a remarkable difference between habitual and actual conversion ; in the production of actual conversion man is active , but in the production of gracious principles he is passive . we read in scripture of men believing and repenting , but we never read of any man who made himself a new heart and a new spirit ; these are of god's make only , but being made , the man ( in whom they are ) through auxiliary grace doth actually turn to god. having shewed what conversion is in the first and second instant thereof , i pass on to the next and last quaere , viz. . who is the worker of conversion ? and this i shall cleave asunder into three questions . . whether god be not the author of conversion ? . after what manner it is wrought ? . whether god's will be not always accomplished therein ? . whether god be not the author of it ? and to this scripture and reason answer in the affirmative . . scripture asserts it ; there conversion is painted out under various notions . with reference to our old corruption , 't is called a new heart ; with reference to the seed of the word , 't is a generation ; with reference to our natural birth , 't is a regeneration ; with reference to the law in the letter , 't is the law in the heart ; with reference to the world , 't is a heavenly call out of it ; with reference to satan , 't is a translation out of his kingdom ; with reference to christ , 't is a coming to him by faith ; with reference to god , 't is a returning or conversion to him ; with reference to our death in sins , 't is a resurrection , a quickning of the dead ; with reference to our nullity in spirituals , 't is a creation or a new creature . the scripture phrases it many ways , but still it sets forth god as the supreme author of it : be it a new heart , god is the giver of it , ezek. . . be it a generation or regeneration , god is the father of it , jam. . . be it the law in the heart , god is the writer of it , heb. . . be it a call out of the world , god is the caller , tim. . . be it a translation out of satan's kingdom , god is the translator , col. . . be it a coming to christ , god is the drawer , joh. . . be it a turning or returning to god , god is the converter ; to him the church prays , turn us , o lord , and we shall be turned , lam. . . be it a resurrection , god is the quickner , eph. . . be it a new creation , god is the creator and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his workmanship created in christ jesus , eph. . . every way god is the author of conversion ; even in actual conversion , whilest the act is man's , the grace is god's ; for he worketh the will and the deed. . reason evinces this , and that ways . . creature-weakness needs it , man cannot convert himself ; the natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , receiveth not the things of god , cor. . . nay , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he cannot be subject to god's law , rom. . . as to god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wants a heart , prov. . . a stone he hath , which resists god's will , but a heart he hath not to obey the same . his will is tota cupiditas , a lust rather than a will , no wonder if he cannot by his own power convert himself . conversion is a thing above the sphere of lapsed nature , nay , beyond the line of angels ; man's heart is so dark , that those stars of light cannot irradiate it , and so cold , that those flames of love cannot warm it ; there is such an iron-sinew in it , as the heavenly hosts ( which excel in strength ) cannot bow , but must leave it to the arms of the almighty , and when he doth it , they joy over the convert as a wonder of power and grace . . the excellency of the work calls for it . the body of nature is a rare piece , but the soul of man is of a nobler value , and in the soul , converting grace ( which is but an accident ) is worth more than the soul it self , 't is the soul's rectitude , 't is glory within , 't is the precious hidden man of the heart , 't is the very image of god , 't is christ formed in us , 't is anima in centro , the soul centred in god , joined unto him , and after a wonderful manner becoming one spirit with him , 't is faith in the true one , love in the essential love , a mind light in the lord , and a will at liberty in the will of the primum liberum , and who can be author thereof but god alone ? god made all things ab angelo usque ad vermiculum , from the angel in heaven to the worm on earth , but in conversion he makes a poor worm angelize : god must be owned in every atom of nature , how much more in the great work of grace ? this is one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the wonderful works of god , acts , . . st. austin tells a story of one , who was seduced at first but to deny god's creatorship in the fly , afterwards came to deny it in the bird , and then in the beast , and at last in man : but if any one should procede so far as to deny him in conversion , it would be more prodigious blasphemy than all the rest . saving grace is a ray or sparkle of the deity , a thing merely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to god , eph. . . there is more of god to be seen in it than in all the world of creatures besides , and by consequence to deny him in that is more than to deny him in all the rest . . the almightiness of grace can only effect it . as the scripture sets out conversion as a great work , so it sets out an almighty grace as the cause thereof . he that believes , acording to some scriptures , that in the work of conversion there is a resurrection of the soul from the dead , a transformation of a stony heart into flesh , and a creation of a new heart and new spirit , must also believe , according to other scriptures , that in the production of that work there is put forth a divine power , excellency of power , and exceeding greatness of power , such as raised up christ from the dead . in conversion there is not only a light shining round about the sinner , but a light shining into him ; not only a waking of a sleepy will , but a quickning of a dead one ; not only a proposal of divine objects , but an infusion of divine principles : therefore the grace effecting it must be almighty . that in the prophet [ i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes , ezek. . . ] is as much a word of power as the fiat which made the world ; that in the gospel [ the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of god , and they that hear shall live , joh. . . ] sounds out as great an efficacy as that other , lazarus come forth ; nothing less than almighty power can effect it . . after what manner is it wrought ? our saviour sets out the mystery of regeneration by the wind , the wind bloweth where it listeth , and thou hearest the sound thereof , but canst not tell whence it cometh , and whither it goeth ; so is every one that is born of the spirit , joh. . . in regeneration the spirit blows with such a sound as breaks the stone in the heart , and with such lively gales as quicken the dead soul , but the manner of this work is in a great measure secret and incomprehensible by us . if we know not how the bones grow in the womb , how much less how christ is formed in the heart . no man perfectly knows the least atom or dust in nature , how much less the grand mystery of grace ? here then we must procede with great modesty and sobriety , keeping as close as may be to the line and level of scripture . now here i shall make a threefold enquiry . . whether the word of god be the means or instrument of conversion ? . whether the will of man be converted by the intervention of the enlightned understanding ? . whether the work of conversion be wrought in an irresistible way ? . whether the word be the means or instrument of conversion ? and here i shall endeavour two things . . i will prove that it is so . . i will enquire how far or in what sence it may be called so ? . i shall prove that it is so , and that by three arguments . . plain scripture asserts it . . successive experience shews it . . the analogy between the principles of the new creature and the properties of the word induces it . . plain scripture asserts it . faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of god , rom. . . the holy scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation , tim. . . the law is perfect converting the soul , psal. . . the gospel is the power of god to salvation to the believer , rom. . . and for the unbeliever who accounts it foolishness and weakness , the apostle assures us that the foolishness of god is wiser than men , and the weakness of god is stronger than men , cor. . . so much wiser as to out-reason their carnal understanding , and so much stronger as to out-wrestle their carnal wills and affections . the gospel 't is ministerium spiritûs , the ministration of the spirit , cor. . . the golden pipe , through which the oil of grace is emptied out into mens hearts , and the great organ , through which the holy ghost breathes spiritual life into them ; 't is the seed of the new creature , we are begotten by the word of truth , jam. . . born again not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible , by the word of god which liveth and abideth for ever , pet. . . 't is the white horse upon which christ rides conquering and to conquer , rev. . . conversion is a conquest over the minds and wills of men , and for the obtaining thereof , christ rides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the word of truth , psal. . . and because there be high things and strong holds in mens hearts , the word is as a mighty engine in his hands to cast down those heights and holds and captivate every thought to himself , cor. . , . the apostle taking notice of the work of faith , labour of love and patience of hope in the thessalonians , thes. . . gives us a clear account whence those choice graces came , the fontal cause of them was election , ver. . and the instrumental the gospel , ver. . for ( saith he ) our gospel came unto you not in word only , but in power and in the holy ghost , and in much assurance . in a word : all the current of scripture seals up this truth . . successive experience shews it . st. peter at once caught . souls in the net of the gospel , acts . . st. paul came to the romans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the fulness of the evangelical blessing , rom. . . the corinthians were his seal , cor. . . and the thessalonians his joy and crown , thess. . . in all ages of the church , god's ministers have had a proof of christ speaking in them , and god's people have felt the word to be spirit and life to them ; in all places where god's name hath been recorded , his blessing hath been afforded ; where the seed of the word hath been sown , new creatures more or less have sprung up out of it . were there a general assembly of the first-born , what stories would they tell us about the power of the word ? one would say , hell flashed in my face out of such a threatning ; another , heaven opened to me in such a promise ; a third , the beauty of holiness appeared to me in such a precept : every one in the language of his own experience would speak forth the wonders of the word . how many have been forced by the power of it to fall down , and worship , and say , god is in it of a truth ? how many have experimentally felt it , pointing out their darling lust , plucking again and again at the iron-sinew in their wills , lifting and thrusting hard at the world in their hearts , and at last carrying away their souls in a fiery chariot of holy affections towards god in christ ? the common sense of christians bears witness to the efficacy of it . . the analogy between the principles of the new creature and the properties of the word induces it . if we compare the understanding of the new creature with the word ; there is a principle of excellent knowledge , and here is the word of truth , eph. . . there is a lively and spiritual knowledg , and here are lively oracles , act. . . and words which are spirit and life , joh. . . there is a near and intimate knowledg , and here is a word quick and powerful , piercing into the very soul and spirit , heb. . . there is a divine faith or perswasion , and here are faithful sayings worthy of all acceptation , tim. . . there is a clear vision , an open-fac'd knowledge , and here is a clear revelation , a pure glass reflecting the glory of god upon the heart , cor. . . there is a practical knowledge , and here is a doctrine according to godliness , tim. . . again , if we compare the will of the new creature with the word ; there are holy desires breathing after , and holy resolutions fixing upon god as the ultimate end , and here are the goads and the nails , eccl. . . which stir up those desires , and fasten those resolutions in the heart ; there is freedom indeed , spiritual liberty in the ways of god , and here is free-making truth , joh. . . and a law of liberty , jam. . . there is a fiducial and complacential rest in god , and here are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , words of faith to lean upon , tim. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of delight to take pleasure in , eccles. . . there is a closing with christ in all his offices , as prophet , priest and king , and here is this prophet speaking to us , this priest dying and as it were crucified before our eyes , & this king upon his throne with a sceptre of righteousness in his hand ; there is a sorrow for , & hatred of sin , and here is that which pricks us at the heart , and shews us sin as an abominable thing . if we compare the affections of the new creature with the word ; there is a reduction of the affections unto reason , and here is reason in its height and pureness ; there the world hath but a very low place , and here it hath but a very mean character ; there the affections are inflamed towards god , and here 's the holy fire which makes our hearts burn within us towards him . every way there is a wonderful analogy between the principles of the new creature and the properties of the word , which plainly speaks forth the aptness and congrulty of the word to be a means or instrument of conversion . . how far or in what sence may the word be called a means or instrument thereof ? in answer whereunto i shall first lay down two things as common concessions , and then come to the main quaere . the two concessions are these . . that the word is a means or instrument of the preparatives to conversion ; 't is as a fire and a hammer , jer. . . when the holy ghost blows in this fire upon the conscience , every sin looks like a spark of hell ; when the almighty arms set home this hammer , it breaks the rocky heart all to pieces . no sooner doth the commandment come home to the heart , but sin revives and the sinner dies , rom. . . the sin , which before lay as dead in the sleepy conscience , now lives and gnaws upon the heart , as if the never-dying worm were there ; the sinner , who before was alive in his own self-righteousness and self-sufficiency , now is a dead man , one who hath the sentence of death in himself , and feels as it were the pangs of hell in conscience . . that the word is a means or instrument to reduce the principles of grace into actual conversion . when god stirs up and flutters over the nest of gracious principles , 't is by the wings of the spirit and word ; when the spices of the garden flow out , 't is from the north and south wind , the spirit blowing in threatnings or promises . that which makes the roots of graces cast forth themselves into acts , is the dew of auxiliary grace , and that dew falls with the manna of the word . that grace with our spirit , which stirs up the principles of grace into exercise , comes in the clothing or investiture of some holy truth or other . hence the apostle counts it one of his master-pieces , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to stir up pure minds by his epistles , . pet. . . these two concessions being laid down , the main quaere is touching the production of gracious principles , whether as to that , the word may not be an instrument in god's hand ? many learned divines speak of the word as operating only morally and objectively . mr. pemble distinguishes thus ; instruments are either cooperative or passive , and the word must be one of the two ; cooperative it is not , moving or working on the soul by any inward force of it self , it is therefore in it self a passive instrument working only per modum objecti ; now no object whatsoever hath any power per se to work any thing on the organ , but is only an occasion of working . and a little after , he saith thus , i cannot better express the manner how the holy ghost useth the word in the work of sanctification , than by a similitude ; christ meeting a dead coarse in the city of nain , touches the bier and utters these words , young man , i say unto thee , arise ; but could these words do any thing to raise him ? no , 't was christ's invisible power that quickned the dead , not his words which only declared what he meant to do by his power : so in this matter of conversion , christ bids us believe and repent , but these commands work nothing of themselves , but take effect by the only power of god working upon the heart . thus that learned man. but methinks this is too low ; the word of it self operates morally and objectively , and shall it do no more as clothed and accompanied by the holy spirit ? surely the scripture-strains touching the words efficacy are so high , that it cannot be nudum signum , no not as to the production of gracious principles ; st. james is express , of his own will begat he us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with the word of truth , jam. . . and st. paul is more emphatical ; in christ jesus . i have begotten you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by or through the gospel , cor. . . 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to the gospel , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by or through the gospel , as pointing out the instrumentality of it in the generation of the new creature . and st. peter is yet in a higher strain ; we are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the word of god which liveth and abideth for ever , pet. . . where , besides the emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the word is stiled no less than the incorruptible seed ; not only a sampler externally shewing the figures and lineaments of the new creature , but a seed too springing up into , and for ever living in the new creature . faith ( which is the new creatures head ) is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by or out of hearing the word , rom. . . and so are all those sanctifying graces , which as it were make up the new creatures body : for thus our saviour prays ; sanctifie them through thy truth , thy word is truth , joh. . . and thus he practises too , he sanctifies & cleanses his church by the word , eph. . . surely those scriptures which are able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to make wise to salvation , tim. . . must do somewhat as to the principles of knowledge in the understanding ; that law , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 converting or restoring the soul , psal. . . must do somewhat as to the principles of grace in the will ; that word , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , able to save the soul , jam. . . must also be able to sanctifie it , because without holiness there is no seeing of god ; that doctrine , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , healing doctrine , tim. . . must operate somewhat as to the principles of grace which heal the deadly wound of original corruption . the converted corinthians were christ's epistle , and the apostle's too , written by the holy spirit , and ministred by the apostle also , cor. . , . the apostle's weapons were mighty through god to captivate every thought to christ , cor. . , . which could not be if they were not also mighty through god to set up christ's throne in the heart . these scriptures constrain me to believe , that the word doth operate in the production of gracious principles , only not as it is alone or separate from the holy spirit , for so it operates only morally and objectively ; but as it is clothed in the power and virtue of the spirit , for so it becomes spirit and life to the soul. as for the similitude used by mr. pemble , i conceive that the raising of the young man from a natural death , and the raising of a sinner from a spiritual death are not every way parallel : for in that there was no capacity at all in the naturally dead to receive the words of christ , in this there is a passive capacity in the spiritually dead to take in the word of god as from a divine impression ; in that the words of christ entred not at all into the naturally dead , in this the word of god enters into the spiritually dead , even intimately into his very heart ; in that the words of christ were transient and passed away , in this the word of god though it may pass away as to its sounds and syllables , yet as to its substance it lives and abides for ever in the new creature : wherefore ( these differences considered ) i conclude , that christ's words were only declarative in that resurrection , but god's word is operative also in this . the manner how god works gracious principles in and by his word as an instrument , is a secret which i dare not pry into ; only for a little more illustration of the words efficacy in the production of gracious principles , there are two instants or moments to be distinctly considered . . the first instant or moment is that wherein there is a close application and intimate inning of the word in the heart ; in common auditors the word is upon the heart , but here it is in it ; in temporary believers the word is in some degree in the heart , but here it is in it intimately . this close application is excellently set out in scripture ; 't is a nail fastned , eccles. . . 't is a word engrafted , jam. . . 't is instruction sealed , joh . . 't is the law put and written in the heart , heb. . . 't is wisdom entring into the heart , prov. . . 't is the apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or entrance into his auditors , thess. . . 't is the word having a place in us , joh. . . and such a place as to root in our hearts ; thus joh says of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root of the word is found in me , joh . . and this root is such as will abide in us and become the incorruptible seed of the new creature . this close application is a glorious work of god , and the word is not altogether passive therein , but in the hand of the spirit 't is quick and powerful , as a sharp sword piercing and cutting its way into the heart , heb. . . and as a mighty engine casting down imaginations and high things there , cor. . . that it self may have a place and throne in the same . . the second instant or moment is that wherein god in and by the word , so intimately inned in the heart , doth produce the principles of grace there ; in the first moment the indwelling word makes the heart a spiritual bethlehem , a house of bread , in the second christ is spiritually born there ; in the first moment the incorruptible seed is sown in the heart , in the second it springs up into a new creature . the scripture seems to me to hold out this method very clearly , the engrafted word is able to save the soul , jam. . . the word saves the soul , but not merely as outwardly expressed , but as inwardly engrafted . faith comes by hearing the word , rom. . . but is that a mere outward hearing ? no surely , there is a hearing of the father and so a coming to christ , joh. . . there is the powerful and intimate demonstration of the spirit , and so faith stands in the power of god , cor. . , . that is to say , in that power of god ( which intimately demonstrates and closely applies the word unto the heart ) as its true cause and foundation . when the apostle speaks of the thessalonians faith and love , thess. . . he there opens the causes thereof , viz. the fontal cause god's election , ver. . and the instrumental cause the gospel , ver. . but how could the gospel be an instrument ? the apostle tells us , that it came to them not in word only , but in power and in the holy ghost ; it was strongly and sweetly set home upon the heart , and from that impress came faith and love. the wise man would have the word kept in the midst of the heart , and his reason is , because it is life , prov. . , . the word in the ear only is but a transient 〈◊〉 , but the word in the midst of the heart is spirit and life . job proves the truth of his grace thus , the root of the word is in me , joh . . the word as shining on the head lights up notions , but as rooted in the heart springs up in graces . st. john tells the young men that they are strong , and for a ●eason adds this , the word of god abides in them , joh. . . st. paul first speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or entrance into his auditors , and then of their turn to the living and true god , thess. . . the entrance of the word into the understanding giveth light , psal. . . and when it passeth from the understanding to the will , 't is spiritually a word upon the wheels , and inwardly becomes free-making truth , joh. . . ennobling the will with true liberty in the ways of god. epaphras was in an agony of prayer for the colossians , that they might be filled in all the will of god , col. . . the more filling with god's will , the more true liberty in ours . st. peter clearly asserts , that we are born again of the incorruptible seed of the word , pet. . . in which words his plain meaning is , that the word being intimately sown in the heart , doth under the warming influences of the ho●● spirit spring up into the new creature ; and to make this the plainer , he adds , that the word lives and abides for ever , speaking ( as i take it ) not of the words living and abiding in it self , but of its living and abiding in the new creature : as it is with natural seed or grain sown , the husk or outward part passes away , but the lively or substantial part springs up into the stalk , blade and ear ; so it is with the seed of the word , the letters and syllables , the noise and sound of words pass away , but the lively and substantial truth springs up into the new creature , and in it lives and abides for ever . god made two great promises of regeneration , the one , that he would write the law in the heart , and the other , that he would give a new heart , and the latter he fulfils by the former . in these two instants , distinguishable at least in nature , doth god by his word bring forth the principles of grace . now here i would conclude this point , but that i am obviated by two objections . the one absolutely against the words instrumentality . the other against the method proposed in the two instants . . object . that against the words instrumentality is this ; the production of gracious principles is a creation , and in creation there can be no instrument at all , and therefore the word cannot be an instrument in that production . in answer to which objection founded on philosophical principles , i think it were enough to say with the psalmist , thy testimonies are wonderful , psal. . . or with the convicted man , god is in it of a truth , cor. . . or with the apostle , the foolishness of god is wiser than men , and the weakness of god is stronger than men , cor. . . the scriptures asserting this instrumentality , what if this philosophical objection could not be answered , must therefore the holy oracle be rejected ? what if reason cannot comprehend it , must therefore faith renounce it ? how much better is that old gloss , taceat mulier in ecclesia , let reason be silent in the church . but for some satisfaction , i shall offer four things to your consideration . . consider who is the principal agent , who but the almighty ? and if he will appear in the word ( as the expression is , acts . . ) what may not be done by it ? the apostle was but an earthen vessel , yet a minister of the quickning spirit , because god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , made him sufficient to be such a one , cor. . . if he make the word sufficient to regenerate , who can gainsay it ? . consider what the instrument is , 't is the word of god ; the two grand truths therein are the law and gospel , and what are these in their eternal idea ? the law is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eternal off-shining from the divine will as righteous , and the gospel is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or eternal off-shining from the divine will as gracious , and what are they in their external revelation ? the scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , breathed out from the very mind and heart of god , and therefore cannot be less than a lively picture or image of the divine will : wherefore that such a word , as is the image of the divine will , should instrumentally produce the new creature , which is the image of the divine nature , seems to me rather congruous than impossible . . consider what the principles of grace are , they are not substances , but accidents , depending upon their subject in esse & operari , and may more properly be said to be increated than created ; now if there could be no instrument in the creation of substances , yet why may not there be one in the increation of accidents ? . consider what a kind of creation the production of gracious principles is : is it every way pure creation ? how then is it generation ? how resurrection ? pure creation can be neither of these : you 'l say , 't is generation and resurrection but metaphorically only ; very well ; if it be but so , the metaphor must be founded on some true likeness or analogy between these and the production of gracious principles , which is altogether unimaginable in a pure creation . it remains therefore that the production of gracious principles is stiled all these in scripture , partly to import the excellency of the work , such as cannot be fully expressed by any single one of these , & partly to hint out the nature of the work , such as hath in it somewhat analogous to every one of these : wherefore i take it to be thus , 't is a creation , because a real production of gracious principles by almighty power , 't is a generation , because of the immortal seed of the word , and 't is a resurrection , because a man spiritually dead is raised up to divine life : now if there could be no instrument in a pure creation , yet may there be one in the production of gracious principles , because that is not purely creation , though there be a creating power put forth therein . . object . the other objection is against the method proposed in the two instants , viz. that first in nature the word is put into the heart , and then the principles of grace are produced , which is contrary to that , the natural man receives not the things of god , cor. . . and contrary to that , the word did not profit them not being mixed with faith , heb. . . and also contrary to the scope of that parable , where the seed of the word only fructifies in a good and honest heart , luk. . . for according to the method of the two instants , the natural man doth receive the things of god , the word doth profit before it is mixed with faith , and the seed doth fructifie in a heart not good or honest . in answer whereunto , i conceive that the method proposed in the two instants doth not contradict any of these scriptures . as for the first place , the natural man receives not the things of god , i answer that the things or truths of god may be received in the heart two ways ; either passively by way of impression from the holy spirit , or actually by way of actual discerning them in the understanding , and embracing them in the will : the former is a reception of them according to the obediential capacity of the heart , the latter a reception of them according to the spiritual faculty thereof : the former doth at least in nature go before the principles of grace , in order to their production ; the latter doth follow after the principles of grace , as the fruit thereof . the former is that which is done in the first instant abovementioned , the latter is that which is spoken of by the apostle in the text abovenamed ; for there he saith , that the natural man receiveth not the things of god , neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned , where evidently he speaks of such a receiving as is an actual knowing and spiritual discerning of the things of god : wherefore according to the apostle , this active receiving doth presuppose the principles of grace already in being ; but the other passive receiving ( of which the apostle there speaks not ) doth only presuppose an obediential capacity in the soul. there is a double obediential capacity in the soul to receive the truths of god as by way of impression ; the ultimate and radical capacity is the rationality of the soul , and the next and immediate capacity is that softness of heart which is wrought in the preparatory work of conversion . the soul as rational is capable to receive an impression of truths from god , and as softned it is yet further disposed thereunto . this is that obediential capacity which is required in the method of the two instants , and which the apostle in that place doth not so much as touch upon . as for the second place , the word did not profit them , not being mixed with faith ; i answer , that the word may be considered under a double notion , either as it is operative of faith , or as it is promissive of rest to believers : take it as operative of faith , and so it profits not being mixed with faith , otherwise faith could not come by hearing , as the apostle asserts , rom. . . but take it as promissive of rest to believers , and so it doth not profit not being mixed with faith ; that is , faith ( which is the condition of the promise ) not being performed , the eternal rest ( which is the thing promised ) cannot belong to them : and this is clearly the apostle's meaning ; for having spoken of a promise of rest , heb. . ver. . he adds ver. . the word ( that is , the promise of rest spoken of before ) did not profit them not being mixed with faith , that is , the promised rest was of no effect to them because they were unbelievers ; and in this sence the words no way oppose the method in the two instants . as for the parable where it is said that the seed of the word fructifies in the good and honest heart , i answer , that the seed of the word may be said to fructifie two ways , either internally in the production of inward graces , or externally in the production of outward good works : now our saviours scope in this parable , at least in the latter part thereof , touching the good ground , was to shew how the word did fructifie in the production of outward good works ; this is clear , because it is such a fructification as presupposes a good & honest heart : so that our saviour doth not here deny the words fructification in the production of graces , but assert the words fructification in the production of good works . nay , in the former part of the parable touching the three sorts of bad ground , laying down the impediments of the words fructification , and those impediments being in themselves impediments to all kind of fructification , as well that which is in the production of graces , as that which is in the production of good works ; he seems by way of implication to hint out the words fructification in the production of graces , according to the method of the two instants ; for he saith , that the word did not fructifie in the stony ground , because they had no root , luk. . . intimating that the word must first root , before it can fructifie at all : so that if we might gather out of this parable the whole method of the words fructification , it seems to be thus ; first , the word must be notionally understood , which was wanting in him by the way-side ; then it must be inwardly rooted , which was wanting in the stony ground ; then it must cast the choaking world out of the heart , which was wanting in the thorny ground ; then it makes the heart a good and honest heart ; and lastly , it makes that good and honest heart fructifie in all outward good works : wherefore this parable is so far from contradicting , that it seems rather to illustrate the method proposed in the two instants abovesaid . having passed the first quaere , i procede to the second . . quaere , whether the will of man be converted by the intervention of the enlightned understanding ? in answer to which i shall lay down two positions . . that the will of man doth infallibly and necessarily follow the practical understanding . . that the will of man doth so in the matter of conversion . but that there may be a clear foundation , i shall first lay down some differences between theoretical knowledg and practical as to the truths & things of god. and . these differ subjectivè ; not as if these were not both in the same understanding , but that their way of inhesion there is different . theoretical knowledge is in the understanding but superficially , a flash and away , a light taste , such as was in those apostates , heb. . . a word sown but unrooted , such as that in the stony ground , matth. . . but practical knowledge is deeply radicated in the understanding ; 't is truth in the hidden parts , wisdom entring into the soul , and a word sinking down into the heart , and ( which is a second difference springing out of the former ) theoretical knowledg , being but superficial , hath much of doubtings and fluctuations ; it sees and sees not , it is a dark and half vision , a perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in a little , as the expression is , acts . . but practical knowledge being deeply radicated hath much of certainty and assurance in it ; 't is instruction sealed , a vision unveiled and with open face : a man need not say , who shall ascend into heaven ? or who shall descend into the deep ? the word is in the heart in such a sensible presentiality as makes a thorough perswasion of the truth thereof . . these differ objectivé . theoretical knowledge represents things as good or evil only in the general , but practical knowledge represents this or that as good or evil in its individuality and as cloathed with all its circumstances . in herod's theoretical knowledge 't was evil to kill john baptist , but in his practical judgment , with the circumstance of his oath , 't was good in his eyes to do so . the theoretical knowledge in the stony ground pronounces the word to be good , but the practical judgment sentences it evil with persecution . but to carry on the difference a little further : theoretical knowledge , representing things as good or evil only in the general , speaks little or nothing to practice , but practical knowledge representing this or that as good or evil in its individual circumstances speaks absolutely and with a kind of authority ; this must be done , and that must not be done : when it says , this must be done , it is promotive of the duty ; they that know thy name will trust in thee , psal. . . and by the same reason will do other duties required by thee : when it says , that must not be done , it is preventive of sin ; if they had known it , they would not have crucified the lord of glory , cor. . . that is , a practical knowledge would effectually have impeded that sin , and by the same reason will it impede other sins ; both ways it hath a great influence into practice . . these differ essentially . theoretical knowledge is in some sence but knowledge falsly so called , because it knows not the things of god as they are proposed to be known ; those things are proposed to be known not as mere notions , but as practical things , to be above all other things chosen , loved , embraced and practised : wherefore a theoretical knowledg , knowing them notionally only , even whilest it is materially true , hath a secret lye in it , because it judges of them theoretically only , of which it should judge practically . thus the apostle , he that saith i know him , and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him , joh. . . not in him as it should be ; for in the midst of all his puffing knowledge , he knoweth nothing as he ought to know , cor. . . because not in a practical way ; but practical knowledge is a true knowledg , it knows the things of god as they are proposed to be known , that is , not as mere notions , but as things to be practically improved in heart and life ; it knows them as it ought to know them . and out of this difference arises a second : theoretical knowledge being but a false knowledge is but a weak and dead thing , able to put forth no vital or spiritual action : just as a flash of lightning in the night , it makes all the way plain , but before one step can be taken , all is in darkness ; such a vanishing vapour is mere notion , which puffs the head but penetrates not into the heart . but practical knowledge , being a true knowledge , hath strength and life in it , it puts forth vital and spiritual actions . hence our saviour calls it no less than eternal life , joh. . . it forges out the blood and vital spirits of the new creature , strengthens him with spiritual bones and sinews , and sets him in motion towards the crown of life in heaven . these differences premised , i procede to prove the two positions laid down . . the first was this , that man's will doth infallibly and necessarily follow the practical understanding , and this i shall endeavour to make out , . from god's ordination , in which there are two things to be considered . . god never made the will of man to stand alone . . god never made it to go alone : both which may yet be , if it follow not the practical understanding . . god never made the will of man to stand alone , but he would have it depend upon the understanding : as he made the sensitive appetite to depend upon the senses , so he made the will to depend upon the understanding . hence the will , which is in it self but caeca potentia , a blind power , in its dependance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a rational appetite . if the will do not depend upon the understanding , where doth it stand but upon the base of its own independency ? you 'l say , no , not so , for still it is under the guidance of providence . i answer , that providence , which rules all things in a sweet congruity to their natures , rules the will , not as a brute but as a rational appetite ; and how that can be without its dependance on the understanding i know not . . god never made it to go alone ; 't is in it self but a blind power , and god never made the blind to go alone . even in brutes there is sense to light the appetite , much more in man understanding to light the will. hence the understanding is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the leading or ruling faculty , and lucerna domini , the candle of the lord , prov. . . without it the will is all in the dark . if the will can go alone in any acts , surely it must be in acts of sin , which have much of darkness in them ; but even there , whilest the holy law of god is violated , the dictates of the corrupt understanding are observed : if the will can go alone in any acts of sin , surely it must be above all in such acts as are most against knowledge ; but even there , whilest theoretical knowledge is opposed , the practical judgment is fulfilled . hence such presumptuous sinners as rebel against the light , are yet said to walk in their own counsels , psal. . . because they follow their practical judgement ; and to erre in their hearts , psal. . . because that practical judgment which they follow is corrupt and erroneous ; and to make them idols according to their own understanding , hos. . . because first the understanding frames the idol , and then the will falls down and worshippeth . . i argue from the will it self , which may be considered two ways , either as it is in it self , or as it is in dependance upon the understanding . . as it is in it self , and so it is an appetite ; its object is good real or at least apparant , ( for malum , quà malum , non est appetibile ) and that good must be proposed by the understanding , for that is instead of eyes to the will. suppose then that the understanding do shew forth to the will such a thing as good pro hîc & nunc , and that so good , that it is immediately to be embraced , and cannot without a present evil be neglected , no not for a moment ; if in this case the will may refuse this object , it may appetere malum sub ratione mali , that is , appetere non appetibile , and in so doing it may cease to be , what it essentially is , an appetite . . as it is in dependance upon the understanding , and so it is a rational appetite , and ( which results from thence ) it is a free appetite ; the root of its freedom is in the understanding . why hath a will a liberty of spontaneity to some objects , but because the understanding represents them as good pro hîc & nunc ? why a liberty of contradiction to other objects , but because the understanding looks on them as matters of little or no moment ? one would think so odious and detestable a thing as sin , could not be chosen by the will ; but the erring understanding gilds and glosses it over with a shew of good. one would think , such glorious and all-desirable objects as are in the gospel could not be refused by the will , but the blind understanding sees little or no worth at all in them . but now if the practical judgment propose a thing as good , and the will reject it , 't is no longer a rational appetite but a brute ; neither is it any longer free , but cut off and in statu separato from the root and fountain of its liberty ; neither is its act a free act , but belluinus impetus , a brutish violence , for it hath no understanding at all at the root and bottom of it , no more than the act of a beast hath . what then shall we say ? can the will cease to be a rational and free appetite ? or may it be rational and free without an understanding ? neither of these can be : wherefore it remains that it must follow the practical judgment , and so continue free and rational . . i argue from the effect , which shews much of harmony between the posture of the understanding and the posture of the will. is the understanding determinate ? so is the will : hence if the understanding represent a thing as good , the will embraces it as such , if as a greater good , it embraces it the more , if as a summum bonum , it embraces it summo conatu . on the other hand , if the understanding represent a thing as evil , the will starts back from it ; if as a greater evil , it flies yet further from it ; if as malum maximum , it can never fly far enough from it . is the understanding pendulous ? so is the will too : hence if the understanding represent a thing as a matter indifferent , having little or nothing of moment in it , one way or other , the will doth not infallibly will it as it doth the good , nor nill it as it doth the evil , but in a pendulous way it hangs off and plays on , because the understanding doth not pronounce it good or evil , but only indifferent . the will observes every motion of the practical judgment ; if that say , yonder is such a good , the will cleaves to it as ruth to naomi ; if that say , there is such an evil , the will flies from it as moses from the serpent ; if that say , such a thing is indifferent , the will stands as the king of babylon , at the parting of the way , ezek. . . it may will or not will ; for there is an aequilibrium in the will answering the aequilibrium in the understanding . . i argue from the consequent absurdity : if the will do not follow the practical judgment , then although the practical judgment be never so right , yet may the will transgress , and by consequence a man may be a sinner and no fool , which is impossible . in scripture sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aberration , isai. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a missing of the mark , joh. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an ignorance , heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an error , rom. . . error in heart , heb. . . and error of way , james . . and ( which is the fullest expression of all ) folly , foolishness and madness , eccl. . . as if all words were too little to express the folly thereof : also sinners are straglers or wanderers , isai. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without mind , tit. . . simple ones such as want heart , prov. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , unreasonable men , thess. . . fools , nay madmen , acts . . nay , as if there were nothing of man in them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , brute heasts , pet. . . even in the first sin of man the apostle tells us , that the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being deceived , was in the transgression , tim. . . first there was an error , a false end in her mind , and then the forbidden fruit was embraced by her will. but now after all this , if the practical judgment be right set , and yet the will may turn away unto sin , then that which is impossible in scripture may be possible in nature ; there may be a sinner and no fool , sin and no folly , wandring without error , missing the mark without any false end , transgression and nothing of deception in it , a man and a brute coupled together in the same act , the understanding playing the man in its right directions , and the will playing the brute in its irrational aversation : all which absurdities are unavoidable by such as assert , that the will doth not follow the practical judgment . . posit . leaving the first position , i procede to the second , viz. that the will of man doth infallibly follow the practical understanding in the matter of conversion . and here again i might reinforce the former arguments with an emphasis : if the will cannot stand alone and upon the bottom of its own independency in other matters , much less can it do so in conversion , to which the working and drawing of almighty grace is requisite : if in other matters the will cannot go alone without the torch of reason , surely in conversion it cannot go alone without the torch of supernatural illumination . if the will by deserting a lesser good propoposed by the understanding do appetere malum sub ratione mali , then the will by deserting god proposed as the summum bonum by the understanding doth appetere summum malum so ; if the will by rejecting an inferiour good proposed by the practical judgment must become bruitish and irrational , how much more bruitish and irrational must it become by rejecting the summum bonum so proposed ? if the will may be determined by the understanding as to a lesser good , nay , as to a false lying good , as in the case of sin , how much rather may it be so determined as to the summum bonum ? if by the wills turning away from the understanding right set , there may be sin in the will , and no folly in the understanding , which is impossible ; then by such turning away there may be no charity in the will , and yet true faith in the understanding , which is also impossible . but pretermi●ting these , i come more closely to the thesis , that is , that the will doth follow the understanding in the business of conversion . now whereas the conversion of the will is double ; either it is the production of gracious principles in the will , or it is the actual conversion of the will : in the first the will is passive , in the other active . the wills following the understanding is double also ; as to the principles of grace in the will , the understanding is as the channel through which those principles are infused into the will ; as to the actual conversion of the will , the understanding is as a potent perswader inducing the will unto actual conversion . in the first the will follows the understanding passively only and by way of reception of principles ; in the second the will follows the understanding actively and by way of free actuation of those principles . i shall speak somewhat to both these . . as to the principles of grace in the will , the understanding is as the channel through which those principles are transfused into the will. god doth not infuse the principles of grace into the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but he puts in his hand by the hole of the door , and so the churches bowels are moved for him , cant. . . he puts in his grace at the understanding , and so the will and affections are turned to him ; he purifies the heart by faith , acts . . that is , through faith in the understanding he influences holiness into the will , and this holiness is called by the apostle holiness of truth , eph. . . not only because 't is a real holiness , but especially because 't is wrought through the truth , first entring in at the understanding , and so passing on to the will : and that this is the apostle's meaning appears , because he opposes holiness of truth , in the . verse , to the lusts of deceit in the . verse . as those are lusts of deceit , because the lusting will follows upon the erring understanding , so this is holiness of truth , because the holy will follows upon the true understanding . the practical knowledge of god is stiled eternal life , joh. . . and a well-spring of life , prov. . . & the reason is , because through it all quickning graces do as a river of life flow into the will. above all that of the apostle is most pregnant , beholding as in a glass the glory of god , we are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the lord , cor. . . the glory of god is reflected from christ upon the gospel , and from the gospel upon the understanding , and from the understanding upon the will , and so we are changed into his glorious image . in man's first transgression death entred in at the windows of the mind , and so got into the secret closet of the heart , and in man's first conversion life comes in at the mind and so passes down into the will. all the grace that a man hath ( saith dr. preston ) passes in through the understanding ; and if it were not so , how could the word be an instrument of the wills regeneration ? there is no passage for it into the will but through the understanding . in regeneration the law is writ in the heart , and how can that be but through the understanding ? the appetitive faculty is naturally crooked , and if ever it be made right , it must be through the apprehensive faculty : all the things of godliness are given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , through the knowledge of god , pet. . . that 's the great channel by which all grace passes into the will. . as to the actual conversion of the will , the understanding is as a potent perswader effectually inducing the will thereunto . there are three principal things in the wills actual conversion , viz. a turning to god as its supreme end , an embracing christ as the only way , and a rejection of sin as the great obstacle ; and in all these the will doth follow the understanding . . the will doth follow the understanding in its turn to god as the supreme end , and this appears divers ways . . the scriptures clear it to us ; there we find in conjunction bethinking and turning , chron. . . remembring and turning , psal. . . considering and turning , ezek . . . understanding and turning , mat. . . and opening the eyes and turning , act. . . in all which places the understanding goes before , and the will follows after . there we find conversion to be a thing wrought by perswasion , god shall perswade japheth , gen. . . by inshining , god hath shined in our hearts , cor. . . by teaching , they shall be all taught of god , joh. . . by anointing , you have an unction from the holy one , joh. . . and by coming to a mans self , luk. . . first the prodigal came to himself , and then he returned to his father : the import of all which is plainly thus much , that god doth actually draw home the will unto himself through the understanding ; thy people ( saith the psalmist ) shall be willing in the day of thy power , in the beauties of holiness , from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth , psal. . . here are a willing people like the dew for multitude , but whence are they ? whence , but from the womb of the morning ? the morning of supernatural illumination is the womb out of which they issue : as long as there is no morning in men , as the expression is , isai. . . there is no will at all to god ; but as soon as the day dawns in their hearts , out comes a willing people as dew from the morning . . the nature of the will holds forth thus much : the will naturally wills blessedness or the ultimate end in general , because it is a good perfective and expletive of the soul , but the will doth not naturally fix on this or that thing as its blessedness or ultimate end in particular . one man fixes on mammon as his chief good , another makes his belly his god , a third is all for the pride of life ; whence is the will thus determined ? either it must be determined by it self , or else by the understanding ; not by it self , for it is a blind faculty , and cannot of it self judg any thing to be a chief good , much less can it fix it self on it as such ; wherefore it must be determined by the understanding . one man chuses mammon to be his chief good , because ( as the psalmist hath it ) his inward thought is , that his house shall continue for ever , psal. . . that's lasting happiness , saith his carnal understanding . another makes his belly his god , because his inward thought is , eat , drink , and be merry , luk. . . there is nothing better , saith his bruitish understanding . a third is all for the pride of life , because his inward thought is , to be a lucifer in self-excellencies , that 's the top of bliss , saith his soaring understanding . in every one of these , first the understanding makes the idol , and then the will doth fall down and worship . now if the will may be determined by the understanding to such false beatitudes as these , how much more may it be determined by the understanding to god who is the true blessedness ? . this appears from the excellency of that practical understanding which draws the will unto actual conversion . 't is an excellent understanding for the object of it ; being in the mount of transfiguration it shews forth unto the will , not creatures , chips of being , in the shell of time , but a jehovah of self-beingness , a god of allsufficiency dwelling in eternity ; not streams of life or goodness in the creature-channel , but a fountain of living waters , an ocean of immense goodness , such as cannot be sailed over by faith or vision ; not golden or pearly mountains , but an infinite mass of free grace , unsearchable riches of mercy , such as cannot be ●old over to all eternity ; not shadows or little portions of being , but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , revel . . . the true i am , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the all things , cor. . . in whom are all the rich mines of universal blessedness ; and ( which is the sweetness of all ) it shews forth this god not as reserving himself only to himself , but as freely offering himself to poor worms . oh my soul ! stand still and adore the opening of his bowels and self-motion of his grace ; this jehovah of self-beingness and all-sufficiency will make over himself to thee , this fountain of life and goodness will flow out to thee , this rich mass of grace and mercy will portion thee , this i am and ever-blessed all is an inheritance for thee , and in inheriting him thou maist after a wonderful manner inherit all things . this is the infinite excellency of the object ; but after what manner doth the understanding shew it forth unto the will ? surely , though as much below his worth as finite is below infinite , yet in an excellent way ; the understanding shews forth god unto the will not in a dead or literal manner , but with spiritual liveliness and ( as i may so say ) in sparkles of glory ; for it is eternal life , and heaven it self dawns in it , not darkly or at a distance , but clearly and closely ; the day-star is up in the heart , and god approaches near unto the will , his goodness passes before it , and leaves some holy touches and savours thereupon ; not in a weak and languishing manner , but powerfully and effectually . the apostle joins the demonstration of the spirit and power together , cor. . . there is such a demonstration of the spirit in the understanding as cannot be denied , and from thence such a power upon the will as cannot be frustrated , not notionally only but practically ; it seriously presseth in upon the will. here , o rational appetite ! here is a god indeed ; his grace free , his mercy self-moving ; take him and thou hast all , lose him and thou hast nothing : now , oh! now is the accepted time , the day of salvation ; in his favour there is life , in his wrath nothing but death : if he bless thee , none can curse , if he curse thee none can bless ; now or never turn and live . after this manner doth it practically press in upon the will. now when the understanding holds forth such an excellent object in such an excellent manner unto the will , already principled with grace , how can it chuse but actually close in with it ? such a knowledge being really actuated , can the will turn aside to other objects for its happiness ? the simple one may turn away , prov. . . but shall a man of understanding do so ? a deceived heart may turn aside , isai. . . but shall the wise in heart do so ? a heart of unbelief may depart from the living god , heb. . . but shall a man of precious faith do so ? but whither can he turn ? what , to the riches of the world ? 't is but dross to the unsearchable riches of christ , saith the understanding : what , to honours ? 't is but a blast to the true honour which cometh of god only , saith the understanding : what , to pleasures ? these are muddy puddles to the pure rivers of pleasure above , saith the understanding . this understanding doth as it were blast all the world , crucifie the universe , and by a prospect of faith see the heavens on fire , the earth burnt up , and the elements melting with fervent heat , and can the will fall in love with the dust and cinders of it ? surely it will not . but if the will cannot turn aside to such false beatitudes , yet may it not suspend its act as to the true ? suspend ! what from its own blessedness verily , thoroughly believed ? what from god the all in all plainly , powerfully demonstrated to be such ? and what for just nothing , for a sic volo ? can it be so brutishly free at so dear a rate as to be eternally miserable ? will it hang off from perfect blessedness ? or can it do so , and the summū malū not fall into its embraces ? and may a will renewed with the holy ghost , and right set by gracious principles do thus ? surely it cannot , they that know thy name will trust in thee , psal. . . and ( which follows upon trust ) will love thee , and ( which streams from love ) will obey thee , and ( which is the crown of obedience ) will resign up themselves to thee for all their happiness . where such an excellent understanding goes before , there the will doth infallibly follow after , even in actual conversion unto god as its supreme end. . the will doth follow the understanding in its embracing of christ as the only way , and this appears . from several sciptures . to know jesuschrist is eternal life , joh. . . it quickens the will to embrace him . christ told the woman , if thou hadst known the gift of god , and who it is that saith unto thee , give me to drink , thou wouldest have asked of him , and he would have given thee living water , joh. . . a true knowledge of christ would have inflamed her desires after him , and those desires would have breathed out prayers for the living water . our saviour quotes that in the prophets [ and they shall be all taught of god ] and and what follows upon that teaching ? every man therefore ( saith he ) that hath heard and learned of the father cometh unto me , joh. . . true knowledge makes a man come to christ , and that without fail , for 't is so in every man that hears and learns of the father , not in one or two , but in every man , and how doth knowledge do this ? how , but by glorifying christ unto the will ? the spirit ( saith christ ) shall glorifie me ; how so ? he shall take of mine and shall shew unto you , joh. . , . the holy spirit takes christ and shews him after a wonderful manner , it glorifies him in the understanding , and through the understanding it glorifies him before the will , and so the will is sweetly and strongly drawn unto him . . from the will it self . if the will be determined by the understanding , unto god as its ultimate end , then is it also determined by the understanding , unto christ as the only way thereunto . indeed if the understanding did propose an end , and withal two distinct ways of equal tendency thereunto , then the will might be free to either of those ways : but when the understanding proposes god as the end , and christ as the only way to that end , then the will must infallibly close in with christ ; it must , or lose its end or blessedness ; it must , or the summū malū will fall into its arms . when the understanding tells the will in good earnest , there is no other way but one , there is no other name under heaven but jesus only , the will is sweetly constrained into his embraces . . from the understanding which shews forth christ to be the perfect way sutable to all our wants in our passage to god the true end. thou wouldest come to god but for the weight of sin and wrath , loe , here is an high-priest with expiating blood ; thou wouldst come to god but thou knowest not the way thither , here 's a prophet with words of light and life ; thou wouldst come to god but for the pressure of thy reigning lusts , here 's a king with a sceptre of righteousness to subdue them ; thou wouldst come to god but for want of a gracious heart , here 's a treasury of all grace and holiness . the understanding still points at christ ; art thou in darkness ? he is a sun of righteousness ; art thou in death ? he is the resurrection and the life ; art thou a withered branch ? he is a root of fatness and sweetness ; art thou a lost and half-damned creature ? he is a saviour able to save to the uttermost . this understanding glorifies christ in all his offices , sings the sing of the lamb , and cries him up for altogether precious ; this is the window or lattess at which his all-fair person looks in upon the will , the conduit through which the sweet ointment of his name is poured out unto the will , and the crucifix which shews forth his bloody passion in lively colours before the will. this understanding practically presses the will to embrace him ; o my soul ! now hear and live ; take him and everlasting mercy meets thee , leave him and devouring justice overtakes thee ; catch hold on this prince of life , or die for ever ; look up to this brightness of glory , or be in utter darkness ; wash in his blood , or bleed in eternal flames ; put on his righteousness , or be naked to all eternity ; there is no way into the holy of holies , but through the veil of his flesh ; enter , and thou hast an ever-blessed god to make thee happy neglect , and thou hast a righteous god to make thee for ever miserable . when christ through the understanding thus pours out his precious name as an ointment unto the will , how can it chuse but love him ? when through this hole of the door he thus drops in his sweet-smelling truths upon the will , how can it chuse but rise and open to him ? if it do not , whither will it turn ? what , to the creatures ? they are all blackamoors to this all-lovely jesus ; what , to repentant tears ? those want washing in his blood ; what , to its good works and righteousness ? they are but a filthy rag. there is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , such a transcendent excellency in the knowledge of christ , that it makes all other things but as dung before the will , phil. . . hence the will hath no whither else to turn : but if it turn no whither else , may it not suspend its act as to christ ? suspend ! what from the only way to blessedness evidently pointed out ? what from him who is all desires really believed to be such ? can it thus wave happiness and embrace mere nothing in the room thereof ? and can it do thus when a right-set understanding is really actuated , and it self truly principled with grace ? surely it cannot be . no sooner did christ see the budding graces of his church , but his soul made him like the chariots of amminadib , cant. . , . and no sooner do christians see the lovely excellencies of christ , but they will become an amminadib , a willing people , and their wills as so many swift chariots to convey them unto him . thus the will follows the understanding in its embraces of christ as the way . . the will follows the understanding in its rejection of sin as the great obstacle , and this also appears . from several scriptures ; there we find on the one hand that folly is the root of the commission of sin , the foolishness of man perverteth his way , prov. . . why doth the atheist say in his heart , there is no god ? because he is a fool , psal. . . why do the mammonists boast and trust in their uncertain riches ? because their way is their folly , psal. . . why doth the blind idolater fall down to the stock of a tree ? because a deceived heart hath turned him aside , isai. . , . why did the rebellious israelites grieve their good god forty years together ? because they did err in their hearts , psal. . . on the other hand , there we find that true wisdom or understanding is the root of the rejection of sin , to depart from evil is understanding , job . . the pollutions of the world are escaped through the knowledge of christ , pet. . . through thy precepts ( saith david ) i get understanding , what then ? therefore i hate every false way , psal. . . and again , i esteem all thy precepts to be right , and what follows ? i hate every false way , ver. . first , there was a right judgement in his understanding , and thence issued an hatred of sin in his will. for all the wolves and the leopards , yet ( saith god ) they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ; why so ? because the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord , isai. . . that saving knowledge should turn them into lambs and little children , and make them leave off their barbarous and inhumane cruelty . hence repentance ( which includes in it an hatred and rejection of sin ) is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a transmentation or postmentation ; because when a man comes to himself in a right understanding , he hates & rejects sin. . from the will it self : if that follow the understanding in turning to god as its supreme end , and in embracing of christ as the only way , then by necessary consequence it must needs follow the understanding in the rejection of sin as the great obstacle ; for if it follow not here also , it must wave its supreme end and the way thither , it must resolve upon a happiness without god and christ. if the understanding say to the will , there is no other cloud betwixt thee and the father of lights , no other distance betwixt thee and the fountain of living waters , none but sin alone , surely the will must bid it be gone for ever . . from the understanding which so represents sin , as that the will doth turn away from it , and this it doth three ways . . the understanding doth represent sin as a grand evil ; it sets it forth as an ataxy in man , rebellion against god , spears and nails to jesus christ , quench-coal to the spirit of grace , blur and stain to the soul , groaning burthen on the back of the whole creation , venom and perfect quintessence of all evils , a thing of such monstrous deformities , as if it did appear in its own prodigious shape , would not be touched upon by man , and how can the will being a rational appetite doat upon such a thing ? surely upon it as such it cannot ; wherefore sin ( that it may be welcome to the will ) covers it self with fig-leaves as adam , it veils its face like tamar , it paints and tires like jezabel , it disguises and feigns it self to be another like jeroboam's wife , it courts and flatters to steal away hearts like absalom , it comes like agrippa and bernice with great pomp in fancy of some apparent goodness ; offering it self to our saviour it wrapped up it self in all the glories of the world , nay , in the mantle of scripture and angelical protection ; coming to adam , it held forth an apple , and promised no less than a god-head ; ever it hath a lye and a cheat in it . hence it is called a false way , psal. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of a lye , prov. . . there is in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sleight , as in cogging dice , eph. . . it makes every sinner believe that he shall have the cast of happiness , but coggs away his soul. this is that deceitfulness of sin , by which it insinuates it self into the will ; but this right understanding hath a counter-work , it unleaves and unveils sin , it unpaints & undresses it , it plucks off it false appearances and disguises , it disrobes it of all its pomps and fancy , it discovers the lye and cheat in it , and makes it appear in its own ugly hue and shameful nakedness ; achan's sin was wrapt up in a baby lonish garment , but unclothe it , and it was an accursed thing ; saul's sin was covered over with sacrifices , but unveil it , and 't was witchcraft-like rebellion ; judas his sin about the precious ointment was painted over with charity , but unpaint it and 't was arrant thievery ; paul's sin wore a cloak of zeal , but undress it , and 't was bloody persecution . this right understanding plucks the lye out of sins mouth , and the paint off from its face , and all the robes of apparent goodness off from its back ; and so constrains it to go naked before the will , and thereby it appears what it is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sinning sin , rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil of evils , hos. . . altogether evil , and nothing but evil ; and now how can the will embrace it as good ? how can it chuse but reject it as evil ? now , if ever , shall sin be crucified . male-factors were first stripped and then crucified : sin in its attire is a king in its robes sitting on the heart as a throne ; but sin stript naked by the understanding is a malefactor ready for the cross , and there the will will surely nail it ; the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing , saith the prophet , isai. . . sin is a yoke upon the will fastened there by a lye , an appearance of some false good , but the anointing ( which is truth , joh. . . ) reveals the lye , and then off comes the yoke . doth sin profer a world ? this anointing is an inward ecclesiastes crying out , all is vanity ; doth it profer honors or riches or pleasures ? what for a soul , a christ , a god ? no cheat like that , saith the anointing ; doth it promise happiness ? you do but flatter and lye , saith the anoining , you have nothing but death and hell to bestow . christ was manifested , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might dissolve the works of the devil , that is , sins in men , joh. . . and he dissolves them by this anointing . sin is in union with the will , because sin is in composition with some seeming good ; break the composition between sin and the seeming good , and you dissolve the union between sin and the will. the worldly man's will is in union with his sin , because his sin is in composition with the world ; break the composition by a right understanding , make him indeed see that the world is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a figure or fashion , and riches but a thing that is not ; dissolve the world by faith , and instantly the sin will drop out of his will , for sin as mere sin will not down with the will. if therefore the compound of apparent goodness be once broken by the understanding , the will must needs cast it out as altogether evil , because it is an object capable of its embraces . . the understanding doth represent sin as the devils work. should the devil visibly appear , and offer to the covetous his bags , or to the drunkard his cups , surely they would hardly take them at his hands . wherefore satan transforms himself into many shapes , and puts on changes of raiment that he may act invisible . but on the other hand , christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , spoils , or more properly , unclothes him , col. . . he spoiled him meritoriously on the cross , and unclothes him efficaciously in the hearts of men. christ was so quick of understanding , that he found out satan even in peter's tender indulgence , and christ gives such a true understanding unto the heart , that it sees satan lurking in every sin : oh! says the true understanding , there is a bloody devil in all thy malice , a blasphemous devil in all thy prophaneness , a lying devil in all thy hypocrisies , a proud devil in all thy self-excellencies , a devil in the swine in all thy sensualities , and in every sin satan stands at thy right hand , now when the devil thus appears in sin , surely the will must needs turn away from it . . the understanding doth represent sin as the only obstacle of happiness . the understanding views the all-blessed god with his infinite bowels , and the all-precious jesus with his infinite merits ; it lets in some glimpses of glory , and takes as it were a prospect of eternity ; it travels over the land of promise , and tastes the milk and honey of free grace flowing there ; and after all this it cries out , oh! my soul , nothing can hinder thee from all these but sin , nor sin neither , unless indulg'd ; this is the only gulf between thee and thy god , the only distance between thee and thy sweet jesus , the only bar to the heaven of glory , and the only flaw in thy title to the land of promise . when the understanding shews sin to be such indeed , surely the will cannot but reject it . thus the will follows the understanding , in turning to god the supreme end , in embracing christ the only way , and in rejecting sin the great obstacle , which are the three grand things in actual conversion . now here i would have closed up this point , but that there are two main objections to be solved . object . . this thesis of the wills following the understanding takes away the necessity of gracious principles in the will. object . . this thesis overturns the liberty of the will. . this thesis takes away the necessity of gracious principles in the will ; what need of any there , seeing the will is so good a follower ? as to this i shall answer two things . . this thesis is so far from taking away the necessity of gracious principles in the will , that it discovers the way how those gracious principles come to be wrought there . 't is in this case between the understanding and those gracious principles , as 't is between the beams of light and the accompanying heat : as heat comes down from the sun into the lower world in the vehicle of natural light , so holiness comes down from the sun of righteousness into the will in the vehicle of supernatural light. when the day dawns in the heart , the heart waxes warm with spiritual life ; give me understanding , saith david , and i shall keep thy law ; yea , i shall keep it with my whole heart , psal. . . why is he so earnest for understanding ? is the understanding all ? may not the will hang back for all that ? no , give me understanding and i shall keep thy law ; yea , i shall keep it with my whole heart : that will set all my soul in a right posture towards the law of god. . notwithstanding this thesis , there is yet a treble necessity of gracious principles in the will ; for . god calls for them . . the will it self stands in need of them . . the perfection of the new creature cannot stand without them . . god calls for them ; above all things he calls for a heart , a pure heart , such as works out the mixtures of corruption ; a right heart , such as lies level to the rule of righteousness ; this he desires , he desires truth in the inward parts , psal. . . this he delights in , he hath pleasure in uprightness , chron. . . where this is found , he passes by many infirmities ; i have eaten ( saith christ ) my honey-comb with my honey , wax and all , wax and all , cant. . . infirmities do not hinder acceptance ; but where this is wanting , he sets a black mark upon men , even whilest they do that which is materially good . amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the lord , but not with a perfect heart , chron. . . there is a black mark set upon him for want of integrity . but now without gracious principles in the heart , how can the heart be right or pure ? which way can god's call be answered , or his desire or delight attained ? . the will it self stands in need of them . the will of fallen man what is it but a very shoal of inordinate affections , a womb of evil concupiscence ? here is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the conceiving lust , jam. . . that which teems out a generation of wickednesses : here is an abyss , a bottomless pit of evils , such as smoaks and vomits up all manner of abominations . every carnal heart hath in it a plague of rotterness which is still starting from god , & an iron-sinew of rebellion which is still contradicting god ; and how can this hell of lust in the will ever be quenched but by the clean water ? how can this deadly wound of corruption there ever be healed but by gracious principles ? . the perfection of the new creature cannot stand without them . the new creature is a new men , all over new , new in its desires as well as in its intellectuals ; 't is a perfect man in christ , perfect in all its parts ; it hath a heart as well as a head. should the will want gracious principles , the new creature must want a heart , the old heart will not serve the turn ; the new man is but half a man without a new heart . there was put into the breast-plate of judgment the urim and the thummim , that is , lights and perfections , both were in it or else it had not been perfect : the full substance of this type was only in christ , who was full of all grace and truth ; but there is a measure of it in every true christian , who puts on the breast-plate of faith and love , thess. . . faith is a kind of urim in his understanding , and love a kind of thummim in his will ; and both together make up his complete breast-plate . but if there were no gracious principles in his will , he should have an urim without a thummim , light in the mind without integrity in the heart ; and by consequence he could be but one half of a christian. object . . this thesis overturns the liberty of the will ; for if the will be determined by the understanding , how is it free ? and if free , how determined ? i answer ; there are three things , which well weighed give a perfect solution to this objection . . this objection carries in it a great absurdity . . this objection stands upon a false notion of liberty . . this objection vanishes by the true stating of liberty . . this objection carries in it a great absurdity : if the will being determined by the understanding lose its freedom , then it loseth its freedom by an adhesion to the root of its freedom ; and it cannot be free , unless it can turn brute , which is a great absurdity . you 'l say , is this so absurd ? doth not the will turn brute in closing with sensual lusts ? and doth not the scripture call men beasts upon that account ? i answer , that the will in closing with its sensual lusts is brutish as to the matter of its choice , but not as to the manner of it , because it hath an humane unstanding ( though corrupt ) going before it ; but if it can turn away from the understanding , it can turn brute even as to the manner of its acting : for then its act hath no understanding at all at the bottom of it , no more than the act of a beast , which is very absurd in a rational appetite . . this objection stands upon a false notion of liberty , viz. that the liberty of the will doth essentially consist in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in an aequilibrium or indeterminate indifferency , whereby it may will or not will a thing ; for why , according to this objection , is the will not free ? why , but because it is determined ? and why is it not free , if determined ? because its freedom doth consist essentially in such an aequilibrium , as cannot stand with any determination but what is merely from it self . now that this is a false notion of liberty doth appear many ways : for . if liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency , then what shall we say to jesus christ on earth ? had not he as man all the essentials of liberty ? was not all his obedience perfectly free ? and yet did not his humane will indeclinably follow his divine ? was there a posse peccare in that spotless lamb ? could that humane nature ( conceived by the holy ghost , and inseparably united to the god-head ) could that also transgress ? surely , it could not . i do nothing of my self , faith christ , joh. . . nay , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i can do nothing of my self , joh. . . nothing ; in such perfect dependance was his humane will upon his divine , not the shadow of an aequilibrium there , and yet the substance of perfect liberty . . if liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency , what say we to the blessed saints in heaven ? have not they all the essentials of liberty ? are those spirits made perfect in every thing else but that ? is that the thing that is wanting in heaven ? no surely ; glorious liberty cannot but be there , and yet what of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; there god is all in all , and the saints cannot take off their eyes from him for ever ; his will is perfectly triumphant over theirs , and their will is perfectly determined by his , so determined , as not to glance aside from it to all eternity : and yet in this determination liberty is not destroyed but perfected , the will is not in straits or bonds , but in a sabbath of rest and joy. here 's nothing of an aequilibrium ; that kind of liberty is so magnified on earth , that it shall never be glorified in heaven ; and if it be not glorified there , sure 't is no essential here . . if liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency , then how shall the divine prescience be salved ? god knoweth all the free acts of men , even the thoughts afar off , from the high tower of his eternity : but if the will be in aequilibrio , its acts ( before they come into being ) must be mere contingencies , and without any determinate verity at all in them , and how then are they knowable as certainties ? to know contingencies as certainties , is to erre and not to know . . if liberty do essentially consist in such an indifferency , then what becomes of divine providence ? providence hath a kingdom over men's hearts . we find in scripture god touching the heart , sam. . . stirring up the heart , chron. . . opening the heart , acts . . enclining the heart , kings . . and turning the heart whithersoever he will , prov. . . and after all this , is the will in aequilibrio ? if not , where is the supposed liberty ? if so , where is the divine providence ? all its touching , stirring , opening , enclining and turning the heart signifies litle or nothing . infinite wisdom and power seem to have posed themselves in making such a creature as they cannot govern , or at least not govern without destroying its faculties ; the infinite spirit hath then nothing to rule over but the brutal world , and the rational is lost out of his dominions ; men must subsist like creatures , and yet may act as gods ; their being is within the realm of providence , and their acting without it . in a word ; when we read of god over all , we must ever except the rational creature . wherefore that is no true notion of liberty , which is so opposite to the sccptre of divine providence . . i shall add but one thing more . every man is born under a futurition of all the acts which he will produce , or else those acts should be present in time which never were future , which is impossible ; and every futurition implies in it a necessity of immutability , or else that which is future might cease to be such without coming into actual being , which is impossible : hence it appears , that humane liberty doth well consist with a necessity of immutability ; nay , it cannot stand without : take away all necessity , and you take away all futurition ; take away all futurition , and you take away all the free acts of the creature ; for those free acts could not be acts , much less free acts , in time , unless they were future before ; and future they could not be without such a necessity : therefore liberum and necessarium may , nay , must stand together ; and if so , the will may be determined by the understanding , and yet be free without an aequilibrium , and by consequence , an aequilibrium is not essential to its liberty . this false notion of liberty maintained upholds the objection , but dissolved breaks the same in pieces . . this objection vanishes quite away by the true stating of liberty . liberty is double ; ethical as to that which may be done de jure , and physical as to that which may be done de facto . god is perfectly free both ways ; ethically , because under no law but the perfection of his own nature , and physically , because almighty . man is not ethically free , because under a law ; nor yet altogether physically free , for some things he cannot do , if he never so much will the doing thereof , because they are not within his power . libertas ( as the learned camero hath it ) est facultas faciendi quod libet , or more largely , facultas quâ quis tantum possit quantum velit , tantumque velit quantum esse volendum judicavit ; it is that faculty in man , whereby within his own sphere he can do as much as he wills , and will as much as in his understanding he judges fit to be willed . now that this is a right definition of humane liberty doth appear three ways . . 't is bottomed upon scripture . . 't is commensurate to the nature of the thing . . 't is proportionable to both the acts of the will. . 't is bottomed upon scripture . in scripture there are various expressions touching liberty , congruous to the several parts of this definition . in the definition liberty is a faculty of doing , & in scripture 't is a having a thing in our power , acts . . or in the power of our hand , gen. . . in the definition 't is a faculty of doing as much as we will , and in scripture 't is a doing according to our will , dan. . . or all that is in our heart , sam. . . in the definition 't is a power of willing as much as in our understanding we judge fit to be willed , and in scripture 't is doing what is right in our own eyes , judg. . . or what seemeth good and meet unto us , jer. . . thus all the definition is founded on scripture . . this definition is commensurate to the nature of liberty . what is liberty in man in the full compass of it , but that whereby he becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lord of his own act , and such he truly is , when within his own line he can do as much as he will , and will as much as in his understanding is fit to be willed . when the scripture paints out that glorious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or supreme liberty in god , what doth it say , but that he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will , eph. . . and doth what he pleaseth in heaven and earth , psal. . . wherefore if a man can work according to the counsel of his will , and do what he pleaseth within his own sphere , he must needs be truly free , and so much is allowed by this definition . . this definition is proportionable to both the acts of the will. there is actus imperatus , an act commanded by the will , such as speaking or walking , or the like ; there is actus elicitus , an act produced in the will , such is the act of willing . now quoad actum imperatum , the definition says , that a man can do as much as he wills ; and quoad actum elicitum , it says , that he can will as much as he judges fit to be willed . these two acts must be carefully distinguished , for the will is not alike free in both : as to the imperate act , the will is the mistress and commandress of that , that procedes from it per modum imperii , and it is truly said to be done quia volumus ; but as to the elicite act , the will is not properly the mistress or commandress of that , that procedes not from it per modum imperii ; for then it should be actus imperatus rather than elicitus ; neither can we be said truly to will quia volumus , for so the same act of willing should be the cause of it self : wherefore the liberty of the will , as to the act of willing , doth not consist in a self-motion , for the will doth not move it self . to which purpose i shall quote two testimonies , one out of camero , nulla mera potentia semetipsam propellit in actum ; quicquid enim ejusmodi est , id in actu esse necesse est . voluntas autem ( id est , volendi facultas ) mera potentia est ; ergò non potest semetipsam excitare ad agendum : si enim hoc facit , facit per aliquem actum ; at quod est in mera potentia , illud non agit . and again ; non potest dici quae sit voluntatis seipsam determinantis actio ; non est volitio ipsa , est enim volitio ipse terminus ; ergo non ipsa determinatio . another out of the french divines in their theses salmurienses ; nulla potentia sesemet educit in actum ; sensus moventur à rebus sensibilibus , phantasia à phantasmatibus , intellect us ab object is intellectualibus , locomotiva à voluntate , voluntas quîpote à seipsa ? and indeed , if the will do move it self to the act of willing , then ( because it cannot move it self , as quiescent ) it must move it self by some act , and what is that act but an act of willing ? therefore by an act of willing it moves it self to an act of willing , which is very absurd . wherefore the will is free in the act of willing , not in respect of its self-motion , but in respect of its lubency and spontaneity ; what it wills , it doth incoactively will according to the dictate of the understanding . now this being the true nature of liberty , the determination of the will by the understanding doth not overthrow it ; for ( notwithstanding this determination ) man is free still , because he can , within his own sphere , do as much as he wills , and will as much as he judges fit to be willed . his will is free , because in its imperate acts it commands what it pleases , and in its elicite acts , it wills what it wills spontaneously , according to the dictate of the understanding ; therefore the determination of the will by the understanding doth not at all destroy the nature of liberty . thus passing over the second quaere , i procede to the third . quaere . whether the work of conversion be wrought in an irresistible way ? i am for the affirmative in a right sence . a work may be said to be done irresistibly two ways ; either when there is no resistance at all : thus the apostle saith , ye have killed the just , and he doth not resist you , jam. . . that is , not resist at all ; or else when there is no such resistance as to impede the work ; thus they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit of stephen , acts . . there 's an irresistibility ; but what without any resistance at all ? no , they disputed against him with might and main , but because their disputes could not impede his work in propagating the gospel , therefore it is said , that they were not able to resist him . thus when i say that conversion is wrought in an irresistible way , i mean not , that there is no resistance at all , for even in the regenerate there is flesh lusting against the spirit , the old man and the new strugle in the same faculties , like esau and jacob in the same womb ; but i mean , that there is no such resistance as to impede the work of conversion . in meekness ( saith the apostle ) instructing those that oppose themselves , if peradventure god will give them repentance , tim. . . here is a resistance , but for all that the work will be done , if god give repentance : he went on ( saith the prophet ) frowardly in the way of his heart , but what saith god ? i have seen his ways and will heal him , isai. . , . here was a great resistance , but for all that god will heal him . god works conversion in such an insuperable way , that ( notwithstanding all the opposition made thereunto ) it doth infallibly come to pass . now this i shall endeavour to demonstrate first in general , and then in particular with respect to the two instants of conversion . . i shall demonstrate it in general , and that by these arguments taken . from god's election . he hath chosen some before the foundation of the world , chosen them to holiness as the way , eph. . . and chosen them to salvation as the end , thess. . . but if conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way , how doth the foundation of god stand sure , tim. . ? how is that golden chain kept entire , whom he did predestinate , them he called , whom he called , them he justified and glorified , rom. . ? were not these called ones ( who have predestination going before them , and justification and glorification coming after them ) called in an insuperable way ? if not , the chain cannot hold together . the apostle makes a plain difference between men ; he opposes those of the election of grace to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who were blinded , rom. . . and those on whom god will have mercy , to those whom he hardens , rom. . . but if conversion be not irresistibly wrought , this difference falls to the ground ; those of the election may be blinded , and those on whom god hath mercy may be hardened as well as others : for my part i should as soon believe that a little child may put up his finger and rowl about the spheres , as that the will of man may stay or turn aside the influences of electing grace . . from christs redemption . if we consider the preciousness of his blood , surely he must have a body ; every little seed in nature hath a body given to it , and the son of god sowing his blood and life cannot want one : if we consider the promise of god , surely he must have a seed , isai. . . and what else is the fulness of the gentiles and the conversion of the jews , but this promised seed ? but if grace be not wrought in an insuperable way , christ might sow his blood and life in a wonderful passion , and yet have no body springing out of it ; nay , god might engage himself in the promise of a seed , and yet nothing at all come of it ; if the grace of god be resistible , lieve must be asked of man's will , that christ's blood may be fruitful , and god's promise faithful . . from the spirit 's work. the three glorious persons in the sacred trinity shew forth themselves in three glorious works ; the father hath a special shine in creation , the son in redemption , and the holy spirit in sanctification . in the first work we have god in the world , in the second god in the flesh , and in the third god in the heart or spirit . when god came forth in creation , oh! what an heaven and earth full of admirable creatures and harmonies issued forth ? when god came in the flesh , what out-breakings of glory were there ? what sparklings of the deity in miracles upon the bodies of men ? the blind received their sight , the lame walked , the lepers were cleansed , the deaf did hear , the dead were raised , and the devils were ejected with power : and when god comes in the heart or spirit , what planting of a new heaven and a new earth ? how much of glory and spiritual miracle breaks forth in the souls of men ? even here also the blind receive their sight , the lame walk , the lepers are cleansed , the deaf hear , the dead are raised , and the devil is cast out with power . the very same miracles which christ in the flesh did do on the bodies of men in a visible manner , the very same doth christ in the spirit do on the souls of men in a spiritual way . this is the proper work of the spirit to sanctifie mens hearts ; the spirit doth not appear any where in all the world so much as in a true saint : look into a godly man's understanding , there 's the spirit of revelation ; look into his will , there 's the spirit of holiness ; look into his affections , there 's the spirit of love and joy ; look into hs conscience , there 's the spirit of consolation ; look into his prayers , there 's the spirit of supplication ; look into his conversation , there 's the spirit of meekness and all righteousness . thus the holy spirit shews forth its glory , and flows in men as rivers of living water , and this glory and out-flowing is so precious , that before it came in esse , according to the rich measures of gospel-grace , it is said of the eternal spirit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the holy spirit was not yet , joh. . . as if the spirits flowing in men were a kind of second being to it . but now after all this , if conversion be not wrought in an insuperable way , the holy spirit may be barred out of every heart , and then how shall his work be done ? where shall his glory and spiritual miracles appear ? the father hath a world to appear in , the son hath flesh to tabernacle in , but possibly the holy spirit can get never an heart to inhabit in , never a temple to fill with his glory ; the holy spirit would tabernacle with men , but what if the iron-sinew in the will will not come out ? what if the stone in the heart will not break ? then the holy spirit is robbed of his glory . but is this so strange a thing ( will you say ? ) what saith holy stephen ? ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears , you do always resist the holy ghost , as your fathers did , so do ye , acts . . to which i answer , that the spirit may be said to be resisted two ways ; either as it is in the external ministry , or as it comes in the internal operations : it may be said to be resisted in the external ministry ; he that despiseth you , despiseth me , saith christ , luk. . . he that despiseth , despiseth not man but god , saith the apostle , thess. . . when therefore it is said , that they resisted the holy ghost , the meaning is not that they resisted him as to his internal operations , but that they resisted him as to the external ministry : this appears by the context , for they resisted him as their fathers did , ver . . and how was that ? the next verse tells us , which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted , ver. ? their resistance of the spirit was in persecution of the prophets . but you 'l say , might they not also resist him as to his internal operations ? i answer ; so much doth not appear in the text ; but however the internal operations of the spirit are twofold ; some are for the production of common graces , some for the production of saving graces , such as the new heart and new spirit . now if the holy ghost may be resisted as to the former operations , yet it cannot as to the latter ; for in these it takes away the heart of stone , the resisting principle , and gives an heart of flesh capable of divine impressions . . god doth insuperably remove the obstacles of conversion . what , is thy mind dark , nay , darkness it self ? god can command the light out of darkness and shine into the heart , cor. . . is thine ear deaf ? he can say ephatha to it , and seal instruction , job . . is thy heart hard and stony . ? he can take away the stony heart , and in the room of it give an heart of flesh , ezek. . . is thy heart barred and shut up against god ? he can open it as well as lydia's , acts . . he opens and none can shut , rev. . . doth thy will hang back ? he can draw thee , joh. . . and reveal such day of power upon thy heart as shall make thee truly willing , psal. . . dost thou go on frowardly in the way of thy heart ? yet he can see thy way and heal thee , isai. . , . dost thou oppose the precious gospel ? yet peradventure he will give thee repentance , tim. . . whatever the obstacle be , he can remove it , he can cast down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , every height in the heart , cor. . . and then what obstacles can remain ? now if god do insuperably remove the obstacles of conversion , then he doth insuperably produce the work of conversion . . if god do not work conversion in an insuperable way , then what doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere ? according to the remonstrants doctrine , he doth not infuse habits or vital principles of grace , neither will they in plain direct terms assert , that he doth produce actual conversion ; what then doth he produce towards it but a mere posse convertere ? and is not a posse peccare from him also ? voluntatem ( say the remonstrants ) comitatur proprietas inseparabilis , quam libertatem vocamus , à qua voluntas dicitur esse potentia , quae positis omnibus praerequisitis ad agendum necessariis , potest velle & nolle , an t velle & non velle . and again : semper & in omni statu hujus vitae ( ubi legislatio , praemiorum promissio , poenarum interminatio , hortationes , preces & similia locum habent ) voluit deus libertatem voluntati adesse , quâ objectū ab intellectu monstratū velle potest & nolle , aut velle & non velle . surely if the nature and inseparable property of the will be such , and such by the will of god , then according to the remonstrants doctrine , a posse peccare is from god as the author of nature , as well as a posse convertere is from him as the author of grace ; and by consequence it follows , that he doth act as far towards transgression , as towards conversion . no , by no means , will you say , it cannot be ; for god by his commands , promises and the spirit 's motions doth promote conversion , but by his prohibitions , threatnings and the spirit 's counter-motions doth beat back transgression . very well : these things shew that god's actings touching conversion and transgression are not the same as to the manner , nevertheless they still remain the same as to the terminus or product : for after all the commands , promises and motions towards conversion , still the terminus or product is but a posse convertere ; and notwithstanding all the prohibitions , threatnings and motions against transgression , still there is the terminus or product of a posse peccare , and by consequence he acts as far towards transgression as towards conversion . will you yet reply , that god gives a posse convertere , and without this , man could not convert , and when he doth actually convert , god concurrs thereunto . i answer , that according to the remonstrants doctrine , god gives a posse peccare also , and without this , man could not sin ; and when he doth actually sin , god concurrs to the material act thereof , and where then is the difference ? by the doctrine of resistible grace god seems to act as far towards transgression as towards conversion . . if god do not work conversion in an insuperable way , then he works it in a dependent way , putting man's will in aequilibrio , as it were in an eaven ballance , that it may turn or not turn to god ad placitum . now that this last is none of god's method clearly appears , because god ( as beseems his infinite wisdom ) works conversion in such a way , as is most depressive of the creature , and exaltative of himself ; the man ( whom he indeed converts ) doth lick the dust ; the fountain of blood in his nature is broken up , and the superfluity of naughtiness in his life set in order before him ; he falls down in self-abhorrencies , and cannot deny but that he is a beast in his sensual sins , and a devil in his spiritual ; he perceives his spiritual poverty to be extreme ; so many thousand talents owing to divine justice , and nothing at all to pay ; a shameful nakedness in his soul , and not a rag of righteousness to cover it ; as a wretched half-damned creature down he goes to the brink of hell , and from thence be hath a prospect of heaven ; down he goes into the abyss of his own nullity , and from thence hath some glimpses of christ's allness . his first breath of spiritual life is a groaning under the weight of sin : oh! the intimate love of sin , says he , 't will never out unless my heart be broken all to pieces ; oh! the obdurate stone in my heart , it cannot be mollified but by almighty grace ; oh! my dead heart , nothing can quicken it but a resurrection ; oh! my nothingness in spirituals , there must be a creation , or i shall never be any thing ; oh! the miserable down-cast , when i fell from god into my self , i can never get up again unless i be unhinged and unselved , unless the spirit lift me up out of my own iness and egoity ; oh! that i were once out of my own carnal reason , and in the light of life , that i were once out of mine own rebellious will , and in the will of god ; if ever i live , 't is not i but christ in me , if ever i labour , 't is not i but grace in me ; i can write an [ i ] upon nothing but my sins ; if ever i be true to god , 't is the holy anointing ; if ever i be willing , 't is the day of god's power . oh! the cross-bars in my perverse heart , none can shoot them back but the almighty fingers ; oh! the plague of apostasie in my lying heart , nothing can heal it but the holy unction ; if god do not write his law in my heart , there will be nothing but wickedness there ; if he do not let down some holy fire into my affections , there will be nothing but earth there . flesh is grass , and god glory ; man nothing , and grace all ; god's mercy is all , and the willer or runner nothing ; god's encrease is all , and the planter or waterer nothing . thus in conversion all glorying is cut off , and pride stained ; god as a god is very high upon his throne-of free grace , and man as man very low upon the dunghill of his own baseness : the little ones enter into the land of promise , the poor are evangelized , the dry wilderness gapes for distillations of grace , the poor weeping soul ( which bears the precious seed of self-nothingness , and mourns after a supply from free grace alone ) shall be sure of the sheaf of comfort at last . but now if god in working conversion doth only put the will in aequilibrio , whether it will turn or not , then the method is quite another thing : lie not , o man , upon thy face , shake off the dust of creature-weakness , talk no more of thy poverty and wretchedness , cry not out for a resurrection or creation , trouble not the almighty spirit and grace , all 's in thine own power already ; will , and live for ever in the sweat of thine own improvements , nill , and all the power of grace cannot change thee ; will , and take the crown of thy self-differencing glory , ●●ll , and all the breathings and inspirations of the holy spirit must fly away from the birth and from the womb. adam left thee in the common mass , god gives thee the common grace ; but thou , o man , must make thy self differ from others by a right use of that grace which they neglect . beatae vitae firmamentum est sibi fidere ; trust in thy own heart , thy way is in thy self ; thy will is the great umpire , whether thou wilt be god's or not : after all the swasions of precepts and promises , after creating and quickning grace hath done its utmost , after the living spirit hath tried to write the law in thee ; shall all this be something or nothing ? shall the new creature come forth or not ? which shall abide in thy heart , law or lust ? thou thy self must determine the business ; god made the heart and all the wheels therein , but the motion is thine own ; christ hath all the power in heaven and earth , but the actual turn is in thine own hand alone . thus according to this doctrine , man is exalted and god is abased ; free will hath the throne , and free grace waits upon her . man in his first transgression would have been a god in his understanding , and now in his conversion he becomes one in his will , turning the scale of grace one way or other as he pleaseth . . having proved in general that god works conversion in an insuperable way , i procede to prove it in particular with respect to the two instants of conversion . . as to the first instant , god works the habits or principles of grace in an insuperable way ; and to make this appear , . let us compare them with the remonstrants posse convertere . they ( because they would own somewhat more than mere moral grace in regeneration ) tell us , potentiam credendi ante omnia conferri dicimus per irresistibilem gratiam . now if the posse convertere be wrought in an insuperable way , why should not the habits or principles of grace be so wrought , how is the wills liberty impeached by the one more than by the other ? which way can the will resist the infusion of the one more than of the other ? i know no difference between them as to these things : wherefore ( supposing what i have proved before , that there are such habits of grace ) it follows that they are wrought in an insuperable way . . there is in man's soul an obediential capacity to receive the habits or principles of grace ; there is a capacity , and therefore god ( who fills all things ) can fill it ; there is an obediential capacity , and therefore god , when ever he fills it , fills it in an insuperable way : for this obediential capacity is no other than that , whereby the soul , as to the receiving of gracious principles , stands in obedience to god's power , and as it stands in obedience to god's power , it cannot resist . to have an obediential capacity and not stand in obedience to god's power , is one contradiction , and to stand in obedience to gods power and yet to resist , is another : wherefore the soul receiving gracious principles from god in its obediential capacity , receives them in such a way as excludes resistance . add hereunto , that if the infusion of gracious principles can be hindred , then it must be hindred either by the habitual pravity of the soul , or by the sinful act of the will ; but neither of these can do it : not the habitual pravity of the soul , for then it should hinder always and in all persons ; for it is in all , and whilest it is there , it hinders , and whilest it hinders , it cannot be removed , because there is no other way of removing it but by those gracious principles , and by consequence there should be no capacity at all in the soul to receive gracious principles ; nor yet can the sinful act of the will hinder it , for the will doth not receive gracious principles by its act , and those which it doth not receive by its act , it cannot refuse by its act ; but it receives them in its obediential capacity , and therefore in an insuperable way . . the covenant of grace evidences this to us . i shall instance in two famous places ; the one is that , a new heart will i give you , and a new spirit will i put within you , i will take away the stony heart out of your flesh , and give you an heart of flesh ; i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes , ezek. . , . the other is that , i will put my laws in their inward parts , and write them in their hearts , and will be their god , and they shall be my people , jer. . . these promises do most signally set forth the production of gracious principles ; here 's the principles themselves , a new heart and a new spirit ; here 's the principal efficient of them , the holy spirit of god ; here 's a remotion of the obstacles unto them , the taking away the heart of stone ; here 's the next immediate capacity of receiving them , an heart of flesh ; here 's the way or manner of producing them , a writing the law in the heart ; here 's the effectual fruitfulness of them , a causing to walk in god's statutes ; and here 's the crown or glory of all , god will be their god and they his people . now when there is a worker such as the almighty spirit , a remotion of the obstacles such as the stone of hardness , an immediate capacity such as an heart of flesh , a way of working such as the intimate impression of truth , a fruit proceding such as obedience to god's statutes , and a crown of all such as an interest in god ; how can the grace be less than insuperable ? you will say , these promises were not made to the gentiles , but to the jews , and not to any singular persons among them , but to the whole nation . i answer ; these promises extend not only to the jewes but to the gentiles ; for these are promises of grace founded in christ , and in christ jew and gentile are all one , gal. . . so one , that the gentiles are of the same body and partakers of the promise , eph. . . indeed before the middle wall of partition was broken down , they were strangers from the covenant of promise ; but that being gone , they are fellow-heirs partaking of the root and fatness of the olive . neither do these promises extend to all the nation of the jews , but to the true israel , the elect people of god , whether they be jews or gentiles ; for in them only are these promises fulfilled : had these been made to all the jews , the true god would have fulfilled them in every jew . you will say , no , god's truth doth not exact such a performance , for he promised to do these things not absolutely but conditionally , so as men did not resist the operations of his grace . i answer ; if god only promise these things shall be done , so as men do not resist , then these promises run thus ; if thy stony heart do not resist , i will give thee an heart of flesh ; if thy old heart do not resist , i will give thee a new one ; if thy own spirit do not resist , i will give thee my spirit ; and if the law of sin do not resist , i will give my laws into thy heart . which interpretation doth utterly evacuate the glory and power of these promises ; for to be sure that stone , that old heart , that spirit of our own , that law of sin in us , will ( what it can ) resist the operations of grace . you will say , god gives unto man a posse convertere , a supernatural faculty whereby he is able to turn unto god : now god promises to do these things , not so as men in their mere naturals do not resist , but so as men furnished with that supernatural power do not resist . i answer ; two things overthrow this interpretation . . in the text it self there is not a tittle of such a condition of non-resistency , nor of such a supernatural power of conversion ; nay on the contrary , in stead of the condition of non-resistency , it speaks of a stony heart ( which is a principle of resistency ) to be removed ; instead of a supernatural power of conversion , it implies an old heart ) which is powerless in the things of god ) to be made new . . if god promise to do these things so as men , furnished with supernatural power of conversion , do not resist , then there is such a supernatural power in men before these things be wrought in them , that is , before there be a new or soft heart , whilest the heart is old and stony , there is such a supernatural power in them ; which assertion is , as i take it , . against scripture ; that divides all men into two ranks , they are clean or unclean , new creatures or old , spiritual men born of the spirit , or natural men born of the flesh ; but this assertion ushers in a middle sort of men such as hang by a posse convertere between nature and grace ; with the natural man they have an old stony heart , and with the spiritual man they have a new supernatural power ; in the frame of their heart they are no better than natural , and in their supernatural power they are little less than spiritual . . 't is against reason . all powers in the rational soul flow out of life ; the power of knowing and embracing natural good things flows out of the natural life of the soul , and the power of believing and receiving spiritual good things flows out of the supernatural life of the soul ; but this assertion supposes a supernatural power of conversion without any vital root ; nothing of a new heart or spirit , and yet a supernatural power of conversion : wherefore rejecting these interpretations i conclude , that those promises import the production of gracious principles in an insuperable way . . the production of gracious principles is in scripture set out in such glorious titles as do import insuperable grace , 't is a creation , eph. . . 't is a generation , jam. . . 't is a resurrection , eph. . , . 't is a traction , joh. . . 't is an opening of the heart , act. . . 't is a translation into christs kingdom , col. . . now if this be not insuperable grace , then there may be a creation on god's part , and no new creature on mans ; a generation on gods part , and no child of grace on mans ; a resurrection on gods part , and nothing quickened on mans ; a traction on gods part , and nothing coming on mans ; an opening on gods part , and all shut on mans ; and a translation on god's part , and no remove at all on mans ; and why then should such stately names of power be set on the head of resistible grace ? you 'l say , all these are but metaphors ; very well , but metaphors are metaphors , that is , they carry in them some image or resemblance of the things themselves , but there is not the least shadow of likeness or similitude between these things and resistible grace . what shadow of creation in that which a creature may frustrate ? what of generation in that which produces nothing at all ? what of resurrection when the dead need not rise ? what of traction when there is no coming upon it ? what of opening when there is a heart still shut up ? what of translation when there is no remove by it ? take away the infallible efficacy of grace , and it can be none of all these , no , not so much as metaphorically , because it hath no print of likeness thereunto . . the scripture doth not only set out conversion under the glory of metaphors , but in plain terms it stiles it a work of power ; the gospel comes in power and in the holy ghost , thess. . . and in the demonstration of the spirit and power , cor. . . there is power in it , nay , excellency of power , cor. . . nay , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exceeding greatness of power , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the working of the might of power , such as raised up jesus christ from the dead , eph. . , . the entire words runs thus ; what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power , which he wrought in christ when he raised him from the dead : the apostle here doth not only denote gods power towards believers , but also gods power in making them such . as there is exceeding greatness of power towards believers , so those believers did believe according to the working of his mighty power such as raised up christ from the dead . every way a believer in fieri and in facto esse is surrounded with power and excellent greatness of power ; oh! what rare eloquence ? what high strains are here ? too much and too high in all reason for resistible grace : if the weakness of god be stronger than man , surely the power of god in its might and excellency put forth for the production of gracious principles cannot be resisted and overcome by him . . the heart which hath gracious principles in it is god's tabernacle , and all god's tabernacles have been built in a sure way , such as cannot fail of the effect . god ( besides the natural tabernacle of his eternity ) hath in his condescending grace been pleased to have three tabernacles built for him ; first he had a worldly tabernacle or sanctuary , heb. . . and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he tabernacled in our flesh , joh. . . and last of all , he hath a tabernacle in the hearts of men , a sanctuary , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of them , that is , in the midst of their hearts , ezek. . . the heart , which hath gracious principles in it , is god's tabernacle : hence god says , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i will indwell in them , cor. . . now god himself undertook that all these tabernacles should be built : as for the first , god took care to have it made exactly to a pin ; as for the second , god engaged that a virgin should conceive and bring forth immanuel ; as for the third , god binds himself in a promise to raise up the tabernacle of david , amos . . that is , to convert the gentiles ; for so it is interpreted , acts . , , . new creatures are the tabernacle of david ; there is david the man after god's own heart ; there christ , the true david , dwells in the heart by faith and love. again , god says , i will set my sanctuary in the midst of them , ezek. . . that is , i will by my sanctifying grace turn their hearts into an holy place for my own habitation . moreover , all the tabernaoles of god have been made in a sure way , because they have been made through the overshadowing presence of the holy spirit . as for the first , the master-workman of it was bezaleel , a man ( as his name imports ) in the shadow of god , filled full of the spirit of god , in all wisdom for the doing of the work . as for the second , there is a bezaleel too , the holy ghost comes upon , and the power of the highest overshadows the blessed virgin , and so the holy thing , the pure flesh of christ , was formed in her womb , luk. . . and as for the third ; there bezaleel again ; they that dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his shadow shall return , hos. . . the holy ghost comes upon the soul , and the power of free grace overshadows it , and and so christ or the holy thing is formed therein . what is said of the apostles as to their sacred function , the holy ghost came upon them , acts . . the same is true of all true christians as to their spiritual generation : thus whilest peter spake , the holy ghost fell on them , acts . . by his grace making them an habitation of god. lo , i come , and i will dwell in the midst of thee , zach. . . he comes by his spirit ; and makes their hearts a sanctuary for himself : thus this tabernacle is built in a sure way , because pitched by god himself ; but now if all the operations of grace be resistible , what becomes of this tabernacle ? god may raise and raise by all the operations of his grace , and yet the tabernacle not go up ; the holy ghost may overshadow mens souls , and yet no christ be formed in them ; a holy place in mens hearts may be sought for the lord , and none at all found . all these precious promises of condescending grace may fall to the ground . you will say , what remedy for all this ? god will not dwell in men whether they will or not : very true ; but if almighty power connot make men willing , what can do it ? christ received gifts for men , yea , for the rebellious also , that the lord god might dwell among them , psal. . . observe , 't is for the rebellious also ; not that god doth dwell in them as such , but that by his gifts of grace he turns rebellious hearts into gracious , and so comes and dwells in them as his own tabernacle . wherefore i conclude that god works the principles of grace in an insuperable way . . as to the second instant of conversion , god works actual conversion also in an insuperable way ; so that sooner or later it always takes effect . and this will appear . from the vitality of gracious principles as backed with auxiliary grace ; there is a divine vigor in these principles , these are a well of living water ready to spring up , a seed of god ready to shoot forth , and a beam of the divine nature ready to sparkle out ; wherefore when auxiliary grace stirs up this well of living water , bedews this seed of god , and blows up this beam of the divine nature , it is no wonder at all , that actual conversion should infallibly follow . auxiliary grace stirs up the principles of grace , these stir up the soul , and that by virtue of both the former stirs up it self unto actual conversion ; and so actual conversion comes forth into being . . from the insuperability of grace in the illumination of the understanding . god doth enlighten the understanding in an irresistible way , he shines into the heart , he puts wisdom into the hidden parts , who teaches like him , job . ? he teaches with a strong hand , isai. . . he teaches in the demonstration of the spirit and power , cor. . . a demonstration is such a thing as cannot be resisted by the mind of man ; and of all demonstrations , the demonstration of the spirit is most invincible . now if the understanding be irresistibly enlightned , then the will ( as i have before proved ) doth infallibly follow it ; they that know god's name will trust in it ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will come to jesus christ ; truth , if but rightly known , will make us free ; true wisdom dwells with prudence , and practically leads in the way of righteousness ; 't is a suada to the will , and draws it home to god in actual conversion . . from those scriptures which set forth god as the author of actual conversion . he gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the actual believing , phil. . . he grants repentance unto life , acts . . he works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the very act of willing , phil. . . he causes to walk in his statutes , ezek. . . in every true convert there is more than a mere man , the grace of god is to be seen in him , acts . . there is god in converting paul , gal. . . in the temple of the new creature every thing speaks of his glory , every holy breath in the will must praise the lord as its author : if god did not work the very act of willing , then ( which i tremble to utter ) all the prayers made to him for converting grace are but god-mockeries ; all the praises offered up to him for the same are but false hallelujahs ; then they which glorified god in converting paul , glorified but an idol of their own fancy ; they which glorified god in the repenting gentiles , acts . . offered but a blind sacrifice . when we pray , that god's kingdom should come into our hearts , we do not mean that god should put our wills in aequilibrio , but our wills should be subdued under god's . when david and his people offered willingly unto god , he falls into a kind of extasie ; who am i , and what is my people , chron. . ? and , thine , o lord , is the greatness , and the power , and the glory , and the victory , ver. . even the victory over hearts ; and , all things are of thee , ver. . not only our gold and silver , not only our hearts and wills , but our very actual willingness also . you will say , all this is true ; god works the very act of willing , but not insuperably , but so as men do not resist the work of grace . but what 's the meaning of this ? god works the will , so as men do not resist ; not to resist is to obey : wherefore the plain meaning is , god works the act of willing , so as men do will , which is very absurd ; because it makes the very same act of willing to be the condition of it self . again ; what is it for god to work the act of willing , so as men do not resist , but to work it in a way of dependence upon man's will ? and what is that but to contradict the apostle , who saith , that god works the act of willing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of his own good pleasure ; if he do it of his own good pleasure , surely not in a way of dependence upon man's will , but in a glorious insuperable manner . . from those scriptures whose truth is so founded upon insuperable grace , that it cannot stand without it . turn thou me , and i shall be turned , jer. . . turn us unto thee , o lord , and we shall be turned , lam. . . if man's actual turn do not infallibly follow upon god's turning grace , what truth is there in these [ and 's ] which couple both together ? other sheep i must bring , ( saith christ ) and they shall hear my voice , joh. . . and , which agrees with it , the salvation of god is sent to the gentiles , and they will hear it , acts . . what connexion is there betwixt christ's bringing and man 's hearing , or betwixt salvation sent and man's hearing without insuperable grace ? again ; god says , i will put my spirit within you and you shall live , ezek. . . and i will put my spirit within you , and cause you to walk in my statutes , ezek. . . what necessity of life or obedience in them , if the holy spirit be given in a resistible way ? again ; god says to christ , thou shalt call a nation , and nations shall run unto thee , isai. . . and the church prays , draw me , we will run after thee , cant. . . where 's the truth of these propositions , if god's calling and drawing do not infer man's running ? again david prays , teach me , o lord , the way of thy statutes , and i shall keep it unto the end ; give me understanding , and i shall keep thy law , psal. . , . where 's the consequence of david's obedience upon god's teaching , if grace be superable ? moreover , god says , i will be as dew to israel , he shall grow as the lilly , and cast forth his roots as lebanon , his branches shall spread , and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree , hos. . , . here 's israel very florid , but that which secures all is insuperable grace ; nothing could hinder their spiritual prosperity , who had god for their dew ; i say , nothing , not lusts ; for ephraim shall say , what have i to do with idols , ver. ? not backslidings , for god says , i will heal their back-slidings , ver. . not barrenness , for god tells them , from me is thy fruit found , ver. . not deadness , for they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine , ver. . but if the work of grace may be frustrated , then there is no certain root for all this holy fruit to stand upon . . from those scriptures which set forth actual conversion as a work of power , thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power , psal. . . god fulfils the work of faith with power , thess. . . the principle of faith is incomplete without its act , but god by his powerful grace actuates it in us . when our saviour christ told his disciples , that it was easier for a camel to go through a needles eye , than for a rich man to enter into gods kingdom , they cried out with amazement , who then can be saved ? but our saviour unties the knot thus ; the things that are unpossible with men , are possible with god , luk. . , , , . god by the power of his grace can fetch off the world , the camels bunch , from the heart , and so make it pass as it were through the needles eye into the kingdom of god. but now the assertors of resistible grace may turn the words thus ; the things which according to the ordinary working of grace are impossible with god , are possible with men ; that crowning work of actual conversion , which is too hard and heavy for god's free grace is absolved and dispatched out of hand by man's free will. in the parable of the lost sheep , we find god going after it until he find it , & then laying it upon his shoulders , luk. . , . he goes after it in the means of grace , he finds it by the intimate inshinings of his spirit , and he lays it upon the shoulders of his power , that he may bring it home to himself in actual conversion . but now if grace be resistible , the almighty shoulders are only put under mans will to bear it up in aequilibrio , to see whether it will go home to god or not ; it may be it will , it may be it will not : gods power doth but attend on man's will as the umpire of all . . from those scriptures which shew forth actual conversion as a conquest . thanks be to god ( saith the apostle ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that triumpheth us in christ , cor. . . that is , that subdues us to the gospel , and makes us instruments of his grace to subdue others thereunto . christ rides upon his white horse , the word of truth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , conquering and to conquer , rev. . . he leads captivity captive , psal. . . those men , which were captives to sin and satan before , now become captives to his spirit and grace , and as captives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he translates them into his own kingdom , col. . . he carries them away out of the native soil of their corruption , into the land of uprightness ; and ( which further shews the insuperability of this conquest ) he binds the strong man and spoils his goods , matth. . . he casts down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , every height , and captivates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , every thought to the obedience of christ , cor. . . and that this may be surely effected , there are weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mighty to god , ver. . to accomplish his will in that behalf , he circumcises , or ( as the septuagint hath it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he purges the heart round about , deut. . . he baptises it with the holy ghost and fire , matth. . . fire-like he purges out the dross , and converts the heart into his own nature in a glorious way ; he causes men to walk in his statutes , ezek. . . oh! what words of power ? what triumphs of free grace are these ? here 's the day of gods power ; here 's the jerusalem above , the mother of true freedom . neither is there any shipwrack of humane liberty in all this , for god can change the unwilling will into a willing will ; or else ( which is durus sermo ) he , that made free will , cannot have mercy upon it ; he , that made the horologe of the heart and all its pins , cannot move the wheels . but if god work conversion in a resistible way , then free grace must lose its triumph , and free will must take the crown ; free grace works only a posse convertere , and free will completes it in an actual conversion ; free grace may set the will in aequilibrio , and that 's all , but free will must do the business , and that in a self-glorying way , not in the humble posture of the apostle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , looking off from our selves to jesus the author and finisher of our faith , heb. . . but in the proud posture of the pharisee , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , standing to himself , luk. . . free grace must not act or move the will unto actual conversion ; for all action or motion of the will , so far as it is action or motion , is a determination thereof , and a determination from grace cannot ( according to the remonstrants doctrine ) consist with the liberty of the will : wherefore free grace having set the will in aequilibrio must act or move no further , but leave it to move and determine it self in actual conversion , that is , in plain terms , give up the crown and glory of all unto it . but how absurd is this ? god says , no flesh shall glory in it self , and shall man's will vaunt it thus ? god says , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i have left or reserved so many to my self , rom. . . and shall free will say so ? christ's manhood did not anoint it self , and shall free will turn it self ? god by his grace begins to build a tabernacle for the spirit , he begins in the understanding by illumination , in the affections by holy motions , and in the will by a posse convertere ; and is he not able to finish the work by an actual conversion ? all nations ( saith the prophet ) are but as a dust of the ballance to him , isai. . . and by the same reason , all their wills are but as the dust of the ballance to his will ; and shall this small dust turn the scales in the weighty business of conversion ? nay , shall it do so , after creating , regenerating , quickning , captivating , conquering , translating , renewing , drawing , powerfully working grace hath done its utmost ? surely it cannot be : wherefore i conclude , that god works actual conversion in an insuperable way . having thus debated the manner of conversion , i procede to the last thing proposed , viz. quaere . whether the will of god touching conversion be always accomplished therein ? for answer whereunto , i must first lay down a distinction as a foundation . god may be said to will the conversion of men two ways ; either by such a will as is effective and determinative of the event , or by such a will as is only virtual and ordinative of the means tending thereunto : both parts of this distinction are bottomed upon scripture . . god wills the conversion of some by such a will as is effective and determinative of the event . there are some chosen to holiness , eph. . . called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to purpose , rom. . . predestinated to be conformed to christs image , ver. . begotten of god's own will to be first-fruits to him , jam. . . and within that election of grace which doth ever obtein , rom. . , . touching these the will of god is effective and determinative of the event , in these conversion is wrought after an irresistible and insuperable manner . . god wills the conversion of others by such a will as is only virtual and ordinative of the means tending thereunto . thus god would have healed israel , hos. . . thus god wills the turning of the wicked , who yet dieth in his sin , ezek. . . because the true tendency of the means is to heal and turn them . thus the apostle asserts , that god will have all men to be saved , and to come to the knowledge of the truth , tim. . . in which place , as i take it , the word [ all ] extends further than to the elect ; for those words of the apostle are laid down as a ground of that exhortation to pray for all men , ver. . and that exhortation to prayer extends further than to the elect : wherefore the [ all ] whom god would have to be saved , being parallel and coextensive to the [ all ] whom we are to pray for , must also extend beyond the elect. wherefore i conceive that the latter part of the words , viz. [ and to come to the knowledge of the truth ] is a key to the former , viz. [ that god would have all to be saved . ] god would have all to be saved , so far , as he would have all to come to the knowledge of the truth , and he would have all to come to the knowledge of the truth , so far , as he wills means of knowledge unto them ; for the true end and tendency of the means ( and that from the will of god ordaining the same thereunto ) is that men might be turned and saved ; wherefore in respect of that ordination god may be truly said by a kind of virtual and ordinative will to will the turning and salvation of all men . this i shall explain . with reference to those in the bosom of the church . . with reference to those out of it . . god by a virtual or ordinative will doth will the turning and salvation of all men within the bosom of the church ; for they have jesus christ set before their eyes , and what was the true end of christ's coming , but to turn every one from his iniquities , acts . ? they have the gospel preached unto them ; there we have god spreading out his hands all the day , standing and knocking at the door of the heart , crying out with redoubled calls , turn ye , turn ye , why will ye die ? wooing and beseeching men , be ye reconciled unto me ; making his salvation bringing grace appear unto all men , even to the non-elect themselves , and causing the kingdom of god to come nigh unto men , even to such as for the rejection thereof have the dust of their city wiped off against them ; and what is the meaning of all this , if god no way will their conversion ? take away god's ordinative will , and then god ( as to the non-elect ) spreads out his hands of mercy that he may shut them ; knocks , that he may be barred out ; cries and beseeches , that he may not be heard ; makes his grace appear and kingdom come nigh , that it may be rejected , and not received : all which is to evacuate scripture and put a lye upon the offers of grace . neither will it salve the business , to say , there is a voluntas signi in all this ; for what is voluntas signi , if it be not signum voluntatis ? if it be only an outward sign or appearance , and there be no counterpane or prototype thereof within the divine will , how is it a true sign ? which way could it be breathed out from god's heart ? when god makes his great gospel-supper , and says , come , for all things are ready , he is not , he cannot be like him with the evil eye , who saith , eat and drink , but his heart is not with thee , prov. . , . no , god's heart goes along with every offer of grace ; he never calls but in a serious manner : and therefore unbelieving and impenitent persons are in scripture said , not only to reject the means ; but to receive the grace of god in vain , cor. . . to reject the counsel of god against themselves , luk. . . and to make god a lyar joh. . . as if he meant not really in the offers of his son jesus christ. when god threatned the jews with his judgements , they belied the lord , and said , it is not he , jer. . . and when god offers men grace in the gospel , they by their unbelief belye the lord and say , it is not he ; 't is but only the minister or outward sign , god's heart or mind is not in it . under such weighty words as these doth the scripture set out the rejection of means , because of god's ordinative will ' that god who will one day mock at the rejecters of his call , prov. . . doth not now mock them in the grace of his call ; the true end of his call is their conversion , & that that end is not attained , the only reason lies within themselves in their own corrupt unbelieving hearts . moreover it is worthy of our consideration , that those scriptures ( which the remonstrants urge to prove that all the operations of grace , even those in the very elect who actually turn unto god , are resistible ) do signally set forth this ordinative will of god : as first they urge that matth. . . o jerusalem , jerusalem ! thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee , how often would i have gathered thy children together , even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings , and ye would not : here , say they , is resistible grace . very well ; but what grace doth the text speak of ? it speaks only of the grace afforded to those jews which were never gathered or converted thereby , but not a tittle of the grace afforded to those jews which were thereby actually gathered or converted ; and how then can it prove , that this latter grace ( of which it speaks not at all ) was resistible ? if it prove this grace resistible , it can be upon no other ground but this only , that the grace afforded to the jews which were not gathered , and the grace afforded to the jews which were gathered was one and the same : but how can that be made good ? can that text assert an equality of grace to both sorts of jews , which speaks only of the grace afforded to one of them , viz. to the ungathered ones ? 't is impossible : but if it be not the truth of the text , is there yet any truth in the thing ? had all the jews equal grace with the jews given to christ , with the jews drawn by the father , with the jews chosen out of the world ? 't is incredible . the remonstrants allow that god doth irresistibly enlighten the understanding , excite the affections , and infuse a posse convertere into the will ; but was it thus with all the jews ? were the blind leaders of the blind thus enlightned ? were the malicious scorners thus affected ? were those which could not believe , joh. . . endued with a posse convertere ? it cannot be . wherefore this text speaking only of the grace given to the ungathered jews , proves not the grace given to the other jews to be resistible , but it genuinely proves a will in god to gather them all under his wings of grace ; i say , a will in god , for it cannot be interpreted of christ's humane will ; for the gathering willed was not only a gathering by christ's ministry , but by the mission of prophets before his incarnation , to which christ's humane will could not extend , because not then in being : wherefore this will is god's ordinative will , imported in the ministery of christ and the prophets , the proper end & tendency whereof was to gather them into the bosom of his grace . this calvin in his commentaries upon this place calls , mirum & incomparabile amoris documentum ; and withal adds , significat nunquam proponi nobis dei verbum , quin ipse maternâ dulcedine gremium suum nobis aperiat . again , they urge that isai. . . i have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people ; but this place speaks only of the grace afforded to the rebellious , and therefore it proves not that the grace afforded to the elect was resistible . neither is it imaginable , that the same measure of grace is signified in this expansion of god's hand , as in the revelation of his arm , isai. . . the apostle quoteth this place , rom. . . yet withal asserts , that there was a remnant according to the election of grace , rom. . . not a remnant according to the better improvement of the same grace , but a remnant according to the election of grace ; such as pure grace had reserved to it self , by those special operations which were not vouchsafed to the blinded ones , ver. . god's stretching out his hands is all one with his call , prov. . . but all men are not called after the ●●me rate as the called according to purpose : wherefore this place proves not , that the workings of grace as to the elect are resistible ; but that the offers of grace as to the non-elect are serious , god in the means really spreading out his arms of grace unto them . again ; they urge that of our saviour , these things i say that you might be saved , joh. . . which words were spoken to them , which would not come to christ , ver. . but that the holy spirit spake as inwardly and powerfully to them , as to the elect who hear and learn of the father , what chymistry can extract it out of this text ? or from what other scripture can it be demonstrated ? god commands the light to shine out of darkness in some hearts , cor. . . but doth he so in all ? whence then are those blinded ones , ver. ? if there be any such , where is the remonstrants equality of grace ? where , when they say , that illumination is wrought irresistibly ? these things cannot consist together . wherefore our saviours words shew not forth the weakness or superableness of grace as to the elect , but the true end and scope of christ's preaching as to the non-elect ; what he spake to them was in order to their salvation . again ; they urge that , the pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of god against themselves , being not baptized of him , that is , of john , luk. . . here , ( say they ) is their thesis in terminis : but this place is so far from proving that the internal grace vouchsafed to the elect is resistible , that from hence it cannot be proved , that these rejecters had any workings of internal grace at all in them : for internal grace runs in the veins of ordinances , and the ordinance here spoken of was john's baptism , and that these rejecters would not partake of at all ; for so saith the text , they were not baptized of him , and then which way should they come by internal grace ? could they have it quite out of god's way ? no , surely , there is little or rather no reason to imagine that these rejecters so far scorning god's ordinance , as not so much as outwardly to be made partakers thereof , should yet have the workings of internal grace in them . but suppose they had some internal working , must it needs be the baptism of the holy ghost and fire , such intimate and powerful working as is in the elect ? not a tittle of this appears in the text : wherefore this place proves not that the working of grace in the elect is resistible , but it signally shews forth the nature of divine ordinances . every ordinance is an ordinance from the will of god ; 't is an appointment dropt down from heaven ; 't is divinely destinated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for edification and not for destruction ; 't is the place where god records his name ; 't is the way where god would be met withal ; 't is the oracle where god would be heard ; 't is a kind of tabernacle of witness where god attesteth the riches of his grace . john's baptism was not a mere external sign or shadow , but imported god's ordinative counsel to bring men to repentance ; 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to repentance , as its proper end , matth. . . gospel-preaching is not a mere sound or voice of words , but it importeth gods ordinative counsel to turn men unto himself . hence every true minister is said to stand in gods counsel , and for this very end , to turn them from the evil of their doings , jer. . . every ordinance speaks an ordinative counsel for some spiritual end , a serious ordination for the good of souls . oh! that every one would think so indeed , how surely would they find that god is in it of a truth ; whosoever comes to an ordinance so thinking , justifies gods institution and meets his benediction ; but he who comes and thinks otherwise , doth by that very thought forsake the ordinance of his god , and reject his counsel , though not in so high and gross a manner as the pharisees and lawyers did , who would not so much as outwardly partake of john's baptism . again ; they urge that , what could have been done more to my vineyard , that i have not done in it ? wherefore when i looked that it should bring forth grapes , brought it forth wild grapes ? isai. . . here ( say they ) were omnia adhibita , not a tantillum gratiae wanting ; here seems to be the ultimus conatus , the utmost acting of grace , even equal to those operations of grace which were in the converts of the jewish church , and that upon a double account ; first because god says , what could be done more ? secondly , because god had done so much that he expected the grapes of holiness and obedience from them ; and yet after all this they brought forth wild grapes : hence the remonstrants conclude , that conversion is wrought in a resistible way . i answer ; those which will take the true measure of the grace set forth in this text , must first consider to whom this grace was afforded ; 't was to the jewish church in common , even to every member thereof : this granted , as it cannot be denied , i procede to answer , first as to that expression , what could have been done more ? either the meaning of it is , what could have been done more in a way of internal grace , or else it is , what could have been done more in a way of external means ; the first cannot be the meaning , that god could do no more in a way of internal grace ; if god had said so in that sence , the jewish church might have aptly answered , lord ! couldst thou not write the law in every heart ? couldst thou not make a new heart in every one of us ? o how many unregenerate souls are there found in me ! but if not that , lord ! couldst thou not at least have inwardly enlightned every one ? couldst thou not have given him some inward dispositions to conversion ? o how many ignorant souls are there , which call evil good and good evil , and put darkness for light and light for darkness , isai. . ! these are not so much as inwardly inlightned : o! how many atheists are there which jear and scoff at the threatnings of god , saying , let him hasten his work that we may see it , let the counsel of the holy one draw nigh , that we may know it , ver. . these are so far from any dispositions to conversion , that they scarce have the sense of a deity in them . lord ! thou , who didst plant me a vineyard or visible church , couldst have planted saving graces in every heart ; thou , who didst gather out the stones of publick annoyance out of me , couldst have took away the privy stone of hardness out of every heart ; doubtless thou art almighty and therefore thou canst do it ; thou art true , and therefore thou wilt do it , if thou hast said it . hence it appears , that that expression [ what could have been done more ? ] relates not to internal grace , but external means : 't is as if god had said , o israel ! i have planted thee in a canaan , i have set thee my only visible church in the world , i have manured thee by my prophets , i have betrusted thee with the lively oracles of my law , i have fenced thee in with my waky providence and protection ; what nation is there so great , who hath me so nigh unto them , who hath judgments and statutes so righteous ? what national or church-privilege is there yet behind ? what could have been done more for a church under the legal pedagogy and before the messiah's coming in the flesh ? this i take to be the proper meaning of the words . secondly , as to god's expectation , neither doth that imply that there were omnia adhibita ; for when god came and sought fruit on the fig-tree , the seeking there was as much as the expecting here , and yet there were not omnia adhibita , no , not as to external means ; for after his seeking , he digged about it and dunged it , that it might be fruitful , luk. . , , , . now by all this it appears , that that parable of the vineyard proves , not that the internal grace afforded to those jews which were thereby converted was resistible ; but it proves that the proper end and tendency of the means afforded to the jewish church , was that they might bring forth good fruits to god , and in respect of that ordination god is said to expect those good fruits from them . . god by a virtual or ordinative will doth will the turning and salvation even of the very pagans . according to that will , god would ( as i have before laid down ) be seen in every creature , sought and felt in every place , witnessed in every shower and fruitful season , feared in the sea-bounding sand , humbled under in every abasing providence , and turned to in every judgment . this the very philistines saw by the light of nature ; give glory to god ( say they ) peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you , sam. . . also the ninevites counsel was , to cry mightily to god and turn from their evil ways , who can tell ( say they ) if god will turn and repent , jonah . , . in a word ; the meaning of all god's works is that men should fear before him , eccles. . . the goodness and patience of god leads them to repentance , rom. . . hence the apostle tells us , the lord is long-suffering to us ward , not willing that any should perish , but that all should come to repentance , pet. . . mirus hîc erga humanum genus amor ( saith calvin on the place ) quòd omnes vult esse salvos , & ultrò pereuntes in salutem colligere paratus est . god in indulging his patience and long-suffering to men , doth virtually will their repentance and salvation . i know some interpret this place otherwise : god is long-suffering to us , that is , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the former verse , not willing that any ( viz. of us ) should perish , but that all ( viz. of us ) should come to repentance . but i conceive that there is no necessity at all that the text should be so straitned , nor yet congruity for long-suffering towards the beloved , that they ( who have already repented ) should come to repentance : neither doth this answer the scope of the place , which asserts , that god is not willing that any should perish , but that all should come to repentance , upon this ground , because of his long-suffering ; and his long-suffering extends to all , and in that extent its true end and scope is to lead them to repentance and salvation . wherefore the meaning is , god is long-suffering to us , not to us beloved only , but to us men , not willing our perdition but repentance : the true duct and tendency of his long-suffering is to lead men to repentance and salvation ; and therefore in willing that long-suffering , he doth virtually and ordinatively will their repentance and salvation . having thus at large laid down this distinction with its parts , my answer to the quaere proposed is this ; god's will of conversion , as effective and determinative of the event , is accomplished in the actual conversion of all the elect by insuperable grace ; and god's will of conversion , as virtual and ordinative of means , is accomplished in this , that there is a serious exhibition of the means in order to conversion , as their proper end , and that that end ( but for man's voluntary corruption ) would be thereby attained , even in all . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e st. aust. conf. lib. . cap. . notes for div a -e theoph. on matth. . pars prima quast . . art. . de prad . cap. . de grat. & liber . arbitr . de praed . disp. . de grat. & lib. arb. li. . de praed . cap. . opusc. . de prad . sanct. cap. , notes for div a -e hypognost . li. . de voc. gent. li. . cap. . notes for div a -e aust. li. . de gen. contr . ma● . cap. . ambr. h●●●m li. . cap. . notes for div a -e plat. in timao . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wisd. cap. . . notes for div a -e rob. sar. de ver. grat. . adv. merc. li. . cypr. de nativ . christi . racov. catech . de mort● christ. super cant. serm. . com. in galat. cap. . ambr. li. . luc. cap. . notes for div a -e act. synod . in art. . & . de concordiâ , cap. . tract . in joh●● . ●● . rhet. li. . cap. . act. synodal . art. & . a sermon preached to the honourable house of commons at their late solemne fast, wednesday, jan. , by samuel rutherfurd. rutherford, samuel, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing r ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing r estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a sermon preached to the honourable house of commons at their late solemne fast, wednesday, jan. , by samuel rutherfurd. rutherford, samuel, ?- . [ ], p. printed by evan tyler, edinburgh : . "published by order of the house of commons." reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng bible. -- o.t. -- daniel vi, -- sermons. providence and government of god -- sermons. fast-day sermons. a r (wing r ). civilwar no a sermon preached to the honourable house of commons: at their late solemne fast, wednesday, jan. . . by samuel rutherfurd, professor rutherford, samuel c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a sermon preached to the honourable hovse of commons : at their late solemne fast , wednesday , jan. . . by samuel rutherfurd , professor of divinitie in the university of s. andrews . exod. . . and hee looked , and behold , the bush burned with fire , and the bush was not consumed . published by order of the house of commons . edinburgh , printed by evan tyler , printer to the kings most excellent majestie . . die mercurii . ianuar. . it is this day ordered by the commons assembled in parliament , that mr. rous do from this house give thanks unto mr. rutherfurd , for the great paines he took in the sermon he preached this day ( at the intreaty of the said commons ) at s. margarets westminster , it being the day of publike humiliation , and to desire him to print his sermon . and it is ordered that none presume to print his sermon without authority under the hand-writing of the said mr. rutherfurd . h. elsynge cler. parl. d. com. i appoint richard whittaker , and andrew crooke , to print my sermon . samuel rutherfurd . to the christian reader . whether time or the fashion hath obtained of me ( worthy reader ) that this sermon should come under the providence of your favourable judgement and candor , i can hardly determine : but you have it as it is , onely i shall heartily desire , in reviewing of it , your serious thoughts in these insuing considerations . . what i speak here of god and his excellency , is but a shadow to the expressions of others ; and what others can say , men or angels , is but a short and rude shadow of that infinite all , the high jehovah , creator of heaven and earth : so my thoughts come forth as shadows of shadows , for there behoved to be much honey in the inke , much of heaven in the breast , much of god in the pen of any who speaketh of such a transcendent subject ; yet if these do affect you , it is possible i say more , if not , i shall desire not to spill the lords highest praises with my low-creeping under-expressions . . concerning gods dispensation now in brittaine , and his churches condition ; i shall be your debter , in all humble modesty , to beg these thoughts to go along with god . as . let the lord have a charitable sense and good construction of his most wise dispensation , and beleeve that he who hath his fire in zion , and his furnace in jerusalem , seeth good that christs crosse should be the church of christs birth-right , and that a life-rent of afflictions , is a surer way for zion , then summer-dayes . . you are not to stumble that god will not fit his times to mens apprehensions , when to raine , and when to shine fair , neither is clay to usurp the chair , and dispute the matter , to make the all-wise providence a school-probleme , nor asks , why is our zion builded , with carcasses of men , in two kingdomes , fallen , as dung in the open field , and as the handfull after the harvest man ? why is the wall of the daughter of zion sprinkled with blood ? one thing ▪ i know , it is better to beleeve , then to dispute ; and to adore , then to plead with him who giveth not account of his matters . . innocencie in these times , is better then court with princes , and the condition of the heirs of heaven , yea , their tears , better then the joy of the hypocrite . . christs church can neither shift nor adjourne such a share of affliction , as is written in gods book . it is a standing and a current court which hath decreed what graines of gall and wormewood england must drink ; what a cup is prepared for scotland ; and the ballance of wisedome hath weighed by ounce weights , how much wrath shall be mixed in the cup of wasted ireland . . you know it is generally the condition of the church , if she have any summer , that it is but a good day betwixt two feavers ; heaven , heaven is the home and the desired day of the bride , the lambs wife . . it is much better to be afflicted , then to be guilty ; and that the church may have pardon , and want peace . . that the faith which is more precious then gold , can bid the devil do his worst , and that the patience of the saints can out-weary the malice of babylon or babel , on whose skirts is found the blood of the saints . that it is now and ever true , as when a hungry man dreameth , and behold he eateth , but he awaketh and his soul is empty ; or , as when a thirsty man drinketh , but he awaketh , and behold he ( is ) faint , so shall the multitude of all nations be that fight against mount zion . . vengeance is gone out from the lord against those who feast upon zions teares , and they must die the death of the uncircumcised , who clapped their hands , and stamped with the feet , and rejoyced in heart with all their despight against the land of israel . . they are in no better condition who refuse to help the lord against the mighty , and whose heart is as a stone and a piece of dead flesh , at all the revolutions and tossings of christs kingdome , who daunce , eat , and laugh within their own orbe ; and if their desires bee concentrick to the world and themselves , care not whether joseph die in the stocks or not , or whether zion sink or swim , because whatever they had of religion , it was never their minde both to summer and winter jesus christ . . the rise of the gospel-sun , is like the prodigious appearance of a new comet , to the woman that sitteth on many waters , to that mother rome-planted , as a vine in blood , the lionesse , whose whelps , papists and prelates in ireland and england , have learned to catch the prey , and this comet prophesieth , wo to the pope , king of the bottemlesse pit , and his bloody lady babel , if christ shall arise , and shine in the power of his gospel . . god hath now as great a work on the wheels , as concerneth the race of the chariots of jesus christ through the habitable world ; pray , o let his kingdome come , and farewell . yours in the lord jesus , s. r. a sermon , preached before the honourable house of commons , at their last solemne fast , wednesday , january . . daniel . . i make a decree , that in every dominion of my kingdome , men tremble and feare before the face of the god of daniel , for he is the living god , and indureth for ever , and his kingdome that which shall not bee destroyed , and his dominion shall bee to the end . method requireth , that first , the words bee expounded ; secondly , that they bee taken up in a right order ; thirdly , that such observations bee hence deduced as serve most for the present condition of the times . the words are plaine : here first is a statute of a great king , sim , that the seventie interpreters render {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a decretall letter ; for sometimes , though seldome , the lords cause findeth the grace of faire justice with men . the matter of the decree is , that men tremble and feare . lehevon zognin vedachalin : the seventie render it , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is , that they be such as feare and tremble before the god of daniel ; feare is indeed put for the worship of the true god , so is god called , gen. . . the feare of isaac , but it is not the word used here ; a devout man as simeon is called , one taken up with a religious feare , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , luke . . act. . . nor are the words used here , those which doe expresse jobs fearing of god , job . . though i know the words doe expresse trembling and feare , and also horrour and dread , such as was given to creatures and false gods ; and therefore from this none can inferre the conversion of this king to the true knowledge of jehovah . god also is called kajam , an induring and standing god , from kum surrexit , and well rendered to the sense by the seventy , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the eternall god , in opposition to all falling and fading time-gods , and kings of clay ; and so hee is a god to whom daniel did with a great deale of reason , rather tender the honour of prayer , then to king darius , or the supposed deities of persia or chaldea , who are not standing gods induring for ever , but come out of times wombe , and decay , and fall as creatures also doe . lastly , his kingdome , that is , his people and servants , ( such as daniel , and his church ) and his dominion shall endure to the end , gnadsopha , which is not so to bee taken , as if gnad did signifie a date or tearme-day , at which time the dominion of god should have an end ; for . samuel . last verse , it is said , michol had no childe , gnad jom mothach , even till the day of her death , that is , shee never had any childe , for the sence cannot bee that shee had any childe after the day of her death : so psalme . . for this god is our god for ever and ever , hee will bee our guide , gnadmuth , even till death : it is not intended that the lord shall cease to bee their god and guide after death , which is contrary to expresse scripture , matth. . . rev. . , . and matthew . . i am with you , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} to the end of the world ; the sense is , i am with you for ever , for at the end of the world christ doth not leave his owne servants , i know , gnad otherwise doth often signifie a certaine definite time , as psal. . i will not sleep untill i finde a place for jehovah , gnad emptsa makom : and sam. . . psal. . . psal. . . . the words containe this generall , a proclamation royall of a great king : and for particulars , . who giveth out the proclamation , from my face a decree goeth , i darius make a decree . . the parties to whom , to every dominion of my kingdome . . the matter , that they feare and tremble . . the object , before the face of the god of daniel . . the reasons of the decree , for law without reason is will , not law ; men goe to heaven or hell with reason . . he is the living god : and this is form his nature . . he is eternall : then from his government , his kingdome , such as , . time , . violence , . wisedome cannot destroy ; but such a church and kingdome as shall endure for ever , and his dominion endureth to the end . [ i make a decree . ] this darius the mede , called nabonithus , succeeded to belshazzar the sonne of evil-merodach , about the yeare of the world . others . and did reigne . or . yeares . and having advanced daniel to great honour , by force of a wicked law cast daniel to the lions , and god having miraculously delivered daniel from the lions , this king giveth out a law , that all his subjects fear and serve the god of daniel . whence observe , . all princes are obliged to governe and rule for the lord and his honour . . so scripture speaketh , it shall be in the last dayes , esay . . kings shall be thy nursing fathers , and queens thy nursing mothers . psal. . . the kings of tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents . ( i would the king of this island were in this text ) ver. . the kings of sheba and seba shall offer gifts , yea , all kings shall fall downe before him . . princes are gods standard-bearers , they beare his sword by office , rom. . . and they hold crowne and scepter of him , as great landlord of all powers . . in a speciall manner they are second gods . psal. . . nor do rulers judge for men , the judgment is the lords , chro. . . all rulers in the act of judging are gods deputies , even though their second calling be to be sent by a king , and therefore see what judgment god himselfe would pronounce , if he were on the bench , that same must they decree , except they would make the deputed mouth to belie the minde of the great lord who sent them . . the lord hath entrusted christian rulers with the most precious thing he hath on earth , he hath given his bride and spouse to their tutory and faith . . what sweeter comfort can the ruler have , either when his soule lodgeth in an house of groaning and sicke bones , and the image of death sitteth on his eye-lids ; or in the day of his greatest calamity , then to looke backe and smile upon such an old friend , as a good conscience ? and to say as job doth , ch. . . the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me , and i caused the widowes heart to sing for joy , &c. vse . you are entrusted by god with an honourable virgin , a kings daughter , psal. . . now then for her fathers sake , and for her fathers blessing , deale kindely with her : as you love the bridegroome take care of the bride . you have now amongst your hands christ , his crowne , his israel , his glory , esay . . his prerogative royall : be faithfull tuterers and active factors for the priviledges , lawes , and liberties of the high court of heaven . vse . if this be the place and relation that princes have to christ and his church , then can the lord have given no power to any ruler to waste and destroy the mountaine of the lord . for , . all royall power given of god , deut. . , , . in the first moulding of royall highnesse , was a power to rule according to that which is written in the booke of the law , and so there can be no royall power to the contrary , truly royall . . that power cannot be from god as a lawfull power , the exercise and acts whereof are sinfull . i speake of a lawfull morall power . . if such an uncontrollable power as cannot be resisted , be of god , then are princes given to the churches and people of god , as judgements of god , then are all christian states , actu primo , made slaves by god , in the very intention of god the giver , and of the gift , at what time hee giveth them a nurse-father to feed and governe them ; and so shall gods gifts be snares , plagues , and no gifts . if god give a fatherly power to a father to kill all his children , and if a state give to their generall a military power to fell and destroy all his souldiers , so as neither sonnes nor souldiers may defend themselves ; then the fatherly power should be of its owne nature a plague to the sonnes . if any say , the prince , the father , because they feare god , will not put forth in acts such a power ; i answer , thankes to the princes goodnesse for that , but no thankes to his office and power . god gave him the sword as a prince , if he doe not draw that royall sword to drink bloud , we cannot impute the cause to the nature of the royall gift or intention of god the giver , but to the goodnesse of a man ; which must be bad divinite . doct. . so much as darius hath of god , or any good ruler , so far is his spirit for the publick . he heareth something of the god of daniel , now then he hath a publick spirit to send something of god to all nations , people , and languages , v. . though there bee nothing to prove that the man had saving grace , yet the generall holdeth , so much of god as any hath , in so farre is he for the publick . . because grace is a publicke beame of god , and a branch of gods goodnesse , and so of a spreading nature ; and the better things be , the more publicke they are : the sunne is better then a candle ; god best of all ; because every thing that hath beeing , hath something of god ; and christ best of all , because he is the saviour of many , and col. . . hath reconciled all things in heaven and earth to himselfe . . graces end is the most publick end of the world , even gods glory , for all things are for god , rom. . . prov. . . mens private ends are sinfull ends . . the more gracious men be , the more publick they are ; david will not be david alone in praising god , but psal. . he wil have a world in with him , even angels , sun , moone , stars , heaven of heavens , dragons , deeps , fire , hail , snow , vapour , stormy winde , mountains , trees , beasts , creeping things , fowles , kings , judges , old and , young , to hold up the song . moses & paul would lay out in ransome their part of heaven to redeeme gods glory , and salvation to the lords church ; the martyrs desired that their pain & torment might praise and exalt god . how broad , how catholicke and publicke was his spirit who said , cor. ▪ . though i be free from all men , yet have i made my selfe servant unto all , that i might gaine the more . . and unto the iews i became as a iew , that i might gain the iewes ; to them that are under the law , as under the law , that i might gaine them that are under the law . . to them that are without the law , as without law , ( being not without law to god , but under the law to christ ) that i might gain them that are without law . . to the weake became i as weake ; i am made all things to all men , that i might by all meanes save some . a publike spirit is not himselfe , he is made a jew , a gentile ; a weake man , not a weak man ; he is made law and gospel ; he is made a bridge over a river , that the church may goe over him drie ; he complyeth with all who but lend out halfe a looke to christ ; and he is , in a complement of grace , a servant to all . corinth . . . we preach not our selves ( except wee preach our owne sinnes , our owne condemnation by nature , and that wee under-preach all eminencie in our selves ) but our selves your servants for christs sake ; yea , your servants servants for christ . see the complement of a publicke heart , of one who is willing to stoope , and put his head and haire under the feet of the church , and of the poorest and most despised passenger who maketh out for heaven . vse . then grace maketh men rich parliament men , and there is a wide difference betwixt a publicke man , and a publicke spirit ; all parliament men are publicke men , but they are not all publike spirits , else so many of them would not have deserted the publicke , and runne away from christs colours , to seeke their owne private idols . men void of grace make an idol of themselves , every wicked man is wholly himselfe , and wholly his owne , phil. . . they all seeke their owne , not the things of jesus christ . hee who is for the bridegroome , cannot bee against the bride , nor against the common-wealth ; he who is a statesman of heaven , and knoweth savingly the fundamentall lawes of jesus christ , the power and prerogative roall of the king of kings ; he who is acquainted with the frame and constitution of the kingdome of sinne , in his owne heart ; he who feareth god , who feareth his owne light , and is awed with the decrees and lawes of an inlightened conscience , shall be fast for the publicke ; and the man who selleth his religion and his soule for his private ends , will soone sell his countrey , his parlament , the lawes and liberties of the kingdome . will hee put the law of god , and the crowne and scepter of that princely lord jesus to the market , and will hee sticke for his court and honour , to sell the lawes of england ? and will hee forfeit heaven , and will hee not forfeit you all , and your parliament and liberties ? o then bee intreated now to bee for heaven , and christ , as his publicke state-wits , to convey decrees for christs honour , for reformation ( against babylon and her sonnes ) through this whole kingdome . you have now power and opportunitie to send the glory of christ over sea , to all europe ; the eyes of nations are upon you , exalt the sonne of god : thinke it not sweet policie to have peace with babylon , and warre with god ; consider if church and state did ever prosper since the queenes idol of the masse was set up amongst you : and what is your part when many masses are now in the kings court at oxford ? [ i make a decree ] there was a wicked law and a cursed decree made by darius , that for thirtie dayes , neither daniel nor any of gods people should pray to god , or to any god save to darius : daniels enemies prevaile thus farre , that daniel , the churches right eye now in the court , should be decourted and cast out to bee meate to beasts ; behold the artifice and fathomlesse depth of gods wisedome , who bringeth a contrary decree out of this wicked decree , even a decree for adoring that god of daniel , whom they had dishonoured . doct. it is the art of the deepe wisedome of divine providence to bring good out of the sinnes of his enemies and the sufferings of his owne . iosephs brethren moved with envie , sell their brother ; potiphar casteth him in prison : the wisedome of god commeth in , in the game , and hee exalteth joseph , and keepeth alive people in famine . herod , pilate , jewes and gentiles , crucifie the lord of glory , the art of free grace , deepe wisedome in god must bee more then halfe play-maker here , and in this redeeme the lost world . the chaldeans spoyle job and plunder him ; satan maketh him an empty house , and a childelesse father ; mercy commeth up in the theater , and free grace , maketh job an illustrious and faire copy of patience and faith to all ages . achitophel did , as many now with our king doth , hee gave wicked counsell against the lords servant and a just cause , divine justice cometh in in the game , and achitophel hangeth himselfe . the use of this shall answer two questions . . why doth god suffer sinne to be , and so much sinne in england and ireland ? . why doth hee suffer his people in covenant with him , to bee a land of bloud ? the former question is a generall , a wicked marcion asketh , why the lord , who foresaw the event , did suffer evah and the devill to conferre ? and if he was able , why did hee not hinder sinne to bee , except he had been either envious , and would not , or weake , and could not hinder the enters of sinne in the world ? tertullian answereth , because the lord is free in his gifts . augustine answereth , epist. . ad paulinum , quia voluit , because it was his will . prosper and hilarius both with augustine , say ; the cause may be unknown , it cannot be unjust . though it were in the potters hand , to turne clay into brasse , yet his power should not destroy his liberty , to cause him to make a lame vessell such , as if it had reason and will to fall , it should not bee broken . why should daniels enemies prevaile so as to cast him to lions ? that these knees that bowed often to god , and these hands which was lifted up to him , should be eaten with lions ? o lame vessell beleeve , beleeve but dispute not . and the answer is cleare , sinne is the worst thing that is , but the existence of sinne is not ill : otherwayes ( saith augustine ) god should never permit it to be . yea sinnes being in the world , is ( silva justiciae divinae , officina gratiae christi ) a field for the glory of revenging justice , and sinne is the work house of the pardoning grace of god . and therefore there bee good reasons why the lord should permit sinne , and such sinnes . . that there may be roome in the play for pardoning grace ; the colour and beauty of free grace had never beene made obvious in such a way , to the eye of angels and men , if sinne had not beene . . there had beene no employment for the mercy of a soule-redeeming jesus . . wee should not have had occasion in the eares of angels , to hold up for ever and ever the new psalme of the praises of a redeemer . . by this , nature , clay , and fraile nature , and selfe-dependence is cried downe , and god exalted . . by this , the humble love of the contrite and broken in heart is necessitated to kisse the bowels of him who bindeth up the broken hearted mourners in sion , and furrowes of blood put to reall acknowledgement of everlasting compassion . . hence also are minors and poore pupils put to improve their faith and dependence upon so kingly a tutor , as never enough loved and admired jesus christ . . hence , to the praise of grace , satan hath faire justice , and that ( in foro contradictorio ) in open patent court , when clay triumpheth over angels and hell , through the strength of jesus christ . the other question is also soone answered : why should the cause of god be so oppressed , and his churches garments rolled in blood ? but . god must bee knowne to bee god in his owne chaire of estate , and hee must be the saviour of israel in the time of trouble . . satan , prelates , papists , malignants , shall be vnder-workmen and kitchin-servants to him who hath his fire in sion , and his furnace in jerusalem , to purifie and refine the vessels of mercy in the lords house . . christs bride must know that this is their inne , not their home ; their pilgrimage , not their countrey ; otherwise our lord knoweth how to lead his passengers to heaven , not by sea , but by dry land . . all must see that the losse of men is not the lords losse , but the gospels gaine . . his glorious grace must be commended who suiteth in marriage a spouse to himselfe , in no place rather then in the furnace , esay . . . prayers and praises must bee the rent paid to him to whom belongeth the issues from death . the lord hath a great worke now on the wheeles in britain ▪ be very charitable of our lords dispensation , though the slaine of the lord bee many in england and ireland , looke not on the darke side of gods providence , or on the blacke and weeping side of his dispensation ; widdowes are multiplied almost as the sand of the sea ; children weepe and cry , alas my father ! mothers in ireland die twice , when they see their children slaine before their eyes , and then are killed themselves . oh! ( say men ) why doth the lord this ? behold , the faire and smiling side of gods providence ; contrary windes from rome , from hell , by the art of omnipotency , promove the sailing and course of christs ship . . god is now drawing an excellent portract of a refined church , but with the inke of the innocent blood of his people ; say not , what is the lord doing ? or , is there knowledge in the almightie ? who hath given the lord counsell ? better wee be his courtiers , then his counsellors . . if we love the dust and the stones of sion , psalme . . christ is ravished with one of his churches eyes , and with a chaine of her neck , cant. . . god loveth his owne glory more ardently then i can love it . . the church is dearer bought to jesus then to me or you ; hee hath given too great a price for her , to lose her . . rather when wee cannot see to the bottome of providence , beleeve upon plain trust , and say as esay . . i will wait upon the lord that hideth his face from the house of jacob , and i will looke for him . part. . [ in every dominion of my kingdome . ] this is the second part , wherein the parties to whom this law is given , are expressed in their universalitie , as they are , v. . to all people , nations , and languages that dwell on all the earth , peace : whence observe ; that nations without the visible church never wanted means , either ordinary or extraordinary , to know god ; though we cannot in reason say that the decree or law of a heathen king is the arminian universall grace , yet some means all have : and god hath laid open foure bookes to all nations . . that booke of creation of the heavens and his workes , psalme . . the heavens , mesappe-rajim cevodel , doe booke , and register the glory of god , romanes , . . . the booke of ordinary providence is a chronicle or diurnall of a god-head , and a testimony that there is a god , acts . . acts . . . there is a booke of the extraordinary workes of god , and some report of the true god , upon occasion carried to nations without the borders of the visible church ; as our text saith : and rachab saith , josh. . . we have heard how the lord dryed up the red sea , &c. but as children sport themselves and play with the pictures in a booke , and with the gold on the covering of the booke , and the ribbins , not knowing the sense and meaning of this book ; so doe we sport our selves in looking on the outside of these three bookes , not searching it to reade and understand the invisible things of god , his eternall power and god-head , rom. . . . the booke of mans conscience , rom. . , . doth speake of god to all nations , though now by reason of our sinfull blindnesse and dulnesse , that book be uncorrected , and dimme-printed , written with white and watery ink , so that we see not god distinctly in it ; yet all these foure serve to make men without excuse , because , when they know god , they glorifie him not as god , neither are thankefull , rom. . . but this condemneth us to whom there is laid open a better , and fairer , and learneder piece , psal. . . use . the law of the lord is perfect , converting the soule . yea , if christ in the gospel had not come to us , we should have had no sinne ( no evangelick guilt of unbeleefe ) but now wee have ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) no shift of law , no cloake for our sinne . hence , though this island be in a more blessed condition , by reason that the sunne shineth in his strength and light in our meridian , ( god hath not done so to every nation , psal. . , . ) yet by reason of despising salvation in this day-light of the gospel , we are in a most dangerous condition . . because sodomy is not so hainous a sinne as unbeleefe , and the despising of the gospel , matth. . . for evangelick unbeleefe is against the flower and garland ( to speake so ) of the excellency of god ; not onely against a creator , but against a saviour , and against those most lovely and soul-ravishing attributes of god , his mercy , goodnesse , free-grace , longanimity , patience , bowels of compassion : and therefore an unbeleeving covenanter with god in england and scotland , is to looke for a hotter furnace in the lake of fire and brimstone , then one of sodome and gomarrah . . because there is some exception against the law-vengeance , for the gospel is a cleare exception against those who are under the law-curse , john . . but there is no exception against the gospel-vengeance : this is a year and age , and eternity-vengeance , for the finall rejecter of the gospel hath not a sacrifice for sinne to looke to , as the law-breaker hath , heb. . , . heb. . , . . the rejecting of the gospel is a fighting against the spirit of the gospel , whereas the law is but a letter : and unbeliefe is a sinne against the holy ghost , though it be not alwayes the sinne against the holy ghost ; therefore are the despisers of the gospel kept , as desperate robbers are , to the judgement of the great court day , and chained up and fettered to the last and terrible vengeance , thes. . , . deut. . . heb. . . o tremble and stand in awe of this high treason , for your sinne is not like sodomes , nor like the despising of the religious decree of such an heathen king as darius . but ere i proceed , it may be asked , is unbeliefe a greater sinne then sodomy , which hath a cry up to heaven ? unbeliefe soundeth no such cry to heaven ? i answer : hainous sinnes against the second table are borne with a shout and a cry in their mouth , and are very broad-faced and bloudy , and have more of a naturall conscience in them , because the duties of the second table are written in our heart in fairer print , and in a bigger character then the duties of the first table . therefore naturall men can heare the cry of these sinnes ; and that is our corruption , that a man is more wounded in minde if he offend his earthly father , then if he blaspheme his heavenly father , the great and eternall jehovah . but the duties of the first table are written in our heart by nature , in a more dimme and obscure way , and hath lesse of naturall conscience ; and the principles of the gospel are not written in our heart at all , at least as they are evangelicke , we know them not but by revelation , gal. . , . mat. . . and therefore sinnes against the gospel are borne dumb , and being more cleanely and spirituall sinnes , they have no shout or cry against the conscience , except in so farre as they are enlightened supernaturally , in whom unbeliefe hath a stirring and a paine of conscience . hence observe a considerable difference by the way , betwixt the naturall and renewed soule : a naturall man may be pained in conscience with parricide , robberies , acts of cruelty , but never shall you heare him troubled in minde with unbeliefe , and doubting of a god-head , and the soules immortality , as judas was wakened in conscience for bloud and treachery against his innocent master , but not for unbeliefe and blasphemy , whereof he was guilty in an high measure . but the renewed are troubled with spirituall sinnes , which are onely discerned by a spirituall and supernaturall light , as with unbeliefe , ignorance , security , wandring of heart in prayer , doubtings of a providence that ruleth all . also it may be questioned , how it commeth to passe that god sendeth not sufficient helps to all nations , that they may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved ? i answer shortly : it is enough that he giveth sufficient meanes in this sense , that gods justice is cleared , and men are without all excuse , in that they wilfully lose themselves . . men are not formally guilty because they are not saved . . nor are all men guilty because the gospel commeth not to them . . nor are they all guilty because they beleeve not ; for how shall they beleeve in him , of whom they have not heard ? romans . . but they are guilty because they doe not use that which is given them for god . object . . but god gave me no more grace , and what can i doe without grace ? answ. this argument toucheth those who heare the gospel , as well as those who never heard of it : and it is a chiding with the soveraigne lord , because he gave not efficacious grace to all : and patrons of nature , and arminians , are no lesse straited with this incomprehensible dispensation of god then we are . object . . but if i had had such grace as god gave to peter , i should have beleeved . answ. it is the carnall mans argument , rom. . , . if he have mercy on whom he will ; he cannot be angry against me , who do not beleeve , for no man resisteth his will . yea , but as the clay should not dispute with the potter , so the clay having a corrupted will , doth wilfully refuse to beleeve , and the creatures willing disobedience , and gods free decree of denying grace , doth meet in one , for which cause the creature is justly condemned . object . . but more grace should make me beleeve , and more grace god denieth to me . answ. it is easier to complaine for what we have not , then thankfully to use what we have . if the creditor crave the payment of ten thousand pounds from a land-waster , it is bad payment to say , you are to be blamed that i pay not , because you lent me not twenty thousand pound . object . . but i have a strong inclination , and cannot resist when i am tempted . answ. o lame vessel , tremble , but dispute not . . it is lawfull to complaine and sigh under those fetters , rom. . . but unlawfull to childe and excuse sinfull rebellion . part. . that men tremble and feare before the face of the god of daniel . in this third part we have to consider these two : first , who commandeth trembling and feare . secondly , the thing commanded , trembling , and feare . . the commander is darius , but whether converted , or not , is a question . i thinke there is no ground to hold that he was a converted man : because all that he commandeth , is trembling , and feare of god ; upon the occasion of a miracle , the positive worship of god is not commanded . . he calleth not god , his god , but the god of daniel . . he acknowledgeth daniels god to be the living god , but doth not command that he onely shall be served , and all dead gods cast off . . the babilonish history sheweth he still kept his idol-gods . . the rise of this proclamation is a miracle , and such as breedeth rather a servile feare then a filiall adoring of god . . there is nothing here of the meanes to instruct his people in the knowledge of the true god : and to command religion without information of the minds , is rather tyranny over the conscience , then true zeal : hence unrenewed men may out of the dominion of a convincing light , be forced to acknowledge the lord , when yet the will and affections are not subdued to the knowledge of god . hence i expresse my thoughts in this point , in these assertions . . assertion . the naturall conscience is not its owne lord in knowing , bleeving , and confessing something of god . for , first , devils believe there is a god , but they tremble , iames . . they beleeve against their will , as a man condemned to death for a crime , beleeveth he must die , but his will is opposite to his faith . iudas awaked cannot chuse but beleeve a vengeance . light is a king , and a conquerour sometime . . you seldome finde but enemies have given a testimony , now or then , for god . exod. . . let us flee , ( say the egyptians ) for the lord fighteth for them , against the egyptians : pharaoh being mastered in conscience with the plague of haile mingled with fire , saith , exod. . . i have sinned [ this ] time : the lord is righteous , and i and my people are wicked : deut. . . for their rocke is not as our rock , our enemies being iudges : psal. . . then said they amongst the heathen , the lord hath done great things for them . sauls conscience speaketh truth , in a dreame , through his sleepe , though he went to bed again , sam. . . thou art more righteous then i , so speaketh he to david . the devill can say no otherwayes , luke . . i know thee who thou art , the holy one of god . pilate must say of christ , i finde no fault in him . caligula his feare must make his faith a lyar , and when he heareth a thunder , say , mine eares heare the god which my heart denieth to have any being . nero cannot say but hell is begunne in his soule before the time . the apostate iulian said , vicisti tandem galilaee , at length , o iesus , thou art victorious . paul the third , a monster of men , said dying , i shall now be resolved of three things : . if the soule be immortall : . if there be a god : . if there be a hell . plinius the second wrote to the emperour , that jesus christ was a great prophet , and a holy man . many papists of old gave testimony that the waldenses were holy men . many at rome , said luther , was for the truth , and counselled that leo the tenth would reforme the church , as guiciard . hist. l. . saith . malignants on their death-bed have said , the parliament of england is for justice and religion , and scotland contend for the purity of the gospel ; and let but adversaries aske at their conscience in cold blood , whether the world , and their own ease , or the truth of god bottomed their conscience in following the wayes of cavaliers ; and aske , on whose side are lies , perjury , blaspheming , mocking of godlinesse , the idolatrie of the masse . assertion . the will and affections have a dominion over conscience in many things ; in that , . there is a covenant betwixt conscience and concupiscence , while ( as chrysostome saith ) men beleeve not what they know , but what they will , and will is halfe play-maker in their faith , pet. . . of this they are willingly ignorant : excellently is it said , ier. . . bemirmah , in deceit they refuse to know me , saith the lord . the will hath a pack-pull on the minde : light and malice , minde and will are vowen through other , the wills malice soureth and leaveneth the minds light , as rotten matter mixed with good wine overmastereth it , and taketh taste and colour from it . . the will and affection hath power to suspend the acts of , considering of christs excellency : . sinnes horrour : . truths beauty : . the sweet peace of obedience to god : . the eternitie of heaven and hell . hos. . . the theefe cometh in , and the troopes of robbers spoile without , and they say not in heart , that i remember all their wickednesse . the will and affections should ingage and take the minde suretie and oblieged to consider of god and his wayes : but it is here as when a merchant cometh in , and overbiddeth the customer , and causeth the seller and the customer part company . when the minde is upon this or the like : what shall the wrath or the smiles of a king doe to mee , when my eye-strings shall bee broken ? what thoughts can i have of gaine , lust , pleasure , court , when wormes shall make their nests in my eye-holes ? in these , affections come in and divert the minde from such precious thoughts ; and here bee two errours in the will : first , a sort of wicked diverting of the minde from necessary truths . secondly , a will-heresie , when faith and divinity is swallowed up in the will and affections . . the will and affections resist truth in the minde , as act. . . the adversaries could not resist the wisedome and spirit by which stephen spake : then their minde was convinced , act. . . you doe alwayes ( saith stephen ) resist the holy spirit . behold , they could not resist light , yet they doe of malice , resist light . . the will and affections can imprison and cast in fetters truth , rom. . . they keep the truth of god captive , or in bonds : though truth sometime break the fetters , and bolts , and escape , and come out to a confession , yet they apprehend truth againe , and lay it in fetters . assertion . the onely saving grace of god , infused in the mind , will , and affections , doth subdue the conscience to truth , and obedience of the truth . grace is the greatest conquerour of all . jer. . . i was weary with forbearing , and i could not stay . act. . . we cannot but speake the things which we have seen and heard . new wine must have vent . vse . we would beware of sinnes against light , these are under water in the ship , and are sinking sins ; a reformation hath beene calling on you , and offering it selfe to you these fourescore yeares , and men have beene saying , it is not time to build the house of the lord : and consider i pray you , how fearefull it is , for men not to stoup and fall downe , as taken captives to the truth of god , for every thought should bee brought as an apprehended souldier and a captive , to the obedience of christ , cor. . . and specially the land is to be humbled for such sins as by the light of the gospel hath been cried against , as luxury , vanity , pride , and fulnesse of bread , uncleannesse , swearing , lying , unjustice , oppression , but especially multiplied altars , idolatry , superstition , wil-worship . vse . the honourable houses are to beware of the halfe reformation of darius ; nothing more odious to god then ▪ . a negative devotion : nebuchadnezzar thinketh hee hath done all if nothing bee spoken amisse of the true god , dan. . . . agrippa his almost a christian , is not a christian at all , ier. . . yet for all this her treacherous sister judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart . . god detesteth lukewarmnes , and coldnes in his matters . . hee hateth a mixture , it is a marke put on samaria , king. . . they feared the lord , and served their owne gods ; this is that which bringeth the stretched-out arm of the lords fury on the land , zeph. . . because they sweare by the lord , and by malcom , and because the people halteth betwixt the lord and baal , king. . . and it is johu his reproachfull reformation , king. . . thus jehu destroyed baal out of israel . . neverthelesse he departed not from the sinnes of jeroboam the sonne of nobat ; o how fearfull to be under this ? he is for the good cause , neverthelesse he knoweth nothing of the power of religion , so hee is right in the house , neverthelesse , he complaineth much with malignants . it is knowne to you all when the whore of babylon was cast out of the church , that shee left behinde her a gold ring , and some love tokens , i meane episcopacie , and humane ceremonies ; this was the whores policy to leave a token behinde her , that she might finde an errand in the house againe : and shee was indeed returning to the house to demand her love-token again , but it shall bee heavenly wisedome to make a perfect reformation : keep nothing that belongeth to babylon , and let not a stone , to be a corner-stone or a foundation , bee taken out of babylon for the building of the lords house , for they are cursed stones . [ that they tremble and feare ] in part . of the third member of our text we are to consider , that iehovah is to bee looked and served with feare and trembling ; upon these sixe grounds all applicable to the present condition of times . . he is a great god , ier. . . for as much as there is none like unto thee o lord , thou art great , and thy name is great ; who would not feare thee , o king of nations ? ier. . . feare ye not me , saith the lord ; will ye not tremble at my presence , which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea , &c. alas we fancy to our selves a little god , and a great mortall king , therefore we tremble at the one , and feare not the other ; so when we have to doe with an earthly power , the soule is servilely timorous ; when we have to doe with god , the conscience is all made of stoutnesse . . the sinnes of the land should make us tremble , esa. . . but i said , my leannesse , my leannesse , woe unto me , for the treacherous dealers dealeth treacherously , ier. . . my heart within me is broken , all my bones shake , &c. psal. . . horrour hath taken hold of me , because of the wicked that keep not thy law : what should the sins of court , of prelates , make me tremble ? are they my sins ? yea . every sin that i am not grieved for is mine . . he never mourned for his own sins , who is not humbled for the sins of the land . . a gracious samuel will own the sins of saul . . gods great workes call for trembling , habak. . the prophet considering gods walking through the red sea with his horses , maketh him say , though it was a worke of mercy , verse . when i heard it , my belly trembled , my lips quivered , rottennesse entred into my bones , and i trembled in my selfe . o tremble at this lord , who hath , . wrought state miracles , if not miracles in nature ; hee hath commanded the sunne of righteousnesse to stand still in the meridian of brittain . . he hath divided our red sea . . he hath brought us backe from the bordell-house , and renewed a covenant with us . . our enemies are fallen , and those are inlarged who were banished , imprisoned , vexed by prelates for the haynous crime ( as they thought ) of pietie , holines , and orthodoxie . tremble at his goodnesse , feare the lord and his goodnesse , hos. . . rejoyce in trembling , psal. . . an ingenuous minde feareth debt , mercies tendered to us are debts lying on us ; o how shall we repay him ? what shall we render to him ? are wee not banckrupts to mercy and the goodnesse of god . . tremble at gods judgements , psal. . . my flesh trembleth for feare of thee , and i am affraid of thy judgements , jer. . . my bowels , my bowels , i am pained at the very heart , my heart maketh a noise within mee , i cannot hold my peace , because thou hast heard , o my soule , the sound of the trumpet , the alarme of warre . here is a waste field of trembling : god in germany is god to be feared in all places , for in these lands the wife could scarce have the halfe of her husband to bury , the best halfe hath beene blowne up in the aire with fire-work . . horse hath beene esteemed good meat . . in ireland the mothers have heard their young children aske mercy at the rebell with his skainzer cutting the throat of her sonne ; and hath not the sword multiplyed widdowes , and multiplyed orphans in this land ? it is fearfull to man to bide it out , as a warre , whether gods displeasure will or no . . we are exceedingly to tremble at his anger , amos . . the lyon hath roared , who would not feare ? when god doth but seeme to be angry . the children of god have beene distracted , and almost besides their wits with gods terrours , psal. . . and they were scarce in the suburbs of hell . is there not cause to feare , if any of the land breake the oath of god , that the flying roll and book of vengeance , twentie cubits long , and ten cubits broad , shall enter into such a mans house , and remain in the midst thereof , and shall consume it , both timber & stones ? zac. . . when god declareth himself angry , mountains and hils do tremble , psal. . . the sea saw it , and fled , jordan was driven back . . the mountaines skipped like rammes , and the little hils like lambs . . what ailed thee , o thou sea , that thou fleddest ? thou jordan , that thou wast driven back ? ver. . tremble thou earth at tho presence of the lord . hab. . . the mountains saw thee , and they trembled . that god is now angry , it may appeare , . because your adversaries never prospered in any warres before , and now the lord hath girded them with strength . . the godly man is taken away , it is cleare then there is evill comming , esay . . mich. . when an old sheep fleeth into an hedge , it is like a storme is comming . . there be more bloud shed then would have recovered the palatinate . . we are to tremble when the lord is like to depart ; and that christ and the gospel shall depart from this kingdome , is intended by papists and prelates , for the extirpation of protestants and protestant religion , is the designe of babylon , and of those in whom is any of her spirit : and consider what this is , hos. . . though ephraim bring np children , yet wil i bereave her of them , that not a man shall be left ; that is a sad condition : but this is a sadder case comming , also wo be to them when i depart from them , zach. . . then said i , i wil feed you no more . nay , but ( say some ) we are not to tremble at that , if the gospel be removed , and popery come in , we shall have the good old world , and plenty of all things : take heed of that good old world ; in these same words , i will feed you no more , that which perisheth , let it perish , and that which is cut off , let it be cut off , and let the rest eate the flesh one of another : woe , woe to the land if the lord depart from us , and remove his kingdome : this is worse then the sword , therefore let christ have welcome in the land , and his throne be exalted , and his temple builded , that hee may delight to come and fill the temple with the cloud of his glory . [ that they tremble and feare . ] darius requireth outward subjection to the god of daniel , even trembling and inward subjection , feare ; and both being put together , he then would teach , that the true god should have the highest bensill and outmost pitch of the strength of the affections of feare , desire , joy , love , &c. hence it may bee questioned , whether or no , affections in their highest pitch are conducible in gods service . i answer in these assertions . . assertion . those affections which goe before the deliberate acts of understanding , doe overcloud and mist reason , and marre the acts of beleeving in god , and serving and obeying god , luke . . the disciples beleeved not for joy , and wondered : so hungring for christs presence doth sometime hinder faith , and this is seene here , tam misere cupio ut vix credam , i so eagerly long for christ , that i beleeve never to enjoy him . . assertion . the more grace , the lesse passion ; i meane the lesse inordinate affection ; this is cleare in christ jesus , in whom was the fulnesse of grace , and therefore affections in him were rather actions , then passions , iohn . . jesus groaned in spirit and was troubled , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , he troubled himselfe , christ did call upon sorrow to rise , and sorrow in him did not arise uncalled ; affections in christ were servants , in us they are masters . there is mud in our bottome , even when our affections are liquid and cleare in the brimme , especially the sensitive part is clayie and drimmely water . . grace is a good stirseman , and overmastereth passion ; and reason , in the renewed man , is made a masse of grace ; and the most mortified have most reason , and strongest light , romans . . the carnall minde ( that is , the unmortified minde ) is enmitie with god , philippians . . yea doubtlesse , and i count all things losse for the super-excellent knowledge of god in christ iesus my lord . then he was dead to all his priviledges , that hee might excell in the knowledge of christ ; and where there is little or no mortification , there is little or no heavenly light : therefore , pet. . . walkers after their lusts , and mockers and scoffers at the day of christs second comming , are willingly ignorant , and brutish in that which they should know , and so there is as much clay in the fountaine as water . . assertion . the more faith , the lesse passion ; for as some say of the sunne , that light is not an accident of the sun , but the essence thereof , so as the sunne is but a masse and body of pure light ; so is faith a globe of heavenly light of reason . the beleever is the most reasonable man in the world , hee who doth all by faith , doth all by the light of sound reason , and paul , thess. . prayeth to be delivered from unreasonable men ; but how unreasonable ? because verse . they have no faith : faith is a beame of heavens light ; idolaters are farre from faith , and so they are cruell and superlative in passions of anger , hatred , envie : for this cause babylon is fat with drinking much blood . when mortification is commanded , rom. . . it hath the name to be called reasonable service to god . . assertion . if the action bee done in faith , the more affection in the action , the better : but if it bee not done in the light of faith , the action is the worse . jehu casteth downe altars from anger and fury , not from faith : hezekiah casteth altars from the light of faith and zeale . if a strong ship bee faire before the winde , if all other things bee right , the more winde the better : so two principles of grace in hezekiah , are better then one carnall principle in iehu . in reformers of the lords house , and in those who purge the temple , and cast out the buyers and the sellers , there should bee strong affections of love , anger , zeale ; but all these are bad principles , if there bee not much light of sound faith in reformers , yet a caution is here needfull . in actions of the second table , where our selfe , or our neighbour , and not god or religion hath place , the higher bent the affection bee , the action is the worse ; duties to prince , parents , husband , wife , children , parliament , require not all the love , all the feare , all the joy ; halfe love is best here , and it is good that love , feare , joy , desire , anger , goe by ounce weights ; but reformation , god , religion calleth for all the heart , all the soule , all the strength , psalme . . davids soule and his flesh are allowed in seeking after the living god , to long , to faint , to cry out with a shout for the living god ; so more affection should bee for christs fundamentall lawes , for religion , then for the fundamentall lawes of a kingdome , or for the power and priviledges of parliament . and it is cleare in ill actions , the lesse affection the better ; pilates slaying of christ , had lesse hatred and envie , then the scribes and pharisees killing of him ; and the more innocent that the affection bee , the bad action is the lesse evill : feare is a more innocent affection then hatred . those who out of feare desert the lords cause , are not to be punished in that degree with those who out of malice and hatred to the truth joyned to the malignant faction . how ever , god challengeth the floure of our affections , and it is a sweet thing to spend the vigour and floure of the affection upon god , and if you had ten tongues to speake for god , a hundred hands to fight for him , many lives to lose for him , achitophels wisedome to imploy in his services , except you engage the heart and affections in his service , you doe nothing to him . if prelates , papists and malignants bee hated onely as hurtfull to your state , to the gaine and externall peace of the common-wealth , and not as gods enemies , as idolaters , as they are under the king of the bottomlesse pit , the antichrist , and comets who borrow light from that fallen starre , and not as servants to our king ; the warre is shedding of innocent blood ; heart reduplications in the affections doe mightily invert the nature of actions ; jehu kings . . . did right in the sight of the eyes of god , and did to the house of ahab according to all that was in gods heart ; yet because hee did it with a crooked and bastard intention , for his owne honour and idol ends , his obedience is , hosea , . . murther before god . art . . [ the god of daniel . ] this is the fourth point considerable here . darius speaketh of the living god , as naturall men doe , with a note of estrangement of affection , he applyeth him to daniel , as the god of daniel , but applyeth him not to himselfe , as making him his owne god , but rather doth insinuate that hee had another god then daniels god : so doe naturall spirits destitute of faith stand afarre off from god , and bide at a distance with god , whereas onely faith can claim interest in god , and father it selfe upon the lord . laban speaketh thus to jacob , gen. . . the god of your father spake to mee yesterday , exod. . . pharaoh called for moses and aaron , and said , goe yee sacrifice to your god in the land , king. . . jeroboam saith to the prophet . entreat now the face of the lord thy god , and pray for me : and rachab speaking in the name of the people of jericho saith , iosh. . . for the lord your god hee is god in the heaven above , and in the earth beneath ; unbelief maketh the unbeleever that which he is , even a bastard and stranger , not a sonne nor an heire ; whereas faith challengeth right and heritage in god , psalme . . hearken unto the voyce of my cry , my king and my god , psalme . . o lord my god , in thee doe i put my trust . psalme . , . the lord is my strength . the lord is my rock , my fortresse , and my deliverer : my god , my strength in whom i will trust , my buckler , and the horne of my salvation , my high tower ; here bee nine relations , nine my'es . chr. . . our god , wilt thou not judge them ? ezra , . . o my god , i am ashamed , &c. dan. . . and i prayed unto the lord my god : the three children say , daniel . . our god is able to deliver us , ioh. . . thomas said , my lord , my god . daniel here is made proprietor and heritor of the true and living god ; and darius and all his people have their owne gods , called the gods of nations , and darius puteth it as a ground , that the god which any man serveth , and trusteth in , hee hath a relation to him , as to his owne god : every man may by law claime what is his owne . hence are these two questions to be discussed . . quest . whether application bee essentiall to faith or not ? . what ground have those who heare of god , and those within the visible church , to call god their god . for the discussion of the first , these following assertions may resolve us . . assertion . faith is more then a naked , hungry , and poore assent to the truth , there is in it a fiduciall acquiescence and a leaning upon jehovah , expressed by divers expressions full of marrow , as psalme . . he trusted , the hebrewes say , he rolled himselfe on jehovah ; which is , when a wearied man sweating under a burden casteth himself and his burden both upon a place or a bed of rest gol el-jehovah as that psal. . . cast thy burden on jehovah , and pet. . . roll all your care on him , psalme . the chaldee paraphrase saith on the place , for [ he rolled himselfe on god ] i spake prayses to god , which holdeth forth , that faith is a worke of the heart and affection , rather then of the minde ; so psalme . . resigne , and give over , or roll over thy wayes to the lord , as jerom doth well turne it ; bibl. complutense , flee in to jehovah . psalme . . they prevented me in the day of my calamitie , but jehovah was my stay ; referring this to the lord his bearing up of davids heart in his trouble ( which in reason cannot be denied ) mis●gnan is , ( as arias montanus turneth it ) fulcrum ; junius , scipio , or baculus ; the seventy interpreters {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , the lord was davids stay and his staffe : so is the word used , esay . . the lord taketh from judah the stay and the staffe ; and it is not evill that christ is the sinners stay , and the lamed mans staffe , esay , . . thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace , whose minde is stayed ( as a house holden up by a proppe ) on thee , psalme . he that feareth the lord , is not afraid of ill tidings because his heart is fixed : samuch libbo , leaning on the lord ; and beleeving is not simply in the word , a giving credit to god , in what hee saith ; but it is when men put their weight on god , as esay , . the residue of israel shall leane upon the lord , the holy one of israel : and so is the word , micah . . . they leane upon the lord , saying , is not the lord amongst us ? and faith is termed , hebrewes . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the substance of things hoped for : some doe not ill expound it to bee the pillar and ground-stone of the soule , in expecting good from god ; and so is it the buckler of faith , ephes. . . and these two words say , that faith is a most valiant souldier , which yeeldeth not to that which commeth against it , but that the beleever , when hee is killed and fallen , doth still stand and live . doeg is thus made a wicked man , psalme . . loe this is the man that made not god his strength ; mahhuzzo , his fortitude , saith jerome ; and in the matter of giving assent to truthes . consider in this comparison , how faith layeth it selfe upon god : there bee six men condemned to die for treason ; the king sendeth a sealed pardon to one , all the sixe reade the pardon , and all believe it is the true deed of the prince , but five of them doe beleeve it with sorrow , and no love to the prince , because their names are not in the pardon ; but the pardoned man beleeveth it , not onely as true , but his heart cleaveth to it with a heate and warmenesse of soule resting upon the grace of the prince : so doth the believer thrust his heart upon christ , and his free grace , and hath a soule-kindenesse to the promises , when hee heareth them , which is not in these , who onely take the word as true , canticles , . . who is she that cometh upout of the wildernesse associating , or neighboureth her selfe upon her well-beloved ? faith maketh christ a neighbour and a companion to the soule , and therefore here must bee an application of the heart to god in christ . . assertion . some even deserted and missing the lord to their feeling , may , and doe apply him to themselves , as their owne lord . psalme . . my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ? canticles . . i opened to my well-beloved , and my well-beloved had withdrawne himselfe ; then a god hiding himselfe , and withdrawing his felt love to my faith , may be my god . esay . . zion saith , my lord hath forgotten me : so mary magdalen saith , iohn . . they have taken away my lord , and i know not where they have laid him : then hee may be a forgetting and taken away lord to my feeling , and yet to my faith also my lord ; as though i were in hell and christ in heaven , i may beleeve and apprehend the relation standing to mee , as the wife may beleeve that the angry and the forsaking husband is still her husband ; gods glooming sometimes doth not breake the relation of a lord or saviour to mee , no not in my apprehension and feeling . . assertion . to beleeve that god is my lord , who from eternitie did chuse mee , and of intention sent christ to die for mee , is not essentiall to saving faith ; for the doubtings of many beleevers who dare not say ( hee is my god ) and yet dare not renounce god , or give over their claime and interest in christ , doth evidence manifestly that such doubting ones doe also beleeve , though they cannot beleeve so much as appropriation of christ as proper possession . hence two cases they be in , who thus doubt . . they beleeve but in the darke ; they stay on jehovah , and yet see no light , esay . . as children say their lesson sometimes without their booke , and as those who are in the darke make their hands serve for their eyes , and grope with their hands stretched out , when they cannot see with their eyes . . they be ready to halfe the covenant , and to divide it betwixt god and their soules , and beleeve god to bee a father , and yet dare not say they are gods sonnes : so the prodigall divideth , as it were , the relation of a father , from the relation of a sonne , which is the bad logicke of unbeleefe , luke . . i will arise and go to my father , and say , father , i have sinned against thee ; then hee beleeved him with a broken and halting faith to bee his father , yet his petition , saith hee , did not fully beleeve himselfe to bee a sonne , and therefore hee craveth a place in the house inferiour to a sonne , ver. . make me as one of thy hired servants . the other question is , what warrant hath any weake doubter to beleeve that god is his god in christ ? and there bee two grounds on which the doubt is bottomed . . no man knoweth whether he be elected or reprobated , when he is first charged to beleeve . . the lord is not really ( a parte rei ) the god and the lord of the thousand part , who heareth the gospel , and are condemned , because they beleeve not on the onely begotten sonne of god : i set downe these assertions for an answer . . assertion . the question is often , not so much whether a poore soule would have christ or no , ( for there is no question of that ) as if hee would have christ to bee his god , in his owne legall way , that is , if hee would first be holy and worthy , and then take christ for his saviour . . assertion . gods decree of election , or his intention to save me , is not the proper object of my faith , but rather of my sense and feeling : wee goe mightily beside the line , in the method of beleeving , when we goe to beleeve at first gods intention to save me : the order is , being humbled for sinne , wee are to adhere to the goodnesse of the promise , not to looke to his intention to persons , but to his complacencie and tendernesse of heart to all humble sinners : so paul , tim. . . embraceth by all meanes that good and faithfull saying , iesus christ came to save sinners ; before he put himselfe in as the first of these sinners , as the condemned man beleeveth first the kings grace and clemencie to all humbled supplicants , who sueth for grace , before hee beleeve grace to himselfe ; and if this were not , the method of applying christ were unreasonable . the woman diseased with the bloudy issue , heard of jesus , and therefore came and touched the hemme of his garment : what had she heard ? nothing of his exorable kindnesse and tender mercy towards her selfe , but towards others , and upon this beleeved ; so a rope is cast downe in the sea to a multitude of drowned men , and all are bidden , for their life , lay hold on the rope , that they may be saved ; it were unseasonable and foolish curiositie for any of these poore men , now upon death and life , commanded to hold fast the rope , to dispute whether did the man , who cast downe the rope , intend and purpose to save me , or not , and while my minde be at a point in that , i will not put out one finger to touch the rope : but foole , dispute with hands and armes , and lay hold on the remedy , and doe not thou begin a plea with christ , and leave that question to another time . a prince proclaimeth a free market of gold , moneyes , fine linnen , rich garments , and all precious jewels , to a number of poore men , upon a purpose to enrich some few men , whom of grace he purposeth to make honourable courtiers and officers of estate ; all these men are now not to dispute the kings secret purpose , but to repaire to the market , and to improve their princes grace , and buy without money . christ holdeth forth his rope to drowned and lost sinners , and layeth out an open market of the rich treasures of heaven ; doe thou take it for granted , without any further dispute , as a principle after to be made good , that christ hath thoughts of grace and peace concerning thee , and doe but now husband well the grace offered , lay hold on christ aye while he put thee away from him , and if there be any question concerning gods intention of saving thee , let christ first move the doubt , but doe not thou be the first mover . . assertion . it is true , your christian name , john , peter , anne , mary , are not in the new testament , but here is as good and better , and a more individuall designation then your christian name , if thou bring sinne with thee to christ , and there be no man but hee hath this name , bring a lost soule with thee . luke . . the sonne of man came to seeke and to save that which was lost . matthew . . christ saith , i am not come to call the righteous , but the sinners to repentance . then if it be said , what is thy name , who layest hold on christ ? there is an answer , my name is a sinner . . leave , behinde thee , righteousnesse when thou commest to christ , thou mayest easily leave true righteousnesse behinde thee , and come without it , because true righteousnesse of thy owne is a non-ens , and just nothing , and nothing is the proper heritage of the poore ; bring want and povertie with thee , and there is another name , say , lord jesus , my name is not in the royall promise of grace made to traitours and rebels against the crowne of heaven , but my name is povertie , they call me want and necessitie ; and all men hitherto hath these two names , sinners , poore and unrighteous ; but three bring some feeling and sense ; come wearied and laden , and then thou hast a third name . this is harder , yet it is amongst the most easie things required of thee ; the law which worketh ( if it were felt and heard ) will worke this in thee , and though then thou want it , thou hast that which is nearest to it , even sinne ; for these two be of one bloud almost , to wit , want of cloathing , and nakednesse , a heavie load , and a wearied body ; and nakednesse is a neare friend to shame and cold , and povertie is very neare of kindred to hunger ; hunger is come of that same stocke and house ; and if thou canst say , o physician iesus , my right name is sicknesse ; o rich iesus , they call me want ; o bread of life , they call me hunger ; it is enough . object . . but it is not faith , but presumption , for mee , without a warrant , and without law or right , to beleeve in a god , who was indeed daniels god , but not mine . answ. . presumption is a sister to pride ; if thou be wearied and laden , thou cannot readily be proud . . thou askest a warrant of law to beleeve in christ . i answer by another question : what law or warrant have countrey beggers to cry for almes at the hands of the rich ? often acts of parliament and lawes are against begging . what warrant or law have they to begge ? let the begger answer it himselfe . i have no law ( hee can answer ) but i am poore , i have nothing , and i cannot steale , i cannot starve ; so by the law of want thou restest upon jesus christ ; i want all things , christ hath all things , and wanteth nothing ; and this is as good as any act of parliament in the world . object . . daniel was one of the righteous men on earth ; noah , iob , and daniel , were none-suches , ezek. . . answ. the cart wheele moveth , because it is round , not that it may bee round , but the sinner doth not beleeve , because he is righteous , but that hee may bee righteous ; it were a wicked faith , and it were to beleeve treacherously , to beleeve , because you are holy , or as holy as daniel ; faiths bottome is want , sinne , damnation ; and the kingdome of beleevers is but ( as we say ) a nest of beggers . object . . but if i were worthy to believe and rely upon christ , i should then come to him with some boldnesse . answ. this is the papists merit of congruitie , that wee will not come to christ while wee have an hire , and it is seeming humilitie , but reall pride : i will not come to christs market , without money ; you will not come to the fountaine , while your thirst bee quenched , nor to him who can give you fine gold , and fine linnin , while first you bee rich and well cloathed , and that is cursed righteousnesse , and unholy holinesse , that any soule getteth out of another then jesus christ . object . . but if i cannot come to christ without sense of sinne and povertie , then is my coming and my act of beleeving founded and bottomed upon something that i have before i come to christ . answ. this is the question betwixt us and antinomians , like the very question betwixt us and papists concerning the authority of the scripture : but i say , as the churches authoritie is not the formall reason why i believe scripture to bee the word of god , yet the churches authority is not excluded from being a meane and motive ; for , romanes chapter . verse . faith commeth by hearing , so christ himselfe is the formall reason of my faith , i rest on christ , because hee is christ : sense of poverty is a strong motive , for except i bee driven and compelled to come to christ , i shall never come ; sense of povertie is not the foundation of the wall , yet it may bee a pinning in the wall . antinomians teach , that inherent qualifications and all workes of sanctification are but doubtfull evidences to us of our interest in christ , or that wee are in the state of grace . what then maketh mee , iohn , anne , by name , sure in my conscience that i am in christ , even to the full removall of all heart-questions ? that which revealeth ( say they ) my evidence of assurance , that i am my well-beloveds , and that he is mine , is the spirit speaking personally and particularly to my heart with a voyce , sonne , be of good cheare , thy sinnes are forgiven thee ; and this is that broad seale of the spirit making an immediate impression on my heart , without any begged testimony of workes of sanctification , which is the revealing evidence of my interest in christ ; and the receiving evidence is faith , believing this testimony of the spirit , onely because gods spirit saith so , not because i have evidences , by particular works of sanctification , such as are universall obedience , sinceritie of heart , and love of the brethren . but to speake a little of this for the times ; the papist is the blacke devill , taking away all certainty of assurance that wee are in christ , or that any man can know this . the antinomian is the golden white devill ; a spirit of hell cloathed with all heaven , and the notions of free grace : and first , the well-head of all is , free grace in us is a dreame , sanctification inherent is a fiction , christ is all , there is no grace existent in the crearure , grace is all in christ , and nothing but imputed righteousnesse , for if works of sanctification be not marks intelligible , or which can come in under the capacity of received light , to be known with any certainty or assurance . . the joy and rejoycing that wee have in the the testimony of a good conscience , that in simplicity and godly sincerity , not with fleshly wisedome , but by the grace of god , we have our conversation in the world , cor. . . must be a dream . david , job , moses , samuel , the prophets and apostles , their joying in a good conscience , arise from doubtfull and conjecturall evidences : yea , no man can say in any assurance , ( i beleeve in christ , ) ( in the inner man , i delight in the law of the lord , ) ( i am crucified to the world , ) ( my conversation is in heaven ) for all these are inherent qualifications in the childe of god , but they are doubtfull and uncertain . how then hath god promised to love the righteous , to reward beleeving with life eternall , to give the prize to him that runneth ? &c. . the testimony of the spirit bearing witnesse to our spirit , that we are the children of god , rom. . . is in this sence an immediate act of the spirit , because reflex acts of the soul are performed without any other medium or means , but that whereby the direct acts are performed : i know that i know ; i know that i beleeve ; my sence by that same immediate operation of the spirit , by the which i know god without any other light , teacheth me to know that i know god : even as by light i see colours , but my common sense needeth not another sun , or another light , to make me know that i see colours . the lambe when it seeth a wolfe , though it never did see a wolfe before , knoweth it to be an enemy , and fleeth : but to make it know that it knoweth the wolfe , there is nothing required but the internall and common instinct of nature : so when i beleeve in christ , that habituall instinct of the grace of god , actuated and stirred up by the spirit of god , maketh me know that i know god ; and that i beleeve , and so that i am in christ to my own certain feeling and apprehension ; but this doth not hinder , but the assurance of my interest in christ is made evident to me by other inferiour evidences , joh. . and hereby we know , that we know him , if we keep his commandements . by the keeping of gods commandements we doe not know simply that we know god by certainty of faith : but wee know that we know god these two wayes : . we know ( the instinct of the new man being stirred up to action by that winde which bloweth when and where it listeth ) our knowing of god to bee sound saving , and true . wee doe not so much know our knowing of god , by this supernaturall sense , as we know the supernaturall qualification and sincerity of our knowing of god . so that we rather know the qualification of the act , that the worke is done according to god , then the act according to its substance , though wee doe also know it in this relation , ioh. . . we know that we have passed from death to life , because we love the brethren : that is , our love to the brethren doth evidence to us , both that wee are translated to the kingdome of grace , and also it doth evidence that that translation is reall , true , sincere , sound and effectuall by love , and all the fruits of the spirit . . by these works of sanctification we have evidence that we have interest in christ , not as by former light , suggesting to us that the immediate impression of this great and broad seale of the king of glory , and his personall and particular testimony is true ; ( for gods spirit needeth not another witnesse to adde authority to what hee saith , ) but because this conclusion , ( thou iohn , anna , hast interest to christ to thy owne feeling ) must be proved by scripture ( except with enthusiasts and fanatick spiritualists wee separate the word and the spirit ) therefore these workes of sanctification prove the conclusion consequenter by scripture and sence , and so lead us to the word of promise , thus to prove this conclusion , ( i iohn , peter , anna , have interest in christ , to my owne reflect , and private assurance ; ) the major proposition is made good by scripture ; the assumption by sense ; and the conclusion leadeth us to the certainty of faith in the promises : as , he that beleeveth , and maketh sure his beliefe , by walking not after the flesh , but after the spirit , hath a cleare evidence to his owne feeling , that he hath interest in christ . but i iohn , peter , anna , doe believe , and doe make sure my beliefe , by walking not after the flesh , but after the spirit . therefore i iohn , peter , anna have a cleare evidence to my owne feeling , that i have interest in christ . the proposition is scripture , iohn . . ioh. . . ioh. . , . rom. . , . ioh. . . ioh. . . the assumption is made sure by sense , not at all times , but when the wind is fair , and the spirit is breathing upon the soul ; for though i do believe and walk after the spirit , yet to my owne feeling i have onely evidence of my interest ●n christ , when the spirit stirreth up my sense to compare my saith , and walking with the promises of god in christ : but saith the antinomians , alas , all the certainty then , and the whole personal evidence that i have to know that i have interest in christ , is ultimately and principally resolved on this weak & rotten foundation , to wit , on my own good works , which being examined by the law of god , will be found so sinful as they shal involve me under the curse of god , & so the debate of conscience shal stand in ful vigor , & i shal never be satisfactorily resolved of my interest in christ : for you lead me from the impression of the immediate seal of the spirit to my good works ; & this is to drive me off christ , and put me back again to my old jaylor and my old keeper the law . but i answer , this consequence is just nothing : for if my good works of sanctification were causes of my peace of conscience , this connexion had some colour of truth ; but though those works be sinfull by concomitance , because sin cleaveth to them , yet because my supernaturall sense of the spirit suggesteth that these works are the fruits of faith , and are done in some measure of sincerity , and flow not from the spirit of the law , but from the spirit of the gospel : therefore they lead me to christ , and drive me upon a cleare evangelick promise , that . the adhering sinfulnesse of my workes are purged in christs bloud . . that this promise is a shoare before mine eyes . he that fighteth the good fight of faith , a crown of righteousnesse is laid up for him , tim. , , . he that runneth , shall obtain , cor. . . and here is an evangelick word , revel. . . blessed are they that do his commandements , that they may have right to the tree of life , and may enter in through the gates to the city . so that the right of your peace and clear evidence , in assurance of your right to the tree of life , is not laid upon your works , but upon the promises of the gospel : onely your inherent qualification leadeth you as a morall motive to looke to the promises of god , which is the bottome and the foundation of your peace ; even as my walking , eating , drinking , may assure me i am a living man ; and from the knowledge that i live , i come to know what i stand in relation to the king , as a sonne and an heire of a crowne ; yet my right to the crowne ( suppose i were the eldest sonne of a king ) standeth not on this pillar , that i eat and drink and live , but upon my birth and my relation to such a father . all my inherent qualifications doe well prove that the tree and stock they grow on , is faith ; but is it hence proved that the tree is bottomed upon the branches ? nay , but by the contrary , the branches are stocked upon the tree . . if workes of sanctification be no sure markes of my interest in christ , because sinne adhereth to them , and the sinne adhering to them , involveth me in condemnation ; then neither can faith in christ be a sure marke of my interest in christ , because faith is alwayes mixed with sinfull doubting : for i do not thinke that antinomians do beleeve with all their heart ; and sinne of unbeleefe adhering to our faith no lesse involveth the sinner in a curse , being commited against the gospel , then sinnes against the law . and therefore as faith justifieth , not because great and perfect , but because lively & true , as the palsie hand of a man may receive a summe of gold , no lesse then a strong and healthy arme ; so also doe our inherent workes of sanctification give us evidences that we are in christ , and so lead us to the promises of the gospel , as signes , not causes of our interest in christ , and that under this notion ; because they are sincerely performed , not because they are perfect and without all contagion of sin cleaving to them . . in exalting christs righteousnesse one way , by making christ all , they make christ nothing another way , by vilifying the glory of sanctifying grace ; for we are not by good workes to make our calling and election sure to our selves , and in the evidence of our owne consciences , if our good workes be no signes of our interest in christ . . the spirit which these men make the onely witnesse , must be knowne to us by scripture , not to be a deluding spirit : for if this spirit cannot be knowne by these things which are called , galat. . . the fruits of the spirit , to wit , by love , joy , peace , long-suffering , gentlenesse , goodnesse , faith , meeknesse , temperance : as the fruits are evidences of the life of the tree , men are to labour for faith , and the raptures , impressions , and immediate and personall influence of a spirit from heaven , without any conscience of holy living ; and this is the path-way for men void of all sanctification and inherent qualifications to beleeve they are in christ . so the divell putteth upon holinesse , inherent and constant walking with god , the foule scandall of faire white civility , and market morality , that so men may walk after the flesh , and beleeve the testimony of the broad seale of an immediate working spirit . object . . but what be these which goe before faith in christ ? answ. . sense of sinne . . halfe an hope , &c. what if i venture out upon jesus christ for my life ? he is called a saviour , a prince of much tendernesse of grace . . the soule is first put to what shall i doe ? luke . . . it is put to an halfe prising of christ , and to some raw wishes to have jesus christ , but otherwise no man can prize christ , but he who hath him already . however , we have in all this an advantage of our adversaries the papists now in armes , they call faith and resting on god as our god , pride : as if it were pride for the drowned man to flee to the rocke , and pride for the physician to cry , o my physician help . yet doe papists really cry , o my idol , awake ; o my god of bread , heare ; o my intercessour mary , answer me : but be not afraid of their gods : nor are we to feare their prayers to saints , or the cavailiers fridayes fasting . but we are to learne how in time of need to make use of faith ; and let israel trust in the lord , he is an hiding place and a covering in the ill day : and let the weake soule that findeth nothing but darknesse , wants , feares , from that flee to christ : bleeding of wounds is here preparatory to beleeving : want is beginning of motion ; let it be made a motive of beleeving : the lesse evidence , let adherence be the stronger . the god of daniel . ] the history maketh it most evident , that daniels god , and his honour and court , both were aimed at , to be laid on the dust by his enemies . here daniels name goeth through , verse . all people , nations , languages , that dwell on all the earth , and the god of daniel is exalted . hence observe , first , how god blesseth right precisenesse and strictnesse in his way . moses standeth by this ( not an hoofe ) and he obtaineth his end , god bringeth him and israel out of egypt . mordecai not halfe a legge to haman , and hee is promoted to great honour . what lost they ever , who stood upon the latitude of an haire for christ ? either they gained both life and gods cause , as daniel did here , and jesus christ , who died , but put his life in pawne three dayes , and tooke it up againe and gained the cause ; or if they lost their lives , they gained the cause , as the martyrs of christ : and therefore let not the saints beare the name of precisians , except in an heavenly sense , because they walke precisely , ephes. . . these be the right precisians who contend for substance , for god , for heaven , for the purity of the gospel . and certainly god is not a thing indifferent , and excellent jesus christ is no circumstance ; but those be damnable precisians who contend for feathers , and things indifferent . now court-favour of princes , this clay-world , honour , ease , are really in their nature things indifferent , and being compared with christ ( and christ is no trifle , but all substance ) are lesse then things indifferent , even toyes , shadows , losse , dung ; therefore the malignants who make this choice , are the precisians . . obser. how god disappointeth all the purposes of his enemies , and honoureth those who feare him , and maketh daniel evidently known to be the true royalist : and observe how the enemies must be disappointed : how can it be otherwayes ? for first , they take two crosse wayes to compasse their end : first , sinfull meanes ; there is no way for the princes of zoan to come by their ends but idolatry : surely they are fooles , and drunken men staggering in their vomit , isa. . , . and the adversaries now finde no better means to set up their idol-god in brittaine , and their abominable masse , then after they have made the prince glad with their lies , to kill and destroy the innocent , and devour and eat up the lords people as bread . secondly , they set the policie of hell against the wisedome of god : hence so many plots , first to divide , then to seduce ; so many lies and perjuries in print , and all with this profession , to defend the true protestant religion : but surely hee hath a strong metaphysicall faith , more subtill then solid , who beleeveth that an army of papists , led on by the rules of jesuits , and helped by the forces of the irish rebels , have a minde to defend the true protestant religion : i hope never to beleeve it . yet as god disappointed daniels enemies , so are they mis-led in all their purposes : god hath alwayes done this . the enemy of god and a good cause , psal. . . is with childe , but the justice of god is godfather , and giveth the name of the childe , it is named , a lie : behold , he travelleth with iniquity , and hath conceived mischief : and the birth , when it is borne , is no king , no god , hee bringeth forth a lie : esay . . ye shall conceive chaffe : and the childe is a monstrous bastard , a childe of straw and stubble : and ye shall bring forth stubble : iob . . they conceive mischiefe , and bring forth vanity . there is a long web now in weaving in england , and many hands spin threds to the web , as england , scotland , ireland , rome , italy , france , spaine , denmarke , papists , jesuits , cardinals , princes , pope , prelates , politicians : and jehovah the lord hath an hand eminently in the contexture ; and almost all ( except the lord and his church ) have sundry ends , therefore they weave in threeds of sundry colours , babylon , rome , and papists are for their idolatry set up in britaine : god hath broken that threed once , twice , but they cast new knots , and doe still spinne and weave prelates ends with shouting , and garments rolled in blood ( let our great diana stand ) the honour , the bellies of fourteen , and twenty and sixe must bee defended by the sword , and the blood of the church of christ . god hath often broken their threed : ireland hath no end but that their babel shall be built again with blood , and their hearts like a piece of the nether milstone are grinding blood and revenge ; this end must fall . the politician and malignants end is the world , and the glory of court , and their glory is very lean : princes weave in their threed , to set up their absolute and independent soveraignty , and if any more be intended , god knoweth ; but by the wooll wee may judge of the web . but when all is done in this long and great web , though the enemies black policy bee transparent and sevved vvith vvhite threed : heare the conclusion of all , psal. . . the lord bringeth the counsell of the heathen to nought , he maketh the devices of the people of none effect . . ( but ) the counsell of the lord standeth for ever . for he is the living god ] darius saith in this verse , and in the follovving , much of god and of his nature , greatnesse , povver , and soveraignty . hence learn vve , that how much of god is revealed to us , so far are we to have high & noble thoughts , and suteable expressions of god ; hence are vve christians far more to think and speak of god ; and that upon these grounds , because he is . god . . great . . gracious . . glorious . . beautifull . . omnipotent . . the notion ; and that great thing god is admirable . god wil say no more to put abraham upon a course of contentment , when he had the spoil of the kings of sodome , and to set him in a way of obedience , but gen. . . i am god all-sufficient , and goodnes & mercy are included in the very essence of god , hos. . . i will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath against ephraim : for i am god , and not man . and he saith no more in the covenant , and it is much and all . i will be your god ; for if you say god , you say all that can be said . . for greatnes any way , he is above all ; heare what zophar saith , job . . . canst thou by searching finde out god ? canst thou finde out the almighty unto perfection ? . it is high as heaven , what canst thou doe ? deeper then hell , what canst thou know ? . the measure thereof longer then the earth , and broader then the sea . . consider the supreame absolute soveraignty that hee hath over heaven and earth ; what created royalty is in the pieces of clay , who carry diadems of clay on their heads , is eminently in him , artaxerxes is but king of some kings ; but god is absolutely the supreame monarch , superiour , landlord and king of kings , and of all kings and lord of lords , ahashuerosh sent his royall mandates through an hundred and twenty seven provinces : hee sendeth his officers of the state of heaven , his angels , through his monarchy of heaven and earth , and they fulfill his will , psal. . . he sendeth his sea-posts , stormy winds to destroy armado's , and to breake the ships of tarshish , psal. . verse . the lord is great , and greatly to be praysed , he is to be feared above all gods . and wee put him out of his throne , when we appoint peeres to sit and give counsell , and make lawes with this highest lord ; make a throne of glory the height of thousand thousand millions of heaven of heavens , and set that throne above the circumference of all these heavens ; set worlds of angels and millions of seraphims , or if there be created arch-angells , and thousand thousands of dominions , thrones , and principalities , as servants under the foot-stoole of his throne , yet hee were set too low ; hee deserveth a throne above that throne . . consider his gracious nature . . how tender hearted to his afflicted people , jud. . . the lords soul was grieved for the misery of israel , jer. . . is ephraim my dear son ? is he a pleasant childe ? for since i did speake against him , i doe earnestly remember him , my bowels are troubled for him , i will surely have mercy on him , saith the lord ? what tendernesse ! o what compassion in the heart of an infinite god! psal. . . the lord healeth the broken in heart , he bindeth up their wounds . o how softly and compassionately doth his heavenly hand put in joynt the bones of a broken heart ? his son christ hath a roome in his heart for the lambes which are not able to go there alone , esai . . . he shall gather the lambs with his arms , he shall carry them in his bosome . . he is ( psal. . . clothed with glory , psal. . . clothed with honour and majesty . . covered with light ( uncreated light ) as with a garment . how dear must every yard of that garment be ? poor earthly kings ride upon horses of flesh ; he rode upon a cherub , and did flie upon the wings of the winde , psal. . . nor is he then upon his highest horse , he can ride higher then on the wings of the winde , psal. . . psal. . . kings of clay have their tents on the cold earth : he maketh dark clouds his pavilion : it should kill the holiest on earth to see one glimpse of his glory . . what beauty must be in this lord ? angels and glorified soules are not able to look off his face for all eternity , mat. . . revel. . . esai . . . the moone shall be confounded , and the sun ashamed , when the lord of hosts shall reigne in mount zion , and in jerusalem before his ancients gloriously . he must be a fair lord when the fair sun blusheth , and is ashamed to appeare and shine before him . nothing david desired in this side of time , but to dwell all the dayes of his life in the house of the lord , and behold the beauty , ( the heavenly increated beauty ) of the lord , psal. . . put all the imaginable colours of the firmament , of the morning skie , of all the lillies and roses of the earth , which surpasse salomons royalty , in one ; imagine a rose to bee of the quantity of the earth , all these should be but created shadowes to him , zach. . . how great is his goodnesse ? how great is his beauty ? he is both good and fair . . who can speak of omnipotence and boundlesse power in god , esai . . . who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meted out heaven with a span , and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure , and weighed the mountains in scales , and the hils in ballance ? there is but one in all the world , and from eternity to eternity never was there any save one who can do all this . what fingers be those , which at one time are in the furthest borders of the eastern heaven , and of the western heaven ? ver. . behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket , and are compted as the small dust of the ballance , behold he takes up the iles as a very little thing . and he can take up the whole i le of brittain in his hand , & can hang the weight of the massie body of heaven and earth on the top of his finger , who is he who hangeth the earth , yea , the whole world upon nothing ? what hindreth , ( seeing there be such broyles , tumults , motions in heaven , earth , and hell ) but this great huge vessel of the great all , this whole world should fall to the one side and break ? but omnipotence holdeth it up : who hath arms to spread a web of black darknesse from the east to the west ? esai . . . i cloath the heavens with blacknesse , and i make sackcloth their covering ; and alas , all that i say here is nothing ; it must be true here , praestat tacere quam pauca discere ; better be silent in so great a matter , as speak little . vse is , to teach us not to be in love with the creature , or with men . what is man , but a weeping , groning , dying , nothing ? esai . . . all nations are before god as nothing and lesse then nothing , and vanity . vvhat is nothing ? it is the least thing that can be , but ( i pray you ) what is lesse then nothing ? nothing can be lesse then nothing , but all nations being compared with god evanish infinite miles , out of the world of some things : and if one man be nothing , nations of men , and nations of nations are nothing : multiply cyphers to millions of millions , they cannot make a number , because every cypher is nothing , and therefore the product must be nothing ; so multiply infinitely nations , let spaine , france , italy , ireland , denmark , and what the power of men can make , the product shall be nothing . millions and hosts of men are millions and hosts of vanities , god is all , and in infinite all , and what can we do to make him lovely and desirable . we may preach this admirable lord , but we shall never out-preach him ; and praise him , but shall never outpraise him , his favour is more to be sought then favour of kings , he is more to be feared then kings , esai . . i , even i , am the lord , the lord that comforteth you : who art thou that shouldest be afraid of a man , that shall die , and of the son of man that shall be made as grasse ? hence are you to see to the prerogative royall of the king , but more to the prerogative royal of the prince of the kings of the earth : and therefore , o judges be wise : o all you who carry on your heads , diadems , and royall crowns of yellow dust , and glistering clay , i meane of gold and precious stones , stoope , stoope before this monarch , cast down your crownes and scepters at the feet of the king of kings : know your superiour the highest land-lord of dying monarchies , zach. . . it is said , the lord shall inherit judah , and shall chuse jerusalem : o but kings and dominions who keep judah captive , cry out with a shout , judah shall serve us , and our king , and jesus christ shall not raigne over us : but there is a royal proclamation given with an , ô yes , from his palace of glory , who inhabiteth eternity , v. . be silent , o all flesh , before the lord . so psal. . . jew and gentile are upon foot raging , and consulting with all , let us break his bands and cast his cords from us ; nay v. . one who is not on foot , but sitteth in heaven , laughing , not troubling himselfe with the tumults of clay-nothings , sent out a princely mandate ! i have set my king upon my holy hill of zion : i have put the crown on christs head , what men of dust and ashes shall pull it off his head ? psal. . . he breaketh the bow , and cutteth the spear , he burneth the chariots in the fire . the heathen cannot endure this , they flie on armies , and cry with a shout , he shal not break our bowes , he shal not burne our chariots with fire ; therefore a royal commandment and decree cometh out , v. . be still , and know that i am god , i will be exalted above the heathen , i will be exalted on earth . he is crying , o rome : o spaine : o ireland : o kings , and powers of the world , o babylon , lady of nations : o pope and cardinals hold your peace , speak no more , esai . . . i bring near my righteousnesse , it shall not be far off , and my salvation shall not tarry , and i will place salvation in zion , for israel , ( for brittain ) my glory . . vse is , to bring hearts in a fervour and sicknes of love with god , and make us mould higher and more majestick thoughts and conceptions of this most high lord , then ordinarily we do ; and therefore consider , how inconsiderable & incomprehensible he is . . summon all created glory before him , by way of comparison . . look at him as the last end . first then consider two words that paul hath , eph. . , . that you may be able ( it is his prayer ) with all the saints to comprehend , what is the breadth , and length , and depth , and height , . and to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge . now from the love of christ you may take the measure , in some proportion , of this great lord himself : then conceive a love higher then the heaven of heavens , deeper then the earth , broader then the sea , yea broader and longer then the circumference of the outmost shel , or orbe of the heaven of heavens , that love should not passe knowledge ; but seeing i am warranted to speak of love according to dimensiones of height , breadth , depth , length ; but imagine , in the capacity of knowledge and understanding , ten thousand millions of new created heavens and worlds at the east end of this heaven that now is , and ten thousand millions of new worlds created at the west end of this heaven that now is , and let your knowledge run along to the north and the south , and to the thirty two points of the foure cardinall arches , here would be great height , length , breadth , and depth of love ; yet , i am sure , this love should not passe all knowledge , for the understanding of man will go along through all these , to multiply and multiply againe and againe , and yet all love within knowledge , what then must himself be ? if we could separate god and gods love . again , conceive so many multiplyed new worlds , new heavens , new earths , new seas , new forrests , woods , trees , reeds , herbs , grasse , stones , and all the rest multiplyed ; and conceive so many worlds of men and new created angels , and let all these millions of vvoods , trees , forrests , herbs , grasse , be all made pens , and let all these thousands millions of new created seas , fountaines , rivers , be all ink ; and all these thousands millions of heavens , yea of heavens , aire , earth be paper , and let these thousands of millions of men and angels write books and psalms of praise of this infinite and incomprehensible lord , and let their wits be enlarged in the capacity of so many thousand millions of degrees of understanding , above what they now have , according to the former multiplied numbers , and let their wits for all eternity , conceive new expressions and most heavenly conceptions of the infinite excellency , transcendent glory , incomparable goodnesse , and matchlesse and boundlesse highnesse , greatnesse , omnipotence of this never enough admired and adored lord , of this high and loftie one who inhabiteth eternity , and yet all these should not passe knowledge ; for you and i , and any ordinary understanding of no great capacity may know all this , and therefore all these should not say any thing to expresse this love and this lord who passeth all knowledge . o if we could be drawn to a higher measure of love , and to put a greater price on this lord then we do . . from this we may easily see the comparison betwixt this lord and peers of created nothings : and if all nations be before him as nothing , & as lesse then nothing , as it is said by himself es. . . then say , o smal , base nothing of a creature : o highest : o excellency of all things in the creator : o little and really small creature : o great and surpassing great , and incomparable creator : o man , poor man , that living lie ; and that dying and expiring nothing : but o infinite all : o unspeakable and infinite glory of uncreated being ! o man , a breathing fable , a living and a laughing vanity : o self-sufficient and al sufficient life of solid happinesse : o creature : a dying vanity , and a weeping nothing , a nothing rejoycing , eating , drinking , sighing , dying : o highest creator : o eternity of ever-living and ever-joying life : o self-living immortality of endlesse and uncreated joy : o created sparkes , and poore drops of creature-goodnesse , and creature-mercy : o sea : o boundlesse world of worlds of infinite goodnesse , and bottom-lesse mercy in the creator of all things : o shamed and despised royaltie of princes of earth and clay : o never enough admired glory of uncreated royaltie in the incomprehensible god! o fair sun ! o beautifull moone ! but rather , o confounded and shamed sunne and moon , esa. . . and , o infinitely fair and glorious lord who made sun and moon : o pleasant roses and lillies : but , o pleasanter lord the creator of roses and lillies : o mighty and powerfull kings and emperours , but most mighty and matchlesse king of kings : o foolish and unwise men : o unstedfast and changeable angels : o lord there is no searching out of thy understanding : o unchangeable and unmoveable mover of all things : o peeces of breathing , laughing , and then dying clay : o creature of yesterday , of the last by-past hour , for the world is not of one weeks standing to him ; seeing a thousand yeers are to him as one day . but , o lord , the ancient of dayes , daniel . . o father of eternity , esai . . . o king of ages , . tim. . . and king of time : o weak men : o mightlesse and infirme heavens which shall wax old as a garment : o eternall lord : o what an arme of omnipotency is in him , who shall with a shake of his right arme move the heavens and loose all the fixed stars , and cause them to fall out of the heaven , as figs fall off a fig-tree shaken with a mighty winde , revel. . . o all you created gardens and orchards and paradises , be ashamed , blush and hide your selves beside the tree of life , which beareth twelve manner of fruit every moneth : every apple growing on this lord who is the tree of life , is life eternall : o gold : o silver : o rubies : o precious stones , much desired by adams sonnes ! what are you to him whose city is fairer , revel. . . and the building of the wall was of jasper , and the city was pure gold like unto clear glasse . he saith not there was abundance of gold in the city , and multitudes of precious stones , but the city was all gold , and precious stones ; a city like rome , venetia , or constantinople ; in which , timber , wals , stones , streets , & all the buildings were nothing but precious stones and gold , were admirable ; o all fair rivers and seas , what are you but pooles of dead water , being compared with a pure river of water of life , proceeding out of the throne of god , and of the lamb ? rev. . . every drop of that water is an heaven . o created welbeloveds you are black , and the sun hath looked on you , when you come out and stand beside the standard bearer amongst ten thousand , cant. . . oh , who are sick of love for this lord : o for eternities leasure to look on him , to feast upon a sight of his face : o for the long summer-day of endlesse ages to stand beside him and to enjoy him ! o time : o sin be removed out of the way : o day : o fairest of dayes dawne : o morning of eternity break out , and arise , that we may enjoy this incomprehensible lord . and therefore , o come out of the creature . . make not clay and the creature whose mother is purum nihil , pure meere nothing , your last end ; alas , make not the gospel of our lord jesus a post-horse to ride your own errands , or a covenant with the most high lord a chariot and stirrop to mount upon the height of your carnall and clay-projects : this is , as if one should stop the entry of an oven with a kings roberoyall . let god , onely god , be your last end . . he is the living god ] the words chajah and havah , to be , and to live , are neere of kindred together , for living is the most excellent being , and it is most agreeable to reason that jehovah , who is the first being , and hath being of himself , should be the living god . and you do not finde man called living man , though man have a life , as god is called the living god ; he is the living god , because all life is originally in him , psal. . . with thee is the well of life , joh. . . in him was life ; all heat is orignally in fire , and in other things at the second hand : all light originally in the sun ; and other things have light by loane onely ; and light in other things is from the sun by a sort of grace . . he is the living god , in opposition to dead idols , who , psal. . want life . . and have mouthes and speak not , eyes they have , but see not : you need not be afraid of the pa●ists , gods of wood , and silver , and gold . but because i haste to an ●nd ▪ the use is . . if all things that live , and we mortall men borrow our life from god , we are to correct three errours . . we take this borrowed breath for our proper heritage , and we make this lif● our idol and our last end : hence all is done for this life , men betray the cause of god for their life , men desert the cause of god , parliament , countrey and religion , for a life to them and theirs ; men kill and destroy for life ; men rise early in the morning , and go late to bed at night , and eat the bread of sorrow for life : but oh ! little do wee for the living god , and a communion with the living god in the best life , the life of grace . our second error is , that as our life is but a borrowed thing , we do not think on two things ; . the paying of the annuall of this borrowed sum , even the dedication of our life , actions , wayes , and purposes to god , and his honour : secondly , we doe not think of paying back again the principall sum , and who hath the sum in his hand , and his soul in readinesse to render to god ? . but like bankrupts we minde not to pay except we be arrested , and then the soul is taken from money , but if we do not render it , the ghuest is pulled out , but doth not come out , anima ejicitur , non egreditur . who liveth as having no morrow ? who walketh as if death were alwayes at his right side ? . we love best the worst of our life , we are much for the time-accidents , and the clay-accidents of this life , such as are court , honour , riches , pleasure , ease : some sell religion to be free from plundering , others to keep a whole skin , and to go to heaven , as they imagine without losse of bloud , comply with papists , prelates , court , and the times . and for that which scarce deserveth the name of life ; men give , ( as the lyer saith , job . . . ) skinne for skinne , and all that they have for life : but oh ! that noble accident of life , eternity of life , or rather that excellent substance , eternall life , is much neglected ; the life hidden up with christ in god , col . . is regarded . . how sweet is it to make god a friend sure and induring to thy soule , who cannot die ? is it sure to trust in the prince who returneth to his earth , the earth whereof he is a landed heritor , when he dieth ? psal. . . is it not surer to trust in the lord who made the heaven and the earth ? vers. . is it sure to trust , . tim. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in riches which deale not plainly and fairly with us , nor go out the high way , but are uncertain , like a friend , and you know not when to have him , and when to want him ? is it not better to trust in that living god ? that god who liveth for ever , whereas riches is a dead and a dying god ; david speaking of his owne greatnesse , valour in war through gods strength , and of nations , people , and kingdomes , who served him , yet looketh on one above all , psal. . . the lord liveth and blessed bee my rock : this putteth me in minde of a prince , who heard of the death of many of great and noble friends in war , and that this duke and this prince , and this and this worthy friend was killed in war , yet comforted himself with this , vivit imperator , sat habeo ; the emperour liveth , and i am happy enough . but is not this better , to a soule that knoweth god , my father is killed , my brother lost , my prince dead , my deare friend buried , but god liveth , and blessed be my rock ; yea , but say thy god the king of brittaine liveth , yet his favour to thee may die before he die himself , and then what hast thou ? court , court is made of glasse , and can glister , and be broken in one houre , the pavement of the chamber of presence is icy and slidy , and thou maist fall : it is known to many , the courtier is as a compter laid downe in the compting table to day for a thousand pound , and taken up and laid downe in the next accompt for a farthing : o but these two be sweetly combined ; the ever-living god , and the ever-loving god : how comfortable that i beleeve gods love toward me is as old as god , and that as god did never begin to be god , so he never began to love me , but as he is eternall , so his love is eternall , and i know the court shall not change upon me . and abiding , or stedfast for ever . ] this is another attribute of gods blessed nature that darius ascribeth to god ; he is a god eternall , daniel . . he is the ancient of dayes , psal. . . the heavens shall perish , but thou shalt endure , yea all of them wax old as a garment : as a vesture shalt thou change them , and they shall be changed . . but thou art the same , and thy yeers shall have no end . i know now that the whole created masse of heaven and earth , and all therein , is but as a web of cloth , and as a sute of clothes , and the best end of the web is old and moth-eaten , and shall bee laid by , as an old threed-bare cloak , ragged and holed , when god shall endure for ever and ever . . time goeth not about god , as it goeth about creatures , there is not with him yesterday and to morrow , and this yeere , and the last yeere ; but his duration is an instant standing alwayes still ; you and i slide through moneths and yeeres , and at length wee are over ears in time , and under the water by death : but he standeth still , his being is in no flux or motion from first and last , from time past to time to come , because he is revel. . . the first and the last , and v. . the alpha and omega , the beginning and the ending , saith the lord : he which is , and which was , and which is to come . imagine there were a verbe that doth involve an action done and ended yesterday , and in doing to day , and to be done to morrow , and yet a compleatly perfected action that should expresse gods duration best ; whereas our being taketh three verbs to expresse it , this man was , and continueth yet , and to morrow shall be , but may not bee , pet. . . one day is with the lord as a thousand yeares , and a thousand yeeres as one day . and therefore he is the king of ages , tim. . . as if generations and centuries of yeares were his subjects and servants . his sonne christ is , esay . . the father of eternitie : and esay . . he inhabiteth eternitie . men do not inhabite eternitie , for , in this , we do but take by the curtains of time , and looke into the borders of eternitie , and in the life to come we shall bee beside eternity , and not inhabite eternity , so as if non-existence and our glorified natures should involve a contradiction ; whereas existence is as essentiall to the glorious majesty of god as his blessed essence , and his blessed essence involveth a contradiction not to bee . and all time-gods are no gods : for if you say god , you say an eternall necessity of an eternall and ever living god : and this maketh god free from change , and from ups and downes , from falling and rising , that are incident to all created natures , even to men and angels . vse . if god be eternall and lord of time , we must be carefull that wee say not as the people doth , jer. . . the harvest is past , and the summer is ended , and we are not saved . wee are inclined to weepe upon time as being too long , especially when wee our selves , and the lords church have sad and bloody dayes . but the children of god have three advantages , which are as many motives to cause us to submit to gods dispensation of time . . wait on , for psal. . . the hope of the poore shall not perish for ever , psal. . . i waited patiently on the lord ; and what was the issue ? and he inclined his eare and heard my cry . . he brought me also out of the horrible pit , out of the mirie clayes , and set my feet on a rock , and established my goings . hence , as while the bellows blow , the fire casteth heat and light , so doth the heat and fervour of our long lodging under the crosse make broad aimes of praising and walking thankefully ; and when the breathing of the bellowes ceaseth , the fire goeth out again ; so when we are delivered , and are cooled , wee turn cold in performing reall thankfulnesse to god ; but let faith in long troubles wait on , and sow seed in heaven and on christ ( and that is excellent soyle ) and wee shall reape in due time , if we faint not . . gods delayes are the seeds of greater mercies ; we are ( to borrow that expression ) to pardon the long delayed salvation of god , and to forgive times leaden wheeles which move slowly , because god recompenseth want of present deliverance with a superplus of grace ; was it not best that jacob was not blessed at the first ? his faith was lengthned to continue with this ; i will not let thee goe while thou blesse me . the woman of canaans daughters body is not freed of the divell at the first or second cry , but her owne soule is inriched with faith , great faith , and fervour of spirit , to continue in praying and humble submission to bee willing to be a dogge to christ ; and here the lord often recompenseth the want of brasse with the presence of gold . for faith here intrusteth a stocke in gods hand , and doth forbeare and suspend both principall and annuall till gods time come . therefore wee are to take heed that while we fret and challenge our lord , that hee loseth time , that we be not in the mean time losing time our selves ; if he hold his church long in the furnace , if his church doe not joyn with god actively , to melt her selfe , and to humble her selfe under gods mighty hand , then the church loseth her time , but god doth not lose a moment . the gold-smith should hold his vessell in the fire till it be melted and refined . here also wee are to consider , that to deliver out of some crosse , as it is gods mercy , so it is my duetie . i lose a father , a childe , a deare friend in warre ; i can never in this life be delivered from this crosse , according to the reality of it : for my father , my childe , my deare friend , once being dead , cannot returne to mee againe : but though i cannot bee delivered from the reall losse , yet may i by gods grace deliver my selfe from the impatient fretting and distrustfull apprehension of that losse , by doing that for conscience to the god of patience , ( who commandeth mee to submit ) which for length of time i shall doe ; but here wee obey time rather then god . . gods time is better then ours , for hee knoweth when wee are ripe for deliverance , and when the drosse cometh away from the mett●ll , and when we cast our scumme . here before we glorifie him , we would binde him to deliver us ; and we desire here to be served before god , that he should deliver before we be mortified and dead to our lusts . but it is better that our paine continue praising and beleeving , as both paine and faith be removed . how excellent is that of the church crying out of the deep , psal. . . i wait for the lord . but many lie stil under the load , rather then wait , because they cannot help the businesse ; therefore he addeth , my soule doth wait . . many wait , and they know not whereon ; it is a fooles nest they seeke ; therefore he addeth , and in his word doe i trust . a soule is not bottomed on a dreame in his on-waiting , when he hath the word of god for his warrant . . many doe wait , but it is deliverance that they wait for , and not for god himselfe ; therefore saith he , ver. . my soul waiteth for the lord . it is as much for god and a communion with him that faith waiteth for , as for deliverance . . but many wait , but very lazily , and with great deadnesse ; the prophet expresseth more of himselfe , my soule waiteth for the lord , more then they that watch for the morning , i say , more then they that watch for the morning . such a waiter with these foure qualifications can never be delivered out of time . here then are newes ; awake , o sion , sit no longer in ashes , put on thy beautifull garments , o people really in covenant with god ; england , brittain , be not weary , the king is comming , christ is in his journey posting , deliverance is at hand . o beleever make no haste ; o prisoner of hope , die not in the prison . oh! we want faith . it is the art and cunning of faith to beleeve and not see , and to have memory for eyes and sense ; but we would both sow and reap in one day , and would have physicke and health both in one houre ; we would alwayes be at miracles . vse . if god be eternall , his love and decrees must be necessary and irresistable ; nothing is so necessary as that which is eternall . then i could easily yeeld , ( considering who are this day against us ) we should be sunk and overwhelmed , if those three hold good which papists and arminians hold . . our salvation were in danger , if free-will , which hath its rise and working in time , were the axeltree upon which are rolled the wheeles of eternall election and reprobation . but there is as good reason to say , that a sucking childe may reach up his arme above the sunne and starres , and roll about the wheele of the first heaven from east to west , and turne the wheele again from west to east , as to say that time-free-will can turn about the eternall counsel of god , and that our acts of believing are not believing ; and our good and evil works which have their rise from yesterday and to day , and are like jonahs gourd , up and down in one night , doe roll about the eternall will and decree of god , from favour and love to hatred and rejecting of men . better make the former of all things supreame and soveraigne , then give the prerogative royall of all to naughty and sinfull clay . . we could easily grant that it were in mens power to destroy the church of god , and that the king of the bottomlesse pit , and his lady and queen babylon the great whore , and their sonnes , papists and prelates , might cut off the name of the lords israel , if upon the supposall of their dream of n. media scientia , the new eyes which jesuits ( with all humble submission and glory to the glorious god bee it spoken ) have given to the almighty , contingency did rule all : for upon the nod and dominion of causes , without all determination of gods righteous providence and eternall counsel , all revolutions of church and kingdomes depend , say they , and all hang upon these two poles , may be , may not be ; what hindereth then that christ have no spouse , no redeemed people , and that he be a husband without a wife , a king without subjects , a saviour without a ransomed people , as they expresly teach , who with arminians are advocates for nature , and pleaders against the grace of god ; but wee believe god to bee eternall , and his counsel eternall , and his eternall decree to have a strong influence in the safety of his church , against which the gates of hell shall not prevail , and that divels , men , babylon , rome , spain , irish rebels , powers on earth in their plots , machinations , counsels , endeavours , battels , victories , all which , come from free causes , are yet chained and fast linked to the high dominion and independent soveraignty of an eternall god . and we believe that this differenceth jehovah from all other gods , who , as esay saith , can neither do good nor evil . therefore there is not an arrow steepd in hell and shot against the church , but it cometh out of gods bow , and he saith it , esay . . yea , before the day was , i am he , and there is none that can deliver out of my hand . i wil worke , and who shall let it ? the churches victories and deliverance depend upon an eternall hand , and therefore the sonnes of belial prevail not , and the sons of jacob are not consumed . . it were a desperate matter for the elect to be saved , if the first adam were our surety ; but our tutor jesus christ is old and wise , the ancient of dayes , daniel . . and he hath seven eies ; they cannot chuse but hold the apostasie of the saints , who make free-will our tutor : and therefore if i were halfe in heaven , and my one foot in eternity , and my other in time , if such a sinfull principle as free-will should tutour and guide me , i should come back again out of heaven , and be damned eternally . if any weak soule apprehending wrath , and under a fervour of desertion should complain , what hindreth me to be eternally condemned ? for i am not distracted , i am privie to my selfe , that i have sold my birth-right , and sinned against the grace of god hainously : let me answer , that the selling of your birth-right dependeth upon the consent of your tutor jesus christ , who is the king of ages , as no minor can sell his inheritance without the consent of his tutor , and if he should doe it , it cannot stand in law , but may be revoked . christ is first heire , and all the elect joynt heires with him , rom. . . and joynt heires in law , though many persons , yet they make but one heire : consider then , if he who is your eternall king of ages , and so unchangeable , hath not given his consent to the bargaine , that you should sell his birth-right and inheritance , and under him , your own birth-right , you had no power to doe it ; christ because he is god eternall cannot subscribe , nor signe with his hand the writs wherein you have sold your inheritance , therefore the bargaine in law is a meere nullity . thirdly , if he be god enduring for ever , what fooles are we to place our hope in a king that shall die ? surely they cast their anchor in ill ground , who trust in the creature ; thou puttest thy heaven betwixt the browes of a king and in the light of his countenance ; he is but a man , and may change , and though his favour were constant , yet when his eye-strings shall be broken , with one breath he shall breathe out his own soule , and thy heaven : and what canst thou then say or do ? because sence and the flesh leadeth us , and time goeth about us from the cradle to the grave ; we are all for time , we are for a time-court , a time-glory , a time-prince , a time-friend , a time-husband , a time-brother , a time-heaven and happinesse , a time-deliverance in trouble , time-riches , time-joy and time-pleasure , time-triumphing , a time-life , &c. but we may finde in this king of ages , who indureth for ever , these same good things of another nature , as we finde in god , eternall court , eternall glory , an eternall king , an eternall friend , an eternall husband , an eternall brother , an eternall happinesse , an eternall salvation , eternall riches , eternall victory and triumph , and in summe , life eternall . his kingdome such as cannot be destroyed ] the other classe of arguments to prove daniels god to be the true god , is from his government ; his kingdome ; that is , the people of his kingdome cannot be destroyed : and now the king doth say , though there be variety and choyce of gods in chaldea and persia , yet daniels god is incomparably above them all ; and daniel and his fellowes are blessed and more happy in their god , then all that serve other gods . the lord when he is tried , will be found the onely excellent and matchlesse god above all gods , and none like to him and his people , the onely happy people ; that mans portion is fallen in pleasant lines who hath the lord for his portion ; but i must go on to make good this doctrine , that the kingdome and church of god is the most permanent and induring society on earth , and a kingdome which cannot fail ; and i go upon these grounds , there is a most firm and sure covenant made betwixt the lord and his people , jer. . . thus saith the lord that giveth the sun for a light by day , and the ordinances of the moon and stars for a light by night , which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roare , the lord of hosts is his name , vers. . if these ordinances depart from before mee , saith the lord , then the seed of israel shall cease from being a nation before me for ever . i might alledge other scriptures also , as jer. . , . ezech. . , , , . esai . . , , . esai . . . heb. . , , , , . now then because god hath bottomed the eternity of his church upon his own unchangeable counsell , they must raze the acts of heaven who can take away the church of god . i leave it to the thoughts of the judicious , if the rooting out of the protestant religion bee a rationall purpose of intelligent men . what if we should imagine a society of transported men should convene in parliament , and make statutes thus , we ordain as a law and statute , that from the . of january the sunne shall shine no more by day , and the moone and starres shall give no more light by night ; also we inhibite and discharge , under the highest pain of treason , from this time forth the sea shall never ebbe or flow again . these or the like , should be but the notions of sick imiginations ; acts of night counsels have been these ; first , fire the city of london ; secondly , cut off the parliament ; thirdly , leave not alive in ireland a protestant or their seed ; fourthly , roote them all out of france , and germany ; fifthly , destroy scotland and their covenant ; sixthly , undoe all reformation of religion in brittain . secondly , consider the strength of the church of god , numb. . . he hath , as it were , the strength of an vnicorn ; he shall eat up the nations his enemies , he shall break his bones , and pierce them thorow with his arrowes . why ? and the church is but a feeble worme : let it be so , yet he saith , esay . . feare not , worm jacob , and yee men of israel , i will helpe thee , saith the lord thy redeemer , the holy one of israel in the midst of thee . vers. . behold , i will make thee ( worme as thou art ) a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth ; thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small , and shalt make the hils as chaffe . vers. . thou shalt fanne them , and the winde shall carry them away , and the whirle winde shall scatter them . you have not seen such a miracle , that a worme shall destroy a great mountain , and blow it away as chaffe ; but it is gods way , that omnipotence rides on a straw , on a worme , and triumph . and how can it be but thus ? the church is the weakest thing in the earth , but in god incomparably the strongest , psalme . . god is our refuge and strength : gods strength is the absolute greatest strength , and so overcome god and overcome the church , for a greater strength must overcome the lesse . where dwelleth hee ? in earth , in hell , or in heaven ? who hath strength above the strength of god ? they doe not flie to the strongest side , who desert the parliament and flie to oxford ; they run but downe to egypt , but esay . . their strength is to sit still . thirdly , the destroying of the church is not a worke of reason or deep policie , as men suppose ; they will but swallow downe and drinke the protestants , let them be doing and goe on : put the church of christ in a cup and drink her , but you will be sick when shee is in your belly , and had better drinke many quarts of lead or brasse melted and coming hot out of the furnace , for zach . , there is poison and death in the cup . i will make jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about : the gall , the wormwood , the poyson of the vengeance of the lord , and the vengeance of his temple is in the cup ; drink who will , they shall be sick , and drunken , and vomit , and fall , and die in their vomit , and never rise again . pharaoh dranke of this cup , but he was killed with it , and made fishes meat . nebuchadnezzar and belshazar dranke , but they swelled hand and foot ▪ and died . herod acts . had the cup at his head , and tooke a draught of this wine , but he was stricken with wormes : papists , prelates , the irish good catholique subjects , the emperour , spaine , rome , the antichrist , the powers of the earth are now drinking one to another , and the cup of trembling goeth in a round to them all ; but consider how sick they shall be , zach. . . and this shall bee the plague wherewith the lord shall smite all the people that have fought against ierusalem : their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet , and their eyes shall consume away in their eye-holes , and their tongue shall consume away in their mouths . babylons cup-bearers , and atheists , and malignants , to whom the morning of a sound reformation is as the shadow of death , would then know how deadly a cup is now at their head . fourthly , consider gods promises to his church . there is a true diurnall written from heaven , that god is to make a glorious church in the end of the world , esa. . . moreover , the light of the moone shall be as the light of the sun , and the light of the sun sevenfold , as the light of seven dayes . and when the new resurrection shall bee , i mean the in-coming of that elder sister , the church of the jewes , rom. . . and when all israel shall be saved , what a glorious house shall he build for the lord , when that shall be fulfilled ! esay . . and the glory of lebanon shall come unto theee ; the fir-tree , the pine-tree , and the boxe together , to beautifie the place of my sanctuary , and i will make the place of my feet glorious . v. . the sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee ; and all they that despised thee shal bow themselves down at the soals of thy feet , and they shal cal thee the city of the lord , the zion of the holy one of israel . v. . the sunne shal no more be thy light by day , neither for brightnesse shal the moon give light unto thee : but the lord shal be thine everlasting light , and the dayes of thy mourning shal be ended . all which , with many other places , do make god say , that the church shall stand , and never be prevailed against by the very gates of hell . fifthly , christ cannot leave off to be a king , therefore his kingdome must stand : there is a seed and a reward promised to christ for his labours , esay . . there bee articles of grace concluded betwixt the father and his sonne , which cannot be broken . sixthly , there are in all the sufferings of the church two things most considerable : first , a turn ; secondly , a contexture : a turne or returne , gen. . , . joseph was cast in prison ; but the lord was with joseph . gen. . . the archers have sorely grieved joseph , and shot at him , and hated him : but consider the returne , vers. . but his bowe abode in strength , and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty god of jacob . psal. . . many say of my soul , there is no help for him in god . see so sweet a ( but ) vers. . but thou o lord , art a shield for me , my glory , and the lifter up of my head . so is the childe of gods condition made up of two haltes , psal. . . hence the fall ; they prevented me in the day of my calamity : then the rise ; but the lord was my stay . psal. . . all that see me laugh me to scorn , &c. hence faiths rise , vers. . but thou art he that took me out of the wombe , &c. psal. . . weeping may endure for a night ; then the returne , but joy cometh in the morning . psal. . . many are the troubles of the righteous ; this is their down , but they lie not ; but the lord delivereth them out of all . psal. . . i am a wonder to many ; that is dark night ; but the day dawneth againe ; but thou art my strong hold . so doth the servant of god fall , psal. . . for my love they were mine adversaries ; but faith riseth again , but i give my self to prayer , psal. . . thou hast thrust sore at me that i might fall : see the escape , but the lord helped me , vers. . the lord hath chastised me sore ; shall he lie in that condition ? no , but he hath not delivered me to death . esay . . for a smal moment i have forsaken thee ; behold the returne , but with great mercies wil i gather thee . esay . . for we are all as an unclean thing , and all our righteousnes as filthy rags , & we all do fade as a leafe ; our iniquities like the winde have taken us away : this is death ; and look to life again , vers. . but thou , o lord , art our father , &c. jer. . . they shall fight against thee ; there were but a whole parliament , all the estates of the land , kings , princes , priests , and people against jeremiah , but he must not lie on the dust ; but they shall not prevaile against thee , for i am with thee to deliver thee . joh. . . ye now therefore have sorrow ; that is a sad case , yet it hath a turne , but i will see you againe , and ye shall rejoyce , and your joy shall no man take from you ; so are these two at once in the lords witnesses his apostles . . cor. . . persecuted , but not forsaken ; cast down , but not destroyed . . tim. . at my first appearing no man stood with me , but all men forsook me ; yet is he lifted up , vers. . but the lord stood with me , and strengthened me . secondly , there is a contexture of contraries , as black and white , sweet and sowre woven through other , as day-light and night in a morning twy-light : as contraries in one subject . . cor. . . as dying , and behold we live ; as chastened , yet not killed , verse . or , as sorrowfull , yet alwayes rejoycing ; as poor , yet making many rich ; as having nothing , yet possessing all things . how can these two be in one ? they kill us , but we die not ; they bury us , but we live againe in the grave ; we have nothing , and we have all things ; we have , we want not . rom. . killed all the day long , and counted as sleep for the slaughter . . neverthelesse in all these more than conquerours , &c. hence they are killed all the day long , and they live all the day long . i know not how it is , but the churches death is a living and a breathing death , their poverty a rich poverty , their shame glorious shame , their sadnesse joyfull sadnesse , their foyles victorious foyles , their paine an health , and an easie paine , their weaknesse strong and mighty weaknesse . i desire to make some use of this , and . there be no worldly states and monarchies of whom this can be said , their kingdome such as cannot be destroyed . where is there a worldly kingdome that cannot be shaken ? moab was a kingdome , and yet moab shall die in his own vomit . jer. . . aegypt is a great kingdome , and yet it is broken like an old clay-pot or a lame vessell . the foure great monarchies are become like foure may-flowres , withered , and their rosie blossoms are fallen off them in their moneth . did they mean no truth who said of earthly kingdomes ? omnis faelicitas ad culmen perducta , retrogreditur ; and , magna suo pondere ruunt . vvorldly felicity when it is at the height of the stairs , sitteth downe and slippeth back againe ; and great things of this earth are a burden to themselves ; summisque negatum stare diu . it is denied to great things to stand long . alas , how long did one of the kings of gods people raigne , even zachariah ? poore six moneths . shallum came not to this , he raigned in samaria one moneth . and zimri who came to the crowne by blood , had a shorter raigne ; he did walk with a crowne seven dayes ; if pope victor the fifth had a longer time of a golden chaire , it was but five years ; and clemens the third ruled but three yeers ; and alexander the eleventh only two yeers . and though it be but a fiction that kingdomes have their fatall yeers , and monarnarchies are under planetary houres , yet some truth must be in this ; kingdomes have their infancy , and come to a greater strength , till they come to their flowre , and then they begin to turn : and it is congruous to their experienced truth , that kingdomes finde old age ; and gray hairs are here and there upon ephraim , and he knoweth not . . . it is much better to bee a subject , or one of the states of the kingdome of grace ; for grace knoweth no old age , nor hath grace an internall principle of corruption , for it is the seed of eternall glory ; and though the powers of the earth may subvert the foundation and fundamentall laws of earthly kingdoms , yet cannot christs kingdome or the constitution of it be broken . but that which doth loose the pillars of a kingdome is sinne . amos. . for three transgressions of edom and for foure , i will not turne away the punishment thereof , so ammon , moab , judah , are under the same punishment . there is no way to secure england from wrath , but turning to the lord : and especially two sinnes in the state are to be seriously taken to heart . . you suffered many worthy servants of god who pleaded the lords cause for a reformation against the prelates , to be silenced , deprived , imprisoned , banished . both in the reigne of queene elizabeth , and of king james , prelates oppressed the servants of christ , and did tyrannize over the conscience of the lords people in this land : former parliaments did not give christ and his servants faire justice , and now hath the lord stirred up these oppressors to oppresse your parliament , and to raise bloody wars against the land . . it is said , hos. . . ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement , because he willingly followed the commandement . it hath been the sinne of this land , that when episcopacy , antichristian ceremonies , superstition , and will-worship were injoyned by law , to pleasure an earthly king , you willingly followed after the command , against the direction of the king of kings : and now hath the lord delivered the people of the land into the hand of their king . and for this the sword of the lord hath gone through the land . . vse . from the perpetuity of the lords kingdome , we may infer , that this cause of god shall prevail , and that the church , though in the burning bush , cannot be consumed ; for jehovah is in the bush . there be three grounds that there is hope that god will build his own jerusalem . . god never laid the foundation of so fair a building , and then deserted the vvorke : when he hath put it into the hearts of the parliament and land to enter into a covenant with the lord , the cause doth now in formall and direct termes become the lords cause : and so the lord is become surety for england . . when did the lord ever finally prosper his bloody-hearted enemies ? babylons womb and bowels are swelled with blood , they intend to root out the protestant religion . can god say amen to this in brittaine ? no , he will not , this end was sworne at the councell of trent ; it was aimed at by charles the fifth , by leo the tenth against luther , and the designe of the actors of that bloody massacre of paris ; yet hitherto all hath failed them . . gods noble and stately acts of disappointing and discovering so many plots , give us hope ; for in them all god maketh true of england what is said , esai . . . before she travelled , shee brought forth , and before her paine came , she was delivered of a man-childe . when she was sleeping , ere the blow came , the childe was borne , and the woman delivered . his dominion shall be to the end ] dominion is a power to use a thing , as you please , for such ends as you think good ; in the creature , our pleasure is supposed to be regulated by law and reason ; but men or angels will or pleasure is not the rule of the use or lawfull exercise of dominion , but in god ; whose blessed will , not being differenced from his holy reason , and infinite wisedome , it s the rule of the use of his dominion , and none may say to him , what doest thou ? that but standeth still to the creature as a binding law . illud tantum possumus quod jure possumus , we have no more lawfull morall power given to us of god , then we can , or do lawfully exercise according to the morall rule : but gods dominion is to be discussed thus , as it standeth in those following heads . first , in the manner of it , its compleat . deus dominatur in totum ens , & in totum entis ; god hath dominion over every being of the creature , and over every part of the being . god hath dominion over his creatures soule , and his soules faculties , his will , minde , conscience , affections , faith , hope , feare , love , joy ; over the body , and all the powers and motions therof . so god hath a compleat lordship over the creature : one creature hath not a compleat lordship or dominion over another , yea a free reasonable creature hath not a compleat dominion over himself . the reason is , god made the creature , he made all and every being and part of the creature ; he made the soule , the body , the faculties of both , the actions and purposes of both : therefore he hath an absolute dominion over both . the potter hath a dominion of art , not a dominion by creation over the lame-pot : he made the lame-pot , but he created not the clay : he hath therefore but a dominion of art over the clay , not to annihilate the clay as god can do . his dominion is of art to frame of the clay a vessell of honour , for a kings table , or a vessell of dishonour for the receiving of urine . the master amongst the jews might sell his man-servant , and put him in his purse ; but the truth is , when he sold him , he sold but his bodily-service , as hee was usefull to labour and work ; but he could not sell his servants soule , nor his understanding , nor his will , nor his love , nor his faith or religion , nor any of these : courtiers then and cavaliers , prelates , atheists who professe they are of the kings religion , and will dispose of their soules at the kings pleasure , to kill the innocent , they make their soules bastards and unlawfull broods , and they make the king the creator of their soules , and the absolute lord of their religion : o foole , the king did not make thy soule , there is an other soule-lord then the king ! ezek. . . behold all soules are mine , saith the lord ; and there is another soule-former , then the king of brittaine : hear god speak himself , esai . . . if i should contend for ever , the spirits should faile before me , and the soules that i have made ! o finde me an earthly king that can forme soules , and then let the cavaliers sweare that which many now practice , i am the kings wholly , both soule and body , faith and conscience . but i pray you , are not all in england the kings subjects ? yea trùly and all in scotland also , but not one soule , not one conscience in all the three kingdomes is the kings subject . . gods dominion : for the matter is universall , he can presse an army in the clouds , and in the firmament , judg. . . the stars in their course fought against sisera : he hath an host in hell , and raised an army against the first-borne of egypt , psal. . . hee troubled them by sending , malokim ragnim , evill angels , or devils amongst them . he can blow a trumpet , and cry to the dust of the earth , arms , arms , and there ariseth an host of catter-pillers , or canker-wormes , joel . and vers. . before the faces of these wormes the people is much pained , and all faces gather blacknesse ; that is , strange to see valient men of warre tremble before a worme , and one man with a tramp of his foot may kill hundreds of them , but this is the dominion of jehovah the lord . he hath an host of vvaters , every wave of the sea being a souldier , every fish receiving pay from jehovah , first to drown pharoah , and then to eat him and his princes . ▪ he hath a soveraigne dominion over the salvation and damnation of men , as rom. . . the potter hath power over the clay . arminians and papists will have freewil lord and carver of the white roll of election to glory , but gods own pen from eternity did write in the lambs book of life so many , and did book those from eternity , whom he was , of free grace , to make senators of heaven , to walk with the lamb in white : nor doth freewill pen its own doome : but god hateth esau , before he doth good or ill . . god hath an absolute dominion in all the operations of second causes . the stars these five thousand yeers have marched so orderly , and kept their orbes , distance , line , that not one of them ever transgressed the borders of another . and gods dominion herein is so eminent , that in necessary causes the lord worketh a sort of contingency , and in contingent causes , a sort of necessity ; as he saith to the fire , burn , burn not ; burn those who cast into the furnace the three children ; burn not the three children , daniel . , . he commandeth the sun to move , and it moveth , psal. . . he commandeth it to stand still , and it doth so , in the dayes of ioshua . he saith ! o sea , ebbe and flow , ier. . . and it doth so . he saith ! o sea , stand still , as a vvall , or as an heap of ice , do not ebbe , nor flow , while my people go through dry ; and it doth so . and what he hath decreed must be , though it fall out in a contingent way ; iosephs brethren must fell him , potipher must cast him in prison , king pharaoh must exalt him to honour . . vvhen causes seeme confused in their operations , god exerciseth his dominion . why should an arrow smite achab betwixt the joynts of the harnesse , and kill him ? many thousands may bee killed as soone as he : but god shot the arrow ; the bow and the arrow of jehovahs dominion was here , when two armies of many thousands on every side joyne battell : what confusion is there , when thousands are rolled in bloud ? who marshalleth bullets through the aire ? god ranketh bullets , arrows , and fire-works as his souldiers , flying in the air , and will have a good man killed in a good cause , and a wicked man in an evil cause : to come faire and safe off here , must be the dominion of god . . how is it that satan and wicked men in their blackest works of hell are as chariots and horsemen , carrying on the counsels of heaven , and serving gods eternall counsell , when they are not serving god himself ? we are to draw this into our selves , for god communicateth an inferiour dominion to his church and people , for the which he is to be adored . . god is conquering mens judgement , that they yeeld to truth . . he hath given a dominion to his saints , and given them to bee above all things , and put all creatures under the childe of god , and hath put the world , life , death , court , glory , riches , under the fear , faith , love , and joy of his own children : nothing is great to a believer , but christ ; nothing high but the most high , nothing fair but he who is white and ruddy , and the fairest of the sonnes of men , cant. . . psal. . . nothing ancient ; as the ancient of dayes . nothing honourable as the king of ages . nothing desireable as the lord , the desire of all nations , when creatures have dominion over us , and are above us , and too great in our affections , we be then under their power , and our hearts are mastered and over-loaded by clay and shadows ; especially if death , torture , the sword , losse of the sweet pleasures of this life have a dominion over us , our life is a bondage to us . the people of god are rom. . , . killed , and yet conquerors and victors . we are to effect a dominion over sin . how can this be ? for the children of god for the most are foyled in their combat betwixt the spirit and the flesh ; paul was led captive : i answer , this may be , and yet the dominion is on the childe of gods side . . because victory must not be measured by one blow , but by the issue of the battell ; christ at length in all his saints shall bring forth esai . . . judgement unto truth , mat. . . into victory ; the gospel at length is victorious in the heart of the childe of god . . that the spirit keepeth the fields in that same soule with the flesh , is a great dominion ; in carnall men the spirit is not in the fields at all ; and therefore he is a servant not a captive ; and when the childe of god sinneth , it is but with the half of the will , and so the flesh hath but half a vote ; and there is a protestation made on the contrary by that supernatural instinct . a morgaging , or a woodsetting is not a buying , the soul giveth half consent , but with reversion , and a power to take back again at another time . what is now given . a man is legall proprietor , and lord of lands morgaged , though he want the present use of them . . the foyles of the childe of god are the seed of humility , of hunger for a fuller measure of grace , of cautelous and more strict walking ; and often here falling one way is rising another way ; and this fall is a vertuall dominion over pride . sinne helpeth , by gods grace , to mortifie it self . . we are to pray , that the gospel may have a dominion ! o that we might be witnesses to see him who rideth on the white horse go forth through the habitable world with his bow , and his crowne conquering , and to conquer , and that he would cause his servants alwayes to triumph in christ , and make manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place ! revel. . . . cor. . . pray , exalted be the glory of jesus ; high , high for evermore be his throne ! o that the pearles and diadems of his royall crowne may glister as farre as the beames of the sun in the firmament shine . let the wheeles of his chariot be as the wings of an eagle . let his enemies bow before him , and those brazen knees , which will not bow to jesus christ , let them be broken ! o lord let thy kingdome come . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- esa ▪ . . jer. . . esa. . . ezech. . . ezech. . notes for div a e- d. tobias crisp. christ exalted , serm. . serm. . serm. . an enquiry into the nature, necessity, and evidence of christian faith. part i. of faith in general, and of the belief of a deity by j.c. cockburn, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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[ ], p. printed for william keblewhite, london : . errata: p. . reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time 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should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng faith. providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an enquiry into the nature , necessity , and evidence of christian faith , in several essays . part i. of faith in general , and of the belief of a deity . by i. c. d. d. vigilo credo & clamo loquor . london , printed for william keblewhite , at the swan in st. paul's church-yard , mdc xcvi . the contents of this first part. introduction , shewing the occasion and design of the following essays , p. . essay i. faith is and hath been the perpetual standard of righteousness from the beginning of the world , p. . . faith proper to scripture and required under the dispensation of both testaments , ibid. . what to live by faith , p. . . all the righteous upwards to adam lived by faith , p. . . it is great insolence to find fault with the terms and phrases by which the principles of scripture are set forth , p. . essay ii. of faith as opposed to doubting , p. . . the meaning of faith ought to be enquired after , ibid. . common definitions and distinctions of faith not considered nor any new definition offered , ibid. . faith first opposed to doubting , implies a firm perswasion of good and evil , which is essential to a just man , p. . . of the influence which this faith has upon actions , as to the rendring them good or evil , p. . . this faith no light perswasion , but the effect of serious enquiry and deliberation , ib. . it is the first principle of a good life , p. . essay iii. of faith as opposed to atheism , and how a belief of the existence of god is necessary to determine the certain rule of moral actions , p. . . faith is a belief of god and his attributes , ibid. . the necessity of this belief for knowing the first and great rule of moral actions , ibid. . righteousness according to scripture , is to act with a continual regard to god , p. . . these divines are very censurable , who recommend morality upon other principles more and oftner than this , p. . essay iv. the existence of god is most evident , p. . . it doth not require learning or great travel to know that there is a god , p. . . some truths more obvious than mathematical demonstrations , and it may be said , that the existence of a deity is more evident than the propositions of euclid , p. . . whether there be real atheists . the causes of atheism considered , p. . first cause of atheism , vitiousness , p. . a second cause of atheism , the being rebuted by difficulties , ibid. a third cause of atheism , want of consideration , p. . essay v. evidences of a deity in man , p. . . the outward figure of man's body considered , ibid. . the inward frame , p. . . life and sense , with the organs of them , ibid. . the internal , and intellectual faculties , p. . . the method of nourishing the body . p. . . the manner of its generation , p. . . of the useful dependance of some outward members upon our will , and how readily they answer our thoughts , p. . essay vi. evidences of a deity in other parts of the world , p. . . all other things , as well as man , prove that there is a god. it is evident , that man and all other things had one author or cause , ibid. . contrivance and design in in every thing , in the celestial orbs , p. . . in vegetables and animals , p. . . locusts and caterpillars considered , p. . . the disorders and irregularities occasioned by man no reproach to the wisdom of god , p. . . it is unreasonable to ask more evidence for the existence of god , than what we have , p. . . god's eternity obvious . his omnipotency appears in the immensity of the world , p. . . his wisdom and power in the very disposal of meer matter , or the several kinds of earth . p. . . in the variety and virtue of plants , p. . . in the diversity of animals , p. . . it is impossible to convince them who resist these evidences , p. . essay vii . of the absurdity of atheism , p. . . two sorts of demonstration . a deity demonstrable by both of them , ibid. . the existence of god proved by the first , ibid. . the objections of atheists do strengthen the belief of a god. the first objection stated , p. . . the answer to it , p. . . a second objection , p. . . the answer , p. . a third objection , p. . . the answer , p. . . a fourth objection , with the answer , p. . . a deity proved by the other kind of demonstration , ex absurdo , p. . the conclusion , p. . an enquiry into the nature , necessity , and evidence of christian faith. introduction . shewing the occasion and design of the following essays . as certainly the christian religion has the fairest appearance of any , and comes to us with all the marks of truth , being stampt with characters truly divine , and carrying along with it authentick testimonies , both from heaven and earth ; so they who had the keeping of it , have , for near these years , taught that faith was a very considerable part of it , and absolutely necessary to the obtaining all those advantages which are promised by it . but now there are a set of men who pretend new discoveries : they decry faith as much as it was formerly magnified , and turn the things proposed to be believed into ridicule . some of them run down faith , by exposing the clergy , who require it , as ignorant and foolish , a sort of men who are easily imposed upon , or who , to keep up their trade , study to impose on others , amusing them with mysterious nonsense . others essay to prove , that faith is impossible where reason rules and is used ; and therefore that believing proceeds from a defect of reason , and consequently unworthy of those who own themselves to be men , that is , reasonable creatures . a third sort examine the several points of faith , as they are set forth in systems and confessions , and do either dwindle them away into nothing , or render them very absurd , that is , impossible or no ways worthy to be believed . this controversie is of the highest importance : all ought to be inquisitive into it , and earnest to know on what side truth lies , not to satisfie an idle curiosity , but to discover the certain and solid foundation , if there be any such thing , on which they may build their peace and comfort , with respect to the present life , and joyful hopes in reference to that which may be hereafter . upon this account i resolved on this enquiry , and to proceed in it with all the care that becomes a lover of truth , in matters of so very great moment , who ought not to suffer himself to be byass'd by his former sentiments , nor to be carried off by the censures of the world , nor to be possessed with a fondness for opinions , meerly because they are new or old , singular or common . my first aim was to satisfie my self ; and now i propose the giving true information to others , and for that end shall lay all things candidly before them , imposing as little on them , as on my self , who am not willing to be deceived . and i am confident that he , who is attentive and willing to be informed , shall receive plain and full conviction . to try this matter , i do not find it proper to appeal to the universal doctrin , either of the present , or primitive church . the fathers may be thought as partial and incompetent judges as the modern divines . authorities have no weight with the patrons of incredulity , they laugh at this method , and judge it as unreasonable , as if one would consult old bigotted aristotelians about the new philosophy . i know their regard to the scriptures , is much the same as what they have to other books : they read and examine it with the same boldness and freedom , and very often with less modesty than human writings : because its assertions are plain , and otherwise unanswerable ; therefore , to shelter themselves , and to defend their opinions , they disown its authority , and cry it down as a book which is not implicitly to be believed more than others . hence it is that some attack the authentickness and purity of the text ; others , the integrity and inspiration of the pen-men : and all of them endeavour , one way or other , to remove the only sure light we have to direct our course . so they would reason us into a fearful and troublesom uncertainty : and they make our condition as deplorable as persons at sea in a dark tempestuous night , without waggoner , compass , or pilot. i intend not to prove the divine authority of the scripture , which hath been admirably well done by several , both in this , and former ages : i take this for granted . but if this be too great a postulatum , it will be sufficient for my business to suppose it in the first rank of books , which it may claim , both by reason of its antiquity , and the things contained in it . the authors of this holy book merit reverence and esteem , at least as much as plato , aristotle , seneca , epictetus , confutius of china , and other ancients , whose sentiments the world is curious to know , and which learned men have been employed to collect , as useful to mankind . nay , i am willing at present even to pass this too . i ask only ( which cannot be justly denied ) a due attention to what is said in scripture , and an impartial and unbyass'd consideration of the excellency and reasonableness of what it proposes ; for then , i am sure , that the doctrine of christianity will appear divine , and true , and worthy of all acceptation : for it shines with evidence , as the light which proves and manifests it self to every one that is not blind . if our gospel ( saith st. paul ) be hid , it is hid to them that are lost , &c. the finest picture doth not look well , if it be not set in a proper light. nor doth the gospel appear reasonable , when it is not duly represented . all the cavils and objections , that are made against it , proceed from a wrong view of it ; represent it fairly , and there is nothing more agreeable : its imperfections are beauties and admirable contrivances : its foolishness is the highest wisdom : its seeming absurdities and contradictions , upon examination , are most rational and perfectly consistent : its faith is conviction and demonstration . in a word , it is every way faithful and true , and worthy to be received by the wisest and most perfect men , as i hope to make appear by these essays , and what are to follow hereafter , which i desire may be read with attention and candour , and according to the method in which it is written : for divine truths are in this like the propositions of euclid . there is a dependency amongst them , the first must be received before the rest can be admitted ; but tho' what is prior in order of nature ought to be first considered , yet it is certain , that the same is not so fully comprehended , as when what follows is known and understood . thus the existence of a deity is to be proved before a providence , and yet the proofs of a providence , and such a view of it , as we may have by reason and revelation , doth not only mightily confirm us in the belief of a god , but also very much enlarge our idea of him : what may be known by nature and reason , should be proposed before the discoveries of revelation ; and yet the light of revelation doth give clearer convictions of the former , and doth render intelligible , what before could not indeed be denied ; but yet was not well understood . nature and reason may be compared to the dawnings of the morning , which is not to be despised ; but the discoveries of the scripture , resemble the light of the sun when it is mounted the horizon , which is full and sufficient for all that is necessary to our present state. we should have begun at that faith which is peculiar to the gospel , and so spared our labour in proving a deity and providence , if the present growth of atheism had not made it necessary to establish these first . it is true , these subjects have of late been excellently well-handled , to which we might have referred ; but that would have been to build upon another man's foundation . all must acknowledge , that these subjects are of great importance , and therefore what we offer about them , ought to be kindly received both by those who doubt , and those who believe ; that the one may be confirmed , and the other satisfied , in matters that so nearly concern them . i would not be thought to despise some proofs and arguments which i have not used : our essays would have run out into vast volumes , if we had amassed all that might have been said , and therefore we have only made choice of such things as either have been least considered by others , or which may be of most common use . we do not write for the instruction of those who have been bred in universities , and therefore have purposely waved what could not be understood without metaphysical notions , and the abstruse part of learning . we have digested our enquiries about faith into three parts , of which the present essays make the first : and we have been advised to publish them separately , to encourage the reading of them : for , tho' those who have most need of information , have also generally most leisure to read ; yet it is well known that they are also least willing to undertake the reading of what requires many hours and much attention . bulky books fright them , and they throw them by , as too great interruptions to their diversions , for the most of their occupations are nothing else . but if such will not be at the pains to read a few sheets , they betray their aversion to these truths , and do in vain pretend to excuse their infidelity , by want of true conviction . the second part is wholly taken up about providence , which is too copious a subject to be exhausted by any ; but without the hazard of being vain or immodest , i may say , that there is at least some things suggested , which may both perswade the belief of a providence , and also satisfie mens minds in some measure about the strange and wonderful dispensations of it , which , not being commonly handled , we have the more largely insisted on . in the third and last part , shall be considered that faith which is founded upon revelation ; which also we shall indeavour to set in its true light. both these parts shall follow very soon , if it please god to assist us ; and i heartily wish , that all of them may prove useful to the design proposed , by helping to clear those truths which are of the greatest importance . essay i. faith is , and hath been , the perpetual standard of righteousness from the beginning of the world. . as all authors ( whether historians or philosophers ) have their peculiar phrases and way of speaking , so faith is a word and term proper to sacred scripture . it never occurs to us in the reading of any of the heathen moralists , in that sense in which we meet with it almost in every leaf of the holy bible . st. paul as agreeable to the other apostles , he discourses often , and very much of faith ; so , in three several epistles , he asserts , that the iust shall live by faith : and in one of them , he prefaces it with an as it is written , testifying by this , that it was no new doctrine of the gospel , but what was taught by the law and the prophets . and accordingly we find the same very words in the prophet habakkuk , chap. . . whence we may conclude , that this is a scripture maxim , of certain and perpetual verity , under every dispensation , as well the former as the present . . by the iust , is to be understood the good , holy , and righteous ; in opposition to the wicked and ungodly . and to live , comprehends and must be extended to , the whole tract and course of their life and conversation ; for to restrain it to any single , or individual act , which hath not an universal influence upon the whole man and all its motions , is to make the scripture and inspirer of it , speak very improperly . he is not said to live in a place , who lodgeth there a night or two ; but who has his constant residence and abode in it . nor can he be said properly to live by any art or science , who now and then perhaps diverteth himself with it ; but only he who makes it his profession , aim , and study , who constantly exerciseth it , and subsisteth by it . so when it is said that the iust live by faith , the meaning is , and must be , that they always walk by faith ; they order and frame their whole life and conversation according to it . it is the principle by which they are actuated , and which produceth all that they do . as the soul and spirit give life to the body , excite , direct , and determine the actions of the whole man , so faith is the soul , life and spirit of a just or righteous man , the first and great principles of his motions , the chief rule and director of his actions , that which quickens his hopes , awakens his fears , excites and curbs his passion , and which pusheth him forward to all that is suitable to his rank , quality , and other circumstances in which he stands . in a word , to live by faith , must be to think , speak , and act by it , for life comprehends all this . and he who doth thus live by faith , is truly just , good , holy , and righteous . for if it be true that the iust do live by faith , it is also true that they who live by faith are iust. as knowledge and wisdom render a man learned and wise , so faith makes one iust and righteous : and this righteousness encreaseth according to the proportion of our faith ; for there are degrees of faith as of life ; there are weaker and stronger , imperfect and perfect in both . . now that it is not peculiar to the state of the gospel for the iust to live by faith , but that they did so , under the law , and before it , doth further appear from what the apostle writes in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the hebrews , where , by a long enumeration of particular instances , he proves that all the righteous , even up to abel , that is , ever since the fall , did walk by faith ; and that faith was the source and spring of both their common , and extraordinary actions . and he might have ascended higher , and shewed , that even in the state of innocence , faith was appointed the life and soul of righteousness : for that command which was given to our first parents , about the tree of knowledge , in the midst of the garden , was to exercise their faith , as their transgression was a failure of faith as well as of obedience . st. paul , in the epistle to the galatians , and in the first part of that to the romans , pursues the same truth against the bigotted jews and judaizing christians . for to convince them of their error , in expecting to be iustified by the law of moses , he shews clearly , that , before the law was in being , men were accounted iust and righteous before god , by reason of their faith , and therefore that faith was the permanent and perpetual standard or rule both for measuring mens righteousness , and for obtaining their iustification . because abraham was an eminent example of faith , therefore he was not only reputed righteous , but had the peculiar honour to be called the friend of god , and the father of the faithful , in all succeeding generations . and all who believe , and live by faith , are stiled the children of abraham , and heirs of his honour and privileges . upon which account they are also named the children of god , the holy seed , the righteous generation , in opposition to the sons of belial , the wicked and reprobate , who are branded with the character of vnbelievers , children of vnbelief , persons without faith , as the original bears , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . much more might be said on this head , but it sufficiently appears from what hath been said , that according to the peculiar dialect , both of the old and new testament , faith and holiness , believing and to be iust , or to live righteously , are used indifferently , as reciprocal phrases , which import or inferr one another . and the reason of this dialect is , because , according to the philosophy of the scripture , that which goes under the name of faith , is the first principle which actuates a a good or just man , and that the goodness or righteousness , which is acceptable to god , is only the effects or expressions of that faith , which naturally and inseparably follow it , as the light doth the sun. now , before i proceed further , it is fit to make a little pause ; and it may be convenient to represent here the obligation which lieth upon all , who own the authority of scripture , to entertain those phrases and expressions , with respect and reverence . . they ought to esteem them not only sacred , but exact and just , and the fittest to convey true notions into our minds . a wise man can express his own thoughts best . and sure none can be supposed more qualified to know the most apposite words for expressing truth , than the spirit of truth , or they who are inspired by it . they , who recede from the phrases of any author , do also generally differ from his sentiments , and give others occasion to mistake them : for the peculiar and repeated phrases , which one has used constantly , do give the greatest light to the discovery of his thoughts : for , if he had not perceived or fansied some propriety in those phrases , for representing what he would be at , he would not have been so fond of them , nor would he so constantly have used them , even as an exact and skilful painter , observeth carefully , both the strokes and mixtures , which are fittest to shadow out the colours and figures he would represent . but even abstracting from the divine authority of scripture , and the peculiar inspiration of the pen-men , it is very great immodesty to offer to correct and amend their expressions ; as if any now a-days could express their thoughts , notions and sentiments better , than they themselves were capable to do , especially on subjects with which they were well acquainted , and which they knew better than other men , by reason of their profound meditation , the purity of their minds , and the integrity of their lives : these very things ( if divine and immediate inspiration will not be allowed them ) could qualifie them to teach the nature and acts of a holy life , or true righteousness far better than others . all the heathen philosophers came short of their perfection , and therefore are not so good masters of morality : for moral truths are not like mathematical ones , to be learned by reading and study : the knowledge of those comes best , nay , can only be had by serious and continued practice . a good man unlearned , has a deeper sense of christian morality , and can discourse more lively and reasonably of it , than the greatest scholar , who has only the theory . and there be some expressions which seem mean and silly to the last , which the other feels to be just and emphatick ; as what that man esteems lofty and sublime , this man undervalues ; for the one knows and thoroughly understands the subject he speaks of , which the other does not . to return , all the disciples of any sect , reverence the authors and founders of them , and love to speak in their language , and according to their dialect . an aristotelian will huff , and grow very angry , if the cant of his schools be mocked ; and the well-bred cartesian will not be much more calm and easie , when the terms and principles of his philosophy are played upon . now ought not christians to be much more tender of the divine phrases which the prophets and apostles have used to set forth the secret and sublime principles of that life , which renders us acceptable to god , and makes us to be reputed righteous in his sight ? which phrases were neither blindly hit upon , nor affected to amuse , but wisely chosen as most proper ; because both clear and comprehensive . therefore to mock faith , and to turn believing into ridicule , to explode the phrase , and pretend to give better , is insufferable insolence , and a high affront to the apostles , and prophets , and that spirit which did inspire them . christians ought to resent this : to bear with it is not meekness ; but want of zeal and courage ; it is a lazy treachery , as when one beholds the rights of his country or society invaded and betrayed , and yet holds his peace . it does not become the children of the family to assume the liberty , or rather licentiousness of enemies and aliens , and if the wantonness of their humour prompt them to it , it is their duty who have the charge of the family , to chastise them into better manners . essay ii. of faith as opposed to doubting . . whatever regard be due to words and phrases , there is a greater due to the sense and meaning of them . men are no better than parrots , if they utter words and do not understand them . the next thing therefore to be considered is , what is this faith which the just should live by , which is so much magnified and spoken of in scripture , which is now , and which is said always to have been the principle of a holy and spiritual life . . in order to this , i resolve not either to consider the definitions of others , or to give a new one of my own , the common definitions of faith would hamper me too much : if i were tied to them , i could not have the freedom of my design , which is , to make a clear , full , and ample description of faith. this is not to cast a slight upon any of the received definitions ; which , as they are placed in the common catechisms , do serve well enough to point out some of the special and chief acts of faith , but which yet are not sufficient to give a full or clear idea of it . nor will i attempt to amend them , or to establish a better one ; for it is not easie to make a good definition of such a very comprehensive thing as faith is : nor is such a thing well understood by any definition , as by taking a particular and separate view of those things which it comprehends . it is but a very confused notion of grammer , logick , or any other science which youth have by the definitions which are first taught them ; they then only rightly understand the nature and use of these sciences , when they have gone through them . and as i am not to trouble my self with the common definitions , so neither will i intangle my self , or the reader , with the ordinary distinctions of faith ; such as temporary faith , an historical faith , a faith of miracles , &c. for tho' there be something in scripture which gives occasion to these names and distinctions , yet the consideration of them would give little light to our enquiry , for they suppose the knowledge of faith which we enquire after , and are designed to mark out some certain degrees of faith , rather than to instruct the nature of it , which we mainly aim at . for my purpose is , by the light and guidance of scripture alone , to search out this faith , which is necessary to entitle one to be just and righteous before god , and upon which account it must be that st. paul saith , without faith it is impossible to please him , heb. ii . . and to prevent all dangerous errour , that we may not mistake one sort of faith for another , a faith which cannot , or doth not render just , for one that doth , we shall have still in our eye this necessary relation betwixt faith and righteousness . . to proceed then , in the first place , i find faith taken in opposition to doubting : so it is taken , rom. . and in several other places . and in this sense faith is much the same with conscience , and is an inward conviction or perswasion of mind concerning what is true or false , good and evil , lawful and unlawful . which perswasion or inward conviction , is the first rule or standard by which one 's integrity and uprightness is to be measured ; and therefore it is as necessary for the just to live by this faith , as for a square to have four equal sides : both texts of scripture , and the nature of the thing require it . the true and primitive character of a just man is to be conscientious , to follow the dictates of his mind , and to order his life and actions according to what he knows and believes to be right . a just man must be upright , and there is no uprightness if the outward and inward-man do not keep touches , if there be no correspondence betwixt them , if the mouth contradict the heart , and the life and actions be disagreeable to the inward light and sentiments . this faith is as the eye by which we see and know how to order our steps ; it is as the light to shew the way in which we should walk , and not to follow it , or to go contrary to it , is great perverseness , and the character of a wicked man. as the spirit is the principle of life , and life of motion ; so this faith is the first principle of a good life , and men are to be reckoned good or bad as they walk according to it : he is a bad man who contradicts it , and he is no good man whose actions do not flow from it . the motions of a puppet or engine may be both regular and useful , but they cannot be reckoned natural ; because they proceed not from a principle of life , but from artificial springs . so tho' one's actions be never so plausible , fair or useful to others , yet they are not good ; nor is he , who doth them just , if they proceed from any other principle than this faith , that is , an inward perswasion of their being just and good , lawful and reasonable , for whatsoever is not of faith ( saith the apostle ) is sin , rom. . . hence it is that we see some in scripture branded with the character of ill men , and others denied the approbation of being good , whose actions were outwardly good and commendable , because they did what they did , for other reasons , and upon another account , than the intrinsick goodness of those things , or their own perswasion of it . . all the actions of every one are to be approved or condemned , with a regard to this faith , and by vertue of it , things , in themselves good and lawful , become evil , and what is evil loseth a part of its malignity . thus the eating of flesh , which in it self is a lawful and innocent action , is a damnable sin to him who has the least doubt whether it be lawful ; and what is clean turns unclean to him who thinks it so , as is excellently discoursed in that fore-cited chapter . so on the other hand , we find god himself excusing abimelech for taking sarah into his house , because he did it in the integrity of his heart ; that is , he was ignorant of her being another man's wife . and st. paul's perfection of the saints was the more pardonable , because he verily thought he ought to do many things against the name of jesus : i was before ( saith he ) a blasphemer , and a persecutor , and injurious , but i obtained mercy , because i did it ignorantly in unbelief ; that is , without faith , or the perswasion of the evil of it , tim. . . but then it is to be remembred , that this faith which hath such influence upon our actions , and which is so essential to a just man , is not fancy or imagination , nor a light or hasty perswasion . let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind , saith the apostle , ver . . and therefore our faith and perswasion ought to be well-grounded , the effect of serious enquiry and deliberation , that it may give true and certain direction , otherwise it may be still said that we are regardless of right and wrong , truth or falshood , good and evil , which is inconsistent with the character of a perfectly just man. a wise architect doth not work at random , but by plumb and rule ; but then he is first careful that his plumb and rule be right and exact ; for without this , he cannot sincerely intend to have his work perfect . so a just man carefully studieth both a conformity betwixt his actions and his inward sentiments , and betwixt these and truth , and the stable rule of right and wrong , good and evil. to act contrary to inward conviction is to offend wilfully , and the height of wickedness ; but it is the next degree to it to be careless whether we offend or not , whether we do good or evil , which we are guilty of , when we are not at any pains to adjust our perswasion to truth , to know the right , or to inform our selves of what is good , lawful , and fit to be done . the same reason which makes it just , and our duty to act according to our knowledge , and inward perswasion , or to do the good we know , obligeth us to search out the real good that is , that there may be no errour in our perswasion , nor crookedness in our practice ; and then only our thoughts can justifie our actions , when , by diligence and due care , we have endeavoured to make our thoughts just and true , conform to the nature of things ; for without this , we cannot be fully perswaded in our minds , as the apostle enjoineth ; the assurance of faith is wanting , which is necessary to dispel all doubts , and to establish our goings . happy is he ( saith st. paul ) that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth , rom. . . by which he gives us to understand , that our heart must approve our actions ; our minds must judge , that the ways we take are right , otherwise we stand self-condemned . now the judgment is not just which is not certain , which is rashly or hastily pronounced , before a strict examination , or a due attention to all the proofs and evidences which can be brought for clearing the cause . there is still place for doubting , when necessary caution and the proper means have not been used for right and sufficient information . and as doubting defileth the man , and polluteth all his actions , so it is uneasie to the mind : as darkness , in which when one walketh , it maketh him apprehensive , full of fears and jealousies , going forwards and backwards , to the right and left , without any steady course ; because he has no certainty of his way . what is translated a double-minded man , ought to be a doubtful man , one that has not the assurance of faith ; and such an one ( saith st. iames ) is unstable in all his ways , he wavereth like a wave of the sea , which is driven with the wind and tossed , jam. . , . fleeting and inconstancy , change of opinions and practices , regarding events and outward advantages , is at least a sure sign and evidence that the person has not attained to a true faith , or full perswasion of his duty , of what is good , lawful , or necessary ; for faith gives a chearful confidence , it makes one constant , and to be always the same ; because truth and the nature of things change not . to conclude this matter ; by faith here we are to understand a true knowledge of the nature of things , a clear conviction of truth , and a hearty full perswasion of good and evil , lawful and unlawful , which every one should endeavour after as much as possible : and also every one ought to live answerably to the measure which he hath attained of it . who doth thus , so far he is to be reckoned good and just ; for he hath no perverseness in his temper , no crooked byass in his constitution , but sheweth an integrity of mind without guile or hypocrisie , and a regular will , which offers no prejudice , but which renders to every person and thing what is due . . righteousness begins here : a tendency towards this faith is the first symptom and appearance , as well as motion , of a just and good life , which like the natural , upon its first production , may be weak and languid ; but which , like it too , groweth if it be not stifled : and as it groweth , so it acquireth strength and vigour , until it arrive at perfection . the first moments of the morning are hardly distinguished from black night ; but it creepeth on insensibly , until the whole hemisphere be enlightened . so the paths of the just ( saith solomon ) are as the shining light , which shineth more and more until the perfect day , prov. . . essay iii. of faith as opposed to atheism , and how a belief of the existence of god , is necessary to determine the certain rule of moral actions . . to go on with faith , which in the second place is opposed to atheism , and so it is a firm belief of the existence of a deity , a certain , full , and clear perswasion that god is , and a sense of those attributes which are necessarily included in the true idea of god. he ( saith the apostle ) who cometh to god , must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him , heb. . . . the faith , spoken of in the former essay , obligeth to enquire after this ; and this we are now upon , enforceth the reasonableness and necessity of that ; such is the relation betwixt them , and so mutually do they support one another . not to criticize grammatically upon the words [ lawful , and vnlawful ] which suppose a superiour , even good and evil depend much , if not altogether , upon the knowledge of god , and are to be measured by a relation to him : the nature of these will be found to vary very much , according as the existence or non-existence of a deity is established . if man have no superiour , none to reward or punish his actions , then i suppose the government of himself is arbitrary , as the chusing employments is now thought to be ; his chief business is to please himself ; and consequently , good and evil are only to be considered with relation to one's self and his present interest ; which shall make as many different notions of good and evil , as there are different humours , inclinations , and interests among men. good and evil shall in that case have no certain standard by which to be measured , but shall be of as mutable a nature , as honesty and dishonesty in a divided common-wealth , where the same thing is both honesty and knavery , in the judgment of the different parties , and where the same person shall be both reputed a hero and a villain . then no act can leave a guilt , and better or worse , well or ill done is to be measured by the event and success . and tho' moral laws can be shewed to have a foundation in nature , yet the transgression of them , for a particular pleasure or conveniency , will be thought no more culpable than to level a mountain , to cut the course of a river ; to force water to ascend , and such like , which seem to be equal violences to nature ; so that he who has a liberty to do the one , may also do the other . but the case is quite altered , if there be a god , for then we are no more at our own disposal than servants : he who made us , has an absolute dominion over us ; and all our care ought to be to please him : his will is a law , and the perpetual standard of good and evil. . however it is certain , that , ( according to scripture ) none are reckoned just or righteous , but such as act with a continued regard to god , which sometimes is expressed by the fear of god , sometimes by walking with him , or before him , and having the heart perfect or upright with god. when hezekiah pleaded his integrity , it was in these words , remember , lord , how i have walked before thee with a perfect heart , and have done that which is good in thy sight . upon this account , enoch , noah , abraham , lot , ioseph , ioshua , iob , and all the other worthies in scripture are put into the catalogue of the just. and granting that there is a god , it will necessarily follow that he only is a just man , who sets god before him , who makes him the end and measure of his actions , and the very design of whose life is to please god : nor can there be a more proper character of an unjust man , than that by which the wicked and ungodly are described in scripture , viz. they have not the fear of god before their eyes , god is not in all their thoughts , they are without god ; that is , they have no consideration of him , nor regard unto him . he is not just who doth not render to every man what is due . if one keep squares with others never so well , if he deal never so fairly with them , yet if he , at the same time , be untowardly , or undutiful to his parents , he cannot properly be called just. so let one possess all that is called vertue towards men , yet if god have not due acknowledgment from him , that man is neither just nor righteous . nay , as he is not a good and faithful servant , who does not sincerely intend his master's honour and interest in all he doth ; so , ( according to the scripture ) none can claim the titles of just or righteous , or have them bestowed upon them , who do not all for god's sake , whose chief motive to do good and forbear evil is , because the one is acceptable to god , and the other offensive to him . . wherefore those divines are much to be censured , who recommend morality , and a good life chiefly by other topicks than these : for they are either ignorant of the principles and philosophy of the scripture , or they discard the same to establish a better , and more plausible scheme of things . they who profess to believe the divine authority of the scripture , ought also to think that they are incapable to correct its principles , or to establish what is more just , or wise ; and that they cannot better shew their learning and judgment , than by making it appear that they fully understand the scope and doctrine of the scripture . but whatever opinion they have of the scripture , seeing their profession obligeth them to teach it , they ought to do it candidly ; that is , without mixing their own fansies and opinions . if one was appointed to read a lecture of either aristotelian , or cartesian philosophy , he could not be said to execute his office with ingenuity , who did not represent them purely according to their authors , but who did blend them with other principles . a righteousness built on the principles of self-love , honour , conveniency , pleasure , and such other motives , is a righteousness built on a heathen foundation , which cannot please god , no more than we do think our selves obliged by acts and deeds , which had no regard to us . i would not be thought by this to exclude all respect to our private and personal interest ; nor yet to disprove a humble and modest enquiry into the reasonableness or excellency of the divine laws : but as the surest proof , the clearest and shortest demonstration of this , is drawn from the existence , nature , will , and authority of god ; just as we best understand the wisdom and reasons of a government , by considering what the king is , and what he proposes to himself . so the only design of this enquiry should be to encourage our obedience , to render it more ready and chearful by convincing us , that he , who has the authority over us , employs it most for our advantage , that so the servitude , which we owe by nature , may become voluntary , that we may be incapable of revolting : and tho' we could be free , yet we may chuse rather to be servants for ever , like that servant under the law , who gave his ear to be bored thorow , preferring ( out of love to his master ) perpetual bondage to his freedom . i know not whether it should move indignation or pity most , to see how pleasantly men delude themselves with suppositions of mankind ; their starting up free without all obligation , except to consult their own pleasure and convenience . some , who make these suppositions , deny a deity , and proceed without any consideration of god. others own a deity , but they found our obligation to him only on his possessing wisdom , reason and knowledge in greater measure . but this state of nature is a dream and meer romance , and all their suppositions are wild , extravagant , against reason and nature , if mankind had another beginning , if we all owe our being to another ; for then we are not free , our creation subjects us to him . we ought in the first place to regard his will , which is a law of indispensible obligation , not by vertue only of the reasonableness of it , or the conveniency it brings with it , but by vertue of the authority enjoining it . he is an open rebel who has no regard to this authority at all , and he , who preferrs any thing to it , or has any other thing in greater consideration , has broke the first and greatest chain of justice ; he is not truly loyal , but waits an opportunity to revolt . tho' rewards and punishments be proposed , yet they are not intended for weakening the authority of the supream lord ; but to preserve it from contempt , and to heighten our regard for it . which rewards we ought to consider , and have always before us , both that we may know the nature and importance of those things to which they are annexed ; and also , that by them we may be the more capable to serve and glorifie god , to whom we owe infinite service , if it were in our power . essay iv. the existence of god is most evident . from what hath been said it necessarily follows , that the first principle of true righteousness , the foundation of all morality and religion , is this faith by which we firmly believe that god is , and that we derive our life and being from him ; that he rules and governs the world ; and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him . this comprehends all ; and all other things are but deductions from this . shake this , and all falls to the ground ; the whole fabrick of religion and morality shivers into pieces . but then this cannot be shaken : it stands like a rock , immoveable , notwithstanding of all the furious blasts of insolent men in the several ages of the world ; and perhaps , never any of the former made so many , or so violent attacks as this present . this foundation is surer than that of the world it self ; for when the foundation of the world shall be overturned , this shall stand sure to all eternity , as it was before the foundation of the world it self was laid . . and as it is sure and certain , so it is clear and evident . this is not a truth which lies hid , or mysteriously wrap'd up , which requires depth of judgment , vast learning , assiduous study , and great pains to the digging it up : we may come at this , without undertaking long and dangerous voyages , without the wearisome study of languages , without turning over many volumes , without the trouble of consulting all the wise and learned , and collecting their sentiments . this lies open to every man of common sense and judgment , because it is what every man should know , believe , and understand . the necessaries of life are common every where , and may be had in every country by a reasonable industry , which is no ways uneasie . what must be fetch'd from afar , with much expence and labour , doth rather please fansie , than serve nature : so they are only indian trifles , for amusing and sustaining a vain curiosity , which for the most part are returned to us by the laborious travels of learned men. and tho' they produce also things substantial , to give solid delight and satisfaction ; yet even of these it must be said , that they are not absolutely necessary to give us wisdom and knowledge , to establish this faith , which is the ground-work and foundation of all . what is necessary and sufficient for this , is obvious and at hand , that all may be without excuse ; for which cause i may apply these words of moses , this is not hidden from thee , neither is it far off . it is not in heaven , that thou shouldst say , who shall go for us to heaven , and bring it unto us , that we may hear it and do it . neither is it beyond the sea , that thou shouldst say , who shall go over the sea for us , and bring it unto us , that we may hear it and do it ; but this word of faith is very nigh unto thee , in thy mouth , and in thy heart , that thou mayst do it , deut. . . that is , the evidence of this faith depends not on the knowledge of what is transacted in these upper regions , nor on what passeth in the remote parts of the world ; but the evidence of it lies in every man 's own bosom : his own mind ( if he hearken to it ) can make him conscious of this truth : that thing within him ( whatever it be ) which makes him sensible of other things , can convince him of this . . because i intend to speak intelligibly to all , what the meanest capacity may comprehend , i will not run into the philosophical debate about innate ideas ; i will not enquire , whether all be born with an idea of god , nor of what force that is , to demonstrate his existence ; but whether the mind of man come to the world void of all notions , or prepossessed with principles , by which it is to examine all things afterwards : it is certain , that it is capable of discerning things when duely set before it ; as the eye is capable of distinguishing objects and colours in a clear light , and at a due distance . if the mind cannot refuse an assent to some things , if upon every representation of them it owns a conviction , and cannot without violence work it self into a denial ; it is all a matter , whether this be from innate principles , or the natural evidence of these things themselves . and that there are some things clearer and more evident than demonstration it self , appears from this , that even mathematical demonstration proceeds upon the supposition of this , and requires them as postulata . now the mathematicians have only considered such axioms as relate to lines , figures , and bodies : there are other principles as self-evident as these ; whence comes that the voice of nature is uniform , and that there is a common consent of mankind : wherefore it is no paradox to say , that the existence of god , and the principles of morality , is not only as certain , but more evident than the propositions of euclid , because the generality of mankind have always easily ( by the very bent of their nature ) given an assent unto them , and that the greatest barbarity and corruption could never entirely deface them . some mens genius is not capable of mathematicks , but all are capable or morality ; and the reason of it is so plain , that every unbyass'd mind assents to it . that there are debates about some moral principles , and particularly this of a deity , is no more an objection against the evidence thereof , than the arguments of zeno against the possibility of motion , or the sophistry of the scepticks against the certainty of these things which fall under our senses . there are some things which a child can distinguish as well as any of riper years , and which a country clown may judge of as well as a philosopher ; and consequently common sense and reason may be known from the one as well as the other , nay , very often better : for the one speaketh what his mind naturally dictates , whereas the other being amused with the notions he hath read , which his head always runs upon ; he discourseth according to these , and so perverteth his natural reason . the most simple person can at first sight distinguish natural things from artificial , and without hesitation , without waiting a deduction of logical inserences is presently convinced , that both the one and the other has a cause , and did not spring from themselves . none was ever so sensless as to think a house was built without hands ; and any of common sense seeth , that natural things far excelleth these of art , being more curiously wrought , more admirably contrived , being more beautiful , serving to more uses ; and in a word , every way more perfect . therefore leave men to the freedom of their own reason , they would as readily believe a god , as that a house had a builder , or a watch an artificer . . some will not yield that there are , or can be real atheists ; because it implies such absurdity . but we see daily instances of mens swallowing very gross absurdities : nay , there is hardly any absurdity which some or other has not received ; which should teach the wisest to walk with fear , and to preserve their reason carefully . if there be no atheists , some take a great deal of pains to no purpose ; for they are at much ado to perswade us that they themselves are , and to bring others to be atheists . but as i see no reason to doubt that there are such , tho' very much reason that there should be none . so mens athèism proceeds either , st . from their vitiousness , which first breeds in them a dislike of god , and then carries them to dispute his providence , and at last his existence . just as they who are embarked in some design , which makes them dread the king , first quarrel with his government , and then deny his right and title . or , dly . it arises from the difficulties which they meet with in the contemplation of his nature and attributes ; because they cannot clear or comprehend these , therefore they deny his being , thinking it better to deny what is plain and evident , than to own their ignorance , or the shortness of their reason , than which nothing can be more unreasonable , as we may have occasion to shew afterwards . is it reasonable to deny plain and common things , because there are some things without our reach ? shall i put out my eyes because they fail me in some particulars ? because they do not reach beyond the clouds , nor penetrate into the secrets of nature ? difficulties which are insuperable may put a stop to further enquiries , and make it reasonable not to determine any thing positively in these matters where we find them : but they can never make it reasonable to deny what was clearly perceived before these occurred . tho' the divine essence he incomprehensible , because infinite , and because it does not fall under our sense , tho' the ways and workings of god be unsearchable and past finding out , yet plainer and more certain evidences cannot be desired of united wisdom and power , than what we have continually before us ; nay , carry about with us in our own selves . as soon as one casts his eye seriously upon them , he shall be convinced : he that considers them , shall acknowledge them ; and therefore a third cause of atheism is want of consideration and reflection . some are atheists , because they do not think ; their souls are always asleep , and they never open the eyes of their mind to behold , by a wise regard , the many prodigies of omniscient power , the beautiful scenes , the curious and admirable contrivances of almighty wisdom , with which the world is filled . they are like these sensual , dull , and uninquisitive souls , which creep about the palaces of princes , on the account of the meat and drink , which is to be had there in plenty . they mind nothing but the crambing their bellies , and are altogether insensible of the stately magnificence , the curious architecture , the fine sculpture and painting , which draws strangers thither from all parts of the world. he , who leads such a life , should be set to graze with the beasts , for his life is not much better than theirs , and his soul seems to be altogether sensitive . it is the property of man to think : his dignity above the other creatures lies in a power of discerning and understanding things , their nature , ends , and uses , their relation to each other , their cause and contrivance , and what else may enlarge the mind with wisdom and knowledge to which he bends ( when free ) as naturally as a stone to the earth . he , who does not employ his thoughts these ways , abdicates the dignity of his nature ; and he , who thus carefully maintains it , will be full of god , if i may so speak , god will be in all his thoughts , for he shall see him every where , before him , behind him , on every side , and in every thing . as the foolish iews asked a sign of jesus christ , when according to their hypotheses , and the supposition of their law and prophets which they themselves believed , every word he spoke , and every work he did was a sign . so some unreasonably demand a proof or demonstration of a deity , whilst they walk in the midst of demonstrations , and do tread on them every step . if we cannot see his invisible essence , yet upon the first opening our eyes , we discern unquestionable effects of his essential attributes : and if they do not affect us , because they are common and ordinary , it bewrays our want of judgment and consideration ; for the excellency of a thing lies not in its being rare and singular , but in the design , contrivance , and usefulness . is the art of a watch less to be regarded , or doth the memory of the first inventor deserve less honour , because now adays every body carries one in his pocket ; and that perhaps some of no great capacity are taught to work them . essay v. evidences of a deity in man. . generals do not much affect us , nor are things distinctly known by a general view of them , we then see and understand them best , when we consider each apart by it self . the world is too large a prospect to be taken up at once ; we will therefore descend to particulars , and shall begin at home . take a view but of the outward make and figure of the body of man ; consider the variety of parts , the symmetry , situation and proportion , either in respect to the whole , or to each other ; the firmness of the feet , the strength of the legs , the well-compacted thickness of the thighs , the stateliness of the trunk , the force of the arms , the contrivance and innumerable uses of the hand , the comeliness and beauty of the face , the majesty of the countenance , and the ornament of the hair. the finest painters and most curious statuaries think they cannot shew their skill better , than to imitate these , and tho' the best imitation of them be very rude in comparison with the original , yet even these rude counterfeits have been much admired , and have procured much honour and fame to those who made them . now if the copy be admired , what doth the original deserve ? if the picture or statue shew art and skill , shall the original be ascribed to chance ? is it not more reasonable to think that it is the work of some wise and excellent hand ? . especially if we penetrate into the inward frame and texture , which is altogether unimitable : none was ever so mad as to attempt it . when the outward covering of the skin , which also is admirable , being a net of nerves curiously interwoven , when this ( i say ) is laid aside , what a wonderful contrivance appears of bones , muscles , arteries , nerves , and other vessels , which both astonish the wisest , and also afford them matter of curious enquiry . since the beginning of the world all the wise and curious have been prying into the body of man , dissecting and anatomizing the parts of it . some have spent their whole life in considering but one particular part ; and yet after so many thousand years , there is no perfect discovery , either of the whole , or almost of any part . there is a terra incognita even in this little world. as there are at this day better anatomists than whom former ages could boast off : so the most skilful do acknowledge ingenuously , that they discern neither all the parts of this admirable machine , nor yet all the true uses of those parts which have been discovered . all the functions of the brain and spleen are not yet understood ; and it is but meer conjecture what is said of several others . is it not then against common sense to ascribe to any thing but perfect wisdom , what is thus above the reach of the wisest men , and what puzzles them to comprehend ! . to give further conviction of this truth , let life , motion , and sense be considered . what admirable and exquisite wisdom doth appear in the frame and disposal of the senses ! as in a city invested with enemies , and in danger to be betrayed , it is necessary to advert to all the motions of those within , and to keep watch at all the ramparts , and other places proper for discovering the advances and dangerous approaches of the enemy . so it is necessary to the preservation of the body , that both its outward and inward state be perfectly understood , that all the motions within , and all applications without be felt , that it may be presently known what are hurtful , and what convenient , what should be cherished , and what prevented ; wherefore we see that the organs of this sense of feeling are posted every where throughout the body ; so that the least disturbance within , and the slightest touch without , even in the extremities , is instantly perceived . tasting being designed for distinguishing meats , and for discerning what is agreeable ; therefore the instrument of this sense is the fore-part of the tongue , which lies at the very gates of the first entry or passage to the stomach , to secure against what is disagreeable : for if the faculty of tasting had been placed more inwards , the disgorging unsavoury things should have been very incommodious . because all the ends and purposes of smelling may be served by one organ , therefore there is no more , but that is curiously formed , and admirably sitted to receive the insensible particles , which evaporate from all material substances , whether animate or inanimate , natural or composed . however the organ of this sense is grosser in man , than in some other animals , because they require it far more exquisite . for example , if the dog had not this sense in a nicer measure than man , he would not be worth keeping ; for then he could neither trace out his master's footsteps , nor yet find out where the partridge feeds , or the hare has her seat , which certainly never happened by accident . if this be not design , we may make design and chance all one ; for it is impossible to distinguish them . the two other senses being by far the most delightful and profitable , therefore each has two organs , most wisely situated , and most admirably contrived to answer the purposes of these two faculties . the fabrick and motion of the eye is so curious , that never any yet did consider it without wonder and astonishment . this is the foundation of the opticks , which is the most pleasant and curious part of mathematicks . upon which account , i must say , that if there be mathematicians who are atheists , they are of all others most inexcusable : for seeing vision , and the fabrick and motion of the eye , by which it is performed , is according to the strictest rules of mathematicks , and that he must be a master of that art , who can unfold the method and manner of vision , and explain the reasons of it . is it not the height of impudence ? is it not a violence to common sense ? is it not to contradict and baffle demonstration it self , either to think or say that vision was contrived , or the eye framed without wisdom , or that the author thereof was not skilled in the nature of light , the rules of motion , the doctrine of refraction and reflexion , without which the eye had been no eye , nor vision ever effectuated ? to secure this necessary organ from danger , it is lodged in a well adapted bony orbite ; and because only a body of a spherical figure can move easily within another , especially when the whole space is to be filled up , therefore the eye is spherical , which is the only figure capable of those many motions which are necessary for discerning the various objects which surround us ; and both to facilitate these motions , and for performing them rightly , it is tied by various muscles , interwoven with many nerves ; by the means of which , it moves up and down and to either side easily . these muscles are also so situate , that one is a kind of curb to the motion of the other , lest the eye should be in hazard of being renversed : moreover , they serve to keep the eye fixed upon objects , as long as there is occasion to look at them . the eye-lids are not only for a cover when we are asleep ; but also they serve to clean and clear it by their motions , which could not be so safely done by the hand . as the eye giveth life and beauty to the countenance , and discovers the inward thoughts and hidden temper both of body and mind ; so nothing could have been more admirably contrived for vision ; being composed of various humours contained in different coats . the cornea or white is convex , and receiveth different degrees of convexity , according as the objects are far or near : and to render it capable of changing its figure thus , the humour next to it is thin , liquid , and pliable , which is therefore called aqueous . the pupilla or sight doth dilate and contract it self as there is more or less light. and because various distances of objects require different positions of the cristalline humour , through which the rays of light pass to the retina , where they form the image of the external object : for rays from a nearer object unite at a greater distance than those which come from an object more remote ; therefore the cristalline humour is pressed upon the retina , by what anatomists call ligamentum ciliare , and yet it is kept by the vitrious humour , at such a due distance as is necessary for uniting the rays exactly upon it . and that the image of the object , which is formed upon the retina , may not be disordered by a reflexion of the rays which pass through it , therefore the choroides or coat which surrounds it , is tinctured black , which colour doth not reflect any rays ; for if it were of another colour it would , and so hinder a distinct vision of external objects . the retina , upon which the image of all external objects is formed , is not above an inch and a half ; and yet without calculation or consulting experience , or arithmetical tables of proportion , we are made to perceive all objects distinctly in their just and real proportions and at their true distances , which is a most wonderful contrivance , altogether impossible without infinite power and wisdom , as both this and some other particulars of vision are inexplicable by humane reason . nor is the ear less curious than the eye : some offer to prove it more artificial ; but , comparisons here ( as in other things ) are to no purpose . certainly , there are as many ( if not more ) distinct parts in the fabrick of the ear than eye . but it not being my design to give an anatomical discourse , i will not offer to dissect it . notice of all external sound is given by a delicate membrane , which is guarded by a viscous substance , lest rude and violent percussions should break it . there are wonderful cavities for receiving the impressions and beatings upon this membrane , for reverberating them , for modifying and distinguishing them , that they may be clearly understood . all which can be ascribed to nothing less than infinite wisdom , which contrived the eye , to give us the most delightful prospect of the most pleasant scenes of the divine opera ; and which formed the ear to entertain us with the sweet notes which the most melodious feathered chorus sing to the praises of their creator , and especially that by these means our souls , tho' strictly chained to , and closely detained in the body , may be capable of communicating their thoughts to one another . . which leads me to the internal and intellectual faculties ; the vast capacity of the mind , the quick and lively force of the imagination , the incomprehensible store-house of the memory , where myriads of things are laid up without any confusion , but ranged in that good order , as a very thought can produce them in a moment . this is a large subject , i dare not attempt it , lest i be carried too far , or should utter things not so obvious , or which might occasion debate . i only mark the excellency and usefulness of these faculties , which every one can understand . it is by the means of these that we think , reason , discourse , arrive at wisdom and knowledge , by comparing things together , considering their mutual relations , by judging the present from what is past , by running the effects up to their cause , and by taking measures , both of natural and moral events and productions , from the nature and conjunction of causes . by all which method and manner of reasoning , we constantly find that every thing must have a cause , for nothing can produce nothing ; nor can any thing give to another the perfection which it self wants . motion must have a mover : life must proceed from something that lives , and art and contrivance from one or other that understands the same ; and consequently the whole system of our reason must be overturned , the first principles of knowledge rejected , and the clearest perception denied , if he who planted the ear did not hear , if he who formed the eye did not see , if he who teacheth man knowledge doth not know . in a word , if the author of our being be not infinitely . wise and powerful , to which all mankind have given their consent ; for as the latin orator , and some others have observed , there was never yet found any nation or people who did not acknowledge a god. i crave leave to add some few thoughts more for evincing this . . one is taken from the wonderful contrivance of nourishing the body , and supplying all its parts . many rare inventions have been ruined , because they could not be sustained or repaired : when the secret springs broke , they perished ; and what a trouble is it to uphold the machines of humane contrivance , or to keep them a going ? but as the author of our being did foresee that our bodies were liable to decay , and did waste themselves by acting and moving ; so he has most wisely provided against that evil , and has laid down a wonderful easie method of sending recruits to all the parts , far and near ; nay , even to these which are wrap'd up in the heart of others , without doing prejudice to the surrounding vessels , which is by receiving a little proper food into the mouth , from whence after chewing and mastigation , it is conveyed into the stomach , where it is digested into a liquid substance , whether by heat or acidity , or both , or by the motion of the stomach it self , we shall not debate . but however it be , there is a speedy dissolution of what comes there , and a better se●retion or separation of the different substances after dissolution , than can be by the most expert chymist . which preparation being made , it is instantly discharged into pipes and canals , of different sizes , and strangely intersected , which supply every part with what is necessary ; so that the remote parts are not neglected , nor the nearer ones sooner supplied : all are equally provided and taken care of , and at the same instant refreshed . when the body is faint and feeble , seems to have lost all its spirits , and upon the point of expiring , how suddenly doth a little food recover it ? how soon is its colour renewed ? and how instantly doth it begin to exert strength and vigour ? should this be passed over because common ? should it be slighted because ordinary ? should we not regard this wonderful device , by which our life is maintained from day to day ? methinks , those who are so well pleased with eating and drinking , should thank the contrivance . upon this is founded the custom of asking a blessing before meat , and of giving thanks after ; and to say the truth , it is not only laudable , but more reasonable and necessary than is commonly believed . . and as the nourishment of the body doth ascribe wisdom to its author , so both his wisdom and power doth appear in its generation . what an unlikely beginning has it ? how unaccountable that an homogeneous fluid should be the foundation of such an hetterogeneous solid ? we are sure it is , but how it comes to be cannot be comprehended . the manner of this production is as much hid from our understanding , as the place from our eyes . the wisest philosophers are but children here ; their principles of mechanism can give no light to this affair ; all they say , is but a heap of fanciful and groundless conjectures . nor do i believe the sole power of what is called nature sufficient ; there must be the guidance of an intelligent spirit , to regulate nature , and to see it perform its duty . as in a watch , all the wheels and parts have a mutual dependance on each other , and do regulate one another's motions , and cannot move without the spring : nor this , unless it be wound up by some hand : so there is a mutual dependency among the parts of the body : they must be all formed at once , and must all perform their functions together , otherwise not any of them can act or move . the circulation of the blood is the cause of animal motion , or absolutely necessary to it , and the means of nourishment . the blood cannot circulate without the motion of the heart , nor the heart move without animal spirits : nor are animal spirits formed but by the circulation and secretion of the blood ; therefore there must be some supervenient power to influence them all simul & semel , to breathe life into them , and to set them a going . and if it be said that this is now performed by the blood and spirits of the mother , which circulate in the soetus , yet the argument holds still against the formation of the first man , without supernatural aid ; which makes out my purpose , and which is agreeable to the account we have of man's creation in genesis , where it is said , that god formed man out of the ground , and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; that is , by his almighty power he wrought a lumpish piece of earth into that wonderful machine of man's body : but the creation and conjunction of those external and internal parts , not being sufficient to give it life and motion ; he also afterwards inspired this , by a second supernatural act of breathing into him . but to leave philosophizing , and to return to our subject , how doth the unsuitable and improbable matter from which we proceed , argue the almighty power of him who contriv'd it ? and was it possible without infinite wisdom , to provide so wonderfully for the nourishment and safety of the child during the nine months that it continues in the womb ? from which prison it is also delievered in a strange manner , which merits admiration . when all these things are considered , how much truth and force is in that divine hymn of david , where he commemorates his generation and production , and where he saith , god hath possessed my reins , thou hast covered me in my mothers womb. i will praise thee , for i am fearfully and wonderfully made ; marvellous are thy works , and that my soul knoweth right well . my substance was not hid from thee when i was made in secret , and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth . thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect , and in thy book all my members were written , which in continuance were fashioned , when as yet there was none of them , psal. . , &c. iob also hath spoken as philosophically , and much more truely , than any who hath attempted to explain the formation of the foetus , and that in a very few words ; thus , hast not thou poured me out as milk , and curdled me like cheese ? thou hast cloathed me with skin , and fenced me with bones and sinews . thou hast granted me life and favour , and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit , job . . once more let it be considered how admirably each part is fitted for the use to which it is destined : and as a great many perform their motions without our concurrence , so these external members , which are at the command of our will , do follow our thoughts quickly and readily , without previous preparation , or so much as a minute of time intervening . nothing is quicker than a thought , and yet as soon as we will it , the tongue speaks , the hand acts , and the feet walk , &c. and all of them again cease their motion just as we think it ; such a close dependence there is of these members upon our minds or faculty of thinking . one cannot play well or distinctly upon any instrument before he can distinguish the strings , and until he learn what touches are proper to make the different notes . but we are not taught the distinct and proper muscles , nerves , &c. by which our members move : nor do we so much as understand how they move them , and yet all is done , as if we had a distinct and perfect knowledge , and that too with the swiftness of our thoughts ; for our thoughts and these members keep pace together , if there be no obstruction and hinderance ; and if it were not so , we should be under great disadvantages . i could bring several other instances to prove , that the structure and oeconomy of the humane body is a most wonderful and artificial contrivance , which can be ascribed to nothing less than infinite power and wisdom , and consequently that it is a demonstration of a deity . essay vi. evidences of a deity in other parts of the world. it hath been made appear that every one of us carrieth in us , and about us , a demonstration of the deity . whenever we look upon our selves , we see him ; for we read his wisdom and power in our make and frame , in our first production and daily preservation , and by both our external and internal senses . . but if one evidence be not sufficient for so weighty a point , let us interrogate other creatures , and they will all unanimously answer the same thing . we are indeed a wonderful work , but we are not the only work of our maker , he hath framed other pieces besides ; which no less manifest his great power and unsearchable wisdom . it is evident that he who made us , made other things , and had both of us in his view when he made either . what should be the use of an eye , if there was not light ? and to what purpose should there be light , if there was no eye to see it , nor any creature to discern the beauties which it discovers . he then , who formed the eye , created the light ; and he who ordained light , resolved to have a creature capable of seeing . we cannot live without food ; nor can the earth afford us necessary food without the warm and kind influences of the sun : that therefore there should be a sun to render the earth fruitful , by its benign influences , could not be chance , but contrivance , and this proves an intelligent being . . if there was but one instance that looked like art and design , we should not lay much stress on 't ; we might be tempted to think that was only a lucky hit of blind fortune . but we have many thousand instances in the heavens , in the earth , and in the seas , in both the vegetable and animal world , where each individual is not only wonderfully contrived in reference to the ends and uses of its particular being ; but also in reference to one another : for they are admirably fitted to one another , and are made to serve other most wisely : the vniversal frame is as a huge machine ; the vast orbs above , and this in which we dwell , as so many wheels and suitable parts , which the artist hath most skilfully joined , that not only each may have its proper motion easily , but that the particular motion of one may be beneficial to another , and all of them serviceable to the general design ; no part can jolt out of its place , nor interfere with another . a fleet of sail can hardly keep together without falling foul on each other ; and behold those innumerable and prodigious orbs move continually in their immense space , without rubbing , tho' they naturally gravitate towards one another , which shews that they are steered by a most dexterous pilot. and was it possible to put so many vast orbs in motion without omnipotency ? we may as well imagine that an ant or worm may cause an earthquake . certainly the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy-work . day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge ; nor is there any language where their voice is not heard ; that is , though the several nations of the world speak with different tongues , which makes them that they cannot understand each other ; yet the heavenly bodies , by their regular and useful motions , speak an vniversal language intelligible to all of common sense , for convincing them that they are the work and contrivance of an almighty and most wise god. . again , let us consider the vegetable and animal world as a well-govern'd common-wealth , where the people are wisely employed according to their stations and capacities , whose different employments breed no confusion , but do preserve the order and peace of the state , and promote its wealth , power , strength and glory . the earth sends forth trees , herbs , and plants of all sorts for food or medicine , to serve the necessities or advantages of humane life ; and all these spring up in their proper situation , as if planted by the hand of some skillful gardner , which are sorted into different climates , to whet and encourage industry , for engaging and securing a good correspondence amongst men. animals are destined to several uses , and are assigned to such regions as are proper to their nature and these uses . fowls have the air to rove in ; fishes sport themselves in the waters ; and quadrupedes walk on firm land ; camels are allotted to arabia , where there is no water : salvage beasts are sent to desarts , where they may do less harm ; and they who are mild , tractable , and useful , are kept amongst men. such animals as are dangerous to others , or of less use , are generally barren and unfruitful , whereas other kinds do multiply in abundance : for there would be no living in the world if lions , tigres , bears , wolves , foxes , and the like , were as numerous as sheep and oxen. and the air should shortly be dispeopled of its feathered inhabitants , if the vulture , eagle , and hawk , could draw out armies like the flocks of crows and pigeons . now who impos'd these hard laws upon those beasts and birds of prey ? what pharaoh forbad them to multiply to the danger of the state ? is it possible that the terrour of man could have made them drown or destroy their brood ? was it by the art of man that foxes , wolves , &c. produce all dogs , and almost but one bitch at every litter , whereas other animals bring forth males and females equally . can this proceed from any , but the wise and potent author of all things ? but to go on ; the climbing goats feed upon the rocks ; the simple sheep and unweildy oxen graze in the valleys , and the frighted deer are removed to range in the woods . the fierce and undaunted horse is appointed for the battle ; the ox to labour , the sheep for food and cloathing ; the hare and partridge for diversion , and the hound and the hawk for catching them . thus there is use and design to be seen in every creature , nay , even in insects and creeping things , which we look upon with so much contempt . the very common dull worm hath its use ; and lest they should be over numerous , the blind mole is given to check them . but how useful is the silk-worm ? what a treasure doth it yield ? and how splendid are men by its labour ? what might be said of the bee ? it s conduct and industry are admirable ; like an excellent chymist , it extracts the mellous juice from the herbs and flowers , but does not spoil their beauty and figure , as chymists do by their operations . it admirably composes wax , which serves to many uses , and yet conceals from mankind both the matter and art of that composition ; for it is not yet discovered : for they are mistaken , who think that with which their thighs are loaded is the substance of wax ; for this is of different colours , whereas the combs at first are almost a pure white : and besides , i my self have observed several cells in the combs , filled with that matter which is upon their thighs , but for what use i have not yet discover'd , except it be for hatching their eggs. . if any object , the locust and caterpillar ; they may well as upbraid the prudence and policy of a state for keeping forces , which generally are made up of very rude and insolent people ; for these are a party of the army of the lord of hosts , which he sends out at his pleasure , to chastise the pride , wantonness , ingratitude , and forgetfulness of man , who is the only disorderly part of the creation : he only breaks the peace , and moves sedition in this excellent and large common-wealth ; and he does it to his own prejudice , as generally all rebellious and seditious people use to do : but his unruly and disorderly behaviour is no ground of impeaching the wisdom of the almighty head of this great common-wealth of the world , far less than the rebellious and seditious practising of subjects is chargeable upon the government , who oftentimes ( as all histories inform us ) run into it without just provocation , through their own wantonness or ignorance , or foolish fears , or the evil counsel of cunning men , who make them misapprehend some things , and beguile them with a pretence of making other things better , which in the end turns worse . all the disorders in this universal state , which is made up of all creatures , proceed from these very causes , which give disturbance to particular humane states . if i may be allowed to borrow a little light from revelation , when i reason against atheism : the devil or lucifer being proud , and full of himself , became disaffected , and turn'd male-content ; and to make himself a party , he addressed to man , preying upon his weakness and inadvertency , whom having once deluded , he still keeps into that rebellious interest , by suggesting evil thoughts , cherishing their corruption and bad inclinations . . some may say , that this overturns all we have said about design and contrivance , seeing it seems to prove a grand mistake in the master-piece . if the world , the several parts in it , and the conjunction of these parts be the work of infinite wisdom , would one have been made to disturb all the rest , to disorder the whole contrivance ? or would the power and dominion over these have been committed to one altogether unqualified and unworthy of it , as man seems to be ? or must it be said , that the contriving of vegetative and sensitive things was with in the skill of this wise being , but that rational things , or what is of a higher nature , is above his reach ; and therefore he missed his aim , and came short of his design ? no , none of these things follow . the almighty god would shew his power and wisdom by the creating an infinite variety of beings , endued with all degrees of perfections ; and therefore one who was to be free , to be entrusted with the government of himself , and who was to be under no other force than that of reason and truth , nor to have any other tyes than that of gratitude and interest , which he might know sufficiently by the exercise of his intellectual faculties , and the application of his mind to what is always before him . other things could not be left to themselves ; being endued with no sense or reason of their own , they are still guided by the wisdom of their maker ; and hence it is that they never step aside , but always move regularly : infinite wisdom appears in all their motions , and from this it is that some creatures without sense , and others which have no more than sense , do out-do all the works of men : without understanding they know the rules of architecture , the nature and uses of things , and the means of compassing them better than man with all his reason , and after all his study and application : nay , the perfection of humane art is but a faint imitation of what other creatures do by that which is called natural instinct , which is truely the guidance of that infinite wisdom which contrived them . mens best knowledge is but experience and observation from their inferiour creatures . and as it thus appears , that those creatures are under the management of their maker , whose wisdom manifests it self in their motions and actings : so it is no defect in this most perfect wisdom , that men do not act perfectly or exactly right , because they are left to their own freedom , and the direction of an imperfect and limited reason , which yet was sufficient , if they had adverted to the marks and instructions given them . as by revelation we are assured that man was at first made upright , so there are reasons and prints to convince us of it without revelation . and as he is endued with perfections above others in this part of the world , with intellectual faculties which they want , so it seems evident , that all those other things were invented to be subject matter for those intellectual faculties to work upon . pictures are not hang'd up but to be seen , for they cannot talk together ; so neither can plants or beasts . this world therefore would have been but as a wast house ; tho' richly furnish'd , yet it would have been altogether desolate of inhabitants , if there had been wanting one of understanding and judgment , and capable of making wise reflections on what there is in it . man's life would be very miserable if he had not the service of those other creatures , and they would be useless if it were not with a respect unto him . either they were designed to administer into him , or he was made to receive the advantage which redounds from them : they are excellently fitted to one another , which could only proceed from an intelligent being of infinite wisdom and power . thus there are so many and so great instances of design and contrivance , that no thinking man is able to resist this faith in god. he who doth not admit this faith , must be strangely stupid , and so much to be pitied , or unreasonably obstinate , and therefore exceeding censurable . . i would ask such persons what they would be at to satisfie them ? do they require a sight of god ? they may as reasonably ask to see a voice , to touch a tune , or to try the objects of one sense by another , as colours by the ear , and odours by the eye . will they deny the intellectual faculties of perception , judgment , ratiocination , memory , &c. to be in others , because they have no immediate intuition of them ? is it not sufficient demonstration , that this , or the other man doth possess these faculties , when the one or the other sheweth the proper signs of them , and that the necessary effects thereof may be perceived in his discourse and actions ? and what greater demonstration would any have of an almighty , intelligent being , than prodigious and infinite instances of wisdom and power , such as the world every where presents us with ! god's essence is invisible , at least to us . what organs the angels of heaven have for beholding him , we do not know ; but he dwelleth in a light which no man can approach unto , whom no man hath seen , nor can see . but that which may be known of god is manifest , for he hath shew'd it ; for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal power and god-head ; so that they are without excuse , viz. who doubt or deny a deity , or who are not perswaded of his eternity , power , wisdom , and goodness , and who doth not glorifie him as such . . if god was not eternal , nothing could have been made , for there was then nothing to have produced any thing ; therefore his eternal existence is evidently proved by the existence of other things , which do not exist necessarily : and there is not any thing but himself which has necessary existence included in its idea . and though the creating of any one thing was a demonstration of his almighty power and wisdom , because nothing less could produce any thing out of nothing ; yet he hath created innumerable things of vastly different natures and properties , that by this infinite diversity and variety of beings , his infinite power may be visible to those who are capable to perceive it . the immensity of his power appears in the immensity of the world , to which our very imagination can prefix no limits . * the length and greatness of the earth , with the vast deep , doth astonish us when we have it in our view ; but how little doth this greatness appear , when we lift up our eyes to the heavens and behold the innumerable multitude of those shining orbs , two of which , viz. in the panetary world , are only less than the earth ; and some of them , not only many thousands , but millions of times greater , as we are assured by the authority and observation of mathematicians , and which , without them , we may rudely conjecture by their appearance at so vast a distance : by the help of glasses we may discern many more stars , than what appear to the naked eye . and there be very good reason to believe , that there are many more which glasses cannot reach ; so that imagination it self cannot grasp the universe : and all our perceptive faculties fail us when we offer to view the extension of it . lo , all that we see are but parts of his ways , for how little a portion is heard of him , saith iob , chap. . . . how these celestial orbs are filled and furnished , we know not ; but we have very good reason to believe , that they are not wast and desolate places , or meer masses of matter to fill up the immense space of vacuity . without doubt they are admirably replenish'd by his almighty wisdom , as well as this which is inhabited by us , where are infinite diversity of instances , for forming and enlarging in us an idea of the god-head , and to convince us that his wisdom and power cannot be bounded . in one place matter lies heaped in loose particles as sand , which can be easily separated , nay , blown asunder : in another place it is kneaded like dough , we know not how , as in clay and such like ground : again , it is both closely united , and also hardned wonderfully , as stone , of which there are divers sorts , some of a bright and dazzling lustre , as the diamond and crystal ; other altogether black , or of an unspotted white , or admirably variegated with different colours , as the several sorts of marble . sometimes this hardned matter is combustible , as coal ; sometimes malleable , as metal , which may be beat so thin , that a very small quantity of gold could be made to cover the whole surface of the earth , as can be demonstrated from leaf-gold , and the drawing of gilded-wire ; for a grain weight or two may be extended to some thousand ells of length . thus the power of god doth wonderfully appear in the very disposal of the atomes and particles of brute and lifeless matter , which also sheweth his wisdom no less ; for by this means , matter is made to serve to many different uses and purposes , which otherwise could only have served one or a few . convenient houses , strong and magnificent buildings , could never have been erected of sand and loose dust , nor could stone be beat out into useful plough-shares and pruning-hooks , swords and knives , and such other instruments as the conveniency of life requires . of what advantage iron is , we may understand by the imperfection of arts in america , before the europeans carried it thither : tho' it be commonly reckoned the coursest of metals , yet none is more useful , and without it other things could not be so well managed . it should be tedious to run over the several species of brute matter , but it is evident , that the wonderful variety thereof renders the state and condition of mankind more convenient and happy ; and if but a few of them had been wanting , they should have laboured under great inconveniencies ; as for instance , how inconvenient would it be for those who inhabit inland countries , remote from the sea , if there were not rocks and mines of salt ; and therefore the contrivance of such variety , speaks out both the infinite power and wisdom of god. which doth yet more appear when we consider vegetables , which is matter raised to the first degree of life , being made capable of nourishment and growth . some have written several large volumes about the number , kinds , and vertues of plants , and many more might be written without exhausting the subject . there are many different genders or kind of plants , and every one of these in the same gender differ from other as to size , shape , figure , colour , odour , vertue , duration , and the like ; so that the number of known plants are computed to be eighteen or twenty thousand ; and there may be yet many more undiscovered . some are almost insensibly small , other vastly great ; some proceed from the seed , others by the root ; some bear seed , others none at all ; some send forth a flower , others are without it ; in some the flower puts out first , in most others it is last ; some have no odour , others either refresh with their fragrancy , or they offend with their stink ; some are only commendable for their beauty and ornament , as the tulip , others for their use and vertue ; and some have beauty and vertue enjoined , as the violet , the rose , the lily , and the gilly-flower . some wither almost as soon as they spring up others last a season ; some are annual , and others perpetual ; and all these divers kinds have one common nourishment , viz. the rain and dew from heaven . what admiration may it breed , to consider that such an insipid thing as rain-water , is capable to be distilled into liquors of so many different colours , tasts , smells , and vertues , as are the juice of plants ! and it is no less matter of admiration , that this same liquid rain should be consolidated into so firm , hard , and strong parts , as are the roots , trunks , and barks of trees : for their accretion and growth is only from rain , the earth , being only a fit receptacle to preserve it for them , as is evident from divers experiments . is not all this the wonderful work of god , of which who can make any doubt ? if the inward structure and admirable mechanism of plants or vegetables be considered ; for they are composed of different parts , wisely fitted for nourishment , growth , and preservation : the root fixeth it in the earth , sucks in nourishment , and is as the stomach in animals , to digest and prepare it . then there are various fibres as veins to receive the sap , and thro' which it circulates . there are also some vessels to take in air for respiration , to facilitate the circulation of the sap. the outer and inner bark of trees preserve them from the injury of the external air : the leaves are not only for beauty , but to defend the fruit , and to shade the tree it self from excessive heat , and to gather the dew , which returning with the inward sap , helps to nourish the fruit and branches . every vegetable has its peculiar contrivance suited to its nature and use ; which abundantly demonstrates that they are all the effects of infinite power and wisdom : but there are some more remarkable instances , which , like strange prodigies , seem to be planted with a design to force our admiration and acknowledgment . take this short account of them , which mr. ray hath given in his ingenious and pious treatise of the wisdom of god in the creation . first , the coco or coker-nut-tree , that supplies the indians with almost whatever they stand in need of , as bread , water , wine , vinegar , brandy , milk , oyl , honey , sugar , needles , thread , linen , cloths , cups , spoons , besoms , baskets , paper , masts for ships , sails , cordage , nails , coverings for their houses , &c. which may be seen at large in the many printed relations of voyages and travels to the east-indies , but most faithfully in the hortus malabaricus , published by that immortal patron of natural learning , henry van rheed van drankenstein , who has had great commands , and employs in the dutch colonies . secondly , the aloe muricata , or aculeata , which yields the americans every thing their necessities require , as fences , houses , darts , weapons , and other arms , shooes , linen and cloths , needles and thread , wine and honey , besides many utensils , for all which hernacles , garcilasso de la vega and margrave may be consulted . thirdly , the bandura cingalensium , called by some priapus vegetabilis , at the end of whose leaves hang long sacks or bags , containing pure limpid water , of great use to the natives , when they want rain for eight or ten months together . fourthly , the cinnamon-tree of cylon , in whose parts there is a wonderful diversity . out of the root they get a sort of camphire , and its oil ; out of the bark of the trunk the true oil of cinnamon ; from the leaves an oil like that of cloves , out of the fruit a juniper oil , with a mixture of those of cinnamon and cloves . besides , they boil the berries into a sort of wax , out of which they make candles , plaisters , unguents . here we may take notice of the candle-trees of the west-indies , out of whose fruit boiled to a thick fat consistence , are made very good candles , many of which have been lately distributed by that most ingenious merchant , mr. charles dubois . fifthly , the fountain or dropping-trees in the isles of teno , st. thomas , and in guinea , which serve the inhabitants instead of rain and fresh springs . sixthly , and lastly , we will only mention the names of some other vegetables , which with eighteen or twenty thousand more of that kind , do manifest to mankind the illustrious bounty and providence of the almighty and omniscient creator towards his undeserving creatures , as the cotton-trees , the manyoc or cassava , the potatoe , the jesuits bark-tree , the poppy , the rheubarb , the scammony , the jalap , the coloquintida , the china , sarfa , the serpentaria virginia , or snakeweed , the nisi or genseg , the numerous balsam and gum-trees , many of which are of late much illustrated by the great industry and skill of that most discerning botanist , doctor 〈◊〉 plukened . of what great use all these , and innumerable other plants are to mankind , in the several parts of life , few or none can be ignorant . besides , the known uses in curing diseases , in feeding and cloathing the poor , in building and dying , in all mechanicks , there may be as many more not yet discovered , and which may be reserved on purpose to exercise the faculties bestowed on man , to find out what is necessary . . but if we make one step higher to view the animal life , we shall see wisdom and power still more wonderfully displayed and diversified . what a prodigious bulk of life and animal motion is the whale ! what a huge animal machine is that leviathan ! by whose neezings a light doth shine , and whose eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning . out of whose nostrils goeth smoak as out of a seething-pot or cauldron . he maketh the deep to boil like a pot , the sea like a pot of ointment . he maketh a path to shine after him , so that one would think the deep to be hoary . and is not the epitome of the animal life as astonishing which we have in the mite , and other almost imperceptible creatures ! which tho' they be but as motes in the sun , nay according to the observation of some , there are some animals less than a grain of sand by several millions , yet they have life and motion , and consequently are inwardly composed of heart , lungs , veins , arteries , and fibres , which proves the wonderful divisibility of matter , and the art of almighty power , which can produce the same motions and sense in an atome which we see in the hugest animals . again , we see here all imaginable qualities distributed into various sizes , shapes , and figures ; and also , all or most of them united together into one . some are designed to fly in the air , and for that end are furnished with feathers , wings , and very strong muscles , by which means they are capable to continue and support themselves a long time in the air , without wearying : and because their feathers may be spoiled by rain and dew , and so rendered useless ; therefore each fowl has two pots of oil , that is , two glandules upon its rump , which always produce an vnctuous substance , for anointing the feathers that they may not be wet , or receive any prejudice from rain or the moisture of the air. others are framed to swim in the waters , and therefore have a peculiar structure of their lungs and inward parts , which makes them require less air than terrestrial animals . and tho' the animals proper to one element cannot live in another , for fishes brought to the open air pant and die ; land-fowl , and the generality of terrestrial creatures , when they fall into the water , cannot subsist long without drowning . yet to shew that nothing is impossible to almighty wisdom , there be some fishes framed to fly above water , and a great many fowl to swim and dive under it . so there are terrestrial quadrupedes , which , without feathers , fly in the air , as bats , and some indian squirrils ; and there be others , whose food being fish and water-insects , they range continually in the waters , as the beaver , the otter , the phoca or sea-calf , the water-rat , and frog ; all which have their toes interwoven with a thin membrane to fit them for swimming , and also are furnished with a wind-bladder to afford them what air is necessary to the circulation of the blood , so that they can continue long in the water without suffocation . now could all these different proper structures of animals have been contrived without wisdom ? could they have been distinguished in some , and united and intermingled in others , according to the elements for which they were designed , without infinite understanding ? to proceed , the power of seeing far is given to the eagle and others , swiftness to the hare , hound , and roe-buck ; strength to the ox and bear ; fierceness to the lion ; cunning to the fox ; docility to the dog ; courage and fleetness to the horse ; and the elephant is made both formidable and tame , cunning and docile , strong and fierce . and lastly , there is man to manage this and all the other animals , who , tho' he be neither so clear sighted as some , nor so strong , nor so fierce , nor so swift as others , yet by his reason and the ordinance of god , he has dominion over the fowls of the air , the beasts of the field , and the fish of the sea , and maketh them all to do homage unto him . o lord , how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom thou hast made them all , the earth is full of thy riches . . we need not ascend higher , nor go further to fetch proofs of a deity , nor instances of eternal and infinite wisdom and power . they who are so peevish as to quarrel what they see here , would not lay aside this unreasonable humour , tho' they were carried to the regions above . they who are not convinced by these things which are continually before them , would not be satisfied with other arguments , and there are innumerable more . as they are hardned against the ordinary works of god , so they would resist obstinately such as are extraordinary , for they mock all of this kind which have been . wherefore it is wisely observ'd , that god never wrought a miracle to convince an atheist ; for besides that it is not reasonable that god should indulge an unreasonably willful , and obstinate humour , no miracle can be more effectual , or less liable to exception than the regular motion of those prodigious orbs in the heavens above , and the multitude of productions in the earth below , all of which shew admirable art and contrivance . when common food ceaseth to nourish , delicacies and dainties seldom do good . if the body be clean and sound , common food should be both savoury and nourishing . and if men would lay aside their pride , malice , and superfluity of naughtiness ; if they would be meek and docile , they should soon perceive the reasonable force of what we have touched , to perswade to a belief of the existence of god. and if any would have the satisfaction of a fuller view of these works of wisdom and power , i referr them to the forementioned treatise of mr. ray , because it may be easily had , and is made plain and intelligible by the meanest capacity . essay vii . of the absurdity of atheism . . there are two sorts of demonstrations , one is a positive proof drawn from certain and known principles ; the other sheweth the absurd and unreasonable consequences which would necessarily follow , if what is required be not granted , which is therefore called demonstratio ex absurdo . mathematicians make use of both : and there be many propositions in euclid which are not demonstrable but by the last kind . either of them makes a thing sure ; and what is capable of both is most evident , and consequently nothing can be more absurd and unreasonable than to deny and resist what is clearly made out both these ways . and hence also it follows , that the atheist is monstrously obstinate , and to the utmost degree absurd and unreasonable ; seeing the existence of a deity can be demonstrated either way . . first , it is evident by what hath been delivered in the former essays , that there are clear instances of wisdom and power in the world ; and it also clearly appears that this wisdom and power are united in one , because they never act separately , but always work together . power is always directed by wisdom , and what sheweth the one sheweth the other , which is a sufficient , full , and as great a demonstration as can reasonably be demanded , of the existence of a wise power or powerful wisdom , and consequently that there is a being superiour to all that we see , which has as much wisdom and power as what we find expressed in the contrivance and frame of the world , and in the composition of the several beings that are in it , that is , there is and must be an all-wise and almighty god ; for by him we understand a being whose power and understanding is infinite . of whose existence we are also further assured by all the principles of reason and knowledge , and by all those methods by which we find out the truth of any thing : for we are ascertained of the truth of things , either by the consideration of their nature and abstracted idea's , or by deductions from principles which all acknowledge to be self-evident , or by their effects and manifestations , or finally by testimony and tradition . and all these several ways , it is evident that there is such a supreme and perfect being as is meant by god. . moreover , this truth is so far from being shaken by the arguments and objections of atheists , that they do rather confirm it . wherefore , that we may entirely silence them , and remove all difficulties which any may entertain in this matter , we will consider some of the chief of their objections , without concealing or diminishing the force of them . firt , it is objected , that an argument , drawn from final causes , the ends and vses of things , is not concluding , nor of force enough to establish such an important truth , because it has more of fancy than solidity in it : the ends of things are but little known , and are only devised by a strong imagination . fancifull men apprehend a thousand things which have no foundation in nature , as cunning and industrious persons can adapt and appropriate things to several vses to which they were never destined . it is unreasonable to pretend , that the several things in nature have been particularly designed for the ends and vses to which the art or necessities of mankind have employed them . and the like may be said of most other things , which we only fanste were formed with a respect to such or such an end , because we perceive some agreeableness betwixt them and it . this argument lucretius insists on , which i shall set down according to the excellent translation of mr. creech ; but now avoid their gross mistakes , that teach the limbs were made for work , a use for each ; the eyes design'd to see , the tongue to talk , the legs made strong , and knit to feet , to walk ; the arms fram'd long , and firm , the servile hands to work , as health requires , as life commands : and so of all the rest whate'er they feign , whate'er they teach 't is nonsense all , and vain . for proper vses were design'd for none but all the members fram'd each made his own . again : these various things convenience did produce , we thought them fit , and made them for our use. thus these , and thus our limbs and senses too were form'd before that any mind did know what office 't was that they were fit to do . well then , 't is fond to think that these began for proper vses made , bestow'd on man. . the summ of this argument is , that all things happened by chance , that nothing was contrived or made with design , and that the pretended ends and uses of things are arbitrarily imposed by men. but this argument falls to pieces , and is of no force at all , if it evidently appear that the frame of the world , and the structure of particular beings cannot be ascribed to chance , but to contrivance and design , which must necessarily inferr an intelligent being : for even the proposers of this do acknowledge , that acting intentionally proves wisdom and understanding , otherwise they would not be so anxious to remove all contrivance from natural things . now , neither the continuation of the present state of things , nor their first production can be afcribed to chance without the grossest impudence . not the first , because chance is chance still , and not only may , but doth more often miss than hit right ; whereas the motions of the planets are certain and regular ; and the successive production of animals and vegetables is constant and unchangeable , never miscarrying , but when some visible impediment happens . the several species are not confounded or blended together , but every thing produceth its like of the same kind , with all its natural perfections and proportions . if one should always throw the same number with two dyes , when the odds is more than a million to one , tho' there be but six different numbers on each , we would conclude that he did it not by chance but by some art or trick which secured it . how improbable then , nay , how impossible is it , that so many thousand admirable and regular productions should happen merely by chance , when each is a greater chance than one against many thousands of millions without the management of a wise power . we conclude him a wise and expert artist , who always hits his mark , and compasseth his design . and is there not as much reason , to conclude these many natural productions the effects of an intelligent being . if it be replied , that all things now are continued and perpetuated by the order and method into which matter has settled , and into which it fell by mere chance ; i answer , that neither can the first production of things , or that order and law by which they are now produced be ascribed to chance , which was the other thing i asserted . for supposing matter to be eternal , we must also suppose some other thing to put it into motion , for motion is not essential to matter : and tho' we should suppose , that both matter and motion were eternal , yet we cannot thence conclude , that blind matter and undetermined motion could ever produce any regular thing , without a director , or one to super-intend it . at the most it can be supposed only to occasion a separation of its parts , and a secretion of the subtile from the grosser particles , as we see done by some chymical operations ; but no force put upon our imagination can ever make us fansie that it could be so admirably organized of it self , or by mere chance shap'd into so many different independent species of beings , which have also power to perpetuate their kind , not to speak now of the faculties of thinking and reasoning . we may with much more ease conceive , that a fortuitous jumble of letters may compose all the books of the world , which the atheists have been often , and of old twitted with . and as reasoning à priori , we cannot admit chance to be the cause of things , so à posteriori , we cannot deny contrivance and design to be visible in the frame of the world , the order of beings , and the particular structure of each , unless we do violence to both sense and reason . such as refuse to acknowledge it , i would have them to declare greater signs and evidence of art , design , and contrivance , than what is to be seen in and amongst natural things . are not all things made in number , weight , and measure ? where do they perceive any confusion or disorder ? where do they see irregular and unsuitable mixtures or compositions ? are their disproportionable quantities of matter , or disagreeable qualities conjoined in any subject ? is not order , method , just proportion and measure to be observed every where , and in every thing ? are not all things so exactly adapted together , and so well fitted to each other , that whether we consider individuals , or the several species , or the whole frame together , nothing can be better devised ? what is it to act intentionally , or with design , but to propose some certain end , and to carry it on by suitable means ? and therefore when we see things so conveniently adapted together as to produce certain effects , and so well adjusted as to prevent the miscarriage of them , have we not all reason to conclude , that there is design and contrivance there ? the more excellent the effects be , and the more artificial the means , it still proves more wisdom in the author and contriver , and consequently the author of natural things is infinitely more wise than men , because natural productions do far exceed those of humane art , and the means by which they are produced are much more admirable . it is great perverseness and inexcusable obstinacy , not to acknowledge a wise contrivance in the ends and uses of natural things , or to alledge that they are all devised by men : for tho' we should grant , that the ends and uses to which the wit , art , and industry of man has improved many of them , were not foreseen by their wise author , nor those things which they have thus improved , intended by him purposely for the greater conveniency and advantage of life ; yet there are real and visible ends and uses , and manifest admirable contrivances in order to the same , which are altogether independent upon either the art or imagination of men. is the distinction of animals into male and female , and the adaptation of the female to conceive and nourish the foetus , both while it is in the womb and after it is brought forth , merely grounded upon fancy ? could either individuals have been multiplied , or the kinds propagated without this ? and was not this an admirable contrivance , and could it have been without wisdom and understanding ? what reason is there to ascribe a watch to art and contrivance more than the structure of animals , which is composed of different parts and vessels , curiously set together ? why should we think , that windows were designed to let in light to the house , and not the eye purposely framed to see ? why should we think , doors and gates intended by the architect for giving entry to what we would admit into the house , and shutting out other things , and not also conclude the valves of the heart , veins , and arteries such another contrivance ? is there more art in the various ways of joining the different pieces of any frame or machine , than there is in the different joinings of the bones of the body , which makes them move differently and very usefully ? as for example ; the upper part of the bone of the arm is convex , and that bone of the shoulder which receives it is concave , by which means we can trun our arm round , whereas at the elbow there is another kind of articulation , which only suffers that part of the arm to turn upwards towards the shoulder . and because neither of these joinings were proper for the divers motions of the hand and fore-arm , therefore its bones are joined so as to make it capable of turning round , and of moving backwards and forwards , up and down , and almost every way . the teeth are the only bones of the body , except those of the ear , which are not covered with a most sensible membrane : and if they had been covered with it , we had been liable to continual pain . now this difference between the teeth and the rest of the bones could not be chance , but a wise contrivance . i might also make out this further , by considering the different contrivance betwixt the teeth of men and other animals , and those of other animals according to their different natures , and by many other instances . but what hath been said is sufficient to prove , that the ends and uses of natural things are real and not fansied by men ; that the universal frame and the nature of particular things do evidently and demonstrably prove a wise contrivance ; and consequently that all things are the effects of a wise and intelligent agent . and who would be further cleared and perswaded of this matter , let them read the treatise which the honoured and worthy master boyle has written of final causes . . but dly , 't is objected , that if it be reasonable to conclude the existence of a deity , or some supreme and intelligent powerful being from the seeming order and contrivance of some things , it is as reasonable to conclude that there is no such being from the manifest irregularity and vselessness of other things , for if there was a god , or any wise almighty being , as is pretended , all his works would bear prints of his wisdom . but we see many things which have no manner of contrivance in them , which are of no vse , but rather prejudicial , and therefore we have reason to believe , that the rest happened by chance and not by design . thus ( say they ) the spleen is the occasion of much pain and trouble , and is of it self of no vse , for several animals have been known to live without it . mountains are irregular and ill contrived heaps , which spoil the surface of the earth , and render it less beautiful , and are very inconvenient for travelling and commerce . if this terraqueous globe had been the work of a wise agent , there would not have been more water than dry land , which is the only proper habitation for man and terrestrial animals , which are by much preferrable to fishes : nor would there have been so much ground laid wast which cannot be inhabited , as the desarts of arabia , the lybian sands , and about the two poles , &c. . to all this i answer first , that tho' it should be granted that there are many thing without contrivance , and which show no design , yet it would be unreasonable to deny the necessary consequences of what doth manifestly show both a contrivance and design ; and therefore whether there be more or fewer instances which do so , it still follows that there is a wise , intelligent being , capable to produce them . dly , we cannot without rashness conclude , that a things is without contrivance , because we cannot find it out , nor is intended for any use , because we cannot perceive it . our knowledge is very much limited , and it is impossible for us to comprehend all that god doth , and it is great presumption to condemn what we do not understand . no wise man will slight the works of any famous mechanick or artist , tho' he doth not presently conceive what he intended by it ; for his known art and skill in other things makes it reasonable to believe , that what is not yet declared or understood was nevertherless well designed and artificially contrived : even so , seeing the general frame of the world doth show so much wisdom , and that there appears so much art and contrivance in the nature and structure of particular beings , we ought from hence to conclude , that all things are wisely and well contrived for excellent ends and purposes , tho' we be ignorant of many of them . dly , in passing a censure and judgment upon particular things , we ought not to consider them separately only , but also with a respect to other things , to which they have a relation , and with which they are conjoined . having premised these things in general , i answer next to these particular instances proposed . first , that tho' the use of the spleen is not yet well known , nor can it be certainly determined , nevertheless we have no reason to think it useless , seeing the structure of it is as curious as that of the liver , lungs , and other parts . the use and function of several other vessels were not known till of late , and after ages may discover the use of this too , which certainly was never placed in the body without some special end or use ; nor must it be reckoned altogether useless , because some animals have been found to live without it : for so , both men and other animals do live without some parts , which are of a known use and of a special contrivance ; besides , tho' the loss of the spleen did not instantly put an end to life , it might have shortned it , or rendred it painful and uneasie , marring the oeconomy of the body . . as to the mountains , they are very far from being useless ; for they serve to collect and condense the vapours which feedeth springs and fountains : they determine the winds in some measure : they nourish divers plants , which will not grow upon the valleys : they are proper for metals and minerals , and are so far from spoiling the beauty of the earth , that they make it much more pleasant , by casting it into divers shapes and figures . . there is as much dry land as is necessarry either for man or terrestrial animals , nay , as much as could contain many millions more than there are , so that there is no reason to complain of being straitned by want of room . and it was necessary that there should be more sea than dry land , partly for the conveniency of navigation , and partly for furnishing sufficient rain to water the earth . the ground requires all the rain which falleth , which , by computation is reckoned in one year to be five times the quantity of water in the sea. if therefore there had been less water , either the earth should have been without sufficient rain , or when it rained the sea should have been too much emptied , which would have been very inconvenient , both for those creatures who live in it , and also for the ships that sail upon it . the libyan sands , and barren desarts of arabia , &c. cast no reflection upon the wise contrivance of the earth , for it is not reasonable to think that all parts should be alike good and excellent ; diversity is both useful and pleasant : what is wanting in these barren places is supplied by the richness of others , which are also rendred more delightful by the contemplation of such frightful desolateness , even as shadows contribute to the beauty of a picture , and the brightness of the other colours . besides other uses which we yet know not , they may be designed also to make us sensible how much we owe to the bounty of the wise author of all things , who hath made so much of the earth a convenient habitation for the children of men. lastly , the same may be said in reference to the countries about the two poles , which are not very considerable , if we compare them with the rest of the habitable world. and besides , they show the wise contrivance of the spheroidical figure of the earth , and of making the axis so much shorter than the diameter of the equator ; for if it had been otherwise the frigid zones should have been much more large , and much less habitable . there is no way to remedy that inconvenience of the country about the poles , at least in our conception , except there were two suns , or that this sun was made to move without and beyond the tropicks , neither of which would be so convenient as the present contrivance . . dly , it is said , that the world and all things in it were eternal ; which if true ( in their opinion ) will cut off all pretext of contrivance and design : for if nothing was ever made , then nothing also was ever contrived , there being no occasion for contriving what was already existent . . but this opinion of the eternity of the world is taken up without any shadow of reason or probability . it is a precarious assertion , which being denied can never be proved . . it contradicts the universal tradition of mankind , which hath always attested that the world had a beginning . . it is against the current testimony of all history , which traceth the origin of nations and people , the inventions of arts and sciences , and which sheweth that all have happened within the space of less than six thousand years , according to the most probable , ( if not certain ) calculation , which could not be if the world and man had been eternal . therefore lucretius reasoneth very well in his fifth book . but grant the world eternal , grant it knew no infancy , and grant it never new , why then no wars , our poets songs imploy beyond the siege of thebes , or that of troy ? why former heroes fell without a name ? why not their battles told by lasting fame ? but 't is as i declare ; and thoughtful man not long ago and all the world began : and therefore arts that lay but rude before are publish'd now , we now increase the store . we perfect all the old and find out more shippings improv'd , we add new oars and wings , and musick now is found and speaking strings . these truths , this rise of things we lately know . thly , tho' we may fansie that these greater and permanent bodies of the planets and stars may have been eternal , because they have lasted so many thousand years without any visible change , as is acknowledged by all , yet we cannot bring our imagination to conceive the eternity of successive beings possible , for a great many contradictions and absurdities do follow it . if mankind had never any other production than what is now , then there was never any man who had not a beginning : and if all had a beginning , then mankind cannot be eternal ; therefore we must of necessity acknowledge the production of some one or more ( from whom the rest have descended ) in a manner different from the present : and there is no account of the first production of mankind so reasonable or so probable , not to say now certain , as that which declares the immediate creation of one man and one woman by the hand of god. the like may be said of all other succesive beings . but thly and lastly , tho' we should force our selves to grant the eternity of the world and all particular beings , yet it could not be reasonably inferred from thence that there is no god ; for they , who desire this large concession , must grant to us too , which cannot possibly be denied , that there have been from all eternity instances of great power and wisdom , from which it necessarily follows , that there is an eternal , wise , and mighty being ; for power and wisdom must proceed from something that is wise and powerful . therefore the old philosophers , who did hold the eternity of the world , did believe it a necessary emanation from the being of god , and thought not that it did , or could subsist without him . . it is thly , objected against the being of a god , that if it was , it would render the being of other things impossible ; for if he was , he would be infinite , and if infinite there could be no room for the existence of other things . but this argument proceeds upon a mistaken notion of the infinite nature of god , as if he was some gross material substance vastly extended , whereas he is a spirit , that is , a substance altogether different from matter or body , who hath not the properties of it ; and consequently , we cannot draw just or true conclusions about him from what is observable in them . god's infinity is not infinite extension ; and tho' his omnipresence hath some resemblance to it , yet the spirituality of his nature makes his ubiquity and omnipresence in no wise incompatible with the existence of material beings of corporeal substances : nay , they are only sustained by the infinity of his essence ; and therefore the existence of so many finite things , which have no self-sufficiency to exist of themselves , doth evidently demonstrate the existence of an infinite essence as the cause and upholder of them . it would be tedious to consider all the little cavils and objections of atheists against a deity . the most material are reducible to those we have now proposed , and may be refuted by the answers which we have now given ; for they proceed either from wrong apprehensions of the nature and attributes of god , or from ignorance of the nature and relation of other things , or from an obstinate resistance of what is de facto evident ; and all of them demonstrate their unreasonableness and absurdity , which doth further appear by the absurd and unreasonable consequences of not acknowledging a deity , which is a second way of proving it . . for , if there be no god , then it necessarily follows , that either every thing made it self , or that all things came from nothing , and that there are effects which have no cause ; for there is life , sense , and reason , without any being capable to produce them : and there are artificial contrivances , regular proceedings , and wise adaptation of things to ends and purposes far above the power and capacity of any thing which is existent . these and many such things follow the denial of a god , which are not only great difficulties , but such gross and senseless absurdities as no thinking person can either swallow or digest . as therefore deformity sheweth shape and proportion beautiful , so the belief of a deity appears more reasonable , by the absurdity and unreasonableness of atheism , which contradicts common sense , overturns the agreed principles of knowledge and reason , confound chance and contrivance , accident and design , and which has its recourse to wild , romantick , and most precarious hypotheses ; for they cannot shun the owning an infinity , and the existence of something from eternity ; and they are forced to acknowledge that things are framed according to the rules of art and proportion . now is it not more reasonable to ascribe the constant observance of these rules to an intelligent being , than to chance or no cause ? for there is no middle thing betwixt them to be fixed on ; either the one or the other must take place . nature , which they talk so much of , is an obscure word for concealing their thoughts and sentiments : if by this they mean something distinct from matter , which moves and directs it , their nature is god in disguise ; and if they must flee to this for a rational account of the production of things , why do they quarrel at the word [ god ] which carries a clearer idea , and in the sense of which all the world is agreed . tho' this nature of theirs be equivalent , yet it is more mysterious , and therefore it smells of some designed perverseness , as if by the use of this word , and the disuse of the other , they would turn peoples thoughts from god , and god from the honour of being the creator of all things . but if by nature they only understand certain laws , and i know not what ordinances , by which things must move ; is this sufficient to explain the first productions of things ? for tho' it should be true that matter cannot move but according to these laws , and that moving by them in process of time the work could have been produced as it is at present , after that romantick manner of cartesius ; yet there was no necessity that matter should move at all , nor could it move of it self . wherefore whether they will or not , they must own the existence of something prior to matter it self , or the motion of it , which cartesius was sensible of , and therefore he could not build his airy and fanciful system , without supposing the existence of a deity . and if he had kept his eye upon this infinitely perfect being , and considered the world and all particular things as his work ; if instead of a vain curious enquiry how things should have been , if matter once moved had been left to it self , he had shewed how things are , and explained the admirable contrivance of them , if he had given us a history of nature , and described the wisdom of god in the make , order , place , and relation of particular things ; i say , if cartesius had done this , as he seems to have been able for it , the world would have been more obliged to him , his philosophy should have been more rational and satisfactory , more useful to others , and of more lasting fame to himself ; whereas now by turning his thoughts from the ends and uses of things , and the wisdom of the author and contriver , he has turn'd his back upon the only true light that was to have guided him ; he has grop'd in the dark and produced nothing but useless conjectures and the extravagant ravings of his brain , which tickled men at first , as all novelties use to do , but which wise , inquisitive , and thinking men will , and must disgust because there wants solidity . as god is the first cause and author of all things , so the belief of a deity is the foundation of all solid reason ; what is not built on this is nonsense and absurdity . i know the atheists arrogate to themselves wit , and judgment , and knowledge above others , and do think that it is the ignorance and credulity of the bulk of mankind ( as one lately words it ) which make them to be of another belief . but i pray you , must they carry away sense and understanding from others , because they are so vain as to think it ? do not those in bedlam think themselves wiser than others ? all the rest of the world are fools in their eyes , and those who keep them there , not only fools , but oppressors and most unjust . and yet atheism is a more extravagant and pernicious madness , which it is the interest of mankind to keep from spreading . but alas it has been suffered to take root and spread , nay it is cherished and encouraged . men walk the streets and publickly act this madness . in every corner they throw their squibbs of scoffs and drollery against the almighty author of their being . they meet in companies to concert how they may most wittily expose him , and what is the readiest way to render him ridiculous in the eyes of others : a clinch , or jest , or puny witticism is received and entertained as an useful discovery , and carried about with all diligence . tho' there be no reason why the atheist should be a zealot , there being no obligation on him to propagate his opinions ; and because the less they are entertained by others he is the more secure ; yet no sect is become more zealous of late than atheists , and their fraternity , who maintain their cause by an affronted impudence , by the exercise of a froathy wit more than reason , and by jesting and drollery rather than serious argument . and is this a reasonable or commendable way of handling a matter so serious and important ? should impudence run down evidence ? should a jest or a witticism be of more weight than the dictates of common sense and sober reason ? if these men were capable of counsel , i would ask them whether they are absolutely sure that they are in the right ? are they able to demonstrate that there is no god ? this is more than any ever yet pretended to ; and if they cannot pretend to this , ought they not to walk very cautiously , if there be a god , as there may , for any assurance they have to the contrary , what then have they to expect for these bold insults and that wicked opposition to him ? a modest enquiry into truth , even into the existence of god himself , is reasonable , and cannot offend either god or man : but spite and insolency cannot by any means be justified . it shews a desire that there should be no god , more than doubts and scruples about his existence , which must needs provoke the most hight god , and draw down his judgments , both on those who are guilty , and on the land which cherisheth them . the conclusion . tho' the existence of god be most evident , yet i thought my self obliged to insist the longer upon proving it , because it is of such importance ; for it is the foundation of all knowledge and certainty as well as of all morality and religion . the belief of a deity is the first article of the christian creed , upon which the truth and certainty of the rest depend : and therefore 't was necessary to shew that this is no vain hypothesis , or imaginary supposition ; but a truth loudly proclaimed , and strongly confirmed not only by reason , but every part of the world. so that whatever the atheist may arrogate to himself , and whatever esteem may be paid to him unjustly in this corrupt age , yet he is so far from being wiser than others ; that by the universal voice of nature as well as scripture , he will be declared a fool who saith that there is no god. when i have proved that this god doth rule the world , which is also included in this first faith , i shall then consider what it is to live by it , and shall shew how necessary it is to the being just and righteous . and i hope that there is such satisfaction given in these essays , that who shall read them will be desirous of the other that are promised . errata . page . line . read is , p. . l. . r. scripture ▪ p. . l. . r. principle , p. . l. . r. so well , p. . l. . for touchos r. touch , p. . l. . f. squares r. square . p. . l. ult . for is r. are , p. ▪ l. . r. as well , ibid. l. , r. a part , p. ▪ l. . r. the f. their ▪ p. . l. . r. exceedingly , p. . l. . f. be ▪ r. is , p. . l. . f. should r. would , p. . l. . r. conjoined , p. . l. . r. there . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * by the latest and exactest calculation of the modern mathematicians , there goes miles and a tenth part to a degree , so that the periphery or circumference of the earth is english miles . it s diameter is , and the whole solidity may be reckoned two hundred fifty nine thousand five hundred seventy and eight million , nine hundred thrity three thousand four hundred and five cubical miles . the earth is greater than mercury , or mars ; for the first bears only the proportion to it , which an hath to , and the other of an to ; that is , the earth is more than three times greater than any of these : but then it is much less than the rest of the planets ; for in respect of venus , the earth has only the proportion of to an , to jupiter as to , to saturn as to , and to the sun as to . the magnitude of the fixed stars cannot be conjectured ; but there are demonstrations offered to prove them greater than any of the planets ; seeing they shine so bright at amost stupendius distance : for a telescope which multiplieth times , doth not shew them bigger than they appear to the naked eye , but rather less . whence it follows , that this planetary orb is but as a point , in respect of the distance of the fixed stars ; and consequently , that the vniverse which comprehends the planets and all the stars , visible and invisible , each of which has a particular orb , must be immense beyond all imagination and apprehension . an apologie of the povver and prouidence of god in the gouernment of the world. or an examination and censure of the common errour touching natures perpetuall and vniuersall decay diuided into foure bookes: whereof the first treates of this pretended decay in generall, together with some preparatiues thereunto. the second of the pretended decay of the heauens and elements, together with that of the elementary bodies, man only excepted. the third of the pretended decay of mankinde in regard of age and duration, of strength and stature, of arts and wits. the fourth of this pretended decay in matter of manners, together with a large proofe of the future consummation of the world from the testimony of the gentiles, and the vses which we are to draw from the consideration thereof. by g.h. d.d. hakewill, george, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an apologie of the povver and prouidence of god in the gouernment of the world. or an examination and censure of the common errour touching natures perpetuall and vniuersall decay diuided into foure bookes: whereof the first treates of this pretended decay in generall, together with some preparatiues thereunto. the second of the pretended decay of the heauens and elements, together with that of the elementary bodies, man only excepted. the third of the pretended decay of mankinde in regard of age and duration, of strength and stature, of arts and wits. the fourth of this pretended decay in matter of manners, together with a large proofe of the future consummation of the world from the testimony of the gentiles, and the vses which we are to draw from the consideration thereof. by g.h. d.d. hakewill, george, - . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed by iohn lichfield and william turner, printers to the famous vniversity, oxford : anno dom. . g.h. = george hakewill. a reply to: goodman, godfrey. the fall of man, or the corruption of nature, proved by the light of our naturall reason. with two final errata leaves. reproduction of the original in the university of michigan. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of 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any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng goodman, godfrey, - . -- fall of man, or the corruption of nature, proved by the light of our naturall reason -- controversial literature -- early works to . providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an apologie of the power and providence of god in the government of the world . or an examination and censvre of the common errovr tovching natvres perpetvall and vniversall decay , divided into fovre bookes : whereof the first treates of this pretended decay in generall , together with some preparatiues thereunto . the second of the pretended decay of the heauens and elements , together with that of the elementary bodies , man only excepted . the third of the pretended decay of mankinde in regard of age and duration , of strength and stature , of arts and wits . the fourth of this pretended decay in matter of manners , together with a large proofe of the future consummation of the world from the testimony of the gentiles , and the vses which we are to draw from the consideration thereof . by g. h. d. d. ecclestastes . . say not thou , what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these , for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this . oxford , printed by iohn lichfield and william tvrner , printers to the famous vniversity . anno dom. . to my venerable mother the famovs and flovrishing vniversitie of oxford . were i destitute of all other arguments to demonstrate the providence of god in the preservation of the world , and to proue that it doth not vniversally and perpetually decline , this one mightfully suffice for all , that thou , my venerable mother , though thou waxe old in regard of yeares , yet in this latter age in regard of strength and beauty , waxest young againe . within the compasse of this last centenarie and lesse , thou hast brought forth such a number of worthie sonnes for piety , for learning , for wisdome ; and for buildings hast bin so inlarged and inriched , that he who shall compare thee with thy selfe , will easily finde , that though thou be truly accounted one of the most auncient vniversities in the world yet so farre art thou from withering and wrinkles , that thou art rather become fairer and fresher , and in thine issue no lesse happy then heretofore . the three last cardinals that this nation had were thine , if that can adde any thing to thine honour . those thine vnnaturall sonnes , who of late dayes forsooke thee , & fledde to thine enemies campe , harding , stapleton , saunders , raynolds , martyn , bristow , campian , parsons , euen in their fighting against thee , shewed the fruitfulnes of thy wombe , and the efficacie of that milke which they drew from thy breasts . what one colledge euer yeelded at one time and from one countrey three such divines as iewell , raynolds , and hooker , or two such great wits & heroicall spirits as sir thomas bodley , and sir henry sauill . how renowned in forraine parts are thy moore , thy sidney , thy cambden ? what rare lights in the church were humfreyes , foxe , bilson , field , abbot ? what pillars those fiue sonnes of thine who at one time lately possessed the fiue principall sees in the kingdome ? so as if i should in this point , touching the worlds pretended decay be cast by the votes of others , yet my hope is that by reflecting vpon thy selfe , i shall be cleared and acquitted by thine . and in confidence heereof i haue to thy censu●… submitted this ensuing apologie , which perchaunce to the vulgar may seeme somewhat strange , because their eares haue bin so long inured vnto , and consequently their fancies fore-stalled with the contrary opinion . but to thee i trust , who judgest not vpon report , but vpon tryall , neither art swayed by number and lowdnes of voyces , but by weight of argument , it will appeare not onely just and reasonable in that it vindicates the glory of the creator , and a trueth as large and wide as the world it selfe , but profitable and vsefull for the raising vp of mens mindes to an endeavour of equalling , yea and surpassing their noble and worthy predecessours in knowledge and vertue ; it being certaine that the best patternes which wee haue in them both , either extant at this present , or recorded in monuments of auncienter times , had neuer beene , had they conceiued that there was alwayes an inevitable declination as well in the arts as matter of manners , and that it was impossible to surmount those that went before them . i doe not beleeue that all regions of the world , or all ages in the same region afford wits alwayes alike : but this i think , neither is it my opinion alone , but of scaliger , vives , budaeus , bodine , and other great clearkes , that the witts of these latter ages being manured by industry , directed by precepts , regulated by methode , tempered by dyet , refreshed by exercise , and incouraged by rewardes , may bee as capable of deepe speculations , and produce as masculine and lasting birthes , as any of the ancienter times haue done . but if we conceiue thē to be gyants , & our selues dwarfes , if we imagine all sciences already to haue receiued their vtmost perfection , so as wee need not but translate and comment vpon that which they haue done , if we so admire and dote vpon antiquitie as wee emulate and envy , nay scorne and trample vnder foot whatsoeuer the present age affords , if wee spend our best time and thoughts in clyming to honour , in gathering of riches , in following our pleasures , and in turning the edge of our wits one against another , surely there is little hope that wee shall euer come neare them , much lesse match them . the first step to inable a man to the atchieuing of great designes is to be perswaded that by endeavour he is able to atchieue it , the next not to bee perswaded that whatsoeuer hath not yet beene done , cannot therefore be done . not any one man , or nation , or age , but rather mankinde is it which in latitude of capacity answeres to the vniversality of things to be knowne . and truely had our fathers thought so reverently of their predecessours , and withall of themselues so basely , that neither any thing of moment was left for them to be done , nor in case there had beene , were they qualified for the doing thereof ; wee had wanted many helpes in learning , which by their travell wee now injoy . by meanes whereof i see not but wee might also advaunce , improue and inlarge our patrimony , as they left it inlarged to vs : and thereunto the arts of printing and navigation , the frequency of goodly libraries , and liberality of benefactours , are such inducements & furtherances , that if wee excell not all ages that haue gone before vs , it is only because we are wanting to our selues . and as our helpes are more & greater for knowledge & learning , so likewise for goodnes & vertue , i meane , since the beames of christian religion displayed themselues to the world , which for the rooting out of vice & planting of vertue no christian , i hope , will deny to be incomparably more effectuall then any other religion that euer yet was heard of in the world : or if others should chance to make a doubt of the certainty of this truth , yet cannot you who preach it , & publish it to others . doubtlesse being rightly applyed without apish superstition on the one side , or peevish singularity on the other , it workes vpon the conscience more forceably , & consequently hath a greater power of making men not outwardly & formally , but really & inwardly vertuous . and if we should look back into histories , & compare time with time , we shall easily finde that where this profession spred it selfe , men haue generally beene more accomplished in all kind of morall & civill vertues then before it took place . it is true indeed that in processe of time , thorow the ambition , covetousnes , luxury , idlenesse , & ignorance of them who should haue bin lights in the church , it too much degenerated from its originall purity , & therevpon manners ( being formed by it ) were generally tainted , this corruption like a leprosie diffusing it selfe from the head into all the body : but together with the reviving of the arts & languages , which for sundry ages lay buried in barbarisme , the rust of superstition was likewise in many places scowred off from religion , which by degrees had crept vpon it , & fretted deepe into the face of it , and the arts being thus refined , & religion restored to its primitiue brightnes , manners were likewise reformed euen among them , at least in part & in shew , who as yet admit not a full reformation in matter of religion . a foule shame then it were for vs who professe a thorow reformation in matter of doctrine , to be thought to grow worse in matter of manners , god forbid it should be so , i hope it is not so , i am sure it should not be so : that grace of god which hath appeared more clearely to vs then to our fore-fathers , teaching vs to adorne our profession with a gracious and vertuous conversation , to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts , and to liue soberly , and righteously , and godly in this present world : soberly in regard of our selues , righteously in regard of others , and godly in regard of religious exercises . if then we come short of our auncestors in knowledge , let vs not cast it vpon the deficiencie of our wits in regard of the worlds decay , but vpon our own sloth ; if we come short of them in vertue , let vs not impute it to the declination of the world , but to the malice and faintnesse of our owne wills ; if we feele the scourges of god vpon our land by mortality , famine , vnseasonable weather , or the like , let vs not teach the people that they are occasioned by the worlds old age , and thereby call into question the prouidence , or power , or wisedome , or iustice , or goodnes of the maker thereof ; but by their and our sins , which is doubtles both the truer & more profitable doctrine , & withall more consonant to the sermons of christ & his apostles , & the prophets of god in like cases . and withall let vs freely acknowledge that almighty god hath bestowed many blessings vpon these latter ages , which to the former he denyed , as in sending vs vertuous and gracious princes , and by them the maintenance of piety , & peace , & plenty , & the like . lest thorow our ingratitude he vvithdraw them from vs , and make vs know their worth by wanting them , which by injoying them wee vnderstood not . but i will not presume to advise where i should learne , only i will vnfainedly wish and heartily pray , that at leastwise your practise may still make good mine opinion , maintained in this booke , & refute the contrary & common errour opposed therein , that you may still grow in knowledge and grace , and that your vertues may alwaies rise & increase together with your buildings . these latter without the former , being but as a body without a soule . yours to doe you service to the vtmost of his poore abilitie g. h. the preface . truth it is , that this ensuing treatise was long since in my younger yeares begunne by me for mine owne private exercise and satisfaction , but afterward considering not onely the rarity of the subject , and variety of the matter , but withall that it made for the redeeming of a captivated truth , the vindicating of gods glory , the advancement of learning , & the honour of the christian & reformed religion , by the advise and with the approbation and incouragement of such speciall friends , whose piety , learning , and wisedome i well know , and much reverence , i resolved ( permissu superiorum and none otherwise ) to make it publique for the publique good , and the encountring of a publique errour , which may in some sort be equalled , if not preferred before the quelling of some great monster . neither doe i take it to lye out of my profession , the principall marke which i ayme at throughout the whole body of the discourse , being an apologeticall defence of the power & providence of god , his wisedome , his truth , his justice , his goodnes & mercy , and besides , a great part of the booke it selfe is spent in pressing theologicall reasons , in clearing doubts arising from thence , in producing frequent testimonies from scriptures , fathers , schoolemen , and moderne divines , in proving that antichrist is already come from the writings of the romanists themselues , in confirming the article of our faith touching the worlds future and totall consummation by fire , and a day of finall judgement from discourse of reason and the writings of the gentiles , and lastly by concluding the whole worke with a pious meditation touching the vses which we may and should make of the consideration thereof , seruing for a terrour to some , for comfort to others , for admonition to all and how other men may stand affected in reading , i know not , sure i am that in writing , it often lifted vp my soule in admiring and praysing the infinite wisedome and bounty of the crator in maintaining and managing his owne worke , in the gouernment and preservation of the vniverse , which in truth is nothing else but ( as the schooles speake ) continuata productio , a continuated production : & often did it call to my mind those holy raptures of the psalmist ; o lord our governour , how excellent is thy name in all the world ? thou lord hast made me glad through thy workes , & i will reioyce in giuing praise for the operations of thy hands , o lord , how glorious are thy workes , & thy thoughts are very deepe . an vnwise man doth not well consider this , & a foole doth not well vnderstand it . and againe , the workes of the lord are great , sought out of all them that haue pleasure therein , his worke is worthy to be praised & had in honour , & his righteousnes endureth for euer . and though whiles i haue laboured to free the world from old age , i feele it creeping vpon my selfe , yet if it shall so please the same great and gratious lord , i intend by his assistance spating mee life & health hereafter to write another apologie of his power & providence in the government of his church , which perchaunce by some may be thought both more proper for mee , and for these times more necessary , though he that shall narrowly obserue the prints of the almighties footsteppes , traced throughout this ensuing discourse , may not vnjustly from thence collect , both comfort and assurance , that as the heauens remaine vnchangeable , so doth the church triumphant in heauen , & as all things vnder the cope of heauen vary and change , so doth the militant heere on earth ; it hath its times and turnes , sometimes flowing and againe ebbing with the sea , sometimes waxing , and againe waning with the moone , which great light , it seemes , the almighty therefore set the lowest in the heavens , and nearest the earth , that it might dayly put vs in minde of the constancy of the one , and inconstancy of the other , her selfe in some sort partaking of both , though in a different manner ; of the one in her substance , of the other in her visage . and if the moone thus change , and all things vnder the moone , why should we wonder at the chaunge of monarchies and kingdomes ? much lesse petty states and private families : they rise , and fall , and rise again , and fall againe , that no man might either too confidently presume , because they are subject to continuall alteration , or cast away all hope , and fall to despaire , because they haue their seasons and appointed times of returning againe . nemo confidat nimium secundis , nemo desperet meliora , lapsus : miscet haec illis , prohibetque clotho stare fortunam . let him that stands take heed lest that he fall , let him that 's falne hope he may rise againe ; the providence divine that mixeth all , chaines joy to griefe by turnes , & losse to gaine . i must confesse that sometimes looking stedfastly vpon the present face of things both at home and abroad , i haue beene often put to a stand , and staggered in mine opinion , whither i were in the right or no ; and perchaunce the state of my body , and present condition , in regard of those faire hopes i sometimes had , served as false perspectiue glasses to looke through , but when againe i abstracted and raised my thoughts to an higher pitch , and as from a vantage ground tooke a larger view , comparing time with time , and thing with thing , and place with place , and considered my selfe as a member of the vniverse , and a citizen of the world , i found that what was lost to one part , was gained to another ; and what was lost in one time , was to the same part recouered in another ; and so the ballance by the divine providence over-ruling all , kept vpright . but comonly it fares with men in this case , as with one who lookes onely vpon some libbet , or end of a peece of arras , he happily conceiues an hand or head which he sees , to be very vnartificially made ; but vnfolding the whole , soone findes that it carries a due and just proportion to the body ; so , qui de pauca resp●…cit , de facili pronuntiat ( saith aristotle ) he that is so narrow eyed as he lockes onely to his owne person or family to his owne corporation or nation , or the age wherein himselfe liues , will peradventure quickly conceiue , and as some pronounce , that all things decay and goe backward , which makes men murmure and repine against ged , vnder the names of fortune and destinie , whereas he that as a part of mankinde in generall , takes a view of the vniversall , compares person with person , family with family , corporation with corporation , nation with nation , age with age ; suspends his judgement , and vpon examination clearely findes , that all things worke together for the best to them that loue god : and that though some members suffer , yet the whole is no way thereby indammaged at any time ; and at other times those same members are againe relieued , as the sunne when it sets to vs , it rises to our antipodes , and when it remooues from the northerne parts of the world , it cherishes the southerne , yet stayes not there , but returnes againe with his comfortable beames to those very parts which for a time it seemed to haue forsaken : o that men would therefore praise the lord for his goodnesse , and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men ! or at leastwise cry out in admiration with the apostle , o the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of our god , how vnsearchable are his pathes , and his wayes past finding out ! yet the next way , in some measure to finde them out , ( so farre as is possible for vs poore wormes heere crawling in a mist vpon the face of the earth ) is , next the sacred oracles of supernatutall and revealed truth ; to study the great volume of the creature , and the histories not onely of our owne , but of forraigne countreyes , and those not onely of the present , but more auncient times . enquire i pray thee of the former age , and prepare thy selfe to the search of their fathers , for wee are but of yesterday , and know nothing , because our dayes vpon earth are but a shadow . if then to make my party good , and to waite vpon divinity , i haue called in subsidiary aydes , from philosophers , historiographers , mathematitians , grammarians , logicians , poets , oratours , souldiers , travellers , lawyers , physitians , and if i haue in imitation of tertullian , cyprian , eusebius , augustine , lactantius , arnobius , minutius , endeavoured to cut the throates of the paynims with their owne swords , and pierced them with their owne quills , i hope no learned man , or louer of learning will censure me for this . philosophie and the arts i must account a part of mine owne profession ; and for physicke and the lawes , i haue therein consulted the chiefe , as well in this vniversity , as out of it , of mine owne acquaintance ; nay in history , the mathematiques and divinity it selfe , i haue not onely had the approbation of the publique professours therein ; for the maine points in my booke , which concerne their severall professions , but some peeces i must acknowledge as receiued from them , which i haue made bold to insert into the body of my discourse ; let no man think then that i maintaine a paradoxe for ostentation of wit , or haue written out of spleene , to gall any man in particular , nor yet to humour the present times ; the times themselues , mine indisposition that way , and resolution to sit downe content with my present fortunes ; if they serue not to giue others satisfaction therein , yet doe they fully to cleare mee to my selfe , from any such aspersion : yet thus much , i hope , i safely may say without suspition of flattery , that by the goodnesse of god , and our gratious soveraigne vnder god , wee yet enjoy many great blessings which former ages did not , and were wee thankfull for these as we ought , and truely penitent for our excesse in all kinde of monstrous sinnes ( which aboue all , threatens our ruine ) i nothing doubt but vpon our returne to our god by humiliation and newnesse of life , he would soone dissolue the cloud which hangs ouer vs , and returne vnto vs with the comfortable beames of his favour , and make vs to returne each to other with mutuall imbracements of affection and duety , and our armies and fleetes to returne with spoyle and victory , and reduce againe as golden and happy times , as euer wee or our fore-fathers saw : but if we still goe on with an high hand , and a stiffe necke in our prophanesse , our pride , our luxury , our vncharitablenesse , our vnnaturall divisions in church and common-wealth , there needes no propheticall spirit to divine what will shortly become of vs ; turne vs ; o turne vs againe o lord god of hostes , shew the light of thy countenance and wee shall bee whole ; shew the light of thy countenance and wee shall be provident in counsell , successefull in warre , sober in peace , a terrour to our enemies , and a comfort to our allies and confederates . turne thee againe thou god of hostes , looke downe from heaven , behold & visite this vine and the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted : and the branch that thon madest so strong for thy selfe . we need goe no farther then the nation of the iewes for a notable instance in this kinde ; who at times more zealous then they in the worship of god & the exercises of religion ? and who againe at other times more rebellious ? it is said of them in the psalme , then beleeued they his words ; but presently it followes in the very next verse , they soone forgot his works : & according to their obedience or rebelliō , so were they either prosperous or vnfortunate in the course of their affaires ; during their faith & fidelity towards god , every man of them was in warre as a thousand strong , & as much as a great senate for counsel in peaceable deliberations ; contrarywise , if they swerued ( as often they did ) their wonted courage and magnanimity forsooke them vtterly ; their souldiers and military men trembled at the sight of the naked sword ; when they entred into mutuall conference , and sate in counsell for their owne good ; that which children might haue seene , their gravest senatou●…s could not discerne , their prophets saw darkenesse in steed of visions , and the wise and prudent were as men bewitcht . if then wee come short of that courage and valour , which made our auncestours so renowned by sea and land , not onely in france , and spaine , and the netherlands , but in palaestina it selfe ; sure it is not , because the world declines , but because our luxury increases , the most evident symptome of a declining state ; for as all empires haue risen to their greatnesse by vertue , and specially by sobrietie and frugalitie ; so is it cleare that by vice , and specially by luxury , which of necessity drawes on softnes and cowardise ) they haue all againe declined and come to nothing ; and out of their ashes haue others sprung vp , which likewise within a while ( such a circulation there is in all things ) haue bin turned into ashes againe . as when the winde the angry ocean moves , waue hunteth waue , and billow billow shoves : so doe all nations justle each the other , and so one people doth pursue another , and scarse a second hath the first vnhoused , before a third him thence againe hath rowsed . — sic medus ademit assyrio , medoque tulit moderamina perses , subjecit persen macedo , cessurus & ipse romanis . thus did the medes root out th' assyrian race , the persian quickly foyl'd the medes , in place of him subdu'd , vp starts the macedo , who eftsoones yeeldes vnto the romane foe . and lastly the romanes themselues as by vertue and piety , in their superstitious way they wanne , and mightily inlarged their empire , so being come to the top , they lost it againe by vice and irreligion : so true is that of the comicall poet. haec nisi vrbe aberunt , centuplex murus rebus servandis parum est . vnlesse these vices banisht bee , what euer forts you haue , an hundred walls together put , will not haue power to saue . with whom accords the tragicall — vbi non est pudor , nec cura juris , sanctitas , pietas , fides , instabile regnum est . where is no modestie , nor equitie , nor sanctitie , nor pietie , no nor fidelitie , in such a kingdome certainlie there can be no stability . who so is wise then will ponder these things , and they shall vnderstand the loving kindnesse of the lord. againe , for matter of learning and knowledge if we come short of the ancients ; we need not impute it to natures decay ; our owne riot , our idlenesse and negligence in regard of them , will sufficiently discharge nature , and justly cast backe the blame vpon our selues . falsa est enim atque inepta illa quorundam similitudo , quam multi tanquam acutissimam atque appositissimam excipiunt , nos ad priores collatos , esse vt nanos in humeris gigantum : non est ita , nec nos sumus nani , nec illi homines gigantes , sed omnes ejusdem staturae , & quidem nos altius evecti eorum beneficio : maeneat modo in nobis , quod in illis , studium , attentio animi , vigilantia , & amor veri : quae si absint , jam non nani sumus , nec in gigantum humeris sedemus , sed homines iustae magnitudinis humi prostrati . for a false and fond similitude it is of some , which they take vp as a most witty and proper one , that wee being compared to the ancients , are as dwarfes vpon the shoulders of giants : it is not so , neither are we dwarfes , nor they giants , but wee are all of one stature , saue that wee are lifted vp somewhat higher by their meanes , conditionally there be found in vs the same studiousnesse , watchfulnesse and loue of trueth , as was in thē : which if they be wanting , then are we not dwarfs , nor set on the shoulders of giants , but men of a cōpetent stature groueling on the earth . we wonder ( as well wee may ) at aristotles wit expressed in his voluminous workes , but his indefatigable paines in study , we consider not , holding in his hand when he layde him downe to rest , a ball of brasse , which as soone as sleepe overtooke him , fell into a basin of brasse , purposely set vnder , that so being awakened with the noyse thereof , he might againe returne to his booke ▪ and though he were , as witnesseth censorinus , of so crasie a body , ( that it is more strange hee should liue to his climactericall yeare , then that he then died ) yet by the invincible strength of his minde , did he wade through a world of difficulties , and hath thereby left such fruites thereof to the world , as hath deservedly wonne him immortall honour . seneca a man of an admirable vivacity of spirit , writes of himselfe , that one day he heard attalus the philosopher in his publique lectures , commend a bedde which yeelded not to the body , and therevpon addes , tali vtor etiam senex , in qua vestigium apparere non possit ; such a one doe i now vse , though well stricken in yeares , in which my body leaues no print behinde it : hee likewise by the perswasion of the same attalus abstained from oisters , from wine , from bathings , he fed sometimes vpon a crust of drye bread , sometimes vpon wilde fruit , taken from the hedge , and quenched his thirst with faire running water , and this hee did for loue of knowledge , in a most luxurious age , liuing in the court it selfe , abounding in riches and honour , and hauing all kindes of pleasures at commaund . the like doth plinius caec●…us in his epistle to marcus , write of his vncle tutour to the emperour vespasian , as was seneca to nero : to his rare naturall endowments , hee added incessant watchfulnesse , and labour in reading and writing , his diet was sparing and thinne , his sleepe short and little , in so much that his nephew caecilius freely confesseth of himselfe : soleo ridere cum me quidam studiosum vocant , qui , si comparer illi , sum desidiosissimus : i am wont to smile when they tearme me a hard student who being compared with him , am in truth a very truant . but to come neerer home , king alfred thought to be founder or restorer of the vniversity of oxford is reported to haue cast the naturall day , consisting of houres , into three parts ; whereof the one he spent in affaires of state , a second in the service of his body , and the residue in prayer , study , and writing , which spaces of time , hauing then none other engine for that purpose , he measured by a great waxe light divided into so many parts , receiving notice by the keeper thereof , as the seuerall houres passed in burning . such examples as these of the auncients wee admire , wee commend , wee willingly reade and recite , but follow the fashion of our owne times . laudamus veteres sed nostris vtimur annis . the common complaint is , that we want time , but the trueth is , non parum habemus temporis , sed multum perdimus , we doe not so much want as waste it , either malè agendo , or nihil agendo , or aliud agendo , either in doing naughtines , or nothing , or impertinencies ; we doe bonas horas malè collocare , trifle out our pretious houres in eating & drinking , & sleeping , and sporting , and gaming , and dressing our bodies , and then giue out & perswade our selues , that nature forsooth is decayed , that our bodies cannot endure that study which our predecessours did : and truely i thinke many justly complaine of weake and crasie bodies , but withall that more haue made them so , by intemperance then study , or found them so by nature ; let vs then lay the fault where it is , and accuse our selues , not nature , or rather god vnder that name . and yet what the bodies of men euen in these latter ages being throughly put to it , are able to endure , the extant workes of tostatus , erasmus , gesner , calvin , luther , baronius , bellarmine , and others sufficiently testifie ; it is to this effect a true speech of arnoldus clapmarus in his nobile triennium , incredibile est quantum brevissimo tempore humana possit assequi industria , it is incredible what the industry of man in a very short time may attaine vnto . master foxe in his latine epistle to the reader , prefixed before his acts and monuments , reports of himself , that having but a sickly body , in lesse then eighteene moneths space he read authours , conferred copies , searched records , gathered matters , digested it into order , revised it , &c. for that great worke , and this to bee true , saith he , noverunt ij qui testes adfuerunt & temporis conscij , & laboris socij , they know full well who were present as witnesses , being both privie to my time , and companions of my labo●… ▪ and ioseph scaliger in the life of his father iulius tels vs likewise of himselfe , that when he began first with the greeke tongue in one & twenty dayes he learned over all homer with the comment , and within foure moneths ( to vse his owne words ) he devoured all the rest of the greeke poets they were doubtlesse great matters , which peter ramus went through in a short time , as appeares in his life ; yet not so much by the quickenesse and strength of wit ( though therein he excelled ) as by his assiduity and temperance , which was such that he would drinke no wine , till by his physitians he was injoyned so to doe ; and from his youth to his dying day never vsed by his good will any other bedding then straw , and in his studies so watchfull hee was , that if he heard in the morning the smiths or carpenters , or other artisans at worke before he were stirring , hee would blame himselfe of negligence and sloathfulnes , that they should prevent him , and be more diligent in their mechanicall trades , then he in the studie of the liberall sciences : and ( to adde one more ) of our rare iewell , doctour humphreyes testifies , that he was , & studiosorum calcar , et studiorum norma , et indefessae diligentiae singulare specimen , a spur to students , a rule of studies , and a singular president of vnwearied studiousnesse ; and againe , victus nimis scholasticus et simplex fuit , corpus macilentum et perimbecillum , vt mireris tot laboribus exhauriendis potuisse sufficere : his diet was very sparing , and somewhat too scholer-like , his bodie thinne and very weake , so as a man might justly wonder , how it could indure and bring about such and so many labours . and certaine it is ( what ever our wits pretend to the contrarie ) that never any became excellent in any profession , or was famous for any notable worke , who was not abstemious or industrious . multa tulit fecitque puer , sudavit et alsit . hee did both doe and suffer many things . both heate and cold : &c. and i verily thinke did the students in our vniversities , carefully and constantly obserue those houres for prayer ( especially in the morning ) which our wise and godly founders by their locall statutes require in our severall colledges , we should soone by gods blessing find a change both in manners and learning ; and thereby stop the mouthes of such both at home and abroad , as cry out that wee haue lost our ancient reputation , and that the iesuites by the strictnes of their discipline haue gotten the start of vs , and wonne the spurres from vs. antiquitùs strictissime fuit observatum vt exceptis graduatis , nemo animi , vel etiam negotij cujusquam sui causa è collegio suo sine superioris perita et obtenta licentia , ( socio etiam assignato ) egredi posset ; ingredi civium domos , prandium aut coenam apud eos sumere , non nisi maxima vrgente causa , & quasi ex speciali indulto , cuiquam licuit : popinas autem intrare , & in hospitijs publicis convivari , vel in aedibus alicujus civis pernoctare piaculum erat , nam in his si quis deliquisset , ex academia nisi magna aliqua ratio subfuisset cum dedecore eijciebatur . i neede not english it , but wish it practised . and conclude this point with that of quintilian , which cannot too often bee remembred ; non enim nos tarditatis natura damnavit , sed vltra nobis quod oportebat indulsimus , ita non tam ingenio nos illi superarunt , quam proposito . nature hath not made vs more vncapable then our auncestours , but we haue beene too indulgent to our selues , by which meanes it comes to passe that they surmount vs not so much by the goodnes of wits , as studiousnesse and endeavour . now for the worke it selfe i am well assured ( as all other bookes and actions ) it will be diversly censu●…d as men stand diversly affected : if but three guests meet at a feast , they will hardly accord in one dish ; & truely i thinke that as mens fancies ( could they be seene ) would bee found to differ more then their faces ; so are their judgments more different then their tastes : but this common courtesie ( due by the lawes of civility and humanity ) i shall craue ( which i hope no ingenuous mind will deny mee ) that i bee not condemned before i bee vnderstood . ne mea dona tibi studio disposta fideli , intellecta prius quam sint , contemptarelinquas . doe not cast off with surly scorne what heere i offer thee , before thou vnderstand aright what heere is said by me . legant & postea despiciant , ne videantur non ex judicio , sed ex odij praesumptione ignorata damnare : first read , and then despise lest thou seeme to condemne that which thou knowest not , rather out of malitious prejudice , then advised judgment , and if vpon a serious perusall and ballancing of mine arguments any shall yet vary from mee , i quarrell him not , but hope wee may both injoy our opinions without any breach of faith or charity ; onely i say that the question is surely noble , and worthy to be discussed by a more learned penne , as being a disquisition touching the shippe wherein wee all sayle whether it bee staunch or no , and heerein will be the tryall , opinionum commenta dies delet , naturae iudicia confirmat ; time weares out dreames of fancy , but strengthens the dictates of nature and trueth ; as the sunne beames being imp●…isoned , as it were , for a time , worke thorough a thicke mist , though with some difficulty , but being once broken through , and the mist dispelled , they shine out and continue cleare . i haue walked ( i confesse ) in an vntroden path , neither can i trace the prints of any footsteppes that haue gone before mee , but onely as it led them to some other way , thwarting , and vpon the by , not directly : some parts belonging to this discourse , some haue slightly handled , none throughly considered of the whole : which i speake not to derogate from their worth ( it being puerilis jactantiae accusando illustres viros suo nomini famam quaerere ; a childish kinde of bragging to hunt after applause by contradicting famous men ) but onely to shew that whiles they intended another thing , they might happily in this bee carried away with the common streame : for surely such a sweete harmony there is betweene all the members of this body , such a cohaerence and mutuall dependance betwixt all the linkes of this chaine , that hee who takes a view of the whole , will easily graunt that hee might bee deceiued by looking vpon some parts thereof . yet some perchaunce will conceiue , i might haue delivered my minde with lesse expence of w●…des and time , and truely i must acknowledge that in multiloquio non deerit peccatum ; it cannot bee but in speaking so much , somewhat should bee spoken amisse . yet withall it must bee remembred , that being to grapple with such a giantlike monster , i could not thinke him dead till i had his head off : and that which to some may seeme superfluous or impertinent , will happ●…ly by others bee thought not vnprofitable or vnpleasant , the paines is mine , and if it bee over-done , done i am sure it is ; if i haue sayde more then enough , enough is said to serue the turne . and if any shall haue a minde to publish any thing against that i haue written , i shall desire it may bee done fairely , not by sucking of the soares , and flying over the sound parts , nor by nibbling vpon the twigges , and vtmost braunches , but by striking at the roote or body of the tree , or at leastwise some of the principall limbes thereof ; and in the meane season , i say with saint augustine , quisquis haec legit vbi pariter certus est , pergat mecum ; vbi pariter haesitat quaerat mecum ; vbi errorem suum cognoscit , redeat ad me ; vbi meum , revocet me : whosoeuer thou art that reads this discourse , where thou art assured go on with me , where thou art in doubt , search with me ; where thou dost acknowledge thine errour , returne to me ; where thou findest mine , recall me ; and conclude with lactantius : etiamsi nulli alij , nobis certè proderit , delectabit ) se conscientia , gaudebitque mens in veritatis se luce versàri , quod est animae pabulum incredibili quâdam jucunditate perfusum : if this treatise profite none else , yet shall it mee , my conscience shall comfort it selfe , and my minde bee refreshed in the light of trueth , which is the foode of the soule , mixed with delight incredible . rode caper vites , tamen hic , cum stabis ad aras , jn tua quod fundi cornua possit , erit . errata . pag. . lin . . read psammeticus , p. . l. . r. thought . p. . l. . r. miror . p. . l. . r. words . p . l. . r. in antiquitie . p. . l. . r. almost halfe a pound . p. . l . r. are . p. . l. . r. commenteth . p. . l. . r. mentitus . p. . l. . r. be diminished . p. . l. . r aestate p. . l. . r. speakes p. . l. . r. about . p. . l. . r. religion . p. . l. . r. incommoda . p. . l. . r. ex. ibid. l. . r. milke . p. . l. . r. drought . p. . l. . r. better . p. . l. . r. naturalis . p. . l. . r. blancanus . p. . l. . r. sylvine . p. . l. . r. better cheape . with . ibid. l. vlt. r. his . p. . l. . r. touching . p. l. . r. reason . ibid. l. . r. mortall , that if hee sinned not , hee could not . p. . l. . r. archepius . p , . l. vlt. r. nineteene . p. . . l. . r. namely . p. . l. . . r. the. ibid. l. . r , that . p. . l. . r. regum . p. . l. . r. yolland . p. . l. . r. fuchsius . p. . l. . r. polyaenus . p. . l. . r. innumerabiles . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. lawmaker . p. . l. . in marg . r. c. . p. . l. . r. immundis . p. . l. . r. daughter . p. . l. . r. plenius . p. . l. . r. venturous . p. . l , penult . r. by the romans . p. . l. : r : except : p : : l : : r : terras : ibid l : : r : nought : p : : l : : r : infinitely in their : p : : l : : r : of . these are the greatest i haue met with , not doubting but some of consequence haue escaped me , and for those of lesser note i haue passed them ouer , desiring the reader if he will not take the paines to amend al , yet he would be pleased to set these foure or fiue right : p : : lin : : p : : l : : p : : l : : p : : l : : p : : l : vlt : the contents of the severall bookes , chapters , and sections . lib . . of this pretended decay in generall , together with some preparatiues herevnto . cap. . of diverse other opinions , justly suspected , if not rejected , though commonly received . sect. in divinitie . pag. . sect in philosophie . p. . sect. in historie ecclesiasticall . p. . sect. in historie civill or nationall . p. . sect. in naturall historie . p. . sect. with an application thereof to the present purpose . p. . cap. . of the reasons inducing the authour to the writing and publishing of this discourse . sect. whereof the first is the redeeming of a captivated truth . pag. . sect. the second is the vindicating of the creators honour . p. . sect. the third is , for that the contrary opinion quailes the hopes and blunts the edge of vertuous endeavours . p. . sect. the fourth is , for that it makes men more carelesse , both in regard of their present fortunes , and in providing for posterity . p. . sect. the fifth and last , is the weake grounds which the contrary opinion is founded vpon , as the fictions of poets , the morosity of old men , the over-valuing of antiquity , and disesteeming of the present times . p. . cap. . the controversie touching the worlds decay stated , and the methode held thorow this ensuing treatise proposed . sect. touching the pretended decay of the mixt bodies . pag. . sect. of the elements in regard of their quantity and dimensions . p. . sect. in regard of their qualities . p. . sect. of mankind in regard of manners and the arts. p. . sect. in regard of the duration of their liues , their strength , and stature . p. . sect. . the precedents of the chapter summarily recollected , and the methode observed in the ensuing treatise proposed . p. . cap. . touching the worlds decay in generall . sect. the first generall reason that it decayes not , is drawne from the power of that spirit that quickens and supports it ; the second and third , from the consideration of the severall parts whereof it consists . pag. . sect. the fourth , for that such a decay as is suppposed , would in time point out the very date of the worlds expiration , and consequently of the second comming of christ. p. . sect. the fifth , for that vpon the supposition of such a decay as is pretended , the vigor and strength of the parts thereof must of necessity long since haue bin vtterly exhausted and worne out . p. . sect. the sixth argument is drawne from the authority of salomon , and his reason taken from the circulation and running about of all things as it were in a ring . p. . cap. . generall arguments made for the worlds decay , refuted . sect. the first generall objection drawne from reason , answered , which is , that the creature the neerer it approaches to the first mould , the more perfect it is , and according to the degrees of its remoueall and distance from thence , it incurres the more imperfection and weakenesse p. . sect. the second answered , which is , that the severall parts of the world decay , which should argue a lingering consumption in the whole . p. sect. the third answered , which is taken from the authority of saint cyprian . p. . sec. the same authority of saint cyprian farther answered , by opposing against it the authority of arnobius , supported with ponderous & pressing reasons . p. . sec. . the fourth answered , which is borrowed from the authority of esdras . p. . sec. the rest answered , pretended to be taken frō authority of holy scriptures . p. . lib . . of the pretended decay in the heavens and elements , together with that of the elementary bodies , man only excepted . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies in regard of their substance . sect. of their working vpon this inferiour world , and the dependance of it vpon them . pag. . sec. their pretended decay in their substance refuted by reason . p. . sec. an objection drawne from iob , answered . p. . sec. another taken from psal. . answered . p. . sec. a third taken from the apparition of new starres , answered . p. . sec. the last drawen from the eclypses of the sunne and moone , answered . p. . cap. touching the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies in regard of their motions . sec. the first reason drawne from the causes of that motion . p. . sec. the second , from the certainety of demonstrations vpon the celestiall globe : the third , from a particular view of the proper motions of the planets , which are observed to be the same at this day as in former ages , without any variation : the fourth , from the infallible and exact prediction of their oppositions , conjunctions , and eclypses for many ages to come : the fifth from the testimony of sundry graue authors , averring the perpetuall constancy & immutability of their motions . p. . sec. the same truth farther proved from the testimony of lactantius & plutarch . p. . sec. an objection of du moulins , touching the motion of the polar star , answered . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay in the light of the heavenly bodies . sect. the first reason taken from the nature of the heavenly light , & those things wherevnto it is resembled , p. . sec. the second , for that it ha●…h nothing contrary vnto it , and heere pareus and mollerus are censured for holding that the light of heaven 〈◊〉 impaired . p. . sec. herevnto other reasons are added , and the testimony of eugubinus vouched . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay in the warmth of the heavenlie bodies . sect. that the starres are not of a fierie nature or hot in themselues . p. . sec. that the heate they breed springs from their light , and consequently their light being not decayed , neither is the warmth arising therefrō , p. . sec. two objections answered , the one drawne from the present habitablenes of the torride zone , the other from a supposed approach of the sun neerer the earth ●…hen in former ages . p. . sec. a third objection answered , taken from a supposed remoueall of the sunne more southerly from vs then in former ages . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies in regard of their influences . sect. . of the first kind of influence from the highest immoueable heaven , called by divines , coelum empyreum . p. . sec. of th' second kind , derived from the planets and fixed starres . p. . sec. that the efficacy of these influences cannot be fully comprehended by vs. p. . sec. that neither of them is decayed in their benigne and favourable effects , but that curious inquisition into them is to be forborne . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the elements in generall . sect. that the elements are still in number foure . p. . sec. that the elements still retaine the same properties that anciently they did , and by mutuall interchange and compensation the same bounds & dimentions . p. . sec. an objection drawne from the continuall mixture of the elements each with other , answered . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay of t●… aire in regard of the temper thereof . sect. of excessiue drouth and cold in former ages , and that in forraine countryes . pag. . sect. of excessiue cold & raine in former ages heere a●…tome , and of the common complaint of vnseasonable weather in all ages , together with the reason thereof . p. . sect. of contagious diseases , and specially the plague , both here at home 〈◊〉 abroad , in former ages . p. . sect. of earth-quakes in former ages , and their terrible effects , elegantly described by seneca . p. . sect. of dreadfull burnings in the bowels of aetna & vesuvius , and the rising of a new iland out of the sea with hideous roring neere putzol in italy . p. . sect. . of the nature of comets and the vncertainety of predictions from them , as also that the number of those which haue appeared of late yeares is lesse then hath vsually beene observed in former ages , and of other fiery and watery meteors . p. . sect. of strange and impetuous windes and lightnings in former ages aboue those of the present . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the waters & the fish the inhabiters thereof . sect. that the sea , & rivers , and bathes are the same at this present as they were for many ages past , or what they lose in one place and time , they recover in another , by the testimony of strabo , ovid , and pontanus . p. . sect. that fishes are not decayed in regard of their store , dimensions , or duration . p. . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the earth , together with the plants , & beasts , & minerals . sect. the divine meditation of seneca and pliny vpon the globe of the earth . an objection out of aelian touching the decrease of mountaines , answered . that all ●…hings which spring from the earth returne thither againe , and consequently it cannot decay in regard of the fruitfulnes in the whole : other objections of lesse consequence , answered . p. . sect. another obiection touching the decay of the fruitfulnes of the holy land , fully answered . p. , sect the testimonies of columella & pliny produced that the earth in it selfe is as fruitfull as in former ages , if it be well made and manured : together with the reason why so good and so great store of wine , is not now made in this kingdome as formerly hath bin . p. . sect. an argument drawne from the present state of husband-men , and another from the many and miserable dearths in former ages , together with an objection taken from the inhauncing of the prizes of victuals in latter times , answered . p. . sect. that there is no decrease in the fruitfulnesse , the quantities , or vertues of plants and simp●… ▪ nor in the store and goodnesse of mettals & mineralls , as neither in the bignesse or life of beasts , together with an objection touching the elephant mentioned in the first of macchabes , answered . p. . sect. a●…ection taken from the eclypses of the planets answered . p. . lib . of the pretended decay of mankind in regard of age & duration , of strength and stature , of arts and wits . cap. . touching the pretended decay of men in regard of their age , and first by way of comparison betweene the ages of the ancients , and those of latter times . sect. of the short life of man in regard of the duration of many other creatures , and that he was created mortall , but had he not fallen , should haue beene preserved to immortalitie . pag. . sect. of the long liues of the patriarches , and of the manner of computing their yeares , and that almighty god drew out the lines of their liues to that length for reasons proper to those first times . p. . sect. that since moses his time , the length of mans age is nothing abated , as appeares by the testimony of moses himselfe , and other graue authours , compared with the experience of these times . p. . sect. the same confirmed by the testimony of other ancient and learned writers . p. . sect. that in all times and nations some haue beene found , who haue exceeded that number of yeares which the wisest of the ancients accounted the vtmost period of mans life , and that often those of latter ages haue exceeded the former in number of yeares , as is made to appeare aswell from sacred as prophane story . p. . sect. the same assertion farther proved & inlarged by many instances both at home & abroad , specially in the indyes . p. . sect. that if our liues be shortned in regard of our ancestours , we should rather lay the burden of the fault vpon our selues & our owne intemperance , then vpon a decay in nature . p. . cap. . farther reasons alleadged , that the age of man for these last thousand or two thousand of yeares , is little or nothing abated . sect. the first reason taken from the severall stops & pawses of nature in the course of mans life , as the time of birth after our conception , our infancie , childhood , youth , mans estate , & old age , being assigned to the same compasse of yeares as they were by the ancients ; which could not possiblely be , were there an vniversall decay in mankinde in regard of age ; and the like reason there is in making the same clymactericall yeares , & the same danger in them . p. . sect. the second is drawne from the age of matrim ony and generation , which among the ancients was as forward as ours now is , if not more timely . p. . sect. the third is borrowed from the age which the ancients assigned for charge and imployment in publique affaires , ecclesiasticall , civill , & militarie , they were therevnto both sooner admitted , & therefrom sooner discharged , then men now a dayes vsually are : which should in reason argue , that they likewise vsually finished the course of their life sooner . p. . cap. . contayning a comparison betwixt the gyants mentioned in scripture , both among themselues and with those of latter ages . sect. of the admirable composition of mans bodie , & that it cannot bee sufficiently proved that adam as he was the first , so he was likewise the tallest of men , which in reason should be , were there in truth any such perpetuall decrease in mans stature as is pretended . p. . sect. what those gyants were which are mentioned in the sixth of genesis , and that succeeding ages vntill davids time afforded the like . p. . sect. that latter times haue also afforded the like , both at home & abroad , specially in the indies where they liue more according to nature . p. . cap. . more pressing reasons to proue , that for these last two or three thousand yeares , the stature of the anciēts was little or nothing different from that of the present times . sect. the first reason taken from the measures of the ancients , which were proportioned to the parts of mans body , & in the view of them wee are first to know that they were standards , that is , for publique contracts certaine & constant , & consequently , if the graines of our barley corne , the first principle of measure , be the same with theirs , as hath already bin proued , it cannot be but our ordinary measures should be the same with theirs , & so likewise our statures . p. . sect. that in particular the ordinary hebrew , grecian , & roman measures were the same with ours or very little different . p. . sect. the second reason taken from the ordinary allowance of dyet to souldiers & servants , which appeares to be of like quantity with vs , as was that among the ancient grecians & romās , together with a doubt touching gods allowance to the israelites , answered . p , . sect diverse other reasons drawne from experience added , as from the bedsteeds , the seates , the doores , the pulpits , the altars of the ancients , and other doubtes cleared . p. . sect. the same farther proved , first for that the son often proues taller then the father . secondly , for that age and stature holding for the most part correspondence , it being already proved that the age of mankind is not decreased , from thence it followes , that neither is their stature . thirdly , for that if mankind decreased in stature by the course of nature , so must of necessity all other creatures , they being all alike subiect to the same law of nature . fourthly , for that if men had still declined since the creation , by this time they could haue beene no bigger then rats or mice , if they had at all bin . p. . cap. . wherein the principall objections , drawne aswell from reason as from authority and experience , are fully answered . sect. of sundry fabulous narrations of the bones of gyant-like bodies , digged vp , or found in caues . p. . sect. diverse reasons alleadged , why such bones might be found in former ages , and not now , and yet the ordinary stature of mankind remaine the same . p. . sect. an answere to the argument , drawne from the testimonies commonly produced on behalfe of the adverse opinion . p . sect. of the wonderfull strength of diverse in latter ages , not inferiour to those of former times . p. . sect. two doubtes cleered ; the first touching the strong physicke which the ancients vsed ; the second touching the great quantity of blood which they are sayd vsually to haue drawne at the opening of a vaine . p. . sect. the third doubt cleered , touching the length of the duodenum , or first gut ; as also of the severall opinions of iacobus capellus and iohānes temporarius touching the decrease of humane strength and stature . p. . sect. another rubbe removed , taken from the impuritie of the seed contracted by the succession of propagation , as also touching some late memorable examples of parents , famously fertile in the linnage issuing from their bodies , beyond any examples in that kinde of former ages . p. . cap. . contayning a discourse in generall , that there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the powers of the minde , or in the arts and sciences as is pretended . sect. the excellency of the ancients in the powers of the minde , compared with those of the present ; as also their helpes and hinderances in matter of learning , ballanced . p. . sect. that there is both in wits & arts , as in all things besides a kind of circular progresse , aswell in regard of places as times . p. . cap. . touching the three principall professions , divinity , law , and physicke . sect. the strange ignorance of the ancients in many things in matters of divinity . p. . sect. of the palpable darkenes of some ages before this last , and specially of the ninth centurie , as also gods speciall blessing vpon these latter ages in reviving the arts & languages . p. . sect. the lawyers of this last age preferred before those of former times . p. . sect. ancient and moderne physitians compared , specially in the knowledge of anatomie and herbarie , the two legs of that science . p. . sect. of the profitable vse of extractions , and the paracelsian physicke , either wholely vnknowne to the ancients , or little practised by thē . p. . cap. . touching historie poetry , and the art militarie . sect. that the moderns haue far exceeded the ancients in chronology and cosmography , the two eyes of historie . p. . sect. the defect of the ancients in naturall and ecclesiasticall historie justly corrected by the modernes ; and in civill history : the moderns are matched with the ancients : and of the knowledge of weights , and measures , andthe true valuation of coynes recovered and restored by latter writers , which thorow the neglect of former ages had well nigh perished . p. . sect. a comparison betweene the greeke & latine , as also between the ancienter and latter latine poets , and that poetry , as other arts hath fallen and risen againe in this latter age . p. . sect. in military matters the romans excelled the grecians , and haue themselues bin matched , if not surpassed in latter ages , in weapons , in fortifications , in stratagems , but specially in sea-fights . p. . cap. . touching grammar , rhetorique , logicke , the mathematiques , philosophy , architecture , the arts of painting and navigation . sect. touching grammar , rhetorique , & logicke . p. . sect. touching astronomy and geometry , as also the physicks and metaphysicks . pag. . sect. of the arts of painting and architecture revived in this latter age . p. . sect. of the art of navigation brought to perfection in this latter age . p. . cap. . touching diverse artificiall workes and vsefull inventions , at leastwise matchable with those of the ancients , namely and chiefely , the invention of printing , gunnes , and the sea-card or marriners compasse . sect. of some rare inventions & artificiall workes of this latter age , comparable both for vse and skill to the best of the ancients . p. . sect. of the benefits and the inventor of the most vsefull art of printing . p. . sect. of the vse and invention of gunnes . p. . sect. of the vse and invention of the marriners compasse or sea-card , as also of another excellent invention sayd to bee lately sound out vpon the load-stone , together with a conclusion of this comparison touching arts and wits , with a saying of bodins , and another very notable one of lactantius . p. . lib . of this pretended decay in matter of manners , together with a large proofe of the future consummation of the world , from the testimonies of the gentiles , and the vses which wee are to draw from the consideration thereof . cap. . that there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the manners of men as is pretended , which is first proved in generall , and then from religion the ground of manners . sect. that there is a vicissitude and revolution in vertues and in vices , as there is in arts and sciences . p. . sect. the extreame folly of the ancients in adoring and invocating images . p. . sect. their grosse and ridiculous blockishnesse in the infinite multitude of their gods. p. . sect. the most shamefull & base condition of their gods. p. . sect. their barbarous and most vnnaturall cruelty in sacrificing their children to their gods. p. . sect. their monstrous beastlinesse in the worship of priapus and berecynthia , as also of their doting folly in their divinations ; together with a touch vpon the childish fables of the iewish rabbins , the absurd opinions and horrible practices of ancient heretiques in the primitiue christian church , and the incredible ignorance & superstition of the romish . p. . cap. . touching the lawes of the ancient graecians and saxons , whereof some were wicked and impious others most absurd and ridiculous . sect. the vnjust and absurd lawes of solon the athenian lawgiver . p. . sect. the vnreasonable and irreligious lawes of lycurgus the lacedaemonian law-giver . p. . sect. the impious and dishonest lawes of plato . p . sect. the vnnaturall and vnchast lawes of aristotle . p. . sect. the barbarous and vncivill lawes of the gaules and the saxons our predecessours . p. . cap. . touching the insufficiencie of the precepts of the ancient philosophers for the planting of vertue , or the rooting out of vice ; as also of the common errour touching the golden age . sect. touching the insufficiency of the precepts of the ancient philosophers , for the planting of vertue , and the rooting out of vice ; as also of the manners of the ancients observed by caelius secundus curio out of iuvenall and tacitus . p. . sect. touching that idle tale of the golden age forged by the poets , and taken vp by some historians . p. . cap. . of the excessiue cruelty of the romans toward the iewes , the christians , other nations , one another , and vpon themselues . sect. of the roman cruelty toward the iewes . p. . sect. their cruelty toward the christians , first in regard of the vnsatiable malice of their persecutors . p. . sect. secondly , in regard of the incredible number of those that suffered . p. . sect. thirdly , in regard of the various and divelish meanes and instruments which they devised and practised for the execution or torture of the poore christians . p. sect. of their extreame cruelty towards others , their very religion leading them therevnto , as witnesseth lactantius . p. . sect. of their cruelty one towards another by the testimony of tacitus and seneca , and first in their civillwarres . p. . sect. secōdly , of the cruelty of their emperours towards their subjects , their captaines towards their souldiers , their masters towards their slaues , and generally of their whole nation . p. . sect. thirdly , of their cruelty one towards another in their sword fights : in which first is considered the originall and increase of those games , aswell in regard of their frequencie , as both the number and quality of the fighters . p. . sect. secondly , of the fervent and eager affection of the people to these games , as also that they were in vse in the provinces , and namely among the iewes , but refused by the graecians , and why ? p. . sect. thirdly , these bloody spectacles were cryed out against by the tongues and pens of christians divines , and then cryed downe by the lawes and power of christian emperours . p. . sect. the romans being thus cruell towards others , likewise turned the edge of their cruelty vpon themselues , partly by a voluntary exposing thēselues to present death in those publique shewes , either for money or vpon a bravery , or by laying violent hands vpon themselues , which by their gravest writers was held not only lawfull and commendable , but in some cases honourable . p. . cap. . of the excessiue covetousnesse of the romans , and their vnsatiable thirst of having more , though by most vnjust and indirect meanes . sect. of the excessiue covetousnes of the romans in generall by the testimonies of petronius arbiter , iuvenal , galgacus , & hannibal , and in particular caecilius claudius , marcus crassus , & specially seneca the philosopher are taxed for this vice . p. . sect. of their wonderfull greedinesse of gold , manifested by their great toyle and danger in working their mines , fully and liuely described by pliny . p. . sect. their vnmercifull pilling and poling , robbing and spoyling the provinces , not sparing the very temples and things sacred . p. . sect. of the base and most vnconscionable practises of tiberius and caligula , nay even of vespasian himselfe for the heaping vp of treasure . p. . sect. that the whole nation was deeply infected with the same vice . p. ●… cap. . of the roman luxurie in matter of incontinencie and drunkennes . sect. a touch vpon the roman luxury in the sins of the flesh . p. . sect. of their excesse in drinking p. . sect. the same amply confirmed by the testimony of pliny . p. . sect. in particular , this excesse of the romans in drinking is confirmed by the practise of anthony , specially at his being with cleopatra , as also by the practise of clodius sonne to esope the tragaedian in drinking of dissolved pearle . p. . sec. of excessiue drinkers among the romans in regard of the quantity of the liquor , and how both their princes and people were all generally tainted with this vice . p . sect. of the costlinesse and curious workemanshippe of the vessells out of which they dranke , which was likewise a meanes to drawe them on to excessiue drinking . p. . cap. of the excessiue gluttony of the romanes . sect. of their costly tables , their huge platters , the quality , order , & number of their waiters , as also of their art & schooles of carving p. . sect. that after ages sometimes reformed the abuse of former times : of the great number and chargeable hire of their cookes : of apicius his wastfulnesse in belli-cheere , that such wastfulnes was common among them . p. . sect. of their long and often sitting and vsuall practise of vomiting euen among their women , as also of the number of their courses at a sitting , together with the rarity and costlinesse of their severall services . p. . sec. of the sumptuous provision of two platters furnished out , the one by vitellius , the other by esope the tragaedian , as also of the horrible excesse of caligula and heliogabalus . p. . sec. of the excessiue luxury of more ancient times . p. . sec. of their wonderfull nicenes in the strangenesse , weight , and newnes of their fish●…s , as also of diverse other their strange curiosities about them , and of the vastnes of their fish-ponds , & great store of fishes in thē . . sec. of their excessiue gluttoni●… in fowle as well as in fish , together with their luxurious appurtenances to their solemne feasts , as also that their gluttony rose with their empire , and againe fell with it . p. . sec. that their riot did not onely shew it selfe in the delicious choyce of their fare , but in their voracitie & gurmandizing in regard of the quantity some of them devoured at a meale . p. . cap. of the romans excessiue luxurie in building . sec. of their excesse in the great variety of their farre fetcht and deere bought marble . p. . sec. of their excessiue sumptuousnes in their temporary or trāseunt buildings , made only for pastime to last but for a short time . p. . sect. of their infinite expence in their permanent amphitheaters , and the appurtenances belonging therevnto , namely their courtaines & arena . p. . sect. of their incredible expence in the hiring , and arming , & dieting of their sword-players , in the hunting , bringing home , feeding & keeping of their wilde beasts in other admirable shewes to the astonishment of the beholders ; in refreshing the spectatours with pretious & pleasant perfumes and the like ; and lastly , in casting their largesse among the people ; neitheir was this the practise of the emperours onely , but of private men . p. . sect. of their superfluous expence as in the number & largenesse , so likewise in the beauty and ornament of bathes , which were likewise of little other vse then for pleasure . p. . sect. of the endlesse masses of treasure which they powred out in the erecting and adorning of temples for the worship of those idolls which they forged to themselues , or at leastwise knew well enough were no gods . p. sect. of their wonderfull vanitie in erecting infinite numbers of statues , and those very chargeable and that to themselues . p. . sec. their prodigall sumptuousnes in their private buildings in regard of the largenesse & height of their houses , as also in regard of their marble pillars , walls , roofes , beames , and pauement full , of art and cost . p. . sect. the profuse expences of domitian and nero in their buildings , as also of caligula in his madde workes . p. . sec. that the romans luxurious excesse in their houshold-stuffe and the ornamēts of their houses was sutable to that of their buildings p. cap. . of the romans excessiue luxurie in their dressing and apparell . sec. how effeminate they were in regard of their bodies , specially about their haire . p. . sec. of the pressing , plaiting , store , die , and prize of their garments , as also of their rings and jewells of inestimable value . p. . sect. the great excesse and immodesty of their women in the same kinde . p. . sec. more of the excessiue nicenesse of their women , as also of caligula his monstrous phantasticalnesse in his apparell , together with their extreame vanity in the multitude of their servants and slaues wayting on them . p. . sec. of their prodigall , or rather prodigious guifts of their emperours , & the extreame vnthriftinesse of private men . p. . cap. . of the romanes extreame arrogancie and confidence in admiring and commending themselues , together with their grosse and base flattery specially to their emperours ; and lastly , their impudent , nay impious vaine-glory and boasting of their nation and cittie . sect. of their extreame arrogance in admiring and commending , and ●…ven deifying themselues . pag. sect. of their grosse and base flattery , specially toward their emperours both living and dead . pag. . sect. of their impudent , nay impious vaine-glory and boasting of their owne nation and citty . p. . cap. . wherein the objections brought in behalfe of the romans touching their pretended justice , prudence , and fortitude are examined and fully answered . sect the first objection touching the pretended justice of the romans , answered out of lactantius . p. . sec. the same answere farther confirmed by the testimony of saint augustine . p. . sect. another answere , that none can bee truly just which are not truly religious , nor any truly religious which professe not the christian religion . p. . sect. the second objection touching the pretended wisedome of the romans , answered , by taking a briefe view of their courses , but specially by the testimony of pliny . p. . sec. the third objection touching the pretended fortitude of the romans answered , in as much as their empire is by their owne writers in great part ascribed to fortune , and by christians may be referred to gods speciall providence for the effecting of his owne purposes rather then to any extraordinary worth in them . p. . sec. secondly , the romans having no right or little just to the nations they subdued , we cannot rightly tearme their strength in conquering them fortditue . . sec. thirdly , that the christians in suffering for religion surpassed the roman fortitude , and equalled it in suffering for their countrey . p. . sec. that as the christians haue surpassed the romans in the passiue part of fortitude , so haue they matched them in the actiue ; and that the partiall overvaluing of the roman manhood by their owne historians , is it chiefely which hath made the world to thinke it vnmatchable . p. . sect. the english not inferiour to the roman in valour and magnanimitie by the judgement of sir walter rawleigh . p . cap. . wherein the generall objections touching the worlds decay in matter of manners , are answered at large . sect. two objections drawne from reason , and both answered : the one , that since the first plantation of christian religion , men haue from time to time degenerated : the other , that the multitude of lawes , & lawyers , & law-suites , and the multiplicity of words in writings and convaiances , argue the great sickenesse and malice of the present times in regard of the former . p. . sect. another objection answered , taken from the scriptures , which in diverse places seem to say , that the last times shall be the worst . p. . sect. the passages of scripture alleadged to that purpose , particularly and distinctly answered . p. . sec. the last doubt touching the cōming of antichrist , answered . p sec. the argument of greatest weight to proue that antichrist is already come . p. . cap. . that the world shall haue an end by fire , and by it bee intirely consumed . sec. that the world shall haue an end , is a point so cleere in christian religion , that it needeth not to be proved frō the principles thereof , neither is he worthy the name of a christian who makes any doubt of it . p. . sect. that the world shall haue an end by the testimony of the gentiles . p. . sect. that the world shall haue an end by fire , proved likewise by the testimonie of the gentiles . p. . sect. that the world shall be by fire totally and finally dissolved and annihilated , proved by scripture . p. . sect. the same farther proved by reason . p. . sect. the arguments commonly alleadged from the scripture for the renovation of the world , answered . p. . cap. . of the vses we are to make of the consummation of the world , & of the day of judgement . sec. that the day of the worlds end shall likewise be the day of the generall judgement thereof , and that then there shall bee such a judgement is proved aswell by reason as the testimony of the gentiles . p. . sect. the consideration of this day may first serue for terrour to the wicked , whether they regard the dreadfulnes of the day it selfe , or the quality of the iudge , by whom they are to be tryed . p. . sect. or the nature and number of their accusers . p. . sect. or lastly , the dreadfulnes of the sentence which shall then be pronounced vpon them . p. . sect. secondly , the consideration of this day may serue for a speciall comfort to the godly , whether they meditate vpon the name and nature of t'c day it selfe in regard of them , or the assurance of gods loue and favour towards them , and the gracious promises made vnto them . p. . sect. or the quality & condition of the iudge in respect of them by whom they are to be tryed , or lastly the sweetnes of the sentence which shall then be pronounced on their behalfe . p. . sect. thirdly , the consideration of this day may serue for admonition to all . p. . sect. as likewise for instruction . p. of the valve of the roman sesterce , compared with our english coyne now in vse . because in the fourth and last booke of this ensuing treatise in discovering of the romane luxu●…ie , frequent mention is made of their excessiue expences , and the ordinary computation of their authors , whose testimonies i vse , is by sesterces . i held it requisite for the better vnderstanding of those summes by such who are not acquainted with the romane coynes , in this table to expresse the value of the sesterce , and withall to reduce some of their most noted summes to our sterling that so the reader desirous to know any particular summe , may either finde it expressed in this table , or easily find it out by proportioning the summe he desires to know with the neerest vnto it either aboue or vnder . the sestertius was among the romans a coyne so common , that nummus and sestertius came at length to be vsed promiscuously the one for the other ; so called it was quasi semistertius , because of three asses it wanted halfe a one , and is thus commonly expressed ●…s , or thus hs , by which is vnderstood two asses and an halfe . for the value os it , ten asses make a denarius or roman pennie , so tearmed because it contained denaaera , which were the same with their asses ; so as the sesterce containing two asses and an halfe , must o●… necessity be foun●… in the denarius foure times ; now the denarius being the eigh●… part of an ounce , and an ounce of silver being now with vs valued at fiue shillings ; it followes from thence that the value of the denarius is seaven pence halfepenny ; & consequently of the sesterce being the fourth part thereof , pennie halfe pennie farthing halfe farthing . touching their manner of counting by sesterces , a controversie there is betwixt budaeus and agricola , whether sestertius in the masculine and sestertium in the neuter be to bee valued alike , which agricola affirmes , budaeus , vpon better reason in my iudgement , denies , and to him i incline , holding with him that sestertium in the neuter containes a thousand sestertios : but heere two things are specially to be noted ; first , that if the numerall , or word that denoteth the number being an adictin●… and of a different ca●…e , be joyned with sestertiûm ( by an abbreviatiō put for sestertiorum ) in the genitiue case plurall , then doth it note so many thousand sesterty ; for example , decem sestertiûm signifieth decem millia tenne thousand sesterces : secondly , if the numerall joyned with sestertiûm be an adverb , then it designeth so many hundred thousand , ex : gr●… : decies sestertiûm signifies decies contena millia , ten hundred thousand or a million of sesterces ; and sometimes the substantiue sestertiûm is omitted but necessarily vnderstood ; the adjectiue then or adverbe set alone being of the same value as if the substantiue were expressed , as thu●… , decem standing by it selfe is fully as much as decem sestertium , & decies in like case , as if it were decies sestertiûm , which i haue premised that the reason of my rendring the latin summes might the better be conceived , now to the table . sesterces are worth in english monies . twenty l- - s- - d- b a hundred - - - b . fiue hundred , - - - b . a thousand , - - - . fiue thousand , - - - . ten thousand , - . twenty thousand , - - - fiftie thousand , - - - . a hundred thousand , - - - . fiue hundred thousand , - - - . a million , - . - fiue millions , - - - . ten millions . - - - . twenty millions , - - - . fiftie millions , - - - . a hundred millions , - - - . two hundred millions - - - . fiue hundred millions , - - - . a thousand millions , - - - . a talent is ounces of silver , which after fiue shillings the ounce , is pounds . boethius lib. . metro . . o qui perpetua mund●…m ratione gubernas , terrarum coelique sator qui tempus ab aevo ire jubes : stabilisque manens das cuncta moveri ; da pater augustam menti conscendere sedem , da fontem lustrare boni , da luce reperta in te conspicuos animae defigere visus . disijce terrenae nebulas & pondera molis , atque tuo splendore mica . ta namque serenum , tu requies tranquilla pijs , te cernere , finis , principium , vector , dux , semita , terminus , idem . thou that madest heaven & earth , whose wisedome still doth guide the world , by whose commaund time euermore doth slide : thou that vnmov'd thy selfe , causest all things to moue : graunt , father , i may climbe these sacred seates aboue , graunt , i of good may view the spring , that finding light , my minde perpetually on thee may fixe her sight . dispell these cloudes , discharge this loade of lumpish clay , and spread thy beames : for thou to saints the clearest day , the calmest quiet art , and thee to comtemplate port , passage , leader , way , beginning is and date . an apologie of the power and providence of god in the government of the world : or , an examination and censure of the common errour touching natures perpetuall and vniversall decay . lib . i. which treates of this pretended decay in generall , together with some preparatiues thereunto . cap. i. of diuerse other opinions justly suspected , if not rejected , though commonly receiued . sect . i. in divinitie . the opinion of the worlds decay is so generally receiued , not onely among the vulgar , but of the learned both diuines and others , that the very commonnes of it , makes it currant with many , without any further examination : that which is held , not onely by the multitude , but by the learned , passing smoothly for the most part without any checke or controle . nec alius pronior fidei lapsus , quàm ubi rei falsae gravis author extitit , saith pliny , men doe not any-where more easily erre , then where they follow a guide , whom they presume they may safely trust : they cannot quickly be perswaded , that he who is in reputation for knowledge and wisdome , and whose doctrine is admired in weighty matters , should mistake in points of laesser consequence ; and the greatest part of the world , is rather led with the names of their masters , and with the reverend respect they beare their persons or memories , then with the soundnesse and truth of the things they teach . wherein that of vadianus in his epistle of paradice , is , and euer will be verified . magnos errores magnorum virorum authoritate persuasi transmittimus : we deliuer ouer as it were by tradition from hand to hand , great errours being thereunto induced by the authority of great men . whiles we are young , our judgment is raw and greene , and when we are old , it is forestalled , by which meanes it comes often to passe that inter iuvenile iudicium & senile preiudicium veritas corrumpitur ; betweene the precipitancie & rashnes of youth to take whatsoeuer is offered , and the obstinate stiffenes of age in refusing what it hath not formerly beene acquainted with , truth is lost . the evidencing of which assertion , is the proper subject of this chapter , wherein i hope i shall make it appeare that many opinions are commonly receiued , both in ordinary speech , & in the writings of learned men , which notwithstanding are by others either manifestly convinced , or at leastwise justly suspected of falshood and errour , and this aswell in divinity as in philosophy and history . first then in divinity ( not to meddle with doctrinall points in controversie at this day ) it is commonly receiued and beleeued , that iu●…as among the other apostles receiued the blessed sacrament at our lords hands , of which notwithstanding , saith the learned zanchius , etsi multi magni viri hoc docuerint & scripserint , ego tamen nullo modo concedo , aut concedere possum , quia apertè pugnat cum historia iohannis evangelistae : though many great clarks haue taught and written it , yet my selfe neither doe nor can by any meanes grant it , in asmuch as it plainely contradicts the history of iohn the evangelist . that melchizedek spoken of in the epistle to the hebrewes , was sem the sonne of noah : yet pererius in his commentarie on the of genesis , endeauours to ouerthrow it by many weighty reasons drawne from the text. that our first parents stood but one day in paradice , of which opinion the same author affirmes , pervulgata est , eademque ut m●…ltorum sic imprimis nobilium & illustrium authorum firmata consensu ; it is commonly receiued and strengthned by the consent of many worthy and famous authors : yet labours he to disproue it , in as much as so many , and so different acts are by moses recorded to haue passed betweene their creation and ejection , as could not well be dispatched within the compasse of one day . and tostatus , though he were first of the common opinion , yet afterward vpon better advice he changed it . that the prophecie of old iacob , the scepter shall not depart from iudah vntill shiloh come . , was fulfilled in herods raigne at the birth of christ by the continuance of the gouernment in the tribe of iudah till the raigne of herod , reputed the first stranger that tooke vpon him the kingly office among the iewes : but causabon in his exercitations prooues that neither the kingly government was continued in that tribe , in as much as it was often interrupted , and at length ended in zedechiah , nor that herod was a stranger , in as much as himselfe , his father and his grandfather were all circumcised , and yet he confesses of the cōmō opinion , haec sententia ab insignibus pietate & doctrina viris profecta , vbi semel est admissa sine vlla controversia aut examine apud omnium aetatum eruditos praeter admodum paucos semper deinceps obtinuit ; this opinion first set on foot by men of singular pietie and learning , and being once generally embraced without any question or examination of it , afterward prevailed with the learned of all ages , some few onely excepted . that iephtah flew his daughter , and sacrificed her to the lord , but iunius in his annotations on that place thinkes he only consecrated her by vowing her virginity , which may well stand with the nature of the originall word , and the contrarie cannot well stand either with iephtahs faith or gods acceptance . that the ark rested vpon the hils of armenia ; wheras sir walter rawleigh is cōfidēt that therin most writers were vtterly mistaken . neither was he led so to thinke ( as he professeth ) out of humour or singularitie , but therein groundeth himselfe vpon the originall , and first truth , which is the word of god , and after vpon reason and the most probable circūstances thervpon depending . and in truth , he that shall consider that the sonnes of noah cōming out of the arke , trauelled from the east into the land of shinar ( where they built the tower of babell , ) and that armenia lies to the northwest of that plaine , will easily conceiue that it could not well bee , that the arke should rest vpon those hils ; but the chiefe occasion of the mistake seemes to be in the vulgar translation , which hath rendred armenia instead of ararat . that of the three sonnes of noah , sem , cham and iaphet , sem was the eldest , c ham the second , and iaphet the yongest , whereas iunius is of opinion that iaphet was the eldest , grounding himselfe vpon the text , genesis . . c ham the youngest , which he proues from genesis . . and that iaphet was the eldest is not his opinion alone , but of lyranus , tostatus , genebrard and the hebrew doctors . that the fruit of the tree of knowledg of good and evill , was an apple : wheras the text specifies no such matter ; and it should seeme by the circumstances thereof , that it was rather som other kind of fruit more pleasant both to the tast and sight . that the waters of the red sea were of colour red : whereas travellers into those parts by sight find the contrary : it rather borrowing that name from the red bankes and clifts about it , as both castro and barros are of opinion ; or from the coasts of idumaea by which it passeth , as scaliger first observed and after him fuller . to these may be added that it is commonly belieued that moses had hornes when he came downe from the mountaine , because they read in the vulgar latine , ignorabat quòd cornuta esset facies sua : he knew not that his face was horned ; wheras the sense is , he knew not that his face shined , the same word in the hebrew signifying both an horne and a shining beame that our saviour wore his haire long , because we read he was a nazarite ; whereas the truth is , that he was a nazarite , or rather a nazarene , as with beza our last translatours read it , by education , not by profession and institution , in regard of the place in which he was nursed and conuersed , not any vow wherevnto he was bound . and lastly that absolon was hung by the haire of the head , whereas the text sayes in plaine tearmes , his head caught hould of the oke : in like manner ( it seemes ) as henry grand-child to the conquerour is sayd to haue ended his dayes in the new forrest , sectio . in philosophy . secondly in philosophy it is commonly receiued that the heart is the seate and shopp of the principall faculties of the soule : nay divine scripture applying it selfe to the ordinary opinion therein , in many places attributes wisdome and vnderstanding to the heart : whereas that noble pare of physitians hippocrates and galen haue made it evident by experimentall proofes , that those divine powers of reasoning and discourse are seated in the braine , in as much as they are not hindered by the distemper of the heart , but of the braine , nor recouered being lost by medicaments applyed to the heart , but to the braine . that the three principall faculties of the soule , the vnderstanding , the imagination and memorie are distinguished by three severall cells or ventricles in the braine , the imaginatiō ( as is cōceiued ) being cōfined to the forepart , the memory to the hinder part , and judgment or vnderstanding to the middle part thereof ; which opinion laurentius confutes , and fernelius derides , makeing them all to be dispersed thorow all the receptacles of the braine , in as much as somtime when the whole braine is disaffected , the operation but of one of those faculties is hurt ; and sometimes againe when but one ventricle is hurt , the operation of all the three faculties are hindred . neither ought it to seeme more strange that the same ventricle in the braine should be capable of all these three functions , then that the same bone or sinew and every part and particle thereof should haue in it ( in regard of the nourishment it receiues , and the excrement it driues forth , ) an attractiue , a retentiue , an assimulatiue and an expulsiue vertue . that one hād by nature is more vsefull and more properly made for action then the other : whereas we find no such difference betwixt the two eyes , the two eares , the two nostrills ; and if men were left to themselues , as many i think if not more , would vse the left hand , as now by education and custome do the right : and in truth i am of opinion that god and nature haue giuen vs two hands , that we should vse both indifferently , that if neede required , the one might supply the losse or defect of the other . such would plato haue the cittizens of his common-wealth to be , and such do i take those seaven hundred beniamites to haue beene mētioned in the th of iudges & if either hād should in nature be preferred before other , mee thinkes in reason it should be that which is nearest the heart the fountaine of life and activitie . that in nature there is an east and a west , which as to mee it seemes cannot be , since that which to vs is east , is west to our antipodes , and that which is east to them , is west to vs. that the radicall moisture , and primogeniall heat naturally ingrafted in vs wastes alwayes by degrees from the time of our conception , as oyle in a lampe or wax in a taper : whereas notwithstanding till wee come to the age of consistence , , we still grow in bulke , in strength and stature : which for mine owne part i cannot conceiue how it should bee : if from our infancie our naturall heat and moysture still decreased . that a man hath a naturall speech of his owne as he is a man , ( some thinke hebrew ) which language he would speake by nature if he were not taught some other : but this is a dreame , and hath beene twise confuted by a double experiment . the first was by psamm●…ticus a king of aegypt , who desireing to vnderstād which was mans most ancient and naturall language , caused two children to be sequestred frō all societie of men , and to be nourished by two she goates , forbidding all speech vnto them : which children continuing for a long time dumb , at last vttered bec bec : the king being informed that in the phrygian language bec signified bread , imagined that the children called then for bread , and from thence collected that because they spake that language which no man had taught them , therefore the phrigian language was the naturall speech of man. a weake proofe & seely conceit . for the childrēs bec ( as is probablely collected ) was onely that lāguage which they learned of their goate-nurces when they came to suck their tetts , who receiueing from them some ease by their sucking , saluted them with bec , the best language they had , from whome the children learned it , and so much as they heard , so much just they vttered , and no more : and if they had not heard it , they could never haue pronounced it , as we may evidently see in men that are borne deafe ; and by another experiment tryed vpon other infants , ( which is our second instance ) by melabdim e●…hebar , whom they call the greate magore or mogul . he likewise vpon the forenamed errour , that man hath a certaine proper language by nature , caused thirtie children to be brought vp in dumbe silence , to finde out the experience , whether all of them would speake one and the same language , hauing inwardly a purpose to frame his religion conformable to that nation whose language should be spoken , as being that religion which is purely naturall vnto man. but the children proued all dumbe , though they were so many of them , and therefore they could not speake , because they were not taught : whereby it appeareth that the speaking of any language is not in man by nature ; the first man had it by divine infusion , but all his posteritie onely by imitation . sect . ia . in history ecclesiasticall . thirdly in history , which is ecclesiasticall , civill or naturall . in history ecclesiasticall it is commonly receiued that symon peter encountred with symon magus , and that the magitian vndertaking to fly vp the ayre , the apostle so wrought by prayer and fasting that he came tumbling downe and brake his neck : but of this story sayth st. augustine , est quidem & haec opinio plurimorum , quamvis eam perhibeant esse falsam plerique romani : many are of this opinion , yet most of the roman writers hould it but as a tale . and in another place he calls it graecam fabulam , an invention of the graecians who were so fruitful in these kind of fables , that pliny himselfe could say of them , mirum est quo procedat graeca credulitas , nullum tam impudens mendacium est vt teste careat ; it is a wonder to see whither the credulity of the greekes carry them , there being no lye so shamefull , but it findes a patron among them : nay , the very latin poet tooke notice of their immoderate libertie this way . — et quicquid graecia mendax audet in historia . what dares not lying greece insert in histories . that the sybils clearely foretold many things touching the name , the forerunner , the birth and death of christ , the comming of antichrist , the overthrow of rome , & the cōsūmatiō of the world , which notwithstanding , ( as causabon hath learnedly obserued ) seemes to be contrary to the word of god , that so profound mysteries should be revealed to the gentiles , so long before the incarnation of christ ; specially since they write more plainely and particularly of those matters , then the prophets of god themselues among the iewes ; and the greatest clarkes among the gentiles plato , aristotle , theophrastus , and others , curious searchers into all kinds of learning , never so much as once mention either their names or their writings , nor any of these mysteries . while the church of christ was yet in her infancie many such kind of bookes were forged therby to make the doctrine of the gospell more passible among the gentiles ; and no marvell then that these of the sybils passed for current among the rest . that saint george was a holy martyr , and that he conquered the dragon ; whereas dr. reynolds proues him to haue beene both a wicked man and an arrian by the testimonie of epiphanius , athanasius and gregory nazianzen . and baronius himselfe in plaine tearmes affirmes , apparet totam illam de actis georgij fabulam fuisse commentum arrianorum , it appeares that the whole story of george is nothing else but a forgery of the arrians ; yet was he receiued ( as we know ) as a canonized saint through christendome , & to be the patron both of our nation and of the most honorable order of knighthood in the world . that the wise men which came out of the east to worship our saviour , were kings and from hence ( their bodies being translated to cullen , ) they are at this day commonly called the three kings of cullen , and the day consecrated to their memory is by the french tearmed le jour de trois rois , the day of the three kings . yet mantuan a munke feares not to declare his opinion to the contrary , and giues his reason for it . nec reges vt opinor erant , neque enim tacuissent historiae sacrae authores genus illud honoris , inter mortales quo non sublimius ullum , adde quod herodes ut magnificentia regum postulat , hospitibus tantis regale dedisset hospitium , secumque lares duxisset in amplos . had they beene kings nor holy history , would haue conceal'd their so great majesty , higher then which on earth none can be named ; herods magnificence would eke haue framed some entertainment fitting their estates , and harbour'd them within his royall gates . sect . . in history ciuill . in history ciuill or nationall , it is commonly receiued , that there were foure , and but foure monarchies succeeding one the other ; the assyrian , the persian , the grecian , and the roman ; yet iohn bodin a man of singular learning , specially in matter of history , dares thus to begin the seuenth chapter of his method . inveteratus error de quatuor imperijs , ac magnorum virorum opinione pervulgatus tam altè radices egit , ut vix evelli posse videatur ; that inveterate errour of foure empires made famous thorow the opinion of great men , hath now taken such deepe roots , as it seemes it can hardly be pluckt vp ; & thorow a great part of that chapter labours he the confutation of those who maintaine that opinion . that the saxons called the remainder of the brittaines , welch , as being strangers vnto them : whereas that word signifies not a strangers either in the high or low dutch , as verstigan a man skilfull in those languages hath obserued ; & that the saxons gaue them the name of welch , after themselues came into brittaine , is altogether vnlikely . for that inhabiting so neere them as they did , to wit , but ouer against them on the other side of the sea , they could not want a more particular and proper name for them , then to call them strangers . it seemes then more likely that the brittaines being originally descended from the gaules , the saxons according to their manner of speech , by turning the g into w , insteed of gallish termed them wallish , and by abbreviation walch or welch , as the french at this day call the prince of wales , prince de galles . that brute a troian by nation , and great grand-childe to aeneas , arriued in this iland , gaue it the name of brittaine from himselfe , here raigned , and left the gouernment thereof diuided among his three sonnes , england to loegrius , scotland to albanak , and wales to camber : yet our great antiquary beating ( as he professeth ) his braines and bending the force of his wits to maintaine that opinion , hee found no warrantable ground for it . nay by forcible arguments ( produced as in the person of others disputing against himselfe ) he strongly proues it ( in my judgment ) altogether vnsound and vnwarrantable , boccace , vives , adryanus iunius , polydorus , buchanan , vignier , genebrard , molinaeus , bodine , and other . writers of great account , are all of opinion , there was no such man as this supposed brute : and among our owne ancient chronicles , iohn of wethamsted , abbot of s. albon holdeth the whole narration of brute to haue beene rather poëticall , then historicall , which me thinkes is agreable to reason , since caesar , tacitus , gildas , ninius , bede , william of malmesbery ; and as many others as haue written any thing touching our countrey before the yeare , make no mention at all of him , nor seeme euer so much as to haue heard of him . the first that euer broached it was geffry of monmoth about foure hundred yeares agoe , during the raigne of henry the second , who publishing the brittish story in latine , pretended to haue taken it out of ancient monuments written in the brittish tongue : but this booke assoone as it peeped forth into the light , was sharply censured both by giraldus cambrensis , and william of newberry who liued at the same time ; the former tearming it no better then fabulosam historiam , a fabulous history , and the latter , ridicula figmenta , ridiculous fictions , and it now stands branded with a blacke cole among the bookes prohibited by the church of rome . that the pigmies are a nation of people not aboue two or three foot high , and that they solemnely set themselues in battle array to fight against the cranes their greatest enemies : of these notwithstanding witnesseth cassanion , fabulosa illa omnia sunt quae de illis vel poetae , vel alij scriptores tradiderunt : all those things are fabulous , which touching them either the poëts or other writers haue deliuered . and with him fully accordeth cardan in his eight booke de rerum varietate : apparet ergò pigmeiorum historiam esse fabulosam , quod & strabo sentit , & nostra aetas , cùm omnia nunc firmè orbis mirabilia innotuerint , declarat . it appeares then that the historie of the pigmies is but a fiction , as both strabo thought , and our age , which hath now discouered all the wonders of the world , fully declares . gellius also , & rhodogin referre these pigmies ( if any such there be ) to a kinde of apes . sect . . in history naturall . in naturall history , it is commonly receiued , that the phaenix liues fiue hundred or six hundred yeares , that there is of that kinde but one at a time in the world , that being to die , he makes his nest of sweet spices , and by the clapping of his wings sets it on fire , and so burnes himselfe : and lastly , that out of the ashes arises a worme , and from that worme another new phaenix : neither am i ignorant that sundry of the fathers haue brought this narration to confirme the doctrine of the resurrection : but rather as i beleeue , to fight against the gentiles with their owne weapons , and to pierce them with their owne quils , or from thence to borrow an illustration , then as giuing credit to the truth of the story , which was originally coyned in egppt as fruitfull in fables , as africa in monsters , and from thence deriued to the grecians and romans ; one of them is said to haue beene brought to rome by the commaund of claudius caesar , and exposed to publique view , as appeareth vpon record , sed quem falsum esse nemo dubitaret , saith pliny , no man need make any doubt of it but that he was counterfeit , and in the same chapter , haud scio an fabulose unum in toto orbe nec visum magnoperè , i doubt it is but a fiction , that there is but one of the kinde , in the whole world , and that so seldome seene . with whom accord tacitus , & cardan , & scaliger , and reason it selfe drawne both from divinity and philosophy , from divinity , in as much as two at least of euery kinde came into the arke , male and female , as they at first were created : from philosophy : in as much as without more individuals then one the whole kind by a thousand casualties must needes be in daunger of vtter extinguishment , and therefore where we finde but one of a kinde , as the sunne and the moone , god and nature haue set them out of gunshot , farre enough from any reach of malice or feare of danger . that the whelpes of beares are at first littering without all forme or fashion , and nothing but a little congealed blood , or lumpe of flesh , which afterward the dame shapeth by licking , yet is the truth most evidently otherwise , as by the eye-witnesse of ioachimus rheticus , and others , it hath beene proued . and heerein as in many other fabulous narrations of this nature , ( in which experience checkes report ) may wee justly take vp that of lucretius , — quid nobis certius ipsis sensibus esse potest , quo vera & falsa notemus . what can more certaine be then sence , discerning truth from false pretence . that the bever being hunted and in danger to be taken , biteth off his stones , knowing that for them onely his life is sought , and so often escapeth ; hence some haue deriued his name , castor à castrando seipsum , from gelding himselfe , and vpon this supposition , the egyptians in their hi●…rogliphicks , when they will signifie a man that hurteth himselfe , they picture a bever biting off his owne stones , though alciat in his emblemes turne it to a contrary purpose , teaching vs by that example to giue away our purse to theeues rather then our liues , & by our wealth to redeeme our danger : but this relation touching the bever is vndoubtedly false , as both by sense and experience , and the testimony of dioscorides it is manifested . first , because their stones are very small , and so placed in their body as are a bores , and therefore impossible for the beuer himselfe , to touch or come by them , and secondly , they cleaue so fast vnto their backe , that they cannot be taken away , but the beast must of necessity loose his life ; and consequently most ridiculous is their narration , who likewise affirme , that when he is hunted , hauing formerly bitten off his stones , he standeth vpright , and sheweth the hunters that hee hath none for them , and therefore his death cannot profit them , by meanes whereof they are averted and seeke for another . that swans a little before their death sing most sweetly , of which notwithstanding pliny thus speakes , olorum morte narratur flebilis cantus , falsò ut arbitror aliquot experimentis . swans are said to sing sweetly before their death , but falsely , as i take it , being led so to thinke by some experiments . and scaliger to like purpose , de signi verò cantu suavissimo quem cum mendaciorum parente graecia iactare ausus es ad luciani tribunal apud quem aliquid novi dicas 〈◊〉 . touching the sweete singing of the swan , which with greece the mother of lies you dare to publish , i cite you to lucians tribunal , there to set abroach some new stuffe . and aelian cantandi studiosos esse iam communi sermone pervulgatum est : ego verò cignum nunquan audivi canere fortasse neque alius , that swans are skilfull in singing is now rife in every mans mouth , but for myselfe i never heard them sing , and perchance no man else . that the salamander liues in the fire , yet both galen and dioscorides refute this opinion . and mathiolus in his commentaries vpon dioscorides affirmes that by casting many salamanders into the fire for tryall , hee found it false . the same experiment is likewise avouched by ioubertus . that the mandrakes represent the shape and partes of a man , yet the same mathiolus , a very famous physitian affirmes of them , radi●…es porrò mandragorae humanam effigiem representare vt vulgò creditur fabulosum est , that the rootes of the mandrake represent the shape of a man as it is commonly beleeued is fabulous , calling them cheating knaues and quacksalvers that carry them about to be sold , therewith to deceiue barren weeman . that vipers in their birth kill their mother of whome they are bred ; scaliger out of his owne experience assures vs the contrary , viperas saith hee , ab impatientibus morae foetibus numerosissimis , atque id●…irco erumpentibus rumpi atque interire falsum esse scimus , qui in vincentij camerini ligneatheca vidimus enatas viperillas parente salva , that uipers are rent and slaine by the number of their yong ones impatient of delay and striuing to get forth , we know to be false , who in a woodden boxe belonging to vincentius camerinus haue seene the yong newly brought forth , together with the ould one , safe and sound . true indeed it is that the viper bringing somtime twentie or more , and being delivered but of one a day the hindermost impatient of so long delay somtimes gnaw●…s thorow the tunicle or shell of the egg in which they are inclosed , and so come forth with part of it vpon them ; which aristotle truly affirming therevpon it seemes hath growne the mistake that they gnaw thorow the belly of the damme which is vndoutedly false . the derivaton then of the word vipera quasi vi pariens , is but a trick of wit , grounded vpon an erroneous supposition ; it being rather ( as i conceiue ) from vi●…um pariens , there being no other kind of serpēt which brings forth her yong hatched out of the egg , but only the viper . that the hare is one yeare a male and another a female : wheras rondeletius affirmes that they are not stones which are commonly taken to bee so in the female , but certaine little bladders filled with matter , such as are vpon the belly of a bever , wherin also the vulgar is deceiued , taking those bunches for stones , as they do these bladders . now the vse of these parts both in bevers and hares is this , that against raine both the one and the other sexe suck there out a certaine humour and annoint their bodies all over therewith , which serues them for a defence against raine . that a woolfe if he see a man first suddenly strikes him dumb , whence came the proverbe lupus est in fabula : and that of the poet , lupi moerim videre priores , the wolues saw moeris first . yet phillip camerarius professes , fabulosum esse quod vulgo creditur , hominem à lupo praeuisum subitò consternari & vocem amittere , that it is fabulous which is commonly beleeued that a man being first seene by the woolfe is therevpon astonished and looseth his voyce ; and that himselfe hath found it by experience to be a vaine opinion . which scaliger likewise affirmes vpon the same ground . vtinam tot ferulis castigarentur mendaciorum assertores isti quot à lupis visi sumus sine jactura vocis . i wish those patrons of lies were chastised with so many blowes as at sundry times i haue beene seene of woolues without any losse of my voyce . that men are somtimes transformed into woolues , and againe from wolues into men : touching the falshood wherof pliny himselfe is thus confident , homines in lupos verti rursumque restitui sibi , falsum esse confidenter existimare debemus , aut credere omnia quae fabulosa tot saeculis comperimus : that men are changed into wolues and againe restored to themselues , that is to the shape of men , wee ought assuredly beleeue to be false , or to giue credit to whatsoever wee haue found fabulous in the course of so many ages . now that which hath given occasion to this opinion might be as i suppose either an illusion of sathan in regard of the beholders , or a strong melancholy imagination in the patients , or the education of men among wolues from their very infancie . for that the devil can at his pleasure transubstantiate or transforme one substance into another i hould it no sound divinitie . that the pellican turneth her beake against her brest therewith pierceth it till the blood gush out wherewith shee nourisheth her young : wheras the pellican hath a beake broade and flat , much like the slice of apothecaries and surgions with which they spread their plaisters , no way fit to pierce , as laurentius ioubertus counsellour and phisition to henry the fourth of france in his booke of popular errours hath obserued . lastly that the mole hath no eyes , nor the elephant knees ; both which notwithstanding by dayly and manifest experience are found vntrue . sectio . an application of what hath beene sayd to the present purpose . many more instances might bee giuen both in divinitie , philosophy and history , to shew that t' is a thing neither new nor vnjustifiable by the practise of wise men to examine and impugne receiued opinions , if they be found erroneous , such as i take this to be of natures vniversall decay . so that i hope it shall neither seeme vnpleasing nor vnprofitable nor yet impertinent that i haue dwelt so long vpon this point . i know that of chrysostome to be most true : the hardest lesson is to vnlearne , and therefore haue i harped so long vpon this string to make it cleare that men may erre , specially where that falls out which iustin in his dialogue with tryphon hath obserued , that posteriores sequntur priores securi examinis , that the latter follow the former without examination , custome with most men preuailes more then truth : though christ hath said , as tertullian rightly noteth , i am truth and not custome : yea such is the force thereof , that according to the inbred notions and praeconceptions , which it hath formed and imprinted in our mindes for the most part we shape the discourse of reason it selfe . thus pythagoras by bringing vp his schollers in the speculatiue knowledge of numbers , made their conceipts so strong , that when they came to the contemplation of things naturall , they imagined that in euery particular thing they euen beheld as it were with their eyes how the element of number gaue essence and being to the workes of nature . a thing in reason impossible , which notwithstanding thorow their misfashioned praeconceite , appeared vnto them no lesse certaine then if nature had written it in the very foreheads of all the creatures of god. divine is that speech of aristotle in his metaphysicks ; quantam autem vim habeat consuetudo leges declarant , in quibus fabulosae & pueriles narrationes plus valent cognitione vera earum rerum propter consuetudinem . what is the strange force of custome , the lawes themselues declare ; in which childish and fabulous narrations are preferred before the true knowledge of the same things , and that onely through custome . from whence ( to draw neerer to our present purpose ) the great lawyer panormitan wishes that the seuerity of the ancient canons bee not too far pressed vpon delinquents , because men of latter ages ( saith he ) are no w●…y matchable with the ancients , as not in strength nor stature , so neither in wit nor manners . but i much maruell that so great a clearke should be so easily carried away with so vaine a shew , and by making men beleeue that they were not able to obserue the canons , make them vnable indeed : which together with the greedy desire of gaine , hath beene no doubt the ground , or at least the pretence of such a multiplicity of dispensations in latter ages ; men choosing rather to stretch their purse-strings , and to buy out a dispensation for their money then to improue their endeavours for the doing of that which the canon requires . and hence the lenten fast duly kept with much ease by our predecessors , is with most men now adayes made so impossible , notwithstanding the observation thereof conduce so much to the publique good . cap. . of the reasons inducing the author to the writing and publishing of this discourse . sect . . whereof the first is the redeeming of a captivated trueth . svch is the admirable beauty and soueraignty of truth in it selfe , and such infinite content doth it yeeld the soule being found and embraced , that had i proposed no other end to my selfe in this ensuing treatise then the discouery and vnfolding thereof , i should hold it alone a very ample recompence , and sufficient reward of my labour . the greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which by an easie and vnstrained derivation implies the breath of god : so that as minerva , by which is meant the arts , is fained to haue sprung from the head of iupiter : so truth vndoubtedly flowes from the mouth of the creator , not onely that supernaturall and revealed truth , which concernes our spirituall & supernaturall good , but that likewise which concernes our good either morall or naturall . for as euery good thing , so far as it is good , is from god , the author and originall cause of all goodnes : so euery truth is from the same god , the fountaine of all truth : howbeit hee impart the diverse kinds thereof after a different manner ; the truth of experience by sense , of reason by discourse of the intellectuall power , of religion by faith . these are as seuerall lines drawne from the same center , or seuerall beames from the same sunne : all which notwithstanding in their seuerall rankes and degrees carry in them , or rather haue stamped and printed vpon them some character or resemblance of the diuine excellencie . and as truth is the breath of god , so is the soule of man too , which may well be thought to be in part the cause that the soule is so wonderfully taken and affected with the loue and liking of it . all the kingdomes in the world , and the glittering pomp of them cannot so much refresh and delight a studious minde , as this one inestimable iewell of truth , which lucretius hath liuely described : suave mari magno turbantibus aequora ventis , &c. it is a view of delight , saith he , to stand or walke vpon the shore side , & to see a ship tossed with tempests vpon the sea ; or to be in a fortified towre , and to see two armies joyne battle vpon a plaine : but it is a pleasure incomparable for the minde of man to be setled , landed , and fortified in the certainty of truth , and from thence to descry and behold the errours , perturbations , labours and wandrings vp and downe of other men . we see in all other pleasures there is satiety , and after they be vsed their verdure departeth , which sheweth well they be but deceits of pleasure , and not pleasures , and that it was the novelty that pleased , and not the quality . but of the contemplation of truth there is no satiety , but satisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable ; and certainely the more contentment and comfort doe we reape therein , for that the apprehension of truth helpes to repaire that image of god which by the fall of man was in that very part sorely batter'd and bruis'd , i meane in regard of the knowledge of naturall truths , but in regard of supernaturall vtterly defaced . now such being the condition of truth , both in regard of god , it selfe , and vs , we may not part with it vpon any tearmes , nor can we purchase it at too deare a rate ; buy the truth , but sell it not . some perchance in this very point may suppose , that the opinion maintaining natures decay argues in the maintainers more modesty and humility , and is apter to breed in men a religious feare and devotion , being perswaded as well by sense and reason , as by scripture and faith , that the world must haue an end , and that in appearance the end thereof cannot be far off . which though it were so , yet may it not be vpheld with an vntruth , rectè placet laudem humilitatis in parte non ponere falsitatis , ne humilitas conconstituta in parte falsitatis perdat praemium veritatis , saith s. augustine . wee desire not to settle the praise of humility vpon false grounds , lest being built vpon falshood , it loose the reward of truth . if euill be in no case to be done that good may come thereof , no , not the least euill for the greatest good , if a lye may not be made for the winning of a mans soule , no , nor for the gaining of a world of infidels to the faith , as diuines truly teach , then may not the defence of any vntruth bee vndertaken , what faire pretence soeuer of piety , or charity , or humility it may put on . for as we are to speake veritatem in charitate , the truth in loue , so are we to follow charitatem in veritate , loue grounded vpon truth . it being one of the properties of true charity to reioyce in truth . truth then and true piety , truth and true charity , truth and true humility , being inseparable companions , let none presume to put them asunder , whom god hath thus linked and ioyned together . will yee talke deceitfully for gods cause , saith iob , will ye make a lye for him ? if we may not vtter an vntruth for gods cause and the advancement of his glory , much lesse for the best good of man , the glory of god being as much and more to bee preferred before the best spirituall good of man , as mans spirituall good before his temporall . absit à me vt veritatem per mendacium v●…lim iri confirmatam , saith chrysostome , farre bee it from mee to attempt the strengthning of truth by falshood . the reason hereof is well yeelded by s. augustine , fracta velleviter imminuta authoritate veritatis omnia dubia remanebunt , the credite and soueraignty of truth being neuer so little crackt , or the practise of lying neuer so little countenanced , a man can build vpon nothing , but all things will be full of doubt and distrust . and againe , nunquam errari tutius existimo , quam cùm in amore nimio veritatis , & reiectione nimia falsitatis erratur , a man cannot lightly erre more safely then in too much loue of truth and hatred of lies , whe ther they arise from errour and mistake , or malice and forgerie , whether they consist in the disagreement and disconformitie betwixt the speech and the conceptions of the minde , or the conceptions of the minde and the things themselues , or the speech and the things . sect . . the second is the vindicating of the creators honour . as my first reason for the writing and publishing this discourse was for the redeeming of a captivated truth : so my second is for the vindicating of the creators honor , the reputation of his wisedome , his iustice , his goodnes , and his power ; being all of them in my judgment by the opinion of natures decay not a little impeached and blemished . his wisedome , for that intending ( as by the sacred oracles of his word hee hath in sundry passages cleerely manifested it ) to put an end to the world by fire , it cannot , i thinke be well conceiued why hee should ordaine or admit such a daylie vniversall and irrecouerable consumption in all the parts of nature which without fire , or any other outward meanes would vndoubtedly bring it to that finall period . his iustice , for that withdrawing from latter ages that strength and ability of performing religious duties , and practising morall vertues , which to the former he granted , yet to demaund and expect no lesse from the latter then he did from the former , what is it but to reape where he sowed not , to require as much of him that had but fiue talents , as of him that had tenne , or to deale as pharaoh did with the israelites , still to exact the same taske of bricke , and yet to withhold the wonted allowance of straw . neither can we with that confidence reprehend the raigning vices of the times if we cast the reason thereof not so much vpon the voluntary malice and depravation of mens wils , as vpon the necessitie of the times praeordained by god , which vpon the matter , what is it but to lay the burden vpon god , and to accuse him , that so we may free and excuse our selues ? his bounty and goodnesse , as if out of a niggardly and sparing disposition he envied the succeeding generations of the world that happines which vpon the preceding he freely and richly conferred ; whereas i am rather of opinion , that as in holy scripture , for the most part , he accepted and preferred the younger brother before the elder , and as christ our sauiour turned the water into wine toward the end of the feast , which farre excelled that in the beginning : so the gifts and graces of god , haue beene more plentifully powred out vpon mankinde in this latter age of the world , then euer since the first creation thereof . as was foretold by the prophet in the old testament , and remembred by the apostle in the new ; and it shall come to passe in the last dayes ( saith god ) i will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh . lastly , the reputation of his power , is thereby most of all stained and wounded , as if his treasurie could at any time be emptied and drawne dry , as if he had but one blessing in store , or were forced to say with old isaak when he had blessed iacob with corne and wine haue i blessed him , & what shall i doe now to thee my son ? no no , his arme is not shortned neither is his mighty power any way abated ; yet they who thus complaine of natures decay , what doe they else but implicitly impeach and accuse his power , which in truth is nothing else but natura naturans ( as the schooles phrase it ) actiue nature , and the creature the workmanship therof , natura naturata , nature passiue ; that which the samaritans ignorantly and blasphemously spake of symon magus , may properly and truly bee spoken of nature , that it is the great power of god , or the power of the great god , as is divinely observed by the witty scaliger against cardan in that exercitation which in its front beares this inscription , opposed to cardanes assertion : non ex fatigatione mundum solutum iri , that the world shall not desolue by being tired , quasi natura ( saith hee ) sit asinus ad molas , non autem dei opt. max. potestas , quae eodem nutu gubernat infinito quo creavit , we may not conceiue that nature , is as an ass wasted and wearied out , at the mill ; but the power of the mighty god which governes all things with the same infinite cōmand , wherewith they were created . and with him accords valesius discoursing of the worlds end towards the end of his booke de sacra philosophia , quae à deo ipso per se ac sine causa secunda compacta sunt , non possunt ab alia causa solui , sed solum ab eo ipso à quo sunt coagmentata : those things which are made of god himselfe immediately by himselfe without the concurrence of secōd causes , cannot be vnmade by any inferiour cause , but by him alone by whome they were first made . and againe , certe ita est , virtutem divinam apponi necesse est , vt deleatur quod deus ipse fecit ; there needes no lesse then a divine power for the abolishing of that which the diety it selfe hath wrought , which he seemes to haue borrowed from plato in timoeo where he thus speakes of the world ita apte cohaeret vt dissolvi nullo modo queat , nisi ab eodem à quo est colligatus , so proportionably doth each part answer other , that it is indissoluble , but onely from his hand who first framed it . as then allmighty god created all things of nothing by the power of his word . so doth he still vphold them and will till the dissolution of all things in their essenses , faculties , and operations by the word of his power , reaching from one end to the other mightily , and disposing all things sweetely . indeed with the workes of man it is not so , when he hath imployed about them all the cunning , and cost , and care that may be , he can neither preserue them nor himselfe , both they and he moulder away and returne to their dust , but i know saith the preacher that whatsoever god doth , it shall be for ever , nothing can be put to it , nor any thing taken from it . add the sonne of sirach . hee garnished his works for ever and in his hand are the cheife of them vnto all generations , they neither labour nor are weary , nor cease from their workes , none of them hindreth another , and they shall never disobey his word . sectio . the third is for that the contrary opinion , quailes the hopes , and blunts the edge of vertuous endeavours . my third reason for the penning and publishing of this discourse is that the contrary opinion therevnto seemes not a little to rebate and blunt the edge of mens vertuous endeavours . for being once throughly perswaded in themselves , that by a fatall kind of necessity and course of times , they are cast into those straites , that notwithstanding all their striuing and industry , it is impossible they should rise to the pitch of their noble and renowned predecessours , they begin to yeeld to the times and to necessity , being re solued that their endeavours are all in vaine , and that they striue against the streame ; nay the master himselfe of morallitie , the great patriarch of philosophers , hath told vs , that circa impossibilia non est deliberandum , it is no point of wisdome for a man to beat his braines , and spend his spirits about things meerely impossible to be atchiued , and which are altogether out of our reach . the way then to excite men to the imitation of the vertue , and the exploits of their famous ancestours is not ( as i conceiue ) to beate downe their hopes of parallelling them , and so to clip the wings of their aspiring desires : but rather to teach them that there wants nothing thervnto but their owne endeavour , and that if they fall short , the fault is not in the age , but in themselues . the spies that were sent by moses to discover the land of canaan , at their returne told the people , that the inhabitants the of were much stronger then themselues , that they were gyants the sonn●…s of anak , and themselues but as grashoppers in comparison of them , by meanes of which report , the harts of the people melted within them , and they were vtterly discouraged from marching forward , though the discouerers reported withall , that the land from whence they came flowed with milke and honey , and the pomegrannats , the figgs , the wonderfull clusters of grapes brought from thence , for a tast and evidence of the goodnesse of the soyle pleased them exceeding well . thus when our ancestors are painted forth as gyants , not onely in stature and strength , but in wit and vertue , though the acts wee find recorded of them , please vs marveilous well , yet wee durst not venture , or so much as once thinke vpon the matching of them , because we are taught and made to beleeue , that wee forsooth are but as pigmies , and dwarfes in regard of them ; and that it were as possible to fit a childs shooe to hercules foote , as for vs any way to come neere them , or to trace their stepps , possunt , quia posse videntur . they can because they seeme they can . certainely the force of imaginatiō is wōderfull , either to beget in vs an abilitie for the doing of that which we apprehēd we cā do , or a disability for the not doing of that which we cōceiue we cānot do : which was the reasō that the wisards and oracles of the gentiles being cōsulted , they ever returned either an hopefull answer , or an ambiguous , such as by a favourable cōstructiō , might either include or at leastwise not vtterly exclude hope . agesilaus ( as i remēber ) clapping his hāds vpon the al , tar , & taking it off againe , by a cūning divice shewed to his souldiers , victory , stāped vpon it , whereby they were so encouraged , and grew so cōfident , that beyong all expectation , they indeed effected that wherof by this sleight , they were formerly assured . prognostications and prophesies often helpe to further that which they foretell , and to make men such as they beare thē in hand they shall be ; nay by an vnavoydable destinie must bee . francis marquesse of saluzze yeeldes vs a memorable example in this kind , who being lieuetenant generall to francis the first king of france over all his forces which hee then had beyond the mountaines in italy , a man highly favoured in all the court , and infinitly obliged to the king for his marquesite which his brother had forfeited , suffered himselfe to be so farr afrighted and deluded , as it hath since been manifestly proued , by prognostications , ( which then throughout all europe were giuen out to the advantage of the emperour charles the fifth and to the prejudice of the french , ) that hauing no occasiō offered , yea his owne affections contradicting the same , hee first began in secret to complaine to his private friends of the inevitable miseries which he foresaw prepared by the fates against the crowne of france . and within a while after ( this impression still working into him ) he most vnkindly revolted from his master , and became a turne-coate to the emperours side , to the astonishment of all men , his owne greate disgrace , ond the no lesse disadvātage to the french enterprize on the other side i doubt not but that the prophesies of sauanarola , as much assisted charles the eight to the conquest of naples , which he performed so speedily and happily , as he seemed rather with chalke to marke out his lodgings , then with his sword to winne them . to like purpose was that custome among the heathen of deriving the pedegree of valiant men from the gods , as varro the most learned of the romanes hath well observed . ego huiusmodi à dis repetitas origines vtiles esse lubens agnosco , vt viri fortes etiamsi falsum sit , se ex dis genitos credant , vt eo modo animus humanus veluti diuinae stirpis fiduciam gerens , res magnas aggrediendas presumat audaciùs , agat vehementiù : , & ob haec impleat ipsa securitate foeliciùs . i for my part ( sayth he ) judge those pedegrees drawne from the gods not to be vnprofitable , that valiant men ( though in truth it be not so ) beleeving themselues to be extracted from divine races , might vpon the confidence thereof vndertake high attemps the more boldly , intend them the more earnestly and accomplish them the more securely and successiuely . and of the druides caesar hath noted , that among other doctrines they taught the soules immortality by propagation , because they taught , hoc maximè ad virtutem excitari homines metu mortis neglecto , that by meanes of this apprehension men were notablely spurred forward and whetted on to the adventuring and enterprising of commendable actions , through the contempt of death : which same thing lucan hath likewise remarked . — vobis authoribus vmbrae non tacitas erebi sedes , ditisque profundi pallida regna petunt ; regit idem spiritus artus orbe alio : longae , ( conitis si cognita ) vitae mors media est ; certè populi , quos despicit arctos , foelices errore suo , quos ille timorum maximus , haud vrget lethi metus ; inde ruendi in ferrum mens prona viris , animaeque capaces mortis , et ignavum est rediturae parcere vitae . — your doctrine is our ghost's goe not to those pale realmes of stygian dis , and silent erebus : the selfe same soules doth sway bodyes else-where , and death ( if certaine trueth you say ) is but the mid'st of life . thrice happy in your error yee northerne wights whom death the greatest prince of terror nothing affrights . hence are your martiall hearts inclind to rush on point of sword , hence that vndanted mind so capable of death , hence seemes it base and vaine to spare that life which will eft soones returne againe . by all which wee see the admirable efficacy of the imagination , either for the elevating or depressing of the mind , for the making of it more abject and base , or more actiue and generous , and from thence infer that the doctrine of natures necessary decay rather tends to make men worse then better , rather cowardly then couragious , rather to draw them downe to that they must be , then to lift them vp to that they should and may bee , rather to breed sloath then to quicken industry . i will giue one instance for all , and that home-bredde , the reason why we haue at this day , no vineyards planted , nor wine growne in england as heretofore , is commonly ascribed to the decay of nature , either in regard of the heavens or earth or both , and men possessed with this opinion sit downe and try not what may be done ; whereas our great antiquary imputes it to the lazines of the inhabitants rather then to any defect or distemper in the climat , and withall professes that he is no way of the mind of those grudging sloathfull husbandmen , ( whom columella censures ) who thinke that the earth is growne weary and barren with the excessiue plenty of former ages . i haue somewhere read of a people so brutish and barbarous that they must first be taught and perswaded that they were not beasts but men , and capable of reason before any serviceable or profitable vse could be made of them . and surely there is no hope , that ever wee shall attaine the heigth of the worthy acts and exploits of our predecessours , except first we be resolved that gods grace and our own endeavours concurring there is a possibility wee should rise to the same degree of worth . si hanc cogitationem homines habuissent vt nemo se meliorem fore eo qui optimus fuisset arbitraretur , ij ipsi qui sunt optimi non fuissent , if men had alwayes thus conceaved with themselues that no man could be better then he that then was best , those that now are esteemed best , had not so beene . they be the words of quintilian , and therevpon hee inferres , as doth the apostle . corinth . . at the last verse , nitamur semper ad optima , quod facientes , aut evademus in summum , aut certe multos infra nos videbimus , let vs covet earnestly the best gifts , and propose to our selues the matching at least , if not the passing of the most excellent patterns , by which meanes we shall either gaine the toppe , or see many beneath vs. non enim nos tarditatis natura damnavit , sed vltra nobis quam oportebat indulsimus , ita non tam ingenio illi nos superarunt quàm proposito , saith thē same author in another place . nature hath not made vs more vncapable the our ancestours , but wee haue beene too indulgent to our selues , by which meanes it comes to passe that they surmount vs not so much in wit as in endeavour . sect . . the fourth is that it makes men more carelesse as in matter of repentance , so likewise both in regard of their present fortunes , and in providing for posterity . as the opinion of the worlds vniversall decay quailes the hopes and blunts the edge of mens endevours , so doth it likewise of our exhortations and threatnings , when men are perswaded that famines and pestilences , and vnseasonable weather , and the like , are not the scourges of god for sinne , but rather the diseases of wasted & decrepit nature , not procured so much by the vices and wickednesse of men , as by the old age and weakenesse of the world . and this opinion being once throughly rooted and setled in them , they neither care much for repentance , nor call vpon god for grace , thereby either to prevent these heavy judgements , hanging over their heads , or to remoue them having seised vpon them , but the prophets of god ( i am sure ) tooke another course , they told not the people ▪ that these plagues were the symptomes and characters of the worlds declining and decreasing , but the markes and rods of gods vengeance for their transgressions and rebellions , and that the onely way both to prevent and remoue them , was to remoue their haynous and grievous sinnes out of gods sight , the onely meanes to turne them from themselues , was for themselues to returne and be reconciled to their god. besides the same opinion serues to make men more carelesse both in regard of their present fortunes , and in providing for posterity . for when they consider how many thousand yeares nature hath now beene as it were in a fever hectique , daily consuming and wasting away by degrees ; they inferre that in reason shee cannot hold out long , and therefore it were to as little purpose to plant trees , or to erect lasting buildings , either for civill , charitable , or pious vses , as to provide new apparell for a sicke man , that lies at deaths dore , and hath already one foote in the graue : i beseech you brethren saith the apostle by the comming of the lord iesus , and by our gathering together vnto him , that yee be not soone shaken in mind or be troubled , neither by spirit nor by word nor by letters as from vs , as though the day of christ were at hand . let no man deceiue you by any meanes . what a solemne preface doth he make vnto it ? and with how serious a conclusion doth he seale it vp ? now among other reasons yeelded by divines for this his earnestnes heerein , one speciall one is , that men might not lavish out , and scatter their estates , vpon a vaine supposition of the approach of that day . as phillip camerarius a learned man , & counsellour to the state of norinberg , reports vpon his owne knowledge , that a parish priest in those parts skilfull in arithmetique presumed so farre vpon his calculations and the numerall letters of that prediction in the gospell , videbunt in quem pupugerunt , they shall looke vpon him whom they pierced , that hee confidently assured his parishoners , not onely of the yeare , but the very day and houre of the worlds end , and our saviours comming to judgement . wherevpon such as gaue credit to him carelessely wasted their meanes , perswading themselues that they should now haue no further vse of them . at the day & houre prefixed they all met in a chappell to heare their prophet preaching and praying , during which time there arose a great tempest with fearefull thunder and lightning , in so much as all present looked out euery minute , for the fulfilling of the prophecie : but a while after the storme cleering vp , and the day appearing faire , the silly people finding themselues to be thus abused , for very indignation they rush vpon their false prophet , and would haue slaine him or vsed him shamefully as he deserved , had he not slipped out of their fingers , and the fury of the inraged multitude beene appeased by some of the wiser sort . the like is reported by espencaeus out of bullinger of the hutites a branch of the sect of anabaptists , in his commentaries on the third chapter of the second epistle to timothie : so daungerous a thing it is to predetermine the last day , or to set a period to the course of nature . it is most certaine that wee are by many hundreths of yeares neerer the worlds end , then was the apostle when he wrote that exhortation to the thessal : and yet when that end shall bee , is still as vncertaine to vs , as it was to them . vpon which point st. augustine i remember hath an excellent meditation , comparing the severall ages of the world to the ages of man ; not so much as i conceiue in regard of growth or declination , as in regard of progression , making the infancie thereof from adam to noah , the childhood from noah to abraham , the youth from abraham to dauid , the mans estate from dauid to christ , the old age from christ to the end of it . and as the duration in all the other ages of man is certaine , but the lasting of old age vncertaine : so is it in the world. and as chrysostome well noteth , we call not the end of the yeare the last houre , or day or weeke thereof , but the last moneth or quarter : so we call this last age of the world the end thereof . but how long this age shall last , it is still doubtfull , it being one of those secrets which the almighty hath lockt vp in the cabinet of his owne counsell , a secret which is neither possible neither profitable for vs to know , as being not by god revealed vnto vs in his word , much lesse then in the booke of nature . it is agreed vpon on all sides by diuines that at least two signes fore-running the worlds end , remaine vnaccomplisht ; the subversion of rome , and the conversion of the iewes . and when they shall be accomplisht god onely knowes , as yet in mans judgment there being little appearance of the one or the other . it is not for vt to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power : in his owne power they are , they depend not vpon the law of nature , or chaine of second causes , but vpon his will and pleasure , who as he made the world by his word , so by his beck can and will vnmake it againe . sola religione mihi persuadetur mundum caepisse , atque finem incendio habiturum , saith scaliger : it is only faith and religion that assures man that as the world had a beginning , so it shall haue an end ; and divine bartas , l'immuable decret de la bouche diuine , qui causera sa fin , causa son origine . th'immutable diuine decree , which shall cause the worlds end , caus'd his originall . let not then the vaine shadowes of the worlds fatall decay keepe vse ither from looking backward to the imitation of our noble predecessors , or forward inproviding for posterity , but as our predecessors worthily prouided for vs , so let our posterity blesse vs in providing for them , it being still as vncertaine to vs what generations are yet to ensue , as it was to our predecessors in their ages . i will shut vp this reason with a witty epigram made vpon one who in his writings vndertooke to foretell the very yeare of the worlds consummation . nonaginta duos durabit mundus in annos , mundus ad arbitrium sistat obitque tuum . cur mundi sinem propiorem non facis , vt ne ante obitum mendax arguerere ? sapis . ninety two yeares the world as yet shall stand , if it doe stand or fall at your command . but say , why plac'd you not the worlds end nigher ? lest ere you died you might be prou'd a lyer . sect . . the fifth and last reason is the weake grounds which the contrary opinion is founded vpon . the fifth and last reason which moued me to the vndertaking of this treatise was the weake grounds which the contrary opinion of the worlds decay is founded vpon . i am perswaded that the fictions of poets was it which first gaue life vnto it . homer hath touched vpon this string , with whom virgill accords , and they are both seconded by iuvenal and horace : but aboue all , that pretty invention of the foure ages of the world , compared to foure mettals , gold , siluer , brasse , and iron , hath wrought such an impression in mens mindes , that it can hardly bee rooted out . for ancient philosophers and divines , i finde not any , that are so much as alleadged in defence of it , but pliny and cyprian , to whom some haue added gellius and augustine : but how truly it shall appeare godwilling when we come to speake of their testimonies in their proper places . and for scripture proofe , it is both very sparing and wrested . that which aboue all ( as i conceaue ) hath made way for this opinion is the morosity and crooked disposition of old men , alwayes complaining of the hardnesse of the present times , together with an excessiue admiration of antiquity , which is in a manner naturall and inbred in vs , vetera extollimus , recentium incuriosi , the ancient we extoll beingcarelesse of our owne times . for the former of these , old men for the most part being much changed from that they were in their youth in complexion and temperature , they are fill'd with sad melancholy thoughts , which makes them thinke the world is changed , whereas in truth the change is in themselues . it fares with them in this case as with those whose taste is distempered , or are troubled with the iaundise , or whose eyes are bloodshot , the one imagining all things bitter or sowre which they taste , and the other red or yellow which they see . — terraeque vrbesque recedunt . themselues being launched out into the deepe , the trees and houses seeme to goe backward ; whereas in truth the motion is in themselues , the houses and trees still standing where they were . seneca tels vs a pleasant tale of harpaste his wiues foole , who being become suddenly blind , shee deemed the roome in which she was to be darke ; but could by no meanes be perswaded of her owne blindnesse . such for the most part is the case of old men , themselues being altered both in disposition of body , and condition of minde , they make wonderfull narrations of the change of times since they remember : which because they cannot bee controlled , passe for currant . the other pioner , as i may so call it , which by secret vndermining makes way for this opinion of the worlds decay , is an excessiue admiration of antiquity , together with a base and envious conceit of whatsoeuer the present age affords , or possibly can afford in comparison thereof . vetulam praeferunt immortalitati , they preferre the wrinkles of antiquity before the rarest beauty of the present times , the common voice euery where is , and euer hath beene , and will be to the worlds end faelix nimium prior aetas contenta fidelibus arvis — - vtinam quoque nostra redirent in mores tempora priscos . thrice , happy former ages and blessed with faithfull fields content and pleased . — would our times also had the grace againe old manners to embrace . yet if we will speake properly and punctually , antiquity rather consists in the old age , then infancie , or youth of the world. but take it as commonly vnderstood , i thinke it will not be denied by any that vnderstand the course of times , but that in latter ages many abuses haue beene reformed , many arts perfected , many profitable inventions discouered , many noble and notable acts atchieued , multa dies variusque labor mutabilis aevi rettulit in melius . time and much toile of this vnsteddie world hath bettered many things . as truly virgil , and elegantly claudian , — rerumque remotas ingeniosa vias paulatim explorat egestas . wittie necessity by degrees traceth out of things the prints and windings most remote . but let vs heare what the wisest man that euer liued of a meere man hath determined in this point . say not thou what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these : for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this . vpon which words saith isidorus clarius , quia manifestum est habuisse priora tempora , sicut & haec nostra habent incommoda sua , because it is evident that former times had their mischiefes and miseries waiting vpon them as well as ours . yet because for the most part , the best of former times is recorded , and the worst concealed from vs , as the sieue le ts goe the finest flower , but retaines the bran ; or because wee are generally more sensible of the crosses , then the blessings of our owne times ; or lastly because the sight and presence of things diminisheth that reputation which we conceiued of them . such is the disease and malignity of our nature , vitium malignitatis humanae , as tacitus cals it , vt vetera semper in laude , praesentia sint in fastidio . — et nisi quae terris semota suisque temporibus defuncta videt , fastidit & odit . sed redit ad fastos & virtutem imputat annis , miraturque nihil nisi quod libitina sacravit . saue what remoued is by place , nor lacks antiquity to warrant it , he lothes and hates : vertue he counts by yeares and almanacks , wonders at nought but what death consecrates . but as the same poet wittily speakes comparing the graecians with the romans , the same may wee demaund comparing our selues and ●…atter ages generally with the ancients . quod si tam antiquis novitas invisa fuisset quam nobis , quid nunc esset vetus , aut quid haberet quod legeret tereretque viritim publicus vsus ? if ancients had envied as much as wee things that are new , what now would anciēt be , or could be read and vsed publicklie ? it was the cunning of michael montaigne as himselfe witnesseth to vse a similitude of plutarches or a sentence of senecaes as his owne that so it might appeare how men censured that in him , which in those ancient authours they highly applauded : but very witty was the deuice of michael angelo a most famous moderne painter , who drawing a table after the antique manner hid it in a corner of a friends house where he thought it would soone be discovered , and withall set his owne name in a corner of it , but in letters scarce discernable . the table being found he was quickely sent for , shewed him it was by the master of the house and commended for an exquisite peece farre beyond any of the present age ; but when the authour of it chalenged it to be his owne , and for proofe thereof shewed him his name in it , hee craued pardon of him and acknowledged his errour . such is the advantage which antiquity hath against the present times , that if wee meete with any thing which excells , wee thinke it must bee ancient , or if with any thing that is ancient , it cannot but excell : nay therefore we thinke it excells because wee thinke it ancient though it be not so . vt quidam artifices nostro faciunt saeculo , qui pretium operibus maius inveniunt , novo si marmori adscripserunt praxitelen , suo detrito , myronem argento . as some artificers in these our dayes who sell their workes at a farre dearer rate , if on new marble they praxiteles , or myron write , vpon their battered plate . i haue seene , sayth ludouicus viues , the verses of a man then living , which because they were found in a very ancient librarie , covered with dust and eaten with mothes , he that tooke them vp , in a manner adored them bare-headed , as being virgills , or some one of that age , and another with disdaine cast away an epistle of tullies , before which there was of purpose prefixed a french name : addito etiam convitio barbariei transalpinae : adding this scoffe withall that it savoured of transalpine barbarisme . which perverse and partiall judgement i conceiue not to spring so much from a due respect to the ancient authors , as an envious disesteeming of the present to the best and wisest while they liue , the world is continually a froward opposite , a curious observer of their defects , and imperfections , their vertues it afterward as much admireth . virtutem incolumem odimus , sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi . vertue growing in our sight w'envy remov'd from hence wee straight wayes deifie when hercules had vanquished so many fierce monsters comperit invidiam supremo fine domandam . he grapled last with envy as the worst . esse quid hoc dicam viuis quod fama negatur et sua quod rarus tempor a lector amat . hi sunt invidi●… nimirum ( regule ) mores praeferat antiquos semper vt illa novis . whence is 't that poets liuing are misprized , and few doe like the workes of their owne times ? through envie ( regulus ) are they despised , which still to new preferres the elder rimes . men read the authors of their owne times either as inferiours o●… punies to themselues with a kind of scorne to learne of them . — quia turpe putant parere minoribus , & quae imberbes didicêre , senes perdenda fateri . to younger then themselues to yeeld great shame they hold , and what they learn'd in youth t'vnlearne when they are old . or as their equalls , in whose persons or manners because happily they espy some imperfections , they judge accordingly of their workes . for as dead flies cause the oyntment of the apothecary to send forth a stin●…king savour : so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisedome . which was in a manner the apostles case , his letters ( say they ) are weighty and powerfull : but his bodily presence is weake , and his speech contemptible . and no doubt but to those who thus conceived of him , his very letters were not so powerfull and weighty , as otherwise they would haue beene ; and as now they are to vs , who know not what his person or speech was . or if no exception bee to be taken to them , yet we hold it a kind of disreputation or disparagement vnto vs , by yeelding them their due ( though worthily and justly merited , ) to praeferre them before ourselues , which is the onely reason , that the same men , being while they ●…iue mightily maligned and impugned , they are after their death , and that many times by the same corrivals , as highly honoured and commended . vrit enim fulgore suo , qui praegravat artes infra se positas , extinctus amabitur idem . who others doth in acts and skill surmount , with brighter beames inferiour spirits doth vex , but being dead is held of great account . which martial verifies in the practice of vacerra . miraris veteres vacerra solos , nec laudas nisi mortuos poetas , ignoscas petimus vacerra , tanti non est vt placeam tibi perire , old poets only thou doest praise , and none but dead ones magnifie : pardon vacerra , thee to please i am not yet in mind to die . hee is a happy man saith the great scaliger , ( and that not so much out of his reading as his owne sence and feeling , ) who while hee liues is made partaker of those deserved prayses . quas vita non dat , funus ac cinis dabunt . what life graunts not , death and the graue will giue . even tully himselfe , the patterne of eloquence to all succeeding ages , and one of the most absolute , and eminent in his profession , that ever the world yeelded , was notwithstanding sharpely censured , and taunted at , by his coevalls , vt tumidiorem et asianum et redundantem , et in repetitionibus nimium , et in salibus aliquando frigidum , et in compositione fractum , exultantem ac pene quod procul absit , viro molliorem : as swelling after the asiatique manner , too redundant and frequent in repetitions , in jests somtime too cold , and in the composure of his matter broken and effeminate . and to like purpose velleius paterculus speaking of a notable exploit of sextius saturninus , obserues the same humorous disposition in those of his time , quod ego factum , saith hee , cuilibet veterum consulum gloriae comparandum reor , nisi quod naturaliter audita visis laudamus libentius , & presentia invidiâ , preterita veneratione persequimur , et his nos obrui , illis instrui credimus , which noble exploit of his i could justly compare with the most famous and glorious acts of the ancient consulls ; but that out of a naturall inclination wee more willingly commend things wee receiue by heare-say then by sight , prosecuting things present with envie , but being past with veneration ; as being perswaded that wee are affronted by the one , but instructed by the other . for my selfe i professe with pliny the younger , sum ex ijs qui minor antiquos , non tamen vt quidam , temporum nostrorum ingenia despicio , neque enim quasi lassa aut effaeta natura , vt nihil jam laudabile pariat : i am one of the number of those who admire the ancients , yet not as some , doe i despise the wits of our times , as if nature were tired and barren and brought forth nothing now that were praise-worthy . to which passage of pliny viues seemes to allude , male de natura censet quicunque vno illam aut altero partu effaetam arbitratur , hee that so thinkes or sayes , is doubtles injurious and ingratefull both to god and nature , and qui non est gratus datis , non est dignus dandis , hee that doth not acknowledge the peculiar and singular blessings of god bestowed vpon this present age in some things beyond the former , is so farre from meriting the increase of more , as hee deserues not to enjoy these . and commonly it falls out that there the course and descent of the graces of god ceases , and the spring is dried vp , where there is not a corespondent recourse and tide of our thankfullnes . let then men suspend their rash judgoments . nec perseverent suspicere preteritos , despicere presentes , onely to admire the ancients and despise those of the present times . let them rather imitate lampridius the oratour , of whom witnesseth the same sydonius that he read good authours of all kindes , cum reverentia antiquos , sine invidia recentes , the old with reverence , the new without envy . i will conclude this point and this chapter with that of solomon , hee hath made every thing beautifull in his time : answereable wherevnto is that of the sonne of syrach ( which may well serue as a commentary vpon those workes of solomon ) all the workes of the lord are good , and hee will giue every needfull thing in due season : so that a man cannot say , this is worse then that , therefore prayse ye●… the lord with the whole heart and mouth , and blesse the name of the lord. cap. . the controversy touching the worlds decay stated , and the methode held thorow this ensuing treatise proposed . sect . . touching the pretended decay of the mixt bodies . least i should seeme on the one side , to sight with shaddowes , and men of straw made by my selfe , or on the other to maintaine paradoxes , which daily experience refutes , it shall not bee amisse in this chapter , to vnbowell the state of the question , touching the worlds decay , and therewithall to vnfold and lay open the severall knots , and joynts thereof , that so it may appeare wherein the adverse party agrees , and wherein the poynt controverted consists , where they joyne issue , and where the difference rests . it is then agreed on all hands , that all subcoelestiall bodies , indiuidualls , i meane , vnder the circle of the moone , are subiect not onely to alteration , but to diminution and decay , some i confesse last long , as the eagle and rauen among birds , the elephant and stagge among beasts , the oake among vegetables , stones and mettalls among those treasures which nature hath laid vp in the bosome of the earth : yet they all haue a time of groweth and increase , of ripenesse and perfection , and then of declination and decrease , which brings them at last to a finall and totall dissolution . beasts are subject to diseases , or at least to the spending of those naturall spirits wherewith their life and being as the lampe with oile is mainetai ned . vegetables to rottennesse , stones to mouldering , and mettalls to rust and canker , though i doubt not but some haue layen in the bowells of the earth vntainted since the worlds creation , and may continue in the same case till the consummation thereof : which neede not seeme strange , since some of the aegyptian pyramides ( stones drawne from their naturall beds and fortresses and exposed to the invasion of the aire and violence of the weather ) haue stood already well nigh three thousand yeares , and might for ought wee know stand yet as long againe and i make no question but glasse and gold and christall and pearle and pretious stones might so be vsed that they should last many thousand yeares if the world should last so long . for that which poets faine of time that it eates out and devoures all things , is in truth but a poeticall fiction , since time is a branch of quantity , it being the measure of motion , and quantity in it selfe isno way actiue , but meerely passiue , as being an accident flowing from the matter . it is then either some inward conflict , or outward assault which is wrought in time that eates them out . time it selfe without these is toothlesse , and can neuer doe it . nay euen among vegetables it is reported by m. camden that whole trees lying vnder the earth haue beene and daylie are digged vp in cheshire , lancheshire , & cumberland , which are thought to haue layen there since noahs floud , and verstigan reports the like of finre trees digged vp in the netherlands , which are not knowne to grow any where in that countrey , neither is the soyle apt by nature to produce them , they growing in cold hillie places , or vpon high mountaines , so that it is most likely , they might from those places during the deluge by the rage of the waters be driuen thither . yet all these consisting of the elements , as they doe , i make no doubt , but without any outward violence in the course of nature by the very inward conflict of their principles whereof they are bred , would by degrees , though perchance for a long time insensibly , yet at last feele corruption . for a body so equally tempered , or euenly ballanced by the elements , that there should be no praedominancie , no struggling or wrastling in it , may be imagined , but surely i thinke was neuer really subsisting in nature , nor well can be . sect . . touching the pretended decay of the elements in regard of their quantity and dimensions . i come then in the next place from the mixt bodies to the elements themselues wbereof they are mixed . of these it is certaine that they decay in their parts , but so as by a reciprocall compensation they both loose and gaine , sometime loosing what they had gotten , and then again getting what they had formerly lost , egregia quaedam est in elementis quaternarum virium compensatio , aequalibus iustisque regulis ac terminis vices suas dispensantium , saith philo in his book de mundi incorruptibilitate , there is in the elements a singular retribution of that foure-fold force that is in them ; dispensing it selfe by euen bounds and just rules . the element of the fire , i make no doubt , but by condensation it sometimes looses to the aire , & the aire againe by rarefaction to it . again the aire by condensation looses to the water , & the water by rarefaction to it . the earth by secret conveyances sucks in & steales away the waters of the sea , but returns them againe with full mouth . and these two incroach likewise & make inrodes interchangeably each vpō other . the ordinary depth of the sea is cōmonly answerable to the ordinary hight of the main land aboue the water : and the whirlepooles & extraordinary depths answerable to the hight of mountaines aboue the ordinary hight of the earth . the promontories and necklands which butt into the sea , what are they but solide creekes , and the creekes which thrust forth their armes into the land , but fleeting promontories . the ilands what are they but solide lakes , and the lakes againe but fleeting ilands . nay , ilands sometimes are swallowed vp by the sea , sometimes new rise out of the sea. sometimes parts of the continent are recouered out of the sea , as was a place in egypt called delta , ammania regio , and others , nay the greatest part of the netherlands was so recouered , as appeares by their finding innumerable shels of sea-fish almost in euery place where they dig , and other parts againe irrecoverably lost by the inundation thereof as it fell out in the same countreyes about foure hundred yeares since in the raigne of our king henry the first , the steeples and towres which yet appeare aboue the water shewing to passengers the revenge of that vnmercifull element vpon a part for the losse of the whole land . helice likewise and bura citties of greece were drowned ( as it seemes ) in ogyges sloud , of which the poet siquaeras helicen & buram achaidos vrbes invenies sub aquis . bura and helice on achayan ground , are sought in vaine , but vnder water found . and seneca in the sixth boo●…e of his naturall questions thus speakes of these two citties , helicen , burimque totas mare accepit , supra oppida duo navigatur , duo autem quae novimus , quae in nostram no●…iam memoria literis servata perduxit , quam multa alia alys locis mersa sunt ? helice and buris the sea hath wholly swallowed vp , so that now wee saile ouer two townes , two i say which are come to our knowledge by the memory of ancient records , but how many other trow wee may bee swallowed vp in diuers other places , which we neuer heard of ? inter insulas nulla iam delos , saith tertullian in his booke de pallio , among the ilands there is now no such thing to be found as delos : and againe acon in atlantico lybiam aut asiam adequans quaeritur nun●… . acon in the atlanticke sea equalling africke or asia is now found wanting . the story of k. arthur , and the knights of the round table is but an idle booke , yet it was not ( it seemes ) without cause that he calls the cornish tristram , sir tristram de lionesse , inasmuch as master carew of antony in his survay of cornewall witnesseth , that the sea hath ravened from that shire that whole country of lionesse , and that such a countrey of lionesse there was , he very sufficiently proueth by many strong reasons . sometimes dry townes become hauens , and sometimes againe hauen-townes haue become dry , as hubert thomas a man of very good parts , chiefe secretary to frederi●…k the third count palatine of rhene , and prince elector , in his description of the country of liege affirmeth that the sea hath in time come vp to the wals of tongres now well nigh an hundreth english miles from the sea ; which among other reasons he proues by the great iron rings there yet to be seene , vnto which the ships that there sometimes arriued were fastned . also forum iulium , a towne seated in littore narbonènsi , the present estate whereof is described very well ( as all other things ) by that excellent chancellour of france , michael hospitalis . apparet moles antiqui diruta portus , atque vbi portus erat siccum nunc littus & horti the ruines of an ancient hauen appeares to be , but where the haven was , now gardens may you see . in like manner the river arno now falleth into the sea sixe miles from pisa , whereby it appeareth that the land hath there gotten much vpon the sea in this coast , for that strabo in his time reporteth it was but furlongs ( which is two miles and an halfe ) distant from the sea. lastly , sometimes ilands haue beene annexed to the continent , as samos which ( as witnesseth tertullian ) is become sand , and pharos which in homers time was an iland , but in plinyes annexed to the continent by the slime of nilus , and sometimes againe peeces haue beene cut off from the continent , and made ilands , as sicily which was separated from the maine of italy . haec loca vi quondam & vasta comvulsa ruina , ( tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetust as ) dissiluisse ferunt , cùm protinùs utraque tellus vna foret , venit medio vi pontus & vndis hesperium si●…ulo latus abs●…idit , arvaque & urbes littore diductas , angusto interluit aestu . these places by huge force with ruine violent , ( so great a change in things long tract of time can make ) sundred they say , which erst were both one continent till in betweene the sea with force impetuous brake , and with his mighty waues th' hesperian did divide from the sicilian shore , and now twixt townes and fields thus rent asunder ebbes and flowes a narrow tide . sic & hispanias à contextu africae mare eripuit , saith seneca . thus did the sea snatch away spaine from the continent of africa . and this 〈◊〉 ▪ as many imagine , was likewise broken off from the continent of 〈◊〉 ▪ grounding themselues partly vpon their priuate reasons , and par●… 〈◊〉 pon the authorities of antonius volscus , dominicus marius niger , 〈◊〉 servius honoratus , who seekes to proue it from that of virgil et penitùs toto divisos orbe britannos . and britaines wholly from the world divided . and of claudian in imitation of virgil , — nostro diducta britannia mundo . britaine from our world seuer'd . of both these as well ilands annexed to the continent , as peeces of the continent broken off from it by force of the sea and made ilands , pliny hath written at large in the second booke of his naturall history , cap. . . . and ovid in the of met. toucheth them both . fluctibus ambitae fuerant antissa , pharosque , et phaenissa tyros , quarum nunc insula nulla est . antissa , pharos and phaenissian tyre , now are not , but with seas surrounded were . and on the other side , leucada continuam veteres habuere coloni nunc freta circumeunt , zancle quoque iuncta fuisse dicitur italiae : donec confinia pontus abstulit , & media tellurem repulit unda th' old inhabitants of leucadian iles conjoyned to the continent them found . and zancle joyned was to italy , which now cut off by sea the waues surround . by reason of which mutuall traffique and interchange , the elements may truly be said to remaine alwayes the same in regard of their intire bodies , as theseus his ship so renowned antiquity was held by the schollers of athens to be the same , though it were renewed in euery part thereof , and not a planke or pin remained of the first building . or as a riuer may properly be said to be the same , though it vary from it selfe by the accesse of fresh supplies euery moment . rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis , at iste labitur & labetur in omne volubilis aevum . the clowne waites till the foord be slidden all away , but still it slides , and will for euer and a day . sect . . touching the pretended decay of the elements in regard of their qualities . there is no feare then of the naturall decay of the elements in regard of their quantity and dimensions ; all the controversie is in regard of their quality , whether the aire and water be so pure and wholsome , and the earth so fertile and fruitfull as it was some hundreths or thousands of yeares since . touching the former , i thinke i shall make it appeare that the world in former ages hath beene plagued with more droughts , excessiue raines , windes , frosts , snowes , hailes , famines , earthquakes , pestilences , and other contagious diseases , then in latter times : all which should argue a greater distemper in the elements ; and for the fruitfulnesse of the earth i will not compare the present with that before the fall or before the floud : i know and beleeue that the one drew on a curse vpon it , ( though some great divines hold that curse was rather in regard of mans ensuing labour in dressing it , then of the earths ensuing barrennesse ) and the other by washing away the surface and fatnesse thereof , and by incorporating the salt waters into it , much abated the natiue and originall fertility thereof , and consequently the vigour and vertue of plants as well in regard of nourishment as medicine . upon which occasion it seemes after the floud man had leaue giuen him to feede vpon the flesh of beasts and fowles and fishes , which before the floud was not lawfull . neither can it be denied that gods extraordinary fauour or curse vpon a land ( beside the course of nature ) makes it either fruitfull or barren , a fruitfull land maketh hee barren , saith the psalmist , for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein ; and on the other side , he turneth the wildernes into a standing water , and dry ground into water springs . and for grounds which are continually rent & wounded with the plowshare , worne and wasted with tillage , it is not to be wondered if they answere not the fertility of former ages : but for such as haue time and rest giuen to recouer their strength , and renew their decayed forces , or such as yet retaine their virginity without any force offered vnto them , i doubt not but experience and tryall will make it good that they haue lost nothing of their primitiue goodnesse , at leastwise since the floud , and consequently , that there is in the earth it selfe by long-lasting no such perpetuall and vniversall decay in regard of the fruitfullnesse thereof , as is commonly imagined . and if not in the earth it selfe , then surely not in the trees and hearbs , and plants and flowers which suck their nourishment from thence as so many infants from their mothers breast : let any one kind of them that ever was in any part of the world since the creation be named that is vtterly lost ; no , god and nature haue so well provided against this that one seede sometimes multiplies in one yeare many thousands of the same kind . let it be proued by comparing their present qualities with those which are recorded in ancient writers , that in the revolution of so many ages , they haue lost any thing of their wonted colour , their smell , their tast , their vertue , their proportion , their duration . and if there be no such decay as is supposed to be found in the severall kindes of vegetables , what reason haue wee to beleeue it in beasts , specially those that make vegetables their food . if aristotle were now aliue , should he need to compose some new treatise de historia animalium ? in those things where he wrote vpon certaine groundes and experimentall observations ? haue the beasts of which he wrote any thing altered their dispositions ? are the wild become tame , or the strong feeble ? no certainely . it was true in all ages both before and since which the poet hath fortes creantur fortibus , & bonis , est in juvencis , est in equis patrum virtus , nec imbellem feroces progenerant aquilae columbam . from nobles noble spirits proceed , steeres , horses like their sires do proue , the eagle feirce doth never breed a timerous and fearefull doue . hath the lyon forgotten his majestie , or the elephant his sagacity , or the tyger his fiercenesse , or the stagge his swiftnesse , or the dogge his fidelitie , or the foxe his wilinesse ? were the oxen then of the same countrey stronger for labour , the horses better featured or more serviceable then now ? doubtlesse these lessons as their mistresse cannot but teach them , so these schollers cannot but learne them , neither is it in their power to forget them . sect . . touching the pretended decay of mankind , in regard of manners and the arts . with man it is otherwise : for he hauing a free will , ( at leastwise in morall and naturall actions ) by reason of that liberty varieth both from his kind and from himselfe , more then any other creature besides : and hence is it ( other circumstances concurring ) that in the same countrey men are sometimes generally addicted to vertue , sometimes to vice , sometimes to one vice , sometimes to another , sometimes to civillity , sometimes to barbarisme , sometimes to studiousnesse & learning , sometimes to ease and ignorance , sometimes they are taller of stature , sometimes lower , & lastly , sometimes longer , sometimes shorter liued , ct this i say ariseth partly from the libertie of mans will , & partly from gods providence ouerruling & disposing all things according to the secret counsell of his owne vnsearchable wisdome . signat tempora proprijs aptans officijs deus , nec quas ipse coercuit misceri patitur vices . to proper offices god hath each season bounded ▪ and will not that the courses he sets them be confounded . haec omnia mutantur saith s. augustine , nec mutatur divinae providentiae ratio , qua fit vt ista mutentur . all these things are changed , and yet the reason of the divine providence , by which they are changed , changeth not . to affirme then that humane affaires remaine allwaies in the same estate , continually drawne out as by an even thread , without variation , is vntrue : and on the other side to say that they allwayes degenerate and grow worse and worse , is as vnsound . for surely had it beene so , since the creation or the fall of man , civill society , nay the world itself could not haue subsisted , but would long since haue beene brought to vtter ruine and desolation . omne in praecipiti vitium stetit , vice was at highest , and neere its downefall stood . and as bodin hath both rightly observed and learnedly expressed . quod si res humanae in deterius prolaberentur , jampridem in extremo vitiorum ac improbitatis gradu constitissemus , quo quidem antea peruentum esse opinor . sed cum flagitiosi homines nec vlterius progredi nec eodem loco stare diutius possent , sensim regredi necesse habuerunt , vel cogente pudore qui hominibus inest ànatura , vel necessitate , qd in tantis sceleribus societas nullo modo coli poter at , vel etiam qd verius est , impellente dei bonitate . if men should allwaies grow worse & worse , we had long since arriued to the vtmost point and highest pitch of villany , to which it may be men haue already attained , but when they could neither make a farther progresse , nor longer abode in the same state they must needs by degrees returne againe , either very shame cōstraining thē , which is implāted in man by nature , or meere necessitie in as much as humane societie could not stand with such an higth of wickednesse , or else which i rather beleeue , the grace and goodnesse of god moving and leading them therevnto . vice sometimes aboundes in one nation , and sometimes in another , and in the same nation the same vice doth not allwaies equally abound : but it either riseth or falls , raignes or vanisheth according to the disposition of rulers and execution of lawes : as is well and wisely noted by a late historiographer of our owne in the the very entrance of his history of england , wee shall find ( saith he ) the same correspondencies to hold in the actions of men , vertues and vices the same , though rising and falling according to the worth or weakenesse of governours ; the causes of the ruines and mutations of states to be alike , and the traine of affaires carried by president in a course of succession vnder the like colours ; and that which he observes in the history of this nation is no doubt true in all . wee neede go no farther then that of the iewes for a notable instance in this kind : who at times , more zealous then they in the worship of god , and the exercises of religion ? and who againe , at other times more rebellious ? it is said of them in the psalme , then beleeued they his wordes , but presently it followes in the very next verse , they soone forgot his workes : and according to their obedience or rebellion so were they either prosperous or vnfortunate in the course of their affaires : during their faith & fidelity towards god , every man of thē was in warre as a thousand strong , and as much as a greate senate for counsell in peacable deliberations : contrariwise if they swerved , ( as they often did ) their wonted courage and magnanimity forsooke them vtterly , their souldiers and military men trēbled at the sight of the naked sword , when they entred into mutuall cōference & sate in councell for their owne good , that which children might haue seene , their gravest senatours could not discerne , their prophets saw darkenesse in steed of visions , and the wise and prudent were asmen bewitcht . now that which is spoken touching the revolutions and returnes of vertues and vices , is likewise true in artes and sciences . hinc factum est , ( saith contarenus , ) vt quibusdam aetatibus acerrima hominum ingenia vigere , alijs tanquā flaccesscere videantur . hence it is that in some ages the wits of men seeme wonderfull sharpe , and againe in others flat and blunt . and it is a true observation which ramus to this purpose hath , commigrationes gentium variae cemmemorantur , commigrationes literarum & disciplinarúm commemorari possent , non minores . wee read of diverse commigrations or remoualls of nations , and surely no lesse of arts and sciences might be observed . whervpon aristotle who held the arts eternall , as hee did the world , yet tells vs there was allwayes a rising and a falling of them as of the starres : so as sometimes they flourished in one place and age , and sometimes in another : as the starres sometime shine in our hemisphere , sometimes in the other . where was there ever more learning and sciencè then in greece , and where is there now in the world more barbarisine ? what most exellently learned men , pillers and lightes of the church of christ hath africa brought forth as tertullian , minutius , optatus , lactantius , arnobius , his master fulgentius , st. cyprian , and st. augustine ? and with what learned men is africa in our time acquainted ? contrariwise in the flourishing daies of the romans how vtterly without all knowledg of letters were the germans and netherlanders , & how do they now a daies flourish in all kind of learning & cunning ? while the arts through the christian world lay in a manner buried in negligence and obscuritie , then did their lustre shine forth most clearly in ireland , thither did our english saxons repaire as to a faire or market of good letters : whence of the holy men of those times wee often read in our ancient writers . amandatus est ad disciplinam in hiberniam . he was sent into ireland to study there . and in the life of sulgen , who liued about six hundred yeare agoe . exemplo patrum commotus amore legend●… iuit ad hybernos sophia mirabile claros : and for to skill and learning he aspired treading the steps of ancestours he sayled to ireland , then for wisedome much admired . and it may seeme that the english saxons borrowed from them the manner of forming their letters , since they vsed the same character which the irish vse at this day , yet now when learning is as it were revived againe from the graue , thorow all christendome , onely this part of it ( which was then as another goshen in aegypt ) remaines for the most part vnlightned , in the darkenes of ignorance , incivility , and superstition . thus almighty god in sundry ages and in severall places casts abroad the seedes of learning and knowledge , which in their due time grow vp and spread abroad to the glory of his owne name and the behoofe of mankind . neither can i heere let passe the words of bodin to like effect touching the arts and inventions of wit as were those before alleadged touching vertue and vice ; haec illa est , ( saith hee ) rerum omnium tam certa conversio vt dubitare nemo debeat quin idem in hominum ingenijs , quod in agris eueniat qui maiori vbertate gratiam quietis referre solent . this is that certaine wheeling about of all things , so that no man neede doubt but the same befalls mens wits that doth their groundes which are wont to recompence the favour of their rest with the more plenteous croppe . sect . touching this pretended decay in regard of the duration of mens liues their strength and stature . the same vicissitude and revolution as is in arts and wits is likewise to be found in the ages of men , and the duration of their liues ; as my lord of s. alban hath truely noted , decursus saeculorum & successio propaginis nihil videntur omnino demere de diuturnitate vit●… . the course of times and succession of progenies seeme to abate nothing from the lasting of mens liues . certaine times there are in all regions in which the thread of mens liues is either drawne out longer or contracted to a shorter scantling : for the most part they liue longer when the times are more barbarous , their diet more simple , and the exercise of mens bodies more in vse : but shorter when the times are more civill and men more given to luxury and ease , which passe and returne by turnes , succession it selfe effects nothing therein , alone . in case it did , the first man in reason should haue lived longest , and the son should still come short of his fathers age : so that whereas moses tells vs that the dayes of mans age in his time were threescore yeares and tenne , by this reckoning they might well enough by this time be brought to tenne , or twenty , or thirty at most . it cannot be denied but that in the first ages of the world both before and after the floud men vsually lived longer then wee finde they haue done in latter ages : but that i should rather choose to ascribe to some extraordinary priviledge then to the ordinary course of nature . the world was then to be replenished with inhabitants , which could not so speedily be done but by an extraordinary multiplication of mankinde : neither could that be done , but by the long liues of men . and againe arts and sciences were then to be planted , for the better effecting whereof , it was requisite , that the same men should haue the experience and observation of many ages . for as many sensations breed an experiment , so doe many experiments a science . per varios vsus artem experimentia fecit exemplo monstrante viam . through much experience arts invented were example shewing way . specially it was requisite men should liue long for the perfecting of astronomy , and the finding out of the severall motions of the heavenly bodies , whereof some are so slow , that they aske a long time precisely to obserue their periods and reuolutions . it was the complaint of hippocrates , ars longa vita brevis . and therefore almighty god in his wisedome then proportioned mens liues to the length of arts ; and as god gaue them this speciall priviledge to liue long : so in likelihood hee gaue them withall a temper & constitution of body answereable therevnto . as also the foode wherewith they were nourished , specially before the floud , may well bee thought to haue beene more wholesome and nutritiue , and the plants more medicinall : and happily the influence of the heavens was at that time , in that clymate where the patriarches liued , more favourable and gratious . now such a revolution as there is in the manners , wits , and ages of men , the like may well bee presumed in their strength and stature . videtur similis esse ratio in magnitudine corporum siue statura quae nec ipsa per successionem propaginis defluit . there seemeth to be the like reason in the groweth & bignesse of mens bodies , which decreaseth not by succession of ofspring ; but men are sometimes in the same nation taller , sometimes of a shorter stature , sometimes stronger , and sometimes weaker , as the times wherein they liue , are more temperate or luxurious , more given to labour or exercise , or to ease and idlenesse . and for those narrations which are made of the gyantlike statures of men in former ages , many of them were doubtles merely poeticall and fabulous . i deny not but such men haue beene , who for their strength and stature haue beene the miracles of nature , the worlds wonders , whom god would therefore haue to bee , ( saith s. austine ) that hee might shew , that as well the bignesse as the beautie of the body , are not to be ranged in the number of things good in themselues , as being common both to good and badde . yet may wee justly suspect that which suetonius hath not spared to write , that the bones of huge beasts , or sea-monsters , both haue and still doe , passe currant for the bones of gyants . a very notable story to this purpose , haue wee recorded by camerarius who reports that francis the first , king of france , who reigned about an hundred yeares since , being desirous to know the truth of those things , which were commonly spread , touching the strength and stature of rou'land , nephew to charlelamaine , caused his sepulchre to be opened , wherein his bones and bow were found rotten , but his armour sound , though couered with rust , which the king commaunding to bee scoured off , and putting it vpon his owne body , found it so fit for him , as thereby it appeared that rouland exceeded him little in bignesse and stature of bodie , though himselfe were not excessiue tall or bigge . sect . . the precedents of this chapt : summarily recollected , and the methode observed in the ensuing treatise proposed now briefely and summarily to recollect and as it were to winde vp into one clue or bottome what hath more largely beene discoursed thorow this chapter , i hold first that the heavenly bodies are not at all , either in regard of their substance , motion , light , warmth or influence in the course of nature at all impaired , or subject to any impairing or decay : secondly , that all individuals ( vnder the cope of heaven ) mixed of the elements are subject to a naturall declination and dissolution : thirdly , that the quantity of the elements themselues is subject to impairing in regard of their parts , though not of their intire bodies : fourthly , that the ayre and earth and water and diverse seasons diversely affected sometime for the better , sometime for the worse , and that either by some speciall favour or judgement of god , or by some cause in nature , secret or apparent : fiftly , that the severall kindes of beasts , of plantes , of fishes , of birds , of stones , of mettalls , are as many in number , as at the creation , & every way in nature as vigorous , as at any time since the floud : sixtly , and lastly that the manners , the wits , the health , the age , the strength , and stature of men daily vary , but so as by a vicissitude and reuolution they returne againe to their former points from which they declined & againe decline , and againe returne , by alternatiue and interchangeable courses , erit hic rerum in se remeantium orbis , quamdiù erit ipse orbis , this circle and ring of things returning alwayes to their principles will neuer cease as long as the world lasts . repetunt proprios cuncta recursus redituque suo singula gaudent nec manet vlli traditus ordo nisi quod fini iunxerit ortum stabilemque sui fecerit orbem . to their first spring all things are backeward bound and every thing in its returne delighteth th' order once setled can in nought be found but what the end vnto the birth vniteth and of its selfe doth make a constant round . and consequently there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the frame of the creatures as is commonly imagined , and by some strongly maintained . the methode which i propose is first to treate heereof in generall that so a cleerer way , and easier passage may be opened to the particulars ; then of the heavens as being the highest in situation , and the noblest in outward glory and duration , as also in their efficacie , and vniversality of operation , and therefore doth the prophet rightly place them next god himselfe , in the order of causes , it shall come to passe in that day , saith the lord , that i will heare the heavens , and they shall heare the earth , and the earth shall heare the corne , and the wine , and the oile , and they shall heare israell . from that we may descend to the foure elements , which as a musicall instrument of foure strings , is both tuned and touched by the hand of heaven : and in the next place those bodies , which are mixed and tempered of these elements , offer themselues to our consideration , whether they bee without life , as stones and mettalls , or haue the life of vegetation only , as plants ; or both of vegetation and sense , as beasts and birds and fishes ; and in the last place , man presents himselfe vpon this theater , as being created last , though first intended , the master of the whole family , & chiefe commaunder in this great house , nay the master-peece , the abridgment , the mappe and modell of the vniuerse . and in him wee will examine this pretended decay , first in regard of age and length of yeares , secondly in regard of strength and stature , thirdly in regard of wits , and arts , and fourthly and lastly in regard of manners and conditions , to which all that is in man is or should bee finally referred , as all that is in the world is , vnder god , finally referred to man. and because it is not sufficient to possesse our owne fort , without the dismantling and demolishing of our enimies , a principall care shall bee had throughout the whole worke , to answere , if not all , at least the principall of those obiections which i haue found , to weigh most with the adverse part . and in the last place , least i should any way bee suspected to shake or vndermine the ground of our christian religion , or to weaken the article of our beliefe touching the consummation of the world , by teaching that it decayes not , to wipe off that aspertion , i will endeavour to prooue the certainety thereof , not so much by scripture , which no christian can be ignorant of , as by force of reason and the testimony of heathen writers ; and finally i will conclude with an exhortation grounded therevpon for the stirring of men vp , to a preparation of themselues against that day , which shall not only end the world , but iudge their actions , and dispose of the everlasting estate of their persons . cap. . touching the worlds decay in generall . sect . . the three first generall reasons that it decayes not . the same almighty hand which created the worlds massie frame and gaue it a being out of nothing , doth still support and maintaine it , in that being , which at first it gaue , and should it with draw himselfe but for a moment , the whole frame would instantly returne into that nothing , which before the creation it was , as gregorie hath righly observed , deus suo presentiali esse , dat omnibus rebus esse ita quod si se rebus subtraheret , sicut de nihilo facta sunt omnia , sic in nihilum diffluerent vniversa . god by his presentiall essence giues vnto all things an essence , so that if hee should withdraw himselfe from them , as out of nothing they were first made , so into nothing they would be againe resolved . in the preservation then of the creature , wee are not so much to consider the impotencie , and weakenesse thereof , as the goodnesse , wisedome , and power of the creator , in whom , and by whom , and for whom , they liue and moue and haue their being . the spirit of the lord filleth the world , ( saith the authour of the wisedome of solomon , and the secret working of the spirit , which thus pierceth through all things , hath the poet excellently exprest , principio caelum ac terr as camposque liquentes lucentemque globum lunae , titaniaque astra spiritus intus alit , totamque infusa per artus mens agitat molem & magno se corpore miscet . the heauen , the earth , and all the liquide maine , the moones bright globe , and starres titanian a spirit within maintaines , and their whole masse , a minde which through each part infus'd doth passe , fashions and workes and wholly doth transpierce all this great body of the vniverse . this spirit the platonists call the soule of the world , by it , it is in some sort quickned and formaliz'd , as the body of man is by its reasonable soule . there is no question then , but this soule of the world , ( if wee may so speake ) being in truth none other then the immortall spirit of the creator , is able to make the body of the world immortall , and to preserue it from disolution , as he doth the angels , and the spirits of men : and were it not that he had determined , to dissolue it by the same supernaturall and extraordinary power , which at first gaue it existence , i see not but by the ordinary concurrence of this spirit , it might euerlastingly endure : and that consequently ( to driue it home to our present purpose ) there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the course of nature ; as is imagined , and this i take to be the meaning of philo , in that booke which he hath composed de mundi incorruptibilitate , of the worlds incorruptibility ; there being some who haue made the world eternall without any beginning or ending , as aristotle , and the peripateticks , others giue it a beginning , but without ending , as plato and the academicks , whom philo seemes to follow ; and lastly others both beginning & ending , as christians and other sects of philosophers , whom aristotle therefore flouts at , saying that he formerly feared his house might fall downe about his eares , but that now he had a greater matter to feare , which was the dissolution of the world . but had this pretended vniversall & perpetuall decay of the world beene so apparant as some would make it , his flout had easily beene returned vpon himselfe , & his opinion by dayly & sensible experience as easily confuted , which wee may well wonder none of those philosophers who disputed against him , ( if they acknowledged and beleeued the trueth thereof ) should any where presse in defence of their owne opinions , it being indeed the most vnanswerable and binding argument that possibly could be enforced against him , were there that evident certaintie in it as is commonly imagined , whereas he in the sharpnesse of his wit seeing the weakenesse thereof , would not so much as vouchsafe it a serious answere , but puts it off with a jeast . for mine owne part i constantly beleeue that it had a beginning , and shall haue an ending , and hold him not worthy the name of a christian who holds not as much : yet so as i beleeue both , to bee matter of faith ; through faith we vnderstand that the worlds were framed by the word of god ; and through the same faith we likewise vnderstand that they shall be againe vnframed by the same word . reason may grope at this truth in the darke , howbeit it can neuer cleerely apprehend it ; but inlightned by the beame of faith . i deny not but probable , though not demonstratiue and convincing arguments , may be drawn from discourse of reason to proue either the one or the other , and among the rest that taken from the worlds decay , to proue the finall consummation thereof , i take to be most vnsound , in as much as it beggs a principle , which is not to be graunted , and supposeth such a decay , which in my judgment to the worlds end and the day of judgment will neuer be soundly and sufficiently proued . i remember the philosophers propose a question , vtrum mundus solo generali concursu dei perpetuo durare possit ? whether the world by the ordinary and generall cooperation of gods power and prouidence could still last or no ? and for the most part they conclude it affirmatiuely , euen such as professed the christian religion , and for proofe of their assertion they bring in effect this reason . the heauens , say they are of a nature which is not capable in it selfe of corruption , the losse of elements is recouered by compensation , of mixt bodies without life by accretion , of liuing bodies by succession , the fall of one being the rising of the other , as rome triumphed in the ruines of alba , and the depression of one scale is the elevation of another , according to that of solomon , one generation passeth away , and another generation commeth , but the earth abideth for euer . — mutantur in aevum singula , & incoeptum alternat natura tenorem , quodque dies antiqua tulit , post auferet ipsa . each thing in euery age doth vary and nature changeth still the course she hath begun , and will eftsoones vndoe what she erewhile had done . againe , all subcoelestiall bodies ( as is evident ) consist of matter and forme ; now the first matter hauing nothing contrary vnto it , cannot by the force of nature be destroyed , and being created immediatly by god , it cannot be abolished by any inferiour agent . and as for the formes of natural bodies , no sooner doth any one abandon the matter it informed but another instantly steps into the place thereof , no sooner hath one acted his part & is retired , but another presently comes forth vpon the stage , though it may bee in a different shape , and to act a different part , so that no portion of the matter is , or at any time can be altogether voide & empty , but like vertumnus or proteus it turnes it selfe into a thousand shapes , and is alwayes supplied and furnished with one forme or other . nec sic interimit mors res , ut materiaï corpora consiciat , sed coetum dissipat ollis : inde alijs aliud coniungit . & efficit , omnes res vt convertant formas , mutentque colores et capiant sensus , & puncto tempore reddant : vt nos●…as referre , eadem primordia rerum . death doth not so destroy things as it the matter to nought brings . it onely doth dissolue the frame , and so it leaues to be the same , and joyning other things it changeth their shape , forme , colour , and so rangeth their being at times , that you may know they all from like principles doe flow . neither in trueth in the course of nature can it possibly be otherwise ; since it intends not the abolition of any thing , as being a defect , and contrary to it 's owne good , but for the succession and generation of some other thing in the roome thereof . as nature then cannot create by making something out of nothing : so neither can it annihilate by turning something into nothing . whence it consequently followes as there is no accesse , so there is no diminution in the vniversall , no more then there is in the alphabet by the infinite cōbination & transposition of letters , or in the waxe by the alteration of the seale stamped vpon it . if a man should take but one drop of water in the whole yeare from the ocean , or but one sand from the sea shore , or but one grasse from the earth without any new supply , nay without a supply proportionable , that the additiō may fully countervaile & repaire the subtractiō , their store must in continuance of time of necessity bee emptied and vtterly exhausted ; and in like manner the world being finite , and there being no accesse to the whole , if there should bee any such perpetuall and vniversall decay and decrease in all the parts thereof , as is pretended , it must needes at last by degrees be annihilated and brought to nothing , which is both in reason , and by the consent of all divines , as incommunicably the effect of a power divine and aboue nature , as is the worke of the creation it selfe , so as whatsoeuer is taken from one , must of necessity be giuen to another . ne res ad nihilum redigantur protinus omnes . lest things ere long to nothing should be brought . put the case then that some principall part of the world should still decrease , surely some others must thereupon continually increase , or there would follow some diminution , and consequently some annihilation in respect of the whole , & if vpon the continuall decrease of some , others should still increase , there would likewise thereupon follow such a disproportion , and jarring as they could neuer well accord , and in the end the whole would be turned into those which gained by the losse , and grew great by the fall of others , & consequently they would proue the ruine both of others and themselues , as the splene growing and swelling to an immoderate bignes vpon the pining of the other parts , in the end ruines both it selfe and them , as then a due proportion is held betwixt the parts as well in the naturall body of man as the body politique of the state for the vpholding of the whole , so is there likewise by the divine providence in this vast body of the world , not that any of the limbs or members thereof ( the heauens onely excepted ) remaine without their alteration or diminution , but because they mutually by tur●…es and exchanges both take one from another , and again repay one to another what they formerly tooke , by which meanes neither is any thing lost in the whole , nor any one part so either infeebled by decrease , or by increase ouer strengthned as they loose that proportion which makes the musicke of the whole , or that vse and seruice which to the whole they all stand obliged to performe , and to this purpose it is surely as a diuine oracle , for the wisdome & trueth thereof , which the poet hath put into the mouth of pythagoras . nec species sua cuique manet : rerumque novatrix ex alijs alias reparat natura figuras . nec perit in tanto quidquam ( mihi credite ) mundo : sed variat , faciemque novat : nascique vocatur incipere esse aliud , quàm quod fuit ante : morique desinere illud idem : cùm sint huc forsitan illa , haec translata illuc , summâ tamen omnia constant . they hold not long their shapes , but soone dame nature . of one shape lost brings forth another feature ; beleeue it , in so great and huge a masse nothing doth perish , but change and vary face ; we say a thing new borne is , when as it doth become another then it was : and so wee say , a thing doth suffer death . when it the forme forsakes , as men their breath , and though the counters be plac't lower or higher , yet still the totall summe doth stand entire , sect . . fourth reason for that such a decay as is supposed would in time point out the very day of the worlds expiration , and consequently of the second comming of christ. another speciall reason mouing me to beleeue that the worlds supposed decay is but imaginary , is that it would in time point out the very date of its expiration , so that men should be able frō the extremity of the disorder & cōfusion ( into which it would by degrees degenerate ) by the rule of proportion , as it were by the euen decrease of sand or water in an houre-glasse prognosticate the instant beyond which it could no longer subsist ; whereas before the vniversall deluge which swept away euery liuing soule breathing vpon the face of the earth , ( except noah & his family , and the beasts which lodged with him vnder the roofe of the same arke ) wee reade of no such fore-running declination which was the reason that men tooke no notice of it till it over tooke them , and as it was then , so shall it be at the sudden , and vnexpected comming of the second deluge of fire . for as in the d●…es which were before the floud , they were eating and drinking , marrying and giuing in marriage vntill the day that noah entred into the arke , and knew not vntill the flood came and swept them all away : so shall also the comming of the sonne of man bee : it shall be like the comming of the theefe in the night , when men shall say , peace and safety , then sudden distruction shall come vpon them . the more i wonder what should make the authour of the scholasticall history thus to write , tradunt sancti quod quadraginta annis ante judicium non videbitur arcus coelestis , id quod etiam naturaliter ostendet desiccationem aeris . holy men affirme that forty yeares before the day of ludgment no rainebow shall appeare , which shall serue as a naturall signe of the drought in the ayre already begun . those holy men he names not , neither can i so much as conjecture who they should bee , since no such opinion , nor any mention thereof ( as i presume ) is to be found in the writings of any of the ancient fathers now extant , neither in truth is it any way grounded , either vpon scripture or shew of reason drawne from thence . and besides it assumes that as yeelded , which is not onely vncertaine , but certainely false , that the conflagration of the world shall be wrought , or at leastwise prepared by second and naturall causes , whereas it shall doubtlesse be the supernaturall worke of gods omnipotencie , as was likewise the drowning of it . howbeit henricus mecliniensis scholer to albertus magnus in his comentaries vpon the great conjunctions of albumazar , seemes to referre it to the watery constellations then reigning , as some others do , the future generall conbustion to the predominance of fiery constellations : whereas notwithstanding they ascribe the vniversall declination and dotage of nature to the want of that warmth which former ages enioyed : so that according to their groundes following the course of nature the world should rather haue beene burned in noahs time , it being then in the prime and strength of naturall heate , and reserved for a floud at the last day , it being now accordig to their opinion seazed vpon , with cold and waterish humours , or at least their feined fiery constellations would better haue suted with those times , and the waterish with ours . but thus wee see how curiositie intangleth , and errour ever crosseth and contradicteth it selfe . haec est mendaciorum natura vt cohaerere non possint ( sayth lactantius ) such is the property of falsehoods that they can never hang together . at nulla est discordia veris , semper que sibi certa cohaerent . in true things discord is there none , they friendly still agree in one . sect . . fifth reason that vpon the supposition of such a decay , the vigour of the world must needs long since haue beene exhausted and worne out . a fifth reason which makes mee thinke that nature neither hath nor doth degenerate and pine away in the severall kindes of creatures in regard of their number , dimensions , faculties or operations , is that in the course of so many ages allready past , the vigour and strength of it must needes haue beene vtterly exausted and worne out . if in every centenary of yeares from the creation or since the floud some small abatement onely should haue beene made , ( which notwithstanding the patrons of the adverse opinion hold to be greate , as will appeare when wee come to the examination of the particulers , ) and if wee should question a man of an hundred yeares of age about this point , what a wonderfull change will he tell you of , since his remembrance : so that if wee should goe backward and proportionablely allow the like change within the like compasse of yeares , since the beginning of the world , it could not possiblely subsist at this day . but put the case , as i say , that not so greate as is imagined , but some small abatement should be made for every centenary , surely evē in that proportion nothing else could now be left vnto vs but the very refuse & bran , the drosse & dregges of nature . and as heavy things sinke in rivers , but strawes and stickes are carried downe the streame , so in this long current of time , the kernell and pith of nature must needes haue beene spent and wasted , onely the rinde and shells should haue beene left to vs. the heavens could not by their warmth and influence haue beene able sufficiently to cherish the earth , nor the earth to keepe the plantes from staruing at her breasts , nor the plants to nourish the beastes , nor could the beastes haue beene serviceable for the vse of man , nor man himselfe of abilitie to exercise the right of his dominion over the beastes and other creatures . the sunne by this time would haue beene no brighter then the moone or starrs , cedars would haue beene no taller then shrubs , horses no bigger then doggs , elephants then oxen , oxen then sheepe , eagles then pigeons , pigeons then sparrowes , and then whole race of mankind must haue become pigmies , and mustered themselues to encounter with cranes . if we should allow but one inch of decrease in the growth of men for euery centenary , ( & lesse cānot well be imagined ) there would at this present be abated allmost fiue foote in their ordinary stature , which notwithstanding was held the competent height of a man , aboue sixteene hundred yearers since , & so still continues , so that the ordinary stature of the men of the first age should by this rule haue beene about tenne foote , which exceeds that of goliah by some inches . sir walter rauleigh who in sundry places positiuely defendes natures vniversall decay , ( which i must confesse i somewhat marvell at , in a man of that peirceing wit and cleare iudgment , but that as others he tooke it vp vpon trust , without bringing it to the touchstone ) to prooue men to be but reedes now a dayes , as he termeth them , in comparison of the cedars of former ages , giues vs an instance , drawne from the times and practise of galen in comparison of ours , telling vs that galen did ordinarily let bloud , six pound weight , whereas wee ( saith hee ) for the most part stop at six ounces . the truth of his allegation touching galens practise , i shall heereafter haue ●…itter occasion to examine , in the chapter purposely dedicated to the consideration of mens decay in strength ; at this time i will only touch the matter of proportion . there is some doubt among chronologers , of the precise time wherein galen liued , as appeares by gesner in his life ; but in this they all agree , that he practised at least two hu●…dred yeares since christ , so that taking our leuell from thence , we may safely affirme that hee flourished about fourteene hundred yeares since , in the compasse of which time , men haue lost by that account about a pound of bloud for euery centenary , which proportion of losse , if wee should obserue in the like distances of time before galen from the creation , it were not possible that so much as a drop of bloud should be left in any mans body at this day . from these particulars wee may guesse at the rest , as retaylers doe of the whole peece , by taking a view of the ends thereof , or as pythagoras drew out the measure of hercules whole body from the s●…antling of his foote . sect . . sixth argument taken from the authority of solomon and his reason drawne from the circulation of all things as it were in a ring . to these reasons may be added the weighty authority of the wisest man that euer liued , of a meere man ; how often doth he beat vpon the circulation and running round of all things as it were in a ring : how earnestly and eloquently doth hee presse it , and expresse it as it were in liuely colours in that most divine booke of the preacher . the sunne ( saith hee ) ariseth , and the sunne goeth downe , and hasteth to the place where he arose . which boetius discoursing vpon the same theme hath elegantly set forth . cadit hesperias phoebus in vndas sed secreto tramite rursus cursum solitos vertit ad ortus . the sunne doth set in westerne maine , but yet returnes by secret wayes . vnto his wonted rise againe . but the preacher stayes not there . the winde goeth toward the south and turneth about toward the north , it whirleth about continually and returneth againe according to his circuites . all the rivers runne into the sea , yet the sea is not full . vnto the place from whence the rivers come , thither they returne againe . wherevpon hee inferres , the thing that hath beene , it is that that shall bee , and that which is done , is that which shall bee done , and there is no new thing vnder the sunne . is there any thing whereof it may bee sayd , behold this is new ? it hath beene already of old time before vs ; & againe , that which hath beene is now , and that which is to bee hath already beene , and god requireth that which is past . now this wheeling about of all things in their seasons and courses , and their supposed perpetuall decrease , are in my vnderstanding incompatible , they cannot possiblely stand together , nor be truly affirmed of the same subject . for if they returne againe to their times and turnes , to the state from which they declined , as boetius speakes of a bowed twigge . validis quondam viribus acta pronum flectit virga cacumen hanc si curuans dextra remisit recto spectat vertice coelum . the tender plant by force and might constran'd its top doth downeward bend : romoue the hand which bowed it and straight to heaven-wards will it tend . if i say they thus returne to their former condition , as hath bin more at large proved by lodovicus regius , a french man in a booke which hee purposely intitles , de la vicissitude des choses , and dedicates it to henry the third king of france , then can it not bee they should alway grow worse and worse , as on the other side if they alway degenerate and grow worse and worse , it cannot be they should haue such returnes as solomon speakes of , wise and learned men in all ages haue observed , and experience daily confirmes . the poets faine that saturne was wont to devou●…e his sonnes and then to vomite them vp againe , which fiction of theirs ( saith rodogin ) the wiser sort vnderstand to be referred to time shadowed vnder the name of saturne , à quo vicibus cuncta gignantur & absumantur quae renascantur denuò , because as all things spring from time and by it are consumed , so in it they are renewed and restored againe . and by this meanes the world for the intire , is still preserved safe and sound . exutae variant faciem per secula gentes , at manet incolumis mundus , suaque omnia servat quae nec long a dies auget , minuitve senectus : nec motus puncto currit , cursuve fatigat . idem semper erit quoniam semper fuit idem , non alium videre patres aliumve nepotes aspicient . the people chang'd , at times the face doth vary , the world stands sound , and alwaies holds its owne , nor by long daies encreas'd , nor age lesse growne , runnes round , yet moues not , nor by running's weary , was still the same and still the same shall bee that which our gransirs saw our sonnes shall see . cap. . generall arguments making for the worlds decay refuted . sect . . the first generall objection drawne from reason answered . howbeit , as the great patriarch of philosophers hath taught vs that verum est index sui & obliqui , truth may serue as a square or rule both for it selfe and falshood , as a right line discovers the obliquity of a crooked , yet because qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita altera , aequum licet statuerit , haud aequus fuit : who but one party heares yet doth decree , iust is he not , though iust his sentence bee . let vs see what the adverse part can say for themselues . their generall arguments then for the worlds decay are drawne , partly from reason , and partly from authority . the maine argument drawne from reason , vpon which all the rest , in a manner depend , so as i may call it , the pole-deede of their evidence , is this , that the creature the neerer it approaches to the first mould , the more perfect it is , and according to the degrees of its remouall and distance from thence , it incurres the more imperfection and weakenes , as streames of a fountaine the farther they runne thorow vncleane passages , the more they contract corruption . for the loosing of which knot , i shall craue pardon if i inlarge myselfe and make a full answere therevnto , considering that in the striking off , of this head , the body of the opposite reasons fall to the ground , and at the shaking of this foundation , the whole building totters . first then i will examine the truth of this proposition , whether every thing the farther it departs from its originall , the more it looses of its perfection , because vpon it the weight of the argument is grounded ; and secondly i will consider how iustly it is applied to this present purpose . for the first whether wee behold the workes of art or nature or grace , wee shall finde that they all proceede by certaine steps from a more imperfect and vnpolished being to that which is more absolute and perfect . to begin with the workes of grace : in the course of christianity wee grow both in knowledge and vertue , in illumination & sanctification , as the blind man in the gospell having recovered his sight , first saw men walking like trees confusedly and indistinctly , but afterwards more cleerely : in knowledge wee grow by leauing the principles of the doctrine of christ , and going on vnto perfection , by leauing milke fitte for babes , and vsing stronger meate belonging to them that are of full age , who by reason of an habit haue their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill . in vertue wee grow , not only by adding vertue to vertue , as it were linke to linke , but by increasing in those vertues as it were by inlarging the links , that the man of god may be made perfect , thorowly furnished vnto every good worke . for the workes of arts wee see the limmer to begin with a rude draught , and the painter to lay his grounds with shaddowes and darksome colours , the weauer out of a small threed , makes a rich and faire peece , and the architect vpon rubbish laies a goodly pile of building , which at first consists of naked walles , but at last is furnished with variety of houshold stuffe , and garnished with hangings and pictures . lastly for the workes of nature out of what a confused chaos was the goodly frame of this world raised ? out of what vnworthy little seedes spring the tallest trees , and most beautifull flowers , nay what a base beginning at the first creation had and still hath man himselfe the lord of the creatures so as himselfe euen blushes to mention it , how impotent and vnable to helpe himselfe is he brought into the world ? how slowly doth hee come forward to the vse of his senses , his strength , his reason ? yet at length by degrees if hee liue and be of a sound constitution , hee arriues vnto it . by which it appeares that at leastwise individuals , in the severall workes both of grace and art and nature , the farther they proceed from their originall , the more perfect they are , till they arriue to their state of perfection , though heerein they differ , that art and nature then decline , but grace is turned into glory . and for the species or kinds of things , which is it that specially concernes our present question , as i cannot affirme that by degrees they grow on still to greater perfection , so neither can i finde that they daily grow more imperfect . for grace wee know , it was more abundantly powred out by the incarnation and passion of the sonne of god in this latter age of the world , then at any time before since the first creation thereof . and of art it is commonly thought that neere about the same time the romane empire was at the highest and souldiers , poets , oratours , philosophers , historians , polititians , never more excellent , which withall should argue that nature was at that time rather strengthned then enfeebled , in as much as both art and grace are built vpon nature , i meane the naturall faculties of the soule , which commonly follow the temper of the body , & the more vigorous they are , the more happily are both art and grace exercised by them . now for the application of the proposition to the present purpose touching the worlds decay , it is evident , that if it were indeed of that force as is pretended , it would therevpon follow that in the course of nature adam should haue beene the tallest and longest-liu'd man that euer breathed vpon the face of the earth ; whereas notwithstanding wee reade not of any gyants till a little before the floud ; and noah who liued after the floud saw twenty yeares more then adam himselfe did , the latter being nine hundred and fiftie and the former but nine hundred and thirtie yeares old when he died . nay methusaleth the eight from adam out stripped him by forty yeares wanting but one , and wee see by daily experience that a weake or foolish father often begets a strong and a wise sonne , and that the grandchild sometimes equalls the age of the father and grandfather both together . if a thousand candles or torches should be successiuely lighted one from another , it cannot be discerned by their dull or bright burning which was first or last lighted , nay the last sometimes yeelds a brighter light then the first , if it meete with matter accordingly prepared . the water which runnes a thousand miles thorow cleane passages , is euery whit as wholesome and sweete at its journeys end , as when it first issued from the fountaine . the seede that is cast into the earth seldome failes to bring forth as good as it selfe and sometimes better , and if at any time it proue worse , it is not because it is further distant from its originall , ( which is the very point in controversie ) but because it meetes with a worse soyle , or a worse season , and the soile and season are worse perchance then in former times , nor by reason of the revolution of so many ages since the creation , but either by reason of gods curse vpon sinne , or some other accidentall cause , which being removed , they returne againe to their natiue and wonted properties . for , did they grow worse & worse only by a farther distance from their first being , then would the creatures haue decayed in processe of time , whether man had sinned or no , and man himselfe should haue beene of lesse strength and stature and continuance , though hee had not failed in the tempera●… vse of the creature , or of any other meanes making for the preservation of his life and health , 〈◊〉 i suppose the patrons of the adverse part , will not maintaine , o●…ce i am sure that the common te●…et of div●…es is , that whatsoever defect or swarning is to be found , in the nature either of man himselfe , or the creature made to serue him , ariseth from the sin of man alone , as being the only caus●… of all the jarre and disorder in the world : now to impute it to sin and yet withall to affirme that 〈◊〉 is occasioned by ●…he ●…ll of the creature from its 〈◊〉 ex●…ce implies in my judgment a manifest and irreconciliable contradiction . to conclude this answeare , this axio●…e , 〈◊〉 ; quo magis elongatur a suo principio , eo magis defi●…it & langu●…scit , euery thing the farther it is remou'd from its originall , the more faint and feeble it growes , in violent motions is most true , as an arrow shot out of a bow or a dart flung vpward from the hand of a man , the higher they mount the slower they moue ; and so i conceiue it to haue beene m●…nt by aristotle : but in naturall motions , as the moving of a stone downeward , and such is rather natur●…s motion in the course of the world , ) the contrary is vndoubtedly tru●… , cres●…●…undo , the farther it moues the more strength it gathers , and forti●…ies it selfe in going besides if the strength of the hand could goe along with the dart , or if the bow with the arrow , as the hand and power of god leades and preserues nature in her course , keeping ●…t a w●…king as the spring doth the wheels in a watch or clocke ; th●…e is no question , but their motions would proue , as quicke and forcible in the end as at the beginning , and not cease at all before the strength of the hand or bow which carry them forward were removed from them : finally , if this axiome were not to be limited , it should equally extend to the angells and the soules of men , and the first matter , and the heavens as well as to the sublunary mixt bodies : but the same power which vpholds and maintaines them , in their originall state , supports likewise the whole body of this inferiour world together withall the severall spe●…ies or kindes thereof , and did it not so doe , all the absurdities already touched , as impotency in that spirit which animates the world , to support it , an●…ihilation in the course of nature , defect and swarving in the crea●… without the sin of man , foreknowledge of the worlds end , & the end of it long before this time , would infalliblely follow therevpon . sect . . the second generall obiection answered , which is that the seuerall parts of the world decaying , it should argue a consumption in the whole . another argument drawne from reason , for the worlds decay , is , that all the parts of it decay , and by degrees grow to dissolution , which should likewise argue a wasting and lingring consumption in the whole , since there seemes to be the same reason of the whole which is of all the parts , where of it consists . but the answere hereunto will easily appeare out of that which hath already beene deliuered , and by taking a review of the seuerall parts of the vniversall . first then for the heauens , vndoubtedly they feele no such decay either in substance , quantity , motion , light , warmth or influence , as i hope i shall make it manifest in the next chapter , and for the elements what they loose in regard of their quantity , is againe made vp by equivalence or compensation , and that in respect of their quality they decay not either by being of lesse efficacie , or more malignant dispositions , then in former ages , remaines to be shewed in their proper place ; and lastly for the bodies mixed and tempered of the elements , though it be graunted , that all individuals or particulars in time decay or perish , yet doth it not follow , that the same condition should likewise bee annexed to the species or kinde , which is still preserued by a new supply and successiue propagation of particulars , not alwayes inferiour to their predecessours , which this argument presumes , but sometimes excelling , and commonly equalling them in goodnes , as hath alwayes beene touched in part , and shall hereafter by gods helpe bee more fully and distinctly prooued . sectio . the third generall obiection answered , taken from the authority of s. cyprian . the arguments drawne from authority are either humane or divine testimonies . among humane that of s. cyprian is most famous , as wel in regard of his great piety and learning , as his approach to the pure and primitiue times of the church of christ. this holy martyr then and venerable bishop greeuing that the christian religion should be charged with these lamentable accidents wherewith the world at that time was pressed and shaken , shapes this reply to demetrianus their accuser . illud primo loco scire debes senuisse iam mundum ; non illis viribus stare quibus prius steterat , nec vigore & robore eo praevalere , quo antea praevalebat , hoc enim nobis tacentibus , & nulla de scripturis sanctis praedicationibusque divinis documenta promentibus , mundus ipse iam loquitur , & occasum sui rerum labentium probatione testatur . non hyeme nutriendis seminibus tanta imbrium copia est , non frugibus aestate torrendis solis tanta flagrantia est , nec sic verna de temperie sua laeta sata sunt , nec adeò arbores foetibus autumno foecundae sunt ; minus de effossis & fatigatis montibus eruuntur marmorum crustae , minus argenti & auri opes suggerunt , exhausta iam metalla , & pauperes venae tenuantur in dies singulos & decrescunt , deficit in agris agricola , in amicitijs concordia , in artibus peritia , in moribus disciplina . putasne tu posse tantam substantiam rei senescentis existere , quantumprius potuit novella adhuc & vegeta iuventute pollere ? minuatur necesse est quicquid fine iam proximo in occidua & extrema divergit ; sic sol in occasu suo radios minus claro & igneo splendore iaculatur , sic declinante iam cursu exoletis cornubus luna tenuatur , & arbor quae fuerat ante viridis & fertilis , are scentibus ramis fit postmodum sterili senectute deformis , & fons qui exundantibus prius venis largiter profluebat , vix modico sudore distillat . haec sententia mundo data est haec dei lex est , ut omnia orta occidant , & aucta senescant , & infirmentur fortia , & magna minuantur , & cùm infirmata & diminuta fuerint , fi●…iantur . you ought first to haue knowne this , that the world is now waxen old , that it hath not those forces which formerly it had , neither is endued with that vigour and strength wherewith it formerly was , & thus much though we held our peace , and brought no proofe thereof from holy scripture and divine oracles , the world it selfe proclaimes and testifies its declination by the experience of all things declining in it . wee haue not now so great store of showres for the nourishing of our seedes in winter , nor in summer so much warmth of the sunne for the ripening of our corne . in the spring our fields are not so fresh and pleasant , nor in autumne our trees so loaden with fruites , lesse peeces of marble are hewed out of the exhausted and tired mountaines , and the emptied mines yeeld lesse quantity of gold and siluer , theit veines daylie diminishing and decreasing , the husbandman is defectiue in manuring the earth , concord failes in friendship , skill in arts , and discipline in manners . can you imagine that the state of a thing waxing old should be so firme & sound as when it flourished in its youth ? that must needes bee weakened which ( the finall period of it approaching ) hastens to the last end . so the sunne when it is setting , darts not forth so fiery and cleare beames . so the moon drawing toward the end of her race , drawes in her horns and growes lesse , and the tree which formerly was greene and fruitfull , her boughes withering becomes deformed by barren old age , and the well-spring which formerly flowed abundantly with full streames , being dryed vp through age , hardly distils a drop of moisture . this sentence is passed vpon the world , this is the law which god hath set it , that all things that are borne , should die ; all that increase , should decrease , that strong things should be weakned , and great lessened , and being thus weakned and lessened , they should at last be vtterly dissolued . this discourse of cyprian , and the excellent flowres of rhetorique in it , shew him to haue beene both a sweet and powerfull oratour , of a great wit , a flowing eloquence : but whether in this he shew himselfe so deepe a philosopher or sound divine , i leaue that to the reader to judge , and referre his judgment to the future examination of the particulars : only by the way it shall not be amisse to remember , that the christians of those times ( happily by reason aswell of the bloody persecutions which pressed them sore , as the frequent passages both in the gospell and epistles , which speake of the second comming of christ , as if it had beene then hard at hand ? stood in continuall allarums and expectation of the day of iudgment and the end of the world , as evidently appeares by the very words of cyprian himselfe in this discourse , & their thoughts still running therevpon , all things seemed sutable thereunto , and to draw towards that end . it cannot be denied , but those times wherein cyprian liued were indeed very bitter and miserable in regard of f●…mine , and warre , & mortality , yet about forty yeares after , it pleased almighty god to pacifie those stormes , and dispell those cloudes by the conversion of the renowned constantine to the christian religion , as it had beene by the breaking forth of the sun beames , so as they who sowed in teares , reaped in joy , at which time had cyprian liued , no doubt he would haue changed his note , his pen would haue as much triumphed in the tranquillity and flourishing estate of the church vnder that noble emperour , as it deplored the torne state of the world in the time wherein himselfe liued . the former famine , and warre , and mortality , being then by gods gratious blessing happily turned into health , and peace , and plenty . he would then haue told you that whereas before , showres of their blood were powred out for christs sake , now it pleased god to open the windowes of heauen for the moistning and nourishing of their seedes , that as christ the sonne of righteousnesse was acknowledged as the saviour of the world , and the shining beames of the gospell displayed themselues : so the sunne in the firmament had recovered its warmth and strength for the ripening of their corne ; that as the outward face of the church was become beautifull and glorious , so the very fieldes seemed to smile and to receiue contēt therin by their fresh and pleasant hue ; that as men brought forth the fruites of christianity in greater abundance , so their trees were more plentifully loaden with fruites ; that as the rich mines of gods word were farther searched into , so new veines of marble and gold and silver were discovered ; that christian religion hauing now gotten the vpper hand , had made the husbandman and artificer , more carefull & industrious in their callings , had opened the schooles for professours , in all kind of learning , had restored wholsome discipline in manners , & faithfullnesse in friendship . finally , he would haue told you that the world with the eagle had now cast her worne bill and sick feathers , and vpon the entertainement of christ , and his gospell , was growne young againe . which i am the rather induced to beleeue for that cyprian himselfe in the same discourse against demetrianus in another place referres the disasters of those times to the obstinacie of the world , in not receiuing the truth of christianity and submitting itselfe to the yoake of christ iesus . a more likely and certaine cause doubtlesse then that other of the worlds imaginary old age and decay : his words are these . indignatur ecce dominus & irascitur , & quod ad eum non convertamini comminatur , & tu miraris et quereris in hac obstinatione , & contemptu vestro si rara desuper pluvia descendat , si terra situ pulueris squalleat , si vix jejunas & pallidas herbas sterilis gleba producat &c. behold the lord is angry and threatens because you turne not vnto him , and dost thou wonder or complaine , if in this your obstinacie & contempt , the raine seldome fall the earth be deformed with dust , & the land bring forth hungry & starved grasse , if the haile falling do spill the vine , if the ouerturning whirlewind do marre the oliue , if drought dry vp the springes , if pestilent dampes do corrupt the ayre , if diseases consume men , when all these things come by sinnes provoking , & god is the more offended since such and so great things do no good at all . and the same reason is vpon the like occasiō yeelded by lactantius , discite igitur si quid vobis reliquae mentis est , homines ideo malos & iniustos esse quia dij coluntur : & ideo mala omnia rebus humanis quotidie ingravescere quia deus mundi hujus effector & gubernator der●…lictus est quia susceptae sunt contra quam fas est impiae religiones : postremo quia ne vel a pau●…is quidem coli deum sinitis . learne thus much then ( if you haue any vnderstanding left ) that men are therefore wicked & vnjust because such gods are worshipped , and that such mischeefes dayly befall thē , because god the creator and governour of the world is forsaken by them , because impious religions against all right are entertained of them , finally because you will not permit the worship of the true god so much as to a few . heere then was the true cause of their bloudy warres that they shed the innocēt bloud of christians & trāpled vnder foote the pretious bloud of christ ; as their warres together with the vnkindly season were the cause of dearth and famine , and both famine and warre of pestilence and mortalitie : how frequently and fervently doth the scripture beate vpon this cause , god every where promising to reward the obedience of his people with plenty and peace and kindly seasons , & their rebellion with scarcitie & sicknes , & the sword . but that these scourges of the world were at any time caused by or imputed to the old age or decay therof , to my remembrance we no where read . as then the referring of these plagues with demetrianus and the gentiles to the curse of god vpon christian religion , was a blasphemous wrong to gods truth : so with cyprian to referre them to the old age and naturall decay of the world , ( be it spoken with all due reverence to so great a light in the church of god ) is in my judgment an aspersion vpon the power and providence and justice of god. and pammelius in his annotations to excuse cyprian herein ( conceiuing beelike that he was not in the right ) tells vs that therin he alludes to the opinion of the ancient philosophers & poets : perchance thereby intending lucretius the great admirer and sectary of epicurus , who of all the poets i haue met with , hath written the most fully in this argument . i am que adeo effa ta est aetas , effoetaque tellus : vix animalia parva creat , quae cuncta creavit soecla ; deditque ferarum ingentia corpora partu . haud ( vt opinor ) enim mortalia soecla superne aurea de coelo demisit funis in arva : nec marc , nec fluctus plangentes saxa crearunt : sed genuit tellus eadem , quae nunc alit ex se. praeterea n●…idas fruges , vinetaque laeta sponte suà primum mortalibus ipsa creavit : ipsa dedit dulces foetus , & pabula laeta . quae nunc vix nostro grandescunt aucta labore conterimusque boves , & vires agricolarum : conficimus ferrum vix arvis suppeditati : vsque adeò parcunt faetus , augentque labores . iamque caput quassans grandis suspirat arator crebrius in cassum magnum cecidisse laborem : et cum tempora temporibus praesentia confert praeteritis , laudat fortunas saepe parentis : et crepat , antiquum genus vt pietate repletum perfacile angnstis tolerârit finibus aevum , cum minor esset agri multo modus ante viritim : nec tenet , omnia paulatim tabescere , & ire adscopulum spa●…io aetatis defessa vetusto . the world with age is broke , the earth out worne , and shee of whome what ever liues was borne and once brought forth huge bodied beasts , with paine a small race now begets . no golden chaine these mortalls downe from heaven to earth did let , as i suppose : nor sea , nor waues that beat the rockes did they create , t' was earth did breed all of herselfe , which now all things doth feed . the chearefull vine shee of her owne accord , shee corne to mortall wights did first afford : sweete fruites beside and food did she bestow , which now with labour great great hardly grow : the plough-swanes strength wee spend , our oxen weare , when we our feildes haue sowne no crop they beare , so wax our toyles , so waneth our reliefe , the husband shakes his head , and sighs for griefe , that all his travels frustrate are at last . and when times present he compares with past , hee his sires fortune raises to the skie , and much doth talke of th' ancient pietie , and how though every man lesse ground possest , yet better liu'd with greater plentie blest . nor markes how all things by degrees decay and tir'd with age towards the rocke make way . but herein lucretius likewise contradicted himselfe in other places of the same booke , and had the world beene indeede so neare its last breathing as it were , and giueing vp of the ghost , as cyprian would make it in his time , much more as lucretius in his : vndoubtedly it could never haue held out by the space of allmost fourteene hundred yeares since the one , & aboue sixtee ne hundred since the other , & how long it is yet to last , he only knowes , who hath put the times and seasons in his owne power . sect . . the same authority of cyprian farther answered by opposing against it the authority of arnobius supported with ponderous and pressing reasons . now because this authority of cyprian is it which prevailes so much with so many , it shall not bee amisse to oppose therevnto that of arnobius , not naked and standing vpon bare affirmation as doth that of cyprian , but backt with weighty & forcible arguments , a very renowned both oratour and philosopher , he was the master of lactantius and diverse other very notable and famous men , and being pressed by the gentiles of his time with the same objection against christian religion , as was cyprian by demetrianus , hee shapes vnto it an answere cleane contrary by shewing that all the fundamentall and primordiall parts of the world , as the heavens & elements remained still entire since the profession of christian religion , as before they were , & for other calamities of famine and warres and pestilence and the like , the common scourges of the world , they had beene as great or greater in former ages , and that before the name of christianity was heard of in the world then at that time they were . his latine , because the allegation is long and in some places it savours of the affrican harshnes , i will spare , and onely set downe the english. and first of all in faire and familiar speech this we demaund of these men : since the name of christian religion began to be in the world , what vncouth , what vnvsuall things , what against the lawes instituted at the beginning hath nature , as they terme & call her either felt or suffered ? those first element , whereof it is agreed that all things are compounded , are they changed into contrary qualities ? is the frame of this engine and fabricke which covereth and incloseth vs all in any part loosed or dissolved ? hath this wheeling about of heaven swarving from the rule of its primitiue motion either begun to creepe more slowly , or to be carried with headlong volubilitie ? doe the stars begin to raise themselues vp in the west , and the signes to in●…line towards the east 〈◊〉 the prin●…e of stars the sun whose light clotheth , and heat quickneth all things , doth hee cease to be hot , is he waxen cooler , and hath he corrupted the temper of his wonted moderation into contrary habits ? hath the moone left off to repaire her selfe , and by continuall restoring of new to transforme herselfe into her old shapes ? are colds , are heats , are temperate warmths betweene them both by confusion of vnequall times gone ? doth winter beginne to haue long dayes , and summer nights to call backe the slowest lights ? haue the winds breathed forth their spirits as having spent their blasts ? is not the aire straitned into clowds , and doth not the field being moistned with showres wax fruitfull ? doth the earth refuse to receiue the seeds cast into her ? will not trees budde forth ? haue fruites appointed for food by the burning vp of their moisture changed their tast ? doe they presse gore bloud out of oliues ? are lights quenched for want of supplie ? the creatures enured to the land , and that liue in waters , doe they not gender and conceiue ? the young ones conceived in their wombs do they not after their owne manner and order conserue ? to conclude , men themselues whom their first and beginning nativitie dispersed through the vnhabited coasts of the earth , doe they not with solemne nuptiall rights couple themselues in wedlocke ? doe they not beget most sweete ofsprings of children ? doe they not manage publicke , private , and domesticall businesses ? doe they not every one as he pleaseth by divers sorts of arts and disciplines direct their wits , and studiouslie repay the vse of their nativitie ? doe they not reigne , do they not commaund to whom it is allotted ? doe they not every day more increase in the like dignities and power ? doe they not sit in iudgement to heare causes ? do they not interpret lawes and statutes ? doe they not publickely vse all other wayes whereby the life of man is held in and kept in compasse , all according to the orders and customes of the countrey in their severall nations ? these things therefore being so , and that no noveltie hath broken in to interrupt the perpetuall tenor of things by severing and discontinuing them : what is it that they say , confusion is brought vpon the world since christian religion entred into it , and discovered the misteries of hidden verity ? but the gods , say they , exasperated with your injuries and offences bring vpon vs pestilen●…es , droughts , scarcity of corne , lo●…usts , mice , haile , and other hurtfull things assaulting the affaires of men . were it not follie longer to insist vpon things evident and needing no defence , i would soone by vnfolding former times demonstrate that the evills yee speake of are neither vnknown nor sudden , nor that these confusions brake in , nor that mortall businesses began to be infested with such varietie of dangers , since our societie obtained the happines of this name to be bestowed vpon them . for if we be the cause , and for our demerits these p●…gues were invented , whence knew antiquity these names of miseries , whence gaue it signification to wars ? with what knowledge could it name the pestilence ●…nd haile ? or assume them into the number of thosewords wherewith they vttered their speech ? for if these evills be new , and drawe their causes from late offences , how could it be that it should forme words to those things whereof it selfe neither had experience , nor had learnt that they were in any time done ? scarcitie of corne and extreame dearth distresseth vs. what ? were the ancient and eldest ages at any time free from the like necessity ? doe not the v●…ry names by which th●…se evills are called testifie and crie that never any mortall man was priviledged frō it ? which were it a matter so hard to beleeue , i could produce the testimonies of authours , what n●…tions , how great , how often haue felt horrible famine , and haue beene destroted with a great desolation . but stormes of haile fall very often , and light on all things . and doe wee not see it registred and recorded in ancient writings that countries haue osten beene battered with showers of stones ? want of raine kils vp the corne , and makes the earth vnfruitfull ; and was antiquitie free from these evills , especially seeing wee know that huge rivers haue beene dried vp to the very bottome ? the contagion of pestilence vexeth mankind ; runne over the annals written in severall tongues , and yee shall learne that whole countries haue oftentimes beene made desolate , and emptied of inhabitants . all kind of graines are destroied and devoured by locusts , by mice , passe through forraine histories , & they will informe you how often former times haue bin troubled with these plagues , and brought to the miseries of povertie , citties shaken with mighty earthquakes totter even vnto ruine . what ? haue not former times seen citties together with the inhabitants swallowed vp in huge gaping clefts of the earth ? or haue they had their e●…ate free from these casualties ? when was mankind destroyed with deluges of waters ? not before vs ? when was the world burnt & dissolued into embers & ashes ? not before vs ? whē were mightie cities overwhelmed by the seas inundation ? not before vs ? when did they make war with wild beasts , and encounter with lyons ? not before vs ? when were people plagued with ven●…mous serpents ? not before vs ? for that yee vse to object vnto vs the causes os so often warres , the laying wast of citties , the irruption of germans and scythians i will by your good leaue and patience be bold to say , that yee are so transported with desire to slander , that yee know not what it is yee say . that vpward of tenthousand yeares agoe a huge swarme of men should breake out of that iland of neptune , which is called atlantick , as plato declares , and vtterly destroy and consume innumerable nations , were we the cause ? that the assyrians and bactrians sometimes vnder the leading of ninus and zoroastres should warre one against the other , not only with sword and strength , but also by the hidden artes of magick , and the chaldeans , was it our envie ? that helena by the direction and impulsion of the gods was ravished , and became a fatall calamitie both to her owne and future times , was it attributed to the crime of our religion ? that the great and mighty xerxes brought in the sea vpon the land , and past over the seas on foot , was it done through the injury of our name ? that a yong man , rising out of the borders of macedon , brought the kingdome and people of the east vnder the yoke of captivity and bondage , did wee procure and cause it ? that now the romans should like a violent streame drowne and overwhelme all nations , did wee forsooth thrust the gods into the fury ? now if no man dare to impute to our times the things that were done long since : how can we be the causes of the present miseries , seing there is no new thing falne out , but all are ancient , and not vnheard of in any antiquitie ? although it be not hard to proue that the warres which yee say are raised through the envie of our religion , are not only not increased since christ was heard off in the world , but also for the greater part ( by repressing mans furiousnesse ) lessened . for seing wee so great a multitude of men haue learned by his instructions & lawes , that we are not to requite evill fo●… evill , that it is farre better to suffer then to do wrong , rather to shed a mans owne then to pollute his hands and conscience with the bloud of another : the vngratesull world hath ere while receiued this benefit from christ , by whome the fiercenesse and wildnesse of nature is tamed , and they haue begun to refra●…ne their hostile hands from the bloud of the creature kinne vnto thē . certainely if all who know , that to be men stands not in the shape of bodies , but in the power of reason , would listen a while vnto his wholesome and peaceable decrees and not puffed vp with arrogance and selfeconceit , rather beleeue their owne opinions then his admonitions : the whole world long agoe ( turning the vse of iron vnto milder workes ) should haue liued in most qu●…et tranquillity , and haue met together in a firme and indissoluble league of most safe cōcord . but if , say they , through you the state of man suffereth no disadvantage , whence are t●…ese evils wherewith now a long time miserable mortality is afflicted and oppressed ? you aske my opinion in a matter not necessary to this businesse . for the present disputation now in hand was not vndertaken by mee to this end , to shew or proue vpon what causes or reasons each thing was done , but to manifest that the reproch of so great a crime as wee are charged with , is farre from vs , which if i performe , and by deeds and evident remonstrances vnfold the truth of the matter , whence these evils are , or out of what fountaines or principles they proceed , i care not . for what if the first matter , digested into the foure elements of all things , containe wrapped vp in its rotations the causes of all miseries ? what if the motions of the starres by certaine signes , parts , times , lines produce these evils , and bring vpon things subject vnto them necessities of diverse sortes ? what if inset times the vicissitude of things fall out , and as it is in the motions of the sea , sometime there is a flow of prosperity , somtime it ebbeth back againe , and evils returne in the roome thereof ? what if the dregs of this matter which wee treade vnder our feet haue this law given vnto it , to breath forth most noysome vapours , wherewith this aire being corrupted should both infect the bodies and disable the endevours of men ? what if ( which indeed is nearest vnto truth ) whatsoever seemeth crosse vnto vs , is not evill to the world it selfe : and that wee perswading ourselues that all things are done for our benefits , do by reason of our wicked opinions wrongfull accuse the event of nature ? plato the highest top and chiefest piller of philosophers , maintaineth in his cōmentaries , that those fearefull inundations and conflagrations of the world , are the purging of the earth : neither was that wise man affraid to call the subversion , slaughter , ruine , destruction and funerals of mankind , an innovation of things , and that thereby repareing their strength they recover accrtaine youth agane . heaven , saith hee , raines not , and wee labour of i know not of what scarcity of corne . what ? dost thou require that the elements serue thy necessities ? and to the end thou mayst liue more daintily and delicately , that the times obsequiously apply themselues to thy commodities ? what if he that is desireous of navigation complaine in like sort that now along time there are no windes , and that the blasts of heaven are ceased . must wee say there fore that such tranquillitie of the world is pernicious , because it hinders the desires of passengers ? what if any who hath beene accustomed to tosse himselfe in the sun , and to procure drynesse to his body , should in like manner complaine that the pleasure of faire and cleare weather is by very often cloudinesse taken away ? must the cloudes therefore be sayd as enimies to hang and ouerspread the skie , because thou canst not at thy pleasure frie thy selfe in the flames and prepare occasions for drinking ? all these events which come to passe and fall out vnder the cope of heaven are to be weighed not by our petty commodities , but by the reasons and orders of nature itselfe . neither if any thing happen which toucheth vs and our affaires but with vnwelcome successes , is it forthwith evill , and to be accounted noxious . whether the worldraine or not raine , it raineth or not ratneth to itselfe , and which happily thou knowest not , either it consumes away the too much moysture with the fervencie of drought , or temper thes drought of a very long time with the pouring out of raines . it sendeth pestilences , diseases , famines , & other formes of evils threatning destruction : how dost thou know whether so it take away that whichis superfluous , and by itsowne losses set a measure to the riot and excesse of things ? darest thou say this or that is evill in the world , the originall and cause whereof thou art not able to vnfold and resolue ? and because happily it hinders thy pleasures of the deleights and lustes , wilt thou say it is pernicious & cruell ? what then ? if cold be contrary vnto thy body , & vse to congeale the heat of thy bloud , must not winter therefore be in the world ? and because thou canst not endure the fervent heat of the sun , must the summer be taken out of the yeare ? and nature againe be ordered by other lawes ? hellebore is poison vnto men : ought it not for this cause to bee brought forth ? the wolfe layes wait for the flocke of sheep : is nature in the fault which hath bred so troublesome a beast vnto those fleecie creatures ? the biting of the serpent taket away life : shall i therefore speake evill of the first beginnings of things because they haue added so cruell monsters vnto living creatures ? it is too arrogant a part , seeing thy selfe art not thine owne , and livest in possession of another , to presume to prescribe to those that are mightier then thy selfe ; and to require that that be done which thou desirest , not that which thou findest by ancient constitutions already settled in things . wherefore if you men will haue your complaints to take place , it is requisite yee first teach vs whence or what yee are : whether this world be made & framed for you , or ye came as stranger●… vnto it out of other countries ? which seeing you are not able to tell , & you cannot resolue vs for what cause you liue vnder this hollow vault of heaueu : leaue off to suppose that any thing belongeth vnto you , seeing the things that are done , are not alike done , but are to be reckoned & accounted in the summe intended in the whole . by reason of christians , say they , these evils are come , & the gods send these calamities vpon corne . i demaund when ye say these things , doe ye not see how desperatly with open & manifest lies ye slander vs ? it is now three hundred yeares more or lesse , since we christians began to be , & beare this name in the world haue there been all these yeares continuall warrs , continuall dearths ? hath there been no peace at all in the earth , no cheapnes , no plenty of things ? for he that accuseth vs must first of all demonstrate that these calamities haue been perpetual & continuall , that mortall men haue neuer had any breathing time , & that without any holydayes , as they say , haue endured the formes of manifold dangers . but do we not see in these middle yeares & middle times , that innumerable victories haue bin obtained over conquered enemies ? that the territories of the empire haue bin inlarged , & nations whose names were neuer heard of , bin brought in subiection ? that oftentimes the yeares haue yeelded marveilous great increase , & such cheapnes & plenty of things , that there was no buying or selling at all , the prices of things being so much fallen ? for how could things be done , & how could mankind continue vntill this time , if fertility & plenty did not supply all whatsoeuer need required ? but sometimes heretofore haue bin in need & necessity . and theyhaue bin recompenced again with abundance . again some wars haue bin waged against our will. and they haue afterwards bin corrected by victories & good successe . what then shall we say ? that thegods are somtime mindfull of our miseries . & somtime againe vnmindfull ? if at what time there is famine it be said they are angry , it followeth that in time of plenty they are not aengry nor displeased : & so all is brought to this issue , that by turnes they lightly lay aside & take vp their angers , & by remembrance of offences returne afresh vnto them again . although what that is wbieh they say seemes to be inexplicable , & cannot be knowne or vnderstood . if therefore they would haue the almans , persians , scythians subdued because christians did dwell & liue among these nations : why did they giue the romans the victory seeing christians dwelt & liued among their nations also . if it were their pleasure that mice & locusts should therefore swarme in asia & syria , because in like manner christians dwelt in those nations : why did they not at the same time swarme in spaine & france seeing innumerable christians liued in these provinces also ? if for this very cause they send drought vpon the corne , & barrennesse among the getulians & them of aquitaine : why did they the same yeare giue such plentifull harvests to the moores & numidians , the like religion being setled in these countries also ? if in any one citty they haue caused through the hatred of our name very many to perish with famine : why in the same place haue they through the dearenes of all provision made not only those that are not of our body , but even true christians also much more the richer & wealthier ? it behoued therefore that either none should haue had any thing that was comfortable ; if we be the cause of euils , for we are in all nations : or seeing yee see that things profitable are mingled with those that are incommodious , leaue off at length to ascribe that vnto vs which impeacheth your estates , since we be no hindrance at all to your wealth and prosperity . sect . . the fourth objection answered , which is borrowed from the authority of esdras . that which yet farther disables the validity of this testimony of cyprian , is that in the opinion of sixtus senensis , a learned writer , he borrowed it from the apocryphall esdras . for canonicall scripture , he seemes indeed to glance at the name thereof by the way , but alleadges none ; and if senensis had thought that any booke of the canon had favoured this opinion of cyprian , hee would neuer haue sent vs to esdras , but since the appeale is made to esdras , to esdras let vs goe . hee then in his fourth booke and fifth chapter , v. , , , , and , thus speakes of this matrer . he answered me , and said , aske a woman that beareth children , and she shall tell thee . say vnto her , wherefore are not they whom thou hast now brought forth like those that were before , but lesse of stature ; & she shall answer thee : they that be borne in the strength of youth , be of one fashion , and they that be borne in the time of age when the womb faileth are otherwise . consider thou therefore also , how that ye are lesse of stature then they that were before you , and so are they that come after you lesse then ye , as the creatures which now begin to be old , and haue passed ouer the strength of youth . now as others depend vpon the authority of cyprian , so cyprian himselfe depending vpon this of esdras , it will not i hope be thought either vnseasonable or impertinent , if we a little examine the weight thereof . first then , it is certaine that this book is not to be found either in hebrew or greeke , neither is it by the tridentine counsell admitted into the canon , & no doubt but vpon very sufficient reason is it excluded both by them and vs , in regard of the doctrines which it teacheth , manifestly repugnant to the rules of orthodoxe faith ; as in the fourth and seuenth chapters it teacheth , that the soules of the saints departed this life are detained as it were imprisoned in certain cels & vauts of the earth vntill the number of the elect be accomplished , and that then they shall receiue their crowns of glory altogether , and not before . in the sixt chapter he tels vs a most ridiculous vnsavory tale , of two vaste creatures made vpon the fifth day of the creation ; the one called enoch , or behemoth , and the other leviathan . in the seventh he deriues his pedegree from aaron , by nineteene generations , whereas the true esdras , or esras deriues his but by fifteene . and to bring it home somewhat neerer to our purpose . in the fourteenth chapter hee shewes himselfe manifestly a false prophet , touching the consummation of the world , which ( saith hee ) hath lost his youth , and the times begin to wax old : for the world is divided into twelue parts , and tenne parts of it are gone already , and halfe of a tenth part , and there remaineth that which is after the halfe of the tenth part . so that by his computation diuiding the whole time of the worlds duration into twelue equall portions , onely one and a halfe were then remaining ; which had it beene true , the world should haue ended almost fifteene hundred yeares agoe . for the time from the worlds creation to esdras , ( according to the scriptures calculation ) containe about three thousand foure hundred and seventy yeares , and this summe of yeares containe ten parts and an halfe of of the twelue , alotted for the whole duration of the world , whence it consequently followes , that the residue of the time from esdras to the worlds end , could not exceede the number of fiue hundred yeares : and yet from esdras to this present yeare of the lord , one thousand six hundred twenty six , wee finde there are passed almost two thousand yeares . heerevnto may bee added the sharpe but well deserved censure of iunius in his preface to the apochryphall bookes . nihil habet esdrae quam falfo emendicatum nomen & injuriâ maximâ . authorem enim , quem puduit sui operis longè amplius debuerat puduisse , cum suis somnijs nomen tanti viri praefigeret , & impudenter ecclesiam vellet fallere . hee hath nothing in him worthy of esdras , but only a borrowed name and that most injuriously assumed . hee was ashamed of his owne name , but hee should rather haue shamed to prefixe the name of so worthy a man before his dreames , and thereby attempt the deceiving of the church . and againe in his annotations on the first chapter of that booke , quis vero huic libro tantam fidem deinceps arroget , quae in ipsa fronte naeuos tam immanes & in re tam euidenti mendacia tam puerilia , ne quid gravius dicam , animadvertit . quisquis es qui hunc librum legis , sume authoritatem probandi atque judicandi sermones ejus , non enim obstringit fidem tuam illius authoritas , si qua est , in tam crassis erroribus . who will heereafter giue credit to this booke , who obserues in the very forehead of it so notorious blemishes , and in a matter so evident , ( not to say worse of it ) so childish lies . whosoever thou art that readest this booke , take to thy selfe authoritie of trying and judging his speeches . for his authority cannot binde thy credence , if there be any in such grosse errours . it shall not bee amisse then to follow this advise of iunius , and to bring this counterfeite to the touch-stone , whereby wee shall easily discerne , that both the ground hee assumes is vnsound , and his illation from thence deduced inconsequent . his ground is that children borne or begotten in old age , are alwayes weaker then those in youth : whereas isaak borne of sarah when shee was now so old that shee was thought both by others and her selfe to be past conceiving , and begotten of abraham when his body was now dead , was for any thing wee finde to the contrary of as strong & healthfull a constitution as iaacob borne in the strength of isaack and rebecca . and ioseph or benjamin as able men as reuben , though iaacob in his blessing call him , the beginning of his strength and the excellencie of power , as being his first begotten . nay often wee see that the youngest borne in age not equalls onely , but excells both in wit and spirit and strength and stature the eldest borne in youth . so vnsure and sandie is this ground ; and for his inference drawne from thence , it is no lesse vnwarrantable and insufficient . there being in the resemblance betwixt a woman and the world as large a difference , as is the dissimilitude betweene the fruite of the one and the generations of the other : the one taking her beginning by the course of nature in weakenesse & so growing to perfection and ripenesse shee quickely declines and hastens to dissolution . shee must necessarily expect the tearme of certaine yeares before she can conceiue her fruite , and then againe at the end of certaine yeares shee leaues to conceiue . whereas the other being created immediatly by a supernaturall power , was made in the very first moment ( that it was fully made ) in full perfection which except it bee for the sinne of man it , never lost , nor by any force of subordinate causes possiblely could or can loose . the quickening efficacy of that word , crescite & multiplicamini , though deliuered many thousand yeares since is now as powerfull in beasts , in plants in birds in fishes in men as at first it was . and thus much this false prophet seemes himselfe to acknowledge in the chapter following , where he thus brings in the lord speaking vnto him ; all these things were made by me alone , and by none other : by mee also they shall be ended , and by none other . and if they shall be ended immediatly by the hand of the almighty , as immediatly by it they were made , then doubtles there is no such naturall decay in them , which would at last without the concurrence of any such supernaturall power bring them to a naturall d●…ssolution , no more then there was any naturall forerunning preparation to their creation . and thus wee see , how this goliah hath his head stricken off with his owne sword , and this lying prophet condemned out of his owne mouth . i haue dwelt the longer vpon this examination , because i finde that the testimony drawne from this counterfeite was it that in appearance misledde cyprian , & both their testimonies togeather , that which hath yeelded the principall both confidence and countenance to the adverse part . sect . . the last obiection answered pretended to bee taken from the authority of holy scriptures . as the testimony taken frō esdras wants authority : so those which re drawn frō authority of sacred & canonicall scriptures want right explicatiō & applicatiō . whereof the first that i haue met with , are those misconstrued words of the prophet isaiah , the world languisheth and fadeth away , or ( as some other translations reade it , ) the world is feebled & decayed . which by iunius & tremelius are rendred in the future tence languebit , concidet orbis habitabilis , and are vndoubtedly to be referred to the destruction & desolation of those nations against which he had in some chapters precedent , denounced the heauy judgements of god , as the moabites , egyptians , tyrians , syrians , assyrians , ethiopians , babylonians , and the isralites themselues . iunius thus rightly summing the chapter , propheta summam contrahit judiciorum quae supra denunciauerat , the prophet recapitulates or drawes into one head or summe the judgements which before hee had denounced at large , and in particular ; which comming from the justice and immediate hand of god for sin vpon a part of the world , can in no sort be referred to the ordinary course of nature in regard of the vniversall . that which carries with it some more colour of reason is that by st. paul , the crearure is said to be subiect to vanity , to the bondage of corruption , to groaning , and to travelling in paine : all which seeme to imply a decay and declination in it : but in the judgement of the soundest interpreters , the apostle by vanity and bondage of corruption , meanes , first , that impurity , infirmity , and deformity , which the creature hath contracted by the fall of man ; secondly , the daily alteration and change , nay declination and decay of the individuals and particulars of every kind vnder heaven ; thirdly , the designation & hasting of the kindes or species themselues to a finall & totall dissolution by fire ; and lastly , the abuse of them , tending to the dishonour of the creator , or the hurt of his servants , or the service of his enimies : all these may not improperly be tearmed vanity and a bondage of corruption , vnder which the creature groaneth and travelleth , wishing and waiting to be delivered from it . but that of s. peter is it which is most of all stood vpon , where he brings in the prophane scoffers at religion , and especially at the article of the worlds consummation , thus questioning the matter ; where is the promise of his comming ? for since the fathers fell asleepe , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation . but in truth that place , if it bee well weighed , rather makes against the worlds supposed decay then for it , in as much as if the apostle had known or acknowledged any such decay in it , it is to be presumed , that being invited , and in a manner forced therevnto by so faire and fit an occasion , hee would haue pressed it against those scoffers , or in some sort haue expressed himselfe therein . but since hee onely vrges the creation of the world , and the overwhelming of it with water , to proue that the same god , who wasthe authour of both those , is as able at his pleasure to vnmake it with fire , it should seeme hee had learned no such divinity , as the worlds decay , or at least-wise had no such assurance of it , and warrant for it , as to teach it the church ; nay in the verse of the same chapter , hee tells vs , that the heavens and earth which are now , are by the same word , by which they were created , kept in store and reserved to fire . it was not then their auerring , that things continued as they were , that made them scoffers , but their irreligious inference from thence , that the world neither had beginning , neither should haue ending ; but all things should alwaies continue as formerly they alwayes had done . and thus much may suffice for the consideration of the worlds decay in generall , it rests now , that wee descend to a distinct view of the particulars , amongst which the heavens first present themselues vpon the theatre , as being the most glorious and operatiue bodies , and seated in the most eminent roome . lib . ii. of the pretended decay of the heauens and elements , and elementary bodies , man onely excepted . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the heauenly bodies . sect . . first of their working vpon this inferiour world. such and so great is the wisdome , the bounty , and the power which almighty god hath expressed in the frame of the heauens , that the psalmist might justly say , the heauens declare the glory of god ; the sun , & the moone , & the stars serving as so many silver & golden characters , embroidered vpon azure for the daylie preaching and publishing thereof to the world. and surely if he haue made the floore of this great house of the world so beautifull , and garnished it with such wonderfull variety of beasts , of trees , of hearbes , of flowres , we neede wonder the lesse at the magnificence of the roofe , which is the highest part of the world , and the neerest to the mansion house of saints and angels . now as the excellencie of these bodies appeares in their situation , their matter , their magnitudes , and their sphericall or circular figure : so specially in their great vse and efficacy , not onely that they are for signes and seasons , and for dayes & yeares , but in that by their motion , their light , their warmth , & influence , they guide and gouerne , nay cherish and maintaine , nay breed & beget these inferiour bodies , euen of man himselfe , for whose sake the heauens were made . it is truly said by the prince of philosophers , sol & homo generant hominem , the sunne and man beget man , man concurring in the generation of man as an immediate , and the sunne as a remote cause . and in another place he doubts not to affirme of this inferiour world in generall , necesse est mundum inferiorem superioribus lationibus continuari , ut omnis inde virtus derivetur : it is requisite , that these inferiour parts of the world should bee conjoyned to the motions of the higher bodies , that so all their vertue and vigour from thence might be derived . there is no question but that the heauens haue a marvailous great stroake vpon the aire , the water , the earth , the plants , the mettalls , the beasts , nay vpon man himselfe , at leastwise in regard of his body and naturall faculties : so that if there can be found any decay in the heauens , it will in the course of nature , and discourse of reason consequently follow , that there must of necessity ensue a decay in all those which depend vpon the heauens : as likewise on the other side , if there be found no decay in the heauens , the presumption will be strong , that there is no such decay ( as is supposed ) in these subcaelestiall bodies , because of the great sympathy and correspondence which is knowne to be betweene them by many and notable experiments . for to let passe the quailing and withering of all things , by the recesse and their reviving and resurrection ( as it were ) by the reaccesse , of the sunne ; i am of opinion , that the sap in trees so precisely followes the motion of the sunne , that it neuer rests , but is in continuall agitation as the sun it selfe : which no sooner arriues at the tropick , but he instantly returnes , and euen at that very instant ( as i conceiue , and i thinke it may be demonstrated by experimentall conclusions ) the sappe which by degrees descended with the declination of the sun , begins to remount at the approach thereof by the same steps that it descended : and as the approach of the sunne , is scarce sensible at his first returne , but afterward the day increases more in one weeke , then before in two , in like manner also fares it with the sap in plants , which at first ascends insensibly and slowly , but within a while much more swiftly and apparantly . it is certaine , that the tulypp , marigold , and sun-flowre open with the rising , and shut with the setting of the sunne ; so that though the sunne appeare not , a man may more infallibly know when it is high noone by their full spreading , then by the index of a clock or watch. the hop in its growing winding it selfe about the pole , alwayes followes the course of the sunne from east to west , and can by no meanes bee drawne to the contrary , choosing rather to breake then yeeld . it is obserued by those that sayle betweene the tropicks , that there is a constant set winde , blowing from the east to the west , saylers call it the breeze , which rises and falls with the sunne , and is alwayes highest at noone , and is commonly so strong , partly by its owne blowing , and partly by ouer-ruling the currant , that they who saile to peru , cannot well returne home the same way they came forth . and generally , marriners obserue , that caeter is paribus they sayle with more speed from the east to the west , then backe againe from the west to the east , in the same compasse of time . all which should argue a wheeling about of the aire , and waters by the diurnall motion of the heauens , and specially by the motion of the sunne . whereunto may be added , that the high seasprings of the yeare are alwayes neere about the two aequinoctials and solstices , and the cock as a trusty watchman , both at midnight and breake of day giues notice of the sunnes approach . these be the strange and secret effects of the sunne , vpon the inferiour bodies , whence by the gentiles hee was held the visible god of the world , and tearmed the eye thereof , which alone saw all things in the world , and by which the world saw all things in it selfe . omma qui videt , & per quem videt omnia mundus . and most notablely is he described by the psalmist , in them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun , which is as a bridegroome comming out of his chamber , & rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race . his going forth is from the end of the heauen , and his circuite vnto the ends of it , and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof . now as the effects of the sun , the head-spring of light and warmth , are vpon these inferiour bodies more actiue : so those of the moone , ( as being vltima coelo , citima terris , neerer the earth , and holding a greater resemblance therewith ) are no lesse manifest . and therefore the husbandman in sowing & setting , graffing and planting , lopping of trees , & felling of timber , and the like , vpon good reason obserues the waxing & waning of the moone . which the learned zanchius well allows of , commending hesiod for his rules therein . quod hesiodus ex lune decrementis & incrementis totius agricolationis signa notet , quis improbet ? who can mislike it ; that hesiod sets downe the signes , in the whole course of husbandry , from the waxing and waning of the moone ? the tydes and ebbes of the sea follow the course of it , so exactly , as the sea-man will tell you the age of the moone onely vpon the sight of the tide , as certainly , as if he saw it in the water . it is the observation of aristotle & of pliny out of him , that oysters , and mussels , and cockles . and lobsters , & crabbs , and generally all shell-fish grow fuller in the waxing of the moon , but emptier in the waning thereof . such a strong predominancie it hath euen vpon the braine of man , that lunatikes borrow their very name from it , as also doth the stone selenites , whose property , as s. augustine and georgius agricola record it , is to increase and decrease in light with the moone , carrying alwayes the resemblance thereof in it selfe . neither can it reasonably be imagined that the other planets , and starrs , and parts of heauen , are without their forcible operations , vpon these lower bodies , specially considering that the very plants and hearbes of the earth , which we tread vpon , haue their seueral vertues , as well single by themselues , as in composition with other ingredients . the physitian in opening a veine , hath euer an eye to the signe then raigning . the canicular star specially in those hotter climates , was by the ancients alwayes held a dangerous enemy to the practise of physick , and all kind of evacuations . nay galen himselfe , the oracle of that profession , adviseth practitioners in that art , in all their cures to haue a speciall regard to the reigning constellations & coniunctions of the planets . but the most admirable mystery of nature , in my mind , is the turning of yron touched with the loadstone , toward the north-pole , of which i shall haue farther occasion to intreate , more largely in the chapter touching the comparison of the wits & inventions of these times with those of former ages . neither were it hard to add much more , to that which hath beene said , to shew the dependance of these elementary bodies vpon the heauenly . almighty god hauing ordained , that the higher should serue as intermediate agents , or secondary causes , betweene himselfe and the lower : and as they are linked together in a chaine of order , so are they likewise chained together in the order of causes , but so as in the wheeles of a clocke , though the failing in the superior , cannot but cause a failing in the inferiour , yet the failing of the inferiour , may well argue though it cannot cause a failing in the superiour . we haue great reason then , as i conceiue , to begin with the examination of the state of coelestiall bodies , in as much as vpon it the conditionof the subcoelestiall wholly de-pends . wherein fiue things offer themselues to our consideration , their substance , their motion , their light , their warmth , and their influence . sect . . touching the pretended decay in the substance of the heavens . to finde out whether the substance of the heavenly bodies bee decayed or no , it will not be amisse a little to inquire into the nature of the matter and forme , of which that substance consists , that so it may appeare whether or no in a naturall course they be capable of such a supposed decay . that the heavens are endued with some kinde of matter , ( though some philosophers in their jangling humour , haue made a doubt of it , ) yet i thinke no sober and wise christian will deny it : but whether the matter of it , bee the same with that of these inferiour bodies , adhuc sub iudice lis est ; it hath beene , and still is a great question among diuines . the ancient fathers and doctors of the primitiue church , for the most part , following , plato , hold that it agrees with the matter of the elementary bodies , yet so as it is compounded of the finest flower , and choisest delicacy of the elements : but the schoolemen on the other side , following aristotle , adhere to his quintessence , and by no meanes , will bee beaten from it , since , say they , if the elements and the heauens should agree in the same matter , it should consequently follow , that there should bee a mutuall traffique and commerce , a reciprocall action , and passion betweene them , which would soone draw on a change , and by degrees , a ruine vpon those glorious bodies . now though this point will neuer ( i thinke ) bee fully and finally determined , till wee come to be inhabitants of that place , whereof wee dispute , ( for hardly doe wee guesse aright at things that are vpon earth , and with labour doe wee find the things that are at hand , but the things which are in heaven , who hath searched out ? ) yet for the present , i should state it thus , that they agree in the same originall mater , and surely moses , mee thinkes , seemes to favour this opinion , making but one matter , ( as farre as i can gather from the text ) out of which all bodily substances were created . vnus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe . so as the heavens , though they bee not compounded of the elements , yet are they made of the same matter , that the elements are compounded of . they are not subject to the qualities of heat , or cold , or drought , or moisture , nor yet to weight , or lightnes , which arise from those qualities , but haue a forme giuen them , which differeth from the formes of all corruptible bodies , so as it suffereth not , nor can it suffer from any of them , being so excellent and perfect in it selfe , as it wholy satiateth the appetite of the matter it informeth . the coelestiall bodies then , meeting with so noble a forme to actuate them are not , nor cannot , in the course of nature , bee lyable , to any generation or corruption , in regard of their substance , to any augmentation or diminution in regard of their quantity , no nor to any destructiue alteration in respect of their qualities . i am not ignorant that the controversies , touching this forme what it should bee , is no lesse then that touching the matter ; some holding it to bee a liuing and quickning spirit , nay a sensitiue and reasonable soule , which opinion is stiffely maintained by many great & learned clarks , both iewes , and gentiles , & christians , supposing it vnreasonable that the heavens which impart life to other bodies , should themselues bee destitute of life : but this errour is notablely discovered and confuted by claudius espencaeus , a famous doctor of the sorbone , in a treatise which hee purposely composed on this point ; in as much as what is denied those bodies in life , in sense , in reason , is abundantly supplied in their constant & vnchangeable duration , arising from that inviolable knot , & indissoluble marriage , betwixt the matter & the forme , which can never suffer any divorce , but from that hand which first joyned them . and howbeit it cannot be denied , that not only the reasonable soule of man , but the sensitiue of the least gnat that flies in the aire , and the vegetatiue of the basest plant that springs out of the earth , are ( in that they are indued with life ) more divine and neerer approaching to the fountaine of life , then the formes of the heavenly bodies ; yet as the apostle speaking of faith , hope , and charity , concludes charity to bee the greatest ; ( though by faith wee apprehend and apply the merits of christ ) because it is more vniversall in operation , and lasting in duration ; so though the formes of the creatures endued with life doe in that regard , come a step neerer to the deity , then the formes of the heavenly bodies , which are without life , yet if wee regard their purity , their beauty , their efficacy , their indeficiencie in moving , their vniversallity and independencie in working , there is no question , but the heavens may in that respect bee preferred , euen before man himselfe , for whose sake they were made ; man being indeed immortall in regard of his soule , but the heavens in regard of their bodies , as being made of an incorruptible stuffe . which cannot well stand with their opinion , who held them to bee composed of fire , or that the waters which in the first of genesis , are said to bee aboue the firmament , and in the hundred fortie eight psalme , aboue the heavens , are aboue the heavens wee now treate of , for the tempering and qualifying of their heat , as did s. ambrose , and s. augustine , and many others , venerable for their antiquity , learning , and piety . touching the former of which opinions , wee shall haue fitter oportunity to discusse it at large , when we come to treate of the warmth caused by the heavens . but touching the second , it seemes to haue beene grounded vpon a mistake of the word firmament , which by the ancients , was commonly appropriated to the eight sphere , in which are seated the fixed starres , whereas the originall hebrew ( which properly signifies extention , or expansion ) is in the first of genesis , not onely applied to the spheres in which the sunne and moone are planted , but to the lowest region of the aire , in which the birds flie , and so doe i with pareus & pererius take it to bee vnderstood in this controversie . this region of the aire being , as s. augustine somewhere speakes , terminus intransgressibilis , a firme and immoveable wall of separation betwixt the waters that are bred in the bowels of the earth , and those of the cloudes : and for the word heaven , which is vsed in the hundred forty and eight psalme , it is likewise applyed to the middle region of the aire by the prophet ieremy , which may serue for a glosse vpon that text , alleaged out of the psalme . when hee vttereth his voice , there is a noise of waters in the heavens , and hee causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth . now the schoolemen finding that the placing of waters aboue the starry heavens , was both vnnaturall and vnvsefull , and yet being not well acquainted with the propriety of the hebrew word , to salue the matter , tell vs of a christalline or glassie heaven , aboue the eight sphere , which , say they , is vndoubtedly the waters aboue the firmament mentioned by moses ; which exposition of theirs , though it doe not inferre a decay in the heavenly bodies , yet doth it crosse the course of moses his historicall narration , his purpose being , as it seemes , only to write the history of things which were visible and sensible , as appeares in part by his omitting the creation of angells , whereas the christalline heaven they speake of , is not only invisible and insensible , but was not at all discouered to be , till the dayes of hipparchus or ptolomy . since then the heavens in regard of their substance , are altogether free ( for any thing yet appeares , ) from any mixture or tincture of the elements , being made of an incorruptible and inalterable quintessence , which neither hath any conflict in it selfe , nor with any other thing without it , from thence may wee safely collect that it neither is , nor can be subiect to any such decay as is imagined . sect . . an objection drawne from iob , answered . howbeit the deserved curse of god , deprived the earth of her fertility , in bringing forth without the sweat of adam , and his ofspring , yet i finde not that it stretched to the starres , or that any thing aboue the moone was altered or changed , in respect of adams fault , from their first perfection . true indeed it is which eliphaz teacheth , that the heavens , & bildad , that the starres are not cleane in gods sight : it may bee , because of the fall of angels , the inhabitants of heaven , whom therefore he charged with folly : which exposition , iunius so farre favours , as insteed of coelum , hee puts coelites , into the very body of the text : but in my judgement it would better haue sorted with the margin , in as much as by coelites , wee may vnderstand either saints or angells , both citizens of heaven , either in actuall possession , or in certaine hope and expectation ; in possession , as angels and saints departed , in expectation , as the saints heere in warfaire on the earth : and of these doth gregory in his moralls on iob , expound the place , hoc coelorum nomine repetijt quod sanctorum prius appellatione signavit , saith hee : iob repeates that by the name of heaven , which before hee expressed vnder the name of saints . and thus both hee and s. augustine expound that of the nineteene psalme , the heavens declare the glory of god. and with them most of the ancients , that petition of the lords prayer , thy will bee done on earth as it is in heaven . but what neede wee flie to allegories , & figuratiue senses , when the letter of the text will well enough stand with the analogie of faith , the texts of other scriptures , and the rule of sound reason . the very materiall heavens then , may not vntruly or vnproperly bee said , to bee vncleane in gods sight . first , quia habent aliquid potentialitatis admixtum , as lyra speakes , they haue some kinde of potentiality , ( i know not how otherwise to render his word ) mixed with them , hee meanes in regard of their motion , and the illumination of the moone and starres from the sunne . but chiefely , as i take it , they are said to be vncleane , not considered in themselues , but in comparison of the creator , who is actus purissimus & simplicissimus ; all act , and that most pure , not only from staine and pollution , but all kinde of impotency , imperfection , or composition whatsoever , and in this sense the very blessed & glorious angels themselues , which are of a substance farre purer then the sunne it selfe , may bee said to be vncleane in his sight , in which regard the very seraphins are said , to couer their faces and feete with their winges . but to grant that the heavens are become vncleane , either by the fall of man or angells , yet doth it not follow ( as i conceiue ) that this vncleannes doth daily increase vpon them , or which is in trueth the point in controversie , that they feele any impairing by reason of this vncleannes , it being rather imputatiue , as i may earne it , then reall and inherent . nonne vides coelum hoc , saith chrysostome , vt pulchrum , vt ingens , vt astrorum choreis varium , quantum temporis viguit , quinque aut plus annorum millia processerunt , & haec annorum multitudo ei non adduxit senium ; sed vt corpus novum ac vegetum floridae virentisque juventae viget aetate : sic coelum , quam habuit à principio pulchrit●…dinem semper eadem permansit , nec quicquam tempus eam debilitavit . dost not thou see the heavens , how faire , how spacious they are , how bee-spangled with diverse constellations ? how long now haue they lasted ? fiue thousand yeares or more are past , and yet this long duration of time hath brought no old age vpon them ; but as a body new and fresh , flourisheth in youth : so the heavens still retaine their beauty , which at first they had , neither hath time any thing abated it . some errour or mistake doubtlesse there is in chrisostomes computation in as much as he lived aboue yeares since , & yet tels vs that the world had then lasted aboue yeares , but for the trueth of the matter he is therein seconded by all the schoole divines , and among those of the reformed churches none hath written in this point more clearely and fully then alstedius in his preface to his naturall divinity . tanta est hujus palatij diuturnitas atque firmitas vt ad hodiernum vsque diem supra annos quinquies mille & sexcentos ita perstet vt in eo nihil immutatum dimin●…tum aut vetustate & diuturnitate temporis vitiatum conspiciamus . such , saith hee , and so lasting is the duration and immoveable stability of this palace , that being created aboue yeares agoe , yet it so continues to this day , that wee can espie nothing in it changed , or wasted , or disordered by age , and tract of time . sect . . another obiection taken from psalme the answered . another text is commmonly and hotly vrged by the adverse part , to like purpose as the former , and is in truth the onely argument of weight , drawne from scripture in this present question , touching the heavens decay in regard of their substance . in which consideration wee shall bee inforced to examine it somewhat the more fully . taken it is from the hundred and second psalme , and the wordes of the prophet are these . of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth , & the heavens are the worke of thine handes . they shall perish , but thou shalt endure : yea all of them shall waxe old as doth a garment , as a vesture shalt thou change them , and they shall be changed : but thou art the same , and thy yeares shall haue no end . to which very place vndoubtedly , the apostle alludes in the first to the hebrewes , where he thus renders it , thou lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth , and the heavens are the workes of thine hands : they shall perish , but thou remainest , and they shall wax old as doth a garment , and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp , and they shall be changed : but thou art the same , and thy yeares shall not faile . in which passages the words which are most stood vpon and pressed , are those of the growing old of the heavens like a garment , which by degrees growes bare till it bee torne in peeces and brought to ragges . s. augustine in his enarration vpon this psame according to his wont , betakes him to an allegoricall exposition , interpreting the heavens to bee the saints , and their bodies to bee their garments wherewith the soule is cloathed . and these garments of theirs , saith hee , waxe old and perish , but shall be changed in the resurrection , and made comformable to the glorious body of iesus christ. which exposition of his , is pious i confesse , but surely not proper , since the prophet speakes of the heavens , which had their beginning together with the earth , and were both principall peeces in the great worke of the creation . neither can the regions of the aire , be here well vnderstood , ( though in some other places they bee stiled by the name of the heavens ) since they are subiect to continuall variation and change , and our prophets meaning was , as it should seeme , to compare the almighties vnchangeable eternity , with that which of all the visible creatures was most stable and stedfast . and besides , though the aire bee indeed the worke of gods hands , as are all the other creatures , yet that phrase is in a speciall manner applied to the starry heavens , as being indeed the most exquisite and excellent peece of workemanship that ever his hands fram'd . it remaines then , that by heavens heere , wee vnderstand the lights of heaven , thought by philosophers to bee the thicker parts of the spheres , together with the spheres themselues , in which those lights are fixed and wheeled about . for that such spheres and orbes there are i take it as granted , neither will i dispute it , though i am not ignorant , that some latter writers thinke otherwise , and those , neither few in number , nor for their knowledge vnlearned . but for the true sense of the place alleadged , wee are to know that the word there vsed to wax old , both in hebrew , greeke & latin doth not necessarily imply a decay or impairing in the subject so waxing old , but somtimes doth only signifie a farther step & accesse to a finall period in regard of duration . wee haue read of some who being well striken in yeares haue renewed their teeth and changed the white colour of their haire , and so growne yong againe . of such it might truly be sayd that they grew elder in regard of their neerer approch to the determinate end of their race , though they were yonger in regard of their constitution and state of their bodies . and thus do i take the apostle to be vnderstood , that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away ; where hee speakes of the ceremoniall law , which did not grow old by degrees , at least before the incarnation of christ , but stood in its full force and vigour vntill it was by him abrogated and disanulled . to which purpose aquinas hath not vnfitly observed vpon the place , quod dicitur vetus significat quod sit prope cessationem , the tearming of a thing old , implies that it hastens to an end . this then as i take it may truly be affirmed of the signification of the word in generall and at large , and may justly seeme to haue been the prophets meaning in as much as he addeth but thou art the same and thine yeares shall haue no end . from whence may be collected , that as god cannot grow old because his yeares shall haue no end : so the heavens because they shall haue an end may be therefore sayd to grow old . but whereas it is added , not only by the psalmist but by the apostle in precise tearmes , they shall wax old as doth a garment , and againe as a vesture shalt thou change them , the doubt still remaines whether by that addition , the sense of the word bee not restrained to a graduall and sensible decay . i know it may be sayd , that a garment waxing old , not only looses his freshnesse , but part of his quantitie and weight , it is not only soyled ; but wasted either in lying or wearing , & so in continuance of time becomes vtterly vnserviceable , which no man i think will ascribe to the heavens , i meane that their quantity is any way diminished . all agree then that the similitude may be strained too farre , as the wringing of the nose bringeth forth bloud and the wresting of a string too high marres the musick : but yet the question still remaines , how it is to be vnderstood and how farre we me may safely extend it . for to say that waxing old in that passage is only to be vnderstood of a nearer approch to an alteration , or an abolishment , seemes to be too cold an interpretation , in as much as then needed not the prophet to haue added for a clearer explication of his mind , in the manner of their waxing old , as doth a garment : it rests then to be shewed as i conceiue wherein the similitude stands , which the interpreters i haue met with do not sufficiently vnfold , and those that vndertake the vnfolding of it , runne vpon the rocks by publishing harsh and vnwarrantable positions ; mee thinkes the psalmist himselfe giues some light vnto it , thou coverest thy selfe , sayth hee , with light as with a garment , and stretchest out the heauens like a curtaine : his meaning then in my judgment may be this , that the heavens which for their expansion may well be campared to a curtaine or garment shall wax old , the comparison standing betweene the heavens and a garment , not in regard of their deficiencie , but their spreading , the heavens covèring this inferiour world , as a garment doth the bodie it is spread over . or if the comparison stand in their deficiencie , which seemes , i confesse , the more kindly exposition , to my seemeing , aquinas in few wordes looseth the knot , sicut uestimentum sayth hee , quod sumitur ad vsum , & cessante vsu deponitur . the heavens then shall wax old as doth a garment in that their vse shall cease together with man , as doth the vse of a garment with him that vseth it . which exposition hee seemes to haue borrowed from dydimus blind in his bodily eyes , but in his mind sharpe sighted , quod canit psaltes , veterescent & mutabuntur , designat eorum vsum abijsse & defecisse , vt enim indumentum vbi officio functum fuerit obvoluitur : sic coelum ac terrae functae munerihus suis abibunt . in that the psalmist professeth , they shall waxe old and be changed , his meaning is when there shall be no further vse of them . for as a garment hauing performed that vse to which it was ordained , is folded vp and layd aside : so the heaven and the earth having finished those services , for which they were created , shall vanish and passe away . and vpon this comment of dydimus , eugubinus thus commeth . hoc autem summus docet theologus primum mundum antiquandum , vetustate & senio interiutrum , sed non'eo senio quo res mortales corrumpuntur atque abolentur , in coelo tale senium nullum est , sed alium quoddam cujus similitudo ex vestibus ostenditur , cum deponimus eas vbi nobis esse vsui desijssent , tanquam invtiles eas exuimus atque obuoluimus , sic mundus , id est coelum , non eo delebitur quod eadem vetustate atque omnia animalia & arbores , aliquando sit defecturus , sed quia cessabit vsus ejus quo rerum tantos ordines peragebat . the purpose of this greate divine was to teach , that the heavens should wax old and consume with age , but not with such an old age , as that by which things mortall suffer corruption and dissolusion . in heaven there is no such waxing old to be found , but another kind there is , the resemblance whereof is taken from garments , when we put them off , as hauing no further vse of them , laying them aside and folding them vp : in like manner the heaven shall not therefore be disolued , because it shall at any time suffer defect thorow that old age , which beastes and plantes feele , but because the vse of it shall cease , by which it kept these inferiour bodies in due order . and perchance the apostle himselfe , rendring the words of the psalmist , intends as much , as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp : as the curtaines and carpets and hangings are folded vp , and layd aside when the family remoues . which seemes likewise , to haue been foretold by the prophet isayah , the heavens shall be rouled together as a scrole , and they shall passe away with with a noyce sayth s. peter , like the hissing of parchment , riueled vp with heat , for so signifies the originall word in that place . howsoever , they shall not wax old by the course of nature , but by the mightie power of the god of nature , he that created them shall dissolue them , and nothing else ; which the prophet seemes to point at in this very passage , tu mutabis & mutabuntur , thou shalt change them , not nature , but thou shalt change and they shall be changed . and as for that fresh lustre and brightnesse wherwith ( as is commonly thought ) the heauens shall be renewed at the last day , as a garment by turning is changed , and by changing refreshed , it may well be by making them more resplendent then now they are , or euer at any time were since their first creation , not by scowring off of contracted rust , but adding a new glosse and augmentation of glory . and whereas some divines haue not doubted to make the spots and shadowes appearing in the face of the moone to be vndoubted arguments of that contracted rust , if those spots had not beene originall and natiue of equall date with the moone her selfe , but had beene contracted by age and continuance of time , as wrinkles are in the most beautifull faces , they had said somewhat , but that there they were aboue fifteene hundred yeares agone , appeares by plutarchs discourse de maculis in facie lunae , & that they haue since any whit increased , it cannot be sufficiently prooued . perchance by the helpe of the new devised perspectiue glasses , they haue beene of late more cleerely & distinctly discerned thē in former ages , but that prooues no more that they were not there before , then that the sydera medcaea lately discouered by vertue of the same instruments , were not before in being , which the discoverers themselues knew well enough , they could not with any colour of reason affirme . sect . . a third objection taken from the apparition of new starres answered . howbeit it cannot be denied but that new starres haue at times appeared in the firmament , as some thinke , that was at our saviours birth , yet in as much at it pointed out the very house in which he was borne by standing ouer it , and was not ( for ought we finde ) obserued by the mathematicians of those times , i should rather thinke it to haue beene a blazing light created in the region of the aire , carrying the resemblance of a starre , then a new and true created starre , seated in the firmament . as for that which appeared in cassiopaea in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seventy two , ( the very yeare of the great massacre in france ) i thinke it cannot well be gainsaid , to have beene a true starre , it being obserued by the most skilfull and famous astronomers of that time to hold the same aspect in all places of christendome , to runne the same course , to keepe the same proportion , distance and situation , euery-where , & in euery point , with the fixed starres by the space of two whole yeares : but this i take to haue beene not the effect of nature , but the supernaturall & miraculous worke of almighty god , the first author and free disposer of nature ; and the like may be said of all such comets which haue at any time evidently appeared , ( if any such evidence may be giuen ) to be aboue the globe of the moone , from whence it can no more be inferred that the heauens are composed of a matter corruptible , naturally subject to impairing and fading , then that their motion is irregular , or that it is in the power of mortall man to dispose of the course of those immortall creatures , because by a speciall priviledge at the prayer of iosuah , both the sun and moone were stayed in their wonted courses , and the shadow went backe ten degrees in the dyall of ahaz , for the assurance of the truth of the prophet isaiahs message sent to king hezekiah . the same answere may not be vnfitly shaped , to that wonder which s. augustine reports out of varroes booke , intituled de gente populi romani , and he out of castor touching the planet venus , which to adde the greater weight and credit to the relation , being somewhat strange and rare , i will set it downe in the very words of varro , as i finde them quoted by s. augustine . in coelo mirabile extitit portentum , nam in stella vener is nobilissima , quam plautus vesperruginem , homerus hesperon appellat , pulcherrimam dicens , castor scribit tantum portentum extitisse , ut mutaret colorem , magnitudinem , figuram , cursum , quod factum ita neque antea , neque postea sit , hoc factum ogyge rege dicebant adrastus , cyzicenus , & dyon neapolites mathematici nobiles . in heauen , saith he , appeared a maruailous great wonder , the most noted starre called venus , which plautus tearmes vesperrugo , and homer hesperus the faire , as castor hath left it vpon record , changed both colour , and bignes , and figure , and motion , which accident was neuer seene before , nor since that time , the renowned mathematicians adrastus and dyon averring , that this fell out during the raigne of king ogyges . which wonder neither varro nor augustine ascribe to the changeable matter of the heauens , but to the vnchangeable will of the creator . and therefore the one cals it as we see mirabile portentum , and the other makes this comment vpon it , that it hapned , quia ille voluit qui summo regit imperio ac potestate quod condidit , because he would haue it so , who gouernes all things that he hath made with a soueraigne and independing power . so that two speciall reasons may be yeelded for these extraordinary vnvsuall apparitions in heauen , the one that they may declare to the world that they haue a creator & commander , who can alter or destroy their natures , restraine or suspend their operations at his pleasure , which should keepe men from worshipping them as gods , since they cannot keepe themselues from alteration . the other to portend and foreshew his iudgements , as did that new starre in cassiopoea , a most vnnaturall inundation of blood in france ; and this change in venus , such a deluge in achaia , as it ouerflowed and so wasted the whole countrey , that for the space of two hundred yeares following it was not inhabited . sect . . the last obiection drawne from the eclipses of the sunne and moone answered . the last doubt touching the passibility of the matter of the heauens , is drawne from the eclipses of the sun and moone , in which they are commonly thought to suffer , and to bee as it were in travell during that time . which if it were so , it must of necessity by degrees consume the vigour and beauty of those glorious bodies , and finally the bodies themselues . to this purpose is alleadged that of the poet , where he cals these eclypses , defectus solis varios lunaeque labores . defects and trauels of the sunne and moone . as also the manner of the ancient romans while such eclypses lasted , to lift vp many burning torches toward heauen , and withall to beate pans of brasse and basons , as we doe in following a swarme of bees . commovet gentes publicus error , lassantque crebris pulsibus aera . a common errour through the world doth passe , and many a stroake they lay on pans of brasse saith boetius and manilius , speaking of the appearance of the moones eclipse by degrees in diverse parts of the earth . seraque in extremis quatiuntur gentibus aera , th' vtmost coasts doe beat their brasse pans last . and the satyrist wittily describing a tatling gossip , vna laboranti poterit succurrere lunae . shee onely were enough to helpe the labours of the moone . they thought thereby they did the moone great ease , and helped her in her labour , as plutarch in the life of aemilius obserueth . nay aemilius himselfe a wise man , as the same author there witnesseth , congratulated the moones deliuery from an eclipse , with a solemne sacrifice , assoone as shee shone out bright againe , which action of his that prudent philosopher and sage historian not relateth only , but approoueth & commendeth as a signe of godlinesse and devotion , yea this heathenish and sottish custome of releeuing the moone in this case by noise & outcries , the christians it seemes borrowed from the gentiles , as appeares by s. ambrose in his eighty and third sermon , where he most sharply checks his auditors for their rude and vncivill , nay prophane and irreligious carriage in this very point : and because his discourse there is not only smart and piercing , but marvailous punctuall and pertinent in regard of the question in hand , i hope it will not be thought time or paper mis-spent , if i set it downe as there i find it . who would not grieue at it that you should so far forget your soules health , as you should not blush to call heauen as a witnesse to your sinne . for when i lately preached vnto you touching your covetousnesse , euen the same day at evening there was so great a shouting of the people , that your prophanenesse pierced the heauens . i inquired what the meaning of that noise might bee : it was told me that with your out-cryes you relieued the moone , being then in travell , and succoured her faintings with your shouting : which when i heard , in truth i could not choose but laugh and wonder at your vanity , that like devoute christians you thought to bring aide to god , for it seemes you cryed , least by meanes of your silence hee might perchance loose one of his noblest creatures ; or as if being weake and impotent he could not maintaine those lights himselfe had created , but by the assistance of your voyces . and surely ye doe very well in that you succour the deity , that by your helpe he may gouerne heauen . but would ye doe it to purpose indeed , then must ye watch euery night & all night . for how often trow ye is the moon eclypsed while you sleep , & yet she falls not from heaven : or is shee alwayes eclypsed in the night , & not likewise in the day time ? but then only it seemes is the moone eclypsed with you , when your bellies are well stuffed with a full supper , & your braines steeled with full pots ; then only the moone labours in heaven , when the wine labours in your heads ; then is her circle troubled with charmes , when your sight is dazled with over much qua●…ing . how canst thou then discerne what befals the moone in heaven , when thou canst not discerne what is done neere thee on earth , heerein is that plainely verified which holy solomon foretold , a foole cha●…geth as the moone : thou changest like the moone , when beeing ignorant of the motion thereof , thou who werst a christian before , now beginnest to be sacrilegious ; for sacrilege thou committest against thy creator , when thou imputest such impotency to the creature : thou then changest like the moone , when thou who before shinedst in the devotion of faith , now fallest away thorow the weakenes of vnbeleefe : thou changest like the moone , when thy braine is as voide of wit , as the moone is of light , and i could wish thou diddest indeed change as the moone for shee quickely returnes againe to her fulnes , but thou by leasure to the vse of thy wits ; shee soone recovers her light , but thou slowly the faith which thou hast denyed . thy change then is worse then that of the moone ; shee suffers an eclipse of her light , but thou of thy soules health . but willsome man say , is not the moone in labour then ? yes indeed shee labours , it cannot bee denyed : but shee labours with the other creaturess , as the apostle speakes , wee know that the whole creature groaneth and travelleth in paine vntill now ; and againe , the creature it selfe shall also bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption . it shall bee freed from bondage . you see then that the moone doth not labour with charmes , but with dutifull observances , not with dangers , but with vsefull offices , not to perish , but to serue . for the creature is made subiect to vanity not willingly , but by reason of him who hath subiected the same , so that the moone is not willingly changed from her condition , but thou wittingly and willingly robbest thy selfe of thine owne reason . shee by the condition of her nature suffers an eclipse , thou by consent of thine owne will , art drawne into mischiefe . bee not then as the moone when shee is eclypsed , but as when shee fils her circle with light . for of the righteous man it is written , hee shall bee established for ever as the moone , & as the faithfull witnesse in heaven . by which witty discourse of s. ambrose , it plainely appeares that in his judgement , the moone suffered nothing by her eclypse , which opinion of his is confirmed not only by the testimony of aristotle , in the eight of the metaphysickes , but by the evidence of reason , it being caused by the shadow of the earth , interposed betweene the sunne and the moone , as in exchange or revenge thereof , ( as pliny speaketh , ) the eclypse of the sun is caused by the interposition of the moone , betwixt the earth and it . the moone so depriuing the earth , and againe the earth the moone of the beames of the sunne : which is the true cause that in the course of nature , the moone is never eclypsed but when shee is full , the sunne and shee being then in opposition ; nor the sunne , but when it is new-moone ; those two planets being then in conjunction : i say , in the course of nature , for the eclypse at our sauiours passion , was vndoubtedly supernaturall : quam solis obscurationem non ex canonico syderum cursu accidisse satis ostenditur quod tunc erat pascha iudaeorum . nam plena luna solenniter agitur , saith s. augustine . it is evident that that eclipse of the sunne happened not by the ordinary & orderly course of the stars , it being then the passover of the iewes , which was solemnized at the full moone ; and this was it , that gaue occasion , as is commonly belecued , to that memorable exclamation of dennys the areopagite , being then in egypt : aut deus naturae patitur , aut machina mundi dissolvetur , either the god of nature suffers , or the frame of nature will bee dissolved . and heerevpon too , as it is thought by some , was erected that altar at athens , ignoto deo , to the vnknowne god : though others thinke that eclypse was confined within the borders of iudea ; howsoever it cannot be denyed , but that it was certainely beside and aboue the course of nature . neither ought it seeme strange , that the sunne in the firmament of heaven , should appeare to suffer , when the sunne of righteousnes indeed suffered vpon earth . but for other eclypses , though their causes bee now commonly knowne , yet the ignorance of them was it , which caused so much superstition in former ages , and left that impression in mens mindes , as euen at this day wise men can hardly bee perswaded , but that those planets suffer in their eclypses , which in the sunne is most childish and ridiculous to imagine , since in it selfe , it is not so much as depriued of any light , nor in trueth can bee : it being the fountaine of light , from which all the other starres borrow their light , but pay nothing backe againe to it , by way of retribution . which was well expressed by pericles , as plutarch in his life reports it , for there happening an eclypse of the sun , at the very instant , when his navy was now ready to lanch forth , & himselfe was imbarked , his followers began to bee much apald at it , but specially the master of his owne gally , which pericles perceiuing , takes his cloake & with it hoodwinkes the masters eyes , & then demaunds of him what danger was in that , hee answering none , neither saith pericles is there in this eclypse , there being no difference betwixt my cloake and that vaile , with which the sun is covered , but only in bignes . and the truth is that the sun then suffered no more by the intervening of the moone , then from pericles his cloake , or daily doth from the cloudes in the aire which hinder the sight of it , or by the interposition of the planet mercury , which hath sometimes appeared as a spot in it ; but whether these eclypses either cause or presage any change in these inferiour bodies , i shall haue fitter occasion to examine heareafter , and so passe from the consideration of the substance , to the motion of the heavenly bodies . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies in regard of their motions . sect . . the first reason , that there is no decay in the motions of the heavenly bodies , drawne from the causes thereof motion is so vniversall and innate a property , and so proper an affection to all naturall bodies , that the great philosopher knew not better how to define nature , then by making her the enginer and principle of motion : and therefore as other obiects , are onely discernable by one sense , as colours by seeing , and sounds by hearing , motion is discernable by both , nay and by feeling too , which is a third sense really distinguished from them both . that there is in the heavenly bodies no motion of generation or corruption , of augmentation , or diminution , or of alteration , i haue already shewed . there are also who by reason of the incredible swiftnes of the first mouer , and some other such reasons , dare deny that there is in them any lation or locall motion , heerein flatly opposing in my judgement both scripture and reason , & sense ; but to take it as graunted , without any dispute , that a locall motion there is , which is the measure of time , as time againe is the measure of motion , the line of motion and the threed of time , beeing both spun out together : some doubt there is touching the moouer of these heavenly bodies , what or who it should bee , some ascribing it to their matter , some to their forme , some to their figure , and many to the angells , or intelligences , as they call them , which they suppose to bee set over them . for mine owne part , i should thinke that all these and euery of them might not vnjustly challenge a part in that motion : the matter as beeing neither light nor heavy , the forme aswell agreeing with such a matter , the figure as being sphericall or circular , the intelligence as an assistant : in the matter is a disposition ; for whereas light bodies naturally moue vpward , and heavy downeward , that which is neither light nor heavy is rather disposed to a circular motion , which is neither vpward nor downeward . in the figure is an inclination to that motion , as in a wheele to bee carried round , from the forme an inchoation or onsett , and lastly from the intelligence a continuance or perpetuation thereof , as a great divine of our owne both age and nation hath well expressed it , gods owne aeternity , ) saith hee ) is the hand which leadeth angells in the course of their perpetuity , their perpetuity the hand that draweth out celestiall motion , that as the elementary substances are governed by the heavenly : so might the heauenly by the angellicall . as the corruptible by the incorruptible , so the materiall by the immateriall , and all finits by one infinite . it is the joynt consent of the platoniks , peripatetiks , and stoikes , and of all the noted sects of philosophers ; who acknowledged the divine providence , with whom agree the greatest part of our most learned & christian doctors , that the heavens are moued by angells , neither is there in truth any sufficient meanes beside it to discover the beeing of such creatures by discourse of reason . which to mee is a strong argument , that the heauens can by no meanes erre , or faile in their motions , beeing managed by the subordinate ministery of such indefatigable and vnerring guides , whose power is euery way proportionable to their knowledge , and their constancy to both . sect . . the second reason taken from the certainty of demonstrations vpon the coelestiall globe : the third , from a particular view of the proper motions of the planets , which are observed to bee the same at this day , as in former ages without any variation : the fourth , from the infallible and exact praediction of their oppositions , conjunctions , and eclypses for many ages to come : the fifth , from the testimony of sundry graue authours , auerring perpetuall constancy and immutability of their motions . the most signall motions of the heavens ( beside their retrogradations , trepidations , librations , and i know not what , which astronomers haue devised to reconcile the diversitie of their observations ) are the diurnall motion of all the fixed starres and planets , and all the coelestiall spheres from east to west in the compasse of every foure and twenty houres , and the proper motion of them all from the west to the east againe . these motions whether they performe , by themselues , without the helpe of orbes , as fishes in the water , or birds in the aire ; or fastned to their spheres , as a gemme in a ring , or a nayle or knot in a cart-wheele , i cannot easily determine : howbeit i confesse wee cannot well imagine how one and the same body should bee carried with opposite motions , but by the helpe of somewhat in which it is carried , as the marriner may be carried by the motion of his shippe from the east to the west , and yet himselfe may walke from the west to the east in the same ship : or a flie may be carried from the north to the south vpon a cart-wheele , and yet may goe from the south to the north vpon the same wheele : but howsoever it bee , it is evident that their motions are most even and regular , without the least jarre or discord , variation or vncertainety , languishing or defect , that may bee . which were it not so , there could bee no certaine demonstrations made vpon the globe or materiall sphere : which notwithstanding by the testimony of claudian are most infallible , as appeares by those his elegant verses vpon archymedes admirable invention thereof . iuppiter in parvo cum cerneret aether a vitro , risit , & ad superos , talia dicta dedit : huccine mortalis progressa potentia curae ? iam meus infragili luditur orbe labor iura poli , rerumque fidem legesque deorum ecce syracusius transtulit arte senex . inclusus varijs famulatur spiritus astris et vivum certis motibus vrget opus percurrit proprium mentirus signifer annum et simulata nouo cynthia mense redit . iamque suum volvens audax industria mundum gaudet & humana sydera mense regit . when ioue within a little glasse survaid the heavens , hee smil'd , and to the gods thus sayd : can strength of mortall wit proceed thus farre ? loe in a fraile orbe my workes mated are . hither the syracusians art translates heavens forme , the course of things , and humane fates . th' included spirit serving the star-deck signes , the liuing worke in constant motions windes th' adulterate zodiaque runnes a naturall yeare , and cynthiaes forg'd hornes monthly new light beare , viewing her owne world , now bold industry triumphes and rules with humane power the skye . the gentiles sayth iulian , ( as s. cyrill in his third booke against him , reports it ) videntes nihil eorū quae circa coelū minui vel augeri neque vlla sustinere deordinatam affectionē , sed congruam illius motionem ac bene op●…atū ordinem , definitas quoque leges lunae , definitos ortus & occasus solis , statutis semper temporibus , merito deum & dei solium suspicabantur : seeing no part of heaven to deminished or decreased , to suffer no irregular affection , but the motion thereof to be as duly and orderly performed as could be desired , the waxing and waning of the moone , the rising and setting of thee sunne to bee setled and constant at fixed and certaine times , they deseruedly admired it as god , or as the throne of god. the order and regularitie of which motions wee shall easily perceiue by taking a particular view of them . i will touch only those of the plannets . the proper motion of saturne was by the ancients obserued , and is now likewise found , by our moderne astronomers , to be accomplished within the space of thirtie yeares , that of iupiter in twelue , that of mars in two , that of the sunne in three hundred sixty fiue dayes and allmost six howers , that of venus and mercury in very neere the same space of time , that of the moone in twentie seven dayes and all most eight howres : neither do we find that they haue either quickned or any way slackned these their courses , but that in the same space of time they allwayes run the same races which being ended , they begin them againe as freshly as the first instant they set forth ; cum per certa annorum spacia orbes suos explicuerint iterum ibunt per quae venerant , sayth seneca : when in certaine tearmes of years they shall haue accomplished their courses , they shall againe runne the same races they haue passed . these then be the boundes and limits , to which these glorious bodies are perpetually tyed , in regard of their motion , these be the vnchangeable lawes like those of the medes and persians whereof the psalmist speakes , hee hath giuen them a law which shall not be broken : which seneca in his booke of the diuine providence , well expresses in other wordes , aeternae legis imperio procedunt , they mooue by the appointment of an eternall law , that is , a law both invariable & inviolable . that which tully hath delivered of one of them is vndoubtedly true of all : saturni stella in suo cursu multa mirabiliter efficiens , tum ante●…edendo , tum retardando , tum vespertinis temporibus delitescendo , tum matutinis rursum se aperiendo , nihil tamen immutat sempeternis soeculorum aetatibus , quin eadem ijsdem temporibus efficiat : the plannet saturne doth make many strange and wonderfull passages in his motion , sometimes going before , and sometimes comming after , sometimes withdrawing himselfe in the evening , and sometimes againe shewing himselfe in the morning , and yet changeth nothing in the continuall duration of all ages , but still at the same season worketh the same effects . and in truth , were it not so , both in that plannet and in all the other starres , it is altogether impossible they should supply that vse which almighty god in their creation ordained them vnto , that is , to serue for signes and seasons , for dayes and for yeares , to the worlds end . and much more impossible it were that the yeare , the moneth , the day , the hower , the minute of the oppositions , conjuctions and eclypses of the plannets , should be as exactly calculated and foretold one hundreth yeares before they fall out , as at what howre the snnne will rise to morrow morning . which perpetuall aequability & cōstant vniformity in the celestiall motions , is both truly observed & eloquētly descibedby boetius . si vis celsi jura tonantis pura solers cernere mente , aspice summi culmina coeli ; illic justo foedere rerum veterem servant syder a pacem . non sol rutilo concitus igne gelidum phebes impedit axem . nec quae summo vertice mundi flectit rapidos vrsa meatus vnquam occiduo lota profundo caetera cernens syder a mergi cupit oceano tingere flammas . semper vicibus temporis aequis vesper ser as nunciat vmbras revehitque diem lucifer almum . sic alternos reficit cursus alternus amor , sic astrigeris bellum discors exulat or is . if thou with pure and prudent minde the lawes of god wouldst see looke vp to heaven and thou shalt finde how all things there agree . in peace the starres their courses runne nor is the moones cold sphere impeached by the scorching sunne , nor doth the northerne beare which swift about the pole doth moue though other starres he see drencht in the westerne ocean , loue his flames there quenched bee . nights late approch by courses due the evening starre doth show and morning starre with motion true before the day doth goe : thus still their turnes renewed are by enterchanging loue : and warre and discord banisht farre from starry skies aboue , and no lesse wittily by manilius , nec quicquam in tanta magis est mirabile mole quam ratio ; & certis quod legibus omnia parent , nusquam turba nocet , nihil vllis partibus errat . there is not ought that 's to be seene in such a wondrous masse , more wonderful and strange then this that reason brings to passe : that all obey their certaine lawes which they doe still preferre , no tumult hurteth them , nor ought in any parr doth erre . wherewith the divine plato accords , nec errant , nec praeter antiquum ordinem revolvuntur , neither doe they runne randome , nor are they rolled beside their ancient order . and aristotle breaketh out into this passionate admiration thereof , quid unquam poterit aequari coelesti ordini , & volubilitati , cùm syder a convertantur exactissima norma de alio in aliud seculum : what can ever be compared to the order of the heauens , and to the motion of the starres in their seuerall revolutions , which moue most exactly as it were by a rule and square , by line and leuell from one generation to another . there were among the ancients not a few , nor they vnlearned , who by a strong fancie conceiued to themselues an excellent melody made vp by the motion of the coelestiall spheares . it was broached by a pythagoras , entertained by b plato , stiffely maintained by c macrobius and some christians , as d beda , e boetius , and f anselmus archbishop of canterbury : but aristotle puts it off with a jest , as being lepidè & musicè dictum , factu autem impossibile , a pleasant and musicall conceit , but in effect impossible , inasmuch as those bodies in their motions make no kinde of noise at all . howsoeuer it may well bee that this conceit of theirs was grounded vpon a certaine truth , which is the harmonicall and proportionable motion of those bodies in their just order , and set courses , as if they were euer dauncing the rounds or the measures . in which regard the psalmist tels vs that the sun knoweth his going downe , he appointed the moone for seasons , and the sunne knoweth his going downe . which wordes of his may not be taken in a proper , but in a figuratiue sense ; the prophet thereby implying , that the sunne obserueth his prescribed motion so precisely to a point , that in the least jot he neuer erreth from it : and therefore is he said to doe the same vpon knowledge and vnderstanding , non quòd animatus sit aut ratione vtatur , saith basill vpon the place , sed quòd juxta terminum divinitùs praescriptum ingrediens , semper eundem cursum servat , ac mensur as suas custodit : not that the sun hath any soule , or vse of vnderstanding , but because it keepeth his courses and measures exactly according to gods prescription . sect . . the same truth farther prooued from the testimony of lactantius and plutarch . lactantius from hence gathereth two notable conclusions , the one , that the starres are not gods as the gentiles commonly imagined , the other , that they are governed by god , which the epicurians denyed : for the former of those , saith he , argumentum illud quo colligunt vniversa coelestia deos esse in contrarium valet . nam si deos esse idcircò opinantur , quia certos & rationabiles cursus habent , errant : ex hoc enim apparet deos non esse quod exorbitare illis apraestitutis itineribus non licet ; caeterùm si dij essent huc atque illuc passim sine vlla necessitate ferrentur , sicut animantes in terra , quorum quia liberae sunt voluntates , huc atque illuc vagantur vt libet , & quocunque mens duxerit eo feruntur . that argument from whence the heathen doe collect that the starres must needes be gods , doth most plainly prooue the contrary : for if they take them to be gods , because of the certainty of their courses , they be therein much deceiued : for this plainely prooveth , that indeed they be no gods , because they be not able to depart from their set courses . whereas if they were gods , they would mooue both this way and that way in the heauens , as freely as liuing creatures doe vpon the earth , who because they haue the liberty and freedome of their will they wander vp and downe whither they themselues please . and for the latter , tanta rerum magnitudo , saith hee , tanta dispositio , tanta in servandis ordinibus , temporibusque constantia , non potuit aut olim sine provido artifice oriri , aut constare tot seculis sine incola potente , aut in perpetuū gubernari sine perito & sciente rectore , quod ratio ipsa declarat . such a greatnes in their creation , such a comelinesse in their order , such a constancie in observing both their courses and their seasons , could neuer either at first haue beene framed without a cunning hand , or so long haue beene preserued without a powerfull inhabitant , or so wisely haue beene governed without a skilfull regent , as euen reason it selfe maketh it plaine and evident . and plurarch affirmeth generally of all men , that the very first motiue that lead them vnto god was that orderly motion whereby the starres are carried . homines caeperunt deum agnoscere cùm viderent stellas tantam concinnitatem efficere , ac dies , noctesque aetate ac hyeme , suos servare statos ortus atque obitus . men beganne first to acknowledge a god when they considered the starres to maintaine such a comelinesse , and both day and night in summer and winter to obserue their designed risings and settings . sect . . an objection of du moulins touching the motion of the polar starre answered . and thus i hope the heauens are sufficiently discharged from any imputation of decay in regard of their motion , the constant regularity whereof , we finde to haue beene obserued and admired by the most learned of all ages : it remaines now that i should proceede to the examination of the other qualities thereof , which before i attempt , it shall not be amisse to remoue a rub cast in our way by du moulin a famous french divine , in his booke intituled , the accomplishment of divine prophesies , touching the motion of the polar starre , his words are these , or to this purpose . astrologie also doth lend vs some light in this matter ; for in the yeare of the world three thousand six hundred sixty fiue , ptolomaeus philadelphus raigning in egypt some foure hundred sixty nine yeares after the building of rome , there lived one hipparchus a famous astrologer , who reports that in his time the starre commonly called the polar starre , which is in the taile of the lesser beare , was degrees & two fifths distant from the pole of the aequator . this star from age to age hath insensibly still crept neerer to the pole , so that at this present it is not past three degrees distant from the pole of the aequator . when this star then shall come to touch the pole , there being no farther space left for it to goe forward ) which may well enough come to passe within fiue or six hundredth yeares ) it is likely that then there shall be a great change of things , and that this time is the period which god hath presixed to nature . a bold coniecture of a man so well versed in holy scriptures and in other matters so modest ; as if god had written in the heavens the period of times , or had so written it as any mortall eye could discerne it , his beloued son professing , that it is not for vs to know the times and seasons , which the father hath put in his owne power . and as the conjecture is bold , so is it built vpon as sandy a foundation which is , that the pole-star shall draw so neere the pole as to touch it , or shall euer be brought to those straits , as it shall finde no passage to goe forward , whereas it is certaine , it shall euer remaine in some certaine distance from the pole , twenty sixe or twenty seuen minutes at the least . true indeed it is , that about fiue hundred yeares hence , if the world last so long , it shall then approach the nearest , but then shall it with-draw it selfe again by degrees to as remote a distance as it euer was before ; as it heretofore hath beene the most southerly star in that asterisme , and is now become the most northerly : so in processe of time it may become the most southerly againe : but from hence to inferre that the poles of the aequator are moueable , is inconsequent , and incompatible with the most receiued and best approued grounds of astronomy . besides , other fixed stars haue their times of accesse and recesse , to and frōthe pole , aswell as this : so that the motion of this can no more point out the period of nature , then of those : all which du moulin himselfe either by his owne observation or advertisement from others well perceiuing , in a latter edition of that booke printed at sedane in the yeare one thousand six hundred thenty one , hath well mended the matter , by changing some words . for insteed of this in the first edition ; from hence it appeareth that the poles of the equatour are moueable , in the second , he hath thus changed it : it being certaine , and observed by long experience , that the fixed stars moue from the west to the east in a motion paralell to the eclyptique . in his first edition , he sayes : when this starre shall come to touch the pole , there beeing no further space left for it to goe forward , but in his second hee changeth it thus , when this starre shall approach the pole as neere as it can : againe in his first thus , which may well come to passe within these fiue or six hundred yeares , in his second thus , which may well come to passe within siue hundred yeares : lastly in his first thus , it seemes that this time is the period which god hath prefixed to nature , in his second thus , it seemes that some notable period shall then expire . and surely i cannot but as much commend his modesty in this second change , as i found it wanting in his first coniecture , and i am of opinion that s. augustine never purchased more true honour by any booke that ever hee writ , then that of his retractations , the shame is not so much to erre , as to persevere in it being discouered . specially if it be an errour taken vp & entertained , by following those , whom for their great gifts wee highly esteeme and admire , as it seemes du moulin tooke his errour at leastwise touching the moueablenes of the poles of the equatour , from ioseph scaliger : but the motion of the heavens puts mee in minde of passing from it to the light thereof . cap. . touching the pretended decay in the light of the heavenly bodies . sect . . the first reason that it decayes not , taken from the nature of that light , and those things wherevnto it is resembled . as the waters were first spread over the face of the earth : so was the light dispersed thorow the firmament : and as the waters were gathered into one heape , so was the light knit vp , and vnited into one body : as the gathering of the waters was called the sea , so , that of the light was called the sunne . as the rivers come from the sea ▪ so is all the light of the starres derived from the sun : and lastly , as the sea is no whit leassened though it furnish the earth with abundance of fresh rivers : so though the sunne haue since the creation , both furnished , & garnished the world with light , neither is the store of it thereby diminished , nor the beauty of it any way stayned . what the light is , whether a substance or an accident , whether of a corporall or incorporall nature , it is not easy to determine . philosophers dispute it , but cannot well resolue it . such is our ignorance , that euen that by which wee see all things , we cannot discerne what it selfe is . but whatsoeuer it bee , wee are sure that of all visible creatures , it was the first that was made , and comes neerest the nature of a spirit , in as much as it moues in an instant from the east to the west , and piercing thorow all transparent bodies , still remaines in it selfe , vnmixed and vndivided ; it chaseth away sadde and mellancholy thoughts , which the darkenesse both begets and mainetaines ; it lifts vp our mindes in meditation to him who is the true light , that lightneth every man that commeth into the world , himselfe dwelling in light vnaccessible , and cloathing himselfe with light as with a garment . and if wee may behold in any creature any one sparke of that eternall fire , or any farre off dawning of gods glorious brightnes , the same in the beauty , motion , and vertue of this light may best be discerned . quid pulchrius luce , saith hugo de sancto victore , quae cum in se colorem non habeat , omnium tamen rerum colores ipsa quodammodo colorat . what is more beautifull then the light , which hauing no colour in it selfe , yet sets a luster vpon all colours . and s. ambrose , vnde vox dei in scriptura debuit inch oare nisi à lumine ? vnde mundi ornatus nisi à luce exordium sumere ! frustra enim esset si non ●…ideretur . from whence should the voice of god in holy scripture begin , but from the light ? from whence should the ornament of the world begin , but likewise from the same light ? for in vaine it were , were it not seene . o father of the light , of wisedome fountaine , out of the bulke of that confused mountaine what should , what could issue before the light without which , beauty were no beauty hight . sect . . the second , for that it hath nothing contrary vnto it , and heere pareus and mollerus are censured for holding that the light of heaven is impaired . s. augustine in diverse places of his workes is of opinion , that by the first created light were vnderstood the angells , and heerein is hee followed by beda , eucherius , rupertus & diverse others . which opinion of his though it bee questionlesse vnsound , in as much as wee are taught that that light , sprang out of darkenesse , which of the angells can in no sort bee verified , yet it shewes the lightsome nature of angells , so likewise the angelicall nature of light , still flourishing in youth , & no more subject to decay or old age , then the angells are . since then in the properties thereof , it comes so neere the nature of spirits , of angels , of god , mee thinkes they who dare accuse the heavens , as being guilty of decay and corruption in other respects , should yet haue spared the light thereof . the more i wonder that men reverenced for their learning , & reputed lights of the church , should by their writings goe about to quench or blemish this light . videntur haud parum elanguisse minusque nitidi esse quam fuerant initio , saith one speaking of the heavenly bodies . they seeme to hame suffered not a little defect , and to haue lost of that brightnes , in which they were at first created . and another : non est nunc illa claritas luminis , nec sunt illae stellarum vires quae fuerunt . there is not now that brightnes of the light , nor those vertues of the starres that haue beene . venturous assertions , and such i beleeue , as would haue pusled the authours of them to haue made them good , specially considering that as there is nothing contrary to the quintessentiall matter , and circular figure of the heavens : so neither is there to the light thereof . fire may bee quenched with water , but there is nothing able to quench the light of heauen , saue the power of him that made it . againe fire may bee extinguished by withdrawing or withholding the fewell vpon which it feedes : but the light of heaven hauing no matter by which it is nourished ; there is no feare of the failing thereof thorow any such defect & for the matter of the coelestiall spheres and starres , in which it is planted , it hath already sufficiently appeared , that it neither is , nor in the course of nature can be subject to any impairing alteration : and so much pareus himselfe hath vpon the matter confessed in two severall places in his commentaries vpon the first of genesis , whereof the first is this , speakeing of the firmament and the epithetes of iron and brasse , given it in holy scriptures , and by prophane authours , haec epitheta , saith hee , metaphoricè notant coeli firmitatem , quia tot millibus annorum immutabili lege circumvoluitur , nec tamen atteritur motu aut absumitur , quia à deo sic est firmatum initio . these epithetes metaphorically signifie the firmenes & stablenes of heaven , because by an vnchangeable law it hath now wheeled about so many thousand yeares , and yet is it not wasted or worne by the motion thereof , because it is established by god. and againe within a while after , hee vseth almost the same wordes , firmamentum non dicitur de duritie aut soliditate , impermeabili , sed de firmitate quâ perpetuo motu circumactum coelum non atteritur , nec absumitur , sed manet quale à deo initio fuit firmatum . nay a little before that last passage , diuiding the whole firmament or expansum , containing all the coelestiall spheres and regions of the aire , into two parts ; the higher , saith hee , ( thereby intending the heavenly bodies ) is purissima , & incorruptibilis , & inalterabilis ; most pure , incorruptible , and inalterable . now if it should bee demaunded , how the heaveus may bee said to languish , and to haue lost of their natiue brightnes , and yet still to remaine incorruptible & inalterable , for mine owne part , i must professe , i cannot vnderstand it , nor know which way to reconcile it . a number of the like passages may bee observed in the writings of our latter diuines : but i sparetheir names for the reverence i beare their gifts , and places , and persons , and so proceed . sect . . heerevnto some other reasons are added , and the testimonie of eugubinus vouched . i remember mr. camden reports , that at the demolition of our monasteries , there was found in the supposed monument of constantius chlorus , father to the great constantine , a burning lampe which was thought to haue burnt there euer since his buriall , about three hundredth yeares after christ , and withall hee addes out of lazius , that the ancient romans vsed in that manner to preserue lights in their sepulchres a long time by the oylelinesse of gold , resolved by art into a liquid substance . which if it bee so , how much more easie is it for the father of lights to preserue those naturall lights of heaven , which himselfe hath made without any diminution . in artificiall lights wee see , that if a thousand candles bee all lighted from one , yet the light of the first is not thereby any whit abated , and why should wee then conceiue that the sun by imparting his light so many thousand yeares , should loose any part thereof . they who mainetaine that the soule of man is derived ex traduce , hold withall that the father in begetting the sonnes soule looses none of his owne , it being tanquam lumen de lumine , as one light from another , nay more then so , it is the very resemblance that the nicene fathers thought not vnmeete to expresse the vnexpressable generation of the second person in trinity from the first , who is therefore tearmed by the apostle , the brighnes of his glory . as then the father by communicating his substance to his sonne , looses none of his owne , so the sunne by communicating his light to the world , looses no part nor degree thereof . some things there are of that nature , as they may bee both given and kept , as knowledge , and vertue , and happinesse , and light , which in holy scripture is figuratiuely taken for them all . whether the same individuall light bee still resident in the body of the sunne , which was planted in it at the first creation , or whether it continually empty and spend it selfe , and so like a riuer bee continually repaired with fresh supplies ; for mine owne part i cannot certainely affirme , though i must confesse , i rather incline to the former : but this i verily beleeue , that as the body of the sunne is no whit lessened in extention : so neither is the light thereof in intention : men being now no more able to fixe their eyes vpon it , when it shines forth in its full strength , then they were at the first creation thereof . i will conclude this chapter with that of eugubinus in his tenth booke de perenni philosophia . futuri interitus , ac senescentiae aliqua jam indicia praecessissent , non constaret idem sol , non eadem fulgoris esset plenitudo , idem radiorum vigor , haec igitur senectus nusquam est . had there beene in the heavens any such decay or waxing old , as is supposed , wee should haue seene some fore-running tokens thereof : the sunne would not haue beene like himselfe , hee would not haue retained the same fullnesse of brightnes , nor the same vigour in his beames : this old age then is no where to bee found . where hee takes it as graunted , that none would bee so vnreasonable , as to affirme that the strength and cleerenes of the light of heaven is any way abated . now what hath beene spoken of the light , may no lesse truely bee verified of the warmth and influence thereof , which spring therefrom , and now succeed in their order to bee examined . cap. . touching the pretended decay in the warmth of the heavenly bodies . sect . . that the starres are not of a fiery nature , or hot in themselues . the light of heaven , whereof wee haue spoken , is not more comfortable & vsefull , then is the warmth therof ; with a masculine vertue it quickens all kind of seeds , it makes them vegetate , & blossome , and fructifie , and brings their fruite to perfection , for the vse of man & beast , and the perpetuating of their owne kinds , nay it wonderfully refresheth and cheares vp , the spirits of men and beasts , and birds , and creeping things , & not only impartsthe life of vegetation , but of sense & motion , to many thousand creatures , and like a tender parent forsters and cherisheth it being imparted . some there are that liue without the light of heauen , searching into and working vpon , those bodies which the light cannot pierce , but none without the warmth , it being in a manner the vniversall instrument of nature , which made the psalmist say that there is nothing hid from the heate of the sunne . few things are hid from the light , but from the heate thereof nothing . our life withthe ligh of heaven would be tedious and vncomfortable : but without the warmth impossible . since then such is the continuall and necessary vse of the coelstiall warmth , aswell in regard of the generation , as the preseruation of these inferiour bodies , accomodating it selfe to their severall tempers and vses , in severall manners and degrees , it may easily be conceiued to be a matter of marveilous greate importance in deciding the maine question touching natures decay , to inquire thorowly into the state and condition of it , ( vpon which so many and great workes of nature wholy depend ) whether it be decayed or no , or whether it still abide in the fullnesse of that strength and activitie in which it was created . for the better cleering of which doubt , it will be very requisite first to inquire into the efficient cause thereof , which being once discovered , it will soone appeare whether in the course of nature it be capable of any such diminution or no. i am not ignorant that s. augustine , s. basill , s. ambrose , and generally as many divines , as held that there were waters , properly so tearmed , aboue the starry firmament , held with all that the sunne and starres caused heate as being of a fiery nature , those waters being set there , in their opinion , for cooling of that heate : which opinion of theirs seemes to be favoured by syracides in the forty third of ecclesiasticus , where he thus seakes of the sunne , at noone it parcheth the countrey , and who can abide the burning heate there of . a man blowing a furnace is in workes of heate : but the sunne burneth the mountaines three tymes more , breathing out fiery vapours . neither were there wanting some among the ancient philosophers who maintained the same opinion , as plato and plyny , and generally the whole sect of stoicks , who held that the sunne and starres were fed with watery vapours , which they drew vp for their nourishment , and that when these vapours should cease and faile the whole world should be in daunger of combustion , and many things are alleaged by balbus in ciceroes second booke of the nature of the gods , in favour of this opinion of the stoicks . but that the sunne and starres are not in truth and in their owne nature fieric and hot , appeares by the ground already layd touching the matter of the heavens , that it is of a nature incorruptible , which cannot bee , if it were fiery , inasmuch as thereby it should become lyable to alteration and corruption by an opposite and professed enimie . besides all fiery bodies by a naturall inclination mount vpwards , so that if the starres were the cause of heat , as being hot in themselues , it would consequently follow that their circular motion should not bee naturall but violent . wherevnto i may adde , that the noted starres being so many in number , namely one thousand twenty and two , besides the planets , and in magnitude so greate that every one of those , which appeare fixed in the firmament , are sayd to bee much bigger , then the whole globe of the water and earth , and the sunne againe so much to exceede both that globe and the biggest of them , as it may iustly bee stiled by the sonne of syrach , instrumentum admirabile a wonderfull instrument ; which being so , were they of fyre , they would doubtlesse long ere this haue turned the world into ashes , there being so infinite a disproportion betweene their flame and the little quantity of matter supposed to bee prepared for their fewell . that therefore they should bee fed with vapours , aristotle deservedly laughs at it , as a childish and ridiculous device , in as much as the vapours ascend no higher then the middle region of the ayre , and from thence distill againe vpon the water and earth from whence they were drawne vp , and those vapours being vncertaine , the flames likewise feeding vpon them must needes be vncertaine , and dayly vary from themselues both in quantity and figure according to the proportion of their fewell . sect . . that the heate they breed springes from their light , and consequently their light being not decayed , neither is the warmth arising there from . the absurdity then of this opinion beeing so foule and grosse , it remaines that the sunne and starres infuse a warmth into these subcaelestiall bodies , not as being hot in themlselues , but only as beeing ordeined by god to breed heate in matter capable thereof , as they impart life to some creatures and yet themselues remaine voyd of life , like the braine which imparts sense to every member of the body , and yet is it selfe vtterly voyd of all sense . but here againe some there are which attribute this effect to the motion , others to the light of these glorious bodies : and true indeed it is , that motion causes heat , by the attenuation & rarefaction of the ayre : but by this reason should the moone which is neerer the earth , warme more then the sunne , which is many thousand miles farther distant , & the higher regions of the aire should be alway hotter then the lower , which notwithstanding if wee compare the second with with the lowest is vndoubtedly false . moreouer the motion of the coelestiall bodies being vniforme , so should the heat deriued from them in reason likewise be , & the motion ceasing , the heat should likewise cease , & yet i shall neuer beleeue , that when the sun stood still at the prayer of iosua , it then ceased to warme these inferiour bodies . and we find by experience , that the sun works more powerfully vpon a body which stands still then when it moues , & the reason seemes to be the same in the rest or motion of a body warming or warmed , that receiueth or imparteth heat . the motion being thus excluded from being the cause of this effect , the light must of necessitie step in , and challenge it to it selfe ; the light then it is , which is vndoubtedly the cause of coelestiall heate in part by a direct beame , but more vehemently by a reflexed : for which very reason it is , that the middle region of the aire is alwaies colder then the lowest , and the lowest hotter in summer then in winter , and at noone then in the morning and evening , the beames being then more perpendicular , and consequently in their reflexion more narrowly vnited , by which reflexion and vnion , they grow sometimes to that fervencie of heate , that fire springs out from them as wee see in burning glasses ; and by this artificiall device it was that archimedes , as galen reports it , in his third booke de temperamentis , set on fire the enemies gallyes , and proclus a famous mathematician , practised the like at constantinople , as witnesseth zonaras in the life of anastasius the emperour . and very reasonable me thinkes it is , that light the most divine affection of the coelelestiall bodies , should be the cause of warmth , the most noble , actiue , and excellent quality of the subcoelestiall . these two like hippocrates twinnes ; simul oriuntur & moriuntur , they are borne and dye together , they increase and decrease both together , the greater the light is , the greater the heate ; and therefore the sun as much exceedes the other starres in heate , as it doth in light . to driue the argument home then to our present purpose , since the light of the sun is no way diminished , and the heate depends vpon the light , the consequence to me seemes marvailous faire and strong , which is , that neither the heate arising from the light , should haue suffered any decay or diminution at all . sect . . two obiections answered , the one drawne from the present habitablenes of the torrid zone , the other from a supposed approach of the sun neerer the earth then in former ages . notwithstanding the evidence of which trueth , some haue not doubted to attribute the present habitablenesse of the torride zone , to the weaknesse and old age of the heauens , in regard of former ages . but they might haue remembred that the cold zones should thereby haue become more inhabitable by cold , as also that holding as they doe , an vniversall decay in all the parts of nature , & men according to their opinion , decaying in strength as well as the heauens , they should now in reason be as ill able to indure the present heate , as the men of former ages were , to indure that of the same times wherein they liued , the proportion being alike betweene the weaknes , as between the strength of the one and the other . but this i onely touch in passing , hauing a fitter occasion to consider more fully of it hereafter , when we come to compare the wits and inventions of the ancients with those of the present times . that which touches neerer to the quick , & strikes indeed at the very throat of the cause , is an opinion of very many , and those very learned men , that the body of the sunne is drawne nearer the earth by many degrees then it was in former ages , & that it daylie makes descents , & approaches towards it , which some ascribe to a deficiencie of strength in the earth , others in the sun , most in both . bodin out of copernicus , reinoldus & stadius , great mathematicians tell vs , that since ptolomies time , who liued about an hundred & forty yeeres after christ , the sunne by cleare demonstrations is found to haue come neerer vs by one hundred & thirty semidiameters of the earth , which make twenty six thousand six hundred and sixty german miles , which are double to the french , as the french are to the italian and ours . this wonderfull change philip melancthon , saith he , ad coelestium , terrestriumque corporum tabescentem naturam referendum putavit , thought fit to impute to the declining estate of the coelestiall & terrestriall bodies . but if the terrestriall depend vpon the coelestiall , ( as hath already beene prooued , & is the common opinion of all , both divines and philosophers ) then what is wanting in the wonted vigour of the coelestiall , being supplied by the approach thereof , the terrestrial should still without any decay remaine vnimpaired in their condition . the force of which reason serues also strongly against them who maintaine an habitablenesse vnder the torride zone , through the weaknesse of the sun , and yet withall hold a supply of that weakenesse by the neerer approach thereof . but consulting in this point with both the learned professours in the mathematickes at oxford , they both jointly agree , that this assertion of the sunnes continuall declination ; or neerer approach to the earth , is rather an idle dreame , then a sound position , grounded rather vpon the difference among astronomers , arising from the difficulty of their observations , then vpon any certaine & infallible conclusions . ptolomy who liued about the yeare of christ one hundred & forty , makes the distance of the sun from the earth to be one thousand two hundred & ten semidiameters of the earth . albategnius about the yeare eighr hundred & eighty makes it one thousand one hundred forty sixe . copernicus about the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and twenty , makes it one thousand one hundred seventy nine . tychobrahe about the yeare one thousand six hundred , makes it one thousand one hundred eighty two . now i would demaund , whether the sun were more remote in ptolomies time , & neerer in the time of albategnius , & then againe more remote in the latter ages of copernicus & tycho : which if it were so , then one of these two must needs follow , that either their observations were notgrounded vpon so certaine principles as they pretend , or that the declination of the sunne is vncertaine & variable , not constant & perpetuall , as is pretended . but what would bodin say if hee liued to heare lansbergius , kepler , & other famous astronomers of the present age , teaching that the sun is now remote aboue two thousand and eight hundred , nay three thousand semidiameters from the earth , affirming that copernicus and tycho neglected to allow for refractions , which ( as the opticks will demonstrate ) doe much alter the case . i will close vp this point with ●…he censure of scaliger vpon the patrons of this fancy , quae vero nonnulli prodere ausi sunt , solis corpus longè propius nos esse , quàm quantum ab antiquis scriptum sit , ita vt in ipsa deferentis corpulentia locum mutasse videatur , vel ipsa scripta spongijs , vel ipsi authores scuticis sunt castigandi . in as much as some haue dared to broach , that the body of the sun is nearer the earth then by the ancients it was obserued to be , so that it might seeme to haue changed place in the very bulke of the spheare , either the authors themselues of this opinion deserue to be chastned with stripes , or surely their writings to be razed with sponges . sect . . a third objection answered , taken from a supposed removall of the sun more southerly from vs then in form●…r ages . as some haue inferred a diminution in the heauenly warmth from a supposed neerer approach of the sunne to the earth , so haue others ( at leastwise in regard of the earth ) from the removall thereof more southerly then in former ages . but crauing in this point likewise the opinion of my worthy friend master doctour bainbridge professour in astronomie at oxford , hee returned mee this answere . it is the generall opinion of moderne astronomers , that the sun in our time goeth not so far southernly from vs in winter , as it did in the time of ptolomy and hipparchus , neither in summer commeth so much northernly towards vs , as then . for ptolemy ( aboue ann . christ. ) observed the greatest declination of the sunne from the aequinoctiall towards either pole . . . agreeable to the observations of hipparchus yeares before christ , and of eratosthenes before hipparchus . wherevpon ptolemy thought the sunnes greatest declination immutable . but succeeding ages haue observed a difference ; for about anno christi . many learned arabians obserued the greatest declination of the sunne to bee . . to whom agreeth albategnius , a syrian , about an . christ. . yet did not albategnius from hence conclude any mutation in the greatest declination of the sunne ; for so small a difference might well happen by errour of observations . afterwards about ann . christ. . arzachel a moore of spaine , observed the greatest declination of the sunne , . . . who to salue these different observations invented a new hypothesis , which yet was not received by astronomers of after times , who for many ages followed the greatest declination of arzachel without any alteration till the times of regiomontanus and copernicus , for copernicus by his observations some yeares before , and after ann . christi . affirmed , the greatest declination of the sunne , to bee no more then . . . agreeable to the observations of regiomontanus , and peurbachius some yeares before him . copernicus collating his observations with those of former ages , renewed the hypothesis of arzachel ; that the sunnes greatest declination was mutable ; yet so that it was never greater then . . nor lesse then . . the difference being only . and that in yeares it decreaseth from the former to the latter ; and in other yeares encreaseth from this to that againe . according to which hypothesis of copernicus , aboue yeares before christ , the greatest declination of the sunne was . . from which time accounting backewards , it was lesse and lesse ; so that about yeares before christ , the greatest declination of the sunne , was but . . from which time accounting still backewards , it was more and more ; till about yeares before christ , it was againe . . so after christ , about the yeare , the greatest declination of the sunne by this hypothesis shall bee but . . and from thence againe encrease till it become . . about the yeare , after christ. this opinion of copernicus is received by most of this time , some following him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , others somewhat varying in the difference of the greatest declination , making it when it is least ( as in our time ) not lesse then , , and in the periodicall restitution thereof . but to speake freely , i cannot so easily bee drawne into this opinion , but rather thinke the greatest declination of the sunne , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , immutable , and for ever the same ; for the little difference of a few minutes betwixt vs , and ptolomy may very well arise ( as i formerly said ) from the errour of observations by the ancients . the greatest declination of the sunne from the aequinoctiall towards either pole , being alwaies the same ; the sunne cannot goe more southernely from vs , nor come more northernly towards vs , in this , then in former ages . but supposing a mutability in the sunnes greatest declination , according to the former periods ; it followeth that as the sunne about yeares before the epoche of christ went from our verticall point more southernly then now it doth ; so , many ages before christ , it went no more southernly , then now it doth ; and that many ages after our time , it shall goe as farre southernly , as at the epoche of christ. secondly , when the greatest declination was most . as then in winter the sun went more southernly from vs then now , so in summer it came more northernly and neerer vs , then now . againe , when the greatest declination is least , ( as in our age ) it goeth not so farre southernly from vs in winter , as formerly , neither in summer comes so farre northernly . from which answere it may ( as i conceiue ) bee fitly and safely inferred , first that either there is no such remoueall at all of the sunne , ( as is supposed ) or if there bee , as wee who are situate more northernly , feele perchance the effects of the defects of the warmth thereof , in the vnkindly ripening of our fruites and the like , so , likewise by the rule of proportion , must it needs follow , that they who lie in the same distance from the south-pole , as wee from the north , should enjoy the benefite of the neerer approach thereof ; and they who dwell in the hottest climates interiacent , of the abating of the immoderate fervency of their heate ; and consequently , that to the vniversall , nothing is lost by this exchange : and as in this case it may happily fall out , so vndoubtedly doth it in many other : from whence the worlds supposed decay is concluded , wee vnderstand not , or at least-wise wee consider not , how that which hurts vs helpes another nation , wee complaine ( as was before truely observed out of arnobius ) as if the world were made , and the government thereof administred for vs alone ; & heereby it comes to passe , that as hee who lookes onely vpon some libbat or end of a peece of arras , conceiues perhaps an hand or head which he sees to bee very vnartificially made , but vnfolding the whole , soone findes , that it carries a due and iust proportion to the body : so , qui ad pauca respicit de facili pronuntiat ( saith aristotle ) hee that is so narrow eyed as hee lookes onely to his own person or family , to his owne corporation or nation , will paradventure quickely conceiue , and as soone pronounce , that all things decay and goe backewarde , whereas hee that as a citizen of the world , and a part of mankinde in generall takes a view of the vniversall , and compares person with person , familie with familie , nation with nation suspends his judgement , or vpon examination cleerely findes , that though some members suffer , yet the whole is thereby no way indammaged at any time , and at other times those same members are againe relieued . and from hence my second inference is , that supposing a mutability in the sunnes greatest declination ; looke what dammage wee suffer by his farther remoueall from vs in summer , is at least-wise in part recompensed by his neerer approach in winter , and by his periodicall revolutions fully restored . and so i passe from the consideration of the warmth , to those hidden and secret qualities of the heavens , which to astronomers , and philosophers are knowne by the name of influences . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the heavenly bodies , in regard of their iufluences . sect . . of the first kinde of influence , from the highest immoueable heaven , called by divines coelum empyraeum . howbeit aristotle thorow those workes of his , which are come to our hands , to my remembrance , hath not once vouchafed so much as to take notice of such qualities , which wee call influenences , and though among the ancients auerroes and auicenne , and among those of fresher date picus mirandula , and georgius agricola seeke to disproue them : yet both scripture , and reason , and the weighty authority of many great schollers aswell christians as ethnickes , haue fully resolved mee that such there are . they are by philosophers distinguished into two rankes , the first is that influence which is derived from the empyreall immoueable heaven , the pallace and mansion house of glorified saints and angells , which is gathered from the diversity of effects , aswell in regard of plants , as beasts , and other commodities vnder the same climate , within the same tract and latitude , equally distant from both the poles , which wee cannot well referre originally to the inbred nature of the soile , since the authour of nature , hath so ordained , that the temper of the inferiour bodies should ordinarily depēd vpon the superiour , nor yet to the aspect of the moueable spheres and stars , since every part of the same climate , successiuely , but equally injoyes the same aspect : it remaines then that these effects bee finally reduced to some superiour immoueable cause , which can be none other then that empyreall heaven ; neither can it produce these effects by meanes of the light alone , which is vniformely dispersed thorow the whole , but by some secret quality , which is diversified according to the diverse parts thereof ; and without this , wee should not onely finde wanting that connexion , and vnity of order , in the parts of the world , which make it so comely , but withall , should bee forced , to make one of the worthiest peeces thereof voyde of action , the chiefe end of euery created being . neither can this action misbeseeme the worthinesse of so glorious a peece , since both the creator thereof , is still busied in the workes of providence , and the inhabitants in the workes of ministration . sect . . of the second kind , derived from the planets and fixed starres . the other kind is that which is derived from the starres , the aspect of severall constellations , the opposition and conjunction of the planets , & the like . these wee haue warranted by the mouth of god himselfe , in the thirty eight of iob , according to our last , and most exact translation ; canst thou binde the sweete influences of the pleiades , or loose the bands of orion ? canst thou bring forth mazzoreth in his season ? or canst thou guide arcturus with his sonnes ? knowest thou the ordinances of heaven ? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth ? whereby the ordinances of heaven , it may well bee thought is meant the course and order of these hidden qualities , which without divine and supernaturall revelation , can neuer perfectly bee knowne to any mortall creature . besides , as a wise man of late memory hath well and truly observed , it cannot bee doubted , but the starres are instruments of farre greater vse , then to giue an obscure light , and for men to gaze on after sunne set , it being manifest that the diuersity of seasons , the winters & summers , more hot or cold , more dry or wet , are not so vncertained by the sunne and moone alone , who alway keepe one & the same course , but that the stars haue also their working therein , as also in producing severall kindes of mettalls , and mineralls in the bowels of the earth , where neither light nor heat can pierce . for as heat peirces where light cannot , so the influence pierces where the heat cannot . moreouer if wee cannot deny , but that god hath given vertues to springs and fountaines , to cold earth , to plants , and stones , and mineralls , nay to the very excrementall parts of the basest liuing creatures , why should wee robbe the beautifull starres , of their working powers ? for seeing they are many in number , and of eminent beauty and magnitude , wee may not thinke that in the treasury of his wisedome , who is infinite , there can be wanting , euen for euery starre a peculiar vertue and operation : as euery hearbe , plant , fruite , and flower , adorning the face of the earth , hath the like . as then these were not created to beautifie the earth alone , or to couer and shadow her dusty face , but otherwise , for the vse of man and beast , to feede them and cure them : so were not those incomparablely glorious bodies set in the sirmament , to none other end then to adorne it , but for instruments and organs of his divine prouidence so farre as it hath pleased his just will to determine . i 'le ne'r beleeue that the arch-architect with all these fires the heav'nly arches deckt onely for shew , and with these glistring shields t' amaze poore sheepheards watching in the fields . i 'le ne'r beleeue that the least flower that pranks our garden borders , or the common banks , and the least stone that in her warming lap our kind nurse earth doth covetously wrap , hath some peculiar vertue of it owne ; and that the glorious starres of heau'n haue none : but shine in vaine , and haue no charge precise , but to be walking in heau'ns galleries , and through that palace vp and downe to clamber , as golden guls about a princes chamber . but how farre it hath pleased the divine providence to determine of these influences , it is hard i confesse , to be determined by any humane wisedome . sect . . that the particular and vttermost efficacie of these influences cannot be fully comprehended by vs. if in the true and vttermost vertues of hearbs and plants , which ourselues sow and set , and which grow vnder our feet , and wee dayly apply to our severall vses , we are notwithstanding in effect ignorant , much more in the powers and working of coelestiall bodies . for ( as was sayd before ) hardly do wee guesse aright , at things that are vpon the earth , and with labour do wee find the things that are before vs : but the things which are in heauen who hath searched out ? it cannot well be denyed , but that they are not signes only , but at leastwise concurrent causes , of immoderate cold or heat , drought or moysture , lightning , thunder , raging winds , inundations , earthquakes and consequently of famine and pestilence , yet such crosse accidents , may and often do fall out , in the matter vpon which they worke , that the prognostication of these casuall events , euen by the most skilfull astronomers is very vncertaine . and for the common almanackes a man by observation shall easily find that the contrary to their prediction is commonly truest . now for the things which rest in the liberty of mans will , the starres haue doubtlesse no power over them , except it be lead by the sensitiue appetite , and that againe stirred vp by the constitution and complexion of the body , as too often it is , specially where the humours of the body are strong to assault , and the vertues of the minde weake to resist . if they haue dominion over beastes , what should we judge of men , who differ litle from beasts , i cannot tell , but sure i am , that though the starres incline a man to this or that course of life they do but incline , inforce they cannot : education and reason , and most of all religion , may alter and over-master that inclination , as they shall produce a cleane contrary effect . it was to this purpose a good and memorable speech of cardinall poole , who being certified , by one of his acquaintance , who professed knowledge of these secret favours of the starres , that he should be raysed and advanced to great calling in the world , made answer , that whatsoever was portended by the figure of his birth , ●…or naturall generation , was cancelled and altered , by the grace of his second birth , or regeneration in the bloud of his redemer . againe we may not forget that almighty god created the starres , as he did the rest of the vniversall , whose secret influences may be called his reserved and vnwritten lawes , which by his prerogatiue royall he may either put in execution or dispence with at his owne pleasure . for were the strength of the sarres such as god had quitted vnto them , all dominion over his creatures , that petition of the lords prayer , lead vs not into temptation , but deliver vs from evill , had been none other but a vaine expence of words and time . nay be he pagane or christian that so beleeueth , the only true god of the one and the imaginary gods of the other , would thereby be dispoyled , of all worship and reuerence and respect . as therefore i do not consent with them who would make those glorious creatures of god vertulesse : so i think that we derogate from his eternall and absolute power and providence to ascribe to them the same dominion over our immortall soules which they haue over our bodily substances , and perishable natures . for the soules of men louing and fearing god , receiue influence from that divine light it selfe , whereof the suns clarity and that of the sarres is by plato called but a shadow , lumen est vmbra dei , & deus est lumen luminis , light is the shadow of gods brightnesse , who is the light of light . sect . that neither of these kindes of influences is decayed in ther benigne and favorable effects , but that curious inquisition into them is to be forborne . now then since the immoveable heaven by the confession of all that acknowledg it ; is altogether inalterable , since the aspect of the fixed constellations , the conjunction and opposition of the plannets , in the course of their revolutions , is still the same , and constant to it selfe ; since for their number their quantity , their distance , their substance , th●…is motion , their light , and warmth , they are no whit impaired , why should wee make any doubt but that their influence is now likewise as sweet ( as god in his conference with iob teameth it , ) as benigne , as gratious , as favorable , as ever in regard of the elements , thee plants , the beasts and man himselfe : and why should we not beleeue that education , reason and eeligion , are now as powerfull , as ever to correct and qualifie their vnlucky and maligne aspects , that the hand of god is no way shartned , but that he is now as able as ever to controle and check his creatures , and make them worke together for the best , to them that loue him : as he did sometime in this very case , for his chosen people : they fought from heaven , the starres in their courses fought against sisera . hee that set the sun and moone , at a stand in their walks , and commanded the shadow to retire in the dyall of ahaz , he that made a dry path through the red sea , musled the mouthes of thee lyons , and restrained the violence of the fire , so as for a season it could not burne ; hath he bound himselfe to the influetce of a starre , that he cannot bind it vp or divert it , or alter it at his pleasure , and vpon the humble supplication of his servants ? no , no , sanctus dominabitur astris : if according to ptolomy the great master of iudiciary astrology , wisedome and fore-sight ouer-rule the starres , then surely much more devotion and piety . if the saints by their prayers commaund the divels , and both shut and open heauen for raine and drought , as did elias , then may they aswell by vertue of the same prayer stoppe the influences of the starres , the instrumentall causes of drought & raine . bee not dismaide then at the signes of heauen , for the heathen be dismaide at them . and surely they in whom corrupt nature swayes & raignes , haue much more reason to be dismaide at them , then others in whom grace and the sence of godlines prevailes . and whiles they feare many times they know not what , by meanes of their very feare they fall into that which they stand in feare of : feare being the betrayer of those succours which reason affords . much noise there is at this present , touching the late great conjunction of saturne & iupiter , & many ominous conjectures are cast abroad vpon it , which if perchance they proue true , i should rather ascribe it to our sinnes then the starres , wee need not search the cause so far off , in the booke of heauen , we may find it written neerer at home in our own bosomes : and for the starres , i may say as our saviour in the gospell doth of the sabboth , the stars were made for men , and not men for the starres . they were not created to governe , but to serue him ; if he serue & be governed by his creator ; and if god be on our side , and we on his , iupiter & saturne shal neuer hurt vs ; but whatsoeuer the force of the starrs be , vpon the persons of private men , or the states of weale-publiques , i should rather advise a modest ignorance therein , then a curious inquisition thereinto , following the witty & pithy counsel of phavorinus the philosopher in gellius , where he thus speakes . aut adversa eventura dicunt , aut prospera , si dicunt prospera & fallunt , miser fies frustrà expectando , si adversa dicunt & mentiuntur , miser fies frustrà timendo , si vera respondent , eaque sunt non prospera , jam indè ex animo miser fies antequam è fato fias , si falicia promittunt eaque eventura sunt , tum planè duo erunt incommoea , & expectatio te spe suspensum fatigabit , & futurum gaudij fructum spes tibi defloraverit . either they portend then bad or good luck , if good & they deceiue , thou wilt become miserable by a vaine expectation , if bad & they lye , thou wilt be miserable by a vaine feare ; if they tell thee true , but vnfortunate events , thou wilt be miserable in mind before thou art by destiny ; if they promise fortunate successe , which shall indeed come to passe , these two inconveniences will follow therevpon , both expectation by hope will hold thee in suspence , & hope will deflowre & devoure the fruit of thy content . his conclusion is , which is also mine both for this point , and this chapter , & this discourse touching the heavenly bodies ; nullo igitur pacto vtendum est istiusmodi hominibus res futuras praesagientibus : we ought in no case to haue recourse to those kinde of men which vndertake the fore-telling of casuall events , and so i passe from the consideration of the coelestiall bodies to the subcoelestial , which by gods ordinance depend vpon them , and are made subordinate vnto them ; touching which & the coelestiall bodies both together , comparing each with other the divine bartas , thus sweetly and truly sings ; things that consist of th' elements vniting , are euer tost with an intestiue fighting , whence springs ( in time ) their life and their deceasing , their diverse change , their waxing and decreasing : so that , of all that is , or may be seene with mortall eyes , vnder nights horned queene , nothing reteineth the same forme and face , hardly the halfe of halfe an houres space . but the heau'ns feele not fates impartiall rigour , yeares adde not to their stature nor their vigour : vse weares them not ; but their greene-euer age , is all in all still like their pupillage . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the elements in generall . sect . . that the elements are still in number foure , and still retaine the ancient places and properties . hauing thus prooued at large , in the former chapters touching the heauens , that there neither is , nor in the course of nature can be , any decay either in regard of their matter , their motion , their light , their warmth or influence , but that they all continue as they were euen to this day by gods ordinance . , it remaines that i now proceed to the consideration of the sublunary bodies , that is , such as god & nature hath placed vnder the moone . now the state of these inferiour , being guided and governed by the superiour , if the superiour be vnimpaireable , as hath beene shewed , it is a strong presumption , that the inferiour are likewise vnimpaired . for as in the wheeles of a watch or clock , if the first be out of order , so are the second & third , & the rest that are moued by it : so if the higher bodies were impaired , it cannot bee but the lower depending vpon them , should tast thereof , as on the other side the one being not impaired , it is more then probable that the other partake with them in the same condition . which dependance is well expressed by boeshius , where hauing spoken of the constant regularity of the heauenly bodies . he thus goes on . haec concordia temperat aequis elementa modis , vt pugnantia vicibus cedant humida siccis , iungantque fidem frigora flammis , pendulus ignis surgat in altum , terraeque graves pondere sidant iisdem causis vere tepenti spirat florifer annus odores , aestas cererem fervida siccat , remeat pomis gravis autumnus , hyemem defluus irrigat imber , haec temperies alit & profert , quicquid vitam spirat in orbe eadem rapiens condit & aufert obitu me●…gens orta supremo , the concord tempers equally contrary elements , that moist things yeeld vnto the dry , and heat with cold consents ; hence fire to highest place doth flie , and earth doth downward bend , and flowrie spring perpetually sweet odours forth doth send , hote summer harvest giues , and store of fruit autumnus yeelds , and showres which down from heau'n doe powre , each winter drowne the fields : what euer in the world doth breath , this temper forth hath brought , and nourished : the same by death againe it brings to nought . among the subcoelestiall bodies following natures methode , i will first begin with the consideration of the elements , the most simple and vniversall of them all , as being the ingredients of all mixt bodies , either in whole or in part , and into which the mixt are finally resolued again , & are again by turnes remade of them , the common matter of them all still abiding the same . heere 's nothing constant , nothing still doth stay ; for birth and death haue still successiue sway : here one thing springs not till another dye onely the matter liues immortally . th'almightie's table , body of this all , ( of changefull chances common arcenall , all like it selfe , all in it selfe contained , which by times flight hath neither lost nor gained ) changelesse in essence , changeable in face , much more then proteus or the subtill race of roving polypes , who ( to rob the more ) transforme them hourely on the wauing shore : much like the french , ( or like our selues their apes ) who with strange habit doe disguise their shapes . who louing novels full of affectation , receiue the manners of each other nation . by consent of antiquity they are in number foure , the fire , the aire , the water , and the earth . quatuor aeternus genitalia corpora mundus continet : ex illis duo sunt onerosa , suoque pondere in inferius tellus , atque vnda feruntur : et totidem gravitate carent : nulloque premente alta petunt aer , atque aere purior ignis . quae quamquam spatio distant ; tamen omnia fiunt et ipsis , & in ipsa cadunt . foure bodies primitiue the world still containes of which , two downeward bend the earth and watery plaines , as many weight doe want and nothing forcing , higher they mount , th' aire and purer streames of fire which though they distant bee , yet all things from them take their birth , and into them their last returnes doe make . three of them shew themselues manifestly in mixt , the butter beeing the aieriall part thereof , the whey the watery , and the cheese the earthly : but all foure in the burning of greene wood , the flame being fire ; the smoke , the aire ; the liquor distilling at the ends , the water ; and the ashes , the earth . philosophy likewise by reason , teaches and proues the same , from their motion vpward and downeward , from their second qualities , of lightnes and heauines , and from their first qualities , either actiue , as heat and cold , or passiue , as dry and moist . for as their motion proceeds from their second qualities , so doe their second from the first , & their first from the heauenly bodies , next to which , as being the noblest of them all , as well in puritie as activity , is seated the element of the fire , ( though many of the ancients , and some latter writers , as namely cardane , among the rest seeme to make a doubt of it ) ignis ad aethereas volucer se sustulit aur as summaque complexus stellantis culmina coeli , flammarum vallo naturae moenia fecit . the fire eftsoones vp towards heaven did stie , and compassing the starrie world , advanced a wall of flames , to safeguard nature by . next the fire , is seated the aire , divided into three regions , next the aire the water , and next the water the earth . who so ( sometime ) hath seene rich ingots tride , when forc't by fire their treasure they devide ( how faire and softly gold to gold doth passe , silver seekes silver , brasse consorts with brasse ; and the whole lumpe , of parts vnequall , severs it selfe apart , in white , red , yellow rivers ) may vnderstand how , when the mouth divine op'ned ( to each his proper place t'assigne ) fire flew to fire , water to water slid , aire clung to aire , and earth with earth abid . the vaile both of the tabernacle and temple , were made of blew , and purple , and scarlet , or crimson , and fine twisted linnen : by which foure , as iosephus noteth , were represented the foure elements ; his wordes are these : velum hoc erat babylonium variegatum , ex hya●…intho , & bysso , coccoque & purpura , mirabiliter elaboratum , non indignam contemplatione materiae commistionem habens , sed velut omnium imaginem praeferens ; cocco enim videbatur ignem imitari , & bysso terram , & hyacintho aerem , ac mare purpura , partim quidem coloribus , bysso autem & purpura origine , bysso quidem quia de terra , mare autem purpuram gignit , the vaile was babylonish worke , most artificially imbrodered , with blue , and fine linnen , and scarlet , and purple , hauing in it a mixture of things , not vnworthy our consideration , but carrying a kinde of resemblance of the vniversall ; for by the scarlet , seemed the fire to be represented ; by the linnen , the earth ; by the blew , the aire ; and by the purple , the sea , partly by reason of the colours of scarlet and blue , and partly by reason of the originall of linnen and purple , the one comming from the earth , the other from the sea . and s. hierome in his epistle to fabiola , hath the very same conceite , borrowed , as it seemes , from iosephus , or from philo , who hath much to like purpose , in his third booke of the life of moses : or it may be from that in the eighteenth of the booke of wisedome , in the long robe was the whole world : as not only the vulgar lattin , and arias montanus , but out of them and the greeke originall , our last english translation reades it . the fire is dry and hot , the aire hot and moist , the water moist and cold , the earth cold and dry : thus are they linked , and thus embrace they one another with their symbolizing qualities , the earth being linked to the water by coldnes , the water to the aire by moistnes , the aire to the fire by warmth , the fire to the earth by drought : which are all the combinations of the qualities that possiblely can bee ; hot & cold , as also dry and moist , in the highest degrees , beeing altogether incompatible in the same subject : and though the earth & the fire bee most opposite in distance , in substance , & in activity ; yet they agree in one quality , the two middle being therein directly contrary to the two extreames , aire to earth , and water to fire . water , as arm'd with moisture and with cold , the cold-dry earth with her one hand doth hold ; with th' other th' aire : the aire as moist and warme , holds fire with one ; water with th' other arme : as countrie-maidens , in the moneth of may , merrily sporting on a holy-day and lusty dancing of a liuely round about the may-pole , by the bag-pipes sound ; hold hand in hand , so that the first is fast ( by meanes of those betweene ) vnto the last . but all the linkes of th' holy chaine which tethers the many members of the world togethers , are such , as none but onely hee can breake them who at the first did ( of meere nothing ) make them . sect . . that the elements still hold the same proportions each to other , and by mutuall exchange the same dimensions in themselues . these foure then , as they were from the beginning , so still they remaine the radicall and fundamentall principles of all subcoelestiall bodies , distinguished by their severall and ancient situations , properties , actions , and effects , and howsoeuer after their old wont they fight and combate together , beeing single ; yet in composition they still accord marueilous well . tu numeris elementa ligas ; vt frigora flammis , arida conveniant liquidis , ne purior ignis euolet , aut mersas deducant pondera terras . to numbers thou the elements doest tie that cold with heat may symbolize , and drie with moist , least purer fire should sore too high , and earth through too much weight too low should lie . the creator of them , hath bound them , as it were , to their good behaviour , and made them in euery mixt body to stoope and obey one pre-dominant , whose sway and conduct they willingly follow . the aire being predominant in some , as in oyle , which alwaies swimmes on the toppe of all other liquors ; and the earth in others , which alwaies gather as neere the center as possiblely they can . and as in these , they vary not a jot from their natiue and wonted properties , so neither doe they in their other conditions . it is still true of them , that nec gravitant nec levitant in suis locis , there is no sense of their weight or lightnes in their proper places , as appeares by this , that a man lying in the bottome of the deepest ocean , he feeles no burden from the weight thereof : the fire still serues to warme vs as it did , the aire to maintaine our breathing , the water to clense and refresh vs , the earth to feede and support vs , and which of them is most necessary for our vse is hard to determine : likewise they still hold the same proportion one toward another , as formerly they haue done : for howbeit the peripatetikes , pretending heerein the authority of their mr aristotle , tell vs that as they rise one aboue another in situation , so they exceede one another , proportione decupla , by a tenne-fold proportion , yet is this doubtles a foule errour , or at least-wise a grosse mistake , whether wee regard their entire bodies , or their parts ; if their entire bodies , it is certaine that the earth exceedes both the water and the aire by many degrees : the depth of the waters , not exceeding two or three miles , & for the most part not aboue halfe a mile , as marriners finde by their line and plummet , whereas the diameter of the earth , as mathematicians demonstrate , exceedes seven thousand miles . and for the aire , taking the height of it from the place of the ordinary comets , it containes by estimation about fiftie two miles , as nonius , vitellio , and allhazen shew by geometricall proofes . whence it plainly appeares that there cannot be that proportion betwixt the intire bodies of the elements which is ptetended , nor at any time was since their creation . and for their parts , 't is as cleare by experience , that out of a few drops of water may be made so much aire as shall exceed them fiuehundred or a thousand times atleast but whatsoeuer their proportion be , it is certain that notwithstanding their continuall transmutation , or transelementation , as i may so call it , of one into another , yet by a mutuall retribution it still remaines the same that in former ages it hath beene , as i haue already shewed more at large in a former chapter : & philo most elegantly expresseth , egregia quidem est in elementis quaternarum virium compensatio , aequalibus , justisque regulis ac terminis vices suas dispensantium : sicut enim anni circulus quaternis vicibus distinguitur , alijs partibus post alias succedentibus , & per ambitus eosdem vsque recurrente tempore : pari modo & elementa mundi vicissim sibi succedentia mutantur , & quod diceres incridibile , dum mori videntur , redduntur immortalia , iterum atque iterum metiendo idem stadium , & sursum atque deorsum per eandem viam cursitando continuè , à terra enim acclivis via incipit , quae liquescens in aquam mutatur , aquaporrò evaperat in aerem , aer in ignem extenuatur , ac declivis altera deorsum tendit à capite , igne per extinctionem subsidente in aerem , aere verò in aquam se densante , aquae verò liquore in terram crassescente . there is in the elements a notable compensation of their fourefold qualities , dispencing themselues by euen turnes and just measures . for as the circle of the yeare is distinguished by foure quarters , one succeeding another , the time running about by equall distances : in like manner the foure elements of the world by a reciprocall vicissitude succeed one another : & which a man would thinke incredible , while they seeme to dye , they become immortall running the same race , and incessantly travailing vp and downe by the same path . from the earth the way riseth vpward , it dissolving into water , the water vapors forth into aire , the aire is rarified into fire ; again they descēd down ward the same way , the fire by quēching being turnedinto aire , the aire thickned into water , & the water into earth . hitherto philo , wherein after his vsuall wont he platonizes , the same being in effect to be found in platoes timaeus , as also in aristotles booke de mundo , if it be his , in damascene , and gregory nyssen . and most elegantly the wittiest of poets . — resolutaque tellus in liquidas rarescit aquas tenuatur in auras , aeraque humor habet dempto quoque pondere rursus in superos aer tenuissimus emicat ignes . inde retrò redeunt : idemque retexitur ordo ignis enim densum spissatus in aera transit hinc in aquas tellus glomeratâ cogitur vndâ . the earth resolu'd is turned into streames , water to aire , the purer aire to flames : from thence they back returne , the fiery flakes are turn'd to aire , the aire thickned , takes the liquid forme of water , & that earth makes . the foure elements herein resembling an instrument of musicke with foure strings , which may bee tuned diverse wayes , and yet the harmony still remaines sweet , and so are they compared in the booke of wisdome , the elements agreed among themselues in this change , as when one tune is changed vpon an instrument of musick , and the melody still remaineth . sith then the knot of sacred marriage , which joynes the elements , from age to age brings forth the worlds babes : sith their enmities , with fel divorce , kill whatsoeuer dies : and sith but changing their degree and place , they frame the various formes , wherewith the face of this faire world is so imbellished , as six sweet notes , curiously varied in skilfull musick , make a hundred kindes of heau'nly sounds , that ravish hardest mindes ; and with division ( of a choice device ) the hearers soules out at their eares entice : or as of twice-twelue letters thus transpos'd , this world of words is variously compos'd , and of these words , in diverse order sowen , this sacred volume that you read is growen . who so hath seene , how one warme lump of waxe ( without increasing or decreasing ) takes a hundred figures , well may judge of all th' incessant changes of this neather ball : yet thinke not that this changing oft remises ought into nought : it but the forme disguises in hundred fashions , and the substances inly , or outly , neither win nor leese . for all that 's made , is made of the first matter which in th' old nothing made the all-creator . all that dissolues , resolues into the same , since first the lord , of nothing made this frame : nought's made of nought , and nothing turnes to nothing , things birth or death change but their formall clothing : their formes doe vanish , but their bodies bide , now thick , now thin , now round , now short , now side ▪ vtque novis facilis signatur cera figuris , nec manet vt fuerat , nec formam servat eandem , sed tamen ipsa eadem est . they be the verses of ovid in the of the met. but may well be rendred by those of bartas touching seuerall prints stamped vpon the same lumpe of waxe . sect . . an objection drawne from the continuall mixture of the elements each with other answered . thus then we see that the elements are stil the same , no way impaired in regard of their portions or proportions : neither doe i find any objection against this of any moment or worthy our notice : let vs now examine whether or no they be impaired in their qualities , for which i haue often heard it alleadged , that their frequent interchange , their continuall blending and mixing together now for the space of so many thousand yeares , cannot in reason but much haue altered their inbred vigour and originall constitution , as ilanders , & in them specially their maritine parts are thought by aristotle , & cōmonly by experience are found to be most tainted in their manners , by reason that lying open to trade , they draw on the commerce & intercourse of sundry forraine nations , who by long conversation , debauch them in regard of their customes , their language , their habite & naturall disposition . but this allegation is in truth a bare and naked supposition . for though it bee true that such a continuall traffique and inter-change there is betwixt the elements , yet doth it not therefore follow that their qualities should thereby degenerate , or become more impure , inasmuch as that impurity which by intercourse they haue contracted , by perpetuall agitation they purge out againe , and by continuall generation each out of other renew their parts , and so by degrees returne to their former estate and purity , againe , for the fire , if we consider it in it's own spheare , ( though as the rest of the elements , it be indeed subject to a successiue generation & corruption , in regard of the parts thereof ) yet is it alwaies most pure , which is the reason that it neither can be seene , as fiery meteors are , neither can any creature either breed or liue in it . and as for the aire , water , and earth , if they were pure , it is certaine they could not be so serviceable as they are . if the aire were pure , neither men , nor birds , nor beasts could breath in it , as s. augustin reports of the hill olympus , perhibetur in olympi vertice aer esse tam tenuis vt neque sustentare alites possit , neque ipsos qui fortè ascenderint homines , crassioris aurae spiritu alere sicut in isto aere consueverunt : it is said that vpon the top of the hill olympus , the aire is so thin & pure , that it can neither beare vp the birds that offer to flye in it , nor be vsefull for the breathing of men , if any come thither , being vsed to thicker ayre . neither could any meteors , did it still continue pure , be bred in it : as raine & snow & dewes and frosts and the like , which notwithstanding are many wayes commodious and profitable for the vse of all liuing creatures , so as they could not liue without them . and for the water if it were pure , it could neither feed the fishes nor beare vp vessels of burden . as likewise if the earth were pure , it would be altogether barren , and fruitlesse , like sand or ashes , not able to nourish the plants that hang vpon the breasts of it . the elements then being ordeined for the ornament of the world , but cheifely to serue the mixt bodies , there is nothing lost , but much gained to the whole , by the losse of their purity , nay the restitution and recovery thereof ( if so they were created ) would vndoubtedly proue the vtter vndoing of the whole , as the vntainted virginity of either sexe would of the race of mankind ; yet for farther satisfaction , it shall not be amisse to consider these three asunder , in reference to the mixt bodies , the ayer i meane , the water and the earth , that so it may appeare whether the ayre be decayed in it's temper , the water in it's goodnesse and vertue , the earth in it's fatnesse and fruitfullnesse . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the ayre , in regard of the temper thereof . sect . . of excessiue drought and cold in former ages and that in forraine countreyes that the ayre is not distempered , more then in former ages , will as i conceiue appeare by this , that vnseasonable weather , for excessiue heate and cold , or immoderate drought and raine , thunder and lightning , frost and snow , haile & windes , yea & contagious sicknesses , pestilentiall , epidemicall diseases , arising from the infection of the ayre , by noysome mistes and vapoures , to which we may adde , earthquakes , burning in the bowels of the earth , blazing comets , & the like , were as frequent , if not more , in former ages , then in latter times , as will easily appeare to such who please to looke either into the generall history of the world at large , or the severall cronicles of particular nations . such burning like that of phaeton , such floods like that of ogyges and deucalion recorded by orosius , pliny , s. augustine , & varro , the world hath not felt or knowne since those times . to like purpose i remember iustus lypsius a man rather partiall for antiquity then for the present age , hath written an epistle vpon occasion of a great drought which happened in the yeare one thousand six hundred and one , and lasted by the space of aboue foure moneths , to which he makes his entrance , non tamen nimis insolens aut nova , et si nobis sic visa . it is no new or vnusall thing , though to vs so it seeme : wherevpon he produceth sundry instances for excessiue heate and drought in former ages aswell from the romaine history , as the germaine annales . among which the most remarkable , are that in the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight , the heate was such , that their harvest was fully ended before midsommer , or to speake in his words , before the festivall of s. iohn the baptist , which we commonly call midsomer day . and againe two yeares after , in the moneths of iuly , & august , it continued so fervently hot that men rosted egges in the sand . and least wee should think that their immoderate cold , was not answerable to their heate , he goes on and tels vs that in the reigne of lewis son to charlemaigne , in the yeare eight hundred twenty one , the winter was so long and sharpe that not only small brookes and streames , but the rheine , danubius , albis , the seene , and generally all the great rivers both of france and germany were so hard frozen that for the space of thirty dayes or more , loaden carts passed over them , as it had beene vpon bridges . vndaque jam tergo ferratos sustinet orbes , puppibus illa prius , patulis nunc hospita plaustris . the river on it's backe now iron wheeles sustaines , and what did ships ere while , now wagons entertaines . but in the yeare one thousand eighty six , the winter continued so bitter that from s. martyns day , which is the eleventh of november , to the first of aprill , the rheine was passible on foote . and for vnseasonable cold , in regard of the time of the yeare , hee reports out of hermannus contractus , that in the yeare one thousand sixty three , in the midst of aprill for the space of fower dayes the weather was so cruell with raging windes and abundance of snow that it kild their cattle and birds and destroyed their vines and trees . and lastly he vouches out of robertus de monte that in the yeare one thousand one hundred twenty fiue , it was so sore and byting a winter , that innumerable eeles by reason of the long continuance of the ice , came creeping out of the ditches & hiding themselues in the meddowes , were there found dead , and rotten by the the wonderfull excesse of cold , & vpon the trees scarce appeared there any leaues till the moneth of may : his conclusion is , quorsum ego ista ? vt opinio illa novitatis eximatur , quae malè in omni dolore aut querela blanditur , nunquam tale , nemini tantum : nugae et plebeii sermones , quos historiae refutent & seriò lectae , hunc quoque constantiae fructum in animo gignant . but now to what end are these examples alleadged by me ? surely to no other purpose but to worke out of mens mindes that opinion of novelty and strangenesse , wherewith we vsually flatter our selues in our griefe and complaintes , never was the like , no age ever saw or felt it , in such a measure : trifling speeches , beseeming the vulgar , but confuted by history , which being accuratly read , may serue to arme vs with constancy against these and the like accidents . i thinke wee shall hardly reade or heare of a sharper frost in latter ages , then that which ovid mentions , in the place whither hee was banished , at his beeing there . nudaque consistunt formam servantia testae vina , nec hausta meri sed data frusta bibunt . bare wines still keeping forme of caske stand fast , not gulpes , but gobbets of their wine they tast . agreeable wherevnto is that of virgill , caeduntque securibus humida vina , and liquid wines with axes doe they cleaue . serres in the life of francis the first reports , that at the siege of luxenbuge , in the yeare , the weather was so cold , that the provant wine ordained for the armie being frozen , was divided with hatches , and by the souldiers carried away in baskets . and tacitus speaking of the romanes warre in armenia , tells vs that the winter was so sharpe , and the earth so long couered with yce , that they could not pitch their tents , vnlesse they had first digged the ground ; many of their limmes grew starke with extremitie of cold , and many died in keeping the watch , and there was a souldier noted carrying a fagot , whose hands were so stiffe frozen , that sticking to his burthen , they fell from him as though they had beene cut from his armes . sect . . of excessiue draugh & cold and raine in former ages heere at home , and of the com mon complaint of vnseasonable weather in all ages , together with the reason thereof . and if wee looke neerer home , wee shall find that in the yeare one thousand one hundred & fourteene , in the fourteenth yeare of king henry the first , the riuer of thames was dryed vp , & such want of water there , that betweene the tower of london & the bridge , and vnder the bridge it selfe , that not onely horse , but a great number of men women and children , did daily wade ouer on foote . and for excessiue and vnseasonable frosts , raine , snow , haile , windes & the like our stories are full , specially stowes chronicles : & many of them were so immoderate , as wee haue had none of latter times comparable therevnto . is is true indeede that in generall , all ilands , and ours i beeleeue , aboue any other in the world , is subject to such vncertainety of weather , that many times wee can hardly distinguish christmas from mid-summer , but onely by the length of daies : so warme it is at christmas , & againe so stormy & cold at mid-summer . and for raine , thorow the yeare , i thinke , wee haue more then any where vpon the continent : so that i may justly call our iland matulam planetarum , the vrinall of the planets . i will giue one instance for all : in the two and twentieth yeare of edward the third , from midsummer to christmasse , for the more part , it continually rain'd : so that there was not one day and night dry together . but this i take to bee , specially for that it is environed by the sea , & withall stands so farre to the northwest . since then it is still situate where it was , it is likely that the aire was heere for the most part , tempered or distempered in former ages , as now it is : yet i know the complaint is common , that our summers by reason of cold and moist , are not so kindely as they haue beene : sternuntur segetes & deplorata colonis votajacent , longique perit labor irritus anni : the corne lies down , the plow-man doth complaine , his hopes are voide , & toiling all the yeare , hee onely hath his labour for his paine . neither will i altogether deny it , it may bee god hath a quarrell to vs for our sinnes , or seekes by this chastisement to draw vs neerer to himselfe : but what is this to the vniversall decay of nature ? doubtlesse the same complaint hath still beene in the times of our fathers , & grandfathers , and great grandfathers , and so vpward in regard of the generations before them . nonne quotidie hoc murmuratis , & hoc dicitis , quam diu ista patimur ! quotidie peiora & peiora : apud parentes nostros fuerunt dies laetiores , fuerunt dies meliores . o si interrogares ipsos parentes tuos , similiter tibi de diebus suis murmurarent : fuerunt beati patres nostri , nos miseri sumus ; malos dies habemus ; doe you not daily murmurre and thus say , how long shall wee suffer these things ! all things grow worse & worse ; our fathers saw better & merrier dayes : but i wish thou would'st aske the question of thy fathers , & thou shalt finde them murmurre likewise in regard of their daies : saying , oh our fathers were happy , wee miserable : wee see nothing but badde dayes . but had this complaint beene as true as ancient , as just as vsuall in all ages , wee had not beene left at this day to renue it : wee should by this time haue had no weather to ripen our corne or fruites , in any tollerable manner . for my selfe then , mine opinion is , that men for the most part , being most affected with the present , more sensible of punishments then of blessings , & growing in worldly cares , & consequently in discontent , as they grow in yeares and experience , they are thereby more apt to apprehend crosses then comforts , to repine & murmurre for the one , then to returne thankes for the other . whence it comes to passe that vnseasonable weather , & the like crosse accidents , are printed in our memories , as it were with red letters in an almanacke : but for seasonable & faire , there stands nothing but a blanke : the one graven in is brasse , the other written in water . sect . . of contagious diseases , and specially the plague , both heere at home and abroad , in former ages . now for contagious diseases , & specially the plague it selfe , it is well known , that this land hath now by gods favour been in a mannerall together free from it since the first yeare of his majesties raigne : whereas heretofore it hath commonly every seaven or eight yeares at farthest spread it selfe through the greatest part of the land , and swept away many thousands in the yeare one thousand three hundred forty eight , it was so hot in wallingford a towne of barkeshire , that in a manner it dispeopled the towne , reducing their twelue churches to one or two which they now only retaine . in london it had so sharpe and quick an edge , and mowed downe such multitudes that within the space of twelue moneths , there were buried in one churchyard commonly called the cistersians , or charterhouse , aboue fifty thousand . they writ further , that through the kingdome it made such a ravage , as it tooke away more then halfe of men , church-yards could not suffice to burie the dead , new grounds are purchased for that purpose : and it is noted , that there died , onely in london betweene the first of ianuary and the first of iuly . other citties and townes suffering the like , according to their portions : the earth being every where filled with graues , and the aire with cries . in the tenth yeare likewise of edward the second , there was so great a pestilence , and generall sickenesse of the common sort , caused by the ill nutriment they receiued , as the liuing scaree sufficed to bury the dead . now if wee cast our eyes abroad vnder the emperours vibius gallus , & volutianus his son , about two hundred & fiftie yeares after christ , there arose a plague in ethiopia , which by degrees spread it selfe into all the provinces of the romane empire , and lasted by the space of fitteene yeares together , without any intermission ; and so great was the mortallity , that in alexandria , as dyonisius himselfe , at that very time bishop of that sea reports it , there was not one house of the whole citty free , & the whole remainder of the inhabitants did not equall the number of old men in former times : by meanes whereof s. cyprian , bishop of carthage , who liued in the same age , tooke occasion to write , that his excellent treatise de mortalitate : and lypsius his censure of this pestilence is , non alia vnquam maior lues mihi lecta , spatio temporum siue terrarum : i neuer read of a more greivous contagion , whether wee regard the long lasting or the large spreading thereof : yet was that certainely for the time more impetuous and outragious vnder iustinian , the fiercenes whereof was such that onely in constantinople and the places neere adjoyning therevnto , it cut off at least fiue thousand , & sometimes tenne thousand persons in one day : which my selfe should hardly bee drawne , either to report or to beleeue , but that i finde it recorded by faithfull historiographers of those times . neither lesse wonderfull was that pestilence in africa , which snatcht away onely in numidia , octingenta hominum millia , saith orosius , eight hundred thousand men . or that vnder michael duca in greece , which was so sharpe and violent , vt viui prorsus pares non essent mortais sepeliendis , they bee the words of zonaras , the liuing were no way sufficient to burie the dead . but that which scourged italy in petrarches time , in the yeare one thousand three hundred fiftie nine , as himselfe relates it , in my minde exceedes all hitherto spoken of , there being scarely left aliue tenne ofa thousand thorow the whole countrey . whereby the way i cannot let passe , that vnder david , though by most diuines held to bee supernaturall and miraculous , in which there died of the people seuenty thousand men within the space of three dayes . now for other infectious ●…idemicall diseases in former ages , pasquier assignes a whole chapter to them , which hee thus intitles , des maladies qui ont seulement vnifois cours par la disposition de l' air . of those diseases which haue but once had their course through the distemper of the aire . heere with vs , wee haue not heard of late dayes of any such diseases , as the shaking of the sheetes , or the sweating sickenesse , touching which , it is very memorable that mr camdem hath deliuered in his description of shrewesbury ; as for the cause thereof , saith hee , let others search it out , for my own part i haue obserued , that this malady hath run through england thrise in the ages afore-going , & yet i doubt not but long before also it did the like , although it were not recorded in writing . first in the yeare of our lord , in which king henry the seventh first began his raigne , a little after the great coniunction of the superiour planets in scorpio . a second time yet more mildly , although the plague accompanied it in the d yeare after , anno , vpon a great opposition of the same planets in scorpio & taurus , at which time it plagued the netherlands and high almany also . last of all yeares after that againe in the yeare , when another coniunction of those planets in scorpio tooke their effects : so that by gods goodnes for the space now of these last seuenty three yeares wee haue not felt that disease . twise thirty three yeares & more , and the same coniunction and opposition of the planets haue passed ouer , & yet it hath not touched vs. in the yeare of king henry the first , a terrible murraine of cattell spred through the whole kingdome , in so much as whole sties of hogs , and whole stalls of oxen were euery-where suddenly emptied , & it continued so long , vt nulla omninò huius regni villa huius miscriae immunis alterius incommoda ridere posset , ( saith malmesburiensis ) so as no one village was so free from this misery that it could laugh at the mishap of others . now adayes we heare not of so frequent , of such fowle & fretting kindes of leprosies any-where in the world as were anciently among the iewes , they had the leprosie of the skin , of the fl●…sh , of the scab , of the running sore , of the haire , of the head , and beard : their garments both linnen & wollen were infected with it , so as sometimes it increased and spread it selfe in the very garment , though separared from the body of the diseased . nay which is more strange , the wals of their houses were not free from it : it tainted the very stones & the morter with greenish & reddish spots , so as they were forced sometimes to plucke downe a part of the house , sometimes the whole , when no other meanes was found to cleanse it . now their great multitudes of lepers appeares in this , that they had so many , and so solemne lawes for their tryall ; for their cleansing , & for the shutting of them vp without the campe . and though we may well conceiue that some of them were stricken with this disease immediatly by the finger of god , as a myriam , moses sister for her murmuring , b gehazi for his bribery , c azariah for his backwardnes in reformation of religion , d vzziah for his presumptuous forwardnes in taking vpon him the priests office , yet those foure that sate together expecting the charity of passengers at the gate of e samaria , & those ten that our f saviour healed at once , shew that the number of their ordinary lepers was very great . lastly , none can be ignorant , that the sicknesse which wee call the french disease , they the neapolitane , and the neapolitanes the indian , ( because we borrowed it from the french , they from the spaniards at naples , and they againe from the indians ) is neither so catching , nor so virulent , not so contagious , nor so dangerous , as in former times it hath beene . sect . . of earthquakes in former ages , and their terrible effects liuely described by seneca . to the pestilences and other contagious diseases of former ages may be added the earthquakes arising likewise from the distemper of the aire , though in another kind . of these we haue heard little in these latter times , or at leastwise they haue beene nothing so frequent & fearefull as in the dayes of our more ancient predecessors , in so much as they chiefly gaue occasion to the composing of that letany , and therein to the petition against suddaine death , which by publique authority is vsed through the christian church at this day by the force of earthquakes contrary to the proverbe , mountaines haue met ; the citty of antioch where the disciples of christ were first called christians , with a great part of asia bordering vpon it , was in traianes time swallowed vp with an earthquake , as writeth dion , reporting very marvailous things thereof . by the same meanes at one time were twelue famous citties of asia ouer-turned vnder the reigne of tiberius . and at an other time as many townes of campania vnder constantine . and of the dreadfulnes of this accident , aboue the pestilence or any other incident to mankind , seneca excellcntly discourses in the sixth book of his naturall questions : hostem muro repellam , saith hee , praeruptae altitudinis . castella , vel magnos exercitus , difficultate aditus morabuntur , à tempestate nos vindicant portus , nimborum vim effusam & sine fine cadentes aquas tecta propellunt , fugientes non sequitur incendium , adversus tonitrua & minas coeli subterraneae domus & defossi iu altum specus remedia sunt , ignis ille coelestis non transverberat terram , sed exiguo ejus objectu retunditur , in pestilentia mutare sedes licet , nullum malum sine effugio est , nunquam fulmina populos percusserunt , pestilens coelum exhausit vrbes non abstulit ; hoc malum latissimè patet , inevitabile , avidum , publicè noxium , non enim domus solùm & familias , aut vrbes singulas haurit , sed gentes totas regionesque subvertit , & modò ruinis operit , modò in altam voraginem condit , ac ne id quidem relinquit ex quo appareat quòd non est saltem fuisse , sed supra nobilissimas vrbes sine vllo vestigio prioris habitus solum extenditur . a wall will repell an enemy , rampiers raised to a great height by the difficulty of their accesse will keepe out powerfull armies , an hauen shelters vs from a tempest , & the couering of our houses from the violence of stormes & lasting raines , the fire doth not follow vs , if we fly from it , against thunder & the threats of heauen , vaults vnder ground & deep caues are remedies , those blastings & flashes from aboue , doe not pierce the earth , but are blunted by a little peece of it oppofed against them ; in the time of pestilence a man may change dwellings , there is no mischiefe but may be shunned , the lightning neuer stroke a whole nation , a pestilential ayre hath emptied cities , not ouer-turned them : but this mischiefe is large in spreading , vnavoydable , greedy of destruction , generally dangerous . for it doth not onely depopulate houses , & families , & townes , but layes waste & makes desolate whole regions and countreyes : sometimes covering them with their own ruines , and sometimes ouer-whelming them , and burying them in deepe gulphes , leauing nothing whereby it may so much as appeare to posterity , that that which is not , sometimes was , but the earth is levelled ouer most famous citties , without any marke of their former existence . sect . . of dreadfull burnings in the bowels of aetna , and vesuvius , and the rising of a new iland out of the sea with hideous roaring neere putzol in italy . as the quakings of the earth were more terrible in former ages , so were the burnings in the bowels thereof no lesse dreadfull , the one being as it were the cold & the other the hot fits thereof . the mountaine aetna in sicilie hath flamed in time past so abundantly that by reason of thick smoake and vapours arising therefrom , the inhabitants thereabout could not see one another ( if wee may giue credite to cicero ) for two dayes together . and in the yeare of the world , it raged so violently , that africa was thereof an astonished witnesse . but virgils admirable description thereof may serue for all . — horrificis tonat aetna ruinis interdumque atram prorumpit ad aethera nubem ; turbine fumantem piceo , & candente favilla , attollitque globos flammarum & sydera lambit , interdum scopulos , avulsaque viscera montis erigit eructans , liquefactaque saxa sub aur as cum gemitu glomerat , fundoque exaestuatimo . aetna here thunders with a horride noise , sometimes black clouds evaporeth to skies , fuming with pitchie curles and sparkling fires , tosseth vp globes of flames , to starres aspires : now belching rocks , the mountaines entrals torne , and groaning , hurles out liquid stones there borne thorow the aire in showres . but rightly did another poet diuine of this mountaine and the burnings therein , nec quae sulphurijs ardet fornacibus aetna ignea semper erit , neque enim fuit ignea semper . aetna which flames of sulphure now doth raise . shall not still burne , nor hath it burnt alwayes . the like may be said of vesuvius in the kingdome of naples , it flamed with the greatest horrour in the first , or as some say in the third yeere of the emperour titus : where besides beasts , fishes and fowle , it destroyed two adjoyning citties herculanum and pompeios with the people sitting in the theater , pliny the naturall historian , then admirall of the romane navy desirous to discover the reason was suffocated with the smoake thereof , as witnesseth his nephew in an epistle of his to cornelius tacitus . — sensit procul africa tellus , tunc expuluerijs geminata incendia nimbis , sensit et aegyptus memphisque & nilus atrocem tempestatem illam , campano è littore missam , nec caruisse ferunt asiam syriamque tremenda peste , nec exstantes neptunj è fluctibus arces cyprumque cretamque & cycladas ordine nullo per pontum sparsas nec doctam palladis vrbem tantus inexhaustis erupit faucibus ardor ac vapor . they be the verses of hieronymus borgius touching the horrible roaring and thundring of this mountaine , and may thus be englished . then remote africke suffer'd the direfull heate of twofold rage with showers of dust repleate scorcht egipt , memphis , nilus felt amaz'd , the woofull tempest in campania rais'd , not asia , syria , nor the towers that stand in neptunes surges , cyprus , creet , ioues land the scattered cyclades , nor the muses seate minervaes towne that vast plague scapt such heate such vapours brake forth from full jawes — marcellinus farther obserues that the ashes thereof transported in the ayre obscured all europe , and that the constantinopolitanes being wonderfully affrighted therewith ( in so much as the emperour leo forsooke the citty ) in memoriall of the same did yearely celebrate the twelfth of november . who in these latter ages hath euer heard or read of such a fire issuing out of the earth as tacitus in the of his annals and almost the last words describes . the citty of the inhonians in germanie confederate with vs ( sayth he ) was afflicted with a sudden disaster , for fires issuing out of the earth burned towns , feilds , villages every where , and spred even to the wals of a colony newly built , and could not be extinguished neither by raine nor river water , nor any other liquor that could be imployed vntill for want of remedie , and anger of such a destruction , certaine pesants cast stones a farre of into it ; then the flame somewhat ●…laking , drawing neare they put it out with blowes of clubs and otherlike , as if it had been a wild beast , last of all they threw in clothes from their backes which the more worne and fowler , the berrer they quenched the fires . but the most memorable both earthquake and burning is that which mr. george sands in the forth booke of his travels reports to haue hapēed neare puttzoll in the kingdome of naples likewise , in the yeare of our lord , and on the th of september , when for certaine daies foregoing the countrey thereabout was so vexed with perpetuall earthquakes , as no one house was left so intire , as not to expect an immediate ruine , after that the sea had retired two hundred pases from the shore , ( leauing abundance of fresh water rising in the bottome ( there visiblely ascended a mountaine about the second hower of the night with hideous roaring , horriblely vomiting stones , and such store of cinders as overwhelmed all the buildings therabout , and the salubrious bathes of tripergula , for so many ages celebrated , consumed the vines to ashes , killing birds and beastes ; the fearefull inhabitants of puttzoll flying through the darke with their wiues and children naked , defiled , crying out and detesting their calamities ; manifold mischiefes had they suffered , yet none like this which nature inflicted : yet was not this the first iland that thus by the force of earthquakes haue risen out of the sea , the like is reported both of delos and rhodos , and some others . sect . . of the nature of comets and the vncertaintie of praedictions from them , as also that the number of those which haue appeared of late yeares , is lesse then hath vsually beene observed in former ages , and of other fiery and watry prodigious meteors . it remaines that in the next place i should speake somewhat of comets or blazing starres , whether in latter times more haue appeared , or more disastrous effectes haue followed vpon their appearance , then in former ages . some tooke the comet to haue beene a starre , ordained and created from the first beginning of the world : but appearing only by times and by turnes , of this mind was seneca . cardan , likewise in latter times harps much , if not vpon the same , yet the like string . but aristotle ( whose weighty reasons and deepe judgment i much reverence ) conceiueth the matter of the comet , to be a passing hot and dry exhalation , which being lifted vp , by the force & vertue of the sun , into the highest region of the ayre is there inflamed , partly by the element of fire , vpon which it bordereth , and partly by the motion of the heavens which hurleth it about ; so as there is the same matter of an earthquake , the wind , the lightning , and a comet , if it be imprisoned in the bowels of the earth , it causeth an earthquake ; if it ascend to the middle region of the ayre , and be from thence beating back , wind , if it enter that region and be there invironed with a thick cloud , lightning ; if it passe that region a comet , or some other fiery meteor , in case the matter be not sufficiently capable thereof . the common opinion hath beene , that comets either as signes or causes , or both haue allwayes prognosticated some dreadfull mishaps to the world , as outragious windes , extraordonary drougth , dearth , pestilence , warres , death of princes and the like . nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether . ne're did the heavens with idle blazes flame : but the late lord privy seale earle of northampton , in his defensatiue against the poyson of supposed prophesies , hath so strongly incountred this opinion , that for mine owne part i must professe , he hath perswaded mee , there is no certainty in those praedictions , in asmuch as comets doe not alwayes forerunne such euents , neither doe such euents alwayes follow vpon the appearing of comets . some instances he produceth of comets , which brought with them such abundance of all things , & abated their prises to so low an ebbe , as stories haue recorded it for monuments , and miracles to posterity : and the like , saith hee , could i say of others , ann. dom. . . . . after all which yeares nothing chanced that should driue a man to seeke out any cause aboue the common reach : and therefore i allow the diligence of gemma-frisius taking notice of as many good , as badde effects , which haue succeeded after comets . moreouer hee tells vs that peucer , a great mathematician of germany , prognosticated vpon the last comet , before the writing of his defensatiue , that mens bodies should bee parched and burned vp with heat : but how fell it out ? forsooth , saith hee , wee had not a more vnkindely summer many yeares , in respect of extraordinary cold : neuer lesse inclination to warre , no prince diseased in that time , and the plague which had beene somewhat quicke before in lombardy , as god would haue it , ceased at the rising of the comet . besides all this , hee reports of his owne experience , as an eye-witnesse , that when diverse vpon greater scrupulosity , then cause , went about to disswade queene elizabeth , lying then at richmond , from looking on a comet which then appeared , with a courage answereable to the greatnesse of her state , shee caused the window to be set open , and cast out this word , jacta est alea ; the dice are throwne , thereby shewing that her stedfast hope & confidence , was too firmely planted in the providence of god , to bee blasted or affrighted with those beames , which either had a ground in nature wherevpon to rise , or at least-wise no warrant in scripture to portend the mishappe of princes . neither doe i remember that any comet appeared either before her death ( as at her entrance there did , ) nor that of prince henry , nor of henry the great of france , the one being a most peerelesse queene , the other a most incomparable prince , & the third for prudence & valour , a matchlesse king. and for the last comet which appeared , it was so farre from bringing any excessiue heate with it , that for a long time there hath not beene known more cold yeares thē three or foure immediatly ensuing it . and though it bee true , that some great princes died not long after it , yet after that immediatly going before , i cannot call to mind any such effect : but as seneca truely notes , naturale est magis nova quam magna mirari , it is naturall vnto vs to bee inquisitiue & curious rather about things new and strange , then those which are in their owne nature truely great : yet euen among the ancients , charlemaigne professed , that hee feared not the signe of the blazing starre , but the great & potent creator thereof . and vespasian , as dyon reports , when the apparition of a comet was thought to portend his death , replied merrily : no , said hee , this bushy starre notes not mee , but the parthian king : ipse enim comatus est , ego verò calvus sum : for hee weares bushy locks , but i am bald lastly , some comets haue beene the messengers of happy & ioyfull tidings , as that at the birth of our saviour , & another at the death of nero , cometes summè bonus apparuit , qui praenuntius fuit mortis magni illius tyranni & pestilentissimi hominis , saith tacitus : there appeared a favourable & auspicious comet , as an herauld to proclaime the death of that great tyrant and most pestilent man. the praediction then , & successe of mischievous & vnfortunate accidents from the appearance of comets , appearing to bee thus vncertaine ; it followes in the second place to be considered , whether more haue appeared in these latter times , then in former ages . for mine owne part i remember but two , for the space of these last thirty yeares , and during his late majesties reigne but one , whereas my lord of northampton , ( as wee haue heard before , ) speakes of foure within the compasse of foure yeares . before the death of iulius caesar , virgill witnesseth . non alias coelo ceciderunt plura sereno fulgura , nec diri toties arsere cometae . ne're in cleare skymore lightnings did appeare , and direfull comets never rifer were . beda & paulus aemilius mention two , which by the space of fourteene dayes appeared together , in the reigne of charles martell , father to charlemaigne , the one in the morning going before the sunne , & the others in the euening following after it . the like wherevnto i doe not remember wee any where read of . now that which hath beene said of comets may likewise bee applied to other fierie & watery meteors , as streamings , swords , flying dragons , fighting armies , gapings , two or three sunnes & moones , & the like appearing in the aire many times to the great terrour & astonishment of the beholders : of all which & many more of that kinde , hee that desires to reade more , i referre him to vicomercatus , garzaeus , pontanus , & lycosthenes , de prodigijs & portentis ab orbe condito , vsque ad annum . of strange & prodigious accidents from the beginning of the world , to the yeare of our lord . but the strangest apparition in the aire in this kinde that ever i heard , or read of , was that which i finde reported by mr fox , whiles the spanish match with queene many was in the heat of treating , & neere vpon the eoncluding , there appeared in london on the fifteenth of february , a rainebow reuersed , the bow turning downeward , & the two ends standing vpward : a prodigious & supernaturall signe indeed of those miserable & bloudy times which quickely followed after . sect . . of strange and impetuous winds and lighnings , in former ages , aboue those of the present . in the last place wee may adde the impetuous thunders & lightnings , together with outragious windes in former times , such as latter ages haue scarce beene acquainted with . and because the latter of these haue of late plaid their parts more fiercely both by sea & land , it shall not be amisse to remember , that euen in the phophet davids time , when in likeliehood they lanched not forth into the maine , but coasted along by the shore , they were notwithstanding by the violence of tempests , lifted vp to heaven , and carried downe againe to the depths : which the poet hath in a manner translated word for word . tollitur in coelum , sublato gurgite et ijdem voluimur in barathrum . with surging waues to heaven wee lifted are , and in a trice to helward downe we fare . it was a terrible storme , & seldome heard of which encountred s. paul & his company in their voyage towards rome , though they sayled in sight of land , raysed by a tempestuous winde called euroclydon , insomuch as beside their imminent daunger neither sunne nor starres , which should haue beene their , guides in many dayes appeared vnto them . the concurrence & combating of contrary windes , which is now a dayes not often observed to happen , & i thinke in course of nature & discourse of reason can hardly bee , yet virgill mentions it more then once , vnà eurusque nothusque ruunt creberque procellis affricus & vastos voluunt ad littora fluctus . th'eastwinde , the west , the southwest and by west . rush forth together , and with boistrous stormes huge waues to shoreward roll — and againe , omnia ventorum concurrere praelia vidi , i saw the windes all combating together . such a winde it seemes was that , which smote at once all the foure corners of the house of iobs eldest sonne . let any who is desirous to inquire into , and compare things of this nature , but reade what is recorded in the turkish history of two wonderfull great stormes , the one by land in sultania , set downe in the entrance of solymans life ; the other at algiers , not farre from the mi'dst of the same life . at charles the th his comming thither , as also at his parting from thence ; and i presume hee will admire nothing in this kinde , that hath falne out in these latter times . vidi ego , saith bellarmine , quòd nisi vidissem non crederem , à vehementissimo vento effossam , ingentem terrae molem , eamque delatam super pagum quendam , vt fovea altissima conspiceretur , vnde terra eruta fuerat , & pagus totus coopertus , & quasi sepultus manserit ad quem terra illa deuenerat . i my selfe haue seene , which if i had not seene , i should not haue beleeued , a very great quantity of earth , digged out and taken vp by the force of a strong winde , and carried vpon a village thereby , so that there remained to be seene a great empty hollownes , in the place from whence it was lifted , and the village vpon which it lighted , was in a manner all couered ouer & buried in it . this example i confess●… , could not be long since , since , bellarmine professes that himselfe saw it , yet it might well be some skores of yeares before our last great windes , which notwithstanding by some , for want of reading and experience are thought to bee vnmatchable : and i know not whether that outragious winde which happened in london in the yeare . during the reigne of william rufus , might not well bee thought to paralell , at least , this recorded by bellarmine : it bore downe in that city alone , six hundred houses , & blew off the roofe of bow church , which with the beames were borne into the aire a great heigth , six whereof being foote long , with their fall were driuen foote deepe into the ground , the streetes of the citty lying then vnpaued . and in the fourth yeare of the same king , so vehement a lightning , ( which as hath beene said , is of the same matter with the winde ) pierced the steeple of the abbay of winscomb in glostershire , that it rent the beames of the roofe , cast downe the crucisixe , brake off his right legge , and withall ouerthrew the image of our lady standing hard by , leauing such a stench in the church , that neither incense , holy-water , nor the singing of the monkes could allay it : but it is now more then time i should descend a steppe lower , from the aire to the water . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the waters and the fish , the inhabiters thereof sect . . that the sea , and riuers , and bathes are the same at this present , as they were for many ages past , or what they loose in one place or time , they recouer in another . though the psalmist tell vs , that the lord hath founded the earth vpon the seas , and established it vpon the flouds , because for the more commodious liuing of man and beasts , hee hath made a part of it higher then the seas , or at least-wise restrained them from incursion vpon it , so as now they make but one intire globe ; yet because the waters in the first creation couered the face of the earth , i will first begin with them . the mother of waters , the great deepe hath vndoubtedly lost nothing of her ancient bounds or depth , but what is impaired in one place , is againe restored to her in another . the riuers which the earth sucked from her by secret veines , it renders backe againe with full mouth , & the vapours which the sunne drawes vp , empty themselues againe into her bosome . the purest humour in the sea , the sun exhales in th' aire : which there resolu'd , anon returnes to water , & descends againe , by sundry wayes into his mother maine . her motions of ebbing & flowing , of high springs and dead neapes , are still as certaine & constant , as the changes of the moone and course of the sunne : her natiue saltnes & by reason thereof her strength , for the better supporting of navigable vessells , is still the same : and as the sea the mother of waters , so likewise the rivers the daughters thereof , ●…ither hold on their wonted courses and currents , or what they haue diminished in one age or place , they haue againe recompenced and repayed in another , as sr●…bo hath well expressed it , both of the sea and rivers , quoniam omnia moventur & transmutantur , ( aliter talia ac tanta administrari non possent ) existimandum est , nec terram ita semper permanere , vt semper tanta sit nec quicquam sibi addatur aut adimatur , sed nec aquam , nec candem sedem semper ab istis obtineri , presertim cum transmutatio ejus , cognata sit ac naruralis , quini●…ò terrae multum in aquam convertitur , & aquae multum in terram transmutatur . quare minime mirandum est si eas terrae partes quae nunc habitantur , olim mare occupabat , & quae pelagus sunt prius habitabantur . quemadmodum de fontibus alios deficere contingit , alios relaxari ; item & flumina & lacus . because thnigs moue and are changed ( without which such and so great matters could not well be disposed ) we are to thinke that the earth doth not remaine alwayes in the same state , without addition or diminution , neither yet the water , as if they were alwayes bounded within the same lists , specially seeing their mutuall chang is naturall & kindly but rather that much earth is turned into water , & cōtrarywise no lesse water in to earth it is not thē to be wondered at , if that part of the earth which is now habitable was formerly overflowed with water , and that againe which now is sea , was sometimes habitable ; as among fountaines some are dried vp and some spring forth afresh , which may also be verified of rivers and lakes . wherewith accordes that of the poet. vidi ego quod fuerat quondam solidissima tellus esse fretum ; vidi factas ex aequore terras . et procul à pelago chonchae jacuere marinae , et vetus inventa est in montibus anchora summis : quodque fuit campus , vallem decursus aquarum fecit ; & eluvie mons est deductus in aequor . eque paludosa siccis humus aret arenis quaeque sitim tulerant stagnata paludibus hument . hic fontes natura nouos emisit , et illic clausit , & antiquis tam multa tremoribus orbis flumina prosiliunt , aut exsiccata residunt . what was firme land sometimes that haue i seen made sea , and what was sea made land againe , on mountaine tops old anchours found haue been , and sea fish shells to lie farre from the maine , plaines turne to vales by water falls , the downe by overflowes is chang'd to champaine land , dry ground erewhile , now moorish fen doth drowne , and fens againe are turn'd to thirsty sand , here fountaines new hath nature opened , there shut vp springs which earst did flow amaine , by earthquakes rivers oft haue issued , or dryed vp they haue sunke downe againe . the poet there bringes instances in both these : and to like purpose is that of pontanus . sed nec perpetuae sedes sunt fontibus vllae aeterni aut manant cursus , mutantur in aeuum ▪ singula , & inceptum alternat natura tenorem , quodque dies antiqua tulit , post auferet ipsa fountaines spring not eternally nor in one place perpetually do tary , all things in every age for evermore do vary , and nature changeth still the course she once begun , and will herselfe vndoe what she of old hath done . which though it be true in many , yet those great ones as indus and ganges , and danubius , and the rhene , & nilus are little or nothing varied from the same courses and currents which they held thousands of yeares since ; as appeares in their descriptions by the ancient geographers ; but aboue all meethinkes the constant rising of nilus continued for so many ages , is one of the greatest wonders in the world , which is so precise in regard of time , that if you take of the earth adjoyning to the river and preserue it carefully , that it come neither to be wet nor wasted , and weigh it dayly , you shall finde it neither more nor lesse heavy till the seventeenth of iune , at which day it begineth to groweth more ponderous and augmenteth with the augmentation of the river , whereby they haue an infallible knowledge of the state of the deluge . now for the medicinall properties of fountaine or bathes no man i thinke makes any doubt , but that they are both as many and as efficacious as ever . some it may be haue , lost their vertue and are growne out of vse : but others againe haue in stead thereof beene discovered in other places , of no lesse vse and vertue , as both baccius & blanchellus in their bookes de thermis haue observed . and for those hot ones at the citty of bath i make no question but nechams verses may as justly be verified of their goodnesse at this present , as they were fower hundred yeares since , about which time he is sayd to haue written them . bathoniae tharmas vix prefero virgilianas confecto prosunt balnea nostra seni . prosunt attritis , collisis , invalidisque , et quorum morbis frigida causa subest . our baines at bath with virgills to compare for their effects i dare almost be bold : for feeble folke , and crazie good they are , for brus'd , consum'd , farre spent , and very old for those likewise whose sicknesse comes of cold . sect . . that the fishes are not decayed in regard of there store , dimensions , or duration . but it is sayd , that though the waters decay not , yet the fish , the inhabitants thereof , at leastwise in regard of their number are much decayed , so as wee may take vp that of the poet. — omne peractum est , et iam defecit nostrum mare — all our seas at length are spent and faile . the seas being growne fruitlesse and barren as is pretended in regard of former ages , & that so it appeares vpon record in our hauen townes : but if such a thing be , ( which i can neither affirme nor deny , hauing not searched into it my selfe ) themselues who make the objection , shape a sufficient answere therevnto , by telling vs that it may so be by an extraordinary judgment of god , ( as he dealt with the egyptians ) in the death of our fish for the abuse of our flesh-pots , or by the intrusion of the hollander , who carries from our coast such store as we might much better loade our selues with : and if we should a little enlarge our view , & cast our eyes abroad , comparing one part of the world with another , we shall easily discerne , that though our coast faile in that abundance , which formerly it had by ouer-laying it , yet others still abound in a most plentifull manner , as is by experience found vpon the coast of virginia at this present . and no doubt , but were our coasts spared for some space of yeares , it would againe afford as great plenty as euer . finally , if the store of fish should decay by reason of the decay of the world , it must of necessity follow that likewise the store of plants , of beasts , of birds , and of men should dayly decay by vertue of the same reason . nay rather , since the curse lighting vpon man extended to plants and beasts , but not to fishes , for any thing i finde expressely registred in holy scripture . as neither did the vniversall deluge hurt , but rather helpe them , by which the rest perished . there are still no doubt euen at this day as at the first creation , in the sea to be found as many fishes of so many features , that in the waters one may see all creatures : and all that in this all is to be found , as if the world within the deepes were drown'd . now as the store of fishes is no way diminished : so neither are they decayed either in their greatnes or goodnes . i will instance in the whale , the king of fishes , or as iob termes him , the king ouer the children of pride . that which s. basil in his hexameron reports , namely that the whales are in bignes equall to the greatest mountaines , and their backes when they shew aboue water are like vnto ilands , is by a late learned writer not vndeservedly censured , as intollerably hyperbolicall . pliny in the ninth booke and third chap. of his naturall history tels vs that in the indian seas some haue beene taken vp to the length of foure acres , that is , nine hundred and sixty feete ; whereas notwithstanding arrianus in his discourse de rebus indicis assures vs , that nearchus measuring one cast vpon that shore , found him to be but fifty cubits . the same pliny in the first chapter of his booke sets downe a relation of king iubaes , out of those bookes which he wrote to c. caesar , son to augustus the emperour , touching the history of arabia , where he affirmes , that in the bay of arabia , whales haue beene knowne to be foot long , and foote thick , and yet as it is well known by the soundings of navigatours , that sea is not by a great deale foot deep . but to let goe these fancies : and fables and to come to that which is more probable . the dimensions of the whale , saith aelian , is fiue times beyond the largest elephants : but for the ordinary , saith rondeletius , hee seldome exceedes cubits in length , and in heighth . dion a graue writer reports it as a wonder , that in the reigne of augustus , a whale lept to land out of the german ocean , full foot in bredth , and in length . this i confesse was much , yet to match it with lattet times , gesner in his epistle to polidor virgill avoucheth it as most true , that in the yeare of our lord , in the northerne parts of our own land , not farre from tinmouth hauen , was a mighty whale cast on land , found by good measure to be foot in length , arising to english yards , the very bredth of his mouth was sixe yards and an halfe , and the belly so vast in compasse , that one standing on the fish of purpose to cut off a ribbe from him , and slipping into his belly , was very likely there to haue beene drowned with the moisture then remaining , had hee not beene suddenly rescued . from whence we may gather , that iobs admirable description of this fish vnder the name of leviathan , is still true , & that in vastnes , since augustus his time , he is nothing decreased : and yet i well beleeue , that those on the indian seas may much exceed ours , which might perchance giue occasion to those large relations of pliny & iuba . herevnto may be added the observation of macrobius touching the growth of the mullet . plinius secundus saith he , temporibus suis negat facile mullum repertum , qui duas pondo libras excederet , at nunc & majoris passim videmus , & praesentia hac insana nescimus . plinius secundus denies that in his time a mullet was easily to be found which exceeded two pound weight ; but now adayes we euery-where see them of greater weight , and yet are not acquainted with those vnreasonable prises which they then payde for them . i will close vp this chapter with a relation of gesners in his epistle to the emperour ferdinand prefixed before his bookes de piscibus , touching the long life of a pike which was cast into a pond or poole neere hailebrune in swevia , with this inscription ingraven vpon a collar of brasse fastned about his necke . ego sum ille piscis huic stagno omnium primus impositus per mundi rectoris frederici secundi manus , octobris , anno . i am that fish which was first of all cast into this poole by the hand of frederick the second governour of the world. of octob. in the yeare . he was again taken vp in the yeare , & by the inscription it appeared hee had then liued there yeares : so as it seemes , that as fishes are not diminished in regard of their store or growth : so neither in respect of their age and duration . but i leaue floting on the waters , and betake mee to the more stable element the earth . cap. . touching the pretended decay of the earth , together with the plants , and beasts , and minerals . sect . . the divine meditations of seneca and pliny vpon the globe of the earth . an objection out of aelian touching the decrease of mountaines answered . that all things which spring from the earth returne thither againe , & consequently it cannot decay in regard of the fruitfulnesse in the whole . other objections of lesse consequence answered . both seneca and pliny haue most divine meditations vpon this consideration , that the globe of the earth in regard of the higher elements and the heauens wheeling about it , is by the mathematicians compared to a prick or point . these so many peeces of earth ( saith pliny ) or rather , as most haue written , this little prick of the world , ( for surely the earth is nothing else in comparison of the whole ) is the only matter of our glory ; this i say , is the very seat thereof : here we seeke for honours and dignities , heere we exercise our rule and authority , here wee covet wealth and riches , here all mankind is set vpon stirs and troubles , here we raise civill warres still one after another , and with mutuall massacres & murthers we make more roome therein : and to let passe the publique furie of nations abroad , this is it wherein wee chace and driue out our neighbour borderers , and by stealth dig turfth from our neighbours soyle to put into our owne : and when a man hath extended his lands , and gotten whole countreyes to himselfe farre and neere , what a goodly deale of earth enjoyeth he ? and say , that he set out his bounds to the full measure of his covetous desire , what a great portion thereof shall he hold , when he is once dead , and his head layed . thus pliny , with whom seneca sweetly accords . hoc est punctum quod inter tot gentes , ferro & igne dividitur , ôquam ridiculi sunt mortalium termini ! punctum certè est illud in quo navigamus , in quo bellamus , in quo regna disponimus . it is but a point which so many nations share with fire and sword . oh how ridiculous are the bounds of mortall men ! it is verily but a point inwhich we saile , in which we wage warres , in which we dispose of kingdomes . but from these sublime speculations , wee are to descend to the examination of the earths supposed decay . aelian in the eight booke of his history , telleth vs , that not onely the mountaine aetna , ( for thereof might be given some reason , because of the daily wasting and consuming of it by fire , ) but parnassus & olympus did appeare to be lesse and lesse , to such as sayled at sea , the height thereof sinking as it seemed , and therevpon infers , that men most skilfull in the secrets of nature , did affirme that the world it selfe should likewise perish and haue an end . his conclusion i cannot but approue , and most willingly accept of , as a rich testimonie for the confirmation of our christian doctrine , from the penne of a gentile : but that he inferres it , from so weake groundes , i cannot but wonder at the stupidity of so wise a man. for to graunt that those mountaines decrease in their magnitude , yet shall i never yeeld a vniuersall decrease in the whole globe of the earth , since the proportions aswell of the diameter as circumference thereof , are by geometricall demonstrations found to be the same which they were in former ages , or at least-wise not to decrease . and for the difference , which is observed betwixt the calculation of ancient & moderne writers ; it is certainely to be referred to the difference of miles , or of instruments , or the vnskilfullnesse of the authours ; not to the different dimensions of the earth , which i thinke no geometrician euer somuch as dreamed of . notwithstanding which truth , i must , & doe readily subscribe to that of iob , surely the mountaine falling commeth to nought , and the rocke is remoued out of his place , but let vs take iobs reason with vs , which he immediately adds ; the waters weare the stones , thow washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth : this diminution then of the mountaines ( as blaucanus obserues ) is caused partly by raine-water , and partly by riuers , which by continuall fretting , by little and little wash away & eate out both the tops , and sides , and feete of mountaines ; whence the parts thus fretted through , by continuall falling downe , weare out the mountaines , and fill vp the lower places of the valleyes , making the one to increase as the other to decrease ; whence it comes to passe that some old houses , heretofore fairely built , be now almost buried vnder ground , and their windowes heretofore set at a reasonable height , now growen euen with the pauement . so some write of the triumphall arch of septimius , at the foote of the capitol mountaine in rome , now almost couered with earth , in somuch as they are inforced to descend downe into it , by as many staires as formerly they were vsed to ascend ; whereas contrariwise the romane capitoll it selfe seated on the mountaine which hanges ouer it ( as witnesseth george agricola ) discouers its foundation plainely aboue ground , which without question were at the first laying thereof deepe rooted in the earth , whereby it apppeares , that what the mountaine looseth the valley gaines ; and consequently that in the whole globe of the earth nothing is lost , but onely remoued from one place to another , so that in processe of time the highest mountaines may be humbled into valleyes , and againe the lowest valleyes exalted into mountaines . if ought to nought did fall ; all that is felt or seene within this all , still loosing somewhat of it selfe , at length would come to nothing : if death's fatall strength could altogether substances destroy , things then should vanish euen as soone as die . in time the mighty mountaines tops be bated ; but , with their fall , the neighbour vales are fatted and what , when trent or avon overflow they reaue one field , they on the next bestow . and whereas another poet tels vs that eluviemons est diductus in aequor : the mountaine by washings oft into the sea is brought . it is most certaine , and by experience found to be true , that as the rivers daily carrie much earth with them into the sea , so the sea sends backe againe much slime and sand to the earth , which in some places , and namely in the north part of deuonshire is found to bee a marveilous great commoditie for the inriching of the soyle . now as the earth is nothing diminished in regard of the dimensions , ( the measure thereof from the surface to the center being the same , as it was at the first creation , ) so neither is the fatnes & fruitfulnes thereof , at least-wise since the flood , or in regard of duration alone , any whit impaired ; though it haue yeelded such store of increase by the space of so many reuolutions of ages , yet hee that made it , continually reneweth the face thereof , as the psalmist speakes , by turning all things which spring from it into it againe . saith one , cuncta suos ortus repetunt , matremque requirunt : and another : e terris orta , terra rursus accipit . and a third joynes both together , quapropter merito maternum nomen adepta est cedit enim retro , de terra quod fuit ante in terras , and altogether they may thus not vnfitly be rendred . all things returne to their originall , and seeke their mother : what from earth doth spring , the same againe into the earth doth fall neither doe they heerein dissent from syracides , with all manner of liuing things hath hee couered the face of the earth , and they shall returne into it againe . and that doome which passed vpon the first man after the fall , is as it were ingraven on the foreheads , not onely of his posterity , but of all earthly creatures made for their sakes ; dust thou art , and vnto dust shalt thou returne . as the ocean is mainetained by the returne of the rivers , which are drayned & deriued from it : so is the earth by the dissolution and reuersion of those bodies , which from it receiue their growth and nourishment . the grasse to feede the beasts , the corne to strengthen , and the wine to cheere the heart of man , either are or might bee both in regard of the earth & heauens , as good and plentifull as euer . that decree of the almighty , is like the law of the medes & persians irreuocable ; they shall bee for signes , and for seasons , and for dayes , and for yeares : and againe , heereafter seed time , and harvest , and cold , and heat , and summer , and winter , and day , and night , shall not cease so long as the earth remaineth . and were there not a certainety in these reuolutions , so that — in se sua per vestigia voluitur annus , the yeare in its owne steps into in selfe returnes : it could not well be , that the storke and the turtle , the crane and the swallow , and other fowles , should obserue so precisely as they doe the appointed times of their comming and going . and whereas it is commonly thought , and beleeued , that the times of the yeare are now more vnseasonable then heeretofore , and thereby the fruites of the earth neither so faire , nor kindely as they haue beene ; to the first i answere , that the same complaint hath beene euer since salomons time : hee that observeth the winde shall not sow , and he that regardeth the clowdes shall not reape . by which it seemes , the weather was euen then as vncertaine as now ; and so was likewise the vncertaine and vnkindely riping of fruites , as may appeare by the words following in the same place : in the morning sow thy seede , and in the euening let not thy hand rest : for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that , or whether both shall bee alike good : and if sometimes wee haue vnseasonable yeares , by reason of excessiue wet and cold , they are againe paid home by immoderate drought and heate , if not with vs , yet in our neighbour countries , and with vs. i thinke , no man will bee so vnwise , or partiall , as to affirme that there is a constant and perpetuall declination , but that the vnseasonablenes of some yeares , is recompensed by the seasonablenes of others . it is true that the erroneous computation of the yeare wee now vse , may cause some seeming alteration in the seasons thereof , & in processe of time , must needes cause a greater if it bee not rectified : but let that errour be reformed , and i am perswaded that communibus annis , we shall finde no difference from the seasons of former ages : at leastwise in regard of the ordinary course of nature : for of gods extraordinary judgements , we now dispute not , who sometimes for our sinnes emptieth the botles of heaven incessantly vpon vs : and againe at other times makes the heavens as brasse ouer our heads and the earth as yron vnder our feete . sect . . another obiectiòn , to uching the decay of the fruitfulnes of the holy land , fully answered . when i consider the narrow bounds of the land of canaan , ( it being by s. hieromes account , who liued long there , but miles in length , from dan to bersheba , and in bredth but , from ioppa to bethleem , ) and withall the multitude incredible ( were it not recorded in holy scripture ) both of men & cattell which it fedde , there meeting in one battle betweene iudah & israel twelue hundred thousand chosen men : nay the very sword-men , beside the levites and benjamites were vpon strict inquirie found to be fifteene hundred and seuentie thousand , whereof the youngest was twenty yeares old , there being none by the law to bee mustered vnder that age : and which is more strange , the very guards of iehosaphars person amounted to almost an eleuen hundred thousand . and for the number of cattell , there were slaine in one sacrifice at the dedication of salomons temple , two and twenty thousand bullocks , and an hundred & twenty thousand sheepe . when i say , i compare these multitudes of men & cattell with the narrow bounds of that countrey ; i am forced to beleeue that it was indeed a most fruitfull soile , flowing with milke and hony , & richly abounding in all kinde of commodities : yet the reports of some , who haue taken a survey of it in these latter ages , beare vs in hand , that the fruitfullnes thereof , is now much decayed in regard of those times : from whence they would inferre a generall decay in all soyles , & consequently in the whole course of nature . but it may truely be said that this wonderfull fruitfullnes proceeded from a speciall favour of almighty god toward this people , as appeares in the of deuteronomy , this land doth the lord thy god care for , the eyes of the lord thy god are alwayes vpon it , from the beginning of the yeare euen to the end of the yeare . and more cleerely in the of leviticus : if you walke in mine ordinances , and keepe my commaundements , i will send you raine in due season , and the land shall yeeld her increase , and the trees of the field shall giue their fruite , and your threshing shall reach vnto the vintage , and the vintage shall reach vnto the sowing time , and you shall eate your bread in plenteousnes , and dwell in your land safely . but the miraculous prouidence of god shewed it selfe most euidently ouer this land in answering their doubt , what they should eate the seuenth yeare , if they suffered the land to rest , as god had injoyned them ; the reply is , i will send my blessing vpon you in the sixth yeare , and it shall bring forth fruite for three yeares . now then as this extraordinary fruitfulnes proceeded from an extraordinary favour : so this favour ceasing , the fruitfulnes might likewise cease without any naturall decay of the soyle : the countrey about sodome & gomorrha was for fruitfulnes as the paradice , or garden of the lord , till the curse of god fell vpon it , then it became a wast land , and so remaines to this day : yet can it not be gainesaid but that beside this speciall blessing of god , this soyle of palestina was naturally ▪ very rich in it selfe , in asmuch as it fed one & thirty idolatrous kings , with their people , before the entrance of gods chosen nation into it ; one of which alone possessed , as it should seeme threescore citties and the pomegranats , the figs & the grapes , which the spies ( sent by moses to discouer the land ) brought backe with them , were marveilous goodly & faire . and as this soyle was thus rich before the entrance of this people , so since the displanting of them from thence , & the saracens possessing it , it hath not altogether lost its ancient fruitfulnes whatsoeuer is pretended to the contrary , if wee may credit brocardus , who about three hundred yeares since was himselfe an eyewitnesse thereof . his words are these . non est credendum contrarium nunciantibus , neque enim eam diligenter considerarunt , his oculis vidi quanta fertilitate terra benedicta fructificat : frumentum enim vix terra exculta sine stercore & simo mirabiliter crescit & multiplicatur . agrisunt velut horti in quibus feniculum , salvia , ruta , rosa passim crescunt . there is no heed to be given to them who affirme the contrary ; for they haue not throughly cōsidered of the matter ; with these eyes did i behold the exceeding fertilitie of that blessed land : the corne with a very little makeing of the earth prospers and multiplies beyond beliefe , the fields are as it were gardens of delight , in which fennell , sage , rue , and roses every where grow ; and so having largly described the admirable fruitfulnesse thereof in all kinds , at length he concludes : denique illic exstant omnia mundi bona , & verè terra fluit rivis lactis & mellis . finally there are to be had all the good things the world can afford , so that it may still be truly tearmed , a land flowing with rivers of milke and honey . and if it be degenerated from it's ancient fertility ( which vpon the report of bredenbachius adrichomius and others , i rather beleeue ) i should rather impute it to the curse of god vpon that accursed nation which possesseth it , or to their ill manuring of the earth , from which the proverbe seemes to haue growne , that where the grand signiors horse once treads the grasse never growes afterward ) then to any naturall decay in the goodnes of the soyle . sect . . the testimonies of columella and pliny produced that the earth in it selfe is as fruitfull as in former ages , if it be made and manured . now that which by brocardus hath beene delivered touching the holy land in particular , is by columella in his bookes of husbandry with no lesse assurednesse averred touching the nature of the earth in generall : nay to shew his confidence herein , he makes that assertion , the entrance to his whole worke , thus beginning the very first chapter of his first booke . saepenumero civitatis nostrae principes audio culpantes , m●…do agrorum infoecunditatem , modo coeli per multa jam tempora noxiam frugibus intemperiem , quosdam etiam praedictas querimonias velut ratione certa mitigantes , quod existiment vbertate nimi●… prioris aevi defatigatum & effoetum solum , ●…equire pristina benignitate prebere mortalibus alimenta ; quas ego causas publi sylvini procul à veritate abesse certum habeo , quod neque fas est existimare rerum naturam quam primus ille mundi genitor perpetua foecunditate donavit ( quasi quodam morbo ) sterilitate affectam , neque prudentis credere tellurem , quae divinam & aeternam juventam sortita communis omnium parens dicta sit , quia & cuncta peperit & deinceps paritura sit , velut hominem consenuisse , ne posthaec reor violentia coeli nobis ista , sed nostro potius accidere vitio , qui rem rusticam pessimo cuique servorum velut carnifici noxae dedimus quam majorum nostrorum optimus quisque & optimè tractauerit . i haue often heard the chiefe of our citty complaining of the vnfruitfulnesse of the earth , and sometimes againe of the vnkindlinesse of the weather now for a good space hurtfull to the fruites , and some haue i heard with shew of reason qualifying these complaints in that they beleeue the earth being worne out and become barren by the excessiue fruitfulnesse of former ages , not to be able to yeeld nourishment to mankind , according to the proportion of her accustomed bounty ; but for mine owne part publius sylvinus i am well assured that these pretended causes are farre from truth , it being a peece of impiety so much as once to imagine that nature ( which the first founder of the world blessed with perpetuall fruitfullnesse ) is affected with barrennesse , as a kind of disease , neither is it the part of a wise man to think that the earth , ( which being indued with a divine and aeternall youth , is deservedly tearmed the common parent of all things , inasmuch as it both doth and hereafter shall bring all things forth ) is now waxen old like a man , so as that which hath befalne vs i should rather impute it to our owne default then to the vnseasonablenesse of the weather , inasmuch as wee commit the charg of our husbandry to the basest of our slaues , as it were to a publique executioner , whereas the very best of our ancestours with most happy successe vnderwent that charge themselues , and performed that worke with their owne hands . now sylvinus to whom he dedicated his workes having received and read this resolute assertion by reason he knew it to be against the common tenet , and specially of one tremellius , vpon whose judgment it seemed he much relyed , made a quaere thereof , & sent it to columella , to which in the very first chapter of his second booke he returnes answer with this title title prefixed . terram nec senescere nec fatigari , si stercoretur . that the earth is neither wearied nor waxeth old , if it be made . and then thus goes on . queris à me publi sylvine quod ego sine cunctatione non recuso docere , cur priori libro veterem opinionem fere omnium qui de cultu agrorum loquuti sunt à principio confestim repulerim , falsamque sententiam repudiaverim censentium longo aevi situ , longique jam temporis exercitatione fatigatam & effoetam humum consenuisse . you demaund a question of mee sylvinus , which i will endevour to answer without delay , which is , why in my former booke presently in the very entrance , i haue rejected the ancient opiniō almost of all , who haue written of husbandry , & haue cast of their imagination as false , who conceiue that the earth by long tracte of time and much vsage is growne old and fruitles : where he is so farre from recalling his assertion , or making any doubt of the certaine truth thereof : that hee labours farther to strengthen it with new supplies of reasons and at length concludes , non igitur fatigatione , quemadmodum plurimi crediderunt , nec senio , sed nosta scilicet inertia minus benignè nobis arva respondent : licet enim maiorem fructum percipere , si frequenti & tempestiva & modica stercoratione terra refoveatur . it is not through the tirednesse or age of the earth , as many haue beleeued , but through our owne negligence that it hath not satisfied vs , so bountifully as it hath done . for we might receiue more profit from it , if it were cherished with frequent and moderate and seasonable dressing . and with columella agrees pliny in the eighteenth booke of his naturall history , & third chapter , where discoursing of the great abundance and plenty in fore-going ages , and demaunding the reason thereof , he therevnto shapes this reply ; surely , saith he , the cause was this , and nothing else : great lords and generals of the field , as it should seeme , tilled themselues their grounds with their own hands . and the earth again for her part , taking no small pleasure as it were to be aired and broken vp , laureato vomere & triumphali aratore , with ploughs laureat , & ploughmē triumphant , strained her self to yeeld increase to the vttermost . like it is also that these braue men and worthy personages were as curious in sowing a ground with corne , as in setting a battle in aray ; as diligent in disposing and ordering of their lands , as in pitching a field . and commonly euery thing that commeth vnder good hands , the more neat & cleane that the vsage thereof is , and the greater paines that is taken about it , the better it thriueth and prospereth afterwards . and hauing instanced in attilius serranus , and quintius cincinnatus , he goes on in this maner . but now see how the times be changed : they that doe this businesse in the field , what are they but bond-slaues fettered , condemned malefactors , and in a word noted persons , such as are branded and marked in their visage with an hot yron , yet we forsooth marvaile that the labour of these contemptible slaues and abject villaines doth not render the like profit , as that trauell in former ages , of great captaines and generals of armies . by which it appeares that columella and pliny imputed the barrennes of the earth in regard of former ages ) if any such were ) not to any deficiency in the earth it selfe , but to the vnskilfulnes or negligence of such as manured it . to which purpose aelian reports a pretty story of one mises who presented the great king artaxerxes , as hee rode through persia , with a pomegranate of wonderfull bignesse : which the king admiring , demaunded out of what paradise he had gotten it , who answered , that he gathered it from his owne garden , the king seemed therewith to bee marvailous well content , & gracing him with royall gifts , swore by the sunne , this man with like diligence and care might aswell in my judgment of a little city make a great one . videtur autem hic sermo innuere , saith the author , omnes res curâ & continuâ sollicitudine , & indefesso labore meliores & praestantiores quàm natura producat , effici posse . it seemes by this , that all things by labour and industry may bee made better then nature produces them . and it is certaine that god so ordained it , that the industry of man should in all things concurre with the workes of nature , both for the bringing of them to their perfection , and for the keeping of them therein being brought vnto it . as the poet speaking of the degenerating of seedes hath truly expressed it . vidi lecta diu & multo spectata labore degenerare tamen , ni vis humana quotannis maxima quaeque manu legeret . oft haue i seene choice seedes , and with much labour tryed , eftsoones degenerate , vnlesse mans industry , yearely by hand did lease the greatest carefully . and this i take to bee the true reason ( as before hath beene touched ) why neither so good , nor so great store of wine is at this day made in this kingdome , as by records seemes to haue beene in former ages ; the neglect i meane , of planting & dressing our vines as they might be , and at this present are in forraine countreyes , and with vs formerly haue beene , & this neglect hath perchance arisen from hence , that we & the french being often and long at defiance , & all friendly commerce ceasing betwixt vs , partly to crosse them in the venting of their commodities , & partly to inrich themselues , men were either by publique authority set on worke , or they set themselues on worke , to try the vtmost of their endeavour in the making of wines , but since peace and trade hath beene setled betwixt both kingdomes , that practise hath by degrees growne out of vse , for that men found by experience that both better wines & better cheape might be had from france then could be made heere ; and i make no doubt but as tillage with vs , so the planting of vineyards is increased with them , and for this reason , together with the causes before alleadged , it seemes to be , that the french wines are better with vs at this present then they were in the raigne of edward the second , as shall by gods helpe bee fully manifested in the next section . and that which hath beene spoken of the making of wines may likewise be vnderstood of the making of bay sale in this kingdome in former ages , for which ( as i am credibly informed ) records are likewise to be seene ; for to ascribe either the one or the other to the sunnes going more southerly from vs in summer , is in my judgement both vnwarrantable and improbable : vnwarrantable as hath already beene shewed in this very booke cap. . sect , . improbable , for that if this plant should decay for this reason , all other plants , & trees , & hearbes , & flowres should consequently partake of the like decay , at leastwise in some proportion , which our best physitians and herbalists haue not yet found to be so , nay the contrary is by them avouched ; and as our wines are in a manner vtterly decayed here , so their strength in france , in spaine , in italy , in hungary , in germany , should vpon the same supposition be much abated , which notwithstanding i haue no-where found to be observed , sect . . an argument drawne from the present state of husbandmen , and another for the many & miserable dearths in former ages together with an obiection taken from the high prizes of victuals answered . bvt that which farther perswadeth me , that neither the goodnes of the soyle , nor the seasonablenesse of the weather , nor the industry of the husbandman is now inferiour to that of former ages , is this , that both this fyne and rent being raised , his apparell and education of his children more chargeable , & the rates of publique payments more burdensome , yet he fares better , and layes vp more money in his purse , then vsually in those times he did . besides it is certaine , that if we compare time with time , the famines of former ages were more grievous then ours : i omit those of ierusalem and samaria , because occasioned by the sieges of those cities , as also those which either civill warres , or forraine invasions hath drawne on . of the rest that of lypsius . is vndoubtedly true . iam de fame nihil profectò nos aut aetas nostra vidimus , si videmus antiqua . now touching famine verily we and our age haue seene nothing , if wee behold ancient records . vnder the emperour honorius , so great was the scarcity & dearth of victuals in rome it selfe , that in the open market-place this voice was heard , pone pretium humanae carni , set a price to mans flesh . and long before , euen when l. minutius was made the first over-seer of the graine , livy reports , multos è plebe , ne diutinâ fame cruciarentur , capitibus obvolutis sese in tyberim praecipitasse . that many of the commons least they should bee tortured with long famine , covering their faces , cast themselues headlong into tyber . what a miserable dearth was that in egypt , held by the ancients for abundance of corne , the granary of the world ) when for want of bread their greatest nobles were forced to sell not only their lands , but themselues , and become bond-slaues to pharaoh . how vniversall was that fore-told by agabus , which also came to passe vnder claudius caesar , as both dion and suetonius beare witnesse to s. luke . but to come nearer home , few histories , i thinke , exceed our owne in this point . about the yeare , during the raigne of cissa king of the south-saxons in his countrey raigned such an extreame famine , that both men and women in great flockes and companies cast themselues from rhe rocks into the sea , in the yeare , about the beginning of the reigne of edward the second , the dearth was generally such ouer the land , that purposely for the moderation of the prices of victuals , a parliamēt was assembled at london : but it increased so vehemently that vpon s. lawrence eue , there was scarcely bread to be gotten for the sustentation of the kings owne family . and the yeare following it grew so terrible , that horses & dogges , yea men and children were stollen for food , and which is horrible to thinke , the theeues newly brought into the gaoles , were torne in peeces , and presently eaten halfe aliue by such as had beene longer there . in london it was proclaimed that no corne should be converted to brewers vses , which act the king ( moued with compassion towards his nation ) imitating , caused to be executed through all the kingdome : otherwise saith walsingham , the greater part of the people had perished with penury of bread . and againe to conclude this sad discourse , in the yeare , in the tenth yeare of the same king , there was such a murraine of all kinde of cattell ; together with a generall fayling of all fruits of the earth by excessiue raines and vnseasonable weather , as provision could not be had for the kings house , nor meanes for other great men to maintaine their tables : inasmuch as they put away their servants in great numbers , who hauing beene daintily bred , and now not able to worke , skorning to beg , fell to robbery and spoyle , which added much to the misery of the kingdome . it will be said , if the plenty of corne and victuals , be as great as in former ages , how comes it to passe that their prices are somuch inhanced ? but if wee compare our prices with those of the ancient romanes , wee shall finde that theirs farre exceeded ours . the romane penny by the consent of the learned , and the judgement of our last translatours in diverse parts of their marginall notes , was the eight part of an ounce , accounting fiue shillings to the ounce , so that it was worth of our money seven pence halfe penny . now by the testimony of varro and macrobius , their peacocks egges ( which are now of no reckoning with vs , ) were sold with them for fiue roman pence a peece : and the peacocks themselues for fifty . thrushes and ousells or blackebirds were commonly sold for three pence a peece . nay varro mentions one l. axius , a romane knight , who would not let goe a paire of doues , minoris quadringentis denarijs , for lesse then foure hundred pence . but these insana pretia , as macrobius calls them , mad , and vnreasonable prices , wee shall haue fitter occasion to speake of , when wee come to treate of the luxury of the ancients , in the meane time it shall not be amisse to remember what our saviour tells vs in the gospell , that two sparrowes or passerculi , as beza renders it , were then sold for a farthing , thereby implying their great cheapenes : yet for the same money , it beeing the tenth part of a romane penny , and answering in value to halfe penny farthing of our coyne , more may bee had at this day with vs : but i leaue forraine nations and returne to our owne . if then together with the inhancing of prices , wee likewise take into our consideration the inhancing of coyne , it will appeare that the prices of things are not so much inhanced as is supposed . about three hundred yeares agoe , in the latter part of the reigne of edward the second , and beginning of edward the third , an ounce of silver was valued at one shtlling and eight pence , whereas now it is valued at fiue shillings : so that one hundred pounds then was both in weight and worth fully as much as three hundred pounds are now ; and consequently , if they gaue a groat for that which wee now giue a shilling , they gaue just the same price which wee now giue . the price of claret wine , as appeares vpon record among the statutes of edward the second , was at that time twelue pence the gallon , so that by proportion the price should now be three shillings , and looke how much it comes shott of that price , it is certaine that somuch the cheaper it is at this day , then it was in that age . wherevnto may be added the plenty of coyne and multitude of men , both which are doubtles in regard of those times much increased . for the former of which , though it be true that some great ones heaped vp huge masses of treasure , yet i thinke it will not be denied , but that there are now more rich men then in those times : some wise men being of opinion that there is now more plate in the land , then there was in edward the thirds time both money and plate : and for the latter , hee that shall duely consider the daily inlarging of our cities and townes , and the adding of new iles to the greatest part of our parish churches , within these last two or three hundred yeares , will easily beleeue that the number of our people is not a little increased . either of which asunder , but much more both together must needs bee a meanes of raising the prices of all things . yet this complaint as it hath beene in all ages , so will it still continue , since wee left to burne incense to the queene of heaven , and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her , wee haue had scarcenesse of all things , and haue beene consumed with the sword and with the famine . sect . . that there is no decrease in the fruitfulnesse , the quantities or vertues of plants & simples , nor in he store & goodnes of mettalls & minerals , as neither in the bignes or life of beastes , together with an obiection touching the elephant in the first of macchabes , answered . now if such bee the condition of the earth it selfe , and the fruites thereof , what reason haue wee to conceiue otherwise of the trees and plants , springing vp and nourished from thence . i cannot finde that either dioscorides , theophrastus , or pliny among the ancients ; or among latter writers , ruellius , fuchsius , or our owne gerard euer obserued any decay , either in the groweth , the vertues or duration of these vegetables ; the oake and beetch , rise to as great an higth and bignes , spread their branches and rootes as farre , last as long , bring forth as faire mast ; as they did a thousand yeare agone . those vnder-ground trees , whose bulkes are sometimes takē vp intire , in cheshshire , lancashire , & other places , & are commonly thought to haue lyen buried there euer since noahs flood , are not found in length or largenesse to exceed the bodies of ours at this day . in former ages i graunt was greater choyce of good timber , because greater plenty of woods , but those being cut downe , tillage hath succeeded in the place thereof , which in regard of our increase of people , seemed of the two , the more necessary , & for fewell , it is in most places supplied with other kindes which were not then thought vpon . the like may be said for the vertues of plants , issop , garlike , hemlocke , and the rest , they are still indued with the same temper , with the same degrees of heat or cold , & are availeable for the same vses , as in former ages ; as may easily appeare by comparing galen de simplicium medicamentorum facultatibus , with wecker a moderne physitian . the former makes garlicke hot in the fourth degree , so doth the latter . the former issop hot in the third degree , and so doth the latter . the former hemtocke extreamely cold , so doth the latter . these may suffice for a tast , and thus may wee paralell simples , as for their first , so for their second & third qualities , and application to diseases . the difference of their strength is doubtles very great in regard of the different clymats they grow in : but that it should by succession of ages be abated in their severall species , and in the same clymate , is more i thinke then euer any herbalist in his writings , or learned physitian in his practise hath yet obserued . and if there be no decay found in the vegetables , very likely it is that the same may likewise be verified of the beasts those at leastwise which make them their food , and are nourished by them . surely he that shall compare the present proportions of the elephant , the cammell , the horse , the dogge , with the descriptions of aristotle , as also the present extention of their liues , with that which both hee , and other ancients record of them , will easily finde that there is in them no sensible decrease . vita equorum , ( saith hee ) plurimis ad decimum octavum , atque etiam vicesimum annum , sed nonnulli viginti quinque , & triginta egerunt : et si cura diligenter adhibeatur vel ad quinquaginta protrahitur aetas horses commōly liue eighteene or twenty yeares , yet some last fiue & twenty or thirty , & if they bee very well kept , they may come to forty or fifty ; which hee makes in a manner their vtmost period . whereas albertus tells vs , that himselfe was assured by a souldier , that the horse hee then vsed , was three score yeares old , and yet was serviceable in the warres . and augustinus niphus yet latter , that hee was crediblely informed by the horsemen of ferdinand the first , that there was then in the kings stable an horse that was seaventy yeares old . butaeo , a man much commended for his rare learning by many learned writers , labouring to demonstrate by geometricall proportions , that the arke was capable of so many severall kinde of beasts , as are faid to haue beene in it , as also their provision for one yeare spaces , takes the ground of his demonstration from the present dimensions of their bodies , and their present allowance for foode , proportioning the capacity of the arke therevnto , and is therein applauded not onely by goropius becanus , but by pererius and sr walter rawleigh : whereas , were there such a continuall diminution in the quantity of their bodies , and consequently in their foode as is supposed , his ground were falfe , and his demonstration friuolous . wherevnto may be added that the same allowance of foode , which cato , and varro , and columella , in their bookes of husbandry agreed vpon to be sufficient for an oxe , or a horse , or a sheepe in their times , is now likewise thought to be but competent : and the same proportions of body , which the ancient painters & caruers allowed to horses and dogges , is now likewise by the skilfullest in those arts found to be most convenient . indeede in the first booke of macchabes & sixth chapter , is somewhat a strange relation made of elephants , which are there described to be so bigge , that each of them carryed a wooden towre on his backe , out of which fought thirty two armed men , besides the indian which ruled the beast . whence some haue conceited that the elephants of those times were farre greater then those of the present age : but doubtles the authour of that booke speakes of the indian race , which are farre beyond the ethiopian , as iunius in his annotations on that place hath observed out of pliny . and there are of them , saith aelian , nine cubits high , which is thirteene foote and an halfe . and those which haue beeene in the great mogulls countrey assure vs , that at this day they are there farre more vast and huge then any that wee haue seene in these parts of the world . but leaving the vegetables and beasts springing and walking vpon the face of the earth , let vs a little search into the bowels thereof , and take a view of the mettalls and mineralls therein bredde . of the nature , causes , and groweth , whereof georgius agricola hath written most exactly , but neither he , nor any man else , i thinke euer yet obserued that by continuance of time theirveines are wasted & impaired , one treatise he hath expresly composed de veteribus & novis metallis , wherein he shewes that as the old are exhausted , new are discouered . it is true indeede which pliny hath observed , that wee descend into the entrailes of the earth , wee goe downe as farre as to the seat and habitation of the infernall spirits , and all to meete with rich treasure , as if shee were not fruitfull enough , & beneficiall vnto vs in the vpper face thereof , where shee permitteth vs to walke and tread vpon her : yet notwithstanding by the couetousnesse and toyle of men can her mines neuer be drawn dry , nor her store emptied . the earth not onely on her backe doth beare abundant treasures gliftring every where , but inwardly shee 's no lesse fraught with riches , nay rather more ( which more our foules bewitches ) within the deepe folds of her fruitfull lappe , so bound-lesse mines of treasure doth shee wrappe , that th' hungry hands of humane avarice cannot exhaust with labour or device . for they be more then there be starres in heav'n , or stormy billowes in the ocean driv'n , or eares of corne in autumne on the fields , or savage beasts vpon a thousand hils , or fishes diving in the silver floods , or scattred leaues in winter in the woods . i will not dispute it , whether all mineralls were made at the first creation , or haue since receiued increase by tract of time , which latter i confesse i rather with quercetan incline vnto , they being somewhat of the nature of stones , which vndoubtedly grow , though not by augmentation or accretion , yet by affimilation or apposition , turning the neighbour earth into their substance , yet thus much may wee confidently affirme , that the minerals themselues wast not in the ordinary course , but by the insatiable desire of mankind . nay such is the divine providence , that even there where they are most vexed and wrought vpon , yet are they not worne out , or wasted in the whole . of late within these few yeares mendip hills yeelded , i thinke , more lead then ever , & at this day i doe not heare that the iron mines in sussex , or the tinne workes in cornewall are any whit abated , which i confesse to be somewhat strange , considering that little corner furnishes in a manner all the christian world with that mettall : & for mines of gold & silver , though by some it be thought that they faile in the east indies in regard of former ages : yet most certaine it is that in the west indies , that supposed defect is abundantly recompensed . sect . . an obiection taken from the eclipses of the planets , answered . before we conclude this chapter , there remaines yet one rubbe to be remoued touching the eclypses of the sunne and moone for as some haue beene of opinion , that the bodies of those planets suffered by them , so many haue thought that these inferiour bodies suffered from them , & consequently that the more eclypses there are , ( which by tract of time must needes increase in number ) the more do all things depending vpon those planets decay and degenerate in their vertues & operations . but as the former of these opinions is already proued to be certainely false , so is this latter altogether vncertaine . what effects eclypses produce , i cannot punctually define . strange accidents i graunt , aswell in the course of nature , as in the ciuill affaires , haue often followed vpon them , as appeares in cyprianus leouicius , who hath purposely composed a tract of them . and mr camden obserues that the towne of shrewesbery suffered twice most grievous losse by fire within the compasse of fiftie yeares , vpon two severall eclypses of the sunne in aries , but whether those accidents were to be ascribed to the precedent eclypses , i cannot certainely affirme . once wee are sure that the moone is eclypsed by the interposition of the earth , as is the sun by the moone . since then the night is nothing else but the interposition of the earth betweene vs and the sunne , i see no reason but wee should daily feare as dangerous effects from every night or thicke cloud , as from any eclypse . but i verily beleeue that the ground of this errour , as also of the former , sprang frō the ignorance of the causes of eclypses ; sulpitius gallus being the first amongst the romanes , and amongst the greekes , thales milesius , who finding their nature did prognosticate and forshew them . after them , hipparchus compiled his ephimerides , containing the course and aspects of both these planets for six hundred yeares ensuing , and that no lesse assuredly , then if hee had beene privy to natures counsailes . great persons and excellent doubtles were these , saith pliny , who aboue the reach of all humane capacity , found out the reason of the course of so mighty starres , and diuine powers . and whereas the weake minde of man was before to seeke , fearing in these eclypses of the starres , some great wrong , or violence , or death of the planets , secured them in that behalfe . in which dreadfull feare stood stesicorus and pyndarus the poets , notwithstanding their lofty stile , and namely at the eclypse of the sunce , as may appeare by their poemes . in this fearefull fit also of an eclypse , nicias the generall of the athenians ( as a man ignorant of the cause thereof ) feared to set saile with his fleet out of the haven , and so greatly indangered & distressed the state of his countrey : but on the contrary , the forenamed sulpitius being a colonell in the field , the day before that king perseus was vanquished by paulus , was brought forth by the generall into open audience before the whole host , to foretell the eclipe that should happen the next morrow , whereby he delivered the army from all pensiuenesse and feare , which might haue troubled them , in the time of battaile , and within a while after he compiled also a booke thereof . thus far plyny touching the harmlesse and innocent nature of eclipses , himselfe in the next chapter reducing their certaine revolutions , and returnes to the space of two hundred twenty two moneths . i will shut vp all with a memorable story to this purpose taken out of iohn de royas in his epistle to charles the fifth , prefixed to his commentaries vpō the plaine sphere . colonus the leader of king ferdinands army , at the iland of iamaica , being in great distresse for want of victuals , which he could by no meanes attaine of the inhabitants , & by his skill foreseeing an eclips of the moone shortly to ensue , tooke order that it should be declared to the governours of the iland , that vnlesse they supplyed him and his with necessaries , imminent danger hanged over their heads , in witnesse wherof they should shortly see the moone eclypsed the barbarians at first , refused his demaunds and contemned his threatning : but when at the set time they indeed beheld the moone by degrees to faile in her light , and vnderstood not the cause thereof , they first gaue credit to his words , and then supply of victuals to his army , casting themselues to his feete and craving pardon for their offence . finally to the present objection , if any harmefull malignant effect be for the present or afterward produced by the eclips in those parts where it is seene , yet no man i thinke will deny it , but to be repairable by by the tract and revolution of time , or if irrepairable , yet this decay in the creatures , ariseth not from any deficiencie in themselues , from any waxing old or removall from their first originals , ( which is the very poynt in question ) but from an adventitious and externall cause . and so i passe from the other creatures to the consideration of man the commaunder and compendium of all the rest , for whose sake both they were first made , and this discourse was first vndertaken . lib . iii. of the pretended decay of mankind in regard of age and duration of strength and stature , of arts and witts . cap. i. touching the pretended decay of men in regard of their age , and first by way of comparison betweene the ages of the ancients , and those of latter times . sect . . of the short life of man in regard of the duration of many other creatures and that he was created mortall , but had he not falne , should haue beene preserued to immortality . since vpon exammination wee haue found that there is no such perpetuall and vniversall decay as is pretended in the hea●…ens , in the earth , in the ayre , in the water , the fishes , the plants , the beastes , the mineralls : i see no reason but that from thence wee might safely and sufficiently conclude that neither is there any such decay in man. but because this discourse was principally vndertaken and intended for the sake of mankind , i will consider and compare them of former ages with those of latter , first in regard of age , secondly in regard of strength and stature , thirdly in regard of wits and inventions : fourthly and lastly in regard of manners and conditions . and if vpon due consideration and comparison it shall appeare that there is no such decay in any of these as is supposed , the question i trust touch-the worlds decay in generall will soone be at at end . the ordinary age of man being compared with that of the heavens , the stones , the mettalls , some beasts & trees is very short , but the longest being cōpared with god and eternity is but as a span , a shadow , a dreame of a shadow , nay meere nothing , which the romane oratour hath both truly observed , and eligantly expressed . apud hypanim fluuium qui ab europae parte in pontum influit , aristoteles ait bestiolas quasdam nasci quae vnum diem viuant ; ex ijs igitur hora octaua quae mortua est , provecta aetate mortua est , quae vero occidente sole decrepita , eo magis si etiam solstitiali die . confer nostram longissimam aetatem cum aeternitate , in eadem propemodum brevitate qua istae bestiolae reperiemur . aristole writes that by the river hypanis which on the side of europe fals into pontus , certaine little animals are bred , which liue but a day at most : amongst them then , such as dye the eight houre , dy old ; such as dye at sun set , dye in their decrepit age specially if it be vpon the day of the sūmer solstice . now cōpare our age with eternity , and we shall be found in regard of duration almost in the same state of shortnesse that those creatures are . the body of man even before the fall was doubtlesse in it selfe by reaof contrary elements , contrary humours , and members of contrary temper whereof it was composed , dissoluble and morrall : as also by reason of outward accidents , the dayly wasting of his natiue heate , and the disproportionable supply of his radicall moisture : but these defects his creator supplyed , arming him against outward accidents by divine providence , the guard of angels and his owne excellent wisedome , against the contrarieties fighting in his body , by the harmony of his soule : against the wasting of his natiue heat and radicall moysture by that supernaturall vertue & efficacy which he gaue to the fruit of the tree of life : he was then naturally mortall : ( for otherwise even after his fall should he haue continued immortall , as the apostate angells did ) but by speciall priviledge and dispensation immortall . mortalis erat , saith s. augustine , conditione corporis animalis , immortalis autem beneficio-conditoris : he was mortall in respect of his naturall body , but immortall by the favour of his creator : yet doubtles had he not sinned , he had not still liued here vpon earth , though in likelihood his age might be extended to some thousands of yeares , but should haue beene at length translated from hence to heaven where he could neither haue sinned nor dyed●… sic est immortalis conditus , sayth gregory , vt tamen si peccaret , & mori possit , & sic mortalis est conditus , vt si non peccaret etiam non mori possit , atque ex merito liberi arbitrij beatitudinem illius regionis attingeret , in qua vel peccare vel mori non possit . he was so created immortall that if he sinned he might dye , and againe so was he created mortall that , he could not dye : but by the merit of his freewill should haue beene translated to that place of blisse where he could neither sinne nor dye . sect . . of the long liues of the patriarchs , and of the manner of computing there yeares , and that almighty god drew out the lines of their liues to that length for reasons proper to those first times . though vpon the fall of man the duration of his continuance here vpon the earth was much shortned , yet certaine it is that many of the ancient patriarches before the floud liued aboue nine hundred , and some to allmost a thousand yeares , neither ought this to seeme incredible , though plyny mentioning some who were reported to haue liued fiue sixe or eight hundred yeares , at length concludes that all these strange reports arise from the ignorance of times past , and for want of knowledg how they made their account . for some , saith he , reckoned the summer for one yeare and the winter for another . there were also that reckoned every quarter for a yeare , as the arcadians whose yeare was but three moneths , and some againe you haue , as namely the egyptians , who count every chaunge or new moone for a yeare , and therefore no marvell if some of them are reported to haue liued a thousand yeares . thus pliny . but iosephus to justifie the trueth of moses his history touching the age of the first patriarches , vouches the authority of manathon the writer of the egyptian story , berosus of the chaldean , moschus and esthieus of the phenician , as also hesiodus , hecataeus , elamius , acuselaus , ephorus and others , all affirming that those of the first age liued to a thousand yeares , but how they made their computation iosephus doth not expresse : wherevpon some haue beene so bold as to tell vs , that the yeares moses there speakes of , are not to be computed as ours , but were somewhat aboue the monethly yeare contayning in them thirty six dayes which is a number quadrat , being made vp of six times six : so that one of our yeares containes tenne of them , and those yeares being divided into twelue moneths , there could not aboue three dayes bee attributed to each of them . but this opinion ( for i will not spare it though it make for mee , ) how not onely false it is , but manifestly repugnant to the sacred scriptures , any man may of himselfe easily discerne . for if we embrace this computation , it will from thence follow that caynan and enoch begat children when they were but six yeares old and an halfe , or seaven at most , for the scripture tells vs , that the one begat them when he was but sixty fiue yeares old , and the other at seventie : so that if tenne of their yeares made but one of ours , it would consequently follow , that they begat children when they were yet but seven yeares of age : besides , since none of those ancient patriarches attained to a thousand yeares , if their yeares were so to be accounted , as these men would haue it , none of them should haue arrived to ninety seaven yeares ; and yet many we know are now found to passe an hundred . againe , the scripture testifies , that abraham died in a good old age full of dayes , being one hundred seaventy fiue yeares old , which number according to their computation , makes but seaventeene yeares and an halfe ; a ridiculous old age . lastly , in the seaventh and eight of genesis in that one yeare alone , in which the flood lasted , mention is made of the first , second , and tenth moneth , & least any should imagine , that those moneths lasted onely three dayes , wee haue there named the seaventeenth day of the second , and the twenty seaventh of the seaventh moneth . to take it then as graunted that moses his computation of the yeare was the same with ours , and that those first patriarches liued much longer then any of latter times ; yet from thence cannot any sufficient proofe be brought , that there hath beene & still continues , a constant and perpetuall decrease in mans age , since for speciall reasons and by speciall priviledge almighty god graunted that to them , which to their successours was denyed : which i will rather choose to expresse in iosephus his words then in mine owne . where hauing assigned some other causes thereof , peculiar to those times & persons , at length he concludes . deinde propter virtutes & gloriosas vtilitates quas iugiter perscrutabantur , id est astrologiam & geometriam , deus ijs ampliora viuendi spatia condonauit , quae non ediscere potuissent , nisi sexcentis viuerent annis , per tot enim an norum curricula magnus annus impletur . againe in regard of the excellent and profitable vse of astronomy and geometry , which they daily searched into , almighty god graunted them a longer space of life , in as much as they could not well finde out the depth of those arts , vnlesse they liued six hundred yeares , for in that reuolution of time , the great yeare comes about . where what hee meanes by the great yeare , since the most learned make a great doubt , i for my part will not vndertake positiuely to determine . but to this reason of losephus may well be added another principall one , which is , that god spared them of this first age the longer for the multiplying of the race of mankind , and replenishing the earth with inhabitants . and as hee graunted them for these reasons a longer space of life by speciall priuiledge : so likewise he fitted their foode , their bodies , and all other necessaries proportionable therevnto ; as extraordinary carefulnes and skilfulnes in the moderation and choice of their diet together with a singular knowledge in the vertues of plants , and stones , and mineralls , and the like , as well for the preservation of their health , as the curing of all kinde of diseases ; which well agrees with that of roger bacon , speaking of the patriarches in his booke de scientia experimentali . quum fuerunt magna sapientia praediti , excogitaverunt omne regimen sanitatis & medicinas secretas quibus senectus retardabatur & quibus cum venit potuit mitigari & filij eorum hoc regimen habebant & experimenta contra senectutem , nam deus illustravit in omni sapientia , & ergo diu vivere potuerunt . they being indued with singular wisedome , found out the whole course of the regiment of health and secret medicines , whereby the pace of old age was slackned , and when it arived the rigour of it was abated , and from them their sonnes as by a tradition derived this skill , and these experiments against old age , for god enlightned them with all kinde of wisedome ; and from hence it came to passe that they lived long . yet euen among them before the floud , wee finde that the first man , who in case of a decrease should in reason haue liued longest , was notwithstanding in number of yeares exceeded not onely by methusalath , and iered before , but by noah after the flood , except wee will adde vnto adams age threescore yeares , as some diuines doe , vpon a supposition that hee was created in the flower of mans age , agreeablely to those times . sect . . that since moses his time , the length of mans age is nothing abated , as appeares by the testimony of moses himselfe , and other graue authours , compared with the experience of these times . howsoever it fared with the patriarches , sure we are that since moses his time ; who was borne in the yeare of the world , or thereabout , aboue three thousand yeares agoe , when the world was now well replenished , and the most necessary sciences depending vpon observation and experience , in a manner perfected , the length of mans age is nothing abated , as cleerely it appeares by that most famous and euident testimony of his : the time of our life , ( saith hee ) is three score yeares and tenne , and though men bee so strong that they come to foure score yeares , yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow , so soone passeth it away , and wee are gone . and that these are indeede the words of moses , appeares by the very title of the psalme prefixed to it . a psalme of moses the man of god. for though s. augustine seeme to make some doubt of it , because hee findes it not recorded in his history : and aben ezra a iewish rabbin , thinke the authour to haue beene one of davids singers so named , yet s. hierome doubts not constantly to auerre it to be that same moses , who was the penman of holy writ , and the captaine of the hebrewes , & that we might not call it into question , the holy ghost seemes purposely to haue annexed that epithete , the man of god , that is , not only a godly religious and excellent man , but a man endued with a propheticall spirit , and so is it taken , sam. . . & . kings . . . in which regard moses himselfe giues himselfe this same title , deuter : . . this is the blessing wherewith moses the man of god blessed the children of israel before his death . and for s. augustines objection , hee would leaue very few psalmes to david himselfe , were his argument of any force . yet some expositours there are , who referre it to that story of the israelites , written in the of exodus , others in the of numbers , which i the rather am induced to beleeue , for that of all those six hundred thousand israelites , which vnder the conduct of moses came out of aegypt , onely two , caleb and iosua entred into the land of promise , all the rest , men , women , & children , young & old , leauing their carkases in the wildernes within the space of forty yeares . true indeede it is , that both moses . himselfe and his brother aaron outliued the number of yeares set downe in that psalme ; yet saith judicious calvin , de communi ratione loquitur , hee speakes of the ordinary course , how it commonly fared with men in that respect even in those times . and thus doe i take herodotus to be vnderstood jumping in the same number with moses , spatium vivendi longissimum propositum esse octoginta annos , that the vtmost space of mans life is foure score yeares : though solon come a degree shorter , making the age of man threescore and ten , as both laertius and censorinus in his booke de die natali testifie of him . plato who had ( as seneca witnesseth ) a strong and able body , borrowing his name from his broad brest , not without much care & diligence arrived to the age of eighty one yeares . and barzillai who liued in dauids time , is said to haue beene senex valdè , a very aged man , yet was he by his owne confession , but foure score yeares old . nay dauid himself is said to haue beene old , striken in yeares , & satur dierum , full of dayes , insomuch as they covered him with clothes , but he got no heate : yet was he but threescore and ten when he died , thirty when he began to raigne , and forty yeares he raigned , being naturally of a sound and healthfull constitution . solomons age we cannot by scripture certainly determine : some divines conjecture , that he little exceeded forty , but the most learned , that hee passed not fifty or threescore at most , yet is it noted of him , that cùm senex esset , when hee was old , his wiues turned away his heart after other gods : of all the kings of iudah and ierusalem which followed after , the greatest part came not to fifty , very few to threescore , and none full home to threescore and tenne . in the whole catalogue of romane , greeke , french , and germane emperours , onely foure are found which attained to fourescore , and those not among the first of that ranke . in the bed-roll of popes , fiue only liued to see those yeares , and those of latter dayes in comparison , namely iohn . gregory & . paulus and . and which is more remarkeable , our queene elizabeth of fresh and blessed memory out-liued all her predecessours since the conquest , raigning the yeares of augustus , and liuing the age of dauid . sect . . the same confirmed by the testimony of other ancient and learned writers . hesiodus the first writer as i take it ( saith pliny ) who hath treated of this argument , in his fabulous discourse touching the age of man , affirmeth , ( but vpon what ground i know not ) that a crow liueth nine times as long as wee , and the harts or staggs foure times as long as the crow , but the ravens thrice as long as they : and if we should consult with astrologers , epigines saith , that it is not possible to liue an hundred and two and twenty yeares : and berosus is of opinion , that one cannot passe an hundred and seuenteene . in the oracle of sybilla erithraea by the testimony of phlegon trallianus are found these verses . viginti & centum revolutis protinus annis , quae sunt humanae longissima tempora vitae . when sixe score winters are expir'd , which fate of humane life hath made the longest date . moreouer trebellius pollio in his booke to constantius thus writeth , doctissimi mathematicorum centum viginti annos homini ad vivendum datos judicant , neque amplius cuiquam concessum dicunt , illud etiam adijcientes , mosen ipsum , ( vt iudaeorum libri testantur ) dei familiarem viginti quinque ac centum annos vixisse , qui cùm interitum hunc vt immutatum fortè quereretur , ferunt illi ab incerto numine responsum , neminem deinceps amplius esse victurum . the most learned mathematicians are of opinion , that a man can liue but an hundred and twenty yeares , and that none can goe beyond that period , yet they adde , that moses himselfe , as the writings of the iewes testifie , being familiar with god , liued to the age of one hundred twenty fiue yeares , who when he complained of this change , they report this answere to haue beene giuen him by some divine power , that no man after that should passe those bounds . thus pollio : ignorantly mistaking the age of moses , but alluding as it seemes to that speech of god in the sixth of genesis , his dayes shall be an hundred & twenty yeares . which words notwithstanding i should rather choose to referre to the continuance of the world till the comming of the floud , then to the duration of the age of particular men . for it is certaine that after this , not onely noah , but sem and arphaxad , and salah , and eber , and peleg , and nahor , and terah , and abraham , and isaac , and iacob , some of them by much ; and all of them by some number of yeares exceeded this proportion . crinitus in his seuenth booke de honesta disciplina reports out of terentius varro from the authority of dioscorides a great astrologer , that the egyptians ; ( who tooke speciall care about the imbalming of dead bodies ) by a subtill and witty kinde of reasoning found out , within what bounds of space to the very vtmost the age of man is confined , taking their estimate from the weight of the heart , they affirmed then that the life of man is limited to one hundred yeares , so that it could not passe that tearme , which the heart of those , say they , who dye not vntimely , doth manifest ; in as much as together with age , if it be examined , it either receiues increase or decrease ; it receiuing the increase of two drams euery yeare till a man come to fifty , and then again the decrease of two yearely till he arriue to an hundred , and so returning to its originall weight , it can then make no farther progresse . now this observation though it be doubtlesse more curious then true , yet doth it shew that the common opinion of the ancients was , that men did seldome passe one hundred years . seculum centum annorum spatium vocârunt , dictum à sene , quòd longissimum spatium●…id putârint senescendorum hominum , saith varro , seculum was the space of an hundred yeares , so called à sene , because they held that to be the vtmost point of growing old . and with varro herein accords the son of syrach , the nūber of a mans dayes at the most are an hundred yeares . so as that prerogatiue extraordinary of longevity was as i take it , specially annexed , as to those first ages of the world , so to the church and people chosen by god in those times . for had men in all places and in all ages arriued to the liues of the patriarches , the earth by this time had not beene able to sustaine them with food , nor hardly to contain their multitude ; yet can it not be denied but that in all times , and in all nations some haue beene alwayes found who haue exceeded that number of yeares which many of the ancients ( as we haue heard ) accounted the vtmost period of mans life . sect . . that in all times and nations some haue beene found who haue exceeded that number of yeares which the wisest of the ancients accounted the vtmost period of mans life , and that often those of latter ages haue exceeded the former in number of yeares , as is made to appeare as well from sacred as prophane story . to let goe fabulous and vncertaine reports of the arcadian kings and such like , certaine it is , that marcus valerius corvinus , liued one hundred yeares compleate , metellus the pontife or supreame priest liued full as long . epimenides the cretian liued one hundred & fifty , whereof the last fifty he spent vnder ground in a caue . zenophanes the colophonian one hundred and two at the least : for he travelled at twenty fiue , and returned at seuenty seuen after his setting forth , but after his returne how long he liued it is vncertaine . gorgias the sicilian a famous rhetorician in his time , liued to one hundred and eight . hippocrates the renowned physitian to one hundred and fowre , both approving and honouring the excellency of his art by his age . asinius pollio inward with augustus , though of a luxurious life , surmounted an hundred . and for women ciceroes wife terentia liued till she was one hundred and three . clodia wife to ofilius went beyond her , and saw one hundred & fifteene years , & yet had she in her youth fifteene children : luceia a common vice in playes followed the stage and acted thereon an hundred yeares , such another vice that played the fooles part , and made sporte betweene whiles in interludes , named galeria copiola was brought aga●… act her feates vpon the stage when cn. pompeius and q. sulpitius were consulls , at the solemne playes vowed for the health of augustus caesar , when she was in the hundred and fourth yeare of her age . the first time that ever she entred the stage to shew proofe of her skill in that profession , was ninety one yeares before , and then was she brought thither by m. pomponius an edile of the commons in the yeare that c. marius and carbo were consuls . and once againe pompeius the great , at the solemne dedication of his stately theater , trained the old woman to the stage , thereby to make a shew of her to the wonder of the world . and if from prophane stories wee should come to the sacred , we shall there likwise find that some in all ages haue reached to that number of yeares , and that often ( which i desire to be observed ) those of latter times haue exceeded the former . to let goe the patriarchs of whome as far as iaacob i haue in part allready spoken , ioseph attained to an hun-and tenne , his brother leui to one hundred thirty seaven , and moses & aron were each of them one hundred and twenty at the least . phineas arons nephew , it may be by speciall favour for his great zeale , is supposed to haue liued three hundred yeares : and justly no doubt , if the warre of the israelites against the tribe of beiamin , ( in which expedition phineas was consulted with ) were acted in the same series of time , in which the history is recorded . iosua liued one hundred and tenne . iob after his restitution liued one hundred and forty yeares , notwithstanding that before his affliction he had children of the age of men and women . elizeus seemes to haue beene aboue an hundred , inasmuch as he lived threeskore yeares after the assumption of elias ; and such he was at that assumption as the children taunted him for his bald pate . tobias the elder liued to one hundred fifty and eight , the yonger to one hundred twenty seaven . long after this anna the prophetesse mentioned by s. luke seemes to haue out pitched an hundred , as our common translation reads it , she being a widdow fowerskore and fowre years , married seauen , and by common account no lesse then fourteene or fifteene when she was married , which being put together make vp an hundred and six yeares or there about : though i am not ignorant that iunius and our last translation agreably to the originall render it thus , & erat vidua annorum quasi octoginta & quatuor , she was a widdow of about fowreskore and fower yeares that is according to an vsuall hebraisme , about fouerscore and fower yeares old , as noah is said to haue beene filius quingentorum annorum , the sonne of fiue hundred yeares , that is , natus quingentos annos , fiue hundred yeares old . iohn the divine and beloued desciple an apostle a prophet and an evangelist , who of all the apostles onely died in his bed , all the rest suffering martyrdome for the name of christ , was doubtlesse very aged when he resigned his spirit for as witnesseth eusebius out of irenaeus he deceased in the yeare of traian which was the frō the nativity , the frō the passion of christ ; cedrenus affirms that he liued to , but surely considering he wrote his gospell after he was by the testimony of epiphanius , it is more then probable that he drew nere vppon if he exceeded it not . after this againe plyny to shew the errour of some ●…athematitians , who thought that the life of man could not even then be extended beyond an hundred yeares , produceth a taxation or review of the severall ages of men betweene apennine and the poo made vnder the emperours vespatian , the father and the sonne , in which vpon examination were found at parma three men that had liued each of them one hundred and twenty yeares , at brixels one that was one hundred twenty fiue years old : moreover at parma two , one hundred and thirty yeares of age ; at plaisance one elder by an yeare : at faventia there was one woman one hundred thirty two yeares old : at bononia l. taurentius the son of marcus & at ariminium m. aponius reckoned each of them one hundred and fifty yeares . about playsance , is a towne situate vpon the hills named velleiacum wherein six men brought a certificate that they had liued one hundred and ten yeares a peice , foure likewise came in with a note of an hundred and twenty yeares , & one of an hundred and forty : but because we will not dwell ( sayth he ) vpon a matter so evident and commonly confessed in the review taken of the eight region of italy , there were found in the role fifty foure of one hundred yeares of age , fifty seaven of one hundred & tenne , two of one hundred twenty fiue , fowre of one hundred and thirty , as many that were an hundred thirty fiue , or one hundred thirty seaven , and last of all three men of one hundeed and forty . now had plyny vir vnus apud latinos in observandis investigandisque naturae arcanis diligens & accuratus , the only man among the latines who is a diligent and curious tracer of the prints of natures footsteps , had this man i say obserued any such decrease as is pretended in mens ages in regard of former times , he would doubtlesse haue noted it , either in that chapter where so fare an oportunity was offered him , or some where else through his history : which i presume cannot be found , & i doubt not but if the like review and list were made in those parts at this day , as many of like ages would be found within the like compasse ; or if there were found defect in that place , it may happily be supplied in another ; or if a generall defect in this age by reason of some accidentall occasion , yet may it be repaired & recompenced againe in future times by their remoueall : the defect then ( if any be ) is not in the course of nature , but in our wronging it ; and yet i make no doubt but a number in succeeding ages haue equalled and some exceeded those recounted by plyny in number of years . sect . the same assertion farther proved and inlarged by many instances , both at home & abroad . archapius the philosopher boasted , as witnesseth roger bacon in his booke de erroribus medicorum , that he had liued yeares : and farther adds that himselfe had spoken with many eye-witnesses worthy credit who knew a man qui magnifico medicamine sumpto vixerat nongentis et multis alijs annis & habuit litteras papales in testimonium huius rei , who having vsed a princely preservatiue liued nine hundred yeares , and had the popes letters testimoniall to shew for it . to say nothing of the wandring iew , by some named iohannes buttadeus , of whom about six yeares since , being seene and conferred with at antwerpe , & againe about sixteene before that , in france was every where in those times so much talke , as if he had beene present at our sauiours passion , and had liued in this wandring manner euer since ; i will onely referre the curious reader , who desires to be farther informed in that point to the relations of guido bonatus , ( who liued about yeares since ) in the first part , tract & consideration of his iudiciarie astrologie , & to the seaventh booke of the historie of the peace betwixt the kings of france & spaine in the yeare , where the storie is not onely related but learnedly disputed ; & to an old manuscript chronicle de gestis regis iohannis lately in the keeping of the euer renowned sr henry savill , where report is made that in the yeare of grace , an archbishop of armenia arriuing as a pilgrime in this kingdome to visite the reliques of our saints , and being demaunded if hee could say any thing touching the wandring iew , of whom at that very time was much rumour ; a certaine knight in his traine made answere for him in french , that he knew him well , and had often conuersed with him ; and therevpon describes him both for his person , and manners , & the occasion of his liuing in that fashion , much like as doth paule of eitsen , bishop of sleswing , who is sayed to haue met & conferred with him at hamborough , in the yeare , in the french history before alleaged , but leauing him to his wandring life , i returne to more certaine relations . paul the hermite liued to one hundred & thirty , s. anthony to one hundred & fiue , one cornarius a venetian by weighing his meate and drinke which hee tooke euery meale ( as himselfe in his medicinall observations testifies ) suruiued an hundred in perfect sense and sound health . gartius aretinus great granfather to petrarch , arriued to one hundred & foure . gulielmus postellus , a french man in our age held out to almost an hundred & twenty ; the tops of his beard in his higher lip being then somewhat blackish & not altogether white . but aboue all , most memorable is the age of iohannes de temporibus , which verstigan out of the dutch authours thus reports : heere by the way , saith he , i must note to the reader that iohannes de temporibus , that is to say , iohn of times so called for the sundry times or ages he liued , was shield-knaue , or armour bearer to charles the great , of whom he was also made knight . this man being of great temperance , sobriety , & contentment of minde in his condition of life , but aboue all , of a most excellent constitution of body , residing partly in germany where hee was borne , & partly in france , liued vnto the ninth yeare of the reigne of the emperour conrade , & died at the age of three hundred sixty oney eares , seeming thereby a very miracle of nature , & one in whom it pleased god to represent vnto latter ages the long yeares & temperate liues of the ancient patriarches . mine authour goeth on ; 't is said that there hath a man lately liued in the east indies , of some thought to bee yet liuing , of greater age then this iohn of times : the certainety heereof i cannot affirme , but it is crediblely reported , that a wo●… lately liued at segouia in spaine of an hundred & threescore yeares of age . and franciscus alvarez saith , that he saw albuna marc : chiefe bishop of ethiopia being of the age of an hundred & fifty yeares . anthony fume an historiographer of good account , reporteth that in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred & seaventy , there was an indian presented to solyman generall of the turkes army , who had outliued three hundred yeares . and sr walter rawleigh tels vs , that himselfe knew the old countesse of desmond of inchiquin in munster , who liued in the yeare & many yeares since , & yet was married in edward the fourths time , & held her joynter from all the earles of desmond till then : and that this is true ( sayth he ) all the noblemen & gentlemen of munster can witnesse . my lord of s. albans casting her age , brings her to one hundred & forty at least , adding withall , ter per vices dentijsse , that shee recouered her teeth after casting them three severall times . the same authour reports that a while since in hereford-shire at their maygames there was a morice daunce of eight men , whose yeares put together made vp eight hundred , that which was wanting of an hundred in some superabounding in others . mr carew in his survey of cornwall , assures vs vpon his own knowledge that fourescore , & fourescore and ten yeares of age is ordinary there in every place , & in most persons accompanied with an able vse of the body and their sences . one polezew , saith he ) lately liuing reached to one hundred & thirty , a kinsman of his to one hundred & twelue . one beauchamp to one hundred and six , and in the parish where himselfe dwelt hee professed to haue remembred the decease of foure within fourteene weekes space , whose yeares added together made vp the summe of three hundred & forty . the same gentleman made this merrie epigram or epitaph vpon one brawne an irish man , but cornish begger . heere brawne the quondam begger lies who counted by his tale , some six score winters and aboue ; such vertue is in ale . ale was his meate , his drinke , his cloth , ale did his death repriue , and could hee still haue drunke his ale , hee had beene still aliue . and i make no doubt but the like observation might be made in other countryes vnder his majesties dominions , aswell as in those two sheires , if the like particular survey , & search were made . and if wee please a little to cast our eyes abroad , wee shall likewise finde that euen at this day the indians , a barbarous people and liuing according to nature , reach to a marveilous great age , matchable to any that wee reade of since the flood , either in sacred or prophane story . sr walter rawleigh in his discouery of guiana reports that the king of a●…omaia , being one hundred and tenne yeares old , came in a morning on foot to him from his house which was fourteene english miles , and re●…urned on foote the same way : but that which is written by mons●…r besanneera a french gentleman in the relation of captaine laudonr●… reis second voyage to florida , is much more strange , and not vnworthy to be set downe at large . our men , saith he , regarding the age of their paracoussy or lord of the countrey , began to question with him thereabouts , wherevnto he made answere that he was the first liuing originall from whence fiue generations were descended , shewing them withall another old man which farre exceeded him in age , and this man was his father , who seemed rather an anatomy then a liuing body : for his sinewes , his veines , his arteries , his bones , & other parts appeared so cleerely thorow his skin , that a man might easily tell them , & discerne them one from another . also his age was so great that the good man had lost his sight , & could not speake one onely word but with exceeding great paine . monsieur d' ottigni hauing seene so strange a sight , turned to the younger of these two old men , praying him to vouchsafe to answere to that which he demaunded touching his age : then called he a company of indians , & striking twice vpon his thigh & laying his hand vpon two of them , he shewed by signes that these two were his sonnes ; againe smiting vpon their thighes , hee shewed him others not so old , which were the children of the two first , and thus continued he in the same manner vntill the fift generation : but though this old man had his father aliue more old then himselfe , and that both their haire was as white as was possible , yet it was told them that they might yet liue thirty or forty yeares more by the course of nature , although the younger of them both , was not lesse then two hundred & fifty yeares old . torquemado in the first journey of his discourse tels vs , that being at rome about the yeare : it was bruted thorow all italy that at tarentum there liued an old man , who at the age of an hundred yeares was growne young againe , he had changed his skin like vnto the snake & had recouered a new , beeing withall become so young & fresh , as those which had seene him & knowne him before , could then scarce beleiue their owne eyes ; and hauing continued aboue fifty yeares in this estate , he grew at length to be so old , as he seemed to be made of barkes of trees ; wherevnto he further adds ( and that the aboue written relation , saith he , may not seeme impossible , we haue a more admirable thing in the same kinde , recorded by fernand lopez of castegnede , historiographer to the king of portugall in the eigth booke of his chronicle , where he saith , that nonnio de cugne , being viceroy at the indies in the yeare , there was a man brought vnto him as a thing worthy of admiration , for that it was auerred by good proofes & sufficient testimony , that he was three hundred and forty yeares old , he remembred he had seene that citty wherein he dwelt vnpeopled , being then when hee spake it one of the chiefe of all the east indies ; hee had growne young againe foure times , changing his white haire & recouering new teeth . when the viceroy did see him , hee then had the haire of his head & of his beard blacke , although he had not much , & there being by chaunce a physitian at that time present , the viceroy willed him to feele the old mans pulse , which he found as good & as strong as a young mans in the prime of his age . this man was borne in the realme of bengala , & did affirme that he had hadd at times neere seaven hundred wiues , whereof some were dead and some he had put away . the king of portugall advertised of this wonder , did often enquire , and had yearely newes of him by the fleete which came from thence : he liued aboue three hundred and seuenty yeares . the same castegnede adds , that in the time of the same vice-roy , there was also found in the citty of bengala another man , a moore or mahometane called xequepeer borne in a province named xeque , who was three hundred yeares old , as he said : all those that did know him did also certifie it , hauing great presumption so to doe . this moore was reputed among them an holy man by reason of his austerenesse and abstinence : the portugals did converse familiarly with him . now besides that the histories of portugall touching the indies are faithfully collected and certified by very authenticall witnesses , there were in my time , saith torquemado , both in portugall and castile many which had seene these old men . sect . . that if our liues be shortened in regard of our ancestours , we should rather lay the burden of the fault vpon our intemperance , then vpon a decay in nature . the high-landers likewise in scotland , and the wild irish commonly liue longer then those of softer education , of nice and tender bringing vp , ( which often fals out in the more civill times and countreyes ) being no doubt a great enemy to longevity , as also the first feeding and nourishing of the infant with the milke of a strange dug ; an vnnaturall curiosity , hauing taught all women but the beggar to find out nurses , which necessity only ought to commend vnto them . wherevnto may be added hasty marriages in tender yeares , wherein nature being but yet greene and growing , wee rent from her , and replant her branches , while her selfe hath not yet any root sufficient to maintaine her own top . and such halfe-ripe seedes for the most part wither in the bud , and waxe olde euen in their infancy . but aboue all things the pressing of nature with over-weighty burdens , and when we find her strength defectiue , the help of strong waters , hot spices and provoking sauces , is it which impaires our health , and shortens our life . — simul assis miscueris elixa ; simul conchylia turdis dulcia se in bilem vertent , stomachoque tumultum lenta feret pituita ; vides ut pallidus omnis coena desurgat dubia ? mixe sod with rost , and fish with flesh , straightwayes the sweet will turne it selfe to bitter gall : tough flegme will in the stomacke tumults raise . seest not how doubtfull suppers make men pale ? but elegant to this purpose are those verses of lucan , — o prodiga rerum luxuries nunquam parvo contenta paratu , et quaesitorum terra pelagoque ciborum ambitiosa fames , & lautae gloria mensae . discite quàm parvo liceat producere vitam , et quantum natura petat . non auro myrrhaque bibunt , sed gurgite puro vita redit , satis est populis fluviusque ceresque . o wastfull riot neuer well content , with low-priz'd fare , hunger ambitious of cates by land and sea far fetcht and sent , vaine-glory of a table sumptuous : learne with how little life may be preseru'd , in gold and myrrhe they need not to carroufe , but with the brook the peoples thirst is seru'd , who fed with bread and water are not steru'd . multos morbos multa fercula fecerunt , saith seneca , our variety of dainty dishes hath bred variety of diseases . and againe , maximus ille medicorum , & hujus scientiae conditor , foeminis nec capillos defluere dixit , nec pedes laborare : atqui haejam & capillis destituuntur , & pedibus aegrae sunt , non mutata foeminarum natura , sed vita est . the greatest of physitians & the founder of that science affirmes that women neither loose their haire , nor grow diseased in their feete : but now we see they are both bald and gowty , not because their nature is chaung'd , but the course of their life . beneficium sexus sui vitijs perdiderunt , & quia foeminam exuerunt , damnatae sunt morbis virilibus . they haue forfeited the priviledge of their sexe by their owne vitiousnesse , and hauing together with their modesty put off their womanhood , they are deservedly plagued with mens diseases . besides , our ancestors vsed some things now growne out of vse with vs , which were no doubt speciall meanes to preserue their health and prolong their liues , as the annointing of their bodies , their frequent vse of saffron and hony , their wearing of warmer clothes , and dwelling in closer houses with little doores and windowes , choosing rather to admit lesse aire then much light , preferring their health before their pleasure , as also for the most part they vsed lesse physick and more exercise : so that if our liues be shortned in regard of them , we haue reason to acquit and discharge nature , and to lay the whole burden of the fault vpon our selues . — natura beatis omnibus esse dedit , si quis cognoverit vti . nature allowes that all should blessed be , knew they to vse her bounty prudentlie . and doubtlesse through our owne ignorance or negligence it is , if wee make not that vse of natures bounty which we might and should : and herewith that of roger bacon accords in his booke de retardatione accidentium senectutis : mundo senescente senescunt homines , non propter mundi senectutem , sed multiplicationem viventium inficientium ipsum aerem qui nos circundat , & negligentiam regiminis & ignorantiam illarum rerum , illarumve proprietatum quae regiminis defectum supplent . the world waxing old , men likewise waxe old , not so much by reason of the worlds old age , as the multiplication of liuing creatures infecting the aire which environs vs , and our negligence in the governement of our health , and our ignorance in the vertue of those things which should supply the defect of that government ; and againe in his booke de scientia experimentali . causa autem hujusmodi prolongationis & abbreviationis existimaverunt multi à parte coeli , nam existimaverunt quod coeli dispositio fuit optima à principio , & mundo senescente omnia tabescunt , aestimantes stellas fuisse creatas in locis convenientioribus , & in meliori proportione earum ad invicem secundùm diversitatem aspectuum , & proiectionem radiorum invisibilem , & quod ab illo statu paulatim recesserunt , & secundùm hunc recessum ponunt vitae decurtationem vsque ad aliquem terminum fixum in quo est status , sed hoc habet multas contradictiones & difficultates de quibus non est modo dicendum . the cause of this prolonging and shortning our liues ; many conjectured to be in regard of the heauens , for they thought that the heauens were best disposed at the first , and that as the world waxeth old , all things decayed , supposing that the starres were created in more convenient places , & in a fitter proportion each to other according to the diversities of their aspects , and the invisible projection of their beames , and that by degrees they are fallen off from that estate , and according therevnto they proportiō the decrease of life vntill it come to some settled period , beyond which there is no farther progresse ; but this assertion includes many contradictions and difficulties of which i cannot now speake . yet me thinkes it may be demonstrated by evident reason , besides the arguments already alleadged , that at the least for these last thousand or two thousand yeares , the age of mankinde is little or nothing abated , which i will indeavour to make good in the next chapter . cap. . farther reasons alleaged that the age of man for these last thousand or two thousand yeares is little or nothing abated . sect . . the first reason taken from the severall stops and pawses of nature in the course of mans life , as the time of birth after our conception , our infancie , childhood , youth , mans estate , and old age , being assigned to the same compasse of yeares as they were by the ancients ; which could not possible bee , were there a vniversall decay in mankind in regard of age ; and the like reason there is in making the same clymactericall yeares and the same danger in them . that the age of mankinde for these last thousand or two thousand yeares is nothing shortned , will farther appeare by the severall stages and stops which the ancients haue marked out , aswell in the growth of the infant in the mothers wombe , and time of birth , as in the distribution of mans age after the birth , agreeable vnto that which is generally receiued by the learned , and for the most part wee finde to be verified by experience at this day . as among plants , those which last longest haue likewise their seedes longest buried vnder the earth before their springing aboue ground : so likewise among beasts , those which liue longest , are carried longest in the wombe of their dammes ; the bitch carries her young but foure moneths , the mare nine , the elephant two yeares ( not ten as some haue vainely written ) and looke what proportion is found betwixt their conception and birth , the like is commonly found betwixt their birth and death . nature then in her proceedings in naturall actions beeing alike , aswell to them as to mankind , it should in reason seeme , that as their time is the same which the ancients , ( namely hippocrates and aristotle ) haue left vpon record , from their conception to their birth , and againe ordinarily ( or caeteris paribus , as in schooles we speake ) from their birth to their death ; so it should fare with mankind too : if then it shall appeare that the ancients assigned the same space of time for the deliuerie of a woman with child , which wee now doe , me thinkes the consequent from hence deduced should bee more thē probable , that as the space of their abode in the womb of the mother , and comming from thence into the world , is the same as then it was , so likewise ordinarily , and in the course of nature ( if shee bee not wronged or interrupted , nor on the otherside by a supernaturall power advanced aboue herselfe ) it should bee the same during their abode heere in the world , and their returne to the wombe of their common mother the earth : now though it be true that the space of time from the conception to the birth of man is more variable then that of any other creature ( perchaunce because his foode & fancie are more variable , or because nature is more sollicitous of him , as being her darling ) yet most certaine it is , the same periods which by hippocrates were assigned for his first comming into the light , are now also by physitians observed , & that so precisely as they exactly agree with him , not only in the number of moneths but of dayes ; the moneths assigned by him were the seaventh , the ninth , the tenth , & sometimes the eleuenth , & so they still remaine ; and as the eight was by him held dangerous & deadly , so is it now ; & as the tenth moneth is our vsuall computation , so was it likewise theirs , as appeares by that of neptune in homer speaking to a nimph. anno circummacto speciosum partum edes nimirum decimo mense . the yeare ended thou wilt be deliuered of a faire child , that is to say , in the th moneth . from whence it may be obserued that the aeolians ( of whom was homer ) counted their yeare from thence , as did also the romanes till numa's raigne , i meane from the vsuall time of a womans going with child . quod satis est vtero matris dum prodeat infans , hoc anno statuit temporis esse satis . sayeth the poet speaking of romulus . that space which is vnto our birth assign'd , the same by him was to the yeare confin'd . and to the end we may fully know what space is there by him vnderstood , hee presently adds . annus erat decimum cum luna receperat orbem , hic numerus magno tunc in honore fuit , seu quia tot digiti per quos numer are solemus , seu quia bis quino famina mense parit . our yeare tenne full moones did containe this number then was honoured for that a woman going in paine so long , was then disburdened . but i proccede from the time of the birth to the ancients distribution of mans age after the birth . some of them divided the age of man into three , some into foure , some into five , some into six , some into seaven parts : which they resembled to the seaven planets ; comparing our infancie to the moone , in which wee seeme only to liue & grow as plants ; the second age or childhood to mercury , wherein wee are taught and instructed ; the third age or youth to venus , the dayes of loue , desire , & vanity : the fourth to the sunne , the strong flourishing and beautifull age of mans life ; the fifth to mars , in which wee seeke honour and victory , and in which our thoughts travell to ambitious ends ; the sixth to iupiter , in which we begin to take account of our times , judge of our selues , & grow to the perfection of our vnderstanding : the last & seaventh to saturne , wherein our dayes are sad and overcast , & in which we finde by deere & lamentable experience , & by the losse which neuer can be repaired , that of all our vaine passions and affections past , the sorrow only abideth . philo iudaeus in that excellent booke of the workemanshippe of the world , discoursing of the admirable properties of the sacred number of seaven , among many other things alleaged to that purpose , he affirmes that at the end of euery seaventh yeare , there is some notable chaunge in the body of man , and for better proofe thereof , hee produceth the authority of hippocrates , and an elegie of solons which thus begins . impubes pueri septem voluentibus annis claudunt enatis dentibus eloquium post alios totidem diuorum numine dextro occultum pubis nascitur indicium . annus ter septem primâ lanugine malas vestiet aetatis robore conspicuus . &c. when children once to seaven yeares haue aspired , the tale of all their teeth they haue acquired . by that the next seaven ended haue their date pubertie comes and power to generate . the third seaven perfect's growth , and then the chin with youthly downe to blossome doth begin . but among all the ancients i haue mette with , macrobius in his first booke of scipio's dreame , extolling ( as plilo doth ) the rare and singular effects of the septenary number , most cleerely and learnedly expresseth the remarkeable pawses and chaunges of nature euery seaventh yeare in the course of mans age , as the casting of the teeth in the first seaven , the springing of the pubes in the second , of the beard in the third , the vtmost period of growth in the fourth , of strength in the fifth , a consistence in the sixth , and a declination in the seaventh . now that which these ancients obserued touching these secret stations and progresses of nature in the state of mans body and course of his life , is still found to be true , aswell by the verdict and judgement of learned men , as by the proofe and triall of experience , which could not possiblely bee , were there a constant abatement in the length of our whole age , by such an vniuersall & irreuocable decay of nature as is pretented : for then should men doubtles grow to ripenes and perfection sooner , as they are supposed sooner to hasten to death and dissolution , which must needes draw on an alteration and confusion in all the noted changes thorow the course of mans life : and therefore the holy scripture assigning the patriarches a longer life , assignes them likewise proportionablely therevnto a longer time before they were ripened for generation , as peter martyr hath rightly noted . it is true and euer was , which galen in his sixth booke of the regiment of health hath observed , that these chaunges cannot so be tyed to any such precise number of yeares , but that a variation of latitude is to be admitted in them in regard of some particulars : some growing to their puberty at fourteen , others at fifteen : some declining at thirty , others at thirty fiue , according to their severall constitutions , educations , diet , situation of clymates and countreyes and the like ; the poet professed of himselfe aboue sixteene hundred yeare agoe , that his beard began to sprout and paint his cheekes before twenty . quamuis jam juvenile decus mihi pingere malas caeperit , & nondum vicesima venerit aetas . though now my beard began my cheekes to grace , nor had i liued yet twice tenne yeares space . but as all rules in science , so theses are held sufficiently currant and warrantable , if they be found infallible in the greatest part , and vniforme , where all circumstances concurre in a like degree . it is now commonly thought , that thirty three , or between that and yeares , is the flower & perfection of mans age , ( it being the mid way to sevēty , which both moses & solon held the epilogue & cōclusiō thereof : so as those who run beyōd that , are like racers which run beyōd the goale . ) and this was the age of our blessed saviour , to the perfection whereof , the apostle seems to allude in the to the a ephesians : till we meet together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fullnes of christ : which passage b s. augustin interpreting , is of opiniō , that we shall rise againe by reasō of the perfectiō thereof , iu ea aetane vsque quā christū pervenisse cognovimus , as men of that age vnto which christ himselfe the head of the church arriued . i know there want not some , as namely d irenaeus & others , who by occasion of that speech of the iewes , e thou art not yet fifty yeare old , and hast thou seene abraham ? conjecture that he was about that age : but whether it were his cares & troubles that made him seeme elder then indeéde he was , or the iewes would thereby signifie that though he had beene much elder then he was , yet was it not possible for him to haue seene abrabam in the flesh ; certaine it is that he came not to fourty : some late divines being of opinion that he reached thirty fiue , but the most part , as also the most ancient and most learned , f that he little exceeded thirty three since then our infancie ends and childhood begins , our childhood ends and youth begins , our youth ends and manhood begins , and lastly our manhood ends & our declining estate begins where it did a thousand or two thousād yeare agoe , i see no reason , but we may safely conclude , that at leastwise since that time mankind is nothing decayed in regard of age . and the like reason there is in there observing anciently the same clymactericall yeares and in them the same danger of sicknesse or death that we do , as appeares not only in brodeus his miscellanea lib. . cap. . and in a little discourse , which m. wright hath written and annexed to his book of the passions of the mind , occasioned as he there professeth by the death of queene elizabeth ) but much more fully in baptista codronchus a famous both philosopher and phisitian who hath purposely cōposed a large treatise de annis climactericis , in which thus begins his preface to that worke antiquissimi & peritissimi rerum naturalium observatores , nec vulgares homines vitae humanae curriculum considerantes septimo quoque anno & presertim tertio supra sexagesimum homines plerosque corporis & animi affectionibus conflictari , in discrimine versari , ac saepius interire pluribus observationibus ac periculis cognoverunt . the most ancient and skilfull searchers into naturall things , and those no meane men taking into consideration the course of mans life by many observations and tryals , they found that every seventh yeare , and specially in the most men are sorely affected both in body and mind , are brought into great danger , and many times die outright ; i will bring onely one instance from antiquity to shew their agreement as in the other before mentioned , so likewise in this point with these latter ages ; it is borrowed from gellius in his fifteenth booke , and seaventh chapter of his noctes atticae , where he thus speaks of this matter , observatum in multa hominum memoria , expertumque est in senioribus plerisque omnibus sexagesimum tertium vitae annum cum periculo & clade aliqua venire , aut corporis morbique gravioris aut vitae interitus , aut animi aegritudinis . it hath been of a long time observed and experienced , in almost all old men , that the yeare of their life , hath proued dangerous and hurtfull vnto them , either in regard of some greivous sicknesse of body or death or great greefe of mind : & going on , he alleags to this purpose a part of a letter which augustus caesar wrote to caius his nephew . aue mi cai , meus ocellus iucundissimus : quē semper medius sidius desidero quum à me abes ; sed precipue diebus talibus , qualis est hodiernus , oculi mei requirunt meum caium ; quem vbicunque hoc die fuisti , spero laetum & benevolentem celebrasse : quartum & sexagesimum natalem meum , nam vt vides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commnem seniorum omnium tertium & sexagesimum annum evasimus . i greet the well my caius , mine owne deare heart , whom in truth i always find wanting as oft as thou art absent from me , but cheifely vppon such days as this is , mine eyes long to behold my caius , which wheresoeverthou wert , i hope thou hast kept festivall , it being my sixty fourth birthday , for as thou seest i haue escaped my sixty third being the common climactericall of all old men . sect . . the second is drawne from the age , of matrimony and generation which among the ancients was fully as forward as ours now is if not more timely . for the better clearing of which poynt , it shall not be amisse somewhat farther to insist vpon the age of generation and marriage , which among the ancients was both in opinion held , and in practise proued to be the same or little different from that which amongst vs is in vse at this day . the third councell of carthage ordained that publicke readers in the church cum ad annos pubertatis venerint aut cogantur vxores ducere aut continentiam profiteri , when they came to yeares of puberty , should be forced either to marry or vow chastity ; and quintilian of his owne wife professeth that hauing borne him two sonnes , she died , nondum expleto aetatis vndevicesimo anno being not yet full one and twenty years of age . mulieres statim ab anno decimo quarto , à à viris dominae vocantur , saith epictetus : women no sooner passe foureteene , but presently they haue giuen them from men , or from their husbands the title of mistresses . the a civill lawes allowed a woman marriage at twelue , so did the. b iewish talmud and the c canons of the church , d hesiod at fifteene , e xenophon and the f comaedian at sixteene , anni sedecem fios ipse , g aristotle at eighteene , h plato at twenty : the reason of the difference i take to be this : the lawes would not permit them to marrie sooner , & plato held it not fitte they should stay longer . and as wee commonly are both ripe for marriage , and marrie about the same yeares the ancients did , so men for the most part leaue begetting , and women bearing of children about the same time as they did . tiberius made a law , knowne by the name of lex papia , by which he forbad de such men as were past sixty , or women past fiftie to marrie , as being insufficient for generation . to which lactantius out of seneca seemes to allude , thus jesting at the ethnickes touching their great god iupiter . quare apud poetas salacissimus iupiter desijt liberos tollere , vtrum sexagenarius factus , & ei lex papia fibulam imposuit ? how comes it to passe that in your poets the lecherous iupiter begets no more children , is hee past sixtie , & restrained by the papian law ? yet this law by the emperour claudius in part , but by iustinian ( almost fiue hundred yeares after ) was fully repealed as insufficient , in asmuch as men after that age were , and still are found to be sufficient for that act ; seldome indeede it is that men beget after seaventy , or women beare after fiftie ; and the same was long since both observed & recorded by the principall both secretarie & great register of nature in his time , adding farther that men commonly left begetting at sixtie fiue , & women bearing at fortie fiue : when abrahams body was now dead in regard of generation , he was short of . indeede plutarch reports of cato maior , that hee begat a sonne at eightie : & pliny of masinissa , after eightie six : but they both report it as a wonder , neither want there presidents in this age to parallell either of them . i well know that the accusation is common , & perchaunce in part not vnjust , that men now a dayes generally marrie sooner then their ancestours did , which is made to be one of the chiefe causes of our supposed shorter liues : but that many of them abstained not so long from marriage as wee now commonly doe , it may be euidenced by these following examples , drawn from the oracles of sacred writ . there descended from abraham in the space of foure hundred yeares and little more , & from iaacob and his sonnes , within or thereabout , aboue six hundred thousand men , beside children and those who died in the interim , and were slaine by the egyptians : which wonderfull multiplication within the compasse of that time , should in reason argue that they married timely . in the forty sixth of genesis , moses describing old iaacobs journey downe into egypt , tells vs that the number of persons springing from his loynes , which accompanied him in that journey , were sixty six soules , and not content with the grosse summe hee specifies the particulars , among which the sonnes of iudah are named to bee er , & onan , & shelah , and pharez , and zerah ; ( but er and onan , saith the text , died in the land of canaan ) and the sonnes of pharez were hezron , and hamul ; so that he begat pharez vpon thamar his daughter in law after the death of his eldest sonnes er and onan , who according to the law had married her successiuely , and pharez begat hezron and hamul , and yet at this time was iudah himselfe but forty foure yeares of age at most , as appeares by this , that ioseph was then but thirty nine , sixteene he was when he was sold by his brethren , & twenty three yeares after , was his fathers journey into egypt . now it is evident that iudah was but foure yeares elder then ioseph , the one being borne in the eleuenth yeare of their fathers abode in mesopotamia , and the other after the expiration of the fourteenth : in the compasse then of forty foure yeares or thereabout , had iudah sonnes which were married , namely er & onan , after that himselfe by mistake begets another sonne vpon their wife , viz : pharez , who had likewise two sonnes at this time when iaacob went downe into egypt . s. augustine is i confesse much perplexed in the loosing of this knot ; and so is pererius treading in his steps : they both flying for the saluing of the text to an anticipation in the storie , as if some of those who are named by moses to haue descended with iaacob into egypt , had beene both begotten & borne long after his setling there : but this glosse seeming to pareus somewhat hard , ( as in truth it is ) he resolues the doubt , by making both iudah , & er , & onan , and pharez to marrie all of them at the entrance of their fourteenth yeare , which in the ordinary course of nature both then was , and still is the yeare of pubertie , and then thus concludes hee : in his omnibus nihil coactum aut contortum , nihil quod non consueto naturae ordine fieri potuerit , vt nec miracula fingere sit opus , nec filios pharez qui in descensu numerantur in aegypto demum natos asserere sit necesse : in all this there is nothing strained or wrested , nothing but may well be done in the ordinary course of nature , so as we need not either fly to miracles , or affirme that the sonnes of pharez , who are ranked in the number of those who descended with iaacob , were afterward borne in egypt . and with pareus heerein accords the learned a arnisaeus , ( some small difference betweene them in the calculation of yeares set apart ) wondering that two such great clarkes , as augustine & pererius should trouble themselues so much about so slender a difficultie , not considering , as it seemes , the examples of the like or more timely marriages , recorded in holy scripture . whereof we haue a notable one in the same chapter of benjamin , who at the same time is made the father of ten sonnes , and yet was he then but twenty three or twenty foure yeares of age ; being borne in the hundred and sixth yeare of his father , which was the yeare before the selling of ioseph . dina by the testimony of polyhistor , when shee was rauished and sued vnto for marriage by sichem was but tenne yeares of age , and by the computation of caietan but foureteene , of pererius but fifteene or sixteene at vtmost . the blessed virgine when shee brought forth our saviour , but fifteene . somewhat more euident is that of iosiah , who was but thirty nine yeares old when he died , eight he was when he began to reigne , and hee reigned thirty one ; yet was eliakim his sonne twenty fiue yeares old when he began to reigne , being by pharaoh neco substituted in the place of his brother iehoahaz , after he had reigned three moneths ; so that iosiah by just computation could not well exceede foureteene yeares of age , when he was first married : but that of ahaz is yet more remarkeable , who liued but thirty six yeares in the whole , twenty yeares old was hee when he began to reigne , and he reigned sixteene yeares ; yet was his sonne hezekiah , who immediatly succeeded him , twenty fiue yeares old when he began to reigne : by which account ahaz was married , and begat hezekiah at eleuen , or before . and though functius in his chrononologie , moued with the strangenes heereof , would make hezekiah the legall , not the naturall sonne of ahaz , by adoption , not by generation , and iunius in his annotations referre those wordes ; twenty yeares old was he when he began to reigne , to iothan the father of ahaz ; yet heerein they both stand alone , aswell against reason , as the ordinary phrase of scripture and streame of interpreters . s. hierome in his epistle to vitalis , to make it good , hath recourse to gods omnipotencie , neque enim valet natura , saith he , contra naturoe dominum : and againe , quòd pro miraculo fit ; legem naturae facere non potest : that which it pleaseth god to worke supernaturally as a miracle , may not be held for the ordinary law of nature . yet himselfe in the same epistle alleages the example of salomon to the same purpose : and another more strange then that ; to the relation whereof he prefixes this solemne preface ; audiui , domino teste , non mentior , i haue heard , god knowes i faine it not , that a certaine nurse , hauing the education of an exposed child committed to her charge , who lay with her , being now of the age of tenne yeares , and prouoked to incontinencie by the nurse , overcharged with wine , shee was found with child by him . i will conclude this reason with the example of solomon , who is commonly thought to come to the crowne at twelue yeares of age , and the scripture assures vs that he reigned but forty , by which account he died at the age of fifty two , which is the most receiued opinion aswell of the iewish rabbines , as the christian doctours : yet was rehoboam his sonne and successour forty one yeares old when he began to raigne : so that but an ele●…en yeares at most , are left for solomon when he begat him : such matches as these in this age , i thinke can hardly be matched neither in truth doe i hold it fit they should . sect . . the third is borrowed from the age which the ancients assigned for charge and imployment in publique affaires , ecclesiasticall , civill and military , they were therevnto both sooner admitted , and therefrom sooner discharged then men now adayes vsually are , which should in reason argue , that they likewise vsually finished the course of their life sooner . another reason tending to the same purpose may not vnfitly bee drawne from the age which the ancients assigned for charge and imployment in publique affaires . they were therevnto assoone admitted and sooner discharged then men now adayes vsually are , which should in reason argue that they likewise ran their race & finished their course sooner , in asmuch as quod citius crescit , citius finitur , that which sooner comes to ripenes and perfection , hastens sooner to rottennes & dissolution . now publique charges may well be distributed into ecclesiasticall , civill , and military , of the church , of the state , and of the warres : i will begin with the ministeriall offices of the church , and therein with the principall , which is that of the bishop : thomas becket was chosen archbishop of canterbury at the age of forty foure yeares , as witnesseth mathew parker ( who succeeded him in that see ) in his booke of the liues of the archbishops intituled antiquitates britannicae : is qui ad episcopalem dignitatem promovendus est , annos natus esse debet non minus triginta , nam ea aetate dominum & baptizatum , & concionatum fuisse legimus , saith lancelot in his institutions of the canon law. he who is to bee advanced to the dignity of a bishop , ought not to be lesse then thirty yeares old , inasmuch as we read that our lord was baptized and preached at that age . whereas now adayes with vs seldome is any preferred to that place till he be past forty or fifty . venerable bede our famous countreyman who liued about eight hundred yeares agoe , was by hisowne testimony made deacon at nineteene . and origen by the testimony of eusebius , catechist in alexandria at eighteene yeares of age . but that which to this point is most memorable in the exercise of sacred functions , is that by the commandement of god himselfe , the levites after the age of fifty yeares were exempted from the execution of their office , which notwithstanding was nothing so painefull as that of the ministery of the gospell , if faithfully discharged . where by levites it may well be that not only those who serued in inferiour offices vnder the priests , but the priests themselues as being of the tribe of levi are to be vnderstood , to which purpose m. nettles in his answere to the iewish part of m. seldens history of tithes hath vouched the rabbines , as named aben ezra on leviticus . every priest is a levite , but euery levite is not a priest. and ioshuah ben levi mentioning that text , numb . : . speake vnto the levites , doth vnder the name of levites vnderstand also priests , farther adding , that in foure and twenty places the priests are called levites , which being so ; i see no reason but that from thence we may safely inferre , that in likelyhood the same space of yeares was assigned to the priest , aswell for his entrance vpon his office , as his discharge from it , specially considering that his place was of an higher nature . now for the warres . the gaules put their sonnes in armes , and prepared them to warre at foureteene . cneius pompeius at eighteene yeares of age , and caesar octavianus at nineteene sustained civill warres . the iewes indeed ordinarily levied their souldiers from twenty yeares vpward , as plainly appeares in the first of numbers and diverse other places . but the romanes from seuenteene , which by gellius out of tubero is reported to haue beene the practise and prescript of servius tullius one of their kings . the same was afterwards confirmed by the gracchi , gracchi lex iuniorem annis septendecem militem non legi . the gracchian law ordained that none should be levied vnder seuenteene . yet in times of necessity they came vnder those yeares , as in the second punick warre , tum decretum , saith livy , vt tribuni plebis ad populum ferrent , vt qui minores annis . sacramento dixissent , ijs perinde stipendia procederent : ac si annorum aut maiores milites facti essent . it was then decreed that the tribunes should tell the people that such as being vnder seuenteene had taken their military oath , should in like sort receiue their pay as if they had beene full seuenteene or past . the graecians indeed entred vpon their military service somwhat latter , but were discharged from it sooner , they tooke vp souldiers for the warres at eighteene , but discharged them at forty or thereabout . we finde in demosthenes , that the state being indangered , they were all commaunded to tugg at the oare , vsque ad eos qui annorum essent , euen to those that were forty fiue : vpon which vlpian the scholiast commenteth , that this was an vnusuall practice , quia lex apud athenienses ad annum quadragesimum duntaxat , iubet militare , exorsos à decimo octavo , because the lawes among the athenians commaunds men to serue in the warres onely till forty , entring vpon the service at eighteene . and it should seeme macrobius aimes at this , discoursing of the efficacy of the septenary number , nonnullarum rerumpub . is mos est , vt post sextam hebdomaden ad militiam nemo cogatur , in plurimis detur remissio post septimam , it is the custome of some states , that after the sixth weeke no man should be forced to serue in the warres , and in the most they are discharged after the seuenth : where by weekes he vnderstands weekes of yeares , and in the sixth weeke seemes to point at the practice of the athenian state , in the seuenth to that of the romane . neither the romane nor the graecian went commonly beyond forty fiue , as dyonisius affirmeth , or forty sixe , as polybius : and euen in dangerous times not beyond fifty , lex à quinquagesimo anno militum non cogit , à sexagesimo senatorem non citat , saith seneca in his last chapter de brevitate vitae , the law doth not force a souldier to serue after fifty , nor a senatour after sixty . by the testimony of polyhistor , and the computation both of caietan and pererius , symeon and levi , when they so fiercely and desperatly set vpon the sichemites , little or nothing surpassed the number of twenty yeares , in somuch that pererius breakes out into this admiration : subit animum meum vehementer admirari , praeferocem istorum animum , qui vix dum adolescentiam egressitam atrox facinus & ani●…ò conceperint , & audacissime exsèquentes perfecerint : i cannot but ex●…dingly marvell at their wonderfull fiercenes , that being scarce past their youth , they should in their mindes conceiue so bloody a fact , & put it in execution so boldly . king edward the fourth hauing beene conquerour in eight or nine severall set battailes , died at the age of forty one , and our famous king arthur ( if we may beleeue ninnius ) hauing victoriously fought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaue vp the ghost at the same age . iulian hauing been for diverse yeares a great commaunder in the warres was slaine at one and thirty ; and it is well knowne that the great alexander had conquered in a manner the knowne world at thirty three . vpon the consideration whereof iulius caesar beholding his statue in the temple of hercules at cales , fetcht a deepe sigh , as being ashamed that at that age himselfe had atchieued no memorable act , yet was himselfe but when he was slaine . lastly , for the administratiō of ciuill affaires in the state , romulus first king of the romans hauing raigned ( saith plutarch in the very endof his life ) years dyed at fifty , by which accoūt he must begin his ragne at somewhat too yong ( a man would thinke ) for a king that was to lay the foundation of such an empire . cicero by the testimony of cornelius nepos ( who was his familiar freind , and wrote his life ) pleaded publikely for sextus roscius at , and by the testimony of aulus gellius euripedes wrote one of his tragidies , natus annos duo de viginti , at eighteene yeares of age . iosephus witnesseth of him selfe annos novendecem natus ad rempub : caepi me dare , i began to apply myselfe to the affaires of the weale publique , being but yet nineteene yeares of age . and moses of ioseph the patriarch , that when he had in a manner the whole goverment of egipt committed to his charge by pharaoh , was but thirty yeares old ; which was likewise davids age ▪ when he began to raigne . augustus entred vpon the consulship at twenty , and receiued virilem togam at sixteene saith suetouius in his life . but aurelius antoninus a yeare yonger as spartianus affirmes , by which ornament or habit , they were judged fit for publique imployment in the common wealth . and laevinus torrentius in his annotations vpon that place , observeth that even the lawes themselues at that time reputed men fit for action in state affaires at seauenteene , at which age nero was chosen emperour : tertullian comes much lower , tempus etiam ethnici observant , vt ex lege naturae jura suis aetatibus reddant : nam foeminas à duodecem annis , masculos à duobus amplius ad negotia mittunt . the ethnicks so obserue their times , that from the law of nature they dispose of their ages in civill affaires : for women they imploy after twelue , and men two yeares after that . and as they were reputed sooner fit for action then wee : so likewise sooner vnfit : cum sexaginta annos habebant , tum erant à publicis negotijs liberi atque expediti , & otiosi : when they once came to sixty then were they freed from all publique seruice , and left to their ease and rest . in somuch as it grew to a proverbe amongst the latins , sexagenarios de ponte deijci oportere , that men of sixty deserued to be cast from the bridge , as being vnprofitable for the common-wealth after that age . and from thence were they commonly called depontani which was vpon this ocasion taken vp , as witnesseth festus . quo tempore primum per pontem coeperunt com●…iijs suffragiūferre , iunio●…es conclamavêre , ut de ponte deijcerentur sexagenarij ; quia nullo publico munerefungerentur . at what time they held their assemblyes & gaue their suffrages vpon the bridge , the yonger sort cryed out with one voyce , that such as were sixty should be throwne from the bridge , in as much as they had no publique charge . to which outcry of theirs ovid alludes . pars pi●…tat , vt ferrent juvenes suffragia soli , pontibus infirmos praecipitasse senes . that yonger men might voices giue alone , the elder were downe from the bridges throwne . this motion , the barbiccians at seventy , in effect put in execution , ●…nes septaagesimum annum egressos interficiunt , viros mactando , mulieres vero stangulando : they make away all that are past seaventy , sacrificing the men and strangling the women . now then since the age assigned by the ancients not onely for marriage , but likewife for their entrance vpon , & discharge from publique imployment , aswell in the church and state as in the warres , was little or nothing different from that which is both allowed and practised at this day , ( saue that they seemed to haue beene more indulgent and favourable to themselues then now we are ) what reason haue wee to imagine that the length and duration of time which they vsually liued , was different from ours ? i will close vp this chapter with an observatiō or two taken frō the municipall lawes of our own land , which account prescription or custome by the practising of a thing time out of minde ( as they call it ) and that time they confine to the same number of yeares , as formerly they haue done , which could not stand with reason or justice were there such a notable and sensible abatement in the age of man as is pretended . and againe : our ancestors for many revolutions of ages in their leases or other instruments of conveyance commonly valued three liues but at one and twenty yeares in account in law. whereas now adayes they are valued by the ablest lawyers at twenty sixe , twenty eight , yea thirty yeares : whether it were that the warres and pestilentiall diseases then consumed more , i cannot determine , but me thinkes it should in reason argue thus much , that our liues at leastwise are not shortned in regard of theirs , which is asmuch as i desire to be graunted , and more then is commonly yeelded , though ( as i conceiue ) vpon no sufficient ground denyed ; and so i passe from the age of men to the consideration of their strength and stature . cap. . containing a comparison betwixt the gyants mentioned in scripture both among themselues , and with those of latter ages . sect . . of the admirable composition of mans body , and that it can not be sufficiently prooved that adam as he was the first , so he was likewise the tallest of men , which in reason sholud be , were there in truth any such perpetuall decrease in mans stature as is pretended , as the great power of almighty god doth shine foorth and shew it selfe in the numberlesse variety of the parts of mans body : so doth his wonderfull goodnesse in their excellent vse , and his singular wisedome in their orderly disposition , sweet harmony and just symmetrie , aswell in regard of themselues , as in reference each to other , but chiefly in the resultance of the beautifull and admirable frame of the whole body . the consideration whereof made the royall prophet to cry out : i will praise thee , for i am fearefully and wonderfully made , in thy booke were all my members written , and curiously wrought , marvailous are thy works , and that my soule knoweth right well - this proportion is in all respects so euen and correspondent , that the measures of temples , of dwelling houses , of engins , of ships were by architects taken from thence , and those of the arke it selfe too , as it is probably thought . for as the arke was three hundred cubits in length , fifty in bredth , and thirty in heigth , so the body of man rightly shaped , answers therevnto . the length from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot , and breadth from side to side , and thicknes from back to breast carrying the proportion of three hundred , and fifty , and thirty each to other : so that looke what proportion fifty hath to three hundred , which is sixe to one , the same hath the breadth of mans body to his heigth or length . and what proportion thirty hath to three hundred , which is ten to one , the same hath the thicknes to his length and bredth . nay some haue obserued minuta ( which i take to be barley cornes , the fourth part of an inch or thereabout ) to make vp the length of a mans body of just stature , and consequently , fifty in the bredth , and thirty the thicknes , answereable to the severall numbers of the cubits in the severall measures of the arke . now to our present purpose , as god and nature , ( or rather god by nature , his instrument and handmaid ) hath fashioned the body of man in those proportions , so hath he limited the dimensions thereof , ( as likewise those of all other both vegetable , sensitiue and vnsensible creatures ) within certaine bounds , quos vltra citraque nequit consistere so that though the dimensions of mens bodies be very different in regard of severall climats & races , yet was there neuer any race of men found to the bignesse of mountaines or whales , or the littlenesse of flies or aunts , because in that quantity , the members cannot vsefully and commodiously , either dispose of themselues , or exercise those functions , to which they were by their maker assigned , true indeede it is , that both history of former ages , and experience of latter times teach vs , that a great inequality there is , and hath beene : but that since the fi●… ●…reation of man there should be any such perpetuall , vniversall , an●… constant decrease and diminution , as is pretended , that shall i never beleeue . for then in reason should the first man haue beene a gyant of gyants , the hughest and most monstrous gyant that euer the world beheld , and vpon this ground it seemes , ( though faisely supposed ) iohannes lucidus labours to proue him so indeede , from that passage in the fourteenth of iosua , according to the vulgar translation : nomen hebron ante vocabatur cariah-arbe , adam maximus ibi inter enakim situs est , which may thus be rendred : adam the greatest of gyants lies there buried : and this fancie of lucidus is countenanced by that fable of the iewish rabbies , reported by moses bar cephas , who supposing paradise to be di●…oyned from this world , by the interposition of the ocean , tell vs that adam being cast out of it , waded thorow the ocean to come into this , by which account his stature should rather be measured by miles then by cubits : but as lucidus by this opinion crosseth the streame of antiquity ( s. ierome only , & some few others his followers excepted ) holding that the first adam was buried , not in hebron , but in that place where the second adam triumphed ouer death , so doth he likewise by following the vulgar translation corrupt the hebrew originall , which is thus to be rendred : nomen autem hebronis nomen fuerat kiriath-arbah , is fuerat homo inter anakeos maximus : so that the word adam or homo , is to bee referred not to the first man , but to arbah , the first founder as is thought of that cittie ; and therevpon our last translation reades it thus : the name of hebron before was kiriath-arbah , which arbah was a great man among the anakims . besides , the word adam euen in the vulgar translation it selfe , is not alwayes vnderstood as proper to the first man , but common , as homo in latine , or man in english : and yet to graunt the word in that place to be vnderstood of the first man , and that he was there buried ; well might he be called the greatest , yet notsomuch in regard of any excessiue vastnesse in the dimentions of his bodie , as because he was the headspring and fountaine of mankind , or in respect of that originall justice , with which before his fall hee stood invested . there is no necessitie then , to beleeue that the first man was the tallest of men , nay rather as he came short of many that followed after in age , and number of yeares , so it may safely be thought , that he exceeded them not in stature or dimentions of body ; there being often found in the creatures a reciprocall corespondence , betwixt their durations and dimentions , as among the graecians , the same word signifies both ; whence some translate it age , and some stature : so that those patriarches of the first age , who by speciall dispensation liued longest , may well be conceiued by vertue of the same dispensation , to haue had a stature and length of body in some sort , sutable to the lasting and length of their liues . sect . . what those gyants were which are mentioned in the of genesis , & that succeeding ages till davids time afforded the like . yet the first mention that holy scripture makes of gyants is in the sixth of genesis , not long before the flood , but long after the creation , there were gyants in the earth in those dayes , saith the text ; and also after that , when the sonnes of god came in vnto the daughters of men , and thy beare children vnto them , the same became mighty men which were of old , men of renowne . the originall word is nephelim , derived from naphal , which signifies to fall , whence iunius referres their name to their o defection & apostacie from religion and the worship of the true god. calvin to the falling of others before them by reason of their a excessiue pride , cruelty , and oppression . philo in his booke , which he hath purposely composed de gygantibus , to their owne falling from piety and godlines to carnall thoughts and earthly desires . from which he fetcheth their name in greeke : s. cyrill about the beginning of his ninth booke against iulian , discoursing of this very passage of moses , thus comments vpon it . mos est divinae scripturae gigantes vocare agrestes & feroces & robustos : nam de persis & medis iudaeam devastaturis , dixit deus per isayam , gigantes venient vt impleant furorem meum . it is the phrase of holy writ to call such gyants as are in behaviour rough and rude , wild , and barbarous : so speakes god by the prophet isayah , of the medes and persians , ordained for the laying wast of iudea ; gyants shall come and execute my fury vpon you . so that if we rest in any of these interpretations , there is no necessity we should conceiue these gyants to haue exceeded other men in stature . nay , s. chrysostome seemes to deny it , gygantes à scriptura dici opinor non invsitatum hominum genus aut insolita●… formam , sed heroas & viros fortes & hellicosos : i thinke they are in scripture called gyants , not any vncouth kind of men for shape or feature , but such as were heroycall and warlike : which exposition of his , hath in trueth some ground in the latter part of the same verse , where moses seemes to vnfold himselfe , thus describing those whom immediatly before he had called gyants , the same became mighty men , which were of old , men of renowne . on the other-side cassianus , ambrose , and theodoret are as express , that by gyants , moses there vnderstood men of an huge and vast proportion of body : but for mine owne part , i see not but all these interpretations , ( chrysostomes onely excepted ) may well enough stand together and be accorded . these gyants being such as the interlineary glosse briefely but pithily describes , immanes corpore , superbos animo , viribus praevalidos & inconditos moribus : gyants then they were not onely in regard of their pride , their tyrannie , their incivility , and infidelity , but like wise and that doubtles most properly in respect of the monstrous enormity of their bodies : most of the former being in likelihood occasioned by this latter . now as this is the first place that wee reade of gyants not long before the flood , ( which should argue they were taller and stronger then any that went before them ) so it is not the last , but in all times wee may trace them thorow the history of succeeding ages . from whence reason collects , that euen in regard of these irregular prodigious birthes , for ought we finde in scripture , nature hath suffered no apparent or sensible decay . of this stamp it seemes was nymrod , who hath therefore this character set vpon him , that he was robustus venator coram domino , a mighty hunter before the lord : there were some likewise found of this excessiue stature in the time of abraham , of moses , of iosuah , and of david , whom wee haue registred vnder the names of rephaims , zuzims , zanzummins , emims , and anakims . also the prophet amos found among the amorites men of gyant-like stature , whose height he compareth to cedars and their strength to oakes . particularly it is noted in the third of deuteronomy of ogge king of basan foure hundred yeares after abraham , that his bedde of yron kept and shewed as a monument in rabbah was nine cubits long and foure broad : and surely if his stature were answerable to the dimensions of his bed , hee was one of the greatest gyants that wee any where reade of , not only in sacred but in any warrantable prophane story . for whereas nine cubits make vp thirteene foote and an halfe , if wee should allow a foote and halfe for the length of his bed-steed at both the ends beyond his body ; yet there still remaines twelue foote , which is double to a iust stature . and though i am not ignorant that both the chaldee paraphrase , and complutensian bible following it , render it , in cubito eiusdem regis , as if the measure were to be taken by the cubit of king ogge himselfe ; yet arias montanus and tremellius following the originall , render it , in cubito viri , or virili ; and iunius giues this note vpon it , idest iustae & communis mensurae , qualem mensuram cubitalem quisque artifex observare solet : that is , of the iust and common measure , such as artificers vsually obserue in their cubits , and such as himselfe in the third of iosuah translates , notam mensuram , the ordinary knowne measure . and to say truth , the measuring of ogge by his owne cubit had beene both to make his stature altogeter vncertaine , and the commensurations of his body most disproportionable , there being no man , whose body is justly framed , who is full foure of his owne cubits in length ; neither had such a shape bin only disproportionable , but exceeding weake , aswell for offence , as defence , whereas he is described as a mighty man , and of wonderfull strength . lastly , if we shall imagine him to haue beene a transcendent gyant , and yet measure him by his owne cubit , double to the ordinary , his length will then arise to twenty foure foote at least , a stature most incredible . after this in davids time we reade that goliath the philistin of gath , was a gyant of six cubits and a spanne long : neither doe i remember that in sacred scriptures we haue the measure of any precisely observed , saue of him onely : the armour which he wore weighed fiue thousand shekels of brasse , the sheft of his speare was like a weavers beame , and his speare head weighed six hundred shekels of yron : also in tho second of samuell , there is mention of a brother to this 〈◊〉 , a man of like stature and strength : and of two 〈◊〉 , the one of which was slaine by iehonathan davids nephew , hee who had twelue fingers and as many toes , foure and twenty in number . and that before these , sampson was of surpassing strength and of a stature answerable the 〈◊〉 , no man need to doubt , considering he tore a lyon as it had be●…o a kidde , slew thirty of the philistins at once , and after that a thousand more of them with the iaw-bone of an asse : and lastly he tooke the gates of assah , and the two postes , & lifted them away with the barres , and put them vpon his shoulders , and carried them to the toppe of the mountaine before hebron . sec . . that latter times haue also afforded the like both at home and abroad , specially in the indies , where they liue more according to nature . the like may be said of all succeeding ages downe to the present times ; it is the confession of cassanion in his booke of gyants ; no●… vno tantum seculo aut altero visi sunt ; sed fermè ab initio mundi ad davidis vsque tempora propagatum id genus hominum magnitudine prorsus admiranda . they haue not beene seene in one onely or two ages , but almost from the beginning of the world euen to davids time hath that kinde of men of a monstrous bignesse beene deduced . s. augustine goes farther , quasi vero corpora hominum modum nostrum longe excedentia non etiam nostris temporibus nata sint : as if some bodies of men much exceeding our ordinary stature were not likewise borne in these our times . and yet more fully in the ninth chapter of the same booke ; nunquam fermè defuerunt qui modum aliorum plurimum excederint ; they haue almost at no time beene wanting who haue much exceeded the ordinary stature . i will insist onely vpon the most signall instances drawne from the testimonies of the most approved authours . in the gospells or writings of the apostles wee reade not of any , they intending , matters of greater , weight and consequence : but pliny tells vs , that during the reigne of claudius the emperour , a mighty man one gabbara by name was brought out of arabia to roome , nine foote hith was he , and as many inches . there were likewise in the time of augustus caesar two others , named pusio and secondilla higher then gabbara by halfe a foote , whose bodies were preserved & kept for a wonder within the salustian gardens . maximinus the emperour , as iulius capitolinus affirmes , exceeded eight foote ; and andronichus comninus tenne , as nicetas . in the dayes of theodosius , there was one in syria , ( as nicephorus reports ) fiue cubits high and an hand-breadth . eginhardus and krantzius affirme that charlemaigne was seven foot high : but in that they adde of his own feet , they both leaue his heighth altogether vncertaine , ( as was before said in the description of the stature of ogge ) and his body very disproportionable , there being no man whose body is rightly featured , who exceedes fix of his owne feete . but to draw neerer to our owne times : iulius scaliger hath left it vpon record , that at his being at millane , he there saw in a publique hospitall a young man of so monstrous an heighth , that he could not stand vpright , he was therefore layd vpon two beds , the one ioyned longwise vnto the other , both which he filled with his length . goropius becanus physitian to the lady mary , queene of hungary , regent of th netherlands , and sister to the emperour charles the fifth , assures vs , thae himselfe saw a woman tenne foote high , and that within fiue miles of hit dwelling , there was then to be seene a man almost of the same lengths wherevpon his assertion is , audacter affirmamus , wee boldly affirme : that men in former ages were commonly nothing taller then now they , are : their gyants were of six or seaven cubits high , & so are ours : nay hee goes farther , considenter de philosophiae preceptis statuimus , nihil in humana statura ab inevnte mundi aetate immutatum esse : wee confidently auerre out of the grounds of philosophie , that since the creation of the world nothing is altered in the stature of man-kind . but to returne to the gyants of latter ages , iohn cassanion , who seemes to haue vndertaken his treatise of gyants purposely to censure and confute goropius , yet mentions one himselfe commonly called the gyant of burdeaux , whom king francis passing that way beheld with admiration , commaunding he should bee of his guard : but being a pesant of a grosse spirit , not able to apply himselfe to a courtiers life , hee soone quited his halbard , and getting away by stealth , returned to the place whence he came . an honorable person , who had seene him archer of the guard , did assure me , saith cassanion , that he was of such an heighth as any man of an ordinary stature might goe vpright betwixt his legges when hee did stride . there is at this present to bee seene heere in england one parsons , by trade a blacke-smith , now porter at the kings court , who by iust measure is found to be no lesse then seaven foote & two inches . and i heere that a welch-man is lately entertained by the prince in the like place , who outstrips the smith in heighth by fiue inches , and yet is he still growing , so as in time he may well come vnto eight foote . but it may well bee that in these parts of the world where luxury hath crept in together with ciuility , there may be some diminution of strength and stature in regard of our ancestours ; yet if wee cast our eyes abroad vpon those nations which still liue according to nature , though in a fashion more rude and barbarous , we shall finde by the relation of those that haue liued among them , that they much exceede vs in stature , still retaining as it seemes the vigorous constitution of their predecessours , which should argue , that if any decay be , it is not vniversall , and consequently not naturall , but rather adventitious and accidentall . for proofe heereof , to let passe the stories of olaus magnus touching the inhabitants of the northerne climate , i will content my selfe with the indies . melchior nunnez in his letters where he discourseth of the affaires of china reports that in the chiefe cittie called pag●… , the porters are fifteene foote high , and in other letters written in the yeare , he doth auerre that the king entertaines and feedes fiue hundred such men for archers of his guard. in the west indies in the region of chica neere the mouth of his streights ; ortelius describes a people whom he tearmes pentagones , from their huge stature , beeing ordinarily of fiue cubits long , which makes seaven foote & an halfe ; whence their countrey is knowne by the name of the land of gyants . mr pretty a gentleman of suffolke , in his discourse of mr candish his voyage about the world , beeing himselfe imployed in the same action , tells vs that measuring the print of an indians foote in the sand , not farre from the coast of brasil ; he found it to be eighteene inches long , by which computation , the indian himselfe in proportion could be no lesse then nine foote . cassanion likewise acknowledgeth that in the iland of summatra & neere the antarticke pole , some are found of tenne or twelue foote high . lastly , antony pigafet a great traveller in his time , as testifieth goulart , affirmes that he had seene towards the same pole so tall a gyant , as other tall men did not reach with their heads aboue his navell ; and others beyond the streights of magellane , which had their necks a cubit long , and the rest of their bodies answerable therevnto . cap. . more pressing reasons to proue that for these last two or three thousand yeares , the stature of the ancients was little or nothing different from that of the present times . sect . . the first reason taken from the measures of the ancients , which were proportioned to the parts of mans bodie , and in the view of them wee are first to know that they were standards , that is , for publique contracts , certaine and constant ; and consequently if the graines of our barley corne , the first principle of measure be the same with theirs , as hath already beene proved , it cannot be but our ordinary measures should bee the same with theirs , and so likewise our statures . i will not dwell vpon these lighter skirmishes , but proceede on to a more serious fight , and downeright stroakes drawne from the demonstrations of more weighty reasons , whereof the first shall be taken from the comparison of the measures of the ancients and ours , vsed in this present age , borrowed from the body of man. it was a memorable saying of protagoras , reported and repeated by plato , that man was rerum omnium mensura , the measure of all things ; he is the measure of measures , the yard , the ell , the pace , the furlong , the mile , they are all measured by the body of man and the parts thereof , which likewise serue for the measuring each of other . so that if they hold that symmetrie & commodulation , ( as vitruvius calls it ) which they ought from the proportion of the head , the hand , the cubit , the foote , the finger , nay the tooth or the least bone , may the dimēsions of the whole body be infalliblely collected . as pythagoras gathered the heigth of hercules from the proportion of his foote ; and pulcher a skilfull geometrician the heigth of a gyant ( discouered in sicily by an earth-quake ) at the commaund of tiberius from the proportion of his tooth , sent from thence to the emperour for a tast and triall of the whole . to lay a ground then to that which i am to say , that the building which i am to raise vpon it may stand the surer , first i take it to be an vndeniable truth , that the cubit , the foote , the inch , the digit were all of them standards , that is , certaine and constant measures , it being not lawfull for euery man to make or take his measures in publique contracts by his owne cubit or foote , or of any whom himselfe would make choyce of , but by that which was common and indifferent to all , legally & publiquely allowed : and this much not onely stands with right reason , but appeares to be true , by that amphora capitolina amongst the romanes , a standing stable measure , kept in the capitoll , ( with which all other measures were to accord ) mentioned by iulius capitolinus in the life of maximinus , as also by the romane congius , whereof one was lately in the keeping of cardinall farnese , & is exquisitely effigiated by vyllalpandus in the latter end of his third tome vpon the prophet ezekiel . among the iewes likewise the law required that they should not vse or haue a double weight or measure , which could not well be avoided , except they had a common measure by which all particulars were to be regulated . secondly , this standard of cubits or feete was taken from the proportion of a man , mediae or mediocris staturae , of a middle stature , and considering that both the romane and graecian foote consisteth of twelue inches , and withall that a foote is the sixth part of a mans body , it must needes follow that a man of a middle stature consisted of six foote by the standard or assise . but because it was obserued that in diuerse climates , or it may be in the same climate in diuerse ages men varied in their stature ; and consequently that the middle stature was not alway & in all places the same , they measured the digit , which is the least & last principall of measures in mans body , by barley cornes , allowing foure barley cornes laid athwart for the digit , as lucas gauricus a great & famous mathematician in his booke of geometrie & the parts thereof , hath truely and wisely observed , nam etsi , saith he , ab humanis membris dimensionu●… partes deno●…inari veteres voluere placuit tamen propter humanorum corporum inaequalitatem , à certo quodam principio exordiri , ex quo mensurae reliquae velut ex certis partibus constituerentur . statuerunt ergo geometrae granum hordei transuersum , id est secundum latitudinem positum , mensurarum minimam . though the ancients haue pleased to denominate the severall parts of measures from the severall parts of mans body ; yet by reason of the inequality of mens bodies , they thought it reasonable to take their rise from some certaine and vnvariable beginning , from whence other measures might likewise be made vp of euen and certain parts . and to this purpose did the geometricians make the barly corne layd athwart , or according to its breadth the least and first of all other measures . and that foure of these make vp a digit , appeares by these old verses which i find in the same author , quatuor ex granis digitus componitur unus est quater in palmo digitus quater in pede palmus . one foot foure palmes , one palme containes foure digits , and one digit foure graines . now that the barley-corne , the ( grownsell as it were , and simplest principle of measures ) or at leastwise the fairest thereof which is vsed to that end , is the same with vs as with the ancients , it cannot well be denied , if the goodnesse and fruitfulnesse of the earth be not decayed , as i haue sufficiently prooued in a former chapter , aswell by reason as the testimony of columella and other graue writers . and besides if we still vse the graines of barley for the weight of gold and siluer , as the ancients did ; i see no reason why wee should except against them in this case . well then , foure graines now concurring to the making vp of a digit , as it did in former ages , it must of necessity follow that our digit is the same with theirs , and consequently our inch , and hand-bredth , and foote , and cubit , from whence we collect that a body of sixe foot heigth according to those measures , being now accounted but a middle stature , as anciently it was , our account is still the same , and our stature at leastwise for the generall the same , as among the ancients . and except it were so , their rules of proportion in architecture , in lymming , in carving and the statuary art left vs by them could availe vs little . for howbeit from them we might vnderstand what proportion each part should beare to other , yet can we not know what proportion the whole should beare , vnlesse their measures were the same with ours . but their workes in those kindes yet remaining , shew that the measure which they allowed for an horse or a man of a just and euen stature , are the same for proportion both with their owne rules and our standing measures vsed at this day : and at this day doe the best architects obserue vitruvius his measures , finding them to agree with , or very little to disagree from ours . sect . . that in particular the ordinary hebrew graecian and roman measures were the same with ours or very little different . those nations which haue left vs any notable records of their severall sorts of measures , are to my remembrance but three : the hebrewes , the graecians , and the romanes . for the first it is cleere that as they had some weights sacred or of the sanctuary , which were the begger , and others of ordinary and common vse , which were the lesser : so were their measures ; there was a speciall cubit which contained an handbredth more then the vulgar , ( borrowed it seemes from the persians during the captivity of babylon ) and an ordinary , which i take to be the same with , or very little differing from ours . and this in holy writ is tearmed the cubit of a man , and the measure of a man , that is , of a man growne vp to ripe age and perfect stature . and both iunius ( as before i observed ) in his annotations on that of deuteronomy and ribera in his commentaries on the revelation , seeme both of them to refer it to the ordinary measures which artificers commonly vse in taking their distances , and making their dimensions . the first measures to my remembrance that we read of in the sacred oracles of scripture are those of the arke ; which s. augnstine lead by origen held to be geometricall , containing six common cubits : but it is certaine , that casting the bignesse of it by the vulgar cubit now in vse , it was a vessell of so ample & huge capacity , that it was fully sufficient for the preseruing of all sorts of creatures together with their food by god appointed to be reserued in it . the length of it was three hundred cubits , which multiplied by the bredth , namely fifty cubits , and the product by the heigth of thirty cubits , sheweth the whole concavity to haue beene foure hundred and fifty thousand cubits , large enough for stoage for noah and his company , the beasts , and birds , and their provision , and somewhat to spare , as buteo hath learnedly demonstrated . of solomons temple it is noted that it was sixty cubits long , twenty broade , and thirty high , which ribera likewise makes to be vulgar and vsuall cubits . and though the building may seeme to haue beene very scant after that proportion , yet if wee consider that none might come within this space but the priests that then serued , and that both the altar of houlocausts , and the court of the priests who serued not , was without , it will seem needlesse to require a longer or larger roome for those services to which it was assigned ; yet since these cubits in the second booke of chronicles , are said to be ex primariâ mensurâ , after the primary or chiefe measure , it should seeme they were no ordinary cubits , but rather sacred , which contained the common and vulgar cubit double , as may appeare by this , in that the pillars of brasse iachin and boaz set vp before the porch of the temple in the first of kings , are said to bee eighteene cubits high : but in the second of chronicles , thirty fiue , which together with the basis being one cubit high , make thirty sixe , double to eighteene , as the shekell of the sanctuary was double to the vulgar : yet can it not be gathered that the vulgar exceeded ours , nay the pillars with their chapiters & basis being by this computation aboue sixtie foot in heigth , it may well be conjectured , that their foot and cubit either came short of ours , or was at most but equall vnto it . and for solomons owne house which was one hundred cubits long , fifty broad , and thirty high , generally receiued it is , that they were of the common measure . we read that some of the stones laid in the foundation of the house built for his wife pharaohs daughter , were of ten cubits , which allowing a foot and a halfe to the cubit , make vp fifteene foot , a very large proportion , euen by the length of the vulgar foot now in vse : but those in herods temple , twenty fiue cubits long ( as witnesseth iosephus who saw it himselfe ) if the cubit by which he reckoned exceed our ordinary , were of a length altogether incredible . and for mine own part , i know not how we should compute either the heigth of goliah , or the length of oggs bed , and the like , but by the vulgar and ordinary cubit , now commonly in vse amongst vs , as most of the learned doe , and if in so doing they erre not , then are our measures , and consequently our present stature vndoubtedly equall with , or at leastwise not much inferiour to theirs that liued in moses time , who as it may well be thought , borrowed this art of measuring from the egyptians , in whose learning he was so perfectly skilled . now for the measures of the graecians , howbeit causabon in his commentaries vpon suetonius , seeme to make the grecian foot , as likewise that of other nations , of lesse extent then the romane ; yet georgius agricola , who studied this point more thorowly , and hath of set purpose composed a large volume of the graecian and romane weights and measures , affirmes the grecian to exceed the romane by halfe an inch , & for proofe thereof doth he mention a pillar to be seene in the chappell of the twelue apostles in the vatican , which seemed to him to haue beene brought out of greece , with this inscription graven in the higher part thereof , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , nine foot , and from the measure and proportion of this would he prooue it to exceed the romane by the quantity aforenamed , yet by his owne confession marlianus who hath written the topography of rome , & exactly described whatsoeuer therein was worth the observing , hath marked no such difference : and for the cubit , though herodotus in one place speake of regius cubitus , that contained twenty seuen digits , which is three more then the ordinary , yet that their ordinary either digit or cubit exceeded ours , i no-where finde it expressely obserued . and for their stature it is precisely noted by the same author , that phya the wife of pisistratus was held so tall , that shee was exhibited and applauded as another minerva , and yet wanted shee three fingers of foure cubits . neither adds he , cubitorum regiorum , of regall cubits , as in the other passage , which makes me conceiue that he might rather meane the vulgar . and for the persians ; from whom the graecians borrowed their regall cubit , he tels vs that one artaches a principall commander in xerxes his army , was statura inter persas procerissima , the tallest among all the persians , and yet wanted he foure digits of the measure of fiue regall cubits , so that his heigth according to the vulgar cubit was about eight foote : and i thinke at this day there are few kingdomes , though much inferiour to that of persia , which cannot shew one at least not much inferiour to that proportion . in the third and last place come the ancient romane measures to bee compared with ours : neither haue i met with any who either affirme or so much as conjecture that they exceeded ours : but many that they rather came short of them . sr henry savill a severe and exact man in the search of antiquity , speaking of the quadrantall , a measure of a cubicall romane foote , sets this note in the margent , the romane foote lesse then ours by halfe an inch . in like manner agricola censures budaeus for making vp the romane quadrantall , by the measure of the french foote , whereas , saith he , it exceedes the romane duobus digitis , by two fingers : and farther adds , that the standing measure of the ancient romane foote is yet at this day to be seene cut in stone or marble in diverse places of rome ; and namely in the gardens of angelo colocci : some of these , it seemes , goropius becanus mette with & measured , & by his owne testimony , found them short of foure of his palmes or hand-breadths ; & yet , saith he , statura mea mediocritate brevior , my selfe come short of a middle stature . the mile we know was measured by the pace , and the pace by the foote , now that the romane mile came short of ours , appeares by the great stones set vp at every miles end in the appian way ; and the italian mile in vse at this day , taken , as it seemes , from the ancient romane , is shorter then ours , neere about the same proportion , as is the romane foote sayd to be shorter then our foote . to bring it home then to our present purpose ; it is by suetonius reported of augustus , that he was indeede somewhat short , neuertheles of a comely stature : which from the testimony of iulius marathus , he notes to haue beene fiue foote and nine inches , the just measure of our late famous queene elizabeth , who as shee matched that renowned emperour in happines and duration of reigne , so did shee likewise in the stature of her body , nay if we admit the mentioned difference betweene the romane foote and ours , shee exceeded him in heigth by more then two inches : and i see no reason why suetonius should tearme augustus short , comming so neere the middle stature , except onely because he came somewhat short of that . the same authour writes that nero leuied a new legion of italians of six foote-men , which he called the phalanx of the great alexander , by which it should seeme that very few exceeded that stature . and of tiberius , he obserues that he was statura quae justam excederet , somewhat , as it seemes , aboue sixe foote . valentinian and valens gaue order that for the common souldier fiue foote and seauen inches should suffice ; and vegetius witnesseth of marius the consull , that such as were six foote high , or siue & tenne inches should be ranked inter alares equites vel in primis legionum cohortibus , among the principall troupes that served either on horfe-backe or on foote . from whence causabon collecteth that such as were seauen foote high were counted gyants , & to that purpose voucheth he the authority of sidonius apollinaris who flourished about the yeare foure hundred and forty . — spernit senipedem stylum thalia ex quo septipedes vidit patronos : six footed rimes thalia doth defie ere since she seaven foot patrons did espie , whom a little after hee tearmeth gyants : tot tantique petunt simul gigantes , quot vix alcinoi culina ferret gyants so many & so hugely maine , as scarce alcinous kitchen can sustaine . by all which passages it cleerely appeares , thar our ordinary stature at this day , if it exceede not that of the ancient romanes , yet doth it equall it at least . now before i conclude this reason & section , it shall not be amisse by the way to remember that nicephorus makes the stature of christ by tradition to haue beene , ( if langus render him right ) ad palmos prorsus septem , full seaven hand breadths . which length allowing foure hand breadths to the foote , according to the vsuall account , wants one hand breadth of two foote ; the stature of a dwarfe of the least sise : but if by palmos he meanes spannes , whereof about three make vp two foote , so likewise could he bee but foure foote & a spanne long , too short a stature for a comely body , such as wee may well and piously conceiue he had , and all ancient christian writers confesse ; and lentulus the proconsull in that epistle to the romane senate , which goes vnder his name , confirmes as much : and it should seeme by that of the apostle , till wee come to a perfect man , vnto the measure of the stature of the fullnes of christ : that his stature was compleate and perfect , not excessiue in height , for then zaccheus needed not to haue gone vp to a tree to haue seene him , nor yet very defectiue , that hauing beene apt to expose him to scorne & derision . and in likelihood we should haue found it somewhere , by some one or other among so many and malitious adversaries , obiected vnto him . it is true that none of the evangelists , ( most particular and precise in setting downe other circumstances ) haue expressed any thing at all touching his complexion , or feature , or stature : happily to this end , that no picture or statue might be made of him , as well knowing how inclinable by nature wee are to turne the very resemblances & memorialls of those , whom wee most honour and reuerence into idolls . another thing which i would note is this , that when i call six foote a middle stature , my meaning is not that there are as many found to be aboue it , as below it ( which is the vulgar vnderstanding of that word ) but because it is , and euer hath beene held by the learned , the most competent and comely stature ; so as he who is vnder that , is somewhat too short , and he who is aboue it , somewhat too tall in regard of the most euen , just , and exact proportion . it was so held among the romans , as appeares by vitruvius , & by the commentatours on suetonius in the life of tiberius : and yet their ranking of six foote men among their principall troupes , & nero his making vp a legion of the leuied from all the parts of italy , which in a kinde of pride and glory he named the phalanx of alexander the great , shew that then very few exceeded that stature : and yet , ( which may not be forgotten ) was their foote short of ours three inches in the measure of six feete . and surely , now among vs to raise a legion of fiue foote & nine inches in any of his maiesties kingdomes , or perchaunce in some one of our sheires , would proue , i dare say , no very hard taske , or such as wee should hold a matter worth the glorying in . sect . . the second reason taken from the ordinary allowance of diet to souldiers and servants , which appeares to be of like quantity with vs , as was that among the ancient graecians and romans , together with a doubt touching gods allowance to the israelites , answered . bvt i passe from this first reason drawne from the comparison of ancient and moderne measures , to a second no lesse weighty and pressing in my judgement , borrowed from the allowance of diet , taking this for my ground , that caeteris paribus , men for the most part feed according to the proportion of their bodies ; and withall that their publique allowance was made according to their customary feeding . to hercules , being a man supposed of a mighty stature , is allowed by homer an oxe at a meale when he was hungry . of maximinus the emperour aboue-named , capitolinus reports , that he often ate in a day forty pound weight of flesh , and sometimes sixty , as he addeth out of cordus . athenaeus alleages theodorus hieropolis in his bookes of the games of greece , that the ordinary fare of milo the crotonian , was twenty pound of flesh & three congij , or six gallons of wine . in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred & eleuen , the emperour maximilian the first , being at ausburge at an assembly of the states of germany ; there was presented him a man of an vnreasonable heigth and greatnes , who at a few mouth-fulls and without any stay , would devour a whole sheepe , or a calfe , not caring whether it were rost or raw , saying that it did but sharpen his appetite . children for the most part are not allowed the like quantily as men of riper yeares , though they be growing , nor among men dwarfes the like as gyants : and it stands with great reason that the portion of diet appointed for the nourishing of the body , should in some sort be answerable to the proportion of the body nourished . if then it shall appeare that the daily bread allowed by the ancients to their servants & souldiers , was no more then is by vs allowed at this day to ours , it will , as i take it , from thence be more then probablely inferred , that the common stature & strength of our bodies , is not somuch inferiour to theirs , as is commonly supposed . the ordinary allowance in corne among the graecians , was the measure of a choenix a day , as witnesseth suidas ; & fromhence , as it seemes , was borrowed that motto of pythagoras , remembred by plutarch super choenicem●… ne si●…as , sit not vpon a choenix , that is , hauing gotten foode for a day , doe not grow secure , as if that would never be spent . and athenaeus tels vs , that clearchus a great coyner of new words , was wont vpon this occasion to call a choenix hemerotrophidem sustenance for a day . at least-wise in the campe it was so , if wee credit herodotus in his polymnia , where he vittaileth the common souldier in xerxes army at a ch●…nix a day : the quantity of which allowance wee shall finde anon very neere to agree both with the romane , & that which is in vse at this day . the measure then to a romane foote-man for a moneth , saith polybius , was two thirds of a medimnus of wheate , which made vp foure modij , the whole medimnus by a generall consent of all the best authours containing six modij in all . with which rate of polybius precisely agreeth donate vpon terence , where he limiteth dimensum serui , ( in the gospell called , a servants portion of meate ) to be foure modij the moneth ; the same portion which both cato & columella allow for countrey ●…indes . now that it may appeare what this allowance was according to our measures , wee are to know that the romane modius , howbeit it be vsually in our language rendred a bushell , & be so commōly construed in schooles ; yet is it about a pint lesse then a pecke , as is rightly observed , not onely by sr henry savill in his view of military matters , but by our last translatours of the bible , who though they haue set bushell in the text , yet in the margin haue they affixed this note , the word in the originall signisieth a measure contayning about a pint lesse then a p●…ke . first then to compare the graecian and the romane allowance . the medimnus containing forty eight choenices , as witnesseth budaeus out of pollux , and six modij , as tully , & suidas , & nepos , and others ; the romane being allowed foure modij by the moneth , and the graecian a choenix by the day , their allowances were equall , or not much different , saue that the romane seemes to be somewhat larger : foure modij containing after that reckoning thirty two choenices , which amongst them was a moneths allowance . with which if we compare our owne measures , it will weekely amount to a pint lesse then a pecke , & allowing two gallons to the pecke , it will arise to about a quart by the day , which is but a competent allowance for a souldier or labour-man ( liuing most vpon bread ) at this day ; as budaeus by conference with his baker , hath fully cleered the point . and heere it may not be forgotten that our last translatours ( to cleare the whole businesse more fully ) in their marginall notes on the sixth of the reuelation at the sixth verse , giue vs to vnderstand , that the word choenix there vsed signifieth a measure containing one wine quart , and the twelth part of a quart . now i am not ignorant that the gomer of manna , being the daily allowance of the ●…ewes during their abode in the wildernes , by gods owne appointment , is by rabanus valued at three choenices , and by iunius two and an halfe , bating one fifth . but i should rather ascribe so large an allowance to gods speciall bounty , then to their necessity ; and so much hath iunius himselfe in his annotations vpon that place confessed : inde colligitur , quàm largiter deus israelitas aluerit tam longo tempore : we may from thence collect , how bountifully god dealt with the israelites making them so large an allowance for so long a time . and this marueilous great plenty , in likelihood was it that gaue them occasion to distast it , to grow weary of it , & cast out those murmuring speeches against god & moses his servant & their leader , animam nostram taed●…t huius pa●…is vilis●…imi , our soule loatheth this light bread ; & to fall a longing after the cucumbers and leekes , the onyons and garlicke of egypt : though the manna , aswell in regard of the delicacie thereof , as the raining of it downe from heaven , bee by the psalmist tearmed angels foode ; & in the booke of wisedome be commended for hauing in it a certaine contentfull delight agreeable to euery mans ●…ast . it is likewise true that the romane allowance to a horse-man by the testimony of polybius , seemed to be larger then that of the foote-man , there being alotted him monethly seaven medimni of oates or barley for his horse , and two of wheate for himselfe : but it may very well be , as lypsius conjectureth , that he had a spare horse and an attendant or two allowed him , and then his two medimni for himselfe , & his two servants agrees justly with the two thirds of a medimnus to a foote-man . sect . . diverse other reasons drawne from experience added as from the armour , the bed-steeds , the seats , the doores , the pulpits , the altars of the ancients , & other doubts cleered . to proceed , that which seemes to make the matter more euident , because it strikes more vpon the sense , is the view of the roofes , the doores , the tables , the seates , the robes , the bed-steeds , the weapons , the armour , the pulpits , the altars , the tombes of the ancients , yet remayning to be seene ; all which argue that they were of the same stature , or very little differing from vs. aristotle in his mechanicks giues vs to vnderstand , that the bed-steeds in his time , did not commonly exceede six foote : nay magius himselfe , who hath written a large discourse in defence of the contrary & common opinion ; yet at last confesseth , that taking an exact measure of the tombes at pisa and other citties in italy , though some of them were made a thousand yeares since , some more ; yet found he them in dimensions parum aut nihil , little or nothing differing from those of our times , and withall ingenuously acknowledgeth , that being at pisaurum in the duke of vrbines armory , hee there saw certaine brasse helmets digged vp in the fields neere metaurum , where asdruball was overthrowne by the romane forces , and were verily thought to haue layne there since that time : quae tamen ab ijs quas modo milites nostri gestare solent ad magnitudinem quod attinet , non discrepabant : which notwithstanding , saith he , in regard of bignesse , differed not from those which our souldiers now a dayes vsually weare . i know that the sword of edward the third , the armour of iohn of gaunt , the tilting staffe of charles brandon , the walking staues and riding staues of henry the eight shewed in the tower and other places farre exceed the ordinary of our times : but perchaunce some of them like sinesius grandio in seneca delighted in great things , or i should thinke that sometimes they were rather for shew then for vse ; and for the rest , it only argues the strength & stature of those that vsed them , not for others , who liued in the same age with them : nay if we compare the common armour of the age wherein iohn of gaunt liued , or the most ancient in the tower or otherwhere , with that which is now in vse , we shall finde no such sensible difference as should argue a decay in stature . indeed their arrowes generally exceeded ours both in bignesse and length ; but this i should rather impute to their continuall practise in shooting from their very infancie , then to their strength and stature . the truth whereof appeares by this , that so long as that practise was continued , ( which was till the invention and ordinary vse of gunnes ) so long the like dimentions of their shafts were likewise continued without any diminution , as may be seene by comparing the arrowes commonly vsed in henry the seaventh & henry the eights time , with those in vse many yeares before , few of which are full a yard by measure ; yet my lord of s. albans witnesseth , that the rebellious cornish in the reigne of king henry the seaventh , not much aboue one hundred yeare agoe shotte an arrow of a full cloth-yard long . the doubt which may be made touching the altar of the tabernacle seemes to be of greater consequence , which by gods appointment was to be three cubits high , that is , foure foote and an halfe , whereas those of latter times are not aboue three foote or three & an halfe at most ; which seemes to inferre the difference in succeeding ages of the stature of those that were to serue at the altar : but i would demaund whether the cubit , moses there speakes of , were according to the ordinary stature of men then liuing ; if so , then a man rightly proportioned , being at most but foure of his owne cubits , there was left but one cubit for the priest aboue the altar , which was much too little for him to minister with ease : and what then shall wee say to salomons altar , which was ten cubits high , surely it must in reason so be vnderstood , that the height bee accounted from the lowest floore of the temple or tabernacle where the people stood ; but the priest went vp by certaine slope degrees , certaine easy ascents to the altar , so that the height of those ascents from the floore together with the altar it selfe made vp the full measure there spoken of . it will be replied , that it was expressely forbidden to goe vp by steps to the altar : true indeed , but the reason is there added , that thy nakednes be not discovered thereon , so as such degrees of ascent as occasioned not any danger or doubt of discouering his nakednesse , who ministred at the altar , seeeme there not to be forbidden ; which is the interpretation both of iunius & abulensis , allowing then an altar of three foote & halfe high , & arising to it from the lower floore of a foot high ; the height of the altar frō the lower floore will be four foot & an halfe , or three cubits , which is the measure required in the leuiticall law , & differs little in height from the altars in forraine parts , or those which are yet standing with vs ; if we likewise take their height from the lower floore , which by reason of the continued and easie degrees of ascent to them may not vnfitly be counted their basis or foote and most certaine it is , that the altars which amongst christians were built for fiue or six hundred yeares since , & yet remaine , whereof there are in france , & spaine , & italy not a few to be seene ; serue as commodiously for the stature of the men of this presentage , as they did of those , in whose times they were built : whereas , were there such a decay as is supposed , we now liuing should hardly reach their tops , much lesse bee able to serue at them with any tolerable conveniencie . sec . . the same farther proued , first for that the sonne often proues taller then the father . secondly , for that age and stature holding for the most part correspondence , it being already proued that the age of mankind is not decreased , from thence it followes that neither is their stature . thirdly , for that if mankinde decreased in stature by the course of nature , so must of necessity all other creatures , they being all alike subiect to the same law of nature . fourthly , for that if men had still declined since the creation , by this time they would haue beene no bigger then rats or mice if they had at all beene . besides were there such a generall and continuall decay of men in stature as is supposed , either the child would alwayes com short of the parents in stature , or very seldome would it fall out otherwise , whereas now wee finde it by dayly experience that the sonne very often not only equalls but exceedes the father , and the daughter the mother . nicephorus calistus in the twelfth booke of his ecclesiasticall history tells vs of one whom himselfe saw , of such an excessiue heigth , that he was held for a monster ; quem tamen brevis admodum staturae mulier in lucem protulit , saith he , whom notwithstanding a woman of a very short stature brought forth . in the like manner s. augustine reports of a woman who in his time a little before the sacking of rome by the gothes , came thither with her father and mother , she was , saith he , of a gyant-like stature far beyond all that saw her , though infinite troopes came to behold that spectacle , et hoc erat maximae admirationi , this was matter of greatest amazement , that both her parents were but of ordinary stature . i haue seene , saith marcellus donatus a learned physitian , a young maiden of a gyant-like stature whom they carried from towne to towne to shew her as a prodigious thing , for the sight of whom euery man gaue some thing , wherewith her mother that conducted her and her selfe were maintained . she was in an hired chamber by her selfe , and there suffered her selfe to be seene with admiration ; going as others did , i enquired carefully of euery point , and did learne both from her selfe and her mother , who was a woman of a meane stature , that the maidens father was not tall , that in all their stocke there was not any one that exceeded the height of other persons . it is likewise reported in the history of the netherlands , that in the yeare , was to be seene in holland a woman gyantesse , to whom the tallest men seemed children , yet her parents of meane stature . so then , if gyants be sometime borne or begotten of such parents , no marvell that the sonne as often proues taller then the father , as he comes short of him . but it commonly fals out in this kinde , though not in that extremity , as with the samogitheans , a people lying betwixt prussia and livonia , of whom scaliger writes , that per vices tum proceros , tum penè nanos generant , by turnes they bring forth gyants and dwarfes , like some trees , saith he , which beare very plentifully one yeare , and are the next altogether barren : nature so disposing that what was deficient in the dwarfc , is abundantly repayed in the gyant . againe , there is for the most part a mutuall connexion betweene age and stature , ( whence it may be in the greeke , the same word signifieth both ) so as that race of men which is tallest and strongest , commonly hold out longest ; vpon which ground , as it seemes , they who invented the fable of the pigmies withall affirmed , that their women vsually brought forth at fiue yeares , and died at eight : but certaine it is , that in those barbarous countreyes which are not weakened by luxury , as they much exceed vs in duration , so doe they likewise in dimensions , both which haue beene fully shewed by sundry examples already alleadged , and generally we see that in the severall kinds of beasts , of birds , of fishes , of trees , of plants , the bigger they are in quantity , the longer they last , & the lesser they are , the shorter space they continue : since then it hath beene , as i take it , sufficiently proued in the precedent chapters , that the age of men is not so sensibly impaired in regard of former times , as is commonly conceiued , it will from thence consequently follow , that neither is the stature of man , at least wise by any defect in the course of nature , so manifestly abated , as is imagined . i say , by any defect in the course of nature , for then doubtlesse , all other naturall bodies should suffer the like defect , euen the elements and the heauens themselues , all which , ( if i flatter not my selfe too much ) i haue in my former discourse cleerely freed from any such vniversall & perpetuall declination . and in truth , reason it selfe will easily teach vs , that if men were generally in former ages taller and larger then now they are , so must the horses too vpon which they rode ; and if horses , other kindes of beasts too , and if beasts , birds too ; and if birds , fishes too ; and if all these , trees too ; there being no warrantable reason , as i conceiue , to be yeelded , why among those kindes of creatures , ( which wanting reason , are guided meerely by instinct of nature ) some should stand at a stay , continuing their ancient perfection , and others in tract of time decay by degrees . indeed man among them all by meanes of the abuse of his reason and free choice , ( which was giuen him to helpe him , and not to hurt him , ( had he the grace to make vse of it ) is most subject to variation , and so to declination : yet as all men doe not alwayes abuse their reason , at leastwise in a greater degree then their predecessors , ( as shall god assisting be hereafter made good ) so doe they not alwayes decline in strength and stature , for then should they by this time scarcely haue exceeded the quantity of rats or mice , or at most haue but equalled that dwarfe of whom nicephorus reports , ( how truly i cannot say ) that he had the shape , the voice and reason of a man , yet was in body no bigger then a partridge ; or that other mentined by sabinus in his commentaries vpon the metamorphosis : vidit italia nuper virum iusta aetate non maiorem cubito circumferri in cavea psyttaci , cujus viri meminit in suis scriptis hieronymus cardanus , there was lately to be seene in italy a man of a ripe age not aboue a cubit high , carried about in a parrets cage , of whom hierome cardan in his writings makes mention : but me thinkes it being the forme which giues bounds to the matter ( of it selfe vnlimited and boundlesse ) and the forme of man being still for essence and naturall functions the same which was from the beginning , the bounds of his quantity cannot vary in any great or notorious difference , but through some exorbitancie and aberration in nature , which as they haue beene in all ages , so haue monsters too , not only in figure and shape , but also both , in excesse and defect . cap. . wherein the principall objections drawne aswell from reason as from authority and experience are fully answered . sect . . of sundry fabulous narrations of the bones of gianlike bodies digged vp , or found in caues . the truth being thus settled , it remaines that wee now dispell those mists and cloudes with which the brightnes of it is sometimes ouercast : whereof the chiefe is , the huge bodies and bones that at sundry times haue beene digged vp , and yet are kept in many places as monuments of antiquity to be seene . such are they which are shewen at puteoli or putzole in the kingdome of naples , vpon which pomponius laetus hath bestowod verses , which he thus concludes , hinc bona posteritas immania corpora servat , et tales mundo testificatur avos . their huge corpes good posterity keepes here , to witnesse to the world that once such were . the like haue i seene at wormes in germany and other citties standing vpon the rheine hung vp in chaines , or laid vp in megazines and other publique places ; but saith philippus camerarius , i haue heard many dispute and make doubt whether they were the bones of men , or of fishes . infinite are the stories which to this purpose are recorded , it would require a iust volume to collect them into one body , and in truth it shall not need , inasmuch as i finde it already done by the same camerarius , by gassanion in his booke of gyants ; and fazelus in his first booke and first decade of the affaires of sicily ; as also by our hollenshed in the fourth chap. of his first volume , but with this caution ; for my part saith he , i will touch rare things , and such as to my selfe doe seeme almost incredible ; wherefore i will onely point at a few of the most memorable , lest on the one side i should seeme purposely to baulke that rubbe which is commonly thought most of all to thwart my way , or on the other side should cloy the reader with too many vnsavory tales . it is reported by plutarch out of gabinius , ( which i confesse , i somewhat marvell at in so graue an authour ) that sertorius being in lybia neere the streights of morocco , found the body of antaeus there buried , sixty cubits , to which fazelus adds ten more , and makes it vp scaventy : but strabo in the seaventeenth of his geography , mentioning the same thing , layes this censure vpon gabinius the authour of it : sed nec gabinius romanarum rerum scriptor in describenda mauritania fabulis prodigiosis abstinet : neither doth gabinius in his description of mauritania abstaine from the relation of monstrous fables . in the fourteenth yeare of henry the second emperour was the body of pallas , ( as 't was thought , ) companion to aeneas , taken vp at rome , and found in height to equall the walles of that cittie : but as galeotus martius hath well obserued , his body was said to haue beene burned , arsurasque comas obnubit amictu , the locks that shortly should consume in fire he couered with his robe . which i suppose to be likewise true of many of those bodies , which notwithstanding are reported to haue beene found intire for their proportions long after their deaths , though turned into ashes many yeares before : it being the custome of those countries to burne , as it is ours to burie our dead . our malmesburiensis likewise in his second booke & thirteenth chapter de gestis rerum anglorum mentioneth the same , story shall i call it , or fable , telling vs that in the yeare of grace , & in the reigne of s. edward , the body of pallas the sonne of euander , of whom virgill speakes , romae repertum est illibatum ingenti stupore omnium quod tot saecula incorruptionem sui superavit , was found at rome intire and sound , to the great astonishment of all men , that by the space of so many ages it had triumphed ouer corruption ; and farther to confirme the trueth thereof , he assures vs that the gaping widenesse of the wound which turnus made in the midst of his breast , was found by measure to be foure foote & an halfe , a large wound , and the weapon which made it , we cannot but conceiue as large ; and by the appearance of it at full , not onely the bones and skinne and sinewes , but the flesh to remaine incorrupt ; a matter altogether incredible . besides he sets vs downe his epitath found at the same time , filius evandri pallans quem lancea turni militis occidit more suo iacet hic , which himselfe knowes not well how to giue credit too , quod non tunc crediderim factum , ( sayth he , which i cannot beleeue was then made , but by ennius , or some other of latter ages : but i proceede . herodotus in his first booke tels vs , that the body of orestes being taken vp , was found to be seaven cubits ; but gellius is bold to bestow vpon him for his labour the title of homo fabulator , a forger of fables , rather inclining to the opinion of varro , who held the vtmost period of a mans growth to be seaven foote . what would he then haue said to the body of oryon , which pliny makes forty six cubits , or of macrosyris which trallianus makes an hundred cubits , or of that body discouered in a vast caue neere drepanum in sicilie , three of whose teeth , if wee may beleeue boccace , weighed an hundred ounces , and the leadde of his staffe , a thousand and fiue hundred pounds . and the body it selfe by proportion of some of the bones was estimated to no lesse then two hundred cubits , which makes three hundred feete , somewhat i thinke beyond pauls steeple . the more i wonder at s. augustine , who confidently assures vs , that himselfe with others being on the sea shore at vtica , he there saw a mans iaw-tooth so bigge , that being cut into small peeces , it would haue made an hundred such as the men liuing in his age commonly had , by which computation the body it selfe must likewise in reason haue exceeded the bodies of his age an hundred times ; so that being compared with a body of six foote , & exceeding it one hundred times , it will be found six hundred foote high , which is the just double to boccace his gyant . yet ralph the munke of cogshall , who wrote yeares agoe ( as witnesseth camden ) it may be in imitation of s. augustine , auerres ; that himselfe saw the like , which in a munke is i confesse more tollerable then that which lodovicus viues , deservedly reputed a graue and learned authour , vpon that passage of s. augustines affirmes , that going to the church on s. christophers day ( the place he names not , but it seemes to be louaine , because from thence he dates his epistle dedicatorie to king henrie the : he was there shewed a tooth belonging , as it was thought to that st bigger then a mans fist , the patterne whereof belike was taken from that huge colossus made to represent him at the entrance of nostre-dame in paris more like a mountaine then a man ; whereas notwithstanding baronius professeth in plaine tearmes , se non habere quid dicat de gigantea statura qua pingi consuevit , that he knowes not what to say to that gyantlike stature , in which they commonly set him forth : but villauincentius goes farther , dubium nemini esse picturam hanc à sanctis patribus in hunc vsum propriè excogitatum , vt evangelij preconem adumbret , that no man neede doubt but that picture was deuised of holy men to shadow forth the preacher of the gospell , who whiles hee lifts vp christ by his preaching and carries him about to be seene and knowne , is indangered in the waues of this world , and yet vpheld by the staffe of hope . the like tooth is to be seene in the netherlands , pretended to belong to the gyant of antwerpe , but goropius becanus rather thinkes it to be the tooth of an elephant , whose conjecture is therein the more probable , for that , ( as witnesseth verstegan ) at such time as the famous water passage was digged from brussells vnto the river of rupell at willibrooke , there was found the bones of an elephant , the head whereof , ( which is yet reserued ) himselfe had seene . of latter times it hath beene written , and by some strongly auerred , that the body of william the conquerour was found vncorrupt more then foure hundred yeares after it was buried , and in length eight foote ; the former of which could not well be , since his tombe being too narrow for the vnbowelled body , ( so say our stories ) it brake in the laying of it downe ; & for the latter there is as litle shew , since they who haue written his life all agree , that he was a man of a meane or middle stature , though for his limmes actiue & strong : and for a full confutation of the said fable , ( saith stow ) when his restlesse bones , which so hardly had obtained intombing , did afterwards as vnluckily againe lose it in the yeare of christ , viz : when chastillion conducting the remnant of those that escaped at the battell of dreux , tooke the citie of cane , certaine sauage souldiers aswell english as others , did beat downe , & vtterly deface the noble monument of that victorious king , pulling out all his bones , which some of them spitefully threw away , ( when they could not finde the treasure they falsely surmised had beene laid vp there ) and others , specially the english , snatched euery one to haue some peece of them , not making any wonder of them , as they would haue done if they had exceeded the length & bignesse of mens bones of latter yeares , whereas indeede there was no such thing noted in them , as i haue beene certainely informed , ) saith the same authour ) by english men of good credit , who were then present eye-witnesses at the spoyle of that monument & bones , and brought some part of them into this realme . theuet likewise in the second tome of his cosmographie , describing the city of cane , mentioneth the rifling of his monument , but of any such monstrous bones or body there found , hee speakes not a word . and besides it is most vnreasonable to conceiue , that within the compasse of fiue hundred yeares or little more , there should be such a wonderfull abatement ; neither in truth if our measures be the same as then they were , is it at all possible . sect . . diverse reasons alleadged why such bones might be found in former ages and not now , and yet the ordinary stature of mankind remaine the same . notwithstanding all this , i am not so incredulous & diffident , or so peremptory and daring in this case , as is becanus , non credam illud orionis apud plynium , licet lucius flaccus & metellus qui visum iuisse dicuntur per capita sua iurarent : i will not credit that story of orion reported by pliny , though flaccus and metellus who are sayd to see it , should sweare by their heads it was true . let vs not wrong antiquity so farre , but deale with them as we desire our posterity should deale with vs : let vs not conceiue they were all either so vaine as to affirme they saw that which they saw not , or so weake as not able to distinguish betwixt the figure of the bones of men and those of beasts & fishes : specially when they found the sceleton whole and intire . much i graunt might be and no doubt was fained , much mistaken , much added to truth thorow errour , or an itching desire of hyperbolicall amplifications ; yet i cannot but beleeue that many of their relations touching this point were true : howbeit a diminution of the stature of mankind in generall cannot from thence be sufficiently inforced . to let goe then the conceite of theophrastus & paracelsus , that by the influence of the heavens such bones might be bred in certaine tracts & veines of the earth , i should rather choose to ascribe these superlatiue prodigious shapes to artificiall or supernaturall then to naturall & ordinary causes . for the former it may be that either great princes out of ambition and desire of honour in succeeding ages , or cunning woorkemen out of curiosity haue framed and composed such peeces which posterity discouering might behold with astonishment , & the infernall spirits thereby to delude men , and the sooner to draw them from the knowledge and worship of the true god to idolatry and superstition , haue concurred with them heerein , & yeelded them their assistance ; who being able to raise wonderfull tempests in the aire & stormes in the sea , i see not but they might be as able to compose such frames vnder the earth ; the wit and art of man may goe farre , but being assisted by the devils helpe , it produceth effects , almost incredible . that insana substructio , that huge monstrous peece of worke , knowne by the name of stone-henge neere amesbery , though it be by the ancients tearmed chorea gigantum , the gyants daunce ; yet shall i neuer thinke that it was performed by the strength of men , but rather by some sleights or engines now vnknowne , or by some artificiall composition , they being no naturall stones hewen out of the rocke , but artificially made of pure sand by some glewy and vnctuous matter knit and incorporated together , as camden seemes to conjecture ; or whether merlin ( as the common saying is ) brought them thither , reared & disposed them in that order by magicke and the helpe of deuills ; i will not take vpon me to determine ▪ howsoeuer it were , it is doubtles a worke for admiration nothing inferiour to the greatest sceleton or frame of bones that was euer yet discouered . and for teeth , i make no question but they may by meere art be made so liuely to resemble the naturall teeth of men , that the wisest will hardly be able to distinguish the counterfeite from the naturall . but that which i rather choose to insist vpon , is , that the bodies of such men were begotten by devills , who that they haue had carnall familiarity with women , is the consent of all antiquity . creberrima fama est , sayth s. augustine , multique se exper●…os vel ab ijs qui experti essent , de quorum fide dubitandum non est , audisse confirmant , sylvanos & faunos , quos vulgo incubos vocant , improbos saepe extitisse mulieribus , ac earum appetisse & peregisse concubitum , & quosdam daemones quos dusios galli nuncupa●…t hanc assidue immunditiam & tentare & efficere plures talesque asseuerant , vt hoc negare impudentiae videatur . it is commonly reported & many affirme , that either themselues haue found it by experience , or heard it from those of whose credit there was no doubt to be made , who had themselues experienced it , that satires and fayres , whom they call incubi , haue beene often lewd with women lusting after them , & satisfying their lust with them : and that certaine devils , whom the gaules call dusij , daily both attempt & performe the samefilthines such & so many affirme , as to deny this were a point of impudence : nay there are yet many nations , saith viues in his commentaries on that place , which count it an honour to draw their pedegree from devils , who had the company of women in the shape of men . thus not a few of the ancients imagined those gyants mentioned in the sixth of genesis , to haue beene begotten , as the heathen likewise for the most part deriue their heroes and mighty men from the like originall . and that the birthes of such monstrous mixtures must needes be monstrous , tostatus truely observeth : talibus conceptibus robustissimi homines & procerissimi nasci solent , of such conceptions are wont to be borne the strongest & tallest of men . and vallesius hauing giuen the reason heereof at large , ( which for feare of offending chast eares , i list not heere to repeate ) at last concludes , robusti ergo & grandes vt nascerentur , poterant ita daemones procurare : thus then the devills might procure that mighty huge gyants should be borne , whose both opinion & reasons heerein are both approued and farther proued by delrio in his magicall disquisitions . the euidence heereof will yet farther appeare , if wee consider that where god was least known & the devill most powerfully reigned , there these impure acts were most frequently practised , which is the reason , as i conceiue , that among the hebrewes , the chosen people of god , wee reade of no such matter : nay those gyants we find mentioned in holy writ , were for the most part of other nations : but since the incarnation of the sonne of god our blessed saviour , who came to dissolue the workes of the devill , the delusions of these spirits haue vanished as a mist before the sun : though their kingdome be not at an end , yet is their malice much restrained and their power abated . which plutarch himselfe ingeniously confesseth in that excellent discourse of his , cur oracula edi desijrint , why the oracles ceased ; and to this purpose relates a memorable story , which he reports from the mouth of one epitherses , sometimes his schoole-master , that he imbarking for italy , and being one euening becalmed before the paxe , ( too litle ilands that lie between cor●…yra & leucadia ) they suddainely heard a voyce from the shore , most of the passengers being yet awake , calling to one thamus a pilot , by birth an egyptian , who till the third call would not answere : then quoth the voyce , when thou art come to the palodes proclaime it alowd , that the great pan is dead , all in the ship that heard this were amased , when drawing neere to the foresaid place , thamus standing on the pup of the shippe , did vtter what was formerly commaunded , forthwith there was , heard a great lamentation , accompanied with groanes and schreeches : this comming to the knowledge of tiberius caesar , he sent for thamus , who avouched the truth thereof : and hereby was declared , as we may well conceiue , the subjection of sathan by the death of christ : so that now he had no longer power to abuse the illuminated world with his impostures . by this then appeares both the reason of such vast enormous bodies , as were in former times , and withall the cause why they haue ceased since in succeeding ages . to which we may adde , that if wee should ascribe these effects to god himselfe and his extraordinary power , for the manifestation of his greatnes ; yet as other miracles , so likewise these are now growne out of date and vse : hee manifesting himselfe to vs in a cleerer manner , rather by the gratious power of his word , then the miraculous greatnes of his power , and so our conclusion still remaines firme , that the stature of mankinde is not generally impaired in regard of any such vniversall decay in the course of nature as is pretended . sect . . an answere to the argument drawne from the testimonies on behalfe of the adverse opinion . the second maine rubbe , which to many giues occasion of stumbling , and comes now to be remoued , is the authority of diverse graue writers , and those not onely of latter stampe , but such as haue beene , and still are accounted venerable aswell for learning as antiquity . among which , the most eminent that i finde named by the adverse part , are gellius , pliny , iuvenall , virgill , and homer , and that i may neither wrong the authours nor vouchers , i will produce them speaking in their owne words gellius hauing alleadged the opinion of varro , that the vtmost point of mans growth in the course of nature is seaven foote , and hauing stiled herodotus a fabler for saying the body of orestes was seaven cubits , presently adds , nisi si vt homerus opinatus est , vastiora prolixioraque fuerint corpora hominum antiquorum , & nunc quasi jam mundo senescente , rerum atque hominum decrementa sint . vnles as homer thought , men were anciently bigger & taller , and now as if the world waxed old , there be a decrease both of things and men . but this nisi si of gellius is too weake thereby to draw him to their side , specially considering what he had said immediatly before out of varro . which testimony of his prevailes somuch with peter martyr , that hee cannot yeeld any decrease since the floud , si rogarer ) sayth he ) an existimem corpora humana , quae postea fuerunt ab ijs immin●…ta esse quae ante diluvium producebantur , fortassis annuerem : sed quod à diluvio vsque ad hanc nostram aetatem perpetuo decrescant , id non facile concederem , verbis praesertim annotatis quae aulos gellius , : libr : scripsit vbi ait modum adolescendi humani corporis esse septem pedum : quae mensura hodie quoque videtur esse staturae procerioris . in apocryphis tamen esdrae legimus , lib. . ad finem . cap. ne quid dissimulem , & nunc minora esse corpora nostra , ac indies imminuenda , quod natura semper magis effoeta reddatur . idemque vt paulo ante dixi cyprianus videtur statuere . sed quare ●…on tam facile assentiar ▪ causam attuli quia de mensurâ quam gellius definivit , hodie nihil propemodum videam immutatum . if i were demaunded whether i thinke that mens bodies since the floud are decreased in regard of those before the floud , happily i should grant it : but that since the floud downward to this our present age they should still decrease , that would i not easily yeeld , specially observing those words which aulus gellius hath in his third booke , where hee sayth , that the measure of growth in mans body , is to seaven foote , which at this day seemes to be the heigth of those of the tallest stature ; yet to conceale nothing , wee read indeede in the fourth booke , and toward the end of the fifth chapter in the apocryphall esdras , that our bodies are lesse then they were ; and that still they shall be lessened more & more , in asmuch as nature is euery day weakened more then other , and the same opinion ( as i said before ) seemes to be approved by cyprian ; but why i cannot easily yeeld assent therevnto , i haue giuen my reason , because i find litle or nothing abated of that measure which gelli●… defined plinyes words i must confesse are more round and resolute , in plenum autem cuncto mortalium generi minorem staturam indies fieri , propemodum observatur : rarosque patribus proceriores , consumente vbertatem seminum exustione , in cuius vices nunc vergat aevum , which is thus rendred by philemon holland , doctor in physicke , whose latin copy differed it seemes somewhat from mine : or he added somewhat of his owne . this is obserued for an vndoubted truth , that generally all men come short of the full stature in times past , & decrease every day more then other , & seldome shall we see the sonne taller then his father , for the ardent heate of the elementary fire ( wherevnto the world inclineth already now toward the latter end , as sometimes it stood much vpon the watery element ) devoureth & consumeth that plentifull humor and moisture of naturall seede that ingen●…eth all things , and this appeareth by these examples following . and then hauing brought the examples of orion and orestes , he adds , iam verò ante annos prope mille vates ille homerus non cessavit minora corpora mortalium , quàm prisca , conqueri . and verily that great and famous poet homer , who liued almost a thousand yeares agoe , complained and gaue not ouer , that mens bodies were lesse of stature euen then , then in old time . but if i bee not mistaken , this assertion of plinyes directly crosseth himselfe in the very entrance of his naturall history , where he thus begins mundum , & hoc quod nomine alio calum appella●…e libuit , cuius circumflexu teg●…ntur cuncta , numen esse credi par est , aeternum , immensum , neque genitum , neque interiturum vnquam . the world , and this which by another name men haue thought good to call heaven , beleeue we ought in all reason to be a god without beginning & likewise endlesse . if the world be endlesse , how doth it suffer a perpetuall decrease , and if it suffer any such decrease , how is it endlesse . againo , holding a decrease in stature , i see not how he can well avoide a diminution likewise in age which notwithstanding in other places he seemes to deny , or at leastwise hauing in sundry seuerall chapters faire occasion offered , doth not maintaine , but rather chuseth to passe it ouer in silence , as being thereof some what doubtfull . besides how the ardent heate of the elementary fire should cause any such decay , i cannot for my part conceiue , since that heat for any thing we find is not increased since the first creation , and this supposed decay is commonly attributed rather to a deficiencie then an excesse of heat . but pliny who held that the sun and starres were nourished by an elementary moisture , must of necessity vpon that supposed , though false ground , likewise hold a sensible decay in the world , inasmuch as that moisture cannot possibly suffice those bodies for food . and thus we see how in this assertion he both plainly crosseth himself , and builds it vpon a sandy foundation . he was doubtlesse an admirable man in that which he vndertooke , the historicall part of nature : but whether he deserued the like commendation in that which we call the philosophicall part thereof , i leaue it to others to judge , and passe to the examination of the testimonies of the poets . but before i descend to the particulars , it shall not be amisse a little to consider of the vanity of their fictions and fables about the gyants which doubtlesse in part gaue occasion to this common error touching mans and the worlds decay , though i verily beleeue that the poets themselues had a mysticall meaning therein . they faigned them to be borne of the earth , to haue a thousand hands and snakes for haires , and to wage warre with the gods. terra feros partus immania monstra gygantes , edidit ausuros in iovis ire domum . mille manus illis dedit & pro crinibus angues , atque ait , in magnos arma movete deos. giants wild monsters earth great mother bare , who durst assaile the sacred seat of iove , with thousand hands . and snakes insteed of haire , arm'd , armes she charg'd them gainst the gods to moue . which warre of the gyants , cornelius severus thus elegantly describes . tentavêre nefas olim detrudere mundo sydera , captivique iovis transferre gygantes imperium , & victo leges imponere coelo . the gyants did advance their wicked hand against the stars to thrust them headlong down , and robbing ioue of his imperiall crowne , on conquer'd heauens to lay their proud command . but macrobius his interpretation of this fable is worth the observing : gygantes autem quid aliud fuisse credendum est quàm hominum quandam impiam gentem deos negantem , et ideo existimatam deos è coelesti sede pellere voluisse . what otherthing should we imagine those gyants to haue been , but an impious race of men denying the gods , and were therefore said to haue attempted the chasing of them out of heauen . yet these fables no doubt infected the vulgar , as those of guy of warwick , bevis of hampton , corineus and gog-magog , robin hood and little iohn , amadis of gaule , pontagruel , gargantua , and the like haue since done : and therefore plato banished poets from his common-wealth ; and moses , ( as philo in his booke of gyants witnesseth ) both painting and the statuary art , cosen germans to poetry , quod veritatem mendacijs vitient , credulis animis per oculos illudentes . saith he , because they corrupt the truth with lies , & deceiue credulous mindes by those representations which are presented to their eyes . yet will we not deny them the fauour to heare what they can say for themselues . let iuvenall then first speake . saxa inclinatis per humum quaesita lacertis incipiunt torquere , domestica , seditione tela , nec hunc lapidem quali se turnus & aiax , et quo tydides percussit pondere coxam aeneae , sed quam valeant emittere dextrae . illis dissimiles , & nostro tempore natae . nam genus hoc vivo iam decrescebat homero terra malos homines nunc educat atque pusillos , ergo deus quicunque aspexit , ridet & odit . stooping for stones them ( in brawles alway the readiest weapon ) they commence their fray not that of turne or aiax , or whereby the sonne of tydeus brake aeneas thigh , but such as hands vnlike to theirs , and now bred in our dayes well able are to throw . for euen while homer liv'd this race decreased and mother earth hath euer since beene pleased cowardly dwarfes to breed : those deities that them behold , deride them and despise . now for asmuch as it is euident that invenall heerein followed virgill and homer , as will cleerely appeare when we come to the examining of their testimonies , i will likewise referre the answere heerevnto , to that place . for virgill then , he speaking of turnus and his great strengh , thus poetizes : saxum antiquum ingens campo qui forte iacebat limes agro positus litem vt discerneret aruis ( vix illum lecti bis sex ce●…vice subirent qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus ) ille manu raptum valida toquebat in hostem . a huge old stone which then by chaunce lay in the field to bound out severall grounds , and quarrells to prevent , scarce twelue choyce men such as now mother earth doth yeeld could beare it on their necks , yet he incontinent caught it with puissant arme , and to his foe it sent . with which accords that in the first of his georgickes touching the plowing vp of the emathean and emonean fields , where many bloody battels had beene fought . scilicet & tempus veniet cum finibus illis agricola incurvo terram molitus aratro exesa inveniet scabra rubigine pila . aut gravibus rastris galeas pulsabit inanes grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris . the time will one day come when in those feilds the painefull husband plowing vp his ground , shall finde all fret with rust both pikes and sheilds , and emptie helmes vnder his harrow sound ; wondring at those great bones those graues doe yeeld . but what credit shall wee giue to virgill in these things who tels vs of enceladus . fessum quoties motat latus intremere omnem trinacriam . — as oft as wearied he from side to side doth turne trinacria trembles . and of titius , — per tota novem cui i●…gera corpus porrigitur . whose bodie stretches to nine akers length . and besides he was doubtles heerein as in many other passages thorow the aeneads homers ape , who thus brings in hector , hector autem rapiens lapidem portabat , qui portas stetit ante , deorsum crassus , sed superne acutus erat , hunc neque duo viri è populo optimi facile ad plaustrum è terra perducerent , quales nunc sunt homines . hector caught vp a stone before the gate that lay , the vpper pointed was , blunt was the nether part : two of the better sort such as liue now a day could scarce with all their force mount it into a cart . to like purpose , and very neere in the same words is that which hee hath in another place of diomedes , throwing a stone at aeneas . saxum accepit manu tytides magni ponderis quod non duo viri ferrent quales nunc homines sunt . into his hand tydides tooke a stone of wondrous weight , two men such as the world now yeelds to bear 't haue not the might from whence it is manifest that all the alleadged authours herein followed homer , he being named by gellius , pliny , & iuvenall , & so plainely imitated by virgill , that wee neede not doubt from whom hee borrowed it , rendring homers quales nunc sunt homines — into qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus ; but heerein he exceedes homer that he turnes two into twelue , more tollerablely i confesse , because more poetically , that a man may know it at the first blush to be but a fiction . and as for homer himselfe , the founder and spring-head of this opinion , as he was the authour of many excellent inventions , so as it was truely written of him , hic ille est cuius de gurgite sacro combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores . this is the man whose sacred streame hath served all the crew of poets , thence they dranke their fill , thence they their furies drew . and therefore was hee painted vomiting , and the poets round about licking vp his vomit ; yet as a ranke and battell soyle that abounds both in corne and weedes , so was he likewise the fruitfull parent of many errours and fables , which were afterwards taken vp and imbraced with like greedines as were his best and choisest inventions . such is naturally our affection , that whom in great things wee mightily admire , in them we are not perswaded willingly that any thing should be amisse : the reason whereof is for that as dead flies putrifie the oyntment of the apothecarie : so a little folly him that is in estimation for wissdome . and this in euery profession hath too much authorised the judgement of a few . i will not stand to make a catalogue of homers mistakes and fictions , which his admirers in succeeding ages haue entertained as certaine truths . that fable of the pigmies ( because it hath some affinitie with our present matter ) and their manner of fighting with cranes shall suffice for all : which many not onely poets but great philosophers , and among them aristotle himselfe relying vpon his authority haue taken vp vpon trust : whereas all the parts of the world being now in a manner discouered there is no such countrey or people to be found in it . and for this particular opinion , it is not onely objected by goropius , but by magius freely acknowledged that homer , by plutarches computation , ( who composed a treatise purposely of his life ) liuing but one hundred yeares or a little more after the troian warres , made such a difference in mens strength and stature , as was altogether incredible within the compasse of so short a space : nay himselfe makes hectors speare to bee but tenne cubits long , the ordinary length they are at euen at this day : & brings telemachus vlysses his sonne thus speaking to his nurce euriclea . haud equidem quenquam longinquus sit licet hospes absque labore feram contingere chanica nostram : no guest though come from farre i thee assure to touch my choenix will i choenix endure . from which budaeus inferres that euen then a choenix was the daily allowance for a man , as it likewise was many hundred yeares after homers times among the graecians . for conclusion , though tenne persons be brought to giue testimony in any cause , yet if the knowledge they haue of the thing wherevnto they come as witnesses , appeare to haue growne from some one among them , and to haue spread it selfe from hand to hand , they are all in force but as one testimony ; and if it appeare that the fountaine , from which either immediatly or mediatly they all draw , be corrupted , if the testimony of the first man vpon whom they depend , proue invalide , then is this one vpon the matter no testimony , which is in truth the case of the counter-witnesses produced in this businesse . sect . . of the wonderfull strength of diuerse in latter ages , not inferiour to those of former times . bvt to graunt that hector , and ajax , and diomedes , and hercules , and the like excelled in strength , yet can it not be denied , but some such haue likewise beene recorded in succeeding ages , as c : marius by trebellius pollio , maximinus by capitolinus , aurelian by vopiscus , scanderbeg by barlet , galiot bardesin a gentleman of catana , by fazell , tamerlane , ziska , hunniades , by others ; george le feure a learned germane writes , that in his time in the yeare liued at mis●…a in thuring one called nicholas klunher prouost of the great church that was so strong , as without cable or pulley or any other helpe he setch vp out of a cellar a pipe of wine , carried it out of dores and laid it vpon a cart . i haue seene a man , saith mayolus an italian bishop , in the towne of aste , who in the presence of the marquesse of pescara handed a pillar of marble three foote long , and one foote in diameter , the which he cast high in the aire , then receiued it againe in his armes , then lasht it vp againe , sometime after one fashion , sometime after another , as easily as if he had beene playing with a ball or some such little thing . there was , sayth the same authour , at mantua , one named rodamas , a man of a little stature , but so strong that he brake a cable as bigge as a mans arme , as easily as it had beene a small twine thread : mounted vpon an horse and leading another by the bridle , he would runne a full cariere and stop in the midst of his course , or when it liked him best . froissard a man much esteemed for the truth and fidelity of his history , reports that about two hundred yeares since , one ernaudo burg a spaniard , and companion to the earle of foix , when as attending the earle , he accompanied him to an higher roome , to which they ascended by twenty foure steps , the weather cold ; and the fire not answerable , and withall espying out at the window certaine asses in the lower court loaden with wood , he goes downe thither , lifts vp the greatest of them with his burden on his shoulder , and carrying it to the roome from whence he came , cast both as he found them into the fire together . lebelski a polander in his description of the things done at constantinople in the yeare , at the circumcision of mahumet the sonne of amurath emperour of the turkes , writes that amongst many actiue men which there shewed their strength , one was most memorable , who for proofe thereof lifted vp a peece of wood that twelue men had much adoe to raise from the earth , and afterwards lying downe flat vpon his backe , he bore vpon his breast , a weighty stone , which tenne men had with much a doe rolled thither , making but a iest of it . many are yet aliue , saith camerarius , that know how strong and mighty george of fronsberg , baron of mindlehaim of late memory was . there is a booke printed & published in the germane tongue contayning his memorable acts , & howbeit paulus iouius handleth him but roughly , as being an enemy to the pope ; yet extolleth hee highly his wonderfull great force , being able by the acknowledgment of iouius with the middle finger of his right hand to remoue a very strong man out of his place , sate he neuer so fast : he stopp'd a horse suddainely , that ranne with a maine carriere , by onely touching the bridle , and with his shoulder would hee easily shoue a canon whither hee listed . cardan writes that himselfe saw one dauncing with two in his armes , two vpon his shoulders , and one hanging about his necke . potocoua a polonian and captaine of the cosakes , during the reigne of stephen batore , was so strong , as witnesseth leonclauius , that he would teare in peeces new horse shoes , as it had beene paper . the history of the netherlands reports , that the woman gyantesse before mentioned was so strong , that shee would lift vp in either hand a barrell full of hamborough beere , and would easilie carrie more then eight men could . before these , but long since those ancient heroes , was the gyant aenother borne in turgaw , a village in sweuia , who bore armes vnder charlemaigne , he felled men as one would mow hay , & sometimes broached a great number of them vpon his pike , and so carried them all vpon his shoulder , as one would carrie little birds spitted vpon a sticke . hinc apparet ( saith camerarius ) quòd nostra aetas & natio tales viros produxerit quos fortitudine & robore cum veteribus conferre licet . from hence it appeares that our age and nation hath brought forth such men , as euery way are matchable with the ancients in actiuity & strength . oflatter dayes and here at home , mr richard carew a worthy gentleman in his survey of cornewall assures vs that one iohn bray ( well known to himselfe , as being his tenaunt ) carried vpon his backe at one time by the space well neare of a but-length six bushels of wheaten meale , reckoning gallons to the bushell , and the miller a lubber of yeares age vpon the whole : wherevnto he addeth that iohn roman of the same sheire , a short clownish grub would beare the whole carkasse of an oxe , though he neuer tugged with it , when he was a calfe , as milo did . to these might be added diuerse other domesticall examples of latter times , saue that such kinde of relations seeme as vnsauory and incredible to the most part of readers , as they are certaine , admirable , and delightfull to the beholders . it is most true that the great workes our noble predecessours haue left vs , our cathedrall churches , our ruines of castles and monasteries , our bridges , our high-wayes , and cauce-wayes , and in forraine parts their arches , obelisks , pyramids , vawtes , aqueducts , theaters , and amphitheaters seeme to proclaime , as the greatnesse of their mindes , so likewise of their bodies : but i should rather ascribe this to their industry , their deuotion , their charity , vniting , their forces and purses in publique workes and for the publique good , then to the bodily strength of particular men . sect . . two doubtes cleered , the first touching the strong physicke which the ancients vsed , the second touching the great quantity of blood which they are sayed vsually to haue drawne at the opening of a veine . a greater doubt arises touching the litle , but strong physicke which the ancients vsed , and the great quantity of blood which they vsually drew at the opening of a veine : for the first of these , i should thinke that it rather argued the strength of our bodies , who notwithstanding our disuse of exercise and more frequent vse of physicke , and that many times from the hands of vnskilfull empericks , we ordinarily hold out as long as they did : and for the strength of their physicke , let vs heere goropius a famous physitian , and doubtles a very learned man , as his workes testifie , and his greatest adversaries cannot but confesse . dicunt olim medicamenta multò vehementiora data fuiss●… quàm nunc hominum natura ferre possit : they say that the physicke which the ancients administred was much stronger then the nature of man is now capable of ; to which he replies , eos qui sic arbitrantur insigniter falli contendo , ferunt enim corpora aequè nunc helleborum atque olim eodem vel majori pondere , vt ipse in alijs & meipso sum expertus : verùm inscitia eorum qui nihil medici habent praeter titulum & vestem longam , & impudentem arrogantiam in causa est vt sic opinentur . i am confident that those who thus thinke are notablely deceiued , in asmuch as our bodies can now aswell endure the like or greater quantity of elleborum , as i haue made triall in my selfe & others : but the ignorance of such as haue indeed nothing in them of the physitian but the bare title , a long gowne , and impudent arrogancie , is the cause that men so thinke . and with him heerein plainely accords leonardus giachinus of the same profession , who hauing composed a treatise purposely to shew what damage arises to learning by preferring authority before reason , makes this the title of his first chapter , corpora nostra eadem ferre posse auxilia quibus veteres vsi sunt , idque cum ratione tum experientia comprobari : that our bodies now a dayes may well enough suffer the same helpes of physicke which the ancients vsed , & that this may be made euident aswell by reason as experience . and i suppose skilfull physitians will not deny , but that the physicke of former times agrees with ours as in the receites , so for the dosis and quantity ; and for them who hold a generall decay in the course of nature , they are likewise forced to hold this . for if plants , and drugges , and minerals , decay in their vertue proportionablely to the body of man , ( as is the common opinion ) then must it consequently follow , that the same quantity hauing a lesse vertue may without daunger and with good successe be administred to our bodies though inferiour in strength : roger bacon in his booke de erroribus medicorum , tells vs , that the disposition of the heavens is changed euery centenary or thereabout ; and consequently that all things growing from the earth change their complexions , as also doth the body of man ; and therevpon infers that eaedem proportiones medicinarum non sunt semper continuandae sed exigitur observantia certa secundum temporis discensum : the same proportions of medicines are not still to be continued , but there is required a certain quantity according to the variation of time . where , by the change of the disposition of the heavens , i cannot conceiue that he intends it alwayes for the worst , for so should he crosse himselfe in the same booke , neither for any thing i know haue we any certainty of any such change as he speakes of , but this am i sure of , that if together with the heauens , the plants change their tempers , and with the plants the body of man , then needs there no alteration in the proportion of medicines ; in asmuch as what art should therein supply , nature her selfe preuents & performes : but for mine own part holding a naturall decay in neither , vpon that ground , as i conceiue , may more safely be warranted the continuance of the ancient proportions . now touching the drawing of blood , i know it is said that galen vsually drew six pounds at the opening of a veine , whereas we for the most part stoppe at six ounces , which is in truth a great difference if true , specially in so short a time , he liuing three hundred yeares or thereabout since christ. for decision then of this point , we must haue recourse to galen himselfe , who in that booke which he purposely composed of cures by letting of blood , thus writes : memini quibusdam ad sex vsque libras sanguinem detractum fuisse , ita vt febris extingueretur . i remember that from some i haue drawne six pounds of blood , which hath ridde them of their feuer : yet from others he tooke but a pound and a halfe , or one pound , and sometimes lesse , as he saw occasion : neither in old time , nor in these present times was the quantity euer definite or certaine , but both then and now variable more or lesse according to strength , the disease , age , or other indications ; and in pestilent fevers his advise is , vbi valida virtus subest , & aetas permittit , vsque ad animae defectum sanguinem mittere expedit : where the strength and age of the patient will beare it , it will doe well to take blood euen to a fainting or sounding ; and such was the case ( as by his owne words it appeares ) in which he drew so great a quantity : neither is this without example in our age : ambrose par a french surgeon , ( & a man expert in his profession , as his bookes shew ) reports that he drew from a patient of his in foure dayes twenty seven pallets , euery pallet of paris containing three ounces & more , so that he drew from him about seven pounds , allowing twelue ounces to the pound , which was the account that galen followed , as appeares in his owne treatise of weights and measures , and so continues it in vse among physitians and apothecaries vnto this day . the whole quantity of blood in a mans body of a sound constitution and middle stature was anciently estimated , and so is it still at about three gallons : and i haue beene informed by a doctour of physicke of good credit and eminent place in this vniversity , that a patient of his hath bled a gallon at nose in one day , and hath done well after it ; which ( as i conceiue ) could not be so little as seuen or eight pounds , allowing somewhat lesse then a pound to a pint , in asmuch as i haue found a pint of water to weigh sixteene ounces . now what nature hath done with tollerance of life , art may come neere vnto vpon just cause without danger . and if any desire to be farther informed in this point , he need goe no further then the medicinall observations of iohannes shenkius de capite humano , where to his observation hee prefixes this title , prodigiosae narium haemorragiae , quae interdum , interdum , nonnunquam etiam sanguinis librae profluxere . prodigious bleedings at the nose , in which sometimes , sometimes , sometimes poūds of blood haue issued . the authors from whom he borroweth his observations are matheus de gradi in his commentaries vpon the chapter of rasis ad almans brasauolus comment . ad aphor. . lib. . donatus lib. de variolis & morbillis cap. . lusitanus curat . . cent. . and againe curat . , cent. , his instances are of a nunne who voided by diverse passages pounds of bloud , of diana a noble lady of est , who bled onely at the nostrils pounds besides what was spilt on the ground , vpon her apparell , in napkins and other linnens about her ; of one andrew , cooke to fredericke gonzaga cardinall , who bled in one day and two nights pounds . and lastly of a yong man named berdavid , from whom there issued at the nose within the space of sixe dayes pounds , and yet they all liued after it , and did well penes authores fides esto ▪ sec . . a third doubt cleered touching the length of the duodenum or first gut , as also of the severall opinions of iacobus capellus , and iohannes temporarius , touching the decrease of humane strength and stature . another doubt tending to the same end , i receiued from an other doctour of physicke of speciall note , & of mine ancient acquaintance , well knowne in london for his sufficiencie in his professiō , and from him likewise i must acknowledge the best part of the answere which i shall frame thereunto . the objection , because , of any i haue met with , it is most fully opened & seriously vrged by archangelus piccolhomini in his anatomicall lectures , i wil expresse in his words , where speaking of the first gut , he thus goes on , dicitur etiam graecis dodecadactylos , nobis duodenū , quod duodecem digitos longum illis temporibus videretur : nam his nostris temporibus vix digitorum apices aequat , fortassèquod hâc nostrâ aetate homines minores , illis saeculis grandiores essent , idcirco longiora mēbra proportione respondētia . dicitur quoque pyloros , id est ianitor portonarius translato nomine inferioris orificij ventriculi ad superiorem duodeni partem quae ex eo proximè enascitur . it is called of the graecians dodecadactylos , & of vs duodenum , because it seemes in those times to haue beene inches long , whereas in this age it hardly equals the toppes of nine fingers , perchance because now adayes men being lesse and then bigger , they had likewise bigger parts of the body answereable therevnto . it is also called pyloros or the porter , which name is borrowed from the nether orifice of the stomacke , and applyed to the higher part of the duodenum which growes out of it . thus he ; where what he meanes by the apices or toppes of nine fingers , i doe not well apprehend , but riolanus i am sure in the booke and chapter of his anthropographia tells vs plainely that ab herophylo duodenum dicitur quoniam olim duodecem transversos digitos longum erat , vbi hodie vix quatuor digitos aequat . it was by herophylus called duodenum because anciently it was inches long , whereas now it is scarce full foure . how long since this herophilus liued i cannot certainely determine , nor well coniecture , his name i finde not in gesners bibliotheca , indeed tertullian in his booke de anima mentioneth him , by which it appeares that he liued before him , but how long it appeares not ; suppose it to bee , , or hundred yeares ( which is as much as in reason can well bee demanded , and vpon that supposition allow him to haue liued two thousand yeares agoe , which being granted , and withall that all the other parts of mans body are decayed proportionably to the duodenum , ( which piccolomini himselfe confesseth , and thereof i thinke no wise or learned man will once offer to make any doubt ) this i say being granted , it must of necessitie follow that in the space of yeares , two thirds of humane stature are lost , for that is the proportiō of to ; so as if men now be fiue foote high , they were then , & yeares before that againe ( if we shall allow the like proportion of decrease to the like space of time ( foot high , and so vpward , which how vnreasonable it is to affirme or conceiue , i leaue to the authors and patrons of that fancie to imagine . againe i would willingly knowe whether in herophilus time the inch were the same with ours or no , if so , then belike there is no such notorious diminution in stature as from him is collected ▪ and if it be varied according to the diminution of stature , then should our duodenum be aswell of our inches now , as was their duodenum of their inches then , for to say that theirs was of their inches & ours but of our inches , is both an irregular cōparison , & a matter altogether incredible . and i wonder that galen or hippocrates , or some other of those ancient physitians had not found the variation thereof in their time in regard of former ages , aswell as wee in ours in regard of theirs ; or that finding it , they haue left no record or mention of so notable an observation in any of their writings , which me thinks is a strong presumption that indeed either in their practise or reading they observed no such matter . but to make a plaine and full answere to this objection , we need go no farther then that of riolanus immediatly annexed to the passage before alleadged . nec mensuram antiquam deprehendes nisi graciliorem & angustiorem ventriculi partem à fundo inferne exporrectam vsque ad anfractuum principium addideris quam saepè digitos aequare vidi . neither shall you finde the ancient measure , vnlesse you adde to the duodenum the lower and narrower part of the stomack , and extend it to that place where the guts begin their pleats and windings , and this haue i often seene to equall inches : out of which words i make mine answere thus , that if we take duodenum strictly , onely for so much as is from the lowest orifice of the stomacke to the winding guts , then i say it is scantly foure inches long , but if we take in that thinner part and end of the ventricle which the greekes call pyloros , and the latines from thence ianitor or portonarius the porter , then by riolans observation it hath , and no doubt may be found fully as long as the ancient measure . now that the pyloros hath beene by ancient writers taken into the duodenum , and accounted as one with it , not onely riolan in the place before alleadged , and laurentius lib. . cap , . but piccolhomini himselfe confesseth in the latter part of the passage already quoted , and leonardus fuchsius in the third booke and chapter of his paradoxes brings to that purpose . celsus lib. , cap. . avicen fen . . can . . tract . . cap. . valescus . . iohannes matthaeus de gradi in his commentaries vpon the ninth booke of razis cap. : and lastly alexander benedictus in his second booke of anatomie chapt . . and though he there make galen to speake in a different language , yet are riolan and others of another opinion therein . whiles this part was even vpon going to the presse , there came to mine hands two bookes written by two learned french men , iacobus capellus and iohannes temporarius , the one intituled de mensuris , the other chronologicae demonstrationes ; in both which the point in hand is touched to the quicke : the former , capellus i meane , in his very preface sharpely censures the poets , homer & virgill & iuvenall for their hyperbolicall amplifications , in speaking of the enormous stature of the ancients , and so doth he pliny , solinus , s. augustine , and ludouicus vives for following them therein , and then alleadging that passage of iulius scaligers , where he affirmes that the samogithians , a people seated betwixt prussia & liuonia , by turnes beget dwarfes & gyants ; he graunts that this vicissitude , though not in that degree , yet in some sort may be obserued in all nations : yet this man after all this flourish tells vs , that it cannot be but some kinde of truth there should be in those complaints of the poets , & that the world waxes old , though not in post-hast as they would haue it : yet sensim & sine sensu , as he tearmes it , soft & faire , & by degrees insensible . the onely reason he buildes vpon being this , that the measures of all nations being proportioned ( as he imagineth ) to their statures , and withall that as the nations rise in antiquitie one aboue another , so doe their measures : from whence he inferres , that as the measures of the ancients were longer , so were likewise their statures . wherein he manifestly crosseth both himselfe , and as many as i haue read of that subiect , either occasionally or of set purpose ; for himselfe he freely acknowledgeth in another place of the same discourse , that both the present parisian foote in france & the picen in italy are bigger then the ancient romane ; for the latter of which , he both vouches and well approues the testimony of cardan de subtil : lib. : adducor authoritate scribentium olim de re militari qui tyronum mediocrem magnitudinem quinque pedum esse statuerunt , vt quarta parte pes antiquus mensura pedis nostri minor sit . i am induced by the authority of those who writing of military matters , set down fiue foote for the ordinary stature of a common souldier , to beleeue that the ancient foote was by measure a quarter lesse then ours . againe himselfe confesseth ( neither without manifest follie can it bee denyed ) that some nations in regard of their clymate much exceed others in stature , as for the most part do the westerne , the easterne , & the northerne , the southerne , so as if his comparison had beene made betwixt the ancient and moderne measures of the same nation , it might well haue carried at leastwise some semblance of truth , but to make it betwixt different nations though in different ages , as he doth , carries with it in my iudgment no colour at all : lastly , he holds not the like decrease in age , & wits , & manners , that he doth in stature , nor in the heavens , the earth , the beasts , the plants , that he doth in men ; which though it stand with his purpose ; yet how it can stand with the course of nature , for mine own part i cannot imagine , as neither can i conceiue how there should bee any such alternatiue vicissitude of stature in all nations as he holdes , and yet withall an vniversall and perpetuall decrease : all which himselfe it seemes foreseeing modestly , concludes the point : nos igitur haec , ea potius mente in medium adduximus , vt haec vere nobilis questio ab eruditis viris luculentius & accuratius pertractetur , quàm quod veluti de inventa veritate gloriemur & nobis ipsi suffeni simus : we then haue produced these things to this purpose , that this question truly noble , may by learned men be more cleerely and exactly handled , not that i would glory in the finding out of a truth , or as if i were onely pleased with mine owne conceite . now for iohannes temporarius he doth not mince the matter as capellus , but in his chronologicall demonstrations anno mundi , and fourth chapter , strikes downe-right right blowes , telling vs roundly and plainely that nothing is altered in the stature of man since the creation , and that eadem est hominum & primi saeculi & insecutorum magnitudo , that the stature of the men of the first age and those which afterward ensued is the ●…ame : and that as there were gyants then , so haue there since beene in all ages downeward , and some euery way as tall , if not taller then they : and afterward discoursing of the arke & the capability thereof out of buteo ( though indeed hee name him not ) he makes moses his cubit to be the same with ours , & the beasts then to be of the same bignesse as now they are , & to spend no more quantitie of foode then now they doe ; herein likewise treading in buteo his steps , though in some other things touching the fabrique of the arke he dissent from him . sect . . another rubbe remoued taken from the impurity of the seede , contracted by the succession of propagation , as also touching some late memorable examples of parents famously fertile , in the linage issuing from their bodies , beyond any examples in that kinde in former ages . the last , but in the opinion of many not the least rubbe to bee remoued , is drawne from the impuritie of the seede , contracted by the succession of propagation , from whence there must needes in reason succeed , as a diminution in the continuance and duration , so likewise an imparing both in the strength and stature of mankinde . this argument i find thus expressed in a treatise published in mr c●…ffs name , and intitled , the differences of the ages of mans life ; as is nutrition , saith he , to the particular , so is generation to the species , in the case of their continuance and preservation : wherefore as by the nourishment wee take for our naturall moisture , there being supplied not so pure humiditie as was lost , the particulars decaying by little and little , are at last cleane consumed : so by procreation , ( the mainetenance of our species ) the purity of our complexion being by degrees & time diminished , at length there followes euen of necessity an absolute corruption : but for answere herevnto , though it be graunted that generation be as requisite to the continuance of the species , as is nutrition for the preseruation of the particular , & withall that our foode doth not so kindely and fully supply our radicall moisture , which is daily wasted by our vitall heate feeding vpon it , whence finally ensueth the individuals extinguishing : yet that every individuall should necessarily yeeld weaker and wors●…r seede for the propagation of the species then it selfe was generated of , that i constantly beleeue can neuer be proued : nay the contrary therevnto is manifested by daily experience , in asmuch as wee often see feeble & sickely parents to beget strong & healthy , short to beget tall , & such as haue dyed young , long-liued children : and vndoubtedly if this were so indeede as is pretended , mankind had long since beene vtterly extinguished , & with it had this controuersie beene at an end ; & not only mankind , but the severall kindes of fowles , & fishes , & beasts , & plants , since they are all maintained by their seed as man is , whose decay notwithstanding is questioned but by few . before i conclude this discourse touching the comparison of the strength of the ancients with ours , it shall not be amisse to remember a moderne example or two of parents famously fertile in the linage issued from their bodies , such as i doe not remember any where to be parallelled by antiquity . in the memory of our fathers , saith vives in his commentary vpon the eight chapter of the fifteenth booke of the citty of god , there was seene a village in spaine of about an hundred houses , whereof : all the inhabitants were issued from one certaine old man who then liued , when as that village was so peopled , so as the name of propinquity how the youngest of the children should call him could not be giuen : lingua enim nostra supra abav●…m non ascen●…t : for our language , saith hee , meaning the spanish , affords not a name aboue the great grandfathers father . likewise in s. innocents church-yard , in the citty of paris , is to be seene the epitaph of yelland ●…aeily , widow to mr dennis capell , a proctour at the chastellet , which doth shew that she had liued eighty foure yeares , and might haue seene of her children and childrens children ; shee dyed the of aprill . now imagine , saith pasquier , how much she had beene troubled to call them by a proper denomination that were distant from he●… the fourth and fifth degree . wherevnto wee may adde , that which theodore zwinger , a physitian of basill , in the third volume of the theatre of mans life , recites of a noble lady , of the family of the dalburgs , who saw of her race euen to the sixth degree , whereof the germanes haue made this distich . mater ait natae dic natae filia natam vt moneat natae plangere filiolam . that is to say , the mother said to her daughter , daughter bid thy daughter tell her daughter that her daughters daughter cries . the more i wonder at pliny that he should report it as a wonder , & worthy the chronicle , that crispinus hilarus praelata pompa , with open ostentation sacrificed in the capitoll , of his children & childrens children , attending on him . and so i passe from the consideration & comparison of the stature & strength of mens bodies , to that of their mindes , consisting in the more noble faculties of the reasonable soule , and the beautifull effects thereof . cap. . containing a discourse in generall , that there is no such vniversall and perpetuall decay in the powers of the minde , or in the arts & sciences as is pretended . sect . . the excellencie of the ancients in the powers of the mind compared with those of the present , as also their helpes and hinderances in matter of learning , ballanced . since it is a received conclusion of the choisest , both divines & philosophers , that the reasonable soule of man is not conveied vnto him from his parents , but infused immediatly by the hand of the creator ; & withall , that the soules of all men at their first creation & infusion , are equall & perfect alike , endued with the same essence & abilities ; it must needes bee , that the inequality & disparity of actions , which they produce , arise from the diverse temper of the matter which they informe , and by which , as by an instrument they worke . now the matter being tempered by the disposition of the bodies of our parents , the influence of the heavens , the quality of the elements , diet , exercise , & the like ; it remaines , that as there is a variety & vicissitude of these in regard of goodnes , so is there likewise in the temper of the matter whereof wee consist , & the actions which by it our soules produce : yea where both the agents & the instruments are alike , yet by the diversity of education or industry , their workes are many times infinitely diversified . the principall faculties of the soule , are imagination , iudgement , and memory . one of the most famous for memory among the ancients , to my remembrance , was seneca the father , who reports of himselfe , that hee could repeate two thousand names , or two hundred verses , brought to his master by his schoole-fellowes backeward or forward : but that which muretus reports of a young man of corsica , a student in the civill law , whom himselfe saw at padua , farre exceedes it ; he could , saith he●… , recite thirty six thousand names in the same order as they were deliuered , without any stay or staggering , as readily , as if he had read them out of a booke : his conclusion is , huic ego ne ex antiquitate quidam quem opponam habeo , nis●… forte cyrum quem plinius , quintilianus , & alij latini scriptores tradiderunt tenuisse omnium militum nomina . i find none among the ancients , whom i may set against him , vnlesse cyrus perchaunce , whom plini●… , quintilian , and other latine writers , report to haue remembred the names of all his souldiers , which yet muretus himselfe doubts was mistaken of them : zenophon , of whom onely or principally they could learne it , affirming onely that hee remembred the names , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of his captaines or cheife commanders ▪ and aeneas sylvius in his history of the councill of basill ( at which himselfe was present ) tels vs of one ludovicus pontanus of spoleto , a lawyer likewise by profession , ( who dyed of the pestilence at that councill , at thirty yeares of age ) that he could recite not the titles onely , but the intire bodies of the lawes , being for vastnes and fastnes of memory , nemini antiquorum inferior , as he speakes , nothing inferiour to any of the ancients . it is to this purpose very memorable , which famianus srada , in the first booke of his academicall p●…olusions , relates of francis suarez , who hath , sayeth he , so strong a memory , that he hath s. augustine ( the most copious & various of the fathers ) readie by heart , alleadging euery where ( as occasion presents it selfe ) fully & faithfully , his sentences , & which is very strange , his very wordes ; nay if he be demaunded any thing touching any passage in any of his volumes ( which of themselues are almost enough to fill a librarie , ) statim quo loco , quaque pagina disseruerit ea super re expedite docentem ac digito commonstrantem saepe vidimus ; i my selfe haue often seene him instantly shewing and pointing with his finger , to the place & page in which he disputed of that matter ; this is i confesse the testimonie of one iesuite , touching another . but of dr rainolds , it is most certaine that he excelled this way , to the astonishment of all that were inwardly acquainted with him , not only for s. augustines workes , but almost all classike authours : so as in this respect it might truely be said of him , which hath beene applyed to some others , that he was a liuing librarie , or third vniuersitie : i haue heard it very crediblely reported , that vpon occasion of some writings , which passed to & fro , betwixt him & doctour gentilis , then our professour in the civill lawes , he publiquely professed , that he thought dr rainolds had read , and did remember more of those lawes then himselfe , though it were his profession . and for the excellency of the other faculties of the mind , together with that of the memory it is wonderfull the testimony that viues ( himselfe a man of eminent parts ) in his commentaries on the second booke , and chapter de civitate dei , giues budaeus ; qu●… viro , ( saith he ) gallia acutiore ingenio , acriore iudicio , exactiore diligentia , maiore eruditione nullum vnquam produxit , hac vero aetate nec italia quidem ; then which man , france never brought forth a sharper wit , or more peircing judgement , of more exact diligence , and greater learning , nor in this age italy it selfe . and then going on , tells vs , that there was nothing written in greeke or latine , which he had not turned ouer , read , examined ; greeke & latine were both alike to him , yet was he in both most excellent , speaking either of them as readily , & perchaunce with more ease then the french , his mother tongue ; he would reade out of a greeke booke in latine , & out of a latine booke in greeke . these things which wee see so exquisitely written by him , flowed from him ex tempore ; hee writes more easily both in greeke & latine , then the most skilfull in those languages vnderstand . nothing in those tongues is so abstruse & difficult , which he hath not ransacked , entred vpon , looked into , & brought as it were another cerberus from darkenesse to light . infinite are the significations of words , the figures , & properties of speech , which vnknown to former ages , by the only help of budaeus , studious men are now acquainted with . and these so great & admirable things , he without the directions of any teacher , learned meerely by his owne industry ; foelix & foecundum ingenium , quod in se vno invenit , & doctorem , & discipulum , & docendi viam rationemque , & cuius decimam partem , alij sub magnis magistris vix discunt , ipse id totum à se magistro ed●…ctus est : an happy & fruitefull wit , which in it selfe alone found both a master , a scholler , & a methode of teaching ; and the tenth part of that which others can hardly attaine vnto vnder famous teachers , all that learned he of himselfe , being his owne reader ; and yet ( sayth he ) hitherto haue i spoken nothing of his knowledge in the lawes , which being in a manner ruined , seeme by him to haue beene restored , nothing of his philosophy , whereof he hath giuen vs such a triall in his bookes d●… asse , that no man could compose them , but such a one as was assiduously versed in the bookes of all the philosophers ; & then having highly commended him for his piety , his sweet behaviour , & many other rare & singular vertues added to his great wit ; hee farther adds , that notwithstanding all this , hee was continually conversant in domesticke & state affaires at home , & ambassages abroad ; so as it might truely be said of him , as plinius caecilius speakes of his vncle secundus , when i consider his state affaires , & the happy dispatch of so many businesses , i wonder at the multiplicitie of his reading & writing ; & againe , when i consider this , i wonder at that , & so leaue him with that happy distich of buchanan : gallia quod graeca est quod graecia barbara non est vtraque budaeo debet vtrumque suo : that france is turn'd to greece , that greece is not turn'd rud●… both owe them both to thee , their deare great learned bude . and if wee looke ouer the perynees , metamorus , in his treatise of the vniversities & learned men of spaine , spares not to write of tostatus , bishop of abulum , si alio quam suo seculo viuere contigisset , neque hipponi augustinum , neque stridoni hieronymum , nec quempian●… ex illis proceribus ecclesiae antiquis nunc invideremus . had he lived in any other age saue his owne , wee should not haue needed now to enuy either hippo for augustine , or stride●… for hierom ; nor any other of those ancient noble worthies of the church . to which posseuin in his apparatus adds , that at the age of two & twenty yeares , hee attained the knowledge of almost all arts & sciences . for beside phylosophy & divinity , the canon & the civill lawes , history & the mathematiques , he was well skilled in the greeke & hebrew tongues : so as it was written of him , hic stupor est mundi , qui scibile discutit omne , the worlds wonder for that hee knowes whatsoeuer knowne may bee : hee was so true a student , & so constant in sitting to it ; that with didymus of alexandria , aenea habuisse intestina putaretur , he was thought to haue a body of brasse , & somuch he wrote & published , that a part of the epitaph ingraven on his tombe was ; primae natalis luci folia omnia adaptans nondum sic fuerit pagina trina satis ; the meaning is , that if of his published writings , wee should allow three leafes to euery day of his life , from his very birth , there would be yet some to spare ; & yet withall hee wrote so exactly , that ximines his scholler , attempting to contract his commentaries vpon matthew , could not well bring it to lesse then a thousand leafes in folio , and that in a very small print , and others haue attempted the like in his other workes with like successe . but that which pasquier hath obserued out of monstrelet , is yet more memorable , touching a young man who being not aboue yeares old , came to paris in the yeare , and shewed himselfe so admirably excellent in all arts , sciences , & languages , that if a man of an ordinary good wit and found constitution should liue one hundred yeares , and during that time study incessantly without eating , drinking , sleeping , or any recreation , he could hardly attaine to that perfection : insomuch that some were of opinion , that hee was antichrist begotten of the devill , or somewhat at leastwise aboue humane condition : which gaue occasion to these verses of castellanus . who liued at the same time , and himselfe saw this miracle of wit. i'ay veu par excellence vn jeune de vingt ans auoir toute science & les degrez montans soy sevantant scauoir dire ce qu' onques fut escrit par seule fois le lire comme vn jeune antichrist . a young man haue i seene at twenty yeares so skill'd , that euery art he had , and all in all degrees excell'd . what euer yet was writ he vaunted to pronounce like a young antichrist , if he did read the same but once . not to insist vpon supernaturals , were there among vs that industry , & that vnion of forces , & contribution of helpes as was in the ancients , i see no sufficient reason but the wits of this present age might produce as great effects as theirs did , nay greater , inasmuch as we haue the light of their writings to guide and assist vs : wee haue bookes by reason of the art of printing more familiar , and at a cheaper rate : most men being now vnwilling to giue three hundred pound for three bookes , as plato did for those of phylolaus the pythagorean . and by this meanes are wee freed from a number of grosse errors , which by the ignorance or negligence of vnskilfull writers crept into the text : yet on the other side it is as true that wee are forced to spend much time in the learning of languages , specially the latin , greeke , and hebrew , which the ancients spent in the study of things , their learning being commonly written in their owne language . beside the infinite & bitter controversies among christians in matter of religion since the infancie thereof euen to these present times , hath doubtlesse not a little hindered the advancement & progresse of other sciences , together with a vaine opinion , that all arts were already fully perfected , so as nothing could be added therevnto , and that the founders of them were gyants , more then men for their wits in regard of vs , and we very dwarfes , sunke below our species in regard of them . sed non est ita , saith lodovicus vives , nec nos sumus nani , nec illi homines gygantes , sed omnes eiusdem staturae , & qnidem nos altius evecti eorum beneficio , maneat modò in nobis quod in illis , studium , attentio animi , vigilantia & amor veri ; quae si absint , jam non sumus nani , sed homines justae magnitudinis humi prostrati . it is not so , neither are we dwarfes , nor they cyants , but all of equall stature , or rather we somewhat higher , being lifted vp by their meanes , conditionally there be in vs an equall inte●…tion of spirit , watchfulnesse of minde , and loue of truth : for if these bee wanting , then are we not so much dwarfes as men of a perfect growth lying on the ground . likewise it cannot be denied , but that the incouragements for study & learning were in former times greater : what liberall bountifull allowance did alexander afford aristotle for the entertainement of fishers , faukeners and hunters to bring him in b●…asts , fowles , & fishes of all kindes for the discovery of their severall natures & dispositions : nay the dayly wages of roscius the stage-player , as witnesseth macrobius , was a thousand denarij , which amounteth to thirty pound of our coyne . and aesope the tragoedian grew so rich by the onely exercise of the same trade , if we may credit the same author , as he left to his sonne aboue one hundred and fifty thousand pound sterling : wherevnto may bee added , that the ancients coppying out their bookes for the most part with their own hands , it could not but worke in them a deeper impression of the matter therein contained , and being thereby forced to content themselues with fewer bookes , of necessity they held themselues more closely to them . and it is most true which seneca hath aswell in reading as eating , in bookes as dyet , varietas delectat , certitudo prodest , variety is delightfull , but certainty more vsefull and profitable . so that vpon the matter , all reckonings being on all sides cast vp , and one thing being set against another , as wee want some helpes which the ancients had , so are we freed from some hinderances wherewith they were incumbred , as againe it is certaine that they both wanted some of our helpes , and were freed from some of our hinderances : if then wee come short of their perfections , it is not because nature is generally defectiue in vs , but because we are wanting to our selues , & doe not striue to make vse of , and improoue those abilities wherewith god & nature hath endowed vs. malè de natura censet quicunque vno illam aut altero partu effaetam esse arbitratur , saith vives ; he thinkes vnworthily and irreverently of nature who conceiues her to be barren after one or two births ; no , no , that which the same author speakes of places , is likewise vndoubtedly true of times , vbique bona nascuntur ingenia , excolantur modo , alibi fortassis frequentiora , sed vbique nonnulla . euery-where & in all ages good wits spring vp , were they dressed & manured as they ought , though happily more frequently in some places & ages then in others . scythia it selfe anciently yeelded one anacharsis , and no doubt had they taken the same course as he did , more of the same mettall would haue beene found there . sect . . that there is both in wits and arts as in all things besides , a kinde of circular progresse aswell in regard of places as times . there is ( it seemes ) both in wits & arts , as in all things besides , a kinde of circular progresse : they haue their birth , their growth , their flourishing , their fayling , their fading , and within a while after , their resurrection , and reflourishing againe . the arts flourished for a long time among the persians , the chaldeans , the aegyptians , and therefore is moses said to bee learned in all the wisedome of the aegyptians , who well knowing their owne strength , were bold to object to the graecians , that they were still children , as neither hauing the knowledge of antiquity , nor the antiquity of knowledge : but afterwards the graecians got the start of them , & grew so excellent in all kinde of learning , that the rest of the world in regard of them were reputed barbarians , which reputation of wisedome they held euen to the apostles time , i am debter , saith s. paul , both to the graecians and to the barbarians , both to the wise and to the vnwise . and againe , the iewes require a signe , and the graecians seeke after wisedome . by reason whereof they rellished not the simplicity of the gospell , it seeming foolishnesse vnto them : and in the of the acts the philosophers of athens ; ( sometimes held the most famous vniversity in the world ) out of an opinion of their owne great learning scorned s. paul and his doctrine , tearming him a sower of words , a very babler or tri fler : yet not long after this , these very graecians declined much , & themselues ( whether thorow their owne inclination , or by reason of their bondage vnder the turke , the common enemy both of religion and learning , i cannot determine ) are now become so strangely barbarous , that their knowledge is converted into a kinde of affected ignorance , as is their liberty into contented slauery : yet after the losse both of their empire and learning , they still retained some sparke of their former wit and industry . ingenium velox , audacia perdita , sermo promptus , & isaeo torrentior , ede quid illum esse put as quemvis hominem secum attulit ad nos grammaticus , rhetor , geometres , pictor , aliptes , augur , schaenobates , medicus , magus , omnia novit graeculus esuriens , in coelum iusseris is , ibit . quickwitted , wonderous bold , well spoken , then isaeus fluenter , tell who all men brought with himselfe : a southsayer , a physitian , magician , rhetorician , geometrician , grammarian , painter , ropewalker , all knowes the needy greeke ; bid goe to heauen , he goes . but now they wholly delight in ease , in shades , in dancing , in drinking , and for the most part no farther endeavour the inriching either of their mindes or purses then their bellies compell them . the lampe of learning being thus neere extinguished in greece , in latium spret is academia migrat athenis . athens forsaken by philosophie , she forthwith ●…avell'd into italie . 〈◊〉 beganne to shine afresh italy neere about the time of the birth of christ , there being a generall peace thorow the world & the roman empire being fully settled : & established , poets , oratours , philosophers , histori●…s ▪ neuer more excellent . from thence this light spread it selfe ouer christendome , & continued bright till the invndation of the gothes and h●…nnes , & v●…ndals , who ransacked libraries , and defaced almost all the monuments of antiq●…y , insomuch as that lampe seemed againe to be put out hy the space of almost a thousand yeares , & had longer so continued , had not first mensor king of africa & spaine raised vp & spurred forward the arabian wits to the rest●…raton of good letters by proposing great rewards & encouragements vnto them . and afterwards petrarch a man of a singular wit & rare naturall endowments , opened such libraries as were left vndemolished , beat off the dust from the moth-eaten bookes , & drew into the light the best authors . he was seconded by boccace & iohn of raven●… ; & soone after by areline , phil●…lphus , valla , poggius , omnibonus , vergerius , blondus , & others . and those againe were followed by aeneas sylvius , angelus politianus , hermolaus barbarus , marsilius ficinus , & that phaenix of learning iohannes picus earle of mirandula , who as appeares in the entrance of his apologie proposed openly at rome nine hundred questions in all kinde of faculties to be disputed , inviting all strangers thither , from any part of the knowne world , and offering himselfe to beare the charge of their travell both comming and going , and during their abode there : so as he deservedly receiued that epitaph which after his death was bestowed on him . iohannes iacet hic mirandula , caetera norunt et tagus , & ganges , forsan & antipodes . heere lies mirandula , tagus the rest doth know , and ganges , and perhaps th' antipodes also . and rightly might that be verified of him which lucretius sometimes wrote of epicurus his master . hic genus humanum ingenio superavit , & omnes praestrinxit stellas exortus vt aethereus sol . in wit all men he farre hath overgone , eclipsing them like to the rising sunne . this path being thus beaten out by these heroicall spirits , they were backed by rodulphus agricola , reucline , melancthon , ioachimus camerarius , wolphangus lazius , beatus rhenanus , almaines , the great erasmus a netherlander , ludovicus vives a spanyard , bembus , sadoletus , eugubinus italians , turnebus , muretus , ramus , pithaeus , budaeus , amiot , scaliger , frenchmen , sir thomas more , and li●…aker englishmen ; and it is worth the observing , that about this time the slumbering drowzie spirit of the graecians began againe to be revived and awakened ; in bessarion , gemmistius , trapezontius , gaza , argyropilus , calcondilas , and others : nay , , those very northerne nations which before had giuen the greatest wound to learning , began now as by way of recompence to advance the honour of it by the same of their studies , as olaus magnus , holsterus , tycho braye , hemingius , danes : h●…sius , frixius , crummerus , polonians : but the number of those worthies , who like somany sparkling starres haue si●…ce thorow christendome succeeded , and some of them exceeded these in learning & knowledge ▪ is so infinite , that the very recitall of their names were enough to fill whole volumes : and if we descend to a particular examination of the severall professions , arts , sciences and manufactures , we shall surely finde that praediction of the divine seneca accomplished , mu●…venientis aev●…populus ign●… nobis sciet , the people of future ages shall come to the knowledge of many things vnknowne to vs : and that of tac●…us most true , nec omnia apud priores meliora , sed nostra quoque aetas multa laudis & ar●…um imitanda posteris 〈◊〉 neither were all things in ancient times better then ours , but our age hath left vnto posterity many things worthy praise and imitation . ramus goes further , and perchance warrantably enough : maiorem doctorum hominum & oper●… proventum saeculo vno vidim●… , quam totis antea . maiores nostri viderant . we haue seene within the space of one age , a more plentifull crop of learned men & works , then our predecessors saw in fourteen , next going before . cap. . touching the three principall professions , divinity ; law , and physicke . sec . . of the divinity of the gentiles and iewes before christ , and the next ages after christ. we will begin with the high and noble profession of divinity , this among the gentiles was partly prophane and fabulous in their vaine discourses touching the genealogie , the number & nature of their gods , & partly mixed with much errour and weaknesse in their metaphysicks , professing themselues to be wise , they became vaine in their imaginations , and their foolish heart was darkned . ante christum quam molestae disputationes , saith lodovicus vives in his booke & chapter de veritate fidei christianae , how irkesome where the disputes ? how tedious their deliberations in comparing honesty with profit ? because they knew not what was honesty , nor in very truth what was truly pro●…table . how diverse and vncertaine were their ends of goodnesse ? which held mens mindes in suspense , but christ hath now fully cleered & opened all points , we are now well acquainted with the true end and the meanes that conduce to that end , what is honest , what profitable , what hurtfull , the resolutions are now easie and perspicuous ; and in the fourth chapter of the same booke , nunc r●…onditissima mysteria scitu digna & necessaria , melius nostrae mulier●…le intelligunt , quàm maximi olim philosophi , our silliest women now better vnderstand the deepest mysteries worthie or needefull to be knowne , then the profoundest philosophers then did . they were ( as the apostle speakes in another case ) euer learning , but neuer came , nor indeed could euer come to the knowledge of truth , in asmuch as the meere naturall man perceiueth not , nor can perceiue the hidde things of god , the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen , which made them to bee , as minutius foelix in his octauius hath truely obserued , semper adversus sua vitia facundi , alwaies eloquent in declayming against their owne vices ; but wee ( saith he ) qui non habitu sapientiam sed mente praeferimus , who doe not place , or weare wisedome in the robe but in the mind : non eloquimur magna sed viuimus , we speake not bigge but liue well , & glory in this , that wee haue found that , which they with all eagernesse sought , but could not finde . his conclusion is : quid ingrati sumus ? quid nobis invidemus , si veritas divinitatis nostri temporis aetate maturuit ? fruamur bono nostro : why are wee ingrate ? why doe we envy our selues , if the true knowledge of the deitie haue beene brought to ripenesse and full perfection in our age ? in gods name let vs enioy our owne blessing . among the iewes , the onely visible church , the sacred oracles of god , containing the revelation of supernaturall truths , were indeede preserued : but heerevnto , their talmudists & cabalists , their scribes & pharises , their sadduces atd essens added such traditions , such fictions , such corrupt glosses and malicious interpretations , as the fruite of their doctrine lay hidde vnder the leaues ; and as the learned in their language well knowe , very little vse can be made of their best commentaries vpon scripture ; howbeit they presumed , that their chiefes kill lay that way : so that wee neede not doubt , but the most excellent diuines , haue all beene since the comming of christ. it is to mee very strange , that not onely the pharisees should be infected with ths opinion of the pythagoreans , touching the dwelling of the same soule in diverse bodies successiuely , & in diverse ages ; but that herod , and the whole nation of the iewes , should bee tainted with that grosse errour , as appeares in that they held our saviour to be iohn the baptst , or elias , or one of the prophets ; all which they knew to be dead , and some of them long before : their meaning being , that the soule of the baptist , or of elias , or of one of the prophets , was by traduction passed into our saviours bodie ; as pythagoras writes of himselfe , that he was first euphorbus , and then callidas , then hermotimus , then pyrrhus , and lastly pythagoras : but yet farre more strange it is , that the apostles of our saviour themselues should be thus misled ; and yet it should seeme by that their demaund touching him that was borne blinde , master , who did sinne this man , or his parents , that he was borne blind ; that they were indeede possessed with that opinion , for how could they conceiue that he should sinne before he was borne , but in some other bodie which his soule actuated before ? and in truth saint cyrill vpon that occasion , is induced to thinke , that they were swayed with the common errour of that nation and those times ; and calvin confidently cries our prodigij sane instar hoc fuit quod in electo dei populo , in quo coelestis sapientiae per legem & prophetas lux accensa fuerat , tam crasso figmento fuerit datus locus . truely , this is a prodigious kind of wonder , that among the elect people of god , who were inlightned by the heavenly wisedome of the law and the prophets , way should bee giuen to so palpable a fiction . yet i know not whether their stupiditie , were greater in this , or in that other demaund of theirs , at our saviours ascension , lord , wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to israell ? where calvin againe stands amazed , that they should all with one consent ( for somuch doth the text imply ) ioyne together in such a foolish question as hee tearmes it , mira profecto illorum fuit ruditas , quod tam absolute tantaque cura per triennium edocti non minorem inscitiam produnt , quam si nullum vnquam verbum audissent , totidem in hac interrogatione sunt errores quot verba : wonderfull in truth was their rawnesse & rudenesse , that hauing beene so exquisitely and diligently taught by three yeares space , they notwithstanding bewray asmuch ignorance , as if they had neuer heard somuch as one word of instruction , as many errours are in their question as words : but this likewise of restoring them a temporall kingdome , then was , and at this day continues to be , the common errour of that whole nation , neither by any meanes will they be beaten from it : that which to mee seemeth more admirable , is , that s. peter himselfe , euen after the descending of the holy ghost , was ignorant of the calling of the gentiles , of whom together with the iewes , the catholique church was to bee made vp : whereby it should seeme , that then likewise he was ignorant , that himselfe was the head of the catholique church , as by those who hold themselues the only catholiques , hee is now made ; yet may it not be denyed , or somuch as doubted , that the holy and blessed apostles were all indowed with singular gifts and graces , aswell for knowledge and wisedome , as all kind of morall vertues , fitting for so high a calling ; and that in their writings , they were the pen-men of god , inspired by the holy ghost : but leauing them , let vs descend a little lower in the church of christ. as then the three first centuries are commended for pietie , deuotion , & martyrdome , so is the fourth for learned and famous diuines . habuit haec aetas si quae vnquam alia plurimos praestantes & illustres doctores , say the magdeburgians : this age if euer any abounded in excellent and famous doctours , as namely arnobius , lactantius , eusebius , athanasius , hilarius , victorinus , basilius , nazianzenus , ambrosius , prudentius , epiphanius , theophilus , hieronymus , faustinus , didymus , ephraim , optatus , to which number , they might well haue added , ( for that hee began to shew his worth in the same centurie ) that renowned pillar of trueth & hammer of heresies s. augustine . these and the like great diuines of those ages i much honour , & eorum nominibus semper assurgo , i confesse i reuerence their very names ; yet most certaine , it is they had all their slips and blemishes in matter of doctrine : but before this age , tertullian , and origen , and cyprian , are specially branded for notorious errours , and vincentius li●…inensis giues this rare commendation of the fathers , assembled in the councill of nice , that they were tantae eruditionis , tantaeque doctrinae , of so profound learning and singular knowledge , vt propè omnes possent de dogmatibus disputare , that almost all of them could reason of matters of faith : yet in those very times , was the church so rent and torne in sunder with capitall heresies , trenching vpon the very vitall parts and fundamentall principles of christian religion , touching the sacred trinitie , and incarnation of our blessed saviour . vt illis temporibus ingeniosares fuit esse christianum , so as in those times it was a matter of wit to be a christian : such were the nicities , wherein their teachers differed , and such their subtilties , they bound their schollers to maintaine . but that which to mee seemeth most strange , is , that so many of them were infected with the errour of the millenaries , that so many , specially of the greeke fathers , held that the angells were created long before the creation of the visible world , that a number both of the greeke and latine maintained , that the soules of men departed this life , goe neither to heaven nor hell , till the resurrection of the bodie , but remained in certaine hidden receptacles they knew not whree , that antichrist was to come of the tribe of dan , that the sonnes of god , who in the sixth of genesis , are said to haue fallen in loue with the daughters of men . were the blessed angells : vpon which occasion , pererius a learned iesuite hath these memorable words , pudet dicere quae de optimis scriptoribus hoc loco dicturus sum : i euen blush to vtter those things which heere i am to speake of most excellent writers , they being not only false , but absurd and shamefull , vnworthy the wit & learning of so famous men , as also of the puritie and holynesse of the blessed angells ; yet truth inforceth me to speake , partly , least that should seeme probable to any man , by reason of the countenance of so graue authours , which is no way to be approved ; and partly , that from hence it may appeare how much the church of christ , from that time to this hath profited in the knowledge of holy scriptures & divine mysteries : nam multa quondam vel doctissimis viris , aut obscura & dubia , aut etiam incognita , nunc vel mediocriter eruditis perspicua indubitata , exploratèque percepta sunt : for many things anciently either obscure or doubtfull , or altogether vnknowne to the most learned among them , are now become euen to meane clarkes cleere & certaine . and with him fully accords andradius in his defence of the tridentine councill , god hath revealed many things to vs that they never saw . and dominicus bannes a famous schoole-man : it is not necessary , that by how much the more the church is remote from the apostles times , by somuch there should be the lesse perfect knowledge of the mysteries of faith therein , because after the apostles times , there were not the most learned men in the church , which had dexterity in vnderstanding and expounding matters of faith roffensis likewise , our countrey-man strikes vpon the same string : it cannot be vnknowne to any , but that many things are more narrowly sifted & cleerely vnderstood by the helpes of latter wits , aswell in the gospells , as other parts of the scriptures , then formerly they haue beene ; and lastly , to make vp the musicke full , cardinall caietan beares a part , let no man thinke it strange , if sometimes wee bring a new sence of holy writ , different from the auncient doctours , but let him diligently examine the text & context , and if he find it to agree therewith , let him praise god , who hath not tyed the exposition of the sacred scriptures , to the sences giuen by the auncient doctours . these testimonies , i the rather vouch for that the authours of them being professed champions of the romane church , withall professe themselues to bee the greatest friends to the ancient fathers . sect . . of ensuing ages . yet not to conceale a truth , these were lightsome times in regard of those succeeding ages that followed after , when divinity was wouen into distinctions , which like cobwebbs were fine and curious in working , but not much vsefull . and in the meane time for the most part in the scriptures and holy languages there was so great ignorance , vt graecè nosse suspectum fuerit , hebraicè propè haereticum , that , as witnesseth espencaeus himselfe a doctour of the sorbon , to bee skilled in greeke was suspitious , in the hebrew almost haereticall , which suspition rhemigius an interpreter of s. pauls epistles , surely was not guilty of : for commenting vpon these words , à vobis diffamatus est sermo , hee tells vs , that diffamatus , was somewhat improperly put for divulgatus , s. paul being not very sollicitous of the propriety of words : wherevpon ludovicus vives demaunds , quid facias principibus istis scholarum qui nondum sciunt paulum non latinè , sed graecè scripsisse : what shall we say to these masters in israel , who know not that s. paul wrote not in latine , but in greeke . it appeares by the rescript of pope zacharie to boniface a german bishop , that a priest in those parts baptized in this forme , baptizo te in nomine patria , & filia , & spiritua sancta : and by erasmus , that some divines in his time would take vpon them to prooue , that heretiques were to be put to death , because the apostle saith , haereticum hominem devita , which it seemes they vnderstood as if he had said , de vita tolle . i haue somewhere read , that two fryars disputing whether god made any more worlds then one , the one wisely alleadging that passage of the gospell touching the ten lepers which were cleansed , annon decem facti sunt mundi , as if god had made tenne worlds , the other looking into the text , replies as wisely , with the words immediatly following , sed vbi sunt novem ? but what is become of the nine ? so as from thence hee would prooue but one to be left . he that is disposed to make himselfe merry in this kinde ; may finde in henry stevens his apologie of herodotus , a number of like stuffe , i will only touch one or two of the choisest . du prat a bishop and chauncellour of france , hauing receiued a letter from henry the eight king of england , to francis the first of france , wherein among other things he wrote , mitto tibi duodecem molossos , i send you twelue mastife dogs , the chauncellour taking molossos to signifie mules , made a journey of purpose to the court to begge them of the king ; who wondring at such a present to be sent him from england , demaunded the sight of the letter , and smiling thereat , the chauncellour finding himselfe to be deceiued , told him that hee mistooke molossos for muletos , and so hoping to mend the matter , made it worse . another tale he tels of a parish priest in artois , who had his parishioners in sute for not paving the church , and that the charge thereof lay vpon them and not vpon him he would proue out of the of the prophet ieremie , paveant illi , non paveam ego . i remember arch-bishop parker somewhere in his antiquitates britannicae , makes relation of a french bishop , who being to take his oath to the archbishop of canterburie , & finding the word metropoliticae therein , being not able to pronounce it , he passed it ouer with soit pour dict , let it be as spoken ; & when they had most grossely broken priscians head , being taken in the fact , their common defence was , those words of s. gregorie , non debent verba coelestis oraculi subesse regulis donati , the wordes of the heavenly oracles ought not to be subiect to the rules of donatus . but about yeares since , together with the arts , the languages likewise began to reuiue , in somuch as hebrew & greeke are now as commō as true latine then was , & for the true sence of holy scripture , neuer had the church more judicious & faithfull interpreters , then by the diuine prouidence it hath injoyed these last yeares : besides , the sermons of this latter age , specially in this land , haue doubtles bin more exquisite & effectuall , then ordinarily they haue bin in any precedent age ; insomuch , as it is obserued , that if there were a choice collection made of the most accurate , since the entrance of queen elizabeth , to these present times , ( leauing out the largenesse of applications therevpon ) it would proue one of the rarest peeces that hath beene published since the apostles times . heerevnto might be added for practicall divinitie , the decisions of cases of conscience , which the ancients did not handle professedly , but onely vpon the bye , and the many singular treatises tending to deuotion , which i wish they were aswell practised as they are written . and no doubt but the great agitation of controuersies , which these latter times haue produced , hath not only sharpned the spirits of diuines , but made the grounds of christian religion to be better vnderstood . for , as s. augustine speakes of the fathers writings before pelagius , ante exortum pelagium securius loquebantur patres , before the rising of pelagius the fathers spoke more securely : so may wee truely say , before luther arose and awakened the world , diuines spoke & wrote more loosely then since they haue done : the sparkes of trueth being forced out of contention , as the sparkes of fire arc out of the collision of the flint & steele . to conclude this section , touching diuinitie , it is most true which alearned diuine of our owne times & church hath rightly obserued , that whosoeuer shall pervse the church storie digested into centuries or annales , or cast but a glance of his eye vpon the catalogues of writers , made by s. hierome , suidas , photius , gennadius , abbas tritemius , illyricus , ball , & bellarmine , shall finde the ages of the church to resemble the starres of the skie : in some parts wee see many glorious and eminent starres , in others few of any remarkeable greatnes , and in some none but blinkards and obscure ones : in like manner , in some ages of the church , we may behold many worthy & glorious lights like stars of the first or second magnitude , in others few of any note or bright lustre , and in some none but obscure and vnknowne authours , resembling the least and obscurest starres in the skie . after wee haue passed the eight age of the church , we fall into cymerian darkenesse . bellarmine cannot speake of the ninth age with patience . seculo hoc nullum extitit indoctius aut infoelicius , quo qui mathematicae aut philosophiae operam dabat vulgo magus putabatur : neuer was there any age more vnlearned or vnhappy then this , in which he that studied the mathematikes or philosophy was commonly held a magician . sabellicus is at a stand in admiring the palpable egyptian darkenesse thereof : mirum est quanta omnium bonarum artium obliuio per id tempus mortalium animos obrepserit , vt ne in pontificibus quidem vllis siue principibus quicquam illuceret quod vitam iuvare possit : a wonder it is , how strange a forgetfullnes of all good arts about this time crept vpon the mindes of men : so as neither in prelates nor princes appeared any thing which might farther ciuilitie . genebrard after a sort blesseth himselfe from it , infoelix dicitur hoc seculum , exhaustum hominibus doctrina , & ingenio claris , sine etiam claris principibus atque pontificibus : this is called the vnhappie age , void of men renowned either for wit or learning , as also without any famous , either princes or prelates : so great an alteration there is in the studies and endeavours of men in diverse ages , sometimes for the better , sometimes for the worse , and then by gods blessing for the better againe . sect . . the lawyers of this last age , preferred before those of former times . next gods lawes , those of the empire seeme to challenge their place , howbeit with vs , hauing neither that reward nor imployment as they deserue , they haue lost both their ranke and dignitie , but in forraine parts where they are cherished and honoured , they maruellously flourish , in somuch as in some transmarine kingdomes their lawyers are held , and for the most part vndoubtedly are , more sufficient schollers then their diuines ; and within this last centenarie , much more sufficient then the writers and professours of the same facultie in many precedent ages , aswell in that part which is professed in schooles , as the practique expressed in judgements and pleadings . he that shall judiciously compare baldus and bartolus , iason and accursius , with cuijacius , alciatus , ottomannus , duarenus all french men , shall easily finde these latter , not only for their phrase more polite , & for their methode more exact , but for the marrow & true sence of the law more profound . i will instance onely in the two first . for cuijacius , it is a memorable testimonie which is yeelded him by massonius ; iacobus cuijacius juris romani radices tanta cura effossas in lucem protulit , vt caeteri ante eum ignorasse illas ipse solus post multos & quaesiuisse diligentius , & penitius invenisse videatur : iames cujace with so great industry digged vp and brought to light , the very rootes of the imperiall law , that both others before him seemed to be ignorant of them , and he alone after others to haue sought them more diligently , and discouered them more fully : but that of pithaeus outuies this of massonius , where in an epitaph erected to him , he doubts not to stile him , romani iuris à primis conditoribus interpretem primum & vltimum , the first and the last interpreter of the romane law since the first founders thereof : adding withall , that what cleere and natiue light soeuer is at all brought to that science , this present age hath deriued it from him , and to him posterity must owe it , which he hath well expressed in this distich : cuijacij themidisque vides commune sepulchrum , conduntur simul hic quae periere simul . cuias and themis here lie in one common graue , they di'd together and one sepulchre they haue . wherevnto may be added the graue testimony which arias montanus giues alciat . eloquio ius romanum lucabat & arte turba obscurarunt barbara legulei . andreas prisco reddit sua iura nitori consultosque facit doctius inde toqui . the ciuill law with art and eloquence did shine , but barbarous pettifoggers did the same obscure in season alciat came and did the lawes refine , and taught the lawyer thence to speake more pure . yet cuijacius himselfe , whether out of judgement or modesty i cannot affirme , was content to yeeld the bucklers to gouianus , touching whom thuanus witnesseth that himselfe heard him thus protesting , gouianum ex omnibus iuris iustinianaei interpretibus , quotquot sunt vel fuere , vnum esse , cui , si quaeratur quis excellat , palma deferenda sit : that of all the interpreters of the lawes of iustinian , which either are , or haue bin , if the question should bee , who amongst them most excelled , gouianus was the onely man , to whom the price was of right to be adiudged . now for the latter part , which is the practique , it may easily be euidenced to any who will be pleased to looke into it , that by the obseruations , experience , paines , and learning of the lawyers of these latter ages , it is grown to much more exactnesse and perfection , then former ages had . which appeares by the iudgements , decisions , arrests , and pleadings of the highest courts of the greatest part of the christian nations , which are extant in great numbers , as the decisions of the seuerall rotes of italy at rome , at naples , at florence , at genoa , at bononia , at mantua , at perusium , and the rest . the iudgements of the imperiall chamber at spire , which is the last ressort of the germane nation , and the arrests of the seuerall courtes of parliament in france , as paris , aix , burdeaux , gren●…ble , and the rest : to which may be added the pleadings of monsieur seruin , the french kings aduocate , and others of that nature , which are all published and extant , partly in latine , and partly in their owne languages , with that variety and learning as much exceedes the former ages . sect . . ancient and moderne physitians compared especially in the knowledge of anatomy and herbary , the two legges of that science . the third great profession is physicke , in which besides the vncertaine and fabulous reports of apollo and esculapius , we read not of any excellent till hippocrates , & after him being much decayed , it was revived by galen , vt sub eo rursum nata medicina videatur , so as it seemed vnder him to bee borne againe . two speciall parts thereof are the knowledge of the body of man , and the knowledge of simples : touching the former , the opening and anatomizing of mens bodies . it was doubtlesse among the ancients in very little vse , i meane the aegyptians , the hebrewes , the graecians , the romans , & the primitiue christians . first then i know the aegyptians are by some said to haue beene this way most skilfull , but considering how excessiuely curious & ceremonious , or rather superstitious they were in preseruing their bodies intire & vnputrified , i cōceiue their opening them to haue beene rather for the imbowelling & imbaulming , then the anatomizing of them : and for the graecians they could not well practise it , in as much as they vsually burnt their dead bodies , by the testimony not onely of homer & herodotus , ( whose authorities yet in this case might passe as sufficient ) but likewise of thucidides & plutarch , witnesses beyond all exception , whereof the latter in the booke and question of his symposiaques giues vs to vnderstand , that their custome was with the bodies of ten men to burne one of an woman , because they supposed their flesh to be more vnctuous , and thereby to helpe forward the burning of the rest more easily & speedily ; & surely had anatomy beene in vse among the graecians , me thinkes physitians & anatomists should somewhere discouer it in the works of hippocrates yet extant , which i presume cannot be showne , once i am sure , that when at the instance of the abderites he came to visite democritus , hee found him ( as may bee seene in his epistle to damogetus ) cutting vp seuerall beasts , who being by him demaunded the reason thereof , democritus returnes him this answere , haec animalia quae vides proptereà seco , non dei opera perosus , sed fellis , bilisque naturam disquirens , these beasts which thou seesti cut vp , not because i hate the workes of god , but to search into the nature of gall & choller : now if hee feared lest the cutting vp of beasts might be censured as an hating of gods workes , he must needes much more haue feared that censure , had he cut vp the bodies of men . but among the iewes it is evident , that this art could not be in vse , for that their executed malefactours were put to death either by burning or stoning , ( whom they buried vnder an heape of stones ) or by crucifying them vpon a crosse , & for these they had expresse charge , deut. . at the last verse , that they should no●… suffer them to hang all night vpon the tree , but in any wise must they bury them the very day they wer●… crucified : and besides it was most precisely injoyned them number , 〈◊〉 that they might not so much as touch the dead body of any that was either executed , or died otherwise , & he that touched it was by the law of moses so farre held vncleane , that if he presumed to enter into the tabernacle before he was purified , he was to be cut off from israel for defiling it ; nay , if in this case he but touched bread or pottage , or wine , or oyle , or any meate , he thereby made it vncleane , as appeares aggai . . some more doubt seemes to be touching the ancient romanes , but i thinke it may easily bee shewed , that from the graecians they likewise tooke vp & practised the burning of dead bodies , the places which they commonly vsed to this purpose were by them called puticuli or culinae , & the pots or vessels in which they preserued the bones & ashes of the burnt bodies , vrnae , whereof i haue seen one in m. chambers his keeping at bath : but all the difficultie seems to consist in this , when this custome began among them , and when it ceased , for the former it is commonly held , that it was not in vse among the romans before sylla the dictator , who hauing himselfe cruelly tyrannized vpon the dead bodie of marius , & fearing lest the same measure might be shewed to himselfe , commanded that his body instantly vpō his death should be burned , wheras pli - . . only sayes , that he was thefirst of the cornelian family that had his body burnt : & tully de legibus restrains it more narrowly , primus è patritijs cornelijs igni voluit cremari , he was the first of the cornelian nobility that commanded it , and he that attentiuely reads the roman story will easily finde , that this custome was practised among them long before sylla , euen from the first foundation of rome , so witnesseth ovid in his de fastis , speaking of remus the brother of romulus . arsarosque artus vnxit . the limbes that now were to be burnt his brother did annoint . and againe . vltima plorato subdita flamma rogo est , the last fire now was set vnto his hearse . after this numa being by sect a pythagorean , forbade his owne body to be burnt , as witnesseth plutarch in his life , which he needed not haue done had not the custome then beene vsuall , & tullus hostilius his successour had not his body therefore burnt because he was stricken dead with lightning , for so was the law after this againe tully in his second de legibus telsvs , that the law of the tables commaunded , hominem mortuum in vrbe ne sepelito , neve vrito , let no dead body be buried or burned in the citie , which ( as he there addes ) was for feare their buildings might from thence take fire : now the lawes of the tables were composed , as witnesseth gellius . . in the yeare after the foundation of the city , which was almost yeares before sylla ; & if any desire further satisfaction in this point , i referre him to the learned and copious annotations of blasius vigenerus in french vpon the first decade of livie , which author himselfe hath excellently translated into that language ; among other examples produced by him to this purpose , he makes it plaine ou●… of livie lib. , that the body of the sonne of manlius the consull , ( who contrary to his fathers commaund fought out of his ranke & was therefore by a commaund from the same mouth put to death ) was presently carried out of the campe and burned with all military pompe , and this he assignes to the yeare by his computation aboue yeares before the death of sylla . now this practise of the romans i haue the longer insisted vpon , partly for the checking of a common errour , holding that before sylla the romans burnt not their dead bodies , and partly to shew that many of those monstrous giantlike bodies , which aswell among the romans as graecians are said to haue beene digged vp , were vndoubtedly burnt , but chiefly that hereby it may appeare , that the noble and vsefull practise of anatomizing mens bodies , was not in vse among them , neither indeed could it be , considering they held it vnlawfull , aspicere humana exta , as pliny speakes in his proeme to his booke , to looke vpon the entrals of mens bodies , and dion in his tels vs , that it was graunted to tiberius to touch the body of augustus , quod nefas alias erat , which was otherwise vnlawfull , and from hence it was that their vespillones , coriarij , pollinctores , libitinarij , and other officers of that kinde imployed about the washing , the annointing , the carrying foorth , the burning and providing things necessary about the dead , were not suffered to liue in the citty , and the bodies themselues were burnt without the citty , & few there were that went foorth of the citty gates to wait on the funerals of their nearest and dearest friends : now the antiquity of this cvstome being cleared , a second doubt there is , when it ceased , manifest then it is that it continued in vse till the antonins , and tben began it by degrees to be disvsed , macrobius witnessing in the seuenth booke and seuenth chapter of his saturnals , that in his time it was in a manner growne out of vse , yet certaine it is that the bodies of pertinax and severus fifty yeares after were both burned , as reporteth dion of the one , and herodian in his fourth book of the other , and neere about this time it was that galen liued , so as i verily beleeue he neuer or very seldome opened the bodies of men , i know that riolan and laurentius haue both of them zealously defended him against the neotericks , who charge him with much weaknesse and ignorance in this art , but i cannot obserue that either of them hath produced so much as one cleere passage out of any part of his workes , to proue that he euer so much as once opened the body of a man , dogges indeed , & swine , & apes it appeares he opened , & once an elephant , but for his vsuall opening of mens bodies , in my minde they bring no sufficient proofes , which laurentius himselfe well perceiuing , modestly concludes his answere to the first instance brought against galen with a verisimile est , it is likely that he cut vp the bodies of men . but let vs passe on from the iewes and gentiles , to the primitiue christians who were ( as their workes shew ) professed adversaries to this practise . tertullian in the fourth chapt . of his booke de anima , speaking of herophilus , doubts whether he may call him medicum or lanium , a physitian or a butcher , qui hominem odijt vt nosset saith he , who hated mankinde that he might know it , & s , augustine de civit. dei . . harpes much vpon the same string , etsi medicorum diligentia nonnulla crudelis quos anatomicos appellant lani●…uit corpora mortuorum : howbeit the ouer-diligent crueltie of some physitians whom they call anatomists hath butchered the bodies of the dead : and to like purpose is that of boniface , the eigth extrauag . commun . lib. . tit . . cap. . where he seuerely threatens such with the thunderbold of excommunication irreuocable , but onely by the sea apostolique , who exenterate dead bodies , and cut the flesh from the bones , mangling it into gobbets , quod non solum ( saith hee ) diuinae maiestatis conspectui abominabile plurimum redditur , sed etiam humanae considerationis obtutibus occurrit vehementius abhorrendum which is a practise abominable in the eyes both of god & men . out of all which it appeares that this practise of anatomizing the dead bodies of men , so profitable to bring vs to the knowledge of our selues , and consequently of our maker , so necessarie to physitians & surgeans was neuer brought into the bodie of a perfect art , till this latter age . nos multa quotidie prioribus seculis incognita obseruamus : wee obserue many things vtterly vnknowne to former ages : and this last age in truth hath yeelded men singular in this art ▪ vesalius , vassaeus , varolius , sylvius , fallopius , piceolhominaeus , columbus , riolanus , laurentius , who followed henry the fourth of france in his civill wars , and gained much experience by cutting vp the bodies of such as were slaine in the field , vt videatur haec ars nunc summum perfectionis fastigium attigisse , they be his owne words , so as this art now , & neuer before seemes to haue reached the very toppe of perfection . neuer was it in any age so illustrated with liuely & exquisite pictures , so encouraged with stipends , so furnished with schooles , fitting instruments & all manner of helpes , and generally so honoured as it is at this day . and truely i haue often not a little wondred with my selfe , that an vniversitie so famous in forraine parts as this of oxford , was neuer to my knowledge provided of a publique lecture in this kind , till now ; as neither was it for a garden of simples , now in good forwardnes by the noble munificence of the heroicall earle of danbie , nor of a history lecture , nor of an arabique , though it were long since solemnly decreed in the councill of vienna , that this vniversity , as likewise paris , bononia , salamanca , & rome ( which were vndoubtedly then accounted the principall vniversities in christendome ) should each of them haue maintained two professours in that language , as also in chalde & hebrew , clementinarum , lib. . tit. . cap. . now for the knowledge of simples , the other legge , as it were , vpon which physicke stands , as theophraestus was in many things amended by plynie , & plynie by dioscorides , so hath dioscorides himselfe by the happy travells of ruellius , & rouillius , & leonardus fuchsius , who in his epistle to ioachimus marquis of brandenburg , tels vs , that this part of physicke was a while since so vtterly neglected & defaced , that , had not god raysed vp industrious and learned men to restore it , actum plane de medicina herbaria fuisset , it had beene vtterly lost : but hermolaus barbarus was hee , who by translating dioscorides out of greeke into latine , & by adding his corrolarium therevnto touching the same subject , first recouered the ancient lustre thereof . and since , by reason of the discouerie of many parts of the world vnknowne to the ancients , many plants , gummes , drugges , & mineralls , are by monaedus & others knowne to vs , which they neuer heard of . sect . . of the profitable vse of extractions , and the paracelsian physicke , either wholy vnknowne to the ancients , or little practised by them to the perfiting of the anatomicall and reuiuing of the botanicall art in this latter age ; may be added a new kinde of physicke professed by a new sect of physitians , neuer heard of in the world before ; and altogether differing from the ancients , as in name , in tearmes of art , so likewise in rules , in matter , in methode & manner of proceeding , aswell for doctrine as practise ▪ a founder it had ( if wee may credit himselfe ) descended of a noble and ancient familie among the heluetians , the name which he giues himselfe philippus , theophrastus , bombastus , ab hoenhaim , or paracelsus , by which name he is now commonly known ; borne hee was in or about the yeare , & died at salisburge in germanie in the yeare , being then but forty seaven ; a man strangely composed , as bullinger , & gesner , and operinus , a citizen of basile ( his bosome-friend & indiuiduall companion from some yeares ) haue characterized him : without learning , without civilitie , without religion , being neuer heard to pray , a great hater of women , and yet an excessiue louer of wine , exceedingly vaineglorious in his wordes & writings , & yet sordide in his apparell , & base in the company hee willingly made choise of , which for the most part were coach-men and carters , or bores of the countrey , & with these would hee sit vp drinking all night , and ( then seldome shifting himselfe ) cast himselfe downe on a bed to sleepe , prodigall he was in his expenses , yet seldome wanted money , & sometimes hauing not a pennie in his purse ouer night , hee would draw forth handfulls of gold in the morning , which made men beleeue hee had indeed the art of transmutation of mettals , & that hee carried with him the philosophers stone in the pommell of his sword , which hee alwayes wore : he spent sometime in most of the vniversities in christendome , consulting in matters of physicke with doctours , surgeans , keepers of bathes , wise women , magitians , alchimists , monkes , and of all kind of people : and lastly , passing into arabia , he there likewise spent tenne yeares more in the same studies , ( if wee may credit bickerus in hermete rediuiuo ) and so returning ( as hee there speakes ) loaden with the spoiles of the east ; he brought to light in these parts of the world the vse of hermeticall , spagyricall , or chymicall physicke , ( as they tearme it . ) so as where galen mentions in his time but three sects of physitians , emperikes , methodists , and dogmatiques ; we haue now a fourth that goe vnder the name of chymiques , hermetiques , or paracelsiaus , & a branch of them ( as i conceiue , is the order roseae crusis ) who treading in the steppes of their master , haue changed aristotles principles of naturall bodies , matter , forme , and priuation into salt , sulphur , and mercury ; and from the seuerall temper of these three , they affirme all sicknesses and health to arise . i will not in all things vndertake the defence of them , neither can i if i would ; the trueth is , they magnifie themselnes too much , and ouervaluing themselues & their owne wits , & worth ; they too much disesteeme the precepts & practise of the ancients ; yet it cannot be denied , but by reason of their artificiall extractions , seperations , and preparations of their medicines ; they haue had happy successe in the curing of some desperate diseases , which in former ages haue bin thought incurable ; and paracelsus himselfe , euen by the acknowledgment of his aduersaries , wrought wonders in the speedie healing of inveterate & festered vlcers , for that hee was able by meere art to make homunculos little men , or to raise the dead to life , or to prolong the life of a man to some thousands of yeares , ( as he vainely boasteth of himselfe ) is i confesse no part of my creede . well then , leauing their vanities to themselues , i doubt not but the most learned physitians of this age who sticke most to galen , ( if they be not led with faction or fancie , but with iudgement , reason , & experience ) will easily confesse at times a profitable vse of the paracelsian extractions in their practise , as being lesse loathsome , & cumbersome , & withall more actiue & vigorous , more spiritfull & operatiue ; as on the other side it must be graunted , that being applied without good aduise and moderation , they cannot but proue dangerous , by reason of their peircing & searching nature ; so as the joyning of the galenicall & paracelsian physicke together , making vse of thē both as occasion serues , is by audernacus , sennertus , quercitan , & some others of best note , held the best and safest course . i cannot heere omit quercitanes words to this purpose : si hiprocrates , vel aristoteles , vel ipse etiam galenus nunc reuiuisceret , obstupesceret certe tot ornamentis artem hanc adauctam atque illustratam , tot novis inventis ditatam , tot mirificis operationibus confirmatam : if hippocrates , or aristotle●… or galel himselfe were now aliue , they would wonder to see this art inlarged & beautified with so many ornaments , enriched with so many new inventions , confirmed by so many strange practises & experiments . wherevpon he infers , verissimum itaque est quod sapientum quidam medicorum nostri seculi ait , creurunt cum ingenijs & ipsae scientiae artesque magna & incredibilia incrementa sumpserunt : it is most true , which one of the wisest physitians of our age affirmes , together with good wits the sciences sprang vp , and the arts are incrediblely inproued . cap. . touching history , poetry , and the art military . sect . . that the modernes farre exceeded the ancients in chronologie and cosmographie the two eyes of history . as the two legges of physicke are anatomie and herbarie , so the two eyes of history are chronologie and topographie , computation of times , and description of places : in both which it is certaine , that the modernes haue so farre exceeded the ancients , as these seeme to haue seene nothing in a manner in regard of them . first then for chronologie , how dimsighted are the ancients in the computation of times , how miserably doe they wander vp and downe in the darke , and knock their heads each against other , and how excellently haue latter writers , and specially ioseph scaliger in that most elaborate worke of his de emendatione temporum , cleered those mists , and chaced away that darknesse . it is to this purpose a notable speech of causabons , scientia temporum quantoperè fuerit post renatas liter as exculta , quàm admiranda acceperit incrementa , asinus est qui ignorat inter literatos , malignus & beneficiorū dei ingratus aestimator qui dissimulat , stupenda enim sunt quae summi viri in nostra praesertim gallia & germania praestiterunt . he that knows not how much the knowledge of times hath beene laboured since the new birth of good letters , among the learned , can be held but an asse , and he who dissembles it , envious and an ingratefull vnder-valuer of gods blessings towards this age : admirable things they are which in this kinde men of note haue atchieued , specially in our france and germany . the learned workes in chronologie of funccius , buntingius , bucholcerus , helvicus , calvisius , genebrardus , gordonus , salianus , torniellus , and our english lively ( of whose skill in chronologie the same causabon makes honorable mention cont . bar. exer. . n. . their workes , i say , published to the world , make his words good , and fully testifie what he there affirmes ▪ now for topographie , the other eye of history , strabo often , and that deservedly censures eratostenes , hipparchus , polybius , possidonius , the gravest authors among the ancients , and ptolomie sharply takes vp marinus tyrius , though otherwise a diligent writer : yet both strabo & ptolomy themselues , if they be compared with our latter geographers , hondius , mercator , thevet , merula , ortelius , maginus , how defectiue , how imperfect will they be found . the ignorance of former ages in this point was so grosse , that what time pope clement the sixth , as we read in robert of auesbury , had elected lewis of spaine to be prince of the fortunate ilands , & for to aide & assist him , mustered souldiers in france & italy , our countrey-men were verily perswaded that he was chosen prince of brittaine , as one ( sayth he ) of the fortunate ilands : yea and our very ligier embassadors there with the pope , were so deepely settled in this opinion , that forthwith they with-drew themselues from rome , & hasted with all speed into england , there to certifie their countreymen and friends of the matter : yet that which to me seemeth more strange , is that those two learned clearkes lactantius and augustine , should with that earnestnesse deny the being of any antipodes . their words are worth the noting , thereby to see their confidence and eagernesse in the maintenance of so evident a mistake . quid illi , saith lactantius , qui esse contrarios vestigijs nostris antipodes putant , num aliquid loquuntur ? aut est quisquam tam ineptus qui credat esse homines quorum vestigia sunt superiora quam capita ? aut ibi quae apud nos jacent inversa pendere ? fruges & arbores deorsum versus crescere , pluvias , & nives , & grandinem sursum versus cadere in terram ? & miratur aliquis hortos pensiles inter septem mira narrari , quam philosophi & agros , & maria , & vrbes , & montes pensiles faciunt ? what shall we thinke of them who giue out there are antipodes , that walke opposite to vs , doe they speake any thing to the purpose , or is there any so blockish as to beleeue there are men whose feet are higher then their heads , or that those things there hang , which with vs lye on the ground ? that the plants and trees spring downeward , that the snow and raine , and haile fall vpward vpon the earth ? & need any man marvell that hanging gardens are counted in the number of the seuen wonders of the world , since the philosophers haue made both fields and seas , cities and mountaines all hanging . lactantius is herein seconded by augustine : quod verò & antipodes esse fabulantur , id est homines à contraria parte terrae vbi sol oritur quandò occidit nobis , adversa pedibus nostris calcare vestigia , nullâ ratione credendum est . their fable of the antipodes , that is , men dwelling in the opposite part of the earth where the sunne rises when it sets to vs , hauing their feete opposite to ours , is a matter altogether incredible , & by no meanes to be beleeued . but zachary bishop of rome , and boniface bishop of mentz , led ( as it seemes ) by the authority of these fathers , went farther herein , condemning one virgilius a bishop of saltzburg as an heretique onely for holding that there were antipodes . but time and travell haue now discovered the contrary so evidently , that we may aswell doubt the being of a sun in the firmament as the experimentall cleerenes of this truth . and as evident it is now likewise found to bee by certaine experience , that vnder the middle or burning zone ) which the ancients by means of excessiue heate , held altogether inhabitable ) there is as healthfull , temperate , and pleasant dwelling as any-where in the world , as appeares by the relations of benzo , acosta , and others . besides the ancients ( as it seemes ) were altogether ignorant of the new world discovered in the yeare by columbus , now knowne by the name of america or the west-indies , whatsoeuer from platoes atlantis , or salomons ophir be slightly pretended to the contrary : yet i confesse i haue often wondred not a little at senecaes bold prepheticall spirit touching that discovery . venient annis secula seris , quibus oceanus vincula rerum laxet , & ingens pateat tellus , typhisque novos detegat orbes , nec sit terris vltima thule , in latter times an age shall rise wherein the ocean shall the bands of things enlarge : there shall likewise new worlds appeare , and mighty lands typhis discouer , then thule the worlds end shall no longer be . this prophesie wee haue found fulfilled not onely in the discovery of those vast regions before vnknowne , but in opening by meanes of navigation , and the helpe of the compasse euery creeke and corner of the habitable world , worth the knowing : so that now it hath , & neuer before had it thorow lights made in it . nay particular countreyes haue bin of late yeares most exactly described by several writers . the netherlands by lewis guicciardine , great brittaine by the renowned camden , & the like by others . neither haue there wanted some who haue descended to provinces and shires , master carew to the survay of cornewall , & master lambert to the perambulation of kent , and master burton to the description of lecestershire : yea particular cities , rome , venice , paris , london , & the houses of great princes haue found their particular maps & delineations so fully & perfectly expressed , that a man who neuer saw them but in representation , may now speake as particularly of them , as if he had beene borne and bred in them . sect . . that the defect of the ancients in naturall & ecclesiasticall history is iustly corrected by the moderns , & in civill history the moderns are matched with the ancients : and of the knowledge of weights and measures , and the true valuation of coinès recovered and restored by latter writers , which thorow the neglect of former ages had well nigh perished . the bodie of history branches it selfe into history naturall , ecclesistasticall , & civill . for the first it is most certaine , that euen aristotle himselfe and pliay were ignorant of many things , and wrote many not onely vncertaine , but now convinced of manifest errour and absurdity , conradus gesnerus hath laboured this part of history most industriously : but others who haue vndertaken severall peeces of this burden more exactly , some of birds , de animalibus insectis , crustaceis , testaceis , zoophytis , as aldrouandinus . some of fishes , as rondoletius , some of bathes as baccius , and blanthellus , some of mettals , as georgius agricola , and some of plants and vegetables , as mathiolus , ruellius , fuchius , to whom may be added the commendable paines of gerrard in our owne language . and some others againe purposely of some one particular kinde of beasts , or birdes , or fishes , or plants , or bathes , or mettals . history ecclesiasticall hath likewise beene shamefully abused by thrusting into it many fabulous narrations of the liues of saints and deaths of martyrs . baronius , and before him the magdeburgians , haue both very diligently , though with different purposes travelled heerein ; in somuch that now betweene them both , we haue made vp a compleate history of the church , which former ages neuer saw . civill history indeed the graecians & romans excelled in , but with much partiality on both sides , & many speches they haue put into the mouths of commanders & others meerely fained , & besides they lay in darkenes & obscurity , for the space of many hūdred yeares together , till this latter age , in which they were not only drawn into the light , but aemulated & equalled . cornelius tacitus somuch magnified , sr henry savill sharply censures for his stile , taking occasion frō those words in the life of agri cola , bonum virum facile crederes , magnum libenter : at te ( saith hee ) corneli tacite bonum historicum facile credimus , bonum oratorem crederemus libēter , were it not for this & some other sayings of the like making : fuit illi viro , sayth tacitus ( iudging of seneca as we may of him ) ingenium amaenum , & temporis illius auribus accommodatum : how that age was eared long or round i cannot define , but sure i am it yeelded a kinde of sophisticate eloquence & riming harmonie of words , where-vnder was small matter in sense ; when there seemed to be most in appearance , and diverse instances he brings out of tacitus ; and as sr henry savill taxes him for his phrase , so doth strada for his history , in that not content with bare relations he adds of his owne coniectures , animadversions , interpretations of actions , sometimes savouring of detraction , sometimes of flatterie , and for the most part , as it best serued his turne , to make way for the displaying of his wit in his politicall obseruations and precepts , as he shewes by diverse passages taken out of him , accusing him likewise of irreligion : and with strada heerein accords lipsius , who calls tacitus immemorem , secumque pugnantem , vnmindfull of what he had said , and crossing himselfe : bonamicus , sectantem veri speciem relicta veritate , a follower of the shadow of trueth , leauing the truth it selfe : caesar baronius who convinces him of envie , & lying : tom. . annal. lib. . cap. as likewise d●…th marsilius ficinus de christiana religione , cap. . and dion nepos in vita probi imperatoris . and to passe by others , tertullian , who liued in the next age after him , stiles him mendaciorum loquacissimum , a lowd lyar ; and in trueth his vaine and fabulous narration touching the iewes , in the last booke of his historie , together with his virulency against the christians , annal . . . shew him to haue bin none other , whatsoeuer he pretend to the contrary : but i leaue him and descend to moderne historiographers . sr walter rawleigh , for so farre as he hath gone in the history of the world , is matchable with the best of the ancients . francis guicciardine , comines , thuanus not inferiour to any : and the particular histories of most countreys , haue receiued , as it were , new light & fresh colours in this latter age . the spanish from mariana , & turquet ; the french from peter mathew , & du serres , the high dutch from paulus iouius & sleidan the low dutch from meteranus , the scottish from buchanan , the irish from stannihurst , the sicilian from fazelus , the turkish from knoles , and for our owne storie , it lay dispersed in the narrations of seuerall writers , & those for the most part monkes , till polidor virgill collected it into one bodie : but in my iudgement sr henry savill and mr camden haue better deserued , by presenting vs the authours themselues in two seuerall volumes : some peeces heereof wee haue very well done in our owne language , as the three norman kings , & henry the fourth by dr hayward : edward the fifth , or rather richard the by sr thomas more ; henry the seventh by my lord of s. albanes ; the life of q. elizabeth by m. camden since translated . neither haue there beene wanting such as haue written , and that very commendablely the liues of particular men , eminent for vertue , or learning , or place . onuphrius & cicarella come nothing short of anastasius and platina in the liues of the popes . the liues of the emperours , petrus mexias hath well performed . serrarius of the archbishops of mentz , and mathew parker archbishop of canterbury of his predecessours . barlet hath with good approbation published the life of scanderbegge , and catena of pius quintus , doctour humphreys of bishop iewell , and sir george paule of archbishop whitegift : and it were to be wished that this kinde of history were more in vse , aswell for the honour of the deceased , as the incitement of the liuing ; in which kinde theuet , and paulus iouius , and the right reverend father in god doctour godwin , now bishop of hereford , deserue both praise and imitation . an appendix of historie is the right valuation of weights , and measures , and coynes , which though they were doubtles knowen to the ancients who vsed them ; yet since for many ages past , the knowledge of them hath much growne out of vse , and was in a manner lost ; which bred a marveilous great mistake and confusion in historie , vntill by the worthy paines of budaeus , gesnerus , alciatus , glarianus , agricola , villalpandus , mariana , and our learned countrey-man edward brierwood , late professour of astronomie in gresham colledge , it was againe regained and restored : and if any desire to see all that haue written of this subiect , i referre him to gaspar wolphius his treatise , intituled virorum illustrium alphabetica enumeratio qui de ponderibus ac mensurarum doctrina scripserunt . sect . . a comparison betweene the greeke & latine , as also betweene the ancienter & latter latine poets , and those that haue written in other languages , and that poetry as other arts hath fallen and risen againe in this latter age . touching poetrie for the inventiue part thereof , sir phillip sydneyes arcadia is in my judgement nothing inferiour to the choisest peece among the ancients , & for the poets themselues it is true of the most ancient , both among the greekes & latines which bartas hath of marrot . thee marrot i esteeme euen as an old colosse all soyled , broken , ouergrowen with mosse , worne picture , tombe defac'd , not for fine worke i see , but in deuoute regard of their antiquity . volcatius sedigitus hauing named nine of the romane comedians , adds in the close of all . — decimum addo antiquitatis causà ennium . ennius as tenth i add because he ancient'st is . this controuersie being , it seemes on foote in horace his time , ( as in all ages it hath bin ) he wittily demaunds this question . si meliora dies vt vina poemata reddat , scire velim pretium chartis quotus arroget annus . if as time betters wine it betters poems too , tell me how many yeares doth giue them price enough . and in the end concludes , qui veteres ita miratur laudatque poetas vt nihil anteferat , nihil illis comparet , errat . who prayses & admires old poets much doth erre , if nought he dare compare , or nought to them preferre . hercules ciophanus witnesseth , that planudes well knowing that grecce had not a poeme so abounding with delight & beauty , as ovids metamorphosis translated it into that language . and generally the lattine poets , who came after the greeke in time , are notwithstanding by scaliger preferred before them ; and by name virgill before homer , virgilius artem ab eo rudem acceptam lectioris naturae studijs atque iudicio ad summum extulit fastigium perfectionis : virgill receiuing from him an vnpolisht art by the studie & judgement or a choiser temper , raysed it to the vtmost point of perfection . and againe , equidem vnum illum censeo sciuisse quid esset non ineptire , vnum esse inter omnes vnicum , singulis autem instar omnium . truely i thinke hee onely knew what it was not to trifle , that he was the only one amongst them all , and insteed of all beeing compared with any one . to which i know not what can bee added , except that of macrobius exceed it : haec est maronis gloria vt nullius laudibus crescat , nullius vituperatione minuatur : this is virgills commendation , that a man can neither adde to him by praysing him , nor take from him by dispraysing him : yet if i should match him with ariosto or torquato tasso in italian , bartas in french , or spencer in english , i thinke i should not much wrong htm . of the latter of which , our great antiquary in the life of q. elizabeth anno , giues this testimony , musis adeo arridentibus natus , vt omnes anglicos superioris aeui poetas ( ne chaucero quidem conciue excepto ) superaret , he was borne so farre in favour of the muses , that he excelled all the english poets of former ages , not excepting chaucer himselfe his fellow citizen . and among the latine poets , as they began their infancie or child-hood in liuius andronicus , ennius , accius , pacuvius , neuius , plautus ; so they came to their full strength in terence , catullus , tibullus , ouid , horace , virgill , plus est exacti iudicij in vna comaedia terēttana quam in plautinis omnibus , there is more exa●… judgement in one of terence his comedies , then in all those of pla●…s . they declined in martiall , iuvenall , silius , statius : grew old in serenus , sidonius , severinus , ausonius ; but sprang vp and reflourished againe in palingenius , aonius , politianus , cerratus , vida , pontanus , sanazarus , fracastorius ; quos cum quovis veterum compares , multis & non ignobilibus anteponas , saith the same scaliger , whom a man may safely compare with any of the ancients , and preferre before many of them , and those not of the lowest ranke . crinitus his censure of the latin poets differs not much from this of scaligers : and famianus strada hath so well both censured & imitated the chiefe of them , that hee comes nothing short of the authors themselues , which is the more to bee wondred at ; in that therein he is to act so different parts , & to apply himself to so different vaines ; nay his imitation of claudian in expressing a controversie between a lutist and a nightingale for quicknes and life , may without prejudice be equalled with any thing that antiquity can boast of in that kinde . it is true that ( mantuan excepted ) few of the monkes or fryars , ( who were counted the onely schollers for a while ) excelled in poetry , for the most part they only delighted in rhyming , without either sharpnesse of wit , or neatnesse of stile , and sometimes they wanted all three : witnesse those poore verses vpon venerable bede . presbyter hic beda requiescit carne sepultus , dona christe animam in coelis gaudere per aevum , daque illi sophiae d'ebriari fonte cui jam suspiravit ovans intentus semper amore . presbyter bedes corse rests buried in this graue ; grant christ his soule in heauen eternall joyes may haue : giue him of to be drunke the well of wisedome , to which with such joy and loue he striu'd and breathed so . which verses william of malmesburie , though himselfe a monke , bitterly censures , as being shamefull ones , vnworthy the monument of so worthy a man : neither can the shame , saith he , be lessned by any kinde of excuse , that in the monasterie , which whiles he liued , flourished as a schoole of good letters , not a man could be found to commend his memory to posterity , but in so barren & slender a stile : yet were these tollerable verses in regard of those which passed with applause in succeeding ages , the famous king ethelbert had this epitaph set vpon him . rex ethelbertus hic clauditur in poliandro , fana pians certus christo meat absque meandro . king ethelbert lyeth here clos'd in this polyander , for building churches sure he goes to christ without maeander . gervasius de blois , son to king stephen , and abbot of westminster , was there buried with this , de regum genere pater hic gervasius ecce est & defunctus , mors rapit omne genus . even father gervase borne of kings race , loe is dead , thus death all sorts doth deface . vpon the great seale of edward the confessor was this verse ing●…en , sigillum eaduuardi , anglorum basilei . but i most pity the mishap of francis petrarch a man of singular learning & himselfe an excellent poet as those times afforded , that his bones could finde no better an epitaph then this at arqua in italy . frigida francisci lapis hic tegit ossa petrarchae suscipe virgo parens animam , sate virg●…ne parce fessaque jam terris coeli requiesc●…t in 〈◊〉 ▪ this stone doth couer the cold bones of ●…anc . petrarch , thou virgin mother take his soule , thou christ pardon grant , now weary of the earth he rests in heauens arke . but when together with the regeneration of other kindes of learning poetrie likewise grew in request , among an infinite number which excelled in this kinde , i will onely instance in two , ronsard & buchanan : of the former of which pasquier hath written this singular epigram . seu tibi numeri maroniani , seu placent veneres catulli●… , sive tu lepidum velis petrarcham , siue pindaricos modos referre , ronsardus numeros maronianos , ronsardus veneres catullianas , neonon italicum refert petrarcham , neonon pindari●…um refert leporem . quin & tam benè pinda●…●…mulatur , quin & tam variè expr●…mit petrarcham , atque virgilium , & meum catullum hunc ipsum vt magis aemulentur illi : rursus tam graviter refert maronem , vt nullus putet hunc catullianum . rursus tam lepidè refert catullum , vt nullus putet hunc maronianum , et cùm sit maro totus & catullus , totus pindarus , & petrarcha totus , ronsardus tamen est sibi perennis , quod si nunc redivivus extet vnus catullus , maro , pindarus , petrarcha , et quotquot veteres fuere vates , ronsardum nequeant simul referre vnus qui reliquos refert poetas . whether thee maro's number please , or elegant catullus vaine , or petrarchs thuscan gracefulnesse , or theban pindars lofty straine : ronsard doth maro's rimes expresse ; and elegant catullus vaine , and petrarchs thuscan gracefulnesse , and theban pindars lofty straine . he so expresseth pindars stile , so doth catullus emulate , virgil and petrarch , that the while they all seeme him to imitate . graue maro he resembles so , none would him thinke catullian : so elegant catullus too ; none would him thinke maronian , though all catullus , all virgill , all pindar he and petrarch be , yet the same ronsard is he still . maro , catullus might we see , pindar or petrarch liue againe , and all th' old poets more or lesse all joyntly hit not ronsards vaine , who onely doth them all expresse . to which we may adde pithaeus his epitaph vpon the same ronsard . summe poetarum quos prisca & nostra tulerunt quosque ferent galli●… posthuma saecla tuis : parce nec ista tibi veluti data justa putato sed tanquam summis manibus inferias . greatest of poets whom old or present times , or future to thy french shall ere bring forth , pardon , these are not rights fitting thy worth . but to thy great ghost like some sprinkling rimes . of the latter ioseph scaliger giues this testimonie , namque ad supremum perducta poetica culmen in te stat , nec quo progrediatur habet : bomani imperij fuit olim scotia limes , romani eloquij-scotia limes erit . vnto the highest pitch hast thou advanced poetrie , rais'd to the height in thee it stands , and higher cannot flie . scotland sometime the limit was of roman empirie , by thee of roman eloquence scotland the bound shall be . sect . . in military matters the romans exceeded the graecians , and haue themselues beene matched , if not surpassed in latter ages , in weapons , in fortifications , in stratagems , but specially in sea-fights . though mars and the muses haue little affinity , and seldome lodge together , yet will i not feare to joyne the art military next to poetrie . and though the knowledge hereof belong not to my profession , yet i dare say , it will not be gainsaid , but as alexander herein exceeded his predecessours , so did iulius caesar him : & generally the romans the graecians ; yet a worthy knight and expert captaine himselfe demaunding the question , whether was the better souldier , the graecian or roman , makes answere the englishman . and truly i thinke , he who well considers what noble acts edward the third , the blacke prince his son , and henry the fifth performed in france , and vpon what tearmes & conditions , with what numbers , and against what enimies , will easily beleeue , that he spake not somuch out of affection as judgement : the grecian built his glory and erected his triumphs of victorie & trophies of honour , vpon the delicacie of the persian and nakednes of the indian , and the romane for the most part , vpon the diuision & rudenesse of poore barbarous nations ; but the english his ; vpon the ruines of a stout warlike , & every way accomplished nation : and for caesar himselfe , if i should parallell him with charlemaigne , hnnniades , tamerlane , castriot , ziska , or the great henry of france , i thinke i should not disparage him . of which latter pythaeus , comparing him with the great alexander , hath composed his epigram . cui palma vestrum deferatur bellica certavit orbis , resque stetit anceps diu , sed mors secundum ; henrice , te litem dedit fe●…itque primum & vltimum simul ducem . which of you twaine the warlike palme should weare hath the world stroue , and long bin at a pause , but death o harry gaue to thee the cause both first & last of captaines name to beare . the armour & weapons now vsed in the warres , aswell for offence as defence , are nothing inferiour to the ancient , nay many of them are doubtles more commodious , & some much more terrible : what childish weapons were the long-bow & crosse-bow , if we regard annoyance of the enimie , in comparison of the gunne & great ordinance : and yet nothing so many are now slaine in the warres as then : so as the present are both of more readie dispatch , and for the most part in conclusion of the warre lesse bloodie . i am not ignorant that discourses haue beene written by souldiers on both sides , some preferring the bow before the gunne , others the gunne before the bow , but the latter haue beene by the most judicious preferred before the former , and time & experience haue found their judgement true . but for the matter of fortification , there is no question , but this age exceedes any that hath gone before it , as far as we can trace the prints and footsteps of antiquity . it being now brought into art , the professours whereof we name ingeners , a word vnknowne to our ancestours , at least in that sence : but the italians are they who in this art haue shewed themselues most skilfull , aswell in the precepts as practise thereof , and haue carried away the bell from all other nations , as may appeare both by their bookes and workes . and for stratagems of warre , whether we take them in their projects or effects , i conceiue those of latter ages to be nothing inferiour to those of auncient times ; howsoeuer policaenus & iulius frontinus in their seuerall bookes of that subiect be pleased to admire them : what a blunt invention was that of the trojane horse , in comparison of the surprise of amiens by the spaniard ; or of breda by the states of the vnited provinces , in the netherlands ; or the disordering of the spanish fleate , by sir francis drake in : but that recorded by sir walter rawleigh in the fourth booke of his first part of the history of the world , and acted in queen maries time , is in my judgement matchable to any that euer yet i heard or read of . he thus relates it : the iland of sarke joyning to garnesay , and of that gouernment , was surprised by the french , & could neuer haue beene recouered againe by strong hand , hauing corne and cattell enough vpon the place , to feede so many men as would serue to defend it ; and being every way so vnaccessable , as it might bee held against the great turke ; yet by the industry of a gentleman of the netherlands , it was in this sort regained : he anchored in the roade with one ship of small burden , & pretending the death of his merchant , besought the french , being some thirty in number , that they might burie their merchant in hallowed ground , & in the chappell of that isle ; offering a present to the french of such commodities as they had aboard : whereto ( with condition that they should not come a shore with any weapon , no not somuch as with a knife ) the french men yeelded : then did the flemings put a coffin into their boate , not filled with a dead carkasse , but with swords , targets , and harquebushes . the french receiued them at their landing , & searching every of them so narrowly , as they could not hide a penknife , gaue them leaue to draw their coffin vp the rocks with great difficultie ; some part of the french tooke the flemish boate and rowed aboard the shippe to fetch the commodities promised , & what else they pleased ; but being entred , they were taken and bound . the flemings on the land , when they had carried their coffin into the chappell , shut the doore to them , and taking their weapons out of the coffin , set vpon the french : they runne to the cliffe and crie to their company aboard the fleming to come to succour , but finding the boate charged with flemings , yeelded themselues and the place . lastly , for sea-fight , this age vndoubtedly surpasseth the ancient , theirs being but boyes play in comparison of ours . what poore things were their gallies to our ships , their pikes and stone-bowes & slings , to our canon & musket-shot ; how vntowardly the managing of their vessels , in regard of that skill , which latter ages haue found out & practised : and heerein i dare match our owne nation ( if perchaunce the hollander haue not gotten the start of vs ) with any in the world : only it were to be wished , that some worthy pen would vndertake the reducing of these kindes of fights into an art , as many haue done the land-seruice , by setting downe rules and precepts for it , gathered out of obseruation : sir richard hawkins hath done somewhat in this kinde , but brokenly and glancingly , intending chiefely a discourse of his owne voyages : sir walter rawleigh tels vs in his history of the world , that himselfe had entred vpon such a worke , at the commaund of prince henry , but vpon his death put it by : the intendment was noble , and the writer doubtles very able ; so as it were to be wished , that those peeces & fragments which he left behind him , touching that subiect , were sought vp & brought to light , that they might serue , if not for sufficient directions in matter of practise ; yet for patterns & delineations to such as would farther advance & perfect so worthy a businesse ; there being no one thing ( as i conceiue ) which can be more important for the state , or more concerne the safety and wellfare of this iland . cap. . touching grammar , rhetorique , logicke , the mathematiques , philosop , by architecture , the arts of painting and navigation . sec . . touching grammar , rhetorique , and logicke . bvt leauing these considerations to souldiers , let vs returne to our owne element , taking a view of the liberall sciences , among which grammar deseruedly challenges the first ranke , as being indeede the key that opens the doore to the rest . this latter age hath heerein excelled so farre , that all the great learned schollers , who haue of late risen , specially if they adhered to the reformed churches , haue beene by the fryers , & such like people , in a kind of scorne tearmed grammarians : but these grammarians are they , who by the helpe of phylologie , & the languages haue discouered so many forgeries & supposititious writings , now by all acknowledged so to be , which before passed as currant , aswell in the workes of the fathers of the church , as prophane authours . these are they , who haue presented vs with so many exact translations out of greeke & hebrew into latine , and againe out of latine into other languages . and howsoeuer albericus gentilis , & some others haue written in defence of the latinity of that translation of the bible , which goes vnder the name of the vulgar ; yet can it not be denyed , but it is justly accused of much incongruity & barbarisme , which by latter translations haue beene reformed . these are they , who haue vindicated infinite authours from a number of foule corruptions , which by tract of time had crept vpon them , thorow the ignorance or negligence of transcribers or printers or both : so that they haue herein in a manner restored the authours to themselues , making them speake in their owne words & sence ; and besides by annotations , animadversions , commentaries & expositions , by the search & helpe of coynes , old epitaphs , inscriptions , & such like remainders of antiquity , haue further added a marveilous great light vnto them . in the next place , rhetorique presents it selfe , which in trueth was brought to the height amongst the graecians & romans , specially whiles their states remained popular : but in the generall declination & decay of arts which followed after , this likewise was well neere extinguished , that little life of it which remained , being reserued onely in the predicancie of postillers , or the patheticall sermons of fryers , till sadoletus , bembus , muretus , & others reuiued & reduced it to its auncient lustre . logicke indeed is it , wherein we are thought to be most defectiue in regard of former ages ; and it is true , that the schoole-men had set their stocke , the vtmost of their endeavours vpon this part of learning , their whole life being in a manner little else but a perpetuall wrangling and altercation , & that many times rather for victory & ostentation of wit , then a sober & serious search of truth : so as their entrance being vaine , their end was likewise fruitlesse . what huge volumes haue they compiled of the predicables & predicaments ? as if in them consisted the very spirit & soule of logicke ; whereas in truth they are rather an appendix or preparatiue vnto it , then part of it . by which meanes they kept men so long in the porch , that they entred not into the house till it was more then time to goe out of it . latter ages finding this intollerable inconvenience haue well compacted the body of this art into a lesser compasse , ( yet so as aristotles text is not to be neglected ) and to this body haue they not improperly added the doctrine of methods as a necessary limbe thereof : whereas we doe not find that anciently , it was so held either by the founders or principall masters of this science , or at leastwise they haue left vs no sufficient rules and precepts touching this most vsefull part . euen hooker himselfe ( though otherwise no friend to ramystry ) acknowledgeth that it is of marvellous quicke dispatch , shewing them that haue it as much almost in three dayes , as if it dwelt three score yeares with them : and againe , that the mind of man is thereby restrained , which through curiositie , doth many times with perill wade farther in the search of truth then were convenient . and for raymundus lullius ( a man it seemes of a strong braine ) some great wits are of opinion , that by his ars breuis greater matters may in the sciences be more speedily effected , then by any helpes of the ancients that went before him . sect . . touching astronomie and geometrie , as also the physicks and metaphysicks . for the mathematiques , regio-montanus might in ramus his iudgement safely enough compare with the best of the ancients : noriberga tum regiomontano fruebatur , mathematici inde & studij & operis gloriam tantam adepta , vt tarentum archyta , syracusae archimedi bizantium proclo , alexandria ctesybio non justius quam noriberga regio-montano gloriari possit : then did norinberg injoy regio-montanus , and from thence purchased so great honour both of the study & practice of the mathematiques , that tarentum could not more justly glory in archytas , nor syracuse in archimedes , nor bizantium in proclus , nor alexandria in ctesybius , then might norinberg in regio-montanus . i will onely touch the two most noble parts thereof , astronomy & geometry . it was the opinion of the greatest part of the ancients , not only grecians , egyptians , arabians , & hebrewes , but many doctours of the christian church , as appeares by espencaeus in his treatise de coelorum animatione , that the heavens , or at least the stars were liuing bodies , informed with quickening soules . it was likewise the opinion of origen , & chrysostome , & his master eusebius emissenus , that the stars were not fixed in the heauens , as nailes in a cart wheele , or knots in a peece of timber , but moued in it as fishes in the sea , or birdes in the aire . nay philastrius goes so farre , as to condemne the opinion of their fixednesse for an heresie : multi scriptores ecclesiastici coeli rotunditatem non modo negârunt , sed etiam sacris literis adversari existimârunt , saith pererius in his second booke and third question vpon genesis ; many of the ecclesiasticall writers not onely denyed the sphaericall or circular figure of the heauens , but were of opinion that it crossed the holy scriptures . s. augustine himselfe in diverse places seemes to make a doubt of it ; but chrysostome in his homilies vpon the epistle to the hebrewes dare challenge any that should defend it , & herein is hee followed by theodoret and theophilact . but these fancies are now so generally cryed downe , that to reviue them would be counted no lesse then folly , and to defend them absurdity . in how many things are aratus & eudoxus corrected by ptolomy , & ptolomy himself by regiomontanus , alphonsus , purbachius , copernicus : & they again by clavius , tycho-braye , galilaeus , kepler , and others . it was the errour of aristotle ; that via lactea was a meteor , & not only of aristotle , but almost all before him that there were but eight celestiall spheares ; after this timocaris about yeares before christ found out nine , but about the yeare of christ , alphonsus discovered ten , and the receiued opinion now is , that there are eleuen , the highest of all being held immoveable , the seat of angels & blessed spirits . and thus we see how truth is the daughter of time , how one day teacheth another , and one night certifieth another ; which is likewise verified in the admirable invention of composing the ephemerides , vnknowne to ptolomy & the ancients , who for want of the vse of it were forced by tables to make their supputations in a most toylesome manner , who was the first inventor thereof i am not certaine , saith cardan de rerum varietate lib. . cap. : but purbachius was the first who seemes to haue brought it to light , after whom regiomontanus inlarged it , but zelandinus and others to haue perfected it , ita vt jam nihil desiderari posse videatur , nothing seemes to bee wanting to it . the like may be said of geometry , i will instance onely in one demonstration , which is the quadrature of a circle . this aristotle in diverse places calls scibile but not scitum , a thing that might be knowne , but as then not knowne , in asmuch as the meanes of finding it out , though much laboured , yet was it in his time vnknowne among the ancients : antiphon , bryse , hippocrates , euclide , archimede , apollonius , porus travelled long & earnestly in the discovery hereof , but buteo in a book written of purpose , hath accurately discovered their errours herein . and pancirollus in his nova reperta tels vs , that annis abhinc plus minus triginta ars ista fuit inventa , quae mirabile quoddam secretum in se continet : about thirty yeares since was that art found out , which containes in it wonderfull secrets ; & to shew that it is indeed found out , he there makes demonstration of it , approoued & farther explicated by salmuth , who hath both translated him , & written learned commentaries vpon him . notwithstanding ioseph scaliger in an epistle of his to the states of the vnited provinces , challenge this invention to himselfe : nos tandem in conspectum post tot secula sistimus , wee at last after so many ages haue brought it to light , & exposed it to publique view . i will close vp this consideration of the arts and sciences with a view of philosophie , which braunches it selfe into the metaphysickes , physicks , ethickes , & politickes : the two latter of which i will reserue to the next booke , contenting my self at this time with the former : first then for the metaphysicks that part of it which consists in the knowledge of immateriall substances was vndoubtedly neither so well studied nor vnderstood of the ancient philosophers , as now it is of christian divines . they knew little what belonged to the attributes of god , which of them were communicable to the creature , which incommunicable , so as they might truly graue that inscription vpon their altars , ignoto deo , to the vnknown god ; their ignorance was likewise no lesse touching the nature & office of angels , the mansion or function of separated soules , nay not a few of the most ancient christian divines held the angels corporeal , though invisible substances , and that the reasonable soule of man was deriued from his parents , whereas the contrary opinions are now commonly held both more divine and more reasonable . the physicks or naturall philosophy is it which the ancients , & specially the graecians , and among them aristotle hath with singular commendation much inriched , yet can it not be denyed , but he is by the experience of latter ages found very defectiue in the historicall part thereof : and for the speculatiue , both himselfe & his followers seeme to referre it rather to profession & disputation , matter of wit and credit , then vse & practice : it is therefore a noble and worthy endeavour of my lord of s. albanes so to mixe and temper practice & speculation together , that they may march hand in hand , and mutually embrace and assist each other . speculation by precepts and infallible conclusions preparing a way to practice , and practice againe perfecting speculation . now among those practicall or actiue parts of naturall philosophie which latter ages haue produced - pancirollus names alchymie for a chiefe one : and it is true that we finde little mention thereof in antiquity , not suspected of forgery : but for mine own part i much doubt whether any such experiment be yet really found or no : and if it be whether the operation of it be not more dangerous & difficult then the effect arising from it , is or can be advantagious . but of this am i well assured , that as he who digged in his vineyard for gold missed it , but by opening the rootes of the vines thereby , found their fruite the next yeare more worth vnto him then gold : so whiles men haue laboured by transmutation of mettals from one species to another to make gold , they haue fallen vpon the distillations of waters , extractions of oyles , and such like rare experiments vnknowne to the ancients , which are vndoubtedly more pretious for the vse of man then all the gold of both the indies . sect . . of the arts of painting and architecture revived in this latter age . herevnto may be added the arts of horsmanship , and herauldry , agriculture , & architecture , painting and navigation , all which haue beene not a little both inlarged and perfected in these latter ages : yet with this difference , that some of them together with the other arts decayed , and againe revived with greater perfection : others were neuer in their perfection till now : i will instance onely in the three latter . to begin then with the art of painting . when the romans arrived to the height of their empire , they equalled , nay excelled the graecians heerein , who before were esteemed the best in the world . venimus ad summum fortunae , pingimus-atque psallimus , & luctamur achivis doctius vnctis . to fortunes height we are aspir'd , we paint , we sing , the skilfull greekes we passe in wrestling . quintilian in the last chapter saue one of his last booke , shewes how much this art was accounted of among the ancients , and how by degrees it grew to perfection , and so doth pliny in his booke , & & chapters . some inventing colours , others shadowes & landskips , and others rules of proportion , but in tract of time , it so farre againe decayed , that aeneas sylvius who liued about yeares since , tels vs in one epistle , videmus picturas ducentorum annorum nulla prorsus arte politas , we see the pictures madu years since polished with no kind of art : and in another immediatly following , si ducentorum , trecentorumve annorum , aut sculpturas intueberis , aut picturas , invenies non hominum , sed monstrorum portentor umque facies , if we looke vpon the sculptures or pictures made about or yeares since , we shall finde faces rather of monsters then men . and to like purpose is that of durerus himselfe an excellent painter , penitus deperdita vltra mille annos latuit , ac tandem ante ducentos hos annos per italos rursum in lucem prodijt : this art lay hid in obscurity as it had bin vtterly lost aboue a thousand years ; til at length about yeares agoe it againe brake forth into light by helpe of the italian wits . the most famous italians in this art were michael angelo , & raphael vrbin . some of our owne nation , as namely master heliard an exeter man borne , & many netherlanders , whose names & icones are published by hondius , haue herein deserued good commendation : but durerus of norinberg is indeed the man , who aswell for practice as precepts in this art , is by the most judicious most commended . he was commonly stiled whiles he liued , the apelles of germany , nay erasmus in his dialogue of the right pronunciation of the greeke & latin tongues , seemes to preferre him before apelles : equidem arbitror ( saith he ) si nunc viveret apelles , vt erat ingenuus & candidus , alberto nostro cessurum huius palmae gloriam . truly i am of opinion , that did apelles now liue , being as hee was of an ingenuous disposition , hee would in this art yeeld the bucklers to our albertus . but for singular rules in this kinde , lomatius may not be forgotten , whom mr richard haydocke hath translated out of italian into english , & dedicated to the euer honoured sir thomas bodley . such is the affinitie betwixt the arts of painting & building , by reason they both stand chiefely vpon proportions & iust dimentions , that vassari , who was both himselfe , hath likewise written the liues of the most famous & best skilled in both . vitruvius who liued but in the reigne of augustus , is the only man in a manner among the ancients , either in greeke or latine , who is renowned for the rules of architecture : among those of latter times , sir henry wotton in his preface to his elements of architecture , reputes leon baptista alberti the florentine , the first learned architect beyond the alpes : to whom angelus politianus in an epistle of his to laurentius medices , duke of florence , yeelds this testimony . ita perscrutatus antiquitatis vestigia est , vt veterem architectandi rationem & deprehenderit & in exemplum reuocauerit : he so narrowly traced the prints & foote-steps of antiquity , that he both fully comprehended the manner of the ancient building & reduced it into patterne ; and in the end concludes touching his worth as salust of carthage , tacere satius puto quam pauca dicere , i hold it safer to be silent then to speake in few wordes now as the most sufficient moderne architects in most things follow the ancients , so in many things they varie from thē , & that vpō just reason . the ancient grecians & the romanes by their example in their buildings abroad where the seate was free , did almost religiously scituate the front of their houses towards the south : but from this the moderne italians doe justly varie . againe , the ancients did determine the longitude of all roomes which were longer then broad by the double of the latitude , and the height by the halfe of the breadth & length summed together : but when the roome was precisely square , they made the heigth halfe as much more as the latitude : from which dimensions , the moderne architects haue likewise taken leaue to vary and that vpon good discretion . the publique buildings of the grecians and romans were doubtles very artificiall & magnificent , and so were likewise many of those of the ancient christians , i meane their churches , monasteries , castles , bridges , and the like : but the houses of priuate men were in the memorie of our fathers , for the most part very homely , till the princes of italy began to bestow more art & cost vpon them . cosmo medices duke of florence being one of the first who set vpon this worke ; the italians were soone followed by the french after the victorious returne of charles the eight from naples , and they againe by vs euer since the vniting of the two roses in king henry the seaventh , who at his comming to the crowne , had spent the greatest part of his time in france : before his entrance we had indeede some huge vast buildings ; but his house at richmond & his chappell at westminster ( except perchaunce some would preferre kings college chappell in cambridge began by henry the sixth ) were the two first neate curious peeces that this kingdome had seene : the latter of which may well enough compare , not onely with any peece this day in christendome , but for the bignes of it , with any thing in antiquity of that kinde . but for a stately dainty house , that of none-such excells , which king henry the eight , saith our great antiquarie , built with so great sumptuousnes , and rare workemanshippe , that it aspireth to the very toppe of ostentation for shew : so as a man may thinke , that all the skill of architecture is in this one peece bestowed and heaped vp together . so many statues & liuely images there are in euery place : so many wonders of absolute workemanshippe & workes seeming to contend with romane antiquities , that most worthily it may haue and maintaine still this name that it hath of none-such , according as leland hath written of it . huic quia non habeant similem laudare britanni saepe solent ; nullique parem cognomine dicunt . the brittaines oft were wont to praise this place for that through all the realme they cannot shew the like , & none-such they it call . so as what sebastianus serlius a skilfull architect spake of the pantheon at rome , may not vnfitly be applied to this pile of building , that it is vnicum exemplar consummatae architecturae , the only patterne we haue of perfect architecture ; whether we cast our eyes abroad into the countrey vpon the houses of noblemen & gentlemen , or vpon the colleges & schooles in the vniversities , or vpon the dwellings of the merchant & artificer in the towne & citty , specially in the metropolis ; wee shall generally find a wonderfull great change in building within these last hundred yeares , this latter as much exceeding the former , as augustus his marble rome did that of bricke . and if we looke into forraine parts , the escuriall in spaine & the gallery in france , will yeeld to nothing antiquity can boast of in that kinde : yet if we may beleeue reports , the king of chinaes pallaces , at least-wise for riches & state , put downe any thing which is to be seene in europe at this day . now i know the pyramides raysed by the egyptian kings , & the obeliskes by the grecian & romane emperours are much spoken of , as being vnparaleld by any thing in these latter ages , and they were indeede insanae substructiones , as pliny speakes , mad kinde of buildings , only for shew & ostentation , nothing at all for vse : yet that obeliske , which in the yeare was raised by the direction of dominicus fontana , & at the charge of sixtus quintus ( which thuanus tearmes , inter opera eius primum & praecipuum , the first & the principall among all the great workes which he did ) may well be counted little inferiour to the chiefest of them . it was one solide stone foote in heigth , weighing pounds : it was traslated from the vatican , where it lay in an obscure & durtie place , almost couered ouer with filth , and erected in a more eminent place neere s. peters church . there were disbursed about this worke ( as fontana himselfe hath written ) crownes ; there being imployed therein from the beginning of may to the middle of september men and horses . sect . . of the art of navigation , brought to perfection in this latter age , and vpon that occasion of the situation of ophir . the last , but the chiefe & most vsefull of the three arts which i last named is navigation , in which those of former ages were so ignorant , that they ingraued non vltra vpon hercules pillars , that the nations about pontus thought no sea in the world like their owne , and doubted whether there were any other sea but that only ; whereof it came that pontus was a word vsed for the sea in generall . that the egyptians , held otherwise a wittie people , vsed to coast the shores of the red sea vpon raffs , diuised by king erythrus : and in the time of the romanes , the brittaines our ancestours had a kind of boate ( with which they crost the seas ) made of small twigs and couered with leather , of which lucan the poet. primum cana salix madefacto vimine paruam texitur in puppim , caesoque induta juvenco vectoris patiens , tumidum superenatat amnem . sic venetus stagnante pado fuscque britannus nauigat oceano : the moistned osyre of the hoarie willow is woouen first into a little boate then cloath'd in bullocks hide vpon the billow of a proud riuer lightly doth it floate vnder the water-man . so on the lakes of ouer-swelling poe sayles the venetian , & the brittaines so on the out-spread ocean . and to like purpose is that of festus auienus : navigiaiunctis semper aptant pellibus , corioque vastum saepe percurrunt salum . of stitched hides they all their vessels had , and oft thorow sea in leather voyage made . but that which is more obseruable is , that the iewes were so vnskilfull in this art , as they commonly called the mediterranean sea the great sea ; not being in those times , as it seemes , much acquainted with the ocean : and though the phoenicians & carthaginians , the tyrians & sydonians , are much renowned in histories for great navigatours ; yet it is thought by the learned that those voyages they performed , was onely by coasting and not by crossing the ocean . — haec aetas quod fata negarunt antiquis totum potuit sulcare carinis id pelagi immensum quod circuit amphitrite . this age what fates to former times deni'd through the vast ocean now in ships doth ride sayth fracastorius , and acosta , equidem navigationem altissimo oceano commissam neque apud veteres lego , neque ab illis aliter oceanum navigatum puto quam à nostris mediterraneum : that the ancients adventured themselues into the maine ocean , neither doe i reade it in any of their writers , nor doe i beleeue they otherwise sayled ouer the ocean , then wee doe now ouer the mediterranean sea. and it should seeme they vndertooke not their longest voyages without oares , which the scripture implies in that vndertaken by ionas , where the marriners vpon the rising of a violent tempest were constrained to vse their oares . i am not ignorant , that as vatablus and arias montanus would make ophir , whither salomon sent his nauie ( by reason of the affinitie of the name ) to be peru in the west indies , so pineda spends no lesse then twelue leaues in the largest folio , to proue tharsis , to which it is likewise commonly thought to haue gone to be tartessus in spaine : but for the first of these opinions , cornelius wytfliet , secretary of state in the counsell of brabrant , in his booke intituled descriptionis ptolomaicae argumentum , or occidentis notitia , hath strongly confuted it ; and so hath pererius in his third booke vpon genesis treating of hauilah . but sir walter rawleigh is confident that himselfe hath so knockt it in the head , as it were idle to make any more question thereof : that this question , saith he , bee a subiect of no farther dispute . it is very true that there is no region in the world of that name , ( meaning peru ) sure i am that at least america hath none , no not any citty , village , or mountaine so named : but when francis pizarro first discouered the lands to the south of panama , arriuing in that region which attabaliba commaunded , ( a prince of magnificence , riches and dominion , inferiour to none ) some of the spaniards vtterly ignorant of that language , demaunding by signes as they could , and pointing with their hand athwart the riuer or brooke that ran by , the indians answered peru , which was either the name of that brooke or of water in generall : the spaniards therevpon conceiuing that the people had rightly vnderstood them , set it downe in the iournall of their enterprise , and in the first description made and sent ouer to charles the emperour , all that west part of america to the south of pannama had the name of peru , which hath continued euer since , as diverse spaniards in the indies assured me . which also acosta the iesuite in his naturall & morall history of the indies confirmeth . and whereas montanus also findeth that a part of the indies called iucatan tooke the name of iocktan , who as he supposeth , nauigated from the vtmost east of india to america : it is most true that iucatan is nothing else in the language of that countrey , but , what is that , or what say you ? for when the spaniards asked the name of that place , no man conceiuing their meaning , one of the saluages answered iucatan , which is , what aske you ? or what say you . thus farre sir walter rawleigh , yeelding the reason of his dissent from montanus & vatablus , holding that ophir , to which salomons navy sayled for gold , was peru in the west indies , wherevnto may be added out of salmuth in his commentary vpon pancirollus , that in all likelihood , this land of ophir tooke its name from ophir the sonne of ioctan , ( as the land of hauilah likewise did from another sonne of his , mentioned in the same place ) who as iosephus witnesseth , fixed his seate in the e●…st , placing the countrey of ophir about chersonesus , with whom accords gaspar varrerius in his commentaries purposely written de ophyra regione , where he plainely proues ophir to be that aurea chersonesus in the east indies , which is now called malaca moreouer one of the principall commodities which solomons fleete brought home was yvory , of which in the west indies there is none to be found , it being knowne to want elephants : and lastly out of the text it appeares ▪ that salomon prepared his navy for a voyage into the east , inasmuch as his ships set forth at ezion-geber bordering vpon the red sea , & thither as to the rendevouz came the tyrians & sydonians , hirams men to joyne with them : which had beene a most indirect course , had they intended their voyage toward the west . now for pineda his making of tharshis ; to bee tartessus in his owne countrey of spaine , though herein he follow goropius becanus , yet in the judgment i suppose of most men , recitasse est refutasse , the very recitall of it , is refutation sufficient . for if i should demaund pineda where those spanish mines are now to be seene , from whence salomons shippes brought so much treasure , he must tell me , that either they are dryed vp , or transported to the indies , from whence in fleetes they are yearely brought back into spaine , as sarrarius sports with him , in nov●…m orbem translata magnis classibus revehuntur : so as had not spaine it selfe an ophir or tarshis to furnish it with gold , the poverty of it would doubtlesse soone appeere to the world . besides pineda heerein dissents from acosta his owne countryman & brother of the same societie , who thinkes that by tarshis the hebrewes indefinitely vnderstand some remote , strange , and rich place , as we , saith he , doe by the indies . and if we should say , that salomons tarshis by a little chaunge of letters was paules tarsus a famous citty in silicia ( which seemes likewise to haue its name from tarsis the son of iavan ) we therein should i thinke , shoot neerer the mark then pineda : but i must confesse for mine own priuate judgment , i rather incline to their opinion who by tarshis vnderstand none other then the sea. the israelites & phenicians , because they knew no other sea then the mediterranean in the beginning , & that the people of tarshis had the greatest shippes , and were the first navigators in those parts with such vessels , they were therefore called men of the sea , & the word tharshis vsed often for the sea. thus s. hierome in his commentaries on daniel , ionas fugere cupiebat non in thars●… siliciae , sed absolutè in pelagus . ionas desired to flye not to tars●…s in silic●…a but to the sea. but iunius and tremelius goe farther , translating tharshis by oceanus , thus : nam classis oceani pro rege cum classe chir●… erat , semel ternis annis veniebat classis ex oceàno ; afferens aurum & argentum &c. which we thus render in our last english translation : for the king had at sea a navy of tharshis with the navy of hiram ▪ once-in-three yeares came the navy of hiram , bringing gold and silver . and from this opinion , that by tarshis is or may be vnderstood the sea , the learned drusius in his sacred observations dissents not ; onely hee affirmes that not tharshis , but iam is the commo●…●…ame for the sea , and that not in syriack as s. hierome would haue it , but in hebrew . whereas then it is said or vnderstood , that the shippes of salomon went euery three yeares to tharshis , if by tharshis we vnderstand the sea , the phrase is not improper or strange at all : for we vse it ordinarily wheresoeuer we navigate , namely , that the kings shippes are gone to the sea or returned from the sea , by which it appeares , ( not to touch their opinion who deceiued by the chalde paraphrast , by tharshis vnderstand carthage ) that the voyage of salomons navy was neither to peru in the west indies , n●…r tartessus in spaine , but to ophir in the east indies , which being performed by coasting , needed perchaunce more time , but lesse skill in navigation . the perfection then of this art seemes by gods providence to haue beene reserued to these latter times , of which pedro de medina , & baptista ramusio haue giuen excellent precepts . but the art it selfe hath bin happily practised by the portugals , the spanyards , the hollanders , & our owne nation , whose voyages and discoveries , master hackluit hath collected & reported in three several volumes , lately inlarged & perfected by master purchas , and it were to be wished aswell for the honour of the english name , as the benefite that might thereby redound to other nations , that his collections and relations had beene written in latin , or that some learned pen would be pleased to turne them into that language . among many other famous in this kinde , the noble spirited drake may not be forgotten , who , god being his guide , wit , skill , valour and fortune his attendants , was the next after magellanus that sayled round about the world , wherevpon one wrote these verses vnto him . drake peragrati novit quem terminus orbis quemque semel mundi vidit vterque polus : si taceant homines facient te sydera notum sol nescit comitis immemor esse sui . sir drake whom well the worlds end knew , which thou didst compasse round : and whom both poles of heau'n once saw , which north and south doe bound . the starres aboue will make thee knowne if men here silent were : the sun himselfe cannot forget his fellow traveller . and for the better breeding , continuance , and increase of such expert pilots amongst vs , it would doubtlesse bee a good & profitable worke , ( according to master hakcluits honest motion in his epistle dedicatory to the lord admirall , then being ) if any who hath the meanes had likewise the minde to giue allowance for the reading of a lecture of navigation in london , in imitation of the late emperour charles the fift , who wisely considering the rawnesse of his seamen ; and the manifold shipwracks which they sustained in passing & repassing betweene spain and the west indies , established not only a pilot maior for the examination of such as were to tak●… charge of shippes in that voyage , but also founded a lecture for the art of navigation , which to this day is read in the contractation house at sivill . the readers of which lecture haue not only carefully taught and instructed the spanish marriners by word of mouth , but haue also published sundry exact & worthy treatises concerning marine causes , for the direction & incouragement of posterity : and namely these three , alonzo de chauez , hieronymo de chauez , & rodorigo zamerano , & to this purpose it is a commendable work of master hues , who for the instruction of navigators in the principles of geometry & astronomy , & thereby for the improuement & advancement of the art of navigation , hath written & twice published in two seuerall editions a learned treatise of the celestiall & terrestriall globes , and their vse , which for the better vse of such as are ignorant of the latin tongue , and desirous to learne , i could wish were translated into our owne language . cap. . touching diverse artificiall workes and vsefull inventions , at leastwise matchable with those of the ancients , namely & chiefly the invention of printing , gunnes , and the sea-card or mariners compasse . sect . . of some rare inventions and artificiall workes of this latter age , comparable both for vse and skill to the best of the ancients . as the arts & sciences haue all of them in these latter ages either beene reviued from decay or reduced to vse , or brought forward to perfection : so many secrets of nature & rare conclusions haue beene found out & imparted to the world by albertus magnus , levinus lemnius , fernelius , fracastorius , baptista porta , cornelius agrippa , cardanus , trithemius , delrio , and others , and many singular artificiall inventions , for the vse , ease , delight , or ornament of mankinde , as a number of mechanicall , mathematicall , & musicall instruments , chimneyes , stirrups , paper , spectacles , porcellan , perspectiue glasses , fining of sugars , hand-mils , gloues , hats , bands , watches , besides diverse excellent workes in stuffs , in silkes , in linnens , in hangings , in carpets , and the like , particularly set downe by polidore virgill de inventoribus rerum , and pancirollus in his nova-reperta , & cardanus in his booke de artibus , artificiosisque rebus , to whom notwithstanding much more might easily be added , for as truth is the daughter of time , so are vsefull inventions too , as rightly manilius , lib. . sed cùm long a dies acuit mortalia corda et labor ingenium miseris dedit , & sua quenque advigilare sibi jussit fortuna premendo , seducta in varias certârunt pectora curas , et quodcunque sag●…x tentando repperit ●…sus , in commune bonum commentum laeta dedere . but when that tract of time had whet mens wits , and industry had moulded them , by fits fortune pressing each man to endeavour to free himselfe from miserie , together they bend their minds to search out sundry things and what is found by observation sage , they cheerefully impart from age to age . i will onely specifie some of the rarest artificiall workes of this latter age , comparable for the workemanship with the best of the ancient . peter ramus tels vs of a wooden eagle , & an iron flie made by regiomontanus a famous mathematician of norinberg , whereof the first ( in imitation and emulation of architas his doue ) flew forth of the citty aloft in the aire , met the emperour a good way off comming towards it , & hauing saluted him , returned againe , waiting on him to the citty gates . the second at a feast whereto he had invited his familiar friends , flew forth of his hands , & taking a round , returned thither again to the great astonishment of the beholders : both which the divine pen of the noble du bartas hath excellently expressed . why should i not that wooden eagle mention , a learned germans late admir'd invention , which mounting from his fist that framed her flew farre to meet an almaine emperour . and hauing met him with her nimble traine and weary wings , turning about againe followed him close vnto the castle gate of norinberg , whom all their shewes of state , streetes hang'd with arras , arches curious built , gray-headed senate , and youths gallantise , grac't not so much as only this devise . he goes on and thus describes the flye , once as this artist more with mirth then meat feasted some friends whom he esteemed great , from vnder 's hand an iron flye flew out , which hauing flowne a perfit round about , with weary wings return'd vnto her master , and as judicious on his arme he plac't her . o divine wit , that in the narrow wombe of a small flye could finde sufficient roome for all those springs , wheeles , counterpoise and chaines , which stood insteed of life , and spurre , and raines . desinamus itaque archytae columbam mirari , cum muscam , cum aquilam geometricis alis alatam noriberga exhibeat , saith ramus , let vs giue ouer to wonder at archytas his doue , sithence norinberg hath exhibited both a fly and an eagle winged with geometricall wings . bartas likewise remembers the curious diall & clock at strausburgh , which my selfe haue beheld not without admiration , but who would thinke that mortall hands could mould new heauens , new starres whose whirling courses should with constant windings though contrary wayes marke the true monds of yeares & months & dayes , yet 't is a story that hath oft beene heard and by an hundred witnesses auer'd . neither doth he forget that most exquisite silver spheare ( matchable with archimedes , or that of zapores king of persia ) which was sent as a present from the emperour ferdinand to solyman the great turke , & is mentioned by paulus iouius & sabellicus : it was carried as they write , by twelue men , vnframed & reframed in the grand signiours presence by the maker , who likewise deliuered him a booke contayning the mystery of vsing it . nor may we smoother nor forget ingratelie the heauen of siluer , that was sent but lately from ferdinando as a famous worke vnto bizantium to the greatest turke : wherein a spirit still mouing too & fro , made all the engine orderlie to goe ; and though the one spheare did alwayes slowly slide , and contrary the other swiftly glide ; yet still their stars kept all their courses euen with the true courses of the stars of heaven . the sun there shifting in the zodiaque his shining houses , neuer did forsake his pointed path , there in a moneth his sister fulfil'd her course & changing oft her lustre and forme of face , ( now larger , lesser soone ) followed the changes of the other moone . sect . . of the benefits and inventour of the most vsefull art of printing . bvt leauing these , magna nec ingenijs investigata priorum quaeque diu latuere canam : i 'le speake of greater things which long lay hid neither were found by search of former wits . these spoken of , are in truth but toyes & tryfles in regard of those three most vsefull inventions , which these latter ages challenge as due & proper to themselues , printing , gunnes , and the marriners compasse ; of which cardane comparatiuely speakes in high tearmes . his tribus tota antiquitas nihil par habet , all antiquity can boast of nothing equall to these three . vpon these then will i insist , & with these conclude this comparison of arts & wits ; the rather for that there is none of them but some haue excepted against , as being not moderne but ancient inventions . i will begin with printing , touching which bodin outvies cardane , vna typographia cum omnibus omnium veterum inventis certare facile potest : printing alone may easily contend for the prize with all the inventions of the ancients . and polidore virgill hauing spoken of the famous libraries erected by the ancients , presently adds , fuit illud omnino magnum mortalibus munus , sed nequaquam conferendum cum hoc quod nostro tempore adepti sumus , reperto novo scribendi genere : tantum enim vno die ab vno homine literarum imprimitur , quantum vix toto anno à pluriribus scribi possit . that was indeede a great benefit to mankinde , but not to be compared with this which our age hath found out & injoyed , since a new kinde of writing was brought to light and practised , by meanes whereof , as much may be printed by one man in one day , as could be written by many in a whole yeare ; or as sabellicus , as much as the readiest pen-man could well dispatch in two yeares . and by this meanes , bookes which were before in a manner confined to the libraries of monasteries , as their onely magazines , were redeemed from bondage , obtained their inlargement , & freely walked abroad in the light ; so as now they present themselues familiarly to the eyes & hands of all men , and he that hath but slender meanes , may notwithstanding furnish himselfe in a competent manner , there being now more good authours to bee bought for twenty shillings then could then be purchased for twenty pounds . and besides , they then spake such languages as it pleased the monkes to put into their mouths , who many times thorow ignorance , or negligence , or wilfulnes mistooke words and sentences , and sometimes thrust that into the text which they found in the margine . from whence arose such a confusion in most authours , that it much puzled the best wits how to restore them to the right sense , as lodouicus viues complaines , it befell him in the setting forth of s. augustines workes de civitate dei , & diuinandum saepeuumero fuit , & coniecturis vera restituenda lectio : i was often forced to guesse at the sense & none otherwise then by conjectures could the text be restored to the true reading : and erasmus in his preface to the workes of the same father , vix in alterius tam impie quam in huius sacri doctoris voluminibus lusit otiosorum temeri●…as , hardly hath the rashnes of idle braines so impiously played its part in the volumes of any other , as of this holy doctour : yet that other complaint of his in his preface before s. hieromes workes , touching the many and grosse corruptions which therein he found , farre exceedes this , vnum illud & vere dicam & audacter minoris arbitror hieronymo suos constitisse libros conditos quam nobis restitutos : this one thing may i truly and boldly affirme , that in mine opinion , s. hieromes bookes cost him lesse paines the making , then me the mending . againe , it cannot be denied but the fairenes of the letter beyond that of ordinary writing , addes no small grace to this invention . mira certè ars , sayth cardane , quâ mille chartarum vna die conficiuntur , nec facile est iudicare an in tanta facilitate ac celeritate pulchritudo , an in tanta pulchritudine celeritas & facilitas sit admirabilior : an admirable art sure it is , by which a thousand sheetes may be dispatcht in a day , neither is it easie to judge whether in so great easinesse and quickenesse of dispatch the fairenes of the letter , or in the fairenesse of the letter the quickenesse of dispatch and easinesse thereof , be more to be wondered at . lastly , it is not the least benefit of printing , that by dispersing a number of copies into particular mens hands , there is now hope that good letters shall neuer againe suffer so vniuersall a decay as in forrmer ages they haue done , by the burning and spoyling of publique libraries , in which the whole treasure of learning was in a manner stored vp . since then by this meanes ; bookes are become both fairer , and cheaper , and truer , and lesse subiect to a totall perishing : and since by this art the preseruer of arts , the acts & writings of worthy men are made famous and commended to posterity ; it were a point of haynous ingratitude to suffer the inventor thereof to be buried in obliuion . some difference i confesse there is about his name , yet not such but may be reconciled without any great difficulty . peter ramus seemes to attribute it to one iohn fust a moguntine , and in trueth shewes good cardes for it , telling vs , that he had in his keeping a copie of tullies offices printed vpon parchment with this inscription added in the end thereof : praesens marci tullij clarissimum opus iohannes fust moguntinus ciuis non atramento , plumali canna , neque aerea , sed arte quadam perpulchra manu petri de gerneshem pueri mei faeliciter effeci , finitum an . , die mensis februarij . this excellent worke of marcus tullius i iohn fust a citizen of mentz happily imprinted , not with writing ynke , quill , or brasse pen , but with an excellent art by the helpe of peter gerneshem my servant : finished it was in the yeare , the th of februarie . pasquier averres that the like had come to his hands , and salmuth that one of the same impression was to be seene in the publique librarie at ausburg , and another ( as others ) in emanuell college in cambridge , and my selfe haue seene a fifth in the publique librarie at oxford , though with some little difference in the inscription . yet pollidore virgill from the report of the moguntines themselues affirmes , that iohn gutenberg a knight , and dwelling in mentz , was the first inventor thereof , & therein with him accord palmerius in his chronicle , melchior guilandinus in the chapter of his treatise touching paper & parchment ; chasaneus in his catalogue of the glory of the world , the second part and th consideration , veignier in his bibliotheque , bibliander de communi ratione omnium linguarum , in his chapter of printing ( professing that therein he follows wymphilingius in his epitomie of the affaires of germany ) iohannes arnoldus in his booke of the invention of printing ; and lastly , munster in his cosmographie , who addes this particular , that he smoothered it a long time , labouring to conceale it all that he might . for the reconciling then of this difference , it may well be that gutenberg was indeed the first happy inventour of this invalueable art : but fust the first , who taking it from him , made proofe thereof in printing a booke : they both then deserue their commendation , but in different degrees : gutenberg in the highest , fust in a second or third ; & no doubt , but many since haue added much to the speede , grace and perfection thereof , whose names , though wee know not , yet perchance , haue they as well deserued of the common-wealth of learning as hee : sure we are , that manutius operinus , raphelengius , plantin , and both the stephens ; the father & the sonne , are not to be forgotten , but remembred with honour , for the furthering and perfecting of this art. yet some there are who writing of the affaires of the indies , as petrus maffaius , garzias ab horto , & paulus iovius assure vs , that either the germanes borrowed this inventiō frō the chineses , or at leastwise the chineses had the practise & vse of it long before them . wherevnto i answer ( not to question the credit of the authors ) though in truth ( as is well knowne ) no great friends to the german nation , that though it were long since in vse with the chineses , yet , for ought appeareth , was it neuer , nor yet is with them brought to that perfection as it is with vs at this day : si à veteribus tale quiddam excogitatum sit , vt nemo debita laude sraudandus , fateri quisque debeat omnia minus fuisse exculta , nitida , subtilia , elimata , nec tam spectabili literarum varietate exornata atque expolita , saith levinus lemnius . if any such thing were discovered by the ancients ( either by the chineses or otherwhere ) as they are not to be robbed of their due praise , so ought we to confesse , that all things are now more exact and perfect , and better polished with a faire variety of letters . but that the germans should borrow it from the chineses , as is pretended by the spanyards , is more i thinke then is true , i am sure then is yet proued , or in likelyhood doth appeare : and the germans themselues will neuer with patience endure such a wrong . germania certè nunquam sibi hanc laudem patietur extorqueri , saith salmuth , germany will neuer suffer the praise of this invention to bee wrested from her , and beroaldus . o germania muneris repertrix , quo nil vtilius dedit vetustas libros scribere . quae doces premendo . thou germany this blessing didst invent , then which the world more vsefull neuer saw , to write on bookes thou teachest thus by print . and with him accords laurentius valla , though himselfe an italian , if those verses bee his which are ascribed vnto him in the front of his workes . abstulerat latio multos germania libros , nunc multo plures reddidit ingenio . etquod vix toto quisquam perscriberet anno , munere germano conficit vna dies . germania drew great store of bookes from italy , but now much more she doth . then she receiv'd , repay : what erewhile in one yeare could scarcely written bee ; now by germania's helpe is finisht in one day . sec . . of the vse and invention of gunnes . as the invention of printing is chiefely in vse in time of peace , so is that of gunnes in time of warre , with which the aries , onagri , catapulta , or balistae , engines of the ancients , ( which i know not well how to english , they being growne for the most part out of vse ) are no way comparable , nec vlla ex parte huic conferendus est antiquus aries , vires inferiores habebat , & difficilius admuros adigebatur , saith patricius , the ramme anciently for batterie , is in no sort to be compared with this engine , it had lesse strength , & more difficulty there was in bringing it , and applying it to the walls . and bodine to like purpose , ( though herein perchance he jumpe not with lipsius in his poliorcetica ) omitto catapulta veterum & antiqua belli tormenta , quae si cum nostris conferantur sanè puerilia quaedam ludicra videri possint : i passe ouer the engines of the ancients , which being compared with ours , are rather childish toyes then instruments for warre . and lipsius himselfe cals it , geniorum , non hominum inventum ▪ an invention of spirits , and not of men . such is the force of these moderne engines , that they not only destroy men , but cast downe walls , rampiers , towres , castles , citties , and shake the tallest shippes into shiuers , there being nothing that comes within their reach that can stand against them . it was a peece of almost incredible bignesse which by mahomets commaund was imployed against constantinople , ad quam trahendam adhibebantur septuaginta juga boum , & bis mille viri , as witnesseth chalcondilas in his eight booke de rebus turcicis , for the drawing of which were imployed seuenty yoke of oxen , and two thousand men . it is true that there is nothing more mischievous to besieged cities , and so is there nothing that helpes them more for the chasing away of the befiegers , it being so for the most part in all things , which either the art or wit of man , or god & nature hath framed , that the more helpefull they are being well vsed , the more hurtfull are they being abused : then fire and water there is nothing more commodious to the life of man , yet is the proverbe true , that when they are once inraged , & passe their bounds , they become merciles : the tongue is said by esope to be both the best and the worst meat that comes to the market : for with it we both blesse god & curse men , saith s. iames. and yron by pliny is rightly tearmed , optimum , pessimumque vitae instrumentum , the best & worst instrument belonging to man , but sure it seemes that god in his providence had reserued this engine for these times , that by the cruell force & terrible roaring of it , men might the rather be deterred from assaulting one another in hostile and warlike manner ; and i verily beleeue , that since the invention and vse thereof , fewer haue beene slaine in the warres then before . neither doth it serue , ( as is commonly objected , ) to make men cowards , but rather hardens them . for hee that dares present himselfe to the mouth of a cannon , cannot feare the face of death in what shape soeuer it present it selfe . howsoeuer some haue not beene wanting , who would beare vs in hand that this invention is not of latter times , but ancient ; among whom sir walter rawleigh is one , who in his history of the world , referres not only the invention of printing , but of gunnes too , and ordinance of battery to the indians , grounding himselfe heerein vpon the report of the portugals : and hereby , saith he , we are now made to vnderstand , that the place of philostratus in vita apollonij tianei , is no fable , though exprest in fabulous words , when he saith , that the wise men which dwell betweene hyphesis and ganges vse not themselues to goe forth to battle , but that they driue away their enemies with thunder and lightning . but hereof i can say nothing , choosing with camerarius , potius credere quàm cum molestia experiri , rather to beleeue it , then to endure the hazard and trouble to make tryall of it . others referre it to salmoneus , as witnesseth levinus lemnius , induced therevnto by those verses of virgill vidi & crudeles dantem salmonea poenas , dum flammas iovis & sonitus imitatur olympi . quatuor hic invectus equis ac lampada quaessans per graium populos mediaeque per elidis vrbem ibat ovans , divumque sibi poscebat honores demens qui nimbos & non imitabile fulmen , aere & cornipedum cursu fimulabat equorum . i saw salmoneus there endure most cruell paines and great , for that he dar'd the flames of ioue , and thunder counterfeit . in chariot drawne with horses foure , shaking a fiery brand through mids of elis towne he rode , and through all graecian land triumphing wise : and to himselfe audaciously did take honours divine . mad franticke man that did not inlie quake : with horne-foot horses , and brasse-wheeles , ioves stormes to emulate , and lightenings impossible for man to imitate . but servius in his commentaries conceiues , that this imitation of thunder was by driuing his chariot ouer a brasen bridge : and if hee vsed any engine , it seemes to haue beene rather for rattling and terrour , then for any reall effect : and whereas great ordinance exceed thunder , this was such that it came farre short of it : and therefore as ' rota hath well obserued , the poet calls it . — non imitabile fulmen . but this i leaue as a very vncertaine ground for the ancient invention of this engine . petrarch and valturius vpon better shew of reason ( as they conceiue ) referre it to archimede , found out ( as they pretend ) by him for the ouer-throw of marcellus his shipps at the siege of syracuse . but it were strange that both plutarch & liuie , who haue written largely of his admirable wit & wonderfull engines , and particularly of the siege of that citie , should among the rest forget this rare invention ; and yet more strange that the romanes vpon the taking of the citie should not take it vp and make vse of it : nay , as magius ( who hath written a chapter of purpose , to refute them who referre this invention to the ancients ) hath obserued ; neither heron , nor pappus , nor athenaeus , nor biton in their manuscrips of the mechanniques , ( for printed they are not ) haue described any such engine : nor aegidius romanus , ( who liued & wrote in the reigne of philip the faire king of france about the yeare , ) where he treates purposely of warlike engines & instruments , remembers any such thing . brightman in his exposition on the revelation of s. iohn , tels vs that by the fire , & smoake , & brimstone which in that place are said to haue issued out of the mouths of the horses , are to be vnderstood our powder & gunnes now in vse , & that of them s. iohn prophesied , but how these can be said to issue out of the mouthes of horses , he doth not well expresse , nor i thinke well vnderstood . the common opinion then is , that this diuise was first found out by a monke of germanie , whose name many writers affirme to be deseruedly lost : but forcatulus in his fourth booke of the empire & phylosophy of france , names him berthold swarts of cullē , & salmuth , constantine anklitzen of friburg : howsoeuer they all agree that he was a german monke , and that by chaunce a sparke of fire falling into a pot of niter , which he had prepared for physicke or alchimy , and causing it to fly vp , he therevpon made a composition of powder , with an instrument of brasse & yron , and putting fire to it , found the conclusion to answere his expectation . the first publique vse of gunnes that we reade of , was thought to be about the yeare as magius , or as ramus , in a battle betwixt the venetians & the genowayes fought at clodia-fossa , in which the venetian hauing from this monke belike , gotten the vse of gunnes , so galled their enimies , that they saw themselues wounded & slaine , and yet knew not by what meanes , or how to prevent it , as witnesseth platina in the life of vrbane the sixth . and laurentius valla in the second booke & chapter of his elegancies , ( which as himselfe testifies , he wrote in the yeare ) affirmes that the gunne grew in vse not long before his time . his words are , nuper inventa est machina quam bombardam vocant , the engine which they call the gunne was lately found out . and petrarch who liued somewhat before him to like purpose in his dialogue of the remedies of both fortunes , though therein i confesse he seeme to crosse himselfe , erat haec pestis nuper rara , vt cum ingenti miraculo cerneretur : this pestilent deuise was lately so rare , that it was beheld with marueilous great astonishment . yet i haue seene the copie of a record , that great ordinance were brought by the french to the batterie of a castle or fort called outhwyke , neere to callis , and then in possession of the english , the first yeare of richard the second ; of which fort , one william weston was captaine , and being questioned in parliament for yeelding vp the fort , he doth in his excuse alalleage , that the enimies brought to the batterie thereof nine peeces de grosses canons par les quelles les mures & les measons da dit chastel furent rentes & percussez en plusiears lieux , of great canons , by meanes whereof the wals and houses of the sayed castell were in diuerse places rent in sunder and sorely battered ; and in another place , he tearmeth them huge , most greivous , & admirable ordinance : nay more then so , i am credibly informed , that a commission is to be seene for the making of salt-peter in edward the thirds time , and another record of ordinance vsed in that time some twēty yeares before his death : by all which it should appeare , that either the invention of gunnes was sooner then is commonly conceiued , or that our nation and the french had the vse of it with the first , howsoeuer , it is most cleare , that at least-wise in these parts of the world this invention was not knowen till in latter ages in comparison of the worlds duration . sect . . of the vse and invention of the martiners compasse or sea-card , as also of another excellent invention sayd to be lately found out vpon the load-stone , together with a conclusion of this comparison touching arts & wits , with a saying of bodins , and another very notable one of lactantius . to these inventions of printing & gunnes , may be added in the last place that of the marriners compasse , of which bodin thus confidently speakes , cum magnete nihil sit admirabilius in tota rerum natura , vsum tamen eius plane diuinum antiqui ignorarunt : though there be nothing more admirable then the load-stone in the whole course of nature , yet of the diuine vse thereof were the ancients ignorant : and blondus , certum est id navigandi auxilium priscis omnino fuisse incognitum : it is certaine that helpe of sayling was altogether vnknown to the ancients . and cardan , a man much versed in the rarities of nature , inter caetera rerum inventa admiratione primum digna est ratio nauticae pyxidis : among other rare inventions , that of the marriners compasse is most worthy of admiration . by meanes of it , was navigation perfected , the liues and goods of many thousand haue bin , and daily are preserued : it findes out a way thorow the vast ocean , in the greatest stormes and darkest nights , where is neither path to follow , nor inhabitant or passinger to inquire ; it points out the way to the skillfull marriner when all other helpes faile him , and that more certainely though it be without reason , sense , and life , then without the helpe thereof all the wisards & learned clearks in the world , vsing the vnited strength of their wits & cunning can possiblely doe : by meanes of it are the commodities of all countreys discouered , trade , & traffique , & humane societie maintained , their seuerall formes of gouernment , and religion obserued , & the whole world made as it were one common-wealth , and the most distant nations fellowes citizens of the same bodie politique . this wonderfull instrument we haue amply described by cieze in his second tombe & ninth chapter de rebus indicis , and bellonus in his second booke & sixteenth chapter de singularitatibus : but for the reason thereof , i say with acosta , causas huius tanti prodigij alij rimentur , & sympathiam nescio quam conentur inducere , ego summi opificis potentiam providentiamque quoties intueor , & vehementer admiror & iucundissimè celebro . let others search out the causes of this so wonderfull an instrument , & pretend therein i know not what sympathie , i for my part as oft as i looke vpon it , cannot but exceedingly admire , & most willingly praise the power and providence of god. whether it were knowne to the ancients or no , some doubt is moued , as of all things else there is : but herein , in my judgement , without any sufficient reason . for can we conceiue that so rare a deuise & of so singular vse could be knowne to aristotle , theophrastus , pliny , dioscorides , galen , and that we should no where in any of their workes finde the least mention thereof ? surely , i for my part shall neuer beleeue it ; neither can i bee perswaded that so pretious and vsefull an invention could possiblely be entertained & commonly practised , and yet lost againe out of the world as if it had neuer beene . but that indeed it was not practised appeares by this , that the ancients , when by reason of a storme or mist they had lost the sight of the lights of heauen , they had no remedy to fly vnto ; nullum coelo nubibus obscurato à magnete aut alio instrumento petebatur auxilium , when the heauen was darkened with clouds , they had no assistance from the load-stone or any other instrument . — clauumque affixus & haerens nunquam amittebat oculosque sub astra tenebat . the helme he held & neuer it forsooke ●…ut on the stars his eyes did euer looke . saith the poet , as long as the starres appeared ; but when they were be misted , they then wandred they knew not whither . tres adeo incertos caeca caligine soles , erramus pelago , totidem sine fidere noctes . on sea we rou'd three dayes as darke as night , three nights likewise not feeing starrie light . and in s. pauls coasting voyage by sea , when they had lost the sight of the sunne and starres all hope that they should be saued was then taken away . some notwithstanding haue beene found , who haue thought this invention ancient . levinus lemnius in his third booke and fourth chapter de occultis naturae miraculis seemes to doubt of it . an hoc instramentum nauticum superioribus seculis extitit , an nostro idaevo excogitatum , non ausi●… certo pronunciare : whether this instrument of navigation were in being in former ages , or found out in latter times , i cannot certainely define . now that which chiefly causes him to make a doubt thereof , is those words of plautus , hic ventus nunc secundus est , cape modò versoriam : where by versoriam , lemnius would haue vs vnderstand the marriners compasse , and then addes , quanqùam ut opinor haec pixidicula nostro jam tempore magis exculta sit , elimata , expolita , omniaque exactius demonstret , as in the same chapter he speakes of printing : yet i beleeue that this instrument was in latter ages brought to exact perfection : but for plautus i dare say he was neuer guilty of such a meaning : turnebus by versoriam vnderstanding the rope with which the sayle , others the rudder , with which the ship is turned : neither of which are impertinent or improper , so as there is no necessity of applying it to the marriners compasse . stephen pasquier in his booke & chapter of his recherches of france brings it vp as high as the times of s. lewis by the verses of one hugh de bercy , who liued in his raigne , and as he pretends plainely describes it : but whether the words be so plaine as he makes them , or whether they were published by some other since bercy , but in his name , is very vncertaine , specially since no poet or historiographer contemporary with him , or more ancient then he , are found to make mention thereof : and yet s. lewis died not much aboue yeare since . pineda for the more commodious placing of tharshis in spaine , is confident that it was in vse in solomons time , making his vniversall wisedome , and deepe insight in the nature of all things , the principall ground of his opinion : but solomons wisedome though it were vniversall , and deepe beyond all the children of the east , inasmuch as god gaue him latitudinem cordis , a large heart as the sand on the sea shore , yet was it finite and limited aswell in things naturall as supernaturall . i doubt not but adam in the state of integrity knew more then solomon , and yet i dare not pronounce him omniscious , that being an attribute , ( as is likewise omnipotencie , vbiquity & eternity ) individually proper to the godhead , & incommunicable to any created substance , though meerely incorporeall , whether they bee the damned or the blessed spirits . if then the holy angels , if adam in paradice knew not all things , nay if the sonne of god himselfe , as he was man confesse himselfe to be ignorant of some things , why should wee thinke it strange to affirme , that solomon knew not all things . if there be such a secret as the artificiall transmutation of other mettals into gold , ( which by the experiments of many is confidently avouched ) it is more then probable he was ignorant of it : for had he known it , he needed not to haue sent his navy to ophir or tharshis for gold ; as likewise had he knowne this secret of the load-stone , it needed not to haue spent three yeares in going and comming , neither should his marriners haue needed to craue the assistance of the tyrians and sydonians , as pilots for the better conducting of them in their voyage . i conclude then that either solomon knew not this secret , or if he knew it , he put it not in practise , or if he put it in practise , it was since lost and recouered againe , which to me seemeth the most vnlikely of all . now to the authority of these three , who plead for the antiquity of this invention , may be opposed thirteene , and those in learning nothing inferiour who pleade against it , maintaining it to haue beene an invention of latter ages vnknowne to the ancients , as acosta lib. . histor . ind. cap. . mariana lib. . de rebus hispaniae cap. . maluenda lib. . de antichristo cap. . gomara tomo . indicae historiae cap. . turnebus lib. . advers . cap. . pancirollus in his nova reperta tit . . salmuth in his commentaries on that place . philander in his comment . vpon vitruvius lib. . cap. . lilius giraldus . lib. de navig . cap. . cardan de subtilitate lib. . bozius de signis ecclesiae lib. . bodin in his methode of history cap. . ramus in schol. mathemat . lib. . and to those may be added many more , were i ambitious in mustering vp of names , or did the cause require it . since the writing hereof i finde that our fuller miscell . . . thinkes it likewise very probable , that the tyrians anciently had the vse of the compasse , and that solomon might bee the inventor thereof , but against him may be produced the reasons before pressed against pineda , & not onely the authorities already alleadged , but vnto them we may farther adde that of gaspar varrerius in his commentary de ophyra regione , cujus vim nativamque lapidis in arctos semper respectantis antiquis ignotam fuisse manifestum est it is cleere that the natiue propertie of this stone of turning alwayes to the north , was to the ancients vnknowne . but a greater doubt presents it selfe about the time and author of this invention , when & by whom it should first be found out & set on foot . doctour gilbert our countreyman ( who hath written in latin a large & learned discourse of the properties of this stone ) seemes to be of opinion that paulus venetus brought the invention of the vse thereof frō the chineses . osorius in his discourse of the acts of king emanuel , referres it to gama and his countreymen the portugals , who as he pretends took it from certaine barbarous pirats roauing vpon the sea about the cape of good hope . goropius becanus likewise thinkes hee hath great reason to intitle it vpon his countreymen the germans , in as much as the . points of the winde vpon the compasse borrow the names from the dutch in all languages . but blondus , who is therein followed by pancirollus , both italians , will not haue italy loose the praise thereof , telling vs that about yeares agoe it was found out at malphis or melpbis a citty in the kingdome of naples in the province of campania , now called terra di lavorador ; but for the author of it , the one names him not , & the other assures vs , he is not knowne : yet salmuth out of ciezus and gomara confidently christens him with the name of flavius , and so doth du bartas in those excellent verses of his touching this subject . w' are not to ceres so much bound for bread , neither to bacchus for his clusters red , as signior flavio to thy witty tryall , for first inventing of the sea-mans dyall , th' vse of the needle turning in the same , divine device , o admirable frame whereby thorow th' ocean in the darkest night our hugest carracks are conducted right , whereby w' are stor'd with trou●…h-man , guide and lampe , to search all corners of the watery campe. whereby a ship that stormy heau'ns haue whorld neere in one night into another world knowes where she is , and in the card descries what degrees thence the aequinoctiall lies . it may well be then that flavius the meluitan was the first inventor of guiding the ship by the turning of the needle to the north : but some german afterwards added to the compasse the points of the wind in his owne language , whence other nations haue since borrowed it . but surely a pitty it is that the author of such an invention is not both more certainlie knowne & honourably esteemed : he better deserving in my judgment to be inrolled and ranked among the great benefactors of the world , then many who for their supposed merits , of mankind were deified among the heathen . another excellent and secret conclusion vpon this stone , pretended to be found out in these latter times , is , that by touching two needles with the same stone , they being severally set so as they may turne vpon two round tables , hauing on their borders the alphabet written circlewise , if two friends agreeing vpon the time , the one in paris , the other in london , ( hauing each of them their table thus equally fitted ) be disposed vpon certaine dayes & at certaine houres to conferre , it is to bee done by turning the needle in one of the tables to the alphabet , & the other by sympathie will turne it selfe in the same manner in the other table , though neuer so farre distant : which conclusion if infallibly true , may likewise prooue of good and great consequence : howsoeuer i will set it downe as i finde it described by famianus strada in imitation of the stile and vaine of lucretius . magnesi genus est lapidis mirabile , cui si corpora ferri plura stylosve admoveris , inde non modo vim motumque trahent quo semper ad vrsam quae lucet vicina polo se vertere tentent , verumetiam mira inter se ratione , modoque quotquot eum lapidem tetigere styli , simul omnes conspirare situm motumque videbis in vnum . vt si fortè ex his altquis romae moveatur alter ad hunc motum quamvis sit dissitus longè arcano se naturai foedere vertat . ergò age si quid scire voles qui distat amicum ad quem nulla accedere possit epistola , sume planum orbem patulumque notas , elementaque prima , ordine quo discunt pueri , describe per or as extremas orbis , medioque repone jacentem qui tetigit magneta stylum , vt versatilis inde litterulam quamcunque velis contingerepossit . hujus ad exemplum simili fabricaveris orbem margine descriptum , munitumque indice ferri , ferri quod motum magnete accepit ab illo , hunc orbem dissessurus sibi portet amicus ; conveniatque prius quo tempore , queisve diebus exploret stylus an trepidet quidve indice signes . his ita compositis si clam cupis alloqui amicum quem procul à te te terrai distinet ora orbi adjunge manum , ferrum versatile tracta , hic disposta vides elementa in margine toto queis opus est ad verba notis hunc dirige ferrum litterulasque modo hano modo & illam cuspide tange dum ferrum per eas iterumque iterumque rotando componas singillatim sensa omnia mentis . mira fides longe qui distat cernit amicus nullius impulsu trepidare volubile ferrum nunc huc , nunc illuc discurrere conscius haeret obseruatque styli ductum sequiturque legendo hinc atque hinc elementa quibus in verba coactis quid sit opus sentit ferroque interprete discit . quin etiam cum stare stylum videt , ipse vicissim si quae respondenda putat simili ratione litterulis varie tactis rescribit amico : o vtinam haec ratio scribendi prodeat vsu cautior & citior properaret epistola , nullas latronum verita insidias fluviosque morantes , ipse suis princeps manibus conficeret rem nos soboles scribarum emersi ex aequore nigro consecraremus calamum magnetis ad aras . the loade aboue all other stones hath this strange propertie , if sundry steels thereto , or needles yee applie , such force & motion thence they draw , that they incline to turne them to the beare which neere the pole doth shine . nay more , as many steels as touch that vertuous stone , in strange & wondrous sort conspiring all in one , together moue themselues , and situate together : as if one of those steels at rome bestir'd , the other the selfe-same way will stirre though they far distant be , and all through natures force & secret sympathie : well then if you of ought would faine advise your friend that dwels far off , to whom no letter you can send ; a large smooth round table make , write down the christcrosse row in order on the verge thereof , and then bestow the needle in the mid'st which toucht the load , that so what note soe're you list it straight may turne vnto : then frame another orbe in all respects like this , describe the edge , and lay the steele thereon likewise , the steele which from the selfe-same magnes motion drew ; this orbe send with thy friend what time he bids adeu : but on the dayes agree first , when you meane to proue , if the steele stir , and to what letters it doth moue . this done , if with thy friend thou closely would'st advise , who in a countrey off far distant from thee lies , take thou the orbe & steele which on the orbe was set , the christcrosse on the edge thou seest in order writ , what notes will frame thy words to them direct thy steele , and it sometime to this , sometime to that note wheele , turning it round about so often till you finde you haue compounded all the meaning of your minde ; thy friend that dwels far off , ô strange ! doth plainely see the steele to stir , though it by no man stirred bee , running now heere now there : he conscious of the plot as the steele guides pursues , & reades from note to note ; then gathering into words those notes , he clearely sees what 's needefull to be done , the needle truchman is : now when the steele doth cease its motion ; if thy friend thinke it convenient answere backe to send , the same course he may take , and with his needle write touching the seuerall notes what so he list indite . would god men would be pleas'd to put this course in vre , their letters would arriue more speedy and more sure , nor riuers would them stoppe , nor theeues them intercept ; princes with their owne hands their businesse might effect : wee scribes from blacke sea scaped , at length with hearty wils at th' altar of the loade would consecrate our quils . of this devise , how two absent friends might confer at great distance , viginerius in his annotations vpon t. liuius , speaketh somewhat in the columne of his first volume ; as namely that a letter might be read through a stone wall of three foote thicke , by guiding and mouing the needle of a compasse ouer the letters of the alphabet , written in the circumference : but the certainety of this conclusion , i leaue to the experiment of such as list to make tryall of it , and so conclude this comparison touching wits & arts with the words of bodi●… : non minus peccant qui à veteribus aiunt omnia comprehensa , quam qui illos de veteri multarum artium possessione deturbant , habet natura scientiarum thesauros numirabiles qui nullis aetatibus exhauriri possunt . they are no lesse to blame who affirme all things to haue been found out by the ancients , then they who would thrust them out of the possession of many arts found out by them : for the nature of sciences includes in it infinite treasure which can neuer be exhausted or rather with those of lactantius worthy to be written in letters of gold , as being no lesse true and pertinent , then witty and elegant : dedit omnibus deus pro virili portione sapientiam , vt & inaudita investigare possent , & audita perpendere ; nec quia nos illi temporibus antecesserunt , sapientia quoque antecesserunt , quae si omnibus aequaliter datur , occupari ab antecedentibus non potest . illibabili●…est 〈◊〉 lux & claritas solis , quia vt sol oculorum , sit sapientia 〈◊〉 est cordis humani . quare cum sapere , id est veritatem quaerere omnibus sit innatum , sapientiam sibi adimunt qui sine vllo judicio inventa maiorum probant ▪ & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more ducuntur . sed hoc eos fallit quod maiorum nomine posi●… non patant fieri posse , vt aut ipsi plus sapiant quia minores vocantur , aut illi de●…rint quia maiores nominantur . god hath giuen wisedome vnto all according to a competent measure , that they might both finde out things vnheard of before , and weigh things already ●…ound out ▪ neither because they had the start of vs in time , doth it likewise follow that they haue it also in wisedome , which if it be indifferently graunted to all , it cannot bee forestalled by them which went before . it is vnimpaireable like the light and brightnes of the sunne , it being the light of mans heart as the sunne is of his eyes . sithence then to be wise , that is , ●…search the truth , is a disposition inbred in euery man , they debarre themselues of wisedome , who without any examination approue the inventions of their ancestours , & like vnreasonable creatures , are wholy led by others . but this is it which deceiues them , the name of ancestours being once set in the front , they thinke it cannot be that either themselues should be wiser , because they are called punies , or the others should in any thing be mistaken , because they are called their ancestours . and thus haue we seene that there is in mankind no such vniversall & perpetuall decay in regard of age & life , of strength & stature , of arts & wits , as is commonly pretended : it now remaines , that in the last place wee examine their manners & conditions , vertues & vices , whether it be so that men alwayes grow worse & worse , as it is likewise generally and confidently both held and beleeved . lib . iv. of the pretended decay in matter of manners , together with a large proofe of the future consummation of the world , from the testimonies of the gentiles , and the vses which wee are to draw from the consideration thereof . cap. . that there is no such vniversall & perpetuall decay in the manners of men as is pretended , which is first proved in generall , and then from religion the ground of manners . sect . . that there is a vicissitude and revolution in vertues and vices , as there is in arts & sciences svch is the neere affinitie and mutuall connexion betwixt these foure , age , strength , wit , & manners , that as the three former ordinarily follow the temper & complexion of the body , so for the most part doth the fourth too ; though i must confesse that by the freedome of the will in morall matters we are more masters of the fourth , then of the other three , which are more naturall , and consequently lesse in our power to alter or commaund ; as strength then is the comfort of age , and 〈◊〉 the grace of strength , & vertue , the guide of wit : so age without strength is tedious , strength without wit dangerous , wit without vertue hurtfull and pernicious . if then hauing matched men of latter ages with those of the former in regard of age , strength , & wit , they should not likewise proue matchable in regard of vertue , it were a blemish rather then an ornament , a discommendation then a prayse . now though it be true that vice at this day so abounds thorow the world , as it commonly doth , and well may breed a doubt euen in the best , whether these last times be not indeed the worst , and as it were the lees & dregs of all ages ; yet when i consider that in these latter ages , ( if we compare them with the precedent since the creation ) a great part of the knowne world hath beene converted to the christian doctrine , and that the authour of it hath told vs , by their fruites yee shall knowe them ; mee thinkes i should wrong both him and it , if i should yeeld that the world hath not thereby beene bettered , euen in regard of civill vertue & morall goodnes : deus vt parens diligentissimus appropinquante vltimo tempore nuncium misit , qui vetus illud seculum fugatamque iusticiam reduceret , ne humanum genus maximis & perpetuis agitaretur erroribus ; redijt ergo species illius aurei temporis , saith lactantius . god as a most tender father , the end now drawing on , sent his messenger , who should reduce that old age and banished justice , least mankinde should alwayes be tossed vp & downe with infinite & continuall errours , so as now we haue brought backe againe vnto vs a representation of those golden times . but as i cannot easily grant that men alwayes , and in all places waxe worse and worse ; so i doe not beleiue that alwayes , & in all places they waxe better and better , or that they stand at a stay : but as in the arts & sciences ; so likewise in matter of manners , there is a vicissitude , an alternation & revolution as before hath beene touched in part . the world is sometimes better & sometimes worse , according to the times of warre or peace , the conditions of princes & lawes , and the execution of them . sometimes vertue increaseth in one kingdome and decreaseth in another , and againe in the same kingdome one vice growes vp and another withers , at least-wise for a time . this circulation of vertue and vice hath beene obserued , and the obseruation thereof commended to posterity by the soundest & sagest writers in antiquity : nisi forte in rebus cunctis inest quidam velut orbis , & quemadmodum temporum vices ita morum vertantur , nec omnia apud priores meliora , sed nostra quoque aetas multa laudis & artium imitanda posteris tulit , saith tacitus . vnlesse perchance there be in all things a certaine circular change , & as there is by turnes an entercourse of times , so also of customes and manners . neither were all things in ancient times better then ours , bur our age hath likewise left to posterity many things worthy praise and imitation and againe , vitia erunt donec homines , sed neque haec continua , & meliorum interventu pensantur . vices there will be , as long as men are , but these iast not alwayes , and they are often recompensed by the intervening of better times . and with him accords the graue seneca : hoc maiores nostri questi sunt , hoc nos quaerimur , hoc posteri nostri querentur , euersos esse mores , regnare nequitiam , in deterius res humanas & in omne nefas labi : at ista stant loco eodem , stabuntque paululum duntaxat vltra aut citra mota , vt fluctus quos aestus accedens longius extulit , recedens maiore littorum vestigio tenuit , nunc in adulterio magis quam in alio peccabitur , abrumpetque frenos pudicitia , nunc conviviorum vigebit furor , & foedissimum patrimoniorum exitium culina , nunc cultus corporum nimius , & formae cura , prae seferens animi deformitatem ; nunc in petulantiam & audaciam erumpet male dispensata libertas , nunc in crudelitatem priuatam ac publicam ibitur bellorumque ciuilium insaniam , qua omne sanctum ac sacrum profanetur , habebitur aliquando ebrietati honor , & plurimum meri cepisse virtus erit . non expectant vno loco vitia , sed mobilia & inter se dissentientia , tumultuantur invicem fuganturque . caeterum idem semper de nobis pronunciare debebimus , malos esse nos , malos fuisse , invitus adijciam , & futuros esse . this our ancestours complained of , this wee complaine of , this our posterity will complaine of , that manners are corrupted , that wickednes reignes , that humane affaires grow worse & worse , but these stand where they were , and so shall remaine , being only at times a little remoued ; sometimes this way , sometimes that way , as the waues which the tide flowing carries farther in , but ebbing leaues farther off . sometimes adultery spreads it selfe more then any other sinne , and immodesty will endure no bridle : and sometimes againe the madnes of feasting is in fashion and the kitching the basest kinde of consuming a mans patrimony ; and then againe the immoderate decking of our bodies and care of preseruing our beautie , which too much discouers the deformitie of the mind , sometimes liberty dispensed with breaketh out in to desperate boldnes , sometimes into cruelty publique & private , and the rage of civill wars , whereby all holy things and places come to be profaned , and the time will come when drunkennes shall be had in honour , and it shall be held a vertue to swill downe much wine . vices rest not in any one state or place , but shifting hither & thither , and sighting one against another , they both assault and put one another to flight : but howeuer it goe , it shall alwayes be truly said of vs , that wee are naught , naught wee haue beene , ( and which i vnwillingly adde ) we shall still be naught . and the same authour hauing related a storie out of asclepiodorus , how phillippe of macedon sent men downe into an old mine to search what store was left in it , and whether the couetousnes of former ages had not drawne it dry , cum magna haec voluptate legi , saith he , intellexi enim saeculum nostrum non novis vitijs sed iam antiquitùs traditis laborare , nec nostra aetate primum auaritiam venas terrarum lapidumque rimatam in tenebris male abstrusa quaesisse : illi quoque maiores nostri quos celebramus laudibus , quibus dissimiles querimur nos esse , spe ducti montes ceciderunt & supra lucrum sub ruina steterunt . this i read with marveilous great content : for thereby i vnderstood , that our age was not burdened with new vices , but such as were anciently practised , nor that auarice now first searched into the veines of the earth & stones , seeking out those things which nature hath buried in darkenes . euen those our ancestours , whom we so highly extoll , to whom we complaine that our selues are vnlike , in hope of lucre cut thorow mountains and vnder danger of ruine stood vpon their gaine . it cannot be denyed , but that a wicked gouernour hath many times a good successour , and a gracelesse father a godly and vertuous sonne . egregia est soboles scelerato nata parente : a worthles sire begets a worthy sonne . thus constantine succeeded to dioclesian , iouinian to iulian , alexander seuerus to heliogabalus , hezekias to ahaz , & iosias to ammon . and doubtles were the son alwayes worse then the faher , the successour then the predecessour , and succeeding ages then the proceeding , villny had long ere this stretched it selfe to the vtmost period , & that complaint which the satyrist vttered by way of poeticall aggrauation had long before this time beene verified in truth and in deede : non habet vlterius quod nostris moribus addat posteritas . nought hath posterity which to our manners may yet further added be . sect . . the extreame follie of the ancients , in adoring & invocating images . in this comparison of manners , i will first begin with the religion of the ancients , which ouer-spread almost the whole world , because from their foule errours in matters of the first table we shall easily guesse at their grosse irregularities in those of the second , the duties of the latter depending vpon the obseruation of the former : and besides in the very choice & exercise of their religion will appeare much inhumanitie & brutish stupiditie ; their idols of gold , & siluer , & stone , and wood were to the inspired pen-men of holy writ so ridiculous , that euery where they inveigh against them as most sottish vani●…es , and the worshippers of them , as men voide of common reason , shewing themselues more blockish then the very blockes they adored , in that being themselues made according to gods image , they worshipped images made with their owne hands , and bestowed vpon their owne workes the deitie of him , from whom they receiued breath and being . their idols are silver and gold , saith the prophet dauid , euen the workes of mens hands , they haue a mouth and speake not , eyes haue they and see not , they haue eares and heare not , noses haue they and smell not , they haue hands and touch not , feete haue they and walke not , they that make them are like vnto 〈◊〉 , and so are all they that put their trust in them . and the prophet esay hauing shewed how a man plants a tree , & when it is grown vp cuts it downe , with part thereof he baketh his bread , with part he rosteth his meate & warmeth himselfe , and with the residue thereof he maketh his god , euen his idoll : the carpenter stretcheth out a line , he fashioneth it with a red thread , he planeth and he pourtraieth it with the compasse , and maketh it after the figure of a man , and according to the beauty of a man , that it may remaine in an house ; then boweth he and worshippeth , and prayeth vnto it , and saith , deliuer me for thou art my god : and therevpon inferres , they haue not knowen nor vnderstood , for god hath shut their eyes that they cannot see , and their hearts , that they cannot vnderstand . and the prophet ierimy much to like purpose , one cutteth a tree out of the forrest with an axe , and another decketh it with siluer and with gold , they fasten it with nayles and hammers , that it fall not , the idoles stand vp as a palme tree , but they speake not : they are borne because they cannot goe , and then concludes , they dote and are foolish , for the stock is a doctrine of vanity . but most liuely & elegantly , yet with scorne and derision haue we this blockish vanity described in the booke of wisedome . miserable are they , and among the dead is their hope that call them gods , which are the workes of mens hands , gold & siluer , and the thing that is invented by art & the similitude of beasts , or any vaine stone that hath beene made by the hand of antiquity . or as when a carpenter cutteth downe a tree meete for the worke , and pareth off all the barke thereof cunningly , & by art maketh a vessell profitable for the vse of life , and the things that are cut off from his worke he bestoweth to dresse his meat to fill himselfe , & that which is left of these things which is profitable for nothing , ( for it is a crooked peece of wood , & full of knobs ) he carueth it diligently at his leisure , & according as hee is expert in cunning , he giueth it a proportion , & fashioneth it after the similitude of a man , or maketh it like some vile beast , and straketh it ouer with vermilion , & painteth and couereth euery spot that is in it ; and when he hath made a convenient tabernacle for it , he setteth it in a wall , & maketh it fast with iron , providing so for it lest it fall : for hee knoweth that it cannot helpe it selfe , because it is an image that hath need of helpe : then he prayeth for his goods , & for his marriage , and for his children , hee is not ashamed to speake vnto it that hath no life , hee calleth on him that is weake for health , he prayeth vnto him that is dead for life , he requireth helpe of him that hath no experience at all , & for his journey him that is not able to goe , and for gaine and successe in his affaires , asketh ability to doe of him that is most vnable to doe any thing . this childish foppery the primitiue christians also scoffed & laughed at , quae amentia est , aut ea fingere quae ipsi postmodum timeant , aut timere quae finxerunt , saith lactantius : what a madnesse is it either to make things which themselues feare , or to feare those things which themselues haue made . nec intelligunt homines ineptissimi quod si sentire simulacra & movere possent , vltrò adoratura homines fuissent à quibus sunt expolita . neither doe these foolish men vnderstand that the images they adore , had they but sense & motion , would adore them who framed & formed them . sed haeo nemo considerat , ac mentes eorum penitus succum stultitiae perbiberunt : adorant ergo insensibilia qui sentiunt , irrationalia qui sapiunt , exanima qui vivunt , terrena qui oriuntur è coelo . iuvat ergo velut in aliqua sublimi specula constitutum vnde vniversi exaudire possint persianum illud proclamare , o cur as hominum , ô quantum est in rebus inane , o curvae in terris animae & coelestium inanes ! but these things none considereth , their minds being thoroughly drenched with the liquor of foolishnes : they which haue sence adore things without sence , which haue life things without life , which are from heauen things earthly . it were good then from some high tower that all might heare it , to proclaime alowd that of persius , o cares of men ! o world all fraught with vanities ! o mindes inclined towards earth , all voide of heau'nly thought ! and sedulius an ancient christian poet , by nation a scot , hath excellently described this palpable folly , heu miseri qui vana colunt , qui corde sinistro religiosa sibi sculpunt simulacra , suumque factorem fugiunt , & quae fecêre verentur , quis furor est quae tanta animos dementia ludit ? vt volucrem , turpemque bovem , torvumque draconem , semihominemque canem supplex homo pronus adoret . ah wretched they that worship vanities , and consecrate dumbe idols in their hearts , who their owne maker god on high despise , and feare the worke of their owne hands and art ! what fury , what great madnesse doth beguile mens mindes , that man should vgly sh●…pes adore of birds , or buls , or dragons , or the vile halfe dog halfe man on knees for aide implore . to these vgly shapes doth seneca allude : nu●…ina vocant quae si accepto spiritu occurrerent monstra haberentur . divine powers they call those which if they should meete hauing life put into them , would be held monsters . and one of their owne poets seemes to ●…est at their grossenesse herein . olim truncus eram ficulnus invtile lignum , quem faber incertus scamnum facere●…ne , priapum maluit esse deum . euen now i was the stocke of an old figge tree , th●… workeman doubting what i then should bee , a bench or god , at last a god made mee . it is indeed true , that the romanes for a time were altogether without images for any religious vse , but afterward they receiued into their city those of all other nations by them conquered , so as they who were lords of the whole world , became slaues to the idoles of all the world : which bables , as witnesseth s. augustine . that learned varro both bewailed & vtterly condemned in expresse words : qui primi simulacra deorum populis posuerunt , ij & civitatibus suis timorem ademerunt , & errorem addiderunt : they who first erected idols for the peoples vse thereby both abolished all feare of the deitie and introduced errour . but the wise seneca thus derides them , simulacra deorum venerantur , illis supplicant genu posito , illa adorant , & cum haec suspiciant , fabros qui illa fecere contemnunt : the images of the gods they worship , those they pray vnto with bended knees , those they adore , and while they so greatly admire them , they contemne the artificer that made them . sect . . their grosse and ridiculous blockishnesse in the infinite multitude of their gods . their strange infatuation will yet appeare farther vnto vs if wee rise a little higher from the images to the gods which they represented , and surely whether their practice about their images , or their opinion touching their gods were more grosse and ridiculous , it is hard to define : whether we regard their number or their condition , or their manner of service . for their number he that reades boccace his books de genealogia deorum , will easily finde them almost numberlesse ; so as the apostle might well say , there be gods many , and lords many . crinitus out of hesiodus makes them thirty thousand strong : & the iuppiters alone out of varro no lesse then three hundred . there were dij majorum gentium , which were worshipped generally throughout the greatest part of the world ; & dij tutelares , gods of seuerall nations & provinces , chosen to be their patrons & guardions , which may be gathered by those high places which solomon built for his idolatrous wiues , wherein they worshipped the seuerall gods of their seuerall nations , ashtoreth the goddesse of the sidonians , and milcom the god of the ammorites , cbemosh the god of the moabites , & molech the god of the ammonites : so likewise for all the rest of his outlandish wiues , which burnt incense & offered vnto their gods , whereby it appeareth that euery nation had a god of his owne , & yet farther may it be seene by the practice of those nations which salmanezer transplanted into the samaritan cities , of whom it is recorded , that though they feared the lord , yet they worshipped euery one his owne peculiar god , of whom there is a catalogue in the same place set downe , the babylonians succoth benoth , the cuthites nergall , the hammathites ashima , the avites nibhaz , & tartak , the sepharvites adramelech , & anamelek . and as seuerall nations & provinces chose to themselues their gods , so did likewise the cities as we may partly see by that rabble of them mustered vp by rabshaketh in his oration to king hezekiah , where is the god of hamah and arpad , where is the god of sepher-vaim hevah & iuah : & in imitation of the gentiles did the men of iudah multiply their gods according to the number of their cities . neither did nations , provinces , & cities onely affect to haue euery one vnto themselues their owne peculiar and seuerall gods , as their patrons and defenders , but the same was likewise followed by all their seuerall families , who still had their lares & deos penates , that is , their houshold gods , as the protectours of their families , whom because they adored in the secret & inward parts of their houses , the poets vse to call deos penetrales : yea and as pliny reporteth , not only seuerall families had their seuerall gods , but also euery seuerall person would adopt a seuerall god of his owne ; insomuch that hee thought the number of gods to bee multiplied aboue the number of men . major coeli●…um populus etiam qu●…m hominum intelligi potest , cùm singuli quoque ex semetipsis singulos deos faciant , i●…nones geniosque adoptando sibi . we may well conceiue greater multitudes of gods then of men , seeing euery man adop●…eth as he pleaseth both greater & small●…r gods to himselfe . all which considered , otiosum est per omnia deorum nomina per●…urrere qui colerentur à veteribus , saith ter●…ullian . it were an idle thing to attempt to runne through the names of all the gods which the ancients worshipped , they had so many old gods & new gods , hee gods & shee gods , citty gods & countrey god , co●…mon gods & proper gods , land gods & sea gods. and with tertull●…an heerein accords s. augustine , quando autem possins vno loco libri h●…us ●…morari omnia nomina deorum aut dearum , quae illi grandibus volum●…bus vix comprehendere potuerunt singulis rebus propria dispertie●…tes officia numinum . how can all the names of their gods and goddesses bee recounted in one chapter of this booke , which themselues could not range within the compasse of many great volumes , appointing a p●…rticular god to waite on euery particular thing ; nay for some thing , saith he , they had many gods , as namely for corne they had segetia for the sowing of it , while it lay vnder the earth tutelina , when it sprang vp proserpina , nodotus when it shut into a blade , when it spired voluti●…a , when the eare opened patilena , when it brake forth host●…lina , when it blosomed flora , when it kerned lacturtia , when it grew ripe ma●…uta , when it was reaped 〈◊〉 . his conclusion is , which also shall be mine for this point , ne omnia commemoro quia me piget quod illos non 〈◊〉 : neither doe i name all , for that it grieueth me to wri●…e what they were not ashamed to act . sect . . the most shamefull and base condition of their gods . the quality & condition of their gods was doubtles much more shamefull th●…n their multitude . the common opinion touching their great god iupiter was , that he was intombed in creete , and his monument was there to be seene . wherevpon lactantius wit ily demaunds , quomodo potest deus esse alibi vivus alibi mortuus , alibi habere templum , alibi sepulchrum ? tell me i beseech you how can the same god be aliue in one place and dead in another , haue a temple dedicated to him in one place , and a tomb erected in another . nay callimachus himselfe in his hymne on iupiter , calleth the cretians lyars in this very respects , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. which part of his hymne is thus translated into latine by bonaventura vulcanius . at certe mendax est creta , sepulchrum quae posuit tibi qui haud moreris , nam semper es idem . the cretians alwayes lyars are , who rais'd vnto thy name a sepul●…her , that neuer diest , but euer art the same . moreouer , they gaue diuine honour to notorious common strumpets , as vnto goddesses , to venus , to faula , to lupa the nurse of romulus , so called among the sheepheards for the common prostitution of her body , and to flora , who hauing gained much by her meretricious trade ; she made by her will the people of rome her h●…ire , and left a sum of money , by the vse whereof , her birth-day was yearely to be celebrated , with the setting forth of games , which in memorie of her they called floralia . nay , their great goddesse iuno ; they make both the wife and the sister of iupiter , and iupiter himselfe with the other gods , no better then adulterers , sodomites , murtherers , theeues : neither were these things concealed or whispered in priuate , but published to the world ; they were liuely described by their painters in their tables , by their poets in their verses , and acted by their players vpon their stages . quanta maiestas putanda est . quae adoratur in templis , illuditur in theatris , what great maiestie call yee me that , which is adored in the temples , & prophaned in the theatres . and so farre were the worshippers of these goodly gods from punishing or censuring them therein , that they were highly applauded and approued by the people , and rewarded by the state : neither were these things written or spoken by lucian , or such as scoffed at religion , but by those who professedly vndertooke the prayse of their gods , non enim ista lucilius narrat aut lucianus qui dijs & hominibus non pepercit , sed hi potissimum qui deorum laudes canebant , & quibus credemus si fidem laudantibus non habemus ? these things are not reported by lucilius or lucianus , who spared neither god nor man , but specially by them who sung the prayses of the gods ; and to whom i pray you in such cases should we giue credit , if not to them , who purposely seeke to commend ? besides , they worshipped ridiculous gods , as fortunam , fornacem , mutam , the passions of the mind and the diseases of the body , timorem , pallorem , febrem , nay vices , priapum , cupidinem , non nomina colendorum sed crimina colentium , not names fit for diuine powers to be worshipped , being nothing else but the vices of the worshippers . heerevnto may be added their silthy gods , crepitus ventris , cloacina , sterquilinium , well deseruing that reproach which is cast vpon them by aristophanes , that they were dij merdiuori , & so moses calleth thē in expresse tearmes , dirty dung-hill gods , as the originall is rendred by iunius & tremelius . foure whole dayes , saith tacitus , cremona ministred matter to sacke & to burne , and all things beside both holy & prophane being consumed into ashes ; the temple of mephitis without the wals remained vntouched , either because it stood out of the way , or by reason of some diuine vertue of the goddesse : now would you know what this goodly lady was , surely none other then the goddesse of ill sauours : and these kinde of gods and goddesses lactantius deseruedly wisheth to be euer present with their worshippers : yet not content with this , they worshipped the devills themselues , they sacrificed vnto diuels not vnto god , saith moses : and i say , saith the apostle , that the things which the gentiles sacrifice , they sacrifice to devills and not to god. what should i speake of the thebans worshipping a wezell , the trotans a mouse , the egyptians an onion or a leeke , and such like contemptible things : which notorious folly , iuvenall , who liued a while amongst them , thus wittily derides . porrum & caepe nefas violare & frangere morsu o sanctas gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis numina ! a leeke , an onyon ô'tis wickednesse , these once to violate & to eate no lesse , sweete saints they are , & holy ones i trow , to whom their gods doe in their gardens grow . and diuerse such absurd gods they worshipped , which would make a modest man euen blush to name , as sybilla hath truly noted : — haec adoratis et multa alia vana quae sane turpe fuerit praedicare sunt enim dij hominum deceptores stultorum : these foolish gods and many more like vaine , they worship and adore : which filthy were to name in schooles , such filthy gods deceiue but fooles . sec . . their barbarous and most vnnaturall cruelty , in sacrificing their children to their gods. now if from the multitude and quality of their gods we proceede yet a little farther , to search into the manner of their service , wee shall easily finde that more frentike & vnreasonable , then either of the two former . which madnes of theirs is well set forth by seneca , si intueri vacet quae faciunt , quaeque patiuntur superstitiosi , inveniet tam indecora honestis , tam indigna liberis , tam dissimilia sanis , vt nemo fuerit dubitaturus , furere eos si cum paucioribus furerent , nunc sanitatis patrocinium est insanientium turba : if a man had but the leasure to looke into those things , which men led with superstition both doe & suffer , he shall find them so vnbefitting honest , so vnworthy of ingenuous , so vnlike sound & sober mindes , as no man would doubt but they were starke madde , were but the number of them fewer that thus goe a madding , whereas now the only plea for themselues that they are in their right wits is the number of mad men . alexander ab alexandro hath of set purpose composed an intire chapter touching this point , where the maine matter hee insists vpon , that made the sacrifices of the heathen most odious , was the effusion of humane blood in the service of their gods ; yet had this barbarous vnnaturall practice spread it selfe well neere ouer the knowne world : it was in vse among the troians , as it should seeme by that of virgill , touching aeneas : vinxerat & post terga manus quos mitteret vmbris inferias caeso sparsurus sanguine flammas . their hands behind their backes he bound whom he had destined a sacrifice vnto the ghosts , & on whose flames to shed their blood he purposed . and againe in another place , — sulmone creatos quatuor hic iuuenes totidem quos educat vfeus viventes rapit , inferias quos immolet vmbris captiuoque rogi perfundat sanguine flammas . sulmos foure sonnes aliue he tooke , vfeus foure sons likewise , whom to the ghosts he purposed eftsoones to sacrifice , and on those burning carkases to spill their captiue blood . whereupon lactantius cries out , quid potest esse hac pietate dementius , quam mortuis humanas victimas immolare , & ignem cruore hominum tanquam oleo pascere ? what can be more frentike then this kinde of piety , which sacrificeth liuing men for the ease of the dead , & feedes the fire of the altar with humane blood , as it were with oyle . the grecians in like manner were infected with this bloody and deadly disease : sanguine placastis divos & virgine caesa cum primum iliacas danai venistis ad or as sanguine quaerendi reditus , animaque litandum argolica . with blood and offring of a maid the gods were pacifide , when first to troy-ward yee were bound , with blood yee must againe seeke your returne , with grecian soule they must be satisfide the virgine he meanes was iphigenia , who was sacrificed in the sight of her father agamemnon , which gaue occasion to that of lucretius , tantum religio potuit suadere malorum ? such , so much wickednes religion could perswade . this wicked custome was likewise taken vp by the carthaginians , as appeares by silius italicus : mos fuit in populis quos condidit advena dido poscere caedi deos , veniam , ac flagrantibus aris ( infandum dictu ) parvos imponere natos vrna reducebat miserandos annua casus . the ancient custome of that state , queene dido stablished , was this , with humane sacrifice the gods they worshipped . on burning altars ( out alas ) their children young they slew , an yearely lot these cruelties did solemnely renew . and lactantius reports out of pescenius festus , that the carthaginians hauing for a time intermitted that kind of sacrifice , and being ouerthrown in a battell by agathocles king of sicill , for the paci●…ying of their god saturne , whom by their losse they conceiued to be displeased with thē ; they sacrificed at once vnto him two hundred children , sons to the chiefe nobility of the city ; whereby perchaunce , saith he , they gaue themselues a greater blowe , then agathocles their professed enimy had done . the gaules also our next neighbours were guilty of this diuelish kind of worship , if we may credit lucan . et quibus immitis placatur sanguine diro t●…utates , hor●…ensque feris altaribus haesus et taranis scythicae non mitior ara dianae . and they that vse with cursed blood their idoll gods to please teutates fierce , & hesus grimme whom nought else may appease ; but sacrifice of humane flesh & taranis likewise worshipt as curst diana is just after scythike wise . neither were the moabites free from this horrible sin ▪ as may be seene in the of kings and the , where the king of moab tooke his own son , as some thinke , or others the king of edoms sonne , & offered him for a burnt offering vpon the wall . and generally it was practised by the inhabitants of the land of canaan , their sons & their daughters they burnt in the fire to their gods. the parents killed with their owne hands soules destitute of helpe . good god , that the candle of reason should be so farre dimmed , and the image of god defaced in man , as to thinke that an acceptable sacrifice , which was in truth an horrible & sacrilegious impiety , as if religion did extinguish naturall affection , or that were lawfull at the altar or in the temple , which in the market place was most vnlawfull , and punishable in an high degree : nonne satius esset pecudum more viuere , saith lactantius ? were it not better to liue as beasts without all sense of religion , then to exercise it in such sauage manner : yet was not this so strange in the barbarous nations , their religion being heerein sutable to their manners , as in the romans , the professed masters forsooth of morality & civility : yet came this damnable practice long in vse among them too , vntill it was to be abolisht by decree of senate , during the consulship of cornelius lentulus , & licinius crassus : which makes me the more to wonder that virgill held amongst them , as the world then went ; an honest vnderstanding man , should after the publishing of this decree , commend it in aeneas as an act of piety , and not rather censure it as a most abominable impiety . haec culpa non illius fuit qui literas fortasse non didicerat , sed tua qui cum esses eruditus , ignorasti tamen quid esset pietas , & illud ipsum quod nefariè , quod detestabiliter fecit , pietatis esse officium credidisti , saith lactantius . this was not so much aeneas his fault , who was perchaunce altogether vnlearned , as thine , who being indued with knowledge , yet wast ignorant what was piety , & beleeuest that to be a pious act , which he most wickedly & detestablely committed . but that which i most admire , is , that it should creep in amongst the iewes , the peculiar people of the true god , as himselfe complaines by the prophet ierimy : and they haue built the high places of tophet , which is in the valley of the son of hinnon , to burne their sons & their daughters in the fire , which i commaunded them not , neither came it into my heart ; by the prophet ezekiell , when they had slaine their children to their idols , then they came the same day into my sanctuary to prrphane it ; & by the prophet dauid , they were mingled among the heathen , and learned their workes , and they served their idols which were a snare vnto them ; yea they sacrificed their sons & their daughters vnto devils , and shed innocent blood , even the blood of their sons and of their daughters , whom they sacrificed vnto the idols of canaan , and the land was polluted with blood . thus ahaz made molten images for baalim , and burnt his children for sacrifice before the idoll moloch , or saturne , which was represented by a man like br●…sen body bearing the head of a calfe , set vp not far from hierusalem , in a valley shadowed with wood , called gehinnon or tophet , from whence is the word gehenna vsed for hell . the children offered were inclosed within the carkasse of this idoll , and as the fire increased , so the sacrificers with a noise of cymbals & other instruments filled the aire , to the end , the horrible cries of the children might not be heard ; and hence the place borrowd the name of tophet , from top , which signifies a timbrell ; of which most detestable impiety , able to make a mans haire stand an end and his heart tremble euen at the relation thereof : paulus fagius hath written at large in his commentary vpon the chalde paraphrase , & before him s. hierome vpon the tenrh of s. matthew , and since him wolphius in his expositions on the second booke of kings , added for supplement of peter martyrs , thus sharpely but justly censures it ; fuit autem haec plusquam belluina immanitas ; quae enim ferae suos catulos non potius ament , amplectantur , foveant , nutriant , quam occidant , ne dum crudeliter excruciatos necent ; this monstrous inhumanity was more then brutish : for what wild beasts doe not rather loue , imbrace , nourish and cherish their young ones , then kill them & cruelly torment them to death ? sect . . their monstrous beastlinesse in the worship of priapus & berecynthia , as also of their doting follie in their divinations , together with a touch vpon the childish fables of the iewish rabbines , the absurd opinions and horrible practises of ancient heretikes in the primitiue christian church , & the incredible ignorance and superstition of the romish . i cannot tell whether their cruelty were greater in the worship of moloch , or their beastlinesse in the worship of priapus , described by gyraldus at large , in his history of the gods : and tostatus in his question vpon the of exodus . it was so obscene , as the very mention of it , cannot but offend chast eares ; hic morbus , hoc crimen , hoc dedecus habet inter illa sacra professionem quod in vitiosis hominum moribus vix habet inter tormenta confessionem . they professe in the holding of those sacrifices , that beastly crime , which the most vitious men will hardly confesse vpon the racke . i will therefore skip ouer it as cleanely as i may , as men commonly doe ouer boggs & quagmires . the shape in which this god was represented , was such as nature hath taught vs to hide : the gestures of the priests in seruing him , such as i wonder their matrones & virgines , in whom were any sparkes of modesty , could behold it with patience : and for the people who came to worshippe , the sacrifice being ended , they all stepped aside into a thicked , which was alwayes planted neere the altar of this god , and there like bruite beasts promiscuously satisfied their lust , thereby as they conceaued best pleasing their god ; which was the cause , as it seemes , that the true god commaunded , that no groues should be planted neere the place of his worship , and if any were , they should be cut downe . this priapus , as s. hierome & isidore are of opinion , was the same with that baal-peor or beel-phegor , whom the moabites & madianites adored , & the israelites themselues for loue of the madianitish women : and the same s. hierome makes maacha the mother of asa , guilty of the same villany , in his commentaries vpon the fourth of hosea , where he thus translates part of the fifteenth chapter of the first booke of kings : insuper & maacham matrem suam amouit , ne esset princeps in sacris pryapi , & in luco eius : moreouer hee deposed maacha his mother , that shee might not be chiefe in the sacrifices of pryapus & his groues . of much like condition to this worship of pryapus , was that of berecynthia , the mother of the gods , as we finde it described by s. augustine , out of his owne experience ; his words are these . ante eius lecticam die solenni la●…ationis eius , talia per publicum cantitabantur , à nequissimis scenicis qualia non dico matrem deorum , sed matrem qualiumcunque senatorum vel quorumlibet honestorum virorum , imò vero qualia nec matrem ipsorum scenicorum deceret audire : such filthy stuffe was by loose lewd varlets sung before her charet on the solemne day of her lavation , as was vtterly 〈◊〉 , i will not say for the mother of the gods , but of any senarour , nay of any honest man , nay of the singers themselues to heare : and perchaunce , sayth he , they would haue blushed to haue spoken that before their own mothers at home , which before the mother of the gods in the 〈◊〉 & hearing of innumerable multitudes of both sexes they boldly sang , & therevpō breaks out into this exclamation , quae sunt sacri legia , si illa erant sacra ? quae inquinatio , si illa lavatio ? what should we call sacriledge , if this were sacrificing ? what pollution , if this lauation ? and if this be sacriledge , then surely the worshipping of god by blasphemies & cur●…ings , as did the lyndians , is a degree beyond sacriledge ; who notwithstanding proceeded so farre in this diuelish mad custome , vt ea sacra pro violaris haberentur , si quando inter solennes ritus vel imprudenti alicui ex●…ider et bonum verbum , as witnesseth lactantius , that they held it a violation of their sacrifice , if during their solemne ceremonies , but a good word chaunced to slippe from any man though vnawares . now what a lamentable case is this , to consider that the common enimy of mankinde should so farre prevaile in blinding their vnderstandings , as to conceiue that the authour of life should be worshipped with the effusion of humane & innocent blood , the fountaine of holinesse with brutish impurity , the father of blessings with execrable cursings ? heerevnto may be added the vaine divinations which the romans made vpon the entrals of beasts , vpon the flying , the feeding , the singing , the cherping of birds : but the sage cato & those of the wiser sort well saw the doting folly of these lying vanities , potest augur augurem videre , & non ridere ? can one diuiner looke vpon another & not smile ? and the same cato , as s. augustine reports it , when one asked counsell of him in sober earnest , what harme he thought aboded him because rats had gnawne his hose , he answered with a iest , that it was no strang thing to see that , but it had beene much more straunge if his hose had devoured the rats . tully likewise in his disputations touching such arguments , when one to inforce the verity of divination had sayd , that a victorie which fell to the thebanes , was foreshewed by an extraordinary crowing of cocks , he could reply vpon that with a very smooth & quicke put off , that it was no miracle cockes should crow , but if fishes had so done , that had bin wonderfull indeede . i will conclude this point , as alexander ab alexandro doth his last booke : quantum debemus christo domino regi & doctori nostro , quem 〈◊〉 rum deum veneramur & scimus , quo praemonstrante explosa monstrosa ferarum gentium doctrina rituque immani & barbaro , veram religionem edocti ▪ humanitatem & verum deum colimus , evictisque erroribus & infandis inep●…ijs quas prisci coluere , quid quemque deceat & quibus sacris quàque mente deum colere oporteat noscitamus . how much doe we owe to christ our king & master , whom we acknowledge and worship as true god , by whose guidance and direction , the monstrous doctrine and barbarous rites of those sauage nations being chased away , and we being taught true religion , imbrace civility and the true god ; and the errours & vnspeakeable follies which the ancients had in honour and reverence , being brought to light , we know what our dutie is , with what ceremonies , and with what minde god is to bee worshipped ; which is in effect the same with that of the apostle , thankes be to god , who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse , and translated vs into the kingdome of his deere sonne . if i were disposed to inlarge this discourse , heere might easily be remembred the vnsavory tales , the childish fancies and fables of the iewish rabbins in their talmud and cabal , the most absard opinions and horrible practices of ancient heretiques in the primitiue church , the incredible ignorance & superstition among those , who for the space of many ages were commonly accounted the best , nay the only christians : but each of these would require a large volume , and are already fully discouered by others . the first by gala●…inus de arcanis catholicae veritatis , and buxdorsius in his synagoga iudaica ; the second by 〈◊〉 , philastrius , epiphanius , augustine , ●…rateolus , alphonsus à castro and others ; the third by the writers of the reformed churches , who haue set themselues to oppose the corruptions and abuses of the church , or rather the court of rome : and howbeit the romanists in requitall heere of would proue their adversaries doctrine to open a gappe to disobedience and licentiousnes ; yet i doubt not but the more sober minded among them , finde that to proceede , rather out of eagernesse , and heat of disputation , then from any solide reason or setled judgement ; since it is certaine , that since luther awakened the world , the manners euen of the romish clergy themselues are not a little reformed . cap. . touching the lawes of the ancient grecians and saxons , whereof some were wicked and impious , others most absurd and ridiculous . sect . . the vnjust and absurd lawes of solon the athenian emperour . as religion is the hinge vpon which the government of the politicall state depends and mooues , so next after it good and wholesome laws serue much for the bettering of a common-wealth in matter of manners . law being therefore defined by plato to bee a reasonable rule leading and directing men to their due end for a publique good , ordaining penalties for them that transgresse , & rewards for them that obey . and by cicero to be the highest and chiefe reason grafted in nature , commaunding those things which are to be done , & forbidding the contrary . but by the civilians most briefly and properly , lex est sanctio sancta , jubens honesta , prohibens contraria , law is an holy decree , ( that is , a decree not to be violated ) commaunding honest things , and forbidding the contrary . now as the ancient paynims were defectiue in points of true religion : so were they likewise in making just lawes , sometimes commaunding where they should forbid , and againe forbidding where they should commaund , rewarding where they should punish , and punishing where they should reward . i will instance onely in some particular lawes of the graecians , and of our predecessours the saxons . among the graecians foure law-makers were most renowned , solon , lycurgus , plato , and aristotle , two of which actually founded common-weales , the one the athenian , the other the lacedemanian . the other two onely framed them in idea or speculation , yet all provided lawes for them , such as they were . i will begin with solon , accounted one of the seuen sages in greece , highly commended for his great wisedome in making lawes both by aristotle and plato , who proposeth him and lycurgus as patternes for all such as shall institute common-weales , and devise lawes for them . solon then resolving for the releeuing of the poore to make a law for the abolishing and cancelling all contracts and obligations of debts past , & imparting his minde therein to some of his intire friends , they seeing his resolution , borrowed great store of money , and imployed it in the purchase of land , wherevpon it followed that when solon published his new law , they remained exceedingly inriched , their creditors defrauded , and he much suspected of deceipt , as to haue had secret intelligence with them , & part of their gaine . and although it seemeth that therein he had wrong , for he lost by his owne law , as some write , talents which were owing him , yet in two things he cannot be excused , the one in that he caused not his friends to restore the money which they had guilefully borrowed , and the other that without examination of the particular causes and reasons of euery mans debt , he ordained a generall abolition of all debts both good and bad , whereby aswell those which were able to pay , as the vnable were discharged , and all creditors without difference defrauded , contrary to all equity & justice , which as cicero saith speaking of the like case , requireth aboue all things that euery man haue his owne , & that equall regard be had to the rich aswell as to the poore ; which ( saith he ) is no way observed , cùm locupletes suum perdunt , & debitores lucrentur alienum , when rich men loose their owne , and debtors gaine that which belongeth to other men . another of solons absurd lawes was , that whosoeuer in any publique sedition should be nuter 〈◊〉 & take neither pa●… , should remai●… euer after infamous : his reason was for that hee thought it not convenient that any man should so much loue his owne ease , as not to participate of the trouble of the common-wealth whereof hee was a member , which reason of his together with the law it selfe , plutarch wisely and worthily rejecteth , for that it would be an assured meanes to put ( as it were ) fire to gun-powder , & to set all the common-wealth on a ●…ame without helpe of any internall remedy . for ( saith he ) as in a sicke body all the hope of helpe within it selfe is to be expected from the pa●…s that are sound , and therefore when the body is wholly corrupted , there is no helpe of remedy but from abroad , euen so in a politique body sick with sedition , all the internall remedy is to come from the whole sound parts thereof , that is to say , such as are neutralls , who may labour with the one side , and with the other to compound the quarrell : for otherwise where all is in tumult , no remedy can be expected , except it come from abroad , & therefore plutarch holdeth it for the highest and principall point of politique science in any governour to know how either to prevent seditions that they neuer grow , or else quickly to appease them when they are growne , be they neuer so little . for as the least sparke that is may fall into such matter , that it may set an whole house on fire : so the least civill sedition may fall among such persons & in such times that it may put a whole common-wealth in combustion ; and vtterly ruine it . sect . . the vnreasonable and irreligious lawes of lycurgus the lacedemonian lawgiuer . now for lycurgus if wee examine his common-wealth and the lawes thereof , we shall finde that he likewise failed both in true prudence and in morall vertue . for whereas a good lawmaker ought to frame his common-wealth no lesse to religion , justice , temperance , then to fortitude , that it may stand & flourish aswell in time of peace , as in time of warre , his lawes tended principally to make the people valiant and warlike , wherevpon it followed that the lacedemonians flourished so long as they had warres , and when they came to injoy peace , they fell to decay within a while , as aristotle noteth . whereby the weaknes of the lawes of lycurgus evidently appeared . for as peace is not ordained for warre , but warre for peace , as motion and labour is ordained for rest : so in like manner a common-wealth is rather to bee framed & ordained for peace then for warre : & yet so for both , that it may stand by both : but in the common-weaelth of the lacedemonians this was no way performed . for the lawes of lycurgus tending onely to make them strong , laborious & valiant , could not make them religious , just & truly temperate . which for ciuill discipline and peaceable government is most requisite . for as for lawes tending to religion , wee finde none made by lycurgus , nor any religious act of his but only one , more ridiculous then religious , as that he dedicated an image to laughter , which he made a god , or at least would haue to be worshipped for a god , to make the people merry at their publique feasts and meetings ; & besides he opened a great gappe to injustice and to all cosenage and deceit : for hee ordained that it should bee lawfull for any man to steale any kinde of meate , so that he were not taken or discouered in the doing of it , and that boyes & children should haue so little allowed them to eate , as they should bee forced to sharke and proole for their better provision to make them thereby more industrious , nimble and quick of spirit , and others more wary and watchfull to keepe well that which they had . insomuch that who could steale most cunningly was most commended ; but who seeth not that this was the next way to fill the common-wealth with theeues . for is it likely that those who from their infancy are brought vp in pilfering trifles , will afterwards , when they haue got the habit and ability thereof , forbeare to steale things of great importance ? or can theeues practise their occupation with more safety any way to become in the end most expert , and thereby pernicious to the common-wealth , then with the warrant and vnder the protection of the law ? seeing the penalty which was ordained for them that were taken with the manner , was not inflicted for the injustice of the fact , but for their lacke of skill and dexterity in the performance , which must needes make euery man labour to excéll in the act of theeuery . finally , when the law not onely permitteth , but induceth men to deceiue sometimes , and in some things , doth it not also dispose , and as it were direct them to deceiue as oft and howsoeuer they may . therefore good and wise law-makers seeke to prevent euils , & to cut off the occasions of vice , and not to minister matter therevnto , which in our corrupt natures needeth a bridle to restraine it , and not a spurre to prick it forward . this may also be said in respect of another law of lycurgus , inducing to intemperancie and all kinde of incontinencie . for although hee ordained some things notably for the education of youth , tending as it seemed to the repression of concupiscence and dissolute life , as a very spare and homely dyet , hard bedding of reedes , or ( as some write ) no bedding at all , continuall labour and exercise , one onely garment for the whole yeare & such like ; yet it appeareth that his meaning was none other therein , but only the better to inable them to indure the labour and toyle of the warre . for he ordayned other lawes so much in fauour & furtherance of lust & all carnallity , yea in the worst kind , that it might iustly be said , he made his whole common-wealth worse then a burdell . for he instituted certaine wrestlings , & dances , & other exercises of boyes & wenches naked , to be done in publique at diuers times of the yeare , in the presence both of young and old men , which what effect it might worke in the mindes & manners of their citizens , any man may easily judge , especially , seeing that both their lawes and customes , permitted that men should be inamored of boyes , which was held for laudable & necessary for their good education , it being presumed that their louers would carefully instruct them in vertue . furthermore adultery which was punished with death , not only by the law of moses , but also by the lawes of other nations , as a thing pernicious to the common-wealth , was not only permitted , but also approued by lycurgus his lawe , ordaining , that if an old man married a young wife , she might with her husbands licence , make choyce of any young man that shee liked to haue a child by him , which her husband brought vp as his owne : and if a valiant or vertuous man , as good souldiers were there termed , liked well of another mans wife , he might demaund leaue of her husband to haue issue by her : which was not denyed , but thought convenient for their common-wealth , to maintaine a good race & breed of valiant men ; as plutarch signifieth in defence of this law of lycurgus . this then being so , what marvell is it that all sinne of the flesh , and beastlinesse , reigned more in lacedemonie , then any where else in greece , as aristotle witnesseth : nay , what wonder is it that almighty god of his just judgement plagued them for it in the end , with a memorable ouerthow in the plain of leuctra , where they lost the dominion of greece by the occasion and for the punishment of an horrible rape committed by two of their citizens . sect . . the impious & dishonest lawes of plato . to solon and lycurgus , we may adde plato and aristotle , who though they founded no common-weales , as did the other two , yet they framed in writing either of them one , in which they laboured to shew both the excellencie of their owne wits , & perfection of humane policie ; wherein neverthelesse they evidently shewed the imbecillity & imperfection of both : for what can be more absurd or more impious , then the community which plato ordained in his common-wealth , not only of goods & possessions , but also of women , to the end , that no man should haue any thing proper or peculiar to himselfe : in somuch , that fathers & mothers should not know their own children , neither yet any child know his owne parents ; whereby he thought to establish in the commō-wealth such a perfect vnity , that no man should be able to say , that is thine , or this is mine : but euery one haue a generall care of all ; whereas if that law were in practice , the vtter ouerthrow of the common-wealth , and of all humane society must needes followe thereon . for matrimony being taken away , and such a promiscuous and beastly procreation introduced , the naturall loue betwixt parents and their children , brethren , kinsfolke , & allyes , & all consanguinity , kinred , & affinity would be quite abolished : horrible incest betweene kinsfolke , brethren & sisters , father & daughter , mother & sonne which all nations abhorre , would ordinarily be committed : and by occasion of quarrells , which sometimes could not bee avoided ; one brother would kill another , the father the sonne , and the sonne the father , for lacke of knowledge one of another : besides many other great inconveniences , declared very particularly and at large by aristotle in the second booke of his politiques ; and lactantius in the third of his divine institutions , where he proveth this imaginary community of plato , to take away frugality , abstinence , shamefastnes , modesty , and justice it selfe , the mother of all other vertues . sic honesta & legitima esse incipiunt quae solent flagitiosa & turpia iudicari , in asmuch as thereby those things are held honest and lawfull , which are commonly accounted foule and wicked . sic virtutem dum vult omnibus dare , omnibus ademit , & by this meanes , while hee pretended to make all vertuous , hee made all vitious . nam re●…um proprietas & vitiorum & virtutum materiam continet , communitas autem nihil aliud quam vitiorum licentiam : for a propriety in things , containes in it the subiect matter aswell for vertue as for vice to worke vpon , but community hath nothing in it besides the liberty of vice . qui ergo vult homines adaequare , non matrimonia , non opes subtrahere debet , sed arrogantiam , superbiam , tumorem , vt illi potentes & elati pares se esse mendicissimis sciant ; detracta enim diuitibus insolentia & iniquitate , nihil intercrit vtrumne alij divites alij pauperes sint , cum animi pares sint quod efficere nulla res alia preter religionem dei potest . putavit ergo fe justitiam invenisse cum eam prorsus everterit , quia non rerum fragilium sed mentium debet esse communitas . hee then that would bring in an equality among men , must not take away weddings and wealth , but arrogancy , pride , and swelling , that those , who by reason of their great power , are puffed vp , may know themselues to be peeres to the poorest beggars . for remoue insolencie , injustice , and vncharitablenes from the rich , and there will no inconvenience followe from hauing some poore , & others rich : their minds being equall , which nothing but true religion can possiblely effect . plato thought then he had found justice , when indeed he ouerthrew it , in asmuch as there ought not to be a community of things , but of minds . and farther , both aristotle & lactantius though vpon different reasons , shew , that the vnity which plato sought by this meanes to establish in his common-wealth , would not follow therevpon : non invenit concordiam quam quaerebat , quia non videbat vnde oriatur , hee found not that concord he sought for , because hee saw not from whence it sprang . whereby appeareth his double errour , the one , that he found not that vertue he sought to plant , the other , that he foūd that vice he sought to preuent ; and so i passe to another most dishonest & vnreasonable law of his , which was this . hauing ordained that young men should for increase of their strength & agility of body , exercise themselues naked at certaine times & in certaine places appointed for that purpose , called gymnasia ; commaunded also not as lycurgus did in lacedemonia , that young girles and wenches should daunce naked amongst boyes ; but farre more absurdly , that women in the flower of their youth should daunce , runne , wrestle , ride , & doe all exercises with young men naked aswell as they , which , saith he , whosoeuer misliketh , vnderstandeth not how profitable it is for the common-wealth . but who could imagine that the prince of philosophers , ( for so was plato esteemed ) could so farre forget himselfe , as hauing instituted and framed his common-wealth to all kinde of vertue , as the only meanes to arriue to perfect felicity , who , i say , considering this , could imagine , that this great professour , master , & teacher of vertue , would not only permit , but also ordaine a thing so contrary to his own profession , to the end of his common-wealth , and to his owne lawes , precepts , and counsels , as the lasciuious aspect of naked women , whereby the fire of concupiscence being kindled in men , and the bridle of naturall modesty taken from women , what else could follow thereon but all beastly dissolutenes & carnality of life , aswell in the one as in the other . for precepts are giuen , and lawes ordained in vaine against incontinencie , when the occasions , provocations , & nourishments thereof are permitted , which whosoeuer vseth to admit , plaieth with the flame , as doth the fly , and commonly is burned thereby . sect . . the vnnatutall & vnchast lawes of aristotle . but perhaps some may thinke that aristotle , platoes scholler , who was the wonder of the world for his wit , and vndertooke to censure & syndicate both his master , and all other law-makers before him , saw cleerer in matter of lawes for the reformation of manners and the good of the common-wealth then he . let vs then examine him a little , and we shall finde that he erred more absurdly then any of them : this may appeare by two of his lawes ; whereof the one was , that if a man had any deformed or lame child , he should cast it out like a whelpe , and expose it to perish : and the other was , that if a man had aboue a certaine number of children , which number hee would haue to bee determined according to euery mans ability , his wife should destroy the fruite in her wombe , when she found that she had conceiued ; wherein he shewed himselfe more vnnaturall and inhumane then the very bruite beasts . for , as cicero sayth very well , these two things cannot agree together , to wit , that nature would haue procreation , and that it would not haue the creature when it is borne to be beloued and conserued ; the which appeareth , sayth he , euidently in bruite beasts , whose labour and care in the conseruation of that which is borne of them is such , that we acknowledge the force and voice of nature therein . what then can be more dissonant from reason and nature , then that a man who is borne and naturally inclined to clemency , humanity and piety , should shew himselfe vnkinde and inhumane not towards beasts , but towards men , not towards strangers or servants , but towards his owne off-spring , and that not for any fault of theirs , but for some defect or deformity of body , which they could not either prevent or remedy , and ought rather to moue a man to compassion and pitty , then to cruelty . expectet aliquis ut alieno sanguini parcant , qui non parcunt suo : non possunt innocentes existimari , qui viscera sua in praedam canibus obijciunt , & quantum in ipsis est crudelius necant , quam si strangulassent , saith lactantius . can any man expect they should spare other mens blood , that spare not their owne ? innocent they cannot be held , who expose their owne bowels for a prey to dogges , and as much as in them is , kill more cruelly then if they had strangled them . besides such corporall defects doe not alwayes nor often hinder the operation of the minde and vnderstanding , and therefore it may very well happen by the execution of this inhumane law of aristotle , not onely that a father shall be depriued of a sonne , but also the common-wealth of a serviceable & notable member . for as seneca saith , ex casa vir magnus exire potest , & ex deformi humilique corpusculo formosus animus & magnus , a worthy man may come out of a base cottage , and a beautifull high spirit out of a low deformed body . the like may be said of the other law of aristotle concerning abortion or the destruction of the childe in the mothers wombe , being a thing punished seuerely by all good lawes as in●…urious not onely to nature , but also to the common-wealth , which thereby is depriued of a designed citizen , as cicero tearmes it , speaking of a woman of miletum in asia , who hauing procured abortion of her childe a little before her time of trauell was condemned to death , neque injuria , saith he , quia designatum reipub . civem sustulisset , & very justly for that shee had made away one that was designed to bee a citizen of the common-wealth : in which respect the civill & common law do grievously punish all wilfull abortion after conception , and the canonists teach it to bee a mortall sinne . and heere i cannot forbeare to say somewhat of another constitution of aristotles , which i know not whether it were more absurd or ridiculous : for whereas he forbade in his common-wealth the vse of lascivious pictures and images , lest young men , and specially children might be corrupted by the sight thereof , neuerthelesse in the same law he excepteth the images and pictures of certaine gods , in whom , saith he , the custome alloweth lasciviousnesse , meaning no doubt the painted tables and grauen stories of the adulteries of iupiter , mars , venus , and other gods and goddesses , set forth euery-where among the paynims , as well in private houses as in their temples and other publique places . wherein may be obserued the ridiculous absurdity of this great philosopher , for what could it availe to take away all other wanton pictures and representations that might corrupt the mindes of youth , when hee expresly alloweth the vse of the lasciuious pictures of the gods , which must needs corrupt them much more ? and as it were instill into them vitious affections & desires together with their religion , yea by the example of their gods ; by the imitation of whom they could not but hope to attaine aswell to perfection of vertue , as to eternall felicity , beleeuing as they did , that they were true gods. for how could any man be perswaded that adultery deserued punishment , or was not a great , yea a divine vertue seeing mars taken tardy with venus , or iupiter stealing away europa in shape of a bull , violating leda in the forme of a swan , & entring into the house of danae by the louer like a goldē showre ; would not any man that should be religiously devoted to these gods , be animated by the sight thereof to doe the like ? yea and children learning their religion , and not only hearing , but seeing every-where by pictures & images that such acts were committed by their gods , could they imagine that the same were evill and not to be imitated ? this is very well declared by lucian of his owne experience , who in his dialogues maketh menippus say thus , when i was yet but a boy , saith he , & heard out of homer and hesiod of the adulteries , fornications , rapes and seditions of the gods , truely i thought that those things were very excellent , and began euen then to be greatly affected towards them : for i could not imagine that the gods themselues would euer haue committed adultery if they had not esteemed the same lawfull and good : and the like signifieth also cheraea in terence , who beholding a table wherein it was painted , how iupiter deceiued danae when hee came in at the top of the house , saith , that he was greatly incouraged to defloure a young maide by the example of so great a god : at quem deum , saith he , qui templa coeli summa sonitu concutit , ego homuncio hoc non facerem ? ego verò illud ita feci & lubens . but what god was this trow you ? marry hee who shakes the highest temples of heauen with thunder ; and therefore might not i who am but a silly wretch doe the like ? yes truely i did it and that with all my heart . and it is doubtlesse most true which s. augustine hath obserued to this purpose , magis intuentur quid fecerit iupiter , quam quid docuerit plato vel censuerit cato : they rather considered what iupiter did , then what plato taught , or cato thought . sect . . the barbarous and vncivill lawes of the gaules and the saxons our predecessours . now these lawes of the graecians were not more dishonest and vnmorall then were those of the gaules and saxons our predecessours vncivill and barbarous ; i meane their ordeall lawes which they vsed in doubtfull cases when cleere and manifest proofes wanted to try and finde out whether the accused were guilty or guiltlesse . these were of foure sorts , as aeneas sylvius , beatus rhenanus , iohannes pomarius , cornelius killianus , and others in their histories and chronicles report . the first was by campfight or combate , the second by yron made red hot , the third was by hote water , and the fourth by cold water . for their tryall by camp-fight , the accuser was with the perill of his owne body to prooue the accused guilty , and by offering him his gloue or gantlet to challenge him to this tryall : which the other must either accept of , or acknowledge himselfe culpable of the crime whereof hee was accused . if it were a crime deseruing death , then was the campe-fight for life and death , and that either on horsebacke or on foot : if the offence deserued imprisonment and not death , then was the camp-fight accomplished when the one had subdued the other by making him to yeeld , or vnable to defend himselfe , and so be taken prisoner : the accused had the liberty to choose another in his steed , but the accuser must performe it in his owne person , and with equality of weapons . no women were admitted to behold it , nor men children vnder the age of thirteene yeares ; the priests and people did silently pray , that the victory might fall to the guiltlesse . and if the fight were for life & death , a beere stood ready to carry away the body of him that should bee slaine . none of the people might crye , skrecke , make any noice , or giue any signe whatsoeuer . and heerevnto at hall in suevia ( a place appointed for campfight ) was so great regard taken , that the executioner stood beside the iudges with an axe ready to cut off the right hand and left foot of the party so offending . he that being wounded did yeeld himselfe , was at the mercy of the other to be killed or let to liue : if hee were slaine , then was he carried away and honourably buried , and hee that slew him reputed more honorable then before : but if beeing ouercome he were left aliue , then was hee by sentence of the iudges declared vtterly voide of all honest reputation , and neuer to ride on horsbacke , nor to carry armes . the tryall by red hot iron , called fire-ordeall was vsed vpon accusations without manifest proofe , though not without suspition , that the accused might be faulty ; the party accused and denying the offence , was adjudged to take red hot iron , & to hold it in his bare hand , which after many prayers and invocations that the truth might be manifest , hee must either adventure to doe , or yeeld himselfe guilty , and so receiue the punishment that the law according to the offence committed should award him . some were adjudged to goe blinde-folded with their bare feete ouer certaine plow-shares , which were made red hot & laid a little distance one from another , and if the party in passing thorow them did chaunce not to tread vpon them , or treading vpon them receiued no harme , then by the iudge he was declared innocent : and this kind of tryall was also practised here in england , ( as was likewise the camp-fight for a while ) vpon emma the mother of k. edward the confessour , who was accused of dishonesty of her body with allwin b. of winchester , and being led blind-folded to the place where nine hot culters were laid , went forward with her bare feet , and so passed ouer them , and being past them all & not knowing it , good lord , said shee , when shall i come to the place of my purgation , then hauing her eyes vncovered and seeing her selfe to baue passed them , she kneeling down gaue god thankes for manifesting her innocencie in her preservation , & in memoriall thereof gaue nine lordships to the church of winchester , and king edward her sonne repenting he had so wrongfully brought his mothers name into question , bestowed likewise vpon the same church the i le of portland with other revenewes . a much like tryall vnto this is recorded of kunigund , wife to the emperour henry the second , who being falsely accused of adultery , to shew her innocency did in a great & honourable assembly take seaven glowen irons one after another in her bare hands , & had thereby no harme . the tryall called hot water , ordeall was in cases of accusation as is afore sayd , the party accused being appointed by the iudge to thrust his armes vp to the elbowes in seething hot water , which after sundry prayers and invocations he did , and was by the effect that followed judged faulty or faultles . lastly , cold water ordeall was the tryall , which was ordinarily vsed for the common sort of people , who hauing a cord tied about them vnder their armes , were cast into some riuer , and if they sunke down to the botttome thereof vntill they were drawne vp , ( which was within a very short limited space ) then were they held guiltlesse , but such as did remaine vpon the water were held culpable , being , as they sayd , of the water rejected & cast vp . these kindes of impious & vniust lawes , the saxons for a while after their christianity continued , but were at last by a decree of pope stephen the second vtterly abolished , as being a presumptuous tempting of god without any grounded reason or sufficient warrant , and an exposing many times of the innocent to manifest hazard . cap. . touching the insufficiencie of the precepts of the ancient philosophers for the planting of vertue , or the rooting out of vice , as also of the common errour touching the golden age . sect . . touching the insufficiencie of the precepts of the ancient philosophers for the planting of vertue , and the rooting out of vice ; as also of the manners of the ancients , observed by caelius secundus curio , out of iuvenall and tacitus . to these lawes of the graecians and germans , may be added the opinions & precepts of the ancient philosophers , touching vertue and vice , finall happinesse and the state of the soule after this life which were as diverse one to another as they were all erronious and opposite to the truth , the growth of vertue or suppressing of vice . what could possiblely ●…ore hinder the course of vertue , then the doctrine of the epicureans , that soueraigne happinesse consisted in pleasure ? or more strengthen the current of vice , then that of the stoicks , that all sins were equall . the epicureans though they graunted a god , yet they denyed his prouidence , which should serue as a spurre to vertue , and a bridle to vice . the stoickes , though they graunted a diuine providence , yet withall they stiffely maintained such a fatall necessity , not only in the events of humane actions , but in the actions themselues , as thereby they blunted the edge of all vertuous endeauours , and made an excuse for vicious courses . againe , the epicurean gaue too much way to irregular affections ; and on the other side , the stoicke was too professed an enimy to them , though regulated by reason ; but both of them doubted , if not denyed the immortality of the soule , whereby they opened a wide gappe to all licentiousnesse , not censureable by the lawes of man , or which the executioners whereof either thorow ignorance could not , or thorow feare or fauour would not take notice of . which hath often made mee wonder that the common-wealth of the iewes would suffer such a pestilent sect in the bowels of it , as the sadduces , who flatly denyed , not only the resurrection of the body , but the immortality of the soule . since then the christian religion , and that alone teacheth both , as fundamentall articles of our beleife , and withall a particular providence of god , extending to the very thoughts , and a particular judgement after this life , rewarding every man according to that he hath done in the flesh , whether it be good or euill ; and besides , requires a reformation of the heart & inward man , the fountaine & source of all outward actions & speeches ; it is most euident , that howsoeuer our liues bee , yet our rules tend more to vertue and honesty then did those , either of the gentiles , or of the iewes ; who although they were not all infected with the foule leprosie of the sadduces , yet it is certaine , that these doctrines and rules were not in the law of moses & the prophets so cleerely deliuered , as now they are by christ & his apostles in the gospell ; nay the law it selfe permitted vnto thē such a diuorce , though for the hardnes of their hearts , as is not now allowed . and though the law allowed not polygamie , yet in regard of their frequent practice , we haue great reason to conceiue , that they scarce held it to be a sinne . and the pharises , though of all other sects they pretended , and seemed to be the most zealous & strict obseruers of the lan●… ; yet teaching others & themselues , practising the observation thereof as they did , only in regard of outward conformity , thereby perhaps made their disciples formall iusticiaries , but withall damnable hypocrites , boyling in malice , & lust , & couetousnes while they set a faire face on it , and made a goodly semblance of holynes , piety , and devotion . and if it so fared with the iewes , no marvell that the gentiles , ( their naturall inclination carrying them headlong to wickednes , and withall their religion , their lawes , the doctrine and examples of their teachers , being as so many provocations to draw them onward ) proued such indeede as the apostle describes them to be in the of the romanes , full of all vnrighteousnes fornication , wickednesse , couetousnes , maliciousnes , full of envy , of murther , of debate , of deceite , taking all things in euill part , whisperers , backebiters , haters of god , doers of wrong , proud , boasters , inventers of euill things , disobedient to parents , without vnderstanding , couenant breakers , without naturall affection , such as neuer can be appeased , mercilesse , which men though they know the law of god , how that they which commit such things are worthy of death , yet not only doe the same , but favour them that doe them . and so i passe from the roote to the fruite , from the causes to the effects , from their lawes & precepts touching manners , to their practice , & customes , & manners themselues . and heere i must freely professe my selfe to accord with sidonius apollinaris , veneror antiquos , non ita tamen vt aequaeuorum meorum virtutes & merita postponam : i haue the ancients in such due respect and veneration as they deserue , yet so as i would not willingly disesteeme or vndervalue the vertues and merits of those who haue liued since , or now liue in the same age with mee . the ancients i know well , had many great vertues , and wee no lesse vices , yet let no man be so vnwise or vnjust , to surmise that either the former ages were free from notorious vices , or the latter voide of singular vertues . and surely , he that shall reade bohemus of the manners of the gentiles , or the bookes of iudges , the kings , the chronicles , the prophets , and iosephus of the manners of the iewes , will easily acknowledge the former : wherevnto wee may adde the testimony of coelius secundus curio , a witty and learned man of this age in his epistle prefixed to his commentary vpon iuvenall , where he tels vs , that meeting with those verses of horace . damnosa quid non imminuit dies ? aetas parentum peior avis tulit nos nequiores , mox daturos progeniem vitiosiorem . what doth not wastfull time impaire ? our fathers worse then gransires are , we worse then they , our progenie more vitious then ourselues will be . hee began to doubt of the trueth of them , and therevpon fell to a serious inquirie thereinto , & for his better proceeding in that search , made speciall choice of two authours , tacitus and iuvenall , the one held as vnpartiall in history as the other in satyres , to make report what they found in matter of manners in their times , and hauing thorowly consulted with them both , but chiefely with the latter ; from them he makes this relation , quibus auditis , saith he , & nostri seculi cum illa facta contentione deprehendt longe ab illa nostram aetatem vitijs , illam à nostra multis & magnis virtutibus superari : vpon the hearing of them , and the comparing of this present age with that , i found that ours was much surpassed by that in vice , and that againe by ours in many and great vertues . yet long before horace did aratus in phoenomenis take vp the same complaint : aurea degenerem pepererunt saecula prolem , vos peiorem illis sobolem generabitis . — those golden sires a baser race begat : your race shall be yet more degenerate . but hesiod in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is more advised and moderate , hoping , it seemes , for better times then himselfe saw . o vtinam quinto hoc minime mihi vivere saeclo , sed fas vel post nasci , aut ante perire fuisset . would god this fift age i had neuer seene , but or had died before , or after beene . for with ovid i can scarce hope that any should accord & professe , prisca iuvent alios , ego nunc me denique natum gratulor . let others like old times , but i am glad that in this latter age my birth i had , sect . . touching that idle tale of the golden age first forged by poets , and since taken vp by historians . that which hath deceiued many in this point is that idle tale and vaine fancie forged by the poets , & taken vp by some historians , & beleeued by the vulgar of the foure ages of the world . the first of gold , the second of siluer , the third of brasse , & the fourth of yron . thus elegantly described by the wittiest of poets . aurea prima sata est aetas quae vindice nullo sponte sua sine lege sidem rectumque colebat , poena metusque aberant , nec vincla minacia collo aere ligabantur , nec supplex turba timebat iudicis ora sui ; sed erant sine judice tuti , &c. postea saturno tenebrosa in tartara misso sub iove mundus erat , subijtque argented proles , auro diterior fulvo , pretiosior aere , &c. tertia post illam successit ahenea proles , saevior ingenijs , & ad horrida promptior arma . non scelerata tamen . de duro est vltima ferro protinus erupit venae pejoris in aevum omne nefas , fugêre pudor , verumque fidesque in quorum subiere locum fraudesque , dolique , insidiaeque , & vis , & amor sceleratus habendi . the golden age was first , which vncompell'd , and without rule in faith and truth excell'd : as then there was not punishment nor feare , nor threatning lawes in brasse prescribed were , nor suppliant crouching prisoners shooke to see their angry iudge , but all was safe and free , &c. but after saturne was throwne downe to hell , ioue rul'd , and then the silver age befell . more base then gold , and yet then brasse more pure , &c next vnto this succeedes the brazen age , worse natur'd , prompt to horride warre and rage , but yet not wicked stubborne , yr'n the last , then blushlesse crimes which all degrees surpast the world surround , shame , faith and truth depart , fraud enters , ignorant in no bad art , force , treason , and the wicked loue of gaine , &c. and from hence it seemes was that of boetius borrowed faelix nimium prior aetas contenta fidelibus arvis . nec inerti perdita luxu , facili quae sera solebat iejunia solvere glande , nec bacchica munera nor at liquido confundere melle , nec lucida vellera serum tyrio miscere veneno . tunc classica saeva tacebant odijs neque fusus acerbis cruor horrida tinxerat arma . vtinam modo nostra redirent in mores tempora priscos . thrice happy former age well pleas'd with faithfull fields , from riot free , whose hunger readily was eas'd with akornes gathered from the tree , they skill'd not with lyaeus juice , the liquid honey to compound , nor knew that twice the serian fleece in tyrian die was to be drown'd , alarmes of warre were silent then , and horrid arms all smear'd with blood through malice shed of cruell men were yet vnseene . o would to god these times so much degenerate might turne againe to th' ancient state . but that all this adoe about the golden age is but an empty rattle & frivolous conceipt , like apuleius his tale of a golden asse , bodin is so confident , that he breakes forth into this assertion , aetas illa quam auream vocant , si ad hanc nostram conferatur , ferrea videri possit . that which they call the golden age being compared with ours , may well seeme but iron : and in truth he may boldly affirme it , if that be true which cicero writes of it . fuit quoddam tempus cùm in agris homines passim bestiarum more vagabantur , & sibi victu ferino vitam propagabant , nec ratione animi quicquam , sed pleraque viribus corporis administrabant . nondum divinae religionis non humani officij ratio colebatur , nemo legitimas viderat nuptias , non certos quisquam inspexerat liberos , non jus aequabile quid vtilitatis haberet , acceperant . time was when men like beasts wandered in the fields , and maintained their life by the food of beasts ▪ neither did they administer their affaires by justice , but by bodily strength : there was no heed given either to religion or reason , no man enjoyed lawfull marriage , nor with assurance beheld his owne issue , neither were they acquainted with the commodity which vpright lawes bring with them . during this golden age flourished camesis & saturne , & there is no doubt but by camesis is vnderstood cham the son of noah , & by saturne nimrod , whose son iupiter belus ( famous for the deposition of his father , incest with his sister , & many other villanies ) saw the last of this age . now how vertuous these men & times were , appeares by the story of moses . c ham like a most vngratious childe discovers and derides the nakednesse of his aged & worthy father , & was therefore deservedly accursed to be a seruant of servants . nimrod grandchilde to cham , as his name signifies , was a notorious rebell , robustus venator coram domino , a great oppressour , a robber , as aristotle numbers robberi●… among the severall kindes of hunting : and besides he is thought to haue beene the ring-leader in that out-ragious attempt of building the towre of babel . and such kinde of men are those gyants supposed to haue beene , who before this are called mighty men , men of renowne ; in as much as moses presently adds , and god saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth , and that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely euill continually : and it repented tbe lord that he had made man on the earth , and it grieued him at his heart . quibus verbis intelligit , saith cassanion , tantas ea-tempestate fuisse morum corruptelas , vt omne vitiositatis , nequitiaeque genus vbique regnaret . cùm autem ex robore & potentia qua isti pollebant nominis celebritatem adepti sint , in eo animadvertere licet qualis fuerit prima mundi nobilitas aestimata , non quae pietatis , justitiae , aliusve cujusdam virtutis specie , & pulchritudine illustris appareret , sed quae solius potentiae , fortitudinisue titulo sese venditabat : nam qui tum caeteris valentiores , robustioresque erant , ij vim aliis audacter inferentes , nobiliores , praestantioresque censebantur . vnde fortassis illud invaluit , ut gentilitia quorundam insignia non nisi crudelium belluarum , rapaciumque ferarum & volucrium habeant imaginem . by which words he vnderstands , that such and so great was the vniversall corruption of manners in those times , as all kinde of vice and wickednesse euery-where raigned : and in that the men of that age are said to haue gotten renown by meanes of their exceeding great might , from thence we may gather how the first nobility of the world was valued , not such as was cōspicuous by the beauty & iustre of piety , justice , or any other vertue , but such only as gloried & contented it self with the title of strēgth & power . for those who then were more mighty and powerfull then others , and were thereby imboldened to oppresse others , were commonly held the most noble and worthy . and happily from hence it was that some families carry in their scutchions the representation of wilde beasts or birds of prey . howsoeuer we are sure that vpon this vniversall invndation of sinne , followed the vniversall deluge of water , washing and cleansing the earth from that abominable filthinesse which had generally infected and polluted it . and as about this time sinne was ripened , so in the very infancy of the world it grew vp so fast , that the second man in the world wilfully murthered the third , being then his only brother . and another of the same race soone after was the founder of polygamie , and a while after it is added , then men began to call vpon the name of the lord , as if till then they had not done it , at least-wise in publique assemblies . and in that , enoch not long after this , is said to haue walked with god , iunius giues this note vpon it , id est , non est sequutus malitiam sui seculi , that is , he followed not the wicked courses of the age wherein he liued , and therefore was he translated , least wickednes should alter his vnder standing or deceipt beguile his mind . haec est illa aurea aetas quae talia mōstra nobis educavit , this is forsooth that goodly goldē age which hath brought into the world & bred such foul mōsters . after this the world was pestered with a nūber of intollerable tyrants , whom hercules subdued , and yet was himselfe accounted by many a captaine of pyrats . and certaine it is , he was most foule , and yet i know not whether more foule , or strong in matter of lust ; and both theseus and peri●…hous ( whom he admitted into his society ) were of a straine much alike . but because these things happily may seeme fabulous , let vs listen to thucidides , one of the ancientest & truest fathers of history . he then hath left vpon record , that a little before his time in greece it selfe so great was the wildnes and barbarousnes thereof , that both by sea and land robberies were commonly practised , and that without any touch of disgrace ; it was vsually demaunded of passengers , whether they were theeues or pyrats . and caesar in a manner reports the same of the germans : latrocinia nullam habent apud germanos infamiam quae extra fines cuiusque civitatis fiunt , atque ea iuventutis exercendae atque desidiae mi●…uendae causa fieri praedicant . it is no discredit among the germans to robbe , so it be without the bounds of their citties , and this they allow for the exercise of their youth & the shunning of idlenes . but particulars are infinite , wherefore i will content my selfe with one nation , & three or foure notorious vices of that nation . the nation shall be that of the ancient romans , i meane before their receiuing of christianity , because they were commonly reputed the most civill & best disciplined of the whole world . the speciall vices i will instance in , shall bee their cruelty , their couetousnes , their luxurie , their vaine-glory and ambition ; and in these will i shew their wonderfull excesse beyond latter ages , concluding with a demonstration , that the most eminent and renowned vertues of the romanes , as their wisedome & courage , haue likewise beene at least matched by some of latter ages , and that in some other vertues , as namely in modesty and humility , they haue beene much exceeded . cap. . of the excessiue cruelty of the romans towards the iewes , the christians , other nations , one another & vpon themselues . sec . . of the romane cruelty toward the iewes . the savage and barbarous inhumanity of the romans appeares partly in their cruell handling of the iewes & christians , & partly of other nations : but chiefely in their vnnaturall disposition one towards another and vpon themselues : first then for the iewes , it is indeede true , that by putting to death the lord of life , and crying alowd , his blood be vpon vs and vpon our children , they wilfully drew vpon themselues the divine vengeance & that dreadfull threate : loe the dayes shall come when they shall say , happy are the barren and the wombes that haue not borne children , and the paps that haue not giuen sucke . yet were the romans , though greater enemies to christian religion then the iewes , appointed by divine providence , as the executioners of that vengeance , which they performed in a most vnmercifull manner : and in regard of themselues , an vndue & vniust measure . for to let passe all other bloody massacres of them in diverse townes & citties thorow the romane empire , after the passion of our saviour , and before the destruction of ierusalem ; surely their cruelty acted in the siedge of that citty , recorded by iosephus , was such as were able , even to resolue an heart of steele into teares of blood . it was on every side so straightly begirt , that the besieged by extreamity of famine , were forced to 〈◊〉 , not only horses , asses , dogges , rats , & mice , and the leather that couered their shields & bucklers , but also the very dung out of their stables ; yea , & a noble woman was knowne to eate her owne child that suckt vpon her breast , wherein no doubt was fulfilled the prophecie of our saviour , happy are the barren . such as were taken by the romans , were by the commaundement of titus , crucified before the walls of the citty , to the number of fiue hundred every day , vntill at length ( as iosephus reporteth ) there wanted both crosses for the bodies and place for the crosses . also great numbers of them , who being forced with famine , sought to saue their liues , by yeelding themselues to ther enemies , were nevertheles killed by the mercilesse souldier , and their bowels ripped vp , in hope to finde gold therein , vpon a report , or at least a conceite , that the iewes did swallow their gold to convay it out of the citty by that meanes . finally , the number of those which were slaine and died during the siege , was , as witnesseth iosephus , a million and an hundred thousand , and of the captiues nine hundred and seventy thousand , whereof iosephus himselfe was one , and of those , some were condemned to the publique workes , others of the stronger & handsommer sort carried in triumph , and such as were vnder the age of seventeene yeares , were sold for litle or nothing , & those which remained in their countrey , were loaden with such greivous impositions and tributes , that they liued in a continuall misery & slauery worse then death . yet the cruelty of the romans towards these miserable iewes ceased not heere , but in the next age , in the time of traiane the emperour , within lesse then fifty yeares after the subversion of ierusalem , infinita eorum millia , sayth eusebius , infinite thousands of them were killed in egypt , and mesopotamia , in macedonia they were vtterly extinguished , and in cyprus they were all either put to the sword or banished ; and a law made , that it should be death for any iew to arriue there , though he were driven thither by tempest against his will. and in a few yeares after iulius severus , being called out of brittaine by the emperour adrian , and sent into iudea , destroyed almost all the countrey . for as dyon writeth , he dismantled fifty strong forts , and razed or burnt nine hundred eighty fiue townes or villages , and killed aboue fifty thousand iewes in battell , besides an infinite number of others that died either by fire , famine , or pestilence , or were sold for slaues . shortly after adrians time , they were also miserablely afflicted by the emperour antoninus pius , and after him by marcus aurelius , and againe some yeares after that by the emperour seuerus , who renewed the decrees of adrian for their exclusion from the sight of their countrey , and triumphed for his great victories against them . now though it be true , that the wickednes of the iewish nation was such , as they well deserued to be thus seuerely punished ; yet cannot the romanes be excused from vnreasonable cruelty in dealing thus vnmercifully with them , as if they had beene beasts rather then men . sect . . their cruelty toward the christians , first in regard of the insatiable malice of their persecutors . their dealing with the christians , ( whom they likewise named iewes , because our saviours apostles & first disciples , were all of that nation ) was yet more mercilesse because more vnjust ; they pretended the frequent rebellions of the iewes , to be the reason of their great severity towards them : but the christians they deadly hated and most cruelly persecuted only for their religion , whereas they suffered all religions saue the christian , to be quietly exercised thorow their dominions . now their cruelty towards the poore christians appeared in the insatiable malice of their persecutors , the incredible number of those that suffered as martyrs or confessors , and the exquisite variety of their tortures . st. augustine and his scholler orosius compare the tenne persecutions of the primitiue christians , ( which as so many raging waues came tumbling one vpon the necke of another , ) to the tenne plagues of egypt ; the first of which was vnder nero , whose cruelty or luxury was of the two more monstrous & vnnaturall , cannot easily be determined . he caused rome to be set on fire , that he might the better conceiue the flames of troy , singing vnto it homers verses . his father and brother he poysoned , murth●…red his master , wife , & mother , taking an exact view of her dead bodie , commending the proportion of some parts & discommending others . besides , he made away whosoeuer was valiant or vertuous in senate , in citty , in province without any difference of sexe or age . no marvell then , that being of a disposition so bloody he fell as a bitter storme vpon the christians , and his cruelty be by s paule compared to the mouth of a lyon. nay by reason of that violent persecution , which vnder him the christians endured ; hee was , as witnesseth s. augustine commonly reputed anti-christ : but certaine it is , that rome being by his commaund set on fire , he falsely accused & punished most greevously the innocent christians for it . the second persecution was vnder domitian , whom tertullian calls neronis portionem , eusebius , ●…aeredem , the one a part , the other the heire of nero : and tacitus puts onely this difference betweene them , that nero indeed commaunded cruell murthers , but domitian not only commaunded them , but beheld them himselfe . what the world was to expect from him ; appeared in his very entrance to the empire , retyring himselfe euery day into a private closet , where he passed his time in killing of flies with a sharp bodkin , insomuch that one demaunding who was within with the emperour , vibius crispus made answer , ne musca quidem , not somuch as a flie : but from the blood of flies hee proceeded on to the shedding of the blood of men , so farre , and in so fierce a manner , — vt timeas ne vomer deficiat , ne marrae & sarcula desint . well might yee doubt least culters , mattocks , spades , yee soone should be without . the authour of the last and most greivous persecution , was dioclesian , whose raging cruelty towards the christians , lactantius sets forth in liuely colours . nemo h●…ius tantae belluae immanitatem potest pro merito describere , quae vno loco recubans tamen per totum orbem dentibus ferreis saevit , & non tantum artus hominum dissipat , sed & ossa ipsa comminuit & in cineres furit , ne quis extet sepulturae locus . quaenam illa f●…itas , quae rabies , quae insania est , lucem viuis , terram mor●…uis denegasse ? no man can sufficiently describe the cruelty of this so vnreasonable a beast , which lying in one place , yet rageth with his iron teeth thorow the world , and doth not only scatter the members , but breake the bones of men ; yea shewes his furie vpon their very ashes , least there should be found any place for their buriall : what rage , what madnes , what barbarous cruelty is this , to deny both the light to the liuing , and the earth to the dead ? where lactantius seemes to allude to that fourth namelesse beast of daniell , which was fearefull & terrible , and very strong , it had great yron teeth , it devoured , and brake in peeces , and stamped the residue vnder his feete . and though i haue instanced only in these three , yet it is certaine , that the authours and instruments of these persecutions were all of a disposition much alike : of whom the same lactantius affirmes , that they haue borrowed the shapes of beasts , and yet were more cruell then they , pleasing themselues in this , that they were borne men , & yet had they nothing but the outward figure and lineaments of men . for what caucasus , what india , what hircania , saith he , ever bred or brought forth so cruell and bloody beasts ; the rage of other beasts ceaseth when their appetite is satisfied , & their hunger being slaked , they grow more mild & tame , but the rage of these never ceaseth , their appetite is never satiated with blood ; the truth whereof will easily appeare , if in the second place we doe but cast our eyes vpon the infinite multitude of innocent christians that euery where suffered death , and for none other cause but only the profession of their religion . sect . . secondly , in regard of the incredible number of those that suffered . omnis ferè sacro martyrum cruore orbis infectus est , neque vllis vnquam magis bellis exhaustus est , saith sulpitius : well nigh the whole world is stayned with the blood of the martyrs ; neither was it euer in the like sort emptied by any warres . and gregorie the great almost in the same words , totum mundum fratres aspicite , martyribus plenus est , jam penè tot qui videamus non sumus quot veritatis testes habemus , deo ergo numerabiles , nobis super arenam multiplicati sunt quia quanti sunt à nobis comprehendi non possunt . brethren , looke abroad vpon the whole world , it is filled with martyrs , we are hardly so many in number to behold them , as we haue witnesses of the truth , who haue sealed it with their blood , in regard of god they are numerable , but in regard of vs they are multiplied aboue the sand on the sea shore , in asmuch as we cannot comprehend their number . and happily those latter words of gregorie had reference to that of cyprian , himselfe a glorious martyr , in his exhortation to martyrdome : exuberante postmodum copia virtutis & fidei numerari non possunt martyres christiani , testante apocalypsi & dicente , post haec vidi , &c. the strength of courage and faith afterwards increasing , the christian martyrs could not be numbred , according to that testimonie in the apooalyps . after these things i beheld , and loe a great multitude , which no man could number of all nations , & kindreds , and people , & tongues , stood before the throne and before the lambe , cloathed with long white robes , and palmes in their handes : wherevnto might be added , that other propheticall passage of the same booke ; the wine-presse was troden without the cittie , and blood came out of the wine-presse vnto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand & six hundred furlongs . which prophesi●… we may well conceiue , to haue beene accomplished to the full , when the very axes & swords of the executioners were blunted with executions , and themselues were forced to giue ouer and sit downe , being vtterly wearied therewith , when the day failing , the bodies of the executed , were burnt in the night , to giue light to passengers ; and thirty three romane bishops successiuely from s. peter to sylvester , were all martyred , when hundreds , thousands , yea tenne or twenty thousands were slaughtered at once : lastly , when by the testimony of s. hierome in his epistle to chromatius . and heliodorus , ( if it be his ) there was not a day in the yeare to which aboue fiue thousand might not justly be assigned , the kalends of ianuarie only excepted . funditur ater vbique cruor , crudelis vbique luctus , vbique pauor & plurima mortis imago . piteous lamenting , dreadfull feare , and blood-shed every where , and many a ghastly shape of death did euery where appeare . sect . . thirdly , in regard of the various and divelish meanes and instruments which they devised and practised for the execution or torture of the poore christians . now though the romane cruelty sufficiently appeare in the malice of the principall persecutors of the christians , and the infinite number of martyrs that suffered , yet doubtlesse the various and diuelish meanes and instruments , which they diuised and practised for their dispatch or torture doth more euidently proue it . quae autem per totum orbem singuli gesserint enarrare impossibile est ? quis enim voluminum numerus capiet tam infinita tam varia genera crudelitatis ? saith lactantius . those things which in this kinde thorow the world were euery where acted , to recount were impossible . for what number of volumes can containe so infinite and diverse kindes of cruelty ? and againe , dici non potest huiusmodi iudices quanta & quam gravia tormentorum genera excogitaverint , vt ad effectum propositi sui pervenirent . it cannot be expressed , how many and how greivous kindes of torments those iudges divised , that they might attaine the end of their purpose . and gregory to like purpose , quae poenarum genera novimus quae non tum vires martyrum exercuisse gaudemus ? what kinde of punishment can we conceiue which we reioyce not then to haue exercised the strength of the martyrs ? they were burned in furnaces , they were put into vessels of boyling oyle , they were pricked vnder the nayles with sharpe needles , their breasts were seared , their eyes boored , their tongues cut out , they were rosted at a soft fire with vineger & salt powred vpon them , they were throwne headlong downe the mountaines & rocks vpon sharpe stakes , their braines were beaten out with malles , their bodies were scraped with sharpe shels and the tallents of wild beasts , they were fryed in iron chaires , , and vpon grid-irons , their entrals were torne out and cast before their faces , they were crucified with their heads downeward , they were hanged by the middles , by the haire , by the feete , their bones were broken with bats , they were torne a sunder with the boughes of trees , and drawne in peeces with wilde horses , they were tossed vpon buls hornes , and throwne to libards & lyons ; they were couered vnder hogs-meate , and so cast to swine , they were stabbed with penknifes , they were dragged thorow the streets , they were fleyd aliue , they were couered in the skins of wild beasts and torne in peeces with dogges , as witnesseth tacitus , they were set to combate with wild beasts , as witnesseth the apostle of himselfe , non mihi si centum linguae sint , oraque centum ferrea vox , omnes scelerum comprendere formas , omnia paenarum percurrere nomina possem . an hundred tongues , an hundred mouths , an yron voice had i , i could not all those torments name , nor kindes of villany . sect . . of their extreame cruelty towards others , their very religion leading them thereunto , as witnesseth lactantius . and least we should thinke that this cruelty of the romanes towards the iewes & c●…ristians was onely in regard of their religion , their owne histories informe vs of the like vpon other nations , nay their owne very religion was ( it seemes ) their strongest motiue & greatest inducement to cruelty : nec vllam aliam ad immortalitatem viam arbitrantur , quam exercitus ducere , aliena vastare , delere vrbes , oppida exs●…indere , liberos populos aut trucidare , aut subij●…ere servituti , saith lactantius , they conceiue there is no other way to immortality but by leading armies , laying waste other mens dominions , razing cities , sacking townes , rooting out or bringing vnder the yoke of slauery free-borne people . si quis unum hominem jugulaverit , pro contaminato & nefario habetur , nec ad terrenum hoc domicilium deorum admitti eum fas putant , ille autem qui infinita hominum millia trucidaverit , cruore campos inundaverit , flumina infecerit , non modo in templum , sed etiam in coelum admittitur , apud ennium sic loquitur africanus . si f●…s caedendo coelestia scandere cuiquam est mi soli coeli maxima porta patet . scilicet quia magnam partem generis humani extinxit ac perdidit . o quantis in tenebris africane versatus es , vel potius Ô poeta , qui per caedes & sanguinē patere hominibus asoensum in coelum putaveris . cui vanitati & cicero assensit ; est vero inquit africane , nam & herculi eadem ipsa porta patuit , tanquam ipse planè cum id fieret , janitor fuerit in coelo . equidem statuere non possum , dolendumne an ridendum putem , cum videam & graves , & doctos , & ut sibi videntur sapientes viros in tam miserandis errorum fluctibus volutari . si haec est virtus quae nos immortales facit , mori equidem malim quàm exitio esse quamplurimis . if a man kill but one , he is held for a villaine , neither is thought fit to admit him to the houses of the gods heere vpon earth , but he who murthers infinite thousands , waters the fields , & dies the rivers with blood , is not onely admitted into the temple , but into heauen ; thus in ennius speakes africanus . if man by murdering may climbe heauen , assuredly , the widest gate of heauen is open laid for me . forsooth , because he had extinguished and made away a great part of mankinde . o with how great darknesse art thou compassed africanus , or rather thou poet , who thoughtest that by slaughter & blood an entrance was opened for men into heauen ; yet to this vanity euen cicero himselfe assents ; it is euen so africanus , saith he ; for the same gate was open vnto hercules , as if himselfe had then beene a porter in heaven when that was done . truly i cannot well determine whether i should rather grieue or laugh when i see graue & learned , & ( as to thēselues it seemes ) wise men , so miserably tossed vp and downe in the waues of errour : if this be the vertue which makes vs immortall , for mine owne part i professe i would rather die then bee the death of so many . yet had this doctrine ( as it seemes ) generally taken such deep roote in the mindes of the romanes , that hee who shed most blood was held the worthiest & the holiest man , that is most like the gods , and fittest for their hahitation , which is the chiefe reason , as i conceiue , that we reade of such wonderfull slaughters committed by them , euen to the astonishment of such as haue beene acquainted but with the principles of christian religion . within the space of seuenteene yeares their warres only in italy , spaine , & sicily consumed aboue fifteene hundred thousand men , quaesivi enim curiosè , saith lypsius , i haue diligently searched into it . one caius caesar , ô pestem , perniciemque generis humani , o plague & mischiefe of mankinde , professeth of himselfe , and boasteth in it , that hee had slaine in the warres eleuen hundred ninety two thousand , yet so as the slaughter of his ciuill warres came not into that account , but onely during his commaund a few yeares in spaine and france . quintus fabius slew of the french one hundred & ten thousand . cajus marius of the cimbri two hundred thousand . aetius one hundred sixty two thousand of the hunnes . polybius writeth that scipio at the taking of carthage gaue charge that all should be put to the sword without sparing any ; and then addes , that this was a common fashion of the romans , videntur enim , saith he , terroris gratia hoc illi facere , itaque frequenter videre est quando romani civitates capiunt , non homines modo occidi , sed canes etiam dissecari , & aliorum animalium membra truncari . it seemes they did it to terrifie others , and therefore it hath beene often seene that the romanes vpon the taking in of a city , not onely slew the men , but also cut in sunder the dogs , & mangled other liuing creatures . servius galba at his being in spaine hauing assembled the inhabitants of three cities vnder a pretence of consulting with them about their welfare , on a sudden slew seuen thousand of them , among whom were the very flowre of their youth . likewise licinius lucullus consull in the same countrey , put to the sword twenty thousand of the caucaei by the hands of his souldiers sent into the city against the expresse covenants of their rendring . octavianus augustus hauing taken perusia , sacrificed three hundred of the principall townsmen , which yeelded themselues ( as it had beene beasts ) before an altar erected to divus iulius , antonius caracalla being incensed against the citizens of alexandria for some petty jeasts broken vpon him ; entering into the citty in a peaceable manner , & calling before him all their youth , he surrounded them with armed men , who at the signe giuen , fell instantly vpon them , and slew euery mothers son of them , & then vsing the like cruelty vpon the residue of the inhabitants , hee vtterly emptied a spatious & populous citty . volesus messalla proconsull of asia , tooke off with the axe the heads of three hundred in one day , & then walking in & out among the dead bodies with his hands behind him , as if he had performed some noble act , he cryes out , ô rem verè regiam , an exploit worthy a prince . but me thinkes that of sulpitius galba exceedes them all , who entering into portugall in an hostile manner laid waste the countrey , the inhabitants wondering thereat , & not knowing the reason , neither being guilty to themselues of any offence , they send ambassadours to renew their former league , he entertaines them , and seemes to take pitty on them that they were thus afflicted , but it may be , saith he , it was your wants that caused you to make some spoyles & shew of warre , i will remedy the matter , i will range you into three parts , & will seat you in a good & fat soile where you may lead the rest of your life more happily & securely : come with your wiues & children into such a valley , & there will i assigne you your portions . they miserable people come on joyfully , being ranged into three bands ; to the first of which when hee came , he bids them lay aside their weapons , as being now friends & fellowes , which being laide aside , he sets his souldiers vpon them , and kils them all vpon the place , in vaine calling vpon the gods , & his faith giuen them . the same course he tooke with the second & third band , before the report of his first bloudy act could come vnto them . neither did their cruelty extend only to men , but to townes & citties . sempronius gracchus , if we may credit polybius , razing & laying waste three hundred in spaine . nec habet omne aevum opinor quod adstruat his exemplis praeter nostrum , sed in orbe alio , saith lypsius . i suppose no age can afford examples matchable to these , except ours , but that in another world ; where he instances in the spanish cruelties vpon the naked indians . it is true indeed that theodosius a christian emperour for a small matter in comparison , caused seauen thousand innocents of thessalonica being called together into the theater , as for the beholding of some playes , to be slaine by souldiers vpon the place , and though hee might well for the present purpose bee numbred among the ancient romane emperours , yet as a christian i rather choose to excuse him , & that justly , in as much as being admonished by s. ambrose he heartily repented of that bloudy fact : & therevpon at the instance of that worthy prelate made a law that from thenceforth thirty dayes should passe betwixt the sentence of death and the execution thereof , in as much as the guilty , though spared for a time , might notwithstanding afterwards be executed . but the guiltlesse being once executed , could neuer againe bee restored . sect . . of their cruelty one towards another by the testimony of tacitus and seneca , and first in their civill warres . now that which yet much more aggravates the romane cruelty is this , that they were not onely thus hard-hearted towards strangers , but without naturall affection , implacable , mercilesse one towards another , as appeareth partly in their factions & civill warres , partly in the tyrannie of their emperours & inferiour gouernours , & partly in their bloudy games & pastimes . what a miserable complaint is that which is made by tacitus . legimus cum aruleno rustico petus thrasea , herennio senefioni priscus heluidius laudati essent capitale fuisse , nec in ipsos modo authores , sed in libros eorum saevitum , delegato triumviris ministerio vt monumenta clarissimorum ingeniorum in comitio ac foro vrerentur , scilicet illo igne vocem populi romani , & libertatem senatus , & conscientiam generis humani abolere arbitrabantur , expulsis insuper sapientiae professoribus , & omni bona arte in exilium acta , ne quid vsquam honestum òccurreret . dedimus profectò grande patientiae documentum , & sicut vetus respub : videt quid vltimum in libertate esset , ita nos quid in servitute : adempto per inquisitiones etiam loquendi , audiendique commercio , memoriam quoque ipsam cum voce perdidissemus , si tam in potestate nostra esset oblivisci quam tacere . wee read that when petus thrasea was praised by arulenus rusticus , and priscus heluidius by herennius senesio , it was made a capitall crime , neither did their rage extend only to the authours , but to their bookes . cōmand being giuen from the triumviri , that the monuments of those rarewits should be burnt in the pleading & market places . forsooth in that flame they made accoūt at one blaze to extinguish the voice of the people of rome , & the liberty of the senate , & the conscience of mankinde . besides the professours of wisedome & all ingenuous arts were banished , that nothing carrying the face of honesty might any-where appeare . then did wee shew a singular example of patience , & as former ages saw the vtmost of liberty , so we of servitude . moreouer the mutuall commerce of speaking & hearing being by inquisitions abridged , wee had surely lost our memory together with our voyce , had it bin aswell in our power to forget , as to be silent . yet more pitifull is that sad complaint of seneca touching his times : adeo in publicum missa nequitia est , & in omnium pectoribus evaluit vt innocentia non rara sed nulla sit . numquid enim singuli aut pauci rupêre fidem ? undique velut signo dato ad fasque nefasque miscendum coorti sunt . — non hospes ab hospite tutus , non socer à genero , fratrum quoque gratia rara est : lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercae , imminet exitio vir conjugis , illa mariti , filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos . sed quota pars ista scelerum est ? wickednesse is become so common , and hath taken in all breasts such deep rooting , that innocency is not onely rare , but no-where to be found : neither haue single persons , or some few onely transgressed the law , but as it were at the giuing of a signe men are on all sides euery-where risen vp to the blending & confounding of right and wrong . — the host his guest betrayes ; sonnes father in lawes , twixt brethren loue decayes , wiues husbands , husbands wiues attempt to kill , and cruell step-mothers pale poysons fill , the son his fathers hasty death desires . and yet how small a part is this of the present villanies . but the civill warres was it which chiefly discovered the bloudy & vindictiue disposition of this nation . before which , as testifieth saint augustine , their dogges , their horses , their asses , their oxen , & all such beasts as liued vnder the service & for the vse of men , of tame became so wild , that they forsooke their mansions & masters , & got them into mountaines & woods , not without the danger of such as offered to reduce them to their former condition . and surely this wildnes of the beasts served as a fore-runner of that fiercenesse & inhumanity which afterwards appeared in their masters . the sedition of the gracchi being appeased , lucius opimius consull executed as being guilty of that conspiracie by judiciall processe , ex quo intelligi debet , saith s. augustine , quantam multitudinem mortuorum habere potuerit turbidus conflictus armorum quando tantam habuit judiciorum velut examinata cognitio . from whence we may probably gather what multitudes died in the confused conflict of armies , since so great a number was made away by a legall tryall . but sylla was he , who vnder pretence of chastising the out-rages of marius , filled the city with bloud . illo bello mariano atque syllano exceptis his qui foris in asia ceciderunt , in ipsa quoque vrbe cadaveribus vici plateae , fora , theatra , templa completa sunt , vt difficile judicaretur quando victores plus funerum ediderunt vtrum prius vt vincerent , an postea quia vicissent . in the warres of marius & sylla , besides those which were slaine in the fields abroad , in the city it selfe their streets , their market places , their theaters , their temples were all strewed ouer with carcases , so as it was hard to judge when the conquerours slaughtered more , either first that they might conquer , or afterwards hauing conquered . sylla alone quem neque laudare , neque vituperare quisquam satis dignè potest , quia dum quaerit victorias scipionem se populo romano , dum exercet , hannibalem representavit , whom no man can sufficiently either commend , or dispraise , for that in pursuing his victories hee shewed himselfe as another scipio to the romane state , in making vse of them another hannibal , hee alone i say , by his infamous proscription , bereaued the city of foure thousand & seuen hundred citizens , whose names he commaunded to be registred in the publique records , videlicet ne memoria tam praeclarae rei dilueretur , forsooth lest the memory of so notable a fact should be extinguished , neither were they of the baser ranke of the people , there being among them no lesse then one hundred & forty senatours , besides infinite slaughters committed either by his commaund or permission , neither did he thus rage against those onely who bore armes against him , but to the number of the proscribed he added the most peaceable citizens if they were rich , he also drew out his sword against women , as not being satisfied with the slaughter of men , id quoque inexplebilis feritatis indicium est , saith valerius , that was likewise a signe of most vnsatiable cruelty , that hee commaunded the heads of such as he had slaughtered to be cut off & brought into his presence , though retaining neither life nor visage , vt oculi●… illa , quae ore nefas erat manderet , that he might feed vpon them with his eyes , because with his mouth he could not : the eies of marius he plucked out befo●…e he depriued him of life , & then brake in pieces all the parts of his body , & marcus ple●…orius because he fell into a sound at the sight of that execution he cōmanded presently to be slain vpon the place , novus punitor misericordiae , apud quem iniquo animo scelus intueri scelus admittere fuit , a rare punisher of mercy , with whom vnwillingly to behold a wicked act , was to commit wickednesse ; but perchance though he thus tyrannized vpon the liuing , he spared the dead , no such matter , for digging vp the ashes of c. marius , who was sometime questor , though afterwards his enemy , hee threw them into the river amen , en quibus actis foelicitatis nomen sibi asserendum putavit , behold with what goodly acts he purchased to himself the name of happinesse . vix mihi verisimilia narrare videor , i scarce seeme to my selfe to report likelyhoods , saith valerius : and s. augustine tells vs , that some counselled him , sinendos esse aliquos vivere , vt essent quibus possit imperare : that he should doe well to suffer some to liue , lest there should be none whom he might commaund . and from quintus catulus he deservedly wrested that bitter speech , cum quibus tandem victuri sumus si in bello armatos , in pace inermes occidimus , with what forces are we likely to vanquish our owne enemies if wee thus kill our own men both armed in warre & vnarmed in peace . and from lucan it drew those excellent verses , sylla quoque immensis accessit cladibus vltor , ille quod exiguum restabat sanguinis vrbi hausit , dumque nimis jam putrida membra recidit , excessit medi●…ina modum , nimiumque secuta est quâ morbi duxêre manus . after these barb'rous butcheries revengefull sylla came , the little bloud that yet remain'd in rome he spilt the same , and whilst he off the rotten parts doth cut , the reme●…die due measure too much doth exceed , his hands the maladie pursue too farre . and that herein he deliuered no more then trueth , or rather indeede came short of it , may sufficiently appeare by this one bloody act ; sylla having vpon his credit received to favour foure legions ( which make vp twenty foure thousand ) of the adverse part ; he caused them notwithstanding in publique to be cut in peeces , calling in vaine for mercy at his treacherous hand . and when the senate hearing their groanes and scritches stood amazed at it ; the satisfaction he giues them , was none other then this . hoc agamus patres conscripti pauculi seditiosi iussu meo puniuntur : my lords let 's to the businesse , as for the tumult you heare , it is only a few mutinous souldiers are punished at my commaund . vpon which , lypsius giues this just censure : nescio quid magis hic mirer , hominem id facere potuisse an dicere : i know not whether of the two i should more wonder at , that a man could either so doe , or so speake . yet me seemes we need not much wonder at it , since the senatours themselues were drawne out of the senate house , as it had beene a prison to execution . nay mutius scevola , being both a priest & a senatour , was slaine , imbracing the very altar in the temple of vesta , then which nothing among the romans w●… held more sacred , and was like to haue quenched with his blood that fire , which was alwayes kept burning by the care of virgins : quae rabies exterarum gentium , quae saevitia barbarorum , huic de civibus victoriae civium comparari potest , saith s. augustine : what rage of forraine nations , what cruelty of barbarians was ever comparable to this victory of fellow citizens vpon each other . yet was the fire of these broyles scarce quenched before the flame burst out afresh in the civill warres , betwixt sertorius & catiline , lepidus and catulus , caesar and pompey ; of which lucan . — alta sedent civilis vulner a dextrae heu quantum terrae potuit pelagique parari hoc quem civiles hauserunt sanguine dextrae ? deepe sticke the wounds which civill armes haue made : what lands , what seas might haue bin purchased , even with that blood which civill warres haue shed ? and againe , — desuntque manus poscentibus arvis : they wanted hands for tillage of their lands . and in another place , — generis quo turba reducta est humani ? hard it was to finde what was become of mankind . yet after all this , again vpon the death of caesar in the senate the triumuiri , octavius , lepidus , and antony , vnder pretence of revenging his death & reforming the state , like the true schollers of sylla ordained the like proscription as he had done , proscribing at once the heads of three hundred senatours , and two thousand romane knights : reade appian , & in him a most liuely description of the incredible cruelty of those times , some making themselues away , some flying , some hiding themselues in wells and draughts , servants , & wiues , & children , hanging and howling about their masters , and husbands , and parents , but not able to helpe them : heu scelera quibus nihil acerbius sol ille vidit visur●…sque est ab ortu omni ad occasum , peream ego nisi humanitatem ipsam perijsse dicas fero & ferino illo aevo , they be the words of lypsius the great patron of the romane vertues . o horrible cruelty , then which the sunne neuer saw or shall see any thing more greivous from the rising to the fall thereof . let me not liue , if you would not beleeue that humanity it selfe was vtterly lost out of the world , in that bloudy and barbarous age . sect . . secondly , of the cruelty of their emperours towards their subiects , their captaines towards their souldiers , their masters towards their slaues , and generally of their whole nations . yet within a while after pax cum bello de crudelitate certabat & vicit , peace contended with warre which should be more cruell and overcame : i will instance only in tiberius and caligula , the third and fourth emperours , and content my selfe only with a part of suetonius his testimony concerning their monstrous cruelties . touching the first , specie gravitatis & morum corrigendorum , sed & magis naturae obtemperans , saith he : vnder a colour of gravity & reformation , but in trueth by a powerfull inclination in his nature he did many such outragious acts , as it gaue occasion among others to the casting out of these verses on him ▪ fastidit vinum , quia iam sitit iste cruorem , tam bibit hunc avidè quam bibit ante merum . he loatheth wine , & now he after blood doth thirst , drinks this as greedily as wine he dranke at first . nullus à poena hominum cessanit dies , ne religiosus quidem ac sacer ; no day was priviledged from executions , no not the most solemne holy dayes . because virgins by a received custome were not to be strangled ; he caused the hang-man first to deflower a virgine , & then to strangle her . he thought death so light a punishment , that when he heard carnulius had by death prevented his tortures , he cryed out , carnulius me evasit , carnulius hath escaped me . his thoughts were so intent vpon nothing else but horrible executions , that having by familiar letters invited a cittizen of rhodes to come to him to rome , and being informed of his comming , he commaunded him instantly to be put to the racke , and his errour being discovered , to be put to death , least it should be divulged . having caused men to be drawne on to fill themselues with wine , hee would suddainely commaund their privy parts to be fast bound with lute-strings , that so for want of meanes for avoyding their vrine , they might endure miserable torments . caligula , a man of much like temper , succeeded him in the empire , but in cruelty farre exceeded him . many of honourable ranke being first branded with infamous markes , he condemned to the mines , or the beasts , or shut them vp like beasts in cages , or sawed them asunder in the middest . and that not for great matters , but either because they had no good opinion of his shewes , or had not sworne by his genius : he forced fathers to be present at the execution of their sons , and to one , excusing himselfe by reason of his sickenesse , he sent his litter for him , inviting him to mirth and iollity . having recalled one home , who in his predecessours dayes was sent into banishment , he asked him how hee spent the time while he was abroad , who answered by way of complement , that he incessantly prayed for the speedy death of tiberius , & his succession to the empire : wherevpon , conceiving that his banished men prayed likewise for his death ; he presently dispatched away messengers to the ilands where they liued in exile , commaunding them all to bee put to the sword . when he desired that a senatour should be torne in peeces ; he hired one , who entring in to the senate house , should assault him as an enimy to the state , and stabbing him with stillettoes , should leaue him to be torne by others . neque ante satiatus est quam membra , & artus , & viscera hominis tracta per vicos atque ante se congesta vidisset : neither was he satiated before with his eyes he beheld the members & bowels of the man dragged thorow the streets and cast before him . hee did not commonly execute any , but with many & soft strokes , his commaund being now generall and commonly knowne : ita feri vt se mori sentiat , so strike him that he may feele himselfe to die ; being offended with the multitude for crossing his desires , he was heard to say , vtinam populus romanus vnam cervicem haberet , i could wish the people of rome but one necke ; meaning to chop them off at one blowe . he was wont openly to complaine of the vnhappy condition of his times , that they were not made famous by any publique calamity : that augustus his government was memorable by the slaughter at varia ; & that of tiberius by the fall of the scaffolds at fidenae : but his was like to be buried in oblivion , by the calme and prosperous current of all things . and therevpon would he often wish , for the overthrow of his armies , famine , pestilence , fire , earth-quakes , and the like , & when he was sporting or feasting himselfe , he abated nothing of his inbred and wonted cruelty , but shewed the same fiercenesse both in his words and deedes : many times while he was dyning were some examined vpon the racke in his presence , and other had their heads stricken off . at putzoll at the dedication of a bridge , having invited many vnto him from the shore , on the suddaine he giues order for the tumbling of them downe headlong into the sea , & such as tooke hold of any thing to saue their liues , he causes to be beaten off with poles & oares . being one day very free at a great feast , he suddainely brake forth into a great slaughter : and the consuls , who were next him , demaunding the reason thereof , his answere was , quid ? nisi vno meo nutu jugulari vtrumque vestrum statim posse , nothing but this , that at a becke from me , both your throates may presently be cut . in the middest of his ieasts , when standing neere the statue of iupiter , he demaunded apelles the tragedian , which of the two , himselfe or iupiter seemed the greater ; apelles making a pause , he commaunds him to be sliced in peeces with rods , now and then commending his voyce calling for mercy , as being sweetely tuneable in the very groaning . as oft as he kissed the necke of his wife or mistresse , he would commonly adde , tam bona cervix simul ac iussero demetur , so faire a necke may be taken off the shoulders when i list : and sometimes he boastingly threatned , that he would wrest it out of the heart of coesonia his darling with the racke , why he so affectionately loued her , so as it might truly be said of him , that he was indeed none other then lutum sanguine maceratum , a lump of clay soked in blood , and of his times might iustly be verified , what seneca in his preface to his fourth booke of naturall questions speakes of caius , sciebam olim sub illo in eum statum res humanas decidisse vt inter misericordiae opera haberetur occidi●… vnder him things were brought to that passe as it was reckoned amogst the workes of mercy to be slaine . neitheir was this the disposition only of their emperours , but of their inferiour governours & officers , happily by imitatio of their emperours : in masters towards their slaues , in generals towards their souldiers , and generally the whole multitude one towards another . ved●…us pollio was wont vpon every light occasion , as sometimes for the breaking of a glasse or some such trifle , to cast his slaues into his pond of lampres , to be devoured by them : vt in visceribus earum aliquid de servorum suorum corporibus & ipse gustaret , saith tretullian ; that the entralls of his lampres might rellish somewhat of the flesh of his slaues : but pliny giues this censure vpon it : invenit in hoc animali documenta sae●…ae , non tanquam ad hoc feris terrarum non sufficientibus , fed quia in alio genere totum pariter hominem distrahi spectare non p●…terat . he found out in this fish a new kinde of cruelty , not but that the wilde beasts of the earth were sufficient to effect the same , but because he could in none other kind be hold the whole man to be torne in peeces ▪ not much inferiour to this , was the rigorous cruelty of their generalls towards the souldiers , masked vnder the vizar of strict discipline . it is in this kind a memorable example , that seneca●…elates ●…elates of piso , who finding a souldier to returne from forraging without his companion , as if he had slaine him whom he brought not backe with him , condemned him to death ; his execution being in readines , and he stretching forth his necke to receiue the stroke of the axe , behold in the very instant his companion appeares in the place ; wherevpon the centurion , who had the charge of the execution , commaunds the executioner to sheath his sword , and carries back the condemned souldier to piso , together with his companion , thereby to manifest his innocency , and the whole army waited on them with joyfull acclamations : but piso in a rage gets him vp to the tribunall , and condemnes both the souldiers , the one for returning without his companion , & the other for not returning with him ; and herevnto addes the condemnation of the centurion for staying the execution without warrant , which was given him in charge ; & thus constituti sunt in eodem loco perituri tres ob vnius innocentiam : three , were condemned to die for the innocency of one . in more ancient times , three of the albanes named curiatij , combating with three of of the horatij romanes for the empire , by consent of both their states , two of the romanes were vanquished by the three albanes , and the three albanes againe by one of the romanes , whose sister having married one of the albanes , because she wept to see her brother weare the spoiles of her husband , she was instantly dispatched by him . huma●…r hu●…us vnius foeminae quam vniversi populi romani mihi videtur fuisse aff●…tus , saith s. augustine ; the disposition of this one woman seemeth to me more humane then that of the whole body of the people of rome . heere vnto may be added that bloody speech , cast forth by the daughter of appi●…s coecus , who being crowded by the multitude , as she came 〈◊〉 seeing some publique shew , vtinam , inquit ; revi vis●…at frat●…r ; aliamque classem in siciliam ducat atque istam multitudinem perditum eat , quae me malè nunc miseram convexavit : i wish , saith she , my brother were aliue againe , that he might conduct another fleete against sicilie , and so make away this multitude which thus troubles me : now her brother publius claudius lately before had lost many thousands of the romanes in an expedition by sea against the sicilians , and with them his owne life . sec . . thirdly , of their cruelty one towards another in their sword-fights : in which first is considered the originall and increase of these games , aswell in regard of their frequencie , as both the number and quality of the fighters . and no marveill this speech should fall from her comming frō a publique shew , in asmuch as the whole body of this people made the effusion of humane blood , and the slaughtering of men their common sport and pastime . some they cast to beasts , some they set to fight with beasts , some to fight one with another . these they called gladiatores , swordplayers , & this spectacle , munus gladiatorium , a sword-fight ; in which their skill in defence was not somuch regarded or praised , as the vndaunted giving or receiving of wounds , and life vnfearefully parted with : neither mattered it who had the hap to surviue , he being reserved but for another dayes slaughter . and here i shall craue pardon , if i descend a little to particulars , and insist somewhat largely vpon some of them ; the matter in it selfe seemes to require it , being no doubt very strange to such as are not acquainted with the romane history , so strange , that in a people so renowned for their morall vertues , it might happily seeme incredible , but that i make it good by the testimony of graue authours , and which is more ; their owne : the testimony of any man against himselfe being in reputation of law of sufficient validity , without either legall exception , or iust suspition . if the apostle judged the testimony of epimenides the poet , forcible against his owne countrey-men the cretians , why should not wee judge the testimony of the most approved romane historiographers , poets , & oratours weighty enough , being alleadged against the romane nation . first then , i will consider the cruelty of the act it selfe , together with some aggravating circumstances . secondly , the cruell disposition of the people , in entertaining it with that heat and fervencie of affection , as is wonderfull . thirdly , that the christian religion was it which first cryed out against it by the pennes of her divines , and then cryed it downe by the edicts of her emperours . the beginning of these kinde of shewes originally sprang from a superstitious conceite , ( suggested no doubt by the common enimy of mankind ) of sacrificing with the blood of men for the manes or ghosts of their deceased parents or neere friends . iunius brutus was the first we reade of that began it in honour of his fathers funeralls , about yeares after the cities foundation . he exhibited to this purpose in the market place , paires of sword-players : hoc scilicet erat expiare manes patris , vel potiùs placare diabolum , saith peter martyr : this forsooth was to appease his fathers manes , or rather to please the devill . after this , they grew so common , that men by their testaments appointed them at their funeralls . some there are , saith seneca , who vndertake to dispose of matters , even beyond the tearme of their liues , taking order for stately monuments , pompous funerals , & ad rogum munera , and at the end of their funerals , the exhibiting of sword-fights . and whereas it was in vse only at the funerals of great men , within a while private men tooke it vp , privatorum memorijs legatariae editiones parentant , saith tertullian in somewhat an harsh african phrase i confesse , but doubtlesse his meaning is , that even private mē by legacies in their last wils , provided for these sword-fights , which by the romans were called editiones . neither was this vsed at the funeralls of men only , but of women too . iulius caesar exhibiting it at the death and for the honour of his daughter , which none ever did before him ▪ and so from a small brooke , it increased to a great and mighty sea , and from matter of religion , became a matter meerely of honour in those that gaue it , and of pleasure in those that beheld it . transijt hoc genus editionis ab honoribus mortuorum ad honores viventium : these shewes passed from the honour of the dead to the honour of the liuing : the aediles , the pretors , the quaestors , the consuls , the priests , the emperours exhibited them at their birth dayes , at the dedication of publique works & at triumphes , and by degrees they came to set solemne dayes , which they held as festivall , and at the last , not the magistrates alone , but private men exhibited them at all times , without difference of persons or dayes . iuvenall speaking of some that of base fellowes were become rich , addes munera nunc edunt & verso pollice vulgi quemlibet occidunt populariter . sword-playes they doe bestow , and when they turne the thumbe , they murther whom they list . and martiall tels vs of a cobler that exhibited them , das gladiatores sutorum regule cerdo , quodque tibi tribuit subila , sica rapit . braue king of coblers , thou sword-players dost maintaine , and what thine awle doth get , the sword soone spends againe . the number of sword-players thus exhibited , grew in the end to a multitude incredible . caesar in his edileshippe exhibited three hundred and twenty paire . gordianus sometimes , & never lesse then an hundred every moneth . traian by the space of dayes without intermission tenne thousand ; but that of nero exceedes all , and almost beleife it selfe : exhibuit ad ferrum quadringentos senatores sexcentosque equites romanos : he brought forth to the sword-fight foure hundred seanatours and six hundred romane knights so that in regard of those excessiue number thus wilfully cast away thorow the romane empire , we may justly complaine with lypsius , non temere à funere ortares , quae revera funus & pestis orbis terrae , credo , imò scio , nullum bellum tantam cladem vastitiemque generi humano intulisse , quam hos advoluptatem ludos , numerum cum animis vestris recensete dierum quos dixi hominumque , mentior , si non vnus aliquis mensis europae stetit vitenis capitum millibus , aut tricenis 〈◊〉 ▪ it seemes vpon good reason to borrow its originall from funeralls ; it being in trueth the very funerall and plague of the world , i thinke , nay i know that no warre euer made such havocke of mankinde as those games of pleasure ▪ doe but count the number of dayes & men which i named , & let me●… not be credited , if one moneth sometimes did not cost europe twenty thousand or thirty thousand heads ▪ yet was the expence infinit which these bloudy games cost the masters of them in hiring , in dyeting , in disciplining , in arming , in bringing forth their sword-players , in preparing the theater & the like ▪ and in this regard as for some noble and meritorious act , they had ti●…es & honours bestowed vpon them , & pillars with inscriptions erected to them , and during their shewes they had the power of publique magistrates : and though those whom they exhibited in the●…e games at first were ●…ues onely or captiues , over whom they had ●…us vit●… & neci●… , power of life & death , yet afterwards they drew into the sand free men , knights , sen●…ours , yea histories not onely affirme , that commodus the emperour did himselfe play the gladiator in person , but his statue in that fashion starke naked with his naked sword in his hand is yet to be seene at rome in the palace of the farnesi . but that which passeth all bounds of humanity , moderation and modesty is , that domitian exhibited women in these sword-fights , of which statius , stat sex us rudi●… insci●…que ; ferri et pugnas capit improbus viri●…es , credas ad tanaim serumque phasin thermodonti●…as calere turmas . th' vnskilfull sexe not fit for broyles ▪ in bloody fights to manlike toyles : you at tanais would haue thought or phasis , amazons had fought . sect . . secondly , of the fervent and eagen affection of the people to these games , as also that they were in vse in the provinces , and namely among the iewes , but refused by the graecians , and why . now the affection of the people to these bloody games was such , that at the death of a great man they would call for them as due , & mutine if they had them 〈◊〉 . the market-place being not able to containe the multitude that flockt vnto them , they had theaters & amphitheaters built if not purposely , yet specially for these shewes , which places were of incredible both charge & capacity , some one of them being sufficient to hold aboue a hundred thousand persons , & yet all little enough in regard of the infinite troupes that resorted thither . equidem existimo , saith tully , nullum tempus esse frequentioris populi quam illud gladiatorium : truly i thinke there is at no time a greater concourse of the people then at the sword-playes . and againe , id autem spectaculi genus erat quod omni frequentia atque omni genere hominum celebratur , quo multitudo maximè delecta●… ; that kinde of shew is it which is most frequented with company of all sorts , & with which the multitude is most delighted . they left all other sporrs to run to this , primo actu placeo cum interèa rumor venit datum iri gladiatores , populus convolat ▪ tumultuantur , clamant , pugnant de loco . they be the words of the comicall poet , my first act pleased them well , when in the meane while a rumor was rais'd that the sword-players were at hand , at which noise the people flocke thither : they striue tumultuously , they cry out , they fight for their places . when the day was ser , they sought the time long before it came , as appeares by that of seneca , quicquid interjacet grave est , tam mehercules quam quando dies gladiatorij muneris dictus est , transire medi●…s dies volunt . whatsoeuer fals in between is troublesome , as are the dayes which come between the publishing of the day of the sword-playes & the comming of it . being assembled , and the sword-players entred the fight , irascitur populus & injuriam putat quod non libenter pereunt , saith the same seneca , the multitude growes angry and hold it a wrong and scorne done them , if they dye not willingly . with whō lactantius accords in sense , & almost in words , irascuntur etiam pugnantibus nisi celeriter è duobus alter occisus est , & tanquam humanum sanguinem sitiant , oderunt mor●…s 〈◊〉 . they are displeased with the sword-players except one of them be presently slaine : and as if they thirsted for humane bloud , they are impatient of delayes . such as were wounded , and lay weltering in their blood , they desired to be searched ; ne quis illos simulata morte deludat , lest any should deceiue them with a faigned death : and this was not done onely by men , but by women , by virgines , by uirgines devoted to religion , by the vestall virgines themselues . — consurgit ad ictus et quoties victor ferrum jugulo inserit illa delicias putat esse suas , pectusque jacentis virgo modesta jubet converso pollice rumpi . — rise vp at euery stroke shee must ▪ and whiles into the throat the victors knife is thrust , that 's th' onely sport , and then the modest vestall priest turning her thumb commaunds to stab him through the brest . besides this , some of them bathed their hands in the bloud of the slain , as lampridius obserues in the life of commodus ; and which of all is most horrible to imagine , they sucked the recking bloud out of the fresh wounds . for which we haue the testimony of pliny : now a dayes , saith he , you shall see them that are subiect to the falling euill to drinke the very bloud of fencers & sword-players as out of liuing cups ; a thing that when we behold within the same shew-place , tigres , lyons , & other wilde beasts to doe , we haue it in horrour as a most fearefull and odious spectacle , and these monstrous minded persons are of opinion , that the said bloud for sooth is most effectuall for the curing of that disease , if they may suck it breathing warme out of the man himselfe , if they may set their mouth close to the veine , to draw thereby the very heart bloud , life and all ; how vnnaturall soeuer otherwise it be holden for a man to put his lips so much as to the wounds of wild beasts for to drinke their bloud . so as it seemes they still retained the nature of that wolfe which romulus their founder sucked , and as their walls were tempered with bloud fraterno primi maduerunt sanguine muri with brothers blood the walls at first imbrewed were . so were their mindes ; and yet as if in all this they had done marvellous well , they proclaimed these games , they set vp bills in publique places to signifie the time & the number of the dayes they lasted , together with a list of the names and qualities of the sword-players , and sometimes the more to content and provoke the multitude , but too forward of themselues , they set forth and exposed to publique view those tragicall sports in painted tables , artificially done and to the life , which practise was first begun by terentius lucanus , as witnesseth pliny : all which considered , i haue often wondered at two things , the one that sathan should so farre prevaile vpon this people in blinding their vnde●…nding , being otherwise held a wise nation , & great professors of morality ; the other , that the divine vengeance should suffer such prodigious cruelty to passe so long vnrevenged : yet bodin rightly and truly obserues , that by gods judgement at fidenae fifty thousand men beholding a sword-fight , were at once slaine by thr fall of a theater : which notwithstanding this foule practise infected most of their provinces and colonies , and so farre wrought it vpon the iewes themselues , that agrippa exhibited vnto them vna commissione paria septingenta , seuen hundred paires of fencers at one sitting , exceeding therein the romanes themselues . and a kinde of shadow hereof we haue resembled in the . of samuel and the . abner said to ioab , let the young men now arise and play before vs : and ioab said , let them arise : then there arose and went ouer twelue of beniamin by number which pertained to ishbosheth the son of saul , & twelue of the servants of david , & euery one caught his fellow by the head , and thrust his sword in his fellowes side , so they fell downe together . in which combate , saith peter martyr in his commentaries on the place , their meaning was not to decide the controversie by the event of the conflict , for the sparing of blood as was intended in the duells betwixt david and goliah , the horatij & the curiatij , sed nihil aliud hic quaeritur quam vt homines barbarico & belluino more sese mutuo sauciantes & cadentes , spectantium oculos pascerent horrendo spectaculo : heere they sought for nothing else but that men wounding and killing one another in a barbarous and a beastly manner , and so falling downe dead before them they might feed the eyes of the beholders with an horride spectacle . now for the graecians , though it be true that the athenians indeed desired the sword-playes after the romane manner , yet demonax gaue them a short & wise answere , prius evertendam esse aram misericordiae quàm tanta atrocitas publicè reciperetur , that the altar erected to mercy was first to bee demolished before so outragious cruelty could with reason be admitted . sect . . thirdly , these bloudy spectacles were cryed out against by the tongues and pennes of christian divines , and then cryed downe by the lawes and power of christian emperours . bvt after the bright beames of the glorious gospell of iesus christ began to shine through the world , these bloudy games were cryed out against by the writings of christian divines , and at last cryed downe and vtterly abolished by the power and edicts of christian magistrates . lactantius is full and round in this point , qui hominem quamvis ob merita damnatum in conspectu suo jugulari pro voluptate computat , conscientiam suam polluit tam scilicet quam si homicidij quod fit occultè spectator & particeps fiat ; hos tamen ludos vocant in quibus humanus sanguis effunaitur , adeò longè ab hominibus facessit humanitas , vt cùm animas hominum interficiant ludere se opinentur nocentiores ijs omnibus quorum sanguinem voluptati habeant . hee that makes it his pastime to behold a man put to death , though justly deserving it , staines his conscience as much as if he w●…re guilty of secret murther , yet these they call games in which the bloud of men is shed , so farre is manhood abandoned from men , that they thinke it but a sport , being in trueth themselues more worthy to suffer then they , in the shedding of whose bloud they thus delight . and before him cyprian , paratur gladiatorius ludus , ut libidinem crudelium luminum sanguis oblectet ; the sword-playes are prepared , that the bloud gushing out may satiate the wicked longing of their cruell eyes . and before him againe tertullian , qui ad cadaver hominis communi lege defuncti exhorret , idem in amphitheatro derosa & dissipata , & in suo sanguine squalentia corpora patientissimis oculis desuper incumbit . hee that startles at the sight of the corpes of a man dead by the common course of nature , most patiently and contentedly beholds them in the amphitheater mangled and all to be goared with their owne blood . now as the pens and tongues of the christians were thus armed against this monster , so were likewise their lawes & swords . constantine the first christian emperour was he that first gaue it a deadly wound . vetuit idolis sacrificari , vetuit gladiatorum caedibus pollui vrbes ; hee forbade sacrificing to idoles , and the pollution of cities by the slaughter of sword-players . and the law it selfe we haue inserted into the code , cruenta spectacula in otio civili & domestica quiete non placent , quapropter omninò gladiatores esse prohibemus ; such bloudy spectacles in these peaceable time we like not , and therefore straightly forbid all kinde of sword-playes . yet after this ( such was the madnesse of the people vpon them ) that they were vehemently desired & brake out by starts , but it was a resolute and worthy answere of theodosius to them earnestly solliciting him for the restitution of these games , pium principem oportet non tantum regnare , sed etiam spectare clementer ; it behooues a religious prince not only to reigne but to looke mildely and mercifully , that is , not to accustome himselfe to such cruell spectacles . and to the same purpose writes prudentius to honorius . iam solis contenta feris infamis arena , nulla cruentatis homicidia ludat in armis , nullus in vrbe cadat cujus sit poena voluptas . th' infamous sand is now with beasts content , in bloudy armes manslaughter is not playd , nor pleasure made of death and punishment . sect . . the romans being thus cruell towards others , likewise turned the edge of their cruelty vpon themselues , partly by a voluntary exposing themselues to present death in those publique shewes , either for money , or vpon a bravery , or by laying violent hands vpon themselues ; which by their gravest writers was held not onely lawfull and commendable , but in some cases honourable . thus we see how these bloudy shewes had their birth from paganisme , but their death frō christianity , yet before we conclude this point touching the romane cruelty , it shall not be amisse to consider how by the just judgment of god , they who were thus barbarously cruell towards others , turned the edge of their cruelty vpon their own breasts , and became likewise most vnmercifull and vnnaturall towards themselues ; not onely by a voluntary exposing of themselues to death in their theaters , by encountring with men and beasts , but by holding it lawfull , yea in some cases both commendable and honourable , to lay violent hands vpon themselues , & to cut off the threed and extinguish the lampe of their owne liues . for the first , it is certaine that many of them were well content to sell their liues for money , — quanti sua funera vendant , quid refert ? vendunt nullo cogente nerone . what skils it for how much their death they sell ? they sell 't , yet them no nero doth compell . saith iuvenal . and manilius to like purpose . nunc caput in mortem vendunt & funus arenae atque hostem sibi quisque parat cum bella quiescunt . in th' amphitheater to death and slaughter they their head doe sell , and seeke out enemies when warres are quieted . and with this did the christians vpbraid them , nec vitae quidem suae parcunt , sed extinguendas publicè animas vendunt , saith lactantius , neither doe they so much as spare their owne liues , but sell their soules to bee publiquely extinguished , and sometimes they did it vpon a bravery to shew their courage , as appeares by that of tertullian in his exhortation to martyrdome , quot otiosos affectatio armorum ad gladiū vocat , certè ad feras ipsas affectatione descendunt , & de morsibus & cicatricibus formosiores sibi videntur ? how many idle companions onely thorow a vaine affectation of applause are drawne into the sword-fights , nay encounter with wilde beasts , seeming to themselues more beautifull by the scarres and wounds which they there receiue . neither did they only thus voluntarily expose their liues for a prize or v●…ine-glory to the rage of men or beasts , but which was more cruell , their greatest clearkes held it not lawfull only , but commendable , and in some cases honourable , to cut off the threed of their owne liues ▪ heerevpon he cryes out in the tragedie . vbique mors est optime hoc cavit deus , eripere vitam nemo non homini po●…est , at nemo mortem , mille ad hanc aditus patent . death's every-where , god would it so should be , life every man from man , death none can take , a thousand wayes thereto wide open lye . and lest we should thinke this to be but a poeticall fiction , whereby men are made to speake what the poet pleaseth , let vs heare the wisest & worthiest among them speaking in good earnest in this matter . quintilian affirmes , that nemo nisi sua culpa diu dolet , no man is long in paine or s●…rrow vnlesse it be thorow his owne fault , meaning that killing himselfe he may be rid of it when he pleaseth . yea euen seneca himself approues of this selfe-homicide in diuerse places , and though himselfe of a contrary sect , yet he highly commends that speech of epicurus , malum est in necessitate vivere , necessitas nulla est : quidni nulla si●… ? patent vndique ad libertatem viae multae , breves , faciles , agamus deo gratias quod nemo in vita teneri potest . indeed it is a misery to liue in necessity , but there is no necessity for a man so to liue , there are many , and short , and easie wayes to free our selues , let vs giue thankes to god that no man can bee compelled to liue whether he will or no. and againe , si me quidem velis audire , hoc meditare , exerce te vt mortem & excipias , & si ita res suadebit , a cersas , interest nihil an illa ad nos veniat , an ad illam nos . if thou wilt follow my counsell , so prepare thy selfe , that thou mayst entertaine death , nay if need be , thou mayst send for it . for it matters not whether death come to vs , or we goe to death . yea he mockes and derides those that make any scruple thereof , bono loco res humanae sunt , quod nemo nisi vitio suo miser est , placet ? vive : si non placet , licet eo reverti vnde venisti , the condition of our estate in this is happy , that no man is miserable but by his own default : doth thy life please thee ? liue ; if it please thee not thou mayst returne when thou wilt frō whence thou camest . and in another place , quocunque respexcris ibi malornm finis est , vides illud praecipitem locum ? illac ad libertatem descenditur . vides illud mare , illud flumen , illud puteum ? libertas illic in imo sedet ; vides illam arborem , brevem , horridam , infaelicem ? pendet inde libertas . vides iugulum tuum , guttur tuum , cor tuum ? effugia servitutis sunt . nimis mihi operosos exitus monstras , & multum animi atque roboris exigentes . quaeris quod sit ad libertatem iter ? quaelibet in corpore toto vena . which way soever thou lookest , there is an end of all evills to be found . dost thou see an high and steepe place ? by falling down from it , thou shalt fall into liberty . seest thou such a sea , or such a river , or such a pit ? liberty lies in the bottome of them , if thou haue the heart to cast thy selfe into them . dost thou see a tree whereon others haue beene hanged ? there hangs liberty , if thou wilt hang thy selfe . dost thou see thine owne necke , throate , heart ? they are all places of escape to flie from bondage . are these too hard and painefull meanes to get out , & wouldest thou yet know the way to liberty ? every veine in thy body is a way to it . to conclude this point , pliny would haue vs beleeue that our mother earth having pitty on vs , doth bring forth poysons to dispatch our selues out of this wretched world with an easie draught , without wounding the bodie , or shedding the blood , when there shall be due occasion . and to this purpose , the fact of cato & pomponius atticus , are by their historians highly commended , as is likewise that of rasias , by the authour of the bookes of macchabees , as a manfull and noble act . but among christians , though it be sometimes practised , yet it is not taught by them ; nay by the christian religion , it is straightly forbidden & condemned , and so farre as punishment may light vpon the dead , it is punishable , not only by the common , but by the cannon & civill lawes . the romanes are generally much commended for their courage , their wisedome , their iustice : but i would demaund what courage it is for a man to runne away from misery , that he may not grapple with it or looke it in the face ? what wisedome , to commend their cittizens for dispatching themselues at their owne pleasure , so robbing the state of a member , and perchaunce a very serviceable one , such as cato was ? what iustice , that men either thorow weakenes of mind , or strength of passion not alwayes capable of reason , should be permitted to giue sentence , and doe execution vpon themselues ? and least we should thinke that this was the onely vice this nation , ( somuch renowned for civility and vertue ) was subject vnto ; i will likewise in passing touch their covetousnesse , which was in truth insatiable , and th●…en take a larger view of their luxurie , spreading it selfe into many branches , but all of them most excessiue , & were they not recorded by their owne writers almost incr edible . cap. . of the excessiue covetousnesse of the romanes , and their insatiable thirst , of having more , though by most vniust and indirect meanes . sect . . of the excessiue covetousnesse of the romanes in generall , by the testimonies of petronius arbiter , iuvenall , galgacus , and hanniball ; and in particular caecilius claudius , marcus crassus , and specially seneca the philosopher are taxed for this vice . the rapine and covetousnesse of the romanes was such , that being lords in a manner of all the knowne world , yet therewith they rested not content . orbem jam totum victor romanus habebat , qua mare , qua tellus , qua sydus currit vtrumque , nec satiatus erat , now the victorious romane all the world had won , sea , land , and all where both the starres their course doe runne , yet was not satisfied . these are they , whom braue galgacus in the life of iulius agricola justly stiles raptores orbis , vnjust robbers of the world who having left no land , saith he , to be spoyled , search also the sea , whom not the east nor west haue satisfied : to take away by maine force , to kill and to spoile falsely they call empire , and when all is laid waste as a wildernes , that they call peace . this vnquenchable desire of theirs , hanniball likewise both truly and wittily expressed ; before whom , whē antiochus mustered a great army prepared against the romanes , richly furnished with weapons inamiled , ensignes , saddles , bridles , and trappings , imbossed and imbrodered with gold and silver , being demaunded by the king , whether all that gallant shew were not sufficient for the romanes , his answere was short but sharpe , taxing aswell the cowardize of antiochus his souldiers , as the covetousnes of the romanes : plane satis esse credo romanis haec etsi avarissimi sint , yes truly i beleeue heere is enough for the romanes though they be most excessiuely couetous . but this honour of theirs afterwards increased infinitely , as appeares by that of iuvenall , vberior nunquam vitiorum copia , nunquam maior avaritiae patuit sinus . was never yet more plenteous store of vice , nor deeper gulfe lay ope of avarice . and manilius , nullo votorum fine beati , victuros agimus semper , nec viuimus vnquam . never contented with our present state , w' are still about to liue , but liue not till too late : every man sayth he wishing for that he hath not , but making no reckoning of that he hath . nec quod habet numerat tantum quod non habet optat for particulars , pliny tells vs , that when asinius gallus & martius censorinus were consuls died cecilius claudius , who signified by his last will & testament , that albeit he had sustained exceeding great losse during the troubles of the civill warres , yet he should leaue behind him at the thoure of his death , of slaues belonging to his retinew foure thousand one hundred & sixteene , in oxen three thousand and six hundred yoke , of other cattell two hundred fifty seaven thousand , and in ready coine , h three score millions of sesterces , besides a very great summe he set out for defraying his funerall charges . and for marcus crassus , the same authour in the same chapter affirmes , that he was wont to say , that no man was to be accounted rich and worthy of that title , vnlesse he were able to despend by the yeare , asmuch in revenew , as would maintaine a legion of souldiers . and verily , saith pliny , his owne lands were esteemed worth two hundred millions of sesterces ; and yet such was his avarice , that he could not content himselfe with that wealthy estate , but vpon an hungry desire to haue all the gold of the parthians , would needs vndertake a voyage against them ; in which expedition hee was taken prisoner by surinas , lieutenant generall for the king of parthia , who stroke off his head , and powred gold melted into his mouth to satisfie his hunger after it . but i most wonder at seneca the philosopher , who every where in his writings bitterly inveighs against these co vetous desires , & yet within foure yeares space gathered he three thousand times three hundred thousand sesterces , which amounts in our coyne to pounds , and in casting vp this summe , both the translatour of tacitus his annales , and master brerewood precisely accords . and whatsoever faire pretence he make in his bookes of mortification and contempt of the world , yet certaine it is , that beside this masse of treasure , he had goodly farmes in the countrey , as appeares by his owne epistles , and in the citty spacious gardens , & princely sumptuous palaces , the one mentioned by iuvenall . sat. . senecae praedivitis hortos : the gardens of seneca the rich : the other by martiall : lib : . epigram : , et docti senecae ter numeranda domus : three houses of seneca the learn'd . sect . . of their wonderfull greedinesse of gold , manifested by their great toyle and danger in working their mines , fully and liuely described by pliny . bvt that which much more aggravates this vice of the romanes is , that commonly they gathered their riches either by violent rapine , extortion , & oppression , or by cunning slights , & base practises , or lastly by the infinite toyle of such as therein they imployed , not without the indangering of the liues of many thousands . i will begin with the last ; and that i may the more cleerely and effectually expresse it , i will deliver it in the words of pliny , where he thus speakes of the earth , torne and rent in sunder for rich mettals and pretious stones . the misvsages , saith he , which she abideth aboue and in her outward skin , may seeme in some sort tollerable , but we not satisfied therewith , pierce deeper and enter into her very bowells , wee search into the veines of gold & silver , we mine & digge for copper & lead mettals , and for to seeke out gemmes & some little stones , we strike pits deepe within the ground . thus we plucke the very heart-strings out of her , and all to weare on our finger one gemme or pretious stone . to fulfill our pleasure & desire , how many handes are worne with digging & delving , that one ●…oynt of our finger might shine againe . surely , if there were any devils beneath , ere this time verily these mines ( for to feede covetousnes & riot ) would haue brought them vp aboue ground . and againe in his proeme to his booke , we descend , saith he , into her entralls , we goe downe as farre as to the seate & habitation of infernall spirits , and all to meete with rich treasure , as if the earth were not fruitefull enough , & beneficiall vnto vs in the vpper face thereof , where she permitteth vs to walke and tread vpon her . now the infinite toyle , the fearefull and continuall danger of these workes , he notably describeth in the fourth chapter of the same booke . the third manner of searching of this mettall is , saith he , so painefull and toylesome , that it surpasseth the wonderfull worke of the gyants in old time . for necessary it is in this enterprice and businesse to vndermine a great way by candle light , and to make hollow vautes vnder the mountaines , in which labour the pioners worke by turnes , successiuely after the manner of a releife in a set watch , keeping every man his houres in just measure , and in many a moneths space , they never see the sunne nor day-light . this kinde of worke & mines they call arrugiae ; wherein it falleth out many times , that the earth aboue head chinketh , and all at once without giving any warning setleth & falleth , so as the poore pioners are overwhelmed & buried quicke : yet say , they worke safe enough , and be not in jeopardy of their liues by the fall of the earth , yet be their other difficulties which impeach their worke : for other whiles they meete with rockes of flint and ragges , which they are driven to cleaue & pierce thorow with fire & vineger ; yet for feare of being stifled with the vapour arising from thence , they are forced to giue ouer such fire-workes , & betake themselues oftentimes to great mattockes & pickaxes , yea and to other engines of iron , weighing one hundred & fiftie pound a peece , where with they hew such rockes in peeces , & so sinke deeper & make way before them . the earth and stones which with somuch adoe they haue thus loosed , they are faine to carry from vnder their feete in scuttles and baskets vpon their shoulders , which passe from hand to hand evermore to the next fellow . thus they moyle in the darke both day & night in these infernall dungeons , and none of them see the light of the day , but those that are last , & next vnto the pits mouth or entry of the caue . howbeit , be the rocke as ragged as it will , they count not that their hardest worke : for there is a certaine earth resembling a kind of tough clay , which they call white lome ; this being intermingled with gravell or gritty sand , is so hard baked together , that there is no dealing with it ; it so scorneth and checketh all their ordinary tooles & labour about it , that it seemeth impenetrable . what doe the poore labourers then ? they set vpon it lustily with iron wedges , they lay on load vncessantly with mighty beetles , & verily they thinke there is nothing in this world harder then this labour , vnlesse it be this vnsatiable hunger after gold , which surpasseth all the hardnes & difficulty that is . now notwithstanding the great danger and toyle of those workes , infinite was the number which the romanes imployed therein , as may in part appeare by the same authour in the same chap : here sayth he , commeth to my remembrance an act of the censors extant vpon record , as touching the gold mine of ictimulum a towne in the territory of verselles , which act contained an inhibition , that the publicanes , whofarmed that mine of the citie should not keepe aboue fiue thousand pioners together at worke there : by which restraint it should seeme , that their vsuall practise was to keepe more , and this haue wee by polybius fully cleared , affirming that in the spanish mines at new carthage , no lesse then forty thousand men were daily imployed . sect . . their vnmercifull pilling and poling , robbing and spoyling the provinces , not sparing the very temples and things sacred . yet had all this beene in some sort tollerable , had they not herevnto added the pilling & poling , the robbing & spoiling of their provincials ; sometimes by open force & rapine , but commonly vnder the colorable pretences of tributes or fees. demades was wont to say when he was advanced to any place of government ; ad auream messem se venisse , that he was come to a golden harvest ; and this was surely the conceite of the romane presidents when they went to their charges every one like another iason , promised to himselfe the bringing backe of a golden fleece , these were in truth those harpyes . — quarum decerpitur vnguibus orbis , quae pede glutineo quae tetigêre trahunt . whose clawes spoyle all the world , whose glewie feet draw to themselues what ere they touch or meet . that which cicero charged verres with , in the government of sicilie , was doubtles the common practise of them all in like places ; as in part appeares by the conclusion of c. gracchus his speech to the people after his returne to rome from the government of sardinia , as gellius relates it ; the bagges , saith he , which i carried forth with me full of money , i brought backe emptie ; whereas others returned home those barels full of silver , which they sent forth filled with wine . they had officers vnder them for their collecting of their tributes , whom they named publicanes ; which word wee haue still retained in our gospells ; but so as it there appeares , they were an odious kind of people , by reason of their vnjust and vnmercifull exactions ; whence some ( though improperly in regard of the word , yet not impertinently in regard of their snarling and biting conditions ) haue stiled them publicani , quasi publici canes , and if these were dogges , sur●…ly the presidents themselues were wolues & lyons , not leaving the bones till the morrow , as the prophet describes the princes & iudges of israel . one of them while he was yet trembling at s. paules sermon touching righteousnesse , temperance , & the iudgement to come , yet such a corrupt habit had he gotten , that even then he groped him for a bribe , though a man most vnlikely to afford it , aswell in regard of his doctrine and profession , as his poore estate . but some where haue i read of this vnhappy felix , that hee was inexplebilis avaritiae gurges , an vnsatiable gulfe of covetousnes . such a one , i am sure , was sylla , who raised out of the lesser asia alone , twenty thousand talents yearely : yet brutus & cassius went farther , forcing them to pay the tribute of tenne yeares within the space of two , and anthony in one ; by which computation they payd in one yeare two hundred thousand talents , a mighty summe . l. paulus held one of their best cittizens , pretending to make the epirotes free , as were the macedonians whom he had conquered , vnder that pretence , calling out tenne of the chiefe of every citty , he advised them to bring forth their gold & silver , which done , he divided his cohorts among them , & gaue in charge to the tribunes & centurions what his pleasure was : in the morning his commaund was executed by the townesmen , and at foure of the clocke signe was given to his souldiers for the sacking of the townes . tantaque praeda fuit , sayth livie , vt in equitem quadringenti denarij , peditibus duceni dividerentur : so great was the spoyle , as there fell to the share of an horse-man foure hundred denarij , and of a foote-man two hundred . nay , in italy it selfe plemminius lieutenant to scipio africanus proceeded so farre vpon the locreans , over whom he was set with a garison , that he abstained not from sacrilege , neither did he spoyle other churches alone , but that of proserpina , robbing & carrying away , intactos omni aetate the sauros , treasures till then vntoucht . these were strange outrages , that of galba was indeede lesse outragious but more base , he being proconsull in spaine vnder nero , the taraconians sent him for a present a crowne of gold , affirming that it weighed fifteene pounds . hee received it , & causing it to be weighed , found it to want three pound , which he exacted from them : postposito omni pudore , sayth fulgosus , laying aside all shame , as if it had beene a due debt . and to shew he was no changeling , even after his comming to the empire , hee gaue with his owne hand to a certaine musitian that pleased him , out of his owne purse sesterces about three shillings english , & to his steward at the making vp of his bookes , a reward from his table . this was base , but that of iulius caesar most dishonest , who in his first consulship stole out of the capitoll three thousand weight of gold , laying vp asmuch gilded copper instead thereof . he sacked in an hostile manner certaine townes of the portugals , though they disobeyed not his commaunds , but freely & friendly opened their gates vnto him for his entrance . in france he robbed the oratories & temples of the gods , stored with rich offerings & ornaments , & laid waste their cities , saepius ob praedam quam ob delictum , saith suetonius , oftner for loue of booty then for any offence by them committed , and afterwards supplied the expence of his civill warres , his triumphes , his shewes to the people , evidentissimis rapinis & sacrilegijs , by most notorious pillaging & sacrilege . and no marveill , since as witnesseth cicero in the third booke of his offices , he had alwayes that of euripides in his mouth . si violandum est jus , imperij gratia , violandum est : if right for ought a man may violate , 't is for a kingdome . and i see not , but that he might as safely hold that justice is to be violated for treasure , by which empire is to be gotten & maintained , as for empire it selfe . sect . . of the base and most vnconscionable practises of tiberius and caligula , nay even of vespasian himselfe for the heaping vp of treasure . now if this were the opinion & practise of iulius caesar , what should we expect from nero , tiberius , & caligula , of whom the first wasted italy by contributions and borrowing of money , ruined the provinces , and impoverished the confederates of the people of rome , and the citties which were called free : yea the gods themselues were not priviledged from being made a prey : but the temples in the citty were robbed , & the gold carried away , which the people of rome in all ages , either in triumphes or vowes , in prosperity or feare had dedicated to the gods : yea in achaia & asia not onely consecrated gifts , but the images of the gods were taken away ; acratus and secundus carinates being sent thither of purpose . the second being presented with a goodly fish , he sent it to be sold in the market , and being designed here by cn. lentulus one of the augures , and a man of great revenewes , neuer left him till thorow feare and anguish hee had brought him to his graue . also to pleasure quirinus who had beene consull , a wonderfull rich man , but childlesse , in hope to be his heire , he condemned his wife lepida a noble and worthy lady divorced from her husband after twenty yeares marriage , and accused of contriuing his death by poyson long before . venon likewise king of parthia , who being driven out of his owne kingdome , and betaking himselfe to the trust of the people of rome , came to antiochia with infinite treasure , he caused most perfidiously to be robbed both of it and his life , and of his life for it . verum ut hoc in eo horrenda fuerunt , ita quae sequuntur dedecoris plena , as these things in him were horrible , so were those that followed most abominable and shamefull , saith fulgosus , in reference to caligula , the successour to tiberius aswell in vice as empire . some with threats he forced to name him their heire , and if they recouered after the making of their wils , he dispatched them by poyson , holding it ridiculous that they should long liue after their wills were made . for the bringing in of money he set vp stewes both of boyes & women in the palace it selfe , and sent some thorow the streetes to invite men thither for the increasing of the emperours revenewes , and hauing by this and such like wretched meanes amassed huge summes of treasure , he to satiate his appetite contrectandae pecuniae cupidine incensus , being inflamed with a longing desire of touching money , would sometimes walke vpon heapes of gold , and sometimes as they lay spred abroad in a large roome , rolle himselfe ouer them starke naked . o ingentem nimiamque avaritiam quae in tanto imperio tantum principem excaecatum in eam vilitatem abjectionemque deduxisti , vt neque dedecus suum , neque imperii ignominiam agnosceret , saith fulgosus , most transcendent & excessiue covetousnes which blinded so great a cōmander , & cast him into such extremity of basenes as to become a publike pander & a poysoner for loue of mony , which no ingenuous minded man though pressed with extreame necessity would practise though in private . but this was in these monsters no miracle , i more wonder at vespasian , who had the reputation ( perchaunce by reason of their villany ▪ ) of a good emperour , yet euen he was so impotently covetous , that hee not onely called for the arreareages due in galbaes time , but raised new tributes , & laid vpon the provinces more grievous impositions , doubling them in some places , negotiationes vel privato pudendus propalam exercuit , he publiquely practised such kinde of traffick , as euen a private man would shame to doe ; taking vp commodities at a cheap hand , that afterward he might vent them at dearer rates : neither did he spare to sell honours to such as sued for them , or absolutions to such as were accused , whether they proued guiltlesse or guilty , hee was thought of set purpose to haue made choice of the most ravenous poling officers hee could any-where finde out , and to haue advanced them to the highest places , that being thereby growne rich , hee might condemne their persons , and confiscate their goods , and these men hee was commonly said to vse as sponges , quod quasi & siccos madefaceret , & exprimeret humentes , because he both moistned them being dry , and wrung them out being moistned . nay which was more base , he laid an imposition vpon vrine , and being by his son titus put in minde of the basenesse of it , he tooke a peece of money receiued for that vse , and putting it to his sonnes nostrils , demaunded of him whether he felt any other sauour from it then from any other money , adding withall , bonus odor lucri ex re qualibet , the smell of gaine is good from any thing whatsoeuer . sect . . that the whole nation was deepely infected with the same vice . and to speake a truth , the whole body of this people was so farre possessed with this dropsie , that salvianus makes it their nationall disease , avaritiae inhumanitas proprium romanorum malum , inhumane covetousnesse is the disease proper to all the romanes . and with him accords mithridates in iustin , non temerè se lupi vberibus alitos jactare , omnet enim habere luporum animos inexplebiles , sanguinis , imperij , divitiarumque avidos esse & jejunos ; that they did not without reason boast themselues to be nourished from the dugg of a shee wolfe , inasmuch as they haue all of them insatiable mindes of wolues , greedily thirsting after empire , bloud and riches . and this well appeared in two publique acts of theirs , the one was , that a peece of land being in controversie betweene the ardeatines and the aricinians , they both by joint consent referred themselues to the arbitration of the romanes , binding thēselues to stand to their award : but they adjudg'd it to themselues . the other was that the senate hauing taken great summes of money of certaine tributary cities to make them free , forced them afterward to pay their old tribute without restoring vnto them the money they had paid for their freedome ; which saith cicero was turpe imperio , a shame to their empire , piratarum enim melior fuit fides quam senatus , for the faith of pirats was better then the faith of the senate . this was most dishonest , yet i know not whether that which followes were not more dishonourable . their greatest men tooke to farme their basest tributes before mentioned , & worse then those , yea and sued for them , non aliter quam militarem aliquam praefecturam aut civilem magistratum , they bee the words of euagrius , none otherwise then it had beene some great commaund in the warres , or some principall office in the city . and iuvenal speaking of those who from small matters were raised to great fortunes thus describes them . conducunt foricas , & cur non omnia ? cum sint quales ex humili magna ad fastigia rerum extollit quoties voluit fortuna jocari . they draughts ( and why not all things else ? ) doe hire , being such as fortune when she would be merrie , to highest place doth raise from lowest mire . what marvell then if seneca complaine , haec ipsa res tot magistratus tot judices detinet quae magistratus & iudices facit pecunia . this selfe-same thing which keepes in so many magistrates and iudges , in their places , is it which makes both magistrates and iudges , to wit , money ; mercatoresque & venales invicem facti , quaerimus non quale sit quid sed quanti , & being become merchants on all hands , we seeke not so much of what quality things are , but of what price . and all kinde of offices being thus purchased with money , as the places of iudicature were commonly bought , so was iustice openly sold. omnium sermone percrebuit in his judicijs quae nunc sunt , pecuniosum hominem , quamvis sit nocens , neminem posse damnari , saith cicero . it is rife in euery mans mouth in these courts of iustice , which now are , that a monied man , though he bee guilty cannot be condemned : and againe , nihil tam sanctum quod non violari , nihil tam munitum quod non expugnari pecunia possit : there is nothing so sacred which with money may not be violated , nothing so fenced which may not be razed . nay catiline could say of rome , ô vrbem venalem & maturè perituram si emptorem invenerit ! o mercenary city and soone to bee ruined by sale if it might finde but a chapman . not without reason then haue some found in the word roma , radix omnium malorum avaritia , covetousnesse is the roote of all mischiefe , taking the first letters of those wordes as they lye in their order for the making vp of that name . and not without proper signification did rome take to her selfe the eagle for her ensigne , which as iob speaketh , dwelleth and abideth on the rock , vpon the cragge of the rocke & the strong place : from thence she seeketh the prey , and her eyes behold a farre off , her young ones also suck vp blood , and where the slaine are , there is he . so as generally might be verified of them , what claudian writes of ruffinus . plenus sevitiae , lucrique cupidine fervens , non tartassiacis illum satiaret arenis tempest as pretiosa tagi , non stagna rubentis aurea pactoli , totumque exhauserit hermum ardebit majore siti . greedy of filthy gaine , and full of cruelty , nor can tartessian sands him of the pretious tage , or golden streames of red pactolus satisfie , might he all hermus drink his thirst the more would rage . or strozza of scaurus . scaurus habet villas , vrbana palatia , nummos , pinguiaque innumeris praedia bobus arat : huic tamen assiduè maior succrescit habendi nunquam divitijs exsatiata fames . scaurus hath farmes , coine , cities , palaces , with many an oxe his fertile fields he plowes : yet wealth his hunger neuer satisfies , but his desire to haue still greater growes . cap. . of the romane luxury in matter of incontinency and drunkennesse . sect . . a touch of the romane luxurie in generall , and in particular of the sins of the flesh . now as the romane covetousnes was vnsatiable , & their cruelty vnquenchable : so was their luxury most incredible , were it not recorded by their owne writers . nunc patimur longae pacis mala , saevior armis luxuria incumbit , victumque vlciscitur orbem , nullum crimen abest facinusque libidinis ex quo paupertas romana perit . now suffer we the plagues and mischiefes of long peace , now is the conquer'd world reveng'd by luxurie , far worse then armes , and since rome's poverty did cease , there wanteth no attempt or crime of lecherie . pariterque & luxuria nata est , & carthago sublata , saith pliny , no sooner was carthage vanquished by vs , but we by luxurie : and these two covetousnesse and luxurie mutvally made way each for other : luxuriamque lucris emimus luxuque rapinas . we draw on luxurie by vnjust gaine , and rapine by luxurie is drawne on againe : eiusmodi tempora constat à tacito in annalibus esse descripta quibus nulla unquam fuerunt turpissimis vitijs foediora , neque aut virtutum steriliora , aut virtutibus inimicitiorae , as witnesseth causabon in his preface to polybius : it is evident that those times are by tacitus described in his annals , then which neuer were any more fruitfull in most shamefull and abhominable vices , or of vertues more barren , or to vertue more opposite : the branches of the romane luxurie were monstrous excesse in all kinde of vncleannesse & incontinency , in diet , in apparell , in retinew of servants , in buildings & furniture of their houses , in bathings & anointings of their bodies , in prodigall gifts , and lastly , in setting foorth their playes & theatricall shewes . i am not ignorant that meursius a netherlander hath composed an entire booke purposely of this subject , intituling it , de luxu romanorum , of the romane luxurie , and concluding it with this censure , damno , damno luxum vestrum romani , & in hac sententia concludo , o ye romanes , i damne i damne your luxury , and with this sentence i conclude : yet is it certaine that hee hath omitted many materiall collections which might haue beene added , and the most obserueable in him i shall not faile to make choice and vse of . first then for their excesse in the sinnes of the flesh it is evident that they acted more then is now commonly knowne to christians , and i rather desire the foulenesse thereof should be eternally buried in oblivion , then by exposing it to publique view defile my penne with it , and perchaunce teach whiles i reprehend . the apostle in the first to the romanes hath given vs a touch thereof ; yet so as no doubt but hee concealed much that he knew , and many things by them were practised , which came not to his knowledge . though this infection were so generally spread , & had taken so deepe root amongst them , that they made but a jest of the foulest sinnes in that kinde . they had certaine pastimes , which they tearmed ludos florales , in honour of flora , a notorious strumpet . qui ludi tanto devotius quanto turpius celebrari solent , saith s. augustine in his second booke de civitate dei , and chapter ; which games of theirs the more dishonestly , the more devoutly they were celebrated . in these the common queanes , which got their maintenance by that trade , ran vp & downe the streetes by day-light , & in the night with burning torches in their hands , having their whole bodies starke naked , and expressing the most beastly motions & gestures , and vttering the most filthy speeches & songes that could possiblely be imagined . to these the poet alludes . turba quidem cur hos celebret meretricia ludos , non ex difficili cognita causa fuit . why queanes these playes doe celebrate i trow , 't is not so difficult the cause to know . yet to these shamefull , or rather shamelesse pastimes were their youth admitted , thereby adding , as it were fire to tinder , nay their sagest senatours , gravest matrones , and severest magistrates were well content to grace them with their presence , as it had bin some very commendable or profitable exercise : but these florall playes were but once a yeare , their enterludes in the theater , acted vpon the open stage were almost daily , yet so abominable , that the godly d●…voute fathers of the primitiue christian church can hardly write of them with patience , specially salvianus , whose words to this purpose are very smart and piercing : talia sunt , saith he , quae illic fiunt vt ea non solum dicere , sed etiam recordari aliquis sine pollutione non possit . alia quippe crimina singulas sibi in nobis vendicant portiones , vt cogitationes sordidae animum , impudici aspectus oculos , auditus improbi aures , ita vt cum ex his vnum aliquid erraverit , reliqua possint carere peccatis , in theatris vero nihil horum reaetu vacat , quia & concupiscentijs animus & auditu aures , & aspectu oculi polluuntur , quae quidem omnia tam flagitiosa sunt , vt explicare ea quispiam atque eloqui salvo ore non valeat . quis enim integro verecundiae statu dicere queat illas rerum turpium imitationes . illas vocum ac verborum obscaenitates , illas motuum turpitudines , illas gestuum foeditates , quae quanti sint criminis vel hinc intelligi potest quòd & relationem sui interdicunt . his conclusion is , quae cum ita sint , ecce qualia aut omnes aut penè omnes romani agunt . of such a nature they are which are there acted , that a man cannot speake of them , nor well remember them without some touch of pollution , other offences challenge to themselues but a part of vs , as impure thoughts the mind , vnchast sights the eyes , wicked speeches the eares ; so that when one of these is tainted , yet the rest may be cleere from pollution , but in the theatre none of them is free from the guilt of infection , in asmuch as the minde is there defiled with corrupt thoughts , the affections with naughty desires , the eares by hearing , and the eyes by seing , all which are so lewd , that no man without blushing can somuch as name them , much lesse fully describe them . for what modest man is there , who can rccount those representations of beastly actions , those filthy speeches , & motions , & gestures , which how sinfull they are , we may from hence conjecture that they cannot well be related : which being so , behold what manner of things all , or at least-wise the greatest part of the romanes practise . and this may wee adde to salvianus , that the actors of these comedies were by the state it selfe highly regarded and richly rewarded , as if they had done some profitable peece of service for the common-wealth . but this kinde of luxurie , as being loathsome in the very handling i briefely passe over , as men lightly skippe over quagmires and proceede to their luxury in diet , and first of their excesse in drinking . sec . . of their excesse in drinking . this we may partly guesse at , by that which ammianus marcellinus writes of their pots , graviora gladijs pocula erant , their pots were heavier then their swords : among the rest , they had a kind of cups which horace cals ciboria . — oblivioso lavia massico ciboria imple . goe fill the biggest cups you may , with liquor that driues care away . thought to be the leaues of the egyptian beane , which are so broad , that dioscorides for their largenesse compares them to a bonnet , theophrastus to a thessalian hat ; & pliny thus describes them vnder the name of colocassia . the leaues of colocassia are exceeding large and comparable to the broadest that any tree beareth , of these plaited and infolded one within another , the egyptians make them cups of diverse formes & fashions , out of which they take no small pleasure to drinke ; whereby the leaues of colocassia , adrianus iunius conceiveth horace his ciboria to be described . such a kinde of cup , it seemes , was that , which that mad fellow speakes of in plautus , vpon casting the dice. iacto basilicum propino magnum poclum ille ebibit . i threw the principall chaunce , and therevpon begin an health in the greatest bowle , and hee instantly pleadges me the whole . now the principall chaunce was venus . — quem venus arbitram dicet bibendi , whom venus shall name to be judge of the game . and this lord of misrule in their compotations or drunken meetings , cald modiperator , or magister ; his office was to prescribe rules , and to see them executed , and there he commaunded as a soveraigne monarch in his kingdome . nec regna vini sortiere talis , nor shalt thou any more by chaunce of dice win bacchus kingdome or the drinking price . their rules of drinking they borrowed , for the most part , from the grecians , the most debosht drunken nation , i thinke that ever was , in somuch , as their very name is for that quality growne into a proverbe , both in latine & english. of these rules , one was to drinke downe the evening starre , and drinke vp the morning starre , ad diurnam stellam matutinam potantes , saith plautus . another commonly practised among them , was the drinking of so many healths as there were letters in their mistresses name . naevia sex cyathis , septem iustina bibatur , quinque lycas , lyde quatuor , ida tribus . six healths to naevia drinke , seaven to iustina , to lycas fiue , to lyde foure , and three to ida. and yet it should seeme by plutarch in his symposiaks , that they had a superstitious conceite of drinking foure healths , perchaunce because an euen number . aut quinque bibe , aut tres , aut non quatuor : three drinke , if more , fiue , but not foure . these drunken matches were in a manner the dayly trade of their poets . nulla manere diu nec vivere carmina possunt , quae scribuntur aquae potoribus , who nought but water d●…inke , their rime cannot endure or liue long time . nunc est bibendum , nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus . now let vs drinke out wit , and daunce & frolicke it . neither were their very women free from this excesse . nay seneca assures vs , that in this practise they put downe the men themselues ; non minus pervigilant , non minus potant & oleo & mero viros provocant ; aequè invitis ingesta visceribus per os reddunt , & vinum omne vomitu remetiuntur , aeque nivem rodunt solatium stomachi aestuantis : they no lesse sit vp late in the night , they drinke no lesse then men themselues , nay they challenge men to the annointing of their bodies , and the swilling down of wine , regorging what they eate & drinke aswell as they ; neither doe they forbeare to chaw vpon snow , as men do for the refreshing of their boyling stomackes . sect . . the same amply confirmed by the testimony of pliny . this vice of excessiue drinking is by some thought to be the epidemicall , proper disease of this age : but he that will be pleased patiently to pervse , & advisedly to consider this ensuing discourse , which i shall heere annexe out of pliny , will i presume alter his opinion therein , not by excusing the present , but by not excusing the former ages , and the better learne to detest this beastly vice in both . thus then writeth he , no lesse sharpely then elegantly of this vice , and the great excesse thereof in his time . if a man marke and consider well the course of our life , we are in no one thing more busie & curious , nor take greater paines then about wine , as if nature had not given to man the liquor of water which of all other is the most wholesome drinke ; and wherewithall other creatures are well contented : but we thinking it not sufficient to take wine ourselues , giue it also to our horses , mules , & labouring beasts , and force them against nature to drinke it . besides such paines , so much labour , so great cost & charges we are at to haue it , such delight & pleasure we take in it , that many of vs thinke they are borne to nothing else , and can skill of none other contentment in this life : notwithstanding when all is done , it transporteth & carrieth away the right wit and mind of men , it causeth furie & rage , and induceth , nay it casteth headlong as many as are given therevnto into a thousand vices & misdemeanours ; and yet forsooth to the end that we may take the more cups , and powre it downe the throate more lustily , we let it runne thorow a strainer for to abate & geld , as it were , the force thereof ; yea and other devices there be towhet our appetite therevnto , and cause vs to quaffe more freely ; nay to draw on their drinke men are not affraid to make poysons , while some take hemlocke before they sit downe , because they must drinke perforce then or else die for it ; others the powder of the pumish stone and such like stuffe , which i am abashed to rehearse , & teach those that be ignorant of such lewdnes . and yet we see those that be the stoutest & most redoubted drinkers , even those that take themselues most secured of danger , to lie sweating so long in the baines & brothell houses for to concocke their surfet of wine , that otherwhiles they are carried forth dead for their labour : you shall haue some againe , when they haue beene in the hot house not to stay so long as they may recover their beddes , no not so much as to put on their sherts , but presently in the place all naked , as they are puffing & labouring still for winde , catch vp great cans and huge tankards of wine ( to shew what lusty and valiant champions they be ) set them one after another to their mouth , power the wine downe the throate without more adoe , that they might cast it vp againe and so take more in the place , vomiting and revomiting twice or thrice together that which they haue drunke , and still make quarrell to the pot , as if they had beene borne into this world for none other end but to spill and marre good wine , or as if there were no way else to spend & waste the same but thorow mans body . and to this purpose were taken vp at rome these forraine exercises of vauting and dauncing the moriske , from hence came the tumbling of wrastlers in the dust and mire together , for this they shew their broad breasts , bare vp the heads , and carry their necks farre back , in all which gesticulations , what doe they else but professe that they seeke meanes to procure thirst , & take occasion to drinke : but come now to their pots that they vse to quaffe and drinke out of : are there not grauen in them faire pourtraites thinke you of adulteries ? as if drunkennesse it selfe were not sufficient to kindle the heat of lust , & to teach them wantonnesse . thus is wine drunke out of libidinous cups , and more then that , he that can quaffe best & play the drunkard most , shall haue the greatest reward . but what shall we say to those ( would a man thinke it ? ) that hire a man to eat also as much as he can drinke , & vpon that condition covenant to yeeld him the price for his wine-drinking and not otherwise . you shall haue another that will injoyne himselfe to drinke euery denier that he hath wonne at dice. now when they are come to that once , & be thoroughly whittled , then shall you haue them cast their wanton eyes vpon mens wiues , then fall they to court faire dames and ladies , and openly bewray their folly euen before their jealous and sterne husbands , then i say the secrets of their hea●…t are opened and displayed . some you shall haue euen in the midst of their cups make their wills euen at the board where they sit , others againe cast out bloudy and deadly speeches at randome , & cannot hold but bluit out those words which afterwards they are forced to eat againe , for thus many a man by a lavish tongue in his wine hath come by his death & had his throat cut . and verily the world is now grown to this passe , that whatsoeuer a man saith in his cups is held for sooth , as if truth were th●… d●…ughter of wine but say they escape these dangers , certes speed they neuer so well , the best of them all neuer seeth the sunne rising , so drowzie and sleepie they are in bed euery morning , neither liue they to be old men , but die in the strength of their youth . hence commeth it that some of them looke pale with a paire of flaggie cheekes , others haue bleared and sore eyes , and there be of them that shake so with their hands that they cannot hold a full cup , but shed and powre it downe the floore . generally they all dreame fearefully , which is the very b●…ginning of their hell in this life ) or else haue restlesse nights . and finally if they chance to sleepe ( for a due guerdon and reward of their drunkennesse ) they are deluded with imaginary conceits of venus delights , defiled with filthy abominable pollutions : & thus both sleeping & waking they sin with pleasure . well what becomes the morrow after ? they belch sowre , their breath stinketh of the barrell , and telleth them what they did ouer night , otherwise they forget what euer they did or said : they remember no more , then if their memory were vtterly extinct . and yet our jolly drunkards giue out and say that they alone enjoy this life , and rob other men of it : but who seeth not that ordinarily they loose not onely the yesterday past , but the morrow to come ? of all nations the parthians would haue the glory for this goodly vertue of wine bibbing : & among the greekes alcibiades indeed deserved the best game for this worthy feate . but here with vs at rome , nivellius torquatus , a millanois wan the name from all romanes and italians both . this lombard had gone thorow all honourable degrees of dignity in rome , he had beene pretor , and attained to the place of a proconsull . in all these offices of state he wonne no great name : but for drinking in the presence of tiberius gallons of wine at one draught & before hee tooke his breath againe , he was dubbed knight by the surname of tricongius , as one would say , the gallon knight . and the emperour sterne , seuere and cruell otherwise though he was , now in his old age , ( for in his youthfull dayes hee was giuen ouermuch to drinking of wine ) would delight to behold this worthy & renowned knight with great wonder and admiration . for the like rare gift & commendable quality men thinke verily that c. piso first rose , and afterwards was advanced to the provostship of the city of rome by the said tiberius : and namely for that in his court being now emperour he sate two daies & two nights drinking continually , & neuer stirred foot from the board . and verily drusus caesar ( by report ) in nothing more resembled his father tiberius than in taking his drinke . but to returne againe to noble torquatus , herein consisted his excellencie , that he did it according to art ( for this you must take withall , there is an art of drinking , grounded vpon certaine rules and precepts ) torquatus ( i say ) dranke he neuer so much , was not knowne at any time to falter in his tongue , neuer eased himselfe by vomiting , neuer let it goe the other way vnder board : how late soeuer he sate vp at the wine ouer night , he would be sure to relieue the morning watch & sentinel . he drunk most of any man at one entire draught before the pot went frō his head : & for smaller draughts besides , he went beyond all other in number , his winde he neuer tooke whilst the cup was at his mouth , but justly observed the rule of drinking with one breath : hee was not knowne to spit for all this : & to conclude , he would not leaue a drop behinde in the cup , not so much as would dash against the pavement , and make the least sound to be heard , a speciall point & precise law to prevent the deceit of those that drinke for a wager . a singular glory no doubt in him & a rare felicity . tergilla challenged m. cicero the younger , son to that m. cicero the famous oratour , & reproached him to his face , that ordinarily he dranke gallons at once , and that one time aboue the rest when he was drunke he flung a pot at m. agrippa his head . and truly this is one of the fruites and feates of drunkennesse . but blame not young cicero if in this point yet he desired to surmount him that slew his father , m. antonius i meane ; for hee before that time strained himselfe , and stroue to win the best game in this feate , making profession thereof , as may appeare by a booke which he compiled and set forth with this title , of his owne drunkennesse : wherein hee was not ashamed to avow and justifie his excesse and enormities that way , and thereby approued ( as i take it ) vnder pretence and colour of his drunkennesse all those out-rages of his , all those miseries and calamities that he brought vpon the whole world . this treatise he vomited & spued out a little before the battle of actium , wherein he was defeated . whereby it may appeare very plainely , that as hee was drunken before with the bloud of the citizens : so still he was the more bloud-thirsty : for this is a property which necessarily followeth this vice , that the more a man drinketh , the more he may , and is alwayes dry . and heerein spake to good purpose a certaine embassadour of the scythians , saying , that the parthians the more they drunke the thirstier they were . sect . . in particular this excesse of the romans in drinking is confirmed by the practise of anthony , specially at his being with cleopatra , as also by the practise of clodius sonne to esope the tragoedian in drinking of dissolued pearle . now because pliny hath instanced in anthony as one of the most notorious drunkards among the romanes , not onely for the practise but for the defence thereof , notwithstanding his eminent place and great commaund , it shall not bee amisse a little farther to enquire into some particulars touching his great excesse therein . it is a most shamefull one which cicero chargeth him with : sed haec quae robustioris improbitatis sunt omittamus ; loquamar potius de iniquissim●… genere levitatis tu istis faucibus , istis lateribus , ista gladiatoria totius corporis firmitate , tantum vini in hippiae nuptiis exhauseras , ut tibi necesse esset in populi romani conspectu vomere postridie . o rem non modo visa foedam , sed etiam auditu ! si inter coenam in tuis immanibus illis poculis , hoc tibi accidisset , quis non turpe diceret ? in coetu verò populi negotium publicum gerens , magister equitum , cui ructare turpe esset , is vomens frustis esculentis vinum redolentibus , gremium suum & totum tribunal implevit . but those villanies which require more strength let vs omit , & speake rather of his wicked kind of lightnesse . thou with those chaps of thine , with those sides , with that ruffian-like strength of thy whole body at the wedding of hippia didst take in so much wine , that the next day thou must needes vomit in the open view of the people of rome , a filthy act not onely to be seene but to be heard , if at supper-time in the midst of those thy monstrous pots the same had fallen out , who would not haue cryed out shame on thee ? but now the master of the horse being about a publique businesse in an assembly of the people where it had beene a shame for such a man to belch , vomiting out gobbets of flesh smelling strongly , therewith filled both his owne bosome and the whole court of iustice. this was indeed very foule in it selfe though but once done , euen without the oratours rhetoricall aggravation : but his dayly practise of excessiue drinking during his abode with cleopatra was lesse excusable , because more frequent ; touching which pliny relates two memorable stories , though in different kindes , the one was this . here by the way ( saith he ) i cannot choose but remēber the device of queene cleopatra , full of fine wit , and as wicked and mischievous with 〈◊〉 . for at what time anthony prepared the expedition and journey of 〈◊〉 against augustus , and stood in some doubt & jealousie of the said queene , for all the faire shew that she made of gratifying him , and doi●…g him all pleasure , he was at his taster , and would neither eate nor drinko a●…her ●…able without assay made . cleopatra seeing how timorous he was , and minding yet to make good sport and game at his needlesse feare and foolish curiosity , caused a chaplet to be made for m. anionius , hauing before dipped all the tips and edges of the flowres that went to it in a strong and ranke poyson , and being thus prepared , set it vpon the head of the said anthony . now when they had s●…tten at meat a good while , and drunke themselues merry ; the queene began to make a motion & challenge to anthony for to drinke each of them their chaplets ; and withall beg an vnto him in a cup of wine seasoned and spiced as it were with those flowres which she ware her owne selfe , o the shrewd and vnhappy wit of a woman when shee is so disposed ! who would euer haue misdoubted any danger of hidden mischiefe heerein ? well , m. anthony yeelded to pledge her : off goeth his owne garland , and with the flowres minced small , dresseth his owne cup. now when he was about to set it to his head , cleopatra presently put her hand betweene and stayed him from drinking , and withall vttered these words ; my deare heart and best beloued anthony , now see what she is whom thou so much dost dread & stand in feare of , that for thy security there must waite at thy cup and trencher extraordinary tasters ; a strange and new fashion ywis , and a curiosity more nice then needfull ; loe how i am not to seeke of meanes and oportunities to compasse thy death , if i could finde in my heart to liue without thee ; which said , she called for a prisoner immediatly out of the gaole , whom she caused to drinke off the wine which anthony had prepared for himselfe : no sooner was the goblet from his lips againe , but the poore wretch died presently in the place . the other story he thus relates ; two onely pearles there were together , the fairest & richest that euer haue beene knowne in the world , and those possessed at one time by cleopatra the last queene of egypt , which came into her hands by the meanes of the great kings of the east , and were left vnto her by descent . this princesse when marcus antonius had strained himselfe to doe her all the pleasure he possibly could & had feasted her day by day most sumptuously and spared for no cost : in the height of her pride and wanton brauery ( as being a noble curtezan and a queene withall ) began to debase the expence and provision of anthony , and made no reckoning of all his costly fare . when hee thereat demaunded againe how it was possible to goe beyond this magnificence of his , she answered againe , that she would spend vpon him in one supper thousand sestertij . anthony who would needes know how that might be ( for he thought it was impossible ) laid a great wager with her about it , and shee bound it again and made it good . the morrow after when this was to be tryed , and the wager either to be wonne or lost , cleopatra made anthonie a supper ( because she would not make default , and let the day appointed passe ) which was sumptuous & royall enough , howbeit there was no extraordinary service seene vpon the board : whereat antonius laughed her to scorne , and by way of mockery , required to see a bill with the account of the particulars . shee againe sayd , that whatsoever had beene served vp already , was but the overplus aboue the rate and proportion in question , affirming still , that shee would yet in that supper make vp the full summe that shee was seased at : yea her selfe alone would eate aboue that reckoning , and her owne supper should cost six hundred thousand sestertij : and with that , commaunded the second service to be brought in . the servitours that waited at her trencher ( as they had in charge before ) set before her onely one crewet of sharpe vineger , the strength whereof is able to dissolue pearles . now shee had at her eares hanging those two most pretious pearles , the singular and onely jewels in the world , and even natures wonder . as anthony looked wistly vpon her , and expected what she would doe , shee tooke one of them from her eare , steeped it in the vineger , and so soone as it was liquefied , dranke it off . and as she was about to doe the like by the other : l. plancius the judge of that wager , laid fast hold vpon it with his hand , and pronounced withall , that anthony had lost the wager : whereat the man fell into a passion of anger . there was an end of one pearle : but the fame of the fellow thereof may goe therewith . for after that this braue queene , the winner of so great a wager , was taken prisoner and deprived of her royall estate , that other pearle was cut in twaine , that in memoriall of that one halfe supper of theirs , it should remaine vnto posterity , hanging at both the eares of venus at rome in the temple pantheon . and yet , saith the same pliny , as prodigall as these were , they shall not goe away with the prize in this kinde , but shall loose the name of the chiefe & principall in superfluity of expence . for long before their time , clodius the sonne of aesope the tragaedian poet , the only heire of his father who died exceeding wealthy , practised the semblable in pearles of great price : so that anthony need not be over proud of his triumvirate , seeing that he hath to match him in all his magnificence one little better then a stage-player : who vpon no wager at all laid ( & that was more princely and done like a king ) but only in a bravery , and to know what tast pearles had , mortified them in vineger and drunke them vp . and finding them to content his palate wonderous well , because he would not haue all the pleasure by himselfe , and know the goodnesse thereof alone , he gaue to every guest at his table one pearle a peece to drinke in like manner . the madnesse of clodius , horace thus describes . filius aesopi detractam ex aure metellae ( scilicet vt decies solidum exsorberet ) aceto diluit ingentem baccam , qui sanior ac si illud idem in rapidum flumen iaceretue cloacam . the sonne of esop from metellas eare , ( that he at once ten thousand sols might drinke ) pluckt off , and it dissolv'd in vineger , as wise as if h 'had thrown 't into a sinke . sect . . of excessiue drinkers among the romans in regard of the quantity of the liquor ; and how both their princes and people were all generally tainted with this vice . these were luxurious drinkers in regard of the pretiousnes of the liquor , such as i thinke this age hath not heard of , & god forbid it should . now for excesse in quantity of wine at one draught or one sitting , lypsius hath written a large epistle , wherein he hath made a collection of many examples , borrowed from the ancient historians to that purpose , the title of it is , de potoribus & edonibus , of excessiue drinkers and eaters , and beginning with the first of these he thus makes his entrance . quos vbi & quando non est invenire ? in veteri & nostro aevo , in noto & novo orbe videas , & plinij dicto , nulla in parte mundi cessare ebrietatem . which kind of men where and when shall you not finde ? you may see them aswell in the old as in our age , both in the knowne and new world , and to vse plynies speech , no part of the world is free from them . to let goe the graecians , and those romanes already named , out of spartianus he tels vs of one firmus , who vnder aurelian was deputy of egypt ; this man being challenged by barbarus a famous drinker , situlas duas plenas mero duxit , he tooke off two buckets full of wine . bonosus was such another who lived about the same time , of whom the same emperour , as witnesseth the same authour , was wont to say , non vt vivat natus est , sed vt bibat , he was borne not to liue but to drinke : & being hang'd for some misdemeanour , they jeasted on him , amphoram pendere non hominem , that a barrell or tankard hung there , not a man : but that which capitolinus reports of the emperour maximinus is almost incredible : bibisse saepe in die vini capitolinam amphoram , that he often dranke in one day an amphora of the capitoll , an amphora containing of our measure nine gallons , counting a gallon and a pinte to the congius , whereof the amphora containes eight ; trepidarem haec scribere , saith lypsius , sed bonus & priscae fidei author adserit , quam ego non sugillem : i should feare to write these things ; but that i vouch it from an authour of good credit , which i durst not impeach or question . yet one instance beyond this againe he brings out of vopiscus , in the life of aurelian of one phagon , who dranke out in one day plus orca , what measure this orca held , i cannot well determine ; neither could lypsius himselfe , yet thus much he confidently affirmes of it , scio vas vin●…rium fuisse & amphora quidem majus , sed quanto mihi latet , i know for certaine that it was a vessell of wine , and that bigger then the amphora , but how much i know not . now that which most of all infected the state with this beastly vice , was , that the emperours themselues were deepely infected with it , both heartily affecting it themselues , and highly rewarding it in others . tiberius nero propter nimiam vini aviditatem , saith suetonius , by reason of his excessiue drinking , was nick-named biberius mero ; and besides , piso , whom pliny told vs before , he advanced to the provostship of the city for that quality ; he likewise for the same promoted flaccus pomponius to the presidentship of the province of syria , stiling them in his letters patents , iucundissimos & omnium horarum ami●…os , his most pleasant companions & friends for all seasons : but that which exceeded the rest , and indeede reason it selfe , was that ignotissimum quaesturae candidatum nobilissimis anteposuit ob epotam in convivio propinante se vini amphoram , that he preferred a base fellow , who was a sutor for the treasurershippe , before the most noble & worthy that stood in competition with him , only for the taking off of an amphora of wine at a feast which himselfe had began . now who would not striue to excell and exceed in this lewd practice , when it was in such request & esteeme with the greatest commaunders ? the multitude soone conforming themselues to their manners , specially in naughtines , and being therevnto encouraged by commendation & rewards . and how farre this vnmanly vice had infected the commons , may appeare by that of macrobius , who affirmes , that at that time when lex fannia was made against drunkennes , eo res redier at vt plerique ex plebe romana vino madidi in comitium venirent , & ebrij de reipub : salute consulerent ; to such a passe were things brought , that the greatest part of the common people of rome came loaden with wine into the counsell-house , and being drunke , consulted of the safety of the state . sect . . of the costlinesse and curious workemanshippe of the vessell out of which they dranke , which was likewise a meanes to draw them on to excessiue drinking . now as i began this discourse of drunkennesse with the greatnes , so will i end it with the costlinesse & curious workemanship of the vessels out of which they dranke ; which was likewise a meanes to draw them on to excessiue drinking . the world ( saith pliny ) is given to such inconstancie , as touching silver plate , that a wonder it is to see the nature of men , how variable they be in the fashion and making of such vessell : for no workemanship will please them long . one while we must haue our plate out of furnius his shop , another while we will bee furnished from clodius : and againe in a new fit , none will content vs but of gratius his making ( for our cupbords of plate & tables , forsooth , must beare the name of such & such goldsmiths shops : ) moreover , when the toy takes vs in the head . all our delight is in chased and embossed plate ; or else so carved , engraven , and deep cut in , as it is rough againe in the hand , wrought in imagerie or flower worke , as if the painter had drawne them . these celatures in their drinking cups were so fram'd , that they might put them on or take them off at pleasure , & were therefore called emblemata : such was that , whereof the satirist speakes . — stantem extra pocula caprum . — a goat standing out from the cup. two of this kinde wrought by the hand of mentor , cost lucius crassus the oratour one hundred thousand sestercies : sometimes were they made of onix stones drawne out of the mountaines of arabia , sometimes of mother of pearle , or some rare pretious shels . cum perfusa mero spumant vnguenta falerno , cum bibitur concha . whē their falernian wines mingled with oyntments crop , and when they drinke in shels . and all these kindes they richly inameld with pearles and pretious stones ; we drinke , saith pliny , in rooes of pearle , and garnish our pots with emeralls ; it delights vs to hold the indies in our hands as a provocation to drunkennes , and gold is now become but an accessorie . and for this reason had they some at their feasts set to watch their drinking vessell . — custos affixus ibidem qui numeret gemmas vnguesque observet acutos . fast by some one is set to watch & tell the plate , least any be purloind by some lime fi●…gred mate . neither were they content to garnish their cups with pearle and pretious stone , but made them of entire gemmes , they thought not themselues dainety enough , saith pacatus , nisi luxuria intervertisset annum , nisi hibernae poculis rosae innatassent , nisi aestivam in gemmis capacibus glaciem fal●…rna fregissent , vnlesse luxury had chaunged the season of the yeare , vnlesse winter roses swam vpon the top of their po●…s , vnlesse their pleasant wines dissolved the summer yce in a large gemme . and such a one was that which tully mentions ; erat etiam vas vinarium ex vna gemma praegrandi trulla excavata , cum manubrio aureo : there was likewise a drinking cuppe for wine made of one entire gemme or pretious stone , with a great hollow bowl & an handle of gold . they had also drinking vessells of murrin & crystall of wonderfull great prices . video isthic cristallina quorum accendit fragilitas pretium , omnium enim rerum voluptas apud imperitos ipso , quo fugare debet , periculo crescit ; video murrina pocula , parum scili●…et luxuria magno fuerit , nisi quod vomant capacibus gemmis inter se propinarent : i there see , saith seneca , their cristall glasses , whose very brittlenes inhaunces their price : for among the vulgar , their delight in things is increased by the very daunger , which should rather induce them to shun it . i likewise see their murrin cups , their luxurie being not held sufficient , vnlesse they may in large gemmes drinke that which soone after they vomit vp againe . the price of some of these , pliny takes the paines particularly to relate : crescit indies eius rei luxus murrino octoginta sestertiis empto , capaci plane ad sextarios tres calice : the excessiue luxury hereof increaseth daily , a murrin cuppe of three quarts being sold for foure score thousand sesterces ; one of these bought for three hundred thousand , petronius , who had beene consull , brake in peeces a little before his death out of a spite to nero , vt mensam eius exhaeredaret , that he might disinherit his table thereof . another of cristall , mentioned by the same authour , i may not forget ; alius hic furor , heere is another kinde of madnesse , one cristall bowle being bought by the mistris of a family , and shee not ouer rich neither , cost her one hundred & fifty thousand sesterces . herevnto might not vnfitly be added the beastly formes of many of their cups , vitreo bibit ille priapo , saith iuvenall ; and pliny to like purpose , in poculis libidines caelare iuvat & per obscaenitates bibere . but i passe from their drunkennesse to their gluttony . cap. . of the excessiue gluttony of the romanes . sect . . of their costly tables , their huge platters , the quality ; order , and number of their waiters ; and also of their art and schooles of carving : touching their excesse in gluttony , it is an ocean both boundles and bottomles , whether we consider the rarity or the variety of those dishes which at their solemne feasts they presented : but before i come to the furnishing of their tables , it shall not be amisse to say somewhat touching the tables themselues , vpon which they placed , and some monstrous platters in which they served in their provision , and the number & order of their wayting servants . they had tables of silver & some of gold . sustentatque tuas aurea mensa dapes . tables of gold thy dainties doe sustaine . but their most pretious which they had in greatest request were of citron , as appeares by the same poet in another epigram : these , as witnesseth petronius arbiter , they fetched from africa . — e●…ce aphris eruta terris citrea mensa tables of citron brought from africa . with whom pliny the rein accordeth , who in his naturall history hath a discourse proper to this purpose . the moores , saith he , that border vpon the mountaine atlas , are stored with abundance of citron trees , from whence commeth that excessiue expence & superfluity about citron tables made thereof : and our dames at home by way of revenge twit vs their husbands therewith , when we would seeme to find fault with the costly pearles which they weare : there is at this day to be seene a board belonging sometimes to tullius cicero , which cost him tenne thousand sesterces ; a strange matter , considering he was no rich man ; but more wonderfull , if we call to mind the severity of that age wherein he lived . much speech there is besides of asinius gallus his table , sold for an eleven thousand sesterces : moreouer there are two other which king iuba sold , the one was prized at fifteene thousand sesterces , and the other held little vnder ; a round summe , & the price of a good faire lordship : which incredible prizes are notwithstanding confirmed by seneca , who farther tels vs , they were valued according to their knottinesse : video istic mensas et aestimatum lignum censu senatoris , eo praetiosius quo illud in plures nodos arbor is infoelicitas torsit : i see there th●…ir tables , and a peece of wood valued at a senatours revenew , somuch the more pretious , as the vnhappy tree is wrested into diverse knots . to which passages of seneca & pliny , tertullian seemes to allude , for having produced the instances of tully & asinius gallus mentioned by pliny , though with some addition to the prices , he presently addes : hem quantis facultatibus aestimauêre ligneas ma●…ulas , at what high rates did they value these spots in wood . besides , these tables they supported with yuorie feet . tu libicos indis suspendis dentibus orbes , fulcitur testa fagina mensa mihi . thy lybian tables indian teeth doe reare : my beechen bord an earthen caske doth beare . and these yuorie feete were artificially carved into the shape of lyons or the like , which was so common , that without these , their greatest dainties could not rellish to their pallates , nil rhombus nil dama sapit , putere videntur vnguenta atque rosae , latos nisi sustinet orbes grande ebur : & magno sublimis pardus hiatu : nor buck nor turbet tast , sweet ointments yeeld no sent , and roses stinke , vnlesse huge gaping yvorie pards bearing aloft their large round tables giue content . yet such was the store which one man possessed of these , that it exceeded some hundreds . cum mensas habeat fere trecentas , pro mensis habet annius ministros . an hundred ta les annius hath thrice told , and waiters at his tables manifold . and dion reports of seneca , that notwithstanding his severe and stoicall profession , hee was stored with foure hundred of those citron tables . touching their platters or chargers , no longer since , saith pliny , then in the dayes of claudius the emperour , drusillanus a slaue of his surnamed rotundus , the senescall or treasurer vnder him in high spaine , had a silver charger of fiue hundred pound weight ; for the working whereof , there was a forge framed aforehand of set purpose , and the same was accompanied & attended with eight more of a smaller size , weighing fifty pound a peece : now i would gladly know if it might please you , saith pliny , how many of his fellowes , such sl●…ues i meane as himselfe , there must be to carry the said vessell and serue it vp to the table , or what guests they might be who were to be served with such huge plate : h but this is nothing to that charger of vitellius , who whiles he was emperour caused one to be made & finished that cost i a million of sesterces ; for the making whereof , there was a fu●…nace built of purpose in the field ; alluding to this monstrous platter mucianus in his second consulship , when he ripped vp in a publique speech the whole life of vitellius now dead , vpbraided the memoriall of him in these very tearmes , calling his excesse that way , patinarum paludes , platters as broad as pooles or ponds : and verily , sayth he , that platter of vitellius came nothing behind another , which cassius seuerus reproached aspr●…nas withall , whom hee accused bitterly , and said , that the poison of that one platter had killed one hundred & thirty persons , who had tasted thereof . matchable to these , was the famous platter of esope the tragaedian , saue that it was more notorious for the daintinesse of the provision which he served in it , then for the massines of the dish it selfe . their waiters were sometime●… naked wenches tiberius ( sayth suetonius ) sent to sextius claudius , that he would come & sup with him , vpon condition , that he should change nothing of his wonted fashion , vtque nudis pu●…llis ministrantibus coenaretur ; a message worthy of him , who as the same authour reports in the same place , erected a new office , à voluptatibus , only to devise new pastimes & pleasures . but seneca describes the order & number of their waiters more particularly : they had waiting on them , saith he , puerorum infoelicium greges , whole troopes of vnfortunate ganymedes , they had exoletorum agmina , armies of exoletes growne to mens estat●… , these they ranged into severall b●…nds according to their nations & complexions , they of the same band were all of a smoothnes alike , or had the same lēgth of downy mosse in their chin ; nay speciall care was had , that their haire might be sutable , as in length , so in colour and kind : ne quis cui rectior est coma crispulis misceatur , that none whose haire grew long & straight , should be rāked with the curlepates . he farther tells vs of the infinite number of their cookes and bakers , and such like officers ; per quos signo dato ad inferendam canam discurritur , by whom the wayters run presently vpon the signe given for the car●…ying in of supper : his conclusion is dij boni quantum hominum vnus venter exercet , good god , what a number of men doth one belly set a worke ; and in another place , conviuia mehercule horum non posuerim inter vacantia tempora , cum videam quam solliciti argentum ordinent , quam diligenter exoletorum suorum tunicas succingant , quam suspensi sint quomodo aper à coquo caesus exeat , quanta celeritate signo dato glabri ad ministeria decurrunt : quanta arte scindantur aues in frusta non enormia , quam curiose infoelices pueruli ebriorum sputa detergant . truly for my part , i should not put their feasts among their vacant or leasure times , when i see how sollicitous they are about the ordering of their plate , how diligently they tucke vp the coates of their exoletes , how carefull they are in what manner the bore come out of the cookes hands and bee served in , how suddainely the smooth-●…inne catamites runne to the dresser vpon the sound given , with what singular art their birdes are cut vp into competent portions , how studiously and curiously their vnhappy boyes wipe out the spuing and spitting of their drunken masters . and to this their artificiall carving and ordering their dishes on the table doth the satyrist allude , where he intimates schooles and masters of that art , who taught their schollers by dishes fashioned in wood after what manner , and with what gesture of the body they should cut them vp . sed nec structor erit , cui cedere debeat omnis pergula , disoipulus tripheri doctoris , apud quem sumine cum magno lepus , atque aper , & pygargus , et scythicae volucres , & phoenicopterus ingens , et getulus oryx , hebeti lautissima ferro caeditur , & tota sonat vlmea coena subura . the carvers at my board disciples neuer were to doctour trypherus , with whom none may compare , sowes milkie teats , the hare , the boare , white buttockt roe , phesant , getulian goat , huge phenicopter too , all dainties with blunt knife he carves as is most meet , and th'elmen supper sounds through all subura street . sect . . that after-ages sometimes reformed the abuse of former times : of the great number and chargeable hire of their cookes ; of apicius his wastefulnesin belly-cheere , that such wastefulnesse was common among them . now for their provision , i may say with budaeus , majora sunt ista omninò nostrae aetatis captu , it was beyond the reach and conceit of our age , so as pliny heerein hath proued a true prophet , nos fecimus quae posteri fabulosa arbitrentur , wee haue done those things which posterity will not beleeue , but account fabulous . in the handling heereof it shall not be impertinent first to obserue that after-ages sometimes reformed the abuse of former times . thus latinus pacatus in his panegyricke commends theodosius for his sobriety and frugality in regard of his predecessors , in as much as there was then no need ad penum regiam flagitare remotorum littorum piscem , peregrini aeris volucrem , alieni temporis florem , to take vp and purvay for the emperours vse and provision a fish of a remote coast , a bird of a strange ayre , or a flowre of a contrary season : then goes hee on to describe the excessiue luxury of former ages in respect of the present . in like manner macrobius in a conference at a supper betwixt horus and cecinna , makes horus to declaime against the luxury of his owne times , but cecinna answeres him by proouing that antiquity was much more faulty that way . among other instances and reasons alleadged by him , this is one ; that peacockes egges were formerly sold for fiue pence a peece , which then were nothing worth to be sold : and againe , that anciently so many lawes were made against it , as lex orchia , fannia , didia , licinia , cornelia , and others , and then concludes , nisi pessimis effusissimisque moribus viveretur , profecto opus tot legibus ferendis non fuisset , vetus verbum est , leges bonae ex malis moribus procreantur : except men had then liued in a most inordinate and licentious manner , they had neuer needed the making of so many lawes ; it being an old saying , that good lawes are ●…ccasioned by euill manners . another argument for their excessiue gluttony in former times might be taken from the number and excessiue hire of their cookes and their wonderfull expences in their kitchins and at their tables . for the number of their cookes , aspice culinas nostras , saith seneca & concursantes inter tot ignes coquos nostros ; looke into our kitchins , and marke the number of our cookes running vp and downe among so many fires . and in another epistle , innumer abiles esse morbon mirab●…is , coquos numera , in rhetorum ac philosophorum scholis solitudo est : at quam celebres culinae sunt ? quanta circa nepotum focos juvéntus premit ? do you wonder that our diseases are innumerable ? number our cooks if you can : the s●…ho les of rhetoricians & philosophers are empty : but how are our kitchins frequented ? what multitudes of youth presse about th●… chimneyes of vnthrifts ? and for their hire , they were wont to complaine , saith pliny , that the hire of a cooke was as much as the price of an horse , whereas now a dayes we can hardly get them for the price of three horses : nullusque jam prope mortalis aestimatur pluris , quam qui peritissime censum domini mergit ; and scarce any man is in greater request , then he that can most artificially waste his masters substance . and what infinite wast they made this way , the onely story of apicius a famous belly-god may suffice to shew : who ●…auing spent a million of sesterces in his kitchin & sent going besides many great gifts of princes , and a mighty revenew of the capitoll in riotous feasting and banqueting , being deepe in debt , he began at last , though sore against his will , to looke into his reckonings , & take an account of his estate , & found that all being cast vp , he had yet left vnto himselfe cleare one hundred thousand sesterces , and therevpon velut in ultima same victurus , veneno vitamfinivit , as if hee should hau●… beene forced poore man to liue in a hunger-starved fashion he poysoned himselfe : quanta luxuria est cui sestertium centies egestas fuit , how great was that luxurie to which one hundred thousand sesterces seemed poverty ? this notable vanity & folly of apicius , the epigrammatist most deservedly scoffes at . dederas apici bis trecenties ventri , sed adhuc supererat centies tibi laxum , hoc tu gravatus ne famem & sitim ferres . summa venenum potione duxisti , nil est apici tibi gulosius factum . apicius thou didst on thy gut bestow six hundred thousand : yet when this was spent one hundred thousand stil remaind , which thou fearing to suffer thirst and famishment in poyson'd potion drankst : apicius of all thy facts this was most gluttonous . and no marveile apicius should runne so farre vpon the score and consume such a masse of treasure by this meanes , since it was vsuall to lavish out and devoure whole patrimonies at a sitting , — vna comedunt patrimonia mensa . quid est coena sumptuosa flagitiosius , & equestrem censum consumente , & tricies tamen sestertio adijciales coenae frugalissimis viris constiterunt ? what is more ●…ewde , saith seneca , then a sumptuous supper wasting a knights revenewes ? yet it stands the most frugall commonly , if it be solemne , in three hundred thousand sesterces . and he that shall but look into their bils of fare , and take a particular view of the number of their courses at a feast , & of their dishes at a course , & of the prises of their dishes , together with their long & often sittings , will rather wonder that they spent so little , then that they brought going so much . sect . . of their long and often sitting and vsuall practise of vomiting euen among their women , as also of the number of their courses at a sitting , together with the rarity and costlinesse of their severall services . for their long sittings suetonius reports of tiberius , that he spent a whole night & two dayes out-right in nothing else but eating & drinking , noctem continuumque biduum epulando , potandoque consumpsit : and of nero , epulas è media die ad mediam noctem protrahebat , he held out his feasts from noone day till midnight . and of vitellius for often sittings , that he feasted vsually three times , sometimes foure times a day , euery sitting being valued at foure hundred thousand sesterces , facilè omnibus sufficiens vomitandi consuetudine , being easily able to goe thorow them all by a continuall custome of vomiting : which it seemes was among them a common practise : vomunt vt edant ; edunt vt vomant : epulas , quas toto orbe conquirunt , nec oncoquere dignantur : they vomit that they may eate , and eate againe that they may vomit , and those delicates which they hunt for thorow the world , they vouchsafe not so much as to concoct , nay the very women practised it , aeque invitis ingesta visceribus per os reddunt , & vinum omne vomitu remittunt , as well as men they eate against their stomaches that which they soon returne by their mouths , and all their wine they quickly send backe by vomiting : and from hence ( as i conceiue ) did they vsually rise from their great feasts so colourlesse and indispos'd , — vides , vt pallidus omnis coena desurgat dubia ? quin corpus onustum hesternis vitijs , animum quoque praegravat vnà , atque affigit humo divinae particulam aurae . seest thou how pale they from their doubtfull supper rise ? the body furthermore surcharg'd with riotise of yesterday , weighs downe the soule , and in the mire of this base earth doth plunge the sparke of heav'nly fire . the number of their courses at a sitting were vsually seauen , and that sometimes when they sate privately , — quis fercula septem secreto coenavit avus ? which of our auncesters vpon seuen services did sup alone ? but that monster heliogabalus had serued in at one feast two and twenty severall courses , exhibuit aliquando & tale convivium vt haberet viginti d●…o fercula ingentium epularum ; he once made such a feast that hee had serued in , two and twenty courses , all of the choisest fare . for their variety of dishes we may partly guesse at them by that adventitious supper ( as suetonius calls it ) which was made vitellius by his brother , in qua duo millia lectissimorum pis●…ium , septem avium apposita traduntur , in which are said to haue beene serued in two thousand of the choisest fish , and seuen thousand fowle . now for the delicacie and prices of their dishes , it certainely exceeded their variety and number , they were farre fetcht and deare bought quicquid mare aut terra , aut etiam coelo gigneretur , ad satiandam ingluviem suam natum existimans faucibus ac dentibus suis subdidit , saith macrobius of anthony , he devoured with his chaps and teeth whatsoeuer the sea or earth or aire brought forth , as if all had beene borne only to satisfie his luxury . and salust of metellus proconsull in spaine , epulae verò exquisitissimae , neque per omnem mudò provinciam , sed trans maria ex mauritania volucrum & ferarum incognita antea plura genera his feasts were most exquisite not onely of all the dainties which were to bee had in those parts ; but many kindes of birdes and beasts before vnknowne in that countrey were brought from beyond the seas and out of mauritania . quis ganeonum aut l●…conum possit vel ausit imitari ? quis nostrum hodie aves aut feras trans mare coenae causâ conquirit : which of our thriftlesse belly-gods can or dare imitate him ? which of vs now a dayes sends for birds or beasts beyond the seas to make a supper ? yet was this practise among them no rare matter , as may appeare by that of petronius arbiter . ingeniosa gula est siculo scaurus aequore mersus ad mensam vivus deducitur ▪ inde lucrinis eruta littoribus vendunt conchylia coenis vt renovent per damna famem ; jam phasidos vnda orbata est avibus , mutoque in littore tantum solae desertis aspirant frondibus aurae . the throat is witty , thence the guilthead that doth cliue sicilian sea is brought vnto the board aliue . shelfish they sell that in the lake of lucrin grew to sup on , by their losse their hunger to renew . the bankes of phasis now are dumbe , the birds are gone , and on forsaken boughs now breathes the wind alone . and least we should thinke that he speakes poetically and hyperbolically , the graue seneca in his sober and sad manner goes beyond it . non est necesse omne perscrutari profundum , nec strage animalium ventrem onerare , nec conchylia vltimi maris ex ignoto littore eruere , dij istos deaeque perdant quorum luxuria tam invidiosi imperij sines transcendit , ultra phasin capi volunt quod ambitiosam popinam instruat , nec piget à parthis à quibus nondum poenas repetivimus , aves petere , vndique convehunt omnia vota fastidienti gulae quod dissolutus delicijs stomachus vix admittat ab vltimo portatur oceano . there is no necessity of searching the deepe , nor of filling our bellies with the slaughter of beasts , nor of dragging shell-fish of the most remote seas & the vnknowne shore : the gods & goddesses plague them , whose luxury cannot bound it selfe within the lists of so large & so much envied an empire : it must be taken beyond the river phasis , which should serue the provision of their ambitious kitchin , neither are they ashamed to borrow birdes from the parthians , vpon whom they haue not yet taken revenge , from all places they hunc after that which they long for to satisfie their yawning appetite ; nay they fetch that from the farthest part of the ocean , which their stomacke weakened with delicacies , will hardly admit . and a while after , ô miserabiles quorum palatum nisi ad pretiosos cibos non excitantur , pretiosos autem non eximius sapor aut aliqua faucium dulcedo , sed raritas & diffi●…ultas parandi facit . o wretched men , whose pallates are not stirred but with pretious meates , specially when that which makes them pretious is not any singular rellish or excellent , sauour they haue , but onely their scarcitie and difficulty of procuring them . and heerein latinus pacatus in his panygeri ke a●…cords well with seneca , if he goe not a straine beyond him ; ho●…um gulae angustus erat orbis noster , namque appositas dapes non sapore sed sumptu aestimantes , illis demum cibis acquiescebant , quos extremus oriens aut positus extra romanum colchus imperium , aut famosa naufragijs maria misissent : this our world was too narrow for their throates : for not valuing their cates by their tast but by their cost , they rested content only with that provision which they got from the vttermost parts of the east , or colchus seated beyond the romane empire , or seas infamous with shipwrackes . — magis illa placent quae pluris emuntur . that pleaseth most which dearest cost . sect . . of the sumptuous provision of two platters furnished out , the one by vitellius , the other by aesope the tragaedian , as also of the horrible excesse of caligula and heliogabalus . these dainties wee may partly guesse at by the furnirure of two famous platters , the one of vitellius , which for the huge bignesse thereof , he was wont to call minerva's buckler , in this he blended together the liuers of guiltheads , the braines of fesants and peacockes , the tongues of phaenicopters , & the melts of lampres brought from the spanish & carpathean seas , by the masters of shippes and gallies . the other of aesope the tragaedian , which he furnished out with the rarest singing birds , or such as imitated mans voyce ; they cost him six thousand sesterces a peece , and the whole platter six hundred thousand : nulla alia inductus voluptate nisi vt in his imitationem hominis manderet , induced herevnto by none other pleasure , sayth pliny , but that thereby he might eate the imitation of mankind , or perhaps imitatione hominem , mankind by imitation . to these may be added the horrible excesse of caligula & heliogabalus , the former of which , videtur natura edidisse vt ostenderet quid summa vitia in summa fortuna possent , whom nature seemes to haue brought forth , to shew what effects the greatest vices joyned with the greatest fortune could produce . this man , saith suetonius , nepotinis sumptibus omnium prodigorum ingenia svperavit , in thristles expences exceeded the wits of all the prodigalls that ever were , commentus porten●…osissima genera ciborum atque caenarum , inventing most monstrous kindes of meates & suppers , the most orient pearles that were to be gotten , he dissolved in vineger and swallowed downe , and set before his guests bread & victuals of gold , aut frugi hominem esse oportere dictitans , aut caesarem , commonly saying , that a man neede bee thrifty or caesar ; yet notwithstanding , saith seneca , being assisted with the inventions of all his companions , he could hardly finde the meanes to spend the tribute of the provinces at one supper . which i wonder seneca should affirme , considering he practised the dissolving & swallowing of pearles . now for heliogabalus , lampridius thus begins his story . vitam heliogabali antonini impurissimam nunquam in literas as misissem , ne quis fuisse romanorum pricipem sciret , nisi ante caligulas , & nerones , & vitellios vitellios idem h●…uisset imperium : the most beastly life of heliogabalus anto●…inus i would neuer haue committed vnto writing , that it might not haue bin knowne , that ever there was such an emperour of the romanes , vnlesse caligula , & nero , & vitellius had before sate in the same throne . of him then , besides his other most abominable filthinesse , he reports for his excesse in diet , that at one supper he caused to be served in the heads of six hundred ostriches , only for the eating of their braines , being neere the sea , he neuer tasted fish but in places farthest distant from the sea , all his diet was vpon fish : and in the in-land he fed the countrey clownes with the melts of lampres & pikes . to be briefe , coenas & vitellij & apicij vicit , he exceeded the suppers both of vitellius & apicius . sect . . of the excessiue luxurie of more ancient times . what should i speake of more ancient times , of the dictator caesar , who borrowed of hirrius six thousand lampres by weight , for the furnishing out of a triumphall supper , and by weight to be repaid againe ; and if such were his store of lampres , what shall we conceiue of his other provision . of fabius gurges , so called for devouring his patrimonie thorow his throate . of metellus pius , who made suppers vltra romanorum ac mortalium etiam morem , not only beyond the custome of the romanes , but of mankind . of metellus pontifex , of whom macrobius having specified the dainties served in at his table in all kindes , concludes , vbi iam lux●…ria tunc accusaretur quando tot rebus farta fuit coena pontificum ? who should then accuse luxurie when the table of the high priest was furnished with such varietie of rarities ? of hortensius , who vsually watered , if i may so speake , his plane trees with wine , in somuch , that one day being to plead in a cause , wherein cicero was likewise retained , he sollicited him to chaunge turnes with him , that so he might returne the sooner to his country farme , to powre wine on his planes with his owne hand ; and so curious he was about his fish-ponds , that the same cicero some-where calls phillip & him , piscenarios , pond-men or fish-mongers , & so charie withall of his fish , that sooner should you get by his good will , ex equili rhedarias mulas quàm ex piscina barbatum mullum , his coach mules out of his stable then one barble out of his pondes : yet was a mule sold sometimes for the price of an house . — pluris mula est quam domus empta tibi . more for a mule then for a house thou pai'st . of asinius celer , who laid downe for one mullet six thousand sesterces , as tertullian , seaven thousand , as macrobius , eight thousand , as pliny , in qua re luxuriam illius seculi eo magis licet aestimare ; saith macrobius , quod plinius secundus temporibus suis negat fa●…ile mullum repertum qui duas pondo libras excederet , at nunc & maioris ponderis passim videmus , & pretia haec insana nescimus : wherein we may the sooner guesse at the luxury of that age , in asmuch as plinius secundus affirmes that in his time , 't was hard to finde a mullet of aboue two pound weight , whereas now wee haue them every where of a greater quantity , and yet are not acquainted with those madde prices . of lucullus a great states-man , whom tully & pompey meeting by chaunce in the market place , out of a desire they had to know what his daily faire might be , invited themselues to suppe with him that night , but vpon condition , he should giue no warning thereof , for that they desired not to put him to charge : he began at first to put them off with excuses for that time , wishing them rather to agree on the next day ; but they importuning him for the present , he demaunded of them , whether or no they would then suffer him to giue order in what roome they should sup ; that they permitted : wherevpon he presently dispatches away a message in their hearing , that he would that night suppe in apollo ; within a while they follow after , and finde all things ready in a pompous and princely manner , but knew not the true reason , all the cunning lying in the word apollo : for he had so disposed of his roomes , that being distinguished by names , their provision & charge when he sate in them was accordingly allotted to thē ; by which meanes his steward and cooke , as soone as they heard the roome named , knew presently what to provide . now among the rest , that which bore the name of apollo was chiefest , the summe alotted therevnto , being , as witnesseth plutarch , quinquaginta millia drachmarum , which budaeus●…asts ●…asts vp to crownes , and addes withall , hujusmodi multa à plutarcho referuntur fidem omnino excedentia , si ex presenti seculo aestimentur : many such things are reported by plutarch , which if they should be valued by the scantling of our present times , would seeme altogether incredible . of sergius aurata or orata , who borrowed his name from a fish so called , because he loued it most ; the first he was that adjudged the price to the lucrine oysters for tast . of licinius crassus , who , as witnesseth cicero , being held a graue & stayd man , and most eminent among the citizens of the best ranke & note , mourned in blacke for a lamprey which died in a pond adjoyning to his house , as it had beene for his daughter ; and therevpon was afterward commonly called licinius murena . or lastly , of octavius , admirall of the navy , who finding that the scarus was not to be had in the italian seas , dispersed an incredible multitude of them , being brought thither in shippes , betweene hostia & campania , miroque ac novo exemplo pisces in mari , tanquam in terra fruges aliquas seminavit ; by a strange and new example sowed fishes in the sea , as it had beene corne in the field : and the same man , tanquam s●…mma in hoc vtilitatis publicae verteretur , as if herein had consisted the well-fare and chiefe happines of the state for fiue yeares imployed his vtmost endeavours , that if among other fishes any fisher-man by chaunce lighted vpon a scarus , hee should againe restore him to the sea safe & sound . belike this was the same octavius , of whom seneca relates this pleasant stroy : mullum ingentis formae , ( quare autem non pondus adijcto & aliorum gulam irrito ? quatuor pondo & ad selibram fuisse aie●…ant ) tiberius caesar missum sibi cum in macellum deferri & venire iussisset , amici inquit omnia me fallunt , nisi istum mullum aut apicius emerit aut publius octavius . vltra spem illi coniectura processit , licitati sunt , vicit octavius & ingentem consequutus est inter suos gloriam , quum quinque millibus hs emisset piscem quem caesar vendiderat , ne api ius quidem emerat . tiber. caes being presented with a goodly mullet of a vast quantity ( but why doe i not adde his weight , that so i may provoke the appetite of others ? he was sayd to weigh foure pounds & halfe ) sent it presently to the market there to be sold ; and my friends , quoth he , i am much mistaken , if either apicius or publius octavius buy him not : it fell out beyond expectation ; they both cheapned it , but octavius carried it away , and thereby got him wonderfull applause among his companions , that he had with fiue thousand sesterces bought a fish which the emperour sold , and apicius durst not buy . for mine owne part i cannot tell , whether i should more wonder at the base parcimony of tiberius , or the riotous prodigality of octavius , that the one being an emperour should send a fish which was given him for a present , to the market to be sold ; or the other , being but a private man , should buy it at such a rate , yet it should seeme by the satyrist , this price was not so rare , but others outvied it . — mullum sex millibus emit , aequantem sane paribus sestertia libris . he for a mullet did six thousand pay , which equall pounds did with those thousands weigh . by which proportion it seemes , they equalled a thousand sesterces to a pound of fish . sect . . of their wonderfull nicenesse in the strangenesse , weight , and newnesse of their fishes , as also of diverse other their strange curiosities about them , and of the vastnesse of their fishponds , and great store of fishes in them . and no marveile since those fishes among them were in greatest request which were brought from remote seas , their own being in a manner drawne dry , mullus erit dominae quem misit corsica , vel quem tauromenetanae rupes quando òmne per actum est , et jam defecit nostrum mare . that 's th' only mullet which from corsica is sent , or from sicilian rocks , for all our sea is spent , and altogether failes . and of the lampry to like purpose in the same satyre . virroni murena datur quae maxima ve●…t gurgite de siculo . a lamprey one on virto did bestow , the greatest that si●…ilian gulf●… did know . of their weight they were so curious and observant , that they had them weighed many times at their very tables in the presence of their guests , many standing by and noting it in their table bookes , as witnesseth ammianus marcelli●…us . poscuntur etiam 〈◊〉 aliquoties trutinae ut appositi pisces & volucres ponderentur , & glires quorū magnitudo saepius delicata non sine tedio praesentium vt antehac invsi●…ata laudatur assiduè , maximè cum haec eadem numerantes notarij prope triginta adsistant , cum thecis & pugillaribus . the ballances are sometimes sent for in the middest of their feasts , that the fishes which are set before them , & the birds , & the reare-mice may be weighed , whose excessiue greatnes not without tediousnesse to some present , as being a thing heretofore vnvsuall , is dayly magnified and extolled , specially when almost thirty notaries standing by , set downe the exact weight in their table-bookes . to which custome the poe●… alludes . — laudas insane trelibrem mullum . a mullet thou doest praise mad man that three pound waighs . and as the weight much commended their fish & inhanced their price , so did the newnesse & freshnesse thereof : they being come to such a nicenesse & delicacy at last that parum videtur recens mullus nisi qui in convivae manu moreretur , that mullet seemed not new enough which died not in the guests hand . to this purpose they brought them aliue in glassen bottles filled with water , into the roomes where they sate : in cubile natant pisces , & sub ipsa mensa capitur , qui statim transferatur in mensam , our fishes swimme in our chambers , and that very fish is taken vp vnder our board which is instantly serued in , to our board they took a marveilous delight to see their mullets change colour whiles they were expiring , mullum expirantem versicolore quadam & numerosa varietate spectari proceres gulae narrant : the headmen and peeres of luxury affirme that the mullet when he lies a dying shewes himselfe in many and those very various and changeable colours . but seneca hereupon cannot hold but desires leaue to leaue his matter a while , and to lash these gluttons . permitte mihi quaestione sepositâ castigare luxuriam : and then goes on . quo pervenêre deliciae ? & pro putrido jam piscis affertur qui non hodie eductus , hodie occisus est ; nescio de re magna tibi credere , ipse oportet mihi credam huc afferatur , coram me animam agat ; ad hunc fastum pervenere ventres delicatorum , vt gustare non possint piscem nisi quem in ipso convivio natantem , palpitantemque viderint , to what passe is our daintinesse now come ? it is held for a stinking fish which is not that very day drawne out of the water & kild : i cannot trust thee in a matter of so great moment , bring him hither that he may expire in my presence : to such an highth are our belly-gods come , that they cannot taste the fish vnlesse they see him in the very feast swimming and panting . and to this end , saith he , cursu advehitur & gerulis cum anhelitu & clamore properantibus datur via , he is brought in in a posting speed , and way is giuen to the porters making haste with panting and out-cryes . his conclusion is , non tempero mihi quin vtar interdum temerariis verbis , & proprietatis modum excedam : non sunt ad popinam dentibus & ventre , & ore contenti , oculis quoque gulosi sunt . i cannot refraine but that sometimes i must vse vnadvised and improper words , they are not content to play the gluttons with their jawes and belly , and mouth , but they must doe it with their eyes too . and meursius herevpon inferres , quae malum hae deliciae ? vix credamus nisi ab ipsis authoribus haberemus , quorum fidem hic negare sit piaculum . what a mischiefe , what a nicenesse is this ? we should not beleeue it , but that we haue it from those authors whose credit once to question were a kinde of impiety . yet that sammonicus severus writes to severus the emperour touching the serving in of the acipenser or sturgeon is mee thinkes a degree beyond all that hath beene yet spoken , it therein appearing that indeed they made their belly their god. dignatione vestra cum intersum convivio sacro animadverto hunc piscem à coronatis ministris à tibicine introferri . when your sacred majesty is pleased to admit me to your feast , i obserue that this fish is euer serued in with musicke : the wayters that beare him wearing garlands or chaplets on their heads . wherevpon macrobius makes this comment , quasi quada●… non deliciarum sed numinis pompa , as it had beene not for delight , but for devotion to some divine power . since then they were thus curious in the choice of their fish , wee need not much marveile at him in iuvenal , who — circaeis nata forent an lucrinum ad saxum rutipinove edita fund●… ostrea , callebat primo deprendere morsu et semel aspecti littus dicebat echini . no sooner did he taste an oister , but he knew whether it from circes towne , or lucrin lake they drew , or from richborow deepe ; and lobsters also he , what shore them bred can tell when first he doth them see . but rather that of martiall touching the lampryes in domitians fish-ponds at baiae . piscator fuge ne nocens recedas sacris piscibus hae natantur vndae , qui norunt dominum , manumque lambunt illam qua nihil est in orbe majus . quid quod nomen habent & ad magistri vocem quisque sui venit citatus . angler wouldst thou be guiltlesse ? then forbeare , for they are sacred fishes which swimme heere , who know their soveraigne and will lick his hand , then which none 's greater in the worlds command : nay more th'haue names , and when they called are , doe to their severall owners call repaire . which latter part is confirmed by pliny , spectantur & in piscinis caesaris genera piscium ad nomen venire , quosdamque singulos . in the emperours fish-ponds are seene a kinde of fishes which come at the calling of them by their names , and that particular and single ones . and of antonia the wife of drusus he reports , that at baulos she hung jewels as it had beene eare-rings in the gilds of a lamprey which she loued ; and that hortensius the oratour was seene to shed teares for the death of one whom he dearely affected . these kinde of fish-ponds for the keeping of lamp●…eyes besides the emperour diverse private men had , and that so large as is almost incredible what is reported of them , were it not written by authors of good credit . the same hirrius whom we mentioned before , receiued for the yearely rents of his buildings raised about his fish-ponds , as witnesseth varro , twelue thousand sesterces ; all which hee disbursed againe in the feeding of his fishes : his farme he sold , and specially in regard of his fish-ponds for foure hundred thousand sesterces . and cato ( as writeth the same author , being guardian to lucullus , sold out of his fishponds so much fish as hee receiued for it fourty thousand sesterces . but columella making report heereof out of varro , whether vpon a mistake or no i know not , makes t●…e summe ten times as much : his words are , attamen ijsdem temporibus quibus hanc memorabat varro luxuriem maxima laudabatur severitas catonis , qui nihilominus & ipse tutor luculli grandi aere sestertium quadringentorum millium piscinas pupilli sui venditabat . in those very times in which varro mentions this luxury , the severity of cato was highly commended ; yet he being guardian to lucullus , sold his wards fishponds for a great summe of foure hundred thousand sesterces ; the difference is great betweene varro and columella , but it should seeme , the one speakes of the fish alone , and th●… other of the fishponds with it . howsoeuer the summe was doubtlesse very great , which argued their great store of fish , and yet their prices being so great withall , it must needes argue that their luxury was vniversall , and greater then either their prices or store . sect . . of their excessiue gluttony in foule as well as in fish , together with their luxurious appurtenances to their solemne feasts , as also that their gluttony rose with their empire , and againe fell with it . now as their luxurie shewed it selfe chiefly in their fish , so likewise did it in birds , though not happily so much , yet foule enough to discouer their insatiable appetites : gellius to this purpose alleageth a notable passage out of a set speech of favorinus , an ancient orator , which he vsed in reproach of their luxurious suppers , when he perswaded the licinian law for the cutting off of superfluous charge that way , which is the more remarkeable , because in those times . praefecti popinae atque luxuriae negant coenam lautam esse , nisi quum libentissime edis , tum auferatur , & alia esca melior atque amplior succenturietur . is nunc flos coenae habetur inter istos , quibus sumptus & fastidium pro facetijs procedit : qui negant vllam avem praeter ficedulam totam comesse oportere : caeterarum avium atque altilium , nisi tantum apponatur vt à cluniculis inferiori parte saturi fiant , convivium putant inopia sordere : superiorem partem avium atque altilium qui edint eos palatum non habere . the masters of the art of cookerie and luxurie deny it to be a rich supper , vnlesse that meate which you feed vpon with a good stomack be taken off , and more dainty and full dishes be mustered in place thereof . that is now held the flowre of delicacle , when in steed of merriment , costlinesse euen to loathing is substituted : they deny that any bird is to be eaten whole but onely the * gnat-snapper , & except such a quantity of other birds and fatted foule be serued in , and set on , as a man may glut himselfe only with the hinder part of them , they hold it but a poore feast : and such as taste the fore-part , they censure as hauing no palate . the fowle which they specially hunted after and most delighted in , were phoenicopters , peacockes , thrushes and pigeons . for the first of these i know not what kinde of bird it was , but martial thus describes it . dat mihi penna rubens nomen sed lingua gulosis nostra sapit , quid si garrula lingua foret ? red wings gaue me my name , my tongue 's a dainty cate , to gluttons : would be more if that my tongue could prate . their peacockes grew in greatest request in varroes time , de pavonibus nostra memoria greges habere caepti , & vaenire magno , ex ijs aufidius supra sexagena millia nummum in anno dicitur capere : flockes of peacockes began to be kept in our time , and to be held at high rates , aufidius is sayd to receiue yearely for these birds sixty thousand sesterces ; their bodies being commonly sold for fifty , and their egges for fiue pence a peece . what reckoning they made of their thrushes in part appeares by that of martiall . inter aves turdus si quid me judice certum est inter quadrupedes mattea prima lepus . 'mongst birds the thrush , 'mongst beasts the hare , in my conceite the choisest are . of thrushes they had marvellous great abundance , and yet were they very deare ; both which , we haue testified by varro vpon his owne knowledge . in this farme alone , saith he , which is ordained for an ornithon or the keeping of birdes , quinque millia scio venisse turdorum denarijs ternis vt sexaginta millia ea pars reddiderit eo anno villae ; i know to haue beene sold fiue thousand thrushes for three pence a peece , so as that commodity alone brought in that yeare three score thousand sesterces . and no marveill , since the places in which these were kept , were , as writeth the same authour , as large as the whole mannor house it selfe . now for pigeons , a paire were commonly sold for two hundred sesterces , if they were faire , for a thousand . and lucius accius hauing it seemes some excellent breed , would not sell them vnder foure hundred pence the paire ; and this in varro's age , which was more severe . but afterwards in columella's time they were held at foure thousand sesterces , his words are worth the noting , pretijs earum domini complent arcam , sicut eximius author marcus varro nobis affirmat , qui prodidit , etiam severioribus suis temporibus paria singula [ columbarum ] millibus singulis sestertiorum solita vaenire , nam nostri pudet seculi , ( si credere volumus , ) inveniri qui quaternis millibus nummûm binas aves mercantur . the owners of them fill their chests with the money which they receiue for them ; as that renowned authour marcus varro affirmes , who witnesseth that even in his times , which were more severe , a paire of pigeons were vsually sold for a thousand sesterces : for , of the age in which we liue , i cannot speake without blushing , some being found therein ( if it be not a matter beyond beleife ) who haue laid downe for two of those birds foure thousand sesterces . yet were they not content with these store-houses at home , but mustered in the provinces abroad whole cohorts of fowlers & hunters to bring them in provision ; as latinus pacatus hath elegantly expressed it . vt taceam infami saepe delectu scriptos inprovincijs aucupes ductasque sub signis venatorum cohortes militasse conviuiis . not to speake of their infamous leavying of fowlers mustered within the provinces , and whole bands of hunters marching vnder severall colours ; the end of whose warres , was , to make worke for their feasts : in which , their curiositie likewise about their very bread was such , that the number of them was not the least , saith gellius in his booke , cap. . to whom that of m. varro in his satyre , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might not vnfitly be applied , si quantum operae sumsi●…i vt tuus pistor bonum faceret panem eius duodecimam philosophiae dedisses , bonus iampridem esses factus , nunc illum qui norunt volunt emere millibus centum , te qui novit nemo centussi : if thou hadst bestowed but the tweft part of that paines in the studie of philosophie , which thou hast that thy baker might make thee good bread , thou thy selfe mightest long since haue beene made good ; whereas now they that know him , will be content to lay down for him fiue hundred pounds , but for thee , such as know thee scarce one hundred pence . now if i should herevnto adde the appurtenances to these feasts , as their infinite variety of sawces , whereof seneca , inventae sunt mille conditurae quibus aviditas excitaretur , a thousand kinde of sawces are found out for the stirring vp of the appetite ; their bathings & annointings before their feasts , their perfumes & sweet odours in diverse kinds at their feasts ; cr●…o sparsa humus , the very floore was strowed over with saffron : the changing of their apparell , as also the roofe of the roome where they sate , with some new device in it at the bringing in of every several course . and lastly , of their damnable practice after their feast ended , not fit to be named among christians , i should tire both my s●…lfe , & the reader , and some of these i shall perchaunce haue fitter occasion to speake of , when i come to treate of their luxury in buildings and in apparell . and though it be true in the condition of the state , as in the course of private men . nemo repente fit turpissimus . no man ever arriued to the heighth of villany at first dash , yet when their empire was at the height , their riches & fulnesse bred such excessiue luxurie , as is scarcely matchable in all respects in any nation at any time : but doubtles as farre beyond all that latter ages haue afforded as was the vast extent of their dominions . neere about the second punike warre they were come to that passe , that cato the censor openly complained , non posse salvam esse vrbem in qua piscis pluris quam bos vaeniret , that it could not goe well with that city , in which a fish was sold for more then an oxe . but in tiberius his time it was come to another passe , when one fish was valued at the price of aboue tenne oxen , tres mullos triginta millibus nummûm vaenisse graviter conquestus est , saith suetonius of that emperour : he greivously complained that three mullets were sold for thirty thousand sesterces , which is two thousand sesterces vpon a fish beyond any yet spoken of ; which i wonder was forgotten by pliny in that place where he purposely mentions the excessiue prices of fishes : but as their empire declined so did their luxury , as we haue heard before out of macrobius and latinus pacatus ; by which it appeares that vices haue their rising , their raigning , and their falling , as all other things haue : as their fewell increaseth , so doe their flame : but that once failing they are soone extinguished . sect . . that their riot did not only shew it selfe in the delicious choyce of their fare , but in their voracity and gurmandizing , in regard of the quantity some of them devoured at a meale . neither did their excessiue luxurie shew it selfe only in the delicious choyce of their fare , but there were among them , who likewise strangely exceeded in voracity & gurmandizing , in regard of the quantity and weight thereof . maximinus the emperour devoured many times in one day quadraginta libras carnis , vt autem cordus dicit , etiam sexaginta : forty pounds of flesh , or as cordus hath it , sixty . clodius albinus another emperour , did eate somuch , quantum ratio humana non patitur , as humane reason cannot well comprehend it : nam & quingentas ficus passarias quas graeci callistruthias vocant jeiunum comedisse cordus dicit , & centum persica campana , & melones ostienses decem , & vuarum lavicarum pondo viginti , & ficedulas centum , & ostrea quadraginta : in the morning fasting , he dispatched fiue hundred dried figges , as writeth cordus , & an hundred peaches of campania , and tenne melones of ostia , and twenty pound weight of grapes of lavica , besides an hundred * gnat-gnappers , & forty oysters . dij talem terris avertite pestem , god from such monsters vs defend . but phago , in whom aurelian tooke singular delight for his wonderfull eating , surpassed in my mind both the former , ridding at one meale in the emperours presence , aprum integrum , centum panes , vervecem & porcellum , a whole bore , an hundred loaues , a weather , & a young pig : and it should seeme , that this serving in of whole bores was a thing not vnvsuall , even when they sate alone & in private . — quis feret istas luxuriae sordes ? quanta est gula quae sibi totos ponit apros , animal propter convivia natum . this filthy luxury who can endure ? how great a beast is that same gut , which would whole bores ordained for feasts ) to be before him set . and the other satyrist to like purpose . rancidum aprum antiqui laudabant , non quia nasus illis nullus erat : sed , credo , hac mente , quòd hospes tardiùs adveniens , vitiatum commodiùs , quam integrum edax dominus consumeret . our ancestours well lik't a rancid boare , not that they had no nose , but ( as i thinke ) if guests came late , 't was thought much fitter they should eate a tainted one , then the feasts founder should devour one all alone . mark anthony , saith plutarch , having but twelue guests provided eight boares , one set to the fire after another , that whensoever he came in , sooner or latter , one at least might come in prime . nay caranus , saith athenaeus , set before every guest a boare in a severall dish . now i haue beene long , i confesse , in this point , but their infinite vanity & extreame madnesse therein hath made me so , the rather for that this excesse is commonly brought as a reason of the generall decrease of mankind now a dayes , aswell in strength & stature , as age & duration : and though it be true , that we exceed this way too much , wasting that in superfluous and riotous pampering of our bodies , which would be farre better bestowed on such as want necessaries ; yet it is as true , that they as farre exceeded vs this way , as we come short of them in riches & dominion : and yet i doubt , much of that which hath beene spoken , will hardly be beleeued , though i haue alleadged their owne authous , and for the most part in their owne words , thereby to adde the greater weight , and procure the greater credit therevnto . nam vetera nunc ferè hoc fatum habent , vt etsi vera , vix videantur , an sui magnitudine , an nostra declinatione , sayth a great antiquarie , speaking of this very thing : these ancient records are for the most part subject to this destiny , that although they be true , yet they seeme not so , either thorow their owne excesse , or our comming so farre short of them : but i hope i shall prepare a way to an easier beleife of that which is past , by that which is now to follow , touching their luxurie in building & appar●…ll , and other prodigall expences every way sutable to their luxurie in diet , if not exceeding it . cap. . of the romanes excessiue luxurie in building . sect . . of their excesse in the great variety of their farre fetcht and deare bought marble . the chiefest materialls of building , in which the romanes most generally exceeded , was the great variety of their farre fetcht & deere bought marble : of which pliny , as being himselfe an eye-witnesse speakes so feelingly , and yet withall so wittily , that he best deserues to be heard : though i professe to make choyce of his words , as they lie heere & there , and sute best with the present purpose . it now remaines , ( saith he ) to write of the nature of stones , that is to say , the principall point of all enormous abuses , and the very height of wastfull superfluities . for all things else which we haue handled heretofore even to this booke , may seeme in some sort to haue beene made for man , but as for mountaines , nature hath framed them for her own selfe , partly to strengthen , as it were certaine ioints within the veines & bowels of the earth , partly to tame the violence of great rivers , and to breake the force of surging waues & inundations of the sea . and yet notwithstanding for our wanton pleasures , and nothing else wee cut & hew , we loade and carry away those huge hills and inaccessible rockes , which otherwise to passe only over , was thought a wonder . our ancestours in time past , reputed it a miracle , & in a manner prodigious , that first hanniball and afterwards the cimbrians surmounted the alpes : but now even the same mountaines we pierce through with pickaxe & mattocke , for to get out thereof an hundred sortes of marble ; we cleaue the capes and promontories , we lay them open for the sea to let it in ; downe we goe with their heads , as if we would lay the whole world even , and make all levell . the mighty mountaines , set as limits to bound the frontiers of diverse countreyes , and to seperate one nation from another , those we transport and carry from their natiue seate : ships we build of purpose for to fraught with marble : the cliffes & toppes of high hills they carry to and fro amid the waues & billowes of the sea . now let every man thinke with himselfe what excessiue prices of these stones he shall heare anon , and what monstrous peeces and masses he seeth drawne & carried both by land and sea , & then let him consider withall how much more faire & happy a life many a man should haue without all this , and how many cannot choose but die for it , whensoever they goe about to doe , or if i should speake more truly , to suffer this enterprise . also for what vse else or pleasure rather , but only that they might lie in beds & chambers of stones , that forsooth are spotted , as if they never regarded how the darkenesse of the night bereaveth the one halfe of each mans life of those delights & joyes . sect . . of their excessiue sumptuousnesse in their temporary or transeunt buildings , made only for pastime to last but for a short time . now their buildings were either private or publique : and the publique again , either meerly for pleasure or for vse : such were their places for civill assemblies , their bridges , their aqueducks , their draughts vnder ground , their market places & high wayes ; & these , though respectiuely to their severall ends they were very sumptuous , yet because they were for publique vse , i will not touch , but will only insist vpon their excessiue snperfluity , cast away vpon those which were only for publique pleasure , or the vaine delight of private men . among those that were destined to none other end , but game & pastime , their theaters & amphitheaters first present themselues to our view , and among these , the renowned theater of scaurus . this scaurus , saith pliny , when he was aedile , caused a wonderfull peece of worke to be made , and exceeding all that ever haue beene known wrought by mans hand , not only those that haue beene erected for a moneth , or such a thing , but even those that haue beene destined for perpetuity , and a theatre it was : the stage had three lofts one aboue another , wherein were columnes of marble ; the base or nethermost part of the stage was all of marble , the middle of glasse ( an excessiue superfluity , neuer heard of before or after ) as for the vppermost , the boards , planks & floores were gilded ; the columnes beneath were foot high wanting twaine : and betweene these columnes there stood of statues & images in brasse to the number of . the theater it selfe was able to receiue persons to sit well and at ease . as touching the other furniture of this theater of scaurus in rich hangings which were cloth of gold , painted tables the most exquisite that could bee found , players apparell , and other stuffe meet to adorne the stage , there was such abundance thereof , that there being carried back to his house of pleasure at tusculum the surplusage thereof , ( ouer and aboue the daintiest part whereof hee had dayly vse at rome ) his servants and slaues there , vpon indignation for this waste and monstrous superfluities of their master , set the said countrey house on fire , and burnt as much as came to an hundred millions of sesterces . yet was this magnificent peece of building , by the testimony of the same pliny but temporarium theatrum , a theater set vp but for a short time : and in another place , vix vno mense futurum in vsu , scarce to indure for a moneth . such a kinde of worke was caligula his bridge , novum & inauditum spectaculi genus , a new and vnheard of kinde of shew : it reached from putzoll to bauly three miles and a quarter : hee built it vpon ships in a few dayes , and in emulation of xerxes , ouer this hee marched with the senate and the souldierie in a triumphant manner , and in the view of the people , vpon this he feasted and passed the night in dalliance and gaming : but like ionas his gourd , it was suddenly vp , and suddenly downe , immensum opus perpendenti , sed cui laudem vanitas detrahit ; nam quo fine structum nisi vt destrueretur ? a marveilous great worke indeed , but such as the vanity thereof depriued it of commendation , for to what end was it raised but to be demolished : thus sported he , saith seneca , with the power of the empire , and all in imitation furiosi & externi , & infoeliciter superbi regis , of a forraine , frentique , and vnluckie proud king. of like nature were those buildings set vp by the commaund of caracalla , ( whom we may not vnfitly or vnjustly call another caligula ) vbicunque hyematurus erat aut etiam putabatur hyematurus , cogebantur amphitheatra & circos struere , et ea ipsa mox diruenda , wheresoeuer hee wintred , or but intended to winter , they were constrained to erect amphitheaters and cirkes for publique games , and those within a while to bee taken downe againe : so as vpon the matter they were put to that excessiue charge onely for the imaginary vse of one man. sec . . of their infinite expence in their permanent amphitheaters , and the appurtenances belonging thereunto , namely their curtaines and arena . bvt i passe by these transeunt buildings , and come to their permanent , among which the amphitheater began by vespasian , but finished and dedicated by titus was one of the most famous , cujus summitatem aegrè visio humana conscendit ; the height whereof was such , that the eye of man could hardly reach it . it was reared saith cassiodore ; divitiarum profuso flumine ; with rivers of treasure powred out , it contained onely vpon the steps or degrees sufficient , and easie seates for eighty seuen thousand , so as the vacant places besides might well containe ten or twenty thousand more . martiall preferres it before all the rare great workes of rome . omnis caesareo cedat labor amphitheatro , vnum praecunctis fama loquatur opus . to caesars amphitheater all other workes must vaile , to sound this one aboue them all fames trump shall neuer faile . and in another place hee bestowes vpon it the title of venerable . hic vbi conspicui venerabilis amphitheatri , erigitur moles stagna neronis erant . in that place where sometimes stood cruell nero's ponds , that venerable peece th'amphitheater stands . now as the masse of treasure was infinite which they cast away in the raising of these buildings ; only to make the people sport , so was it incredible what they spent in the furnishing of them , and setting foorth their games therein : quid dicendum est de ijs qui populari levitate ducti , vel magnis vrbibus suffecturas opes exhibendis muneribus impendunt ? saith lactantius : what shall we say of them who being led with popular applause , spend in exhibiting sword-fights , treasure enough for the building or maintaining of great cities ? and ambrose to like purpose , magistratus in theatris , mimis , athletis , gladiatoribus , alijsque hujusmodi generibus hominum totum patrimonium suum largitur & prodigit , vt vnius horae favorem vulgi acquirat . the magistrate vpon theatricall games , jeasters , wrastlers , swordplayers , & such kind of men , lavishes out his whole patrimony , and that onely to purchase the applause of the people for an houre : and surely wee may well conceiue and beleeue as much whether we consider their frequency , or their appurtenances : for the former of which augustus alone is said to haue set foorth publique games in his owne name for himselfe foure and twenty seuerall times : and for other magistrates who either were absent or wanted meanes to goe thorow with it three and twenty . nay titus at the dedication of his amphitheater held them for an hundred dayes together . now for the appurtenances i may say , — materiam superabat opus . the workmanship did farre the stuffe exceed . they were beyond the strangenesse of their buildings , their whole furniture was sometimes of siluer , as that of iulius caesar , and c. antonius , sometimes of gold , thus nero for the ostentation of his greatnes to teridates king of armenia couered ouer not the stage only , but the whole theater with gold : all the instruments then vsed and furniture thereof were likewise guilded , and the vaile or curtaine which hung ouer them to keepe th●…m from the heat of the sunne was all of purple , imbroadered with starres of gold , ex quo & dies ille aureus appellatus , from whence that was euer after called , the golden day . to these kinde of curtaines which were doubtlesse of very great charge , being coloured and shadowing so spacious a place doth lucretius allude , et vulgo faciunt id lutea rufaque vela , et ferrugina cum magnis intenta theatris per malos vulgata trabesque trementia pendent : namque ibi concessum caveai subter & omnem s●…nai speciem , patrum , matrumque , deorumque inficiunt , coguntque suo fluitare colore . so doe those curtaines yellow , russet , red , when o're the theaters streacht out and spred , on masts and beames they trembling hang : for then the scaffolds vnderneath , and all the scene of gods , of fathers , and of matrons graue , they with their colours die , and cause to waue . herevnto may be added the arena , the place below in which their games were exhibited , so called , for that it was strowed ouer with sand for the drinking in of the bloud which was spilt vpon it , and officers they had purposely for this businesse , who in the lawes and writings of the christian doctours are tearmed arenarij , sanders , who as they first strowed it ouer , so betweene whiles during the same sitting , they renewed it againe , as appeares by those verses of martial , where hee speakes of a lyon suddenly inraged who slew two of those sanders , nam duo de tenera juvenilia corpora turba , sanguinem rastris quae renovabat humum : saevus & infoelix furiali dente peremit , martia non vidit majus arena nefas . two youthfull bodies of that company , which did with rakes the bloudie ground renew ; with furious tooth the savage lyon slew , a fouler deed the sand did neuer see . this place nero in steed of sand caused to be strowed ouer with dust of gold , himselfe being to try a match of chariot-driving therein : and so did caius caligula , edidit & circenses quosdam praecipuos minio & chrysocolla constrato circo ; he set forth certaine notable games in the circus , being strowed ouer with vermilion and dust of gold . sect . . of their incredible expence in the ●…iring and arming , and dieting of their sword-players , in the hunting , bringing home , feeding , and keeping of their wilde beasts , in other admirable shewes to the astonishment of the beholders , in refreshing the spectators with pretious and pleasant perfumes , & the like , & lastly in casting their largesse among the people , neither was this ▪ the pract●…se of the emperors only , but of private men . bvt the greatest expence of all was the multitude of fencers who were all hired for great prizes ( and great reason , their liues being exposed to evident hazard ) besides the arming and dieting of them before they entred , and if they exhibited beasts , it is almost past credit , the relations that are made by historians touching their number . the emperour probus commaunded to be let loose at once , a thousand ostrichges , a thousand stagges , a thousand wilde boares , and a thousand fallow deere , besides wilde goates , wilde sheepe , and other beasts , all which he gaue ouer to the mercy , or rather the rage of the people , euery one to catch what he could ▪ the circus being set all ouer with tall and mighty trees , which by the souldiers were taken vp by the rootes as they grew in the woodes , and there planted with greene turfe about them , and fastned with beames and yrons . the next day hee let in to the same place centum jubatos leones , one hundred maned or crested lyons ▪ which with roaring filled the ayre as it had beene with thunder , one hundred leopards of lybia , one hundred of syria , one hundred lyonesses , and three hundred beares . now if wee should cast vp the expence he was at for the hunting , for the bringing home , for the feeding and keeping of all these , it is not for an ordinary reach to comprehend : yet stood he not alone in this kinde . gordianus exhibited in one day an hundred wilde beasts of lybia , and in another , one thousand beares , as capitolinus in his life witnesseth . and they striued as it should seeme who should outvy one another in rarity of shewes , & riotousnesse of expence , euen titus himselfe , who in their stories is named , deliciae generis humani , the delight or delicacy of mankinde , marveilously exceeded this way . he set forth the whole tragedie of orpheus , so that creeping rockes and running woods were exhibited in the arena , as martial hath well expressed it . quicquid in orp●…o rhodope spectasse theatr●… dicitur , exhibuit caesar arena tibi . repferunt 〈◊〉 , mirandaque sylva cucurrit , quale fuisse nemus creditur hesperidum . what rhodope in orpheus theater did see th'amphitheater that exhibits vnto thee o caesar : rockes doe creep , and woods doe moue apace , the orchard such they say of atlas daughters was ▪ nay there were that together with land-beasts brought in sea-monsters , as the sea-calfe and the sea-horse , which calphurnius at the games of carinus testifies that himselfe beheld , nec solum nobis sylvestria cernere monstra contigit , aequoreos ego cum certantibus vrsis spectavi vitulos & equorum nomine dignum sed deforme pecus . nor onely did i see wood monsters there , but sea-calves also tugging with the beare , and that mis-shapen vglie beast withall , which we not without cause the sea-horse call . and that which was more strange , they brought in the sea it selfe , and therein ships , representing the forme of a sea-fight . but heliogabalus went beyond all conceit : fertur in euripis vino plenis naves circenses exhibuisse , they be the words of lampridius , he is said to haue exhibited shippes in the circus , sayling and contending in wine . it was in hortensius a great folly and vanity to water his plane trees with wine , but for shippes to sayle and contend in wine was a most monstrous superlatiue madnesse . now amid all these sights , it was ordinary to refresh the spectatours with pleasant perfumes from gummes , or sweete water , or oyntments , or balsamum , or saffron mixed with wine , or somewhat in that kinde , which they conveyed in close pipes through the whole amphitheater ; and the fight ended , they commonly cast a largesse among the people , wrapping vp the names of those things in little pellets , which they intended to giue , and every one as he could catch them , brought them to the masters of the games , who delivered them the thing it selfe specified in their pellet . such gifts titus cast abroad by the space of an hundred dayes ( as witnesseth dion ) for so long his games lasted , and many of them were of good value , as appeares by the testimony of the same authour , not only meate , and drinke , and apparell , but vessells of silver and gold , horses , cattell , slaues , and the like ▪ but it is wonderfull what nero did in this kinde , to the forenamed hee added curious pictures , pearles , and pretious stone , yea naves insulas , agros , ships , houses , farmes : o res vix suetonio fidissimo testi credendas , things hardly to bee credited , though delivered by suetonius a most faithfull historian neither was this the practise of emperours only , but even of private men . cicero testifies of milo , that in these kind of games he wasted three patrimonies ; and vopiscus with some indignation relates the like of messalla , legat hunc locum iunius messalla , quem ego liberè culpare audeo ; ille enim patrimonium suum scaenicis dedit , haeredibus abnegavit : let iunius messalla reade this place , whom i dare freely accuse , for that he hath cast away his patrimony vpon stage-players , and defrauded his heires thereof ; and then reckoning many particulars of his wastfull riot that way , at length he thus concludes , et haec quidem idcirco in literas misi , vt futuros editores pudor tangeret , ne patrimonia sua proscriptis legitimis haeredibus mimis & bal●…tronibus deputarent : these things haue i therefore committed to writing , that such as heereafter set forth these kind of games , might blush to conferre their patrimony vpon jesters and base raskalls , excluding their lawfull heires . sect . . of their superfluous expence , as in the number and largenes , so likewise in tbe beauty and ornament of bathes ; which were likewise of little other vse then for pleasure . bvt leaving their theaters & amphitheaters which were onely for pleasure , let vs take a view of their bathes , which were likewise of little other vse , at least-wise as they vsed them ; as appeares by that of artemidorus , balneum nihil aliud suo aevo fuisse quam transitum ad coenam , that a bath in his time was nothing else but a passage to supper , so as they which often tooke repast , washed as often ; it being noted of commodus the emperour , that he washed seaven or eight times in a day . and among the christians , sisinius a bishop was censured as intemperate for washing twise in a day : yet a wonder it is to consider , to what an infinite height these kind of buildings for bathings amounted , aswell in regard of their number & largenesse , as their beauty & ornament . agrippa , as witnesseth pliny , during his aedilship , built for publique and free vse one hundred & seaventie , and the same authour there addes , that at rome in his time their number was infinite : and for their largenesse , some of them , sayth olimpiodorus , were ingenti , & cassiodorus mirabili magnitudine , of a●… huge & wonderfull bignesse : ammianus is more particular , lavacra in modum provinciarum extructa , bathes built in the manner of provinces ; the antoninian , or rather dioclesian bathes alone , were so capacious , as they contained for the vse of washing , sellas mille sexcentas , easque è marmore polito factas , one thousand six hundred severall seates , and those all of polished marble . neither was the ornament & beauty of these bathing places vnsutable to their number and largenesse ; which seneca in his eighty sixt epistle hath most elegantly expressed , and withall bitterly censured , where speaking of the meanesse of the bath which scipio africanus vsed , while he lived in banisnment , where seneca wrote that epistle , he thus goes on : at nunc quis est qui sic lavari sustineat , pauper sibi videtur ac sordidus nisi parietes magnis & pretiosis orbibus praefulserint , nisi alexandrina marmora numidicis crustis distincta sint , nisi illis vndique operosa & in picturae modum variata circumlitio praetexatur , nisi vitro condatur camera , nisi thasius lapis quondam rarum in aliquo spectaculum templo , piscinas nostras circumdederit , nisi aquam argentea epistomia fuderint , & adhuc plebeias fistulas loquor : quid cum ad balnea libertinorum pervenero ? quantum statuarum ? quantum columnarum & nihil sustinentium , sed in ornamentum positarum & impensae causâ ? eo deliciarum venimus vt nisi gemmas calcare nolimus : but who is there now , who would be content to wash as he did , he seemes to himselfe poore & base , whose walls doe not shine with great and pretious circles , vnlesse betweene the marble of alexandria , be inlaid the shavings of that of numedia , vnlesse they haue a border round about it with diverse colours in manner of pictures , vnlesse their arched roofe be covered over with glasse , vnlesse the thasian stone , heretofore a rare sight in some temple , compasse our ponds ; vnlesse silver cockes powre vs forth water ; & as yet haue i spoken but of the ordinary & common pipes , how much beyond all this are the bathes of freed men ? how many statues , how many pillars haue you there , for none other vse , but only for ornament & expence ? we are now come to that delicacie , that we can tread vpon nothing but jewels . by which liuely description a man should thinke , he rather spake of the pallaces of some great princes , then of their common bathing roomes , ordained for none other vse , then the washing off of the swet & filth of their bodies . yet with seneca in some parts of his description statius accords . nil ibi plebeium nunquam temesaea notabis aera , sed argento foelix propellitur vnda argentoque cadit , labrisque nitentibus instat , delicias mir●…ta suas . there 's nothing vulgar , there 's no temesaean brasse , but happy waters there through silver conduits passe , from silver fall , and into glistering cisterns runne , ( admiring their delights ) with expedition , thereby signifying , that not only the pipes , thorow which the water ranne , and the cockes & conduites , out of which it ranne , but the cisterns too , into which it fell were all of pure silver . and touching the glasse , he touches that too . effulgent camerae , vario fastigia vitro , in species animosque nitent . the arched roofes doe shine & glister gloriously , of diverse glasse compos'd , both to the mind & eye . pliny goes farther , and tells vs , that not only the sides of the cisterns , in which they bathed were of silver , but the seats & footing or the bottōe , so as they could hardly stand for sliding vpon it , vt eadem materia & probris serviat & cibis , so as the same matter , saith he , is made to serue both at our tables , and for base vnworthy offices . sect . . of the endlesse masses of treasure which they powred out in the erecting & adorning of temples , for the worship of those images which they forged to themselues , or at leastwise knew well enough were no gods. before wee enter into their private houses , it shall not bee amisse in passing from their bathes by the way , to cast a glance vpon their temples & statues . had their temples beene consecrated to the honour & service of the true god , i should haue highly commended their great expence in the building & beautifying of them , as a worke of piety and devotion : but being dedicated to idolls & devills , & such as themselues , at leastwise the wiser sort amongst them , either laughed at , or beleeved not , the excessiue charge which that way they were at , was not onely excessiue vanity & folly , but most prophane & impious both superstition & superfluity . the number of their temples onely in the citty of rome , was foure hundred twenty foure , the greatest part of which was no doubt very magnificent , shining with gold , and jeat , and marble , as appeares by that of rutilius . confunduntque vagos delubra micantia visus ipsos crediderim sic habitare deos. and glistering temples wandring eyes confound , so dwell the gods i thinke on heavenly ground . and these chiefely , as i conceiue doth claudian intend speaking of rome . — quae luce metalli , aemula vicinis fastigia conserit astris . who with her mettalls light doth shine ; and with the neighbour starres her tops confine . but most elegantly and fully hath arnobius expressed it : sint ergo haec licet ex molibus marmoreis structa , laquearibus aut renideant aureis , splendeant hic gemmae , & sydereos evomant variata interstitione fulgores , terra sunt haec omnia & ex 〈◊〉 vilioris materiae concreta : though they be built with piles of marble , and their vautes shine with gold ; though they glister with pretious stone , which dart forth & sparkle abroad beames like the starres in a various distance , yet all these things are but earth , made of the dregges of the basest matter . amongst them all , that of the capitoll was most eminent & stately , it tooke its name , as witnesseth arnobius , à capite toli , from the head of a man so named , which at the laying of the foundation was digged vp : it was foure times ruined , and three times againe reedified : it was first built by the tarquines , secondly by sylla , but dedicated by lutatius catulus ; in which . augustus bestowed vpon the seate of iupiter sedecem millia pondo auri & quingenties sestertiûm in gemmis , sixteene thousand weight of gold , and fiue hundred times an hundred thousand sesterces in jewels : thirdly by vespasian ; fourthly & lastly , by domitian . the height whereof was such , that silius brings in iupiter , thus prophecying of domitians raysing it . aurea tarpeia ponet capitolia rupe , et junget nostro templorum culmina coelo . he on tarpeian rocke shall place the golden capitole , andshall advance his temples top as high as heavenly pole . with whom tertullian fully agrees in sense , and almost in words : nam etsi à numa concepta relligio est , nondum tamen aut simulachris aut templis res divina apud romanos constabat , & nulla capitolia coelo certantia , sed temeraria de cespite altaria : though religion were first brought in by numa , yet then had the romanes neither images nor temples for divine service , no capitoll contending with heaven for height , but altars were set vp of the turfe that came next to hand . and no doubt but the length & breadth were every way answereable to the height ; the excessiue charge that domitian was at in the building heereof , martiall after his flattering manner hath wittily described , telling him , that thereby hee had so fa●…re obliged iupiter & all the gods , that if they should empty their coffers and make sale of all they had , they could never make him sufficient recompence , but would be forced to turne ●…anke-rupts . q●…antum iam superis caesar coeloque dedisti , si repetes , & si creditor esse ve●…is ? grandis in aetherio licet anctio fiat olympo , coganturque dei vendere quicquid habe●…t conturbabit atlas , & non erit ●…cia tota decid●…t tecum qua pater ipse deûm . pro capitolinis quid enim tibi solvere templis quid pro tarpeiae frondis honore potest ? &c. expectes & 〈◊〉 auguste necesse est , nam tibi quod solvat non habet arca iovis if caesar , wh●…t on gods & heaven thou hast bestow'd , thou shouldst as creditour call in , and all that 's ow'd , though in the etheriall skies portsale of all were made , and all the gods were forc't to sell what ere they had , atlas would bankerupt proue , and to the prince of heaven not one ounce would remaine to make all reckonings even . for for the capitols great temples how can he , or for ta●…peian oakes & laurels satisfie ? &c. thou must , ô caesar , needes a while forbeare & stay , for why , io●…es coffers yet haue not wherewith to pay . by which it appeares what account they made of the gods , to whom they dedicated these temples : nay domitian himselfe the founder of the capitoll , is so bold with them , as if they had indeed beene his debtours , or at least-wise his companions to stile himselfe in his edicts , dominus & deus noster sic fieri iubet , our lord & god so commaunds , vnde institutum posthac vt nec scripto quidem nec sermone cuiusquam appellaretur aliter : and from thence forth was it ordained , that no man should giue him other title either in writing or speech . now for the riches & ornament of the capitoll , we may in part giue a guesse at it by this , that there was spent only vpon the gilding of it supra duodecem millia talentorum , aboue twelue thousand tallents : it was gilded all over , not the inner roofe only , but the vtter covering which was of brasse or copper , but the doores were layd over with thicke plates of gold , which remained till honorius his raigne , and then in a dearth of coyne , stilicho mandasse per hibetur ( saith zozimus ) vt fores in capitolio romano quae auro magni ponderis erant obductae laminis ijs spoliarentur : cum autem qui hoc facere iussi erant , idagerent , in parte for●…um scriptum reppererant , [ infoelici regi servantur : ] quod eventus docuit : nam stilicho paulo post infoeliciter perijt . 〈◊〉 is said to haue given commaund , that the doores of the capitoll , which were laid over with massie gold , should be robbed of those plates , and when they who had it in charge put it in execution , they found ingraven vpon a part of the doore these wordes , [ they are reserved for an vnfortunate king ] which the event proved to be true , for stiliche within a while after perished vnfortunately . next to the capitoll was the pantheon , the temple of honour , of fortune , of the city , strange idolls , and that of peace inferiour to none . it was built by vespastan , three hundred foote in length it was , and in breadth two hundredth ; so as herodian defervedly calls it , maximum & pulcherimum omnium in vrbe operum ▪ the greatest and fairest of all the workes in the city : wherevnto he addes , ditissimum , ornamentis auri & argenti excultum , the most sumptuous in ornaments of gold & filver : of which iosephus thus writes , omnia in hoc templum collata & disposita sunt ob quae homines videndi cupiditate antea per totum orbem vagabantur . vpon this temple were bestowed all the rarities which men before traveiled thorow the world to see . and pliny , ex omnibus quae retuli clarissima quaeque in vrbe , jam sunt dicata à vespasiano principe in te●…plo pacis , of all the choyce peeces that i haue spoken of , the most excellent are laid vp and dedicated by vespasian the emperour in the temple of peace : thus they made idolls to themselues , which the simplest of them could not but discerne were no gods , and then without measure or reason , powred out infinite masses of treasure in the serving & worshipping of them . sect . . of their wonderfull vanity in erecting infinite numbers of statues , and those very chargeable , & that to themselues . yet in this was some pretence of religion , but in their statues they worshipped themselues , vainely imagining thereby to aeternize their names . quidam aeternitati secommendari posse per statuas aestimantes eas ardenter affectant , atque auro curant inbracteari , saith ammianus marcellinus , some hoping to recommend themselues to eternity by statues , infinitely affect them , causing them to be overlaid with gold . this itching humour of theirs , pene parem vrbi populum dedit quàm natura procreavit : in time begat almost as many inhabitants to the city as nature brought forth , meaning that the number of their statues , did in a manner equall their citizens : and no marveile , they being sine numero , without number , in somuch as they filled every corner , pestered their streetes and straightned their wayes , which gaue occasion to that edict of claudius , whereby private men were inhibited the erecting of statues to themselues , but by leaue first obtained from the senate , such only excepted as had done some publique service . for the prize of the stuffe whereof they were made , the most common and basest of them were of marble , the rest of yvorie , & silver , and gold , and those solide & ma●…sie , statuas sibi in capitolio non nisi aureas argenteasque poni permisit , ac ponderis certi , they be the wordes of sutonius touching domitian , he forbad any statues to be erected to him in the capitoll , saue only of gold & silver , & those of a certaine weight , which weight perchaunce those verses of statius expresse , da capitolinis aeternum sedibus aurum , quo niteant sacri centeno pondere vultus . grant to the capitoll eternall gold , wherein those sacred faces of one hundred weight may shine . but that of commodus fare exceeded this weight , statuam mille librarum auream habuit ▪ he had a statue erected to him of a thousand pound weight . now as they were at this great charge in the making and erecting of their statues : so were they likewise in the guarding of them . they were kept with no lesse caution , then they were set vp with care & cost : and to this purpose maintained they an officer of great honour who had the title of comes romanus giuen him . this man with his souldiers walked thorow the streets of the citie in the night to see good order : but chiefly to provide that no wrōg should be offred to the statues ▪ thus prodigally carefull they were of their owne shadowes , and as prodigally carelesse of the liues of others : so as i cannot easily determine whether their cruelty were greater in the one , or their folly in the other . sect . . their prodigall sumptuousnesse in their private buildings , in regard of their largenesse and height of their houses , as also in regard of their marble pillars , walls , roofes , beames , & pavement full of art and cost . now for their dwelling houses and private buildings . claudian speaking of rome thus sets them out in generall . qua nihil in terris complectitur altius aether cujus nec spatium visus , nec corda decorem , nec laudem vox vlla capit . on earth nought higher doe the heavens embrace : her largenesse sight , her beauty hearts , her praise tongue comprehends not — it was the vaunt of augustus , marmoream se relinquere quam lateritiam accepisset ; that he left the city of marble hauing found it of brick : but s. hieroms complaint , vivimus quasi altero die morituri , & aedificamus quasi semper in hoc seculo victuri , we so feed as if we were to die to morrow , & so build as if we were here to liue for euer . the largenesse of their houses was strange , and such as a man would wonder what vse they could haue of it : the wordes of valerius are to this purpose very pertinent , where speaking of quintius cincinnatus , to whom the dictatorship was offered , though he plowed but foure acres of land , with some indignation he addes , angustè se habitare nunc putat cuius domus tantum patet quantum cincinnati rura patuerunt ; he thinkes he is straightned in his dwelling , whose house is no larger then were all cincinnatus his grounds . some of neroes slaues had kitchins that tooke vp aboue two acres of ground ; and the lands of those who laid the ground of their empire were of lesse extent then the cellars of some that came after ▪ so that by this proportion their houses came almost to the greatnes of cities , domos atque villas cognover is in vrbium modum exaedificatas , they be the words of salust wee may vnderstand their houses & farmes to bee built in the manner of cities . nay they went beyond them : aedificia privata laxitatem vrbium magnarum vincentia , private mens houses exceeded the largenesse of great cities . and of these sometimes they joyned two or three together , as catiline in his oration to his souldiers vpbraides his enemies ; and in this sense it seemes is martial to be vnderstood . et docti senecae ter numeranda domus . and leerned seneca's thrice to be numbred house . neither was the height of their houses disproportionable to the largenesse . aedificant auro sedesque ad sydera mittunt . they build with gold and raise their seats vnto the starres . there were of them who built to the height of their chiefest temples that of hercules and fortune , nay exceeded the capitoll it selfe . aedificator erat centronius , & modo curvo littore caietae summa nunc tyberis arce . nunc praenestinis in montibus alta parabat culmina villarum , graecis longeque petitis marmoribus , vincens fortunae atque herculis aedem . vt spado vincebat capitolia nostra posides . centronius was a builder , sometimes on crooked caietas shore , sometimes vpon tiburs high top raising his palaces , and on praenestine hils fetching from greece and farre away his marbles , to controll ( as th'eunuch posid did our capitol ) the church of fortune and of hercules . yet to this height they farther added somewhat by planting gardens & orchards & groues vpon their house toppes : therein like antipodes running a contrary course to nature , as seneca truly and justly taxes them . non vivunt contra naturam qui pomaria in summis turribus serunt , quorum sylvae in tectis domorum ac fastigijs nutant , inde ortis radicibus quo improbae cacumina egissent ? doe they not liue contrary to the rules of nature , who make themselues orchards vpon their highest towres , whose woods shake vpon the tops of their houses , their roots there springing vp where the top should haue reached ? neither was the riches and ornament vnsutable either to the largenes or height of their building . thither they called to their great expence the most skilfull architects from greece and asia , and all the parts of the knowne world , quibus ingenium & audacia erat , etiam quae natura denegavisset , per artem tentare , whose wit and daring was such , that by art they attempted to effect that , which nature seemed to deny . among the rest of their ornaments , their infinite number of marveilous high pillars , and those of diverse sorts of the choisest kinds of marble was not the least . the height of some of them was foot , and to their height was their beauty and greatnes euery way answerable . pueros reperti in littore calculi leves , & aliquid habentes varietatis delectant , nos ingentium 〈◊〉 columnar●…m sive ex aegyptijs arenis , sive ex afric●… solitudinibus ad 〈◊〉 porticu●… aliquam vel capacem populi coenationem ferunt . children are delighted wit●… pebble stones or shells of diverse colours taken vp from the shore , and we with diverse spots of huge marble pillars , drawne hi●…her from the sands of egypt , and the deserts of afri●…a , for the supporting of a gallery or some spatious dining roome . their number was likewise very great , pendent innumeris fastigia nixa columnis . whose roofe doth rest on pillars numberlesse . sometimes an hundred of them stood together at tua ●…entenis incumbunt tecta columnis . thy roofe vpon an hundred pillars stayes ▪ sometimes as many more , as in the house built by gordianus in the prenestine way , ducentas columnas vno peristylo habens , hauing in one entry or gallery two hundred pillars distinguished by fifties from diverse countrves , and all of an equall height . and if wee desire to know the price of some one of these , crassus tels vs ●…ecem column●… centum millibus nummûm emi , i bought ten pillars for one hundred thousand sesterces . and as their pillars were of solide marble , so their walls were artificially crusted ouer with peeces of diverse colours miram●… parietes tenui marmore inductos , cùm fciamus quale sit quod absconditur , 〈◊〉 nostris imponimu●… ▪ we stand wondring at the walls laid ouer with thinne crusts of marble , though we know well enough what lyes vnder them , wee are content to cosen our owne eyes to this lucan alludes , nec summis crustatadomus , sectisque nitebat marmoribus . nor was the house with crusts of marble lin'd , nor with hewen stones of pretious marble shin'd . and fabianus papyrius , in hos igitur exitus varius ille secator lapis , vt tenui fronte parietem tegat : to this purpose is that diversly coloured stone sawed into diverse peeces , that with a thinne surface it may couer the wall . the first inventor or setter vp of this device was mamurra , as witnesseth pliny out of cornelius nepos . but their beames exceedes these wals being all guilded ouer . auratasnè trabes an mauros vndique postes mirer ? but whereat should i wonder most , the golden beames or yvorie post ? non tanarijs domus est mihi ful●…a columnis ▪ nec camera auratas inter eburna trabes . nor is my house on spartan pillars plac't , nor yvory roofe with guilded beames is grac't . and they were laid ouer either with thick guilding or plates of gold . — crassumque trabes absconder at aurum ▪ thick gold did hide the beames . as were likewise their roofes . — crasso laquearia fulta metallo . — thick mettall lin'd the roofes . this their best authors euery-where testifie and censure . quò pertinent haec atria columnata ? quò variae istae colorationes ? quò aurata lacunaria ? to what vse are their entries set with rowes of pillars of diverse colours ? to what end are their roofes guilded ? they be the words of m●…sonius in stobaeus . the roofe of the capitoll , saith pliny , was not guilded till the razing of carthage , quae nunc & in privatis domibus auro teguntur ▪ which now a daies euen in private mens houses are covered with gold ▪ nay he goes farther and tels vs , that this practise passed from the roofs and beames , to their chambers and walls , qui & ipsi jam tanquam vasa inaurantur , which are now guilded as well as our drinking vessels . with whom s. hierome accords , auro parietes , auro laquearia , ●…uro fulgent . capita columnarum , with gold their walls , with gold their roofes , with gold the heads of their pillars shine . and heerein they had diverse shapes artificially exprest , as it appeares by statius , and pretious stones heere & there glistering among . vidi artes veterumque manus varijsque metalla viva modis , labor est auri memorare figuras , aut ebur , aut dignas digitis contingere gemmas . their ancient workes their liuing mettals i of sundry forts did see , a labour t' were to tell the shapes of gold , the yvory , the pretious stones on fingers fit to weare . but that which i thinke was more costly then gold , was their admirable variety and change of roofes , with-drawing one face , and exhibiting another at their pleasure , versatilia coenationum laquearia ita coagmentant , vt subinde alia facies , atque alia succedat , & toties tecta quoties fercula mutentur . they so fram'd the moueable roofes of their dining roomes that one face succeedes another , which they vary as often as they serue in a new course . and it should seeme by rutilius that in these they somtime represented groues with birds singing in them . quid loqu●…r inclus●…s inter laquearia sylvas vernul●… qua vario carmine ludit avis . they pleasant groues within their rooofes doe shut , where birds doe chant and vary many a note . and from these sometimes they cast downe flowres in such abundance that they buried men vnder them oppressit in triclinijs versatilibus parasitos suos violis & floribus , sic vt animam aliqui efflaverint , cum eripi ad summam non possent , saith lampridius of heliogabalus , he so ouer-loaded his jesters in his dining roomes that had changeable roofes , with violets and other flowres , that some of them died vpon the place , being brought to that passe as at last they could not be rescued . nay so curious they were , that the very floore which they trode vpon must answere the roofe , impenditur cura vt lacunaribus pavimentorum respondeat nitor , a speciall care must be had , that the shining of the floore must bee answereable to the roofe . and in another place , domus etiam qua calcatur pretiosa , divitijs per omnes angulos dissipatis : pretious things are spred there euen where men tread , riches being scattered thorow euery corner of the house . and this excessiue curiosity statius glances at . dum vagor aspectu vultusque per omnia duco , calcabam nec opinus opes : nani splendor ab alto defluus , & nitid●…m referentes aiera testae monstravere solum , varias vbi picta per artes gaudet humus , suberant que novis asarota figuris . whilst to and fro my wandring eyes survaid all things , vnwares on riches did i tread , downe from aboue came light , the roofe the aire reflecting on the soyle , shewed what lay there , the artificiall pavement seem'd to smile , and figures new were pictur'd on the tile . sect . . the profuse expences of domitian and nero in their buildings , as also of caligula in his madde workes . now as the greatest part of these was ordinary even in private mens houses , so we may well conceiue that the palaces of the emperours farre exceeded them . i will instance only in two , those of domitian & nero. touching the former , plutarch treating of the sumptuous furniture of the capitoll , thus writes . quod si quis hu●… capitolij magnificum instructum miretur , idem si domitiani in aula vnam porticum vel basilicam , vel balneum , vel pellicum dietam viderit , exclamet cum epicharmo . non liberalis aut benignus tu clues , pro●…ustone gaudes . not bountifull nor liberall art thou , but plainely prodigall . if any wonder at this magnificent structure of the capitoll , the same man if in domitians palace he should behold but one gallery , or hall , or bath ; or parlour for his con●…ubines , he would presently cry out with epicharmus , &c. where he makes all the glory of the capitoll , which we haue in part opened before , to bee but as a triflle or toy , in comparison of domitians owne house . the other was that of nero , which himselfe named domum auream , a golden house ; and suetonius in his life thus describes it . vestibulum eius fui●… , in quo colossus centum viginti pedum staret ipsius effigie , tanta laxitas vt porticus triplices milliarias haberet . item stagnum maris instar , circumseptum aedificijs ad vrbium speciem . rura insuper arvis atque vinetis & pascuis sylvisque varia cum multitudine omnis generis pecudum ac ferarum , in caeteris partibus cuncta auro lita distincta gemmis vnionumque conchis erant . caenationes laqueatae tabulis eburneis versatilibus vt flores , & fistulatis vt vnguenta desuper spargerentur , praecipua caenationum rotunda quae perpetuo diebus ac noctibus vice mundi circumageretur : ejusmodi domum cum absolutam dedicaret , hactenus comprobavit , vt se diceret quasi hominem tandem habitare caepisse . in the porch was set a colossus shaped like himselfe of one hundred and twenty foote high , the spaciousnes of the house was such , that it had in it three galleries , each of them a mile long , a standing poole like a sea , beset with buildings in the manner of a citty ; fields , in which were areable grounds , pastures , vineyards , and woods , with a various multitude of tame & wilde beasts of all kindes . in the other parts thereof , all things were covered with gold , and distinguished with pretious stones or mother of pearle . the supping roomes were roofed with yvorie plankes , that were moueable for the casting downe of flowers , and had pipes in them for the sprinkling of oyntments . the roofe of the principall supping roome was round , which like the heaven perpetually day & night wheeled about . this house when he had thus finished and dedicated , hee so farre forth approved of it , that hee said , hee had began to dwell like a ma●… . i had thought nothing could be added to this extreame madnesse of nero & domitian , which made me resolue here to conclude this chapter ; but i know not whether that caligula , though perchaunce in somewhat a different kinde exceed them both fabricavit & de cedris liburnicas gemmatis puppibus versicoloribus velis magna thermarum , & porticuum , & tricliniorum laxitate , magnaque etiam vitium & pomiferarum arborum varietate : quibus discumbens de die inter choros at symphonias littora campaniae perag●…et . in extructionibus praetoriorum atque villarum omni ratione posthabita , ni il tam efficere concupiscebat quam quod posse effici negaretur , & jactae itaque moles infesto ac profundo mari excisae rupes durissimi silicis , & campi montibus aggere aquati , & complana●…a fossuris 〈◊〉 iuga , incredibili quidem celeri●…ate , cum morae culpa capite lueretur . he buil●… of cedar , barges or gallifoists , their sternes being set with pearle and pretious stone , carrying sayles of diverse colours , having in them bathes , galleries , and parlours of great largenesse , with great varietie of vines and trees bearing fruite , lying along in these amid his musicke of voyces and instruments , he was carried vp & downe vpon the coast of campania . in the building of his countrey or mannour houses , setting aside all reason , hee desired nothing somuch to be done , as that which was denied could be done : so as that he would lay huge mighty piles in the deepe sea , to stop the course of it , he would cut thorow rockes of the hardest flint , equall the champian to the mountaines , and levell the toppes of high hills ; and all this he did with speed incredible , the least delay being presently punished with death . sect . . that the romanes luxurious excesse in their houshold-stuffe and the ornaments of their houses , was sutable to that of their buildings . wee may adde as an appendix to their luxury in buildings , that in their houshold-stuffe , and the ornaments of their houses ; their excesse in their tables , and dishes , and cups i haue already touched , as being appurtenances of their luxury in diet , passing by these then we may take a survey of the rest . and first of their beds : these were either tricliniares or cubiculares , such as they vsed for diet , or lodging , in their supping roomes , or their chambers . these by degrees came to be of silver , then were they gilded , & lastly of pure massy gold : which carvilius pollio first brought in vse : and suetonius reports of iulius caesar , in aureo lecto veste purpuria decubuisse , that hee layd him downe in a bed of gold with a purple covering . and gellius of more ancient times out of favorinus stratus ; auro , argento , purpura , amplior aliquot hominibus quam dijs immortalibus adornatur : a bed for some men is furnished more magnificently with gold , & silver , & purple , then for the gods immortall . these they likewise perfumed with rich & pretious odours , which the epigrammatist deservedly laughs at . quid thorus à nilo ? quid sindone tectus olenti ? ostendit stultas quid nisi morbus opes . what meanes thy bed from nile , & quilt perfumed so ? what doth thy sicknes but thy foolish riches show ? next their beds wee may set their chariots , which were in a manner running beds , as their beds were a kind of standing chariots . these heliogabalus had not only of gold , but set with pearle and pretious stone . and such a one belike was that whereof martiall speakes , aurea quod fundi pretio carruca paratur . that for a mannours price thou boughtst a golden coach . so as that which the poet fained of the chariot of the sunne , might indeed be verified of theirs . aureus axis erat , temo aureus , aurea summae , curvatura rotae , radiorum argenteus ordo . the axel-tree was gold . the beame , the wheele , the spokes of silver were — their harnesse belonging to these was likewise very costly , & the caparizons of their horses & mules imbroidered with gold & silver . of these nero when he journied had never lesse then a thousand ; his mules being shod with silver , and his muleters richly apparelled : but poppaeia his wife therein exceeded him , causing the choisest of her traveiling beasts to be shod with gold : yet heliogabalus went a straine farther , and put it to a baser vse ; as he made water in myrrinis & onichinis , in murrin vessels and of the onix stone , so made he his stoole pans of gold : which pliny out of messala likewise reports of anthony , in contumeliam naturae vilitatem auro fecit opus proscriptione dignum , to the reproach of nature he vsed gold to the basest offices , a worke even worthy proscription . and the same doth martiall vpbraid bassa with : ventris onus misero nec te pudet excipis auro , bassa . thy bellies load thou doest exonerate , o basse , in gold , yet shamest not thereat . their caldrons , their seething pots , their gridirons , & frying-pans were vsually of silver , as witnesseth vlpian , & pliny , vasa coquinaria ex argento fieri queritur ; calvus the oratour complaines , that our very kitching vessels are all of plate . the same pliny affirmes , that the price of a candelsticke was the salarie or stipend of a tribune , which was fifty thousand sesterces : nay a little hatchet or axe , if we may credit martiall , was sould for foure hundred thousand . cum sieret tristis solvendis auctio nummis , haec quadringentis millibus empta fnit . when sale was made that debts might be defraid , foure hundred thousand for this was well paid . now for ornament of their houses , they bought them pictures of excessiue prices : the counterfeit taken from a table made by pausias , wherein was represented his mistris glycera with a chaplet of flowers in her hand , curiously plaited and twisted ; lucius lucullus bought of dyonisius a painter of athens , and it cost him two talents of silver . cydias in a table , represented the argonautes , for which hortensius the oratour was content to pay one hundred fòrty foure thousand sesterces . and what difference is there heerein betweene vs and children , sayth seneca , who value counterfeit rings , and jewels , and bracelets at high prizes , nisi quod nos circa tabulas & statuas insanimus chariùs inepti , saue that wee dote about statues and pictures , playing the foole at a deerer rate . but as they were luxurious in the price , so were they likewise in the worke it selfe , which many times was lascivious & beastly . quae manus obscaenas depinxit prima tabellas , et posuit casta turpia visa domo illa puellarum ingenuos corrupit ocellos nequitiaeque suae noluit esse rudes . the hand that first lascivious picture drew , and filthy sights in houses chast did shew he maids chast eyes did first corrupt , and he would haue them traind vp in their lechery . thus did tyberius adorne his chambers , cubicula plarifariam disposita tabellis ac sigillis lascivissimarum picturarum ac figurarum adornavit . so did hor. speculato cubiculo scorta dicitur habuisse disposita , &c. they had likewise for ornament the shells of tortoisses artificially wrought , & ingentibus emptas , bought at wonderfull high rates . but i leaue their houses , together with the stuffe & ornament thereof , and come to their apparell and ornament of their bodies , in which they exceeded as much or more then in their houses . cap. . of the romanes exessiue luxury in their dressing and apparell . sect . . how effoeminate they were in regard of their bodies , specially about their haire . their effoeminate softnes and nicenes in regard of their bodies , seneca hath well both obserued and censured : adhuc quicquid est boni moris extinguimus levitate & politura corporum , muliebres munditias antecessimus , colores meretricios matronis quidem non induendos viri sumimus , tenero & molli ingress●… suspendimus gradum , non ambulamus , sed repimus : whatsoeuer is yet left of good fashion we extinguish it by the decking and trimming of our bodies , we haue exceeded the neatnesse of women , euen wee men weare light and whorish colours , not becomming matrons , we fashion our gate to a wanton & mincing pace , we doe not walke but creepe . and of the same hee grievously complaines in the proeme to the first booke of his controversies : capillum frangere , & ad muliebres munditias vocem extenuare , mollitie corporum certare cum foeminis , & immunditijs se excolere munditijs nostrorum adolescentium specimen est : it is now held the accomplished gallentry of our youth to frisle their haire like women , to speak with an affected smalnes of voice , and in tendernes of body to match them , & to bedeck themselues with most vndecent trimmings . but their extreame curiosity in plaiting and folding their haire , he in another place most liuely describes , and as sharply , but justly reprooues : quomodo irascuntur , si tonsor paulo negligentior fuit tanquam virum tonderet ? quomodo excandescunt si quid ex juba sua decisum est ? si quid extra ordinem jacuit , nisi omnia in annulos suos reciderūt ? quis est istorum qui non malit remp. turbati , quàm comam ? qui non solicitior sit de capitis sui decore , quā de salute ? qui non comptior esse malit , quā honestior ? how doe they chafe if the barbour be neuer so little negligent , as if he were trimming a man ? how doe they take on if any thing belopped off of their feakes or fore-tops ? if any thing lye out of order , if euery thing fall not euen into their rings or curles , which of these would not rather choose that the state whereof he is a member should be in combustion then his haire should bee displatted ? who is not much more sollicitous of the grace of his head then of his health ? who maketh not more account to be fine then honest ? euen iulius caesar himselfe was this way too too nice , circa corporis curam morosior , vt non solum to●…deretur diligenter ac raderetur , sed velleretur etiam , vt quidem exprobraverunt : he was too studious about the care of his body , so as he was not onely curiously cut , but shaven , nay had his haires pluckt off with pincers , which some vpbraided him with . no marveile then if nero exceeded this way : circa cultum habitumque adeo pudendus , so shamefull was hee in the dressing of himselfe , that he alwayes wore his haire after the greeke fashion plaited behind . these plaitings they likewise besmeered with oyntments and perfumes , et matutino sudaus crispinus amomo quantum vix redolent duo funera . and crispin sweating with his oyntments and perfume , two funerals scarce smell so much i dare presume . and for the face they vsed so much slibber-sauce , such dawbing and painting , that a man could not well tell , — facies dicatur an vlcus . may it a face or els a botch be call'd ? suetonius reports it of otho , that he shaved every day , and rubbed his face ouer with moistned bread , idque instituisse à prima lanugiue , ne barbatus vnquam esset , and that this he practised from the time of his first appearance of the haires on his chinne , that he might neuer haue a beard . neither were these things onely practised by them , but schooles they had to teach them , and open shoppes to sell what they had in this kinde . sect . . of the prefsing , plaiting , store , die , and prize of their garments , as also of their rings and jewels of inestimable value . now as they were thus effoeminate and curious about their bodies , so were they likewise about the apparelling of them , their garments were artificially pressed ; ponderibus ac mille tormentis splendere cogentibus , with waights and a thousand rackings and tortures to make them shine the brighter . sic tua suppositis perlucent praela lacernis . so doe thy presses shine with garments vnder-laid . and as they were thus artificially pressed , so were they most curiously plaited , as appeares by this , that hortensius hauing one day with much adoe composed himselfe to the looking-glasse , he commenced a suit against his fellow in office , for that meeting him by chaunce in a narrow way , he had disordered the plaites of his robe , & capitale putavit quod in humero suo locum ruga mutasset , he held it a capitall matter that a fold vpon his shoulder was displaced . and therefore tertullian alluding heereunto accompts it among the commodities of his cloake , that it needed no artificer , qui pridie ●…ugas ab exordio formet , who the day before he wore it , should set in due forme & order the plaites thereof : & a while after , etiam cum reponitur nulli cippo in crastinum demandatur : whē it is laid aside , it is not cōmitted to the stocks till the morrow . of these they had such variety and store , that nero was neuer seene twise in the same garment , & when a praetor intending to set forth the most sumptuous & magnificēt shewes he could devise , came to lucullus to borrow of him some store of short clokes ; his answer was , that he would take a time to see if he had so many as the praetor desired ; and the next day sending to know what number would serue the turne , it being told him an hundred , ducentas accipere jussit , he bid them take two hundred . but horace speaketh of a farre greater number , no lesse then fiue thousand . — chlamydes lucullus vt aiunt si posset centum scenae praebere rogatus , qui possum tot ? ait tamen & quaeram , & quot habebo mittam . post paulò scribit sibi millia quinque esse domi chlamydum , partem vel tolleret omnes , lucullus asked once , if he could lend vnto the stage one hundred cloakes , replyed how can i man , so many ? yet i le send as many as i haue when i haue tried , soone after writes , fiue thousand cloaks i haue , take all , or part , as many as you craue . sic micat innumeris arcula synthesibus atque vnam vestire tribum tua candida possint apula non vno quae grege terra tulit . the chest with supper garments infinite , shines in like manner , and thy fleeces white from more then one flock in apulia shorne by one whole tribe suffice well to be worne . when they went to the publique bathes , they had of these so many brought after them as might well suffice a dozen men ; at their publique feasts they chaunged often only for ostentation to shew their variety , at least so often as severall courses were served in : vndecies vna surrexti zoile coena et mutata tibi est synthesis vndecies . eleuen times at one supper thou o zoilus didst arise : as many times thou didst i trow thy mantle change likewise . neither was the price vnsutable to their store , they dared to lay downe for a cloake ten thousand sesterces . millibus decem dixti emptas lacernas munus esse pompillae . pompilla gaue thee thou didst boast , a cloake that might ten thousand cost . and in another epigram , emit lacernas millibus decem bassus . ten thousand bassus for a cloake did pay . now that which principally hoised vp the price of the garments to this immoderat hight , was the rich dye which they borrowed frō shelfish quibus eadem mater luxuria paria paenè etiam margaritis pretia fecit , which our luxury , saith pliny , hath brought to prizes almost equall to those of pearles . a pound of violet purple in the time of augustus , as witnesseth cornelius nepos , who liued and wrote during his raigne , was sold for an hundred pence , in steed whereof the tyrian double dye grew in vse , which could not be bought for a thousand . their lightnesse farther appeared in the light apparell which they wore ; this is the making of that fine say , whereof silke cloath is made , saith pliny ) which men also are not abashed to pvt on and vse , because in summer time they would goe light and thin . and so farre doe men draw back now a dayes from carrying a good corslet and armour on their backs , that they thinke their ordinary apparell doth over-loade them . and these transparent garments the satyrist thus deservedly inveighs against . — sed quid non facient alij cùm tu multitiasumas cretice , & hanc vestem populo mirante perores in proculas & pollineas ? est maecha labulla , damnetur si vis , etiam carfinia : talem non sumet damnata togam . sed iulius ardet , aestuo , nudus agas , minus est insania turpis . en habitum quo te leges acjura ferentem vulneribus crudis populus modò victor , & illud montanum positis audiret vulgus aratris . quid non proclames in corpore judicis ista si videas ? quaero an deceant multitia testem ? acer & indomitus , libertatisque magister cretice pelluces ? what will not others doe , since creticus doth vse light garments , and therein pollineas doth accuse and proculas , while as the vulgar sort therefore both game and wonder makes . labulla playes the whore condemne her if thou wilt , condemne carfinia too , yet will she not condemn'd weare such a gowne i trow . but iuly scaldeth , and i fry . plead naked then , lesse shame 't is to be mad . behold the weed wherein the conquering people yet fresh bleeding from the warre and hardie mountainer leauing both plough and share may heare thee talke of law and right , didst thou but see a judge in such attire , what out-cryes would there bee ? would lawne a witnesse fit ? thou creticus so sad , so fierce , so free , art in transparent garments clad . heereunto they added rings and jewels of inestimable value at the battle of cannae the carthaginians gathered frō the fingers of the slaughtered romans who died in that battle threc modii , which by hannibal were sent to carthage as a token of the greatnes of his victory . nonnius the senatour , being proscribed by anthony , betooke himselfe to flight , and of all his goods carried with him onely one ring , wherein was set an opall quem certum est , seftertiis viginti millibus aestimatum , which it is certaine was valued at twenty thousand sesterces . rings they wore vpon euery finger , per cujus digitos currit levis annulus omnes , on whose each finger was a gold ring set . nay for euery joint they had a ring , and that set with a pretious stone , exornamus annulis digitos , & in omni articulo gemma disponitur , we garnish our fingers with rings , & vpon euery ioynt shines a pretious stone , saith seneca ; & pliny some will haue the little finger loaden with three rings ; nay now adayes , the middle finger onely excepted , all the rest are charged with them , atque etiam privatim articuli minoribus alijs , yea and every ioint by themselues must haue some lesser rings & gemmals to fit them . and if as all this had bin too litle , they wore vpon one ioint pretious stones . sardonichas , smaragdos , adamantas , iaspidas vno . versat in articulo stella severe meus . sardonyx , smaragd , iasper , diamond , my stella weares on one ioint of his hand . parum scilicet fuerit in gulas condi maria , nisi manibus , auribus , capite , totoque corpore à foeminis juxta virisque gestarentur : forsooth it was too little that the seas were made for our gluttony , vnlesse we also wore them vpon our hands , in our eares , vpon our heads , and over our body , saith pliny , speaking of the great abundance of pearle and purple , that was worne aswell by men as women . to this luxury of theirs in the vse of rings may not vnfitly be added , that the rings which they wore in summer , in winter they layd aside , and insteed of them vsed others , distinguishing them into summer and winter rings . luxuria ( saith probus ) invenerat alios annulos aestivos alios vero hyemales . and iuvenal . sat. . — cum verna canopi crispinus tyrias humero revocante lacernas , ventilet aestivum digitis sudantibus aurum , nec sufferre queat major is pondera gemmae . — when an egyptian slaue crispin , a tyrian cloake shall on his shoulders haue , and summer gold-ring on his sweating fingers weare , nor can endure the weight of greater gemme to beare . sect . . the great excesse and immodesty of their women in the same kinde . now if their men were heerein thus effoeminate , wee may well conceiue their women exceeded more : video sericas vestes , si vestes vocandae sunt , in quibus nihil est quo defendi aut corpus , aut denique pudor possit . quibus sumptis , mulier parum liquidò nudam se non esse jurabit . haec ingenti summa ab ignotis etiam ad commercium gentibus accersuntur , vt matronae nostrae , ne adulteris quidem , plus sui in cubiculo quam in publico ostendunt . i see their silken clothes , if they may be called clothes , wherewith neither their bodies nor shame are covered ; which a woman wearing , cannot safely sweare that she is not naked : yet are these at huge prizes , fet from nations with whom we haue no traffique , that our women may expose no lesse to the publique view , when they come abroad , then they doe to their paramours in the bed . this immodesty of the women is thus also taxed by horace . cois tibi paene videre est vt nudam . in her lawne shee doth appeare almost , as if shee naked were . now besides this , they were so loaden with costly ornaments , that one poet tells vs. pars minima est ipsa puella sui , the least part of her selfe a maiden is . and another , matrona incedit census induta nepotum . the matron jets attir'd in all her heires estate . and a third . perque caput ducti lapides , per colla manusque , et pedibus niveis fulserunt aurea vincla . the head , the necke , the hands were deckt with pretious stone , and chaines of gold did shine their snowie feete vpon . i my selfe haue seene , sayth pliny , lollia paulina , late wife and after widow to caius caligula the emperour , when shee was dressed and set out , not in stately wise , nor of purpose for some great solemnity , but onely when shee was to goe to a wedding supper , or rather to a feast when the assurance was made , & great persons they were not that made the said feast ; i haue seene her , i say , so beset and bedeckt all over with emerauls and pearles ranged in rewes one by another round about the tyre of her head , her cawle , her borders , her perruke of heire , her bungrace & chaplet at her eares pendant , about her necke a carcanet , vpon her wrests in bracelets ; and vpon her fingers in rings , that she glistered and shone again as she went. the value of these ornaments she esteemed & rated at foure hundred hundred thousand sesterces , and offered openly to proue it out of hand ; by her books of accounts & reckonings . their ropes of pearle were so rich , that s. hierome tells vs , vno filo villarum insunt pretia , vpon one rope hang the prizes of diverse lordships . and tertullian , vno lino decies sestertium inseritur , vpon one twine were threaded vp tenne hundred thousand sesterces . and againe , saltus & insulas tenera cervix fert , the tender necke carries woods and ilands vpon it ; nay , one pearle which iulius caesar bought for servilia the mother of brutus , sexagies sestertio mercatus est , cost him sixtie hundred thousand sesterces : but specially they exceeded in the jewels they wore in their eares . quare vxor tua locupletis domus censum auribus gerit , sayth seneca , why doth thy wife weare in her eares the revenewes of a rich familie : and in another place , video vniones , non singulos singulis auribus comparatos : iam enim exercitatae aures oneri ferendo sunt . iunguntur inter se & insuper alij binis supponuntur . non satis muliebris insania viros subiecerat , nisi bina ac terna patrimonia auribus singulis pependissent . i see their pearles not fitted single to their eares , which are now invred to the bearing of weight ; they are coupled together , and others are added to the two first , the madnesse of our women had not sufficiently brought men into subjection , did they not hang two or three patrimonies at each eare . and with him pliny accords , binos ac ternos auribus suspendere foeminarum gloria est , to hang these by couples or more in each eare , is the pride of our women . and their luxury ( sayth he ) hath found out a name for this , calling it crotalia , as if they gloried in the sound and striking of the pearle each against other . nay he goes farther , affectantque iam & pauperes lictorem foeminae in publico vnionem esse dictitantes : it is come to that passe , that even the poorer sort affect the same fashion . their common saying being , that a pearle is the womans serjeant to waite vpon her when shee shewes her selfe abroad . but their extreame folly heerein , hath tertullian after his african manner wittily expressed , graciles aurium cutes kalendarium expendunt , the tender libbets of their eares consume their kalender , that is saith the learned iunius in his notes on that passage , vniversum domus censum qui praescribitur in kalendario : the whole revenew or expence of their house , which was set down in their kalender , or rentrole , or count-booke : yet had this beene more tollerable , had they not worne them vpon their feete too . pliny can hardly speake of this with patience ; let our women , ( sayth he ) haue their pearle & pretious stones vpon every finger , about their necks , in their eares , vpon their chaplets and treases , etiamnè pedibus induitur ? must they needes weare them vpon their feete ? and in another place , but not without some indignation too , quin & pedibus nec crepidarum tantum obstragulis , sed totis soculis addunt : neque enim gestare iam margaritas nisi calcent ac per vniones etiam ambulent satis est : nay , they garnish their feete with them , and not only the higher , but the lower part of their slippers ; so as now it is not held sufficient to weare pearle , vnlesse we tread and walke vpon it . and the same hath tertullian likewise observed , in peronibus vniones emergere de luto cupiunt , the pearle in their shooes labours to keepe it selfe out of the mire . but lampridius tells vs of heliogabalus , that he wore jewels curiously engraven on his feete , which ( sayth hee ) moved laughter to all men , quasi possent sculpturae nobilium artificum videri in gemmis quae pedibus adhaererent , as if the gravings of famous artificers could be discerned in jewels that were set on his feete . sec . . more of the excessiue nicenes of their women , as also of caligula his monstrous phantasticalnesse in his apparell , together with their extreame vanity in the multitude of their servants and slaues waiting on them . besides all this excesse in apparell , their nicenesse was such , that if but an haire were amisse , they called a councell about them , for the reforming of it . — tanquam famae discrimen agatur aut animae . — as if their credit or their life in question were . nay , if but tenuis radiolus , the least beame pierced thorow any little hole of their fanne , or a fly chaunced to sit vpon it , queruntur quod non sint apud cymmerios natae , sayth ammianus marcellinus , they presently complaine , that they were not borne among the cymmerians . their looking-glasses were in height & breadth answereable to their bodies , ingraeven in their borders with gold and silver , and embossed with pretious stone : et pluris vnum ex his foeminae constitit quam antiquarum dos fuit illa quae publicè dabatur imperatorum pauperum filiabus : some one of these hath stood a woman more then was the dowry of the ancients : yea that which by publique allowance was givē the daughters of the poorer emperours . and within a while after , jam libertinorum virgunculis in vnum speculum non sufficit illa dos quam dedit populus romanus filiae scipionis : now adayes that dowry , which the people of rome gaue with scipio his daughter , will not suffice to buy a glasse for the daughter of a manu-missed slaue . now that dowry was vndecem millia aeris , eleven thousand asses : what then shall we thinke of the daughters of their free-borne citizens , of their knights , of their sen●…tours : surely these , as they were superiour in meanes and ranke , so were they likewise in expence . i will conclude this discourse of apparell with caligula his monstrous phantasticallnesse therein , described by suetonius , vestitu neque patrio neque civili , ac ne virili quidem aut denique humano semper vsus est . hee vsed not the apparell of his countrey , nor that which was civill or manlike , and sometimes not somuch as humane : for at times would he imitate deorum insignia , the ensignes of the gods : and at other times againe , would he come abroad & sit in judgement , in socco muliebri in womens slippers , wherein suetonius seemes to allude to that story , which is by seneca reported more at large . caesar ( sayth he ) gaue to pompeius poenus his life , if he giue it who takes it not away : but being acquitted and giving thankes , he reached forth his left foote for him to kisse : now they who goe about to excuse him heerein , as being not done out of insolency , aiunt , socculum auratum imo aureum margaritis distinctum ostendere eum voluisse , say for him that it was but to make shew of his gilded , nay golden slipper set with pearle . to their excesse in apparell , may not vnfitly be added the extreame vanity in the multitude of their servants & slaues wayting on them . ammianus speakes of fifty attending , whē they went to the publique bath : and in another place he cals them familiarum agmina , troopes of houshold servants : and pliny , mancipiorum legiones , legions of slaues , which as a traine they drew after them . horace tells vs , that tigellius had often two hundred that followed him at heeles : but athenaeus much exceedes him , decem ●…mò viginti mille , & plures quoque servos habent , non quaestus causà vt ille graecorum ditissimus nicias , sed plerosque in publico comitantes●… . they haue tenne , nay twenty thousand servants and more , not somuch to make againe of them as did nicias , the richest of the graecians , but the greatest part to waite on them when they went abroad . and me thinkes , seneca againe outvies athenaeus , familia bellicosis nationibus maior , a family more populous then some warlike nations . nelther were the women in this excesse inferiour to the men , but rather went beyond them . marcellinus describes the order of ranging their servants when they went abroad , as it had beene an army marching in the field : and s. hierome calls one part of them , an army , noli ad publicum subinde procedere & spadonum exercitu praeeunte viduarum circumferri libertate : doe not walke abroad with an army of eunuches , marching before you after the manner of licentious widowes : insomuch as they were driven to haue their nomenclatores , controllers or remembrancers to tell them the names of their servants and people about them , so many they were . many of these they bought at a deare rate , and clad richly : they vsually payd for a slaue six thousand sesterces : and iulius caesar layd downe such incredible prizes for some of them , that himselfe was ashamed thereof : sic vt rationibus vetarct inferri , so as he gaue speciall charge it should not be brought into his accounts . but their ieasters were commonly the dearest : morio dictus erat viginti millibus emi , redde mihi nummos gargiliane : sapit . a foole i bought for twenty thousand price : restore it back , gargilian , he is wise . and for the rich apparelling of them at times , wee haue a memorable place in seneca , diligentius quàm intra privatum larem vestita & auro culta mancipia , & agmen servorum nitentium ; their slaues are more carefully apparelled and decked with gold when they appeare in publique , then within doores , and the troopes of their servants shining and glittering . sect . . of their prodigall , or rather prodigious gifts of their emperours , and the extreame vnthriftinesse of private men . i may happily seeme to some to haue beene tedious in dwelling too long vpon the excessiue luxury of this people : but surely their extreame folly & madnesse therein haue made me so : and if not the rarity , yet the variety of the matter hath beene such as i presume it cannot quickly cloy the appetite of an attentiue reader . and though much hath beene said , yet much more might be added , specially touching their prodigall , or rather prodigious gifts , which their great patron iustus lypsius thus censures . si quis midas fuisse fingatur qui omnia tacta faciat aurea defecerit inaurare quantum isti sunt largiti : if we could faine a midas that should turne all he touched into gold , surely he would be weary to make the gold they gaue . and againe , vbi estis qui novum orbem & novas in eo divitias reperist●… ? huc ite , ostendent & effundent eas duumviri isti vnâ largitione : where are you that speake of a new world , and the great treasure that is there to be found ? come hither and behold two duumviri ( meaning anthony and octavius ) that will empty it all at one gift : and would you know to what great good purpose all these profuse largitions were ? the same author shall tell you , though somwhat against his will , vt ad imperium veniant , imperium paenè ipsum donant : they in a manner giue away the empire , that they may come vnto it . quid ? donant ? perdunt certè , & quomodo tot isti pecuniar●… cumuli sine aperta pernitie provinciarum , civiumque colligi potuere : what said i , they giue away ? nay they rob and spoyle the empire , in as much as so great masses of treasure could not possibly bee gathered without the evident ruine as well of the citizens as of the provincials . caligula in lesse then a yeare scattered and consumed those infinite heapes of gold and silver which tiberius his predecessour had layd vp , vicies ac septies millies sestertium , seuen and twenty hundred millions of sesterces . of vitellius , iosephus yeeldes this testimony , octo menses ac dies quinque potitus imperio jugulatur in media vrbe , quam si vivere diutius contigisset , ejus luxuriae satis esse imperium non potuisset ; hauing raigned eight moneths & fiue dayes he was slaine in the midst of the city , whose luxury should he haue liued longer , the empire could not haue satisfied : and lest wee should thinke iosephus passionate heerein , as being a iew and oppressed by the romanes , against the testimony of tacitus himselfe a romane and partiall for his countrey wee cannot except : let vs then heare his evidence touching the same vitellius : ipse abundè ratus si praesentibus frueretur , nec in longum consultans novies millies sestertium paucissimis mensibus intervertisse creditur , he holding it fully sufficient if he injoyed th●… present , and not caring for the future , within the compasse of a few moneths , is said to haue set going nine hundred millions of sesterces ; which summe budoeus casting vp , thus pronounces of it , hanc ego summam non minorem ducenties vicies quinquies centenis millibus esse dico , i affirme that this summe is no lesse then twenty fiue hundred thousand crownes . and for nero , divitiarum ac pecuniae fructum non alium putabat quam profusionem , he thought there was no other end of money and riches but to cast them away . those hee held base fellowes , who tooke any account of their expences , but gallant and noble spirits , if they wasted and lavished it out : he in nothing so much commended & admired his vncle caius , as for that in so short a space hee brought going the infinite masses of treasures which tiberius had hoarded vp , quare nec largiendi nec absumendi modum tenuit , so as he neuer ended giuing and wasting : — velut exhausta redivivus pullulet arca nummus . as if when nought did in the chest remaine , moneyes would grow there and revive againe . when once he had giuen so vnreasonable a summe , that his mother agrippina thought it fit to restraine his boundlesse prodigality , she caused the whole summe to be laid before him on a table as hee was to passe by , that so the sight of it might worke in him a sense of his folly ; but he suspecting it belike to be his mothers device , commaunds presently so much more to be added therevnto , and withall was heard to say aloud , nesciebam me tam exiguum dedisse , i knew not that i gaue so little . to terridates ( which scarce seemes credible to suetonius himselfe ) during his abode in italy by the space of nine moneths he allowed dayly octingenta nummûm millia , eight hundred thousand sesterces : and besides at his parting for a farewell , bestowed on him sestertium millies , no lesse then an hundred millions ; the rest of his prodigall gifts were not disproportionall thereunto , so that in the whole , bis & vicies millies sestertium donationibus nero effuderat , he cast away in prodigall needlesse gifts two and twenty hundred millions of sesterces . menecrates a fidler , and specillus a fencer , triumphalium virorum patrimonijs aedibusque donavit , hee rewarded with the patrimonies and houses of triumphers : nay luxuriae tam effraenatae fuit , saith orosius , so luxuriously wastefull he was , beyond all reason and measure , vt piscaretur retibus aureis quae purpureis funibus extr●…bebantur , that he would not fish but with nets of gold drawne with purple coloured coards . neither was his gaming vnanswereable to his giuing , quadringenis in punctum sestertijs aleam lusi : , he adventured foure hundred sesterces vpon euery pick of the dice. but yet all this might perchance seeme more tollerable in their emperours , had not their private men according to the proportion of their meanes gone beyond them in these mad monstrous prodigalities . pyramides regum miramur , saith pliny , cùm p. clodius quem milo occidit sestertium centies & quadragies octies domo empta habitaverit , quod non secus ac regum insaniam miror . doe we wonder at the pyramides of the aegyptian kings , since clodius whom milo slew dwelt in an house which cost one hundred forty eight hundred thousand sesterces , which truely i as much admire as the madnes of those kings . and going on , touches milo himselfe vpon the same veine : itaque & ipsum milonem sestertium septingenties aeris alieni debuisse inter prodigia animi humani duco : and milo himselfe to haue beene indebted seuen hundred hundred thousand sesterces , i cannot but ranke it among the prodigies of humane wit. curio the son ran in debt , as witnesses valerius , sestertium sex centies , sixe hundred hundred thousand sesterces , — decies centena dedisses huic parco paucis contento , quinque diebus nilerat in loculis . ten hundred thousand were you pleasd to giue unto the sparing man , so well content with litle , yet might he but fiue dayes liue , in fiue dayes all would be consum'd and spent . sayth horace of tigellus . and martial of cinna . bis quartum decies non toto tabuit anno , di●… mi●…i non hoc est cinna perire citò ? an hundred thousand eighteene times lesse then one yeare did spend : tell me , o cinna , is not this to come soone to an end . cap. . of the romanes extreame arrogancie and confidence in admiring and commending themselues together with their grosse and base flattery , specially to their emperours : and lastly their impudent , nay impious vain-glory and boasting of their owne nation and city . sect . . of their extreame arrogancy in admiring and commending , and euen deifying themselues . thus haue we seene the covetousnes and cruelty , but specially the prodigious luxury of this nation ( so renowned in history for their vertucs , as if they had beene the onely patternes and masters of morality ) in part displayed : neither were these three vices the onely ones which they were generally and notoriously subject vnto , i might instance in many more , but will onely touch by the way their extreame arrogancy and confidence admiring and commending themselues & their owne personall abilities , their grosse and base flattery to others , specially their emperours both liuing and dead ; and lastly their impudent , nay impious vain-glory and boasting of their owne nation and city . for the first of those , so farre they were from humility , that their greatest moralists , no not the stoicks themselues any where in their writings remember it as a vertue , it being indeed the proper vertue of christian religion ; nay so farre they were from ranging it among the vertues , that they held it a vice , — faciunt animos humiles formidine divûm . to feare the gods doth much abase the mind . no marueile then that whereas wee finde the pen-men of holy scripture publishing to the world , and registring to posterity their owne infirmities , those men on the other side vaunt euery-where of their worth and sufficiency . martial , if he haue nothing else to brag of , will stand vpon his singular gift in trifling . ille ego sum nulli nugarum laude secundus . in praise for toyes i second am to none . ovid thus boldly concludes his metamorphosis . iamque opus exegi quod nec iovis ira , nec ignis nec poterit ferrum , nec edax abolere vetustas . now haue i finished the worke , which nor ioues ire , nor sword abolish shall , nor ravening time , nor fire . and in another place : mantua virgilium laudet , verona catullum , romanae gentis gloria dicar ego . let mantua virgill praise , catull veron but glory of rome let me be tearm'd alone . and horace is no way behind him . exegi monumentum are perennius regalique situ pyramidum altius , quod non imber edax , non aquilo impotens possit diruere , aut innumerabilis annorum series & fuga temporum . a monument then brasse more lasting , i , then princely pyramids in site more high , haue finished , which neither fretting showres , nor blustering windes , nor flight of yeares and houres , though numberlesse can raze . and though it be true that they divined aright , yet doubtlesse , such arrogant confidence , or rather confident arrogancie touching the fruites of their owne braines , would better haue sounded out of other mens mouths , and more modesty ( the very grace and crowne of other vertues and gifts ) haue much better beseemed them . what a vaine-glorious vnsavory verse was that of tullies owne making , touching the good government of the state during his consulship . o fortunatam natam me consule romam . o happy rome & fortunate through me , and through my consulate . but their emperours went farther ; dioclesian calling himselfe the brother of the sunne & moone , and in salutations , not admitting any to farther familiarity then the kissing of his toe . nay augustus , somuch magnified by them , made a supper , in which suetonius witnesseth , deorum dearumque habitu discubuisse convivas , & ipsum pro apolline ornatum , that his guests sate downe in the habite of gods and goddesses , and himselfe attired like apollo : but this was but a play , though such as augustus himselfe blushed to heare of . domitian ( as before hath beene touched ) went to it in good earnest , sending out his writes with this forme , dominus & deus noster sic fieri jubet , our lord & god so commaunds it to be : vnde institutum posthac vt ne scripto quidem ac sermone cujusquam appellaretur aliter , from thence forth it was ordained , that he should neither by the writing nor speech of any man be otherwise named : yet these were but words , caligula proceeded to deedes . — divûmque sibi poscebat honores , assuming and challenging to himselfe , not the name only but the honours due to the gods : hee caused the statues of the gods , among which was that of iupiter olympicus , to be brought out of greece , and taking off their heads , commaunded his owne to be set on insteed thereof , and standing betweene castor and pollux , exhibited himselfe to bee worshipped of such as resorted thither , templum etiam numini suo proprium & sacerdotes & excogitatissimas hostias instituit , he farther erected a temple ; and instituted both priests , & most exquisite sacrifices to the service of himselfe . in his temple stood his image of gold taken to life , which every day was clad with the same attire as was himselfe , his sacri fices were phaenicopters , peacockes , bustards , turkeyes , pheasants , & all these were daily offered , and at nights in case the moone shined out full and bright , he invited her to imbracements & to lie with him , but the day he would spend in private conference with iupiter capitolinus , sometimes whispering and laying his eare close to him , and sometimes againe talking aloud as if he had beene chiding : nay being angry with heaven , because his interludes were hindred by claps of thunder , and his banquetting by flashes of lightning , ad pugnam provocavit iovem , he challenged iupiter to fight with him , & quidem sine intermissione homericum illum exclamans versum , and without ceasing roared out that verse of homer . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , none is , ô iupiter , more mischievous then thou . insteed of which verse of homer , some copies haue this hemistichium , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dispatch thou me or i will thee . wherevpon seneca inferres ( as well he might ) quanta dementia fuit ? putavit aut sibi noceri , ne à iove quidem posse ; aut se nocere etiam iovi posse : what extreame madnesse was that , to thinke that either iupiter could not hurt him , or that himselfe could hurt iupiter ? good god ? who would imagine that pride & selfe-loue should so farre intoxicateand infatuate a man ( captivated to sinne and sensuality ) as to make him vtterly to forget himselfe to be a man , and commaund others to worshippe him as a god , or which is more , aboue god! but surely heerein i must confesse , they be somewhat the more to be pittied , and the rather to be pardoned , for that the gods whom they worshipped , had not only bin men , but like themselues , too notoriously wicked : and withall i am perswaded , the grosse flattery of their subjects , but specially the poets , drew them on to the acting of that , which perchaunce of themselues they were inclinable enough vnto . sect . . of their grosse and base flattery , specially toward their emperours both living and dead . how notable doth martiall play the parasite with domitian , telling him , that if the gods should sell all they had , they would not be able to satisfie their debt to him , but would be forced to turne bancke-rupts . grandis in aetherio licet auctio fiat olympo coganturque dei vendere quicquid habent conturbabit atlas , &c. and againe , exspectes & sustineas auguste necesse est , nam tibi quod reddat non habet arca iovis . but this in martiall a professed flatterer , is more tollerable then in virgill & lucan , who carry the name of graue and sad poets , yet the one divides the empire betweene iupiter & augustus . divisum imperium cum iove caesar habet . 'twixt ioue & caesar th' empire shared is . and the other professes , that all the outrages committed in their civill warres , were nothing displeasing vnto them , but rather acceptable and advantagious , in regard they holpt to prepare a way for nero's comming to the empire . his caesar perusina fames mutinaeque labores , accedant fatis , aut si quid durius istis : multum roma tamen debet civilibus armis quod tibi res acta est . adde caesar to these fates modena broiles , perusin famine , or else harder toiles : yet rome to civill arms thou art in debt since all this worketh to thy benefit . and againe quod si non aliam venturo fata neroni invenêre viam , iam nihil ô superi querimur scelera ista nefasque hac mercede placent . if other way the fates could not invent for nero's comming , then we rest content , this villanie , ô gods , this foule offence mislikes vs not with so great recompence . and when domitian challenged to himselfe divine worship , how ready were they to sooth him in it . magisteria sacerdotij ditissimus quisque & ambitione & licitatione maxima vicibus comparabant , every one as he was richest by great sutes and bribes , got him a turne in the magistracie of the priest-hood ; nay quidam eum latialem iovem consalutârunt , there wanted not some among them , who saluted him by the name of iupiter latialis . but this i must acknowledge , as it was foule in the highest degree , so was it vnvsuall : for though , as noteth prosper in their petitions to their princes , they vsually stiled them , numini vestro , perennitati vestrae , to your divine power , to your eternity : quae vanitas non veritas tradidit atque execrabilia sunt , which vanity not verity hath found out , and are indeed abominable . nay the emperours themselues in their rescripts , shamed not to write , perennitas nostra , aeternitas nostra , numen nostrum , &c. and we sometimes reade , oracula augusti for edicta . yet deorum honor principi non ante habetur quam agere inter homines desierat , saith tacitus : we doe not commonly giue the honour of the gods to our princes as long as they liue ; thereby implying , that assoone as they were deceased , they did it . though augustus , while he was yet living was worshipped as a god , not in rome perchaunce and italy ( for that he refused ) yet abroad in the provinces : wherevpon temples were erected vnto him , and a colledge of priests both men and women : and coynes were stamped with rayes or beames about his head : whence the poet : praesenti tibi maturos largimur honores . to thee while thou dost liue honours divine we giue . now the ceremonies of the apotheosis or deifying their emperours , ( as appeares in herodian and others ) was briefely thus . after the princes death , the body being sumptuously and honorablely interred , they framed an image of waxe , resembling in all respects the party deceased , but palish and wanne as a sicke man ; and so being laid at the entry of the palace in an yvory bed , covered with cloath of gold the senate & ladies assisting in mourning attire ; the physitians daily , resorted to him to touch his pulse and consider in college of his disease , doctorally at their departure , resolving that hee grew in worse and worse tearmes and hardly would escape it . at the end of seaven dayes ( during which time , saith xiphilinus , there stood a page with a fanne of peacockes feathers to keepe off the flies from the face , as if he had beene but asleepe ) they opened and found by their learning , ( the crisis belike being badde ) that the patient was departed . wherevpon some of the senate appointed for that purpose , and principall gentle-men taking vp the bed vpon their shoulders , carried it thorow via sacra into the forum , where a company of young gentle-men of greatest birth standing on the one side and maydes of the other , sung hymnes & sonnets the one to the other in commendation of the dead prince , entuned in a solemne and mournfull note , with all kind of other musicke and melodie , as indeed the whole ceremonie was a mixt action of mourning and mirth , as appeareth by seneca at the consecration of claudius : who thus floutes at it . et erat omnium formosissimum ( funus claudij ) & impensa curaplenum , vt scires deum efferri , tibicinum , cornicinum , omnisque generis aeneatorum tanta turba , tantus conventus , vt etiam claudius audire possit . it was the goodliest shew and the fullest of sollicitous curiositie , that you might know a god was to be buried ; so great was the rabble of trumpetters , cornetters and other musitians , that even claudius himselfe might haue heard them . after this , they carried the herse out of the citie into campus martius , where a square tower was built of timber , large at the bottome , and of competent height to receiue wood & faggots sufficiently , outwardly bedeckt & hung with cloath of gold , imagerie worke , and curious pictures . vpon that tower stood a second turret in figure and furniture like to the first , but somewhat lesse , with windowes and doores standing open , wherein the herse was placed , & all kinde of spiceries and odours , which the whole world could yeeld , heaped therein : and so a third and fourth turret , and so forth , growing lesse and lesse toward the toppe : the whole building representing the forme of a lanthorne or watch-tower , which giveth light in the night . thus all being placed in order , the gentle-men first rode about it , marching in a certaine measure : then followed others in open coaches with robes of honour , and vpon their faces vizards of the good princes , and honourable personages of ancient times . all these ceremonies thus being performed ; the prince which succeeded taketh a torch , and first putteth to the fire himselfe , and after him all the rest of the company , and by and by as the fire was kindled out of the toppe toppe of the highest turret , an eagle was let fly to carry vp his soule into heaven , and so he was afterward reputed , and by the romanes adored among the rest of the gods ▪ marry ; before the consecration it was vsuall , that some gentlemen at least , should bestow an oath to proue their deitie , nec defuit vir praetorius quise efligiem cremati euntem in coelum vid●…sse iurasset , sayth suetonius of augustus : neither was there wanting one who had beene praetor ( dion names him numerius atticus ) to sweare , that he saw his effigies mounting into heaven . the like was testified of drusilla , sister and wife to caius , by one livius geminius a senatour , of which dio thus writes . one livius geminius a senatour swore , that he saw drusilla ascending vp into heaven , and conversing with the gods , wishing to himselfe and his children vtter destruction if he spake an vntruth , calling to witnesse both sundry other gods , and specially the goddesse her selfe of whom he spake . for which oath he received a million of sesterces , which makes l l s s sterling . what a deale of fopperie and impiety was here mixed together . yet this lesson , as sir henry savill frō whom i haue borrowed the greatest part of this last narration ( conjectures , they may seem to haue learned of proculus iulius , who took an oath not much otherwise for romulus deitie , whō the senate murdered and made a god ; from whence this race of the roman gods may seeme to haue taken beginning . and i doubt not , but many of the wiser sort of the romanes themselues secretly laughed at this folly , sure i am that lucan durst openly scoffe at it . — cladis tamen huius habemus vindictam quantum terris dare numina fas est bella pares superis facient civilia divos : fulminibus manes , radijsque ornabit & astris , inque deum templis jurabit roma per vmbras . yet of this slaughter such revenge we haue as heavenly powers may give , or earth can craue : gods like to those aboue these civill warres shall make , and rome with lightning , beames , & starres shall them adorne , and in the temples where the gods doe dwell shall by their shadowes sweare . it is true , that in our time after the death of the late charles in france , his image was laid in a rich bed , in triumphant attire , with the crowne vpon his head , and the coller of the order about his necke , & forty dayes at ordinary houres , dinner and supper was served in with all accustomed ceremonies , as sewing , water , grace , carving , say taking , &c. all the cardinalls , prelats , lords , gentlemen , & officers attending in far greater solemnity , then if he had been aliue . now this i confesse , was a pe●…ce of flattery more then needed , but not comparable to that of the romans , in making their emperours gods , which they might well haue conceived , was neither in the power of the one to giue , nor of the other to receiue . yet was not this honour conferred vpon their emperours alone ; tully , as wise as he would be held , would needes haue his daughters deified , and the same did adrian by antinous his minion , which no doubt might as wel be justified as caligula's , making his horse a priest , or the same adrians erecting monuments to his dead dogges . sect . . of their impudent , nay impious vaine-glory , and boasting of their owne nation and city . yet their inordinate preposterous zeale in extolling every where their empire and cittie beyond measure , and modesty , and truth , seemes to haue exceeded this toward their emperours ; & from hence i beleeue hath chiefely growen in the world so great an admiration of them in many things beyond all succeeding ages , and their deserts : but certaine it is , that never any people vnder the sunne , more daringly chalenged to themselues the toppe of all perfection . nulla vnquam respub . nec maior nec sanctior , nec bonis exemplis ditior fuit , sayth livie , never was there any common-wealth more ample or holy , or rich in good examples . gentiu●… in toto orbe praestantissima vna & in omni virtute haud dubie romana exstitit , saith pliny : the romane nation hath beene doubtlesse of all others in all kinde of vertue the most excellent . nulla gens est quae non aut ita subacta sit , vt vix exstet ; aut ita domita , vt quiescat ; aut ita pacata , vt victoria nostra imperioque laetatur , sayth tully : there is no nation which either is not so vtterly vanquished , as it is extinguished ; or so mastered , as it is quieted ; or so pacified , that it rejoyceth in our victorie and empire and claudian , haec est exiguis quae finibus orta tetendit in geminos axes , parvaque à sede profecta dispersit cum sole manus . small were her confines when she first begun , now stretcheth to both poles ; small her first seat , yet now her hands shee spreadeth with the sunne . this seemed not enough vnto caecilius , against whom arnobius writes , for he sayth , that the romans did , imperiu●… suum , vltra solis vias , prapagare : they inlarged their dominion beyond the course of the sun. and ovid , he commeth not a steppe behind them in this their exaggerated amplification . for he sayth , that if god should looke downe from heaven vpon the earth , he could see nothing there without the power of the romanes . iupiter , arce sua , totum cum spectet in orbem , nil , nisi romanum , quod tueatur , habet . yea , and ( as egesippus recordeth ) there were many that thought the romane empire so great , and so largely diffused over the face of the whole earth , that they called orbem terrarum , orbem romanum , the globe of the earth , the globe of the romanes , the whole world , the romane world . hyperbolicall speeches , which though lypsius put off with an animosèmagis quam superbè dicta , as arguing rather magnanimitie then ostentation ; yet dyonisius halicarnassaeus somewhat more warily limits them thus : romana vrbs imperat toti terrae quae quidem inaccessa non sit , the citty of rome commaunds the whole earth , where it is not inaccessible : but lypsius himselfe more truly , quicquid oportunum aut dignum vinci videbatur vicit , it overcame whatsoeuer it could well overcome , or thought worthy the ouercomming . and macrobius ( though himselfe a roman ingenuously acknowledgeth gangem transnare aut caucasum transcendere romàni nominis fama non valuit the fame of the romans as great as it was , yet was neuer so great as to be able to swimme ouer the riuer ganges , or climbe ouer the mountaine caucasus , so that euen their fame came short of their swelling amplifications vsed by their orators and poets , but their dominion came much shorter , as is expressely affirmed by the same author , totius terrae quae ad coelum puncti locum obtinet , minima quaedam particula à nostri generis hominibus possidetur . though the whole earth compared with the heauens bee no bigger then a center in the midst of a circle , yet scarce the least parcell of this little earth , did euer come into the hands of the romans . yet how could a man well devise to say more then propertius hath said of that city . omnia romanae cedant miracula terrae natura hic posuit quicquid vbique fuit . all miracles to rome must yeeld , for heere , nature hath treasur'd all what 's euery-where . except martial perchaunce out-vy him . terrarum dea gentiumque roma cui par est nihil & nihil secundum . of lands and nations goddesse , rome , and queene , to whom novght peere , nought second yet hath beene . which frontinus seemes to borrow from him , but with some addition of his owne , romana vrbs indiges terrarumque dea , cui par est nihil & nihil secundum . now saith crinitus , alleaging those words of frontinus , eos dicimus ferè indigetes , qui nullius rei egeant , id enim est tantum deorum , wee vsually call those indigites , which want nothing , for that is proper to the gods. hubertus golzius in his treasure of antiquity hath effigiated two peeces of coine , the one with a greeke inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the other with this in latin , roma dea , the meaning of both being that rome was a goddesse , neither was this figuratiuely , but properly vnderstood , she hauing advanced her selfe into the number of the gods , as witnesseth dion in augustus ; nay erected temples , and addressed sacrifices to her selfe , as testifie victor and onuphrius in their descriptions of rome , which prudentius a christian poet both glances at , and deservedly derides , — colitur nam sanguine & ipsa more deae , nomenque loci se●… numen hàbetur , atque vrbis venerisque pari se culmine tollunt templa , simul geminis adolentur thure deabus . shee goddesse-like is worshipped with blood , a places name is hallowed for a god : as high as venus cities church doth rise , and joint to both they incense sacrifice . and lucan , as to a goddesse , directs his prayer solemnely vnto her , — summique ô numinis instar roma saue c●…ptis . — and thou as greatest power divine , favour , o rome , this enterprise of mine . her temple was situate vpon mount palatine , as appeares by that of claudian , bringing in the provinces as suppliants to visite the goddesse . conveniunt ad tecta deae , quae candida lucent monte palatino . they meet at th'goddesse temple which doth shine so white and glorious on mount palatine . but this was in truth such a mad drunkennesse with pride and self-loue , that lypsius himselfe cannot hold from crying out , o insaniam aedificijs & inanimato corpori non vitam solùm attribuere , sed numen . o strange madnesse , to ascribe vnto houses and stones and a dead body not life onely , but a deity : and being now a goddesse , shee might well take to her selfe that of old babylon , a type of her pride , i sit as a queene , and am no widdow , & shall see no sorrow , and challenge to her selfe aeternity as most blasphemously she did , as is to be seene in the coine of the emperour probus , in which we haue rome set forth sitting in her temple in a victorious triumphant manner , hauing on the one side this inscription , conserv : vrbis suae , and on the other , romae aeternae , and so is it expressely named both by a symmachus , and b ammianus marcellinus . and suetonius testifies in the life of nero ( cap. ) that of all their seuerall kindes of playes , pro aeternitate imperij susceptos appellari maximos voluit , those which were exhibited for the aeternity of the empire should bee had in greatest state , in which persons of all orders and sexes played their parts . whereby s. hierome , not without good reason expounds those words in the revelation , i saw a woman sit vpon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , and so doth prosper aquitanicus , aeterna cùm dicitur quae temporalis est vtique nomen est blasphemiae , in that she is called eternall , being transitory , it is doubtlesse a name of blasphemy . cap. . wherein the objections brought in behalfe of the romanes touching their pretended iustice , prudence and fortitude are examined and fully answered . sect . . the first objection touching the pretended iustice of the romanes answered out of lactantius . bvt happily it may be said , that as fertile grounds abound as well in weedes as wholesome hearbes : so the romanes had many vertues no lesse commendable , then odious & detestable vices , which to be ignorant of were childish simplicity , to dissemble or suppresse , envious partiality . the principall of these vertues are pretended to bee their justice , their prudence , and their fortitude . but if there bee a chaine of all the vertues , ( as both aristotle and their own great oratour haue taught ) so that he who truly possesseth one , is owner of all , and he that wants but one , vpon the matter hath none at all , but shadowes insteed of substances , then certainly the romans , whom we haue prooved to be excessiuely cruell , covetous , luxurious , ambitious and vain-glorious , could not properly be said to be either just , wise , or valiant , but rather formall then just , crafty or cunning then wise , adventurous or daring then valiant . and i would willingly learne , how they who with such an insatiable thirst of gaine and glory ( as hath beene shewed ) robbed , spoyled , oppressed , not the provincials onely , but their owne fellow citizens , can be said to be just , or how they who admitted so many so base gods and goddesses , and honoured them with such beastly prophane services , can be said to be wise ; or lastly how they who were wholly drowned in softnes and in delicacy , could be truly valiant ; and i will neuer doe that wrong to christian religion , as not to beleeue , but that it hath yealded more just , more wise , more valiant , then pagan rome euer did . and therein if tertullian in his apologetique , cyprian against demetrianus , lactantius in his institutions , and augustin in his bookes de civitate dei erre not , i am sure i am right . i will first then take a view of their ●…ustice , nec est difficile dicere , cur deorum cultores justi & boni esse non possint ( saith lactantius , striking indeed at the very root of their injustice ) it is not hard to say why the worshippers of such gods cannot be either just or good , he goes on and particularizeth in the seuerall branches of their injustice . quomodò enim sanguine abstinebunt qui colunt cruentos deos marte●… atque bellonam ? quomodò aut parentibus parcent qui expulsorem patris sui iovem , aut natis ex se infantibus qui colunt saturnum ? quomodò pudicitiam tuebuntur qui colunt deam nudam & adulteram , & quasi apud deos prostitutam ? quomodò se à rapinis & fra●…dibus abstinebunt qui mercurij furta noverunt , docentis non fraudis esse decipere sed astutiae ? quomodo libidine coercebunt qui iovem , herculem , liberum , apollinem , caeterosque venerantur quorum adulteria & stupra in mares & faminas non tantùm doctis nota sunt , sed exprimuntur etiam in theatris , atque cantantur vt sint omnibus notiora . possuntne inter haec justi esse homines , qui etiamsi natura sint boni ab ipsis tamen dijs erudiantur ad injustitiam ? ad placandum enim deum quem colas , iis rebus opus est quibus illum gaudere ac delectari scias , sic fit vt vitam colentium deus pro qualitate numinis sui formet : quoniam religiosissimus est cultus imitari . how should they abstaine from blood who worship bloody gods as mars and bellona ? how should they either spare their parents who worship iupiter , or their children who worship saturne ? how should they haue a care of their chastity who worship a naked and adulterous goddesse , as it were the prostituted strumpet of the gods ? how should they abstaine from rapine and cosenage who are acquainted with the thefts of mercury teaching , that to deceiue was not fraude but wylinesse ? how should they bridle their lust who adore iupiter , hercules , bacchus , apollo and the rest , whose adulteries and incontinencies both with males and females are not onely knowne to the learned , but are acted and sung in their theaters , that so they may bee knowne to all . is it possible for men in this case to be just ? who though they were naturally well disposed , yet by the examples of their very gods are they taught injustice . for to please the god you worship . it is requisite you doe such things as you know he is delighted with , and may giue him content : so as according to his owne quality and condition he formes and conformes the liues of such as worship him , in as much as imitation is the most religious kinde of worship . yet notwithstanding all this , it seemes by the same godly father that they stood much vpon their owne just and vpright dealing , reproaching the christians with the contrary , which giues him occasion in another place thus to expostulate the ●…atter with them . audent igitur homines improbissimi justitiae facere mentionem qui fer as immanitate vincunt , — lupi ceu raptores atra in nebula quos improba ventris exegit caecos rabies . like ravening wolues whom in a gloomie day , their bellies rage driues forth to seeke their pray . verùm hos non ventris , sed cordis rabies efferavit , nec atra in nebula , sed aperta praedatione grassantur : nec eos vnquam conscientia scelerum revocat , ne sanct●…ac pium nomen justitiae ore illo violent , quod cr●…ore innocentium tanquam rictus bestiarum madet . doe these most dishonest men dare mention justice who exceede the sauage beasts in cruelty , &c. but these not so much the fiercenesse of their stomacks , as of their owne wicked hearts hath inraged , neither doe they slinke in the darke , but make havocke & lay waste by open violence . neither are they euer touched with any remorse of conscience for prophaning the holy and divine name of justice with those mouthes which like the chapps of beasts are died with the blood of innocents . and lest we should conceiue he thus speaks by reason of their cruelty towards the christians , he goes on in the same chapter , and tels vs , non de nostro sed ex illorum numero semper existunt qui vias obsideant armati maria praedentur , vel si palam grassari non licuit , venena clam temperent , qui vxores necent vt dotes earum lucrentur , aut maritos vt adulteris nubant : qui natos ex se pueros aut strangulent , aut si nimium pij fuerint exponant : qui libidines incestas , nec à filia , nec à sorore , nec à matre , nec à sacerdote contineant ; qui adversùs cives suos , patria ●…que conjurent . qui denique sacrilegia committant & deorum quos colunt , templa dispolient . they are not of ours , but yours , who rob by the high wayes , and turne pyrats by sea. or if open violence will not serue the turne , they prepare poyson , who make away their wiues , that they may gaine their dowries , or their husbands , that they may marry with their adulterers , who either strangle their infants , or if they bee very devout , expose them , who forbeare not incestuous lustes with their owne daughters , their sisters , their mothers , no nor with their consecrated priests , who treacherously conspire against their owne country ; lastly , who commit sacriledge , and robbe the temples of those very gods whom they worship . and least wee should imagine , that he speakes of the gentiles in generall , and not rather of the romanes in particular , he referres vs to the testimonies of seneca & lucilius . qui volent scire plura , senecae libros in manum sumant , qui morum vitiorumque publicorum , & descriptor verissimus , & accusator acerrimus fuit . they who desire to vnderstand more hereof , let them take into their hands seneca's bookes , who both most truly describes , and most sharpely censures the publique manners and vices . and to the testimonie of seneca , he addes that of lucilius : sed & lucilius tenebrosam istam vitam circumscriptè breviterque depinxit his versibus : lucilius also hath briefely and pithily painted out that base kinde of life . nunc vero à mane ad noctem f●…sto atque profesto , totus item pariterque die populusque patresque iactare , indufori se omnes , decedere nusquam vni se , atque eidem studio omnes dedere , & arti , verba dare vt cautè possint , pugnare , dolose blan●…iri , certare , bonum simulare virum se , insidias facere , vt si hostes sint omnibus omnes . from morne to night on dayes profane or festivall , they meete at th' common place commons and fathers all , there they bestirre themselues , thence will they not depart , one selfe same study all attending and one art .. how closely they may cheat , striue , flatter cunningly , contend , and as good men pretend sincerity , yet vndermine , as each were others enimy . nostro autem populo quid tale potest obijci ? cuius omnis religio est sine scelere & sine macula vivere ? but now vnto those of our profession what can be objected in this kinde ? whose religion consists wholy in this , to liue without wickednes and pollution ? nay so much he stands vpon the powerfulnes of christian religion , that he makes it beyond all the rules of morall philosophy , strongly effectuall to expell vice , and plant in men all kinde of vertue : da mihi virum qui sit iracundus , maledicus , effraenatus : paucissimis dei verbis tam placidum quâm ovem , reddam . da cupidum , avarum , tenacem , jam tibi eum liberalem dabo , & pecuniam suam proprijs plenisque manibus largientem . da timidum doloris ac mortis : jam cruces & ignes & phalaridis taurum contemnet . da libidinosum , adulterum , ganeonem ; jam sobrium , castum , continentem videbis . da crudelem , & sanguinis appetentem ; jam in veram clementiam furor ille mutabitur . da injustum , insipientem , peccatorem ; continuò & aequus , & prudens , & innocens erit . ad quòd efficiendum non mercede , non libris , non lucubrationibus opus est . gratis ista siunt , facilè , citò : pateant modo aures , & pectus sapientiam sitiat . giue me a man that is wrathfull , foule-mouthed , vnruly , with a few words of gods booke , i will make him as gentle as a lambe . giue me one that is close-fisted ▪ covetous , greedy of money : i will send him backe vnto thee , liberall , bountifully distributing his money with his own hands giue me one that is fearefull of torment and death , he shall soone des pise crosses , and fires , and phalaris his bull . giue me a lecher , an adul terer , a haunter of brothell houses ; you shall see him sober , chast , continent . giue me one that is cruelly disposed , and thirsting after blood , that fury of his shall be changed into true clemency . giue me one who is vnjust , vnwise , a sinner ; he quickely shall be just , wise , vpright . for the effecting whereof , there is no need of a reward , of bookes , of watchings , those things are done gratis , easily , suddainly : onely let the eares be open , and the heart long for wisedome . thus writes lactantius , and much more to this purpose , attributing a quickning efficacie to the divine oracles of gods word , in the reformation of manners , which was not to be found in the writings of any of the heathen . sect . . the same answere farther confirmed by the testimonie of saint augustine . st augustine presses them farther , that their gods never taught them to be good , or at least-wise , that their priests never published any precepts tending that way in the name of their gods. dicatur in quibus locis haec docentium deorum solebant precepta recitari , & à cultoribus eorum populis frequenter audiri ; sicut ostendimus ad hoc ecclesias institutas , quaquaversum religio christiana diffunditur . let it be shewed in what places such precepts , given by direction of their gods , were wont to be read and heard of the people , who came frequently to worship them , as we shew that among vs , temples are to that purpose erected , as far●…e as christian religion is spread : where ( sayth he in another place ) out of the prophets , the gospells , the acts of the apostles , the epistles , many things are read to the people being assembled , against covetousnes & luxury , so excellent , so divine , as if they were rather thundrings from heaven , then wranglings from the philosophers schooles . and for the particular point in matter of justice , hee floutes at salust for saying , that jus bonumque apud eos non legibus magis quàm natura valebat , right and equity did as much prevaile with them , through the goodnes of their nature , as by the force of the lawes , ex hoc jure ac bono credo raptas esse sabinas ; quid enim justius & melius quàm filias alienas fraude spectaculi inductas non à parentibus accipi , sed vi vt quisque poterat a●…ferri : from this loue of right i trow it was that the sabin women were ravished . for what can be more just , then not to receiue from their parents hands , but to take and carry away by violence other mens daughters , drawne on vnder the pretence of beholding a spectacle . from the same loue of this right too belike iunius brutus being consull , caused lucius tarquinius collatinus , husband to lucretia , an innocent and good man and his collegue to quite both his office and the city , only because he bore the name & was of kinne to the tarquins : quod scelus favente vel patiente populo fecit à quo populo consulatum idem collatinus sicut etiam ipse brutus acceperat : and this most vnjust act he did by the favour or connivence of the people , from whom collatinus had received his consulship as well as brutus . from the loue of this right , it likewise came to passe that marcus camillus , who had done his countrey so great service , being questioned through the insolency of the tribunes & the envy of his great vertues , tam ingratam sensit quam liberaverat civitatem , vt de sua damnatione certissimus in exilium sponte discederet , & decem millibus aeris absens etiam damnaretur , mox iterum à gallis vindex patriae futurus ingratae : he found that city which hee had saved so ingratefull , that being fully assured , hee should haue sentence passe against him , he put himselfe into voluntary banishment , & being absent , they laid a mulct vpon his head of asses , though he were afterward recalled to free his vnthankfull countrey from the forces of the gaules . to these examples of injustice in other places he addes the vnjust putting to death of rhemus by his brother romulus , their vnjust warre vpon the albans the mother of rome , the vnjust exile of scipio affricanus at linternum in campania , where he ended his dayes , giving straight charge , ne saltem mortuo in ingrata patria funus fieret , that being dead , his funeralls should not be solemnized in his vngratefull countrey . nay salust himselfe he confutes by testimonies drawne from his owne writings , where he tells vs , that discord , covetousnes , ambition , and other mischiefes which were wont to waite vpon prosperity , post carthaginis excidium maxime aucta , after the fall of carthage mightily increased , and from that time , majorum mores non paulatim vt antea sed torrentis modo praecipitati , the ancient manners not by degrees as before , but like a torrent were carried downe headlong . by which confession of salust , it appeares , that it was not somuch the goodnesse of their nature , as the aemulation and feare of carthage that bridled them , and kept them in order . s. augustines conclusion in the fore alleadged chapter is : multa commemor are jam piget foeda & injusta quibus agitabatur illa civitas : cum potentes plebem sibi subdere conarentur , plebsque illis subdi recusarent & vtriusque partis defensores magis studiis agerent amore vincendi quàm aequum & bonum quicquam cogitarent . so many were the foule and vnjust acts with which this citty was burdened , that it grieveth me to recount them whiles the nobility sought to trample vpon the commons , and these againe refused to obey them , & the chiefe abettours on both sides were rather carried with faction then louc of justice . nusquam tuta fides , — faith is no where to be found , is the complaint of one of their poets ; and of another , — qua terra patet fera regnat erinnys , infacinus jurasse putes . as farre as land doth reach doth fierce erinnys rage , a man would thinke they sworne had to all outrage : and of a third , simplicitas , cujus non audeo dicere nomen : simplicity , whose name i dare not speake for shame . sec . . another answere , that none can be truly just which are not truly religious , nor any truly religious which professe not the christian religion . and to speake a truth , so naturall is the vnion of true religion with justice , that we may boldly deeme there is neither , where both are not : for how should they be vnfainedly just , whom religion doth not cause to bee such , or they religious , who are not found such by the proofe of their just actions ? if they which imploy their labour and travaile about the publique administration of iustice , follow it only as a trade with vnquenchable and vnconscionable thirst of gaine , being not in heart perswaded that iustice is gods owne worke , and themselues his agents in the businesse ; the sentence of right , gods owne verdict , and themselues his priests to deliver it : formalities of justice doe but serue to smoother right , and that which was necessarily ordained for the common good is through shamefull abuse , made the cause of common misery . it is moreover the proper effect of true religion , to qualifie all sorts of men , and to make them in publique affaires the more serviceable , governours the more apter to rule with conscience , inferiours for conscience sake the willinger to obey . gaudere & gloriari ex fide semper volumus ( sayth the good emperour theodosius ) scientes magis religionibus quàm officijs & labore corporis , vel sudore rempub. nostram contineri : we will alwayes rejoyce and glory in our faith , aswell knowing that our empire consists rather by religion , then any other meanes . and doubtles the christian religion hath heerein the start of all others , that it strikes so much vpon the soule , whereby it is brought to passe , that men fearing god , are thereby a great deale more effectually then by positiue lawes restrained from doing evill , in asmuch as those lawes haue no farther power then over our outward actions only , whereas vnto mens inward cogitations , vnto the privy intents and motions of their hearts , christian religion serveth for a bridle . what more savage , wilde , and cruell then man , if he see himselfe able , either by fraud to over-reach , or by power to over-beare the lawes wherevnto he should be subject . wherefore in so great boldnesse to offend ; it behooveth that men should be held in awe , not by a vaine surmise , but by a true apprehension of that which no man may thinke himselfe able to withstand . summum praesidium regni est justitia ob apertos tumultus , & religio ob occultos : the chiefe safeguard of a kingdome is justice against open disorders , & religion against secret . and our best writers of the primitiue church forgat not to presse this against the ethnicks , vos scelera admissa punitis , apud nos & cogitare peccare est ; vos conscios time t is nos etiam conscientiam solam , sine qua esse non possumus , saies minutius faelix : you punish wicked acts committed , with vs to thinke wickedly is a sinne ; you feare to be convinced of guiltinesse , we feare the guiltinesse of our conscience , which wee alway carry about with vs , and without which we cannot be . but aboue all , tertullian notably vrgeth this point . tanta est prudentia hominis ad de●…onstrandum bonùm quanta authoritas ad exigendum , tam illa falli facilis quam ista contemni . age ideo quid plenis dicere , non occides , aut docere , ne irascaris quidem ? quid perfectius prohibere adulterium an etiam ab oculorum solitaria concupiscentia arcere ? quid eruditius de maleficio , an et de maleloquio interdicere ? quid instructius injuriam non permittere an nec vicem injuriae sinere ? such is the wisedome of man to direct what is good , as is his authority to exact it , the one may as easily be deceived , as the other contemned . which commaunds more fully ? either he who sayth , thou shalt not kill , or he who charges not to be angry : which of the two is more perfect , to forbid adultery , or to restraine the eyes from concupiscence ? whether more wisely done , to forbid evill deedes , or evill words ? whether more like to do good , the not permitting of injuries , or the not suffering the revenge of them ? and besides all this , the ethnickes only threatned the death of the body to malefactors , but we ( sayth the same tertullian ) feare to offend god , & pro scientiae plenitudine , & pro latebrarum difficultate , & pro magnitudine cruciatus , non duiturni , verum sempiterni : in regard of the fulnes of his knowledge , the difficulty of being hid , and the greatnes of the punishment , not for a long time , but for ever . and thus haue we seene that the ancient romanes , neither were , nor indeed had the meanes to be so just as is pretended ; or as the christians were , whom they persecuted . but it will be said , that howsoever they might bee defectiue in matter of justice , yet they excelled in wisedome and courage : let vs then take a view of these , and first of their wisedome . sect . . the second objection touching the pretended wisedome of the romans , answered by taking a briefe view of of their courses , but specially by the testimony of pliny . if we should speake of true wisedome , it is only that which serues to make vs wise vnto salvation , which without true religion can never be attained , as lactantius most divinely : omnis sapientia hominis in hoc vno est , vt deum cognoscat & colat , hoc nostrum dogma , haec sententia est : quanta itaque voce possum testificor , proclamo , denuntiö , hoc est illud quod philosophi omnes in tota sua vita quaes●…erunt , nec vnquam tamē investigare , comprehendere , aut tenere valuerunt , quia religionem aut pravam retinuerunt , aut totam penitus sustulerunt : all the wisedome of man consists only in this , that he know and worship god , this is our doctrine , this our opinion , and this with as loud voyce as i can , i testifie , professe , proclaime : this is it which all the philosophers during their whole life haue sought , and yet could never finde out , comprehend , or attaine vnto , because they either retained a corrupt religion , or wholy extinguished it . i would willingly learne how they , who ( as hath already beene proved ) worshipped stockes and stones , the workes of their owne hands , or such a rabble of filthy , wicked , odious gods , and that in such a beastly or cruell manner like men voyde of common reason , could be sayd to be wise ? or how they , who suffered the most notorious vices of their gods to be described by their poets , acted by their players , drawne to life by their painters , whom they highly applauded and rewarded , as if thereby they meant to instruct their youth in vertue , could be said to be wise ? or how they , who wasted such infinite masses of treasure in such vaine buildings , banquettings , & spectacles could be said to be wise ? or they , who by their sword-playe●… or wilde beasts ( only to satisfie their beastly pleasure ) devoured so many millions of men , as might haue served to inlarge or preserue their empire , could bee said to bee wise ? or how they , who gaue way to men to make themselues away vpon all occasions as they thought fit , nay exhorted them to it , & commended them for it ( which must needes bee a meanes to weaken their state ) could be said to be wise ? lastly , how they , who professed that they most desired to traine vp their citizens to a militarie course of life , and yet suff●…red them to wallow in all kinde of luxurie , could be said to be wise ? what great peece of wisedome did they ever shew in the making of their lawes , or in their stratagems of warre , which hath not bin exceeded , or at least-wise equalled by the christians in latter ages . but the notable follie of the whole body of this state , notoriously appeared in one action of theirs , which i finde thus at large described and censured by pli●…y their country-man , and a great admirer of his owne nation . certes , when i consider and behold the monstrous humors of these prodigall spirits , my mind is drawn away still from the progresse of mine intended journey , & forced i am to digresse out of my way , and to annexe vnto this vanity of scaurus as great folly of another , not in masonry and marble , but in carpentry and timber : and c. curio it was , he who in the civill warres betweene caesar and pompey lost his life in the quarrell of caesar. this gentle-man desirous to shew pleasure vnto the people of rome , at the funeralls of his father deceased , as the manner then was ; and seing that he could not out-goe scaurus in rich and sumptuous furniture , was put to his shifts , and devised to surpasse him in wit , since hee could not come neere him in wealth . and what might his invention be ? certes it is worth the knowledge ; if it were no more but this , that we may haue joy of our owne conceites and fashions , and call our selues worthily as our manner is majores , that is to say superiour every way to all others . this curio then in aemulation of scaurus caused two theaters to bee framed of timber and those exceeding bigge , howbeit so as they might bee turned about as a man would haue thē ; approach neere one to the other , or bee removed farther asunder as one would desire ; and all by the meanes of one hooke apeece that they hung by , which bare the weight of the whole frame ; the counterpoise was so even , and all the whole fabrique thereof sure and firme . now he ordered the matter thus , that to behold the severall stage-playes and shewes in the fore-noone before dinner , they should be set backe to backe , to the end , that the stages should not trouble one another ; and when the people had taken their pleasure that way , he turned the theaters about in a trice against the after-noone , that they affronted one another , and toward the latter end of the day , and namely when the fencers and sword-players were come in place , he brought both the theaters neerer together ( and yet every man sate still & kept his place according to his rank & order ) in somuch as that by the meeting of the hornes or corners of them both together in compasse , he made a faire round amphitheater of it , & there in the middst betweene hee exhibited indeede vnto them all joyntly a sight and spectacle of sword-fencers , fighting at sharpe , whom hee had hired for that purpose . but in truth a man may say more truly , that hee carried the whole people of rome round about at his pleasure , bound sure enough for stirring or removing . now let vs c●…me to the point and consider a little better of this thing . what should a man wonder at most therein , the deviser or the devise it selfe ? the workeman of this fabrique , or the master that set him a worke ? whether of the twaine is more admirable , either the verturous head of him that devised it , or the bold heart of him that vndertooke it ? to commaund such a thing to be done , or to obey , and yeeld , and goe in hand with it ? but when wee haue sayd all that we can , the folly of the blind and bold people of rome went beyond all , who trusted such a ticklish frame , & durst sit there in a seate so moueable ▪ loe where a man might haue seene the body of that people , which is commaunder and ruler of the whole earth , the conqueror of the world , the disposer of kingdomes & realmes at their pleasure , the divider of countryes and nations at their wils , the giver of lawes to forraine states , the vicegerent of the immortall gods vnder heaven , and representing their image vnto all mankind , hanging in the aire within a frame at the mercy of one onely hooke , rejoycing , & ready to clap hands at their owne daunger : what a cheape market of mens liues was heere toward ? what was the losse at cannae to this hazard ? how neere vnto a mischiefe were they , which might haue hapned heereby in the turning of a hand ? certes , when there is newes come of a city swallowed vp by a wide chink , and opening of the earth , all men generally in a publique commiseration doe greeue thereat , and there is not one but his heart doth yearne ; and yet behold the vniversall state and people of rome , as if they were put into a couple of barkes , supported betweene heaven and earth , and sitting at the deuotion only of two pinnes or hookes . and what spectacle doe they behold ? a number of fencers trying it out with vnrebated swords ? nay ywis but even themselues rather entred into a most desperate fight , and at the point to breake their neckes every mothers sonne , if the scaffold failed never so little and the frame went out of joynt . sect . . the third objection touching the pretended fortitude of the romans answered , in asmuch as their empire is by their owne writers in a great part ascribed to fortune , & by christians may be referred to gods speciall providence for the effecting of his owne purposes , rather then to any extraordinary worth in them . now that which is most of all stood vpon , aswell by the romanes themselues , as by their proctours & patrons is their great fortitude & courage , as appeares in their subduing the greatest part of the knowne world : and in truth , placing their chiefe happinesse in the honour and glory of their names ; & withall , supposing that there was for the purchasing thereof no readier meanes , then the sacryficing of their liues for the inlarging & advancement of their empire ; they were in this regard for the most part , even prodigall of their blood : but shall we call that fortitude , which neither aimed at justice , nor was guided by true wisedome , or rather obstinacie & adventurous boldnes ? it is very true , that they were often in their warres very successefull : but — careat successibus opto , quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat . may that mans actions never well succeed , who by th' event doth censure of the deed . by the confession of their owne writers they owed as much to fortun●… as their valour , whom therefore they made a goddesse and placed in heaven . te facimus fortuna deam coeloque locamus . thee , fortune , we a goddesse make , and grant thee place in heaven to take . these two fortune & fortitude , ammianus so chayneth & linketh together , as neither of them could well be wanting in the raysing of their empire : roma vt augeretur sublimibus incrementis foedere pacis aeternae virtus convenit atque fortuna , quarum si altera defuisset ad perfectam non venerat summitatem : that rome should rise to that height & greatnes , fortitude & fortune made a league of eternall peace , so as had either of them beene wanting , it could never haue risen to that perfection . both of them performed their parts heerein , seeming to striue which should precede the other , which plutarch disputes at large in his booke de fortuna romanorum , and florus hath briefely , but roundly & cleerely expressed . ad constituendum romanum imperium virtutem ac fortunam contendisse videri , that to the stablishing of the romane empire , fortitude & fortune seemed to contend which should be most forward . now if themselues attributed as much to fortune as to their fortitude wee may well conceiue that the latter was short of the former rather then otherwise . and surely , if by fortune we should vnderstand gods providence , we may safely say , that for the effecting of his owne purposes ( though happily vnknowne to thēr ) ather then for any extraordinary worth or merit in them , he conferred vpon them the empire of the world . as augustus caesar was by gods speciall providence directed in taxing the world , that so euery man repairing to his owne citty , christ by that meanes might be borne in bethleem , as was fore-told by the prophet micah : so likewise was he by the same hand and power settled in the empire , that he might thorow the world settle an vniversall peace , when the prince of peace was to be borne into it , as was foretold by another prophet , they shall beate their swords into plow-shares , and their speares into pruning hookes . and may we not well conceiue that the world was therefore by the divine providence brought vnder the yoake of the roman government , made subject to their lawes , and acquainted with their language , that so when the emperours themselues should become christians , as afterwards they did , the propagation of the gospell of iesus christ might finde an easier passage . the romans then perchaunce might challenge , that as due to their owne worth in the conquering of the world , which is rather to be ascribed to the hand of heauen , disposing these earthly monarchies for the good of his church , or for the chastising of his enemies : to which purpose he gaue to nebuchadnezzar such great victories and large dominions . thou o king art a king of kings , for the god of heaven hath giuen thee a kingdome , power , and strength , and glory , which was not for any extraordinary worth or vertue that we read of in nebuchadnezzar , but only to make him as a staffe or a rod in his hands for the scourging of other rebellious nations , an instrument for the accomplishment of his own designes . answerable whereunto is that memorable speech of s. augustin . non tribuamus dandi regni atque imperij potestatē nisi deo vero qui dat faelicitatē in regno coelorū solis piis , regnum verò terrarū & piis & impiis , sicut ei placet cui nihil injustè placet ; let vs not referre the power of conferring kingdomes , but only to the true god , who giues happines in the kingdome of heauen only to the godly , but these earthly kingdoms , both to the godly & vngodly , as pleases him whō nothing pleases that is vnjust . i conclude this point with that of salomon , the race is not alwayes to the swift , nor the battle to the strong , nor bread to the wise , nor riches to men of vnderstanding , nor yet favour to men of skill , but time and chaunce hapneth to them all . the meaning is , that the successe of these outward things is not alwayes carryed by desert , but by chance in regard of vs , though by providence in regard of god. sect . . secondly , the romanes hauing no right or iust title to those nations they subdued , we cannot rightly tearme their strength in conquering them fortitude . secondly , sicut non martyrem poena , sic non fortem pugna , sed causa facit , as the torture doth not make a martyr , so doth not the conquest , but the justnesse of the cause make a valiant man , if the romanes then cannot shew vs by what right they conquered the world , wee will neuer call their strength in conquering it , fortitude , or crowne it with the name of vertue , vnlesse w●…hall , we shall call the out-rage of robbers and cut-throats who with fire and sword spoyle and lay waste all they can , courage and valour . remota itaque justitia quid sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia , saith s. augustine , take away the justnesse of the cause , and tell me what is the acquisition of kingdomes , but great robberies ; vnlesse we should say , that the killing and robbing of one is a sinne , but of many a vertue , as s. cyprian wittily speakes , homicidium cùm admittunt singuli crimen est , virtus vocatur cùm publicè geritur , impunitatem sceleribus acquirit , non innocentiae ratio , sed saevitia magnitudo : when one single man commits a single murther that 's a grievous offence , when it is commonly and publiquely done , that 's a vertue : they purchase impunity not by reason of their innocencie , but the greatnes of their cruelty . when a pyrate was convented before the great alexander for robbing vpon the seas , and demaunded what he meant so to doe , or by what right he did it , his answere to that emperour was by way of recrimination ; by the same right ( sayth he ) as you robbe the world , which was eleganter & veraciter responsum , ( they be the words of s. augustine ) a trim and true answere : for what was alexander , if we should tearme him aright , but faelix terrarum praedo non vtile mundo editus exemplar . a robber of the world , yet prosperous , and to mankinde example dangerous . or rather as the same poet speakes , terrarum fatale malum fulmenque quod omnes percuteret populos pariterque & sydus iniquum gentibus . earths fatall euill , a thunder-bolt of warre , striking all nations , an vnluckie starre . and seneca professeth both of him and his father philip , that they were to mankinde no lesse plagues , quam invndatio qua planum perfusum est , quam conflagratio qua magna pars animantium exaruit , then a land flood which drownes all the champian , or a burning drought wherewith the greatest part of cattle perish . now that which hath been spoken of alexander , the romans may as properly be applyed to themselues , foelix scelus virtus vocatur , vnjust attempts if they be fortunate in the event are called vertues : and some actions there are of that nature , quae nunquam laudantur nisi peracta , which are neuer commended till they are ended ; and surely so it was with the romans , & for proofe that their attempts were indeed for the most part vnjust , we need goe no farther then that of mithridates in salust , romani arma in omnes habent , in eos acerrima quibus victis spolia maxima sunt , the romans make warre vpon all , and that vpon them most fiercely , from whom being conquered they hope for the greatest booty . and againe , romanis cum nationibus populis regibus cunctis vna & vetus bellandi causa est cupido profunda imperii & divitiarum . the romans haue one old and common quarrell with all nations , people , kings , an vnquenchable thirst of empire and riches , with whom galgacus in tacitus fully accords , raptores orbis postquam cnncta vastantibus defuere terrae , & mare scrutantur : si locuples est hostis avari , si pauper ambitiosi , quos non oriens non occidens satiaverit ; robbers of the world they are , and after that they haue laid all places waste , land wanting for them to spoile , they search into the sea , if the enemy be rich , their covetousnesse mooues them to invade him , if poore their ambition , so as neither east nor west can satisfie their insatiable appetite . and though wee should perchaunce suspect the testimonies of mithridates and galgacus , as being their enemies , yet against that of lactantius we cannot well accept . isti qui eversiones vrbium , populorumque summam gloriam computant , otium publicum non ferent , rapient , saevient , & injuriis insolenter illatis humanae societatis faedus irrumpent , vt habere hostem possint , quem sceleratius deleant , quam lacessierint : but they who account the subversion of cities and states their greatest glory , will not endure the publique peace , they will rob and spoyle , and most insolently offering wrongs , will violate the league of humane society , that they may haue an enemy whom they may more injuriously vanquish then they haue injustly provoked . i am not ignorant that cicero in defence of his owne nation tells vs , noster populus socijs defendendis terrarum omniū potitusest , our people by defending their associats , became masters of the world : but i would willingly be informed whether or no they did not often set their associates to cōplaine without a cause , or abet them in vnjust quarrels ; & i desire that cicero or any other roman should tell me truely what just reason of warring they had vpon the carthaginians in the first punick warre . i know there is a pretence coyned that it was vnder-taken in defence of the mamertins whom the carthagineans and syracusians intended to chastise for their villanous treachery committed vpon messana a city in sicily where they lay in garrison , putting to the sword all the inhabitents , & dividing the spoile among themselues , and decius campanus a roman prefect with his legion consisting of souldiers being receiued into rhegium for the safeguard thereof against pyrrhus , by the example and assistance of the mamertins did the like . now it is true the romans at the instance of the people of rhegium did justice vpon their owne countrymen ; yet the mamertins guilty of the same foule fact , and that in a higher degree , they tooke into their protection , and made it the pretence of their first warre vpon the carthaginians , their ancient friends and allies . but it is certaine that no company of pyrats ▪ theeues , outlawes , murderers , or other such malefactors , can by any good successe of their villany obtaine the priviledge of civil societies to make league or truce , yea or to require faire warre , but are by all meanes as most pernitious vermin to be rooted out of the world . wherefore we may safely esteeme this action of the romans so farre from being justifiable by any colour of confederacie made with them , as that contrarywise by admitting this nest of murtherers and theeues into their protection , they justly deserued to bee warred vpon themselues : yet after this warre ended , and a peace solemnely concluded , when the carthaginians made a doubtfull warre vpon their rebellious mercenaries of sardinia , the romans perceiuing that carthage beyond their hope had recovered her feete againe , began to strike at her head : on the suddain they denounced warre against this infeebled and impoverished citie vnder a shameles pretence that the preparations made for sardinia were made indeed against rome it selfe . the carthaginians knew themselues at that time vnable to resist , and therefore yeelded to the roman demaund , renouncing vnto them all their right in sardinia : but this was not enough they would haue talents in recompence belike ( for i see not what reason they could alleage ) of the great feare which they had indured of an invasion from carthage . it is indeed plaine , that they impudently sought occasion of warre : but necessity taught the carthaginians patience , and the money was payde how hardly soeuer it was raised . let not rome then complaine of the punicke faith in the breach of covenants , she her selfe hath broken the peace already which amilcar purposed to make her dearely repent , but what amilcar liued not to performe , was accomplished by hannibal his renowned sonne . sect . . thirdly , that the christians in suffering for religion surpassed the romane fortitude . thirdly , if true fortitude consist as well in suffering , as in doing , nay rather in suffering chearefully and constantly , then in doing valiantly , as the prince of philosophers , & great master of morality hath taught vs , ex eo fortes appellantur quòd res molestas atque asperas fortiter ferant , from thence are they tearmed manfull , that they manfully indure bitter and shatpe brunts ; and from him the poet , fortiter ille facit , qui miser esse potest . he it is doth valiantly , that can miserable be . then i will be bold to say , that the christian religion hath yeelded more vndaunted invincible spirits , then euer pagan rome did , nay , then all the pagan religion euer did : so as i cannot sufficiently wonder what should induce machiavell to conceiue or affirme that the christian religion serued to make men cowards , and that paganisme was in that respect to bee preferred before it . surely hee that shall advisedly reade the ecclesiasticall-story , what incredible multitudes , with what alacritie , and what exquisite torments they endured , will soone i thinke be of another mind ; they were so farre from shunning death , that they ranne to meete it halfe way , kissed it , imbraced it , in what vgly terrible shape soever it appeared ; in so much that our writers of the primitiue church dare match them , as well they might with the most hardy & resolute of the romans , yea and to preferre them before these . nostri autem ( sayth lactantius ) ( vt de viris taceam ) pueri & 〈◊〉 tortores suos taciti vincunt & expromere illis gemitum nec ignis potest . eant romani & mutio glorientur aut regulo , quorum alter necandum se hostibus tradidit quod captivum puduit vivere , alter ab hostibus depraehensus cum videret mortem se vitare non posse , manum foco in●…ecit vt pro facinore suo satisfaceret ●…osti quem voluit occidere , eaque poena veniam quam meruerat accepit : those of our profession ( not to speake of the men ) even boyes & tender young women doe with silence conquer their executioners , from whom not the fire it selfe can wring so much as a groane . let the romanes goe then and boast of their mutius & regulus , of which the one offered himselfe to death by the hand of the enimy , for that he was ashamed to liue in captivity ; the other being attatched by the enimy , when he saw he could not avoyd death , burnt his hand in the fire , that so for his wicked attempt he might make satisfaction to the enimy , whom he sought to dispatch , and by that penance purchased he an vndeserved pardon : but with vs behold those who are for their sexe infirme , and weake for their age , suffer themselues wholy to bee torne in peeces , and burnt not through any necessity , for they might avoyd ' it if they would , but willingly and readily because they trust in god. eusebius takes a larger scope and makes a boldner challenge , including not the romanes alone , but the graecians , and any other not christians . ex omnibus qui vnquam vel apud graecos vel apud barbaros propter animi magnitudinem illustres , & hominum sermone celebrati sunt , nullus cum divinis & eximijs nostri temporis martyribus dorotheo & suis sodalibus imperatorum ministris comparari potest : among all those who either among tho graecians or barbarians haue beene renowned for their magnanimitie , none of them all could be matched with those divine & heroycall martyrs of our time dorotheus and his companions the emperours servants . after these in time but in learning and zeale nothing inferiour vnto them : s. augustine confidently maintaines the same truth : hoc sequuti sunt martyres qui scaevolas , & curtios , & decios non sibi inferendo poenas , sed illatas ferendo : & virtute vera quia vera pietate & innumera multitudine superarunt : this rule our martyrs followed , who not by laying violent hands on themselues , but by patiently enduring others exceeded the scevol●… ▪ the curtij , the decij both in true fortitude , because joyned with true piety , and besides in multitudes innumerable . and lastly , before a●… these , tertullian both saw , and publiquely taught the same truth . multi apud vos ad tolerantiam doloris & mortis hortantur , vt cicero in tusculanis , vt seneca in fortuitis , vt diogenes , vt pyrrhon , vt callimachus , nec tamen tantos inveniunt verba discipulos quantos christiani factis docendo : many among you exhort men to a constant and patient enduring of griefe & death , as cicero in his tusculanes , seneca in his remedies against fortune , diogenes , pyrrhon , and callimachus ; yet their writings and words finde not so many schollers as doe the christians , teaching by their deedes & deaths . but because the romans stand so much vpon their valour in suffering for their countrey , it were not hard to instance in many christians , who might justly be paralled with the chiefest of them in that kinde , i will content my selfe only with one example , and that of the burgesses of calais , as i finde it reported by pasquier . the towne of calais during the raigne of philip de valois being brought to those straights , that now there was no more hope left , either for succour or victuals ; iohn lord of vienna , who there commaunded for the king , began to treate about the rendring of it , desiring only that they might giue it vp with safety of their liues and goods ; which conditions being offered to edward king of england , who by the space of eleven moneths had straightly besieged it ; he being exceedingly inraged , that so small a town should alone stand out against him so long , and withall calling to mind that they had often galled his subjects by sea , was so farre from accepting of their petition , that contrariwise hee resolved to put them all to the sword , had he not beene diverted from that resolution by some sage counsellours then about him , who told him , that for having beene faithfull and loyall subjects to their soveraigne , they deserved not to be so sharpely dealt with : wherevpon edward changing his first purpose into some more clemencie , promised to receiue them to mercy , conditionally that six of their principall towensmen , should present him the keyes of the towne bare-headed & bare-footed , & with halters about their neckes , their liues being to bee left to his disposition : whereof the governour being advertised , he presently gets him into the market-place , commaunding the bell to be sounded for the conventing of the people ; whom being assembled , hee acquainted with the articles which he had received , touching the yeelding vp of the towne , and the assurance of their liues which could not bee graunted but with the death of six of the chiefe of them : with which newes they being all of them exceedingly cast downe & perplexed , on the suddaine there rises vp one of their company called stephen s. peter , one of the richest & most sufficient men of the town , who thus spake alowd : sir , i thanke god for the goodes he hath bestowed on me , but more that he hath given me this present opportunity to make it known that i prize the liues of my countrey-men & fellow burgesses aboue mine owne : at the hearing of whose speech and sight of his forwardnes , one iohn daire and foure others after him made the like offers , not without great abundance of teares & prayers from the common people , who saw them so freely and readily sacrifice all their particular respects for the weale of the publique , & instantly without any more adoe they addressed themselues to the king of england with the keyes of the towne , with none other hope but of death : to which ( though they held themselues assured thereof ) they went as cheerefully as if they had bin going to a wedding . yet it pleasing god to turne the heart of the english king at the instance of his queene and some of the lords , they were sent backe againe safe and sound . now who can say that our france hath not her horatij , quinti ; curtij , & decij ? wee haue ours aswell as the romanes had theirs : but a certaine kind of basenes in vs more ready to apprehend and admire the worth of strangers then of our owne nation , makes vs happily not to beleeue so : now that which pasquier writes of his nation , and truly , as i thinke in comparison with the roman valour in suffering for their countrey , wee may as confidently speake of ours & others perchaunce of theirs . sect . . that as the christians haue surpassed the romans in the passiue part of fortitude , so haue they matched them in the actiue , and that the partiall overvaluing of the romane manhood by their owne historians , is it chiefely which hath made the world to think it vnmatchable . fourthly and lastly , as the romans were thus surpassed in the passiue part of fortitude : so were they matched in the actiue , many times meeting with those , that either put backe their forces without losse , or with victory put them to the worst . iulius caesar their great experienced and most renowned captaine after all his valiant acts and triumphs , what adoe did hee make to doe any thing worth the remembrance vpon this iland then inhabited by naked brittains , and those divided : and though velleius paterculus the court historiographer beare vs in hand , bis penetratam britanniam à caesare , that brittainy was twice throughly invaded by caesar , yet lucan tels vs another tale , territa quaesitis ostendit terga britannis : to th' britons whom he sought his coward backe he turnd . and tacitus a graue authour , britanniam tantum ostendisse non tradidisse romanis , that he only shewed , but delivered not britannie to the romans . and sure he did so little , that both horace and propertius agree in it that he left them vntouched , or at least vnconquered : intactus aut britannus vt descenderet sacra catenatus via : or that the britons , yet vntouched , may be led in chaines along the sacred way . sayes the one : and the other . te manet invictus romano marte britannus . — vnconquered britannie , by romane armes reserved is for thee . the gaules in their contention with them they found so stout & hardy , as tully himselfe confesseth , that with other nations the romans fought for dominion , but with the gaules for preservation of their owne safety , who once vnder the conduct of brennus entred the citty of rome it selfe , sacked it and burnt it . pyrrhus king of the epirots encountred them in italy it selfe , and vanquished them in two severall battailes , in the former of which they were through feare stricken with such a consternation & forgetfulnes of their discipline , that they tarried not somuch as to defende their campe , but ran quite beyond it , leaving both it and the honour of the day entirely to pyrrhus , though the consull himselfe were then in the field with a select army . but hanniball was indeed the man , who made the romanes know that they were but men made of like mettall as others are . like a haile storme he came thundring downe from the alpes & pyrrenaean mountaines vpon italy . at ticinum now called pavia , after a long tedious journey , having scarce refreshed his wearied army , consisting of severall nations , and therefore the harder to be held together & commaunded , he beate scipio the consull , and sent him ( with the losse of almost all his horses ) wounded out of the field : and within a while after fighting with both the consuls scipio & sempronius at trebia , there escaped of six & thirty thousand of the romans , but tenne thousand of all sorts horse and foote . not long after , this againe he encountred with flaminius another consull at the lake of thrasymene , who was slaine in the place , accompanied with fifteene thousand dead carkases of his countrey-men . and cetronius being sent by servilius the other consull to the ayde of flaminius , his strength only served to increase the misadventure , being charged and the greatest part of them cut in peeces by maharball , the rest yeelding themselues to mercy . the romans being put to these straights , choose a dictator that was fabius maximus , who like a cloud hung vpon the toppes of the hils , but durst not come downe into the plaines to fight with hanniball , though he saw the countrey fired & spoiled by him before his eyes . wherevpon two new consuls are chosen aemilius paulus & terentius varro . for the dispatch of the warre great forces are leavied , and at cannae they come powring vpon him with assurance of victorie . the whole summe of hanniball's army in the field this day was , tenne thousand horse and forty thousand foote ; his enimies having two to one against him in foote , & he fiue to three against them in horse : but heere againe he routed and foyled them , in somuch as the romanes were all in a manner either slaine or taken prisoners : of men of speciall note there died in the great battell , besides paulus the consull , two questors or treasurers , one and twenty colonells or tribunes of the souldiers , foure score senatours , or such as had borne office ; out of which they were to bee chosen into the senate , and many of these were men of marke , as having beene aediles , praetors or consulls , among whom was servilius the last yeares consull , and minutius late master of the horse : besides all this , the number of the romane knights that lay slaine on the place , & of the common souldiers was almost incredible : whereas on the side of hanniball there died but foure thousand gaules , fifteene hundred spaniards and africans , and two hundred horse or there-abouts , a losse not sensible in the joy of so great a victorie , which had he pursued as maharball advised him , and forthwith marched away towards rome then destitute both of men and money , it is little doubted but that the warre had presently beene at an end : but he beleeued not so farre in his owne sufficiencie and good fortune , and was therefore told that he knew how to get , not how to vse a victorie : yet had not his supplies promised & expected from carthage , partly by the malice of hanno , and partly by the sloath & parsimonie of the carthaginians , beene too long deferred , it is to be thought the romans would never againe haue recovered that blow . for after this , he performed in italy many noble & worthy exploits , marching home even to the gates of rome it selfe ; and had he beene supplied with victuals in all likelihood , had carried it . now that which hath made the world conceiue the romane magnanimity to be vnmatchable , is the partiall overvaluing of their manhood by their owne historians , and the too much slighting of all others in comparison with themselues . i will instance only in two or three passages . livie to disgrace hannibal writes , that a little before the striking of the battell at cannae , de fuga in galliam dicitur agitasse , he is sayd to haue bethought himselfe of flying into gaule , which was in truth very incredible , the difficulties considered which hannibal before had passed , and the tearmes he then stood in . this tale therefore plutarch omitteth , who in the life of hanniball takes in a manner all his directions from livie . my second instance is this : fabius an ancient roman historian ( from whom livie borrowes much ) sayth of amilcar the father of hanniball , & his men at erix a towne in sicill ; that hauing cleane spent their strength , and being broken with many miseries , they were glad to submit themselues vnto the romans : but polybius a graue writer , censureth this report of fabius , as fabulous & partiall , in as much as the contrary therevnto is to be found in the life of amilcar , set downe by aemilius probus , confessing that erix was in such sort held by the carthaginians , that it seemed to be in as good condition , as if in those parts there had not beene any warre . though then we may not reprehend in that worthy historian livie , the tender loue of his countrey , which made him giue credit to fabius & others : yet must we not for his sake beleeue those lies which the vnpartiall judgement of polybius hath condemned in the writers that gaue them originall . my third , & last instance is , that the great captaine fabius or livie in his person , maketh an objection vnto cneus scipio , which neither scipio nor livie for him doth answere , that if asdruball the brother of hanniball , and sonne of amilcar were vanquished , as scipio would say , by him in spaine ; strange it was , and as little to his honour , as it had beene extreamely dangerous to rome , that the same vanquished man should invade italy : and it is indeed an incredible narration , that asdruball being closed in on all sides , and not knowing how to escape out of the battell , saue only by a steepe descent of rocks over a great river that lay at his back , ranne away with all his monie , elephants , and broken troupes over tagus directly toward the pyrenees , and so toward italy , vpon which hee fell with more then threescore thousand souldiers . wherefore wee can but be sorry , that all carthaginian records of their warres with rome ( if there were any ) being vtterly lost , wee can knowe no more thereof , then what it hath pleased the romans to tell vs , vnto whom it were no wisedome to giue too much credit . albericus gentilis , by nation an italian , late professour of the civill-lawes in the vniversity of oxford , well versed in the roman storie , hath written two learned bookes de armis romanorum ; in the former of which hee clearely proues , that the romans got the reputation of so great justice , and wisedome , & valour only from the testimonie of their owne writers , who were in their relations most partiall : notwithstanding , sayth he , sunt vel in his ipsis plura & disiecta passim , & quasi in amplo naufragio dissipata quae per sedulam operam collecta , vincere vulgi opinionem , consensum hominum inveteratum superare , persuasionem de virtute romanorum bellica tollere possunt : even in them are many passages to be found scattered heere & there , as it were after some great shipwracke , which being diligently collected and put together , might serue to vanquish the vulgar opinion , to roote out the inveterate & common consent , to weaken the strong perswasion of men touching the warlike manhood of the romans . and alleaging that place of cicero in his oration for murena , virtus militaris populo romano nomen vrbi romae aeternam gloriam peperit ; the military vertue of the romanes wanne to themselues fame , and to their citty aeternall glory , imo non ita est m. tulli , sayth he , sed fraus , avaritia , audacia , crudelitas , illud vobis imperium pepererunt , 〈◊〉 terrae reliquum simpliciorem , justiorem , humaniorem , faciliorem , moderationem subegerunt . tullie , it is not so , but fraud , covetousnesse , impudence , cruelty got you the empire , and subdued the rest of the world more innocent ; more just , more courteous , more mercifull , more moderate , more peaceable then yourselues : and this he doth not barely affirme , but substantially makes it good through that booke , though in the next , he seeme to haue spoken in the person of another . i will conclude this long , though i trust not tedious discourse of the romans with a dispute of sir walter rawleigh's handling that probleme , proposed and discussed by livie , whether the great alexander could haue prevailed against the romans , if after his easterne conquest he had bent all his forces against them . where having delivered his opinion against livy for alexander , together with his reasons , inducing him therevnto , he goes on preferring the english both before the macedonian & the roman : wherein if he speake reason , let him be heard , if not , let him bee censured : but for mine owne part i must confesse , i know not well how to answere his arguments , so pressing & ponderous to me they seeme , whether affection haue clouded my judgement heerein , i leaue it to others to judge , his words then are these : sect . . the english not inferiour to the romane in valour & magnanimity , by the iudgement of sir walter rawleigh . now in deciding such a controversie , saith he , me thinkes it were not amisse for an english-man to giue such a sentence between the macedonians & romans , as the romans once did ( being chosen arbitrators ) between the ardeates & aricini that stroue about a peece of land ; saying , that it belonged vnto neither of them , but vnto the romans themselues . if therefore it be demaunded , whether the macedonian or the roman were the best warriour ? i will answere , the englishman . for it will soone appeare to any that shall examine the noble acts of our nation in warre , that they were performed by no advantage of weapon ; against no savage or vnmanly people ; the enemy being farre superiour vnto vs in numbers and all needfull provisions , yea as vvell trayned as vvee , or commonly better , in the exercise of warre . in what sort philip wanne his dominion in greece ; what manner of men the persians and indians were whom alexander vanquished ; as likewise of what force the macedonian phalanx was , and how well appointed against such armies as it commonly encountred : any man that hath taken paines to read the fore-going story of them , doth sufficiently vnderstand . yet was this phalanx neuer or very seldome able to stand against the roman armies : which were embattailed in so excellent a forme , as i know not whether any nations besides them haue vsed , either before or since . the roman weapons likewise both offensiue & defensiue were of greater vse , then those with which any other nation hath serued , before the fierie instruments of gun-powder were knowne . as for the enemies with which rome had to doe , we finde that they who did ouer-match her in numbers , were as farre over-matched by her in weapons ; and that they of whom shee had little advantage in armes , had as little advantage of her in multitude . this also ( as plutarch well obserueth ) was a part of her happinesse , that shee was neuer ouer-laid with too great warres at once . heereby it came to passe , that hauing at first increased her strength by accession of the sabines ; hauing wonne the state of alba , against which she adventured her owne selfe , as it were in wager vpon the heads of three champions ; and hauing thereby made her selfe princesse of latium , she did afterwards by long warre in many ages extend her dominion ouer all italy . the carthaginians had well nigh oppressed her : but their souldiers were mercenarie : so that for want of proper strength they were easily beaten at their owne doores . the aetolians and with them all or the most of greece assisted her against philip the macedonian : he being beaten , did lend her his helpe to beat the same aetolians . the warres against antiochus and other asiatiques , were such as gaue to rome smal cause of boast , though much of joy : for those opposites were as base of courage as the lands which they held were abundant of riches . sicil , spaine , and all greece fell into her hands by vsing her ayde to protect them against the carthaginians and macedonians . i shall not need to speake of her other conquests : it was easie to get more when she had gotten all this . it is not my purpose to disgrace the roman valour ( which was very noble ) or to blemish the reputatiō of so many , or so famous victories : i am not so idle . this i say , that among all their warres , i finde not any wherein their valour hath appeared comparable to the english. if my judgement may seeme ouer-partiall , our warres in france may helpe to make it good . first therefore it is well knowne that rome ( or perhaps all the world besides ) had neuer so braue a commaunder in warre as iulius caesar ; & that no roman army was comparable vnto that which serued vnder the same caesar. likewise it is apparant that this gallant army which had giuen faire proofe of the roman courage , in good performance of the helvetian warre , when it first entred into gaule ; was neuerthelesse vtterly disheartned when caesar led it against the germans . so that we may justly impute all that was extraordinary in the valour of caesars men , to their long exercise vnder so good a leader , in so great a warre . now let vs in generall compare with the deedes done by those best of the roman souldiers in their principall service , the things performed in the same country by our common english souldiers , levied in hast from following the cart , or sitting on the shop-stall , so shall we see the difference . heerein will we deale fairely , and beleeue caesar in relating the acts of the romans : but will call the french historians to witnesse what actions were performed by the english. in caesars time france was inhabited by the gaules a stout people , but inferiour to the french by whom they were subdued ; euen when the romans gaue them assistance . the country of gaule was rent in sunder ( as caesar witnesseth ) into many lordships : some of which were gouerned by petty kings , others by the multitude , none ordered in such sort as might make it applyable to the nearest neighbour . the factions were many and violent , not onely in generall through the whole country , but betweene the petty states , yea in euery citty , and almost in euery house . what greater advantage could a conquerour desire ? yet there was a greater : ariovistus with his germans had ouer-runne the country , and held much part of it in a subjection , little different from a meere slauery : yea so often had the germans prevailed in warre vpon the gaules , that the gaules ( vvho had sometimes been the better souldiers ) did hold themselues no vvay equall to those dayly invaders . had france beene so prepared vnto our english kings , rome it selfe by this time , and long ere this time vvould haue beene ours . but vvhen king edward the third began his vvarre vpon france , he found the vvhole country setled in obedience to one mighty king : a king whose reputation abroad was no lesse then his puissance at home , vnder whose ensigne the king of bohemia did serue in person , at whose call the genowayes and other neighbour states were ready to take armes : finally a king vnto whom one a prince gaue away his dominion for loue : b another sold away a goodly city and territory for money . the country lying so open to the roman , and being so well fenced against the english , it is note-worthy , not who prevailed most therein ( for it were meere vanity to match the english purchases with the roman conquest ) but whether of the two gaue the greater proof of military vertue therein . caesar himselfe doth witnesse , that the gaules complained of their own ignorance in the art of warre , and that their owne hardinesse was over-mastered by the skill of their enemies . poore men , they admired the romane towres and engines of battery raised and planted against their wals , as more then humane workes . what greater wonder is it that such a people was beaten by the roman , then that the caribes a naked people , but valiant as any vnder the skye , are commonly put to the worse by small numbers of spanyards ? besides all this wee are to haue regard of the great difficulty that was found in drawing all the gaules or any part of them to one head , that with joint forces they might oppose their assailants , as also the much more difficulty of holding them long together : for hereby it came to passe that they were neuer able to make vse of oportunity : but sometimes compelled to stay for their fellowes , and sometimes driven to giue or take battaile vpon extreame disadvantages , for feare least their company should fall asunder : as indeed vpon any little disaster they were ready to breake and returne euery one to the defence of his owne . all this , ( and which was little lesse then all this ) great oddes in weapon gaue to the romanes the honour of many gallant victories . what such helpe ? or what other worldly helpe then the golden mettall of their souldiers had our english kings against the french ? were not the french as well experienced in feats of warre ? yea did they not thinke themselues therein our superiours ? were they not in armes , in horse , and in all provision exceedingly beyond vs ? let vs heare what a french writer sayth , of the inequality that was betweene the french and english , when their king iohn was ready to giue the on-set vpon the black prince at the battaile of poictiers . iohn had all advantages ouer edward , both of number , force , shew , countrey , and conceit , ( the which is commonly a consideration of no small importance in worldly affaires ) and withall , the choise of all his horsemen ( esteemed then the best in europe ) with the greatest and wisest captaines of his whole realme . and what could he wish more ? i thinke it would trouble a romane antiquary to finde the like example in their histories ; the example , i say , of a king , brought prisoner to rome by an army of eight thousand , which he had surrounded with forty thousand , better appointed , and no lesse expert warriours . this i am sure of , that neither syphax the numidian , followed by a rabble of halfe scullions , as livy rightly tearmes them , nor those cowardly kings perseus and gentius , are worthy patternes . all that haue read of cressie and agincourt , will beare me witnes , that i doe not alleadge the battle of poictiers for lack of other as good examples of the english vertue : the proofe whereof hath left many a hundred better markes in all quarters of france , then euer did the valour of the romans . if any man impute these victories of ours to the long-bow , as carrying farther , piercing more strongly , and quicker of discharge then the french crosse-bow : my answere is ready ; that in all these respects , it is also ( being drawne with a strong arme ) superior to the musket ; yet is the musket a weapon of more vse . the gun and the crosse-bow are of like force when discharged by a boy or woman , as when by a strong man : weakenes or sicknes , or a sore finger makes the long bow vnserviceable . more particularly , i say , that it was the custome of our auncestors to shoot for the most part , point blanck : and so shall hee perceiue that will note the circumstances of almost any one battaile . this takes away all objection : for when two armies are within the distance of a butts length ▪ one flight of arrowes or two at the most can be deliuered before they close . neither is it in generall true , that the long-bow reacheth farther , or that it pierceth more strongly then the crosse bow : but this is the rare effect of an extraordinary arme : wherevpon can be grounded no common rule . if any man shall aske : how then it came to passe that the english wanne so many great battailes , hauing no advantage to helpe him ? i may with the best commendation of modesty , referre him to the french historian : who relating the victory of our men at creuant , where they passed a bridge in face of the enemy , vseth these wordes ; the english comes with a conquering brauery , as he that was accustomed to gaine euery-where without any stay : hee forceth our guard placed vpon the bridge to keepe the passage . or i may cite another place of the same author , where he tells how the britons being invaded by charles the eight , king of france , thought it good policy to apparel a thousand and two hundred of their owne men in english cassacks ; hoping that the very sight of the english red crosse would bee enough to terrifie the french. but i will not stand to borrow of the french historians ( all which , excepting de serres and paulus aemilius , report wonders of our nation ) the proposition which first i vndertooke to maintaine , that the military vertue of the english prevailing against all manner of difficulties , ought to be preferred before that of the romanes , which was assisted with all advantages that could be desired . if it be demaunded ; why then did not our kings finish the conquest as caesar had done ? my answere may be ( i hope without offence ) that our kings were like to the race of the aeacidae , of whom the old poet ennius gaue this note ; belli potentes sunt magè quam sapienti potentes ; they were more warlike then politique . who so notes their proceedings , may finde that none of them went to worke like a conquerour , saue only king henry the fift , the course of whose victories it pleased god to interrupt by his death . but this question is the more easily answered , if another bee first made : why did not the romanes attempt the conquest of gaule before the time of caesar ? why not after the macedonian warre ? why not after the third punick , or after the numantian ? at all those times they had good leisure , & then especially had they both leisure and fit oportunity , when vnder the conduct of marius they had newly vanquished the cimbri and teutones , by whom the country of gaule had beene piteously vvasted . surely the vvords of tully vvere true , that vvith other nations the romans fought for dominion with the gaules for the preseruation of their owne safety . therefore they attempted not the conquest of gaule , vntill they were lords of all other countryes to them knowne . we on the other side held only the one halfe of our owne iland ; the other halfe being inhabited by a nation ( vnlesse perhaps in wealth and numbers of men somewhat inferiour ) euery way equall to our selues : a nation anciently and strongly allied to our enemies the french , and in that regard enemies to vs : so that our danger lay both before and behinde vs , and the greater danger at our backs , where commonly we felt , alwayes we feared a stronger invasion by land then wee could make vpon france , transporting our forces ouer sea. it is vsuall with men that haue pleased themselues in admiring the matters which they finde in ancient histories , to hold it a great injurie done to their judgement , if any take vpon him by way of comparison to extoll the things of latter ages . but i am well perswaded , that as the divided vertue of this our iland hath given more noble proofe of it selfe , than vnder so worthy a leader that roman armie could doe , which afterwards could winne rome and all her empire , making caesar a monarch : so heereafter by gods blessing , who hath converted our greatest hinderance into our greatest helpe , the enimie that shall dare to trie our forces , will finde cause to wish , that avoiding vs , he had rather encountred as great a puissance as was that of the romane empire . thus farre sir walter rawleigh , comparing the romane valour with the english , and if we should compare them with the turkes , it is certaine that the romans in the like space of time , never subdued the like quantity of land , so excellently fertile , and abounding in warlike people as did they . in lesse then three hundred yeares , from ottoman to mahomet the third , they wanne all those goodly countreyes from tauris in persia to buda in hungarie , lying east , & west , and north , and south , from derbent neere the caspian sea , vnto adena , vpon the gulfe of arabia , each of which containes about miles . so as all the noise which the roman writers haue made about the vnmatchable valour of their men , is but like the huge armour which alexander left in the indies after his conquering of those nations , serving rather to amaze the world , then rightly to informe it . cap. . wherein the generall objections touching the worlds decay in matter of manners , are answered at large . sect . . two objections drawne from reason , and both answered : the one , that since the first plantation of christian religion , men haue from time to time degenerated : the other , that the multitude of lawes , and lawyers , and law-suites , and the multiplicitie of words in writings & convayances , argue the great sicknes & malice of the present times in regard of the former . and thus i hope i haue now sufficiently cleered the point , that the ancient romans ( who are in stories most magnified of any nation vnder heaven for their morall vertues ) exceeded latter ages in many foule vices , and haue by latter ages beene equalled , if not exceeded even in those vertues , wherein they seemed most to excell . and heerein haue i chiefely aimed at the honour of christ & christian religion ; which being rightly vnderstood and practised , without apish superstition on the one side , or peeuish singularity on the other , serues no doubt to make men more morally vertuous then any other religion , that either at this day is , or since the creation hath beene professed in the world ; i speake , not only in regard of iustice & temperance , but of wisedome & fortitude ; and besides , for contempt of the world , austerity of life , patience , humility , modesty , charity , chastity , obedience , piety , and singular devotion , it hath doubtlesse yeelded men altogether vnmatchable . but it will bee said , that since the first plantation of christian religion , men haue from time to time degenerated , so as the farther they are removed from the primitiue professours , who burned in zeale and shined in good workes , the worse they haue growne : wherevnto i answere , that the primitiue times , aswell in that they came neerer to christ & his apostles , as likewise , because they were subject to the fierie triall of persecution were indeede purer then the succeeding ages , in which together with peace & plentie , pride & luxury , oppression & vncharitablenes crept in , till at length they , who should haue been the principall lights & guides in the church , became in all manner of vncleanes , cruelty , covetousnesse , & ambition little inferiour to the worst of the roman emperours . but heere then , things being now come to this height , appeared the speciall providence of almighty god , in sending some zealous spirits to awaken the world , to rouze vp christian princes , to tell the prelates their owne : and though therevpon followed a rent in the church , yet withall there followed a reformation of manners , at least-wise in regard of scandalous & notorious vices , even among them , who refused , and still refuse reformation in matter of doctrine ; the liues of their popes , their cardinalls , ●…eir bishops , their priests , are in appearance much amended , what within these two or three hundred yeares , by the confession of their owne writers , they were ; who we may well thinke , were ignorant of much , and much out of feare or favour they concealed : but somuch haue they published to the view of the world , as would greeue an honest man to reade , & shame a modest to write , which they shamed not to act , nay boasted of being acted : and for the other part , which professes & maintaines the reformation , i hope they will not say , that they are thereby made the worse in matter of manners ; god forbid but they , who professe themselues reformed in matter of dostrine , should likewise shew themselues reformed in matter of manners . and sure i thinke we may safely say , that fewer rebellions , robberies , murthers , sorceries and the like , haue beene heard of , and more pious and charitable workes seene in our land since the reformation of religion , then in the like compasse of yeares since the first plantation thereof amongst vs. it will perchance bee said againe , that the multitude of lawes , and lawyers , & law-sutes , and the multiplicity of words in writings & convayances for law businesses , argue the great sickenesse and malice of the times in regard of the former : to which it may truly be replied , that the multitude of lawes giues occasion to the number of law-suites , and that to the increase of lawyers ; and they againe serue to increase the multiplying of words in convayances . now that which giues occasion to a greater multitude of lawes , is not , as i conceiue , so much the increase of vice , as of knowledge and zeale in the law-makers ; common swearing , simple fornication , prophaning of the lords day and the like , in former times were scarce known to be sinnes ; but being now by the light of the gospell discovered to be such , and that in an high degree , as they are straitely forbidden by gods law , so is the edge of our lawe , turned against them . besides , it is certaine , that no law can be so cautelously framed for the preventing of all inconveniences in that kind , but that the wit of man armed with malice , will finde meanes to wrest the letter , or frustrate the intent of it ; from whence other lawes haue sprung vp for the cleering of the ambiguity , or supplie of the defect of the former ; it is not then so much the malice of the present age , as th●… of all ages succeeding one another therein , which hath occasioned such a masse of lawes , as their burden is in a manner now as cumbersome , as were the mischiefes they were made to prevent , prius vitijs laboravimus nunc legibus , tacitus spake it of his times , but it may well enough bee verified of ours ; we formerly were burdened with vices , but now with lawes . if then a wise choice were made out of the whole bodie of the lawes , of the most vsefull and proper for the present times , and they severely executed , the rest being repealed and abrogated , it would proue both easier for the subject , and happier for the weale publique . now for the number of law-suites , it hath alwayes beene observed , that in times of peace and plenty , as riches increase by manufactures , and tillage , and trading , so doth the number of controversies . our forefathers for many agés together lived for the most part in civill warres and continuall alarmes ; so as the sword then determined the controversie , and not the law ; since then the sword hath bin sheathed , no marveile that the law & courts of iustice haue bin more in request . moreover , the fall of the monasteries and the alienating of their lands into so many hands , hath no doubt bin a great meanes to set lawyers a worke since that fall , more then in former ages . and what is it but the setting of men a worke which sets vp a trade , and multiplies the professours thereof ? and as the number of professours multiplie , so doe the diversitie of their conceites and inventions ; many eyes seing more then one can , which is the cause , that both more flawes are found in convayances , and consequently more clauses and cautions thrust into them for the preventing of the like . sect . . another objection answered , taken from the scriptures , which in diverse places seeme to say , that the last times shall be the worst . but the great doubt which troubles most men , is , that the scriptures seeme in diverse places to say , that the last times shall be the worst ; and to this end are commonly alleadged these passages : because iniquity shall abound , the loue of many shall waxe cold . when the sonne of man commeth , shall he finde faith on the earth ? now the spirit speaketh expressely , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of devills . this know also , that in the last dayes perillous times shall come , for men shall be lovers of their owne selues , covetous , boasters ; and evill men and seducers shall waxe worse and worse , deceiving and being deceived . there shall come in the last dayes , scoffers walking after their owne lusts . beloved , remember yee the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our lord iesus christ , how that they told you there should be mockers in the last dayes , who should walke after their owne vngodly lusts . these are all , or at least-wise the principall passages which i haue either found alleaged , or can remember to that purpose . where●…to i first reply in generall , that put the case they all inferred a decay in matter of manners toward the end of the world , yet doth not that necessarily inforce a perpetuall & vniversall declination since the fall of man ; but men may be ( as doubtlesse they haue been ) sometimes better & sometimes worse by interchange , and at the last worst of all . but i would demaund how it can hang together , that we should expect the subversion of antichrist & his kingdome , & the conversion of the whole nation of the iewes to the saving knowledge of the truth , before the end of the world , and yet withall affirme or beleeue , that the whole world still hath , & doth , & shall to the end thereof grow worse and worse ? for mine owne part i must professe , that i know not how to reconcile so different and contradictorie opinions . but for the better clearing and vnderstanding of the passages alleaged , it will be needfull to consider in what sense the last dayes in holy scripture are to be taken . some there are , who referre them to the dayes of antichrist : but others vpon better warrant to the dayes of christ , from his first comming in the flesh , to his second comming to judgement . thus the prophet isayah , it shall come to passe in the last dayes , that the mountaine of the lords house shall be established in the toppe of the mountaines . and micah to the same purpose , and so neere in the same words , as if he borrowed them from esay . now the dayes of christs kingdome are therefore called the last dayes , not onely because it set an end to the kingdome of the iewes , but because none other priest-hood , or sacrifice , or sacraments , or law are to succeede in place thereof . as man is a little world , so the age of the world like that of man , is distributed into diverse stops or periods . it hath its infancie , child-hood , youth , perfect estate , & old age . and as in man old age may , and sometime doth last as long as all the rest , so may it fall out in these times of the kingdome of christ , and yet they be still the last times . thus the time of iob from his restitution to his death , is said to be his last dayes , or latter end , though it comprehend one hundred and forty yeares , which in the life of man is a long space . and if by the last dayes we should vnderstand the times neere approaching to the worlds end , no small advantage might thereby vnawares be given to the iewes , who would beare vs in hand that the messias is not yet come , because the last times are not yet come : whereas we on the other side say for our selues and truly , that the last times are come ; not therefore because they approach neere to the worlds end , but because the messias is come . vpon which ground the apostles themselues , in imitation belike of the prophets , likewise tearme it the last times . in the last times he hath spoken to vs by his sonne , saith s. paul. and s. iohn , little children , it is the last time , and as you haue heard that antichrist shall come , euen now are many antichrists , whereby we know that it is the last time . since which time we know sixteene centenaries of yeares haue passed . so as the apostles could not well tearme their times the last in regard of any neare approach to the worlds end : but because they liued vnder the kingdome of christ. and if i should thus expound those alleadged passages , i should conceiue the interpretatiō were not vnsound . augustin i am sure in his epist. to hesichius allowes it . calvin in divers places beats vpon it , per dies extremos satis tritum est regnum christi designari : and in another place more fully to our present purpose , sub extremis diebus comprehendit vniversum christianae ecclesiae statum , vnder the tearmes of the last dayes hee comprehends the vniversall estate of the church of christ. herevnto may be added that which some latter learned diuines touching this point haue obserued , that the hebrew word signifies either extremitie or posterioritie , as i may so speake . whence it is somtimes rendred last , and sometimes latter , both in greeke , latine , and other languages , and those two promiscuously taken the one for the other . thus the apostle in timothy and the . calls that the last times , which before in his former epistle and chapt . he had called the latter times , and that word which in the last of s. marke , our former translations rendred finally , our last hath turned afterward : nay whereas wee reade in the prophet ioel , it shall come to passe afterward , s. peter ( by divine inspiration no doubt ) hath rendred it , it shall come to passe in the last dayes . but very remarkeable are the words of old iacob to this purpose when hee lay a dying , and by the spirit of prophesie foretold what should become of his sonnes , i will tell you saith he , that which shall befall you in the last dayes , in which prediction of his , though it be true that some things cōcerne the kingdome of christ , as that touching iudah , the scepter shall not depart from iuda ; nor a lawgiuer from betweene his feet vntill shiloh come ; yet is it as true that many things in that prophesie , both concerning iudah and the other patriarches and tribes descending from them were fulfilled long before the incarnation of christ , and not long after the death of iacob . in like manner the same word is vsed by daniel in the interpretation of nebuchadnezzars dreame . there is a god in heauen that revealeth secrets , and maketh knowne to the king what shall be in the latter dayes or last dayes : which same speech in the v. following hee againe repeates in these tearmes : the great god hath made knowne to the king what shall come to passe hereafter . and though it be most certaine that some of those things there fore-shewed , were none otherwise fulfilled then in the kingdome of christ , as namely that in the . v. in the dayes of these kings shall the god of heauen set vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed : yet withall it may not , it cannot be denyed but the greatest part of them were accomplished before our saviours apparelling himselfe with our flesh , and some of them , to wit , the setting vp of the persian monarchy but yeares after nebuchadnezzars dreame or vision , and daniels prediction . and hence it is that iunius and tremelius render the hebrew word in both those passages of genesis and daniel ; with sequentibus , or consequentibus temporibus , which implies nothing else but times following and ensuing . those prophesies then of s. peter and s. paul touching the great wickednesse of the latter or last times , may well bee vnderstood either of the kingdome of christ , as hath beene said , or of times following theirs , and not necessarily neere approaching the end of all time . sec . . the passages of scripture alleadged to that purpose , particularly and distinctly answered . now for the particular passages : that prophesie of s. paul touching apostates , forbidding to marry , and commanding to abstaine from meates was accomplished in eustathius , the encratits or tatians , the marcionists , the manichaeans , the cathari , the cataphrygians or montanists , who all vented their heresies in those two points within lesse then two or three hundred yeares of the apostles . and if wee should with some latter writers referre that whole prophesie to the defection of the roman church , i thinke we should therein doe her no wrong : howsoeuer it is fully agreed vpon , both by them and vs , that the prophesie was long since fulfilled . the same in effect may be said of his other prophesie in his second epistle : neque enim aetatem suam cum nostra comparat , sed potius qualis futura sit regni christi conditio docet , sayth judicious calvin in his commentaries vpon that place , hee doth not compare his owne age with ours , but rather teaches what the condition of christs kingdome was to be . and that which the apostle addes of euill men and seducers , that they shall waxe worse and worse , deceiuing and being deceiued , is not sufficient to evince a perpetuall and vniversall declination . for though some euill men grow worse , yet others may , and by gods grace doe grow from bad to good , and from good to better : and euen of the same men doth the same apostle tell vs in the same place , they shall proceede no farther , but their folly shall be manifest vnto all men . as for s peter and his prophesie touching the last dayes , it is cleere that it was accomplished when s. iude wrote his epistle in as much as he points in a manner with his finger to that passage of s. peter not only vsing the same words , but putting vs in mind that he had them expressely from the apostles of the lord iesus : the onely difference betwixt s. peter and s. iude is this , that the one foretells it , and the other shewes how it was euen then fulfilled . but i passe from the schollers to the master , from the apostles to our saviour himselfe and his prophesies touching this point , recorded by the evangelists , whereof the first is in mat. . because iniquity shall abound the loue of many shall waxe cold . for the exposition of which words we are to know that our sauiour in that chapter speaketh of the signes fore-running aswell the destruction of ierusalem as the consummation of the world , and so twisteth as it were , or weaueth them one within another , that it is hard to distinguish them : yet by the consent of the best expositours , the former of these is to bee referred to the first part of the chapter , and so consequently this prophesie was long since accomplisned : the meaning of it to be this , that such and so cruell shall bee the persecution of christian religion , that many who otherwise had a good minde to embrace it , shall forsake both it and the professours thereof , leauing them to the malice of their persequutors . and to this purpose doe both maldonate and aretius bring the example and words of s. paul , at my first answere no man stood with me , but all men forsooke mee , i pray god it be not laid to their charge . our saviours second prophesie to this purpose is recorded in the of s. luke , when the sonne of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth ? which words both calvin and iansenius referre not precisely to the time of christs comming to judgment , but extend them to the generall state of men euen from his ascension to his second comming : disertè christus à suo in coelum ascensu vsque ad reditum homines passim incredulos fore praedicit , saith calvin ; christ expressely teacheth , that from his ascension euen till his returue , many vnbeleevers shall euery-where be found . but iansenius somewhat more cleerely and fully , non tantum significat defectum & paucitatem fidei in hominibus qui vivi reperientur in novissimo die , sed etiam in hominibus cuiuslibet temporis . he doth not onely intimate the defect and scantnesse of faith which shall be found in men at the last day , but in those of all ages . to these passages may be added that in the of the revelation , woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea , for the divell is come downe vnto you hauing great wrath , because he knoweth that he hath but a short time : but the time there spoken of ( as the soundest interpreters expound it ) is not called short in respect of the end of the world ( which to the divell is vtterly vnknowne ) but of his binding vp for a thousand yeares whereof he was fore-warned : and besides though the shorter his time bee , his rage be the fiercer , yet is not his intended and desired successe alwayes answereable to the fiercenesse of his rage , the lord holding him , as it were in a teather , or chaine , and setting him bounds , as hee doth to the raging waues of the sea , hither to shalt thou goe , and no farther . sect . . the last doubt touching the comming of antichrist answered . the last doubt is concerning antichrist , who many thinke shall come neere toward the end of the world , and consequently it shall then be filled with all kinde of impiety , impurity , and misery , the attendants of his comming , and that much beyond all former times . but if antichrist be already come , and that long since , then will the validity of this argument proue vtterly ineffectuall . and certainely such hath beene the wickednesse and calamity of all ages , that as bellarmine speakes : omnes veteres animadvertentes suorum temporum malitiam suspicati sunt tempora antichristi imminere . all the ancients considering the malice of their times , suspected that antichrist was at hand . thus s. cyprian of his time , scire debetis & pro certo credere & tenere pressurae diem super caput esse caepisse & occasumsaeculi atque antichristi tempus appropinquasse . yee ought to know , and for certaine to hold and beleeue , that the day of pressure is euen ouer our heads , and that the consummation of all things , & the comming of antichrist doth approach . lactantius of his , omnis expectatio non amplius quam ducentorum videtur annorum , the end of our expectation seemes not to extend beyond the space of two hundred yeares at farthest . s. hierome of his , qui tenebat de medio fit , & non intelligimus antichristum appropinquare ? he which held or with-held is remoued out of the way , and doe we not vnderstand that antichrist is at hand ? s. gregory of his , omnia quae praedicta sunt fiunt : rex superbiae prope est , all things that were foretold are accomplished , the king of pride cannot be farre off . and lastly s. bernard of his , superest vt reveletur homo peccati silius perditionis ; what remaines but that the man of sinne , the sonne of perdition bee revealed . from which , two things for our present purpose may be gathered , the one , that extreame prophanesse hath raigned in the world almost in all ages , aswell as in the present , such as they , who then liued , thought , could not well be exceeded . the other that if they looked out for the comming of antichrist so long since , by all likelyhood he is already come into the world , and that long agone . s. iohn tells vs , that in his time there were many antichrists , fore-runners no doubt and harbengers , as it were to the great antichrist that was to come . and s. paul 〈◊〉 euen then the mystery of iniquity began to worke : if he were then conceiued , in all likelyhood he should be born ere now , if the egge were then layed , shall wee imagine that the cocatric●…s not yet hatched ? was the seed then cast into the ground , and this cursed weed not yet sprung vp ? credat iudaeus apella non ego . beleeu't who list for me indeed , it ne'r shall come into my creed . sect . . the argument of greatest weight to proue that antichrist is already come . bvt among so many and strong arguments as haue beene , & justly may be brought to proue that antichrist is already come , there is one which to me hath euer seemed of greatest weight : you know , sayth the apostle , speaking of the man of sin , the sonne of perdition , what with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time : and againe , onely he who now letteth , will let vntill he be taken out of the way . so as vpon the removing of that obstacle which hindered his comming , he was then to bee revealed , as the wordes plainly import . now what that hinderance should be , the vnanimous consent of the ancients both greeke & latins is , that it was the roman empire that then flourished . so chrysostome , theophylact , oecumenius , ambrose , primasius , sedulius , and the greeke scholiast in their severall expositions vpon the place : tertullian in his booke de resurrectione carnis , and the thirty second chapter of his apologie . cyrillus hyerosolymitanus in catech●…si . hierome in his eleventh question to algasia , in his commentaries vpon the of the prophet ierimy , in his treatise to gaudentius & gerontia ; and lastly s. augustine in his booke de civitate dei , & . cap. and with the ancients heerein agree the latter writ●…rs on both sides , aswell romish as reformed , being warranted by the like prophesies both of daniell , and saint iohn in his revelation . and in truth the apostles warinesse in not naming it expressely , least thereby he should incurre hatred against the christian professours and religion , shewes as much . that then which remaines to be inquired into , is , whether that obstacle , which by the apostle is said to haue hindred the revealing of antichrist be taken out of the way or no , that is , whether that roman empire which then flourished , be now dissolved . it is then most certaine , that that empire for the west ended in augustulus , and the emperour which now is , is the successour of charlemaigne , an emperour of a new erection : neither hath he the dominions or the power of the former emperours , but only the name and title , stat magni nominis vmbra . of a great name he but the shadow is . he hath not the city of rome which should denominate the roman emperour , nor any part of italy , no nor somuch as a castle , or an house , or a foot of land as emperour . we may then rather call him the german emperour then the roman ; and yet surely his commaund in germany is very small too . the romanists then in this case seeme to me to deale with him , as the iewes did with christ , they giue him the title , but take and keepe his rights from him . or they call him roman emperour perchaunce , because he takes , or as they pretend , should take his oath of allegiance to the bishop of rome : and that the empire which was in being in the apostles time , is indeed dissolved ; some of the a romanists themselues , though happily vnawares confesse . ante adventum antichristi facienda erat discessio , vt gentes discedant à romano imperio , sicut jam factum cernimus , sayth anselme , before the comming of antichrist , there was to be a falling away of the nations from the romane empire , as we see it already done . and thomas , quid hoc est quod jam diu gentes recesserunt à romano imperio , & tamen nondum venit antichristus , what shall we say to this , that long since the nations fell away from the romane empire , and yet antichrist is not come . and lyra , romanum imperium florebat tempore pauli , à quo recesserunt quasi omnia regna negantia ei subijci & redditionem tributi jam à multis annis : illud etiam imperium caruit imperatore pluribus annis : the roman empire flourished in pauls time , from which almost all kingdomes are falne away , denying subjection and the payment of tribute to it : and besides , that empire hath wanted an emperour now for the space of many yeares . neither doe they only acknowledge , that the empire which flourished in the apostles time , is dissolved , but that the emperour which now is , retaines rather the shadow then the power of the ancient empire . and this confession we haue out of the mouths even of iesuites themselues . quampridem romanum imperium in eas angustias redactum est , vt vix tenuem quandam vmbram imperij retineat , long since was the roman empire brought to those straights , that it scarce retaines a thin shadow of that empire , sayth iustinianus . and salmeron most fully , imperium romanum jam diu eversum est : nam qui nunc est imperator romanus , levissima est vmbra imperij antiqui ; vsque adeo vt ne quidem vrbem romae possideat , & jam per multos annos romani imperatores defecerunt : the roman empire was long since dissolved : for he , who is now roman emperour , is but a light shadow of the ancient empire , so as he doth not possesse somuch as the citty of rome , and now for many yeares haue the romane emperours failed . i would demaund then , whether a name , a title , a shadow can hinder the comming of antichrist , or be divided among ten kings , and shared out into ten kingdomes ? if it cannot , then is antichrist vndoubtedly already come into the world . now what he is , or where we should finde him , or when he came , i leaue that to others to dispute or demonstrate ; it is for my purpose sufficient that he is come , and that long since ; yet if we should a little more narrowly search into the matter , who i pray you , is more likely to be the man , then he , who hath specially advanced his throne vpon the emperours ruines , who hath thrust himselfe into the emperours seate , the imperiall city ▪ the head and mistresse of the empire ; then he , who hath taken vpon himselfe the majesty , the power , the ensignes , the robes of the emperour , though in some what a different kinde ; and that the bishop of rome hath so done , pasquier in his recearches of france , machiavell in his florentine history , sigonius in his history of the kingdome of italy , and guicciardin in his , in part declare : but lypsius hath set it downe so cleerely & particularly , as we may easily guesse , and need doubt no longer , who it is , that hath succeeded into the emperours roome . i will set downe his words at large as i finde them in his preface to his admiranda . mira dei benignitas in hanc vrbem , cum legionum vim eripuit , legum attribuit , cum armis imperare noluit , sacris indulsit : et sic quoque fecit eam decus , tutelam , columen rerum . atqui senatus ille vetus non est inquiunt , non ille sed alius , & vide in ista purpura ex omni nostro orbe selectos proceres moribus , prudentia , annis , spectandos . si vetus ille cyneas redeat & hunc consessum videat , nihil ambigat vel cum regibus iterum , vel cum heroibus comparare . quid tributa ? non tam multa , sed magis innoxia & vltronea sunt . quid legationes gentium ? nec eae desunt , & ex noto ignotoque orbe ( tanta diffusio majestatis hujus est ) concurritur , & jura ac leges sacror●…m hinc petunt , ipsi reges ac principes adeunt & inclinantur , & obnoxia capita vni huic capiti submittunt : great is the bounty of god towards this citty , when he deprived it of the strength of legions , he strengthned it with laws ; when he would no longer haue it rule with force of armes , he armed it with holy orders : and so likewise did he make it both the ornament and the safety of things . but you will say , the old senate is not there to be found , indeed not the same , but another there is insteed thereof , and there you may see clad in that purple the choisest worthies of christendome , and the most venerable for manners , for wisedome , for yeares . if the old cyneas were aliue againe and beheld this assembly , he would nothing doubt to compare it againe with kings and princes . what should i speake of their tribute ? indeed it is not so great , but more innocently imposed & willingly payd . what of the embassages from forraine nations ? neither are they wanting : hither they resort both from the knowne & vnknowne parts of the world ( so farre is this majesty spread ) and seeke for lawes & constitutions in religious affaires ; nay kings & princes heere present themselues , and all bow downe and submit their heads to this one head . cap. . that the world shall haue an end by fire , and by it be entirely consumed . sect . . that the world shall haue an end , is a point so cleere in christian religion , that it needeth not to be proved from the principles thereof , neither is he worthy the name of a christian who makes any doubt of it . having now by gods assistance done with mine apologie of his providence in the preservation of the world , least i should seeme thereby to vndermine or weaken the article of our faith touching the worlds end ; it remaines , that according to promise i endeavour to confirme it , not so much from scripture which no true christian can doubt of : and besides , the passages thereof to this purpose , specially in the new testament are so many and cleere , as to be ignorant of them were stupiditie no lesse grosse , then to deny them phophane impiety . in this chapter then i will propose three things to my selfe ; first , to proue by the testimony of the gentiles , that the world shall haue an end . secondly , that it shall haue an end by fire : thirdly and lastly , that it shall by fire be totally & intirely consumed . that the world shall haue an end is as cleere in christianity , as that there is a sun in the firmament : and therefore , whereas there can hardly be named any other article of our faith , which some heretiques haue not presumed to impugne or call into question ; yet to my remembrance i never met with any who questioned this ; & though at this day many & eager be the differences among christians in other points of religion , yet in this they all agree & ever did , that the world shall haue an end , and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead , and a day of judgement . and surely as by the event of many things already fallen out , we are sure that was true which the prophets & apostles foretold of them : so arc we as certaine , that all other things , and this in particular shall come to passe , which they haue likewise foretold , though happily we cannot set downe the time or manner of their event . and i●… asmuch as we , who now liue , haue seen the accomplishment of many prophesies foretold by the pen-men of holy writ , which our forefathers saw not , if we stedfastly beleeue not the fulfilling of those which are yet to come in their due time , we shall thereby be made the more guilty , and the lesse excusable before god. howsoever if we beleeue ( as we all pretend ) the scriptures to be the liuely oracles of god , and to haue bin indited by the divine & sacred inspiration of the holy ghost ; we cannot but withall beleeue that the consūmation of the world shall most vndoubtedly in due time , though to vs most vncertaine , be accomplished . now as the cleere light of this truth hath by gods grace so brightly shined among christians , that except they wilfully shut their eyes against it , they cannot but apprehend and imbrace it : so did it appeare to the iewes , though not in so conspicuous a manner ; yea , some sparkes of this truth haue beene scattered even among the gentiles themselues , so as it were a shame vnpardonable for vs christians not to acknowledge it , or somuch as once to doubt of it . sect . . that the world shall haue an end , by the testimonie of the gentiles . seneca disputing this question , whether a wise man be so sufficiently content with himselfe as he needs not the helpe of any fr●…end ; puts the case , qualis futura est vita sapientis , how he would liue being destitute of friends , if he were cast into prison or banished into some desart , or cast vpon some strange shoare ; his answere is , qualis est iovis cum resoluto mundo , &c. as iupiter shall liue when the world shall be dissolved , contenting himselfe with himselfe . and againe more cleerely : quidenim mutationis periculo exceptum ? non terra , non coelum , non totus hic rerum omnium contextus quamvis deo agente ducatur , non semper tenebit hunc ordinem , sed illumex hoc cursu aliquis dies deijciet , certis eunt cuncta temporibus , nasci debent , crescere , ext●…ngui . quaecunque vides supra nos currere atque haeo quibu●… innixi atque impositi sumus velut solidissimis carpentur 〈◊〉 . what is there which is prviledged from danger of change ? not the earth , not the heavens , no nor this whole frame of creatures , though it be guided by the finger of god , it shall not alwaies obserue this order , but some one day at last shall turne it out of his course . for all things haue a time to be borne , to increase , and then againe to die & be ●…ntinguished . all those things which thou seest wheeling over our heads , and even those vpon which we are seated and setled , as being most solide , shall be surprized and leaue to be . and in another place . si potest tibi solatio esse commune fatum , nihil constat loco stabili , & nihil qua sint loto stabit . omnia sternet abducetque secum vetustas , supprimet montes , maria sorbebit ▪ if the common destiny of all things may any whit comfort thee , there is nothing setled in a stable course , nothing shall alwayes remaine in that state it now stands in ; time shall carry downe all things with it , it shall levell the mountaines and swallow vp the seas●… and lastly , in his naturall questions , vnus humanum genus condet dies , one day shall burie all mankinde . yet it should seeme , that withall he held a restoring of all things againe : omne ex integro animal generabitur dabiturque terris homo inscius scelerum & melioribus auspicijs natus : sed illis quoque innocentia non durabit nisi dum novi sunt , citò nequitia subrepet . all creatures shall be againe restored , and mankind shall againe be sent to inhabite the earth ; but a kind voyd of wickednes and borne to a better fortune : yet shall not their innocencie long endure neither , but only whiles they are yet fresh and new , afterward vngratiousnes will by degrees creepe vpon them . aelian , as i haue already touched to another purpose in the eight booke of his historie , telleth vs , that not only the mountaine aetna ( for thereof might be given some reason , because of the daily wasting and consuming of it with fire ) but parnassus and olympus did appeare to be lesse and lesse to such as sayled at sea , the height thereof sinking as it seemed ; and therevpon inferres , that men most skilfull in the secrets of nature did affirme , that the world it selfe should likewise perish & haue an end . his premises i haue in another place sufficiently disproved , but his conclusion inferred therevpon , i cannot but highly approue , & most willingly accept of , as a rich testimony for the confirmation of our christian doctrine ( touching the end of the world ) delivered from the pen of a gentile , nay he positiuely affirmes it to haue beene the opinion of the most skilfull in the secrets of nature : and certaine it is , that the greatest part of philosophers before aristotle , heraclitus , empedocles , anaxagoras , democritus and others , as they held that the world had a beginning in time , so did they likewise , that in time it should haue an end : and since aristotle , the greatest part ( his followers only excepted ) haue ever constantly maintained the same ; in somuch , that the very epicures heerein accord with the stoickes , though in other opinions they differ as fire and water , as may appeare in lucretius , by sect an epicurean , and for his wit much esteemed among the ancients . principio maria ▪ ac terris , coelumque tuere hor●…m naturam triplicem , tria corpora memmi , tres species tam dissimiles , tria talia texta , vna dies dabit exitio , multosque per annos sustentata ruet moles & machina mundi . behold , o memmi , first the earth , the sea , the heaven , their three-fold nature , bodies three , three shapes so farre vnlike , three peeces wrought and woven so fast , one day shall bring to naught , and the huge frame & engine of this all vpheld so many yeares , at length shall fall . and ovid speaking of lucretius , seemes to haue borrowed from him part of these very words , carmina sublimis tum sunt peritura lucreti exitio terras cum dabit vna dies . lucretius loftie rimes so long shall liue till to this earth one day destruction giue . and lucan as he differs not much from lucrece in name , so doth he fully accord with him in this opinion . — sic cum compage soluta saecula tot mundi suprema coegerit hora. antiquum repetens iterum chaos omnia mixtis sydera syderibus concurrent , ignea pontum astra petent , tellus extendere littora nolet , excutietque fretum , fratri contraria phaebe , ibit , & obliquum bigas agitare per orbem indignata diem poscet sibi , totaque discors machina divulsi turbabit foedera mundi . — so when the last houre shall so many ages end , and this disjoynted all to chaos backe returne : then all the starres shall be blended together , then those burning lights on high in sea shall drench , earth then her shores will not extend but to the waues giue way , the moone her course shall bend crosse to her brothers , and disdaining still to driue her chariot wheels athward the heavenly orbe shall striue to rule the day , this frame to discord wholy bent the worlds peace shall disturbe , and all in sunder rent . sect . . that the world shall haue an end by fire , proved likewise by the testimony of the gentiles . and as they held that the world should haue an end , so likewise that this end should come to passe by fire . exustionis hujus odor quidam etiam ad gentes manauit , sayth ludovicus vives , speaking of the generall combustion of the world , some sent of this burning hath spread it selfe even to the gentiles . and saint hierome in his comment on the of i say ; quae quidem & philosophorum mundi opinio est omnia quae cernimus igni peretura , which is also the opinion of the philosophers of this world , that all which we behold shall perish by fire . eusebius is more particular , affirming it to be the doctrine of the stoicks , and namely of zeno , cleanthes & chrysippus the most ancient among them . certaine it is , that seneca a principall scholler , or rather master of that sect , both thought it & taught it : et sydera syderibus incurrent , & omni flagrante materia vn●… igne quicquid nunc ex disposito lucet ardebit : the starres shall make inrodes one vpon another , and all the whole world being in a flame , whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order shall burne together in one fire . panaetius likewise the stoick feared , as witnesseth cicero , ne ad extremum mundus ignesceret , least the world at last should be burnt vp with fire . and with the stoicks heerein pliny agrees , consumente vbertatem seminum exustione in cujus vices nunc vergat aevum , the heate burning vp the plentifull moisture of all seedes , to which the world is now hastening . nume●…us also saith , good soules ▪ continue , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vntill the dissolution of all things by fire . and with the philosophers their poets accord . lucan as hee held that the world should haue an end , so in speciall by fire , where speaking of those whom caesar left vnburned at the battle of pharsalia hee thus goes on . hos caesar populos si nunc non vsserit ignis , vret cum terris , vret cum gurgite ponti . communis mundo superest rogus , ossibus astra misturus . if fire may not these corpes to ashes turne , o caesar , now , when earth and seas shall burne , it shall : a common fire the world shall end , and with these bones those heau'nly bodies blend . as for ovia he deduces it from their propheticall records . esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur affore tempus quo mare , quo tellus , convexaque regia coeli ardeat , & mundi moles operosa laborat . besides he calls to minde how by decree of fates a time shall come when earth and sea , and heavens high throne shall faint , and the whole frame of this great world shall be consum'd in flame . which he borrowed , saith ludovicus vives , ex fatis indubiè sybillinis , vndoubtedly from the oracles of sybilla . and indeed verses there are which goe vnder the name of sybilla to the very same purpose . tunc ardens fluvius coelo manabit ab alto igneus atque locos consum●…t funditus omnes terramque , oceanumque ingentem , & caerula ponti stagnaque , tum fluvios , fontes , ditemque severum coelestemque polum , coeli quoque lumina in unum fluxa ruent , formâ deletâ prorsus eorum astra cadent etenim de coelo cuncta revulsa . then shall a burning floud flow from the heavens on high , and with its fiery streames all places vtterly destroy , earth , ocean , lakes , rivers , fountaines , hell , and heavenly poles : the lights in firmament that dwell , loosing their beauteous forme shall be obscur'd , and all raught from their places down from heaven to earth shall fall . he that yet desires farther satisfaction in this point may reade eugubinus his tenth booke de perenni philosophia , & magius de exustione mundi . and so i passe to my third and last point proposed in the beginning of this chapter , which is that the whole world by fire shall totally and intirely be consumed . sect . . that the world shall be by fire totally and finally dissolved and annihilated , prooved by scripture . i am not ignorant that the opinions of divines touching the manner of the consummation of the world haue beene as different as the greatest part of them are strange and improbable ; some imagining that all the creatures which by almighty god were made at the first beginning , shall againe be restored to that perfection which they injoyed before the fall of man. others that the heauens and elements shall onely be so restored ; others that the heauens and onely two of the elements , the aire and the earth , others againe , that the old world shall be wholly abolished , and a new created in steed thereof ; and lastly others which i must confesse , to me seemes the most likely opinion and most agreeable to scripture and reason , that the whole world with all the parts and workes thereof ( onely men and angels , and divels , and the third heauens , the mansion-house of the saints and blessed angels , and the place and instruments appointed for the tormenting of the damned , excepted ) shall be totally and finally dissolued and annihilated : as they were made out of nothing , so into nothing shall they returne againe ; in the prooving whereof i will first produce mine owne arguments , and then shew the weakenes of the adverse . man lieth downe , and riseth not , saith iob , till the heauens be no more . of old hast thou laide the foundation of the earth , and the heauens are the worke of thy hands , they shall perish , but thou shalt endure , saith the psalmist , which the apostle in the first to the hebrewes , and the . and the . repeates almost in the same words , lift vp your eyes to the heauens , and looke vpon the earth beneath ; for the heauens shall vanish away like smoake , and the earth shall waxe old as doth a garment , saith the prophet esay : and in another place : all the host of heauen shal be dissolved , & the heauen shal be rolled together as a scroll , & all their host shall fall downe as the leafe falleth off from the vine , and as a falling fig from the figge tree . to the former of which wordes s. iohn seemes to allude , and the heauen departed as a scroll which is rolled together , heauen & earth shall passe away , but my word shall not passe away , saith our saviour . the day of the lord will come as a theefe in the night , in the which the heauens shall passe away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heate ▪ the earth also , & the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp , saith s. peter . and i saw a great white throne , & him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heauen fled away , and there was found no place for them , saith s. iohn . now i would demaund whether being no more , as iob ; perishing , as david ; vanishing away like smoake , dissolving , rolling together , falling downe as a withered leafe or a dry fig from the tree , as esay ; passing away , as our saviour ; passing away with a great noise ; melting with feruent heate , burning vp as s. peter ; or lastly flying away , so as their place be found no more , as s. iohn ; doe not include an vtter abolition , or at leastwise exclude a restitution to a perfecter estate : once beza i am sure is so evidently convinced by the alleadged words of s. peter , that he plainly confesses the dissolution the apostle there speakes of to be a kinde of annihilation : and both a tilenus & b meisnerus are confident , that those who hold a restitution will neuer be able to reconcile their opinion with the alleadged scriptures . if we looke back to higher times before s. hierome we shall not easily finde any who maintained it . and certaine it is , that clement in his recognitions , or whosoeuer were the author of that worke , brings in s. peter reasoning with simon magus , & teaching that there were two heauens , the one superius & invisibile , & aeternum quod spiritus beati incolunt : the highest , invisible and eternall , which bl●…ssed spirits inhabite ; the other inferius , visibile , varijs distinctum syderibus , corruptibile , & in consummatione saeculi dissolvendum , & prorsus abolendum , lower , visible , distinguished , with diverse starres , corruptible , and at the worlds end to be dissolued and vtterly abolished . now though that worke were not clements , yet was it doubtlesse very ancient being quoted by clemens alexandrinus , and origen , and remembred by s. hierome in his commentaries vpon esay , and is of sufficient authority against those who receiue it : for my selfe i stand not vpon his authority , but the rock of scripture and reason drawne from thence , and the force of naturall discourse . sect . . the same farther prooved by reason . the first then , and as i conceiue the most weighty argument is taken from the end of the worlds creation , which was partly and chiefely the glory of the creator , and partly the vse of man , the lord deputy as it were , or viceroy thereof . now for the glory of the creator , it being by the admirable frame of the world manifested vnto man , man being remoued out of the world , and no creature being capable of such a manifestation besides him , wee cannot imagine to what purpose the frame it selfe should bee left and restored to a more perfect estate . the other end being for mans vse , either to supply his necessity in matter of diet , of physick , of building , of apparell ; or for his instruction , direction , recreation , comfort and delight ; or lastly that therein as in a looking-glasse he might contemplate the wisdome , the power , and the goodnesse of god ; when he shall attaine that blessed estate , as he shall haue no farther use of any of these , enjoying perfect happinesse , and seeing god as he is , face to face , the second or subordinate end of the worlds being must needs be likewise frustrate : and what other end can bee giuen or conceiued for the remaining or restoring thereof , for mine owne part i must professe i cannot conceiue . and to affirme that it shal be restored , & withal to assigne no end wherefore , is ridiculous and vnreasonable . an house being built for an inhabitant , as the world was for man ; if it bee decreed that it shall no more be inhabited , it were but vanity to repaire , much more to adorne and beautifie it farther . and therefore when mankinde shall bee dislodged and remoue from hence , therevpon shall instantly ensue the consummation or end , not the reparation or restitution , but the end of the world . so the scriptures call it in plaine tearmes , and so i beleeue it . and in truth some divines , considering that of necessity some end must bee assigned , haue falne vpon ends so absurd and vnwarrantable , that the very naming of them were sufficient to make a man beleeue there was no such matter indeed . some then , and that of our owne church , and that in published bookes for the clearing of this objection , haue fancied to themselues an intercourse of the saints ( after the resurrection ) betwixt heauen and earth , and that full dominion ouer the creatures which by the fall of adam was lost . others are of opinion that the earth after the day of judgement being renewed with fire , and more pleasantly apparelled , shall be the mansion of such as neither by their merits haue deserued heauen , nor hell by their demerits . and lastly others , that such as haue died in their infancy without circumcision or baptisme might possesse it . now what meere dreames these are of idle braines , if i should but endeavour to demonstrate , i feare i should shew my selfe more vaine in vouchsafing them a confutation , then they in publishing them to the world. and yet they are the best wee see that learned men by the strength of their wits can finde out . my second reason shall be drawne from the nature of the world , and the quality of the parts thereof , which are supposed shall bee restored to their originall integrity , and so in that state euerlastingly remaine . i will begin with the vegetables and creatures endued with sense , & concerning them would willingly learne , whether they shall bee all restored , or some onely , namely such as shall be found in being at the day of iudgment : if all , where shall we finde stowage for them ? surely we may in this case properly apply that which the evangelist in another case vses figuratiuely , if they should all be restored : euē the world it self could not cōtain the things which should be restored . if some only , thē would i gladly know why those some should be vouchsafed this great honour & not all , or how these creatures without a miracle shal be restrained frō propagating & multiplying , & that infinitly their kinds by a perpetuall generatiō . or lastly , how the several individuals of these kinds shall cōtrary to their primitiue natures , liue & dure immortally : but to make a good & sound answere to these demaunds , is a point of that difficulty , that the greatest part of divines rather choose to leaue out the mixt bodies & preferre only the heavens & the elements to this pretended dignity of restitution ; though about the number of the elements to be restored they all agree not . but heere againe i would demaund , whether the world without the mixt bodies , can truly be sayd to be more perfect and beautifull then before , whether the inbred and inseparable qualities of the elements , as thickenesse and thinnesse , weight & lightnesse , heate & cold , moisture & drynesse shall remaine ? if they shall not , how shall they remaine elements ? if they shall , how without a miracle shall they be suspended from a mutuall intercourse of working one vpon another , and a production of meteors & mixt bodies ? and how shall the earth disvested of the vegetables which apparelled her , and appearing with her naked and dustie face , be sayd to be more amiable then before ? finally , if the heavens according to their essence shall remaine , how shall they naturally & without a miracle stand still , being now naturally inclined to a circular motion ? or how without a miracle shall the light be increased , and yet the warmth springing from thence be abated , nay wholy abolished ? or if the warmth shall remaine , how can it choose but burne vp those parts of the earth , vpon which it never ceases to dart perpendicular beames ? or how can the sunne stand still , and yet inlighten both the hemespheres , or the starres of that hemesphere which it inlightens at all appeare ? to these demaunds , pererius makes a short answere , and in my judgement a very strange one , and vnworthy the penne of so great a clarke , that some of these things god hath already done , that we might be induced the more readily to beleeue , that they both may , and shall be done againe : and for instance , he alleageth the standing still of the sunne & moone at the prayer of iosuah , & the restrayning of the burning force of the fire , in the babylonian furnace ; but withall foreseing that those were miracles , for satisfaction therevnto he concludes : non agere autem inter se qualitates elementorum , nec lu em syderum calefacere , quamvis nunc ingens esset miraculum , tunc tamen posita semel mundi renovatione non erunt miracula . it were now a great miracle , that the qualities of the elements should not mutually worke each vpon other , or that the light of the starres should not produce warmth , but then the world being renewed , they shall be no miracles . indeed if the world were so to be renewed as the former essence of it were to be destroyed , or the former qualities to be entinguished , then should i happily allow of his reason as probable & passable ; but now granting that the same identicall forme and matter shal , still continue , & that the former qualities shall not be abandoned but perfected , not altered in kinde , but only in degree ; i cannot see how it should be held & tearmed a great miracle heeretofore , which shall not be so heereafter . and whereas it is said , that the bodies of the saints shall then naturally liue without meate , which now without a miracle they cannot doe , we must consider , that though the substance of their bodies shall remaine , yet the qualities of them shall be intirely changed , so farre as the apostle is bold to call it a spirituall bodie . and besides , we may be bold to challenge a speciall priviledge vnto the bodies of the saints , the temples of the holy ghost , which without speciall warrant cannot be yeelded to any other corporeall substance . and withall we must remember , that for the resurrection of the bodie , wee haue an article in our creede & most cleere proofes from scripture , but for the restitution of the creatures no one such sufficient proofe , as the mind of a christian desirous to be truly informed , can rest fully satisfied therein . such as they are i will not conceale them : these places then are to that purpose commonly alleaged . sect . . the arguments commonly alleadged from the scriptures for the renovation of the world , answered . whom the heavens must containe till the times of the restitution of all things . he layed the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever , sayth david . and solomon , one generation passeth and another commeth , but the earth abideth for ever . behold i create new heavens and a new earth , and the former shall not be remembred , nor come into mind . to which words of the prophet , s. iohn seemes to allude , and i saw a new heaven and a new earth , for the first heaven and the first earth passed away , and there was no more sea. and for the increase of the light of the planets and other starres , that passage of the same prophet is vsually alleadged : the light of the moone shall be as the light of the sunne , and the light of the sunne seaven fold : but the pretended proofes most stood vpon , are drawne from s. paules epistles , the fashion of this world passeth away ; the fashion not the substance . and againe , the creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god. and lastly , heerevnto they adde the words of the psalmist , thou shalt change them , and they shall be changed : not abolished but chaunged : which words are againe by the apostle taken vp and repeated , heb. . . these are , i am sure , the strongest , if not all the pretented proofes that are commonly drawne from the holy scripture and pressed for the maintenance of the adverse opinion ; the strength of which , i thinke i shall so put backe , as it shall appeare to any indifferent iudge , that it is in truth but forced and wrested . the passages i will consider in order as they are alleaged , & severally examine their validitie to the purpose they are vrged . first then whereas wee out of the greeke reade the restitution of all things , the syriake interpreter hath it vsque ad complementum temporum omnium , to the end of all times , whereby none other thing can be vnderstood then the finall consummation of the world ; but to take the words as we finde them , the times of restitution are vndoubtedly the same , which saint peter in the next verse saue one going before , had tearmed times of refreshing , and by them is meant the actuall fulnesse and perfection of our redemption , quoniam restitutio illa adhuc in cursu est adeoque redemptio quando adhuc sub onere servitutis gemimus , sayth calvin , because our restitution and consequently our redemption as yet is but imperfect , whiles we groane vnder the burden of servitude . to the second it may be sayd , that in the course of nature , the earth should remaine for ever without decay or diminution , had not the creator of it decreed by his almighty power to abolish it : but i rather chuse to answere with iunius , who vpon the first place taken out of the psalme , giues this note , tantisper dum saeculum duraturum est , as long as time shall endure : and vpon the second this , hominis vani comparatione , in comparison of the vanishing estate of man. the earth then is sayd to remaine for ever , as circumcision and the leviticall law are sayed to be perpetuall , not absolutely , but comparatiuely . now for the new heavens and the new earth : it should seeme by the places alleaged , that if it be litterally to be vnderstood of the materiall heavens , they shall not be renewed as the common opinion is , but new created , ( creation being a production of some new thing out of nothing : so as it shall not be a restitution of the old , but a substitution of new , in asmuch as the prophet esay addes , the former shall not be remembred , nor come into minde : and saint iohn , the first heaven and the first earth passed away , and there was no more sea. and saint peter , the heavens shall passe away with a noise , and the elements shall melt with heate , and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp . and of this opinion , beza in one place seemes to haue beene : promittuntur novi coeli ac nova terra , non priorum restitutio , sive in eundem sive in meliorem statum , nec ijs possum assentiri , qui hanc dissolutionem ad solas qualitates referendam censent . there are promised new heavens and a new earth , not the restitution of the old either vnto their former or a better state , neither can i assent vnto them , who referre this dissolution to the qualities alone . but seing belike the singularity and absurditie of this opinion , he recalls himselfe in his annotations vpon the very next verse . but the truth is that by new heavens and a new earth is to be vnderstood in the prophet esay , the state of the church during the kingdome of christ : and in saint peter and s. iohn , the state of the saints in the heavenly ierusalem . for the prophet , that which i affirme will easily appeare to any vnderstanding reader that pleaseth to pervse that chapter ; specially if therevnto we adde the latter part of the next touching the same point . for as the new heavens and the new earth which i will make , shall remaine before me , sayth the lord : so shall your seed and your name continue , and from moneth to moneth , and from sabbaoth to sabbaoth shall all flesh come to worship before me , saith the lord. vpon the alleaged passage of the former chapter iunius & tremelius giue this note , omnia instauraturus sum in christo , i will restore all things in christ : referring vs for the farther illustration thereof to that of the same prophet in his chapter at the verse . and for the exposition of the latter passage in the chapter , referres vs to that in the going before . so that aswell by the drift and coherence of the text , as by the judgement of sound interpreters , materiall heavens and earth are not there vnderstood . which some of our english translatours well perceiving , haue to the first passage affixed this note , i will so alter and change the state of the church that it shall seeme to dwell in a new world : and to the second this , heereby he signifieth the kingdome of christ , wherein his church shall be renewed . yet i will not deny but that the prophet may in those words likewise allude to the state of the saints in the heavenly ierusalem . to which purpose , s. peter seemes to apply them , according to his promise , sayth he , we looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes , that is , by the consent of the best expositours , righteous and just men , who after the day of judgement shall dwell no longer vpon the earth , but in the heavenly ierusalem . which saint iohn more liuely describes in the of the revelation ; for having sayd in the first verse , and i saw a new heaven and a new earth , he presently addes in the second , as it were by way of exposition of the former : and i iohn saw the holy citty new ierusalem , comming downe from god out of heaven , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ; and by the sequele of that chapter and the latter part of the precedent , it cleerely appeares ( whatsoever bright-man dreame to the contrary ) that he there describes the state of the saints after the day of judgement , and the glory of that place which they are eternally to inhabite ; being such , that it had no need of the sunne nor of the moone to shine in it , the glory of god inlightning it , and the lambe being the light thereof : and iunius thus begins his annotations on that chapter : nunc sequitur historiae propheticae pars secunda de statu futuro ecclesiae coelestis post iudicium vltimum : now followes the second part of this propheticall history of the future state of the church triumphant after the day of iudgement : and with him therein accord the greatest part of the soundest and most judicious interpreters . the other passage alleaged of the prophet esay touching the increase of light in the sunne and moone is likewise vndoubtedly to be vnderstood of the restauration of his church , according to the tenour of the chapter , and the annotation of iunius annexed therevnto , illustrissima erunt & gloriosissima omnia in restitutione ecclesiae , all things shall then be more beautifulll and glorious in the restitution of the church . and with him fully accord our english notes , when the church shall be restored , the glory thereof shall passe seaven times the brightnesse of the sunne . for by the sunne and moone which are two excellent creatures , he sheweth what shall bee the glory of the children of god in the kingdome of christ. now for the words of the apostle , the fashion of this world passeth away , what other thing intends he , but that in these wordly things , there is nothing durable and solide , elegantly thereby expressing the vanitie of them , in which exposition , both iunius & calvin agree . that of the same apostle in the to the romans , touching the delivering of the creature from the bondage of corruption , into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god , is i confesse in appearance more pressing . but this passage the great wit of saint augustine found to be very obscure and perplexed , in somuch as not a few vnderstand those words of saint peter of this particular , that in saint paules epistles some things are hard to be vnderstood . it were then in my judgement no small presumption vpon a place so intricate and difficult peremptorily to build so vncertaine a doctrine . but because it is so hotly vrged as a testimony vnanswereable , let vs a little examine the parts and sense thereof . first then it is cleere , that the creature may be delivered from the bondage of corruption , and yet not restored to a more perfect and beautifull estate , in asmuch as being annihilated , it is thereby freed from that abuse of wicked and vngratefull men , which heere it is of necessity still subject vnto . but all the doubt is , how the creature shall be made partaker of the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god. i hope no man will dare to affirme that they shall be with them coheires of eternall blessednes , as the words seem to import ; how then are they made partakers of this glorious liberty ? but in asmuch as when the sonnes of god shall be made partakers thereof , the creature shall be altogether freed from the bondage of corruption : so as that , into the liberty of the sonnes of god , is no more then together with the liberty of the sons of god , or , by reason of the liberty of the sons of god , as saint chrysostome hath expounded it . they which maintaine any other future liberty in the creature by way of restitution or bettering it , are bound soundly to answere all the arguments before alleaged , and withall to yeeld a sufficient reason why some creatures are to be restored and not all , since the name of creature is equally attributed to all and not to some only . surely s. ambrose in his expositions vpon that place , durst goe no farther then we doe , habet enim in labore posita creatura hoc solatium quoniam habebit requiem , cum crediderint omnes quos scit deus credituros : the creature travelling in paine hath this comfort , that it shall rest from labour , when they shall all beleeue , whom god knowes are to beleeue . and in truth this is as much as we neede beleeue , and as the words being favourablely interpreted doe inforce . the last testimony mustered against vs was taken from the psalmist , th●…u shalt change them and they shall be changed : but since in the same verse he likewise tels vs , they shall perish ; what change shall we there vnderstand ? surely for the same thing to bee sayd to bee chaunged into a better and more perfect estate , and yet withall at the same time to perish , cannot properly be verified . we are to know then that a thing may be chaunged , not only by alteration , which is a chaunge in the quality , but by augmentation or diminution , which is a chaunge in the quantity ; by corruption , which is a chaunge in the substance ; or lastly , ( though in a larger , and perchaunce somewhat vnusuall acceptation ) by annihilation , which is a totall abolishing of the substance : and this in truth is the greatest chaunge that may be , it being ab ente ad non ens simpliciter , from a being to a not being wholy . and of such a chaunge must the psalmist of force be vnderstood , if we will reconcile him with himselfe , and the passages before alleaged ; or ( if this satisfie not ) we may say ( as some doe ) that the heavens shall be changed in regard of vs ; insteed of visible and materiall heavens , ( the vse of which wee now injoy ) wee shall be translated to an heaven immateriall and invisible , the coelestiall paradise , the heavenly ierusalem , which in holy scriptures is likewise tearmed a new heaven . notwithstanding all this ( for the reverence i beare antiquitie ) i will not be peremptory in the point : but truly me thinkes , that a few obscure places should rather be expounded by many cleere , then the cleere wrested to the obscure . cap. . of the uses we are to make of the consummation of the world , and of the day of iudgement . sect . . that the day of the worlds end shall likewise be the day of the generall iudgement thereof , and that then there shall bee such a iudgement , is proved aswell by reason as the testimonie of the gentiles . whatsoever be the manner of the worlds end , most certaine it is , an end it shall haue , and as certaine that then we shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of christ , that every man may receiue according to that which he hath done in his body , whether it be good or evill . if we yeeld that there is a god , and that this god is almighty & just ( which of necessity he must be , or otherwise he may not be god ) it cannot be avoyded , but that after this life ended , he administer justice vnto men , by punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous : since in this world the one commonly liue in ease and prosperity , and the other in misery and persecution . shall not then the iudge of all the world doe right ? doubtles he shall and will. some therefore he punisheth exemplarily in this world , that we might from thence haue a tast or glimce of his present iustice : and others he reserveth to the next , that from thence we might haue an assurance of a future iudgement , which is either particular , as we are single persons at the day of the separation of the soule from the body , which wee may call the privy sessions of the soule ; or vniversall , as we are parcels of mankinde , at the last day , which we may call the generall assise both of soule and bodie . and that there shall be such a generall judgement , beside the particular , we haue these reasons to induce vs to beleeue it . first , that the body of man rising from his sepulchre at that day may be partaker of eternall punishment or glory with the soule , even as in this life it was participant of the vertues or vices which the soule did execute ; as they either sinned together , or served god together : so is it most fit that they should receiue the sentence of eternall life or death together . yet because the soule both may , and often doth , either sinne or serue god without the bodie , but the body of it selfe can doe neither without the soule ; therefore is it as requisite , that the separated soule should either suffer paine or injoy blisse , whiles the body rests in the graue : and being revnited and married againe vnto the body , should partake more either of blisse or paine then it . as this first reason is taken from the essentiall parts , so the second reason , that there shall be an vniversall and publique judgement , is drawne from the actions of the persons to be judged & their rewards . though it be true then , that if men were rewarded in secret both in soule and in in bodie according to their actions the justice of god might by that meanes be preserved , yet could it not be sufficiently manifested , vnlesse this judgement were acted in the publique view of the whole world . many good men haue heere been openly oppressed and troden vnder foote ; and on the other side , the wicked haue flourished in abundance of outward peace & temporall felicity , which hath made the best of gods servants at times to stagger and stand amazed thereat : but then shall they and all the world cleerely see , and confid●…ntly professe to the honour of divine justice , verily there is a reward for the righteous , doubtles there is a god that judgeth the earth . and in regard of this conspicuous manifestation of gods justice and full accomplishment thereof at the last day , not a few of the greeke & latine fathers , as also the holy scriptures themselues in sundry places seeme to say , the retribution of our workes in the flesh shall be differred till then . now besides this honour which shall accrew to the justice of god , both wicked sinners and the blessed saints of god shall then receiue their rewards and finall paiments openly in the sight and hearing of each other , to the end , that the griefe and shame of the impious , and the triumphant joy of the vertuous and religious , might therby be the more increased . for what greater heart-breaking and confusion can there bee to the one , then to haue all their secret faults layd open , and the sentence of condemnation passed vpon them in the presence of them whom they derided and vilified ; or what greater comfort and content to the other , then to be justified and rewarded in the view of them , who were their professed enemies . lastly , as our blessed lord and saviour iesus christ , ( who shall then appeare as iudge ) at his first comming into this world was contemptible in the eye of wordlings , and dishonoured publiquely both in his life and death : so was it convenient , that once in this world hee should shew his power , and majesty , and that in the sight of all his creatures , but specially of his wicked enimies , who after that day are never to see or behold him more . to these reasons may be added the testimonie of the very gentiles , of hydaspes , hermes , & sybilla ; whereof the first having described the iniquity of the last age , sayes that the godly and righteous men being severed from the vntighteous , shall with teares and groanes lift vp their hands to heaven imploring the helpe of iupiter , and that therevpon iupiter shall regard the earth , heare their prayers and destroy the wicked : quae omnia vera sunt praeter vnum quod iovem dixit illa facturum quae deus faciet , saith lactantius , all which things are true , saue one , which is , that he ascribes that to iupiter which god shall doe . and besides ( sayth he ) it was not without the cunning suggestion of sathan left out that then the sonne of god shall be sent from the father , who destroying the wicked , shall set the righteous at liberty . which hermes notwithstan ding dissembled not . part of sybilla's verses alleadged by lactantius in greeke , may thus be rendred in latine & english : huic luci finem imponent cum fata supremum , iudicium aethereus pater exercebit in omnes , iudicium humano generi imperiumque verendum . when god shall to this world its fatall period send th' immortall , mortall men in judgment shall arraigne , great shall his judgment be , his kingdome without end . and againe , tartareumque chaos tellure hiscente patebit regesque aetherij sistentur judicis omnes ante thronum . tartarean chaos then earth opening wide shall show , and then all kings before gods judgment seat shall bow . and in another place . coelum ego convolvens penetralia caeca recludam telluris , functique & fati lege soluti et mortis stimulo exurgent , cunctosque tribunal ante meum iudex statuam , reprobosque , probosque . rolling vp heauen i will earths secret vaults disclose , deaths sting also and bonds of fate will i vnloose : then shall the dead arise , and all both small and great , both good and bad shall stand before my judgment seat . ouer and aboue these prophets and men of learning , peru the south part of america doth yeeld to vs an ignorant people , who by the light of nature and a generall apprehension ( for god knoweth they haue nothing else ) doe beleeue that the world shall end , and that there shall be then a reward for the good and for the euill according to their desert . sect . . the consideration of this day may first serue for terrour to the wicked , whether they regard the dreadfulnesse of the day it selfe , or the quality of the iudge by whom they are to be tryed . the certainty then of this vniversall iudgment at the last day being thus cleerely prooued , not only by the scriptures of the old and new testament , but by the light of reason and the testimonies of the gentiles , the consideratiō thereof may justly serue for terrour to the wicked , it being to them a day of wrath and vengeance ; for comfort to the godly , it being to them a day of refreshing and full redemption ; and lastly for admonition & instruction to both . first then it may justly serue for matter of extreame terrour to the wicked , whether they regard the dreadfulnes of the day in which they shall be tryed , or the quality of the iudge by whom they are to be tryed , or the nature & number of their accusers that shall bring in evidence against them , or the presence of such an assembly of men and angels before whom they shall be arraigned , or their owne guiltinesse and astonishment , or lastly the sharpnesse and severity of the sentence that shall passe vpon them . the very face and countenance of that day shall be hideous and dismall to looke to , it shal be apparelled with horrour and affrightment on euery side : that day is a day of wrath , a day of trouble and heavinesse , a day of destruction and desolation , a day of gloominesse and darknesse , a day of clouds , stormes and blacknesse , a day of the trumpet and alarme against the strong cities and against the high towres . then shall the sun be darkned , and the moone shall be turned into bloud , and the starres shall fall from heauen as it were withered leaues from their trees , and the powers of heauen shall be shaken , and the graues shall vomit vp their dead bodies , the heauens shall passe away with a noise , and shriuel together like scorched parchment , the elements shall melt & dissolue with heat , the sea & flouds shall roare , & the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp , there shall be horrible clapps of thunder & flashes of lightning , voyces & earthquakes , such as neuer were since men dwelt vpon the earth : such howling , such lamentations , such skriches shall be heard in euery corner , that the hearts of men shall tremble & wither for very feare and expectation of those things which at that day shall befall them . and now tell me what mortall heart can choose but ake and quake at the remembrance of these vnspeakable incomprehensible terrours . the law was giuen with thunder & lightnings , and a thick cloud vpon the mount , with an exceeding lowde and shrill sound of the trumpet , so that all the people were afrayde , yea so terrible was the sight , that moses said , i feare and quake . now if moses the servant of the lord quaked to heare the first trumpet at the giuing of the law , how shall the wicked , condemned in their owne conscience , tremble and quake to heare the second at the execution thereof ? specially being arraigned at the barre of such a iudge , apparelled with robes of majesty , & attended with millions of angels : a iudge so soueraigne as there lyes no appeale from him ; so wise as nothing can escape his knowledge ; so mighty as nothing can resist his power , so vpright as nothing can pervert his justice , who neither can bee deceiued with sophistry , nor blinded with gifts , nor terrified with threats . they shall looke vpon him whom they haue wounded and gored with the speare of their blasphemies , with the nailes of their cursings and cursed oathes ; whō they haue buffeted & spit vpon with their impiety & prophanesse ; whō they haue again crucified to themselues by their divelish & damnable actions , trampling his pretious bloud vnder foot by their impenitencie , putting him to open shame by their infidelity , making a mock of him by their obstinacy , and turning his grace into wantonnes by their presumption . holy augustine in one of his sermons of the last iudgment , brings in this glorious iudge thus expostulating the matter with these miscreants at that day . o man with mine owne handes did i fashion thee out of the slime of the earth : into thy earthly members did i infuse a spirit : i vouchsafed to bestow vpon thee mine own image : i placed thee among the delights of paradise : but thou contemning the vitall efficacy of my commandements , choosedst rather to listen to the tempter , then thy god. and when being expelled out of paradise by reason of sin thou wert held in the chaines of death , i was inclosed in the virgins wombe , i was layde in the cratch , i was wrapped in swathing cloathes , i endured the scorne of infancy & the griefe of manhood , that so being like vnto thee , i might make thee like vnto my selfe . i bore the buffetings & spittings of scorners , i dranke vineger mixed with gall , i was scourged with whippes , crowned with thornes , nayled to the crosse , gored with a speare , & that thou mightest be freed from death , in torments i parted with my life : looke vpon the print of the nayles , behold the skarres of my wounds : i took vpon me thine infirmities , that i might impart vnto thee my glory . i vnderwent the death due to thee , that thou mightst liue for euer . i was buried in a sepulchre , that thou mightest raigne in heauen . why hast thou wilfully lost that which i by my sufferings purchased for thee ? why hast thou spurned at the gratious gift of thy redemption . i complaine not of my death , only render vnto me that life for which i gaue mine . render me that life which by the wounds of thy sinnes thou dayly killest . why hast thou polluted with more then beastly sensuality that temple which in thee i consecrated to my selfe ? why hast thou stained my body with filthy provocations ? why hast thou tormented me with a more grievous crosse of thy sinnes , then that vpon which i sometimes hung : for the crosse of thy sinnes is more grievous ( in as much as vnwillingly i hang vpon it ) then that other which taking pity vpon thee , & to kill thy death i willingly mounted . i being impassible in my selfe vouchsafed to suffer for thee : but thou hast despised god in man , salvation in mine infirmity , pardon from thy iudge , life from my crosse , and wholesome medicine from my sufferings . now what flinty or steely heart in the world could choose but resolue it selfe into teares of bloud vpon such an expostulation were it moistned with any drop of grace ? but heerevnto might be added , that thou hast often joyned with his enemies against him , turned the deafe eare to the ministery of his word , jested at his threatnings , neglected his gratious invitations , quenched his holy inspirations , abused his sacraments & his patience , which being long abused at length is turned into fury . this lambe of god therefore shall then shew himselfe as a lyon , he shall then put on righteousnesse for a brest-plate , & take true judgment in steed of an helmet , then shal he put on the garments of vengeance for cloathing , & be clad with zeale as with a cloake ; then shall hee come in strength as a storme of haile , & as a whirlewinde breaking and throwing downe whatsoeuer standeth in his way , as a rage of many waters that flow and rush together . the mountaines shall melt & fly away at his presence , a burning fire shall run before him , and on euery side of him a violent tempest . and if felix himselfe a iudge trembled to heare paul ( who as a prisoner was arraigned before him ) disputing of this last iudgment , how shall the guilty prisoners tremble before the face of this iudge , being both the iudge and the party offended ? if the iewes who came to attach him fell backward at the hearing of his voyce in the dayes of his humility , how shal the wicked stand amazed & confounded at his presence when he comes to judge them in glory & maiesty ? surely for them to endure the fiercenes of his angry countenance wil be intollerable , and yet to fly from it impossible , & the more intollerable will it be in regard of the nature and number of their accusers . sect . . of the nature and number of their accusers . the creatures shall accuse them whom they haue abused to vanity , to luxury , to drunkennesse , to gluttony ; to covetousnesse , to ambition , to revenge , and being then freed from their bondage , they shall freely cōplain of this vnjust vsurpation . good men shall accuse them , as having bin most disdainfully scorned , wronged , oppressed , and troden vnder-foot by them . their companions shall accuse them , as having beene drawne into sin by their wicked intisements and examples . their teachers and gouernours shall accuse them , as hauing beene irreverent toward their persons , & rebellious against their instructions and commaunds . their children and servants shall accuse them , as hauing beene negligent in their education in vertue and piety . the prophets and apostles shall accuse them as hauing beene carelesse in the observation of their writings . the good angels shall accuse them whose directions they haue refused to follow . the divels shall accuse them in that they haue betrayed their lord and captaine to march vnder their banners . their owne consciences shall bitterly accuse & vpbraid them : the body shall accuse the soule as being the principall agent , and the soule the body as being a ready instrument : the appetite shall accuse reason as being too sensuall & indulgent ; & reason the appetite , as being irregular & inordinate : all the faculties of the soule , all the senses & members of the body shall accuse each other : nay which is worst of all , the iudge himselfe shal be thy accuser , representing those transgressions to thy memory , & laying them close to thy charge which either thou hadst forgotten & cast behinde thee , or didst perchaunce not know , or not acknowledge to be sinnes , sweet iesvs , which way will the poore sinner turne himselfe in the midst of all these accusers & accusations . to confesse thē then will serue but to increase his shame ; to deny them , but to aggravate his fault , & consequently his punishment : nay deny them hee cannot , being convinced by two euidences against which there can bee no exception , the booke of the law , & the booke of his owne conscience , the one shall shew him what he should haue done , & the other what hee hath done ; against the booke of the law ; hee shal be able to speake nothing , his conscience telling him that the commaundements of the lord are pure and righteous altogether : and for the booke of conscience , against that he cannot possibly except , it being alway in his owne keeping , so as it could not be falsified , & whatsoeuer shall then be found written therein , he shal freely acknowledge to haue beene written with his owne hand : silence then shall be his safest plea , and astonishment his best apologie . the rather , for that all these accusations shal be brought in and layde against him in the presence of the blessed saints and glorious angels which shall then be vnto him a terrible and feareful spectacle , aswel in regard of their infinite number , as their inresistable strength . we read of diverse holy men , who vpon the sight of an angell haue beene cast into such pittifull fits , that their spirits haue fayled them , their breath hath forsaken them , their joynts haue bin loosed and for the time they haue bin as dead bodies without all appearance of sense or life . now if holy men haue been so much moved with the sight of one angell bringing them good tidings and conversing familiarly with them , into what inconceiueable gulfes of horrour shall the reprobate be plunged vpon the sight of so many millions , all armed with indignation against them , and desire of the full and finall execution of their creators will ? if an army of men marching with banners displayed bee terrible to behold , how dreadfull shall those innumerable hoaste of heavenly souldiers appeare to the face of their enimies ? and if one of them slew foure score and fiue thousand in one night , what mortall weight shall conceiue any hope of standing before such multitudes , who as they are now sent forch to minister for their sakes that are heires of salvation : so then shall they separate the just from the vnjust , and shall execute vengeance vpon them that shall be heires of damnation , casting them into a fornace of fire , where shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth . so as they shall not be bare spectatours , but principall act●…urs in that lamentable tragedie . we finde , that when but one of them descended to role away the stone frō our saviours sepulchre , there was a great earth-quake , and for feare of him , the keepers of the sepulchre were astonied , and became as dead men : into what extremity then of confusion and perplexity shall the wicked be driven , when they shall perceiue such troupes of these mighty and glorious creatures assembled , not only to be witnesses of their shame and just condemnation , but agents in their execution ? besides all this , it shall be acted in the presence of those blessed saints whom they alwayes held their greatest enemies ; and what greater bitternesse can be imagined , then to be layd open and reproached in the sight of a mans enimies , and to see them in the meane time advanced to honour , triumphing and insulting vpon his miseries , as the saints then shall doe vpon impenitent sinners , admiring and applauding the justice of their creat●…r , and as assistants , approving the equity of that sentence which he shall pronounce , and which the condemned themselues likewise cannot but justifie . in asmuch as then in an instant shall be represented vnto themselues , and discovered in the open view of the whole world , all the horrible , foule , bloody , crying , roaring sinnes that ever they committed , together with all the circumstances of time , and place , and persons , and manner , and measure . then shall they giue a particular strict account of all the blessings , of all the gifts and graces which god hath bestowed vpon them , of all the faculties of their soules , of all the senses and members of their bodies , as it were of so many talents committed to their charge , how they haue vsed , or rather abused them . then shall they giue an account , how they haue profited by all those wholsome lessons they haue heard , and fatherly chastisements they haue beene corrected with , how they haue entertained those good motions that god hath put into their hearts ; how they haue withstood the suggestions of sathan , & the temptations of the world and the flesh . then shall they giue an account , not only of their greivous haynous sinnes of presumption and malice , committed against the light of their conscience wittingly , willingly , & wilfully , with an high hand and striffe necke , but of filthy rotten speeches , prophane writings , vnsavory jests , nay of every idle word , nay of every loose and lewd thought ; not only of outward , publique , notorious transgressions , but of secret practises , mischievous plots & projects , knowne only to god and their owne soules . lastly , not only of sins of commission , but of the omission of good duties , and of their pretious time mis-spent , passing the greatest part thereof in eating , and drinking , & sleeping , and dancing , and gaming , in haunting taverns , and play-houses , and dicing-houses , and brothell-houses , which should haue been spent in the workes of charity , of piety , or those of their private calling . good god , what shall the poore sinner now say , what shall he doe for the levelling and cleering of these accounts ? shall he call for mercy ? he hath already shut that doore against himselfe . shall he fly to his saviour ? hee is now become his iudge . shall he implore the intercession of the saints and angells ? neither will they intercede if they might be heard , nor shall they be heard , though they would intercede . o hard distresse , sayth devoute anselme , on the one side will be his sinnes accusing him , on the other side justice terrifying him , vnder him the gulfe of hell gaping , aboue him the iudge frowning , within him a conscience stinging , without him the world burning . finding no way then to releiue or excuse himselfe , hee shall seeke to hide himselfe in dens and among the clefts of the rockes , and shall say vnto the hills and mountaines , fall vpon me and cover me from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne , and from the wrath of the lambe , for the great day of his wrath is come , and who can stand ? and if the righteous be hardly saved , where shall the impenitent sinner appeare ? yet no remedie , stand forth and appeare they must at the open barre or gods justice , and there receiue their last doome ; depart from me yee cursed , into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angells . sect . . or lastly , the dreadfulnes of the sentence which shall then be pronounced vpon them . o mercifull lord , what a dolefull , what as dreadfull sentence is this ? depart from thee o christ ? why thou art all things , and therefore the losse of thee is an vniversall losse of all things . thou art the greatest good , and therefore to be deprived of thee is the greatest evill . thou art the very center and perfect rest of the soule , and therefore to bee pulled from thee is the most cruell separation that can be . it was the richest promise that thou couldst make to the penitent theefe , and the sweetest voyce that he could heare , this day thou shalt be with me in paradise . lord whither shall we goe from thee , saith one of thine apostles , and the other only wisheth to be dissolved , that he may be with thee . the wisards of the east when they recovered the sight of the starre that but led vnto thee , being yet in the state of infirmitie and humilitie , rejoyced with an exceeding great joy : and thy forerunner the baptist at the voyce of thy blessed mother sprang for joy , being yet in the wombe ; how then would they haue beene replenished and ravished with joy to haue seen thee in thy kingdome of glory , and tormented with griefe to haue bin commaunded out of thy presence ? specially considering , that with thee is the well of life , in thy presence is the fulnes of joy , and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore . by parting from thee then , wee part from the blisfull vision of the face of god , from the fruition of the happy fellowship of the holy angels and society of saints , and consequently from happinesse it selfe . what remaines then , but that parting from happinesse , wee should indeede become most miserable and accursed caitifs . depart from me yee cursed . men sometimes curse where god blesses , and blesse where god curses : they can only pronounce a man cursed , they cannot make him so : but heere it is otherwise : for with this powerfull and righteous iudge , to pronounce is to make : when he cursed the figge tree , it instantly withered : and as these impenitent sinners loved cursing , so shall it come vnto them ; and as they loved not blessing , so shall it be farre from them . as they cloathed themselues with cursing like a rayment , so shall it come into their bowels like water , and like oyle into their bones ; it shall be vnto them as a garment to cover them , and for a girdle wherewith they shall be alway girded . cursed shall be the day of their conception , & cursed the day of their birth : cursed they shall be in their soules , and cursed in their bodies ; cursed in their thoughts , and cursed in their desires ; cursed in their speeches , and cursed in their actions ; cursed in the haynousnes of their sinne , and cursed in the grievousnesse of their punishment : cursed in their punishment of losse , for their aversion from the creator , depart from me ; and cursed in their punishment of sense , for their conversion to the creature , depart from me into everlasting fire . of all the creatures appointed by almighty god , to be instruments for the execution of his vengeance , water and fire are noted to haue the least mercy : and therefore with fire & brimstone consumed he the filthy sodomites , a type of this hellish fire , as sodome was of hell it selfe . if creating an element heere for our comfort , i meane the fire , he made the same so insufferable as it is , in such sort , as a man would not hold his onely hand therein one day to gaine a kingdome ; what a fire thinke you hath he provided for hell , which is not created for comfort , but only for torment ? our fire hath many differences from that , and therefore is truly sayd of the holy fathers , to be but as a painted or fained fire in respect of that . for first our fire was made to comfort , as i haue sayd , and ▪ that only to afflict and torment : our fire hath need to be fed continually with wood and fewell , or else it goeth out , that burneth eternally without feeding , and is vnquenchable ; for that the breath of the lords owne mouth doth blowe and nourish it . our fire worketh only vpon the body , immediatly vpon the soule being a spirit it cannot worke , that worketh vpon the soule separated from the bodie , as it likewise doth vpon the apostate angells , and vpon both soule and bodie rejoyned . our fire giveth light which of it selfe is comfortable , that admitteth none , but is full of dismall darkenesse . our fire may be extinguished , or the rage of it abated with water , that cannot . ours breedeth weeping , that not only weeping but gnashing of teeth , the ordinary effect of cold . such a strange and incredible fire it is , that it implies contraries , and so terrible is this iudge to his enimies , that he hath devised a wonderfull way , how to torment them with burning heate and chilling cold both at once . lastly , our fire consumeth the food that is cast into it , and thereby in short space dispatcheth the paines , whereas that afflicteth & tormenteth , but consumeth not , to the end , the paines may be everlasting as is the fire . o deadly life , o immortall death , what shall i tearme thee ? life ? and wherefore then dost thou kill ? death ? and wherefore then dost thou endure ? there is neither life nor death but hath something good in it . for in life there is some ease , and in death an end , but thou hast neither ease nor end : what shall i tearme thee ? even the bitternesse of both . for of death thou hast torment without any end , and of life the continuance without any ease , so long as god shall liue , so long shall the damned die ; and when he shall cease to be happy , then shall they also cease to be miserable . a starre which is farre greater then the earth , appeareth to be a small spot in comparison of the heavens , much lesse shall the age of man seeme ; yea much lesse the age and continuance of the whole world in regard of this perpetuity of paines . the least moment of time if it be compared with tenne thousand millions of yeares , because both tearmes are finite , and the one a part of the other , beareth , although a very small , yet some proportion : but this or any other number of yeares in respect of endlesse eternity is nothing , lesse then just nothing : for all things that are finite may bee compared together , but betweene that which is finite , and that which is infinite , there standeth no comparison . o sayth one holy father in a godly meditation , if a sinner damned in hell did know that hee had to suffer those torments no more thousand yeares then there be sands in the sea or grasse leaues on the ground , or no more thousand millions of ages then there be creatures in heaven , hell , and in earth , he would greatly rejoyce , for that he would comfort himselfe at the leastwise with this cogitation , that once yet the matter would haue an end : but now , sayth this good man , this word never breaketh his heart , considering that after an hundred thousand millions of worlds ( if there might be so many ) he hath as farre to his journeyes end , as hee had the first day of his entrance into those torments . and surely if a man that is sharpely pinched with the goute , or the stone , or but with thetoothach , and that they hold him but by fits , giving him some respite betweene-whiles , notwithstanding doe thinke one night exceeding long although he lie in a soft bed , well applied & cared for ; how tedious doe wee thinke eternity will seeme to those that shall be vniuersally in all their parts continually without intermission , perpetually without end or hope of end schorched in those hellish flames , which besides that they are everlasting , haue this likewise added , that they are prepared for the devill and his angells ? prepared , by whom ? surely by the iudge himselfe , who giues the sentence . now if but mortall iudges should set and search their wits to devise & prepare a punishment for some notorious malefactour , what grievous tortures doe they often finde out ? able to make a man tremble at the very mentioning of them , what kinde of punishment then shall wee conceiue this to be which this immortall king of heauen & earth , this iudge both of the quick & dead hath prepared ? surely his invention this way is as farre beyond the reach of all mortal wits ( were they all vnited in one braine ) as is his power . it must needes be then a torment insufferable , vnspeakable & incomprehensible which hee hath set himselfe to prepare : but for whom ? for the divell and his angels , that is , for the arch-traitour , the chiefe rebell that stands out against him , & hath stood out against him since the first creation of the world. how art thou fallen from heauen o lucifer sonne of the morning ! thou saydst in thine heart , i will exalt my throne aboue , beside the starres of god , & i will bee like vnto the most high : therefore hath hee cast thee downe to the bottomlesse pit of hell , there te be imprisoned in everlasting chaines vnder darknesse to the iudgment of this great day of the generall assise , then & there shalt thou receiue thy compleat & finall sentence : and then shall those miscreants who haue chosen rather to hearken to thy intisements , to yeeld to thy temptations , to march vnder thy banner , and with thee & thine angels to stand out in open rebellion against their liege lord , then to yeeld their due obedience to him , who by so many obligations might deservedly challenge it from them : then i say , shall they who haue thus sinned with thee , suffer likewise with thee : & as thou labouredst by all means to make them like thy self insin : so shalt thouthen as earnestly labour to make them like thy selfe , as in the kinde , so likewise in the degree of thy punishment : that as the saints shall resemble the blessed angels in heauen , so they may in all respects resemble thee & thy cursed angels in hell . and thus haue wee in part heard the terrour of this last day in regard of the obstinately wicked ; let vs now heare what comforts the remembrance and meditation thereof may justly afford the righteous , that is , such as by gods grace endeavour to liue a vertuous and religious life . sect . . secondly , the consideration of this day may serue for a speciall comfort to the godly , whether they meditate vpon the name and nature of the day it selfe in regard of them , or the assurance of gods loue and favour towards them , and the gracious promises made vnto them . these comforts then arise first from the name & nature of the day in regard of them : secondly , from the assurance of gods loue and favour toward them , & from the gracious promises made vnto them : thirdly , from the quality and condition of the iudge by whom they are to be tryed : and lastly , from the sweetnes of the sentence which shal be pronounced on their behalf . first then , this day howbeit it shal be very tert rible to impenitent sinners , yet to the servants of god shall it be a day of ioy & triumph , a day of iubilee & exultation , or as the scriptures tearme it a day of refreshing & redemption . neither ought this to seem strange , since the same sun which melteth the wax , hardneth the clay , the same beams exhale both stinking vapours out of the dunghilis & sweet savours out of flowres , the beame is every way the same which workes vpon them , only the difference of the subjects which it workes vpon , is it that thus diversifies the effects . when the iudges in their assises come to the bench or place of judgment apparelled in skarlet robes , invironed with holdbards , attended on with great troopes , assisted by the principall knights and gentlemen of the country , all this is a pleasing sight to the innocent prisoner , because hee hopes that now his innocency shal appeare in the face of the country , and that the day of his deliuerance is come : whereas to the guilty it is a dreadful sight , because he knowes that the day of his tryall , & consequently of his condemnation and execution cannot be farre off : in like manner when the gibbet or gallows is set vp , the ladder , the halter , the hangman & all in readines for the execution , this to the good subject & true man is a pleasing spectacle , because it is for their peace & safeguard : but a spectacle full of horrour to the condemned theefe or murtherer who are there instantly to be executed . to such as are straitly besieged in a castle or city , when a powerful army is raised to rescue them , & draweth neere to the place , and is come within sight , the neighing and trampling of the horses , the glittering of the armour , the clashing of weapons , the beating of the drumme , the sounding of the trumpet , yea the roaring of the cannon to them are as swe●…t musick , because they know all this to be for their succour and reliefe : but to the besiegers the noyse is terrible , because they know it is to assault , remoue and vanquish them : & this surely shall be the difference betwixt the faithfull and the vnrighteous at the day of iudgment . the maiesty & glory of christ , the traine of innumerable angels attending on him , the shrill sound of the trumpet summoning all flesh to appeare before his tribu-nall at this great & generall assises , and all other solemnities belonging to the pomp & magnificence thereof , as it shall vtterly daunt and confound the one , in as much as they know themselues guilty of all those enormities and out-rages wherewith they shall be charged , so shall it cheere vp the other , for that they are thē fully to be cleered in the presence of men & angels frō those vnjust aspersions & imputations whichtheir enemies haue cast vpon them , they are to be freed from all those wrongs and oppressions they haue sustained , they are to be rescued from that narrow siege , that fierce assault , that long & strong battery which by sinne , the world , the flesh , & the divell hath beene laid to their soules ; so as all those fearefull signes fore-running the last end , as the trembling of the earth , and the shaking of the powers of heauen , shall be vnto them as the earthquake was to paul and silas , which serued to loose their fetters and manicles , and to open vnto them the prison doores and set them at liberty . neither can it in truth be otherwise , considering the loue & favour which almighty god beares them . he hath redeemed them with the pretious blood of his deare sonne , he hath begotten them by the incorruptible seed of his word , hee hath illuminated and sanctified them with his spirit , he hath sealed them by his sacraments , he hath pacified their guilty consciences with his grace , delivered them out of dangers , supported them in their temptations , relieued them in their distresses , resolued them in their doubts , made all things worke together for the best vnto them ; and will he forsake them at this last tryall ? no , no , herein he setteth out his loue toward them , seeing , that while they were yet sinners ; christ died for them , much more being now iustified by his blood , shall they bee saued from wrath thorow him . for if when they were enemies they were reconciled to god by the death of his sonne ; much möre being reconciled shall they bee saued by his life : if they were pardoned thorow his death when they were enemies , they shall much more be saued by his life now that they are friends . for how incredible is it , nay how impossible , that he who pardoneth an enemy should condemne a friend . he loued them whiles they yet bore the image of the diuell , and will he not much more loue them now , since he hath in part repaired his owne image in them . they were deare vnto him when there was in them no goodnesse , & can hee now abandon them being made partakers of that goodnes which himselfe hath wrought in them . being then pluckt out of the power of darknesse , let them neuer feare to be rejected by the father of lights ; having the blessed angels sent forth to minister for their sakes , let them neuer feare to be deliuered ouer vnto , or in the finall sentence to be joined with the divell and his angels . what shall we then say to these things ? if god be on our side who can be against vs , who spared not his owne sonne , but gaue him for vs all to death , how shall he not with him giue vs all things also ? who shal lay any thing to the charge of gods chosen ? it is god that iustifieth : who shall condemne ? it is christ which is dead , or rather which is risen againe . who shall separate vs from the loue of christ ? shall tribulation or anguish , or persecution , or famine , or nakednesse , or perill , or sword ? nay in all these things wee are more then conquerours thorow him that loued vs. and wee are perswaded that neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come , nor heighth , nor depth , nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of god which is in christ iesus our lord. and as the loue and favour of god in christ doth thus arme his children against the terrour of the day of iudgment , so doe likewise the gracious promises made vnto them , which imbolden them to say again with the blessed apostle , i haue fought a good fight , i haue finished my course , i haue kept the faith , from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day , and not to me only , but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing . if i shall then receiue a crowne of righteousnesse i need not feare hell fire : if the righteous iudge himselfe will giue it me , i need not stand in awe of his severity : if he shall giue it to all those who loue that his appearing , i need not tremble at the thought thereof ; nay i haue rather great reason to be glad and rejoyce thereat , and when i see those things come to passe , to looke vp & lift vp mine head , as being well assured that my redemption draweth neere . and not only my redemption , but mine advancement to honour , euen in that very act of iudgment : the bench rather then the barre being my place there , & my selfe being ordained not to stand forth as a prisoner , but to sit as a iudge . verily i say vnto you , that when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his maiesty , yee which followed me in the regeneration shall sit also vpon twelue thrones , and iudge the twelue tribes of israell , sayth truth it selfe . which priviledge lest we should thinke to be restrained only to his apostles , one of them by good warrant extends it to all the faithfull . doe ye not know saith he , that the saints shall iudge the world ? that is , wicked men who haue oppressed vs : and againe , know ye not that we shall iudge the angels ? that is , wicked spirits who haue tempted or assaulted vs. now what folly is it to be afrayde of that judgment where we our selues shall be iudges , and that of our greatest enemies ? nay what incouragement should it bee to receiue if need were , the sentence of death for christs sake , since it is certaine that as christ himselfe shall judge pilate before whom hee was arraigned , and by whom he was wrongfully condemned : so also shall we in some sort at leastwise as assessors with him & approouers of his sentence , judge our iudges . for although christ our head principally and properly shall be the iudge , yet wee that are his members shall haue a branch of his authority , and shall be as it were joyned in commission with him . sect . . or the quality and condition of the iudge in respect of them by whom they are to be tryed : or lastly , the sweetnesse of the sentence which sh●…ll then be pronounced on their behalfe . bvt setting this commission aside , what a comfort will it bee to the godly to be summoned , to be assembled , to be separated from the goates by the ministery of those very angels who were appointed to be their guardians , to pitch their tents round about them ; and to beare them vp with their hands that they might not dash their foote against a stone ? nay what joy vnvtterable , with their eyes to behold and looke vpon that sauiour of theirs ( appearing in maiesty as a iudge ) who redeemed them with his heart blood , and gaue his life as a ransome for them , in whom they haue trusted , on whom they haue beleeued , to whom they haue prayed , for whom they haue suffered , with whom they shall be glorified ? their father , their husband , their master , their head , their physitian , their advocate and intercessour : and can the father condemne the sonne , the husband the wife , the master his faithfull servant , the head his members , the physitian his patient , the advocate his client ? how happy is our case then , that hee must be our iudge that was himselfe judged for vs ▪ and our assurance is , that hee will not condemne vs , that hath already be●…ne condemned for vs : no , he will be so farre from condemning vs , that then and there hee will fully acquit vs in the sight of the whole world , and pronounce that favourable sentence on our behalfe , come yee blessed of my father , inherite a kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world . a judiciall sentence shall i call it , or rather a brotherly & gratious invitation ? come ye blessed of my father : come , that where the husband is , there may the wife be ; that where the father is , there may the sonnes be ; that where the master is , there may the servants be ; that where the captain is , there may the souldiers be ; that where the king is , there may the subjects be , that where the head is , there may the members be . come , it was thy voice sweet savior whiles thou wert yet in the state of humility , come vnto me all ye that are weary & heavy laden & i will refresh you : & dost thou still retaine the same sweetnes and familiality , being now in glory , and that whiles thou art sitting vpon the throne of justice ? good lord , how dost thou at the same instant shew thy selfe terrible as a lyon to thine enimies , & yet gentle as a lamb to thy friends ? frowning vpon the one , and yet smiling on the other , commaunding the one out of thy presence with an ite , goe ; and inviting the other to approach neere with a venite , come . come , come my deare hearts , now is the time that you must rest from your labours , that your teares must be wip'd off , that your long expectatiō & longing hope must be turned into fruitiō : your race is at an end , you must now receiue the prize ; your wrestling at an end , you must now receiue the garland , your combating at an end , you must now receiue the crowne , come yee blessed of my father . blessed in your liues , and blessed in your deaths ; blessed in your election , blessed in your vocation , blessed in your adoption , blessed in your justification , blessed in your sanctification , and now for accomplishment of all , most blessed in your glorification : and the fountaine of all this your blessednes , is none other then the very father of blessings , my father and your father , mine by nature , yours by grace , mine by eternall generation , and yours by spirituall regeneration : and whom the father blesses , the son cannot but most lovingly and tenderly imbrace . come yee blessed of my father . what to doe ? to inherit a kingdome . least my words should seeme to be but winde , least my promises should seeme to be vaine , and your patience and beleeving vaine ; come & receiue that which i haue promised , and you haue beleeved ; come and take actuall possession of it ; yet not as a purchase of your owne , but as an inheritance ; not as wages , but as a reward ; not as bought by the value of your merits , but conferred vpon you by the vertue of my sufferings , and the benediction of my father as the cause , and your sonne-shippe and obedience as the condition . your title is good , your evidence faire , so as no exception can be taken to your right , nothing so much as pretended or pleaded to disinherit you . come on then chearefully , make hast and enter vpon it , my selfe will leade you the way , follow me . but what may it bee gracious lord that wee shall possesse ? surely no lesse then a kingdome . this reward is sometimes set forth vnto vs vnder the name of a pleasant garden or paradise of delight ; sometime of a stately magnificent palace ; sometime of a large and beautifull cittie : but here of a kingdome , a glorious , a spacious , a secure , a durable kingdome , whose king is the trinity , whose law is divinitie , whose measure aternity , as farre beyond all the kingdomes of this world , and all the guilded pompe , the glittering power and riches of them , as the greatest earthly monarch is beyond the king in a play . earthly monarches haue their secret pressures and pinches , they haue their feares , and cares , and griefes , and envy , and anger , and sickenes mixed with their joyes and contents , or at least by turnes succeeding them : somewhat is ever wanting to their desires , and full of doubtes and jealousies they are that their dominions may be either impaired or invaded : and if they were free from the possibility of all those , yet may they in a moment , and that by a thousand wayes be arrested by death , and then all their honour lies in the dust , all their thoughts perish : but now with them that inherit this heavenly kingdome it is not so : they haue joy and content at full without the least intermission or diminutiō , without the least mixture of any feare , or care , or griefe , or envy , or anger , or any other troublesome passion whatsoever . they are out of all doubt & jealousie of loosing that which they possesse , either in whole or in part ; they are confident and secure that neither this kingdome can be taken from them by rebellion or invasion , nor they from it by death or deposition . and herein againe doth this kingdome excell all other kingdomes , that it is of gods speciall preparing . and such happinesse he hath prepared in it for them that shall possesse it , as eye hath not seene , eare hath not heard , tongue cannot vtter , neither hath at any time entred into the heart of man. such as his imagination cannot apprehend , nor his vnderstanding possiblely conceiue . o my lord , if thou for this vile body of ours hast given vs so great and innumerable benefits from the firmament , from the aire , from the earth , from the sea ; by light , by darkenesse , by heate , by shadow , by dewes , by showers , by windes , by raines , by fishes , by beasts , by birds , by multitude of hearbes , and variety of plants , and by the ministery of all thy creatures : o sweete lord , what manner of things , how great , how good , and how innumerable are those which thou hast prepared for vs in our heavenly kingdome , where we shall see thee face to face , and raigne with thee eternally ? if thou doe so great things for vs in our prison , what wilt thou giue vs in our palace ? if thou givest so many things in this world to good and evill men together , what hast thou layd vp for only good men in the world to come ? if thine enemies and friends together are so well provided for in this life , what shall thy only friends receiue in the life to come ? if there be so great solaces in these dayes of teares , what joy shall there be in that day of marriage ? if our jayle and prison containe so great matters , what shall our kingdome doe ? o my lord and god , thou art a great god , & great is the multitude of thy magnificence & sweetnes ; and as there is none end of thy greatnes , nor number of thy mercies , nor bottome of thy wisedome , nor measure of thy beauty : so is there no end , number , or measure of thy rewards to them that loue & serue thee . sect . . thirdly , the consideration of this day may serue for admonition to all . seing then that all these things must be dossolved , what manner persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godlines ? looking for , and hasting vnto the comming of that day , in which we all shall appeare before the judgement seate of christ , that every man may receiue according to that hee hath done in his body , whether it be good or evill . truly i know not ( sayth s. chrysostome ) what others doe thinke of it , for my selfe , it makes mee often tremble when i consider it . and holy hierome , whatsoever i am doing , saith he , whether i be eating , or drinking , or sleeping , or waking , or alone , or in company , or reading , or writing , me thinkes i ever heare the shrill sound of the archangels trumpet , summoning all flesh to appeare , and crying aloud , surgite mortui & venite ad judicium , arise yee dead and come away to judgement . the remembrance hereof is like a bitter pill to purge out the malignitie of many wanton and vaine humours , or like a strainer , all our thoughts , and speeches , and actions which passe thorow it , are thereby cleansed and purified . as the bird guideth her bodie with her traine , and the shippe is steered with the rudder , so the course of a mans life is best directed with a continuall recourse vnto his last end . it is hard for a man to thinke of that and to thinke evill , or not to thinke of it and thinke well . therefore when salomon had spoken of all the vanities of men , at last he opposes this memorandum as a counterpoise against them all , remember for all these things thou shalt come to judgement : as if he should say , men would never speake as they speake , nor doe as they doe , if they did but thinke that these speeches & deedes of theirs should one day come to judgement . whatsoever thou takest in hand then , remember the end , and that finall account which thou art to make , and thou shalt never doe amisse . s. augustine i remember in the entrance of one of his sermons touching the day of iudgement , makes a kind of apologie for himselfe , that he treated in their hearing so often of that subject , telling them , that he did it for the discharge of his owne dutie , and for their good : it being better ( sayth he ) hereto indure a little bitternes , and hereafter to injoy eternall sweetnes , then here to be fedde with false joyes , and there to indure reall and eternall punishments : but hee might haue justly excused himselfe ( had any excuse needed in such a case ) by the example of our blessed saviour , who in his gospells ; and his apostles , who in their epistles , beate vpon this point no one more frequently : the knowledge and publishing whereof to the world hath in all ages beene held so necessarie , that not the prophets alone , whose writings are read in our assemblies at this day , plainely foretold it , but enoch the seaventh from adam prophesied thereof ; nay adam himselfe , if we may beleeue iosephus . and that no man might plead ignorance herein ; the light of this trueth ( as hath already beene touched ) shined among the very gentiles before the incarnation of christ. a great shame were it then for vs christians not to beleeue it , but a greater shame to our selues , and to our profession , a disgrace , & a scandall to infidels , to professe that we beleeue it , and yet to liue worse then infidels . mahometans , & iewes , & pagans shall rise in judgemens against a number of christians and shall condemne them , for that standing vp in the congregation , and with their mouths openly professing this article , that they beleeue that christ shall come againe to judge both the quicke & dead ; yet their thoughts , their desires , their passions , their actions , their words are such & so foule , as it evidētly shewes they beleeue not , or they vnderstand not , or they remember not what they professe . shall i thinke that the common drunkard & glutton doth beleeue and remember , that at this day he must giue an account of the abuse of gods creatures , of making his belly his god , his kitchin his chappell , and his cooke his priest ? shall i thinke that the prophane swearer and blasphemer doth beleeue & remember , that at this day he must giue an account of every idle word , much more then of his hellish oathes and damnable blasphemies , wherewith he teares in peeces the name of god , & infects the very aire he breaths in ? shall i thinke that the hypocrite , who seekes to bleare the eyes of the world , doth beleeue & remember , that at this day he must giue an account of his glozing & shifting , and that then his hypocrisie shall be vncased & laid open to the view of the world ? shall i thinke that the parasite doth beleeue and remember , that at this day he must giue an account of preferring the favour of men before the loue and service of god ? shall i thinke the slanderer doth beleeue and remember , that at this day he must giue an account of wounding and killing his brother in his good name by his tongue , or pen , or both ? shall i thinke the adulterer doth beleeue and remember , that at this day he must giue an account of giuing the reines to his vnbridled appetite without any checke or controll ? lastly , doth the malicious man beleeue and remember , that at this day hee must giue an account of his bloody practises or plots ; the ambitious man , of making his honour his idoll ; the covetous , of his oppression and extortion ? let themselues a little consider of the matter , and they will easily grant it to be vnreasonable , that any man should beleeue it to be a part of their beleife . sect . . as likewise for instruction . let vs then either strike it out of the articles of our creede , or let vs so endeavour to liue , as it may appeare , that we doe not only professe it with our mouthes , but assuredly beleeue it with our hearts . let the civill magistrate shew that he beleeues it , by forbearing to make his will a law , & by a conscionable care in the governing of those who are committed to his charge , and providing that they may liue vnder him a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honesty . let the divine , the messenger of the lord , who preacheth it to others , shew that he beleeues it himselfe , by forbearing base and indirect meanes to rise to honour , ( which he is most vncertaine how long , or with what content he shall hold ) and by feeding the flocke of god which depends vpon him , caring for it , not by constraint , but willingly , not for filthy lucre , but of a ready minde , not as lording it over gods heritage , but as being a patterne to the flocke , and when that chiefe sheepheard shall appeare , he shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory ; let that severe call euer ring in his eares , come giue an account of thy stewardship . there shall andrew come in with achaia by him converted , to the saving knowledge of the truth : iohn with asia , thomas with india , peter with the iewes , and paul with the gentiles ; and what shall we then say for our selues , if wee cannot bring forth somuch as one soule converted by vs in the whole course of our ministerie ? let the counsellours shew that he beleeues , it by giuing counsell rather wholesome then pleasing , not for faction but for conscience , and by forbearing to make the good of the state the stalking horse of his private ends . for though he digge never so deepe , yet he who now searches and shall then judge his heart digs deeper . let the courtier shew hee beleeues it by vsing his favour to the countenancing and advancing of vertue and suppressing of vice , and by forbearing to varnish & guild over foule projects or smother honest motions with faire semblances , looking rather to the worths and necessities of petitioners , then to their purse and power . let the militarie man shew that hee beleeues it by forbearing to thinke , that a prophane oath is an ornament of speech , or that violence , rapine , and outrage , are the best characters of a souldier ; or that vnjust effusion of blood & duells shall then passe for manhood , or that his stoute lookes and braue resolution shall then any thing availe him . let the nobility and gentry shew that they beleeue it , by forbearing to make marchandise of church livings committed to their care only in trust , to strippe the backes of the poore , that they may apparell their wals , and to snatch their meate from their mouthes , that they may giue it to their hawkes and dogges . for if they shall stand among the goates on the left hand and heare that dolefull sentence , goe y●… cursed , who cloathed not the naked and fed not the hungry , tell me what shall become of them , who by extortion and oppression , by vnconscionable racking of rents and wresting from them excessiue fines , make them naked & hunger-starved ; nay grinde the face of the poore , and eate their flesh to the bare bones ? let the iudges shew that they beleeue it , by forbearing to giue sentence for feare or favour , much lesse for gold or gifts , as well knowing & remembring , that themselues must one day giue a strict account to this supreame iudge , from whose sentence lyeth no appeale . let the lawyer shew that he beleeues it , by forbearing to spin out the suites of his clients , to whip him about from court to court , and to set his tongue to sale for the bolstering out of vnjust causes , which his owne conscience tells him to be such , least that cause which here perchance he gained to his client and got credit by , proue there to be his greatest shame and vtter ruine , where all his sophistrie & subtile quirks will not serue his turne . let the merchant shew that he beleeues , it by for bearing lies aswel as oathes , by putting his confidence in god , not in his wedge of gold , and by often calling to minde , that whither soever he trauell , or what bargaine soeuer he make , hee stands by him as a witnes who shall hereafter be his iudge . and what folly were it for a theefe to steale in the presence of the iudge before whom he must be arraigned ? let the farmer and countryman shew that he beleeues it by their just laying out of the lords portions to his ministers , as knowing that though they haply deceiue his ministers , yet the lord himself they cannot deceiue , & that the double damages thē of their bodies & souls wil be infinitly more grievous thē their treble damages here . finally , let all sorts make it appeare , that they indeed doe not professe it only but beleeue it by shewing that reverence & respect to the word , to the sacraments , to the ambassadours to the house , to the day , to the servants , to the members of him who then shall be the reiudge , that they may with comfort & confidence appeare in his presence . the least good worke now done for his sake and to his honour , shall then steed vs more then the treasure of both the indies , then all the kingdomes of the world & the glory of them . then our indignation & revenge vpon our selues , our compunction and contrition for our sins committed against this iudge , shall refresh vs and cheare vs. for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged . then shall our resisting of alluring temptations , our patient induring bitter afflictions & chastisements , our sufferings , losses , disgraces , banishments for the truths sake serue vnto vs as so many soveraigne and pretious cordials : for when we are iudged we are chastened of the lord , because we should not be condēned with the world . let vs heare the end of all , feare god and keepe his commaundements , for this is the whole duty of man : for god will bring euery worke vnto iudgment with euery secret thing , whether it be good or euill . euen so , come lord iesus , come quickly . how long lord , how long , holy and true ? not vnto vs , o lord , not vnto vs , but vnto thy name giue the glory . boethivs lib. metr . . — tu quoque si vis lumine claro cernere verum , tramite recto carpere coelum gaudia pelle , pelle timorem , spemque fugato , nec dolor adsit , nubila mens est , vinctaque frenis haec vbi regnant . if with cleare eye thou wilt see truth , and in the right way tread , ioy and hope chase farre from thee , banish sorrow , banish dread . cloudy , fettered fast with chaines , is the minde where passion raigne . whatsoeuer i haue written in this or any other booke , i humbly submit to the censure of the church of england . finis . a revise . when my booke was almost past the presse , i met with one iohannes fredericus l●…nius , a netherlander , de extremo dei judicio & indorum vocatione , who lib. . cap. . indevouring to proue the vicinity of the last judgement by the worlds decay , makes this a maine argument thereof : constat ( saith he ) illos qui supra annos viginti prodierunt in lucem non pauciores habuisse dentes quam cum iam in eis qui infra decennium nati sunt non nisi - aut inveniantur . a bold assertion of a graue divine , that man kind should so speedily decrease as in the compasse of tenne yeares , to loose or teeth of , and his booke being printed in the yeare , had the like measure of decay gone on in proportion since that time , no man long before this day should haue had a tooth left in his head to chew his meate . but i wonder he durst so confidently publish that to the world which daily experience , and the writings of moderne anatomists so evidently convince of falshood ; and in truth i thinke there cannot lightly a better argument be brought for the confirmation of the contrary opinion against himselfe in that point ; in asmuch as according to hippocrates , longaevi plurimos dentes habent ; and aristotle , quibus pauciores & rariores , hi brevioris sunt vitae : so that the full number being a signe of longaevity , and that of naturall strength , if it appeare ( as vndoubtedly it doth ) that men now adayes haue ordinarily the same number of teeth as anciently they had ; then must it consequently follow , that likewise ordinarily they are as strong and long-lived as anciently they were : yet heerein are we beholding to the same authour , that what he takes from the age and strength of men , he addes to their wits : sed quod humanorum corporum decedit conditionibus , hoc ingenijs accedit , quod de membrorum robore perit , hoc accumulatur intellectus acumine & sagacitate . pag. . is a great mistake , about a pound of bloud being printed , for almost halfe a pound of bloud , notwithstanding which abatement yet is the proportion there mentioned altogether incredible , for if galen vsually drew six pounds of bloud , and we vsually stoppe at six ouuces , as sir walter rawleigh would haue it , and we allow for every pound twelue ounces , then in reason should men in galens time , bee ordinarily twelue times as strong and tall as now they are ; so that if men be now ordinarily fiue foote high , they must then haue bin three score , and ( allowing the like proportionable decrease since the creation ) in the like distance of time before galen they must haue beene aboue seaven hundred foote high , and if we should thus rise vpward to the creation it selfe , wee must then measure men by miles and not by feet ; which i wonder the great wit of sir walter rawleigh foresaw not . pag. . in the section of the revolution and circulation of all things in their times and turnes may properly be inserted these excellent verses of manilius . percipe nunc etiam , quae sunt ecliptica graio nomine , quae certos quasi delassata per annos nonnunquam cessant sterili torpentia motu . scilicet immenso nihil est aequale sub aevo , perpetuosque tenet flores , vnumque colorem tutatur : sed cuncta diu variantur in orbe , et foecunda suis subsistunt frugibus arva , continuosque negant partus eff●…ta creando . rur sus quaefuerant steriles ad semina terrae , post nova sufficiunt , nullo mandante , tributa . concutitur varijs tellus compagibus haerens , subducitque solum pedibus , natat orbis in ipso , et vomit oceanus pontum , sitiensque resorbet , necsese ipse capit , sic quondam mer ser at vrbes , humani generis cum solus constitit haeres deucalion , scopuloque orbem possedit in vno . nec non cum patrias phaet●…on tentavit habenas , arserunt gentes , timuitque incendia coelum , ●…geruntque nov as ardentia sydera flammas , atque vno timuit condi natura sepulchro : in tantum longo mutantur tempora cursu , atque iterum in semet redeunt : sic tempora certo signa quoque●…mittunt vires , sumuntque receptas . pag. . vndevicesimo is translated twenty one , whereas it should bee nineteene , which makes more for my purpose , it being spoken of the wise of quintilian , who by his owne testimony was not full nineteene when shee died , yet had shee then borne him two sonnes . pag. . i doubt mine information touching prescriptions is not sufficient , but my meaning is , that yeares ad minimum are required to make a prescription good , which i conceived to haue bin law with vs and i thinke by the civill lawes , an interest may be gotten by sixty yeares quiet possession or lesse , howsoever the same space of yeares is now allotted which anciently was : and in the same place , that which i haue delivered touching a lease of three liues , compared with a lease of twenty one yeares , is not perchance clearely enough expressed in law tearmes , but so as a man may easily vnderstand what i intend pag. . speaking of grammarians , i haue not sufficiently insisted vpon the exquisite helpe of dictionaries , lexicons , and grammars in this latter age beyond the precedent , not only for the easier learning of the westerne languages , latine , italian , spanish , and french , but specially of the easterne , the hebrew , the chalde , the syriake , the arabique , & ( which is worth the observing ) of all the ancient fathers , so renowned for their singular learning , but only two , among the latins saint hierome , and origen among the graecians , are found to haue excelled in the orientall languages , this last centenary hauing afforded more skilfull mē that way , then the other fifteene since christ. to grammar may likewise bee referred the vsefull art of brachygraphie , or writing by short markes , which though it were practised among the romans , as appeares by that epigram of martiall , currant verba licet manus est velocior illis , nondum lingua suum , dextra peregit opus . and another of ausonius , puer notarum praepetum solers minister advola : &c. yet dio referres the invention thereof to maecaenas , and by manilius it should seeme that in his time it was new : hic & scriptor erit foelix cui littera verbum est , quique notis linguam superet , cursumque loquentis , excipiet long as nova per compendia voces . so as we haue no certainty that either the graecians , or the hebrewes , or any of those easterne nations had before the romans the vse or knowledge of it ( whatsoever lorinus and raderus out of those wordes of the psalmist , my tongue is the penne of a ready writer ; and those written on the wall which daniell interpreted , pretend to the contrary ) and besides , this invention of the romans for ought we finde , was lost in succeeding ages , but in these latter recovered againe , or at leastwise somewhat aequivalent therevnto . and to brachygraphie may be added , the writing by zifers , or nota furtivae , secret markes for the hiding of the writers minde from others saue him to whom he writes it : now how farre latter ages haue excelled the former in this invention , shall appeare by the wordes of hermannus hugo , mire sibi gratulabantur veteres , insigni seilicet , vt ipsi putabant , invento , epistolarum occulte scribendarum per transpositas literas , sed profecto id artificium facillime à quovis sagaciore deprehendi potest , vt non injuriâ iulius scaliger exercitat . . id vocet delirium , & imposturam referam tamen paucula ejus exempla veneratione solius antiquitatis . recentiores omnes id genus technas relinquo apud neapolitanum quaerendas , lib. . de notis furtivis : quamquam amplissimus consiliarius puteanus epistola quadam ad plouvierium de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rationem ostendit occultissimam scribendi per transpositionem , quam nec oedipus divinare possit . de qua ita nunqaum locuturus fuisset scaliger , vt de veterum facili commento . iulius caesar , inquit , dio , lib. consueverat si quid secreti cuiquam per liter as significaret quartum semper elementum in soribendo , pro eo quod sumi debebat , sumere : ne obvia literarum lectio cuivis esset . augustus autem ( verba sunt suetonij , cap. . ) quoties per notam scribit , ponit b pro a. c. pro b ; ac deinceps eadem ratione sequentes litteras ; pro x autem duplex aa . and herein doth salmuth fully accord in opinion with him . abeant igitur cum sua vetustate tam copiosa & frivola veterum commenta . longe alios astus , longe aliam vafritiem aetas haec videtur exposcere : in qua vel infantes cum balbutiunt adhuc , & quaedam subdolae mentis signa veluti primitiae illius ingeruntur , quasi à nutricis vberibus simul cum lacte illam suxisse imò à matris vtero contraxisse videantur . neither haue the ancients beene excelled by the modernes , only in the wittie invention of zifring and secret characters , but also by the testimonie of pancirollus in dezifring and discovering the most difficult : brixianus quidam typis vulgavit modum quendam , quem intellecta credit impossibilem , nisi quis contra exemplar istius habeat . quod tamen falsum est , quandoquidem scripturam istam ipsemet explicari audivi ; & quod dici solet , quasi cum manu tetigi , nullas essenotas adeo difficiles & obscuras , quae non intelligantur abijs qui in hoc scribendi genere exercitati sunt : quorum multi venetijs reperiuntur . atque ipsemet domi meae habui hieronymum dn. francisci nani , nobilis veneti filium , iuvenem doctissimum , & artis huius imprimis gnarum : cui nullum notarum genus , quàm difficile etiam id esset , ●…fferebatur , quin ab ipso intelligeretur . pag. . among the late profitable inventions in the mathematiques , the mirificus logarithmorùm canon found out by the lord neper baron of merchiston in scotland , may deservedly challēdge a place , the booke so intituled he dedicates to his majesty that now is , then prince , and in his epistle dedicatorie giues this testimony of the invention : cum novae haec logarithmorum me●…dus omnem illam pristinae matheseos in calculo difficultatem penitus è medio ●…ollat , & ad fublevandam memoriae imbecillitatem it a se accommodet , vt illius adminiculo facile sit plures quaestiones mathematicas vnius spacio , quam pristinâ & communiter receptâ formâ sinuum , tangentium , & secantium , vel integro die absolvere . but because this testimony may perchance by some be thought partiall touching an invention of his owne ; i will therevnto adde the graue judgement of master ●…igges , professour in the mathematiques at oxford , who hath with great diligence much illustrated and inlarged it : praesertim cum deo visum fucrit ( post evàngelij lucem , qua orbem hunc nostrum illustrari voluit ) plurimae humanae vitae vtiliter inventa , quorum nullum vtique apud antiquos extiterit vestigium , nobis communicare . atque in his vt artes mathematicae primarium tenent locum , ita in illis logarithmorum ratio caeteris partibus precellit , sive inventionis spectemus àcumen , sive vsus praestantiam . wherevnto may not improperly be annexed the invention of petiscus , prefixed in these words in the front of his trigonometrie . inventio subtensae , tertiae vel quintae , vel cujuscunque imparis partis alicujus arcus ; ex data sola subtensa illius arcus ; etiam per communem arithmeticam , & sine omni adminiculo algebrae : quae inventio hactenus credita fuit impossibilis . this invention by the helpe of algebra was found out not long since ; but those who are not skilled in algebra , for the doing of it by common arithmetique , are beholding to petiscus . in the same page , mention is made of scaligers finding out of the quadrature of a circle , but since the writing thereof , i vnderstand that adrianus romanus hath written an apology for archimede against scaliger , wherein he labours to proue , that he hath not found out the conclusion he pretends , which is answered by scaliger , and againe replied vpon by romanus , but which of them hath the best , i referre to the determination of the professours in that facultie . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e psal. . . psal. . . . . . . . sen. rom. . . rom. . . iob. . bartas in his colonies . claudian l. . in laud●… s●…ilicouis plau●…ut i●… persa . seneca in thyeste . l. vives de 〈◊〉 . corrupt . 〈◊〉 . lib : . epist. . seneca . idem . pi●…seus relat. hist. tom . c. de acad. oxon. orat. . . lucret. lib. . hieronymus hieronymus . lib. . decri . c. notes for div a -e in quartum praec●…ptum . cap. . . comment . in gen. cap. . gen. . . exercit. . ad apparat . annal. 〈◊〉 . . iud. . . hebr. . . deut. . history of the world ▪ part . a. lib. 〈◊〉 . cap. . gen. . 〈◊〉 . gen. . . vide agatharchidem de rub●… mari . dec. a. lib. . cap. . ex od . . . math. . . sam. . . cambden in hams●… . hist. anot. lib. . q. ●… . 〈◊〉 . lib. . purcas pilgr . 〈◊〉 . . cap. . epist. . casulano . hist. natu. lib. . . iuven. sat. . exer. ●… . ad ap . annal . cap. . ephes. . . colos●… . . . rom. . . de eccl. rom. idol . l. . cap. . cap. . cambden : britan ▪ de primis incolis . in granario . a●…o . de gygantibus cap. ultimo . cap. . . . . . ●…at . bist . . . lib. . annal. cap. . lib. . de sub-exercit . . gesnerus . lib. . cap. . natur. bist . . . exercit. . lib. . c. . de temp. lib. . lib. . cap. . des erreurs populaires . in comment : in dioscoridem . exercit. . vide angelum abbatium de viper●… natura & bustamentitinum de animaentibus . s. s. medita●… : histor. cap. . exercitat . . nat. hist. liber . cap. . duarenus de beneficijs , . . iam. . . gen , . . lib. . 〈◊〉 . prov. . . lib de nat. & gratia c. . ephes. . . cor. . . iob . . in matt●…um . de mendacio ad consen●…m . ex. . . . ioh. . . ioel . . act. . gen. . . exercit. . heb. . . wisedom . . . eccles. . . . cap. , , yer . numb . . . . guicciardin . idem . augustin . de civit . dei lib. . c. . de bello gallico , lib. . lib. . camden in glocestershire . orat. . . libr : . c. . . thes. . . medit. hist. cap. . . act. . . exercit. . sept. 〈◊〉 . . owen vpon nap●…ir . tacitus ann. lib. . verbis ultimis . virg. aen. . epist. . 〈◊〉 of vlysses . boetius lib. . metro . de raptu proserp . lib. . eccles. . . minuit praesentia 〈◊〉 . lib. de oratoribus . horace lib. . op . . essayes ▪ l . c. phaedrus l. 〈◊〉 . fabul . in prologo . de causis corrupt . ar●… . lib. . hooker hor. l. . od . . idem l. . epist. mar●…ialis , l. . epig . . horat. l. . ep . 〈◊〉 . eccles. . . . cor. . . horat. l. . ep . 〈◊〉 lib. . epig ●… . in sine 〈◊〉 . elementor●…m . quintie orat. . . lib. . c . lib. . ep. . sydonius , l. . ep . . lib. . ep . . eccles. . . ecclesiasticus , . . . . cap. . aristoteles 〈◊〉 meteor . ovid. met. . cap. . surv. lib. . epist. lib. . survay of tuscany . virg , aen , lib. . nat. quaest . lib. c. . camden . twine . verstigan . eciog . . horat. lib. 〈◊〉 . ep . . gen . . . pererius in locum . gen. . . psal. . horrat . lib. . od. . boeth . de consol . lib. . met. . iuvenal . salyr . . method . hist. cap. . 〈◊〉 . d. psal. . . v. . . de perfectione re●…an lib. . cap. . . de coelo . & . meteor . camden in hibernia . j●…cobus curio●… . . k●… : chron. historia vitae & mortis , pag. . ps. . ●… . aristotle . manilius , l. . hist. vit . et moris . pag. . in augusto , cap. . medit. hist. cap. . lipsuis de constant . . . boetius l. . met. . h●…sca , , . the first reason drawne from the power of that spirit which quickens and supports it . cap. . . aeneid . heb. . . ruvio de caelo & mundo lib. . cap. . . reason frō the consideration of the seuerall parts of the world. eccles. . . pontanus cap. meteor . reason from the like consideration . lucret. lib. . luc●… . lib. 〈◊〉 . ovid. met ... . math. . . peter . . . . thess. . . in libr. gen. cap. . . . boethius lib. . metr . . history of the world . 〈◊〉 . lib. . cap. . cap. & cap. . . . lib. . met. . v. . . cap. . . lib de con. phil. . met. . louys le roy. lib. . c. ●… . mani●…us , l. . sen. med●… . act. . hebr. . . hebr. . . . . pet. . . . tim. . . . . lucret. l. . versus finem . adversus gentes 〈◊〉 procula principio . ●…blioth . ●…nct . lib. . gen. . . . rom. . . gen. . cap. . . cap. . rom. . . . . . pet. . . v. . . notes for div a -e psal. . . gen. . . psal. . . . . de operibus dei. arist. l. . de partibus animalium cap. . plin. lib. c. . & . de civit . dei lib. . c. . de natura fossil . lib. . in . de diebus criticis . lib. . de coelo , cap. . wisedome , . . . metamorph. de coelorum animatione . hexam . l. . c. . de civit. dei , l. . c. vlt. v. . v . ierimy . . . iob. . . & . . iob. . cap. . . isay. . . apud augustinum steuchum , l. . de perenni philosoph●…a . v. . . . v. . . ps. . . 〈◊〉 . heb. . . psal. . . lib. . de perenni philosophia . heb. . . . . . pet. . . galilaeus a florentine . cap. . v. . isay . de civit. dei . . virg. georg ▪ l. tacit. annal. . . boetius lib. m●…t . . l●…b . . iuv , lib. . sat. ser. , vel . maximus taurinensis hath an homily to the same purpose , and in the same words . eccles. . . rom. . ps. . . lib. . cap. . lib. . de . civit. dei , cap. . act. . . scalig. exer. . copernicus . hooker , eccles. policie , . . de consol. ad albiaum . cap. . psal. . . lib. . denarura deorum . gen. . . lib. . de consol . philosophiae . met. . lib. . in epino●… . arist. de mundo a arist. l. . de coelo , cap. . b lib. . de rep. c in lib. . de somnio scipionis cap. . d lib. de musica e lib. de musica cap. . f lib. deimag . mundi cap. . psal. . . lib. . instit. cap. . lib. . de placitis philosophorum c. . in cap. . apocal parte . act. . . bartas . cor . pareus in epistolam ad hebraeos , c. , v. . moll●…r , in psal. . v. . v. . in yorkeshire hebr. . psal. . . de civit . dei. lib. . c. vlt. hom. . in ge 〈◊〉 . hexem . . . v. . . in tim. nat. hist. . . the least times . times . ecclesiastcus . . cap. . method . hist. cap. , exercit. . lib. . contra astrolag . c. . lib. . & . . de causis subter . iohn . . . heb. . . v. . sr w. r. bartas . wisedome . . . duditius in vi-ta poli. iob. . . rom. . . iudges . . . iam. . . ier. . . iuly . lib. . . . bartas day of the first week . psal. . . de consol. lib. hec. . bartas . de subtil . manil. . astron●…m . bartas . exod. . . . chron. . . lib. . de bel. iudaico , c . & l. . antiquit. c. . epist . v. . bartas . boethius , l. . met. . de generat . c. . clauius in sacrobosc . c. . lib. de crepusc . l. . propos . . . perspect . lib. de mundi incorrupcibilitate●… lib. . de sid . orth . c de operibus sex dicrum . ovid. met. . cap. , v. . bartas . de gen , ad literam . lib. . c. epist. select . . virgill georgicks . . ovid de trist ▪ georgick . . annal , . . survey of london . ex l. bermun . hollenshed . augustinus in psal. . in illa verba : quis est homo qui vult vitam , & diligit di●…s videre b●…nos . this was writ ten in the last yeare of king james . camden in barkshire . reb. auesbury & tabian . sam daniell , ann. . eduardi , . ann : . pompon : let●… zonaras , com . . eusebius , l. . c : . de constantia , l. . c. . procopius , l : : de bello persico . agathias , lib. . lib : . c. lypsiius , vt supra . . sam. : : lib : : c : : novel . hist. l. 〈◊〉 levit. . ibid. v. . levit. . . &c. a num. . . b . kings . . . c kings . . . d chron. . . e king. . . f lnke . . . plin. . . lib. . pliny l. . c , . tac. annal. . . lypsius de constant . l. . c. . cap. . sands his relation , lib. . ovid. met. lib. . pliny lib. . cap. , , natur. quest. lib. . cap. . . mani●… cap. . ann : : an : : natur : quest : l : : c , : georg. l. . garzaeus . acts & mon. p. . ann : . psal. . ver . . acts , . . aeneid ▪ . georg. iob. . : de ascen : mentis in deum per scal. creat gradu ohn stow. psal. . . sec lib. . cap. . sect. . bartas . lib. metamorp . . lib. . mete●… : reported by mr. ge. sands as a common experiment , affirmed by alpinus a phisitiā , marchitus the french consull elianus a iesuite , and varrat an englishma●… iuvenal ▪ sat. . bartas . lib. . c. brier●…woods inquir●… c. . lib. . c lib. . c. 〈◊〉 lib. lib. . iob. . satur. l. . c. . nat. hist. . . lib. . c. . nat. quaest . l. . praef . cap. . cap. . v. . bartas . ovid. . met. : . lucr. l. . . . gen. . . virgill . ier. . . eccles. . . v : . epist. . ad dardanum . : chron. . . . chron. . . : chron. . . . chron : 〈◊〉 . ▪ v : . v : . levit. . v. ▪ . gen. . . wisedome , . iosua , . . numb . . . de terra sancta , part . . c. . lib. . c. . virg. in his georgicks l. de const l. . zozimus . annal . lib. , gen . . act. . , beda . l. . c. . thomas de la moore . sam. daniell . de re rust. l. . c. . sat. l. . . varro , l. . c. , cap. . cap. . mat. . . ier : . . camden ▪ practic . general . l. . hist. amnialiū , lib. . c. . v. . lib . in proaem . bartas day of the weeke . in his epistle to aubertus de ortu & causis meta●…orum . lib. . c. . notes for div a -e psal. . . . tusculan . lib. . de gen. ad lit. c. . moral . lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . lib. . antiq. cap. . gen. . . gen. . . gen. . . . gen. . & . : : : . gen : . : & . . lib. . antiq. c : : psal. . . in thalia . laert. l. . c. . epist. . . sam. . . v. . . king. . . chro : . . . sam. . . king. . . lib. . c. . v. . lib. . de delingua latina . ecclus . . 〈◊〉 . . c. : gen. . . exo. . . deut. . . num. . . iud. . ios. . . iob. . . tob. . . & . cap. v. . gen. . . in chron : in comp. haer. lib. . c . cri●…itus . horat. lib. . sat. . epist. . lauren. hist. anat . l. . odis . 〈◊〉 . fast. lib . rodog . . . . cap : : loc , con : c : , classis . ovid. st. augustine makes it sooner . circa quippe annos definierunt esse etiam huius saeculi doctissimi homines iuventulem , quae cum fuerit spatio proprio terminata inde iam hominē in detrimēta pergere gravioris & saenilis aetatis , civi . dei . . . a v. . b de civit. dei. lib. . c. . d lib. . cap. . e iohn . . f decherius de anno ortus & mortis christi . cap. . proem . lib. . en●…irid . c. . a digest . l. . de spons . b burdorf . synag . iud . c lancelot . l. . tit . . d oper , & dierum . e de spartana re●…up . f e●…ucho . act : sc : : g polit : : : h de repub : & de legibus tranquillus in claudio , c. : lib : : diuin : instit . cap. . l : sa●…inus : c : de ●…upt . aristrt : bist : ani●… l : : c. . rom : : . . . exod. . . gen. . . v. . gen. . v. . gen. c. . . . gen. c. . . quest : : in genes : comment : in : g●…n : quest : : comment : in g●…n . pa●…e . as doe the iewe. in the sederolam , making er to marry at , & perez to beget a son at . a d●…iure connubiorum , c : : sect. . v. . apud eusebeum l. de praeparat . euangel . c. vlt. commentar . in . gen. nicephorus ex euodio , . . ▪ kings . . . cap. . . . king. . . cap. . . epist. . the like story hath gregory in his dialogues , touching a child of nine yeares old king. . . king. . . baldus . lib. . tit . . malmesberiensis de gestis angli , reg. lib. . histor. eccles. l. . c. . numb . . des estals & emp●…res . tac. annal . v. lib. . plut. in gracchis lib. . oly●…th . lib. . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 de mi●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : 〈◊〉 : sir henry sa●… in his view of military m●…ters 〈◊〉 : comines . socrates in hist. 〈◊〉 : . . cicero . s. philip. suctotonius . 〈◊〉 . cap. . cap. . . . in vita s●…a . gen. . . sam. . . cap. & . suct . cap. . de vela●… virginibus . varro de vita . pop. romani , teste 〈◊〉 . ad verbum sexagenarij . fastorum ▪ aelianus lib. . c. . psal. . vitruvius l. . c. august . l. . de ciu. dei c. . & ad faus●…um man. . . & amb. de noe & arca . cap. laurentius ana●… . l. , c. lomatius l. . c. lib. . de emendatione temporum cap. . v. vit . lib. de paradiso . in mat . . & in ephes . origenes , athanasius , basilius . epiphanius chrisostomus ex graecis : ex lat●…is tertullianus , cyprianus siue qui scripsit de operibus cardinalibus , ambrosius augustinus atque alibi eti●…m ▪ ipse hicronimus nempe epist. : ad paul & eustoch : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ephes : : : luc : . : v : : o eccles : : : a eccles : : cap : : cass : coll : s : c : am●… . de noe & arca c : : theod. in gen : qu : : gen : : : gen : : : num : : deut : : : ios : : ●… : amos : : : v : : v : : : sam : : cap : : : v : : . iud : : & . de civit : dei , . . lib. . c. . lib. . c . vitruvius , l. c : . exercit. . de gygante●… . cap. . 〈◊〉 . symon mai●… dierum canicul : colloq : : hackluit in his english voyage . memorables hi stoires de nostre temps . in 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 : lib. . c. : gellius out of plutarch : l : : c : trallianus out of apolloniu●… de mirabilibus & l●…ngaevis . lib ▪ : c. . ezek. . 〈◊〉 . . deut. . . revel . . . gen. . . aug. de 〈◊〉 . dei l : : c : . : kings . . . de fabrica templi : c : : cap. . v. . cap. . v. . cap. . . . king . . v : : antiquit : l : : c : . in tyberio . c : ●… libro dei men suris , quibus intervalla 〈◊〉 . lib : : lib : . lib : : in his view of military matters . de restit . pond : & mensur : gigantomachiae . cap : . cap : . cap : . cod. theodo●… : titulo de tyranibus : lib : : c , . in suet : tyb : c : : in carmine ad catuli●…um . lib. : c : : ephes. . . cap , . s●…ius in his commentaries of the memorable things of our time . symps. . prob . . lib : : ia 〈◊〉 . luc. : . so 〈◊〉 & beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat. . . ma●… . . . lib. . de asse . lib : : de asse : num. : : cap. . : psal . : cap : : : lil : : de militia romana . l. : : c. quest. . miscellan : c. . exod. . v. . . chron. . . exod. . . cap. . de ctvit . dei lib. . c. . lib. . c. exercit. lib. . c. lib. . fab. . meditat. histor . c. . sivc libro c. . cassan. c. . fazelus c. . in vita scrtorij fulgosus , l : c. : de doctrina promiscua : cap. : virgil : aen : : lib. . c. . lib. . c. . de mirabi●…bus & longaeuis . de genealog . deorum , l : : cap : : de civit dei lib : : c : : camden in essex : not in martyr●…l : jul. . de ratione conconc o●…audi li. . c. ex hyper●… : gygantomacbi●… cap : : hollenshed , vol. . lib : c : . toward the latter end of his life . lib. . cap. : pliny , : : vide agricolam de natura fossi●…ium . de civit. deil. : c : : in . gen. quas●… . de sacra phylosophia , c. . lib : . c. . . iohn . . . lib. . c. . lo●…orum com . c : : clas . : lib. . cap. . ovid , fast. sat●…al . lib. . cap : . satyr . . aenead : : iliad , : iliad . : eccles. . . iliad , : odyss . . de asse . in diebus 〈◊〉 . co●…o 〈◊〉 . . meditat : hist : 〈◊〉 . . de subtilitate lib : . insupplem : ann●…l . turcicor : a●…entinus , hist. b●…iorum , l : : ca●… : : de me●…hodoi m●…dendi l . c. lib. . c. . d. c. d. b. lib. . lect . lib : : c : . lib. : lib : : c. . 〈◊〉 , lib : . controvers , v●…ierum l●…ctionum , l. . bellarm : de eccles : script : lib. : c. . gellius l. . c. de causi . corrupt . a●…m l. . talents . sa●…al . li●… . c. . . act. . . rom. . . : cor. . ●…ven . sat. natural . quaest . l. . c. . annal. l. . c. . p●…aefat . scho●…l . 〈◊〉 . rom. . . . iosephus de bello jud. . . mat. . . mar : : : luk : . : iohn . : 〈◊〉 in graeca ca●…na . comment . in locum . act. . . centur. : c. : contra haereses , cap : . erasmus . comment . in locum : lib. : a. ae pag. . confut. assert . luth : art . . in gene. tim. . digressione . thess. . comment . de civ dei l. . c. . . part . decret , deconsecr . d●…stinct . . can , 〈◊〉 : de romane pontifice , l : : c. : eneead : : chron. lib : : bibliot . hist. . 〈◊〉 . sen. nat . quest . laurentius . de velere & nova medicina . de chymicorū cum galeni●… consensis . phrarmac●…paea dogmaticorum restituta . ex. . in baron , p. . anno . divi●…arum inst●… ▪ . l. . c. . de civit. dei l. . c. . aventinus in hist. 〈◊〉 an . . 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 . in his annot . annal. lib. . prol . . in notis . in sermo : poet : ser : de verissim in apolog. c. . gellius , . . poetices , l. . c. . ibid. idem scalig. ib. eras●…us . in . libris de poetis latinis . de rebus gestis anglorum l. . lib. . sir walter rawleigh in his history of the world part . . lib. . cap. . §. . cap. . parag . lib. . c. . p. . . . schol : math. l. hae●…esi . titulo . cyclomet . element . nova reperta tit . . horat ep. . l. ep. . eipstola ae●…te geometria●… . vitruvius , l. . c. . camd●…n in su●…rey . histor. l. . tom . numb . . v. . lib. , de natura noviorbis , c. . ionas , . . king . . de ●…bus salomo●…is , l , : c : : titulo de novo orbe . gen. . . lib. . antiq. c , king. . . . hispanicorum l. . de natura novi orbis l . c. . act. . . gen. . , cap. king. . . lib. . c. ●… . camden in devonshire . schol. math. l. gellius l. . & cap. the day of the first week . de subtil . l , . de ●…eth : hist. lib : : de jnventor : rerum , l : : c : : enead . : : in prefa●…ioae : de varietate rerum , l : : c : : schol. mathem . lib : : lib : : c : : titul . : lib. . c : : hist. ind. l. lib. . a●…cm . apud indos c. . lib. . hist. de occultis rerum mi●…ac . l. . c. . de reg●… l. . tit . . method . hist. c. . de machinis ●…alogo . lib. . c. . sect . lib. . c. . meditat. histor . c●…ntur . . c. de occult . rerum miraculis l. . c. . aenead . l . de remed . v●…ivsque fort . dial . . dere militar . miscel : l : : c : : de regimine principum . l. . parte : c : : nova reperta , tit . : lib : : c : : methodo hist : cap : : italia illustrata regi●… : de 〈◊〉 : c : . de natura noviorbis : l. : blondus italia illustrata regione : aenead , : aenead . : act. : : in mercatore s●…na : lib. advers . cap. . en sabible guyo●… . lib. . de r●…bus solomonis c. . hispanicorum l. . italia illustrata regione . lib. . prolusione . method . hist. cap. . lib . c . diuin . inst. notes for div a -e lib . 〈◊〉 . c. annal. l. . c. . cerealis apud tacitum , hist. l. . de benef . l. . c. . natural . quest. l. . cap. . ps. . . cap : . &c. ier. . . &c. cap. . . &c hora●…us . de civit. dei l. . c. . cor. . . de 〈◊〉 disciplina . . king. . king. . capl . ier. . . . lib. . cap. . de ciui●… . dei l. . 〈◊〉 . lib. . c. . lactantius . l. . c : . lactant. l . c. . cap. . deos stercore●…s , deut. . . hist. l. . c. . sir h. savill in his marginall notes on that place . deut. . . . cor. . . satyr : . 〈◊〉 fragmentis . dierum g●…ialium . l. c. . aeneid . : aeneid . l. . lib. . c. . aeneid . l. . lib. . lib. . c. . v . deut . wisedome . . lib. . c. . ier. . . ezek. ▪ . psal. . . . . king. . . chron. . . selden de dis syris . in lev●…icum . syntagm . . august . de civ . dei , . l. . cap. nos pudore pulso 〈◊〉 sub iove coleis apertis . lib. . contra iouinianum , c. . originim , c. . numb . . . de ciui●… . dei lib. . c. . lib. . c. . cicero de divinatione , l. . de doctor . christiana , l. . c. . de divinatione , lib. . die●…um genialium . coloss. . . de legibus . lib. . de legibus . see fi●…z herbert in his treatise of policie and religion . part . . c. . plutarch in solone . offic. lib. . pol. . . iustin. l. . po●…it . l . c. . doidor : sicul●…s . . c. . cap. . . . & . cap. . . polit. . c. . lib. . de finibus . lib. . cap. . cic. per a. cluentio . pol. . . in eunuch . pasq . . . verstig . c. . munsler . l. . aventin . l. . camden in dorcet . act. . . mat. . . mat. . lib. . ep. . ovid. met. lib. . met. method . hist. c. . cicero de inventione rhetor. l. gen. . . cap. . v. . cap. . . gen. . . v . . de gygant . c. . gen . . gen. . gen. . wisedome . . bodin . loco citato . de bello iudaico , l. , & . lib . c. . lib. . c. . tacitus annal. . . de ciuit. dei l. . c. . 〈◊〉 . c. . tim. . de ci●… . dei , l. . c. . t●… annal. in vi●…a . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . sue●…on . c . iuvenal . satyr . . lib. . c. ▪ daniel . . l. . c. . sacr. histor. l. homilia in evangelia . apocal. . . cap. . . tac. aunnl . . . lactantius , . . lib. . c. . moral . . . annal. : . cor. . virg. aen. l. . lib. . c. . de const. l. . c. . valerius l. . c. . paul. diac. l . c. . appianus in ibericit su●…t onius . xiphi●…inus & herodianus . s nec . de ira l. cap. . lypsit admiranda l. . c. . paul. diac. hist. mise . l. . . . rom. . . de ira l. . c : . deciv . dei. l. . c , . cap. . cap. . valerius lib , . cap. . aug d●… civit. dei lib. ▪ c. . lib. . vale●…us lib. de civit. dei l. . c. . lib. . de bellis civili●…us . l. . de constantia , lib. . c. . august . suet. in tiber. c. . cap. 〈◊〉 . c. . suet. calig . c. . c. . c . c. . c. . c. . tertullian d●… pallioc . . lib : : c : : de ira , l. . c. seneca ibid ▪ de 〈◊〉 l : : c : gellius 〈◊〉 : c : . titu●… . . . floru●… . de spectac . suetonius , c. . tertullian . saty●…●… : suetonius , c. . sermon . satu●… . : ●… : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . oratione pro sestio . de ●…revit ▪ 〈◊〉 do ira lib. . lib. . c. . prudentius . lib. . c. . lib. . . method●… hist. c. . tacitus annal. . . iosephus l. . lib. . c. . epist. ad d●…natum . de spectacul●…s . euseb. l de vita constant. lib. . tit. ●… lib. vlt. contra symachum . lib. . lib. . c. o●…dipus apud sen cam theb. act . . scen. . in pr●…emio l. . epist. ●… epist. . epist. . de iral. . c. pl●…ny , l. . c. . macch●… . . . petronius arbiter . macrobius . l . cap. . e●… gellio , l. . c. . iuven. sat. . lib. . pliny , l. . c. h according to ●…octour holland , whose translation of pliny i commonly follow , as a so his computation of the romane coynes , mentioned by that authour . tacitus , annal . l. . c. . de pouderibus , c. . lib : : c : . rutili●… : itiner . . : : zephany , . . act. . v. . . app●…anus , l. . bellorum civilium . plutarch . lib. . idem . l . lib. . sueton. c. . tac. annal. . . seneca epist. . suet. cap. sueton. c. . & in sequen●…ibus . suet. 〈◊〉 . lib. . de prov●…n . i●… . lib . liv. dec . . l. 〈◊〉 . ▪ lib . c. . iuven. sa. . epist. . 〈◊〉 . tim. . ●… ▪ cap. . v. ●… ▪ . . ivven , sat. . . man. lib. . alexander ab alexandro . : ovid. fastor . : de gubernat d. il . . lib : : carm. l : . od . . lib : : c : : lib : : ani●…ad : cap : : plautus in curcul one . horace carm : l : : od : : horace carm. l. . od . . pergr●…cari . 〈◊〉 merry . greeke . in men : martiall . horace car : l. . od : , epist : : pliny . l. : c : : philip. . plin. l. . c. . coenam para vi●… pollucibilem macrobius sat. . . monstruosae magnitudini●… macrobius . sat : . serm. . ep. ad con●…ubernales suos . cap. . saturnal : l : : c : : . : iuvenal : satyr . pliny . l. . c. . idem : : iuven : satyr : : lib : : . iuven : satyr . . jn panygerico : in 〈◊〉 de beneficijs , l. . c. . . : martial . l . epigr . . lib. . epig. . in satyrico . lib. . c. . de benefici●… , l. . c . the taxe of a senatour was then 〈◊〉 sestertium , twelue hundred thousand sestertii , suet : aug. . de pallio c : : martial : l. . epig . am , . iuvenal . salyr . , martiall : l. : epigr ▪ . lips. l manuduct : ad stoicam philos. ca. . lib. : c : : h lib. . c , i decics sestertium according to budaeus : but if you reade according to ho●…t manus , ducenties it is twenty times as much more plin. l. c. . seneca ep. . cap : . epist . de brevitate vitae . c. iuv. l , . sat. . lib. . de asse . lib. . c. . saturnal . l. . c. . cap. . epist. . . lib : . trium b●…rum , not t●…ium pho●…um as s●…me read it . plin. . . seneca de consolatione ad albinam c. . martial . l. . epigr. . it seemes it should be read ●…er trecenties . iuven. sat. . seneca ep. . cap. cap. cap. . seneca de consolatione ad albinam c . seneca epist. hor. sat. . l. . hor. sat. . lampridius . cap. . saturn . . & lipsius . deconsolat . ad albinam c : iuvenal . satyr : . suet. c. . valer. l : : c : : : senec : ep : tertul. de pallio : pl. . . seneca de consolatione ad albinam , c. : cap : . de consol. ad abinam : cap. : macrobius , saturn . : : pliny , . . macrob : saturn : : : salust . varro de re rustica . . . martial . l. . epigr . . tertul : de pallio : macr : satur : . : pl. : : lib : : macrob : satur. . . idem : : : epist. : iuvenal . satyr : . iuven. sa●…yr . . lib. . hor. l. . sat. . sen. nat . quest . . . . ▪ cap. . cap. . macrob. sat. . . philip. . . iuven. sat. . lib. . epig. . lib. . . lib. , . de re ru●…ica , . ibid. c. lib. . c. . . 〈◊〉 . ficedula . lib. . epig. lib. . c. . lib : : epig. lib : : cap : : lib : : c : . lib : . cap. : epistola . . salust : of metellus : cap : : lib. : c. : cap●…olinus . idem . * a bird like a nightingall , feeding on figges . vopiscus in aureliano : iuven : satyr : : horat : l : : sat : . lypsiius , epist : select . . lib. : cap : : lib. c. . sueton. c. lypsius . me brenit-vitae cap. : dio. ammianus . instit. lib. . sermone . suetonius . plin. l. . c . idem ibidem . dio cassius in nerone . plin. . . suetonius c. vopiscus in probo . hippopotamos . dio in nerone . apuleius . spartianus in adriano . seneca ep. . suet. c. ●… lypsius . in carin●… . lib : . lib : : olympio●…rus in excerptis . in bal●…o ●…trusci . lib. . : cor. . . notitia imper●… : de templis . dio , . i●… apologetico . lib. : ep : . sue●…on . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lib. . excid●… . lib. . . lib : : cass●…dorus . l : . victor : 〈◊〉 lib. ●…ltimo . cap : : dion in compendio . cassi●…dorus l. . epist. ad gaudentium . lib. . c. . plin. . . . sen●… de beues . . . lib. . epig. . iuven. sat. epist. . tacit. annal. . . 〈◊〉 . . . s●…ec . ep . . statius in epithalam 〈◊〉 st●…lla martial . . . capitolinus in gordiano . valerius . : sen●…a ep. seneca contr●…vers . : . lib. . c : ▪ statius in ti 〈◊〉 majlij vopisci . propertius . lucanus . statius . . . ep. ad gaudentium . in 〈◊〉 . senec. ep . senec. ep . . de tranq . c. . cap. . algentem rapiat coenatio solem . iuvenal . sat. . see tacitus of this house , annal. . c. . suet. c : ●… contracta p●…sces aequora sentiunt ●…actis in al●…um molibus : ●…orat . plin. . . c. . . . martial . . . lampridius . martial : . . ovid. met : : sueton : c. : plin : : : lampridius . lib : : . lib : : : l. cum aurum . plin : : : . . pl : : : ep. . propertius . sueton. . idem in vita horati●… . seneca de beneficiis pretiis . . nat. quaest . . . de brevitate vitae cap. ●… . suetonius c. suetonius c. iuven. sat. iuven : sat. cap. . senec. ep . . senec. de tranquill . c. . martial ▪ macrob. satur. . . de pallio c. suelonius c. . plutarchus in lucullo . epist ▪ . martial . lib. epig . m●…rcellinus lib. . martial . lib. . epig. . epig. l. . ep . . . . lib. . c . lib. . c. . lib. . c. . plin. . . plin. l. . c. . martial . . senec : nat. quaest. l : : : . . martial . . : lib. : c : : sén . de benes : : : ovid. propert. l : : eleg. : manilius , l : : lib : : : in vita pauli 〈◊〉 . de habitu muliebri : cap : : sueton : cap : : de vita beata , cap. : de benef . : . de habitu muliebri , cap . lib. . . lib. . : de habitu muliebri . . cap : iuvenall . lib. . sen nat : quaest. l. . . cap : : de benef . l. . lib. . lib. . lib. . satyr . . lib. . de ben . : : lib. : ep. ad furiam . sue ton . c. . martial . l. , epig. . de tranq . c. de magn. rom. . . suetonius . . debello iudai col . . histor. . lib. . sueton. c iuven. l. . sat . in dionis compendio . tacit. hist. l. . c. . suetonius c. suetonius c. suetonius . lib. . . lib. . . hor. l. . sat. lib. . epig. 〈◊〉 ad avitum . carm , l : : od : cap : . sueton. cap : . suetou cap. senec. de ira. l. : c : : these verses of mariell are vpon another occasion , formerly alleaged and englished . lib : : ibid. in ●…imidio temporis : cap : : annal. l. : lib : : in ludo de mort●… : p●…arus : cap. . lib : : annot. in t●… ▪ l. hist : . c : : lib. . lib. . fast. de somn. sc●…p . . . ibid. lib. . 〈◊〉 . libro de aquae ●…uctibus . de hon . disc . l. . c. vlt. cap. : & . lib. . cont . symmachum . lib. . lib. . de mag●… . rom. . . isay . . revel . . hubert●… golzius rerum antiq . c. . a apud 〈◊〉 . ep . . b lib. . c. . & . . ep. ad algasia●… q. . in dimidio temporis c. . lactant. instit. l. . c. . lib. . c. . lib : : c : : de civ . dei : lib : : c. : cap : : cap : : raptas siue more sabinas , vir : an . : lib : : c. . he that desires to see more of their monstrous ingratitude towards their best deseruing citizens , let him reade valerius . lib. . c. . . : . : virgill . ovid. 〈◊〉 . hooker : . . : chron. . . c : tb. l. . tit . cardan desapient . lib. . in octau . apolog. adoe●… . gente●… . . lib : lib : : cap : : luc. . . . esay . . ●…r . . . dan. . . de civ . dei . . ecclesiastes . . de civ . de●… . . ad donatum . nonius marcellus ex cicero●… lib. de repub. . nat. quaest . praes . lib. . epist. ad reg●… arsocen . in vita iulij agricola . lib. : c. . e●… . . . dis. l. . . . . lib. . c. : see for this point laurent valla in his booke de voluptate . lib. : c. . de ciu. dei , . apolog. . ad gentes . 〈◊〉 . . horat. ep●… . o●… . . lib. . lib. . lib. . hist. of the world , l. : part . . cap. . sect. . a the dolphine of viennois . b the king of maiorca . iohn de serres . iohn de serres . mat. . . luc. . . . tim . . . tim : . v. . . pet. . iude. v. . . . . . . . . . heb. . . : . . 〈◊〉 . in epist , iud●… . i●… . tim. . . . . ●… . act. . . . . v. . tim. . . v. . de rom. pont. . . lib. . epist : . lib. . cap. . ad 〈◊〉 de monogamia . lib . ep . . serm. . in psal. . ep . . thess. . thess. . . . daniel : revel . . lucan . l. . a in thess. . lib. . lib. . lib. . buxdofius syllag . iud. c. . epist. . circa finem . epist. . de consolatione ad martiā , . lib. . cap. . cap. . cap. . oecumenius in collectaneis super . post petri de rerum 〈◊〉 tura . in eleg. lib. : ph●…os . de ver . fid . christ. l. . an●…e medium . de prepar . evan . . . de consol. ●…d mart. c. . ludou . vives . de ver . fid . christ. lib. . lib. . . lib. . metamorph. lib . or acul●…rum . . . . . . . . . . revel . . mat . . mark : . . . . . revel . . . in rom. . a de extrem●… iudicio . b in sobria philosoph . par . sect . . cap. . quaest . . lib. . & . cap. . ante medium . cor. . mat. . catharinus in pet. . salmeron in eundem locum . . cor. . . act. . . psal. . . eccles. . . esay . : . revel : . : & s. peter : : : : . . . cor : : . rom. : . psal : . : v. . in rom. . v. : v : . cap. . v. . . v . . . cor. . . v. . in lib. . quest . . . ep . . . psal. . . . cor. . . gen. . . see raimundus sebundus his naturall theologie . & raymundus lullius in demonst . art . fidei . psal. : : eusebius de p●…aeparati ne . . . & . lactan. . ●… . surius in com . an . . zephany . . . exod. . serm. . antiq. l. . c. . notes for div a -e lib. . lib . epig. . epig. . lib. . lib. . in psal : . dan. . . de prim●… scribendi origi●… . cap. . epist dedicat . car : prin . gods providence in the midst of confusion set out in a sermon preach'd at the savoy, january the , , being the anniversary of the martyrdom of king charles i / by anthony horneck. horneck, anthony, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) gods providence in the midst of confusion set out in a sermon preach'd at the savoy, january the , , being the anniversary of the martyrdom of king charles i / by anthony horneck. horneck, anthony, - . [ ], p. printed by t.n. for samuel lowndes ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t. -- psalms xcix, -- sermons. providence and government of god -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion gods providence in the midst of confusions . set out in a sermon preach'd at the savoy , january the . . being the anniversary of the martyrdom of king charles i. by anthony horneck d. d. in the savoy , printed by t. n. for samuel lowndes , and are to sold at his shop over against exeter-exchange in the strand , . psal. xcix . vers. i. the lord reigneth , let the people tremble . whether this psalm was written by moses , as the jewish rabbins think , or by some other prophet , or why this psalm with four and twenty more is destitute of a title , when all the rest have suitable inscriptions , is not material to enquire . the psalm contains a rehearsal of gods wonderful works in the desert , when he went before his people in the wilderness , when god wrought miracles every hour , and the cloudy pillar by day , and the other of fire by night , like a guardian angel protected the mighty host , and rendred them formidable to all nations that heard of their name , or had notice of their approaches ; or , we may call it a spur to fervent devotion , and profound veneration of the infinite majesty of heaven , who never leaves such devotional prostrations unrewarded ; and if sincere , crowns them usually with loving kindnesses and tender mercies : instances whereof are given in moses , aaron , and samuel , men who by their prayers bowed the heavens , and made god come down , and as it were forced the almighty into pity , and compassion by their supplications . to excite our attention , the psalmist begins his hymn with an expression great , and lofty , becoming the supream being , and worthy of an infinite majesty ; in a few words he gives us the best description of gods providence , that reason can desire , and there could be nothing more magnificent , than to say of him , the lord reigneth , let the people tremble . that which will oblige me to deviate , or vary a little from the received translation , is the ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original , which we render tremble . the word in other places of scripture stands for being tumultuous , or in a rage , inconfusion , or in great disorder , and this signification seems to me to be most proper here , and to render the sense much clearer , and if you ask me , what that sense is , i shall deliver it in this preposition . propos. in the midst of the greatest tumults and disorders , the divine providence is awake ; in the midst of the most lamentable confusions , gods management of things is orderly , and regular . this must necessarily be the result of the text , if we construe the words according to the interpretation i have given , and the words will naturally bear , viz. the lord reigneth , let the people in a commonwealth , or kingdom be never in so great disorder , or confusion ; even then , when all things seem to be turned upside down , the lord reigns by his providence . let heathens and epicureans fancy that god is asleep , when things go contrary to our carnal wishes , and fond expectations , we that enjoy gods revelations are better taught ; and though the vast ship of this inconstant world were sinking , we have reason to believe , that the great pilot who sits at the helm , is broad awake , and hath pregnant reasons for the dispensation . it 's a weak argument , that god is careless , because we cannot pry into the reasons of his actions ; nor can the inference be less than childish ; to conclude that the almighty enjoys his ease , regardless of things below , because our selves are not omniscient ; we could not be creatures if we were so , and should lose our dependance upon the god above , if our wisdom did equal his , or could know all the depths of his actions . yet so great is his goodness , that he hath not left himself without witness , and as mysterious as his goings in the sanctuary seem to be , he hath let his servants know the order of his providence . so great an advantage are the scriptures , that while pagans , like moles , grovel in the earth , unable to apprehend what is done above ; we like children of light , can unfold gods darker proceedings , and inform the world of the equality of his ways . when the ten tribes revolted , and shook off their obedience to their liege lord rehoboam , we may easily guess what disorders the jewish commonwealth then laboured under , and what confusions that juncture of affairs produced . judah fought against israel , and israel against judah , and in both parties without all peradventure were discontented men , who added fewel to the fire , and threw brimstone into the flame to make it soar the higher ; yet while the republick lies in that convulsion-fit , god dispatches a prophet to the tribe of judah , shemaiah by name , with order to tell them , kings . . thus saith the lord , ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren the children of israel , return every man to his own house , for this thing is from me ; i. e. let no man wonder at these disorders , for i have a hand in them , and my providence doth manage them ; and to this purpose , amos brings in god speaking , am. . . is there any evil , i. e. any evil of confusion in the city , and the lord hath not done it ? this , even jehoram , as wicked as he was , could not but be sensible of , and therefore when in the great famine of samaria people were ready to devour one another , and things were come to that extremity , that women fell a dressing their own children for their dinner , the king desperate and melancholick , cries out , this evil is of the lord , i. e. how dismal soever the state of things appears , the almighty hath given order for it , and it 's he , whose power and wisdom manages this calamity . but this subject will require some elucidation , and therefore i shall consider here , . what those disorders , and confusions are , which seem to infer a carelesness of providence . . why god suffers , and permits such confusions and disorders . . how his providence appears in them , and which way he manages these seeming contradictions . . what these disorders and confusions are , which seem to infer a carelesness of providence . . oppression of the innocent and poor , such as we find among the jews in the time of amos and jeremy , am. . . c. . . jer. . . and no doubt a dismal sight it is , to see the rich invade the poors little all without control , and great men crush those of an inferiour rank by their lawless power ; to see ahab take possession of naboth's vineyard ; and ziba because in favour with the king , wrong the lame and harmless mephibosheth ; to see the widdow scorn'd , because she hath no potent friends ; and the orphan trampled on , because his injurious adversary can out-bribe him ; to see a jeremy thrown into a dungeon , because he speaks the truth ; and a daniel hurled into a lyons den , because he cannot conform to the looser customes of the persian court ; to see an aristides driven into exile , because of his justice , and an alcibiades deposed from his office , because the rash lysander lost the field . oppression as it is enough to make even a wise man mad , according to solomon , eccles. . . so it is an argument , that justice hath forsaken the tribunal ; and without justice , human societies become cages of ravenous birds , and the band , which is to hold mankind together , must necessarily be dissolved . it 's this maintains the health and vigour of the body politick , and this once taken away , must on the other side cast it into violent distempers ; distempers which render it not only weak , but deformed and odious , and must at last be the death of it . it 's this whereby god intended kingdoms , and cities should be governed , and men no sooner receive their being , but at the same time receive the principles of this vertue . nature obliges them to it , as much as it doth to self preservation , and with their mothers milk they imbibe these inclinations ; and on these inclinations the wholesom laws of all nations are grounded ; and whatever orders are contriv'd by wise men for the well governing of societies , do all go upon this supposition . nay , god himself is concerned to see this justice maintained in commonwealths , and it is part of his prerogative to preserve its laws inviolable , so that it 's being lost in a corporation , seems to reflect upon him ; and as it was he alone , that first taught men to gather into societies , so to let oppression come among them , which is the bane , that kills them , to a sensual eye seems to be no small disparagement to his providence . . such another disorder is , when a covetous , ambitious prince is suffered to spoil and harrass the countrey of his neighbour prince , who is at peace with him , and not so much as dreams of any hostile approaches , an instance whereof we have in benhaded , who without any other cause but that of interest , and his own glory , fell upon baashah king of israel , being in league with him , and surprizing his territories , plundered , and made himself master of ijon , and dan , and abelmaine , and all the store-cities of naphtali , chron. . , . a strange way of war ! to fall upon his confederate for no other reason , but because he is more potent , and to deprive the other of his right and inheritance , because he is too weak and feeble to oppose him : to fancy because i have got a numerous army , that therefore i may do what i list ; and because i can be more wicked than another , that therefore i may lawfully be so . to imagine because i am a king , that therefore i am exempt from all laws , and because there is no man above me , that therefore i may crush whomsoever i have a mind to , to flatter my self , because god hath advanced my throne above other potentates , that therefore the rest must be my vassals , and because they cannot easily resist me , that therefore i may make them fall a sacrifice to my lust and glory . conceits monstrous and odious , even to pagans and infidels ! and which deserve not only the sharpest satyrs , but gods severest vengeance : we look upon joab as a villain , because he killed amasa kissing , and david justly called him the worst of men , because he murthered abner under pretence of friendship , and shed the blood of war in peace . thus ninus takes what he can get , because his neighbours are unarmed : and sesostris of aegypt discontented that he hath so little , makes even his familiars a prey to his ambition : actions which in private men would be punished with the hangmans sword , and in persons of a lower condition , revenged with the most exquisite racks and tortures ; yet it is not power , can justifie a sin , nor the greatness of a man turn a vice into vertue . robbery is a crime in a prince as much as in a subject , and stealing other mens goods the greater injustice in a king , by how much he stands higher , than other mortals . no prince hath power to act against the law of nature , and what is intrinsically evil , can never be made good by the most specious pretences of authority . princes that are given to such injustice are enemies of mankind , and no marvel , if the disorders they cause in the neighbouring dominions are astonishing , for the sin it self is prodigious . that which amazes the spectator more , is , that such unrighteousness very often prospers , and the disorders it causes , tends to the renown and splendour of the perfidious conquerer , for it makes him not only more adored by parasites , and flatterers at home , who call him , great , invincible , and a demy-god , but formidable to nations afar off , which like innocent animals , at the approach of the ravenous hawk , quake as the rumour spreads of his speedy , though treacherous victory ; a scene of affairs , which providence seems to suffer in , and while he , in whose hands the hearts of princes are said to be , le ts loose the reins , and suffers them to do what they list , men guided by sense can suspect no less , than that the lord doth not see , neither doth the god of jacob regard it ; as those ; psal. . . . civil wars ; when men of the same countrey and nation breaking into factions , imbrue their hands in one anothers blood , and thrust their swords into one anothers bowels , as the midianites , jud. . . when neighbour fights with neighbour , and those of a man 's own house prove his greatest enemies ; when members of the same commonwealth first run into discontents among themselves , and thence into open hostility one against the other ; when different parties first give one another reproachful names , from reproachful names come to animosities , and feed their envy and malice so long till it break forth into a consuming fire . there is hardly any nation but some time or other hath felt the smart of these intestine divisions ; and if any have escaped the blow , it must be , because there was nothing in the country worth contending for . how many mens lives were lost at rome in the contentions betwixt marius and sylla , betwixt catilines party , and the senate , betwixt pompey and caesar , every school-boy knows , that hath read the history . this was the fate of the hot disputes at thebes , betwixt ismenias and archias , at jerusalem betwixt jason and menelaus , in greece betwixt the dorians and jonians , at athens betwixt thucidides and timon , in italy betwixt the guelphs and gibellines , at constantinople betwixt hypatius and the court party , at carthage betwixt hannibal and hanno , at florence betwixt the people and the house of medices , in france betwixt the hedui and sequani , and he that shall peruse our own chronicles , take a view of the quarrels betwixt the white and red rose , and all the seditions , rebellions , and divisions under the several kings of this island , and add to all this what he remembers of the late civil war , that set ephraim against manasseh , and manasseh against ephraim , and they both against judah , cannot but behold a very sad landskip of horrour and confusion . to see men drunk with their prosperous fortunes , and angry with their own happiness ; to see them fall foul one upon another , and they that might live in ease and safety , like mad dogs bite and devour one another ; to see them enraged one against another upon a punctilio of state , and as if their lives were nothing worth , throw them away because both parties cannot be of the same judgment ; to see them not only begin their quarrels upon slight occasions , but pursue them unto death and ruine , as it is an argument of intolerable pride and self-conceitedness , so it 's like , the careless spectator , that sees the tremendous effects of it , will wonder , what 's become of providence in such disorders . . massacres : when the true religion is persecuted , as a pestilent heresy , and mighty endeavours are used to extirpate its renown and glory : when fire and faggot become arguments to confute it , and swords and the gallows are made use of as the only syllogisms to batter its fortifications : when it is not only contemned and derided , but the professors of it severely handled , and those that dare be so bold as to own it , put to most cruel torments : when the floods of ungodliness threaten to overwhelm it , and the malice of men rises to that height , that nothing will serve their turn , but its ruine and destruction . such was the massacre of the jews under antiochus , when to live up to the law of moses , was present death , and to observe gods statutes the readiest way to be tortured , when to believe in one god was to be broken on the wheel ; and to abhor idolatry involved the votary in the danger of most barbarous usage . thus was the true religion treated in the first ten persecutions by the heathen emperours , when to have a bible in the house , and to be thrown to the lyons was all one , and not to offer incense to the heathen gods , was cause enough to be torn in pieces by bears and tygers ; when multitudes of christians were driven like so many sheep to the slaughter , and the hangmen were sooner tired with executing , than the professours of christ's doctrine with the variety of their tortures . thus the church of rome dealt with the waldenses and albigenses , from the year of our lord . to . and upward , when those innocent creatures for contradicting the corruptions of that church , were hurled into the fire ; and not to be subject to the pope in his unlawful decrees , was counted as bad as witchcraft ; when flames were the portion of men , that would not believe a purgatory , and a dungeon the reward of adhering close to the oracles of the holy ghost . such was the massacre at paris in the year . when in one night many thousands were murther'd for no other reason , but because they were protestants : and vast numbers of men and women murthered like beasts , because they would make the bible the only rule of their faith and manners , when at rome they triumphed at the inhumane fact , and like the jews , thought they had done god service by sacrificing the lives of his servants to their rage and malice . this was the lot of the protestants in ireland in the year . when of them were destroy'd to make the popish clergy sport , and men that professed themselves to be of the catholick church out-did indians and cannibals in their cruelty ; when the more protestants a papist killed , the more he merited , and might tell the pearls of his crown in heaven , not by his beads , but by the number of christs disciples , which as he thought , he had sent to hell , and offered to the devil . if god takes care of any thing , thinks the sensual man , it must be of the true religion , this we must conceive to be his darling , and if he hath more tender affections for one thing than another , this we must suppose is the chief object of his sollicitude : this makes most for his honour , and his glory is advanced by nothing so much as by true , and genuine worship ; this therefore he must be thought to mind and cherish most , and to look upon with the kindest aspect : but to see this jewel scorned , derided , affronted , and its lustre darkened by clouds of ignorance and malice : to see this pearl broken , shattered , and the dust of it dispersed into the various corners of the earth : to see its foes live great , and those that touch this apple of his eye , brave it in their pleasures : to see them erect their throne on the necks of gods servants , and securely trample on these supposed favourites of heaven ; what can we conclude , but that either this is not the true religion , or that providence is careless , and supine in its protection ? . such another disorder is , base and contemptible mens climbing up to the thrones of kings , and displacing the true owners , and usurping their authority ; when the vilest of men are advanced to royalty , and they that were but subjects a little before , come to sit in their lords tribunal : vvhen persons of the dregs of the people get up to the highest povver , and they that vvere but scum before , come to svvim like oyl on the top , and throvv dovvn gods anointed ; when a jeroboam from surveyor of the kings works , rises up to be king himself ; and a zimri that dvvelt in a cottage before , comes to possess himself of the royal palace . such vvas the sudden advance of the famous or rather infamous massinello , vvho from a fisherman , in a day or tvvo comes to be a prince , and from mending of nets , in a weeks time is advanced to be more than vice-roy of naples , whose contemptible condition is on a suddain changed into adorations , and his converse with the meanest of his fellow subjects , turned into bows and cringes from the greatest of the people : he that before had scarce a dog to attend him , in a few hours is followed by a crowd , and receives the courtships and caresses of an incredible multitude : he that knew little but obedience a little before , now commands armies , and from a slave , comes to give law to the proudest of the spaniards . they that before would scarce vouchsafe to look upon him , now are glad of his kinder smiles : and his threats , that before were accounted little more than the noise of a hound , are now dreaded more than the almighties thunder . such was the prodigious rise of the late usurper , whose crimes , and wonderful successes in his bloody attempts , have given occasion to the sad solemnity , and the sackcloth , and ashes of this day . a man , ( if it be not a crime to call him so , for he outwent devils in hypocrisy ) by whose contrivance the royal crown fell down , and with the crown the church , and with the church the nations happiness : a man , whose crimes must be detested while time is measured by the intervals of day and night , and who by his actions hath fixed such a blot on christianity , as perhaps the tears of many ages cannot wipe away : a man , who in pursuance of his dreams was restless , till he saw what the evil spirit had revealed , accomplished ; and first poisoned the peoples loyalty , and then made advantage of their perfidiousness . who made religion a stalking-horse to invade the throne , and when he had possessed himself of it , was more lawless than the person , whom he pretended to expel for being so ; who forced his way to greatness through a thousand lives , and knowing no means to arrive to it , but injustice in the highest degree , cut down all the trees that stopt his prospect ; who made the bible subservient to his sword , and held it in one hand , that he might only do greater execution with the other ; who under a pretence of liberty , made the nation a greater slave to him than they are in turky , and while he gave out , that he would set them free , bound them but the faster in their shackles : who to reform the church , pulled it down to the ground , and while he made purity the watch-word , brought in darkness greater than the aegyptian ; for he taught men a new religion , how they might be devout and yet rob and steal , and commit sacriledge without fear , or remorse of conscience : who in the worst sence became all things to all men , to make them all his prey , and complied with several parties , to make them all his devoted vassals ; who could weep to deplore the misfortunes of the time , while he was the chief instrument to bring them in ; and cry out against monarchy , while nothing less was the object of his ambition ; who waved the title of a king meerly because he saw it was not safe , and seemed humble , thereby the better to compass his dangerous designs and purposes . who to stop the clamours of the people , did them right , thereby to wrong his prince the better : and to make his murther legal , caused him to be condemned by a law of his own making : who first promoted the parliaments independency of the king , and then made himself independent of their power : who first gulled the simpler party into an opinion of his sanctity , and when he had done so , wallow'd securely in the shades of the greatest villany : who made himself great , by daring to do that , which heathens would have trembled at , and so his glory might be set on the pillars of fame , was content to make lucifer both his instrument and general . thus lived the proud vsurper , but what is more , died in his bed , lamented by the crew that had served him in his sins , disposed of three kingdoms to his son , who wanted besides right , his fathers cunning , and personal qualifications ; yet he saw his successor applauded , and fawned upon by men that were then in power , and had the satisfaction to behold a man of his own line in a probability to carry on his own usurped authority , which was all that a dying tyrant could desire , and greater felicity a man could not possibly aim at , that believed no other life , or if he did , could not expect a share in its happiness : yet with his death his hellish laurels did not wither , for his funeral was royal , as if it had not been enough to have lived a king , except he died so too , and the pomp of his interrment such , as attracted the eyes of the most curious spectators ; nay , as after the storm is past , there remains some agitation of the waves , so the agents of foreign princes , that had dreaded this neptunes trident , while alive , retained some awe of his power after death , which was the reason , that with their forced presence they graced his affected : funeral : an accident uncommon , and exceeding rare ; and if asaph seeing the prosperity of private wicked men , his feet had almost slipp'd , and he very near sunk into a slight opinion , and low thoughts of gods providence , what would he have said , had he seen impiety thus publickly honoured , not only in life , but in death , as if heaven had applauded the heroick sin , and loved to bestow rewards on men , not only for their great attempts in vertue , but for daring to be more than ordinarily profane and impious ? but as great as these disorders are , or seem to be , they are no blemish of providence , nor doth that golden chain look the less lovely , because all the links are not distinctly seen by men , whose eyes by staring upon sensual objects , as people that look much on snow , have contracted a vicious dimness . and so much will appear from what we shall propose in the second general , viz. . why god suffers such disorders and confusions to happen in commonwealths or kingdoms . . god doth it to punish a nation or people for their sin. when the sins of a people are come to a fatal pitch , and the measure grown full , it 's time for god , by sending such disorders to lash the generality into better manners ; not that god doth instigate them to these disorders , but it 's just with him to withdraw his restraining grace , and not to hinder their wicked inclinations : and when the prop that upholds the house is charity , and that charity is abused , if the prop be removed , and the house fall , it 's to make the inhabitant sensible of his ingratitude . when pride and idleness ; and fulness of bread , and its usual concomitants , wantonness and luxury come once to rage and reign , god justly takes away the partition that kept the fire and tinder asunder , and then no marvel , if being committed and let loose to fall one upon the other , they cause a combustion which is not easily quenched . when the body is grown pletharick , and the humours abound , the wise physician breaths a vein , and though the ignorant spectator thinks he is going to let out life , yet it 's only to preserve the whole from perishing . god sometimes afflicts a good king for his wicked peoples sake , so he permitted the excellent josiah to be slain , because though himself was one of the best of men , yet his subjects were hypocritical to a high degree ; and while they seemed to comply with the king in the true worship of god , continued idolaters in their hearts : so god suffered the martyr of the day to fall , because the nation that lived under his shadow , were grown extravagant in their manners . and that you may not wonder , how god comes to punish the innocent , and let the guilty go free , i must answer , that the innocent , though seemingly afflicted , yet lose nothing by the adversity , but only anticipate heaven , and exchange their temporal for an everlasting bliss a few years sooner , while the sinners , though seemingly prosperous , suffer signally in the loss of their great representative ; for hereupon they must necessarily fall into confusion , and while they send sometime to the vine , and sometime to the fig-tree to reign over them , and know not where to fix , they at last inconsiderately , yet by gods wise permission , fix upon the bramble for their prince , whence fire comes forth , and either disperses or consumes the giddy multitude . sometimes god punishes the people , for their irreligious princes sake , as he sent a famine on the land in the days of david , sam. . . because king saul had committed perjury , and slain the gibeonites : and so he would not depart from his anger against the jews , because of the sins of manasseh , kings . . where with he had provoked him to anger : for kingdoms are bodies politick , whereof princes are the heads , and if either head or body be put to streights and inconveniencies , the design of providence is fulfilled , which is resolved , when heinous offences are committed in the whole , one principal part should smart for the boldness , that the other may take warning : and though that which suffers may not be so guilty as the other , yet as they sympathize together , so it s seldom seen but that they do contract something , or participate of one anothers corruptions , and consequently , justly share in one anothers sufferings : and where the prince suffers for the people , though it 's confest , the providence is more astonishing and surprizing , yet it is more godlike and majestick , and an imitation of the death of jesus , who consented to die for the people , that the whole nation might not be undone . god never punishes a nation as a nation , but only in this present life ; for indeed that relation extends no farther : when people in the next , come to be judged before the great tribunal , they are not judged as a nation , but as single persons ; for every one shall give an account of himself to god ; and therefore if god chastises a nation as a nation , it is only in this world , and if in such chastisements , either the generality or some principal members suffer , it s enough to answer the design of the divine equity , which is to let the nation see his displeasure against the cursed thing that is in the midst of them ; so that in this case , the almighty uses a kind of decimation , he being too pitiful , and too great a lover of humane societies to destroy every individual , especially in ample commonwealths , wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons , that cannot discern between their right hand and their left , jon. . . but , . as in all these disorders and confusions , there are some , who though notoriously guilty , yet escape , and are not so much as singed by that devouring fire , nay , prosper , and thrive best in such combustions : so providence lets them go free , to convince men of reason , that there is another world , where their insolence and unrighteousness shall be punished with a witness , psal. . , , . god gives men a taste of his justice here , that they may not think in their hearts , there is no god ; and yet but a taste , that they may not imagine , that what he doth here , is all he intends to do . some judgments he is obliged to send down now , to let the world see , there is a god that judges in the earth ; and yet he sends not all he means to send , to teach them , there are far more dreadful ones to come . some careless and debauched men he lashes here , to hint to us , that there is an all-seeing eye ; and yet others he lets alone , to assure us , that there is a future and everlasting vengeance . there is not a greater argument of another life , than gods being silent now , and not executing judgement against an evil work speedily ; especially , where the crimes threaten omnipotence , and men attempt to mingle heaven and earth together , dare be giants in transgression , and make gods patience an encouragement to their irreligion : for god , being a righteous governour , cannot but be just ; and since he awakes not to vengeance here , he will certainly pay the sinner home with interest hereafter . when frederick the emperor heard of a nobleman in his dominions , who had run through all the fallacious labyrinths of sin , tasted of all its luxuries , lived the life of a beast , or of a devil rather , had spared no woman in his lust , and no man in his anger , had been drunk and intemperate to a prodigy , yet had never had any cross or sickness , and at last died softly and quietly without pain or trouble , with age more than with sickness , being then above fourscore ; the intelligent prince smote upon his breast , and said , either there is no god , or after this comes a life of reward and vengeance : concluding peremptorily , that this man having escaped gods rods and axes here , must necessarily be tormented hereafter . so that prosperous villains are gods witnesses , that men do not cease to be when they die , and carry marks about them of gods future vengeance . god in suffering them to thrive , confirmes what he hath said in his word , and their flourishing condition here , is an item , that when this life is ended , they shall be destroy'd forever ; which is a truth so important , and which the world is so highly concerned to know , that it is in a manner necessary , impiety should be prosperous here , that their strength should be firm , and there should be no bands in their death , that they should not be in trouble as other men , nor plagued like other men , that their eyes should stand out with fatness , and that they should have more than their hearts can wish , since it is an infallible argument , that god hath appointed a day , wherein he will render tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil , to the jew first , and also to the gentile , rom. . . . such disorders come to convince men , that true happiness is not to be had in this valley of tears , but must be sought in heaven . to this end the greatest glories in the vvorld are subject to decay , and scepters and diademes are suffered to tumble down , to shew , there is a greater felicity to be gotten elsewhere . to this end the greatest calm is suffered to die into a storm , and halcyon days into threatning vvaves and billows , to assure us the prophet was in the right , when he cryed , arise and depart , for here is not your rest , mic. . . to this end gilimer the vandal was overcome , and led in triumph through the streets of constantinople ; to this end , andronicus from an emperor is made a slave , and infamously dragged through common-shores and kennels ; to this end the great vitellius hath dirt thrown in his face , and is haled to the market-place to be executed ; to this end the mighty croesus is like to fall a sacrifice to flames , and the sturdy bajazet is imprisoned in a cage : king boleslaus made a skullion , and dionysius forced to turn schoolmaster ; to this end valerianus is flead by the persian souldiers , and salted as if he had been bacon ; to this end john the twenty third , though a pope , is at last constrained to eat his own clothes , and to feed upon the flesh of his own arms , for hunger ; to this end adonibezeck after the conquest of seventy kings , hath the extremities of his hands and feet cut off , and all to teach men , that these outward gaudes are vanity of vanities , all is vanity . and indeed the aforesaid gilimer was so sensible of this , that being after long , but fruitless resistance necessitated to yield himself to the enemy , sent to his conqueror for three things , for bread , for a spunge , and for a cittern : for bread to support his fainting body , for a spunge to wipe away the tears , he had shed for the loss of his royal grandeur , and for a cittern , to rejoyce in his experience that all is vanity . the fickleness of these outward glories is an argument of their emptiness , and in that like glasses , they are so easily broke and crackt , wise men see , that they are but bubbles ; were they lasting , men would fancy them to be heaven , and their uninterruptedness would tempt poor mortals to say of them , as the surpriz'd disciple of mount tabor , it 's good for us to be here , let 's make tabernacles . indeed in the midst of their inconstancy , men are apt to promise themselves substantial satisfaction : and while they see them slip through their fingers , they are so unwise as to adore them ; what would they do , were they really what they seem to be , and had they beside their dazling dress , eternal duration to make them amiable ? god hath laid up other felicities for rational creatures , and they lie out of the common road , that men might take pains to get them . we must not think god bestow'd immortal souls upon us , that we might fix them on sensual objects , and when we find , that they are capable of securing such riches and pleasures as fade not away , we must suppose , that to do so , was the principal end of their creation . god hath made these lower things changeable as the moon , that like the woman in the revelation , chap. . vers . . we may set our feet upon them , and aim at delights which transport souls , ravish angels , and force seraphim into extasies . the deceitfulness of outward glories appears no where so plain , as in publick disorders and confusions , and they are the best glass to shew us , what unsatisfactory things they are ; for though in private families disappointments and changes happen every day , yet they are too inconsiderable for a multitude to take notice of them ; but publick disorders convince a kingdom of the imperfection of these external comforts , and the more notorious they are , the more all sorts of men are perfwaded into a belief of that imperfection ; so that confusions of this nature are sermons preach'd to a whole nation , and speeches from heaven , whereby god intends an universal reformation . . sometimes it is to try the good , and to brighten their faith , and hope , and constancy , which like gold , is best polished and refined by fire . and this reason god himself gives , ps. . . it is in this case , as in matter of heresies , which must be , that those which are approved , may be made manifest , cor. . . to adhere to a good cause , when it sleeps under the soft wings of peace and order , may be policy , but to espouse it when discouraged , is an argument of true honesty and ingenuity . he that can defend it , when it meets with opposition , we may conclude , is guided more by its equity , than his own interest : and he that sticks to it , when tempests threaten to overwhelm it , discovers , that it hath not only his bare approbation , but his heart and affections too . to salute christ when all jerusalem cries hosannah , may be a piece of civility ; but to speak for him when he is crucified , is a sign of true christian simplicity . till persecution came , the son of god had innumerable flatterers ; but when that fire began , the number soon dwindled away into a small company of followers . it happens so sometimes , that the good cannot be distinguished from the counterfeit professors of religion , and while all meet in the publick assemblies , the wheat and chaff seem to be one , but troubles and disorders like the wise shepherd make a distinction between the sheep and the goats , and discover the integrity of the one , and the deceit and hypocrisie of the other . to follow david , when all israel runs after absalom , is a mark of loyalty , but with achitophel to shrink , when heaven seems to frown on the right side , is base treachery . troubles , like aqua fortis , make a separation betwixt metals , and shew which is the silver , and which the contemptible mineral . those that are good grow better by them : those that seem only to be so , in the hour of temptation fall away . that sap certainly is strongest , which preserves the leaves of a tree green and verdant all the winter , and nothing is so great a sign of strength and hardiness , as to be able to endure the rude assaults of frost and snow , and unseasonable weather . it 's a character of infamy , the evangelist imprints on the chief rulers among the jews , who indeed believed in jesus , but for fear of the pharisees , durst not confess him , joh. . . true goodness like lillies thrives , though thorns and bryars do surround it , and salamander like can live in fire . the late kings piety shines the brighter , because he durst maintain it under temptations to forsake it . the troubles that came upon him , it 's confest added little to his outward pomp , but rendred his goodness more charming and amiable to the prudent spectator : it had never arrived to that renown and glory , if those confusions had not been the touchstone : and when like lawrel it could stand those thunders , it was evident that an almighty power did uphold it : had he lived prosperously all his days , his vertue would have made him a saint , but the constancy of it in the severest tryals , gave him the character of a martyr : had he professed and express'd meekness , while his subjects were submissive and respectful , the excellent qualification might have challenged suitable commendations ; but to practice it when his servants became his masters , and instead of honouring , loaded him with indignities and reproaches , this deserves our wonder : to be true to the church against his temporal interest , was that , which gave him the greatest credit , and to forgoe a crown rather than part with his religion , an act which force the world into admiration . the greater man he was , the greater was the tryal , and for such a tryal , perhaps , nothing was so fit as royal vertue . the disorders he lived to see , made him more sensible of gods assistance , than all his sunshine did , and he had never tasted of that degree of sweetness in gods favour , if persecution and a prison had not increased the relish . this gave him a clearer sight of gods goodness , than the high specula of his palace , and his solitariness afforded him such contemplations , as he must never have hoped for in the crouds of courtiers . this made him look into paradise , and see the suffering jesus on his throne , and taught him , that a man might be the son of god in the very garden of gethsemane . this furnished him with lessons , which the greatest kings are strangers to , and with moses , directed him to behold him that was invisible . this made his faith with abraham , believe even contradictions , and raised his confidence , that though he died , he should live for ever . this made him stand amazed at his own vertue , and while he saw he was able to do , what he thought had been impossible , admire the immense power and goodness of god , when grace was thus sufficient for him , and made his strength proportionable to his burden . this made him find by blessed experience , what the saints of old felt in their chains and tortures , and assured him , that to rejoyce with joy unspeakable , and full of glory in the midst of flames , was no fable . this made him see , that the things invisible are the most desirable objects , and find with the great apostle , that there is a great difference between being persecuted and forsaken . . such disorders are sometimes permitted to discover the ill principles of some mens religion , who are like to seduce others by their specious pretences , that men who are in good earnest resolved to be saved , may be aware of them , and not fall into the same condemnation , tim. . , , . men who suppose that gain is godliness , when troublesome and perillous times do come , and disorders rise , serve themselves of these tumults , and under a shew of piety , grasp what they can , and betray their carnal ends , which in such times cannot be hid , when there are opportunities and temptations to call them out into action ; for as in such disorders commonly the right cause , or the party that have most justice on their side , are oppressed and come by the worst , so the other make advantage of their misery , and their blood and tears give the other growth and stature . it 's possible , beloved hearers , you may remember times , when men walked in sheeps cloathing , but within were ravening wolves , and while their voice was exactly like jacobs , their hands continued rough as esau's ; when men cryed , the temple of the lord , and yet at the same time murthered those that opposed their insolencies , and talked of the good cause , while they meant nothing else by it , but enriching their own purses ; when men pretended a thorough reformation , and made their own souls as black as hell , and gave out that they fought for god , when it was only to maintain , what they had unjustly purchas'd ; when men sighed and groaned to get the prey into their net , and laboured much for a spiritual kingdom , to make a surer settlement of their temporal possessions . when men under a shew of seeking a world to come , did what they could to enjoy this present , and left no stone unturned to establish religion , that thereby they might establish themselves the better in their unrighteous acquists ; when men to pull down idolatry , as they called it , set up robbery and sacriledge in the room of it , and instead of doing things better than they had been , exchanged only one sin for another ; when men call'd that zeal , which was in good earnest nothing else , but inordinate passion , and termed that charity , which was no more but kindness to their brethren in iniquity ; when men called others dumb dogs , that they might more securely bark at them , and represented them as lazy droans , that they might carry the honey , those bees had made , to their own hives ; when men undertook to resolve cases of conscience , while themselves had seared their own , and under a pretence of taking scruples out of other mens breasts , felt none for the monstrous injuries they had been guilty of to their neighbours ; when men gave out , they pittied the divisions of the church , while themselves were the causes that began them , and talk'd of works of mercy , while they shew'd none to those they had turned out of their livings ; when they trampled on the pride of prelates with a greater of their own , and ran like mad from babylon to be consumed in the fire of sodom and gomorrah . so i have seen some gaudy flowers arrayed more gloriously than solomon , but when dismantled , have been nothing but unsavoury and unprofitable stalks ; so the deadly night-shade looks fresh and green , as other plants , but carries poison in its bowels ; so the prince of precious stones , the diamond , by its rayes , promises so many springs of light , but its powder kills without remedy ; so gold and silver dazle the eye , yet are no steams more odious or loathsom , than those which rise from the mines , they are digg'd out of ; so the butterfly is striped with several paints , yet is no more but a squallid animal ; so the glow-worm looks like a creeping star , yet if you behold it by day light , it is a very homely creature . these are the true emblemes of some mens religion in the world , and their partial obedience in times of disorder and confusion , tells the considerate part of mankind , that what they profess is varnish not substance , glass not natural chrystal , shadow not reality ; for how can that be true religion , where i give to god the things which are gods , and deny to caesar the things which are caesars ? where i am conscientious to the creator , and unjust and perfidious to the creature ? where i offer sacrifice , and envy my brother in my heart ? where i express love to my maker , and yet do not give all their due , custom to whom custom ; tribute to whom tribute , fear to whom fear , and honour to whom honour ; or in st. peters phrase , fear god , and do not honour the king ? and these sophistications god commonly discovers in confusions , intending them as sea-marks , to give warning to the ships that see them afar off , not to come near those sands , lest they split their vessel , and lose their goods , which with great cost and labour they have purchased . but it 's time we proceed , and enquire , . how gods providence appears in these disorders and confusions . . god puts bounds and limits to the rage of men , that cause and encourage those disorders . the proud senacharib , es. . . talks big , he had already put jerusalem into consternation , and boasted of greater mischiefs he intended ; by the multitude of my chariots , saith he , am i come up to the height of the mountains , to the sides of lebanon , and i will cut down the tall cedars thereof , and the choice fir-trees thereof , and i will enter into the height of his border , and the forest of his carmel . but he that sits in heaven laughs at him , and the great jehovah derides the little talking insect , assures the prophet , that beyond such a field he shall not step , and as he saith , he doth ; because thy rage against me , and thy tumult is come up into mine ears , therefore will i put my hook in thy nose , and my bridle in thy lips , and i will turn thee back by the way which thou camest . when maxentius had filled rome with murthers , and the people feared not only greater injuries to their persons , but a total desolation , ( so great was the fury of the monster ) the almighty sets bounds to his brutish courage , and sends the great constantine to remove him , and with him the yoak , he had laid on the trembling people . and thus hath god dealt with most tyrants , who have thought to crush the world by their power , when they have threatned heaven it self , and gone on securely for a considerable time , insomuch that they have flattered themselves , that all was their own , an invisible hand hath stopt their progress , and allotted them their limits , hitherto shalt thou come and no farther . and this hath been gods method with the most pestilent hereticks , whose business it hath been to ruine the church , and to render it , as the first mass , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a thing without shape or figure ; not only arrius himself was stopt from belching out blasphemies against the son of god , by being struck with a fatal loosness before he could reach the council , but his heresie too , when the world was afraid of its inundation : for after such a term of years , the true religion flourished again maugre all the opposition , from constantius , valens , and the goths and vandals . . sometimes god disappoints such men in their highest hopes and expectations . benhadad sends to king ahab , to tell him , reg. . . thy silver and thy gold is mine , thy wives also and thy children , even the goodliest are mine , and accordingly dispatches his servants to take their choice of what they liked . ahab gives the messengers a resolute denial , at which the syrian storms and swears , v. . the gods do so unto me , and more also , if the dust of samaria shall suffice for handfuls , for all the people that follow me ; hereupon he marches with two and thirty kings , his vassals at his heels , and hearing that some of the israelites were come out against him , he scorns to fight with them , but like a god , at whose nod people must either live or die , bids his men take them alive : but behold how the phantastick king is disappointed in his hopes , while he thought all samaria would come out to him with ropes and halters about their necks to acknowledge his sovereign power of life and death , he and his vast armies , which filled the land , are not only chased and beaten , but himself is taken prisoner , and forced to come crouching and cringing to the king of israel . selimus the turk in the year of our lord . sets out from constantinople with horse , and janizaries , and joins an army of the precopian tartars consisting of horse more , besides a navy at sea of gallies manned , and provided of suitable ammunition to invade the kingdom of astracan ; he had already swallowed the empire in his hopes , distributed the various provinces to his basha's , and consulted how to govern the kingdom , conquer'd already in imagination . it 's true , the inhabitants of astracan were in great confusion , but the mighty god , who sets up one , and pulls down another , comes in , dashes all the swelling hopes of the haughty sultan , and beyond expectation , all that mighty army pines and dwindles away in their march , some of them come as far as azeph , and of that vast multitude only return to constantinople . vitiges the goth besieges rome , makes use of all the stratagems , that his wisest and cunningest men can think of , and doubts not of success , but in despight of all these contrivances , he is forced to retire , and acknowledge a providence . the spaniards in the famous year . set out their invincible armada against england , fright the inhabitants of the land with their titles and numbers , and promise themselves a perfect victory , but on a suddain that vast navy is scattered and torn , and only a few ships return home to bring king philip the news , that the rest were lost , insomuch that the spaniards thought , that god was become a lutheran . so unexpectedly doth god change the scene of affairs in such disorders . the amalekites plunder ziklag , sam. . and then sit down and play , and praise their gods for the conquest , while david and his men are almost distracted with fear and grief . on a suddain , the clouds clear up , god directs them to the camp , where the enemy lay , secure of his prey , the foe is beaten , and david recovers all , v. , , . theodosius provoked by eugenius the tyrant , encamps against him ; the enemies numbers and valour fright the emperors men , who look'd upon themselves , as lost ; but behold theodosius prays , and on a suddain a mighty wind arises , insomuch that the enemy is forced to turn his back , and yield . so in aurelius his army , when those vast numbers of men were ready to die for thirst , the christian legion calls upon god , and on a suddain the heavens brake forth in lightning and rain , the tumults among the souldiers are stilled , and all drink , and are refreshed by gods kindly showers . . sometimes god works a mighty deliverance from such disorders by very inconsiderable means . what misery there was in samaria in the time of that dire famine , we read of , reg. . , , . any one may guess that hath felt the straights of hunger ; that in one day there should be so great a change , that a measure of fine flower should be sold for a shekle , one of the kings servants thought to be a thing so impossible , that he ventured to say , if god should rain down corn from heaven , it could not be , yet it happened so as the prophet had said , and the deliverance was effected by four inconsiderable lepers , who despairing of life , fled to the syrian camp , and found such affluence and plenty , that all samaria was immediately relieved and stored with provision ; thus was the roman capitol saved by geese , and the roman army chased by poisoned birds from the parthian walls ; thus the young corvinus beat the gauls with the help of a raven ; and immo henry the emperors general was delivered from the danger threatned him by gisilbert of lorrain , by swarms of bees let loose upon the enemy , which stung both horse and rider , and made them unfit for action ; thus fridlevo the dane's army was saved by a dog ; and hannibal got a signal victory over eumenes by the help of serpents . the more inconsiderable the means are whereby deliverances are effected , the more they proclaim the divine power and providence ; and when gideon conquers a numberless host of the midianites with three hundred men , it 's a sign , the lord of hosts hath a hand in it . that sampson smites a thousand philistines with the jaw-bone of an ass , shews that god governed his arm ; and when jonathan and his armour-bearer make the philistines flee , it 's an argument , that the lord reigned in the midst of the frights and fears , which possessed the cowardly israelites . if men believe it not , it is because they do not consider the weakness of the instruments upon such occasions , and the only thing that makes them infidels , is , because they conclude not from the contemptibleness of the means , that there must be a higher power , which gives them strength and vertue . . sometimes god causes divisions and dissentions to arise among the prevailing party , that were the cause of such disorders , that they may fall into great disasters and misfortunes . abimelech , judg. . sets upon his brethren , threescore and ten persons , murthers them all , and fills the city of shechem with confusion ; things go on merrily , and he fears no evil , but when he had reigned , saith the sacred writer , v. . three years over israel , god sent an evil spirit between abimelech and the men of shechem , and the men of shechem dealt treacherously with abimelech , which proved both his and their undoing , v. , . as great as their friendship was before , god doth but pull out a pin , that held them together , and the whole frame breaks in pieces , and while they see no foreign power to revenge their former wickedness , themselves are made the instruments to do it . god in this case made use of the law of retaliation , and the judgment that came upon them was suitable to their sin. ephraim's righteousness , hos. . . is as the morning cloud , and as the early dew it passes away , therefore themselves shall be as a morning cloud , and as the early dew they shall pass away , hos. . . so these men had sown divisions , and dissentions among the people , at last their sin becomes their punishment , and that which before had been their delight and pleasure , proves in the end their yoak and burthen ; they divide themselves , and are lost . this was the case of the arcadians , troezenians , and thessalonians of old , and hath been re-acted in our days ; for though such jealousies and dissentions seem to come by chance , yet there is nothing more certain , than that god thereby visits the sins of those , that have been the causes of publick disorders and confusions ; and when those , who have assisted them in their attempts , begin to suspect either their fidelity or honesty , and thereupon plot , how to remove the mushrooms , they have raised , its providence disposes their hearts to it ; not that he , who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity , prompts them to sin , but justly sends blindness on their minds , whereby their eyes become dim to their interest , and they tempted to undermine their own foundations . . sometimes god so orders it , that the authors of such confusions shall hearken to ill counsel , whereby they may be ruined . ahab by the prophets testimony , was a person , that signally troubled israel , kings . . but behold how providence deals with him . a fancy takes him , that he must needs go up , and retake ramoth gilead out of the hands of the syrians ; yet before he adventures upon the enterprize , he consults both with his confederates and such prophets as he had , whether the expedition were safe or no. all but micah advise him to it , and to this advise he hearkens ; but see , how providence laid the scene . i saw the lord , saith micah , kings . , , , . i saw the lord sitting on his throne , and all the host of heaven standing by him , on his right hand and on his left , and the lord said , who shall persuade ahab , that he may go up , and fall at ramoth gilead ? and one said on this manner , and another said on that manner , and there came forth a spirit , and stood before the lord , and said , i will persuade him ; and the lord said unto him , wherewith ? and he said , i will go forth , and i will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets ; and he said , thou shalt persuade him , and prevail also , go forth and do so ; and so it came to pass , he was perswaded , went , and was shot , and died. and though at this day , we see no such visions as micah did , yet we may justly imagine , when we see the same events , that they are compassed and effected the same way , i. e. by gods permitting some evil spirit to put ill counsel into the heads of those , with whom such firebrands advise , that acting according to those counsels , they may come to that woful end , which their crimes and follies do deserve . were our eyes quick enough to behold the transactions and consultations in the kingdom of spirits above us ; could we pry into their secrets , order , proceedings , and management of this lower world , we should be able to resolve a thousand phaenomena , and mysteries of events , which now seem strange and uncouth to our darker understandings ; for on the molehills of this world , where myriads of little ants do run , those spirits exercise their power , and that which we call accidental , hath been , and is contrived by their deliberate resolutions . thus we may suppose they acted , when rehoboam follow'd the counsel of his young men , and rejected the grave advice of his elder senators ; the very cause of his succeeding danger . thus they blinded the carians of old , who rebelling against darius , set up for themselves , but by neglecting the excellent counsel of pixodorus , were conquer'd by the persians ; thus they deceiv'd the tumultuous athenians , who following the dangerous advice of aristagoras , drew the fury of darius upon them , and laid the foundation of their ruine . thus they couzen'd that unwary and seditious people , in their conflicts with the lacedaemonians , while they obliged them to hearken to cleophon , who encouraged them to a vigorous prosecution of the war , of which they repented , when it was too late ; for they lost not only all their power and greatness , but became subject to domineering tyrants , and lost all their ease , and conveniencies too . thus the seditious zedekiah was served by them : advised by jeremiah the prophet to yield himself to the chaldean monarch , and expect his mercy ; he desperately hearkens to the turbulent counsels of men as vicious as himself , to stand out against the babylonian army , which proved his overthrow , and the utter destruction of jerusalem . but still those evil spirits , as they are gods executioners , so they all must attend his command and order , and they cannot thus impose on sinners here on earth , till the almighty gives them a warrant for to do so : and he may do it , as he is the judge of heaven and earth , and it 's just he should do so , to lash the insolencies of men , that would confound kingdoms or societies . . sometimes he sends upon men , who are the causes of such disorders , a worm to gnaw their breasts , even a tormenting conscience . such a turbulent spirit was pashur the son of immer the priest , in the time of zedekiah , a man who set both the king and nobles against the prophet jeremiah , whereupon god threatens him , to make him a terrour to himself , which without all peradventure came to pass , when nebuchadnezzar took the city , jer. . . so that when no visible judgment appears in such men , there is an enemy many times within them , which frights them worse than all external violence . cain , who was the first that brought disorder into the world , behold , how after his brothers murther his conscience haunts him ! though there were no people in the world , but his nearest relations , yet he fancies every place he goes to , full of men and enemies , and is afraid they 'l kill him . tiberius , who scarce let a day pass without some villany , and seemed to be born to the confusion of the roman state , cries out , when no man pursues him , trembles , when no enemy is near him , and feels terrours within , while without , all seems to be calm and quiet . nero kills his mother agrippina , sets rome on fire , persecutes the christians , but what ails him ? in the midst of his guards he is frighted , fancies he sees dreadful shapes before him , feels arrows in his breast , while his flatterers fawn upon him . constans the grecian emperour , dispatches his brother theodosius , soon after he cannot sleep ; what 's the reason , was it sickness ? was it a fit of the gout , or stone , or collick that troubled him ? no , something within opens his eyes , and shews him his brothers ghost , coming towards him with a cup of blood , and saying to him , drink inhumane brother ; it was his wicked conscience . theodorick king of the goths uses symmachus very barbarously , and falls sick upon it ; was it any disorder of the blood ? was it a surfeit ? was it a fever that discomposed him ? no , he sees a fish opened , and sees symmachus his head in it , and having seen it , cannot put the strange sight out of his mind ; his conscience rolled and worked within , and drew the dismal picture before his eyes , and in such frightful colours , that in torments of mind he dies . thus it happened to rudolphus , that engaged in hildebrands faction against his master henry the th . emperour ; his conscience tore him within , and the remembrance , how he had sworn an oath of allegiance to his prince , and perfidiously broke it , lay upon his spirits , and rackt him , and in that rack his polluted soul expires . richard the third , who for some years had put england into combustion , the night before bosworth-field , in his sleep fees all the devils in hell about his ears , ready to tear his cursed soul away . those devils were the reflections of his conscience , foreboding the flames that waited for him in the black kingdom of infernal furies ; and if history and fame doth not belie the late usurper , for all his borrow'd glories he slept but uneasie , ●nd as soft as his pillows were , something harder than lead or iron lay upon his heart , which made him start in his sleep , and betray an unruly guest within , upon other occasions . this way god lets even the wickedest of mankind know , not only that there is a living justice , but that they do but get little by all their desperate enterprizes ; this way he makes them see , that there is no place so private , but he is present there , and that there is no design so intricate , but it 's naked and open before him ; this way they must come to know , that the darkness doth not hide from him , and that though no creatures can reach them with their eyes , they cannot abscond from the all-seeing one of the great creator . . such disorders , god not only designs , but manages for his peoples good ; for theirs is the promise , that all things shall work together for their advantage , rom. . . so great a lover is god of holy men , that though i will not say with the jews , that for their sakes he created the world , yet certainly for their sakes he preserves it , as much as he would for their sakes have spared sodom and gomorrah , had any tolerable number of them been found in those corrupted places ; nay , more than that , for their sakes he not only suffers publick disorders to arise , but when they arise , so directs and over-rules them , that they shall receive no small advantage by them . do men gather grapes of thorns , you will say , or figs of thistles ? can a fountain at the same place send forth both bitter and sweet water ? yes , here this seeming contradiction is true ; and as great as the mischiefs are , that issue from such confusions , the good god's servants reap by them , is as remarkable ; in prosperity their prayers are apt to slacken ; in such disorders , their aspirations become loud and vehement , and whereas before a cloud of dulness and laziness hung upon their spirits , now it 's shaken off with scorn and indignation ; ease and plenty made their piety lukewarm ; disorders give them fire , and tumults make them look more carefully to their souls . their hatred of sin before was sincere , may be , but such confusions make them zealous ; these make their faith more lively , their hope more vigorous , and their love more fervent ; these whet their charity and confidence , and when the storms are gone , make them not only rellish their deliverance better , but engage them to greater gratitude . but this is not all ; as godliness hath the promise of this present life , as well as that of a future , so the good that arises to gods people from such disorders , hath respect to their temporal felicity too ; for this way a lasting foundation many times is laid for their future tranquility , and as trees shaken with the wind , take the deeper root , so these disorders make way for a firmer settlement of their outward peace plenty . by the troubles which happened to the israelites in aegypt , they are fitted for a quiet settlement in the land of canaan , the land that flow'd with milk and honey ; and whereas their captivity lasted but , their possession of that promised land continued at least years . thus the first persecutions of the christian church under heathen emperors made way for their free enjoyment of the comforts of this life , after the empire began to be christian , and though it was now and then interrupted partly by the arrians , and partly by julian the apostate , yet it settled again after a little while , upon its former basis , and hath continued , at least in the west , unto this day ; and what we say of the universal , is true also of particular churches , whose tranquillity by such disorders comes to be more durable , as were an easie matter to instance in the reformed european churches , when they had for some time struggled under the seditions and tumults raised by the roman church ; and though i do not take all those , who are members of a particular reformed and visible church to be gods true servants , yet even they who are sincere , share in the tranquility , peace and plenty , and temporal prosperity of the church they are of , and consequently the disorders which are suffered to arise , may reasonably be said to promote the durableness , even of their particular prosperity . having thus asserted the order , regularity , and watchfulness of gods providence in the midst of disorders and confusions , it will not be proper to dismiss this subject without some practical inferences ; . the lord reigneth ; let all sinners tremble ; be afraid ye workers of iniquity , there is a king above , who as patient as he is , will make you know erelong he hath a trumpet of war , as well as a scepter of love. good god! how little do men regard thy power and revenging arm ! if they can but save themselves from the wrath of men , and the lashes of the law , how little are they concern'd at thy indignation ! thou hast magazines of vengeance , store-houses of curses , and canst undo a thousand ways ; thou hast waters to drown , fire and brimston to consume , arrows to wound , pestilence and famine move by thy direction , nay , thou canst destroy both soul and body into hell ; thou hast threatned desolation , and howling and gnashing of teeth , outward darkness , and what is more , fire , that is not quench'd , to men that chuse rather to gratifie their sinful humours , than obey thy laws ; yet they look not pale upon it , their colour changes not , they find no alteration in their dispositions , thy terrours fright them not , thy anger moves them not ; how securely do they laugh and quaff , and sing fear and care away ! how merry notwithstanding all this , is the drunkard over his cups ! how unconcerned doth the fornicator and adulterer lie in the embraces of his harlot ! how chearfully doth the covetous hug his bags ; and how boldly doth the swearer send up his fearful oaths to heaven ! how undisturbed doth the oppressour , extortioner , and murtherer sleep ! and all because they think thou art patient and merciful : thy mercy makes them wanton , and thy patience causes sin to live in their souls ; thy goodness tempts them to be foolish , and thy compassion prompts them to affront thy glory ; thy kindness proves their bane , and the meat thou givest them , encreases their corruption ; thy oyl they turn into poison , and thy corn and wine feeds them into contempt of thy majesty ; the ease thou givest them , they make use of to fight against thy laws , and the plenty , they enjoy by thy providence , gives them courage to make war with that heaven , from whence that plenty flows . monstrous abuse ! strange stupidity ! when ever gods indignation breaks forth , how violent will the torrent be ? deluded men ! what pains do you take to treasure up wrath unto your selves ! were there but the least spark of ingenuity in you , how durst you make infinite goodness the object of your scorn ! how could you find in your hearts , to declare your selves rebels and enemies to your greatest benefactor ! shall goodness harden you , or patience make your breasts impenetrable ! shall bowels of mercy make you hard as rocks , and compassion be the opiate to lull you asleep in your follies ! if your children served you so , what plagues would you think too big for them ! or , if your servants should recompence your kindnesses thus , would not you hate the very sight of their persons ! and must god put up affronts which you will not ! must he be contented under scorns and abuses , which you will not bear ! can such ingratitude be pleasing to him , which is so odious to you ! what conceptions do you entertain of god , that you deal with him thus ! if you believe him to be jealous of his glory , will not be vindicate these injuries ? see how loath he is to punish you , and will you force him to it ! see how slowly he proceeds to vengeance , and will you hasten him ! see how he waits for your repentance , and will you make him despair of it ! he is patient , because he would have you prevent the blow , and will you pull it down on your heads ! he delays his anger , because he would have you kiss the son , and will you still fight against him , that you may perish in good earnest ! by your trespassing upon his patience , you aggravate your guilt , and must necessarily aggravate your condemnation too ; you make mercy a witness against you , and gods goodness your accuser , and are these arguments to be answered ! i mean , the arguments , that the mercy and patience of god will alledge against you in the last day ; if you allow god but the ordinary wisdom of a great man , you must needs think , that his mercies abused thus , will prove your ruine . doth not every wise man , if he have entrusted his steward with an estate , demand of him , how he hath employ'd it , and will not you allow god so much wisdom , as to be concern'd about the talents , he hath entrusted you withall ? his mercy and patience are those talents , he gave you to improve into seriousness , and hatred of sin , and resistance of temptations , will you bury them under ground , or lay them up in a napkin , or what is more , misuse them to dishonour the omnipotent god , and his law , and expect an euge ? will you turn his grace into wantonness , and believe , you shall be applauded at last , with a well done good and faithful servant ? have not you read of the unprofitable servant , that was deliver'd to the tormentors , till he should pay what he ow'd ; and is not this your case , that make light of gods anger , because he doth not power it out upon you , so soon , as your sins deserve it ? therefore art thou inexcusable , o man , whosoever thou art , who despisest the riches of his goodness , and forbearance , and long-suffering , not knowing , that the goodness of god leads thee to repentance , rom. . , . . the lord reigneth , let 's admire the wisdom of god , who can draw light out of darkness , and wholsom medicines from the rankest poison ; the brutish man knows it not , neither doth a fool understand this , and hence come the rash censures of gods actions ; a man who is no careless observer of things , will find very strange and uncouth passages , and dispensations in this world , which possibly he cannot reconcile to the principles of that reason , god hath given him ; yet may he be confident , that as absurd as some dispensations seem to him , they are carried on with singular wisdom and providence , by the supream mover of all , it being impossible , but the all-wise , god , who sees and knows , and takes care of all , must act , and suffer things to be acted upon very weighty and prudential motives ; and i question not , but should god be so kind , as to give us a key to open the cabinet of some of his mysterious providences , i mean , communicate his reasons to us , why he disposes and martials things in that order , method , and manner we see he doth , we should be forced with the apostle to cry out , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , o the depth of the riches , both of the mercy and wisdom of god! that the holy ghost should be bestow'd on the uncircircumcised gentiles , was a thing which to the jews seemed not only impossible , but in a manner impious to believe , it having been a maxim with them from immemorial times , that the divine presence rests on none , but an israelite , yet when they saw the thing effectually done , and understood the reasons , they could not but break forth into admiration of the infinite wisdom of god , and praise and magnifie him whose understanding is infinite , and whose wisdom cannot by searching be found out . it 's a very strange dispensation , that the greatest part of the world should continue heathenish and idolatrous , and the mahometans exceed the christians in number by three parts at least , yet he that shall consider seriously , how christians are sunk , as to the holiness of their lives , and how unfit by reason of that decay they are for propagating that holy religion , they profess ; how careless and negligent christian princes are grown , as to the enlarging of christs kingdom , and those that have made some attempts that way , have gone about it with sinister designs ; how others had rather spend their time at home in picking and feeding quarrels in the church , than advance the unity of the faith abroad ; and how the generality of christians have learn'd to mind the world more than heaven , and are become lovers of pleasures , more than lovers of god : and the religion that is left among them , is either mixt with idolatry or gross superstitions , or some other notorious abuses , and is become a carnal , rather than a spiritual worship , and a formal rather than a rational service ; and how many of the heathens and mahometans exceed christians in vertue and morality , and how that charity , love , and peace , which was once the great character of christs disciples , is banished , and the seamless coat of christ torn in a thousand pieces , and those dissentions cherish'd , maintained , encouraged , and how religion is become a meer politick thing ; i say , he that shall consider all this , will not wonder so much , that there are no more christians in the world , as admire , there are so many , and that the greatest part of them are not consumed or led into captivity , when they abuse , and so grosly abuse the best , the noblest , and the most excellent religion , and reproach and dishonour that god , who sent his son into the world to reveal it , thinking , surely , they will reverence my son. it was self-denial , contempt of the world , and invincible patience under injuries , stupendous charity , and very great strictness of life , that first spread the christian religion ; and the apostles having shewn us the way , we should have trod in their steps , and if we had , we should without all peradventure have had the same success ; for god works by means , and those having been the means in the beginning of christianity , they may justly be supposed to be the genuine means at this day , and where those are neglected , it 's part of vvisdom to punish men for their wilful neglect of those means , by suffering heathenism and mahometanism , not only to continue unmolested , but to grow and advance every day more and more , to the weakening of the christian interest ; for no wounds provoke so much as those which are given god in the house of his friends , as we see by gods proceedings with the jews , both in their first and second captivity . so that notwithstanding this seeming inequality of providence , gods vvisdom continues unspotted , and we have reason to give it the highest encomiums and celebrations . . the lord reigneth ; let 's not despair , when either publick or private calamities fall upon us . god is our refuge , a present help in the time of trouble , therefore will we not fear , though the earth be moved , and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea , though the vvaters thereof roar , and be troubled , though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof , ps. . . with this psalm , pachomius is said to have chased away a legion of devils from his cell , and i see no reason , but it may serve to support the soul in the greatest dangers . however things go , god is still good to israel , to them that are of a clean heart ; what ever tumults arise , go tell the righteous , saith god , it shall be well with him . what comfort must this be to a serious christian ! though every thing goes contrary to his wishes and expectations , yet he may be cofident , that from those contrarieties of providence his soul shall be refresh'd . the prophet therefore had reason to cry , es. . . who is among you that feareth the lord , that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walks in darkness , and hath no light , let him trust in the name of the lord , and stay upon his god. from such a chearful confidence we may promise our selves great matters , for god looks upon himself as concerned to reward our extraordinary faith with an extraordinary providence , as we see in the poor vvidow of sarepta ; who had the courage to give the remainder of the meal and oyl she had , to the man of god , and was therefore miraculously supplied in the time of famine . christ could do no mighty works in his own countrey , because of the peoples unbelief , mark . , . it 's our diffidence in the time of danger , that makes god stay his hand , and our unbelief keeps the former and latter rain of his favour from us . to trust god , when the figg-tree doth not blossom , and to rely upon his goodness , when the labour of the olive doth fail , is the way to see miracles , and a preparative for the richest mercies . let come , what will come upon us , nothing can come , but by the order and providence of god , infinitely good , and infinitely vvise ; and what is there , that can come amiss , if it come from these two fountains ? if infinite goodness sends that , which the vvorld calls misery upon me , most certainly there can be no hurt in it ; and if infinite vvisdom sends it , most certainly , it must be best for me , for if infinite vvisdom thinks it so , my shallow understanding hath reason to submit to its most solid judgment : god denies me what i would have , because he would fain give me , what i should have . that which he takes away , may be i do not want , and that grace , i stand in need of , may be i cannot have , without the other be taken away . a temporal blessing sometimes stands in the way of a spiritual one , and if the lesser be taken away to make room for the greater , it 's no more , but what mine own vvisdom would approve of in more trivial concerns . god would have me follow him , not for the loaves , but for the miracles of his love , and if to make me enamoured with him , he sees it necessary to take away the loaves , it 's no more than what a vvise physician doth to a patient , from whose lips he takes away the pleasant draught , to make way for a more wholsom potion . the lord reigneth : rejoyce christian ; let israel rejoyce in him that made him , and let the children of zion be joyful in their king : fear not thou worm jacob , when affliction , when trouble , when anguish comes , when the vvaves and billows of the vvaters of marah rise . thy god reigneth , thy king watches over thee , the all-sufficient god is thy refuge , and thy hiding place . surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler , and from the noisom pestilence : he shall cover thee with his feathers , and under his wings shalt thou trust , his truth shall be thy shield and buckler ; thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night , nor for the arrow that flieth by day , nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness , nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day ; a thousand shall fall at thy side , and ten thousand at thy right hand , but it shall not come nigh thee . nothing can hurt a good christian , for whom is reserved the crown righteousness in heaven ; men may prejudice his body , but they cannot hurt his soul ; they may rob him of his goods , but they cannot take away his graces ; they may imprison him , but they cannot keep god out of his heart ; they may beat him , but they cannot ruine him ; they may make this world bitter to him , but they cannot hinder him from feeding on the sweet promises of the gospel . god is thy shepherd , christian , therefore thou shalt not want . he will anoint thy head with oyl , and spread a table for thee in the midst of thy enemies , nay , thy cup shall run over goodness and mercy shall follow thee all the days of thy life , and thou shalt dwell at last in the house of god for ever , even in that house , made without hands , eternal in the heavens . . the lord reigneth : let 's chearfully submit therefore to his government ; shall we pretend to be his ●ubjects , and not be ruled by him ? shall we call him our king , and follow our own imaginations ? shall he only have the name of our ruler , while we are resolved to be guided by the flesh , and by the world ? this were to call him king in jest , as the jews did our saviour , and to bow the knee before him , while we buffet him , or run our sword into his bowels . kings on earth , though they can give protection to their subjects , yet they cannot give them being , nor keep their souls in life , nor protect them from outward and inward troubles . god who is your king , not only can do all this , but actually doth it , and consequently the motives to be ruled and governed by him , are far greater . i will not launch out here into the vast sea of his mercies , what he hath done for our souls and bodies , how he hath been with us , when we have gone through the waters , and with us , when we have passed through the fire , how he hath loved us in christ jesus , and what pains he takes with our immortal souls , to make them happy ; what a bountiful , what a charitable , what a condescending prince he hath been to us upon all occasions ; what benefits we reap by his government , and how every moment he gives us instances of his kindness . it 's enough to put you in mind , that you acknowledge him to be your king , and that word imports obedience to his laws , else he is either no king to you , or you are rebels and apostates . but while i exhort you to be ruled and governed by him , i must not forget , to tell you the measures , you are to observe in your submission to his government , and they are these following ; . take heed of thinking , that you please the great king of heaven , by disobeying your king here on earth in things lawful , and not contrary to the word of god. it 's impossible you can believe the truth of the thirteenth chapter of st. pauls epistle to the romans , and think so . obeying god , and being subject to the higher powers , are not contrary , but subordinate duties . to think you are saints , when you have courage to control the orders of your superiors , is a sign of a graceless heart ; and to fancy , it 's religion , to laugh at what the supream magistrate commands , is to exclude your selves from the kingdom of heaven . such divinity was never heard of in the world , till vice and hypocrisie had debaucht it , and had such doctrines been broacht in the primitive church , they would have called them rebellion and heresie . the primitive saints never contradicted the laws of their superiors , but where god gave an express command to the contrary , and they look't upon 't as pride and peevishness to shew disrespect to that order of men , which god intended as his vice-gerents . it was not the wickedness of their prince , made them neglect their duty to his person , nor could the injuries he did them , tempt them to forget their obedience . they remembred , what authority there was in the country they lived in , it was of god , and because it was so , thought themselves obliged to be subject , not so much for terrour , as for conscience sake . that dominion is founded in grace , was a principle , the apostles had never taught them , and they justly found fault with those that tore the orders of the magistrate , which were given for their persecution and banishment ; where they could not comply , they suffered , and thought it a greater piece of devotion , to be patient under affronts and oppositions , than to be their own carvers , by repelling force by violence . christ had taught them not to resist evil , and they rationally believed , they were no christians , except they did whatsoever he did command them . the wisdom which is from above , is without partiality , and he that assents to what god saith , in one thing , but not in another , shews , that the love of the father is not in him . where the conscience suspects the magistrates command , as unlawful , it must suffer it self to be informed , not only by persons that serve an interest , but impartial men ; and care must be taken , that what we call conscience , is not unwillingness to cross our pride or humour . conscience is too often pretended , when we have hardened our selves into prejudice , and therefore the best rule to go by , in such cases , is to lay by interest , and hearken to the clear dictates of unbyassed reason . when the magistrate commands a thing that 's doubtful , it 's safer to keep our selves to a known duty , which is submission to their orders , than to be obstinate in an uncertain conclusion ; and that christian is likest to have the greatest peace , that walks on the surest side of the hedge . . then you submit to him , when you reign over your inordinate desires and passions ; when you curb your anger , restrain your lusts , moderate your joys , bid your grief and sorrow break forth into tears for your sins , watch over your sensual delights , and keep them within bounds , mortifie your hatred to your fellow christians , grow eminent in the love of god , and advance in charity to your neighbours , kill your covetousness , and give flame to your desires after grace and mercy . this government in your little world , is that , which pleases the king of heaven , and you then live like his subjects , when you reign and triumph thus over your lusts , and force your hearts into such religious and reasonable services . he serves not god , but himself , that lets his evil desires reign over him , and is so far from being submissive to the king of heaven , that he makes himself a vassal of the devil ; this is the mighty priviledge of all the loyal subjects of the king of heaven ; their being so , makes them kings , and their inordinate passions , are the slaves on which they exercise dominion and authority ; over these god gives them power , and it hath been acknowledged by all wise men , that he that conquers these rebels , is a greater commander , than he that lays whole cities and countreys waste ; for in wasting these , he acts according to his brutish desires , but in conquering those desires , he overcomes himself , and in that consists the perfection of vertue . without a serious attempt of this self-conquest , your prayers prevail not in heaven , and the little devotions , you pay the immortal king , are rejected , as sapless services . without this , your new moons , and solemn assemblies are abominations , and your treading the courts of the lord is looked upon , as the sacrifice of fools . the king above is not for outward shews , and he that doth not give him the inward man , as well as the outward , instead of paying homage to him , turns his grace into wantonness . the restraining of one inordinate desire , is more valued in heaven , than twenty formal prayers , and the curbing of one passion , receives greater applauses from the holy angels , than a hundred lord have mercy upon me 's . that one act of joseph , in resisting the temptations of his mistress , and his own natural desires , god approved of more , than of all the peace-offerings of the harlot in the proverbs , chap. . vers . . and mary magdalen's tears and sorrow for sins , melted christs heart more , than all the pompous devotions of the pharisee , for in this sorrow , she reigned gloriously over her sinful inclinations , while the other continued a slave to his desire of vain-glory. . then you submit to him , and acknowledge him for your king , when you seek first his kingdom , and his righteousness ; when you offer unto god the best of your flock , and let the world have his refuse , and leavings . to give god the sleepiest hours of the day , and to bestow the most lively upon the world , is not to acknowledge him for your king , but to make him the vvorlds servant ; and to give him the lame and maimed , while your profit , and gain engrosses the sound , and the fat of your thoughts , is preposterous devotion . to sin as long as you can , and then to turn to him , is to play with religion , and most certainly , nothing looks so like mockery , as to think of being serious , when you can serve the vvorld and the flesh no longer . either god is not the best of beings , if he must not have our principal adorations ; or if he be , our warmest affections must of necessity be his due . first to secure our temporal interest , and then to think of making sure of the everlasting riches , is to imagine , that death will stay for us ; and to give our youth and tender years to the devil , is to say our lesson , as they say , vvitches do the lords prayer , backward . to be sure , this is not to be subject to that king , who in his actions , is ever orderly and regular , and therefore requires his subject ; should be so too . no man serves him , that doth not serve him orderly , and to begin our day , and all our lawful vvorks , and enterprizes with him , to consecrate to him the morning and strength os our age , and to make our carnal and temporal interest , truckle to his vvill , is true canonical obedience . those that do so , shall reign with him in that life , his son hath promised in the gospel ; who died for this end , that such as yield to these terms might wear crowns in heaven , crowns not like those of perishable gold , which decay with age and time , but crowns immarcescible , crowns which angels wear , crowns of glory , crowns which are made splendid by the light of gods countenance , crowns made of everlasting light , crowns which will shine , when the sun shall shine no more , crowns which will glitter , when the stars shall have done twinckling ; in a word , crowns , the thoughts of which , will transport the souls that are incircled with them , into everlasting comforts and consolations . finis . a phisico-theological discourse upon the divine being, or first cause of all things, providence of god, general and particular, separate existence of the human soul, certainty of reveal'd religion, fallacy of modern inspiration, and danger of enthusiasm to which is added an appendix concerning the corruption of humane nature, the force of habits, and the necessity of supernatural aid to the acquest of eternal happiness : with epistolary conferences between the deceased dr. anthony horneck and the author, relating to these subjects : in several letters from a gentleman to his doubting friend. turner, john, b. or . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a phisico-theological discourse upon the divine being, or first cause of all things, providence of god, general and particular, separate existence of the human soul, certainty of reveal'd religion, fallacy of modern inspiration, and danger of enthusiasm to which is added an appendix concerning the corruption of humane nature, the force of habits, and the necessity of supernatural aid to the acquest of eternal happiness : with epistolary conferences between the deceased dr. anthony horneck and the author, relating to these subjects : in several letters from a gentleman to his doubting friend. turner, john, b. or . horneck, anthony, - . [ ], p. printed by f.c. for timothy childe ..., london : . reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng god -- attributes. providence and government of god. soul. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a phisico-theological discourse upon the divine being , or first cause of all things . providence of god , general and particular . separate existence of the humane soul. certainty of reveal'd religion . fallacy of modern inspiration . and danger of enthusiasm . to which is added an appendix concerning the corruption of humane nature , the force of habits , and the necessity of supernatural aid to the acquest of eternal happiness . with epistolary conferences between the deceased dr. anthony horneck and the author , relating to these subjects . in several letters from a gentleman to his doubting friend . london : printed by f. c. for timothy childe at the white hart at the west end of st. paul's church-yard . . to the reader of the following letters . that which principally engag'd the author in a discourse of this nature , is taken notice of in the first of the ensuing letters ; and to excuse its publication is beyond his intention , unless by intimating that neither secular advantage nor the vain hopes to become popular , by such an enterprise , had any share in it : if the world will not give him credit for the first , they must allow the last , since his desire to be conceal'd will plead the same in his behalf ; but indeed he stands so much indebted to other men for the confirmation of his own opinions , that he freely owns himself in justice to be entituled to no more than the least valuable part thereof . there may seem , 't is true , the less occasion for printing any thing of this kind , since there have been already so many excellent and learned treatises deliver'd to the world : but whoever considers the genius of the times , the profanity and libertinism of the present age , together with the prevaling contagion of our modern deisus , that lately revived shelter for atheistic principles , will be more easily perswaded that all that can be said for the proof of these important truths is not to be judged needless , and that there has not been so much said , or the subjects so fully handled , as to exclude the use of any thing hereafter to be added . the methods of mens writing must be acknowledg'd to be exceeding different , and 't is no more than necessary they shou'd be so , there being so great a difference in the tempers and dispositions of their readers , who reject at one time the same truth they embrace at another , when more suitably adopted to the mode of their understandings . but beyond all others , the pulpit discourse , how prudently or sincerely soever manag'd , labours with disadvantage , in that by many people 't is lookt on but as a useless cant , and the very name priestcraft has made so great a noise in the world , that 't is sufficient a discourse be hist at by the unthinking multitude , or the conceited debauchee , if the same hapned to be deliver'd in the manner of a formal sermon . there has been of late abundance of pains taken to stagger men in their faith , to shake the very foundation of all true piety , and to render religion no more than a meer scare-crow , set up by a sort of men , viz. the clergy , that they may frighten us into a slavish vassalage , or condescens●on to their own sinister designs . some late pamphlets of the socinians have had a visible tendency this way , but much more the writings of those insolent and barefac'd oppugners of christianity , whose designs ( at least many of them ) we have reason to believe no other than ●sten●tation of their authors parts : and in judging thus , we are as charitable as they themselves can expect we shou'd : for tho' the emissaries of the powers of darkness must have made use of such like tools , for the undermining true religion , and expelling all undissembled piety out of the world , yet 't is possible the intentions of these high pretenders to reason were not altogether so villainous , whatever consequences may attend their writings . whoever informs himself in their characters , will think the cause of religion to be the l●ss concern'd ; neither will their arguments , however weighty at the first view , be ever able to perswade the man who is bottom'd upon sound principles : they may tickle the sense of the libertine , buoy him up in his practice of impiety or irreligion , and sooth his tormented conscience with this deceitful remedy when he comes to dye : that seeing there is no farther time alottted for his continuance here , and that he can sin no longer , if he express his sorrow for what is past , he is out of danger from any thing to come * , for god is merciful , he makes no man to damn him ; and tho' the offence be committed against an infinite being , yet the creature who commits it being but finite , repentance is all that can be required by way of attonement , for infinite justice cannot be extended on a finite creature infinitely , with out a contradiction to infinite mercy : besides , if this wont do , god almighty being omnipotent , cannot be resisted , and irresistible power is always safe , since he need punish no man for his own security , and 't is beneath him to let us suffer by way of revenge . i shall not think my self oblig'd to take any particular survey of the writings of these men , nor to examine the stories of their authors lives ; some of which are so well known to the world , that they cannot injure any considerate man , with their hetorodox opinions . i need not instance in mr. h — s ( one of their epistolary correspondents ) a man however admir'd and celebrated for his writings , yet died in a despondency , and had his religion to choose even at the hour of his death . as for the right honourable my lord — i think they had much better have left him out of their oracles , since however fondly he had former●y embraced both them and their opinions , it made a great part of his contrition before he finisht his life , that he had ever countenanc'd such extravagant thoughts , or shew'd himself a favourite to such wretched associates . whoever considers the manner of mr b — t 's life , and the circumstances attending his death , may pitty him as an unhappy gentleman , but will find it a hard matter to perswade himself that he was more than a meer sceptick , or in good earnest in any thing but his fatal passion . his father sir henry's discourse de anima , where he begins , spiritus in nobis non manet in identitate : sed recens ingeritur per renovationem continuam , sicut flamma , sed velociore transitu , quia res est spiritualior . nos quotidie facti sumus ex iis quae transeunt in nos : morimur & renascimur quotidie , neque lidem hodie & heri sumus : et personam quam transeuntem non sentimus , tandem pertransisse agnoscimus , &c. this , i say , which was thought a noble present , for the most ingenious strephon , so far as it has a relation to the material or sensitive soul in man and brutes , or in general to the animal life , is for the most part true , and what philosophers have in general agreed to : but as intended to characterise the rational soul of man , it is by no means to be allowed . whether the master of its composition retain'd the same sentiments at his death , concerning the reasoning principle within him , i have not inform'd my self : but it is easie enough to conceive the thought more readily indulged , that the looser scheme of religion might serve turn ; and that the sensitive appetite might not admit of any restraint , by the fears of a post mortem aliquid . how the learned s — m came in among this gang , is somewhat strange : that he was acquainted with them , we are given to understand by a letter of mr. b — t s , in which was enclosed an epitome of deism : i must confess i have been inform'd that excellent physician was tainted with these principles , but yet i could never understand but that he dy'd far from an irreconcileable enemy , to christianity , and firmly perswaded of a future retribution . i shall not mention such of them as are now living , although they seem to pride themselves in having been the parents of those monstrous births , which they have boldly set their names to , and deliver'd to the giddy world for the standards of truth and reason : it may please almighty god to enlighten their understandings , and to bring about so happy a reformation , that they may be satisfy'd in the certainty of those divine truths , which will shine still with the greater lustre , the more powerfully they are assaulted , and flourish under the scandal and contempt of their malicious adversaries . i must confess i had a great desire to see the arguments of these men , and when i had procur'd them , i look'd them over without any such anticipated prejudice as could sway me to a partiality pro or contra : i rather premise this , as believing it no easie matter for any man , who would be thought to have a respect or veneration , either for god or true religion , to peruse such treatises without so great an abhorrence and detestation of the authors , as will hinder him from giving either a due attention to what they write , or to consider throughly the proper weight of their expressions . now upon a mature and deliberate consideration of what i find they have deliver'd , i have ventur'd to pass this censure , that the authors have plainly discover'd themselves to be men very far short of sound or right reasoning , of very little piety , and men of no certain or steddy principles . and this sentence i have adventur'd to pass upon them , on these accounts ; that whereas in one place i find them highly pleading for a natural religion , ridiculing revelation , and mustering up all the arguments that themselves and their friends the libertines can furnish out , in another they change their aspect , and submissively condescend that the scriptures should have some little authority : they speak modestly of the two testaments , calling them sacred records , and ingeniously confess , that since humane reason is like a pitcher with two ears , which may be taken on either side : in our travels to the other world , we should choose the common road as the safest ; for tho' deism may serve to manure our consciences , yet certainly if sowed with christianity , it will produce the most plentiful crop. there is nothing , says the same person ( in another place where he had been just before using arguments to the discredit of our immortality ) more unaccountable and contradictory , than to suppose a hum drum deity , chewing his own nature , a droaning god sit hugging of himself , and hoarding up his providence from his creatures : this is an atheism no less irrational , than to deny the very essence of a divine being . it is the same also to believe the soul to be mortal , as to believe an immortality without rewards and punishments . thus it is very common with this sort of men , to dogmatize even in the most important points of religion ; strenuously affirming for truth what their reason dictates , and presently after , when they have said all they can , they are forced to grant that what they have said , is only such twilight conjecture as humane reason ( of which we yet so vainly boast ) can furnish them withal , 't is now an aliquid divinum which does all things , and our capacities being unable to discern the same , make us fasten either upon the elementary qualities of hippocrates or galen , or the cartesian rule of geometrical proportions : the conclusion of all is this , that since we are not qualify'd to understand the real essence or intime nature of things , we can know nothing certainly ; all our philosophy , excepting scepticism , is little more than dotage . these are their own words , which i think may give us a very justifiable occasion to look upon these men , very improper standards for our reason or religion to be directed by , and as unfit oracles for us to consult . as for their divinity , if a parcel of fine words will satisfie , we may think very devoutly of them : but indeed , i cannot for my own part perswade my self , when i consider the tendency of their common discourse , and their converse in the world , but that their religion may be fairly resolv'd into 〈◊〉 de●s●● , or the single belief of a first cause ; and that our immortality was tack't to it , that the bait might be swallowed with the less suspition , and the extravagant absurdity of their novel opinions , less strictly examin'd or inquir'd into . for when we find men devoted to the study of ●●religion , to frame and invent arguments to disturb and perplex our faith , we have surely but little reason to think well of their persons , or to regard their speeches . and that this has been the design of those i am speaking of , even the whole bent of their minds , in manifest enough , in the manner of their paraphrasing the mosaick history , in their endeavours to establish the sufficiency of natural religion , to future happiness , and opposing the same to the revelation of christ jesus : in their collecting . arguments out of ethnic authors , for the mortality of the soul and the eternity of the world , in their in●●●●●ting a possibility for a free and reasoning principle , to be compatible to matter ; and all this with the same assurance as if they had receiv'd intelligence from the court of heaven . i am inform'd one of their late treatises , which contains the heads of their opinions , will be e're long taken to pieces , and judiciously examined : however difficult the task may appear , i see nothing in them to discourage any ingenious man in the undertaking : for if we deprive them of their varnish , and set them in a clear light , we shall find but little in them more than empty sound and insignificant harangue : they have been either feignedly or really ignorant of antiquity , which is clear from their gross mis-representation of some passages , and their falsifying downright in others : they have rack't their brains for their beloved cause of natural religion , but have not offer'd ( which they ought first of all to have done ) one syllable to disprove the founder of the christian religion , or the apostles the dispensers of his gospel . indeed , the best of their demonstration is either very sophistical , or so very foolish , that a school-boy wou'd expect better arguing than some of theirs : th●● we are told it is impossible to embrace or to believe any thing which comes not within the compass of our certain knowledge , and if a man can't believe , 't is a sign the evidence was not strong enough to make him . this indeed is so serviceable an argument to the profane and debauched , that as nothing cou'd have been better contriv'd for the advantage of such , so is there no reply more frequently made by them : this serves them at all times under whatever circumstances . when men have as it were blinded their intellects , poluted their minds , vitiated and perverted their cognoscent faculties : when their understanding is transform'd into a bruitish appetite , and their reason throughly tinctur'd with some long contracted and habitual vice , the only remedy they have then left to palliate their misery , is to cry out they cannot help it , to do better is out of the compass of their knowledge : and therefore they can't believe that they ought ; and if they can't believe , 't is a sign , you know , that the evidence was not sufficient to convince them . but waving at this time any farther reflection upon the men of this perswasion , it is convenient i promise somewhat that may justifie the freedom i have taken with the writings of other men , which i did not out of expectation of being entituled to the honour of their labours , but to spare my self the pains of putting into any other form those arguments which were ready at hand , and which i found so very nearly corresponding with my own thoughts . neither can it be , as i conceive , the least injury to an author , that by the transferring of his arguments a proselyte is made , though in another manner than was intended by him . the greater part of those i am in this nature oblig'd to , are such whose names will be found sufficient to recommend them to the world. they are such who have had too much honesty as well as honour to impose , and too much sense to be imposed on . in a word , they are men whose learning and reputation secure them from being lightly esteem'd , even by their adversaries , who have been unable to withstand the force of their arguments , and shun their acquaintance upon no other account than the fears of a conviction . a physico-theological discourse , &c. letter i. concerning god. to his friend mr. — my very much respected friend ; there will be less need of an apology for my troubling you with the following lines , when you consider that in some of our late conferences , you have occasionally dropt one expression or other , which has tended to evince not only your distrust of the soul's immortality , but also of the existence of the divine being . i must confess i am less startled , to find a man of your capacity turn sceptic , in an age where satyr supplys the place of solid argument , ridicule passes for demonstration , and to be wise is only to suspend the judgment : but indeed the preceding truths ( if such they can be proved ) are of so general and vast importance , that we may very well admire that any person should think himself unconcern'd in their indagation , or to find ( amongst reasonable men ) one so profanely impious , as to say , with the psalmist's fool , there is no god : unless he could give better reasons for his saying so , than the most profound adepti in atheism have as yet produc'd . i was never too forward in disputes of this nature , for truly 't is but seldom that i have observ'd the most prevalent or cogent arguments to take place ; which i ascribe for the most part to prejudicial prepossessions , to an over-fond opinion of our own abilities , to an entire dependance upon the powers of our own souls , and a contempt of divine assistance . but at your desire that i would enter upon this subject , the last time we met , i have taken this opportunity , wherein i shall endeavour to prove to you the necessity of rectifying your mistaken judgment : and that the securing an after happiness , or ( in your own phrase ) the saving of your soul , is a task which will sufficiently recompence you , for all the trouble you may meet with in the undertaking . i shall only mention the conditions requisite to each of us , which i conceive to be more peculiarly the divesting our selves of prejudice , so far as it is possible , and not to suffer the bias of education , by any means to interfere : by this we shall make way for that steddy and uniform light of impartial reason to take place , which however misapply'd , mistaken or miscall●d , is undoubtedly the same simple undivided essence , and ( setting aside revelation , which we are not to mention here ) the only rule bestow'd upon us , for the regulating of our actions . i know not whether i might not properly begin with some short account of the nature of the humane mind , and the extent of its powers , viz. those of thinking , apprehending , reflecting , judging , &c. by which we should both gain this one considerable point , that reason , how excellently advantagious soever it be to us , yet in its greatest latitude , as it is applicable to the mind of man , surrounded with corporeal organs , is not a full commensurate rule of truth , at least not so adequate , as that we should exclude every truth from being such on the account of its surmounting our apprehension ; but to descend into this enquiry will take up too much time , you may if you please concede this postulate , if not , you will find your self however obliged to confess , that you do assent unto the verity of some things , which you are so far from conceiving or apprehending fully , that you have scarce any knowledge at all of them . to begin then , amongst the several sorts of atheists , who have deny'd the necessity of admitting one first independent being , or cause of all things , which we call god , and have endeavour'd to solve the phaenomena of the universe , without recourse to him ; they may all ( if i mistake not ) be reduced to those , who have first of all not scrupled to affirm an eternity of successions in the generation of mankind , as well à parte ante as à parte post , or in the same ( as much incomprehensible ) sence that the universal systeme with its constituent parts , bodies animate and inanimate , has been from all eternity as we find it now , and shall for ever so continue . or , secondly , to those who perceiving the absurdities of such a multiply'd eternity , have thought fit to acknowledge a beginning of all things ; but rather than ascribe this mighty work of creation to a divine energy , will have every portion of the mundane matter , under whatever form , shape or texture , nay even the body of man himself however curiously contriv'd , to be the result of nothing more , than an unguided shuffling of sensless atoms , after numberless occursions and conflicts with each other , at length happening into that beautiful order and harmony of the world. there are others who ascribe our origine to the effect either of an astral or solar influence upon matter duly modify'd : but these are such gross figments , that i shall take no notice of their repugnancy , or spend time in setting upon their confutation . which of these hypotheses may best please you i know not , nor indeed when i consider , can i perswade my self , that you heartily espouse either ; since i impute your incredulity rather to an unbecoming negligence or careless supinity , than to any reasonable objection you can make against the mosaic history of the creation . i shall endeavour as briefly as i know how , to display some of those gross absurdities and palpable contradictions , which attend this notion , that mankind has thus eternally subsisted in infinite generations already past ; which being proved a downright falshood , you will perceive that they had their rise from one primitive couple : from hence i will proceed in such other methods , as may be most likely to lay open the falsity of all other opinions , unless that which grounds the world's genesis , upon the power of almighty god. the thoughts of a very great philosopher , as well as a divine , upon this argument run parallel with my own , and therefore i shall take the liberty to deliver them in his words . infinite generations of men ( you say ) are already past and gone . but whatsoever is now past was once actually present . so that each of these infinite generations was once in its turn actually present ; therefore all except one generation were once future , and not in being , which destroys the very supposition : for either that one generation must it s●lf have been infinite , which is nonsense , or it was the finite beginning of infinite generations between it self and us , which is infinitely terminated at both ends . again , infinite past generations of men have been once actually present , therefore there may be some one man of them given , that was at infinite distance from us now ; therefore that man's son likewise ( suppose forty years younger than his father ) was either at infinite distance from us , or at finite : if that son too was at infinite distance from us , then one infinite is longer by forty years than another , which is absurd , if at finite , then forty years added to finite makes it infinite , which is absurd as the other . the number of men that are already dead and gone is infinite , as you say , but the number of the several parts of the bodies of those men , must necessarily be much greater than the number of the men themselves ; and at this rate we shall have one infinite number twice , ten times , and thousands of times as great as another : which is a notorious contradiction . and thus we see that 't is impossible in it self , that any successive duration should be actually and positively infinite , or have infinite successions already gone and past . but farther , that the present or a like frame of the world hath not subsisted from everlasting : we will readily concede that a thing may be truly eternal , tho' its duration be terminated at one end : for so we affirm human souls to be immortal , tho' there was a time when they were nothing : and therefore their infinite duration will always be bounded at one extreme by that first beginning of existence : so that for ought appears as yet , you may say the revolutions of the earth , and other planets about the sun , tho' they be limited at one end by the present revolution , may nevertheless have been infinite and eternal , without any beginning ; but then we must consider , that this duration of human souls is only potentially infinite , for their eternity consists only in an endless capacity of continuance without ever ceasing to be , in a boundless futurity that can never be exhausted ; or all of it be past and present : but their duration can never be positively or actually eternal , because it is most manifest that no moment can ever be assigned , wherein it shall be true that such a soul hath then actually sustained an infinite duration : for that supposed infinite duration will by the very supposition be limited at two extremes , tho' never so remote asunder , and consequently must needs be finite . wherefore the true nature and notion of a soul's eternity is this , that the future moments of its duration can never be all past and present , but still there will be a futurity and potentiality of more for ever and ever . so that we evidently perceive from this instance of a soul , that whatever successive duration shall be bounded at one end , and be all past and present , must come infinitely short of infinity ; which necessarily evinceth that this or a like world can never have been eternal , or that there cannot have been infinite past revolutions of a planet about a sun : for this supposed infinity is terminated at one extreme , by the present revolution , and all the other revolutions are confessedly past , so that the whole duration is bounded at one end , and all past and present , and therefore cannot have been infinite . this will also shew us the vast difference betwixt the false successive eternity backwards , and the real one to come : for consider the present revolution of the earth , as the bound and confine of them both , god almighty , if he so pleaseth , may continue this motion to perpetuity , in infinite revolutions to come , because futurity is inexhaustible , and can never be all spent , and run out by past and present moments : but then if we look backwards from this present revolution , we do apprehend the impossibility of infinite revolutions on that side , because all are already past , and so were once actually present ; and consequently are finite by the argument before . for surely we cannot conceive a pretariteness ( if i may so speak ) still backwards in infinitum , that never was present , as we can an endless futurity that never will be present : so that tho' one is potentially infinite , yet nevertheless the other is positively finite . and tho' this reasoning doth necessarily conclude against the past infinite duration of all successive motion and mutable beings , yet doth it not affect the eternal existence of the adorable divinity , in whose invariable nature there is no past nor future , who is omnipresent not only as to space , but as to duration : and with respect to such omnipresence it is certain and manifest , that succession and motion are more impossibilities , and repugnant in the very terms . thus doth the atheists hypothesis , touching the eternity of the world , absolutely destroy and confute it self . for let us suppose some infinite revolution of the earth about the sun , to be already gone and expired , i take it to be self-evident , that if none of those past revolutions have been infinite ages ago , all the revolutions put together cannot make up the duration of infinite ages ; it follows therefore from this supposition , that there may be some one assignable revolution among them , that is at an infinite distance from the present ; but it is self-evident likewise , that no one past revolution can be infinitely distant from the present ; for then an infinite or unbounded duration , may be bounded at two extremes , by two annual revolutions , which is absurd , and a contradiction . and again , upon the same supposition of an eternal past duration of the world , and of infinite annual revolutions of the earth about the sun ; i would ask concerning the monthly revolutions of the moon about the earth , or the diurnal ones of the earth upon its axis , both which by the very hypothesis are coaeval with the former , whether these also have been finite or infinite ? not finite to be sure , because th●n a finite number would be greater then an infinite , as or are greater than a unite . nor infinite neither , for then two or three infinites would exceed one another , as a year exceeds a month , or both exceed a day : so that both ways the supposition is repugnant and impossible . these difficulties , as i have already intimated , cannot be reasonably apply'd to the eternal duration of the supreme power ; for tho' we cannot comprehend eternity and infinity , yet we understand what they are not , and something we are sure must have existed from eternity , because all things could not emerge from nothing : so that if this prae-existent eternity is not compatible with a successive duration , as we clearly and distinctly perceive that it is not , then something ( tho' infinitely above our finite comprehensions ) must have had an identical , invariable continuance from all eternity : which being is what we call god ; for as his nature is perfect and immutable , without the least shadow of change , so his eternal duration is permanent and invisible , not measurable by time and motion , nor to be computed by number of successive moments . but this opinion of infinite generations , is repugnant likewise to matter of fact. 't is a truth beyond opposition , that the universal species of mankind has had a gradual increase notwithstanding what war and famine , pestilence , floods , conflagrations , and other causes , may at certain periods of time , have interrupted and retarded it . this is manifest from the history of the jewish nation , from the account of the roman census , and from the registers of our own country , where the proportion of births to burials , is found upon observation to be yearly as fifty to forty : now if mankind do increase ( though never so slowly , but one couple suppose in an age ) 't is enough to evince the falshood of infinite generations already expir'd : for tho' the atheist should contend that there were ten thousand million couple of mankind now in being ( that we may allow him multitude enough ) 't is but going back so many ages , and we descend to one single original pair : and 't is all one in respect of eternal duration yet behind , whether we begin the world so many millions of ages ago , or date it from the late aera of about six thousand years : which recent beginning is , i think , sufficiently establisht , from the known original of empires and kingdoms , and from the late invention of arts and sciences : whereas , if infinite ages of mankind had already preceded , there could nothing have been left to be invented or improved by the successful industry and curiosity of our own . the circulation of the blood , and the weight and spring of the air ( which is as it were the vital pulse , and the great circulation of nature , and of more importance in all physiology than any one invention since the beginning of science ) had never lain hidden so many myriads of generations , and been reserv'd for a late happy discovery by two great luminaries of this island . i hope , from what has been said , you may gain ( if not undoubted satisfaction ) at least some certain knowledge , that this notion of infinite past generations , or the world's eternity , is so far from bearing the test of a reasonable inquisition , that the very supposition is void of sence , and a palpable contradiction . the atomical hypothesis of a fortuitous jumble , without any intelligent being to direct the portions of the mundane matter , into their several forms , is a fancy no less extravagant ; a whimsy so unaccountable , that ( in the words of a great man ) there is nothing more wonderful to imagine , unless this , that it should ever enter into the heart of man. the better to confute this , together with those other opinions of the astral and solar influence , i have here borrowed a scheme of fair and reasonable argumentation , from the judicious mr. lock , such an one i hope as will extort a confession from you , that there must unavoidably be admitted a first cause of all things , and that the same can be no other than a most intelligent as well as powerful being . . tho' god has given us ( says that learned man ) no innate idea's of himself ; tho' he has stamped no original characters on our minds , wherein we may read his being ; yet having furnisht us with those faculties our minds are endow'd with , he hath not left himself without witness , since we have sense , perception and reason , and cannot want a clear proof of him , as long as we carry our selves about us ; nor can we justly complain of our ignorance in this great point , since he has so plentifully provided us with the means to discover and know him , so far as is necessary to the end of our being , and the great concernment of our happiness . but tho' this be the most obvious truth that reason discovers , and tho' its evidence be ( if i mistake not ) equal to mathematical certainty ; yet it requires thought and attention , and the mind must apply it self to a regular deduction of it , from some part of our intuitive knowledge , or else we shall be as uncertain and ignorant of this as of other propositions , which are in themselves capable of clear demonstration . to show therefore that we are capable of knowing , i. e. being certain that there is a god , and how we may come by this certainty , i think we need go no farther than our selves , and that undoubted knowledge we have of our own existence . . i think it is beyond question , that man has a clear perception of his own being ; he knows certainly that he exists , and that he is something : he that can doubt whether he be any thing , or no , i speak no more to , than i would argue with pure nothing , or endeavour to convince non-entity that it were something . if any one pretend to be so sceptical , as to deny his own existence ( for really to doubt of it is manifestly impossible ) let him ( for me ) enjoy his beloved happiness of being nothing , until hunger or some other pain , convince him of the contrary . this i think i may take for a truth , of which every ones certain knowledge assures him , beyond the liberty of doubting , viz. that he is something that actually exists . . in the next place , man knows by an intuitive knowledge the certainty that bare nothing can no more produce any real being , than it can be equal to two right angles . if a man knows not that non-entity , or the absence of all being , cannot be equal to two right angles , it is impossible that he should know any demonstration in euclid . if therefore we know there is some real being , and that non-entity cannot produce any real being , it is an evident demonstration that from eternity there has been something ; since what was from eternity had a beginning , and what had a beginning must be produced from something else . . next , it is evident that what had its being and beginning from another , must also have all that which is in , and belongs to its being to another too : all the power it has must be owing to , and received from the same source . this eternal source then of all being , being must also be the source and original of all power , and so this eternal being must be also the most powerful . . again , a man finds in himself perception and knowledge , we have then got one step farther , and we are certain now that there is not only some being , but some knowing intelligent being in the world. there was a time then when there was no knowing being , and when knowledge began to be , or else there has been also a knowing being from eternity . if it be said there was a time when no being had any knowledge , when that eternal being was void of all understanding ; i reply , that then it was impossible there should ever have been any knowledge ; it being as impossible that things wholly void of knowledge , and operating blindly without any perception , should produce a knowing being , as it is impossible that a triangle should make it self three angles bigger than two right ones : for it is as repugnant to the idea of sensless matter , that it should put into it self sense , perception and knowledge , as it is repugnant to the idea of a triangle , that it should put into it self greater angles than two right ones . . thus from the consideration of our selves , and what we infallibly find in our own constitutions , our reason leads us to the knowledge of this certain and evident truth , that there is an eternal , most powerful , and most knowing being , which whether any one will please to call god , it matters not , the thing is evident , and from this idea duly considered , will easily be deduced all those other attributes we ought to ascribe to this eternal being . if nevertheless any one should be found so senslesly arrogant , as to suppose man alone knowing and wise , but yet the product of meer ignorance and chance , and that all the rest of the universe is acted only by that blind hap-hazard , i shall leave with him that very rational and emphatical rebuke of tully , lib. . de leg. to be consider'd leisurely : quid est enim verius , quam neminem esse oportere tam stulte arrogantem , ut in se mentem & rationem putet inesse , in coelo mundóque non putet ? aut ea quae vix summâ ingenij ratione comprehendat , nulla ratione moveri putet ? or that of the philosopher , egregie mentiuntur qui dicunt non esse deum , etiamsi enim interdiu negant noctu tamen & sibi dubitant . from what has been said , it is plain to me , we have a more certain knowledge of the existence of a god , than of any thing our senses have not immediately discovered to us : nay , i presume i may say that we more certainly know that there is a god , than that there is any thing else without us . when i say we know , i mean that there is such a knowledge within our reach , which we cannot miss , if we will but apply our minds to that , as we do to several other enquiries . . how far the idea of a most perfect being , which a man may frame in his mind , does or does not prove the existence of a god , i will not here examine ; for in the different make of mens tempers and application of their thoughts , some arguments prevail more on one , and some on another , for the confirmation of the same truth . but yet i think this i may say , that it is an ill way of establishing this truth , and silencing atheists , to lay the whole stress of so important a point as this , upon that sole foundation , and take some mens having that idea of god in their minds ( for 't is evident some men have none , and some worse than none , and the most very indifferent ) for the only proof of a deity , and out of an over-fondness of that darling invention , cashier , or at least endeavour to invalidate all other arguments , and forbid us to hearken to those proofs , as being weak or fallacious , which our own existence , and the sensible parts of the universe offer so clearly and cogently to our thoughts , that i deem it impossible for a considering man to withstand them : for i judge it as certain and clear a truth as can any where be delivered , that the invisible things of god are clearly seen from the creation of the world , being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and godhead . tho' our own being furnishes us , as i have shewn , with an evident and incontestible proof of a deity , and i believe no body can avoid the cogency of it , who will but as carefully attend to it , as to any other demonstration of so many parts ; yet this being so fundamental a truth , and of that consequence , that all religion and genuine morality depend thereon , i doubt not but i shall be forgiven , if i go over some parts of this argument again , and inlarge a little more thereon . . there is no truth more evident than that something must be from eternity : i never yet heard of any one so unreasonable that could suppose so manifest a contradiction , as a time wherein there was perfectly nothing , this being of all absurdities the greatest to imagine that pure nothing , the perfect negation and absence of all being , should ever produce any real existence . it being then unavoidable for all rational creatures to conclude that something has existed from eternity , let us next see what kind of thing that must be . . there are but two sorts of beings in the world , that man knows or conceives ; first , such as are purely material , without sense , perception , or thought . secondly , sensible thinking and perceiving beings , which , if you please , we will hereafter call cogitative and incogitative beings , being more to our present purpose , and perhaps better terms than material and immaterial . . if then there must be something eternal , let us see what sort of being it must be : and to that it is very obvious to reason , that it must necessarily be a cogitative being ; for it is as impossible to conceive that ever bare incogitative matter should produce a thinking intelligent being , as that nothing should of it self produce matter . let us suppose any parcel of matter eternal , great or small , we shall find it in it self able to produce nothing : for example ; let us suppose the matter of the next pebble we meet with eternal , closely united , and the parts firmly at rest together : if there were no other being in the world , must it not eternally remain so , a dead unactive lump ; is it possible to conceive it can add motion to it self , being purely matter , or produce any thing ? matter then , by its own strength , cannot produce in it self so much as motion , the motion it has must also be from eternity , or else be produced and added to matter by some other being more powerful than matter . matter , as is evident , having not power to produce motion in it self . but let us suppose motion eternal too , yet matter , incogitative matter and motion , whatever changes it might produce of figure and bulk , could never produce thought . knowledge will still be as far beyond the power of motion and matter to produce , as matter is beyond the power of nothing to produce : and i appeal to every ones one thoughts , whether he cannot as easily conceive matter produced by nothing , as thought to be produced by pure matter , when before there was no such thing as thought or an intelligent being existing . divide matter into as minute parts as you will ( which we are apt to imagine a sort of spiritualising or making a thinking thing of it ) vary the figure and motion of it as much as you please , a globe , cube , cone , prism , cylinder , and you may as rationally expect to produce sense , thought and knowledge , by putting together in a certain figure and motion the grossest portions of matter , as by those that are the very smallest that any where exist . they knock , impel and resist one another , just as the greater do , and that is all they can do : so that if we will suppose nothing first or eternal , matter can never begin to be : if we suppose bare matter without motion eternal , motion can never begin to be : if we suppose only matter and motion first or eternal , thought can never begin to be ; for it is impossible to conceive that matter , either with or without motion , could have originally in and from it self , sense , perception and knowledge , as is evident from hence that then sense , perception and knowledge , must be a property eternally inseparable from matter , and every particle of it . not to add , that tho' our general or specifick conception of matter , makes us speak of it as one thing , yet really all matter is not one individual thing , neither is there any such thing existing as one material being , or one single body that we know , or can conceive ; and therefore if matter were the eternal first cogitative being , there would not be one eternal infinite cogitative being , but an infinite number of eternal finite cogitative beings , independent one with another , of limited force and distinct thoughts , which could never produce that order , harmony and beauty , which is to be found in nature . since therefore whatsoever is the first eternal being , must necessarily be cogitative ; and whatsoever is first of all things must necessarily contain in it , and actually have at least all the perfections that can ever after exist , nor can it ever give to another any perfection that it hath not , either actually in it self , or at least in a higher degree , it necessarily follows that the first eternal being cannot be matter . . if therefore it be evident that something necessarily must exist from eternity , 't is also as evident that that something must necessarily be a cogitative being : for 't is as impossible that incogitative matter should produce a cogitative being , as that nothing , or the negation of all being should produce a positive being or matter . . tho' this discourse of the necessary existence of an eternal mind , does sufficiently lead us to the knowledge of a god since it will hence follow , that all other knowing beings that have a beginning , must depend on him , and have no other ways of knowledge , or extent of power , than what he gives them ; and therefore if he made those , he made also the less excellent pieces of this universe , all inanimate beings , whereby his omniscience , power , and providence will be establisht , and all his other attributes necessarily follow ; yet to clear up this a little further , we will see what doubts can be raised against it . . first , perhaps it will be said , that tho' it be as clear as demonstration can make it , that there must be an eternal being , and that being must also be knowing , yet it does not follow but that thinking being may also be material . let it be so ; it still equally follows that there is a god : for if there be an eternal , omniscient , omnipotent being , it is certain that there is a god , whether you imagine that being to be material or no. but herein i suppose lyes the danger and deceit of that supposition : there being no way to avoid the demonstration that there is an eternal knowing being , men devoted to matter would willingly have it granted , that this knowing being is material , and then letting slide out of their minds , or their discourse , the demonstration whereby an eternal knowing being was proved necessarily to exist , would argue all to be matter , and so deny a god that is an eternal cogitative being , whereby they are so far from establishing , that they destroy their own hypothesis : for if there can be , in their opinion , eternal matter without any eternal cogitative being , they manifestly separate matter and thinking , and so suppose no necessary connexion of one with the other ; and from hence establish the necessity of an eternal spirit , but not of matter , since it has been proved already , that an eternal cogitative being is unavoidably to be granted . now if thinking and matter may be separated , the eternal existence of matter will not follow from the eternal existence of a cogitative being , and they suppose it to no purpose . . but now let us see how they can satisfie themselves , or others , that this eternal thinking being is material . first , i would ask them , whether they imagine that all matter , every particle of matter thinks ? this i suppose they will scarce say ; since then there would be as many eternal thinking beings , as there are particles of matter , and so an infinity of gods : and yet if they will not allow matter as matter , that is , every particle of matter , to be as well cogitative as extended , they will have as hard a task to make out to their own reasons a cogitative being , out of incogitative particles , as an extended being out of unextended parts , if i may so speak . . secondly , if all matter do not think , i next ask , whether it be only one atom that does so ? this has as many absurdities as the other ; for then this atom of matter must be alone eternal , or not : if this alone be eternal , then this alone by its powerful thought or will , made all the rest of matter ; and so we have the creation of matter by a powerful thought , which is that the materialists stick at : for if they suppose one single thinking atom to have produced all the rest of matter , they cannot ascribe that prae-eminency to it upon any other account than that of its thinking , the only supposed difference : but allow it to be by some other way which is above our conception , it must be still creation , and these men must give up their great maxim , ex nihilo nil fit . if it be said that all the rest of matter is equally eternal as that thinking atom , it will be to say any thing at pleasure , though never so absurd : for to suppose all matter eternal , and yet one small particle in knowledge and power infinitely above the rest , is without any the least appearance of reason to frame any hypothesis : every particle of matter , as matter , is capable of all the same figures and motions of any other ; and i challenge any one in his thoughts to add any thing else to one above another . . thirdly , if then neither one peculiar atom alone , can be this eternal thinking being , nor all matter , as matter , i. e. every particle of matter can be it , it only remains that it is some certain system of matter duly put together , that is this thinking eternal being : this is that which i imagine is that notion which men are aptest to have of god , who would have him a material being , as most readily suggested to them by the ordinary conceipt they have of themselves , and of other men , whom they take to be material thinking beings . but this imagination however more natural , is no less absurd than the other ; for to suppose the eternal thinking being to be nothing else but a composition of the particles of matter , each whereof is incogitative , is to ascribe all the wisdom and knowledge of that eternal being , only to the juxtaposition of parts , than which nothing can be more absurd : for unthinking particles of matter , however put together , can have nothing thereby added to them but a new relation of position , which 't is impossible should give thought and knowledge to them . . but farther ; this corporeal system either has all its parts at rest , or it is a certain motion of the parts , wherein its thinking consists ; if it be perfectly at rest , it is but one lump , and so can have no priviledges above one atom . if it be the motion of its parts on which its thinking depends , all the thoughts there must be unavoidably accidental and limited , since all the particles that by motion cause thought , being each of them in it self without any thought , cannot regulate its own motions , much less be regulated by the thought of the whole , since that thought is not the cause of motion ( for then it must be antecedent to it , and so without it ) but the consequence of it , whereby freedom , power , choice , and all rational and wise thinking and acting will be taken away . so that such a thinking being will be no better nor wiser than pure blind matter , since to resolve all into the accidental unguided motions of blind matter , or into thought depending on the unguided motions of blind matter , is the same thing : not to mention the narrowness of such thoughts and knowledge , that must depend on the motions of such parts : but there needs no more enumeration of any more absurdities and impossibilities in this hypothesis ( however full of them it be ) than that before mentioned ; since , let this thinking systeme be all or a part of the matter of the universe , it is impossible that any one particle should either know its own , or the motion of any other particle , or the whole know the motion of every particular , and so regulate its own thoughts or motions , or indeed have any thought resulting from such motion . . others would have matter to be eternal , notwithstanding they all owe an eternal cogitative immaterial being . this , tho' it take not away the being of a god , yet since it denies one and the first great piece of his workmanship , the creation , let us consider it a little . matter must be allowed eternal : why ? because you can't perceive how it can be made out of nothing : why do you not also think your self eternal ? you will answer perhaps , because about twenty or forty years since you began to be . but if i ask you what that you is , which began then to be , you can scarcely tell me : the matter whereof you are made began not then to be ; for if it did , then it is not eternal : but it began to be put together into such a fashion or frame as makes up your body ; but yet that frame of particles is not you , it makes not that thinking thing you are ( for i have now to do with one who allows an eternal immaterial thinking being , but would have unthinking matter eternal too ) therefore when did that thinking thing begin to be ? if it did never begin to be , then you have always been a thinking thing from eternity ; the absurdity whereof i need not confute , till i meet with one so void of understanding as to own it . if therefore you can allow a thinking thing to be made out of nothing ( as all things that are not eternal must be ) why also can you not allow it possible for a material being to be made out of nothing by an equal power , but that you have the experience of the one in view , and not of the other : tho' when well consider'd , creation of a spirit will be found to require no less power than the creation of matter ; nay , possibly if we would emancipate our selves from vulgar notions , and raise our thoughts as far as they would reach to a closer contemplation of things , we might be able to aim at some dim and seeming conception how matter might at first be made and begin to exist , by the power of that eternal first being : but to give beginning and being to a spirit , would be found a more inconceivable effect of omnipotent power . but this being what would perhaps lead us too far from the notions on which the philosophy now in the world is built , it would not be pardonable to deviate so far as grammar it self would authorize , if the common settled opinion opposes it ; especially in this place , where the received doctrine serves well enough to our present purpose , and leaves this past doubt , that the creation or beginning of any one substance out of nothing , being once admitted , the creation of all other but the creator himself , may with the same ease be supposed . . but you will say , i● it not impossible to admit of the making any thing out of nothing , since we cannot possibly conceive it ? i answer no : . because it is not reasonable to deny the power of an infinite being , upon the account that we cannot comprehend its operations : we do not deny other effects upon this ground , because we cannot possibly conceive the manner of their production . we cannot conceive how thought ( or any thing but motion in body ) can move a body , and yet that is not a reason sufficient to make us deny it possible against the constant experience we have of it in our selves , in all voluntary motions which are produced in us only by the free thoughts of our own minds , and are not , nor can be the effects of the impulse or determination of the motion of blind matter in or upon our bodies , for then it could not be in our power or choice to alter it . for example , my right hand writes , whilst my left hand is still , what causes rest in one , and motion in the other ? nothing but my will , a thought of my mind : my thought only changing , the right hand rests , and the left hand moves ; this is matter of fact which cannot be deny'd : explain this , and make it intelligible , and then the next step will be to understand creation . for the giving a new determination to the motion of the animal spirits ( which some make use of to explain voluntary motion ) clears not the difficulty one jot● : to alter the determination of motion , being in this case no easier nor less than to give motion it self ; since the new determination given to the animal spirits , must be either immediately by thought , or by some other body put in their way by thought , which was not in their way before , and so must own its motion to thought , either of which leaves voluntary motion as unintelligible as it was before . in the mean time it is an over-valuing our selves , to reduce all to the narrow measure of our capacities , and to conclude all things impossible to be done whose manner of doing exceeds our comprehension : this is to make our comprehension infinite , or god finite , when what he can do is limited to what we conceive of it . if you do not understand the operations of your own finite mind , that thinking thing within you , do not deem it strange that you cannot comprehend the operations of that eternal infinite mind who made and governs all things , and whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain . i hope ( my friend ) you will more readily excuse the foregoing prolixity , on the account that first principles ( especially those of so great moment as these before us ) ought to be as clearly and satisfactorily prov'd as it is possible : which if upon your most serious reflection you find establisht beyond opposition , i expect that from this moment you date the downfal of your atheism , and that you presently commence deist in order to turn christian. i know of no better way of arguing with the meer natural man , or with such who value themselves so highly upon the strength of their own judgment or humane reason , than to endeavour their conviction by the most rational deductions from as rational propositions : whether or no these are such which i have transferr'd hither from the writings of these two famous men , i must leave you to consider . i confess there is little hopes of reclaiming such fool-hardy libertines , who argue for their infidelity by the same powers in their souls , which , to the more considerate , are convincing proofs , that the soul , which is invested with such mighty power , must undoubtedly be a substance independant of corporiety , and consequently incapable of suffering an extinction with the lamp of life ; but of the nature of the rational soul of man , and its different existence from the soul of brutes , i shall discourse elsewhere , having here confin'd my self more particularly to enquire after the author of our own being , and all others which surround us . there have been many methods used in handling of this subject , and indeed ( were our opponents so full of reason as they pretend ) one might wonder that any of them should prove insufficient . i shall not here stay to examine the certainty of that cartesian notion , that 't is impossible we could have had any idea of that infinite eternal all-wise being we call god , if such a being did not really exist , or were not in rerum natura : but of this we may be satisfy'd , that unless we do believe there is such an immense being has created us with a design not to deceive us , we must be pure scepticks : for it is impossible without this belief , we should be fully assur'd of any truth whatsoever ; and therefore i think 't is not without cause that the philosopher lays this down as a necessary introduction to science , nihil intelligitur , nisi deus prius intelligatur . having proved the necessity of some eternal cogitative being , by a train of arguments which are founded upon right reason , neither supported by tradition or authority , either sacred or profane , i shall next inquire how it comes to pass that this first and ( if i may so say ) greatest truth , the foundation of all true happiness , is so wonderfully obscur'd effac'd , and even obliterated out of the hearts of a great part of mankind . whosoever will take the trouble to inform himself , after what manner most people account for the productions they see daily brought to pass , may easily understand that where one man speaks either reasonably or becomingly of the great author of the universe , and acknowledges any such being as superintends the agency of second causes ; there are abundantly more who look no farther than the empty sounds of fate , fortune , chance , destiny , and in their enquiries into the structure of humane bodies , or the discords of the animal oeconomy , you rarely find any thing more particularly taken notice of than the archaeus , by some , by others the plastick power , and indeed by all most commonly a certain nature , which tho' continually in their expressions , they know not what to make of . excuse me ( sir ) if i think it worth my while to examine which of these can supply the place of an almighty , or of any real efficient cause ; or with what reason we can ascribe unto either of these nominal agents , the operations imputed to them . fate or destiny ( saith seneca ) is an immutable and invincible law , imposed upon things and actions . you will say perhaps that this thing shall happen , or not happen : if it must come to pass , altho ' you vow and make your request , yet shall it take effect : if it shall not come to pass , vow and pray as much as you list , yet it shall not fall out . now the consequence , saith he , of this argument is false , because you have forgot the exception that i have put between them both ; that is to say , this shall happen provided a man makes vows and prayers , it must necessarily happen , that to vow , or not to vow , are comprehended in , and are parts of the same destiny . again , it is destinated , or it is such a man's fate to be an eloquent man ; but under this condition , it is likewise destinated that he be instructed in good letters . it is destinated for another man to he rich , but here 't is included in the same destiny , that be make use of the means for their procurement . so likewise may it be said it was such a man's destiny to be hang'd ; but here that he render himself guilty of some capital offence , for which he is convicted by the law , is part of the same destiny . in the sence wherein these words are used by this philosopher , i see no mighty prejudice ; there is indeed this mistake very oft attending , that whereas by fate or destiny are understood the unalterable laws of god , which are founded upon his prescience , men are apt to overlook the lawgiver himself , and to represent this law by him establisht , as a certain powerful agent or irresistible deity , which they say does blindly and accountably govern the world. give me leave to take notice , that i look upon this fate and destiny of the heathens ( in its vulgarly received phrase ) very nearly to correspond with the predestination of some modern christians ; they do both of them partake of the same tyrannical , despotic power ; and both tend to the same end , viz. the robbing man of his freedom , and exposing him , brute-like , to act by an irresistible impulse . the eternal decrees of the divine being , which are made as it were conditional , and founded on a fore-knowledge of the good and evil that man shall act , carry nothing along with them contradictory to his truth and justice : but the absolute predestination which is suppos'd exclusive of m●ns actions , as a free agent , is a doctrine so very harsh , and so pregnant with ill consequences , as is not to be countenanced . thus much for fate and destiny . chance and fortune are words so insignificant , that had not a foolish custom rendred them familiar , one might justly admire that ever they should be mention'd by considering men. the true notion of fortune ( in the words of a learned man ) denoteth nothing more than the ignorance of an event in some knowing agent , concern'd about it ; so that it owes its very being to humane understanding , and without relation to that would be a non ens , or really nothing . 't was man that first made fortune , and not fortune man ; so likewise the adequate meaning of chance ( as it is discinguisht from fortune , in that the latter is understood to befal only rational agents , but chance to be amongst inanimate bodies ) is really a bare negation that signifies no more than this , that any effect amongst such bodies ascribed to chance , is verily produced by physical agents , according to the establisht laws of motion , but without their consciousness of concurring to the production , and without their intention of such an effect . so that in this genuine acceptation of chance , here is nothing supposed that can supersede the known laws of natural motion ; and thus to attribute the formation of mankind to chance , is equally as absurd as to ascribe the same to nature or mechanism . having given you these few hints , touching the unreasonableness of our ascribing any effect to that which is in truth no more than a chimaera or fiction of the brain , and our looking on them as agents , which are meer non-entities , i shall take notice of those other expressions which are so frequently made use of , not only by the ignorant , but even by physicians themselves and other learned men , such i mean as the archaeus , the plastic power , the formative faculty , and that petty kind of deity called nature . for the better comprehending the significancy of these several terms , let us put our selves upon reflecting , and a very little attention will discover the fallacy . suppose then , for instance , that any man should tell me that such or such a thing will exhilirate the archaeus , or enliven decay'd nature ; that such a monster owes its rise to a defect or error committed by the plastic power , or formative faculty ; is it not very reasonable that we desire to know what either of these are , whether or no they are real agents , or intellectual beings , imploying themselves in the care of our conservation ; or in a word , what they do truly import in their genuine and proper meaning . if we make , i say , this enquity , we may satisfie our selves , that every one of these words , with many of the like signification , particularly such as go by the name of faculties and qualities , were first of all taken up , either as an umbrage for mens ignorance of real causes , or invented in order to a more compendious way of speaking , whereby the several means made use of towards a particular production , are comprised under some single appellation . and thus it happens ( as mr. boyle speaks ) that a fit and actuating power of the teeth , tongue , spittle , fibres and membranes of the gullet and stomach , together with the natural heat , the ferment and menstruum , and some other agents , which co-operate to the transmutation of our aliment into chile , are all included in that frequent expression of concoctive faculty ; a word as commonly made use of by those who know not what they mean when they speak it , as by those that do . but amongst all the pretended causes of those effects we see daily produc'd , there is none more frequently made use of than the word nature , upon which consideration the most judicious boyle , foreseeing the abuse of that unhappy word , was ( as he expresses himself ) so paradoxical , as to make a very serious doubt , whether this same nature so much discourst of , was a thing or a name ; or whether it was any real existent being , or a being purely notional . for when any man tells me , saith he , that nature does this or that ; that 't is natural for one thing to do this , and another that ; he does in no wise help me to understand , or to explicate the manner of these productions : for 't is manifest enough , that whatsoever is done in this world ( where the rational soul intervenes not ) is really effected by corporeal agents , acting in a world so fram'd as ours is , according to the laws of motion , settled by its omniscient author . 't is true , that many acknowledge this nature to be a thing established by the almighty , and subordinate to him : but tho' many confess it when they are askt , whether they do or not : yet besides that they seldom or never lift up their eyes to any higher cause ; he that takes notice of their way of ascribing things to nature , may easily discern , that whatever their words sometimes be , the agency of the god of nature , is very little taken notice of in their thoughts . indeed , if i thought my opinion might sway with you so far , as to put you upon reflecting in good earnest , i should give you to understand that 't is my real belief , that the improper use of this very word has been vastly injurious to the glory of our maker , and ( in the words of the foresaid author ) i doubt not but the looking upon meerly corporeal , and oftentimes inanimate things , as if they were endow'd with life , sence and understanding , and the ascribing to nature , and some other beings , whether real or imaginary , things that belong only to god , have been some , if not the chief of the grand causes of atheism amongst nominal christians , and of polytheism and idolatry amongst the gentiles . the wretched subterfuges of atheism , being thus manifestly discover'd insufficient causes of any manner of production , the greatest part of them being purely imaginary , and ( like aery phantoms ) disappearing at the light of truth , i hope that you 'l endeavour to remove that veil of ignorance which has so long darken'd your understanding , and that you will find your self necessitated to acknowledge the eternal cause , in whom you live , move , and have your being . if at length you are perswaded of this supreme intelligence , and satisfy'd that the universal systems is a product of his power , that the several species of animals , under whatsoever genus , must necessarily take their rise from some prolific seeds or seminal principles created by the same power ( spontaneous productions , and the whole business of aequivocal generation being detected a plain fallacy ) if this , i say , appears manifest ( as i see not how any thing can be more evident ) altho' the mosaic history of genesis is seemingly unintelligible and contradictory to many later observations and experiments , i shall expect that you heartily subscribe the prime article of our creed , viz the belief of god. as there is no man indispensably ty'd to the letter of the mosaic history , so its being to our conjectures unphilosophitick , or it s not exactly quadrating with the latter discoveries of our vertuoso's , neither is , nor ought to be reputed either as an error in the historian , or a flaw in the history , by those who consider the condition of the infant world , and the genius of the people to whose capacities this narration was more especially adapted . to instance in one particular ; tho' we are to suppose that joshua was too great a philosopher to be unacquainted with the copernican hypothesis of the earths motion , yet considering the apprehension of his auditory , if in the hearing of the multitude , he had commanded the earth , as he did the sun to stand still , he would not unlikely have been deemed a man distracted by such who would have thought it a very extravagant absurdity , to bid the earth , which they conceived a dead , unactive lump , to stand still , or to command rest to that which they imagin'd was incapable of motion . be this however as it will , 't is not a fundamental of religious faith ; besides , we have no such certainty as to exclude all doubting , that the sun is a fixt planet , or that the earth turns round upon an axis . this mosaic history , you find , has employ'd the wits , and perplexed the understandings of many learned men , who , tho' they have taken upon them to find faults in this account , yet in their endeavours to erect a new theory , or to reconcile the old to their own reason , they have generally come short of the satisfaction they had at first proposed to themselves . disquisitions of this nature are for the most part fruitless ; and indeed it is but just that we meet with disappointments in such enquiries , where we limit the power of the divine being to our finite apprehensions ; and seemingly infer that even omnipotence it self cannot act any thing unfathomable by our weak capacities . let it suffice that we enjoy a plenary knowledge that the world was created by the power of god , without enquiring for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or quo pacto : and if the revealed history of genesis is not full enough to surprise us into admiration of its mighty author , let us survey but any portion of the curious fabrick , and we may find as it were stamp'd thereon , such indelible characters of his power and wisdom , as must undoubtedly astonish us , and these discoverable by the common mode of humane understanding . nevertheless , if the exposition or explanation of the learned , may be in any manner satisfactory , i shall here give you the sentiments of one ( and him alone i prefer to a whole sect of philosophers ) i mean the judicious mr. boyle , who in his enquiries into the vulgarly received notion of nature , expresses himself as follows . i think it probable ( for i would not dogmatise on so weighty and so difficult a subject ) that the great and wise author of things , did when he first form'd the universal and undistinguisht matter into the world , put its parts into various motions , whereby they were necessarily divided into numberless portions of different bulks , figures and scituations in respect to each other ; and by his infinite wisdom and power , he did so guide and over-rule the motion of those parts at the beginning of things ( whither in a shorter or a longer time , reason cannot well determine ) that they were finally disposed into that beautiful and orderly frame we call the world , among whose parts some were so curiously contriv'd as to be fit to become the seeds or seminal principles of plants and animals . and i farther conceive , that he settled such laws or rules of local motion amongst the parts of the universal matter , that by his ordinary and preserving concourse , the several parts of the universe , thus once compleated , should be able to maintain the great construction or systeme and oeconomy of the mundane bodies , and propagate the species of living creatures . again ( saith he ) i consider the frame of the world already made , as a great and ( if i may so speak ) pregnant automaton , or as a ship furnisht with pumps , ordnance , &c. and is such an engine as comprises and consists of several less , and this compounded machine in conjunction with the laws of motion , freely establisht , and still maintained by almighty god in all its parts , i look upon as a complex principle , from whence results the settled order or course of things corporeal ; and that which happens according to this course , may generally speaking be said to come to pass according to nature , or to be done by nature ; and that which thwarts this order , may be said to be preternatural , or contrary thereto . and indeed , tho' men talk of nature as they please , yet whatever is done amongst things inanimate ( which make up incomparably the greatest part of the universe ) is really done , but by particular bodies acting on one another by local motion , modefy'd by the other mechanical affections of the agent of the patient , and of those other bodies that necessarily concur to the eff●ct or phaenomena produc'd . farther , tho' i agree with our epicureans in thinking it probable , that the world is made up of innumerable multitude of singly insensible corpul●ses , endow'd with their own sires shapes and motions : and tho' i agree with the cartesians in believing ( as i find that anaxagoras did of old ) that matter hath not its motion from it self , but originally from god ; yet in this i differ from both epicurus and des cartes , that whereas the former of them plainly denies that the world was made by any deity ; and the latter of them , for ought i can find in his writings , or some of those of his eminent'st disciples , thought that god , having once put matter into motion , and establisht the laws of that motion , needed not more particularly interpose for the production of things corporeal , nor even of plants or animals , which according to him are but engines : i do not at all believe that either th●se cartesian laws of motion , or the epicurean casual concourse of atoms , cou'd bring meer matter into so orderly and well contriv'd a fabrick as this world ; and therefore i think that the wise author of things , did not only put matter into motion , but ( when he resolved to make the world ) did so regulate and guide the motions of the small parts of the universal matter , as to reduce the greater systems of them into the order in which they were to 〈◊〉 , and did more particularly contrive some of the portions of that matter into s●minal rudiments or principles , lodg'd in convenient r●ceptacles ( and as it were wombs ) and others into the bodies of plants and animals : one main part of whose contrivance did ( as i apprehend ) consist in this , that some of their organs were so framed , that supposing the fabric of the geater bodies of the universe , and the laws he had establisht , some juicy and spirituous parts of these living creatures must be fit to be turned into prolific seeds , whereby they may have a power by generating their like , to propagate their species . so that , according to my apprehension , it was at the beginning necessary that an intelligent and wise agent should contrive the universal matter into the world ( and especially some portions of it into seminal organs and principles ) and settle the laws , according to which the motions and actions of its parts upon one another , should be regulated : without which interposition of the worlds architect , however moving matter , with some probability ( for i see not in the notion any certainty ) be conceiv'd to be able , after numberless occursions of its insensible parts , to cast it self into such grand conventions and convolutions as the cartesians call vortices , and as i remember epicurus speaks of under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : yet i think it utterly improbable that brute and unguided matter ( altho' moving ) shou'd ever convene into such admirable structures as the bodies of perfect animals . but the world being once fram'd , and the course of nature establisht , the naturalist ( excepting those cases where god and incorporeal agents interpose ) has recourse to the first cause , but for its general and ordinary support and influence ; whereby it preserves matter and motion from annihilation or desition ; and in explicating particular phaenomena , considers only the size , shape , motion , ( or want of it ) texture and the resulting qualities and attributes of the small particles of matter , and thus in this great automaton the world ( as in a watch or clock ) the materials it consists of being left to themselves , cou'd never at the first convene into so curious an engine : yet when the skilful artist has once made and set it a going , the phaenomena it exhibits are to be accounted for by the number , bigness , proportion , shape , motion ( or endeavour ) rest , coaptation , and other mechanical affections of the spring , wheels , pillars , and other parts it is made up of : and those effects of such an engine that cannot this way be explicated , must , for ought i yet know , he confest not to be sufficiently understood . you may hereby inform your self of the sentiments of this great philosopher , with respect to the unavoidable necessity that we meet with of referring our selves to some powerful intelligent being , for the disposing the mundane bodies into that wonderful and mighty fabric we call the world. so that to sum up all , whatever opinion you may as yet harbour , with relation to the nature of your own mind , and how great soever the difficulties and seeming absurdities may be , which tend to impeach the divine providence , and rob the deity of his government of the world ; thus far i hope we are got at least , that whether or no we are willing , we must acknowledge his divine fiat in the business of creation ; and there is no man will e're be lookt on as a rabbi ( if i may so speak ) in atheism , till he becomes not only acquainted with real essences , the mechanical affections and all the powers of matter , but can intelligibly resolve us how second causes act in their several productions , and which is the main point of all , can prove to us that there was no need of intelligence , power or wisdom to preside in their primitive constitution . 't is now high time to look about you , and if you look as becomes a creature endow'd with reason , there is nothing can pres●nt it self , which is not able to discover its almighty author , or ( in helmont's phrase ) the wisdom of the protoplast . the existence of a god ( says another of great learning ) were there no such thing as supernatural revelation , is plainly evidenced as well by what is without us , as what 's within . hence it is , that altho' god , has wrought many miracles to convince infidels and misbelievers , yet he never wrought any to convince an atheist , nor do the pen-men of sacred writ attempt to prove it , but take it for granted , as being evidently manifest both by sensible and rational demonstration . as for innate idea's of god ( continues he ) i see no occasion to believe any such thing at all : for i know of none that are formally innate ; what we commonly call so , are the result of the exercise of our reason . the notion of god is no otherways inbred , than that the soul is furnisht with such a natural sagacity , that upon the exercise of her rational powers , she is infallibly led to the acknowledgment of a deity : and thus by looking inwardly upon our selves , we perceive that the faculty resident in us , is not furnish'd with all perfections , and therefore not self-existent , nor indebted to it self for those it hath : otherwise it wou'd have cloathed it self with the utmost perfections it can imagine , and by consequence finding its own exility and imperfection , it naturally and with case arrives at a perswasion of deriving its original from some first supreme and free agent , who hath made it what it is , and this can be nothing but god. . we perceive that we have such a faculty as apprehendeth , judgeth , reasoneth : but what it is , whence it is , and how it performeth these things , we know not ; and therefore there must be some supreme being , who hath given us this faculty , and understands both the nature of it , and how it knoweth which we our selves do not . . our natures are such , that as soon as we come to have the use of our intellectual faculties , we are forced to acknowledge some things good , and others evil . there is an unalterable congruity betwixt some acts and our reasonable souls , and an unchangeable incongruity betwixt them and others . now this plainly sways to the belief of a god , for all distinctions of good and evil relate to a law under the sanction of which we are , and all law supposeth a superior who hath right to command us : and there can be no universal ind●pendent supreme but god. . we find our selves possest of a faculty necessarily reflecting on its own acts , and passing a judgment upon it self in all it does : which is a farther conviction of the existence of a god ; for it implys a supreme judge to whom we are accountable . . we find that we are furnisht with faculties of vast appetites and desires , and that there is nothing in the world that can satisfie our cravings , and by consequence there must be some supreme good , adequate and proportionate to the longings of our souls ; which can be nothing but god. . we find the frame of our rational powers to be such that we cannot form a notion of god , tho' it were in denying him , but we include his actual existence in it . optimus maximus , or a perfect being is the idea we have of god , whensoever we think of him ; now this includes actual existence , it being a greater perfection for a thing to be essentially , independently and necessarily ; then to be contingently , and by imagination from another , on whose pleasure its existence depends . all propositions , whose praedicate is included in the essence of the subject , are stiled self-evident , or per se nota : because if we do but once understand the import of the term stiled the subject , we necessarily assent to its identity with the praedicate . . by consulting still our faculties , we do not find any thing included in our idea , by virtue of which we must either ever have been , or through existing this moment must necessarily exist the next ; which naturally conducts us to a perswasion of a god , from whom we derived our being at first , and to whom we owe our continued subsistence . secondly , if we look around us , there is nothing discoverable but what bears the most clear and perspicuous characters of wisdom , contrivance or design . now if we consider the naked existence of things , how they come to be in the posture they are , we can by no means grant that they could cause themselves : existence as always presuppos'd to acting ; nothing can be both before and after it self . nor dly , were they eternal : for . it is an hypothesis pregnant with contradictions , that any thing finite or dependent , as all things in the world are , shou'd be eternal . . we see every thing subsist by a succession of generation and corruption , which is plainly repugnant to self and eternal existence : production from eternity is a palpable contradiction ; whatever is produc'd , passeth from a state of non-entity into a state of being ; and therefore we must conceive a time when it was not , e're we can conceive the time when it was . but the recency of the existence of things , is plain from the deficiency either of history or tradition anteced●ntly to moses , and he is so far from recording the world to have been eternal , that he instructs us particularly both how and when it began ; and as the word was not eternal , so neither did it result by a casual concourse of the particles of matter , moving in an infinite ultra mundane space , and justling one another till they fell into this form and order in which we now behold them . for . the eternity of atoms is attended with the same contradictions as the eternity of the world. . motion is hereby supposed intrins●cal to matter , which is not only false , but impossible . it is the greatest absurdity that can be imposed upon reason , to ascribe motion to such a stupid and unactive principle as matter , without the acknowledgment of a first and divine motor . . if all things be the result of matter , how comes a principle of reason to be convey'd into us , by that which had it not inherent in it self . . this hypothesis supposeth that to have been the effect of chance , which openly shows a divine contrivance . . if the fabric of the world be no more than the result of the casual meeting and concatenation of atoms , how comes it to pass that by their daily striking against each other , they do not dance themselves into more worlds , at least into some one animal or other . . epicurus 's infinity of atoms carries a repugnancy in it to his inane space , and yet without this his whole hypothesis falls to the ground ; nor is it possible to solve the permanency of the world , and the continuity of bodies , by the fortuitous concatenation of atoms , through their different configurations and jagg'd angles , without the superintendency of an omnipotent goodness , who sustains both the whole creation and every part . especially it is not conceivable how such bodies as are made up , either of globular particles , or of those minute corpuscles which des chartes stiles his first and second elements , should hold together without the influence of a higher principle to keep them in their consistency . and thus from these manifold considerations of things both without us and within us , are we led to a perswasion and conviction of the being of a god. nor can the atheist who denies his existence , give any rational account of the universal consent of mankind , that there is one ; whereas he that maintains one , can easily resolve it by shewing how such a perswasion flows naturally from the exercise of every man's understanding : and forasmuch as it is alledg'd that there have been some who have dissented , and consequently that the perswasion is not universal , it amounts to no more , but that there have been some who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. speak falsly of and bely our nature : which may be so perverted by vice , that men will not acknowledge what lies most proportionate to reason ; being corrupted by bad education , evil customs and wicked institutions , they destroy even their most natural notions . so that if the contradiction of a single individual or two , were enough to invalidate a universal perswasion , or to impeach a natural truth , there would be neither one nor t'other in the world ; for not only cicero tells us there is nothing so absurd which some of the philosophers have not maintained : but aristotle informs us that there have been some who have held that the same thing might at the same time be , and not be . so that , that thing is universally known , not which every one acknowledgeth , but that which every one who hath not debauch'd his faculties , doth discern . 't is a very sad truth , when men are sunk into the greatest sensualities , their reason becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , compliant with their sensual appetites . besides , such men living as if there were no god , can make no apology to the world for it , but by espousing such notions as may justifie them in their courses . withal , being resolved to live as they list , it is their interest with reference to their tranquality in the mean time to believe , through holding that there is none to call them to account , that they may do so , & quod valde volumus facile credimus . from what has been said upon this argument , i see not what evasions can be found out to avoid this concession that there is a god : and truly , considering the slender supports of atheism , viz. chance and the world's eternity , are so easily overthrown , and prove insufficient to satisfie even the thinking libertine himself , i admire not that the more reputable name of deist has been taken up by our modern vitioso's : the initial letter of your character must be now expanged , and unless you acknowledge theism , the men of letters , ( however debaucht ) will laugh at and contemn you . i have often wondred what those men think of the divine being , or what god is , who are so very familiar with his name , that they scarce repeat a sentence without it , altho ' it be by way of imprecating his judgments , or wishing him to damn them . that the name is more than a useless sound most of them will acknowledge ; and those who boldly plead for the custom of swearing , do grant that tho' god is , yet doth he not take notice of what they say ; neither are they capable ( if not punisht here ) of suffering hereafter . it must certainly be this conceit that embolden'd a lewd fellow , when he was askt whether he was in earnest when he cry'd g — d d — ● him , to reply , that for his part , jest or earnest he thought were equal , since tho' he wisht damnation , he believ'd there was nothing in his composition which was capable of it , and therefore there was no danger . custom had rendred the practise of it familiar , and he used it instead of other words to imbellish his discourse . if profane sweating be at all allowable , it must be to such as these ; but for any man to pray that g — d wou'd d — m his soul , and at the same time to believe its immortality , or at least to fear any such thing , is a matter unaccountable , and no ways to be resolved but by the degeneracy of our reason , the abolition of our sense , and a total depravation of our understandings : and yet this is the practise ( i do not say of your self ) of many who tell us they are perswaded of the being of a god , and that they are far from any certainty that their souls may not survive their bodies . there are many men ( saith a modern philosopher , and physician ) ●●tho take a wonderful delight in swearing , each word must have a s'w — ds , by g — d , or a g — d d — m them for its attendance ; otherwise the language would seem to be imperfect , or at least to want its natural eloquence . this interjection of speech is so much practis'd , that some masters of languages in france make it the third lesson to their scholars . a german ( continues he ) newly arriv'd at paris , and applying his mind to the study of that language , shew'd me his third lesson which his master had recommended to him to get by heart . this pius of doctrine did contain no less than thirty , or five and thirty oaths , some of which he said were of the last years invention , which his master had particularly marked . i asked the gentleman how he would come to know their proper places and insertions ? he answered me , that that was the first question he asked his master ; who resolv'd him , that a little converse with the french wou'd soon make him perfect in that business . well might this ingenious man cry out upon these reflections , o tempora ! o mores ! and surely it must strike every more than ordinary thoughtful man , with the most profound admiration , to consider the practises of those men , who are continually acting that which they themselves have all imaginable assurance they shall sooner or later repent of , and be concern'd for . 't is very common , as i have before taken notice of , for men to live as if there were no god ; and we may meet with some so extravagantly audacious , as to tell us they are both certain of the truth of their opinions , and certain that ( come what will ) they shall never alter them . but yet i very much question , whether one instance can be given of a clearly reasoning atheist , unconcern'd in his last minutes . i had a very slight acquaintance with a gentleman of some acquired parts , who had frequently beasted amongst his intimate friends ; that he question'd not but he shou'd show at his death the same disregard to the belief of a divine being , and the immortality , as he had done all along ; and this he spoke with a more than usual seriousness . some few years after ( as i was told by one of his friends ) this gentleman being on the th●●es , the boat was overset by some accident , and turn'd the bottom upwards . the spark had been just before swearing and damming himself in his wonted ●●ife ; and yet nevertheless upon his first sinking , he was heard very dolefully to cast out , ●● god be mercif — . by the endeavour of the watermen , and some other assistance , they were all saved , some of them almost expiring their last breath . 't was several days before this person was able to go abroad ; and upon his first visit to one of his fellows , he was upbraided with cowardise for betraying the cause of irreligion , and falsifying his promise to dye an infidel . the sense of his late disorder had made too great an impression to be so soon obliterated , and calling to mind his deportment when he thought himself a dead man , he fairly confest that he cou'd not help what he did ; tho' at the same time , if his soul prov'd independent , he thought himself plunging into eternal misery : at this time ( saith he ) my fears are pretty well worn off , i find my self as much a libertine as ever ; though i must tell you , that you shall never catch me making resolutions what to do when i am dying . thus do these miserable wretches , at one time or other ( in spight of their most firm resolves to the contrary ) betray the weakness of their cause , and by their apparent fears that they are in the wrong , together with their many private and publick recantations , they by some means or other satisfie us , that there is no secure dependance upon the strongest of their arguments , or weightiest of their notions . i might illustrate this subject by a transcript of those clear thoughts and apprehensions of the deity , which are conspicuous in the writings even of the heathen philosophers : but having already transgrest the bounds of an epistle , i shall shut up all in the words of an unknown author to this purpose . it would be too tedious to consider all the little cavils and objections of atheists against a deity : the most material are reducible to those that have been proposed , and may be refuted by the answers we now have given , for they proceed either from wrong apprehensions of the nature and attributes of god , or from ignorance of the nature and relation of other things , or from an obstinate resistance of what is de facto evident ; and all of them demonstrate their unreasonableness and absurdity , which doth further appear by the unreasonable consequences of not acknowledging a deity , which is a second way of proving it . for if there be no god , then it necessarily follos that either every thing made it self , or that all things came from nothing , and that there are effects which have no cause : for there is life , sense , and reason without any being capable to produce them : and there are artificial contrivances , regular proceedings , and wise adaptations of things to ends and purposes , far above the power and capacity of any thing which is existent . these , and many such things as these follow the denial of a god , which are not only great difficulties , but such gross and sensless absurdities , as no thinking person can swallow or digest . as therefore deformity sheweth shape and proportion beautiful , so the belief of a deity appears more reasonable by the absurdity and unreasonableness of atheism , which contradicts common sense , overturns the agreed principles of knowledge and reason , confounds chance and contrivance , accident and design , and which has its recourse to wild romantic and most precarious hypotheses ; for they cannot shun the owning an infinity , and the existence of something from eternity ; and they are forced to acknowledge that things are framed according to the rules of art and proportion . now as it not more reasonable to ascribe the constant observance of these rules , to an intelligent being , than to chance or no cause ? for there is no middle thing betwixt them to be fixed on : either the one or the other must take place . nature , which they talk so much of , is an obscure word for concealing their thoughts and sentimens ; if by this they mean something distinct from matter , which moves and directs it , their nature is god in disguise ; and if they must flee to this for a rational account of the production of things , why do they quarrel at the word ( god ) which carries a clear idea , and in the sence of which all the world is agreed . tho' this nature of theirs be equivalent , yet it is more mysterious , and therefore it smells of some designed perversness , as if by the use of this word , and the disuse of the other , they would turn peoples thoughts from god , and god from the honour of being the creator of all things . but if by nature they only understand certain laws , and i know not what ordinances , by which things must move , is this sufficient to explain the first productions of things ? for though it should be true that matter cannot move but according to those laws , and that moving by them in process of time , the work could have been produced as it is at present , after that romantic manner of cartesius : yet there was no cecessity that matter should move at all , nor could it move of it self ; wherefore , whether they will or not , they must own the existence of something prior to matter it self ; or the motion of it , which cartes was sensible of , and therefore he could not build his aiery and fanciful system without supposing the existence of a deity . so that in a word , as god is the first cause and author of all things , this belief is the foundation of all solid reason ; what is not built on this is nonsence and absurdity . i know the atheists arrogate to themselves wit and judgment and knowledge above others , and do think that it is the ignorance and credulity of the bulk of mankind ( at one lately words it ) which make them to be of another belief : but why i pray must they carry away sense and understanding from others , because they are so vain as to think it ? do not those in bedlam think themselves wiser than others ? all the rest of the world are fools in their eyes , and those who keep them there not only such , but oppressors and most unjust . yet atheism is a more extravagant and pernicious madness , which it is the highest interest of mankind to keep from spreading . but alas , it has been suffer'd to take root , it is cherisht and encourag'd : men walk the streets , and publickly act this madness : in every corner they throw their scoffs , and droll against the almighty author of their being . they meet in companies to concert how they may most wittily expose him , and what is the readiest way to render him ridiculous in the eyes of others : a clinch , a jest , or puny witticism , is receiv'd and entertain'd and carried about with all diligence . tho' there be no reason why the atheist should be a zealot , there being no obligation on him to propagate his opinions , and because the less they are entertain'd by others , he himself is the more secure : yet no sect is become more zealous of late than atheists and their fraternity , who maintain their cause by an affro●ting impudence , by the exercise of a frothy wit instead of reason , and by jesting and drolling instead of serious arguments ; but let any man judge if this be a reasonable or commendable way of handling a matter so serious and important : should impudence run down evidence ? should a jest or a foolish witticism be of more weight than the dictates of common sense and sound reason ? if these men were capable of counsel , i would ask them whether they are absolutely sure that they are in the right ? are they able to demonstrate that there is no god ? this is more than any ever yet pretended to : and if they cannot pretend to this , ought they not to walk very cautiously ; if there be a god ( as there may for any assurance they have to the contrary ) what then have they to expect for their bold insults and oppositions to him ? our notion of a god is no vain hypothesis or imaginary supposition ; 't is a truth loudly proclaim'd and strongly confirm'd , not only by reason , but every part of the world. so that whatever the atheist may arrogate to himself , and whatever esteem may be paid to him in a corrupt age , yet i● he so far from being wiser than others , that by the universal voice of nature , as well as that of divine revelation , he will be declared a fool who saith there is no god. may the supreme power direct us all to a knowledge of himself , such a knowledge as will be attended here with a solid peace and satisfaction , and hereafter with eternal happiness . i have nothing more to add , unless this , that i am ( in all sincerity ) your real friend to serve you . letter ii. concerning providence . to mr. &c. — my esteemed friend , in my former you had the thoughts of several learned men , together with my own conjectures , concerning that unhappily controverted truth ( the basis of all others ) the existence of a god. in this i shall communicate my own sentiments ( amongst those of some more prudent persons ) concerning providence : a matter by almost all men frequently debated , altho ' by very few of them very rationally explicated . this is indeed a theme so difficult , so intricate and obscure , so amasingly stupendious , and withal a subject that requires so very much caution in its explanation , on the account of its general moment and concern , that i profess to you , i scarce know where or in what manner to begin , or how to deliver my conceptions freely on this weighty argument : i will however venture some few of my own thoughts , rude and indigested as they have occur'd upon a short reflection ; if the philosopher shou'd happen to get the ascendant of the christian , i hope it will be excus'd by those who consider the person unto whom i write : you have given me , i must acknowledge , a liberty to open the pandects of nature , and to furnish my self from thence with any thing that seems useful , but will have nothing to be thought valid which is transferr'd from the more sacred records of revelation . a god , ergo a providence , has been by almost all , but especially christian philosophers , thought a necessary conclusion : but since we are to concede nothing by way of an implicite faith , or as founded upon the bare testimony of other men , i shall not spend my time in considering the analogy , or reflecting whether or no these terms are synonimous : but will endeavour impartially to take notice , not only of some few particulars , which may countenance , but of some others which seem to thwart and to be repugnant to this notion , as it seems generally establisht . in order to my proceeding , i expect you should take notice that with some others , who have written upon this subject , i distinguish providence as bipartite , or under a double signification ( viz. ) general and particular ; the former , which by philosophers is term'd the general concourse or co-operating influence , i conceive to be so reasonable and intelligible a notion , that i presume , when once you have consented to the acknowledgment of a first cause of all things , you will find your self as it were necessitated to own , that the same power who created the universal matter out of nothing , and disposed its several parts into so many curious and elaborate engines , must unavoidably be concern'd , at least in the preservation of the same from annihilation , or extend a power of conservation to its continuance and support ; for however possible it may be to conceive that god almighty in directing the particles of matter into their several shapes , forms , or configurations , did establish certain catholick laws of motion , yet surely , if hereupon we suppose the deity to retire within himself , no farther to be concern'd with his divine workmanship , nor so much as ever after to think of or regard it ; it is utterly unconceivable that matter and motion , and the several textures arising from their combination , can be kept on foot , or secured from their primitive non-existence . in this doctrine of god's ordinary concurrence , i must confess i can find nothing but what is easie and as it were self-evident ; but when we survey some very unaccountable ph●nomena , and those various anomali's which run retrograde to our sense and opinions of the divine attributes ; when we reflect upon what some call the prosperity of wicked men , and the adversity of the good ; when we see justice and innocence trampled under foot , and all that 's good and vertuous , degraded and contemned , whilst vice in the mean while reigns as it were triumphant ; when we see that neither the profession nor practise of the sacred rites of religion , can secure us from rapine , cruelty and oppression ; lastly , when we consider , as the atheist says , that time and chance hapneth to all ; these , i say , notwithstanding they may be fairly solv'd by those primitive laws of motion bestow'd on matter , and still maintain'd by the divine being ; yet when we view them as under his immediate concern and government , or resulting from his especial providence , they then appear with a somewhat differing aspect , and leave our reason in a thick darkness and obscurity . to this purpose , you may object that however great and wise that power may be , who made the world , you can discover not much of either in its government . you can own indeed , that all effects must have sufficient causes , but then ( of which you make so mighty an advantage ) you daily find these causes take place in the production of all effects promiscuously , and that they are seldom or never prevented by a divine suspension , even when they seem to impeach the power and wisdom of an especial providence . that i may give an instance suitable to your own thoughts ; you see that mankind ( from whatsoever cause they had their origine ) are now continued by the mutual embrace or carnal knowledge of the two sexes ; and therefore you don't admire , that when they come together in the state of wedlock , or under the nuptial institution , with the generative organs rightly dispos'd , that they should propagate their species : but when on the other hand , you consider many incestuous embraces , and that a conception is the result of a venereal act in fornication or adultery , provided the faeminine ova are prolific , or capable of impregnation by the seminal aura of the male : here you see abundant reason to cry out of providence , and expect the supreme power should either immediately pursue the transgressors with divine vengeance , or suspend his laws of motion in the act , in order to prevent a spurious illegitimate issue . again , by the same catholic law of motion , or rather by a specific gravity or principle of gravitation ( which is the property of every particle of matter ) you come to understand that if a ponderous body be suspended by too slender a line , or a weighty structure raised upon an infirm basis , insufficient for its support or fulcrum : here , i say , by a very little knowledge in mechanicks , you easily foresee , that if the suspended body preponderate the force intended to hold it up , the line must necessarily break , and the weight as necessarily fall : so likewise the building in time grown ruinous , or decay'd by other accidents ( the foundation failing ) most certainly tumbles ; but if a sober or reputed pious man passing by should chance to make a perpendicular to the suspended body at the time of the lines breaking , and by the fall of the said weight receive some extraordinary hurt : or if by the sinking of an infirm building , a supposedly righteous family should be crusht to death ; here the atheist thinks he has a strong and powerful reason to inveigh against , or triumph over the providence of god , and will hardly be perswaded , but that if the divine being did inspect or concern himself with the affairs of mankind , he would upon all such emergencies miraculously interpose , and either by a revelation , or some other supernatural illumination , discover to us the impending danger , or ( for our security ) stop the laws of motion , which he at first establisht , or deprive those bodies of their specific gravitation which would otherwise injure us . farther , according to this general and prime establisht law , 't is easie to conceive that * the minute particles of matter , each of them having their own proper size , shape or texture , as it happens that they are posited in reference to the horizon , as erected , inclining or level , when they come to convene into one body , from their primary affections , disposition and contrivance , as to posture and order , there must necessarily result that which by one comprehensive name , we call the figure , shape , or texture of that body : and what we call a monster after this manner produced , is so far from being an error or trespass upon the laws of motion , that there is nothing less than a miracle could prevent it ; and indeed supposing the particles of matter ( from whatever cause ) posited in the manner we are now speaking , it would be much more monstrous , if they should convene into any other shape , which we account more regular , handsom , or compleat . but then , when we survey this unusual figure as the workmanship of the deity , especially where we suppose the same was design'd a mansion for the rational soul , we expect that the supreme architect should have interpos'd , and either alterd the laws of motion , or have given a new modification to the particles of matter , whereby they might be disposed to have better answer'd his design , and to be rendred more pliable to what philosophers pronounce the plastic power . our reflections of this nature , upon the particular providence or god's government of the world , do put us very often upon the most impious conclusions , and almost perswade us to question ( if we are not very cautious and sensible that it is impossible for us to fathom his designs ) whether there be any divine intelligence at all , or other superintendent being , who sits at the helm , and takes notice of us mortals ; all this being in our opinions more easily resolvable into time and chance , matter and motion . these ( if i mistak not ) are the unhappy doubts of the inconsiderate , and altho' they appear not so bare fac'd in the modester sort of infidels , yet are they ( so far as we are able to apprehend ) the genuine thoughts of every irreligious or profane person . we are too apt to set up our own perverted , shallow , and corrupt reason for the universal standard , to which test must be brought not only each others actions , but those of god himself , and ( which is somewhat strange ) notwithstanding scarce any one of our lives is regulated by this exemplar ; yet if we cannot immediately reconcile the unsearchable and inscrutable designs of the supreme power , to our own finite understandings ; if we discover not the most secret mysteries or arcana deitatis , and are unable to account for each several dispensation , we blaspemously cry out with epicurus , aut de●● vult toltere mala , & non potest : aut potest & non vult : aut utque vult neque potest : aut & vult & potest . si vult & non potest , imbecillis est , idioque non deus . si potest & non vult , invid●● est , quod aeque alienum à deo. si neque vult neque potest : & invid●● & imbecillis est , idebque utque deus . si vult & potest , quod solum deo convenit , unde ergo mala ? aut cur illa non tollit ? believe me ( sir ) i have been often apt to think , that we need not seek much farther for the causes of irreligion , than our mistaken notions concerning providence ▪ nor indeed can i perswade my self of a greater stumbling block , or more considerable difficulty , to be encountred in the christian warfare . it is this which hath sometimes stagger'd the faith of some of the wisest men , and made others pure sceptics in matters of religion . it was this which put the divine psalmist ( if i may use his words ) upon crying out , * but as for me , my feet were almost go●e , my step● had well ●igh slipt . for i was envious at the foolish , when i saw the prosperity of the wicked : for they are not in trouble as other men , neither are they ●l●g●ed like other men. their eyes stand out with fatness : they ●●●e more then heart could wish . they are corrupt and speak wickedly . they set their mouth against the heavens , and they say how doth god kn●w . behold ! these are the ungodly , who prosper in the world : verily i have cleansed my heart in vain , and washed my hands in innocence : for all the day long have i been plagued and chastened every morning . when i thought to know this it was too painful for me , until i went into the sanctuary of god , then understood i their end . we have surely the less reason to admire , that the regardless and foolish libertine shou'd be startled at the seemingly unequal distribution of the divine favours , when we find the devout psalmist himself almost confounded , and openly confessing that these things were too painful for his knowledge , till he went into the sanctuary and there inform'd himself . to the same purpose ( says one of the ancient fathers ) videbat epicurus , bonis adversa semper accidere : paupertatem , labores , curae , amissiones : malos contrà beatos esse , augeri potentia , honoribus affici . videbat innocentiam minus tutam , scelera impune committi . videbat sine delectu morum , sine ordine & discrimine annorum , saevire mortem : sed alios ad senectutem pervenire , alios infantes rapi , alios jam robustos interire , alios in primo adolescentiae flore immaturis funeribus extingui . in belli● potius meliores & vinci , & perire ; maxime autem commovebat , homines imprimis religiosos malis affici ; iis autem , qui aut deos omnino negligerent , aut minus pie colerent , vel minora incommod● evenire , vel nulla . it was the like consideration , which extorted that confession of ovid , cum rapiant mala fata bonos , ignoscite fasso , sollicit●r null●s esse putare deos. it was the seeming felicity of the impious and unjust , with the smart afflictions of the pious and devout , that amazed the sober claudian ( as he is called by dr. ch — ) and more than inclined him to apostatize from religion , and declare himself on the side of epicurus in these words : sepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem , curarent superi terras , au nullus inesset rector , & incerto fluerent mortalia casu ? sed cum res hominum ta●ta caligine volvi adspicerem , laetósque diu florere nocentes , vexariqu● pios : rursu● labefacta cadebat religio , causaeque viam non sponte sequebar alterius vacuo quae currere semina motu adfirmat , magnúmque novas per inane figuras fortuna , non arte regi , quae numina sensu ambiguo vel nulla putat , vel nescia nostri . men look into the world ; and perceive a showre of good and evil over their heads , which falls down , as they imagine , without choice or direction : they acknowledge indeed an establisht law of motion , but by what power they heed not ; nor will they be perswaded of the author's justice , since the same event at sometimes happens to all ; and if the wicked have not the precedence , they are at least equally happy in this life with the good and pious . these men ( saith that great master of antiquity the learned b — of w — ) have found out an expurgatory index for those impressions of a deity which are in the hearts of men ; and use their utmost art to obscure , since they cannot extinguish , those lively characters of his power , which are every where to be seen in the large volume of the creation . religion is no more to them , but an unaccountable fear , and the very notion of a spiritual substance ( even of that without which we cou'd never know what a contradiction meant ) is said to imply one ; but if for quietness sake , and it may be to content their own minds , as well as the world , they are willing to admit of a deity ( which is a mighty concession from them who have so much cause to be afraid of him ) then to ease their minds of such troublesome companions as their fears , they seek by all means to dispossess him of his government of the world , by denying his providence and care of humane affairs . they are contented he should be called an excellent being , that shou'd do nothing , and therefore signifie nothing in the world. or if the activity of their own spirits may make them think that such an excellent being may sometimes draw the curtain , and look abroad into the world , then every advantage which another hath got above them , and every cross accident which befals themselves ( which by the power of self-flattery , most men have learnt to call the prosperity of the wicked , and the sufferings of good men ) serve them for mighty charges against the justice of divine providence . thus either god shall not govern the world at all , or if he do , it must be upon such terms as they please , or approve of . so great is the pride and arrogance of our nature , that it loves to be condemning what it cannot comprehend ; and truly , there need be no greater reason given concerning the many disputes in the world about divine providence , than that god is wise , and we are not , but would fain seem to be so ; while we are in the dark , we shall be always quarrelling , and those who contend most , do it that they might seem to others to see , when they know themselves that they do not . the variety of disputes which have been founded upon the unaccountable methods of the divine providence , and the arguments brought by designing men to overthrow this notion , as it is founded in religious minds , tho' they have perverted the faith of some , and like an impetuous torrent , overwhelmed and confounded a great part of the christian , as well as heathen world , have yet proved ineffectual to bias or seduce those , whose modesty has been greater than to set up their own reason for an adequate rule of truth ; who have had more piety and solid wisdom than to limit the power even of omnipotence it self , to their own bounded and very narrowly circumscribed intellectuals ; and too much consideration to be impos'd on , by the information of their external senses , or to take every slight appearance of reason for a convincing argument . it is surely the most ridiculous folly and presumption of which any man can be guilty , to pretend to set limits to that most excellent being , by whose power we live ; or to deny the all-wise author that homage and fealty due unto him , for no other reason , but because we can't acquaint our selves with the secret● of his designs , have very little knowledge of final causes , cannot dive into the motives of every single dispensation , and are not chosen privy councellors to the majesty of heaven . but before i attempt any explication of the foregoing difficulties , or make any reply to these usual atheistical objections , i will give you the sentiments of two very learned men concerning the general concourse or act of conservation , which one of them has been pleased to term a continued act of creation ; a business of so vast an import and necessity , that shou'd it please the almighty architect , for the least moment of time , wholly to withdraw his divine power of preservation or ordinary concourse , the universal system must fall to ruine , and this beautiful fabric be immediately translated into its primitive chaos . in our reflections upon divine providence , we are to imagine it impossible that any thing shou'd happen otherwise , than the same providence hath determin'd : for it must be understood that all things are guided by his providence , whose decrees are so immutable , that unless those things which the said decrees have pleased to let depend on our free disposition , we ought to think for our parts , that nothing happens but what must of necessity ; nor can we without a crime , desire that the same shou'd happen otherwise . mr. boyle in his enquiry into the notion of nature , has some particular thoughts , which however at first view they may seem to thwart an especial providence of god , for that he does not interpose or miraculously intervene , so often as we expect he shou'd ; yet they will give us a clear insight into our mistaken notions concerning that semi-deity we call nature , and helps us to reconcile some very odd effects , not only to our belief of the divine being , but of his general concourse . . i conceive ( saith that excellent philosopher ) that the omniscient author of things , who in his vast and boundless understanding comprehended at once the whole systeme of his works , and every part , did not mainly intend the welfare of such or such particular creatures , but subordinated his care of their preservation and welfare , to his care of maintaining the universal systeme and primitive scheme and contrivance of his works ; and especially those catholic rules of motion and other grand laws , which he at first establisht amongst the portions of the mundane matter : so that when there happens such a concourse of circumstances , that particular bodies , fewer or more must suffer , or else the setled frame , or the usual course of things must be alter'd , or general law of motion hindred from taking place ; in such cases , i say , the welfare and interest of man himself , as an animal , and much more that of inferiour animals , and of other particular creatures , must give way to the care that providence takes of things of a more general and important nature and condition . this premis'd , to obvi●●● mis-constructions , i shall take notice that there are several instances of persons , who have been choak't with a hair , which they were unable either to cough up , or to swallow down . the reason of this fatal accident is probably said to be the irritation that is made by the stay of so unusual a thing as a hair in the throat , which occasions every violent and disorderly or convulsive motions , to expel it in the organs of respiration ; by which means the continued circulation of the blood , necessary to the life of man , is hindred , the consequence whereof is speedy death : but this agrees very ill with the vulgar supposition of such a kind and provident being as they represent nature , which is always at hand to preserve the life of animals , and succour them in their physical dangers and distresses , as occasion requires ; for since a hair is so slender a body that it cannot stop the throat , so as to hinder either the free passage of meat and drink into the stomach , or that of the air to and from the lungs ( as may he argued from divers no way mortal excrescencies and ulcers in the throat ) were it not a great deal better for nature to let the hair alone , and to stay till the juices of the body have resolv'd or consum'd it , or some other favourable accident have remov'd it , than like a passionate and transported thing , oppose it like a fury , with such a blind violence , as instead of ejecting the hair , expels the life of him who was troubled with it . how the care and wisdom of nature will be reconciled to so improper and disorderly a proceeding , i leave her admirers to consider : but it will appear very reconcileable to providence , if we reflect upon the lately given advertisement ; for in regard of the use and necessity of deglutition , and in many cases of coughing and vomiting , 't was in the general most convenient that the part ministring to those motions , shou'd be irritated by the sudden sense of things that are unusual , tho' perhaps they wou'd not be otherwise dangerous or offensive ; because , as we formerly noted , 't was fit that the providence of god shou'd , in making provision for the welfare of animals , have more regard to that which usually and regularly befalls them , then to extraordinary cases or unfrequent accidents . . now the difficulty we find to conceive , how so great a fabrick as the world can be preserved in order , and kept from running again to a chaos , seems to arise from hence , that men do not sufficiently consider the unsearchable wisdom of the divine architect , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as the scripture stiles him ) of the world ; whose piercing eyes were able to look at once quite through the universe , and to take into his prospect both the beginning and the end of time : so that perfectly foreknowing what wou'd be the consequence of all the possible conjectures of circumstances , into which matter divided and moved according to such laws , cou'd in an automaton , so constituted as the present world is , happen to be put , there can nothing fall out , unless when a miracle is wrought , that shall be able to alter the course of things , or prejudice the constitution of them any farther than he did from the beginning foresee and think fit to allow . and truly , it more sets off the wisdom of god , in the fabric of the universe , that he can make so vast a machine as the macrocosm , perform all those many things which he design'd it shou'd , by the meer contrivance of brute matter , manag'd by certain laws of local motion , and upheld by his ordinary and general concourse , than if he imploy'd from time to time an intelligent overseer , such as nature is fancy'd to be , to regulate , assist and controul the motion of its parts . for as aristotle , by introducing the opinion of the worlds eternity , did at least in almost all mens opinions , openly deny god the production of the world ; so by ascribing those admirable works of god to what he calls nature , he tacitly denys him the government of the world. now those things ( continues he ) which the school philosophers ascribe to the agency of nature , interposing according to emergencies , i ascribe to the wisdom of god in the fabric of the universe ; which he so admirably contriv'd , that if he but continue his ordinary and general concourse , there will be no necessity of extraordinary ineterpositions ; which may reduce him to seem as it were to play after-games : all those exegencies upon whose account philosophers and physicians have devised what they call nature , being foreseen and provided for in the first fabric of the world : so that meer matter , thus order'd , shall in such and such conjunctures of circumstances , do all that philosophers ascribe on such occasions to their almost omniscient nature , without any knowledge what it does , or acting otherwise than according to the catholick laws of motion . for when it pleaseth god to over-rule or controul the establisht course of things in the world , by his own omnipotent hand , what is thus perform'd may be much easier discern'd and acknowledg'd to be miraculous , by them that admit in the ordinary course of corporeal things , nothing but matter and motion , whose powers men may well judge of , than by those who think there is besides a certain semi-deity which they call nature , whose skill and power they acknowledge to be exceeding great , and yet have no sure way of estimating how great they are , and how far they may extend . and give me leave to to take notice to you , on this occasion , that i observe the miracles of our saviour and his apostles , pleaded by christians on behalf of their religion , to have been very differently look't upon by epicurean and other corpuscularian infidels : and by those other unbelievers , who admit of a soul , of the world , or spirits in the stars ; or in a word , think the universe to be govern'd by intellectual beings distinct from the supreme being we call god : for this latter sort of infidels have often admitted those matters of fact , which we christians call miracles , and yet have endeavour'd to solve them by astral operations and other ways ; whereas the epicurean enemies of christianity have thought themselves obliged resolutely to deny the matters of fact themselves , as well discerning that the things said to be perform'd , exceeded the mechanical powers of matter and motion ( as they were managed by those who wrought the miracles ) and consequently must either be deny'd to have been done , or be confest to have been truly miraculous . thus far mr. boyle . i must confess my self extreamly taken with the thoughts of this great man , which are every where so weighty , and withal so modest , that i know of no author i have as yet consulted , who hath so pertinently handled in a few words this noble theme , or afforded me so much content and satisfaction . i have been formerly , like your self , very familiar with fate and fortune , time and chance , with destiny and other empty notions ; and which was the farthest of my flight , when i knew how to talk of real qualities and substantial forms , when i conceiv'd the archaeus or plastic power as a kind of agent or intelligent being , disposing and ordering the seminal principles ; choosing or selecting fit materials ; designing and drawing out as it were the first rudiments of life , and delivering to each part a capacity to discarge its office or proper function . lastly , when i could resolve all with much ease into the ambiguous term of nature , i thought my self arriv'd at a ne plus ultra , till the result of a more serious consideration , which i was put upon by a converse with the writings of this divine philosopher , obliged me to conclude thus , and to take for granted , that however all the phaenomena , or each several event we have , or ever shall see come to pass , may be accounted the immediate off-spring of matter , as variously modify'd by local motion : yet notwithstanding this concession , we must mediately recur to the divine providence , not only for some author of this motion , who did in the beginning establish its laws , or prescribe those general rules 't is govern'd by ; but also for a power by whose co-operating influence the same are still maintain'd , and without which these second causes ( by too many only taken notice of ) wou'd be depriv'd of their energy . there is nothing , sir , will hely you to evade this , unless it be the sorry refuge of the worlds eternity ; which in my former letter was proved to be taken up with any shadow of reason or probability : a most precarious assertion , which being deny'd can never be prov'd : a contradiction to the universal tradition of mankind , which hath always attested that the world had a beginning . it is an assertion against the current testimony of all history , which traceth the original of nations and people , the invention of arts and sciences , and which sheweth that all have hapned within the space of less than six thousand years , according to the most probable ( if not certain ) calculation , which cou'd not be if the world or man had been eternal : 't is therefore with much reason that your beloved lucretius thus wittingly argues upon this topic , but grant the world eternal , grant it knew no infancy , and grant it never now , why then no wars our poets songs employ beyong the siege of thebes , or that of troy ? why former heroes fell without a name ? why not their battles told by lasting fame ? but 't is as i declare ; and thoughtful man not long ago and all the world began : and therefore arts that lay but rude before are publisht now , we now increase the store we perfect all the old and find out more . shipping's improv'd , we add new oars and wings , and musick now is found and speaking strings . these truths , this rise of things we lately know . but i have endeavour'd likewise to demonstrate that the supposition of eternal matter is ogregiously absur'd , and that motion is by no means to be accounted of the essence of matter , but extra-advenient thereunto ; yet supposing that hath motion and matter were eternal , without a powerful and wise providence to direct the particles of matter , and give laws to motion , there could never have been any thing else than an eternal jumble , nor so much as one regular structure wou'd ever have been produc'd . this i am perswaded is an apodictical or self-evident truth , altho' for its illustration i will enlarge in mr. b — 's words . there are indeed but few productions which are not mechanical ; but the powers of mechanism , as they are entirely dep●●●●●● on the deity , so they afford us a very solid argument for the reality of his nature . if we consider the phaenomena of the material world , with a due and serious attention , we shall plainly perceive that its present frame and constitution , with its establisht laws , are constituted and preserved by gravitation alone ; that is the powerful cement which holds together this magnificent structure of the world ; without that the whole universe , if we suppose an undetermin'd power of motion infus'd into matter , wou'd have been a confused chaos ; without beauty or order , and never stable or permanent in any condition : nevertheless this gravity , the great basis of all mechanism , is not it self mechanical , but the immediate fiat or finger of god , and the execution of the divine law : for there is no body that has this power of tending towards a center , either from it self or from other bodies : so that tho' we do believe and allow that every particle of matter is endow'd with a principle of gravity , whereby it wou'd descend to the center , if it were not repell'd upwards by heavier bodies ; yet are we fully perswaded , and certainly convinc'd , that this gravity must be deriv'd to it by nothing less than the power of god. if we consider the heart which is supposed to be the first principle of motion and life , and mentally divide it into its constituent parts , its arteries and veins , and nerves and tendons , and membranes and the innumerable little fibres that these secondary parts do consist of ; we shall find nothing here singular , but what is in any other muscle of the body : 't is only the site and posture of these several parts , and the configuration of the whole , that give it the form and functions of a heart : now why should the first single fibres in the formation of the heart , be peculiarly drawn in spiral lines , when the fibres of all other muscles are made by a transverse rectilinear motion , or what cou'd determine the fluid matter into that odd and singular figure , when as yet no other member is supposed to be formed , that might design the orbit of its course ? let mechanism here make an experiment of its power , and produce a spiral and turbinated motion of the whole moved body without an external director ? 't is true , when the organs are once framed by a supernatural and divine principle , we can willingly enough admit of mechanism in many functions of the body , but that the organs themselves shou'd be mechanically form'd , is as impossible as inexplicable . i shall now flatter my self with hopes , that what i have here alledg'd will be lookt upon by you to be but little short of demonstration , not only that there is a god ( which was the subject of my first ) but that he governs the world at least by keeping up his establisht laws of motion , or by the general concourse of his providence , which is manifestly conspicuous in his maintaining this mighty system of the world , and in the efficacy deriv'd from him unto secondary agents , or those which are more frequently term'd natural causes . what remains of this argument , which is by much the more intricate and difficult part , relates to the special providence , upon which is founded , as i conceive , our belief of these two propositions : . that god almighty , or the first and supream being , in his government of the world , has not so indispensably confin'd himself to those general laws of motion he at first setled in the world , but that he has reserved to himself a power of dispensing with the same , and does deviate from these rules by suspending the laws of motion , or by a particular intervention and interposition of his power , so often as it pleaseth him to act miraculously , or to bring to pass a supernatural effect . . that all the several changes , revolutions , or whatever else befals us from the womb even to our graves , are by the special providence of god allotted for us . as to what respects the first of these , viz. god almighty's deflecting or at some times deviating from his usual and general laws , it is impossible we shou'd ever convince any obstinate infidel of any such matter of fact , unless he were an eye-witness when the business was transacted , and so as it were compell'd to acknowledge the effect to be supernatural , or surmounting the power of secondary agents . we have indeed a sort of men in the world , so wonderfully conceited of their own acquirements , and so strangely opinion'd of the extension of their own minds , as to imagine there can be no such thing as an inexplicable event ; but that all may be fairly and intelligibly resolved without that pusillanimous and servile refuge ( as they express themselves ) of recurring to a miracle , the founders ( say they ) of which , have always been some subtil impostors , who to promote an interest or to serve their own turn , have found it no very difficult matter to impose upon the mole-ey'd multitude . and at this rate not only the supernatural actions of the apostles , but the surprising and stupendious ones of their master jesus christ , must either by these men be utterly deny'd , or resolv'd ( if it were possible ) by the generally establisht laws , or ( in their own words ) by the powers of nature : so that we must either believe the history of our saviour to be pure forgery , a romantic legend fob'd upon us by designing men , or else we must have recourse to the men of this piercing apprehension , and consult them as our oracles for an explanation of those accounts , which we , poor silly creatures , believe to have been miraculous . it is in vain , i know , to send you to that sacred history , where so many of these stupendious and divine operations are faithfully recorded , whilst you continue so sceptical as to doubt concerning the credit of the historian , or so much an infidel as to deny the history to be an authentic record . if you can believe there was ever such a person as jesus christ , or such men as his apostles , which i think in reason you are as much ob●ig'd , as to believe that there were any contemporary prince or people at that time upon earth , nay ( setting aside the remoteness of place and time ) as that there ever was such a person as king charles the first in england , or lowis the thirteenth in france : if , i say , you can concede this , i would then beg you to consider , which way or by what means you can conceive it possible , that the surprising and supernatural acts of those we are now speaking of , such as the turning water into wine , satisfying the hungry appetites of many hundreds with no more then naturally suffic●d for some few single persons : walking upon the surface of the water , restoring the sick by a word speaking , and commanding the dead to arise from the grave , with many others which were performed , not clandestinely or in private , but in the midst of very great assemblies , or a large concourse of people , and those for the most part implacable enemies , and consequently very curious in sifting out the truth : i say , i would fain know which way you can conjecture a possibility that a design of this import and universal tendency , cou'd be fraudulently carried on inperceptibly to that great number of auditors and spectators , who were not wholly made up of the giddy rabble or inconsiderate mob , but had some , even of the priests and elders of the jewish church ( men doubtless too well acquainted with the powers of matter and motion to be impos'd on ) to attest the truth of many of these operations . we may easily believe that those who lookt upon the gospel promulgation , as an insupportable burthen and incroachment , and accounted it no other than a kind of heretical innovation upon their more anciently establisht law , would make it their business to pry into and enquire with their utmost caution into the truth of those facts , which finding themselves obliged to acknowledge supernatural or surmounting the laws of nature , or the force of second causes , yet rather than confess any such matter as a divine energy , they would have them to be transacted by a diabolical assistance . i might make , i think a farther very rational query , whether you can believe the accounts we have given us in ecclesiastick history of the martyrdoms or painful sufferings of some of these apostles : if you do believe any of these accounts , as i think you may those at least which are recorded by some friends even of the tyrants themselves , who were concern'd in the patriarchal tragedies , it will be worth while to enquire into the motives which induced them to hazard their lives , by taking on them their several embassses : if instead of honour , you find they had disgrace ; instead of riches and grandeur , poverty and contempt : if instead of courtesie , civility and respect , they met with nothing but reproach and railery : lastly , if for all their hardship , instead of temporal promotion and preferment , they willingly submitted to an accursed , ignominious and painful death , you then must either think there never were any such men ( and thus by the same liberty you may disbelieve any such places as the countries where 't is reported they suffer'd death ) or if you think there were , you must believe them either distracted , or finally , that in following the direction of their great patron , they acted like men truly reasonable and discreet , and in that they preferr'd a life of misery , anguish , disquiet and tribulation , it is plain they had an assurance , as well as expectation , of their reward elsewhere ; and that they question'd not to find a sufficient recompence bestow'd upon them for all their sufferings , in those sacred mansions not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . but of this i shall discourse more hereafter , when i come to give you my opinion of reveal'd religion . in the mean time , if none of those unaccountable phaenomena which latter ages have produc'd some of which have been transacted within the compass of our own memory ; and many more within a century last past ; such as voices , specters , apparitions , stupendious recoveries of the sick and lame , together with the satanical powers of fascination and diabolical possessions : if these , i say , however sufficiently attested , will not be sufficient to induce you to believe , that there ever was such a thing as a supernatural production , but that all things are burried on by an establisht law , or ( in your own more pleasing words ) by an irresistible fate or destiny , and that all effects are the pure result of matter under its several modifications , whose powers were never superseded by any higher principle ; and farther , that there are no such extraordinary prints of a divinity , or marks of wisdom conspicuous in the creation ; i would then desire you with as much attention as you can , considerately to examine the structure of your own body : and if you begin with a survey , even of an inconsiderable part thereof , such as your fingers , in each of these ( as is well remarkt by mr. b — ) you will find bones and cartilages , ligaments and membranes , muscles and tendons , nerves and arteries , veins and skin , and cuticle and nail , together with the medulla , the fat and blood , and other nutritious juices , and all these solid parts of a determinate size and figure , texture and scituation ; and each of them made up of myriads of little fibres and filaments , not discoverable to the naked eye ; i say , when you consider how innumerable parts must constitute so small a member , surely you cannot look upon it , or the whole body , wherein appear so much fitness , use and subserviency to infinite functions , any otherwise than as the effect of skill and contrivance : if this will not extort a confession from you , that you are fearfully and wonderfully made , you must at least allow your self to be the workmanship of some intelligent being ; and altho' the commonness of the object takes off your admiration , and you now find the propagation of mankind in a method setled by the divine providence , yet if you transgress not the bounds of reason , you must affirm their first production to be by the immediate power of the almighty author of all things , and that every succeeding generation of them are the off-spring of one primitive couple . having survey'd some of the extremities of this mighty machine , and diligently passed over its outward covering or teguments ; my next advice to you is , that you retire within , and carefully examine not only the parts wherein those offices are perform'd , but the processes themselves ; such as that of mastication , deglutition , chylification , sanguification , the inkindling of the blood for the lamp of life , its great analogy in some respects with culinary fire , viz. it s constant nenecessity of ventilation through the vesiculae of the lungs , and a perpetual supply of a fit pabulum or fuel out of the received aliment for the continuance of its flame : when you have done here , and discover'd all the secretions or separations of the several juices , which are put off from the sanguineous mass in its wonderful circulation , and deposited in their several receptacles , till called for to their proper employments ; you may lastly , with that profound humility and veneration which becomes the enquiry , ascend into the sanctum sanctorum , that divine emporium of the soul , the brain ; where not only our sensations , but all our cogitations , our perception , reflexion , intuition , and all those noble faculties of memory , phantasy or imagination , &c. are surprisingly transacted . here if you diligently and philosopically take to pieces the several parts of the soul , i mean the sensitive , you may readily comprehend , with an excellent and most judicious * man , that its systasis or constitution is made out of these two parts ; viz. the vital or flamy , which respects the blood , and the lucid or ethereal , which respects the brain , or whose hypostasis are the animal spirits , by whose alone energy and intervention we account for the phaenomena of the animal regiment , in all things where the superiour or rational soul is unconcern'd . when you have thus finish'd your physiological contemplation , an application of this consequence will , i think , be not only pertinent , but natural and genuine : that since first , in relation to the vital or flamy part , there are so many prae-requisites in order to digestion or transmuting the gross and solid matter of our food , into that soft and pappy substance we call chyle ; if any one of which be wanting , some certain detriment will ensue , whether this be in the ventricle it self , a deficiency of its native heat , a weakness in the tone of any or all its fibres , a want or perversion of the secreted juices which compose its menstruum or dissolvent : or if all things are orderly performed here , and safely delivered hence , yet since there are also many requisites to a fit passage of the said chylous juice into the blood , such as the admistion of the bile and the pancreatic juice , either of which being peccant in quantity or quality , many mischiefs will ensue : but if in these secondary passages all things have gone on well , yet if the passages to the common store-house or receptaculum happen to be obstructed , and thereby rendred impervious to the liquor they should receive ; or if others of those curiously slender tubes , the lacteal vessels , by the forcible protrusion of the contained matter should break , or suffer a solution of their continuity , the chyle must be extravasated , and a fatal inundation thereof in some little time comes on . but if hitherto matters have succeeded as they ought , and this noble liquor is at length safely arriv'd through its many meanders and inconspicuous ways , and as safely deliver'd up to the heart ; yet if here it be not rightly sanguify'd or turn'd into blood ; or if when it is so made and continued in its circuit , the containing blood vessels , either from a deficiency of the vis motoria , or disorder of the spirits in the orbicular nervous fibrils implanted in the tunics of the said vessels , labour with an obstruction , or suffer such a distension by the impelling blood , as produces a diruption , there presently follows extravasation and stagnation of the vital liquor . farther , if the blood it self ( as from many causes it may ) contract too great an acidity or viscosity , or by adustion grow perfectly corrosive ; if its crasis be considerably vitiated or disorder'd , the nutritious juices must partake of the infection , and consequently the assimulation or apposition of their particles for the growth and encrease of all the parts of the body , cannot at all , or not regularly be performed , neither will the subtil parts of such a blood , tho' never so well elaborated in the brain , afford either a sufficient plenty , or an exactly homogeneous spirit for the influencing the nerves , those causes sine qua of every particular function and operation : in a word ( that i may not ti●e you with a more particular description of the parts of the encephalon , or cabinet containing that inestimable jewel the soul ) when you consider that from any of these slightly mention'd errors committed in any part , the whole fabrick suffers , and the same becomes a tottering carcass : when you consider how very easily an heterogeneous copula is admitted into the nervous system , there exciting those dismal irregular and horrid explosions , which after they have for sometime excruciated the frail body , leave it lifeless : when you consider also how very easily those slender ( and to our fight impervious ) conduits of the nerves may by many ways be obstructed , which happening at their source , as in the apoplexy , lethergy , coma , carus , we are presently deprived of our sensations , the soul suffers an eclipse , and the ghastly tyrant takes possession : when you consider that the very air , so absolutely necessary for our respiration , does sometimes prove a vehicle to those malign mias●●ata , which impetuously rush on , and notwithstanding our pretended strength , in the twinkling of an eye extinguish the lamp of life : when you consider these particulars with a due attention , you will find abundant reason , instead of denying any thing to be supernatural , to confess that the life of man , whether it be conceived as limited to a shorter or longer date , is nothing less than one continued miracle . before i finish my discourse of supernatural productions , or those effects which do surmount what we call the powers of nature , and frequently hare witness to god's especial providence , i will take the liberty to make a short digression , and give you my opinion how it comes to pass that these unusual and extraordinary events , have gained so little credit , not only with the profane and sensual , but even amongst very many sober and learned men. that i may do this to your greater satisfaction , i must give you to understand that many of those surprising symptoms , which are produced by the disorders of the nervous system , are by the generality of all men , unless physicians , very frequently lookt on as unaccountable prodigies : thus many hysteric persons have been esteem'd planet-struck , especially if by a resolution of some particular nerves , one muscle has been relaxed ; and its antagonist contracted , by which the parts have been distorted , and thereby rendred deformed : or if the celestial bodies have been acquitted , it must be imputed to fascination or witchcraft . epileptics in like manner are taken for daemoniacs , and the surprising phaenomena they exhibit , such as dancing , singing , crying , laughing &c. are presently supposed to be wrought by a praestigious or diabolical possession : and if , as it often happens , the priest be sent for instead of the physician , to eject the evil spirit , the mistake is then so far from being rectify'd , or the fallacy detected , that whole cities have been impos'd on by such like reports , and the supposed authentic testimony of the parson of the parish has serv'd for an irrefutable confirmation . by these means , when atheistical men have understood that such like accidents , have proceeded from no other causes than the convulsive disorders which do frequently disturb the animal oeconomy , and that by mechanic principles they are to be explain'd , 't is natural for them presently to conclude , that all relations of the like tendency , proceed either from the same origine , and exceed not the force of second causes , or that they are downright cheats , which for the countenancing some design , are promoted and carry'd on by a knavish confederacy or combination : and indeed , tho' i am far from denying all accounts of daemoniacs , or the satanical power of fascination , yet i cou'd heartily wish that none of them were publisht , without the proper examen of expert physicians ; for to speak freely , i am well satisfy'd that those subjects which have furnisht so many histories , discourses and reports upon this matter , have been for the greatest part no other than maniacal , hypochondriacal , hysterical or epileptical persons , and that the usual appearances they exhibit , belong properly to spasmology , or the doctrine of convulsions . 't is not long since my curiosity lead me to take a view of a young woman , the report of whose circumstances had brought a multitude of spectators from all parts of the town , who generally return'd amaz'd at so surprising a spectacle , and gave out that she was daemonical , or possest with an evil spirit , who did sometimes utter very unusual sounds , some of them not unlike the howling of a dog , without any perceptible motion of her own organs of speech . when i came into the room with a particular friend , we found her accompanied by two or three other women , and discoursing rationally , which they said at some intervals she used to do . during the time i stay'd , there was a continual motion of the vertebrae of her neck , and sometimes those of her loins ; the former occasion'd a violent throwing backwards and forwards of her head : and that which they lookt on as unaccountable was this , that if any one offer'd to stop this motion of her neck and loins , the same was then quicker , and continued with a redoubled force . upon this advertisement just then receiv'd from her self and the good women , my friend on one side , and i on the other ( as she was sitting on the feet of the bed ) laid our hands on each side on the top of her shoulders , and first gently pressing of them down to retard the motion , i perceiv'd a very sensible opposition or resistance , even beyond my conjectures of her own strength , insomuch that at length endeavouring with all our power to suppress this uncommon motion of the head and body , the resistance made against us was so very forcible , as almost to throw us from her , and the agitation of both began to grow so vehement , as to occasion very irregular distortions of the eyes , a foaming at the mouth , together with a very considerable influx of blood upon the surface of her face ; which frighting her acquaintance , and rendring her uneasie , we were desired to desist , and after some few minutes the disturbance went off , she returning to her accustomed motion of gently moving her head backwards and forwards . during this time of her agony , she spake nothing ; but being pretty well recover'd , i found her very willing to believe it a supernatural power that thus impetuously mov'd her ; and the rather , she said she was induced to think so , because it was involuntary and much against her inclination : for when at any time ( being all the while sensible ) she wilfully endeavour'd to stop the motion , and to keep her self in aequilibrio , she was so violently tormented in some other parts of her body , that if she did not submit her self to the evil spirit , he wou'd certainly kill her . before i attempt an explication of these several phaenomena , it will be requisite that i acquaint you with the method i took in the exploring thereof . there was at that time in the room an ancient midwife , who , as i understood , had put this young woman under a course of physic , tho' altogether unsuccessfully . upon which information i enquir'd on what account the physic had been given , or what expectation she design'd it should answer : which understanding who i was , she very freely told me , that what she had order'd , was for a suppression of — under which obstructions the patient had labour'd for a considerable time . i enquired no farther , but having given my opinion , came away with this satisfaction , that if the whole was not imposture , and she a counterfeit , as it was not impossible but she might , there was nothing in all this but a spasmodic or convulsive disorder of the nerves , frequently attending hysterical and epileptic persons . i had before-hand asked her whether there was truth in those reports she had suffer'd to be printed , concerning the devil's speaking in her , and barking like a dog. she utterly deny'd this ; and reply'd she knew nothing of that matter : and that it was both unknown to her , and against her will that such discourses shou'd be disperst . the maid , i must needs say , seem'd very modest and soberly dispos'd , and was extraordinarily lamented by some of those who knew that her education and converse in the world had been unblamable and pious . i never certainly understood how her distemper terminated , and being willing to judge charitably of her so far as i was concern'd , shall only intimate by the way , that it was publickly reported , not long after , that she was proved a cheat , and had got much money by it . but as to this i am not certain , being rather inclinable to believe the contrary , and that she labour'd with the symptoms of an hysterical affection . i shall not think my self concern'd to give you here a mechanical account of the progress of these distempers , or to tell you by what means the morbi●ic matter is contracted which insinuates it self into the muscular fibres , and there excites these direful effects ; 't is sufficient , at your leisure , that you consult any physical author who hath handled this subject . in the writings of the acute and very sagacious willis , you may find relations of this nature sufficient to evince those almost incredible and surprising phaenomena , which take their rise from an heterogeneous copula admitted into the nerves , or a degeneracy of the spirits themselves from their natural crasis , exciting very strange unusual explosions , and producing oftentimes most astonishing effects in the humane body ; which yet nevertheless we have no more reason to look upon as transacted by an infernal or supernatural power , than the prodigious strength of some lunatics , their long protracted abstinence from alimentary provision , and the like ; which altho' more frequent , and consequently less regarded , are every whit as worthy of our enquiry or indagation . i remember some few years since , amongst others , i presented the r — s — with one very remarkable case that occurr'd to my observation , relating to a youth bitten by a dog , who after the wound was cured , was seized with a deliriam , snapt at every thing that approacht him , and so nearly imitated the barking of a dog in the height of his paroxysms , that any person unacquainted might have been so impos'd on , as to imagine there had been a dog barking in the chamber : and i make it no question , had the infection been communicated by some indiscernible passage , or had the parents been ignorant that the wound was made after this manner , they with many others wou'd have thought their child possest , and nothing less than the devil must have been the reputed author of his surprising actions . but it is now time for me to resume the thread of my argument , concerning god's particular providence , which that i might the better illustrate , i thought my self oblig'd to make mention of those really supernatural acts of the divine power , or the miracles which have been wrought for the conviction of infidels : and this i thought cou'd not effectually be done without a specimen of the powers of matter , and the efficacy of second causes in the production of events by mechanic principles . by these instances you may the more readily collect how far these powers may reach , and distinguish the truth of a-supernatural act , from a supposititious miracle , many of which having been enquir'd into , and by inconsiderate men discover'd either forgeries , or the effects of convulsive indispositions , has been the occasion of a vast increase to the number of our modern sadducees and nominal deists , who if they condescend to grant that god almighty may be a spirit , yet must it be accounted dissonant to reason , an imposition upon our senses , and the effect of a servile abject mind , to think there should be any other . thus having toucht upon those two extreams , of such who on the one side will allow nothing to surmount mechan●● powers ; and those on the other , whose over credulity has impos'd the name of miracle upon every more than ordinary accident ; there remains a third sort , who however sober and learned they may appear , and notwithstanding the fair glosses put upon their designs , yet the too great freedom they have taken with the sacred writings , their cavilling at some of the hebrew particles for being equivocal , and rendring the translations , even the septuagint , in many things uncertain and doubtful , give us grounds to surmise that they let their own reason keep pace with their faith , and that they either disbelieve , or suspend their assent in all matters which they can't resolve by their own pinciples : amongst those you may well enough imagine that i reckon our late malmeiburian oracle the great leviathan , and those equally mischievous authors mr. b — and g — who with some others have been so fondly conceited of their own performances , as to deliver them out for the oracles of reason , and so profanely irreligious , as to set up the light of nature in opposition to the divine revelation , or their own phantastic whimseys to the gospel of jesus christ. but before i leave my discourse of miracles , it may not be unnecessary in respect to their description and definition to acquaint you , that not only those events which do result from a supernatural concourse , but those also which are immediately produc'd by secondary agents , may in the timing of those agents , and continuing their action after an unusual manner , manifest unto us the power of their great author , and ought to be reputed by us for unquestionable miracles . there is a learned foreigner , and a very great critick , in whose writings i find a concurring testimony to this opinion . this person , in some of his dissertations upon the book of genesis , has presented the men of letters with some curious thoughts : whether his design be what it ought , i shall not go about to determine ; but will only acquaint you , that when he comes to discourse of the israelites deliverance , from the egyptian servitude , by their wonderful passage over the red-sea ; he conceives ( contrary to most other commentators ) that the miracle did not consist in that the waters were divided , as generally supposed , without a manifest cause ; but in this , that upon the motion of the rod , god raised a mighty and impetuous wind the night before this great design was to be put in practice , which with the advantage of the sea 's ebbing , drove the waters so far from the farther end of the gulph , towards its mouth , that there appeared a large ford over against the israelites , through which they went to the opposite shoar : and that the wonder was still more conspicuous in this , that so soon as the israelites were safely arrived on the other side , and their pursuers plunged in , the wind , which kept back the waters , on a sudden ceased , and the same waters as suddenly returning , their enemies were overwhelmed by the inundation . the same person , in his comments on the destruction of sodom , does not think it necessary to believe any such thing as a showre of lighted sulphur falling down upon 〈◊〉 ●abitants , but that the whole of the miracle might be wrought by the natural efficacy of thunder and lightning . we have already ( saith he ) shown that this tract of land was full of bitumen , which as it will easily take fire , was soon inkindled by the lightning , and the flame was not only to be seen upon the superficies of the earth , but so pierced into the subterranean veins of sulphur and bitumen , that that matter being destroy'd , the whole earth sunk down , and afforded a receptacle to the waters flowing thither . now god ( continues he ) is not barely said to have rained down brimstone and fire , but brimstone and fire from the lord , where the addition of from the lord , which at first sight may appear to be superfluous , does particularly describe the thunderbolt , which by the hebrews , and other nations , is called the fire of god , or the fire from god. and farther , tho' moses does not inform us after what manner the thunderbolts subverted those unhappy cities and the adjoyning territories , yet since he makes mention of them , we cannot comprehend how it hapned otherwise , than that the thunderbolts falling in great plenty upon some of the bituminous pits , the veins of that combustible matter took fire immediately , and as the fire penetrated into the lowermost bowels of this bituminous soil , those wicked cities were subverted by a tremor or sinking of the ground . i have instanc'd in these few , amongst other cases of the like import , not so much to justifie or countenance these deviations from the letter of the history ; or in favour of every phanciful interpretation of them ; as to demonstrate that we are not absolutely ty'd to think that every miracle is an unaccountable production , or effected by powers every way supernatural ; but that it is very possible a true and real miracle may be brought to pass by natural agents , and that many of the divine judgments have been executed by their being put into action , tho' perhaps after an uncommon manner , at particular times . as to what relates to specters or apparitions , together with inorganic sounds and voices , i shall reserve my thoughts for another letter ; where it is possible i may entertain you with some things diverting : i shall in this place just mention that there are a multitude of histories of real demoniacs , of places and particular families disturb'd by facination ; of others miserably tormented with diabolical delusions and odd transactions ; with which , notwithstanding i was never otherwise acquainted then at second hand , yet i take some of them to be so well attested by curious and inquisitive men , who have made it their business to detect any supposed fallacy , that it were very great injustice to our selves , as well as an affront to their authority , shou'd we suspect them , or deny the truth of all , because many such like stories have been proved false . that these matters may be consistent with the especial providence of god , and reconcileable to the divine attributes , is undertaken ( as i am told ) by a learned pen to be proved , amongst other particulars of this kind ; for which reason i shall pass on to some other seemingly insoluble objections that have been invented by the subtilty of the infernal emissaries to perplex this argument , to which that i may reply effectually , and with as much brevity as i can , i shall affirm with a judicious author , that every man in whom the light of nature is not dampt by fatuity , either native and temperamental , or casually supervenient , hath this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impress of an especial providence , decreeing and disposing all events that have , do , or shall befal him . and this , i think , as sufficiently manifest from hence , that there is scarce any man , tho' edicated in the wildest ignorance , or highest barbarity imaginable , but what is naturally , and by the adviso ' s of his intestine dictator , inclin'd either to conceive or embrace some kind of religion , as an homage due from him to that supreme power , in whose hands he apprehends the rains of good and evil to be held , and whose favour and benign aspect he thinks procurable , and anger atoneable by the seasonable addresses of invocation and sacrifice . and in truth to him , whose meditations shall sink deep enough , it will soon appear that this anticipation is the very root of religion ; for tho' man stood fully perswaded of the existence of god , yet would not that alone suffice to convince him , into a necessity of a de●out adoration of him , unless his mind were also possessed with a firm belief of this proper attribute of his nature , which so nearly concerns his felicity or infelicity , viz. his especial providence , which regulates all the affairs , and appoints all the contingenciet of every individual man's life : for 't is the sense of our own defects , imperfections and dependency , that first leads us to the knowledge of his alsufficiency , perfection and self-subsistance : the apprehension of our necessities is the school wherein we first learn our orizons , and the hope of obtaining blessings from his immense bounty , is both the excitement and encouragement of our devotion . this indeed is the spark at which all the tapors of religion were first kindled . the very ethnics themselves , whilst groping in the chaos of idolatry , have discover'd this ; witness their magnificent temples , costly hecatombs , humane holocausts , and frequent solemn invocations , all which kinds of addresses they generally made use of , and oblig'd themselves unto , as the only hopeful means as well to attone the displeasure , as conciliate the favour of that power , in whose hands they conceiv'd the book of fate to be kept , and who had the guardianship or administration of the fortunes , not only of cities , nations and families , but even of every single person : witness also that glorious pagan cicero , who deriving the pedigree of religion , fathers it immediately upon the perswasion of an especial providence in these words : s●nt phylosophi & fuerunt , qui omnino nullam habere censerent humanarum rerum procurationem deos : quorum si vera est sententia , quae potest esse pietas ? quae religio ? haec enim omnia pure ac caste tribuenda deorum numini ita sunt , si animadvertuntur ab his , & si est aliquid à diis immortalibus hominum generi tributum ; sin autem dij neque possunt , nec volunt nos juvare , nec curant omnino nec quid agamus animadvertant , nec est quod ab his ad hominum vitam permanere possit : quid est quod nullos diis immortalibus cultus , honores , preces adhibeamus ! in specie autem fictae simulationis sicut reliquae vertutes ; ita pietas inesse non potest , cum qua simul & sanctitatem , & religionem tolli necesse est : quibus sublatis perturbatio vitae sequitur & magna confusio . moreover , as this inoppugnable propensity to religion is a cyon of god's own ingraffing on the mind of man , so also is it out of his power , tho' assisted by all the hellish stratagems , totally to eradicate it thence . this is a truth confirm'd by the experience of all ages ; for notwithstanding the insolent pretences , and blasphemous rho●omontado's of many miscreants , who gloried in the most execrable cognomen of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and studied to advance their names to the highest pinnacle of fame , by being accounted men of such absolute and fearless spirits , as that they scorn'd to own any being superiour to their own , to which they should be accountable for their actions ; yet have they been compell'd ( so violent are the secret touches of that 〈◊〉 which converts all things into demonstrations of his own glory ) either by the scourge of some sharp calamity , or the rack of some excruciating disease in their lives to repent , or at the near approach of that king of terrors , death , to confess this their horrid impiety . thus the proud adamant-hearted pharaoh , who deriding the divine embassy of moses , in an imperious strain of scorn and expost●latory bravado , demanded of him , quis est jehovah ? cujus voci auscultem dimittendo israelem . non novi jehovam , &c. did yet , when the divine vengeance by heavy judgments had convinced him , send presently away for those whom he had barbarously exiled from his presence , humbles himself before them , and howles out this palinodia , peccavi hac vice , jehova justissimus , ego vero & populus meus sumus improbissimi . thus herod agrippa , who by the blast of p●pular euge ' s had the wings of his pride fanned up to so sublime a pitch , that he lost sight of his own humanity , and vainly conceived the adulatory hyperbole of his auditors , to be but their just acknowledgment of his divinity , being wounded by the invisible sword , by a fatal experiment , confuted both his own and his flatterers blasphemy , and with the groans of a tortur'd wretch , he cries out , en ille ego , vestra appellatione deus , vitam relinquere j●beor , fatali necessitate mendacium vestrum coarg●e●te , & quem immortalem salutastis ad mortem rapior ; se● ferenda est voluntas celestis numinis . joseph . antiq. p. . thus antiochus epiphanes , who had not only deny'd , but enrag'd by a malicious phrensy , publickly despited and reviled the almighty patron of the jews , blasphemed his most sacred name , demolisht his temples , profan'd his consecrated utensils , violated his religious institutions , and persecuted his worshippers with all the most bloody cruelties that the wit of an exalted malice cou'd invent or inflict : being put upon the rack of a sore and mortal disease , and despairing of any help but from his injur'd enemy god , he ●ighs out his confession , the sleep is gone from mine eyes , and my heart faileth for very care ; and i thought with my self , into what tribulation am i come , and how great a flood of misery is it wherein i now am . but now i remember the evils i did at jerusalem ; i perceive therefore that for this cause these troubles are come upon me , &c. it is meet to be subject unto god , and that a man who is mortal , shou'd not proudly think himself equal to god. maccab. chap. . v. , , . thus the emperor maximinus , as cruel to the christians as antiochus had been to the jews , boasting the acuteness of his wit , by the invention of new ways of tortures for those patient martyrs , and advancing the roman eagle in defiance of those who fought under the bloody standard of the cross , was so infatuated with the confidence of his own greatness and personal strength , that he conceited death durst not adventure to encounter him : yet notwithstanding , when he felt himself invaded with a verminous ulcer , evaporating so contagious and pestilential a stench , as killed some of his physicians , being then sensible that the same was a supplitium divinitus illatum , his heart began to melt , et tandem ( saith eusebius ) sentire caepit , quae contra pios dei cultores impie gesserat , & haec se propter insaniam contra christum praesumptam merito & ultionis vice perpeti confessus est ; in the midst of these acknowledgments of his own guilt and the divine justice , he breathed out his execrable soul from a gangrenous and loathsome body . thus also that notorious apostate julian , who had not only renounced the faith of christ , but proclaimed open and implacable hostility against him , and to quench the thirst of his diabolical malice , drank whole tuns of the blood of his members , being defeated and mortally wounded in a battel fought against the per●ians , he instantly learn'd of his awaken'd conscience , that the cause of his present overthrow was his former impiety , and rightly ascribing the victory to the revenging finger of that god whose divinity he had abjur'd , rather than to the arm of flesh , he threw up his blood into the air , and together with his black soul , gasped out this desperate ejaculation , vicisti galilaee vicisti . the examples of this nature are very numerous , and each of them is a kind of proof that religion is a plant so deeply radicated in the soul of man , that tho' the damp of a barbarous education or conversation may a while retard , or the rankness of those weeds of sensuality , the honours and delights of this world , conceal its germination : yet will it at some time or other , early or late , and always in the winter of calamity , shoot up and bud forth into an absolute demonstration , of the dependance of our happiness and misery on the will of the supream being . the sum of this is by the excellent tertullian comprised in these words ; anima licet corporis carcere pressa , licet institutionibus pravis circumscripta , licet lebidinibus & concupiscentiis evigorata , licet falsis diis exanci●●ata : cum tamen resipiscit ut ex crapula , ut ex somno , ut ex aliqua valetudine , & sanitatem suam patitur deum nominat . and by lactantius in these , who speaking of mens forgetfulness of the divine providence , in the time of their prosperity , tum maxime ( saith he ) dem ex hominum memoria elabitur , cum beneficiis ejus fruentes honor●m dare divinae indulgentiae deberent : yet , continues he , the least gust of affliction soon sets them to rights , and renders these characters fair and legible to the first refl●xive glance of the s●●l : si qua enim necessitas gravis presserit , tum demum recordantur , si belli terror infremuerit , si alimenta frugibus longa siccitas denegaverit , si saeva tempestas , si grando ingruerit , ad deum protinus confugiunt , à deo petitur auxilium , deus ad subveniat oratur : si quis in mari vento saeviente jactatur hunc inv●cat , si quis aliqua vi afflictatur hunc protinus impl●rat . indeed , it seems to me very evident , as well as reasonable , that the special providence of god is a notion so unquestionable , that without its establishment in the heart of man , the foundation and support of all religion wou'd be unhing'd . for instance ; cou'd we once perswade our selves that the divine being was inexorable , our prayers and supplications for the supply of what we want , and for the removal of our evils must be all invalid . cou'd we assure our selves , that either god cou'd not , or wou'd not be our refuge when we call upon him , but that he hath left us wholly , having set before us good and evil , to the determination of our own wills , without the least regard or notice of our election , or without concerning himself in any manner to help us , to direct or assist us when we are wander'd and have ran astray : in a word , if we can once perswade our selves there is no god that heareth prayer , that hath neither the power of life nor death , neither acquitteth nor condemneth , to what purpose are all our petitions , our prayers , penetential tears , or fervent supplications ? or on what account do we frequent any places , either of publick or private worship ? omnipotence , justice and goodness are ascrib'd in vain , if god neither made the world , nor regard it being made : nor will it be easie to perswade men to worship him , if we are neither beholding to him for our being , nor under his laws , and if he no more respect our adorations , than if we did reproach and blaspheme him : if it were thus , we shou'd undoubtedly have cause to think our selves , by much the most miserable part of the creation . but on the other hand , that there is a natural belief in us , both of god and of his providence , the greatest of our adversaries , the most irreligious and profane , the learned and profound atheist , as well as the illiterate , nay , all mankind have been as it were forc'd to grant and acknowledge . i am sure it is a prodigiously rare case , to find any so unconcern'd an infidel , let his life have been never so remarkable for immorality , or one continued act of impiety and irreligion , notwithstanding the force of contracted evil habits may have throughly immerst him in all kinds of sensuality , yet when some grievous calamity hath befall'n him , or the disorder of his body put him upon a retirement , he begins to think first that there may be such a thing as divine providence , as well as that there may not : and when a farther reflection convinces him that it is more probable there is , than that there is not , if death approach him , in the midst of his meditations , there is scarce an atheistical desparado , can forbear giving his testimony to this great truth , but either silently or loudly breaths out his soul with an o god be merciful . now if these men , the mighty sticklers against the divine providence all their lives , had that assurance in their last minutes , that god almighty is neither wise enough to know their circumstances , nor powerful enough to punish them , i wou'd gladly know from whence proceeds these lamentable expirations ? you will say perhaps from those bugbare fears of invisible powers , with which tales they are so perpetually plagued from pulpit harangues , and promiscuous converse with men devoted to a religious superstition , that it is hardly possible for any man so throughly to shake off these childish fears and apprehensions , but that at some time or other they will intrude upon him , and in spight of all his opposition imbitter his delights and natural satisfactions . the world , you say , is so pester'd with the levitical tribe , that there is scarce a corner of the earth to be found , where a man might live secure from this disturbing noise of a being who sees all our actions , and will retribute to every man after he is dead and buried , you know not how nor where , according to his deserts , either of reward or punishment . thus the prejudice and prepossession of education in some , of conversation in others , are the great bias that sways the whole bulk of mankind , and keeps them under those servile fears which necessarily arise from a supposition of a god , and of other separate beings . that i may make a short , tho' i hope sufficient reply to this objection , i must confess that the allegation of an early imbib'd or preconceiv'd prejudice , may be prevalent enough to startle those , who either through a careless negligence or incapacity , have never dived into the bottom of this weighty affair ; but that it shou'd have force enough to master and over-power the great and potent masters of humane reason , and subjugate their seemingly impregnable and strenuous fortresses , or strong holds of atheistical argumentation , is in my opinion , plainly giving up their cause , and a silent acknowledgment that the proleptic evidence or light of their own consciences , notwithstanding their vain endeavours to suppress and extinguish it , will , however it may be sometimes smother'd and kept under , break out at length to their sorrowful assurance , that those noble faculties of their souls are more than a meer sound or echo from the clashing of sensless atoms , and must indubitably proceed from a spiritual substance of a heavenly and divine extraction : and that those admirable fabrics of their bodies ought no longer to be ascrib'd to the fatal motions of blind unthinking matter , but to the wisdom and contrivance of a power omnipotent . the recollections of this nature , and recantations of former principles , together with the strange horror and consternation those we are speaking of lye under at particular times , is decypher'd by juvenal in these lines ; hi sunt qui trepidant & ad omnia fulgura pallent cum tonat exanimes primo quoque murmure coeli . there is no occasion to search antiquity for these examples , modern story will abundantly furnish us ; we have lately had a r — r that may serve for all : a man who , as perhaps his profanity wants a parallel , so likewise his incredible acuteness of judgment and apprehension , together with his great learning , had qualify'd him for diving as far into the mystery of atheism , as any of those that went before , or may happen to follow after him . i suppose you are no stranger to the last conferences which he held with the present b — of s — nor of those rational and penetential expressions that usher'd in his last minutes ; upon which account i shall ease my self of the trouble of their transcription . but since that happy , tho' unexpected alteration in the opinion of his lordship , is by his once beloved libertines imputed to a decay of his rational faculties , and a want of his former strength and vivacity of judgment , induced by a long and painful sickness , together with his frequent commerce with the infectious priests ; tho' this , i say , be all too weak to blacken and obscure the testimony of that late , yet unfeigned noble convert , or to render his religious deportment but an inconsiderable reflection upon the strength and goodness of their cause : yet if i thought it might contribute to your farther satisfaction , i could give you a signal instance of some affinity with the former , relating to a short intercourse between my self and a deceased friend : the former will indeed have this advantage , that it wants not your knowledge of the person , at least his character , together with the circumstances of time and place , as also the very forcible attestation of several worthy gentlemen : whereas this with which i am about to acquaint you , must for its credibility depend wholly upon your good opinion of its relator , since not only the name and place of residence , but whatever else may tend to his discovery , are to be buried in oblivion . be the event as it will with relation to your conjectures . it is no long time ago that i paid a sorrowful farewel to a dying friend , a man whom i never adventur'd to think more than a deist , and that but nominal : i knew him to be both a gentleman and a scholar , that his studies had been mostly mathematical , and indeed he had made as good proficiency in physicks or natural philosophy , as perhaps almost any person of his years . having the good fortune to find him without company , the freedom i had formerly taken with him , excus'd a farther ceremony ; and i immediately desir'd to know ( having but little time to tarry ) if he would grant me the liberty of asking him two or three short questions , which , after his concession , i put to him in these words : . whether he conceived his mind to be now as clear , as active , and as vigorous as it had been some few days before his ilness ? . whether he found therein any perswasives to repentance , or did believe any necessity , by such kind of atonement , to endeavour an expiation of his past failings and offences ? . if he had , or had not a full conviction of the soul's immortality ? . what he thought of the christian religion ? to all which , when he had sorrowfully sighed out a heu ! quam mutatus , he made answer to this effect : . that his reason had as yet suffer'd nothing of an eclipse , and that he found his understanding ( bating the effect of his present consternation ) as firm as ever . . as for sorrowing for past errors and irregularities , he thought it was no more than natural , and to cry to heaven for mercy at the last moment , either in sighs or words , what the wildest pagan put in practise : but that the contrition of so great a libertine as himself had been , however fervent or sincere , yet considering the same proceeded from one unable to sin longer , to think this available to reconcile such a throughly poluted soul to the divine favour , he lookt upon absurd . . as to the substance and condition of the rational soul , that great principle and source of all his intellectual faculties , when he formerly consider'd the ignorance and more than brutish stupidity of his infancy , his gradual increase of knowledge , and the manner of his collecting idea's , with their being plac'd , tho' he knew not how , in his memory , together with his first attempts to speak by an imitation of those about him , these put him upon thinking , that the whole progress had so entire a dependance upon the conformation or mechanick structure of the brain , as to make him doubtful , whether there was any thing more in his composition than matter under various modifications ; and to believe that which hath obtain'd the denomination of mind or soul , was only the result or completion of the animal organs , or did consist in some subtil particles of the blood , after divers unaccountable ways exerting their several functions . but since he had more warily consider'd the strength of his own mind , under a violent and very sensible alteration and decay of the parts of his body , that it grew more clear still as his end approached , and wou'd not let him rest without confessing to its independency on the body ; since he reflected farther upon its essence , and that it was certain its faults or imperfections might not be such in it self , but seem so as it stands related to the body , in which whilst it is an inhabitant and ty'd to corporeal organs , it must act accordingly : since he had weighed that pertinent and well adapted simile , that the soul is no more blameable for acting disagreeably in a disorder'd or distemper'd brain , than the artist who has mist his end only on the account of faulty or improper instruments : lastly and above all , when he consider'd the nature of good and evil , the justice of the divine being , in rewarding good men , and punishing the wicked ; these rewards not being distributed here ; he was perswaded must undoubtedly ensue hereafter : and that his soul was truly and really a substantial form infus'd by a divine power , and no accident of matter , neither capable of perishing by the destruction of the body . farther , that whatever vehicle it might assume in its state of separate existence , he saw nothing in the notion incongruous or absurd , but that without its forsaken companion it might very well be capable of an intuitive knowledge , and of exercising those reflex acts which have no dependance upon gross material images , or coporeal idea's . . the business of reveal'd religion , he said , had very often startled him ; he gave the less regard to it , because it had never reach'd to all parts of the world : and he did think it too smart a reflection upon providence , to be consistent with the divine attributes , that mankind should not have equal advantages , or the same laws or rules to govern themselves by . but as for his own judgment , he thought it the less valuable ; for notwithstanding he did always believe there was such a thing as natural religion , or a light set up in the soul by which every man might steer his course , and that morality was more then an empty sound , yet he had govern'd himself very little or nothing by the same . to the credit of christianity he offer'd this , that by how much the less reason he had to believe it false , the more he thought himself oblig'd to think it true : and indeed , when at sometimes he consider'd what mighty gain its first founders might make of its promulgation , or what should be the motive to induce any man to carry on such a design , these doubts , he said , he was never able to resolve ; for when ( as it was but seldom ) he search'd the sacred writings , and found , they contain'd nothing but such laws and precepts , as wou'd if carefully observ'd , make us truly and compleatly happy : since they had had the suffrage of the most learned , and all the sober , and consequently more considerate part of the world , he was willing to think , for his part , they were manumitted to us by a more than humane power , and that their divinity was as well conspicuous in their subject as their stile . he lamented his short acquaintance with them , and the small progress he had made in the writings of the ancient fathers , and all other ecclesiastic history : were he to live the latter years of his life over again , he said they should be devoted to an enquiry after the great founder of the christian religion ; for he did believe it a concern of the highest moment , and that every man ought to satisfie himself , so far as he is able , of the authority of those writings , which being once establisht on a well-grounded faith , they are and will be certainly the surest guide we have to an happy eternity . as for himself , he told me , he had many perplexing thoughts attending him ; so that he must put all upon a mighty risque ; but that he hop'd to continue to his last breath an unfeign'd humble supplicant for mercy to the majesty of heaven : and that if he had no right to any claim by the death of christ , the saviour of the world , which ( tho' on slight assurance ) he earnestly hop'd that he had , he must then take what was allotted for him by the divine justice . thus i took a vary dismal vale , after he had closed all with some short and pithy expressions relating to my self . i have purposely in this place omitted the several interruptions happening in discourse , since the contents of the replies i made in conference with this my deceased friend , are some of them already intersperst in this and my former letter , and what remains may very probably be incerted in my next . i shall give you no more instances of this nature , but will only add a word or two concerning the unequal distribution of the goods of fortune , together with the prosperity of the wicked , and the afflictions of good men : which if they do not convince you of the divine justice and goodness , may at least serve to palliate and to render these general reflections upon providence the less weighty . but before we speak of happiness or infelicity , prosperity and adversity , it behoves us to fix upon some just method of discrimination , and that we agree upon some proper terms that may significantly express the nature of good and evil , not as they appear , but as they really and experimentally are found in themselves : for if you go by the commonly receiv'd opinion , or the customary judgment men too frequently make , and reckon that man more happy than your self , who has more money , more attendants , more admirers , fares more daintily or deliciously , lives easier , and takes less care . you will quickly find the fallacy , and a very little thoughtfulness will give you to understand , that notwithstanding these , there is no man can have more of solid happiness , content and satisfaction , then he has of honesty , justice , temperance and sobriety ; for if instead of laying out his wealth , to the honour of that being by whose permission he enjoys it , he either locks it up in his coffers , or makes no other use of the same , than by furnishing himself with the means of intemperance and excess : if he lays it out upon sumptuous furniture , numerous attendants , in gaming , drunkenness , sensuality , and the satisfaction of every other brutish passion , you will find the possessor of this kind of happiness , a greater and fitter object for your pitty than your emulation . however the notion might be carried too far by the stoicks , in their supposition of a perfect apathy , yet undoubtedly they were right in their founding true felicity upon contentment , or for that they placed the same in the peace and satisfaction of a calm and serene mind , neither capable of an exalted pride in the enjoyment of abundance , nor of anxiety or perturbation in what the world calls poverty . if this be the criterion or adequate measure of true happiness , we shall find those who have been generally accounted happy , to be of all others the most miserable . you may easily conceive the wealthy miser can have but little of this solid peace and tranquility ; for what with his pain and care to encrease his treasure , his denying himself the convenient and even necessary supports of life , together with the perpetual disquiet and anxiety that attends his fear of losing what he has got ; there is scarce an hour in the whole compass of his miserable life that is truly happy ; even his rest is not refreshing , like that of other mens , but his soul is like a troubled sea , and his last moments in his unwillingness to surrender and leave his muck behind him ( setting aside his thoughts of futurity ) openly declare his misery . from him we may take a prospect of the prodigal libertine , the other president of mistaken happiness , and here the genuine consequences are both a disorder'd or infirm body , together with a perplex'd and disturb'd mind : for however the make or temperament of some mens bodies gives them the opportunity of continuing a longer course : yet their souls are still perpetually clouded , and the tottering carcass must at length fall a victim to their adored bacchus or admired venus : and indeed , supposing the best of them that we can , we shall find nothing like a solid satisfaction , even in the height of what they call enjoyments . if we view them diverting themselves in gaming ; here we find ( not to mention the impairing their estates , the beggering themselves and families ) every cross or adverse hit of fortune transforms them into so many furies , and raises such impetuous storms and tempests in their breasts , as can be vented no other ways than in the most horrid oaths , execrations and imprecations of the divine judgments upon themselves and others . if we inspect their dishonest embraces , their whoredoms and adulteries , tho ne're so secure and secret , yet the loss of reputation by discovery in some , the fear of infection in others , or perhaps of a conception : but above all , that fear ( which will very commonly crowd in even upon the infidel himself ) that 't is possible there may be an after-reckoning ; these , i say , do generally combine to imbitter the delights of their lascivious acts ; but if the brutish appetite be allay'd , if the guilt be stiffled by an habitual repetition , if neither body nor reputation suffer , which is a very great hazard , yet may we find many of the more thinking sort of these persons declare their dissatisfaction , and candidly acknowledge it one of the greatest follies of which a wise man can be guilty . if we follow them to a debauch of drinking , here we shall find even the sensitive appetite presently satiated , its satisfaction no longer lasting than the fleeting gust ; their minds soon obnubilated , and themselves not masters of their actions , nor yet their passions , their conversation grows burthensome , and truly they have little left but shape to difference them from brutes : these , with the result of such a crapula , viz. violent ensuing hemicran's , loss of appetite and general lassitudes , will , i 'm certain in the estimate of every judicious man , make bedlam preferrable to their bacchanalia , and the lunatick for the time a happier man than the drunkard . 't is plain from hence , that we are mightily out in our accounts of happiness , or the supposed prosperity of the wicked , and the adversity of good men : for whatever blessings the bounty of divine providence hath ordain'd for our refreshment and consolation , in this pilgrimage on earth , and furtherance towards an easie purchase of after happiness , such as vigour , health and beauty of body , ingenuity of disposition , longaevity , multitude of friends , equality in marriage , fertility of issue , education in civility and learning , science , wealth , nobility of blood , absoluteness in power and government , &c. when these come into the poluting hands of vitious men , they instantly suffer not only a diminution of their goodness , but even a total depravation of their benignity , and degenerate into perfect curses : the possession of them raise● incessant tempests and distracting storms of passions in the region of their minds , not permitting that comfortable sun of true content to shine clearly forth , or to make so much as one fair day during their whole lives . to all which may be superadded this , that the brightest and longest days of fortune have ever clos'd in the blackest and most tragical nights of sorrow : that the plays of libertines have always prov'd comae tragedies ; and their pompous masks finish'd in dismal catastrophy's ; nor can the records of the whole world produce one example of sinful greatness , that hath not either before , or at his eternal adieu , by woful experiment manifested the truth of this maxim , in vertute sola , salus : or that none can ever arrive at the elizium of true felicity , who constantly pursue it through the gardens of sensuality , that the rose of happiness grows on the prickly stem of vertue , and that the just discharge of our duties to god and man , to the utmost of our abilities , is the only means of acquiring a durable content and satisfaction . i shall conclude with this necessary caution , that we take not too bold a freedom in our reflections upon providence , or repining at some particular dispensations towards us : it is the greatest imprudence we can be guilty of , to expect either that vertue should be immediately rewarded , or vice immediately punisht : for this would not only destroy a life of future retribution , but if punishments were immediately to be inflicted upon delinquents , our obedience would cease to be a vertue , as proceeding from our fear more than our choice . besides , we are by no means to pass sentence upon the providences of god , without a prospect of them from the beginning to the end : providence is one entire system , nor can we judge of the parts , but in relation to the whole ; for what at first we cou'd give no account of , we are very often brought to approve by a subsequent course of dispensations : and we do as frequently understand , that had our desires been gratified , or our expectations answer'd in some particular cases , the same wou'd have prov'd troublesome , if we had not been quite ruin'd or undone by them . excuse the imperfection of these incoherent thoughts , and believe me to be ( what i am ) lond. jan. . / . your friend in all good offices . letter iii. of the immortality of the soul. to mr. — &c. my very good friend , whatever success my last met with , i am embolden'd to believe my time not altogether mispent , 't is not out of a presumption that i am able to deliver any thing extraordinary , or more than many others might say upon these weighty subjects : but out of i know not what kind of belief and expectation , that you will more considerately peruse , and attentively examine them , as the performances of a friend ( who you may easily assure your self writes neither for secular interest , nor popular applause , but truly and unfeignedly with a pure design of discovering the truth ) than if the same were deliver'd by those whose interest we might judge it is to keep us under a slavish subjection , and who make it the proper and sole business of their lives , to furnish out such maxims , arguments and precepts , as they themselves ( too many of them ) are unmindful to observe ; so that , what is much to be bewail'd , when men look upon the priests as of a quite different make from the rest of mankind , neither subject to the same desires , natural inclinations and passions of other men : when they view them living as it were separate from the world , perpetually conversant in prayer , fasting , religious contemplation and divine meditations , they , by a kind of implicite faith ( especially the common people ) rely upon the certainty of the things deliver'd to them , without ever seriously enquiring or searching into the nature of the truths themselves : hence it is that the generality of them are no longer religious , than that they find their pastor to square his life by his doctrine , and every immorality discover'd in their teacher , they make the sufficient occasion of absolving them , not only from their regard or respect to him , but even god himself . thus amongst some sensual inconsiderate men , i have frequently met with such pitiful argumentation as this . they knew a dr. of divinity that was drunk : they heard another swear : a third they found in secret with a prostitute : a fourth they saw gaming : a fifth they heard was covetous , and a miserable oppressor , &c. and presently follows this ergo , all religion in gross , is no more than priest craft , the body of divinity a well contriv'd romance , the great and mighty props of it are all presently shook to pieces , and our belief of a god , his providence and the souls separate existence or independency , are now ridicul'd for meer fables . the sum of all is this , the parsons preach for money , get many livings and grow rich , whilst they in the mean time , till they discover'd the cheat , were hindred from the pursuit of their natural desires , and kept under apprehension of invisible powers , a life to come , and they know not what frightful bugbears , heaven and hell , devils and damned spirits , which they now find to be a dream : for since the slip of the clergy-man has open'd their eyes , they find nothing but nature : time and chance , say they , attends us all . and here the words of solomon come pat to their purpose , which he gives us , as the natural arguments of wicked men for the overthrow of religion : i said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of of men , that god might manifest them , and that they might see that they themselves are beasts : for that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts , even one thing befalleth them ; as the one dieth , so dieth the other ; yea they have all one breath , so that a man hath no preheminence above a beast ; for all is vanity . all go unto one place , all are of the dust : and all turn to dust again . who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward , and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth ? wherefore i perceive that there is nothing better then that a man should rejoyce in his own works , for that is his portion : for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him ? this is now become the common language of the libertine , and if the intestine dictator conscience , takes the advantage of some lucid interval , and whispers them in the ear with what 's to come : their hearts-ease is still ready , and a post mortem nihil est , or their sempiternal hush lulls all asleep . i wou'd by no means have you to take this , as a reflection in general upon the pastoral function ; for , god be thanked , there are many of them as remarkable for their learning , as conspicuous for their unfeigned piety : and did their adversaries come up with some of the meanest of them in the government and conduct of their lives , they wou'd think it an insupportable grievance to their natures , to be abridg'd their liberty , or ty'd to the exercise of almost any single act of mortification and self-denial ; whilst at the same time every little immorality in these men is lookt on through a magnifying glass ; and the same which they account a venial fault or peccadillo in themselves , must be deemed in the other a crime of the first magnitude , an unpardonable transgression . being oblig'd in prosecution of the following discourse to remove what difficulties i cou'd out of the way , and to mention at least some of the mighty obstacles of our faith : amongst others i have been necessitated to touch upon the clergy , whom we are too prone to follow blindly , and when once our great opinion of their learning and piety has placed them in the chair of infallibility ; the first false step they make , at once subverts our faith , and taking all before for granted which they deliver'd to us , we now dispute the verity of those doctrines we had inbib'd from them . bad presidents are always very prevalent contagions amongst our equals ; but when we find our pastors or our parents , our masters , our governours , or our princes infected with any manner of vice , we quickly become their apes , and readily excuse our selves , because we do but imitate those , whom we imagine to know better than our selves . thus many men have had their faith stagger'd by a view of the profaneness and impiety of learned and great men ; by the dissolute lives of the gentry and nobility in the countries where they live : as if these by their vitious practices cou'd alter the nature even of good and evil ; or if it was possible that men immerst in matter , tho' never so profoundly skill'd in science , cou'd regulate their lives by the laws of god , whilst they contemn the divine aid , and regard not his assistance . instead of this , 't is become the fashion of the town to ridicule vertue , and render vice as amiable as they can ; and if they find it possible to prevail upon some simple clergy-man ( who is naturally as loose as themselves ) to be drunk , to whore , to game , to curse and swear profanely , there are many men so extravagantly proud of such a conquest over an hypocritical sinner , as to think they give hereby a fatal stroke to all true piety , as if the very essence of god , the condition of the soul , and every other sacred truth , were by such trivial and childish instances to be obliterated or wiped out . i have premis'd this by way of anticipation , or to caution you how requisite it is before you set up for a libertine , to go upon sure grounds : for undoubtedly 't is unbecoming any pretender to reason , to run a hazard , especially one of this consequence , or to declare himself either openly or privately for the cause of atheism , till he hath positively assur'd himself , beyond contradiction , that there is no superintendent power takes notice of his actions ; or if there shou'd , that he is above the reach of his justice , and that his last breath will carry all into perpetual oblivion ; for if he goes not farther than probability that matters may be so , yet if there remain the least doubt that they may not , he forfeits at once both his reason and security , and 't will be a pitiful satisfaction , that the greater part of the world have involv'd themselves with him in the same misery . it is the less admirable that men shou'd so very easily give up the cause of religion , who never examin'd their first principles ; whose faith is no otherwise founded than on the custom of their country , the credit of their ancestors , or the example of those under whose guardianship and tutelage they have been brought up : and truly , in one sense , what the poet remarks is a certain truth , by education , most have been misled ; so they believe , because they so were bred : the priest continues , what the nurse began , and thus the child imposes on the man. he who never considers the why or wherefore , nor so much as once ever rightly weigh'd the motives of his belief , becomes a perfect weather-cock , every blast of a new doctrine carries him to and fro , till at length , being unsetled , he despise● all . this is what i have thought necessary by way of introduction to my discourse of the immortality , which i intend the subject of this present letter : for having in the two former , endeavour'd to establish those two great truths of the divine being and his providence , order requires that i take notice how far we are concern'd , if we concede or admit the foregoing propositions . for if we lye under no obligation to , or have no future dependance upon god or his providence , it is a matter purely indifferent , whether we believe them or not ; what advantage can i have by my belief in god , if i am secure that he has left me to my own disposal , and inspects not any of my actions ? or why should i deny my self the satisfaction of my desires , how exorbitant soever they may be , since i know the worst , and that if death will at length come and put an end to my delights , it will likewise finish all my trouble and disquiet ? however i may resign up my own reason , or betray the weakness of my judgment , i must confess to you , that when i have very often seriously reflected upon this subject , and once admitted a supream intelligent and powerful cause of all things , i presently found my self under a kind of irresistible necessity , to believe our souls must be immortal : and the supposition of a down right necessity that it should be so , without any respect to arguments , either sacred or profane , that it is so ▪ does at this time overcome me : for however short of demonstration they may prove , we must take up with the most notorious absurdity imaginable , if we perswade our selves that there can be an all-wise , just , and omnipotent god , and yet notwithstanding that thefts , rapines , murthers , and all other the most egregious vices shou'd go unpunish'd , both here and hereafter . however this be , the result of my own thinking , and a consequence which it 's possible you may not allow , i speak it not by any means to prepossess your judgment ; neither do i desire you shou'd look upon the same , either as matter of fact , or so much as rational evidence . it will add little to the illustration of my present task , that you are inform'd at large with the opinion of the ancients concerning the humane soul : let it suffice you to understand that as some of them affirm'd the s●me to be a substance existing of it self and immortal ; so there were others who deny'd that it had any substance , but was only an accidental form. the platonists and pythagoreans opin'd that the souls of all living creatures were a part of the soul of the world● that they were immerged in bodies as in a sepulchre , and that when the bodies died , they were by a various 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabitants or guests to other bodies ; sometimes to those of men , at other times to those of beasts . the manich●es supposed that all souls in general were taken out of the substance it self of god , that they actuated te●restrial bodies , and going from hence again return'd into god himself . the originists , that all souls were created from the beginning of the world , at first to subsist of themselves , then as occasion serv'd that bodies being form'd , they enter'd into them , actuated them during life , and at length return'd into their primitive and singular substances . o●hers have affirm'd , that the soul of man does arise up of her own accord , from power only of matter rightly dispos'd , making her to be no more than a temperament resulting from the mixture , which as it adds nothing substantial to the prae-existing matter , the soul it self seems to be from thence a meer ens rationis , or only an extrinsic denomination . whoever makes a scrutinous enquiry into their sentiments , will find this the beloved opinion , not only of our modern profest atheists , but of those also who have skreen'd themselves under the less harsh and more acceptable name of deists . if you think fit to pay any deference to men , not only on the account of their sobriety , but for their profound learning and metaphisical acquirements , the two following , i doubt not , are unquestionable for both i mean dr. moor and mr. robert boyle : the first of them defines the soul of man ( i.e. the rational ) to be an immaterial substance , endow'd with life and the faculty of motion , vertually containing in it penetrability and indiscerpibility . the judicious esquire * boyle has been pleas'd to own , that he knew of nothing ( naturally speaking ) that was compos'd of matter and a substance distinct from matter , except man , who is made up of an immaterial form and a humane body . it were endless to cite the opinions of all learned men , who have deliver'd their sentiments about this subject . i find in the general , with very little variation , they have concluded thus , that the superior or rational soul in man , is a most pure substance , immaterial , penetrable and indivisible , essentially vital , perceptive and appetitive , animating an humane organized body . before i set about the justifying this definition , i conceive it requisite that we have a right understanding , not only that there is an essential difference between ou● souls , and those of other creatures , but wherein also the same consists : for give me leave to take notice to you , i am apt enough to believe , with a certain late * author , that the cart●sian hypothesis , which allows brutes to be no more than insensible mac●i●●s , has been very injurious to our rightly conceiving the reasonable soul of man ; for indeed the notion in it self , notwithstanding its many favourites , is so repugnant to common observation and experience , and withal so very harsh and incredible , that had it not been for the blind respect which is paid by most men to its founder , on the account of his ingenuity and penetration of thought , it cou'd never have so long impos'd upon the credit of his disciples . neither is it to be thought strange , that cartes , who had deny'd the possibility of sensible atoms , shou'd start this assertion concerning brutes for the support of his hypothesis : for when he had allow'd but one principle , both of sense and reason to man , and endeavour'd to prove this principle superiour to any power in matter , when after this the whole stress of our immortality was laid upon the immateriality of the soul , he did well enough foresee , that by granting sense to brutes , he must also grant them actuated by a principle above matter , and immateriality being his grand proof of immortality , they must necessarily come in with man for a share in this prerogative : to avoid which absurdity , being at the same time unable to understand that meer matter , however modify'd , shou'd be capable of sensation , he fixes upon one as great , and tells us there is none but man amongst the creatures , that is both capable of sense and reason , and that brutes are only some of the more curiously contriv'd machins , devoid of sense , feeling or perception . thus much may indeed be said in the behalf of this great man , that it is really unaccountable to humane reason that matter shou'd be sensible : but yet it was too bold an adventure , utterly to deny its possibility , when at the same instant we have a full assurance that it is so . it is altogether as unintelligible , that matter and spirit shou'd influence , and have such mutual commerce with each other as we experience in our selves . however inconsistent both may seem to our finite understandings , they are by no means to be thought so with a divine and infinite capacity or power : upon which account , and the certain assurance that brutes are capable of sensation , those who allow'd hereof , but yet wou'd have sense and reason to arise from the same source , were reduc'd to that miserable subterfuge , that it was possible the souls of brutes were but so many particular eradiations or effluxes from the spring of life above , when and wheresoever there is any fitly prepar'd matter capable to receive them , and to be actuated by them , to have a sence and fruition of themselves in it so long as it continues such , but so soon as ever those organized bodies of theirs , by reason of their indisposition , become incapable of being farther actuated by them , then to be resum'd again , and retracted back to their original fountain . in supposing thus we must believe , both a prae and post eternal existence of brutal souls ; but if this won't do , there are others who wou'd perswade us of the probability that the souls of brutes , as they are created out of nothing , may be annihilated by the same power , and so with as much likelyhood may the soul of man. these are some of the dangerous consequences and inconveniencies attending that monstrous opinion , that reason and sensation are affections of one and the same soul. to remove which difficulties , and in order to our arrival at a clearer knowledge of our whole compositum , i shall as briefly as i can , attempt a proof that the soul of brutes , altho' sensible , is corporeal . that brutes are sensible ( says a late * author ) we have the same certainty as one man can have that another man is sensible , supposing that other man were dumb. i cannot feel the impressions made upon another man of pain , hunger and thirst , but must judge of them by outward indications : and i have all the same outward indications that brutes feel all these , as i have that any man feels them ; and therefore it wou'd be ridiculous to go about to prove this by particular instances . that the brutish soul is material , i come to understand because it is extended and divisible , being made up of the vital spirits and the arterial blood their vehicle , and by the rivulets of the nerves they are communicated from the brain to all the sentient parts of the body , which therefore are endow'd with the power of performing animal actions . if you object , that this will prove no more than that the immaterial substance is so closely united to the material , that it perceives every impression made upon the body . i reply , that we cou'd not then feel distinct pains in several parts , but the pain must be equally felt over the whole body ; for the soul b●ing indivisible , it cannot feel in parts , but the whole must feel , and con●equ●ntly the whole body seem in equal pain : neither , if this were true , could there be any degrees of pain in the s●nti●nt parts , but a cut in the flesh wou'd s●art as much as a cut amongst the nerves , for there can be no reason assign'd why i● shou'd be otherwise , but because there is more of the sensible nature in one part , than there is in another , but how can there be more or less when the whole fe●ls both ? wherefore if there are degrees of pain in the sentient parts , if we c●n feel pain in this part , and none in the other , and can at once feel several distinct pains , in several distinct parts , then the soul must either feel by parts , which an indivisible cann●t , or sensation must belong to another principle whose properties are extension and divisibility , and if those properties do not belong to body , or can belong to spirit , we have no notion either of body or spirit . whoever throughly considers this argument , will find that the judgment of most learned physician ▪ concur with this opinion , of the corporiety of the souls of brutes ; and that the same is plainly hinted in those places of * scripture which relate to the jewish prohibition of eating blood , because the same contained the life or soul. for as our animal spirits 〈◊〉 off by what we call the insensible transpiration , we are sensibly enfeebled , and grow unactive till there are new ones ma●e out of the arterial blood , which blood must be again s●p●ly'd by corporeal nourishment . thus we see bodies , un●●●ustom'd to hot countries , in those places their po●es are so much open'd as to cause the spirits , flying away in such quantities that the life would soon expire , without the assistance of spi●●tuous liquors , which give a speedy supply of spirits . on the other hand we find , dormice will sleep whole months without the help of food ; but if you observe those creatures in their sleep , they are stiff and cold , their pores are so contracted , that the life cannot fly off , and therefore they want no recruit ; but when warmth awakens them , whereby their pores are opened , they can fast no longer than other creatures : therefore if the animal life flies off by parts , which are again renew'd by corporeal nourishment , it is a clear evidence that the soul of brutes , or animal life , is corporeal ; and by this we come to a plain and true notion of death , that it is not ( as usually defin'd ) a separation of the soul and body , which is but a consequence of death but an absolute extinguishment of the animal life or vital flame . for to suppose that meer animals are a compound of matter and spirit , and that death is only a separation of them , is to ridicule all the natural arguments for man's immortality , by making them hold as strong for the immortality of brutes ; which is both against divinity and common sense . and indeed , the reason why some physicians ( who of all men should admire most the wonderful works of creating wisdom ) have been atheistically inclin'd , is , because they are able to demonstrate that sense is made by matter and motion , and therefore have carelesly concluded reason to spring from the same principle , and all our actions to be accounted for by mechanism : and those men help much to the confirmation of this opinion , who assign the office of sensation to the rational soul , and allow reason to other animals ; there is no adversary to religion , but will readily grant the animal life and rational soul to be the same thing ; and that all animals are rational ; but then he subjoyns that the animal life is corporeal : and therefore concludes that rationality is no argument either of immateriality or immortality . my lord bacon upon this subject delivers his opinion in the following words : the sensible soul , or the soul of beasts , must needs be granted to be a corporeal substance , attenuated by heat , and made invisible : let there be therefore made a more diligent enquiry touching this knowledge , and the rather for that this point , not well understood , bath brought forth superstitious and very contagious opinions , and most vilely abasing the dignity of the soul of man , of transmigration of souls out of one body into another , and lustration of souls by periods of years , and finally of the too near affinity in evey point of the soul of man with the soul of beasts . this soul in beasts is a principal soul whereof the body of the beast is the organ ; but in man th●s soul is it self an organ of the soul rational . having made this enquiry into the soul of brutes , and given , i hope , sufficient proof that the same is corporeal , we shall next inform our selves what knowledge they are endow'd with , and enquire whether or no there is a principle of reason in the most subtil of their actions . our common observation may assure us , that all the actions of meer animals are either the effects of a bare sensitive nature , which in various degrees is common to all ; or of sensitive creatures , as they are fram'd of this or that peculiar species or kind : for what those creatures act according to the nature common to all , is plainly the effect of bare sensation : we see ideots do as much , who have no use of reason ; they distinguish who feeds them , and fear who beats them . outward objects must affect the animal spirits , the animal spirits must make traces in the brain , and lodge those idea's , and so far will and reason have nothing to do . and altho' the actions of meer animals , as they are of this or that peculiar species or kind , seem somewhat agreeable to reason , yet they prove only a wise author of their beings , and that the more strongly , because 't is visible that those actions are not the effects of a reasoning principle in those creatures , for actions that are constantly agreeable to reason must be somewhere directed by reason , but they are not the effect of re●son in those creatures . in earthly created beings , we find reason is improv'd by degrees , from a series of observations or from information : men cannot conclude or reason about any thing but a posteriori , from the operation and effects of things ; but meer animals act according to their nature , immediately and without observation ; which are so many demonstrations that they are instructed by a secret instinct , and not by reason , or a knowledge of what they do , for they ever act according to their natures , when by plain and visible accident they act against the most apparent reason . one wou'd think a little , very little reason wou'd instruct creatures that they cou'd not eat when their mouths are sewed up , at least a trial might learn them that knowledge ; yet stitch up the mouth of a ferret day after day , and for all that he 'l as warmly pursue the rabbits for his food , as if his jaws were at liberty . farthermore , meer animals must act according to their kind , when so acting is visibly their certain ruin . take a bull-dog and muzzle him , throw him bones that he may find he cannot open his mouth , ●●t after that shew him a bull , and he shall as boldly attack the bull , as if he had no muzzle on . again , it is certain that young birds bred in trees , will starve with meat before them if it be not put into their mouths , whereas those whose kind breed on the ground , can never be taught to gape for their food , but so soon as batch't betake themselves to seek out and pick up their food . these i say , with a thousand instances of the like nature , are evident marks of a providential wisdom , because they are rational actions , many of them at least perform'd not accidentally , but constantly , by irrational agents . understanding being got by a series of experiments , observations or information , therefore it is some old arts are improv'd , some quite lost , some new ones found out , but all meer animals act the same yesterday and to day ; thus far they always went , and no farther : which fully proves they were originally compell d and limitted to act according to their kind , and had nothing to do with will or reason . it may be objected , that several sorts of animals are very d●cible creatures , and learn several things , by the discipline of mankind , which wou'd make one ready to think that those creatures have some degrees of reason . to which , i say , thus far is prov'd that those creatures do act artificially , and for ends , without deliberation and knowledge ; and those being the chief ends for which they were made , we cannot reasonably suppose that they shou'd blindly act that part , and yet have the use of reason in things of lesser moment . it must therefore be concluded , that the utmost extent of their ability is to do , and not to know ; and therefore tho' by the impressions made upon the senses , they may be forced to do what their nature is capable of doing ; yet this is all from the senses , and reason but begins where the senses end . to do and to know why we do , proceed from different principles : 't is true , the most docible creatures may mimick several things they see men do , yet can they give us no indication that they know why or to what end they do them : for that their souls being corporeal , it follows necessarily , that all their motions must be made either by an external or internal force or impulse ; whereas will and reason can be no other than the powers of a self-moving principle , which is a spiritual immaterial essence . sense and imagination can conceive nothing but what is corporeal ; and the highest conceptions which depend on sense , amount no higher than imagination , which likewise is unable to receive any other than corporeal idea's : nor can it reflect or make any conclusions about what it perceives . so that brutes may very well be thus far endow'd without any such thing as a rational exertion . for a farther explanation hereof , i shall give you the descriptton of a learned man of the mechanic process by which brute animals come by all their habits , and that acquir'd seeming knowledge which tho' in some degrees it surpasses their natural instincts , is however most strictly ty'd to sense and imagination . when the brain , saith he , in the more perfect brutes grows clear , and the constitution of the animal spirits becomes sufficiently lucid and defaecated , the exteror objects being brought to the organs of the senses , make impressions , which being from thence transmitted for the continuing the series or order of the animal spirits inwards towards the streaked bodies , affect the common sensory , and when as a sensible impulse of the same , like a waving of waters , is conveyed farther into the callous body , and thence into the cortex or shelly substance of the brain , a perception is brought in concerning the species of the thing admitted by the sense , to which presently succeeds the imagination , and marks or prints of its type being left , constitute the memory : but in the mean time , whilst the sensible impr●ssion being brought to the common sensory ●ffects there the perception of the thing felt , as some direct species of it tending farther creates the imagination and memory , so other reflected species of the same object as they appear either congruous or incongruous , produce the appetite and local motions its executors : that is , the animal spirits looking inwards for the act of sension , being struck back , leap towards the streaked bodies , and when as these spirits presently possessing the beginnings of the nerves irritate others , they make a desire of flying from the thing felt , and a motion of this or that member or part to be stirred up ; then because this or that kind of motion succeeds once or twice to this or that sension , afterwards for the most part this motion follows that sension as the effect follows the cause , and according to this manner , by the admitting the idea's of sensible things , both the knowledge of several things , and the habits of things to be done , or of local motions , are by little and little produced . for indeed from the beginning almost every motion of the animated body , is stirred up by the contact of the outward object , viz. the animal spirits residing within the organ are driven inward , being stricken by the object , and so ( as we have said ) constitute sension or feeling , then like as a stood sliding along the banks of the shoar , is at last beaten back : so because this waving or inward turning down of the animal spirits , being partly reflected from the common sensory , is at last directed outwards , and is partly stretched forth even into the inmost part of the brain , presently local motion succeeds the sension , and at the same time a character being affixed on the brain , by the sense of the thing perceiv'd , it impresses there marks or vestigia of the same for the phantasie and the memory then affected , and afterwards to be affected ; but when as the prints or marks of very many acts of this kind of sensation and imagination , as so many tracts or ways are ingraven in the brain , the animal spirits oftentimes of their own accord , without any other forewarning , and without the presence of an exterior object , being stirr'd up into motion , forasmuch as the fall into the footsteps before made , represent the image of the former thing , with which , when the appetite is affected , it desiring the thing objected to the imagination , causes spontaneous actions , and as it were , drawn forth from an inward principle . as for example sake ; the stomack of an horse feeding in a barren ground or fallow-land , being incited by hunger , stirs up and variously agitates the animal spirits flowing within the brain ; the spirits being thus moved by accident , because they run into the footsteps formerly made , they call to mind the former more plentiful pasture fed on by the horse , and the meadows at a great distance : then the imagination of this desirable thing ( which at that time is cast before it by no outward sense , but only by the memory ) stops at the appetite : that is , the spirits implanted in the streaked bodies are affected by that motion of the spirits flowing within the middle part or marrow of the brain , who from thence presently after their formerly accustom'd manner , enter the origines of the nerves , and actuating the nervous system after their wonted manner , by the same series produce local motions , by which the hungry horse is carry'd from place to place , till he has found out the imagin'd pasture , and indeed enjoys that good the image whereof was painted in his brain . after this manner the sensible species , being intromitted by the benefit of the exterior organs in the more perfect brutes , for that they affix their characters on the brain , and there leave them , they constitute the faculties of phancy and memory , as it were store-houses full of notions ; farther stirring up the appetite into local motions agreeable to the sensions , frequently they produce an habit of acting , so that some beasts being taught or instructed for a long time , by the assiduous incursions of the objects , are able to know and remember many things , and learn manifold works , i. e. to perform them by a complicated and continued series and succession of very many actions . moreover , this kind of acquir'd knowledge of the brutes , and the practick habits introduced by the acts of the senses , are sometimes promoted by other means to a greater degree of perfection . living brutes are taught by example , by the imitation and institution of others of the same , or of a divers kind , to perform certain more excellent actions . hence it is that the ape so plainly imitates man , that by some it is thought a more imperfect species of him : for this animal being extreamly mimical , as it is endow'd with a most caepactous and hot brain , it imitates to an hair almost all the gestures that it happens to see presently , with a ready and expeditious composing of its members , and is furnisht with a notable memory , and retains all its tricks which it hath once acted , very firmly afterwards , being wont to repeat them at its pleasure . yet notwithstanding t is very clear and apparent , that brutes are directed to all things which belong to the defence and conservation of the individuum , and that are to be done for the propagation of their kinds by a natural instinct , as it were a law or rule fixed in their hearts , when as therefore we behold for these ends , ordained by divine providence , brutes to order their matters wisely , and as it were by counsel , no man esteems this the work of reason , or any liberal faculty ; for they are led into these enterprises by a certain predestination , rather than by any proper vertue or intention . having given you this account of the soul of brutes , prov'd the same a corporeal , divisible substance , whose peculiar residence is in the blood and spirits , and evinced their knowledge not to exceed the powers of sensation and imagination , it is time that we return to discourse of the rational soul of man ; and if it can be discover'd that there is a principle of action in him which proceeds from a different way of operation than sensation doth , and that there are such operations of this soul which are not imaginations , it will be then as clear that there is a principle in man higher than matter and motion , and impossible , without a spiritual immaterial being , to solve those appearances in him which thus transcend the power of imagination . the renowned philosopher gassendus has given sufficient proof , that the sensitive soul in man is exactly the same with that of brutes , corporeal , extended , native , and corruptible : but that the rational is a substance purely incorporeal and immortal . dr. hammond in his notes upon thessalonians , v. . says man consists of three parts : first the body , which denotes the flesh and members . secondly the vital soul , which animal and sensitive soul is common to man and brute . thirdly spirit , which is the rational soul. this division he confirms by the testimony of heathen authors and ancient fathers . so that those who disregard the scriptures , may in these admirable authors be furnisht with other authorities ; but those who do , may consider what the apostle saith in the foremention'd text , viz. i pray god your whole body , soul and spirit be preserved : to which we may add what he says in another place , the word is sharper then a two edged sword , piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit , and of the joynts and marrow . the meaning whereof is , let things be never so closely united , god can separate them ; but then they must be in their nature separable , or else it implys a contradiction . so that if the soul and spirit are separable , we have gain'd our point ; if they are not , the apostle has told us that can be , which cannot be . but further ; this truth that there is two distinct souls in man , is by the apostle demonstrated from the dictates of internal sense : i find ( saith he ) a law , that when i would do good evil is present with me , for i delight in the law of god after the inward man. but i see another law in my members , warring against the law of my mind , and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin , which is in my members . so then with my mind i my self serve the law of god , but with the flesh the law of sin. now what can be more expressive of two several perceptive souls in man , whose natures and whose laws are contrary to each other ? but perhaps you 'l say , these contrary laws do indeed arise because man is a compound of contrary natures , yet there is but one perceptive nature in him : but that nature having the several faculties of reason and sensation , and being united to flesh , whereby the sensitive faculty may be gratify'd , hence arises the war between sense and reason . to which i answer , thus far then we are agreed , that sense is the source of all carnal delights , pains and aversions , therefore sense is no faculty of the spirit , or all carnal delights , lusts and passions spring from the spirit : and what excellent sence would this make the apostle speak , i find a law in my mind warring against the law of my mind ; so then with the mind i my self serve the law of god , but with the mind the law of sin : for if sense be a faculty of the mind , the laws of sense are are as much the laws of the mind as the laws of reason . the soul and spirit , by reason of their close unaccountable union , have also unaccountable mutual influences upon each other ; but for all that , their contrary natures are very discernable : and to make sense and reason faculties of the spirit , is to make the spirit as the man , a compound of contrary natures ; for that sense and reason are of contrary natures , is discernable from the natural and constant strugglings and contentions between them . secondly , from the natural fruit they bring forth , which is certainly contrary if good and evil are so : wherefore we may with all imaginable certainty , affirm the souls of all meer animals , and the sensitive soul of man , to be corporeal , but the rational soul of man to be truly a spiritual immaterial substance , if there were not such a substance in him distinct from the sensitive soul of brutes , and a power superiour to sensation , we might reasonably interrogate with the judicious willis , cur non quadrupedes aeque ac homo intellectu & ratiocineo polleant , immo scientias & artes discant : quandoquidem in utriusque preter animas pariter immateriales , eadem prorsus fit conformatio organorum animalium , à quibus sane animam rationalem dum in corpore est , quoad actus & habitus suos pondere constat , quoniam laesis aut impeditis organis , horum privatio aut eclipsis succedit : quamobrem quod bruti anima iisdem ac homo organis utens , nihil praeclare scire nec supra actus & objecta materialia assurgere potest , plane sequitur illum ab anima rationali diversam , insuter longe inferiorem & materialem esse . but to proceed , those who hold no difference between the soul of man and brutes , with respect to essence , and at the same time will allow sacred authority , wou'd do well to consider whether it be reasonable to think the latter were endow'd with that divine spiraculum , which the former was honour'd with in his creation : if they think it reasonable , they strike at the mosaic relation ; if they do not , let them tell me what that spiraculum was , if not the rational spirit . and indeed , if this alone were well consider'd , we shou'd hear no more of the rationality of brutes , from those who acknowledge the truth of revelation . but farther ; that this reasonable soul is a spiritual incorporeal substance , we have this to alledge , for that it is rational and has a freedom of choice , neither of which can possibly belong to matter , for all the motions of matter are necessarily made , no choice but force must make its motion , and that force must be immediate , for matter moves no longer than the impulse lasts : but to deliberate and judge of a train of consequences , is no immediate impulsion of matter , for those consequences are not yet in being , but only such as will be upon our acting thus or thus ; nay , perhaps only such things as may , but never will be ; but to choose to act ( as such power we have , and every man feels it within himself ) purely in regard to those consequences , is many times to act in opposition to all the immediate and strong impresses of matter ; and hence it is apparent , that neither will nor reason do belong to matter , but to something vastly different . again , the animal spirits make no other impression on the brain , than as things appear not always as they are , which error is corrected ; yes , you 'l say , but 't is corrected by the senses themselves . but what puts the senses in the way and method to correct themselves ? if the senses are their own directing power , then all creatures that are alike sensible wou'd be alike knowing ; and meer animals wou'd be daily finding out new arts and inventions as well as man. it is impossible to give the least shadow of a reason why it should be otherwise , unless we allow a principle in man which brutes have not : we see , except man , all creatures of the same kind run in one constant and setled method , whilst he is not only learning from every thing he sees , but invents how to learn and try the truth or falshood of this or that invention by experiments ; and sometimes he finds himself in the right , sometimes in the wrong : now , tho' in these cases the truth or falshood of this or that invention is proved by the senses , yet the invention preceded the proof , and therefore could not be from the information of the senses . besides , 't is yet more evident those inventions are not from the senses , but from another principle , because the same are sometime , false , and will not hold ; but when we come to prove them , our senses will bring in no such appearances : for altho' we know nothing but a posteriori from the operations and effects of things , yet from visible operations and effects , we can consider and reason about the nature of the invisible operator , as from the beauty and order of the universe , we reason that there must be a mighty wise and invisible power that framed and continues the same . now the impressions of matter upon sense go no farther than so these appearances are , and here of necessity we should ever rest , had we no other principle but matter , and cou'd never enquire how or why things come to be so ; but when we advance to the notion of an invisible operator , then certainly we outfly our senses , unless our eyes are so good as to see an invisible object : but suppose there is no such invisible object , but that all our notions concerning such a being are but meer chimaera's , let us for argument sake suppose all that , however whether the notion of an invisible incorporeal operator be true or false , so much is true , that there is such a notion amongst men , and that it is a full evidence that there is an incorporeal principle in man , because matter cannot possibly impress or be imprest with any other but material idea's ; therefore were man's whole compositum pure matter , he cou'd not possibly stir beyond material idea's , and the world had never heard of immaterial substance . to confirm this , i shall here add the opinion of one whose sentiments upon other matters i have elsewhere made bold with . the considerations ( saith he ) which may be alledg'd in favour of the soul's immortality , are either physical or moral : the former are such as arise from the nature of the soul her self , and do all of them seem to refer to this one capital argument , the reasonable soul of man is immaterial , and therefore immortal : the reason whereof is , what wants matter wants likewise parts into which it might be distracted or dissolved ; and what is incapable of being dissolved , must of necessity always continue to be what it is : for whatever is of a nature free from the conditions of matter or body , doth neither carry the principles of dissolution in it self , nor fear them from external agents . there are but two ways comprehensible by the understanding , how any thing that hath existence in nature can perish ; the one is by the exolution and dissipation of the parts of which it was composed ; the other by an absolute adnibilation of its entity , as the schoolmen phrase it . the former way of destruction is peculiar to corporeals , and the latter may be competent to incorporeals : but to argue à possi , ad esse , that god doth , or will adnihilate any thing , because it as in his power , is much below any good logician to infer : nor are we to suppose any innovation in the general state of things ; but that the course of the universe doth constantly and invariably proceed in the same manner or tumour of method , which was at first instituted by the wisdom of the creator . now to prove that there is a power in us above the sensitive soul or independent of matter , notwithstanding this great man was in some things tainted with the cartesian principles , he thus rightly argues , that if all our cognition doth proceed originally from our senses , as is affirm'd by aristotle in his maxim of nihil in intellectu , &c. and that intellection is made by analogy , by composition , division , ampliation , extenuation , and the like ways of managing the species or images of things immitted into the common sensory by the external senses ; then certainly we can have no knowledge of any thing whereof we have no image , and consequently without imagination there is no intellection ; so that in fine , to imagine and understand a thing will be all one ; whereas to answer this we may affirm , that no corporeal image or species is ever receiv'd into the mind , and that pure intellection as well of a corporeal as incorporeal thing is made without any material image or species at all . as for imagination , to that indeed is requir'd the presence of some corporeal image to which the mind might apply it self , because there can be no imagination but of corporeal things , and yet nevertheless that corporeal image doth not enter into the mind . the truth is , the intellect also makes use of images conceiv'd by the phancy ( and therefore called phantasms ) yet only as certain means or degrees , that progressing through them , it may at length attain the knowledge of some things which it afterwards perceives as sequester'd , and in a manner sublimed from those phantasms : but this is that which doth sufficiently argue its being immaterial , because it carrieth it self beyond all images material , and comes to the science of some things of which it hath no phantasms . all the particular knowledges that man hath , or can have , concerning finite and compleat entities ( except only the notion of being ) are only certain comparisons or respects between particular things ; but of respect there can be no image or representation at all in the phancy , and therefore our knowledge is without images . all the particular notions we have ( except of being ) do belong to some one of the ten praedicaments , all which are so manifestly respective , that no man doubteth them to be so : in particular , substance hath a respect to being : quantity doth consist in a respect unto parts : quality hath a respect unto that subject which is denominated from it : action and passion result from the union of quality and substance : relation denoteth the respect betwixt the relatum and correlatum : ubi and quando arise from substance consider'd with the circumstances of place and time : situation is from the respect of parts to the whole : habit is a respect to the substance wherein it is , as being the propriety by which it is well or ill , conveniently or inconveniently affected , in regard of its own nature . if you question the verity of the foregoing assertion , exercise your mind in seriously reviewing all these things that have been derived from the senses , and see if you can find among them any such thing as we call a respect ; it hath neither figure nor colour , nor sound , nor odor , nor taste , and so cannot possibly be represented to the sense or imagination : hence , i think , there is no need to doubt that the notions of things in the intellect or pure understanding , are extreamly different from whatsoever is immitted into the mind by the mediation of the senses , and so that the intellect hath a knowledge of some things independent of corporeal images or idea's . for in simple imagination the mind doth always apply it self to the thing speculated , or the image rather of that thing ; but in pure intellection in quitteth the image , and converteth it self upon it self ; the former act being still accompany'd with some labour and contention of mind , the latter free , easie and instantaneous . now in the phancy of beasts , there is always a conjunction of the image of that particular good or harm they have formerly received from such or such things with the images of the things themselves , which is all that can be said to render the subtilest of them conscious , and is indeed the cause of all those so much admir'd effects called sympathys and antipathys amongst animals of different kinds . another sort of actions evincing the soul's immateriality , are those whereby we do not only form to our selves universals or universal notions , but also understand the reason of universality it self ; for it being evidently impossible that any corporeal thing should be exempted from all material conditions and differences of singularity , as magnitude , figure , colour , time , place , &c. and undeniably certain that the understanding hath a power to divest them of all and every one of those conditions and circumstances , and to speculate them in that abstracted state devoy'd of all particularities , it follows necessarily , that the soul which hath this power so to abstract them , must it self be exempt from all matter , and of a condition more eminent than to be confin'd to material conditions . to these few reasons of the immateriality of the humane soul , defumed from the excellency of her operations , i might here add a multitude of others of the same extraction and equivalent force , as in particular that of the existence of corporeal natures in the soul by the power of apprehension : that of her drawing from multitude to unity : her apprehension of negations and privations : her containing of contraries without opposition : her capacity to move without being moved her self : the incompossibility of opposite propositions in the understanding , and sundry others , the least whereof is of evidence and vigour sufficient to carry the cause against all those enemies to her immortality who wou'd degrade her from the divine dignity of her nature , to an equality with the souls of brutes , that are but certain dispositions of matter , and obnoxious to dissolution upon change of the same by contrary agents . but farther , there is no corporeal faculty but what is confin'd to the perception of only some one certain genus of things , as in particular the sight to visibles , the hearing to sounds , &c. and tho' the imagination seems to be extended to very many kinds , yet all those are contain'd under the classis of sensibles , and thence it comes that all animals , endow'd only with phantasie , are addicted only to sensibles , no one affecting the knowledge of any thing which falleth not under the sense : but the intellect alone is that which hath for its object , omne verum , and as the schoolmen speak , ens ut ens , every being in the universe , and therefore hath no mixture of matter , but is wholly free from it and incorporeal , a truth so clearly revealed by the light of nature , that anaxogoras and aristotle both subscribed , esse intellectum necessario 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immistum , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoniam intelligit universa . that incorporeals are within the orb of the intellects activity , and do not escape the apprehension of this unbounded and universal capacity , needs no other proof besides that of our own sublime speculations concerning the nature of god , of intelligencies , of angels , of the humane soul , and whatever else belongs to the science of metaphysics , which teacheth us to abstract from all matter and quantity . nay , i presume it will not be accounted paradoxical in me to affirm , that immaterial objects are most genuine and natural to the understanding , especially since cartes hath irrefutably demonstrated that the knowledge we have of the existence of the supream being , and of our own souls , is more certain , clear , and distinct than the knowledge of any corporeal nature whatever , according to that canon of aquinas , nulla res qualiscunque est , &c. the moral considerations , usually brought in defence of the soul 's incorruptibility , are principally three : . the universal consent of mankind . . man's inseparable appetite of immortality . . the justice of god in rewarding good men , and punishing evil men , after death . now as cicero judiciously observes , omni in re , consentio omnium gentium , lex naturae putanda est ; and thus the notion of the soul's immortality is so implanted in the nature and mind of man , that whoso denies it doth impugn his own natural principles . as for that common objection the alteration observable in infancy and old age , we may answer with the great master of nature ( at least one so esteem'd by some ) innasci , autem intellectus videtur , & substantia quaedam esse , nec corrumpi , nam si corrumperetur quidem id maxime fieret ab habitatione illa , quae in senectute contingit : nunc autem res perinde fit ac in ipsismet sensuum instrumentis ; si enim senex , occulum juvenilem reciperet , non secus ac ipse juvenis videret , unde & senectus non ex eo est , quod quidquam passa anima sit ; fed quod simile aliquid ac in ebrietate morbisque eveniat , ipsaque intelligendi & contemplandi functio , propter aliquid aliud interius corruptum marcescit , cum ipsum interim cujus est passionis expers maneat . which words consider'd , we have good reason to affirm , that all that change which the epicurean would have to be in the rational soul or mind , during the growth of the body in youth , and decay of it in old age , doth not proceed from any mutation in the soul it self , but some other interiour thing distinct from it , as the imagination or organ of the common sense , the brain , which being well or ill affected , the soul it self suffereth not at all , but only the functions of it flourish or decay accordingly ; for as the philosopher remarks , if it were possible to give an old man a young eye , and a young imagination , his soul would soon declare by exquisite vision and quick reasoning , that it was not she that had grown old , but her organs ; and that she is capable of no more change from the impairment of the body , than is usually observed to arise ( pro tempore ) from a fit of drunkenness , or some disease of the brain : so that it is evident from hence , that whatever change men have thought to be in the soul by reason of that great decay , generally attending old age , to not really in the soul , but only in the imagination and the organs thereof , which are not so well dispos'd as in the vigour of life . in like manner are we to understand that the soul , when the members grow cold and mortify'd , doth then indeed instantly cease to be in them , yet is not cut off by piece-meal , or diminisht and gradually dissipated , but the whole of it remains in so much of the body as yet continues warm and perfused by the vital heat , until ceasing longer to animate the principle seat of its residence , whether the brain or heart , it at length bids adieu to the whole , and withdraweth it self entire and perfect : so that death is an extinction of the vital flame , and not of the soul , which , as solomon calls it , is the brightness of the everlasting light , the unspotted mirror of the power of god , and the image of his goodness , and being but one , she can do all things , and remaining in her self , she maketh all things new . the like may be said with relation to those failings observable in swooning fits , which fall not upon the soul , but on the vital organs , at those times render'd unfit for the uses and actions to which they were framed and accommodated : and if the causes of such failings shou'd happen to be so violent as to bring on a sudden death , then the soul must indeed depart ; yet not by reason of any dissolution in its substance , or imbecility in it self , but for want of those dispositions in the organs of life , by which she was enabled to enliven the body . now if ( saith this author ) in such a thesis or proposition , which is not capable of being evinced by geometrical demonstration , there can yet be expected such substantial and satisfactory reasons , physical or moral , as may suffice to the full establishment of its truth in the mind of a reasonable man : if this be granted , i thence argue that the soul is an immortal substance , and that its immortality is not only credible by faith or upon authority divine , but also demonstrable by reason , or the light of nature . to be convinc'd of our immortality , and satisfactorily perswaded whether or no there is any thing in us , which shall not perish with the life we are shortly to lay down , is of so great and so important consequence , that i can readily expect your forgiveness , if i trespass upon your patience , and inlarge a little farther upon this weighty argument . that there is somewhat in us , essentially differing from , distinct and superior to other animals , or that the rational soul of man bears no analogy with the souls of other creatures , is farther elegantly toucht upon in these words of dr. willis . the eminency of the rational soul above the brutal or corporeal , shines clearly by comparing either both as to the objects , and to the chief acts or modes of knowing . as to the former , when●● every corporeal faculty is limited to sensible things , the object of the humane mind is every ens , whether above or subl●mary , material or immaterial , true or fictitious , real or intentional . the acts or degrees of knowledge common to either soul , are vulgarly accounted these three ; to wit , simple apprehension , enunciation , and discourse : how much the power of the rational excels the other which is corporeal , we shall consider , . the knowing faculty of the corporeal soul is phantasie or imagination , which being planted in the middle part of the brain , receives the sensible species first only impressed on the organs of sense , and from thence by a most quick irradiation of the spirits deliver'd inwards , and so apprehends all the several corporeal things according to their exterior appearances , which notwithstanding , as they are perceived only by the sense ( which is often deceived ) they are admitted under an appearing , and not always under a true image or species : for so we imagine the sun no bigger than a bushel , the horizon of the heaven and the sea to meet : the stars not to be far distant from us in the horizon , that in respect of us there are no antipodes . farther , we may think the image in the glass , or in a fountain delineates it self , that the echo it self is a voice coming from some other place ; that the shoar moves when we are upon the water ; yea , and many other things being receiv'd by the sensories , whilst phansie is the only guide , seem far otherwise than indeed they are . but the intellect presiding o're the imagination beholds all the species deposited in it self , discerns or corrects their obliquities or hypocrisies , sublimes the phansie there drawn forth , and divesting it from matter , forms universal things from singulars . moreover , it frames out of these some other more sublime thoughts , not competent to the corporeal soul , so it speculates and considers both the nature of every substance , and abstracted from the individuals of accident , viz. humanity , rationality , temperance , fortitude , corporiety , spirituality , &c. being carried higher it contemplates god , angels , it self , infinity , eternity , and many other notions far remote from sense and imagination . and thus as our intellect in these kind of metaphisical conceptions , makes things almost wholly naked of matter , or carrying it self beyond every sensible species , considers or beholds them immaterial and immortal , because if this aptness or disposition were corporeal , as it cou'd conceive nothing incorporeal by sense , so wou'd it suspect and deny that there were any such thing in the world. . it appears clearly that phansie , or the knowing faculty of the corporeal soul , doth not only apprehend simple things , but also compose and divide many things at once , and from thence makes enuntiations because living brutes in various objects together , which are for food , discern things convenient from others inconvenient or unfit ; moreover , they choose out of these , things grateful , before others less grateful , and get them sometimes by force , sometimes by cunning , and as it were by stealth . a dog knows a man at a great distance , if he be a friend he runs to him and fawns on him ; if an enemy and fearful , he barks at him , or flies at him ; but if armed , or threatning him , he flies away from him . these kind of propositions the brutes easily conceive , forasmuch as some species of the sensible thing being newly admitted , meets with species of one thing or other before laid up in the memory , or being suggested by a natural instinct , associates with them , or repulses them . but indeed , how little is this in respect to the humane intellect , which not only beholds all enuntiations conceived by the phansie , but judges them whether they be true or false , congruous or incongruous , orders and disposes them into series of notions accommodated to speculation or practice . moreover , it restrains the phansie it self , being too unstable , and apt to wander through various phantasies , it calls it away from these or those conceptions , and directs it to others ; yea , it keeps it within certain limits at its pleasure , least it should expatiate and divert too much from the thing propos'd , which without peradventure clearly indicates a superiour soul in man , that moderates and governs all the faculties and acts of the corporeal . again ; the humane intellect not only eminently contains every vertue of the phansie , but from the species perceived in it , deduces many other thoughts altogether unknown to the sense , and which the phansie of it self cou'd no way imagine : for besides that it conceives the formal notions of corporeal things , and abstracted from all matter , and attributes to them praedicates meerly intentional , yea and understands axioms or first principles alone , and as it were by a proper instinct , without recourse to corporeal species , the same mind also beholds it self by a reflected action , it supposes it self to think , and thence knowing a proper existency not to be perceiv'd , neither by sense nor phantasie , when in the mean time neither sense nor imagination ( of which no images are extant ) do perceive themselves to know or imagine . the rational soul comprehends moreover , as it were by its own proper light , god to be infinite and eternal , that he ought to be worshipped , that angels and spirits do inhabit the world , heavens and places beneath the earth , that there are places of beatitude and punishment , and many other notions meerly spiritual , by no means to be learnt from sense or phantasie . . the prerogatives of the rational soul , and the differences from the other sensitive and corporeal , may be yet farther noted , by comparing the acts of judgment and discourse or ratiocination , which it puts forth more perfectly , and oftentimes demonstratively ; when these kind of acts from this power in the brutes are drawn forth imperfectly , and only analogically . we have already declar'd the utmost that brutes can do , and how far they can go towards the exercise of reasoning and deliberation , through innate faculties and acquired habits : which truly , if the whole be compar'd with the functions of the humane intellect and its scientific habits , it will hardly seem greater than the drop of a bucket to the sea. for to say nothing of that natural logick , by which any one endow'd with a free and perspicatious mind probably , and sometimes most certainly concludes concerning doubtful things , or things sought after , if we mind how much the humane mind , being adorned by learning , and having learnt the sciences and liberal arts , is able to work , understand , and search out , it wou'd be thought , tho' in a humane body , to be rather living with gods or angels ; for indeed here may be consider'd the whole encyclopaedia , or circle of arts and sciences , which ( excepting divinity ) have been the product or creatures of the humane mind , and plainly argues the workman , if not divine , to be at least a particle of divine breath , to wit , a spiritual substance , wonderfully intelligent , immaterial , and which therefore for the future must be immortal . it would be tedious to rehearse the subtil wiles of logick , and the extreamly curious web of notions , or of the reason of essences or beings , where the things of natural philosophy being unfolded by their causes , are dissected as it were to the life , the most pleasant speculations , the profound theorems , or rather caelestial , of the metaphysics or supernatural things ; yea , and the grand mysteries of other learning , first found out by humane industry : but above the rest , is it not truly amasing to see the most certain demonstrations of the mathematicks , and therefore akin and greatly alluding to the humane mind , its problems and riddles , how difficult soever , to be extricated with no labour , yea , and many things of it attain'd , and most glorious inventions ? what is it below a prodigy , that algaebra , from one number or dimension , which at first was uncertain and unknown , being placed , shou'd find out the quantity of another altogether unknown ? what shall i say concerning the proportions of a circle , a triangle , a quadrangle , and other figures , and of their sides and angles variously measurable amongst themselves , being most exactly computed ? what besides that the humane intellect having learnt the precepts of geometry and astronomy , takes the spaces of inaccessible places and their heights , the floor or breadth of any superficies , and the contents of solids , yea , the dimensions of the whole earthly globe : measures exactly the spaces of hours and days , the times of the year , the tropicks by the progress only of a shadow ; yea , it measures the orbs , magnitudes , and distances of the sun and stars , for a long time to come calculates and exactly foretels their risings and settings , motions and declinations , and aspects one to another . we shou'd want time , shou'd we set about to enumerate the several portentous things , either of the practise or speculation in the mathematicks : then , if passing over to mechanicks , we consider the several works and inventions of men , wonderfully made , there will be no place for doubting but that the humane soul , which can so curiously understand , invent , find out , and effect , i had almost said create , things so stupendious , must needs be far different from the brutal , and , as before is said , immortal : especially for that living brutes obtain only a few and more simple notions and intentions of acting , yea , and those always of the same kind , not determined but to one thing altogether ignorant of the causes of things ; they know not rights or laws of political society ; they are ignorant of every the most intelligent mechanic art ; neither can they , unless taught by imitation , till how to number three . since therefore , in few words , we have plainly detected in man , besides the corporeal soul , such as is common with brutes , the prints of another meerly spiritual , we have abundant reason to conclude the same immortal . thus , sir , have i endeavour'd to prove the reasonable soul a substance independent of corporiety , and that it is not only possible , but certain , that unless it shall please the power who at first infus'd it , to annihilate its being , it must outshine the extinction of the vital flame , and can receive no injury in its substance , by the destruction of that body in which it had its residence . the arguments i have brought , are such , whose solidity every man may judge of , who is capable of a very little reflection or serious application of mind : tho' they are not all my own , yet are they such as naturally arise from a philosophical or physical enquiry , such as have been approved by the far greater number of learned men , and such whose evidence it is impossible to withstand , without some secret reluctancy in our own minds , and without ever being able to demonstrate that they are not true . the sum of all that has been said upon this matter will rest here , that since there is nothing more certain than this , that there is a power in man superiour to that of all meer animals , and superiour also to that power which man himself hath as related to those creatures , in their capacity to be sensible and to imagine : it is necessary to consider seriously , what that power can be , and in what subject the same is plac'd . if you say you apprehend it to be no more than a meer temperament , a harmony , or you know not what kind of disposition resulting from the matter of his composition , i wou'd then beg you to remove my doubts , and to satisfie me how it comes to pass that brutes are not thus endow'd with the same ? for if this high prerogative of reason had its dependence , as sense and imagination have , upon a conformation or mechanic structure of the animal organs , most certainly other creatures must be alike dignify'd whose brains bear so exact affinity , and in the parts of which there is so great analogy , resemblance , or similitude : for here your anatomical disquisition will inform you , that if you consider its outward coverings and vessels , they have ( at least some of them ) the like membranes , viz. the dura and pia mater , the like veins , arteries and nerves : if you consider its division , there are the like hemispheres or lobes , the like gyrations or convolutions in its surface , the same double substance , viz. cortical or marrowy , the same common basis , the medulla oblongata : if you consider its inward substance , the like ventricles , glandules , pinealis or pituitaria , nates and testes , the fornix , the infundibulum , the corpora striata , &c. the like make also of the cerebellum , where sense and motion , as also the passions and instincts meerly natural , tho' in some measure they depend upon the brain , are more properly performed here , and in the medulla oblongata . the brain then of brutes thus exactly corresponding with the humane , and the sensations being alike mechanically perform'd in both , since the former show us not the least footsteps of any capacity to will or reason , which are so eminently conspicuous in the latter ; the power which exerts the same , must be more than temperament , or any priviledge of conformation , which is so near alike in both , and which in its greatest latitude can reach no higher than sense , imagination , memory and appetite : for it seems , saith the learned doctor , that the imagination is a certain undulation or wavering of the animal spirits , begun more inwardly in the middle of the brain , and expanded or stretched out from thence on every side , towards its circumference . on the contrary , the act of the memory consists in the regurgitation or flowing back of the spirits from the exterior compass of the brain towards its middle . the appetite is stirred up for that the animal spirits being some how moved about the middle of the brain , tend from thence outwardly towards the nervous system . now till you can make it out , how or in what mechanic structure or disposition of the brain and animal organs the rational faculty lyes conceal'd , and prove to us by dissection , that there is any such part in the humane brain , whereof the more perfect brutes are destitute , and wherein 't is likely the acts of reason shou'd be perform'd . till this , i say , be done , it becomes you as a man , as well as a religionist , to believe with more than three parts of the learned , as well as the unlearned world , that the principle of reason is placed in a spiritual indivisible substance , or in something which neither depends on , nor can be the result of any material disposition . let me beg you ( dear sir ) to consider throughly the foregoing paragraph . if it contains a truth , i am sure 't is one of the highest importance , and i must solemnly protest to you , that it seems to me almost a perfect demonstration . it is no ways improbable but i may be deceived ; which if you surmise , or believe , let me request you , or some of your more learned friends the a — t s , to furnish me with some certain knowledge , that mankind have been for some thousand years impos'd on , deluded and abus'd , and that the phaenomena of will and reason are at length intelligibly solv'd , without the supposition either of spirituality or immortality . i must confess 't is some mens interest that the rational , as well as sensitive soul , should be material , and that both shou'd have their entire dependance on the organization of the brain . but it is no man's desire , nor yet his belief , that it is so , can make it so , if it be otherwise . you your self must acknowledge it a very pitiful and weak argument , that because you have reason to fear your soul should be immortal , or for that you wou'd by no means have it so , therefore it is not so . and truly ( however vain and triffling it appear ) this with a grimace , a profane witticism , or an impious scoff , serve the far greater number of our modern infidels , instead of solid proof and demonstration ; but i expect a better treatment from my friend . there remains one thing to be taken notice of before i conclude , relating to the power that a man hath over his own thoughts , or the freedom he has to act without an impulse upon his will ; and this , i think , seems the more necessary to be discust , because , if as some contend , man has not an internal principle of freedom , but is confin'd , restrain'd , or forcibly determin'd to act by an impulse out of his own power , i see not what great advantage can redound to him from his being a reasonable creature , how he is to be accounted deserving commendation or dispraise , rewards or punishments , or indeed in what he differs from the brutes themselves . i have neither room enough , nor yet at present any desire , to take notice of the perplexing disputes and arguments which some men have rais'd upon our liberty , or the want thereof : most of which , as i have reason to think , have been founded on men's ignorance in the method of the divine understanding , for believing the supream being has praedetermin'd all things from eternity , not being able to reconcile voluntary and contingent actions to his praescience , they will not therefore by any means allow man to be a free agent . dr. charlton in his reply to the fatist , speaks pertinently to our present purpose . . saith he , we are to abominate that execrable opinion of democritus , not only because it is uncapable of due consistence with the sacred and indubitable principles of religious faith , which ascertain that the creation , molition , conservation , and constant administration of all things are impossible rightly to be ascribed to any cause , but the supream being alone : but also because it is è diametro repugnant to the evidence of that infallible criterion the light of nature , which demonstrates the soul of man to be an arbitrary uncoacted agent ; for that man hath in himself a power of inhibiting or suspending his assent unto , and approbation of any object , the verity of whose species is not sufficiently clear , but dubious , is a perfect demonstration of the indifferency or liberty of his intellect , and so also of its charge , the will or faculty elective . see cartes his princip . philos. part . sect. . nor is it a legal process in the pleas of reason , to argue thus , that god hath left us to act our own parts in the world , therefore he takes no farther care of us ; all the occurrences of our lives being either the necessary subsequents or collateral adjuncts of our own , either natural or moral actions . for tho it be most true , that he hath endow'd us with an absolute freedom of our wills ( an evidence of his exceeding grace and benignity ) and that indeed which supports the necessity of our rationality ; for if our wills were subject to compulsion , undoubtedly we shou'd have little or no use at all of our reason ( since then our objects wou'd be then both judged of and elected to our hands ) and so permitted us the enjoyment of our own entire liberty ; yet hath he out of a compassionate praenotion of the deceptibility of our judgment , prescrib'd us rules whereby our understandings may be directed in the selection of good , and devitation of evil ; or to speak more expresly . he hath set on our right hand real and true good , on our left only specious and apparent ; the election of either is dependent on our will ; our will is guided by our judgment , and our judgment is the determination or resolve of our intellect ( for without dispare , tho' common physiology hath founded this liberty on the indifferency of the will , yet is it radicated in the indifferency of the intellect or cognoscent faculty primarily and secondarily only in the will , insomuch as that ever follows the ma●●duction of the intellect ) but yet that he might in a manner direct as to our choice , he hath annexed happiness as a reward to invite us to the one , and misery as a punishment to deter us from the other . i have acquainted my self with the opinions of very many learned men upon this subject , and indeed i know of none of them who has written more satisfactorily than the ingenious mr. lock ; a short summary of whose discourse on this particular point , is in the following words . liberty consists in a power to act or not to act , according as the mind directs . a power to direct the operative faculties to motion or rest in particular instances , is that which we call the will. that which in the train of our voluntary actions determines the will to any change of operation , is some present uneasiness , which at least is always accompany'd with that of desire . desire is always ●●●oe● by evil to fly it , because a total freedom from pain always makes a necessary part of our happiness : but every good , nay every greater good , does not constantly move desire , because it may not make , or may not be taken to make a necessary part of our happiness : for all that we desire is only to be happy ; but tho' this general desire of happiness operates constantly and invariably , yet the satisfaction of any particular desire can be suspended from determining the wilt to any subservient action , till we have maturely examin'd , whether the particular apparent good we then desire , make a part of our ●●al happiness , or be consistent or inconsistent with it , the result of our judgment upon that examination , is what ultimately determines the man , who cou'd not be free if his will were determin'd by any thing but his own desire guided by his own judgment . but farther ; in our enquiries about liberty , i think the question is not so proper , whether the will be free , but whether the man be free : thus , i think , that so far as any one can by the direction or choice of his mind , preferring the existence of any action , to the non-existence of that action , and vice versa , make it to exist or not to exist , so far he is free : for if i can by a thought of my mind , preferring one to the other , produce either words or silence , i am at liberty to speak or hold my peace ; and as far as this power reaches , of acting or not acting , by the determination of his own thought preferring either , so far a man is free ; for how can we think any one freer than to have a power to do what he will ; so that in respect of actions within the reach of such a power in him , a man seems as free as it is possible for freedom to make him . yet the inquisitive mind of man , willing to shift off from himself , as far as he can , all thought of guilt , tho' it be by putting himself into a worse state than that of fatal necessity , is not content with this , will have this to be no freedom , unless it reaches farther ; but is ready to say , a man is not free at all , if he be not as free to will , as he is to act what he wills . concerning a man's liberty therefore , there yet is rais'd this farther question , whether a man be free to will ; which , i think , is what is meant , when it is disputed whether the will be free . as to that , i imagine , that willing or choosing being an action , and freedom consisting in a power of acting or not acting , a man in respect of willing any action in his power , once proposed to his thoughts , cannot be free . the reason whereof is very manifest ; for it being unavoidable that the action depending on his will , shou'd exist or not exist ; and its existence or not existence following perfectly the determination and preference of his will , he cannot avoid the willing the existence or not existence of that action , it is absolutely necessary that he will the one or the other , i. e. prefer the one to the other , since one of them must necessarily follow ; and that which does follow , follows by the determination and choice of his mind , that is , by his willing it ; for if he did not will , it would not be : so that in respect of the act of willing , a man is not free ; liberty consisting in a power to act , or not to act , which , in regard of volition , a man has not , it being necessary and unavoidable ( any action in his power being once thought on ) to prefer either its doing or forbearance , upon which preference the action or its forbearance certainly follows , and is truly voluntary . so that to make a man free in this sence , there must be another antecedent will to determine the acts of this will , and another to determine that , and so in infinitum ; for wherever one stops , the actions of the last will cannot be free : nor is any being , so far as i can comprehend beings above me , capable of such a freedom of will , that it can forbear to will , i. e. to prefer the being or not being of any thing in its power , which it has once consider'd as such . this then is evident , a man is not at liberty to will or not to will any thing in his power that he once considers of ; liberty consisting in a power to act or not to act . since then it is plain , a man is not at liberty whether he will will or no ( for when an action in his power is proposed to his thoughts , he cannot forbear volition he must determine one way or the other ) the next thing to be determin'd is , whether he be at liberty to will which of the two he pleases , motion or rest. this question carries the absurdity of it so manifestly in it self , that one might thereby be sufficiently convinc'd that liberty concerns not the will in any case ; for to ask whether a man be at liberty to will either motion or rest , speaking or silence , which he pleases , is to ask whether a man can will what he wills , or be pleased with what he is pleased with . a question which , i think , needs no answer : and whoever can make one of it , must suppose one will to determine the acts of another ; and another to determine that , and so forwards . to avoid these and the like absurdities , nothing can be of greater use than to establish in our minds clear and steady notions of the things under consideration : if the idea's of liberty and volition were well fixed in our understandings , and carried along with us in our minds , as they ought , through all the questions are raised about them , i suppose a great part of the difficulties that perplex mens thoughts , and entangle their understandings , wou'd be much easier resolv'd , and we should perceive where the confused signification of terms , or where the nature of the thing caused obscurity . first then , it is carefully to be remembred , that freedom consists in the dependance of the existence or not existence of any action , upon our volition of it : and not in the dependance of any action , or its contrary , on our preference : or our freedom consists in our being able to act , or not to act , according as we shall choose or will. secondly , we must remember that volition or willing is an act of the mind , directing its thoughts to the production of any action , and thereby exerting its power to produce it . thirdly , the will being nothing but a power in the mind , to direct the operative faculties of a man to motion or rest , as far as they depend on such direction . to the question , what is it determines the will ? the true and proper answer is the mind : for that which determines the general power of directing to this or that particular direction , is nothing but the agent it self exercising the power it has that particular way . if this answer satisfies not , 't is plain the meaning of the question , what determines the will ? is this , what moves the mind in every particular instance to determine its general power of directing to this or that particular motion or rest. and to this i answer , the motive for continuing in the same state or action is only the present satisfaction in it : the motive to change is always some uneasiness ; nothing setting us upon the change of state , or upon any new action , but some uneasiness . this is the true motive that works on the mind to put it upon action , which for shortness sake we call determining the will. i shall not descend farther into the particulars of this learned discourse ; if you look it over , you will find many curious thoughts , particularly in his enquiry , why the greatest positive good determines not the will , unless that our desire be raised proportionably , and makes us uneasie in the want of it : for we must by no means confound our will with our desire . desire it self being an uneasiness . before i finish this argument of the power and freedom which we experience in our selves , and that manifest liberty we have to assent , to deny , to choose or refuse what is presented to our phantasies , i shall endeavour to solve some of those many doubts , which seem to relate to the moral conduct of our lives , by which the wretched subterfuge of the libertine coaction or compulsion will be plainly refuted , and himself in all respects chargeable with his own commissions , omissions , or the impiety of his actions . that this may appear evident , i must desire you to keep in mind the following proposition , that tho' the first motions of our minds are but little in our power , and that we have not a perfect liberty to suppress every sudden thought , apprehension , passion or desire which are excited in our minds , by unexpected objects presented to our imagination . if we are not able to stop them from appearing to us ; or cannot hinder them from coming into our minds , yet is it in our power to deny our consent , or to assent unto the same : and in this very assent or denial are laid the foundations of vice and vertue , and accordingly hereunto we must expect our thoughts deserve the character of good or evil. as for instance ; when i behold a beautiful woman , altho' at the presentment of such an object unforeseen and unexpected , i am perhaps unable to prevent some libidinous idea in my mind , yet is it wholly in any power to choose whether or no i will indulge the thought , or take all opportunities to continue the lewd phansie ; or whether i should make it my business to satisfie my concupiscible appetite by a carnal embrace or contact . again , supposing it impossible i shou'd keep my thoughts from wine , which at one time or other may be presented to me , yet have i full liberty to refuse drinking , to consider whether any prejudice may arise from it , or whether it be necessary i should impair my health , or brutifie my nature , by its extravagant use . i have the rather taken notice of these two particulars , because i find men so apt to cry out upon the corruption of their nature , the frailty of their composition . the lascivious man pleads the prevalency of the temptation , which was too powerful for his resistance , he cou'd not withstand it . so likewise says the drunkard , he cannot help it , it is a natural infirmity out of his power to overcome . in handling this subject , the learned * archbishop of york has thus excellently deliver'd his thoughts : when temptations are presented unto us , tho' we cannot perhaps avoid the feeling some irregular passion , motion or inclination within our selves , upon occasion thereof : yet is it ever at that time absolutely in our power , whether we will comply with those passions or inclinations , or not ; whether we will consent to them or not ; whether we will pursue them farther or not : now if we do not consent , but endeavour to stop , to stifle and resist so soon as we are aware of them , there is yet no harm done , our thoughts , how indecent or irregular soever , are but infirmities : but if on the other side , we consent to any wicked motion or inclination that arises in us , let it come how it will , never so suddenly , never so unexpectedly , if we close with any thought that prompts us to evil , so as to be pleased with it , to delight in it , to think of pursuing it till it be brought into action ; in that case 't is a folly to plead our original corruption , for in that very instant we become actual sinners , and transgressors of the law of god , the obligation of which reaches to our very hearts and thoughts , as well as actions , tho' yet we are not so great transgressors , so long as our sin is only in thought or desire or purpose , as if it had proceeded to outward action . all this is taught us for true divinity by the apostle james , in the first chapter of his epistle , v. , , . let no man say when he is tempted , i am tempted of god , for god tempteth no man ; but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed . then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is finished , bringeth forth death . which passage contains these three propositions : . that no man is drawn to commit sin , by any state or condition that god hath put him into ; no nor by any temptation either outward or inward that is presented to him . it is not a sin to be tempted , nor yet to feel that we are tempted by some disorderly inclination that arises in our minds thereupon . but secondly , then our sin begins , when we yield to the temptation , when we are drawn away by our own lusts , when they get the victory over us , and we do consent to them , then lust hath conceived , and bringeth forth sin. but thirdly , tho' the very consent of our wills to a temptation , be a sin in us , yet is not that sin so great as it will be afterwards when it is brought into action : sin in the desire or purpose is but an embryo , or the first rudiments of sin , but when it comes to be acted it is then a sin in its full dimensions , and the consequence of it will be fatal without repentance ; for sin when it is finished bringeth forth death . having thus hinted to you the power we have not , or in what our liberty does not consist , i will just mention to you the power we have over our own thoughts , and take notice to you wherein that power or liberty consists : for if , say you , we be such slaves to our thoughts , and as it were necessarily subject to them , and passive under them , where is our freedom ? to this i answer , that we have not only a liberty of thinking , and can choose our own thoughts ; but that liberty and freedom which we have in thinking , does consist in that , if we so please we may apply our minds more vigorously to one sort of things than to another , and according to this application so will the most of our thoughts be . it is in our power , amongst the multitude of objects that present themselves to our minds ( as for instance , god , vertue , holiness , heaven , wealth , power , greatness , preferment , fine clothes , splendid equipage , sensual pleasures , recreations , divertisements , knowledge , learning , arts , and the like : i say , amongst all this multitude of objects that present themselves to our minds ) it is in our power to determine our selves which of them we will dwell upon and make a business of , and accordingly , when at any time we have pitch'd upon any of them as a business , it is in our power to mind that business either more or less diligently : and if it be such , as that we mean in good earnest to concern our selves about it , it will then so fill our minds , as that by its attendance we shall either prevent in a great measure other thoughts from coming into our heads , or if they do come in , they will not long stay there , but speedily give place to that which we make our more important business at that time : and the reason of this is plain , because our natures are of that make , that two things at once cannot well possess our minds ; and therefore , if we be intent about one thing , we cannot have much room or leisure for thoughts of another nature . i have spoke the more upon this principle of freedom , the mighty priviledge of man above his fellow-creatures , because i conceive it a matter of the highest consequence ; for if man be not a free agent , free to assent and free to deny , free to love , to fear , to hate , to admire , &c. we at once unhinge the foundation of all true religion , and put the most contemptible brute in competition with him : we destroy the very nature of rewards and punishments founded upon his actions , and take every thing from him commendable or praise-worthy . but , saith the atheist , we would have had him placed in such a condition , that he should only have had a power or freedom to do everything he ought , but never to have had the liberty of forfeiting his future happiness . the absurdity of this desire or expectation is so palpably conspicuous , that there is no man can consider it without perceiving it : for if mankind had been compell'd to the duties of religion , whether they wou'd or no ; or had there been a perfect impossibility that any man shou'd fall into infidelity , in what i pray had layn the advantage of a religious faith ; if men , tho' never so desirous , could not be vicious , where had been the benefit or the just reward of vertue ; if they had never the power of degrading their natures , and falling into luxury , epicurism and sensuality , who had ever heard of temperance and sobriety . where wou'd be our christian fortitude and magnanimity , if there were no difficulties to be encountred , or dangers to be overcome ; or in a word , what reason have we to value our selves for our honesty , justice , charity , patience , resignation , if all these stood but for so many cyphers or empty insignificant sounds , as they must be , did we suppose our selves in such a state as this where we are hurried on by some unseen impulse or coaction , independent on the powers or faculties of our own minds . i must confess there are some places or texts in the sacred writings , which seem at first sight to countenance this opinion , that man is not a free agent , or invested with this power which we contend for : but whoever will take the trouble of collecting the several expositions , not only of divines , but philosophers , will find them all satisfactorily explain'd , their scruples fairly remov'd , and the more natural and genuine sense of them demonstratively asserted . there is no person , that i know of , hath made so much noise in the world about liberty and necessity , or about our acting necessarily , as mr. hobbs . that man , saith he , is free to do a thing , that may do it if he have the will to do it , and may forbear if he have the will to forbear ; and yet if there be a necessity that he shall have the will to do it , the action is necessarily to follow : and if there be a necessity that he shall have the will to forbear , the forbearing also will be necessary . the question therefore is not , whether a man be not a free agent ? that is to say , whether he can write or forbear , speak or be silent , according to his will ? but whether the will to write , or the will to forbear , come upon him according to his will , or according to any thing else in his own power ? i acknowledge this liberty , that i can do if i will ; but to say i can will if i will , i take to be an absurd speech . again saith mr. hobbs , every effect must have a cause to produce it ; that cause must be sufficient to produce it , otherwise it had never been produced : if that cause be sufficient , it must likewise be necessary to produce it ; for if any thing were wanting that was necessary to the production of the effect , it could not be effected , and thus the effect comes to be produced necessarily , or of pure necessity . the comparison stands thus ; the will of man must have some cause , that cause must be sufficient , if sufficient , likewise necessary , ergo , man's will is necessitated . whoever will trouble himself with a little reflection , may easily unriddle this mystery , and prove the argument to be a meer sophism , however strenuous it appear at the first view . the judicious mr. e — d hath done it already to my hand , and therefore i shall refer you to his dialogues for a solution . in the interim i shall be plain with you in this particular , that whatever applause this author may have gain'd in the world , and how much soever extoll'd for a man of profound thought , or a deep judgment , i see nothing in him more taking than his manner of expression ; in which he was indeed so peculiar and singularly fortunate , that many men have been hereby so sooth'd and tickled into an opinion of his judgment , as to take all he says for granted , and to believe every thing new , till a farther consideration discovers to them , that there is nothing more so than his stile and the order of his thoughts . i have some reason to believe you tainted with this man's principles , on which account , as an antidote against the rest of his heretical opinions , i wou'd recommend you to the writings of bishop lucy , my lord c — n , mr. w — and particularly to the lately mention'd e — d. when men have degraded themselves into beasts by practice , they wou'd have it thought by any means that 't is unavoidable for them to act otherwise than they do : from hence they take the measures of their opinions , and will allow of no difference betwixt themselves and the pittiful●st brute , but that matter in them is fall'n into a more lucky texture and modification . and indeed , the brutish soul will very well serve all the ends of some men , who to justifie their sensuality , earnestly contend that they have nothing more to indulge , or gratifie besides their animal inclinations . but notwithstanding , whatever these men think , this is a most undoubted verity , that next to the belief of the being of god , the perswasion of the soul 's being immortal is the great basis of all true happiness , the hinge upon which all religion turns : 't is this that leads us both to contemn the gratifications of the flesh , and to be solicitous about a happiness hereafter , tho' it be with undergoing some present inconveniences ; nor is there any truth whatever that hath a more powerful influence upon the whole course of our present lives . men may study to palliate and ease the disquiet of their troubled souls after what manner they please , yet still there will be some lucid intervals , which will discover to them the possibility of a life to come , and put them upon questioning the certainty of their souls perpetual sleep , which , shou'd it happen to be a mistake , will prove one of the most dangerous and pernicious consequence . sic mihi ( saith the eloquent * cicero ) persuasi , sic sentio , cum tanta celeritas sit animorum , tanta memoria praeteritorum , futurorumque prudentia , tot artes , tot scientiae , tot inventa , non posse eam naturam , quae eas res contineat esse mortalem ; cumque animus semper agitetur , nec principium motus habeat quia ipse se moveat , nec finem quidem habiturum esse motus , quia nunquam se ipse sit relicturus , & cum simplex animi sit natura , neque habeat in se quidquam admistum dispar sui , atque dissimile , non posse cum dividi : quod si non p●ssit , non p●ssit interire . there is a very remarkable account i have somewhere read , of one whom we might reasonably believe , if he had ever heard of such a thing as priestcraft , was above the reach of its infection , and too well acquainted with the knowledge of material powers ( at least in his own conceit ) to admit or suffer an imposition upon his reason : not to keep you in suspense , 't is aristotle i mean , of whom averroes , one of his commentators , gives this encomium : complevit artes & scientias , & nullus corum qui secuti sunt cum usque ad hoc tempus quod est mille & quingentorum annorum quidquam addidit , nec invenies in ejus verbis errorem alicujus quantitatis , & talem esse vertutem in individio uno miraculosum & extraneum existit : & haec dispositio cum in uno homine reperitur dignus est esse divinus magis quam humanus . in another place he speaks thus : landemus deum qui seperavit hunc virum ab aliis in perfectione , appropriavitque ei ultimam dignitatem humanam quam non omnis homo potest in quacunque aetate attingere . again , saith he , aristotelis doctrina est summa veritas , quoniam ejus intellectus fuit finis humani intellectus , quare bene dicitur de eo quod ipse fuit creatus & datus nobis ut non ignoremus possibilia sciri . yet this wonderful philosopher ( if we may credit this character ) who has set so many learned men contesting about his principles , and diving into his opinion of the great soul of man , notwithstanding he had thought of all the subtil subterfuges his wit could devise , to evade acknowledging its distinct subsistence , and amongst others had invented ( for he owns himself its first broacher ) that impossible notion of the worlds eternity , yet is it reported of him , that he was so fully convinc'd of the separate being of his own soul , that immediately before his exit he is said earnestly to have cry'd out to this purpose , en dubitans vixi , moriensque , animae quid accidet sum ignotus , tu ergo domine essentiarum 〈◊〉 , miserere mei . i hope now the preceding passages will in some measure convince you of this great truth , that it has been not only the opinion of particular men , but a kind of universal belief in mankind that their soul's wou'd survive their bodies , and that the very ethnicks themselves , who were capable of an abstracted speculation , and thoroughly acquainted with the powers of their own minds , have by evidence from natural light subscrib'd this confession , either openly in words , or secretly , by their apparent doubts and fears of a life to come . to conclude , let me request you , when your soul is the least ruffled with anxiety or perturbation , and your rational faculties with sensual delights and satisfactions : when your mind is most serene , most calm and lucid , to divest your self but for some few moments of all gross ideas and material images , and perhaps by the free and considerate exercise of some reflex act , that intuitive knowledge may so inlighten your understanding , as i hope to convince you that the rational and thinking part of you , which enjoys this great prerogative , must be infinitely above the powers of matter , under whatever modification : and that your capacity to know things by this kind of reflection , which have no manner of relation to material idea's , neither yet are represented in the brain by any corporeal image , is perfect demonstration that there are beings of a spiritual incorporeal nature , that your superiour or rational soul is of this class , infu●●●●● thereinto by the almighty author of all things . i remain ( my very good friend ) most affectionately yours . london , jan. . . postscript . that the preceding discourse may be the more entertaining , i have here taken an opportunity of presenting you with an epitomy of the sentiments of two famous men. the hypotheses are both new , or at least were never , as i have heard , deliver'd to us before in such regular systems : the first is that of monsieur malebranch , where discoursing of our sensations , he endeavours to establish the following notion , that they are neither such as we have all along accounted them , nor do they at all reside in those parts we have supposed ; or to speak more intelligibly , that our sense , whether of heat , colours , tasts , sounds , &c. is nothing real in the object , nor yet in the part which is believ'd the sentient . to instance in one of these , that upon the approach of your hand to the fire , the heat you apprehend , is neither in the fire nor in your hand , but a pure modification of your soul it self , which is thus variously modefy'd by the supream being at the presentment of the several objects . in his explaining this , he takes notice to us that in this approach of the hand to the fire , there is nothing but an invisible motion in the fire or hand : in the former , by the continual expulsion of igneous particles against the fibres of the hand ; and in the hand a motion or division of the same fibres , by the intrusion of the fiery particles . and thus , * saith he , that we may not neglect the care and preservation of the several parts of our bodies , it hath pleased the almighty maker of them to new modifie our souls , after so wonderful a manner , that when any danger approaches , which wou'd prejudice their make or structure , we shou'd apprehend our pains and disorders , and feel them as it were in those places where the danger lyes , without conceiving at the same time the modification of our souls ; and this will hold in every of our sensations , which are nothing real any where , unless in the soul it self . this may now inform us that we should be very cautious in giving credit to the testimony of our senses , which do for the most part involve us in most of our mistakes ; for these are not given us to inform us of the truth of things , but only as they stand related to the preservation of our bodies . that this argument may be enforced with a farther perspicuity , here is another signal instance of the general errors into which ( amongst the other senses ) our sight betrays us , in reference to light and colours . when we have lookt upon the sun , for some time , this is what passes in our eyes and in our souls , and these are the errors we fall into . those who know the first elements of dioptricks , and any thing of the admirable structure of our eyes , are not ignorant that the rays of the sun are refracted in the crystaline and other humours , and that they meet afterwards upon the ret●●● , or expansion of the optic nerve , which , as it were , furnishes with hangings all the bottom of the eyes , even as the rays of the sun , which pass through a convex glass , meet together in the focus at two , three , or four fingers breadth distant , in proportion to its convexity . now experience shows , that if one put at the focus of the convex glass a little piece of stuff , or brown paper , the rays of the sun make so great an impression upon this stuff or paper , and agitate the small particles thereof with so great a violence , that they break and separate them from one another : in a word , they burn them , or reduce them into smoak and ashes . thus we must conclude from this experience , that if the pupil through which the light passes , were so dilated that it wou'd admit an easie passage for the rays of the sun , or on the contrary , were so contracted as to obstruct them , our retina wou'd suffer the same thing as the paper or piece of stuff , and the fibres wou'd be so very much agitated that they wou'd soon be broken and burnt . it is for this reason that most men are sensible of a pain , if they look upon the sun but for one moment , because they cannot so well close up the orifice of the pupil , but that there will enter sufficient rays to agitate the strings of the optic nerve , with much violence , and not without danger of breaking them . the soul has no knowledge of what we have spoke , and when it looks upon the sun it neither perceives its optic nerve , no● any motion in it . but that 's not the error , 't is only a simple ignorance . the first error it falls into is , that it judges the pain it feels , is in its eyes . if immediately after looking upon the sun , we go into a dark place with our eyes open , the motion of the fibres of the optic nerve , caused by the rays of the sun , diminishes and changes by little and little : this is all the change that can be perceived in the eyes ; however , 't is not what the soul perceives there , but only a white and yellow light. its second error is , it judges that the light it sees is in the eyes , or upon the next wall. in fine , the agitation of the fibres of the retina always diminishes and ceases by little and little ; for when a body has been shaken , nothing can be perceived in it , but a diminution of its motion : but 't is not that which the soul perceives in its eyes ; it sees the white become an orange colour , afterwards red , and then blue ; and the reason of this error is , that we judge there are changes in our eyes , or upon the next wall , that differ much as to the more or less , because the blue , orange , and red colours which we see , differ much otherwise amongst themselves , besides in the more or less . these are some errors which we are subject to in reference to light and colours ; and these errors beget many others . thus the learned and devout father proceeds in this sublime and curious speculation , and whatever consequences may be drawn by designing men from the modification of our souls by the supream being , as might be instanc't in some few particulars , yet most certainly there are many weighty truths , depending on this noble theory : and whoever dives into the bottom of the notion , may not unlikely find ( that however some superficial wits may calumniate and despise it ) his divine faith may be exalted , and a more profound esteem and veneration raised for that power , from whom is derived all the benefits we can enjoy . by a serious enquiry of this nature , we might undoubtedly arrive at a more certain account of the nature and usefulness of that infinite number of little beings , which we call species and idea's , which are as nothing , and which represent all things that we create and destroy when we please , and that our ignorance hath made us imagine to render a reason for things that we understand not : we should likewise be enabled to show the solidity of their opinion , who believe god is the true father of light , who only instructs all men , without whom the most simple truths cou'd not be intelligible , nor wou'd the sun , how bright soever , be so much as visible to us . and of theirs who acknowledge no other nature than the will of god , and who upon such like reflections have confessed , that the idea's which represent the creatures to us , are only the perfections of the divine being , which answer to those same creatures , and represent them to us . the second of these new hypotheses , tho' i conceive its first rise from the same fountain with the former , yet i find the same very strenuously pleaded for and judiciously vindicated by our country-man mr. norris : and this is the doctrine of the divine light , as it relates to the humane intellect : of which that i may give you a short specimen , or briefly hint to you , i must take notice that in one part of his treatise he cites monsieur malebranch , who considering with himself all the possible ways of humane understanding , or whereby we come to have the idea's of things without us , makes this division or enumeration of them . . it is necessary that these idea's should either proceed from the objects : or , . that our mind has a power of producing them : or , . that god should produce them either with the mind when he creates it , or occasionally as often as we think of any object . or that the mind should possess in it self all the perfections which it sees in things . or thly and lastly , that it be united to some absolutely perfect being that includes in himself all the perfections of created beings . after this enumeration , i find that both the father , and after him mr. norris , have pitched upon the last of these , as the only expedient to help us in the manner of our knowledge or understanding , and it is on the same basis that the latter hath erected the following scheme . i. whereas , saith he , the qu — rs talk of this light within as of some divine communication or manifestation only , i make it to be the very essence and substance of the deity , which i suppose virtually to contain all things in it , and to be intimately united to our minds . ii. they represent this light within as a sort of extraordinary inspiration ( whence they have the name of enthusiasts ) whereas according to my notion , it is a man's natural and ordinary way of understanding . iii. farther ( if i mistake not ) they confine their light within to some certain objects , namely moral and spiritual truths , in order only to the direction of practise , and accordingly make it a suppliment to scripture , which they say is not sufficient without it , nor indeed any more than a meer dead letter . on the other hand i appropriate not this divine light to moral or spiritual truths or things , but extend it as far as all truth , yea as far as all that is intelligible , which i believe to be perceived and understood in this divine light as i explain it . iv. they ( viz. the q — rs ) make their light within , a special priviledge of a certain order of men , their own party , not indeed as to the possibility , because they suppose all men to be indifferently capable of this divine illumination , as may appear from their contending against predestination , and for universal grace ; but tho' they do not make it a special priviledge as to the possibility , yet they do as to the act ; making none but those of their own way to be actually inlighten'd by it : whereas , according to my principles , this is no special priviledge , but the common and universal benefit of all men , yea of all the intelligent creation , who all see and understand in this light of god , without which there would be neither truth nor understanding . v. again , by their light within they understand some determinate form'd dictate or proposition , expresly and positively directing and instructing them to do so or so . now according to my notion , this divine light is only the essential truth of god , which indeed is always present to my understanding , as being intimately united with it , but does not formally enlighten or instruct me , unless when i attend to it , and read what is written in those divine ideal characters . vi. and lastly , they offer not any rational or intelligible account of the light within , neither as to the thing , nor as to the mode of it , but cant only in some loose general expressions about the light , which they confirm with the authority of st. john's gospel , tho' they understand neither one nor t'other : whereas i have offer'd a natural , distinct , and philosophical way of explaining both , namely by the omniformity of the ideal world , or the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who has in himself the essences and ideas of all things , and in whom the same are perceived by us and by all creatures . i shall not detain you , with my own comments hereupon , any otherwise than by informing you , that so far as i am able to apprehend the same may be a solid truth , i mean mr. norris's explanation of the divine light. futurity will make us all wiser , and open a door to those recluse arcana or hidden mysteries which in this life are likely to be veiled from our eyes . adieu . letter iv. of religion . to mr. — &c. the certainty of revelation in time past : the fallacy of modern inspiration ; and the danger of enthusiasm . my good friend , it is with no small concern , that i have left my former argument of the soul , and yet methinks i am not perfectly without hopes that you will find something therein to evidence its immortality ; for altho' the one half of what may be alledg'd in its vindication , cannot be reduc'd to the narrow limits of an epistle ; yet if i mistake not , there are some few of the physical arguments do manifestly evince , that without supposing it to be a spiritual incorporeal substance ( whatever jargon this may seem to the absolute corporealist ) there are many of its phaenomena will be eternally incapable of any tolerable or allowable explanation . i shall therefore earnestly request you that you live not in a contempt of it ; for notwithstanding the powers of sense and imagination may so obscure and darken the pure acts of the mind , as to perswade you that will and reason arise from the same principle ; assure your self that an immediate prospect of another life , will change the scene : the intercepting curtain will open and represent the anti-chamber of death , where you will find your self in the midst of such confusion , horrour , consternation and perplexity , as nothing will be able to mitigate but a sincere penitence or fervent contrition , a devout and humble prosternation of your soul to the power offended : and if the dread of this being insufficient still highten your disturbance , you may tast perhaps that hell you so very lately had ridicul'd by way of anticipation , before your fatal leap from the dismal and horrid praecipice of life . . it must be done , my soul , but 't is a strange , a dismal and mysterious change : when thou shalt leave this tenement of clay , and to an unknown somewhere wing away : when time shall be eternity , and thou shalt be thou know'st not what , and live thou know'st not how . . amasing state ! no wonder that we dread to think of death or view the dead ; thou' rt all wrapt up in clouds , as if to thee our very knowledge had antipathy ; death could not a more sad retinue find , sickness and pain before , and darkness all behind . . some courteous ghost , tell this great secrecy , what 't is you are , and we must be : you warn us of approaching death , and why may we not know from you what 't is to dye , but you having shot the gulph , delight to see succeeding souls plunge in with like uncertainty . . when life 's close knot , by writ from destiny , disease shall cut , or age untye , when after some delays , some dying strife , the soul stands shivering on the ridge of life , with what a dreadful curiosity , does she launch out into the sea of vast eternity . . so when the spacious globe was delug'd o're , and lower holds could save no more , on th' utmost bough the astonisht sinners stood , and view'd the advances of th' encroaching flood : o'retopt at length by th' elements increase , with horror they resign'd to the untry'd abyss . thus has the ingenious mr. norris most livelily represented the frightful exit of the departing soul : but to avoid any farther interruption , i shall hasten to my intended discourse , with this expectation , if not assurance , that on whatsoever side you find right reason , you will make no opposition : or where the light of your understanding shines clearly forth , that you by no means stifle , or study to obscure the same . whoever then has once admitted , and does unfeignedly believe the truth of these three propositions , ( viz. ) that there is a most powerful and wise being , the first cause of all things . that the same being does inspect or take notice of the actions of mankind , and will retribute to every one according to those actions , in a life to come : whoso , i say , has granted these , will find himself at no great loss , to conceive that it highly behoves him to have a regard both to his thoughts and actions : to do nought indeliberately , but to regulate the conduct of his whole life , by some such certain , just , and immutable rule , as he foresees is most likely to tend to his security and well-being . now it having pleased this all-wise being , to endow his darling favourite man above the other creatures , with a principle of reason , and to be himself a light unto his soul , wherein he may contemplate those other . beings which surround him ; we need not dispute but that by a devout consulting this intestine director or dictator , we may come to understand what measures are to be taken for our information . if by the alone assistance of this natural light in the understanding , we find it neither practicable nor possible , to invent any such laws or rules as would be agreed unto by the body of mankind , or such as wou'd never need any alteration , but be comply'd with and understood , and all this while contain every thing necessary to the discharging of our duty to our god and to each other : if humane reason , or the light of nature , is insufficient to direct us to such a uniform and steddy rule , or system of laws ; or if it cou'd , since the greater part of men wou'd think themselves unconcern'd , or under no necessity to observe them , on the account of a deficiency in authority , or a want of a divine sanction or manumission : it is reasonable , as well as natural , for us to wish and expect upon these accounts , that our maker wou'd in some manner reveal himself unto us , that he wou'd prescribe our laws , and stamp the same with some divine impression , whereby we might be enabled to discover their authority , and read in them the characters of a more than humane contrivance or composition . whether or no this almighty being has made any such discovery of his will to the world , or revealed to them such laws or rules of worship , as will be most acceptable to him , is the business of our present enquiry : for let me tell you , whatever noise our deists have made in the world about the sufficiency of natural religion , we have very little reason to think them in good earnest . if their natural religion does oblige them to believe in god , and to confess the truth of the souls immortality , how comes it to pass that the result of such a faith is so little conspicuous in their lives and conversations , and why i pray is it that the precepts of christianity , which aim at nothing more than the happiness of mankind , and contain the compleatest system both of moral and divine laws to direct us in our duty , shou'd be no more regarded ? 't is plain enough to every sober and judicious man , that there is nothing in reveal'd religion , that can seem harsh even to a real deist : he that is a deist in good earnest , will find it his highest interest and concern , to do every thing which christianity has enjoyn'd : upon which score since we find it otherwise , we have abundant cause to think with a * learned man , that revelation in it self is not the stumbling block ; it is not the fundamentals of the christian doctrine , nor yet the articles of her creed ; it is the duty to god and our neighbour that is such an inconsistent incredible legend . he who is more than a nominal deist , must heartily subscribe this following confession , which that you may be the better opinion'd of , i shall give you in their own words . † we do believe that there is an infinitely powerful , wise , and good god , who superintends the actions of mankind , in order to retribute to every one according to their deserts : neither are we to boggle at this creed ; for if we do not stick to it , we ruine the foundation of all humane happiness , and are in effect no better than meer atheists . whatsoever is adorable ( saith another of them ) aimiable and imitable by mankind , is in one supream , infinite and perfect being , which we call god ; who is to be worshipped by an inviolable adherence in our lives , to all the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by an imitation of all his infinite perfections , especially his goodness , and believing magnificently of it . again , in their new scheme of natural religion , i find acknowledg'd the following particulars . . that there is one infinite , eternal god , creator of all things . . that he governs the world by providence . . that 't is our duty to worship and obey him as our creator and governour . . that our worship consists in prayer to him , and praise of him. . that our obedience consists in the rules of right reason , the practice whereof is moral vertue . . that we are to expect rewards and punishments hereafter , according to our actions in this life . . and lastly , when we err from the rules of our duty , that we repent us , and trust in god's mercy for our pardon . now show me the man , who acts according to this faith , and let him be never so well opinion'd of natural religion , i make it no question but he will readily acknowledge ( as the most considerate and judicious of them have always done ) that christianity , however mysterious , is indisputably the best method of cultivating mens minds , and manuring their consciences . i must confess with * mr. norris , were we to consult the perverse glosses and comments of some christian rabbins , and to take our measures of this religion , from those ill-favour'd draughts of it , we may sometimes meet with ; we shou'd be induc'd to think , that as some christians are the worst of men , so will their religion appear to be the worst of religions ; an institution unworthy the contrivance even of a wise politician , much less of him who is the father of wisdom . and indeed , whatever declamations are made against judaism and paganism , the worst enemies of the christian religion are some of those who profess and teach it : for if it be in reality , as some of those who call themselves orthodox describe it , we may boldly say that it is neither for the reputation of god to be the author of such a religion , nor for the interest of men to be guided by it . those of whom this author more particularly takes notice , as the misrepresenters of christianity , are first of all the antinomians , who are impudent and ignorant enough , in express terms , to assert that the sacrifice and satisfaction of christ does wholly excuse us from all manner of duty and obedience . secondly the solifidians , who under pretence of advancing the merits of the cross , and ●he freeness of the divine grace , require nothing of a christian in order to his justification and acceptance before god , but firmly to rely on the merits and satisfaction of christ ; and without any more to do to apply all to himself . and thirdly , those who have a share in the foremention'd charge , are such who make christianity a matter of bare speculation , rending and dividing themselves from one another , by those unhappy and dangerous disputations which instead of making proselytes to the truth of christianity , have drawn men first of all to deism , afterwards to scepticism , and thence by a very easie step to infidelity and atheism . these are they who think all religion absolved in orthodoxy of opinion , that care not how men live , but only how they teach ; and are so over-intent upon the creed , that they neglect the commandments , little considering that opinion is purely in order to practise , and that orthodoxy of judgment is necessary only in such matters where a mistake wou'd be of dangerous influence to our actions , that is in fundamentals : so that the necessity of thinking rightly , is derived from the necessity of doing rightly , and consequently the latter is the most necessary of the two . having touched on some few of those particular opinions which have brought a scandal upon revealed religion , and very much obscur'd its glorious lustre , it behoves me to say something to revelation it self , which i shall do in the words of a late author . as all mankind have agreed in this , that besides the light of reason , there ought to be some supernatural revelation of the will of god ; so being imbued with the perswasion that there is a god , and that he ought to be worshipped , they are convinced also that all the religion of men at present towards god , is the religion of sinners : in all the addresses of the sons of men to god , they constantly apply to him under a sense of defilement and guilt : in all their transactions from time to time with the deity , they have been studying how to purge and cleanse themselves , to attone and appease him. now sinners can perform nothing duly in religion towards god , without a knowledge of the subordination we were created in at first to him : his right and authority to prescribe laws to us , the capacity we were in both of knowing and keeping them : the way and means by which sin enter'd : that god will not desert the work of his hands , to that ruine which it hath incurr'd by its own folly , but that he is yet appeasable towards us , and will accept a worship and service at our hands , with the ways , means and terms : that he will receive us again into favour , and rescue us from the defilement we labour under . without some information in every one of these , there is no solid foundation for sinners to apply in way of religion to god at all ; and shou'd they attempt it , they will do nothing but prevaricate . seeing then the experience of some thousands of years , have evidenc'd the ineffectualness of natural light to instruct the world in any one of these things ; we may from hence infer the necessity that there seems to be of supernatural revelation . the writings of the heathen , whether poets or philosophers , are certainly void of all pretence of admission for supernatural and divine records : and our reason is able to give us the like demonstrative evidence , that this claim is also most unduly ascrib'd to the alcoran . 't is true that mahomet pretended to have receiv'd it by inspiration : most think that he counterfeited in his pretence ; and it is certain , that as to receiving it by inspiration from god , he did so : but that there was not an immediate interposure of the devil in the case , so that he was deceived himself , e're he went about to deceive others , is not so certain . the epileptical distemper to which he was subject , hath in others been attended with diabolical insinuation . the age in which he liv'd was enthusiastically inclin'd , and the grosness of the arabian wits , together with the subserviency of ethnick idolatry , which remain'd up and down among them , might encourage satan to make an attempt that way among that people . but whether it was indeed so , or whether the whole be singly to be attributed to himself , and one or two impostors more that assisted him , is not material , nor makes to the business it self . mahometism began not till the sixth century , about which time and for a considerable season before , the whole east was sorely infected by heresies , and rent by schisms : which , together with the impure lives of the professors of the gospel , both there and in the west , might justly provoke god to permit this deceiver to accost the world ; but obtruding a new religion , and such a one too as neither reason nor any former revelation of god befriended : it concern'd him to have justify'd his mission , by some miracle or other , as to what he went about : and these himself plainly disclaims ; for tho' some of his followers ascribe such to him , yet there is so little brought in proof of them , and withal they are so silly and ridiculous in themselves , that they serve for nothing but to disparage both the person and the cause in whose behalf they are brought . i know that all persons , who have spoken immediately from god , have not had the attestation of miracles : nor was it always needful , especially when they only called men to obedience to that which had been sufficiently so attested before : in such a case it became the wisdom of god to be sparing of miracles , and indeed be thereby better provided for the credit of those doctrines , as were either really or only in appearance new , and also more served the interest of mankind , than if he shou'd have wrought wonders in attestation of every ordinary messenger or familiar truth . and this may be a reason why none of all the penmen of the scripture are reported to have wrought miracles , save moses the giver of the law , and the apostles the promulgers of the gospel . but tho' every herald of heaven had not the attestation of miracles , yet no one came inspired by god , who had not some testimony or other born to him , to distinguish him from an impostor : either the doctrines they deliver'd were of that sublimeness , that no finite understanding cou'd have invented them , and yet when discover'd were so correspondent to our rational desires , and so perfective of our natural light , that being duly weighed , the reason of man acquiesceth in them , and says this is what i lookt for , but cou'd not find : or else they made known some present matter , which lay out of the reach of all humane knowledge , such as the secrets of the heart , or declared some fact done either at a distance , or with that secrecy , that no man cou'd know it : or else they foretold some future contingent soon after to come to pass , which accordingly fell out in every circumstance . nor is it unlikely , but that most , if not all the old testament prophets , had their missions confirm'd by the prediction of something future , which humane prudence cou'd not foresee : or else they were born witness to by the prevalency and immediate success of their prayers , or the preventing some impendent judgment , or in the procuring some needful mercy ; for thereby was declared either their foresight of what god was ready to do , or the interest favour , and power they had with him : nor is it without probability that most of the prophets under the mosaic dispensation , justify'd their missions by some such thing . but as for mahomet , tho' he not only pretended to speak immediately from god , but withal introduced a doctrine really new , yet he came authorised by no miracle , sign or badge by which he might be distinguish'd from an impostor . yea , whereas he owns that both moses and christ were sent from god , it is an infallible argument that he was not , their doctrine and his being altogether inconsistent . besides , it hath been generally acknowledg'd , not only by jews and christians , but by heathens , and that agreeably to the light of reason , that prophetick illapses never befel impure and unclean souls , and that god never made an unhallowed person his oracle , at least that never any such were employ'd for the divine amannenses . now if we examine the alcoran by this prophetic text , we find the author of it to have been a person lustful and tyrannical ; made up of nothing but blood and dirt , grosly sensual and prodigiously cruel , which plainly demonstrates how unfit he was to lay claim to the prophetic priviledge and dignity . if we consult the doctrine of the alcoran , we have all the evidence that the reason of man can desire , that it neither did nor cou'd proceed from god. it is true , there are some things in it stolen from the scripture , but even those are so perversly related , and so wretchedly corrupted with fables , that they lose the very similitude of truth , through the villainous management of them . persons are so misnam'd , times are so mistaken , the whole so interlarded with contradictions , and disguised with absurdities , that we must needs say the contriver had a bad memory , and a worse understanding . in a word , the whole alcoran is nothing but a cento of heathenism , judaism and christianity all miserably corrupted , and as wildly blended together . the doctrines of it are for the most part , either impossible , blasphemous or absurd . the rewards promised to the embracers of it , are impure and foolish . the whole was at first invented out of pride and ambition , propagated by violence and rapine , and is still maintain'd in the ways it was establisht . profound ignorance , sensual baits , and force of arms gave it its first promotion , and do still maintain its credit in the world. thus the meanest reason , if duly exercised , is able manifestly to disprove the divinity of the alcoran . this business of revelation has been of late so curiously handled by the b — of c — that i can do no less then recommend to you a perusal of those his excellent discourses at mr. boyle's lecture ; where i am ready to believe you will find but little wanting to a demonstration of the necessity of reveal'd religion ; of a possibility for the almighty to reveal his will ; and lastly , not only the probability , but the certainty that he has reveal'd his will to mankind ; and that this revelation is the same which is contained in the two testaments . for the ●leing all which truths , ( viz. ) the possibility , expedience , usefulness , necessity , and the certainty of divine revelation , he has offer'd such evidence , rational , natural , traditionary and supernatural , as may suffice for the conviction of the unprejudic'd infidel , and will be found too strong to be made void , or overthrown by the subtilest of the hellish tribe . our belief of the scriptures being a divine revelation , does inde●d suppose the existence of a god , and therefore our knowledge of his being , must precede our faith of the divine authority of the bible . i grant the scriptures may be brought , not only to such as own their truth , but even to infidels , as a proof of a deity ; but then it must not be upon the score of their naked testimony , but on the account of their being of such a frame , nature and quality , that they can proceed from no other author : and thus may we arrive by the scripture at an assurance of god's existence , as we do at the knowledge of a cause by its effect . but so far as we assent to any thing upon the credit of the scriptures meer testification , we are necessitated to presuppose the existence of a god , it bring only on the account of his veracity in himself , and that the bible is a divine revelation that we do , without the least guilt of vain credulity , because upon the highest reason , implicitly believe it . again , those who owe their belief of the bible's being the word of god , to meer report , to principles of education , the felicity of their birth , or the clime where they were born , receive the scripture upon no better motives , than the turks do their alcoran . if pretended inspiration may pass for the demonstration of the truth of what every bold pretender will obtrude upon us , we must expose our selves , not only to the belief of every groundless imagination , but of innumerable contradictions : for not only the grossest follies , but doctrines palpably repugnant both to reason , and one another , have been deliver'd by enthusiasts and pretended inspirato's . i grant that the testimony of the holy ghost in the souls and consciences of men to the truth of the scriptures , is the most convincing evidence that such persons can have of its divinity . but . the holy ghost convinceth no man as to the belief of the scripture , without enlightning him in the ground , and reasons upon which its proceeding from god , is evidenc'd and establish● . there is no conviction begot by the holy ghost in the hearts of men , otherways than by rational evidence , satisfying our understandings , through a discovery of the motives and inducements that ascertain the truth of what he wou'd convince us of . . no man's particular assurance obtain'd thus in way of illumination by the holy ghost , is to be otherwise urged as an argument of conviction to another , than by proposing the reasons on which our faith is erected . the way of such mens evidence is communicable to none , unless they cou'd kindle the same rays in the breasts of others , which have irradiated their own : and therefore they must deal with others by producing the grounds of their conviction , not pleading the manner of it ; for that another is convinced and perswaded by them , depends wholly on the weight and momentousness of the reasons themselves , not on the manner that such a person came to discover them : for shou'd he have arrived at the discerning them by any other means , they had been of the same significancy to the conviction of an adversary . . the holy ghost , as a distinct person in the deity , is not a principle demonstrable by reason , seeing then it is by the scripture alone that we are assured of the existence of the divine spirit , as a distinct person in the godhead , therefore his testimony in the hearts and consciences of men to the scripture , cannot be allow'd as a previous evidence of its divinity . to prove the divine authority of the scripture , by the testimony of the holy ghost , when we cannot otherwise prove that there is a holy ghost but by the testimony of the sc●ipture , is to argue circularly and absurdly . so that in short , when we have to do with such , as either question or deny the authority of the scripture , we are to prove it by ratiocination , from common principles receiv'd amongst mankind , and by topicks that lye even and proportionate to intellectual natures . our reason is here justly to be magnify'd as highly subservient to religion , in that it can demonstrate the divine authority of the scripture , upon which our faith , as to all particular articles and duties of religion , is grounded . this , i say , our reason can do to the conviction of all , who are not wilfully obstinate , and for such there is no means , either sufficient or intended by the almighty , to satisfie them . for it is certain , that partly through the weakness and darkness which have arrested our understandings , partly through the nature , quality , extent and arduousness of objects , and our inadaequate conceptions of them , partly through prepossessions , prejudices , and the bias of lusts and passions that we are subject to ; partly through supineness , sloth and inadvertency , we do often prevaricate in making deductions and inferences from self-evident and universal maxims ; and thereupon establish erroneous and mistaken consequences as principles of truth and reason . but then this is the fault of philosophers , not of philosophy , or of philosophy in the concrete , as existing in this or that person , not in the abstract , as involving such a mischief in its nature and idea . our intellectual faculties being vitiated and tinctur'd with lust , inthralled by prejudices , darkened by passions , ingaged by vain and corrupt interests , distorted by pride and self-love , and fastened to earthly images , do often impose upon us , and lead us to obtrude upon others absurd axioms for undoubted and incontestable principles of reason . it is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this adulterate reason which is both unfriendly and dangerous to religion ; it is to this that most of the malignant heresies which have infected the church , do owe its rise ; and whoever will trace the errors which have invaded divinity to their source , may resolve them into false reasonings or absurd maxims of philosophy , which have been by their founders superscribed with the venerable name of principles of reason . indeed whatever can be made appear to lye in a contradiction to right reason , we may profess our selves ready to abandon and disclaim : but we are satisfy'd , and do fully believe , that a great deal which only crosses some false and lubricous principles that dogmatists have given that name to , falls under the imputation of disagreement with reason : the repugnancy of reason fasten'd upon some tenets , is rather the result of ignorance , prepossession , and sometimes lust , than their contrariety to universal reason , or any genuine maxims of it . farther , it must be granted , and hath always been judged that the incomprehensibleness of a doctrine , through the sublimity and extension of its object , is no just bar to the truth of it . and indeed it is to be wonder'd , that any who have studied the weakness of their discursive capacity , the feebleness of intellectual light , how soon it is dazled with too bright a splendour , the confinement and boundaries our understandings are subject to , together with the majesty of the gospel truth , the immensity of the objects of the christian faith , shou'd think the arduousness of framing distinct and adaequate conceptions of them , a sufficient ground for their being renounced and disclaimed . yet this is the standard by which some men regulate their belief . as to the bible , ' tho every thing in it be not alike necessary , yet every thing in it is alike true , and our concernment lyes more or less in it . there is no other rule by which we are to be regulated in matters of religion besides this ; and therefore the import and meaning of its terms can be no other ways decided , but by their habitude to their measure . for this end did the almighty give forth the scripture , that it might be the foundation and standard of religion , and thence it is we are to learn its laws and constitutions . the instructing mankind in whatsoever is necessary to his present or future happiness , was our makers design in vouchsafing to us a supernatural revelation : and foreseeing all things that are necessary to such an end , the respect and veneration which we pay to his sapience and goodness , oblige us to believe that he hath adapted and proportioned the means thereunto . now the doctrines of the bible are of two sorts : . such as besides their being made known by revelation , and believed on the account of divine testimony , have also a foundation in the light of nature , and there are natural mediums , by which they may be proved : of this kind are the being of , or attributes of god , the immortality of the soul , the certainty of providence , the existence of a future state and moral good and evil. . such as have no foundation at all in nature , by which they cou'd have been found out or known , but we are solely indebted to supernatural revelation for the discovery of them ; their objects having their source and rise only from the will of god ; a supernatural revelation was absolutely expedient to promulge them : and these also are of two sorts . . there are some doctrines , which tho' our understandings by natural mediums cou'd never have discover'd , yet being on●e ●evealed , our minds can by arguments drawn from reason , facilitate the apprehension of them , and confirm it self in their belief : of this kind are the resurrection of the body , and satisfaction to divine justice in order to the exercising of forgiveness to penitent sinners . there are others , which as reason cou'd never have discover'd , so when reveald , it can neither comprehend them , nor produce any medium in nature , by which either the existence of their objects can be demonstrated , or their truth illustrated : of this kind are the doctrines of the trinity , and the incarnation of the son of god ; of these our reason is not able to give us any adaequate conceptions : and yet these are by a clear and necessary connex●on united with other doctrines of faith , which reason enlighten'd by revelation can give a rational account of . for the mystery of the trinity hath a necessary connexion with the work of our redemption , by the incarnation of the son of god : and the work of redemption by the incarnation of an infinite person , hath the like connexion with the necessity of satisfying divine justice , in order to the dispensing of pardon to repenting offenders : and the necessity of satisfying divine justice for the end aforesaid , hath a necessary connexion with the doctrine of the corruption of mankind ; and this corruption is both fully confessed and easily demonstrated by reason . thus tho' all the objects of faith have not an immediate correspondence with those of reason , yet these very doctrines of faith , which lye remo●est from the territories of reason , and seem to have least affinity with its light , are necessarily and clearly connected with those other principles of faith , which when once discover'd , reason both approves of and can rationally confirm it self in . i need not add , that the most mysterious doctrines of religion , are necessarily connected with a belief of the bible's being the word of god , and that is a truth which right reason is so far from rejecting , that it is able to demonstrate the same . now if in explaining the phaenomena of nature , which is the proper province of reason , the most that a discreet philosopher will pretend to , is to declare the possible ways by which a phoenomenon may be accounted for , without presuming to say that it is only performed in this way , and that there is no other in which it may be explain'd : much more doth it become us , in the great mysteries of revelation , to abstain from defining the manner how they are , and to content our selves with what god hath been pleased to tell us : for in such doctrines these things appertain to reason , . to shew that it is not required to comprehend them : whatever god hath said is to be assented to , tho' we cannot frame adequate notions of the thing it self , nor understand the manner how it should be . 't is as much against reason as faith , to think to fathom the perfections , councils , and works of god ; seeing reason acknowledgeth him to be infinite , and it self finite . . if we will pretend to reason in religion , we are to believe whatever god hath said to be true , this being the greatest reason that he , who is truth it self , cannot lye : there is nothing more consonant to the transcendency of so high a nature as that of god , than that it be acknowledg'd incomprehensible ; nor is there any thing more agreeable to his infinite wisdom , than that his designs and contrivances shou'd be held past finding out . 't is as well irrational , as unjust , to think that man shou'd penetrate those depths and abysms , which the angels desire only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look into , as vailed and hidden from sight . but on the other hand , tho' there are many things contained in holy scripture which are above our reason , yet most certainly there is nothing therein which is contradictory thereunto . to admit religion to contain any dogm's repugnant to right reason , is at once to tempt men to look upon all revelation as a romance , or rather as the invention of distracted men : and withal to open a door for filling the world with figments and lyes under the palliation of divine mysteries . we cannot gratifie the atheist and infidel more than to tell them , that the prime articles of our belief , imply a contradiction to our faculties . in a word , this hypothesis , were it receiv'd , wou'd make us renounce man and espouse brute in matters of the chiefest and greatest concernment : for without debasing our selves into a lower species , we cannot embrace any thing that is formally impossible . and when men have filled religion with opinions contrary to common sence and natural light , they are forced to introduce a suitable faith , namely , such an one that commends it self from believing doctrines repugnant to the evidence and principles of both . thus the first hereticks that troubled the christian church , under the pretence of teaching mysteries , overthrew common sence , and did violence to the universal , uniform , and perpetual light of mankind : some of them having taught that all creatures are naturally evil ; others of them having establisht two several gods , one good , another bad : others having affirmed the soul to be a particle of the divine substance ; not to mention a thousand falsities more , all these they defended against the assaults of the orthodox , by pretending that they were mysteries about which reason was not to be hearken'd to . thus do others to this day , who being resolv'd to obtrude their phansies upon the world , and unable to prove or defend what they say , pretend the spirit of god to be the author of all their theorems : nor can i assign a better reason for the antipathy of the turks to philosophy , than that it overthrows the follies and absurdities of their religion ; this themselves confess , by devoting almansor to the vengeance of heaven , because he hath weakened the faith of mussel-men in the alcoran , through introducing learning and philosophy amongst them . in brief , tho' we make not natural light the positive measure of things divine , yet we may safely allow it a negative voice : we place it not in the chair in councils , but only permit it to keep the door to hinder the entry of contradictions and irrational fansies disguis'd under the name of sacred mysteries . and it is necessary also to be remarkt , that when we say there is nothing in religion which is truly repugnant to principles of reason , we do not by principles of reason , understand all that this or that sort of men vote or receive for such . the universal reason of mankind is of great moment , but mistaken philosophy , and false notions of things , which this or that man admits for theorems of reason , are of very small importance ; men being misled by their senses , affections , interests and imaginations , do many times mingle errors and false conceipts , with the genuine dictates of their minds , and then appeal to them as the principles of truth and reason ; when they are indeed nothing else but the vain images of our phansies , and the conclusion of ignorance and mistakes . so that in reading the holy scriptures , it highly concerns us to be very careful that the proper and original sence of the words be not neglected : there have been those , and yet are , who will hardly allow any text of scripture a proper sence , but do every where obtrude an allegoric meaning , as if that alone were intended by the holy ghost , and nothing else : but such kind of expositors do in effect little less than undermine the whole scripture , betray religion , and turn the sacred oracles into burlesque : nor is there any notion so romantic , which the scripture by a luxuriant phansie , may not at this rate be wrested and debauched to give countenance to : yea , a very small measure of wit will serve to pervert the plainest scripture testimony , to quite another sence than ever was intended by the writer of them . an instance of this we have in those , who by turning the whole scripture into allusions , have wrested the revelations of the word to justifie their own wild phantasms , and framed the words of scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to their own private notions , and thereby evacuated the sublimest doctrines and most glorious actions , into empty metaphors and vain similitudes : thus the person of christ is allegorised into themselves , and the birth , death , resurrection , and ascension of our saviour are construed after the manner of aesop's , or phylostratus's fables , into useful morals ; as if these were intended only to declare what is to be done in us by way of allusion . but leaving these , and supposing only for the present , that there has been a supernatural or divine revelation of the almighties will to mankind , which every moral man will find his interest to believe and imbrace , if it were upon no other account than the extraordinary advantage it affords us towards the securing both a temporal and eternal felicity , by those excellent precepts it contains above what is discoverable in natural religion : supposing this , i say , 't is reasonable for us to think , that there can be nothing in this admirable system essential to a saving faith , or fundamentally necessary to our future welfare , but what is as intelligible as legible to every reasonable creature ; most certainly the essentials of religion consist not in any intricate or perplexing theory's , but in the practise of our duties . the lord hath shewed thee , o man , saith the prophet , what is good ; and what doth he require of thee , but to do justly , to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy god. again , saith another of them , pure religion and undefiled before god the father , is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in affliction , and to keep our selves unspotted from the world. and it is in consequence of this principle ( saith the * author ) that the whole tenure of the scripture declares unto us , that we shall be judged , not according to our belief , but according to our works ; witness abundance of passages both in the old and new testament , particularly that of st. paul , where he says that we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ , that every one may recive the things done in his body , according to that he hath done , whether it be good or bad . religion lyes not in the barely embracing this or that opinion however orthodox , neither yet in associating our selves with this or that sect of professors , in admiring or following this or that doctor , tho' even he were a paul , an apollos or a cephas ; but its important work is to draw us from that which is evil , and to engage us in the practise of that which is good . it is a wonderful thing to consider the heats and animosities which are sprung up in the world , from difference in opinion in what we call articles of faith : every man will have his own to be the only true ones ; nay some ( alas too many ) are so barbarous , that they not only condemn others to death , but deliver them also by their anathema ' s ( as much as in them lyes ) to the devil and damnation for difference of opinion in some metaphisical speculations . it is nevertheless certain that neither christ nor his apostles have tied the salvation of mankind so indispensably to the particular belief of any incomprehensible mystery , as some of the present doctors of his church now do . we read that our lord himself pronounced st. peter blessed upon the bare declaration , that he believed him to be the christ the son of the living god. st. philip in like manner baptized the eunuch upon no other profession of his faith than in the terms of this short symbol , i believe that jesus christ is the son of god. st. john teaches us plainly , that to confess that jesus christ is come in the flesh , is a certain characteristical mark of the spirit of god , and st. paul explains himself in this point yet more particularly telling us , that if we confess with our mouths the lord jesus , and believe in our hearts that god hath raised him from the dead , we shall be saved . this simplicity of the scriptures in those articles of belief , which they propose to us as necessary to salvation , may justly raise our astonishment at the imprudence of those men who have perplexed all matters of faith with so many inexplicable difficulties , not content with what the scripture teacheth of christianity , they have had recourse to a wordy philosophy , thereby to refine their notions and adorn them with the lustre of seemingly mysterious expressions ; insomuch that a great † cardinal has not stuck to acknowledge , that without the help of aristotle we should have wanted many articles of faith : and that which aggravates yet more the extravagance of these dogmatisers is , that they themselves acknowlenge the incomprehensibility of those very things which they undertake to explain with such critical exactness , as if they had enter'd into the very councils , and fathom'd the depths both of the wisdom and knowledge of god ; we may therefore without danger shake off the tyranny of those prejudices that have possest us : the names of orthodox and heretick are too partial and illusory any longer to deceive us , they have these many ages been made use of with so much irregularity , interest and passion , that the ordinary application of them cannot at this day be any just ground either of assurance or fear . we may undoubtedly be assur'd , that the righteous judge of all men , will not impute unto us the guilt of any criminal heresie , so long as we sincerely believe what he has expresly revealed to us : and if peradventure we understand not clearly the whole sence of every expression in which those things have been declared ; we ought certainly for that very reason so much the less presume to alter them , or affect new forms of explaining our selves , and least of all to impose upon others , any doubtful inferences drawn from such dark and intricate premises . but with submission to this great master of humane reason , i shall take the liberty to reply this , that as i cannot think every thing a fundamental in religion , which some men would perswade us ; so on the other side , i am satisfy'd that there is more requir'd to salvation , than some others seem to intimate . i can well enough comply with that opinion , which supposes there is no more than one essential in christianity , to wit , the belief that jesus is the messiah , provided they take in the genuine consequences , and the natural results of such a faith ; such as his divinity , his miraculous incarnation , his ascension into heaven , and his coming to judge the world at the last day . without these attendants upon this one fundamental , the system of christianity will be lame and incoherent , and it cannot indeed be known what is meant by saying jesus is the messiah : a man may say so much , and have no other notion of him , than the jews had who expected him a temporal prince ; but we must believe that he will raise our bodies , and judge us at the last day ; not to instance in all the other fundamentals which the apostle mentions hebr. . , . if we believe him such a messiah as the scripture represents him , such parts of our belief will have , besides the explaining of our faith , a great influence on the end of it , viz. the making us good men : for he that believes jesus only a temporal prince , to govern him in this world , will never think himself so much obliged to conform his very thoughts and desires to his laws , as he that is perswaded that he will one day judge him in another . again , we ought above all things to be satisfy'd in his divinity ; for if we do not acknowledge him to be one god with the father , and worship him accordingly , we neglect a gospel duty ; and if we do worship any thing but the one god , we are idolaters . as for his satisfaction , a right notion of it is of that importance , that without it he that believes jesus to be the messiah , has no notion for what he was anointed and sent , or of what he has done for us . these , i say , must all go along with that one fundamental ; and to our belief of this , there is nothing more requir'd , than our belief of the authority of holy writ , where these things are plainly reveal'd to us . if we do believe the scriptures to be authentic , we must believe it our duty not to dispute the mysteries of christian religion : it is sufficient for us that we consent in our hearts to what is there plainly deliver'd as to these points , altho' we are altogether unskil'd in the metaphysicks , and unable by the principles of philosophy , to account for the manner of hypostatic union , the trinity or the resurrection ; for this were to confine eternal happiness to the men of letters , and to tye salvation to the schools . it is something pleasant ( as a modern philosopher has remarkt ) to observe now adays , that the great step which makes an approved christian as well as a philosopher , is to talk unintelligibly , and to solve us one difficulty by making twenty more . these , says he , are the men in vogue , whilst the poor man , that gives a plain reason for what he says , is put by for a coxcomb , he wants profundity . but to proceed , should we go about to bring down the doctrines of religion to the model of our own reason , we should wholly overthrow our belief , and pay no more respect to the authority and testimony of our god , than we would to a worm like our selves . if there were no obscurity nor difficulty in the notions of gospel truths , where would our submission and humility be , which are the qualifications that do most of all recommend us to god , and upon this account , especially , because they prepare the mind for faith , and give check to all bold and curious enquiries . it is enough , if we can by rational proofs demonstrate the bible to be his word , whose veracity is proportionate to his wisdom , and both of them infinite : nor is it needful that its doctrines should further adjust themselves to our understandings . * our reason is often non-plus't about its own proper objects , and the phaenomena of nature , and shall we think it a competent judge of objects to which it never was adapted ? for it is below many of the works of god , and therefore much more below mysteries of revelation : here are many things which we ought to admire , but must never hope fully to understand ; our work here is to believe , and not to enquire . if our minds will not submit to a revelation , until they see a reason of the proposition , they do not believe or obey at all , because they submit not till they cannot choose . faith bears not upon demonstration , but upon the authority and veracity of the speaker : and therefore to believe nothing but what we do comprehend , is not to believe but to argue , and is science , not faith. ye that will believe in the gospel what you please , and what ye think fit , ye believe not , but renounce the gospel , saith austin to the manichees , for ye believe your selves , not it . so that to believe nothing but what we can fully comprehend , is to remonstrate to the wisdom and power of god , at least to challenge to our selves an omniscience proportionable to the divine wisdom and omnipotence . furthermore , it is true that the rule and measure of our faith must be certain , but no man's reason universally is so ; for what one man's reason assents to , another rejects : every man pretends to right reason , but who hath it is hard to tell . if it be lawful for one man to reject a plain revelation in one particular , because he cannot comprehend it , why may not a second do the same with reference to a revelation in another particular . for as the socinians by making their reason the sole judge of what they are to believe , will not admit many of the prime articles of the gospel , so some philosophers wou'd make their reason judge of what they shou'd receive , and their reason at sometimes will not admit the gospel at all . now the certainty of revelation is justly preferr'd to all other evidence , and we are commanded to submit our reason to the authority of god in the scripture , and by consequence we are not to set up our reason for the positive measure of religion . the sacred writers do every where remit us to the scripture it self , as the rule of faith , and not to the tribunal of our own reason . herein are the socinians justly impeachable , for tho' sometimes they acknowledge religion to be above reason , yet at other times they speak in a very differing manner . even in denying the divinity of our saviour , and at the same time paying religious worship to any thing which is not god , is acting contrary to the reason of mankind . 't is a very great unhappiness we labour under through the difference of our religious opinions , and indeed a uniformity in religion is by no means to be expected till men grow less speculative and more practical . the real and sincere practise of piety , the loving the lord our god with all our hearts , and our neighbours as our selves , the keeping our consciences void of offence towards our god and one another , and the holding fast no more than the whole form of sound words without letting of them slip : these , i say , wou'd quickly bring us together , and the names of sect and party , of schism and heresie , would be altogether unknown to us . 't is true , i doubt not of good men to be found in every christian communion , nor do i look upon it any scandal to the profession , that there should be many profane irreligious persons shrowd themselves under it . yet on the other hand , tho' i am perswaded my charity is well placed in this respect , i must be free to declare to you my opinion , that so far as i am able to judge , there is more of interest , singularity of humour , influence of education , misunderstanding and mistake about essentials as well as circumstances purely indifferent , than either a just , or indeed reasonable ground , for any man to separate from the present establisht c — of e — i am sure 't is thought no blemish to that constitution , that men should be good and pious ; and that they may not only be so , but have as great helps to their being so , as in any state of separation , i am sufficiently satisfied : and i can say , i have met with few separatists , how much soever bigotted to non-conformity , who have not been ready to show a better liking to this ch — than to any dissenting from it , except their own . but whether or no this , or any other ecclesiastical form of government , comes up exactly to the primitive pattern , i am not enough knowing positively to determine ; yet considering the nature of a national church which must be so contriv'd and calculated , as to obviate a multitude of inconveniencies , which cannot happen to any private or single congregation : a ch — which must be framed for the reception of all sorts and conditions of men , and the manner of her worship adapted to their different capacities and understandings : there is nothing certainly has the marks of a better or more serviceable contrivance , to answer the end of a religious institution . i speak in respect of her general ecclesiastic polity : for tho' there are many particular flaws therein , which it were much to be wisht were better inspected ; tho' the pastoral care is upon some accounts very deficient , and that there are but too many enormities , both in life and doctrine , committed by some of those who are intrusted in some office under her , and who ought for the same to be suspended or utterly excluded ; yet notwithstanding this , her constitution is truly excellent and noble : and seeing it is impossible for men to survey the secrets of each others hearts , or to fathom their hypocrisie , the greatest part of these blemishes and irregularities , are such as will almost unavoidably creep in to any other universal church . the great objections touching form and ceremony , are to my thinking no other than unreasonable prejudices : and shou'd we , to gratifie the humours of some inconsiderate men , dispense with or lay them aside , i may be bold to presage , with a great pillar of this ch — that religion it self wou'd quickly dwindle into nothing , and there wou'd be no such thing as a publick assembly met together for the performance of a divine service . as for the injunction of prescribed forms to be made use of in our publick prayers , praises and thanksgivings to almighty god , they have beyond controversie their proper use and advantage , and will by every impartial judge be confest or acknowledg'd to be excellently design'd : for notwithstanding that frivolous and impertinent objection of the noncon — that we hereby stint or limit the divine spirit , and set boundaries to its power , and that a formal worship was only invented to gratifie the lazy humour of the priests , we have not , according to my sentiments , any other way to petition heaven as we ought , or as becomes the supplicants to an alwise being , unless with our modern visionaries we can perswade our selves , that we enjoy at those times some supernatural accession or influence to inspire us , and that what we deliver , has no dependance upon our own , either natural or acquir'd faculties , but is immediately dictated to our minds by the holy spirit , and convey'd to our organs by an extraordinary impulse ; for otherwise , whatever peculiar genius , gift , talent , faculty or quality some men are endow'd with , of speaking readily without much fore-thought , there are few such discourses , however pleasing to sense and imagination by the gesture or deportment of the speaker , or by his air and manner of delivery , that will bear the test of reason , or be justify'd for the sense and grammar , even by the author's themselves : and if so , i see not why such men , who labour under the infirmity of a mean and imperfect delivery , a want of thinking rightly , as well as speaking , whose sermons and discourses , prayers and thanksgivings are incoherent , a medly of confusion , made up of a useless redundancy , of insignificant words , of circumlocution , frivolous repetition or tautology , where the whole is downright nonsense ; in such cases , i say , i am not able to reconcile the notion of extraordinary inspiration . if we must believe these men inspir'd from the matter or manner of their expressions , here are scarce the footsteps of humane knowledge , much less the characters of divinity ; and so far are the discourses of this nature from surmounting the acquirements of natural men , or deviating in any thing out of the common mode of understanding , that every prophane hypocrite may play the counterfeit , and the most extravagant whim suggested to the phantasie , has an equal right of putting in a plea for inspiration . if we must believe they speak or teach by the dictates of the spirit , on the account of their more than ordinary probity or moral honesty , their devout , holy and exemplary lives and conversations , these indeed might sway us , were we not satisfy'd of the as strict sanctity , sincerity , and undissembled piety of those , who as they pretend not to any special priviledge of supernatural inspiration , are utterly averseto ethusiastic principles . did true religion consist in an affected singularity of expression , in a rustick or ungenteel behaviour and deportment , in the dreams and rapts of a deluded phansie ; or ( to borrow a physical term ) were its pathagnomonic sign any set garb or habit , were a green apron , a riding hood , a short crevat , or a hanging coat , the only characteristic marks of christianity , these men above others , have a just pretence to the title of its best and chiefest votaries : but if the real acts of devotion , such as watchings , fastings , prayers and supplications ; if charitable contributions to the relief of the poor and indigent ; if mortification and self-denial in worldly satisfactions , are as conspicuous and apparent , perhaps more in some others than in these , i see not the necessity of admitting them either to speak or act differently from any other pious and devout person . 't is not the garb or habit that makes either the true gentleman or the true christian ; tho' most certainly , a decent plainness is very becoming , if not absolutely necessary to the profession of the gospel . the world , who take their estimate of things from sense , are too apt to value one the other upon the lineaments of the face , or the propotionate symmetry of other parts of the body , and to measure each others capacity or mental endowments by their outside apparel : but these were never over-rated by the wise and prudent . there is indeed an extream on either side ; and as on the one hand an extravagant dress looks ridiculous to the sober and judicious man , and is very often the signal of effeminacy , at best a shallow apprehension ; so on the other , the stiff and precise habit is very rarely unattended with a spiritual pride , a secret desire to distinguish our selves from the rest of mankind , and an overfondness to value our selves upon such indifferencies , and to believe them in time some of the essentials of divinity . but to return to the prescribed forms of religious worship , and particularly those enjoyned by the liturgy of the english ch — if we our selves , through a preconceived prejudice , or the influence of a different education , can think them neither useful nor necessary , nor find our selves edify'd by the same , it behoves us however to be so charitable , as not to condemn or censure those who do . there is no person in this ch — was ever , that i heard of , so childish as to think the truth of religion , or the advantage to be received by the practise of its duties , did consist in the verbal recitation of a creed , in the repetition of some certain prayers , or the external compliance with any other performance : but since it is by all granted , that true piety does consist in a hearty submission and resignation of our wills to god , in the most humble elevation of our minds to heaven , and in our most fervent supplications , prayers , praises and returns of gratitude : and since it is not only possible but certain , that in these forms so well adapted and fitted for our necessities , no truly religious person did ever rest upon the form of words , but knows his heart and tongue must move together ; it becomes us to believe that the prayers , responses , and every part of the service of the ch — are always new to every sincere christian , and that they loose nothing of their efficacy by being common . i shall not here insist upon their usefulness and benefit to the ignorant and unlearned ; for notwithstanding we are to believe the god of heaven will hear our sighs and short ejaculations , yet where we have time and opportunity to present our petitions , to lay open our wants , to acknowledge our miscarriages , to beg pardon for our offences , and abilities to overcome the temptations we may meet with ; here , i say , it is expedient that we set a watch upon our lips , that we utter nothing unbecoming the supplicants of the divine majesty , and that we pray sensibly as well as heartily : if we are so happy as to do this without premeditation , we are all of us left to our liberty in our private duties : we may pray either with or without a prescribed form , which how ridiculous soever it may seem to the dissenter , 't is abundantly more so in my opinion , that those very men who most of all oppose a formal prayer , shou'd themselves make use of one ; for give me leave to tell you , that little acquaintance i have had amongst the separatists , has inform'd me , that for the much greater number , those who are conversant in the private duties of family devotion , do still keep on in the same road ; and tho' it was first an accidental form of words they light on without fore-thought , yet that makes the same no less a form , which when afterwards by the intervention of wandring thoughts they at any time deflect from , those very deviations render them uneasie , as any of their hearers may perceive , and the rest is foreign , incoherent and abrupt , till they fall into their wonted method of proceeding . this is so very true , that i can speak it upon my own knowledge , there are some sensible men , in whose families i have been for many months , in some others years , and all that time the subject matter , as well as manner of expression in their prayers have been still the same , and wherever there has hapned any little variation by the want of memory , or the intrusion of other thoughts , unless they had a singular readiness this way , their discourse would make their hearers blush for them , if they did not blush themselves . extempore discourses , or such as are unpremeditated , are vastly differing in different men : and even amongst the enthusiastic spiritati we find it exactly the same thing , viz. those men who have the greatest volubility of tongue , have collected the greatest number of idea's , and received the largest helps from that learning they at other times decry , speak the best sense and most to the purpose ; whilst on the other side , such who labour under a want of these , are scarce able to deliver their own conceptions , or to let us know what they would be at ; their discourse proves burthensome , and very often insupportable to their own hearers ; on which account i have often times admir'd that there should be so many sensible men among them , who have not yet discover'd the delusion , but are content to saffer such an imposition upon their reason . whoever rightly considers the force of imagination , when it becomes heated by the frantic zeal of a mistaken piety , together with the deep traces which by the several objects are drawn out in the brains of these men , affording so many ready inlets to the passage of their animal spirits , will the less wonder at their extravagancies , or be startled at their odd deportment . it is well enough known , that there are many of these men whose judgments have been so strangely prevail'd on , by the delusion of some spiritual whimsie , that by the continual indulging a particular thought , the same has at length cut out so deep a trace , or made so strong an impression upon their imagination , that not discovering the fallacy , they have fallen into a perswasion of supernatural revelations , visions , inspirations and divine illuminations . one of the admirable instances , and perhaps the most wonderful president of enthusiasm , or religious phrenzy that has been heard of , was not long since presented to the world in the person of mr. m — n of water-stratford in buckinghamshire . this gentleman growing hypochondriacal , labour'd under so strong a delusion of his imagination , as to phansie himself by a special revelation from jesus christ , to be made acquainted with his sudden coming to judge the world : upon which when our saviour ( as he thought ) had several times appear'd to him , and discourst him face to face , he selected a great number of ignorant people to be his followers , who disposed presently of what they had , and brought their whole treasure into the common stock . thus were they to separate themselves from the world , and to spend the very short remainder of their lives , in spiritual hymns and prayers , in watchings and fastings , sometimes singing and dancing , playing on musical instruments , together with the most unaccountable behaviour in odd gestures and positions of their bodies . thus they continued several days , till this unhappy gentleman their ring-leader ( whether by the constant fatigue of his body , or other ways ) was seized , as i have been inform'd , with a violent defluxion upon the parts of his throat , together with an inflamation on the muscles of his windpipe . during his indisposition , there were some gentlemen in his neighbou●hood , with no small difficulty admitted to see him , in whose presence he behav'd himself as he had always done , with much sobriety , gravity and devotion : his discourse was rational , and betray'd no such deception of phansie as he was possest with : he told them with a full assurance , and with all the confidence he was able to express himself , that as sure as christ had ever been upon earth , so certainly he had seen him , when perfectly awake , several times not many days before : and that he had discourst him concerning the approaching destruction of the wicked , which they wou'd find fulfilled , and our saviour in his glory before the consummation of many weeks to come . he had as we have reason to believe , no apprehension that his distemper wou'd be mortal , but seem'd perswaded that he shou'd live to see all this accomplisht . but being thus unexpectedly snatcht away from his frantic congregation , they were shortly after , to their shame and consternation , made sensible that all was the result of a distemper'd brain in their founder , and that the infection was communicated to the unthinking multitude by the power of imagination . i have thought this case the more remarkable , because having been acquainted with a neghbour of mr. m — s , i have received full satisfaction that he was a man very unblameable in his life and conversation , of tolerable parts , strictly just in his actions , and every way free from the imputation of an impostor or designing counterfeit . that we may not wholly pass by the causes of these strange phaenomena , without essaying by some means or other an explication , i shall take the liberty to assert , that however ignorant we may be of the modification of our souls , or the manner of our perception , we are arriv'd to some certain knowledge of what is transacted in our brains in order to the same : for whatever objects are represented to our phansies , the same do make a more or less durable impression thereon ; or , in other words , they grave as it were prints , more deep or superficial , according to our continued view of the said objects : and hence it follows that our animal spirits have not only a more difficult or ready inlet , into the traces which are cut out , but also into those nerves which excite the motions of our bodies subservient to us , or by whose assistance we procure to our selves the desired object , accordingly as we have indulged the thought of prosecuting the same . for the better illustration hereof , if at any time we are intent upon , or please our selves with any lewd idea , if we keep the whole bent of our minds upon the same , and are both solicitous to obtain , and uneasie till we have accomplisht our impure designs . we must expect that the same , or the like object , will make a very durable print , or very deep vestigia in our brains ; that the traces into the same will lye always open , and the said object is no sooner excited afterwards , but the spirits as it were of their own accord rush in , and even compel us , almost contrary to our desires , to will those motions of our bodies which were before employ'd in its prosecution and attainment . this is the true mechanic process , the objects that are about us must excite in us some sensation or other , and as we pursue or fly its appearance , or more or less keep up the idea , there will be consequently the firmer or slighter trace drawn out , and accordingly the same will either continually approach or withdraw from us . so that by the repeated prosecution of the beloved object , these vestigia are so very plain , and open , and afford so easie a passage to the income of our spirits , that it is very much , if for a long time after the same should be obliterated , or the said avenues blockt up . again , it is by the frequent or reiterated indulgence of our thoughts , and cherishing our idea's , that the sensitive or inferiour soul gets the ascendant over us : 't is by these means that we contract our habits , and in this the force of them consists , which when we have done all that lyes in our power to highten and aggravate our unhappy circumstances , when we have after this manner suffer'd an ill habit to get the victory over us , and to subjugate our strength , to allure our passions to its free command , we then cry out of the frailty of our natures , exclaim against our maker , or else justifie our detestable actions , and foolishly please our selves in thinking , that god almighty would not have implanted these appetites within us , if he design'd that we shou'd not satiate our selves in their enjoyments : if not , they expect that however by their own voluntary actions , they have with their whole strength heartily embraced the sinful thought , and as desirously brought the same into a repeated act , by which means the traces in their brains lye so open to receive their spirits : here , i say , they expect omnipotence to intervene , and by a miracle to close up the prints they have engraven , to snatch from them the idea's they are hugging with all their might , or to intercept the passages of the nerves , that their animal spirits may not fall into those parts , by which they are to obtain their short-liv'd satisfactions . surely there is no reasonable man will countenance the folly of this plea ; nor can he who rightly considers the fabrick of our bodies , the organization of our brains , and the necessity for sensible objects to leave their marks upon the same , think it a fair impeachment of the divine wisdom or justice , especially if he reflects upon that high prerogative we enjoy above the sensitive soul ; and that it is within the sphear of our reason to obviate these disorders , to correct the irregularities of our senses , and by the practise of contrary habits to set us out of the reach of those mischiefs we should be exposed to . how these disorders may be corrected , and the vestigia which have been imprest by former objects wiped out , i have toucht upon elsewhere : and indeed , were not matters thus to be transacted , were our objects elected to our hands , and we not able of our selves to choose some and reject others , i see not any business for the exercise of our reason , or any advantage we could brag of above necessitated agents . a considerate view of this kind of imagery , thus transacted in the brain , will not only inform us of the mode of imagination , but will also give us some small insight into the extraordinary effects of an over-heated phantasie , and direct us to an explication of some of the prodigious phaenomena and extravagant actions of our late visionaries , or wild enthusiasts : who , by a constant application of their minds to some particular idea , come at length to have the same so strongly imprest upon their brains , that the whole systasis of the soul is taken up as it were a●d loseth it self in its contemplation : the vestigia are so deeply cut , and all others at that time effac'd , that the tendency of their spirits altogether is into these footsteps , the acts of reason and understanding are laid aside , the result is this , they quickly grow giddy by an uninterrupted thought upon the same object , they fall into a sort of madness and delirium , at some times dangerous to themselves and those about them : they are possest with invincible opinions and conceits of extraordinary illuminations , illapses of the spirit and revelations : finally , by the contracted disorders of the nervous system , they are often seiz'd with very direful paroxysms , believe themselves in rapts and extasies , and when the fit is over , endeavour to perswade the by-standers , that they have been the lord knows where , and received a divine mandate or commission to do the lord knows what . i was never over-credulous in the business of possessions , but doubtless , according to some very impartial and faithful accounts , some of these i am speaking of have been pure daemoniacks , and the unaccountable phaenomena they have exhibited , have been clear indications of a praestigious delusion or satanical power . according to the relation of a learned man , my late acquaintance , whose residence has been for many years in new-eng — that country has been the stage on which abundance of these tragae-comedies ( as he was pleas'd to call them ) have been acted . he gave me at our last conference , a very rational account of several instances of this nature , particularly two , which i was almost surpriz'd at : their names i shall designedly forbear to publish . the one had been a particular acquaintance of this gentleman 's for some years past , he told me he always lookt upon him to be as harmless and innocent , as he knew him to be ignorant : but of late he began to retire more than ordinarily from conversation , and betray'd in all his actions , in his gesture , speech , motion and behaviour , all the approaching symptoms of a mad enthusiast . it was not long before he betook himself to the society of half a dozen women , who seem'd to be at first deluded with the appearance of his extraordinary sanctity ; and without these he never stirr'd abroad . it hapned at one particular time that that the q — r with his women very ridiculously habited , drew near to my friend's house , and seeing him at his door crys out in a frantick manner , stand still and see salvation approacheth . the gentleman , not at all surprized at the novelty , as having been well acquainted with his life , and the whimleys he had been possest with , makes towards him , accosts him in a neighbourly manner , bids him welcome to his seat , and kindly desires him to take a dinner with him ; which t'other , after some little pause and a deep expiration , assents to , walks in , and his women were about to follow him : which my friend observing , oppos'd their entrance , and wou'd by no means admit them in . he told the q — r that for his part he shou'd be welcome , but he intended not his house , to be a receptacle for mad-women , nor such especially as were kept for a spiritual fornication . the man cou'd not at first tell how to resent the affront put upon his women ; but after some little pause , walks to them , and orders their tarrying for him not far off : then returns and enters into my friend's house , where they drank a bottle of the best his house afforded ; and till dinner was getting ready , he calls for his violin , begins to tune it , and to strike an ayre : which the enthusiast perceiving was extreamly disturbed , and being about to depart , the gentleman told him he would desist , and play an anthem upon his base viol , which he was sure would not sound harsh : accordingly he prevails , sets the instrument and plays a psalm , when on a sudden the poor man falls a sighing , sobbing , and roaring out . at length he begins to dance about the room , and calls for his women , that they might have the same spiritual consolation ; for this he said was all divine , it favour'd not as the other did of the powers of darkness , or the carnal kingdom . by this time dinner was brought up , the gentleman could scarce perswade his guest to leave off running about the room , and to sit down to dinner : but at length prevail'd ; and during the time they were at dinner , he was continually throwing out scripture metaphors , and wou'd have every thing from thence , however foreign to the purpose , to be an exact simile or perfect allusion . at length they parted , after a plentiful repast , with a great deal of respect . the more remarkable instance , this gentleman gave me at the same time , was of another q — r in the same town , who lookt upon himself to be of heavenly extraction , continually inspir'd and abounding in supernatural visions and revelations . it was customary with this person , in whatever place he received either civility or disrespect , accordingly to denounce some blessing or woe , as if authorized by heaven for his so doing . at a certain time he made my friend a visit , and upon the receipt of some slight courtesie from him , by way of requital upon his going forth , fell down on his back , and there for a considerable time was most cruelly exercis'd with such violent distortions and throwing about of his limbs , such incredible inflations of the breast and belly , such convulsions of the muscles of his face , and forming at the mouth , that the gentleman cou'd scarce perswade himself these effects cou'd proceed from any common disorder of the animal oeconomy , or be the result of any thing less than a diabolical energy . when the decumbent was almost spent , be lay quiet for a little while ; at length starts up , and in the usual accent of the sect , crys out , the tabernacle , the tabernacle of the house of god , it shall be erected in thine house , and the tents of the lord shall be transplanted hither . my friend hereupon calmly discourst him , and desir'd to know the occasion of his extream disorder . he reply'd , he had been all this time in paradise , that he had discoursed the lord face to face , and had this message deliver'd to him . this gentleman and my self had a long conference upon this subject , together with the writings of mr. b — and mr. k — some of the former , he said , he had considerately perus'd in the latine tongue . i found by his discourse that he had formerly been inclining to the q — rs opinions ; and was told by others that he had been very strict in that way , till finding himself growing : melancholy , and likely to be seized with a spiritual vertigo , he happily threw off the course of his life , betook himself to the study of metaphysicks , and found his disorder by degrees to wear of , by the help of physick and the advantage he had of conversing with learned and judicious men. he was a little surprized when he perceiv'd that i offer'd any thing in the behalf of q — sm , and told me , that on what account soever i espous'd their cause , he was satisfy'd that i cou'd not do it without a manifest imposition upon my better judgment . the experience , saith he , i have had of this people , and the intimate acquaintance , both with their principles and deportment , has enabled me to know thus much , and i am so bold as to establish it for a solid truth , that the perfect q — r is either a perfect lunatic or daemoniac ; and believe me , you will find this occur to your own observation , that the looser the q — r is , i mean , the less he is tainted with the rusticity of their manners , the stiffness of their behaviour , and the ridiculous gestures that appear'd in their primitive constitution , if at the same time he be a man of good morals , he is vastly preferrable in all respects to the whimsical precisian . there are many ( continues he ) amongst them that i esteem of , as of the devout and pious ethnic , they have both of them the same natural light to govern themselves by , they are both of them men of conscience and integrity in their dealings : their conversation is modest , yet withal pleasant , while they keep within these bounds ; they are some of the best of our modern deists ; but so soon as ever they betake themselves to extraordinary illuminations , to speak by inspiration , and to fancy themselves directed in all things by somewhat differing from the common mode of understanding , they are involved on a sudden in inextricable confusion , plunged in darkness and miserable delusion , and truly it is the great mercy of god that no more of them lose their senses . the men of parts and learning are the least subject to quit their reason , and to have their intellectuals blinded : and generally speaking , the enthusiast is a man of simple education , an uncultivated genius , rude and illiterate , of a sedentary life , much given to contemplation , ' tho not able to digest his thoughts : and 't is no wonder at all , when such people come to be afflicted with hypochondriac melancholy , that they shou'd be seized soon after with a religious phrenzy . as to their peculiar claim to the divine light , we have as little reason to credit them as in their pretended revelations . the holy spirit can neither be the author of absurdity or incoherency in discourse , neither yet of repugnancy in opinion , difference between each other and palpable confusion amongst them all . those who have the grace of the holy spirit , or the advantage of the divine light , will see a necessity not only to be acted by , but to think more reverently of the true revelation of christ jesus , of his incarnation and outward sufferings , as well as of his second coming to judge the quick and dead . now whatever these people may insinuate to the world , under the notion of their belief , there are notwithstanding several dangerous heresies got in amongst them . they do most of them at the bottom , set up their own light and private inspirations to the written word , which their calling a dead letter , food for children , of little use to the regenerate , or such as are grown in grace , do plainly intimate : there are many of them speak slightingly of the mosaick history , ridicule the notion of original sin , and disparage or discredit the manner of its translation . they have none of them any other infallible criterion or standing rule of faith , than a mistaken conscience , which they nick-name the divine light : this is plainly evident by their wild enthusiams , the gross immoralities among some of them , and the intestine janglings amongst them all . they do consult the scriptures in order to an imitation of the apostolical writings ; but alas , their high pretences and conceits are foil'd and qua●ht so soon as ever we compare them : and notwithstanding their strenuous pleas , with their seeming assurance that they have the same prophetic spirit , and are equally inspir'd with the divine pen-men , i defie the whole body of qu — sm to produce me one single instance , of any one of their prophets that cou'd ever give the proof and attestation of their inspiration , with the founders of christianity : when they come to this , they most wretchedly prevaricate , and cry out with mahomet , there is no need of signs and wonders . believe me sir , adds he , this late pretence to inspiration , is both the most egregious cheat that was ever put upon the christian world , and the most dangerous and destructive fallacy that ever the grand deceiver cou'd have invented or contriv'd . weigh all things fairly and without prejudice , consider all impartially , and give the greatest scope you can to the best of their arguments , you will find all as pure deception , and as certainly false , as the divine illumination of the first christians was most conspicuous and demonstratively true . if we consider the tendency of this notion , we shall find , that shou'd the world but once comply with , or countenance the same , the fundamentals of government , both civil and ecclesiastic , wou'd presently be unhing'd , we shou'd have one revelation in opposition to another ; the gospel of our saviour , that divine system of true religion , wou'd be trampled under soot , we shou'd be expos'd in our fortunes to the state of levellers , in our minds to diabolical illusions or phansiful suggestions : our religion wou'd soon grow volatile and fly away into air and spirit , a profound sign o● lamentable expiration , wou'd be all we shou'd have to do whilst clothed with the flesh , and all our religious duties , for want of the support of an establisht form , wou'd quickly leave us : our helps to devotion , such as watchings , fastings , and servent prayers , wou'd be quickly laid aside , and in a little tim● we shou'd find our selves in the midst of a destructive ignorance and barbarous confusion . i can the more readily presage this , having been much pester'd with these people in some of the towns of new-eng — tho' not altogether in such a manner as germany has been with the frantick anabaptists . i shall only take notice to you in one word more , that when ever you may happen to discourse these people upon almost any single article of the christian faith , you will find that there are scarce two of them of the same opinion : their igno●ance in the explanatory part of religion is so great , that for want of a settled creed or generally establisht system , they will unavoidably clash and jar with one another : indeed , so far as i perceive , they are capable of arguing nothing solidly but the principles of deism : and even their grand notion of the light , is as yet unprincipled , and as mr. norris says , unphilosophic , notwithstanding the two learnedest props of their cause have set it out to the best advantage their learning cou'd ●nable them . 't is true , there are some of the most judicious , who will talk to the purpose for some little time , but there is no keeping them close to their argument . the want of catechistical exercise to instil their principles into those under their care , has rendred their religion rude and ill-shapen ; and to me this seems none of the least causes that the greater part of them are so very unknowing in divinity , that they can say nothing for themselves but this , that they have a feeling sense of an inward light which is sufficient to direct them . thus ended my friend's discourse , which i shall leave with this short remark , that for the most part his idea's seem to be clear and rational , his judgment sound , and setting aside a little heat , his discourse in the main to consist with truth , or matter of fact and common observation . whoever consults antiquity , or the chronicles of the times , may find many histories of this wild enthusiasm , and the extravagancies that have attended this whimsical pretence to inspiration . in the reign of henry the sixth , one la pucel a french maid was burnt at roan , she declared that she was sent from god for the good of her country to expel the english. in the year . and the th of queen elizabeth 's reign , was memorable the prodigious carriage of one hackett , born at oundle in northamptonshire ; a mean fellow of no learning , whose first prank was this , that when in shew of reconciliation to one with whom he had veen at variance , he embraced him , he bit off his nose : and the man desiring to have it again , that it might be sewed on whilst the wound was fresh , he most villainously eat it up , and swallowed it before his face . after this , on a sudden , he took upon him a shew of wonderful holiness , did nothing almost but hear sermons , got scriptures by heart , counterfeited revelations from god , and an extraordinary calling . thus he grew to be magnify'd by certain zealous ministers , especially of one edward coppinger ( a gentleman of a good house ) and one arthington a great admirer of the geneva discipline ; insomuch that they accounted him as sent from heaven , and a greater prophet than moses and john baptist , and finally that he was christ himself come with a fan in his hand to judge the world. this they proclaimed in cheapside , giving out that hackett participated of christ's glorified body , by his especial spirit , and was now come to propagate the gospel over europe , and to settle a true discipline in the church of england . farther , that they themselves were two prophets , the one of mercy , the other of judgment ; with many other such incredible blasphemies : whereupon hackett was apprehended , arraigned , and at last drawn , hung'd and quarter'd ; continuing all the time , and at his death , h●● blasphemous assertions . coppinger a while after starved himself to death in prison . arthington repented , and made his recantation in a publick writing . in the third year of the reign of king james the first , we have an account of a knavish counterfeit , one richard haidock , who not only pretended to inspiration , and to injoy supernatural visions , but to preach and pray in his sleep . this person was by the king himself detected to be a counterfeit , and humbly asking forgiveness , had his pardon granted on condition that he shou'd publickly and openly acknowledge his offence . * in the sixteenth year of this king's reign john trask was censur'd in the star-chamber for depraving the ecclesiastic government , and for holding divers judaical opinions ; as that it was not lawful to do any thing forbidden in the old law , nor to keep the christian sabbath ; for which he was set on the pillory at westminster , and from thence whipt to the fleet , there to remain a prisoner : but three years after he writ a recantation of all his former heresies and schismatical opinions . in the year . in the reign of king charles the first , one leighton a scotchman , publisht his zion's plea , of a very fiery nature , exciting the parliament and the people to kill all the bishops , and to smite them under the fourth rib : he bitterly inveghs against the queen , calling her a daughter of heth , a cananite , an idolatress . for which he was sentenc'd to be whipt and stigmatiz'd , to have his ears cut off , and his nose to be slit ; all which was inflicted upon him . in the year . in charles the second's reign , most remarkable was the trial of james naylor the great champion of the q — rs who having spread his doctrine , and gained many proselytes to it in divers parts of the nation , was more especially taken notice of at bristol , and from thence was brougt up to london , attended by several men and women of his opinion , who all the way they came ( especially the women ) are said to have sung hosanna 's , and to have used the same kind of expressions towards him , as anciently the people of the jews did to our saviour , when he road triumphant into jerusalem . the parliament took upon them to judge him themselves , before whom being conven'd , he was charg'd with blasphemy , for assuming to himself divine honours , and such attributes as were due unto christ only . after he had used many cunning sophisms and evasions to clear himself , such as argu'd him not altogether ignorant of humane letters , he was sentenc'd by the house to be first at london whipt , pillory'd and stigmatis'd as a blasphemer ; then to be convey'd to bristol , there to be also whipt ; lastly to be brought back to london , to remain in bridewel during pleasure : which sentence was publickly inflicted on him . the insurrection of thomas venner ( in king charles the second's reign . ) a cooper and a preacher to the fifth monarchy men , is so prodigious an example of an over-heated imagination , and a pretended revelation , that i am apt to believe no history can parallel . the madness of these men ( being in all about fifty or sixty ) extended so far , that they believ'd themselves , and the rest of their judgment , were call'd by god to reform the world , and to make all the earthly power , which they called babylon , subservient to the kingdom of king jesus : and in order thereunto , they resolv'd never to sheath their swords till the carnal powers of the world became a hissing and a curse ; and by a mis-guided zeal they were so confident in their undertaking , that they were taught , and believed one should subdue ten thousand ; making account , when they had led captive captivity in england , to go into france , spain , germany , and other parts of the world , there to prosecute their holy design . they fought indeed with courage to admiration , and if they had not been hindred by the care of the lord mayor from increasing their numbers , a thousand men so resolved , might have caused such a disturbance in the city , as wou'd have had an influence much farther . venner himself was very much wounded before he was taken , and about five or six killed that refused quarter , of which some of them were so obscure as not to have their names known . about eight or ten days after , venner with about sixteen or seventeen of the most notorious , were arraigned at the old baily , found guilty , and executed in several parts of london . thus ended ( saith the historian ) this desperate enterprise of a formidable army of sixty men , who were insensated to that height of enthusiastic valour , that they thought themselves strong enough to encounter the whole armed force of one of the greatest and most populous cities in the world. the prince's guards , the general 's troops , the city train'd bands , were all swallow'd up in conceipt by these men of might and little wit ; and it is reported , that they were so infatuated with their golden dreams , and so certain of success , that they had promis'd to themselves the partage of the whole empire of the world among them : thirty being design'd for the subduing of the eastern parts , and thirty of the western ; but see the disaster which they met with by the way . in dr. featly's history of the anabaptists , we have several wonderful accounts of enthusiasm , of their strange phrensies ; their wild preachings and practises , particularly those of muncer , john of leyden , knipperdoling , with the rest of their followers : so that altho' at this time the q — rs alone are lookt upon to be the chief enth●siasts , there being no other sect besides so particularly pretending to inspiration and divine illumination , yet within the compass of the two last centuries , we have had the apostolians , augustinians , the silents , adamites , melchiorites , georgians , menonists , catharists , separatists , bucheldians , hutites , &c. who put in for a share of the same priviledges : and indeed it is to be fear'd , if not unquestionable , that the present countenancing the pious whims and dotages of some modern sectaries , who have made such a noise in the world with their special illuminations , visions and revelations , has been none of the most inconsiderable occasions of scandal and contempt , amongst unprincipled men , to the sacred writings of the divine penmen ; on which account it was certainly well worth the pains of the learned b — p of c — r , to consider and state the difference between really divine communications , natural impressions , and diabolical illusions , whether by inspiration , illapse , vision , dream , or voice : and this , i think , he has admirably done , by shewing that there is no proof of any other revelation than that in the holy scriptures . . that there is no need of any farther revelation . and l●stly , that the said book shuts up all revelation with it self , so that none other is to be expected beyond it . i grant , saith he , that it is as possible in it self for god to reveal himself at some time hereafter , as it was for him to have revealed himself heretofore ; but he that will assert the futurity of this , must have more to prove it than a possibility . it is certain that god has revealed himself , and that the gospel was by revelation from him : but there is nothing of the like certainty for a revelation after the gospel , or in after times of the gospel , as there is that the gospel it self was of divine revelation ; so that altho' i am not positive , but that there may be some particular revelation or inspiration with respect to some especial case , yet it may arise , for ought we know , from bare imagination , and if not attended with the greatest caution and circumspection , may end in the whims and frensies of a bridget , a catharina , or a mother juliana , and what not : nay , it may proceed to the disanulling the gospel it self , and to the preferring their own private inspirations ( as they will have it ) above it . if we consider the evidence which was given to the gospel revelation , we shall find there needs on other evidence to be given to that revelation for want of evidence in this . our saviour●s life was a life of miracles , as well as innocence , and wherever he w●●● the divine power went along with him , which he extended ●herever he came , and as occasion served to the confusion , if not the conviction or conversion of his adversaries , and all which at last concluded in his own resurrection , his ascension into heaven , and the effusion of the holy ghost which began on pentecost , but like a torrent ran through the apostolical age , and bore down all manner of competition , and what then can any revelation pretend to beyond it , or where can there be any that can be supposed to produce the like evidence for its veracity . but again , the scriptures conclude all with this revelation , and because we have none other besides that written revelation , we cannot suppose any revelation beyond it , and much less derogatory to it , or that shall direct us to any other way by which we are to be saved , then that we have already received , and is therein recorded . as to the case of personal and occasional revelation , which may be conceived only to serve to a more spiritual manifestation of the revelation already made , i wou'd not altogether deny this , because i know not how far some persons may , in some cases , be inlightened by a spirit of prophecy , nor what particular directions they may receive in an extraordinary way in some special cases , with respect to themselves , to others , and to the church of god : which may be like a special providence to some particular persons , but now as a man must govern himself by the general rules of divine providence , and not by particular : and because he has sometimes met with deliverances , supplies and directions beyond all his own foresight and reasoning , must not forsake his own reasonings and care , and wholly rely upon the extraordinary : so it is to be here . 't is not impossible but a person may have some occasional revelation , some divine inspiration at an especial season , or in some special case ; but if he forsakes the ordinary to depend upon the extraordinary , & expects a revelation in every case , because he has had it in some particulars , he will as much be subject to errour , and err no less dangerously than if he wholly rely'd upon divine providence , and forsook all other means whatever ; and truly this is a way much liable to be abus'd to mislead persons , and is very suspicious as also dangerous . it is a case liable to imposture and abuse , forasmuch as those that are under the influence of such a conception , are not always , if at all , capable of making a certain judgment of it , for it is all transacted within , and the imagination may be so much influenc'd by the body , and by an agitation of the blood and spirits from an enthusiastical and even devout temper , by prepossessions and fore-conceived principles , and by the circumstances of life , that it may be wholly natural , as natural as dreams , or the deliriums of a fever , which proceed from an ebullition of the humours and such like ordinary causes . it is very certain that abundance of persons have been imposed on , and taken the effect of imagination for inspiration and divine illumination : i am far from condemning all the instances of this kind of hypocrisie and a design to deceive , like maria vesitationis in portugal ; i will rather think more charitably , that very often they have thought themselves thus moved and acted by the spirit of god , and yet notwithstanding all their pretences , and the opinion others have had of them , it has been afterwards evident , that all has been far short of divine infusion or illumination . what shall we think of teresa , whose life is full of her visions and revelations , and indeed if we did but alter the place , and for the nunnery conceive her to be in an hospital , we might take it to be what the author in a transport sometimes calls it , a frenzy . what a legend of dreams wou'd the world be furnisht with , if the visions and revelations of these kind of people were bundled up together , as the miracles of reputed saints have sometimes been . but they are truly much to be suspected also of imposture , and that because we read so little of this way in scripture , even in the apostles times , and nothing to encourage us in the expectation of it afterwards . we read nothing there of the * union of the soul to the divine essence ; of its being absorpt and drown'd over head and ears , and ingulphed in the depth of divinity , so that it became one and the same with god by a true deification . we read there sparingly of some extasies , as one of st. peter , one or two of st. paul , but with how much reserve doth the holy apostle speak , and with how much modesty when he comes to visions and revelations of the lord , when he heard unspeakable words , which it is not lawful for a man to utter , cor. . , &c. now what can be greater if these of teresa be true , and where might we expect to be more entertained with the relation of such rap●s than in the gospel ; so that when they are there so unusual , and here so frequent , that even societies are embody'd from them and formed , it is very much to be suspected , and the rather , seeing that which is the proper means of judging and of distinguishing imagination from revelation , is laid aside , which is reason , and when all is resolved into the persons single testimony . we are required in all cases to search and try , which doth suppose the free exercise of our reason ; and where this is rejected , 't is a sign there is no truth in the thing pretended : but farther , 't is very suspicious when men exalt their own private revelations to the same authority with the revelations of holy writ , and seek to justifie the one by the other ; when they esteem the way of religion as described in scripture , to be mean in comparison of this that they are in , and prefer this way of contemplation and inspiration , above the plain precepts of christianity ; when it is a condescention in them to joyn in external worship . a state indeed of perfection that is above what the gospel hath described , and is another gospel than what we have in scripture received , and which there needs an uncontroulable evidence for : the want of which increaseth the suspicion . 't is certain that there is no evidence for all this , beyond their own simple affirmation , and who is there that without good evidence can believe that those rapturous ladies ( such as santa teresa and donna marina d'escobar ) did in molinos ' s phrase , hear and talk with god hand in hand , when he reads the interlocutory matters that are said to have passed between them . the desire of revelations has so wonderful an influence over the souls , especially of such women , that there is not an ordinary dream but they will christen with the name of vision ; and i must needs say , the credulous world has been much imposed on this way : the pretence abovesaid of maria visitationis is an instance beyond all exception , who impos'd upon her confessor , ( no less a man than lewis granada ) the inquisition , and even the pope himself , and yet notwithstanding she pretended to somewhat more than internal , for her converse with our saviour , &c. was at last detected of notorious imposture . but most of the visionaries we are speaking of , pretended not to so much ; and therefore where there is no external evidence attempted by them , nor that we have the gift of intuition to see into their inward and self-evidence , we have no reason to think otherwise of such illuminations , introversions and interlocutions , than at best the effects of a distemper'd brain ; and so much the rather are we to be careful of these matters , and not to be too easie of belief , because it may be very dangerous in the consequence of it ; for if instead of a star it should prove an ig●is fatuus , whether may not persons be led under the delusion of it , and what will not be concluded to be lawful , nay a duty , which revelation shall warrant ; and where will this end , if once it be credited , and that we commit our selves implicitly and blindly to such an uncertain guide . now if a person comes , under pretence of a revelation , with a message to others , and requires them , as they tender their salvation , to receive it and to submit to it , without such certificates as may give authority to it , it is like one that shall take on him the stile and character of an ambassador , without any credentials to give him authority , and deserves no better acceptance . it is by means of predictions and miracles that a prophet must be known to be a prophet , an inspiration to be an inspiration : and by these characters may we be able to judge of both as to the authority of the mission , and the truth of the inspiration ; where the evidence was n●c●ssary , there was never wanting one or both of these : and tho' john did no miracle , yet he had the spirit of prophecy , the people acknowledg'd ; * for , say they , all things john spake of this man ( jesus ) were true . there may , 't is likely , be inspiration where there is neither of these or the like evidences , but there is no obligation on others to believe it , without the evidence be sufficient ( for such as the evidence is , such is the obligation ) now the evidence is not sufficient which rests solely on humane authority , and has nothing but the bare word or affirmation of the pretender to prove it : it is to this purpose that our saviour speaks , if i bear witness of my self my witness is not true , the works i do bear witness of me . so that inspiration is as to others no inspiration till it be proved : it may for ought appears to the contrary , be no other than delusion or imposture . let therefore the imagination be never so strong , the confidence never so great , the intent never so good , the question is , whence is this ? what evidence doth the person bring of his mission from god ? upon what doth it rest ? into what is it resolved ? what doth he produce more than what may be the fruit of imagination ? it may all be a fit of enthusiasm . and if a person will pretend to immediate inspiration ( were it an age for it ) much more if he pretends to it after inspiration h●s ceased , he must be able to fortifie it by such evidence as can come from none but him from whom the inspiration came if it be divine . the case then is to be put upon this issue , and to be decided by the measures here laid down , and we may safely venture the whole cause of revelation upon it , when there is nothing wanting that can reasonably be desir'd towards the justification of its veracity , and that there is no manner of pretence for applying the same terms of evidence and sincerity to imagination , as to inspiration or to imposture ( whether enthusiastic or diabolical ) as is to revelation . for when was it known that imagination or nature ( vulgarly so called ) did ever impower persons to speak all languages , and to discourse readily at once with the parthians , medes and elamites , &c. in their several tongues : when did nature or imagination enable persons without any skill to cure diseases naturally incurable , and such as had no humane learning , to talk like philosophers of the sublimest arguments , and with as much freedom as they used the speech of the foreign nations they instructed . farther , what imagination , nature or art cou'd inspirit moses with such a supernatural power as to turn his rod into a serpent , and to devour those of the magicians : or by a stroke of it to fetch water out of a rock , and to stop the mighty current of the sea ? what imagination cou'd form such idea's in the minds of a pharaoh and nebuchadnezzar , or inspire a joseph or a daniel to give such an interpretation as justify'd it self to be true by the corresponding event ? when did imagination give life to a fly , or do the least act out of it self ? when did that , or nature , or imposture , really and truly raise the dead with elisha , call for fire from heaven with elijah , or foretell what shall happen an hundred or a thousand years after , or so much as what a person shall think to morrow ? here we may challenge all the magicians , all the men of art and science , all the enthusiast● and impostors in the world , to talk as the persons really inspired did talk , to do as they did , and to produce those testimonies as they produced in their own justification , and for the confirmation of their mission from god. from all which we see , what evidence we have for the truth of revealed religion by the various ways of its manifestation , if we had such inspirations , such visions of things future and remote , &c. what evidence cou'd we desire more to attest and bear witness to what we are to believe and receive , and what absurdities must we be cast upon , if we shou'd venture to call those matters of fact in question , which tho' peculiar to those times , lose not their force and evidence , because they are not in our own , nor have been for several ages , nor are to be again in the christian church . 't is true , when a person is himself the recipient to whom the revelation is imparted , there is no absolute need of a sign of farther evidence to ascertain the truth of it to him , when if god so please the revelation of it self may be made as clear as it can be made by the sign : but when the revelation comes at second hand to a person , and rests on humane testimony , on the ability and sincerity of the relator or person supposed to be inspir'd , there needs some further evidence , some sign or signs that may shew the finger of god , since all men are lyars , psalm . . that is , may be deceived , or may deceive , may either be so weak as to be imposed on by their own imagination , or the imposture and practises of evil spirits , or so wicked as under the pretence of revelation and inspiration to impose upon others . in such a case , i say , no man's affirmation or pretence is ordinarily to be heeded , any farther than he is able to produce a testimony as really divine as he wou'd have his revelation to be accounted . for as before said , all revelation must have a sufficient evidence , and if it be a true revelation , it will be able to produce the same . a revelation to another , how evidently and convincingly soever it may be represented to him , is nothing to me , unless i am fully assur'd that he has had such a revelation : but that i cannot be assur'd of , unless it be by the like immediate revelation , or by sufficient and uncontroulable testimony . since the former wou'd be absurd , and is not to be expected at all times , it is as reasonable for us to believe , where there are sufficient motives of credibility , as if we our selves were alike actually inspir'd , as they to whom the revelation was immediately convey'd : and if i mistake not , these motives are to be resolved . into the veracity , sincerity , and credibility of the persons pretending to inspiration . . into the matter or subject of the revelation . and . into the testimony produced for it . by the credibility of the person we understand his probity and sincerity , his capacity , prudence , and understanding , which render him worthy of credit , and are necessary qualifications of a divine missionary : the being a prophet to others ( as those are to whom a revelation is made , and that are inspired by almighty god ) so as to teach and direct them in the stead as it were of god , whose mouth and representatives they are to the people , is an office of great dignity , and requires somewhat of the divine image , as well as authority , to recommend them and their message to others . i grant in the ordinary cases , as there were prophets bred up in the schools or nurseries of learning and morality , there might be such persons as were employ'd without a strict regard had to these qualifications , as messengers that carried an errand by the order of their superiors . i grant also that god might , and did sometimes upon occasion , inspire such persons as had none of these qualifications to recommend them , as he did balaam . but this was no more than when he opened the mouth of the ass , to rebuke the madness of that prophet , and who was so ever-ruled by the divine power , as against his will , to bless those whom he came to curse , which was so much the more considerable , as it was the testimony of an enemy . but as revelation is a divine communication , and a mark of divine favour , so it doth suppose in the nature of it , that the person so dignify'd is duly qualify'd for it ; and which is so requisite , in the opinion of mankind , that without it he wou'd rather be accounted an impostor than a messenger from god , and ordinarily have no more reverence paid to his errand than to his person . what has been thus said in general , as to the morality and vertue of the inspired person , will hold for the most part as to his prudence and understanding , which is so necessary a qualification , that the divine election of persons for so peculiar a service , doth in that way either find or make them fit . laying all this together , let us see what it amounts to , viz the capacity , ability , and integrity of the persons to whom this revelation is made , the unanimity and consent of persons remote and distant in time and place ; the usefulness and reasonableness , the excellency , sublimity and perfection of the doctrine they taught , the testimony given to them by such operations and productions as exceed the power of created causes , and are wholly from the supream : where these are concurring , and with one mouth , as it were , giving in their evidence , we may say it is the voice of god , and that it his revelation which carries upon it the conspicuous stamp of his authority . i hope these few passages out of the writings of this learned man , may be a means to establish in you a belief that the divine being has given unto us a revelation of his will , and that all other revelations pretended to by such who cannot give us the same convincing evidence , are to be lookt on as the effect of a satanical delusion , a distemper'd head , or a knavish combination : 't is indeed so necessary to believe this● that unless we do so , we shall be liable to be carried aside with every wind of false doctrine , and our faith will find nothing certain to take hold and fix on . you are well acquainted with a sort of men , i need not name them , who have amus'd the world as well as themselves , with a confused system of new principles of religion : these , in their own judgment , are arriv'd at so happy a state as to live and sin not , they carry it seems the deity always about them , and will neither speak , preach nor pray , without a divine mandate ; nay farther , their very words and expressions ( tho' why or upon what account i know not ) must be supernaturally forced on them , and they will deliver nothing but in raptures , extasies , or by inspirations . if we tax them with absurdities , want of sence and incoherency in their discourse ; or if we tell them that religion is both a reasonable and a divine service , they presently exclaim against humane learning , the arts and sciences , and misapply that scripture text which they think pat to their purpose , man's wisdom is foolishness with god. thus , in the opinion of these men , we must shake hands with our reason , resign up our intellectual faculties , and become a sort of idiots or insensible statues : and thus all religion must be resolved into a spiritual delirium or dotage , a sensless stupidity , whilst the learned man and the divine , the christian and the philosopher , must be accounted terms incompatible . whether the name enthusiast , is derived from them , or any other pretenders to revelation , is not material : but certainly , as they are a people , who above all other religionists , have abounded in prophetic rapts , predictions , lamentable expirations , and denunciations of publick woes , calamities and judgments ; so have they for the most part ( if not all ) been miserably benighted and overshadowed with darkness : and there have been those amongst them , who when the cloud has been remov'd , and their imaginations freed from the obscurity , have confest to the sense of a deception , and acknowledg'd the delusion . 't is more then ordinarily remarkable it seems of mr. m — l that he scarce ever speaks amongst them , but in a sort of frantic or wild transport , he is delivering his prophesies and prognosticating the certainty of impending judgments . and indeed mr. k — th sometime ago took notice to me , that among many hundreds , he had heard him utter , not one had ever come to pass . i speak not this out of any personal prejudice , neither yet with a desire that any man shou'd ridicule and contemn them . i have , i must needs say , too certain a knowledge of the honesty , fair dealing , and integrity of some in that perswasion , to tax their morals : and as for their divinity , their fundamental hypothesis of the divine light , if they knew rightly to explain it , or to account for the same , either rationally or intelligibly , i am ready to believe it might prove both serviceable and solid . the rest of their principles have been deliver'd too loosely to pass for any regular system , and it may be thought designedly , least they shou'd be found to clash and disagree . their late intestine janglings , their divisions and fewds , with their separation into parties , give us reason , without the help of revelation , to portend the likelyhood of their extinction ; and as they started up at first almost imperceptibly , so may they very probably , within the compass of another century , dwindle into nothing again . however , be that as it will , this is certain , they are not the people they were at their first rise ; at least , the greatest part of them : their quitting some of the marks and badges of their profession , and their gradual conformity to the habit and customs of other people , which they now seem to think indifferent , is an argument of this ; and truly , i believe i may not err , if i take three parts of the younger people among them to be but nominal , or to act only in compliance with the commands of their governours , on which account i am induced to surmise q — sm may be but little longer liv'd than the supports of their several parties and divisions . it is not without some reason , that i impute your present scepticism to the unhappiness of circumstances attending your education : we do not often find that when men shake of their first imbibed principles , they stick to any other : the first remove is very commonly to infidelity ; and altho' i cannot think you are to be discommended for quitting what you find neither consonant to right reason nor true religion , yet in this you are extreamly blameable , and i hope may live to see the danger , that from the madness and folly of some , you shou'd take the measure of divinity in general , and hereupon resolve all religion into a pious fraud . the people of other churches , even the church of england it self , meet together ( you say ) habited fitter for the theater than a place of devotion ; they have their prayer books brought after them , they fall upon their knees cry , lord have mercy on them , they are miserable sinners : they have done those things , &c. they proceed and say , they believe in god the father almighty , and cry out our father which art in heaven , &c. and when this is over ( nay a great many of them in the time of repeating their prayers and petitions ) are viewing each others dress , taking notice of the fashions , and reflecting upon each others deportment : the elder sort are thinking of their worldly business , who will be their best chapmen , and how to dispose of their several commodities : and as soon as all is over , instead of retiring into their closets , for the sake of private devotion or contemplation , they enter into consult where is the best wine , what friends to visit , and to make merry , or where to walk that they may spend their time , as they call it , in some recreation or diversion . all this i must needs say is too notorious to be evaded , it is indeed as just as miserable a complaint , and therefore as i shall not go about to extenuate the errors or impieties of these persons , so neither does there seem to want any other reply than this , that religion in it self is no more sullied by the scandal of pretended devotee's or irreligious proselytes , than the truth of any other science by the impositions and cheats of an in-intruding impostor . you must consider the people you are speaking of have no more religion than your self , they go to church with their neighbours , whom they think wou'd otherwise take notice of , and censure them : but for their own parts their principles are to choose , they never embraced any in such a manner as if they were certainly convinced of their truth , neither have they any thing to plead for their sometimes frequenting a religious assembly , such as their parish church , more than the custom of their country , and the necessity that there is of securing their reputation . i question not however , but you may find some sincerely religious , and truly affected with the divine service ; men whose piety is as conspicuous in their lives and actions , as in their words and expressions , such whose hearts are fervently affected with the love of god , and whose whole delight it is , as well as utmost endeavour to live godlily , righteously , and soberly in this present world , in order to the securing of an everlasting happiness in a world to come . in a word , all that i have farther to say with reference to reveal'd religion , that compleat and setled standard of divine faith , is this , that how diffident soever you may be at present of its authority , let not the same by any means suffer from your impious reflections : you are no ways able to disprove the matters of fact , they may be true , and you have all the reason in the world to believe they are so : however , in the end , i may securely predict this , that it will be a much less trouble to you , your never looking into those sacred volumes , than your searching them with the foolish patrons of irreligion , only to furnish your self with a profane witticism , or an impious scoff . the folly of such derision ( that i may give you the sentiments of a reverend and devout * person ) is very conspicuous , in considering to whom the injury redounds , by mens making themselves so pleasant with their sins . do they think by their rude attempts to dethrone the majesty of heaven , or by standing at the greatest defiance to make him willing to come to terms of composition with them ? do they hope to slip beyond the bounds of his power , by falling into nothing when they dye ? or to sue out prohibitions in the court of heaven to hinder the effects of justice there ? do they design to out-wit infinite wisdom , or to find such flaws in god's government of the world , that he shall be content to let them go unpunish'd ? all which imaginations are alike vain and foolish , and only shew how easily mens wickedness baffles their reason , and makes them rather hope and wish for the most impossible things , than believe they shall ever be punisht for their impieties . it is well ( says the same judicious man ) in the age we live , that we have the judgment of former ages to appeal to , and of those persons in them whose reputation for wisdom is yet unquestionable , otherwise we might be born down by that spiteful enemy to all vertue and goodness , the impudence of such , who it is hard to say , whether they shew it more in committing sin , or in defending it : men , whose manners are so bad , that scarce any thing can be imagined worse , unless it be the wit with which they use to excuse them : such who take the measure of man's perfections downwards , and the nearer they approach to beasts , the more they think themselves to act like men. no wonder that among such as these the differences of good and evil be laughed at , and no sin thought so unpardonable as thinking there is any at all : the utmost these men will allow in the description of sin , is , that it is a thing that some live by declaiming against , and others cannot live without the practise of . but is the chair of scorners at last prov'd the only chair of infallibility ? must those be the standard of mankind , who seem to have little lest of humane nature , but laughter and the shape of men ? do they think that we are all become such fools to take scoffs for arguments , and railery for demonstration ? he knows nothing at all of goodness that knows not that it is much easier to laugh at than to practise it ; and it were worth the while to make a mock at sin , if the doing so wou'd make nothing of it : but the nature of things does not vary with the humours of men : sin becomes not at all the less dangerous , because some men have so little wit to think it so ; nor religion the less excellent and advantageous to the world , because the greatest enemies of that are so much to themselves too , that they have learnt to despise it , but altho' that scorns to be defended by such weapons whereby her enemies assault her ( nothing more unbecoming the majesty of religion , than to make it self cheap by making others laugh ) yet if they can but obtain so much of themselves , as to attend with patience to what is serious , there may be yet a possibility of perswading them that no fools are so great as those who laugh themselves into misery , and none so certainly do so as those who make a mock at sin. it may be not unlikely thought by some the interest of mankind , that there shou'd be no heaven at all , because the labour to acquire it , is more worth than the purchase , god almighty , if there be one , having much over-valued the blessings of his presence ; so that upon a fair estimation , 't is a greater advantage to take ones swinge in sensuality , and have a glut of voluptuousness in this life , freely resigning all pretences to future happiness , which when a man is once extinguished by death , he cannot be supposed either to want or desire , than to be ty'd up by commandments and rules so thwart and contrary to flesh and blood , and refuse the satisfaction of natural desires . this indeed is the true language of atheism , and the cause of it too ; were not this at the bottom , no man in his wits cou'd contemn and ridicule the expectation of immortality ; and yet i may be bold to say , it is a plain instance of the foily of those men , who whilst they repudiate all title to the kingdom of heaven , meerly for the present pleasure of body , and their boasted tranquility of mind , besides the extream madness in running such a desperate hazard after death , they unwittingly deprive themselves here of that very pleasure and tranquility they seek for , there being nothing more certain than this , that religion it self gives us the greatest delights and advantages even in this life also , tho' there shou'd prove in the event to be no resurrection to another : * her ways are ways of pleasantness , and all her paths are peace . but the truth of our future existence has had the attestation of the learned and judicious in all parts of the world. i have elsewhere taken notice of it , and must again inculcate to you , that religion is somewhat more than a childish unaccountable fear of any pretended invisible power , and that the terrors it strikes us with are vastly different from those tales about specters , which do at some times frighten pusillanimous minds : those that do arise from our knowledge of having offended the divine being , or from the just fear of his anger and indignation , are such as do not only disturb some small pretenders and puny novices , but do approach even the profoundest rabbi's , or masters of atheism , it being well known both from ancient and modern experience , that the very , boldest of them , out of their debauches and company , when they chance to be surprized with solitude or sickness , are the most suspicious , timerous , and despondent wretches in the world : and the boasted happy atheist in the indolence of the body , and an undisturbed calm and serenity of mind , is altogether as rare a creature as the vir sapiens was amongst the stoicks , whom they often met with in idea and description , in harangues and in books , but freely own'd that he never had or was likely to exist actually in nature . believe me , my good friend , here is more in this than prepossession of phancy or disease of imagination ; and if you object that had we not been told of these things by designing men , we shou'd never have thought on them our selves ; the answer is ready , who told these designing men ? if they thought of these things , without being told , why may not others do so too ? it is manifest enough to every man , that his soul , whilst in the body , is capable to retire it self from corporeal images , and to be busie with idea's of another nature , which no corporeal impression cou'd possibly make ; and hence also it is as clear , that our souls may operate and be capable of pleasure and pain when separated from body . for if the soul were no more than a crasis of the body , it wou'd be capable of no other distemper than what arises from the compression or dilatation of matter , or from the obstruction and turgescency of humors . since therefore we find it subject to maladies , which spring meerly from moral causes , and which are no more curable by the prescripts of physicians , than the stone or gout are to be remov'd by a lecture in philosophy , we have sufficient cause to believe it of an incorporeal nature . farther , the essences of things are best known by their operations , and the best guess we can make of the nature and condition of beings , is from the quality of their actions , while therefore by contemplating our selves , we find that we do elicite actions , which do exceed the power of matter , and the most subtil motion of corporeal particles , we have all imaginable ground to think that we are possessed of a principle immaterial as well as intellectual . he who considers that there is not one perfect organ in the humane body , but the parallel of it is to be met with in the noblest sort of brute animals , and yet that there are divers operations performed by men , that no beast whatever is capable of doing the like , must need apprehend that the rational soul is not a corporeal faculty , nor a contexture of material parts . to prove this , we have already instanc'd in the acts of intellection ; viz. . the acts of simple apprehension . . acts of judgment . . acts of ratiocination . . acts of reflection . . acts of correcting the errours and mistakes of the imagination . and lastly , acts of volition , or those whereby we choose and refuse by a self-determinating power , according as things are estimated , remaining exempt from all coaction and necessitation by the influence of any principle foreign to it . all these are impossible to matter , because that acts always according to the swing of irresistible motion ; nor can it be courted or solicited to rest when under the forcible impulse of a stronger movent . so that whatever insensibility you may fancy of a soul divested of corporeal organs , you will experience , that as the body is unconcern'd in any thing but sensation , there will remain a power of exerting those superiour acts and faculties which have no relation thereunto , and consequently a capacity to suffer pain or pleasure , the rewards and punishments of a well or ill spent life , for it is not sense but reflection that wounds the conscience : sense , it 's true , may divert the pain , but can never make it ; and when death puts an end to sensible diversions , the never-dying worm may lash without controul . in fine , if bad men were sure to undergo no other pains or horrors , and if the good were sure to receive no more joys or pleasures till the resurrection , than proceed out of the heaven or hell they carry with them , and from the certain and constant expectations of another , that might be sufficient , if well consider'd , to deter men from vice , and to encourage them to righteousness : but the scriptures intimate more , and plainly inform us , that the souls of bad men are immediately upon death translated to a place of torment , and the souls of the good to a place of joy and happiness ; whether those places are what we generally understand by heaven and hell , or whether or no the completion of our happiness or misery shall precede the ultimate judgment , will not certainly be determined till we make the experiment . thus sir , having given you my own , together with the more weighty opinions of other men , as to the business of religion , i hope the light set up in your understanding will put you upon embracing what upon a serious attention to the same you find unquestionable . i am far from insinuating the necessity of an implicite faith , or perswading you to shut your eyes , and leave the rest to your guide : god almighty has made you a reasonable creature , and if you make a right use of that divine prerogative , you need not fear a secure passage into the harbour of solid happiness . what pains soever some may take absolutely to exclude reason from having any thing to do in divinity , or however lightly they may esteem it , this will be found certain , that we have no surer pilot when we first set out , to keep us from the rocks of atheism on the one side , and from superstition , polytheism , and idolatry on the other : or indeed any other director to secure us from making shipwrack of our faith , than the pure acts of our unprejudiced understandings , which i call right reason . a superficial knowledge , may raise some unhappy doubts , and a light smattering , especially in some kinds of philosophy , may draw us into the danger of infidelity , with respect to our immortality : but all this we may be freed from by the exercise of a true judgment , and a solid enquiry in physicks , or after the nature and true causes of things , will with no other difficulty more than serious attention and application help us to dispel those errors of our intellects . it is not enough what some men think , that a man is able to account for some of the appearances in nature , by the aristotelian doctrine of qualities and forms , or the cartesian of geometrick principles , and then in a foolish exultation to cry out inveni , or boast that there is nothing so abstruse , but will admit of a mechanic explanation . to give an instance , 't is not sufficient that out of a lecture upon the opticks , we explicate the manner of vision , by saying that * the figure and colour of a visible object make the base of an imaginary cone , which is composed of a multitude of visual rays , and instantly convey'd through a lucid medium to the superficies of the beholders eye , where a section of the apex of that cone is refracted by the several waters and tunics , and the figure of the said object , being inverted by the crystalline humour , is in the same posture lodged in the retina , from whence it is convey'd into the common sensory . again , it suffices not that in hearing we judge that different percussions do beget infinite spheric figures of aerial motions , which every where spread themselves till they meet with some harder body that makes resistance , which suppose to be the ear , in the cavity of which the foresaid figures of aerial motions , suffer several reverberations , and then make a percussion upon the tympanum or drum ( a nervous and pellucid membrance of exquisite sense ) and from thence are convey'd into the brain . however consentaneous these conjectures may be to the truth , they are all , i say , too short of satisfactory or compleat accounts : there are yet insuperable difficulties behind , and we must expect perpetual disputes about the matter and modification , both of the visible and audible species : but admitting these also were fairly decided , that light , colours and images are the same substance , that the rays which cause the visible species , are either certain particles or effluvia's darted from a lucid body , repercussed in their going forth , and reflected variously here and there , according to gassendus , or that these particles beaming forth from the same lucid body , move other particles of a nitro-sulphureous quality implanted in the air , and as it were by inkindling them render them luminous , and these at length others , and that so a diffusion on every side of light or images is propagated by a certain undulation , which is the more probable opinion , if we may credit dr. willis . farther , admitting in the case of hearing , that the audible species or sonorisick particles are a kind of saline little bodies , after the manner described , or some other way stirred up into act for the production of sound : in a word , admitting the rest of the senses , the touch , the smell and taste , and all other phaenomena relating to the humane body , might after some such manmer be explor'd by the corpuscular philosophy ; yet all this will not direct us to a knowledge of the substance and condition of our own souls , the speculations of this nature may indeed inform us that the being which exerts such admirable powers , and judges so exquisitely of each of these sensations , must it self be independent both of matter and mechanism . how then is it possible for any man , without a wilful blindness or debauch of his understanding , when he has made this enquiry , and satisfy'd himself in the wonderful and divine contrivance of structure in the several organs destinated for so many functions : how is it , i say , that this shou'd incline a man to atheism , unless , contrary to the dictates of his own conscience , he were resolv'd that way : or how can we conceive a reasonable creature so strangely degenerate from the rest of mankind , as to imagine where there can be nothing more conspicuous than the workmanship of a most powerful and most intelligent being , that the same at first proceeded either from no cause at all , or one no better , viz. chance or fortune . so that to deal freely , i can do no less than believe , with a modern philosopher , that whoever does profess philosophy , and thinks not rightly of god , may be judg'd not only to have shaken hands with religion , but with his reason also , and that he hath at once put off philosophy as well as christianity . the sum of this argument lyes here , that no man can indeed scarce reason at all , or to be sure cannot reason rightly and be irreligious : on the other hand , to be truly and indeed religious is to be truly reasonable : so that to put the cause upon this issue , let us examine what it is that right reason teaches us , whether it be to do good or evil : let us consider whether it point out unto us a direct and sure way to future happiness , or engage us in the paths that lead to destruction . for if in effect it be reason that imprints upon our minds any notion of irreligion , or that in any manner inclines us to vice , we ought undoubtedly to reject it without the least hesitation : but if on the contrary it appear , that true reason be the only foundation both of true piety and real vertue , and that any pretence , either to the one or to the other , not built on rational principles , may in truth be no other than the effect of superstition or hypocrisie , th●n certainly 't is our duty to use our reason as well in matters of religion as in any thing else . it is this which must direct us in our search of holy scriptures ; 't is this must guide us in our enquiry after the founder of the christian religion ; and when by our reason we are perswaded of the authority of the sacred writings , and that the penmen thereof were supernaturally inspired , which as is intimated before , we have abundant reason to believe , we must then let our faith take place , and not only assent unto those things which we can account for , but even of those also , which tho' not contrary to , are above our reason , and must be acknowledg'd to surmount our apprehension . the belief of a god , of his providence , and of future rewards and punishments , is that faith which is the true and only foundation of all religion , but the foundation of that faith lyes in the perception we have of the truth of those things , by that general light or capacity of discerning which is imparted to all mankind . all the certainty , saith the pious father malebranch , which we can have in matters of faith , depends upon that knowledge which we have by reason of the existence of a god , and thus we see one inestimable advantage derived to us by the right use of our reason , and a powerful argument in favour of this opinion , that it is by reason only we are made capable to lay the first foundation of all religion , which is the certain knowledge of the existence of the divine being . if you expect any definition or explication of this word reason , i may answer with a very ingenious * man , that by reason , is to be understood that steddy , uniform light that shines in the minds of all men ; that divine touchstone or test by which all men are enabled ( so far i mean as they are able ) to discern the congruity and incongruity of propositions , and thereupon to pronounce them true or false . there are indeed different degrees of clearness in the intellectual perception of different men , occasion'd by the different degrees of attention in themselves , and the different representation of things from without ; but the light by which all things are discerned , is universally one and the same . the uniformity of this light is the ground of all intellectual communication between man and man : for if different men saw always the same things in different lights , it wou'd be impossible for one man , by any representation whatsoever , to raise the same conceptions in another man's mind that he has in his own ; and therefore it is that whatever extraordinary illumination some men may injoy , it can only be of authority and useful to themselves ; or at most , it can be only so far useful and of authority to others , as those that enjoy it are able to give extraordinary proof of it . all matters of religion , even as all other affairs of humane life , are to be handled by men ( in reference to one another ) in methods conformable to the universal and uniform light of all mankind . by religion i understand the belief of the existence of a god , and the sense and practise of those duties that result from the knowledge we have of him , of our selves , and of the relation we stand in to him , and to our fellow creatures . the existence of a god is demonstrable from the necessity of admitting some first cause of all things ; whatsoever that cause be , i call it god : and the idea that we have of this powerful ●●cing , arises from the contemplation of those innumerable perfections that we discern in the things that are : for he that gave those perfections unto these things , must needs have an inexhaustable fountain of perfection in himself . by the being then of god , i mean the first principle of all things , he that made all things what they are , and endow'd them with all their different powers and vertues , from whence i conclude him to be a being absolutely perfect . my own existence is a self-evident principle : no reflection can give unto a philosopher any greater assurance of his own existence , than the intimate perswasion that every plowman has of his without study or meditation . now the idea that men have of themselves is twofold , material and immaterial : the material part of man is his body , which is evidently subject to the general laws of matter , and liable to all the mutations that are incident to other material beings . the immaterial part is his mind , which discovers it self in his capacity of thinking and reasoning : for thought exceeds the power of matter , that therefore which thinks , viz. the mind or soul of man , is not material , and by consequence not subject to the laws of matter , nor lyable to the mutations that are incident to matter , but capable of a subsistence , notwithstanding any alteration or dissolution that shall happen to the parts of his body . this immateriality and immortality of the soul , has been understood and believed by the generality of heathen philosophers in consequence of their own reflections and ratiocinations , long before the evidence that has been since given of it unto mankind by the revelation of the gospel of jesus christ : and therefore the belief that the ancient philosophers had of the soul's immortality , is an undeniable proof that it is a notion discoverable by the light of nature , because they who had no other light cou'd not otherways have discover'd it . the relation that men stand in towards one another , is chiefly observable in the mutual necessity that all men have of one anothers assistance and succour ; it being hardly possible for any man to subsist at all , but absolutely impossible to subsist comfortably without borrowing help from others . these are the circumstances in which mankind is born into the world , and we are placed in these circumstances by god almighty , the universal cause and principle of all things : so that whatsoever we are led unto by the necessity of these circumstances , is in effect a duty imposed on us by the eternal and unalterable law of god : towards whom we stand first related as to a benefactor , from whom we have received our being , together with our present enjoyments , and our capacity of any farther enjoyment whatsoever . next as to a lawgiver or governour , by whom we are obliged to the observance of certain rules or ordinances unto which he has subjected us . if we consider singly the idea that we have of our own being , the rule that results from thence for our conduct , is , that we must not degenerate from the dignity of our nature , but must therefore bridle and govern all the appetites and passions that arise from our corporeal constitutions , according to the genuine dictates of those nobler faculties of ratiocination and judgment wherewith our maker has endow'd our minds . if we consider the relation that we stand in towards one another , the law of god obliges us indespensably to truth , equity , charity , benevolence , and to every thing which tends to the settlement of societies , or to the general welfare of mankind ; for every particular man's greatest interest being involved in the interest of the whole , the observance of such things , as tend to the general good , is every particular man's duty , and is not to be transgrest for the sake of any lesser or private advantage . if we consider the relation that we stand in towards god , his law requires our acknowledgment , gratitude , love , dependance , submission , or in one word , our humblest adoration of his infinite perfections . the observance of these rules is a duty incumbent upon mankind by the said law of god ; the breach of any of them is a breach of god's law , an offence against the law-maker , or a sin. laws are of no vigour unless inforced by rewards and punishments , which are therefore to be proportion'd to the nature and degree of the observance and transgression of the laws . the observance and transgression of god's laws by m●n ( whose bodily actions depend upon the inward motions of his mind ) consist not in any machinal acts of the body , but in the voluntary motions and intentions of the mind ; and therefore the rewards or punishments of such observance and transgression are chiefly to be conferr'd or inflicted upon the mind or soul of man , and that after the full course of his actions , either good or bad , is accomplisht , which is to say , in the future state of the soul after its separation from the body . in the belief and sense of these general truths , and in the practise of the duties that result from them , according to their full extent and tendency , consists all true religion : whatsoever else is introduced into any religion , either national or practical , i say , whatever does not necessarily flow from some of these branches , or tend to enforce the observance of them , is no essential part of true religion , but rather the product of design and folly. every man then is answerable unto god , the supream lawgiver , for his own particular conduct in every branch of these duties , as they relate either to god , to his neighbour , or to himself . this i take to be the pure language of impartial reason , unassisted by revelation ; and they seem indeed to be the most natural inferences which can be drawn from truly rational propositions : whatever false deductions or conclusions some mens false judgments have invented for the support of their wretched cause , the fallacy is soon detected , and a stricter inquisition will soon lay open the grand absurdities of their mischievous opinions . but truly 't is plain enough , tho' some men may be reputed a sort of reasoning atheists , yet the much greater part of them are infidels by imitation , and so far from being able to oppose the truth of the divine being , the certainty of reveal'd religion , or their own immortality , that they scarce ever gave themselves time to consider seriously the meaning of the words . these have no quarrel with religion on the account of its truths , not being firmly enough establisht ; but their pique proceeds from hence , that they fear it will lay them under a necessity of putting a check to their exorbitant desires , and hinder them in the pursuit of their vitious inclinations . to conclude , if after all that can be said , however rational or true , you will notwithstanding go about to perswade your self that all is but a meer dream or imposture , that there is no such excellent being as is supposed to have created and to preserve us , but that all about us is dark , sensless matter , driven on by the blind impulse of fatality , that men at first sprung up out of the slime of the earth of their own accord , and that all their thoughts , and the whole of what they call soul , are only various action and repercussion of small particles of matter kept a while moving by some mechanism or clock-work , which finally ceases and perishes by death . if contrary to the evidence in your own understanding , you can listen with complacency to these horrid suggestions , if you can willingly and with joy let go your hopes of another life , and entertain the thoughts of perdition with triumph and exultation : if you can glory in debasing and villanising the rest of mandind to the condition of brute beasts , and permit your folly to baffle all arguments , to be proof against the clearest or most perspicuous demonstration : what wou'd you have us think better or more favourably than this , that you resolve to carry your atheism with you to the grave , and that the infernal horrour and despair must be alone sufficient to rectifie your mistake , or to convince you of your errour . i have nothing more in this , but to intimate my request to you , that you wou'd consider what has been said , with that attention which becomes the subject ; and if you can object nothing against the fundamental parts of the discourse , let not the arguments , here borrowed , by any means suffer from any disorderly management committed by london , febr. . . yours , &c. the appendix . concerning the corruption of humane nature , and the necessity of divine grace , &c. to mr. — there remains , my friend , as a necessary suppliment to what has been so lately deliver'd , that we make a short enquiry into the nature of the divine grace ; i mean , that we consider whether or no there is an absolute necessity of any extraordinary or supernatural accession of aid or assistance to the security and confirmation of our faith and practise , or if with pelagius , we are to conceive our selves able , by the natural powers of our own souls , or the free exertion of our rational faculties ( exclusive of this extraordinary co-operation ) to obtain the same , and that grace ( according to this heretical opinion ) consists only in the free pardon of our sins through the mediator , and the doctrine and perswasions only to a holy life , for the time to come , with god's ordinary concurrence . if the former of these opinions be true , that there is somewhat necessary which is independent on the powers of our own souls , we may be able to satisfie our selves , in that it is possible to give credit to the truths of religion , and yet at the same time to neglect their practise ; but if the latter be the most consonant to the truth , it will be then , as i imagine , scarce conceivable that any man , who is satisfy'd in the verity of religion , shou'd at the same time be negligent or remiss in the performance of what his faith requires , or deflect out of the paths which he knows will conduct him to his greatest happiness . at this rate , we must think every man who believes does practise accordingly , and that whatever verbal confessions we may meet with of their creeds , yet if they act not steddily in conformity to the same , we are to suppose there is a certain diffidence intermixed with their faith , a sort of disbelief , or at the least , a distrust of the certainty of religious truths , which they think may be no more than empty notions . but this opinion seems so directly opposite both to right reason and the experience of mankind , that to admit it we must exclude the whole creation from any just claim to future happiness , and take for granted that there never was such a thing as a religious man , or a true believer in the world. on the contrary , as we have no reason to question , but that there have been vast numbers , both of men and women , who have been as convincingly satisfy'd of the truth of the supreme being , and their soul 's incorruptibility , as of any thing whatever : so may we safely assert , that there never was any one of these , who has not at certain times been an actual transgresor , or a trespasser against his faith. and farther , that in whatever state of purity the first man was created , yet since the lapse or degeneracy of humane nature from its primitive perfection , there is no man able , without the concurrence of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or divinium aliquid we are treating of , to live in a real contempt of the present world , or to disregard its manifold temptations . it is besides my intention to make a scrutinous enquiry , how the first man came to fall from original righteousness , or how this degeneracy comes to be derived from him to his posterity . it seems hard indeed to perswade our selves that the rational soul is immediately contaminated with this sin , but is so necessarily , so soon as we become capable of sinning : so that according to a right notion of the matter , the damage we have sustained proceeds from our first parents unhappy forfeiture of immortality ; since which it is impossible , without divine assistance , for mankind , thus propagated in the constant methods of nature , to secure themselves from falling , and from rendring themselves obnoxious to a transgression of the laws of god. i know the atheist does here wonderfully pride himself , in having found out an objection impossible to be resolved by our finite understandings : for , saith he , if the grace of god be sufficient for all men , and that the co-operation of man's will to sufficient grace , is to be conceived the cause of his election , why did not god so constit●te mankind , as that all shou'd co-operate to this sufficient grace , and consequently be elected to everlasting bliss ? to this i say , when they have met with no other reply , than that s●ch was god's eternal will , they presently attack the divine being , and in their own conceits immediately displace him from his throne and government . 't is here likewise that the deist struts and exalts the lucky hit of his phancy , thinking himself more knowing than the whole world besides , in that he has now found out the juggle , as he calls it , of christianity . 't is first , saith he , unnecessary that there should be a mediator , the mercy of god being sufficient for his justice . dly , god must appoint this mediator , and so was reconciled to the world before . and dly , a mediator derogates from god's infinite mercy equally , as an image does from his spirituality . and thus the mighty monster lays his plot against the redemption of mankind , looks big upon the contrivance , and doubts not but with these three strokes he doe's the christian's business . his next onset is upon our immortality , or separate existence of the soul , which he gradually lessens by insinuating that brutes are ejusdem rationis participantes , or endow'd with the same reason as man , tho' not altogether in the same degree . indeed 't is great pity that those who are debasing mankind at this ridiculous rate , shou'd be lookt upon otherwise than the more sensible beasts , or be defined otherwise than as a kind of two legg'd animals without feathers . thei● last assault is against heaven it self , or the divine being , whom they first seek to discredit by the multitude of anomalous accidents which they say cou'd never come to pass if an intelligent being were the director ; their conclusion ( tho' perhaps not so plain ) is this , that we need believe nothing but what we our selves are able to account for , which in other words is to believe our own understandings to be infinite , and that is to believe we are so many gods our selves . whoever looks upon our modern deism any otherwise than disguised atheism , will find himself deceiv'd : for my own part i never yet heard of any one of them that cou'd forbear , at one time or other , giving us to understand that he was the modester sort of infidel ; and whatever advantage it may be to their principles , this is certain , that there is scarce a profane , irreligious person or libertine about the town , who pretends not to be a very devout deist . as to their wild ravings against the christian religion , we have no occasion to reply other ways than this ; that had christianity been all transacted behind the curtain , or in the clouds ; had its founder been as invisible as the king of the pharies ; or were the history of christ no better attested than those of the mythologists , who talk of once upon a time , and the land of utopia , we shou'd then , i say , have no small grounds for our hesitation : but since we find it otherwise , and that all was acted openly at noon-day , before the face of the multitude ; since not only the names of christ and his apostles , but their lives and stupendious actions , together with a narrative of their sufferings and deaths , are deliver'd to us by as undoubted testimony as it is possible for any other matters of fact to be , and stand upon perpetual record : their adversaries will be lookt upon as a brain-sick people , and no man in his wits will think this religion soil'd , till it is unquestionably proved , that there never were such persons on the earth as our saviour and his disciples ; or that they never performed those works of which it is reported they were the authors ; till they can do this , it signifies nothing at all that they cannot reconcile the want of a mediator , or the mystery of man's redemption by the sufferings of christ , to their own crack-brain'd fancies , or to their own notions of the divine attributes . 't is generally observed , that by an immoderate curiosity in searching after the divine arcana , instead of inlightening others , men do but stagger and confound themselves ; which if they righ●ly consider'd the certain limits of their own capacities , they might with less difficulty be dehorted from this dangerous extravagance , and calmly acquiesce in the revealed will of god. but to return to the present corruption of our natures , and the necessity of divine assistance to concur with our own natural power , we have an intelligible account of the former in one of the articles of the church of england , where it is said that sin , viz. original , is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is engender'd of the off-spring of adam ; whereby man is far removed from his first righteousness , and is of his own nature inclin'd to evil : so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit , and in every person born into this world , deserveth the divine indignation ; and this natural infection doth remain even in them that are regenerate , whereby the lust of the flesh , called in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which some expound the wisdom , some the affection , some sensuality , others the desire of the flesh , is not subject to the law of god. the learned orator dr. * allestry speaks to this purpose upon this argument : our saviour ( saith he ) suffer'd on the tree , that we might be renew'd into that constitution , which the tree of knowledge did disorder . before man eat of that , his lower soul was in perfect subordination to his mind , and every motion of his appetite did attend the dictates of his reason , and obey them with that resignation or ready willingness , with which our outward faculties do execute the will 's commands : then any thing , however grateful to the senses , was no otherwise desir'd than a● it serv'd to the regular and proper ends and uses of his making : there was a rational harmony in the tendencies of all his parts , and that directed and modulated by the rules and hand of god that made them ; in fine th●● , grace was nature , and vertue constitution . now to reduce us to this state , as near as possible , is the business of religion ; but this it can in no degree effect , but as it does again establish the subordination of the sensual to the reasonable part within us : that is , till by denying satisfaction to the appetite ( which is now irregular and disorderly in its desires ) we have taught it how to want them , and to be content without them , and by that means have subdued its inclinations . according to this great man , the corruption of our nature does not lye in the mind , but only in the lower soul ; and regeneration is no more than the reducing that lower soul to obedience to its superior , the mind : but because this plain point has been made a mighty mystery by some people , i shall yet farther explain it . when man by his fall had incurr'd the penalty of death , and became a mortal creature , he thereby usher'd in diseases and infirmities , the fore-runners of death and dissolution , and therefore propagated unequal mixtures and constitutions , which naturally , according to the prevailing part of the mixture , raises powerful and pressing lusts and passions , which not only make violent and repeated storms upon reason , but they also interrupt her operations in other duties , by the frequent touches of the animal spirits , upon that image in the brain of the beloved action , and intrudes it among our thoughts whether we will or no : and for this cause ( tho' in other things we are reasoning men ) when the tender is toucht , we can scarce understand a plain conclusion from plain premises ; till the gratifying of the prevailing lusts has wasted many of our sensible spirits , and then reason freed from violence puts on shame and remorse for her defeat : but no sooner is nature recruited than reason is prest to forget her repentance . and this is the best of our degenerate condition : for in most men , either through the want , or the abundance , or irregular motions of the animal spirits , the reasoning faculty is generally obstructed , and they reason weakly in every thing : nay , sometimes this power is quite blockt up , and some men become distracted , others meer changlings . but besides that , in the best of us the reasoning power is often obstructed , and has forcible inclinations to deal with : the work of reason in general , is by the first apostacy abundantly increased : she must maintain patience and submission under diseases , pains , infirmities , poverty , loss of parents , husbands , children and friends : she must maintain charity and humility in the rich and wise , command visits to the sick , assistance to the prisoner , fatherless and widows : but in the state of innocence there were no objects for the exercise of these and many more vertues , nor no provocations to the contrary vices : all these are the natural consequences of dust thou art , and to dust thou shalt return ; and of that curse which was the consequence of man's transgression . it is here that we see the reason why the first covenant was peremptory , the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye , because man was blessed with an ability to keep his covenant with god : but through the greatness of mercy in the second , we are promis'd the assistance of the holy spirit , and when we fall ( as the best of us must with our utmost care ) god is pleased to accept of our repentance , knowing it impossible for man , under his present circumstances , and the manner of his multiplication , to keep himself free from sin. to be short , in the state of innocence constitutions were regular , and therefore reason was strong and uninterrupted in her operations , and her work was short and easie ; but by the apostacy they became irregular , the strength of reason was impaired , her operations interrupted , and variety of hard works , which were not in the primitive state , are now become our reasonable service . i must confess my self better pleas'd with this account , than many others i have met with , and chiefly for its placing the corruption of our nature in the sensitive or inferiour soul : for notwithstanding cartes and his followers have disallow'd the division , and will by no means comply that there should be any more than one and the same soul , and that those intestine conflicts between the flesh and spirit , which we do all at sometimes experience , do arise only from a determination of the spirits by the will one way , and from another determination of them by the corporeal appetite , yet the explanation elsewhere given , as it is more consistent with holy writ , so it is likewise with the belief of the greater number of learned men , who have solidly establisht this doctrine of a duality of souls in every individual man. but leaving this , we must all grant him to be a creature endow'd with reason , and supposing him to be such , it will be now worth the enquiry how it comes to pass that he shou'd be so very incident to failings , and to act even against the clearest and most demonstrative reason . there have been several attempts made to explain this matter , by several men : some of which will have the cause to proceed from certain errors or mistakes in judgment , for , say they , since it is impossible that man , as he is endow'd with reason , shou'd appetere malum , qua malum , whatever he makes choice of , tho' in it self never so great an evil , must be offer'd to his appetite under the disguise of some certain good of which he believes himself to stand in need : and thus , through the want of due consideration , or errors of our understanding , the bonum apparens takes place of the bonum reale ; and thus likewise it happens that the bonum vicinum puts in before the bonum remotum . the understanding , mr. lock on the other side is of opinion , that it is neither an appearing good , nor yet the greatest positive good , but always some pressing and preva●●●ng uneasiness that influences our action● . it seems ( saith * he ) so stablisht and setled a maxim by the general consent of mankind , that good , or the greater good determines our wills : that i do not at all wonder , that when i first publisht my thoughts upon this subject , i took it for granted : and i imagine , that by a great many i shall be thought more excusable for having then done so , than that now i have ventur'd to recede from so receiv'd an opinion , but yet upon a stricter enquiry i am forced to conclude , that good , even the greatest good , tho' apprehended and acknowledg'd to be so , does not determine the will , until our desire proportionally raised to it , makes us uneasie in the want of it . convince a man never so much , that plenty has its advantages above poverty ; make him see and own that the handsome conveniencies of life are better than nasty penury ; yet as long as he is content with the latter , and finds no uneasiness in it , he moves not , his will is never determined to any action that shall bring him out of it . let a man be never so well perswaded of the advantages of vertue , that it is as necessary to him who has any great aims in this world , or hopes in the next , as food to life ; yet , till he hungers and thirsts after righteousness , till he feels an uneasiness in the want of it , his will is not determin'd to any action in pursuit of this confessed greater good , but any other uneasiness he feels in himself , shall take place , and carry his will to other actions . let the drunkard see that his health decays , his estate wasts , discredit and diseases , and the want of all things , even of his beloved drink , attends him in the course he follows ; yet the returns of uneasiness to miss his companions , the habitual thirst after his cups at the usual time , drives him to the tavern , tho' he hath in his view the loss of health and plenty , and perhaps of the joys of another life : the least of which is no inconsiderable good , but such as he confesses is far greater than the tickling his palate with a glass of wine , or the idle chat of a soaking club. 't is not for want of viewing the greater good , for he sees and acknowledges it , and in the intervals of his drinking hours , will take resolutions to pursue the greater good : but when the uneasiness to miss his accustomed delight returns , the greater acknowledg'd good loseth its hold , and the present uneasiness determines the will to the accustom'd action , which thereby gets stronger footing to prevail again the next occasion : tho' he at the same time make secret promises to himself , that he will do so no more : this is the last time he will act against the attainment of these greater goods : and thus be it from time to time in the state of that unhappy complainer , video meliora , proboque , deteriora sequor ; which sentence , allowed true , and made good by constant experience , may this , and possibly no other way , be made easily intelligible . if we enquire now into the reason , of what experience makes so evident in fact , and examine why 't is uneasiness alone operates on the will , and determines it in its choice , we shall find that we being capable but of one determination of the will to one action at once , the present uneasiness that we are under , does naturally determine the will in order to that happiness we all aim at in all our actions ; forasmuch as whilst we are under any uneasiness , we cannot apprehend our selves happy , or in the way to it . pain and uneasiness being by every one concluded and felt to be inconsistent with happiness , spoiling the relish even of those good things we have : a little pain serving to marr all the pleasure we rejoyc'd in , and therefore that which of course determines the choice of our will to the next action , will always be the removing of pain as long as we have any left , as the first and necessary step towards happiness . another reason why it is uneasiness alone determines the will , may be th●● , because that alone is present , and 't is against the nature of things , that what is absent should operate where it is not . i know it may be said that absent good may , by contemplation , be brought home to the mind , and made present ; the idea indeed may be in the mind , and viewed as present there , but nothing will be in the mind as a present good , able to counterballance the removal of any uneasiness we are under , till it raises our desire , and the uneasiness of that has the prevalency in determining the will. till then , the idea in the mind , of whatever good is there only like other idea's , the object of bare unactive speculation , but operates not on the will , nor sets us on work , the reason whereof i shall shew presently . how many are to be found that have had lively representations set before their minds , of the unspeakable joys of heaven ; which they acknowledge both possible and probable too , who yet would be content to take up with their happiness here , and so the prevailing uneasiness of their desires , let loose after the injoyments of this life , take their turns in determining their wills , and all that while they take not one step , are not one jot moved towards the good things of another life , consider'd as never so great . were the will determin'd by the view of good , as it appears in contemplation greater or less to the understanding , which is the state of all absent good , and that which in the received opinion the will is supposed to move to , and to be moved by : i do not see how it cou'd ever get loose from the infinite eternal joys of heaven , once propos'd and consider'd as possible ; for all absent good , by which alone barely propos'd and coming in view , the will is thought to be determined , and so to set us on action , being only possible , but not infallibly certain : 't is unavoidable that the infinitely greater possible good should regularly and constantly determine the will in all the successive actions it directs ; and then we should keep constantly and steddily in our course towards heaven , without ever-standing still , or directing our actions to any other end : the eternal condition of a future state infinitely outweighing the expectation of riches or honours , or any other worldly pleasures we can propose to our selves , tho' we shou'd grant these the more probable to be attain'd ; for nothing future as yet in possession , and so the expectation even of these may deceive us : if it were so that the greater good in view determines the will , so great a good once proposed cannot but seize the will , and hold it fast to the pursuit of this infinitely greatest good , without ever letting it go again ; for the will having a power over and directing the thoughts , as well as other actions , will hold the contemplation of the mind fixed to that good. this would be the state of the mind and regular tendency of the will in all its determinations , were it determin'd by that which is consider'd and in view the greater good : but that it is not so , is visible in experience , the infinitely greatest confessed good being often neglected to satisfie the successive uneasiness of our desires , pursuing trifles . but tho' the greatest allowed , even everlasting unspeakable good , which has sometimes moved and affected the mind , does not stedfastly hold the will ; yet we see any very great and prevailing uneasiness , having once laid hold on the will , lets it not go , by which we may be convinced what it is determines the will : thus any vehement pain of the body , the ungovernable passion of a man violently in love , or the impatient desire of revenge keeps the will steddy and intent ; and the will thus determin'd , never lets the understanding lay by the object , but all the thoughts of the mind and powers of the body are uninterruptedly employ'd that way , by the determination of the will influenc'd by that topping uneasiness , as long as it lasts ; whereby it seems to me evident that the will or power of setting us upon one action in preference to all other , is determin'd in u● by uneasiness , and whether this be not so , i desire every one to observe in himself . thus far , that great master of humane understanding , and truly if we behold man as meerly in a state of nature , on every side surrounded with sensible objects , he seems to have well characteriz●d our miserable condition . it is something extraneous to our own power and faculties , that must help us to suppress those inordinate desires which occasion this uneasiness ; 't is that which must heighten in us a desire of a more durable happiness , and content , and render us dissatisfy'd till we have conquer'd our unruly appetites , and brought them into subjection to the will of him who made us . it is neither a bare knowledge of the ill tendency of our designs or actions , 't is neither want of consideration nor deliberation neither , but the over-looking the necessity of a supernatural concurrence , a disregard to the divine grace , and a total dependance upon the powers of our own souls , that principally occasions our repeated failings , even against our clearest knowledge and intentions of doing otherwise . a due reflection and deliberate attention to what we are about to act , will , i grant , be very serviceable to suspend the execution of our designs for some little time , and to keep our minds , as it were , in aequilibrio : but if we are remiss in seeking for additional strength beyond our own , or if we depend upon our own sufficiency , 't is a very great chance but our sensations will over-set us , and the impetuosity of our passions prevail upon us . we may set our selves upon a contemplation of those solid truths , which present themselves to our most serious and abstracted speculations , but our sensible idea's are so continually crowding in upon us , and fill up so great a part of our minds , by the sensations they excite , which are always present to us , that it is but seldom that we finish our meditations without some sensible interruption : or if we do , it is not long before some pressing and importunate desire of sense intercepts the light of our understanding , and we are brought into a slavish vassalage , by the gratifying its desires ; so that however light we make of it , or how much soever we contemn it , there is nothing can secure us in the prosecution of our greatest good or happiness , but a just regard to , and a continued consultation with the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but for the better establishment of this necessary truth , i shall insert some of the sentiments of the devout malebranch , who in a discourse of the great advantages our sensations have over the pure ideas of the mind , expresses himself as follows . it seemeth evident that our knowledge consists only in a clear view of the relations that things have to one another : therefore when it happens , as in difficult questions , that the mind must see at one view a great number of relations , which two or more things have amongst themselves , it is evident also , that if it has not consider'd these things with much attention , and only knows them confusedly , it will be impossible for it to perceive distinctly their relations , and consequently to form a solid judgment of them . one of the chief causes then of a want of application of mind to abstracted truths , ●s that we see them at a distance , and things which are nearer are continually represented to our minds . a great attention of mind approaches , if i may so say , to the idea's of objects , with which it is affected : but it often happens , that when we are attentive upon metaphysical speculations , we are diverted from them , because some sensation comes upon the soul , which is nearer to it than those idea's : the least pain or pleasure is sufficient to effect this : the reason of it is pain and pleasure , and generally all sensations , are within the soul it self , they modifie and affect it much nearer than the simple idea's of objects of pure intellection , which , tho' present to the mind , do not modifie it . thus the soul being on the one hand very narrow , and on the other not being able to hinder pain , pleasure , and other sensations , its capacity is filled with them , and it cannot at the same time be sensible of any thing , and think freely of all other things of which it cannot be sensible . the buzzing of a fly , or some other little noise ( supposing it to be communicated even to the chief part of the brain , so that the soul perceives it ) is capable , notwithstanding all our efforts to the contrary , of hindring us from considering abstracted and elevated truths ; because all abstracted idea's do not modifie the soul , tho' all sensations do . it is this which causes a stupidity and dulness of mind , in respect of the great truths of christian morality : hence it is that men only know them after a speculative and unfruitful manner , without the grace of jesus christ. the whole world , i may say , knows that there is a god , that he must be ador'd or worshipped , but who is it that serves and worships him without grace ? which makes us taste a sweetness and pleasure in all our duties . there are very few who are not sensible of the emptiness and instability of the goods of this world , and who even are not toucht with an abstracted and always with a very certain and evident conviction that they deserve not our application and concern ; but where are those that practically despise these goods , and who are not anxious and careful to obtain them ? 't is those only who perceive some bitterness and disgust in their enjoyment , or else by the grace of god are made sensible of a spiritual good , by an inward delight which god hath joyned to them , who overcome the impressions of their senses , and the efforts of concupiscence . the bare contemplation of the mind does not therefore make us ever resist these efforts as we ought to do , unless an internal motion of the heart does also second it . it is this light of the mind only which is , as some say , a sufficient grace , enabling us to condemn our selves , informing us of our own weakness , and that we ought to have recourse by prayer to him , who is our power . this inward sentiment of heart is a lively grace , which operates ; 't is this which affects and fills us , which perswades the hearts of men , and without which there are none of them can think heartily . all the most constant truths of morality lye hid in the secret recesses and windings of the mind , and so long as they stay there , are barren and without any power : since the soul does not taste them , but the pleasures of the senses are nearer the soul , and it being impossible that it shou'd not be sensible , and love its pleasure with a natural love , ( for one may hate pleasure with a hatred of choice ) its impossible to be freed from the world , and shake off the charms of its senses by its own power , because a love of choice cannot long refrain from conforming to a natural love. i deny not that the righteous , whose heart hath been livelily turn'd towards god by prepossessed delights , cannot without this particular grace , do some deserving actions , and resist the motions of concupiscence . there are some that are generous and constant in the law of god , by the power of their faith , by an assiduous privation of sensible things , and by a contempt and disgust of all temptations . there are some who act for the most part without tasting preventing and unthought of pleasure , the only joy which they find in acting piously , is the pleasure alone they are sensible of ; and this pleasure is sufficient to stay them , in that estate , and to confirm the disposition of their heart . those who begin their conversion have commonly need of a p●●possessed and an indiliberate pleasure , to free them from their sensible goods to which they are united by other preventing and indeliberate pleasures . sadness and remorse of conscience is not enough , and they do not yet taste any joy : but the just can live by faith , and in want : and it is even in this condition that they deserve more , because men being reasonable , god will be loved by them with a love of choice , rather than with a love of instinct , or an indeliberate love , like that by which they love sensible things , without knowing them to be good otherwise than by the pleasure which they receive from them . however , the greatest part of men have little faith , and being continually led to taste pleasure , they cannot long preserve their elective love for god against a natural love for sensible goods , if their delight in the divine grace does not uphold them against the efforts of pleasure ; for it is this delight that both begets , preserves and increases charity as sensible pleasures do desire . it is plain from what has been said , that men being never without some passion , or agreeable or disagreeable sensations , much of the capacity and extension of their minds is taken up with them , and when they are willing to employ the rest of their capacity to examine some truth , they are often diverted by some new sensation , or by a disgust which they find in this exercise , and by an inconstancy of the will , which agitates and runs the mind from one object to another , so that unless they have accustomed themselves to overcome these oppositions from their youth , as i have elsewhere explain'd , they will at last be incapable of penetrating into any thing that is a little difficult , or which requires a little application . the operation of divine grace , upon the souls of those who are qualify'd for its reception , is so invisible , and so insensibly communicated , that the irreligious and profane have hence taken an occasion to ridicule and contemn it , and as far as lyes in their power to explode the very notion out of the world. these will allow of no other grace than the force of certain habits , by which men suffer themselves to be govern'd , and which are for the most part the result of their education . we must own indeed that the efficacy of this grace , above the prevalency of habits , however deeply radicated or woven into the constitution , or the difference between one and the other , is certainly known by none but the regenerate man : those who are never so intimately acquainted with the nature and powers of the mind , know how the vestigia of sensible objects come to be imprest and drawn out upon the brain , or after what manner , not only imagination , but the pure acts of the understanding are perform'd : those , i say , who know all this by the clearest idea's , together with the whole process of the common mode of natural understanding , can at best but guess , and that very faintly , at this divine influence , which must co-operate even with such persons , whose habits of goodness are as deeply rooted as possible , if they receive a solid pleasure and satisfaction in its practise . meer habits of moral goodness , may be in many respects , very serviceable , and an occasion of securing , us from an limitation of the practises of wicked men ; from being at all times over-power'd by the storms and tempests raised in our own breasts : they may keep us from being extremely injur'd by the precepts of such , by whose evil communication our manners wou'd be corrupted , and our minds debaucht ; they may serve to render us somewhat the more impregnable , and better fortify'd against the treacherous assaults of those , who endeavour to frame and model us into the same temper with themselves . in a word , they may place us in a state of some little security , against these and the like adversaries ready to b●set us , but they will never be able of themselves to give us any sensible fruition of the divine goodness , or to crown our desites with an eternal felicity . now if true piety be an empty and a useless sound , if neither that nor the divine grace have any other . being in the world than what proceeds from a contracted or long continued habit : if conversion of the heart to god , contrition for past offences , if renovation or regeneration have no better ground for their support and truth , than meerly natural habit , how come● it to pass that some men ; who have been throughly harden'd in iniquity , by the force of an obdurate habit of impiety , shou'd be at some times so sensibly touche with a sudden horrour , as presently to awaken out of their dreams of carnal security , and by a refulgent ray of the divine light , to have their souls so strangely illuminated , as that they have often found themselves , even contrary to their own natural inclinations , put upon impeaching their formerly beloved lusts and darling satisfactions , and also upon an open confession of their desperate madness , in having so long pursu'd them . the instances of this nature are very numerous , some of them i have already mention'd , and more might be here inserted if i thought it necessary , not only of those whose understandings being weak or shallow , we might believe impos'd on ; but even of the most accute and profound desperado's in all sorts of villany , men who have undauntedly bid open defiance to heaven , and admir'd how the silly world shou'd be frighted with that childish whim ( as they have term'd it ) of their immortality : but leaving these , i shall take notice , that as on the one hand there are some who will allow of no grace at all , so on the other we find those , who reckon every several vertue to be a distinct grace ; thus there must be a grace of temperance , a grace of chastity , a grace of patience , a grace of charity ; and so in like manner , there is nothing more common than to hear them talking of restraining grace , preventing grace , saving grace , renewing grace , persevering grace , regenerating grace ; as if these were so many several graces , and not one and the same grace of god. thus others of them will have the divine light ▪ the spirit of god , the grace of god , and the grace of jesus christ , to differ essentially ; which improper ways of speaking , have , for want of explanation , been the occasion of lessening and obscuring the fundamental notion , as well as of contempt to the profane jesters at all things s●c●ed . i remember sometime since , before i made my first visit to the reverend dr. h — k , i sent him a long epistle containing my own sentiments of divine matters ; and desired him to inform me wherein he dissented . there were some particular queries therein relating to this subject last mentioned , which , as i find them in the copy of my letter , i shall here transcribe . query . whether there be any thing essential to salvation , but a holy or good life , or a conscience kept without offence towards god and man. granting this , dly , whether it is not possible for this happy man to be found under any christian communion . dly , whether this state of true felicity and content is to be attained by any surer method than that of a due attendance upon the divine monitor which is planted in our souls , i mean the divine resplendent light of the archetipal world , as explicated by father malebranch , and after him by mr. norris : for however inconsiderate men may cavil at the notion as a principle of q — sm , i am satisfy'd we do all receive a certain secret irresistable reproach from this faithful monitor , when we have thought of , or committed any unworthy action : and an inexpressible satisfaction from our doing good. i desir'd , with submission , to be farther inform'd whether or no these words , the grace of god , the spirit of god , or jesus christ , have any other true import than that of this divine manifestation to the soul : or if to say ( commonly speaking ) such a person is endow'd with the grace of god , does not bear a strict analogy with his being more than ordinarily attentive to this lux divina : it seems hard indeed to conceive any other different degrees of grace , than there are different degrees of reflection upon , or attention to the silent admonitions of this invisible being : and surely it can be nothing but the want of this reflection and attention to which our present infidelity owes it rise . i know mr. norris will have this light in some degrees thereof , to be not only the same with what we call the grace of god , but that it is also in a more inferiour acceptation , the common mode of the humane understanding : i desire to know in what you dissent herefrom , as likewise your explication of the word conscience ; it seems to me but little short of an absurdity , that there should be any other sence presiding in the soul over all her actions , than what is communicated from the supream being . moreover , i wou'd gladly be inform'd , whether any man has the power , as of himself , heartily to believe that which at sometimes he confesseth with his mouth . the rehearsal of a creed is no difficult matter , but a solid conviction , that what we do rehearse , is apparently clear to us as mathematical demonstration , is very rarely to be met with . it is surely impossible for any man , who limits his faith within the narrow bounds of his reason , to submit an entire assent to those propositions , which tho' perhaps necessary to be credited , he himself cannot account for : i have often thought this the infirmity of the supplicant in holy writ , when he cry'd out , lord , i believe , lord help my unbelief : for it is otherways very difficult to conceive how a vicious life can consist with a full conviction of the divine existence , and our own separate beings . thly , what you think of enquiries into nature , whether they prove not to some the causes of modern deism , and to others of pure scepticism . i have been often apt to imagine that there are no natural phaenomena , which may not admit a solution from those two grand principles of matter and motion , or by axioms deduc'd from the corpuscular philosophy : and i doubt not but 't is our resting in an ability to discuss the same by this kind of disquisition , has been the occasion that the prime or supream cause of all , has been veiled from our eyes . curiosity is so natural to the soul of man , and the seeming satisfaction that does at sometimes attend a philosophick enquiry , is so great as to render the same to some sort of people a dangerous temptation ; it is not that i think the enquiry of it self such , but the resting in the simple knowledge that such or such productions must be the result of such and such causes , without reflecting upon the first and chiefest which puts these upon concurring , must certainly be so : and truly , 't is very seldom that the generality of men make any farther appeal , unless it be to fate , fortune , chance , destiny , or some such like unaccountable chimaera which they substitute in the room of an all-powerful , infinite and intelligent being . lastly , i desire you wou'd send me your thoughts of the especial providence of god , and your opinion of mr. b — ▪ late draught of the q — rs principles . in some few days after the receipt of my letter , the good doctor was pleased to return his answer in these words : sir , i do charitably believe , &c. ( but waving the introduction he proceeds ) a pious life and holy conversation , are without peradventure the principal things aimed at in the gospel of jesus christ : but since we are there told that there are such things as dangerous , and damnable heresies , the fundamental doctrines which all christian churches have believed , it is our duty sincerely and conscienciously to receive ; and whoever does so , will find them very excellent motives to the practise of religion . i deny not the possibility of a man's being dev●ut and holy by himself , i.e. without attending upon the publick offices of religious worship ; yet since such assemblies are not only commanded , but of great use and even necessity in the christian church , it behoves us to joyn with some one or other of them : and among these , i see not how any man can reasonably or justly quit a national church , on any other account than that of its obliging him to a breach of the divine commands , or injoyning him to any thing which is manifestly sinful . grace , and divine-light , and the spirit of god , &c. are the same in effect . it is the holy spirit which both gives us grace , and inlightens our minds by a divine manifestation to our souls . every true christian is in some ●egree a partaker hereof : for without it we can neither believe , nor obey , nor as we ought rely upon the promises of our god. it is this which we receive upon our earnest and fervent prayer , and it is th●● which doth excite both our attention and pious resolution : which as the same produces in us lesser or greater effects , or different degrees of love , obedience , self-denial , &c. so these are called the degrees of the divine grace , as our endeavours are either weaker or stronger , uneven or steddy , inconstant or more constant : and as our self-denial rises to a higher or a lower pitch . now to secure us from the danger of a mad enthusiasm , from the disorder of imagination , the deception of phancy , or the delusion of evil spirits , in the business of private inspiration and pretended revelations , we are most certainly to bear in mind that the holy spirit and the revealed will of god , do exactly at all times correspond : so that whatever light we pretend to , which contradicts , or is not justifiable by the written word , the same is most certainly either design or delusion , and always false and counterfeit . for my own part , i am not against the notions either of father malebranch or mr. norris , provided their hypotheses do not dishonour god , by supposing him in any manner the author of our sins : however , there were very good christians in the world , before either of them spun philosophy to so fine a thred . to believe in god , and that he inspects the most secret of our actions : to be truly sensible of the love of the blessed jesus , and to expect a life hereafter : to believe what the gospel delivers to us , so as to be acted by those principles : to become truly penitent , meek and humble , patient and charitable , and ready unto every good word and work : in a word , to be sincere and constant and faithful unto death , this is to be a religious man and a true christian , an heir to heaven , and a much happier man than all the masters of philosophy can make you . in order to this attainment , we are to quit anticipated prejudices , instill'd either by education or our own false reasonings : and we may much shorten the trouble by seriously resolving to our selves this single query , viz. whether the matters related in our saviour's gospel are certainly true : if they be , there is nothing in this world must hinder us from a serious and consciencious practise , and from living up to those holy rules and precepts as far as we are able . for the promises and threatnings , if true , are things of that consequence , that all is to be laid aside for to gain the promis'd blessings , and to avoid the threatned misery . i doubt not but a person of , &c. must have had a liberal education ; and altho' a superficial or slight knowledge in physicks , may dispose to scepticism , yet you have doubtless by your profession , a very great advantage ; for however it may be abus'd , a profound judgment and substantial knowledge , must undoubtedly lead us to very great devotion : and the more exquisitely curious the anatomist is , the greater reason will he have , if he abuse not his understanding , to adore and admire the infinite power , wisdom and goodness of his great creator , and consequently to worship , to love , and to obey him . if you believe reveal'd religion , which was never so question'd or refuted as to deserve the answer of any soberly learned man , you must believe the truth of god's particular providence , altho' you cannot reconcile every particular phaenomenon , either to your own reason , or the corpuscular philosophy . the holy scriptures are a system of divine philosophy , and i should think that the assertions of the almighty ought to be received by rational men , before the seeming clearness of any meer humane hypothesis . alas ! how little is it that we know ; and granting the supream being to have made our world in the nature of a clock , is this an argument that its first fabrication , or the motions bestowed upon its several parts , can result from any thing short of an almighty and divine power , but our philosophy is unable to inform us , of all the wheels , the pius , and several motions of this stupendious frame : 't is true , we set it move according to mechanick laws , but there may be many thousand motions in it , of which we are ignorant . let us bless our god for the revelation which he has given us , and let us ( as most certainly it behoves us ) rely upon his special providence , whoever does so , will in the event find comfort and satisfaction : nor do i see how a good man can have any real happiness or consolation without it . as for mr. b — s divinity , i must own there are many things in it , both rational and solid ; but when he comes to spiritualize the divine ordinances and institutions of christ and his apostles , he not only sets himself up in opposition to the churches of christ , to the sense and practise of the primitive christians ( as i am able to prove ) but exposes a want of knowledge in scripture interpretation . the novelty of the sect , and the dangerous tendency of their pretended inspiration , is argument enough to ●●e of their inconsistency with themselves and true religion : and surely we ought to be extreamly cautious how we side with such whimsical upstart opinions , till we can reconcile the possibility for divine goodness and mercy , to suffer christendom to lye in ignorance for sixteen hundred years , and that the churches immediately planted by the apostles , shou'd make mistakes of that vile consequence ( even when their founders were present to set them to rights if they had done so ) as we must believe they did , if q — sm be true . a well-grounded knowledge in the primitive christianity , which may be truly fetcht out of ecclesiastick history and the fathers of the church , will give you this satisfaction , that the holy ordinances from the first promulgation of the gospel of jesus christ , such i mean as water-baptism , and the eucharist , have been practis'd even to this day , by all good christians by the use of the outward elements in their administration . i deny not but there have been both great abuses , misapprehensions and mistakes , in the performance of them , or in the manner of their reception , and i think i may say there are 〈◊〉 more egregiously absurd , than some of those derived from the chair of supposed infallibility : but this will by no means extenuate our crimes of neglecting their use , or making light of putting them at all in practise . i desire you at your leisure to consider well mr. b — s comment upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , on which he lays a very great stress : and if you compare it with some of those places in holy writ , which clearly justifie this manner of baptismal initiation into christ's church , you will find it so gross a metaphor , that neither grammar , rhetorick , nor the rules of logick , neither ( which i prefer to them all ) the reason of an understanding man will ever be able to countenance . we may set into what absurdities , even learned men are betray'd , when they too much rely upon their own judgments , when they set up for new discoveries , and impose their own phant●sies for divine revelations . if you please to send me , what you think the sufficient proofs which this learned man has excogitated for the support of his new religion , i will , if god enable me , give you my impartial thoughts : for i must seriously profess to you , i see nothing in his works which ought to sway any true christian , to leave any protestant church for the sake of q — sm . i have formerly been in mr. b — s company , but cou'd never discover any thing like fair argumentation : i must own him to have been a man of very considerable parts ; yet his scripture quotations were for the most part manifestly wrested , and his general discourse a pure invective , or down-right railery against the church of england , at which , i must confess , i was very much surprised , having framed to my self other notions of the man before . i left him with this undoubted satisfaction in my self , that the spirit of self-conceit , of pride and bitterness , must needs be very re●●te from the true spirit of christianity . i thank you for your discourse , concerning the natural power of spasms or the disorders of the nervous system : but as to what you say about daemoniacs , fascination , and the operation of evil spirits , i must refer my opinion to a time of greater leisure , or till you please to visit me ; in the mean time i pray god more and more to inlighten your understanding , &c. i am your real friend , a. h. some little time after this , i receiv'd a second letter from that sincerely religious and most excellent divine , by way of answer to one that i had sent him , which as i find it amongst my papers , begins thus : sir , i rejoyce with you , that it hath pleased our good god to confirm in you such a belief of his existence , and your own creation after the divine image , as may secure to you a remembrance of the duty incumbent on you : and put you both upon a constant and fervent prayer for the supply of divine grace , together with a steddy and devout submission to , and dependence upon his especial providence . i do look upon your last letter to be the picture of your mind , and bating the ceremony , i find no other fault than this , that how lamentably true soever your remarks may be upon the present age , for the most part ; yet i am free to acquaint you with my thoughts , that there are a much greater number of good people amongst us than you imagine . i may say ( blessed be our god for it ) i have the personal knowledge of many whom i can call truly pious and sincere christians : some of them such , who as they by no means value themselves upon their humane acquirements , are yet able to silence the calumnies of the profane even by their own weapons of humane reason . i speak not this to shew my own good liking , of such for the most part vain and unprofitable argumentations ; but yet i think it no disserviceable office to religion , neither yet to the cause of our great creator , that some men have left both the atheist , and his friend the deist , without excuse : and that they may see their condemnation heighten'd by their obstinate disbelief of the christian religion , contrary to the natural unprejudic'd light of reason , as well as the extraordinary of divine faith. your character of mr. b — l i think no whit too large , nor do i dislike your thought of his being design'd by providence , as a demonstrative and clear evidence to satisfie the doubting world , that the larger portion of right reason or solid knowledge a man is endow'd with , the clearer prospect he enjoys of the truth and certainty of divine revelation : and that it is not only unlikely , but impossible to philosophise as becomes reasonable men , without thinking venerably of almighty god , and his son christ jesus . the true christian vertuoso is indeed not often met with , and whether the character of a practically religious man , and at the same time a very great philosopher , suits any man so well as it did the deceased b — l , may very well be made a question . for my own part , i the less value the attempts or endeavours of men philosophising about religion , being perswaded that there are not many sincerely pious converts made thereby . religion wants not the rhetorical flourish of fine language ; aiery notions and school distinctions render her but confus'd , and are really blemishes to her purity and simplicity . her paths are plain and easie ; in her natural dress she is all over amiable , and wants not the imbellishment of philosophic lustre . there are arguments enough already from the store-house of humane reason , to silence the complaints of atheism ; it is not reason that will satisfie the unreasonable infidel : and i am perswaded , were there no mortification or self-denial in the case , no restraint to be laid upon the brutish appetite , the truths we plead for would be clear enough to the unbeliever . the depth of their philosophy lyes here , they will not believe in god , because he has not made them irrational or brute creatures , which since they came not such out of the hands of their maker , they resolve to make themselves so , and then foolishly please themselves with the childish expectation of escaping divine judgment , because they have so long suffer'd themselves to be acted by what they call the irresistible impulse of their sensitive appetites , and wilfully indulged passions . what every good man glories in ( viz. ) that he is endow'd with reason and a capacity to shun the evil , and to choose the good , is the greatest misery of these men : who finding themselves able to dishonour their creator , to turn their backs upon religion , and to do despite unto the spirit of grace ; since there is a possibility for them left to blaspheme their god , to trample upon all things sacred , and that they are not hereupon immediately destroy'd by the divine anger and indignation ; they grow harden'd in their vices , their continued habits are at length woven into their constitutions , and they act indeed but little differently from irrational agents . right reason , or philosophy , will do but little good with such , the reformation , if at all , is owing to the hand of god : it is beyond the skill of man to inlighten our understandings , in such a manner as to give us a taste of the divine goodness . we may frame to our selves some speculative notions , we may confess with our mouths , as finding our selves unable to resist or to hold out any longer ; but it is the grace of jesus christ that must compleat our conviction , and cooperate with our souls in a perseverance to the end . this is a truth so clear to me , that i am firmly perswaded you will find no sincerely pious or true practical christian of a differing opinion : the worldly wise man may despise and contemn us ; the libertine may scoff at us , and impute all to our want of knowledge , to phansie or prepossession : let them mock on , and mark the end : it is sufficient for us , and will recompence to us these indignities , if we are happy in the grace of our lord jesus . i commit you to his protection , and remain your faithful friend to serve you , a. h. postscript . i can by no means think well of those you have taken notice of , neither do i think it becomes any man to dogmatize concerning the creation , or to ridicule the mosaic history : if we can't content our selves with what is there deliver'd , it is true we may please our selves with new theories of our own erecting , but must not expect to find out any such as mankind will comply with , or perhaps such as will please our selves much better than that of the historian in sacred writ , which we find fault with , because , in some things , disagreeable to modern discoveries . in these things every man may think as he pleases , provided he think not to the dishonour of almighty god : but let no man publish to the world for truth , the uncertain , even very uncertain conjectures of his own mind . i had not been long acquainted with this reverend divine , before his fatal distemper depriv'd me , with many others , of the advantage of his conversation : and it is the least respect i can pay his memory , in publick to acknowledge my own belief , that he was a man of undissembled piety , strictly holy and devout in his life and converse , laborious and painful in his ministry , of very easie access , and ready to succour all men to the utmost of his capacity : he was a man universally respected by persons of different perswasions , and i have reason to surmise that he died as generally lamented . he always exprest himself with a more than common earnestness , and had something in his air and mein , so soberly grave and modest , yet withal so pleasant , that i never met with in any other person . he had nothing of affectation , of a precise or reserved temper , and so little regarded a courtly demeanour or ceremonial deportment , that i have heard it objected as the greatest of his faults , that he was ungenteel , and too negligent in his manner of address : but least this should be taken for his full character , which makes so small and even so inconsiderable a part thereof , i shall for the present leave it , whilst i pursue my argument of the nature and necessity of the divine assistance , to the completion of man's eternal happiness ; something more particularly relating to which theam , i find so pertinently handled by the author of reasons interest in religion , that i care not to pass it by without taking notice and considering upon the same . as nothing ( saith this author ) but charming lusts , false delusions , carnal interests , foolish prejudices , indulging the appetites of the animal life , and attending to the titillations of the flesh , can hinder men from the performance of what god , in subserviency to his communicating of grace ( at least in his ordinary dispensing of it ) doth require : so the being in the exercise of those means , and in the discharge of those duties which god prescribes and enjoyns , doth not only take us from , and prevent those sins , which would render our conversion difficult , if not impossible , but they are further useful as means appointed and blessed of god unto such an end . tho' our obedience hath neither any physical efficiency upon our regeneration , nor is grace bestow'd in the consideration of any previous merit that is in our performances , yet it is neither superfluous nor vain , much less doth it lye in any repugnancy to our conversion , being only perfected by an effectual subjective work of the spirit of god. this doctrine is not only opposed by pelagius and socinus , but of late by mr. hobbs , whom we may very well allow to combate the grace of god , having before-hand listed himself in opposition to the divine being . now having lost the divine image and our integrity by the fall , we not only contend that there is the efficacy of an external agent , necessary for the recovering it , and that he who imprinted the image of god upon humane nature in the first creation of man , must again restore it in his regeneration : but we affirm withal , that till the sanctifying spirit effectually , infallibly , and by an unresisted operation , transforms us into the divine nature , and communicates to us a vital seed , we remain polluted , unholy , and uncapable of doing any thing with all that duness of circumstances , as may commend us or our performances to god's acceptance : not but that antecedently to the holy ghost's renewing us , by a communication of grace to us , we may both dogmatically believe the doctrines of the scripture , and be found in the discharge of the material parts , not only of natural duties , but of the acts of instituted religion ; but to say that we ought thereupon to be denominated holy , is to remonstrate to the scriptures in a thousand places , and to overthrow the very tenor and design of the gospel . while we remain thus unholy , we are so far from being actually united unto christ , or capable subjects of justification or forgiveness , that till we are actually made partakers of the washing of regeneration , and the renewing of the holy ghost , we cannot possibly have any union with him , or a right to pardon of sin , or any thing that ensues or depends thereupon by him . there is nothing hath , at least ought to have the true denomination of holiness , but what proceeds from the spirit of christ in us , and principles of grace by infusion communicated to us , which are the foundation , matter , and bond of our union with him , and under whatever gloss or varnish , we or our works appear to the world , yet without such a relation to christ we are none of his , nor are our duties , as to the principles and circumstances of them , acceptable to god : the obligation upon men to obedience in what state soever we suppose them , the consistency of god's right to command them , with our contracted inability to the yielding of due obedience : the capacity that all men remain in , notwithstanding any congenite impotency for the performing many external duties good in themselves , and in the matter of them , with the subservience of these performances to conversion , as they are means appointed of god in order thereunto : all these i in some measure understand , and can reconcile with the oeconomy of the gospel : but that our lives can be holy , till our hearts be so through the renewing of the holy ghost , or that our works can be adequately good antecedently to our reception of supernatural grace , i do in no wise understand , nor can i conceive the same can be made intelligible without imposing paelagianism upon us . but farther , the gospel acknowledgeth no acts of true holiness performed by any , where there is not , antecedently at least , in order of nature , a principle of true holiness in the persons performing them ; no acts , operations or duties of ours , are in the esteem of the gospel , holy , but what proceed from , and are done in the vertue , power and efficacy of grace , previously derived from and communicated to us by jesus christ : there is prae-required to all acts of gospel obedience , a new real spiritual principle , by which our nature is renewed , and our souls rendred habitually and subjectively holy . grace is not the effect and product of any previous good action of ours ( whatever subserviency through the appointment and dispose of god , they may lye in as to his bestowing of it ) but all acts and operations truly good are the fruits of divine grace ; to talk of sincere obedience precluding our antecedaneous adeption of a new principle , and the communication of a divine vital seed to us , is to impose paelagianism upon us , and that in a more fulsome way , and in ruder terms than many of his followers used to declare themselves . i deny not the things revealed and commanded in the gospel , being both good in themselves , and suited to the reason and interest of mankind ; and also inforced by the most attractive motives which we can either desire or imagine ; but that men in the alone strength of their natural faculties , may perform many external duties , and in that manner also , that we who judge only according to appearance , are thereupon to account them holy , yea , that nothing but supineness , lustful prejudice , consuetude in sin , and a being immersed into the animal life , can hinder them from so doing ; but i deny that any act or duty hath the proper form or nature of holiness , or is so denominated in the scriptures , but both what proceeds from an antecedent habit or principle of holiness in the persons by whom they are performed , and an immediate influence from christ , in the virtue of our union with him , as our quickning head , vital root and living spring in the actual performance of them ; so that tho' no physical efficiency is to be ascribed to the gospel , yet besides a moral efficacy , which through its own frame and complexion it hath to reform mankind ( beyond what any declaration of god and our selves that ever the world was made acquainted with had ) there is a physical efficacious operation of the spirit of god accompanies it , on the score of god almighty's having in infinite wisdom ordained it as a means for the communicating of grace ; but still it is not the doctrine of the gospel that we are united to : 't is true that it is both by the doctrine of the gospel that we are brought to be united to christ ; and it is also true that whosoever are united to him , have the doctrine of the gospel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as an ingraffed and incorporated word , and are moulded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into the form of its doctrine : but yet 't is not the terminus of the relation of union which intervenes betwixt christ and them , nor ( whatsoever may be the opinion of some ) is it that which they are united to . the way and manner how the spirit assists us in the spiritual understanding of things , is either through its immediate indwelling ( if i may so speak ) or through the communication of new principles , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an ablation of every thing extraneous ; a dissipation of those fuliginous vapours that both obnubilate the mind , and do imbuere objectum colore suo : by the purification of the heart the understanding is clarified : by the spirit of life in the new birth the subject is elevated and adapted to the object ; the divine grace renders the mind idoneous for and consimilar to the truth . and farther , there is a suggesting of media for elucidating the truth , there is also frequently an irradiation of the word it self , an attiring and cloathing it with a garment of light , and upon the whole , the soul both feels and is transform'd into what it knows , its apprehensions are no longer dull and languid , but vigorous and affective . this mystical union of the soul of the true believer with jesus christ , however difficult it may appear , and hard to be reconciled to the natural understanding , ought not to be debated or distrusted by us , upon the account of our ignorance in the manner of it . we do assent to the continuity and adhesion of one part of matter to another , notwithstanding the difficulties that encounter us about its mode ; and tho' there be not yet any philosophic hypothesis , that can resolve us how it comes to pass that one part more indiscerptibly cleaves to another , than if they were fastened together by adamantine chains : and therefore there is no reason why the incomprehensibleness of the manner of our union with christ , shou'd any ways obstruct or weaken our belief of it , having all the assurance that divine revelation can give us concerning our being united to him : as we assent to an evident object of sense , or to that which is plainly demonstrated by reason , tho' there occur many things in the manner of their existence , which are unconceivable , so the quod sit and reality of our union with christ , being attested by him who cannot lye , it becomes us to embrace it with all steddiness of belief , tho' we cannot conceive the quo modo or manner how it is ; we have reason to think , that through our maker's leaving us pos'd and nonplust about the most ordinary and certain natural phae●omena , he intended to train us up to a mancipation of our understandings , to articles of faith , when we were once assur'd that he had declar'd them , tho' the difficulties relating to them were to us unaccountable . nor is the manner of the coherence of the parts of matter the only difficulty in nature relating to union , that perplexes and baffles our reason ; but the mode of the mystical incorporation of the rational soul with the humane body , doth every way as much entangle and leave us desperate as the former . that man is a kind of amphibious creature allied in his constituent parts , both to the intellectual and material worlds , and that the several species of beings in the macrocosm , are combined in him as in a system , reason as well as scripture instructs us . that we have a body , we are fully assur'd by its density , extension , impenetrability , and all the adjuncts and affections of matter ; and that we have an immaterial spirit , we are demonstratively convinc'd by its re-acting on it self , its consciousness of its own being , and operations : not to mention other mediums whereof we have spoken elsewhere , and that those two are united together to make up the composition of man , is as plain from the influence that the body hath upon the soul in many of its perceptions , and which the soul hath upon the body in the motions of the spirits and blood , with all that ensues and depends thereupon . nor could the affections and adjuncts of the material nature , nor the attributes and properties of the immaterial , be indiff●rently predicated of man , were not the soul and body united together in the unity of man's person . but now how this can be , is a knot too hard for humane reason to untye . how a pure spirit should be cemented to an earthly clod , or an immaterial substance coalesce with bulk , is a riddle that no hypothesis of philosophy can resolve us about . . the aristotelick substantial uniter will not do ; for besides its repugnancy to reason , that there should be any substantial ingredient in the constitution of man , save his soul and body , the un●●ion of it self with the soul , supposing it to be material , or with the body , admitting it to be incorporeal , will remain unintelligible , and to affirm it to be of a middle nature , partaking of the affections and adjuncts of both , is that which our rea●onable faculties will never allow us to subscribe to ; the idea's which we have of body and spirit having no alliance the one with the other , and to style it a substantial mode , is to wrap up repugnancies in its very notion ; for tho' all modes be the modification of substances , yet they are predicamental accidents , and how essential soever this or that modification may be to a body of such a species , yet it is wholly extrinsecal and accidental to matter it self . in brief , the voluminous discourses of the aristotelian's , both about union in general , and the union of the rational soul to the organical humane body in particular , resolve themselves either into idle tattle and insignificant words , or obtrude upon us contradictions and nonsence . . to preclude all union betwixt the soul and body on supposition that they are distinct constituent parts of man , is plainly to despair of solving the difficulty for not to dispute whether the soul and body may , in philosophic rigour , be called parts ; or whether man , in reference to them , may be stiled a compositum : 't is enough that the one is not the other , but that they are different principles ; and that neither of them , consider'd seperately , is the man. tho' the soul and body be perfect substances in themselves , and tho' the soul can operate in its disjunct state , and in its separation , will be no less a person than soul and body now together are , yet there are many operations belonging to the soul in this conjunct state , of which it is incapable in the separate ; and there are many things predicable of the soul and body together , which cannot be affirmed of them ●sunder . how close and intimate soever the union betwixt the soul and body be , and how great soever in their mutual dependancies in most of their operations upon one another ; yet not only the intellectual spirit , and the duly organized matter , remain even in their consociation classically different , ( their essences , affections and operations admitting a diversity as well as a distinction ) but there are some operations belong to each of them , upon which the other hath no influence . for as the mind is author of many cogitations and conceptions , to which the body gave no occasion ; so the body is the spring and fountain of several functions , over which the soul hath no dominion , nor any direct influence , they remain as much distinct , nothwithstanding the union which intercedes between them as they would have done , shou'd we suppose them to have had an existence previous to their confederations , or as they shall be after the dissolution of the l●●gue between them . from all which it may be scientifically concluded , that they are distinct and different principles in man's constitut●on , but whether thereupon he ought to be called a compositum , or they to be stiled parts , will be resolv'd into a meer longomachy or chat about words ; tho' to speak my own mind , i see no cause why man may not properly enough obtain the appellation of compositum , and the soul and body be allow'd for constituent parts . nor thirdly , doth the cartesian hypothesis , tho' the most ingenious and best contrived of any hitherto thought upon , fully satisfie an inquisitive mind in the matter before us : their hypothesis is briefly this , that god in his infinite wisdom chose to create three distinct and different kinds of beings : . some purely material , which through difference of the figure , size , number , texture , and modification of their parts , come to multiply into many different species . . some purely immaterial , among whom , whether there be any specifical difference , is pro and con disputed . . man , a compositum of both , having an immaterial intellectual soul joyned to an organical body : now , say they , god having in his soveraign pleasure thought good to form man such a creature , he hath not only by an uncontroulable law confined the soul to an intimate presence with , and constant residence in the body , while it remains a fit receptacle , or till he give it a discharge , but withal hath made them dependent upon one another in many of their operations ; and in this mutual dependence of one upon the other , with respect to many of their operations , they state the union betwixt the soul and body to consist : for through the impressions that are made upon the organs of sence , there result in the soul certain perceptions ; and on the other hand , through the cogitations that arise in the soul , there ensue certain emotions in the animal spirits , and thus , say they , by the action of each upon the other , and their passion from one another , they are formally united . but all this , instead of loosing the knot , serves only to tye it faster : for . this mutual dependancy , as to operation of one upon the other , cannot be apprehended , but in posteriority of nature to union , and consequently the formal reason of union cannot consist in it . . there are cases wherein neither the impressions of outward objects upon the sensory nerves , beget or excite any perceptions in the soul ( which whether it proceed from obstinacy of mind , or intense contemplation , alike answers my drift ) and also cases wherein cogitations of the mind , make not any sensible impressions upon the body ( as in extasies ) and yet the union of the soul and body remains undissolved , which argues that it imports more than either an intimous presence , or a dependance between them in point of operation . . 't is altogether unintelligible , how either a body can act upon a spirit , or a spirit upon a body . i grant it may be demonstrated that they do so , but the manner of doing it , or indeed how it can be done , is not intelligible . that a tremour begot in the nerves by the jogging of particles of matter upon the sensory organs , shou'd excite cogitations in the soul , or that the soul by a meer thought should both beget a motion in the animal spirits , and determine through what meatus's they are to steer their course , is a phaenomenon in the theory of which we are perfectly non-plust . how that which penetrates a body without giving a jogg to , or receiving a shove from it , shou'd either impress a motion upon , or receive an impression from it , is unconceivable : so that to state the union of the soul and body in a reciprocal action upon , and passion by and from one another , is to fix it in that which supposeth the sagacity of our faculties to conceive how it can be . now if common unions , of whose reality and existence we are so well assur'd , be nevertheless , with respect to their nature , not only so unknown , but unconceivable : we may lawfully presume , if their lye nothing else against the immediate union of believers with christ , save that it cannot be comprehended , that this is no argument why we should immediately renounce the belief of it . if we can but once justifie that there is such an union betwixt the blessed jesus and sincere christians , the incomprehensibleness of the manner of it ought not to discourage our faith , if we can take up with the evidence of sense and reason , as to the reality of other unions , whose modes are as little understood , i see no cause why the veracity of god , provided we can produce the authority of divine testimony , shou'd not satisfie us as to the reality of the union ; tho' the manner how it is were a question we cou'd not answer ; and indeed , if men will not be huff't and talk'd out of the perswasion of those things , of whose existence their senses and reason ascertain them , tho' they cannot answer all the difficulties they are accosted with in their enquiries about them , much less ought christians to be hector'd out of the belief of the doctrines of faith , because of the entanglements which attend the conception of them ; 't is the nature of faith to embrace things upon the alone testimony of god , tho' it understand nothing of the mode and manner how they are : the highest assurance of the reality of any thing is god's affirming it , and what he asserts , we are with all reverence to assent unto its truth , tho' we can frame no adaequate idea of it , nor fathom it in our own conceptions : our saviour himself hath adjourned the perfect knowledge of this mystery till the glorified state , in these words , * at that day ye shall know that i am in my father , and you in me , and i in you . thus far you have had the thoughts of the before-mention'd author , which i shall leave you to consider seriously at your leisure ; the subject is indeed noble , how despicably soever it may be treated by the libertine , whose belief is stagger'd , because he himself is not possest of what he has slighted and contemned , and for that he finds himself at liberty to live as he listeth . i must own indeed that it is scarce possible , for one man to infuse such idea's into another , as may be able to perswade that other , that he himself is a partaker of such a spiritual refreshment and divine consolation , as nothing less than the divine gaace can communicate to his soul ; and on this account i have the less admir'd that both paelagius , socinus , and their adherents , have gain'd so great footing in the world , and that the doctrine of the divine grace shou'd be redicul'd by them , and esteemed little otherwise than as a sensless notion : the opinions of these men run so smooth to the sense of the natural understanding , that so long as men are careless and unwilling to look farther , they are constrained to make their reason the positive and adaequate rule , both of their morality and divinity . but for my own part , i shou'd not so much dispute with them this mysterious co-operation or divine concurrence , provided they cou'd but show me any true practical christian , one who is so in deeds , as well as words , who has espoused their opinions : i may be free to say , i know nothing like one , nor do i think it possible to meet with a sincerely devout convert , or regenerate person , who is not ready to acknowlege that of himself he was able to do nothing as he ought , and that the renovation or happy change of his mind was purely owing to the adeption of a new principle , or to a union with the divine spirit of jesus christ. 't is true , amongst the followers of pelagius and socinut , there are those who understanding the verity of their opinions , would be measur'd by their practises , have been more than ordinarily exemplary in their conversation with the world , and their self-denial of some temporal enjoyments : men who have kept themselves to a constant attendance upon religious worship , and set those about them an extraordinary pattern , for the practise of private duties , and all these we may readily grant the possibility of their attaining , by the meer strength of their natural faculties , or the powers of their own souls , independent of the divine grace : these , however necessary , were never lookt on by considerate men for more than the introduction or outside of true religion ; but altho' there are amongst them persons so very circumspect in their deportment or behaviour , yet the greatest part of them are such as wholly devote themselves to disputation in mixt companies , where they continually gain proselytes among loose people , such , who as they never cou'd reconcile themselves to the practise of religion , are very glad to find the same resolv'd into matter of speculation , by which means every man may have an opportunity to raise a suitable theory to his own inclination● . now i must confess , that which has principally induc'd me to dissent from the principles of these men , is a consciousness i have had that it is not only possible , but certain , that men may have an historical faith , and that they may believe or assent to the truth of the revelation of the gospel of jesus christ , and yet at the same time to show themselves as if wholly unconcerned in their lives and practises , whether the things deliver'd in that gospel be true or not , which i think is hardly reconcileable even to our own reason , nor can be otherwise ascribed than to the want of that supernatural and divine aid i plead for . upon the other extream , as these we were just now speaking of ( many of them at least ) will not allow any such doctrine as that of the divine grace , so there have been those who have affirmed , that a person may by philosophy and contemplation , attain such a degree of union with the divine being , as to know and understand things by a contactus or conjunction of substance with the deity : the passages ( saith my author ) which occur in plotinus , porphirius , jamblicus and proclus ( all great and famous platonists ) of such a tendency , are numerous and need not to be here transcribed . this imagination was espoused by the arabian philosophers , and had it been entertained by the contemplative heathen only , we might have taken the less notice of it ; but it was imbibed , and that very timely by origen himself , and from him the ferment or leaven thereof was derived to the ancient monks , from all , or some of these , it spread amongst the romish monasticks , such of them as are called mystick theologues ; nothing more frequent with that sort of men than a tattle of an intime union with god , whereby the soul becomes deify'd ; and from them the weigelians and familists borrowed their magnificent language of being godded with god , and christed with christ. the adventurous determinations of the school-men , concerning the beatifical vision , smell rank of the same blasphemous nonsensical figment ; for by their contending that the divince essence is immediately united as an intelligible species to the intellect of the blessed , and that this species , and the glorify'd understanding do not remain distinct things , but become identify'd , they do in effect affirm the soul to be transubstantiated into god , and to be really deify'd : and seeing it 's a matter of easie demonstration , that the knowledge which we shall enjoy of god in heaven , differeth only in degree from that which we possess here ( otherwise it is both altogether unintelligible and uncapable of rational explication ) it will follow by a short harangue of discourse , either that believers have no knowledge of god at all in this life , or else that their soul 's become deify'd and essentially united to god by knowing him . i shall not name here the admired nonsence and high-flown cantings of some modern enthusiasts , which carry a broad-fac'd aspect this way , 't is easie for us to instruct our selves , from what springs these , with the like visionaries , have drawn the putrid conceits which they propine to the world. 't is enough for us that we believe the person of christ , and the persons of believers to remain distinct after all the union that intercedes between them : let us be thankful for the influences of his grace , and for the in-dwellings of his holy spirit ; but let us detest those swelling words of pride and ignorance , of being christed and deify'd ; for whatsoever be the nature and kind of the union between christ and christians , that the same shou'd by hypostatical , cannot without blasphemy be imagined . and thus , my friend , i hope i have with no unpardonable prolixity , gone over these very weighty subjects ; i pray god we may all of us have right notions of them fixed on our hearts : and that they may be attended with the fruits of a sincere repentance and amendment of our lives . i shall endeavour to conclude all with the most suitable advice i can , and in order to the same , wou'd wish and desire you to think often and seriously upon the certainty of your death ( for whatever you may think of an immortality hereafter , 't is manifest you can obtain none here ) consider what thoughts will be most likely to intrude upon you , what business you will principally be employ'd about ( shou'd you have time allotted you for such a purpose ) the conflicts and consternation you must encounter , the confusion of your last minutes , the agony of your soul in the moment of its flight : for let me tell you , however you may please your self in this time of health and vigour , that an approach of a privation of your present life will not surprise you , that you shall be able to philosophise sedately and unconcernedly concerning the condition of your soul , and that whatever fearful apprehensions may assault you , your beloved musick will charm them into silence , and the well-struck instrument shall lull you into an abyss of darkness and oblivion ; notwithstanding these aiery notions and unlucky phancies , believe me , your thoughts of other matters will prevail and interpose , your perplexed soul will be too restless and uneasie , uneasie to be stupify'd by the power of such sensible delights and satisfactions : and in a word , in opposition to this pretended strength ( unless you are arrived to a brutish insensibility ) your fore-past life will come in view , and you your self must differ from the rest of mankind , if you wish not that you cou'd but dye the death of the righteous , and that your latter end were like unto his . febr. . ● . i am your friend and servant , &c. the end . advertisement . the person upon whose account these letters were first written , not having thought fit to return any material answer , the author has been prevaild with to print them by themselves ; but lest it be thought designedly to give them the fairer shew of demonstration , or by the want of any weighty objection , to procure to them the greater esteem in the world , he does promise , that if any one does object against , or can confute the main points herein debated , if the same be done with that sobriety and seriousness which becomes the subject of such enquiries , and sent to the publisher of these printed letters , the same shall be faithfully publish'd , with a reply annex'd . and to render such an undertaking the less laborious , if the arguments of the first letter , particularly those of mr. bently and mr. lock , are found to be fairly overthrown , or any new hypothesis advanc'd which will intelligibly solve the cosmical mechanism , and make it clear to us that perception , volition , and ratiocination , can derive their source from any thing short of that first , supream , intelligent , or alwise being we call god : if this , i say , be once perform'd , the rest , such as our belief of providence , our immortality , and the divine grace , shall be readily given up . till this be done , he will not think himself concern'd to answer every petulant cavil which may be raised against these sacred truths , by men devoted to scepticism and irreligion : for if after all they have said , they find themselves constrained to grant there must be one first , supreme , and powerful being , who made the world , the same consideration , if carried a little farther , will show them the necessity of the same power to continue and preserve its several parts from a ruinous destruction , which is , tho' in other words , to allow a providence . and farther , since 't is apparent that this almighty being has bestow'd upon man a principle of freedom , or a capacity to will and reason , which is vastly different from , and superiour to his fellow creatures , it would be very strange , allowing the common attributes of the divine being , if he shou'd be unaccountable to his maker for the abuse of these endowments . in a word , whatever pains may be taken to extinguish this natural light of the understanding , yet since it is found so very hard , i had almost said impossible , for any considerate man to be diffident in the first article , viz. the belief of a god , it will be at best the most dangerous presumption , or downright madness to discredit either his providence or our own immortality . farewel . errata . pag. . l. . r. was not from eternity . p. . l. . r. allow . p. . l. . r. owe. p. . l. . r. unaccountably . p. . l. . r. phoenomenon . l. . r. an innumerable . . r. corpuscles & sixes . p. . l. . r. greater . p. . l. . r. this . p. . l. . r. world . p. . last ●●ne r. mouths . p. . l. . r. conjuncture● . p. . l. . r. interpositions . p. . l. . r. help . p. . l. . r. wittily . p. . l. . r. ut for ad . p. . l. . r. description . p. . l. . r. it instead of in . p. . l. . r. hebitatione . p. . l. . r. imitable for infinite . p. . l. . r. scriptures . p. . last line r. enthusiastic . p. . l. . r. enjoyment . p. . l. . r. been . p. . l. . r. visitationis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * see t●e account of the de●●● religion in o●●cles of reason . notes for div a -e mr. bently's third sermon at the lecture which was ●ounded by the honourable 〈…〉 sixth sermon . third sermon at ●●les ●●●ture . mr. lock 's essay of humane understanding . seneca l. . de ●●●●ion . ●●tural . bentley's th serm. boyle's enquiry into the notion of nature . ●●●le of qualities and forms . the interest of reason in religion . dr. h — y's new principles of philosophy . enquiry into the evidence of christian faith. * according to mr. boyle . * psal. . lactantius lib. . c. . in ruffin . lib. . dr stillingfleet serm. at whitehall on luke . . des cartes upon the passions of the soul. boyle of nature . lucret. l. . rently's th serm. p. , . * dr. willi● . see willis's discourse of convulsions . monsieur le clerk's dissertations upon genesis . dr. ch — n's d●rkness , of atheism . cicero de nat. deorum , lib. . vid. theodoret . hist. eccles. l. . c. . satyr . vid. charlton's darkness of atheism . eccl. . . hind and panther . vid. willis de a●●m . * history of qualities and forms * see a discourse of the nature of rational and irrational souls by m.s. * m. s. see gibson's epit. anat. * 〈…〉 v. , ● , ● , ● , . ad l. , . author of the discourse of rational and irrational souls . vide willis de anon. 〈◊〉 . vide gas. phy. sect . . lib. , . heb. . . rom. . , , . see the discourse of rational and irrational souls . willis de anum . see charlton upon the soul's immortality . de anim. brutorum . according to wi●●s . see charlton's darkness of atheism . essay of humane understanding . * in his sermon upon the government of of the thoughts . see a treatise of liberty and necessity by mr. hobbs . * de off. lib. . * vid. malebr . de veritat . inquirend . see mr. norris of the divine light. norris's miscellan . see dr. s — t s letter to a deist . * mr. bently † letter to the deists , p. . oracles of reason , p. . ibid. p. . * miscel. p. . see the interest of reason in religion ; a discourse by mr. f. see a late treatise of humane reason . * of this treatise . † palav . see the occasional paper numb . . * interest of reason in religion . see baker's chron. of the kings of england , pag. . id. p. . p. . * p. . p. . p. . p. . see the dippers dipt , by dr. featly . william● ●s first serm. at mr. boyle ●● lect. an. . * vbald . p. , . dr. william's third sermon , an● . * john ●● . v. . for your farther satisfaction you may consult a late impartial treatise of an ingenious author , in his second edition of the snake in the grass . * bishop of worcester's sermon before the king upon prov. . . vid. bentlys first serm. at mr. boyle's lecture . * prov. . . see the discourse of rational and irrational souls . vide interest of reason in religion . * see sir samuel morland's urim of conscience * in his treatise of humane reason . see bently's first serm. at mr. boyle's lecture . notes for div a -e see the oracles of reason , p. . * in his serm. on phil. . . see the discourse of rational and irrational souls , by m.s. * lock 's essay of humane understanding . maleb . de verit. inquirend . dr. h — k's first let●●r . dr. h — k's second letter . the interest of reason in religion . * joh. . . the interest of reason in religion . of the vvisdom and goodness of providence two sermons preached before the queen, at white-hall, on august , , mdcxc / by john moore ... moore, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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[ ], p. printed for w. rogers ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t. -- proverbs iii, -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. providence and government of god -- sermons. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - taryn hakala sampled and proofread - taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion of the vvisdom and goodness of providence . two sermons preached before the queen , at white-hall , on august [ and ] mdcxc . by john moore , d.d. rector of st. andrews holborn , and chaplain in ordinary to their majesties . published by her majesties special command . london : printed for w. rogers at the sun over-against st. dunstans church in fleetstreet . mdcxc . of the vvisdom and goodness of providence . two sermons before the queen . proverbs iii. . in all thy ways , acknowledg him . it would not be easie for men with little temptation to be drawn into great sins , if they were fully perswaded that god was present , did behold the affronts they were putting upon him , and would call them to a strict account for them : neither would good christians be so affrighted with the remote appearances of danger , and sink so quickly under affliction , had they a firm belief that god was ever nigh them , and ready to deliver and support them . those holy persons who accustom themselves to conceive god always present , as they dread doing the least evil , or neglecting any part of their duty , so the most terrible and cruel attempts of the wicked , cannot make them withdraw their dependance upon the divine providence , or renounce the hopes they have in god's mercy : so that the boldness and security which does appear in bad men , and the unreasonable and groundless fears to be found in some christians , do both chiefly proceed from their want of a hearty persuasion of the omnipresence of god , who observes their whole behaviour , and will certainly punish sinners , but protect and preserve his servants . nothing then will more suppress wickedness , and dismay and terrifie sinners , than frequent meditations upon the divine presence ; and nothing would so uphold our spirits in all conditions , as to let it be our daily practice to think of the unerring providence of god , which disposes all affairs and events by wise rules , and sends good or evil to men according as the circumstances of their present state do require , and ever with a design to make them the better thereby . if therefore men did believe that god governed the world , and ordered all the affairs thereof , they could not ascribe the issue of things to their own power , and look upon the prosperity of their condition to be the effect alone of their own wisdom and good management . neither would they think that those pains , losses , and calamities came by accident and chance , which god sent on purpose , either to try their love , or to reform their manners , or to punish their sins for an example to others . it must much abate the bitterness of afflictions and losses , to be convinced , that they who are humbled under them , who bear them meekly , and dutifully do submit to the pleasure of god , will thereby greatly improve the graces and virtues of their soul , and shall receive some extraordinary blessing from the hand of god , the relish of which will be much heighten'd by their past sufferings . so as in due time they shall see good reason for that calamity , which was at present so grievous unto them . they then who think god does not concern himself in the affairs of the world , nor regard the lives of men , can never truly reverence him , nor worship him sincerely ; but whereever there is a vigorous belief of providence , it will always be followed with the love and fear of god. that therefore in the course of our lives , we may set the lord before us , and direct our designs to his glory , that we may use the goods he gives us , discreetly and temperately ; and when he afflicts us , that we may be patient , quiet , and humble , and without murmur or complaint , make an entire resignation of our selves , and of all we have , unto his righteous will , that we may be grateful for his mercies , and in all our ways acknowledg him , and think of him ; i shall take leave to propose these following things to your consideration . ( . ) that nothing can come to us through the whole course of this life , without the order or permission of providence . ( . ) that we should sometimes receive evil from the hand of god as well as good , is very agreeable to his wisdom . ( . ) that if we equally consider things , god's goodness and mercy will appear in our greatest sufferings . ( . ) that nothing can come to us through the whole course of this life , without the order , or at least , the permission of providence . when god had made the world , he did not leave it to shift for it self , without any farther regard of it : but his power does as truly appear in the preservation and government thereof , as it did in its creation . what he thought fit for his power to give being and life to , he thinks becoming his goodness and wisdom to uphold and preserve ▪ as judging all the works of his hands , worthy of his providence and care. so that there is not any thing which does come by inflexible fate , or depend upon the uncertainties of fortune : but god does look down upon every work , he beholds the carriage of all his creatures ; he perpetually supports the order among things , and directs the whole course of nature in such just manner , as shall serve for the greatest good and happiness of the creation , and most illustrate his own glory . this all follows plainly from the nature of god , which consists in infinite perfection ; but the denying of providence , or the supposal that matters go in the world , either by fate , or chance , is most repugnant to the blessed nature of god , and does contradict almost every one of his attributes and perfections ; who could not be almighty if there was any power independent upon his ; who would not be infinitely wise if he govern'd the vast productions of his power by no laws ; whose goodness would not be boundless , if he had no care of those who loved him ; if he did not rescue those who suffer'd for his sake ; whose knowledg would not be immense if he did not see all that was acted in the world , if he was not an observer of the words and deeds , but also privy to the very thoughts of his creatures . † without all things done under the sun lay open to the divine view , why should the good hope in god's mercy , or the wicked tremble at his justice ? if he did not at all mind the ways of men , they would have no motives to love him , nor reason to fear they should fall under his displeasure , by acting the most horrid impieties . prayer is the primary duty of christians , the great instrument by which they obtain a supply of all necessaries , bodily and spiritual , and the chief support of their minds in trouble ; whereby they compose themselves to endure the sharpest sufferings , and become conquerors of their strongest temptations : but if god has no knowledg of the affairs of this world , the reason and very foundation of prayer will be destroyed , which supposes , that god knows all the circumstances of our particular case , and does not only hear us when we call upon him in our want and distress , but also that he has both the power , and the will , to relieve , or deliver all those who make their humble supplications unto him . did afflictions happen by meer chance , we should not know how to behave our selves under them , we should have no encouragement to bear them patiently , nor skill to make a due provision for those which may seize upon us hereafter , and turn them into a benefit to our souls . but when we know from whence they come , and that our cup , how bitter soever it be , was mingled by the merciful hand of our most gracious father for the health of our souls ; with what readiness and courage shall we stoop to our burden , and what an humble and heavenly temper shall we attain by our sufferings ? did not god know us , or take notice of our lives , how could he now govern the world , or judge it hereafter ? insomuch as there is no calling the truth of the doctrine of providence into question , without striking at the foundation of all the arguments for divine worship , for the fear and service of god , for trust in his mercy , and hope in his assistance : and without putting an end to every reasonable thought about future rewards and punishments . but though there be a great deal of malice in the objections against providence , yet upon little examination they will be found weak , and such as cannot shake the belief of any who will impartially consider them . 't is objected , that for god to have the care of all things upon him , would disturb his peace ; and that for him to condescend to observe the actions of trifling man , and to have a regard to the small and vilest parcels of the world , would be below the dignity of his glorious majesty . the weakness of this objection , which is so much flourisht by the epicureans , lyes herein , that they suppose god to be like unto men , who can hardly transact any affair wisely without much thinking ; who cannot be concern'd in many things together without great disquiet and trouble . now the trouble , uneasiness , irresolution and difficulty , which men find in much or great business , does arise from their faculties being stinted : they are fain to turn things up and down in their thoughts , and to work their brains with long consideration before they can resolve what is fit to be done ; and after they have resolved , they are as much at a loss for means to accomplish their designs . but what is more evident , than that the boundless power , wisdom and knowledg of god , cannot be exposed to any of these objections and difficulties ? therefore to disown providence in the plain consequence of things , is to deny the existence of an infinitely perfect being * . and though we may bear with such a sorry objection as this in the epicures , who were so vain , as to ascribe the original of the world , in which do appear so many of the marks of deep skill and wise contrivance , to a fortuitous concourse , or casual jumble of atomes ; yet it would be intolerable in christians , who profess heartily to believe god to be maker of heaven and earth , to hold that he should not think the things worthy of his care and protection , which he once thought worthy of his making : or that he should meet with difficulties and troubles in governing the world , who found none in creating it . as the firm belief of providence is of vast concernment to our souls , so the spirit of god has made many declarations of it , and fully set forth all the parts thereof in holy scripture , not only how god is pleased to engage himself in making provision for the children of men , but how his care does extend to the smallest creatures , and the meanest parts of the creation . we are taught not only that the rational beings do live and move and subsist by the goodness of their maker ; but that he condescends to feed the little sparrow , and to cloath the fading lillies of the field , and even to number the slender hairs upon our head. furthermore , in the word of god is set forth all the sorts of instances , in which the divine providence does manifest it self to men , who seem to be the extraordinary objects of god's care and love. there an account is given how god concerns himself in our birth and first production ; that he makes the barren woman to be a joyful mother of children ; that it is he that takes us out of the womb ; that he is our hope , and our whole dependance is upon him , from the time we hung on our mothers breasts ; and that the mouths of babes and sucklings , set forth the praise of his providence . that the divine providence doth not only exercise it self about particular persons , but reaches unto societies and communions , and takes cities and nations within it's special cognisance ; that both their prosperity and sufferings come from him ; that except he keep the city , the watchman waketh but in vain ; and that no evil happens there , but he hath done it ; and that he ever makes them to flourish or decline , in proportion to their virtues or their sins , the universal good of the creation being the great design and measure of his providence . the holy scriptures sometimes acquaint us with those parts of providence which relate to god's infinite knowledg , and the righteousness of his dealings , that nothing which we do or think can be hid from him , but that all lies open and naked to the presence of him before whom we stand ; that exact observation is made of every turn and design in our lives ; that he seeth all under the whole heaven , and looketh unto the ends of the earth ; that our whole behaviour is as it were registed in a book ; that at the great day of judgment , this book shall be open'd , and we be sentenc'd to everlasting happiness or misery , according as our lives shall from thence appear to have been good or evil. in our bibles we learn that god suffers afflictions to fall upon his own people , and are there shewn the just reasons of those proceedings of his , which at first view seem'd hardly consistent with his immense goodness ; and that all things in the end shall work together for the good of them who love him . there we also learn , that the preservation and continuance of life , is not in our power , and that length of days does not depend upon our care and skill , but that god keeps the issues of life and death in his own hand , and we never by any means can be assured , how long we have to live , who see the days of the weak and sickly sometimes extended to very old age ; and they of strong constitutions , and of firm and vigorous heal●h , lopt off in their green years , and full strength ; and all this , that we may never presume to set death at a great distance from us , but manage the present time prudently , and circurnspectly , and not rely upon infinitely contingent futurity , in the great affair of our souls , for the due care of which , we were sent into the world . in this word of god we find an account not only of the uncertainty of our lives , but of all the other goods we possess , which belong unto the present state ; that the possession we have of them is very preca●ious , and that of a sudden we may very many ways be put out of the enjoyment of those things we esteemed most , had kept longest , and were most secure of . but tho the ways of turning us out of what we have , be many , yet the holy scripture gives us good assurance , that we shall never be dispossest of the least good without the appointment or license of providence ; that as we may not set our hearts upon any of the things of the world , which we have , so we may bear losses quietly ; and without ruffling the peace of our minds , and making any abatement of our love of god , may submit to every change in our condition , with the patience of job , yielding back to the lord what he had given . sometimes the scriptures discourse of the strange changes which are made in kingdoms ; how god pulls men down , and sets others up by unlikely means , and when they least expected it ; and that in an instant he stript them of their vast possessions , when their power and plenty had thrust him out of all their thoughts , and they placed their security in their own strength , and did not attribute to his providence the glory of their greatness . of the wonderful effects of providence , we have unquestionable examples in all ages , wherein the motion of god's hand hath been so visible , that necessity will compel men to ascribe them to him . how frequently hath the interposition of the divine power been clearly manifest in the rise and declension of kingdoms , and in the surprizing periods which have been put to mighty empires by small and improbable causes , notwithstanding they were founded in deep policy , and had been of long continuance ; he in a moment breaking the firm frame of things , and turning up the foundations which were laid by the counsels of the most skilful and sagacious men ? vvhen the measure of the sins of a great people is full , and their iniquities are grown up to a ripeness fit for ruin , so that god will no longer endure the abuse of his mercies , and the bold affronts which are put upon his love and kindness ; then destruction comes swiftly upon them , and they receive their terrible overthrow from those hands which they did despise . histories of all countries furnish us with instances of this kind ; and we may read abundance of the mysterious variety of the workings of providence in the quick turns , and amazing changes which did happen to the kingdoms of judah and israel : either the sick or the lame have strength enough to pull down the mightiest nation , when the crying sins thereof have provoked god peremptori 〈…〉 to resolve , that there shall be an end put to all its glory and power . of this case we have a memorable declaration made from the lord to the jews , by the prophet jeremy , of the fatal blow which should be given to their kingdom , even by those they themselves had beaten ; and that only the wounded men which remained , should be sufficiently able to set fire to their city , and lay it in ashes . thus saith the lord , deceive not your selves , saying , the chaldeans shall surely depart from us ; for they shall not depart ; for tho ye had smitten the whole army of the chaldeans , that fight against you , and there remained but wounded men among them , yet should they rise up every man in his tent , and burn this city with fire . now when only the wounded and shatter'd remains of a conquer'd army , shall be able to attack and take a well fortified city , the great disproportion between the instruments and the work , must force the mouths of the inhabitants to confess , that it is the lord's doings , and that their misery is justly pulled down from heaven , by their abominable sins . wherefore when we behold any empire or kingdom that hath been long setled , taken deep root , enlarged its borders , and was ● terror to its neighbours , to dissolve on a sudden , and tumble down , and all the limbs of this well-built , and often-try'd body , at once to be dis-jointed ; will not in this strange and unaccountable revolution , the prints be most conspicuous and plain , of the all-seeing and all-disposing providence of god , who turns the wisdom of the wise into foolishness ; does not give the race to the swift , nor the battel to the strong ? on the other hand , to see a small society or body of men preserv'd when environ'd with powerful enemies , each of which could have devoured it ; and its state and condition supported , when they did all conspire to work its ruin ; and peace and safety restored by most improbable means , where there was no appearance or likelihood of it , must be a demonstration that god governs the world , and orders all the affairs thereof . from hence it is , as the divine providence hath wonderfully put forth it self in all times , so god shews himself highly displeased , when his people presume to call his care of them into question , and make any doubt whether he observes their behaviour ; declaring it to be utterly impossible , that he should either neglect or forget them . — for they say , the lord bath forsaken the earth , and the lord seeth not . and as for me also , my eye shall not spare , neither will i have pity . — but zion said , the lord hath forsaken me , and my lord hath forgotten me . can a woman forget her sucking children , that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb ? yea , they may forget , yet will i not forget thee . thus i have dispatch'd the first head of this discourse , namely that nothing can come to us through the whole course of this life , without the order , or at least the permission of providence ; and shewn , that not only the prosperity and adversity , the poverty and riches , the wisdom and understanding , the length of days , and death of particular persons , but also the growth and fall of nations and kingdoms , comes from the lord : who humbleth himself to behold the things that are done in heaven and earth : he sheweth loving kindness unto thousands , and recompenceth the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them : the great , the mighty god , the lord of hosts is his name , great in counsel , and mighty in works ; for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men , to give every one according to his ways , and according to the fruit of his doings . ( . ) that we should receive evil from the hand of god , as well as good , is very agreeable to his wisdom : in the miseries god sends or suffers to fall upon men in this life , many of his great ends in governing the world , are serv'd , and much spiritual profit may accrue to them , who by the cross events and disappointments they here encounter , are wean'd from the world , and will not be drawn in by its most alluring temptations ; who every day discovering more the vanity of all earthly pleasures , have an immediate recourse to god , and entirely depend upon his wisdom and goodness both as to their present condition , and that happy one they hope for hereafter . all men receive prosperity from god very kindly , tho they frequently make an ill use of it ; but when he sends any affliction , how much soever they may stand in need thereof , they forthwith complain , as if he dealt hardly by them . nay , when he lays a far lighter judgment upon them , than their folly and sin has deserv'd , and than the present sickly condition of their soul did require , immediately both his justice and his wisdom must be impeached . poor man ! he thinks he has severe usage , when god is very merciful unto him ; and is apt to grumble and be querulous , when the divine wisdom does use the most proper and suitable methods to do his soul the greatest good . most men , if they might chuse for themselves , would never have any thing fall cross to their own wills ; and the best reason that may be for their sufferings , will scarce bring them to think well of them , or to judg favourably of him who order'd and sent them . this is usually the perverse behaviour of those mean spirits , in every trouble and disappointment , who having fixt their hearts upon the goods of this world , do never lift up their hands and eyes towards the glorious heavens , or spend any thoughts upon the boundless eternity into which they are ready to launch : it is also true , that god's own people may sometimes have their feet slip , and be at first stagger'd by a great evil , which suddenly surprizes them ; but with a little thought and recollection , they recover the due temper of their minds , and discern the calamity to be so fit and reasonable for their condition , that they not only frame themselves to a sincere submission to god's pleasure , but devoutly magnifie and praise his name for the signal advantage their souls will gain thereby . this is the language of the saints ; behold , happy is the man whom god correcteth ; therefore despise not thou the chastning of the almighty , job . . whom the lord loveth , he correcteth , prov. . . i know , o lord , that thy judgments are right ; and that thou of faithfulness hast afflicted me , psal . . . blaspheme not god , who makes provision for our souls with much wisdom , and great care , and by a supply of good things , and the fear of stripes , does teach us the elements of virtue , and pulls up the disease of vice by the roots , and causes bright and gladsom health in the soul . now if by every injury against their reputation , every damage in their estate , every loss of dear relations , every hurt and pain in their body , and by every melancholly and grievous thought which may happen in their minds , god designs not to torment , but to purify and reform his people , there can be no reason why they should not accept all in good part which comes , nor why it should be thought a strong objection against the wisdom of providence , that the righteous now and then suffer , and have their share of the afflictions of this world . but because this has been a difficult rub in the way , at which as well the virtuous , as bad men have stumbled ; in a more particular answer thereunto , i desire the following things may be consider'd . ( . ) that we are not competent judges any more of the righteousness of men , than of the reasons of their sufferings : we that do not know the hearts of men , nor see the secrets which are lodged there , cannot pronounce who are truly good . those who make a fair shew of religion , and take pains to have the world ●●ink well of them , may have much wickedness lurk in their hearts , and privately be exceeding vicious . but unless we knew certainly who were sincerely virtuous men , and who were hypocrites , we have no right to make this objection ; and it will be very unjust and presumptuous in us , to charge it as a defect and blemish in the divine providence , that the righteous are frequently afflicted ; since that which may look like an undeserv'd calamity of a good man , may , for ought we know , be but a just judgment of god , inflicted upon him for his hypocrisie . ( . ) neither are we competent judges of the happy or miserable state , of the prosperity or calamities of men . * those who to us appear the happy persons , may have so many unruly passions within their breasts , that in a manner tear their souls in pieces , and sour all the comforts and pleasures which their greatness , honour , or plenty should produce . on the contrary , those who in our eyes pass for vile and contemptible wretches , may have that peace in their minds , being hurried by no masterless lust , nor tortur'd with the guilt of any sin ; may have that joy springing up in their souls constantly , from a sense of the favour of god , and the conscience of their doing good to their fellow-creatures , that they would not change conditions with the greatest monarch upon earth . possibly good men may be straitned with poverty , and have little authority and interest in the world ; and yet for all this , they are still happy ; for happiness does not consist in abundance of riches , nor a large compass of power . these things to them would have been a burden , and they therefore never sought them ; but a composed mind , devout thoughts , easiness in every condition , a chearful resignation of themselves , and of what they had , to the will of god , when crosses and sickness , and disgrace and losses should come , is what they heartily desired , and what they earnestly prayed for , and what god graciously was pleased to give them , and in the enjoyment whereof they find real and most intense happiness . hence we may be instructed how to take the measures of our felicity , and to form a true judgment who are the happy , who the miserable men . that no man is happy by reason of his vast riches , but generous mind , which makes him to live above them , and inclines him to the highest instances of charity ; so that he is merciful and lendeth ; he disperseth and giveth to the poor , and the acts of his bounty shall be had in everlasting remembrance . that no person is miserable , because by the malice of designing men he may be turned out of his native soil ; since he may bear his calamity so evenly , and with such submission to providence , as thereby to ensure to himself an habitation in the heavenly and eternal countrey , from whence all the powers of darkness can never banish him . that a man is not happy because he has a healthy and strong body ; but because in an infirm and sickly one , he does carefully preserve a sound and spotless mind . that he is not miserable who meets with much unkind usage , and upon whom many cross and sharp things do fall ; but he , who being besotted with prosperous successes , doth lift up his eyes no higher , but sits down with the brittle and deceitful goods of the present state , and only among them seeks for rest . thus it is manifest , that real felicity does consist in the innocence and tranquility of the mind . but notwithstanding in the general we may pronounce all those happy , who have quiet and unblemish'd souls ; yet we cannot speak with confidence , as to the happiness or misery of particular men , because by their outward circumstances , and appearance to the world , we can never be certain of the sincerity of their minds , nor whether they have those virtues in their possession , which cause solid happiness . wherefore seeing we are not competently qualified to judg either of the piety or of the happiness of particular men , it evidently follows , that there is very little in that popular objection against the divine providence , taken from the seeming adversity of the good , and flourishing state of the wicked . further ; neither is it any disparagement of providence , nor unkindness in god towards his faithful servants , that sometimes he translates them early from hence , and permits them to dye in the vigour of their years : for can a greater favour be done them for their short and faithful service , than for god to remove them not only from the dangers and temptations to sin , but also from the manifold troubles and vexations of this life , unto his everlasting mercies ? he does this in honour to them , that the wicked may behold and be concern'd , they are no longer worthy of them , nor of the good they might receive from their holy and wise conversation : besides , when the justice of god has decreed some dreadful judgment against a wicked nation , he often takes away his own people from the evil to come . but tho the righteous be prevented with death , yet shall he be in rest ; for honourable age is not , which standeth in length of time , nor that is measured by number of years ; but wisdom is the gray hair unto men , and an unspotted life is old age . he pleased god , and was beloved of him ; so that living among sinners he was translated . he being made perfect in a short time , fulfilled a long time ; for his soul pleased the lord ; therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked . ( . ) it is to be consider'd , that the condition of the world is such , that there is a necessity the virtuous should often be exposed to the same troubles and misfortunes which happen to the ungodly : and as the wise man speaks , there will be one event to the righteous and to the wicked ; for the calamities of war , pestilence , famine , and fire , involve men of all conditions , and take in the holy with the sinners . neither the nipping frosts , nor scorching heats , nor raging floods , nor blasting winds , make any difference between the lands of pious and bad men ; nor can a storm at sea , distinguish between their goods which are in the same vessel . for a man to look that god should exempt him from these publick evils , is to expect he should alter the course of nature for his sake , which is wisely establish'd , and for great ends ; and therefore all such hopes can have no ground , and must be deem'd very unreasonable . ( . ) notwithstanding such common calamities cannot be avoided , yet god always intends our good in every harsh disappointment which we meet with ; and it will admirably serve to mend the temper of our minds . by adversity , which god never le ts loose upon us before it is useful for us , he makes an experiment of the reality of our affections towards him , whom we ought infinitely to esteem above all other things ; by it god tries our constancy ; whether we will equally love him , and preserve as great a reverence for him in the days of our sorrow , as when he crown'd us with plenty ? and if upon this trial we entertain as honourable thoughts of the proceedings of his providence , as when the world went well with us , he has attained his end in visiting us , and will quickly deliver us from our grievance . for if under the sorest crosses , the heaviest losses , and sharpest pains , we uphold in our souls as worthy opinions of god's administration of affairs , as when he enricht us with his blessings ; then we shall make an undoubted discovery of the sincerity of our love of him ; and it will be evident to men , that we value the peace of conscience , and his favour , above all sensual comforts . besides , nothing will more lessen our esteem of these mean and despicable pleasures , nor take off the edg of our desire for them , than frequently to be disturbed in the enjoyment of them , and to have them forced away , when we were most delighted with them , and confidently promised to our selves their long continuance . it may indeed be a general observation , that much prosperity corrupts mens morals , and tempts them to rely upon their own powers ; but adversity reforms their lives , and teaches them to know their own weakness and wants , which they perceive would grow insupportable , did god once withdraw his assistance . wherefore seeing it is so much harder to walk uprightly before god in a flourishing condition , that make us apt to forget him , than in an afflicted state , which naturally disposes us to seek the lord , is there any reason , why we should thus murmur at his rod , and repine when he corrects us with the tenderness of a father , and visits us with his judgments , only that he may heal our spiritual diseases ? how terrible soever any calamity may appear to us , yet it is fitted to our circumstances , and is not greater than the crazy state of our souls does stand in need of . for troubles do not spring casually out of the earth ; or fall upon us without measure or bounds : but god in his wisdom does order the time when we shall be afflicted ; he determines the kind of evil which shall fall to our lot , and metes the very quantity that we must suffer . which as soon as it has humbled our vanity , or extinguish'd our lust , or abated our love of riches , and reduced us to just apprehensions of our selves , be certainly will recall from us , and let in the light of his countenance into our hearts . now this being the true state of things , as will be plain to every honest enquirer , it may be matter of wonder , why men take afflictions so ill at the hand of god , when they know they proceed from his love ; and behave themselves so untowardly under almost every degree of adversity . a great cause of all this , i judge to be , their making slight or no preparations for afflictions before they come . now there is that distraction and disorder raised in the spirit of a man , who is surprized with any calamity , that he tosseth like a bull in a net , and has not temper enough left to consider of the great causes there were to move god to lay it upon him , or of the sweet fruit he might gather from it by a modest and quiet carriage under the heavenly discipline , and a total submission of himself to the will of his merciful father . they therefore who would bear troubles well , must live in a constant expectation of them , and in their good days lay up a stock of christian graces against the winter of adversity . they , i say , who in the height of their prosperity , will often and seriously reflect upon the great change , that either by losses and pains , or certainly by death , in a short time will overtake them , and provide themselves with the suffering-virtues against that dark season , will be so far from having their spirits sink at the approach either of afflictions or death it self , that it will raise them above the world , and mount and carry their hearts and affections to god , who is the centre of all sound peace , and solid joy. how happy are those souls , who when the world most smiles upon them , do not trust it ; but furnish themselves with the humility , and the meekness , and the patience of jesus against the evil day ; that as no sickness or trouble can much surprize them , so neither can it greatly , or long discompose their minds ; but they discern the finger of god in it , and turn it to their spiritual advantage . and they therefore count it joy , when they fall into temptations ; i. e. suffer affliction ; for they are assured , that god will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able : if they are troubled on every side , yet they shall not be distressed ; if they are perplexed , they shall not despair ; if they are persecuted , they shall not be forsaken ; if cast down , they shall not be destroyed . sermon ii. iii. that if we equally consider things , we shall be constrain'd to acknowledg , that god's goodness and mercy do appear in our greatest sufferings ; and this will be evident from the following reasons . ( . ) because , if we look upon god as the supreme lord and owner of the world , who alone has the right of all , we shall find our selves to be but tenants at will , for every thing that we have : and if god has given us nothing , but during pleasure , then let him take it away when he pleases , he can do us no wrong . our life , that makes us capable of his other favours ; our health , which makes life comfortable ; our relations , our estates , our ease and peace , are all the free gifts of the bounty of him , who had not the least obligation to us ; and if he revoke them all , or any of them , we receive no injury ; for he does but resume his own right . insomuch , as if god strips us of all down to nothing , he will but leave us in the state he found us : wherefore we ought to be so far from charging him with unkindness for any temporal evil , that we must own , it is his singular goodness we have been permitted the enjoyment of so many of his blessings such a long time . ( . ) we cannot but acknowledg the goodness of god in our troubles and losses , when we consider him as the great judg of the lives of men , and examine the conditions upon which he was pleased to grant the use of his creatures unto them , and the punishments he has threatned to inflict upon the disobedient . upon this examination it will be plain to the greatest sufferers , that god has been merciful , in that they , in many particulars , have broken the conditions of the covenant , which was made between him and them , and he has not taken the whole forfeiture . there is no breach of god's law , in any great instance , made coolly and deliberately , but it does deserve , not only a temporal punishment , but the pains of hell , should god deal with us according to the measures of strict justice . now , when he , who if he proceeded strictly against us , might pass the sentence of death upon us , and shut us out of his presence for ever , does but gently correct us with such chastisements as are proper to reform our faults , and cause us to grieve we have offended our best friend ; what can we do but admire his goodness , and magnify the riches of his mercy towards us ! if god did not let sinners , who have lived a great while securely in their iniquity , at length feel the weight of his justice , they would lay aside all fear of his power , and fall into ruin beyond a possibility of being recover'd . but yet we may observe , that there is a plentiful mixture of mercy in the punishments which god first inflicts upon the greatest sinners ; and that he does not proceed to high degrees of severity , until their hearts are so hard , that lighter afflictions would make no impression upon them . wherefore when very bad men are brought to repentance by a terrible judgment , they discern god's goodness in nothing more , than the terrour which attended the judgment wherewith he corrected them ; because they are sensible it would not have reclaim'd them from their wicked courses , had it been of a milder sort . god then tempers judgment with mercy , that as the contemplation of the one may preserve in mens minds an awful regard of his majesty , so the consideration of the other may keep them from running into despair . where sinners are become bold , more of his justice is requisite to make them dread his displeasure , and to acknowledg the infirmities of their own nature ; but on the contrary , where such a tenderness is found in the consciences of men , that they are extream fearful of their condition , notwithstanding to the best of their ability they sincerely endeavour to serve him ; he is so far from putting any unnecessary hardship upon them , that he letteth forth the treasures of his compassion upon their disturb'd souls , does scatter their groundless fears , and refresh and cherish them with his mercies . there is no want of proof to convince men , that as all the temporal evils they suffer are less than in rigour of justice god might lay upon them ; so they never overtake them , before they are necessary either to make them reflect upon the errors of their own ways , or to put a stop to others in a bad course . the servants of god , who have been renowned for their piety , and whose holy deeds , and glorious sufferings in the cause of religion , have been recorded by the holy ghost for the imitation of the followers of christ , and the support of all afflicted saints , these eminent instruments in the work of the lord , i say , have ever been so sensible of their own frailty , as to dread the divine justice . they never did presume to insist upon their own righteousness , when they came before god , as if they had lived with such exactness , according to his laws , that he could not afflict them , without being injurious . they were not such strangers to themselves , as not to be conscious , that in a great number of respects their behaviour came short of perfection ; which alone can justify a man. wherefore we shall never find that they appeal to their innocence , when they have to deal with their righteous judge ; but full of the apprehension of their guilt , they cast themselves at his feet , and address their cause wholly to his mercy . david , a man after god's own heart , openly confesses to him , if thou , lord , will be extreme to mark what is done amiss , o lord , who may abide it ! i. e. if god should reckon with the best man in the world for his sins , and pass sentence upon him according to his demerits , his punishment would be intolerable : therefore he flies to his compassion , enter not into judgment with thy servant , for in thy sight shall no man living be justified . job , who being assaulted with many violent temptations , and harass'd with a number of bitter calamities , yet sinned not , durst not however stand upon his own integrity ; or think he could make a compleat defence of his life to god : for in answer to his friend , who had wisely observed , that mortal man could not be more just than god , or more pure than his maker ; he says , i know it is so of a truth : but how should man be just with god ? or if he will contend with him , he cannot answer him , one of a thousand . jeremiah , after he had made a large list of the troubles and calamities of god's people , charges no injustice upon him , as if he had treated them more severely than their case deserv'd ; but quite otherwise , he humbly acknowledges , that it was due to the divine goodness , that they fared no worse . it is the lord's mercy we are not consumed , because his compassions fail not . and of this the prophet gives a good reason ; because life , and all a man enjoys by that capacity , which is preferable to nothing , is the free grant of god. wherefore doth a living man complain , a man for the punishment of his sins ? i. e. while a sinner has life , he hath more than he can claim , and therefore hath no cause to find fault with any smaller evil that god corrects him with for his crimes . ( . ) we must acknowledg the divine goodness in our losses and sufferings ; when we consider , that in the gospel there is no express covenant , obliging god to bestow temporal prosperity upon holy men. in the christian religion there is no absolute promise of worldly power , honour , or wealth , even to them who do perform the conditions thereof . and if god has not tied himself to preserve the saints always in a flourishing state , shall they who are wicked expect it from him ? shall the sinners demand that , as justly belonging to them , which he has not made a debt to the best of his servants ? wherefore , if god be under no obligation in the gospel to bestow a greater share of the things of the world , which are by men so fiercely sought after , than what is necessary to life , he does not , in depriving us of any of our superfluities , break any one condition of the covenant between us ; since the smallest secular conveniency in our possession , is more than we can claim , or than he contracted for . our saviour was so far from making any engagement , that they who are his disciples should all be rich , or rulers , or men of interest in the world ; that he has declared , father and mother , and wife and children , and houses , and lands , must all be forsaken , where they cannot longer be had without doing dishonour to his holy name , or breaking the laws of his religion . and because upon account of their relations , or riches , or power , men would meet with the most prevailing temptations to transgress the precepts of the gospel , it is that christ does pronounce , that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle , than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god. may we not then be sure , that christ would not encourage his friends to hope for a constant and steddy current of plenty , and honours and pleasure , when these things powerfully draw their affections from him , and tempt them to blot him out of their thoughts ? his kingdom being of another world , none of the glories of this are necessary to the attainment of it . and as we do not find , that our lord made any promise to christians of an abundance of things , highly valued by the men of this world ; so neither do we observe , that he treats great men with more respect , or gives them cause to expect they shall have kinder usage , or receive more favours from him , than the poor , and those of low rank . he has made no special promises to the rich , and celebrated and popular persons : but the beatitudes descend upon the heads of men of quite other qualification : not their outward circumstances , but the holy dispositions in their souls , procure and fetch down his blessings . he blesses the humble , the poor in spirit , the holy mourners , the meek , they that hunger and thirst after righteousness , and earnestly desire to fulfil god's just and good will ; the merciful , the pure in heart , the peace-makers , and they that suffer persecution , and are evil spoke of by all for righteousness sake . and hence it follows , that no body by reason of their wealth or honour , are greater objects of christ's love , or come more within the verge of his care ; but that men of mean and contemptible state , are as much under the protection of his providence , as those of highest quality ; have as plentiful a portion of his grace , and stand in as near a capacity to the kingdom of heaven . had our lord come into the world incircled with all that pomp and power which the jews expected the messias should appear with , as he could have been no example of sufferings to his followers , so would they have been tempted to arrive at some degrees of their master's glory , and have set their hearts upon the greatness and splendors of the present state , when it was so principal a part of his work , to teach his disciples to neglect and despise them . since then the possession of a large portion of worldly goods , is no part of the bargain jesus christ made with men in his religion , who only promises a supply of the necessaries of life ; and since men , for the most part , have more than what is barely necessary to sustain them , they must acknowledg their great obligation to the divine goodness , with respect of the fulness and ease of their condition here upon earth . how much men under the christian law , owe to the bounty of god , more than by the terms of it they could demand , is plain , notwithstanding you suppose them to perform every condition of the gospel , and to live in a state of innocence ; but look upon them what really they are , as vile sinners , and then in god's usage of the greatest sufferers , enough will appear to clear the justice of his dealings , and to convince them , who complain most bitterly , that he has been gracious , and corrected them with mercy . but further ; when we reflect upon the utter averseness of the world to the designs of christ's religion , and the deep malice which it bears against those who sincerely profess it , as we shall see reason to believe and expect , that those who live godly in christ jesus , should suffer affliction ; so also all good men may to their unspeakable joy observe , that their religion does mightily thrive , when the wicked most endeavour to suppress it ; and that nothing more refines the lives of christians , and makes them come up to the purity in the gospel required , than persecution . of that part of providence which extracts good out of evil , the ancient father discourses well ; it is , saith he , the greatest argument of divine providence , that it not only altogether destroys the hurtful quality of the evil which proceeds from the apostacy of human will ; but also does not suffer it to abide useless and unprofitable ; for it is the business of the divine wisdom , virtue , and power , not only to do good ( for that is the nature of god , to say it once for all , as much as it is of fire to burn , and of light to shine ) , but especially to order and direct , that the devices of the wicked should serve to good and useful purposes . as therefore it is in the nature of unbelievers , and of the prophane , to hate the people of god , and to deal cruelly by them ; so it is god's will to suffer it , that thereby his own may be improved in that piety and virtue which will prepare them for his presence , and incline him to take them out of all their troubles the sooner unto himself . and tho it be a great crime in naughty men to persecute the servants of god , yet they have the less reason to complain of it , or to be very uneasie when afflicted ; because their sufferings do tend so much to their perfection . nay , on the contrary , they ought to esteem it as a mark and token of god's kindness , that he is pleased to better and advance their nature , even by adversity . and it is no less than a demonstration of infinite wisdom , that the plots which are laid to ruin the saints , should make them more perfect ; and that , to the astonishment of all men , the spight and cruelty of persecutors should make religion take deeper root , to grow the faster , and in the shorter time to spread it self over the face of the earth . if indeed we regard the malice and rage of men , certainly enough has been attempted to banish the gospel and name of jesus christ out of the world , had not god appeared on its side , and maintained his own cause and people . and while god is with us , and does support the interest of the religion wherein we are engaged , we may remain confident , that captivity , imprisonment , bonds , and scourges , how much soever at present they may terrifie and grieve us , yet they shall never overthrow the christian church , or reduce to a state of desparation , the sincere believers ; but god's special grace will help and carry them through troubles of every kind and degree , and make all conclude in their salvation . let us then not hope either that the wicked should alter the perverseness of their natures ; or that for our sakes god should change the wise methods of his providence . let us not think we shall have kinder usage from the world , than christ and his apostles had , and than the army of martyrs and confessors , and all the primitive christians did meet with . but as we are baptized into the name of christ , so never let us be asham'd openly to profess it , or afraid to bear the cross of our dear master : if the world hate you , ye know that it hated me before it hated you . and let us steddily look unto jesus the author and finisher of our faith , who for the joy which was set before him , endured the cross , despising the shame , and is set down at the right hand of the throne of god ; for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself , lest ye be wearied , and faint in your minds . heb. . . ( . ) we must acknowledg the goodness of god , whether in sickness , pain , or trouble , when we place our meditations on the inestimable rewards of the next life , which he has provided to recompence the sufferings of holy men in this . our deep ignorance of the joys of the other life , will make all things said of them , to be with great disadvantage . the philosophers , and men of refined reason , were generally possest with the belief of a future state ; of which yet their discourses are obscure , and full of uncertainty ; and when they handle this argument , they are often inconsistent with themselves . neither need this be a wonder ; since it is not to be imagined that by natural light , we should be able to make any large discovery of the pleasures of heaven : for they do so vastly differ from worldly enjoyments , and so infinitely surpass all the pleasures of sense , that our present experience will not at all enable us to frame a conception of them . so that the best information we are to expect in this matter , must be from the holy scripture ; neither doth that it self descend into a particular description of the nature of heavenly joys : the spirit thought it sufficient for the support of our faith , to give a general account of the uncounceivable happiness of the future life ; and to let us have full assurance that it should be the portion of all those , who shall to the end persevere in a sincere obedience to the laws of the gospel . and notwithstanding , the best progress we can make in our enquiry after the delights of the glorious world above , will be chiefly by negatives ; for eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , the things which god hath prepared for them that love him ; yet the consideration of them , will be mighty comfortable , and enough to make us bear up under all the pressures and troubles which shall attend the cross of christ . in heaven we shall be free from all sins ; and from every temptation to do evil , which now proceeds from so huge a number of causes and occasions . we shall be placed above the reach of the malice and power of the devil ; whose perpetual work it is , to lay plots to corrupt our innocence , to take and ensnare our souls by his cunning devices . we shall be removed from the sight and company of bad men , who by their ill example , and restless importunity , are ever inticing us to sin . we now converse among the dangerous enemies of our souls , who have a constant eye upon us ; so that if we do but forbear to watch never so little , they will surprize us ; if we do not walk circumspectly , we presently shall be made to fall ; if we do not pray continually , the wicked will prove too strong for us , and deceive us with the gaudy appearance of their tempting baits . o what a perpetual struggle have we with our lusts ! and how much pains does it cost to overcome them , when they violently press upon us ! what a vexation and grief is it to our minds , that we find it so hard to subdue the motions to almost every sin ! nay , that those lusts which we have conquered , should rally their forces , assault us afresh , and sometimes prove too many for us , and often so terrifie us , as to make the victory hazardous ! so that we are fain to cry out with the great apostle , o wretched creatures that we are , who shall deliver us from this body of death ! who shall deliver us from the tyranny of our impetuous lusts , which are always labouring to get the rule over us , and would lead us captive into the gates of death ! we have not strength enough in our selves ; nothing but the grace of god , and the cherishing influences of his holy spirit , will enable us to get the mastery over our own rebellious appetites . so difficult it is for the spirit to conquer the flesh , and to drive satan out of his strong-holds ; who will dispute every pass , and contend every point with us ; and never yield , while we allow him the least encouragement . o what fears must be injected into the hearts of faint and timorous christians , by their being constantly plyed with such implacable adversaries ! to serve god indeed , is their real desire , and they love him with all their hearts ; but despair holding out under these furious and hourly attacks of the powers of hell. they dread they shall fall away in this day of heavy tribulation , and would give all they were worth , to be secured from the danger and trouble of their temptations . now in the next world , these sorrows , and fears and dangers , which are here so frightful and so constant , will all be at an end : and what an undisturbed peace , and equality of temper will the mind possess , when it is got past the hazard of all kinds of temptation ; when the flesh shall be entirely subject to the spirit , and make no further opposition to its reasonable dictates ; and there shall be nothing which can raise the least commotion or disorder within it ; but it shall abide in an uninterrupted course of innocence ; and behold all its enemies lying slain before it , as the israelites did with joy and triumph look back upon the drowned egyptians , floting on the red sea. and as we shall be freed from the power of sin , so we shall get rid of all the vexations , grievances , and miseries of this world ; many of which are the natural fruit , and proper effects of our sins . we shall be strangers to the drudgery and labours , which are so necessary to get a livelihood in this earthly state , and to all the fears and cares which are needful to preserve our gains , and to convey th●m down safe and entire to our children and posterity . neither poverty , nor contempt , nor disgrace , will threaten us ; neither the covetousness of men will lessen our plenty , nor their perverseness disturb our peace , nor their cruelty bring any hardship upon us : we shall meet with no difficulties to perplex our thoughts , nor dangers to exercise our fears ; but abide in a state of perpetual love and friendship with all our fellow-creatures . and as in the regions of heaven we shall get above the power of temptation , the malice of ill men , and all the calamities of the lower world ; so shall these infirm , crazy , and fading bodies , which stand in need of daily supplies to repair their decays , and which minister fuel constantly to our passions , be changed into incorruptible , heavenly , and immortal ones ; which will not solicite and make the soul uneasie with their hunger ; nor clog and burden it with their weight ; nor discourage and grieve it with their gross and melancholly fumes ; nor spot and defile it with their lust . we shall know nothing more of diseases , nor pains and aches , nor hunger nor thirst . they hunger no more , neither thirst any more ; for the lamb which is in the midst of the throne , shall feed them ; and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters . then we shall be clothed with robes of beautiful light , and the righteous shall shine as the stars of the firmament for ever . in that holy place our desires will be gratified ; our appetites will have full satisfaction ; our highest expectations will be answer'd ; and all our hopes turn'd into fruition : but notwithstanding every capacity of our nature will be filled with its proper pleasure , yet they shall never be glutted ; but as the favours of heaven increase , so will our faculties be more and more enlarged to receive them : and although there shall be no end of our joys , yet their perpetual abode will never cloy us ; who shall to all eternity be improving into a greater likeness of god ; and still attain thereby to a higher , and more quick and sensible relish of our heavenly delights . then we shall be admitted into the most desirable and pleasing company : we shall converse with angels , and be of the society of all the holy men , who have been so renown'd in their generations , and have set those admirable examples of godliness and virtue . there we shall sit down by our nearest and most dear relations , whose departure hence was so terrible and grievous to us ; by our best friends , neighbours , and acquaintance , and love and rejoice together , and praise the lord for the great good , which by our mutual piety we did one to another . o then we shall behold the glorious face of our ever-blessed redeemer , who sacrificed his own blood to rescue us from the power and guilt of our sins , and to bring us into this most illustrious habitation ! and that which swallows all the powers of our imagination , we shall come into the presence of the great and mighty god , and see him as he is , and for ever be taken up in rapturous contemplations of the inconceivable brightness and splendor of his infinite majesty . now when we duly consider that these shall be the unexpressible rewards of our slight and short afflictions , will it not appear most just and reasonable that we should submit to the will of god in all things ? as nothing will tend more to god's glory , so nothing will agree more with our interest , or more produce true comfort and peace in our minds ; than thankfully to receive all that god gives , and patiently and meekly to bear the loss of all he takes away ; who will so infinitely recompence all our sufferings for his sake in the next life . and since god has provided such joys for our souls in the other state , o that he would quicken our desires , and help our endeavours to prepare our selves for them ! seeing he hath been pleased to chuse our bodies for temples for his holy spirit to dwell in , o that he would free them from all malice and impurity , and chase away every strange and filthy lust from his chosen habitation ! o that we might have so lively a sense of the goodness of the lord , and of the infinite advantage we shall gain therefrom , as not to give sleep to our eyes , nor slumber to our eye-lids , until from the bottom of our hearts , we had repented of every sin ; until we had worked up our souls to an utter hatred of it , and obstinately resolv'd to forsake it ; until laying aside all the thoughts and interests of this world , we had employed our souls wholly in making a firm , well-grounded , and lasting peace with our god. may we so frequently meditate on the glories of his nature , as earnestly to labour and strive to grow like him in his truth , and purity , and love , and mercy . may we so often spend our thoughts on heaven , that the joys thereof may deeply affect our souls , and become most desirable unto us . did we deliberately consider these things , it can be no question , but we should make it the great business of our whole lives , to fit and duly qualifie our selves for the kingdom of heaven . we should abundantly more endeavour to live as the righteous man doth , did we oftner reflect upon the unspeakable comforts which attend his death ; did we but seriously think upon the peace and joy with which he finisheth his course , and departs this life . for death will only be to him a passage from bad men , and malicious devils , to holy angels , and innocent and blessed souls ; from labours , and troubles , and toils , to perpetual ease and quiet , and most durable satisfaction ; from pains and grief , and sickness , to everlasting delights . when the wicked shall begin to tremble , and their hearts to fail and sink within them , and their consciences to astonish and amaze them with a full and lively representation of their many vile sins , and the notorious and shameful abuses they have put upon all god's tender mercies , and of the intolerable slights and contempt with which they have received his numerous and kind invitations to turn from their evil ways and live ; and when there shall be no other prospect before their eyes , but that of misery , horror , and confusion ; then shall you good christians look up towards heaven , and behold certain signs of your salvation drawing near . o in what a transport of pleasure will your souls be , in the minute they are reunited to your bodies , and shall behold that most blessed and most dear saviour approching towards you on a bright cloud , whom you have served with all your powers , and the greatest and most solicitous care , to the end of your days ; whom you have loved above all , and denied the fiercest appetites of the flesh , and stoutly resisted the most pressing temptations of the world , that you might follow him , and exactly conform your selves to his most holy example : when this glorious saviour of yours , appearing in all his majesty , shall call you forth from the midst of that vast assembly of men of all times and places , and looking very graciously upon you , shall take particular notice of the zeal , love , sincere affection and piety with which you have always behaved your selves towards him , and in his cause . o what tongue can describe the joy you will feel in your hearts , when the camp of heaven , as it marches and moves on , shall shout and rejoice to meet you ; when the angels , who conceived so much pleasure at your first conversion , shall loudly triumph at the consummation of your happiness ! o how will your souls overflow with grateful reflections upon the boundless goodness of god , when the patriarchs , and prophets , and holy apostles , and glorious martyrs , with all the people of the lord , shall congratulate your escape from a wicked and miserable world , and sing , and praise their redeemer , at this the accomplishment of your salvation ! when having put on a splendid body of light , christ shall present you to his father on the throne , and reckon up all your prayers , and fastings , and tears ; all your acts of devotion ; all your deeds of charity and compassion to those in misery ; your readiness on every occasion to comfort widows , relieve orphans , and to deliver the humble and helpless from the hard hands of the oppressor ; your meekness , temperance , and chastity , and incessant pains to reduce your lower appetites to a ready obedience to the divine laws , and the suggestions of clear reason ; when your kindness to strangers ; your humility in a prosperous state ; your patience and submission in adversity ; your unshaken constancy to the interests of him your dear master under persecution ; and your steddy adherence to the true faith , in the times of greatest danger , shall be all distinctly rehearsed , and accepted , and adjudged worthy of eternal rewards ! o how thankful will you be to god for the day in which you did seriously begin your repentance ! how will you love the man who did minister the occasion , and was the instrument of your sincere conversion , and did first guide you into the right paths of everlasting happiness ! do thou therefore , o lord , reveal to us so much of the beauty of thy perfections , that with all our heart , and all our strength , we may seek thee ; do thou so direct our steps , that having sought , we may find thee ; and having found thee , may reverence thy majesty , dread thy power , obey thy will , love thy goodness , adore all thy attributes , and increase in all deeds of piety , until thou shalt put an end to this mortal life , and take us into a glorious eternity . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e † quod ni ita sit , quid veneramur , quid precamur deos ? cur sacris pontifices , cur auspiciis augures praesunt ? quid optamus a diis immortalibus ? quid vovemus ? at etiam liber est epicuri de sanctitate . ludimur ab homine non tam faceto , quam ad scribendi licentiam libero . quae enim potest esse sanctitas , si dii humana non curant ? cic. de nat . deor lib. . * verius est igitur nimirum illud , quod familiaris omnium nostrum posidonius disseruit in libro quinto de natura deorum , nullos esse deos epicuro videri ; quaeque is de diis immortalibus dixerit , invidiae detestandae gratiâ dixisse . neque enim tam desipiens fuisset , ut homunculi similem deum singeret lineamentis duntaxat extremis , non habitu solido , membris hominis praeditum omnibus , usu membrorum ne minimo quidem , exilem quendam ac perlucidum , nihil cuique tribuentem , nihil gratificantem omnino , nihil curantem , nihil agentem . quae natura primum nulla esse potest , idque videns epicurus , re tollit , oratione relinquit deos. cic. de nat . deor. ib. ezek. . , . isa . . , . psal . . . jer. . , . theodoret. tom. . p. . * let us not so far stray from the truth , as to think any wicked man can be happy , because he is richer than croesus ; more quicksighted than lynceus ; stronger than milo crotoniates ; or more beautiful than ganymedes : for he that has enslaved his mind to a thousand masters , to love concupiscence , pleasure , fear , 〈…〉 , folly , lust , injustice , can never be happy . philo de provident . euseb . praep. ev. p. . wisd . . , , , . notes for div a -e clem. alex. strom. lib. . p. . god made visible in his workes, or, a treatise of the externall workes of god first, in generall, out of the words of the psalmist, psalm , : secondly, in particular of the creation, out of the words of moses, genesis, chap. and : thirdly, of gods actuall providence / by george walker ... walker, george, ?- . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing w ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) god made visible in his workes, or, a treatise of the externall workes of god first, in generall, out of the words of the psalmist, psalm , : secondly, in particular of the creation, out of the words of moses, genesis, chap. and : thirdly, of gods actuall providence / by george walker ... walker, george, ?- . [ ], p. printed by g.m. for john bartlet ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. eng bible. -- o.t. -- psalms cxxxv, -- sermons. bible. -- o.t. -- genesis i-ii -- sermons. providence and government of god -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. a r (wing w ). civilwar no god made visible in his vvorkes, or, a treatise of the externall vvorkes of god. first, in generall, out of the words of the psalmist, psal. walker, george d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion god made visible in his workes , or , a treatise of the externall workes of god . first , in generall , out of the words of the psalmist , psal. . . secondly , in particular of the creation , out of the words of moses , genesis , chap. . and . thirdly , of gods actuall providence . by george walker b. of divinity , and pastour of st. john evangelists church in london . rom. . . for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seene , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternall power and god-head , so that they are without excuse . london , printed by g.m. for john bartlet at the signe of the gilt cup , neare s. austins-gate in pauls church-yard , . to the right vvorshipfvll my mvch honovred friends sir thomas barrington , sir gilbert gerard , sir william massam , and sir martin lumley , knights and baronets , now honourable knights of the house of commons in the high court of parliament , grace and peace with increase of all bl●ssings temporall and etern●ll . right worshipfull , that undeserved favour and respect which i have found at your hands , and the due respect which i owe to your religious families , do oblige me to shew some testimony of my thankfulnes , and because i have no better present at this time , but this treatise of gods externall workes , composed out of sermons heretofore preached to mine own little flock , and in the troublesome time of my late bonds brought into this forme . i must crave pardon for my boldnesse in presuming to offer it to your hands ; seeing persons of higher place have defamed , and branded these and the rest of my sermons preached for divers yeares last past , with the reproachfull name of factious and seditious doctrines ; and by their grievous accusations have caused me to be shut up as the great troubler of the city wherin i live , and kept in sure hold least this my manner of preaching might proove dangerous , and a cause of much hurt , and many troubles in these changeable and doubtfull times . from these and such crimes and unjust accusations as i have in part purged and cleared my selfe already in a legall way ; so by your help and favour i hope ere long to be openly acquitted and justified before the world . if you shall be pleased to cast a favourable eye upon these my poore laboures , and to take a view of them . i doubt not but the precious matter being gods pure word , will abundantly recompence the failing of the composer , and the defects of his skill and workman-wherfore humbly craving your kind acceptance of this small token of love , and slender acknowledgement of duty and service ; and desiring to become more indebted to you , by your favourable respect shewed thereunto ; i commend your worthy persons and religious families to the grace and blessing of the almighty whose invisible majesty , even his divine power and god-head is clearly seene from the creation of the world ( which is in this treatise plainly described ) and understood by the things created . yours in all christian duty and service george walker . of the externall works of god in generall . psalm . . . whatsoever the lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth , in the sea and all deepe places . the externall outward workes of god which follow in the next place after his internall workes , are indeed nothing but his actuall execution of his eternall counsell , purpose and decree . for the unfolding of which workes in generall , and laying open of the nature , use and severall kindes of them , i have made choise of this text . from the wordes and circumstances whereof , we may easily gather all points of instruction necessary to be knowne concerning the generall nature , use and kindes of them . first , here the words of the psalmist shew that he speakes of gods outward workes , because he limits them to places and times , to heaven , earth , sea and all deep places . secondly , he speakes of them all in generall none excepted , so the hebrew word ( {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) which signifies all in generall whatsoever , doth plainly shew , and also the perfect enumeration of all places which are in the world , and wherin any outward sensible and visible work can be done , to wit : the heaven , the earth , the seas and all deepe places . thirdly , he sheweth that god is the author of these works , as he is jehovah , that one eternall god in whom there are three persons , father , son and holy ghost , for he saith {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} jehovah the lord doth or hath done . fourthly , he sheweth that the lord doth ●ll these workes of himselfe according to his owne will and pleasure , and none of them all by com●ulsion , unwittingly and unwillingly , but even as hee pleased , and after the counsell of his will and pleasure {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} whatsoever the lord pleased . fifthly , he intimates that all these workes of god come necessarily , infallibly , inevitably and irresistably to passe , and that none of them all can faile which god hath beene pleased to doe , but so come to passe as he pleaseth in every respect , even in the same time and place . this hee intimates in that he saith every thing whatsoever the lord pleased , he hath done . sixtly , he sheweth that these outward workes tend to make god knowne , and are of use to bring us to the knowledge of the true god , and in and by them god is knowne aright and his greatnesse also . this is manifest by the dependance of this ver. on the former . for having said , i know that the lord is great and that our lord is above all gods , he brings in this text as an argument and proofe saying , whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done , which is in eff●●t all one as if he had said , i know this by his doing of all his outward works , for whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done . seventhly and lastly , he shewes the severall kinds of gods outward workes that they are not only creation but also actuall providence which concludes in it the government of the world , the fall of man , and the restauration of man-kind by the redemption of the world . workes of creation he expresseth , vers. . and workes of his actuall providence , as ordering , governing and saving of his people by christ , which was signified in the deliverance from egypt , he reckons up in the rest of the psalme both before and after my text , so then it is manifest that this text considered with the circumstances thereof , serves abundantly for the opening of the nature , use and kind of gods outward works . in the unfolding whereof , first let us note the order , coherence and scope of it . secondly , let us take a view of the wordes and sift out the true sence of them . thirdly let us observe out of them by way of doctrine , a perfect description of gods outward workes in generall , and lastly apply for some use the doctrine to our s●lves . the order and coherence is this , first the prophet in the . first verses , exhorts all to praise the lord and to laud his name , more specially the lords servants who are continuall professors in his church . secondly in the , , . verses he gives some reasons drawne from the attributes of god and the consideration of his nature , to wit , because the lord is good and his name pleasant , and because of his owne free grace he hath chosen israel , that is , his elect and faithfull church to be his owne peculiar people , and because the lord is great and is a god above all gods . in testifying and affirming the lords goodnesse and being above all gods , he brings for proofe his owne knowledge and experience . i know ( saith he ) that the lord is great , vers. . thirdly he doth proove god to be such a one , even so good , gracious and great by his outward workes , and sheweth that by them he knowes god to be so , for he saith here in this text , whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done , in heaven and in earth , in the sea and all deepe places . so that it is plaine by the order , dependance and scope of the text , that here david extolls gods outward workes in generall , as things proceeding from his owne good pleasure , and serving to proove him to be good and gracious , and to make us know him so great and glorious a god as he is . in the second place , for the wordes themselves , they are plaine and easie to be understood at the first hearing without any laborious interpretation . they run thus in the hebrew , all which the lord pleaseth he hath done , in heaven , earth , sea and all deepe places . this word ( all ) ●hewes that he speakes not of some particular workes , but of all in that kind . the word jehovah is the proper name of god considered in the unity of his essence with all his ess●ntiall attributes , and every one of the . persons is called by this name , as they are of the same essence and all one god . the enumeration of all the notable places in the world wherein these workes are done discovers the workes which he here speakes off , to be outward workes which doe not abide in gods essence and there onely subsist as his eternall counsell , decrees and inward operations do , but are done in time and place and have their subsistance in and among the creatures , such as are creating , ruling , ordering , upholding of all things , and also redeeming and restoring of all man-kinde . the word [ pleaseth ] limits the generall note or particle ( all ) unto all workes which in themselves are good , or else serve for good use , and so are pleasing to the lord for the use sake . hee doth not say that the lord doth all things which are done , but all things which he pleaseth , that is , he doth not make men sinnefull and wicked , neither doth he worke rebellion in men , which is displeasing unto him , but he doth whatsoever is pleasing , that is , all things which are agreeable to his nature . and whatsoever is according to his will and good pleasure , that he doth , none can hinder it . this is the true sense and meaning of the wordes . now from the text thus opened and the circumstances observed , wee may gather a perfect description of them in generall shewing the nature and use of them . the description of gods outward workes . the outward workes of god in generall , are all things whatsoever the lord god jehovah , that one infinite and eternall god , . persons , father , son and holy ghost doth according to his eternall purpose , and after the counsell and good pleasure of his will , work , and bring to passe , not within , but without himselfe in all the world and upon all creatures therein , and that certainely and irresistably in due time and place to the communicating and making of himself known to men and angels in his infinite and eternall nature and in his goodnesse , grace , glory , power and all other essentiall properties , for the salvation and eternall blessednes of his elect in christ . this description truely gathered from this text , and the scope and order of it and discovering plainely the nature and use of gods outwa●d workes in generall , i will proove in every part and branch orderly and will conclude with some application . the first thing in it is the generall matter of gods externall workes , they are things done ; that is , not onely actions working and operations , such as creation , redemption and the like ; but also things or works made , ●ff●cted and done by those actions , as heaven , earth , angels and other things created . ●or all these are things done and wrought by god . this branch is plainly expressed in this word of my text , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( hath done ) or doth or hath made , for the hebrew word signifies all these . and that gods outward works consist in doing and are things not spoken or promised but done and wrought , divers testimonies of scripture doe shew , psal. . . david cals them workes which he hath done : and isa. . . the prophet saith , that the lord doth his worke , his s●range worke . and not to stand in repeating many scriptures in a point so plaine ; this in one word is sufficient that the two hebrew words , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} & {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} which are used in the scriptures to signifie gods outward works are both derived of verbs which signifie doing . the second branch in this description comprehends in it the authour of these works , to wit , the lord ●od jehovah , that one infinite , eternall god and three persons , father , sonne and holy ghost : this branch doth distinguish these workes . first , from the workes of creatur●s which are proper to them . secondly , from the personall operations of god as the eternall begetting of the sonne which is proper to the father and is his worke onely . that god considered in the unity of his essence as he comprehends all the three persons , is the authour of these workes , and that they are common to the father , son and holy ghost , and every one of them hath an hand in every work of this kind ; though one more immediately than another : the word jehovah here used in the text doth plainly shew , where it is said , whatsoever jehovah pleased or was willing to do , that he hath done : which word is so proper to god , and signifies one god , that it also agrees to every person in that one god . and this is also confirmed by divers other testimonies of gods word , which shew that in divers of these outward actions or workes , the father workes by the sonne and the sonne by the father with and by the spirit . the first great work of this kind , even the work of creation , which sometimes is attributed to the father as more peculiar to him , because terminatur in patre , as the schoole-men speak , that is , it is bounded and termined in the father , and he is principium & summus terminus creationis , the first beginning and utmost bound of creation , from whom it first proceeded , even this is attributed to the sonne and spirit also , as being common to all the persons , as psal. . . by the word of the lord ( that is the sonne ) were the heavens made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth . to which adde , job . . the spirit of god made me , & john . , . & colos. . . where it is said , that by the eternall word the sonne all things were made both in heaven and earth , visible and invisible , and without him was made nothing of all that was made . so likewise in that outward worke of judgement executed on sodome and gomorrah , gen. . . jehovah is said to raine downe from jehovah out of heaven fire and brimstone , that is jehovah the son from jehovah the father , who are both one and the same god jehovah ; yea that these externall workes of god are not divided some to one person and some to another in the trinity , but are common to all the persons and proceed from that one common essence , according to that saying of the school-men , opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa . our saviour sheweth most plainly , ioh. . , . where he saith , that as the sonne cannot worke of himselfe alone without the father , but he must have and see the father working with him , so the father doth not judge any , that is by his owne proper act of judgement , but hath committed all judgement to the sonne , that he may have a hand in all judgements together with himselfe , and iohn . , . speaking of that speciall illumination of mens hearts and inward teaching which seemes most proper to the spirit , he saith it is not of himselfe alone , but it is what he hath heard and received from the father and the sonne . and therefore the second branch is manifest that the doer of the outward workes of god is jehovah our god , and all the three persons in god . the third branch comprehends in it the outward moving cause of all these outward workes : namely , gods owne will and pleasure , for he is said to do them according to his eternall purpose , and after the counsell of his owne will . this is expressed in the description and in the words of the text {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} whatsoever the lord pleased , that is , whatsoever is according to the lords will and pleasure that he hath done , and this is testified in other scriptures , as psal. . . where it is said , that the lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him , and isa. . . where the lord saith i will do all my pleasure , and ionah . . all which places shew that first the lord hath a mind and pleasure to doe such things , and therupon he doth them . also , ephes. . . it is said he doth worke all things after the counsell of his will . and acts . . & . . the worke of our redemption by christ , and all that he did and suffered is said to be done by the determinate counsell of god . therfore this branch is manifest , namely , that gods will and pleasure is the only inward mooving cause of all his outward works , and that they are nothing but the execution of his eternall will and decree . the fourth branch by which these outward works are specially distinguished from his inward operation , comprehends in it the subject wherein these workes do subsist and the circumstance of time and place wherein they are done . for these workes are not done within god himselfe , neither doe they subsist in his essence , as his inward operations do , but they are , extra dei essentiam , without gods essence , they are done in all the world , and upon the creatures , some in heaven and some in earth , others in the sea and all deepe places ( as my text saith ) and they have their circumstances of time and place , as god hath appointed from all eternity . the creation was in the first beginning of time in the first six dayes of the world , gen. . the redemption wrought by christ in the midst of yeares betweene the law and the gospell , hab. . . and upon the mountaine where hierusalem stood , isa. . , . the great execution shall be at the end of the world in the last day of judgement , and the works of gods governement and actuall providence as they are divers , so they are done at divers times , and in divers places of the world , as experience teacheth , on the very day which the lord appointed did the flood come upon the old world , gen. . . in the same day which god had fore-told was israel delivered out of aegypt , exod. . . and howsoever the words of the apostle , act. . . intimate that in god ( and not without him ) we live , moove and have our being , yet we are not thus to understand that these things are , and that we subsist in gods essence , and that we are so in god as his inward operations and eternall decrees are : but that we all are compassed about with gods presence and essentiall power , which are every where , and by him as by the chiefe efficient cause and authour of life , motion and being are sustained and upheld in life , being and motion continually . for to be in god , that is , to subsist in his essence , doth necessarily imply coeternity and consubstantiality with god . quicquid est in deo deus est , nothing can be within his essence , but it must be coeternall with god and of the same substance with him . hee who denies this must needes deny god to be immutable and most simple , free from all composition . therfore this branch also is most manifest and doth containe in it nothing but solid truth . the fifth branch containes in it the manner of gods outward works , to wit ; that in respect of god himselfe , they are done with such power as cannot be resisted , and in respect of the event , they are certaine , infallible and cannot faile . this is truely collected from the text : for it is said that all whatsoever the lord pleaseth hee doth , or hath done , which shewes that not one jot of his will and pleasure failes but comes to passe . if his will or pleasure could be resisted or any thing prevented which he willeth to worke , surely the divell who is so cunning , watchfull and malitious would in some things have defeated god , or this either by himselfe or some of his instruments : but this text affirmes the contrary , that whatsoever the lord pleased he hath done in all the world . therfore in r●s●ect of ●od they are all unresistable , and in respect of the event infallible . and this david testifieth , psal. ● . . saying , the lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him . and isa. . . my counsell shall stand , and i will performe all my pleasure , yea because these are voluntary workes of god and are willed and decreed in his secret counsell from all eternity ( as i have noted before ) therefore they must needs be unresistable , for who can resist his will , rom. . . the sixth branch containes the principall use and effects of gods outward workes : namely , the making of himselfe knowne in his nature and essentiall attributes and so communicating himselfe to his elect . that gods externall workes doe all serve for this use and doe worke this effect we may gather from the dependance and inference of this text . for the psalmist having professed that he knows the lord to be great and that he is the onely true god above all gods , that is , who hath all the essentiall properties of the true god , he proves it by and from his workes , and sheweth that by meanes of them he knoweth it . and other scriptures and experience confirme the same , psal. . . it is said , that the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy worke , day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge , and rom. . . the visible things of god are seene from the creation of the world , clearly being understood by the things which were made : even his divine power and god-head . so the works of gods actual providence in governing and upholding the world , and in mooving the heavens and the starres in order , doe shew his infinite wisdome and supercelestia●l glory , psal. . . his overthrowing of his enemies and the persecutors of his church , as in the flood of noah , and in the drowning of pharaoh and his host do shew his power . his giving of christ his son for a redeemer aboundantly testifieth his infinite goodnesse and bounty ; his punishing our sins in christ to the ●ull , shews his infinite justice , and his pardoning of beleevers by christs satisfaction , freely given and communicated to them , shewes his infinite mercy and free grace , as the scriptures often testifie , and our own consciences within us do witnesse and our daily sense and experience do proove . and in our redemption and application of it we see discovered the trinity of persons in one god . and while wee in these things , as in a glasse behold the glory of god with open face ( the vaile of ignorance being remooved ) we are changed into the same image from glory to glory , and so come to have communion with god , and the fruition of him , cor. . . the seventh and last branch sets before us the utmost end of all gods outward works , to wit the eternall blessednesse of the elect , by the communion , vision and fruition of god in all his glorious attributes , as wisedome , power , goodnesse , mercy , justice , and the rest . the text it selfe intimates this truth to us ; saying , that all these workes of god proceed from his good will and pleasure . for the good pleasure and will of god consists chiefly and principally in willing that his elect shall be brought to perfect communion of himselfe and of his glory for their eternall happinesse . and what god willeth according to his owne good pleasure , and doth because he is pleased so to do , it must needs aime at the blessednesse of his elect by the sight and fruition of him and his glory . now therfore all gods outward workes proceeding from gods pleasure must needs tend to this end , and this is confirmed , rom. . . & cor. . , , . where we read that all things worke together for good to them that love god and are the called according to his purpose , and that all things are the elects , the world , life and death , things present , and things to come , and they are christs and christ is gods , also col. . . all things visible and invisible were created as by christ so for him , that they might serve him for the salvation of his elect , and for this end and purpose angells , principalities and powers are said to be made subject to christ , pet. . . and their office and ministery and the great wonders which god doth by them are said to be for them , who shall be heires of salvation , heb. . . to these testimonies many reasons might be added , i will onely call to mind that which i have else where abundantly declared and prooved , to wit , that for this end the world is upheld by christ , and for his sake and through his mediation ever since mans fall , and for this end the wicked live , even the barbarous and savage nations , either that they may serve for some use to gods people , or for the elects sake whom god will raise up out of them , or that god may shew his justice and power on them being fitted for destruction , to the greater glory of his elect , even the judgements of god on the wicked , and their damnation serve for this end , to increase the blessednesse of the saints . the doctrine of this description serves for to stirre us up in imitation of god our creator , not to content our selves with saying , purposing and promising , or with making a shew of doing good workes , but to be reall , true , constant and faithfull in performance of them . for so doth god , whatsoever he promiseth or purposeth or is pleased to doe , that he doth in heaven and earth . sluggards who delight in idlenesse doing nothing , and hypocrites who say and promise and make great shew of doing , but are barren of the fruites of good workes , as they are most unlike to god and contrary to him , so they are hatefull and abhominable in the sight of god , and they onely are accepted of god who are active christians , alwayes doing good and abounding in the worke of the lord , their labour shall not be in vaine , but every one shall receive reward according to his workes which are evidences of his communion with christ , and of his faith , justification and sanctification ; wherefore seeing god is alwayes reaching forth his mighty hand to worke in heaven , in earth , in the sea and all deep places for our profit : let us be alwayes doing and studying to do good for his glory . secondly it serves to move and direct us in and through the outward workes of god to see and behold the infinite , eternall and omnipotent god , and his divine power and god-head , and in the unity of gods essence , the sacred trinity of persons , because all the persons have a hand in every worke , and that one god who is three persons is the author and worker of every divine outward worke , as this doctrine teacheth . it is a common custome among men when they see and behold the handy worke of any person , to remember the person , to bee put in minde of him by the worke , especially if he have knowne the person before , and beare the love and affection to him of a friend and a beloved one . so let it be with us , so often as we see and behold the visible outward workes of god , let us in them behold the face of god , and remember his glorious attributes . let us in the great workes of creation behold the wisedome and power of god the creator , in the worke of redemption the mercy , bounty and love of god , in our sanctification , the love and the holinesse of god , and in them all let us behold the three glorious persons in that one god who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will . the father by his eternall word and spirit creating all things . the sonne sent forth by the father in our nature , and sanctified by the spirit , redeeming us and paying our ransome . the holy ghost shed on us by god the father through the sonne christ in our regeneration . and all three conspiring together to purge , sanctifie and justifie us , and to make us eternally blessed in our communion with them , and in our fruition of god in grace and glory . and let us take heed and beware of idle and vaine speculation of gods great workes which shew his glory and proclaime his glorious attributes , wisdome , power and goodnesse , lest by such idle negligence wee become guilty of taking the name of the lord our god in vaine . thirdly from this description we may easily gather and conclude , that sinnefull actions as they are evill and sinnefull are not gods workes ; for god is pleased with those things which he doth , and his workes are according to his pleasure , but god is not pleased with sinnefull actions and evill workes , he hath no pleasure in iniquity , psal. . . if any aske , how then can it be done if he will not and be not pleased ? i answer , that in them there is to be considered , . a naturall motion or action proceeding from some created power , and so from god the creator , and this is good and of god and according to his will as it willeth things properly . . there is a corruption , perversenesse and crookednesse of the action , this is of the divell and mans corruption : this god hateth ; but because actions thus corrupted and stayned make way for god and give him occasion to shew his wisedome and power in ouer-ruling them and disposing them by his hand to a good end and his justice in punishing them ; therefore god is pleased to continue that naturall power to the wicked which they pervert and abuse , and to over-rule such wicked workes and to raise light out of that darkenesse . and therefore let us not impute any evill and sinfull workes to god , as they are evill and sinfull , nor wickedly imagine that he is the author of sin . his hand is never in any sinfull work , otherwise then to over-rule , order and dispose the sinfulnesse and evill thereof to some good end and purpose . fourthly we are hereby admonished not to impute any worke done in the world to fortune or chance , as worldly epicures do , but to ascribe all workes and every thing which comes to passe to the certaine will , purpose and determinate counsell of ●od . it is true that in respect of second causes and purposes of men , many things come to passe accidentally and by chance , no man purposing or intending any such thing , but in respect of god they are certaine and infallible , they all happen according to his will , and without it not an haire can fall from our heads nor a sparrow fall to the earth , all power and motion is of him , and the abuse of the power and motion which is from the divell and mans corruption he willingly permitted , and doth over-rule and dispose by his wisedome and providence to a good end . and therefore in all casualties and accidents let us comfort our selves and rest content and bee patient knowing that they come not but by his will and pleasure . lastly let us rejoyce in all the great workes which we see done in the world , and honour them as meanes tending to our salvation , if we be gods faithfull people , and with care and conscience walke before him according to his word , and let the sight of them put us in mind for our comfort , that our god in whom we trust doth not lie idle , nor slumber or sleep , but by a mighty hand and stretched out arme hath done all these great things , and is continually doing and working for us , to bring us at length out of all troubles and dangers , and to set us and establish us for ever in eternall rest , glory and blessednesse . the next thing which in order followeth after the description of gods outward workes in generall , is the unfolding and distinct handling of the severall sorts and kindes of them . and because the right dividing of them into heads , and the reducing of all the particulars unto their proper and naturall heads , is a maine ground of light , and a sure way to the distinct handling and understanding of them , i will therefore ( before i proceed any further ) labour to divide them aright into their naturall heads according to the ru●es of reason and truth , and so will proceed to that which is the first in time , and by the course and order of nature , namely the creation of the world and all things in it . the learned though they all acknowledge every kind of gods outward workes , and doe not differ in the kindes and numbers of them : yet they are at variance about the true division of them into their first and principall heads . some divide the works of god into the works of creation and the works of redemption . but this is no perfect division , the two members of it do not containe all the outward works of god , for over and besides them there are works of preservation and of judgement and revenge . others divide all gods outward workes into the works of nature and the workes of grace . the workes of nature they divide into two sortes , . the workes which concerne the first beginning of nature , that is , the workes of creation , . the workes , which concerne the preservation , which they call the works of gods providence . the works of grace they hold to be the works of redemption and restauration of man-kind , by which god brings supernaturall blessings to men : but this division failes in divers respects . first , it makes a difference betweene works of nature and works of grace , wheras indeed creation and preservation , which they account works of nature , are in some sense , works of grace . for god of his owne free grace created man in his own image : and now and ever since the first sin of adam , which brought death and destruction into the world , all works of preservation by which god preserveth men in being and life , are works of free grace , and the preserving of his elect unto his heavenly kingdome is a worke of supernaturall grace in christ . second●● , they erre in distinguishing between the works of gods providence , and the works of redemption and rest●uration , wheras redemption and restauration are principall works of gods providence , by which god provides for his elect in christ , such things as neither eye hath seen , nor eare heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , cor. . . a third sort there are who divide all gods outward works into these two heads only ; namely , the works of creation , and the works of actuall providence . this i take to be the best and most perfect division . first , because under these heads are all gods outward works contained , and there is not any one which may not be reduced under one of these two . for whatsoever god doth , or hath done , or can doe for the giving of the first being to all things may be reduced to creation . and whatsoever god doth , or can do for the ordering , preserving and disposing of things created , and of their being and wel-being , may be brought under the works of his actuall providence . secondly , there is a perfect distinction and difference between the works of creation and the works of actuall providence : so far as mans substance differs from mans misery and mans felicity , so farre doth every proper worke of creation differ from the works of gods actuall providence in their objects . and although god in the creating of things in order did shew his providence for man , in that he first made a place of habitation for him , and all things which may serve for his use , as plants , trees , fruits , light and other necessaries before he created him , yet this breeds no confusion between the works of creation and the works of preservation , for two things may go together in time and place , and may be in the same subject ( as we see , sense and understanding , hearing and seeing in one man at the same time , and heat and light in fire ) and yet they may be different in themselvs . this order therfore i do purpose to follow hereafter by gods assistance in prosecuting the body of divinity . first , i will begin with the creation , and will labour to unfold the nature of it in generall . and then i will proceed to the handling of all the speciall works therof , every one distinctly by it self in particular . secondly , i will passe from thence to the works of gods actuall providence , under which comes the government and preservation of the world , and of al things created , and the ordering and disposing of every thing to the proper end of it . more especially , the fall of man into sin , misery , and guilt of damnation . and the redemption of man from misery and his restauration to grace and glory by the application and fruition of redemption , and by true spirituall union and communion with christ the redeemer , and with god the father in him by the inhabitation of the holy ghost . thus much for the generall doctrin of gods outward works laid down in this text , and for the division of them in their severall heads and kinds , unto which all the particular outward works may be reduced . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- vse . vse . vse . vse . vse . the history of the creation as it is written by moses in the first and second chapters of genesis : plainly opened and expounded in severall sermons preached in london : whereunto is added a short treatise of gods actuall providence in ruling, ordering, and governing the world and all things therein / by g.w. walker, george, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the history of the creation as it is written by moses in the first and second chapters of genesis : plainly opened and expounded in severall sermons preached in london : whereunto is added a short treatise of gods actuall providence in ruling, ordering, and governing the world and all things therein / by g.w. walker, george, ?- . 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it is written by moses in the first and second chapters of genesis , plainly opened and expounded in severall sermons preached in london . whereunto is added a short treatise of gods actuall providence , in ruling , ordering , and governing the world and all things therein . by g. w. batchelour of divinity and pastour of st. iohn evangelist . london , printed for john bartlet at the signe of the gilt cup , neare st. austins-gate in pauls church-yard , . to the right honovrable and noble lords francis earle of bedford , robert earle of warwick , william viscount say and seale , edward viscount mandevilc , robert lord brooke , john lord roberts , and the rest of the honourable lords committees in the upper nou●e of the high court of parliament , grace and peace with multiplicity of all blessings temporall and eternall . most noble lords , that which the learned doctours of the jews doe say of their masorah , to wit , that it is an hedge or defence to the law. we christians may more truly say of our weekly sabbath , the lords day , that it is the hedge of defence to true christian religion . for as their masorah ( which was their annotations upon all the scriptures of the old testament , shewing the genuine reading and signification of every word in the hebrew text , with what pricks , vowels and accents it ought to be , and was anciently written and read by moses and the prophets , and by tradition from ezra , and other succeeding fathers in all ages delivered over unto them ) did serve as an hedge and fence to keep the scriptures of the old testament pure from all corruption and alteration , so that if any scribe did in writing any copy of them , omit or adde one word or letter ; or alter and change any vowell , point or accent , his errour might easily by the notes and rules of their masorah be discerned and amended : so the lords holy weekly sabbath being rightly observed according to the law of god , and the first institution and sanctification of it , that is , first , by cessation and rest from all worldly cares , and all secular affairs ( in respect wherof it is called in scripture , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sabbath , that is , rest and cessation . ) secondly , by devoting it only to the worship and service of god , and by sanctifying it with preaching , reading and hearing of the word , prayer , meditation , and other works of piety and exercises of true religion ( in which respect it is called the lords day , that is , the day of the lord christ , consecrated to his honor , and to the service and wor●hip of god in his name ) it is most certainly ( as we find by experience ) a strong hedge and fence to true christian religion , by which true piety , and the true knowledge and worship of god , and true faith in christ , are upheld , maintained , increased and continued among all christian nations from generation to generation . without observation of this weekly sabbath , and keeping this day of the lord christ holy , by holy assemblies , the publik and private worship of god , the knowledge of christ , the memory of our redemption by him , and of his finishing and perfecting that great work , and resting from it in his resurrection , the publike preaching , reading and hearing of the word , and all other exercises of christian religion , which are the most effectuall ordinary meanes of grace and furtherances to eternall life and blessednesse would undoubtedly grow out of use , and at length utterly decay and vanish . this consideration did move me to insist more largely upon this subject , and to make many sermons upon that text , gen. . , . which briefly relates the first institution of the sabbath on the seventh day in the first weeke of the world ; and gods blessing and sanctifying of every seventh day in every week to be an holy sabbath to his people . out of which sermons first publikly preached to mine owne peculiar flocke , i did afterwards compose this treatise at the importunity of some of my best affected hearers , and imparted severall written copies of it unto divers of them , having at that time no hope to get it licensed for the presse . for by gods speciall providence i having handled the doctrine of the creation , out of the . chap. of genesis , was by my order of preaching and expounding of that scripture , led along and brought to this text , concerning gods sanctifying of the seventh day , at that very time when a book of liberty for sports on the lords day , was by the bishops in every diocesse sent to every parish church , and commanded to be publickly read by every minister in time of divine service in the audience of all the people : and because i proceeded to handle this subject , as the order of my text did lead me ; and durst not balk that part of gods word ; i was three severall times convented before my ordinary , and admonished under paine of suspension , to proceed no further in this doctrine , not for any errour which could be objected against any part or passage in it ; but only because the times would not beare it ; and because i did not hold it fit nor safe for me to obey man rather then god by concealing from my flock any part of gods truth , and shunning to declare unto them the whole counsell of god ; i have undergone the high displeasure of that primate to whose jurisdiction my church doth belong , who upon divers false informations of catchers , which have bin imployed to entrap me in my words that they might have something wherof to accuse me , hath caused me to be convented before the kings majesty , and the lords of his honourable privy counsell , and hath charged and accused me to be a preacher of factious and seditious doctrine , and for many years the great troubler of the city of london : wherupon i was committed close prisoner for two and twenty weeks , and through close custody was by sicknesse brought neare unto death , and could not obtain so much liberty as to be confined to the limits of my brothers house for the safety of my life , upon bayle of a pound given , untill by the testimony of fifty five neighbour ministers of best report in and about the city , i was declared to be innocent and free from all the crimes of which i was accused . now blessed be god for your happy assembly in this most hopefull parliament , by which i have been eased of my strait bonds , and the times are so changed , that this treatise , and divers others of my labours are licensed to passe by the presse into the publik view of the world . i should not have dared to commend it to the sight , and grave judgement of your honours ; if your godly zeale for the sanctifying of the lords day , and for the honouring of the name of the sabbath ( which appeared most evidently to us all , who of late were present at the time when that scandalous libell , intituled , sunday no sabbath , was most accurately and judiciously sifted and examined by your honours , and justly censured and condemned to the fire ) had not encouraged me to this bold attempt . although i have in this treatise propounded and assayed to proove out of the text and other places of holy scripture such a ground of the weekly sabbath , as the learned in their writings have not heretofore observed : yet because the end , use and scope of this discovery is most pious and godly , and it tends altogether to heape more honour on christ , to advance redemption above creation ; grace above nature , the state of regeneration above the state of innocency ; and to shew a necessity of the change of the sabbath from the seventh and last , to the first day of the week , after christs performing and finishing of that great work of our redemption in his resurrection ; for which he was promised on the seventh day next after the ending of the creation : i hope it will give no offence , nor receive censure of novelty ; but rather find grace and acceptation in the eyes of your noble persons . that great god ( who hath ( as i beleeve and here professe ) magnified his holy weekly sabbath by grounding it in the first institution on christ promised ; and hath made it more honourable by removing and carrying it along together with christ the redeemer from the day of the promise to the day of the full performance of the great work of redemption ) magnifie your honours , and make your persons still more and more honourable , by noble acts undertaken and performed for the honour of his holy name , the advancement of true religion ; and the peace and prosperity of this church and kingdome under our most gracious soveraigne lord and king. to whom next under god and the lord jesus christ , i most humbly devote my self , and vow to remain ever a most loyall subject ; and next under him to your honours a most dutifull servant and daily suppliant to god for your everlasting blessednesse , geo. walker . of the externall vvorks of god in generall , psalm . . . whatsoever the lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth , in the sea and all deepe places . the externall outward workes of god which follow in the next pla 〈…〉 after his internall workes , are indeed nothing but his actuall execution of his eternall counsell , purpose and decree . for the unfolding of which workes in generall , and laying open of the nature , use and severall kindes of them , i have made choise of this text. from the wordes and circumstances whereof , we may easily gather all points of instruction necessary to be knowne concerning the generall nature , use and kindes of them . first , here the words of the psalmist shew that he speakes of gods outward workes , because he limits them to places and times , to heaven , earth , sea and all deep places . secondly , he speakes of them all in generall none excepted , so the hebrew word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which signifies all in generall whatsoever , doth plainly shew , and also the perfect enumeration of all places which are in the world , and wherin any outward sensible and visible work can be done , to wit : the heaven , the earth , the seas and all deepe places . thirdly , he sheweth that god is the author of these works , as he is jehovah , that one eternall god in whom there are three persons , father , son and holy ghost , for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehovah the lord doth or hath done . fourthly , he sheweth that the lord doth all these workes of himselfe according to his owne will and pleasure , and none of them all by compulsion , unwittingly and unwillingly , but even as hee pleased , and after the counsell of his will and pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever the lord pleased . fifthly , he intimates that all these workes of god come necessarily , infallibly , inevitably and irresistably to passe , and that none of them all can faile which god hath beene pleased to doe , but so come to passe as he pleaseth in every respect , even in the same time and place . this hee intimates in that he saith every thing whatsoever the lord pleased , he hath done . sixtly , he sheweth that these outward workes tend to make god knowne , and are of use to bring us to the knowledge of the true god , and in and by them god is knowne aright and his greatnesse also . this is manifest by the dependance of this ver . on the former . for having said , i know that the lord is great and that our lord is above all gods , he brings in this text as an argument and proofe saying , whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done , which is in effect all one as if he had said , i know this by his doing of all his outward works , for whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done . seventhly and lastly , he shewes the severall kinds of gods outward workes that they are not only creation but also actuall providence which concludes in it the government of the world , the fall of man , and the restauration of man-kind by the redemption of the world . workes of creation he expresseth , vers . . and workes of his actuall providence , as ordering , governing and saving of his people by christ , which was signified in the deliverance from egypt , he reckons up in the rest of the psalme both before and after my text , so then it is manifest that this text considered with the circumstances thereof , serves abundantly for the opening of the nature , use and kind of gods outward works . in the unfolding whereof , ●irst let us note the order , coherence and scope of it . secondly , let us take a view of the wordes and sift out the true sence of them . thirdly let us observe out of them by way of doctrine , a perfect description of gods outward workes in generall , and lastly apply for some use the doctrine to our selves . the order and coherence is this , first the prophet in the . first verses , exhorts all to praise the lord and to laud his name , more specially the lords servants who are continuall professors in his church . secondly in the , , . verses he gives some reasons drawne from the attributes of god and the consideration of his nature , to wit , because the lord is good and his name pleasant , and because of his owne free grace he hath chosen israel , that is , his elect and faithfull church to be his owne peculiar people , and because the lord is great and is a god above all gods . in testifying and affirming the lords goodnesse and being above all gods , he brings for proofe his owne knowledge and experience . i know ( saith he ) that the lord is great , vers . . thirdly he doth proove god to be such a one , even so good , gracious and great by his outward workes , and sheweth that by them he knowes god to be so , ●or he saith here in this text , whatsoever the lord pleased that he hath done , in heaven and in earth , in the sea and all deepe places . so that it is plaine by the order , dependence and scope of the text , that here david extolls gods outward workes in generall , as things proceeding from his owne good pleasure , and serving to proove him to be good and gracious , and to make us know him so great and glorious a god as he is . in the second place , for the wordes themselves , they are plaine and easie to be understood at the first hearing without any laborious interpretation . they run thus in the hebrew , all which the lord pleaseth he hath done , in heaven , earth , sea and all deepe places . this word ( all ) shewes that he speakes not of some particular workes , but of all in that kind . the word jehovah is the proper name of god considered in the unity of his essence with all his essentiall attributes , and every one of the . persons is called by this name , as they are of the same essence and all one god. the enumeration of all the notable places in the world wherein these workes are done discovers the workes which he here speakes off , to be outward workes which doe not abide in gods essence and there onely subsist as his eternall counsell , decrees and inward operations do , but are done in time and place and have their subsistance in and among the creatures , such as are creating , ruling , ordering , upholding of all things , and also redeeming and restoring of all man-kinde . the word [ pleaseth ] limits the generall note or particle ( all ) unto all workes which in themselves are good , or else serve for good use , and so are pleasing to the lord for the use sake . hee doth not say that the lord doth all things which are done , but all things which he pleaseth , that is , he doth not make men sinnefull and wicked , neither doth he worke rebellion in men , which is displeasing unto him , but he doth whatsoever is pleasing , that is , all things which are agreeable to his nature . and whatsoever is according to his will and good pleasure , that he doth , none can hinder it . this is the true sense and meaning of the wordes . now from the text thus opened and the circumstances observed , wee may gather a perfect description of them in generall shewing the nature and use of them . the description of gods outward workes . the outward workes of god in generall , are all things whatsoever the lord god jehovah , that one infinite and eternall god , . persons , father , son and holy ghost doth according to his eternall purpose , and after the counsell and good pleasure of his will , work , and bring to passe , not within , but without himselfe in all the world and upon all creatures therein , and that certainely and irresistably in due time and place to the communicating and making of himself known to men and angels in his infinite and eternall nature and in his goodnesse , grace , glory , power and all other essentiall properties , for the salvation and eternall blessednes of his elect in christ. this description truely gathered from this text , and the scope and order of it and discovering plainely the nature and use of gods outward workes in generall , i will proove in every part and branch orderly and will conclude with some application . the first thing in it is the generall matter of gods externall workes , they are things done ; that is , not onely actions working and operations , such as creation , redemption and the like ; but also things or works made , eff●cted and done by those actions , as heaven , earth , angels and other things created . for all these are things done and wrought by god. this branch is plainly expressed in this word of my text , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( hath done ) or doth or hath made , for the hebrew word signifies all these . and that gods outward worl●s consist in doing and are things not spoken or promised but done and wrought , divers testimonies of scripture doe shew , psal. . . david cals them workes which he hath done : and isa. . . the prophet saith , that the lord doth his worke , his strange worke . and not to stand in repeating many scriptures in a point so plaine ; this is one word is sufficient that the two hebrew words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are used in the scriptures to signifie gods outward works are both derived of verbs which signifie doing . the second branch in this description comprehends in it the author of these works , to wit , the lord god jehovah , that one infinite , eternall god and three persons , father , sonne and holy ghost : this branch doth distinguish these workes . first , from the workes of creatures which are proper to them . secondly , from the personall operations of god as the eternall begetting of the sonne which is proper to the father and is his worke onely . that god considered in the unity of his essence as he comprehends all the three persons , is the authour of these workes , and that they are common to the father , son and holy ghost , and every one of them hath an hand in every work of this kind ; though one more immediately than another : the word jehovah here used in the text doth plainly shew , where it is said , whatsoever jehovah pleased or was willing to do , that he hath done : which word is so proper to god , and signifies one god , that it also agrees to every person in that one god. and this is also confirmed by divers other testimonies of gods word , which shew that in divers of these outward actions or workes , the father workes by the sonne and the sonne by the father with and by the spirit . the first great work of this kind , even the work of creation , which sometimes is attributed to the father as more peculiar to him , because terminatur in patr● , as the schoolemen speak , that is , it is bounded and termined in the father , and he is principium & summus terminus creationis , the first beginning and utmost bound of creation , from whom it first proceeded , even this is attributed to the sonne and spirit also , as being common to all the persons , as psal. . . by the word of the lord ( that is the sonne ) were the heavens made and all the host of them by the spirit of his mouth . 'to which adde , job . . the spirit of god made me , & john . , . & colos. . . where it is said , that by the eternall word the sonne all things were made both in heaven and earth , visible and invisible , and without him was made nothing of all that was made . so likewise in that outward worke of judgement executed on sodome and gomorrah , gen. . . jehovah is said to raine downe from jehovah out of heaven fire and brimstone , that is jehovah the son from jehovah the father , who are both one and the same god jehovah ; yea that these externall workes of god are not divided some to one person and some to another in the trinity , but are common to all the persons and proceed from that one common essence , according to that saying of the school-men , opera trinitatis ad extra suns indivisa . our saviour sheweth most plainly , ioh. . , . where he saith , that as the sonne cannot worke of himselfe alone without the father , but he must have and see the father working with him , so the father doth not judge any , that is by his owne proper act of judgement , but hath committed all judgement to the sonne , that he may have a hand in all judgements together with himselfe , and iohn . , . speaking of that speciall illumination of mens hearts and inward teaching which seemes most proper to the spirit , he saith it is not of himselfe alone , but it is what he hath heard and received from the father and the sonne , and therefore the second branch is manifest that the doer of the outward workes of god is jehovah our god , and all the three persons in god. the third branch comprehends in it the outward moving cause of all these outward workes : namely , gods owne will and pleasure , for he is said to do them according to his eternall purpose , and after the counsell of his owne will. this is expressed in the description and in the words of the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever the lord pleased , that is , whatsoever is according to the lords will and pleasure that he hath done , and this is testified in other scriptures , as psal. . . where it is said , that the lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him , and isa. . . where the lo 〈…〉 saith i will do all my pleasure , and ionah . . all which places shew that first the lord hath a mind and pleasure to doe such things , and therupon he doth them . also , ephes. . . it is said he doth worke all things after the counsell of his will. and acts . . & . . the worke of our redemption by christ , and all that he did and suffered is said to be done by the determinate counsell of god. therfore this branch is manifest , namely , that gods will and pleasure is the only inward mooving cause of all his outward works , and that they are nothing but the execution of his eternall will and decree . the fourth branch by which these outward works are specially distinguished from his inward operation , comprehends in it the subject wherein these workes do subsist and the circumstance of time and place wherein they are done . for these workes are not done within god himselfe , neither doe they subsist in his essence , as his inward operations do , but they are , extra dei essentiam , without gods essence , they are done in all the world , and upon the creatures , some in heaven and some in earth , others in the sea and all deepe places ( as my text saith ) and they have their circumstances of time and place , as god hath appointed from all eternity . the creation was in the first beginning of time in the first six dayes of the world , gen. . the redemption wrought by christ in the midst of yeares betweene the law and the gospell , hab. . . and upon the mountaine where hierusalem stood , isa. . , . the great execution shall be at the end of the world in the last day of judgement , and the works of gods governement and actuall providence as they are divers , so they are done at divers times , and in divers places of the world , as experience teacheth , on the very day which the lord appointed did the flood come upon the old world , gen. . . in the same day which god had fore-told was israel delivered out of aegypt , exod. . . and howsoever the words of the apostle , act. . . intimate that in god ( and not without him ) we live , moove and have our being , yet we are not thus to understand that these things are , and that we subsist in gods essence , and that we are so in god as his inward operations and eternall decrees are : but that we all are compassed about with gods presence and essentiall power , which are every where , and by him as by the chiefe efficient cause and authour of life , motion and being are sustained and upheld in life , being and motion continually . for to be in god , that is , to subsist in his essence , doth necessarily imply coeternity and consubstantiality with god. quicquid est in deo deus est , nothing can be within his essence , but it must be coeternall with god and of the same substance with him . hee who denies this must needes deny god to be immutable and most simple , free from all composition . therfore this branch also is most manifest and doth containe in it nothing but solid truth . the fifth branch containes in it the manner of gods outward works , to wit ; that in respect of god himselfe , they are done with such power as cannot be resisted , and in respect of the event , they are certaine , infallible and cannot faile . this is truely collected from the text : for it is said that all whatsoever the lord pleaseth hee doth , or hath done , which shewes that not one jot of his will and pleasure failes but comes to passe . if his will or pleasure could be resisted or any thing prevented which he willeth to worke , surely the divell who is so cunning , watchfull and malitious would in some things have defeated god , or this either by himselfe or some of his instruments : but this text affirmes the contrary , that whatsoever the lord pleased he hath done in all the world . therfore in respect of god they are all unresistable , and in respect of the event infallible . and this david testifieth , psal. . . saying , the lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him . and isa. . . my counsell shall stand , and i will performe all my pleasure , yea because these are voluntary workes of god and are willed and decreed in his secret counsell from all eternity ( as i have noted before ) therefore they must needs be unresistable , for who can resist his will , rom. . . the sixth branch containes the principall use and effects of gods outward workes ; namely , the making of himselfe knowne in his nature and essentiall attributes and so communicating himselfe to his elect . that gods externall workes doe all serve for this use and doe worke this effect we may gather from the dependance and inference of this text. for the psalmist having professed that he knows the lord to be great and that he is the onely true god above all gods , that is , who hath all the essentiall properties of the true god , he proves it by and from his workes , and sheweth that by meanes of them he knoweth it . and other scriptures and experience confirme the same , psal. . . it is said , that the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy worke , day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge , and rom. . . the visible things of god are seene from the creation of the world , clearly being understood by the things which were made : even his divine power and god-head . so the works of gods actual providence in governing and upholding the world , and in mooving the heavens and the starres in order , doe shew his infinite wisdome and supercelestia'l glory , psal. . . his overthrowing of his enemies and the persecutors of his church , as in the stood of noah , and in the drowning of pharaoh and his host do shew his power . his giving of christ his son for a redeemer aboundantly testifieth his infinite goodnesse and bounty ; his punishing our sins in christ to the full , shews his infinite justice , and his pardoning of beleevers by christs satisfaction , freely given and communicated to them , shewes his infinite mercy and free grace , as the scriptures often testifie , and our own consciences within us do witnesse and our daily sense and experience do proove . and in our redemption and application of it we see discovered the trinity of persons in one god. and while wee in these things , as in a glasse behold the glory of god with open face ( the vaile of ignorance being remooved ) we are changed into the same image from glory to glory , and so come to have communion with god , and the fruition of him , cor. . . the seventh and last branch sets before us the utmost end of all gods outward works , to wit the eternall blessednesse of the elect , by the communion , vision and fruition of god in all his glorious attributes , as wisedome , power , goodnesse , mercy , justice , and the rest . the text it selfe intimates this truth to us ; saying , that all these workes of god proceed from his good will and pleasure . for the good pleasure and will of god consists chiefly and principally in willing that his elect shall be brought to perfect communion of himselfe and of his glory for their eternall happinesse . and what god willeth according to his owne good pleasure , and doth because he is pleased so to do , it must needs aime at the blessednesse of his elect by the sight and fruition of him and his glory . now therfore all gods outward workes proceeding fiem gods pleasure must needs tend to this end , and this is confirmed , rom. . . & cor. . , , . where we read that all things worke together for good to them that love god and are the called according to his purpose , and that all things are the elects , the world , life and death , things present , and things to come , and they are christs and christ is gods , also col. . . all things visible and invisible were created as by christ so for him , that they might serve him for the salvation of his elect , and for this end and purpose angells , principalities and powers are said to be made subject to christ , pet. . . and their office and ministery and the great wonders which god doth by them are said to be for them , who shall be heires of salvation , heb. . . to these testimonies many reasons might be added , i will onely call to mind that which i have else where abundantly declared and prooved , to wit , that for this end the world is upheld by christ , and for his sake and through his mediation ever since mans fall , and for this end the wicked live , even the barbarous and savage nations , either that they may serve for some use to gods people , or for the elects sake whom god will raise up out of them , or that god may shew his justice and power on them being sitted for destruction , to the greater glory of his elect , even the judgements of god on the wicked , and their damnation serve for this end , to increase the blessednesse of the saints . the doctrine of this description serves for to stirre us up in imitation of god our creator , not to content our selves with saying , purposing and promising , or with making a shew of doing good workes , but to be reall , true , constant and faithfull in performance of them . i or so doth god , whatsoever he promiseth or purposeth or is pleased to doc , that he doth in heaven and earth . sluggards who delight in idlenesse doing nothing , and hypocrites who say and promise and make great shew of doing , but are barren of the fruites of good workes , as they are most unlike to god and contrary to him , so they are hatefull and abhominable in the sight of god , and they onely are accepted of god who are active christians , alwayes doing good and abounding in the worke of the lord , their labour shall not be in vaine , but every one shall receive reward according to his workes which are evidences of his communion with christ , and of his faith , justification and sanctification ; wherefore seeing god is alwayes reaching forth his mighty hand to worke in heaven , in earth , in the sea and all deep places for our profit : let us be alwayes doing and studying to do good for his glory . secondly it serves to move and direct us in and through the outward workes of god to see and behold the infinite , eternall and omnipotent god , and his divine power and godhead , and in the unity of gods essence , the sacred trinity of persons , because all the persons have a hand in every worke , and that one god who is three persons is the author and worker of every divine outward worke , as this doctrine teacheth . it is a common custome among men when they see and behold the handy worke of any person , to remember the person , to bee put in minde of him by the worke , especially if he have knowne the person before , and beare the love and affection to him of a friend and a beloved one . so let it be with us , so often as we see and behold the visible outward workes of god , let us in them behold the face of god , and remember his glorious attributes . let us in the great workes of creation behold the wisedome and power of god the creator , in the worke of redemption the mercy , bounty and love of god , in our sanctification , the love and the holinesse of god , and in them all let us behold the three glorious persons in that one god who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will. the father by his eternall word and spirit creating all things . the sonne sent forth by the father in our nature , and sanctified by the spirit , redeeming us and paying our ransome . the holy ghost shed on us by god the father through the sonne christ in our regeneration . and all three conspiring together to purge , sanctifie and justifie us , and to make us eternally blessed in our communion with them , and in our fruition of god in grace and glory . and let us take heed and beware of idle and vaine speculation of gods great workes which shew his glory and proclaime his glorious attributes , wisdome , power and goodnesse , lest by such idle negligence wee become guilty of taking the name of the lord our god in vaine . thirdly from this description we may easily gather and conclude , that sinnefull actions as they are evill and sinnefull are not gods workes ; for god is pleased with those things which he doth , and his workes are according to his pleasure , but god is not pleased with sinnefull actions and evill workes , he hath no pleasure in iniquity , psal. . . if any aske , how then can it be done if he will not and be not pleased ? i answer , that in them there is to be considered , . a naturall motion or action proceeding from some created power , and so from god the creator , and this is good and of god and according to his will as it willeth things properly . . there is a corruption , perversenesse and crookednesse of the action , this is of the divell and mans corruption : this god hateth ; but because actions thus corrupted and stayned make way for god and give him occasion to shew his wisedome and power in ouer-ruling them and disposing them by his hand to a good end and his justice in punishing them ; therefore god is pleased to continue that naturall power to the wicked which they pervert and abuse , and to over-rule such wicked workes and to raise light out of that darkenesse . and therefore let us not impute any evill and sinfull workes to god , as they are evill and sinfull , nor wickedly imagine that he is the author of sin . his hand is never in any sinfull work , otherwise then to over-rule , order and dispose the sinfulnesse and evill thereof to some good end and purpose . fourthly we are hereby admonished not to impute any worke done in the world to fortune or chance , as worldly epicures do , but to escribe all workes and every thing which comes to passe to the certaine will , purpose and determinate counsell of god. it is true that in respect of second causes and purposes of men , many things come to passe accidentally and by chance , no man purposing or intending any such thing , but in respect of god they are certaine and infallible , they all happen according to his will , and without it not an haire can fall from our heads nor a sparrow fall to the earth , all power and motion is of him , and the abuse of the power and motion which is from the divell and mans corruption he willingly permitted , and doth over-rule and dispose by his wisedome and providence to a good end . and therefore in all casualties and accidents let us comfort our selves and rest content and bee patient knowing that they come not but by his will and pleasure . lastly let us rejoyce in all the great workes which we see done in the world , and honour them as meanes tending to our salvation , if we be gods faithfull people , and with care and conscience walke before him according to his word , and let the sight of them put us in mind for our comfort , that our god in whom we trust doth not lie idle , nor slumber or sleep , but by a mighty band and stretched out arme hath done all these great things , and is continually doing and working for us , to bring us at length out of all troubles and dangers , and to set us and establish us for ever in eternall rest , glory and blessednesse . the next thing which in order followeth after the description of gods outward workes in generall , is the unfolding and distinct handling of the severall sorts and kindes of them . and because the right dividing of them into heads , and the reducing of all the particulars unto their proper and naturall heads , is a maine ground of light , and a sure way to the distinct handling and understanding of them , i will therefore ( before i proceed any further ) labour to divide them aright into their naturall heads according to the rules of reason and truth , and so will proceed to that which is the first in time , and by the course and order of nature , namely the creation of the world and all things in it . the learned though they all acknowledge every kind of gods outward workes , and doe not differ in the kindes and numbers of them : yet they are at variance about the true division of them into their first and principall heads . some divide the works of god into the works of creation and the works of redemption . but this is no perfect division , the two members of it do not containe all the outward works of god , for over and besides them there are works of preservation and of judgement and revenge . others divide all gods outward workes into the works of nature and the workes of grace . the workes of nature they divide into two sortes , . the workes which concerne the first beginning of nature , that is , the workes of creation , . the workes , which concerne the preservation , which they call the works of gods providence . the works of grace they hold to be the works of redemption and restauration of man-kind , by which god brings supernaturall blessings to men : but this division failes in divers respects . first , it makes a difference betweene works of nature and works of grace , wheras indeed creation and preservation , which they account works of nature , are in some sense , works of grace . for god of his owne free grace created man in his own image : and now and ever since the first sm of adam , which brought death and destruction into the world , all works of preservation by which god preserveth men in being and life , are works of free grace , and the preserving of his elect unto his heavenly kingdome is a worke of supernaturall grace in christ. secondly , they erre in distinguishing between the works of gods providence , and the works of redemption and restauration , wheras redemption and restauration are principall works of gods providence , by which god provides for his elect in christ , such things as neither eye hath seen , nor eare heard , neither have entred into the heart of man , cor. . . a third sort there are who divide all gods outward works into these two heads only ; namely , the works of creation , and the works of actuall providence . this i take to be the best and most perfect division . first , because under these heads are all gods outward works contained , and there is not any one which may not be reduced under one of these two . for whatsoever god doth , or hath done , or can doe for the giving of the first being to all things may be reduced to creation . and whatsoever god doth , or can do for the ordering , preserving and disposing of things created , and of their being and wel-being , may be brought under the works of his actuall providence . secondly , there is a perfect distinction and difference between the works of creation and the works of actuall providence : so far as mans substance differs from mans misery and mans felicity , so farre doth every proper worke of creation differ from the works of gods actuall providence in their objects . and although god in the creating of things in order did shew his providence for man , in that he first made a place of habitation for him , and all things which may serve for his use , as plants , trees , fruits , light and other necessaries before he created him , yet this breeds no confusion between the works of creation and the works of preservation , for two things may go together in time and place , and may be in the same subject ( as we see , sense and understanding , hearing and seeing in one man at the same time , and heat and light in fire ) and yet they may be different in themselvs . this order therfore i do purpose to follow hereafter by gods assistance in prosecuting the body of divinity . first , i will begin with the creation , and will labour to unfold the nature of it in generall . and then i will proceed to the handling of all the speciall works therof , every one distinctly by it self in particular . secondly , i will passe from thence to the works of gods actuall providence , under which comes the government and preservation of the world , and of al things created , and the ordering and disposing of every thing to the proper end of it . more especially , the fall of man into sin , misery , and guilt of damnation . and the redemption of man from misery and his restauration to grace and glory by the application and fruition of redemption , and by true spirituall union and communion with christ the redeemer , and with god the father in him by the inhabitation of the holy ghost . thus much for the generall doctrin of gods outward works laid down in this text , and for the division of them in their severall heads and kinds , unto which all the particular outward works may be reduced . finis . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . of the creation of the vvorld . gen. . . in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth . in this chapter the historle of the creation is most plainely and succinctly written by moses , and the workes of the six dayes are distinctly laid downe according to the order wherein god created and made all creatures in heaven and earth . in the second chapter , some things which were but more briefely and generally laid downe in the first chapter , to wit the creation of plants , herbes , and trees , and of birds and beasts , and especially of man and woman , and the creation of the garden of eden , with other circumstances ; are more plainely and fully related . and therefore i have made choice of those two chapters , the words whereof doe give us ground and occasion to handle the doctrine of the creation , and to discusse of all points therein needfull to be knowne for the glory of god , and our own profit and comforts . in the whole history , comprehended in these two chapters , the spirit of god offers to our consideration two things . first the creation as it is a worke of god , together with the severall parts and degrees of it . secondly , the creatures produced by that work , even the whole world , and all things therein contained ; that is , the heavens and the earth , all the host of them . creation is here described : first , generally according to the common nature of it , as it concernes all creatures , and is the making of them all . secondly , it is distinguished and described particularly according to the severall parts and branches thereof , as it concernes severall kindes of things created . first , creation is described generally by the name , the author or cause , and by the time and forme of it , throughout this whole chapter . secondly , it is distinguished into two branches or degrees . the first is simple or absolute and immediate creation , which is a making of something out of nothing . the other is secondary creation , that is , a making of perfect things out of an imperfect matter which was before created of nothing , and was of it selfe most unfit for any such substantiáll forme and being as was raised out of it . simple or absolute creation , which is a making of things out of nothing , is laid downe in the first verse : and that is here distinguished into two particular branches , according to the number of the things created ; the heaven and the earth . the first is , the creation of the highest heavens , and all the host of them , as the spirit of god by moses expounds himselfe more plainely , chap. . . this was a most perfect creating and making of things perfect in nature , forme , and being , out of nothing , and that in an instant . the second is , the creating of the earth , that is , a rude imperfect masse , and confused chaos or deep , which was without forme and void , and fit for no substantiall forme or perfect being as yet ; neither could subsist , but by the spirit supernaturally susteining it . for so the word , earth , is expounded in the next verse , even to be that rude masse and deep , which he made of nothing , that it might be the common matter of all the inferiour visible world , and of the creatures therein conteined . the second maine branch of creation , which i call secondary , or mediate creation , and which is a making of things perfect out of an imperfect matter created of nothing , is laid downe historically throughout these two chapters , where the creation of the severall kindes of creatures in the six dayes is described particularly and this hath also two particular branches . the first is the creating of things out of the first rude confused matter , which was without forme and void , and full of darknesse ; such was the creating of the foure elements : . fire , called light . . the aire , called the firmament . . the waters , or the seas . . the earth or drye land . the second is , the creating of things perfect out of the second matter which was beforehand formed , and disposed into the forme and substance of elements ; such was the creation of the sunne , moone , and starres in the heavens ; and of the foules in the aire , and fishes in the sea , and beasts on earth , which were all created of the second matter , that is , of the matter of the elements brought into forme . there is besides these branches of creation , another particular creation , mixt of simple and secondary creation , namely , the creation of man ; who , in respect of his body , was made of the dust of the earth by secondary or mediate creation ; and in respect of his soule was created by god , as the angels were , immediatly of nothing , by a simple , absolute and immediate creation . this is also described , first generally in this chapter , verse , . and also distinctly , and particularly , cap. . . and as this history doth describe the act or worke of creation , both generally , and particularly in all the b●anches thereof : so also all the creatures or kindes of things created . the creatures are here distinguished according to the time and order of their creation . some of them were created in the first beginning of time , in the first moment wherein time first began , to wit , the highest heaven with the inhabitants thereof , the angels ; and the earth , that is , the rude masse or first common matter of the inferiour world , and all the creatures therein . some of them were created in the progresse of time , or in times distinct , even in six severall , dayes , to wit , all the rest of the creatures : and they are distinguished by the time and order of their creation . some were created the first day , some the second , and the rest severally in the rest of the six dayes , and they are described by their severall names and natures , as shall appeare hereafter , when they come to be handled distinctly . chap. i. of the creation in generall . what the hebrew word signifieth . of the author , time , object , and forme of the creation . a description of it : demonstrated in all the parts . the manner of creation , in foure things . angels had no hand in the creation . foure uses of the point . the first thing now to be stood upon , is the creation in generall , as it is described in the generall nature of it , by the name , the author or causes , and the time when it first began , and when it was done , and that chiefely in this first verse . first , creation is here set forth by the name of it in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , created . secondly , by the author or sole efficient cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god. thirdly , by the time when god began the creation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the beginning ; and wherein he perfected that worke , in six dayes . fourthly , by the forme and manner of it , vers . : god said , and it was done . first , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , created , if it bee rightly understood according to the true and proper signification of it in this place , may give great light to the matter in hand . i will therefore first distinguish it according to the severall significations in which it is used in the scriptures , and will shew in what sense it is here to be taken , and then will come neere to the matter . first , it signifies properly , that extraordinary miraculous worke of god by which he gives a substance , and substantiall being to things which before were not , and doth make them either of nothing , or of some matter which hath in it selfe no naturall fitnesse or disposition to receive such a forme , or to be turned into such a substance : thus it is used , deut. . . in these words , from the day that god created man. and psal. . . he commanded , and they were created . secondly , by a metaphore , this word signifies the extraordinary works of god , which are very like unto the creation , because they are done by a supernaturall power , and suddenly brought forth as it were out of nothing , when there was no meanes , or naturall disposition going before . thus the 〈◊〉 of regeneration ( in which the wicked corrupt heart of man , 〈◊〉 by nature is unfit for any holinesse , and most prone to wickednesse , is changed in a moment by the spirit of god , and becomes a cleane creature and a new man ) is called creating , psal. . . thus are all great and miraculous works of god called creating : when hee raiseth up wonderfull strength out of weakenesse , and by them who are as nothing , doth overthrow mighty gyants and strong armies ; this is called creating , exod . . when god of a stubborne , stiff-necked nation , and of a people scattered , despised , and counted worse than nothing , raiseth up and maketh a most holy people and glorious church , as he will doe in the last conversion of the jewes , this is called commonly in the prophets by the name of creation , as psal. . . and isa. . . and . . and when the lord in his just wrath doth raise up evill , and destruction to the wicked out of good things , which naturally turne to good ; this is called creating , isa. . . and 〈◊〉 ●●ery raysing up of things without meanes , as psal. . ● when god suddenly beyond meanes or expectation , by the supernatur●ll power of his spirit reneweth the face of the earth , it is called creating . but in this place the word is to be taken in the proper sense , for making thing● either of nothing , or of matter made of nothing , and of it selfe unfit and without naturall disposition for receiving any such forme as that which god doth give unto it . the word thus expounded sheweth what creation is , even a making of things out of nothing , or of rude matter undisposed for such a forme and being , as god in an instant frameth one of it . and so it differs from all other kindes of making and producing things ; as from naturall generation of living cr●atures , and of clowds , raine , thunder , and the rest , which are made by an ordinary power out of matter fitted for the forme of things produced : and from all artificall making of thing● , as house , and other things made by art of matter fitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the second thing by which creat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the author and cause of it , expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is not here used metaphorically , to signifie angels , false gods , and men who are ministers and vicegerents under god , as it is sometimes used in scripture ; but it is here taken in the sense , which is most common and frequent in the originall , that is for the true god , and is one of his sacred names . and it is a word of the plurall number , and in many places is joyned with verbes of the plurall number ; and that for this end , to teach us , that though god , whose name this is , bee but one in nature and essence ; yet in that unity of essence , and in that one eternall jehovah , there is a pluralitie , that is , a trinity of persons . this word therefore doth here plainely intimate unto us , that creation is an action of the whole trinity , and that it is the joint worke of all the three persons , even of god the father , god the sonne , and god the holy ghost ; and this shewes , that neither angels , nor false gods , but jehovah the true god , is the author of the creation , as appeares , cap. . . the third thing by which the creation is described , is the time of it , both the first time in which god began to create , and did create the highest heaven , and the rude masse , the earth ; and also the progresse of time in which god created all visible things in order , and finished the whole frame of the visible world : this is expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the beginning , and in other parts of the chapter which mention the particular dayes in which every thing was made . for this word though sometimes it signifies eternity , and intimates unto us the eternall being of the son of god , together with the father from all eternity , and before all worlds , as prov. . . where eternall wisdome saith , the lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old : and john . . in the beginning was the word : yet most commonly and frequently in the scriptures , being laid downe absolutely , as in this place , it signifies either the first moment , and beginning of all time , as in this verse , or else the first six dayes of the creation , or any one of them , in which dayes god made & finished the whole frame of heaven and earth , and all the host of them , as isa. . . where god is said to declare and foretell the end of all things from the beginning , that is , from the six dayes of the creation , in which god began to speake to man and foretell 〈◊〉 end ; and joh. . . where the divell is called a ●urtherer from the beginning that is , from the last day of the creatiō in which god made , & the divell marred man , and brought him under death . the time of the creation , as here i take it in generall , is not onely the first moment of time , as in this verse it signifies , but also the six dayes mentioned distinctly in the rest of the chapter . for the highest heaven , and the rude matter , the earth , were created in the first moment of time , and all other things in the space of six dayes , as the historie most plainely teacheth . some , besides that which i have observed from this word , doe gather also , that the time and moneth of the yeare in which god created the world , was the seventh moneth , which wee call september . the ground of their conjecture is a cabalisticall conceit of some jewish rabbins : to wit , because the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth in september , are the same with the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies here in the beginning ; and therefore , as the letters of the one word , if they be transposed make up the other word , so both words agree in one time ; and this beginning was in the moneth september . but their ground is deceitfull : first , because september , which is the seventh moneth , is called in the pure scripture hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , king. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the corrupt rabbinicall hebrew tongue , and therefore gods spirit alluded not to it . secondly , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the letter ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in it more than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and so they doe not perfectly agree . thirdly , the rabbins and cabalists doe not agree among themselves in this conceit : for some of them have another conceit , that the letters of this word are the same with the two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the first or chiefe house , that is , the sanctuary . others that it hath the same letters which make up the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the covenant of fire , to shew the purity of the burnt offerings made by fire ; and many other such conceits they have concerning this word ; which to repeat were losse of time . i am not ignorant that some learned men , and judicious divines doe hold this opinion of the worlds creation in autumne and september , but for other reasons ; especially because autumne is the time when all fruits come to perfection , and therefore gods creating of all things perfect was in that time of the yeare . but this is no good reason ; for many creatures have their perfection and glory in the spring-time , as hearbs , flowers , and such like . and birds and beasts , doe chiefely breed in the spring , and the spring revives the things of the earth , and makes them fresh and greene . and the cause why many fruits come not to perfection till autumne , is the corruption of the earth , and the curse laid on it for mans sinne . in the creation things when they first began were perfect , and so would they be in the spring and all the yeare , if man had not brought a curse upon them . therefore i leave such curious points , as not needfull to be determined ; or if i incline to any opinion concerning the time of the yeare , it is that the world was created in the spring , when the day and night are equall and both of one length in all the world , that is , in the moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abib ; which is part of march , and part of aprill . for this . god seemes to teach , exod. . . where hee injoines the israelites to account that for the first moneth of the yeare , contrary to the custome and account of the egyptians , which they had before followed . the fourth thing by which the creation is described , is the object or effects , that is , the things created , even the heavens and the earth and all things in them : for it is said , god created the heaven and the earth . the fifth thing is the forme and manner of the creation , to wit , by saying , let it be done , and it was done ; this appeares , vers . , , . which implies also the matter and the end . now here a question may bee moved concerning this word of god ; whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a word spoken and uttered with a sound , like that which god spake from mount sinah in giving the law ; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the inbred facultie of reason and understanding ; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an inward thought of god , caused by outward objects ; or whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the substantiall and eternall word , the sonne of god. first , it cannot be a word spoken and uttered with a sound ; for that requires aire as the medium of it , and there was none when god said , let there be light ; there was no eare to heare , nor any use of such words . secondly , it cannot be any inward thought of god , now beginning to thinke of the creation and being of things ; for this purpose was in god , as all thoughts are , from all eternity . neither is this word , the son of god , now spoken that is begotten , and not till now , as some hereticks dreamed ; and this saying of god the begetting of the son. for , the son is god , the creatour coequall and coeternallo the father ; and that god which said , let there be light ; and , let there be a firmament , &c. wherefore the true meaning of that speech , is this : that , as god the father , son and holy ghost , had decreed and purposed , from all eternity , to create all things out of nothing ; so in the beginning , in the first moment of time , the father , by his eternall word the son and by his spirit , not as instruments , but chiefe agents with himselfe , did actually put his decree in execution , and that so quickly as a word can bee spoken with the tongue , which hath before been conceived in the heart ; and that all was done at gods beck and command , most easily , without any toi●e or labour ; and that , as the word spoken is the revealing of mans will , so the creation was the declaring of gods eternall will and purpose , by the open execution of it ; and , in a word , that god by his wisedome , will , goodnesse , and power , which are his attributes , by which , as by a speaking word , hee is made knowne to men , did create and make all things , and , for an end , not in vaine , for his word is never in vaine . now from these things laid down plainly in the words of this first verse ; and in the verses following , wee may gather this description of creation in generall , viz. that it is , the first outward act or worke , of god almighty , the father , sonne and holy ghost , performed in the first beginning of time , by which , hee immediatly brought all things out of nothing , according to his eternall purpose , and gave the first being to the world , and every creature therein , when as they were not ; and that by his owne infinite goodnesse , wisedome , power , and will , actually working , and like a powerfull word and commandement , bringing all things to passe out of meere nothing , or that which was as nothing made of nothing , without any instruments , toile , labour , alteration or delay , for the revelation of himselfe and for the communion of his goodnesse and glory . this description truely gathered from this text and this historie , is in whole , and in every part confirmed by other testimonies of gods holy infallible word . first creation is an outward act or work , because it is not within god himselfe , but his making of things , and giving to them a being , different from his own essence . secondly , it is gods first outward act , because it was the giving of the first being to all kindes of creatures ; in which , and upon which , hee exerciseth all other outward works : these two points are manifest and need no further proofe . but as for the third point , the author or first cause , god the father , sonne and holy ghost : wee have manifest proofe of it in scripture , able to satisfie any reasonable mind . first , that the lord jehovah the only true god ( not angels ) is alone the creatour of all things . holy job testifieth , saying , that hee alone spreadeth out the heavens , and treadeth upon the waves of the sea , job . . and isa. . . i , saith jehovah , am the lord that maketh all things , that stretcheth forth the heavens alone , that spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe . secondly , that all the three persons are equall in this worke ; and as they all are one god , so are one creatour of all things ; it is manifest , job . . where the creatour of all things , is called in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , my makers , that is , more persons than one , even three persons in one god : and psal. . . let israel rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in them that made him : and eccles. . . remember thy creators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : and isa. . . the lord thy makers is thine husbands , the lord of hostes is his name . for the father in particular , there is no doubt , all confesse him to be the creatour , and so the scriptures testifie , prov. . , . and heb. . , . for the son also we have plaine texts , that by him all things were made , and nothing without him : john . . and joh. . , . cor. . . col. . . heb. . . and as the spirit is one god with the father , and the sonne , so his hand wrought with them in the creation , as appeares , gen. . . where it is said , the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters , that is , cherished the rude masse , as the hen doth her egges by sitting on them , and so gave forming vertue to them ; so the hebrew word signifieth : and job . . god is said by his spirit , to have garnished the heavens : and job . . the spirit of god hath made me , saith elihu : and psal. . . by the word of the lord , ( that is , the sonne ) were the heavens made , and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth , that is , his spirit . fourthly , for the time of the creation , we need not stand much upon proofe of it . this text sheweth , that it began in the beginning or first moment of time : and in six dayes , it was perfected and fully finished , as the rest of the chapter sheweth : it was of old that god founded the earth , and made the heavens , as the psalmist testifieth , psal. . . that is , in the first beginning of times . and reason tells us , that time being a circumstance , and inseparable companion of creatures visible , must of necessity begin together with their being . yet one thing is worthy to be noted in the time ; namely , that , whereas god was able in the first moment , to create all things as he did the highest heavens , and the rude masse , which is called the earth in my text , and which was the common matter of all the visible world : yet he did distribute and divide the creation into divers acts , which are distinguished one from another by the effects , that is , the creatures made ; and by the severall times and dayes also wherein they were performed . which point wee will insist upon , as it well deserves , when we come to the several acts , performed particularly in severall dayes of the creation . the fifth point in the description , is the generall object , and effect of creation , to wit , all things and the first being of them : for , here the object , and effect , concurre and are altogether the same . the world and all things therein , and the first matter of which they were made , as they are the onely things about which the act of creation is exercised ; so they are the object of creation : and as they are things made by the creation , so they are effects of it . now this generall object and effect , as it is truly gathered from the enumeration of all the kindes of things created , which are numbred in this chapter and the next , and is plainely expressed in the description : so it is abundantly testified in all the scriptures ; as isa. . . and coloss. . . and exod. . . where all things in heaven and earth , visible and invisible , are said to bee made , created and formed by god : yea , the first rude matter it selfe , out of which the inferior world was made , is here in my text said , to be created by god. and this is confirmed by reason , drawn from the nature of god , and his name jehovah . for god , as this name signifieth , is an absolute essence of himselfe , and the first being of all , and the author of all being : therefore , every thing which is , or hath being , must needs be of him , and be his creature . the sixth point in the description , is the matter out of which , god created all things : under which , we comprehend two things : first , the matter improperly so called , or terminum à quo , from whence god brought the first being of all things immediately : and that was either negative , even nothing , or their not being at all ; or positive , their being in gods eternall purpose onely . this was the first matter which god had to worke upon in the first immediate act of creation . secondly , the matter properly so called , that is either the rude masse made of nothing , which was without forme , and void ; or the foure elements , which had in them no forme or being of the things created , and so were as nothing in respect of that being which god gave to every particular thing which he made of them . for proofe of this , we have a plain testimonie , heb. . . where the apostle saith . by faith we underst and that the worlds were framed by the word of god : so that the things which are seen , were not made of things which doe appeare . here it is plaine that hee speakes , . of creation in generall , in that hee saith , the worlds were framed . . in that he denies the visible world to be made of any naturall things , which doe appeare to any sense ; hereby hee shewes , that their first matter was made of nothing ; and if they had no matter before the creation , much lesse had invisible spirits any matter . . in that hee makes this a matter of faith to bee beleeved , not to bee knowne by reason ; hereby hee sheweth , that there was a creation of their first being out of nothing : for reason without faith , can apprehend a making of things of matter fitted and prepared . . in that hee doth not say simply , that they were not made of any thing ; but saith , rather , they were not made of things which doe appeare ; hereby hee intimates , that they had a being in gods purpose and secret counsell before . reason also gathered from the present text doth prove , that no creature in the world was made of matter uncreated , or of matter co-eternall with god : for here it is said , that god first made the rude matter , which was without forme , which he needed not to have done , if there had been any eternall matter uncreated . secondly , this matter could not subsist but by the spirit of god , exercising his creating power upon it , as the second verse sheweth : therefore all things were made of nothing ; some immediately , as the highest heavens , and the first matter , called earth , and the forme of every thing ; and some of a matter , either that first without forme , or else unfit for such a being , as god made out of it . the seventh thing in the description is the forme and manner of the creation in generall , and that consists in foure particulars . . first , that god in the creation had no moving causes to move him thereunto , but his owne will , goodnesse , wisedome , and power ; and by them , and according to them hee created every thing . first , that god created all things by the free liberty of his owne will , and according to his owne good pleasure ; and was not by any necessity compelled thereunto , it appeares plainly , psal. . . and . . where it is said , that god hath done all things whatsoever pleased him : and whatsoever pleased him he hath done in heaven , earth , sea , and all deep places : and revel . . . it is said , that god hath created all things , and through his will and pleasure they are created . secondly , that god created all things by his goodnesse , and according to his good pleasure , as the places last cited doe shew ; so also the goodnesse , which at the first creation did appeare in every thing created , proves it most sensibly : for as it is said of light , that it was good , verse . and so likewise of every otherthing , that it was good ; so of all in generall , which god had made , that they were very good . now all goodnesse in the creature comes from the goodnesse of the creatour , and is an image and shadow of it : therefore certainly god by , and according to his goodnesse created all things . thirdly , that god created all things by his wisedome , and according to it , the scriptures aboundantly testifie , psal. . . where david saith , lord , how manifold are thy workes , in wisedome hast thou made them all ! and psal. . . the lord by his excellent wisedome made the heavens : and prov. . . the lord by wisedome founded the earth . and this is implied , prov. . . where wisedome saith , when god prepared the heavens , i was there . fourthly , that god created all things by his mighty power and strength , the prophet jeremy testifieth , jerem. . . saying , o lord god , behold thou hast made the heavens , and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme . and saint paul affirmes , that gods eternall power is seen from the creation of the world in the things which are made . therefore the first particular concerning the inward moving causes concurring with god , is manifest , to wit , that god by his will , goodnesse , wisedome , and power created all things . . the second particular , by which the forme and manner is set forth , is this , that god created all things himselfe , without any instruments at all , by his powerfull word and commandement . this is expressed in the text , which saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , god , the three persons did but say of every th●ng , let it be , and it was so . and in the second chapter moses makes this manifest , ver. , , . where he professeth , that god used no subordinate means , no not so much as raine , or moistening vapour , or the hand of man in the creating of plants in the earth . and isa. . , . the prophet ascribes to god alone the framing and stretching out of the heavens and the earth , without the counsell , direction , or ministery of any other therein . for howsoever the creation was according to gods eternall counsell , and in the creation of man , god is brought in to say , come , let us make man , as if hee did consult with others besides himselfe ; yet this is not to be understood of gods consulting with any other , but of the consulting of god with himselfe , even the father with the son and the spirit , who were persons of the same essence with himselfe , and were the same god , after whose image man was made , and had the same hand in the creating of him . for so the words ( let us make man in our owne image ) doe necessarily imply . yea , as they all are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the son , as well as the father , and the spirit as well as the son , and all are included in that name ; so it was the joynt and equall counsell , and the purpose and saying of them all , come , let us make man : so that the son and the spirit are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joynt creators and workers with the father , not his instruments ; and the powerfull word of the creation comes equally from all three . but as for angels , or other inferiour creatures , it is against all reason , yea against all piety and gods glory to imagine or dreame , that they are instruments used by god in the creation . first , all being is of him , who is jehovah , the author of all being : now creation is the giving of being , and god onely is jehovah ; therefore creation is onely of him . secondly , in every thing which was created , there was something made of nothing , even the substantiall form ; and the matter was disposed in an instant or moment . now this cannot be but by an infinite power , and is an action of infinite vertue ; therefore no created instrument could concurre in any act of creation . thirdly , if god could create angels , the first and chiefest of his creatures , of nothing , when there was none but himselfe , nor any to be his instrument , much more could he without instruments create inferiour creatures . lastly , god proves himselfe to be the true god , and none besides him , by the act of creation , isa. . which proofe were defective , if any creature had wrought with him in any part of the creation . thus the second particular is manifest . . the third particular , wherein the forme and manner doth consist , is this , that god created all things without any toile , labour , change , or alteration in himselfe at all . hee was not changed from rest to labour and motion , nor from idlenesse to businesse , nor from strength to faintnesse or wearinesse , nor from perfect to more perfect , neither was any good added to him by the creation . for ( as saint james saith ) though every good and perfect gift is from above , and cometh downe from god the father of lights , yet with him there is no variablenesse , or shadow of change , jam. . . and isa. . . hast thou not knowne ( saith the prophet ) hast thou not heard , that the everlasting god , the lord , the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not , neither is weary ? there is no searching of his wisdome , he giveth power to the faint , &c. yea , it were against all reason to thinke , that god could be weary or faint in the creation , in which he gave not onely all strength , but also being to all things . and seeing in the creation god did nothing but what hee willed and purposed so to doe , and then to doe when he purposed , and as he had willed to doe ; and seeing hee was infinite , and all sufficient , and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity , if creation could not adde any perfection to him , or any glory ; it onely revealed his glory upon others , and communicated his goodnesse to them , without change in himselfe , or addition to his essence . if any object and say , that god by creation became lord and possessour of all creatures , which , being good , were pleasant to him ; and therefore something was added to him , even lordship , dominion , and delight : i answer , that god in himselfe , and before his owne eyes , had all things actually present to him from all eternity , and as sole lord did possesse them , before they had any being in themselves ; and therefore the addition in the creation was not to him , but to the things created , to which hee gave being : and when hee created things in time , according to his eternall purpose , he received nothing to himselfe , but gave to all things their being and their goodnesse . . the fourth particular , wherein the forme and manner of creation doth consist , is this , that things were created , and brought into perfect being without any delay at all , even in a moment of time ; and that creation is not a successive forming of things by alteration and change , which requires some tract of time , but a making of them perfect in a moment , and bringing of them at once into perfect being . this is intimated in this chapter , where wee reade , that gods creating was but this , hee said , let things be , and they were , that is , hee made them in a moment , as it were by a word , and so quickly and readily as a word is spoken . to which adde the testimony of david , psal. . . god spake , and the e●rth was made : he commanded , and it stood fast . and psal. . . where hee saith of the heavens , and of the heaven of heavens , and the sun , moon , and starres , that god commanded , and they were created . and indeed this is manifest by reason drawne from the nature of creation , which is a making of things out of nothing , and giving a forme and being which was not , even in things which were made of matter before created ; as wee see in the foure elements , and in things brought out of them , there was something , even the substantiall forme of them , made immediately of nothing : now between the being of something and nothing , there is no medium , or intermiddle state ; therefore every thing created , was created in an instant , though many in a day , and divers kinds , one after another , and not altogether in the same moment . the eight and last thing in the description is the end of the creation , to wit , gods revealing himselfe , and communicating his glory throughout all ages of the world , and for ever . this is confirmed divers waies in holy scripture : first , by testimonies , which affirme , that for god and his glory all things were made , that is , for the revelation and communion of god and his glory , pro. . . god hath made all things for himselfe , even the wicked for the day of wrath . and isa. . . i have called him for my glory . and ver . this people have i formed for my selfe , they shall shew forth my praise . and rom. . . for of him , and by him , and to him are all things . secondly , by testimonies , which shew , that in the event creation doth turne to gods glory , for the revealing of him to the comfort of his saints , as psal. . . and . , . where it is said , that the beholding of the creation makes gods name excellent . and the heavens declare the glory of god , and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke . for certainly , that which in time proves to bee the end , that god propounded as an end before all times : for hee is infinite in wisdome and providence . thirdly , the holy men of god , moved by gods spirit , exhort all people to praise god for his workes of creation ; and pray that they may apply them to that end , as psal. . . let all thy workes praise thee , o lord. and , psal. . . let them praise the name of the lord : for hee commanded , and they were created . thus much for the confirmation of the description , and every point of doctrine therein contained : i come to the use . first , this doctrine serves for direction and instruction divers waies ; in that it shewes god to bee the author of creation , and creation to be his outward worke , and all things to be made by him : hereby first it leads us in a ready way to come to the knowledge of gods wisdome , power , goodnesse , and such like excellent attributes , even by directing us to behold god in them , and to discerne his eternall power and godhead ; that hee is not like the idols , and false gods of the heathen , but a god of eternity , before all things , and all times ; because hee is the creatour of them all : and that whatsoever excellency is in any creature , it is in god above all measure . and therefore when wee see the mighty masse of the world , let us thinke how great is hee which made this of nothing . when we see the glory of the sun , moon , and starres , and of the whole heavens , let us thinke how glorious is hee who made this glory . when wee discerne the goodnesse , sweetnesse , power , and vertue which is in things created ; let us conceive , that all these are without measure in god , and in all excellency . secondly , by this consideration it teacheth us , that god onely is the true lord and possessour of heaven and earth , worthy to be honoured , served , and worshipped of all , and to be sought unto by praier ; and that all thankes are to bee given to him for all good things ; that hee hath right and power to dispose all things at his pleasure , to whom hee will , and that wee ought not to murmure at his disposing ; neither hath any man right to any thing but by his gift , and his permission . secondly , this doctrine serves for confutation , . of philosophers , who held that the world was not created in time , but was from eternity ; or that it was created of a matter which was uncreated , and had a being before the creation , even without beginning . . of those doting jewes and others , who held that the inferiour visible world was created by the ministerie of angels . . of heretikes , who denied god the father of christ , preached in the gospel , to be the creatour of the world , and feigned another god creatour , inferiour to him . . of the papists , who teach that there be other creatours besides god , even that every masse-priest can create of bread and wine the true bodie and bloud of the lord christ our creatour and redeemer : yea , that same body , which is already , which was made of a woman borne , ●nd crucified , and is glorified at gods right hand in heaven : a strange contradiction , and horrible blasphemy , which god ab●orres as a thing impossible : for nothing can be made that which it is already , nor receive that being which it hath before-hand . . of atheists and mockers , who deny god , and scoffe at the last resurrection , and at the ending of this world in the last day , all which are manifestly proved by the creation . lastly , of all idolaters , who esteem and worship that for god their creatour , which is but the image of a creature , and in nature and forme far inferiour to the least creature formed by god. thirdly , it serves for reprehension and just reproofe , first of them , who thinke that god can be worshipped and pleased by mens giving of outward things to him immediately for his owne use ; as gold , silver , meat , drinke , clothes , and curious ornaments : all which god rejecteth as things unusefull for him ; upon this very ground , and for this reason , because hee created the whole world , and all things therein are his owne already , psal. . and act. . . secondly , of them , who fret and grudge , and too much repine and grieve for the overthrow and destruction of kingdomes , countries , nations , cities , men , or beasts , which god at his pleasure , and in his justice doth destroy for mens sins , and over-turne withall their glory and being . who is he , that in such a case dare mutter against god ? for hee may doe with his owne what he pleaseth : if they offend him , he may destroy them , and magnifie his justice , and glorifie his power in their destruction ; and he can repaire them at his pleasure . lastly , here is for all that trust in god , love and serve him , plentifull matter of comfort against poverty , and all calamities , and persecuting enemies . no poverty ought to pinch or vexe them ; for god their portion is more worth then all the world : all riches , and other things are but the worke of his hands , and he can give them when hee will , and will give what hee in his wisedome knowes to be necessary and profitable . all strength is of him , and he can weaken all enemies in a moment ; so that if he be for us , none can stand against us : hee can raise sweet out of bitternesse . thus much for creation in generall . chap. ii. of the creature in generall . names of the creature expounded , to shew their nature . instructions concerning the creatures . five uses made thereof . before i passe to the speciall acts or branches of creation , i hold it fit to insist upon the creature in generall , which comprehends under it every speciall kind of thing created by any act of creation . this history of the creation , though not in any one word , yet in one sentence doth expresse the creature in generall , that is , the whole frame and collection of all things created , chapt. . . in these words , thus were the heavens and the earth finished , and all the host of them , or all their furniture , that is , whatsoever is in them rightly ordered and disposed , like an army well marshalled ; so the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie . and other scriptures , both in the old and new testament , doe oftentimes in one word propound to us the generall consideration of all joyntly together . i will therefore first speake of the creature in generall , as it comprehends in it the heavens , and the earth , and all things in them , and that in such words and phrases , as gods spirit in this and other scriptures is pleased to use for our instruction , and for the help and illumination of our weake understandings . and in this generall description , i will first consider the words and phrases , by which the creature in generall is called , and will shew what they doe import in their signification . secondly , i will from thence and other scriptures note such instructions , as may direct us to the knowledge of the creature in generall . and lastly , will make some use and application fit and convenient . the first name , by which the creature in generall is called in the old testament , is the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies an universality , or perfect comprehension of all things : by this name , the whole universality of things created , is called , pro. . . where it is said , that the lord hath made all things for himselfe ; not so much as the wicked man is excepted , who is made for the day of evill . also , isa. . . the lord saith , i am jehovah that maketh all things , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : answerable to this are the greeke words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used by the greeke philosophers , to signifie the whole universall world , or the universality of all things ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is commonly used in the new testament , where there is mention made of the creation , and the creature in generall , as john . . by him were all things made . and rom. . ult . of him , and by him , and for him are all things . and colos. . . and revel . . . but yet , as the apostle , cor. . . speaking of gods putting all things in subjection under christ , saith , that hee must be excepted , who hath put all things under him : so here , though the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie an universality , and comprehension of all things ; yet it is manifest by the word joyned with them , that god the creatour , who is said to make and create them , is excepted , and all other things besides him are included . another name , by which the spirit calls the universality of creatures , is the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which answers to the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and is alwaies used by septuagints , in their translation of the old testament , to expresse it . by this name the creature in generall is called , heb. . . and . . where it is said , that god by his son made the worlds , and that the worlds were framed by the word of god. and in the syriack and hebrew translations , the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : and according to their originall and true notation , they all doe signifie not onely an eternall duration and continuance from the first moment and beginning of time , to the last end thereof throughout all ages , and the eternall duration of things in the world to come ; but also all the things which are measured by this protraction and duration of times , and of time beyond all times , even all things under heaven , and all things above the heavens , as angels and blessed spirits , and all things which shall be upheld and kept in being after the end of the world : for the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies times or things , the beginning and end whereof are hid and unknown to mortall men of short time , by reason of the long continuance of them ; and the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies a perpetuall being , and duration , or whatsoever is alwaies , and in all times ; and it is used in gospel to signifie , not only this world , wherein we live in this mortall life ; but also the world to come , both● the kingdome of glory , and also the state of all things after death ; as appeares , mat. . . and heb. . . the third name , by which the creature in generall is called , is the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is commonly translated the world ; and doth fitly signifie that well ordered , decent , beautifull , and comely frame of heaven and earth , with all the goodly furniture , and well ordered host of creatures therein contained . for it is a word , which in greeke doth properly signifie beauty , decency , and comely ornament ; and by it the greeks commonly doe call the whole frame of the world , because of the beauty , and comely order of the creatures therein : and by this name the creature in generall , and the universality of things created is called , matth. . . rom. . . and ephes. . . where the spirit of god speaks of the creation and foundation of the world : and lest we should thinke , that by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is meant onely the inferiour and visible world , the holy apostles , when they speake of it , adde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as appeares , corin. . . and ephes. . . to shew that there is another world , even the invisible , called also by this name : and john . . the evangelist having affirmed , that all things were made by the eternall word , doth in the . verse shew , that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all things , was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the world . i am not ignorant that this word is used also in a more strict sense , and that it signifies sometimes the habitable world , or circle of the earth inhabited by men , as matth. . . and john . . sometimes men inhabiting the earth , as rom. . . by one man sin entred into the world . sometimes the elect , who are the chiefe ones of the world , and of mankind , as john . . and cor. . . and john . . sometimes for the carnall , unregenerate , and reprobate multitude of mankind , as john . . whom the world cannot receive : and . . i pray not for the world . sometimes earthly things , as gal. . . opposed to spirituall ; and sometimes sinfull and corrupt things opposed to holy and heavenly , as galat. . . but the most full and proper sense is that which i have first named , and in that sense it is used in all places , which speake of the creating and founding of the world ; and signifies the whole frame of heaven and earth , with the furniture of them . the fourth name , by which the creature in generall is called , is the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which properly signifies that which is created , and made of nothing , by the act of creation ; by this name the creature in generall is called , as it comprehends every thing created either in heaven , or earth , or in the sea , or under the earth , revel . . . and by this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the whole world is called , mar. . . where our saviour saith , there shall be such affliction as was not from the beginning of the creature which god created , that is , of the world , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the word is rendered by the evangelist matthew , chap. . . now from these severall names used by the spirit of god in scripture , to set forth the creatures in generall , that is , the universality of things created , we may observe divers things for our instruction . . first , that whatsoever hath any being in heaven , or in earth , either in this world , or in the world to come , even all things which can be conceived to have a true being , besides god himselfe , are created of god , have a beginning , and were made out of nothing at the first : this , as it is laid downe in my text , so it appeares plainly by all the foure names before cited ; and is confirmed by the scriptures produced , to shew the true sense of them , to wit , isa. . . john . . col. . . and revel . . . and besides these , wee have many other , as exod. . . psal. . . and psal. . in which places the heavens , and the heaven of heavens the angels , and all the hosts of god , the sun , moon , stars , the aire , and the meteors , the earth , the sea , and all things in them are said to be made , and created by god : to which we may adde , act. . . and . . heb. . . . the second thing which i observe from these names of the creature in generall is , that the world was made in perfect beauty , fit to flourish perpetually ; and every creature , as it was created of god , was good , perfect , and beautifull in his kind free from all discord , disorder , and corruption . this is gathered from the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the world is called ; the one of which signifies beauty , ornament , and decencie , free from all deformity , discord , and disorder ; and the other a perpetuall being , or a perpetuall flourishing in being and perfection . and the last words of this chapter confirme this fully , to wit , god beheld all things which he had made , and so they were exceeding good . the words also of god himselfe , job . from the . verse , where he sets forth his manner of creating all things in a most excellent order , by laying the foundations of the earth sure , by measuring it as it were by line , by shutting in the deeps within bounds , by bringing forth the lights of heaven rejoycing , and the angels singing joyfully , and by making all things to flourish . reason also grounded on the word of god doth prove this plainly : for that which was made in perfect wisedome , and in the framing whereof gods eternall wisedome had an hand , must needs bee most beautifull , decent , and flourishing : for if gods wisdome in bezaleel and aholiab , made them so excellent in working curious and glorious workes for the tabernacle , much more excellent is it in god himselfe . now the scriptures plainly testifie , that god founded the world in wisdome , prov. . . that in wisdome hee hath made all things , psal. . . and that wisdome had an hand in ordering all things , prov. . therefore the creation of the world was in perfect beauty and comelinesse . . the third thing which we learne from these names is , that the deformity of the world , the enmity of creatures , the corruption of man , and the confusion of things created , were not in the world , nor in the creatures thereof at the first ; neither are they gods handy-worke , nor things by him created : for the world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a beautifull frame : and the scriptures call the worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , things of being , and continuance , not things deformed , corrupt , and perishing . this also the scriptures shew , gen. . that the earth was cursed for mans sake , and mans sinne came from himselfe , and the serpent : and deut. . . and levit. . god himselfe in the law professeth , that for disobedience and sin of rebellious people hee doth make their heaven over them as brasse , and their earth as iron : and eccl. . . it is said , that god made man upright , but they have sought out many inventions . i might here also observe from the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the world was also made in a beautifull and pleasant season , even the pleasant time of the spring in all probability ; but i love not to build opinions on such weake foundations . and from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies long lasting ages , i might observe the ages of the world , and discusse the question about the ages and years from the creation ; but they may more seasonably be touched hereafter , when we come to speake of the particular branches of the creation . now i come to the use of these considerations : first , they serve to make the thoughts and conceits of atheists and carnall philosophers hatefull to us ; to wit , that the world is eternall , and had no beginning , neither shall have end . for here wee see , that all things universally were created of nothing , and are creatures formed by god. it is a point of faith above all naturall reason to understand , that the worlds were made of nothing , as the apostle shewes , heb. . . and that was it which made aristotle , and other witty and learned philosophers , led by reason , doubt of the creation of the world . beside , when they observed the stability of the heavens , and heavenly host , and their beautifull order and incorruptible being , this did further them in this conceipt , and made them thinke there should be no end of it . but gods word teacheth the contrary , and sheweth , that all things were created and made out of nothing , except only god himselfe ; and though they were made perfect and good , fit to flourish for ever , and some of them have still a great remnant of that glory and perfection , as the heavens , which change little in many ages ; yet by mans sin they are corrupted and made changeable , and so much more , by how much more neere they come to man : and this the philosophers felt and perceived , insomuch that many of them did acknowledge the creation , and the end of the world ; and even aristotle himselfe , though he could not conceive that the world should be made of nothing by the course of nature , yet hee did acknowledge god the father maker and preserver of it ; and so likewise shall all be confounded , who are not settled in this truth : therefore let us looke up to god , and beleeve his word , and hate all blind conceipts of worldly wise men ; and see and behold in the most rationall and wise naturall men , denying this truth of the worlds creation , that the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse , and the imaginations of the flesh enmity against god. secondly , this consideration of creation and beginning of all the world , serves to make us more admire gods eternity , and to ravish us with the consideration of it . if there could be a man found on earth , who had lived ever since the time of christ , or since the daies of adam or noah , wee would highly esteem him , and seeke to him from the uttermost parts of the earth , as the queen of sheba did to solomon . but behold , all this world is but of short continuance , created of god not many thousands of yeares ago . god is before it , even from all eternity . and this world shall perish , but he endureth for ever , psal. . and therefore if wee wonder at the long lasting heavens , and the surely founded earth ; how much more ought we to admire the eternitie of god , the ancient of daies , before all daies and times , and without beginning or end ! thirdly , though this world be beautifull by reason of some reliques of perfection and beauty remaining from the creation ; yet seeing it had a beginning , and is corrupted by sin , and hastens towards an end , let us not set our hearts on it , or any worldly thing ; but looke up to god , and have our hope and our affections firmly set on him , whose beauties of holinesse shall not fade as the fashion of this world doth ; but his glory endureth for ever . fourthly , we may here see , that the world was created for us , & for our use , not for any need which god had of it ; for god was infinitely blessed in himselfe without it , from all eternity : and certainly , in that god did not create it , and time with it , many thousands of yeares before he did , this is a strong evidence , that god is all-sufficient in himselfe , and hath for himselfe no need of any creature . lastly , it serves to make us hate sin , as the divels poyson , and turne from it , and be affraid to communicate with it , as wee doe with things created by god ; because it is not of gods forming , but is the corruption of mans nature poysoned and defaced : and all enmity , which is among the creatures , vexing and destroying one another , came in by sin ; and all the pleasure which men take therein , is corrupt , sinfull , and against pure nature : wherefore let us ascribe all deformity , disorder , and discord in the world to mans sin , as the proper cause thereof . chap. iii. of creation immediate , and mediate . the hebrew words expounded . sundry doctrines proposed , and made usefull . some questions discussed : . of the time of the yeare , wherein the world was created . . of the number of the yeares since this was . of the highest heavens : . points proposed . the creation and creature in generall being described out of these words , and the rest of the history of the creation in this and the next chapter , i proceed to the severall parts and speciall branches of the creation , which i will unfold in that order in which they are here laid downe , and will describe the severall kinds of creatures , which god created together with the state and condition wherein god created them . the worke of creation considered in generall , comprehends in it two speciall branches , as i have noted before . the first is simple , absolute , and immediate creation , which is a giving of the first being to things simply and absolutely out of nothing , when there is no matter at all to worke upon . the second is a mediate and secondary creation , which is a giving of the first being to things out of a rude , unfit , and undisposed matter ; and that instantly , without any precedent altering , or disposing of the matter of which they are made . each of these consists of two subordinate branches : first , absolute creation is either a making of things perfect out of nothing , or a making of things imperfect out of nothing . both these parts or branches are here laid downe in this first verse : of them therefore i purpose to speake out of these words ; and for the better performance thereof , i will sift the words particularly in the first place , and so will come to the doctrines . and for the generall meaning of the words , i have thus far laid it open , that the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bereshith , signifies the time of the creation . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bara , signifies properly creating of things out of nothing , or out of a rude matter fit for nothing , and uncapable of any essentiall forme . the word elohim , intimates the trinity of persons in the unity of essence . the word heaven , is to be taken for the heaven of heavens , or the highest heavens . and by the earth , is meant the rude matter , out of which god framed the whole inferiour visible world . i now come to sift the words more particularly , so as that they may give light to this first speciall branch of creation , and to the two particular parts thereof . the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bereshith , which is here translated in the beginning , may admit a threefold exposition : first , if we take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as sometimes it signifies in scripture , for the chiefe or principall ; or for the first fruits , which were the first and chiefest of every thing ; then this word may signifie either as the hebrew rabbins expound it , bereshith , in or for the chiefe , that is , for israels sake , who were the chiefe of the nations , and choice people of god , god created the heavens and the earth , and in them god laid the foundation of all things created : or else bereshith , in the first fruits , that is , in christ , who is the chiefe and the first fruits of all ; and for the elects sake in him , god created the heavens and the earth , as some christians have expounded it . but if we take the word reshith , as it is commonly taken in the scripture , for the first beginning of a thing ; or the first part of the being of it ; or the first part and moment of time , wherein a thing comes to have being ; then may this word ( bereshith ) signifie the first part of time , wherein things created came to have being ; or the first part of creation : and this may bee the meaning , that in the first part of time , or in the first part of the creation , god created the heavens and the earth ; and the creation of them was the first act of creation . this , as it is the exposition most commonly held , and generally received ; so i take it to be the best and fittest , and that which the spirit of god chiefly intended in this place : for though it is true , that god created all things in christ , and for his sake , and his elects sake especially : yet here it stands with more reason , and is more agreeable to the scope of the place , to thinke , that the first part of time , or of the creation is meant : for first , it is manifest ( as shall appeare hereafter ) that here moses doth not speake generally of the creation of all particulars , which are after named in the chapter : neither doth he by the heaven & the earth understand the whole world , & all the particulars therein contained ; but by heaven , is here meant the highest heaven ; and by earth , is meant the rude masse , out of which god framed the inferiour visible world . now they onely were not created for christs sake , but all other things also ; and they onely were created in the first part or moment of time , and in the first beginning of the creation : therefore it stands with better reason to expound these words ( in the beginning ) for the first beginning of time , or the first part of the creation , which is the subject of this holy history ; then to understand it of christ , that in him , and for him , the heavens and rude earth was created , and for his elects sake , for whose use all other creatures also were created . secondly , the scriptures themselves doe in other places , which handle the same matter , expound this word for the first beginning of time , or the first part and moment of creation , as psal. . . where david , speaking of the first foundation of the heavens , and the earth , saith , they were founded of old , that is , in the first time ; for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth , which hee there useth in stead of this word bereshith ; and which is translated by the apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the beginning , heb. . . and therefore it is manifest , that here this word notes unto us the time when this first act of creation was performed , namely , the beginning or first part of time . some , who held that the highest heavens and the first rude masse of the earth were created from all eternity , and had their being long before the first beginning of time ; doe here take this word bereshith to signifie from all eternity , and doe thinke that so it may be translated ; from eternity god created the heavens and earth . and to this purpose they bring an example , where the words ( in the beginning ) signifie from all eternity , to wit , joh. . . where it is said , in the beginning was the word , that is , from all eternity . but this exposition may easily be confuted by other scriptures ; for exod. . . god himselfe affirmeth , that in six daies he made heaven and earth , and all other creatures : and therefore the heavens were not created from all eternity , but in the beginning , in the first day of the creation . as for the words of the evangelist , they may easily be answered ; for indeed they doe not properly signifie eternity , but the first moment of time , in which god began to give being to his creatures . and yet take these words ( in the beginning ) joyntly together with other words , which immediately follow in the same sentence , and they necessarily imply and prove that the word was eternall , and from all eternity , coeternall with god the father : for hee who was already , and had a being with god , and was god , and made all things in the beginning , must needs be from all eternity , and before the first moment of time , in which he was not made nor created ; but was , that is , had a being already , yea was coeternall to the father : therefore these words ( in the beginning ) as the evangelist useth them , doe signifie eternity ; but in that he saith , the word was , that is , had already a being with god in the beginning , when hee began to give being to all other things , this proves by necessary consequence , that the word was eternall : and therefore the common exposition stands sure , that here the word ( bereshith ) signifies the beginning , or first part of time . the second word of this text , that is , bara , created , signifies the giving of first being to all things , either simply out of nothing , or out of matter undisposed for the forme introduced ( as i have noted before . ) and by a metaphor , it signifies great and mighty workes , which resemble the creation ; but here it signifies absolute creation , or giving the first being to the highest heavens , and to the rude masse or matter of the visible world , out of meere nothing ; for they were created of no matter before existing ( as all doe hold ) and of their creation onely this verse speakes . that the third word ( elohim ) being of the plurall number , signifies three persons in one god the creatour ; and that the creation was the worke of all the three persons in the trinity , i have before shewed . here let mee adde further a cabalisticall proofe , gathered from the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies the act of creation , and consists of three hebrew letters , which are the first letters of the three hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifie the father , the son , and the spirit : and therefore if the caballisticall art be of any credit , this act of creating is the work of all the three persons , the father , the son , and the holy spirit , one and the same god. the two last words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the heaven and the earth , do here signifie ( as i have noted before ) the highest heaven , and the earth which was without forme and void , that is , the rude masse and common matter of the visible world . some learned men do by heaven and earth understand the whole world , in the same sense as the words are , chapt. . . by heaven , they conceive the highest heaven , the visible starry heaven , and the whole firmament of the aire to be meant : by earth , the lowest globe of the earth , which hath the sea intermingled with it ; and by creating , they understand the whole worke of creation in generall , and not that first speciall act , by which god made the highest heavens , and the rude masse and matter of the visible world onely . the main reason which they have to prove this , is drawn from the hebrew articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is prefixed before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , earth . the first of which articles consists of the first and last letter of the hebrew alphabet , and so implies an universall comprehension of all things , which were created both the first and the last . the other , to wit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is of plaine demonstration , and sheweth that this heaven and earth , as they now stand , are said to be created here in these words . but this exposition is plainly overthrown by the text it selfe , and the reason answered without any difficulty : first , the act of creation spoken of and intended in this verse , is that which was performed in the beginning , that is , in the first moment of time , so the text affirmes : but the whole world , and all creatures in heaven and earth were not made in the first moment of time , nor in the first day , but in sixe daies ; therefore the whole world is not meant in these words , nor all creatures in heaven and earth . secondly , if the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be of generall comprehension , then each of these words should signifie the whole world ; for it is added to each of them , and so the other word should be superfluous in this place . thirdly , we may safely grant , that these words are of generall comprehension , and yet we need not expound them of any other heaven then the highest heaven , nor of any other earth then the first rude masse , out of which the whole visible world was made , which was without forme , and void , as it is testified in the next words , verse . for this heaven did comprehend in it the highest heaven , and all the host and inhabitants of it , the angels , actually . and this earth or rude masse did potentially comprehend in it the whole visible world , which afterwards in the sixe daies was actually formed out of it : and therefore i take this to be the best exposition , to understand by the heaven , the highest heaven onely where the angels and blessed saints have their dwelling , together with the host thereof : and by the earth to understand ( as the next verse sheweth ) the rude masse , out of which god after formed the whole visible and mutable world , consisting of the starry heavens , and of the aire , water , and earth with all things in them . as for them who here by heaven and earth understand the whole world , actually formed and made ; and them , who understand the common seed and rude matter of the heavens , both highest and invisible , and also the visible heavens , and the inferiour world ; they exclude out of this history of the creation , the distinct and speciall narration of the creation of the highest heavens , and of the glorious host thereof , the angels and super-celestiall spirits , contrary to that which moses himselfe plainly teacheth , chapt. . . where repeating summarily the whole creation in generall , which he had before distinctly related , and in all the parts thereof described in the first chapter , he saith , thus were the heavens and the earth finished , and all the host of them , that is , the angels among the rest ; for they are called the heavenly host , luke . . from the words thus expounded , we may gather an excellent description of the first speciall act of creation , which is called simple and absolute creation , and of the two particular branches thereof , to wit , that it is that act of creation , whereby god in the first beginning did create , and give the first being out of nothing to the highest heavens , and to the earth , that is , the first rude masse and matter of the visible world . the parts of this act are two : the first is that act of simple creation , by which god created out of nothing , and gave a most perfect glorious being to the highest heaven , and to all things therein contained . the second is that act of simple creation , by which god gave the first imperfect being to that rude earth , the masse , which was the common matter , out of which hee formed the whole inferiour , visible , and mutable world . in this description of the first act of simple creation , and of each branch thereof , wee may observe foure things : the first is the matter both generall and speciall , laid downe in the word bara , created . secondly , the author of it , god the father , sonne , and holy ghost , elohim , three persons in one god. thirdly , the time and order of it , in the beginning , bereshith ; it was the first act , performed in the first moment of time . the fourth is the object or effect , to wit , the things created , the heaven and the earth : the heaven is the object and effect of the first particular branch ; the earth is the effect of the second . these foure things considered both joyntly together , and severally by themselves , doe afford unto us divers profitable instructions , and divers questions to be discussed , worthy of our consideration . first , the matter and substance of this act , is a simple and absolute producing of reall and substantiall things out of nothing ; yea creatures , which of all others were most perfect and glorious , to wit , the highest heavens , and the glorious angels the eternall spirits , which were made and placed there , to stand in the sight and presence of god. now this offers to our consideration an excellent meditation of gods infinite power and omnipotencie , shewing it selfe most cleerly in this first act of creation ; for in that god , contrary to the course of all other the most cunning artificers , did immediately and absolutely of himselfe , and by himselfe alone create , and make out of nothing in the first beginning , the most perfect creatures of all , even the highest heavens , and the glorious angels and eternall spirits ; and so the first act of creation was the most perfect and complete act of all . this teacheth us , that god is of himselfe infinite , omnipotent , and all sufficient in power and in wisdome , able to doe all things , and to performe and bring to passe by his owne mighty hand , instantly , without any help , counsell , or advice of any other , the greatest , and most perfect , and glorious workes which can be done , named , or imagined in heaven and earth . wee find by experience and reason , that all artificers , before they have in and of themselves skill and power sufficient to bring to passe the workes which belong to their art , doe first practise by the direction of others in smaller matters ; and by use and practice grow more skilfull , and so proceed to greater and more perfect workes : and because the most cunning and exquisite workmen in the world are limited in their power and skill to one thing at once , neither can their minds intend , nor their understandings conceive , nor their hands performe all things at once , which are required for the performance of a perfect worke ; therefore in every such worke they proceed by time , leasure , and degrees : first , laying a foundation of matter ; secondly , forming and framing of every severall part ; thirdly , fitly composing of all parts together in one , and so bringing the worke to consummation and perfection . and so god must have done in the creation , if hee had not been infinite in power , and all-sufficient : if his wisdome and power had been limited , he must have begun with smaller workes , and ascended by degrees ; and in every worke hee must first have either borrowed matter from others , or made it himselfe for to worke upon . secondly , he must have fitted the matter , to receive a fit forme . thirdly , he must have introduced the forme into every part , and have composed all together into one perfect creature : but we see all was contrary ; he performed the greatest and most perfect worke at the first , even the most glorious heavens , and the eternall spirits , which are durable , and abide for ever ; therein he set up his glorious throne , and made an habitation for his blessed saints and angels . he shewed that he was all-sufficient in himselfe for the greatest worke , because he did performe it of himselfe , before there was any but himselfe , and no creature made to help him . he did not by degrees get his skill , but at the first shewed the best worke , and performed it in an instant : and therefore in this first act of creation , we may see , as in a cleere glasse , the infinite wisdome and omnipotencie of god. this truth is also strongly confirmed by firme proofes from other scriptures , as job . . elihu , that wise unreproved friend of god , full of the spirit , doth from this very ground , namely , the wonderfull creation of the heavens and other things , conclude the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of god , that he is shaddai , the almighty , all-sufficient , that he is excellent in power and judgement , and that we cannot find him out by reason of his incomprehensible wisdome and power . so also job . . and . . god himselfe doth from the creation of the heavens , and the angels full of glory , and shouting for joy , and from his making and ordering of all things most wisely prove , that hee himselfe the creatour is almighty , one who cannot be instructed nor reproved , and against whom none can contend . and job himselfe , job . . upon the same ground and consideration is moved to confesse , that he knowes god to be able to doe every thing , and that he is infinite in wisdome and knowledge ; that no thought can be withholden from him , and that the things of god are too wonderfull for him to know . the prophet david also , psal. . , . from the consideration of gods glory , which he hath set above the visible heavens , in the highest heavens ; and from the excellent nature of the angels , weighed with himselfe , doth break out into an admiration of gods excellent greatnesse , thereby made knowne ; and wonders that hee , so mighty a one , should regard poore man at all ; who , though the chiefe of visible creatures , is but a worme , and as nothing before god : lord , saith he , how excellent is thy name in all the world , who hast set thy glory above the heavens ! when i consider the heavens , the worke of thy fingers , i say , lord , what is man , that thou art mindfull of him , or the son of man that thou visitest him ? and psal. . . the heavens ( saith he ) declare the glory of god , that is , the glorious attributes of his omnipotencie and infinite wisdome . and most fully and plainly doth the apostle paul speak to this purpose in a few words , rom. . . saying , that the invisible things of god , even his eternall power and godhead from the creation are cleerly seen , being understood by the things which are made . the consideration of which truth serves first to incite us , and also direct us , to make a right and profitable use of gods first act of creation , by putting us in mind , that it is not enough for us in reading the history of it , to think of it only as of some great work , and to content our selves with the bare and naked understanding and remembrance of the glorious heavens and angels , thereby created and made ; but that we all ought , by meditating upon the excellency and absolute perfection of that first worke above the rest which followed , to be lifted up unto that further meditation of the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of god , and of his power and ability to doe all things , and to bring into perfect being any most excellent worke at his pleasure , whensoever he will ; and hereby to be stirred up and encouraged to rejoyce mo 〈…〉 aboundantly in the lord our creatour , to rest more confidently on him , when we have committed our selves to his protection , and he hath received us under the shadow of his wings , and to hope for all blessings which he hath promised ; and for the performance of all his promises in due time and season , without hinderance or resistance of any power . as all created things were made for some end , and whatsoever is not fit to serve for some speciall end is a meer vanity ; so the knowledge of things , without the knowledge of the end and use of them , is a vaine notion swimming in the braine : and therefore the maine thing which we ought to drive at in seeking the profitable knowledge of things , is to know and understand the speciall use of them . now gods creating of the highest heavens , and the host of them in glorious perfection by himselfe alone , in the first act of creation in the beginning , doth serve most properly , naturally , and necessarily to shew the infinite wisdome and omnipotencie of god the creatour ( as is before proved ) that we seeing therein these divine attributes of god as in a glasse , may rejoyce in him , and rest securely on his promises , knowing that he will performe and fulfill his word , and none can resist him : wherefore let us study to make this right use , that our knowledge may be sound and saving , and may bring us on to salvation . secondly , this may justly smite our hearts , and make us ashamed of our owne dulnesse and negligence in this point , in that we all , or the most part of us have so often read , heard , remembred , and understood in reading and hearing the word of god , this great worke of creating the heavens and heavenly host , and have beleeved it , and spoken of it , and so have passed it over , without seeing , beholding , and considering in it the wisdome , power , and glory of god. alas , there be few amongst us , who have taken care to look so farre into the end and use of these things of god ; and that is the cause , that science abounds without conscience , and much knowledge goeth alone without any sound or sincere practise . o let us be throughly ashamed of our negligence in the times past , which is too much indeed ; and let us labour to redeem the time hereafter by double diligence , studying to see gods glory in those great workes ; and seeing , to admire his wisdome , and to adore his heavenly majesty . thirdly , gods truth in this doctrine beleeved and embraced , is a strong antidote against all atheisticall thoughts , which possesse the hearts of divers dull and carnall people , who cannot conceive thoroughly , nor fully beleeve , but often doubt of gods omnipotencie and ability , to create in a moment out of meere nothing most perfect and glorious creatures , such as are angels and blessed spirits , and the heaven of heavens . such doubts are the cause that they cannot beleeve in god , rest on his power , and be confident in him in cases of extremity , when the whole world seems to be against them , and all outward helps faile . if they did but discerne the power of god , by the first simple act of creation , they might know and beleeve , that hee out of nothing can raise more help then they can desire or stand in need of in their greatest extremities . secondly , in that here in the first act of creation , performed in the first beginning of all things , and in the first moment of time , god the creatour is described by the name elohim , which signifies a plurality of persons in the unity of essence ( as i have before proved ) and this act is ascribed to all the three persons equally in one and the same word : hence we may gather a necessary doctrine concerning the consubstantiality , equality , and eternity of all the three persons in the sacred trinity , to wit , that the three persons , the father , the son , and the holy ghost are all co-eternall , and without beginning , all equall among themselves , and consubstantiall , of the same undivided nature and substance , three persons distinct in one infinite eternall jehovah . for plaine reason tells us , that whatsoever had no being given to it , in or after the first beginning of creatures , but was , and had a being already in the first beginning , and before any thing was made , yea , was the authour and maker of the first worke of all ; that must needs be of absolute eternity , every way eternall , without any beginning or end at all . now such are all the three persons in the blessed trinity , they all by this word ( elohim ) are shewed to be equall in the first act of creation ; and so to be before the first beginning of all things , as the authour and cause before the worke and effect , they all are declared to be one and the same singular god and undivided essence : and therefore this doctrine doth hence truly arise . i need not here againe stand upon further proofe of it ; for that i have done aboundantly already , in expounding the doctrine of the trinity . onely the consideration of this truth may serve first to convince all heretickes of horrible errour and blasphemy , who deny either the creatour of the world to be the true god ; or the son , and the spirit to be equall , co-eternall , and of the same substance with the father ; as the arians and others did . behold here the blasphemous fictions of these men cut off before they shoot forth , and rooted up before they were sowne , by this first act of creation , as it is here described by the spirit of god : and therefore let us hate and abhorre all such dreames and fictions , as most monstrous and unnaturall , damned in gods booke , from the first words of the history of the first creation . secondly , let us even from this furthest ground fetch the all-sufficiencie of our mediatour and redeemer christ , and the efficacie and perfection of his full satisfaction , that we may rest on him confidently without scruple , feare , or doubting . as also the infinite power of the spirit , that we may rest in his strength for perseverance . if the son christ , or the spirit were inferiour gods , and of an inferiour nature , not infinite nor co-eternall with the father , men might have some colour of diffidence , and some cause to doubt of sufficient satisfaction , redemption , and stedfast perseverance . but here we see the contrary , that the son if the word , by whom all things were made ; and the son and spirit one , the same god and creatour with the father ; and the spirit as he is in the regenerate , is greater every way then he that is in the world , john . therefore let us comfort our selves in the all-sufficiencie of christ for full redemption , and of the spirit for sanctification and perseverance . thirdly , in that here the first act of creation , even the creation of the highest heavens with the host of them , and of the common matter of the visible world out of nothing , is said to be performed in the beginning , that is , in the first part or moment of time . hence some profitable doctrines arise , and here some questions offer themselves to be discussed . first , we here are taught , that the whole world , and all things therein , even the highest and most durable heavens , and the first matter of the visible world had a beginning , and were not from all eternity , as some heathen philosophers imagined . this doctrine , as it is plainly affirmed in this text , which alone is proofe sufficient ; so other scriptures doe aboundantly prove and confirme it : john . . our saviour saith , that god the father loved him before the foundation of the world . ephes. . . the apostle saith , that god hath chosen us in christ before the foundation of the world : and pet. . . it is said , that christ was ordained before the foundation of the world : and prov. . . the wisdome of god saith , i was set up from everlasting , before the earth was , or ever the heavens were prepared . these and such other scriptures , which mention things before the first beginning and foundation of the world , doe most evidently shew , that neither the world , nor any part thereof was from eternity ; but with time , and in time began . and if this be not sufficient to satisfie atheists , who refuse to beleeve god or his word , naturall reason it selfe is able to prove it against them , by their owne principles which they grant . first , they acknowledge , that whatsoever is corruptible or mutable by nature , must needs have a beginning , and cannot be eternall : now it is manifest , that the whole world , and all things therein , are by nature corruptible , and changeable ; and whatsoever therein is constant , unchangeable and incorruptible , it is so , not by any naturall power in it selfe , but of the free grace of god in christ. the angels , the most glorious creatures , and the spirits and soules of men , which are created of nothing , they are changeable by nature , as appeares by the fall of the divell , and mans fall and corruption : and therefore it is said , that hee charged his angels with folly , to wit , them that did fall ; and to the rest which stand he added light , even supernaturall light of his sanctifying spirit , job . and although the wisest of the heathen philosophers did gather from the constant course of the visible heavens and the starres , that the heavens were incorruptible and unchangeable ; yet experience hath taught the contrary , and it is found by long observation of astronomers , that there are many fixed starres , and strange comets or blazing starres , generated in the heavens farre above the moon , which appeare for a time , and after doe vanish away , as the late blazing starre , in anno . was found to be by certaine demonstration . but for the inferiour elements under heaven , and the creatures therein ; every eye sees them to be in daily change and alteration , and to have no constancie in them : therefore the world is not from all eternity . secondly , that which is eternall , hath no cause subsisting before it ; nor any superiour to over-rule , order , and dispose it , but is absolute of it selfe : and that which hath such a preceding and superiour cause , authour , and disposer , must needs have and receive a beginning from another . now such is the world , and all things therein ; the world , and the whole course of it is over-ruled and disposed by god , as every eye may see : for whereas it is the nature of summer to be hot , when the sunne , which is the fountain and cause of light and heat , is most present with us ; god , at his pleasure , for the sins of men , doth turne our summers heats into cold winter stormes , and doth drown our harvests with immoderate raine , in the midst of the dry scorching dog-daies , as we have found of late yeares : so hee makes fruitfull lands barren , when they are best tilled ; and the barren wildernesse hee turnes into a fruitfull field , and the desart into springs of water . also daily experience doth teach us , that things which naturally serve for health , are sometimes turned to poyson ; that which enricheth one , doth impoverish another : and that which hurteth one , doth help another . all which shew , that god over-rules the world , and that all things are under his hand , and he is the supreme cause and disposer of all : yea , if we observe all parts of the world , we shall see , that the earth and the sea are ruled much by the heavens , and the heavens are moved by some superiour power : therefore the world is not eternall , without cause or beginning . these and such arguments and experiments convinced the heathen philosophers and poets , and forced them to confesse , that the world was not eternall ; but made in the beginning of time , as appeares in hermes , trismegistos , pythagoras , plato , orpheus , sophocles , homer , and others . and even aristotle himselfe , though he affirmed stiffely the worlds eternity , and did oppose the fictions of plato and others , concerning the making of the world of a matter which was before existing , and without beginning ; yet at length he was forced to confesse , and doth in divers of his bookes , that god is the authour and preserver of the whole universall world , as appeares lib. de mundo , & lib. . de gener . & corr . this admonisheth us , not to set our hearts on the world , nor content our soules with such things as are therein ; but to looke up higher to a better portion , if we desire full satisfaction , and true contentment and felicity indeed . he that builds on a foundation , which of it selfe may faile , and needs a supporter it selfe , he can never dwell safely and securely , but in continuall feare , that his house will fall on his head ; neither can he sleep in peace , till he hath laid a deeper and surer foundation under that . now here we see the world is a moveable foundation , it was not from eternity , but had a beginning ; and the being of it hangs on an higher cause , even god : and therefore let us not set our hearts on the world , nor make it our portion ; but looke up to god , and set our affections on him , and seeke to him to be our portion : for he onely can fill our soules , and he is , and hath been , and shall be for ever the same ; and in him is no variablenesse , nor shadow of turning . secondly , this truth serves to arme us against all temptations of sathan , and all cunning sophistications of atheists , which tend to shake our faith in this point of the worlds beginning ; and to make us thinke , that the world hath been from all eternity , we have here a sure foundation from gods infallible word , and strong reasons also to confirme our hearts in this doctrine : and therefore let no cavills of opposers trouble our hearts : yea , that we may more cleerly see , and more firmly beleeve this truth without doubting , i will briefly shew the weaknesse of the best arguments , which are brought to the contrary ; and so will remove those clouds and mists out of the way , which seem to eclipse the truth . the most weighty objections are gathered from scripture termes and phrases : as for example , from the name which the scripture giveth to the world , and the ages thereof , to wit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and signifies a being alwaies : for so the world is called , heb. . . also tim. . . and tit. . . the times of the world are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , everlasting times , as the greek words signifie . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , everlasting , is two waies taken in scripture , and in humane writings also : first , it signifies an eternall being , without beginning or end , even a being before and after all times ; and so god onely is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , everlasting , tim. . . and the spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eternall , heb. . . secondly , this word signifies a being in all times , from the first beginning to the last end of time , but no more , not before nor after ; and thus the world , and the ages thereof are called everlasting , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the places objected prove this sense ; because in them the apostle sheweth , that these everlasting times had something going before them , and were but times which have a beginning and end : and therefore these objected places make much for this doctrine , and not against it . the objections of aristotle are drawne , . from incorruptibility , which he imagined to be in the heavens : . from this , that the world was not generated nor made of any pre-existent matter , neither , could be brought into being , by any naturall generation : . from the eternity of motion , which he thought to prove by this , that no motion can be found in nature , but hath another motion going before it . all these may easily be answered : for first , the heavens are corruptible by nature , and the visible heavens shall perish : and that the highest heavens are incorruptible , it is not by power of their nature , but of the will of god , preserving them . secondly , though the world was not made of matter pre-existent , nor by naturall generation ; yet it may have a beginning supernaturall , being created miraculously of nothing by gods omnipotent hand , as all miraculous things are done , which neverthelesse are not eternall , nor endure for ever . thirdly , though in naturall things we find no motion , which hath not another motion going before it ; yet it is not so in the creation , which was a worke farre above the course of nature : so that these objections are of no force to disprove this doctrine . all that aristotle with his subtle wit could devise , was nothing but this , that the world was not made by the course of nature , neither did come into being by naturall generation , nor was framed out of an eternall masse of matter , as plato and other philosophers dreamed . also that there was no time before the world , neither shall there be any time , wherein the world shall not be ; and that the world is as durable , and lasteth as long as all times ; all which we grant without feare ; and yet it doth not follow that the world is eternall : for that is properly eternall , which never had beginning , neither in time , nor with time , nor before time ; but as for time it selfe , it hath a beginning and an end , as i shall shew in the next place : therefore let us hate and abhorre all atheisticall dreames of the worlds eternity . the second thing which i observe from this word bereshith , in the beginning ( which signifieth in this place the first being or moment of time ) is this , that time it selfe is but an adjunct , or circumstance of things created , and had a beginning , and shall have an end with the mutable and moveable world . for proofe of this we need seek no further but to the fifth verse , where it is said , the evening and the morning were the first day , that is , time was produced by the word of god , even the first day together with the things therein created ; and so it followes of all the daies of the first weeke , they are said to be made with the workes created in them . and indeed in reason it must needs be so ; because time is nothing else but the continuance of things created and the measure of the motions which are in the created world , a day is the measure of the suns course from east to west , and round about to the east againe : an houre is the time in which the sun runs the foure and twentieth part of his dayes motion : a weeke is the space of seven daies , and a yeare the time whi●e the sun goeth his course through the twelve signes of the zodiack ; and the whole time of the world consists of yeares moneths and daies . now all these had a beginning , and have an end ; yea , there was no day till light and darknesse were made and distinguished ; no moneth nor yeare till the sunne and the moon were set in their course : therefore time had a beginning , and is not eternall . there were some things before all times and ages of the world , tim. . . tit. . . first , this serves to admonish us , to cast off all vaine thoughts and imaginations of time going before the creation of the world . it is the folly of many , when they reade of the worlds creation but so many thousand yeares ago , to dreame of time before creation , and to question what god did in that time ? a witty old man did once answer this question ( as saint austin saith ) rather tauntingly then solidly , viz. that god in those times was making an hell for such curious inquisitors : but the true answer is , there was no time nor any thing to be done in time ; but god was only in himselfe most blessed by contemplation of himselfe in absolute eternity , in which there is , neither before nor after , no beginning nor end : for where there was no day nor night , nor haven to move , nor any thing to be measured by time , there could be no time at all . secondly , this truth serves to make us see our owne vanity , and the weaknesse of our owne reason and understanding . let a man of the strongest braine and wit , and the deepest reach in the world , doe what he can , and strive and straine to the utmost , he shall not by hum●ne reason and capacity conceive , how any thing can be without time . how god could be before the world , when there was no time ; or what eternity should be , but a long time without beginning or end . and yet this is gods truth , as my text saith , which cannot lye , that time was not till the creation : let us therefore here learne to see our owne weaknesse , and the short reach of our reason . let us acknowledge , that while wee have our soules imprisoned in our mortall bodies , looking onely through the narrow grates of our outward senses , we shall never be able to see , or to comprehend things spirituall and eternall so as they are . and let this put us in mind to be humble here , and to rest in hope , that the eternity , and the eternall joyes of heaven are such , as neither eye hath seen , nor eare heard , nor mans heart conceived : and let us labour to walke by faith , and not by sight , as the apostle saith ; cor. . . so much for the doctrines . there be also two questions which here offer themselves to be discussed : the first is , what time of the yeare the world was created , and which day & moneth were the first of the world ; without the knowledge of this we cannot exactly tell how long it is since the world was created . the second is , how long it is since that first beginning , wherein god created the heavens and the earth : for moses doth carefully set them downe untill his time ; and so also doe the succeeding prophets , which sheweth , that this knowledge is not to be neglected . for the first question : some hold , that the world was created in september , in the time of the autumnall equinoctiall . others , that it was created in the spring time , and in march , when the day and night are equall , and of one length in all the world . both these opinions are maintained by reasons and arguments produced out of gods word ; but the reasons which are brought to prove the latter opinion , i conceive to be more strong and solide : and therefore i doe incline to beleeve , that the world was created in the spring time , and not in autumne ; and that others may be better confirmed in this truth , i will propound the reasons on both sides , and will answer the one , and confirme the other . the maine arguments which tend to prove , that the world was created in september , are foure especially : the first , because september was from the beginning observed and accounted for the first moneth of the yeare , both by the israelites and forefathers , and also by the egyptians and other nations : for exod. . . it appeares , that march for a speciall reason was made the first moneth to the israelites ; because in that moneth they came out of egypt . and that till then both they and the egyptians accounted september the first moneth . i answer , that the egyptians did erroneously begin their yeare in autumne ; and the israelites living with them , did for civill respects follow their account : and therefore , when they were to depart out of egypt , god did both reach and command them the right observation in abib , or march , exod. . . and called them to the true ancient and originall forme of beginning the yeare in the vernall equinoctiall , which is in abib , that is , march : yea , the caldeans and persians , who were of better credit then the egyptians , did alwaies from the beginning account march the first moneth of the yeare : therefore this argument is of no force . secondly , they argue , that september was the moneth , wherein the yeare of rest , and the yeare of jubile did begin by gods appointment , as appeares , levit. . . for on the tenth day of that moneth , god commanded the israelites to sound the trumpet of jubile in all the land , and so to begin their yeare of jubile and release : therefore that is the true beginning from the creation . i answer to this two waies : first , that as the yeare of rest was not the first , but the seventh , and the last of the seven ; and the yeare of jubile was the next year after seven sabbaths of years : so the lord did still follow the number of seven , and would have it begin in september ; because it was the seventh moneth , and not the first by the order of creation . secondly , the moneth of september , when all the fruit is taken from the ground , and men begin to sow and plant for the next yeare , is the fittest time for to begin the yeare of rest , and of jubile , wherein every man was to re-enter into his land which he had sold , as appeares , vers. , . and this was the cause of beginning in september ; not because it was the first moneth of the world , and of the yeare , reckoned from the creation : but because it was the fittest for men to give up the land empty to the owners , when they had gathered in the corne and fruit , and cleared the ground : and so this argument is of no force . thirdly , they argue , that the time wherein all things naturally come to prefection , is most likely to be the time , wherein god created the world , and all things therein perfect in their kind , and that is autumne and september , as experience teacheth : therefore it is most likely to be the first moneth from the creation . this argument is divers waies defective : first , the state of the world in the creation , was far different from that state of things which now is ever since mans fall and corruption : then all times were both spring and harvest , and trees did both blossome and beare perfect fruit at all times of the yeare : therefore no certaine argument can arise from this ground . secondly , if any time be more perfect then another , and retaine perfection from the creation , it is most likely to be the spring time ; for in the spring all things begin to revive , and shoot forth of the earth , as they did in the creation : then are the fields most fresh and green , and full of beautifull flowers , as in the state of innocency . and as for summer and harvest , they doe but ripen things which the spring hath quickened and nourished , and hasten them to corruption , and not to perfection , causing them to die and wither : yea verily , if the earth had not been cursed for mans sin , it would now bring forth in the spring not onely flowers , and blossomes , and spring fruits ; but also all other kinds of fruit : therefore this is a weak argument . as for their fourth argument , which is cabalisticall , drawne from the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth , in september ; agreeing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth , in the beginning , in the same letters , i have answered it before , and shewed that they differ in one letter , to wit ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) and therefore it is but a fallacie . but now for the beginning of the yeare naturally in the moneth of march , which is called by the hebrewes abib and nisan , as being the moneth in which the world was created , and that the world was created in the vernall equinoctiall , when day and night were equall in all the world , divers of the ancients affirme and hold , as athanasius , ambrose , theodoret , cyril , damascene , beda , and others ; and with them many judicious and learned divines of later times doe concurre , as junius , polanus , and others : their reasons are very strong , forcible , and convincing , which cannot be gain-said . first , they prove it out of the scriptures , gen. . . where that moneth is called the first of the yeare , by account from the creation , wherein the waters were dried up from the earth ; and it began to bring forth fruit for noah , and the creatures with him : so that in the next moneth there was food for him & the creatures , and birds and beasts began to breed and multiply in the earth . now that could not be in september and october , when the fruits and herbes begin to decay and wither . certainly , noah turned not out the creatures against winter to seek food from the earth ; that was no time to breed aboundantly . it is march , wherein the earth begins to bring forth ; and april , the second moneth , is that wherein the creatures , comming out of the arke , might find grasse , herbes , and other food ; and noah might sow and plant against summer and harvest : therefore undoubtedly march is the first moneth from the creation . secondly , they prove it from exod. . . where god recalls the israelites from the egyptian observation , to the old beginning of the yeare from the creation ; and to account abib , or march , the first moneth , as the text sheweth . thirdly , the spring time is every way fittest for the beginning of the world , and of the naturall yeare : then things begin to flourish in all the earth , as they did in the creation ; then is the aire most temperate and healthfull for the bodies of men , as it was in the creation ; then day and night are equall in all the world , and the daies begin to grow longer then the night in the country of eden and babylonia , which was the place of paradise , where adam was created . but in september , daies begin to shorten , and all herbes to wither , and fruits to fall from the trees : therefore march is the fittest moneth for the time of the creation . fourthly , the caldeans , persians , and all cunning astronomers did by their art and skill discerne , and by tradition from the first fathers were taught , that march was the first moneth of the year , and that in the spring time the world was created . to these let me adde one argument more , drawne from the incarnation and passion of christ : for it is most likely , that the moneth , in which god appointed christ to be incarnate by conception in the wombe of the virgin , and also to suffer for the worlds redemption , was the moneth and season of the yeare , in which the world was created : for so the time , in which god sent forth his son , made of a woman , and made under the law , and to redeem them that were under the law , comes to be the fulnesse of time , as the apostle calls it , galat. . . now this was the moneth of march : for christ being borne on the shortest day of the yeare ( as saint austen and the ancients , who lived within a few ages after christ , by tradition had learned , and did teach ) must needs be conceived in march , nine moneths before , in the vernall equinoctiall . and in the same moneth hee suffered for our redemption ; and rising from death , triumphed over death , the divell , and all the powers of darknesse ; even at the time of the passover ( as the gospel testifieth ) which feast was kept in the first moneth abib , exod. . . and . . that is , in march , as all confesse . and so we see gods performing of his promise in the fulnesse of time , was his keeping of his word to a day , giving christ to be conceived in the very day of the yeare , wherein he was promised to our first parents , and to suffer for adams sinne in the same day of the weeke , and of the moneth , in which adam was made , and marr'd by sin ( as some of the learned fathers have observed . ) even as he delivered israel out of egypt , at the end of . yeares , on the selfe same day , when the terme of yeares was accomplished , exod. . . therefore i conceive that the time of the creation , and of the fall of our first parents , and of the first promise of christ , was in the same first moneth , in which he was conceived , and also perfected mans redemption , that is , in abib , the moneth of march ; and so he was sent forth in fulnesse of time , as the apostle saith . the second question which ariseth from the word beginning , is about the number of yeares , which have been since the creation : for if there was a beginning of things , in which the world was created , as the text here sheweth ; then there must be a certaine number of yeares since that beginning which number if we can find out , and prove from scripture , it will much confirme us in the truth of the creation , and of the whole history of gods word . now about this number of years there is much difference among the learned : but the best computation is that which is grounded on those testimonies of scripture , which doe most excellently chaine together the holy chronicle ; and by that computation the world was created . yeares before the death of christ ; and the day of adams fall being upon the sixth day of the weeke , even towards the evening of the same day , wherein he was created , was that day . yeares before the day of christs death , which also was on the sixth day of the weeke , in the same moneth of the yeare . to confirme us in this truth , wee have most excellent testimonies of scripture : first , the age of adam , when he begat seth , counted together with the ages of the succeeding fathers , before the birth of their succeeding sons , make up in all unto the birth of noah from adams creation , . years , gen. . and from noahs birth to the floud , is . yeares , that is in all , . yeares , from the creation to the floud . arphaxad the son of shem , borne two yeares after the floud , gen. . . his birth ( as the ages of the fathers from him to terah there reckoned doe shew ) was before terah's death . yeares . now the two yeares between his birth and the floud , together with the said number of . being added to the yeares before the floud , make up from the creation to the death of terah , . yeares . immediately after terah's death god called abraham , and removed him out of charan , into the land of canaan ; but gave him no inheritance therein , but onely promised to give it to him , and his seed for a possession , act. . , . and that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed , gen. . , , . and this promise was . yeares before the law was given by moses , galat. . . which was immediately after the departure of israel out of egypt , that is , the fiftieth day after ; when they and their fathers , from abrahams first peregrination in canaan , had sojourned . years , exod. . . and from israels coming out of egypt , to the building of the temple , in the fourth yeare of solomons reigne , is . yeares , kin : . . from thence , to the death of solomon , is . yeares . then israel departed from judah , and continued . yeares in their iniquities , ezech. . , . to the destruction of jerusalem , and burning of the temple , . yeares after the beginning of the . yeares captivity ; from the end of which captivity , to christs death , is seventy sevens of yeares , daniel . that is , . yeares , all which make . yeares , from the creation . now from christs death , which was in the . yeare of his age , or . after his birth , it is in this present yeare . the full number of . yeares , which being added to . before christs death , make from the creation . yeares . now this computation of yeares , together with the clearing of the former question , may serve first , to discover unto us divers waies the admirable providence of god , in that he doth so order all things , that the time of the incarnation of christ , the second adam , should fall in the same moneth with the creation of the first adam : and the day of redemption from sinne and death , should be the same day of the week , and of the moneth , with the day of adams falling into sin , and bringing all mankind into bondage to hell and death . and that in the holy scriptures , which were written by holy men of god in severall ages , the true computation of times and yeares should be put upon record , and reserved and kept safe through all ages untill this day , in the midst of so many dangers , and among so many alterations and changes which have happened in the world . surely , he who is so provident in ordering the circumstance of times , and preserving the records of them , even his holy oracles , when the nation of jewes , to whom they were committed in trust , is cast off , and scattered over all the earth , will much more keep his promises , and fulfill all prophecies and predictions , every one in the set time and season which he hath appointed . secondly , this exact record of times , and of the very moneth of the creation and of the redemption , serves to confirme us in the verity and truth of those things which are written concerning the beginning and creation of the world , and the redemption of mankind by jesus christ , comming in the exact fulnesse of time to redeem the world , according to gods promises ; when severall witnesses or writers , who never conferred nor consulted one with another , doe agree in their relations , not only in the maine matters , but in the circumstances of time also ; no man can have any least pretence or colour of doubting . and thus doe the writers of the holy scriptures , who lived in severall ages ; they exactly agree in the histories of creation and redemption , even to the circumstances of times , the very daies and moneths wherein they were performed . and therefore let us firmly beleeve them , and rest on the truth of them : for we have sure grounds of beleeving , but not any pretence or colour of doubting . thirdly , hereby it is made manifest ; that the world being created in time , and onely so long ago as is before shewed , was made onely for us , and for our benefit , who live under time , and not for the eternall god , to adde any good , or any blessednesse to him , who was all-sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity ; and both could , and would have made the world millions of yeares before , if it might have been profitable to himselfe : wherefore let us hereby be stirred up to use the world as a gift , and as talents given to us by god , to be well imployed , and study to honour him by all worldly things created . fourthly , hereby we may justly be moved to admire the eternity of god , when we see the whole time of the world to be but . yeares , which are before him but as . daies and an halfe ( for a thousand yeares with him are but as one day , pet. . . ) wherefore , as holy david , when hee compared gods eternity with the temporary being of the heavens and the earth , and their inclining to decay and changes , like a vesture and wearing garment , did admire gods infinite and eternall majesty : so let us all be after the same manner affected with reverence of god , and admiration of his eternity , when we compare the ages of the world , even the longest of them , the thousands of yeares since the creation , to be but as so many daies with the lord , who liveth and abideth the same for ever . the fourth thing in this text is the object and effect of gods first worke of creation , to wit , the heavens and the earth . first , the heavens come to be considered , together with the creatures here comprehended under that name ; and that these things may more plainly appeare to our understanding , we must first search and sift out the true sense and signification of the word ( heaven ) in this text , and then come to the instructions which doe thence naturally arise . the name ; by which it hath pleased the spirit of god in this place to call the heavens , is in the originall hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shamajim ; concerning the signification and etymologie whereof , the learned much differ among themselves . some make it a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth there , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth waters ; because above in the aire ( which is the lowest and nearest heaven ) and in the clouds , water is engendered , and in showres distills from thence . some compound it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is fire , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , waters ; because the heavens seem to be made of both : the sun , moon , and starres resemble fire , and the rest of the heavens resemble calme and still waters . some derive this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies astonishment ; because if a man doe stedfastly behold and consider either the glory or the wonderfull height and compasse of the heavens , they are things which will dazle his eyes , and make his heart astonished . but the best derivation of the word , which is grounded upon the best reasons , is that which some late writers have observed , to wit , that it is derived of the simple hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth there , and is never used , but when we speake of being in a place which is remote and distant from us : for as the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , here , signifies the place present ; so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there , signifies a place remote and distant from us , and the being of things there , in that place . now the heavens are the utmost and most remote place from the earth , which is set in the middle , and about the center of the round world , and upon which men doe live in this world : therefore this derivation doth agree very aptly to the heavens . secondly , of a place which is most excellent , wee are wont to say , there , there is the best being , and in a kind of vehement and affectionate speech , we use to double the word . and heaven is the most excellent place ; and therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is of the duall number , and signifies as much as there , there , or there double , is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there . thirdly , the heavens are divided most properly into two heavens , the highest heavens , which is invisible ; and the visible or lower heaven , which also consists of two parts ; the starry and the airie heavens : and all these are divided into two equall parts to all men living on earth . the one is that which wee see in our hemisphere , and within our horizon from east to west , and from north to south , above the earth . the other halfe is that which is hid from us by the earth , and is seen by the antipodes , that is , them who dwell on the other side of the earth , directly opposite to us ; and both these parts of the heavens are equally remote and distant from the earth . moreover , the heavens doe move about two poles , the north and south pole : and therefore in many respects the name of the heavens , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , brought into the forme of the duall number . fourthly , this derivation of the name , and the signification of it , doth fitly agree to all things which are called by the name heaven ; and is verified in them all , even the highest heaven , the starry heaven , and the superiour regions of the aire ; for they are all remote and distant from the earth , and are divided every one into two equall hemispheres , equally distant from the earth : but in the highest heaven there is neither fire , nor water , nor any mutable element : and therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cannot agree to it at all . and as for the superiour regions of the aire , they are not so glorious , nor so high as to astonish us : and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , cannot agree to them : wherefore the last is the best derivation . the next thing after the derivation of the word , is the diversitie of significations , which we are to note in the next place ; and withall , to shew in what sense it is here used in the text. first , this word is used , in a large sense , for that whole space from the upper face of the earth and the sea , to the utmost height of the highest heavens , which comprehends in it the highest , the starry , and the airie heavens ; thus the word heaven is to be understood , gen. . . and in all other places , where the spirit of god comprehends the whole world under these two words , the heavens and the earth . secondly , it is used to signifie more specially either the highest heaven , as deut. . . looke downe from heaven , the habitation of thy holinesse , which saint paul calls the third heaven , corin. . . or the starry heaven , as gen. . i will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven : and psal. . . or the airie regions . wherein birds flie , as gen. . . where mention is made of the foules of heaven . thirdly , the word heavens , by a metonymie of the cause for the effect , and of the subject , is used in scripture to signifie foure things : first , god the possessour of the heavens , whose glorious majestie doth dwell in the highest heaven , as dan. . . where the heavens are said to reigne , that is , the god of heaven : and luk. . . i have sinned against heaven : and matth. . . was the baptisme of john from heaven , or of men ? secondly , the angels and blessed spirits , which dwell in the highest heaven , as job . . the heavens are not cleane in his sight : and psal. . . and . . where the heavens are said to praise god , that is , the angels and saints . thirdly , the church militant , which is a congregation of people written in heaven , begotten from above of heavenly seed , and whose hope , reward , and triumph is in heaven , as dan. . . the armies of the faithfull are called the host of heaven : and so in the prophets and the revelation , heaven signifies the true holy church ; and the earth signifies earthly men of the world . fourthly , the clouds in the aire , and in the face of heaven , as levit. . . i will make your heaven as iron , that is , the clouds ; insomuch that they shall yeeld no raine . now here in this text is meant ( as i have before touched ) the highest heaven , as it is distinct from the rude masse , without forme , which is here called earth , which was the common matter of the starry and airie heavens , and of all the visible world , as appeares in the next verses . and under this name here the angels , who were the host and inhabitants of the highest heavens , are comprehended : for as the word jerusalem is often used in the prophets , to signifie the people and inhabitants , together with the citie and place ; so here the word heaven , signifies not the bare place and body of the highest heaven , but the place , with all the host and inhabitants of it , the angels . as for the visible starry heavens , which are the light of the inferiour world and the airie heaven called the firmament , they can in no case be here understood : for they were made out of the rude masse , without forme , called earth , and opposed to heaven in my text. from the word thus expounded , i come to the instructions : for whereas some doubt , whether there be any heaven besides the visible starry heaven ; where those heavens are , and whether they were created , this text doth cleare the doubt ; and sheweth , that there is an heaven which farre exceeds the heavens which are seen , in all glory and excellency : for here moses speakes of an heaven created in the beginning , with or before the common masse , out of which the sunne , moone , and starres , and all the vis●ble heavens and world were made : yea , in that this heaven was created out of nothing , and had not a being given it out of the rude masse , without forme , out of which god made all the visible world ( as the text here saith ) this doth imply , that they have a more excellent being , of another kind , farre better then all that is seen , and above and without the compasse of the visible heavens ; so that hence these doctrines arise : . that there are such heavens : . that this heaven is not god , but a place created by god : . that it is above the visible heavens : . that it is most large and ample ; and yet not infinite , nor every where , as god is : . that it is a place most excellent and glorious , free from corruption , excelling and exceeding the naturall knowledge , reach , and apprehension of men . first , we here learne , that , besides the visible starry heavens , which were made out of the first rude deformed earth , there are heavens created out of nothing , in the first beginning of the creation : and this is confirmed by those scriptures , which speak expresly of the heaven of heavens , that is , an heaven besides these visible heavens ▪ as deut. . . kings . . psal. . . and . . also by those scriptures , which mention an heaven , in which gods glorious majesty is said to dwell ; and the holy angels , which cannot be the starry visible heavens , as deut. . . kings . . and mat. . . yea , the ho●y apostle puts all out of doubt , cor. . . where he calls this the third heaven . that this highest heaven is not god , but a place created by god ; for here it is said , that god created this heaven : some thought that there was no place above the spheres of heaven ; but that there god is all in all , and that there all things are in god , and subsist in him . their ground is that speech of the apostle , corinth . . that god shall be all in all but that shewes the contrarie , that god is in all , not that all things are or shal be , and subsist in god , as in a place . againe this shewes not the place , but the state of the blessed , that they shall immediately injoy god without a mediatour . now , that the highest heaven is not god , divers reasons shew : first , it is gods throne , isa. . deut. . . therefore not god himselfe . secondly , it cannot containe god ; but he is infinite , and farre without the compasse of it , kings . . thi●dly , god is every where ; but this heaven is not so , it is onely above , not in the visible world . fourthly , it is such a bodily substance , as can containe glorified bodies , as the body of christ , enoch , and eliah . it comprehends the visible heavens within the compasse of it : but god is a spirit . that it is not god , but his creature , and his workmanship ; and that he hath the disposing of it , as his creature , appeares , gen. . . heb. . . psal. . . that this heaven is above the visible heavens , divers scriptures testifie : for it is called heaven above , where jehovah is , deut. . . jos. . . that is , above all the visible world . into this heaven our saviour is said to be taken up on high , when he ascended , luke . . yea , he is said to ascend up farre above all the visible heavens , ephes. . . fourthly , that this heaven is a most ample and large place , may easily be gathered and proved from this , that it was made distinct from the earth , which was the matter of the whole visible world ; and doth subsist above , and without the compasse both of the masse , and of all things which were made of it ; and so comprehends them within the large compasse of it . and our saviour intimates so much , where he affirmes , that in it are many mansions , john . , . also the psalmist , psal. . . where hee calls this heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies faire , and large spacious plaines : and yet it is not infinite , nor every where ; for god fills it and the earth also , and it is not able to containe him , kings . . the fifth instruction is , that the highest heaven is a place most glorious and excellent , free from all corruption , and full of glorious light , farre surpassing our fraile imagination , and the reach of mans naturall understanding . the very signification of the name shewes that it is farre remote from our sight , conceipt , and apprehension . and that rule in philosophy proves , that it is free from alteration and corruption , to wit , that those things onely are changeable , and may be corrupted , and turned into their first matter , which are made of a common matter , capable of divers formes . but things which have no part of any such matter in them , are incorruptible , and unchangeable , free from alterations incident to inferiour things . now such are these heavens discovered to be in my text : for they were made absolutely of nothing , with , or before the first common matter of the visible world : yea , in the next words the spirit of god doth distinguish the rude masse from these heavens , by this , that it was full of darknesse , and without forme , and void ; which implies , that these heavens were farre different , that is , full of beauty , forme , and light . and other scriptures fully confirme this : first , by the names , by which this heaven is called , and by the excellent things which are spoken of it ; for it is called the heaven of heavens , that is , the heaven farre above all heavens in glory and excellency , deut. . . and kings . . and psal. . . the heaven of heavens everlasting , so much the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth intimate . and saint paul , who was rapt up into this heaven , was so astonished with the glory of it , that he knew not whether he was in the body or out of the body : there he heard words , which it was not lawfull to utter ; and the sight thereof was such a cause of glorying , that he was afterwards in danger thereby to be too much exalted , and had need to be buffetted by the angell of sathan for his humiliation , to keep him from excessive boasting , cor. . and the same apostle calls the inheritance therein reserved for the elect , the inheritance of the saints in light , colos. . . and he saith of god , who dwels there by his glory , that he dwels in light , which none can approach unto , tim. . . which testimonies , with many other which might be cited , fully prove the glory and excellency of this heaven . besides , we have many arguments to this purpose . the first is drawne from the proper efficient cause of this heaven : for it is most certaine , that the place and city which hath god only for the builder & maker of it ; & in the building whereof god hath shewed such admirable divine wisdome , that it more specially is called his worke and building , must needs be most excellent and glorious . now such is the highest heaven , it is called the citie , whose builder and maker is god , heb. . . that is , the city which god builded alone as his master-piece , for his owne purpose , to shew therein his glorious wisdome and art , as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used doth signifie . yea , it is said to have foundations , that is , to be so firmly built , that it can never faile , but stand stedfast for ever , world without end : therefore it is a most glorious place . a second argument is drawne from the proper inhabitants of these heavens : for in all reason , and by the course of nature , that is the best place which falls to the share , and is allotted to the best inhabitants , by the will and appointment of him , who is the wisest of all , and doth order all things in wisdome and equity . now the highest heavens are allotted by god to the best inhabitants : first , he hath chosen them to be his owne habitation , wherein he delighteth to dwell , not onely by his essentiall presence and power , as he is in all other places , but also by his visible glory , holinesse , and unspeakable majesty . so the scriptures testifie , deut. . . where these heavens are called , the habitation of his holinesse . and psal. . . the high dwelling , in which god is so high above all . and isa. . . and . . the high and holy place , the habitation of gods holinesse and glory ; and even eternity , which shall never decay . secondly , god hath appointed this place to be the habitation of his holy angels , which kept their standing , in which he will have them to dwell , and to behold his glorious face continually , as our saviour saith , matth. . . and so much is intimated luke . . where angels are called the heavenly host . the third sort of inhabitants , to whom god hath allotted these heavens , is the glorified company of his saints , with christ their head , in whom they are chosen , and brought to salvation . though adam was made after gods image , yet , by creation , and in the state of naturall uprightnesse , he was not capable , nor worthy of heavenly glory ; that is the proper purchase of christ for his elect , and it is the gift of god in jesus christ , which he gives only to them who are made in christ the first fruits of his creatures , sons and heires of god. our saviour testifies so much , joh. . . where he saith , that he prepares a place for his faithfull in that house of god : and the holy apostle , heb. . where he saith , that christ onely opened the way into this holy of holies ; and that none can enter thereinto but by him the way , and the doore . and ephes. . . he saith , that god blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in christ. and pet. . , . we are said to be begotten to a lively hope , by the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead , to the inheritance incorruptable , and undesiled , that never fadeth , reserved in heaven for us : wherefore it is manifest by the excellency of the inhabitants , being none but god himselfe , and the elect angels and saints , which are most neare and deare to god , that this heaven is a place most glorious and excellent . a third argument may be drawne from the situation of it : for the highest place is ever the best by the law and course of nature , as our senses doe teach , and we see manifestly in all knowne parts of the world ; and by faith we ought to beleeve , that it is so in places beyond our sight , especially because the spirit of god in the scriptures extolls the highest places , psal. . . and isaiah . . now the highest of all places is the third heaven in situation : for christ ascending up thither , there to remaine , and to make intercession for us , act. . . and heb. . . is said to ascend farre above all other heavens , and those heavens are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the high places , psal. . . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the highest places , ephes. . . and heb. . . therefore they are the most excellent and glorious places . the fourth reason is drawne from the excellent things , which are there laid up in store for the saints : for the wisdome of god requires , that he should store up the best treasures and things in the best place ; and undoubtedly that place is the best , where god layes up in store such treasures . now in the highest heaven are the best treasures , which neither rust nor moth can corrupt , nor theeves touch with unjust hands , matth. . . there is the inheritance of the saints in light , colos. . . and the incorruptible and undefiled , pet. . there god hath prepared for them that love him such things as neither eye hath seen , nor eare heard , nor mans heart conceived , corin. . that is the place of gods right hand , and of his presence , where is fulnesse of joy , and pleasures for evermore , psal. . therefore it is the best place of all . fifthly , that place from whence every supernaturall good and perfect gift doth come , must necessarily bee the most excellent : and such a place is the highest heaven . christ , the second adam , the fountaine of all blessings , is said to be from heaven , heavenly , corinth . . and to be the bread of life , which came downe from heaven , to give life to the world , john . the calling of men to the participation of all excellent graces , is called the heavenly calling , hebr. . . the gift of supernaturall grace is called the heavenly gift , heb. . . the substantiall things shadowed out under legall types , are called heavenly things , heb. . . and the new jerusalem , the most glorious church , is called the heavenly jerusalem , hebr. . . and is said to come downe from heaven , revel . . in a word , every good and perfect gift is said to come downe from above , from the father of lights , that is , from heaven , jam. . . therefore this heaven must needs be a most excellent place . sixthly , the spirit of god in the scriptures doth describe and set forth this heaven , by all the things which are , or have been most excellent in this world , and doth make th●m but types and shadowes of it : as first , by the earthly paradise , in which god put adam in the state of innocency , which was the sweetest and most excellent place that ever was knowne in the world , cor. . . by the hill of zion , which was most beautiful for situation , and the joy of the whole earth , heb. . . by jerusalem , the most glorious citie of all the world , the place which god chose to put his name there , gal. . . and by the temple of jerusalem , the most glorious sanctuary of god ; and the holy of holies , psal. . . and . . habak . . . heb. . . and . . therefore this heaven is most excellent . lastly , that this heaven is a place of wonderfull light and glory , and a worke of god , which shall never be changed or perish , but stand and endure for ever ; it appeares by the light which hath shined from thence , and by the eternity of the things which god hath annexed to it . the light which shined from thence on saint paul at mid-day , did surpasse the brightnesse of the sun , act. . . and the house which the faithfull have there prepared for them , is said to be eternall in the heavens , corin. . . and the inheritance there reserved is said to be immortall , pet. . . and the life which the elect shall live there , is called life eternall : therefore it is a most blessed place . now , though some scriptures seem to speak to the contrary , that the heavens shall perish , as psal. . . and that heaven , as well as earth , shall passe away , matth. . . and the heavens shall passe away with a noise , pet. . . and be burnt with fire : yet the truth is , they speak not of the highest heaven , which was with the angels created immediately out of nothing ; but of the visible fiery and starry heavens , which were created out of the same rude masse , the common matter of the aire , water , and earth : they may be burnt , and set on fire , and passe away ; but the highest heaven , being not of the same common matter , no fire can take hold of it . now these instructions concerning this first worke of god , the highest heavens , serve for excellent use : first , to discover the madnesse and folly of all them , who either deny the creation of these heavens , as cajetan , augustinus , steuchus , and other great popish writers have done ; or doe hold this heaven to be nothing else but god , or his glorious majesty , and light shining forth to his creatures . these doctrines prove the contrary , and declare all such profane conceits to be doting dreames , ever to be abhorred . secondly , they shew the admirable free bounty and love of god towards his elect , and his eternall fatherly providence , in that he hath not onely provided such an excellent habitation for them , wherein they may live most happy and blessed for ever ; but also made it the first of all his creatures and workes . if the lord had first made us , and tryed our obedience how we would serve him , before he had made and furnished the highest heaven , the house of glory ; men might have imagined , that by their own doings they had procured it : but lo , god hath cut off all such vaine conceits , in that he made this first , and by so doing , sheweth that it is his love and free bounty , not our merit ; it was his providence , not our purchase or care for our selves : let us therefore give him the glory and praise of a god wonderfull in goodnesse , free grace , and providence ; even from the first foundation of the world , creating a place of rest and glory for us . thirdly , in that the highest heaven is here discovered to be so high & excellent a place , so full of glory and light , and the proper country of the saints chosen in christ ; this ought , as to reprove us , & make us ashamed of our immoderate love & affection to worldly things , and of our groveling on the ground , like brute beasts , and cleaving to the earth , like moles and earth-wormes , and of our negligence in inquiring after heaven , and meditating on this heavenly country : so also to stirre us up to the contrary , and to direct us how to prepare our selves for it , by looking and minding high things , and casting off all earthly clogges , and workes of darknesse , and all uncleannesse and filthinesse , and by putting on all holinesse , and the armour of light . if we were to goe into another country , there to spend all our daies , we would be carefull to enquire after , and learne the nature , qualities , fashions , and language of the country : and so let us doe concerning our heavenly country and city , which is above . let us enquire after heavenly things , fashion our selves to it ; and because there is our inheritance and our treasures , let there our hearts be also . fourthly , seeing heaven is so high , and so excellent and glorious a place and habitation , that man in innocency was neither capable , nor worthy of it , this serves to magnifie in our eyes the infinite goodnesse and admirable bounty of god , who hath given christ to purchase for us , being corrupted , and become sinners by adams fall , a more excellent place , state , and condition , then did belong to us in our best naturall being in the state of pure nature . this also magnifies the vertue and power of the grace of christ , which hath lifted us up from the valley of darknesse , and of the shadow of death ; and hath advanced us to be heires of a better inheritance then the earthly paradise , even to live and reigne with god in his heavenly kingdome . fifthly , here is matter of singular comfort , and of patience , and hope in all the afflictions , which can befall us here on earth in this vale of misery ; when men labour , and strive , and fight for an earthly crowne , and in hope of a glorious victory and triumph , no danger of death doth daunt or dismay them , no pain and griefe of wounds doth discourage them ; but the crowne of glory , which we wrestle for , it is incorruptible , and never fadeth : and the kingdome for which we suffer , is an heavenly kingdome , and an inheritance reserved in the highest heavens , which is a place more glorious and excellent then any tongue can expresse , or heart of man conceive : and therefore let us be stedfast and unmoveable , never daunted with any danger , nor dismayed with any feare , but comfort our selves , and possesse our soules in patience , knowing and counting , that all the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be revealed , and our momentany passions shall bring a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory in heaven , where a durable substance is stored up for us . let us hence learne to loath and hate also that erroneous opinion which some hold , to wit , that the highest heaven is not ordained to be the habitation of the saints after the last judgment ; but that christ shall reigne with them here on earth in his bodily presence : a fond conceit , contrary to the expresse word of god , utterly razed by the former doctrine . chap. iv. of the creation of angels . their names . they had a beginning : reasons and uses . they were all created by the one true god : with uses . they were made in the beginning of the world . they are gods first and best creatures : with the use. they were made in heaven , and to inhabit heaven : reasons and uses . seven corollaries or conclusions concerning the angels . i proceed in the next place to the inhabitants or host of the highest heavens , the angels , which were by the same word of god in the beginning created together with them ; as appeares , chapt. . . and howbeit they are not here expresly named by moses ; yet they are necessarily included in this word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the heavens , as may easily be proved , and made manifest by three reasons : first , the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is demonstrative , and shewes that there is an emphasis in this word ; and the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , consisting of the first , and last letter of the alphabet , is of generall comprehension , and shewes , that by these speciall and most glorious heavens , he means all whatsoever was created with them , and whatsoever was in the creation contained in them , even all the glorious angels . secondly , it is a common and usuall thing in the scriptures , for the spirit of god , to signifie by the name of the place , both the place and the inhabitants : as for example , psal. . . and jerem. . . o jerusalem , wash thine heart . and matth. . . jerusalem , jerusalem , that killest the prophets . in these places , by jerusalem is meant not the city only , but also the inhabitants . and so the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the heavens , is used to signifie the angels which were the created inhabitants of heaven , job . . where it is said , the heavens are not pure in his sight , that is , the angels , because many of them rebelled , and lost their habitation , and were stained with sinne . and psal. . . and the heavens shall declare thy wonders , o lord , that is , the heavenly host : therefore by analogy of scripture , the angels may here be understood . thirdly , what is here meant by the heavens , moses himselfe sheweth , chapt. . . namely , the heavens and the host of them , that is , the angels , for they are the host of the highest heaven , and so are called , luke . . therefore undoubtedly the angels are included in the word heavens . so then the creation of the angels coming now the next in order to be handled , i will seeke no further for a text ( though there be some more plain and expresse ) but will ground all my doctrines , concerning the creation and nature of angels , on this word , taken in that sense which i have here proved ; which offers to our consideration five maine and principall points of instruction , unto which all other doctrines may be reduced , which concerne their nature and creation , and may be as branches comprehended under them . first , we here learne , that angels had a beginning , and were not from all eternity . secondly , that god created them , and that they were made by that one god and three persons , here called elohim . thirdly , that they were created in the beginning , as the word bereshith , taken in the most strict sense , signifieth , the first moment of time . fourthly , that they were created by the first simple act of absolute creation , that is , they were made out of nothing , most perfect and glorious creatures , in an instant . fifthly , that they were made in and with the highest heavens , and by the law of creation made to inhabit them , as the proper place of their naturall habitation . these are the maine and principall points of doctrine , which immediately flow from the words . and these , especially the last of them , doth offer to our consideration divers other particular questions , and points of instruction to be handled . as first , seeing they were created in and with the highest heavens , to be the proper inhabitants of them ; therefore they are of an heavenly nature , even pure , excellent , and glorious spirits , such as the nature of the place requires , to be suteable inhabitants . and here an occasion is offered to seeke out a true description of angels , and to enquire after their wisdome , power , and such like properties , wherein they excell , and are like unto god the creatour , bearing his image . secondly , hereby are offered to us these points to be handled , and these questions to be discussed , viz. that the angels are of a finite nature , limitted to their places : also , whether they are circumscribed , and measured by the place in which they are , or rather definitively in it . and whether , and how they move from place to place , and such like . thirdly , the most high and large heavens , compassing about the whole visible world , in and with which they were created , to be the host of them ; doe import , that the angels were created many in number , according to the largenesse of the place , and that they are innumerable , more then mans fraile reason can comprehend . fourthly , the highest heaven , being their naturall place , in which they were created , hence a question ariseth , concerning a being in other places ; how they come to be out of heaven , their naturall place , and some of them quite banished out of heaven for ever . and here their mutability and fall comes to be handled ; and the distinction of them into good and evill angels . thus we see in briefe into what a broad field this short text doth lead us , and what large scope it gives us to speake of the angelicall nature , and the heavenly spirits , the first and chiefest of the creatures of god. that we may better understand these doctrines , i will first consider the name of angels , what it signifies , and how we are to take it in this place . the name , angell , comes of the greek name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies a messenger , sent forth from some superiour person , or state , to deliver a message , and to declare the mind of him or them that sent him . the hebrew name , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is the name of an angell in the old testament , signifies also a messenger ; but yet in a more full and large sense : for it signifies such a messenger , as doth not only deliver and declare a message by word of mouth , but also doth act and execute indeed the will of him that sent him , and doth performe his worke injoyned , as a faithfull minister and servant . and hence it is , that the hebrew word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is derived of it , and is used for the office and worke of an angell , signifies in generall any thing which serves for the use and ministery of man. and as the signification , according to the etymology , is generall and large ; so the word is used in the scriptures , to signifie any messenger or minister sent forth upon a message , or some employment , either from god or men . jacobs messengers which he sent unto esau , genes . . . to worke his peace are called by the name . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , angels . and num. . . the messengers which moses sent from kadesh unto the king of edom , are so called , and in greeke translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . but when gods messengers are thereby signified , it hath the name jehovah , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , most commonly added to it . as for the first signification , we let it passe , as a stranger in this place , where we are to discourse of heavenly angels ; and doe take it in the second signification , for the angels of the lord. and being so taken , it is still doubtfull , till it be more particularly distinguished : for in this sense it signifies three sorts of angels , as the learned have well observed . first of all it signifies , that chiefe and principall messenger and ambassadour of god , his son jesus christ , who was sent forth as god , in the forme and shape of an angell and messenger to the fathers before his incarnation : and as man , in ●u●nesse of time by incarnation , and assuming of mans nature into his person : for , gen. . . by the angell which delivered jacob , and which he prayeth , may blesse the sons of joseph , is meant the lord christ. and in all places , where the angell which appeared , is called jehovah , or was worshipped , god the son is meant , as exod. . and zach. . there by the angell christ is meant , appearing either like an angell , or in the shape of a man , to fore-shew his incarnation . so likewise , where we reade of the angell of gods presence or face , as isa. . . or of the angell of the covenant , as malac. . . or of the archangell , as thes. . . jud. . christ is meant . secondly , this word is used to signifie men , by divine inspiration called , and sent from god upon some speciall message , especially the message of salvation , as job . . judg. . . malac. . . and . . and revel . . & . thirdly , this word is most frequently and commonly used , to signifie the heavenly spirits created by god , to stand about his throne in heaven , to behold his face continually ; because they are , as by nature fit , so by office ready to be sent on his message , and to doe his will , as gen. . . psal. . . matth. . . in this sense we are to take the word in this discourse of the creation of angels : for though christ be the angell of god , and the great messenger of salvation ; and gods ministers , as they are gods embassadours , sent by him , are angels of the lord : yet they are not angelicall spirits , created in the first beginning ; they are onely angels by office and calling , not by nature in the creation . onely the heavenly spirits , whom god hath made at the first fit to minister , and hath since in christ appointed to be ministring spirits for the good of them , who are chosen to be heires of salvation in christ ; they are angels both by nature and office . and they are the proper subject of our present discourse . i proceed to the doctrines , which i will prosecute in order , as they arise out of this text. first , seeing the angels are included in this word , the heaven ; hence we may learne , that as the heavens , so the angels , the host of heaven , had their beginning with the highest heaven , and were not in being from all eternity ; which point is farther confirmed by all such scriptures , as attribute a beginning to all things , and tell us that they are , and subsist not of themselves , but from god , as rom. . . where the apostle saith , that of god , and through him , and to him are all things : and cor. . . but to us there is but one god the father , of whom are all things , and we for him ; and one lord jesus christ , by whom are all things . and revel . . . and . . thou lord hast created all things , and for thy pleasure they are and were created . and that god , who liveth for ever , created heaven , and the things that therein are . and that in this universality of things created , the angels are comprehended , the apostle sheweth most plainly , colos. . . where hee affirmes , that all kinds of things visible and invisible , whether they be thrones , or dominions , or principalities , or powers , all were created by him , and for him . but if any shall cavill and say , that though they are of god , and he is the cause and creatour of them ; yet it doth not necessarily follow , that they were created in the beginning with the heavens , but from eternity , and as co-eternall effects have their being from god. the next words which follow will cut off this objection , which affirme , that christ is before all things , and by him all things consist , verse . and therefore they had a beginning after christ , and were not co-eternall with him . reason also confirmes this , drawne from the fall of a great multitude of the angels : for things eternall , which were , and had their being from eternity , without beginning , and before all times , they cannot fall in time , nor be changed , but abide the same for ever : but a great multitude of the angels did fall . and the divell was once one of the most glorious among them , and he with many others , who left their habitation , are reserved in chaines to the last judgement , pet. . . and jud. . therefore they are but creatures , made in the beginning . secondly , though angels are not circumscribed , and measured by a bodily space or dimension ; yet they are definitively in place : and where there is no place , there can be no angell , as i shall shew hereafter . now before the creation of the heavens , there was no place at all wherein angels might be , abide and subsist : therefore before the heavens they were not , but were created with them . but angels are called jehovah , as that angell which spake to agar , and promised to multiply her seed , genes . . . and the angell , which appeared to moses in the bush , exod. . . and the angell which rebuked satan , zach. . . and jehovah is without beginning . the angell mentioned in those places was christ the sonne of god , the angell of the covenant , and so was jehovah , indeed , the creatour of angels ; the words of the severall texts shew so much : for that angell saith , i will multiply thy seed : and i am the god of abraham : therefore this objection is of no force . angels are called the sons of god job . . and . . therefore they are of gods nature and substance , begotten from all eternity ; not created with the heavens . every son of god is not a naturall son , begotten from all eternity ; for men are also called sons of god by creation , regeneration , and adoption ; and yet are not naturall , and co-eternall sons of god. and so angels are sons : first by creation , in respect of the speciall image of god , in which they were made , and to which they are conformable . also the good angels are sons by adoption unto god in christ their head . but none of them all is the son of god by nature , as the apostle testifieth , heb. . , . that is proper to christ alone ; he onely is the brightnesse of his fathers glory , and the expresse image of his person : and he onely is called the first-borne and the onely begotten son of god , john . , . therefore this objection is of as little force as the other . this point serves to shew , that absolute eternity , without beginning , is the proper attribute of god ; and to communicate it to any other , by holding , that any other besides the one onely true god is eternall , is no lesse then a sacrilegious robbery , and taking from god the honour due to him : for seeing angels are all created in the beginning , when the heavens were made , and are not from all eternity ; much lesse may eternity be attributed to any other , besides the true god. secondly , here we see the grosse errour of papists , who worship angels , and pray unto them . as also their foule mistaking and wresting of some scriptures , & some examples of the patriarchs , as abraham , jacob , and moses , who did worship the angels which appeared to them , and spake unto them . for these were not divers angels , but the great angell of the covenant , christ the son of god appearing in the forme of an angell , who , as he is jehovah , the true god ; so he is called by them who prayed to him , and is worthy to be worshipped and prayed to : but not any of the angels , which are but creatures , and not jehovah , can be worthy of this honour which god requires as proper to himselfe . the second doctrine hence flowing is , that all the angels were created by that one god , and three persons , here called elohim ; and that the son , together with the father and the spirit , is the lord the creatour of them : which truth is confirmed also by divers scriptures , as john . . where by the word , the eternall son , all things are said to be made , and nothing without him . and colos. . . all things in heaven and in earth , whether they be thrones , or dominions , principalities , or powers , all are said to be created by him . to which we may adde those places , psal. . . revelat. . . and . . where all things in heaven and earth , and by name , the angels are said to be made by god. which point may comfort us with assurance , that christ is absolute lord of the angels : and as he hath a love to us , and a will to help , and assist us ; so he hath the angels , which excell in strength , at his command , alwaies ready prest to doe his will , and to execute his word for our good . the best ground of lordship and dominion , which any can have over any things , is the creating and making of them : for it is good reason , that none should have more power over a thing , then he who made and formed it by his owne hand and skill , and gave the whole being to it . and this the scriptures shew , where they attribute great power and lordship to the potter over the clay , which he formeth , and the vessell which he makes of it , isa. . . jerem . . rom. . now this the lord christ our saviour hath over the angels , as he is their creatour , in an high measure ; for he made them out of nothing by his owne power : and therefore just it is , that all angels , principalities , & powers should ever be subject to him ; and that they should not only worship him , heb. . . but also should be his ministring spirits , sent forth to minister for the good of them , who are heires of salvation in christ. in this assurance let us solace our selves , and be of comfort , knowing that the angels in heaven are ministers for us , when we are christs little ones , and they behold the face of our heavenly father . and let us in this hope harden our faces , and stand with courage before all wicked violent enemies and persecutours . and as we are here assured , that the angels being created by the lord christ , and having him for their head , adding light and holinesse unto them ; must needs love us as fellow-creatures and members under the same head , and be ready and willing to help us when god sends them : so we are here admonished to love them as our fellow-servants , under one & the same lord , and as creatures made in the same image , but more excellent , and by one and the same hand , rejoycing in heaven at our conversion , and turning unto god by repentance . here also we are admonished , that we are not to dream or imagine , that christ tooke the nature of angels on him , though he be called the angell of the covenant , and of gods presence , and the archangell , that is , the prince of angels ; for an angell he is called in respect of his office , but by nature he is no angell , but as different from angels , as the creatour and lord differs from the creature , who is by him created of nothing , and the servant ministring to him . the third point of instruction is , that the angels were created in the beginning of the world , in the first moment of time , by gods first act of creation . this is confirmed , job . . where angels are called the sons of god , to shew , that he is their father by creation ; and also the starres of the morning , to shew , that they were created in the first moment or morning of the creation , with the first light , the highest heavens ; and are said to sing together , and to lift up their voice , when god laid the first corner-stone and foundation of the earth ; which necessarily implies , that then they were already made , and had a being given before , even with the heavens . also psal. . . where god is first said to make his angels spirits , and his ministers a flaming fire ; and then to lay the foundations of the earth , that is , of the inferiour visible world . this serves to shew , that angels and their actions are not so properly measured by time , as the actions of men , and other inferiour creatures : but as they were created in the first beginning , with the first moment of time ; so they can remove their presence into places far distant in a moment , without time , and doe things quickly in an instant , and are swift messengers . fourthly , in that the angels are here included in the word heavens , and are said to be created with them in the beginning ; hence we may learne , that the angels are gods first creatures , made perfect out of nothing , by the first act of simple and absolute creation . for proofe of this we need no further argument but those scriptures which affirme , that god made his angels spirits , that is , spirituall substances , which are the most perfect of creatures , and come nearest in nature to god , who is a spirit , as psal. . . and hebr. . . if they had been created out of any matter made before , then they must have been made out of the rude masse , without forme , called earth : for all things which were created not by absolute and simple creation , but out of some thing made before , were created out of the rude masse , the earth ; but angels were not made out of it : for it is the common matter of the visible and inferiour world ; but angels are invisible , and were created to bee inhabitants of the highest invisible heavens : therefore they must needs be the first of gods creatures made perfect , as the invisible heavens were , of nothing , by the first act of simple and absolute creation . this discovers to us the excellency of the angelicall nature , that the angels are gods master-piece , his first and most perfect worke in all the creation . the rude masse , without forme , called earth , was made out of nothing , imperfect , void , and full of darknesse , and was no perfect creature ; but the matter of the visible inferiour mutable world , and all the creatures therein . the highest heavens were also made perfect out of nothing , to be the place of the angels , the heavenly spirits ; but yet the angels must be more excellent then they by nature , because they were made to serve for the use of angels , even to be the place of their habitation . and yet the angels , those excellent and chiefest of all creatures , are in christ become our brethren and fellow-servants ; yea , they are after a sort made our servants and ministring spirits , sent forth to minister for them , who shall be heires of salvation : wherefore , as we are by this doctrine stirred up to contemplate with admiration upon the excellency of the angelicall nature ; and to wonder at gods bounty to us fraile men , inferiour earthly creatures , in honouring us so farre , as give his glorious angels to minister for us : so also we are provoked to magnifie , and extoll the infinite excellency of the merits and mediation of the lord christ our redeemer and saviour , who procured and purchased this honour and dignity for us , that the blessed angels should minister for our good , who of our selves , and by our sinnes , deserved to be slaves of the divell , and evill angels : wherefore , as angels grudge not to minister for us ; so let not us grudge , but rejoyce to minister for the poorest of the saints , and the little ones of christs flocke , our brethren . the fifth point of doctrine is , that the angels were created in and with the highest heavens ; and by creation were made to inhabit those heavens , as the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation . this doctrine is confirmed , first by the expresse words of moses himselfe , in the first words of the next chapter , viz. gen. . . thus the heavens and the earth were finished , and all the host of them . in which words he plainly affirmes , that not onely the heavens and the earth , but also all the host of them were thus created and perfectly finished , that is , in that order and maner as he hath before related in my text , & the rest of this first chapter . now in this chapter we have not one word which can be understood of the creation of the host of the highest heaven , that is , the angels , but onely these words of my text , which affirme , that in the beginning , that is , in the first moment , when god began to give being to his first creatures , he created the heavens ; that is , the highest heavens distinct from the earth , which was the common matter of all the visible world ; and with those heavens the host of them , that is , the angels , which are the host and inhabitants of them . for it is an usuall thing in the scriptures , to signifie by the name of a place the proper inhabitants of the place , together with the place it selfe , as i have before shewed by divers examples . yea , the word heavens is used to signifie the angels , as i have shewed from job . . therfore it is a thing most clear & manifest , that the angels were created together with the highest heavens , as the host & naturall inhabitants of them ; and those heavens , by the law of creation , are the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation . secondly , the scriptures fully prove this point , which call the angels , the angels of heaven ; as matthew . . and galat. . . and the heavenly host , as luke . . and name the angels among the hosts of the lord , which from the heavens , and in the heights sing halleluiah and praise to him , as psal. . , . thirdly , this doctrine is confirmed by divers reasons , grounded on the word of god. the first is builded upon the doctrines before proved by plaine testimonies of holy scripture , to wit , that the angels were not from all eternity , but were created by elohim , that is , the true god , who is one god and three persons , as is plainly restified . psal. . . and . . and colos. . . upon this infallible ground i thus argue , that angels being creatures , created and made by god , must of necessity be created either before the heavens , or in and with the highest heavens ; or else together with the elements , and the creatures of the inferiour visible world , which were all made out of that rude masse called earth , which was without forme , and void . but they were not made before the heavens : for the heavens were made in the beginning , that is , in the first moment , when god began first to make and to give being to creatures , before which beginning there could be no creation of angels , or any other things . neither indeed was there any place , wherein angels could subsist , before the heavens were made . certainly , no finite creature can subsist in it selfe , without a place in meer nothing ; it is proper to god onely to subsist in and of himselfe . neither were they created together with the earth , and other elements and creatures of the visible world : for it is plainly testified , job . . that when god laid the foundations of the earth , and stretched the lines upon it , and laid the corner-stone thereof , then the sons of god shouted for joy , that is , the angels ; for they are called the sons of god , job . . and there were no other living creatures then made : therefore the angels were undoubtedly created before the earth , or else they could not have shouted and sung together , when the earth was made . david also testifieth , that the angels were made spirits first , psal. . . and after them god laid the foundation of the earth , verse . therefore it followeth necessarily , that the angels were created in and with the highest heaven , and are the host and proper inhabitants thereof . secondly , that place from which the evill angels were cast downe , and did fall , when they sinned , and left their first estate and habitation , is their naturall proper place in which god created them ; and they by creation are the proper inhabitants thereof . now that is the highest heaven : for when some of the angels , to wit , proud lucifer , the divell and his angels sinned , and left their habitation , as saint jude speakes , jude . then they were cast downe to hell , pet. . . even from heaven , as the prophet isaiah testifieth , isa. . . saying , how art thou fallen from heaven , o lucifer ? therefore undoubtedly the angels in their creation were made in and with the highest heavens , and had them given for their proper and naturall habitation . the third reason is drawne from the order which god observed in the creation : for as soone as god had fitted any part or place of the world for the creatures which were to dwell , and to have their being in it ; he made those creatures , and replenished the place with them : so soon as the airie heavens were made , and the waters separated from the earth , and place made for the sun , moone , and starres , and for their beames to be stretched out from heaven to earth ; then the host of the visible heavens , the sunne , moon , and starres were created and placed in them : and so soon as the sea was fitted for living and moving creatures , god created them out of it ; and so likewise when the earth was made to stand out of the waters , and furnished with herbs , plants , and trees , for the use of living creatures , god created birds and beasts ; and when it was furnished with all creatures fit for mans use , then he created man , and the woman also an help meet for him : therefore undoubtedly so soon as he created the highest heavens , the proper and naturall place of the angels , then and together with those heavens he did create the angels , which are the heavenly host , and suffered them not to remaine one houre empty , without their furniture and inhabitants . this doctrine thus laid downe and proved , besides some speciall use which we may make of it for affection and practice , is a ground and foundation of many other doctrines concerning angels , which flow as conclusions and corollaries from it , and an occasion of questions to be discussed : first , let me make some briefe application of it , and then proceed to the doctrines and questions . first , in that angels were created in and with the highest heaven by gods powerfull word , and by his simple and absolute act of creation ; this shewes the infinite power and omnipotency of god , that he can make the most excellent , immortall , and glorious creatures , greatest in power and strength , meerly out of nothing by his owne hand immediately . the wisest , and most able and skilfull artificers and master-workmen in all the world , and among all the sons of men , doe stand in need of divers helps and instruments for the effecting and perfecting of any good worke , and without them he can doe little or nothing . he must have servants and inferiour workmen under him ; he must have good tooles and instruments fitted for his hand , and he must have also good materials to worke upon ; for he can frame and make no good worke out of course stuffe , and base metalls : but lo here an admirable artificer and work-master , before whom all the art and skill of all creatures is as vanity and nothing . the lord god , the creatour and former of all things , he alone hath made all the world ; and he hath not onely made his owne materials , out of which he framed this great fabrick of the visible world , and all this without any instruments or working-tooles ; but also hee hath made in a moment , in the first beginning , together with the glorious highest heavens , the palace and throne of his glorious and infinite majesty , the most glorious and excellent of all his creatures , the angels , and that out of nothing , which are great in power , wonderfull in strength , and admirable in swiftnesse , immortall spirits , able to destroy a whole army of men in a night , and to overturne kingdomes and cities in one day ; at whose sight and presence valiant gideon , a mighty man of warre , and the great captaine of israel , was so affraid and astonished , that he cried , aha , lord god , i shall die . zachary , an holy priest , was stricken dumbe for a time : and the hardy roman souldiers , which watched christs sepulchre , were astonished , and became as dead men . who therefore can sufficiently admire this mighty creatour ? what heart is able to conceive , or tongue to expresse his wisdome , power , and omnipotency ? let us in silence adore him , and tremble and feare before him ; not with servile and slavish horrour , but with holy feare and reverence . let us flee to him for all help , succour , and strength in all distresses ; for supply of all our wants , for guidance and direction in all our waies . if we be assured of his favour , and that he is with us , and on our side , and that we stand for his cause ; let us not care who be against us , nor feare what men and divels can doe unto us . if we want meanes and instruments , let vs not be dismayed ; for he can worke without them . if we want necessary matter , he can make it , or worke without it , and bring things most excellent out of nothing . for this very end , the lord hath shewed himselfe and his divine power in the creation , and by the creatures , that we might know and acknowledge , love and honour , serve and worship him , and upon all occasions give him the glory due to his name , and tell the people what great and wonderfull things he hath done , and how by his owne arme and power he hath brought great and strange things to passe . secondly , this doctrine serves to discover the errour and falshood of divers opinions , published and maintained by men of learning : as first , that of origen , basil , and other greek fathers , who dreamed , that the angels were created many ages before the corporeall and visible world . . and that held by some others , that they were created after the creation of adam . . that the creation of angels is not mentioned by moses in the history of the creation ; but the time thereof is altogether concealed , which is the opinion of pererius , and of some fathers and schoolmen . . that opinion of some ancients , who held , that god by the ministery of angels created this visible world . this doctrine proves them all to be vaine dreames and fictions , in that it shewes plainly , by plaine testimonies and solid arguments out of gods holy word , that the angels were created in and with the highest heavens , neither before nor after them ; and are the inhabitants and host of those heavens mentioned , gen. . . and that expresly by moses . . also for that opinion of the popish schoolmen , and of their master aristotle , who hold , that angels move the spheres of the visible heavens , and guide the severall motions of the sun. moon , and starres ; it is in no case to be allowed . for as the scriptures doe expresly ascribe the creation of all things to god alone , and to his eternall word and spirit , and never mention angels as creators working with god in the creation ; but as creatures first made in and with the highest heavens , and rejoycing at gods founding of the earth : so they affirme , that in god all things move , and have their being ; and he gives the law and rule of motion to the sun , moon , and starres , guides them by his hand , causeth them to rise and set , and brings forth all their host by number , isa. . . and . . and this doctrine , which teacheth us , that the angels were made to dwell in the highest heavens , and there they have their residence , not in the spheres of the visible heavens , it overthrowes all such conceipts , makes them vanish like smoak , and drives them away like chaffe before the wind : wherefore let us all acknowledge , that as god created angels of nothing by himselfe alone , and did give motion to the heavens ; so without help of angels he doth continue the same motion , and did create all other inferiour things . let us take heed that we give not gods glory to any other ; but let us confesse , that all thankes for all blessings are due to him ; in him things live , move , and have their being ; and he turneth about the spheres of heaven by his counsels , that they may doe whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth , job . . from the use of this doctrine , i proceed to the conclusions , which necessarily flow from it . . corollary , or conclusion . the first is , that angels by creation , and in their nature and substance are the first and chiefest of all gods creatures , far more excellent then man in his best naturall being in the state of innocency ; this doctrine floweth necessarily from the former : for first , god in wisdome hath made all things , the best and chiefest of creatures for the best places ; and inferiour creatures , for inferiour p●aces , as we see by experience in all things visible : and therefore undoubtedly the angels , which were created to be the naturall inhabitants of the highest and best place , must needs be the chiefest creatures , and the most excellent in nature and substance . secondly , those creatures , which god framed in the creation , to dwell nearest to his glorious presence , even with his heavenly majesty , and to stand before his throne in the heaven of heavens , must needs be in their nature and substance most excellent , and farre above man in innocency , whose best dwelling was but an earthly paradise , or garden furnished with fruits , which might be eaten up and consumed ; and such were the angels , as the former doctrine hath plainly proved : therefore this conclusion necessarily flowes from that doctrine , and is proved and confirmed by it . but we have for further confirmation both plaine testimonies and arguments in the holy scriptures : the royall prophet david , being ravished with the contemplation of the supercelestiall glory appearing in the secondary beames thereof , which shine in the visible heavens , and in the sun , moon , and starres , cries out in admiration and wonders that god , dwelling in such admirable glory , and having such excellent and glorious company and attendants about him , should vouchsafe to look upon man , or have any regard of him : what is man ( saith he ) that thou art mindfull of him , or the sonne of man , that thou visitest him ? psal. . . but in the next words he goeth further , and speaks fully to the point , and shewes , that christ himselfe , according to his humanity , though conceived and borne most pure and holy , was made lower then the angels ; thou hast made him ( saith he ) a little , or for a little while lower then the angels , that is , christ in the nature of man , which he took upon him ; for so the apostle expounds these words of david , hebr. . . and psal. . . yee angels ( saith he ) which excell in power . our saviour also in the gospel sheweth plainly , that the angels in heaven are so excellent in nature and substance , as the elect saints glorified shall be after the last resurrection ; and their most glorious and blessed condition , which farre excels adam in innocency , shall be like unto the ange's , matth. . . saint peter in plaine words saith , that angels are farre greater then men in power and might , pet. . . saint paul calls them angels of light , corinth . . , and the angels of gods power , thes. . . he numbers them with principalities and powers , which farre excell the nature of man , rom. . . whensoever he sets forth the greatest excellency of things created , greater then in men , he doth instance in angels . as cor. . . though i speak with tongues of men and angels . and galat. . . if i , or an angell from heaven , and . . ye received me as an angell of god , yea as christ jesus . in a word , whereas man is an earthly creature , framed out of dust , in respect of his visible part his body ; angels are pure heavenly spirituall substances , framed immediately out of nothing , by the simple and absolute act of creation . and whereas mans better part , the soule , though it be a spirit ; yet was not created a perfect compleat creature , but made to subsist in the body , and cannot be in full perfection without it : angels are spirits complete and perfect in themselves , without subsistence in any other creature , as shall appeare hereafter . and therefore angels are by creation , and in nature and substance farre above man in his best naturall estate , even in the state of innocency . first , this shewes most clearly , that all the love and favour which god extends to man in christ , and in giving christ to be mans saviour and redeemer , by taking mans nature upon him , and making full satisfaction therein to justice for him , and in saving man from hell and damnation , and exalting him to heavenly glory , is on gods part most free and voluntary , arising meerly and wholly from the good pleasure of his owne will , and not from any merit , worth , and excellency , which he at first created , or since found in mans nature . if the naturall excellency of any creature could procure gods speciall favour , or deserve his bountie , or move him to shew mercy to any creature which hath sinned , and by sin is fallen into misery ; surely , the angelicall nature should have been more respected of god , then the nature of man : and angels , being fallen , should more easily have found mercy at his hand . for ( as this doctrine hath proved ) angels are by creation , and in nature and substance the chiefest and most excellent of all gods creatures , far excelling man in power , might , purity , and being ; and yet , when angels and man were both fallen , and found guilty , charged with folly , and involved in misery , god passed by the angels , and shewed no mercy to them ; neither gave his son , to take upon him the nature of angels , and to be their saviour and redeemer ; but so many of them as sinned , and kept not their first estate , but left their habitation , he hath reserved in everlasting chaines of darknesse , unto the judgement of the great day , pet. . jud. . but for man , who is of lesse worth , and farre inferiour by nature , he hath given his sonne , to take mans nature upon him , to be incarnate and made flesh , and hath sent him forth in the forme of fraile and sinfull flesh , made of a woman , and made under the law , and hath delivered him up to a cursed death , and to hellish agonies , pangs , and sorrowes , that he might redeem this fraile worme of the earth , miserable and sinfull man , from hell and damnation , unto which the angels which sinned are reserved under darknesse ; and to exalt him far above the state of innocency , in which he was created , and his best naturall estate in paradise , unto the high estate of heavenly glory , with the elect holy , and blessed angels , which is farre above that mutable state of glory , in which the angels were first created , and from which so many of them did fali : wherefore let us admire this free grace of god , and stand amazed at his wonderfull and supertranscendent bounty to mankind . and whatsoever mercy we receive from him in our deliverance from any evill or whatsoever blessing and benefit of bounty and goodnesse in advancing us to this state of grace or glory , let us wholly ascribe it to the good pleasure of his owne free will , and not to any merit in our selves , or any excellency created in our nature . and let no man glory in his naturall wit or wisdome , and knowledge gotten by learning and study , nor boast in his owne strength ; but , as it is written , let him that glorieth , glory in the lord , and triumph in this , that he knoweth gods free grace and aboundant mercy in jesus christ , and hath the sweet taste and experience of it in his owne soule . secondly , this serves to magnifie in our eyes both the large measure of gods bounty to his elect in christ , and also the infinite power and excellency of christ his mediation , and the dignity and worth of his person , in which hee hath so dignified our fraile nature , by assuming it upon himselfe and uniting it personally to his godhead ; that hee hath exalted it farre above the most glorious and excellent state of the angels in heaven . that angels are the best and chiefest of all gods creatures by creation , and in nature and substance farre more excellent then man in his best naturall estate of innocency , i have proved in this doctrine . and yet christ taking upon him our nature , which was far inferiour to the angels , and uniting it personally to himselfe , as he is the eternall sonne of god , hath dignified , and exalted , and crowned it with glory and excellency farre above all angels , principalities , thrones , and dominions , hebr. . . so that the holy , elect and blessed angels exalted above their best naturall estate , to the immutable estate of supernaturall life , immortality and glory , doe adore and worship him , as david fore-told , psal. . . and the apostle affirmes , heb. . . he is the head of all , and they all are made subject to him , pet. . . and so wonderfull is gods bounty to man in christ and so powerfull and excellent is christs mediation for the elect of mankind , that by christs mediation concurring and working together with gods bounty , according to wisdome , and for the satisfaction of gods justice , a ready way is made for them into the holy of holies , the heaven of heavens : and they are not onely exalted and elevated farre above their best naturall being , unto the blessed state of the glorious angels ; but also the holy angels , with whom they shine in heavenly glory hereafter in the life to come , are made of god ministring spirits , whom christ hath procured to minister for their good here in this world in the state of grace ; so that upon him , as upon the ladder in jacobs dreame , the angels of god descend from heaven to earth , and ascend from earth to heaven , and doe encamp round about them , to save and deliver them , as david saith , psal. . . yea , and when the evill angels shall be judged at the last day , they shall through gods infinite bounty , and for the merit and worthinesse of christ , be advanced to sit upon thrones with him , and to judge and give sentence against the divell , and all his angels , as wee reade , corinth . . . and therefore if wee had the tongues of men and angels , we are never able to utter or expresse the infinite excellency , worth , and dignity of the person and mediation of christ , nor sufficiently to extoll , laud , and magnifie the bounty of god to poore mankind in christ. and here we see that truly verified , which the prophet fore-told , isa. . . and the apostle proclaimed , cor. . . that since the beginning of the world , the eye of man hath not seen , nor his eare heard , neither hath it ever entered into the heart of man , what good things god hath prepared for them that love him . thirdly , this doctrine serves to worke in us a true love , and reverent respect of the angels of god , as being the chiefest of gods creatures , and by nature more excellent then man in his best naturall estate , and great in power , able to help us more then all other creatures , when god offers occasion and opportunity , and gives them charge over us . every man is bound to thinke better , and more reverently of other men , who are in any gifts more excellent then himselfe , though they be all of one nature and kind , and of the same flesh and bloud . and god hath put upon the beasts of the field by nature a feare and respect of man , because he is a more excellent creature . now the angels are by nature and creation more excellent then man in his best naturall estate ; and man in the supernaturall estate of glory , shall be but equall to the elect and holy angels : and therefore , as we must ever labour to decline that servile superstition , and base will-worship of angels , which is condemned , colos. . . and must beware of giving divine and religious worship to them , which they themselves reject and refuse , being our fellow-servants , and have utterly detested and forbidden , when it hath been offered , as appeares , revel . . . and . . so we must take heed , that we doe not thinke meanly of them , as if they were but our servants , because they minister for our good : for in guarding us , and encamping about us , and in ministring for us , they are not our servants which owe us service ; neither have we power to command them , nor ability to requite them for the least service : but they are the servants of god , and of our lord christ , and fellow-servants with all kings , prophets , and holy men of god ; and as gods embassadors , and princely courtiers & ministers , we ought to esteem and respect them , with all love and hearty affection . and , as in all places where there are embassadors and noble princes and courtiers of great emperours and monarchs , men will have a care to beare themselves orderly , and to doe all things decently , and will be affraid and ashamed to commit any absurdity , or beare themselves immodestly : so let us in the publick assemblies of the saints , and in holy congregations of gods-church , where angels are supposed sometimes to guard us , and to over-look us ( as the words of the preacher seem to import , eccles. . . and of the apostle also , cor. . . ) beare our selves reverently , and beware of all vaine words , filthy behaviour , and beastly drowzinesse and sleepinesse , as if we came to the church like uncleane dogges for company only , or to lye snorting and sleeping , which is the evill custome and practice of many carnall people . fourthly , this doctrine is matter of comfort to gods poore despised servants , in that it doth assure them , that the angels which love them , and as friends rejoyce in their conversion ; and as guardians protect and watch over them , are great , excellent , and glorious above all earthly men : and therefore , though the great men of the world scorne and despise them , and among such they can find no favour , help , or defence ; yet let them comfort themselves , and rejoyce in this , that he , who is higher then the highest , hath a guard , to whose care and charge he hath committed them ; and that not of mighty men , in whom there is no help , but of angels , which in power , strength , and glory far exceed the most excellent among the sons of men . . corollary . secondly , in that angels were created in and with the highest heaven , to be the naturall inhabitants sutable to the place ; hence we may gather a definition of angels , to wit , that angels are heavenly spirits , or pure and entire spirituall substances , created in the beginning by god after his owne image , every one of which is distinct from another by a speciall existence , or proper particular being of his owne , which god hath given to have in himselfe for ever . first , in that angels were not made and created out of the rude masse , without forme , and void , which is called earth , and the deep , nor of any other matter before made by god ; but in the first beginning of all things were created perfect creatures in and with the highest heavens , the lively and proper inhabitants of them : hence it necessarily followes , that they are pure heavenly spirits , and intire spirituall substances , not parts of any body or person , not compounded of any matter first made , and of a forme thereto added afterwards ; and therefore have a proper existence and being , every one in himselfe , which cannot be dissolved , but in respect of second causes remaines immortall : so that this definition , and every branch thereof flowes from the former doctrine , as a naturall corollary , or necessary conclusion . and it doth excellently set forth the nature , and naturall being and properties of angels , by which they are distinguished from all other things . first , in that they are called spirits , or pure spirituall substances , this shewes their nature and being , wherein they resemble god , and beare his image , who is the one onely true jehovah , who hath his essence and being in and of himselfe , and gives essence and being to all things , and by whom all things subsist , as that name jehovah signifies , which he assumes as proper to himselfe , exod. . , . and isa. . . and who is a spirit , as our saviour restifieth , john . . and by this name spirits , they are distinguished from all bodily creatures . secondly , in that they are called pure , intire , spirituall substances , and perfect creatures , which have every one a proper existence and particular being ; hereby they are distinguished from the spirits , that is , the soules of men , which are not intire , complete , and perfect creatures of themselves by creation ; but are made to be , and to subsist in an humane body , and together with the body to make up a perfect man. hereby also they are distinguished from the breath of life , and the vitall and animall spirits , which are in living bodies of men , and other living creatures : for they are not pure , perfect , intire creatures , which subsist by themselves , but fraile vanishing parts of creatures , which continually increase and decrease , fade and perish . thirdly , in that they are called heavenly spirits , hereby they are distinguished not onely from the spirits created here below on earth in this inferiour world , even soules of men , and all bodily spirits ; but also from god , who is a spirit , but not contained in any place , no not in the heaven , of heavens : but is essentially present in all places , as well in earth as in heaven , as the scriptures testifie , kin. . . and psal. . . fourthly , in that they are said to be created in the beginning by god , hereby they are distinguished from the absolute essence of god , and from every one of the three persons in one god : for they are not created , but are absolutely eternall , without beginning of being . fifthly , in that they are said to be created in the image and similitude of god , this shewes the excellent naturall properties of angels , that they are living , spirituall , and immortall creatures , indued with knowledge , wisdome , understanding liberty of will , power , strength , and activity to doe and performe great things wisely , justly , and freely , and so to resemble god in his glorious attributes and workes . sixthly , in that they are said to be distinguished one from another by a proper and particular subsistence and being , which every one hath by himselfe ; this shewes that angels are not one common spirit , breathed into the highest heavens , and every one a part of that one spirit ; but they are every one a whole substance or person by himselfe , as augustine saith , enchirid. . lastly , in that every one is said to have a proper existence and particular being , which god hath given him to have in himselfe , by which he differs from the rest ; this necessarily implies , that angels are finite , and limited both in their substance and number , and are mutable , not infinite and unchangeable , as god is . this is the definition , which in the severall parts and branches thereof doth fully set forth the nature and naturall properties of angels . i proceed to the confirmation of the severall parts in order . first , that angels are spirits , or spirituall substances , the holy scriptures affirme most clearly , psal. . . and heb. . . where it is said , that he maketh his angels spirits . and hebr. . . where they are called ministring spirits . and lest any should thinke or imagine , that angels are not spirits by nature and creation , but by grace and communion of the holy ghost , which is given to the elect angels in and by christ , and by which they become holy , and are settled in the immutable state of eternall blessednesse , we have most cleare testimonies in those scriptures , which call not onely the good and elect angels spirits , as act. . . and the places before cited ; but also the evill angels of satan , even the divell himselfe and his angels , which in respect of their substance which they still retaine , though they have lost their goodnesse and uprightnesse , are still called spirits , as levit. . . sam. . kin. . matth. . . act. . . ephes. . . where the divell speaking in false prophets , and his spirit of fury in saul , and of lying in ahabs prophets , and his evill angels possessing divers persons , and cast out by christ and his apostles , are called evill and unclean spirits . secondly , that angels are entire and complete spirituall substances , and perfect creatures , which have every one a proper existence and being in himselfe , the holy scriptures prove most clearly by divers reasons : first , by naming some of them by proper and distinct names , as the angell which was sent to daniel , dan. . . and to salute the virgin mary , luke . is called gabriel . secondly , by giving them such titles , and ascribing and assigning to them such offices as belong to none but complete substances and persons , which have a proper and personall existence : as for example , they are called the sons of god , job . . and . . they are called gods messengers and ministers , as appeares by their hebrew and greek names , and by scriptures , matth. . . and heb. . . they have the office of watchers and guardians , which have charge given over the elect , and encamp about the righteous , to guard and defend them , and observe and behold the face of god , ready to be at his beck for the defence of his little ones , as appeares , num. . . psal. . . and . . dan. . . and matth. . . thirdly , the scriptures doe plainly shew , that angels doe willingly and readily , and by themselves performe perfect and complete actions and workes , which none can doe but perfect creatures , which have a proper subsistence by themselves : as for example , that in the first creation as soon as they were created , they did sing together , and lift up their voice , job . . that they praise god , hearken to the voice of his word , and keep his commandements , psal. . . and . . that they have appeared and spoken to men , as to gideon , judg. . to the father of sampson , judg. . and to eliah , kin. . that they have comforted christ in his agony , luke . rolled the stone from his sepulchre , matth. . opened the prison doores , and set the apostles at liberty , act. . and . and have smitten and destroyed thousands of men in a night , as kin. . and rejoyce over sinners which repent . fourthly , the scriptures reckon up angels not among those inspirations , motions , or affections , which proceed from gods spirit , or any other person or substance ; but among perfect creatures , and spirituall substances , which live , and move , and subsist by themselves , and not in another substance ; and so the spirit of god speakes of them , psal. . . and in all the places , where they are said to come from heaven to earth , and to be sent from god unto men . the third point in the definition is , that angels are heavenly spirits , that is , neither made of any bodily substance , nor compounded of any elements , or creatures of the visible world , but of a pure and heavenly nature , made to dwell in the highest heaven , as in their proper and naturall place of habitation , and there have their continuall residence . this is manifestly proved by the former doctrine , and also by those scriptures which testifie , that they alwaies , and continually in heaven behold the face of god , as matth. . . and that they are the heavenly host , luke . . and spirits of heaven , zach. . . and there they encamping , are in a moment as ready to defend the righteous , and to guard the church militant on earth , and avenge all wrongs done to gods little ones , as if they were here present on earth : for in the twinckling of an eye , they can descend from heaven to earth , and deliver the godly , and stay the hand of their enemies , and smite them with death , as we see by the army of angels coming from heaven , and guarding elisha , so soon as he called upon god , kin. . and by the angell of god , which , at the praier of hezekiah , destroyed all the army of the assyrians in one night : and at our saviours praier in his agony , appearing presently from heaven , and comforting him . in a word , our saviour affirmes , that spirits have not flesh and bones , luke . . they cannot be seen with bodily eies , nor felt by bodily hands , as corporall things may be : therefore angels , being spirits , are not corporall , nor compounded of bodily elements , but are pure , and invisible , as the apostle cals them , colos. . . the fourth point to wit , that angels were created by god in the beginning , and god hath given to them their being , is aboundantly proved in divers doctrines before : i need not say any more of it . the fifth point is , that angels were created in the image of god , and doe in many respects resemble god more then any other creatures : first , in their very substance and naturall being ; for as god is a spirit , so they are spirits , yea pure spirits , and in that respect resemble god more then any other creatures . secondly , as god is absolutely pure and simple ; so they are more pure and simple then any other creatures , and have no corporall or visible substance in them . thirdly , as god is the living god , and even life it selfe ; and as he is infinite in wisdome , knowledge , goodnesse , and power , and doth all things freely of himselfe , according to the good pleasure of his owne will ; also is in and of himselfe most glorious and blessed for ever , and with him is no variablenesse , or shadow of turning : so angels are most quick , active , and lively spirits , the most excellent of all gods creatures in wisdome , knowledge , and liberty of will , and in all goodnesse , and good will towards men : they are also great in power , and excell in strength , psal. . . and are called the blessed and glorious angels of light ; heaven , the place of blisse , is their habitation : and as they are incorporeall spirits , which cannot be dissolved and die , as men doe , when their soules are separated from their bodies , and the whole person is dissolved : so , and in that respect , they are immortall , & do more resemble god , who only hath immortality , then any other creatures doe by nature : all these things , to wit , the lively strength , activity , knowledge , wisdome , free-will , glory , power , and blessed estate of angels , wherein they were created , the scriptures doe most clearly testifie and declare , where they affirme , that the angels doe see gods face , who is all in all , and that they look into all the mysteries , know the manifold wisdome of god concerning the salvation of the church , pet. . . and ephes. . . and have great joy in heaven over sinners which repent ; and doe relate great and mighty workes done by angels , most readily and speedily without delay . the sixth point is , that angels are distinct and different among themselves , and one from another , by a proper and particular existence , and being : this i have fully proved in the second branch . the last is , that angels are finite in their nature and number , and have their bounds and limits ; and also are by nature mutable , such as might fall from the first estate , wherein they were created . that angels are in nature finite , and cannot be in divers places , or in all places at once , is most plaine , both by this , that they are said to be gods heavenly host , and angels in heaven , that is , who are confined to heaven for the proper place of their dwelling ; and when they are here on earth , are said to be descended from heaven , matth. . . and to be here , and not there . that though they are many , and more then man can number , and in that respect are called innumerable ; yet that their number is limited , and that god knowes the number of them , cals them by their names , and brings them out by number , the prophet testifieth , isa. . . that angels are mutable by nature , subject to fall from the state wherein they were created , the scriptures doe testifie , where they make this gods property , that hee onely changeth not , malach. . . and with him is no variablenesse , iam. . . and where it is testified that god hath charged the angels with folly , iob . and many of the angels did not keep their first estate , but left their habitation , and by sinning did fall from heaven and are cast downe to hell , and delivered into chaines of darknesse , pet. . . and iude . and that onely the elect angels are made holy and immutably blessed by the light which god hath added to them , iob . . thus much for the definition of angels . . corollary . the third corollary is , that the bodily shapes of men , and other creatures , in which angels have appeared , were no parts of their nature and substance , neither were essentially united unto them , but were onely assumed for the present time and occasion , that thereby they might make fraile men see more evidently , and acknowledge their presence and their actions . for the heaven of heavens is not the place of grosse earthly bodies ; and therefore angels , being naturall inhabitants of heaven , have no such bodies personally united ; they onely did for a time assume the bodies in which they appeared and performed some actions on earth . the wordes of our saviour , luk. . . shew that spirits have not flesh and bones . therefore angels being spirits have no such bodies united to them as those wherein they appeared . . corollary . that angels are confined to the places in which they are , and are in places definitively , though not circumscribed and measured by them as bodily things are ; angels being pure spirits , doe not consist of parts as bodily things doe ; neither have they any bodily quantity or dimension , as length , breadth , height , and thicknesse ; and so they cannot bee compassed about , nor measured , nor limited by any bodily space ; but yet they are definitively in their places , that is , there and no where else ; and their substance together with bodily substances may be in the same place ; as the whole soule of man is in the whole body , and is wholly in every part of it and no where else , so it is with angels . . corollary . seeing angels are by creation the proper and naturall inhabitants of the highest heavens , which is a most spacious place , compassing about the whole visible world , and more large and capacious then all other places ; as solomon doth intimate , kin. . . hence it followeth that the angels are many in number , more then can be numbred by man , and so in respect of man innumerable . for we must not thinke that god , who in the creation replenished the sea with fishes , the aire with birds , and the visible heavens with innumerable starres , and the earth with beasts and creeping things ; and commanded man to multiply and replenish the earth , wouldleave the bestand most glorious place of all not fully replenished with inhabitants , glorious angels , who were created at the first in their full number : undoubtedly therefore there must be many , farre more then man can number . and this the prophet daniel saw in a vision and testified , dan. . . where hee saith that a thousand thousand ministred to the lord christ , and ten thousand thousand stood before him . also in the gospell wee read that there was a legion ; that is , six thousand divels in one man , mark. . . and if there be so many divels , that is , evill angels in one man ; then surely the whole company or multitude of those evill angels must be many . and the whole company of angels , in the first creation of which some onely did fall and become divels , must needs much more bee innumerable . and if that conjecture and opinion of learned men be true , to wit , that the angels which sinned and were cast downe from heaven , are as many in number as all the elect of mankind which have beene , are , or shal be to the end of the world ; and that they shall fill up the glorious mansions , and supply the roomes and places of the lost angels ; then surely the multitude of all the angels which god created must needs , bee great and innumerable , farre exceeding our capacity . . corollary . sixthly the highest heavens , being the place of rest , and not of motion which is proper to visible and corporeall things , and being the place where god hath appointed that the eternall rest or sabbath shal be kept ; therefore the angels , which were created to bee the naturall inhabitants of those glorious heavens , were not made to move with bodily motion , as bodily creatures doe : their coming from heaven to earth is not a passage through the whole space between heaven and earth . which would require a long time ; but , as it is with the mindes and thoughts of men , they are now here exercised about things present , and in a moment of time , in the twinckling of an eye , they are in the remotest parts of the world , or in the highest heavens , and yet passe not through the space betweene : so it may well be , and we may with good reason conceive , that the angels , which are of a purer and more heavenly substance then our soules , and more nimble and active then the mindes or thoughts of men are by nature ; can in a moment bee present here on earth , and in the next moment bee againe in heaven . but howsoever , or by what way soever , they descend and ascend , it is most certaine , that they are the swiftest of all things created ; and so much the scriptures shew clearly in many places , where they describe angels with wings , and call them cherubins and seraphins ; yea some one of them with many wings , which are instruments of flying and of swiftest motion , as gen. . . ezech. . . . and . . and isa. . . also we read that on a suddaine , even in an instant , a whole multitude of the heavenly host have descended from heaven and beene present on earth , luk. . . and the angell of the lord is said to encampe with an heavenly host round about them that feare god , psalm . . not by being here resident and abiding on earth , out of their proper place of abode ; but by standing before god in heaven , and beholding his face ; that they may bee ready in a moment when hee gives the watch word to present themselves on earth , there to deliver his elect , and to destroy their enemies , as our saviour doth intimate , matth. . . . corollary . seventhly , seeing the highest heaven is the proper place of angels , and this is the order which god did set in the creation , that all creatures should keep their station , and not leave their dwelling ; hence it followes , that it is against nature , and contrary to the order of creation , that many angels are excluded and shut out of heaven , even all the evill angels : and it is a thing above nature , even the supernaturall grace and gift of god , and a thing purchased and procured by the infinite power , excellency , and dignity of christs merit and mediation , that the elect and holy angels should bee made ministering spirits , and sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation , as the apostle saith , hebr. . . and here now occasion is offered to discourse about the sin and fall of the divell and evill angels ; how contrary it was to the law of nature , that they should forsake their station , sin against god , and not stand in the truth , and to the order which god set in the creation ; that they should leave their dwelling , and exclude themselves out of heaven , and be cast downe into hell. also here is occasion given to shew , that the elect angels come to minister for the elect through the supernaturall power and efficacy of christs mediation ; & that christ , by supernaturall grace and benefits given to the heavenly angels , hath obliged and bound them to himselfe , to obey him as their head , and to minister for the good of his little ones . but these things come more fittly to bee handled after the creation , when wee come to discourse of the confusion of the world by the divels apostasie and mans fall ; and of the restoring of mankind , and the renuing and perfecting of the world by christ. now these doctrines thus opened and proved , are of great use for comfort and confidence to all the elect and faithfull people of god , in the midst of all troubles which befall them in this life ; and when dangers and worldly enemies beset them round about ; also for confirmation and strengthening of them against all the assaults , and temptations of the divell . for if the glorious angels which are ministering spirits for their good , which also love them , rejoyce at their conversion , watch for their safety , and are their fellow servants under one lord christ , be such heavenly , powerfull , and active spirits even by creation ; so excellent in strength , so lively , quick , and ready at hand to help in a moment when god gives the watch-word ; what need we feare or faint so long as wee cleave to god and sticke to his truth ? hee is a tender and loving father ; and christ our high priest hath a feeling of our infirmities and doth pity us ; he will be ready to help ; and he hath mighty instruments and ministers , even thousands and ten thousand thousands ready to save and deliver us from all enemies , as he did daniel from the lyons , and his three fellowes from the fiery furnace . or , if hee doth not send them to deliver us out of the troubles of this life ; yet hee will at our death send his angels to carry our soules with triumph to heaven , as eliah was carried up in a fiery chariot , and the soule of lazarus is said to bee carried up by them into abrahams bosome . wherefore let us not feare either multitude , malice , or might of enemies ; but carefully serve god , and confidently rest on the lord christ our redeemer and saviour . secondly , these doctrines serve to discover divers errours concerning the nature and substance of angels ; as that grosse opinion of peter lombard , who held that the angels are corporeall substances , because the divell and evill angels shall suffer the torment , and feele the paines of hell fire , which hath no power but over bodily creatures : also that opinion of the gentiles , and cardanus who held that the angels were mortall and corruptible creatures ; both these are here discovered to be erroneous . for the first is builded on a grosse conceipt , that the fire of hell is elementall and corporcall fire ; which , as it burneth and consumeth bodily substances , over which it hath power ; so it in time wasteth it selfe , and goeth out : but indeed the fire of hell is the fire of gods wrath , which burneth and tormenteth worse then elementarie fire ; but consumeth not , neither shall ever be quenched , as our saviour testifieth . the second opinion is also confuted by these doctrines , which have proved angels to be spirits or spirituall substances ; which , though they may bee stained with sin ; yet they cannot bee dissolved , as men are in death by the separation of soule and body ; not corrupted , as mens bodies are in the grave ; but the evill angells shall live in eternall torment , and their substance shall never be corrupted and consumed , and the holy and blessed angels are immortall and shall live in glory for ever , and there shall be no end of their blessednesse . chap. v. of the creation of the earth . the names whereby it is called . properties of it . all creatures have being of god : with vses . the world is all mutable , and appointed so to be : vses . the creation and redemption of the world , wherein they resemble one another : vses . the holy ghost is of one and the same nature with the father and the sonne . the second thing created next after the highest heaven , with the inhabitants thereof the angels , is the earth , as my text here faith in these wordes , and the earth . but wee must not here understand by earth , this earth or drie land upon which men and beasts doe live , and move , and have their being ; and which is beautified and adorned with trees , plants , greene herbes and flowers ; and replenished with stones and metals of all sorts : for that was created together with the waters of the sea , and brought into forme and replenished in the third day , as appeares in the , . . . verses of this chapter . but here by earth , wee are to understand a certaine rude matter and masse without forme and void , out of which god made all the inferiour visible world , and all things therein contained ; so the wordes following in the second verse plainely shew : the earth was without forme and void , and darknesse was upon the face of the deep . now that wee may know what creature this earth was , wee are to consider these things ; first , the severall names by which it is called . secondly , the properties by which it is described . thirdly , the meanes by which it was upheld in being , and disposed to bee the common matter of all othervisible things created afterwards . first , the names by which it is called are three , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the earth . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the deep . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , waters . first it is called the earth because of the grossenesse , unmoveablenesse , and impurity of it . for the earth is of all elements most grosse , heavy , impure , and confused , not fit to move out of the place wherein it is ; most untractable and not ready to apply it selfe to any other thing , and hard to bee turned into the forme of other things without labour and working of it . this first rude and informed masse which god created out of nothing , is here declared by this name , earth , to have beene , like the earth , very impure and confused , dull and unfit for motion , resembling , at the first , the earth rather then any purer element . secondly , it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the deep , here also in the text , which word signifies a great deep or devouring gulfe , as it were of troubled waters , also troubled and confounded with mixture of mud and myre ; which , though in respect of the troubled mixture and confusion it hath a resemblance of earth , yet it is bottomlesse , there is no solidity in it , no ground or stay to bee found at all : thus much the hebrew word signifies according to the notation and common use of it . thirdly , it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , waters , also in this text , because of the waterish fluxibility which was in it ; by meanes of which it was unstable and unsettled , and also because it was an huge deep like the great waters of the sea. now it may seeme strange , that this one and the same rude masse should bee like earth , and like a bottomlesse depth of myre or quick-sand , and like waters , all at once ; which are things different and unlike one to another , especially the thinne flowing element of water , and the grosse , dull , unmoveable earth . and therefore the learned expositors labour thus to qualifie the meaning of the words ; they say it was a confused masse , even the matter of all the elements mingled together ; and because the earth and water are the most grosse and impure , and did most of all appeare in it , therefore it is called earth and water , and the deep , which is a mixture of both . but in viewing , reviewing , and sifting the words thoroughly , i have observed something over & above that which by reading i could observe in others ; to wit , that this rude masse was not suffered to lye idle one moment from the first creation , and bringing of it into being out of nothing ; but being a meere unformed masse or chaos , it had at the first a resemblance of earth , because the grosse matter of the earth was so mingled and confounded in it , that it chiefely appeared in the upper face of it , and so it seemed grosse and earthy , and is first called earth . secondly , by the operation of the spirit of god cherishing and moving it , the grosse thicke matter settling downward toward the center , it became immediatly in the upper face of it like a deep mire or quick-sand , which more inclines to water then earth , and hath no ground , stay or bottome in it ; and therefore in the second place it is called the deep . thirdly , god making the earthy matter to sinke and settle downward still more and more , all the upper face of it became more thinne and fluid , like unto impure water ; and thereupon in the third place it is called the waters : though indeed , there was neither perfect water , nor earth , but a confused matter without forme and void , out of which all visible things were formed . thus much the names shew unto us concerning this masse , which i propounded as the first thing . the second thing is the consideration of the properties by which it is described ; for it is said to be tohu and bohu , and that darknesse was upon the upper face of it . first , it is said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tohu , that is , without forme , even a thing imperfect , which had neither the nature , nor substance , nor naturall shape or property of any perfect creature . secondly , it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bohu , void ; it had in it no formed creature of any kinde to fill and replenish it ; for this word is used to signifie the emptinesse and utter desolation of a land wholly depopulated & laid waste , and of a citie brought to ruine having nothing left but heap●s of ruined walls , isa. . . and ier. . . thirdly , it is said to bee all darknesse in the upper face of it ; darknesse was upon the face of the deep . by darknesse we are not here to understand any darke body , as aire or thick clouds of darknesse compassing it round , and over-spreading of it , as the dark aire and thick mist did the land of egypt when god plagued it with darknesse ; but this is the meaning , that in this rude matter there was no light , neither did any appeare in the out-side or upper face of it . now these properties , by which it is described , do comprehend in them that which in naturall philosophy is called privation , & is held to be a principle or beginning of natural things . for unto the making & generating of any bodily , creature or natural body there are three things required as first principles . . a matter capable of some forme , that is expressed in the names of earth , deep , and waters . . privation , which is an absence or want of the forme which ought to be or might bee in that matter , for to give it that naturall being of which it is capable , and unto which it is inclined . this privation of forme , and this emptinesse of all naturall powers and properties which are required in creatures , and this darkenesse which is the privation of light , they are the second principle . the third is the naturall and substantiall forme , which is that which distinguisheth one creature from another , and gives being to every creature ; that is , makes it to bee that which it is in the kind of it . this forme god by his word gave to the severall parts of this matter , when hee said , let it be , & it was so . but when a matter rude , undigested and unformed is inclining to some forme , and wants it , there must be a disposing of the matter to receive the forme which it ought to have to make it a perfect creature in his kind , and which it yet wants and requires ; and that working , preparing and disposing of the matter , that it may bee fit to receive the forme which must perfect it . and this disposing of the common and rude matter of all the visible world is here expressed in these words of the text ; and the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters . some doe here by the spirit of god understand some angelicall spirit , which god used and imployed to fit and prepare this matter to his hand : thus cajetan a romish cardinall and schooleman held . tertullian . lib. . contra hermog . saith , that this spirit of god was a winde , by which god prepared and disposed it . theoderet saith it was the aire , which moved on the upper part of it , quaest. . in genes . but i conceive all these to bee unsound opinions first , they are confuted by the very words of the text , and by all other scriptures which ascribe the whole worke of the creation , and the making of the world , and all things therein wholly and onely to god the father , the word ; and the spirit , three persons in one undivided essence . secondly , it is against all reason , to thinke that god , who created the chiefest and most excellent of all his workes the highest heavens , and the angels , the heavenly spirits , immediately of nothing in a moment , and also the common matter of all the visible world in an instant ; would use , or did imploy any creature to dispose the matter and to fit it to his hand : wherefore tho best exposition of these words is that which is held generally by the best learned ; to wit , that this spirit of god , here mentioned , is the eternall spirit , one and the same god with the father and the son , by whom all things were made ; and hee is said here to move upon the face of the waters . the hebrew word here used doth properly signifie the eagles gentle fluttering with her wings over her young ones , thereby to cherish them ; as appeares , deut. . . and here it signifies the worke of gods spirit extending his power upon this rude , confused , unformed and empty masse , and gently shaking it , and causing the grosser parts to settle downewards , and the more subtle parts to gather into the upper place , and so to prepare and dispose every part for the substantiall forme which god at length gave unto it . thus you have the text opened . from whence we learne , first , that man and all other creatures which live , and move , and have any being in the whole visible world , howsoever they are engendered and propagated one by another , yet they have their whole substance and being from god , and he is the sole creatour and maker of them . that he made the first common matter out of which they were framed , the text here sheweth plainely . also that the spirit of god did prepare and dispose that whole matter and every part of it , to receive that forme which god gave to the whole world , and every creature therein . and by his word he gave a speciall forme and being to every creature after his kind , as afterwards appeares throughout the whole chapter . and hee gave the gift of generation and propagation to every kind of creature which is propagated and begotten ; and power to multiply ; and without his power assisting and working together , no creature is formed at all : so that this doctrine is most necessarily gathered from hence : and other scriptures fully confirme it , as act. . , . where it is said , that in him we live , move , and have our being ; and hee gives life , breath , and being to all : hee hath not onely made the heavens , and the earth , and all the host of them , and every thing which hath being , even all the changable elements , and vanishing meteors , in the first creation , as fire , water , aite , earth , haile , snow , thunder , lightening , clouds , vapours , and the like , as wee read , job . psalm . . . and psalm . . . and isa. . . but he also frames every man in the womb of his mother ; as the psalmist testifieth , psalm . . , , . and all children and the fruite of the womb are a gift , and blessing which cometh of the lord , psalm . . . and reason drawne from the proper name of god , jehovah , proves this , that hee gives all being to every thing ; and that as he is absolute of himselfe , so the being of every creature depends wholy on him ; for so much that name signifieth , as i have elsewhere proved . first , this serves to admonish us , that as wee our selves are the creatures of god , and he is our lord to whom wee owe our whole substance , being , power , strength , life , breath , and motion , and are bound to imploy all to his glory : so all other things in the world which serve for our use , or can come within our reach and power , are gods workmanship ; he is the lord and owner of them , and no man ought to use or imploy them , but by his permission , and in his service , and to his glory . therefore let us devote our selves to god , and serve him by all his creatures , and for our life , breath , being , and all things , render due thankes to his heavenly majesty , confessing that the whole world is his , and the fulnesse thereof . secondly , this doctrine sheweth , that no man hath right or interest before god in any creature , or in his owne life , limbs , and members of his body , but by the free gift of god : yea , since mans fall and forfeiture of his life and all things by sin , no man hath right to any good thing in the world , but in christ who is heire of all things , and hath by his merit and mediation procured the preservation and continuance of being to man , and to all other things made for mans use . although wicked , carnall , unregenerate men , have a common right and interest civilly before men in their lives , goods , lands and possessions ; yet before god ( while they abuse their power , riches , and all abilities , to sin and to pride , and oppression in the service of their owne lusts ) they are no better then theeves and usurpers : and let all such looke to it , for certainely god will call them to account , judge and condemne them , as for unjust possessing , so much more for their profane abuse of his creatures , and all worldly blessings . secondly , in that god , who by his infinite power can make perfect in a moment , and that immediatly out of nothing , the most excellent creatures of all , even the highest heaven and the angels ; did of his owne will , and according to his counsell , make a rude , confused , imperfect and unstable matter first without forme , that out of it he might frame , and indeed did frame this whole visible world , and all creatures therein : hence wee may learne , that as all this world is mutable and inconstant ; so the mutability and inconstancy of all visible and naturall things in this world , is a thing which god purposed and foreshewed in the creation of them ; and all alterations and changes which are found in them , are according to the counsell of his will , and hee alone doth over-rule , order and dispose them . many scriptures prove this fully in all parts . wise solomon sheweth at large that all worldly things are subject to continuall changes , eccles. . . . and david , psalm . . testifieth of the visible heavens , which are the most durable parts of the inferiour world , that they shall perish , and shall waxe old as doth a garment , and as a vesture god shall change them , and they shall be changed , and isa. . . all flesh is said to bee as grasse which withereth , and the glory thereof as the flower of the field which fadeth ; and pet. . . . the apostle affirmes , that the heavens shall passe away with a noyse , and the elements shall melt with heat , and the earth with all things therein shall bee burnt : and that it is god who over-ruleth , ordereth , and disposeth all mutations , and changes in the world. david also sheweth , psalm . . . that when god hideth his face , all living creatures are troubled , when hee taketh away , their breath they dye , and are turned into their dust : and psalm . . hee saith , that , when god uttereth his voice , the earth melteth , and vers. . come and behold the workes of the lord , how hee disposeth desolutions in the earth : and isa. . . the prophet saith , behold the lord will empty the earth , and lay it waste ; hee will ov●rturne the face of it , and disperse them that dwell therein . it is god who pulleth downe the mighty , and exalteth the humble and meeke , . sam. . hee restraines the waters , and rivers are dried up . hee sendeth them out , and they overturne the earth ; hee breaketh downe , and it cannot bee built againe ; he leadeth counsellors away spoiled , and maketh judges fooles ; hee removeth away the speech of the trustie , and taketh away the understanding of the aged ; hee powreth out contempt upon princes , and weakeneth the strength of the mighty , iob . . . . , . this doctrine serves to admonish us not to put trust or confidence in any worldly thing ; not in the earth , nor any creatures in it ; not in the face of the heavens , nor in the sun , moone , and starres , because all are so mutable and changable . a faire sun-shine morning may bee turned into a tempestuous day of haile and raine . when the sun is risen up most gloriously in the morning upon sodome , and the countries of the plaine ; before noone they may bee destroyed by a shower of fire and brimstone , and fruitfull lands may quickly bee turned into desarts , and barren wildernesse . the sun it selfe may stand in the midst of ●●s course , and may bee turned backe when hee is going downe . wherefore let us not trust in deceiptfull vanities , but still remember that of the holy psalmist , o put not your trust in princes , nor in any child of man , for there is no helpe in them , psalme . . and that of the prophet ieremie , cursed is the man that trusteth in man , and maketh flesh his arme , ier. . . secondly , though there happen many changes and great confusion in the world , yet let us here take notice , that they come not by chance ; and allwayes acknowledge , that they are in the will and power of god , and are ordered and disposed by his over-ruling wisedome . if to the wicked enemies and persecutors of gods church changes come for worse , to their confusion , and overturning of their power ; let us see gods hand therein , and let us give him the praise for working our deliverance , and avenging our cause on our enemies . if changes come to our selves , and our peace bee turned into trouble and danger ; let us humble our selves , as under gods hand . if our adversity bee turned into prosperity , let god have all the thankes . if wee see just cause to feare great changes in church or state , let us flie to god for helpe , strength , courage , and patience , and betake our selves to his protection , that wee may rest safely under the shadowes of his wings . the third point of doctrine , which wee may observe from the spirit of god moving upon the waters , cherishing and fitting the unformed masse to receive a perfect being and perfect formes of visible creatures , doth shew the concord and perfect similitude which is between the worke of creation , by which god formed all things by his word and spirit ; and the worke of restauration and redemption of mankind , by which he reformes them by christ and by his spirit , and brings them to supernaturall perfection and blessednesse . as in the creation , god by his spirit cherishing the rude masse did prepare , and fit every part thereof to receive a perfect forme and naturall being : so in the restoring of man kind , being deprived of his image and deformed , god doth by his word , and by his spirit shed on us through christ , regenerate , renue , reforme and prepare us for the fruition of himselfe , and doth fit , and prepare us for supernaturall perfection and blessednesse . as in ezechiels vision , the wind from god did move and shake the drie bones scattered upon the face of the earth , and fitted them by flesh and skinne to receive life , and to stand up living men in perfect strength and stature : so , by the word and spirit of god , men dead and rotten in sinnes and sinfull corruption , are , by the spirit of god breathed through christ , renued after his image , and fitted by the life of grace , for the eternall life of glory , ezech. . the spirit of god ( as our saviour testifieth ) is like the wind , which bloweth where it listeth : it is hee , which doth frame us after gods image in our new birth , ioh. . , . and fits us for the kingdome of glory . wee are as farre from god , and from christ , and as void of his image and of all spirituall life , as the rude masse was of all forme in the first creation ; untill the spirit of god bee given to us in christ to dwell in us , and renue us , as the apostle sheweth , rom. . . . ephes. . . . and tit. . . . wherefore , as wee desire to be made like unto christ in the image of glory , and to see , and enjoy god in his heavenly kingdom , where all fulnesse of perfection and blessednesse is to bee found ; so let us by the consideration of this doctrine bee stirred up to thirst after the river of the water of life , even the gifts and graces of the holy ghost , and never rest satisfied , till wee feele within us the testimony of the spirit of christ witnessing with our spirits that wee are the children of god , and till wee feele our selves sanctified throughout both in soule and body , and holinesse engraven upon our hearts without which none can see god. secondly , seeing the spirit of god is he who prepares men for supernaturall perfection , and there is no communion to be had with christ , nor participation of his merits and saving benefits to salvation , except men have the spirit of god dwelling in them , and of profane and carnall sons of adam , making them holy , and spirituall sons of god ; let us not count it any shame or reproach to us , that profane mockers of these last times doe , in mockery and derision , call us spirituall men , who ascribe all good motions which are in us to the spirit of god dwelling in us , & directing us in all our wayes . we doe not deny , but that all enthusiasts , and other men of fanaticall spirit , doe most profanely , and sacrilegiously father their owne fansies , and lustfull motions on the spirit of god , and therein deserve reproach and derision : but let men take heed , that they doe not , by loathing their hypocrisie and arrogancy , runne into atheisme and blasphemous impiety , by rejecting and denying the spirits dwelling in all gods regenerate children , working in them all saving graces , and moving them to walke in the holy wayes of god which lead unto supernaturall perfection and eternall blessednesse . for , most certaine it is that as the first rude matter of the visible world was sustained and cherished by the spirit of god moving upon the face of it , and was not otherwise able to subsist , or to bee formed into divers creatures , every one made perfect in their kind with naturall perfection : so the perfect stabilitie of man , in an happie unchangable estate ; yea the perfection of the visible world made for mans use , is the work of the holy ghost uniting man to to god in christ , and gathering and reconciling all things unto god in him , who is the head over all . although man and all creatures ( as appeares in the last verse of this chapter ) were created every one good and perfect in his kind , with naturall perfection : yet man the chiefe , and the lord of them all , having not as yet the holy ghost shed on him through christ , as all the regenerate and faithfull have , was mutable , and in that honourable estate of innocency hee did not stand and abide , but did full from it very quickly after that the woman was created and given to him , as wee read chap. . yea hee did not lodge one night therein , psalme . . and by mans sinfull fall and corruption , the whole frame of the visible world was made subject to vanity , and groaneth under it as under an intolerable burden , and with earnest longing waiteth for deliverance and restitution to an higher estate in the glorious libertie of the sons of god , rom. . . . and although the eternall word , the son of god , had undertaken for man in the eternall counsell of the blessed trinitie , and did step in to mediate for man , and in the first promise made upon mans fall was proclaimed to bee the onely and all-sufficient redeemer , and was fully exhibited in the flesh , and became a perfect redeemer in his death and resurrection ; so that in him is plenteous redemption , and matter sufficient to merit more then man lost by sin , even heavenly glory and immortality : yet all this profits nothing without the work of the spirit . christ with all his sufferings , and obedience unto death , and all his righteousnesse , and fullfilling of the law ; are as a fountaine sealed up , and treasures hid , and locked up in darknesse ; so that none can partake of him or them for redemption and salvation without communion of the holy ghost ; which god in our regeneration doth shed on us aboundantly through christ. this spirit dwelling in christ and the faithfull , makes them one mysticall body with christ , sons and heires of god ; makes his satisfaction their ransome for actuall redemption and reconciliation , and his righteousnes their righteousnes for justification . this spirit also doth renue them after the image of god , and transformes them into the image of christ in all holinesse , that they may bee fit to see and enjoy god ; and thus hee brings them to the fruition of perfect blessednesse , and to the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled , which never fadeth : and gods blessings are through christs mediation poured out upon all creatures for their sakes : and hereupon it is , that all gifts and graces , which tend to make men perfect and unchangably blessed , are ascribed to the spirit , as wisedome , knowledge , faith , hope , love , meekenesse , patience , courage , strength , prayer , and in a word all holinesse and perfection : and whensoever god is said to give any of these gifts to men in an effectuall and saving manner and measure , hee is said to give them the spirit of grace , wisedome , zeale and supplication , as appeares isa. . . zach. . . yea common illumination and all extraordinary supernaturall gifts , which are given to unregenerate reprobates for the revealing of christ , as the gift of prophecie to balaam and saul , and the change of heart in saul from cowardly pusillanimity , to fortitude and magnanimity ; the gift of miracles to iudas ; also illumination , tast of the heavenly gift , joy in the holy word of god , given to backsliders , heb. . are the worke of the holy ghost , assisting them and inspiring them from without , for the churches good ; not inwardly dwelling and working in them for their owne salvation . wherefore let us count it no reproach that wee have no hope of being in an happy and blessed estate , no assurance that wee are in the way to perfection , till wee feele the spirit of god dwelling and working in us , moving our hearts , and conforming us to the image of christ ; and that wee rejoyce in this , and this is our glorying that wee are not carnall but spirituall . they , who think it enough , for the obtaining of perfection and salvation , to know , beleeve , and professe , that in christ there is as sufficient matter of satisfaction for the redeeming of all mankind ; as there was in the rude masse without forme , matter enough for the whole visible world and all creatures therein , doe much deceive themselves : for many who know and beleeve all this doe perish ; and none are saved or perfected by christ , but onely they who are by the spirit dwelling in them united to christ , and regenerated and renued after his image . this spirit is the earnest of our inheritance , and witnesseth to us our adoption ; hee makes us new creatures and a free willing people , hee sanctifieth us to bee an holy temple for himselfe to dwell in , purgeth out sinfull corruption , mortifieth the deeds of the flesh , so that sin cannot reigne in our mortall bodies . there is one thing more , which i may not passe over here in silence , to wit , that this text doth prove plainely , that the spirit of god , the third person in the trinity , is one and the same god with the father and the son , of the same uncreated nature and substance , the almighty creatour , and preserver of all things in heaven and in earth , visible and invisible . to sustaine a rude matter without forme and void , and to make it subsist , is a worke of power , farre above the power of any thing created ; and to compasse and comprehend the whole matter and masse of the visible world ; and to assist and cherish by present vertue every part thereof at once , is a strong argument and plaine proofe of divine and infinite power and omnipotency , proper to iehovah the one onely true god : and all this is here testified of the spirit of god in these words , and the spirit of god moved upon the face of the waters , that is ( as the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , merachepheth , and here used in the originall signifieth ) did sit upon and cherish that mightie masse , as an hen doth sit upon and cherish her egges , that they may bee formed into chickens . therefore the spirit of god is here proved to bee one and the same god with the father and the son , and the almighty creatour , former and preserver of the whole world , and all things therein . to which purpose the scriptures also speake fully in other places , where the heavens and the host of them are said to bee made by the word and spirit of god , as psalme . . and that when god sends out his spirit , things are created , as psalme . . and that god by his spirit garnished the heavens , iob . . and that hee is present by his preserving and sustaining power in all places , psalme . . which places prove the spirit of god to bee iehovah the creatour and former of all things , and the true god , in whom wee all live , move , and have our being . this point , which i have proved and confirmed by many other strong arguments already , in my discourse of the trinitie ; as it discovers the desperate malice , impudency , and atheisme of the remonstrants , the disciples of socinus , and arminius , who call into question the deitie of the holy ghost and his unitie , with the father and the son , and his right to bee prayed unto and worshipped with divine worship : so it is of singular comfort to the faithfull , whose bodies are temples of the holy ghost , in that it assures them that god is their portion , and dwells in them , and they are begotten of his seed in regeneration , and are partakers of the divine nature , and heaven is their inheritance . chap. vi. of the first dayes worke . what the light was . what it is , god said , let there be light . how be called the light , day , and the darkenesse night . of a day naturall and civill . that the night was before the day . how a day was before the sunne was . prerogatives of the first day . vers . , , . and god said , let there be light , and there was light ; and god saw the light that it was good . and god divided the light from the darknesse . and god called the light day , and the darknesse hee called night , and the evening and the morning were the first day . after that darknesse had continued upon the face of the deep , and the whole matter of this inferiour world had remained full of darknesse for the space of one night , god by his powerfull word created light , the first perfect creature and element of the visible world , and commanded it to shine out of darknesse ; and this was the morning of the first day . in the words wee may observe these foure things : first , the creation of light in the . vers . secondly , gods approbation of it in these words , god saw the light that it was good . thirdly , gods separation of it from the darknesse , vers . . fourthly , gods nomination or naming of the light , day , and the darknesse night , and so compounding these two , light and darknesse , into the first whole day of the world , vers . . in the first thing , which is the creation of light , the first of all perfect creatures in this visible world , two things come to bee sifted and examined for our right understanding thereof . first , the thing created , light , what is thereby here meant . secondly , the manner of creating it , god said , let light bee , and it was so . concerning the first , i find divers and severall opinions of the learned . saint augustine lib. . in genes . ad literam cap. . and rupertus lib. . de trinit . cap. . doe by this light understand the highest heavens , and the angels , which are not a corporeall but a spirituall light ; but this cannot bee the truth , for this light is said to bee , that which is called the day , and is opposed to the darknesse of the night here in this mutable and visible world ; the shining whereof doth distinguish day from the night , which cannot bee said of the angels and the highest heavens , which were not made out of darknesse , nor out of the rude unformed masse as this light was , which god commanded to shine out of darknesse as the apostle saith , . cor. . . secondly , others , as beda , lyra , and lombard , doe by this light understand a bright cloud carried about , and making a difference of day and night . nazianzene and theadoret doe think , that it was the same light , which now is in the sun , moone , and starres , subsisting at the first in one bodie , and afterwards divided into severall parts when god made the sun , moone , and starres out of it . basil thought that it was light without a subject . aquinas , that it was the light of the sun made imperfect at the first ; and of this opinion is pererius also . catharinus held , that it was the sun it selfe , made first of all ; which is directly contrary to the expresse words of the . vers . which affirme , that the sun was made the fourth day . iunius , by light , here understands the element of fire . in this variety of opinions , i hold it the best , and surest way of finding out the truth , to seeke it out of the word used in the originall text . the hebrewword ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or ) which is here translated light , ( besides the tropicall and spirituall senses , in which it is used in those scriptures which call god the light in whom is no darknesse , and the light and salvation of his people ; and doe call gods regenerate people light in the lord ) doth more properly signifie two things : first , that naturall bodie or substance , which among all the parts and creatures of the visible world is most bright and shining in it selfe , and gives light to others ; as for example , the sun , moone , and starres , are called lights , psalme . . and the element of fire , is called by this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , light , ezech. . . secondly , it signifies , and that most frequently in the scripture , the light , that is , the shining brightnesse of the heavens , and of the sun , moone , and starres , and of the element of fire burning in a lamp or torch , or other combustible matter . here i doe not take the word in this latter sense , onely for a shining brightnesse ; for then god had created an accident or quality without a subject , which is a thing against nature of things created ; for common reason and experience shew , that never did any qualitie subsist of it selfe without a substance ; by course of nature no light can be but in some created body , as in the heavens , fire , or aire . but hereby light wee are to understand , of necessity , some notable part of this great frame of the visible world , which god first framed out of the rude masse , which was without forme and void , before mentioned ; yea that part , which is most bright , shining and resplendent ; and doth by light and brightnesse , which is naturall in it , shine forth and enlighten other things . now that cannot bee any of these lower elements , the water and the earth , for they have no such light in them ; and besides , it is manifest , that they were formed out of the grossest and most dark part of the common masse , on the third day , vers . . neither can it bee the spacious region of the aire , which is extended and spread abroad farre and wide , over all the round globe of the earth and the waters , and reacheth up to the etheriall region of the visible heavens , even to the sphaere of the moone , and is called the lowest heaven , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the broad expansion or firmament in the midst of the waters : for that was formed the second day , as appeares in . . . vers . it must needs therefore bee the firmament of the visible heavens , which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the large and farre stretched firmament of the midle heaven , even the fiery or etheriall region , wherein god , on the fourth day , formed and set the great lights of the sun , moone , and starres , vers . . . for , first those heavens were framed and made of the most pure , and refined part of the masse , which is the common matter of the visible world , and are most bright and shining , full of light and brightnesse ; and undoubtedly as in place and order , they are the next to the highest heavens , so they were created next after them in the first day , and are here called by the name of light , because all the light of this visible world is in them , and from them shineth into the aire and giveth light upon the earth . secondly , there is no particular mention made by moses in this chapter of the framing of these heavens , among all the works of the six dayes , except it bee in this word light ; and it is most incredible that hee would omit the creation of them which are the most excellent and glorious part of the visible frame of the world , especially seeing hee doth exactly and particularly name , and relate the creation of all other parts , and the day wherein they were created . i am not ignorant , that aristotle , and the most learned naturall philosophers of his sect , did hold , that the visible heavens are eternall and unchangable , and of a matter and substance different from the foure elements , fire , aire , water , and earth ; and were not made of the same common matter . also divers learned christians and schoolemen doe thinke , that these heavens were created together with the highest heavens immediatly of nothing , in the beginning when time first began to bee , and are mentioned in the first verse ; and that light , which is here said to bee made , is the element of fire ; the naturall place and region whereof , the philosophers held to bee next under the visible heavens , and above the aire : their reasons are two especially ; the first , because there is no other mention of the creation of the firie element in all this chapter . the second is , because the fire is the most pure element , and full of light : but these things are not of strength to overthrow our exposition . first , for the opinion of the philosophers , that the visible heavens are immutable and cannot bee dissolved , it is contradicted by the expresse words of holy scripture , psalme . . and pet. . . also wee finde by experience many changes in those heavens ; as new starres & comets appearing for a time & after vanishing . the sun and moone stood still for the space of a whole day , iosh. . and the sun went back ten degrees , king. . secondly , the vertue and influence which is in the visible heavens , and is from them naturally communicated to the lower elements , sheweth plainely that they all are of one common matter . thirdly , that they were not made at once of nothing with the highest heavens , appeares by this , that the sun , moone , and stars , which are the chiefest parts and ornaments in them were created after the first rude matter , and secondarily formed out of it on the fourth day . fourthly , that the visible heavens are indeed the pure element of fire , which is here called light , and that the creation of the light is the creation of them , and of the firie element all in one , may easily bee proved by divers reasons . first , by the light and servent heat , which flowes from them into things below , by meanes whereof they doe beget firie meteors and lightenings in the aire , and scorching sumes , and burning flames in the earth , as dayly experience teacheth . secondly , by the burning and consuming fires , which descended from those heavens in the destruction of sodom , and when the lord came downe on mount sinah to give the law , and when eliah consumed the captaines and their fifties , king. , and was answered by fire , which consumed his sacrifice , king. . thirdly , that these heavens are of a fierie substance , and indeed the pure element of fire , and that in the dissolution of them , when the lord by his mighty voice shall rend them and dissolve them at the last day , and mingle them with the inferiour elements ; they shall bee all on fire , and in flames and flashes shall passe away with a noyse , and melt the elements with servent heat , and burne the earth with all the works that are therein ; the apostle doth affirme in plaine words , pet. . . . if they were not of a firie substance made out of the rude masse , but of an higher and super-elementary nature created immediatly out of nothing , together with the highest heavens , they could not bee dissolved and set on fire . thus you see the first thing opened , viz. what is here meant by light. the next thing is the manner of creation ; expressed in these words , god said , let there bee light , and there was light . i will not here trouble my discourse with needlesse questions , which are moved by divers ancient writers , and not cleared concerning the manner of gods speech when he said , let there bee light ; as whether it were a bodily and audible voice , or a spirituall , and the like . certainly it was no sound of voice , nor any forme of words or speech by which god formed the light : it was the act of his almighty power , by which he formed , and brought into actuall being the light and every other thing , even so as hee had decreed from all eternitie . now the spirit of god doth here expresse this powerfull act by the name of saying or speaking , for . reasons . first , because as the speech and word of a wise man sheweth his minde and declareth his will , so by this act of power , by which the light and every other thing was formed , god did shew and declare his eternall counsell , purpose and decree concerning the nature and being of them . secondly , because god the father by his eternall word , the son , who is one god with himselfe , did forme and make the light and all other things created , as appeares , ioh. . . and colos. . . and hebr. . . thirdly , to shew , that the creation of the world , and all things therein , was a worke as easie to god , as it is for a man to speake a word and to command a thing to bee done ; and that god by his power omnipotent , and powerfull and mighty word and command , can as quickly bring into being the greatest things , and performe whatsoever he willeth and purposeth with more case , then man can speake and say , let this thing be . this is the true sense of the words , wherein the manner of creation is expressed . the second thing after the creation of light is gods approbation of it , in these words , and god saw the light that it was good : that is , such as god purposed to make the light , such it was when hee had made it ; there was no defect in the making , or in the thing made ; but god did see and know it perfect in the kind thereof , and did approve it to bee good , profitable and usefull , every way , for the purposes which hee intended . the third thing is gods dividing between the light and the darknesse which did over-spread the face of the deep , and possessed all the rude masse which yet remained without forme and void . this dividing between them , was nothing else but gods setting and placing of the firie and shining visible heaven in the superiour place above the confused matter which was full of darknesse , and settled downe in the inferiour place where now the inferiour elements are the fourth thing is gods nomination of the light and darknesse , and composing the first day of the evening , that is , the space wherein the darknesse remained over all the deep before light was created out of it ; and of the morning , that is , the space wherein light appeared before god set upon the second dayes worke , and made the firmament . this is expressed vers . . god called the light day , and the darknesse he called night , & the evening and morning were the first day . here for our right understanding of this point , divers doubts and questions come to bee touched and briefely answered . the first is , how and in what sense god is said to call the light day , and the darknesse night . the true and full answer is this , that god did not onely call the light day , and darknesse night : but also did ordaine and appoint , that the time of light should bee the day , and the time of darknesse should bee the night , and that they should bee so accounted and called . the second is , why god called onely the light day , and moses calls both the evening and the morning , that is , the time of light and darknesse one day , or the first day . i answere , that gods day , which is most truly and properly so called , is the time of light , and in it their is no night or darknesse . for god speakes of a naturall day distinct from the night : but moses speakes of a civill day which comprehends in it the space of . houres , in which the sun runnes round about the world with the heavens ; which day includes in it a day and a night : and here observe that gods day is all light , and mans day is mixt of light and darknesse . thirdly , it may asked whether the night , or the day went before in the first day of the creation . the answer is , that the night or time of darknesse was first ; and it is likely that darknesse did over-spread the face of the deep the space of a night , that is . houres , before god formed the light , and setled the visible heavens in their place ; and that after the light was created , it did shine forth for the space of . houres more before god went about to make the firmament , which was the second dayes work ; and so the first day of the world was of the same length with all other civill or astronomicall dayes , that is , houres , divided equally between light and darknesse . the words of the text shew that darknesse overspread all the masse of the inferiour world for a time , before the light was formed . also in naming the six dayes of the creation , the evening , that is , the time of darknesse , is rehearsed first before the morning , which is the 〈◊〉 of light . also gods people began their dayes of the weeke and of the yeare with the night , and reckoned the sabbath and other solemne dayes from evening to evening , as appeares , levit. . . fourthly it may bee asked , how the firie or visible heavens could by their light make a day before the sun was created , seeing the light of the same heavens , together with the light of the moone , and the starres added thereto , cannot make a day , but it is night where the sun is absent , and the light of it not seene , not withstanding the light of the heavens , and of the moone and starres . i answere , that the light of the heavens without sun , moone , and starres is sufficient to make a bright day in the place where they are , and there it is alwayes day , though by reason of the spacious regions of the aire , and the great distance betweene them and the earth , their light doth not shine to us to make a day of light without the beames of the sun , but it is dark night in that part of the earth where their light onely appeares . now in the first day before the firmament was made , that is the region of the aire purged and refined out of the masse by the sinking and settling of the earthy and waterish matter towards the center , there was no need of light further then the body of the heavens reached , that is to the upper face of the rude masse , not yet formed , but remaining rude and full of darknesse ; and therefore so farre as the visible world was brought into forme , they did give most clear day light : and as all had before bin overspread with darknesse for the space of a night ; so all was now overspread with light for a dayes space , and so the first day of the creation was one halfe all night , and another halfe all day in all the visible world , even in all parts thereof which were then created and brought into perfect forme and being . from this text thus opened wee may observe divers points of instruction . first we learne , that as there are three persons in that one god which created the world by his own infinite power ; so every person is a creatour ; and god the father by his eternall word , the son , did extend and shew forth his power to the framing of every creature , and by his spirit did give all forme and perfection to them . as the word elohim , used in the first verse , notes more persons ; so here , and in the verse before , wee see the persons distinguished , and all three working in the framing of the world and all the creatures therein . first , god the father is brought in creating . secondly , by his word , that is , not by a sound of the voice , or a word uttered ; for there was then no aire to receive such a sound ; but by his eternall word bringing things into being according to his eternall counsell and decree . thirdly , by his spirit moving upon the face of the waters , and cherishing the rude and common matter of the whole visible world , yet void and unformed , and preparing it for the receiving of the severall formes of all creatures in the severall parts of it . which point excellently confirmes our faith in the true doctrine of the blessed trinitie , and confutes sabellius , servetus , the socinians and arminians , who denied the eternall deity of the son and the holy ghost , and overthrowes their severall heresies and damnable errours . secondly wee hence learne , that all things are possible to god ; he can as easily and quickly by his eternall word and power bring greatest things to passe , even bring light out of darknesse , and the glorious , pure , spacious , visible heavens out of the rude , impure and confused masse , which was without forme and void ; as a man of nimble tongue and ready speech can speake a word . which doctrine other scriptures doe aboundantly confirme , which ascribe to god omnipotency , and proclaime him to bee wonderfull in counsell , and excellent in working ; and that nothing is too hard or wonderfull for him to doe , as genes . . . isa . . iob . . and . . which serves to stirre us up to feare , admire , and reverence god , to seek his favour and protection above all things , and to rest confidently on him for defence against all enemies and dangers when wee are reconciled to him , and have him for our god and our portion . thirdly , we may here observe , that god is wonderful in wisedome and providence , in that the first thing created in this visible world was light , even the bright and shining heavens ; which , as above all visible creatures they shew the glory and super-celestial excellency of god in their naturall frame and substance , so also give bodily light to the eyes of all bodily living creatures , which were to bee made to see , and discerne the glorious beauty and admirable frame of his visible works : for hereby it came to passe , that none of gods visible & perfect works of wisedome , were for an houre smoothered in darknesse ; but were all manifest , and gods glory was clearly seene in them , so soone as there was a seeing creature able to discerne them . this sheweth , that god hath done his part to reveale himselfe ; and man who takes not notice of god in his works , to worship him aright , is without all excuse . and this should stirre us up to labour to see god , and to discerne him in his works , and to place all our perfection and happinesse in the sight and knowledge of him . fourthly , we may hence observe divers singular prerogatives of the first day , which is now , by the resurrection of christ , the lords holy day , and the sabbath of all true christians . that by many speciall prerogatives , god did in the creation foreshew his eternall counsell and purpose to make this day his holy day in the dayes of christ , and in the time of the gospell under the kingdome of grace . . this is the first fruits of all time . . in it was created the glorious frame of the heavens , and the first light of the visible world. . in this day god first shewed by his eternall word , the son , his eternall counsell and purpose , and by his word and spirit , began to bring his purposes to passe , and produce things into being . . in this day darknesse and light were so separated and divided , that , while the night lasted , there was no day in all the inferiour world ; and while it was day , there was no night over all the face of the earth & the deep , but light in all the world , which was then created and brought into forme and perfect being . . in this day god first shewed his approbation and his pleasure , that he approved for good the things which by his eternall word , the son , he did forme and bring into being . therefore without doubt most fit to bee the day of the lord christ , and sanctified and kept holy to the honour and glory of him , who is the first borne of god , and the first fruits of them that sleep , and the light of the world , and in whom god sheweth his counsell , and is in him well pleased , and by him turnes night into day , and brings light out of darknesse , and brings us to eternall rest in the highest heavens , which were created in the beginning of the first day . chap. vii . the second dayes worke . of the skie and things now created . all made by the power of god in christ. the use of the firmament . how called heaven . all was created wisely and orderly : vse . and god said , let there bee a firmament in the midst of the waters , and let it divide the waters from the waters . . and god made the firmament , and divided the waters which were under the firmament , from the waters which were above the firmament ; and it was so . . and god called the firmament heaven : and the evening and the morning were the second day . in these words wee have abriefe historie of the second dayes worke in the creation of the world : wherein wee are to consider these five things : . the thing created . . the creation and bringing of it into being . . the use of it . . the name which god gave unto it . . how by this worke there came in an evening and a morning , which where the second day first , for the thing created , it is in the originall text called by a generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which may signifie any thing which is spread abroad , or stretched farre and wide , according to the etymologie of it . for the hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of which it is derived , in all scriptures wheresoever it is used , doth signifie the act of spreading any thing abroad , & stretching it out , and laying it wide-open to view , as exod. . . numb . . and ier. . , it signifies beating out of gold , silver , or brasse into thinne broad plates , that is , spreading them broad by violent beating , exod. . it is used to signifie the spreading abroad of the tent over the tabernacle , psalme . . and isa. . . and . . it is used to signifie the stretching out of the earth above the waters farre and wide , iob . . it signifies the spreading out of the skie and of the thinne cloudes ; and sam. . . it is used to signifie spreading abroad as a man spreads clay by stamping it with his feet ; and , by a metonymic of the effect , it is used to signifie stamping with the feet as men stamp clay and spread it abroad , ezech. . . and . . these are the places of scriptures , in which onely that word is used . so then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being derived of it , must needs signifie a thing which is stretched out like a tent or canopie , or spread abroad as plates of gold and silver are by beating , and clay by stamping . the greeke septuagints transiate this word every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , a thing which though it bee farre stretched out , yet it is so surely established , that it abides still in the place which god hath appointed for it . and the vulgar latine , with divers later translaters , following the greeke septuagints , translate it firmamentum , the firmament , that is , a thing firmely set and established in a place , which cannot from thence bee driven out , and leave the place empty . and although this word may , according to the notation of it , signifie any thing stretched out or spread abroad , or laid wide open , and is once onely used to signifie broad plates of brasse beaten out for a covering , and that in the plurall number , num. . . yet in all other places of scripture it is used in the singular number for the skie , which god hath from the beginning stretched out over the globe of the earth and the sea , as here in this chapter , and psalme . . and . . and dan. . . and ezech. . . and . . now what this skie or firmament is , that is a great question among the learned . divers of the ancients , as basil , ambrose , beda , and others , doe by this firmament understand the starry heavens . first , because it is said in the . verse that god called this firmament heaven . secondly , because it is said that , when god made the sun , moone , & starres , hee set them in the firmament of heaven , vers . . thirdly , because they doe imagine that there is a watery heaven above the starry heaven , which consists of water congealed like to cristall , and doth temper the heat of the sun , moone , and stars ; and out of this heaven they conceive that god poured the waters which drowned the old world , because it is said , gen. . . that the windowes of heaven were opened , and god rained on the earth . but others doe hold , that by the firmament here is meant the whole heavens ; that is , both the first heavens , the spacious regions of the aire ; and also the middle , that is , the firie and starry heavens ; and the third , that is , the highest heavens . first , because it is said that god called the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heaven ; and this word is used in the scriptures to signifie all these three heavens . and as the highest heaven is called by this name , psalme . . the lords throne is in heaven , and psalme . where it is said , praise him , o heaven of heavens : so the middle and starry heavens , as gen. . . where wee read of the starres of heaven , and also the airy or lowest heaven is thus called , verse . and . where it is said , let the fowles flie in the open firmament of heaven , and psalme . . and hos. . . and many other places , where wee read of the fowles of heaven . but the best learned of later times have for the most part held , that by the firmament is here meant that vast and spacious element and region of the aire , which is extended and stretched out , not onely round about all the earth and the sea ; but also reacheth from this globe of the earth and the sea , to the starry heavens even to the spheare of the moone : and this is without doubt the true sense and meaning of the word in this place , as appears by divers reasons . first , the hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( by which god called this firmament or large region , being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies there , or in that place , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies waters ) notes out unto us , that this firmament is the place where waters are engendered in the clouds , and which from thence descend and water the earth , and that is the fluid and waterish element the aire . secondly , there is no other firmament besides the aire stretched out between the waters of the sea , which are below and the undermost , and the waters above in the clouds heaven-ward , and from thence distill and water the earth , and did descend in great aboundance , and drowned the old world , when god dissolved the clouds , & so opened the floud-gates and windowes of heaven : the aire is the onely element which divides between these two waters of the clouds above , and of the sea and rivers below , thirdly , the airy region is that in which the sun , moone , and starres doe shine and give light to the earth , and in which their beames and light appeare to us on earth . the light of the starry heavens , and of the sun , which alwayes shines in them , even at midnight as well as at noone day , is not seene of us as it is in the heavens , but as it is in the aire ; for , by multiplying their beames in the aire , the sun , moone , and starres are seen of us , and give light upon the earth . and therefore it is not said , that god made the sun , moone , and starres in the firmament , or set them to have their place and being in it ; but gave them to bee lights in it , that is , set them above to shine through it , and , by multiplying their beames in this firmament the aire , to give light to the earth , verse . fourthly , the fowles which flie in the open face of the aire , are said to flie in the firmament , which god called heaven , verse . fifthly , the highest heaven was created in the beginning in the first moment of time together with the angels . and the starry heaven is the light created in the first day ; therefore this heaven here called firmament is the airie region or lowest heaven . sixthly , in all places of scripture wherein wee finde this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is here translated firmament , wee may very well and with good reason understand by firmament , the large extended region of the aire ; and it cannot be proved by any one place that the word signifies any other then the airie heaven enlightned with the beames of the sun and the starry heavens . seventhly , they who here by firmament do understand the starry heavens , are forced by the words of the text ( which say , that the firmament is in the midst of the waters , and divides the waters above from the waters below ) to imagine that there are waters above the starry heavens , there placed to mitigate the heat of the sun , and the starres , and that these waters drowned the old world ; which is a ridiculous conceipt , grounded on palpable mistaking of divers scriptures , and contrary to all reason . for the places of scripture which speake of waters above the heavens , intend no other waters but such as are in the clouds in the middle region of the aire , and above the lowest region of the firmament or airy heaven . first , the hebrew phrase ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) that is , above the firmament , or above the heavens ; signifies no more but waters that are above , heavenward . secondly , the scriptures doe plainely expound this phrase , and in many places shew , that by waters above the heavens , they doe not meane either the multitude of heavenly angels , as origen dreamed ; or any crystall orbe or naturall waters above the starry heavens , as basil , ambrose , beda , and others imagined ; or the matter of spirituall and supercelestiall substances different from the matter of earthly creatures , as austen thought ; but that these waters above , are the waters in the clouds above in the middle region of the aire , even raine , and haile , and snow , and such waters as flow from thence in great aboundance when it pleaseth god to open the bottles , windowes , fountaines , and floodgates of heaven , that is , the clouds ; for the clouds are called the bottles of heaven , iob . . and the fountaines of the deep , prov. . . and the watery roofe of gods chambers , psalme . . and god is said to bind up his waters in the thick clouds , and the cloud is not rent under them , iob . . and when god openeth the clouds and sends downe raine to water the earth , & to give to it the blessing of fruitfulnesse , hee is said to open the windowes and flood-gates of heaven , gen. . . and mal. . . and the lowest region of the aire , in which the dew is engendered of vapours and mists dissolved into small drops , is called heaven ; and the dew from thence distilling is called the dew of heaven , gen. . . psalme . . and zach. . . so then wee see that the firmament here called heaven , is the wide and broad spread aire reaching from earth to the starry heaven , and compassing the globe of sea and land round about ; and by the waters above the firmament , the waters in the clouds are meant , which are above the lowest region of the airy heaven or firmament . and thus much for the opening of the first thing in my text , to wit , the thing created . the second thing is the creation of this firmament , and the manner of it . it is said , god made the firmament , that is , framed it , as hee had done the light the starry heavens , out of the rude matter before named , which was without forme and void , verse . and this hee did by the same power and after the same manner , as he did the light , saying , let there be a firmament , that is , by his eternall word the son , by whom he doth exercise all his power , and performe all his works according to his eternall counsell , and by whom hee sheweth outwardly his eternall purpose and will , as a man by his word doth openly professe and declare his mind and purpose . and thus wee see the son● still worketh with the father and the spirit in the creation of every thing in the world , and without him nothing is made and created . the third thing is a maine use for which this firmament was made to serve ; namely to divide the waters from the waters , that is , the waters which are below in the sea , and rivers , and are mingled with the earth , from the waters which are above in the clouds ; for wee finde by experience , that there is no other thing , which divides between those waters , but onely the lowest heaven , the airie firmament . there is also another use hereafter mentioned , verse . that is to convey the light from the sun , moone , and starry heavens to the earth . the fourth thing is the name by which god called the firmament , that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heaven . indeed , according to the common etymologie and notation approved of all the learned , this name most properly expresseth the nature of the aire , the place of waters and waterish clouds ; and the starry and highest heavens are so called by reason that they appeare to us , in our fight , to be one , and the same common body ; or else by a metaphore , because there is a great similitude between them and the aire , in respect of their purity and brightnesse ; or ( as i have formerly noted ) this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , when it is the proper name of the highst heaven , may have another derivation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth there doubled , or made in the forme of the duall number ; and so it is as much as if one should say there , there , that is , there is the place of all places , there is the best being in the heaven of heavens : and here wee may observe , what manifold and wonderfull wisedome there is in the names which god hath given to creatures which hee himselfe named . the fifth and last thing to bee considered in this text , which is a point of greatest difficultie , is , how by the framing and continuance of this worke , there came in an evening and a morning , which are the second day . the sun was not yet created to shine and to give clear day light , such as wee now have , and therefore how could there bee a day or a morning ? and the light , that is , the bright frame of the firie heavens being extended over all the inferiour masse of the inferiour elements , not yet formed , how could there bee an evening or night , and so a whole civill day , as the text here speakes ? all that the learned have devised and written for the removing of these doubts , is this : some hold , that the light which god created subsisting without a subject , did , for the space of . houres , shine and send forth beames , and make the morning ; and againe , for the space of . houres , was contracted and withdrew it selfe , and so made the night or evening . this is the opinion of basil , and damascene . others think that light created the first day , being a bright cloud which moved about as the sun doth , did shine like fire one while , and so made the day ; and was like a thick cloud of darknesse for another while , and so made the night ; as the pillar of cloud which lead israel ; so beda holds . others thinke it was the light of the sun created imperfect at the first , and moving about with the heavens , did make a difference between day and night equally . but certainly the light which god created being good , that is , a perfect creature in his kind , and so approved of god , as the words of the text shew ; cannot with any reason bee held to bee any imperfect thing , which afterwards was altered , or any such mutable and corruptible light as was kindled and quenched ; for god , seeing , and approving it for good , would not so quickly alter it . wherefore i take the evening or night time of the second day , to bee the time wherein god by his word and power was separating the aire and purging it , by causing the thick waterish and earthy part to descend and settle downewards towards the center . for all that time , the vast and spacious wide region of the aire , being not purified , remained dark and duskish , because the light of the firie heaven did not shine thorough it , and that was the evening or night of the second day : but the aire being made pure & perfect , and settled in his naturall place , received the light of the heavens into it for the space of . houres , before god began to create the other elements , which were the first works of the third day . and this was a day of light cleare enough for the creatures then made , though not so light as when the sun was made ; and this evening and morning made the second day , as the text saith . and thus we see the true sense and meaning of the text , and what is the second day and the work thereof : from whence wee may observe some points of doctrine . first wee hence learne , that god proceeds most wisely and orderly in the creation of the world , declaring manifestly that hee doth nothing in vaine , nor makes any thing before it is usefull and necessarily for the communicating of his goodnesse to his creatures ; but doth all for the benefit of others , and addes nothing to himselfe , neither hath need to receive glory from any creature . if god had made the sun and starres before hee made the aire or the earth , men might have imagined that hee had made the sun and lights of heaven not for the use of men and other earthly creatures ; but either because hee had need of them in the heavens to adde glory to himselfe ; or else to remaine for a time without use and in vaine . but in that hee made not the glorious lights at the first before the aire , through which they might shine and give light to the earth , hereby hee sheweth that hee created , all things wisely and orderly ; the most needfull things in the first place ; and nothing before there was use of it ; nothing which remained unprofitable for one houre ; and that in creating the world , hee neither sought nor needed any addition of glory to himselfe ; but made the glorious sun and lights for to shew and to impart his glory to men , and his goodnesse to other creatures . let us all see gods wisedome and goodnesse , and labour to imitate him in them ; and as he doth all for our use , not his owne profit , so let us not seek any thing in the world for our owne vaine ends : but make the setting forth of his glory , the end of all our labours ; and strive to doe his will and pleasure , not our owne ; nor the will and commandement of any man , when wee perceive it to bee contrary and not according to the will and word of god. secondly , in that the light of the second day which shined onely in the aire , and through it to the earth and deep , was not a cleare but obscure light in comparison of the first day , and the dayes after the sun , moone , and starres were made , not much brighter then the night of the three last dayes ; hereby god did foreshew , that the aire and this lowest world is the place of satans kingdome , wherein hee doth rage and tyrannize with great power after his fall , untill hee be cast into hell at the last day ; which also other scripture● shew , as eph. . where satan is called the prince of the aire , and revel . . . the kingdome of satan is called the aire , and ioh. . . our saviour calls him the prince of this world. wherefore let us not place our felicity here in the things of this world , nor hope for peace and rest in this lowest airy heaven where satan ruleth and rageth . hee who preacheth for things here , hee speakes into the aire , cor. . . hee who wrastleth for a prize here , hee beateth the aire , and strives for uncertainties , cor. . . let us looke up higher to the heaven of heavens , to the country and city , which is above , and where christ is , there let our heart bee , verse . chap. viii . the third dayes worke . of water and earth , distinct elements . of the names of earth and sea. of herbes , plants , and trees . all earthly things , nothing to god. wee are pilgrimes on earth : vses . god ruleth the most tumultuous creatures : vse . and god said , let the waters under the heaven bee gathered together unto one place , and let the drie land appeare ; and it was so , verse . and god called the drie land earth , and the gathering together of the waters called hee seas , and god saw that it was good , verse . and god said , let the earth bring forth grasse , herbe yeelding seed ; and the fruit tree yeelding fruit after his kind , whose seed is in it selfe upon the earth ; and it was so , verse . and the earth brought forth grasse , and herbe yeelding seed after his kind , and the tree yeelding fruit , whose seed was in it selfe after his kind ; and god saw that it was good , verse . and the evening and the morning , were the third day . the third dayes worke , is the creation of the earth and the seas , and the separating of them one from another in place , and the calling of them by their names ; also the creation of the herbes , plants , and trees out of the earth , all which made up a third dayes worke . in the . verse , wee have the creation of the two grossest and lowest elements , the water and the earth , laid downe very briefely , and withall the separation of the water from the earth into one place , and the appearance of the earth above the waters . the first words , ( and god said , ) shew , that god by his eternall word the son , created these inferiour elements , and all thing in them ; and still the son works with the father in all the works of creation . these next words , ( let the waters under the heaeen bee gathered together unto one place , and let the drie land appeare ) seeme not to speake at all of the creation of the waters or of the earth ; but onely of the separation of the waters into one place , and causing the dry land to appeare by it selfe . some expositors gather from these words , that the earth , and the waters were created before , and that the earth being made perfectly round in the lowest place , and framed of the heaviest and grossest part of the rude matter , which settled about the center , was all covered with the waters which were made of the purer part of that rude masse , which remained after the creation of the spacious firmament the airie heaven , and the naturall place of the waters was above the earth , betweene it and the aire . i easily beleeve and acknowledge , that the earth , being made of the heaviest part of the rude matter , doth occupie and possesse the lowest place about the middle center of the round world ; and that the naturall place of the water which is a purer and lighter element , in which place god first created it , and gave it being , is the place next above the earth compassing it round on every side ; and if the element of water were in quantity more then the hollow places of the earth could conteine , it would overflow all the upper face of the earth : or if god should bring the earth into a perfect round globe without risings up of hils , or hollow valleyes ; the waters of the sea would stand in the upper place next above it , between the aire and the earth . for wee see and find by daily experience , that as heavier elements do descend downwards when they are in lighter elements , and doe by naturall motion tend to the lower place ; as for example drops of raine-water , being ingendered in the aire , descend downward , and the earth and every part of it , whether a stone , or lump of clay or clod of earth , will sinke downe & move towards the bottom in a lake of standing water , and in a vessell full of water . so also the lighter and thinner elements doe naturally ascend above the heavier , and seeke the higher place , and cannot but by violence bee kept under them , or in the same place with them ; for wee see , that sparks and flames of fire being in the aire , will continually ascend upward till they come to the place above it ; and if aire be closed up in a bladder , and by some weight held downe in the bottom of a pond or some great vessell of water ; if it bee let loose by opening or bursting the bladder , it will presently flie up and make speedy way in bubbles to the top of the waters ; and if waters bee either ingendered in the earth under the ground , or , by secret conveyances , bee driven from the sea into the earth , it will continually spring up till it cometh to the top of the earth ; and hence it is , that wee have so many springs of water rising out of the earth . but i cannot beleeve , that the earth and the waters of the sea were created distinct elements before the third day ; because no words in this historie of the creation , doe , before this day , mention any creation of water and earth as they are elements perfectly formed and distinct one from another . indeed the rude masse , which was without forme and void , is called earth , and the deep , and the waters , not because it had the forme of these , or was any one of them ; but was onely the matter , of which they were made ; and because it was like earth , for the grossnesse of it ; and like water or a deep quagge or muddy lake , for the instability of it . and although it is said , before that god made the airie heaven , to divide between the waters above in the clouds , and the waters below under the aire in the sea and the rivers ; yet it doth not follow that these waters were created before , or that then immediatly it did divide betweene them , but that it was made to divide between them afterwards when they were created . yea itis plaine , that therewas no raine in the aire , nor clouds , nor mists , nor vapours ascending up from the earth , till after the earth was furnished with herbes , plants , and trees , chap. . verse , . wherefore ( omitting to mention divers needlesse questions , and unprofitable opinions raised and held by former writers and expositors of this text ) i will in briefe shew what i conceive , and what i gather out of these words . first , i conceive that these words , and god said , let waters from under heaven bee gathered together , ( for so they run in the originall ) doe implie two things : first , that god by his creating word brought the waters and the earth into being , and made them perfect and distinct elements one from another ; and the water being the lighter did at the first stand above the earth , and compasse it round , & that is the naturall place of it . secondly , that god immediatly after , when the waters had covered the earth almost for the space of a night , and had kept it in darknesse from the sight and light of heaven , then i say , god did bring the earth into that forme and shape which it now hath : in the round globe of it he made hollow valleyes , deeper in one place then another ; and hee raised up the hils and mountains so much in height above as those valleyes are deep and hollow below ; and the earth being a firme and drie element and standing fast in this fashion ; and the waters being of a liquid and flowing substance , and more heavy then the aire , did ( for the avoiding of vacuity , which nature abhorreth , and to fill up those hollow places , which otherwise would have remained empty , unlesse the aire could have descended through the water ) descend downe from the hils , and through the valleyes of the earth , untill they came into and filled the great hollow valleyes , where the waters of the sea remaine , and which is the place of the sea to this day ; and so there is as much water in the sea , as there is drie land appearing above the waters ; and the depth of the sea is equall to the rising of the earth , and the mountaines above the banks of it , as some learned men have observed . and for proofe hereof wee have the plaine word of god. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used in the originall text , signifies gathering together into one hollow place , and psalme . , , , . david speaking of the first foundation of the earth , saith , that god covered it with the deep as with a garment , and the waters stood above the hils : at his rebuke they fled , at his thundering voice they hasted away : the hils did rise up to their height , and the waters went downe the vallies , unto the place which god founded for them ; and there hee set them a bound which they cannot passe , nor returne to cover the earth . and the earth was first under the water ; and after by gods making of the great hollow vallies , and raising up the earth and drie land , caused it to stand out of the water , and so to appeare above the water as if it did stand in the water , and were founded upon the sea , and established upon the flouds , the words of saint peter shew , pet. . . compared with this text , and the words of david , psalme . . thus much for the opening of the first words , wherein the creation and situation of the earth and the waters are laid downe in the . verse . the next thing is the naming of the waters and the drie land . it is said , that god called the drie land earth , and the gathering together of the waters called he the seas , and god saw that it was good , verse . the names , which god gave to the things here created , are full of wisedome ; the drie land now appearing firme above the waters god called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eretz , of which our english name earth is derived , and hath the sound of it . in the hebrew , the word may bee derived of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth running speedily , or running a race ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is a negative particle & signifieth not ; for the earth is made to stand firme and neither to move from the naturall place of it , nor to run about in the place . the common opinion of the best learned is , that god called the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth where , being an adverb of place , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth running , because the heaven and the aire move and run round about it ; and because it stands firme and is a sure footing for men and other creatures to run upon , and neither sinke , as in waters ; nor fall and stick fast , as in waterish bogges , myres , and quicksands ; to which i may adde another and more divine reason , to wit , because god made the earth and drie land , that man and other creatures , which are made for mans use might live and move upon it , and that it might bee the place wherein man should run his race towards heaven and happinesse ; in which hee would not have us to settle our rest , as if wee were to live here for ever , but to run towards the better countrie , which is above . the gathering together of the waters , god called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the seas . first this name is of the plurall number ; because , though there is but one maine ocean sea , through which men may saile to all parts of the earth ; yet there are many inlets , creeks , corners , gulfes , and breakings in , between severall countries of the earth ; as the mediterranean sea , the red sea , the persian gulfe , the gulfe of venice , the black sea , the south sea , and divers others . secondly , this word is derived either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies to rage and to make a noise and tumult , or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies to shake , and to cast downe and lay prostrate all things before it . and indeed wee finde by experience , that the waters of the sea , being gathered together , and detained in the hollow place of the earth , doe , partly by a naturall disposition and inclination to ascend to their naturall place above the earth , and partly by windes and tempests lying violently upon them , rage , roare , swell , and make the mountaines as it were to shake with their rage and noyse . and when they breake through their bankes into the drieland ( as sometimes it happens ) they beare downe all before them ; as the flood in noah's dayes did over-run , and destroyed the earth , when god brake up the fountaines of the great deep . but howsoever the earth is made to bee a place of running , and of toile , and travell , and the gathering together of the waters into the seas makes a great noyse and tumult , and rageth terribly : yet god saw that this his worke was good ; and that both the earth and the sea should bee of great use and profit to man both for necessaries of life , and also for magnifying of gods dreadfull power , wisedome and goodnesse in mans eyes , and therefore moses here saith , god saw that it was good . another maine thing followeth in this third dayes worke , that is , the creation of grasse , herbes , plants , and trees : where note onely these two things : first , what were these things created . secondly , how they were created and brought into being . the first is grasse , or greene herbe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is that which of it selfe springs up without setting , or sowing . the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , herbe , bearing seed , that is , all herbes which are set or sowne , and increase by mans industry . the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , trees and plants , which are of a woodie substance , which beare fruit and have their seed , which turns to fruit in themselves ; they are not multiplied onely by sowing of seed , but live all the year , and many yeares without sowing , and multiply by rootes , slips , graffes , and the like . these were the things , which god is here said , by his creating word and power , to bring out of the earth , every one perfect in their kind . secondly , for the manner of creating them ; they were not created immediatly of nothing , nor of any other element besides the earth , and then put into the earth there to grow : but god by his powerfull word , without any help of mans tillage , raine , or sun , did make them immediatly out of the earth , and every one perfect in their kind ; grasse and heroes with flowers and seeds ; and trees with large bodies , branches , leaves , and fruits , growing up suddenly , as it were in a moment , by gods word and power . and thus much i gather not onely from the words of the text , which run thus , god said ; let the earth bring forth grasse , herbes , and trees : but also from the words , chap. . , . where it is said , that god formed every plant when yet it was not in the earth ; and every herb , when as yet it grew not up ; that is , before they had any seed , or roote hidden or sowne in the earth from whence they might spring and grow up ; and also without help of raine or dew , or any culture or tillage . now all these things being thus formed by the word of god , were approved by god for good and perfect in their kind . and so the evening , that is , the time of darknesse over the earth ( while the waters covered it , and before the drie land appeared above the waters , which was about twelve houres , a nights space ) and the morning ( that is , the time of light after the drie land appeared , and the light of the firie heavens shined upon it through the aire , which as yet was most pure and cleare without clouds , mists or vapours , which time of light was other twelve houres ) made up a third day . thus we see , that in the three first daies before the creation of the sun , moon , and starres , the night was a time of darknes , and the day a time of light in all that part of the world where night and day are said to have been , and in respect of which part of the world they are called evening , and morning ; as for example , after that the light , the firie heavens were created , and made out of the rude masse , full of darknesse , there was no more night or darknesse but all light in the heavens ever since ( for they are a day and light to themselves ) and that which is night and day , with us , is all alike with them , even cleare day light . so likewise after the creation of the light , all was darknesse in the rest of the rude masse which was not yet formed ; and the time that it lay in darknesse before the airy heaven was perfectly purified and made , is called the evening or night : but after that the firmament , that is , the spacious element of the aire , was created and brought into perfect being and puritie , it received into it the light of the firie heavens which shined through it , and the time of that shining into the aire is called the morning or day light ; and this day light shines still in the highest region of the aire , above the ascent of the clouds ; and there is no more night of darknesse in that region , but as cleare light as that of the second and third day ; onely in the rest of the rude masse there did remaine darknesse , untill god created out of it at once the two lowest elements , the waters and the earth ; and the time while the waters covered the earth ; and kept the light of heaven from it , is called the evening or night of the third day ; but when the drie land , and the hils and mountaines of the earth were raised up above the waters , and the great vast hollow valley , which is the place of the sea and receptacle of the waters , was made in it , then the light of the heavens did shine through the aire unto the upper face of the earth and of the waters , and so continued untill the herbes , plants , and trees were made : no clouds , or mists , or vapours made the lower region of the aire darke ; and this was the time of morning or day light on earth the third day . thus much for the opening of the third dayes work of creation , and how the times of light and darknesse , that is the evening and morning , did make up the third day . from this dayes work , and from the things created , and the manner of creation , divers things may bee observed for our instruction . first , wee see that the two lowest elements , earth and sea , though they appeare to bee great and huge vast things , yet to god , working by his eternall word , the making and separating of them was but a peece of a dayes work , and all the grasse , herbes , plants , and trees , which are innumerable and full of all admirable variety , they were but another peece of a dayes worke ; they were not onely made and brought into being , but also to their perfect growth , full of flowers , seed and fruite in a little time , as it were in a moment : hence we may learne , that all this world here below , wherein the sonnes of men live together , with all creatures which se●ve for their use ; it is as nothing in the hand of god , and of small moment . all the herbes , plants , and trees , which solomon with all his wisedome could scarcely come to know , were with the earth , sea , and all waters , made perfect in one day . this is that which the lord proclaimes by the prophet , isa. . , . where it is said , that all nations are as a drop of a bucket , and are counted as the small dust of the balance before him ; all nations are before him as nothing , and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity . which doctrine serves to admonish us to despise all earthly riches and possessions in comparison of god , who is the portion of the godly and faithfull ; also it serves to confound and put to shame all proud carnall worldlings , who glory and boast in a little nothing ; and to make glad , and fill with joy gods people , who have a true right and interest in god by their spirituall union and communion , which they have with christ by one spirit , even the holy ghost , dwelling in him as the head , and in them as members of the same mysticall body . secondly , from the name of the earth , we learne , that this world is a race and pilgrimage , and a place of travell , and warfare , and here is not the rest of man , neither is here his abiding place . this the scriptures proclaime every where . iacob the father of israel , who had the land of canaan promised to him and his seed for an inheritance for ever ; hee counted his life as a pilgrimage on earth , and saith in his old age , few and evill have my dayes been , gen. . . and david saith , psalme . . i am a stranger upon earth , and psalme . . i am a stranger and sojourner with thee , as all my fathers were . iob calls mans life a few dayes and full of trouble , which fleet as a shadow , and continueth not , iob . , . saint paul cals it a restelesse race , like that of men who runne for a prize , cor. . . . and heb. . . wee are here like noah's dove , which being sent out of the arke found no rest for the soale of her foote till shee returned thither againe . here wee have no continuing citie , hebr. . neither is here our rest , mich. . . till our soules returne to god who gave them wee shall alwayes be in a pilgrimage and never find quiet rest . this doctrine is of good use to keep and restraine us from dreaming of setled rest here on earth , and from seeking to build our nests sure in the tops of earthly rocks for many generations , and to stirre us up to put on resolution and courage to labour , and travell , and strive , and run as men doe in a race , and for masteries , while wee live on earth : for our life is short and fleeth away as a shadow , and the art and divine skill of gaining heaven , and getting the crowne of glory , doth require much studie , sweating , toile , and industrie ; and wee cannot attaine to it , but by hearing , reading , studying , and meditating in gods word day and night . secondly , it discovers worldlings to bee dreaming and doating fooles , who put trust and confidence in things of this world , and build great houses , purchase lands , and large revenues , and think that their houses shall continue for ever : the prophet justly compareth such men to a dreamer , who being hungrie doth dreame that hee eateth , but when hee awaketh his soule is empty ; & in his thirst he dreameth that he is drinking , but when he awaketh hee is faint , and his soule hath appetite , isa. . . this is the case of foolish and brutish worldings , who see how the forme and fashion of the world passeth away , and yet seeing will not see ; but still dreame of setled rest and dwelling on earth . thirdly , though the seas are such as the name signifieth which god gave to them , that is , troubelous and tumultuous , and doe dreadfully rage and roar ; yet seeing , god is above them as their lord and creatour , and when hee made them such saw that they were good and usefull and profitable for man , this teacheth , that god ruleth over the most tumultuous creatures of the world , and maketh the most outrageous roarers work for the good of his people . first , hee makes them serve to shew the power , dread and terrour of him their creatour , that all may feare and stand in awe of him : for if the creatures be so dreadfull and terrible , much more god the creatour , who gave them their being . and as god makes them worke feare , so also admiration in men ; so david sheweth , psalme . and psalme . . secondly , hee makes them worke for the good of his people , and for the safety of his church ; by destroying and devouring their wicked enemies , persecutors , and oppressors ; as wee see in the red sea drowning pharaoh and his host ; and as wee have seene in the year . when the sea , wind and stromes scattered and devoured the armado of our bloudy enemies , who came enraged with furie , and furnished with all weapons of cruelty , and instruments of death , to destroy our land and the church of god in it . the consideration whereof serves to make us east our selves upon god in all times of trouble , and to comfort our selves in him , knowing that as hee is the lord mighty above all , and a terrour to the most terrible , and hath in his hand power to save us from all troubles : so hee is gracious and willing to save us ; and though hee sometimes suffers the swelling waves to rise , and the tempestuous stormes and seas to threaten , and put us in feare and danger , yet it is not in wrath but in wisedome , because for the present hee sees them to bee good for us . chap. ix . the fourth dayes worke . of the lights , substantiall bodies : the place of them : their vse ; for signes , seasons , dayes , and yeares . of the sun , moone , and starres . no instruments used in the creation . note the great wisedome of god in the order of creation . this world not made to bee the place of our immutable perfection . vses of each of these . and god said , let there bee lights in the firmament of the heaven , to divide the day from the night : and let them bee for signes , and for seasons , and for dayes , and for yeares . . and lot them bee for lights in the firmament of heaven , to give light upon the earth ; and it was so . . and god made two great lights , the greater light to rule the day , and the lesse light to rule the night ; he made also the starres . . and god set them in the firmament of heaven , to give light upon the earth . . and to rule over the day and the night , and to divide the light from the darknesse ; and god saw that it was good . . and the evening and the morning were the fourth day . these words containe a briefe historie of the fourth dayes worke in the creation : in which wee may observe ; first , gods powerfull commanding the worke to bee done by his eternall word , in the . and . verses . secondly , his bringing of the worke to passe by that eternall word , in the , , . verses . thirdly , gods approbation of the worke , and so perfecting that day . first , wee see god still proceeds in the worke of creation by his powerfull word , and saith , let there be lights . the things which hee commands to bee done are two . first , that there shall bee lights in the firmament of heaven , that is , the sun , moone , and starres , which are the lights created out of the first element , even that light which was made the first day , that is , the body of the visible firie heavens . the second , that they shall bee for speciall use : . to divide the day from the night . . to bee for signes , seasons , dayes , and yeares . . to bee for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth . that these lights are not bare lights without a subject , but bright shining substantiall bodies , which have light in themselves , and send forth beames of light into other pure elements and cleare transparent bodies , no man can deny ; for the hebrew word here in my text is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies lamps , torches , or other things which shine forth and give light ; and the words following , verse . shew plainely , that these lights are the sun , moone , and starres , which rule the day and the night by the light which they give to the earth . the greatest doubt here is about the place where god commanded them to bee , to wit , the firmament of heaven . for if wee take the word firmament of heaven for the spacious region of the aire , as wee have expounded it before , verse , , . then men will conceive that the sun , moone , and starres , have their place in the airie region , and not in the firie region of the visible heavens ; which is a thing contrary to reason and experience , and to the common judgement of all the learned , and to the holy scriptures . for clearing of this doubt wee have two answers ready at hand , either of which may satisfie . the first , that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heaven , signifies not onely the airy region , wherein the fowles doe flie , verse . and above which there are waters in the clouds , as appeares verse . but also the highest heaven , verse . and the firie heavens , which are called the starry heaven . gen. . . and the garnished heaven , iob . . and which are the heavens next unto the highest , and in comparison of which the highest is called the heaven of heavens , kings . . and the third heaven , cor. . . so also the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is here translated firmament , and signifies a broad spreading , or a thing which is broad spread and stretched out farre and wide may very well here in this place bee used to signifie the firie region of the starry heaven , spread abroad farré more large and wide , then the airy region , and then this is the meaning , that god commanded lights to bee , and made lights , and set them in the firie region or firmament which is above the airy firmament ; in which sense the word firmament is used , psalme . . and dan. . . secondly , if any should not bee satisfied with this first answere , which is cleare and sufficient , but should still hold , that the word firmament is here used to signifie the airy heaven , as in the . and . verses : then this may serve for a second answere , that god commanded lights to be , that is , the sun , moone , and starres , to have a being , and created them out of the firie heavens , in which they have their place of being : but hee gave them bright light for this end and purpose , that they might shine through the region of the aire , and might multiplie their beames in it , and so bee therein for lights to the earth . the words of the text in the originall doe not expressely affirme , that god made them of the matter of the airy region the firmament , or that hee there placed them : but onely that he gave them to be lights , and to shine through the aire upon the earth : & though the bodie & substance of sun , moone , and stars be set and placed in the starry heaven or firmament ; yet they are lights in the airy firmament , and through it give light to the earth . and this i prove by a demonstration gathered from the text it selfe : for where the sun , and moone , and starres , are given to divide betweene day and night , and to bee for seasons , dayes and yeares , and to rule over the day and over the night ; there god gave them to bee for lights . this is most certaine and manifest ; for the sun doth no other way rule the day , nor the moone the night , but onely by their light & by appearing one while & not another in the severall hemisphaeres of heaven to the earth below : now they divide the day from the night , and make difference of seasons , dayes and yeares onely in the lowest heavens and in the earth : for above , in the starry heaven , the sun , moone , and starres doe shine all alike continually : there is one perpetuall day of light and no night or darkenesse from the beginning to the end of the world : it is the suns appearing to one side of the earth for a time , once in . houres , which makes the day ; and the absence and not appearing of it for the rest of the . houres to that side of the earth , which makes the night there ; and both day and night make a civill day , and seven such dayes a week , and four weekes a moneth , had moneths a year , and the seasons of summer , winter , spring , and autumne , have place onely on earth , and in the lowest airie heaven , not in the starry heaven . therefore god gave them ; and set them to be lights , that is , to give light in the aire and to the earth . and thus the doubt is fully cleared ; and the first thing opened , to wit , gods commanding lights to bee in the firmament of heaven . the second thing commanded is the use of those lights . the first use is , to divide the day from the night , that is , the time of light from the time of darknesse . for clearing or which point wee are to consider , first , what is here properly meant by day and night , and how the lights divide them one from another . secondly , how there could be a division betweene day and night , before these lights , the sun , moone , and starres were made . first by day we are here to understand not the space of the sun , moone , and starres , compassing the earth , which is the space of . houres ; for that day consists of an evening and a morning , and comprehends in it one night ; and some call it a naturall , and some a civill , and some an astronomicall day : but here by day wee are to understand the time while the sun , the greatest light , shines and gives light upon the face of the earth : and by night the time while the moone and starres doe onely appeare and give their dimme light upon the earth , which some call an artificiall and civill day and night , but others doe more proper●● call it a naturall day , and a naturall night . the day in this sense hath no night in it , and the night in this sense is no part of the day ; but these two , being the one the time of darknesse or dimme light , & the other the time of cleare light , are so opposite , that they cannot both bee at once in one and the same part of the world. now as the visible world consists of divers maine parts or elements ; and the motions of the sun , moone , and starres are most variable among themselves ; so the day and night taken in this proper sense are most variable . first , the day , as it is a time of light , doth in respect of some parts of the world comprehend in it the whole time from the first creation of the sun and of the starry heavens , the making of which brought in the first morning or day-light ; as for example , ever since the firie heavens were made and created a bright shining substance , they have retained their light continually , and so there hath beene a continuall day in them , and no night nor darknesse ; although the light of them , by reason of the vast distance , doth not make day here on earth . also ever since the sun was created , it shineth most cleare in the firie or starry heaven from east to west , and from the north to the south-pole ; when the sun sets in the west from our sight , it shineth bright in the face of the full moone , which is then rising in the east part of heaven , or else the moone would bee darke and enclypsed : all the shadow which the earth makes in the heavens , by comming betweene the sun and that part of the heaven which is most opposite , is very little , neare about the compasse of the body of the moone , as in every great eclypse of the moone may easily bee seene and discerned . likewise that light which was the day light of the second day , continueth still in the superiour region of the aire , and in the lowest regions also when there are no clouds , mists , or vapours : and the light of the sun also appeares continually in the most part of the highest regions of the aire , even under our hemisphare , and in our horizon , when the sun is furthest from our sight . and as there is alwayes day light in the middle heavens , so there is alwayes night and darknesse in the midst of the earth , and through all the body of it from the upper face to the center , which is the very middle and heart of it . secondly , in those places of the world which are directly under the north and south poles , the day , that is , the time of the sons being in theirsight , is just halfe a year ; and the night also , that is , the time of the suns absence from their sight , is another halfe year . thirdly , under the equinoctiall line , which cuts the heavens equally in the middle betweene the north and south poles , the day and night are alwayes equall each one . houres , because the sun , and moone , and starres doe appeare so long , and are hid just so long againe . and thus dayes and nights varie according to the severall parts of the world , and divers climats of the earth . and ever since that god did make the lights in heaven , the sun , moone , and starres ; they have made the division betweene the darknesse which wee call night , and the light which wee call day , as god here appointed . for the time while the sun shines and rules , by giving greatest light in any part of the world , that is called the day light ; and the time while the sun is out of sight , and the moone and starres onely shine and rule , that is called the night , because it is a time of dimme light , which is darknesse in comparison of the sun light , as appeares in the words of the . verse . the second thing , which comes to bee considered in the first use of these lights , is the division and distinction betweene day and night before this fourth dayes worke , when these lights were made for this use . for clearing of this point , wee are to call to minde somethings which i have opened before , and withall adde some few things more , which will make the truth manifest . first we are to know and perswade our selves , that there is no difference or division betweene day and night , but onely in this inferiour visible world , which wee see with bodily eyes : for in the heaven of heavens , which is above the visible world , there is no darknesse , neither can bee at any time ; but there is the inheritance of the saints in light , and the light thereof is spirituall and to us supernaturall . and in hell , wheresoever that is , there is nothing but blacknesse of darknesse for ever , pet. . . iude . secondly , the time of day-light , which is called the morning , and the time of night and of darknesse , which is called the evening , in the three first dayes did much differ from the evening and morning , that is , the time of darknesse and light , in the rest of the dayes after that the sun , moone , and starres were made . for the evening , that is , the time of darknesse or night , in the first day was onely the time while all this inferiour world remained in that rude informed masse , without forme and void , which was all over-spread with darknesse , and had no light in it : and the morning , that is , the time of light and of day , was the time after that god formed the light , that is the firie or starry heavens ; for they were in themselves full of light , and had cleare day in them without the sun , before the light of them was united in the sun , moone , and starres : i say from the forming of them , untill god began to create the spacious airie firmament , it was cleare day in so much of the visible world as was perfectly formed , that is , in the firie heavens , which are called light ; and that was twelve houres at the least . but when god began to create out of the rude masse full of darknesse the lowest heavens , the aire , which is a spacious region , while the earthy and waterish parts were setling downward , and the aire was a purging and growing into purity ; untill it became pure and cleare , there was a time of darknesse and dimnesse in it ; which i conceive to bee the space of a night about twelve houres : and the time after that it was made pure and received into it the light of the heavens shining clearly in it , was the morning or time of day-light sufficient for so much of the world as was then created , which was twelve houres more , and made up the second day . then god began to create the water , and the drie land , and while the earth was setling downward to the center , and the waters , being made of the thinner and lighter part of the masse which remained , did cover the face of the earth which was created round in the middle of them , this was the space of twelve houres , and it was a time of darknesse upon the earth which lay hid and covered with all the waters which are now in the seas and rivers , and this was the night of the third day upon earth . but after that god made the great and hollow vallies , which are now the receptacles of the waters , and made the hils and drie land stand up and appeare above the waters , being gathered into that hollow place ; there was a time of day-light for the light of the heavens , which then had in them all that light which is now gathered and united in the bodies of the sun , moone , and starres , did shine upon the face of the earth for the space of twelve houres ; in which god made the grasse , and the herbes bearing seced , and the trees of all kinds bearing fruits ; and this was the third day . now after this day ended , god created clouds , and mists , and vapours ; which , ascending up into the middle region of the aire , did make a time of darknesse , and a night upon the face of the earth and the sea ; and this was the evening or night of the fourth day . but when after twelve houres god had made the lights in the firmament , the sun , moone , and starres , then came in the morning , that is , the time of light ; in which the sun shining bright upon the earth made the fourth day ; and ever since that fourth day , the division betweene the day and night is by means of the sun , moone , and starres . for all the while that the sun appeares and shines upon the upper face of the earth , that is the day-time in that place ; and while the sun is absent , and the light thereof is not seen , and there is no light except of the moone and the starres , that is the time of darknesse and of the night . this is the first use of these lights expressed in my text , even to divide betweene the day and betweene the night . the second use for which god made these lights and appointed them , is to bee for signes , and for seasons , and for dayes , and for yeares . first , they are for signes to men , both of things supernaturall , that is , to shew the glory , the wisedome and the power of god and his admirable love to man , in making such great , and glorious shining lights for his use ; and also they are signes of things naturall , as of faire , foule , and seasonable weather , and such like ; for the pleindes arising , are signes of sweet showers , which make the earth to spring , iob . . the dogge-starre arising , is a signe of scorching heat ; the moone also by her change , and full , and middle quarters , is a signe of high and low tydes , and flowings of the sea ; and the divers colours of it , shew divers changes of weather . secondly , they are for seasons . for the suns declining to the south line , makes the shortest dayes to them who live northward from the equinoctiall , and the autumne and winter season ; but when it cometh back to the equinoctiall , it makes the spring season ; and when it cometh to the northerne tropick , it brings in the hot summer , and declining againe to the equinoctiall , it brings in autumne and the harvest season . thirdly , they serve for dayes and yeares . for the motion of the sun , moone , and starres , round about the heavens in . houres , maketh a day in the large sense , that is , a civill day ; and the appearance and shining of the sun upon the face of the earth , makes a day of light , that is , a naturall day ; and the setting and absence of the sun make the night . the motion of the moone in her proper course thorough the twelve signes of the zodiak , from change to change , and from full to full , makes a moneth of foure weeks ; and the proper motion of the sun thorough the same twelve signes , makes a yeare of twelve distinct solary moneths ; and the moone by her foure quarters , makes four weeks every one of seven dayes : and the concurrence of the sun , moone , and starres , returning to their severall places , make set times for civill and ecclesiasticall use , as for feasts of easter , pentecost , and the like , which are appointed by god and his church to bee observed yearly for gods honour and for remembrances of some great works of mercy performed by god and by christ , for mans deliverance and salvation . the last and maine use of all is , to give light upon earth ; for , by giving of light and shining in , and thorough the aire , they cause heat , and moysture , and drienesse ; and by their severall degrees , aspects , and reflexions of beames and light , they yeeld their influence and cherish and worke upon things below ; they also make all things visible to men and other creatures , and by their light wee come to see and discerne all things here visible ; without which sight and visibility , no man can performe the works for which god created and placed him on earth . and so much for opening the first maine thing in my text , to wit , gods commanding lights to bee in the firmament of heaven for the speciall uses here named , laid downe in the . and . verses . the second maine thing , is his bringing of the worke to ●●●se by his powerfull word , and making it to bee in all respects according to his counsell , will and word . this is laid downe , first summarily , in the last clause of the . verse , in these words , audit was so ; that is , as god said and commanded , so it was done presently . secondly , it is more largely described in the next words , verse , , . and god made two great lights , the greater to rule the day , the lesse to rule the night ; hee made also the starres . and god set them in the firmament to give light upon the earth , and to divide light and darknesse . first , of whatsoever god sad , let it be , it was made , & for the same use as here we read : for as he said , let there be lights , and let them be to divide the day from the night ; so he made lights , and gave them in the firmament of heaven to divide day from night and to serve for the uses which hee appointed . secondly , it is here said , that god himselfe made those lights ; no angels , or others besides himselfe were commanded to make them , nor had any hand in creating them . thirdly , the lights , which were before generally mentioned , are here more specially and particularly rehearsed and expressed , and the severall offices of them all . two of them are said to bee great lights , one greater , that is , the sun to rule the day ; the other lesser , that is , the moone to have dominion in the night ; the rest of the lights are said to bee the starres : first , for the sun , that is called the greatest light , and that most truly and properly ; both for the body and substance of it ; and also for the brightnesse and aboundance of the light which is in it : for the most skilfull mathematicians have observed and demonstrated , that the very body of the sun doth exceed the whole earth in bignesse . times ; and our owne eyes are witnesses of the greatnesse of the light in it , farre exceeding all bodily lights , and dazling our weake sight . secondly , the moone is also called a great light ( though lesser then the sun ; ) not for the bignesse of the bodie of it , but because it is the lowest of all the planets , and nearest unto the earth , and therefore appeares biggest of all next unto the sun , and gives to the earth a greater light then any of the starres , which are farre greater in substance , and brighter in light . for the most skilfull mathematicians have found by their art , that it is . times lesser then the earth , and the least of all the starres except mercury , which is the planet next above it : and those starres which are said to bee of the first magnitude , are some of them observed to bee . times bigger then the earth . and although the moone , being the lowest and nearest of all the heavenly lights unto the earth , and therefore more dimme in it selfe , and of a more impure bodie and substance , as appeares by the cloudy specks in it , shining very little of it selfe , may in that respect bee called one of the least lights : yet because it borrowes light from the sun , shining in the face of it as in a looking glasse , and because it is . times lower then the sun , and nearer to us then the earth is ; lower then it , as mathematicians have observed , and so it is nearer to the earth then the sun almost . hundred thousand miles ; therefore in our eyes it appeares the greatest of all the lights next to the sun : and moses here speaking according to the capacity of the vulgar , and our outward senses , and the sensible effects of light which the moone gives to the earth , cals it one of the two great lights . and as hee gives to the sun the office and prerogative of ruling the day , because the sight and presence of the sun makes the day light , and smoothers and obscures all other lights in the day time : so hee gives to the moone the office of ruling the night ; because when it appeares in the night , it giveth more light to us here on earth then all the other starres . thus wee see , that as god said , so every thing which was made in the fourth day came to passe ; god himselfe made every thing by his eternall word , according to his owne eternall counsell , minde , and will. and therefore no marvell though hee gives approbation to this dayes worke also , which is the third maine thing in the text , expressed in these words , and god saw that it was good . and so the sun , having shined for the space of twelve houres , till it had passed through one hemisphaere or halfe of heaven ; that time or morning of light , together with the evening or time of darknesse going before it , and caused by clouds , mists and vapours over-shadowing the earth , is called the fourth day . now this history of the fourth dayes worke , as i have expounded it , affords us some points of instruction . first , in that herbes , grasse , plants , and trees , were made perfect in their kinde before any raine , or dew , or sun , moone , and starres were created ; hence wee may learne , that god used no instruments , nor helpe of any creatures in the creation of any thing ; but made and formed every creature himselfe by his eternall word and spirit , who are with him one and the same iehovah , infinite , almighty and omnipotent . for further proofe whereof , there are many testimonies in the holy scriptures , as isa. . . . and . . where the lord appropriateth to himselfe , and to his owne hand , the creating and making of heaven and earth , and ioh. . . and colos. . . where all things are said to bee created by the eternall word the son ; and also by the spirit , psalme . . this doctrine admonisheth us to give all the glory of the wisedome , power , and goodnesse , shewed in the creation , to god alone ; and to acknowledge that all things created , even the whole world and all things therein , are the lords ; also to make us admire his rich bountie , & to render all thanks to his holy majesty for all the profit , benefit , and comforts , which wee receive from any of gods creatures . secondly , wee may hence learne and observe , the wisedome and wise providence of god , in making every thing in due season , and nothing before there was need of it for the creatures , which were next in order to bee made ; for hee did not create the lights of sun , moone , and starres , together with the starry heavens , which is the place of them , untill hee was about to create living things which could not well bee , nor move according to their kinde , without such lights shining in the earth and in the waters . which wise providence of god , is a patterne and direction to us to doe all things in order : in the first place , things necessarie and usefull for the well-being , and bringing to passe of things which are afterwards to bee done ; and nothing which may bee and remaine without use and profit . as god would not make the sun , moone , and starres , together with the first light , the firie heavens , on the first day , because then there was no use nor necessitie of them ; but deferred the creation of them untill the fourth day , when there was use and necessity to make a cleare day-light ; and living creatures endued with life , sense , and sight were to bee made in the two next dayes following , whose life without such cleare day light would have beene but like the shadow of death ; so let us bee carefull then to provide things necessary and usefull , when wee see and perceive that wee shall have present use of them , and not bee like foolish prodigall and fantasticall builders , who build stately houses like palaces with large barnes , stables , and stals , when neither they nor theirs are in any way or possibility to furnish them with corne , horses or cattell , or to make use of them for fit and necessary habitation . thirdly , though the glory of god doth more appeare in light of day then , in darknesse of night ; and it was and is in gods power , to make more great lights and divers sunnes in severall places of the heaven , to shine in all the world at once , and to make a perpetuall day on earth : yet hee made them so , that on the earth , in this lower and inferiour world , there should bee as much night as day , and darknesse as light ; whereby hee teacheth us even from the creation , that this earthly world was not made to bee the place of mans immutable perfection and blessednesse ; but a place of changes and alterations ; wherein , by reason of darknesse , the prince of darknesse may rule , rage and tyrannise by himselfe and his wicked instruments ; and drive us to seeke a better rest , and an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in heaven , in the place of perpetuall light . the whole booke of the wise preacher is an ample testimony of this truth , and a large commentary upon this doctrine ; for it wholy tends to make men loath this inferiour world under the sun , wherein there is nothing but changes , and vanity of vanities , and all is vanitie . wherefore let us not seeke for immutability nor unchangable peace and prosperity here on earth , lest wee bee found as foolish as those builders who build and set up goodly houses on a sandy foundation , which may easily bee beaten downe , and ruined with every wind , wave , and tempest . they who settle their rest on earth , and here seeke perfect felicity and immutable blessednesse ; they trust under the shadow and shelter of a gourd , which may grow up in one night , and in the next night wither away , and perish , and bring much griefe and sorrow to them , which will vex them , and drive them like ionah to impatiency and anger against god their creatour . let us looke up to heaven where is light without darknesse , and an everlasting day without any night ; and bend all our course to that countrie above , and long for everlasting light and glory , which the blessed saints and angels there enjoy in the presence of god , and at his right hand , where are pleasures for evermore . chap. x. the fifth dayes worke . of fishes and fowles . all made in perfect wisedome : vses . two notable properties of fishes : their sensitive soule , and matter . the matter of birds . of other flying things . of whales . of the fruitfulnesse of fishes . gods infinite power jioyned with infinite wisedome : vses . all is made by christ , and likewise bestowed on us : vse . gods great providence for mankinde : vse . and god said , let the waters bring for aboundantly the moving creature which hath life : and let the fowle flie above the earth in the open firmament of heaven . . and god created great whales , & every living creature that moveth , which the waters brought forth aboundantly after their kinde , and every winged fowle after his kinds , and god saw that it was good . . and godblessed them , saying , bee fruitfull and multiply , and fill the waters in the sea , and let fowle multiplie in the earth . . and the evening and the morning were the fifth day . in these words wee have the history of the fifth dayes worke , which was the creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist elements , the water and the aire , to wit , fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters ; and all kinds of fowles which flie in the open region of the aire , which is here called the open firmament of heaven . first , wee have gods powerfull word and commandement given for the bringing of them into being , in the . verse . secondly , wee have gods creation of them and bringing them into being by his mighty word ; together with his approbation of them in the . verse . thirdly , gods blessing of them with the blessing of fruitfulnesse and increase , verse . lastly , the time wherein all things were done , to wit , in the space and compasse of the fifth day , verse . first , as in all other works god said , let them bee ; so here hee still proceeds to create every thing by his eternall word : so much this phrase signifieth , as i have before shewed . it also intimates thus much unto us , that god did not suddenly and unadvisedly create any of these things , but according to his eternall counsell , as hee in his infinite wisedome had purposed and determined in himselfe from all eternity . for wee finde by experience among men , that when any workman doth say before hand of the worke which hee goeth about ; thus i will make it , and thus let it bee , it is a cleare evidence that hee doth it with advice , as hee hath framed it in his mind , and determined it by his will ; and therefore moses here used this forme of speech , that god said first , let things bee , and then hee created them ; to teach us , that god had from all eternity framed them in his decree , and determined them in his counsell and will to bee such as hee made them in the creation . whence wee may gather this doctrine : that god hath created all things in wisedome , and never doth any worke rashly , without counsell or consideration ; but orders and brings to passe every thing , so as he hath purposed , with perfect knowledge and understanding . this is that which the prophet david doth preach and proclaime with admiration , psalme . . saying , o how manifold are thy works ! in wisedome and hast thou made them all . and his wise son solomon , proverb . . , . saith , the lord by wisedome hath founded the earth , by understanding hath hee established the heavens , by his knowledge the depths are broken up , and the clouds drop downe dew . and ier. . . and . . the prophet affirmes , that god hath made the earth by his power , and hath established the world by his wisedome , and stretched out the heavens by this discretion . yea the actions of revenge upon enemies , which men doe for the most part rashly , and run in to them head-long without discretion , god doth in wisedome , and understanding , and according to his wise counsell , as holy iob testifieth , iob . . saying , he divideth the sea with his power , and by his understanding smiteth through the proud . and , in a word , that god hath made all things wisely and wi●h good understanding , so that in every creature his wisedome and counsell appeares , wee may plainely see by dayly experience , and by that which iob saith , chap. . , , . to wit , that if wee aske the beasts , they will teach ; and the fowles of the aire , they shall tell us : or if wee speake to the earth , it shall instruct us ; or to the fishes of the sea , they shall declare unto us ; who knoweth not in all these things that the hand of the lord hath wrought this ? that is , wee may see , and read gods wisedome in all his works ; for , as it followes , verse . with him is wisedome and strength , he hath counsell and understanding : and these hee sheweth manifestly in all his works and doings . first , this doctrine serves for direction to all men in all their works and doings , how to doe all things according to the perfect paterne and true rule of all well-doing . the rule of all mans actions ought to bee the will of god , who created him and gave him his whole being ; and the perfect paterne whom the sons of god ought to follow in all their works , is , god who formed them after his owne image ; so that the perfection of man consists in his conformity to god ; and the more or lesse hee resembles god in all his wayes , the more or lesse perfect hee is , and the nearer or further from perfection and true happinesse . now here this doctrine teacheth , that god hath created all things in wisedome , and doth all his workes according to his determinate counsell , and with perfect understanding , and nothing rashly without consideration . wherefore , as wee desire to order our wayes aright , and wallie in the right and ready pathes which lead unto perfection ; and as wee have a minde to doe all our works so as that they may bee profitable and comfortable to our selves and others : so let us imitate god in all our wayes and works , and never doe any thing rashly without consulting with his word ; want of this marres all : when men follow their owne lusts and head-strong will and affections , and consult not with gods word ; then they follow their owne wayes , and forsake the wayes of god ; then they doe their owne works , not the works of god ; and those wayes and works of their owne will , procure all evils and mischiefes unto them , according to that of the prophet , ier. . thy wayes and doings have procured these things unto thee ; this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter , because it reacheth unto thine heart . whereas , on the contrary , they that walke after gods wayes , and take his counsell along with them in all their doings , and doe nothing rashly , but so as god by his word puts into their heart ; they shall bee holy and wise in their degree , as god is wise and holy ; and by holinesse shall come to see god , and the reward and end of their doings shall bee glory , honour , immortality , and eternall life , rom. . . secondly , seeing god hath made all things in wisedome , and according to his eternall counsell ; this serves to stirre us up so to behold and consider all things created by god , as that wee may see and discerne his wisedome in their very frame ; and if wee doe not see and discerne the image of gods wisedome and goodnesse in them all , and a good use of them all ; let us blame our owne blindnesse and ignorance , and not vilifie , or dis-esteeme any worke or any creature of god : but if wee finde any creature which seemes unprofitable , or hurtfull altogether , and serving for no good use ; let us know , that it is mans sin which hath made the creatures subject to vanity , and hatefull and hurtfull to men ; and yet in the meane time gods wisedome appeares in ordering and disposing to a good use , even by the enmity , hurtfulnesse , loathsome poison and filthinesse which is in them , to chastise and correct his owne people , and to put them in remembrance of their sinfulnesse and corruption , that they may forsake and mortifie it by repentance , or to punish the impenitent , and execute just vengance on the wicked in the day and time of his visitation . and upon these considerations , let us all , so often as wee see or remember the unprofitablenesse , loathsomnesse and poison which is in some creatures , bee stirred up to repent of our sinnes which have brought them under this corruption for a scourge of our dis-obedience ; and let us firmely beleeve , that god in wisedome useth them to punish the wicked and to correct his people , and hee will make us see in all his wisedome shining clearly at the last . but now , from the word of god , i proceed to that which hee set himselfe to doe by his eternall word , according to his will and purpose ; this is in these words , let the waters bring forth aboundantly every moving creature that hath life , and let the fowle she above the earth . the things which here god sets himselfe to create are of two sorts : first , all creatures which live and have their being in the element of water , all fishes and other creatures , which live in the sea , rivers , lakes , and all other waters . secondly , all fowles , birds , and flying things which flie above the earth in the open region of the aire . the first sort are all called by this generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is here translated , the moving creature , and in the hebrew signifieth a creature which is most notable for these two properties : first , that it is a living creature , which moves , not by going upon feet onely , or by flying with wings ; but by creeping or sliding , and moving forwards , as wee see fishes doe in the water , and creeping things doe in and upon the earth . secondly , that it breeds and brings forth young in great aboundance , more then any other creatures doe ; as wee see the fishes , which by the multitude of spawne would increase beyond all measure and number , if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed . for the hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is here translated the moving creature , is derived ; is used as in my text , so in other scriptures frequently , first to signifie creeping , or moving forward without feet , as gen. . . and levit. . . and secondly also to bring forth aboundantly as here , and also , of the creation which god wrought , and by which hee made the whole frame of the world perfect and complete , and every way fully furnished . this last worke is described by moses , first generally , briefely and summarily , in the . verse , and from thence to the end of this first chapter : and secondly , the creation of the woman is more particularly related , chap. . from the . verse to the end of that chapter . verse . and god said , let us make man in our owne image , and after our likenesse , &c. . so god created man in his owne image , &c. . and god blessed them and said , be fruitfull and multiplie , and replenish the earth , &c. in this history of the creation of mankinde , wee may observe these speciall things , which are most notable and worthy to bee opened . first , gods consultation about the creation of mankind in the . verse ; and god said , let us make man in our image . secondly , gods creating of mankind according to his owne eternall counsell ; which is laid downe summarily and more generally , that god made them , in his owne image , male and female , verse . this creation of mankind is more plainely and particularly laid downe in the next chapter ; where moses relates , first , how god made the man of the dust of the ground , and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life , and man became a living soule , verse . secondly , how god made the female , the woman , to bee an helpe meet for man , and that of a rib taken out of the mans side in a deep sleep , verse . . &c. thirdly that they were both naked , and were not ashamed , verse . these things are to bee noted in the creation of mankind . the third thing is the blessing , wherewith god blessed them joyntly together , the man and the woman ; and it comprehends in it two things : first , the blessing of fruitfulnesse , that they should multiply and replenish the earth with mankind . secondly , the honour , dominion and prerogative which god gave to them to subdue the earth , and to have dominion over all other living creatures ; this is expressed , chap. . . the fourth is the meat and bodily food which god assigned to man in the creation , verse . but with limitation & restraint from the fruit of one tree , chap. . , . as for other creatures , which live on the earth , hee assigned the greene herbe or grasse to them for food , verse . the fifth thing , is the place of mans habitation , the garden of eden , the earthly paradise , which is described , chap. . , , &c. the last thing is gods viewing of all things , which hee had made , after the creation of the man and the woman , and his placing of them in paradise , which was the accomplishment of the creation and the last worke ; and his approbation of every creature for very good and perfect in his kind ; this is expressed in the . verse . the first thing is gods consultation concerning the creation of mankind , wherein wee are to consider these particulars ; . who it is that saith , let us make . . with whom hee doth thus consult and conferre . . what is the thing consulted about , even the making of man in their owns image , and after their likenesse , to bee lord over all other creatures , the fishes of the sea , the fowles of the aire , and all living things on earth . in the creation of all other things god said onely , let them bee , and so they were made : but in the creation of mankind hee calls a councell as being now about a greater worke , and saith , let us make man ; which is a speciall point not lightly to bee passed over without due consideration : first , hee who thus enters into consultation is said to bee elohim , that is , god the creatour , who is more persons then one or two , even three persons in one essence ( as the hebrew word , being plurall doth imply ) . and hee who here saith , let us make man , and in the next verse is said to create man in his owne image , hee is the same god which created the heavens , and the earth , verse . and the light , and the firmament , and all other things mentioned before in this chapter . they with whom hee conferres , are not the angels as some have vainely imagined ; nor the foure elements which god here calls together , that hee may frame mans body of them being compounded and tempered together , as others have dreamed . for the text shewes plainely divers strong reasons to the contrary : first , it is said , that god created man not by the ministery of angels or the elements , but by his owne selfe , as it followes in the next verse , and chap. . . secondly , god created man in his owne image , not in the image of angels or elements ; and therefore it is most ridiculous to imagine that god spake to them , or of making man in their image . thirdly , it is shewed that man was made to rule over the earth , and the fowles of the aire , and the fishes of the sea ; and therefore it is absurd to thinkethat the earth , or any elements were fellow-makers of man together with god. and lastly , it is both foolish and impious to thinke that god who made heaven , earth , & the heavenly host , the angels , of nothing , should call upon others to helpe him , and to share with him in the honour of mans creation , seeing hee doth so often in scripture challenge this honour of creating all things to himselfe , and professeth that hee will not give this glory to another : here therefore god the creatour is brought in by moses , as it were consulting within himselfe , even the eternall father with the eternall word the son ( who is called the brightnesse of his glory , and the expresse image of his person , by whom hee made the world , of which , man is a part , hebr. . . ) and with the eternall spirit . and here hee brings in god consulting about mans creation to bee lord over other creatures , for . speciall reasons , and to teach us three things , which are reasons of consultations among men , when they are about a worke . the first is to shew , not that god needed any advice or helpe , but that the worke which hee was about was a speciall worke , even the making of man , the chiefest of all visible creatures ; one that should bee lord over all the rest , being made in gods owne image , indued with reason , understanding , wisedome , and liberty of will. the second , to shew that man was to bee made a creature in whom god should have occasion given to shew himselfe a mighty and wise creatour and governour , a just iudge and revenger of wickednesse and sin , which doe provoke him to wrath and revenge ; a mercifull redeemer and saviour of sinners seduced ; and an holy sanctifier of them by his spirit . if wee consider man as a creature which might fall , and have gods image defaced in him , and by his many provoking sins might give god cause to repent that hee had made him , as is said , gen. . then there appeares some reason why god should as it were consult whether hee should make him , or no. also , if wee consider that man being fallen , and brought under the bondage and slavery of death and the divell , and under eternall condemnation , could not possibly bee redeemed but by the son of god undertaking to become man , and to suffer and satisfie in mans nature ; and that man cannot bee made partaker of christs benefits for redemption , without the holy ghost , the eternall spirit of god infused into man , and descending to dwell in man as in an earthly tabernacle : there will appeare to us great cause of consultation , that god the father should consult with the son , and the spirit ; and this consulting about mans creation doth intimate all these things : but in that this consultation is with a resolution ( all things considered ) to make man with a joynt consent ; this shewes that god foresaw how mans fall and corruption , and all the evils which by it were to come into the world ( howsoever , to our understanding and in our reason , they may seeme just impediments to hinder god from creating mankind ) yet might by his wisedome bee turned to the greater advancement of his glory , and might give him occasion to shew all his goodnesse , wisedome , power , perfect purity and holinesse in hating sin ; his infinite justice in the destruction and damnation of wicked reprobates , and in exacting a full satisfaction for the sins of them that are saved ; his infinite mercy , love , and free grace in giving his son to redeeme and save his elect from sin , death , and hell ; and his unspeakeable bounty in giving his spirit to sanctifie them , to unite them to christ , and to conforme them to his image , and so to bring them to the full fruition of himselfe in glory . god in consulting within himselfe , and thereupon resolving to create mankind , and saying , let us make man , and then immediatly creating him ( as the text sheweth ) did in the creation of man shew before-hand , that in mankind hee would manifest and make knowne all his goodnesse , more then in all other creatures . the third reason of gods consultation , is , to manifest more plainely in mans creation then in any other creature , the mystery of the blessed trinity , that in the one infinite eternall god the creatour there are more , even three persons of one and the same undivided nature and substance . for such consultations and resolutions , as are expressed in this forme of words , let us make man in our image , and after our likenesse , doe necessarily imply that there are more persons then one consenting , and concurring in the worke . and that these three persons are all but one and the same god , it is●manifest by the words following , which speake of these persons as of one god ; for it is said , that god created man in his owne image , and not they created man in their image . thus much for the intent and meaning of the spirit of god in these words , let us make man in our image , and after our liknesse . from which words thus expounded , wee learne , first , that the creation of mankind was a speciall worke of god , and that man is by nature the chiefest and most excellent of all creatures , which god made in all the visible world ; which point the holy psalmist openly proclaimed ; saying , i am fearefully and wonderfully made , marvellous are they works , psalme . . secondly , gods consultation sheweth , that in the creation hee considered mans fall , and did foresee not onely that man in his nature and kind is a creature subject to such evils as might make it a matter questionable , whether it were fit for god to create him or not : but also the great good which comes by his creation and fall , and that man is a fit object , wherein god may make manifest his wisedome , power , and all his goodnesse more then in any other creature , and in that respect most worthy to bee made by the counsell , joynt consent , and concurrence of all the three persons in the trinity . thirdly , here we may observe , that in one god the almighty creatour , there are more persons then one manifested by moses in the history of the creation . and therefore the doctrine of the trinity is no new and lately devised opinion since christ , but a most ancient truth revealed from the first foundation of the world. these doctrines i here onely name , which will come to be handled more fitly in the next thing which followes , to wit , gods creating of mankind according to this his counsell and resolution : which act of creation is laid downe first more generally and confusedly in the . verse . and more distinctly and particularly by way of recapitulation in the next chapter . first , it is here said , that as god upon consultation resolved , so hee created man in his owne image , and male and female created hee them : wherein wee may observe two things generally laid downe ; first , that god created man in his owne image . secondly , that hee created them male and female . i will not here enter into a discourse concerning the imag● of god , and the speciall things wherein it doth consist ; that shall have a more fit place hereafter , when i shall come to describe the excellent state of man in his innocency before his fall . the thing which here comes specially to bee considered is the true meaning of the hebrew word adam , which is translated man in this present text . this word is in the scriptures used two wayes : first , as a proper name of the first man , even our first father adam ; thus wee must understand the word chap. . where it is said , that god did cast adam into a deep sleepe , and verse . brought the woman to adam when hee had made her of his rib ; and chap. . . and many other places , where adam is distinguished from evah his wife , and is called the man. secondly , it is used as a common name of mankinde , and includes in it both male and female , man and woman , as psalm● . . man is like to vanity , and gen. . . where it is said , that god called the man and woman , and all mankind in them , both male and female by this name adam . here in this text , this word adam is used in this latter sense as the common name of mankinde , comprehending in it both male and female ; as appeares by the words following , male and female created hee them ; that is , this adam whom god created in his owne image was male and female , of both sexes , man and woman , who are both but one kind of creature . whereby it is manifest , that here is laid downe in generall the creation of all mankind in our first parents adam and his wife evah ; and that they both were created in the image of god ; and that the difference of their sexes , and the creation of the woman after the man , of a rib taken out of mans side , doe not make any difference of their nature , and kind ; but both are of one kind , and both made in the image of god and after his likenesse : and women as well as men are capable of the same grace , and fit to bee heires of the same glory in heaven , where there is no difference of male and female , but all shall bee like to the angels , not marrying nor given in marriage : as all members of the same christ , and partakers of the same spirituall grace here ; so all fellow-citizens of the heavenly citie there , raigning with christ in glory , as our saviour himselfe affirmeth in the gospell . hence then wee learne , that the woman as well as the man was made in the image of god , and is by nature as fit a subject , and as capable as man of grace and glory . which point is confirmed by divers scriptures ; as by the words of our saviour , matth . . where hee saith , that women and men in the resurrection are as the angels of god in the last resurrection , not marrying nor given in m●rriage ; and cor. . . i will bee a father unto you , and the shall yee my sons and daughters saith the lord almighty ; and gal. . . male and female are all one in christ ; and tim. . . the apostle affirmes , that woman may bee , and shall be saved by continuing in faith , charitie , and holinesse with sobriety ; and pet. . . mention is made of holy women , and wives are said to be heires together with their husbands of the grace of life . to which testimonies the examples of many holy , godly and faithfull women , mentioned in the scriptures , may be added ; as our first mother evah , who , through faith in the promise , obtained the title of the mother of life , gen. . and the virgin marie the mother of the blessed seed is called blessed in all nations : sarah , rebecca , hannah , deborah , ruth , dorcas , marie magdalene , and many others . but , cor. . . man is called the image and glory of god , the woman the glory of the man. the apostle doth not here speake of the image of god as it consists in perfect uprightnesse and indowments of nature ; or in holinesse and supernaturall gifts of grace ; for so the image of god is one and the same in both , and common to the woman with the man , and they both have equall dominion and lordship over the creatures given in the creation : but here hee speakes of man as hee was first created before the woman , and the woman as shee was made to bee a meet helpe for man , and as it were his second selfe here on earth , and of a rib , which is a part of mans substance , and in all things like man of the same nature and kinde ; and in these respects man hath a priority , and a kinde of power and authority over the woman in outward things , which concerne ecclesiasticall and civill order ; and mans glory even the image of his authority appeares in the womans subjection to him ever since the fall , upon which god made her desire subject to man ; and tooke from her power over man , and the exercise of publike offices in the church and common wealth : and this subjection doth not exclude her from faith , charity , and holinesse with sobriety , or any other part of gods image needfull to salvation , as the apostle testifieth , tim. . . in a word , common sense and reason teach us , that , if the woman be made in the image of the man , and the man is made in gods image , then women must needs beare gods image and likenesse : but the truth is , god being still the same , both in the creation of the man and of the woman , and creating both by the same wisedome and power ; hee needed not to take adam for his paterne whereby to make the woman , but made her in his owne image as hee did man , and so in all things like to man , the different sexe onely excepted . this serves to admonish and stirre up women to bee carefull , diligent and industrious so to beare themselves as they that are made after gods image , & so to order their lives & conversation as they who expect the glory of heaven , and must , by passing through the state of grace here , and by conforming themselves to christ both in his death by mortification , and in his life by sanctification , come to the fulnesse of glory in heaven , and bee made conformable and like to christ in his glorious body , and coheires of god with him . secondly , it serves to reprove the wicked and profane men of the world , whose wickednesse is transcendent , and their profanenesse most horrible and impious , in that base esteeme which they have of the female sexe , and the vile account which they make of woman-kind , who thinke and speake of women that they have no soules , nor any part in gods image , and are utterly uncapable either of grace in this world , or glory in the world to come . like and equall unto which , in their profane impiety , are common strumpets and whorish women , the shame and staine of woman-kind , who prostitute themselves to all filthinesse , and so live as if they were made onely to serve the lusts of unreasonable men of bruitish lust . i proceed to the more speciall things , which are more distinctly laid downe concerning the creation of mankind ; where i will first insist upon the creation of the male and female , and the matter of which they were made , and of the manner and order in which god formed them : which that wee may distinctly understand , wee must looke forward to the . verse of the . chapter , where the creation of mankind is more particularly rehearsed in these words , and the lord god formed man of the dust of the ground , and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life , and man became a living soule . in the hebrew text , the man is here called adam , not as by his proper name , but as it is the common name of all mankind ; for , so much the article which is prefixed before it doth shew ; and therefore as the greeke , so also our english translators , doe translate this word not adam , but man ; god formed man of the dust ; for in the first creation , the man comprehended in him all mankind , even the woman who then was a rib in his side , and afterward was taken out and formed into a woman . the matter of which god formed adam is said to bee the dust of the ground ; and here he useth another word not used before in the creation of other things , that is , the word formed ; for hee doth not say , that god made or created , but formed man ; and true it is , that whole man was not made of dust , but onely the substance of his bodie ; and therefore it is said , that god formed man ( to wit , in respect of his body , ) of the dust of the ground , that is , hee framed and fashioned it of dust , as a potter formes a pot of clay , and brought it into that forme and shape which all perfect bodies of mankind doe beare untill this day : and this is the first beginning of the being both of the man and also of the woman , who was created here a rib at the first in mans side , and afterwards taken out , and made into a woman . first , in that iehovah elohim , the lord god , is here said to forme man , that is , to frame his body of dust , and to bring it into the forme and shape which it beares in all mankind : hereby wee are taught , that god did neither consult with angels about mans creation , nor assume them , or any other creatures into the fellowship of this worke ; but god himselfe alone who is iehovah , one god in essence and substance , and yet elohim , that is more persons , even three persons , in that one undivided essence , did forme the very body of man , and brought it into that forme and temper , that it might bee a fit subject of the soule , which is a spirituall substance . and this all other scriptures confirme , which attribute the creation of mankind to god alone ; as deut. . . and isa. . . with many other places , where the creation of man upon earth is ascribed unto god onely , and where holy and faithfull men , speaking as they were moved by the holy ghost , confesse themselves the worke of gods hands , as iob . . and god their maker and former , iob . . and malac. . . and god the potter and themselves his formed worke , isa. . . this doctrine well weighed is of excellent use : first to make us ascribe all our excellency and all our well being to god , that wee may give him the glory of them , and that wee may beare our selves before god as before our creatour , and may ever remember , that whatsoever service wee are able to performe either with our soules or bodies , it is wholy due to god , and none other but onely in him and by commandement and warrant from his holy and infallible word . seeing god alone hath created us and given us all our being , even the forme and shape of our bodies , wee must not thinke it enough to keepe our selves to god , and to serve him in spirit onely , but wee must serve and worship him with our bodies also , and with all parts and members of our bodies . although god many times makes men instruments and meanes to convey health , life , being , and well being to us ; as naturall parents , to bring us into being and life , and to nourish and bring us up ; and as kings , and rulers , and wise magistrates to bee saviours of our bodily lives from death and other dangers , and to procure safety , peace and well being to us ; and in this respect and for these causes wee doe owe love , honour , and service to them in , and under god : yet in no case may wee in things which tend not to the honour , but dishonour of god , and are contrary to his word and will , and offensive to his majesty , obey , serve and honour them . in such cases , let us say as the apostles did to the high-priests and rulers of the iewes , we ought to obey god rather then men ; and whether it be right and lawfull to obey you more then god judge yee , act. . . and . . all potentates , kings and rulers , because they are men and have no power but from god , must not looke that any should serve and obey them rather then god , or in things which they command contrary to gods commandements ; yea they must remember that they are gods creatures and handi-worke , and ought to employ all their power and authority to the honour of god. if otherwise they abuse the talents , which god hath lent them ; let them know , that god will one day call them to a reckoning , and give them the reward of evill , unfaithfull , and unprofitable servants , even eternall destruction and torment in hell , where shall be howling , and wayling , and gnashing of teeth . secondly , this serves to shew , that whosoever offers wrong and injury to any of mankind by cutting , mangling , or any way defacing their 〈…〉 age , and deforming their bodies ; by afflicting or some way corrupting their soules ; or by taking away their lives and naturall being , without speciall warrant and cōmmandement from god ; they are notoriously injurious to god himselfe ; they scorne , despise , mis-use and deface gods workmanship ; they provoke god to wrath and jealousie , and hee surely will bee avenged on such doings . and here wee have matter , as of dread and terrour to all cruell tyrants and unmercifull men ; so of hope and comfort to all who suffer injury and wrong at their hands : as the first sort have just cause to feare and tremble so often as they thinke on god the avenger of such wrong ; so the other have cause to hope that god will not wholy forsake them , being the worke of his owne hands , nor leave them to the will and lust of the wicked , his enemies ; but will in his good time save them , and send them deliverance . thirdly , this discovers the abomination and filthinesse of all idolaters , who being the workmanship of god , the lord and wise creator of all things , doe most basely bow downe to images , and altars ; and debase themselves to worship humane inventions , and the worke of mens hands , which are dumbe idols of wood , and stone , and lying vanities . it is just with god to cast out and expose all such people to ignominy , shame , and confusion in this world , and , in the world to come , into that place of darknesse , where the divell and all such as forsake god , and rebell against the light which from the creation shines to them , shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the face and presence of god , and from the glory of his power . secondly , in that god is here said to forme man of the dust of the ground , not of clay well tempered and wrought , but of dust , which of it selfe is most unfit to be compacted and made into a stedfast shape ; and which is counted so base , and so light , that every blast of wind drives it away ; and in scripture the basest things are resembled to it : hence wee may learne two things : first , that god in the creation , even of mans body , shewed his infinite power and wisedome in bringing dust of the earth , which is the basest thing of all , into the forme and shape of mans body , which is the most excellent of all visible bodies , and a fit house and temple not onely of a reasonable living soule , but also of gods holy spirit ; ( as other scriptures plainly affirme . ) this point appeares so plainly in the text , that i need not spend time in further confirmation of it ; the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , formed , here first used , implies an excellent forme , and the upright face of man : here therefore i will adde , for illustration sake , the words of david , which are very pertinent to this purpose , psal. . , , . where , speaking of gods forming and fashioning him in the wombe of the living substance , even the seed , blood , and flesh of his parents , saith he , i will prayse thee , for i am fearefully and wonderfully made . marvelous are thy workes , and that my soule knoweth right well : my substance was not hid from thee , when i was made in secret , and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth : thine eyes did see my substance , yet being imperfect , and in thy booke were all my members written , which in continuance were fashioned , when as yet there was none of them . here we see with what feare , admiration and astonishment david considers mans frame , and the curious workmanship of his body , when god forms it in the mothers womb by lively instruments , and of a lively matter and substance : how much more may we conclude , that gods creating of adams body , which was the most curious naturall body that ever was made , is most admirable , and deserves more reverence , feare , and astonishment at our hands , being made without instruments out of the basest matter and substance even dust of the earth ! surely in this god shewed wisedome and power beyond all admiration . the vse of this doctrine is to stirre us up , so often as we thinke of our creation in adam , to laud and praise gods wisedome and power , to feare and reverence god , and to admire his curious workmanship . and although the matter of which god framed mans body was the basest of all , even dust of the ground ; yet let us not thinke ever a whit more meanly of our creation ; but so much more admire gods workmanship in our bodies . for , to make a curious worke in gold , silver , or of some beautifull , precious , and plyable mettall , is not rare , nor so excellent : but to frame of the basest matter , the dust of the ground ; the chiefest worke , and even the master-piece of all works in the visible world , that is , the body of adam in the state of innocency ; this is worthy of all admiration , and is a just motive and provocation to stirre us up to praise , and to extoll with admiration the wisedome and power of god ; especially , if wee consider the most excellent forme of mans body and upright stature , together with the head , comely face , hands , and other members every way fitted and composed to bee instruments of a reasonable soule , and to rule and keepe in order and subjection all living creatures . secondly , in that the dust of the ground , the basest part of the earth , is the matter out of which mans body , the beautifull palace and temple of his soul , was formed in the excellent state of innocency ; hence wee learne , that man is by nature , and in his best naturall being given to him in the creation , but a dusty , earthy substance in respect of his body ; and , in respect of his soul , an inhabitant of an house of clay , the foundation whereof is in the dust . but some perhaps , will object against the collection of this doctrine , from the base and fraile matter of which mans body was formed ; and will thus argue , that the state and condition of creatures is not to bee esteemed by the matter of which they were made , but by the forme and being which god gave to them ; as for example , the angels , together with the highest heaven , were created immediatly of nothing , as well as the rude unformed masse which is called earth , and yet they are most glorious spirits , and the rude masse is not to bee compared to them ; yea man was created according to his inferiour part the body , of dust , which is a created substance better then nothing , of which the angels were made ; and yet the angels in nature far excell man : therefore mans creation of dust doth not prove him to bee so fraile a creature , seeing god gave him such an excellent forme . to this i answer , that to bee created immediatly of nothing is in it selfe a more excellent worke , and shewes greater power , then to bee made of a meane inferiour matter : for when things are said to bee created of nothing , the meaning is not , that they are made of nothing as of a matter ; but that they are made of no matter at all , but have their whole being from god , and his infinite power , and so may bee , if god will , most excellent : but when man is said to be formed of dust , the meaning is , that dust is a part of his substance even the matter of which hee consists , and that his body according to the matter is a dusty , earthy substance ; and his soul , though a spirituall substance created of nothing , yet , dwelling in that body , is an inhabitant of an earthly tabernacle and house of clay founded in the dust . secondly , though the frame of mans body is in it selfe most excellent , and surpasseth all bodily formes , and his soul is a spirituall substance endowed with reason ; yet all these were of mutable excellency in the best naturall estate of innocency , and could not continue in that excellency but by dependance upon god , and cleaving fast to him ; and by his hand and power sustaining them continually , which by promise hee was not bound to doe in that estate . and therefore wee may truly gather from the matter of which god formed mans body , that hee was in his best naturall being , in respect of his body , but a dusty substance , such as might returne to dust , by falling off from god by sin , and disobedience ; yea undoubtedly as god in framing man his chiefest visible creature of dust , intended to shew his wisedome and power , and to glorifie his goodnesse : so also hee teacheth man thereby his owne naturall frailty and mutability , how unable hee is of himselfe to abide in honour and excellency . and this hee shewes most plainely , gen. . . where hee saith to man , alluding to his creation , dust thou art , and to dust thou shalt returne : wee have also an excellent argument to this purpose , iob . , . and . . where the lord is said to charge his angels with folly , and to lay no trust in his servants , and the heavens are not cleare in his sight ; how much lesse can hee find steadfastnesse in men , who dwell in houses of clay , which have their foundation in the dust ? that is , seeing the heavenly spirits are not immutably pure in gods sight , but some of the angels hath god charged with folly , to wit , such as did fall , and to the rest hee hath added supernaturall light of his spirit , and so hath made them saints immutably holy , much lesse is man immutably pure and steadfast by nature , whose better part the soul is by creation made to dwell in an house of clay , a body made of dust . to this purpose serve those scriptures of the prophets and apostles , which compare man in his first creation to clay in the hand of the potter , ier. . . & rom. . & which affirme that the first adam was of the earth earthy ; cor. , . that is , in his first creation hee was of an earthy and dusty substance . first , this serves by discovering unto man his frailty and mutability in his best naturall being , to humble every man in his owne eyes , and to make him lowly , and to withdraw his heart from pride and all high conceipts of any worth in himselfe , and to teach us all to ascribe all the unchangable purity which wee finde in ourselves , and all our steadfastnesse to the free grace of god in christ , and not to any power of our owne free will , or to the excellency of our naturall frame and being . if man in his first creation and best naturall being was but of earth and dust , an earthy and dusty creature ; and , before that death entered into the world , while hee had yet power of free will to obey god , and to depend on him , was mutable and might fall into sin , and disobedience , and by sin might bring and did bring death upon himselfe and all his posterity : how much more now in the state of nature corrupted is every son of man , a very masse of corruption and frailty , yea vanity and abominable filthinesse , who drinketh iniquity like water as it is written , iob . . wherefore , let no man glory in any naturall power or prerogative , nor hope to stand by his owne strength , much lesse to merit or purchase by any works of nature or power of free will , the least grace supernaturall , which tends to bring him to heavenly happinesse and glory unchangeable : for man , as hee is flesh and blood , that is , an earthly creature , cannot possibly come to inherite the kingdome of god , cor. . . secondly , this discovers the madnesse and desperate blindnesse of pelagians and papists , who teach , that a man by the right use of his naturall power and free-will may procure spirituall grace from god , and even the spirit of regeneration , and faith working by love , by which hee may merit and purchase to himselfe eternall life , and heavenly glory and felicity , as a just and condigne reward of his works . if angels cannot bee made steadfast and trusty without supernaturall light added to them ; much lesse can earthy man , who by sin is become filthy and abominable , worke out his owne salvation by meriting and purchasing the heavenly reward . oh let us all hate and abhorre all such conceipts , which wholly tend to the frustrating and evacuating of christs merits and satisfaction , and to make them seeme vaine and needlesse . be not deceived , god is not mocked ; they who sow such tares , and feed like swine on the huskes of their owne works , and on things which nature teacheth , they are enemies to the grace of god , which is given onely in iesus christ , and together with him by communion of his spirit . after the creation of mans body of dust , immediatly followes the creation of his soule ; which is to bee understood in these words : and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life , and man was a living soule ; for no sooner was mans body brought into frame , but god breathed into him the breath of life ; that is , caused him to breathe with the breath of life , even those vitall spirits which are the band of union by which the soule is united to the body ; and in the first instant wherein he created the vitall spirits , he also created the spiritual substance of his soule in his body immediatly of nothing by his omnipotent hand . some are opinion , that mans soule was first created a spirit , subsisting by it selfe before his body was formed ; and when the body was formed a fit subject for it , then instantly god infused it into the body , and by it did give life and breath to the body . some thinke , that the body was formed , and the soule in the same instant created together with it , as damascene lib. . de fide , cap. . aquinas , and others : and cyrill thinks , that gods breathing into mans face the breath of life , was the infusion of the holy ghost into man ; and that man in the creation had the holy spirit given to dwell in him , and was sanctified and endowed with supernaturall grace and holinesse . some thinke , that gods breathing into mans nosthrils was his inspiring into man a reasonable soule , as a part of himselfe : so rabby moses maymonides . but by breathing into mans face , i doe not understand any materiall breathing or blast , but that god , in causing breath of life to breathe through mans nosthrils , did withall create the soule in the body , and by meanes of this reasonable soule created in the body , and united to the body by vitall spirits and breath , man became a living soule , that is , a living reasonable creature , living onely a perfect naturall , not an holy spirituall life . the apostle expounds these words in this sense , cor. . and doth make this a maine difference betweene the first man adam , and christ the second adam , that the first adam was onely a naturall man endowed with a naturall living soule ; but to be a quickning spirit , that is , to bee sanctified by the holy ghost , and endowed with spirituall life , is proper to christ in his creation , for in him the spirit dwelt from his first conception . hence wee learne , that the image of god in which mans was created , was onely naturall and did consist in naturall gifts , which naturally flow from his reasonable soule , and not in any supernaturall gifts of the holy ghost ; as true holinesse , and the like : the words of saint paul last before named doe fully prove this . i will here onely adde one strong reason and invincible argument to prove it fully . and that is drawne from the mutability of man in the creation , and from his fall , by which gods image was defaced in him . for it is most certaine , that hee who hath in him that image of god which consists in true holinesse , and in spirituall and supernaturall gifts , hee is not mutable nor subject to fall away , because hee hath the holy ghost dwelling in him , who is greater then he that dwels in the world , ioh. . that is , then the divell who worketh powerfully in the children of disobedience . for all true holinesse , and all spirituall graces are the proper worke of the holy ghost dwelling in man , as all the scriptures testifie . but adam in innocency and honour lodged not therein one night , psalme . . the divell at the first onset gave him the foile in his greatest strength of nature and best estate ; which divell with all his temptations and all the powers of darknesse and spirituall wickednesses , the little ones of christs flocke doe overcome by the power of the holy ghost and his graces , which they have in their fraile earthen vessels . therefore the image of god in which man was created , was naturall onely . this discovers gods goodnesse , free grace , and bounty beyond all measure , and all conceipt and comprehension of humane reason , in that it shewes how god , by mans fall , malice and corruption which made him a slave of hell and death , did take occasion to bee more kind and bountifull to man , and to shew more love and goodnesse to him , by repairing the ruines of his fall , and renuing him after a better image then that which hee gave him in the creation , and making him better after his sin and fall , then hee was before in the state of innocency , when hee had of himselfe no inclination to any sin or evill , and bringing him to grace spirituall in christ , and to an image which cannot bee defaced and to a state firme and unchangable : when wee rightly consider these things , wee have no cause to murmur at gods voluntary suffering of man to fall from his estate , which was perfect and pure naturall ; but rather to rejoyce in god , and to blesse his name , and to magnifie his goodnesse , for turning his fall to our higher rising and exaltation , and lifting us up by christ from hell and misery , to heavenly glory which never fadeth , and to a state spirituall and supernaturall not subject to change and alteration . secondly , this doctrine overthrowes the foundation and false ground , upon which papists and pelagians doe build , and seeke to establish their false and erroneous opinion concerning the apostasie of the saints regenerate , and their falling from supernaturall grace and iosing the spirit of regeneration ; which errour they seeke to establish by this argument , because adam in innocency had the holy ghost shed on him , and was endued with spirituall and supernaturall gifts of holinesse , from which hee did fall by sin and transgression . but here wee see there is no such matter ; adams image was onely naturall uprightnesse ; not spirituall , supernaturall , and true holinesse . hee was but a perfect naturall man , and a living soule ; christ , the second adam , onely is called the quickning spirit , because through him onely god sheds the holy ghost on men ; and hence it is , that though adam did fall away from his estate , which was onely naturall ; yet the saints regenerate and called to the state of grace in christ , can never fall away totally nor finally into apostacy , because they have the seed of god , even the holy ghost dwelling and abiding in them . chap. xiii . of the womans creation in particular . how without her all was not good . woman not made to be a servant . of giving names to the creatures . no creature but woman a meet companion for man , vses . of the rib whereof woman was made . of adams deepe sleepe : five points thence collected . of gods bringing eve to adam ; and two points thence . of adams accepting eve for his wife ; and calling her bone , &c. w 〈…〉 h divers points thence . of their nakednesse : demonstrating the perfection of the creation . gen. . , , , . and the lord said , it is not good that the man should be alone , i will make an helpe meet for him . and every beast , and every fowle god brought to adam , to see what hee would call them , &c. and adam gave names to them all : but for adam there was not found an helpe meet for him . and the lord god caused a deepe sleep to fall upon adam , and he slept ; and he tooke one of his ribs and made it a woman , and brought her to the man , &c. these words , and the rest which follow in this chapter , containe a particular description of the creation of the woman , which before was touched generally and summarily , chap. . . in these words , male and female created hee them . in this history of the womans creation , wee may observe three speciall things : first , the preparation to it , or the antecedents immediatly going before it . secondly , the creation it selfe . thirdly , the consequents which followed upon it . in the preparation , wee may observe three distinct things : first , gods counsell and resolution for mans well being , verse : secondly , gods setting of the man a worke to view the creatures , and to exercise his reason and naturall wisedome in naming them , verse . thirdly , the inequality which adam found in the creatures and the unfitnesse of them for his conversation , verse . first , moses brings in the lord god consulting with himselfe , and according to his eternall counsell concluding that it was not good for man to bee alone , and resolving that hee will make an helpe meet for him : for these words , and god said , are not to be understood of any sound of words uttered by god ; but of gods eternall counsell , purpose , and fore-knowledge now beginning to manifest it selfe by outward action and execution , as a mans mind is manifested by his speech . the things , which god foreknew in his counsell , and purposed , are two : first , that it was not good for man to bee alone . secondly , that hee would make an helpe meet for him . hence it may seeme strange which god saith , that any thing which he had made should not be good : for did not hee make man alone and single at the first ? and did not hee make every thing good , especially man created in his owne image ? was not the image of god , in which hee created man , fully and perfectly good ? to this doubt i answer , that the man was created good and perfect after the likenesse of god , and there was no defect in his being and substance : but yet , as all other creatures , though they were made good , and there was no evill in them ; yet they were not so good as man ; so man , though as hee was created in the image of god , was good , yea in goodnesse farre excelled other earthly creatures ; yet hee was not so good , but that hee might bee made more good , and created in an image of god more excellent then that wherein hee was first made , even in the holy image of the heavenly adam christ , which farre excels and is immutable : yea , wee finde by experience that many things which are good in themselves , are not good for all purposes ; fire is good in it selfe , and for many uses ; but not to bee eaten ; and so many other creatures are good , as the flesh of beasts for mans meat , but not without bread and salt , nor raw : so man was created good and fit to rule all other living creatures , even considered alone in himselfe ; but it was not good for the bringing of all gods purposes to passe that man should bee alone ; it was farre better that a woman should bee created meet for him , for the procreation of mankind , for the increase of gods church , and for the incarnation of christ , and the bringing forth of him the blessed seed of the woman , in whom god reveales all his goodnesse and good pleasure . here then wee may learne two points of instruction . first , that as god from all eternity in his eternall councell immutably purposed , so in the first creation of man hee shewed , that hee intended all things which hee hath brought to passe in and by the incarnation of christ , and in the gathering together of his elect church by christ , and that hee had in his purpose the exaltation of man to an higher and better estate then that in which hee first created him . for it is most cleare and manifest , that adam , being created in the image of god , in all uprightnesse and perfection of nature ; and having all the visible world to view , and to contemplate upon gods wisedome and workmanship therein , and all the creatures to rule over , and all things necessary for worldly delight , needed no more for naturall and earthly felicity : but yet for all this god said , it was not good that man should bee alone ; that is , it was not good for that which god intended , that is , for the obtaining of eternall felicity in and by christ , and for the full manifestation of gods goodnesse and glory in and upon mankind . this is that truth , which is so often testified by our saviour and his apostles , where they tell us , that god prepared a kingdome for his elect from the beginning of the world ; and that as an elect number was chosen in christ before the foundation of the world ; so christs incarnation ' death , satisfaction and mediation were ordained before all worlds , as matth. . . and eph. . . first , this sheweth against all atheists , pagans , and hereticks that nothing comes to passe by chance , nothing without the foresight and foreknowledge of god : but hee saw before hee created the world what should befall every creature , and without his will permitting , no evill comes to passe , & without his wil ordaining , and his hand working , no good can come to any creature ; all things are according to his foreknowledge , and there is no place for idle suppositions of vainemen . secondly , as the wicked may here for their terrour take notice , that all their evil deeds are foreseene and foreknowne of god , and hee hath just vengance laid up in store for them : so the godly may comfort themselves against all calumnies , slanders , and false witnesses ; all are knowne to god , and hee will in the end make the truth knowne , and bring their cause to light . thirdly , wee are hereby stirred up to all diligence in gods service , and that betimes , seeing god hath so long before hand ordained and prepared all good things for us : all our time spent in praise and thanks before him , is nothing to the time wherein hee hath shewed love to us , in preparing good for us before and from the beginning of the world. secondly , in that it is said , of man created in gods image in full perfection of nature , that it was not good , that hee should bee alone : hence wee learne , that the image of god , and the state wherein man was first created , is not absolutely the best which man can have ; but that in christ there is a better image , and a more excellent state and condition provided for him , which is best of all . this is fully proved , cor. . where the apostle shewes , that the image of the heavenly adam is farre above the image of the earthly , and that the kingdome which is prepared in christ for the elect , is such as flesh and bloud , that is , naturall man cannot inherite . this shewes , that wee gaine more by christ , then wee lost in adam ; and god by mans fall , is become more bountifull to mankind : and wee who in christ have our hope , have no cause to repine at gods decreeing , willing and suffering of mans fall , nor to bee impatient under the afflictions which thereby come upon us ; seeing the end of all is glory and blisse , and a crowne too high and precious for adam in the state of innocency . the second thing in gods councell and purpose is , that hee will make an helpe meet for man. here againe it may seeme strange , that adam should need an helpe in the state of innocency ; for helpe is required when a man is in need , and wants necessaries for avoiding evill or gaining some good ; which adam , being created in gods image and having all the world at will , seemed not to want . but to this i answere , that by an helpe here , wee are to understand not an helpe to resist any evill , or to gaine some naturall good which hee wanted ; but an helpe for obtaining an higher and more blessed estate , even the supernaturall and heavenly estate of grace and glory in christ , the seed of the women : whence wee may learne , that the woman was created not to bee a servant to man , to serve his naturall necessity ; for hee needed no such helpe or service in that estate , being made good and perfect with naturall perfection : but to bee an helpe and furtherance to heavenly happinesse , and in things which tend thereunto . and albeit the woman by being first in the transgression , and a meanes of mans fall is made in her desire subject to man , and to his rule and dominion over her ; yet by christ the promised seed of the woman , shee is restored to her first honourable estate , to bee an helpe to man in heavenly things , and a meanes to winne man , and to bring him to god in christ by her chast and holy conversation , and by shewing a lively example of piety , and of the true feare of god , and giving due reverence to her husband , as saint peter testifieth , pet. . . this doctrine is of good use : first , to teach men how to use and esteeeme their wives , and wherein especially to seeke their helpe even in heavenly things , and in earthly and temporall , so farre as they serve to further them in spirituall . if men could bee brought to understand and beleeve this , they would bee carefull to marrie in the lord , and to match themselves with wives of the true religion , godly and vertuous , well approved for piety , faith and knowledge , and truly fearing god. secondly , to direct women , how they ought to frame , beare , and behave themselves towards their husbands ; and wherein they ought to strive , study , and endeavour to bee helps to them , even in the way to heaven ; let the daughters of the cursed idolatrous canaanites beare this just brand , that , like iezabel , they are snares , and stirre up their husbands to wickednesse , and to idolatry and cruelty . to reprove men and women , who onely or chiefely seeke fleshly , carnall and worldly helpe , content , profit , and pleasure one from another , and in their mutuall society and conjugall communion ; and so quite swerve and stray from the rule of this doctrine : where wee have much matter of reproofe ministred to us , both of men who take wives according to their lust , and greedy desire of wealth and riches , not for religion and the feare of god ; or who make drudges and slaves of their wives whom god made to bee helps meet for them ; and also of women who give themselves to bee no helps to their husbands except it bee for the world , no furtherers at all but rather pul-backs and hinderers in the way to heaven , and in heavenly and spirituall things . the second thing , in the preparation to the womans creation , is , gods setting of adam a worke to view all living creatures , and to employ his reason and wisedome in giving names to them . where wee are to note and observe , first , that here is no mention made of the living creatures in the sea , but onely of those which god formed out of the ground , that is , beasts , and cattell , and fowles of the aire all which were ready at hand , and god might quickly present , and make to passe before adam all kinds of them , that hee might view and name them . secondly , wee here may observe the intent and purpose of god in bringing them to adam ; to wit , the exercise and triall of adams naturall reason , wisedome , and knowledge ; which were made manifest by his giving to every kind fit names , which god approved and confirmed . thirdly , the manifestation of adams wisedome , and gods confirming of his judgement , which hee shewed in naming every kind of earthly creature with a name agreeable to the nature of it . for whatsoever adam called every living creature , that was the name of it , that is , that name was ratified by god. yea also , because there was no use of names , whereby the creatures might bee knowne to any other or revealed , ( there being as yet no man besides adam himselfe , nor the woman yet made to whom hee might shew them by their names ) i am induced to thinke , that adam gave such a fit and proper name agreeable to the nature and qualities of every creature , that the creature , being called by that name , would come to adam whensoever hee called upon it ; such was the obedience of the creatures to man , and such was mans wisedome to rule them , and so excellent was his knowledge of their severall natures and qualities . from which observations thus opened wee may learne : that , in the state of innocency in the first creation , man had perfect naturall knowledge of all naturall things , arising and springing immediatly from his naturall soule , and the powers and faculties thereof , which were naturall principles created in him ; he had no need to bee taught by any instructor , in any art or knowledge fit for his state and condition , nor to learne by experience as now we doe since the fall . now , seeing adam was thus perfect in naturall knowledge of all things which concerned his naturall state and condition , and yet was seduced by the woman , & the serpent : this serves to teach us , that no naturall knowledge , gifts , and abilities can uphold and sustaine a man against spirituall enemies , and temptations ; that power is proper to supernaturall grace , neither can naturall reason dive into the depth of heavenly and supernaturall things . if naturall wit and reason could have conceived the spirituall meaning of the tree of life , and of the tree of knowledge of good and evill ; surely adam would first have eaten of the tree of life , and not by any meanes have beene tempted and drawn to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evill : for he who was created good , could in no case wittingly have neglected the tree of life , and desired the other upon any false suggestion . wherefore let us not build upon nature , but wholly upon grace , in things which concerne eternall life and heavenly happinesse . he that followeth naturall reason for his guide in the way to heaven , may easily bee carried aside , and fall into the crooked wayes of errour , which lead unto hell , and speedily fall into the pit of destruction . the third thing to be noted in the preparation to the womans creation is , the inequalitie which adam found in all the creatures to be his mates and companions , and their unfitnesse for his conversation to be an helpe meet for him : this is in these words , but for adam there was not found an helpe meet for him . the words seeme to sound , as if god had brought the creatures before adam , to see if either he himselfe , or adam could find one among them all fit to bee a consort for adam and a meet help . but the purpose and intent of god was to imploy adams wit , and to take an experiment of it , as is before noted : and as for god , hee knew well enough what was to bee found among all the creatures , hee needed not either to seeke for adam , or to set adam to seeke a meet helpe among them : yea , hee had said before , i will make an helpe meet for him . the meaning is , that when adam had viewed and named all kinds of earthly creatures , hee found them all so farre inferiour to himselfe , and so unlike in nature , that they could not all yeeld him an help meet for him . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is here translated , meet for him , some would have it to signifie against him , which is most absurd ; for the woman was not made a perverse creature to thwart man ; then shee had beene a crosse and an hell , not an help . tostatus would have this word to signifie contrary to him , because the woman in her naturall members or parts is contrary to man ; which is also absurd . neither doth this word signifie as one before him , that is , as kimchi expounds it , as one to stand before him , and to attend him as a servant ; for then god would not have made her of his owne substance ; but of a meaner and inferiour matter : but the word signifies , as one which is his second selfe , made in the same forme like him , as a picture is drawne in a table set just before a mans face , and over against him , that it may in all parts answer to his shape and feature . such an help adam could not finde among all earthly creatures ; but such a one god purposed , and resolved to make for him , even one who should be his second selfe , made of his owne substance , and in the same image of god , and consisting of a living reasonable soule ( as hee did ) and of a body in all parts and members , and in forme and shape fully like to his body , ( onely the difference of sex excepted . ) this common sense and experience doth shew and teach , and therefore , this is the true sense and meaning of this phrase , i will make an help meet for him . and hence wee learne : that man created in the image of god doth so farre in nature , former and substance excell all living creatures , birds , beasts and living things on earth , that none of them all is a meet consort or companion for him to converse with . some delight hee may take in ruling over them , and in their service and obedience ; but no true or solid content in their society and conversation . as adam found this in the state of innocency , and in his pure uncorrupt nature ; so all adams sons of the best temper ever abhorred to bee excluded from humane society , and to converse with birds and beasts . david counted it worse then death to live among wild beasts in the desarts , and complained bitterly of it ; psalme . and could not bee satisfied till hee had drawne to him all discontented persons , and them who durst not shew their heads for debt , sam. . . so did austere eliah , when iezabel made him flee for his life into the wildernesse , king. . and never any of gods saints delighted to live in the wildernesse onely , among beasts and birds without humane society , except in times of cruell persecution , as appeares , hebr. . or for some speciall triall and temptation , as our saviour , mark. . . and his forerunner iohn the baptist , luk. . last verse , to harden him and make him austere , and a second eliah . this admonisheth us to esteeme the society of men as a great blessing of god ; and not to set our delight on dogs , horses , hawkes , and hounds , more then in the company of men , as many doe , which is an argument that they are degenerate from the nature of men . secondly , this discovers the beastly dotage of many romish saints , and of the monkes , and anachorites of the church of rome , who count it an high point of perfection to live in caves , and dennes , and cottages in the wildernesse remote from all humane society , and to converse onely whith beasts , yea and to preach unto them , as their saint francis is by them recorded to have done , and have called ravenous wolves his bretheren . god made man a sociable creature , to delight in humane society , and hath given him a mouth and tongue to speake his minde to others , who can with reason hear and understand him . hee who will follow christ must not looke on his owne things , but on the things of others ; and must impart all his holy meditations to as many as hee can , if hee hath any in him : otherwise hee hides his talent , and covers his candle under a bushell , which favours of satanicall envy , hath no relish of christian kindnesse and charity . i might here observe the conformity of woman in her nature and frame unto man , and the sweet harmony and concord which , by the law of nature and creation , ought to betweene man and woman ; but i have in part touched it before , and shall have more occasion hereafter . i proceed to the creation it selfe , laid downe in the . and . verses : wherein i observe , first , the matter of which the woman was made , to wit , a rib of the man , verse . secondly , the manner , verse : in the matter ; first , it is shewed , that god caused a deep sleepe to fall upon adam , such as makes a man senselesse of any thing which is done to him ; so the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies . this sleepe was not naturall , but an extraordinarie sleepe which god made to fall on him ; a sleepe which came not from any violence done to nature but by the powerfull hand of god making man to sleepe quietly , so that hee did not feele what god did to him . secondly , it is said , that in this deep sleepe god did take one of adams ribs , and closed up the flesh in stead of it . here divers questions are moved by divers interpreters : . whether it was one rib , or a paire of ribs . . whether it was one of adams necessary ribs , one of the twelve , which every man hath naturally in his side ; or whether an extraordinary rib , made in adam for the purpose . . whether adam was cast into stupidity to take away paine and feare , or whether for some other cause . some thinke , that if it was a rib created in adam above the ordinary number , then adam was made a monster . others say , that if it was an ordinary rib ; then adam was afterwards a maymed man , and wanted a necessary naturall part . but i conceive this to bee the truth : first , that it was but one rib , or at least one paire of ribs ; so the text affirmes . secondly , it was not one of adams necessary ribs , required to make him a perfect man ; but a rib above the ordinary number , which god created in adam of purpose , and yet adam was no monster , neither was it a superfluous part : for as adam was created the common stock and root of all mankind ; so it was requisite that hee should have one rib extraordinary created in him above other men , whereof the woman was to bee made , and he neverthelesse remaine perfect and complete as any other man afterwards . thirdly , adams deep sleepe was not to take away sense of paine ; but a mystery of building the church out of christs death , under which hee slept to the third day . and it is said , that god closed up the flesh in stead thereof , or in the place thereof ; not that god left a scarre or hollow place , or that god created flesh to fill up the place of the rib ; but onely closed up the flesh in the place where hee tooke out the rib , so that no scar or print did there appeare , but man appeared most perfect , and without mayme or signe of any wound . in the second place , for the manner of the womans creation , it is said , that god made this rib a woman or builded it up to bee a woman , as the words run in the hebrew ; which word implies , that as children are derived of their parents to build up their familie ; so the woman was derived from adam to build up his great family , mankind , of his owne nature and substance ; and that his posterity might spring wholly from him , both in respect of himselfe , and of his wife their common mother , which was taken out of him . i omit needlesse questions , and ridiculous collections which some have here made : as , that the woman being made of a bone is hard hearted , and such like . the profitable points which i observe from hence , are these following : first , wee are here taught by mans falling into a deep sleepe , senselesse like death , that the woman might bee taken and formed out of him , that god in the creation foreshewed , that the spouse of the second adam christ , even the true church should be purchased by the death of christ , and the blood drawne out of his side ; and christ , by his sleepe in death , should make way to raise and build up his church . that the first adam and his wife in her creation were the types and figures of christ and his spouse the church , i need not stand to prove ; the apostle hath done it sufficiently , ephes. . , , . this serves for much heavenly instruction ; as first , to put us in minde of the unity which is betweene christ and his church ; and to make us , as wee desire , to bee a true and chaste spouse of christ ; also to labour to be spiritually united to him , & never rest till wee feele and perceive that wee are borne of gods immortall seed , even of his spirit . secondly , to make us ascribe our being wholly to christ , as wee are the true , holy , and regenerate church and people of god , and of the heavenly family . thirdly , to make us love christ , and to meditate on his death with all holy reverence and tender affection , as the thing by which wee are purchased ; yea to make us ready to conforme our selves to christ in his death , by suffering for the good of his church . fourthly , to make us see , that the creation was as it were a shadow of gods restauration of the world by christ , and that the restauration is the substance by which the creation is perfected . secondly , god made the woman of a rib , which was a part of the mans body ; which teacheth us , that woman must by the course of nature yeeld to man the preheminence , as being made out of him ; this the apostle also teacheth cor. . , . and this admonisheth women to give due respect to their husbands , as is meet , in the lord , and not to usurpe rule and authority over men . thirdly , god made woman of mans substance ; which teacheth , that woman is neare and ought to bee deare to man , as a part of himselfe ; which the apostle confirmes , ephes. . and here all harsh and tyrannicall husbands are justly noted ; and their doings reproved . fourthly , the making of the woman of a bone , a solid part , teacheth us , that shee is made to bee a solid helpe and stay to man , and ought so to be in his family . and hereby husbands are directed to esteeme their wives , as the stay of their family . and wives to strive to bee helps . fifthly , in that god made the woman not out of mans head nor feet ; but out of his side , hereby hee hath taught us , that women must not bee too high and proud as the head , nor too low vassals as the feet , but consorts and companions of their husbands in the whole course of their life , partakers of the same grace , and of the same honours and dignities ; yoke-fellowes in the same labours and cares in this world , and coheires of the same glory in the world to come . the wise-man confirmes this fully by the description of a vertuous woman , which is reformed after the true image , in which shee was created , prov. . for hee describes her to bee one who consorts with her husband in labour and provident care , and drawes equally with him in the same yoke , and partakes of the same honour , and respect both in publike and private . the holy prophets also and apostles shew , that the woman is made to bee mans inseparable companion , mal. . . even the desire of his eye , and the joy of his glory , on whom especially hee sets his mind , ezech. . and that mans delight must bee to have her continually at his side , and her delight must bee to present her selfe to his eyes as a looking-glasse , in which hee may behold his owne glory , even the image of god , in which hee was formed first , and shee after him , cor. . , . where the apostle forbids the wife to depart from her husband , and the husband to put away his wife , and their defrauding one another of mutuall comfort by separating and living apart . for as man is the image and glory of god ; so the woman is the glory of the man , cor. . . in whom man may behold , as in a glasse , the image of god in which hee was created . and therefore the holy apostles who were married , as peter , and the bretheren of the lord , in their travelling to preach the gospell , did lead about their wives , as saint paul testifieth , cor. . . also saint peter speakes plainely to this purpose , pet. . . where hee injoynes husbands to dwell with their wives according to knowledge , giving honour to the wife as to the weaker vessell , and as being coheires of the grace of life ; that is , as a man is indued with more knowledge , so it is his duty to dwell and converse with his wife wisely as a man of knowledge : and as wee tender those necessary vessells which are usefull for us , and the more weake and brittle they are , the more wee take care for them , and have a continuall eye over them ; so men ought to bee more carefull over their wives , because they are the weaker sex ; and to give them more respect , honour and shield , and more to esteeme of them by having a constant eye towards them , and keeping them in their sight and presence , as much as may bee ; and so much more , because they are coheires of the grace of life , and must draw joyntly together as under the same yoke in the way to heavenly happinesse . this doctrine of truth , written in our hearts in the creation , should bee a guide and direction unto us all in the whole course of our lives : it directs men how to esteeme their wives , and to beare themselves towards them ; and women how to behave themselves before their husbands , that the one ought not cast the other behind as an unfit and unworthy mate and companion : the man must not run too farre before , and leave his wife behind , either in worldly estate , or in grace and in the way to heaven ; nor the wife draw back and lagge behind , either through careleseness , or mean conceipt of her owne frame , nature and sex ; but both must draw cheeke by cheeke , and side by side , and by joynt strength and endeavour draw on , & pull , and put forward one another , as a couple that are by the yoke which god imposed on them in the creation fast tied together . this is the will and law of god , and they that walke by this true rule , peace , prosperity and blessing shall bee on them all their dayes , and the end of their labour shall bee an eternall sabbath in heaven . secondly , it serves to reprove the great corruption which is daily seene among men and women in this miserable world , by meanes of which the world appeares to bee very much out of frame . some men , like turkes and italians , make no account of their wives , but as of slaves to serve their lust , and as footestooles to tread upon , and trample at their pleasure . some , like savage indians , make them drudges to toile and labour for them as oxen and horses , and to serve them as servants and slaves . some account them weake creatures , not capable of any great knowledge or wisedome , and thereupon neglect the care and pains of instructing them , and teaching them , and imparting their knowledge to them , & drawing and pulling them on in the same way , and causing them to go on with themselves in an equal pace . and so again , some women esteeme their husbands as men that are bound to serve , please , humour and flatter them in all things which they desire ; and that the maine care of the man should bee to deck , adorne , and set forth his wife as his idoll in all costly apparell , and toyish painting , and vanities , as if shee were made to feed his eyes with her ornaments , and vanishing beauty . and on the other side , some out of a base mind and slothfulnesse thinke it belongs not to them to bee fellow builders of the family , equall to their husband in honest care , labour and industry for the common good of the family , or in grace and spirituall gifts ; in all which they must bee partakers in their measure and proportion . let such transgressors of the law of nature bee assured , that as they come short of common humanity , so much more of the grace and glory of god. the third thing in the history of womans creation , is the consequents of it . the first , that god brought her to the man , vers . . the second , that adam accepted her , as an help meet for him , that is , as his second selfe , a most pleasing and delightsome companion of his life , and most helpfull to build up mankind , ver . . upon which moses by inspiration of gods spirit , inferres by way of necessary conclusion an excellent doctrine , which hath both a morall and propheticall meaning . first a naturall morall sense , to wit , first , that a mans wife is nearer to him , and ought to be esteemed dearer than his naturall parents , and to her he must cleave , though it be with leaving them . secondly that in creating the woman , and joyning her to man in marriage , god did prefigure and fore-shew the infinite love of christ to his church , and the love of the church to christ , and the spirituall and mysticall union which is between them ; as is noted eph. . . the third consequent is , the nakednesse of the man and woman , which was without shame or any inconvenience in their first creation before their fall , ver . . first , it is said that god brought her to the man , that is , so soone as god had made and formed her of mans rib , he presented her to him to be his wife , and so an help meet for him ; we must not thinke that this bringing of her to him was onely a setting of her before his eyes , and shewing her to his sight ; but that god withall declared to the man how , and whereof he had made her , even of a rib taken out of him , and did offer her to him for a wife and equall consort ; so much the phrase of bringing her to him doth import . from whence we learne , that the marriage of man and wife is the ordinance of god in the state of innocency , and god is the first author of it , and the first match-maker between man and woman in the first creation . our saviour also testifieth this in the gospell , mat. . . saying that by vertue of gods first ordaining of marriage , man and woman married together are no more twaine , but one flesh . and whatsoever god hath thus joyned together , no man ought to put asunder . and there is good reason why god should be the first author of marriage ; because it is the onely lawfull meanes of bringing forth people to god , and of propagation of mankind ; and it is such a ground and foundation of the church , that without it god cannot have an holy seed , as the prophet intimates mal. . . which point serves . first , to shew that marriage is honourable in it selfe , in the nature of it , among all men and women of all sorts , orders and degrees , as the apostle teacheth , heb. . . and the popes and church of rome , in counting marriage a kind of fleshly uncleanenesse , and defilement , discover themselves to be opposers of gods ordinance , and violaters of the law of nature . secondly , to shew that the best celebration of marriage is , when it is solemnly celebrated , and man and woman joyned together by gods publike ministers , who stand in the place of god , as ambassadours , and are his mouth to blesse his people : for then god is after a secondarie manner the author and match-maker ; and his ordinance being thus observed , and the marriage blessed by his ministers , there may be more hope of blessing upon it , and upon the parties joyned together . thirdly this , in going about marriage men and women ought chiefly & first of all to consult with god , to looke up to him , & to seeke his direction and assistance by humble , fervent and faithfull prayers and supplication . it is onely he who knoweth fittest matches and consorts for every one , and can give to man an help meet for him . fourthly it discovers to us the abomination , and unnaturall filthinesse of whoredome and fornication , wherein men and women do joyne and mingle themselves together without god , the divell and fleshly lust leading them . no marvell that adulterers , whoremongers , and fornicators , are so often in the scriptures excluded out of the kingdome of god. secondly , wee hence learne . that pure marriage , which is gods ordinance , is of one man with one woman , for god had an excellency and over-plus of spirit in the creation ; and yet hee made but one woman for adam who was but one man ; & why ? but that he might seeke a godly seed , as the prophet saith , mal. . . our saviour also teacheth in the gospell that a man ought to have but one wife while he and shee liveth ; and god from the beginning , even from the creation , shewed that he did not allow polygamie . and in old time god tolerated it in some of the patriarchs and prophets , not as a thing naturally good and allowable ; but as a type and figure of christ and his severall churches , which , as severall spouses , he gathers to himselfe out of iewes and gentiles , cant. . . this , being so , teacheth every man to bee carefull , circumspect and inquisitive in choosing to himselfe a wife who is to bee his perpetuall consort and companion of his life . it is good councell of a wise-man , which he gives to all ; that there ought much deliberation to bee used in doing a thing which is to bee done once for all , and if it bee done amisse , can never bee amended ; and such is a mans taking of a woman to bee his wife , shee is once taken for all , and during her life , hee may not seeke a better , nor can bee eased of his burden if shee proveth froward , perverse and contentious : hee who finds a good wife , gets a meet helpe and continuall comfort to himselfe ; but hee who takes a brawling wife , puls upon himselfe a perpetuall crosse and clogge . the second consequent , is adams free and willing acceptation of the woman to bee his wife , and so an helpe meet for him , in these words , and adam said , this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh ; shee shall bee called woman , because shee was taken out of man , verse . wherein wee may note three things worthy to bee considered . first , that god having made a wife fit for adam , doth not by c●active or commanding power and authority put her upon him ; but having shewed her to him , what one , and whence shee was , suffers him to accept and choose her freely of his owne accord , and makes not up the marriage till adam doth cheerefully , upon certaine knowledge of her nature and disposition , accept her for his wife and second selfe . whence wee learne , that marriage , according to gods ordinance , is a free voluntary contract made betweene a man and his wife , made with the well liking and mutuall consent of both parties . though fathers are said to take wives to their sons , and to give their daughters to bee wives , exod. . . and some sons are said to desire their fathers to give them such , or such wives , as gen. . . and iud. . . yet they ought not to impose wives on their sons without good liking and free consent , nor give their daughters in marriage against their wils , as appeares in the example of rebecca , whose consent was first asked before shee was promised to isaac , gen. . . and there is good reason of this : because , where mindes , hearts , & affections are not united in two parties , they cannot delight to draw cheerefully under the same yoke , nor bee an helpe or stay one to another . now a wife is ordained of god to bee an helpe to her husband , and the desire of his eyes , and to draw with him in the same yoke ; and hee is to bee a shelter to cover , and a stay to uphold her all his life . therefore reason requires that marriage should bee a free and voluntary contract made with the well liking and mutuall consent of both parties . this doctrine serves to reprove divers sorts of people , and to condemne divers marriages . first , marriages of persons under age , before the parties have knowledge and discretion either to make a fit choice , or to order their affections . secondly , marriages of wards , who have wives imposed on them under great penalties . thirdly , forced marriages , unto which children are compelled by violent and tyrannicall parents , or cruell unjust guardians , against their mind and liking ; on such marriages there can bee no blessing hoped for nor expected , but much mischiefe and many inconveniencies , adulteries , and whoredomes , and many discontentments of life , as experience teacheth . the second thing here to bee noted is adams speech ; this is now bone of my bone , and flesh of my flesh ; &c. by which it is manifest , that god , in presenting the woman to him , did declare whereof hee had made her , and of what nature and kind shee was . some ancient and moderne writers doe gather from hence , that adam was divinely inspired with the spirit of prophecie , and had understanding of hidden mysteries , which hee had never seene , heard , nor learned from any ; because so soone as god brought the woman , hee could presently tell whence shee was , and whereof shee was made , without any information . but this is a vaine and false surmise ; for no prophet could at any time know and declare secret things beyond sense and reason , without revelation either in a dreame , or vision , or word speaken to him by god. to know mens secret thoughts or doings without revelation or word from god , is proper to god , and to christ , and to the spirit , which searcheth all things ; undoubtedly therefore , when god brought the woman to adam and presented and offered her to him , hee did withall declare how and whereof hee had made her , of the same nature , and framed her in the same image , as i have before touched : for , in marriage-making , there are such declarations going before to draw affection and free consent , and externall informations by outward meanes ; and this was a true platforme of marriage . hence wee learne , that men and women must not bee lead unto marriage by secret inspirations , and divine revelations : but by knowledge gotten by experience , inquiry and information . lust and fleshly desire are blind guides to marriage ; as wee see in the sons of god , the seed of seth , who by beauty were drawne to take to wives the daughters of men , who were of cain's carnall and profane posterity , gen. . . and in esau , gen. . a wife was chosen for isaac upon knowledge and experience of her vertue , modesty , and hospitality , and therefore god blessed the match . and boaz tooke ruth to wife , not for riches or kinred , but because shee was knowne a vertuous woman , ruth . . as this doctrine serves for direction and exhortation to men and women , to ground their conjugall affections aright upon knowledge , experience , and good information ; which is a course most commendable and agreeing to gods ordinance : so also for reproofe and conviction of anabaptists , enthusiasts , and antinomians ; such as iohn of leiden , and they of his sect ; the anabaptists of the family of love , who challenged women to bee their wives upon pretence of inspiration and divine revelation ; and , when they had satisfied their lust on them , and were ●●●aged with lust of others , did upon the same pretence either murder , or cast them off , and take others ; gods wrath for this horrible sin and disorder pursuing them , and giving them up to monstrous and unnaturall lusts , and at length to miserable destruction . there are some who too much resemble these miscreants , and hereby also are reproved ; i mean them who , like lustfull shechem , upon the first sight are set on fire of lust , and are so strongly carried by it with violence , that they must have one another , or else they will dye or bee distracted . such matches and marriages for the most part prove unhappy and uncomfortable ; if any doe not , it is a great mercy of god , and a favour which ought to bee acknowledged with all thankfulnesse . the third thing here to bee noted is the manifest sense of adams words , which is , that the woman was not onely bone of his bones , but also flesh of his flesh ; that is , shee had both of his flesh and of his bones in her concurring to her substance . whence wee may probably gather , that the rib of which the woman was made , was not one bone , that is , an halfe rib taken out of one side ; but bones , that is , a paire of ribs , or whole rib taken out of both sides . the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , my bones , intimates so much ; and that this rib was not a bare naked bone , but had some flesh cleaving to it , because hee cals her flesh of his flesh , as being made of his flesh as well as of his bones . this is a matter of no great moment ; but , being a truth necessarily implied in the words of the text , it may serve for speciall use . first , to put us in minde , that adam , the first man , was the common stock and root of all mankind ; and not onely all adams posterity were wholly contained in adam alone ; but also the first woman , the mother of us all , had her first vitall life in adam , and was a part of his living flesh and bones . and , as in the first adam all mankind had their naturall being : so in christ all the elect and faithfull have their spirituall being and whole life , and even the church , christs spouse , the mother of all true beleevers , hath her being wholly from christ ; and therefore to christ wee must ascribe our whole spirituall being and new birth . the father , by his spirit shed on us through christ , begets us to himselfe of his immortall seed , his spirit , to the lively hope , to the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled , that fadeth not away , reserved for us in heaven . secondly , it serves to worke constant love betweene man and his wife , and to stirre up man to love his wife as his owne flesh ; and every woman to love her husband as every part of the body loves the body whereof it is a part ; and also to provoke men to love one another , as being a most naturall affection of one member to another in the same body . as for them who are envious , and men-haters , and cruell persecuters ; they are here discovered to bee children of the great man-murtherer the divell , and with him they shall have their portion . secondly , in that adam gives this as a reason of his free accepting of his wife , because shee is of the same nature and substance , bone of his bones , and fit to bee named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , woman , or as one would say a she-man : hence wee learne , that the best ground of marriage and band of love is similitude of natures and dispositions , and unity of heart and spirit , by which they are both alike affected . this is that which the apostle teacheth , were hee saith , bee not unequally yoked ; for what concord can there bee betweene light and darknesse , righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse ? that is , contrary natures and dispositions ? cor. . . this rule abrahams faithfull servant followed in chusing a wife for isaae : as hee knew isaac to bee charitable and kind to strangers and given to hospitality , so hee made his prayer to god to direct him to find a wife for him of the same disposition ; and when hee found rebecca to bee such a one by the entertainment which shee gave to him being a stranger , hee would not rest till hee had gotten the consent of her , and her parents , and friends ; gen. . the neglect of this rule god forbids in his law , and threatens with a curse , deut. . . it was that which made wise solomon , prove a doating foole in his old age , because wives of a contrary religion turned away his heart , and made him build high places for idols , kings . ahabs matching with iezabel an idolatrous worshipper of baal , made him an idolater and a slave , who sold himselfe to all wickednesse when his wife iezabel stirred him up , king. . . and iehoram the son of iehosaphat king of iudah by taking to wife the daughter of ahab of a contrary religion , brought miserable destruction upon himselfe and his whole family , cron. . . this doctrine serves for admonition to all men , to bee wary and circumspect in the choice of their wives ; and if they bee vertuously and piously affected , and have a desire to live in the feare of god , and to build up a godly family , to have a speciall eye and respect of true religion , as well as of a good naturall disposition , and good education and behaviour . a godly man must seeke a godly wife , a kind and liberall man a free hearted wife ; and a courageous man a woman of courage , that they may both draw one way . it is true , that sometimes in case of notable infirmities bearing sway in men , women of contrary disposition may bee usefull and fit wives to correct , amend , or moderate their corruptions ; a woman of a meeke and patient disposition may asswage the heat of her husband being hasty and cholericke , and so bee an helpe meet for him . a wise abigail may prove a necessary & helpful wife to a foolish nabal , and by her wisedome may overcome his folly , and by her liberall hand may make amends and prevent the mischiefe of his churlishnesse but it is no wisedome either in man or woman to runne such a desperate hazzard , in confidence of their owne wisedome , vertue or abilities . for wee find by experience , and it is a thing commonly seene , that men and women , by reason of humane frailty and naturall corruption which remaine in the best , are more subject of the froward to learne perversenesse , then by the wife , meeke and liberall consorts to be drawne from their folly , fury and churlishnesse : and therefore though in case when an hard lot befals men or women , they must make the best they can of that which is too bad , in hope that god will blesse their vertuous and godly endeavours ; yet the best rule which godly christians can observe in the choice of wives i● , to choose such as are like affected and vertuously disposed as they themselves are , to regard chiefely the unity of spirit , and the similitude of nature and disposition ; which is a thing here taught by god in the creation and first marriage betweene adam and evah , the first father and mother of all mankind . secondly , we may gather from this doctrine , that there can bee no hope or expectation of good from unequall marriages . and when men for carnall , worldly and politike respects , yoke themselves with wives of a contrary disposition and religion , daughters of a strange god , and vassals of antichrist , there seldome or never followes a blessing . for just it is with god , that when men and women wall ▪ contrary to god , and reject his right rule in their marriages , and in laying the foundation of their families ; god should walke contrary to them in their whole course of life , and should crosse them in their endeavours , and bring their families to confusion . the third and last consequent of the womans creation , is , that they were both naked , ●he man and his wife , and they were not ashamed , ver . . in which words , wee are not in any case to understand by nakednesse , either want of necessary apparell , ( for in the state of innocency there was no need thereof , and therefore no want of any ) nor any want of naturall abilities or vertues , need full for beauty , comlinesse , and ornament , or for naturall perfection ; all such nakednesse , and want came in by sin , and after their fall : but here they are said to be naked , because they neither had nor needed any cloathes , or covering of their bodies , which were in all parts most comely and beautifull : their skin was not rough , over-growne with haire like beasts , nor with feathers like birds , nor with hard scales like fishes ; but their skin , faire , white , and ruddie , was comely in it selfe , and beautifull to their owne eyes , more then all ornaments of silke , fine linnen , and all jewels of gold and silver , set with the most glorious and precious stones , of most resplendent colour and brightnesse . and their bodies were of that excellent temper and constitution , that they neither felt nor feared any distemper of heat or cold . the aire and all the elements were tempered according to the temper of their bodies ; and all things were pleasing , wholesome , and delightsome unto them ; and to all living creatures they appeared lovely , and full of beauty , and majestie . it was the creatures delight to see them , and to looke on them ; and it was their joy to see the creatures admiring them , and rejoycing in their sight and presence . and therefore there was no cause or occasion of any shame , or of any feare to shew their simple naked bodies , and to have every part and member openly seene ; no uncomlinesse which needed a covering , but all parts and members were beautifull in themselves , and composed together in a comely order and frame . this is the true sense and meaning of the words ; wherein we have this plaine doctrine , that the worke of god in the creation of our first parents was perfect without errour ; the image of god appeared in their bodies , and bodily for me and shape ; they were full of all naturall grace , beauty , and comlinesse , in all parts and members from the crowne of their heads to the sole of their feete ; the glory and wisedome of gods workmanship shined in them most clearely to their owne eyes , and the eyes of all creatures . the truth of this appeares most manifestly in the words ; for , certainly , if there had beene any least blemish or unseemely member in their naked bodies , they would have beene ashamed to goe and appeare openly bare and naked without covering ; therefore i need not stand to prove it with many arguments : this one is sufficient , that all the forme , beauty and comelinesse of the most goodly men and fairest women that ever were , or are in the world , gathered together , and composed in the body of one man or woman ; the goodly personage of ioseph or adonijah , the beauty of absalom and abishag , and the glory and comlinesse of solomon , and all other formes and beauties named in histories , are but the ruines , reliques , di 〈…〉 shadowes and defaced scraps of that beauty and comelinesse which was in the naked bodies of our first parents , and in every part of them in the creation . and therefore our reason and senses may judge what comlinesse was in them . this point considered is of great force to provoke and stirre up men to acknowledge with all thankfulnesse gods bounty to mankind in the first creation ; and how exceedingly they are bound to love , and honour , and serve god for the naturall gifts & abilities with which god at the first did fully furnish man ; not onely for necessity and welbeing , but also for glory , beauty , ornament and comelinesse in the eyes of all creatures . and although our first parents forfeited these blessings by their disobedience , and have defaced by sin this excellent beauty : yet wee see gods goodnesse abounding to us in this , that hee imprints in many of us some stamps and foot-steps of the image , in which wee were created , that wee may by the ruines which remaine , judge of the building of mans body , and of the beautifull frame wherein god at the first created us . secondly , wee may hence gather comfortable assurance , that as god did create man in admirable beauty at the first in the creation , and made him comely in the eyes of all creatures , in all parts of his body , so that it was no shame but a glory to walke naked without cloathes or covering : so , much more , in the work of redemption and restauration by christ , god both can and will repaire our vile bodies , and restore unto them their first beauty and glory with great advantage , and make them like the glorious body of christ , and reforme them after his heavenly image of holinesse , which so farre exceeds the first image , as heavenly excels earthly , spirituall and supernaturall excels naturall , and incorruptible and immutable surpasseth that which is fading and vanishing . for , the worke of redemption and restauration is a worke of greater goodnesse to men , then the worke of creation ; and as it excels , so the effect of it must bee more excellent . in this worke god stretcheth forth his omnipotent hand , and all his goodnesse further then in the creation ; there hee created all things by his eternall word the son , and by his spirit working with him ; but here hee gave his son to bee incarnate , and the eternall word to bee made flesh , and to suffer and dye , and bee made the price and ransome of our redemption ; and , for the perfecting of this worke , hee doth in , and by , and through his son give and communicate his holy and eternall spirit to dwell in their earthly tabernacles , to unite them to christ in one body , to bring them to communion of all his benefits , and to renue them after his glorious image of true holinesse . here therefore is ground of hope , and matter of rejoycing to all the elect and faithfull , and great incouragement against all feare and shame of wounds , stripes , and all deformities which cruell persecutors , and mangling tyrants can inflict on their bodies . for the future beauty and glory which is purchased for them by christ and prepared for them at last , shall cover , wash away , and utterly abolish all , when hee shall appeare in glory . thirdly , wee are hereby admonished , that the distempers , deformities , and all defects and infirmities , which appeare in our bodies , whereof wee may bee ashamed , are not of god the creatour , but proceed wholly from our sin and fall in adam , and from our owne surfeting and intemperance . for god made mankind most perfect in soule and body , even with full perfection of beauty in the first creation , as this doctrine teacheth . and therefore so often as wee are ashamed of our deformities and our nakednesse ; let us with griefe remember our fall , and bee much more ashamed of our sins , and lay the blame on our selves and not on the lord god our creatour . chap. xiv . of the estate and condition of our first parents : in five things . . the blessing of fruitfulnesse ; a speciall blessing : vses . marriage free for all men . colonies . . dominion over all living creatures . foure requisites thereto . degrees of it : absolute , and dependent : vnlimited , and limited . restored in christ. . food for man. not the living creatures : in innocency . . mans habitation . eden : what. of the rivers . twelve opinions about paradise . of the two trees in paradise : why the tree of life . how of the knowledge of good and evill . . of gods image . and god blessed them , and said unto them , be fruitfull and multiply , and replenish the earth , and subdue it , and have dominion over the fish of the sea , and over the fowles of the aire , and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth . vers. . and god said behold , i have given you every herbe bearing seed which is upon all the face of the earth ; and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yeelding seed , to you it shall be for meat . vers. . and to every beast and foule and creeping thing wherein there is life , i have given greene herbe for meat ; and it was so . after the history of the particular creation of the woman with the immediate antecedents and consequents thereof ; the next thing in order is the historicall description of the state and condition of our first parents in the creation , in their integrity and innocency before their fall and corruption , while gods image imprinted on them remained perfect , both in their soules and bodies ; so that they had no least blemish or infirmity in their naked bodies , whereof they might bee ashamed . in this their first state of innocency there are divers things mentioned by moses , and historically laid downe in this history of the creation , which are to bee unfolded in order . the first is the blessing of fruitfulnesse , wherewith god blessed them so soone , as hee had created them male and female : this is laid downe in these words , and god blessed them and said unto them , bee fruitfull and multiply , and replenish the earth , verse . the second is the power and dominion which god gave them over the earth , and over all living creatures in the water , aire , and earth : this is in the last words of the verse ; and subdue it , and have dominion over the fishes , fowles , and beasts . the third thing is the bountifull gift of all herbes bearing seed , and of all fruits growing upon trees ; which god gave to mankind for bodily food , verse . and his free gift of green herbe or grasse for meat to the birds , beasts , and creeping things , verse . the fourth thing is the place of their habitation , the garden which god planted in eden ; this is described , chap. . . and so a-long to the . verse . the fifth thing , which is the chiefest of all , and which is first of all mentioned in the creation of man and woman , is the image of god in which they were both created : this requires a more large discourse for the understanding of it ; and for that cause i have deferred the handling of it to the last place next before the conclusion of the whole creation , even his viewing and approbation of every thing which hee had made for very good , laid downe , verse . the first is the blessing of fruitfulnesse for the multiplication and increase of mankind , even to the filling and replenishing of the earth , and the subduing of it . in describing this blessing moses doth her first lay downe the blessing in a generall word , saying , god blessed them . secondly , hee sheweth more particularly wherein this blessing doth consist , to wit , in bodily fruitfulnesse for the increase of mankind , in these words , be fruitfull and multiply . thirdly , the aboundance of the blessing and large extent of fruitfulnesse , even to the replenishing of the earth , and subduing of it . first , whereas god is said to blesse them , the meaning is , that god gave them the gift of fruitfulnesse , so soone as hee had made them in his owne image male and female : for the hebrew word which is here used , signifieth first and primarily to bow the knee , or to kneele downe , as appeares , gen. . . . chron. . . psalme . . dan. . . and because bowing of the knee is a kind of submitting and applying of the body in kindnesse to some person , to doe him some kind and pleasing service , hereupon this word is translated and used in the scriptures to signifie , first gods applying of himselfe to men , and as it were bowing downe from the high throne of his majesty to shew himselfe kind unto them , by giving them many both earthly and spirituall blessings in this life ; yea , and himselfe with all his goodnesse to bee their portion , and to make them fully blessed in glory . secondly , it is used to signifie mans applying of himselfe to god , by bending his knees and his speech to praise god , and to laud and extoll his name , and to render pleasing thanks to his majesty , and also one mans applying of his speech to another ; and with bowed knees to salute him , as gen. . . and king. . . also the action of parents , publike ministers , and superiour persons whom god hath set over others bowing downe towards them , and applying themselves to them to wish all blessings unto them , and to pronounce them blessed of god , as melchisedeck blessed abraham , gen. . and isaac blessed iacob , gen. . and iacob blessed his sons , gen. . and moses blessed israel , deut. . in this place god is said to blesse them : that is , to apply himselfe to them , and as it were bowing downe kindly to give them a blessing . but because there are many blessings which god bestowes on men ; some are naturall , earthly and bodily blessings ; some heavenly and spirituall ; and god blesseth men with bodily blessings two wayes , and in a two-fold respect ; either by giving them gifts and abilities , as naturall wisedome and knowledge in their mindes ; and strength and ability of body to doe some naturall and morall worke ; or else by assisting them in the exercise of those gifts and abilities , and giving good issue and successe unto them ; as for example , making their wisedome and knowledge effectuall , and giving good successe to the actions of them ; and making the strength of their bodies , and their appetite , and actions of generation successefull to the bringing forth and increase of children . now here wee are not to understand any heavenly or spirituall grace or gifts , but onely a naturall , bodily , even ability and strength of body and of nature for procreation of children and posterity without any defect or infirmity , or any failing of their endeavours , or frustrating of the action of generation : thus much is here meant in these words . and this appeares plainely in the next words , which shew in particular what this blessing is even the blessing of fruitfulnesse in procreation of children : and god said u●●o them , bee fruitfull and multiply ; which in effect , and in true sense and meaning is all one as if moses had said . and god almighty by the eternall word , his son did give unto them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , even mutuall affection for procreation , and strength and ability of body to procreate and bring forth the fruite of the body , that is , children in that image of god , in which they themselves were made , and that according to their owne will and desire without failing , defect , or infirmity . here then wee see this blessing was a perfect naturall blessing , even the perfect gift of procreation , for the multiplication and increase of mankind . and thirdly , that it was a blessing of great measure and aboundance , even fruitfulnesse and ability to multiply mankind to the replenishing of the earth , and subduing of it , the next words shew : and replenish the earth , and subdue it . the first words , replenish the earth , doe plainely shew , that god gave them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , and ability to multiply mankind untill the earth were filled with inhabitants of the children of men . and the other word , subdue it , signifies not taking of the earth into possession by violence and strong hand ; as the word is used , num. . . ios. . . sam. . . where countries are said to bee subdued by force of armes . neither doth it signifie subduing of the earth by forcing it to bring forth corne , herbes , and fruit trees by hard labour , manuring , and tillage : for , in the creation , the earth was made fruitfull of it selfe , and brought forth aboundance of all herbes , plants , and trees , freely , without culture or labour of man forcing it ; and there was no creature to resist mankind , and to keepe them out of possession ; but the whole earth was free for all men , and sufficient to satisfie them with all things needfull . but here it signifies mens inhabiting , occupying , and possessing of the earth , and that in such numbers and multitudes , as were then able to eat up the fruite of it , if man had stood in innocency ; and now are able since mans fall , to till it , and bring it into subjection being cursed and made barren ; so that no region or country may lye desolate and barren without tillage and habitation of men . this is the true sense and meaning of the words . from whence wee learne . points of doctrine : the first , that procreation of children in lawfull marriage , is a speciall blessing and gift of god , given in the creation for the multiplication and increase of mankind . my text here declares it to bee a blessing , and other scriptures confirme the same . psalme . the prophet david proclaimes children to bee an heritage which cometh of the lord , and the fruite of the womb to bee his reward , and the man to bee happy who hath his quiver full of such arrowes , which are like arrowes in the hand of the mighty man. and psalme . . hee saith , that this is a blessing and happinesse of the man which feareth god , and walketh in his wayes , that his wife is as a fruitfull vine by the sides of his house , and his children like olive plants round about his table . and as abraham the father of the faithfull counted it a great defect , and want of a speciall and principall outward blessing , that hee did goe childlesse , and god had given him no seed , gen. . so all gods faithfull servants did pray to god for issue to themselves ; and did wish it as a great blessing to others whom they loved ; as wee see in the example of isaac , gen. . . who prayed to god for his wife that shee might bee fruitfull : of moses , deut. . . who prayed that israel might bee multiplied a thousand times more : of the elders and people of bethlehem , who prayed that god would give issue to boaz of ruth , and encrease his family like the family of pharez ; ruth . . of hanah the mother of samuel sam. . of zacharie and elizabeth luk . and all the godly matrones , the wives of the patriarches , counted it their reproach among women to bee barren , and a great blessing to have children as wee see in iacobs wives , gen. . . and by hannah's teares , sam. . this serves first to teach and admonish all men and women to seeke it as a blessing from god , and so to esteeme it , and to render unto god thanks accordingly , as hannah and zacharie , and the blessed virgins , as in their holy songs most evidently appeareth . if men and women could have grace thus to doe , it would bee a speciall meanes to make them respect their children , as great blessings , and pledges of gods favour ; and to make them strive to devote and consecrate their children to god and his worship , and to traine them up to bee fit instruments of gods glory , and pledges of their thankfulnesse to god. secondly , it serves to discover the grosse errour and heresy of the manichaeans ; who held that marriage and procreation of children was a worke of the divell , as also of some popes of rome , who held marriage which is honourable among all , and the bed undefiled , as the apostle affirmeth , heb. . . to bee a worke of the flesh , which makes men unpleasing to god. the lord despiseth not his owne ordinance ; and marriage is ordained by him for increase of mankind , as this doctrine teacheth ; and therefore the opinion of these hereticks and popes is erroneous and abominable . secondly wee hence learne , that as the blessing of fruitfulnesse was given to all mankind in the creation : so marriage , which god appointed for the increase of men on earth , is by the law of god , which is written in mans heart , and engraven in mans nature , free for all men and women , to whom god hath given ability and strength of body for procreation and fruitfulnesse , for increase of mankind . as the text here openly expresseth so much , so in all the scriptures wee have examples of holy men of all sorts , even of priests and prophets , not onely allowed , but also commanded by god to take wives and beget children , as isaiah cap. . . ezechiel chap. . hosea chap. . and the apostle commends it as honourable in all , hebr. . . and the apostles who were most devoted to christ , and to his worke , did lead about wives with them , cor. . . and although in times of great trouble and persecution raised up against christianity , wives are a great burden , and breed much care and griefe to preachers of the gospell , especially who must bee ready to run and flee whithersoever god cals them ; and therefore in such cases the apostle , by reason of the urgent and pressing necessity , holdeth it better for continent and chaste men and women to remaine unmarried , cor. . . and our saviour doth approve , and well like it , in case when a mans heart and affection is so extraordinarily taken up with the love of the kingdome of heaven , that hee is like an eunuch without any desire of affection of marriage , matth. . . yet , wee have no word or precept in all the scripture to restraine any persons of any order or calling from liberty of marriage . saint paul affirmes that he and barnabas had power and liberty in this kind , though they used it not , cor. . . the consideration whereof serves : first , to teach men and women of all sorts to maintaine and retaine that liberty which god had given them from their first creation , and to admonish them to beware , that neither satan by his suggestions , nor any of his wicked instruments by their cunningly devised fables , nor any misconceipt of their owne hearts , doe lay a needlesse snare upon their consciences , and possesse them with a false opinion , concerning that liberty which god hath written in mans heart in the state of innocency , which cannot bee taken away without violence offered to nature . they who are thus instructed and fully perswaded , if they doe marrie , they may have comfort in this assurance , that they are not out of gods high-way , neither in this have swerved from his perfect law , and rule of liberty . if they find many crosses in the married life , yet let them know , that they are not curses laid on marriage for an unlawfulnesse of it . if they doe live single to avoid worldly cares , and to devote themselves wholly to heavenly thoughts and spirituall cares for the kingdome of heaven , they have more cause to rejoyce and glory in the aboundance of gods speciall grace to them , in that hee hath given them an heart to forsake lesser blessings for the gaining of greater , and bringing of more glory to god. secondly , this sheweth , that the popes prohibitions of priests marriage , and the absolute vowes of virginity and single life , taught and imposed by the church of rome , are cursed and corrupt inventions of men , and diabolicall devices , yea damnable haeresies , as the apostle calleth them , tim. . . and pet. . . for , though divers holy men of god , to whom god gave power over their owne wils , and the gift of continency to stand steadfast in their owne hearts have strongly resolved to keepe their virginity and to live single , that they might apply themselves to the service of god and his church with greater freedome from worldly eares , and have steadfastly held their resolution , proving themselves such as our saviour and his apostle doe commend , matth. . . and cor. . yet wee never read in scripture , that they were commanded by god , or that they did bind themselves voluntarily by an unchangable vow , or under any execration to abstaine from marriage , and from procreation of children therein : but alwayes , without any absolute necessity imposed on them , remained at liberty to marry if just occasion were offered . if our adversaries object , that the law of nature must give place to the evangelicall law , which hath greater promises , and tends to lead men to supernaturall and heavenly happinesse ; and that for christs sake and his churches good wee must renounce liberty of nature : i answere , that the evangelicall law doth not offer violence to the law of nature ; neither doth it abolish any part thereof ; but rather doth perfect it , by giving men grace willingly to neglect naturall liberty for the gaining of a better estate : as for example , the law of nature requires that men love fathers , mothers , wives , children , and their owne lives ; and gives them liberty to hold lands and houses : but yet when the case so stands , by reason of tyrannie and presecution raging , that a man must either forsake all these , or deny christ and renounce christian religion ; here a man ought to forgoe all for christ , as the gospell teacheth : and yet the gospell never commandeth us to renounce father , or mother , or houses , or land , and the like , and to expose our selves to death , when we may , together with parents , wives , children , and life , still cleave to christ and enjoy him for salvation ; yea it were frensie and fury for any church to impose lawes on men for the hating of parents , wives , and children , forsaking houses and lands , and giving themselves to death voluntarily when there is no inevitable necessity laid on them , but they may live good and faithfull christians , and yet love parents , wives , and children , possesse lands and houses , and live in safety . wherefore , though wee highly commend them who more zealously follow christ , and forsake the world , and make small account of naturall blessings in comparison of spirituall , but doe as saint paul did who made the gospell free , and did not use lawfull liberty , and power : yet wee cannot but count them execrable who tyrannize and lay cruell snares upon mens consciences , and impose lawes , and vowes upon themselves , or others , to forsake , and renounce utterly their lawfull liberty , and to bind them by that law and vow which either they must breake , or else fall into many wofull inconveniencies and abominable evils and mischiefes , as wee see in the popes lawes and vowes ; which have proved causes and occasions of secret whoredomes , publike stewes , many rapes and murders of innocents , to the staining and defiling of the whole land. thirdly , we hence learne , that our first parents , in the state of innocency , had in them both the affection and naturall desire to bring forth children , and to increase mankind with all convenient speed , god so commanding them ; also they had all strength and ability of body to beget and bring forth , and there was in them no defect to hinder procreation for a moment . the words of the text do plainely shew this : and reason grounded on other scriptures proves it fully . first our first parents were created perfect in their kind , and god gave them the blessing of fruitfulnesse . now where there are all naturall perfections and abilities accompanied with gods blessing , there can be no hinderance of procreation , or any failing in any naturall action ; therefore this doctrine is manifest . secondly , all barrenesse and all multiplying and frustrating of conceptions came in as a curse for sin , and upon the fall of our first parents , as the lord himselfe sheweth , gen. . . therefore there was no place for it in the state of innocency . this serves to admonish us all so often as we see barrennesse in men and women , and miscarrying wombes , and dry breasts ; to remember our sin and fall in our first parents , and to grieve for our corruptions derived from them , and to humble our selves under gods hand . secondly , to perswade us , and to make us see and beleeve , that our first parents did not stand long in their integrity and state of pure nature ; yea , that they did not lodge therein one night as the psalmist speakes , psal. . . for reason and common experience do teach us , that man doth readily and without any delay follow his will , and the affections which are most naturall in him ; so soone as reason permits ; now the affection and desire of procreation is most naturall , as all people of understanding do know , and the learned do grant ; and his will must needs be acknowledged strongly bent and inclined to it , because god had commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth ; and there was no reason moving man to restraine his will and affection , but onely till he had viewed the garden wherein god had placed him , considered the trees and fruites of it , and received gods commandement of abstaining from the forbidden tree , all which must needs be done before the end of the sixth day . and if man in the state of innocency had knowne his wife , sheehad without faile conceived a seed pure without sin , and had brought forth children in gods image perfect and upright ; wherefore they did without doubt fall in the end of the sixth day , as i shall more fully prove hereafter . fourthly , wee hence learne : that it is gods will revealed from the beginning , and his ordinance and law given in the creation , that the earth and every part of it should bee free for any man to possesse and inhabit it , untill it bee fully replenished with so many men as are able to subdue it by eating up the fruit thereof . this text teacheth plainely this point , by shewing that one end for which god blessed man and woman with fruitfulnesse , was , that they might replenish the earth . and to the same purpose , the psalmist speaketh fully psalme . . the heaven and heaven of heavens is the lords , but the earth hath hee given to the children of men : and deut. . . it is said , that god hath divided the earth to bee the inheritance of the sons of adam . this truth the cursed canaanites acknowledged by the light of nature , and therefore they suffered abraham , isaac , and iacob to sojourne in their land , and there to live with all their families , to feed their cattell , to digge wels , and to sow corne , and were so farre from driving them out , while there was roome enough , and they lived peaceably among them , that they entered into league with them , gen. . . and . . and . . first , this serves to cleare that doubt , and to decide that question and case of conscience which is much controverted among godly and learned divines , and agitated in these dayes , to wit , whether it bee lawfull , to send people , and to plant colonies in the vast countries of the west-indies , which are not replenished with men able to subdue the earth , and to till it : if wee bee sons of adam the whole earth is free for us , so long as it is not replenished with men and subdued . the ancient straggling inhabitants or any other , who have taken possession before , they have right to so much as they are able to replenish and subdue , and bring under culture and tillage ; and no other people have right to dispossesse and expell them , or to disquiet them in their possession , or any way to doe injury and offer violence to them , except they have such a commission and warrant as god gave to the israelites to expell the canaanites ; but it is lawfull for any sons of adam by the law , which god gave in the creation ( as this doctrine shewes ) to possesse and inhabite the vast places , and to subdue the barren untilled parts . and much more may true christians , who bring the gospell of salvation and word of life among them , by a second right in christ , settle themselves there , and maintaine their possession of these lands which they have replenished and subdued by culture and tillage ; and so long as they doe their endeavour to convert them to christ by the preaching of the gospell , and to make them partakers of the blessing in him the promised seed ; they deserve to bee received with all honour of those savages who come by this meanes to owe themselves to them . wherefore , let no man bee scrupulous in this kind ; but proceed with courage in such plantations , and with confidence of good successe , and blessing from god. secondly , it discovers great iniquity and injustice in divers sorts of men . first , in them who having gotten the first possession in some corner of some great continent and large region , do challenge the whole to , themselves as their proper right being no way able to replenish and subdue it ; and by force seeke to keepe out all other people who come to live as neighbours peaceably in places neare unto them , for whom there is roome enough , and more land then they can subdue and replenish . secondly , in them who think it lawfull for themselves to invade countries replenished with men and subdued , and by force to expell or bring in subjection the old inhabitants without expresse warrant from god ; as the spanyards did depopulate many great countries in america , and root out and destroy the naturall inhabitants . thirdly , in them who take possession of lands to the straitning of the natives ; which the naturall inhabitants without their helpe can sufficiently replenish , and subdue , and bring under tillage . in these cases there is great injustice , and wrong offered to gods law , which requires that as we would , that men should doe to us , so we should doe to them , and use no other dealing : and they who thus transgresse the bounds which god hath set in dividing the earth to all nations and people , cannot justly hope for gods blessing upon them . the next thing after the blessing of fruitfulnesse , is the lordship , rule , and dominion , which god gave to man over all living creatures ; and that is in these words , verse . and have dominion over the fish of the sea , and the fowles of the aire , and the beasts of the earth , &c. for our full understanding whereof wee are to inquire , and search out : first , what things are necessarily required in perfect dominion and lordship over the creatures . secondly , the divers degrees of it . thirdly , in what degree dominion over the creatures was given to man. concerning the first , there are foure things required to perfect dominion and lordship over the creatures ; two in the lord and ruler , and two in the creature ruled and made subject . in the lord and ruler there is required , first , power and ability to order , rule , and dispose according to his owne minde , will and pleasure , in all things , the creatures ruled by him . secondly , a true right to use and dispose them according to his owne will and pleasure . in the creature there is also required : first , a disposition fitnesse , and inclination to serve his lord and ruler , and to yeeld to him in all things whatsoever hee shall thinke fit . secondly , a bond of duty , by which hee is bound to obey his lord , and serve for his use , and necessarily to yeeld to him in all things . all these things are necessarily required in perfect lordship and dominion : and wheresoever all these are found to concurre in the highest degree , there is most perfect dominion ; and where they are in a lesser degree , there is a lesser an inferiour dominion ; and where any of these faileth or is wanting , there the lordship and dominion faileth and is imperfect : as for example ; the lord god , as hee is almighty and omnipotent , so hee hath absolute power in and of himselfe , and all ability to order , and dispose , and rule every creature as hee himselfe will : and as he is iehovah , the author of all being , who hath his being , and is that which hee is absolutely of himselfe without beginning , and doth create and give being to all other things ; so hee hath absolute right to use and dispose all creatures according to his owne mind and will ; and in these respects hee is absolutely called the lord ; and is absolute lord even in this confusion of the world and all things therein ; as over all other creatures , so over the rebellious divell and all his wicked instruments ; and hath absolute power to destroy them , or to make of them , even contrary to their disposition , what use he will. and because in the creation god made all things good and perfect in their kind and nature , according to his owne will and wisedome , and every creature as it was good in the nature and kind of it ; so was it most fit & inclinable to serve for the use unto which the lord appointed it in the creation : and as it was the worke of the lords owne hand by him brought into being out of nothing ; so there was a bond of duty laid upon it to obey the lords word , and to yeeld to his will without any resistance or reluctation . and in these respects gods dominion and lordship was not onely most absolute over all creatures , but also most sweet and lovely unto them ; even a most loving and fatherly rule of god over them , and a most free and voluntary subjection and obedience of them to him , and to his will in all things . but now , ever since the fall and rebellion of the divell against the light , and the fall and corruption of man , and the confusion which thereby came into the world ; though gods power and right stand most absolute and unchangeable like himselfe , and hee both can and doth most justly over-rule the divell and all creatures which are most corrupt and malicious , and makes even their enmity serve for his glory , and for the communion of his goodnesse more fully to his elect : yet this power and right he exerciseth not in that loving and fatherly manner over the rebellious and disobedient creatures ; but by just violence and coaction ; by necessity and strong hand forcing and compelling them to doe and worke , and to suffer and yeeld unto , and serve for that use , which they would not and from which they are most averse . and because no other lords have any such power or right over any creature , but all their power , and right is given them by god , and is but an image and shadow of his right and power ; therefore their dominion is not absolute and most perfect ; but secondary and inferiour , depending upon gods will , power , and pleasure . these things proposed as grounds and foundations , wee may from them easily observe divers degrees of lordship and dominion . the first and highest lordship and dominion , which is most absolute over all creatures is that of god , which , in respect of gods power and right cannot bee increased or diminished at all : for , as hee hath right , to doe with all creatures what hee will , because they are his owne , and hee gives them all their being ; so he hath power as he is omnipotent , either to incline or to inforce them to doe his pleasure and to serve for what use hee will. the angels in heaven and saints glorified and made perfect , and all creatures in the state of innocency , as in duty they are bound to serve and obey god ; so they have in them a fitnesse and inclination to serve and obey his will in all things to the vtmost of their power ; and therefore this dominion over them is lovely and amiable , and is paternum imperium , a fatherly rulo and dominion over them . but the divels , and wicked men , and all creatures corrupted are froward and rebellious ; and his rule and dominion over them is , in respect of them , violent and compulsive ; and as a king he forceth them to doe what hee will , and compels them to serve for what use hee will , and justice requires it should bee so . the second degree of dominion is , when a lord hath both power and right to rule over creatures , and they have an inclination and fitnesse to serve and obey ; but all these are from a superiour lord , giving this power and right to the one to rule , and disposing and binding the other to serve and obey . this delegated lordship and dominion , is either unlimited , or limited . vnlimited is that which is not confined to some creatures , but is extended over all things in heaven and in earth ; and it is a power and right to make them all serve and obey him in all things , whatsoever hee will. this unlimited dominion is given onely to christ as mediatour ; who as hee is man personally united to god , and in his humane nature hath perfectly fulfilled the will of god , overcome all powers of darknesse , satisfied gods justice , and redeemed the world , is exalted to gods right hand , as david foretold , psalme . . and hath all power in heaven and in earth given unto him , matth. . . and hath a name given him above all names , even the name and title of the lord christ , so that in and at his name all knees must bow , both of things in heaven , and things in earth and things under the earth , that is all must either voluntarily as they are bound in duty , give all obedience and honour to him , and pray humbly in his name to god ; or by his power bee forced and compelled to bow under him as a iudge and yeeld to his will , philip. . . . limited dominion is not over all creatures , but onely over creatures of the inferiour world fish , fowles , and beasts ; neither is it a right and power given to that lord and ruler to doe with the creatures what hee will , and to use them as hee listeth ; but onely to make them obey and serve him so farre as the superiour lord doth thinke them fit and convenient for his use , & for his present state & condition . this limited lordship & delegated dominion doth vary and alter together with the state and condition of him to whom it is given ; and it is sometimes , and in some persons greater , and in some lesser ; according to their severall states and conditions , and their severall dispositions and behaviour towards the supreme lord , to whom all power and dominion doth absolutely belong over all creatures . this indeed is the dominion which god in this text gave to our first , and in them to their posterity . this dominion is limited to fishes , fowles , beasts , creatures living on earth , as the words of the text plainely shew . secondly , while man continued in his innocency and integrity , as he had power & ability given , and continued to him to rule , order and dispose all those creatures aright in all things : so hee had a true right and interest in them given and continued by god. thirdly , as there was a bond of duty laid by god on these creatures to obey man and to yeeld to his upright will : so there was a disposition , inclination and fitnesse in them to obey man in all things which hee in his wisedome thought fit : and therefore this rule and dominion it may bee called dominium paternum , a fatherly , loving and sweet dominion and rule of man over them . but this rule and dominion being forfeited by man , and lost by mans sin and fall , together with his owne life and welbeing , is no more to bee challenged or usurped by man , or by any of his posterity , but onely so farre as it is restored by christ who is the haire of all things , and the onely begotten son , by whom the father made all things , and by whom , as by the lord creatour with himselfe , hee gave this dominion to man created in his image . now this dominion , christ hath restored to men in divers and severall degrees , as they differ in state and condition . first , to the elect and faithfull christ hath purchased and procured , that they , as they are his members united to him , and adopted to bee children of god in him , should have a right and interest in all things , not onely on earth but also in heaven ; so that they may make use of all things so farre as they serve to helpe and further them in the way to heaven , and to the fruition of god ; so much is testified , cor. . , . where the apostle saith , all things are yours : whether paul , or apollos , or cephas , or the world , or life , or death , or things present , or things to come , all are yours , and yee are christs , and christ is gods. over the creatures on earth they have that rule and dominion given which is mentioned in my text ; but with some difference , as may appeare in divers particulars . first , adam had rule over them onely to order them , and make use of them for contemplation and delight . secondly , adam had rule and dominion over them all in his owne person ; but the elect have now a generall right to all , but not a speciall right , every man in his owne person , to every living creature : they may make use of all living creatures which come within their sight and knowledge , to contemplate on them ; but they may not take into their possession , nor kill , eat , and take spoile of any but such as are wholly loose from other men , and which god by lawfull meanes gives and puts into their hands . thirdly , as adam had power and ability to call and command all living creatures ; so they had an inclination and disposition to obey him . but the elect have not that naturall power and ability , nor the creatures that inclination ; because of the vanity and corruption , which still remaines untill the full redemption come , and all things bee restored , and all creatures delivered from bondage of corruption , and restored to the glorious liberty of the sons of god , rom. . . so much as god in his wisedome findes fit for man in this estate of grace , so much power over the creatures hee gives to him ; and so much inclination and fitnesse to the creatures . secondly , to men unregenerate , christ hath purchased and procured a kind of common and secondary right and dominion over the creatures ; that is , both power and liberty to use them , so farre as they serve for the common weale and order of the world , and the benefit of the elect . some have possession given them , and power over the creatures , that they may live , and grow , and continue in being till the time of their conversion and regeneration , when they shall have a true interest in christ , and to all things in and through him . some wicked men , not elect , have them lent of god ; and christ hath procured that they should have the use and possession of them , either for the good of the elect who live among them , or the benefit of their elect successors and chosen posterity which naturally shall come of them , and to whom they shall bee instruments of naturall being . so long as unregenerate men have possession of creatures either given by men , or gotten by industry , labour and other meanes which are not civilly and naturally unlawfull , so long they have dominion over them , and power to use them joyned with civill right , which gods law allowes by the procurement of christ and for his sake . i have a little digressed , and gone beyond my bounds in speaking of this rule and dominion as it is restored by christ , for that is proper to the state of grace , and not to bee handled under the creation . it is dominium regium , regall dominion , or rather in part tyrannicall and violent , in respect of the creatures which are naturally so averse from it , and their native inclination is quite against it , in some measure and degree . the third thing next in order after dominion , is the foode which god allotted both to man and to other living creatures on earth in the state of innocency , expressed verse . . i have given you every herbe , bearing seed , which is upon earth , and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yeelding seed ; to you it shall bee for meat . . and to every beast , fowle , and creature living on earth , i have given greene herbe for meat , and it was so . now here wee cannot understand the creating of herbes , trees , and grasse , fit for the use of man and other living things ; that is rehearsed , verse . nor gods bare direction of men and beasts to eat of these ; nor a naturall appetite and inclination given to man , and other creatures to affect and desire these things : but the words doe expresse thus much , that god the creatour is the onely lord , and all power and right is in him to dispose and give them , and the use of them ; and man and beasts had no right to the herbes , trees , fruits , and grasse , but of the free gift of god. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i give , or have given , doth fully expresse a free gift . in that hee saith , that herbes , bearing seed , and trees yeelding fruit , shall bee to mankind for meat , and greene herbe or grasse shall bee meat to the beasts , and fowles , and creeping things which live on earth ; this shewes , that man in innocency was to feed onely on such things , and as yet hee had no other meat allowed , and other living creatures did all feed on grasse . hereby also it is manifest , that all herbes , bearing seed , and all fruits of trees were wholsome food for man , and all green grasse for all other living creatures which move on the face of the earth : otherwise god would not have given them to man and other creatures for meat . from the words thus opened , wee may observe some profitable instructions . from all the words joyntly together , which shew the dominion which god gave to man , and the food which he allowed both to man and other creatures ; wee may learne , that god is the onely absolute and supreme lord of all creatures , and no creature hath right to rule over others , or to meddle one with another ; but , by gods free gift , our meat , our drink , and whatsoever wee have in this world , god gives it freely to us ; and wee have no right to any thing but from him . if mans wisedome , power , knowledge , and ability to rule the creatures , and their fitnesse and inclination to obey him , had intituled him sufficiently , and given him a true right , there had beene no need of gods giving this dominion ; and so if his appetite to herbes and fruits , and their fitnesse to feed and delight him , and the concord . betweene the appetite of living creatures , and the greene grasse had given them a true right to it , what need had there beene of this gift , and that god should say , behold i give to you every herbe and fruit for meat ? &c. in that therefore these two are here recorded as free gifts of god , this doctrine flowes naturally from hence . and this is aboundantly confirmed by other scriptures , as gen. . . where melchisedeck , gods high and royall priest , in blessing abraham , cals god the possessour of heaven and earth ; that is , such a lord as holds in his hand and possession by an absolute right , heaven and earth , and all that is in them , so that none hath any right to any thing in them , but of his free gift ; and deut. . . it is said , that the heaven , and the heaven of heavens is the lords , the earth also with all that therein is . also psalme . . the earth is said to bee the lords , and the fulnesse thereof ; the round world and they that dwell therein ; and psalme . . the beasts of the fi●ld , yea , and the whole world is mine saith the lord , the same also is testified psalme . . and iob . . and iob confesseth that all that hee had was gods to give and take away at his pleasure , iob . . we have also a strong argument to prove this from the quit-rent which god requires , and men are bound to pay to god , and to whom hee assignes it in testimony of their homage , and that they possesse nothing , but of his gift as tenants at will , that is , the tythes of the fruite of the land , and of the cattell , and of all increase , all are the lords quit-rent , and were paid to god by all the faithfull , even to his priests and ministers who minister before him , and have him for their portion , levit. . . gen. . . and . . and num. . . this shewes , that god may lawfully take away from wicked men , and appoint others to take from them whatsoever they have , if he be so pleased at any time ; and it is no injustice , neither have they cause to complaine , because they doe not acknowledge him their lord , nor pay due rent , nor doe homage to him by honouring him with their wealth and substance . it is held to bee no wrong , but just and lawfull for earthly land-lords to seaze into their owne hands , and take away from their tenants the houses , lands and farmes for which they wilfully refuse to pay the due rent , and wilfully deteine it ; much more is it justice in god , the chiefe and absolute lord of all the earth and the creatures therein , to cast men out of those houses and lands , and to deprive them of all their increase and revenues , for which they refuse to pay their due homage tythe and quit-rent to him , and to his ministers and servants , whom hee hath assigned to receive them for his use and service . secondly , this admonisheth us to acknowledge , that all wee have is gods , and all our houses , lands , goods , and riches , are but his talents lent to us to bee employed , as for our owne benefit ; so for his glory chiefely , and the good of his church . also it justly serves to incite and stirre us up to render thanks , praise , and due service to him for all , and to pray to him daily for a blessing on our meat , drinke and all necessaries , and to begge at his hand the free use of his creatures , and a true right unto them . thirdly , it serves to shew gods great mercy , bounty and fatherly indulgence to us , in suffering us to have and enjoy so many blessings and good creatures , which wee have forfeited by our sinnes and doe daily forfeit by not using them aright , but abusing them , and neglecting to pay a tenth at least for our quit-rent to god ; yea , and all or the most part , if hee requires it at our hands for the necessity of his church and the maintainance of his truth . i feare , and justly suspect , that if we examine our selves , few will bee found among us not deeply guilty in this kind ; as many other wayes , so especially for sacrilegious detaining of tythes and due maintenance , which god hath separated to himselfe for the upholding of his publike worship , and the preaching of his word , and continuing of a learned and faithfull laborious ministery in his church . secondly , wee hence learne , that in the state of innocency man had no power over living creatures to kill , and eat them ; neither did one beast devoure another and feed on his flesh ; but the food of man was onely herbes and fruits of trees ; and the food of beasts and birds was the greene herbe and grasse of the field , the words of the text shew this plainely . and other scriptures intimate so much , that in the state of innocency lyons and other ravenous beasts did live on grasse , and no creatures did hurt one another , as isa. . , . and . . where the prophet describing the aboundance of peace which shall bee in the church in the most flourishing and happy times of the gospell , and setting it forth by the state of innocency faith , that the wolfe and the lambe , the leopard and the kid , the young lyon , calfe and fatling , and the cow and the reare shall dwell and feed , and lye downe together ; and the lyon shall eat grasse or str●w like an oxe or bullocke , and they shall not hurt , nor destroy in all gods holy mountaine ; that is , men shall not kill and eat up beasts , nor beasts one another . and indeed it is most manifest , that death eutered into the world by sin and mans fall , gen. . . and death came upon all by mans sin , rom. . . and that the corruption , vanity and confusion , which is among the creatures , did proceed and issue from the same roote , rom. . . and they had never groaned under the killing knife and slaughter , if man had not sinned and brought them into that subjection to vanity . this shewes , that mans estate , wherein god created him was a most sweet and happy estate , full of ioy , peace , delight and contentment ; and man had no want , nor any thing which hee could dislike ; but all meanes to make him thankfull to god , and joyfull before him . the meat and food of man , and of all living creatures was such as the earth brought forth in aboundance by gods blessing without labour ; they needed not to seeke it by toile and travell ; it was plentifull every where , and they had variety of all things which might give them content ; there was no death , not so much as of a creeping thing ; no hurt , nor killing , no crying nor groaning under vexation ; no coveting , snatching and ravening , every creature had enough . and yet man by satans temptation aspired higher , and so did fall into want misery and bondage to death . his fall was of the divell and his owne selfe , god gave no just occasion . and therefore wee cannot now under this corruption expect any steadfast satisfaction and contentment in this world , now over-runne with confusion , nor in any worldly thing . let us abhorre our owne unsatiable desires , and watch over our wandring lusts , and strive to keepe them under , lest they make us further stray from the right wayes of god , and plunge us deepe into perdition . secondly , this serves to shew , that with gods favour and blessing , and to man sober , temperate , and of a good constitution , the herbes , corne , and fruits of the earth , and trees , are a satisfying nourishment for this present life . it is not fish nor flesh , nor all the dainties and forced dishes of the world , which can so nourish and strengthen a man , as herbes and fruit could have nourished our first parents in innocency . it is not therefore by bread or any strong meat , that any man can live or doth live , but by the word which cometh from the mouth of god , by that mans meat is blessed to him and made a refreshing nourishing and living food unto him . thirdly , in that all herbes , bearing seed , and all trees yeelding fruite , are here said to bee given by god as fit meat to nourish man , and all greene herbe or grasse to other creatures ; hence wee learne , that all fruits of all trees , and all herbes bearing seed , were wholesome meat for man , and all greene grasse to beasts in the state of innocency . all poison and unwholesome quality , taste and smell in herbes , plants , trees , and grasse , which hurt man , or beast ; came into the world by sin , and are bitter fruits of mans fall and transgression , and of the curse which his disobedience brought upon the earth . for all whatsoever god made , was good in it selfe and evill and hurtfull to none ; and if all herbes , trees , and grasse had not beene good , wholesome and pleasant , god would not have given them for meat to man , or any living creature . the consideration of this point is of good use to keepe us from murmuring and grudging against god , as if hee had created the poison of herbes , and unwholesomnesse of fruits , upon which men and other creatures surfeit even unto death and destruction . so osten as wee see any such thing happen and come to passe , or discerne any ill quality , taste and smell in herbes , and unsufficiency in fruits and herbes to nourish , and see living creatures killed , and their flesh eaten for necessity of mans nourishment , let it put us in minde and remembrance of our sin and fall in our first parents , from that integrity wherein wee and all other things were created . let us bee ashamed of our disobedience which makes the ground cursed unto us . let the groanes of beasts slaine for us , and their bloud shed and poured out with strugling , and with cryes and sighes : let the sowrenesse of wilde grapes , the loathsome smell and bitternesse of some herbes , and fruits , and the poison of some plants , all and every one smite us with the sight of our naturall corruption , and make us loath our sinnes , and sigh and groane under the burden of them , and labour to subdue corruptions , and put away our sinnes by repentance . the fourth thing , which i have propounded to bee considered after the creation of man , is the place of his habitation in the state of integrity , that is described by moses in the second chapter from the seventh verse to the sixteenth . and the lord , god planted a garden eastward in eden , and there hee put the mankind which hee had formed . . and out of the ground the lord god made to grow every tree pleasant to sight and good for food , the tree of life in the midst of the garden , and the tree of knowledge of good and evill . . and a river went out of eden to water the garden , and from thence it was parted , and became into fower heads , &c. in the description , as it is here laid downe by moses , wee may observe two maine things . the first , that god beforehand provided a place of pleasant habitation , and of exercise for mankind ; and so soone as the male and female were formed , he placed them therein . this is plainely affirmed , verse . where it is said , god planted a garden ; and verse . god put man into it to dresse and keepit . the second is a plaine description of the place in the . verse , and so along to the . verse . in the description it selfe , wee may observe divers notable things . first , that the place of mans habitation was most pleasant ; a garden , that is a plot of ground chosen out for pleasure and fruitfulnesse , planted and beautified with all both goodly and fruitfull trees and plants . secondly , that it was chosen and planted by god himselfe , and prepared and made ready for man , that so soone as they were formed , hee and the woman might bee put into it . thirdly , that this garden was scituate in eden , that is , a region and country most pleasant ; for in the hebrew text the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies pleasure and delight . fourthly , it is said to bee eastward in eden , and that in a twofold respect : first , because being in eden it was eastward from canaan the land of the israelites , for whom moses wrote this history , and gave it to them , when they were come into the borders of the land , and had taken possession of bashan and gilead . secondly , because it was planted in the east-side of eden towards the sun-rising , which is commonly the most pleasant place for scituation . that eden was eastward from cannan in the land of mesopotamin towards babylon , it is manifest by this , because euphrates was the river which went out of eden , and watered the garden : and euphrates r●●s through the country of mesopotamia close by babylon , which country when iacob journed unto from canaan , hee is said to come into the hand of the people of the east , gen. . . that the garden was on the east-side of eden ; it appeares evidently by this , that the river which watered the garden , did run through eden eastward towards assyriah and babylon in one streame or great river , and when it came to the garden it was parted and became foure streames or chanels ; one of which , to wit , that which runs by babylon retaines the name of the maine river , and is called euphrates , as appeares verse . fifthly , this garden is described by the commodities of it● first , it had in it overy kind of tree both pleasant to the sight ; both the goodly cedar which is said to have beene in the garden of the lord , ezech. . ● and also good for food , that is , all trees yeelding fruit . secondly , it had in it two speciall fruit-trees , which were of singular use ; the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge of good and evill . thirdly , it was watered with a river which went out of edon , that is , proceeded out of the west part of eden , and 〈◊〉 it by dividing it selfe into foure severall streames which did run through severall parts of the garden , to moisten the ground , and to cherish the roots of the trees ; after which parting of the streames and running through severall parts of the garden , not by any labour or art of man , but by gods appointment so ordering and disposing them , they did not meet againe nor gather themselves into one chanell ; but ran apart from thence , and were parted , and became foure heads or streames running in foure chanels into severall parts of the country , and into severall lands called by severall names . the first here mentioned is pishon , which takes a compasse to the land of havilah , which is a countrie bordering upon the upper part of the persian gulfe : it was first inhabited by havilah the son of cush , and by his posterity ; it borders on that part of arabia which ishmaels posterity inhabited , which wee call arabia deserta . for wee read , gen. . . that they dwelt from havilah to shur , that is , in arabia deserta ; and when saul was sent to slay the amalekites , hee smote them from havilah as thou goest to shur , sam. . . that is , along the coasts of the ishmaelites . in this land of havilah , the text saith there is good gold , and bdelium , that is , a tree which yeelds a whitish gum , and also there is onyx-stone . the second river , in moses dayes , was called gihon ; and it takes a compasse toward the land of cush , that is , not ethiopia which is also called cush , but that part of arabia which borders upon chaldaea . for all arabia and ethiopia are in hebrew called by the name of cush , because all these lands were inhabited at the first by seba , sabtah , raamah , sabtecha , sheba , and dedam , which were the sons of cush , as appeares , gen. . . and that part of arabia which the midianites inhabited , is called cush ; for moses his wife , being a midianitish-woman as wee read , exod. . is called a woman of cush , num. . that is of arabia , not of ethiopia as our translaters doe render the word . third river is called hiddekell , & it is the streame which goeth eastward towards assyriah , and runs into the great river tigris , which parts assyriah from mesopotamia . and the fourth river is that which retaines the name of the maine river euphrates , which in hebrew is called perah , because it makes the land watered by it fruitfull above others . this is the description of mans habitation in the state of innocency as it is here laid downe , and expounded by the helpe of other scriptures , and not according to the vaine conceipts of men which have no certainty nor truth in them . before i come to observe from hence any speciall point of instruction , i hold it necessary , first , to shew the variety and multiplicity of vaine , uncertaine , and erroneous opinions of divers ancient fathers and other later writers concerning this garden , and the particulars thereof before mentioned ; all which are by certaine ground laid downe in this exposition , and by cleare evidence of scripture and strong reasons easily confuted . first , saint hierome , being missed by the translation of aquila , which runs thus , god had planted a garden from the beginning , doth hereupon conclude , that paradise was planted before the heaven and earth were created : which opinion is most ridiculous , and contrary to common sense and reason : for where there are trees growing out of the ground , and rivers and streames watering them , there must needs bee ground and earth . it was impossible for trees to bee planted and to grow out of the ground before any earth was created . wee here may see , how wise men may sometimes build castles in the aire , and that the most learned of the ancients have their errours ; and hee who was counted the most learned of all the fathers in the hebrew tongue , doth here miserably mistake the hebrew phrase : for though the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mikedem , which is here translated eastward , or on the east-side , when it is spoken of god or of christ , doth signifie in the prophets from everlasting , or from eternity , as mich. . . hab. . . and psalme . . and when other things are said to bee mikedem , the word signifies either from old time , or from the dayes of old , as psalme . . and . . where david saith , i will remember the dayes of old ; and nehem. . . from the dayes of old , even from david and asaph they were chiefe of singers : yet sometimes it signifies eastward , or on the east-side , or from the east , as appeares most plainely , gen. . . where it is used to signifie the east-side of the garden where god placed the cherubins ; and gen. . . where it is said , that abraham came to a mountaine which was eastward of bethel , and had ai on the east-side , and so undoubtedly it is used in this text for eastward , as our translators truely render it . origen and phile iudaeus lib. de mund . opific. did conceive paradise to bee no earthly or bodily place , but to bee spiritually understood , which opinion epiphanius proves to bee against reason : because trees growing out of the ground , and rivers , shew that it was a garden planted on the earth , and earthly not spirituall . some have held , that the whole world was paradise , and that this garden did extend it selfe over all the earth , which then was wholly a place of pleasure and delight ; which is also very absurd , for then adam had beene cast out of the whole earth when god cast him out of the garden , and the land of cush , and of havilah , and assyria , towards which the rivers did run after they were gone out of the garden , had beene out of the world. besides , wee read in the scriptures , that eden , in which the garden was planted , was a speciall country in mesopotamia , neare haran and goz●n , and the people thereof did trade with tirus , king. . . and ezech. . . ephrem held it to bee a remote place beyond the vast ocean sea , and unknowne tous . damascene in his book de fide , chap. . held it to bee a place higher then all the earth . beda and rupertus held it to bee a place next unto heaven , reaching up to the sphaere of the moone . alexander hales and tostatus thought it to bee a place in the aire farre below the moone . others who held it to bee a speciall place in the earth doe much vary and differ among themselves . luther conceived , that it contained in it all mesopotamia , syria , and egypt . others thought , that it comprehended all asia and africa . others , that it was that part of syria , which is called the region of damaseus , because there was the kings forrest of goodly cedars , which is called paradise , nehem. . . and there is a towne called by the name of eden and paradise , which is mentioned as some thinke , amos . . the opinion of bonaventure is , that the place of it is under the aequinoctiall . bellarmine in his booke de gratia primi hominis , chap. . confesseth , that it must needs bee an earthly and bodily place planted with trees ; but farre remote from knowledge of men , and that no man can define where it is ; that it was not destroyed in the generall deluge and flood of noah , but remaines to this day ; and that enoch and eliah were translated thither , and there are kept to fight with antichrist in the end of the world. this opinion is contrary to truth , and contradicts it selfe . first , the scriptures testifie , that eliah was not translated into an unknowne place on earth , but went up to heaven in a firie chariot . secondly , that the waters of noah's flood did prevaile . cubits above the highest mountaines . and therefore if paradise was an earthly place as bellarmine holds , it must needs bee destroyed in the generall deluge , gen. . . yea , if paradise had beene preserved safe from the flood , it had beene needlesse and vaine labour for noah to build such an huge arke . god might have saved him and all the creatures with him in the garden of paradise . thirdly , moses doth here plainely define where this garden was , and whosoever with understanding reads this history , may easily define where it was . but where it is now , none can define ; for it is destroyed , and onely the place of it remaines still . but , not to trouble my discourse with particular confutations of these severall opinions ; the very text it selfe , and that exposition which i have made of it by the helpe of other scriptures , doth as it were with one blast blow them all away like chaffe , and with one stroke dash them all in pieces . for this text tels us , that this garden was planted in the earth ; and god made the trees in it to grow out of the ground ; that the speciall place of the earth , in which god planted it was eden , that is , a place in mesopotamia and babylonia , knowne by that name , and mentioned by rabshekeh among the countries which the assyrian kings had conquered , scituate betweene iudea and assyria , and neare unto assyriah , king. . . and by ezekiel , cap. . . mentioned among the countries and cities , which from mesopotamia did trade with tyrus . the text also tels us , that it was in eden eastward , or on the east-side , watered with a river which came out of eden from the other part thereof ; which river having divided it selfe into foure streames , that it might run through severall parts of the garden and water it , did no more meet in one , but from thence , that is , from the garden was parted , and became foure speciall rivers , taking their course and compasse towards severall lands ; to wit , pishon to the land of havilah , gihon to the land of cush , hiddekel , to the land of assyriah , and euphrates through babylonia and chaldaea : all which are to iewes and naturall israelites ( who ever since the captivity of israel to assyriah , and of iuda to babylon doe live a dispersed and scattered people in those countries ) knowne by those old names to these dayes , as appeares in the itinerarie of benjamin tudalensis the iew , and divers other histories . now these things being plainely laid downe in the text , explained by other scriptures ; the places and rivers being often mentioned in histories , and knowne to the iewes who dwell in those parts untill this day ; there is now no least colour or show of reason left for the divers opinions before rehearsed ; they all appeare to be vaine & erroneous ; the manifest truth of this text overthrowes them all at once . and now from hence wee may learne a profitable point of instruction , viz. that nothing is more vaine and uncertaine then the opinion of witty and learned men , both ancient fathers and later writers and schoolemen , while they follow their owne reason , & their owne witty conceipts without warrant from the word of god. there is no sure or certaine ground which a man may safely rest upon for the right understanding of the scriptures , but onely the word of god it selfe , either speaking plainely in the very text it selfe , or by other places and testimonies which are more full and plaine , compared with the obscurer texts . by this meanes onely the spirit of god doth enlighten our hearts and understanding to know infallibly the true sense and meaning of them . besides , many other proofes which serve to confirme this , which i omit as not necessary at this present ; wee have a firme argument from our saviours owne words , iohn . ver . , . where hee saith , that now under the gospell the spirit speakes not of himselfe ( by simple and immediate inspiration without any word , as in the prophets of old ) but whatsoever hee shall heare , that shall hee speake , and hee shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you ; that is , hee shall inspire and enlighten men , onely by my word which i have spoken with mine owne mouth , and by the prophets and holy men of god who have preached and written . also our saviour and his apostles , by their constant practise did shew , that the sure ground of expounding and understanding the scriptures in any obscure places , is the plainer text and word of scripture in other places . for they proved the truth which they preached and wrote in the gospell by the scriptures of the law and the prophets . wherefore let us not build upon the wisedome of men , nor upon the smooth words of mans reason ; but on the word of god proved by it selfe , and made plaine one place by another ; let us hearken to such preachers , and follow them as the surest guides , who make the scriptures by themselves plaine and manifest to our understanding . as for them who can give no better reason for doctrines of faith , but testimonies of fathers and schoolemen , nor follow any surer guide for expounding of scripture but expositions of fathers framed by their owne conceipts , not proved by plaine texts ; let us not build too much upon them . and , above all , let us hate and abhorre the pestilent doctrine of the romish doctors , and all the popish faction , who make the canons of councels , the opinions of fathers , and the popes determination , the onely sure grounds whereon men ought to build their understanding of the scriptures and their beliefe of the word of god. another , and a second thing which comes here to bee more fully opened over and besides the diversity of opinions , is the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge of good and evill , which are said to bee in the midst of the garden . these two trees are here in the history marked out and distinguished from the rest of the trees , as being set apart by god for another use more then meere naturall . concerning these trees , there are divers and severall opinions of ancient and moderne divines . first , concerning the tree of life , some thinke it had a naturall power and vertue in it to make mans body lively , and to keepe it from all weaknesse , decay and mortality , till hee should bee removed to heaven : this is the opinion of scotus and aquinas , with others . some thinke , it had power and vertue in it to make man immortall , and to preserve him from death for ever , as tostatus : and that , if a man had once eaten of it , hee would not have dyed , but should have enjoyed such immortality , as wee have by christ after the last resurrection . bonaventures opinion is , that it had such vertue and power in it not naturall , but supernaturall . but these opinions are meere humane conceipts contrary to reason . for first , the fruit of a tree , which is pulled off , eaten , digested , and so changed from that which it was in a bodily nutriment by the operation of mans fleshly stomack , cannot in any reason bee conceived to have naturall power in it to give that to man which it selfe had not , to wit , immortality & immurability . it is a true rule , that no naturall thing can worke beyond the naturall strength of it , neither can it give to another that which it selfe hath not at all ; and this tree had no immortality , for it was destroyed with the garden in which god planted it . secondly , supernaturall power and vertue to give life is the proper vertue and power of christ and of his spirit which works in men , and derives life from christ to them : but there was no such communion of the spirit , not any such operation of the spirit in any earthly creature before christ was promised ; such assistance and operation of the spirit is proper to the elect of mankind , and came onely into the world by christ , as the scriptures testifie . there are divers learned men of better judgement , and they hold that this tree of life is so called , not for any vertue in it , either naturall or supernaturall ; but because it was given of god a sacrament and seale of life to man , and man was to eate of it , not for bodily food onely , but that by eating of it hee might bee , as by a pledge from god , assured that he should by god bee upheld in life ; and also might bee admonished , that his life is upheld not by any power in himselfe , but by covenant from god confirmed by this seale . but these differ among themselves , concerning the life whereof it was a seale and pledge . some thinke , it was a seale of that present life which adam had , which in it selfe was mutable . some thinke , it was a seale of a better life , even of immortality and life immutable , which adam should have obtained by continuing in obedience for a certaine time . others thinke , that it was a sacrament , that is , an holy signe and seale of christ who is our life , and of that spirituall life which wee have in him : thus junius , and others of our late writers . now , to declare in few words what i conceive to bee the truth : first , i cannot conceive , that there were any sacraments given to man before the promise of christ , and the revealing of gods purpose and counsell in him : for a sacrament is an outward element or visible thing consecrated by god , to signifie and seale heavenly and supernaturall things , and grace spirituall and invisible : but heavenly and supernaturall things , which belong to eternall life in christ , and spirituall grace , were not revealed to man in the state of innocency , before the promise of christ , which was made upon mans fall ; therefore there was then no use of any holy signe , or pledge of supernaturall grace , or of any thing which wee obtaine from above in , and by christ. the tree of life could not bee any sacrament , signe or symbole of christ , or supernaturall life in him . all that i can conceive or affirme with any warrant from the scriptures is this , that the tree of life had greater and more excellent naturall vertue and strength in it then other trees , and the fruit thereof was more sweet , lively and nourishing ; and by this meanes it was more fit then other trees to bee not onely a signe , symbole , and pledge to man , whereby hee was to bee admonished that his life was to bee upheld by his obedience to god , and dependance upon him ; and also to bee assured and confirmed , that god would uphold him in life : but also a seale of the covenant of works , whereby hee was to bee setled in that state of life , wherein hee was created . i confesse , that the wisedome of god ( that is christ as hee is made unto us of god wisedome ) is called a tree of life to such as lay hold on him , prov. . . and the fruite of the righteous , ( that is eternall life , and all saving blessings , which are the fruite which the righteous , justified and sanctified in christ , doe enjoy ) is called also the tree of life , prov. . . revel . . . and a wholesome tongue , that is , the healing and saving word of the gospell , and other powerfull meanes of salvation are called a tree of life , prov. . . and revel . . , . but all this is by way of allusion , and tends to teach us ; not that the tree of life in paradise was a sacrament of christ , and of saving grace and eternall life in him ; but , that as that tree was a pledge and meanes to confirme man in his naturall life : so christ and his graces , and his holy and healing word , are the pledges and meanes of heavenly and supernaturall life . and this is all that i can learne out of the scriptures , concerning this tree of life . the other speciall tree is called the tree of knowledge of good and evill ; which i conceive to bee so called , not because it did beget reason and understanding in man , or did sharpen his wit by any vertue or power in it , as iosephus and divers hebrewes imagined ; for then it had beene good for man to eat of it , and hee should have gained thereby : nor because satan by the lying serpent perswaded the woman that being eaten of , it would make them as god , in knowing good and evill ; for it was so called of god before , when hee forbad them to eat of it : but the true reason why it is so called is , because god having forbidden man to eat of it , man could not eat of it but by disobeying god and transgressing his commandement , and so bring sin , and the bitter knowledge , and the wofull experience and sense of evill upon himselfe , which taste and knowledge of evill makes the sweetnesse of good better relished , and the profit thereof better knowne and acknowledged . againe , because the eating of this tree was mans sin and full ; and gave occasion to god to promise christ ; and to the son of god to undertake as mans surety to make satisfaction for him , and to redeeme him ; and out of his evill to raise up a new kind of good , greater and better then that which man knew before , even to bring him to the knowledge of spiritual & supernatural good : in this respect , god might well call it the tree of knowledge of good and evill , upon his owne foreknowledge of that event , which hee in himselfe purposed to bring about upon that occasion . as for searching and inquiring what kind of tree it was ; whether a vine , as some hold ; or a figge tree , as theodoret thought ; or an aple tree , as others ; i hold it vaine curiosity , because the text cals it by another name , by which none of those trees were ever called . certainly the fruite of it in it selfe was naturally good , and had no evill quality in it , which could corrupt or staine mans nature , or infuse malice into him ; as i shall hereafter shew , when i come to gods commandement by which hee forbad man to eat of it . and thus much for the opening and expounding of this part of the history , concerning paradise , the place of mans habitation in the state of innocency . the doctrines which hence arise , i will but as it were point at and name unto you . first , wee here are taught , that gods bounty to man , in the creation was great and wonderfull , in that hee made him not onely a reasonable creature endowed with wisedome , knowledge , and ability , to choose out and make an habitation for himselfe above all other living creatures on earth : but also did provide and prepare for him before hand , and did plant for him a garden to his hand , a place of singular pleasure and delight , stored with all delicacy for his dwelling and habitation . wee count it a great bounty , that god gives us large places wherein to dwell , and gives us wisedome and art to build houses and cities ; and materialls necessary for building . and if god blesse us with sheepe , oxen , and other profitable cattell , wee rejoyce to build stals , and folds , and enclosures for them ; and houses and cities for our selves , and acknowledge our selves bound to bee thankfull . but god in the creation was so kind to man , that though hee left other living creatures to the wide world , yet hee provided a paradise of pleasure for man to dwell in , and to delight himselfe ; so that this point is manifest . whence wee may gather steadfast hope , and comfortable perswasion , that seeing god was of himselfe so kind to man , being then but a meere naturall creature , as to prepare for him so pleasant an habitation ; now when wee are made spirituall , and by one spirit united to him in christ , and made sons by regeneration and adoption , he will much more provide an excellent habitation for us , even an heavenly , which shal so farre exceed the earthly paradise , as the state of a son exceeds the state of a servant , and spirituall exceeds naturall . secondly , here wee see , how unnaturall and monstrous mans ingratitude was , and is declared to bee , in that hee would bee drawne by the subtility of the divell , perswading him by the woman , and the woman by the serpent , to yeeld upon any promise or hope of an higher estate , to transgresse any commandement of god , and disobey his word and revealed will , who had so highly magnified his kindnesse , and made his singular care and providence for him most cleare and manifest . but most of all may wee all bee ashamed and confounded for this , that our first parents , and wee in them , would beleeve satans lyes in the mouth of a serpent , and would give more credit to them , then to the word of the lord our creatour ; as if all his goodnesse and bounty were nothing in our eyes , which hee shewed in our creation , and in providing so pleasant and well furnished an habitation for us . secondly , gods putting of adam , into the garden that hee might dresse it and keep it , doth teach us , that man in the creation was made , and is by pure nature , most averse and abhorring from idlenesse ; and his true content and pleasure in this world is to bee in exercise of his wit , reason , and bodily activity . the earth before mans fall was all fruitfull , and brought forth for mans use all necessary and delightfull things without art , toile or labour ; so that man might have spent all his time in contemplating upon his creation , and all things created : but yet god would not , that man should live , neither did hee see or thinke fit for man to live idle , and therefore put him to dresse and keep the garden , in which hee had occasion to exercise his minde and body without toile or labour , onely for pleasure and contentment . and therefore this doctrine is naturally gathered from hence , and all those scriptures confirme it , which condemne sloth and idlenesse , and send the sluggard , as a creature degenerate from his kind , to learne of the ant and meanest creatures , as prov. . . and tell us , that idlenesse and slothfulnesse bring hunger , and want , and ruine , and decay to the houses of the idle and sluggish , prov. . . eccles. . . and aboundance of idlenesse was the roote of all the evils , which came upon sodom , ezech. . . but the diligent hand maketh rich , and brings plenty of all blessings , prov. . . and brings men to promotion , rule and honour , prov. . . and makes their substance precious , verse . and their soules fat , prov. . . and causeth even women to bee praised in the gates , prov. . and that man is by nature , active and cannot brooke idlenesse , it appeares plainely by the stirring nature of children , who are never quiet nor content , unlesse they bee busied one way or other ; and by the restlessenesse which is in wicked men , who devise mischiefe on their beds , and have working heads , and cannot cease from doing something , rather evill exercises then bee idle . now this being a manifest truth , may justly provoke and stirre us up to loath and abhorre idlenesse , sloth , and lazinesse , as speciall marks and igominious brands of naughty persons , miserably degenerated from humane nature , and from the frame and disposition , wherein they were at the first created by god. it was not good for adam in innocency to live idly , and without exercise , but hee must bee busied as in mind by contemplation on gods works ; so in body by ruling the creatures , dressing and keeping the garden , when aboundance of all things flowed to him without toile or labour ; much more will it be hurtfull dangerous and pernicious to us , who are a people corrupted , and in our whole frame out of order , perverse , and froward . if wee give way to sloth and idlenesse , for if wee labour not , wee cannot have what to eat : but poverty will come upon us , like an armed man ; if wee bee idle and negligent in honest and good labour , our perverse , rebellious and restlesse nature will lead us into evill exercises and wicked works . as standing lakes of water grow corrupt , stinking and unwholesome ; and ground not laboured , stirred up and tilled , will bring forth corrupt , stinking weeds , bryars , thornes , and thistles : so our corrupt , nature if it bee not exercised and busied about vertuous actions , and profitable labours , will grow more corrupt , noysome and filthy ; and will carry us away into frowardnesse , vanity and sinfull practises , which will make us loathsome to god and men , and will speedily plunge us into misery and eternall perdition . thirdly , wee here see and are plainely taught , that man in innocency had aboundance of all good things , needfull for profit , pleasure , and full contentment ; and wanted nothing which could bee required for earthly happinesse , to make him blessed in this world , and fully content with his estate and condition . first , his reason and understanding could not conceive , neither did hee know any good , which hee wanted and did not possesse , whereof hee was by nature capable : all wordly goods hee had at will ; and of heavenly and spirituall good which was supernaturall , hee had no knowledge nor understanding . secondly , hee had all provocations to move him to serve god , and all bonds to tye , and knit his heart in love to god , and to make him wholly obedient to god , and dutifull and serviceable to him in his whole heart and soule , body , mind , and strength . hee had food at will , most sweet , wholesome and delicate , in all variety and aboundance , without any care toile or labour ; the earth brought it forth of her owne accord ; the wholesome and pure aire did cherish it , and the sun and heavens by their warme influence did ripen , perfect , and prepare it to his hand . hee had a most pleasant dwelling , a garden beautified with all earthly ornaments , and a paradise of pleasure and delight . hee was high in honour , dignity and promotion above all living creatures both by sea and land , and had rule and dominion over them all . his exercise was without toile , labour or paine , sweet and pleasant . hee had for the exercise of his minde all gods works , the contemplation whereof might , fill his soule with delight and joy in god his creatour ; and for the exercise of his bodily strength and activity , hee had the dressing and keeping of the garden which was a worke of pleasure and delight , not of paines and labour , for it needed no digging , planting , culture or tillage : his businesse also was without care and feare ; for there were no theeves to annoy him , no evill beasts to hurt and spoile his garden , and to trouble & waste his habitation ; so that without further proofe , this doctrine is most cleare in , and from the text . the consideration whereof is of excellent use to confirme us in this assurance , perswasion and beliefe , that god in no respect any cause or author of mans sin and fall , neither did give him the least occasion of discontent with his present estate , that by seeking to soare up higher , hee should catch a fearefull downefall into sin , and bring himselfe in bondage to death , hell , and the divell . for wee see , god gave him all occasions and aboundance of blessings as strong provocations to provoke him to love his heavenly majesty , and as firme bands to bind , and tye him to obedience . it was the divell who first breathed pride into man , to aspire and soare above his estate , and suggested into his heart evill surmises and thoughts of god , that god did seeke to keepe him from a better estate by restraining him from the tree of knowledge , which by eating of the fruit thereof hee might obtaine , and become like to god. wherefore let no man charge god with giving the least occasion of discontent to man to provoke him to sin ; but let us bee humbled with the sight of our owne mutability , frailty and vanity , who in our first parents and best estate were so fragile and mutable , and much more now , being corrupted and made subject to vanity , and slaves of corruption . chap. xv. of the image of god on man in innocency . sundry opinions of it . what the word signifieth : zelem and demuth . image of god naturall , and supernaturall . differences betweene the image of the first and second adam . images essentiall , and accidentall . particulars of gods image on adam : in soule and body . vses of all . and god said , let us make man in our image after our likenesse . verse . so god created man in his owne image , in the image of god created hee him ; male and female created hee them . the generall doctrine of the creation of our first parents in the image of god , i have heretofore laid open out of these words . it now remaines , that i proceed to the doctrine and description of that image of god in the speciall and particular points , thereof ; which i reserved to the last place , because it is the maine thing which discovers to us the excellent state of man in innocency . as for the blessing of fruitefulnesse for the increase of mankind , and mans dominion over the creatures , plenty and variety of bodily food , and a pleasant habitation , the earthly paradise , they are but externabona , outward benefits : but the image of god containes in it internall blessings of the soule , & of the whole man , as well as externall & outward benefits ; & therefore i have first dispatched them , & now come to that image of god , in which did consist the highest pitch of mans naturall perfection & felicity . in the handling of this point , if i should rehearse the severall opinions of the ancients ; how they make a difference betweene the image & likenesse of god ; how some make the image of god to be onely in the soule ; some in the whole man ; some holdthe reasonable soule , as it is endowed with understanding , will and memory , to be the image , and holinesse and righteousnesse to be the likenesse of god ; others hold that gods image consists in mans dominion , & lordship over the creatures ; others , that gods image consists in mans immortality ; others in this , that man is a spirituall substance in respect of his soule , others that the image of god , after which god formed man , is god the son as hee is the image and character of the fathers person , and the similitude is the holy ghost ; others that the image of god is the humane nature , which the son was ordained to assume , and did in fulnesse of time take upon him : if i should rehearse all these , and lay them open , and confute so much in them as in unsound , i should spend time and weary my selfe to small purpose . likewise , it would take up exercises of many houres , if i should rehearse the divers opinions , questions , and disputations of the schoolemen ; all which would trouble mens braines , and leave them in a maze or labyrinth , uncertaine what to hold or beleeve ; as also the many disputations , absurdities , and contradictions of the iesuits , by which they contradict one another ; and some of them themselves , in many things which they teach and affirme concerning the image of god. as for the grosse opinions of old hereticks , as of the manichaans , who utterly denyed the image of god in man ; and of the audians and anthropomorphites , who held that the outward forme and shape of mans body was gods imagc ; and of the pelagians , who held that the image of god , in which man was created , was no other but that in which every man is now borne ; they are not worthy to bee named , it were losse of time to confute them , and to discover the absurdities of them . the maine ground which i will wholly build upon , shall bee the word of god , written in the sacred scriptures ; and what i find in the fathers and best moderne writers agreeable to the scriptures , that i will commend unto you ; and where i find them differing from gods word , i will be bold to professe open dissert , and shew my dislike ; that none may bee mislead by them , or by any who build upon humane authority . but , that wee may understand this point plainely and fully , i will first of all sift the words of the text , and shew what is the image and likenesse of god , and how we are to understand the phrase of making man in his owne image , and after his likenesse . and secondly , i will shew the particulars wherein man was made like unto god , and what is that image in which hee was made . first , the image of a person or thing is that , which though it differs in nature and substance , yet is formed by that person and according to that thing , and in all things made like unto that whereof it is the image ; in so much that hee who knoweth the person or thing it selfe , when hee seeth the image , can discerne that it is the image of such a thing or person , and that it is very like him ; and by seeing the true image hee knowes and discernes what a one the person or thing is , whereofit is the image : this is the first & the most proper sense of the word image , and thus it is used where statues of gold , silver , wood , stone , or other metall , made in the shape of a man to represent him , or in some other shape to represent a feined god , are called images , as num. . . where god commands the israelites to destroy the idols of the canaanites , and cals them molten images ; and a king. . . the idols or statues made to represent baal the god of the zidonians , are called the images of baal . and man being made a fit creature to represent god , and to shew his glory , is in this sense called the image and glory of god , cor. . . secondly , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , zelem , image , is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , abusively , to signifie a vaine shadow or bare forme and shape of a thing without a substance ; such as is the shadow of a man or other creature ; or a shape formed in the fansie , having no being but in mans imagination , as psalme . . where every man is said , to walke in a vaine shadow , the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , zelem , image , and psalme . . the vaine fansie and dreame of the wicked , that is , the vaine felicity , which they frame to themselves , is called by the same name zelem , image . here in this text the word is used in the first sense , for such a thing , or such a creature as differing in nature and substance from god , yet in that nature and substance is so like unto god , and doth shew forth the glory , wisedome , power and other attributes of god ; that they may bee seene and represented in some good measure in the things , and by the things which are proper to that creature . and an image according to this sense hath in it two things to bee considered , to wit the matter and the forme . the matter is the nature and substance of the creature , differing from the substance of the thing , whereof that creature is the image , and yet a very fit subject to receive such a forme , and such qualities as may make it very like the thing whereof it is the image ; as for example gold , silver , wood , and stone , differ in nature and substance from man ; and yet they are fit to receive the whole outward shape of a mans body , and to bee like unto it in all parts . if things bee both of one kind and nature , though the similitude bee never so great , yet the one is not called the image of the other , except it bee made by , and according to it : as for example , one egge is not the image of another , nor one apple , nut , or figge anothers image ; nor water , nor wine of the same kind in severall cups , though they bee very like , because they are both of one nature and of the same kinde , and one is not made and formed by another . secondly , the forme of the image is the likenesse and similitude , which is in all the parts & properties of a thing , by meanes whereof it resembles that whereof it is the image , & is like unto it , & so becomes the image of it ; as for example , the forme , & shape , & resemblance , which is in the image of gold , silver , or stone , by which it resembleth and expresseth all parts of a mans body , and the colour of it , by which it resembles a mans haire , face , hands , and cloathes , that is the likenesse by which it becomes the image of a man , even of this or that particular man , and is knowne and discerned to bee his image , and in it his shape is plainely seene . both these are here to bee understood in this word image , and gods image containes in it both the similitude or resemblance , by which man is said to bee like unto god in all his naturall properties , gifts , and endowments ; and also his nature , and substance , which though it differs from gods nature and substance : yet is a fit subject of such properties , gifts , and endowments , which resemble gods attributes and properties . secondly , the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demuth , which is here translated likenesse , is used in a twofold sense : first , it signifies the similitude and likenesse , by which one thing resembles another in all the speciall properties of it ; thus it is used psalme . . where the poison , rancour , and malice of the wicked is said to have the likenesse of the poison of aspes ; and ezech. . . the likenesse of the faces of the foure living creatures , in ezechiels vision is said to bee like the face of a man , and of a lyon , and of an oxe , and of an eagle ; and dan. . . one is said to touch daniel , who had the likenesse of the sons of men . secondly , it signifieth the same that the word image doth , that is a thing which is made like to another , and is the very patterne which resembleth it in all parts , and properties , as king. . . where the patterne of the altar of damascus which ahaz sent to vriah the priest , is called the image of it . and chron. . . the images of oxen which solomon made under the brasen sea , are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demuth , the likenesse of oxen , and isa. . . an image made to represent god , according to that conceipt of him , which men frame in their mindes , is thus called . here in this text the word is used in the latter sense , and signifies the same , that the word image doth in effect , but in a diver and manner . for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 image , signifies first a creature , and then the likenesse by which that creature so resembles god the creatour , in all the speciall properties of it , that it becomes his image . and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , likenesse , signifies first the similitude , and then the creature ; that is , such a similitude and resemblance of god stamped upon the nature and being of a creature , as makes it the very image of god , and so these two words , zelem , image , and demuth , likenesse , are ( as the best learned and most judicious expositors of this text doe affirme ) the one the exposition of the other ; the word image sheweth , that the creature barely considered is not gods image ; but by the naturall properties , and gifts by which it resembles god. and the word likenesse sheweth , that the similitude alone is not the image , but as it subsists in a fit subject , and flowes from the nature and properties , which god gave it in the creation . vpon these grounds wee may easily understand , that the phrase of creating man in gods owne image and likenesse , signifies gods creating man of such a nature , and endowed with such naturall properties , gifts , and endowments ; that hee doth in them all resemble himselfe , and is his lively image very like to him ; shewing forth his divine properties and attributes of goodnesse , wisedome , power , knowledge , and in all things conformable to his just will. thus much for the opening of the words . the next thing to bee considered , is the image it selfe , and the speciall things wherein it doth consist . and here i hold it necessary , first to distinguish the image of god , and his likenesse into two kinds . the first is naturall , formed in the creation . the second is supernaturall and spirituall , formed in man by the holy ghost dwelling in him . this distinction , though divers people ( lead by custome and humane authority more then the word of god ) doe reject as a meere device of mine owne : yet i finde it plainely laid downe in the word of god. for the holy apostle saint paul , cor. . . doth in expresse words affirme , that as there is both a first adam made of the earth , earthy , who by gods breathing into him the breath of life became a living soule in the first creation ; and also a second adam made a quickening spirit , even the lord christ from heaven heavenly . so there is a twofold image of god in man ; the first : the image of the earthy adam , in which hee was created ; which though hee forfeited , and lost by the law of justice : yet by gods common and generall indulgence in christ , hee did so farre retaine and communicate it though , grievously mangled & defaced , that we are said to have borne it , who are adams naturall progenie , and were created upright in his loynes . the other is the image of the heavenly adam , the lord christ , who being in the forme of god , equall with god , did humble himselfe to descend from heaven by taking our nature upon him , and framing to himselfe out of the seed of the woman by the operation of the holy ghost a most pure and holy manhood , which did beare ( over and above the image of the first adam deformed with many frailties and all our infirmities , sin onely excepted , rom. . . philip. . . ) an holy and heavenly image created and framed in his humane nature by the working of the holy ghost , which is given to him not by measure , ioh. . . even from his first conception , luk. . . and this image as the elect , regenerate and faithfull doe beare in part , in the state of grace , while they are by the inward worke of the spirit conformed to the image of christ , rom. . . and christ is formed in them , gal. . . so they shall fully and perfectly beare it in heaven after the last resurrection , cor. . . and as the holy apostle doth distinguish these two images , and doth oppose the one to the other , making the one the image of the first adam , who was of the earth earthy ; the other proper to christ the second adam , who is the lord from heaven heavenly ; so hee doth shew divers differences betweene them in his divine epistles , which are confirmed also by other scriptures . first , the image of god in the first adam was naturall , it was that which was given him in the creation ; so my text here saith , god created man in his owne image : but the image of god in the second adam was supernaturall and spirituall ; for hee was conceived , and formed in the wombe by the holy ghost , luk. . . and his image is communicated to men , and they are changed into it by the spirit of god , cor. . . secondly , the image of god in the first adam was mutable , and adam did forfeit it , together with his life and naturall being , by his sin and disobedience : and although god , out of his common favour and indulgence in christ , doth still continue it in some degree to adams posterity ; yet it is much defaced and deformed in all parts , and in some parts quite abolished , and is now stiled the likenesse of corruptible man , rom. . . and the likenesse of sinfull flesh , rom . . and the forme of a servant , and likenesse of fraile men even as it was in christ , phil. . . but the image of god in christ is immutable ; neither our sins which hee bare , nor all our infirmities , nor the divell , nor the world , nor all the powers of darknesse , nor the curse of the law , which hee was made in his death , nor the wrath of god and the agonies with which hee wrastled in his agony , both in the time of his bloody sweat , and on the crosse when hee cryed out , my god why hast thou forsaken me ? could deface or impaire that spirituall and supernaturall image of true righteousnesse and holinesse , which was stamped on his humanity , and in which it was framed by the holy ghost ; but over all those enemies and powers hee triumphed , even upon the crosse , colos. . . and in his cursed death hee offered up himselfe a sacrifice most pure , holy and without spot , heb. . . so that his holinesse was no whit stained , nor gods spirituall image in him defaced , or diminished . and as this spirituall image could not bee diminished in christ the second adam , our head : so it is indeleble and cannot bee defaced in any of his members truely regenerate and united to him by the same spirit ; but it dayly increaseth in them , and they are transformed into it , from glory to glory , by his spirit in them , which is stronger and greater then the divell , the spirit of malice which is in the world , and rules in the children of disobedience ; for the spirit seales them up , unto the day of redemption , ephes. . . and they cannot sin by apo●acy , and fall into infidelity and impenitency , ioh. . . because the seed of god abideth in them . thirdly , the image of god in the first adam was most perfect at the first , for hee was created perfect with naturall perfection ; and the naturall image of god was never so perfect in any of his naturall sons , as it was in him at the first . and as it decayed and was defaced in him by his fall : so in all of his posterity who are gods elect , it gives place to the better image of christ ; and in his sons who are reprobates , it shall bee utterly abolished at last , and changed into the image of the divell , when they shall bee punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of god , and from the glory of his power , thess. . . but the image of god in the second adam , is at the first in the least measure like a graine of mustard seed , and still it increaseth , till at last it commeth to fulnesse and perfection in glory . in christ our head it was not so cleare , nor so full at the first , being ecclipsed with our infirmities ; but that hee , did grow up in wisedome , and stature , and favour with god and men , luk . . and so this image increased in him , and hee was more and more full of the holy ghost , till at length hee was perfected with glory . and so likewise in the state of grace , it daily increaseth in all the true members of christ , till they come to glory , and beare the heavenly image of christ , and attaine to the fulnesse of him , as appeares rom. . . cor. . . and . , ephes. . , . coloss. . . pet. . . 〈◊〉 fourthly , the image of god in adam consisted onely in such gifts and endowments as made him a perfect naturall man , capable of an earthly felicity : it did not enable him to search into the heavenly things of god , nor make him partaker of heavenly glory : but the image of god in christ consists of spirituall gifts and supernaturall graces , which doe enable a man to search into the deepe things of god , which never entered into the heart of adam in innocency , cor. . , . or of any meere naturall man ; and which doe make him fit to see god and to inherite the kingdome of heaven , cor. . . and hebr. . . the image of god in which adam was created , did consist chiefely of originall righteousnesse , which was but a perfect naturall uprightnesse , and conformity of his reason , understanding , will and affections to the will and law of god , made knowne to him in the creation , and also in the perfect frame and disposition of his body , and of all parts thereof , by which they were most apt and ready to follow his upright reason , will and affections in all things , and to move and worke accordingly ; and the scriptures attribute no more to man , while hee bare that image in the creation , but onely that god made man upright , eccles. . verse last , this was the height and perfection of that image . but the image of god in christ , the second adam containes in it the righteousnesse and holinesse of truth , ephes. . . that is , a righteousnesse wrought in us , by the holy ghost , and a true holinesse and holy conformity to god , which cannot faile and deceive , and which doth elevate and lift us up to heavenly felicity , and the eternall fruition of god. the image of god in which adam was made , was but the uprightnesse of servants , and conformity to the will of god ; commanding as lord and creatour under paine of death , gen. . . but the image of god in christ is the image of sons and children , not onely adopted to god in christ ; but also begotten and borne of gods immortall seed , even his spirit , and made partakers of the divine nature , ioh. . . gal. . . pet. . . and pet. . . ioh. . . lastly , the image of god in which adam was made , did not in the greatest perfection of it give that fulnesse and sufficiency of contentment , which might settle his resolution never to desire more ; for hee , out of a desire to know more , and to bee like god in knowing good and evill , was easily tempted and drawne by the serpent to eat of the forbidden fruite : but the image of god in christ , the second adam gives such solid content to gods people , even here in this fraile life in the state of grace , where they have it but in part , that neither life , nor death , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor anguish , persecution , perill or sword , can make them willing to forgoe it for any other hope : and in the full perfection of it after the last resurrection , it brings fulnesse of joy , contentment and satisfaction , and fils men up with the fulnesse of god , psalme . . and . . rom . . ephes. . . now these things which i have here laid downe by way of plaine doctrine , concerning the true meaning of the words image and likenesse , and the difference betweene the image of god , in which the first adam was created , and the image of god in the second adam christ , in which hee was formed by the holy ghost , and into which all the elect are changed and renued , when they are regenerate and made new creatures in him may serve for excellent use : as i shall shew , when i have described the image of god , wherein our first parents were created , and have laid downe , by way of doctrine , the particulars wherein it doth consist . but before i can distinctly describe the image of which my text here speakes , i must yet a little more distinctly shew the severall sorts of images which , are images of god , and of other things . there are images which are essentiall and perfect , to wit , every person begotten by another of his owne nature ; and images which are accidentall and imperfect . an essentiall image , is either absolute and most perfect ; or lesse perfect . the essentiall image which is most perfect and absolute , is one person begotten by another of the same undivided substance and being , in all essentiall properties equall and alike , distinct onely by personall properties and subsistence . thus the eternall son of god is the image of the father of whom he is begotten from all eternity , of the same nature and individuall substance . for the second person the son , considered according to his divinity simply as god , before his assuming of our fraile nature ; is said to bee in the forme of god , that is , his person is of the same essence , glory , and majesty with the father , and hee thought it no robbery to bee equall with god , that is to have all essentiall properties of god equall which the father , as the apostle testifieth , philip. . . and in this respect , hee is called the image of the invisible god , coloss. . . and the brightnesse of his glory , and the expresse image of his person , hebr. . . which words though they have respect to christ , as hee is the word made flesh , and god incarnate , revealing god in his goodnesse , wisedome , justice , mercy , power , and the like : yet they must not bee limited to his incarnation ; but are extended to his deity as hee is the eternall word the son the second person , by whom the father created all things , and who with the father doth uphold and sustaine all things as the words immediatly following doe shew . for indeed the eternall word the son , is in the forme of god , one and the same god , of the same substance , glory , and majesty with the father , and onely distinguished in personall properties , relatiom , and subsistence : and therefore hee alone can truely bee called the image of god in this sense , which is most perfect and absolute . the essentiall or substantiall image which is lesse perfect then the other , is either naturall or supernaturall . a naturall essentiall image is one person begotten by another of the same nature and kind of substance , and equall and alike in the same kind of naturall properties , but not of the same singular substance and individuall properties ; thus every son of man is the image of the father which begets him ; for though hee hath a severall soule and body , and severall properties which are of the same kind , but not the same singular with those of his father : yet because his body and soule , and all the faculties of it , are of the same kind , and in the outward forme resembles his father , and his father may bee seene as it were in him , therefore hee is his fathers image and made in his likenesse . a supernaturall essentiall image is a nature or person , who is so begotten of god by the holy ghost , given to bee and abide in him , as the immortall seed of god , that hee is made partaker of the divine nature ; that is , hath not onely supernaturall , and spirituall gifts wrought in him , by which hee is made fit to see and enjoy god : but also is united to god , and god becomes his portion for ever . this image is either primary or secondary . the primary image of this kind is onely christ as hee is man , or the humane nature of christ , which god formed and made in the womb of the virgin so pure and holy by the holy ghost from the first conception , in which the holy ghost came upon her , and the power of the almighty over-shadowed her , luk. . that it was not onely most pure and holy , and full of the holy ghost from the first being of it ; but also was personally assumed and united to the eternall son of god , the second person in the blessed trinity , and so became the first borne of every creature , coloss. . . and the first fruits which doe sanctifie the whole masse of the elect , cor. . . and hee head from whom the spirit is derived unto all the elect , ephes. . , so that they become a kind of first fruits of gods creatures , iam. . . the secondary supernaturall image is every elect , regenerate child of god , begotten and borne of his spirit , shed on them through christ , tit. . . and so created a new man after god , in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth , and made partakers of the divine nature , one with god in christ and by christ , ioh. . . i call this a secondary image , because the elect become this image not immediatly , but after a secondary manner , by deriving the spirit from christ , and by union with god in him . i call it a supernaturall image , because it is above mans nature , and belongs not to him in the creation , nor consists in any naturall properties or resemblance . and i call it an essentiall image , because every regenerate man , hath in him the holy ghost dwelling as the soule of his soule , quickning the whole man ; which spirit is of the same essence with the father and the son. and in respect of this spirit , and his gifts dwelling in his tabernacles their bodies , and furnishing them throughout ; they are truely called , and are indeed , a new image of god , and new creatures . all these sorts of images are to bee excluded out of this text , for our first parents are not here said to bee created after god essentially or supernaturally , but onely in the accidentall and naturall image of god ; as i have in part shewed before , and shall also hereafter more fully shew in all the particulars . the accidentall or imperfect image of a thing or of a person , is a thing or person so framed and made by another , as by a paterne , and after the likenesse of that paterne , that it doth very much resemble it in likenesse and similitude , but yet is not every way equall , nor in all things fully alike , nor of the same nature and substance with it . in an image of this kind , there are required two things necessarily : first , that the thing which is the image bee very like , that whereof it is the image ; yea so like , that it must resemble and represent either the nature and essentiall forme of it , or the outward forme and figure , or some speciall properties and proper qualities of it ; or all these together , and yet in a different substance . secondly , that it bee formed and made by that whereof it is the image , and according to the paterne of it : where any of these two is wanting , there can bee no image at all ; as for example , one egge is like another in nature , substance , and all naturall properties ; yet that egge is not the image of the other , because the one is not made by the other , as the paterne of it : so wee may say of an apple , or a figge , and of many other things ; but the forme of an egge or apple made in chalke , or paste , or wax , is the image of an egge or apple , though not so like it as another egge or apple , and farre different in nature and substance , because it is formed by it as by a paterne . and againe , though an egge bee formed in the body , and of the naturall substance of a bird , and sometimes wormes are bred in the bodies of men and beasts ; and the egge resembles the bird in whitenesse or in variety of other colours , and the wormes seeme like mans flesh , in whom they are bred , both in colour and substance , and in life , sense , and motion : yet they cannot bee called images , because they are not like in shape nor outward forme , nor in any property , but onely in some qualities , and small resemblance . but the picture or statue , made after a man , and in many things like him , though more like another man then him , yet it is his image , and not the image and picture of another : so the figure of a man appearing in a glasse when hee stands before it ; though it differs in nature and substance , and is but a vanishing shadow : yet because in outward shape , forme and colour it is very like , and is expressed in the glasse by him looking in it , therefore is his image . and the impression of a stamp or seale made in wax or well tempered clay is the image of that stampe or seale , though it bee not perfectly like , by reason of some small defects in the wax , clay or stamping ; and the impression of another seale engraven with the same figure or letters may bee in all points more like , and yet not the image of it , because it was not made after it , but by another seale engraven with the same figure . now then , that wee may plainely see that man was created , and how hee was created in the image of god , and made after his likenesse , and that hee is a true accidentall image of god his creatour , wee are to observe and take notice of these two things : first , that god did frame mans nature , even his whole soule and body after himselfe , with intent that both his substance , and naturall properties and endowments might take their patterne from him his creatour ; that is , in a word , god himselfe was the originall and chiefe patterne by which alone man was made and formed . secondly , that though divers other creatures had in divers things more resemblance of god , then man had ; as the heavens in large comprehension of the visible world ; the sun in glorious brightnesse , beauty and majesty ; the highest heaven in glory and immutability ; and all creatures , as they have essence and being , and were made good and perfect in their kind , have , some more , some fewer impressions and resemblance of god in his essence and attributes : yet none can bee called the image of god among all visible creatures but onely man ; because , though god formed all things after his owne will , wisedome , and goodnesse ; yet hee made no visible creature living or without life , so farre resembling himselfe in his nature and essentiall properties , that it might justly or with good reason bee called his image , but onely man. as man alone of all creatures under heaven was made in the image of god ; so man alone doth so plainely resemble god , is so stamped with the impression of gods properties , and in his whole nature and frame is made so fit a subject for god to dwell in , and to bee conformed to god ; and wherein god may shew his wisedome , power , goodnesse , liberty of will , justice , mercy and other attributes , that hee onely of all visible creatures can truely bee called the image of god. let us now therefore , in the next place , come to the things wherein this image of god did consist , and in respect of which things man is said to bee created in the image of god , and to bee the image of god his creatour . first , it is a most certaine truth that the image of god , in which man was created , is nothing else but the conformity of man unto god ; and man is truly called the image of god in respect of all those things wherein hee doth , more then any other visible creatures , resemble god in his divine essence and properties . now this conformity of man unto god is twofold , primary , or secondary . primarie conformity , is seated in the soule of man , or in man according to his soule the chiefe part of his substance . secondary conformitie is that which is in man according to his bodie , and consists in the body and in things which belong to his body . conformitie of man to god in his soule , is either in the nature of substance of his soule , or in the naturall faculties , properties , and endowments of it . first , conformity to god in the substance of his soule , is the similitude which mans soule hath unto the nature and substance of god , in that mans soule is not a corporeall substance , as all visible creatures are , nor a materiall body created of any former matter , but it is a pure spirit , even a spirituall , incorporeall , invisible and living substance , and so it is called . cor. , . & heb. . . and both here in my text ; and cor . . a living soule which lives and gives life to the body ; and in these things it is like unto god who in his nature and being is a spirit , or a spirituall substance , as our saviour affirmes , joh. . . & is called the invisible god coloss. . . & tim. . . and the living god psal. . . & ier. . . & ioh. . . and his eternall power and godhead are called invisible things , rom . . yea as god saith of himselfe , isa . . so wee may truely say of mans soule , that it cannot truely be likened to any visible thing , neither can any bodily substance resemble it . conformity to god in the naturall faculties , properties and indowments of his soule is the likenesse , and similitude which man in respect of his reason , understanding , liberty of will desires and affections , all upright and perfect , had unto gods wisedome , knowledge , goodnesse , libertie , justice , mercy , and the like . first , man in his perfect understanding , naturall light , wisedome and knowledge , did resemble gods wisedome , and knowledge of all things . for man in his creation , and naturall integritie did rightly know god and himselfe , and did perfectly understand all the workes , and the nature of all the creatures of god , and what was good both for himself and them , so far as was needfull in his kind , and in that naturall estate , and what was just for him to do : and how to beare himself uprightly towards god and all his creatures . that he had the knowledge and understanding of all these things sufficiently to make him perfect and happie in that estate ; and that there was no errour or ignorance in him of any thing which was meet for him to know , appears most plainely by divers things . first , by gods giving to man dominion and rule over all living creatures , and puting him in the garden to dresse it , and puting all the earth in subjection to him ; which god would never have done , being infinitly wise and just , except he had knowne man to be one who understood and knew the nature of the earth , and all herbes , plants , and trees in it ; and by his reason , wisdome and knowledge was able to rule all creatures with discretion , and to order them according to their severall natures , and to dresse the garden , and subdue the earth . secondly , by adams naming of all the creatures , every one by such a name as did shew the nature of it ; so that god did approve and confirme the names , gen. . and every creature did in all likelyhood come to adam being called by that name . thirdly , by the understanding which he had of the nature of the woman ( when god shewed her to be formed of his rib ) and presently giving her the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , woman , or shee man , gen. . . fourthly , by adams free conversing with god , and hearing of his voice without fear or dread ; which was a strong evidence of an upright heart and pure conscience , and that he knew god , and his goodnesse ; and that though god was greater then he could comprehend , yet god would not hurt him , but uphold him so long as he did obey gods will revealed to him . secondly , man did resemble god in the perfect liberty and freedome of his will , and in the perfect conformity of it to the revealed and knowne will of god , and in the readinesse and naturall forwardnesse of it to will whatsoever good was within his power , and of himself to will nothing which was unjust and evill : by these things he resembled the free will and liberty of god , and his justice and equitie in all his doings . that mans will was most free to good , and that he had power of will to obey god appeares , first by this , that the law of god was written in his heart as the rule of his life and actions ; and that so deeply , that it remaines in the heart of his corrupt seed in some measure , & cannot be quite blotted out . as he knew by his understanding and in his minde , so he was willing in his heart , to will and to do all accordingly ; & of himself would never have fallen , if the devill , that spirituall wickednesse , had not by the serpent seduced and deceived him . secondly , by the power and dominion which god gave to him over all creatures visible ; which he would not have done , if man had not been as ready in will , as perfect in knowledge to rule them aright . it is not knowledge alone , but uprightnesse of heart , and will , and power , and freedome to will just things justly , which god requires to make an able and sufficient ruler , as david testifieth in his last words . thirdly , it is manifest by the commaundement which god gave to man to be obeyed under paine of death , which he being a good god would never have imposed on man , if mans will had not been free and upright ; for then he had laid a snare which man could not have avoided ; and had required more of man , then man by his naturall power was able to performe . thirdly , man was also conformable to god , and to his just will , goodnesse , purity and happinesse , in all the desires and affections of his heart and soule . he of himself desired no more but that which god gave him and allowed him ; hee loved god as his creatour , and the author of all his good ; he did rejoice in gods favour , love , and bountie ; he delighted himself in all the naturall gifts which god had given him , and in the good creatures of god ; there was perfect harmonie and sweet consent between his reason , understanding , will , and his desires and affections : whatsoever he knew to be good and just , that he freely willed , desired and affected : there was no disorder , discord or repugnancy and dissention in any power or faculty of soule , or body ; no least cause of griefe , but all joy and content . and of himself he never would have desired more then god had given , nor coveted an higher estate , if satan had not suggested such desire , and seduced him . this , and indeed all the whole perfect uprightnesse of man in all the powers and faculties of his soule , in his understanding , will , desires and affections is most clearly confirmed by plaine testimonies of holy scripture . first , by the last verse of this chapter , where it is said that when god had created man male and female , and finished the creation , he saw every thing which he had made , and behold it was very good . if man was very good ; then was he upright in all the faculties of the soule , in his understanding , will , desires and affections , and there could be no discord among them ; for that is evill and miserable . secondly , we have the testimony of the wise preacher eccles. . . that god made man upright , that is , in originall righteousnesse , conformable in his upright reason , understanding , will and affections to the just revealed will of god. thirdly , experience teacheth that the things which make man ashamed , are ignorance and errour in mind and understanding , perversnesse of will , disorderly lusts and affections , and deformity and distemper either in soule or body . now man and woman had no cause of shame in them , neither were they ashamed when they were naked and went uncovered in all parts , as wee reade chap. . . and therefore in the state of innocencie all these causes of shame were far from him , and he most free from them . the secondary conformity of man to god , which is in man according to his body , consists in things which belong to the body and to the outward visible man. first , wee must not conceive , that god is any kind of body or bodily substance ( as blasphemous vorstius and other arminians have written ) neither that god hath a forme and shape like a mans body , as the anthromorphites of old dreamed : for it is manifest , that in him , who is infinit , and so present in all places , that he is in his whole essence in every place ; should have any difference , or limitation or dimension , or measure of severall parts , which is necessarily required in the forme , shape and substance of mans body and every bodily thing . but yet , because in the most wise , and artificiall frame , and naturall temper of mans body ; and the most fit disposition , and order of all parts , by which it is a fit subiect for a reasonable soule , and the principall parts of it fit instruments for the severall faculties of the soule , whereby to performe their many and severall workes and operations the wisedome , power , and goodnesse of god did shine forth of mans body , more then in all visible creatures ; and the image of god appeared in it . mans eyes , sight , and all outward senses did represent gods omniscience and knowledge of all things ; his hands did shew and represent gods power to do and worke whatsoever he will ; his armes did represent gods strength and power to save his people , and to destroy his enemies ; the beauty , comelinesse , & naturall majesty which appeared in mans body & upright stature , by which he did overlooke all creatures , as one most fit to rule them , did shew forth and represent the glory and majestie of god and his lordship , dominion , providence and power , by which he governs all things . in a word , though mans body was mutable in the creation and state of innocency , and might fall from that state : yet so long as man did continue in that state , and did not sin , he had that lively vigour , & perfect temper of body , which did free him from death , and all evills which tend to hurt and destruction ; which also was able to uphold him in life and strength for ever , if sin had not entred , and so in some sort he was immortall and impassible , not subject to death or any passion and suffering of hurt and evill in his body , and so there was in his body some likenesse of gods immortalitie . for proofe of this wee have good arguments in scripture : first , god himself sheweth that murther , and shedding of mans bloud is a defacing of his image in which he created man ; and for that cause he threatens revenge of murther , and of violence offered to mans bloud , gen. . , . now murther and shedding of mans bloud ●s a defacing of mans body ; therefore the body also is a secondarie image of god. secondly , the scriptures which set forth gods attributes and workings by severall parts of mans body ; as his omniscience and providence by eyes , psal. . . . cron. . . his activity and working by hands , as exod. . . psal. . . isa. . . his love , and mercy by bowells , as isa. . . jer. . . his punishing and revenging iustice by breath of mouth and nostrills psal. . . and isa. . . his secret thoughts , counsells and purposes by heart , psal. . . his utterance of his mind and will by mouth , jer. . . these metaphors do shew that the body of man and chiefe parts of it have some similitude of gods attributes and workes , and so mans body is secondarily the image and likenesse of god. thirdly , the scriptures shew that death is the wages of sin , and all mortality and subjection to evills and passions , which tend to hurt and corruption came in by mans disobedience and fall , as appears , rom. . . and . . and by gods , commination , gen. . . but in the creation and state of innocencie man had in him no sin , nor any inclination of himself to any evill or sin ; therefore he was after a sort ●mmortall and incorruptible in his body , and had even in it a similitude of gods immortality . fourthly , the body was in all things conformable to the soule , fit and ready in all things to follow the motions of the soule , to be directed and moved by the upright reason will and affections , and to doe all workes unto which they move it ; and therefore as the soule was made in the primary image and likenesse ; so the body in the secondary image and likenesse of god. lastly , to conclude this doctrine of gods image in which man was created , wee may not unfitly affirme , and with good reason hold ; that though man in the state of innocency , before the promise of christ , had no supernaturall gifts , nor any part of the spirituall image of the second adam ; but was onely a perfect naturall man , and not immediatly , & proximâ potentiâ capable of supernaturall grace , nor of the divine nature : yet because his nature and whole frame was such as had a possibility , or remote power , to be made partaker of the holy ghost ; united to god in christ , and made pattaker of the divine nature , and a new creature , or new man framed after god ; therefore he in this respect may be said to be created in the image of god ; that is in such a forme , and of such a nature , as had a possibility to become like unto christ , and a new creature made in the spirituall image of god. now this doctrine of gods image briefly and compendiously proved in all parts , is of excellent use . first this discovers the infinite riches of the bounty of god passing all bounds ; and declares his goodnesse to be like a great deep which can never be sounded , in that he hath overcome all our evill and malice towards him with his great goodnesse to us , and and when wee had forfeited our being , and his image in which he created us good and perfect with all naturall perfections , and did justly deserve to degenerate and be turned into the image of the divell , and to become in the likenesse of his malice , and and misery ; he out of his owne meere mercy and free grace and bounty , did give his sonne , and the sonne did freely undertake to humble himself , to become a second adam , made in a better image , even an heavenly and spirituall , that he might not onely suspend the execution of gods just sentence upon mankind , and procure to the first adam and all his posterity the continuance of their naturall being for a time , and of some reliques of the image which they had wholly forfeited : but also might renue a great number chosen out of mankind , and restore them to a better , even an heavenly image ; by transforming and changing them into his spirituall and supernaturall image , and making them conformable to it , and partakers of the divine nature , by the mysticail dwelling and powerfull operation of his spirit in them . here is that which may dazle the eyes of men , and the sight of angells , when they looke into it ; and which may astonish all hearts of men , and confound all humane reason , when they thinke of it , and heare it preached ; that god infinitely just and holy , to hate and punish sin , should , by our evill , and sin committed against him and his just will and law , take occasion to be more good , and to shew greater goodnesse to us ; and when wee deserved , to have no being but in hell and eternall misery ; hath raised us up to the spirituall state of grace , from which we cannot be hurled and cast downe by all the powers of darkenesse , and by which wee shall ascend to the blessed state of heavenly and eternall glory . here is love surpassing all knowledge , the depth whereof wee may admire , and adore in silence ; but neither can our hearts conceive , nor our tongues expresse the fulnesse thereof . secondly , this former discourse shewes , what a vaine and foolish thing it is for christian people , to be so wedded to the opinions of godly learned men in all points , which have beene formerly received and commonly beleeved ; or to be so strongly conceipted and perswaded of their full understanding and perfect knowledge of all the scriptures , and of all truth taught in the written word of god ; that whatsoever they have taught , and commonly held , they will cleave too till death ; and they will receive and embrace no truth , nor any exposition of any scripture , which hath not beene before observed , taught and published in the sermons and writings of the godly learned ancient fathers , and the soundest orthodox moderne divines . i confesse the scriptures alone , dayly read and heard by men of ordinary capacity and learning , are able to make them wise to salvation ; for the way to life may easily be discerned by their guidance , and direction . but there are degrees of knowledge , and divers measures of gifts ; and when a man knoweth enough to bring him on in an ordinarie way to life , yet there is still more knowledge to be learned , and a greater depth of knowledge to be found in the scriptures which are doubtfull , obscure , and more hard to be understood ; and many new expositions of divers places , which more plainly and fully confirme solid truthes formerly beleeved ; which he that searcheth out and discovereth , doth thereby get more strength in faith , and growth in grace , and more spirituall joy and comfort , and runs on faster and more speedily and steadfastly in the way to salvation . wee see here for example , the common opinion of ancient and moderne writers to goe currant ; that there is but one kind of image of god in man ; and that the image unto which christ restores us , is the very same in which adam was created ; that adam had power by that image to obtaine heavenly glory , and to grow up to that estate , which the elect saints come to in christ ; that christ restores no more but that which adam lost , and unto which he should have attained after some time of continuance in innocency ; that he was created in holinesse as well as christ , and true christians are , and so partaker of the holy ghost . and when any thing is taught out of the scriptures to the contrary , many mouthes , even of more learned men , are opened to gainsay and oppose : and yet you see the scriptures more narrowly sifted do teach most plainely to the contrary , and have not any plaine speech tending to prove these common opinions : yea the scriptures which are alledged for them , & are so applied & expounded , do prove the contrary , if they be well weighed and considered with a cleare judgement , not forestalled with prejudice and partialitie : wherefore let us wholly depend on gods word , and not on mens reason or jugdement to subject either the scriptures or the sense of them thereunto ; and let us still more and more thirst after increase of knowledge and understanding of divine truths hid in the harder places of gods written word , knowing that these are the last times wherein knowledge shall be increased , as wee read , dan. . . let us not consider the person which preacheth and teacheth , but what is by him taught . if new expositions and doctrines , not formerly taught , yea crossing the common opinions , be proved by better grounds and clearer evidence of scripture , and tend more to advance other saving truthes , to beate downe errours , and to increase piety , and godly affection in men ; let men take heed , and beware of rash opposition and gainesaying , lest they be found to fight against god , while they stand too much for the authority of men , though such as have beene holy and godly servants of christ , and famous in their generations . thirdly , this doctrine of gods image in adam doth both discover and also minister strong arguments whereby to confute divers erroneous opinions much dissenting , and dissonant from the solid truth and word of god , to wit , not onely those mentioned before , but others also ; as , that gods image was onely originall righteousnesse or justice , and that the naturall faculties of soule and body did not concurre to it ; that the whole image of god in adam was utterly lost by his fall , and is quite abolished till it be repaired and restored by christ , with divers others of the same stampe ; concerning which i finde many hot disputations among the learned ; all which appeare superfluous , if this doctrine were well weighed , and made a rule whereby to measure them ; for it will , like a just measure , shew which of them come short , and which goe too farre beyond the truth and true line of holy scriptures . lastly , in this wee see as in a cleare glasse the dignity and excellency of humane nature , above the nature of all other visible creatures ; in that he was made completely in gods image , and conformable to god , and like to him in his whole frame , and in all faculties of soule , and parts and members of body : and let this stirre us up to walke worthy , and beseeming such a nature and frame , and labour to keep both our whole soule and spirit , and all members of our bodies unspotted and unstained with sinne , which is the defacing of gods image : and let us reverence gods image in other men , especially seeing it is repaired and made of a better kind by christ , and above all take heed of cruelty and of defacing gods image in any part , by cuting of members and mangling the bodies of men , especially of gods saintes whose bodies are temples and tabernacles of god by his spirit . thus much concerning the first externall worke of god , the creation and the state wherein god created man , and wherein the state of innocency did consist . chap. xvi . of the actuall providence of god. the obiect of it . what the word signifieth : in . things . proofe that there is a providence : by texts , and arguments . description , shewing what it is : demonstrated in the parts , and branches of it . providence generall and speciall : acts of it . speciall providence in saving the elect by christ , what : and in what parts . uses . the next great externall worke of god after the creation , is his actuall providence , by which hee doth rule and dispose all things created , and doth order all actions which are done , and all events which come to passe in the world , to the manifestation of his glorious goodnesse . this great worke of god doth reach through all other externall works , which are done either by god himselfe or any other ; and doth comprehend with in the compasse of it all gods works which hee doth in the world , whether they bee works of wisedome and power in ruling and preserving his creatures , or workes of iustice in punishing and destroying , or workes of mercy and grace in redeeming repairing and saving the world ; and in bringing his chosen to eternall blessednesse . yea there is no worke done , nor any event which comes to passe at any time , or in any age of the world ; which god doth not over-rule and order by his providence . for , as hee is infinite in wisedome and power , able to decree and ordaine from all eternity all things most wisely , and to create and bring to passe all things according to the counsell of his will by a mighty hand of power , which cannot bee resisted . so also hee is wonderfull in goodnesse and bounty , to provide , most carefully all things needfull in aboundance , for the being and welbeing of his creatures , and to order governe and dispose all things good and evill , most wisely to the good of his elect , the iust punishment and destruction of the wicked , and to his owne glory . wherefore that wee may better understand this point , and proceed profitably in the handling of it . we are first to consider the signification of the name , and the true sense of the word ; and after to insist upon the thing it selfe , and to define and describe this actuall providence of god. the word providence is sometimes taken in a large sense , and signifies gods care and respect of all creatures ; both in decreeing , and ordaining their being and all things which befall them , and in executing his eternall decree according to the counsell of his owne will ; for in all these things god did shew a provident care and respect . sometimes the word is used more strictly and that three wayes . first , for the provident care and respect of god in decreeing things for the best , that they should so come to passe as they have done , or shall doe at any time hereafter , of this providence the apostle speakes hebr. . . where hee saith , god having provided some better thing for us , that they without us should not bee made perfect , this may bee called gods providence in willing and decreeing . secondly , it signifies gods provident care , which hee shewed in the creation of the world , and all things therein . for hee first created things above which could subsist , and bee perfect by themselves without the inferiour elements and the creatures in them , as the highest heavens , and their inhabitants the angels ; then hee created the visible heavens , which might bee ready by their light to bee of use for other th●ngs below in such measure as was needfull ; then hee created the spacious regions of the aire , through which that light might shine to other elements , and all creatures which hee was about to create in them ; and before hee created any living creatures , which could not well subsist nor move themselves without greater light then that of the naked heavens , hee created the sun , moone , and starres , which might both give light sufficient to those creatures , and also might cherish and comfort them and all other things , which were made to serve for their use . and before hee created mankind male and female in his owne image , fit to rule under him in the inferiour world , hee prepared and made ready for them all creatures , which they might rule over ; all kinds of delicate food in great variety and aboundance , and a lordly palace and place of pleasure wherein to dwell , in which he put them so soone as they were created . as god in all this shewed his provident care for man and all creatures , to make them every one perfect in their kind with naturall perfection in the creation : so i have noted this his actuall providence in the severall passages of the creation and have unfolded it so farre as for the present was necessary . thirdly , this word is frequently used to signifie gods provident care in ordering and governing the whole created world , and preserving all creatures therein , and in disposing every thing which doth befall them and come to passe in the world , to some good end , according to the counsell of his owne will. this is the actuall providence which now comes to bee distinctly handled , and unfolded in the next place after the creation . but before i come to describe this providence of god , and to lay open the nature , object , severall parts and kinds of it , i hold it necessary to prove clearly out of the holy scriptures , that there is in god such a providence and provident care , which hee doth shew and exercise in the ruling and governing of the whole world , and ordering , and disposing all things to their severall ends ; and that god is not a carelesse , sleepie and slumbering one , who doth neglect , and not see , regard , and care for any things here below , as some blind fooles , desperate atheists , and wicked men have imagined and spoken , as the psalmist sheweth , psalme . . . and . . who say , that the lord doth not see , god hath forgotten , ●ee hideth his face , hee will never see , nor regard , nor require what is done among men in the world. for the manifest proofe of gods providence , i will first rehearse some notable testimonies , even plaine texts of holy scripture , which being laid together may minister to us sufficient matter , and occasion , to describe and set forth the actuall providence of god , and all things wherein it doth consist , and which thereto belong . psalme . . the lord looketh downe from heaven upon the children of men to see if there bee any that doe understand and seeke after god. psalme . , , . the lord loooketh from heaven , hee beholdeth all the sons of men , from the place of his habitation , hee looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth . hee fashioneth all their hearts alike , hee considereth all their works . psalme . , . the eyes of the lord are upon the righteous , and his eares are open unto their cry . the face of the lord is against them , that doe evill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth . psalme . . thy iudgments o lord are a great deepe ▪ thou preservest man and beasts . psalme . , , , . all living things wait upon the lord , that hee may give them their meat in due season . hee giveth to them , and they gather it ; hee openeth his hand , and they are filled with good , when he hideth his face they are troubled , when hee taketh away their breath they dye and returne to their dust ; when hee sendeth forth his spirit they are created , and hee renueth the face of the earth . psalme . . who is like unto the lord our god , who dwelleth on high . . who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth . . he raiseth the poore out of the dust , and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill , that he may set him with princes . psalme . . though the lord b● high : yet he hath respect to the lowly . job . . but aske now the beasts , and they shall teach ; and the fowles of the aire , and they shall tell thee . . or speake to the earth , and it shall teach thee ; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee . . who knoweth not in all these , that the hand of the lord hath wrought this . in whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of all mankind . chron , . . the eyes of the lord run to and fro throughout the earth , to shew himselfe strong for them whose heart is perfect . isa. . . and ● . , . the lord proveth himselfe to bee the onely true god by his provident care over all things , and his foresight and prediction of things which afterwards hee bringeth to passe ; and that idols are no gods , because they cannot do any such things . matth. . . behold the fowles of the aire , they sow not , neither doe they reap , nor gather into barnes ; yet your heavenly father feedeth them . matth. . , . are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing , and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your father ; but the very haires of your head are all numbred . hebr. . . all things are naked , and opened to his eyes , neither is there any creature , which is not manifest in his sight . pet. . . cast your care upon him for hee careth for you . these texts laid together doe aboundantly shew gods actuall providence , and the extent of it to all things created , and doe minister to us every doctrine which concernes the object , parts , and kinds of it . and besides these scriptures , wee have strong arguments to prove the actuall providence of god. first , hee who is the omnipotent creatour , lord , and possessor of heaven and earth , and all things therein , infinite in wisedome , knowledge , goodnesse , mercy , justice , must needs have a provident care to order , rule , dispose , and preserve all things which belong to him : now such a one is god , as i have aboundantly proved before in unfolding his attributes ; hee is infinite in power , wisedome , knowledge , goodnesse , and the like ; the creatour and supreme lord of all things . the whole world is his , and all things therein belong to him ; psalme . . therefore , undoubtedly , hee hath a provident care of all , and an eye and hand in ordering all things . secondly , the workes which god doth , and the things which hee brings to passe in the world , doe shew his wi●e care and providence . hee giveth raine in due season for a blessing to his obedient people ; & he withholdeth it from the wicked for a iust punishment , & makes their heaven as brasse , & their earth as iron ; he blesseth men in their basket and store , & in the increase of their cattell and the fruite of their ground ; and he againe for sin maketh fruitfull lands barren , and destroyes their cattell with murraine and with thunderbolts , levit. . deut. . iob . . psalm , . . by him kings are set up to rule , and princes and iudges to execute iustice , and to judge , not for themselves but for him , prov. . . chron. . . he breaketh downe and shutteth up , and none can resist him , hee leadeth counsellors away spoiled , and maketh iudges fooles ; hee looseth the band of kings , and poureth contempt upon princes ; hee increaseth he nations and destroyeth them , hee enlargeth the nations and straiteneth them , job . , and all kingdomes are disposed by him , dan. . . thirdly , the miracles which god worketh by them who call upon his name , and the extraordinary things which come to passe , whereof there is no naturall cause , nor any cause at all but his owne will , and pleasure , and provident hand do prove the same . the miracles and wonders which hee shewed in egypt and the wildernesse , so often as moses called and prayed unto him : his staying of the sun for a whole day at iosh●ah's prayer , iosh. . his thundering on the philistines at the prayer of samuel , sam. . . his raising of the dead at the prayer of his prophets and apostles , king. . king. . and act. . his giving of heroicall gifts , strength , and courage beyond all humane reason to some men for the deliverance of his oppressed people , as to samson , david , and his worthies , and divers others . all these shew gods watchfull care over the world , and his actuall providence , ordering and disposing all things . this point thus , proved , as it serves to discover the impiety , profanenesse and desperate blindnesse of epicures , who utterly reiect and deny the whole providence of god ; and those desperate atheists , such as caligula , nere , and others , who scoffed and derided all them who taught and beleeved it ; and those heathen philosophers , who held that god had no care or respect of things u●der heaven , but blind fortune ruled here below ; and all things here are casuall and come by chance : so it admonisheth us & all men to beware of giving way to such doubts and feares of infirmity which their owne corrupt flesh , or satan by mears thereof doth suggest into their hearts to weaken & destroy their faith in gods providence : let no man admit such a thought into his heart , that god hath forgotten to be gracious , and that it is in vaine to serve god : there is no profit in walking humbly before him , in keeping his ordinance , in mens purging their hearts , and washing their hands in innocency ; because they that worke wickednesse and tempt god doe prosper , and they who deale trecherously are set up , and exalted . but above all , let us abhorre all presuming conceipts , that all things come to passe by blind chance , and god doth not see nor regard our wicked thoughts , purposes , and practises ; neither will hee call us to account for them . for what is this , but to deny the lord to be god ? it is even the way to pull speedy wrath , and vengeance on our owne heads . gods providence being proved , that it is : i proceed to shew by way of plaine description what it is ; and wherein it doth consist . the summe of which description is this . the actuall providence of god is gods exercise of his wisedome , power , goodnesse , iustice , and mercy in ruling , ordering , and governing the whole world , in watching over all his creatures with a carefull eye , in doing all good , and permitting all evill which are done in the world ; and in disposing all things , good and evill , to the manifestation of his glory , and the eternall salvation of his elect in christ , according to his owne eternall purpose and the counsell of his will. this description consists of two maine and principall parts . the first sheweth , what gods actuall providence is in generall , in these words , gods exercise of his wisedome , power , goodnesse , iustice and mercy . the second sheweth the speciall nature of it , and the speciall things wherein it doth consist , and whereby it is distinguished from all gods other outward actions , and exercises of his wisedome , power , and goodnesse . this is comprised in the rest of the words . first , it is gods exercise of his wisedome , power , goodnesse , mercy and iustice and in this it agreeth with the creation , and all other outward actions of god , for every such action is either an exercise of his wisedome , or of his power , or of his goodnesse , or of his mercy , or of his justice , or of all , or the most part of them all together . and indeed gods actuall providence beareth sway in all his outward actions , which hee doth either immediatly by himselfe , or mediatly by the ministery of his subordinate instruments ; and it also over-ruleth and disposeth things which are evill , which are not done by god himselfe moving the doers of them ; but come to passe by the permission and sufferance of him , wittingly , and willingly suffering his creatures to abuse the power which they have from him . this point is manifest by the lords owne words , isa. . . where hee saith , i forme the light and create darknesse ; i make peace , and create evill ; i the lord do all these things : and by that speech of the prophet amos. chap. . . shall there be evill in a city , and the lord hath not done it . the true sense and meaning of which words saint augustine doth notably expresse ; where he saith , nothing is done , unlesse god omnipotent doth will that it be done , either by doing it himselfe , or suffering it to be done ; for it could not be done if he did not suffer it ; neither verily doth he unwillingly without or against his will : but willingly and with his will suffer every thing to be . to which purpose hee hath divers other speeches ; as that god being good would not suffer any evill to be done , unlesse as he is omnipotent he could bring good out of them ; neither is that done without gods will which is done against his will , that is , his word and approbation . in the second maine part there are divers speciall branches shewing the speciall things whereby gods actuall providence is distinguished from his other outward actions . the first is , that it consists in gods ruling ordering and governing the whole world , and watching over his creatures with a carefull eye . the second , that it comprehends in it gods doing of all good , and his permission , and suffering of all evill . the third , that by it god disposeth all things , which are done in the world to the manifestation of his glory , and the eternall salvation of his elect in christ. the fourth and last is , that it is no other exercise of wisedome , power , goodnesse , mercy , and justice , but in executing things which hee hath decreed from all eternity , even ruling , ordering , and disposing all things wisely after the counsell of his owne will. for the first point to wit , that god exerciseth his actuall providence in ruling , ordering , and disposing , the whole world and all therein as supreme lord , king. iudge , and ruler thereof ; the scriptures aboundantly testifie , as gen. . . and psalm . . . psalm . . . and . chron. . . where god is said to bee the iudge of all the earth ; yea the iudge both in heaven and earth , who sitteth chiefe among all iudges and is with them in the iudgement . also in those places where the kingdome , dominion , and rule over all is said to belong to god , and hee is said to bee the king which reigneth and ruleth all to the utmost ends of the earth , yea to be a great king above all gods ; and the onely potentate king of kings and lord of lords , as i chron. . . . psalm . . . and . . and . . and . . and his kingdome is said to rule over all , psalm . , , and that not for a time , but from generation to generation , psalm , . . it is he who setteth bounds to the tumultuous seas beyond which they cannot passe , iob . . psalm . . . and ruleth over the raging waves , psalm . . . and stilleth th●● when they arise . and that hee hath a watchfull eye over all creatures , even to preserve man and beast , it appeares psalm . . . and that as his eyes are upon them that feare him , and hope in his mercy to deliver their soule from death , and to keep● them alive in famine , psalm . . . so his face is against them that do evill , to cut off the remembrance of them , psalm . . . the second point is , that gods providence is exercised both in the doing of all good , and in permitting , and suffering wittingly and willingly all evill , which commeth to passe in the world , and so it consists of two parts , action , and permission . this also is fully proved and confirmed , isa. . . and . . where the lord proves himselfe to bee the onely true god by disposing all things , both forming the light , and making peace by his active hand and power ; and also creating evill and darknesse , by permitting and giving up the divell and his wicked instruments to abuse his power , which hee hath given them to doe evill and to worke wickednesse as wee see in pharaoh whose heart hee is said to harden , yea and to raise him up , by giving him up to his owne lusts , and into the hand of satan who hardened him and made his heart obdurate ; so that the more god plagued him with great plagues , which naturally tend to breake a stout heart , and to pull downe pride ; the more did his corruption rise up and rebell , and the more did satan stirre him up against god , and his people ; and made him run desperatly into the devouring gulfe of destruction . wee see this also in gods permitting satan to afflict iob , and to tempt him to blasphemy by stripping him naked of all that hee had ; tormenting his body , and battering his soule with sore temptations of his wife and friends , and with skaring dreames and terrible visions as wee read , iob . and . and . . also the apostle in expresse words affirmeth , that god being provoked by mens wilfull sins , doth in just wrath give them to uncleanesse through the lusts of their owne hearts , and to vile affections and a reprobate minde to worke all iniquity with greedinesse , rom. . , , . and doth give them the spirit of slumber , eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare . rom. . . not by putting such a spirit into them , so as hee sheddeth his spirit on men through christ , but by suffering satan , the spirit of lying , and of all blindnesse and wickednesse to enter into them ( which hee would doe into all men , if god did not restraine him ) ; and by casting them out of his protection ; as wee see in the evill spirit which vexed saul , and in the lying spirit which deceived ahab by entering into his prophets and speaking lyes by their mouths , sam. . . and king. . . and thus wee see , that in all evils of sin gods providence is exercised by way of voluntary permission . but as for all good things which come to passe , god hath in them an approving will , and a working hand , and worketh in men both to will and to doe ; yea every thought and purpose of good , cor. . . philip. . . and without him we can doe nothing , ioh. . . so that in all morall duties , and in all good and godly workes , god worketh in men by his spirit immediatly , and giveth them , hearts will and power to doe them , and they are but his instruments to performe these good things , as ioseph professeth ascribing all his piety and charity which hee shewed in nourishing his bretheren and their families to god. and all naturall good things , god worketh either immediatly by his owne hand alone , as in the creation , wherein hee gave being to all things without any meanes at all : or by instruments and meanes which hee himselfe hath first created , hee giveth light by the sun , moone , and starres , and by them , and the whole heavens which are turned about by his counsels , and by their influ●nce hee refresheth and nourisheth all creatures on earth ; and also doth by them both use correction and shew mercy , iob . , . and matth. . . there are besides these other things , which are good and profitable , not simply in their owne nature , but by accident and in some respect , as for example , for men to abstaine from marriage and from begetting children for the increase of mankind is not a thing naturally or morally good in it selfe , being a refraining from the use of gods ordinance ; but yet in case of urgent necessity , when gods ministers and servants doe live in times and places of persecution , and are driven to flee and wander from place to place naked , and destitute of meanes , whereby to maintaine wives , and children ; saint paul tells us , it is good for a man to live single , and not to touch a woman , cor. . , . for by this meanes he shall avoid much distraction , and more freely attend the service of god. also for men to fast , and afflict their bodies by abstaining from comfortable nourishment , and necessary food for a time is not simply good in it selfe : but yet it is profitable for taming the proud and rebellious flesh , and for furthering of our humiliation in times of private and publike calamities , when gods hand is heavy upon us , or upon our land , and the feare of his threatning judgments which hang over our heads doe terrifie us , these and such like are called good things , that is , profitable , expedient , and by accident , and in some respect and condition good . other things there bee which in their owne nature are evill and hurtfull , and evils of affliction and punishment , as crosses of gods people , and plagues which though they hurt and destroy the outward man and the flesh , yet by god grac● they worke to the saving of their soules , and the amendment of their lives as wee read psalme . , . and cor. . . and . . and in that respect are called good . and the plagues and destructions which befall the wicked , which to them are dreadfull and wofull evils and curses ; but as they tend to the deliverance of gods church from their 〈…〉 rsecutions and oppressions ; to the purging of his land ; and the magnifying of gods justice and power ; so they are good in the issue and event , and in respect of gods purpose intending good by them . now in all these , god hath an active and working band , as well as a permitting will ; and his actuall providence ruleth in them . hee gives men the gift of continency , and power over their owne wils to live single , and to make themselves eunuches for his kingdomes sake as our saviours words shew , matth. . , . and the words of the apostle , cor. . . hee cals upon men in his word , and by his grace stirres them up to fasting , weeping , mourning , and afflicting of their bodies for the greater humiliation of their soules . joel . . . and . . and zach. . . hee doth sometimes by his owne hand afflict his people when hee sends among them sore diseases which are the stroke of his hand . job . . and psalme . . and by his owne immediate hand hee strikes and consumes the wicked . iob . , . as wee see in the drowning of the old world , in the destruction of pharaoh , ananias , and saphyra , and divers others . sometimes hee doth by good instruments afflict and punish his people , and plague and consume the wicked ; as by his angell hee punished israels sin and davids pride . sam. . . and destroyed the host of senacherib , king. . and smotte herod , act. . and by joshua , moses , david , destroyed the canaanites and the philistines , and other enemies of his church . sometimes by evill instruments hee afflicteth and punisheth his owne people , and plagueth and destroyeth the wicked ; by absalom and shimei hee punished david , and by wicked jehu hee destroyed the wicked family of ahab ; by satan and the wicked sabaeans and chald●ans hee afflicted and tryed job ; and by the proud king of ashur hee punished israel and judah , and destroyed the idolatrous nations as appeares isa. . where hee is called the rod of gods wrath , and proud nebuchadnezar is called his servant in punishing his people the iewes , and destroying the obstinate among them , and in crushing the wicked nations , ier. . . for he in whom all doe live , move , and have all being , act. . . gave to those wicked kings power and might ; and though their owne lusts , and unsatiable desire and ambition stirred them up , and so ●he act was in the wicked themselves , yet hee over-ruled and disposed their malice to performe his purpose , and to execute his most just judgements . and thus wee see , that gods actions are most wise and just in those evils which hee executeth by wicked instruments , and that which they doe with a wicked mind and for an evill end ; god doth justly give them power to doe , and permits them to abuse his power , to their owne ends , when hee purposeth to direct all to a good end , and so doth . and therefore though no evill is done in the world , but by his providence ; yet is hee no author or efficient cause of sin : the sinfulnesse of the action is of the evill instruments and the power of it , and the disposing of it to good , that onely is gods. and although men who are limited by gods law , may doe no least sin or evill for a good end , that greatest good may come thereof , and if they doe , it is sin in them ; yet god , who is supreme lord of all , and whose will is the rule of all righteousnesse , and who by his omnipotency can raise out of the greatest evill a farre greater good , and can make the divels malice and mans fall , the occasion of bringing christ into the world , and a way to shew his infinite goodnesse and mercy in saving and redeeming his elect , and to magnifie his glorious power and justice in their eyes , by destroying the wicked with eternall destruction , the sight whereof brings them to a more full fruition of his glory , and makes them farre more sensible of his goodnesse to them , and of their owne eternall blessednesse ; hee may doe what seemes good to his heavenly wisedome : and evill so farre as he willeth it , and hath an hand in the ordering of it , is no sin , but doth more shew his goodnesse , and unspotted purity , and holinesse . the third thing is , that god by his actuall providence disposeth all things which are done in the world , to the manifestation of his glory , and the eternall salvation of his elect in christ. the glory of god is two wayes made manifest by his actuall providence . first , in a more generall way , by a more generall providence . secondly , by a more speciall way , which is called his speciall providence . first , by the generall , th● whole world is ruled by an universall motion , and all things in the world , every one according to the proper nature and naturall disposition and inclination of it . for , as the apostle saith , hee giveth to all life , and breath , and all things ; and in him wee all live , move and have our being , act. . , . hee by his mighty word sustaineth all things , hebr. . . his name is excellent in all the world , in which he sheweth his glory , psalme . . the heavens declare his glory , and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke : day unto day uttereth speech , and night unto night sheweth knowledge ; and that by the suns going round about the world , and discovering by his light all things from one end of heaven and earth to another , psalme . , . this generall providence appeares , first , by his consecration of things . secondly , by his destruction of so many as hee in his just will and judgement thinks fit . thirdly , by his governing of all things according to his eternall counsell , and just will. first , hee doth universally conserve and uphold all things in the world , by the light , motion and influence which hee hath given to the heavens in the creation ; which are continually turned about by his counsels , that they may doe whatsoever hee commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth , iob . . hee maketh his sun to shine on the evill and on the good , and sendeth raine on the iust and uniust , matth. . . hee giveth food to all flesh , psalme . . h●● giveth meat to the beasts , and feedeth the young ravens which crie , psalme . . he provideth for the fowles of the aire their food , though they neither sow , nor reape ; and cloatheth the grasse of the field , matth. . , . this conservation is , first , by succession . for when any creatures passe away , hee maketh others of their race and kind to succeed by a continuall generation and propagation , as it were by a continued creation . the forming and fashioning of men in the wombe is ascribed to him , iob . . , . and . . and psalme . . so that as men and other living creatures dye ; their off spring and progeny succeed in their place , and by this meanes , he doth renue the face of the earth , psalme . . and not onely one generation of living creatures passeth away , and another commeth in the place , so that the earth is alwayes replenished ; but day and night succeed continually by the going and returning of the sun ; and the winde whorleth about continually going and returning according to his circuits ; the waters doe all run into the sea , and yet the rivers are supplied by springs which come from the sea , by secret passages under the earth , as the wise-man sheweth , eccles. . , , , . secondly , hee preserveth all things universally by changing mutable things from an evill to a good , and from a lesse good to a better condition . hee girdeth the weake with strength , job . . sam . . hee maketh the barren wombe fruitfull , psalme . . hee turneth the wildernesse into standing pooles of water , and dry ground into water springs , and maketh the barren desert a fruitfull field , psalme . . isa. . . and . . hee raiseth the needy out of the dust , and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill , sam. . . and psalme . . and because the universality of creatures cannot bee preserved without gods carefull keeping and preserving every particular ; therefore god hath an eye to every singular thing , and his provident hand is reached forth to every one of them , in so much that our haires are numbred ; and not one small sparrow can fall on the ground without him , matth. . , . hee cloathed the grasse of the field , even every lillie , matth. . . hee reckons up our teares , psalme . . and is with every one in his going out and comming in ; in his downe sitting and uprising , psalme . . . isa. . . secondly , his generall providence appeareth , and is exercised in the destruction which hee himselfe according to his just will bringeth upon the whole earth , or upon whole nations and cities , or upon some notable persons . the destruction of the whole world in the dayes of noah came by his hand and providence , for hee said , behold i will bring a flood of waters and will destroy all flesh , gen. . . and hee foretold his purpose so to doe an hundred yeares before . and the destruction of sodome and gomorrha was by fire which hee rained upon them , gen. . hee smotte egypt with plagues and destroyed the first borne , and also pharaoh and his host , exod. . and . psalme . . and the cana●nites by joshua and israel , josh. . and . and senacheribs host . king. . and the murmuring israelites together with corah , dathan , and abiram , num. . vzzah , . sam. . . herod . act. . and many others . by this destroying , and abolishing of men and other creatures , and by his consuming and wasting of them ; by smitting the earth with barrennesse , and sending pestilence , and warre , hee makes men know , that hee is jehovah the righteous iudge , and the nations to see and feele that they are , but mortall men as the psalmist testifieth , psalme . and . . thirdly this generall providence is seene in his government of all things , according to his owne just will and good pleasure ; hee doth after a generall manner rule inferiour things by the light and influence of the heavens , and of the sun , moone , and starres ; by the sun hee rules the day , and by the moone and starres hee governes the night , psalme . . . and as his eyes are upon all things , and upon all the wayes and workes of men ; so hee fashioneth their hearts , psalme . . hee keepeth the waters of the sea within their bounds beyond which they doe not passe , psalme . . hee hath a set time and season for every thing , and for every purpose under heaven , eccles. . . and this government hee exerciseth by motion and direction of motions ; and by cohibition . first , by motion , for hee moveth all things , not onely the mindes & wils of men by turning their hearts at his pleasure , ier. . . act. . . psalme . . and prov. . . but also things without life by a naturall inclination , which hee giveth to every thing in his kind as the psalmist sheweth in the sun , moone , and starres , the windes and the waters , psalme . . . and as hee moveth every creature , so hee directeth all their motions as appeares , psalme . . prov. . . ier. . . in so much , that what men do with a wicked mind , & for an evill end , god turns it to the contrary , & brings good out of it . iosephs bretheren intended his hurt & destruction in selling him for a slave ; god turned it to his honour , and to the saving of them and much people alive , gen. . . pharoh rose to magnifie himselfe against god , and his people : god so ruled and directed his rage and furie , that hee shewed his power in him , and magnified his name in all the earth ; by turning pharaoh's fiercenesse to his owne praise and glory , and to pharaoh's destruction , exod. . . the iewes out of malice and envie crucified and murdered christ : god out of his death raised life , and made his death , which they devised for his shame and ignominy , a glorious triumph over the divell and all the powers of darknesse , and a way to exaltation , act. . . they hardened their hearts to persecute the apostles , and to drive the preachers of the gospell out of their land , and to quench the light thereof : god turned this their hardnesse and fall to the salvation of the gentiles ; for by this meanes the gospell came to bee preached in all nations , rom. . . wicked heretiques raise up heresies to corrupt gods church , and god so orders their doings , that they who are approved , are thereby made manifest , and come to shine as lights in the midst of a perverse generation , cor. . . pauls troubles and persecutions were intended for the overthrow of the gospell : god made them fall out to the furtherance of it , phil. . . the philistines invaded the land of israel , with purpose to doe mischiefe to israel , and to wast their land : but god directed this motion of their hearts , and by his providence appointed it as a meanes to recall saul from pursuing david , when hee had inclosed him on every side ; and so saved him to bee a saviour of israel , and a destroyer of the philistines , sam. . , . secondly , god governs the world and all things therein by cohibition , that is , restraining , and hindering the actions and motions of creatures , in his wisedome and by his power , when hee thinks it fit hee with-held abimelech from touching sarah abrahams wife , that hee might not sin , and staine himselfe ignorantly , gen. . . hee suffered not the destroyer of the first borne in egypt to enter into the house of any of the israelites , exod. . . hee kept back the waters of jordan from running downward , so that it was dryed for israel to passe over on foote , iosh. . hee restraineth the influences of heaven , and the clouds from raine , and makes the heavens as brasse , and the earth as iron , for the punishment of wicked transgressors , and rebellious people , deut. . . iob . . and . . hee bringeth the counsell of the heathen to nought , and maketh the devices of the people of none effect , psalme . . hee withheld laban from his evill purpose of hurting iacob , gen. . . and his terrour restrained the cities round about , so that they pursued not after iacobi sons to take revenge on them , for the slaying of the shechemites , gen. . . and by his spirit he forbad paul and his companions to preach the gospell in asia , act. . . in a word , as hee doth by a generall governing order all things universally and all events , even the heavens , the earth , the seas , winter , summer , and all seasons of the yeare , men and beasts , and makes an harmony and concord among things which are contrarie , tempering , moderating and keeping them in their proper places , and doth set up and pull downe kingdomes & states . dan. . . and . . so hee rules every singular creature and every singular event , turning harvest dayes into a tempestuous time of thunder and raine ; as when hee terrified israel to shew them their sin in asking a king , sam. . . so that wee need no further proofe of this point . let that which is before said and proved , suffice to shew how god by a generall way of providence actually disposeth all things to the manifestation of his glory . the speciall way by which god manifesteth his glory is by working things , and by ordering , ruling and disposing them to the revealing of his glory , more specially in the salvation of his elect in christ , which divines doe call his speciall providence . this providence god exerciseth by his son christ , as hee is the mediatour , redeemer , saviour , king , and head of the church universall ; and by his spirit sent forth in the name of christ , and shed on the elect aboundantly through him in their regeneration . this consists and sheweth it selfe in all the gracious benefits and blessings which god bestoweth upon men for salvation ; and in the judgements which hee executeth on his enemies , the wicked , by which hee delivereth his church out of their cruell , bloody persecuting and oppressing hands ; and doth magnifie and declare his justice and power , and more fully reveale and communicate himselfe to them for their greater blessednesse . the briefe description of this speciall providence which i conceive to bee most plaine is . that it is gods exercise of his wisedome , power , iustice , mercy , and all his goodnesse in executing his speciall decree of predestination , by which hee ordained all the elect both angels and men to eternall blessednesse ; and all the rest to eternall distruction , and withall did decree all the meanes which serve and tend to bring every one of them to their sevreall ends ; and by which in the time appointed they are all brought to their decreed end according to his eternall purpose , and the counsell of his will. in the large prosecution of this point of gods speciall providence , wee have just occasion offered to lay open all the rest of the great works of god , which fall within the compasse of the divine art of sacred divinity . for they all are contained under these two maine heads , to wit : the meanes which serve for the effecting , and obtaining of the utmost end of reasonable creatures unto which god hath ordained them . . the end it selfe the manifestation of his glory more specially in the eternall blessednesse of his elect , which blessednesse doth consist in the eternall fruition of god in all his glory ; and the sense thereof is exceedingly increased by their beholding of the eternall misery and destruction of the ungodly , their escape and deliverance , from which whole they consider and remember their joy and rejoycing shall bee doubled . for in all wise providence there is a good end purposed , intended and decreed , and a provident ordaining , ordering and actuall disposing of the meanes which are necessary for the obtaining and effecting of that end , and therefore the speciall providence of god who is most wise and provident , infinite in goodnesse and power , must needs bee exercised in doing the most excellent workes , and in ordering and disposing them according to his eternall counsell and decree , to the best , and most excellent end of all , which is the fourth and last point in the description of gods actuall providence . now the meanes which god hath ordained for the manifestation of the glory of his grace and goodnesse in the eternall blessednesse of his elect they goe before in execution ; though the end is first in gods intention . and therefore they come to bee handled in the first place . and they all may be reduced to two maine heads . the first is mans fall ; the second is mans restauration . in the fall of man , sive things come to bee considered● first , the commandement of god at which man stumbled and which the divell made the occasion of mans fall . the second is the fall it selfe , what it was , and wherein it did consist . the third is the state of rebellion , into which man did fall . the fourth is the multitude of evils , which did accompany and follow mans sin and fall . the fifth is the small reliques of good , which remained in mans nature after his fall . the commandement of god is plainely laid downe , gen. . , . and therefore i will first insist upon that portion of scripture , and after will proceed to the description of the fall , as it is laid downe in the third chapter . but before i proceed further , let me conclude this doctrine of gods actuall providence with some use and application . first , it is matter of admirable comfort to all true christians and faithfull people of god , in that the lord whom they have chosen for their god , their rocke and confidence , is so wise and provident above all ; ordering and disposing all things which come to passe in the world in wonderfull wisedome and by an omnipotent hand to his owne glory and the salvation of his elect in christ. whatsoever good commeth at any time , it is the gift of god ; and all good blessings and benefits which they receive and enjoy from any hand or by any meanes , they are so many tokens and pledges of his love and fatherly care , and of his eye of providence watching over them for good . and whatsoever evils of any kind breake into the world by the malice of the divell , and the outrage of wicked men ; they are no other , nor no more , but such as god in his wisedome and goodnesse is pleased willingly to permit and suffer for a far greater good to his own people ; and as he over-rules them all : and hath set them their bounds beyond which they cannot passe ; so he disposeth and turneth them all to his owne glory , and the manifestation of his justice and power in saving of his church and people , and in confounding and destroying all his and their enemies , wherefore in times of peace , plenty and prosperity , when all good things and blessings of all sorts abound ; let us rejoyce and glory in the lord and give him the praise of all , and offer up daily and continuall sacrifices of thankfulnesse with cheerefull hearts and willing minds ; studying and striving with all our might , and to the utmost of our power ; to use and employ all his blessings to the best advantage for his glory , the good of his church , and the profit of our owne soules ; being well assured , that these are his talents committed to our trust , which if wee by our faithfulnesse doe increase , wee shall in the day of account and reckoning , receive the reward of good stewards and faithfull servants , and bee received into the joy of our lord. but on the contrary , in evill and perillous time ; when iniquity aboundeth sinnes of all sorts are increased ; piety and charity are waxen cold , religion is skorned , the godly persecuted and oppressed , justice judgement and truth troden downe and trampled : let us not faint nor feare nor bee dejected as men without hope ; for the lord our god , and our keeper is a provident god , his eyes neither slumber nor sleep ; hee seeth and observeth all these things , and without his will and knowledge no evill can come to passe . as the scripture saith of pharaoh , to may wee say in this case ; that even for this same purpose god hath raised up these wicked persecutors and outrageous sinners ; that is in his just wrath hath given them up to satan and their owne lusts to multiply sin and oppression , that he may shew his power in them , and make his justice glorious , and name famous throughout all the earth : when the nations rage , and the kingdomes are moved , god can give his voice , and the earth shall melt and all the works of the wicked shall bee dissolved . secondly , here is matter of terrour to the wicked , both them who commit sins in secret , and presume to goe on in their lewd courses with a conceipt , that none seeth nor taketh notice of their abominations ; and also them who multiply their sins openly , and without feare increase their persecutions and oppressions , and vex and afflict the meeke of the earth , and breake gods people in pieces ; thinking that they shall never bee called to account , and putting farre from them the day of reckoning : behold here , the lord who is the judge all the earth , is a most provident god ; all their doings are naked and opened to his eyes , and he observes all their wayes and wicked workes ; their power strength and greatnesse is from him , and he wittingly and willingly suffers them to abuse them to sin , and to oppression and wrong , and onely so long as he pleaseth , that when they have filled up their measure , hee may bring them to judgement , and may make them a skorne , derision , and footestole to the righteous whom they have skorned , hated and oppressed . thus much for the actuall providence of god. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 masoreth sepes legi . notes for div a -e use . use . use . use . use . notes for div a -e creation . creatures to create , what . . . author of creation . time. object . forme . what word it was . a large description of creation . taken into parts , and proved . . opus ad extra . heb. . . opened . . manner of creation in foure things . rom. . . none but god wrought in the creation . arguments . . . . use . by creatures ascend to know god. and his soveraignty over all . use . confutation of six sorts of men . use . rep●oofe to ●vo sorts . use . comfort for the godly . names of the creatures . . . instructions concerning the creatures . use . the world not eternall . use . admire gods eternity . use . overlove not the world , now degenerate . use . not god , but we need the world . use . hare sin : motives . the words expounded . i. the beginning of time here meant . argum. . ii. iii. iv. v. doct. . by the creation god is seen to be infinitely wise , and powerfull . use . look up to the omnipotencie of the creatour . to rejoyce and ●est in him . use . bewaile the contrary negligence . use . checks all atheisticall thoughts of gods power . doct. . the three persons● are equal use . against antitrinitaries . use . trust in christ , & the holy spirit . john . the time , in the beginning . doctr. the world , and all in it , had a beginning . reas. . reas. . psal. . use . love not the world , being so movable . use . arme against atheisme . as in some objections answered . object . . answ. object . . answ. doctr. . t 〈…〉 had 〈◊〉 b●ginning . use . use . see thy own wea●nesse . cor. . . quest. . the world began in the spring argum. . answ. argum. . answ. argum. . answ. argum. . answ. argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . argum. . august . in serm . de natal . dom. quest. . use . gods providence to be noted and admired . use . truth of creation and redemption hereby demonstrated . use . all made for us , and to be used for god. use . note and admire gods eternity . psal. . , . . derivation of the word signifying heavens . . . . . diversity of its significations . . . foure things signified by heavens . . . doctr. . doctr. . doctr. . doctr. . doctr. . excellencie of heaven . reason . reason . reason . reason . reason . reason . object . answ. use . to confute the otherwise minded . use . admire the bounty of god to his chosen . use . be ashamed of thy earthly mindednesse . and prepare for heaven . use . be thankfull for this good provision . use . comfort in all afflictions . rom. . . cor. , . use . against the chiliasts . angels comprehended in the name , heavens . . . . points concerning them . of their names . doctr. . angels had a beginning . reason . reason . obj●ct . . ansir . object . . answ. use . use . angels not to be worshipped . doctr. . angels all created by god. use . christ is lord of the angels . mat. . use . mal. . . doctr. . angels made in the beginning of the creation . use. doctr. . angels are first and best creatures . use. excellencie of the angels . doctr. . angels made in heaven , & to inhabit heaven . reason . reason . reason . use . gods infinite power hereby demonstrated . use . confutation of contrary errours . job . . & . . angels the chiefest of the creatures . . . use . the love of god to man hereby commended . use . and the love of christ , not taking the nature of angels , but mans . use . love and reverence the angels . use . comfort hereby to the godly . angels are heavenly spirits . . . . . . . enchirid. ad laur. cap. . . . they are spirits . . entire , & complete spirits . . heavenly spirits . . . they are like to god. . . . . . they are finite in nature . heb. . of the assumed bodies of angels . how angels are in a place . the number of them very great . their motion wondrous quick . of the fal● and standing of angels . vse . comfort by the ministery of angels . vse . . confutation of contrary errors . gen. . . what the earth here is . the names of it . . . . properties of it . . . . what the spirit moving is . 〈◊〉 . ioh. . . . . doctr. all creatures have being of god. vse . he is the● lord of all . vse . all our right is from god. . doctr. the world is all mutable , and appointed so to be . vse . trust not in any earthly thing . vse . thinke not changes in the world to come by chance . similitude of the creation and redemp tion . vse . vse . all whom christ saves , renewed by the spirit . . doctr. vse . gen. . cor. . . what the light was of gods saying , lee light be . 〈◊〉 . . . . quest. ans. . quest. ans. . quest. ans. . quest. ans. . doctr. three persons in the godhead . vse . . doctr. all things possible to god. vse . . doctr. god wonderfull in wisedome and providence . vse . doctr. prerogatives of the first day . . . . . . verse , , . of the things now created . the skie meant by the firmament , reas. . . . . . . . how a day without the sun. doctr. . all created wisely & orderly . vse . doctr. . vse . verse . of water and earth , distinct elements . . . of the name of the earth . and of the sea. . . of herbes , plants , and trees . doctr. . all earthly things nothing to god. vse . doctr. . wee strangers here , & in a pilgrimage . vse . vse . doctr. . god ruleth the most tumultuous creatures . . . vse . verse . of these lights , that they are substantial bodies . quest. the place of them . answ. . arsw. . the use of them . . . . of the sun. of the moone . doctr. 〈◊〉 . no instruments used in the creation . vse doctr. . great wisedome of god in the creation . vse . doctr. . pet. . . vse . jon. . verse . god do 〈…〉 all on good advice . doctr. vse . bee followers of god as deare children . vse 〈◊〉 . how to view the crea● 〈◊〉 . rom 〈◊〉 . . of fishes . their two notable properties . . . creation of mankind male & female . . . . . . . of the consultation in making man. who consults . with whom . it was for . reasons . . . . doctr. . man the chiefest of creatures . doctr. . doctr. . of the name adam , used two wayes . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . doctr. woman as capable of grace and glory 〈◊〉 man. object . answ. vse . vse . doctor . man was made by god alone . vse . vse . danger of them that wrong man. vse . the sin of idolaters . doctr. . mans body being of dust , was wondrously made . vse . doctr. . man at best a dusty substance . object . answ. . . vse 〈◊〉 . for humility and thankfulnesse . vse . against pelagians and papists . the creation of mans soule . opinions . . . . . doctrine . no supernaturall gifts in the soule of adam . reason . vse . our estate better by regeneration , then by creation . vse . no apostasie of saints . all good , and adam good , yet not to bee alone : how . doctr. in christ a better thing intended then the creation . vse . vse . vse . doctr. . vse . more gained in christ , then lost in adam . doctrine . woman not made to bee a servant . vse . vse . vse . of giving names to the creatures . doctrine . adam perfect in natural knowledge . vse . the best naturall knowledge cannot uphold . doctr. none but woman a meet companion for . man. vse . vse . of the rib , where of woman was made . of adams deep sleep . doctr. . out of christ dying the church is raised . vse . vse . . . doctr. . vse . doctr. . doctr. . doctr. . wives are continuall companions of our lives . vse . . gal. . . vse . . consequents . . . . . of gods bringing eve to adam . doctr. . marriage the ordinance of god. reas. . vse . vse . vse . vse . doctr. . marriage is of one man with one woman . mal. . . vse . . 〈◊〉 . doctrine . marriage must bee free and voluntary . reas. vse . a reproofe to many . . doctrine . what guides must lead to marriage . vse . . doctr. . vse . vse . doctr. . similitude of manners the best ground of love . vse . a rule for ●husing . vse . . consequent . of the nakadnesse of adam and eve. doctr. . the creation perfect . vse . acknowledge gods bounty . vse . in christ the glory of out bodies shall be restored . vse . gen. . . the condition of our first parents ; in five particulars . . . . . . of the blessing of fruitfulnesse . what the word signifieth , . . bodily blessings of two so●●s . . . the earth , how subdued by adam . . . . doctr. 〈◊〉 . procreation of children a speciall blessing . vse . vse . syri 〈…〉 s. doctr. . marriage free for all men . v●● . vse . against popish virginity and vowes . ob. answ. . doct. reas. . reas. . vse . . vse . . doctr. . the whole earth given to man. vse . of leading colonies into other parts . vse . against three sorts of men . . . ii. dominion over all living creatures . requisites to it . . . . . degrees of it . . . dominion unlimited . and limited . here meant . restored in christ . . iii. the food of man in the creation . doctr. . god the onely absolute lord of all . vse . vse . doctr. . vse . vse . doctr. . vse . iv. mans habitation in the state of innocency . gen. . . 〈◊〉 . . . eden , what . . 〈◊〉 . the rivers in it . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . . opinion . comment . in genes . cap. . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . opinion . doctrine . best mens opinion is uncertaine . vse . of the tree of life , and the tree of knowledge of good and evill . why the tree of life . . . . . of what life . . . . how of the knowledge of good and evill . doctr. . gods great bounty to man. vse . vse . doctr. . no idlenesse allowed . vse . detest it therefore . doctr. . a contentfull estate in innocency . . . vse . god no way the cause of mans sin . gen. , . opinion of the image and likenesse of god. what the word mage signifies . 〈◊〉 . . zelem . two things in an image . . . demuth . . . image of god naturall , and supernaturall . phil. . differences betweene the image of the first and second adam . . . rom. . . ioh. . . and . . cor. . . ioh. . . cor. . . . . . . . images essentiall , and accidentall . . . naturall . and supernaturall . 〈◊〉 . . man made after gods image , how . . . particulars wherein the image of god stood . conformity of adam to god. in soule . . in the substan●e o 〈…〉 t. . in the naturall faculties of it . . 〈◊〉 . rom. . sam. . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . in body . . . vse . riches of gods bountie to man. . vse not to stick in received opinions , as unerring . act. . vse . of confutation of erroneous opinions . vse . excellency of man to be hence noted . object of providence . what the word signifieth . . . . proofe that providence is . texts of scripture which set forth gods actuall providence . arg. . arg. . arg. . vse of confutation and ●eproofe . description of gods actuall providence . parts . enchirid. ad laur. c. . . branches in particular . . . rom. . . . gods actuall providence is generall or speciall . . gods conservation of his creatures . . by succession . . by mutation . . gods destroying of creatures . gods governing of his creatures . . by motion . and by direction of all motions . by cohibition . gods speciall providence . described . vse . comfo● to the faithfull . who learne also to bee thankfull . vse . terrour to the wicked . two choice and useful treatises the one, lux orientalis, or, an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls, being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence in relation to mans sin and misery : the other, a discourse of truth / by the late reverend dr. rust ... ; with annotations on them both. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g wing g wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) two choice and useful treatises the one, lux orientalis, or, an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls, being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence in relation to mans sin and misery : the other, a discourse of truth / by the late reverend dr. rust ... ; with annotations on them both. rust, george, d. . discourse of truth. more, henry, - . annotations upon the two foregoing treatises. glanvill, joseph, - . lux orientalis. [ ], , [ ], , [ ], - , [ ] p. printed for james collins and sam. lowndes ..., london : . "lux orientalis, or, an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages ...," "annotations upon the two foregoing treatises ... / by one not unexercized in these kinds of speculation [i.e. henry more]" and "annotations upon the discourse of truth : into which is inserted by way of digression a brief return to mr. baxter's reply, which he calls a placid collation with the learned dr. henry more ... : whereunto is annexed a devotional hymn / translated for the use of sincere lovers of true piety, " all have separate t.p.'s. lux orientalis is by joseph glanvill. cf. wing. errata: p. [ ] at beginning. advertisements on p. [ - ] at end. this work appears at reel : as wing , and at reel : as wing g . imperfect: copy at reel : incompletely filmed. reproduction of originals in british library and university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng glanvill, joseph, - . -- lux orientalis. rust, george, d. . -- discourse of truth. more, henry, - . baxter, richard, - . -- of the immortality of a mans soul and the nature of it and other spirits. pre-existence -- early works to . truth -- early works to . soul -- early works to . providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion w. faithorne sculp . two choice and vsefvl treatises : the one lux orientalis ; or an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of sovls . being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence . in relation to mans sin and misery . the other , a discovrse of trvth , by the late reverend dr. rvst lord bishop of dromore in ireland . with annotations on them both . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , plato . london , printed for james collins , and sam. lowndes over against exeter exchange in the strand , . to the honourable sir john finch sir , yov may well be surprized at this unexpected dedication from one that may seem an utter stranger to your person ; but the fame of your singular knowledge in the choicest parts of philosophy , and all other worthy accomplishments , will make this presumption of me , the publisher of these two treatises , as pardonable by your self , so , i hope , justifiable to all the world. not to say that it is a peice of indispensable justice that one of them be dedicated to you ; the author thereof being that excellent person the reverend dr. rust , late bishop of dromore in ireland , once fellow of christs colledge in cambridge , to which you lately have been so noble a benefactor . wherefore in hopes that you will be pleased to take the dedication of this whole book , the two treatises , and the annotations thereon in good part , craving pardon for this boldness i humbly take leave , and am , honoured sir , your most obedient and humble servant . james collins . the publisher to the reader . these two choice and useful treatises i present thee with the name of the author of the latter of them is set down in the title page , the reverend dr. rust late lord bishop of dromore in the kingdom of ireland ; whose vertues parts and abilities are copiously set out in a letter of mr. jos . glanvill prefixt to the discourse it self . and i● thou hast the curiosity to know who is the author of the former treatise lvx orientalis ( who then thought fit to conceal his name as himself takes notice in his epistle dedicatory ) i can ass●re thee , that it is the said mr. jos . glanvill , a person reputed one of the most ingenious and florid writers of his age. but for my own part i must ingenuously confess , that i am no competent j●dge , and consequently can be no fit encomiast of the abi●ities or performances of either . only this i know , that both these treatises have sold very well , and that there is none to be got of the discourse of truth ; though it is not many years since it was printed . and for lvx orientalis , which was printed about twenty years ago , when the book grew scarce , it was so much valued by the more eager and curious searchers into the profoundest points of philosophy , that there was given for it by some , four or five times the price for which it was at first sold. the considerations whereof coming into my mind , i thought i should both gratifie the learned world and benefit my self , if i reprinted these two treatises together . which i do the more willingly , because the former editions were too too false and corrupt , especially of lvx orientalis . which faults of the press , or mss. are carefully corrected in this . and besides that this edition is more correct than the former , there are also annotations added to each treatise by one not unexercized in these kind of speculations . and in the annotations upon the discourse of truth , there is inserted a digression that contains a brief answer to mr. baxters placid collation with the learned dr. henry more . and because men usually have a fondness even for the smaller toyes or trifles of well esteemed writers after their decease , i have prefixed a latin dedication of lvx orientalis ( which i opportunely had by me ) before the epistle dedicatory : which latin dedication the author sent so prefixed , in a copy to the party it is made , and i have printed it in the same order it was there found , that it may be one monument amongst many other of the authors wit and ingenuity . i have also , that nothing may be wanting to thy content , got a friend to devise an hieroglyphical frontispice , intended more especially for lvx orientalis . but i do not profess my self able to unriddle the meaning thereof . the best interpreter will be the book it self . to the reading whereof i leave thee and rest your humble servant james collins . lux orientalis , or an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls . being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence , in relation to mans sin and misery . cardanus . quid jucundius quàm scire quid simus , quid fuerimus , quid erimus , atque cum his etiam divina illa atque suprema post obitum mundique vicissitudines ? london , printed for j. collins , and s. lowndes over against exeter exchange in the strand , . doctissimo viro domino doctori henrico moro maximo purioris philosophiae magistro & sapientiae orientalis restauratori in exiguum summi affectûs testimonium et aeternae observantiae pignus a suis flammis mutuatam hanc orientis scintillam d. d. d. humillimus virtutum ejus et candoris non minùs quam doctrinae cultor ; qui ei exoptat lucem sempiternam , & petit ut candidè accipiat lucem orientalem . to the much honoured and ingenious francis willovghby esquire . sir , 't is likely you will no less wonder at this unexpected sally of my pen ; than at my having prefixt your name to a small trifle , that owns no author . of the former , you will receive an account in the preface . and the latter , if the considerations following are not of weight , to attone for ; i know you have goodness enough to pardon , what i have not reason sufficient to excuse , or vindicate . well meaning intentions are apology enough , where candour , and ingenuity are the judges . i was not induced then to this address , because , i thought , i could oblige you ; worth describes it self in the fairest character . but reflecting upon that delight and satisfaction , that i have received in discoursing with you on such matters ; and knowing that your noble genius is gratisied by such kind of speculations ; i thought , i could not make more suitable payment for my content , or better acknowledge the favour i receive in your acquaintance , then by presenting you a discourse about prae-existence ; and giving you a peculiar interest in it , as you have in its author . not that i would suggest , that you are a favourer of any strange opinions , or hold any thing in this particular , or any other , that is sit to be discountenanc'd . but i know you love to be dealing in high and generous theories , even where your self are a dissenter , nor is it the least evidence of the greatness and heroick nobleness of your spirit ; that amidst the slowing aboundance of the world's blessings , with which you are encircled , you can yet dedicate your self to your beloved contemplations , and look upon the furniture and accomplishments of the mind , as better riches , than the largest doals of fortune , and the wealth and revenues of an ample inheritance . andmethinks , while most others at the best , do but use the donatives of providence , you enjoy them . and , by a nobler kind of chymistry , extract from them a pleasure , that is not to be met with in all the trivial sports of empty gallantry . to be reveiwing the recesses of nature , and the beauteous inside of the vniverse , is a more manly , yea angelick felicity , than the highest gratifications of the senses ; an happiness , that is common to the youthful epicure , with his hounds and horses ; yea , your ends are more august and generous , then to terminate in the private pleasure you take , even in those philosophical researches ; for you are meditating a more general good in those careful and profound inquiries you are making into animals , and other concerning affairs of nature , which i hope , one day the world will be advantag'd by . but i must not ingage in an encomium , in which i cannot be just , but i must be troublesome . for your modesty is no more able to bear it , then my pen can reach . wherefore i shall dismiss your eyes from this tiresome attendance ; and only beg , that you would assure your self that no man is more your servant , then the authour of lux orientalis : the preface . it is none of the least commendable indulgences of our church , that she allows us a latitude of judging in points of speculation ; and ties not up mens consciences to an implicite assenting to opinions , not necessary or fundamental ; which favourable and kind permission , is questionless a great obligation upon the ingenuous , submissively to receive and observe her pious appointments for peace and order . nor is there less reason in this parental indulgence , than there is of christian charity and prudence ; since to tie all others up to our opinions , and to impose difficult and disputable matters under the notion of confessions of faith , and fundamentals of religion , is a most unchristian piece of tyranny , the foundation of persecution , and very root of antichristianisme . so that i have often wondred , that those that heretofore would have forced all men to a compliance with their darling notions , and would have made a prey of them , that could not bow down before the idol of their new-framed orthodoxy ; should yet have the face to object persecution and unchristian tyranny to our church appointments ; when themselves lie under a deep and crimson guilt of those very same miscarriages , which they endeavour to affix upon those more innocent constitutions . for is it not a far more blameable and obnoxious imposition to frame systems of disputable opinions , and to require their admittance into our creeds , in the place of the most sacred , necessary , and fundamental verities ; than it is to appoint some harmless orders of circumstance and ceremony , which in themselves are indifferent and innocent ? and let any equal man be judge , which is the greater superstition , either to idolize and place religion in things of dispute and meer opinions ; or conscientiously to observe the sanctions of that authority we are bound to obey . but how all those ill applyed reproaches of the church of england , recoyl upon those that discharge them , i have fully proved in a discourse on this subject , which in its due time may see the light. but for the present i go on with what i was about ; therefore i say , 't is a most commendable excellency in our ecclesiastical constitutions ; which with all due regard ought to be acknowledged ; that they lay stress on few matters of opinion , but such as are of important concernment , or very meridian truths . which i mention not to this purpose , as if men might therefore indulge themselves in what conceits and dangerous opinions soever their phancies might give birth to , ( this were an unpardonable abuse of that noble and ingenuous liberty that is afforded us ; ) but that they might see the beauty of those well temper'd constitutions ; and that the mouth of obloquy might be stopped that slanders our church , as if it yielded no scope at all for free inquiry ; when i dare say there is not a church in christendome , that in this regard is less taxable . as for the opinion of praeexistence , the subject of the following papers , it was never determined against by ours , nor any other church , that i know of ; and therefore i conceive is left as a matter of school speculation , which without danger may be problematically argued on either hand . and i have so great confidence in all true sons of our common mother , to think , that they will not fix any harsh and severe censures , upon the innocent speculations of those , though possibly they may be errours , who own the authority , articles , canons , and constitutions of that church which they are so deservedly zealous for . therefore let me here premonish once for all , that i intend no innovation in religion , or disturbance of our established and received doctrines , by any thing i have undertaken in this little treatise ; but only an innocent representation of an antient and probable opinion , which i conceive , may contribute somewhat towards the clearing and vindicating the divine attributes , and so representing the ever blessed deity , as a more fit object of love and adoration , than the opinions of the world make him . and what ever may be thought of the thing it self , or the manage of this affair , i 'm sure the end and design is concerning and important , and deserves at least a favourable construction of the undertaking . for there is nothing more for the interest of religion , than that god be represented to his creatures as amiable and lovely , which cannot be better done , than by clearing up his providences and dealings with the sons of men , and discovering them to be full of equity , sweetness and benignity ; so that though i should be mistaken in the opinion which i endeavour to recommend , yet i expect the candour of the ingenuous , being betray'd into an errour , if it be one , by so pardonable an occasion . if it be excepted against this undertaking , that the doctrine of pr●eexistence hath in a late discourse been purposely handled ; besides what the learned dr. more hath written of it ; and therefore that this labour may seem a superfluous , unnecessary repetition : i answer , that that very treatise , viz. the account of origen , made some such thing as this expedient . for though the proof and management of this affair be there unexceptionable , as far as the author is by his design ingaged ; yet , he being confined to the reasons of origen , and to the answering such objections , as the fathers urged against him ; hath not so fully stated and cleared the business , but that there was room for afterundertakers . and 't is a great disinterest to so strange and unusual a doctrine as this , to be but partially handled : since so long , it will not be understood , and consequently be but exposed to contempt and ignominy . nor can we hope that the world will be so favourable to a paradox , or take so much pains for the understanding of that which they think a gross absurdity , as to collect those principles that are scatter'd up and down the writings of that great and excellent restorer of the platonick cabbala , and accommodate them to the interest of this opinion . so that i thought that till the reasons , answers , principles , and particular state of the hypothesis were brought all together , to talk of praeexistence in earnest were but to make a mans self ridiculous , and the doctrine , the common ludibrium of fools and ignorants . and yet i must confess my self to be so much a contemner of the half-witted censurers of things they know not , that this reason alone could not have moved my pen the breadth of a letter ; but some ingenious friends of mine , who were willing to do their maker right , in a due apprehension of his attributes and providences , having read the letter of resolution , and thence being induced to think favourably of prae-existence , were yet not fully satisfied in the proof , nor able to give stop to those objections , which their imperfect knowledge of the hypothesis occasioned ; wherefore they desired me to draw up a more full and particular account of that doctrine , which they had now a kindness for , and which wanted nothing more to recommend it to them , but a clear and full representation . for their satisfaction then , i drew up the following discourse , intending at first , that it should go no further than their hands , whose interest in mine affections had commanded it ; but they being more than i could well pleasure with written copies , and perceiving others of my acquaintance also , to whom i owe regard and service , to be in the like condition with these ; i was induced to let this little trisle tread a more publick stage ; and to speak my mind to them from the press . if further reason be expected for mine undertaking a business in which others have been ingaged , i would desire them to consider what an infinite of books are written upon almost all subjects can be named . and i am confident , if they turn o're libraries , they 'l find no theam , that is of any consideration , less traced than this is . so that no body hath reason to call it a crambe , who considers , that there are multitudes , even of scholars that have never seen or heard of any thing of this nature ; and there is not , that i know of , any one book extant in any language besides this , that purposely , solely , and fully treats of praeexistence . wherefore who ever condemns this as a superfluous ingagement , if he will be just , must pass the same censure upon well nigh every discourse the press is deliver'd of ; for hee 'l meet with few written on less handled subjects . i might urge also if there were need on 't , that various representations of the same thing , fit the variety of phancies and gusts of perusers ; and that may have force and prevalence to perswade in one , which signifies nothing in another . but 't is enough ; he that will judge me on this account , must pass the same award on every sermon he hears , and every book he looks on ; and such a censure will do me as little hurt , as him good , that passeth it . besides this exception , 't is not unlikely that some may object , that i use arguments that have already been pleaded in behalf of this opinion ; which rightly understood , is no matter of disrepute ; since every one else doth it that deals in a subject formerly written of . and i would have him that commenceth such a charge against me , to consult divers authours who have handled the same subject ; and if he find not the same arguments and reasons infinitely repeated every where , let him call me plagiary , and spare not . 't is true therefore i have not baulk't the reasons of origen , dr. more , or the authour of the letter of resolution , because they had been used already ; but freely own the assistance of those worthy authours ; however i think i have so managed , fortified , and secured them against exceptions , especially the most considerable , that i may reasonably expect a pardon , yea and an interest in them also . for 't is the backing of an argument that gives it force and efficacy ; which i have done to the most weighty of them , at my proper cost and charges . nor should i have been faithful to my cause , had i omitted any thing that i thought confirm'd it , upon any pretence whatever ; since possibly this discourse may fall into the hands of some , who never met with those other authors . and my design being a full proof , defence , and explication of praeexistence , it had been an unpardonable defect to have pretermitted those weighty reasons by which its learned assertors have inforced it . if any yet should criminate me ( as i know some did the account of origen , ) for using many of the same words , and some of the same phrases and expressions , that those others , who have writ about those matters , have made use of ; i am not very careful to answer them in this matter ; and i doubt this engagement against those little scruples , will but seem importune to the judicious . for no body blames the frequent usage of words of art ; or those which the first masters or restorers of any doctrine have been wont to express their notions by ; since that such words and expressions are best understood , as have by custome , or the authority of some great authors , been appropriated to such doctrines , as they have imployed them in the service of . and should every man that writes on any subject , be obliged to invent a-new , all the terms he hath need of , and industriously to shun those proper expressive words and phrases that are fitted to his hands , and the business he is about ; all things will be fill'd with impertinency , darkness and confusion . it must be acknowledged then , that most of the peculiar words and phrases that either i , or any body else that will speak properly and intelligibly in this matter , make use of , are borrowed from the judicious and elegent contriver of them , the profound restorer and refiner of almost-extinct platonism : whose invention hath been so happy in this kind , that it hath served up those notions in the most apposite , significant , comprehensive and expressive words that could well be thought of . wherefore 't were an humoursome piece of folly for any man that deals in these matters , industriously to avoid such termes and expressions as are so adapted and fitted to this purpose , and so well known among those that are acquainted with this way of learning ; when without vanity he could not think to be better furnish't from his own phancy . if in the following papers i have used any expressions of others , which these considerations will not warrant ; i must beg pardon for my memory , which doth not use to be so serviceable . and where i writ this discourse , i had not one of my books within my reach , that treated of this , or indeed any other subject . nor am i at leasure now to examine them and this , to see whether i can find any such coincidences ; which a mans phancy dealing frequently in such matters , might insensibly occasion . if any there be , let those that find them out , pardon them , as the slips of a too officious imagination ; or however else they treat them , they shall not much displease the author . and now that this discourse may pass with less controul among those that shall light on it , i find my self ingag'd to speak a little to a double sort of readers , who are like to be offended at my design , and averse to the doctrine asserted in these papers . and ( ) some will boggle at praeexistence , and be afraid to entertain it , upon an apprehension that the admission of this opinion will disorder and change the frame of orthodox divinity ; which , were there cause for such a jealousie , were but a commendable caution ; but there 's hope this may prove but a panick fear , or such a needless terrour as surpriseth children in the dark , when they take their best friends for some bug-bear that would carry them away , or hurt them . for 't is but supposing ( as i have somewhere intimated in the discourse it self ) that god created all souls together as he did the angels ; that some of them sinned and fell with the other apostate spirits ; and for their disobedience were thrust into a state of silence and insensibility ; that the divine goodness so provided for them , that they should act a part again in terrestrial bodies , when they should fitly be prepared for them ; and that adam was set up as our great protoplast and representative , who , had he continued in innocence and integrity , we had then been sharers in that happiness which he at first was instated in ; but by his unhappy defection and disobedience we lost it ; and became thus miserable in our new life in these earthly bodies . i say the doctrine of prae-existence thus stated , is , in nothing that i know of , an enemy to common theology : all things hence proceeding as in our ordinary systems ; with this only difference , that this hypothesis clears the divine attributes from any shadow of harshness , or breach of equity , since it supposeth us to have sinned and deserved all the misery we suffer in this condition before we came hither : whereas the other which teacheth , that we became both guilty and miserable by the single and sole offence of adam , whenas we were not then in being , or as to our souls , as much as potentially in our great progenitour ; bears somewhat hardly upon the repute of the divine perfections . so that if the wary reader be afraid to venture upon the hypothesis , that i have drawn up at the end , ( which , i confess , i would not give him the least incouragement to meddle with ) yet without danger he may admit of praeexistence as accommodated to the orthodox doctrine . nor should i indeed have medled with the other scheme , which is built upon the principles of meer reason and philosophy ; but that those friends who drew the rest of the discour●e from me , ingag'd me to give them an account of the philosophical hypothesis . in which , i know , i have not in every particular , followed the mind of the masters of the origenian cabbala ; but kept my self to the conduct of those principles , that i judged most rational ; though indeed the things wherein i differ , are very few and inconsiderable . however for that reason i thought fit to intitle no body to the hypothesis that i have made a draught of , lest i should have affix't on any one , what he would not have owned . but for the main , those that understand it , know the fountain ; and for others , 't is no great matter if they be ignorant . now if any one judge me to be a proselyte to those opinions , because i call them not all to nought , or damn not those , that have a favour for them ; i know not how to avoid the doom of their severe displeasure ; having said as much in the place where i treat of those matters , to purge my self of such a suspicion , as i thought necessary to clear me , in the opinion of any competently ingenuous . as for others , let me say what i can , i shall be what their wisdoms think fit to call me ; and let that be what it will , i am very well content to bear it . i 'le only add , to take off the ground of this uncharitable jealousie , that among the favourers of praeexistence , i know none that are adherers to those opinions ; and therefore for me to have declaim'd against any , on this account , had been a piece of knight-errantry ; and those dons that do so make gyants of the wind-mills of their own imaginations . but , ( ) there are another sort of readers that i have a word to say to , who contemn and laugh at every thing that their narrow noddles comprehend not . this , i confess , is a good easie way of confutation , and if we may take every fool's smile for a demonstration , praeexistence will be routed . but the best on 't is , to call things by their right names , this is but a vulgar , childish humour arising from nothing but a fond doating on the opinions we were first instructed in . for having made those the standard of truth and solidity , these prepossest discerners presently conclude every thing that is a stranger to their ears and understandings , and of another stamp from their education-receptions , ●alse and ridiculous ; just like the common people , who judging all customs and fashions by their own , account those of other nations absurd and barbarous . 't is well for those smiling co●●uters , that they were not bred in mahumetism , for then without doubt they would have made sport of christianity . but since they are so disposed , let them laugh at the opinion i have undertaken for , till they understand it ; i know who in the judgment of wise men will prove ridiculous . it was from this very principle that the most considerable truths , that ever the world was acquainted with , were to the jews , a stumbling block , and to the greeks , foolishness ; and 't was such a spirit as reigns in these children of self-con●idence , that call'd s. paul a babbler . and methinks till these narrow-scull'd people could boast themselves infallible , and all their opinions , an unerring canon , common modesty and civility should teach them better manners , than at first dash to judge that a ridiculous absurdity , which the greatest and wisest sages , that inlightned the antient world , accounted so sound and probable a conclusion . especially it being a matter not determin'd against , but rather countenanc't in scripture , as will appear hereafter . but opinionative ignorance is very weak and immoral . and till those slight and vulgar discerners have learn't that first principle of true wisdom , to judge nothing till they throughly understand it , and have weighed it in the ballance of impartial reason ; 't is to no purpose to spend ones breath upon them . the contents of lvx orientalis . chap. . the opinions proposed concerning the original of souls . pag. chap. . daily creation of souls is inconsistent with the divine attributes . pag. chap. . ( ) traduction of souls is impossible , the reason for it weak and frivolous ; the proposal of praeexistence . pag. chap. . ( ) praeexistence cannot be disproved . scripture saith nothing against it : it 's silence is no prejudice to this doctrine , but rather an argument for it , as the case standeth . praeexistence was the common opinion of our saviour's times . how , probably , it came to be lost in the christian church . pag. chap. . reasons against praeexistence answered . our forgetting the former state is no argument to disprove it : nor are the other reasons that can be produc'd , more conclusive . the proof of the possibility of praeexistence were enough , all other hypotheses being absurd and contradictious . but it is prov'd also by positive arguments . pag. chap. . a second argument for praeexistence drawn from the consideration of the divine goodness , which alwayes doth what is best . pag. chap. . the first evasion , that god acts freely , and his meer will is reason enough for his doing , or forbearing any thing , overthrown by four considerations , some incident evasions , viz. that gods wisdom , or his glory , may be contrary to this display of his goodness , in our being made of old , clearly taken off . pag. chap. . a second general evasion , viz. that our reasons cannot tell what god should do , or what is best , overthrown by several considerations . as is also a third , viz. that by the same argument god would have been obliged to have made us impeccable , and not liable to misery . pag. chap. . a fourth objection against the argument from gods goodness , viz. that it will conclude as well that the world is infinite and eternal , answered . the conclusion of the second argument for praeexistence . pag. chap. . a third argument for praeexistence , from the great variety of mens speculative inclinations ; and also the diversity of our genius's , copiously urged . if these arguments make praeexistence but probable , 't is enough to gain it the victory . pag. chap. . great caution to be used in alledging scripture for our speculative opinion . the countenance that praeexistence hath from the sacred writings both of the old and new testament ; reasons of the seeming uncouthness of these allegations . praeexistence stood in no need of scripture-proof . pag. chap. . why the author thinks himself obliged to descend to some more particular account of praeexistence . the presumption positively to determine how it was with us of old . the authors design in the hypothesis that follows . pag. chap. . seven pillars on which the particular hypothesis stands . pillar . all the divine designs and actions are laid and carried on by pure and infinite goodness . pag. pillar . there is an exact geometrical justice that runs through the vniverse , and is interwoven in the contexture of things . pag. pillar . things are carried to their proper place and state , by the congruity of their natures ; where this fails , we may suppose some arbitrary managements . pag. pillar . the souls of men are capable of living in other bodies besides terrestrial ; and never act but in some body or other . pag. pillar . the soul in every state hath such a body as is fittest for those faculties and operations that she is most inclined to exercise . pag. pillar . the powers and faculties of the soul are either ( ) spiritual , and intellectual : or ( ) sensitive : or ( ) plastick . pag. pillar . by the same degrees that the higher powers are invigorated , the lower are consopited and abated , as to their proper exercises , and è contra . pag. chap. . a philosophical hypothesis of the souls praeexistence . her aethereal state. the aereal state. pag. the terrestrial state. pag. the next step of descent , or after-state . pag. the conflagration of the earth . pag. the general restitution . pag. the errata correct thus : in lux orientalis . for read pag. . lin . . for * for. pa. . l. . reasons reason . p. . l. . his this . p. . l. . course coarse . in the annotations . pag. . l. . promptus promptos . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . tye lye . p. . l. . plaistick plastick . p. . l. . zoophiton's zoophyton's . p. . l. . unluckly unlucky . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . property properly . p. . l. . doors : for doors for . ibid. l. . properly property . p. . l. . fitted sited . ibid. l. . restore resolve . p. . l. . vigorous rigorous . p. . l. . this humane his humane . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . corporeal incorporeal . p. . l. . alledged alledge . p. . l. . psychopanychites psychopannychites . ibid. l. . to two . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . ante . interiisse ante ●●●●●●sse . p. . l. . nymphs nymph . p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . slawes flawes . p. . l. . sesquealtera sesquialtera . p. . l. . the steady their steady . p. . l. . to those so those . p. . l. . heaven's haven's . lux orientalis . chap. i. the opinions proposed concerning the original of souls . it hath always been found a matter of discouraging difficulty , among those that have busied themselves in such inquiries , to determine the soul 's original . insomuch that after all the contests and disputes that have been about it , many of the wisest inquisitors have concluded it undeterminable : or , if they have sate down in either of the two opinions , viz. of it's immediate creation , or traduction ( which of later ages have been the only competitors ) ; they have been driven to it , rather from the absurdities of the opposite opinion , which they have left ; than drawn by any rational alliciency in that which they have taken to . and indeed , if we do but impartially consider the grand inconveniences which each party urgeth against the others conclusion , it would even tempt one to think , that both are right in their opposition , and neither in their assertion . and since each side so strongly oppugns the other and so weakly defends it self , 't is a shrewd suspicion that they are both mistaken . wherefore if there be a third that can lay any probable claim to the truth , it deserves to be heard to plead its cause ; and , if it be not chargeable with the contradictions or absurdities either of the one or other , to be admitted . now though these later ages have concluded the matter to lie between immediate creation , and seminal traduction ; yet i find that the more antient times have pitcht upon praeexistence , as more likely than either ; for the platonists , pythagoreans , the chaldaean wise men , the jewish rabbins , and some of the most learned and antient fathers were of this opinion . wherefore i think we owe so much at least to the memory of those grave sages , as to examine this doctrine of theirs , and if neither of the later hypotheses can ease our anxious minds , or free themselves from absurdities ; and this grey dogma fairly clear all doubts , and be obnoxious to no such contradictions ; i see no reason but we may give it a favourable admittance , till something else appear more concinnous and rational . therefore let us take some account of what the two first opinions alledge one against another , and how they are proved by their promoters and defendants . now if they be found unable to withstand the shock of one anothers opposition ; we may reasonably cast our eyes upon the third , to see what force it brings to vouch its interest , and how it will behave it self in the encounter . chap. ii. daily creation of souls is inconsistent with the divine attributes . the first of these opinions that offers it self to tryal is , that god daily creates humane souls , which immediately are united unto the bodies that generation hath prepared for them . of this side are our later divines , and the generality of the schoolmen . but not to be born down by authorities , let us consider what reason stands against it . therefore , ( ) if our souls came immediately out of the hands of god when we came first into these bodies , whence then are those enormously brutish inclinations , that strong natural proclivity to vice and impiety , that are exstant in the children of men ? all the works of god bear his image , and are perfect in their kind . purity is his nature , and what comes from him , proportionably to its capacity partakes of his perfections . every thing in the natural world bears the superscription of his wisdom and goodness ; and the same fountain cannot send forth sweet waters and bitter . therefore 't is a part of our allegiance to our maker to believe , * that he made us pure and innocent , and if we were but just then framed by him when we were united with these terrestrial bodies , whence should we contract such degenerate propensions ? some tell us , that this impurity was immediately derived from the bodies we are united to ; but , how is it possible , that purely passive insensible matter should transfuse habits or inclinations into a nature that is quite of another make and quality ? how can such a cause produce an effect so disproportionate ? * matter can do nothing but by motion , and what relation hath that to a moral contagion ? how can a body that is neither capable of sense nor sin , infect a soul , as soon as 't is united to it , with such vitious debauched dispositions ? but others think to evade by saying , that we have not these depravities in our natures , but contract them by custome , education , and evil usages . how then comes it about , that those that have had the same care and industry used upon them , and have been nurtured under the same discipline and severe oversight , do so vastly and even to wonder differ in their inclinations ? * how is it that those that are under continual temptations to vice , are yet kept within the bounds of vertue , and sobriety ? and yet that others , that have strong motives and allurements to the contrary , should violently break out into all kinds of extravagance and impiety ? sure , there is somewhat more in the matter than those general causes , which may be common to both ; and which many times have quite contrary effects . ( . ) this hypothesis , that god continually creates humane souls in these bodies , consists not with the honour of the divine attributes . for , ( . ) how stands it with the goodness and benignity of that god , who is love , to put pure and immaculate spirits , who were capable of living to him and with him , into such bodies as will presently defile them , deface his image , pervert all their powers and faculties , incline them to hate what he most loves , and love what his soul hateth ; and that , without any knowledge or concurrence of theirs , will quite marre them as soon as he hath made them , and of dear children , render them rebels or enemies , and in a moment from being like angels transform them into the perfect resemblance of the first apostates , devils ? is this an effect of those tender mercies that are over all his works ? and ( . ) hath that wisdom that hath made all things to operate according to their natures , and provided them with whatever is necessary to that end , made myriads of noble spirits capable of as noble operations , and presently plunged them into such a condition wherein they cannot act at all according to their first and proper dispositions , but shall be necessitated to the quite contrary ; and have other noxious and depraved inclinations fatally imposed upon their pure natures ? doth that wisdom , that hath made all things in number , weight , and measure , and disposed them in such exact harmony and proportions use to act so ineptly ? and that in the best and noblest pieces of his creation ? doth it use to make and presently destroy ? to frame one thing and give it such or such a nature , and then undo what he had done , and make it another ? and if there be no such irregular methods used in the framing of inferiour creatures , what reason have we to suspect that the divine wisdom did so vary from its self in its noblest composures ? and ( ) , is it not a great affront to the divine j●stice , to suppose , as we are commonly taught , that as●oon as we are born , yea , and in the womb , we are obnoxious to eternal wrath and torments , if our souls are then immediately created out of nothing ? for , to be just is to give every one his due ; and how can endless unsupportable punishments be due to innocent spirits , who but the last moment came righteous , pure , and immaculate out of their creators hands ; and have not done or thought any thing since , contrary to his will or laws , nor were in any the least capacity of sinning ? i , but the first of our order , our general head and representative , sinned , and we in him ; thus we contract guilt as soon as we have a being , and are lyable to the punishment of his disobedience . this is thought to solve all , and to clear god from any shadow of unrighteousness . but whatever truth there is in the thing it self , i think it cannot stand upon the hypothesis of the souls immediate creation , nor yet justifie god in his proceedings . for , ( . ) if i was then newly created when first in this body ; what was adam to me , who sinned above years before i came out of nothing ? if he represented me , it must be as i was in his loins , that is , in him as an effect in a cause . but so i was not , according to this doctrine ; for my soul owns no father but god , its immediate progenitour . and what am i concern'd then in his sins , which had never my will or consent , more than in the sins of mahom●t , or julius caesar ? nay , than in the sins of beelzebub or lucifer ? and for my body , 't is most likely , that never an atom of his , ever came at me ; or , if any did , he was no cause on 't . besides , that of it self is neither capable of sense , sin , guilt , nor punishment : or , ( . ) admitting that we become thus obnoxious assoon as in the body , upon the account of his default , how doth it comport with the divine justice , in one moment to make such excellent creatures , and in the next to render them so miserable , by thrusting them into a condition , so fatally obnoxious ; especially since they were capable of living and acting in bodies more perfect , and more accommodate to their new undefiled natures ? certainly , could they have been put to their choice whether they would have come into being upon such termes , they would rather have been nothing for ever . and god doth not use to make his creatures so , as that , without their own fault , they shall have cause to unwish themselves . hitherto in this second general argument i have dealt against those that believe and ass●rt the original depravity of our natures : which those that deny , may think themselves not pin●●'t by or concern'd in ; since they think they do no such dishonour to the divine attributes , while they assert , that we were not made in so deplorable and depraved a condition , but have so made our selves by our voluntary aberrations . but neither is this a fit plaister for the sore , supposing our souls to be immediately created and so sent into these bodies . for still it seems to be a diminutive and disparaging apprehen●ion of the infinite and immense goodness of god , that he should detrude such excellent creatures as our souls into a state so hazardous , * wherein he seeth it to be ten thousand to one , but that they will corrupt and defile themselves , and so make themselves miserable here , and to eternity hereafter . and certainly , be we as indifferent naturally to good and evil as can be supposed ; yet great are the disadvantages to virtue that all men unavoidably meet with , in this state of imperfection . for considering , that our infant and growing age is an age of sense , in which our appetites , and passions are very strong , and our reasons weak , and scarce any thing but a chain of imaginations , 't is i say great odds , but that we should be carried to inordinacy , and exceed the bounds the divine laws have set us . so that our lower powers of sense and passions using to have the head , will grow strong and impetuous , and thus 't is an hundred to one but we shall be rooted in vice , before we come to the maturity of our reasons , or are capable of the exercise of virtue . and woful experience teacheth us , that most men run so far before they consider whither they are a-going , that the care and diligence of all their lives after , will scarce reclaim them . besides , the far greatest part of the world are led into wickedness and all kinds of debauchery , by corrupt and vitious education . and 't is not difficult to observe what an enormous strength , bad education hath to deprave and pervert well dispos'd inclinations . which things consider'd , this way also methinks reflects a disparagement on the divine attributes : since by creating souls daily and putting them into such bodies , and such parts of the world as his infinite wisdom sees will debauch them , and pervert them from the ways of righteousness and happiness , into those of vice and misery ; he deals with them less mercifully than a parent among us would with his off-spring . and to suppose god to have less goodness than his degenerate creatures , is to have very narrow apprehensions of his perfections , and to rob him of the honour due to his attributes . ( ) it hath been urged with good probability by great and wise sages , that 't is an unbecoming apprehension of the majesty on high , * to suppose him assistant to unlawful and unclean coitions , by creating a soul to animate the impure foetus . and to think , it is in the power of brutish lust to determine omvipotence to create a soul , whensoever a couple of unclean adulterers shall think fit to join in their bestial pleasures ; is methinks to have a very mean apprehension of the divine majesty and purity . this is to make him the worst of servants by supposing him to serve his creature's vices , to wait upon the vilest actions , and to engage the same infinite power that made the world for the perfecting what was begun by dissolute wantons . this argument was used of old by pious and learned origen , and hath been imployed in the same service since , by his modern defendents . but i foresee an evasion or two , that possibly with some may stand for an answer , the removal of which will clear the business . it may be pretended that god's attending to create souls for the supply of such generations , is but an act of his justice , for the detection , and consequently punishment , of such lawless offenders ; which therefore will be no more matter of disparagement than the waiting of an officer of justice to discover and apprehend a malefactour . but this subterfuge cannot elude the force of the argument , for it hath no place at all in most adulteries ; yea great injustice and injury is done many times by such illegitimate births ; the child of a stranger being by this means admitted to carry away the inheritance from the lawful off-spring . besides , god useth not ordinarily to put forth his almighty power to discover secret miscarriages , except sometimes for very remarkable and momentous ends , but leaves hidden iniquities to be the objects of his own castigations . and if discovery of the fault be the main end of such creations , * methinks that might be done at a cheaper rate , that should not have brought so much inconvenience with it , or have exposed his own innocent and harmless off-spring to undeserv'd reproach and infamy . but further it may be suggested , that it is no more indecent for god to create souls to furnish those unlawful generations , than it is that a man should be nourisht by meat that he hath unlawfully come by , or that the cattle which he hath stoln should ingender with his own . but the difference of these instances from the case in hand is easily discernable ; in that the nourishment and productions spoken of , proceed in a set orderly way of natural causes , which work fatally and necessarily without respect to moral circumstances ; and there is no reason , it should be in the power of a sinful creature to engage his maker to pervert or stop the course of nature , when he pleaseth . but in the case of creating souls , god is supposed to act by explicite and immediate will , the suspending of which , in such a case as this , is far different in point of credit and decorum , from his altering the setled laws he hath set in the creation , and turning the world upside down . i might further add ( ly ) , that * it seems very incongruous and unhandsome to suppose , that god should create two souls for the supply of one monstrous body . and of such prodigious productions there is mention in history . that 's a remarkable instance in sennertus , of a monster born at emmaus with two hearts , and two heads ; the diversity of whose appetites , perceptions , and affections , testified that it had two souls within that bi-partite habitation . now , to conceive the most wise maker and contriver of all things , immediately to create two souls , for a single body , rather than suffer that super-plus of matter which constitutes the monstrous excrescence to prove effoete & inanimate , is methinks a derogatory apprehension of his wisdom , and supposeth him to act more ineptly in the great and immediate instances of his power , than in the ordinary course of nature about less noble and accurate productions . or , if it be pretended , that souls were sent into them while the bodies were yet distinct , but that afterwards they grew into one : this , i say , will not heal the breach that this hypothesis makes upon the divine wisdom ; it tacitely reflecting a shameful oversight upon omniscience , that he should not be aware of the future coalescence of these bodies into one , when he made souls for them ; or at least , 't is to suppose him , knowingly to act i●eptly . besides , that the rational soul is not created till the body , as to the main stroaks of it at least , is framed , is the general opinion of the assertors of daily creation ; so that then there is no room for this evasion . and now one would think that an opinion so very obnoxious , and so lyable to such grand inconveniences , should not be admitted but upon most pressing reasons and ineludible demonstrations . and yet there is not an argument that i ever heard of from reason to inforce it , but only such as are brought : from the impossibility of the way of traduction ; which indeed is chargeable with as great absurdities , as that we have been discoursing of . 't is true , several scriptures are prest for the service of the cause ; but i doubt much against their intent and inclination . general testimonies there are to prove that god is the father and creator of souls , which is equally true , whether we suppose it made just as it is united to these bodies , or did praeexist , and was before them ; but that it is just then created out of nothing when first it comes into these earthly bodies , i know not a word in the inspired writings that speaks it . for that saying of our saviour , my father worketh hitherto , and i work , is by the most judicious understood of the works of preservation and providence : those of creation being concluded within the first hebdomade , accordingly as is exprest in the history , * that god on the seventh day rested from all his works . nor can there an instance be given of any thing created since , or is there any pretended , but that which hath been the subject of our inquiry ; which is no inconsiderable presumption , that that was not so neither ; since the divine way of working is not parti-colour or humoursome , but uniform and consonant to the laws of exactest wisdom . so that for us to suppose that god , after the compleating of his creation , and the laws given to all things for their action , and continuance , to be every moment working in a quite other way in one instance of beings , than he doth in all besides ; is methinks a somewhat odd apprehension , especially when no reason urgeth to it , and scripture is silent . for such places as this [ the god of the spirits of all flesh , the father of spirits . the spirit returns to god that gave it . the souls which i have made . we are his off-spring . who formeth the spirit of man within him , and the like ] signifie no more , but that our souls have a nearer relation to god than our bodies , as being his immediate workmanship , made without any creature-interposal , and more especially regarded by him . but to inferr hence , that they were then produced when these bodies were generated , is illogical and inconsequent . so that all that these scriptures will serve for , is only to disprove the doctrine of traduction , but makes not a tittle for the ordinary hypothesis of daily creation against praeexistence . chap. iii. ( ) traduction of souls is impossible , the reasons for it weak and frivolous , the proposal of praeexistence . thus then we have examin'd the ●irst way of stating the soul's original , that of continual creation ; and finding no sure resting place for our inquiry here , we remove to the second , the way of traduction or seminal propagation . and the adherers to this hypothesis are of two sorts , viz. either such as make the soul to be nothing but a purer sort of matter , or of those that confess it wholly spiritual and immaterial . i 'le dispatch the former , briefly strike at the root of their misconceit of the souls production , and shew it cannot be matter , be it as pure as can be conceived . therefore ( ) if the soul be matter , then whatever perceptions or apprehensions it hath , or is capable of , they were l●● in at the senses . and thus the great patron of the hypothesis states it , in his leviathan , and other writings . but now clear , it is that our souls have some conceptions , which they never received from external sense : for there are some congenite implicit principles in us , without which there could be no sensation ▪ * since the images of objects are very small and inconsiderable in our brains , comparatively to the vastness of the things which they represent , and very unlike them in multitudes of other circumstances ; so that 't were impossible we should have the sensible representation of any thing , * were it not that our souls use a kind of geometry , or mathematick inference in judging of external objects by those little hints it finds in material impressions . which art and the principles thereof were never received from sense , but are pre●upposed to all sensible perceptions . * and , were the soul quite void of all such implicit notions , it would remain as senseless as a stone for ever . besides , we find our minds fraught with principles logical , moral , metaphysical , which could never owe their original to sense otherwise , than as it gives us occasions of using them . * for sense teacheth no general propositions , but only affords singulars for induction ; which being an inference , must proceed from an higher principle that owns no such dependence on the senses , as being found i● the mind , and not deriv'd from any thing without . also we find in our selves mathematical notions , and build certain demonstrations on them , which abstract from sense and matter . and therefore never had them from any material power , * but from something more sublime and excellent . but this argument is of too large a consideration to be treated of here , and therefore i content my self with those brief touches , and pass on . ( ) if the soul be matter , 't is impossible it should have the sense of any thing : for either the whole image of the object must be received in one point of this sensitive matter ; a thing absurd at first view , that such variety of distinct and orderly representations should be made at once upon a single atom ; or the whole image is imprest upon every point , and then there would be as many objects as there are points in this matter ; and so every thing would be infinitely multiplied in our del●sive senses . or finally , every part of the soul must receive a proportionable part of the image ; and then , how could those parts communicate their perceptions to each other , and what should perceive the whole ? this argument is excellently managed by the great dr. h. more , in whose writings this fond hypothesis is fully triumpht over , and defeated . since therefore the very lowest degree of perception , single and simple sense , is incompatible to meer body or matter , we may safely conclude , that the higher and nobler operations of imagining , remembring , reasoning , and willing must have a cause and source that is not corporeal . thus therefore those that build the souls traduction upon this ground of its being only body and modified matter , are disappointed in the foundation of their conclusion . but ( ) another sort of assertors of traduction teach the soul to be spiritual and incorporeal , and affirm that by a vertue deriv'd from the first benediction , it can propagate its like ; one soul emitting another as the body doth the matter of generation . the manner of which spiritual production useth to be illustrated by one candle's lighting another ; and a mans begetting a thought in anothers mind , without diminishing of his own . this is the most favourable representation of this opinion , that i can think on . and yet , if we nearly consider it , it will appear most absu●d and unphilosophical . for if one soul produce another , 't is either out of nothing or something praeexistent . if the former , 't is an absolute creation , which all philosophy concludes impossible for a creature . and if it be pretended that the parent doth it not by his proper natural virtue , but by a strength imparted by god in the first blessing , increase and multiply , so that god is the prime agent , he only the instrument : i rejoin , that then either god hath thereby obliged himself to put forth a new and extraordinary power in every such occasion , distinct from his influence in the ordinary ●ourse of nature : or else ( ) he only concurrs by his providence , as he doth to our other natural actions , we having this ability bestowed upon our very natures . he that asserts the first , runs upon all the rocks that he would avoid in the former hypothesis of continual creation , and god will be made the cause of the sin , and misery of his spotless and blameless creatures ; which absurdities he cannot shun by saying , that god , by interposing in such productions , doth but follow the rules of acting , which he first made while man was innocent . for certainly , infinite goodness would never have tyed up it self to such laws of working , as he foresaw would presently bring unavoidable inconvenience , misery , and ruine upon the best part of his workmanship . and for the second way , it supposeth god to have no more to do in this action than in our eating and drinking . consequently , here is a creation purely natural . and methinks , if we have so vast a power to bring the ends of contradictories together , something out of nothing , ( which some deny to omnipotence it self ) 't is much we cannot conserve in being our creature so produced , nor our own intimate selves , since conservation is not more than creation . and 't is much , that in other things we should give such few specimens of so vast an ability ; or , have a power so divine and excellent , and no faculty to discern it by . again , ( ) if the soul be immediately produced out of nothing , be the agent who it will , god or the parent , it will be pure and sinless . for , supposing our parents to be our creators ; they make us but as natural agents , * and so can only transmit their natural qualities , but not their moral pravities . wherefore there can no better account be given from this way how the soul is so debauched and infected assoon as it comes into the body , than in the former , and therefore it fails in the main end it is designed for . thus we see then that the traduction of the soul , supposing it to be produced out of nothing , cannot be defended . nor doth the second general way yield any more relief to this hypothesis . for if it be made of any thing praeexistent , it is either of matter or spirit . the former we have undermined and overthrown already , in what was said against those , that hold it to be body . and if it be made out of any spiritual substance , it must be the soul of the parent , ( except we will revive the old enthusiastick conceit of its being a particle of the divine essence ) which supposition is * against the nature of an immaterial being , a chief property of which , is to be indiscerpible . nor do the similitudes i mentioned in the proposal of the hypothesis , at all fit the business ; for one candle lights another , * by separable emissions that pass from the flame of that which is kindled , to the wick of the other . and flame is a body whose parts are in continual flux , as a river . but the substance of the soul is stable , permanent , and indivisible , which quite makes it another case . and for a mans informing anothers mind with a thought which he had not conceived , it is not a production of any substance , but only an occasioning him to exert an operation of his mind which he did not before . and therefore makes , nothing to the illustrating , how a soul can produce a soul , a substance distinct and without it self : thus we see how desperate the case of the souls original is in the hypothesis of traduction also . but yet to let it have fair play , we 'l give it leave to plead it's cause ; and briefly present what is most material in its behalf . there are but two reasons that i can think of , worth the naming : ( ) a man begets a man , and a man he is not without a soul , therefore 't is pretended that the soul is begotten . but this argument is easily detected of palpable sophistry , and is as if one should argue , a man is mortal , therefore his soul is mortal ; or is fat and lusty , therefore his soul is so . the absurdity of which kinds of reasoning lyes in drawing that into a strict and rigorous affirmation , which is only meant according to vulgar speech , and is true only in some remarkable respect or circumstance . thus we say , a man begets a man because he doth the visible and only sensible part of him ; the vulgar , to whom common speech is accommodate , not taking so much notice of what is past the ken of their senses . and therefore body in ordinary speaking is oft put for person , as here man for the body . sometimes the noblest part is used for the whole , as when 't is said souls went down with jacob into egypt ; therefore such arguments as the asserters of traduction make use of , which are drawn from vulgar schemes of speech , argue nothing but the desperateness of the cause , that needs such pitiful sophistries to recommend it . such are these proofs which yet are some of the best i meet with , the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head ; sixty six souls descended out of jacobs loins ; adam begat a son in his own likeness , and such like . according to this rate of arguing the scripture may be made speak any thing that our humour some phancies please to dictate . and thus to rack the sacred writings , to force them whether they will or no to bring evidence to our opinions , is an affront to their authority , that 's next to the denying on 't . i might add ( ) that begetting also hath a latitude , and in common speech signifies not a strict and philosophical production ; so that a man ●egets a man , though he only generates the body , into which fitly prepared descends a soul . and he that doth that upon which another thing necessarily follows , is said to be the cause of both . ( ) the adherents to traduction use to urge , that , except the whole man , soul and body , be propagated , there is no account can be given of our original desilement . and scripture gives evident testimony to that early pollution ; for we are said to be conceived in sin , and transgressors from the womb. we have already seen that indeed the way of daily creating souls , cannot come off but with vilely aspersing the divine attributes . and it hath been hinted , that neither can traduction solve the business : for if the parent beget the soul out of nothing , it will be as pure and clean as if god himself were it's immediate creator ; for though a clean thing cannot come out of an unclean , when any thing of the substance of the producent is imparted to the effect ; yet where 't is made out of nothing , the reason is very different : yea , the soul in all the powers that ar● concern'd in this production is now as clean and pure as ever 't was ; for it is suppos'd to do it by a capacity given , at its first creation while pure and innocent ; in which respect it is not capable of moral contagion ; this being an ability meerly natural and plastick , and not at all under the imperium or command of the will , the only seat of moral good and evil . or , if our souls are but particles and decerptions of our parents , then i must have been guilty of all the sins that ever were committed by my progenitors ever since adam ; and by this time , my soul would have been so deprav'd and debauch'd , that it would be now brutish , yea diabolical . thus then we see , that even upon this reason , 't is necessary , to pitch upon some other hypothesis , to give an account of the pravity of our natures ; which both these fail in the solution of . and , since the former commits such violence upon the honour of the divine attributes , since the latter is so contrary to the nature of things , and since neither can give any satisfaction in the great affairs of providence and our natures , or have any incouragement from the sacred volume ; 't is i think , very excusable for us to cast our eyes abroad , to see if there be no other way , that may probably unriddle those mysteries , and relieve the minds of anxious and contemplative inquirers . in which search , if we light on any thing that doth sweetly accord with the attributes of god , the nature of things , and unlocks the intricacies of providence ; i think we have found , what the two former opinions aim at , but cannot make good their pretences to ; and may salute the truth with a joyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherefore from the modern disputants , let us look towards the ancient sages , those eastern sophi , that have fill'd the world with the fame of their wisdom ; and since our inquiries are benighted in the west , let us look towards the east , from whence 't is likely the desired light may display it self , and chase away the darkness that covers the face of those theories . therefore it was the opinion of the indian brachmans , the persian magi , the aegyptian gymnosophists , the jewish rabbins , some of the graecian philosophers , and christian fathers , that the souls of men were created all at first ; and at several times and occasions upon forfeiture of their better life and condition , dropt down into these terrestrial bodies . this the learned among the jews made a part of their cabbala , and pretend to have received it from their great law-giver , moses ; which hypothesis , if it appear but probable to an impartial inquiry , will even on that account be preferrible to both the former , which we have seen to be desperate . chap. iv. ( ) praeexistence cannot be disproved . scripture saith nothing against it . it 's silence is no prejudice to this doctrine , but rather an argument for it , as the case standeth . praeexistence was the common opinion of our saviour's times . how , probably , it came to be lost in the christian church . therefore let us see what title it can shew for our assent , or whether it can prove it self worthy of the patronage of those great authors that have owned it . ( ) then , whether this doctrine be true or no ; i 'm confident it cannot be proved false : for if all souls were not made together , it must be , either because god could not do it ; or because he would not . for the first ; i suppose very few have such narrow conceptions of the divine power , as to affirm that omnipotence could not produce all those beings at first , which apart he is suppos'd to create daily ; which implies no contradiction , or as much as difficulty , to be conceived ; and which de facto he hath done in the case of angels . or , if inconsistence with any attribute should be pretended , that shall be prov'd quite otherwise hereafter ; and the amicable consistence of this hypothesis with them , yea , the necessity of it , from this very consideration of the divine attributes , shall be argued in the process . therefore , whoever concludes that god made not all souls of old , when he produced the world out of nothing , must confess the reason of this assertion to be , because he would not . and then i would ask him , how he came to know what he affirms so boldly ? who acquainted him with the divine counsels ? is there a word said in his revealed will to the contrary ? or , hath he by his holy pen-men told us that either of the other ways was more sutable to his beneplaciture ? indeed , 't is very likely that a strong and ready phancy , possest with a perswasion of the falshood of this hypothesis , might find some half phrases in scripture , which he might suborn to sing to the tune of his imagination . for , in such a miscellaneous piece as the bible is , it will not be difficult for a man that 's strongly resolv'd against an opinion , to find somewhat or other that may seem to him to speak the language of his phancy ; and therefore it shall go hard , but that those whom their education or prejudice have engaged against this hypothesis , will light on some obscure pieces of texts , and broken sentences or other , that shall seem to condemn what they disapprove of . but i am securely confident , that there is not a sentence in the sacred volume , from end to end , that ever was intended to teach , that all souls were not made of old ; or that , by a legitimate consequence , would inferr it . and if any there be that seem to look another way , i dare say they are collateral , and were never designed by the divine authors for the purpose they are made to serve , by the enemies of praeexistence . wherefore not to conceal any thing that with the least shew of probability can be pretended from the sacred volume in discountenance of the doctrine of praeexistence , i 'le bring into view whatever i know to have the least face of a testimony to the contrary , in the divine revelations . that so , when it shall appear that the most specious texts that can be alledg'd , have nothing at all in them to disprove the souls praeexistence , we may be secure that god hath not discovered to us in his written will , that 't was not his pleasure to create all souls together . therefore ( . ) , it may be pretended , that the doctrine of praeexistence comports not with that innocence and integrity in which the scripture determines adam to have been made . since it supposeth the descent into these bodies to be a culpable lapse from an higher and better state of life , and this to be a state of incarceration for former delinquencies . to this i answer , ( ) no one can object any thing to purpose against praeexistence from the unconceiveableness of it , until he know the particular frame of the hypothesis , without which , all impugnations relating to the manner of the thing , will be wide of the mark , and but little to the business . therefore , if the objector would have patience to wait till we come to that part of our undertaking , he would find that there was but little ground for such a scruple . but however , to prevent all cavillings , in this place i 'le shew the invalidity of this objection . wherefore , ( ) there is no necessity from the doctrine of praeexistence to suppose adam a delinquent , before his noted transgression in a terrestrial body : for considering , that his body had vast advantages above ours , in point of beauty , purity , and serviceableness to the soul , what harshness is there in conceiving that god might send one of those immaculate spirits that he had made , into such a tenement , that he might be his steward in the affairs of this lower family ; and an overseer , and ruler of those other creatures that he had ordered to have their dwelling upon earth ? i am sure , there is no more contrariety to any of the divine attributes in this supposition , than there is in that , which makes god to have sent a pure spirit , which he had just made , into such a body . yea , ( ) supposing that some souls fell , when the angels did ( which the process of our discourse will shew to be no unreasonable supposition ) this was a merciful provision of our maker , and a generous undertaking for a seraphick and untainted spirit . for by this means , fit and congruous matter is prepared for those souls to reside and act in , who had rendred themselves unfit to live and enjoy themselves in more refined bodies . and so those spirits that had sinned themselves into a state of silence and inactivity , are by this seasonable means , which the divine wisdom and goodness hath contrived for them , put once more into a capacity of acting their parts anew , and coming into play again . now if it seem hard to any to conceive how so noble a spirit in such an advantagious body , should have been imposed upon by so gross a delusion , and submit so impotently to the first temptation ; he may please to consider , that the difficulty is the same , supposing him just then to have been made ; if we grant him but that purity and those great perfections both of will , and understanding , which orthodox theology allows him . yea , again ( ) i might ask , what inconvenience there is in supposing , that adam himself was one of those delinquent souls , * which the divine pity and compassion had thus set up again ; that so , so many of his excellent creatures might not be lost and undone irrecoverably ; but might act anew , though upon a lower stage in the universe ? a due consideration of the infinite foecundity and fulness of the divine goodness will , if not warrant , yet excuse such a supposition . but now if it be demanded , what advantage adam's standing had been to his posterity , had he continued in the state of innocence ; and how sin and misery is brought upon us by his fall , according to this hypothesis ? i answer , that then among many other great priviledges , he had transmitted downwards by way of natural generation that excellent and blessed temper of body ; which should have been like his own happy crasis . so that our apprehensions should have been more large and free , our affections more regular and governable ; and our inclinations to what is good and vertuous , strong and vigorous . for we cannot but observe in this state , how vast an influence the temper of our bodies hath upon our minds ; both in reference to intellectual and moral dispositions . thus , daily experience teacheth us , how that , according to the ebb or flow of certain humours in our bodies , our wits are either more quick , free , and sparkling , or else more obtuse , weak , and sluggish . and we find that there are certain clean and healthy dispositions of body which make us cheerful , and contented ; others on the contrary morose , melancholy , and dogged . and 't is easie to observes how age or sickness sowers , and crabbs our natures . i might instance in almost all other qualities of the mind , which are strangely influenc't and modifyed according to the bodies constitution . but none will deny so plain a truth ; and therefore i forbear to insist further on it . nor need i mention any more advantages ; so many , and such great ones , being consequent upon this . but our great protoplast and representative , falling through his unhappy disobedience , besides the integrity and rectitude of his mind , he lost also that blessed constitution of body , which would have been so great a priviledg to his off-spring : so that it became now corrupt , weak , and indisposed for the nobler exercises of the soul ; and he could transmit no better to us , than himself was owner of . thus we sell in him , and were made miserable by his transgression . we have bodies conveyed to us , which strangely do bewitch and betray us . and thus we all bear about us the marks of the first apostacy . there are other sad effects of his defection , but this may suffice for my present purpose . thus we see how that the derivation of original depravity from adam is as clear in this hypothesis , as can be pretended in either of the other . and upon other accounts it seems to have much the advantage of both of them . as will appear to the unprejudiced in what is further to be discoursed of . finally , therefore , if the urgers of the letter of genesis of either side , against this hypothesis , would but consider , that the souls that descend hither , for their praevarication in another state , lye in a long condition of silence and insensibility , before they appear in terrestrial bodies ; each of them then might , from the doctrine of praeexistence thus stated , gain all the advantages which he supposeth to have by his own opinion , and avoid all those alsurdities which he seeth the other run upon . if the asserters of daily creation think it clear from scripture that god is the father of spirits , and immediate maker of souls , they 'l find the same made good and assented to in this hypothesis . and if they are unwilling to hold any thing contrary to the nature of the soul , which is immortal and indiscerpible , the doctrine of praeexistence amicably closeth with them in this also . and if the patrons of traduction would have a way , how sin and misery may be propagated from our first parent without aspersing the divine attributes , or affirming any thing contrary to the phaenomena of providence , and nature ; this hypothesis will clear the business ; it giving us so fair an account how we all dye in adam , without blotting the wisdom , justice , or goodness , of god , or affirming any thing contrary to the appearances of nature . i have been the longer on this argument , because 't is like to be one main objection ; and we see it is so far from prejudicing , that it is no inconsiderable evidence of the truth of praeexistence . and now , besides this that i have named , i cannot think of any arguments from scripture against this doctrine , considerable enough to excuse a mention of them . however , if the candid reader will pardon the impertinency i 'le present to view what i find most colourable . therefore ( ) , it may be some are so inadvertent as to urge against our souls having been of old , that , sacred writ says we are but of yesterday ; which expression of divine scripture , is questionless to be understood of our appearance on this stage of earth . and is no more an argument against our praeexistence , than that other phrase of his , before i go hence , and be no more , is against our future existence in an other state after the present life is ended . nor will it prove more the business it is brought for , than the expression of rachels weeping for her children because they were not , will inferr , that they were , absolutely nothing . nor can any thing more be made . ( . ) of that place in ecclesiastes , yea , better is he than both they , ( meaning the dead and living ) which hath not yet been ; since , besids that 't is a like scheme of speech with the former , it seems more to favour , than discountenance praeexistence ; for what is absolutely nothing can neither be worse , nor better . moreover , we coming from a state of silence and inactivity when we drop into these bodies , we were before , as if we had not been ; and so there is better ground in this case , for such a manner of speaking , than in meer non-appearance ; which yet scripture phraseth a not being . * and now i cannot think of any place in the sacred volume more that could make a tolerable plea against this hypothesis , of our souls having been before they came into these bodies ; except ( . ) any will draw a negative argument from the history of the creation , concluding that the souls of men were not made of old , because there is no mention there , of any such matter . to which i return briefly , that the same argument concludes against the being of angels , of whose creation there is no more say'd in the first story than of this inferiour rank of spirits , souls . the reason of which silence is commonly taken to be , because moses had here to do with a rude and illiterate people , who had few or no apprehensions of any thing beyond their senses , and therefore he takes notice to them of nothing but what was sensible and of common observation . this reason is given also why minerals were omitted . 't were an easy matter , to shew how the outward cortex , the letter of this history is adapted to mean and vulgar apprehensions , whose narrowness renders them incapable of sublimer speculations . but that being more than needs for our present purpose , i shall forbear to speak further of it . i might ( ) further add , that great and learned interpreters tell us , that all sorts of spirits , angels , and souls are symbollically meant by the creation of heaven , and light . and , if it were directly in the way of our present business , it might be made appear to be no improbable conjecture . but i referr him that is curious in this particular to the great restorer of the antient cabbala , the learned dr. h. more in his conjectura cabbalistica . and now from the consideration of the silence of the first history , we descend to the last and most likely to be urged scruple , which is to this purpose . ( . ) we are not to step beyond the divine revalations , and since god hath made known no such doctrine as this , of the souls praeexistence any where in his word , we may reasonably deny it , or at least have no ground to imbrace it . this is the most important objection of all the rest , and most likely to prepossess timorous and wary inquirers against this hypothesis ; wherefore i conceive that a full answer to this doubt , will prevent many scrupulous haesitations , and make way for an unprejudic'd hearing of what i have further to alledge in the behalf of this opinion . and ( . ) i wish that those that urge scripture silence to disprove praeexistence would consider , how silent it is both in the case of daily creation , and traduction ; we have seen already that there is nothing in sacred writ to warrant either , but only such generals from which the respective patrons of either doctrine would inferr their own conclusion , though indeed they all of them with better right and congruity prove praeexistence . ( . ) i suppose those that argue from scripture-silence in such cases mistake the design of scripture , which is not to determine points of speculation , but to be a rule of life and manners . nor doth it otherwise design the teaching of doctrinals , than as they have a tendency to promote the divine life , righteousness and holiness . it was never intended by it's inspired authors to fill our heads with notions , but to regulate our disorderly appetites and affections , and to direct us the way to a nobler happiness . therefore those that look for a systeme of opinions in those otherways-designed writings , do like him that should see for a body of natural philosophy , in epictetus his morals , or seneca's epistles . ( . ) christ and his apostles spoke and writ as the condition of the persons with whom they dealt administred occasion , as as did also the other pen-men . therefore doubtless there were many noble theories which they could have made the world acquainted with , which yet for want of a fit occasion to draw them forth were never upon record . and we know , sew speculative truths are deliver'ed in scripture , but such as were called forth by the controversies of those times : and praeexistence was none of them , it being the constant opinion of the jews , as appears by that question , master , was it for this man's sin or his fathers , that he was born blind , which supposeth it of the disciples also . wherefore ( . ) there was little need of more teaching of that , which those times were sufficiently instructed in : and indeed , as the case stands , if scripture-silence be argumentative , 't wil be for the advantage of praeexistence ; since it being the then common opinion , and the disciples themselves being of that belief , 't is very likely , had it been an errour , that our saviour or his apostles would have witnest against it . but there being not a word let fall from them in disapproval of that opinon , though sometimes occasions were administred ( as by the question of the disciples , and some other occurrences ) 't is a good presumption of the soundness of it . now that praeexistence was the common opinion of the jews , in those times might be made good with full and convictive evidence , were it worth our labour to insist much upon this inquiry ; but this being only a by-consideration , a brief touch of it will suffice us . one of the great rabbins therefore , * mr. ben israel in his problems de creatione , assures us , that praeexistence was the common belief of all wise men among the jews , without exception . and the author of the book of wisdom , who certainly was a jew , probably philo , plainly supposeth the same doctrine in that speech , for i was a witty child , and had a good spirit , wherefore the rather being good , i came into a body undefiled . as also did the disciples in their foremention'd question to our saviour ; for except they supposed , that he might have sinned before he was born , the question had been sensless and impertinent . again , when christ askt them , whom men said he was they answered , that some said john the baptist , others elias , others jeremias or one of the prophets , which sayings of theirs suppose their belief of a metempsychosis and consequently of praeexistence . these , one would think , were very proper occasions for our saviour to have rectified his mistaken followers , had their supposition been an errour , as he was wont to do in cases not more considerable . therefore if the enemies of praeexistence will needs urge scriptures supposed silence against it ; they have no reason to take it amiss if i shew them how their argument recoyls upon themselves , and destroy their own cause , instead of their adversaries . ( . ) besides , there were doubtless many doctrines entertain'd by the apostles and the more learned of their followers , which were disproportion'd to the capacities of the generality , who hold but little theory . there was strong meat for the more grown and manly christians , as well as milk for babes , and weaker constitutions . now scripture was designed for the benefit of the most , and they could little understand , and less make use of a speculation so remote from common conceit , as praeexistence . among us , wise men count it not so proper to deal forth deep and mysterious points in divinity to common and promiscuous auditories . wherefore the apostles and others of their more improv'd and capable disciples might have had such a doctrine among them , though it were never expresly defined in their publick writings . and the learned origen and some other of the antients affirm that praeexistence was a cabbala which was handed down from the apostolick ages , to their times ; and we know those were early , and had therefore better advantages of knowing the certainty of such a tradition , than we at so vast a distance . nor need any wonder how it came at length to be lost , or at least kept but among a few , who considers the grossness of succeeding ages , when such multitudes could swallow the dull and course anthropomorphite doctrines ; much less , if he reflects upon that black night of barbarick ignorance which spread it self over this western world , upon the incursion of those rude and unciviliz'd nations that ' ore-ran the empire : out of which darkness , 't was the work of some centuries to recover the then obscured region of civility and letters . moreover , it would allay the admiration of any one inquisitive in such researches , when he shall have taken notice of the starting up and prevailing of school-divinity in the world , which was but aristotles philosophy theologiz'd . and we know that philosophy had the luck to swim in the general esteem and credit , when platonism and the more antient wisdom , a branch of which , praeexistence was , were almost quite sunk and buried . so that a theology being now made , out of aristotelian principles , 't is no wonder that praeexistence was left out , nothing being supposed to have been said of it , by the great author of that philosophy ; and his admiring sectators were loath to borrow so considerable a theory , from their masters neglected rival , plato . but ( ) at once to remove this stone of offence out of the way , i think scripture is not so silent in this matter as is imagin'd . and i 'm confident , more can be said from those divine writings in behalf of praeexistence , than for many opinions , that it's opposers are very fond of , and think to be there evidently asserted . and had this been a commonly received doctrine , and mens wits as much exercised for the defence on 't , as they have been for the common dogmata , i nothing doubt , but that scriptures would have been heaped up in abundance for it's justification , and it would have been thought to have been plainly witnest too , in the inspired volume . for , as mens , phancies will readily furnish them with a proof of that , of whose truth they are strongly prepossessed ; so , on the contrary , they 'l be very backward to see any evidence of that which is strange to them , and which hath alwaies been reputed an absurdity . but my scripture-evidence is not so proper for this place , i intending to make it an argument by it self . therefore if the urger of this objection , will but have a little patience till i come so far on the way of my discourse , i hope he may be satisfied that praeexistence is not such a stranger to scripture as he conceits it . chap. v. reasons against praeexistence answered . our forgetting the former state is no argument to disprove it : nor are the other reasons that can be produc'd , more conclusive . the proof of the possibility of praeexistence were enough , all other hypotheses being absurd and contradictious . but it is prov'd also by positive arguments . now therefore to proceed , let us look back upon our progress , and so enter on what remains . we have seen , that god could have created all souls at first had he so pleased , and that he hath revealed nothing in his written will to the contrary . and now if it be found also , that he hath not made it known to our reasons that 't was not his will to do so , we may conclude this first particular , that no one can say , that the doctrine of praeexistence is a falshhood . therefore let us call to account the most momentous reasons that can be laid against it , and we shall find that they all have not weight enough in the least to move so rational and solid an opinion . ( . ) then , 't is likely to be urged , that had we lived and acted in a former state , * we should doubtless have retain'd some remembrance of that condition ; but we having no memory of any thing backwards before our appearance upon this present stage , it will be thought to be a considerable praesumption , that praeexistence is but a phancy . but i would desire such kind of reasoners to tell me , how much they remember of their state and condition in the womb , or of the actions of their first infancy . and i could wish they would consider , that not one passage in an hundred is remembred of their grown and riper age . nor doth there scarce a night pass but we dream of many things which our waking memories can give us no account of ; yea , old age and some kinds of diseases blot out all the images of things past , and even in this state cause a total oblivion . * now if the reasons why we should lose the remembrance of our former life be greater , than are the causes of forgetfulness in the instances we have produced , i think it will be clear , that this argument hath but little force against the opinion we are inquiring into . therefore if we do but reflect upon that long state of silence and inactivity that we emerged from , when we came into these bodies ; and the vast change we under-went by our sinking into this new and unwonted habitation , it will appear to the considerate , that there is greater reason why we should have forgotten our former life , than any thing in this . and if a disease or old age can rase out the memory of past actions , even while we are in one and the same condition of life , certainly so long and deep a swoon as is absolute insensibility and inertness , may much more reasonably be thought to blot out the memory of an other life , whose passages probably were nothing like the transactions of this . and this also might be given as an other reason of our forgetting our former state , since usually things are brought to our remembrance by some like occurrences . but ( . ) some will argue , if this be a state of punishment for former miscarriages , how comes it about then , that 't is a better condition than that we last came from , viz. the state of silence and insensibility ? i answer , that if we look upon our present terrestrial condition as an effect of our defection from the higher life , and in reference to our former happiness lost by our own default , 't is then a misery and a punishment . but if we compare our now-being with the state of inactivity we were delivered from , it may then be called an after-game of the divine goodness , and a mercy . as a malefactor , that is at first put into a dark and disconsolate dungeon , and afterwards is remov'd to a more comfortable and lightsome prison , may acknowledge his remove to be a favour and deliverance compared with the place he was last consined to ; though with respect to his fault and former liberty , even this condition is both a mulct and a misery . it is just thus in the present ca●e , and any one may make the application . but it will be said , ( ) if our souls liv'd in a former state , did they act in bodies , or without them ? the former they 'l say is absurd , and the latter incongruous and unlikely ; since then all the powers the soul hath to exert in a body , would have been idle and to no purpose . but ( ) the most that can be argued from such like objections , is , that we know not the manner of the thing ; and are no arguments against the assertion it self . and were it granted that the paticular state of the soul before it came hither is inconceivable , yet this makes no more against it , than it doth against it's after-condition ; which these very objectors hold to be so , as to the particular modus . but ( ) why is it so absurd that the soul should have actuated another kind of body , before it came into this ? even here 't is immediately united to a purer vehicle , moves and acts the grosser body by it ; and why then might it not in its former and purer state of life have been joyn'd only to such a refined body , which should have been suitable to its own perfection and purity ? i 'me sure , many , if not the most of the antient fathers , thought angels themselves to be embodied , and therefore they reputed not this such a gross absurdity . but an occasion hereafter will draw our pen this way again , and therefore i pass it to a third return to this objection . ( . ) therefore , though it were granted that the soul lived afore-times without a body , what greater incongruity ▪ is there in such a supposition , than that it should live and act after death without any union with matter or any body whatsoever , as the objectors themselves conceive it doth ? but all such objections as these will fly away as mists before the sun , when we shall come particularly to state the hypothesis . and therefore i may be excused from further troubling my self and the reader about them here . especially since , as hath been intimated , they prove nothing at all , but that the objectors cannot conceive what manner of state that of praeexistence was , which is no prejudice to the opinion it self ; that our souls were extant before these earthly bodies . thus then i hope i have clearly enough made good that all souls might have been created from the beginning ; for ought any thing that is made known , either in the scriptures or our reasons to the contrary . * and thereby have removed those prejudices that would have stood in the way of our conclusion . wherefore we may now without controul , from our proof of , that it may be so ; pass on to enquire , whether indeed , it is so ; and see , whether it may as well be asserted , as defended . and truly considering that both the other ways are impossible , and this third not at all unreasonable , it may be thought needless to bring more forces into the field to gain it the victory , after its enemies are quite scattered and defeated . yet however , for the pomp and triumph of truth , though it need not their service , we shall add some positive arguments , whereby it may appear , that not only all other ways are dangerous and unpassable , and this irreproveable ; but also that there is direct evidence enough to prove it solid and rational . and i make my first consideration of this kind , a second argument . chap. vi. a second argument for praeexistence drawn from the consideration of the divine goodness , which always doth what is best . ( ) then , whoever conceives rightly of god , apprehends him to be infinite and immense goodness , who is alwayes shedding abroad of his own exuberant ●ulness : there is no straitness in the deity , no bounds to the ocean of love. now the divine goodness referrs not to himself , as ours extends not unto him . he acts nothing for any self-accomplishment , being essentially and absolutely compleat and perfect . but the object and term of his goodness is his creatures good and happiness , in their respective capacities . he is that infinite fountain that is continually overflowing ; and can no more cease to shed his influences upon his indigent dependents than the sun to shine at noon . * now as the infinite goodness of the deity , obligeth him always to do good , so by the same reason to do that which is best ; since to omit any degrees of good would argue a defect in goodness , supposing wisdom to order , and power to execute . he therefore that supposeth god not always to do what is best , and best for his creatures ( for he cannot act for his own good ) apprehends him to be less good than can be conceived , and consequently not infinitely so . for what is infinite , is beyond measure and apprehension . therefore to direct this to our purpose , god being infinitely good , and that to his creatures , and therefore doing always what is best for them , methinks it roundly follows that our souls lived and ' njoy'd themselves of old before they came into these bodies . for since they were capable of living , and that in a much better and happier state long before they descended into this region of death and misery ; and since that condition of life and self-enjoyment would have been better , than absolute not-being ; may we not safely conclude from a due consideration of the divine goodness , that it was so ? what was it that gave us our being , but the immense goodness of our maker ? and why were we drawn out of our nothings , but because it was better for us to be , than not to be ? why were our souls put into these bodies , and not into some more squalid and ugly ; but because we are capable of such , and 't is better for us to live in these , than in those that are less sutable to our natures ? and had it not been better for us , to have injoy'd our selves and the bounty and favours of our maker of old , as did the other order of intellectual creatures , than to have layn in the comfortless night of nothing till t'other day ? had we not been better on 't to have lived and acted in the joyful regions of light and blessedness with those spirits that at first had being , than just now to jump into this sad plight , and state of sin and wretchedness ? insinite power could as well have made us all at once , as the angels ; and with as good congruity to our natures we might have liv'd and been happy without these bodies , as we shall be in the state of separation : since therefore it was best for us , and as easie for our creator so to have effected it , where was the defect , if it was not so ? is not this to ●lurr his goodness , and to strait-lace the divine beneficence ? and doth not the contrary hypothesis to what i am pleading for , represent the god of love as less good and bountiful , than a charitable mortal , who would neglect no opportunity within his reach of doing what good he could to those that want his help and assistance ? i confess , the world generally have such narrow and unbecoming apprehensions of god , and draw his picture in their imaginations so like themselves , that few i doubt will feel the force of this argument ; and mine own observation makes me enter the same suspicion of its success that some others have who have used it . 't is only a very deep sense of the divine goodness can give it any perswasive energy . and this noble sentiment there are very few that are possest of . however to lend it what strength i can , i shall endeavour to remove some prejudices that hinder it's force and efficacy ; and when those spots and scum are wiped away , that mistake and inadvertency have fastned on it , 't will be illustrious by its own brightness . chap. vii . this first evasion , that god acts freely , and his meer will is reason enough for his doing , or forbearing any thing , overthrown by four considerations . some incident evasions , viz. that gods wisdom , or his glory , may be contrary to this display of the divine goodness , in our being made of old , clearly taken off . ( . ) therefore , will some say , god worketh freely , nor can he be obliged to act but when he pleaseth . and this will and pleasure of his is the reason of our beings , and of the determinate time of our beginning . therefore if god would not that we should have been made sooner , and in a better state of life , his will is reason enough , and we need look no further . to this evasion , i thus reply . ( . ) 't is true indeed , god is the most free agent , because none can compel him to act , none can hinder him from acting . nor can his creatures oblige him to any thing . but then ( . ) the divine liberty and freedom consists not in his acting by meer arbitrarious will , as disjunct from his other attributes . for he is said to act according to the counsel of his own will. so that his wisdom and goodness are as it were the rules whereby his will is directed . therefore though he cannot be obliged to act by any thing without himself , yet he may be the laws of his own essential rectitude and perfection . wherefore i conceive he is said , not to be able to do those things ( which he might well enough by absolute power ) that consist not with his ever blessed attributes . nor by the same reason can he omit that which the eternal law of his most persect nature obligeth him to . the summ is , * god never acts by meer will or groundless humour , that is a weakness in his impersect creatures ; but according to the immutable rules of his ever blessed essence . and therefore , ( ) 't is a derogation from his infinite majesty to assert any thing contrary to his goodness upon pretence of his will and pleasure . for whatever is most sutable to this most blessed attribute , and contradicts no other , that be sure he willeth . wherefore ( ) if it be better , and more agreeable to the divine goodness that we should have been in an happier state , before we came into these bodies , gods will cannot then be pretended to the contrary , ( especially it having been proved already , that he hath no way revealed any such will of his ) but rather it is demonstratively clear that his will was , it should be so . since as god never acts in the absence of his wisdom and goodness , so neither doth he abstain from acting when those great attributes require it . now if it be excepted again ( ) that 't is tr●e that this hypothesis is most sutable to the divine goodness , and the consideration of that alone would inferr it : but how know we but his wisdom contradicts it ? i return briefly , that if it be confest to be so correspondent to , and inferrible from one attribute , and cannot be prov'd inconsistent with another , my business is determined . therefore let those that pretend an inconsistence , prove it . ( ) the wisdom of god is that attribute and essential perfection , whereby the divine actions are directed to their end , which is always good , and best : therefore to do that which is best , cannot thwart the divine wisdom , but always includes and supposeth it : whence it follows , that what so comports with goodness , cannot stand opposite to wisdom . wisdom in god being indeed nothing else but goodness , contriving and directing for the creature 's good and happiness . for we must remember , what was said above , that what is infinitely full and perfect , can have no ends for any self-advantage ; and therefore the ends of the divine wisdom are something without himself , and consequently the good and perfection of his creatures . so that unless it can be proved to have been contrary to ours , or any other creatures good , that we should have been extant as soon as the light , it cannot be concluded to have any contradiction to the divine wisdom . but it will be said again , ( ) gods glory is his great end , for the promoting of which his wisdom directs all his actions ; and consequently , that which may be best for the creature , may not be so conducive to the divine glory , and therefore not agreeable with his wisdom . now , though i think the world hath a very mistaken apprehension of gods glory , yet i shall not here ingage in more controversies , than i must needs . 't is enough for my present purpose to intimate ; that gods glory is no by-end or self-accumulation , nor an addition of anything to him which he was not eternally possest of ; nor yet is it any thing that stands in opposition to the good of his creation ; but the display and communication of his excellencies ; among the which , his goodness is not the least considerable , if it be not that most divine and fundamental attribute which gives perfection to all the rest . so that we may assure our selves , that when ever his goodness obligeth him to action , his glory never stands in opposition . for even this is his glory , to communicate to his creatures sutably to his own absolute fulness , and to act according to the direction of his essential perfections ; yea , though we should state his glory to consist alone , in the honour and renown of his attributes , yet even then the hypothesis of our having been made in the beginning will accumulate to his praises , and represent him to his creatures as more illustrious ; since it is a more magnificent apprehension of his goodness , and clears his other attributes from those stains of dis-repute that all other suppositions cast upon them . and though his glory should consist , as too many fondly imagine , in being praised and admired by his creatures , even on this account also it would have obliged him to have made us all of old , rather than opposed it ; since , then , his excellencies had been sung forth by a more numerous quire , in continual hallelujahs . now if it should be urged , * that god made all things for himself , and therefore is not obliged to consult the good of his creatures in all his actions : i rejoyn , that god's making all things for himself , can argue no more than his making all things for his own ends , viz. the ends of goodness . besides , the best criticks make that place to speak no more but this , that god orders all things according to himself ; that is , according to the rules of his own nature and perfections . thus then , we see that for god to do that which is best for his creatures , is neither contrary to his will and pleasure , his wisdom , nor his glory , but most consonant to all of them . and therefore since the praeexistence of souls , is so agreeable to the divine goodness , and since nothing else in the deity opposeth , but rather sweetly conspires with it , methinks this argument were enough to conclude it . but yet there are other evasions which would elude this demonstration ; i shall name the most considerable and leave it to the judicious to determine , whether they can disable it . chap. viii . a second general evasion , viz. that our reasons cannot tell what god should do , or what is best , overthrown by several considerations . as is also a third , viz. that by the same argument god would have been obliged to have made us impeccable , and not liable to misery . wherefore the second general evasion is , that our reasons cannot conclude what god should do , there being vast fetches in the divine wisdom which we comprehend not , nor can our natural light determine what is best . i answer ( ) our saviour himself , who was the best judge in the case , teacheth us , that the reason of a man may in some things conclude what god will do , in that saying of his , if ye being evil , know how to give good things to your children , much more shall your father which is in heaven give his spirit to them that ask him : plainly intimating , that we may securely argue from any thing that is a perfection in our selves , to the same in god. and if we , who are imperfectly good , will yet do as much good as we can , for those we love and tender ; with greater confidence may we conclude , that god , who is infinitely so , will confer upon his creatures whatever good they are capable of . thus we see our saviour owns the capacity of reason in a case that is very near the same that we are dealing in . and god himself appeals to the reasons of men to judge of the righteousness and equity of his ways . ye men of israel and inhabitants of jerusalem , judge between me and my vineyard ; which place i bring to shew that meer natural reason is able to judge in some cases what is fit for god to do , and what is sutable to his essence and perfections . and if in any , methinks ( ) its capacity in the case before us should be own'd as soon as in any . for if reason cannot determine and assure us , that a blessed and happy being is better than none at all ; and consequently , that it was best for our souls to have been , before they were in this state of wretchedness ; and thence conclude , that it was very congruous to the divine goodness to have made us in a former and better condition ; i think then ( ) that it cannot give us the assurance of any thing , since there is not any principle in metaphy●icks or geometry more clear than this , viz. that an happy being , is better than absolute not●eing . and if our reasons can securely determine this , 't is as much as we need at present . or ●f this be not certain , how vain are those learned men that dispute whether a state of the extremest misery a creature is capable ●of , and that everlasting , be not better than non●entity ? ▪ ( ) if we cannot certainly know that it had been better that we should have existed in a life of happiness , proportion'd to our natures of old , than have been meer nothing , till some few years since ; we can never then own and acknowledg the divine goodness to us in any thing we enjoy . for if it might have been as good for us not to be , as to be , and happily ; then it might have been as good for us to have wanted any thing else that we enjoy , as to have it ; and consequently , we cannot own it as an effect of god's goodness that he hath bestowed any blessing on us . for if being be not better than not-being , then 't is no effect of goodness that we are ; and if so , then 't is not from goodness that we have any thing else , * since all other things are inferiour to the good of being . if it be said , it had been better indeed for us , to have lived in a former and happier state ; but it may be , it had not been so for the universe ; and the general good is to be preferr'd before that of particulars ; i say then , and it may serve for a ( ) answer to the general objection : if we may deny that to be done by almighty goodness , which is undoubtedly best for a whole species of his creatures , meerly on this account , that , for ought we know , it may be for the advantage of some others , though there be not the least appearance of any such matter ; we can never then argue any thing from the divine goodness . it can never then be prov'd from that glorious attribute , that he hath not made some of his creatures on purpose that they might be miserable ; nor can it be concluded thence , that he will not annihilate all the pure and spotless angels ; both which i suppose , any sober inquirer will think congruously deducible from the divine goodness . and if to say , for ought we know , it may be best for some other creatures , that those should be miserable , and these annihilated , be enough to disable the argument ; on the same account we shall never be able to prove ought from this , or any other attribute . i might add , ( ) there is not the least colourable pretence for any such suspicion . for , would the world have been too little to have contain'd those souls , without justling with some others ? or , would they by violence have taken any of the priviledges of the other intellectual creatures from them ? if so , how comes it about that at last they can all so well consist together ? and , could other creatures have been more disadvantag'd by them , when they were pure and innocent , than they will at last , when they are so many of them debauched and depraved ? ( ) if this be enough to answer an argument , to say , for ought we know , it may be thus and thus , when there is not the least sign or appearance of any such thing , then nothing can ever be proved , and we are condemned to everlasting scepticism . we should never , for instance , from the order , beauty , and wise contrivance of the things that do appear , prove there is a god , if it were sufficient to answer , that things are indeed so made in this earth , on which we are extant ; but , it may be , they are framed very odly , ridiculously , and ineptly in some other worlds , which we know nothing of . if this be answering , any thing might be answered . but there is yet another objection against mine argument from the divine goodness , which looks very formidably at a distance , though when we come near it , we shall find , it will not bear the tryal . and it may thus be urged . ( ) if the goodness of god always obligeth him to do what is best , and best for his creatures , how is it then , that we were not made impeccable , and so not obnoxious to misery ? or how doth it consist with that overflowing goodness of the deity , that we were let to lie in a long state of silence and insensibility , before we came into these bodies ? this seems a pressing difficulty , but yet there 's hopes we may dispatch it . therefore , ( ) had we been made impeccable , we should have been another kind of creatures than now ; since we had then wanted the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or liberty of will to good and evil , which is one of our essential attributes . consequently , there would have been one species of beings wanting to compleat the universe ; and it would have been a slurre to the divine goodness not to have given being to such creatures as in the idea were fairly possible , and contradicted no other attribute . yea , though he foresaw that some would sin and make themselves miserable , yet the foreseen lapse and misery of those , was not an evil great enough to over-ballance the good the species would reap by being partakers of the divine goodness in the land of the living ; therefore however 't was goodness to give such creatures being . but it will be urged upon us , if liberty to good and ●vil be so essential to our natures , what think we then of the ●lessed souls after the resurrection ; are not they the same creatures , though without the liberty of sinning ? to return to this ; i think those that affirm , that the blessed have not this natural liberty , as long as they are united to a body , and are capable of resenting it's pleasures , should do well to prove it . * inde●d they may be morally immutable and illapsible : but this is grace , not nature ; a reward of obedience , not a necessary annex of our beings . but will it be said , why did not the divine goodness endue us all with this moral ●ability ? had it not been better for us to have been made in this condition of security , than in a state so dangerous ? my return to this doubt will be a second answer to the main objection . therefore secondly , * i doubt not , but that 't is much better for rational creatures , that this supream happiness should be the reward of vertue , rather than entail'd upon our natures . for the procurement of that which we might have mist of , is far more sensibly gratifying , than any necessary and unacquired injoyment ; we find a greater pleasure in what we gain by industry , art , or vertue , than in the things we were born to . and had we been made secure from sin and misery from the first moment of our being , we should not have put so high a rate and value upon that priviledge . ( ) had we been at first establisht in an imp●ssibility of lapsing into evil ; then many choice vertues , excellent branches of the divine life had never been exercis'd , or indeed have been at all . such are patience , faith , and hope ; the objects of which are , evil , futurity , and uncertainty . yea , ( ) had we been so sixt in an inamissible happiness from the beginning , there had then been no vertue in the world ; nor any of that matchless pleasure which attends the exercise thereof . for vertue is a kind of victory , and supposeth a conflict . therefore we say , that god is good and holy , but not vertuous . take away a possibility of evil , and in the creature there is no moral goodness . and then no reward , no pleasure , no happiness . therefore in sum ( ly ) , the divine goodness is manifested in making all creatures sutably to those idea's of their natures , which he hath in his all-comprehensive wisdom . and their good and happiness consists in acting according to those natures , and in being furnisht with all things necessary for such actions . now the divine wisdom is no arbitrary thing , that can change , or alter those setled immutable idea's of things that are there represented . it lopps not off essential attributes of some beings , to in●culate them upon others : but distinctly comprehending all things , assigns each being its proper nature , and qualities . and the divine goodness , according to the wise direction of the eternal intellect , in like distinct and orderly manner produceth all things : viz. according to all the variety of their respective idea's in the divine wisdom . * wherefore as the goodness of god obligeth him not to make every planet a fixt star , or every star a sun ; so neither doth it oblige him to make every degree of life , a rational soul , or every soul , an impeccable angel. * for this were to tye him to contradictions . since therefore , such an order of beings , as rational and happy , though free , and therefore mutable creatures , were distinctly comprehended in the divine wisdom ; it was an effect of god's goodness , to bring them into being , even in such a condition , and in such manner , as in their eternal idea's they were represented . thus then we see , it is not contrary to the infinite plenitude of the divine goodness * that we should have been made peccable and lyable to defection . and being thus in our very essential constitutions lapsible ; 't was no defect in the goodness of our maker that he did not interpose by his absolute omnipotence to prevent our actual praevarication and apostasie . since his goodness obligeth him not to secure us upon any terms whatever , but upon such , as may most promote the general good and advantage . and questionless , 't was much better that such , as would wilfully depart from the laws of their blessed natures , and break through all restraints of the divine commands , should feel the smart of their disobedience ; than that providence should disorder the constitution of nature to prevent the punishment , which they drew upon themselves : since those apostate spirits remain instances to those that stand , of the divine justice , and severity against sinners , and so may contribute not a little to their security . and for that long night of silence , in which multitudes ofsouls are buried before they descend into terrestrial matter , it is but the due reward of their former disobedience ; for which , considering the happy circumstances in which they were made , they deserv'd to be nothing for ever . and their re-instating in a condition of life and self-injoyment after so highly culpable delinquencies , is a great instance of the over-flowing fulness of the divine compassion and benignity . thus then we see , that gods making us lapsible and permitting us to fall , is no prejudice in the least to the infinite fecundity of his goodness , and his making all things best . so that mine argument for praeexistence bottom'd on this foundation , stands yet firm and immoveable , notwithstanding the rude assault of this objection . from which i pass to a fourth . chap. ix . a ( th . ) objection against the argument from god's goodness , viz. that it will conclude as well that the world is infinite and eternal , answered . the conclusion of the second argument for praeexistence . therefore fourthly , it will be excepted , if we may argue from the divine goodness , which always doth what is best , for the praeexistence of souls ; then we may as reasonably thence conclude , that the world is both infinite and eternal , since an infinite communication of goodness is better than a finite . to this , because i doubt i have distrest the readers patience already , i answer briefly . ( ) every one that believes the infiniteness of gods goodness is as much obliged to answer this objection , as i am . for it will be said , infinite goodness doth good infinitely , and consequently the effects to which it doth communicate are infinite . for if they are not so , it might have communicated to more , and thereby have done more good , than now 't is supposed to do , and by consequence now is not infinite . and to affirm that goodness is infinite , where what it doth and intends to do is but finite , will be said to be a contradiction , since goodness is a relative term , and in god always respects somewhat ad extra . for he cannot be said to be good to himself , he being a nature that can receive no additional perfection . wherefore this objection makes no more against mine argument , than it doth against the infinity of the divine goodness , and therefore i am no more concern'd in i● than others . yea ( ly . ) the scripture affirms that which is the very strength of mine argument , viz. that god made all things best ; very good , saith our translation : but the original , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle of the superlative . and therefore every one that owns its sacred authority is interested against this objection . for it urgeth , it had been far more splendid , glorious , and magnificent for god to have made the universe commensurate to his own immensity ; and to have produced effects of his power and greatness , where ever he himself is , viz. in infinite space and duration , than to have confined his omnipotence to work only in one little spot of an infinite inane capacity , and to begin to act but t●other day . thus then the late creation , and finiteness , of the world , seem to conflict with the undoubted oracle of truth as well as with mine argument , and therefore the objection drawn thence is of no validity . ( ) those that have most strenuously defended the orthodox doctrine against the old opinion of the eternity and infinity of the world , * have asserted it to be impossible in the nature of the thing . and sure the divine benignity obligeth him not to do contradictions ; or such things , as in the very notion of them , are impossible . but in the case of praeexistence , no such thing can be reasonably pretended , as above hath been declared ; and therefore there is no escaping by this evasion neither . nor can there any thing else be urged to this purpose , but what whoever believes the infinity of the divine bounty will be concern'd to answer ; and therefore 't will make no more against me , than against a truth on all hands confessed . let me only add this , that 't is more becoming us , to inlarge our apprehensions of things so , as that they may suit the divine beneficence , than to draw it down to a complyance with our little schemes , and narrow models . thus then i have done with the argument for praeexistence drawn from the divine goodness . and i have been the longer on it , because i thought 't was in vain to propose it , without taking to task the principal of those objections , that must needs arise in the minds of those that are not used to this way of arguing . and while there was no provision made to stop up those evasions , that i saw this argument obnoxious to ; the using of it , i was afraid , would have been a prejudice , rather than a furtherance of the cause i ingaged it in . and therefore i hope the ingenious will pardon this so necessary piece of tediousness . chap. x. a third argument for praeexistence , from the great variety of mens speculative inclinations ; and also the diversity of our genius's , copiously urged . if these arguments make praeexistence but probable , 't is enough to gain it the victory . but now i proceed to another argument . therefore , thirdly , if we do but re●●ect upon what was said above , against the souls daily creation , from that enormous pravity which is so deeply rooted in some mens natures , we may thence have a considerable evidence of praeexistence . for as this strong natural propensity to vice and impiety cannot possibly consist with the hypothesis of the souls coming just out of gods hands pure and immaculate ; so doth it most aptly suit with the doctrine of its praeexistence : which gives a most clear and apposite account of the phaenomenon . for let us but conceive the souls of men to have grown degenerate in a former condition of life , * to have contracted strong and inveterate habits to vice and lewdness , and that in various manners and degrees ; we may then easily apprehend , when some mens natures had so incredibly a depraved tincture , and such impetuous , ungovernable , irreclaimable inclinations to what is vitious ; while others have nothing near such wretched propensions , but by good education and good discipline are mouldable to vertue ; this shews a clear way to unriddle this amazing mystery , without blemishing any of the divine attributes , or doing the least violence to our faculties . nor is it more difficult to conceive , how a soul should awaken out of the state of inactivity we speak of , with those radical inclinations that by long practice it had contracted , * than how a swallow should return to her old trade of living after her winter sleep and silence ; for those customs it hath been addicted to in the other state , are now so deeply fastened and rooted in the soul , that they are become even another nature . now then , if praeexistence be not the truth , 't is very strange that it should so exactly answer the phaenomena of our natures , when as no other hypothesis doth any whit tolerably suit them . and if we may conclude that false , which is so correspondent to all appearances , when we know nothing else that can yield any probable account of them , and which is not in the least repugnant to any inducement of belief , we then strangely forget our selves when we determine any thing . we can never for instance , conclude the moon to be the cause of the flux and reflux of the sea , from the answering of her approaches and recesses to its ebbs and swellings . nor at this rate can the cause of any thing else be determined in nature . but yet besides , ( ) we might another way inforce this argument , from the strange difference and diversity that there is in mens wits and intellectual craseis , as well as in the dispositions of their wills and appetites . even the natural tempers of mens minds are as vastly different , as the qualities of their bodies . and 't is easie to observe in things purely speculative and intellectual , even where neither education or custom have interposed to sophisticate the natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that some men are strangely propense to some opinions , which they greedily drink in , as soon as they are duly represented ; yea , and find themselves burthened and opprest , while their education hath kept them in a contrary belief , * when as others are as fatally set against these opinions , and can never be brought favourably to resent them . every soul brings a kind of sense with it into the world , whereby it tastes and relisheth what is suitable to its peculiar temper . and notions will never lie easily in a mind , that they are not fitted to ; some can never apprehend that for other than an absurdity , which others are so clear in , that they almost take it for a first principle . and yet the former hath all the same evidence as the latter . this i have remarkably taken notice of , in the opinion of the extension of a spirit . some that i know , and those inquisitive , free , and ingenuous , by all the proof and evidence that is , cannot be reconciled to it . nor can they conceive any thing extended , but as a body . whereas other deep and impartial searchers into nature , cannot apprehend it any thing at all , if not extended ; but think it must then be a mathematical point , or a meer non-entity . i could instance in other speculations , which i have observ'd some to be passionate embracers of upon the first proposal ; when as no arguments could prevail on others , to think them tolerable . but there needs no proof of a manifest observation . therefore before i go further , i would demand , whence comes this meer notional or speculative variety ? * were his difference about sensibles , yea , or about things depending on the imagination , the influence of the body might then be suspected for a cause . but since it is in the most abstracted theories that have nothing to do with the grosser phantasmes ; since this diversity is found in minds that have the greatest care to free themselves from the deceptions of sense , and intanglements of the body , what can we conclude , but that the soul it self is the immediate subject of all this variety , and that it came praejudiced and praepossessed into this body with some implicit notions that it had learnt in another ? and if this congruity to some opinions , and averseness to others be congenial to us , and not advenient from any thing in this state , 't is methinks clear that we were in a former . * for the soul in its first and pure nature hath no idiosyncrasies , that is , hath no proper natural inclinations which are not competent to others of the same kind and condition . be sure , they are not fatally determin'd by their natures to false and erroneous apprehensions . and therefore since we find this determination to one or other falshood in many , if not most in this state , and since 't is very unlikely 't is derived only from the body , custom , or education , what can we conceive on 't , but that our souls were tainted with these peculiar and wrong corruptions before we were extant upon this stage of earth ? besides , 't is easie to observe the strange and wonderful variety of our genius's ; one mans nature inclining him to one kind of study and imployment , anothers to what is very different . some almost from their very cradles will be addicted to the making of figures , and in little mechanical contrivances ; others love to be riming almost as soon as they can speak plainly , and are taken up in small essays of poetry . some will be scrawling pictures , and others take as great delight in some pretty offers at musick and vocal harmony . infinite almost are the ways in which this pure natural diversity doth discover it self . * now to say that all this variety proceeds primarily from the meer temper of our bodies , is me thinks a very poor and unsatisfying account . * for those that are the most like in the temper , air , complexion of their bodies , are yet of a vastly differing genius . yea , they that have been made of the same clay , cast in the same mould , and have layn at once in the same natural bed , the womb ; yea whose bodies have been as like as their state and fortunes , and their education and usages the same , yet even they do not unfrequently differ as much from each other in their genius and dispositions of the mind , as those that in all these particulars are of very different condition . besides , there are all kind of makes , forms , dispositions , tempers , and complexions of body , that are addicted by their natures to the same exercises and imployments : so that to ascribe this to any peculiarity in the body , is me seems a very improbable solution of the phaenomenon . and to say all these inclinations are from custom or education , is the way not to be believed , since all experience testifies the contrary . what then can we conjecture is the cause of all this diversity , but that we had taken a great delight and pleasure in some things like and analogous unto these , in a former condition , which now again begins to put forth it self , when we are awakened out of our silent recess into a state of action ? and though the imployments , pleasures and exercises of our former life , were without question very different from these in the present estate ; yet 't is no doubt , but that some of them were more confamiliar and analogous to some of our transactions , than others : so that as any exercise or imployment here is more suitable to the particular dispositions that were praedominant in the other state , with the more peculiar kindness is it regarded by us , and the more greedily do our inclinations now fasten on it . thus if a musician should be interdicted the use of all musical instruments , and yet might have his choice of any other art or profession , 't is likely he would betake himself to limning or poetry ; these exercises requiring the same disposition of wil and genius , as his beloved musick did . and we in like manner , being by the ●ate of our wretched descent hindred from the direct exercising our selves about the objects of our former delights and pleasures , do yet as soon as we are able , take to those things which do most correspond to that genius that formerly inspired us . and now 't is time to take leave of the arguments from reason that give evidence for praeexistence . if any one think that they are not so demonstrative , but that they may be answered , or at least evaded ; i pray him to consider how many demonstrations he ever met with , that a good wit , resolv'd in a contrary cause , could not shu●●le from the edge of . or , let it be granted , that the arguments i have alledged are no infallible or necessary proofs ; yet if they render my cause but probable , yea but possible , i have won what i contended for . for it having been made manifest by as good evidence as i think can be brought for any thing , that the way of new creations is most inconsistent with the honor of the blessed attributes of god : and that the other of traduction is most impossible and contradictio●s in the nature of things : * there being now no other way left but prae-existence , if that be probable or but barely possible , 't is enough to give it the victory . and whether all that hath been said prove so much or no , i leave to the indifferent to determine . i think he that will say it doth not , can bring few proofs for any thing , which according to his way of judging will deserve to be called demonstrations . chap. xi . great caution to be used in alledging scripture for our speculative opinions . the countenance that praeexistence hath from the sacred writings both of the old and new testament ; reasons of the seeming uncouthness of these allegations . praeexistence stood in no need of scripture-proof . it will be next expected , that i should now prove the doctrine i have undertaken for , by scripture evidence , and make good what i said above , that the divine oracles are not so silent in this matter as is imagined . but truly i have so tender a sense of the sacred authority of that holy volume , that i dare not be so bold with it , as to force it to speak what i think it intends not ; a presumption , that is too common among our confident opinionists , and that hath occasioned great troubles to the church , and di●●epute to the inspired writings . for , for men to ascribe the odd notions of their over-heated imaginations to the spirit of god , and eternal truth , is me thinks a very bold and impudent belying it . wherefore i dare not but be very cautious what i speak in this matter , nor would i willingly urge scripture as a proof of any thing , but what i am sure by the whole tenor of it , is therein contained : and would i take the liberty to fetch in every thing for a scripture-evidence , that with a little industry a man might make serviceable to his design ; i doubt not but i should be able to ●ill my margent with quotations , which should be as much to purpose as have been cited in general catechisms and confessions of faith , and that in points that must forsooth be dignified with the sacred title of fvndamental . but reverend assemblies may make more bold with scripture than private persons ; and therefore i confess i 'm so timorous that i durst not follow their example : though in a matter that i would never have imposed upon the belief of any man , though i were certain on 't , and had absolute power to enjoyn it . i think the only way to preserve the reverence due to the oracles of truth , is never to urge their authority but in things very momentous , and such as the whole current of them gives an evident suffrage to . but to make them speak every trivial conceit that our sick brains can imagine or dream of , ( as i intimated ) is to vilifie and deflowre them . therefore though i think that several texts of scripture look very fairly upon praeexistence , and would encourage a man , that considers what strong reasons it hath to back it , to think , that very probably they mean some thing in favour of this hypothesis ; yet i 'le not urge them as an irrefutable proof , being not willing to lay more stress upon any thing than it will bear . yea , i am most willing to confess the weakness of my cause in what joynt soever i shall discover it . and yet i must needs say , that whoever compares the texts that follow , with some particulars mention'd in the answer to the objection of scripture-silence , will not chuse but acknowledge that there is very fair probability for praeexistence in the written word of god , as there is in that which is engraven upon our rational natures . therefore to bring together here what scripture saith in this matter , . i 'le lightly touch an expression or two of the old testament , which not improperly may be applyed to the business we are in search of . and methinks god himself in his posing the great instance of patience , job , seems to intimate somewhat to this purpose , viz. that all spirits were in being when the foundations of the earth were laid : when saith he , the morning stars sang together , and all the sons of god shouted for joy . by the former very likely were meant the angels , and 't is not improbable but by the latter may be intended the blessed untainted souls . at least the particle all me thinks should comprize this order of spirits also . and within the same period of discourse , having question'd job about the nature and place of the light , he adds , i know that thou wast then born , for the number of thy days are many , as the septuagint render it . * and we know our saviour and his apostles have given credit to that translation by their so constant following it . nor doth that saying of god to jeremias in the beginning of his charge seem to intimate less , before i formed thee in the belly i knew thee , and before thou camest out of the womb i gave thee wisdom ; * as reads a very creditable version . now though each of these places might be drawn to another sense , yet that only argues that they are no necessary proof for praeexistence , which i readily acknowledge ; nor do i intend any such matter by alledging them . however i hope they will be confest to be applicable to this sense ; and if there be other grounds that swade this hypothesis to be the truth , 't is i think very probable that these texts intend it favour , which whether it be so or no , we have seen already . . for the texts of the new testament that seem to look pleasingly upon praeexistence , i shall as briefly hint them as i did the former . * and me thinks that passage of our saviours prayer , father , glori●ie me with the same glory i had with thee before the world began , sounds somewhat to this purpose . the glory which he prays to be restored to , seems to concern his humane nature only ; for the divine could never lose it . and therefore it supposeth that he was in his humanity existent before : and that his soul was of old before his appearance in a terrestrial body . which seems also to be intimated * by the expressions of his coming from the father , descending from heaven , and returning thither again , which he very frequently makes use of . and we know the divinity that ●ills all things , cannot move to , or quit a place , it being a manifest imperfection , and contrary to his immensity . i might add those other expressions of our saviour's taking upon him the ●orm of a servant , of rich for our sakes becoming poor , and many others of like import , all which are very clear if we admit the doctrine of praeexistence , but without it somewhat p●rplex and intricate : since these things , applyed to him as god , are very improper and disagreeing , but appositely suit his humanity , to which if we refer them , we must suppose our hypothesis of praeexistence . but i omit further prosecution of this matter , * since these places have been more diffusely urged in a late discourse to this purpose . moreover the question of the disciples , * was it for this mans sin , or for his fathers that he was born blind ? and that answer of theirs to our saviours demand , whom men said he was ; in that some said he was john the baptist , some elias , or one of the prophets ; both which i have mentioned before ; do clearly enough argue , that both the disciples and the jews believed praeexistence . and our saviour saith not a word to disprove their opinion . but i spake of this above . now however uncouth these allegations may seem to those that never heard these scriptures thus interpreted ; yet i am confident , had the opinion of praeexistence been a received doctrine , and had these texts been wont to be applyed to the proof on 't , they would then have been thought to assert it , with clear and convictive evidence . but many having never heard of this hypothesis , and those that have , seldom meeting it mentioned but as a silly dream or antiquated absurdity , 't is no wonder that they never suspect it to be lodg'd in the sacred volume , so that any attempt to confirm it thence , must needs seem rather an offer of wit than serious judgment . and the places that are cited to that purpose having been frequently read and heard of , by those that never discerned them to breath the least air of any such matter as praeexistence , their new and unexpected application to a thing so little thought of , must needs seem a wild fetch of an extravagant imagination . but however unconclusive the texts alledged may seem to those a strong prejudice hath shut up against the hypothesis ; the learned jews , who were perswaded of this doctrine , thought it clearly enough contain'd in the old volume of holy writ , and took the citations , named above , for current evidence . and though i cannot warrant for their judgment in things , yet doubtless they were the best judges of their own language . nor would our school-doctors have thought it so much a stranger to the new , had it had the luck to have been one of their opinions , or did they not too frequently apply the sacred oracles to their own fore-conceived notions . but whether what i have brought from scripture prove any thing or nothing , 't is not very material , since the hypothesis of prae-existence stands secure enough upon those p●llars of reason , which have their foundation in the attributes of god , and the phaenomena of the world . and the right reason of a man , is one of the divine volumes , in which are written the indeleble idea's of eternal truth : so that what it dictates , is as much the voice of god , as if in so many words it were clearly exprest in the written revelations . it is enough therefore for my purpose , if there be nothing in the sacred writings contrary to this hypothesis ; which i think is made clear enough already ; and though it be granted that scripture is absolutely silent as to any assertion of prae-existence , yet we have made it appear that its having said nothing of it , is no prejudice , but an advantage to the cause . chap. xii . why the author thinks himself obliged to descend to some more particular account of praeexistence . 't is presumption positively to determine how it was with us of old. the authors design in the hypothesis that follows . now because inability to apprehend the manner of a thing is a great prejudice against the belief on 't ; i find my self obliged to go a little further than the bare proof , and defence of praeexistence . for though what i have said , may possibly induce some to think favourably of our conclusion , that the souls of men were made before they came into these bodies ; yet while they shall think that nothing can be conceived of that former state , and that our praeexistent condition cannot be represented to humane understanding , but as a dark black solitude : it must needs weaken the perswasion of those that are less confirmed , and ●ill the minds of the inquisitive with a dubious trouble and anxiety . for searching and contemplative heads cannot be satisfied to be told , that our souls have lived and acted in a former condition , except they can be helpt to some more particular apprehension of that state ; how we lived and acted of old , and how probably we fell from that better life , into this region of misery and imperfection . now though indeed my charity would prompt me to do what i can for the relief and ease of any modest inquirer ; yet shall i not attempt to satisfie punctual and eager curiosity in things hidden and unsearchable . much less shall i positively determine any thing in matters so lubricous and uncertain . and indeed considering how imperfect our now state is , how miserable shallow our understandings are , and how little we know of our present selves , and the things about us , it may seem a desperate undertaking to attempt any thing in this matter . yea , when we contemplate the vast circuits of the divine wisdom , and think how much the thoughts and actions of eternity and omniscience are beyond ours , who are but of yesterday , and know nothing , it must needs discourage considence it self from determining , how the oeconomy of the world of life was order'd , in the day the heavens and earth were framed . there are doubtless infinite ways and methods according to which the unsearchable wisdom of our maker could have disposed of us , which we can have no conceit of ; and we are little more capable of unerringly resolving our selves now , how it was with us of old , than a child in the womb is to determine , what kind of life it shall live when it is set at liberty from that dark inclosure . therefore let shame and blushing cover his face that shall confidently affirm that 't was thus or thus with us in the state of our fore-beings . however , to shew that it may have been that our souls did praeexist , though we cannot punctually and certainly conclude upon the particular state , i shall presume to draw up a conceivable scheme of the hypothesis ; and if our narrow minds can think of a way how it might have been , i hope no body will deny that the divine wisdom could have contriv'd it so , or infinitely better than we can imagin in our little models . and now i would not have it thought that i go about to insinuate or represent any opinions of my own , or that i am a votary to all the notions i make use of , whether of the antient , or more modern philosophers . for i seriously profess against all determinations in this kind . but my business only is , by some imperfect hints and guesses to help to apprehend a little how the state of praeexistence might have been , and so to let in some beams of ancient and modern light upon this immense darkness . * therefore let the reader if he please call it a romantick scheme , or imaginary hypothesis , or what name else best fits his phancy , and he 'l not offend me ; nor do i hold my self concern'd at all to vindicate the truth of any thing here that is the fruit of mine own invention or composure ; though i confess i could beg civilities at least for the notions i have borrowed from great and worthy sages . and indeed the hypothesis as to the main , is derived to us from the platonists : though in their writings 't is but gold in oar , less pure and perfect : but a late great artist hath excellently refined it . and i have not much work to do , but to bring together what he up and down hath scattered , and by a method-order , and some connexions and notions of mine own , to work it into an intire and uniform mass . now because the frame of the particular hypothesis is originally philosophical , i shall therefore not deprave it by mingling with it the opinions of modern theologers , or distort any thing to make it accommodate to their dogmata , but solely and sincerely follow the light of reason and philosophy . for i intend not to endeavour the late alteration of the ordinary systeme of divinity , nor design any thing in this place but a representation of some harmless philosophical conjectures : in which i shall continually guide my self by the attributes of god , the phaenomena of the world , and the best discoveries of the nature of the soul . chap. xiii . ( ) pillars on which the particular hypothesis stands . now the fabrick we are going to build , will stand like as the house of wisdom upon seven pillars ; which i shall first erect and establish , that the hypothesis may be firm and sure like a house that hath foundations . therefore the first fundamental principle i shall lay , is this first pillar . ( ) all the divine designs and actions are laid and carried on by pure and infinite goodness . and methinks this should be owned by all for a manifest and indisputable truth ; but some odd opinions in the world are an interest against it , and therefore i must be fain to prove it . briefly then , every rational being acts towards some end or other ; that end where the agent acts regularly and wisely , is either some self-good or accomplishment , or 't is the good and perfection of some thing else , at least in the intention . now god being an absolute and immense fulness , that is incapable of any the least shadow of new perfection , cannot act for any good that may accrue to his immutable self ; and consequently , whatever he acts , is for the good of some other being : so that all the divine actions are the communications of his perfections , and the issues of his goodness ; which , being without the base alloy of self-interest , or partial fondness , and not comprised within any bounds or limits , as his other perfections are not , but far beyond our narrow conception , we may well call it pure and infinite benignity . this is the original and root of all things , so that this blessed , ever blessed attribute being the spring and fountain of all the actions of the deity , his designs can be no other but the contrivances of love for the compassing the good and perfection of the universe . therefore to suppose god to act or design any thing that is not for the good of his creatures , is either to phancy him to act for no end at all , or for an end that is contrary to his benign nature . finally therefore , the very notion of infinite fulness is to be communicating and overflowing ; and the most congruous apprehension that we can entertain of the infinite and eternal deity , is * to conceive him as an immense and all glorious sun , that is continually communicating and sending abroad its beams and brightness ; which conception of our maker , if 't were deeply imprinted on us , would i am confident set our apprehensions right in many theories , and chase away those black and dismal notions which too many have given harbour to . but i come to erect the second pillar . ( ) then , there is an exact geometrical justice that runs through the vniverse , and is interwoven in the contexture of things : this is a result of that wise and almighty goodness that praesides over all things . for this justice is but the distributing to every thing according to the requirements of its nature . and that benign wisdom that contrived and framed the natures of all beings , doubtless so provided that they should be suitably furnisht with all things proper for their respective conditions . and that this nemesis should be twisted into the very natural constitutions of things themselves , is methinks very reasonable ; since questionless , almighty wisdom could so perfectly have formed his works at first , as that all things that he saw were regular , just , and for the good of the vniverse , should have been brought about by those stated laws , which we call nature ; without an ordinary engagement of absolute power to effect the● . and it seems to me to be very becoming the wise author of all things so to have made them in the beginning , as that by their own internal spring and wheels , they should orderly bring about whatever he intended them for , without his often immediate interposal . for this looks like a more magnificent apprehension of the divine power and prescience , since it supposeth him from everlasting ages to have foreseen all future occurrences , and so wonderfully to have seen and constituted the great machina of the world , that the infinite variety of motions therein , should effect nothing but what in his eternal wisdom he had concluded fit and decorous : but as for that which was so , it should as certainly be compast by the laws he appointed long ago , as if his omnipotence were at work every moment . on the contrary , to engage gods absolute and extraordinary power , in all events and occurrences of things , is m●s●●ms to think meanly of his wisdom ; as if he had made the world so , as that it should need omnipotence every now and then to mend it , or to bring about those his destinations , which by a shorter way he could have effected , by his instrument nature . can any one say that our supposition derogates from the divine concourse or providence ? for on these , depend continually both the being and operations of all things , since without them they would cease to act , and return to their old nothing . and doubtless god hath not given the ordering of things out of his own hands ; but holds the power , to alter , innovate , or change the course of nature as he pleaseth . and to act by extraordinary means , by absolute omnipotence , when he thinks fit to do so . the sum of what i intend , is , that gods works are perfect ; and as his goodness is discover'd in them , so is his justice wrought into their very essential constitutions : so that we need not suppose him to be immediately engaged in every event and all distributions of things in the world , or upon all occasions to exercise his power in extraordinary actions , but that he leaves such managements to the oeconomy of second causes . and now next to this , ( for they are of k●n ) i raise the third pillar . ( ) things are carried to their proper place and state , by the congruity of their natures ; where this fails , we may suppose some arbitrary managements . the congruity of things is their suitableness to such or such a state or condition ; and 't is a great law in the divine and first constitutions , that things should incline and move to what is suitable to their natures . this in sensibles is evident in the motions of consent and sympathy . and the ascent of light , and descent of heavy bodies , must i doubt when all is done , * be resolv'd into a principle that is not meerly corporeal . yea , supposing all such things to be done by the laws of mechanicks , why may we not conceive , that the other rank of beings , spirits , which are not subject to corporeal motions , are also dispos'd of by a law proper to their natures , which since we have no other name to express it by , we may call congruity ? we read in the sacred history that judas went to his own place ; and 't is very probable that spirits are conveyed to their proper states and residence , * as naturally as the fire mounts , or a stone descends . the platonists would have the soul of the world to be the great instrument of all such distributions , as also of the phaenomena , that are beyond the powers of matter : and 't is no unlikely hypothesis : but i have no need to ingage further about this : nor yet to speak more of this first part of my principle , since it so nearly depends on what was said in behalf of the former maxim. yet of the latter we need a word or two . when therefore we cannot give account of things either by the laws of mechanicks or conceivable congruities , ( * as likely some things relating to the states of spirits , and immaterial beings can be resolv'd by neither ) i say then , we may have recourse to the arbitrary managements of those invisible ministers of equity and justice , which without doubt the world is plentifully stored with . for it cannot be conceived that those active spirits are idle or unimployed in the momentous concerns of the vniverse . yea , the sacred volume gives evidence of their interposals in our affairs . i shall need mention but that remarkable instance in daniel , of the indeavours of the prince of persia , and of grecia , to hinder michael , and the other angel , that were ingaged for the affairs of judea ; or if any would evade this , what think they of all the apparitions of angels in the old testament , of their pitching their tents about us , and being ministring spirits for our good . to name no more such passages . now if those noble spirits will ingage themselves in our trifling concernments , doubtless they are very sedulous in those affairs that t●nd to the good and perfection of the vniverse . but to be brief ; i advance . the fourth pillar . ( ) * the souls of men are capable of living in other bodies besides terrestrial ; and never act but in some body or other . for ( . ) when i consider how deeply in this state we are immersed in the body , i can methinks scarce imagin , that presently upon the quitting on 't , we shall be stript of all corporeity ; for this would be such a jump as is seldom or never made in nature ; since by almost all instances that come under our observation 't is manifest , that she useth to act by due and orderly gradations , and takes no precipitous leaps from one extream to another . 't is very probable therefore , that in our immediately next state we shall have another vehicle . and then , ( . ) considering that our souls are immediately united to a more tenuious and subtile body here , than this gross outside ; 't is methinks a good presumption , that we shall not be stript and divested of our inward stole also , when we leave this dull earth behind us . especially ( ) if we take notice how the highest and noblest faculties and operations of the soul are help'd on by somewhat that is corporeal , and that it imployeth the bodily spirits in its sublimest exercises ; we might then be perswaded , that it always useth some body or other , and never acts without one . and ( ) since we cannot conceive a soul to live or act that is insensible , and since we know not how there can be sense where there is no union with matter , we should me seems be induc'd to think , that when 't is disjunct from all body , 't is inert and silent . * for in all sensations there is corporeal motion , as all philosophy and experience testifies : and these motions become sensible representations , by virtue of the union between the soul and its confederate matter ; so that when it is loose and dis-united from any body whatsoever , it will be unconcern'd in all corporeal motions , ( being a penetrable substance ) and no sense or perception will be conveyed by them . nor will it make any thing at all against this argument to urge , that there are n●● and purely unembodied spirits in the vniverse , which live and act without relation to any body , and yet these are not insensible : for what they know , and how they know we are very incompetent judges of , they being a sort of spirits specifically distinct from our order : and therefore their faculties and operations are of a very diverse consideration from ours . so that for us to deny what we may reasonably argue from the contemplation of our own natures , because we cannot comprehend the natures of a species of creatures that are far above us , is a great mistake in the way of reasoning . now how strange soever this principle may seem to those , whom customary opinions have seasoned with another belief , yet considering the reasons i have alledged , i cannot forbear concluding it very probable ; and if it prove hereafter serviceable for the helping us in some concerning theories , i think the most wary and timerous may admit it , till upon good grounds they can disprove it . the fifth pillar . ( ) the soul in every state hath such a body as is fittest for those faculties and operations that it is most inclined to exercise . 't is a known maxim , that every thing that is , is for its operation ; and the contriver and maker of the world hath been so bountiful to all beings , as to furnish them with all suitable and necessary requisites for their respective actions ; for there are no propensities and dispositions in nature , but some way or other are brought into actual exercise , otherwise they were meer nullities , and impertinent appendices . now for the imployment of all kinds of faculties , and the exerting all manner of operations , all kinds of instruments will not suffice , but only such , as are proportion'd and adapted to the exercises they are to be used in , and the agents that imploy them . 't is clear therefore , that the soul of man , a noble and vigorous agent , must be fitted with a suitable body , according to the laws of that exact distributive justice that runs through the vniverse ; and such a one is most suitable , as is fittest for those exercises it propends to ; for the body is the souls instrument , and a necessary requisite of action : whereas should it be otherwise , god would then have provided worse for his worthiest creatures , than he hath for those that are of a much inferiour rank and order . for if we look about us upon all the creatures of god , that are exposed to our observation , we may seal this truth with an infallible induction ; that there is nothing but what is sitted with all suitable requisites to act according to its nature . the bird hath wings to waft it aloft in the thin and subtile aire ; the fish is furnisht with fins , to move in her liquid element ; and all other animals have instruments that are proper for their peculiar inclinations : so that should it be otherwise in the case of souls , it would be a great blot to the wise managements of providence ; and contrary to its usual methods ; and thus we should be dis-furnisht of the best and most convictive argument , that we have to prove that a prinoiple of exactest wisdom hath made and ordered all things . the sixth pillar : ( ) the powers and faculties of the soul , are either ( ) spiritual , and intellectual : ( ) sensitive : or , ( ) plastick . now ( ) by the intellectual powers i mean all those that relate to the soul , in its naked and abstracted conception , as it is a spirit , and are exercised about immaterial objects ; as , vertue , knowledge , and divine love : this is the platonical n●● ; and that which we call the mind : the two other more immediately relate to its espoused matter : for ( ) the sensitive are exercised about all the objects of sense , and are concerned in all such things as either gratifie , or disgust the body . and ( ) the plastick are those faculties of the soul , whereby it moves and forms the body , and are without sense or animadversion : the exercise of the former , i call the higher life ; and the operations of the latter , the lower ; and the life of the body . now that there are such faculties belonging to our natures , and that they are exercised upon such and such objects respectively , plain experience avoucheth , and therefore i may be excused from going about to prove so universally acknowledged a truth : wherefore i pass to the seventh pillar . ( ) by the same degrees that the higher powers are invigorated , the lower are consopited and abated , as to their proper exercises , & è contra . ( ) that those powers should each of them have a tendency to action and in their turns be exercised , is but rational to conceive , since otherwise they had been supers●uous . and ( ) that they should be inconsistent in the supremest exercise and inactuation , is to me as probable . for the soul is a finite and limited being , and therefore cannot operate diverse ways with equal intention at once . that is , cannot at the same time imploy all her faculties in the highest degree of exercise that each of them is capable of . for doubtless did it ingage but one of those alone , the operations thereof would be more strong and vigorous , than when they are conjunctly exercis'd , their acts and objects being very divers . so that i say , that these faculties should act together in the highest way they are capable of , seems to be contrary to the nature of the soul. and i am sure it comports not with experience ; for those that are endowed with an high degree of exercise of one faculty , are seldom , if ever , as well provided in the rest . 't is a common and daily observation , that those that are of most heightned and strong imaginations , are defective in judgment , and the faculty of close reasoning . and your very larg and capacious memories , have seldom or never any great share of either of the other perfections . nor do the deepest judgments use to have any thing considerable either of memory or phancy . and as there are fair instances even in this state of the inconsistence of the faculties in the highest exercise ; so also are there others that suggest untous , ( ) that by the same degrees that some faculties fail in their strength and vigour , others gain and are improved . we know that the shutting up of the senses , is the letting loose and inlarging of the phancy . and we seldom have such strong imaginations waking , as in our dreams in the silence of our other saculties . as the sun recedes , the moon and stars discover themselves ; and when it returns , they draw in their baffled beams , and hide their heads in obscurity . but to urge what is more close and pressing ; it is an unerring remarque , that those that want the use of some one natural part or faculty , are wont to have very liberal amends made them by an excellency in some others . thus those that nature hath deprived of sight , use to have wonderfully tenacious memories . and the deaf and dumb have many times a strange kind of sagacity , and very remarkable mechanical ingenies : not to mention other instances ; for i 'le say no more than i must needs . thus then experience gives us incouraging probability of the truth of the theorem asserted . and in its self 't is very reasonable ; for ( as we have seen ) the soul being an active nature , is always propending to the exercising of one faculty or other , and that to the utmost it is able , and yet being of a limited capacity , it can imploy but one in hight of exercise at once ; which when it loseth and abates of its strength and supream vigour ; some other , whose improvement was all this while hindred by this its ingrossing rival , must by consequence begin now to display it self , and awaken into a more vigorous actuation : so that as the former loseth , the latter proportionably gaineth . and indeed 't is a great instance of the divine wisdom , that our faculties ▪ are made in so regular and equilibrious an order . for were the same powers still uppermost in the greatest hight of activity , and so unalterably constituted , there would want the beauty of variety , and the other faculties would never act to that pitch of perfection that they are capable of . there would be no liberty of will , and consequently no humane nature . or if the higher powers might have lessen'd , and fail'd without a proportionable increase of the lower , and they likewise have been remitted , without any advantage to the other faculties , the soul might then at length fall into an irrecoverable recess and inactivity . but all these inconveniences are avoided by supposing the principle we have here insisted on ; and it is the last that i shall mention . briefly then , and if it may be more plainly , the higher faculties are those , where by the soul acts towards spiritual and immaterial objects : and the lower whereby it acts towards the body . now it cannot with equal vigour exercise it self both ways together ; and consequently the more it is taken up in the higher operations , the more prompt and vigorous it will be in these exercises , and less so about those that concern the body , & è converso . thus when we are very deeply ingaged in intellectual contemplations , our outward senses are in a manner shrunk up and cramped : and when our senses are highly exercised and gratified , those operations monopolize and imploy us . nor is this less observable in relation to the plastick . for frequent and severe meditations do much mortifie and weaken the body ; and we are most nourisht in our sleep in the silence of our senses . now what is thus true in respect of acts and particular exercises , is as much so in states and habits . moreover , 't is apparent that the plastick is then most strong and vigorous when our other faculties are wholly unimployed , from the state of the womb . for nature when she is at her plastick work , ceaseth all other operations . the same we may take notice of , in silk-worms and other insects , which lie as if they were dead and insensible , while their lower powers are forming them into another appearance . all which things put together , give good evidence to the truth of our axiom . i 'le conclude this with one remark more , to prevent mistake ; therefore briefly ; as the soul always acts by the body ; so in its highest exercises it useth some of the inferiour powers ; which , therefore must operate also . so that some senses , as sight and somewhat analagous to hearing may be imployed in considerable degree , even when the highest life is most predominant ; but then it is at the command and in the services of those nobler powers ; wherefore the sensitive life cannot for this cause be said to be invigorated , since 't is under servitude and subjection , and its gusts and pleasures are very weak and flaccid . and this is the reason of that clause in the principle ( as to their proper exercises . ) having thus laid the foundation , and fixt the pillars of our building , i now come to advance the superstructure . chap. xiv . a philosophical hypothesis of the souls praeexistence . the eternal and almighty goodness , the blessed spring and root of all things , made all his creatures , in the best , happiest , and most perfect condition , that their respective natures rendred them capable of , by axiom the first ; and therefore they were then constituted in the inactuation and exercise of their noblest and most perfect powers . consequently , the souls of men , a considerable part of the divine workmanship , were at first made in the highest invigoration of the spiritual and intellective faculties which were exercised in vertue , and in blisful contemplation of the supream deity ; wherefore now by axiom and , * the ignobler and lower powers , or the life of the body , were languid and remiss . so that the most tenuious , pure and simple matter being the fittest instrument for the most vigorous and spiritual faculties according to principle , , and . the soul in this condition was united with the most subtile and aethereal matter that it was capable of inacting ; and the inferior powers , those relating to the body , being at a very low ebb of exercise , were wholly subservient to the superiour , and imployed in nothing but what was serviceable to that higher life : so that the senses did but present occasions for divine love , and objects for contemplation ; * and the plastick had nothing to do , but to move this passive and easie body , accordingly as the concerns of the higher faculties required . thus then did we at first live and act in a pure and aethereal body ; and consequently in a place of light and blessedness , by principle d. but particularly to describe and point at this paradisaical residence , can be done only by those that live in those serene regions of lightsome glory : some philosophers indeed have adventured * to pronounce the place to be the sun , that vast orb of splendor and brightness ; though it may be 't is more probable , that those immense tracts of pure and quiet aether that are above saturn , are the joyous place of our ancient celestial abode : but there is no determination in matters of such lubricous uncertainty , where ever it is , 't is doubtless a place and state of wonderful bliss and happiness , and the highest that our natures had fitted us to . in this state we may be supposed to have lived in the blissful exercise of vertue , divine love and contemplation , through very long tracts of duration . but though we were thus unconceivably happy , * yet were we not immutably so ; for our highest perfections and noblest faculties being but finite , may after long and vigorous exercise , somewhat abate and remit in their sublimest operations , and adam may fall asleep ; in which time of remission of the higher powers , the lower may advance and more livelily display themselves than they could before , by axiom ; for the soul being a little slackt in its pursuits of immaterial objects , the lower powers which before were almost wholly taken up and imployed in those high services , are somewhat more releast to follow a little the tendencies of their proper natures . and now they begin to convert towards the body , and warmly to resent the delights and pleasures thereof ; thus is eve brought forth , while adam sleepeth . the lower life , that of the body is now considerably awakened , and the operations of the higher , proportionably abated . however , there is yet no anomy or disobedience , for all this is but an innocent exercise of those faculties which god hath given us to imploy , and as far as is consistent with the divine laws to gratifie . for it was no fault of ours that we did not uncessantly keep our spiritual powers upon the most intense exercises that they were capable of exerting ; * we were made on set purpose defatigable , that so all degrees of life might have their exercise ; and our maker designed that we should feel and taste the joys of our congenite bodies , as well as the pleasures of those seraphick aspires and injoyments . and me thinks it adds to the felicity of that state , that our happiness was not one uniform piece , or continual repetition of the same , but consisted in a most grateful variety , viz. in the pleasure of all our faculties , the lower as well as the higher ; for those are as much gratified by suitable exercises and enjoyments as these ; and consequently according to their proportion capable of as great an happiness : nor is it any more derogation from the divine goodness , that the noblest and highest life was not always exercised to the height of its capacity , than that we were not made all angels , all the planets so many suns and all the variety of the creatures formed into one species : yea , as was intimated above ; 't is an instance of the divine benignity , that he produced things into being , according to the vast plenitude of forms that were in his all-knowing mind ; and gave them operations suitable to their respective natures ; so that it had rather seemed a defect in the divine dispensations , if we had not had the pleasure of the proper exercise of the lower faculties as well as of the higher . * yea , me thinks 't is but a reasonable reward to the body , that it should have its delights and gratifications also , whereby it will be fitted for further serviceableness . for doubtless it would be in time spent and exhausted were it continually imployed in those high and less proportioned operations . wherefore god himself having so order'd the matter , that the inferiour life should have its turn of invigoration ; it can be no evil in us , * that that is executed which he hath so determined , as long as we pass not the bounds that he hath set us . adam therefore was yet innocent , though he joyed in his beloved spouse , yea , and was permitted to feed upon all the fruits of this paradise , the various results of corporeal pleasure , as long as he followed not his own will and appetites contrarily to the divine commands and appointments . but at length unhappily the delights of the body betray us , through our over indulgence to them , and lead us captive to anomy and disobedience . the sense of what is grateful and pleasant by insensible degrees g●ts head over the apprehension of what is just and good ; the serpent and eve prove successful tempters ; * adam cannot withstand the inordinate appetite , but feeds on the forbidden fruit , viz. the dictates of his debauched will , and sensual pleasure . and thus now the body is gotten uppermost , the lower faculties have greater exercise and command than the higher , those being very vigorously awakened , and these proportionably shrunk up , and consopited ; wherefore by axiom . and . the soul contracts a less pure body , which may be more accommodate to sensitive operations ; and thus we fall from the highest paradise the blissful regions of life and glory , and become inhabitants of the air. not that we are presently quite divested of our aethereal state , as soon as we descend into this less perfect condition of life , for retaining still considerable exercises of the higher life , though not so ruling and vigorous ones as before , the soul must retain part of its former vehicle , to serve it as its instrument , in those its operations : for the aethereal body contracts crasness and impurity by the same degrees as the immaterial faculties abate in their exercise ; so that we are not immediately upon the expiring of the highest congruity wholly stript of all remains of our celestial bodies , but still hold some portion of them , within the grosser vehicle , while the spirit , or higher life is in any degree of actuation . nor are we to suppose that every slip or indulgence to the body can detrude us from our aethereal happiness ; but such a change must be wrought in the soul , as may spoil its congruity to a celestial body , which in time by degrees is effected : thus we may probably be supposed to have fallen from our supream felicity . but others of our order have made better use of their injoyments , and the indulgences of their maker ; and though they have had their perigae's as well as their apogae's : i mean their verges towards the body and its joys , as well as their aspires to nobler and sublimer objects , yet they kept the station of their natures , and made their orderly returns , without so remarkable a defection : and though possibly some of them may sometimes have had their slips , and have waded further into the pleasures of the body than they ought to have done , yet partly by their own timely care and consideration , and partly by the divine assistance , they recover themselves again to their condition of primigenial innocence . but we must leave them to their felicity , and go on with the history of our own descent . therefore after we are detruded from our aethereal condition , we next descend into the aereal . the aereal state. now our bodies are more or less pure in this condition , proportionably to the degrees of our apostacy : so that we are not absolutely miserable in our first step of descent ; but indeed happy in comparison of our now condition : as yet there may be very considerable remains of vertue and divine love , though indeed the lower life , that of the body be grown very strong and rampant : so that as yet we may be supposed to have lapst no lower than the best and purest regions of the air , by axiom and . and doubtless there are some , who by striving against the inordinacy of their appetites , may at length get the victory again over their bodies , and so by the assistance of the divine spirit , who is always ready to promote and assist good beginnings , may re-enkindle the higher life , and so be translated again to their old celestial habitations without descending lower . but others irreclaimably persisting in their rebellion , and sinking more and more into the body , and the relish of its joys and pleasures , these are still verging to a lower and more degenerate state ; so that at the last the higher powers of the soul being almost quite laid asleep and consopited , and the sensitive also by long and tedious exercises being much tired , and abated in their vigour , * the plastick faculties begin now fully to awaken ; so that a body of thin and subtile air will not suffice its now so highly exalted energy , no more than the subtile aether can suffice us terrestrial animals for respiration ; wherefore the aereal-congruity of life expires also , and thus are we ready for an earthly body . but now since a soul cannot unite with any body , but with such only as is fitly prepared for it , by principle ▪ . and there being in all likelyhood more expirations in the air , than there are prepared bodies upon earth , it must needs be , that for some time it must be destitute of any congruous matter that might be joyned with it ; and consequently by principle . 't will lye in a state of inactivity and silence . not that it will for ever be lost in that forgotten recess and solitude , * for it hath an aptness and prope●sity to act in a terrestrial body , which will be reduced into actual exercise , when fit matter is prepared . the souls therefore , that are now laid up in the black night of stupidity and inertness will in their proper seasons be awakened into life and operation in such bodies and places of the earth , as by their dispositions they are fitted for . so that no sooner is there any matter of due vital temper , afforded by generation , but immediately a soul that is suitable to such a body , * either by meer natural congruity , the disposition of the soul of the world , or some more spontaneous agent is attracted , or sent into this so befitting tenement , according to axiom and . terrestrial state. now because in this state too we use our sensitive faculties , and have some , though very small reliques of the higher life also ; therefore the soul first makes it self a vehicle out of the most spiritous and yielding parts of this spumous terrestrial matter , which hath some analogy both with its aethereal and aereal state . this is as it were its inward vest , and immediate instrument in all its operations . by the help of this it understands , reasons , and remembers , yea forms and moves the body . and that we have such a subtile aery vehicle within this terrestrial , our manifest sympathizing with that element , and the necessity we have of it to all the functions of life , as is palpable in respiration , is me thinks good ground for conjecture . and 't is not improbable but even within this it may have a purer fire and aether to which it is united , being some little remain of what it had of old . in this state we grow up merly into the life of sense , having little left of the higher life , * but some apish shews and imitations of reason , vertue , and religion : by which alone with speech , we seem to be distinguisht from beasts , while in reality the brutish nature is predominant , and the concernments of the body are our great end , our only god and happiness ; this is the condition of our now degenerate , lost natures . however , that ever over-flowing goodness that always aims at the happiness of his creatures , hath not left us without all means of recovery , but by the gracious and benign dispensations which he hath afforded us , hath provided for our restauration ; which some ( though but very few ) make so good use of , that being assisted in their well meant and sincere indeavours by the divine spirit , they in good degree mortifie and subdue the body , conquer self-will , unruly appetites , and disorderly passions , and so in some measure by principle . awaken the higher life , which still directs them upwards to vertue and divine love ; which , where they are perfectly kindled , carry the soul , when dismist from this prison , * to it s old celestial abode : for the spirit and noblest faculties being so recovered to life and exercise require an aethereal body to be united to , and that an aethereal place of residence , both which , the divine nemesis that is wrought into the very nature of things bestoweth on them by principle the second . but they are very few that are thus immediately restored to the celestial paradise , upon the quitting of their earthly bodies . for others that are but in the way of recovery , and dye imperfectly vertuous , meer philosophy and natural reason ( within the bounds of which we are now discoursing ) can determin no more , * but that they step forth again into aery vehicles ; that congruity of life immediately awakening in them after this is expired . in this state their happiness will be more or less , proportionably to their vertues , in which if they persevere , ( we shall see anon how they will be recover'd . but for the present we must not break off the clue of our account , by going backwards before we have arriv'd to the utmost verge of descent in this philosophical romance , or history ; the reader is at his choice to call it which he pleaseth . wherefore let us cast our eyes upon the most , in whom their life on earth hath but confirmed and strengthened , their degenerate sensual , and brutish propensions ; and see what is like to become of them , when they take their leave of these terrestrial bodies . only first a word of the state of dying infants , and i come immediately to the next step of descent . * those therefore that pass out of these bodies ▪ before the terrestrial congruity be spoil'd , weakened , or orderly unwound ; according to the tenour of this hypothesis , must return into the state of inactivity . for the plastick in them is too highly awakened , to inactuate only an aereal body ; and , there being no other more congruous , ready , and at hand for it to enter , it must needs step back into its former state of insensibility , and there wait its turn , till befitting matter call it forth again into life and action . this is a conjecture that philosophy dictates , which i vouch not for a truth ; * but only follow the clue of this hypothesis . nor can there any danger be hence conceived that those whose congruities orderly expire , should fall back again into a state of ●ilence and inertness ; * since by long and hard exercises in this body , the plastick life is well tamed and debilitated , so that now its activity is proportioned to a more tenuious and passive vehicle , which it cannot fail to meet with in its next condition . for 't is only the terrestrial body is so long a preparing . but to the next step of descent , or after-state . to give an account of the after-state of the more degenerate and yet descending souls , some fancy a very odd hypothesis , imagining that they pass hence into some other more course and inferior planet , in which , they are provided with bodies suitable to their so depraved natures ; but i shall be thought extravagant for the mention of such a supposition ; wherefore i come to what is less obnoxious . when our souls go out of these bodies therefore , they are not presently discharged of all the matter that belonged to this condition , but carry away their inward and aereal state to be partakers with them of their after fortunes ; only leaving the useless earth behind them . for they have a congruity to their aery bodies , though that which they had to a terrestrial , is worn out and defaced . nor need we to wonder how it can now have an aereal aptitude , when as that congruity expired before we descended hither ; if we consider the reason of the expiration of its former vital aptitude , which was not so much through any defect of power to actuate such a body , but through the excess of invigoration of the plastick , which was then grown so strong , * that an aereal body was not enough for it to display its force upon . but now the case is altered , these lower powers are worn and wearied out , by the toylsome exercise of dragging about and managing such a load of flesh ; wherefore being so castigated , they are duly attemper'd to the more easie body of air again , as was intimated before ; to which they being already united , they cannot miss of a proper habitation . but considering the stupor , dulness and inactivity of our declining age , it may seem unlikely to some , that after death we should immediately be resuscitated into so lively and vigorous a condition , as is the aereal , especially , since all the faculties of sense and action , are observed gradually to fail and abate as we draw nearer to our exit from this stage ; which seems to threaten , that we shall next descend into a state of more stupor and inertness . but this is a groundless jealousie ; for the weakness and lethargick inactivity of old age , ariseth from a defect of those spirits , that are the instruments of all our operations , which by long exercise are at last spent and scattered . so that the remains can scarce any longer stand under their unweildy burthen ; much less , can they perform all functions of life so vigorously as they were wont to do , when they were in their due temper , strength , and plenty . however notwithstanding this inability to manage a sluggish , stubborn , and exhausted terrestrial body , there is no doubt , but the soul can with great ●ase , when it is discharged of its former load , actuate its thin aery vehicle ; and that with a brisk vigour and activity . as a man that is overladen , may be ready to faint and sink , till he be relieved of his burthen ; and then , he can run away with a cheerful vivacity . so that this decrepit condition of our decayed natures cannot justly prejudice our belief , that we shall be erected again , into a state of life and action in aereal bodies , after this congruity is expired . but if all alike live in bodies of air in the next condition , * where is then the difference between the just and the wicked , in state , place and body ? for the just we have said already ; that some of them are reinstated in their pristine happiness and felicity ; and others are in a middle state , within the confines of the air , perfecting the inchoations of a better life , which commenc'd in this : as for the state and place of those that have lived in a continual course of sensuality and forgetfulness of god ; i come now to declare what we may fancy of it , by the help of natural light , and the conduct of philosophy . and in order to this discovery i must premise somewhat concerning the earth , this globe we live upon ; which is , that we are not to conceive it to be a full bulky mass to the center , but rather that 't is somewhat like ▪ a suckt egg , in great part , an hollow sphere , so that what we tread upon , is but as it were , an arch or bridge , to divide between the upper and the lower regions : not that this ▪ inward hollowness is a meer void capacity , for there are no such chasms in nature , but doubtless replenisht it is with some fluid bodies or other , and it may be a kind of air , fire and water : now this hypothesis will help us easily to imagin how the earth may move , notwithstanding the pretended indisposition of its bulk , and on that account i believe it will be somewhat the more acceptable with the free and ingenious . those that understand the cartesian philosophy , will readily admit the hypothesis , at least as much of it as i shall have need of : but for others , i have little hopes of perswading them to any thing , and therefore i 'le spare my labour of going about to prove what they are either uncapable of , or at first dash judge ridiculous : and it may be most will grant as much as is requisite for my purpose , which is , that there are huge vast cavities within the body of the earth ; and it were as needless , as presumptuous , for me to go about to determinemore . only i shall mention a probability , that this gross crust which we call earth , is not of so vast a profundity as is supposed , and so come more press to my business . 't is an ordinary observation among them that are imployed in mines and subterraneous vaults of any depth , that heavy bodies lose much of their gravity in those hollow caverns : so that what the strength of several men cannot stir above ground , is easily moved by the single force of one under it : now to improve this experiment , 't is very likely that gravity proceeds from a kind of magnetism and attractive vertue in the earth , which is by so much the more strong and vigorous , by how much more of the attrahent contributes to the action , and proportionably weaker , where less of the magnetick element exerts its operation ; so that supposing the solid earth , to reach but to a certain , and that not very great distance from the surface , and 't is obvious this way to give an account of the phaenomenon . * for according to this hypothesis the gravity of those bodies is less , because the quantity of the earth that draws them is so ; whereas were it of the same nature and solidity to the center , this diminution of its bulk , and consequently vertue would not be at all considerable , nor in the least sensible : now though there are other causes pretended for this effect , yet there is none so likely , and easie a solution as this , though i know it also is obnoxious to exceptions , which i cannot now stand to meddle with ; all that i would have , is , that 't is a probability , * and the mention of the fountains of the great deep in the sacred history , as also the flaming vulcano's and smoaking mountains that all relations speak of , are others . * now i intend not that after a certain distance all is fluid matter to the center . for the cartesian hypothesis distributes the subterranean space into distinct regions of divers matter , which are divided from each other by as solid walls , as is the open air from the inferiour atmosphere : therefore i suppose only that under this thick outside , there is next a vast and large region of fluid matter , * which for the most part very likely is a gross and fetid kind of air , as also considerable proportions of fire and water , under all which , there may be other solid floors , that may incompass and cover more vaults , and vast hollows , the contents of which 't were vanity to go about to determine ; only 't is very likely , that as the admirable philosophy of des cartes supposeth , * the lowest and central regions may be filled with flame and aether , which suppositions , though they may seem to some to be but the groundless excursions of busie imaginations ; yet those that know the french philosophy , and see there the reasons of them , will be more candid in their censures , and not so severe to those not ill-framed conjectures . now then being thus provided , i return again to prosecute my main intendment ; wherefore 't is very probable , that the wicked and degenerate part of mankind , * are after death committed to those squalid subterraneous habitations ; in which dark prisons , they do severe penance for their past impieties , and have their senses , which upon earth they did so fondly indulge , and took such care to gratifie , now persecuted with darkness , stench , and horror . thus doth the divine justice triumph in punishing those vile apostates suitably to their delinquencies . now if those vicious souls are not carried down to the infernal caverns by the meer congruity of their natures , as is not so easie to imagine ; we may then reasonably conceive , * that they are driven into those dungeons by the invisible ministers of justice , that manage the affairs of the world by axiom . for those pure spirits doubtless have a deep sense of what is just , and for the good of the universe ; and therefore will not let those inexcusable wretches to escape their deserved castigations ; or permit them to reside among the good , lest they should infect and poyson the better world , by their examples . wherefore , i say , they are disposed of into those black under-abysses , where they are suited with company like themselves , and match't unto bodies as impure , as are their depraved inclinations . not that they are all in the same place , and under the like torments ; but are variously distributed according to the merits of their natures and actions ; some only into the upper prisons , * others to the dungeon : and some to the most intolerable hell , the abyss of fire . thus doth a just nemesis visit all the quarters of the vniverse . now those miserable prisoners cannot escape from the places of their confinement ; for 't is very likely that those watchful spirits that were instrumental in committing them , * have a strict and careful eye upon them to keep them within the confines of their goal , that they rove not out into the regions of light and liberty , yea , 't is probable that the bodies they have contracted in those squalid mansions , may by a kind of fatal magnetisme be chained down to this their proper element . or , they having now a congruity only to such fetid vehicles , may be no more able to abide the clear and lightsome air ; than the bat or owl are able to bear the suns noon-day beams ; or , the fish to live in these thinner regions . this may be the reason of the unfrequency of their appearance ; and that they most commonly get them away at the approach of light . besides all this , some there are who suppose that there is a kind of polity among themselves , which may * under severe penalties , prohibit all unlicensed excursions into the upper world ; though i confess this seems nor so probable , and we stand in no need of the supposition . for though the laws of their natures should not detain them within their proper residences ; yet the care and oversight of those watchful spirits , who first committed them , will do it effectually . and very oft when they do appear , they signifie that they are under restraint , and come not abroad , but by permission ; as by several credible stories i could make good : but for brevity i omit them . now though i intend not this hypothesis , either for a discovery of infallible truth , or declarement of mine own opinions , yet i cannot forbear to note the strange coincidence that there is between scripture expressions in this matter , some main stroaks of the orthodox doctrine , and this philosophical conjecture of the state and place of the wicked . 't is represented in the divine oracles as a deep pit , a prison , a place of darkness , fire , and brimstone ; and the going thither , is named a descent . all which most appositely agree with the representation we have made ; and the usual periphrasis of hell torments , fire , and brimstone , is wonderfully applicable to the place we have been describing ; since it abounds with fuliginous flames , and sulphureous stench and vapours ; and , as we have conjectur'd , the lowest cavity , is nothing else but a vault of ●●re . for the other expressions mentioned , every one can make the application . so that when a man considers this , he will almost be tempted to think , that the inspired writers had some such thing in their fancies . and we are not to run to tropes and figures for the interpretation of plain and literal descriptions ; except some weighty reason force us to such a refuge . moreover hell is believed among the orthodox to have degrees of torments , to be a place of uncomfortable horror , and to stand at the greatest distance from the seat and habitation of the blessed . all which , and more that i could reckon up , cannot more clearly be made out and explained , than they are in this hypothesis . thus then we see the irreclaimably wicked lodg'd in a place and condition very wretched and calamitous . if any of them should be taught by their miseries to renounce and forsake their impieties ; or should have any dispositions to vertue and divine love re-inkindled in them ; meer philosophy would conclude , that in time they might then be delivered from their sad durance ; but we know what theology hath determined . and indeed those brutish apostates are so fixt and rooted in their sensual and rebellious propensions , that those who are not yet as far distant from their maker as they can be , are still verging downwards ; and possibly being quite void of the divine grace , and any considerable exercises of reason and conscience , they may never stop till they have run through all the infernal stages , and are arriv'd to the extremest degree of misery , that as yet any are obnoxious to . wherefore the earth and all the infernal regions being thus monstrously depraved ; 't is time for the divine justice to shew some remarkable and more than ordinary severity upon those remorseless rebels ; and his goodness is as ready to deliver the virtuous from this stage of wretchedness and impiety . when therefore those have compleated the number of their iniquities , and these are sit for the mercy of so great a deliverance ; then shall the great decree for judgment be executed ; which though it cannot be expected that meer philosophy should give an unerring and punctual account of , yet we shall follow this light as far as it will lead us ; not intrenching upon the sacred rights of divinity , nor yet baulking what the ancient eastern cabbala , assisted by later discoveries into nature , will dictate ; but sincerely following the hypothesis , we shall leave all its errours and misguidances to be corrected by the more sacred canons . so that where we shall discern the wisdom of the world to have misdirected the most knowing and sedulous inquirers , we may duly acknowledge the great benefit of that light which we have received to guide us in matters of such vast and concerning speculation , the conflagration of the earth . therefore at length , when the time preappointed by the divine wisdom for this execution , is come ; * the internal , central fire shall have got such strength and irresistible vigour , that it shall easily melt and dissolve that fence that hath all this while inclosed it ; and all those other smaller fires , which are lodged in several parts of the lower regions joyning themselves with this mighty flame , shall prey upon what ever is combustible , and so rage first within the bowels of the earth , beginning the tragick execution upon those damned spirits that are there confined ; these having been reserved in the chains of darkness to the judgment of this great day ; and now shall their hell and misery be compleated , and they receive the full reward of their impieties , which doubtless will be the most intolerable and severe torment that can be imagined , these fierce and merciless flames sticking close to , yea , piercing through and through their bodies , which can remove no where to avoid this fiery over-spreading vengeance . and now the subterranean vaults being thus all on fire , it cannot be long ere this prevailing cumbustion take hold of the upper regions , wherefore at last with irresistible violence it breaks forth upon these also : so that the great pyre is now kindled , smoak , fire , darkness , horror and confusion , cover the face of all things . wherefore the miserable inhabitants of the earth and inferiour air , will be seized on by the devouring element , and suffer in that fire that was reserved for the perdition of ungodly men . but shall the righteous perish with the wicked ? and shall not the judge of all the earth do right ? will not the sincere and vertuous both in the earth and air be secured from this sad fate ? and how can their deliverance be effected ? doubtless providence that in all things else hath been righteous and equal , will not fail in this last scene ; but provision will be made for their recovery from this vengeance that hath taken hold of the wicked . but all natural causes failing here , since their bodies are not pure enough to waft them up the quiet regions of the un infested aether ; and the higher congruity of life , being yet but imperfectly inchoated ; they would be detained prisoners here below by the chains of their unhappy natures , were there not some extraordinary interposure for their rescue and inlargement ; wherefore when we contemplate the infinite fertility of the divine goodness , we cannot think , that he will let those seeds of piety and vertue , which himself hath sown and given some increase to , to come to nought ; or the honest possessors of them , fatally to miscarry : but that he will imploy his power for the compleating what he hath begun , and the deliverance of those , who have relyed upon his mercies . but for the particular way and method how this great transaction will be accomplisht , philosophy cannot determine it . happy therefore are we , who have the discoveries of a more certain light , which doth not only secure us of the thing , but acquaints us with the way and means , that the divine wisdom hath resolv'd on , for the delivery of the righteous . so that hereby we are assured that our ever blessed redeemer shall appear in the clouds before this fiery fate shall have quite taken hold of the earth , and its condemned inhabitants . the glory of his appearance with his coelestial legions , shall raise such strong love , joy , and triumph in his now passionately enamoured expectants , as shall again enkindle that high and potent principle , the spirit , which being throughly awakened and excited , will melt the grossest consistence into liquid aether , so that our bodies being thus turned into the purest flame , we shall ascend in those fiery chariots with our glorious redeemer , and his illustrious and blessed attendants to the coelestial habitations . this is the resurrection of the just , and the recovery of our antient blessedness . thus have some represented this great transaction ; but i dare warrant nothing in this matter beyond the declarations of the sacred scriptures ; therefore to proceed in our philosophical conjectures , however the good shall be delivered , be sure the wicked shall be made a prey to the scorching element , which now rageth every where , and suffer the judgment threatned . but yet the most degenerate part of mankind ( if we consult meer reason and the antient eastern cabbala ) who are detained prisoners in the now inflamed atmosphere , shall not for ever be abandon'd to misery and ruin . for they are still pretended to be under the eye and tender care of that almighty goodness , that made and preserveth all things , that punisheth not out of malice or revenge , and therefore will not pursue them to their utter undoing for ever : but hath set bounds to their destruction , and in infinite wisdom hath so ordered the matter that none of his creatures shall be lost eternally , or indure such an endless misery , than which not being it self were more eligible . wherefore those curious contemplators phancy , that the unsupportable pain and anguish which hath long stuck to those miserable creatures , will at length so consume and destroy that insensible pleasure and congruity that unites soul and body , that the thus miserably cruciated spirit must needs quit it's unfit habitation ; and there being no other body within its reach that is capable of a vital union , according to the tenor of this hypothesis , it must become senseless and unactive by axiom , . and so be buried in a state of silence and inertness . at length when these greedy flames shall have devoured what ever was combustible , and converted into a smoak and vapour all grosser concretions , that great orb of fire that the cartesian philosophy supposeth to constitute the center of this globe , shall perfectly have recovered its pristine nature , * and so following the laws of its proper motion , shall fly away out of this vortex , and become a wandring comet , till it settle in some other . but if the next conflagration reach not so low as the inmost regions of the earth , * so that the central fire remains unconcern'd , and unimploy'd in this combustion , this globe will then retain its wonted place among the planets . and that so it may happen , is not improbable , since there is plenty enough both of fiery principles and materials in those regions that are nearer to the surface , to set the earth into a lightsome flame , and to do all that execution that we have spoken of . some conceive therefore , that the conflagration will not be so deep and universal as this opinion supposeth it ; but that it may take beginning from a less distance , and spend it self upwards . and to this purpose they represent the sequel of their hypothesis . the general restitution . those thick and clammy vapours which erstwhile ascended in such vast measures , and had fill'd the vault of heaven with smoak and darkness , must at length obey the laws of their nature and gravity , and so descend again in abundant showres , and mingle with the subsiding ashes , which will constitute a mudd vegetative and fertile . for those warm and benign beams , that now again begin to visit the desolate earth , will excite those seminal principles into action , which the divine wisdom and goodness hath mingled with all things . wherefore they operating according to their natures , and the dispositions which they find in the restored matter , will shoot forth in all sorts of flowers , herbs , and trees ; making the whole earth a garden of delight and pleasure ; and erecting all the phaenomena proper to this element . by this time the air will be grown vital again and far more pure and pleasant , than before the fiery purgation . wherefore they conceive , that the disbodyed souls shall return from their unactive and silent recess , and be joyned again to bodies of purified and duly prepared air. for their radical aptitude to matter still remained , though they fell asleep for want of bodies of fit temper to unite with . this is the summ of the hypothesis as it is represented by the profoundly learned dr. h. more , with a copious and pompous eloquence . now supposing such a recess of any souls into a state of inactivity , such a restitution of them to life and action is very reasonable ; since it is much better for them to live and operate again , than to be useless in the universe , and as it were nothing for ever . and we have seen above , that the divine goodness doth always what is best , and his wisdom is not so shallow as to make his creatures so as that he should be fain to banish them into a state that is next to non-entity , there to remain through all duration . thus then will those lately tormented souls , having smarted for their past iniquities , be recovered both from their state of wretchedness and insensibility ; and by the unspeakable benignity of their maker , placed once more in such conditions , wherein by their own endeavours , and the divine assistance they may amend what was formerly amiss in them , and pursue any good resolutions that they took while under the lash of the fiery tortures ; which those that do , when their good inclinations are perfected , and the divine life again enkindled , they shall in due time re-ascend the thrones they so unhappily fell from , and be circled about with unexpressible felicity . but those that for all this , follow the same ways of sensuality and rebellion against their merciful deliverer , they shall be sure to be met with by the same methods of punishment ; and at length be as miserable as ever . thus we see the air will be re-peopled after the conflagration : but how the earth will so soon be restored to inhabitants , is a matter of some difficulty to determine , since it useth to be furnisht from the aereal regions , which now will have none left that are fit to plant it . for the good were delivered thence before the conflagration : and those that are newly come from under the ●iery lash and latter state of silence , are in a hopeful way of recovery ; at least , their aereal congruity cannot be so soon expired , as to fit them for an early return to their terrestrial prisons . wherefore to help our selves in this rencounter , we must remember , that there are continually multitudes of souls in a state of inactivity , for want of suitable bodies to unite with , there being more that dye to the aery state , than are born into this terrestrial . in this condition were myriads , when the general fever seiz'd this great destemper'd body ; who therefore were unconcern'd in the conflagration , and are now as ready to return into life and action upon the earth's happy restauration , as if no such thing had hapned . wherefore they will not fail to descend into fitly prepared matter , and to exercise all the functions proper to this condition . nor will they alone be inhabitants of the earth . for all the variety of other animals , shall ●●ve and act upon this stage with them ; all sorts of souls insinuating themselves into those bodies , which are ●it for their respective natures . thus then supposing habitable congruous bodies , there is no doubt , but there will be humane souls to actuate and inform them ; but all the difficulty is to conceive how the matter shall be prepared . for who shall be the common seeds-man of succeeding humanity , when all mankind is swept away by the fiery deluge ? and to take sanctuary in a miracle is unphilosophical and desperate . i think therefore , it is not improbable ( i mean according to the duct of this hypothesis ) but that in this renewed youth , of the so lately calcined and purified earth , there may be some pure efflorescences of balmy matter , not to be found now in its exhausted and decrepit age , that may be proper vehicles of life , into which souls may descend without further preparation ; and so orderly shape and form them , as we see to this day several sorts of other creatures do , without the help of generation . for doubtless there will be great plenty of unctuous spirituous matter , when the most inward and recondite spirits of all things , shall be dislodg'd from their old close residences , and scatter'd into the air ; where they will at length , when the fierce agitation of the fire is over , gather in considerable proportious of tenuious vapours ; which at length descending in a crystalline liquor , and mingling with the finest parts of the newly modified earth , will doubtless compose as genital a matter as any can be prepared in the bodies of animals . and the calm and wholesome air which now is duly purged from its noxious reeks and vapours , and abounds with their saline spirituous humidity , will questionless be very propitious to those tender inchoations of life ; and by the help of the sun 's favourable and gentle beams , supply them with all necessary materials . nor need we puzzle our selves to phancy , how those terrae filii , those young sons of the earth will be fortified against the injuries of weather , or be able to provide for themselves in their first and tender infancy ; since doubtless , if the supposition be admitted , * those immediate births of unassisted nature will not be so tender and helpless as we , into whose very constitutions delicacy and effeminateness is now twisted . for those masculine productions which were always exposed to the open air , and not cloyster'd up as we , will feel no more incommodity from it , than the young fry of fishes do from the coldness of the water they are spawn'd in . and even now much of our tenderness and delicacy is not natural but contracted . for poor children will indure that hardship that would quickly dispatch those that have had a more careful and officious nurture . and without question we should do many things for self-preservation and provision , which now we yield no signs of ; had not custom prevented the endeavours of nature , and made it expect assistance . for the indian infants will swim currently , when assoon as they are born , they are thrown into the water . and nature put to her shifts , will do many things more than we can suspect her able for the performance of ; which consider'd , 't is not hard to apprehend , but that those infant aborigines are of a very different temper and condition from the weak products of now decayed nature ; having questionless , more pure and serviceable bodies , senses and other faculties more active and vigorous , and nature better exercised ; so that they may by a like sense to that which carries all creatures to their proper food , pursue and take hold of that nutriment which the free and willing earth now offer'd to their mouths ; till being advantaged by age and growth , they can move about to make their choice . * but all this is but the frolick exercise of my pen chusing a paradox ; and 't is time to give over the pursuit . to make an end then , we see that after the conflagration the earth will be inhabited again , and all things proceed much-what in like manner as before . but whether the catastrophe of this shall be like the former or no , i think is not to be determined . for as one world hath perish't by water , and this present shall by fire , 't is possible the next period may be by the extinction of the sun. but i am come to the end of the line , and shall not go beyond this present stage of providence , or wander into an abysse of uncertainties , where there is neither sun nor star to guide my notions . now of all that hath been represented of this hypothesis , there is nothing that seems more extravagant and romantick than those notions that come under the two last generals ; and yet so it falls out , that the main matters contained under them , one would think to have a strange consonancy with some expressions in the sacred oracles . for clear it is from the divine volume , that the wicked and the devils themselves are reserved to a further and more severe judgment than yet afflicteth them ; it is as plainly declared to be a vengeance of fire that abides them , as a compleatment of their torments : and that the earth shall be burnt , is as explicitely affirmed , as any thing can be spoken . now if we put all these together , they look like a probability , that the conflagration of the earth shall consummate the hell of the wicked . and * those other expressions of death , destruction , perdition of the ungodly , and the like , seem to show a favourable regard to the state of silence and inactivity . nor is there less appearing countenance given to the hypothesis of restitution , * in those passages which predict new heavens and a new earth , and seem to intimate only a change of the present . and yet i would have no body be so credulous as to be taken with little appearances , nor do i mention these with an intent that they should with full consent be delivered to intend the asserting any such doctrines ; but that there is shew enough both in reason and scripture for these opinions to give an occasion for an hypothesis , and therefore that they are not meer arbitrary and idle imaginations . now whatever becomes of this particular draught of the souls several conditions of life and action , * the main opinion of prae-existence is not at all concerned . this scheme is only to shew , that natural and imperfect reason can frame an intelligible idea of it ; and therefore questionless the divine wisdom could form and order it , either so , or with infinitely more accuracy and exactness . how it was with us therefore of old , i know not ; but yet that we may have been , and acted before we descended hither , i think is very probable . and i see no reason but why praeexistence may be admitted without altering any thing considerable of the ordinary systeme of theology . but i shut up with that modest conclusion of the great des cartes : that although these matters seem hardly otherwise intelligible than as i have here explained them : yet nevertheless remembring i am not infallible , i assert nothing ; * but submit all i have written to the authority of the church of england , and to the matured judgments of graver and wiser men ; earnestly desiring that nothing else may be entertained with credit by any persons , but what is able to win it by the force of evident and victorious reason . des cartes princ. philos . lib. . ss . cvii . finis . a discourse of truth . by the reverend doctor rust , late lord bishop of dromore in ireland . london , printed for j. collins , and s. louns over against exeter exchange in the strand , . a letter concerning the subject and the author . sir , i have now perused , and returned the manuscript you sent me ; it had contracted many and great errours in the transcription , which i have corrected : i was enabled to do it by a written copy of the same discourse , which i have had divers years in my hands . the subject is of great and weighty importance , and the acknowledgment of the truths here asserted and made good , will lay a foundation for right conceptions in the doctrines that concern the decrees of god. for the first errour , which is the ground of the rest , is , that things are good and just , because god wills them so to be ; and if that be granted , we are disabled from using the arguments taken from natural notions , and the attributes and perfections of the divine nature , against the blackest and most blasphemous opinions that ever were entertained concerning gods proceedings with the sons of men. if there be no settled good and evil , immutable and independent on any will or vnderstanding , then god may have made his reasonable creatures on purpose to damn them for ever . he may have absolutely decreed that they should sin , that he may damn them justly ; he may most solemnly and earnestly prohibit sin by his laws , and declare great displeasure against it ; and yet by his ineluctable decrees force men to all the sin that is committed in the world : he may vehemently protest his unfeigned desire of their life and happiness , and at the same time secretly resolve their eternal destruction ; he may make it his glory and pleasure to triumph eternally in the torments of poor worms , which himself hath by his unalterable and irresistible will made miserable ; yea , ( as the discourse instanceth ) he may after his decrees concerning the salvation of the elect , after the death of his son for them , and the mission of his spirit to them , and after all the promises he hath made to assure them ; thrust them also at last into the dreadful regions of death and woe ; i say if there be no immutable respects in things , but just and vnjust , honourable and dishonourable , good and cruel , faithful and deceitful , are respects made by meer arbitrarious will , it will be in vain to dispute from them against any such dismal opinions : yea it will be great folly to argue for the simplicity of the divine nature against the vile conceits of the old anthropomorphites , and the blasphemies of the present muggletonians , of god's having a corporal shape , parts and members , if there be no necessary independent connexion , betwixt immensity , spirituality and perfection . but this being established , that there are immutable respects in things , and that such and such are perfections , and their contrary , defects and imperfections ; hence it will follow , that it is impossible the forementioned doctrines can be true concerning god , who cannot lye , cannot deny himself : viz. he being absolute and infinite perfection , cannot act any thing that is evil or imperfect ; but all the expressions in scripture , that at first sight look towards such a sense , must be interpreted by the general analogy and course of them , which declares his infinite , immutable excellencies , and these notions of himself , which he hath written on the souls of men. so that the subject of this little discourse , is of vast moment , and the truth asserted in it , is , i think , confirmed with an irresistible strength and force of reasoning ; and not to be convinced by it , will argue either great weakness of vnderstanding , in not perceiving consequences that are so close and plain ; or great obstinacy of will , in being shut up by prejudices , and preconceiv'd opinions against light that is so clear and manifest . the author was a person with whom i had the honour and happiness of a very particular acquaintance ; a man he was of a clear mind , a deep judgment and searching wit : greatly learned in all the best sorts of knowledge , old and new , a thoughtful and diligent enquirer , of a free vnderstanding , and vast capacity , joyn'd with singular modesty , and unusual sweetness of temper , which made him the darling of all that knew him : he was a person of great piety and generosity ; a hearty lover of god and men : an excellent preacher , a wise governour , a profound philosopher , a quick , forcible , and close reasoner , and above all , a true and exemplary christian . in short , he was one who had all the qualifications of a primitive bishop , and of an extraordinary man. this i say not out of kindness to my friend , but out of justice to a person of whom no commendation can be extravagant . he was bred in cambridge , and fellow of christ's colledge , where he lived in great esteem and reputation for his eminent learning and vertues ; he was one of the first that overcame the prejudices of the education of the late unhappy times , in that vniversity , and was very instrumental to enlarge others . he had too great a soul for the trifles of that age , and saw early the nakedness of phrases and phancies ; he out-grew the pretended o●thodoxy of those days , and addicted himself to the primitive learning and theology , in which he even then became a great master . after the return of the government , the excellent bishop taylor , foreseeing the vacancy in the deanery of connor , sent to cambridge , for some learned and ingenious man , who might be fit for that dignity . the motion was made to dr. rust , which corresponding with the great inclination he had to be conversant with that incomparable person , he gladly accepted of it , and hastn'd into ireland , where he langed at dublin about august . he was received with much respect and kindness by that great and good bishop , who knew how to value such jewels ; and preferr'd to the deanery as soon as it was void , which was shortly after . he continued in that preferment during the bishops life , always dearly lov'd , and even admir'd by him . at his death ( that sad stroke to all the lovers of religion and learning ) he was chosen for the last solemn office to his deceased father and friend ; and he preach't such a funeral sermon as became that extraordinary person and himself . it hath been since published , and i suppose you may have seen it , upon the lamented death of bishop taylor , which hapned august th . . the bishopricks were divided ; dr. boyle dean of cork , was nominated bishop of downe and connor ; and dr. rust dean of connor , bishop of dromore ; he lived in the deanery about six years , in the bishoprick but three ; for in december , he dyed of a fever ( in the prime of his years ) to the unspeakable grief of all that knew his worth , and especially of such of them as had been blest by his friendship , and most sweet and indearing conversation . he was buried in the quire of his own cathedral church of dromore , in a vault made for his predecessour bishop taylor , whose sacred dust is deposited also there : and what dormitory hath two such tenants ? this is the best account i can give you of the work and the author : and by it you may perceive his memory deserves to live , and this product of him : but there is so much reverence due to the manes of so venerable a person , that nothing should be hastily published under his honour'd name . i know , had he designed this exercitation for the publick , he would have made it much more compleat and exact than we now have it ; but as it is , the discourse is weighty , and substantial , and may be of great use . as it goes about now in written copies ▪ it , is ( i perceive ) exceedingly depraved ▪ and in danger of being still worse abused ; the publication would preserve it from further corruptions . however i dare not advise any thing in it , but this , that you take the judgment of that reverend doctor you mention ( the deceased authors friend and mine , ) and act according as he shall direct . i am , your real friend , jos . glanvil . a discourse of truth . sect . i. that truth is twofold ; in the object , and in the subject . that in the object what it is ; and that it is antecedent to and independent of any will or vnderstanding whatever . truth is of aequivocal signification , and therefore cannot be defined before it be distinguish't . it is twofold ; truth in things , which you may call truth in the object : and truth in the vnderstanding , which is truth in the subject . by the first i mean nothing else but that things necessarily are what they are : and that there are necessary mutual respects and relations of things one unto another . now that things are what they are , and that there are mutual respects and relations eternal , and immutable , and in order of nature * antecedent to any understanding either created or uncreated , is a thing very plain and evident ; for it 's clearer than the meridian light , that such propositions as these , homo est animal rationale , triangulum est quod habet tres angulos , are not arbitrarious dependencies upon the will , decree , or understanding of god , but are necessary and eternal truths ; and wherein 't is as impossible to divide the subject , and what is spoken of it , as it is for a thing not to be what it is , which is no less than a contradiction ; and as indispensible are the mutual respects and relations of things both in speculatives and morals . sect . ii. the necessity of there being certain arguments , means and objects for certain conclusions , ends and faculties ; and that every thing will not suit every thing . for can it be imagin'd that every argument can be made a proportioned medium to prove every conclusion ? * that any thing may be a suitable means to any end ? that any object may be conformable to any faculty ? can omnipotence it self make these propositions , that twice two are four , or that parallels cannot intersect , clear and convincing arguments to prove these grand truths , that christ came into the world to dye for sinners , and is now exalted as a prince and a saviour at the right hand of god ? * is it possible that there should be such a kind of geometry , wherein any problemes should be demonstrated by any principles ; quidlibet ex quolibet ; as that a quadrangle is that which is comprehended of four right lines : * therefore the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right ones ? sect . iii. an instance or two of gross and horrid absurdities , consequent to the denying the mutual respects and relations of things to be eternal and indispensible . can the infinite wisdom it self make the damning of all the innocent and the unspotted angels in heaven a proportionate means to declare and manifest the unmeasureableness of his grace and love , and goodness towards them ? can lying , swearing , envy , malice , nay hatred of god and goodness it self , be made the most acceptable service of god , and the readiest way to a mans happiness ? and yet all these must be true , and infinitely more such contradiction● than we can possibly imagin , if the mutual respects and relations of things be not eternal and indispensible : which that they are , i shall endeavour to prove . sect . iv. the entrance into the first part of the discourse , which is of truth in the object . that the divine understanding does not make the respects and relations of its objects , but finds them or observes them . first , we must premise that * divine vnderstanding cannot be the fountain of the truth of things ; * nor the foundation of the references of one to another . for it is against the nature of all understanding , to make its objects . * it is the nature of understanding , ut moveatur , illuminetur , formetur , &c. of its object , ut moveat , illuminet , formet . intellectus in actu primo hath it self unto its object , as the eye unto the sun ; it is irradiated , inlightned and actuated by it : and intellectus in actu secundo , hath it self unto its object , as the image to that it represents ; and the perfection of understanding consists in being actuated by , and in an adaequate conformity to its object , according to the nature of all idea's , images or representations of things . the sum is this , * no idea's or representations are or make the things they represent ; all understanding is such ; therefore no understanding doth make the natures , respects and relations of its objects . sect . v. that the divine will does not determine the references and dependencies of things , because that would subvert his other attributes . * it remains then , that absolute , arbitrarious and independent will must be the fountain of all truth ; and must determine the references and dependencies of things : * which assertion would in the first place destroy the nature of god , * and rob him of all his attributes . for then it 's impossible that there should be such a thing as divine wisdom and knowledge , which is nothing else but an apprehension of common notions , and the natures and mutual respects and relations of things . for if the nature of god be such , that his arbitrarious imagination that such and such things have such and such natures and dependencies , doth make those things to have those natures or dependencies , he may as easily unimagine that imagination ; and then they that before had a mutual harmony , sympathy and agreement with one another , shall now stand at as great a distance and opposition . and thus the divine understanding will be a mere protaean chimaera , a casual conflux of intellectual atomes : contradictions are true , if god will understand them so , and then the foundation of all knowledge is taken away , and god may as truly be said to know nothing as every thing ; nay , * any angel or man may as truly be said to know all things , as god himself ; for then every thing will be alike certain , and every apprehension equally conformable to truth . these are infallible consequences , and a thousand more as absurd as these , if contradictory propositions may be both true : and whether they be so or no , it 's a meer casual dependence upon the arbitrarious pleasure of god , if there be not a necessary immutability and eternal opposition betwixt the being and the not being of the same thing , at the same time and in the same respect . likewise all those truths we call common notions , ( the systeme and comprehensions of which , is the very essence of divine wisdom ; as the conclusions issuing from them , not by any operose dèduction , but a clear intuitive light , are the very nature of divine knowledge , * if we distinguish those two attributes in god ) i say , all these propositions of immediate and indemonstrable truth , if these be only so , because so understood by god , and so understood by god because he pleased so to have them , and not because there is an indispensible relation of harmony and proportion betwixt the terms themselves ; then it is a thing meerly casual , and at the pleasure of god to change his former apprehensions , and idea's of those truths , and to make their contradictories as evident , radical and fundamental as themselves but even now were ; and so divine wisdom and knowledge will be a various , sickle and mutable thing , a meer tumult and confusion . all these consequences infallibly flow from this certain principle , that upon a changeable and uncertain cause , effects must needs have a changeable and uncertain dependence . and there is nothing imaginable in it self , more changeable and uncertain than will not regulated by the dictates of reason and understanding . sect . vi. the avoidance of the foregoing ill consequences by making god immutable , with an answer thereto . if any deny these consequences and deductions , * because they suppose that god is mutable and changeable ; i answer , by bringing this as another absurdity , that if there be no indispensible and eternal respects of things , it will rob god of his immutability , and unchangeableness : for if there be no necessary dependence betwixt vnchangeablness and perfection , what should hinder , but that if god please to think it so , it will be his perfection to be changeable ? and if will , as such , be the only principle of his actions , it is infallibly his perfection to be so . for 't is the perfection of every being to act according to the principle of its nature , and it is the nature of an arbitrarious principle to act or not , to do or undo upon no account but its own will and pleasure ; to be determined , and tied up , either by it self , or from abroad , is violent and contranatural . sect . vii . an hideous , but genuine inference of a pamphleteer from this principle , that absolute and sovereign will is the spring and fountain of all gods actions . and therefore from this principle , that absolute and soveraign will is the spring and fountain of all gods actions , it was rightly inferr'd by a late pamphleteer , that god will one day damn all mankind , good and bad , believers and unbelievers , notwithstanding all his promises , pretensions or engagements to the contrary ; because this damning all mankind in despight of his faithfulness , justice , mercy and goodness will be the greatest advancement of his soveraignty , will and prerogative imaginable . his words are , god hath stored up destruction both for the perfect and the wicked , and this does wonderfully set forth his soveraignty ; his exercising whereof is so perfect , that when he hath tied himself up fast as may be , by never so many promises , yet it should still have its scope , and be able to do what it will , when it will , as it will : here you have this principle improved to the height . and however you may look upon this author as some new light , or ignis fatuus of the times , yet i assure you in some pieces by him set forth , he is very sober and rational . sect . viii . that the denial of the mutual respects and relations of things unto one another to be eternal and unchangeable , despoils god of that universal rectitude of his nature . in the next place , to deny the mutual respects and rationes rerum to be immutable and indispensible , * will spoil god of that universal rectitude which is the greatest perfection of his nature : for then justice , faithfulness , mercy , goodness &c. will be but contingent and arbitrarious issues of the divine will. this is a clear and undeniable consequence . for if you say these be indispensible perfections in god , for instance , if justice be so , then there is an eternal relation of right and equity betwixt every being and the giving of it that which is its propriety ; if faithfulness , then there is an indispensible agreement betwixt a promise and the performance of it ; if mercy , then there is an immutable and unalterable suitableness and harmony between an indigent creature , and pity and commiseration ; if goodness , then there is an everlasting proporti●n and symmetry between fulness and its overflowing and dispreading of it self , which yet is the thing denyed : * for to say they are indispensibly so , because god understands them so , seems to me extream incogitancy ; for that is against the nature of all understanding , which is but the idea and representation of things , and is then a true and perfect image , when it is exactly conformed to its object : and therefore , if things have not mutual respects and relations eternal and indispensible , then all those perfections do solely and purely depend upon absolute and independent will , as will ; and consequently , it was and is indifferent in it self that the contrary to these , as , injustice , vnfaithfulness , cruelty , malice , hatred , spite , revenge , fury ; and whatever goes to the constitution of hell it self , should have been made the top and highest perfections of the divine nature : which is such blasphemy as cannot well be named without horror and trembling . for instead of being a god , such a nature as this is , joyned with omnipotency , would be a worse devil than any is in hell. and yet this is a necessary and infallible consequence from the denial of these mutual respects and relations of things unto one another , to be eternal and unchangeable . sect . ix . that the denial of the unchangeableness of the said mutual respects and relations of things to one another , takes away all knowledge of god and of our own happiness , and lays a foundation of the most incurable scepticism imaginable . and as by the denial of these , the nature of god is wholly destroyed , so in the second place , the mind of man would have no certainty of knowledge , or assurance of happiness . he can never come to know there is a god , and consequently not the will and mind of god , which if there be no intrinsecal and indispensible respects and relations of things , must be the ground and foundation of all knowledge ; for what means or arguments should we use to find out , or prove a divine nature ? it were folly and madness to sit down and consider the admirable contrivement and artifice of this great fabrick of the universe ; how that all natural things seem to act for some end , though themselves take no cognizance of it : how the sun by its motion and situation , or ( which is all one ) by being a centre of the earths motion , provides light and heat , and life for this inferiour world , how living creatures bring forth a most apt composure and structure of parts and members , and with that a being endued with admirable faculties , and yet themselves have no insight into , nor consultation about this incomparable workmanship ; how they are furnished with powers and inclinations for the preservation of this body when it is once brought into the world ; how without praevious deliberation they naturally take in that food which without their intention or animadversion is concocted in their ventricle , turned into chyle , that chyle into bloud , that bloud diffused through the veins and arteries , and therewith the several members nourished , and decays of strength repaired ; i say , the gathering from all these ( which one would think were a very natural consequence ) that there is a wise principle which directs all these beings unknown to you , in their several motions , to their several ends , ( supposing the dependence and relations of things to be contingent and arbitrarious ) were a piece of folly and incogitancy ; for how can the order of those things speak a wise and understanding being , which have no relation or respect unto one another , but their whole agreement , suitableness and proportion is a meer casual issue of absolute and independent will ? if any thing may be the cause of any effect , and a proportionate mean to any end , who can infer infinite wisdom from the dependence of things and their relations unto one another ? * for we are to know that there is a god , and the will of that god before we can know the mutual harmony , or disproportion of things ; and yet , if we do not know these principal respects that things have among themselves , it is impossible we should ever come to the knowledge of a god : for these are the only arguments that any logick in the world can make use of to prove any conclusion . but suppose we should come to know that there is a god , which , as i have demonstrated , denying the necessary and immutable truth of common notions , and the indispensible and eternal relations of things , is altogether impossible : however , let it be supposed ; yet how shall we know that these common notions , and principles of natural instinct , which are the foundation of all discourse and argumentation , are certain and infallible truths ; and that our senses , ( which with these former principles , we suppose this divine nature to have given us to converse with this outward world ) were not on purpose bestowed upon us , to befool , delude and cheat us ; if we be not first assured of the veracity of god ? and how can we be assured of that , if we know not that veracity is a perfection ? and how shall we know it is so , unless there be an intrinsecal relation betwixt veracity and perfection ? for if it be an arbitrarious respect depending upon the will of god , there is no way possible left whereby we should come to know that it is in god at all ; and therefore we have fully as much reason to believe that all our common notions and principles of natural instinct , whereupon we ground all our reasonings and discourse , are meer chimaera's to delude and abuse our faculties ; and all those idea's , phantasms and apprehensions of our external senses , we imagine are occasioned in us by the pre●ence of outward objects , are meer spectrums and gulleries , wherewith poor mortals are befooled and cheated ; as that they are given us by the first goodness and truth to lead us into the knowledge of himself and nature . this is a clear and evident consequence , and cannot be denyed by any that doth not complain of darkness in the brightest and most meridian light. and here you have the foundations laid of the highest scepticism ; for who can say he knows any thing , when he hath no basis on which he can raise any true conclusions ? sect . x. that the denying the eternal and immutable respects of things frustrates all the noble essays of the mind or understanding of man. thus you see the noble faculties of man , his mind and understanding , will be to no end and purpose , but for a rack and torture ; for what greater unhappiness or torment can there be imagined , than to have faculties , whose accomplishment and perfection consists in a due conformation unto their objects , and yet to have no objects unto which they may be conformed ; to have a soul unmeasurably breathing after the embraces of truth and goodness , and after a search and enquiry after one and the other , and to find at last they are but ●iery , empty and uncertain notions , depending upon the arbitrarious determinations of boundless and independent will ; which determinations she sees it beyond her reach ever to come to any knowledge of ? sect . xi . that in the abovesaid denial are lad the foundations of rantism , debauchery , and all dissoluteness of life . here you have likewise the true foundations of that we call rantism ; for if there be no distinction 'twixt truth and falshood , good and evil , in the nature of the things themselves , and we never can be assured what is the mind and pleasure of the supream and absolute will ( because veracity is not intrinsecally and ex natura re● , a perfection , but only an arbitrarious , if any attribute in the deity ) * then it infallibly follows , that it is all one what i do , or how i live ; and i have as much reason to believe that i am as pleasing unto god , when i give up my self unto all f●●thiness , uncleanness and sin ; when i swell with pride , envy , hatred and malice , &c. as when i endeavour with all my might and strength to purge and purifie my soul from all pollution and de●ilement both o● flesh and spirit ; and when i pursue the mortification of all my ●arnal lusts and inclinations : and i have fully as much ground and assurance , that the one is the ready way to happiness , as the other . sect . xii . that our assurance of future happiness is quite cut off by the denying of the eternal and immutable respects of things . and this is another branch of this second absurdity , from the denial o● the intrinfecal and eternal respects and relations of things , that a man would not have any assurance of future happiness ; for though it be true indeed , or at least we fancy to our selves that god hath sent jesus christ into the world , and by him hath made very large and ample promises , that whosoever believes in him and conforms his life unto his precepts , shall be made heir of the same inheritance and glory which christ is now possessed of and invested with in the kingdom , of his father ; yet what ground have we to believe that god does not intend only to play with and abuse our faculties , and in conclusion to damn all those that believe and live as is above expressed ; and to take them only into the injoyments of heaven and h●ppiness , who have been the great opposers of the truth , and gospel , and life and nature of jesus christ in the world ? for if there be no eternal and indispensible relation of things , then there 's no intrinsecal evil in deceiving and falsifying , in the damning the good , or saving obstinate and contumacious sinners ( whilst such ) notwithstanding any promises or threatnings to the contrary : and if the things be in themselves indifferent , it is an unadvised confidence to pronounce determinately on either side . yea further , suppose we should be assured that god is verax , and that the scripture doth declare what is his mind and pleasure ; yet if there be not an intrinsecal opposition betwixt the being and not being of a thing at the same time , and in the same respect ; then god can make a thing that hath been done , undone ; and that whatever hath been done or spoken either by himself , or christ , or his prophets , or apostles , should never be done , or spoken by him or them ; though he hath come into the world , yet that he should not be come ; though he hath made these promises , yet that they should not be made ; though god hath given us faculties , that are capable of the enjoyment of himself , yet that he should not have given them us ; and that yet we should have no being , nor think a thought while we fancy and speak of all these contradictions : in fine , it were impossible we should know any thing , * if the opposition of contradictory terms depend upon the arbitrarious resolves of any being whatsoever . if any should affirm , that the terms of common notions have an eternal and indispensible relation unto one another , and deny it of other truths , he exceedingly betrays his folly and incogitancy ; for these common notions and principles are foundations , and radical truths upon which are built all the deductions of reason and discourse , and with which , so far as they have any truth in them , they are inseparably united . all these consequences are plain and undeniable , and therefore i shall travel no further in the confirmation of them . sect . xiii . several objections propounded , against the scope of this discourse hitherto , from the independency of the divine understanding and will. against this discourse will be objected , that it destroys god's independency and self-sufficiency ; * for if there be truth antecedently to the divine understanding , the divine understanding will be a meer passive principle , acted and inlightened by something without itself , as the eyes , by the sun , and lesser objects , which the sun irradiates : and if there be mutual congruities , and dependencies of things in a moral sense , and so , that such and such means have a natural and intrinsecal tendency , or repugnance to such and such ends , then will god be determined in his actions from something without himself , * which is to take away his independency , and self-sufficiency . the pardoning of sin to repenting sinners seems to be a thing very suitable to infinite goodness and mercy , if there be any suitableness , or agreement in things antecedently to gods will ; therefore in this case will god be moved from abroad , and as it were determined to an act of grace . this will also undermine and shake many principles and opinions which are look'd upon as fundamentals , and necessary to be believed : it will unlink and break that chain and method of gods decrees , which is generally believed amongst us . god's great plot , and design from all eternity , as it is usually held forth , was to advance his mercy and justice in the salvation of some , and damnation of others ; we shall speak only of that part of gods design , the advancement of his justice in the damnation of the greatest part of mankind , as being most pertinent for the improving of the strength of the objection against our former discourse . sect . xiv . a main objection more fully insisted on , namely how well the advancement of gods justice in the damnation of the greatest part of mankind consists with the scope of this discourse , especially it being stated as is here set down . that god may do this , he decrees to create man , and being created , decrees that man should sin ; and because , as some say , man is a meer passive principle , not able , no not in the presence of objects , to reduce himself into action ; or because in the moment of his creation , as others , he was impowered with an indifferency to stand or fall ; therefore , ●est there should be a frustration of god's great des●gn ; he decrees in the next place , infallibly to determine the will of man unto ●●n , that having sinned he might accomplish his damnation ; and what he had first , and from all eternity in his intentions , the advancement of his justice . now if there be such an intrinsecal relation of things , as our former discourse pretends unto , this design of god will be wholly frustrated . for it may seem clear to every mans understanding , that it is not for the honour and advancement of justice to determine the will of man to sin , and then to punish him for that sin unto which he was so determined ; whereas if god's will , as such , be the only rule and principle of actions , this will be an accommodate means ( if god so please to have it ) unto his design . the summ is , we have seemed in our former discourse to bind and tye up god , who is an absolute and independent being , to the petty formalities of good and evil , * and to fetter and imprison freedom , and liberty it self , in the fatal and immutable chains , and re●pects of things . sect . xv. an answer to that objection that concerns the understanding of god , shewing that the divine vnderstanding does not depend upon the natures and mutual respects of things , though they be its objects . i answer ▪ this objection concerns partly the understanding of god , and partly his will ; as for the divine understanding , the case is thus ; there are certain beings , or natures of things which are logically possible ; it implyes no contradiction that they should be , although it were supposed , there were no power that could bring them into being ; which natures , or things , supposing they were in being , would have mutual relations of agreement or opposition unto one another , which would be no more distinguished from the things themselves , than relations are from that which founds them . now the divine understanding is a representation , o● comprehension of all those natures or beings thus logically , and in respect of god absolutely possible , and consequently it must needs be also a comprehension of all these sympathies , and antipathies , either in a natural or a moral way , which they have one unto another : for they , as i said , do necessarily , and immediately flow from the things themselves , as relations do , posito fundamento , & termino . now the divine understanding doth not at all depend upon these natures , or relations , though they be its objects ; for the nature of an object doth not consist in being motivum facultatis , as it is usually with us , whose apprehensions are awakened by their presence ; but its whole nature is sufficiently comprehended in this , that it is termination● facultatis ; and this precisely doth not speak any dependency of the faculty upon it , especially in the divine understanding ; where this objective , terminative presence flows from the foecundity of the divine nature : for the things themselves are so far from having any being antecedently to the divine understanding ; that had not it been their exemplary pattern , and idea , they had never been created , and being created they would lye in darkness ; ( i speak of things that have not in them a principle of understanding , not conscious of their own natures , and that beauteous harmony they have among themselves ) were they not irradiated by the divine understanding , which is as it were an universal sun that discovers and displays the natures and respects of things , and does as it were draw them up into its beams . sect . xvi . an answer to that objection which concerns the will of god , shewing , that liberty in the power or principle , is no where a perfection , where there is not an indifferency in the things or actions about which it is conversant . to the second part of the objection , the strength whereof is , that * to tye up god in his actions to the reason of things , destroys his liberty , absoluteness , and independency . i answer , it is no imperfection for god to be determined to good ; it is no bondage , slavery , or contraction , to be bound up to the eternal laws of right and justice : it is the greatest impotency and weakness in the world to have a power to evil , and there is nothing so diametrically opposite to the very being and nature of god. stat pro ratione voluntas , unless it be as a redargution and check to impudent and daring inquirers , is an account no where justifiable . the more any being partakes of reason and understanding , the worse is the imputation of acting arbitrariously , & pro imperio . we can pardon it in women and children , as those from whom we do not expect that they should act upon any higher principle ; but for a man of reason and understanding , that hath the laws of goodness and rectitude ( which are as the laws of the medes and persians that cannot be altered ) engraven upon his mind , for him to cast off these golden reins , and to set up arbitrarious will for his rule and guide , is a piece of intolerable rashness and presumption . this is an infallible rule , that liberty in the power or principle is no where a perfection , where there is not an indifferency in the things or actions about which it is conver●ant : and therefore it is a piece of our weakness and imbecillity , that we have nature so indetermined to what is good . these things need no proof , indeed cannot well be proved , otherwise than they prove themselves : for they are of immediate truth , and prove themselves they will , to a pure unprejudiced mind . sect . xvii . that the discourse hitherto does not infer any dependency of god upon any thing without himself ; but only occasions are offered to him of acting according to his own intimate nature and essence . . * our former discourse doth not infer any dependency of god , upon any thing without himself ; for god is not excited to his actions by any forreign , or extrinsecal motives ; what he does , proceeds from the eternal immutable respects , and relations , or reasons of things , and where are these to be found , but in the eternal and divine wisdom ? for what can infinite wisdom be , but a steady , and immoveable comprehension of all those natures and relations ? and therefore god in his actions , does not look abroad , but only consults , ( if i may so speak ) the idea's of his own mind . what creatures do , is but the offering a particular case , for the reducement of a general principle into a particular action : or the presentment of an occasion for god to act according to the principles of his own nature ; when we say that god pardoneth sin upon repentance , god is not moved to an act of grace from any thing without himself ; for this is a principle in the divine wisdom , that pardon of sin to repenting sinners , is a thing very suitable to infinite goodness , and this principle is a piece of the divine nature : therefore when god upon a particular act of repentance puts forth a particular act of grace , it is but as it were a particular instance to the general rule , which is a portion of divine perfection , when 't is said , to him that hath shall be given , and he shall have abundance ; the meaning is , he that walks up unto that light , and improves that strength , that god hath already communicated unto him , shall have more abundant incomes of light and strength from god : it doth not follow that god is moved from without to impart his grace . for this is a branch of divine wisdom ; it is agreeable to the infinite goodness of god , to take notice of , and reward the sincere , though weak endeavours of his creatures , after him ; so that what is from abroad , is but a particular occasion to those divine principles to exert , and put forth themselves . sect . xviii . the second part of the discourse , which briefly treats of truth in the subject ; what it is : what in god , and what in the creature ; and that in both it is , a representation or conception in the mind , conformable to the unchangeable natures and mutual respects of things . thus have we spoken concerning the truth of things , or truth in the object . it follows that we speak concerning truth in the power , or faculty , which we called truth in the subject ; which we shall dispatch in a few words . * truth in the power , or faculty is nothing else but a conformity of its conceptions or idea's unto the natures and relations of things , which in god we may call an actual , steady , immoveable , eternal omniformity , as plotinus calls the divine intellect , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which you have largely described by him . and this the platonists truly call the intellectual world , for here are the natures of all things pure , and unmix'd , purged from all those dregs , refined from all that dross and alloy which cleave unto them in their particular instances . all inferiour and sublunary things , not excluding man himself , have their excrescences , and defects ; exorbitances , or privations are moulded up in their very frames and constitutions . there is somewhat extraneous , heterogeneous , and preternatural in all things here below , as they exist amongst us ; but in that other world , like the most purely fined gold , they shine in their native and proper glory . here is the first goodness , the benign parent of the whole creation , with his numerous off-spring , the infinite throng of created beings : here is the fountain of eternal love , with all its streams , and rivulets : here is the sun of uncreated glory , surrounded with all his rayes , and beams : here are the eternal , and indispensible laws of right and justice , the immediate and indemonstrable principles of truth , and goodness : here are steady and immoveable rules , for all cases and actions , however circumstantiated , from which the will of god , though never so absolute , and independent , from everlasting to everlasting , shall never depart one tittle . * now all that truth that is in any created being , is by participation and derivation from this first understanding , and fountain of intellectual light . and that truth in the power of faculty is nothing but the conformity or its conceptions , or ideas with the natures and relations of things , is clear and evident in it self , and necessarily follows from what hath been formerly proved concerning the truth of things themselves , * antecedently to any understanding , or will ; * for things are what they are , and cannot be otherwise without a contradiction , and their mutual respects and dependences eternal and unchangeable , as hath been already shew'd : so that the conceptions and ideas of these natures and their relations , can be only so far true * as they conform and agree with the things themselves , and the harmony which they have one to another . finis . the contents of the discourse of truth . sect. . that truth is twofold ; in the object and in the subject . that in the object , what it is ; and that it is antecedent to and independent of any will or vnderstanding whatever . p. sect. . the necessity of there being certain arguments , means and objects for certain conclusions , ends and faculties ; and that every thing will not suit every thing . p. sect. . an instance or two of the gross and horrid absurdities , consequent to the denying the mutual respects and relations of things to be eternal and indispensible . p. sect. . the entrance into the first part of the discourse , which is , of truth in the object : that the divine understanding does not make the respects and relations of its objects , but finds them or observes them . p. sect. . that the divine will does not determine the references and dependences of things , because that would subvert his other attributes . p. sect. . the avoidance of the foregoing ill consequences by making god immutable , with an answer thereto . p. sect. . an hideous , but genuine inference of a pamphleteer from this principle , that absolute and sovereign will is the spring and fountain of all gods actions . p. sect. . that the denial of the mutual respects and relations of things unto one another to be eternal and unchangeable , despoils god of that universal rectitude of his nature . p. sect. . that the denial of the unchangeableness of the said mutual respects and relations of things to one another , takes away the knowledge of god and of our own happiness , and lays a foundation of the most incurable scepticism imaginable . p. sect. . that the denying the eternal and immutable respects of things , frustrates all the noble essays of the mind or understanding of man. p. sect. . that in the abovesaid denial are laid the foundations of rantism , debauchery , and of all dissoluteness of life . p. sect. . that our assurance of future happiness is quite ●ut off by the denying of the eternal and immutable respects of things . p. sect. . several objections propounded , against the scope of this discourse hitherto , from the independency of the divine understanding and will. p. sect. . a main objection more fully insisted upon , namely , how well the advancement of gods justice in the damnation of the greatest part of mankind , consists with the scope of this discourse , especially it being so stated as is here set down . p. sect. . an answer to that objection that concerns the understanding of god , shewing hat the divine vnderstanding does not depend upon the natures and mutual respects of things , though they be its objects . p. sect. . an answer to that objection which concerns the will of god , shewing , that liberty in the power or principle , is no where a perfection , where there is not an indifferency in the things or actions about which it is conversant . p. sect. . that the discourse hitherto does not infer any dependency of god upon any thing without himself ; but only occasions are offered to him of acting according to his own intimate nature and essence . p. sect. . the second part of the discourse which briefly treats of truth in the subject : what it is . what in god , and what in the creature . and that in both it is , a representation or conception in the mind conformable to the unchangeable natures and mutual respects of things . p. annotations upon the two foregoing treatises , lvx orientalis , or , an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the prae-existence of souls ; and the discourse of truth . written for the more fully clearing and further confirming the main doctrines in each treatise . by one not unexercized in these kinds of speculation . london : printed for j. collins , and s. lounds , over against exeter-change in the strand . . annotations upon lvx orientalis . these two books , lux orientalis and the discourse of truth , are luckily put together by the publisher , there being that suitableness between them , and mutual support of one another . and the arguments they treat of being of the greatest importance that the mind of man can entertain herself with , the consideration thereof has excited so sluggish a genius as mine to bestow some few annotations thereon , not very anxious or operose , but such as the places easily suggest ; and may serve either to rectifie what may seem any how oblique , or illustrate what may seem less clear , or make a supply or adde strength where there may seem any further need . in which i would not be so understood as that i had such an anxiety and fondness for the opinions they maintain , as if all were gone if they should fail ; but that the dogmata being more fully ; clearly , and precisely propounded , men may more safely and considerately give their judgments thereon ; but with that modesty as to admit nothing that is contrary to the judgment of the truly catholick and apostolick church . chap. . p. . that he made us pure and innocent , &c. this is plainly signified in the general mosaick history of the creation , that all that god made he saw it was good ; and it is particularly declared of adam and eve , that they were created or made in a state of innocency . pag. . matter can do nothing but by motion , and what relation hath that to a moral contagion ? we must either grant that the figures of the particles of matter and their motion , have a power to affect the soul united with the body , ( and i remember josephus somewhere speaking of wine , says , it does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , regenerate , as it were , the soul into another life and sense of things ) or else we must acknowledge that the parts of matter are alterable into qualifications , that cannot be resolved into mere mechanical motion and figure ; whether they be thus altered by the vital power of the spirit of nature , or however it comes to pass . but that matter has a considerable influence upon a soul united thereto , the author himself does copiously acknowledge in his fourth chapter of this book ; where he tells us , that according to the disposition of the body , our wits are either more quick , free , and sparkling , or more obtuse , weak , and sluggish ; and our mind more chearful and contented , or else more morose , melancholick , or dogged , &c. wherefore that he may appear the more consistent with himself , it is likely he understands by this moral contagion the very venome and malignity of vitious inclinations , how that can be derived from matter , especially its power consisting in mere motion and figuration of parts . the psalmist's description is very apposite to this purpose , psal . . the ungodly are froward even from their mothers womb ; as soon as they are born they go astray and speak lyes . they are as venomous as the poyson of a serpent , even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear . that there should be such a difference in the nativity of some from that of others , and haply begot also of the same parents , is no slight intimation that their difference is not from their bodies , but their souls ; in which there is so sudden eruptions of vitious inclinations which they had contracted in their former state , not repressed nor extinct in this , by reason of adam's lapse , and his losing the paradisiacal body in which he was created , and which should , if it had not been for his fall , been transmitted to his posterity ; but that being lost , the several measures of the pristine vitiosity of humane souls discover themselves in this life , according to the just laws of the divine nemesis essentially interwoven into the nature of things . pag. . how is it that those that are under continual temptations to vice , are yet kept within the bounds of vertue , &c. that those that are continually under temptations to vice from their childhood , should keep within the bounds of vertue , and those that have perpetual outward advantages from their childhood to be vertuous , should prove vitious notwithstanding , is not rationally resolved into their free will ; for in this they are both of them equal : and if they had been equal also in their external advantages or disadvantages , the different event might well be imputed to the freedom of their will. but now that one , notwithstanding all the disadvantages to vertue should prove vertuous , and the other , notwithstanding all the advantages to vertue should prove vitious ; the reason of this certainly to the considerate will seem to lie deeper than the meer liberty of will in man. but it can be attributed to nothing , with a more due and tender regard to the divine attributes , than to the pre-existent state of humane souls , according to the scope of the author . pag. . for still it s●●ms to be a diminutive and disparaging apprehension of the infinite and immense goodness of god , that he should detrude such excellent creatures , &c. to enervate this reason , there is framed by an ingenious hand this hypothesis , to vie with that of pre-existence : that mankind is an order of beings placed in a middle state between angels and brutes , made up of contrary principles , viz. matter and spirit , indued with contrary faculties , viz. animal and rational , and encompassed with contrary objects proportioned to their respective faculties , that so they may be in a capacity to exercise the vertues proper and peculiar to their compounded and heterogeneal nature . and therefore though humane souls be capable of subsisting by themselves , yet god has placed them in bodies full of brutish and unreasonable propensions , that they may be capable of exercising many choice and excellent vertues , which otherwise could never have been at all ; such as temperance , sobriety , chastity , patience , meekness , equanimity , and all other vertues that consist in the empire of reason over passion and appetite . and therefore he conceives that the creating of humane souls , though pure and immaculate , and uniting them with such brutish bodies , is but the constituting and continuing such a species of being , which is an order betwixt brutes and angels ; into which latter order , if men use their faculties of the spiritual principle in them well , they may ascend : forasmuch as god has given them in their spiritual principle ( containing free will , and reason to discern what is best ) a power and faculty of overcoming all their inordinate appetites . this is his hypothesis , mostwhat in his own words , and all to his own sence , as near as i could with brevity express it : and it seems so reasonable to himself , that he professes himself apt to be positive and dogmatical therein . and it might very well seem so to him , if there were a sufficient faculty in the souls of men in this world , to command and keep in order the passions and appetites of their body , and to be and do what their reason and conscience tells them they should be and do , and blames them for not being and doing . so that they know more by far than they find an ability in themselves to perform . extreamly few there are , if any , but this is their condition : whence all philosophers ( that had any sense of vertue and holiness ) as well as jews and christians , have looked upon man as in a lapsed state , not blaming god , but deploring the sad condition they found themselves in by some foregoing lapse or fault in mankind . and it is strange that our own consciences should flie in our faces for what we could never have helped . it is witty indeed which is alleadged in the behalf of this hypothesis , viz. that the rational part of man is able to command the lower appetites ; because if the superiour part be not strong enough to govern the inferiour , it destroys the very being of moral good and evil : forasmuch as those acts that proceed out of necessity cannot be moral , nor can the superiour faculties be obliged to govern the inferiour , if they are not able , because nothing is obliged to impossibilities . but i answer , if inabilities come upon us by our own fault , the defects of action then are upon the former account moral , or rather immoral . and our consciences rightly charge us with the vitiosities of our inclinations and actions , even before we can mend them here , because they are the consequences of our former guilt . wherefore it is no wonder that there is found a flaw in a subtilty that would conclude against the universal experience of men , who all of them , more or less , that have any sense of morality left in them , complain that the inferiour powers of the soul , at least for a time , were too hard for the superiour . and the whole mass of mankind is so generally corrupt and abominable , that it would argue the wise and just god a very unequal matcher of innocent souls with brutish bodies , they being universally so hugely foiled or overcome in the conflict , if he indeed were the immediate matcher of them . for how can that be the effect of an equilibrious or sufficient free will and power , that is in a manner perpetual and constant ? but there would be near as many examples one way as the other , if the souls of men in this state were not by some precedent lapse become unable to govern , as they ought , all in them or about them that is to be subjected to their reason . no fine fetches of wit can demolish the steady and weighty structure of sound and general experience . pag. . wherein he seeth it , ten thousand to one but that they will corrupt , &c. the expression [ ten thousand to one ] is figurative , and signifies how hugely more like it is that the souls would be corrupted by their incorporation in these animal or ▪ brutish bodies , than escape corruption . and the effect makes good the assertion : for david of old ( to say nothing of the days of noah ) and paul after him , declare of mankind in general , that they are altogether become abominable ; there is none that doth good , no not one . wherefore we see what efficacy these bodies have , if innocent souls be put into them by the immediate hand of god , as also the force of custom and corrupt education to debauch them ; and therefore how unlikely it is that god should create innocent souls to thrust them into such ill circumstances . pag. . to suppose him assistent to unlawful and unclean coitions , by creating a soul to animate the impure foetus , &c. this seemed ever to those that had any sense of the divine purity and sanctity , or were themselves endued with any due sensibleness and discernment of things , to be an argument of no small weight . but how one of the more rude and unhewen opposers of pre-existence swaggers it out of countenance , i think it not amiss to set down for a pleasant entertainment of the reader . admit , says he , that gods watchful providence waits upon dissolute voluptuaries in their unmeet conjunctions , and sends down fresh created spirits to actuate their obscene emissions , what is here done which is not very high and becoming god , and most congruous and proportionable to his immense grandeur and majesty , viz. to bear a part amongst pimps and bawds , and pocky whores and woremasters , to rise out of his seat for them , and by a free act of creation of a soul , to set his seal of connivance to their villanies ; who yet is said to be of more pure eyes than to endure to behold wickedness . so that if he does ( as his phrase is ) pop in a soul in these unclean coitions , certainly he does it winking . but he goes on : for in the first place , says he , his condescension is hereby made signal and eximious ; he is gloriously humble beyond a parallel , and by his own example lessons us to perform the meanest works , if fit and profitable , and to be content even to drudge for the common bénefit of the world. good god! what a rapture has this impure scene of venerie put this young theologer into , that it should thus drive him out of his little wits and senses , and make him speak inconsistences with such an affected grace and lofty eloquence ! if the act of gods freely creating souls , and so of assisting wretched sinners in their foul acts of adultery and whoredom , be a glorious action , how is it an abasement of him , how is it his humiliation ? and if it be an humbling and debasing of him , how is it glorious ? the joyning of two such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are indeed without parallel . the creating of an humane soul immortal and immaculate , and such as bears the image of god in it , as all immaculate souls do , is one of the most glorious actions that god can perform ; such a creature is it , as the schools have judged more of value than the frame of the whole visible world. but to joyn such a creature as this to such impure corporeal matter , is furthermore a most transcendent specimen of both his skill and soveraignty ; so that this is an act of further super-exaltation of himself , not of humiliation . what remains then to be his humiliation , but the condescending to assist and countenance the unclean endeavours of adulterers and adulteresses ? which therefore can be no lessons to us for humility , but a cordial for the faint-hearted in debauchery , and degeneracy of life ; wherein they may plead , so instructed by this rural theolog , that they are content to drudge for the common profit of the world. but he proceeds . and secondly , says he , hereby he elicits good out of evil , causing famous and heroick persons to take their origine from base occasions ; and so converts the lusts of sensual varlets to nobler ends than they designed them . as if an ▪ heroick off-spring were the genuine effect of adultery or fornication , and the most likely way to people the world with worthy personages . how this raw philosopher will make this comply with his profession of divinity , i know not ; whenas , it teaches us , that marriage is honourable , but whoremongers and adulterers god will judge ; and that he punishes the iniquities of the parents on their children . but this bold sophist ▪ makes god adjudge the noblest off-spring to the defiled bed , and not to punish , but reward the adultery or whoredom of debauched persons , by giving them the best and bravest children : which the more true it could be found in experience , it would be the stronger argument for pre-existence ; it being incredible that god , if he created souls on purpose , should crown adultery and whoredom with the choicest off-spring . and then thirdly and lastly , says he , hereby he often detects the lewdness of sinners , which otherwise would be smothered , &c. as if the all-wise god could find no better nor juster means than this to discover this villany . if he be thus immediately and in an extraordinary way assistant in these coitions , were it not as easie for him , and infinitely more decorous , to charge the womb with some mola or ephemerous monster , than to plunge an immaculato humane soul into it ? this would as effectually discover the villany committed , and besides prevent the charge parishes are put to in maintaining bastards . and now that we have thus seen what a mere nothing it is that this strutter has pronounced with such sonorous rhetorick , yet he is not ashamed to conclude with this appeal to i know not what blind judges : now , says he , are not all these actions and concerns very graceful and agreeable to god ? which words in these circumstances no man could utter , were he not of a crass , insensible , and injudicious constitution , or else made no conscience of speaking against his judgment . but if he speak according to his conscience , it is manifest he puts sophisms upon himself , in arguing so weakly . as he does a little before in the same place , where that he may make the coming of a soul into a base begotten body in such a series of time and order of things as the pre-existentiaries suppose , and gods putting it immediately upon his creating it into such a body , to be equally passable , he uses this slight illustration : imagine , saith he , god should create one soul , and so soon as he had done , instantly pop it into a base begotten body ; and then create another the matter of an hours space before ▪ its precipitation into such a receptacle : which of these actions would be the most dimin●tive of the creators honour ? would not the difference be insensible , and the scandal , if any , the same in both ? yet thus lies the case just betwixt the pre-existentiaries and us . let the reader consider how senseless this author is in saying the case betwixt the pre-existentiaries and him is just thus , when they are just nothing akin : for his two souls are both unlapsed , but one of the pre-existentiaries lapsed , and so subjected to the laws of nature . in his case god acts freely , raising himself , as it were , out of his seat to create an immaculate soul , and put into a foul body ; but in the other case god onely is a looker on , there is onely his permission , not his action . and the vast difference of time , he salves it with such a quibble as this , as if it were nothing , because thousands of ages ago , in respect of god and his eternity , is not an hour before . he might as well say the difference betwixt the most glorious angel and a flea is nothing , because in comparison of god both are so indeed . wherefore this anti-pre-existentiary is such a trifler , that i am half ashamed that i have brought him upon the stage . but yet i will commend his craft , though not his faithfulness , that he had the wit to omit the proposing of buggery as well as of adultery , and the endeavouring to shew how graceful and agreeable to god , how congruous and proportionate it were to his immense grandeur and majesty , to create a soul on purpose ( immaculate and undefiled ) to actuate the obscene emissions of a brute having to do with a woman , or of a man having to do with a brute : for both women and brutes ▪ have been thus impregnated , and brought forth humane births , as you may see abundantly testified in fortunius licetus ; it would be too long to produce instances . this opinion of gods creating souls , and putting them into bodies upon incestuous and adulterous coitions , how exceeding absurd and unbecoming the sanctity of the divine majesty it seemed to the churches of aethiopia , you may see in the history of jobus ludolphus . how intolerable therefore and execrable would this doctrine have appeared unto them , if they had thought of the prodigious fruits of successful buggery ? the words of ludolfus are these : perabsurdum esse si quis deum astrictum dicat pro adulterinis & incestuo●is partubus animas quotidie novas creare . hist . aethiop . lib. . cap. . what would they then say of creating a new soul , for the womb of a beast bugger'd by a man , or of a woman bugger'd by a beast ! pag. . methinks that may be done at a cheaper rate , &c. how it may be done with more agreeableness to the goodness , wisdom , and justice of god , has been even now hinted by me , nor need i repeat it . pag. . it seems very incongruous and unhandsome , to suppose that god should create two souls for the supply of one monstrous body . and there is the same reason for several other monstrosities , which you may take notice of in fortunius licetus , lib. . cap. . one with seven humane heads and arms , and ox-feet ; others with mens bodies , but with a head the one of a goose , the other of an elephant , &c. in which it is a strong presumption humane souls lodged , but in several others certain . how does this consist with gods fresh creating humane souls pure and innocent , and putting them into bodies ? this is by the aforesaid anti-pre-existentiary at first answered onely by a wide gape or yawn of admiration . and indeed it would make any one stare and wonder how this can consist with gods immediately and freely intermeddling with the generation of men , as he did at first in the creation . for out of his holy hands all things come clean and neat . many little efforts he makes afterwards to salve this difficulty of monsters , but yet in his own judgment the surest is the last ; that god did purposely tye fresh created souls to these monstroûs shapes , that they whose souls sped better , might humbly thank him . which is as wisely argued , as if one should first with himself take it for granted that god determines some men to monstrous debaucheries and impieties , and then fancy this the use of it , that the spectators of them may with better pretence than the pharisee , cry out , lord , we thank thee that we are not as these men are . there is nothing permitted by god , but it has its use some way or other ; and therefore it cannot be concluded , because that an event has this or that use , therefore god by his immediate and free omnipotence effected it . a pre-existentiary easily discerns that these monstrosities plainly imply that god does not create souls still for every humane coition , but that having pre-existed , they are left to the great laws of the vniverse and spirit of nature ; but yet dares not conclude that god by his free omnipotence determines those monstrous births , as serviceable as they seem for the evincing so noble a theory . pag. . that god on the seventh day rested from all his works . this one would think were an argument clear enough that he creates nothing since the celebration of the first seventh days rest . for if all his works are rested from , then the creation of souls ( which is a work , nay a master-piece amongst his works scarce inferiour to any ) is rested from also . but the above-mentioned opposer of pre-existence is not at a loss for an answer ; ( for his answers being slight , are cheap and easie to come by : ) he says therefore , that this supposeth onely that after that time he ceased from creating new species . a witty invention ! as if god had got such an easie habit by once creating the things he created in the six days , that if he but contained himself within those kinds of things , though he did hold on still creating them , that it was not work , but mere play or rest to him , in comparison of his former labour . what will not these men fancy , rather than abate of their prejudice against an opinion they have once taken a toy against ! when the author to the hebrews says , he that has entred into his rest , has ceased from his own works , as god ceased from his ; verily this is small comfort or instruction , if it were as this anti-pre-existentiary would have it : for if god ceased onely from creating new species , we may , notwithstanding our promised rest , be tyed to run through new instances of labours or sins , provided they be but of those kinds we experienced before . to any unprejudiced understanding , this sence must needs seem forced and unnatural , thus to restrain gods rest to the species of things , and to engage him to the dayly task of creating individuals . the whole aethiopian church is of another mind : qui animam humanam quotidiè non creari hoc argumento asserunt , quòd deus sexto die perfecerit totum opus creationis . see ludolfus in the place above-cited . chap. . pag. . since the images of objects are very small and inconsiderable in our brains , &c. i suppose he mainly relates to the objects of sight , whose chief , if not onely images , are in the fund of the eye ; and thence in vertue of the spirituality of our soul extended thither also , and of the due qualification of the animal spirits are transmitted to the perceptive of the soul within the brain . but how the bignesses and distances of objects are conveyed to our cognoscence , it would be too tedious to signifie here . see dr. h. moore 's enchiridion metaphysicum , cap. . pag. . were it not that our souls use a kind of geometry , &c. this alludes to that pretty conceit of des cartes in his dioptricks , the solidity of which i must confess i never understood . for i understand not but that if my soul should use any such geometry , i should be conscious thereof , which i do not find my self . and therefore i think those things are better understood out of that chapter of the book even now mentioned . pag. . and were the soul quite void of all such implicit notions , it would remain as senseless , &c. there is no sensitive perception indeed , without reflection ; but the reflection is an immediate attention of the soul to that which affects her , without any circumstance of notions intervening for enabling her for sensitive operations . but these are witty and ingenious conjectures , which the author by reading des cartes , or otherhow , might be encouraged to entertain . to all sensitive objects the soul is an abrasa tabula , but for moral and intellectual principles , their idea's or notions are essential to the soul. pag. . for sense teacheth no general propositions , &c. nor need it do any thing else but exhibit some particular object , which our understanding being an ectypon of the divine intellect necessarily , when it has throughly sifted it , concludes it to answer such a determinate idea eternally and unalterably one and the same , as it stands in the divine intellect , which cannot change ; and therefore that idea must have the same properties and respects for ever . but of this , enough here . it will be better understood by reading the discourse of truth , and the annotations thereon . pag. . but from something more sublime and excellent . from the divine or archetypal intellect , of which our understanding is the ectypon , as was said before . pag. . and so can onely transmit their natural qualities . they are so far from transmitting their moral pravities , that they transmit from themselves no qualities at all . for to create a soul , is to concreate the qualities or properties of it , not out of the creator , but out of nothing . so that the substance and all the properties of it are out of nothing . pag. . against the nature of an immaterial being , a chief property of which is to be indiscerpible . the evasion to the force of this argument by some anti-pre-existentiaries is , that it is to philosophize at too high a rate of confidence , to presume to know what the nature of a soul or spirit is . but for brevities sake , i will refer such answerers as these to dr. h. moore 's brief discourse of the true notion of a spirit , printed lately with saducismus triumphatus ; and i think he may be thence as sure that indiscerpibility is an essential property of a spirit , as that there are any spirits in the universe : and this methinks should suffice any ingenuous and modest opposer . but to think there is no knowledge but what comes in at our senses , is a poor , beggarly , and precarious principle , and more becoming the dotage of hobbianism , than men of clearer parts and more serene judgments . pag. . by separable emissions that pass from the flame , &c. and so set the wick and tallow on motion . but these separable emissions that pass from the flame of the lighted candle , pass quite away , and so are no part of the flame enkindled . so weak an illustration is this of what these traducters would have . chap. . pag. . which the divine piety and compassion hath set up again , that so , so many of his excellent creatures might not be lost and undone irrecoverably , but might act anew , &c. to this a more elegant pen and refined wit objects thus : now is it not highly derogatory to the infinite and unbounded wisdom of god , that he should detrude those souls which he so seriously designes to make happy , into a state so hazardous , wherein he seeth it to be ten thousand to one but that they will corrupt and defile themselves , and so make them more miserable here and to eternity hereafter ? a strange method of recovering this , to put them into such a fatal necessity of perishing : 't is but an odd contrivance for their restauration to happiness , to use such means to compass it which 't is ten thousand to one but will make them infinitely more miserable . this he objects in reference to what the author of lux orientalis writes , chap. . where he says , it is a thousand to one but souls detruded into these bodies will corrupt and defile themselves , and so make themselves miserable here and to eternity hereafter . and much he quotes to the same purpose out of the account of origen . where the souls great disadvantages to vertue and holiness , what from the strong inclinations of the body , and what from national customs & education in this terrestrial state , are lively set out with a most moving and tragical eloquence , to shew how unlikely it is that god should put innocent and immaculate souls of his own creation immediately , into such bodies , and so hard and even almost fatal condition of miscarrying . upon which this subtile anti-pre-existentiary : thus you see , saith he , what strong objections and arguments the pre-existentiaries urge with most noise and clamour , are against themselves . if therefore these phaenomena be inexplicable , without the origenian hypothesis , they are so too with it ; and if so , then the result of all is , that they are not so much arguments of pre-existence as aspersions of providence . this is smartly and surprizingly spoken . but let us consider more punctually the state of the matter . here then we are first to observe , how cunningly this shrewd antagonist conceals a main stroke of the supposition , viz. that the divine pity and compassion to lapsed souls , that had otherwise fallen into an eternal state of silence and death , had set up adam for their relief , and endued him with such a paradisiacal body of so excellent a constitution to be transmitted to all his posterity , and invested him , in vertue of this , with so full power non peccandi , that if he and his posterity were not in an happy flourishing condition as to their eternal interest of holiness and vertue , it would be long of himself . and what could god do more correspondently to his wisdom and goodness , dealing with free agents , such as humane souls are , than this ? and the thing being thus stated , no objections can be brought against the hypothesis , but such as will invade the inviolable truths of faith and orthodox divinity . secondly , we are to observe , how this cunning objector has got these two pre-existentiaries upon the hip for their youthful flowers of rhetorick , when one says , it is hundreds to one ; the other , ten thousand to one , that souls will miscarry put into these disadvantages of the terrestrial state , by which no candid reader will understand any more , than that it is exceeding difficult for them to escape the pollutions of this lower world once incorporated into terrestrial bodies . but it being granted possible for them to emerge , this is a great grace and favour of the divine goodness to such peccant wretches , that they are brought out of the state of eternal silence and death , to try their fortunes once more , though incumbred with so great difficulties which the divine nemesis suffers to return upon them . that therefore they are at all in a condition of recovery , is from the goodness and mercy of god ; that their condition is so hard , from his justice , they having been so foully peccant . and his wisdom being only to contrive what is most agreeable to his mercy and justice , it is not at all derogatory to the infinite and unbounded wisdom of god thus to deal with lapsed souls . for though he does seriously intend to make them happy , yet it must be in a way correspondent to his justice as well as mercy . thirdly and lastly , besides that the spirit of the lord pervades the whole earth ready to assist the sincere ; there is moreover a mighty weight of mercy added in the revelation of our lord jesus christ to the world , so that the retriving of the souls of men out of their death and silence into this terrestrial state , in which there is these helps to the sincere , it is manifestly worthy the divine wisdom and goodness . for those it takes no effect with , ( they beginning the world again on this stage ) they shall be judged onely according to what they have done here , there being an eternal obliteration as well as oblivion of the acts of their pre-existent state ; but those that this merciful dispensation of god has taken any effect upon here , their sincere desires may grow into higher accomplishments in the future state . which may something mitigate the horrour of that seeming universal squalid estate of the sons of men upon earth . which in that it is so ill , is rightly imputed by both jews and christians and the divinest philosophers to a lapse , and to the mercy and grace of god that it is no worse . from whence it may appear , that that argument for pre-existence , that god does not put newly created innocent souls into such disadvantageous circumstances of a terrestrial incorporation , though partly out of mercy , partly out of justice , he has thought fit lapsed souls should be so disposed of , that this i say is no aspersion of divine providence . pag. . and now i cannot think of any place in the sacred volume more , that could make a tolerable plea against this hypothesis , &c. it is much that the ingenious author thought not of rom. . . [ for the children being not yet born , neither having done either good or evil , that the purpose of god according to election might stand , not of works , but of him that calleth . ] this is urged by anti-pre-existentiaries , as a notable place against pre-existence . for , say they , how could esau and jacob. be said neither to have done good nor evil , if they pre-existed before they came into this world ? for if they pre-existed , they acted ; and if they acted , they being rational souls , they must have done either good or evil . this makes an handsome shew at first sight ; but if we consult gen. . we shall plainly see that this is spoke of jacob and esau yet strugling in the womb ; as it is said in this text , for the children being not yet born ; but strugling in the womb , as you may see in the other . which plainly therefore respects their actions in this life , upon which certainly the mind of st. paul was fix'd . as if he should have expresly said : for the children being not yet born , but strugling in the womb , neither having done either good or evil in this life as being still in the womb , it was said of them to rebeckah , the elder shall serve the younger . which sufficiently illustrates the matter in hand with st. paul ; that as jacob was preferred before esau in the womb , before either of them was born to act here on the earth , and that therefore done without any respect to their actions ; so the purpose of god touching his people should be of free election , not of works . that of zachary also , chap. . . i have heard alledged by some as a place on which no small stress may be laid . the lord is there said to be the former of the spirit of man within him . wherefore they argue , if the spirit of man be formed within him , it did never pre-exist without him . but we answer , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and then the sence is easie and natural , that the spirit that is in man , god is the former or creator of it . but this text defines nothing of the time of forming it . there are several other texts alledged , but it is so easie to answer them , and would take up so much time and room , that i think fit to omit them , remembring my scope to be short annotations , not a tedious commentary . pag. . mr. ben israel in his problems de creatione assures us , that pre-existence was the common belief , &c. that this was the common opinion of the wiser men amongst the jews , r. menasse ben israel himself told me at london with great freedom and assurance , and that there was a constant tradition thereof ; which he said in some sence was also true concerning the trinity , but that more obscure . but this of pre-existence is manifest up and down in the writings of that very ancient and learned jew philo judaeus ; as also something toward a trinity , if i remember aright . chap. . pag. . we should doubtless have retained some remembrance of that condition . and the rather , as one ingeniously argues , because our state in this life is a state of punishment . upon which he concludes , that if the calamities of this life were inflicted upon us only as a punishment of sins committed in another , providence would have provided some effectual means to preserve them in our memories . and therefore , because we find no remainders of any such records in our minds , 't is , says he , sufficient evidence to all sober and impartial inquirers , that our living and sinning in a former state is as false as inevident . but to this it may be answered , that the state we are put in , is not a state only of punishment , but of a merciful trial ; and it is sufficient that we find our selves in a lapsed and sinful condition , our own consciences telling us when we do amiss , and calling upon us to amend . so that it is needless particularly to remember our faults in the other world , but the time is better spent in faithfully endeavouring to amend our selves in this , and to keep our selves from all faults of what nature soever . which is a needless thing our memory should discover to us to have been of old committed by us , when our consciences urge to us that they are never to be committed ; and the laws of holy law-givers and divine instructers , or wise sages over all the world , assist also our conscience in her office . so that the end of gods justice by these inward and outward monitors , and by the cross and afflicting rancounters in this present state , is to be attained to , viz. the amendment of delinquents if they be not refractory . and we were placed on this stage as it were to begin the world again , so as if we had not existed before . whence it seems meet , that there should be an utter obliteration of all that is past , so as not to be able by memory to connect the former life and this together . the memory whereof , if we were capable of it , would be inconsistent with the orderly proceedings of this , and overdoze us and make us half moped to the present scene of things . whenas the divine purpose seems to be , that we should also experience the natural pleasures and satisfactions of this life , but in an orderly and obedient way , keeping to the prescribed rules of virtue and holiness . and thus our faithfulness being exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those things which are more estranged from our nobler and diviner nature , god may at last restore us to what is more properly our own . but in the mean time , that saying which the poet puts in the mouth of jupiter , touching the inferiour deities , may not misbeseem the mercy and wisdom of the true god concerning lapsed souls incorporate into terrestrial bodies . has quoniam coeli nondum dignamur honore . quas dedimus certè terras habitare sinamus . let them not be distracted betwixt a sensible remembrance of the joys and glories of our exteriour heaven above , and the present fruition of things below , but let them live an holy and heavenly life upon earth , exercising their graces and vertues in the use and enjoyment of these lower earthly objects , till i call them up again to heaven , where , after this long swoond they are fallen into , they will more seasonably remember their former paradisiacal state upon its recovery , and reagnize their ancient home . wherefore if the remembring or forgetting of the former state depend absolutely upon the free contrivance of the divine wisdom , goodness , and justice , as this ingenious opposer seems to suppose , i should even upon that very point of fitness conceive that an utter oblivion of the former state is interwoven into the fate and nature of lapsed souls by a divine nemesis , though we do not conceive explicitely the manner how . and yet the natural reasons the author of lux orientalis produces in the sequel of his discourse , seem highly probable . for first , as we had forgot some lively dream we dreamt but last night , unless we had met with something in the day of a peculiar vertue to remind us of it , so we meeting with nothing in this lower stage of things that lively resembles those things in our former state , and has a peculiar fitness to rub up our memory , we continue in an utter oblivion of them . as suppose a man was lively entertain'd in his sleep with the pleasure of dreaming of a fair crystal river , whose banks were adorned with trees and flags in the flower , and those large flies with blue and golden-colour'd bodies , and broad thin wings curiously wrought and transparent , hovering over them , with birds also singing on the trees , sun and clouds above , and sweet breezes of air , and swans in the river with their wings sometimes lifted up like sails against the wind . thus he passed the night , thinks of no such thing in the morning , but rising goes about his occasions . but towards evening a servant of a friend of his presents him with a couple of swans from his master . the sight of which swans striking his perceptive as sensibly as those in his dream , and being one of the most extraordinary and eximious objects of his night-vision , presently reminds him of the whole scene of things represented in his sleep . but neither sun , nor clouds , nor trees , nor any such ordinary thing could in any likelihood have reminded him of his dream . and besides , it was the lively resemblance betwixt the swans he saw in his sleep , and those he saw waking , that did so effectually rub up his memory . the want therefore of such occurrences in this life to remind us of the passages of the former , is a very reasonable account why we remember nothing of the former state . but here the opposers of pre-existence pretend that the joyous and glorious objects in the other state do so pierce and transport the soul , and that she was inured to them so long , that though there were nothing that resembled them here , the impression they make must be indelible , and that it is impossible she should forget them . and moreover , that there is a similitude betwixt the things of the upper world and the lower , which therefore must be an help to memory . but here , as touching the first , they do not consider what a weapon they have given into my hand against themselves . for the long inuredness to those celestial objects abates the piercingness of their transport ; and before they leave those regions , according to the platonick or origenian hypothesis , they grow cooler to such enjoyments : so that all the advantages of that piercing transport for memory , are lost . and besides , in vertue of that piercing transport , no soul can call into memory what she enjoyed formerly , but by recalling herself into such a transport , which her terrestrial vehicle makes her uncapable of . for the memory of external transactions is sealed upon us by some passionate corporeal impress in conjunction with them ( which makes them whip boys sometimes at the boundaries of their parish , that they may better remember it when they are old men ; ) which impress if it be lost , the memory of the thing it self is lost . and we may be sure it is lost in souls incorporate in terrestrial vehicles , they having lost their aereal and celestial , and being fatally incapacitated so much as to conceit how they were affected by the external objects of the other world , and so to remember how they felt them . and therefore all the descriptions that men of a more aethereal and entheous temper adventure on in this life , are but the roamings of their minds in vertue of their constitution towards the nature of the heavenly things in general , not a recovery of the memory of past experience ; this state not affording so lively a representment of the pathos that accompanied the actual sense of those things , as to make us think that we once really enjoyed them before . that is onely to be collected by reason ; the noble exercise of which faculty , in the discovering of this arcanum of our pre-existence , had been lost , if it could have been detected by a compendious memory . but if ever we recover the memory of our former state , it will be when we are re-entred into it ; we then being in a capacity of being really struck with the same pathos we were before , in vertue whereof the soul may remember this was her pristine condition . and therefore to answer to the second , though there may be some faintness of resemblance betwixt the things of the other state and this , yet other peculiarities also being required , and the former sensible pathos to be recovered , which is impossible in this state , it is likewise impossible for us to remember the other in this . the second argument of the author for the proving the unlikeliness of our remembring the other state is , the long intermission and discontinuance from thinking of those things . for 't is plain that such discontinuance or desuetude bereaves us of the memory of such things as we were acquainted with in this world. insomuch as if an ancient man should read the verses or themes he made when he was a school-boy , without his name subscribed to them , though he pumpt and sweat for them when he made them , could not tell they were his own . how then should the soul remember what she did or observ'd many hundreds , nay thousands of years ago ? but yet our authors antagonist has the face to make nothing of this argument neither : because , forsooth , it is not so much the desuetude of thinking of one thing , but the thinking of others , that makes us forget that one thing . what a shuffle is this ! for if the soul thought on that one thing as well as on other things , it would remember it as well as them . therefore it is not the thinking of other things , but the not thinking of that , that makes it forgotten . vsus promptus facit , as in general , so in particular . and therefore disuse in any particular slackens at first , and after abolishes the readiness of the mind to think thereof . whence sleepiness and sluggishness is the mother of forgetfulness , because it disuses the soul from thinking of things . and as for those seven chronical sleepers that slept in a cave from decius his time to the reign of theodosius junior , i dare say it would have besotted them without a miracle , and they would have rose out of their sleep no more wise than a wisp ; i am sure not altogether so wise as this awkward arguer for memory of souls in their pre-existent state after so hugely long a discontinuance from it . but for their immediately coming out of an aethereal vehicle into a terrestrial , and yet forgetting their former state , what example can be imagined of such a thing , unless that of the messias , who yet seems to remember his former glorious condition , and to pray that he may return to it again ? though , for my part i think it was rather divine inspiration than memory , that enabled him to know that matter , supposing his soul did pre-exist . our authors third and last argument to prove that lapsed souls in their terrestrial condition forget their former state , is from observation how deteriorating changes in this earthly body spoils or quite destroys the memory , the soul still abiding therein ; such as casualties , diseases , and old age , which changes the tenour of the spirits , and makes them less useful for memory , as also 't is likely the brain it self . wherefore there being a more deteriorating change to the soul in coming into an earthly body , instead of an aereal or aethereal , the more certainly will her memory of things which she experienced in that state , be washed out or obliterated in this . here our authors antagonist answers , that though changes in body may often weaken , and sometimes utterly spoil the memory of things past , yet it is not necessary that the souls changing of her body should therefore do so , because it is not so injurious to her faculties . which if it were , not onely our memory , but reason also should have been casheered and lost by our migration out of those vehicles we formerly actuated , into these we now enliven ; but that still remaining sound and entire , it is a signe that our memory would do so too , if we had pre-existed in other bodies before , and had any thing to remember . and besides , if the bare translocation of our souls out of one body into another , would destroy the memory of things the soul has experienced , it would follow , that when people by death are summoned hence into the other state , that they shall be quite bereaved of their memory , and so carry neither applause nor remorse of conscience into the other world ; which is monstrously absurd and impious . this is the main of his answer , and mostwhat in his own words . but of what small force it is , we shall now discover , and how little pertinent to the business . for first , we are to take notice that the deteriorating change in the body , or deteriorating state by change of bodies , is understood of a debilitative , diminutive , or privative , not depravative deterioration ; the latter of which may be more injurious to the faculties of the soul , though in the same body , such a deteriorating change causing phrensies and outragious madness . but as for diminutive or privative deterioration by change , the soul by changing her aereal vehicle for a terrestrial , is ( comparing her latter state with her former ) much injured in her faculties or operations of them ; all of them are more slow and stupid , and their aptitude to exert the same phantasms of things that occurred to them in the other state , quite taken away , by reason of the heavy and dull , though orderly constitution of the terrestrial tenement ; which weight and stupor utterly indisposes the soul to recall into her mind the scene of her former state , this load perpetually swaying down her thoughts to the objects of this . nor does it at all follow , because reason is not lost , therefore memory , if there were any such thing as pre-existence , would still abide . for the universal principles of reason and morality are essential to the soul , and cannot be obliterated , no not by any death : but the knowledge of any particular external objects is not at all essential to the soul , nor consequently the memory of them ; and therefore the soul in the state of silence being stript of them , cannot recover them in her incorporation into a terrestrial body . but her reason , with the general principles thereof , being essential to her , she can , as well as this state will permit , exercise them upon the objects of this scene of the earth and visible world , so far as it is discovered by her outward senses , she looking out at those windows of this her earthly prison , to contemplate them . and she has the faculty and exercise of memory still , in such a sense as she has of sensitive perception , whose objects she does remember , being yet to all former impresses in the other state a mere abrasa tabula . and lastly , it is a mere mistake of the opposer , or worse , that he makes the pre-existentiaries to impute the loss of memory in souls of their former state , merely to their coming into other bodies ; when it is not bare change of bodies , but their descent into worser bodies more dull and obstupifying , to which they impute this loss of memory in lapsed souls . this is a real death to them , according to that ancient aenigm of that abstruse sage , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we live their death , namely of separate souls , but are dead to their life . but the changing of our earthly body for an aereal or aethereal , this is not death , but reviviscency , in which all the energies of the soul are ( not depressed , but ) exalted , and our memory with the rest quickened ; as it was in esdras after he had drunk down that cup offered to him by the angel , full of liquor like fire , which filled his heart with understanding , and strengthned his memory , as the text says . thus we see how all objections against the three reasons of lapsed souls losing the memory of the things of the other state , vanish into smoak . wherefore they every one of them single being so sound , all three put together methinks should not fail of convincing the most refractory of this truth , that though the soul did pre-exist and act in another state , yet she may utterly forget all the scenes thereof in this . pag. . now if the reasons why we lose the remembrance of our former life be greater , &c. and that they are so , does appear in our answer to the objections made against the said reasons , if the reader will consider them . pag. . and thereby have removed all prejudices , &c. but there is yet one reason against pre-existence which the ingenious author never thought of , urged by the anti-pre-existentiaries , namely , that it implies the rest of the planets peopled with mankind , it being unreasonable to think that all souls descended in their lapse to this onely earth of ours . and if there be lapsed souls there , how shall they be recovered ? shall christ undergo another and another death for them ? but i believe the ingenious author would have looked upon this but as a mean and trifling argument , there being no force in any part thereof . for why may not this earth be the onely hospital , nosocomium or coemeterium , speaking platonically , of sinfully lapsed souls ? and then suppose others lapsed in other planets , what need christ die again for them , when one drop of his bloud is sufficient to save myriads of worlds ? whence it may seem a pity there is not more worlds than this earth to be redeemed by it . nor is it necessary they should historically know it . and if it be , the eclipse of the sun at his passion by some inspired prophets might give them notice of it , and describe to them as orderly an account of the redemption , as moses does of the creation , though he stood not by while the world was framed , but it was revealed to him by god. and lastly , it is but a rash and precarious position , to say that the infinite wisdom of god has no more ways than one to save lapsed souls . it is sufficient that we are assured that this is the onely way for the saving of the sons of adam ; and these are the fixt bounds of revealed truth in the holy scripture which appertains to us inhabitants on earth . but as for the oeconomy of his infinite wisdom in the other planets , if we did but reflect upon our absolute ignorance thereof , we would have the discretion not to touch upon that topick , unless we intended to make our selves ridiculous , while we endeavour to make others so . chap. . pag. . now as the infinite goodness of the deity obligeth him always to do good , so by the same to do that which is best , &c. to elude the force of this chief argument of the pre-existentiaries , an ingenious opposer has devised a way which seems worth our considering , which is this ; viz. by making the idea of god to consist mainly in dominion and soveraignty , the scriptures representing him under no other notion than as the supream lord and soveraign of the universe . wherefore nothing is to be attributed to him that enterferes with the uncontroulableness of his dominion . and therefore , says he , they that assert goodness to be a necessary agent that cannot but do that which is best , directly supplant and destroy all the rights of his power and dominion . nay , he adds afterwards , that this notion of gods goodness is most apparently inconsistent , not onely with his power and dominion , but with all his other moral perfections . and for a further explication of his mind in this matter , he adds afterwards , that the divine will is indued with the highest kind of liberty , as it imports a freedom not onely from foreign violence , but also from inward necessity : for spontaneity , or immunity from coaction , without indifferency , carries in it as great necessity as those motions that proceed from violence or mechanism . from whence he concludes , that the divine will cannot otherwise be determined than by its own intrinsick energie . and lastly , forasmuch as no courtisie can oblige , but what is received from one that had a power not to bestow them , if god necessarily acted according to his goodness , and not out of mere choice and liberty of will , there were no thanks nor praise due to him ; which therefore would take away the duties of religion . this is the main of his hypothesis , whereby he would defeat the force of this argument for the pre-existence of souls , taken from the goodness of god. which this hypothesis certainly would do , if it were true ; and therefore we will briefly examine it . first therefore i answer , that though the scriptures do frequently represent god as the lord and soveraign of the universe , yet it does not conceal his other attributes of goodness and mercy , and the like . but that the former should be so much inculcated , is in reference to the begetting in the people awe and obedience to him . but it is an invalid consequence , to draw from hence that the idea of god does mainly consist in dominion and soveraignty ; which abstracted from his other attributes of wisdom and goodness , would be a very black and dark representation of him , and such as this ingenious writer could not himself contemplate without aversation and horror . how then can the idea of god chiefly consist in this ? it is the most terrifying indeed , but not the most noble and accomplishing part in the idea of the deity . this soveraignty then is such as is either bounded or not bounded by any other attributes of god. if bounded by none , then he may do as well unwisely as wisely , unjustly as justly . if bounded by wisdom and justice , why is it bounded by them , but that it is better so to be than otherwise ? and goodness being as essential to god as wisdom and justice , why may not his soveraignty be bounded by that as well as by the other , and so he be bound from himself of himself to do as well what is best as what is better . this consists with his absolute soveraignty , as well as the other . and indeed what can be absolute soveraignty in an intelligent being , if this be not ? viz. fully and entirely to follow the will and inclinations of its own nature , without any check or controul of any one touching those over whom he rules . whence , in the second place , it appears that the asserting that gods goodness is a necessary agent ( in such a sense as gods wisdom and justice are , which can do nothing but what is wise and just ) the asserting , i say , that it cannot but do that which is the best , does neither directly nor indirectly supplant or destroy any rights of his power or dominion , forasmuch as he does fully and plenarily act according to his own inclinations and will touching those that are under his dominion . but that his will is always inclined or determined to what is best , it is the prerogative of the divine nature to have no other wills nor inclinations but such . and as for that in the third place , that this notion of gods goodness is inconsistent with all his other moral perfections , i say , that it is so far from being inconsistent with them , that they cannot subsist without it , as they respect the dealings of god with his creatures . for what a kind of wisdom or justice would that be that tended to no good ? but i suspect his meaning is by moral perfections , perfections that imply such a power of doing or not doing , as is in humane actions ; which if it be not allowed in god , his perfections are not moral . and what great matter is it if they be not , provided they be as they are and ought to be , divine ? but to fancy moral actions in god , is to admit a second kind of anthropomorphitism , and to have unworthy conceits of the divine nature . when it was just and wise for god to do so or so , and the contrary to do otherwise , had he a freedom to decline the doing so ? then he had a freedom to do unjustly and unwisely . and yet in the fourth place he contends for the highest kind of liberty in the divine will , such as imports a freedom not onely from forreign violence , but also from inward necessity , as if the divine will could be no otherwise determined , than by its own intrinsick energie , as if it willed so because it willed so ; which is a sad principle . and yet i believe this learned writer will not stick to say , that god cannot tye , cannot condemn myriads of innocent souls to eternal torments . and what difference betwixt impossibility and necessity ? for impossibility it self is onely a necessity of not doing ; which is here internal , arising from the excellency and absolute perfection of the divine nature . which is nothing like mechanism for all that ; forasmuch as it is from a clear understanding of what is best , and an unbyassed will , which will most certainly follow it , nor is determined by its own intrinsick energy . that it is otherwise with us , is our imperfection . and lastly , that beneficence does not oblige the receiver of it to either praise or thanksgiving when it is received from one that is so essentially good , and constantly acts according to that principle , when due occasion is offered , as if it were as absurd as to give thanks to the sun for shining when he can do no otherwise ; i say , the case is not alike , because the sun is an inanimate being , and has neither understanding nor will to approve his own action in the exerting of it . and he being but a creature , if his shining depended upon his will , it is a greater perfection than we can be assured would belong to him , that he would unfailingly administer light to the world with such a steadiness of will , as god sustains the creation . undoubtedly all thanks and praise is due to god from us , although he be so necessarily good , that he could not but create us and provide for us ; forasmuch as he has done this for our sakes merely ( he wanting nothing ) not for his own . suppose a rich christian so inured to the works of charity , that the poor were as certain of getting an alms from him , as a traveller is to quench his thirst at a publick spring near the highway ; would those that received alms from him think themselves not obliged to thanks ? it may be you will say , they will thank him , that they may not forfeit his favour another time . which answer discovers the spring of this misconceit , which seems founded in self-love , as if all duty were to be resolved into that , and as if there were nothing owing to another , but what implied our own profit . but though the divine goodness acts necessarily yet it does not blindly , but according to the laws of decorum and justice ; which those that are unthankful to the deity , may find the smart of . but i cannot believe the ingenious writer much in earnest in these points , he so expresly declaring what methinks is not well consistent with them . for his very words are these : god can never act contrary to his necessary and essential properties , as because he is essentially wise , just and holy , he can do nothing that is foolish , unjust , and wicked . here therefore i demand , are we not to thank him and praise him for his actions of wisdom , justice , and holiness , though they be necessary ? and if justice , wisdom , and holiness , be the essential properties of god , according to which he does necessarily act and abstain from acting , why is not his goodness ? when it is expresly said by the wisdom of god incarnate , none is good save one , that is god. which must needs be understood of his essential goodness . which therefore being an essential property as well as the rest , he must necessarily act according to it . and when he acts in the scheme of anger and severity , it is in the behalf of goodness ; and when he imparts his goodness in lesser measures as well as in greater , it is for the good of the whole , or of the vniverse . if all were eye , where were the hearing , &c. as the apostle argues ? so that his wisdom moderates the prompt outflowings of his goodness , that it may not outflow so , but that in the general it is for the best . and therefore it will follow , that if the pre-existence of souls comply with the wisdom , justice , and holiness of god , that none of these restrain his prompt and parturient goodness , that it must have caused humane souls to pre-exist or exist so soon as the spirits of angels did . and he must have a strange quick-sightedness that can discern any clashing of that act of goodness with any of the abovesaid attributes . chap. . pag. . god never acts by mere will or groundless humour , &c. we men have unaccountable inclinations in our irregular and depraved composition , have blind lusts or desires to do this or that , and it is our present ease and pleasure to fulfil them ; and therefore we fancy it a priviledge to be able to execute these blind inclinations of which we can give no rational account , but that we are pleased by fulfilling them . but it is against the purity , sanctity , and perfection of the divine nature , to conceive any such thing in him ; and therefore a weakness in our judgments to fancy so of him , like that of the anthropomorphites , that imagined god to be of humane shape . pag. . that god made all things for himself . it is ignorance and ill nature that has made some men abuse this text to the proving that god acts out of either an humourous or selfish principle , as if he did things merely to please himself as self , not as he is that soveraign unself-inreressed goodness , and perfect rectitude , which ought to be the measure of all things . but the text implies no such matter : for if you make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compound of a preposition and pronoun , that so it may signifie [ for himself ] which is no more than propter se , it then will import that he made all things to satisfie his own will and pleasure , whose will and pleasure results from the richness of his eternal goodness and benignity of nature , which is infinite and ineffable , provided always that it be moderated by wisdom , justice , and decorum . for from hence his goodness is so stinted or modified , that though he has made all things for his own will and pleasure who is infinite goodness and benignity , yet there is a day of evil for the wicked , as it follows in the text , because they have not walked answerably to the goodness that god has offered them ; and therefore their punishment is in behalf of abused goodness . and bayns expresly interprets this text thus : vniversa propter seipsum fecit dominus ; that is , says he , propter bonitatem suam ; juxta illud augustini , de doctrina christiana , quia bonus est deus , sumus & in quantum sumus boni sumus . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be a compound of a participle and a pronoun , and then it may signifie [ for them that answer him ] that is , walk anserably to his goodness which he affords them , or [ for them that obey him ] either way it is very good sence . and then in opposition to these , it is declared , that the wicked , that is , the disobedient or despisers of his goodness , he has ( not made them wicked , but they having made themselves so ) appointed them for the day of evil. for some such verb is to be supplied as is agreeable to the matter , as in that passage in the psalms ; the sun shall not burn thee by day , neither the moon by night . where [ burn ] cannot be repeated , but some other more suitable verb is to be supplied . chap. . pag. . since all other things are inferiour to the good of being . this i suppose is to be understood in such a sence as that saying in job , skin for skin , and all that a man has , will he give for his life . otherwise the condition of being may be such , as it were better not to be at all , whatever any dry-fancied metaphysicians may dispute to the contrary . pag. . indeed they may be morally immutable and illapsable ; but this is grace , not nature , &c. not unless the divine wisdom has essentially interwoven it into the natural constitution of our souls , that as after such a time of the exercise of their plaistick on these terrestrial bodies , they , according to the course of nature , emerge into a plain use of their reason , when for a time they little differed from brutes ; so after certain periods of time well improved to the perfecting their nature in the sense and adherence to divine things , there may be awakened in them such a divine plaistick faculty , as i may so speak , as may eternally fix them to their celestial or angelical vehicles , that they shall never relapse again . which faculty may be also awakened by the free grace of the omnipotent more maturely : which if it be , grace and nature conspire together to make a soul everlastingly happy . which actual immutability does no more change the species of a soul , than the actual exercise of reason does after the time of her stupour in infancy and in the womb. pag. . i doubt not but that it is much better for rational creatures , &c. namely , such as we experience our humane souls to be . but for such kind of intellectual creatures as have nothing to do with matter , they best understand the priviledges of their own state , and we can say nothing of them . but for us under the conduct of our faith●ul and victorious captain , the soul of the promised messias , through many conflicts and tryals to emerge out of this lapsed state , and regain again the possession of true holyness and vertue , and therewith the kingdom of heaven with all its beauty and glories , will be such a gratification to us , that we had never been capable of such an excess thereof , had we not experienced the evils of this life , and the vain pleasures of it , and had the remembrance of the endearing sufferings of our blessed saviour , of his aids and supports , and of our sincere and conscientious adhering to him , of our conflicts and victories to be enrolled in the eternal records of the other world. pag. . wherefore as the goodness of god obligeth him not to make every planet a fixt star , or every star a sun , &c. in all likelihood , as galilaeus had first observed , every fixed star is a sun. but the comparison is framed according to the conceit of the vulgar . a thing neither unusual with , nor misbecoming philosophers . pag. . for this were to tye him to contradictions , viz. to turn one specifical form or essence into another . matter indeed may receive several modifications , but is still real matter , nor can be turned into a spirit ; and so spirits specifically different , are untransmutable one into another , according to the distinct idea's in the eternal intellect of god. for else it would imply that their essential properties were not essential properties , but loose adventitious accidents , and such as the essence and substance of such a spirit , could subsist as well without as with them , or as well with any others as with these . pag. . that we should have been made pe●cable and liable to defection . and this may the more easily be allowed , because this defection is rather the affecting of a less good , than any pursuing of what is really and absolutely evil . to cavil against providence for creating a creature of such a double capacity , seems as unreasonable as to blame her for maki●g zoophiton's , or rather amphibion's . and they are both to be permitted to live according to the nature which is given them . for to make a creature fit for either capacity , and to tye him up to one , is for god to do repugnantly to the workmanship of his own hands . and how little hurt there is done by experiencing the things of either element to souls that are reclaimable , has been hinted above . but those that are wilfully obstinate , and do despite to the divine goodness , it is not at all inconsistent with this goodness , that they bear the smart of their obstinacy , as the ingenious author argues very well . chap. . pag. . have asserted it to be impossible in the nature of the thing , &c. and this is the most solid and unexceptionable answer to this objection , that it is a repugnancy in nature , that this visible world that consists in the motion and succession of things , should be either ab aeterno , or infinite in extension . this is made out clearly and amply in dr. h. moore 's enchiridion metaphysicum , cap. . which is also more briefly toucht upon in his advertisements upon mr. jos glanvil's letter written to him upon the occasion of the stirs at tedworth , and is printed with the second edition of his saducismus triumphatus . we have now seen the most considerable objections against this argument from the goodness of god for proving the pre-existence of souls , produced and answered by our learned author . but because i find some others in an impugner of the opinion of pre-existence urged with great confidence and clamour , i think it not amiss to bring them into view also , after i have taken notice of his acknowledgment of the peculiar strength of this topick , which he does not onely profess to be in truth the strongest that is made use of , but seems not at all to envy it its strength , while he writes thus . that god is infinitely good , is a position as true as himself ; nor can he that is furnished with the reason of a man , offer to dispute it . goodness constitutes his very deity , making him to be himself : for could he be arayed with all his other attributes separate and abstract from this , they would be so far from denominating him a god , that he would be but a prodigious fiend , and plenipotentiary devil . this is something a rude and uncourtly asseveration , and unluckly divulsion of the godhead into two parts , and calling one part a devil . but it is not to be imputed to any impiety in the author of no-pre-existence , but to the roughness and boarishness of his style , the texture whereof is not onely fustian , but over-often hard and stiff buckram . he is not content to deny his assent to an opinion , but he must give it disgraceful names . as in his epistle to the reader , this darling opinion of the greatest and divinest sages of the world visiting of late the studies of some of more than ordinary wit and learning , he compares it to a bug and sturdy mendicant , that pretends to be some person of quality ; but he like a skilful beadle of beggars , lifting up the skirts of her veil , as his phrase is , shews her to be a counterfeit . how this busie beadle would have behaved himself , if he had had the opportunity of lifting up the skirts of moses's veil when he had descended the mount , i know not . i dare not undertake for him , but that according to the coarsness of his phancy he would have mistaken that lucid spirit shining through the skin of moses's face , for some fiery fiend , as he has somewhere the spirit of nature for an hobgobling . but there is no pleasure in insisting upon the rudenesses of his style ; he is best where he is most unlike himself , as he is here in the residue of his description of the divine goodness . 't is goodness , says he , that is the head and glory of gods perfect essence ; and therefore when moses importuned him for a vision of his glory , he engaged to display his goodness to him . could a man think that one that had engaged thus far for the infiniteness of gods goodness , for its headship over the other attributes , for its glory above the rest , nay for its constitutiveness of the very deity , as if this were the onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or god himself , the rest of him divided from this , a prodigious fiend , or plenipotentiary devil , should prove the author of no-pre-existence a very contradiction to this declaration ? for to be able to hold no-pre-existence , he must desert the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of god , and betake himself to the devil-part of him , as he has rudely called it , to avoid this pregnant proof for pre-existence taken from the infinite goodness of god. and indeed he has pickt out the very worst of that black part of god to serve his turn , and that is self-will in the worst sence . otherwise goodness making god to be himself , if it were his true and genuine self-will , it were the will of his infinite goodness , and so would necessarily imply pre-existence . but to avoid the dint of this argument , he declares in the very same section for the supremacy of the will over the goodness of the divine nature . which is manifestly to contradict what he said before , that goodness is the head and glory of gods perfect essence . for thus will must have a supremacy over the head of the deity . so that there will be an head over an head , to make the godhead a monster . and what is most insufferable of all , that he has chosen an head out of the devil-part of the deity , to use his own rude expression , to controul and lord it over what is the onely god himself , the rest a fiend separate from this , according to his own acknowledgment . these things are so infinitely absurd , that one would think that he could have no heart to go about to prove them ; and yet he adventures on it , and we shall briefly propose and answer what he produceth . and this supremacy of the will , saith he , over the goodness of the divine nature , may be made out both by scripture and other forcible evidences . the scriptures are three ; the first , psal . . . whatsoever the lord pleased , that did he in heaven , and in the earth , and in the seas , and in all deep places . now if we remember but who this lord is , viz. he whom goodness makes to be himself , we may easily be assured what pleased him , namely , that which his wisdom discerned to be the best to be done ; and therefore it is very right , that whatsoever he pleased he should do throughout the whole universe . the second place is mat. . . is it not lawful for me to do what i will with mine own ? yes i trow , every one must acknowledge that god has an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original ) to dispose of what is his own ; and indeed all is his . no one has either a right or power to controul him . but this does not prove that he ever disposes of any thing otherwise than according to his wisdom and goodness . if his goodness be ever limited , it is limited by his wisdom , but so then as discerning such a limitation to be for the best . so that the measure of wisdoms determination is still goodness , the only head in the divine nature , to which all the rest is subordinate . for that there are different degrees of the communication of the divine goodness in the universe , is for the good of the whole . it is sufficient to hint these things ; it would require a volume to enlarge upon them . and then for the last place , exod. . . i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious . this onely implies that he does pro suo jure , and without any motive from any one but himself , communicate more of his goodness to some men or nations than others . but that his wisdom has not discovered this to be best for the whole constitution of things , i challenge any one to prove . but of this we shall have occasion to speak more afterward . these are the scriptures . the other forcible evidences are these : the first , the late production of the world. the second , the patefaction of the law but to one single people , namely , the jews . the third , the timing the messias's nativity , and bringing it to pass , not in the worlds infancy or adolescence , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . in its declining age. the fourth , the perpetuity of hell , and interminableness of those tortures which after this life shall incessantly vex the impious . the fifth and last , god 's not perpetuating the station of pre-existent souls , and hindering them from lapsing into these regions of sin and death . these he pretends to be forcible evidences of the soveraignty of gods will over his goodness , forasmuch as if the contrary to all these had been , it had been much more agreeable to the goodness of god. as for the first of these forcible arguments , we have disarmed the strength thereof already , by intimating that the world could not be ab oeterno . and if it could not be ab oeterno , but must commence on this side of eternity , and be of finite years , i leave to the opposer to prove that it has not been created as soon as it could be ; and that is sufficient to prove that its late production is not inconsistent with that principle , that gods goodness always is the measure of his actions . for suppose the world of as little continuance as you will , if it was not ab oeterno , it was once of as little ; and how can we discern but that this is that very time which seems so little to us ? as for the second , which seems to have such force in it , that he appeals to any competent judge , if it had not been infinitely better that god should have apertly dispensed his ordinances to all mankind , than have committed them onely to israel in so private and clancular a manner ; i say ▪ it is impossible for any one to be assured that it is at all better . for first , if this priviledge which was peculiar , had been a favour common to all , it had lost its enforcement that it had upon that lesser number . secondly , it had had also the less surprizing power with it upon others that were not jews , who might after converse with that nation , and set a more high price upon the truths they had travelled for , and were communicated to them from that people . thirdly , the nature of the thing was not fitted for the universality of mankind , who could not be congregated together to see the wonders wrought by moses , and receive the law with those awful circumstances from mount sinai or any mount else . fourthly , all things happened to them in types , and them●elves were a type of the true israel of god to be redeemed out of their captivity under sin and satan , which was worse than any aegyptian servitude : wherefore it must be some peculiar people which must be made such a type , not the whole world. fifthly , considering the great load of the ceremonial law which came along with other more proper priviledges of the jews , setting one against another , and considering the freedom of other nations from it , unless they brought any thing like it upon themselves , the difference of their conditions will rather seem several modifications of the communicated goodness of god to his creatures , than the neglecting of any : forasmuch as , sixthly and lastly , though all nations be in a lapsed condition , yet there are the reliques of the eternal law of life in them . and that things are no better with any of them than they are , that is a thousand times more rationally resolved into their demerits in their pre-existent state than into the bare will of god , that he will have things for many ages thus squalid and forlorn , merely because he will. which is a womans reason , and which to conceive to belong to god , the author of no-pre-existence has no reason , unless he will alleadge that he was styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the ancients for this very cause . wherefore the divine nemesis lying upon the lapsed souls of men in this terrestrial state , whose several delinquencies in the other world and the degrees thereof god alone knows , and according to his wisdom and justice disposes of them in this : it is impossible for any one that is not half crazed in his intellectuals , to pretend that any acts of providence that have been s●nce this stage of the earth was erected , might have been infinitely better otherwise than they have been , or indeed better at all . power , wisdom , goodness , sure did frame this vniverse , and still guide the same ; but thoughts from passion sprung , deceive vain mortals : no man can contrive a better course than what 's been run since the first circuit of the sun. this poetical rapture has more solid truth in it than the dry dreams and distorted fancies , or chimerical metamorphoses of earthly either philosophers or theologs , that prescinding the rest of the godhead from his goodness , make that remaining part a foul fiend or devil ; and yet almost with the same breath pronounce the will of this devil of their own making , which is the most poysonous part of him , to have a supremacy other the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , over the divine goodness ; which makes god to be himself , that is , to be god , and not a plenipotentiary devil . wherefore we see from these few small hints , ( for it were an infinite argument fully to prosecute ) how feeble or nothing forcible this second evidence is . now for the third evidence , the timing of the messiah's nativity , that it was not in the infancy of the world , but rather in its declining age , or in the latter times . in which times the ancient of days , according to his counsel and purpose , ( which the eternal wisdom that was to be incarnate assented and subscribed to ) sent his son into the world , the promised messiah . this did the ancient of days and the eternal wisdom agree upon . but oh the immense priviledge of youth and confidence ! the author of no-pre-existence says , it had been better by far , if they had agreed upon the infancy of the world. as if this young divine were wiser than the ancient of days , or the eternal wisdom itself . i , but he will modestly reply , that he acknowledges that the ancient of days and the eternal wisdom are wiser than he , but that they would not make use of their wisdom . they saw as clearly as could be , that it was far better that the messiah should come in the infancy of the world ; but the father would not send him then , merely because he would not send him : that his will might act freely as mere will prescinded from wisdom and goodness . this is the plain state of the business , and yet admitted by him , who with that open freeness and fulness professes , that prescind the divine goodness from the godhead , what remains is a prodigious fiend or devil . what is then : mere will and power left alone , but a blind hurricane of hell ? which yet must have the supremacy , and over-power the divine wisdom and goodness itself . his zeal against pre-existence has thus infatuated and blinded this young writers intellectuals , otherwise he had not been driven to these absurdities , if he had been pleased to admit that hypothesis . as also that wisdom and justice , and fitness and decorum attend the dispensation of divine goodness ; so that it is not to be communicated to every subject after the most ample manner , nor at every time , but at such times , and to such subjects , and in such measures as , respecting the whole compages of things , is for the best . so that goodness bears the soveraignty , and according to that rule , perpetually all things are administred , though there be a different scene of things and particulars in themselves vastly varying in goodness and perfection one from another as the parts of the body do . and so for times and ages , every season of the year yield disserent commodities : nor are we to expect roses in winter , nor apples and apricocks in spring . now the infinite and incomprehensible wisdom of god comprehending the whole entire scene of his providence , and what references there are of one thing to another , that this must be thus and thus , because such and such things preceded ; and because such things are , such and such must be consequent ; which things past and to come lie not under our eye : i say , if this hasty writer had considered this , he need not have been driven to such a rude solution of this present problem , why the messiah came no sooner into the world , viz. merely because god willed it should be so , though it had been far better if it had been otherwise ; but he would have roundly confessed , that undoubtedly this was the best time and the fittest , though it was past his reach to discover the reasons of the fitness thereof . this as it had been the more modest , so it had been the more solid solution of this hard problem . i but then it had not put a bar to this irrefragable argument from the goodness of god , for proving pre-existence : which he is perswaded in his own conscience is no less than a demonstration , unless it be acknowledged that the will of god has a supremacy over his goodness ; and therefore in spight to that abhorred dogma of pre-existence , he had rather broach such wild stuff against the glory of god , than not to purchase to himself the sweet conceit of a glorious victory over such an opinion that he has taken a groundless toy against , and had rather adventure upon gross blasphemies than entertain it . the devout psalmist , psal . . speaking of the decrees of god and his providence over the creation , thy righteousness , says he , is as the great mountains , thy judgments are a great deep . and st. paul , rom. . after he has treated of intricate and amazing points , cries out , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! now according to the rudeness of our young writer , there is no such depth of wisdom , or unsearchableness in the judgments and decrees of god and his providences in the world that most amaze us , but the reasons of them lie very obvious and shallow . where we fancy that things might have been better otherwise , ( though of never so grand import , as the coming of the messiah is ) it is easily resolved into the supremacy of the will of god , which it has over his wisdom and goodness . he willed it should be so , because he would it should be so , though it had been sar better if the messiah had come sooner . but see the difference betwixt an inspired apostle , and a young hot-headed theologist : this latter resolves these unsearchable and unintelligible decrees of god and passages of providence , into the mere will of god , lording it over the divine wisdom and goodness : but the apostle , by how much more unsearchable his judgments and decrees are , and the ways of his providence past finding out , the greater he declares the depth of the richness of his wisdom , which is so ample , that it reaches into ways and methods of doing for the best beyond the understandings of men . for most assuredly , while the depth of the wisdom of god is acknowledged to carry on the ways of providence , it must be also acknowledged that it acts like itself , and chuseth such ways as are best , and most comporting with the divine goodness ; or else it is not an act of wisdom , but of humour or oversight . but it may be the reader may have the curiosity to hear briefly what those great arguments are , that should induce this young writer so confidently to pronounce , that it had been far better that the messiah should have come in the infancy of the world , than in the times he came . the very quintessence of the force of his arguing extracted out of the verbosity of his affected style , is neither more nor less than this : that the world be●ore the coming of christ , who was to be the light of the world , was in very great darkness ; and therefore the sooner he came , the better . but to break the assurance of this arguer for the more early coming o● christ , first , we may take notice out of himself , chap. . that the light of nature is near akin not onely to the mosaick law , but to the gospel itself ; and that even then there were the assistances of the holy ghost to carry men on to such vertuous accomplishments as might avail them to eternal salvation . this he acknowledges probable , and i have set it down in his own words . whence considering what a various scene of things there was to be ●rom the fall of adam to the end of the world , it became the great and wise dramatist not to bring upon the stage the best things in the first act , but to carry on things pompously and by degrees ; something like that saying of elias , two thousand years under the light of nature , two thousand under the law , and then comes the nativity of the messiah , and after a due space the happy millennium , and then the final judgment , the compleated happiness of the righteous in heaven , and the punishment of the wicked in hell-fire . but to hasten too suddenly to the best , is to expect autumn in spring , and virility or old age in infancy or childhood , or the catastrophe of a comedy in the first act. secondly , we may observe what a weak disprover he is of pre-existence , which like a gyant would break in upon him , were it not that he kept him out by this false sconce of the supremacy of the divine will over his wisdom and goodness ; which conceit , how odious and impious it is , has been often enough hinted already . but letting pre-existence take place , and admitting that there is , according to divine providence , an orderly insemination of lapsed souls into humane bodies , through the several ages of the world , whose lapses had several circumstantial differences , and that men therefore become differently fitted objects of grace and favour ; how easie is it to conceive god according to the fitnesses of the generality of souls in such or such periods of times , as it was more just , agreeable , or needful for them , so and in such measures to have dispensed the gifts of his ever-watchful and all-comprehending providence to them , for both time and place . this one would think were more tolerable than to say , that god wills merely because he wills ; which is the character of a frail woman , rather than of a god , or else , as this writer himself acknowledges , of a fiend or devil . for such , says he , is god in the rest of his attributes , if you seclude his goodness . what then is that action which proceeds onely from that part from which goodness is secluded ? so that himself has dug down the sconce he would entrench himself in , and lets pre-existence come in upon him , whether he will or no , like an armed giant ; whom let him abhor as much as he will , he is utterly unable to resist . and thirdly and lastly , suppose there were no particular probable account to be given by us , by reason of the shortness of our understandings , and the vast fetches of the all-comprehensive providence of god , why the coming of the messiah was no earlier than it was ; yet according to that excellent aphorism in morality and politicks , optimè praesumendum est de magistratu , we should hope , nay be assured it was the best that he came when he did , it being by the appointment of the infinite good and all-wise god , and cry out with st. paul , oh the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! and in the psalmist , thy judgments are like a great deep , o lord , thou preservest man and , beast . and so acknowledge his wisdom and goodness in the ordering his creatures , even there where his ways are to our weak and scant understandings most inexplicable and unsearchable . which wisdom and goodness as we have all reason to acknowledge in all matters , so most of all in matters of the greatest concernment , that there most assuredly god wills not thus or thus merely because he wills , but because his wisdom discerns that it is for the best . and this is sufficient to shew the weakness of this third evidence for proving the supremacy of the divine will over his wisdom and goodness . his fourth evidence is , the perpetuity of hell , and interminableness of those tortures which after this life vex the wicked . for , says he , had the penalties of mens sins here been rated by pure goodness , free and uncontrouled by any other principle , it is not probable that they should have been punished by an eternal calamity , the pleasures of them being so transient and fugitive . thus he argues , and almost in the very same words ; and therefore concludes , that the authority of gods will interposed , and pro suo jure , having the supremacy over his goodness , over-swayed the more benign decree ; and will , because it would have it so , doomed sinners to these eternal torments . but i would ask this sophister , did the will of god in good earnest sentence sinners thus in decree , merely because he willed it , not because it was either good or just ? what a black and dismal reproach is here cast upon the divine majesty ! that he sentences sinners thus because he will , not because it is just . the sence whereof is , so he will do , right or wrong . but the patriarch abraham was of another mind , shall not the judge of the whole earth do right ? this he said even to gods face , as i may so speak . wherefore god doing nothing but what is just , does nothing but what is also good . for justice is nothing but goodness modified . nor is it asserted by those that make goodness the measure of gods providence , that the modification and moderation thereof is not by his wisdom and justice . so that this sophister puts [ pure ] to goodness , merely to obscure the sence , and put a fallacy upon his reader . the sins of men here are not rated by pure goodness , but by that modification of goodness which is termed justice ; which is not a distinct principle from goodness , but a branch thereof , or goodness it self under such a modification , not mere will acting because it will , right or wrong , good or evil . wherefore the state of the question is not , whether the eternal torments of hell are consistent with the pure goodness of god , but with his justice . but if they are eternal merely from his will , without any respect to justice , his will does will what is infinitely beyond the bounds of what is just , because endless is infinitely beyond that which has an end . such gross absurdities does this opposer of pre-existence run into , to fetch an argument from the supposititious supremacy of the will of god over his wisdom and goodness . but as touching the question rightly proposed , whether the perpetuity of hell to sinners consists with the justice of god , a man ought to be chary and wary how he pronounces in this point , that he slip not into what may prove disadvantageous to the hearer . for there are that will be scandalized , and make it serve to an ill end , whether one declare for eternal torments of hell , or against them . some being ready to conclude from their eternity , that religion itself is a mere scarecrow that frights us with such an incredible mormo ; others to indulge to their pleasures , because the commination is not frightful enough to deter them from extravagant enjoyments , if hell torments be not eternal . but yet i cannot but deem it a piece of great levity in him that decided the controversie , as the complesant parson did that about the may-pole ; they of his parish that were for a may-pole , let them have a may-pole ; but they that were not for a may-pole , let them have no may-pole . but this in sobriety one may say , that the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in scripture is indifferent to signifie either that which is properly everlasting , or that which lasts a long time . so that by any immediate infallible oracle , we are not able to pronounce for the eternity or perpetuity of hell-torments . and the creeds use the phrase of scripture , and so some may think that they have the same latitude of interpretation . but it is the safest to adhere to the sence of the catholick church , for those that be bewilder'd in such speculations . but what the writer of no-pre-existence argues from his own private spirit , though it be not inept , yet it is not over-firm and solid . but that the penancies of reprobates are endless , i shall ever thus perswade my self , saith he , either the torments of hell are eternal , or the felicities of heaven are but temporary ( which i am sure they shall never be : ) for the very same word that is used to express the permanence of the one , measures out the continuance of the other ; and if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes everlasting life , a blessedness that shall never end , ( mat. . ult . ) what can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same verse signifie , but perpetual punishment , a misery that shall never cease ? this is pretty handsomly put together , but as i said , does not conclude firmly what is driven at . for it being undeniably true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well that which onely is of a long continuance , as what is properly everlasting ; and it being altogether rational , that when words have more significations than one , that signification is to be applied that is most agreeable to the subject it is predicated of , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that higher sence of property and absolutely everlasting , not being applicable to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but upon this writers monstrous supposition that the will of god has a supremacy over his wisdom , goodness , and justice ( as if the righteous god could act against his own conscience , which no honest man can do ) it is plain , that though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie properly everlasting , that there is no necessity that it should signifie so in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but have that other signification of long continuance , though not of everlastingness , and that continuance so long , as if considered , would effectually rouze any man out of his sins ; and eternity not considered , will not move him . this one would think were enough to repress the confidence of this young writer . but i will adde something more out of his fellow anti-pre-existentiary . that comminations are not , though promises be obligatory . forasmuch as in comminations the comminator is the creditor , and he that is menaced the debtor that owes the punishment ( with which that latine phrase well agrees , dare poenas ) but in promises , he that promiseth becomes debtor , and he to whom the promise is made , creditor . whence the promiser is plainly obliged to make good his promise , as being the debtor : but the comminator , as being the creditor , is not obliged to exact the punishment , it being in the power of any creditor to remit the debt owing him if he will. wherefore in this commination of eternal fire , or everlasting punishment , though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie here properly everlasting , as well as in everlasting life , yet because this latter is a promise , the other onely a commination , it does not follow , that as surely as the righteous shall be rewarded with everlasting life , so surely shall the wicked be punished with everlasting fire , in the most proper and highest extent of the signification of the word . because god in his comminations to the wicked is onely a creditor , and has still a right and power to remit either part or the whole debt ; but to the righteous , by vertue of his promise , he becomes a debtor , and cannot recede , but must punctually keep his word . to all which i adde this challenge : let this writer , or any else if they can , demonstrate that a soul may not behave herself so perversely , obstinately , and despightfully against the spirit of grace , that she may deserve to be made an everlasting hackstock of the divine nemesis , even for ever and ever . and if she deserve it , it is but just that she have it ; and if it be just , it is likewise good . for justice is nothing else but goodness modified in such sort , as wisdom and sense of decorum sees fittest . but the election of wisdom being always for the best , all things considered , it is plain that justice and the execution thereof , is for the best ; and that so goodness , not mere will upon pretence of having a supremacy over goodness , would be the measure of this sentencing such obdurate sinners to eternal punishment . and this eternal punishment as it is a piece of vindicative justice upon these obdurate sinners , so it naturally contributes to the establishment of the righteous in their celestial happiness . which , this opposer of pre-existence objects somewhere , if souls ever fell from , they may fall from it again . but these eternal torments of hell , if they needed it , would put a sure bar thereto . so that the wisdom and goodness also of god is upon this account concerned in the eternal punishments of hell , as well as his justice . that it be to the unreclaimable , as that orphick hemistichium calls it , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the fifth and last forcible argument , as he calls them , for the proving the soveraignty of gods will over his goodness , is this . if gods goodness , saith he , be not under the command of his will , but does always what is best , why did it not perpetuate the station of pre-existent souls , and hinder us ( if ever we were happy in a sublimer state ) from lapsing into these regions of sin and death ? but who does not at first sight discern the weakness of this allegation ? for it is plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an absurd thing , and contrary to reason , to create such a species of being , whose nature is free and mutable , and at the first dash to dam up or stop the exercise of that freedom and capacity of change , by confining it to a fixt station . as ridiculous as to suppose a living creature made with wings and feet , and yet that the maker thereof should take special care it should never slie nor go . and so likewise , that the mere making of such an order of beings as have a freedom of will , and choice of their actions , that this is misbecoming the goodness of god , is as dull and idiotical a conceit , and such as implies that god should have made but one kind of creature , and that the most absolutely and immutably happy that can be , or else did not act according to his goodness , or for the best : which is so obvious a falshood , that i will not confute it . but it is not hard to conceive that he making such a free-willed creature as the souls of men , simul cum mundo condito , and that in an happy condition , and yet not ●ixing them in that station , may excellently well accord with the soveraignty of his goodness , nor any one be constrained to have recourse to the supremacy of his will over his goodness , as if he did it because he would do it , and not because it was best . for what can this freedom of will consist in so much as in a temptableness by other objects that are of an inferiour nature , not so divine and holy as the other , to which it were the security of the soul to adhere with all due constancy , and therefore her duty . but in that she is temptable by other objects , it is a signe that her present enjoyment of the more divine and heavenly objects , are not received of her according to their excellency , but according to the measure and capacity of her present state , which though very happy , may be improved at the long run , and in an orderly series of times and things , whether the soul lapse into sin or no. for accession of new improvements increaseth happiness and joy. now therefore , i say , suppose several , and that great numbers , even innumerable myriads of pre-existent souls , to lapse into the regions of sin and death , provided that they do not sin perversely and obstinately , nor do despight to the spirit of grace , nor refuse the advantageous offers that divine providence makes them even in these sad regions , why may not their once having descended hither tend to their greater enjoyment , when they shall have returned to their pristine station ? and why may not the specifical nature of the soul be such , that it be essentially interwoven into our being , that after a certain period of times or ages , whether she sin or no , she may arrive to a fixedness at last in her heavenly station with greater advantage to such a creature , than if she had been fixed in that state at first . the thing may seem least probable in those that descend into these regions of sin and mortality . but in those that are not obstinate and refractorie , but close with the gracious means that is offered them for their recoverie , their having been here in this lower state , and retaining the memorie ( as doubtless they do ) of the transactions of this terrestrial stage , it naturally enhances all the enjoyments of the pristine felicitie they had lost , and makes them for ever have a more deep and vivid resentment of them . so that through the richness of the wisdom and goodness of god , and through the merits and conduct of the captain of their salvation , our saviour jesus christ , they are , after the strong conflicts here with sin and the corruptions of this lower region , made more than conquerours , and greater gainers upon the losses they sustained before from their own folly . and in this most advantageous state of things , they become pillars in the temple of god , there to remain for ever and ever . so that unless straying souls be exceedingly perverse and obstinate , the exitus of things will be but as in a tragick comedy , and their perverseness and obstinacie lies at their own doors : for those that finally miscarrie , whose number this confident writer is to prove to be so considerable that the enhanced happiness of the standing part of pre-existent souls and the recovered does not far preponderate the infelicitie of the others condition . which if he cannot do , as i am confident he cannot , he must acknowledge , that god in not forcibly fixing pre-existent souls in the state they were first created , but leaving them to themselves , acted not from the supremacy of his will over his goodness , but did what was best , and according to that soveraign principle of goodness in the deitie . and now for that snitling dilemma of this eager opposer of pre-existence , touching the freedom of acting and mutabilitie in humane souls , whether this mutabilitie be a specifick properly and essential to them , or a separable accident . for if it were essential , says he , then how was christ a perfect man , his humane nature being ever void of that lapsabilitie which is essential to humanitie ? and how come men to retain their specifick nature still , that are translated to celestial happiness , and made unalterable in the condition they then are ? to this i answer , that the pre-existentiaries will admit , that the soul of the messiah was created as the rest , though in an happie condition , yet in a lapsable ; and that it was his peculiar merit , in that he so faithfully , constantly , and entirely adhered to the divine principle , incomparably above what was done by others of his classis , notwithstanding that he might have done otherwise ; and therefore they will be forward to extend that of the author to the hebrews , chap. . v. . ( thy throne , o god , is for ever and ever , the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom . thou hast loved righteousness , and hated iniquity ; therefore god , even thy god , hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows ) to his behaviour in his pre-existent state , as well as in this . and whenever the soul of christ did exist , if he was like us in all things , sin onely excepted , he must have a capacitie of sinning , though he would not sin ; that capacitie not put into act being no sin , but an argument of his vertue , and such as if he was always devoid of , he could not be like us in all things , sin onely excepted . for posse peccare non est peccatum . and as for humane souls changing their species in their unalterable heavenly happiness , the species is not then changed , but perfected and compleated ; namely , that facultie or measure of it in their plastick , essentially latitant there , is by the divine grace so awakened , after such a series of time and things , which they have experienced , that now they are ●irmly united to an heavenly body or ethereal vehicle for ever . and now we need say little to the other member of the dilemma , but to declare , that free will , or mutability in humane souls , is no separable accident , but of the essential contexture of them ; so as it might have its turn in the series of things . and how consistent it was with the goodness of god and his wisdom , not to suppress it in the beginning , has been sufficiently intimated above . wherefore now forasmuch as there is no pretext that either the wisdom or justice of god should streighten the time of the creation of humane souls , so that their existence may not commence with that of angels , or of the universe , and that this figment of the supremacy of gods mere will over his other attributes is blown away , it is manifest that the argument for the pre-existence of souls drawn from the divine goodness , holds firm and irrefragable against whatever opposers . we have been the more copious on this argument , because the opposer and others look upon it as the strongest proof the pre existentiaries produce for their opinion . and the other party have nothing to set against it but a fictitious supremacy of the will of god over his goodness and other attributes . which being their onely bulwark , and they taking sanctuary nowhere but here , in my apprehension they plainly herein give up the cause , and establish the opinion which they seem to have such an antipathy against . but it is high time now to pass to the next chapter . chap. . p. . to have contracted strong and inveterate habits to vice and lewdness , and that in various manners and degrees , &c. to the unbyassed this must needs seem a considerable argument , especially when the parties thus irreclaimably profligate from their youth , some as to one vice , others to another , are found such in equal circumstances with others , and advantages , to be good ; born of the same parents , educated in the same family , and the like . wherefore having the same bodily extraction , and the same advantages of education , what must make this great difference as they grow up in the body , but that their souls were different before they came into it ? and how should they have such a vast difference in the proclivity to vice , but that they lived before in the state of pre-existence , and that some were much deeper in rebellion against god and the divine reason , than others were , and so brought their different conditions with them into these terrestrial bodies ? pag. . then how a swallow should return to her òld trade of living after her winter sleep , &c. indeed the swallow has the advantages of memory , which the incorporate soul has not in her incorporation into a terrestrial body after her state of silence . but the vital inclinations , which are mainly if not onely fitted in the plastick , being not onely revived , but ( signally vitious of themselves ) revived with advantage , by reason of the corruption of this coarse earthly body into which the soul is incorporate , they cannot fail of discovering themselves in a most signal manner , without any help of memory , but from the mere pregnancie of a corrupt body , and formerly more than ordinarily debauched plastick in the state of pre-existence . pag. . whenas others are as fatally set against the opinions , &c. and this is done , as the ingenious author takes notice , even where neither education nor custom have interposed to sophisticate their judgments or sentiments . nay , it is most certain , that they sometime have sentiments and entertain opinions quite contrary to their education . so that that is but a slight account , to restore this phaenomenon into education and custom , whenas opinions are entertained and stiffly maintained in despight of them . this i must confess implies that the aerial inhabitants philosophize , but conjecturally onely , as well as the inhabitants of the earth . and it is no wonder that such spirits as are lapsed in their morals , should be at a loss also in their intellectuals ▪ and though they have a desire to know the truth in speculations , it suiting so well with their pride , that yet they should be subject to various errours and hallucinations as well as we , and that there should be different , yea opposite schools of philosophie among them . and if there be any credit to be given to cardans story of his father facius cardanus , things are thus de facto in the aereal regions . and two of the spirits which facius cardanus saw in that vision ( left upon record by him , and of which he often told his son hieronymus while he was living ) were two professors of philosophie in different academies , and were of different opinions ; one of them apertly professing himself to be an aven-roist . the story is too long to insert here . see dr. h. moore his immortality of the soul , book . chap. . so that lapsed souls philosophizing in their aerial state , and being divided into sects , and consequently maintaining their different or opposite opinions with heat and affection which reaches the plastick , this may leave a great propension in them to the same opinions here , and make them almost as prone to such and such errours , as to such and such vices . this , i suppose , the ingenious author propounds as an argument credible and plausible , though he does not esteem it of like force with those he produced before . nor does his opposer urge any thing to any purpose against it . the main thing is , that these propensities to some one opinion are not universal , and blended with the constitution of every person , but are thin sown ▪ and grow up sparingly . where there are five , says he , naturally bent to any one opinion , there are many millions that are free to all . if some , says he , descend into this life big with aptnesses and proclivities to peculiar theories , why then should not all , supposing they pre-existed together , do the like ? as if all in the other aereal state were professors of philosophie , or zealous followers of them that were . the solution of this difficulty is so easie , that i need not insist on it . pag. . were this difference about sensibles , the influence of the body might then be suspected for a cause , &c. this is very rationally alleadged by our author , and yet his antagonist has ▪ the face from the observation of the diversity of mens palates and appetites , of their being differently affected by such and such strains of musick , some being pleased with one kind of melodie , and others with another , some pl●ased with aromatick odours , others offended with them , to reason thus : if the bodie can thus cause us to love and dislike sensibles , why not as well to approve and dislike opinions and theories ? but the reason is obvious why not ; because the liking or disliking of these sensibles depends upon the grateful or ungrateful motion of the nerves of the bodie , which may be otherwise constituted or qualified in some complexions than in other some but for philosophical opinions and theories ' what have they to do with the motion of the nerves ? it is the soul herself that judges of those abstractedly from the senses , or any use of the nerves or corporeal organ . if the difference of our judgment in philosophical theories be resolvible into the mere constitution of our bodie , our understanding itself will hazard to be resolved into the same principle also : and bodie will prove the onely difference betwixt men and brutes . we have more intellectual souls because we have better bodies , which i hope our authors antagonist will not allow . pag. . for the soul in her first and pure nature has no idiosyncrasies , &c. whether there may not be certain different characters proper to such and such classes of souls , but all of them natural and without blemish , and this for the better order of things in the universe , i will not rashly decide in the negative . but as the author himself seems to insinuate , if there be any such , they are not such as fatally determine souls to false and erroneous apprehensions . for that would be a corruption and a blemish in the very natural character . wherefore if the soul in philosophical speculations is fatally determined to falshood in this life , it is credible it is the effect of its being inured thereto in the other . pag. . now to say that all this variety proceeds primarily from the mere temper of our bodies , &c. this argument is the less valid for pre-existence , i mean that which is drawn from the wonderful variety of our genius's , or natural inclinations to the employments of life , because we cannot be assured but that the divine providence may have essentially , as it were , impressed such classical characters on humane souls , as i noted before . and besides , if that be true which menander says , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that every man , as soon as he is born , has a genius appointed him to be his instructer and guide of his life : that some are carried with such an impetus to some things rather than others , may be from the instigations of his assisting genius . and for that objection of the author's antagonist against his opinion touching those inclinations to trades , ( which may equally concern this hypothesis of menander ) that it would then be more universal , every one having such a genius ; this truth may be smothered by the putting young people promiscuously to any trade , without observing their genius . but the chineses suppose this truth , they commonly shewing a child all the employs of the citie , that he may make his own choice before they put him to any . but if the opinion of menander be true , that every man has his guardian genius , under whose conduct he lives ; the merchant , the musician , the plowman , and the rest ; it is manifest that these genii cannot but receive considerable impressions of such things as they guide their clients in . and pre-existent souls in their aereal estate being of the same nature with these daemons or genii , they are capable of the same employment , and so tincture themselves deep enough with the affairs of those parties they preside over . and therefore when they themselves , after the state of silence , are incorporated into earthly bodies , they may have a proneness from their former tincture to such methods of life as they lived over whom they did preside . which quite spoils the best argument our author's antagonist has against this topick ; which is , that there are several things here below which the geniusses of men pursue and follow with the hottest chase , which have no similitude with the things in the other state , as planting , building , husbandrie , the working of manufactures , &c. this best argument of his , by menander's hypothesis , which is hard to confute , is quite defeated . and to deny nothing to this opposer of pre-existence which is his due , himself seems unsatisfied , in resolving these odd phaenomena into the temper of bodie . and therefore at last hath recourse to a secret causality , that is , to he knows not what . but at last he pitches upon some such principle as that whereby the birds build their nest , the spider weaves her webs , the bees make their combs , &c. some such thing he says ( though he cannot think it that prodigious hobgoblin the spirit of nature ) may produce these strange effects , may byass also the fancies of men in making choice of their employments and occupations . if it be not the spirit of nature , then it must be that classical character i spoke of above . but if not this , nor the preponderancies of the pre-existent state , nor menander's hypothesis , the spirit of nature will bid the fairest for it of any besides , for determining the inclinations of all living creatures in these regions of generation , as having in itself vitally , though not intellectually , all the laws of the divine providence implanted into its essence by god the creator of it . and speaking in the ethnick dialect , the same description may belong to it that varro gives to their god genius . genius est deus qui proepositus est , ac vim habet omnium rerum gignendarum , and that is the genius of every creature that is congenit to it in vertue of its generation . and that there is such a spirit of nature ( not a god , as varro vainly makes it , but an unintelligent creature ) to which belongs the nascency or generation of things , and has the management of the whole matter of the universe , is copiously proved to be the opinion of the noblest and ancientest philosophers , by the learned dr. r. cudworth in his system of the intellectual world , and is demonstrated to be a true theorem in philosophie by dr. h. moore in his euchiridion metaphysicum , by many , and those irrefutable arguments ; and yet i dare say both can easily pardon the mistake and bluntness of this rude writer , nor are at all surprized at it as a noveltie , that any ignorant rural hobthurst should call the spirit of nature ( a thing so much beyond his capacitie to judge of ) a prodigious hobgoblin . but to conclude , be it so that there may be other causes besides the pristine inurements of the pre-existent soul , that may something forcibly determine her to one course of life here , yet when she is most forcibly determined , if there be such a thing as pre-existence , this may be rationally supposed to concur in the efficiencie . but that it is not so strong an argument as others to prove pre-existence , i have hinted alreadie . pag. . for those that are most like in the temper , air , complexion of their bodies , &c. if this prove true , and i know nothing to the contrarie , this vast difference of genius's , were it not for the hypothesis of their classical character imprinted on souls at their very creation , would be a considerably tight argument . but certainly it is more honest than for the avoiding pre-existence to resolve the phaenomenon into a secret causality , that is to say , into one knows not what . pag. . there being now no other way left but pre-existence , &c. this is a just excuse for his bringing in any argument by way of overplus that is not so apodictically concluding . if it be but such as will look like a plausible solution of a phaenomenon ( as this of such a vast difference of genius's ) pre-existence once admitted , or otherwise undeniably demonstrated , the proposing thereof should be accepted with favour . chap. . pag. . and we know our saviour and his apostles have given credit to that translation , &c. and it was the authentick text with the fathers of the primitive church . and besides this , if we read according to the hebrew text , there being no object of job's knowledge expressed , this is the most easie and natural sence : knowest thou that thou wast then , and that the number of thy days are many ? this therefore was reckoned amongst the rest of his ignorances , that though he was created so early , he now knew nothing of it . and this easie sence of the hebrew text , as well as that version of the septuagint , made the jews draw it in to the countenancing of the tradition of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the pre-existence of souls , as grotius has noted of them . pag. . as reads a very credible version . r. menasse ben israel reads it so : [ i gave thee wisdom , ] which version , if it were sure and authentick , this place would be fit for the defence of the opinion it is produced for . but no interpreters besides , that i can find , following him , nor any going before him , whom he might follow , i ingenuously confess the place seems not of force enough to me to infer the conclusion . he read , i suppose , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in piel , whence he translated it , indidi tibi sapientiam ; but the rest read it in cal. pag. . and methinks that passage of our saviours prayer , father , glorifie me with the glorie i had before the world began , &c. this text , without exceeding great violence , cannot be evaded . as for that of grotius interpreting [ that i had ] that which was intended for me to have , though it make good sence , yet it is such grammar as that there is no school-boy but would be ashamed of it ; nor is there , for all his pretences , any place in scripture to countenance such an extravagant exposition by way of parallelism , as it may appear to any one that will compare the places which he alleadges , with this ; which i leave the reader to do at his leisure . let us consider the context , joh. . . i have glorified thee upon earth , during this my pilgrimage and absence from thee , being sent hither by thee . i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do , and for the doing of which i was sent , and am thus long absent . and now , o father , glorifie me , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , apud teipsum , in thine own presence , with the glorie which i had before the world was , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , apud te , or in thy presence . what can be more expressive of a glorie which christ had apud patrem , or at his fathers home , or in his presence before the world was , and from which for such a time he had been absent ? now for others that would salve the business by communication of idioms , i will set down the words of an ingenious writer that goes that way : those predicates , says he , that in a strict and vigorous acception agreed onely to his divine nature , might by a communication of idioms ( as they phrase it ) be attributed to his humane , or at least to the whole person compounded of them both , than which nothing is more ordinarie in things of a mixt and heterogeneous nature , as the whole man is stiled immortal from the deathlessness of his soul : thus he . and there is the same reason if he had said that man was stiled mortal ( which certainly is far the more ordinarie ) from the real death of his bodie , though his soul be immortal . this is wittily excogitated . but now let us apply it to the text , expounding it according to his communication of idioms , affording to the humane nature what is onely proper to the divine , thus . father , glorifie me [ my humane nature ] with the glorie that i [ my divine nature ] had before the world was . which indeed was to be the eternal , infinite , and omnipotent brightness of the glory of the father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . this is the glory which his divine nature had before the world was . but how can this humane nature be glorified with that glory his divine nature had before the world was , unless it should become the divine nature , that it might be said to have pre-existed ? ( but that it cannot be . for there is no confusion of the humane and divine nature in the hypostasis of christ : ) or else because it is hypostatically united with the divine nature ; but if that be the glory , that he then had already , and had it not ( according to the opposers of pre-existence ) before the world was . so we see there is no sence to be made of this text by communication of idioms , and therefore no sence to be made of it without the pre-existence of the humane nature of christ . and if you paraphrase [ me ] thus , my hypostasis consisting of my humane and divine nature , it will be as untoward sence . for if the divine nature be included in [ me ] then christ prays for what he has aleady , as i noted above . for the glory of the eternal logos from everlasting to everlasting , is the same , as sure as he is the same with himself . pag. . by his expressions of coming from the father , descending from heaven , and returning thither again , &c. i suppose these scriptures are alluded to , john . . . . . . i came down from heaven not to do my own will , but the will of him that sent me . i came forth from the father , and am come into the world ; again i leave the world , and go to the father . whereupon his disciples said unto him , lo now speakest thou plainly , and speakest no parable . but it were a very great parable , or aenigm , that one should say truly of himself , that he came from heaven , when he never was there . and as impossible a thing is it to conceive how god can properly be said to come down from heaven , who is alwaies present every where . wherefore that in christ which was not god , namely his soul , or humane nature , was in heaven before he appeared on earth , and consequently his soul did pre-exist . nor is there any refuge here in the communication of idioms . for that cannot be attributed to the whole hypostasis , which is competent to neither part that constitutes it . for it was neither true of the humane nature of christ , if you take away pre-existence , nor of the divine , that they descended from heaven , &c. and yet john . , . where christ prophesying of his crucifixion and ascension , saith , no man hath ascended up to heaven , but he that came down from heaven , even the son of man , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] who was in heaven . so erasmus saith , it may be rendred a participle of the present tense , having a capacity to signifie the time past , if the sence require it , as it seems to do here . qui erat in coelo , viz. antequam descenderat . so erasmus upon the place . wherefore these places of scripture touching christ being such inexpugnable arguments of the pre-existence of the soul of the messiah ; the writer of no pre-existence , methinks , is no where so civil or discreet as in this point . where , he saies , he will not squabble about this , but readily yield that the soul of christ was long extant before it was incarnate . but then he presently flings dirt upon the pre-existentiaries , as guilty of a shameful presumption and inconsequence , to conclude the pre-existence of all other humane souls from the pre-existence of his . because he was a peculiar favourite of god , was to undergo bitter sufferings for mankind ; and therefore should enjoy an happy pre-existence for an anti-praemium . and since he was to purchase a church with his own most precious bloud , it was fit he should pre-exist from the beginning of the world , that he might preside over his church as guide and governour thereof ; which is a thing that cannot be said of any other soul beside . this is a device which , i believe , the pre-existentiaries , good men , never dreamt of , but they took it for granted , that the creation of all humane souls was alike , and that the soul of christ was like ours in all things , sin onely excepted ; as the emperour justinian , in his discourse to menas patriarch of constantinople , argues from this very topick to prove the non-pre-existence of our souls , from the non-pre-existence of christs , he being like us in all things , sin onely excepted . and therefore as to existence and essence there was no difference . thus one would have verily thought to have been most safe and most natural to conclude , as being so punctual according to the declaration of scripture , and order of things . for it seems almost as harsh and repugnant to give angelical existence to a species not angelical , as angelical essence . for according to them , it belongs to angels onely to exist a mundo condito , not to humane souls . let us therefore see what great and urgent occasions there are , that the almighty should break this order . the first is , that he may remonstrate the soul of the messiah to be his most special favourite . why ? that is sufficiently done , and more opportunely , if other souls pre-existed to be his corrivals . but his faithful adhesion above the rest to the law of his maker , as it might make him so great a favourite : so that transcendent priviledge of being hypostatically united with the godhead , or eternal logos , would , i trow , be a sufficient testimony of gods special favour to him above all his fellow pre-existent souls . and then , which is the second thing for his anti-praemial happiness ( though it is but an hysteron proteron , and preposterous conceit , to fancie wages before the work ) had he less of this by the coexistence of other souls with him , or was it not rather the more highly encreased by their coexistencie ? and how oddly does it look , that one solitary individual of a species should exist for god knows how many ages alone ? but suppose the soul of the messiah , and all other souls created together , and several of them fallen , and the soul of the messiah to undertake their recovery by his sufferings , and this declared amongst them ; surely this must hugely inhance his happiness and glory through all the whole order of humane souls , being thus constituted or designed head and prince over them all . and thus , though he was rejected by the jews and despised , he could not but be caressed and adored by his fellowsouls above , before his descent to this state of humiliation . and who knows but this might be part at least of that glory which , he says , he had before the world was ? and which this ungrateful world denied him , while he was in it , who crucified the lord of life . and as for the third and last , that the soul of the messiah was to pre-exist , that he might preside over the church all along from the beginning of it : what necessity is there of that ? could not the eternal logos and the ministry of angels sufficiently discharge that province ? but you conceive a congruity therein ; and so may another conceive a congruity that he should not enter upon his office till there were a considerable lapse of humane souls which should be his care to recover ; which implies their pre-existence before this stage of the earth : and if the soul of the messiah , united with the logos , presided so early over the church ; that it was meet that other unlapsed souls , they being of his own tribe , should be his satellitium , and be part of those ministring spirits that watch for the churches good , and zealously endeavour the recovery of their sister-souls , under the conduct of the great soul of the messiah , out of their captivity of sin and death . so that every way pre-existence of other souls will handsomly fall in with the pre-existence of the soul of the messiah , that there may be no breach of order , wherias there is no occasion for it , nor violence done to the holy writ , which expressly declares christ to have been like to us in all things ( as well in existence as essence ) sin onely excepted ; as the emperour earnestly urges to the patriarch menas . wherefore we finding no necessity of his particular pre-existing , nor convenience , but what will be doubled if other souls pre-exist with him ; it is plain , if he pre-exist , it is as he is an humane soul , not as such a particular soul ; and therefore what proves his soul to pre-exist , proves others to pre-exist also . pag. . since these places have been more diffusely urged in a late discourse to this purpose . i suppose he means in the letter of resolution concerning origen , where the author opens the sense of philip. . . learnedly and judiciously , especially when he acknowledges christs being in the form of god , to be understood of his physical union with the divine logos . which is the ancient orthodox exposition of the primitive fathers , they taking this for one notable testimony of scripture , for the divinity of christ . whenas they that understand it politically of christs power and authority onely , take an excellent weapon out of the hands of the church wherewith she used to oppose the impugners of christs divinity . but how can christ being god ( verus deus , as vatablus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) empty himself , or any way deteriorate himself as to his divinity , by being incarnate , and taking upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of the terrestrial adam ? for every earthly man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the apostle seems to intimate , rom. . . as this ingenious writer has noted ; and the apostle likewise seems so to expound it in the text , by adding presently by way of exegesis , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and was made in the likeness of men ; like that gen. . . adam begot a son in his own likeness , a terrestrial man as himself was . wherefore the incarnation of christ being no exinanition to his divinity , there was an humanity of christ , viz. his soul , in a glorious state of pre-existence , to which this voluntary exinanition belonged . pag. . was it for this mans sin , or his fathers , that he was born blind ? for the avoiding the force of this argument for proving that pre-existence was the opinion of the jews ; and that christ when it was so plainly implied in the question , by his silence , or not reproving it , seemed to admit it , or at least to esteem it no hurtful opinion : they alledge these two things : first , that these enquirers having some notions of the divine prescience , might suppose that god foreknowing what kind of person this blind man would prove , had antedated his punishment . the other is , that the enquirers may be conceived to understand the blind mans original sin . so that when they enquired whether the man was born blind for his own or his parents sin , they might onely ask whether that particular judgment was the effect of his parents , or of his own original pravity . this is camerons . but see what sorced conceits learned men will entertain , rather than not to say something on a text. what a distorted and preposterous account is that found , that god should punish men before they sin , because he foresees they will sin ? and he onely produces this example , and a slight one too , that jeroboams hand was dried up as he stretched it forth to give a sign to apprehend the prophet . and the other is as fond an account , that god should send such severe judgments on men for their original pravity , which they cannot help . and original pravity being so common to all , it could be no reason why this particular man should be born blind , more than others . wherefore grotius far more ingenuously writes thus upon the place : quoerunt ergo an ipse peccaverit , quia multi judoeorum credebant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animarum . and as our saviour christ passed it for an innocent opinion , so did the primitive church , the book of wisdom being an allowable book with them , and read in publick , though it plainly declare for pre-existence , chap. . . chap. . p. . therefore let the reader , if he please , call it a romantick scheme , or imaginary hypothesis , &c. this is very discreetly and judiciously done of the author , to propose such things as are not necessary members or branches of pre-existence , and are but at the best conjectural , as no part of that otherwise-useful theory . for by tacking too fast these unnecessary tufts or tassels to the main truth , it will but give occasion to wanton or wrathful whelps to worry her , and tug her into the dirt by them . and we may easily observe how greedily they catch at such occasions , though it be not much that they can make out of them , as we may observe in the next chapter . chap. . pag. . pill . . to conceive him as an immense and all-glorious sun , that is continually communicating , &c. and this as certainly as the sun does his light , and as restrainedly . for the suns light is not equally imparted to all subjects , but according to the measure of their capacity . and as nature limits here in natural things , so does the wisdom and justice of god in free creatures . he imparts to them as they capacitate themselves by improving or abusing their freedom . pag. . pill . . be resolved into a principle that is not meerly corporeal . he suspects that the descent of heavy bodies , when all is said and done , must be resolved into such a principle . but i think he that without prejudice peruses the eleventh and thirteenth chapters ( with their scholia ) of dr. mores enchiridion metaphysicum , will find it beyond suspition , that the descent of heavy bodies is to be resolved into some corporeal principle ; and that the spirit of nature , though you should call it with the cabalists by that astartling name of sandalphon , is no such prodigious hobgoblin , as rudeness and presumptuous ignorance has made that buckeram writer in contempt and derision to call it . pag. . as naturally as the fire mounts , and a stone descends . and as these do not so ( though naturally ) meerly from their own intrinsick nature , but in vertue of the spirit of the vniverse ; so the same reason there is in the disposal of spirits . the spirit of nature will range their plasticks as certainly and orderly in the regions of the world , as it does the matter it self in all places . whence that of plotinus may fitly be understood , that a soul enveigled in vitiousness , both here and after death , according to her nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is thrust into the state and place she is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if she were drawn thither by certain invisible or magical strings of natures own pulling . thus is he pleased to express this power or vertue of the spirit of nature in the universe . but i think that transposition she makes of them is rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , than either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a transvection of them , rather than pulsion or traction . but these are overn●ce curiosities . pag. . as likely some things relating to the state of spirits , &c. that is to say , spirits by the ministry of other spirits may be carried into such regions as the spirit of nature would not have transmitted them to , from the place where they were before , whether for good or evil . of the latter kind whereof , i shall have occasion to speak more particularly in my notes on the next chapter . pag. . pill . . the souls of men are capable of living in other bodies besides terrestrial , &c. for the pre-existentiaries allow her successively to have lived , first , in an ethereal body , then in an aereal ; and lastly , after the state of silence , to live in a terrestrial . and here i think , though it be something early , it will not be amiss to take notice what the anti-pre-existentiaries alledged against this hypothesis ; for we shall have the less trouble afterwards . first , therefore , they say , that it does not become the goodness of god to make mans soul with a triple vital congruity , that will fit as well an aereal and terrestrial condition , as an aethereal . for from hence it appears , that their will was not so much in fault that they sinned , as the constitution of their essence : and they have the face to quote the account of origen , pag. . for to strengthen this their first argument . the words are these : they being originally made with a capacity to joyn with this terrestrial matter , it seems necessary according to the course of nature that they should sink into it , & so appear terrestrial men . and therefore , say they , there being no descending into these earthly bodies without a lapse or previous sin , their very constitution necessitated them to sin . the second argument is , that this hypothesis is inconsistent with the bodies resurrection . for the aereal bodie immediately succeeding the terrestrial , and the aethereal the aereal , the business is done , there needs no resuscitation of the terrestrial body to be glorified . nor is it the same numerical body or flesh still , as it ought to be , if the resurrection-body be aethereal . the third is touching the aereal body ; that if the soul after death be tyed to an aereal body ( and few or none attain to the aethereal immediately after death ) the souls of very good men will be forced to have their abode amongst the very devils . for their prince is the prince of the air , as the apostle calls him ; and where can his subjects be , but where he is ? so that they will be enforced to endure the companie of these foul fiends ; besides all the incommodious changes in the air , of clouds , of vapours , of rain , hail , thunder , tearing tempests and storms ; and what is an image of hell it self , the darkness of night will overwhelm them every four and twenty hours . the fourth argument is touching the aethereal state of pre-existence . for if souls when they were in so heavenly and happy an estate could lapse from it , what assurance can we have , when we are returned thither , that we shall abide in it ? it being but the same happiness we were in before : and we having the same plastick with its triple vital congruity , as we had before . why therefore may we not lapse as before ? the fifth and last argument is taken from the state of silence . wherein the soul is supposed devoid of perception . and therefore their number being many , and their attraction to the place of conception in the womb being merely magical , and reaching many at a time , there would be many attracted at once ; so that scarce a foetus could be formed which would not be a multiform monster , or a cluster of humane foetus's , not one single foetus . and these are thought such weighty arguments , that pre-existence must sink and perish under their pressure . but , i believe , when we have weighed them in the balance of unprejudiced reason , we shall find them light enough . and truly , for the first ; it is not only weak and slight , but wretchedly disingenuous . the strength of it is nothing but a maimed and fraudulent quotation , which makes ashew as if the author of the account of origen , bluntly affirmed , without any thing more to do , that souls being originally made with a capacity to joyn with this terrestrial matter , it seems necessary , according to the course of nature , that they should sink into it , and so appear terrestrial men : whenas if we take the whole paragraph as it lies , before they cast themselves into this fatal necessity , they are declared to have a freedom of will , whereby they might have so managed their happy estate they were created in , that they need never have faln . his words are these : what then remains , but that through the faulty and negligent use of themselves , whilst they were in some better condition of life , they rendred themselves less pure in the whole extent of their powers , both intellectual and animal ; and so by degrees became disposed for the susception of such a degree of corporeal life , as was less pure , indeed , than the former ; but exactly answerable to their present disposition of spirit . so that after certain periods of time they might become far less fit to actuate any sort of body , than the terrestrial ; and being originally made with a capacity to joyn with this too , and in it to exercise the powers and functions of life , it seems necessary , &c. these are the very words of the author of the account of origen , wherein he plainly affirms , that it was the fault of the souls themselves , that they did not order themselves then right when they might have done so , that cast them into this terrestrial condition . but what an opposer of pre-existence is this , that will thus shamelesly falsifie and corrupt a quotation of an ingenious author , rather than he will seem to want an argument against his opinion ! wherefore briefly to answer to this argument , it does as much become the goodness of god to create souls with a triple vital congruity , as to have created adam in paradise with free will , and a capacity of sinning . to the second , the pre-existentiaries will answer , that it is no more absurd to conceive ( nor so much ) that the soul after death hath an airy body , or it may be some an ethereal one , than to imagine them so highly happy after death without any body at all . for if they can act so fully and beatifically without any body , what need there be any resurrection of the body at all ? and if it be most natural to the soul to act in some body , in what a long unnatural estate has adams soul been , that so many thousand years has been without a body ? but for the soul to have a body , of which she may be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , certainly is most natural , or else she will be in an unnatural state after the resurrection to all eternitie . whence it is manifest , that it is most natural for the soul , if she act at all , to have a body to act in . and therefore , unless we will be so dull as to fall into the drouzie dream of the pyschopannychites , we are to allow the soul to have some kind of body or other till the very resurrection . but those now that are not psychopannychites , but allow good souls the joys and glories of paradise before the resurrection of the body , let them be demanded to what end the soul should have a resurrection-body ; and what they would answer for themselves , the pre-existentiaries will answer for their position that holds the soul has an aethereal body already , or an aereal one which may be changed into an aethereal body . if they will alledge any concinnity in the business , or the firm promise of more highly compleating our happiness at the union of our terrestrial bodies with our souls at the resurrection ; this , i say , may be done as well supposing them to have bodies in the mean time as if they had none . for those bodies they have made use of in the interval betwixt their death and resurrection , may be so thin and dilute , that they may be no more considerable than an interula is to a royal robe lined with rich furrs , and embroidered with gold. for suppose every mans bodie at the resurrection framed again out of its own dust , bones , sinews and flesh , by the miraculous power of god , were it not as easie for these subtile spirits , as it is in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to enter these bodies , and by the divine power assisting , so to inactuate them , that that little of their vehicle they brought in with them , shall no more destroy the individuation of the body , than a draught of wine drunk in , does the individuation of our body now , though it were , immediately upon the drinking , actuated by the soul. and the soul at the same instant actuating the whole aggregate , it is exquisitely the same numerical bodie , even to the utmost curiosity of the schoolmen . but the divine assistance working in this , it is not to be thought that the soul will loose by resuming this resurrection-body , but that all will be turned into a more full and saturate brightness and glory , and that the whole will become an heavenly , spiritual , and truly glorified body , immortal and incorruptible . nor does the being thus turned into an heavenly or spiritual body , hinder it from being still the same numerical body , forasmuch as one and the same numerical matter , let it be under what modifications it will , is still the same numerical matter or body ; and it is gross ignorance in philosophie that makes any conceive otherwise . but a rude and ill-natured opposer of pre-existence is not content that it be the same numerical body , but that this same numerical body be still flesh , peevishly and invidiously thereby to expose the author of the account of origen , who , pag. . writes thus : that the bodie we now have , is therefore corruptible and mortal , because it is flesh ; and therefore if it put on incorruption and immortality , it must put off it self first , and cease to be flesh . but questionless that ingenious writer understood this of natural ●lesh and bloud , of which the apostle declares , that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdom of god. but as he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body : so if he had made application of the several kinds of flesh he mentions , of men , of beasts , of fishes , and birds , he would have presently subjoyned . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , there is a natural flesh and there is a spiritual flesh . and 't is this spiritual flesh to which belongs incorruption and immortality , and which is capable of the kingdom of heaven . but for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the natural flesh , it must put off it self , and cease to be natural flesh , before it can put on immortality and incorruption . so little inconsistency is there of this hypothesis ( as touching the souls acting in either an aereal or aethereal vehicle , during the interval betwixt the resurrection and her departure hence ) with the resurrection of the bodie . but in the mean time , there is a strong bar thereby put to the dull dream of the psychopanychiles , and other harshnesses also eased or smoothed by it . now as for the third argument , which must needs seem a great scare-crow to the illiterate , there is very little weight or none at all in it . for if we take but notice of the whole atmosphere , what is the dimension thereof , and of the three regions into which it is distributed , all these bugbears will vanish . as for the dimension of the whole atmosphere , it is by the skilful reputed about fifty to italick miles high , the convex of the middle region thereof about four such miles , the concave about half a mile . now this distribution of the air into these three regions being thus made , and the hebrew tongue having no other name to call the expansum about us , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven , here is according to them a distribution of heaven into three , and the highest region will be part of the third heaven . this therefore premised , i answer , that though the souls of good men after death be detained within the atmosphere of the air , ( and the air it self haply may reach much higher than this atmosphere that is bounded by the mere ascent of exhalations and vapours ) yet there is no necessity at all that they should be put to those inconveniencies , which this argument pretends , from the company of devils , or incommodious changes and disturbances of the air. for suppose such inconveniencies in the middle and lowest region , yet the upper region , which is also part of the third heaven , those parts are ever calm and serene . and the devils principality reaching no further than through the middle and lowest region next the earth , ( not to advertise that his quarters may be restrained there also ) the souls of the departed that are good , are not liable to be pester'd and haunted with the ungrateful presence or occursions of the deformed and grim retinue , or of the vagrant vassals of that foul feind , that is prince of the air , he being onely so of these lower parts thereof , and the good souls having room enough to consociate together in the upper region of it . nor does that promise of our saviour to the thief on the cross , that that very day he should be with him in paradise , at all clash with this hypothesis of aereal bodies , both because christ by his miraculous power might confer that upon the penitent thief his fellow-sufferer , which would not fall to the share of other penitents in a natural course of things ; and also because this third region of the air may be part of paradise it self : ( in my fathers house there are many mansions ) and some learned men have declared paradise to be in the air , but such a part of the air as is free from gross vapours and clouds ; and such is the third region thereof . in the mean time we see the souls of good men departed , freed from those panick fears of being infested either by the unwelcome company of fiends and devils , or incommodated by any dull cloudy obscurations , or violent and tempestuous motions of the air. onely the shadowy vale of the night will be cast over them once in a nycthemeron . but what incommodation is that , after the brisk active heat of the sun in the day-time , to have the variety of the more mild beams of the moon , or gentle , though more quick and chearful , scintillations of the twinkling stars ? this variety may well seem an addition to the felicity of their state . and the shadowyness of the night may help them in the more composing introversions of their contemplative mind , and cast the soul into ineffably pleasing slumbers and divine extasies ; so that the transactions of the night may prove more solacing and beatifick sometimes , than those of the day . such things we may guess at afar off , but in the mean time be sure , that these good and serious souls know how to turn all that god sends to them to the improvement of their happiness . to the fourth argument we answer , that there are not a few reasons from the nature of the thing that may beget in us a strong presumption that souls recovered into their celestial happiness will never again relapse , though they did once . for first , it may be a mistake that the happiness is altogether the same that it was before . for our first paradisiacal bodies from which we lapsed , might be of a more crude and dilute aether , not so full and saturate with heavenly glory and perfection as our resurrection-body is . secondly , the soul was then unexperienced , and lightly coming by that happiness she was in , did the more heedlessly forgo it , before she was well aware ; and her mind roved after new adventures , though she knew not what . thirdly , it is to be considered , whether regeneration be not a stronger tenour for enduring happiness , than the being created happie . for this being wrought so by degrees upon the plastick , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with ineffable groans and piercing desires after that divine life , that the spirit of god co-operating exciteth in us ; when regeneration is perfected and wrought to the full by these strong agonies , this may rationally be deemed a deeper tincture in the soul than that she had by mere creation , whereby the soul did indeed become holy , innocent and happie , but not coming to it with any such strong previous conflicts and eager workings and thirstings after that state , it might not be so firmly rooted by far as in regeneration begun and accomplished by the operation of gods spirit , gradually but more deeply renewing the divine image in us . fourthly , it being a renovation of our nature into a pristine state of ours , the strength and depth of impression seems increased upon that account also . fifthly , the remembrance of all the hardships we underwent in our lapsed condition , whether of mortification or cross rancounters , this must likewise help us to persevere when once returned to our former happiness . sixthly , the comparing of the evanid pleasures of our lapsed or terrestrial life , with the fulness of those joys that we find still in our heavenly , will keep us from ever having any hankering after them any more . seventhly , the certain knowledge of everlasting punishment , which if not true , they could not know , must be also another sure bar to any such negligencies as would hazard their setled felicity . which may be one reason why the irreclaimable are eternally punished , namely , that it may the better secure eternal happiness to others . eighthly , though we have our triple vital congruity still , yet the plastick life is so throughly satisfied with the resurrection-body , which is so considerably more full and saturate with all the heavenly richness and glorie than the former , that the plastick of the soul is as entirely taken up with this one bodie , as if she enjoyed the pleasures of all three bodies at once , aethereal , aereal , and terrestrial . and lastly , which will strike all sure , he that is able to save to the utmost , and has promised us eternal life , is as true as able , and therefore cannot fail to perform it . and who can deny but that we in this state i have described , are as capable of being fixed there , and confirmed therein , as the angels were after lucifer and others had faln ? and now to the fifth and last argument against the state of silence , i say it is raised out of mere ignorance of the most rational as well as most platonical way of the souls immediate descent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . for the first mover or stirrer in this matter , i mean in the formation of the foetus , is the spirit of nature , the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the universe , to whom plotinus somewhere attributes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first predelineations and prodrome irradiations into the matter , before the particular soul , it is preparing for , come into it . now the spirit of nature being such a spirit as contains spermatically or vitally all the laws contrived by the divine intellect , for the management of the matter of the world , and of all essences else unperceptive , or quatenus unperceptive , for the good of the universe ; we have all the reason in the world to suppose this vital or spermatical law is amongst the rest , viz. that it transmit but one soul to one prepared conception . which will therefore be as certainly done , unless some rare and odd casualty intervene , as if the divine intellect it self did do it . wherefore one and the same spirit of nature which prepares the matter by some general predelineation , does at the due time transmit some one soul in the state of silence by some particularizing laws ( that fetch in such a soul rather than such , but most sure but one , unless as i said some special casualty happen ) into the prepared matter , acting at two places at once according to its synenergetical vertue or power . hence therefore it is plain , that there will be no such clusters of foetus's and monstrous deformities from this hypothesis of the souls being in a state of silence . but for one to shuffle off so fair a satisfaction to this difficulty , by a precarious supposing there is no such being as the spirit of nature , when it is demonstrable by so many irrefragable arguments that there is , is a symptome of one that philosophizes at random , not as reason guides . for that is no reason against the existence of the spirit of nature , because some define it a substance incorporeal , but without sense and animadversion , &c. as if a spirit without sense and animadversion were a contradiction . for that there is a spirit of nature is demonstrable , though whether it have no sense at all is more dubitable . but though it have no sense or perception , it is no contradiction to its being a spirit , as may appear from dr. h. mores brief discourse of the true notion of a spirit . to which i direct the reader for satisfaction , i having already been more prolix in answering these arguments than i intended . but i hope i have made my presage true , that they would be found to have no force in them to overthrow the hypothesis of a threefold vital congruity in the plastick of the soul . so that this fourth pillar , for any execution they can do , will stand unshaken . pag. . for in all sensation there is corporeal motion , &c. and besides , there seems an essential relation of the soul to body , according to aristotles definition thereof , he defining it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that which actuates the boby . which therefore must be idle when it has nothing to actuate , as a piper must be silent , as to piping , if he have no pipe to play on . chap. . pag. . the ignobler and lower properties or the life of the body were languid and remiss , viz. as to their proper exercises or acting for themselves , or as to their being regarded much by the soul that is taken up with greater matters , or as to their being much relished , but in subserviency to the enjoyment of those more divine and sublime objects ; as the author intimates towards the end of his last pillar . pag. . and the plastick had nothing to do but to move this passive and easie body , &c. it may be added , and keep it in its due form and shape . and it is well added [ accordingly as the concerns of the higher faculties required ] for the plastick by reason of its vital union with the vehicle , is indeed the main instrument of the motion thereof . but it is the imperium of the perceptive that both excites and guides its motion . which is no wonder it can do , they being both but one soul . pag. . to pronounce the place to be the sun , &c. which is as rationally guessed by them , as if one should fancy all the fellows and students chambers in a colledge to be contained within the area of the hearth in the hall , and the rest of the colledge uninhabited . for the sun is but a common focus of a vortex , and is less by far to the vortex , than the hearth to the ichnographie of the whole colledge , that i may not say little more than a tennis-ball to the bigness of the earth . pag. . yet were we not immutably so , &c. but this mutability we were placed in , was not without a prospect of a more full confirmation and greater accumulation of happiness at the long run , as i intimated above . pag. . we were made on set purpose defatigable , that so all degrees of life , &c. we being such creatures as we are and finite , and taking in the enjoyment of those infinitely perfect and glorious objects onely pro modulo nostro , according to the scantness of our capacity , diversion to other objects may be an ease and relief . from whence the promise of a glorified body in the christian religion , as it is most grateful , so appears most rational . but in the mean time it would appear most irrational to believe we shall have eyes and ears and other organs of external sense , and have no suitable objects to entertain them . pag. . yea , methinks 't is but a reasonable reward to the body , &c. this is spoken something popularly and to the sense of the vulgar , that imagine the body to feel pleasure and pain , whenas it is the soul onely that is perceptive and capable of feeling either . but 't is fit the body should be kept in due plight for the lawful and allowable corporeal enjoyments the soul may reap therefrom for seasonable diversion . pag. , that that is executed which he hath so determined , &c. some fancy this may be extended to the enjoying of the fruits of the invigouration of all the three vital congruities of the plastick , and that for a soul orderly and in due time and course to pass through all these dispensations , provided she keep her self sincere towards her maker , is not properly any lapse or sin , but an harmless experiencing all the capacities of enjoying themselves that god has bestowed upon them . which will open a door to a further answer touching the rest of the planets being inhabited , namely , that they may be inhabited by such kind of ●ouls as these , who therefore want not the knowledge and assistance of a redeemer . and so the earth may be the onely nosocomium of sinfully lapsed souls . this may be an answer to such far-fetched objections till they can prove the contrarie . pag. . adam cannot withstand the inordinate appetite , &c. namely , after his own remissness and heedlessness in ordering himself , he had brought himself to such a wretched weakness . pag. . the plastick faculties begin now fully to awaken , &c. there are three vital congruities belonging to the plastick of the soul , and they are to awake orderly , that is , to operate one after another downward and upward , that is to say , in the lapse , the aereal follows the aethereal , the terrestrial the aereal . but in their recovery or emergency out of the lapse , the aereal follows the terrestrial , and the aethereal the aereal . but however , a more gross turgency to plastick operation may haply arise at the latter end of the aereal period , which may be as it were the disease of the soul in that state , and which may help to turn her out of it into the state of silence , and is it self for the present silenced therewith . for where there is no union with bodie , there is no operation of the soul. pag. . for it hath an aptness and propensity to act in a terrestrial body , &c. this aptness and fitness it has in the state of silence ▪ according to that essential order of things interwoven into its own nature , and into the nature of the spirit of the world , or great archeus of the universe , according to the eternal counsel of the divine wisdom . by which law and appoyntment the soul will as certainly have a fitness and propensity at its leaving the terrestrial body to actuate an aereal one . pag. . either by mere natural congruity , the disposition of the soul of the world , or some more spontaneous agent , &c. natural congruity and the disposal of the plastick soul of the world ( which others call the spirit of nature ) may be joyned well together in this feat , the spirit of nature attracting such a soul as is most congruous to the predelineated matter which it has prepared for her . but as for the spontaneous agent , i suppose , he may understand his ministry in some supernatural birth . unless he thinks that some angels or genii may be imployed in putting souls into bodies , as gardiners are in setting pease and beans in the beds of gardens . but certainly they must be no good genii then that have any hand in assisting or setting souls in such wombs as have had to do with adulterie , incest , and buggery . pag. . but some apish shews and imitations of reason , vertue and religion , &c. the reason of the unregenerate in divine things is little better than thus , and vertue and religion which is not from that principle which revives in us in real regeneration , are , though much better than scandalous vice and profaness , mere pictures and shadows of what they pretend to . pag. . to its old celestial abode , &c. for we are pilgrims and strangers here on the earth , as the holy patriarchs of old declared . and they that speak such things , saith the apostle , plainly shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that they seek their native country , for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies . and truly if they had been mindful of that earthly country out of which they came , they might , saith he , have had opportunity of returning . but now they desire a better , to wit , an heavenly , hebr. . pag. . but that they step forth again into airy vehicles . this is their natural course , as i noted above . but the examples of enoch and elias , and much more of our ever blessed saviour , are extraordinary and supernatural . pag. . those therefore that pass out of these bodies before their terrestrial congruity be spoyled , weakened , or orderly unwound , according to the tenour of this hypothesis , &c. by the favour of this ingenious writer , this hypothesis does not need any such obnoxious appendage as this , viz. that souls that are outed these terrestrial bodies before their terrestrial congruity be spoiled , weakned , or orderly unwound , return into the state of inactivity . but this is far more consonant both to reason and experience or storie , that though the terrestrial congruity be still vigorous , as not having run out it may be the half part , no not the tenth part of its period , the soul immediately upon the quitting of this body is invested with a bodie of air , and is in the state of activity not of silence in no sense . for some being murdered have in all likelyhood in their own persons complained of their murderers , as it is in that story of anne walker ; and there are many others of the same nature . and besides , it is far more reasonable , there being such numerous multitudes of silent souls , that their least continuance in these terrestrial bodies should at their departure be as it were a magical kue or tessera forthwith to the aereal congruity of life to begin to act its part upon the ceasing of the other , that more souls may be rid out of the state of silence . which makes it more probable that every soul that is once besmeared with the unctuous moisture of the womb , should as it were by a magick oyntment be carried into the air ( though it be of a still-born infant ) than that any should return into the state of silence or inactivity upon the pretence of the remaining vigour of the terrestrial congruity of life . for these laws are not by any consequential necessity , but by the free counsel of the eternal wisdom of god consulting for the best . and therefore this being so apparently for the best , this law is interwoven into the spirit of the world and every particular soul , that upon the ceasing of her terrestrial union , her aereal congruity of life should immediately operate , and the spirit of nature assisting , she should be drest in aereal robes , and be found among the inhabitants of those regions . if souls should be remanded back into the state of silence that depart before the terrestrial period of vital congruity be orderly unwound , so very few reach the end of that period , that they must in a manner all be turned into the state of inactivity . which would be to weave penelope's web , to do and undo because the day is long enough , as the proverb is , when ▪ as it rather seems too short , by reason of the numerosity of silent souls that expect their turn of recovery into life . pag. . but onely follow the clew of this hypothesis . the hypothesis requires no such thing , but it rather clashes with the first and chiefest pillar thereof , viz. that all the divine designs and actions are laid and carried on by infinite goodness . and i have already intimated how much better it is to be this way that i am pleading for , than that of this otherwise-ingenious writer . pag. . since by long and hard exercise in this body , the plastick life is well tamed and debilitated , &c. but this is not at all necessary ▪ no not in those souls whose plastick may be deemed the most rampant . dis-union from this terrestrial body immediately tames it , i mean , the terrestrial congruity of life ; and it● operation is stopt , as surely as a string of a lut● never so smartly vibrated is streightways silenced by a gentle touch of the finger , and another single string may be immediately made to sound alone , while the other is mute and silent . for , i say , these are the free laws of the eternal wisdom , but fatally and vitally , not intellectually implanted in the spirit of nature , and in all humane souls or spirits . the whole universe is as it were the automatal harp of that great and true apollo ; and as for the general striking of the strings and stopping their vibrations , they are done with as exquisite art as if a free intellectual agent plaid upon them . but the plastick powers in the world are not such , but onely vital and fatal , as i said before . pag. . that an aereal body was not enough for it to display its force upon , &c. it is far more safe and rational to say , that the soul deserts her aereal estate by reason that the period of the vital congruity is expired , which according to those fatal laws i spoke of before is determined by the divine wisdom . but whether a soul may do any thing to abbreviate this period , and excite such symptoms in the plastick as may shorten her continuance in that state , let it be left to the more inquisitive to define . pag. . where is then the difference betwixt the just and the wicked , in state , place , and body ? their difference in place i have sufficiently shewn , in my answer to the third argument against the triple congruity of life in the plastick of humane souls , how fitly they may be disposed of in the air. but to the rude buffoonry of that crude opposer of the opinion of pre-existence , i made no answer . it being methinks sufficiently answered in the scholia upon sect. . cap. . lib. . of dr. h. mores immortalitas animae , if the reader think it worth his while to consult the place ▪ now for state and body the difference is obvious . the vehicle is of more pure air , and the conscience more pure of the one than of the other . pag. . for according to this hypothesis , the gravity of those bodies is less , because the quantity of the earth that draws them is so , &c. this is an ingenious invention both to salve that phaenomenon , why bodies in mines and other deep subterraneous places should seem not so heavy nor hard to lift there , as they are in the superiour air above the earth ; and also to prove that the crust of the earth is not of so considerable a thickness as men usually conceive it is . i say , it is ingenious , but not so firm and sure . the quick-silver in a torricellian tube will sink deeper in an higher or clearer air , though there be the same magnetism of the earth under it that was before . but this is not altogether so fit an illustration , there being another cause than i drive at conjoyned thereto . but that which i drive at is sufficient of it self to salve this phaenomenon . a bucket of water , while it is in the water comes up with ease to him that draws it at the well ; but so soon as it comes into the air , though there be the same earth under it that there was before , it feels now exceeding more weighty . of which i conceive the genuine reason is , because the spirit of nature , which ranges all things in their due order , acts proportionately strongly to reduce them thereto , as they are more heterogeniously and disproportionately placed as to their consistencies . and therefore by how much more crass and solid a body is above that in which it is placed , by so much the stronger effort the spirit of nature uses to reduce it to its right place ; but the less it exceeds the crassness of the element it is in , the effort is the less or weaker . hence therefore it is , that a stone or such like body in those subterraneous depths seems less heavy , because the air there is so gross and thick , and is not so much disproportionate to the grossness of the stone as our air above the earth here is ; nor do i make any doubt , but if the earth were all cut away to the very bottom of any of these mines , so that the air might be of the same consistency with ours , the stone would then be as heavy as it is usually to us in this superioor surface of the earth . so that this is no certain argument for the proving that the crust of the earth is of such thinness as this author would have it , though i do not question but that it is thin enough . pag. . and the mention of the fountains of the great deep in the sacred history , &c. this is a more considerable argument for the thinness of the crust of the earth ; and i must confess i think it not improbable but that there is an aqueous hollow sphaericum , which is the basis of this habitable earth , according to that of psalm . . for he hath founded it upon the seas , and established it upon the flouds . pag. . now i intend not that after a certain distance all is fluid matter to the centre ; that is to say , after a certain distance of earthly matter , that the rest should be fluid matter , namely , water and air , to the centre , &c. but here his intention is directed by that veneration he has for des cartes . otherwise i believe if he had freely examined the thing to the bottom , he would have found it more reasonable to conclude all fluid betwixt the concave of the terrestrial crust and the centre of the earth , as we usually phrase it , though nothing be properly earth but that crust . pag. . which for the most part very likely is a gross and foetid kind of air , &c. on this side of the concave of the terrestrial crust there may be several hollows of foetid air and stagnant water , which may be so many particular lodgings for lapsed and unruly spirits but there is moreover a considerable aqueous sphaericum upon which the earth is founded , and is most properly the abyss ; but in a more comprehensive notion , all from the convex thereof to the centre may be termed the abyss , or the deepest place that touches our imagination . pag. . the lowest and central regions may be filled with flame and aether , &c. that there was the reliques of a sun after the incrustation of the earth and aqueous orb , is according to this hypothesis reasonable enough . and a kind of air and aether betwixt this diminished sun and the concave of this aqueous orb , but no crass and opake concamerations of hard matter interposed betwixt . which is an hypothesis the most kind to the ingenious author of telluris theoria sacra , that he could wish . for he holding that there was for almost two thousand years an opake earthy crust over this aqueous orb unbroke till the deluge , which he ascribes to the breaking thereof , it was necessary there should be no opake orb betwixt the central fire and this aqueous orb ; for else the fishes for so long a time had lived in utter darkness , having eyes to no purpose , nor ability to guide their way or hunt their prey . onely it is supposed , which is easie to do , that they then swam with their backs toward the centre , whenas as now they swim with their bellies thitherward ; they then plying near the concave , as now near the convex of this watry abyss . which being admitted , the difference of their posture will necessarilly follow according to the laws of nature , as were easie to make out , but that i intend brevity in these annotations . onely i cannot forbear by the way to advertise how probable it is that this central fire which shone clear enough to give light to the fishes swimming near the concave of this watry orb , might in process of time grow dimmer and dimmer , and exceeding much abate of its light , by that time the crust of the earth broke and let in the light of the sun of this great vortex into this watry region , within which , viz. in the air or aether there , there has been still a decay of light , the air or aether growing more thick as well as that little central fire or sun , being more and more inveloped with fuliginous stuff about it . so that the whole concavity may seem most like a vast duskish vault , and this dwindling over-clouded sun a sepulchral lamp , such as , if i remember right , was found in the monuments of olybius and tulliola . an hideous dismal forlorn place , and fit receptacle for the methim and rephaim . and the latin translation , job . . excellently well accords with this sad phaenomenon . ecce gigantes gemunt sub aquis , & qui habitant cum eis . here is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as symmachus translates the word . and it follows in the verse , nudus est infernus coram eo , hell is naked before god. and symmachus in other places of the proverbs puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together , which therefore is the most proper and the nethermost hell. and it will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest sense , whenever this lurid light ( as it seems probable to me it sometime will be ) is quite extinct , and this central fire turned into a terrella , as it may seem to have already happened in saturn . but we must remember , as the author sometimes reminds us , that we are embellishing but a romantick hypothesis , and be sure we admit no more than reason , scripture , and the apostolick faith will allow . pag. . are after death committed to those squalid subterraneous habitations , &c. he seems to suppose that all the wicked and degerate souls are committed hither , that they may be less troublesom to better souls in this air above the earth . but considering the devil is call'd the prince of the air , & that he has his clients and subjects in the same place with him ; we may well allow the lower regions of the air to him , and to some wicked or unregenerate souls promiscuously with him , though there be subterraneous receptacles for the worst and most rebellious of them , and not send them all packing thither . pag. . that they are driven into those dungeons by the invisible ministers of justice , &c. he speaks of such dungeons as are in the broken caverns of the farth , which may be so many vexatious receptacles for rebellious spirits which these invisible ministers of justice may drive them into , and see them commited ; and being confined there upon far severer penalties if they submit not to that present punishment which they are sentenced to , they will out of fear of greater calamity be in as safe custody as if they were under lock and key . but the most dismal penalty is to be carried into the abyss , the place of the rephaim i above described . this is a most astonishing commination to them , and they extreamly dread that sentence . which makes the devils , luke . . so earnestly beseech christ that he would not command them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pack away into the abyss . this punishment therefore of the abyss where the rephaim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 groan , is door and lock that makes them , whether they will or no , submit to all other punishments and confinements on this side of it . michael psellus takes special notice how the daemons are frighted with the menaces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with the menaces of the sending them away packing into the abyss and subterraneous places . but these may signifie no more than cavities that are in the ruptues of the earth , and they may steal out again if they will adventure , unless they were perpetually watched , which is not so probable . wherefore they are imprisoned through fear of that great horrid abyss above described , and which as i said is an iron lock and door of brass upon them . but then you will say , what is the door and lock to this terrible place ? i answer , the inviolable adamantine laws of the great sandalphon or spirit of the vniverse . when once a rebellious spirit is carried down by a minister of justice into this abyss , he can no more return of himself , than a man put into a well fortie ●athoms deep is able of himself to ascend out of it . the unlapsed spirits , it is their priviledge that their vehicles are wholly obedient to the will of the spirit that inactuates them , and therefore they have free ingress and egress every where ; and being so little passive as they are , and so quick and swift in their motions , can perform any ministries with little or no incommodation to themselves . but the vehicles of lapsed spirits are more passive , and they are the very chains whereby they are tyed to certain regions by the iron laws of the spirit of the universe , or hylarchick principle , that unfailingly ranges the matter everie where according to certain orders . wherefore this serjeant of justice having once deposited his prisoner within the concave of the aqueous orb , he will be as certainly kept there , and never of himself get out again , as the man in the bottom of the well above-mentioned , for the laws of the same spirit of nature that keeps the man at the bottom of the well ( that everie thing may be placed according to the measure of its consistencie ) will inhibit this captive from ever returning to this superiour air again , because his vehicle is , though foul enough , yet much thinner than the water ; and there will be the the same ranging of things on the concave side of the aqueous orb , as there is on the convex . so that if we could suppose the ring about saturn inhabited with any living creatures , they would be born toward the concave of the ring as well as toward the convex , and walk as steadily as we and our antipodes do with our feet on this and that side of the earth one against another . this may serve for a brief intimation of the reason of the thing , and the intelligent will easily make out the rest themselves , and understand what an ineluctable fate and calamity it is to be carried into that duskish place of dread and horrour , when once the angel that has the keys of the abyss or bottomless pit has shut a rebellious spirit up there , & chained him in that hideous dungeon . pag. . others to the dungeon , and some to the most intolerable hell the abyss of fire . the dungeon here , if it wer● understood with an emphasis , would most properly denote the dungeon of the rephaim , of which those parts nearest the centre may be called the abyss of fire more properly than any vulcano's in the crust of the earth . those souls therefore that have been of a more fierce and fiery nature , and the causers of violence and bloodshed , and of furious wars and cruel persecutions of innocent and harmless men , when they are committed to this dungeon of the rephaim , by those inevitable laws of the sub●eraqueous sandalphon , or demogorgon if you will , they will be ranged nearest the central fire of this hellish vault . for the vehicles of ●ouls symbolizing with the temper of the mind , those who are most haughty , ambitious , fier●e , and fiery , and therefore , out of pride and contempt of others in respect of themselves and their own interest , make nothing of shedding innocent bloud , or cruelly handling those that are not for their turn , but are faithful adherers to their maker , the vehicles of these being more thin and fiery than theirs who have transgressed in the concap●●c●ble , they must needs surmount such in order of place , and be most remote from the concave of the aqueous orb under which the rephaim groan , and so be placed at least the nearest to that abyss of fire , which our author terms the most intolerable hell. pag. . have a strict and careful eye upon them , to keep them within the confines of their goal , &c. that this , as it is a more tedious province , so a needless one , i have intimated above , by reason that the fear of being carried into the abyss will effectually detain them in their confinements . from whence if they be not released in time , the very place they are in may so change their vehicles , that it may in a manner grow natural to them , and make them as uncapable of the superiour air as bats and owls are , as the ingenious author notes , to bear the suns noon-day-beams , or the fish to live in these thinner regions . pag. . vnder severe penalties prohibit all unlicensed excursions into the upper world , though i confess this seems not so probable , &c. the author seems to reserve all the air above the earth to good souls onely , and that if any ●ad ones appear , it must ●e by either stealth or license . but why bad souls may not be in this lower region of the air as well as devils , i understand not . nor do i conceive but that the kingdom of darkness may make such laws amongst themselves , as may tend to the ease and safety of those of the kingdom of light. not out of any good-will to them , but that themselves may not further smart for it if they give license to such and such exorbitancies . for they are capable of pain and punishment , and though they are permitted in the world , yet they are absolutely under the power of the almighty , and of the grand minister of his kingdom , the glorious soul of the messiah . pag. . the internal central fire should have got such strength and irresistible vigour , &c. but how or from whence , is very hard to concei●e : i should rather suspect , as i noted above , that the fire will more and more decay till it turn at last to a kind of terrella , like that observed within the ring of saturn , and the dungeon become utter darkness , where there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth , as well as in the furnace of fire . pag. . and so following the laws of its proper motion shall fly away out of this vortex , &c. this looks like an ●eedless mistake of this ingenious writer , who though he speak the language of cartesius , seems here not to have recalled to mind his principles . for the earth according to his principles is never like to become a sun again . nor if it had so become , would it then become a comet . forasmuch as comets according to his philosophie are incr●stated suns , and planets or earths in a manner , and so to be deemed so soon as they settle in any vortex , and take their course about the centre thereof . nor if the earth become a sun again , is it like to leave our vortex according to the cartesian principles , but rather be swallowed down into the sun of our vortex , and increase his magnitude ; the ranging of the planets according to des cartes mechanical laws being from the difference of their solidities , and the least solid next to the sun. whither then can this sol redivivus or the earth turned wholly into the materia subtilissima again be carried , but into the sun it self ? this seems most likely , especially if we consider this sol redivious or the earth turned all into the materia subtilissima , in itself . but if we take into our consideration its particular vortex which carries about the moon , the business may bear a further debate which will require more time than to be entred upon here . but it seems plain at first sight , that though this sol redivivus should by vertue of its particular vortex be kept from being swallowed down into the sun and centre of the great vortex , yet it will never be able to get out of this great vortex , according to the frame of des cartes philosophy . so that there will be two suns in one vortex , a planetary one and a fixt one . which unexpected monstrositie in nature will make any cautious cartesian more wary how he admits of the earths ever being turned into a sun again ; but rather to be content to let its central fire to incrustrate it self into a terrella , there seeming to be an example of this in that little globe in the midst of the ring of saturn ; but of an earth turned into a sun no example at all that i know of . pag. . so that the central fire remains unconcerned , &c. and so ●t well may , it being so considerable a distance from the concave of the aqueous orb , and the aqueous orb it self betwixt the crust of the earth and it . but the prisoners of this gaol of the rephaim will not be a little concerned . this hell of a suddain growing so smothering hot to them all , though the central fire no more than it was . and whatever becomes of those spirits that suffer in the very conflagration it self , yet ab hoc inferno nulla est redemptio . pag. . those immediate births of unassisted nature will not be so tender , &c. besides , the air being replenisht with benign daemons or genii , to whom it cannot but be a pleasant spectacle to behold the inchoations and progresses of reviving nature , they having the curiositie to contemplate these births , may also in all likelihood exercise their kindness in helping them in their wants ; and when they are grown up , assist them also in the methods of life , and impart as they shall find fit the arcana of arts and sciences and religion unto them , nor suffer them to symbolize overmuch in their way of living with the rest of their fellow terrestrial creatures . if it be true that some hold , that even now when there is no such need , every one has his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his genius or guardian angel , it is much more likely that at such a season as this , every tender foetus of their common mother the earth , would be taken into the care of some good daemon or other , even at their very first budding out into life . pag. . but all this is but the frolick exercise of my pen choosing a paradox . and let the same be said of the pen of the annotator , who has bestowed these pains not to gain proselytes to the opinions treated of in this discourse , but to entertain the readers intellectuals with what may something inlarge his thoughts ; and if he be curious and anxious , help him at a pinch to some ease of mind touching the ways of god and his wonderful providence in the world. pag. . those other expressions of death , destruction , perdition of the ungodly , &c. how the entring into the state of silence may well be deemed a real death , destruction and perdition , that passage in lucretius does marvelously well set out . nam si tantopere est animi mutata potestas , omnis ut actarum exciderit retinentia rerum , non , ut opinor , ea ab letho jam longiter errat quapropter fateare necesse est , quoe fuit ante . interiisse , &c. de rerum natura , lib. . and again in the same book he says , though we were again just as we were before , yet we having no memory thereof , it is all one as if we were perfectly lost . and yet this is the condition of the soul which the divine nemesis sends into the state of silence , because afterwards she remembers nothing of her former life . his words are these : nec , si materiam nostram collegerit oetas post obitum , rursúmque redegerit ut sita nunc est , atque iterum nobis fuerint data lumina vitoe , pertineat quicquam tamen ad nos id quoque factum interrupta semel quom sit retinentia nostri . pag. . in those passages which predict new heavens and a new earth , &c. i suppose he alludes especially to that place in the apocalypse , chap. . where presently upon the description of the lake of fire in the precedent chapter which answers to the conslagration , it is said , and i saw a new heaven and a new earth . but questionless that passage , as in other places , is politically to be understood , not physically , unless this may be the ingenious authors meaning , that the writer of the apocalypse adorning his style with allusions to the most rouzing and most notable real or physical objects ( which is observable all along the apocalypse ) it may be a sign that a new heaven and a new earth succeeding the conflagration , is one of those noble phaenomena true and real amongst the rest , which he thought fit to adorn his style with by alluding thereto . so that though the chief intended sense of the apocalypse be political , yet by its allusions it may countenance many noble and weighty truths whether physical or metaphysical . as , the existence of angels , which is so perpertually inculcated all along the book from the beginning to the ending : the divine shechina in the celestial regions : the dreadful abyss in which rebellious spirits are chained , and at the commination whereof they so much tremble : the conflagration of the earth ; and lastly , the renewing and restoring this earth and heaven after the conflagration . pag. . the main opinion of pre-existence is not at all concerned , &c. this is very judiciously and soberly noted by him . and therefore it is by no means fairly done by the opposers of pre-existence , while they make such a pudder to confute any passages in this hypothesis , which is acknowledged by the pre-existentiaries themselves to be no necessary or essential part of that dogma . but this they do , that they may seem by their cavils ( for most of them are no better ) against some parts of this unnecessarie appendage of pre-existence , to have done some execution upon the opinion it self ; which how far it extends , may be in some measure discovered by these notes we have made upon it . which stated as they direct , the hypothesis is at least possible ; but that it is absolutely the true one , or should be thought so , is not intended . but as the ingenious author suggests , it is either this way or some better , as the infinite wisdom of god may have ordered . but this possible way shews pre-existence to be neither impossible nor improbable . pag. . but submit all that i have written to the authority of the church of england , &c. and this i am perswaded he heartily did , as it is the duty of every one , in things that they cannot confirm by either a plain demonstration , clear authority of scripture , manifestation of their outward senses , or some rouzing miracle , to compromise with the decisions of the national church where providence has cast them , for common peace and settlement , and for the ease and security of governours . but because a fancy has taken a man in the head , that he knows greater arcana than others , or has a more orthodox belief in things not necessarie to salvation than others have , for him to affect to make others proselytes to his opinion , and to wear his badge of wisdom , as of an extraordinarie master in matters of theory , is a mere vanitie of spirit , a ridiculous piece of pride and levitie , and unbeseeming either a sober and stanched man or a good christian . but upon such pretences to gather a sect , or set up a church or independent congregation , is intolerable faction and schism , nor can ever bear a free and strict examination according to the measures of the truest morals and politicks . but because it is the fate of some men to believe opinions , to others but probable , nor it may be so much ( as the motion of the earth suppose , and des cartes his vortices , and the like ) to be certain science , it is the interest of every national church to define the truth of no more theories than are plainly necessary for faith and good manners ; because if they either be really , or seem to be mistaken in their unnecessary decisions or definitions , this with those that are more knowing than ingenuous will certainly lessen the authority and reverence due to the church , and hazard a secret enmity of such against her . but to adventure upon no decisions but what have the authority of scripture ( which they have that were the decisions of general councils before the apostasie ) and plain usefulness as well as reason of their side , this is the greatest conservative of the honour and authority of a church ( especially joyned with an exemplary life ) that the greatest prudence or politicks can ever excogitate . which true politicks the church of rome having a long time ago deserted , has been fain , an horrid thing to think of it ! to support her authority and extort reverence by mere violence and bloud . whenas , if she had followed these more true and christian politicks , she would never have made herself so obnoxious , but for ought one knows , she might have stood and retained her authority for ever . in the mean time , this is suitable enough , and very well worth our noting , that forasmuch as there is no assurance of the holy ghost's assisting unnecessary decisions , though it were of the universal church , much less of any national one , so that if such a point be determined , it is uncertainly determined , and that there may be several ways of holding a necessary point , some more accommodate to one kind of men , others to another , and that the decisions of the church are for the edification of the people , that either their faith may be more firm , or their lives more irreprehensible : these things , i say , being premised , it seems most prudent and christian in a church to decline the decision of the circumstances of any necessary point , forasmuch as by deciding and determining the thing one way , those other handles by which others might take more fast hold on it are thereby cut off , and so their assent made less firm thereto . we need not go far for an example , if we but remember what we have been about all this time . it is necessarie to believe that we have in us an immortal spirit capable of salvation and damnation , according as we shall behave ourselves . this is certainly revealed to us , and is of indispensable usefulness . but though this opinion or rather article of faith be but o●e , yet there are several waies of holding it . and it lies more easie in some mens minds , if they suppose it created by god at every conception in the womb ; in othersome , if they conceive it to be ex traduce ; and lastly in others , if it pre-exist . but the waies of holding this article signifie nothing but as they are subservient to the making us the more firmly hold the same . for the more firmly we believe it , the greater influence will it have upon our lives , to cause us to live in the fear of god , and in the waies of righteousness like good christians . wherefore now it being supposed that it will stick more firm and fixt in some mens minds by some one of these three waies , rather than by either of the other two , and thus of any one of the three ; it is manifest , it is much more prudently done of the church not to cut off two of these three handles by a needless , nay , a harmful decision , but let every one choose that handle that he can hold the article fastest by , for his own support and edification . for thus every one laying firm hold on that handle that is best fitted for his own grasp , the article will carry all these three sorts of believers sa●e up to heaven , they living accordingly ; whenas two sorts of them would have more slippery or uncertain hold , if they had no handle offered to them but those which are less suitable to their grasp and genius . which shews the prudence , care , and accuracy of judgment in the church of england , that as in other things , so in this , she has made no such needless and indeed hurtful decisions , but left the modes of conceiving things of the greatest moment , to every ones self , to take it that way that he can lay the fastest hold of it , and it will lie the most easily in his mind without doubt and wavering . and therefore there being no one of these handles but what may be useful to some or other for the more easie and undoubted holding that there is in us an immaterial and immortal soul or spirit , my having taken this small pains to wipe off the soil , and further the usefulness of one of them by these annotations , if it may not merit thanks , it must , i hope , at least deserve excuse with all those that are not of too sowre and tetrick a genius , and prefer their own humours and sentiments before the real benefit of others . but now if any one shall invidiously object , that i prefer the christian discretion of my own church the church of england , before the judgment and wisdom of a general council , namely , the fifth oecumenical council held at constantinople in justinians time under the patriarch eutychius , who succeeded menas lately deceased , to whom justinian sent that discourse of his against origen and his errours , amongst which pre-existence is reckoned one : in answer to this , several things are to be considered , that right may be done our mother . first , what number of bishops make a general council , so that from their numerosity we may rely upon their authority and infallibility that they will not conclude what is false . secondly , whether in whatsoever matters of debate , though nothing to the salvation of mens souls , but of curious ▪ speculation , fitter for the schools of philosophers than articles of faith for the edification of the people ( whose memory and conscience ought to be charged with no notions that are not subservient to the rightly and duly honouring god and his onely begotten son our lord jesus christ , and to the faithful discharging their duty to man ) the assistance of the spirit of god can rationally be expected ; or onely in such things as are necessary to be professed by the people , and very useful for the promoting of life and godliness . and as moses has circumscribed his narrative of the creation within the limits of mundus plebeiorum , and also the chronology of time according to scripture is bounded from the first adam to the coming again of the second to judgment , and sentencing the wicked to everlasting punishment , and the righteous to life everlasting : so whether the decisions of the church are not the most safely contained within these bounds , and they faithfully discharge themselves in the conduct of souls , if they do but instruct them in such truths only as are within this compass revealed in sacred scripture . and whether it does not make for the interest and dignity of the church to decline the medling with other things , as unprofitable and unnecessary to be decided . thirdly , whether if a general council meet not together in via spiritus sancti , but some stickling imbitter'd grandees of the church out of a pique that they have taken against some persons get through their interest a general council called , whether is the assistance of the holy ghost to be expected in such a meeting , so that they shall conclude nothing against truth . fourthly , whether the authority of such general councils as providence by some notable prodigie may seem to have intimated a dislike of , be not thereby justly suspected , and not easily to be admitted as infallible deciders . fifthly , whether a general council that is found mistaken in one point , anathematizing that for an heresie which is a truth , forfeits not its authority in other points , which then whether falshoods or truths , are not to be deemed so from the authority of that council , but from other topicks . sixthly , since there can be no commerce betwixt god and man , nor he communicate his mind and will to us but by supposition , that our senses rightly circumstantiated are true , that there is skill in us to understand words and grammar , and schemes of speech , as also common notions and clear inferences of reason , whether if a general council conclude any thing plainly repugnant to these , is the conclusion of such a council true and valid ; and whether the indeleble notices of truth in our mind that all mankind is possessed of , whether logical , moral , or metaphysical , be not more the dictates of god , than those of any council that are against them . seventhly , if a council , as general as any has been called , had in the very midnight of the churches apostasie and ignorance met , and concluded all those corruptions that now are obtruded by the church of rome , as transubstantiation , invocation of saints , worshipping of images , and the like , whether the decisions of such a council could be held infallible or valid . what our own excellently well reformed church holds in this case , is evident out of her articles . for , eighthly , the church of england plainly declares . that general councils when they be gathered together , forasmuch as they be an assembly of men whereof all are not governed with the spirit and word of god , they may err , and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining to god. wherefore , saith she ▪ things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority , unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy scripture . artic . ninthly , and again , artic. . where she allows the church to have power to decree rites and ceremonies , and authority in controversies of faith , but with this restriction , that it is not lawful for the church to ordain any thing that is contrary to gods word written , neither may it so expound one place of scripture that it be repugnant to another : she concludes : wherefore although the church be a witness and keeper of holy writ , yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same , so besides the same ought it not to inforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation . what then , does she null the authority of all the general councils , and have no deference for any thing but the mere word of god to convince men of heresie ▪ no such matter . what her sense of these things is , you will find in eliz. cap. . wherefore , tenthly and lastly , what general councils the church of england allows of for the conviction of hereticks you may understand out of these words of the statute : they shall not adjudge any matter or cause to be heresies , but onely such as heretofore have been adjudged to be heresie by the authority of the canonical scriptures , or by the first four general councils or any of them , or by any other general council wherein the same was declared heresie by the express and plain words of the said canonical scriptures . by brief reflections upon some of these ten heads , i shall endeavour to lessen the invidiousness of my seeming to prefer the discretion of the church of england before the judgment of a general council , i mean of such a general council as is so unexceptionable that we may relie on the authority of their decisions , that they will not fail to be true . of which sort whether the fifth reputed general council be , we will briefly first consider . for reflecting on the first head , it seems scarcely numerous enough for a general council . the first general council of nice had above three hundred bishops ; that of chalcedon above six hundred : this fifth council held at constantinople had but an hundred sixty odd . and which still makes it more unlike a general council , in the very same year , viz. , the western bishops held a council at aquileia , and condemned this fifth council held at constantinople . secondly , the pre-existence of souls being a mere philosophical speculation , and indeed held by all philosophers in the affirmative that held the soul incorporeal ; we are to consider whether we may not justly deem this case referrible to the second head , and to look something like pope zacharies appointing a council to condemn virgilius as an heretick , for holding antipodes . thirdly , we may very well doubt whether this council proceeded in via spiritus sancti , this not being the first time that the lovers and admirers of origen for his great piety and knowledge , and singular good service he had done to the church of christ in his time , had foul play plai'd them . witness the story of theophilus bishop of antioch , who to revenge himself on dioscorus and two others that were lovers of origen and anti-anthropomorphites , stickled so , that he caused epiphanius in his see , as he did in his own , to condemn the books of origen in a synod . to which condemnation epiphanius an anthropomorphite , and one of more zeal than knowledge , would have got the subscription of chrysostome the patriarch of constantinople ; but he had more wisdom and honesty than to listen to such an injurious demand . and as it was with those synods called by theophilus and epiphanius , so it seems to be with the fifth council . piques and heart-burnings amongst the grandees of the church seemed to be at the bottom of the business . binius in his history of this fifth council takes notice of the enmity betwixt pelagius , pope vigilius's apocrisiarie , and theodorus bishop of caesarea cappadociae an origenist . and spondanus likewise mentions the same , who says , touching the business of origen , that pelagius the popes apocrisiarie , eam quaestionem in ipsius theodori odium movisse existimabatur . and truly it seems to me altogether incredible , unless there were some hellish spight at the bottom , that they should not have contented themselves to condemn the errours supposed to be origens ( but after so long a time after his death , there being in his writings such choppings and changings and interpolations , hard to prove to be his ) but have spared his name , for that unspeakable good service he did the church in his life-time . see dr. h. mores preface to his collectio philosophica , sect. . where origens true character is described out of eusebius . wherefore whether this be to begin or carry on things in via spiritus sancti , so that we may rely on the authority of such a council , i leave to the impartial and judicious to consider . fourthly , in reference to the fourth head , that true wisdom and moderation , and the holy assistance of gods spirit did not guide the affairs of this council , seems to be indicated by the divine providence , who to shew the effect of their unwise proceedings in the self-same year the council sate , sent a most terrible earthquake for forty days together upon the city of constantinople where the council was held , and upon other regions of the east , even upon alexandria it self and other places , so that many cities were levelled to the ground . upon which spondanus writes thus : haec verò praesagia fuisse malorum quae sunt praedictam synodum consecuta , nemo negare poterit quicunque ab eventis facta noverit judicare . this also reminds me of a prodigy as it was thought that happened at the sixth reputed general council , where nigh three hundred fathers were gathered together to decide this nice and subtile point , namely , whether an operation or volition of christ were to be deemed , vna operatio sive volitio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according to that axiom of some metaphysicians , that actio est suppositi , and so the humane and divine nature of christ being coalescent into one person , his volition and operation be accounted one as his person is but one ; or because of the two natures , though but one person , there are to be conceived two operations or two volitions . this latter dogma obtained , and the other was condemned by this third constantinopolitan council : whereupon , as paulus diaconus writes , abundance of cobwebs or spiders webs fell or rained , as it were , down upon the heads of the people , to their very great astonishment . some interpret the cobwebs of heresies ; others haply more rightfully of troubling the church of christ with over-great niceties and curiosities of subtile speculation , which tend nothing to the corroborating her faith , and promoting a good life ; and are so obscure , subtile , and lubricous , that look on them one way they seem thus , and another way thus . to this sixth general council there seemed two operations and two wills in christ , because of his two natures . to a council called after by philippicus the emperour , and john patriarch of constantinople , considering christ as one person , there appeared numerosissimo orientalium episcoporum collecto conventui ▪ as spondanus has it : but as binius , innumerae orientalium episcoporum multitudini congregatae , but one will and one operation . and certainly this numerous or innumerable company of bishops must put as fair for a general council as that of less than three hundred . but that the authority of both these councils are lessened upon the account of the second head , in that the matter they consulted about tended nothing to the corroboration of our faith , or the promotion of a good life , i have already intimated . these things i was tempted to note , in reference to the tenth head. for it seems to mean undeniable argument , that our first reformers , which are the risen witnesses , were either exquisitely well seen in ecclesiastick history , or the good hand of god was upon them that they absolutely admitted onely the four first general councils ; but after them , they knew not where to be , or what to call a general council , and therefore would not adventure of any so called for the adjudging any matters heresie . but if any pretended to be such , their authority should no further prevail , than as they made out things by express and plain words of canonical scripture . and for other synods , whether the seventh , which is the second of nice , or any other that the church of rome would have to be general in defence of their own exorbitant points of faith or practice , they will be found of no validity , if we have recourse to the sixth , seventh , eighth and ninth heads . fifthly , in reference to the fifth head. this fifth council loseth its authority in anathematizing what in origen seems to be true according to that express text of scripture , john . . ( especially compared with others . see notes on chap. . ) i came forth from the father , and am come into the world ; again i leave the world , and go to the father . he came forth from his father which is in heaven , accordingly as he taught us to pray to him ( the divine shechina being in a peculiar manner there ) he leaves the world and goes to the father , which all understand of his ascension into heaven , whence his coming from the father must have the same sense , or else the antithesis will plainly fail . wherefore it is plain he came down from heaven ( as he signifies also in other places ) as well as returns thither . but he can neither be truly said to come from heaven , nor return thither , according to his divine nature . for it never left heaven , nor removes from one place to another ; and therefore this scripture does plainly imply the pre existence of the soul of the messiah , according to the doctrine of the jews , before it was incarnate . and this stricture of the old cabala may give light to more places of st. johns writings than is fit to recite in this haste ; i will onely name one by the by , john . . every spirit that confesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that jesus is the christ come in the flesh , that is to say , is the christ incarnate , is of god. for the messiah did exist , viz. his soul , before he came into the flesh , according to the doctrine of the jews . which was so well known , that upon the above-cited saying ( john . . ) of our saviour , they presently answered , lo , now speakest thou plainly , and speakest no parable ; because he clearly discovers himself by this character to be the expected messias incarnate . nor is there any possible evasion out of the clearness of this text ●rom the communication of idioms , because christ cannot be said to come down from heaven according to his humane nature before it was there , therefore his humane nature was there before it was incarnate . and lastly , the authority of the decision of this council ( if it did so decide ) is lessened , in that contrary to the second head ( as was hinted above ) it decides a point that faith and godliness is not at all concerned in . for the divinity of christ , which is the great point of faith , is as firmly held supposing the soul of the messias united with the logos before his incarnation , as in it . so that the spight onely of pelagius against theodorus to multiply anathematisms against origen , no use or necessity of the church required any such thing . whence again their authority is lessened upon the account of the third head. these things may very well suspend a careful mind , and loth to be imposed upon , from relying much upon the authority of this fifth council . but suppose its authority entire , yet the acts against origen are not to be found in the council . and the sixth council in its anathematisms , though it mention theodorets writings , the epistle of ibas and theodarus mopsuestenus who were concerned in the fifth council ; yet i find not there a syllable touching origen . and therefore those that talk of his being condemned by that fifth council , have an eye , i suppose , to the anathematisms at the end of that discourse which justinian the emperour sent to menas . patriarch of constantinople , according to which form they suppose the errours of origen condemned . which if it were true , yet simple pre-existence will escape well enough . nor do i think that learned and intelligent patriarch photius would have called the simple opinion of pre-existence of souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but for those appendages that the injudiciousness and rashness of some had affixed to it . partly therefore re●lecting upon that first anathematism in the emperours discourse that makes the pre-existent souls of men first to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if their highest felicity consisted in having no body to inactuate ( which plainly clashes with both sound philosophy and christianity , as if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rephaim were all one , and they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , grown cold to the divine love , and onely gathered body as they gathered corruption , and were alienated from the life of god ; which is point-blank against the christian faith , which has promised us , as the highest prize , a glorified body : ) and partly what himself adds , that one soul goes into several bodies ; which are impertinent appendages of the pre-existence of the soul , false , useless and unnecessary ; and therefore those that add these appendages thereto , violate the sincerity of the divine tradition to no good purpose . but this simple doctrine of pre-existence is so unexceptionable and harmless , that the third collection of councils in justellus , which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though it reckon the other errours of origen condemned in the fifth council , omits this of pre-existence . certainly that ecclesiastick that framed that discourse for the emperour , if he did it not himself , had not fully , deliberately and impartially considered the dogma of pre-existence taken in its self , nor does once offer to answer any reasons out of scripture or philosophy that are produced for it . which if it had been done , and this had been the onely errour to be alledged against origen , i cannot think it credible , nay scarce possible , though their spight had been never so much against some lovers of origen , that they could have got any general council to have condemned so holy , so able , so victorious a champion for the christian church in his life-time for an heretick , upon so tolerable a punctilio , about three hundred years after his death . what father that wrote before the first four general councils , but might by the malevolent , for some odd passage or other , be doomed an heretick , if such severity were admittable amongst christians ? but i have gone out further than i was aware , and it is time for me to bethink me what i intended . which was the justifying of my self in my seeming to prefer the discretion of our own church in leaving us free to hold the incorporeity and immortality of the soul by any of the three handles that best fitted every mans genius , before the judgment of the fifth general council , that would abridge us of this liberty . from which charge i have endeavoured to free my self , briefly by these two ways : first , by shewing how hard it is to prove the fifth oecumenical council so called , to be a legitimate general or oecumenical council , and such as whose authority we may relie on . and secondly , if it was such , by shewing that it did not condemn simply the pre-existence of souls , but pre-existence with such and such appendages . so that there is no real clashing betwixt our church and that council in this . but however this is , from the eighth and ninth heads it's plain enough that the church of england is no favourer of the conclusions of any general council that are enjoyned as necessary to salvation , that be either repugnant to holy scripture , or are not clearly to be made out from the same ; which non-pre-existence of souls certainly is not , but rather the contrary . but being the point is not sufficiently clear from scripture either way to all , and the immortality of the soul and subsistence after death is the main useful point ; that way which men can hold it with most firmness and ease , her candour and prudence has left it free to them to make use of . and as for general councils , though she does not in a fit of zeal , which theodosius a prior in palestine is said to have done , anathematize from the pulpit all people that do not give as much belief to the four first general councils as to the four . gospels themselves ; yet , as you may see in the tenth head , she makes the authority of the first four general councils so great , that nothing is to be adjudged heresie but what may be proved to be so either from the scripture or from these four councils . which encomium might be made with less skill and more confidence by that prior , there having been no more than four general councils in his time . but it was singular learning and judgment , or else a kind of divine sagacity in our first reformers , that they laid so great stress on the first four general councils , and so little on any others pretended so to be . but in all likelihood they being perswaded of the truth of the prediction of the apostasie of the church under antichrist how universal in a manner it would be , they had the most confidence in those general councils which were the earliest , and that were held within those times of the church which some call symmetral . and without all question , the two first general councils , that of nice , and that other of constantinople , were within those times , viz. within four hundred years after christ ; and the third and fourth within the time that the ten-horned beast had his horns growing up , according to mr. mede's computation . but the definitions of the third and fourth councils , that of ephesus , and that other of chalcedon ( which are to establish the divinity of christ , which is not to be conceived without the union of both natures into one person ; as also his theanthropy , which cannot consist with the confusion of both natures into one ) were vertually contained in the definitions of the first and second councils . so that in this regard they are all of equal authority , and that unexceptionable . first , because their decisions were concerning points necessary to be decided one way or other , for the settlement of the church in the objects of their divine worship . and therefore they might be the better assured that the assistance of the holy ghost would not be wanting upon so weighty an occasion . and secondly , in that those two first councils were called while the church was symmetral , and before the apostasie came in , according to the testimony of the spirit in the visions of the apocalypse . which visions plainly demonstrate , that the definitions of those councils touching the triunity of the godhead and divinity of christ are not idolatrous , else the apostasie had begun before the time these oracles declare it did ; and if not idolatrous , then they are most certainly true . and all these four councils driving at nothing else but these necessary points to be decided , and their decision being thus plainly approved by the suffrage of the holy ghost in the apocalypse , i appeal to any man of sense and judgment if they have not a peculiar prerogative to be believed above what other pretended general council soever ; and consequently with what special or rather divine sagacity our first reformers have laid so peculiar a stress on these four , and how consistent our mother the church of england is to herself , that the decisions of general councils have neither strength nor authority further than the matter may be cleared out of the holy scriptures . for here we see , that out of the holy scriptures there is a most ample testimony given to the decisions of these four general councils . so that if one should with theodosius the prior of palestine in a fit of zeal anathematize all those that did not believe them as true as the four evangelists , he would not want a fair plea for his religious fury . but for men after the symmetral times of the church , upon piques and private quarrels of parties , to get general councils called as they fancy them , to conclude matters that tend neither to the confirmation of the real articles of the christian faith , or of such a sense of them as are truly useful to life and godliness , and herein to expect the infallible assistances of the holy spirit , either upon such terms as these , or for rank worldly interest , is such a presumption as to a free judgment will look little better than simony , as if they could hire the assistance of the holy ghost for money . thus have i run further into the consideration of general councils , and the measure of their authority , than was requisite upon so small an occasion ; and yet i think there is nothing said , but if seriously weighed may be useful to the intelligent reader , whether he favour pre-existence or not . which is no further to be favoured than is consistent with the known and approved doctrines of the christian faith , nor clashes any thing with the soundest systemes of divinity , as dr. h. more shews his way of exhibiting the theorie does not , in his general preface to his collectio philosophica , sect. . whose cautious and castigate method i have imitated as near as i could in these my annotations . and he has indeed been so careful of admitting any thing in the hypothesis that may justly be suspected or excepted against , that his friend mr. glanvil m●ght have enlarged his dedication by one word more , and called him repurgatorem sapientiae orientalis , as well as restauratorem , unless restaurator imply both : it being a piece of restauration , to free an hypothesis from the errours some may have corrupted it with , and to recover it to its primeval purity and sincerity . and yet when the business is reduced to this harmless and unexceptionable state , such is the modesty of that writer , that he declares that if he were as certain of the opinion as of any demonstration in mathematicks , yet he holds not himself bound in conscience to profess it any further than is with the good-liking or permission of his superiours . of which temper if all men were , it would infinitely contribute to the peace of the church . and as for my self , i do freely profess that i am altogether of the self-same opinion and judgment with him . annotations upon the discourse of truth . into which is inserted by way of digression , a brief return to m r. baxter's reply , which he calls a placid collation with the learned dr. henry more , occasioned by the doctors answer to a letter of the learned psychopyrist . whereunto is annexed a devotional hymn , translated for the use of the sincere lovers of true piety . london : printed for j. collins , and s. lownds , over against exeter-change in the strand . . the annotatour to the reader . about a fortnight or three weeks ago , while my annotations upon the two foregoing treatises were a printing , there came to my hands mr. baxter's reply to dr. mores answer to a letter of the learned psychopyrist , printed in the second edition of saducismus triumphatus : which reply he styles a placid collation with the learned dr. henry more . i being fully at leasure , presently fell upon reading this placid collation ; which i must confess is so writ , that i was much surprized in the reading of it , i expecting by the title thereof nothing but fairness and freeness of judgment , and calmness of spirit , and love and desire of truth , and the prosperous success thereof in the world , whether our selves have the luck to light on it , or where ever it is found . but instead of this , i found a magisterial loftiness of spirit , and a studie of obscuring and suppressing of the truth by petty crooked artifices , strange distortions of the sense of the doctors arguments , and falsifications of passages in his answer to the letter of the psychopyrist . which surprize moved me , i confess , to a competent measure of indignation in the behalf of the injured doctor , and of the truth he contends for : and that indignation , according to the idiosyncrasie of my genius , stirred up the merry humour in me , i being more prone to laugh than to be severely angry or surly at those that do things unhandsomely ; and this merry humour stirred up , prevailing so much upon my judgment as to make me think that this placid collation was not to be answered , but by one in a pleasant and jocular humor ; and i finding my self something so disposed , and judging the matter not of that moment as to be buzzed upon long , and that this more lightsome , brisk and jocular way of answering the placid collation might better befit an unknown annotatour , than the known pen and person of the doctor , i presently betook my self to this little province , thinking at first onely to take notice of mr. baxters disingenuities towards the doctor ; but one thing drawing on another , and that which followed being carefully managed and apparently useful , i mean the answering all mr. baxters pretended objections against the penetrability or indiscerpibility of a spirit , and all his smaller criticisms upon the doctors definition thereof , in finishing these three parts , i quickly completed the whole little work of what i call the digression , ( inserted into my annotations upon bishop rusts ingenious discourse of truth ) which , with my annotations , and the serious hymn annexed at the end ( to recompose thy spirits , if any thing over-ludicrous may chance to have discomposed them ) i offer , courteous reader , to thy candid perusal ; and so in some hast take leave , and rest your humble servant , the annotatour . annotations upon the discourse of truth . sect. . pag. . and that there are necessary mutual respects , &c. here was a gross mistake in the former impression . for this clause there ran thus : by the first i mean nothing else , but that things necessarily are what they are . by the second , that there are necessary mutual respects and relations of things one unto another . as if these mutual respects and relations of things one to another were truth in the subject , and not truth in the object ; the latter of which he handles from the fourth section to the eighteenth , in which last section alone he treats of truth in the subject or understanding . the former part of the discourse is spent in treating of truth in the object ; that is to say , of truth in the nature of things , and their necessary respects and mutual relations one to another . both which are antecedent in the order of nature to all understandings , and therefore both put together make up the first branch of the division of truth . so grosly had the authours ms. been depraved by passing through the hands of unskilful transcribers , as mr. j. glanvil complains at the end of his letter prefixed to this discourse . and so far as i see , that ms. by which he corrected that according to which the former impression was made , was corrupt it self in this place . and it running glibly , and they expecting so suddainly the proposal of the other member of the division , the errour , though so great , was overseen . but it being now so seasonably corrected , it gives great light to the discourse , and makes things more easie and intelligible . sect. . pag. . that any thing may be a suitable means to any end , &c. it may seem a monstrous thing to the sober , that any mans understanding should be so depraved as to think so . and yet i have met with one that took himself to be no small philosopher , but to be wiser than both the universities , and the royal society to boot , that did earnestly affirm to me , that there is no natural adaptation of means to ends , but that one means would be as good as another for any end if god would have it so , in whose power alone every thing has that effect it has upon another . whereupon i asked him , whether if god would a foot-ball might not be as good an instrument to make or mend a pen withal , as a pen-knife . he was surprized ; but whether he was convinced of his madness and folly , i do not well remember . pag. . is it possible there should be such a kind of geometry , wherein any problem should be demonstrated by any principles ? some of the cartesians bid fair towards this freakishness , whenas they do not stick to assert , that , if god would , he could have made that the whole should be lesser than the part , and the part bigger than the whole . which i suppose they were animated to , by a piece of raillery of des cartes , in answering a certain objection ; where , that he may not seem to violate the absolute power of god for making what laws he pleased for the ordering of the matter of the universe ( though himself seems to have framed the world out of certain inevitable and necessary mechanical laws ) does affirm , that those laws that seem so necessary , are by the arbitrarious appointment of god , who , if he would , could have appointed other laws , and indeed framed another geometry than we have , and made the power of the hypotenusa of a right-angled triangle unequal to the powers of the basis and cathetus . this piece of drollery of des cartes some of his followers have very gravely improved to what i said above of the whole and part. as if some superstitious fop , upon the hearing one being demanded , whether he did believe the real and corporeal presence of christ in the sacrament , to answer roundly that he believed him there booted and spurred as he rode in triumph to jerusalem , should become of the same faith that the other seemed to profess , and glory in the improvement thereof by adding that the ass was also in the sacrament , which he spurred and rid upon . but in the mean time , while there is this phrensie amongst them that are no small pretenders to philosophy , this does not a little set off the value and usefulness of this present discourse of truth , to undeceive them if they be not wilfully blind . pag. . therefore the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right ones ; namely , because a quadrangle is that which is comprehended of four right lines . it is at least a more operose and ambagious inference , if any at all . the more immediate and expedite is this , that the two internal alternate angles made by a right line cutting two parallels , are equal to one another : therefore the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right ones , p. ram. geom. lib. . prop. . if the reasoning had been thus : a quadrangle is that which is comprehended of four right lines , therefore the three angles of a triangle are not equal to two right ones ; as the conclusion is grosly false , so the proof had been egregiously alien and impertinent . and the intention of the author seems to be carried to instances that are most extravagant and surprizing ; which makes me doubt whether [ equal ] was read in the true ms. or [ not equal ] but the sense is well enough either way . sect. . pag. . the divine vnderstanding cannot be the fountain of the truth of things , &c. this seems at first sight to be a very harsh paradox , and against the current doctrine of metaphysicians , who define transcendental or metaphysical truth to be nothing else but the relation of the conformity of things to the theoretical ( not practical ) intellect of god ; his practical intellect being that by which he knows things as produced or to be produced by him , but his theoretical that , by which he knows things as they are : but yet in an objective manner , as existent objectively , not really . and hence they make transcendental truth to depend upon the intellectual truth of god , which alone is most properly truth , and indeed the fountain and origine of all truth . this in brief is the sense of the metaphysical schools . with which this passage of our author seems to clash , in denying the divine intellect to be the fountain of the truth of things , and in driving rather at this , that the things themselves in their objective existence , such as they appear there unalterably and unchangeably to the divine intellect , and not at pleasure contrived by it ( for as he says , it is against the nature of all understanding to make its object ) are the measure and fountain of truth . that in these , i say , consists the truth in the object , and that the truth in the subject is a conception conformable to these , or to the truth of them whether in the uncreated or created understanding . so that the niceness of the point is this : whether the transcendental truth of things exhibited in their objective existence to the theoretical intellect of god consists in their conformity to that intellect , or the truth of that intellect in its conformity with the immutable natures and relations or respects of things exhibited in their objective existence , which the divine intellect finds to be unalterably such , not contrives them at its own pleasure . this though it be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or strife about mere words , yet it seems to be such a contest , that there is no harm done whethersoever side carries the cause , the two seeming sides being but one and the same intellect of god necessarily and immutably representing to it self the natures , respects , and aptitudes of all things such as they appear in their objective existence , and such as they will prove whenever produced into act . as for example , the divine understanding quatenns exhibitive of idea's ( which a platonist would call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) does of its infinite pregnancy and fecundity necessarily exhibit certain and unalterable idea's of such and such determinate things , as suppose of a cylinder , a globe and a pyramid , which have a setled and unalterable nature , as also immutable properties , references and aptitudes immediately consequential thereto , and not arbitrariously added unto them , which are thus necessarily extant in the divine intellect , as exhibitive of such idea's . so likewise a fish , a fowl , and a four-footed beast , an ox , bear , horse , or the like , they have a setled nature exhibited in their idea's , and the properties and aptitudes immediately ●lowing therefrom . as also have all the elements , earth , water and air , determinate natures , with properties and aptitudes immediately issuing from them . nor is a whale fitted to fly in the air , nor an eagle to live under the water , nor an ox or bear to do either , nor any of them to live in the fire . but the idea's of those things which we call by those names being unchangeable ( for there are di●ferences indeed of idea's , but no changing of one idea into another state , but their natures are distinctly setled ; and to add or take away any thing from an idea , is not to make an alteration in the same idea , but to constitute a new one ; as aristotle somewhere in his metaphysicks speaks of numbers , where he says , that the adding or taking away of an unite quite varies the species . and therefore as every number , suppose , binary , quinary , ternary , denary , is such a setled number and no other , and has such properties in it self , and references immediately accrewing to it , and aptitudes which no other number besides it self has ; so it is with idea's ) the idea's i say therefore of those things which we call by those names above-recited being unchangeable , the aptitudes and references immediately issuing from their nature represented in the idea , must be also unalterable and necessary . thus it is with mathematical and physical idea's ; and there is the same reason concerning such idea's as may be called moral . forasmuch as they respect the rectitude of will in whatever mind , created or uncreated . and thus , lastly , it is with metaphysical idea's , as for example ; as the physical idea of body , matter or substance material contains in it immediately of its own nature or intimate specifick essence real divisibility or discerpibility , impenetrability and mere passivity or actuability , as the proper fruit of the essential difference and intimate form thereof , unalterably and immutably as in its idea in the divine intellect , so in any body or material substance that does exist : so the idea of a spirit , or of a substance immaterial , the opposite idea to the other , contains in it immediately of its own nature indiscerpibility , penetrability , and self-activity , as the inseparable fruit of the essential difference or intimate form thereof unalterably and immutably , as in its idea in the divine intellect , so in any immaterial substance properly so called that doth exist . so that as it is a contradiction in the idea that it should be the idea of substance immaterial , and yet not include in it indiscerpibility , &c. so it is in the being really existent , that it should be substance immaterial , and yet not be indiscerpible , &c. for were it so , it would not answer to the truth of its idea , nor be what it pretendeth to be , and is indeed , an existent being indiscerpible ; which existent being would not be indiscerpible , if any could discerp it . and so likewise it is with the idea of ens summè & absolutè perfectum , which is a setled determinate and immutable idea in the divine intellect , whereby , were not god himself that ens summè & absolutè perfectum , he would discern there were something better than himself , and consequently that he were not god. but he discerns himself to be this ens summè & absolutè perfectum , and we cannot but discern that to such a being belongs spirituality , which implies indiscerpibility , ( and who but a mad man can imagine the divine essence discerpible into parts ? ) infinity of essence , or essential omnipresence , self-causality , or necessary existence immediately of it self or from it self ▪ resulting from the absolute and peculiar perfection of its own nature , whereby we understand that nothing can exist ab aeterno of it self but he. and lastly , omniscience and omnipotence , whereby it can do any thing that implies no contradiction to be done . whence it necessarily follows , that all things were created by him , and that he were not god , or ens summè perfectum , if it were not so : and that amongst other things he created spirits ( as sure as there are any spirits in the world ) indiscerpible as himself is , though of finite essences and metaphysical amplitudes ; and that it is no derogation to his omnipotence that he cannot discerp a spirit once created , it being a contradiction that he should : nor therefore any argument that he cannot create a spirit , because he would then puzzle his own omnipotence to discerp it . for it would then follow , that he cannot create any thing , no not metaphysical monads , nor matter , unless it be physically divisible in infinitum ; and god himself could never divide it into parts physically indivisible ; whereby yet his omnipotence would be puzzled : and if he can divide matter into physical monads no further divisible , there his omnipotence is puzzled again ; and by such sophistical reasoning , god shall be able to create nothing , neither matter nor spirit , nor consequently be god , or ens summè & absolutè perfectum , the creator and essentiator of all things . this is so mathematically clear and true , that i wonder that mr. rich. baxter should not rather exult , ( in his placid collation ) at the discovery of so plain and useful a truth , than put himself , p. . into an histrionical ( as the latin ) or ( as the greek would express it ) hypocritical fit of trembling , to amuze the populacy , as if the doctor in his serious and solid reasoning had verged towards something hugely exorbitant or prophane . the ignorant fear where no fear is , but god is in the generation of the knowing and upright . it 's plain , this reasoning brings not the existence of god into any doubt , ( for it is no repugnance to either his nature or existence , not to be able to do what is a contradiction to be done ) but it puts the indiscerpibility of spirits ( which is a notion mainly useful ) out of all doubt . and yet mr. baxter his phancie stalking upon wooden stilts , and getting more than a spit and a stride before his reason , very magisterially pronounces , it 's a thing so high , as required some shew of proof to intimate that god cannot be god if he be almighty , and cannot conquer his own omnipotency . ans . this is an expression so high and in the clouds , that no sense thereof is to be seen , unless this be it : that god cannot be god , unless he be not almighty ; as he would discover himself not to be , if he could not discerp a spirit of a metaphysical amplitude when he has created it . but it plainly appears from what has been said above , that this discerping of a spirit , which is immediately and essentially of its own nature indiscerpible , as well as a physical monad is , implying a contradiction , it is no derogation to the almightiness of god that he cannot do it ; all philosophers and theologers being agreed on that maxim , that what implies a contradiction to be done , is no object of gods almightiness . nor is he less almighty for not being able to do it . so that the prick-●ar'd acuteness of that trim and smug saying , that seemed before to shoot up into the sky , flags now like the flaccid lugs of the over-laden animal old silenus rid on when he had a plot upon the nymphs by moon-shine . pardon the tediousness of the periphrasis : for though the poet was pleased to put old silenus on the ass , yet i thought it not so civil to put the ass upon old mr. baxter . but he proceeds , pag. . your words , says he , like an intended reason , are [ for that cannot be god from whom all other things are not produced and created ] to which he answers , ( . ) relatively , says he , ( as a god to us ) it 's true , though quoad existentiam essentiae , he was god before the creation . but , i say , if he had not had the power of creating , he had been so defective a being , that he had not been god. but he says ( . ) but did you take this for any shew of a proof ? the sense implyed is this [ all things are not produced and created by god , if a spiritual ample substance be divisible by his omnipotencie that made it : yea ; then he is not god. negatur consequentia . ans . very scholastically disputed ! would one think that reverend mr. baxter , whom dr. more for his function and grandevity sake handles so respectfully , and forbears all such juvenilities as he had used toward eugenius philalethes , should play the doctor such horse-play , having been used so civilly by him before ? what buffoon or antick mime could have distorted their bodies more ill-favour'dly and ridiculously , than he has the doctors solid and well-composed argument ? and then as if he had done it in pure innocency and simplicity , he adds a quaker-like [ yea ] thereunto . and after all , like a bold scholastick champion , or polemick divine , couragiously cries out , negatur consequentia . what a fardle of freaks is there here , and illiberal artifices to hide the doctors sound reasoning in the th section of his answer to the psychopyrists letter ? where having plainly proved that god can create an indiscerpible being though of a large metaphysical amplitude , and that there is nothing objected against it , nor indeed can be , but that then he would seem to puzzle his own omnipotency , which could not discerp such a being ; the doctor shews the vanity of that objection in these very words ▪ the same , says he , may be said of the metaphysical monads ( namely , that god cannot discerp them ) and at that rate he shall be allow'd to create nothing , no not so much as matter ( which consists of physical monads ) nor himself indeed to be . for that cannot be god from whom all other things are not produced and created . what reason can be more clear or more convincing , that god can create a spirit in the proper sense thereof , which includes indiscerpibility ? there being no reason against it but what is false , it plainly implying that he can create nothing , and consequently that he cannot be god. wherefore that objection being thus clearly removed , god , as sure as himself is , can create a spirit , penetrable and indiscerpible , as himself is , and is expresly acknowledged to be so by mr. baxter himself , pag. ● . and he having created spirits or immaterial substances of an opposite species to material , which are impenetrable and discerpible of their immediate nature how can these immaterial substances be any other than penetrable and indiscerpible ? which is a very useful dogma for assuring the souls personal subsistence after death . and therefore it is a piece of grand disingenuity in mr. baxter , to endeavour thus to slur and obscure so plain and edifying a truth , by mere antick distortions of words and sense , by alterations and mu●ilations , and by a kind of sophistick buffoonry . this is one specimen of his difingenuity towards the doctor , who in his answer has been so civil to him . and now i have got into this digression , i shall not stick to exemplifie it in several others . as secondly , pag. . in those words : and when i presume most , i do but most lose my self , and misuse my understanding . nothing is good for that which it was not made for . our vnderstandings , as our eyes , are made onely for things revealed . in many of your books i take this for an excess . so mr. baxter ▪ let me now interpose a word or two in the behalf of the doctor . is not this a plain piece of disingenuity against the doctor , who has spent so great a part of his time in philosophie ( which the mere letter of the scripture very rarely reveals any thing of ) to reproach him for his having used his understanding so much about things not revealed in scripture ? where should he use his understanding and reason , if not in things unrevealed in scripture ; that is , in philosophical things ? things revealed in scripture are objects rather of faith than of science and understanding . and what a paradox is this , that our understandings , as our eyes , are made onely for things revealed ? when our eyes are shut , all the whole visible world , by the closing of the palpebrae is vailed from us , but it is revealed to us again by the opening of our eyes ; and so it is with the eye of the understanding . if it be shut through pride , prejudice , or sensuality , the mysteries of philosophy are thereby vailed from it ; but if by true vertue and unfeigned sanctity of mind that eye be opened , the mysteries of philosophy are the more clearly discovered to it , especially if points be studied with singular industry , which mr. baxter himself acknowledges of the doctor , pag. . onely he would there pin upon his back an humble ignoramus in some things , which the doctor , i dare say , will easily admit in many things , yea in most ; and yet , i believe , this he will stand upon , that in those things which he professes to know , he will challenge all the world to disprove if they can . and for probable opinions , especially if they be useless , which many books are too much stuffed withal , he ca●●s them out as the lumber of the mind , and would willingly give them no room in his thoughts . firmness and soundness of life is much better than the multiplicitie of uncertain conceits . and lastly , whereas mr. baxter speaking of himself , says , and when i presume most , i do but most lose my self ; he has so bewildered and lost himself in the multifarious , and most-what needless points in philosophy or scholastick divinity , that if we can collect the measures of the cause from the amplitude of the effect , he must certainly have been very presumptuous . he had better have set up his staff in his saints everlasting rest , and such other edifying and useful books as those , than to have set up for either a philosopher or polemick divine . but it is the infelicity of too many , that they are ignorant — quid valeant humeri , quid ferre recusent , as the poet speaks , or as the pythagoreans — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and so taking upon them a part in a play which they are unfit for , they both neglect that which they are fit for , and miscarry , by reason of their unfitness , in their acting that part they have rashly undertaken ; as epictetus somewhere judiciously observes . but if that passage , and when i presume most , i do but most lose my self , was intended by him as an oblique socratical reproof to the doctor ; let him instance if he can , where the doctor has presumed above his strength . he has medled but with a few things , and therefore he need not envie his success therein , especially they being of manifest use to the serious world , so many as god has fitted for the reception of them . certainly there was some grand occasion for so grave a preliminary monition as he has given the doctor . you have it in the following page , p. . this premised , says he , i say , undoubtedly it is utterly unrevealed either as to any certainty or probability , that all spirits are souls , and actuate matter . see what heat and hast , or some worse principle has engaged mr. baxter to do ; to father a down-right falshood upon the doctor , that he may thence take occasion to bestow a grave admonition on him , and so place himself on the higher ground . i am certain it is neither the doctors opinion , that all spirits are souls , and actuate matter , nor has he writ so any where . he onely says in his preface to the reader , that all created spirits are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ souls ] in all probability , and actuate some matter . and his expression herein is both modest and true . for though it is not certain or necessary , yet it is very probable . for if there were of the highest orders of the angels that fell , it is very probable that they had corporeal vehicles , without which it is hard to conceive they could run into disorder . and our saviour christs soul , which actuates a glorified spiritual bodie , being set above all the orders of angels , it is likely that there is none of them is so refined above his humane nature , as to have no bodies at all . not to add , that at the resurrection we become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , though we have bodies then ; which is a shrewd intimation that the angels have so too , and that there are no created spirits but have so . thirdly , mr. baxter , pag. . wrongfully blames the doctor for being so defective in his studies as not to have read over dr. glisson de vita naturae ; and says he has talk'd with diverse high pretenders to philosophie , and askt their judgment of that book , and found that none of them understood it , but neglected it , as too hard for them ; and yet contemned it . his words to dr. more are these : i marvel that ●hen you have dealt with so many sorts of dissenters , you meddle not with so subtile a piece as that of old dr. glissons , de vita naturae . he thinks the subtilty of the book has deterred the doctor from reading it , as something above his capacity , as also of other high pretenders to philosophie . this is a book it seems calculated onely for the elevation of mr. baxters subtile and sublime wit. and indeed by the benefit of reading this book he is most dreadfully armed with the affrightful terms of quoddities and quiddities , of conceptus formalis and fundamentalis , of conceptus adaequatus and inadaequatus , and the like . in vertue of which thwacking expressions he has fancied himself able to play at scholastick or philosophick quarter-staff with the most doughty and best appointed wits that dare enter the lists with him ; and as over-neglectful of his flock , like some conceited shepherds , that think themselves no small fools at the use of the staff or cudgil-play , take vagaries to fairs or wakes to give a specimen of their skill ; so he ever and anon makes his polemick sallies in philosophie or divinity to entertain the spectators , though very oft he is so rapt upon the knuckles , that he is forced to let fall his wooden instrument , and blow his fingers . which is but a just nemesis upon him , and he would do well to interpret it as a seasonable reproof from the great pastor of souls , to whom we are all accountable . but to return to his speech to the doctor ; i will adventure to answer in his behalf , that i marvel that whenas mr. baxter has had the curiosity to read so many writers , and some of them sure but of small concern , that he has not read that sound and solid piece of dr. more , viz. his epistola altera ad v. c. with the scholia thereon , where spinozius is confuted . which if he had read he might have seen volum . philosoph . tom. . pag. , , &c. that the doctor has not onely read that subtile piece of doctor glissons , but understands so throughly his hypothesis , that he has solidly and substantially confuted it . which he did in a faithful regard to religion . for that hypothesis , if it were true , were as safe , if not a safer refuge for atheists , than the mere mechanick philosophie is : and therefore you may see there , how cuperus , brought up amongst the atheists from his very childhood , does confess , how the atheists now-a-daies explode the mechanick philosophie as not being for their turn , and betake themselves wholly to such an hypothesis as dr. glissons vita naturae . but , god be thanked , dr. h. more in the fore-cited place has perfectly routed that fond and foul hypothesis of dr. glisson , and i dare say is sorry that so good and old a knight errant in theologie and philosophie as mr. richard baxter seems to be , should become benighted , as in a wood , at the close of his daies , in this most horrid dark harbour and dismal receptacle or randevouz of wretched atheists . but i dare say for him , it is his ignorance , not choice , that has lodged him there . the fourth disingenuity of mr. baxter towards the doctor is , in complaining of him as if he had wronged him by the title of his answer to his letter , in calling it an answer to a psychopyrist , pag. . . as if he had asserted that materiality of spirits which belongs to bodies , pag. . in complaining also of his inconsistency with himself , pag. . as if he one while said that mr. baxter made spirits to be fire or material , and another while said he made them not fire or material . but to the first part of this accusation it may be answered , that if it is mr. baxter that is called the learned psychopyrist , how is the thing known to the world but by himself ? it looks as if he were ambitious of the title , and proud of the ●ivil treating he has had at the hands of the doctor , though he has but ill repai'd his civility in his reply . and besides this , there is no more harshness in calling him psychopyrist , than if he had called him psycho-hylist , there being nothing absurd in psychopyrism but so far forth as it includes psycho-hylism , and makes the soul material . which psycho-hylism that mr. baxter does admit , it is made evident in the doctors answer , sect. . and mr. baxter in his placid collation ( as he mis-calls it , for assuredly his mind was turbid when he wrote it ) pag. . allows that spirits may be called fire analogicè and eminenter , and the doctor in his preface intimates that the sense is to be no further stretched , than the psychopyrist himself will allow . but now that mr. baxter does assert that materiality in created spirits that belongs to bodies in the common sense of all philosophers , appears sect. . where his words are these : but custom having ▪ made materia , but especially corpvs to signifie onely such grosser substance as the three passive elements are ( he means earth , water , air ) i yield , says he , so to say , that spirits are not corporeal or material . which plainly implies that spirits are in no other sense immaterial , than fire and aether are , viz. than in this , that they are thinner matter . and therefore to the last point it may be answered in the doctors behalf , that he assuredly does nowhere say , that mr. baxter does not say that spirits are material , as material is taken in the common sense of all philosophers for what is impenetrable and discerpible . which is materia physica , and in opposition to which , a spirit is said to be immaterial . and which briefly and distinctly states the question . which if mr. baxter would have taken notice of , he might have saved himself the labour of a great deal of needless verbosity in his placid collation , where he does over-frequently , under the pretence of more distinctness , in the multitude of words obscure knowledge . fifthly , upon sect. . pag. . where mr. baxters question is , how a man may tell how that god that can make many out of one , cannot make many into one , &c. to which the doctor there answers : if the meaning be of substantial spirits , it has been already noted , that god acting in nature does not make many substances out of one , the substance remaining still entire ; for then generation would be creation . and no sober man believes that god assists any creature so in a natural course , as to enable it to create : and then i suppose that he that believes not this , is not bound to puzzle himself why god may not as well make many substances into one , as many out of one , whenas he holds he does not the latter , &c. these are the doctors own words in that section . in reply to which , mr. baxter : but to my question , saies he , why god cannot make two of one , or one of two , you put me off with this lean answer , that we be not bound to puzzle our selves about it . i think , saies he , that answer might serve to much of your philosophical disputes . here mr. baxter plainly deals very disingenuously with the doctor in perverting his words , which affirm onely , that he that denies that god can make two substances of one in the sense above-declared , need not puzzle himself how he may make one of those two again . which is no lean , but full and apposite answer to the question there propounded . and yet in this his placid collation , as if he were wroth , he gives ill language , and insinuates , that much of the doctors philosophical disputes are such as are not worth a mans puzling himself about them ; whenas it is well known to all that know him or his writings , that he concerns himself in no theories but such as are weighty and useful , as this of the indiscerpibility of spirits is , touching which he further slanders the doctor , as if it were his mere assertion without any proof . as if mr. baxter had never read , or forgot the doctors discourse of the true notion of a spirit , or what he has writ in the further defence thereof . see sect. , , , . thus to say any thing in an angry mood , verily does not become the title of a placid collation . sixthly , the doctor in sect. . of his defence of his notion of a spirit , writes thus : i desire you to consider the nature of light throughly , and you shall find it nothing but a certain motion of a medium , whose parts or particles are so or so qualified , some such way as cartesianism drives at . to this mr. baxter replies against the doctor , pag. . really , saies he , when i read how far you have escaped the delusions of cartesianism , i am sorry you yet stick in so gross a part of it as this is ; when he that knoweth no more than motion in the nature of fire , which is the active principle by which mental and sensitive nature operateth on man and brutes and vegetables , and all the passive elements ; and all the visible actions in this lower world are performed , what can that mans philosophie be worth ? i therefore return your counsel , study more throughly the nature of ethereal fire . satis pro imperio ! very magisterially spoken ! and in such an igneous rapture , that it is not continuedly sense . does mental and sensitive nature act on brutes and vegetables and all the passive elements ? but to let go that : is all the doctors philosophie worth nothing if he hold with des cartes touching the phaenomenon of light as to the material part thereof ? it is the ignorance of mr. baxter , that he rejects all in des cartes , and judiciousness in the doctor , that he retains some things , and supplies where his philosophie is deficient . he names here onely the mechanical cause of light , viz. motion , and duly modified particles . but in his enchiridium he intimates an higher principle than either fire or aether , or any thing that is material , be it as fine and pure as you please to fancie it . see his enchirid . metaphys . cap. . where he shews plainly , that light would not be light , were there not a spiritus mundanus , or spirit of nature , which pervades the whole universe ; mr. baxters ignorance whereof has cast him into so deep a dotage upon fire and light , and fine discerpible corporeities , which he would by his magisterial prerogative dubb spirits , when to nothing that title is due , but what is penetrable and indiscerpible by reason of the immediate oneness of its essence , even as god the father and creator of all spirits is one indiscerpible substance or being . and therefore i would advise mr. baxter to studie more throughly the true nature of a spirit , and to let go these ignes fatui that would seduce him into thick mists and bogs . for that universal spirit of nature is most certainly the mover of the matter of the world , and the modifier thereof , and thence exhibits to us not onely the phaenomena of light and fire , but of earth and water , and frames all vegetables into shape and growth ; and fire of it self is but a dead instrument in its hand , as all is in the hand of god , who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ! and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as synesius , if i well remember , somewhere calls him in his hymns . seventhly , that is also less ingenuously done of mr. baxter , when the doctor so friendly and faithfully puts him in a way of undeceiving himself , sect. . touching the doctrine of atoms , that he puts it off so slightly . and so sect. . where he earnestly exhorts him to studie the nature of water , as mr. baxter does others to studie the nature of fire ; he , as if he had been bitten , and thence taken with that disease the physicians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and which signifies the fear of water , has slunk away and quite neglected the doctors friendly monition ; and is so small a proficient in hydrostaticks , that pag. . he understands not what greater wonder there is in the rising of the dr.'s rundle , than in the rising of a piece of timber from the bottom of the sea. which is a sign he never read the th chapter of the dr.'s enchiridion metaphysicum , much less the scholia thereon . for if he had , he would discern the difference , and the vast usefulness of the one above that of the other to prove a principium hylarchicum distinct from the matter of the universe , against all evasions and tergiversations whatsoever . but these things cannot be insisted on here . eighthly , mr. baxter , pag. . charges the doctor with such a strange paradox as to half of it , that i cannot imagine from whence he should fetch it . you seem , says he , to make all substance atoms , spiritual atoms and material atoms . the latter part of the charge the doctor i doubt not but will acknowledge to be true : but may easily prove out of mr. baxter , pag. . that he must hold so too . for his words there are these : tha● god is able to divide all matter into atoms or indivisible parts i doubt not . and can they be physically divided into parts of which they don't consist ? but mr. baxter by the same reason making spirits divisible by god , though not by any creature , makes them consist of spiritual atoms , for they cannot but consist of such parts as they are divisible into . and if they be divisible by god into larger shreds onely but not into atoms , then every created spirit , especially particular ones , are so many subtil living puppets made up of spiritual rags and clouts . but if god can divide them neither into spiritual atoms nor larger spiritual parcels , he can't divide them at all . and so according to what the doctor contends for , they will be , as they ought to be , absolutely indiscerpible . i omit here to take notice of another absurdity of mr. baxters , that though the substance of a spirit he will have to be divisible , yet he will have the form indivisible , pag. , . and yet both parts to be spirit still ; which implies a contradiction . for then one of the parts will be without the form of a spirit , and consequently be no spirit , and yet be a spirit according to mr. baxter , who makes spirits divisible into parts of the same denomination , as when water is divided into two parts , each part is still water , pag. . ninthly . that which occurrs pag. . is a gross disingenuity against the doctor , where mr. baxter says , and when you make all spirits to be souls and to animate some matter , you seem to make god to be but anima mundi . how unfair and harsh is this for you mr. baxter , who has been so tenderly and civilly handled by the doctor in his answer to your letter , he constantly hiding or mollifying any thing that occurred therein that might overmuch expose you , to represent him as a favourer of so gross a paradox as this , that there is no god but an anima mundi , which is the position of the vaninian atheists , which himself has expresly confuted in his mystery of godliness , and declared against lately in his advertisements on jos glanvils letter to himself , in the second edition of saducismus triumphatus ? this looks like the breaking out of unchristian rancour , in a reply which bears the specious title of a placid collation . which is yet exceedingly more aggravable , for that this odious collection is not made from any words of the doctor , but from a fiction of mr. baxter . for the doctor has nowhere written , nor ever thought that all spirits , but only all created spirits , might probably be souls , that is to say , actuate some matter or other . and those words are in his preface to his answer to the letter of the psychopyrist , as i noted before . i might reckon up several other disingenuities of mr. baxters towards the doctor in this his placid collation ; but i have enumerated enough already to weary the reader , and i must remember i am but in a digression . i shall onely name one disingenuity more , which was antecedent to them all , and gave occasion both to mr. baxters letter , and to the doctors answer thereto , and to this reply of mr. baxter . and that was , that mr. baxter in his methodus theologiae ( as he has done also in a little pamphlet touching judge hales ) without giving any reasons , which is the worst way of traducing any man or his s●ntiments , slighted and slurred those two essential attributes of a spirit , penetrability and indiscerpibility , which for their certain truth and usefulness the doctor thought fit to communicate to the world. but forasmuch as mr. baxter has in this his reply produced his reasons against them , i doubt not but the doctor will accept it for an amends . and i , as i must disallow of the disingenuity of the omission before , yet to be just to mr. baxter , i must commend his discretion and judgment in being willing to omit them ; they appearing to me now they are produced , so weak and invalid . but such as they are , i shall gather them out of his reply , and bring them into view . first then , pag. . it is alledged , that nothing hath two forms univocally so called . but if penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie be added to the virtus vitalis , to the vital power of a spirit , it will have two forms . therefore penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie are to be omitted in the notion of a spirit . see also p. . secondly , pag. . penetrable and indiscerpible can be no otherwise a form to spirits , than impenetrable and discerpible are a form to matter . but impenetrable is onely a modal conceptus of matter , and discerpible a relative notion thereof , and neither one nor both contrary to virtus vitalis in a spirit . thirdly , pag. . he sees no reason why quantity , and the trina dimensio , may not as well be part of the form of matter as discerpibilitie and impenetrabilitie . fourthly , pag. , . nothing is to be known without the mediation of sense , except the immediate sensation itself , and the acts of intellection and volition or nolition , and what the intellect inferreth of the like , by the perception of these . wherefore as to the modification of the substance of spirits which is contrary to impenetrabilitie and divisibilitie , i may grope , says he , but i cannot know it positively for want of sensation . fifthly , pag. , . if indiscerpibilitie be the essential character of a spirit , then an atom of matter is a spirit , it being acknowledged to be indiscerpible . wherefore indiscerpibilitie is a false character of a spirit . sixthly , pag. , . [ penetrable ] whether actively or passively understood , can be no proper character of a spirit , forasmuch as matter can penetrate a spirit , as well as a spirit matter , it possessing the same place . see pag. . seventhly , pag. , . immaterialitie , says he , penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie , in your own judgment i think are none of them proper to spirit . for they are common to diverse accidents in your account , viz. to light , heat , cold. and again in his own words , eighthly , pag. . if your penetrabilitie , says he , imply not that all the singular spirits can contract themselves into a punctum , yea that all the spirits of the world may be so contracted , i find it not yet sufficiently explained . see also pag. , , , . ninthly , pag. . seeing , says he , you ascribe amplitude , quantitie , and dimensions and logical materialitie to the substantialitie of spirits , i see not but that you make them intellectually divisible , that is , that one may think of one part as here , and another there . and if so , though man cannot separate and divide them , if it be no contradiction , god can . tenthly , and lastly , pag. . the putting of penetrability and indiscerpibility into the notion of a spirit , is needless , and hazardous , it being sufficient to hold that god hath made spirits of no kind of parts but what do naturally abhor separation , and so are inseparable unless god will separate them , and so there is no fear of losing our personality in the other state. but penetrability and indiscerpibility being hard and doubtful words , they are better left out , lest they tempt all to believe that the very being of spirits is as doubtful as those words are . thus have i faithfully though briefly brought into view all mr. baxters arguments against the penetrability and indiscerpibility of spirits , which i shall answer in order as they have been recited . to the first therefore i say , that the doctors definition of a spirit , which is [ a substance immaterial intrinsecally indued with life and a faculty of motion ] where substance is the genus , and the rest of the terms comprize the differentia ( which mr. baxter calls conceptus formalis and forma ) i say , that this difference or form though it consist of many terms , yet these terms are not heterogeneal , as he would insinuate , pag. . but congenerous , and one in order to another , and essentially and inseparably united in that one substance which is rightly and properly called spirit , and in vertue of that one substance , though their notions and operations differ , they are really one inseparable specifick difference or form , as much as mr. baxters virtus vitalis un a-trina is ; that is to say , they are specifick knowable terms , succedaneous to the true intimate specifick form that is utterly unknowable ; and therefore i say , in this sen●e these knowable terms are one inseparable specifick difference or form whereby spirit is distinguished from bodie or matter in a physical acception . which the universality of philosophers hold to consist in impenetrability , and discerpibilitie , and self-inactivitie . which if mr. baxter would have been pleased to take notice of , viz. that a spirit is said to be a substance immaterial in opposition to matter physical , he might have saved himself the labour of a deal of tedious trisling in explication of words to no purpose . but to shew that this pretence of more forms than one in one substance is but a cavil , i will offer really the same definition in a more succinct way , and more to mr. baxters tooth , and say , as corpus is substantia materialis ( where materialis is the specifick difference of corpus comprized in one term : ) so spiritus is substantia immaterialis ( where immaterialis the specifick difference of spiritus is likewise comprized in one term , to please the humour of mr. baxter . ) but now as under that one term [ materialis ] are comprized impenetrabilitie , discerpibilitie , and self-inactivity ; so also under that one term [ immaterialis ] are comprized , as under one head , penetrability , indiscerpibility , and intrinsecal life and motion , that is , an essential facultie of life and motion , which in one word may be called self-activity . whence penetrability , indiscerpibility , and self-activity are as much one form of a spirit , as mr. baxters vita , perceptio , and appetitus , is one form thereo● . for though in both places they are three distinct notions , at least as mr. baxter would have it , yet they are the essential and inseparable attributes of one substance , and the immediate fruit and result of the specifick nature thereof . they are inseparably one in their source and subject . and this i think is more than enough to take off this first little cavil of mr. baxters against the doctors including penetrability and inseparability in the form or specifick difference of a spirit . for all that same is to be called form , by which a thing is that which it is , as far as our cognitive faculties will reach , and by which it is essentially distinguished from other things . and if it were not for penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie , spirit would be confounded with body and matter . and body or physical matter might be self-active , sentient , and intelligent . to the second i answer , that whosoever searches things to the bottom , he will find this a sound principle in philosophie , that there is nothing in the whole universe but what is either substantia or modus . and when a mode or several modes put together are immediately and essentially inseparable from a substance , they are lookt upon as the form , or the onely knowable specifick difference of that substance . so that impenetrability and discerpibility , which are immediately essential to , and inseparable from body or matter , and self-inactivitie , ( as irrational is made the specifick difference of a brute ) may be added also : these , i say , are as truly the form or specifick difference of body or matter , as any thing knowable is of any thing in the world . and self-inactivity at least , is contrary to the virtus vitalis of a spirit , though impenetrability and discerpibility were not . so that according to this oeconomy , you see how plainly and exquisitely body and spirit are made opposite species one to another . and 't is these modal differences of substances which we only know , but the specifick substance of any thing is utterly unknown to us , however mr. baxter is pleased to swagger to the contrarie , p. , . where he seems to mis-understand the doctor , as if by essence he did not understand substance , as both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and essentia usually signifie ( especially with the ancients ) but any being at large . but of substance it is most true , we know it onely by its essential modes , but the modes are not the substance it self of which they are modes ; otherwise the substance would want modes , or every substance would be more substances than one . and mr. baxter himself saith , pag. . to know an essential attribute , and to know ipsam essentiam scientiâ inadaequatâ , is all one . which inadequate or partial knowledge , say i , is this , the knowing of the essential mode of the substance , and not knowing the substance it self ; otherwise if both the essential modes were known , and also the specifick substance to which the modes belong ( more than that those modes belong to that substance ) the knowledge would be full and adequate , and stretcht through the whole object . so that mr. baxters scientia inadoequata , and the doctors denying the bare substance it self to be known , may very well consist together , and be judged a mere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . which is an exercise more grateful it 's likely to mr. baxter , than to the doctor . to the third i say , any one that considers may find a necessarie reason why quantitie or trina dimensio should be left out in the form of body or matter , especially why the doctor should leave it out , because he does professedly hold , that whatever is , has metaphysical quantitie or metaphysical trina dimensio ; which no man can denie that holds god is essentially present every-where . and no man , i think , that does not dote can denie that . wherefore allowing matter to be substance ; in that generical nature , trina dimensio is comprized , and need not be again repeated in the form. but when in the forma or differentia , discerpible and impenetrable is added , this is that which makes the trina dimensio ( included in the genus , substantia ) of a corporeal kind , and does constitute that species of things , which we call corpora . this is so plain a business , that we need insist no longer upon it . now to the fourth , i answer briefly , that from what knowledge we have by the mediation of the senses and inference of the intellect , we arrive not onely to the knowledge of like things , but of unlike , or rather contrary : as in this very example , we being competently well instructed , indeed assured by our senses , that there is such a kind of thing as body , whose nature is to be impenetrable and discerpible , and our reason certainly informing us , as was noted even now , that whatever is , has a kind of amplitude more or less , or else it would be nothing ; hence we are confirmed , that not extension or trina dimensio , but impenetrabilitie and discerpibilitie is the determinate and adequate nature of what we call body ; and if there be any opposite species to body , our reason tells us it must have opposite modes or attributes , which are penetrability and indiscerpibility . this is a plain truth not to be groped after with our fingers in the dark , but clearly to be discerned by the eye of our understanding in the light of reason . and thus we see ( and many examples more we might accumulate ) that by the help of our senses and inference of our vnderstanding , we are able to conclude not onely concerning like things , but their contraries or opposites . i must confess i look upon this allegation of mr. baxter as very weak and faint . and as for his fifth , i do a little marvel that so grave and grandaevous a person as he should please himself in such little ●●irts of wit and sophistry as this of the indiscerpibility of an atom or physical monad . as if indiscerpibility could be none of the essential or specifical modes or attributes of a spirit , because a physical monad or atom is indiscerpible also , which is no spirit . but those very indiscerpibilities are specifically different . for that of a spirit is an indiscerpibility that arises from the positive perfection and oneness of the essence , be it never so ample ; that of an atom or physical monad , from imperfection and privativeness , from the mere littleness or smalness thereof , so small that it is impossible to be smaller , and thence onely is indiscerpible . the sixth also is a pretty juvenile ferk of wit for a grave ancient divine to use , that penetrability can be no proper character of a spirit , because matter can penetrate spirit as well as spirit matter , they both possessing the same space . suppose the bodie a. of the same amplitude with the bodie b. and thrust the bodie a. against the bodie b. the bodie a. will not nor can penetrate into the same space that the bodie b. actually occupies . but suppose the bodie a. a spirit of that amplitude , and according to its nature piercing into the same space which the bodie b. occupies , how plain is it that that active piercing into the same space that the bodie b. occupies , is to be attributed to the spirit a. & not to the bodie b ? for the bodie a. could not get in . these are prettie forc'd distortions of wit , but no solid methods of due reason . and besides , it is to be noted , that the main character of a spirit is , as to penetrability , that spirit can penetrate spirit , but not matter matter . and now the seventh is as slight as the fifth . diverse accidents , saith he , penetrate their subjects , as heat , cold , &c. therefore penetrabilitie is no proper character of a spirit . but what a vast difference is there here ! the one pierce the matter , ( or rather are in the matter merely as continued modes thereof ) the other enters into the matter as a distinct substance therefrom . penetration therefore is here understood in this character of a spirit , of penetratio substantialis , when a substance penetrates substance , as a spirit does spirit and matter , which matter cannot do . this is a certain character of a spirit . and his instancing in light as indiscerpible , is as little to the purpose . for the substance of light , viz. the materia subtilissima and globuli , are discerpible . and the motion of them is but a modus , but the point in hand is indiscerpibilitie of substance . to the eighth i answer , that mr. baxter here is hugely unreasonable in his demands , as if penetrabilitie of spirits were not sufficiently explained , unless it can be made out , that all the spirits in the world , universal and particular , may be contracted into one punctum : but this is a theme that he loves to enlarge upon , and to declaim on very tragically , as pag. . if spirits have parts which may be extended and contracted , you will hardly so easily prove as say , that god cannot divide them . and when in your writings shall i find satisfaction into how much space one spirit may be extended , and into how little it may be contracted , and whether the whole spirit of the world may be contracted into a nut-shell or a box , and the spirit of a flea may be extended to the convex of all the world ? and again , pag. . you never tell into how little parts onely it may be contracted ; and if you put any limits , i will suppose that one spirit hath contracted itself into the least compass possible ; and then i ask , cannot another and another spirit be in the same compass by their penetration ? if not ; spirits may have a contracted spissitude which is not penetrable , and spirits cannot penetrate contracted spirits , but onely dilated ones . if yea ; then quaero , whether all created spirits may not be so contracted . and i should hope that the definition of a spirit excludeth not god , and yet that you do not think that his essence may be contracted and dilated . o that we knew how little we know ! this grave moral epiphonema with a sorrowful shaking of the head is not in good truth much misbecoming the sly insinuating cunning of mr. richard baxter , who here makes a shew , speaking in the first person [ we ] of lamenting and bewailing the ignorance of his own ignorance , but friendly hooks in , by expressing himself in the plural number , the doctor also into the same condemnation . solamen miseris — as if he neither did understand his own ignorance in the things he writes of , but will be strangely surprised at the hard riddles mr. baxter has propounded , as if no oedipus were able to solve them . and i believe the doctor if he be called to an account will freely confess of himself , that in the things he positively pronounces of , so far as he pronounces , that he is indeed altogether ignorant of any ignorance of his own therein ; but that this is by reason that he according to the cautiousness of his genius does not adventure further than he clearly sees ground , and the notion appears useful for the publick . as it is indeed useful to understand that spirits can both penetrate matter and penetrate one another , else god could not be essentially present in all the parts of the corporeal universe , nor the spirits of men and angels be in god. both which notwithstanding are most certainly true , to say nothing of the spirit of nature , which particular spirits also penetrate , and are penetrated by it . but now for the contraction and dilatation of spirits , that is not a propertie of spirits in general as the other are , but of particular created spirits , as the doctor has declared in his treatise of the immortalitie of the soul. so that that hard question is easily answered concerning gods contracting and dilating himself ; that he does neither , he being no created spirit , and being more absolutely perfect than that any such properties should be competible to him . and it is reasonable to conceive that there is little actually of that propertie in the spirit of nature , it being no particular spirit , though created , but an universal one , and having no need thereof . for the corporeal world did not grow from a small embryo into that vast amplitude it is now of , but was produced of the same largeness it now has , though there was a successive delineation and orderly polishing and perfecting the vast distended parts thereof . and to speak compendiously and at once , that god that has created all things in number , weight & measure , has given such measures of spiritual essence and of the facultie of contracting and dilating the same , as also of spiritual subtilty of substance , as serves the ends of his wisdom and goodness in creating such a species of spirit . so that it is fond , unskilful , and ridiculous , to ask if the whole spirit of the world can be contracted into a nut-shell , and the spirit of a flea extended to the convex of the universe . they that talk at this rate err , as aliens from the wisdome of god , and ignorant of the laws of nature , and indeed of the voice of scripture itself . why should god make the spirit of a flea , which was intended for the constituting of such a small animal , large enough to fill the whole world ? or what need of such a contraction in the spirit of nature or plastick soul of the corporeal universe , that it may be contrived into a nut-shell ? that it has such spiritual subtiltie as that particular spirits may contract themselves in it so close together , as to be commensurate to the first inchoations of a foetus , which is but very small , stands to good reason , and effects prove it to be so . as also this smalness of a foetus or embryo that particular spirits are so far contracted at first , and expand themselves leisurely afterwards with the growth of the bodie which they regulate . but into how much lesser space they can or do contract themselves at any time , is needless to know or enquire . and there is no repugnancie at all , but the spirit of nature might be contracted to the like essential spissitude that some particular spirits are ; but there is no reason to conceit that it ever was or ever will be so contracted , while the world stands . nor lastly is there any inconvenience in putting indefinite limits of contraction in a spirit , and to allow that after such a measure of contraction , though we cannot say just what that is , it naturally contracts no further , nor does another so contracted naturally penetrate this thus contracted spirit . for as the usefulness of that measure of self-penetrability and contraction is plain , so it is as plain , that the admitting of it is no incongruitie nor incommoditie to the universe , nor any confusion to the specifick modes of spirit and bodie . for these two spirits , suppose , contracted to the utmost of their natural limits , may naturally avoid the entring one another , not by a dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in bodies or matter , but by a vital saturitie , or natural uneasiness in so doing . besides that , though at such a contracted pitch they are naturally impenetrable to one another , yet they demonstrate still their spirituality , by self-penetration , haply a thousand and a thousand times repeated . and though by a law of life ( not by a dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) , they are kept from penetrating one another , yet they both in the mean time necessarily penetrate matter , as undergoing the diverse measures of essential spissitude in the same . so that by the increase of that essential spissitude , they may approach near to a kind of hylopathick disposition of impenetrability , and thence , by the matter of the universe ( out of which they never are ) be curb'd from contracting themselves any further , than to such a degree ; and i noted at first , that spiritual subtilty , as well as amplitude , is given in measure to created spirits . so that penetrabilitie is still a steadie character of a spiritual essence or substance , to th● utmost sense thereof . and to argue against impenetrability its being the propertie of matter from this kind of impenetrability of contracted spirits , is like that quibbling sophistrie against indiscerpibility being the propertie of a spirit , because a physical monad is also indiscerpible . the ninth objection is against the indiscerpibility of spirits , and would infer , that because the doctor makes them intellectually divisible , therefore by divine power , if it imply no contradiction , a spirit is discerpible into physical parts . but this is so fully satisfied already by the doctor in his discourse of the true notion of a spirit , and its defence , to say nothing of what i have said already above to prove it does imply a contradiction , that i will let it go , and proceed . to the tenth and last allegation , which pretends , that these two terms penetrable and indiscerpible are needless and hazardous in the notion of a spirit . but how useful or needful penetrability is , is manifest from what we have said to the eighth objection . and the needfulness of indiscerpibility is also sufficiently shewn by the doctor in his defence of the true notion of a spirit , sect. . but now for the hazardousness of these terms , as if they were so hard , that it would discourage men from the admitting of the existence of spirits ; it appears from what has been said to the eighth objection , that penetrability is not onely intelligible and admittable , but necessarily to be admitted , in the notion of a spirit , as sure as god is a spirit , and that there are spirits of men and angels , and that the souls of men are not made of shreds , but actuate their whole grown bodie , though at first they were contracted into the compass of a very small foetus . and that there is no repugnancie that an essence may be ample , and yet indiscerpible , mr. baxter himself must allow , who , pag. . plainly declares , that it is the vilest contradiction to say that god is capable of division . so that i wonder that he will call [ penetrable ] and [ indiscerpible ] hard and doubtful words , and such as might stumble mens belief of the existence of spirits , when they are terms so plain and necessary . nor can that vnitie that belongs to a spirit be conceived or understood without them , especially without indiscerpibilitie . and indeed if we do not allow penetrability , the soul of a man will be far from being one , but a thing discontinued , and scatter'd in the pores of his corporeal consistencie . we will conclude with mr. baxters conceit of the indivisibleness of a spirit , and see how that will corroborate mens faith of their existence , and put all out of hazard . various elements , saith he , pag. . vary in divisibility ; earth is most divisible ; water more hardly , the parts more inclining to the closest contact ; air yet more hardly ; and in fire , no doubt the discerpibility is yet harder : and if god have made a creature so strongly inclined to the unitie of all the parts , that no creature can separate them but god onely , as if a soul were such , it is plain that such a being need not fear a dissolution by separation of parts . ans . this is well said for an heedless and credulous multitude ; but this is not to philosophize , but to tell us that god works a perpetual miracle in holding the small tenuious parts of the soul together , more pure and ●ine than those of fire or aether ; but here is no natural cause ●●om the thing it self offered , unless it be , that in every substance , or rather matter , the parts according to the tenuitie and puritie of the substance , incline to a closer contact and inseparable union one with another ; which is a conceit repugnant to experience , and easily confuted by that ordinarie accident of a spinner hanging by its weak thread from the brim of ones hat ; which ●eeble line yet is of force enough to divide the air , and for that very reason , because it consists of thinner parts than water or earth . as also , we can more easily run in the air than wade in the water , for the very same reason . these things are so plain , that they are not to be dwelt upon . but mr. baxter is thus pleased to shew his wit in maintaining a weak ●ause , which i am perswaded he has not so little judgment as that he can have any great confidence in . and therefore in sundry places he intimates that he does allow or at least not deny but that penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie is contained in the notion of a spirit ; but not as part of the conceptus formalis , but as dispositio or modus substantiae , but yet withal such a dispositio as is essential to the substance that with the conceptus formalis added , makes up the true notion of a spirit . see pag. , , , . and truly if mr. baxter be in good earnest and sincere in this agreement without all equivocation , that penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie is essential to the true notion of a spirit , onely they are to be admitted as dispositio substantiae , not as pars formae , i confess , as he declares pag. . that the di●●erence betwixt him and the doctor lyeth in a much smaller matter than was thought ; and the doctor i believe will easily allow him to please his own fancy in that . but then he must understand the terms of penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie in the doctors sense , viz , of a spirits penetrating not inter partes , but per partes materi●● , and possessing the same space with them . and of an indiscerpibleness not arising from thinner and thinner parts of matter , as he imagines air to be more hardly discerpible than earth or water , forasmuch as by reason of its thinness its parts lye closer together , as was above noted ; but from the immediate essential oneness of substance in a spirit , according to the true idea of an indiscerpible being in the divine intellect , which , whether in idea or in actual existence , it would cease to be , or rather never was such , if it were discerpible , and therefore implies a contradiction it should be so . but if a spirit be not penetrable in the doctors sense , it is really impenetrable ; and if not indiscerpible in his sense , it is really discerpible , and consequently divisible into physical monads or atoms , and therefore constituted of them , and the last inference will be that of the epigrammatist : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to this sense : all a vain jest , all dust , all nothing deem , for of mere atoms all composed been . and thus the fairest and firmest structures of philosophical theorems in the behalf of the providence of god , the existence of spirits , and the immortality of the soul , will become a castle of come-down , and fall quite to the ground . whence it was rightfully done of the doctor to lay such stress upon these two terms penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie , they being the essential characteristicks of what is truly a spirit , and which if they were taken out of the world , all would necessarily be matter , i mean physical matter ( to prevent all quibblings and fiddlings about words and phrases ) and this physical matter would be the subject and source of all life whatever , intellective , sensitive and vegetative . and mr. baxter did ill in not onely omitting these terms himself in his notion of a spirit , but in publickly slighting and disgracing of the doctors using of them , and afterwards in so stomaching his vindication of the same in publick , whenas we see that without them there can be nothing but physical matter in the world , and god and angels and the souls of men must be such matter , if they be any thing a● all : and therefore in such an errour as this , mr. baxter with christian patience might well have born with the doctors calling it , not onely a mistake , but a mischief . and i hope by this time he is such a proficient in that vertue , that he will chearfully bear the publication of this my answer in the behalf of the doctor to all his objections against these two essential and necessarie characters of a spirit ; and not be offended if i briefly run over his smaller criticisms upon the doctors definition of the same , which do occur , pag. , . and elsewhere , as i shall advertise . the doctors definition of a spirit in his discourse of that subject , sect. . is this [ a spirit is a substance immaterial intrinsecally indued with life and the facultie of motion ] where he notes that immaterial contains virtually in it penetrability and indiscerpibility . now let us hear how mr. baxter criticizes on this definition . first , saies he , pag. . your definition is common , good and true , allowing for its little imperfections , and the common imperfection of mans knowledge of spirits . if by [ immaterial ] you mean not [ without substance ] it signifieth truth , but a negation speaketh not a formal essence . ans . how very little these imperfections are , i shall note by passing through them all ; and for the common imperfection of mans knowledge of spirits , what an unskilful or hypocritical pretence that is , the doctor hath so clearly shewn in his discourse of the true notion of a spirit , sect. , , , . that it is enough to send the reader thither for satisfaction . but as for [ immaterial ] how can any one think that thereby is meant [ without substance ] but those that think there is nothing but matter in the physical sense of the word , in the world ? as if [ substance immaterial ] was intended to signifie [ substance without substance ] ! and lastly , the doctor will denie that [ in ] in immaterial signifies negatively here more than in immortal , incorruptible , or infinite , but that it is the indication of opposite properties to those of physical matter , viz. impenetrability and discerpibility , and that therefore immaterial here includes indiscerpibility and penetrability . secondly , pag. . spirit it self , saies he , is but a metaphor . ans . though the word first signified other things before it was used in the sense it is here defined , yet use has made it as good as if it were originally proper . with your logicians , in those definitions , materia est causa ex qua res est , forma est causa per quam res est id quod est ; materia and forma are metaphorical words , but use has made them in those definitions as good as proper ; nor does any sober and knowing man move the least scruple touching those definitions on this account . to which you may add , that aristotles caution against metaphors in defining things , is to be understood of the definition it self , not the definitum ; but spirit is the definitum here , not the definition . thirdly , [ intrinsecally indued with lise ] tells us not that it is the form. qualities , and proper accidents are intrinsecal . ans . mr. baxter , i suppose , for clearness sake , would have had form written over the head of this part of the definition , as the old bungling painters were wont to write , this is a cock , and this a bull ; or as one wittily perstringed a young preacher that would name the logical topicks he took his arguments from , saying he was like a shoemaker that offered his shoes to sale with the lasts in them . i thought mr. baxter had been a more nimble logician than to need such helps to discern what is the genus in the definition , what the differentia or forma . and for [ intrinsecally indued ] i perceive he is ignorant of the proper force and sense of the word intrinsecùs , which signifies as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely , which implies that this life is from the intimate essence of a spirit quatenus a spirit , and therefore can be no common qualitie nor a facultie clarted on , as mr. baxter fancies god may clart on life the specifick form of spirit , as he himself acknowledges , on matter , though materia quatenus materia implies no such thing ; but , i say ; spiritus quatenus spiritus does , which is both the source and proper subject of life . but it is the effect of an ill perturbed sight , to fancie flaws where there are really none . and to fancie that a vis vitalis , or power of living can belong to materia physica immediately , which power must necessarily be the result of an essence specifically distinct from physical matter , i think may justly be called clarting of this power on a subject it belongs not to , nor is intrinsecal to it , there being no new specifick essence from whence it should spring . fourthly , the [ facultie of motion ] saies he , is either a tautologie included in life , or else if explicatorie of life , it is defective . ans . it is neither tautological nor exegetical , no more than if a man should define homo , animal rationale risibile . [ risibile ] there , is neither tautological , though included in animal rationale ; nor exegetical , it signifying not the same with rationale . and the definition is as true with risibile added to it , as if omitted . but the addition of risibile being needless , is indeed ridiculous . but it is not ridiculous to add the faculty of motion in this definition of a spirit , because it is not needless , but is added on purpose to instruct such as mr. baxter , that an intrinsecal facultie of motion belongs to spirit quatenus spirit , and indued with life ; whenas yet he , pag. . will not admit that self-motion is an indication of life in the subject that moves itself , although it is the very prime argument that his beloved and admired dr. glisson useth to prove , that there is universally life in matter . but it is the symptome of an over - polemical fencer , to deny a thing merely because he finds it not for his turn . in the mean time it is plain the doctor has not added [ the facultie of motion ] rashly out of over sight , but for the instructing the ignorant in so important a truth , that there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but there is life and spirit . this is so great a truth , that the platonists make it to be the main character of soul or spirit , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as you may see in proclus . fifthly , no man , saith he , can understand that the negative [ immaterial ] , by the terms , includeth penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie . ans . no man that rightly understands himself but must conceive that [ immaterial ] signifies an opposite or contrary condition to [ material ] : and he knowing ( as who is ignorant of it ? ) that the proper and essential characters of [ material ] in substantia materialis , is to be impenetrable and discerpible , he will necessarily , even whether he will or no , discover that [ immaterial ] which signifies the opposite to these in substantia immaterialis , must denote penetrability and indiscerpibility . sixthly , you do not say here , saith he , that they are the form , but elsewhere you do ; and the form should be exprest , and not onely vertually contained , as you speak . ans . what would you have him in the very definition it self , which is so clear an one , say , this is the genus , this the form , as those bunglers i mentioned above writ the names of the animals they had so badly drawn ? and that the form should be exprest is true , but it is sufficient it be exprest in such a comprehensive term as contains under it all that belongs to such a species . as when we have divided vivens into planta and animal , if we then define animal to be vivens sensu praeditum , that one word sensus , is sufficient , because it reaches any species of animal , and none but animals . and yet here the doctor is not so niggardly as to pinch the expression of all the form or difference , into that one word immaterial , whereby he here onely intimates penetrability and indiscerpibility ; but for fuller explication addeth , intrinsecally indued with life and the facultie of motion . but lastly , for his elsewhere calling penetrability and indiscerpibility the form of a spirit , he nowhere makes them the whole form of a spirit , but makes the logical form or differentia of a spirit , to be all that which he has expressed in this definition , viz. [ immaterial ] which denotes penetrability and indiscerpibility , and [ intrinsecal life and motion ] . and it is evident that when he calls this differentia in his definition , form , that he does not mean the very specifick substance or essence , whereby a spirit is a spirit , but onely essential or inseparable attributes , which onely are known to us , and which are only in an improper sense said to be the form it self , or specifick nature . they are onely the result of the form and notes of an essence or substance specifically distinct from some other substance . it is not so in substantial forms as in geometrical forms or figures , as to visibilitie or perceptibilitie . dic tu formam hujus lapidis , says scaliger to cardan , & phyllida solus habeto . but there are inseparable and essential properties of a substantial form , necessarily resulting from the form it self , as there are in external forms or figures . as for example , from the form of a globe , which is a round form , defined from the equalitie of all lines from one point drawn thence to the superficies . from this form does necessarily and inseparably result the character of an easie rouling mobilitie . that a bodie of this form is the most easily moved upon a plain , of any bodie in the world . and so from the form of a piece of iron made into what we call a sword ; fitness for striking , for cutting , for stabbing , and for defending of the hand , is the necessarie result from this form thereof . and so i say that from the intimate and essential form of a spirit , suppose , essentially and inseparably result such and such properties by which we know that a spirit is a distinct species from other things , though we do not know the very specifick essence thereof . and therefore here i note by the by , that when the doctor saies any such or such attributes are the form of a spirit , he does datâ operâ balbutire cum balbutientibus , and expresses himself in the language of the vulgar , and speaks to mr. baxter in his own dialect . for it is the declared opinion of the doctor , that the intimate form of no essence or substance is knowable , but onely the inseparable fruits or results thereof . which is a principle wants no proof , but an appeal to every mans faculties that has ordinarie wit and sinceritie . seventhly , they are not the form , saith he , but the dispositio vel conditio ad formam . ans . you may understand out of what was said even now , that penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie are so far from being dispositio ad formam , that they are the fruits and results of the intimate and specifick form of a spirit , and that they suppose this specifick form in order of nature to precede them , as the form of a globe precedes the rouling mobilitie thereof . in vertue of a spirits being such a specifick substance , it has such inseparable attributes resulting from it , as a globe has mobilitie . and as the globe is conceived first , and mobilitie inseparably resulting from it ; so the specifick nature of a spirit , which is its true and intimate form , and made such according to the eternal idea thereof in the intellect of god , being one simple specifick substance or essence , has resulting from it those essential or inseparable properties which we attribute to a spirit , itself in the mean time remaining but one simple self-subsistent actus entitativus , whose penetrabilitie and indivisibilitie mr. baxter himself , pag. . says is easily defendible . and the doctor , who understands himself , i dare say for him , defends the penetrabilitie and indivisibilitie of no essences but such . eighthly , if such modalities , says he , or consistence were the form , more such should be added which are left out . ans . he should have nominated those which are left out . he means , i suppose , quantity and trina dimensio , which it was his discretion to omit , they being so impertinent as i have shewn above , in my answer to his third objection against the penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie of a spirit . ninthly , penetrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie are two notions , and you should not give us , says he , a compound form. ans . this implies that penetrability and indiscerpibility are the form of a spirit ; but i have said again and again , they are but the fruits and result of the form. a spirit is one simple specifick essence or substance , and that true specifickness in its essence , is the real and intimate form , or conceptus formalis thereof , but that which we know not ( as i noted above out of julius scaliger ) though we know the essential and inseparable attributes thereof , which may be many , though in one simple specifick substance , as there are many attributes in god immediately and inseparably resulting from his most simple specifick nature . tenthly , yea you compound , saith he , pe●etrabilitie and indiscerpibilitie with a quite different notion [ life and the faculty of motion ] , which is truly the form , and is one thing , and not compounded of notions so different as consistence and vertue or power . ans . i say again as i said before , that neither penetrability nor indiscerpibility , nor life nor motion , are the specifick form it self of a spirit , which is a simple substance , but the fruits and results of this specifick form ; and all these have a proper cognation with one another , as agreeing in immateriality or spirituality : and how the common sagacitie of mankind has presaged , that the most noble functions of life are performed by that which is most subtile and most one , as penetrability and indiscerpibility makes the consistence of a spirit to be , the doctor has noted in his discourse of the true notion of a spirit . mr. baxter in reading theological systems may observe , that attributes as much differing among themselves as these , are given to the most simple essence of god. eleventhly , you say , says he , pag. . life intrinsecally issues from this immaterial substance : but the form is concreated with it , and issues not from it . ans . i grant that the form is concreated with the spirit . for a spirit is nothing else but such a specifick simple substance or essence , the specifickness of whose nature onely is its real intimate form. and if we could reach by our conception that very form it self , it would be but the conceptus inadaequatus of one simple substance , and be the true conceptus formalis thereof ; and the conceptus fundamentalis , to speak in mr. baxters or dr. glissons language , would be substance in general , which is contracted into this species by this real intimate form ; which both considered together , being but one simple essence , they must needs be created together , according to that idea of a spirit which god has conceived in his eternal mind . and life will as naturally and necessarily issue from such a species or specifick essence , or from substance contracted into such a species by the abovesaid form , as mobility does issue from the form of a globe . from whence it is plainly understood how life does intrinsecally issue from immaterial substance , nor is the form it self but the fruit thereof . and as it were but trifling to say that the power of easie rolling every way on a plain were the very form of a globe , the word power or vertue being but a dark , loose , general , dilute term , and which belongs to every thing , and is restrained onely by its operation and object ; but it is the form or figure of the globe that is the immediate cause that that vertue or power in general is so restrained to this easie rolling : so it is in mr. baxters pretended form of a spirit , which he makes virtus vitalis , a power of living : power there , is such a dark dilute term , loose and general . but that it is determined to life , it is by that intimate specifick form , which we know not ; but onely this we know , that it is to the power of living as the figure of a globe is to the power of easie rolling , and that in neither , one can be without the other . there must be a specifick essence , which is the root of those powers , properties , or operations from whence we conclude distinct species of things : for 't is too coarse and slovenly to conceit , that these are clarted on them , but the specifick powers arise immediately , and inseparably from the specifick nature of the thing ; else why might they not be other powers as well as these ? twelfthly and lastly , pag. . but do you verily believe , saith he , that penetrability or subtility is a sufficient efficient or formal cause of vitalitie , perception and appetite , and so of intellection and volition ? i hope you do not . ans . i hope so of the doctor too ; and before this , i hoped that mr. baxter had more insight into the nature of a formal cause and into the laws of logick , than once to imagine that any one in his wits could take penetrability to be the formal cause of intellection and volition . for then every spirit being penetrable , every spirit even of a plant , at least of the vilest animalonium , would have intellection and volition . nor , for the same reason , can any body think that penetrability is a sufficient efficient cause of intellection and volition . nor is it so much as the efficient cause of vitality , perception , appetite , much less the formal . so infinitely is mr. baxter out in these things . but the case stands thus : the substance of that species of things which we call a spirit , and is so by that intimate specifick form which i named before , this substance is the cause of vitality in such a sense as the round form of a globe , or any matter of that form is , quatenus of that form , the cause of its own rolling mobilitie . i say therefore , that vitality is as immediate and necessarie a fruit or effect of the real and intimate form of a spirit , as that easie mobilitie is of the form of a sphere or globe ; and such a kind of vitality , vegetative , sensitive , intellective of such a species of spirit : these kinds of vitalities are the fruits or effects necessarie and immediate of the abovesaid so specificated substances ; that is to say , they are immediately self-living , and all of them penetrable and indiscerpible of themselves , quatenus spirits , all these essential attributes arising from the simple essence or specificated substance of every spirit , of what classis soever , created according to its own idea eternally shining in the divine intellect . as for example ; in the idea of a plastick spirit onely ; penetrability , indiscerpibility , and plastick vitality , whereby it is able to organize matter thus and thus , are not three essences clarted upon some fourth essence , or glewed together one to another , to make up such an idea : but the divine intellect conceives in itself one simple specifick essence immediately and intrinsecally of it self , indued with these essential properties or attributes . so that when any thing does exist according to this idea , those three properties are as immediately consequential to it , and as effectually , as mobility to the form of a globe . it is the specifick substance that is the necessary source of them , and that acts by them as its own connate or natural instruments , fitted for the ends that the eternal wisdom and goodness of god has conceived or contrived them for . for it is manifest , that those essential attributes of a spirit contrarie to matter are not in vain . for whenas a plastick spirit is to actuate and organize matter , and inwardly dispose it into certain forms , penetrability is needful , that it may possess the matter , and order it throughout ; as also that oneness of essence and indiscerpibility , that it may hold it together . for what should make any mass of matter one , but that which has a special oneness of essence in it self , quite different from that of matter ? and forasmuch as all souls are indued with the plastick whether of brutes or men , not to add the spirits of angels ; still there holds the same reason in all ranks , that spirits should be as well penetrable and indiscerpible as vital . and if there be any platonick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that have no plastick , yet penetrability must belong to them , and is of use to them , if they be found to be within the verges of the corporeal universe ( and why not they as well as god himself ? ) and indiscerpibility maintains their supposital unitie , as it does in all spirits that have to do with matter , and are capable of a vital coalescencie therewith . but i have accumulated here more theorie than is needful . and i must remember that i am in a digression . to return therefore to the particular point we have been about all this while . i hope by this time i have made it good , that the dr.'s definition of a spirit is so clear , so true , so express , and usefully instructive ( and that is the scope of the doctors writings ) that neither he himself , nor any body else , let them consider as much as they can , will ever be able to mend it . and that these affected cavils of mr. baxter argue no defects or slaws in the doctors definition , but the ignorance and impotencie of mr. baxters spirit , and the undue elation of his mind , when notwithstanding this unexceptionableness of the definition , he , pag. . out of his magisterial chair of judicature pronounces with a gracious nod , you mean well — but all our conceptions here must have their allowances , and we must confess their weakness . this is the sentence which grave mr. baxter , alto supercilio , gives of the doctors accurate definition of a spirit , to humble him , and exalt himself , in the sight of the populacie . but is it not a great weakness , or worse , to talk of favourable allowances , and not to allow that to be unexceptionable against which no just exception is found ? but to give mr. baxter his due , though the extream or extimate parts of this paragraph , pag. . which you may fancie as the skin thereof , may seem to have something of bitterness and toughness in it , yet the belly of the paragraph is full of plums and sweet things . for he saies , and we are all greatly beholden to the doctor for his so industrious calling foolish sensualists to the study and notion of invisible beings , without which , what a carcass or nothing were the world ? but is it not pity then , while the doctor does discharge this province with that faithfulness and industrie , that mr. baxter should disturb him in his work , and hazzard the fruits and efficacie thereof , by eclipsing the clearness of his notions of spiritual beings , ( for bodies may be also invisible ) by the interposition or opposition of his own great name against them , who , as himself tells the world in his church-history , has wrote fourscore books , even as old dr. glisson his patron or rather pattern in philosophy arrived to at least fourscore years of age ? and mr. baxter it seems is for the common proverb , the older the wiser ; though elihu in job be of another mind , who saies there , i said days should speak , and multitude of years should teach wisdom ; but there is a spirit in man , and the inspiration of the almighty giveth him vnderstanding . but whither am i going ? i would conclude here according to promise , having rescued the doctors definition of a spirit from mr. baxters numerous little criticisms , like so many shrill busie gnats trumpeting about it , and attempting to insix their feeble proboscides into it ; and i hope i have silenced them all . but there is something in the very next paragraph which is so wrongfully charged upon the doctor , that i cannot forbear standing up in his justification . the charge is this : that he has fathered upon mr. baxter an opinion he never owned , and nick-named him psychopyrist from his own fiction . as if , says he , we said that souls are fire , and also took fire , as the doctor does , for candles and hot irons , &c. onely . but i answer in behalf of the doctor , as i have a little toucht on this matter before , that he does indeed entitle a certain letter ( which he answers ) to a learned psychopyrist as the author thereof : but mr. baxters name is with all imaginable care concealed . so that he by his needless owning the letter , has notched that nick-name ( as he calls it ) of psychopyrist upon himself , whether out of greediness after that alluring epithet it is baited with , i know not ; but that he hangs thus by the gills like a fish upon the hook , he may thank his own self for it , nor ought to blame the doctor . much less accuse him for saying , that mr. baxter took fire in no other sense than that in candles and hot iron , and the like . for in his preface , he expresly declares on the psychopyrists behalf , that he does not make this crass and visible fire the essence of a spirit , but that his meaning is more subtile and refined . with what conscience then can mr. baxter say , that the doctor affirms that he took fire in no other sense than that in candles and hot iron , and the like , and that he held all souls to be such fire ? whenas the doctor is so modest and cautious , that he does not affirm that mr. baxter thinks any to be such ; though even in this placid collation , he professes his inclination towards the opinion , that ignis and vegetative spirit is all one , pag. , . i have oft professed , saith he , that i am ignorant whether ignis and vegetative spirit be all one , ( to which i most incline ) or whether ignis be an active nature made to be the instrument , by which the three spiritual natures , vegetative , sensitive , and mental work on the three passive natures , earth , water , air. and again , pag. . if it be the spirit of the world that is the nearest cause of illumination , by way of natural activity , then that which you call the spirit of the world , i call fire ; and so we differ but de nomine . but i have ( saith he as before ) professed my ignorance , whether fire and the vegetative nature be all one , ( which i incline to think ) or whether fire be a middle active nature between the spiritual and the mere passive , by which spirits work on bodie . and , pag. . i doubt not but fire is a substance permeant and existent in all mixt bodies on earth . in your bloud it is the prime part of that called the spirits , which are nothing but the igneous principle in a pure aereal vehicle , and is the organ of the sensitive faculties of the soul. and if the soul carry any vehicle with it , it 's like to be some of this . i doubt you take the same thing to be the spirit of the world , though you seem to vilifie it . and , pag. . i suppose you will say , the spirit of the world does this . but call it by what name you will , it is a pure active substance , whose form is the virtus motiva , illuminativa & calefactiva , i think the same which when it operateth on due seminal matter is vegetative . and lastly , pag. . i still profess my self in this also uncertain , whether natura vegetativa and ignea be all one , or whether ignis be natura organica by which the three superiour ( he means the vegetative , sensitive , and intellective natures ) operate on the passive . but i incline most to think they are all one , when i see what a glorious fire the sun is , and what operation it hath on earth , and how unlikely it is that so glorious a substance should not have as noble a formal nature as a plant. this is more than enough to prove that mr. baxter in the most proper sense is inclined to psychopyrism as to the spirit of the world , or vegetative soul of the vniverse ; that that soul or spirit is fire : and that all created spirits are fire , analogicè and eminenter , i have noted above that he does freely confess . but certainly if it had not been for his ignorance in the atomick philosophie which he so greatly despiseth , he would never have taken the fire it self , a congeries of agitated particles of such figures and dimensions , for the spirit of the world . but without further doubt have concluded it onely the instrument of that spirit in its operations , as also of all other created spirits , accordingly as the doctor has declared a long time since in his immortalitas animae , lib. . cap. . sect. . and finding that there is one such universal vegetative spirit ( properly so called ) or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world , he could not miss of concluding the whole vniverse one great plant , or if some obscure degree of sense be given to it , one large zoophyton or plant-animal , whence the sun will be endued or actuated as much by a vegetative nature as any particular plant whatsoever ; whereby mr. baxter might have took away his own difficultie he was entangled in . but the truth is , mr. baxters defectiveness in the right understanding of the atomick philosophy , and his aversness therefrom , as also from the true system of the world , which necessarily includes the motion of the earth , we will cast in also his abhorrence from the pre-existence of souls ( which three theories are hugely necessary to him that would philosophize with any success in the deepest points of natural religion and divine providence ) makes him utter many things that will by no means bear the test of severer reason . but in the mean time this desectiveness in sound philosophie neither hinders him nor any one else from being able instruments in the gospel-ministrie , if they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a due measure ; if they have a firm faith in the revealed truths of the gospel , and skill in history , tongues and criticism , to explain the text to the people , and there be added a sincere zeal to instruct their charge , and ( that they may appear in good earnest to believe what they teach ) they lead a life devoid of scandal and offence , as regulated by those gospel-rules they propose to others ; this , though they have little of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly so called , that reaches to the deepest account of things , ( but instead thereof , prudence and ingenuity ) will sufficiently enable them to be guides to the people , especially by adhering in matters of moment to the ancient apostolick and unapostatized church , and presuming nothing upon their private spirit against the same . such , questionless , will prove able and safe pastors , and will not fail of being approved of by our lord jesus the great shepherd and bishop of our souls . but if any such , as i noted above , for that they conceit themselves also dapper fellows at cudgils or quarter-staff , shall , leaving their flocks solitary in the fields , out of an itch after applause from the country-fry , gad to wakes and fairs to give a proof of their dexterity at those rural exercises ; if they shall , i say , for their pains return with a bruised knuckle or broken pate , who can help it ? it will learn them more wit another time . thus much by way of digression i thought fit to speak , not out of the least ill-will to mr. baxter , but onely in behalf of the doctor , hoping , though it is far from all that may be said , that yet it is so much , and so much also to the purpose , that it will save the doctor the labour of adding any thing more thereto . so that he may either enjoy his repose , or betake himself to some design of more use and moment . in the mean time , i having dispatcht my digression , i shall return to the main business in hand . i think it may plainly appear from what has been said , that it is no such harsh thing to adventure to conclude , that the truth of the divine intellect quatenus conceptive , speculative , or observative , which a platonist would be apt to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the divine intellect exhibitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( for though it be but one and the same intellect , yet for distinctness sake we are fain to speak as of two ) does consist in its conformity with the divine intellect exhibitive , with the immutable idea's , respects and references of things there . in conceiving and observing them ( as i may so speak ) to be such as they are represented in the said intellect quatenus necessarily and unalterably representing such idea's with the immediate respects and references of them . in this consists the truth of the divine intellect speculative . but the transcendental truth of things consists in their conformity to the divine intellect exhibitive . for every thing is true as it answers to the immutable idea of its own nature discovered in the divine intellect exhibitive . to which also the same divine intellect quatenus conceptive , speculative , or observative , gives its suffrage steadily and unalterably , conceiving these immutable idea's of things in their objective existence what their natures will be , with their necessary references , aptitudes or ineptitudes to other things when they are produced into act . from whence we may discern , how that saying of this ingenious author of the discourse of truth is to be understood . where he writes , it is against the nature of all vnderstanding to make its object . which if we will candidly interpret , must be understood of all understanding quatenus merely conceptive , speculative or observative , and of framing of its object at its pleasure . which as it is not done in the setled idea of a sphere , cylinder and pyramid , no more is it in any other idea's with their properties and aptitudes immediately issuing from them , but all the idea's with their inevitable properties , aptitudes , or ineptitudes are necessarily represented in the divine intellect exhibitive , immutably such as they are , a triangle with its three angles equal to two right ones , a right-angled triangle with the power of its hypotenusa equal to the powers of the basis and cathetus both put together : which things seem necessary to every sober man and rightly in his wits , our understanding being an abstract or copy of the divine understanding . but those that say that if god would , he might have made the three angles of a triangle unequal to two right ones , and also the powers of the basis and cathetus of a right-angled triangle unequal to the power of the hypotenusa , are either buffoons and quibblers , or their understandings being but creatural huffiness of mind and an ambition of approving themselves the broachers and maintainers of strange paradoxes , has crazed their intellectuals , and they have already entred the suburbs of down-right phrensie and madness . and to conclude ; out of what has been insinuated , we may reconcile this harsh sounding paradox of our author , that seems so point-blank against the current doctrine of the metaphysical schools , who make transcendental truth to depend upon the intellectual truth of god , which they rightly deem the fountain and origine of all truth , whenas he plainly declares , that the divine vnderstanding cannot be the fountain of the truth of things : but the seeming absurdity will be easily wiped away , if we take notice of our distinction touching the divine understanding quatenus merely conceptive , speculative or observative , and quatenus necessarily ( through its own infinite and immutable pregnancie and foecundity ) exhibitive of the distinct and determinate idea's or natures of things , with their immediate properties , respects or habitudes in their objective existence , representing them such as they certainly will be if reduced into act . his assertion is not to be understood of the divine understanding in this latter sense , but in the former . but being it is one and the same understanding , though considered under this twofold notion , our author , as well as the ordinarie metaphysicians , will agree to this truth in the sense explained ; that the divine understanding is the fountain of the truth of things , and that they are truly what they are , as they answer to their idea's represented in the exhibitive intellect of god. how the author himself comes off in this point , you will better understand when you have read the fifteenth , sixteenth and seventeenth sections of his discourse . let this suffice in the mean time for the removing all stumbling-blocks from before the reader . pag. . nor the foundation of the references one to another ; that is to say , the divine understanding quatenus conceptive or speculative , is most certainly not the foundation of the references of things one to another ; but the divine understanding quatenus exhibitive , that represents the idea's or natures of things in their objective existence such as they would be if reduced really into act , represents therewith all the references and habitudes they have one to another . which habitudes are represented not as flowing from or arbitrariously founded in any intellect whatsoever , but as resulting from the natures of the things themselves that respect one another , and are represented in the exhibitive understanding of god. which is the main thing that this ingenious author would be at , and such as will serve all his intents and purposes . pag. . it is the nature of vnderstanding ut moveatur , illuminetur , &c. namely , of understanding quatenus conceptive or speculative , not quatenus exhibitive . pag. . no idea's or representations either are or make the things they represent , &c. this assertion is most certainly true . but yet they may be such idea's and representations as may be the measure of the truth of those things they represent : and such are all the idea's in the divine intellect exhibitive , their setled distinct natures necessarily exhibited there in vertue of the absolute perfection of the deitie , though onely in their objective existence , are the measures of the truth of those things when they are reduced into act , as i have noted above ; but they are not the things themselves reduced into act , no more than an autographon is the very copy . ibid. all vnderstanding is such ; that is , idea's and representations of the natures of things in their objective existence , the patterns of what and how they are when they exist , and what references and aptitudes they have . i suppose he means here by understanding , not any power of the mind to conceive any thing , but understanding properly so called , viz. that , whose objects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the platonists speak , the idea's or representations of such things as are necessarily and unalterably such , not fictions at pleasure . let the intellect speculative be such idea's or representations as these , and then what it perceives , conceives , or observes , it does not make , but it is made to its hand , as not being able to be otherwise , nor it self to think otherwise . and therefore it is rightly inferred as follows : that no speculative understanding in that restrict sense above-named makes at pleasure the natures , respects and relations of its objects represented in the intellect exhibitive in their objective existence , but finds them there . nor does any intellect whatsoever make them at pleasure , but they are necessarily and unalterably represented in the exhibitive intellect of the deitie , both their natures , respects , and habitudes , as i noted above . sect. . pag. . it remains then that absolute , arbitrarious and independent will must be the fountain of all truth , &c. it being supposed that the divine understanding and the independent will of god are the onely competitours who should be the fountain of all truth , and the former section proving in a sense rightly understood , that the divine understanding cannot be the fountain of truth , it remains that the mere will of god should be the fountain of truth , and that things are true onely because he wills they be so . as if four bore a double proportion to two because god would have it so ; but if he would that two should bear a double proportion to four , it would immediately be so . ibid. which assertion would in the first place destroy the nature of god , &c. nay , if he will , it destroys his very existence . for if all truths depend upon gods will , then this truth , that god exists , does . and if he will the contrary to be true , namely , that he does not exist , what becomes of him then ? ibid. and rob him of all his attributes . that it robs him of science and assured knowledge , whose objects are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , things immutable and necessary , this section makes good . and that it despoils him of his rectitude of nature , the eighth section will shew . pag. . any angel or man may as truly be said to know all things as god himself , &c. because this supposition takes away all the steadie and scientifick knowableness in things , it taking away their setled , fixt and necessary habitudes one to another , as if double proportion of four to two did no more belong to it in truth and reality than sub-double , and that four in truth were no more the quaternarie number than the binary , but indifferently either , as the will of god will have it . this plainly pulls up by the roots all pretence of science or knowledge in god , angels , and men. and much more , flatly to assert , that if god will , contradictions may be true . for this plainly implies that there is really no repugnancy nor connection of one thing with another , and that therefore no one thing can be proved or disproved from another . pag. . if we distinguish those two attributes in god , &c. namely , of wisdom and knowledge , as if the one were noematical , the other dianoetical ; although that discursiveness is more quick than lightning , or rather an eternal intuitive discernment of the consequence or cohesion of things at once . sect. . pag. . because they suppose that god is mutable and changeable , &c. this can be no allegation against the other arguings , because we cannot be assured of the immutability or unchangeableness of god , but by admitting of what those arguings drive at , namely , that there is an immutable , necessary and unchangeable reference and respect or connection of things one with another . as for example , of immutableness or ▪ unchangeableness with perfection , and of perfection with god. for to fancie god an imperfect being is nonsense to all men that are not delirant ; and to fancie him perfect , and yet changeable in such a sense as is here understood , is as arrant a contradiction or repugnancie . wherefore they that would oppose the fore-going alguings by supposing god unchangeable , must acknowledge what is aimed at , that there is a necessary and unchangeable respect and connection betwixt things , or else their opposition is plainly weak and vain . but if they grant this , they grant the cause , and so truth has its just victory and triumph . this section is abundantly clear of it self . sect. . pag. . will spoil god of that universal rectitude which is the greatest perfection of his nature , &c. in the fifth section it was said , that the making the will of god the fountain of all truth robs him of all his attributes . and there it is proved how it robs him of his wisdom and knowledge . here it is shewn how it robs him of his justice , mercy , faithfulness , goodness , &c. pag. . for to say they are indispensably so because god understands them so , &c. this , as the author saies , must be extream incogitancy . for the truth of the divine understanding speculative consists in its conformitie with the idea's of things and their respects and habitudes in the divine understanding exhibitive , which necessarily , unchangeably and unalterably represents the natures of things with their respects and habitudes in their objective existence , such as they necessarily are when they do really exist . as of a sphere , pyramid , cube and cylinder . and there is the same reason of all natures else with their respects and habitudes , that they are as necessarily exhibited as the cube and cylinder , and their habitudes and respects one to another , as the proportion that a cylinder bears to a sphere or globe of the same altitude and equal diameter . which archimedes with incomparable clearness and subtiltie of wit has demonstrated in his treatise de sphaera & cylindro , to be ratio sesquealtera , as also the superficies of the cylinder with its bases to bear the same proportion to the supersicies of the sphere . and as these idea's are necessarily and unalterably with their respects and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 represented , so are all idea's else , physical and moral , as i have noted above . and the nature of justice , mercy , faithfulness and goodness are with their habitudes and respects as sixedly , determinately and unalterably represented in their idea's , as the sphere and cylinder , or any other form or being whatsoever . sect. . pag. . for we are to know that there is a god , and the will of god , &c. that is to say , if there be no setled natures and respects and habitudes of things in the order of nature antecedent to any will whatever , meditation or contrivance , nor there be any certain nature , respects , habitudes , and connections of things in themselves ; it will be necessary that we first know there is a god , and what his will is touching the natures , respects and habitudes of things . whether these which we seem to discern and do argue from are the same he means and wills , or some other . and so there will be a necessity of knowing god and his will , before we have any means to know him ; or , which is all one , we shall never have any means to know him upon this false and absurd hypothesis . sect. . pag. . then it infallibly follows that it is all one what i do or how i live , &c. this , as the following words intimate , is to be understood in reference to the pleasing god , and to our own future happiness . but it is manifest it is not all one what i do or how i live ( though i did suppose there were no real distinction betwixt truth and falshood , good and evil in the sense here intended ) in reference to this present condition in this world , where the sense of pain and ease , of imprisonment and liberty , and of the security or sasety of a mans own person will oblige him to order his life in such a manner as hath at least the imitation of temperance , faithfulness , and justice . sect. . pag. . if the opposition of contradictory terms depend upon the arbitrarious resolves of any being whatsoever . the plainness and irrefragableness of this truth , that the opposition of contradictory terms is an affection , habitude or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt those terms that no power in heaven or earth can abolish , methinks should assure any that are not pure sots or crazie fantasticks , that there may be many other such unalterable and immutable habitudes of terms , natures or things that are every jot as unabolishable as this . which is no derogation to the divine perfection , but an argument of it ; unless we should conceit that it is the height of the perfection of divine omnipotence to be able to destroy himself . and truly to fancie an ability in him of destroying or abolishing those eternal , necessary and immutable habitudes or respects of the natures of things represented in their idea's by the divine intellect exhibitive , is little less than the admitting in god an ability of destroying or abolishing the divine nature it self , because ipso facto the divine wisdom and knowledge would be destroyed , as was shewn in the fifth section , and what a god would that be that is destitute thereof ! wherefore it is no wonder that those men that are sober and in their wits , find it so impossible in themselves but to conceive that such and such natures are steadily such and no other , and betwixt such and such natures there are steadily and immutably such habitudes and respects and no others . forasmuch as the intellect of man is as it were a small compendious transcript of the divine intellect , and we feel in a manner in our own intellects the firmness and immutability of the divine , and of the eternal and immutable truths exhibited there . so that those that have their minds so crackt and shatter'd as to be able to fancy that if god would , he could change the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common notions into their contradictories , as the whole is less than its part , &c. must have very crazy intellectuals , and have taken their lodging at least in the suburbs of downright dotage or phrensie , as i noted above . pag. . if any one should affirm that the terms of common notions have an eternal and indispensable relation to one another , &c. that this priviledge is not confined to the common notions they are abundantly convinced of , that have bestowed any competent study upon mathematicks , where the connection of every link of the demonstration is discerned to be as firmly and indiflolubly knit , as the terms of a common notion are the one with the other . and it is our impatience , carelesness or prejudices that we have not more conclusions of such certitude than we have in other studies also . sect. . pag. . for if there be truth antecedently to the divine vnderstanding , &c. this objection of the adversaries is framed something perversly and invidiously , as if the other party held , that there were truth antecedently to the divine understanding , and as if from thence the divine understanding would be a mere passive principle actuated by something without , as the eye by the sun. but it is a plain case , out of what has been declared , that the divine understanding ( though there be such eternal natures and unchangeable respects and habitudes of them represented in the idea's that are in the exhibitive intellect of the deity ) that it is , i say , before any external object whatever , and yet always had exhibited to it self the eternal and unalterable natures and respects of things in their idea's . and it was noted moreover , that the truth of the external objects , when brought into act , is measured by their conformity to these idea's . besides , the divine understanding being before all things , how could there be any truth before it , there being neither understanding nor things in which this truth might reside ? or the divine understanding be a mere passive principle actuated by something without , as the eye by the sun , whenas questionless the divine intellect quatenus exhibitive is the most active principle conceivable ; nay , indeed actus purissimus , the most pure act , as aristotle has defined god ? it is an eternal , necessary , and immutable energy , whose very essence is a true and fixt ideal representation of the natures of all things , with their respects and habitudes resulting eternally from the divine foecundity at once . how then can this , which is so pure and pregnant an energy , be a mere passive principle , or be actuated by any external object , when it was before any thing was ? but a further answer is to be found of the authour himself in the fifteenth section . pag. . which is to take away his independency and self sufficiency . namely , if there be mutual and unalterable congruities and incongruities of things , as if they would determine god in his actions by something without himself . which is a mere mistake . for the pregnant fulness of the divine essence and perfection eternally and necessarily exerting itself into an ideal display of all the natures , properties , respects and habitudes of things , whether congruities or incogruities , and these fixt , immutable , necessary and unchangeable in their ideal or objective existence ; and in time producing things according to these paradigms or patterns into actual existence by his omnipotence , and ever sustaining , supporting and governing them by his unfailing power and steady and unchangeable wisdom and counsel ; i say , when all things are thus from god , sustained by god , and regulated according to the natures he has given them , which answer the patterns and paradigms in him , how can any such determination of his will any way clash with his self-sufficiency or independency , whenas we see thus , that all things are from god and depend of him , and his actions guided by the immutable idea's in his own nature , according to which all external things are what they are , and their truth measured by their conformity with them . but there is a fuller answer of the author's , to this objection , in the sixteenth and seventeenth sections . sect. . pag. . and to fetter and imprison freedom and liberty it self in the fatal and immutable chains and respects of things , &c. this is a misconceit that savours something of a more refined anthropomorphitism , that is to say , though they do not make the essence of god finite and of an humane figure or shape , yet they imagine him to have two different principles in him , an extravagant and undetermined lust or appetite , as it is in man , and an intellectual or rational principle , whose laws are to correct the luxuriancies and impetuosities of the other , and to bridle and regulate them . but this is a gross mistake ; for there is no such blind and impetuous will in god upon which any intellectual laws were to lay a restraint , but his whole nature being pure and intellectual , and he acting according to his own nature , which contains those idea's and immutable respects , congruities and incongruities of things there eternally and unalterably represented , he acts with all freedom imaginable , nor has any chains of restraint laid upon him , but is at perfect liberty to do as his own nature requires and suggests . which is the most absolute liberty that has any sound or shew of perfection with it , that can be conceived in any being . sect. . pag. . and does as it were draw them up into its own beams . this is something a sublime and elevate expression . but i suppose the meaning thereof is , that the natures and respects of the things of this lower creation , the divine understanding applies to the bright shining idea's found in his own exalted nature , and observes their conformity therewith , and acknowledges them true and right as they answer to their eternal patterns . sect. . pag. . to tie up god in his actions to the reason of things , destroys his liberty , absoluteness , and independency . this is said , but it is a very vain and weak allegation , as may appear out of what has been suggested above . for reasons of things and their habitudes and references represented in the eternal idea's in their objective existence , which is the pattern of their natures when they exist actually , is the very life and nature of the divine understanding ; and as i noted above , the most true and perfective libertie that can be conceived in any being is , that without any check or tug , or lubricity and unsteadiness , it act according to its own life and nature . and what greater absoluteness than this ? for that which acts according to its own nature , acts also according to its own will or appetite . and what greater independencie than to have a power upon which there is no restraint , nor any modification of the exercise thereof , but what is taken from that which has this power ? for the eternal and immutable reasons of things are originally and paradigmatically in the divine understanding , of which those in the creatures are but the types and transitorie shadows . the author in this section has spoke so well to this present point , that it is needless to superadd any thing more . sect. . pag. . in this seventeenth section the author more fully answers that objection , as if gods acting according to the reasons of things inferred a dependency of him upon something without himself ; which he does with that clearness and satisfaction , that it is enough to commend it to the perusal of the reader . sect. . pag. . truth in the power or faculty is nothing else but a conformity of its conceptions or idea's unto the natures and relations of things which in god we may call , &c. the description which follows is ( though the author nowhere takes notice of that distinction ) a description of the divine understanding quatenus exhibitive , not conceptive or speculative . the truth of which latter does indeed consist in the conformity of its conception unto the natures and relations of things , but not of things ad extra , but unto the natures , habitudes and respects of things as they are necessarily , eternally and immutably represented in the divine understanding exhibitive , which is the intellectual world , which the author here describes , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vast champion or boundless field of truth . so that in those words [ unto the natures and relations of things which in god we call an actual , steady , immoveable , eternal omniformity , &c. ] which is to be referred to [ the natures and relations of things ] as is evident to any that well considers the place . and with this sense that which follows the description is very coherent . pag. . now all that truth that is in any created being , is by participation and derivation from this first vnderstanding ( that is , from the divine understanding quatenus exhibitive ) and fountain of intellectual light. that is , according to the platonick dialect , of those steady , unalterable and eternal idea's ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) of the natures and respects of things represented there in the divine understanding exhibitive in their objective existence ; in conformity to which the truth in all created things and understandings doth necessarily consist . pag. . antecedently to any vnderstanding or will , &c. that is , antecedently to any understanding conceptive , observative or speculative whatsoever , or to any will ; but not antecedently to the divine understanding exhibitive . for that is antecedent to all created things , and contains the steady , fixt , eternal , and unalterable natures and respects or habitudes , before they had or could have any being . i say it contains the truth and measure of them ; nor can they be said to be truly what they are , any further than they are found conformable to these eternal , immutable idea's , patterns and paradigms , which necessarily and eternally are exerted , and immutably in the divine understanding exhibitive . and of these paradigmatical things there , what follows is most truly affirmed . pag. . for things are what they are , and cannot be otherwise without a contradiction , &c. this was true before any external or created things did exist . true of every form in that eternal omniformity , which the platonists call the intellectual world , as the author has observed above in this section . a circle is a circle , and a triangle a triangle there , nor can be otherwise without a contradiction . and so of a globe , cylinder , horse , eagle , whale , fire , water , earth , their ideal fixt and determinate natures , habitudes , aptitudes , and respects necessarily and immutably there exhibited , are such as they are , nor can be otherwise without a contradiction . and because it is thus in the divine nature or essence , which is the root and fountain of the exteriour creation , the same is true in the created beings themselves . things are there also what they are , nor can they be a globe suppose , or a cylinder , and yet not be a globe or a cylinder at once , or be both a globe and cylinder at once ; and so of the rest . as this is a contradiction in the intellectual world , so is it in the exteriour or material world , and so , because it is so in the intellectual . for the steadiness and immutableness of the nature of all things , and of their respects and habitudes , arise from the necessity , immutability , and unchangeableness of the divine essence and life , which is that serene , unclouded , undisturbed , and unalterable eternity , where all things with their respects and aptitudes , their order and series , are necessarily , steadily and immutably exhibited at once . p. . as they conform & agree with the things themselves , &c. the more platonical sense , and more conformable to that we have given of other passages of this learned and ingenious author is , if we understand the things themselves , at least primarily , to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of plato , which is the term which he bestows upon his idea's , which are the patterns or paradigms according to which every thing is made , and is truly such so far forth as it is found to agree with the patterns or originals in which all archetypal truth is immutably lodged . all created things are but the copies of these , these the original , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or writing it self , from whence plato calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if those archetypal forms were the forms or things themselves , but the numerous created beings here below , only the copies or imitations of them . wherefore no conception or idea's that we frame , or any intellect else as conceptive merely and speculative , can be true , but so far as they agree with these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in that sense we have declared , or with cre●ted things so far as they are answerable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or archetypal things themselves . and from hence is sufficiently understood the nature of truth in the subject . these few cursory notes i thought worth the while to make upon these two learned and ingenious writers , the subjects they have written on being of no mean importance and use , and the things written in such a time of their age , as if men be born under an auspicious planet , best fits their minds for the relishing and ruminating upon such noble theories . for i dare say , when they wrote these discourses or treatises , they had neither of them reached so much as half the age of man as it is ordinarily computed . which has made them write upon these subjects with that vigour and briskness of spirit that they have . for the constitution of youth , in those that have not an unhappy nativity , is far more heavenly and angelical than that of more grown age , in which the spirit of the world is more usually awakened , and then begins that scene which the poet describes in his de arte poetica , quaerit opes & amicitias , inservit honori . their mind then begins to be wholly intent to get wealth and riches , to enlarge their interest by the friendship of great persons , and to hunt after dignities and preferments , honours and imployments in church or state , and to those more heavenly and divine sentiments through disuse and the presence of more strong and filling impressions are laid asleep , and their spirits thickened and clouded with the gross fumes and steams that arise from the desire of earthly things ; and it may so fall out , if there be not special care taken , that this mud they have drawn in by their coarse desires , may come to that opaque hardness and incrustation , that their terrestrial body may prove a real dungeon , & cast them into an utter oblivion of their chiefest concerns in the other state. — nec auras respicient clausi tenebris & carcere caeco . which i thought fit to take notice of , as well for the instruction of others , as for a due appretiation of these two brief treatises of these florid writers , they being as it were the virgin-honey of these two attick bees , the primitiae of their intemerated youth , where an happy natural complexion , and the first rudiments of christian regeneration may seem to have conspired to the writing of two such useful treatises . vseful , i say , and not a little grateful to men of refined fancies and gay intellectuals , of benign and philosophical tempers , and lovers of great truths and goodness . which natural constitution were a transcendent priviledge indeed , were there not one great danger in it to those that know not how to use it skilfully . for it does so nearly ape , as i may so speak , the divine benignity it self , and that unself-interessed love that does truly arise from no other seed than that of real regeneration ( which self-mortification and a serious endeavour of abolishing or utterly demolishing our own will , and quitting any thing that would captivate us , and hinder our union with god and his christ , does necessarily precede ) that too hastily setting up our rest in these mere complexional attainments , which is not spirit but flesh , though it appear marvellous sweet and goodly to the owner , if there be not due care taken to advance higher in that divine and eternal principle of real regeneration , by a constant mortification of our own will , the●e may be a perpetual hazzard of this flesh growing corrupt and fly-blown , and sending up at last no sweet savour into the nostrils of the almighty . that which is born of the flesh is flesh , and that which is born of the spirit is spirit ; and all flesh is grass , and the beauty thereof as the flower of the field ; but that which is born of the eternal seed of the living word , abideth for ever and ever . and therefore there is no safe anchorage for the soul , but in a perpetual endeavour of annihilating of her own will , that we may be one with christ , as christ is with god. otherwise if we follow the sweet enticing counsels of mere nature , though it look never so smugly on it , it will seduce us into a false liberty , and at last so corrupt our judgment , and blind us , that we shall scarce be able to discern him that is that great light that was sent into the world , but become every man an ignis fatuus to himself , or be so silly as to be led about by other ignes fatui , whenas it is most certain that christ is the only way , the truth and the life , and he that does not clearly see that , when he has opportunity to know it , let his pretence to other knowledge be what it will , it is a demonstration that as to divine things he is stark blind . but no man can really adhere to christ , and unwaveringly , but by union to him through his spirit ; nor obtain that spirit of life , but by resolved mortification of his own will , and a deadness to all worldly vanities , that we may be restored at last to our solid happiness which is through christ in god , without whose communion no soul can possibly be happy . and therefore i think it not amiss to close these my theoretical annotations on these two treatises , with that more practical and devotional hymn of a. b. that runs much upon the mortification of our own wills , and of our union and communion with god , translated into english by a lover of the life of our lord jesus . the devotional hymn . . o heavenly light ! my spirit to thee draw , with powerful touch my senses smite , thine arrows of love into me throw . with flaming dart deep wound my heart , and wounded seize for ever , as thy right . . o sweetest sweet ! descend into my soul , and sink into its low'st abyss , that all false sweets thou mayst controul , or rather kill , so that thy will alone may be my pleasure and my bliss . . do thou my faculties all captivate vnto thy self with strongest tye ; my will entirely regulate : make me thy slave , nought else i crave , for this i know is perfect liberty , . thou art a life the sweetest of all lives , nought sweeter can thy creature taste ; 't is this alone the soul revives . be thou not here , all other chear will turn to dull satiety at last . . o limpid fountain of all vertuous leare ! o well-spring of true joy and mirth ! the root of all contentments dear ! o endless good ! break like a floud into my soul , and water my dry earth , . that by this mighty power i being reft of every thing that is not one , to thee alone i may be left by a firm will fixt to thee still , and inwardly united into one . . and so let all my essence , i thee pray , be wholly fill'd with thy dear son , that thou thy splendour mayst display with blissful rays in these hid ways whereingods nature by frail man is won . . for joyned thus to thee by thy sole aid and working ( whilst all silent stands in mine own soul , nor ought's assay'd from self-desire ) i 'm made entire an instrument fit for thy glorious hands . . and thus henceforwards shall all workings cease , vnless't be those thou dost excite to perfect that sabbatick peace which doth arise when self-will dies , and the new creature is restored quite . . and so shall i with all thy children dear , while nought debars thy workings free , be closely joyn'd in union near , nay with thy son shall i be one , and with thine own adored deitie . . so that at last i being quite releas'd from this strait-lac'd egoity , my soul will vastly be encreas'd into that all which one we call , and one in 't self alone doth all imply . . here 's rest , here 's peace , here 's joy and holy love , the heaven 's here of true content , for those that hither sincerely move , here 's the true light of wisdom bright , and prudence pure with no self-seeking mient . . here spirit , soul and cleansed body may bathe in this fountain of true bliss of pleasures that will ne're decay , all joyful sights and hid delights ; the sense of these renew'd here daily is . . come therefore come , and take an higher flight , things perishing leave here below , mount up with winged soul and spright , quick let 's be gone to him that 's one , but in this one to us can all things show . . thus shall you be united with that one , that one where 's no duality ; for from this perfect good alone ever doth spring each pleasant thing , the hungry soul to feed and satisfie . . wherefore , o man ! consider well what 's said , to what is best thy soul incline , and leave off every evil trade . do not despise what i advise : finish thy work before the sun decline . finis . books printed for , or sold by samuel lownds , over against exeter exchange in the strand . parthenissa , that fam'd romance . written by the right honourable the earl of orrery . clelia , an excellent new romance , the whole work in five books . written in french , by the exquisite pen of monsieur de scudery . the holy court. written by n. causinus . bishop saundersons sermons . herberts travels , with large additions . the compleat horseman , and expert farrier , in two books : . shewing the best manner of breeding good horses , with their choice , nature , riding and dieting , as well for running as hunting ; as also , teaching the groom and keeper his true office. . directing the most exact and approved manner how to know and cure all diseases in horses : a work containing the secrets and best skill belonging either to farrier or horse-leach : the cures placed alphabetically , with hundreds of medicines never before imprinted in any author . by thomas de grey . claudius mauger's french and english letters upon all subjects enlarged , with fifty new letters , many of which are on the late great occurrences and revolutions of europe ; all much amended and refined , according to the most quaint and courtly mode ; wherein yet the idiom and elegancy of both tongues are far more exactly suited than formerly . very useful to those who aspire to good language , and would know what addresses become them to all sorts of persons . besides many notes in the end of the book , which are very necessary for commerce . paul festeau's french grammar , being the newest and exactest method now extant , for the attaining to the elegancy and purity of the french tongue . the great law of consideration ; a discourse shewing the nature , usefulness , and absolute necessity of consideration , in order to a truly serious and religious life . the third edition , corrected and much enlarged , by anthony horneck , d. d. the mirror of fortune , or the true characters of fate and destiny , treating of the growth and fall of empires , the misfortunes of kings and great men , and the ill fate of virtuous and handsome ladies . saducismus triumphatus : or full & plain evidence concerning witches and apparitions , in two parts , the first treating of their possibility , the second of their real existence ; by joseph glanvil , late chaplain to his majesty , and fellow of the royal society . the second edition . the advantages whereof above the former , the reader may understand out of dr. henry more 's account prefixt thereunto . with two authentick but wonderful stories of swedish witches , done into english by anthony horneck , d. d. french rogue , being a pleasant history of his life and fortune , adorned with variety of other adventures of no less rarity . of credulity and incredulity in things divine and spiritual , wherein ( among other things ) a true and faithful account is given of platonick philosophy , as it hath reference to christianity . as also the business of witches and witchcraft , against a late writer , fully argued and disputed . by merick causabon , d. d. one of the prebends of canterhury . cicero against catiline , in four invective orations , containing the whole manner of discovering that notorious conspiracy . by christopher wase . cambridge jests , being witty alarms for melancholy spirits . by a lover of ha , ha , he. finis . the second part of the theatre of gods ivdgments collected out of the writings of sundry ancient and moderne authors / by thomas taylor. taylor, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the second part of the theatre of gods ivdgments . collected out of the writings of sundry ancient and moderne authors , by the late reverend divine dr thomas taylor , sometime pastor of aldermanbury in london . london , printed by richard herne . an. dom. . the second part of the theatre of god's judgments . chap. i. gods remarkable judgements against pride . as in the two former learned tractates , bearing title of the theatre of gods iudgements inflicted upon the severall breaches of the ten commandements ; so now , to these we adde a third tract , of his most remarkable punishments of the seaven deadly sinnes ; and these illustrated by sundry notable examples , aswell domestick as forraine . and because pride was the first , which began in the angels , and hath since infected all mankinde , from our protoplasti ( our first parents ) adam and eve , and hath continued through all generations hitherto ; and shall in their posterity , even to the last dissolution : i derive my first discourse from that . there be foure sorts of pride , by which every insolent and arrogant man discovereth himselfe : for instance , when those good parts ( if he have any ) of which he is possest , he apprehendeth meerely to spring from himselfe ; or when those which he acknowledgeth to be conferred from above , he attributeth to his owne merit ; or when he boasteth to have , what indeed hee hath not ; or when despising others , he covets to be singular in himself . this sinne was borne in heaven , but so suddenly precipitated thence , that it could never since finde the way backe againe thither : all other vices are onely at warre with these particular vertues , by which they are overcome ; as inchastity , chastity ; bounty , avarice ; wrath , patience ; and so of the rest : pride is not with that contented , as to oppose humility and obedience , but it rageth against all the vertues of the minde , and like a generall pestiferous disease , striveth to putrifie and infect them all : for pride in riches makes men the more covetous : in idlenesse , scorning labour ; in wrath , more outragious ; in gluttony , more intemperate ; in envy , more malicious : neither is there any mortiferous sinne , in which pride is not a supreame agent ; the signes thereof are boldnesse in language ; sullennesse in silence ; arrogance in mirth ; murmuring in melancholly ; and despising all others , doating upon himselfe . aesop being asked by chian , what he thought iupiter was at that time doing ? made answer , hee is now dejecting the proud , and exalting the humble . and the famous philosopher aristotle , spying a rich young man ( but altogether unlearned ) strutting along the streets , with a proud affected gate ; and his eyes so elevated towards heaven , as if hee despised the earth , whereon he troad ; came to him , and said , friend , such as thou thinkest thy selfe to be , i wish i were ; but to be such as thou art , i wish onely to mine enemie . this also socrates with great modesty reproved in alcibiades , who finding himselfe suddenly puft up with his extraordinary abundance in riches , and much to glory in his many spoyles and victories , he drew him into a private gallery ; and shewing him a cosmographicall table of the world , bid him looke in what part of the map he could spy all his great trophies and triumphs ? and when hee answered him , they were not there to be seene ; socrates replyed , cur igitur ob illa superbis , quae circa nullam terrae partem existunt ? that is , why then art thou so proud of these things which are not visible in any part of the earth ? neither was the church it selfe free from this sinne in the dayes of learned saint bernard , who in one of his sermons thus complaines . thou shalt see many in the church , who from obscure parentage being ennobled , and from poverty made rich with pride , so suddenly tumor'd and tympanized , that forgetting from whence they came , have contemned their parents , and blusht at their owne births : thou shalt see also some pernicious persons aspire unto ecclesiasticall honours , and then pretend to themselves a seeming sanctity , by changing of their vestures , not their vices ; and their manner of habit , not their mindes ; esteeming themselves to deserve that dignity which they have insidiated by deceit , and which ( i scarce dare say ) have attributed that to their merit , which they have bought with their money . but as the smoake , which of its owne nature is blacke and obscure , yet covets to ascend from a light and bright flame ; but in the midst of its violent reluctation , resolves it selfe into aire ; and so vanishing , loseth both nature and name : so the proud and ambitious , howsoever coursly and obscurely parted , yet will elevate and advance himselfe above others ; yet in his striving to stand high , is often precipitated , and loseth both his place and memory ; behold ( saith the prophet ) he that lifteth up himselfe , his minde is not upright ; but the iust shall live by his faith . yea , indeed , the proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine , therefore shall he not endure , because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell , and is as death , and cannot be satisfied ; but gathereth unto him all nations , and heapeth unto him all people : shall not all these take up a parable against him ? and a taunting proverbe , and say , ho , he that increaseth that which is not his ! how long ? and be that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay ? shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee ? and awake that shall stirre thee ? and thou shalt bee their prey ; because &c. how pride hath beene severely punished by the almighty , we finde frequent examples in the holy text : it was punisht in our first parents by their exile out of paradise . in the builders of babel , ( who said , come let us build us a citie and a tower , whose top may reach up to the heaven , that we may get us a name , &c. ) in their scattering over the face of the earth , and the confusion of their languages : in sodome and gomorrah , by raining down fire and brimstone upon their cities and people : in miriam the sister of moses , by leaprosie : in korah , dathan , and abir●m , for their pride , and rebellion against moses ; the ground clave asunder that was under them , and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up , with their families ; and all the men that were with korah , and all their goods ; so they and all that they had went downe alive unto the pit , and the earth covered them , and they perisht from amongst the congregation : in goliah the philistime , slaine by the hands of david : in sheba the sonne of bicri , who lift up his hand against the king ; by having his head cut off , and cast over the walls to ioah , captaine of the hoast : in absalom , who tooke such pride in his haire , that it after became his halter : in destroying of davids people , for his pride in numbring them : in adoniah , who for demanding abishag the shunamite to wife , ( who had layen in his fathers bosome ) was slaine at the commandment of solomon , by the hand of benaiah the sonne of iehojadah : in benhadad king of aram , rabsakeh and zenacharib : in olofernes the great captain of the assyrian hoast , slain by iudith at the siege of bethulia : in haman the son of hammedatha the agagite , whom the great king ahashuerosh exalted , and set his seat above all the princes that were under him ; whose pride growing up with his promotion , at length advanced him to a gibbet fiftie foot high , upon which in the glory of his ambition he was strangled : in nabuchadnezar , and balthassar king of the chaldeans : in the great king antiochus , who went up towards iudea and hierusalem , with a mighty people , and entred proudly into the sanctuary , and tooke away the golden altar , and the candlesticke for the light , and all the instruments belonging thereto ; and the table of the shewbread , and the powring vessels , and the bowles , and the golden basons , and the vayle , and the crownes , and the golden apparrell which was before the temple , and brake all in pieces : he brake also the silver and gold , and the precious jewels , with the secret treasures that he found , and then departed away into his owne land. but the same proud prince comming after with great dishonour from persia , the god almighty stroke him with an invisible and an incurable plague , by a paine in his bowels , which was remedilesse , and which grievously tormented him in the inner parts ; for so he had tormented other mens bowels with divers cruell and strange torments ; yet would not hee cease from his arrogance , but swelled the more with pride , against gods owne people to destroy them ; and commanded to haste his journey for that purpose : but so it was , that he fell downe from the chari●t that ranne swiftly , and all the parts and members of his body were bruised . thus he who but a day before thought hee might command the flouds , ( such was his luciferian pride , beyond the condition of man ) and to weigh the high mountaines in the ballance , was cast on the earth and carried in an horse-litter ; declaring unto all the world the manifest power of god : so that the wormes came out of his body in abundance , and his flesh dropt from his bones with paine and torment , and all his army was grieved at his smell : no man could now endure him because of his stinke , who but a little before , thought with his hands he might reach the starres of heaven : and then ( though too late ) he began to abate his haughty and peremptory insolence ; when being plagued , he came to the knowledge of himselfe by the just scourge ' of god ; and by his inward torments which every moment increased upon him : and when he himselfe could not abide his owne favour , he said , it is meet for man to be subject to god , and that he who is but mortall should not oppose himselfe against his maker . the like punishment we reade of in the person of nicanor , who came unto mount sion , whom the priests and the elders of the people went forth of the sanctuary to salute peaceably , and to shew him the daily burnt offerings for the king ; but he laughed at them and derided their devotion , accounting them meerely prophane , and spake proudly , and sware in his wrath , if iudas and his hoast be not delivered into mine hands ; if ever i shall returne in safety , i will burne up this house , &c. and so departed thence in great fury : but observe the event of his so great ostentation and insolence . iudas after some few dayes ( though against infinite oddes ) having slaine nicanor in battaile , and routed his whole army , he caused his head to be struck off , and that arme and hand which he had so proudly lifted up against the temple of the god of israel , and brought them to hierusalem , and there caused them to be hanged up , as a remarkable judgement . but not to dwell on those , frequent in the holy text : i come now to the like examples gathered from ethnick and morall remembrancers , and out of them give you onely a taste to prevent surfet , till i fall upon those more familiar and moderne . alexander the great , in his height of potency , and supereminent fortune , contemning the remembrance of his father philip , would be called god , and commanded himselfe to be stiled the sonne of iupiter hamon ; who notwithstanding in the sufferance of many heats and colds , his subjection to humours and passions , his enduring of smarts and wounds , and all other infirmities belonging to man , would not be sensible of his mortality ; till in the very apex of his sublimity he was treacherously poysoned , and so most miserably expired . and nero , the arch-tyrant since adam , after he had filled the earth with many insolencies , and rome ( the theu worlds metropolis ) with infinite rapes , murders , and massacres , not sparing his neare kinsman germanicum , his corrivall in the empire , nor his great grave and learned tutor and master seneca ; to make himselfe unparalleld in all kinde of parricidy , he caused the wombe of his owne naturall mother agrippina to be ript up before his face , onely in an ambition to discover the place of his first conception ; notwithstanding which inhumanities , hee was so inflamed with an ardent desire of future memory , that by a publike edict he proclaimed that the moneth april should lose its ancient name , and be called after his owne appellation , nero ; and the citie of rome , neropolis : yet this proud man in the end , being quite abandoned and forsaken of all his sycophants and oily flatterers , was glad to fly from his royall court to seeke refuge in a rustick cottage ; and with greater terrour to his owne conscience , then before he had used tyranny upon the carkasses of others ; he was compelled to fall upon his sword , his body being after , most contemptibly dragg'd through the streets of the citie , with more bitter execrations and curses , then before he had lived houres or minutes . another , called varus pergaus , was so infected with the adulatory assentations of his flatterers , buffoones , and trencher-flyes ; that hee was brought to perswade himselfe to be of all faire men , the most beautifull ; of all able men , the most sinnowie and strong ; of all understanding men ; the most prudent and wise ; and that in all kindes of musick and melody , he could out-play and out-sing even the muses themselves : but this poore effascinated wretched creature , when hee had long fooled and spent the prime and best of his age , in this vaine and idle false conceit ; he grew towards his end to be strangely disfigured and deformed in visage , feebled and disabled in his vigour and strength ; idioted and besotted in his understanding and sence ; and so farre from song or harmony , that his unlamented death was accompanied with his owne shreeking , and howling . we further reade of one menecrates , a rare physitian , who in his practise had done many extraordinary cures upon severall patients , insomuch that he was held in a generall admiration ; especially amongst those to whom he was best knowne : who having gathered to himselfe a competent estate , or rather a surplusage of meanes , that he presumed no casualty or adverse fortune was any way able to decline him to necessity or want ; he then in a proud and insolent ostentation , puft up with the vanity of his owne fancie , admitted all sickly and diseased persons to have free accesse unto him : for whose cures he demanded no other satisfaction or reward , but that they should acknowledge him their new creator , not contented to be called by the name of apollo , or aesculapius , the two imaginary gods of physicke , and chirurgery , but his ambition was to be called iupiter himselfe : yet soone after being quite abandoned by his owne art , and forsaken by his fellow physitians , he suddenly died of an incurable impostume . neither have emperours , kings , and princes , with other sages and seeming wise men , beene onely tainted with this superarrogant haughtinesse and ambition ; but this miscellane sinne , which hath intruded it selfe into all delinquencies and malefactions whatsoever , claimeth a predominance over all estates , qualities , functions , manufactures , sexes , and ages ; whether in court , citie , campe , or country : from the scarlet to the russet , from the scepter to the sheep-hooke , the tetrarch to the tradesman . for instance , the rurall girle being a little flattered , shall be easily perswaded to be a rare courtly gentlewoman : nay , even kitchen-maides have held competitorship with court madams ; no lesse proud , though perhaps lesse painted ; and the very course coridon will scarce give precedence to the complementall courtier , thinking himselfe as well accommodated in his rustick russet , as the other in his richest raiment . in the like manner i could goe thorow all qualities , and a minimo ad maximum , from the least to the greatest , which for brevities sake i omit ; desiring rather to satisfie the judicious reader with matter then manner ; the substance , and not shadow of discourse . and yet to looke a little further into the nature of this deadly sinne , which hath all the other , its concomitants and attendants . plato saith , he that knoweth himselfe best , esteemeth himselfe least ; and husbandmen better value those eares of graine which bow downe their heads from the stalke , and waxe crooked , then those that erect themselves and stand upright ; because they presume to finde more corne in the first than in the last . pride ( saith saint augastine ) is the mother of envy , and he that knoweth how to suppresse the mother , may easily finde the way to bridle the daughter . lewis the eleventh king of france , was woont to say , that whensoever pride sate in the saddle , mischiefe and shame rid upon the cropper : one compareth it to a ship without a pilot , still tost up and downe upon the seas by the winds and tempests ; another to a vapour , which striveth to ascend high , and then vanisheth into smoake first , and after returnes to nothing . in briefe , pride eateth gold and drinketh blood , and climeth so high by other mens heads , that in the end it breaketh its owne neck . i cannot stand to divide it into severall branches or heads , but proceed directly on to historie . let all such , prided in their owne selfe-conceited knowledge and wisedome , be attentive to a story extracted from a learned and grave spanish chronologer ; by him to this purpose related . alphonsus king of spaine , being a very wise , learned , and discreet prince , was woont to devise many darke and difficult problems , proposing them to his lords and peeres ; to shew his owne excellent wisdome , and to taske their ignorance , who had spent their time in more loose and idle studies : amongst others there was a knight in the court called don pedro , one who was very confident in his owne wisedome , and would undertake to make solution of what difficulty soever the king at any time propounded ; of which hee so insolently boasted , that comming to the kings eare , he was much incensed thereat ; and to let him know what distance his weaknesse had from essentiall wisedome , he caused him to be sent for ; and when he , according to his summons made appearance before him , the king at the first , to humour his selfe-conceit , began much to applaud his witty and ready answers , which not a little pleased him , but at the length concluded somewhat more sharply , telling him that he would propose three problems ; of the interpretations of which , if hee could not within one and twenty dayes give him a true and plenall account , both his life and goods were immediately forfeit to the crowne ; and this sentence notwithstanding any meanes or mediation , no way to be altered . the three questions were these , which he delivered unto him in writing : the first , what hath mans labour most increast , yet of it selfe desires it least . the second , what hath to man most honour gain'd , and yet with least lust is maintain'd . the third , what thing is it men soonest rue , yet they with greatest charge pursue . these he no sooner received , but the king with a contracted brow departed , and so left him ; by which he might easily conjecture in what a dangerous streight he was now environ'd : and returning very sad home , and having long ruminated upon these riddles , but wanting an oedipus to unfold them , he grew into a deepe melancholly , insomuch that he abstained both from meat and sleepe : which observed by his daughter petronella , a faire and beautifull virgin , of some sixteene yeares of age , or thereabout , she so farre insinuated into her fathers discontents , and to know the cause thereof ; that at length upon her great importunity he unfolded the whole matter unto her : who after some pawse , began greatly to comfort him , and told him she would interpose her selfe betwixt him and all danger ; who though he had little hope to be relieved by her , yet out of his indulgence towards her , not willing to crosse her , especially in so desperate a case , he told her hee would be swayed according to her direction ; which was , that upon the day prefixed she might goe with him to appeare before the king , and that to her he would commit the solution of these questions ; which was agreed upon betwixt them . imagine the day come , and the king attended by his lords and peeres , seated in his throne , to expect don pedroes answer ; who presenting himselfe before his majestie , attended with his daughter ; ( who was very sumptuously attyred ) besought his majestie , that whilest he himselfe was silent , he would vouchsafe to heare what his daughter could say concerning these problems before propounded . the king much taken on the sudden with her beauty and modest behaviour , and in a great expectation whether shee were able to deliver her selfe in language answerable to the former , gave her free liberty of speech ; when bowing her face to the earth , and after setling her selfe upon her knees , she began as followeth : wonder you may my royall leige , that so grave and experienc't a knight as my father here present , should lay all his fortunes both of life and livelyhood , upon so weake and infirme an apprehension , which cannot be better expected from my tender yeares , and immature knowledge ; yet since his confidence is so farre built on me , and your high majestie so gracious to accept of me , i make bold thus further to proceed . touching the first question , what hath mans labour most increast , yet of it selfe desires it least . in my weake understanding , i take it to be the earth , the mother of all creatures , rationall or irrationall , sensitive or vegetative ; which though men daily digge and delve , plow or furrow , mine and undermine , trenching her sides and wounding her intrayles , not suffering her to have the least cessation of rest in any of the foure seasons ; yet she in her owne fertility and annuall vicissitude without these injuries , is able of her selfe to yeeld herbs and flowers , grasse and hay , plants and trees , with food and sustenance in abundance to all creatures bred upon her ( still teeming ) wombe ; who , as she delivers them into the world , not onely fosters and cherisheth them , but when their date is runne , and their time expired , receiveth them again into her owne breast , from whence they had their first being . touching the second , i take it to be humility ; which teacheth a man how to rule his affections , and to keepe a mediocrity in all his actions . the high creator dwelleth in heaven , and if wee arrogantly lift up our selves unto him , he will fly from us ; but if we humbly bow our selves before him , he will descend downe upon us . humilitas animi , sublimitas christiani ; in humility is a christian mans mindes sublimity : it stirs up affection , augmenteth good will , supports equity , and preserves a common weale in safety ; it is apt to repentance , hungring after righteousnesse , and conversant in deeds of mercy : it hath brought these good things to passe , which no other reason or vertue could effect : and whosoever shall desire to ascend where the father is , much first put on that humility which the sonne teacheth ; and most happy is the man whose calling is high , and his spirit humble ; of which vertue i may truely conclude with your question , man hath by that most honour gain'd , and yet with least losse is maintain'd . the third the most basely vile , and yet the highest valued ; the most cursed to mannage , yet the most costly to maintain ; in my ignorant conceptions i hold to be pride : which being first hatched in heaven , in an instant , precipitated lucifer and his angels headlong into hell : which perceiving humility to be honourable , desireth often to be covered with the cloake thereof ; least appearing alwayes in its owne likenesse , it might thereby be the lesse regarded . i shall not need much to amplifie the vice , nor to aggravate the sinne ; a spice whereof ( may i speake it with pardon ) hath beene discovered even in this my best beloved parent : and to avoide prolixitie , it is that thing men soonest rue , and yet with greatest charge pursue . with which answer so modestly delivered , and in a kinde of matron-like gravity , ( rarely to be found in one of her tender and young yeares ) the king was so highly raptur'd , that he not onely received her father into former grace , but spake openly , ( being then a batchelour ) that had she beene borne of noble bloud , he would have made her his queen and royall consort ; and taking her from the earth , caused her to stand before him : when instantly newes was brought him that an earledome was then fallen unto the crowne , which he presently for her sake conferred upon don pedro her father : of which she taking advantage , fell downe againe upon her knees , to give the king thankes for so great an honour bestowed upon him ; for which she prostrated unto him in all humble manner her life and service , adding withall some words to this purpose : my royall liege , excuse my over-boldnesse , if i challenge your majestie of your kingly word and promise past unto me before all this presence ; who demanding of her wherein he was any way ingaged ? she made reply , but late great sir , you said that were i noble , you would accept of my unworthy selfe as your royall bride and spouse : then pardon my presumption if i thus farre prompt your memory , to put your highnesse in minde that i am now not onely ( by your grace ) ennobled , but an earles daughter ; at which word covering her face with her hand , shee concluded in a bashfull and modest blush : all which so highly pleased the king , that making good his princely word , he gave order for the present celebration of their nuptiall . this history though it have a comicall conclusion , yet is pertinent to the discourse now in agitation ; for don pedroes pride of knowledge was sentene't with death , and his life , ( howsoever redeem'd by his faire and vertuous daughter ) was immediately forfeit by the doome of the king ; and therefore the judgement in justice , howsoever not in execution , remarkable . we reade in the french chronicle of one iordaine of lisle , by nation a gascon , and nephew to pope iohn the two and twentieth of that name , a man of a most high and insolent spirit , daring any thing though never so facinorous , cruell , inhumane , or bloudy , building all his heinous and horrid acts upon the greatnesse of his unkle ; who after he had beene pardoned for eighteene capitall crimes , still grew more impious and shamelesse , ( former mercy making him still the more presumptuous ) at the last being apprehended and brought to paris , he was arraigned , convicted , and condemned by charles the fourth , ( surnamed the faire ) king of france ; where notwithstanding his great allyes , he suffered like a common felon and murderer on the gallowes . it is credibly reported also of a proud italian gentleman , borne in genoa , who in a single duell having the better of his antagonist in the field , insomuch that he disarmed him of his weapon ; and the other now standing at his mercy , he fell to parle with him upon these termes , that there was no way for him to escape immediate death , but by abjuring his christianity and renouncing his saviour , to which the other through base timerousnesse assented ; of which the victor taking divelish advantage , even in the midst of his most impious apostasie , he stab'd him to the heart and slew him , uttering these ( more then heathenish ) words : before i had been onely revenged upon thy body , but now i have sent both thy body and soule to the devill , and that 's a revenge which deserves a chronicle : but what became of this firebrand of hell , and limbe of the devill ? being apprehended for the murder , and his diabolicall proceedings in the act being related to the judges ; as a terrour to others he was first committed to the rack , and after many other insufferable tortures , despairing of all mercy from god , having shewed no compassion towards man , he most miserably ended his life . one herebert , earle of vermendoys in france , was of that haughty and insolent spirit , that he durst lay hands upon his soveraigne , charles , king of france ( surnamed the simple ) who caused him to be imprisoned , and under whose custody hee shortly after died at peroune ; which seem'd for a time to be smothered , and he still subsisted in his former eminencie : but where man seemeth most to forget , god doth remarkably remember ; nor doth he suffer deeds of such horrid nature to passe unpunished in this world , what vengeance soever he ( without true repentance ) reserveth for them in the world to come ; as it is observable in this present history : for lewis the fourth , the thirty third king of france , by lineall discent , comming to the crowne , ( being the sonne to the before-named charles the simple ) and loath that so grosse a treason committed against his father , should be smothered without some notable revenge ; ( being very ingenious ) he bethought himselfe how with the least danger or effusion of bloud , in regard of the others greatnesse and alliance , how to bring it about ; and therefore he devised this plot following . he caused a letter to be writ , which he himselfe did dictate , and hired an english-man who came disguised like a poste to bring it unto him as from the king his master , at such a time when many of his peeres were present ; and amongst the rest this herebert was amongst them : this suborned poste delivereth the letter to the kings hands , hee gives it to his principall secretary , who read it privately unto him ; who presently smiling , said openly , most sure the english-men are not so wise as i esteemed them to be : for our brother of england hath signified unto me by these letters , that in his countrey a labouring-man having invited his lord and master to dine with him at his house , and he vouchsafing to grace his cottage with his presence ; in the base requitall of so noble a curtesie , he caused him to be most treacherously slaine : and now my brother of england desireth my counsell , to know what punishment this fellow hath deserved ? in which i desire to be instructed by you my lords , that hearing your censures , i may returne him the more satisfactory answer . the king having ended his speech , the lords were at first silent , till at length theobant earle of bloyes was the first that spake , and said , that hee was worthy first to be tortured , and after to be hanged on a gibbet ; which sentence all the lords there present confirmed : and some of them amongst the rest , much aggravating the punishment , which also herebert earle of vermendoys did approve and allow of : whereupon the kings officers , who by his majesties appointment then waited in a with-drawing roome of purpose , seised upon him with an armed guard : at which sudden surprise hee being much amazed , the king raising himselfe from his seat , said , thou hebert art that wicked and treacherous labourer , who didst most trayterously insidiate the life of my father , thy lord and master ; of which felonious act thine owne sentence hath condemned thee , and die thou shalt , as thou hast well deserved : whereupon he was hanged on a gibbet on the top of a mountaine called lodan , which since his execution is called mount hebert to this day . bajazet the great emperour of the turkes , who in his mighty pride thought with his numerous army to drinke rivers dry , and to weight the mountaines in a ballance ; who had made spoyle of many nations , and with tyranny persecuted the christians , dispersed through his vast dominions : who compared the world to a ship , and himselfe to the pilot : who commanded the sayles , and secured the helme : yet afterwards being met in battaile by scythian tamberlaine , and his army being quite routed , his person also taken prisoner in the field , the conquerour put this untamed beast into an iron cage , and caused him to be fed from the very fragments and scraps from his table ; and carried along with him whither soever hee marched , and onely then released him from his imprisonment , when he was forced to stoope and humble his body as a blocke to tread upon , whilest tamberlaine mounted upon his steed : but here ended not gods visible judgements against this usurper , persecutor , and tyrant ; who in despaire rayling upon his prophet mahomet , in whom he had in vaine trusted , against the iron grate in which he was inclosed , beate out his owne braines , and wretchedly expired . infinite are the examples to the like purpose , but i will leave those forraine to come to our domestick , extracted out of our owne chronologers , and first of king bladud . who was the sonne of lud hurdribras , and after the death of his father , was call'd from rome , where hee had studied darke and hidden arts , and was made governour in this isle of brittain , in the yeare of the world foure thousand three hundred and eighteene , ( for so testifieth gualfride polichronicon , and other ancient remembrancers . this bladud was altogether devoted to the study of magick and necromancy , and very expert in judiciall astrology , by which he is said to make the hot baths in the towne then called caerbadon , but now bath ; which citie he is said to have erected . this king caused the art of magick to be taught through his realm , and ordained schooles and schoole masters to that purpose , in which hee tooke such pride and presumption , as that he thought by it all things were possible to be done : so much the devill , the first master and founder of that art had deluded him so farre , that at the length having called a great confluence of his people about him , he made an attempt to flie in the arre , but fell upon the temple of his god apollo , where he brake his neck , his body being torne and bruised after he had raigned twenty yeares ; leaving a sonne called leire to succeed him , and continue his posterity . goodwin , earle of west saxon , in the time of edward the sonne of egelredus , was of that insufferable ambition , by reason of his great revenues , and numerous issue , ( for he had five sonnes and one daughter ) that he swayed the whole kingdome , and almost compulsively compelled the king his soveraigne , to take his daughter edith to wife : after rebelling against the king , and forced with his sonnes to depart the land , yet after he made such meanes , that hee mediated his peace , and was reconciled to him 〈◊〉 but amongst all his other insolencies he was accessary to the death of the kings brother , or at least much suspected to be so , which was the first breach betwixt his soveraigne and him : but so it happened in the thirteenth yeare of the raigne of this king edward , earle goodwin upon an easter monday sitting with diverse other lords and peeres of the kingdome , at the kings table in the castle of windsor , it happened one of the kings cup ●ea●●●s to stumble , and yet well to recover himselfe without falling ; and not spilling any of the wine : which earle goodwin observing , laughed aloud and said , there one brother helped the other , ( thereby intimating that the one leg or foot had well supported the other from falling . ) to which words the king instantly replyed , and so might my brother alphred have bin still living to have helped and supported me , had not earle goodwin supplanted him by death : at which words being startled as conceiving that the king suspected him of his brothers murder , thinking to excuse himself of that horrible act ; he said to the king , sir , i perceive by your speeches late uttered , that some who are no well-wishers of mine , but rather seeke to poyson my reputation with your majesty , have possessed you that i have been accessary to the death of your brother ; and proceeded further ( having then a piece of bread in his hand , ready to put into his mouth ) but so may i safely swallow this morsell , as i am altogether innocent and guiltlesse of the act : which streyning to eate , he was therewith immediately choaked at the table ; which the king seeing , and observing the strange judgement inflicted upon his perjury , he commanded his body to be drag'd frō thence , & conveyed to winchester , & there buried . but marianus and some others write , that he was not choaked with bread , but upon his former false protestation , dining with the king upon an easter monday at winchester , he was suddenly struck with a dead palsie , and died the third day after . neither did gods judgements upon him end here , but after his death all his lands in kent ( which were very spacious and great , were eaten up and swallowed by the sea , and turned into dangerous quick sands , on which many a goodly vessell hath since beene shipwrackt , and they beare the name of goodwins sands even to this day . harold the second sonne of earle goodwin , after the death of his elder brother swanus , aswell heire to his fathers insolent and aspiring spirit , as to his earledome and lands : in the twentieth yeare of the raigne of the before-named edward the confessor , he sayled into normandy to visit some of his friends ; but by adverse windes , and a sudden tempest at sea , he was driven upon the province of pountiffe , where hee was tooke prisoner , and sent to duke william of normandy , who inforced him to sweare , that hee should marry with his daughter when she came to mature age ; and farther , that after the death of king edward , he should keep the crowne of england to his behoofe , according to the will of the confessor : to both which articles having solemnly sworne , he was dismissed from the bastard duke , and with great and rich gifts sent backe to england . but after the death of edward , in the yeare of the incarnation , one thousand threescore and sixe , harold forgetting his former oath and promise made to duke william , he caused himselfe to be crowned king of the lande ; who was no sooner warme in his throne , but harold harfoot sonne to canutus , with a puissant hoast of danes invaded the realme , whom harold of england met in a set battaile , slew him hand to hand , and discomfited his whole army ; for he was of an invincible hardinesse and valour : which victory was no sooner obtained , but newes was brought him that william of normandy was landed with a potent army , to claime his right and interest he had in the crowne of england , by the last testament of edward the confessor ; with these tydings being thoroughly heated , he marched with all speed from the north , scarce suffering his army to rest by the way , to give the normans battaile , betwixt whom was a dreadfull and bloudy conflict : but when the victory rather hovered over the english then the other , harold after many deepe and dangerous wounds , was shot into the eye with an arrow and slaine . in whose death may be observed gods heavy judgements against price and perjury . of my first sinne , namely pride , none hath ever beene by our english chronologers more justly taxed then that french gerson , pierre gavestone , the great misleader and seducer of edward the second ; whom though his royall father king edward the first , sirnamed long-shanks , upon his death-bed caused to bee banished ; yet the sonne was no sooner inaugurated and admitted to the government of the realme , but contrary to the wils of all his lords and peeres , he caused his exile to be repealed , sent for him over , and advanced him to great honour : in which he demeaned himselfe like a proud upstart , or as our english proverbe goes , like a beggar set on horsebacke , who is ready to ride poste to the devill : for whose sake the king committed william lancton bishop of chester ( in the second yeare of his raigne ) to the tower , because he had perswaded the king against his minion , for which the barons of the realme , and especially sir henry lacy , sir guy , and sir aymery de valence , earle of lincolne , of warwick and pembroke , to whom the late king had given charge for his exile upon his death-bed , wrought so farre by their power , that contrary to the kings will , hee was avoyded the land , and banisht into ireland for that yeare , whither his majestie sent many secret messengers with rich gifts to comfort him , and made him chiefe ruler of that countrey . but in the third yeare of his reigne , divers grudges and discontents began to arise betwixt the king and his nobles , insomuch , that for quietnesse sake , and in hope of his amendment , he was againe repealed , but more and more increased in his insufferable insolence , insomuch , that having charge of all the kings jewels and treasure , he went to westminster , and out of the kings jewell-house tooke a table and a paire of trestles all of pure gold , and conveyed them ( with other precious gems ) out of the land , to the great exhausting and impoverishing of the same : by whose wanton effoeminacies , and loose conditions , he drew the king to many vitious courses , as adulteries , and the like : which mischiefes the lords seeing daily to increase , they tooke counsell againe at lincolne , and notwithstanding the kings main opposer , he was a second time confined into flanders , but in his fifth year was again sent for over , when not able to contain himselfe from his immoderate luxury , as he demeaned himselfe far more arrogantly than before , insomuch that he disdained and had in contempt all the peeres of the land , giving them much opprobrious and despightfull language , wherefore seeing there was no hope of his amendment , with an unanimous consent they vowed to rid the land of such a caterpiller , and soon after besieged him in the castle of scarborrow , and taking the fort they surprised him , and brought him to gaversed besides warwicke , and the nine and twentieth day of ●une smote off his head . thus was gods just doom against his pride , luxury , and avarice . but there succeeded him both in ambition and the kings favour , of our own natives , the two spencers , the father and the son , his great minions and favorites , who both in wealth , power , and pride , overtopt all the nobles of the land , commanding their soveraigne , and confounding the subjects , of whom you may reade in the records of the tower , that in the fourteenth year of this edward the second , hugh spencer the elder , for his riots and extortions being condemned by the commonalty , and expelled the land , an inventory of his estate being taken , it was found by inquisition that the said spencer had in sundry shires fifty nine mannours , and in his possession of his own goods and chattels , twenty eight thousand sheep , one thousand oxen and steeres , twelve hundred beeves with their calves , fourty mares with their coltes , one hundred and threescore drawing horses for the teame , two thousand hogges , three hundred bullockes , in his cellar fourty tonnes of wine , he had moreover six hundred bacons , and fourscore carcases of martinmasse beeves , six hundred muttons in larder , ten tonnes of sider , besides his provision of ale , ( for beer in these dayes was not known ) thirty six sackes of wooll , with a fair library of bookes , and other rich and costly utensils ; his armour , plate , jewels , and ready money , amounting to more than an hundred thousand pounds ; but what in the end became of all this mag●zine ? this spencer being after called home by the king , and restored to all his former estate , mauger the queen and the chief peeres of the realme , she with an army pursued the king , with these his proud favourites ; the father she surprised in bristow , ( which town the king had fortified and left unto his charge ) himselfe for his better safeguard flying with his son into wales , whither she pursued them , and se●sed upon them both , bringing sir hugh the elder , and sir hugh the younger to hereford , where upon the morrow following the feast of simon and iude , at bristow sir hugh spencer the father upon a publique scaffold lost his head , and his body was after buried at winchester ; and upon saint hugh's day following being the eighteenth of november was sir hugh his son drawn , hanged , and quartered at hereford and his head sent to london , and was set upon a pole amongst other traitours , of whom a poet of those times made this short epitaph . funis cum lignis à te miser ensis & ignis , hugo securis equus , abstulit omne decus . and thus paraphrased or interpreted in old english , suiting these times . with ropes wert thou bound , and on the gallowes hunge , and from thy body thine head with sword was kit , thy bowels in the fire were thrown , and burned long , thy body in four parts eke with axe was slit , with horse before drawn , few men pittying it , thus with these torments for thy sinnes sake , from thee wretched hugh , all worldly wealth was take . and these were remarkable judgements of such as being raised from humble and mean fortunes to high and eminent posture through pride and vainglory , attributed that to their own merit which is onely due to their maker . i come next to sir roger mortimer , who being highly puft up with the favour that he had from queen isabel , who in the minority of her young son edward swayed all , during the imprisonment of her husband edward the second , whether by the queenes consent or no , i dare not say , but of most assured truth it is , that this roger caused the king to be removed from kenelworth castle to the castle of barkley , where by his direction and command he was most bloodily and inhumanely murdered . after which edward his son ( the third of that name ) at the age of fifteen yeares was crowned king , but for a time kept in a kinde of pupillage under the queen and mortimer , betwixt whom there was suspected to have been too much familiarity , in whose power was all the management of state , and many things past by them to the great dishonour of the kingdom . this mortimer was by the king made earle of march , who imitated king arthur by keeping so many knights of the round table , to whom he allowed both meat and meanes , and bore himselfe in that high straine , that he had in contempt the greatest peeres in the land , but in processe of time he was surprised in votengham castle , and from thence sent prisoner to the tower of london , when a parliament being called in the fourth year of the king , he was convicted of five articles : first , of the murder of the king ; next , that he had dealt perfidiously betwixt our nation and the scots ; thirdly , that he received certain summes of money from sir thomas duglas , and caused to be delivered unto them the church called rugium , to their great advantage and englands prejudice ; fourthly , that he had got unlawfully into his possession much of the kings treasure , and wastfully mispent it ; and lastly , that he was more private with the queen than was to gods pleasure or the kings honour : of all which being convicted by the said parliament ; upon saint andrews day , next following he was drawn upon an hurdle to the common place of execution ( since called tiburne ) and there like a fellon and traitour upon the gallowes hanged , such is the end of greatnesse when it abandons goodnesse and honour , and opposeth it selfe against humility . great also were the arrogancies and insolencies of sir william scroop earle of wiltshire , and treasurer of england , sir iohn bushey , sir henry green , and others , in the time of richard the second , who by him greatly animated and incouraged , greatly vexed and oppressed the people , men advanced from the cottage to the court , and from basenesse to honour , who through their great pride forgetting from whence they came ; in their surplus of wealth , and height of ambition , were surprised in bristow by henry duke of lancaster ( as cankers and caterpillars of the common-wealth ) the son of iohn of gaunt , who then laid claim to the crown , and by him caused to be executed on a publike scaffold . infinite are gods threatning judgements to this purpose , of which there be infinite examples , but being loath to tire the reader with too much prolixity , i will conclude this tract against pride with one notable president as much ( if not more remarkable ) than any of the former . in the time of king henry the eighth , thomas wolsey archbishop of yorke and cardinall , had in his hall daily three tables or boards , mannaged by three principall officers ; a steward , who was alwayes a priest ; a treasurer , no lesse degreed than a knight ; and a controwler , who was by place an esquire ; he had also a cofferer , who was a doctor of divinity ; three marshals , three yeomen ushers in the hall , besides two groomes , and almners : in his kitchen belonging to the hall , two clerkes of the kitchin , a clerke controller , a surveyour of the dresser , a clerke of the spicery , ( and these kept a continuall messe in the hall ) two master-cookes , and of other cookes labourers and children of the kitchen twelve persons , four yeomen of the ordinary scullery , four yeomen of the silver scullery , two yeomen of the pastry , with two or three pastulers under the yeomen . in his privy kitchin he had a master-cook who wore alwayes satten and velvet with a great chain of gold about his necke , with two other yeomen and a groom , in the scalding-house a yeoman and two groomes , in the pantry two yeomen ; in the buttery two yeomen , two groomes , and two pages ; in the chandry , two yeomen ; in the wafery , two yeomen ; in the wardrobe of beddes , the master of the wardrobe , and ten other persons attending ; in the laundry , a yeoman , and a groom , thirty pages , two yeomen-purveyours , and one groom ; in the bake-house , a yeoman and two groomes ; in the wood-yard , a yoman and a groom ; in the barne one ; in the garden , a yeoman and two groomes ; a yeoman of his bardge , a master of his horse , a clerke of the stable , and a yeoman , a sadler , a farrier , a yeoman of his chariot , a sumptur-man , a yeoman of his stirrop , a muleter , and sixteen groomes of his stable , every one keeping foure geldings ; porters at his gate , two yeomen and two groomes ; in the almnery , a yeoman and a groom . in his chappell he had a dean , who was a great divine , and a man of excellent learning ; a subdean , a repeater of the quier , a gospeller , an epistoler , ten singing priests , a master of the children-quiristers , twelve seculars being singing men of the chappell , ten singing boyes with a servant to attend upon them ; in the revestry , a yeoman and two groomes , besides divers retainers who repaired to his palace at principall feasts . the rich furniture of his chappell almost exceeded apprehension , for jewels and sumptuous ornaments continually there used , where have been seene in a procession about the hall foure and fourty rich copes all of one suit , with crosses , and candlestickes , and other furniture of great value ; he had moreover two crosse-bearers , and two pillar-bearers in his great-chamber ; and in his privy-chamber , a chamberlain and a vice-chamberlain , twelve gentlemen-ushers , besides one continually in his privy-chamber , and six gentlemen-waiters , he had ten lords to attend him , and every one had two gentlemen to attend upon them , onely the earle of derby had five allowed him ; he had of gentlemen , cup-bearers , carvers , sewers , and the like , to the number of fourty persons , six yeomenushers , eight groomes , and yeomen that daily waited in his chamber fourty five . sixteen doctours and chaplaines besides those of his chappell continually waited at his trencher , with the clerke of the closet , two secretaries , two clerkes of the signet , and four counsellours learned in the lawes , and for as much as it was necessary , for divers officers of the chancery to attend him ; namely , the clerke of the crown , a riding clerke , a clerke of the hamper , a clerke of the wax , and a clerke of checke ; he gave meanes and allowance to them all ; he had also four footmen cloathed in rich coates with his armes imbroidered upon them ; an herald at armes , a serjeant at armes , a physitian , an apothecary , four chief musitians with their consort , a keeper of his tents , an armourer , an instructer of his wards , two yeomen of his wardrobe of robes , and a keeper of his chamber continually in the court ; he had moreover in his house the surveyour of yorke , a clerke of the green-cloath , and all these were with him uprising and down-lying , and dieted at his charge ; he kept in his great-chamber a continuall table for the chamberers and gentlemen-officers , with a messe of young lords , and another of young gentlemen ; nor was there any officers gentlemen or other persons of account , but were allowed some one , some two , some three servants to attend them , which no question grew to a mighty number , besides officers extraordinary , retainers and sutors who might come freely and dine in the hall without any to contradict them : and thus far out of his checke role , whereby we see his exceeding greatnesse , but of which grew such pride , that he blushed not to prefer himselfe before his soveraigne , in these words , ego & rex meus , i and my king. but to conclude with him , this potent prelate falling after into a praemunire , forfeited his whole estate to the crown , and then ( though late ) confessing , that if he had sought so much to honour god as he had strived to honour his king , he might still have continued in his revenew eminently : and being deprived of all his power and pompe , riches and substance , and brought almost to the extremest indigence and penury , being sent for from yorke to london , ( as some have supposed to answer for his life ) he fell sicke by the way , and in a poor friery ended his wretched dayes not without suspition of poyson ; and such have been gods judgements from the beginning against this first and capital of the seven mortall sinnes called pride , of which i cease to write further , and proceed to the second . chap. ii. of gods just judgements inflicted upon envious persons . envy is defined to be a grievance and sorrow for the thriving and prosperity of others , who in his heart would kill the happinesse of his neighbour , and before god is held no better than an homicide , the hebrews call it kineah and kanno , which is emulation or envy , in which we are said four wayes to offend ; first , when we grieve at the good estate or fortune of another man , as fearing because of his ability , he may be also willing to endamage us or others . secondly , when we repine at another mans felicity , because we have not what he hath , nor abound with the like abundance and riches , and this the philosopher cales zelus , and the first may be in some kinde held laudable , if we emulate a man for his vertues and goodnesse seeking by imitating to exceed them , but if it be for temporall goods it may be brought within the compasse of sin . the third is , when we maligne another man , because he injoyes these temporall blessings which he doth not deserve , and such vexation , because it is concerning riches and honour , which happen both to the worthy and unworthy alike , by the philosopher it is called nemesis , which though aristotle approves , yet our christian religion will not allow . the fourth is , when we are sad and troubled at our neighbours increase in wealth and substance , because he exceedeth us , and we are not so rich nor so well possessed as he ; and this is plain envy in her own naturall and absolute colours , and is alwayes evill , and is a mortiferous sin , because we grieve at that at which we ought to rejoyce ; namely , the prosperity of our neighbour , and this the schoolmen distinguish into three branches , mortall , veniall , capitall . that is called mortall , when it is hatched and premeditated , nay prosecuted by the consent of reason , because it directly opposeth the charity due from us to our neighbour . that which is called veniall , is an emulation bred meerly in sensuality or wantonnesse , when there was no preceding of the consent of reason : and as they are the first motions , so they are held to be idle and imperfect . the third is called capitall , because from it ariseth susurratio , that is , a muttering or murmuring behinde ones backe , striving to darken or ecclypse the reputation or good name of another in secret . next detraction , when openly we scandall or revile any man to lessen his worth , or darken his glory . then exultation , when we triumph or rejoyce in the disastre or distresse of our neighbour . next affliction , when we are grieved and discontented at his prosperity . and lastly , od●um , or hate , by which we are not onely sadded and molested at his happinesse , but withall we insidiate his estate , or malevolently desire his ruine . frequent are the texts in the holy scripture , against this sin of envy , and sundry examples to shew it hath been even from the beginning , and so continued through all succeeding ages : it was betwixt the two first brothers , for we reade genesis . . because god accepted abels offering , and despised that of cain , he was exceeding wroth , and his countenance fell down : ( among strangers ) because isaac had flockes of sheep and heards of cattell , and a mighty houshold , therefore the philistims had envie at him , insomuch that they stopped and filled up with earth all the wells which his fathers servants digged in his father abrahams time , &c. betwixt sisters , when raechel saw that she bare iaacob no children , she envyed her sister , and said unto her husband , give me children or i die . in iosephs brethren , who when they saw that their father iacob loved him more then them , they hated him , and could not speake peaceably unto him ; and when he dreamed a dreame and told it his brethren , the text saith , they hated him the more : against which you shall reade , levit. . . thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart , but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour , and suffer him not to sinne . thou shalt not avenge , nor be mindfull of wrong against the children of thy people , but shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe : i am the lord. we finde in the twelfth of numbers , that when aaron and miriam murmured against moses , because he had married a woman of ethiopia , the lord was therefore angry with them , and immediately miriam was strook with a leprosie white as snow . saul envyed david , because the virgines in their songs and dances , gave to him but the honour of killing thousands , and to david ten thousands . in eliab the brother of david , who when he spake unto the men that stood with him , and said , what shall be done to him that killeth this philistime , ( meaning goliah ) and taketh away the shame from israel , &c. eliab this hearing was very angry with david , and said , why camest thou downe hither ? and with whom whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse ? i know the pride and the malice of thine heart , that thou art come downe to see the battaile : in sanballat and tobias , who envyed and hindered the building of the temple , as you may reade in nehemiah . in the princes and officers of darius , dan. . . who sought an occasion against him concerning the kingdome , but they could finde no fault ; for he was so faithfull , that no blame could bee found in him . come to the new testament , or gospell : in the pharisees , mat . . who said to the disciples of jesus , why eateth your master with publicans and sinners ? again , luke . . then some of the pharisees said unto him , master , rebuke thy disciples . in the disciples of iohn , mat. . . then came the disciples of iohn to him , saying , why doe we and the pharisees fast often , but thy disciples fast not ? in the chiefe priests and scribes , matth. . . who when they saw the marvels that hee did , and the children crying in the temple , hosanna to the sonne of david , they disdained . in the jewes ; who when they were gathered together , and pilat said unto them , whether will you that i let loose unto you , barabbas , or iesus which is called christ ? they said barabbas . in the brother of the prodigall , luke . . now the elder brother was in the field , and when hee came neare unto the house and heard musicke and dancing , he called to one of his servants and asked what these things meant ? and hee said unto him , thy brother is come , and thy father hath killed the fat calfe , because he hath received him safe and sound : then hee was angry and would not goe in ; therefore came his father out and intreated him , &c. in the high priests and pharisees , iohn . . who gathered a counsell and said , what shall we doe , for this man doth many miracles ? if we let him thus alone , all men will beleeve in him , and the romans will come and take away both our place and the nation . then caiphas the high priest stood up and said , ye perceive nothing at all ; nor doe you consider that it is expedient for us that one man die for the people , and the rest perish not . in the rulers , elders , and scribes , acts . . then the chiefe priest rose up , and all that were with him ( which was the sect of the sadduces ) and were full of indignation , and laid hands on the apostles , and put them in the common prison , &c. and thus you see how envy hath beene in all ages : and most fitting it is that i first shew you the nature and condition of the sinne , before i come to the judgements inflicted upon it . this envy shooteth at others , and woundeth her selfe : lyons are knowne by their clawes , ravens by their feathers , cocks by their spu●res , and envious men by their manners ; who ( like syrian dogges ) barke at the starres , and spurne at what they cannot reach ; and is like lightning , which in the duskiest myst , or darkest fogge , will plainliest appeare . envy is the daughter of pride , the mother of slaughter and strage , the innovator of sedition , and the perpetuall tormentor of vertue : she is moreover the slime and impostume of the soule , a daily corrasive to him in whom she abideth ; a venome , a poyson , a mercury or quicksilver , which consumeth the flesh , and dryes up the bones : and of vices it is said , envy to be the most generall , pride the greatest , and lust the foulest . the envyed man doth many times forget , but the envious man doth never spare to prosecute ; and as griefe or paine is a disease of the body , so malice is the malady of the soule . it is a meere slave to its owne affections , and is found alwayes to waite at vertues elbow . alanus de plancta naturae with great elegancy saith thus : to the envious man anothers prosperity is his adversity , their adversity his prosperity : at their mirth they are sad , and in their sorrow they rejoyce : they imagine their owne riches to subsist in other mens poverty , and their poverty to be in other mens riches . the serenity of their neighbours fame they endeavour either by detraction to eclipse , or by silence to conceale . inglorious envy striveth to deface the glory of wisedome ; then which , no monster more monstrous , no dammage more dammageous , no torment more torturous , no sinne more contagious ; of blindnesse it is the abysse , the spurre to contention , the sting of corruption , the motions whereof are adversaries to humane tranquillity , of mundane temptations the instigators and inciters ; of a labouring minde the vigilant enemies , and of common peace and amity the combustuous disturbers . we reade proverb . . a seditious person seeketh onely evill , and a cruell messenger shall be sent against him . he that rewardeth evill for good , evill shall not depart from his house . the froward heart findeth no good , and he that hath a naughty tongue falleth into evill . and prov. . a man with a wicked or envious eye hasteth to riches , and knoweth not that poverty shall come upon him wisdom . . . inquisition shall be made for the thoughts of the ungodly , and the sound of the words shall come unto god for the correction of his iniquities : therefore beware of murmuring which profiteth nothing , and refraine thy tongue from slander ; for there is no word so secret that shall goe for nought , and the mouth that speaketh lyes slayeth the soule . it is the counsell of the wise man : eate not the bread of him that is envious , or hath an evill eye , neither desire his d 〈…〉 meates ; for ( as though he thought it in his heart ) bee will say , eate and drinke , but his heart is not with thee : thou sh 〈…〉 t vomit the ●arsel● that thou hast 〈◊〉 , and thou shalt lose thy sweet words , &c. the booke of wisdome 〈◊〉 us that through envy of the devill came death into the world , and they that hold of his side prove it : therefore let us be advised by saint peter , who in the second chapter of his first epistle saith , wherefore laying aside all malitiousnesse , and all guile , and dissimulation , and envy ; and evill speaking as new borne babes , desire that sincere milke of the word , that yee may grow thereby &c. but from the discovery of the foulenesse of the sinne , i come now to shew what severall judgements have beene inflicted upon it . and first to search forraine histories before we come to fearefull and tragicall examples , moderne and domestick of our owne , ( that the one may the better illustrate and set off the other . i begin with that incestuous brood of thebes , the two brothers eteocles and polynices , whose father oedipus , ignorant of his owne naturall parents , and having first most unfortunately slaine his owne father , and after retyring himselfe to thebes , by the solution of sphinxes riddle , married with his owne mother iocasta ( neither of them knowing their proximity in bloud ) and by that match swayed the kingdome : together with those two before-named sonnes , and two daughters , antigone and ismene , which he had by her . but at length having knowledge of that incestuous match made with his mother , he in griefe thereof with his nayles pulled out his owne eyes , and she in despaire strangled her selfe : after which the kingdome falling to the two brothers ; they first agreed to raigne monethly , and then yearely by turnes ; but soone after there grew such malitious envy betwixt them , that whatsoever the one did in his regency , the other when the power came into his hands , utterly abrogated and disanull'd , making new lawes , to the former quite contrary ; which also lasted but a moneth : for then the succeeder paid the resigner in his owne coyne . upon this grew faction , and divers partisans on either side ; some favouring the one , and some affecting the other ; in the end from threatnings and braves , it came to battaile and blowes ; in which the two brothers encountering hand to hand , in a single duell they interchangably slew one another ; whose envy in life was so irreconcilable and invererate , that it appeared after their deaths : for their two bodies being brought to be burnt in one funerall pile , the very flame was seene to divide it selfe , and burne in two parts , suting to their opposite soules and contrary conditions . another example of gods judgements against envy , greece affordeth us . perseus the sonne of philip , king of macedon : ( but not that philip who was father to alexander the great ) hee had an elder brother whose name was demetrius , a man of most approved honesty , and imitable condition ; whose knowne vertues his younger brother , of a malevolent and cumbred spirit much envying , framed a most scandalous and detracting inditement against him ; pretending that he had privately insidiated his fathers life and kingdom , and sold them both unto his enemies the romans ; of which by suborned witnesses , he had made such proofe , ( and bribing to that purpose ) prevailed so farre , that he was convented , convicted , and condemned , and most innocently suffered the rigout of the law , by having his head strooke off : but the king having had notice of these barbarous and injust proceedings , surprised with excesse of griefe , died not long after ; and this malicious fratricide succeeded in the kingdome : who now having all things answerable to his own desires , thinking macedonia too narrow a limit for his unbounded ambition ; he in great presumption not onely opposed , but invaded the roman empire , whose envy and detraction against his brother god thus punished : he drew him with all his puissant army neare unto the river of danubius ; where being encountred by the roman consul aemilius , he and his whole hoast were cut to pieces , and utterly ruined ; insomuch , that the power of the macedonians being utterly confounded , it became after subject and tributary to the roman empire : and thus his defamatory destruction conspired against another , fell upon his owne head ; and is still registred to his perpetuall shame and inflamy . it is reported of the roman emperour caligula , who was a man of infinite vices , that he never spared man in his rage , not woman in his lust , to whom sisters and strangers were alike ; he was so infected with this vice of envy , that in contempt of the most noble families in rome , from the torquati hee tooke the honour of wearing golden chains ; from the cin●innats , ( so called for their crisped and curled looks ) he tooke their haire , and caused them to be shorne to the skull ; and so of others : besides , from 〈◊〉 pompe●●s he caused the denomination of great to be taken away ; and aesius proculeus a very beautifull young man , because hee was for feature and favour preferred before him , he caused to be murdered : for which and other like vices hee was deposed from the imperiall purple , and put to a most base , wretched , and ignoble death . antoninus and geta were the two sonnes of the emperour severus , betwixt whom he divided the empire after his death . to antoninus was all europe allotted , and whole asia was the possession and patrimony of geta. bizantium kept a great garrison of souldiers for antoninus , and caloedon a citie of bythinia was the place of strength , to which geta trusted ; besides , the two great cities of antioch and alexandria were the royall and kingly feats for geta , and mauritania and numidia for antoninus ; who was of a dangerous and divelish nature ; but geta of a very curteous and affable temperature : for which he was the more envyed by the elder , and his attrocities and inhumanities as much disaffected by the younger . by which mutuall enmity those glorious victories which sever●s atchieved , and after by concord and peace enjoyed , to the great advancement of the empire ; were now almost wholly ruined . the empresse their mother fore-seeing some great and eminent disaster , gave them often very matron and pious admonitions , exhorting them to unity and concord ; but her indulgent and wholesome counsell nothing prevailed with them , for daily their discord , hatred , and bloudy practises increased , and the one was so jealous of the other , that they durst not eate nor drinke together for feare of poyson . in this mutuall feare they continued , till at the length antoninus grew so sicke of his brothers generall love and welfare , that his ambition is now to be the sole possessour of the whole empire ; and therefore in the dead of night , with other of his assasinates , he violently broke open his brothers chamber , and basely murdered him , even in the sight and presence of their mother ; not thinking hee was throughly dead , till he had cut the head from the body : this done , he excused the fact to the souldiers , and with large donatives so insinuated into their favours , that never was found who so much as repined at what was done ; nor was he sooner well seated in the throne imperiall , but he caused all the friends , well-wishers , and acquaintance of geta to be most cruelly put to death , sparing neither degree , age , nor sex , so that not one remained alive in the common-weale of rome : most of the rich senatours he caused to be slaine , and their forfeited wealth he distributed amongst his souldiers , who supported him in all his villanies ; he slew his owne wife the daughter of plantianus , and the sonne of pertinax : and such was his hatred to geta being dead , that he destroyed all the praefects , proconsuls , governours , and officers throughout asia , who had by him beene promoted to honour . but after all his rapes , incests , and ryots , murders and massacres , as possest with all the horrid and abhominable vices that have any name : as his life was detestable , so was his death remarkable ; being in the midst of his sinnes , without any repertance was most wretchedly slaine by his souldiers , at the instigation of macrinus after emperour . supplantation is one of the branches of envy , concerning which i have read an history to this purpose . a roman emperour in those dayes , before any christianity was professed amongst them , living in peace and tranquillity , and no sedition or insurrection being made in any of his dominions , so that the practise of armes was quite left off , and almost forgot : this emperour had a noble prince to his sonne , naturally inclined to prowesse and manhood , and wholly addicted to martiall exercises . but finding no imployment at home , he had a great desire to know what mil●tary exercises were abroad : wherefore making choyce of one gentleman to be his friend and companion , whom hee valued as a second selfe , furnisht with gold and treasure sufficient , unknowne to any , betooke themselves to sea ; and after much perillous navigation they landed in persia , at such time as the soldan had warres with the caliph of aegypt . the prince with his companion ( concealing his birth and countrey ) put himselfe under the soldans service , in which he so bravely demeaned himselfe , that he grew remarkable through the army , and none in all the hoast was able to compare with him in daring or doing , he so farre transcended them all : insomuch , that by his valour the soldan had many brave victories ; and having but one onely daughter , a lady of incomparable beauty , he had a secret purpose to take an advantage to bestow her upon him , with all the royalties of scepter , sword , crowne , and dominion after his decease . in processe it so happened , that in a dreadfull battaile fought betwixt the persians and aegyptians , the soldan was mortally wounded in the eye with an arrow ; yet his body he yet living , was safely brought to his tent by this roman prince , who before his death drew out a ring of great value , and gave it unto him , saying , my onely daughter upon my paternall benediction hath vowed and sworne , that whosoever shall deliver this ring from me to her , shee will without any scruple or evasion , accept him for her husband : and this i freely bestow on thee , and with these last words he expired . whose funerall being performed , and by his death the warres ended , the prince with this ring retires himselfe with his companion towards grand kayre , and by the way revealed unto his friend all that had past betwixt him and the soldan , concerning the princesse , and withall shewed him the ring ; who most perfidiously watching his opportunity in the night , whilest the prince was fast sleeping , he stole away the ring : and poasting to the court , presented it to the lady , who accepting both of it and him , the false imposter had her to wife , and was crowned king of persia. for which affront , not able to right himselfe , his great spirit was so afflicted , that he grew into a dangerous and deadly feaver ; yet before his death he writ a letter , and sent it to his father and the senate , in which he discovered the whole passage of the businesse as is before related , and then died : who by embassadours informing the queene and the state of persia , the truth of all which was confirmed by the dying princes letter . the impostor at length confessed all , but because he had been their king , the state would not put him to death or torture , but delivered him to the roman embassadors to dispose of him at their pleasure : who carrying him to rome with the body of the dead prince , he was doomed to be shut alive into the princes sepulchre , where the trayterous wretch most miserably finished his dayes . a second to the like purpose wee reade in the history of the popes : which tells us that pope nicholas being dead , one celestine , a man of a sincere and innocuous life and conversation , was by a common suffrage advanced to the papacie , who bore himselfe with all humility and piety ; whose godly life one of the proud cardinals envying , and ayming to supplant him , hee preferred a young kinsman of his to waite in his chamber ; who growing in favour with his holinesse , the cardinall gave him a long trunke of brasse , through which hee whispered in the popes eare divers times when he was slumbering , that it was gods will , and for his soules safety , to resigne the father-hood over to some others , and himselfe to lead a private religious life ; which being often done , took in him such impression , as in a publike consistory he told them what revelation he had from heaven : humbly desiring , that with their good love and leave he might resigne his great charge , and betake himselfe to a private and monastick life ; which motion this cardinall seconded , and by bribery and gifts ( having many friends ) and partisans on his side , by his voluntary resignement was elected pope in his steed by the name of boniface . who now attaining to the height of his wishes , and being feised of the tripple diadem , was not ashamed openly to boast how fraudulently hee came to that high ecclesiasticall honour , growing therewith more proud , haughty , and insolent , insomuch , that he pick● a quarrell with lewis king of france ; and would have forced his personall appearance to acknowledge him for his supreame father and master ; which because the king denyed , he excommunicated his clergy , and interdicted his realme , curfing him and his subjects with bell , booke , and candle : but at length the king , troubled and tyred with his so many contumacies , sent a knight called sir guillam de langaret with a troope of souldiers , who so well awaited their opportunity , that as the pope was riding from avignon to one of his castles in provence called poursorge , he surprised him , and brought him prisoner into france , then put him into a strong tower , where for want of food he was forced to eate the flesh from his armes , and so died● of whom the story gives this character , that he estred into the papacie like a fox , that he ruled like a lyon , and in the end died like a dogge . nero caesar who had all the seaven deadly sinnes predominant in him , even in his minority and first comming to the empire , was in a high measure worthily as●●●st and branded with this horrid and abhominable vice of envy ; who when cesar germanicus , a prince of great hope and expectation , on whom all the eyes of rome were fixt , was made competitor with him in the empite , 〈◊〉 ●ligning his greatnesse and goodnesse though his neare kinsman : he with his owne hands tempered a strong and mo●●●serous poyson , and most 〈…〉 ously inviting him to a feast , in the height of all their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 , he caused that deadly draught to be minist●ed unto him : which he had no sooner tasted , but immediately he sunke from his seat , and fell downe dead at the table ; at which all the guests being startled and amazed ; nero the master of the feast put it off with this sleight saying onely , remove the body into some withdrawing roome , and let it be buried according to the custome of romans : but how god revenged this and other his inhumanities , you may reade in his wretched and unlamented death , in the former tractate expressed . macrinus who had murdered antoninus the brother of geta , attaining to the empire , when he had raigned one yeare , his head was cut off in calcedon a citie of bythinia , with his sonne diadumenus , whom in his life-time he had made competitor with him in the empire . bassianus , otherwise called heliogabalus , the sonne of semiamira , succeeded in the empire ; he was first a priest of the sunne , and after by meanes of his grandmother mesa ( a rich and potent woman ) was made emperour ; who though a young man of an extraordinary aspect and feature , able to attract the loves and affections of all men , yet was he inwardly infected with the contagion of all the vices that could be named : insomuch , that in all his actions he rather appeared a monster then a man , so that hee grew not onely despised , but hatefull to the people . which the wise lady mesa seeing , and fearing his fall , and in his , her owne ruine ; as farre as she could she excused his grossest crimes , laying the fault upon the tendernesse of his youth ; and wrought so , that by his consent alexianus who was the sonne of mammea , her daughter was admitted companion with him in the empire , which alexianus after called alexander severus , was a wise and prudent prince , whose vertue had gained him the generall love of the senate and people ; for which heliogabalus so envied him ( for vice and vertue are still in opposition ) that he made many attempts to poyson him , which by the care of mesa and mammea , were prevented . but how was this envy punished ? the people seised upon heliogabalus , with his mother semiamira , and dragging their bodies through the chiefe streets of rome , having after torne them piece-meale ; would not affoord them the honour of buriall , but cast their quarters into the common jakes , that stood upon the river tiber. neither have women beene free from this rankorous sinne of envy , as appeareth by the story following ; and shall be made more apparant hereafter . this prince alexander severus afore-named , all the time that his grandmother mesa lived , who suffered none but grave and wise men to be about him ; ( insomuch that no emperour before or after him could be said to exceed him in all these attributes that belong to an imperiall monarch ) was both beloved and feared : but she being dead , his mother mammea grew to that height of pride , covetousnesse , and envy , that his indulgent sufferance of her ambition was a great , and the sole blemish of his government , who comming to maturity , and the empire now setled in his owne hands , he tooke to wife a daughter of one of the most noblest senators of rome , which was also by his mothers consent : but when this lady came to take upon her the state of an empresse , mammea , who challenged that title solely to her selfe , malitiously envying her estate ; wrought so , that first the father of the new empresse was put to death : and so terrible was her commandement , and her majestie so much dreaded , that she banished both from the court and the bed of the emperour the innocent empresse , unto the uttermost coasts of africa . thus was alexander out of a milde and gentle nature , swayed and over-ruled by his mother , which was the occasion of both their ruines : for maximi●us a thracian , borne of base parentage , his father being a shepheard , and preferred by alexander to eminent place in the warres ; taking the advantage of the murmuring of the people and souldiers , and the covetousnesse and envy of the mother , most treacherously conspired against his lord and master , the same barbarously and cruelly flew them both , and by their death aspired unto the imperiall purple . the french chronicles speake of one prince cranne , the sonne of clotharius , who having raigned forty five yeares at soissons , now called the belgick gant , upon the decease of his elder brother childebert , who died without issue male , was proclaimed the seventh king of france . this cranne ( on whom that may be truly construed of the poet , filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos , ) was sicke of his fathers life , envying and grieving that he kept him so long from the crowne : but wanting meanes to make him away privately by poyson , or the like , because his servants about him were faithfull , and not to be corrupted ; he therefore opposed him by publike hostility , incensing his unkle childebert against him , who supported him in all his insolencies against his father . but childebert being dead , and he now wanting his great support , was forc't to mediate his peace with his father , who upon his submission tooke him to grace , and gave him his free pardon : but his former heart burning envy still boyling in his breast , he fell into a second rebellion ; yet finding the successe of his bad attempts to grow still worse and worse , as his last refuge , hee fled to the prince or duke of the brittons , ( whom some call conobee , others canubo , ) who undertooke to secure him from the pursute of his father : whereupon clotharius with his army invaded that countrey , and joyned battaile with the prince and his sonne , in which the brittons lost the day ; their army was routed , the prince slaine and cranne taken prisoner , of whom his father having seised , hee caused him to be shut up in an house , and with his wife and children to be burnt to death ; a just judgement from heaven , but a cruell sentence from a father ; who that very day twelve-moneth after died , being the one and fiftyeth yeare of his raigne . i come now to our moderne histories . ferrex and porrex joyntly succeeded their father gorboduc in the governement of this land of brittaine , in the yeare of the world foure thousand seaven hundred and eleven ; and continued in love and amity for a season : but in the end , envy the mother of all misorder and mischiefe so farre prevailed with them , that the one began to maligne the others estate ; insomuch , that they both studied and devised to supplant each other , thereby to gaine the entire supremacy , which first brake out in porrex , who gathering an army unknowne to his brother , thought suddenly to surprise and kill him : of which he having notice , and yet not able for the present to provide for opposition , he was forced to fly into france ; where craving ayde , he was supplyed with a sufficient hoast of galls : with which , landing in england , he gave his brother porrex battaile , defeated his army , and slew him in the field : ferrex proud of his victory retyred himself to his tent , whither his mother midan came by night , with some of her women ; and being freely admitted to the place where he lay sleeping , she with the rest most cruelly murdered him , and after cut his body into small pieces , causing them to be scattered in the field : and in these two brothers ended the line of brute . thus you see a most dreadfull judgement against envy , as well in the vanquisht as the victor ; but the greatest in the last : to be so cruelly murdered , rather by a monster then a mother . morindus was the bastard sonne of flavius king of brittaine , by his concubine fanguestela ; and was inaugurated in the yeare of the world one thousand eight hundred fourescore and ten , and made governour of the land : the chronicle reports him to have beene of a comely and beautifull personage , of liberall gifts , having an active body , and a most daring spirit , and strength withall above any peere or subject in the land ; but as a grievous staine and blemish to all these good parts and endowments , hee was of an envious condition , and cruell disposition , for he grew jealous of all such as either were great in wealth , or gracious in the court for any noble vertue : for the first , hee had a way to confiscate their estate ; and the latter he so suppressed , that they never came into favour , or grew to preferment : being further so subject to wrath , that whosoever crost or vexed him , he would suddenly slay with his owne hands . afterward his land being invaded by a prince of mauritania , he met him in battaile , and chased him to the sea , taking many prisoners : whom , to satisfie this cruelty and tyranny , he caused to be put to death in his presence and sight , with severall sorts of torments ; by heading , killing , hanging , burning , drowning , and other kindes of execution : but at the length ( as testifieth guido de columna and others ) this morindus whom our english chronicles call morwith , walking by the sea side , and spying a dreadfull monster upon the shore , he out of his bold and kingly prowesse , assaying to kill the beast , after a long fight was devoured and swallowed by the monster , when he had eight yeares governed the land ; which was a most strange and remarkable judgement . envy and dissension was the first bondaging of this our free and noble nation , in becomming tributary to the romans : king lud of famous memory being dead , during the minority of his two sonnes , androgeus and tenantius ; cassibelan the brother to lud was made king in the yeare of the world , five thousand one hundred forty two , who was a prince , noble , bountifull , just , and valorous : when the young princes came to yeares of discretion , hee gave to androgeus the elder the citie of london , with the earledome of kent ; and to tenantius the younger , the dukedome of cornewall . in this season iulius caesar being in the warres of france , and beholding the white cliffes and rocks by dover , demanded of the gauls whether it were inhabited or no ? or by whom ? being satisfied of his demand , hee first exhorted the brittaines by writing , to pay tribute to the romans : to whom cassibelan returned a short and sharpe answer ; with which caesar much incensed , makes ready his navy and people : but when they should have landed , they found long and sharpe stakes pitcht by the brittons , which put them to great trouble and danger ; yet at length gaining the shore , cassibelan with a strong army of brittans gave them battaile , and beat them to their shippes . notwithstanding , caesar soone after made a second invasion , with a greater power , and had the like brave repulse , to his great dishonour . for which double victory cassibelan having first given great thankes to the gods , assembled his lords and peeres to feast them ; and held sundry triumphs and sports : amongst which , two young knights , one nephew to the king , called herilda ; and the other euelinus , allyed to androgeus ; made a challenge for wrastling : in the performing of which exercise they grew to words , and from words to blowes , so that parties were made , and in this tumult herilda was slaine ; whose death the king tooke heinously , and sent to his nephew androgeus , that euelinus might be delivered up , to know how he could acquit himselfe of the murder ; which androgeus denying , the king gave him to understand , that it was in his power to chastise his presumption ; which the other fearing , sent to iulius caesar , not onely letters , but thirty hostages , ( to assure him of his fidelity ) that if hee would make a third attempt for brittaine , he would ayde him with a puissant army : of which caesar gladly accepting , with a strong hoast landed , and encamped himselfe neare unto canterbury ; of which when cassibelan had notice , he marched towards him , and betwixt them was fought a strong and bloudy battaile , where many were slaine on either side , and the day likely to incline to the brittons , when on the sudden androgeus came in with fresh forces , by which the wearied souldiers were compelled to forsake the field , and gave place to the romans , who slew them without mercy ; so that cassibelan , with those few that were left , retired himselfe to places of safety . whose valour caesar admiring , would not prosecute his victory any further for the present , but offered him peace , conditionally that he should pay a yearely tribute of three thousand pounds to the romans ; which conditions cassibelan accepted , and still continued king ; and androgeus who had so basely betrayed his countrey , not daring to trust his owne nation , whom in so high a nature he had injured , abandoned the realme , and went with caesar. now if any shall aske me where were gods dreadfull judgements in all this ? i answer , what greater , then for a free nation to lose their immunities , and become tributary and vassals to strangers ; from which they were not freed many hundred yeares after . long after this constantine was made king , and left three sonnes behinde him : constantine the eldest ( because he was of a very milde and gentle temper , and no way addicted to any martiall exercise ) hee put into a religious house , called saint swithens abbey , and made him a monke : his two other sonnes were aurelius ambrosius , and vter , sirnamed pendragon . but constantine the father being trayterously murdered , one vortiger , who then was the most potent peere in the land ; tooke constantine the eldest sonne out of the monastery , and made him king onely in name , for he himselfe swayed the government of the kingdome , with all the power that belonged to a crowne and scepter . yet not with that contented , he envied the state of the innocent king ; and though he had all the power , yet he could not content himselfe without the title ; and therefore placed a guard of an hundred picts and scots about the kings person , and having ingrossed into his hands the greatest part of the kings treasury , hee was so bountifull to those strangers , that they feared not to say openly that be better deserved to be king then constantine ; and waiting their best advantageous opportunity , murdered him : whose head being presented to vortiger , then at london , he made much seeming sorrow for his death ; and to acquit himselfe of the act , caused all those hundred knights to be beheaded : by which the people holding him innocent , crowned him king , when the other had raigned about five yeares : and this his coronation caused those that had the keeping of the two younger brothers , aurelius and vter , to flie with them into little brittain , where they remained long after : but as a just reward of this trayterous supplantation , hee was never after in any peace or quietnesse , his land being alwayes in combustion and trouble ; his peeres suspecting him of the death of the king , made insurrection against him ; insomuch that he was forced to sollicite aide of the saxons : who though they helped him for the present ; after , of his friends they grew to be his enemies , and were too mighty for him : so that when he had raigned in great molestation and trouble sixteen years , the brittaines deprived him of all kingly dignity , and crowned his eldest sonne vor●imerus in his stead . who when he had in many battailes overcome the saxons , and had almost quite expulsed them the land , he was poysoned by his stepmother r●waine , when he had gloriously and victoriously seaven yeares governed the land , and his father vortimer was againe made king , who was after twice taking prisoner by hengest king of the saxons , and his peeres and nobles cruelly butchered in his presence . at length the two younger brothers of constantine invaded the land , being aided by the distressed brittains , and pursued him into wales , where hee and divers of his complices fortified themselves in a strong castle ; which castle the two brothers with their army besieged , and after many vaine assaults , ( it being valiantly defended ) with wilde-fire they burned and consumed the fort , together with vortiger , and all his souldiers and servants . worthy it is to observe by how many severall kinde of judgements this sinne of envy hath beene punisht , as in the former examples is made apparant : namely , by the single sword , by battaile , by poysoning , strangling , heading , torturing , by murdering and cutting to pieces , by being swallowed up of monsters ; the living to be buried with the dead , by famishing in prison , by being torne piece-meale , and the bleeding limbes cast into common privies : some burnt with ordinary fire , others with wilde-fire ; the brother murdering the brother , and the mother the sonne ; the bondage and vassalling of nations , &c. which sinne , though for the commonnesse and familiarity it hath amongst us , is scarce minded , or thought upon ; ( because many who are envious may so hide it , that they may appeare honest withall ; ) yet is this hypocrisie no excuse , for you see how hatefull it is in the eyes of the creator , by so many visible punishments thereof . but i proceed . after many dreadfull battailes fought ( and not without great effusion of bloud ) betwixt edmund , sirnamed for his strength and valour iron-side , the sonne of ethelstane , and canutus the sonne of swanus , during this warre betwixt those martiall princes , to the great desolation of the realme , and mortality of the people ; it was agreed betwixt the two generals to conclude the difference in a single duell : the place where this should be performed was in an i le called olney , neare unto glocester , incompast with the water of the severne : in which place at the day appointed both the champions met , without any company or assistance ; and both the hoasts stood as spectators without the isle , there awaiting the fortune of the battaile : where the princes first proved one another with sharpe speares , and they being broken , with keene cutting swords ; where after a long fierce combate , both being almost tyred , by giving and receiving of hard and ponderous blowes , at length ( the first motion comming from canutus ) they began to parle ; and lastly to accord , friendly kissing and embracing each other : and soone after , by the advise of both their counsels , they made an equall partition of the land betwixt them ; and during their naturall lives lived together , and loved as brothers . but there was one e●ri●us duke of mercia , of whom my author gives this character : a man of base and low birth , but raised by favour to wealth and honour ; subtile of wi● , but false of turning ; eloquent of speech , but perfidious both in thought and promise ; who in all his actions complyed with the danes , to the dammage of his owne countrey men ; and yet with smooth language , protestations , and false oathes , could fashion his excuse at his pleasure . this false traytor , in whose heart the serpent of envy and base conspiracy ever burned , ●t length breaking out into flame against his owne prince iron-side , ( for what cause is not knowne ) and thinking to get the grace and favour of canutus , he so awaited his opportunity , that hee most treacherously slew his king and master iron-side . which done , thinking thereby to be greatly exalted , he poasted in all haste to canutus , shewing him what he had done for his love ; and saluted him by the stile of sole king of england : which , when the prince of danes had well understood , and pondering what from his owne mouth he had confest , like a just and wise prince , he answered him after this manner ; since ed●●c●s thou hast ( for the love thou sayest thou bearest unto me ) slaine thy naturall lord and king , whom i most loved , i shall in requitall exalt thy head above all the lords ( thy fellow peeres ) of england , and forthwith commanded him to be taken , and his head to be strook off and pitcht upon a speares head , and set upon the highest gate of london : a just judgement inflicted upon envy , which hath alwayes beene the hatcher of most ab●ominable treason . unparalleld was that piece of envy in fostius , one of the sonnes of earle goodwin , and brother to harold , after king ; hee in the two and twentieth yeare of the raigne of edward the confessor , upon some discontent betwixt him and his brother harold , came with a company of ruffins and rude pellowes , and rid downe to hereford in the marches of wales , where at that time his brothers servants were very busie to make provision for the entertainment of the king , invited thither by harold : who , when he was thither come , most cruelly and inhumanely he fell upon the innocent servants , and ●lew them all ; and after , cut them into pieces and gobbets , which he put into sowce and salt , pickling and powdering their limbes ; and afterward sent messengers to the king and his brother , to give them to understand , that if they brought fresh meate along with them , hee had provided them of powdered meate , as much as they could desire . which barbarous act being bruited abroad , it made him so hatefull to all men , that his owne tenants and people , ( men of northumberland ) the province of which he was then lord , rose up in armes against him , seising all the lands and goods of which he was possest ; and chased him into flanders , with no more then one or two servants to attend him ; where he remained with his wife and children , during the kings life . but when his brother harold ( after the decease of k. edward ) had usurped the crowne , fostius envying his brothers soveraignty , having purchased to himselfe a navy of threescore small ships , sailed about the isle of wight , and the coast of kent , where hee robbed and tooke preyes , and from thence went into lindsee , where hee did much harme by fire and sword ; but was chased thence by edwin and malearus , the earles of mercia and northumberland : then he sayled into scotland , where he stayed till the summer after . and when harold harfager the sonne of canutus , king of denmarke and norway , invaded the realme , fostius took part with him against his brother harold , and in a dreadfull battaile fought neare stemisford bridge ; he with all his complices and adherents were miserably cut to pieces : a just judgement suting with his former envy , butchery , and tyranny . but leaving many histories and examples with strange inflictions imposed upon this sinne . i come to the later times , as low as to the raigne of edward the sixt : over whom , by his fathers last will , for the time of his minority , his two unkles the brothers seymors being made chiefe guardians ; it happened that the two great dukes of northumberland and suffolke , dudley and gray , much murmured and maligned that they should beare such sway in the kingdome : the one being lord protector , the other lord high admirall ; one having great power by land , the other by sea , by which their glories seemed to be much ecclipsed : and finding no way how to supplant them by their servants , they took a newer course , and practised it by their wives , to draw their ruines out of their owne bosomes ; and thus it happened . sir thomas seymor the younger brother being admirall , and having married king henries queene dowager , ( whose good fortune it was of all the rest to survive her husband ) she was suggested to contest with her sister in law , for priority in place , to which the other ( for both were privately incouraged by the two dukes ) would no way assent : the one claiming precedence as she had beene queene , the other challenging it as she was now the protectors wife . the wives set their husbands at oddes by taking their parts ; insomuch , that there grew envy and heart-burning betwixt them , so that in the third yeare of the young king , the admirall was questioned about his office ; and by the consent of his brother , condemned in parliament to have his head strooke off , the protector with his owne hand signing the warrant for his death . the one brother being thus removed , there was now the lesse difficulty to supplant the other : for in the same moneth of february in which his brother lost his head , was the protector by the lords of the counsell committed to the tower ; but about a yeare after , by intercession of the king , and his submission to the lords of the counsell , upon the sixt of february he was released and set at liberty : yet this proved but a lightning before a clap of thunder . for the two dukes , his great and potent adversaries , still prosecuted their malice ; insomuch , that not long after , calling him to a second account , when he had nobly acquitted himselfe of all treasons whatsoever , that could be alleadged against him ; he was in a tryall at guild-hall ( not having a jewry of his peeres ) convicted of felony ; and in the first yeare of the king , upon the two and twentieth day of ianuary the great duke of sommerset ( the kings unkle and lord protector ) was beheaded upon the tower hill. but this envy in the two dukes escaped not without gods heavy judgements ; for after the kings death northumberland having a large commission from the lords , signed with the great seale of england , to raise an army to suppresse the lady mary : afterward repenting thereof , sent a countermand after him , and when he thought himselfe in most security , the nobility forsaking him , and the commons abandoning him , hee with his sonnes and some few servants in cambridge were left alone ; where notwithstanding in the open market-place he proclaimed the lady mary queene ; yet in kings colledge he was arrested of high treason , and thence brought to the tower of london , and on a scaffold upon the hill , the twelfth day of august next following , lost his head . the duke of suffolke being likewise proclaimed traytor , had a servant called vnderwood , whom he had raised to a faire estate , and therefore to his trust he committed his person ; who for some moneths concealed him in an hollow tree , and morning and evening brought him his food ; with millions of oaths engaged for his truth and fidelity : but being corrupted with a small quantity of gold , and some large promises , he betrayed him , and delivered him up to the noble earle of huntington , under whose conduct the duke with a strong guard of speare-men , was conveyed through london to the tower , and the seaventh day after his surprisall he was arraigned and convicted of treason in the great hall at westminster ; and upon the twenty fourth day on the tower hill beheaded . in this relation it is worthy to be observed in those two great dukes of sommerset and northumberland , that though the whole kingdome could scarce satiate their ambitions , yet now a small piece of earth contents them : for they lie buried together before the altar in saint peters church in the tower betwixt two queenes , the wives of king henry the eight , queene anne and queene katharine , they being also both beheaded . chap. iii. gods dreadfull judgements against wrath. diverse are the divisions and branches of this sinne of wrath , which some reduce to these foure heads ; mortall , veniall , capitall , generall : it is then called mortall , when it hath a desire to punish , not to satisfie the justice of the law , but its spleene ; or when through the vehemence of anger , it divides from the love of god , and our neighbour ; or when it seekes a severe and cruell revenge for trifling delinquencies : it is called veniall , when the motion of ire doth prevent the judgement of reason , but the consent followeth not ; when we are too spleenfull and chollerick within : or when the signes of our outward indignation too manifestly appeares outwardly . that which is called capitall , ariseth either from the heart , the mouth , or the act ; that from the heart is rather cal'd indignation , when him whom we suppose to have injur'd us , we hold base and unworthy ; and upon that wee animate and incourage our revenge , or tumor ment●● , the pride and haughtinesse of the minde , by which he that is incensed , is still devising severall wayes how to be avenged , by which his fancies are molested , and his thoughts much troubled : that which ariseth from the mouth is either clamour , when by confused and inordinate speeches , without a modest restraint of the tongue , we openly expresse our spleene and envy : or blasphemy , when being vehemently incensed , we breake into words which tend to gods dishonour : or contumely , when being angry with our neighbour , we use slanderous and despightfull language against him . in act , that is called r●xa , which is rayling and scoulding : in which are understood all the nocuments and dammages , which through wrath we can possibly doe to our neighbour . of the fourth called generall , there be three species ; acuta , which is that anger which ariseth upon small or no occasion at all ; amara , or bitter , when for an injury done we keepe it long in remembrance ; and stile a fit opportunity for revenge : gravis or difficilis , when we never remit an injury , till we satisfie our rage by punishment . against all these there be texts in the holy scripture , genesis . . therefore esau hated his brother iacob , because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him : and esau thought in his minde , the dayes of mourning will come , and then will i slay my brother iacob . prov. . . make no friendship with an angry man , neither goe with the furious man , least thou learne his wayes , and leave destruction to thy soule , . . an angry man stirreth up strife , and a furious man aboundeth in transgression . eccles. . . be not thou of an hasty spirit to be angry , for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles . matth. . . but i say unto you , whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly , shall be culpable of iudgement , &c. ephes. . . let all bitternesse , and anger , and wrath , crying and evill speaking , be put away from you , with all maliciousnesse . coloss. . . but now put yee away all these things , wrath , anger , malitiousnesse , cursed speaking , filthy speaking out of your mouthes . tim. . . . i will therefore that the men pray everywhere , lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting . tit. . . for a bishop must be unreproveable , as gods steward ; not froward , not angry , not given to wine , no striker , not given to filthy lucre . we reade in the fourth of luke , that when jesus came to nazareth , where he had beene brought up ; and as his custome was , went into the synagogue on the sabbath day , and stood up to reade ; at which divine sermon it is said , vers. . then all that were in the synagogue when they heard it , were filled with wrath , and rose up and thrust him out of the city , and led him unto the edge of the hill on which their city was built , to cast him downe headlong ; but he passed through the midst of them and went his way . many other texts are to this purpose , to reprove and condemne wrath and anger ; the fruits and effects whereof are for the most part manslaughter , murder , and the like ; of which by reason of their consanguinity and alliance , i am tyed to speak something , though briefly . of homicides , these amongst others are named in the scriptures ; cain , simeon and levi , abimelech , doeg the edomite , ioab , baanah and rechab , who slew ishboseth the sonne of saul , who looking for a reward , david commanded his young men , and they slew them , and cut off their hands and feet , and hanged them up over the poole in hebron , &c. in king david himselfe , who wrote thus in his letter , put you vriah in the fore-front of the strength of the battaile , and recoile ye backe from him , that hee may be smitten and die . absalom in killing his brother ammon . athalias the servants of ioash king of iudah , who slew him in the house of millo , with infinite others ; who as they were inhumane in their practises , so were their ends miserable and abortive , even all of them who have not truely repented . but i come now to ethnick histories ; and first of them most forraigne : in handling of which , i will give you to begin with a catalogue of such as have beene most cruell . ptolomaeus pisco one of the kings of aegypt , caused his owne sonne memphites ( whom he had begot of his wife and sister cleopatra ) to be slaine , and then commanded his head , hands , and feet , to be cut off , and to be shut in a curious casket made for the purpose , and sent them unto her as a present on his birth-day ; and then after , when he perceived that by his barbarous tyranny he was growne odious unto all his subjects , that he might the better oppose the danger , hee caused a schoole ( where most of the nobilities children , with others , were doctrinated ) to be beset and round environed with swords and fire , and so suddenly assaulted them ; that some by steele , others by the flame , were all destroyed , not one of them escaping : but that which hee thought to be his refuge , proved his ruine . for the people were so much incenst with this barbarous and bloudy act , that with an unanimous consent they fell upon him , and tore him in pieces . the like ( if not greater cruelty ) was practised by a woman , one cycenis the daughter of diogerides , king of thrace , who greatly delighted to behold living men cut in the middle , and invite parents to feast with their owne murdered children , cookt and drest severall wayes ; but she was after deposed from her principality , and none of her former subjects relieving her , ( so hatefull were her inhumanities ) she was famisht to death , and died of hunger . thus artaxerxes caused her who was his wife and mother in law , ( for his marriage was incestuous ) to have her head parted from her shoulders , though nothing worthy death could be alleadged against her ; nor did his tyranny end there , for after his father had resigned the kingdome to his charge , like an unnaturall paracide , he caused him , with an hundred of his children , nephewes and kinsmen , to be cruelly murdered : nor did hee escape unpunished , for the kingdome tyred with his insolencies , and the world weary with his horrible murders , made him in his death remarkable ; for as some write , he died by the stroake of lightening . vitoldus , prince of lituania , studied divers sorts of tortures and torments for men , upon any sleight cause condemned to death , one of which , was , he would command them to be sewed in beares skinnes , and then made it his sport to behold them torne in pieces with fierce mastiffes : moreover in all his warlike expeditions , hee had alwayes a steele bow ready bent , and what souldier soever but stept out of his ranke , hee instantly strooke him dead with an arrow , glorying to himselfe that he was so good a marks-man : but after these , and infinite other cruelties , hee that delighted to see men die like beares , was himselfe in the end torne in pieces with wilde wolfes , being paid in the like ( though not in the same coyne ) which hee lent to others . suiting to which is that story of perillus , who hearing that phalaris the tyrant over the agrigentines , was much delighted in the severall wayes of tormenting men , and presuming that nothing could better comply with his cruelty , then to present him with some rare and unheard of machine to that purpose , he devised and forged by his art a brazen bull , to open on the one side , and shut againe at pleasure ; which being brought to phalaris , he demanded of him the use for which it was made ? who answered him again , he had forged it to punish offendors of high nature ; for ( saith he ) let the naked body be put in at this doore , and then an hot fire made under it , the person tormented will not utter the voyce of a man , to put a telenting commiseration upon you , but the sound will appeare like the bellowing of a bull , to make it the lesse terrible ; which phallaris hearing and grieving in his ambitions evill , that any should offer to out-doe him in his cruelty : he told the workeman that he accepted of his gift , but commanded withall that he should make proofe of his owne worke , which was instantly done ; and he most miserably tormented in his owne engine : for who more fit to taste of tortures , then they that have the inhumanity to devise them ? and they by gods justice meritedly suffer themselves what they devise for others : of which o●id speakes thus . ipse perillaeo phalaris permisit in are , edere mugitus , & bovis ore queri . the purpose this . all that the workeman by his art did gaine , he in his owne brasse bellowed out his paine . amongst these bloudy minded men let me give you a taste of some no lesse cruell women : parisatis the mother of cyrus iunior , not content with inflicting ordinary and common torments upon the bodies of men , devised with her selfe a new and unheard of way , how to put men to a lingring death , by putting wormes unto them being alive , and so to be●d evoured . and irene the empresse and wife of leo the fourth , caused her owne sonne constantinus sextus , first to be cast in prison , next to have his eyes torne out of his head , and lastly to die in a dungeon . fulvia the wife of antony , one of the triumuirat , after her husband had caused the head of marcus cicero to be cut off , he commanded it to be brought home to him , and plac't upon his table ; and when he had for a whole day glutted his revengefull eyes with the sight thereof , he sent it to his wife fulvia ; who no sooner saw it , but ( as if it had still enjoyed the sence of hearing ) rail'd upon it with many bitter and despightfull words ; and having tyred her selfe with maledictions and womanish taunts , she tooke the head into her lap , and calling for a knife , she with her owne cruell hands cut out the tongue , ( once the pride and glory of eloquence ) and with the pinnes from the tyre of her head , prickt it full of holes , as if it had still beene sensible of paine , till she had fully ●●ted her spleene and cruelty . tomyris queene of the scythians , after she had taken cyrus king of persia in battaile , when he was brought unto her presence , she first caused a great and large tombe to be filled with the bloud of his slaine subjects , and then commanded his head to be cut off and cast there in ; which done , she tauntingly said , now cyrus drinke bloud enough in thy death , which in thy life time thou hast so much thirsted after . dirce a theban woman , when she understood that her husband lyc●s was inamored of antiope the daughter of nict●●s ; in her pestilent jealousie she caused the virgine to be surprised , and being in her power , she commanded her to be first bound unto the head of a wilde bull , and then made fire to be fastened to his hornes ; by which he being the more inraged , ran madly through woods , and over rocks , untill her body was miserably torne in pieces . alike ( if not more bloudy minded ) was amos 〈…〉 the wife of 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 jealous of the wife of masista ; president over the ba●●rians , in his absence most cruelly butchered her ; causing first both her breasts to bee cut off , which she cast to the dogges to be eaten ; then her nose , eares , lippes , and tongue to be throwne into the fire : and all these torments she endured being yet alive . progne the daughter of pandion king of athens , having by her husband terenus king of thrace , a sweet young prince called itis , because her husband had ravished her sister philomel , and cut out her tongue because shee should not reveale the incestious act : of this having notice , she in an unworthy revenge slew her sonne , whom the king much loved ; and having cookt his limbes with sundry sawces , she set them before his father , who eate thereof : and after , because he should be sensible of what he had done , in the last course she served in his head . tullia the wife of tarquinus , sirnamed superbus , the proud , and daughter to servius , then king of the romans , when her father was by her consent slaine in the capitoll , and his body throwne in the streets ; she riding that way in her chariot , when the horses stopt their course , and the driver stood amazed , she compelled him to drive over her fathers body , with whose bloud and braines her coach-wheeles were stained : yet was shee so farre from being daunted , that she was said to rejoyce highly in the act. yet for this accident , so hatefull it shewed to all the multitude , that the very street where this was done is called vicus sceleratus , the impious or wicked street , even to this day . now if any shall taxe my promise in the title of this worke , and say , true it is , that these were very bloudy and cruell women , and their horrid acts worthy both to be condemned , and hated of all people whatsoever ; but where are the judgements , or what were the punishments inflicted upon them ? i answer : it is not to be doubted but all , or most of these , suffered by the heavy hand of god in this life , and that remarkably : howsoever , the ancient remembrancers and chronologers of those times forgot to leave the manner and particular circumstances of their ends , in that to give the world a more full satisfaction . but howsoever , of this i am assured , that no greater judgement can be imposed upon any man-slayer or murderer , than to have his , or her name , branded to all posterity . their actions , as they were prodigious , so their very memories are to be made hatefull , and abhorrid of all . caligula the roman emperour , when his grandmother antonia was dead , and her much lamented body being brought to the funerall pile , he would not so much as grace it with his presence ; but all the time of the ceremony , was sporting with his jesters and buffoons in a summer parlor : he slew his brother tiberius , and used his wives father with all contempt and contumelies : he stuprated all his sisters ; and which is worse , ( if worse might be ) hee after made them prostitutes to his ruffians and villaines . ptolomaeus the sonne of iuba , his neare kinsman , and macro and euma his coadjutors in the empire , for their good and faithfull service he caused to be put to death : he commanded a questor in rome ( because his name was given up in a conjuration ) to bee stript naked and openly scourged . many of worthy birth and condition ( for crimes devised , not proved against them ) to branded with hot irons , or otherwise marked and maimed : some he confin'd to the mending of high-wayes ; others , to labour and dig in mynes ; and others he imprisoned like bruit beasts in grates and cages : some hee caused to be sawed in pieces in the middle , and that for a small fault , or none . when he punisht the sonnes or the daughters , he usually sent for the parents to bee spectators of the torment ; and when a father upon a time would have excused himselfe by the messenger , that hee was grievously sicke and could not come ; hee sent a bed to his house , and had him brought thereon . because a comick poet used in his sceane one doubtfull versicle , which by a double construction might bee wrested to trench upon the emperours person ; he commanded him to be burnt upon the very stage on which the dramma was acted . when hee had sentenc't a roman knight to be torne by wilde beasts , because the condemned person proclaimed his innocence , he first commanded his tongue to be cut out , and then sent him presently to be devoured . having called a nobleman from exile , when after his returne he came into his presence , the emperour demanded of him , what he and the rest did all the time of their banishment ? who thinking to flatter with him , and insinuate into his favour ; made answer , we continually prayed that your brother tiberius might die , and your sacred selfe survive and raigne long over us : at which words , a sudden fansie tooke him , that all these which remained in exile , desired his death ; and therefore hee sent in all haste to have them suddenly dispatched out of their lives : besides his facinorous workes , he used words , fierce , hasty , and favouring of all inhumanity ; among others this phrase was often in his mouth , all things against all men are to me lawfull . when certaine gauls and grecians were together put to death , hee boasted openly , as of a great conquest , saying , he had conquered gallogracia . those whom he tortured by degree , still as they fainted hee would have them comforted with hot drinkes , to make them longer endure their paine ; giving alwayes a charge to the tormentors in these words , have yee a care to make them sensible that they must die . he would also often bragge of that sentence of the tragicall poet , oderunt dum metuunt ; they hate whilest they fear . he often wished that all the people of rome had but one neck , that at one blow with an axe hee might cut it asunder . hee would often grieve and complaine of those times wherein hee lived , because they were not made notorious by some great affliction and dire calamity or other , wishing the slaughter of armies , famine , pestilence , combustions in the empire , swallowing of cities by earthquakes ; and whatsoever all good men desired of the gods might not chance , but be removed from them : all these mischiefes and miseries hee wisht might be inflicted on them , not excepting the security of his owne person . being at putcoli at a solemne annuall dedication made to the sea , where a multitude of people were assembled ; he called and beckoned a great company of men , women , and children , to come to that part of the shore where he was seated ; which having done , he commanded the souldiers of his guard to precipitate them into the water ; and those who catcht hold of any thing to save themselves from drowning , they with their speares and javelins pusht from all safety , so that they all perisht together . at a publike banquet , because a servant that waited mistooke the taking away of a plate trencher , he presently delivered him to the hangman to have his hands cut off , and then the plate to be hanged about his neck , and to rest upon his bosome : then a scroule in large letters to be pasted thereon , where was inscribed his fault and cause of punishment ; and in that manner to be led as a spectacle to all the feasters . hee contracted a combat with a valiant and strong man , who stooping to his mercy , ( as was before agreed betwixt them ) he tooke the advantage , fell upon him and slew him . i am tyred with the recicall of his many tyrannies , these being but part of them , on which i have dwelt the longer , because in the subsequent examples , i purpose to be more compen●ious , and end him with his death and lasting ignomi●y , who was 〈◊〉 by a tribune comming from the theatre , his wife after him , and his daughter crushed to death against a wall . avidius cassius a barbarous and bloudy fellow , the romans called a second cateline , because he was so covetous and thirsty after bloud , for besides many publike slaughters and private murders , striving to imitate peri●●s , he invented an engine of torture never heard , or i thinke , scarce heard of before , for he caused a beame or pole ( betwixt fourscoure and an hundred foot in length ) to be fixed in the earth , to which from the top to the bottome thereof he caused the living bodies of men to be fastened , and a fire of we●●illets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and straw to be put under them , till some with the flame consumed , others with the smoake suffocated , all perished to other , with which manner of torture ( borrowed from his president ) in the ten persecutions was used upon the christians ; but he escaped not a notorious judgement , dying ( as some have reported ) a strange and remarkable death , for , sitting at dinner when an extrordinary feast was served , whilest his hand was in the dish , and the meat between his fingers , one hired to that purpose , ( standing or waiting behinde him ) with his sword at one blow strook off his head ; and thus he perished without any remorse or penitence in himselfe , or any commiseration or pity from others . though i have spoken of domitius nero , and withall the judgement in his death , yet hear but megive ye a brief relation of his inimitable butcheries , and execrable murders , with actions every way as prodigious . he was the son of domitius aenobarbus and agrippina , who slew his mother . he first married octaviae , and then sabina poppaea , first commanding their husbands to be slain , and was the cause of both their deaths after , for after in his implacable fury he had killed poppaea ( being at that time big with childe ) with a spurne upon her wombe , by which she perished with her infant , because antonia the daughter of claudius ( fearing the like ) refused to marry with him , he commanded her to be put to death . he persecuted the church , and under his tyranny , saint peter and saint paul both suffered martyrdom . aulus plancius a beautifull young roman , after he had violently and against his will stuprated , he put to death 〈◊〉 crispinus his step son by the marriage of poppaea , a beardlesse youth , in rage he made to be drowned . many freed men when they came to the estate of riches he cut off by the sword . he pulled out the eyes of cassius longinus an excellent lawyer or orator , and never made known the cause of his offence . to p●li●hagus , by nation an aegyptian , who was accustomed to eat raw flesh , he gave living men to be devoured : these are but a part of his barbarous inhumanities , who not throughly sated with the blood of men , sought to exercise his hate upon rome his own city , by setting a great part of it on fire , his excuse being the deformity thereof , which incendiary he beheld from the mece●●tian tower , glorying in the flames thereof , being so far from commanding the fire to be extinguished , that he suffered not any man to enter into his own house to save any part of his goods ; and yet how mercifull was god in his judgement , to punish this tyrant with one miserable death , who had indeed deserved more than a thousand . creon a tyrant of thebes , besides many other cruelties , in which he exprest a most bestiall and unmercifull nature , denied buriall to all the dead bodies of his enemies slain in battell with others of his own subjects who had any way offended him , whom theseus after slew in a conflict , and served him with the same sauce , forbidding his dead carcase to be inhumed or sepulcred , but thrown out in the fields , for the brute beasts to feed , and the fowles of the air to prey on . anton●●● commodus one of the roman emperours , had so troubled the empire with gladiatory slaughters , that the people in contempt gave him the denomination of gladiator or fencer . he ( as lampridius witnesseth ) when he saw any man weak or unserviceable by reason of some disease in his feet , would shoot him with arrowes to death , having a strong steel bowe made for that purpose . the braines of others he used to beat out of their heads with clubs , and boasted that therein he imitated hercules , to that purpose putting on a lions skin . he was also so irriligious and such a contemner of the gods , that offerings and sacrifice at the altars he would mingle with the blood and flesh of men , and if any man shewed either a smiling or supercilious brow at what he did , ( both were alike ) him he commanded to be cast to the lions and other wilde beasts to be devoured . one of his servants being commanded to reade unto him the tyrannous raigne of caligula , with the manner of his death , as it was set down in s●etoniu● tranquillus , because it displeased him as somewhat reflecting on his person , he commanded to be cast to the lions . if any man in his own hearing or by the information of other , said he must die , he was precipitated from a rocke , or some other high place , and his body crushed to pieces : he delighted to see the bellies of fat men ript up , and how suddenly their guts and entrals would tumble to the ground . but the people after so great sufferings , now at length tired with his inhumanities , in the very height of his insolencies , when he least dreamed of any such disaster , caused him to be flain ; which though a violent death , yet in all mens judgements may appear somewhat too milde for his merit , but the great judge of all , sometime mitigates the punishments of such grand malefactours here , to make their torments more great and perdurable in the world to come . the next i present to your view is caius marius the roman , who as he was of great power and potency in rome , so his pride was boundlesse and unmeasured , but his inhumanity far exceeding them both , for after his exile , when he had again emptied the city of all those whom he suspected to have but the least finger in his confinement , by the assistance of cinna carbo and sertorius he presently fell upon the slaughters of the princes and senatours , which was so violent that the channels overflowed with the blood of the slain nobility . he took away the head from octavius the consul , and caused that of octavius a consular senator to be brought and set upon his table , taunting and deriding him even after death . casar and fimbria two of the most eminent in the city he commanded to be murdered in their own houses , breaking them violently open in the night , and killing them in their beds : the two crassi the father and the son he flew one in the sight of the other ( the more to aggravate their sorrow in their alternate indulgence . ) bebius and numitorius he commanded to be dragged through the forum by the common hangmans clutches , but catulus lactutius by swallowing fire ended his life , and escaped his greater cruelty . archarius and flamen dialis a priest , whose office was sacred and in great reverence amongst the romans , he commanded to be through pierced with swords . all which examples of tyranny he committed from the kalends of january , to the ides of the same moneth , but what heavy judgements god laid upon him , you shall next hear in the relation upon sylla . which lucius sylla made a deluge and over●●ux of blood through rome and all italy : four legions of the contrary faction of marius being surprised and imploring his mercy he commanded instantly to be cut in pieces : the prestines who had received and entertained marius junior into their city , after they had yeelded themselves unto his mercy , he put them out of the city , commanding putilius cethegus to kill them every man without the wals , and their bodies to be left in open fields without buriall , in which inhumanity perished at once five thousand men ; four thousand and slain by strength of his bloody edict of proscription , he caused their names to be registred in the publike tables , lest the memory of that facinorous act might be buried in oblivion : and not sating himselfe with the strage of men , his tyranny usurped upon women , not sparing matron or virgin , but he commanded their heads ( being cut off ) to be brought unto him , that he might thereby the better glut his savage indignation , and implacable fury . marcus marius the praetor he deprived not of his life before his eyes were pulled out of his head , and after caused all the bones in his body to be broken . marcus pletori●s because being sent to kill his enemy caius marius , he was daunted at his brave aspect and honourable presence , and therefore left the fatall act unperformed , he commanded him instantly to be slain . nor did his malitious rankor and hate end in the death of marius , for commanding his body to be burnt , he sprinkled and threw his ashes into the river anien : after all which and many more his bloody executions he was strook by the hand of god with the lowsie disease , so that his living body crawled with vermin , in so much that before his death his houshold servants were almost stifled with the stench of his carcase : such or the like are the terrible judgements of god , against these proud nimrods , mighty giants and great hunters of the earth , to day in their pride and pontificalibus , glorying in their oppressions and persecutions , and to morrow worse than any carrion of beast stinking in the grave , their memories being as hatefull to the hearing , as their corrupt putrefaction to the smell . i have hitherto spoken of cruell and bloody tyrants , let me treat a little of ire or wrath it self , for they are sinonima's , since all these are but siens growing from that stocke . anger and power meeting in one breast are more violent than any thunderbolt : wrath and revenge take from man the mercy of god , destroying and quenching that grace which he hath before-time given . anger consisteth in habit and disposition , but ire and wrath indeed and effect . hasty and froward speeches beget anger , anger being kindled , begets wrath , wrath seeketh greedily after revenge , and revenge is never satisfied without blood , which blood is never shed without just vengeance from heaven , as may be made apparant by many pregnant examples . for instance , cl●tarius smothering in his breast the seeds of ranker and malice for the space of ten yeares against galterus rhothomanges , when that most holy day cald the parasceve , in which our blessed saviour suffered death for all mankind , slew him as he was at his devotion upon his knees in an holy chappell in paris , ( for so the french chronicles report ) who for that horrid act was after fearfully punished in himselfe and his issue . the like hath often happened in the temples of italy , betwixt that imbestuous faction of the guelfs and the gibbelines , who made no conscience of person or place , but in the time of divine service have pistolled one another in their pewes , as they were kneeling at their prayers , when the church hath been full of drawn swords , to the disturbing of the whole congregation , making no more reverence of the place than a slaughter-house or shambles ; upon whose but cheries god inflicted such vengeance , that the one party quite destroyed the other , till they were mutually cut off , and utterly extinguished . such is the irreligious boldnesse of some , that i heard a scotishman of note ( soon after king iames came into the land ) speak in the company of prime gentlemen after this manner , such a one killed my brother , and i could not meet him in seven yeares after , but at length espying him in the church on a sabbath-day , my fury could not contain it selfe , but even where he sate i shot him with my pistoll and slew him , and the arrant puritans ( saith he ) would have excomunicated me for nothing else but for killing him who had before killed my brother . but though men make slite of these atheisticall and sacrilegious butcheries , that god who made man after his own image , and all men of one and the selfesame earth and clay , will not let them escape his fearfull and terrible judgements . neither have the holy fathers the popes been altogether free of this sin of ire and implacability , for we reade in their own chronicles , that upon the day when the sacra cineritia were celebrated , that was upon ash-wednesday , in which is used great solemnity , when the great presbiters and cardinals according to the custome came to kneel to pope boniface , to receive the ashes , he took the ashes and vessell in which they were contained , and in great rage flung them in the face of prochetus archbishop of genoa , with whom he was at oddes , and hated him exceedingly , and changing his words of exhortation and benediction , he violently brake out into this language , remember o thou man that thou art of the faction of the gebelines , and with those gibelines thou shalt die ; for he was of that party , and enemy to the guelfs , whom the pope favoured . stephanus sextus because formosus upon his death-bed would not set his hand to his election , ( who was pope before him ) when he came to be instated in the papacy , he commanded him to be plucked out of his sepulcher , and buried in the church-yard , causing his fingers first to be cut off , and so basely dismembred him being dead , for refusing to subscribe for him being alive . with the like malevolent hatred also did sergius the third prosecute the same formosus , who again commanded his body to be taken out of the second grave , and brought it into the forum or publike rialto , when the head was cut from the body , and cast into the river tiber , and this he did to insinuate into the favour of lotharius king of france , to whom formosus living was in great opposition . divers other examples of the like malitious nature i could extract out of their annals , and those remembrancers who have writ the lives of the popes , which for brevity sake i omit , but am confident withall , that these evil presidents from the clergy ( whose light should shine to others ) have been a great encouragement to the laity to offend in the like , who for the most part paterne their actions , be they good or evill , by their teachers and instructers . mahometes otomanus the grand seignior missing but two cucumers out of his garden in his returne home , ( after solacing himselfe abroad ) he in his rage slew two of his catamites with his own hands , being young boyes of choice feature and beauty . and commodus was of that fiery indignation , that when he came into the bath to wash himselfe , and found it somewhat more hot than usuall , he commanded the bath-keeper to be thrown into the fornace , and there burnt to ashes . and quintus metellus was of such a testy and cholericke disposition , that having lived some yeares as consul , and proconsull in spain , when he heard by the decree of the senate of rome , pompeius whom he much hated was to succeed him in his command and soveraignty , his anger grew so violent that he diminished his army , and made all the magazine of grain and provision of victuall a spoil and prey to the souldiers , he caused all the bowes and arrowes in the army to be broken and knapt asunder , forbidding the horses and elephants to have their ordinary and customed food and fare , not leaving him at his arrivall any one thing of any moment wherewith he might succour or relieve either himselfe or his army . pr●merus a domesticke servant of archelaus king of macedonia , with such an intestine hatred persecuted euripides , that one night he watched him when he came late from supper with the king , and in the way let loose fierce mastiffes upon him , by which he was most miserably torne to pieces . such also was the grounded and inveterate hare of the unanimous people of rome to heliogabolus , that being dead they cast his martyred body into the common jakes of the city with his mother semile , and after flung them into the river tiber , making also an edict , that his statues before erected should be demolished , and his very name to be raced out of all the monuments of the city , willing ( if it had been possible ) quite to have extirped his memory . they likewise when the emperour michael paleologus was dead , denyed unto his body any place for buriall . marti●s sabinus much troubled and in●enced that hostilius was by the sufferage of the people preferred unto the crown and kingdom , to which he had before aspired , when he saw his malice could not vent it selfe against his competitor , not able to suppresse his implacable indignation , and not knowing any meanes to embrew his hands in the blood of his adversary , he could not contain himselfe but shed his own , and falling upon his sword desperately slew himselfe . full of cruelty , ( and savouring no humanity at all ) was that wrath and fury of septimus severus , who having overcome clodius sabinus in battail , and utterly defeated his army , himselfe being taken prisoner , he commanded that he should be transpierced with a sword and slain : but not content with this , he caused his wounded body to be stripped naked , and laid before his palace as a publike spectacle to all men , so that himselfe might take a full view thereof from the prospect of his window : yet could not all this satisfie his malitious cruelty , but further he commanded a wilde and untamed jennet to be brought forth , to trample and tread upon his face , breast , belly , and the other parts of his body , untill all his bones were bruised and broken in his skin , and he disfigured all over . nor ended his fury here , for he would not suffer his body ( thus mangled and martyred ) to be taken thence , till the stench thereof grew so noysome to the place that it could be indured no longer ; and then lastly , as a close to the rest , he gave leave that it should be cast into the river . this and the like prove the old adage to be true , homo homini lupus , one man is a wolfe to another : but i thinke such fire-hearted and pouder-brained men are worse , for no brute beast will prey upon its like , the lion will not tyrannize over the lion , the bear fall upon the bear , nor the wolfe on the wolfe , onely man who is sensible and indowed with reason , will not spare his own similitude and likenesse . i have read in solinus an approved authour , of a strange fowle or bird bodied like a gryphin , and equall to it in bignesse , onely bearing the face of a man ; this ravenous harpy ( for no more proper appellation i can bestow upon it ) above all other creatures desires to make his prey upon humane flesh , and when he hath slain any man and glutted himselfe with his dead carcase , his use is to go to drinke at the next river , in which he no sooner spies his own face , but presently a telenting and repentance commeth upon him , sorrowing to have been the death of a creature of his own aspect and countenance , which taketh in him such a sensible and deep impression , that after that time he wil never taste the least food or sustenance , punishing his unnaturall act with one the most terriblest deaths that can be invented , famine . if these roysters , cutters , and swashbucklers , those bloody minded canibals ( for they are no better in their brutish condition ) would but make this bird their embleme , and consider with themselves what sorrow and repentance with a remorse of conscience waites at the heeles of every slaughter and murder committed , they would not be so forward to give the lye , strike , stab , nor ( that which in seeming of all those fowle ones appeares to the outward view the fairest ) be so ready to send or entertain challenges , or meetings in single combats and duels , not before considering , that he who fals by the others sword in his rage , ( and therefore without charity ) there is great doubt of his salvation , and the conquerour must dearly answer for his lost soul. besides , if he escape the justice of the law , the worme of conscience shall never leave him , but continue him in perdurable torment . and now to such murders arising from wrath , their strange discovery and judgement . in the raigne of christierne the second king of denmarke , when some twelve of his prime courtiers were making merry in a parlor , and amongst them one who was post-master to the king , it happened that dissention falling amongst them , upon the suddain all the lights ( in the tumult ) were put out , and one amongst them slain with a poniard , but lights at length brought in , and the body found murdered and breathlesse , the king desired to have account for his dead subject , the nobles lay all the guilt upon this postmaster , but the king with whom he was then gracious , thought it to be done of malice , and perswaded himselfe that he was innocent of the act : they on the contrary alledge that he was the cause of that meeting , that there had been a former grudge and malice betwixt them , and moreover , that when the lights were brought in he was found next to the dead body , so that they desired the body to be laid upon a table , and every one singly to lay his hand upon the naked breast of the person murdered , with a deep protestation , that they were innocent of the act , which was done in the kings presence , and they came all by course according to the manner proposed , but in the body was found no change or alteration at all : at last came the cursor or postmaster , and first embracing his feet , and with many teares kissed them , thinking by that meanes , if it were possible , to pacific his just incensed spirit , and at length comming to lay his hand upon the breast of the dead body , a double flux of bloud issued from his wounds and nostrils , and that in great abundance ; by which finding himselfe convicted , he confessed his malitious act , and by the king was committed to the common executioner . this story the lord henricus ranzovius , vicar generall to the king of denmarke , in all his dukedomes a man illustrious in nobility and learning , relates in his responsory to the consulatory of david chitraus . another suiting to this i finde related by doctor othe melander , in his iocoserni ; who speaks of a man , who through rankor and hatred had watched his neighbour till he had found meanes by meeting him in the thickets and woods , ( a place convenient for such a mischiefe ) to lay violent hands upon him , and murder him ; and after escaped without the least suspition of the fact : but the body being after brought to the iizehohensian senate , they gave command that one of the hands should be cut off , and hanged up over the dining-table in the common jayle or prison . it happened that the malefactor being some ten yeares after committed upon some delinquency , ( of no great matter or moment ) that he was brought into the same roome , and by accident when hee sate downe to meate , plac't just under the hand , which though it had beene withered and dryed for so many yeares , bled freshly , and dropt upon his trencher ; at which all being amazed , the gaoler went straight to informe the senate , who sent to examine him , and he being convinced in conscience by that divine prodigy , soone acknowledged himselfe guilty ; for which he was committed to the charge of the executioner , and according to the custome of those countries , broken upon the wheele . in the diocesse of one of the dukedomes of saxony , commonly called gerstenauta , there lived in one village a shepheard and a rustick or husbandman , who were of that antipathy in condition , that above all measure they hated one another ; and though neighbours and friends on both sides had appointed sundry meetings , to mitigate and reconcile this inveterate malice , yet they found it unpossible to be done , and so left them to their giddy and haire-brain'd fury ; which gave them now the more scope and liberty to insidiate one another , yet neither of them durst attempt their worst of indignation , as fearing the danger of the law : yet they ceased not back-biting , slandering , railing , calumniating openly , besides private whispering and murmuring , ( insomuch as in them lay ) to take away each others reputation and good fame : and moreover , to devise and seeke out by what meanes they might dammage one another in their goods , chattels , or any other part of their estate , which grew to such unsufferable height , that neither of them able to indure their mutuall incumbrances and detriments , secretly agreed together to make an end of all in single fight ; for which they both prepared themselves against the day appointed : the husband man provides himselfe of a good forrest bill , with some other shorter weapons , as a ponyard or a dagger , to speed his enemy if they should happen to close in the encounter : the other causeth a sheephooke to be made of a strong ashen plant , in the bottome a pike of three inches long , sharpned like the point of a needle , and to skrew in and out at pleasure : the head thereof ( though fashioned like a hooke ) was of massy steele , yet made with the like skrew ; and being taken off , there was another pike of six or seaven inches long , insomuch that the smith who had the charge of forging the materials , greatly wondered for what use it was : before the day of combate came , newes was brought to the other of this dreadfull weapon , which ●ut him into a great affright , as doubting the successe of the conflict ; but though his courage failed him , yet the canker of his malice still continued , and fearing open hostility , he began to fly to stratagems , and so devilishly ordered the matter , that in the silence of the night , when the other was fast sleeping , he broke into his cottage and murdered him in his bed ; which done , providing him at home of such things as were necessary , he betooke him to his heeles , and fled into the province of hessia : the body being found , his suddaine flight might easily ( without contradiction ) confirme who was the homicide , and therefore the countrey left off farther inquiry . he now concealeth himselfe in a private house , unsuspected of any , thinking himselfe secur'd both from pursuit and punishment ; but gods judgements are nearest when malefactors ( in that heinous kinde ) thinke them to be farthest off , as shall appeare by the subsequence : for soone tyred with the closenesse of the house , ( as being still used to the fields , and liberty of the fresh aire ) he one day walking abroad , happened to come within the toyles , where the illustrious prince of hesse , philip the first of that name , was hunting the wilde boare ; and when the beast ( who was of an extraordinary magnitude ) was in the hottest of the chase , most fiercely pusued by the dogges , he ranne directly against this homicide , and goaring him with his tusks , gave him sundry mortiserous and deadly wounds , and so left him as dead in the place : presently the prince came in , and though not knowing the party , in his great commiseration commanded his body ( yet breathing ) to be borne to hirifeldia , the nearest towne , and all meanes possible to be provided for his cure : but all was in vaine , within two dayes he died . in which time he confest all the manner of his former murder to those that were his visitants ; withall affirming , that he saw not the shape of any boare , but in him the right figure of the shepheard , who with his dreadfull shoep-hooke gave him these lacerating and tormenting wounds : which misprision of his is worthy your observation , and his history is verified by the fore-named author , doctor oth● melander . you may reade in the turkish history , in the time of sir thomas glovers being there embassadour , that the same noble gentleman entertained into his family an english-man , and made him one of his domestick servants , who was not one whom he brought over out of england , but found there as a stranger and traveller ; whom at his earnest suit , ( what for charity , and what for countrey-sake ) hee admitted into his house , imploying him in sundry affaires , in all which he diligently and carefully demeaned himselfe : but it so happened , that the embassadours servants being abroad recreating themselves , a company of the rude and barbarous turkes gave them some affront ; in conclusion , from words they grew to blowes , and so unto hurliburly , in which , by the hurling of an unfortunate stone , one of the turkes being hit under the eare , died of the blow : the englishmen retire within their priviledge , and the turkes threaten to pull downe the house , and to make spoyle of all that was therein ; for bloud ( they said ) ask't bloud , and therefore they would have no satisfaction till the offender were delivered into their hands : now this servant late entertained was not in the company , nor out of his lords doores all that day : briefly , because they said they knew the man , hee was fore't to cause every servant of the house to shew themselves ; they with an unanimous voyce clamour that is he , that is he : who was the man that kept house the day of the tumult . his lord to acquit his innocence , made pretes●●tion of the same , but all to no purpose ; that was the man mark't for their vengeance , and none else they would have ; and so hurried him away to prison to be executed the next day : but the same night the lord embassadors chaplaine came to comfort him with godly instructions for his soules health , and the rather because of his knowne innocence . but to cut off circumstance , the prisoner freely confessed unto him that he had slaine a man in england , no● 〈◊〉 his owne defence , but malitiously , and fled for the murder ; where a 〈…〉 travelling div●re countries , he at length came into turkie , where he had ●o●●d to have ●etled himselfe . then penetently acknowledging how god in his just judgement had found him out in that remote place , where he thought to have 〈◊〉 orne his vengeance . the day after he was the subject of the infid●●● me●●ilesse cruelty , who hanged him at the embassadors gate . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anu● , and iohannes budeus report a strange discourse of a malicious servant , whom the devill had possest with his owne diabolicall inhumanity : who taking a virulent spleene from some rough usage by his master , watched his opportunity when he was absent , and shut and barricadoed all the doores about the house ; then hee broke open a chamber upon his mistresse , and when he had contemptuously and despightfully demeaned himselfe towards her , hee after bound her hand and foot , and so left her groveling upon the floore : then he tooke three young children ( the eldest not seaven years old ) and carried them up to the battlements , and when he espied his master comming home , he called to him , and in his sight first precipitated one childe , and then another , from the top to the pavement , where their bodies were miserably dasht and shattered to pieces , and hold up the other in his armes to doe the like to him ; at which the wretched father extreamely stupefied , ( for who can imagine lesse ) fell upon his knees , and humbly besought the villaine to spare the life of the third , and he would pardon him for the deaths of the former : to which the barbarous homicide replyed , that there was but one way in the world for him to redeeme his life ; the indulgent father with teares and intreaties desired to know what that way was ? who presently replyed , that he should with his knife instantly cut off his nose , for there was no other ransome for him : the passionate father who dearely tendered the safety of his childe , having now no other left , agrees to the condition , and disfigured and dishonoured his face , according to the covenant made betwixt them ; which was no sooner done , but the inhumane butcher framed a loud and scornefull laughter ; at which , whilest the other stood amazed , the childe which he still held in his armes , he ●●ung to the rest , and then most desperately cast himself after , preventing a worse death by torment : and such was the end of this arch-limbe of his father the devill , and the fruits of ire , anger , indignation , and malice . chap. iv. gods judgements against sloath. salomon saith of sloath , proverbs . vers. . sloathfulnesse causeth to fall asleepe , and a deceitfull person shall be affamished . and . vers. . he that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread , but hee that followeth the idle shall be filled with poverty . againe , proverb . . . goe to the pismire , o sluggard , behold her wayes , and be wise , for she having no guide , governour , nor ruler , prepareth her meate in the summer , and gathereth her food in harvest . how long wilt thou sleepe o sluggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe ? yet a little sleepe , a little slumber , a little foulding the hands to sleepe : therefore thy poverty commeth as one that travelleth by the way , and thy necessity like an armed man. this being a sinne generally rather of omission then commission ; examples and the punishments thereof are not so frequent in the holy text ; nor other ethnick authors as those actuall and in continuall agitation , yet as farre as authentick authority will give me leave , i will strive to delineate and expresse it to the full ; that being ( howsoever sleighted and unminded ) mortiferous and deadly , and therefore subject to judgement and condemnation , it may be the more carefully abandoned and avoyded . pride , fulnesse of bread , and idlenesse , which is a neglect of that duty which belongs to god , and a cessation of that consociety and converse which is requisite amongst men , were part of those sinnes which caused god to raine down fire and brimstone upon sodome and gomorrah , whose lazinesse and sloath begot incest , adultery , and that most preposterous and abhominable sinne , since called ( from the place ) sodometry . but i desire first to annalyse and distinguish of the vice , before i proceed to further president . this fourth head of the beast of hell , called accidia or desidia , hath a bad root , and spreadeth into many evill branches ; for it keepeth from beginning well , and hindereth from ending well . it hindereth good beginnings by six sundry sinnes : the first may be called faintnesse , which is , when a mans love , which ought to be zealous and servent towards his creator and redeemer , is cold , faint , and weake , and therefore made unapt either for devotion , or prayer ; and this commonly happeneth when he is backward and averse to enterprise any good worke of piety or charity . the second may be titled tendernesse , which is the very couch and day-bed on which the devill resteth and reposeth himselfe , still prompting to the man or woman ; thou hast beene ever tenderly and indulgently brought up , not borne to trouble thy selfe with any toylesome vocation : thou art moreover of a weake constitution , not able to endure paine or labour , much lesse fasting , or any needfull chastising of thy body ; that sighing for thy sinnes were hurtfull for thine health , and weeping for thy transgressions would in time spoyle thine eye-sight , with the like malevolent suggestions ; which aptly comply with a sentence of one of the fathers , iustum est cum deo , ut moriens obliviscatur sui , qui vivus , oblitus est dei : most just it is with god , that such men should forget him in their death , who would not remember him in their lives . the third branch is idlenesse , from whence many evils arise , as witnesseth the holy text : for when the old adversary of mankinde findeth a man idle in his duty towards his maker , he then findeth him imployment in his owne wicked workes : first putting him in minde to think of evill , and then to act it ; addicting himselfe wholly to villany , ribaldry , luxury ; to neglect time and opportunity , wherein hee might doe much good , and make his way towards heaven : where on the contrary , doing much evill , hee prepares his passage to hell and eternall damnation . the fourth beares the title of dulnesse or heavinesse , when we solely incline our selves to drowsinesse and sleep ; and then are the adversary and his ministers vigilant and waking , to insidiate us in all our senses : and the lesse apt he findes us to the service of god , the more plyant and flexible hee makes us for the workes of sathan ; and such are they , who for one houres sleep will neglect comming to divine service , to heare the word of god preached , or to be present at the administration of the holy sacraments : the first is refrectory perversnesse , that is , when we lie and snort in sinne , and are sensible and apprehensive of the temptations of the world , the flesh , and the devill , yet we neither lift up our heads nor hearts to god by way of contrition , nor implore unto him devoutly by confession , nor list up our hands unto him , as promising repentance : like that obstinate and wilfull prisoner , who had rather lie rotting in a stinking and noysome dungeon , then take the paines to walke up the staires where the doores stand wide open , to gaine himselfe his franchise and liberty . the sixt may be stiled pus●llanimity ; that is , when we dare not enterprise any pious act ( after a good motion ) in a diffidence , that god will not assist us in the performance thereof ; and this is a foolish dread that some apprehend from their vaine dreames , and may be resembled to such as dare not venture to walke in such a path , because there the snaile putteth forth his hornes ; or young children , that shun their way for the hissing and gagling of geefe . these are the six impediments that hinder to begin well ; there are six other quite averse from ending well . the first is delay : for when god putteth into the heart of man to have an appetite , or purpose to doe any good worke , or to repent him of his old sinnes , and prepare himselfe to newnesse of life : then comes the old tempter and wispers in his eare ; what needes this early and too forward beginning ? thou art yet in thy prime and strength , take the benefit and pleasures of thy youth : it is yet too soone : age will come on , and then thou shalt have leisure , for when the delights of youth forsake thee , thou shalt in thy decrepit estate have little else or nothing to doe : thus dallying and dandling a wretched soule to it's eternall destruction . most true it is that god saith , at what time soever a sinner repenteth himselfe of his wickednesse , he will blot out all his offences ; but he that made that promise , hath not promis'd to give the sinner a time of repentance . after delay comes negligence , for whosoever maketh doubts and demurres to turne to god , it is no wonder if he doe it feignedly , superficially , and negligently ; and this is a vice generall and avoyded by few : for alas , how many are to be sound that use care and diligence in performing their bounden duty to god , and executing that charity in which we are obliged towards our neighbour . the third is oblivion and forgetfulnesse , and consequent it is , that whosoever is negligent , must needs be forgetfull ; and both these hinder us from a devout confession of our sins to god ; for by casting a neglect upon our transgressions and offences , they soone slip out of our thoughts ; and when we have occasion to acknowledge them , and be sorry for them , they are quite out of our remembrance , by which the soule incurres great danger of judgement . then followeth feare or dread , which is a faintnesse of the heart bred by evill custome , which makes us to grow in a distrust of gods mercy , and by that meanes to incurre the fearefull sinne of desperation : of which , not onely former ●ges , but even the times present affoord too many dreadfull examples . and then there is a lazy supini , which breeds a diminution and abatement of all devotion ; and is a disease to the soule , as a consumption to the body ; when in the stead of going on , we rather stand still , or draw backe ; and this recreance and defiling , if not taken in time , may turne to infidelity and apostasie ; sinnes of that attrocity and diabolicall nature , scarce amongst christians to be named . sixely and lastly , there is a fond zeale , or foolish servour , by which men weaken their bodies , and disable their spirits by superstitious vigils and fasts , by which they thinke to merit heaven , but in the interim fall into such langor , malady , sicknesse , and disease , that they make themselves disabled , either for the service of god , or following their owne vocation and calling ; but of such i presume there be not many . sloath is no better then the pillow or bo●ster of the devill , the originall of many dreadfull sinnes , and grievous calamities : of murmuring , a branch whereof we have example out of the holy scriptures , numb . . . and a number of people that was amongst them fell a ●u●●ing , and turned away , and the children of israel also wept , i and said , who shall give us flesh to eate ? we remember the fish which we did eate in aegypt for nought , the cucumbers , and the pepons , and the ●eekes , and the onions , and the garleek ; but now our soule is dryed away , we can see nothing but this man. again , cap. . vers. . after , they departed from the mount hor by the way of the red sea , to compasse the land of edom ; and the people were sore grieved because of the way : and they spake against god , and against moses , saying , wherefore have ye brought us out of aegypt to die in the wildernesse ? for here is neither bread nor water , and our soule loatheth this light bread : wherefore the lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people , which stung them , so that many of the people of israel died . we reade further in the first of haggat , vers. . thus speaketh the lord of hosts , saying , the people say the time is not yet come that the lords house should be builded : then came the word of the lord by the ministery of the prophet haggai , saying , is it time for your selves to dwell in your seiled houses , and this house lie waste ? now therefore thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your own wayes in your hearts ; yee have sowne much , and bring in little yee eate , but ye have not enough : ye drinke , but ye are not filled : ye cloath ye , but you are not warme : and he that earneth wages , putteth the wages into a broken bagge , &c. come to the gospell , matthew . vers . and his master answered to him and said , thou evill servant and floathfull , thou knewest that i reapt where i sowed not , and gathered where i strawed not : thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers , and then at my comming should i have received mine owne with advantage : take therefore the talent from him , and give it to him that hath ten talents ; for unto every one that hath , it shall be given , and he shall have abundance : and from him that hath not , even that he hath shall be taken away ; cast therefore that unprofitable servant into utter darkenesse , there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . this drowsinesse is also blamed by our saviour christ in his apostles , marke . . then hee came and found them sleeping , and said to peter , simon , sleepest thou ? couldest thou not watch one houre ? watch ye and pray , that ye enter not into temptation . from divine , i come to ethnick examples : capitolinus hath left remembred unto us , that authonius pius being emperour , caused the roofes and coverings of all such houses to be taken away , as were knowne to receive any idle people ; affirming that nothing was more uncomly or absurd to be suffered , then such idle caterpillars and slow-wormes , to have their food and nourishment from that common-weale ; in the maintenance of which there was no supply from their industry and labour . notorious was the lazinesse and sloath of honorius the emperour , for where , as it is the custome of all princes whatsoever , not to set their hand or seale to any briefe , grant , or warrant , before they had diligently perused the contents , lest perchance they might doe something against their honour and dignity ; yet he was of that idle condition , that he had neither the patience to peruse himselfe , or to heare read any thing ( of what import soever ) he was to subscribe : which his sister placida observing , and willing as farre as she durst , modestly to reprove and taxe this strange sloathfulnes in him ; she devised an instrument or writing , in which the emperour had contracted her his onely sister to a most vile , sordid , and contemptible fellow , who used about the court , and was generally knowne to all ; which done , she caused that paper to be shuffled in amongst many others upon the sealing day , to which the emperor set his hand and signet : and the next morrow she came and prostrated her selfe to him , weeping , and complaining to him of her infelicity and strange disastrous fortune ; at which the emperour wondring , demanded the cause of her so great sorrow and heavinesse ? to whom she shewed the writing , and his hand and seale to confirme it : at which being more amazed , he made a great protestation , that he never had any such thought or purpose ; of which the wise and discreet lady taking advantage , she told him the whole circumstance how every thing came about , and that it was her owne act ; withall beseeching him ( under pardon ) to avoid the like or greater inconvenience , which might trench upon the honour and discretion of his sacred majesty : which was delivered in such passionate and affectionate language , that the emperour received it from her gratefully , and reformed that errour in himselfe for ever after . this drowsie and snorting sinne , howsoever in outward appearance it seemes innocuous and harmelesse , neither dammaging the party infected therewith , nor others , yet hath many virulent and bitter impendencies , which alwayes hang over it , as may appeare by history ; tyrannizing over the strong , and insulting over the mighty : for example , the invincible hercules , whom neither giants , savage beasts , serpents , nor monsters , could withstand ; after all his active and immutable labours , when hee gave but the least way to sloath and idlenesse , it brought him to his utter ruine and destruction ; who casting off his lyons skinne , and laying aside his mortiferous club , with his fatall shafts and bow , betook himselfe unto all effeminacie : insomuch , that changing his masculine habit , he put on the loose garments belonging to women , that he might the more freely insinuate into the good grace and favour of o●phale queene of the lydians , of whom he was perditly inamoured : at whose command he fashioned those his stubborne and rude fingers ( before imployed in quelling tyrants , and subduing monsters ) to spinne , card , and draw a corse and untoward thread from the distaffe ; but what was the end of this sloathfull effeminacie ? his chaste wife dianeyra hearing how strangely he had lost himselfe , both in his person and reputation of the world ; thinking to recall him from this dull and sleepy lethargy , sent him a shirt for a present , ( but ignorant that it was poysoned ) which hee had no sooner put on , but it instantly putrified and infected his body all over , cleaving so fast to his skinne , that in striving to plucke away the linnen , he tore the flesh from the bones ; so that overcome with the anguish and insufferable torture of the poyson , he built a huge pile of wood which he had torne from the trees that grew upon mount oeta , to which having put fire , it no sooner grew into a violent flame , but first having cast in his club , and then his lyons spoyles , he afterwards threw himselfe , where he was burnt to ashes . the like we reade of the great assyrian monarch sardanapalus , whose brave predecessors from many discents , imployed themselves in warlike expeditions and martiall affaires , all of them great undertakers , and some mighty conquerours , insomuch that the nation was dreaded throughout the world ; but this last and worst abandoning all masculine vertue , gave himselfe onely to sloathfull delicacy , luxury , and base metriculosity , in that abject and sordid manner that laying aside all that sublimity and excellence which belongs to regall majestie , he forsooke his virill habit and ornaments , willing if it had beene possible to have altered his noble sexe by putting on female habit , and sequestring himselfe from his martiall nobility , and counsellers of state , converst , and had consociety onely with whores , bawdes , panders , eunuches , and catamites , insomuch that he made his royall palace worse then any burdeile , or common brothel-house : which his nobles and peeres impatient to indure , when neither humble intreaty , perswasion , counsell , nor menaces could divert him from his sloath and idlenesse , they made an insurrection against him : and under arbactes the generall , having first seised all the castles , and places of strength , belonging to the empire , they besieged him in his pallace , profering him even then , if he would change his loathed sensuality , they would likewise alter their purpose of deposing him ; but this desperate devill , constant in his ruine , despising their indulgent proffers , and preferring his beastly and abhominable lusts before life or honour , whilest they were yet in parley , or before returned them any answer , gathered together all his gems , jewels , and treasure , even his whole magazine , which amounted to an infinite : then all his prostitutes and concubines , with the whole brood of brothelry , and setting fire on the whole seragl●a at once , leapt in himselfe amongst them ; than which incendiary , no more acceptable sacrifice could have beene made to the devill . moreover , what greater conquerour then iulius caesar , eterniz'd through all ages for his magnanimity and valour , of whose brave and heroicke acts to give a full expression , would aske a voluminous chronicle , who more wakefull , provident , active , adventurous , laborious , industrious ? and never out of agitation , till he had attained unto that height of supremacy at which he aimed , which was no lesse then to be the sole monarch of the world , but after when he came to submit himselfe to the affect of peace , and ease , and was no longer in action , he fell into many monstrous sinnes , and horrible and hatefull adulteries : for thus suetoninus reports of him , hee vitiated and corrupted many illustrious matrons ; ( i say not all , after he came to be perpetuall dictator , which in effect was emperour ) but these are remembred amongst others ; he stuprated posthumia the wife of servius sisipitius , lollia the wife of aul●s gabinus , tertullia the wife of marcus crassus and m●●a , of c●eius pompeius : divorcing himselfe from his owne wife , hee was said above all others to be most inamored of servilia the mother of marcus brutus , whose love he bought with a jewell valued at sixe hundred sexterti● , hee vitiated also iumia tertia , the daughter of servilia , and wife of marcus crassus . hee was said also to devote himselfe to the love of divers queenes , as euria maura , the wife of king bogades , and cleopatra most amorously above the rest , with whom hee banquetted and rioted night and day , from the sunnes uprising to his sett , and from the twilght to the dawning of the day , and in the same ship and bed accompanied her through egypt , almost to the confines of aethiopia , by whom hee had a young sonne called caesaria : hee is also reckoned amongst the cinaedi , and to bee a pederastes , that is , one abused against nature ; of which , with mamuria termanus he is taxt by catullus : which aspertion suetonius labours to acquit him of , in these words , caesars great familiarity and bed-fellowship , with nicomedes king of bithynia , ( wich was he with whom he was suspected ) doth no way hurt or blemish the modesty of caesar : of whose bloudy butchery in the capitoll who hath not heard ? thus you see even in the greatest and most active , when they fall into this mollicies , and pillowy sluggishnesse , what effects it workes upon them , and what fearefull judgements it brings upon them ; for doubtlesse there is scarce a whoredome acted , or adultery committed , no incestuous congression , or pathick preposterous luxury , in which this socordia , this snaylie and sluggish vice hath not a predominant hand . of the last , modesty will scarce suffer me to speake , or almost to name , being more then brutish and altogether abhominable : and before i enter on the former , give me leave to remember unto you some few of these soft , idle , and effeminate fellowes , which merit rather the names of musk-cats , then men . augustus caesar in sundry of his epistles written to mecoenas , expresseth his tendernesse , softnesse , and delicacy ; but especially in that where hee delivereth himselfe to this purpose : farewell mecoenas , the honey of nations , the ivory of etruria , the laser of aretinum , the margarite of tibur , the smarage of the gilneans , the jasper , berill and carbuncle , &c. strange mellite and oily gnatonicall language , ( being seriously intended ) to a subject from so great and wise an emperour : yet the learned and grave seneca calls him mecoenatem discimitum mollicima ejus delicias , & portentosum orationem : his dissolute or unguerded mecoenas , his most effeminate delicacy , and portentous speech : who saith farther of him , that he was able to give an excellent example of the roman eloquence , if too much felicity and worldly prosperity , mixt with ease and idlenesse , had not mollified and enerved his spirits . so also macrobius and crinitus both report of him . cai● duellius after he had triumpht over the carthaginians , and returned thence a glorious conquerour , grew unto that voluptuousnesse and lazinesse , that he gave himselfe over to all the intemperances of lust and riot ; for if he went at any time by invitation to banquet or feast abroad , hee had a trumpet or a coronet to sound him to the place ; and when the meeting dissolv'd , to usher him back to his owne house . the mass●●tenses were with this lazie luxury so contaminated and infected , that they imitated women in their habit and vesture , perfuming their haire with pretious unguents , and then bound up their lockes with laces and ribbands : hence grew a proverbe to their lasting disgrace , if any man was seene to sp●uce up himselfe too curiously , they would say unto him , e massi●ia ●enisti , thou camest but now from massilla . and of this unmasculin'd condition , were abram , artemon , clistine , lysicrates , argyri●● b 〈…〉 us , n●arus , aristodamus , andramites king of lydia , with infinite others ; perpetually and unto all posterity made notorious for their sloath , and branded for their idlenesse . how apt is plenty and fulnesse of bread to alter even the best natures , and of men to make monsters ! augustus caesar was a wise , discreet , and well govern'd prince , and celebrated for many rare vertues : yet it is related of him by suetonius , sextus aurelius , and others , that he was accustomed to lodge nightly with twelve hee catamites of the one side , and as many she prostitutes of the other ; who rejecting his wife scribonia , contracted himselfe to livia , who was glad to hasten the nuptials , lest her great belly should be discovered : and though hee were a bondslave to lust , he used to punish it in others with all severity ; ( for so the former authors report of him ) at a feast where was a great assembly of the patricians , and senators with their wives ; in the middle of the service , betwixt the second and third course , ( not able to containe himselfe any longer ) he tooke by the arme one of the beautifull'st matrons , ( whose husband was present as a guest ) and led her into a with-drawing roome ; where after some stay he brought her backe to her seat , with her linnen ruffled and out of order , and a great flushing in her face , which was palpable to all there present . he is also said to have stuprated tertullia , terentilla , drusilla , salvia , citiscenia , and others . but more prodigious were the lusts of his successor tiberius , who according to tranquillus , devised a seller or vault , which was as a schoole of venery ; and where all libidinous acts were practised in his owne presence . in the woods also he built venereall groves , where prostitution was daily practised ; with some things fearefull to be named . and as there were many prodigious examples of neroes cruelty , so there are also of his incontinence and luxury ; all which adde to his hatefull and abhominable life , to make it the more infamous , who most irreligiously committed a rape upon rubria , one of the vestall virgines , to whom it was held worse then sacriledge to offer the least violence . hee caused from the beautifull childe sporus ; his virill parts to be cut away , indeavouring to have made him a woman , ( if art could have done it ; ) and then to have married him , and so he did : from whence grew a saying , made common in the mouthes of all , happy had it beene for rome and the empire , if neroes mother had beene such a wife as sporus . many of his actions are too obscene for modesty to utter ; hee had naturall congresse and consociety with his naturall mother agrippina ; he caused also one doriph●● a freed man to be cut like sporus , and married him also . thus farre of him tranquillus , but much more cornelius tacitus . caligula incested his owne sisters , and prostituted them to his slaves and vassals , that in the cause of aemilius they might be condemned as adultresses , or vitiated persons , which otherwise had gone against him . livia horestilla the wife of caius piso he violently tooke from him , and made her his empresse , but within two yeares being tyred with his new peere , he turned her off to grazing ; and then he tooke from caius memmius his wife lolliae pa●lina , and in a short time repudiated her also ; consining them both from marriage , or to have consociety with any man whatsoever . he was much inamoured of one cesonia a beautifull damsell , and his custome was to his private friends oft to shew her naked . hee was said much to love marcus lepidus , and marcus nestor the pantomine , ( which is a buffoone or common jester ) for no other cause , but onely for the commerse of mutuall and alternate brothelry ; of these and many other his brutish ribauldries witnesseth suctonius . the emperour commodus in like manner constuperated his owne naturall sisters , in the sight of his other paramores and prostitutes , and then offered them to his friends , such libidinous wretches as himselfe , to have the like congresse with them : being a young man he was a scandall to all those whom he made his companions , and they reciprocally were scandalized by being in his company : these with infinite others of his licentious irregularities are recorded by lampridius . hee had also ( as the same author testates ) three hundred concubines of selected forme and feature ; chosen out of the families of the senatours and patritians ; and as many choice young men of sweet aspect and undespised proportion , taken out of the best of the nobility ; and with these hee did continually riot , drinke , and wanton in his pallace , where were used all immodest postures , and uncomely gestures , that the very genius of lust could devise : so that his court shewed rather a common stewes , then the royall dwelling house and mansion of a prince . gordianus iunior , who wore the imperiall purple with his father , absenting himselfe from all warlike imployment , lived in lazinesse and ease , giving himselfe solely to voluptuousnesse and carnall concupiscence , having at once two and twenty concubines , and by every one of them three or foure children at the least ; for which by some he was called the priamus of his age : but by others ( in scorne ) the priapus . and proculus the emperour in one expedition , ( besides many other spoyles ) tooke captive an hundred sarmatian virgines ; all which hee boasted not onely to have vitiated and deflowred , but to have perpetrated , or more plainly got with childe , within fifteene dayes , for so flavius vopiscus reports of him ; as also sabellicus , in exemplis . heliogabalus that monster of nature , gathered together bawdes , whores , catamites , pimps , panders , rounsevalls , and stallions , ( the very pest and poyson of a nation or people ) even till they grew to a great multitude : to which he added all the long-nos'd vagabonds , and sturdy beggars he could finde ; for these they say have the greatest inclination to libidinou filthinesse , and these he kept together and maintained at his great charge , onely to satisfie his brutish humour : therefore lampridius writing to the emperour concerning his prodigious venery , useth these words ; who can endure a prince who committeth lust in all the hollowes of his body , when roomes , cages , and grates , the receptacle and dennes of wilde beasts cannot amongst them all shew a beast like him . he also kept cursors and messengers , who had no other imployment , but to ride abroad , and seek out for these masuti , and to bring them to court , that he might pollute and defile himselfe amongst them : but these whose dissolute and floath-infected lives have growne to such an execrable height of impudence , have not escaped gods terrible judgements by miserable and tragick ends ; as you may read in the premises , where i have had occasion to speake of the same persons , though to other purpose . i will prosecute this further by example , wherein the effects of this dull and drowsie vice of idlenesse and sloath , shall be better illustrated , and in none more proper then that of ●egistus and clitemuestra : for agamemnon king of mycena , ( and brother to menelaus king of sparta , the husband of helena , ravisht thence by paris , one of the sonnes of king priam ) being chosen . generall of the grecian army , in that great expedition against troy , for the rape of that spartan queene : in his absence he left aegistus to governe his family , and mannage his domesticke affaires , who lull'd in ease , and loytring in idlenesse , and she a lusty lady , and lying in a widdowed and forsaken bed , such familiarity grew betwixt them , that at length it came into flat adultery ; of whom the poet thus ingenuously writes : quaeritur aegistus , quare sit factus adulter ? in prompt● causa est , desidiosus erat , &c. aske any why aegistus did faire clitemnestra woe , 't is answer'd : he was idle , and had nothing else to doe . now this egistus was before espoused to a young lady the daughter of phocas duke of creophen , whose bed he repudiated , and sent backe to her father . for the love of this queene of micena , of whom he begot a daughter called egiona ; and in the absence of his lord and master ( supported by the queene ) tooke upon him all regall authority , and was obeyed as king. now agamemnon had a young sonne called orestes , who was then under the tuition or guardianship of a worthy knight called fultibius , who fearing lest the adulterer and the adulteresse might insidiate his life , he conveyed him out of the land , and brought him to idomeneus king of creet , a pious and just prince , who undertooke to bring him up , educate , and instruct him like the sonne of such a father ; and protect him against all his enemies whatsoever . imagine now the ten yeares warres ended , troy sackt and spoyled , rak't to the earth , and quite demolished ; and agamemnon at his returne the very first night of his lodging in the palace , cruelly murdered in his bed by egistus and the queene . by this time orestes being of the yeares able to beare armes , and having intelligence how basely his father was butchered , and by whom , he made a solemne vow to avenge his death upon the authors thereof , and to that end besought aide of the king idomeneus his foster father and protector , who first made him knight , and furnisht him with a competent army . to assist whom came fultibius his first guardian , with all the forces he could levy ; as also phocas , whose daughter egistus had before forsaken : these sped themselves so well , that in few dayes they entred the land , and after laid siege to the chiefe citie called micene , where the queen then lay ( for aegistus was at that time abroad to solicit a●d against invasion , which he much feared ) but finding the gates shut , and the wals manned , and all entrance denied , they made a fierce assault ; and though it was very couragiously and valiantly defended ; yet at length the city was taken , and the queen surprised in the palace , who being brought unto the presence of her son , all filiall duty set apart , and forgetting the name of mother , he saluted her onely by the title of adulteresse , and murderesse , and when he had thundered into her eares the horridnesse and trocity of her crime , having his sword drawn in his hand , he suddenly transpie●●'d her body , and left her dead upon the pavement , as an expla●ion or bloody sacrifice to appease the soul of his dead farher . some would aggravate the fact , and say , that he caused her breasts to be torne off , ( she being yet alive ) and cast to the dogges to be eaten , but that had been a cruelty beyond nature , for a son to exercise upon a mother ; now whilest these things were in ag●●ation , aegistus had gathered an army for the raising of the ●●ege , and reclaiming the city , of which orestes having intelligence , ambu●hed him in his way , and had such good successe , that having incompassed him in , he set upon his forces , both before and behinde , routed them , and took aegistus prisoner , whom after he had put to the greatest tortures that humane apprehension could invent or devise , he commanded his body to be hanged in chaines upon a gibbet without the city , the place where malefactors were executed ; there to remain till it dropped thence limbe from limbe : all this comming to the ear of the adulterate brood esyone , ( who was said to have been accessary to the death of agame●nón ) she in extreme sorrow for the disaster happened to her father and mother , despairing , strangled her selfe , and orestes after he had more considerately pondered his cruelty towards his mother , which ( how soever just ) had better to have come from any mans hand than his own , and further , that in the mouthes of all men he was held no better than a matricide , ( a name hatefull both to god and man ) he upon this grew into a great melancholy , and from melancholy to madnesse , never being able to recover his senses after . it being worthy observation , what murders , revenges , adulteries , divers selfe-killings , and what not ? arise from this ( seeming harmelesse ) drowsie , and sleepy sin of i 〈…〉 enesse ; of which i will present you further with a strange and most lamentable story . dom. ioannes gygas postilla suae , parte secunda , pag. . a noble and vertuous lady who had a lasie and drowsie chambermaid , and as one bad quality seldom or never goeth without another , she was of a testy disposition , and of a snappish and curst tongue ; it happened that her mistresse upon a time chiding her for her neglect and sloath , she began to mander and murmur , and in the end to give her lady very crosse and untoward language , at which being much incenst , she gave her a box on the ear , at which she fell down upon the floor , as if she had been halfe slain , and multiplying many bitter and despightfull words , told her lady that blow should never be forgot nor forgiven . who somewhat sorry , as fearing she had strook her too hard , left her mumbling the devils pater noster , as we say , and minded her no farther . but the devill would not let slip this occasion , putting her in minde , to accuse her lady of adultery , and day nor night she could be in quiet , till she had so done : at length attending a fit opportunity when she found her lord in private , the subtle shrew interupted him after this manner ; noble sir , ( with pardon craved for my boldnesse ) i have a strange secret to acquaint you with , were i assured of your silence , but i am afraid that my zeal and tender care i have of your honour may be misprised , and that punishment which belongeth to others may redound upon my selfe to mine own ruine ; at which the crocodile wept , and her lord longing to know what the matter was , protested secrecy , and bid her say on : when she thus proceeded , i know ( sir ) that you are confident of the modesty , purity , and conjugall chastity of your lady , as wholly devoted to your love , having no other rivall or competitor in her affection ; but to my great sorrow i speak it , she violates her matrimoniall tie , and adulterates your sheetes in your absence , not with a gentleman of any of fashion , or quality , but with one of the groomes of your stable , which i most humbly beg of your honour that you will keep private to your selfe , till i make you eye-witnesse of what i speak , and bring you to the place where this ungodly congresse is frequently used betwixt them . and here she broke off abruptly as if teares constrained by sorrow had stopped her in her further relation . at this discourse the nobleman was stupified , and though he ever found her indulgent and affectionate towards him , and could never tax her of the least lascivious glance or incontinent gesture , yet he remembred that when his custome was to rise early to hunt , or hawk , or to survey his parkes and grounds , he found her scarce up or ready when he came backe to break fast , and then his jealousie began to suggest him that in that interim this wickednesse might be committed ; and so growing full of thoughts , he left her ( the devils agent ) to attend the event , who let slip no occasion to prosecute the mischief that she had begun , but finding him comming early one morning ( after his sports ) and knowing her lady was then in bed , ran presently to the stable and called one of the groomes in haste , and told him he must run suddenly to her lady in her chamber , for she had a serious businesse in which to imploy him , which she did with such servency , that the groom ran to the chamber as if it had been for life and death , ( and so indeed it proved ) and finding his ladies door open , entered : in which time she cals her lord , and hastens him to the place , but before he came thither , the lady spying the groom to rush so suddenly into the chamber , called him bold and saucy varlet , and ( ignorant of the deceit ) flung bed-staves at his head , and not having the patience to hear what he had to say for himselfe , bad him get him thence with a vengeance , whom his master met just at the door , and with his sword ran him through , so that without speaking he fell dead in the place , and there in the heat of fury , ere she had the leisure to aske what the matter was , he as she lay in her bed and without any question or answer expected transpierc'd her to the heart , whose chaste soul ( no doubt ) mounted unto that blessed place of rest to which her piety , devotion , and charity in her life time chiefly aymed ; now as he stood leaning upon his sword so lately imbrued in the bloud of these two innocents , having a thousand chimera's in his brain , and her flinty and obdurare heart mean time relenting at the horridnesse of the strage committed , she could keep her own devillish counsell no longer , but presently burst out into this language ; alas my lord , what have i done ? never was lady more chaste or constant to the bed and imbraces of her husband than she who here lies weltering in her innocent blood , whatsoever i spake of her was false and untrue , as meerly suggested by the devill , and this i malitiously devised in revenge of a blow she gave meto correct my 〈◊〉 and slo 〈…〉 fulnesse , which not able in my ill disposition to digest ; i , am onely i am sole authour of their commiserated and much to be lamented deaths , which hath happened more difastrous than i expected . this being so feelingly and passionately delivered , strooke such a deep impression into him , that sometimes casting his eye upon his honest and faithfull servant , and then upon his vertuous and untainted wife , being possest with a world of distractions at once , which swayed him above the strength of nature , he first dispatched her of life , and after fell upon his own sword ; making up the fourth in the tragedy . if you expect to hear further judgements inflicted upon this sin , every sessions and assises through the kingdom can afford presidents sufficient , how many children are brought to the execution place , who complain of their parents for their idle and slothfull bringing up ; who being neither set to school , nor put to manufacture or trade , whereby to get their livings , have been found to filch , pillage , steal , and break houses , which brings them at length to the gallowes : what fils the bridewels and correction-houses with so many rogues and vagabonde ; but idlenesse ? what makes so many maunders and high-way beggers , so many brothers of the broomesta●●e , who not able to compasse a sword or pistoll , will adventure to set upon men and rob them , with staves , bats , and cudgels ? what makes so many pimps , panders , apple-squires , bawdes , prostitutes and whores ( the very cankers and impostumes of a common-weal ) but sloth and idlenesse ? and what are the fruits of their ribaldries and 〈…〉 ries , but aches , and it ches , ●●rpegues , fluxes , rheumes , catarrhes , and a thousand other diseases ? who though they escape the rope ( which is the presentest and sudde●nest cure for them all yet the best houses they can hope to purchase , are lame spittles ; and hospitals . i need not aggravate these any further , as not being things private , rare , or scarce happening in an age , but as common as noverint univers● , for scarce a monethly sessions passes here in the city , without hanging and carting . to prevent which , and to avoid the manifold mischiefes incident , nay impending over this sin of floath and idlenesse , let every man and woman in the fear of god apply themselves to their severall vocations and callings , to supply ( as far as in them lies ) the necessities belonging to this life , and to become industrious and laborious members of the church and common-weal ; and for the life to come , to take the counsell of our saviou 〈…〉 , matth. . . watch therefore , for you know not at what hour your master will come : of this be sure , that if the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come , he would surely watch , and not suffer his house to be digged through . this condemneth sleepy floath and ●rowfie negligence ; neither is doing good onely commanded , but the negligence and omitting of doing good is damnable and subject to everlasting torment , as you may reade matth. . . then he shall say to them on the left hand , depart from me ye ●ursed into everlasting fire , which is prepared for the devill and his angels , for i was an hungred and yee gave me no m●●● , i thirsted and ye gave me no drinke , i was a stranger and ye took me not in unto ye , i was 〈◊〉 and ye clothed me not , i was in prison and ye visited me not , and these are me sinnes of omission . their judgement is not for taking away the bread from the hungry , and drinke from the thirsty , but for not supplying them with such necessities when they stood in want thereof ( for this is spoken of the poor members of christ. ) i conclude with this sin of idlenesse thus , most sure we shall reddere rationem , that is , answer for every idle act , when we shall render an account for every idle word . chap. v. gods iudgements against covetousnesse . this vice is defined to be a dishonest and insatiable desire of having , which is superabundant in desiring , acquiring , and keeping , but altogether deficient in parting with , or giving : this inordinate desire of riches is quite opposite to liberality , and to justice , which ought to distribute suum cuique , and may be divided into these four heads , mortall , veniall , capitall , and generall . it is called mortall , when a man taketh or reteines that which belongeth to another man unjustly ; and then it is either theft , rapine , vsury , or deceit in buying or selling , or else when we prefer the inordinate love of riches before our love to god and our neighbour . and then called veniall , when though we love wealth , we use no indirect course to get it , nor hinder others by our illiberality or gripplenesse to keep it , and may be called good husbandry . it is capitall , and so called , because it is the head of many other sinnes , and exceedeth either in retaining , from whence ariserh obduration against pity , which is also called inhumanity , or the unquietnesse of the minde , which begets superfluous solicitude and care : or violence , when we take from others injustly and by force : or fallacy , when we equivocate in our bargaines : or perjury , when we use an oath to confirme it : or fraud , when for gain we sticke not to deceive : or prodition , and that was the sin of iudas , who for a price betrayed his master . it is called generall , because of it there be many species , one specially consists either in the defect of giving , or the excesse in the desire of having ; of the first in giving , he is called parcus who giveth little , tenax who gives nothing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who parts with that he gives with great difficulty . excesse in acquiring consists in gaining filthily , or injustly ; filthily , by illiberall acts , as striving to enrich ones selves by base , vile , and sordid meanes , in which is included all meretricall gain got by prostitution or panderisme , with the like : and amongst these injustly avaritious , are numbered , vsurers guilty of oppression and extortion , theeves who rob either openly or privately , spoilers of the dead , false executours , &c. and dicers , who covet to prey on the goods of their friends living . and this grand vice with all the severall branches thereof is condemned in the holy scriptures , gen. . . moreover , provide thou amongst all the people , men of courage , fearing god ; men dealing truly , hating covetousnesse , &c. it is the tenth commandment , thou shalt not covet thy neigbours house , neither shalt thou covet thy neighbours wife . and levit. . . ye shall not steal , neither deal falsly , neither lye one to another , thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong , nor rob him . deut. . . thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother , that the lord thy god may blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hand to , in the land whether thou goest to possesse it . iob . . he hath devoured substance , and he shall vomit it , for god shall draw it out of his belly . and . . for what hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped up riches , if god take away his soul. psal. . . trust not in oppression nor in robbery , be not vain , if riches encrease set not thine heart upon them . prov. . . such are the wayes of every one that is greedy of gain , he would take away the life of the owners thereof . ier. . . therefore will i give their wives unto others , and their fields unto them that shall possesse them , for every one from the least unto the greatest is given unto covetousnesse , and from the prophet unto the priest every one dealeth falsly . ezech. . . he that hath not oppressed any , but hath restored the pledge to his debtour , he that hath spoiled none by violence , but hath given his bread to the hungry , and hath covered the naked with a garment , and hath not given forth upon usury , neither hath taken any increase , but hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity , and hath executed true judgement betwixt man and man , and hath walked in my statutes , and hath kept my judgements , to deal truly , he is just , and shall surely live , saith the lord. matth. . . no man can serve two masters , for either he shall hate the one and love the other , or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other , ye cannot serve god and riches . luke . . wherefore he said nnto them , take heed and beware of covetousnesse , for though a man have abundance , his life standeth not in his riches . iohn . . then said one of his disciples , even iudas iscariot simons son which should betray him , why was not this oyntment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor ? now he said this not that he cared for the poor , but because he was a thiefe and had the bag , and bare that was given . it is radix omnium malorum . tim. . . for the desire of money is the root of all evill , which whilest some lusted after they erred from the faith , and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes , for they that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares , and into many foolish and noysome lusts , which drown men in perdition and destruction . covetous men are contemners of gods word , matth. . . and he that received the seed amongst thornes is he that heareth the word , but the cares of the world , and the deceitfulnesse of riches choak the word , and he is made unfruitfull . it is no better than idolatry , col. . . mortifie therefore your members which are on earth , fornication , uncleannesse , the inordinate affections , evill concupiscence , and covetousnesse , which is idolatry . they are miserable and vain , iob . . he hath undone many , he hath forsaken the poor , and hath spoiled houses which he builded not , surely he shall feel no quietnesse in his body , neither shall he reserve of that which he desired , there shall none of his meat be left , therefore none shall hope for his goods , when he shall be filled with his abundance , he shall be in pain , and the hand of the wicked shall assail him , he shall be about to fill his belly , but god shall send upon him his fierce wrath , and shall cause to rain upon him , even upon his meat , &c. they are not capable of everlasting life , col. . . nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor railers , nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of god. many more texts there are to the like purpose , but i come nearer to shew you examples of covetousnesse , and the punishments thereof out of the sacred scriptures . we reade iosh. . . and achan answered ioshua , and said , i have sinned against the lord god of israel , and thus and thus i have done , i saw amongst the spoiles a goodly babylonish garment , and two hundred shekels of silver , and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight , and i covered them , and behold , they lie hid in the earth , in the midst of my tent , and the silver under it . it followeth , verse . then ioshua took achan the son of zerah , and the silver , and the garment , and the wedge of gold , and his sonnes , and his daughters , and his oxen , and his asses , and his sheep , and his tents , and all that he had , and all israel with him brought them to the valley of achor : and ioshua said , in asmuch as thou hast troubled us , the lord shall trouble thee this day ; and all israel threw stones at him , and burnt them with fire and stoned them with stones , &c. it was also punished in nabal , sam . . who was churlish , gripple , and covetous , and ungratefull to david and his servants , for which the text saith , verse . and about ten dayes after the lord smote nabal that he died : who not onely lost his life , hut had his wife abigail given unto david , whom he before despised . ahab king of israel for coveting of naboths vineyard , and by the meanes of his wife iezebel putting him to death , that her husband might take possession thereof : hear his terrible judgement that followed , kings . . the word of the lord came to eliah the tishbite , saying , arise , go down to meet ahab king of israel which is in samaria , lo , he is in the vineyard of naboth , whither he is gone down to take possession of it : therefore shalt thou say unto him , thus saith the lord , hast thou killed , and also gotten possession : and thou shalt speak unto him saying , thus saith the lord , in the place where dogs licked the blood of naboth , shall dogs licke even thy blood also , behold , i will bring evill upon thee , and will take away thy posterity , and will cut off from ahab him that pisseth against the wall , as well him that is shut up , as him that is left in israel : and i will make thy house like the house of ieroboam the son of nebat , and like the house of baasha the son of ahijah , for the provocation whereby thou hast provoked and made israel to sin : and of iezebel spake the lord , saying , the dogs shall eat iezebel by the wals of iezreel ; the dogs shall eat him of ahabs stocke that dieth in the city , and him that dieth in the fields shall the fowles of the air eat , &c. now what more fearfull judgement could have been pronounced against them ? all which punctually happened unto them according to the prophets saying . further , we reade esay . . thy princes are rebellious , and companions of thieves , every one loveth gifts , and followeth after rewards , they judge not the fatherlesse , neither doth the widows cause come before them , therefore saith the lord god of hostes , the mighty one of israel , ah , i will case me of my adversaries , and avenge me of mine enemies . ier. . . thine eyes and thine heart are but onely for thy covetousnesse , and to shed innocent blood , and for oppression , and for destruction , even to do this ; therefore thus saith the lord against iehoiakim the son of iosiah king of iudah , they shall not lament him , saying , ah my brother , and ah my sister ; neither shall they mourne for him saying , ah lord , or ah his glory , he shall be buried as an asse is buried , and cast forth without the gates of ierusalem . ezech. . . her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves , ravening the prey to shed blood , and to destroy soules for their own covetous lucre . in thee have they taken gifts to shed bloud , thou hast taken usury , and the increase , and thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion , and hast fogotten me , saith the lord god , behold therefore i have smitten mine hands upon thy covetousnesse that thou hast used , and upon the blood which hath been in the midst of thee : i will scatter thee amongst the heathen , and disperse thee in the countries , &c. amos . . hear this word ye kine of baashan , that are in the mountaines of samaria , which oppresse the poor , and destroy the needy , &c. the lord god hath sworne by his holinesse , that loe , the dayes shall come upon you , that he will take you away with thornes , and your posterity with fish-hookes . micah . . and they covet fields , and take them by violence ; and houses , and take them away , so they oppresse a man and his house , even man and his heritage , therefore thus saith the lord. behold , against this family have i devised a plague , whereout ye shall not plucke your neckes , and you sh all not go so proudly ; for this time is evill . again , . . the heads thereof judge for rewards , and the priests thereof teach for hire , and the prophets thereof prophesie for money , yet will they lean upon the lord , and say , is not the lord amongst us ? no 〈◊〉 can come upon us : therefore shall sion for your sakes he plowed as 〈◊〉 field , and ierusalem shall be an hea● , and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest . hab. . ho , he that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house , that he may set his nest on high , to escape from the power of evill . thou hast consulted shame to thine own house , by destroying many people , and hast sinned against thine own soul , for the stone shal 〈…〉 out of the wall , and the beame out of the timber shall answer it , we unto him that buildeth a town with blood , and erecteth a city by iniquity . mach. . . now they that were with simon being led with covetousnesse , were intreated for money ( through certain of those that were in the castle ) and took seventy thousand drac 〈…〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them escape , but when it was told machubeus what was done , he called the governours of the people together , and accused those men , that they had sold their brethren for money , and let their enemies go , so he slew them when they 〈◊〉 convict of treason , and won the two castles . eccles. . . there is one alone , and there a not a second , which hath neither son nor brother , yet is there no end of all his travell , neither can his eye be satisfied with riches , neither doth he thinke , for whom do i travell , and defraud my soul of pleasure ? this also is vanity , and this is an evill travell . again . . he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver , and he that loveth riches shall not enjoy the fruits thereof , where goods increase they are increased that eat them , and what goods commeth to the owners but the beholding thereof with their eyes ? the sleep of him that travelleth is sweet , whether he eat little or much , but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him 〈◊〉 sleep . there is an evill sicknes that i have seen under the sun , to wit riches reserv●● to the owners thereof for their evill , and their riches vanish by evill travell , 〈◊〉 he begetteth a son and in his hand is nothing . i conclude with that of zephan . . . neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the lords wrath , but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie , for he shall make a speedy riddance even of all them that dwell in the land . and thus far the scriptures against this horrid vice of covetousnesse . i come to the fathers : saint augustine , de verbo domins , useth these words , what is this avidity of concupiscence without measure ? when even beasts themselves observe a mediocrity ; they onely prey when they are an hungred , but cease to spoil when they are satisfied , onely the avarice of the rich is insatiable , it alwayes rages , and is never sated , it neither feareth god , nor reverenceth man ; it spareth not the father , nor acknowledgeth the mother ; it regardeth nor brother , nor childe , but breaketh covenant with a friend , it oppresseth the widdow , invadeth the orphant , distresseth the poor , and is prone to bring false witnesses , and what a madnesse is it to desire death for life ? and in seeking to finde gold , to lose heaven ? and saint ambrose in his sermons thus : it is all one for him that hath , to take from him that wants , and when thou hast , and canst , to deny relief to the indigent and needy ; it is the bread of the hungry that thou deteinest , the cloathing of the naked that thou keepest backe , the money that thou hidest in the earth is the redemption of the captive , and know , thou robbest so many of those goods as it is in thy power to confer upon the miserable , when thou denyest to succour them : those fortunes and those riches are not a mans owne , which he cannot carry with him , onely mercy and charity forsake not a man in his death . saint hierome saith , to a covetous man that is as much wanting which he hath , as what he hath not , because hee rather desires to have what hee wants , or is still in feare to lose what he hath ; who , whilest in adversity he hopes for prosperity , in prosperity hee feares adversity . and in another place . the covetous man burnes here with the heat of concupiscence , and shall burne after in the fire of gehenna . if hee see one more potent then himselfe , he suspects an oppressor : if one inferiour , hee feares a thiefe : and such are most unhappy , who really suffer whatsoever they shall but feare to suffer . huge lib. de clar. useth these words : there be foure things in the possessing of goods and riches to be observed ; namely , that lawfull things we doe not acquire injustly ; or being injustly acquired , we doe not strive to injoy them unlawfully : that we strive not to possesse much , though lawfully ; nor things justly got , defend unlawfully ; for either evilly to acquire , or badly to use what is acquired , what is lawfull makes unlawfull : for , to possesse much hath some alliance to avarice , and commonly it happens , what is too much lov'd , is ill defended . i conclude with gregory in one of his homilies , every avaritious man from drinke doth multiply thirst ; because when he hath once injoyed what he before coveted , he is not therewith satisfied , but hath the greater inclination to cover more . but from the fathers i come to ethnick history , and first i will give you the appellation of some rich men : cacilius camidius was of that infinite estate , that though he had lost a great part of his riches in the civill warres of rome , yet at his death he left foure thousand domestick servants and retainers ; in his stables he had an hundred and threescore horses , three thousand and sixe hundred oxen , and of other head of cattle two hundred fifty and seaven thousand , and pecuniis numeratis , that is in ready coyne sixe hundred thousand pound weight , who also gave to be expended upon his funerall eleven thousand sestertii . marcus crassus would not allow any man to be called a rich man , who was not able out of his private coffers to maintaine a legion of souldiers for a yeare ; the annuall revenue of his fields and grounds arrable and pasture , amounted to fiftie hundred thousand crownes of gold : neither did this suffice him ( saith pliny ) but he was ambitious to winne and possesse all the gold of the parthians . the greatest part of his wealth he purchast out of the civill garboyles , seditions , and combustions , converting the publike calamities to his private use and benefit ; for when he had left him three hundred talents onely from his fathers inheritance , before he enterprised any expedition against the parthians , hee had gathered together into one magazine seaven thousand and one hundred talents , though hee had before consecrated the tenths and tythes of his whole estate to the temple of hercules . hee moreover made a publique banquet , in which he feasted the whole people of rome , and gave to every one of his guests three pounds in silver : he kept moreover as his servants that had dependance of him , five hundred smiths and carpenters , skilfull in architecture ; whom hee not onely imployed in his owne sumptuous buildings and aedisices ; but to any noble citizen who had a will and desire to build , he not onely lent them freely , but paid them at his owne charge : yet this man overcome with covetousnesse of the parthian gold , was by them taken prisoner in battaile , who knowing his great avarice , caused molten gold to be powr'd downe his throat , deriding his insaciety in these tearmes ; for gold thou thirstest in thy life , and now take thy fill of it in thy death . and yet pallas the freed man of claudius caesar was held to bee twenty times richer then crassus : plinius the praetor speakes of this pallas , as also of calistus and narcissus , possest of innumerable wealth , during the principality of claudius , insomuch that the plenty of narcissus grew to a proverbe , for if they had to speake of any man who was possese of superabundant wealth , they would say he was as rich as narcissus : of this pallas iuvenall speakes in his first satyre , who with narcissus were the freed men of claudius ; and by the generall suffrage of the senate , had not onely mighty donatives conferred upon them , but they were admitted unto prime magistrates , and underwent the most honourable offices in the citie : more over the emperour ( as tacitus writes ) bestowed upon pallas the praetorian ensignes , with great summes of money , being yearely possest ( besides his domestick wealth ) of three thousand sestertii ; but what happinesse had hee by the enjoying of such abundance ? the same author relates , that ner● caesar grieving that hee had lived so long , ( for hee was growne aged ) caused him to be poysoned ; and by that meanes consiscated his goods to his owne use . antiochus the great king of syria did so abound in riches , that purposing to make warre upon the romans , he gathered a puissant and numerous army , who were accommodated in all the bravery that could be possible ; their helmets being richly plumed , and the heads of their speares and shields shining with silver and gold ; who after with great esteeme , shewing the glory of his souldiers , and pride of his host to hanniball , he asked him whether he thought that these were not able to conquer the romane ? who after some small pause made him answer : i cannot presume that they are able to vanquish them , but of this i am most assured , they are able to satisfie them , if the romans be covetous ; and so it after proved to his great dishonour . pythius bythinius a persian , gave to dari 〈…〉 a plaine tree and a vine all of gold ; he also feasted xerxes army , ( in his expedition towards greece ) which consisted of seaven hundred fourescore and eight thousand men , and allowed unto them five moneths provision of corne , victuall , and pay ; and onely because that of five sonnes he had , xerxes would leave one of them at home with him to comfort him image . herodotus and pliny both testifie of him , that being demanded of the king of what possession 〈◊〉 was ? he made answer . that he had in his coffer ten thousand talents of silver , and foure hundred mirlads of gold , besides of the coyne of the daricans , which amounted to seaven thousand pound weight in gold , all which when he had prostrated to the kings service and free dispose , he wondring at his extraordinary liberality , tooke to supply his present use the foure hundred miriads of gold , and left him the rest : notwithstanding which , in his returne from greece , whence he was basely beaten and baffled , he caused that young man the sonne of so bountifull a father , before his face to be cut in pieces . and thus we see there is no trust in riches : for even king david and his sonne , who had wealth above account , and gold and treasure beyond numbe● , the one 〈◊〉 into murder and adulterie , the other into lust and idolatrie . from those which were rich , i come to the covetous : constat , manasses , annaltum pag. . relates that chaganus king of the septentrionall scythians , when he had invaded many of the roman forts and cittadels , even those most strongly manned and defenc't , in his first violent assaults tooke in many walled cities , and all the region bordering upon ister , quite depopulutated ; insomuch that the whole river was sanguin'd with the bloud of the natives . and having surprised many captives , to the number of twelve thousand men , hee sent to the emperour mauricius to know if hee would redeeme them being christians , and his subjects : but neither the extreame rage of the scythian cruelty , nor the barbarous kings inhumanity , neither the cryes and ejaculations of the miserable and distressed prisoners , could move the minde of this obdure and flinty-hearted emperour , who was wholly given over the base and sordid avarice . againe , chaganus sent unto him . embassadours with more moderate and reasonable conditions , with a great part of the first price deducted ; to which the covetous emperour would not lend any eare at all : which chaganus hearing , he raged like a tyger , and caused them all to be hewed to pieces ; the whole region to be covered with their carkasses ; the fields to bee stain'd with their bloud ; and their bodies to be piled in an heape almost to the height of a pine-tree : which cruell act of the emperour my author thus aggravates . o gold and love of gold , more cruell then a tyrant ! of men the persecutor , the fort of mischiefe , the castle of destruction , the eversion of towers , the depopulation of cities , the demolishing of walls and gates , the fall of houses , the ruine of families : o with what mischiefes doest , thou afflict us mortals ! no earthly thing can compare with thee in cruelty : thou softnest the hard , indurat'st the soft ; thou givest speech to the silent , and makest mute the free speaker : in roving , thou makest the swift slow pac't , and puttest wings to the feet of the lazy : thou kickest against law and justice , expellest bashfulnesse and modesty , violat'st sepulchres , diggest through ; there is nothing which thou wilt not sell , nothing which thou wilt not betray . now let us looke upon the dreadfull judgement of god , which fell upon this gripple minded prince , who was so hated amongst the christians , that upon christmas day , as he was entring into the temple , was like to have beene stoned to death : after which he grew jealous even of his owne brother , and all the best friends about him , lest they should supplant him from the imperiall dignity ; of which he grew the more timerous , in regard of divers ominous dreames : for there appeared unto him in his slumbers a blazing-starre like a sword , and a monke running with a sword drawn to the emperours statue , inrag'd and crying out aloud , imperatorem ferr● periturum : ( i● ) that the emperour shall perish by steele . hee dreamed also , that he was given to be murdered to one phocas ; upon which he sent for one philippicus out of prison , a man whom hee much trusted , and asked him , qualis sit phocas ? what kinde of man is that phocas ? to whom philippicus answered , centurio ambitiosus , sed timidus : to whom the emperour againe replyed , if he be a coward , he is then a murderer . in conclusion , he grew into such a great contempt of the army , that they sought to depose him ; and the legions and men of warre about istrus chose phocas a barbarous and bloudy thracian to be emperour , who made all the haste possible to constantinople , where he was crowned in the suburbs by cyprian the patriarch . mauricius in this interim was with his wife and children at chalcedon , where through griefe and trouble of minde he fell sicke : thither phocas sped him with all expedition , who first caused his two youngest sons to be slaine in his sight , and then his three daughters ; and next their mother constantina , the daughter of tiberius the second , the next emperour before mauricius ; who beheld the deaths of his sonnes and daughters with great patience : but when he saw his wife in the hand of the tormentor , he burst forth into these words , ( acknowledging his faults ) o lord god , thou art just , and and thy iudgements are right . lastly , phocas commanded his head to be cut off , whose body , with his wives and children , were cast upon the shore , to be a publike spectacle for all the people ; where they lay upon the ground till one of the enemies which had belonged to mauricius , caused them to be interted . achaeus a king of the lydians , was much branded with this vice of covetousnesse , who when he had accumulated much riches , and that too by sinister meanes , not therewith contented , hee proceeded further , and put new and unheard of taxes and exactions upon his subjects ; when they knew his treasury abounded with all fulnesse and plenty : in hate of whose extreame avarice they conspired together , and made an insurrection against him ; and having surprised him in his palace , they haled him thence , and hanged him on a gibbet with his heeles upward , and his head drowned in the waters of pactolus ; whose streames ( as sundry authors write ) are of the colour of gold , and hath name amongst the golden rivers ; an embleme of his avarice . thus you see this deadly sinne seldome or never escapes without judgement . neither did iustinianus the second , the sonne of constantinus barbatus , escape the aspersion of this horrid vice , he was the last of the stocke of heraclius , a man covetous , unquiet , cruell , and unfortunate : he had two sycophants who furnisht his coffers , and for that were graced by him with all imperiall power and authority ; the one theodosuis , a monke , the other stephanus the emperours chaplaine : who was in such credit with his master , that he durst beate the old empresse . these two not onely exercised extortion and oppression amongst the subjects , but great cruelty upon the princes , dukes , and captaines , keeping one of them called leontius two yeares in prison ; who after escaping by the helpe of the patriarch , was made emperour , and cut off the nostrils of iustinian , and sent him as an exile to chersonesus . which leontius being after surprised by tiberius apsimarus , he cut off his nostrils and sent him into a monastery . after iustinian returned , being ayded by the bulgarians , and suprising both leontius and apsimarus , he caused them to be led bound through the market-place ; and having first trod upon their necks , cut off their heads : then hee pulled out the eyes of callinious the patriarch , and hanged up heraclius the brother of apsimarus . but at what time he sent his army against chirson , the host made philippicus bardanes emperour , who made all speed to constantinople ; and taking iustinian and his sonne tiberius from the sanctuary , commanded them most miserably to be slaine . nay , even your greatest prelates , and in the primest places of episcopall dignity , have not beene excluded from this generall sinne of avarice . martinus papa was of that gripple and penurious condition , that he commanded the ends of wax-candles left after masse , and the other service , to bee brought him home to his palace , to save him light in the nights for his houshold and family . and pontanus writes of one agolastus , a priest and cardinall , who though he allowed liberally meat for his horses , after repenting him of the charge , would in the night steale privately into the stable , and take the provender out of their mangers ; which hee used so long , that being watcht by the master of his horse , and knowing him , beate him soundly , as if he had beene a common theefe . but contrary to these , alexander the first , pope , was of that bounty and munificence , that scarce any meriting man but tasted freely of his liberality ; who used to say unto his friends in sport , i will tell you all my fortunes : i was a rich bishop , i was a poore cardinall , and am at this present a beggarly pope . a great example of this vice of desiring to get and have , was that of alcmaeon the son of megaclus , who when he had entertained some of the chief nobility of croesus king of lidia in their way to delphos , with great humanity and curtesie , the king loth to remain indebted to him , or at least , not some way to correspond with his bounty , invited him to his palace , and having abundantly feasted him for some dayes , when he was ready to depart and take his leave of the king , nay ( saith he ) you shall not part thus empty-handed from me before you have seen my treasury , and take from thence as much gold as you are able to carry , who being of the craving and having condition , presently provided himselfe of large garmenrs , and wide cloathes , with deep and spatious pockets , and thought not all sufficient , for comming to the magazine , having taken thence as much as it was possible for him to dispose of in any place about him , he then filled his mouth , and crammed it to the very teeth , and had conveyances in hair , and so swearing under this burden , disguised like a man distracted and quite out of his senses , he appeared before the king , who when he saw him so estranged from himselfe , burst into a loud laughter , and in contempt of his covetousnesse , with great scorne and derision let him depart . thus far herodotus . neither hath the feminine sexe been altogether free from the same aspersions , but most justly taxed ; for when brennus our countriman ( and brother to belinus king of this land ) being then captain of the gauls , besieged ephesus with his army , a great lady of the city , called dominica sent to parle with him , and made a covenant , for a mighty great sum of money to betray it into his hands , which brennus according to the composition entred , and after sacked and spoiled , and standing at one of the great gates to receive the reward , he willing to keep his promise , and yet in his heart detesting the avarice of the woman , caused so much gold and treasure to be thrown upon her , till under the huge masse she was buried alive . near allied to the former is the story of tarpeia , one of the vestall virgins in rome , who having covenanted with sabine the enemies to the romans , to betray unto them the capital for the bracelets they wore on their left arme , which were very rich and costly , they when they were entred and had possession of the place , in stead of their bracelets and carcanets threw upon her their shields and targets worne of their left armes , and so sti●●ed , smothered and pressed her to death : in memory of whose soul and traiterous act grounded on covetousnesse the hill where she was buried is called , the tarpeian mountain , even to this day , and this hapned in the year of the world . europhites was likewise the wife of amphi●rus , who for a carcanet of gold given her by p●linyces , betrayed her husband , and discovered him in the place where he had hid himselfe , because he would not go to the the 〈…〉 warres , because it was told him by the oracle , that there he should assuredly die , for which he left a strict charge with his son alema●● , that he should no sooner hear of his death , but he should instantly kill his mother , which orestes-like he performed , and proved a ma●●icide to performe the will of his deceased father . thus you see not one of these three escaped a fearfull judgement . of contrary disposition to these was the virgin placidia daughter to the emperour valentintanut and eudosia , who neglecting all her fathers riches and honours , abandoned the vanities of the world , and betook her selfe to a devout and sequestred life . as the like did elburga , daughter to edward king of england , ( a saxon ) and had the sirname of seignior , or the elder edward . and if we look no further than to this city london the metropolis of the kingdom , how many pious and devout matrons hath it yeelded even from antiquity to this present , who have contributed largely to the erecting and repairing of temples , building of almes-houses and hospitals , erecting schooles for learning , maintaining poore ministers in preaching , in giving liberally towards halls , leaving stockes to set up young beginners , and bequeathing legacies for poor maides marriages , and these not for the present , but to the end of the world . for which god be praised , and daily increase their number : but this is directly averse to the argument now in agitation , which is covetousnesse . if it be dangerous to be rich even to him that knowes how to use his wealth , how much more fearfully perillous then for him that hath abundance of all worldly fortunes , and knows only how to abuse them . caesar being in spain , extorted great summes of money most injustly from the proconsul there , and certain cities of the lusitanians , though they neither offended him , nor violated any covenant with them , yet when they friendly set open their gates to receive him as their patton and defender , he spoiled their houses , made seisure of their goods , and even the temples of the gods he sacrilegiously robbed , it being his custome to rifle cities , not for any fault committed , but for the certain prey expected . in the first year of his consulship he stole ( for no better attribute my author giveth it ) 〈◊〉 thousand pound weight of gold out of the capitol ; he moreover sold societies , liberties , and immunities , nay even crownes , scepters , and kingdomes for gold ; he also defrauded king p●olomeus of six thousand talents at one time , in his own name and pompeys , before they were at distance . eutropius writes that flavius vespatianas was wretchedly corrupted with this vice , and evermore gaping after gold , who at his comming to the empire called in all those debts and impositions which were remitted or forgotten by his predecessour galba , to which he added new taxes more grievous and burdensom than the former , he increased all the tributes in the provinces , and in some doubled them , and for the avidity of money would sit upon all triviall and common causes , such with which a private man would have been ashamed to have troubled himselfe ; to the ●anditates 〈◊〉 fold honours , and to the guilty of any notorious act , pardon● ; his custome was to raise procurators ( such as were the most ●apacious ) to great and gainfull offices , for no other cause , but that 〈◊〉 they were ●●ll , he like a spunge might squeeze them , by forfeiting their whole ill-gotten estate into his own hands , neither was he ashamed to raise money out of urine , ( for so saith suetonius . ) thus we see what a monster money can make of the most mighty and potent men . sergius galba who was emperour in the year of our redemption , . those cities of spain and france , who were most constant to the roman empire , upon them he imposed the most grievous exactions and tributes ; he rob'd the stat●e of iupiter of his crown of fifteen pound weight in gold ; the souldiers who desired the roman eagle and military ensignes he decim●ted and tythed , dismissing , nine parts ; and ( to save charges ) reserved the tenth onely ; the german cohorts , appointed by the caesars to be the guard of their bodies , as most intrusted next their persons , he quite dissolved , and sent them empty handed into their countries without any reward at all ; he was moreover of that parsimony , that if at any time he had at his table more fare than ordinary , he would horribly repine at it ( forgetting the state of an emperour ) and say , that it was money expended in waste he said openly , for his own part he could content himselfe with a dish of pulse or pease , as sufficient to content nature . of the like penurious disposition was didius iulianus emperour , who made a law called did 〈…〉 x , to restrain the excesse in banqueting , who for his imperiall table would make a pig , or an hare , to serve him for three severall suppers , when his dinner was nothing else but a few olives and herbes . which abstinence had been very commendable , had it been for continence sake , and not the avaritious desire to save money . and aelius pertinax was of that frugality that he would set before his guests onely an halfe sallad , of lettice and thistles , two sops and a few apples , or if he would exceed at any time in his diet , he would feast them with a leg or a wing of a hen . and these two last emperours may compare with the former , who notwithstanding all his masse of wealth wrestingly and injuriously purchased , was wretchedly murdered by his souldiers in the sixty third year of his age , after he had reigned onely seven moneths and seven dayes . many others are for this sin alike branded , as tiberius caesar successour to augustus in the empire . candaulus a domesticke servant to mausolus queen of caria . ochus king of persia , cornelius ruffinus , valerius bastius , aulus posthumius albinus , pigmalion king of tyre , polymnestor king of thrace : neither of this greedy appetite of having , could cato vticensis , or seneca the grave and learned philosopher acquit themseves . of a quite opposite condition , and meerly antipathide to these earth-wormes were cimon the athenian , who all the spoiles and treasures gained from the enemy , freely distributed amongst his sellow citizens , reserving no part or portion for his private use or benefit , who kept open-house , and entertainment for all commers , strangers or others , where they were dayly feasted and entertained ; and whensoever he saw any indigent and needy persons , who laboured to their utmost power to sustain themselves , and their families , but could not do it , he sent his domesticke servants privately to relieve them with meat and money ; he caused moreover all the hedges , ditches , and fences , to be taken from his fields , orchyards and gardens , that the people might freely taste the fruits of them without any contradiction . which extraordinary liberality , ( not guilty of the sin of prodigality ) plutarch and lactantius much commend in him . and scipio sirnamed africanus ( who by his warlike prowesse first made africa subjugate to rome ) was never known at any time to depart from the forum , before by his bounty and benevolence , he had added some one or more to the number of his friends , who though he conquered carthage , and had all the rich spoiles thereof , yet at his death , when his coffers were searched , there were found in them but thirty three pounds in money , and two in gold , so great was his munificence . and the emperour nerva for the relief and sustentation of the needy and decayed citizens , disbursed at one time sixty hundred thousand pieces of silver , and made choice of divers of the prime and most trusty senatours to buy and purchase such fields as were vendible , and to divide them amongst the poor , according to their present necessities , as with cloathes , dishes , and vessels to the furnishing of their houses , and the rest to be given them in money ; nay , he made sale of lands and houses of his own to make good to the utmost his charitable purposes , ( for so dion cassius reports of him ) further , what fine , forfeit , or penalty soever came under the name of tribute he remitted , all the cities under his dominions afflicted with plague or famine he relieved , girles and boyes borne of poor and needy parents he gave order to be kept and educated at the publike charge , and this he caused to be punctually performed through all the cities of italy . all this and much more aurelius victor testifies of him : and these onely amongst many other i have presented to your view , as a beauty and splendor to make the opposite vice shew the more deformed and ugly ; adding onely this , thateven one nation can afford plenteous presidents of the like bounty and liberality . but i come now to shew you what dreadfull murders have been committed through this grand sin of covetousnesse , their strange discovery , and the fearfull judgements that have fallen upon the malefactours : in the relating of which , heu lacrymae , i am not able to vindicate our own nation , for in the time of queen elizabeth ( of blessed memory ) there dwelt in the lower end of cheap-side in a place called honey-lane , an old man and woman , the least of them threescore and ten yeares of age , who lived privately and kept no servant , and because they had some meanes comming in yearly , and lived sparingly upon it , were imagined by the neighbours to have good store of money , and rather because the furniture of their house was very neat and handsom , and fit to entertain any reasonable guests , ( though they seldom invited any ) and whether this by prating gossips were talked of at the conduit , and so overheard by some idle raskals , who have no other trade or meanes to live , but robbing , stealing , burglary , and the like ; it is not certain , but most true it is that in the dead of night , their house by a false key ( or some other pick-locke engine ) was entred , the two old people fast sleeping , murdered in their beds , their chests broke open , and rifled , and whatsoever was portable , and of any value carried away , and the doores fast shut upon the dead bodies : the next day they were not seen by their neighbours , who wondred they appeared not as they customably were wont , yet suspected little , but the second day when they found their door to continue shut , no noise at in all the house , nor any newes of them , they knockt and rapt at the door , but received no answer : in the end they sent for an officer , who with his assistants , forced open the doores , and found in the first room all things out of order , and walking up the staires they might see the chests and trunkes wide open , but looking further towards the bed , they might easily discover the good man and his wife miserably murdered : upon which , warrants were made for a privy search , and divers taken in suspition , but no witnesse or evidence could be brought against them : at length one vagabond-like sellow was laid hold on , who being brought before one of the city justices , and examined , could give no account of his life , and by reason he had been by some observed to hanker two or three dayes before thereabout , he was upon that presumption sent to newgate , and the next sessions arraigned and by some errour or default found in his answer , condemned and hanged , but innocently for that crime ( heaven knowes ; ) for the malefactor after the murder done , with his rich prise escaped into the low-countries , where he set up a trade , made good use of his stocke , and proved a very thrifty and thriving man , in so much that he grew into the knowledge and familiarity of the burgers , and was of good credit and countenance amongst them , and so he might have continued , but after some twelve yeares aboad there , being grown out of all knowledge and remembrance here in his own country , he could not rest in his bed , nor sleep quietly , but he must needs see england , and made a voyage hither to that purpose , having no other businesse but to buy a piece of plate in cheap-side , to carry over backe with him into the low-countries : to a goldsmith he comes , and in some few shops above the standard he cheapens a bowle , and whilest he was bargaining about the price , it happened at the same time a gentleman was arrested just over against bow-church , who presently drawing his sword , made an escape from the serjeants , and ran up towards the crosse , the serjeants and the people cried , stop him , and all their faces were bent that way ; which the murderer hearing and seeing , and not knowing the cause of their noise and tumult , he apprehends that he is discovered , and that this is done in his pursuit , and so begins to take his heeles . the people seeing him run , they ran after him , ( all not knowing the originall of this uprore ) they stop him and demand the cause of his flight , who in his great affright and terrour of conscience said , he was the man. they asked what man ? he answered , the same man that committed such a bloody murder so many yeares since : upon which he was apprehended and committed to newgate , arraigned by his own confession , condemned , and hanged first on a gibbet , and after at mile-end in chaines . thus we see how the devill never leaves his ministers and servants , especially in this horrid case of murder , without shame and judgement . another strange but most true story i shall relate of a young gentleman of good meanes and parentage brought up in cambridge , ( whose name for his worshipfull kinreds sake , i am desirous to conceal ) he being of a bould spirit , and very able body , and much given unto riot and expence , could not containe himselfe within his exhibition ; but being a fellow-commoner , lavisht much beyond his allowance : to helpe which , and to keepe his credit in the towne , he kept a good horse in the stable , and oftentimes would flie out and take a purse by the high-way ; and thus he continued a yeare , or thereabouts , without the jealousie or suspition of any : at length his quarterly meanes not being come up from his father , and hee wanting money to supply his ordinary riots , hee put himselfe into a disguise , tooke horse , and crossing new-market heath he discovered a purchase , a serving-man with a cloak-bag behinde him ; and spying him to travell singly and alone , he made towards him , and bid him stand and deliver ; the other unacquainted with that language , answered him , that he had but little money , and what he had he was loath to part with ; then , said the gentleman thiefe , thou must fight for it ; content , saith the other ; and withall both alight , and drew , and fell stoutly to their businesse ; in this conflict the honest serving-man was infortunately slain : which done , the other but sleightly wounded , tooke away his cloak-bagge , and binding it behinde his owne horse , up and fled towards the university ; and having set up his horse in the town , and carried the cloak-bagge or portmantuan to his chamber ; he no sooner opened it , but he found a letter directed to him from his father : the contents whereof were , that hee had sent him his quarterly or halfe-yeares allowance by his owne man a faithfull servant , ( commended unto him by a deare friend ) whom he had lately entertained ; willing his sonne to use the man kindly for his sake : which letter when he had read , and found the money told to a penny , and considering he had kil'd his owne fathers man , whom he had intreated to be used curteously at his hands , and onely to take away his owne by force abroad , which hee might have had peaceably and quietly brought home to his chamber ; he grew to be strangely alter'd , changing all his former mirth into a deepe melancholy . in briefe , the robbery and murder were found and known , and the lord chiefe justice popham then riding that circuit , ( whose neare kinsman hee was ) he was arraigned and condemned at cambridge assises , though great meanes were made for his pardon , yet none could prevaile ; the judge forgetting all alliance , would neither commiserate his youth , nor want of discretion , but caused him ( without respect of person ) to be hanged up amongst the ordinary and common malefactors . doctor otho melander reports this horrible parricide to be committed in the yeare of grace . within the saxon confines . at a place called albidos , neare unto the lyon tower , which hath beene an ancient seat of the dukes of that countrey : there ( saith he ) lived a father who had two sonnes , the one hee brought up to husbandry , the other in merchandise , both very obedient and dutifull , and given to thrift and good husbandry : the merchant traded in lubeck , where in few yeares hee got a very faire estate , and falling sicke ( even in his prime trading ) he made his will , in which hee bequeathed to his brother about the summe of five hundred pounds , and his father ten , and died some few houres after he had setled his estate : but before his death he sent to his brother to come in person and receive those legacies ; the father not knowing how he had disposed of his meanes , dispatcht his other sonne with all speed possible to lubeck ; more avaritious after what his sonne the merchant had left him , then sorrowing for his death , though hee were a young man of great expectation , and of a most hopefull fortune . the surviving sonne who was the younger arriveth at the citie , and having first deplored the death of his brother , ( as nature bound him , and glad to heare of him so great and good a report , he takes out a copie of the will , and after receiveth his money to a farthing ; and with this new stock ( seeing what was past ) hee joyfully returnes into his owne countrey , who at his first arrivall was as gladly welcommed by his father and mother , who were over-joyed to looke upon the bagges that hee had brought ; but when by reading of the will they saw how partially the money was disposed , in that so little fell to their share , they first began bitterly to curse the dead sonne ; and after , barbarously to raile on the living ; out-facing him that he had changed the will , by altering the old and forging a new : which the innocent youth denying , and excusing himselfe by telling them that the originall was upon record , and by that they might be fully satisfied ; yet all would give them no satisfaction , till very wearinesse made them give over their heavy execrations : then the sonne offered them whatsoever was his to dispose of at their pleasure , which they very churlishly refused , and bad him take all , and the devill give him good with it : which drew teares from the sonnes passionate eyes ; who after his blessing craved ( but denyed ) very dolefully left them : and was no sooner departed from them , but to compasse this money they began to devise and consult about his death , which they concluded to be performed that night ; and when hee was sleeping in his bed , they both set violently and tygerly upon him , forcing daggers into his breast ; so that inforced with the agony of the wounds , he opened his eyes , and spying both his parents with their hands imbrued in his bloud , he with a loud ejaculation clamour'd out these words , or to the same sence : quae non aurum hominem cogis ? quae non mala suades ? in natos etiam stringere ferra iubes ? that is , o gold ! to what dost thou not compell man ? to what evils dost thou not perswade ? are not these sufficient , but must thou cause parents to sheath their weapons in their owne bowels their children ? which words were uttered with such a loud and shrill shreeke , that it was heard by the neighbours ; who starting out of their beds , and breaking open the doores , found them in the very act before the body was cold , for which they were apprehended and laid in prison , fettered with heavy chaines ; and after being condemned , the morning before the execution the father strangled himselfe , and the mother was carried by the devill both out of the tower and dungeon , and her body found dead in a muddy ditch , with her necke broken asunder . sorry i am that i can paralell this inhumanity ( arising from the insatiate desire of gold ) out of our owne countrey ; thus it hapned : an inne-keeper in a knowne city of this kingdome , whose wife was living , and they having betwixt them lost one onely sonne , and a sole daughter ; the sonne he made meanes to be put to an east-india merchant , who imploye him to sea , and to trade and traffick in that countrey , where he stayed long , ( some ten yeares or thereabout ) insomuch that there was great doubt of his life ; and to his parents and friends it was credibly reported that he was dead , and therefore they gave over the care for him dead , to provide for the daughter living ; and at convenient age provided her of an husband , and gave her a competent portion , so that the young couple lived well and thriftily together in the countrey , some two miles distant from their fathers house : in this interim the climate had much changed the young mans complexion , who being but a beardlesse stripling when hee went his voyage , after ten yeares was growne hairy and a full man , and might be easily out of knowledge ; who returning into england with a good stocke , as having the best part of a thousand markes in his purse , after he had dispatched his businesse here about the towne , he had a great minde to travell downe into the countrey , to see how the good old folke his father and mother did ; and having trust up his money in a port mantuan , he provided himself of a good nag , and fastning it safe behinde him , and being well accommodated for his journey , he set forward , and in few dayes sped him so well , that he came within some six or seven miles of his fathers ; but all the way as he was travelling alone , he was meditating with himselfe , that his father and his mother were growne aged , and he was now as willing as able to furnish them in any necessities whatsoever ; or if his sister were living and unmarried , hee had wherewithall to give her a sufficient portion , to see her well bestowed : and these were his true filiall and fraternall conceptions , to depart liberally of what he had unto them . he further apprehended , that because every body tels me , that knew me in my minority , i am so altered and growne out of knowledge , i will conceale my selfe at the first ; that when after i shall open and discover my selfe to them , i shall finde the more kinde and loving welcome at their hands . by this time comming to the next thorow-fare towne , in the way to the citie he alighted , and called for wine , and the host to keepe him company ; of whom he demanded earnestly if such a man were in health ? and how his wife fared ? who answered , they were passing well , and able to live in very good and fashionable manner : then demanded he of their daughter , and what was become of her ? who replyed , that she was honestly married to a thrifty and carefull husband , and that she lived in the next village just in his way to the citie ; of all which being exceedingly joyfull , hee tooke horse againe , and found the house where his sister lived ; whose husband being from home , after some discourse past betwixt them , and she ingeniously confessing to him that he was a stranger , and no way knowne to her , he at length told her what he was , ( her brother ) whom they supposed to bee dead ; withall the successe of his fortunes 〈…〉 at which , when by circumstance she found true , she was extreamely extasied , and first would have him to alight and stay till her husband came home , which he would not by any meanes doe ; then she would have accompanied him to her fathers : but he would yeeld to neither , telling her his conceit ; how he meant to carry himselfe to the two old people , intreating her of all loves , to conceale his comming for a day or two , and then to come and aske for him at their fathers , where she should finde what welcome hee would give her : to which ( though unwilling ) she assented , and he rid forward , and an houre before sunne-set , came to his fathers inne , and calling to the hostler , bad him to take off his port-mantuan , and after to walke his horse well , and then put him into the stable ; and then he called for mine host , who presently appeared like a joviall old lad ; hee called then for his hostesse , and gave her the port-mantuan , saying to her , good hostesse , lay this up till i call for it , for here is that which i hope will make us all merry : then hee desired to have the best chamber in the house , and bespake supper , telling them he was alone , and desired them both to keepe him company ; yet all this while they not so much as suspected what he was : and whilest he was gone into the stable to see his horse , the woman feeling what weight the port-mantuan had , told her husband , and the devill presently put it into their mindes to murder the stranger for his money : supper-time came , and they accompanied him , much discourse at randome past amongst them , but covetousnesse and the devill so blinded their eyes , that all this while they knew him not : after supper they tooke their leaves , to plot what they before had apprehended : to bed he went , and in the dead of night they both entred his chamber , and murdered him sleeping ; then they conveyed his body into a backe place and buried it , his horse they tooke out of the stable , washt the bloud out the chamber , and shifted a new bed in the place , so that all things were handsome , as if nothing had beene . in the morning when they thought the worst had beene past , comes the sister with her husband , she askes for such a stranger , they stifly deny that any such lodged there ; which they did so constantly , that she entreated them not to keepe her owne brother and their sonne from her , who was come out of the indies with such a summe of money , to relieve all their necessities : at first they are both strooke silent , but questioning her further , when by all circumstances whatsoever she said , they found it to be true , not able longer to containe themselves , they fell into a loud exclamation , weeping , and wringing their hands . briefly , for this they were both publickly executed , and the strangenesse of the accident by all that heard it , admired . i have read strange reports concerning the death of grating usurers , who though by their broking exactions , and corroding oppressions , doe not visibly imbrue their hands in the bloud of the indigent and needy ; yet by their horrible extortions have put them to more lingering and torturing deaths , as to starve , famish , and perish , not beggering private persons who are compelled to come within their griping clutches only , but annihilating and undoing of whole families and housholds at once : i have heard of one of those earth-wormes , who dying of a suddaine appoplex , his executors with his wife , desired to have his body dissected and opened , that they might know certainly of what disease he died ; one giving out one cause , a second another ; and to satisfie that doubt , when the surgeon came to use his art , and had searcht him thorowly , he found all his entrayles in good order , onely his heart was wanting , at which all the spectators were amazed , and almost stupified , as holding it to be prodigious ; till at length one of the neighbours ( pleasantly conceited ) and being well acquainted with his having disposition , you had best ( said he ) to looke for his heart in his great bar'd chest , for there it was ever in his life , and why not now in his death ; which though jestingly spoke , the executors tooke in earnest , and causing the chest to be opened , they found it panting upon his treasure . this ( whether true or no ) yet sure i am that it is a just taxation conferred upon extortioners and usurers . doctor melander puts me in minde of another of the like , ( if not worse condition ) who being borne towards his grave , was interposed by a devout man , who by reason of his cruell and abhominable extortions , denied him the right of christian buriall : which seeing they could not obtaine , as of custome and president , they ( i meane his wife and friends ) offered a large summe of money to have him buried , if it were but in any corner of the church-yard , but the pastor would be neither moved by prayers or bribes , but alleadging that he who lived his whole life-time worse then any turke , heathen , or infidell , ought not in death to have those solemne rights belonging to a christian ; and therefore stopt his eares to whatsoever they could alleadge in his behalfe : at length , after long debating the matter , it was concluded betwixt the two parties , that a cart and two oxen should be provided , and the coffin to be put into the cart , and to what place soever the beasts should carry him ( without guide ) there should his place of buriall be : well , the oxen were put into the cart , and the body in it , who went their way of their owne accord out at the townes end , and then forward , just to the common execution place , where they made a stand , and could not by any violence been compelled any further , and there his grave was digged and he buried ; a place due to all that generation of vipers . sic deus eventu mirando ostendit in orbe vsurae quantum , sit scelus atque nephas . god by the event , thus shewes them what to trust , what base use is ; how perjur'd and unjust . i will onely adde a third from the before-named author , who ( if possible ) exceeding the other in his foenatory exactions , fell into an extreame agony of sicknesse , which grew desperate and mortall ; so that there was no helpe to be expected from physitians or others , but that needs he must die : which his wife perceiving , came weeping unto him , and humbly besought him to make his will ; and as to provide a place for his soule in heaven , so withall to settle his estate upon earth : to which he seemed very unwilling ; but upon her great importunity hee called for pen , inke , and pape , and writ with his owne hand as followeth : imprimis , i bequeath my soule to the devill , who as in life he ever had it in keeping , so in death it is fit that he , and hee onely , should take it to his charge : which his wife hearing , shee grew greatly astonished , and besought him , that since hee had no care of himselfe , that hee would have some respect of her , by knowing what shee should trust to after his death : when straitway he writ farther ; and thou wife also shalt goe with me to hell , who hast beene conscious of all my fraudulencies , crafts , and cozenages , being partly to maintaine thy pride and gay cloathes , and hast made me rob the orphant of his coat , and the widdow of her garment , to helpe thy superfluity . then she thinking him distracted , and quite out of his senses , sent presently to the parson of the parish to give him some ghostly instructions for his soules health ; adding in the conclusion , that he hoped he would not forget him in his will : at which words he tooke pen , and writ againe as followeth . item , and thou o parson shalt beare us company to the infernall torments below ; for knowing of all my wicked and injust proceedings , thou wast so farre from reproving them , that thou didst rather smooth me up in my sinnes , and connive at my delinquencies , onely to be welcome at my house , and eate fat bits at my table ; for such are the just judgments denounced against us . his moritur dictis , subito vir , pastor , & vxor abrepti , ardentes ad phlegetontis aquas . thus englished . this said , the man , the parson , wife , all three died , and were borne to hell immediately . salomon saith , prov. . . the uprightnesse of the iust shall guide them , but the frowardnesse of the transgressors shall destroy them . riches availe not in the day of wrath , but righteousnesse delivereth from death . and of the hatefulnesse and contemptible estimation of usury amongst good men , we may reade cato major in the proem to his booke de re rustica , thus : majores nostri fic habuere , & it a in legibus posuert . furem dupli condemnari , faenerat●●em quadrupli : our ancestors held this position , and put it amongst their lawes , that the mulct or penalty imposed on a theefe should be double , but of an usurer foure fold . and cicero offic. lib. . hath these words : when it was demanded of cato major , what was most conducent and necessary in a private family ? he answered , to feed well : being askt what was the second ? he said , to feed well , and enough : being askt what was the third ? he replyed , to be well cloathed : being askt the fourth , he returned answer , to plow and till the earth : lastly , being askt what it was to be an usurer ? he replyed , even so much as to be a murderer . they that will be further satisfied concerning this argument , i referre them to mart. schipperus in speculo vitae anlicae , ad tomum germanicum sextum d. lutheri , d. musculum in psalm . . benedict . aretius in problem . iohannes fulgent . baptist. in psalm . . and gorhardus , lorichius , hadumarius , in institutione catholiea , &c. chap. vi. gods iudgements against lust. this sinne is by some defined to be a lascivious petulancie , an inordinate use of pleasures and delights , or an over-doing prosusenesse , either in curiosity of apparrell or superfluity in feasting : others call it a concupiscence of proving unlawfull pleasures , a desire of copulation above measure , or against reason ; it is also a solution or dissolving into voluptuousnesse , and by the law of god is condemned : as marke . . for from within , even out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts , adulteries , fornications , murders , thefts , covetousnesse , wickednesse deceit , uncleannesse , a wicked eye , backbiting , pride foolishnesse , all these evils come from within , and defile a man , &c. rom. . . the night is past , and the day is at hand , let us therefore cast away the workes of darknesse , and let us put on the armour of light , so that we walke honestly as in the day ; not in gluttony and drunkennesse , neither in chambering and wantonnesse , &c. corinth . . . . i feare least when i come againe my god shall abase me amongst you , and i shall bewaile many of them which have sinned already , and have not repented them of the uncleannesse , and fornication , and wantonnesse which they have committed . ephes. . . which being past feeling have given themselves unto wantonnesse , and to worke all uncleannesse . peter . . for in speaking swelling words of vanity , they beguile with wantonnesse through the lusts of the flesh , them that were cleane escaped from those which were wrapped in errour ; promising them liberty , and are themselves the servants of corruption . and againe , peter , . . for it is sufficient that we have spent the time past of our life after the lusts of the gentiles , walking in wantonnesse , lust , drunkennesse ; in gluttony , drinking , and abhominable idolatry : wherein it seemeth to them strange , that you runne not with them into the same excesse of riot ; therefore speake they evill of you , &c. there is also fornicatio , differing in some kinde from the former , and this includeth all unlawfull copulation , or illicite congression , in any tye of wedlock , consanguinity , affinity , order , religion , or vow : and this is twofould , spirituall and corporall , or carnall ; that spirituall is meere idolatry , so hatefull to god , and so often forbid in the holy text , which is attended by infidelity , and every hurtfull superstition : it includes also the lust of the eye , with the consent of the minde , according to that text , whosoever shall looke upon a woman and lust after her , &c. all uncleane pollution is called carnall fornication , and that which is called simplex , or simple , is soluti , cum soluta , and a most mortall sinne , and provoketh the wrath of the lord : deut. . . if a maid be betrothed to an husband , and a man finde her in the towne and lie with her , then you shall bring them both out unto the gates of the same citie , and shall stone them with stones to death : the maide because she cryed not , being in the citie ; and the man , because he humbled his neighbours wife : so thou shalt put away evill from among you , eccles. . . wine and women leade wise men out of the way , and put men of understanding to reproofe ; and hee that accompanieth adulterers shall become impotent : rottennesse and wormes shall have him to heritage , and he that is bold shall be taken away and be made an example . jerem. . and . how should i spare thee for this ? thy children have forsaken me , and sworne by them that are no gods . though i fed them full , yet they committed adultery , and assembled themselves by companies in the harlots houses : they rose up in the morning like fed horses , for every one neighed after his neighbours wife ; shall i not visit for these things , saith the lord ? shall not my soule be avenged on such a nation as this ? hosea . . for they shall eate and not have enough , they shall commit adultery and shall not increase , because they have left off to take heed of the lord : wheredome , and wine , and new wine , take away thine heart . againe , vers. . i will not visit your daughters when they are harlots , nor their spouses when they are whores , for they themselves are separated with harlots , and sacrifice with whores , therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall . cor. . the fornicatour shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven . hebr. . nor the fornicatours and adulterers . adulterium , or adultery the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the hebrews ninph ; and it is twofold , spirituall and carnall : that which is called spirituall is metaphoricall , including every sin committed by a christian man , because every christian soul is contracted to christ the husband . that which is called carnall , is either simple or single , when but the one party is married ; or double , when both are in the matrimoniall or conjugall tie : and all of these are condemned in the holy text , gen. . . god came to abimelech in a dream by night , and said unto him , behold , thou art but dead , because of the woman ( sarah ) whom thou hast taken ; for she is a mans wife . now then deliver the man his wife again , for he is a prophet , and he shall pray for thee , that thou mayst live : but if thou deliver her not again , be sure that thou shalt die the death , even thou and all that thou hast . lev. . . and the man that committeth adultery with another mans wife , because he hath committed adultery with another mans wife , the adulterer and the adulteresse shall die the death . lev. . . but if thou hast turned from thine husband , and so art defiled , and some man hath lien with thee besides thine husband , then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing , and the priest shall say unto the woman , the lord make thee to be accursed and detestable for the oath among the people , and the lord cause thy thigh to rot , and thy belly to swell . verse . when ye have made her drinke the water ( if she be defiled , and have transgressed against her husband ) then shall the cursedwater ( turned into bitternesse ) enter into her , and her belly shall swell , and herthigh shall rot , and the woman shall be accursed amongst the people . prov. & . . he that committeth adultery with a woman is destitute of understanding , he that doth it destroyeth his own soul , he shall finde a wound and dishonour , and his reproach shall never be put away . again , . . there be three things hid from me ; yea , four that i know not : the way of an eagle in the air , the way of a serpent upon a stone , the way of a ship in the midst of the sea , and the way of a man with a maid . such is the way also of an adulterous woman , she eateth and wipeth her mouth , and saith , i have not committed iniquity . eccles. . . and thus shall it go with every wife that leaveth her husband , and getteth inheritance by another : for first , she hath disobeyed the law of the most high : and secondly , she hath trespassed against her own husband : and thirdly , she hath played the where in adultery , and gotten her children by another man , she shall be brought into the congregation , and examination shall be made of her children , her children shall not take root , and her branches shall bring no fruit , a shamefull reproach shall she leave , and her reproach shall not be put out , &c. wisd. . . the children of adulterers shall not be partakers of the holy things , and the seed of the wicked shall be rooted out , and though they live long , yet shall they be nothing regarded , and their last age shall be without honour , if they die hastily they have no helpe , neither comfort in the day of triall ; for horrible is the end of the wicked generation . again . . the multitude of the ungodly which abound in children , is unprofitable , and the bastard plants shall take no deep roots , nor lay any fast foundation : for though they bud forth in the branches for a time , yet they shall be shaken with the winde , for they stand not faste , and through the vehemency of the winde they shall be rooted out , for the imperfect branches shall be broken , and their fruit shall be unprofitable , and sower to eat , and meet for nothing , for all the children that are borne of the wicked bed shall be witnesse of the wickednesse against the parents when they be asked . and what more terrible judgements than these can be threatned against the adulterers . let us now hear the fathers : this is saint austins counsell , de verbo dom. tract . . if you will marry wives , keep your selves unto them , and let them finde you the same you desire to finde them ? what is he desirous to marry , and would not be coupled to a chaste wife ? or if a virgin , one that is untoucht ? be thou also chaste and untoucht . dost thou desire one to be constant and pure to thee ? be constant and pure to her ; for can she prove so to thee , and not thou also to her ? saint chrisostome , hom. . as that pilot which suffers his ship to be wracked in a port or harbour is inexcusable , so he that to qualifie the lusts of the flesh shall lawfully take a spouse to live withall for better and for worse , and shall after insidiate the bed of his neigbour ; neither can that man whose wanton eyes and petulant fancies wander after every loose prostitute or strumpet , either acquit himselfe to men , or excuse himselfe towards god , although he shall ten thousand times alleadge his naturall inclination to pleasure : or how can that properly be called pleasure , which is waited on by fear , diffidence , danger , and where there is expectation of so many evils : accusation the seat or the tribunall of justice , and the ire and wrath of the judge , he stands in dread of all things , shadowes , walls , stones , graves , neighbours , adversaries , nay even his dearrest friends . but be it granted , that their guilt be private , and known onely to the delinquents , they are not therefore safe , here shall they bear a conscience even reproving , and suggesting bitter and fearfull things against them ? and the conscience to be alwayes about them . for as no man can fly him , so none can evade or avoid the sentence of that private court , for this judicatory sense is not with gold to be corrupted , with flattery mitigated , not by friends mediated , in regard it is a thing divine , and by god himselfe placed and appointed to have residence in our hearts . saint ambrose de patriarchis , in speaking of the patriarchs , abraham and iacob , and of their multiplicity of wives , he in excuse of them saith , that abraham was before either the law or the gospell , and in his time big 〈…〉 y was rot forbidden . now the punishment of a fault grew from the time of the law , for it was not a crime before it was inhibited and forbid ; so 〈◊〉 had four wives , which whilest it was a custom was no crime , who as they married not meerly for concupiscence , and to fulfill the lust full desires of the flesh , but rather instigated by providence to the propagation of issue ; therefore let no man flatter himselfe by making them their president , for all adultery is damnable , &c. ioses the son of iehochanan in that book which the hebrews stile capi 〈…〉 vel apothegmata , hath this saying , the time which a man spends in multiplying words with a woman , he loseth to his great damage ; for at length with her petulancy she will bring him to perdition . and rabbi a●●ba saith , laughter , and the light and unconstant moving of the head , easily convince a man of loosnesse and effeminacy . and habbiben syra saith , for the sake of beautifull women the strongest have fallen , and many have perished ; therefore hide thine eyes from the allurements of a fair woman , lest she catch thee in her snare , and thou become her captive , to thy des●●●ction . dionysius the elder ( though otherwise a tyrant ) when he by complaint made had understood his son to whose charge he had committed the government of a province , to have stuprated the wife of a noble young gentleman , he sent for him , and being exceeding angry , demanded of him , if he had seen any such president in his father . to whom he replied , many , for he had not a king to his father . nor thou , said diony 〈…〉 s , art likely to have a king to thy son , if thou followest these lewd and luxurious courses . the tyrant holding adultery a crime worthy to disinherit him from all regall authority , which is now made no more than a sport and pastime amongst great ones : for sylla sirnamed faustus , the freed man of sylla the great competitour against marius , hearing that his naturall filler had entertained two adulterers into her service at once , which were fulvius fullo and pomponius whose sirname was macula , he put it off with a jest upon their names , miror ( inquit ) sororem meam maculam habere cum fullonem habet : that is , i wonder my sister should have a macula , or wear any spot or stain , when she hath a fullo , a fuller , that washeth and taketh out staines still so near her . there is also scortation , of scortum a whore , which the greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is scortari , the hebrews zonach . to this capitall head of lust likewise belongeth incest , which is a venereall abuse in affinity and consanguity , which for these reasons may be said justly to be prohibited , because man naturally acknowledgeth an honour to his parents , and so by consequence a more than common respect to those of his near blood and alliance . secondly , because it is necessitous , that persons arising from one root and stem be mutually conversant . thirdly , it hindereth the increase of friends , which are lost by not marrying into other stockes and families . lastly , when a man naturally loveth his sister or cousin-germine , being so neer to him in blood , if that venereall ardor which comes from commixtion were added , love would break out into raging lust , which is altogether repugnant to all modesty and chastity . there is also sodomia , turpitudo in masculum facta , contranaturam : of which to speak i will be very sparing . thus you see the sixth of the seven heads as the beast , dissected and anatomised : but i come now to history and example . cateline that firebrand of rome , and pestilent incendiary of all sedition , to adde to all his other criminall and capitall malefactions , which were indeed beyond president , or since his time , by any of the most notorious ruffians , that the later ages have bred , if imitated , yet scarce equalled , and therefore much lesse exceeded : this arch yillain ( i say ) to all his other wicked acts added also these of adultery and incest : he was infamous for his many stuprations with a noble virgin of rome ; he raped also one of the vestal● or priests of vesta ; and further , to enjoy the embraces of aurelia arestilla , he took away her son by poyson , because being grown to maturity and yeares of discretion , he opposed his mothers second nuptials , which was in those dayes held to be immodesty amongst the noblest matrons of rome ; and thus salustius and valerius report of him . calius cap. . lib. . reports that bagoas the eunuch was much indeated to alexander the great , for no other cause but that there was some brutish and unnaturall congresse betwixt them ; therefore when orsines a noble persian came to see alexander , and presented to him , and to them of his choice and intimate friends , many great and rich gifts , but gave to bagoas not so much as the least honour or respect , being asked the reason thereof , he made answer , i owe unto alexander and his friends all the duty and reverence that can be expectect from a true loyall and faithfull heart , but to a whore or strumpet such as bagoas is , to him i acknowledge not so much as the least notice to be taken that such a wretched fellow lives . of the lusts and intemperances of augustus , iulius , tiberius , heliogabalus , caligula , commodus , domitian , proculus , and others , i have sufficiently spoken before : which shewed , as the roman emperours exceeded in state , power and majesty , so most of them maculated and poluted their high and sacred calling with the most base effeminacies and sordidst luxuries that the heart could conceive , or the fancy of man apprehend . neither have they alone been guilty of these notorious crimes and vices , but all nations have been tainted with the like impurities , which hath been the depopulation of famous cities , the ruines of kingdomes , the removing of monarchies , from one people and language to another , when seldom any conquerour from any nation brought home their victory without their vices , of which there be frequent examples . the babylonians were the first that usurped the name of a monarchy ; the medes and persians wrested it from them ; the grecians wan it from the former ; and lastly the romans from the grecians , who as they learned of them graecari , to drinke hard , so mechari , to stuprate and adulterate ; and as they used their dominion , and tyranny , governing them by substitutes , and praefects , and proconsuls , and the like ; so with their power they brought in their prodigalities , riots , feastings , rapes , adulteries , stuprations , scortations , fornications , even to abhominations above nature , too immodest to speak , then by consequent , too devillish to act . but from generalities i come to particulars . gemelius tribunitius , though he were one of the patricians family , and a nobleman of rome , yet was so degenerate in his condition , that of his own house he made a brothell or stewes , where amongst others were vitiated mutia and fulvia , two illustrious women , and of especiall remarke in the city , with a noble youth called saturninus ; who was polluted and defiled against nature : but as some report of the master of the family , his house was after accidentally set on fire , and he himselfe added part of the fewell to the flame . and in this kinde of punishment lust may be said , ( and not altogether unproperly ) to be quenched with fire . calius reports of dionysius junior , that comming into the city of locris , where he had the entertainment belonging to a prince of his estate and quality , but the town abounding with fair and beautifull virgins , he could not bridle his exorbitant appetite , but some he courted with fair words , others bribed with rich gifts , and such as he could win to his insatiate desires by neither , he committed violence upon their persons , insomuch that divers of the noblest maidens were by him vitiated and corrupted , which they not having patience to endure ) made an insurrection against him , and having first dispatched his guard , to whom he most trusted , they seised upon his person , and put him so great maceration and torment : for , binding him to a stake , they thrust sharpe needles betwixt the nailes and flesh of his toes and fingers , and when he had endured as well the taunts of their tongues , as the exquisite tortures of their engines , they put him to death , and after having dried his bones , pouned them to dust in a morter : and such was the reward of his brutish and beastly luxury : to whom i will adde lusius the nephew to marius by the sisters side , who for offering a preposterous carriage of lust to treboninus a young man of an excellent aspect and feature , and withall of a civill and modest carriage , ( by profession a souldier ) was slain by him in his tent , notwithstanding the greatnesse of his alliance and kinred , of which he prefumed so far , that even the most abhominable evils by them countenanced , might be held lawfull . and by the like encouragement , namely the impurity of the times , sotodes the obscene iambicke writer composed his verses in that strain , as savouring nothing but pathicke and cinedicke venery ; abhorred by all modest and chaste eares and eyes ; insomuch that of them grew a proverbe , if any mans workes tasted of ribaldry or obscenity , it was called sotadicum poëma : and of him politianus speakes in his natricia . the corinthians were extremely taxed with this incontinence , for it is said of them , that they prostituted their wives and daughters for gain , and hence grew a proverbe , non cuivis homini contingit adire corinthum ; it is not for every man to go to corinth , they pay so dear for their pleasure . the babylonians , tyrrhenians , and massagelans were also greatly contaminated with this vice , abusing their bodies in that monstrous sort , that they were said , rather to live like beasts than men . it is a sin which compelleth men neither to have care of their own good names , nor of their posterity which shall come after them ; and therefore draco the famous law-giver writ so bitterly against this concupiscence , that he is said , rather than to have drawn them in inke , to have inscribed them in blood : and no wonder if he were so austere and supercilious against it ; when it inforceth us to covet above our power , to act beyond our strength , and to die before our time . one defineth it thus , an enemy to the purse , a foe to the person , a canker to the minde , a corrasive to the conscience , a weakner of the wit , a besotter of the sense , and a mortall enemy to the whole body ; it sweetneth with pleasure to the path of perdition , and is the loadstone leading and guiding to ruth and ruine , ( so far pliny . ) demonax termes it , a pleasure bought with pain , a delight hatched with unquiet , a contentment accompanied with fear , and a sin finished with sorrow , by continuance it growes to impudence , and shame , and infamy continually waites at the heeles thereof . for further instance , one hostius a prince who lived in the time of augustus caesar , was a man of a most perdit obscenenesse , practised in that superlative degree of filthinesse , that scarce any age could produce a prodegy to paralell him , modesty will not suffer me to give them name . and tegillinus ( according to tacitus lib. . ) was a man of a most corrupted life , who soothed and humoured nero in all his ribaldries , his sirname was othonius , by whose flattery and calumny many a noble roman was put to death : and when otho who succeeded nero , came to wear the imperiall purple , and to be instated emperour , he sent ( amongst other malefactours ) for him , to suffer as a putrified and corrupt member of the state , and when the executioner with other lictors and officers came to surprise him in his house , they found him drinking and rioting amongst his catamites and harlots , where without limiting any time either to settle his estate , or to take leave of any of his friends , he was instantly slain , and his wounded body cast into the open streets . crassus the richest of the roman fathers , after the death of one of his brothers , married his wife , by whom he had many children . and surinus the wealthiest and most potent of the parthians next to the king , had in his tents two hundred concubines at one time . and xerxes king of persia was so given over to all licentiousnesse and luxury , that he hired pursuivants , and kept cursors and messengers in pay to inquire and finde out men who could devise new wayes of voluptuousnesse , and to them gave great rewards , for so valerius maximus reports of him . and volateranus remembers us of one vgutius a florentine prince , who was slain of his citizens and subjects for stuprating their wives , and vitiating their virgins . thus seldom we see this vice to go unpunished . nor is it particular to the masculine sex , as the sole provocatours hereof , but women have been equally and alike guilty . we reade in genesis of potiphars wife , who solicited ioseph to her adulterate embraces , who because he refused to commit such villany , and to offend both god and his master , she accused him to his lord , that he would have done to her violence , for which he lay two years in prison . but from prophane histories we have many examples . for iulia agrippina the mother of nero was said to have unlawfull congresse with domitian , for so iuvenal saith : nay more , after feasting and banqueting , in the heat of her cups , when she with her son were together topt with wine , they commonly used incestuous consociety : the conclusion of which impious lust was , that the son in the end having caused his mother to be slain , commanded her body to be dissected , and ript open before his face , as longing to see the bed wherein he lay when he was an unborne infant . she was the daughter to germanicus , sister to caligula , the wife first of domitius , after of clodius whom she poysoned , for no other cause but to make nero her son emperour : and you hear how well he requited her . a chicken of the same brood was messalina the daughter of messala , and the wife and empresse of claudius caesar , a woman of a most insatiate lust , whose custome was to disguise her selfe like a private gentlewoman , so that she might not be known , and with her pandor ushering her , to walke unto common stewes and brothell-houses , and there prostitute her selfe to all commers whosoever , nay , she was not ashamed to contend with the ablest and strongest harlot in the city for masterie , whence also shee returned rather tyred then satisfied ; nay more , she selected out of the noblest wives and virgins to be eye witnesses and companions in her filthinesse , whither men also were not denied accesse , as spectators , against all womenly shame and modesty : and if any noble gentleman of whom she seemed to be enamoured , refused or despised her profered imbraces , shee would feigne and devise some crime or other to be revenged on him , and his whole familie . pliu. lib. tels us , that one vectius valius a notable physitian was nobilitated meerly for pandthering to her luxuries . fabia the wife of fabrius fabricanus grew greatly besotted on the love of a faire young gentleman call'd petroninus valentinus , who the more freely to injoy in her petulant imbraces caused her husband to be traiterously murdred . but being ( in regard of the high measure of the fault ) complain'd upon by her husbands kinred and friends , shee was convicted by the iulian law , and suffered according to the penalty thereof . martiall reckoneth up as notorious strumpets and adulteresses , leviana , paula , proculina , zectoria , gallia , as catullus remembreth us of austelina , and iuvenall of hyppia . zoe one of the roman empresses caused her husband arginopilus to be slaine to adulterate her selfe with michael paleologus : but who shall read of both their ends shall finde that they were most wretched and miserable . as these for scortation and adultery , so others have been notoriously infamous for incest : giddica the wife of pomminius laurentinus grew into such an extreme dotage of her sonne in law comminius , that not able to compasse her unchaste desires , and her incestuous love being discovered to her husband , shee dispairingly strangled her selfe ; of which death also phoedra alike besotted on her husbands sonne hippolitus perished . papinius the sonne of papinius volucris had a beautifull sister whose name was canusia : these two spending their childhood together , as their yeares , so their naturall affection increased , insomuch that the one thought nothing to deer for the other , their love being mutuall and alternate , not guilty of the least impious thought or immodest apprehension , but when they came to maturity , new thoughts began to grow , and fresh temptations to arise , to which in their minority they were altogether unacquainted , and now they could not sollace themselves without sighing , nor frame any mirth , but mixt with melancholly ; both were sick and of one disease , but neither had the boldnesse to discover the nature of their malady , and thus they continued for a season ; in the meane time the father had found out a noble match for his sonne , but he put it off with evasions , and could not bee wonne to lend a willing eare to the motion : the mother also had sought an husband for her daughter , to which shee was quite averse , alledging her youth and unripenesse of yeares , and so both the motions had a cessation for a time without any suspition , in which interim the incestuous fire burst out into a flame , which in the end consumed them both ; for the sister was found to be great with childe by the brother , which a length comming to the knowledge of the father , he grew inraged beyond all patience , neither could his wrath be mitigated or appeased by the teares of the mother , or mediation of any friend , but his constant resolution was , they both should die : yet not willing to imbrue his own hands in their bloud , he devised another course , causing two swords to be made , the own he sent to his son papinius , the other to his daughter , with no other message then this , you must not live , which the wretched creatures understanding , & knowing the austeritie of their father , and his constancy in his resolutions , hee fell upon the one , and shee on the other , and so miserably ended their lives . iulia was the step-mother of antonius caracalla emperour of the romans , who having cast many wanton glances towards her , and she reciprocally answering them , at length when they were in familiar discourse together , he brake forth into these words , vellem si liceret , i would if it were lawfull : whose meaning she soone apprehending suddenly answered again , and without pause , si lubet licet , leges dat imperator non accipit , if you like it is lawfull , emperours make lawes but are tide to none ; with which words being emboldned , he first contracted , and then publikely married her , notwithstanding some few dayes beforehe had caused her owne sonne geta to be put to death , and this is related by sextus aurelius , and by aeli●● spartanus . amongst these incestuous is listed capronia the vestall virgin , who for her offenc● was strangled . semiramis was the wife of ninus king of assyria , who after she had caused her husbands death , and fearing lest so great and warlike a people would not be govern'd by one of her sex , shee tooke upon her the masculine shape of her sonne , whom she had altogether brought up in delicacie and effeminacy , and in his name she raigned for the space of fourtie two yeares , conquering the most part of asia , and erecting many famous cities : but babylon she made her chiefe place of residence , who also hedged or walled in the vast river euphrates , turning the channell , and compelling it to run through the great city , yet according to diodorus , lib. tertio , shee grew to bee of that venerious and libidinous disposition , she did not onely admit but hire and inforce divers of the youngest and ablest souldiers to her lascivious and incontinent imbraces , and further as trogus pompeius , lib. . hath left remembred , shee laboured to have carnall congression with her sonne ninus , ( whom she concealed in her pallace , ) and whose shape she adulterated : for which setting all filiall respect and obedience aside hee slew her with his owne hands , and after raigned in her stead . a young spanish maid having prostituted her selfe to a gentleman upon promise of marriage , she being of meane parentage , he married another , which comming to her eare , she vowed his death , and the better to effect it , preswaded him by flattering letters to come againe and see her ; which he did , and although at first she received him with teares and cornplaints , yet seeming at last to be satisfied with some reasons he alledged , she permitted him to use the same privitie with her as before , and so to bed they went together , but when he was asleepe she cruelly murdered him , having first bound him so fast with a cord that he could not make any resistance ; using also divers cruelties against the dead body before the heat of her rage could be extinguished . for the which she also suffered death , having first voluntarily accused her selfe . a gentleman of millan a widower , tho of yeares of age , fell in love with a young wench daughter to a farmer his tenant , whom he bought for ready money of the wretched father to serve his lust. this strumpet growing impudent , after a while fell in love with the eldest son of this gentleman , being about twentie yeares old , and in the presence of a cousin of hers who was her baud , she discovers her whole heart to him , seeking by teares and sighs to draw him to commit incest : but the gentleman having more grace , sharply reprehended and threatned both her and her companion . wherefore to excuse this her shamelesnesse , as soone as the father returned she complaines to him , saying , that his sonne had sought three or foure times to corrupt her ; which he beleeving , and meeting his sonne at the staires head , ranne furiously at him with his sword drawne ; and the sonne to shun that danger , leapt backward downe the staires and brake his neck . the father following , and finding him dead , after cryes of fury and despaire , in detestation of his former wicked life , fell upon his owne sword and so dyed . the strumpet hearing by the fearfull cryes of the servant what had hapned , pursued by the just judgement of god , she runnes toward a well neere the house , into which she threw her selfe and was drowned . the she baud being apprehended and racked , confesseth the whole plot , and was therefore justly executed , her body and the young strumpets , being hanged in the open aire , as a prey for ravenous birds . nicholas prince of opolia , was so monstrously given to corrupt wives and maids , that none were safe that came neere him : for which god punished him in this manner . being at nice in an assembly of the states of silesia , called by cassimer prince of that countrey , it hapned that one in his presence brought a packet of letters to prince cassimer , which being opened , he delivered to the bishop of nice to read : which nicholas seeing , and his former beastly wickednesse causing him to imagine it was some partie made against him to seize upon his life , suddenly drew his dagger , and desperately runnes against cassimer and the bishop , whom he wounded , tho but lightly , for that being in open court , many nobles and gentlemen defended them . nicholas failing of his purpose , saves himselfe in the sanctuary , from which he was drawne by the bishops command , and brought backe into the assembly by whom he was justly condemned for this and many other notorious crimes , and the next day was publiquely beheaded , and his naked body as a reproch of his former wickednesse , exposed to the view of all men . a burgesse of ulmes , finding his wife wantonly given , did often advise her to carry her selfe in a more modest and civill sort . but she not regarding his admonitions , and he more and more suspecting her dis-honesty , on a time he made a shew to goe into the countrey , but suddenly slipt back into his house without discovery , and privately hid himselfe ; yet so , that he saw his servants busied in preparing a feast , and the adulterer and his wife imbracing each other : yet he retained himselfe till after supper , when seeing them enter the chamber to goe to bed together , using filthy speeches , the witnesses of their wickednesse , he suddenly stepping out , first killed the adulterer , and then his wife ; and having justified his proceedings before the criminall judges , he obtained pardon for the same . an advocate of constance , having had the carnall knowledge of an atturnies wife of the same citie ; which the atturney suspecting , pretends a journey into the countrey , but returning at night , he heard they were together in a hot-house in an old womans house that dwelt by him ; whereupon he goes thither with three of his friends , which he left in the street to hinder any that should come to helpe them ; then entring the house with a strong curry-combe in his hand made for the purpose , and so rudely curried the advocates naked body , that he drew his eyes out , tore off his stones , and almost all the skin of his body . the like he did to his wife , though she were with child . the advocate dyed within three dayes after in great torment . the atturney transported himselfe to another place ; and his wife with much adoe recovering her rubbing , spent the rest of her dayes there , confounded with shame and infamy . a nobleman of piedmont , having married a maid of mean parentage , notwithstanding the honour she received by him , she shamelesly abused her lords bed by continuall adulteries with a gentleman his neighbour . which he knowing , and purposing to take them in the act of u●cleannesse , caused a packet of letters to be brought him as from his prince , calling him to court , with an intent to send him in embassage to a forreine state. having imparted these letters to his wife , and providing all things necessary for his journey , he departed with all his traine ; but at night stayes at a castle of his , to the governour whereof he discovers his mis-fortune and designe ; and being followed onely by him and a groome of his chamber , all well armed , in a darke night they came to the castle , where his adulterate wife was in bed with her amorist . the castellane told the porter , he had letters from his lord which he must presently deliver to his lady . the porter opens the gate , and they suddenly all enter . the lord forbids the porter to make any noyse , but commanding him to light a torch , he presently goes to his ladies chamber , where the castellane knocking , toll'd an old woman her baud , that he had letters from his lord , which his lady must answer speedily . this lady drunke with her lust , commanded the old woman to open the doore , and receive the letters . then the lord with the other two rushed in , and suddenly seized on the two adulterers naked together : and after some furious words uttered , he commanded his lady , with the helpe of her baud , to bind her adulterate friend hand and foot , and afterwards to hang him up upon a great hooke fastned into a beame for that purpose : then he caused the bed to be burnt , commanding all the other moveables to be carried away , he left onely a little straw for this whore and baud to lye on , appointing that the dead body should remaine there untill the stink of it had choked them : so having past some few dayes in that miserable plight , they wretchedly ended their lives together . plutarch reckons this out of dosythaus lib. . rerum saecularum , cyanippus the syracusian being foxt with wine , meeting with his daughter cyane in a darke corner , by force comprest her ; but shee not knowing the party by whom she was deflowred , pluck't off a ring from his finger , and gave it to her nurse to keep , which her father after missing , and shee finding by that , assuredly that he was the man by whom she was vitiated , shee found an opportunitie to transpierce him with a sword , by which wound hee died , and then shee her selfe fell on the same weapon and perish'd also . the like arisidas italic . lib. . relates of one armutius , who all the time of his youth lived a very continent and abstemious life , but upon a time having drunke above measure , he also in the night stuprated his daughter medullinus , who also knowing the ravisher by his ring , then taken from his finger , slew him without any respect of filiall duty . fabinus fabricanus , the cousin of maximus , having subdued fuxia the chiefe city of the samnites ; in which interim his wife fabia falling into the wanton embraces of her neare kinsman petronius valentinus , at his home returne they conspired to murther him ; which having done , they made a match together and were marryed : but shee fearing that her new husband might insiduate the life of her young sonne fabricianus , who was then but a childe , she conveigh'd him thence to be liberally educated and instructed abroad : who when hee grew to be a man , and understood how treacherously and perfidiously his father had been murdered , and by whom , he came disguis'd to rome , and having waited his opportunity , slew both the adulterer and the adulteresse ; and for that act was acquit by the senate . one story i connot forget , remembred by platine , who writ the lives of the popes , though it be a mighty shame , and a most ignominious aspersion , not to exceed those in vertue , whom we antecell in place and dignity ; yet this nothing mov'd pope iohn the twelfth of that name , but that all honesty set apart , and modesty quite banish'd , he kept at his own charge a whole seraglia of prostitutes and strumpets , with whom night and day hee revelled and rioted , which wickednesse escaped not without a most remarkable judgement : for he was after miserably slaine in the very act of adultery . childebert the second , and seventeenth king of france , anno . grew in an utter detestation of his lawfull wife and queene plectrude , who was a lady of a chaste and untainted life , and divorc'd her from his bed and table ; in whose stead he received into his bosome one alpayde , a gentlewoman of excellent beauty and feature , but of a cruell and bloudy condition : for when lambert bishop of vtrecht , a man of a strict life , and austere conversation , undertook boldly to lay his sinne before him , and tell him the danger thereof ( notwithstanding hee had before restored him to his episcopall see , of which he had been before deprived : ) shee having notice thereof , could not rest in quiet till she had caused her brother dodon to kill this good bishop , which was done by the kings consent : for which neither of them escaped vengeance ; for dodon dy'd despairing and mad , and the king was strook after the acting of this murder with a disease of wormes , the stench wherof he not being able to endure , threw himselfe headlong into the river of mentz . a strange and heavy judgement , for wormes to eate his living flesh , so that corruption did not altogether follow after death ; but contrary to nature hee rotted and his body , putrified before death , till the worme of conscience attended his soule : a more miserable death still attending a bad life . philip the second , sirnamed augustus , upon discontents repudiated his queen gelberge : for which the king of denmarke made complaint to the pope of this injury done unto his sister ; and the rather , because neither crime , nor delinquency , nor the suspition of any could bee proved against her : but this publike aspersion being cast upon her ( howsoever innocent ) must needs call her honour into question , which cannot bee but greatly to her harme and prejudice . these things with other being alledged , a day of hearing was appointed before the popes legate , in the bishops hall at paris , where the kings cause was strongly maintained by the venters and advocates ; but no one appeared in the poore queenes defence ; insomuch that sentence was ready to be pronounc'd against her , and speedy order and direction given for a bill of divorce to be drawne betwixt them . when on the suddaine ( as the court was ready to rise ) stept out of the presse a faire and beautifull young man , of a sweet and amiable aspect , and not knowne to any in the company , who after a congy made , demanded audience ; and having delivered the truth in every particular circumstance , pleaded sharply in the queens behalfe against the king , convincing the opposite party with such irreproveable arguments , that he made the case cleare on her side ; and having ended his speech , congying to the king and the rest , and returning into the throng , was never more seen after . which took such an impression in the court , ( but the king especially ) that the amazed judges committed the cause to the kings counsell , who judged the queen guiltlesse of whatsoever had injustly and injuriously been laid against her . then king philip took horse , and road presently to boys de vinennes , to which place the queen was confined ; where having lovingly imbrac'd her , and received her into his former true conjugall affection , there was never the least distaste knowne to bee betwixt them after . nor let this story seem altogether impertinent to the argument now in agitation , which is to shew the judgements impending in adultery , and spouse-breach ; 't is fit also that wee should know how god in his great mercy and goodnesse favoureth and protecteth vertue and innocents : for his holy angels are alwayes the guardians of the just and faithfull . common is this sinne of concupiscence ; and howsoever damnable in the eyes of god , and detestable in the sight of good men ; yet those most conscious of the sinne are cunning'st to excuse it : the young man will plead for himselfe and say , i am in my youth and prime , and doe but what suits with my youth , and complyes with my condition : the middle ag'd man will alledge , i am now in my strength , my bones are full of marrow , and my breasts of milke ; shall i not take occasion by the fore-top , and make use of the opportunity when it offers it self ? the time will come when , being old my ability will not answer to my desire , and then it will be too late , &c. the old man will say , i am now growne cold and weak , the fire of youth is quite extinct in me , and will you not allow me a warme bed-fellow to helpe my decayed heat , and cherish those few sparkes which lye hid in the cold embers and ashes of mine age ? but these are but like his vaine excuses , who robb'd the statue of iupiter of his precious ring , his rich mantle , and his golden beard ; and beeing apprehended and question'd about the sacrilege , he began thus to apologize for himself : 't is truth ( saith he ) i took away his ring that compast his fore-finger , which was stretcht forthright , which to my seeming he offer'd unto me : and what could i doe lesse then to accept of his bounty ? which may bee rather imputed to his courtesie , then any fellony in me : for his mantle being of mass●e gold , i considered with my selfe that it was too ponderous to weare in summer , and too cold for winter ; and therefore i thought it convenient to ease him of that charge : and for his long golden beard , i remembred my selfe that apollo was imbarbis , ever young , and without a beard ; and that i took away because it was neither comely for his face , nor suiting with his person . these his excuses were heard , but did rather then mitigate aggravate the crime ; for sacrilege could be no other then sacrilege , and of that he was condemn'd : so though the young man may plead his youth , the growne man his strength , and the decrepit man his imbicility of age , yet maugre all evasion or excuse , adultery , scortation , fornication , and all kindes of unlawfull prostitution , in the day of account , when there must reddere ratione velle rationis suae , they will bee found to be the same grosse , grievous , capitoll and mortall sinnes : for which those that continue therein , without true and hearty repentance shall dearely answer . but amongst the vexations , molestations , and incombrances belonging to wedlock , and the nuptiall tye , i have not yet spoken at all of that fury which commonly haunteth it , namely iealousie , of which i will deliver unto you a true , but most lamentable example , historified by d. otho melanders . a noble gentleman lived very conjugally and lovingly with his lady ; she had a chamber-maid of a very sweet aspect and feature , not any way to bee taxed for the least wantonnesse or loose carriage ; but if the lady thought her guilty of the least immodesty , she needed no other jury , for she was both jurer and judge , and condemned her by her owne verdict and sentence . it happened that the noble-man having some occasion to detaine himselfe some few dayes abroad , in his absence shee pretended a quarrell with her maid ; the colour was for letting a young childe slip out of her armes ; which though it had little or no hurt , yet she made of it as if it were lam'd beyond all recovery ; upon which her anger grew implacable , and shee would commit her to prison : but unto what prison ? not into any ordinary light , or tollerable ; but into a deep , obscure , and desolate dungeon in the bottome of the castle , for many yeares shut up with an iron gate , and abounding with toads , snakes , adders , and other serpents : into which no sacrilegious person , thiefe , pyrat , witch , paracide , traitor , or the greatest malefactor whatsoever within the memory of man had beene committed ; and into this noysome , stinking , and most horrible place she was forced to enter , and the doores fast shut upon her : but from all the corners of the vault the venemous vextiles came in heapes , with fearefull hissing , and seized upon those parts of her body that were in their reach , which with lowd ejulation and shrikes , shee striv'd with her hands to beate off , but all in vaine : at noone one of the servants , a young man ( who it seems had some affection to this maid , but how soever humanity could not have suffered him to doe lesse ) hearing those her most pittifull vocifirations , and understanding the cause , came to his lady , and humbly besought her as she was a christian to commiserate the wretched estate of her poore afflicted prisoner : but all to no purpose , she was inexorable , revil'd him with his boldnesse and sawcinesse , and sent him away with blowes to boot . but evening came , and still her lamentable clamours continued , able to have sostned flint , or mollifi'd ma●ble , when the young man , notwithstanding he had before been so evilly intreated , went again to his lady , and falling upon his knees was more importunate with her then before ; the more he striv'd to pacifie her rage , the more she grew incens'd with fury , and kickt him out of her presence . after supper to bed the houshold went , and at mid-night the young man could not containe himselfe , but hee must goe listen at the dungeon doore . but now hearing no no noise , not so much as a sigh or groane , hee began to imagine that shee was dead , ( and so indeed it prov'd ) hee then more incivilly then before rapt at his ladyes chamber-doore , and wakned her , telling her , that shee had now the event of her bloudy and cruell desires : for by reason that there was a still silence in the dungeon , hee perceived the poore virgin had expired her life . at which words being startl'd , and strangely mov'd , she rose from her bed , and calling for store of lights , caused the dungeon doore to be opened , where they might behold a most ruthfull and samentable spectacle ; the maid throwne upon her backe , and foure great snakes wrapt about her , one of an extraordinary bignesse wound about her neck , another had twinde it selfe encompassing both her legges , a third like a girdle imbrac'd her waste , or middle , a fourth stuck upon her jawes , stretching its selfe to its utmost length , which no sooner taken thence , but was found dead , having so ingorg'd it selfe with her bloud , that it swel'd , and burst asunder : at whichsight the lady strook with the horrour thereof , from a suddaine melancholy grew into a meere madnesse , and in a raging fit soon after dy'd . strange were that act abroad , which cannot in some sort be parallel'd with us at home . at gainsborough in lincolnshire , it happened that a gentleman of the town had occasion to ride up to london about his term businesse ; and as the custome is in the countrey , the night before a man takes his journey his neighbours and friends will send in their meat , and sup with him , and drinke to the hope of his safe returne : and so they did to him . now this gentleman had in his house a young gentlewoman sent thither to bee tuter'd , and withall to learne good huswifrie , and was about the age of fourteen or fifteen yeares at the most . the next morning before hee tooke horse , when hee call'd for water , this maid brought him the towell and bason , and held it till hee had wash'd ; onely in rubbing of his hands he sprinkled a little water on her face , which his wife observed : after breakfast the gentleman road on his journey ; and the woman in whom this slight accident , strooke a deepe impression of devillish jealousie , soon after call'd to the maid to deliver her an account of her linnen us'd the night before ( which was her charge ) she having hid a napkin or two out of the way of purpose to pick a quarrell with her . the girle sought in every roome and could not finde them : then she bid her looke in the next chamber ; but shee was no sooner up staires , but after followes the mistresse , like an incens'd virago , and shut the doores fast upon her , then casts her upon the bed , and threw another feather-bed upon her , and spying a scotch pocket-dagger hanging by the walls , shee tooke out one of the knives , and casting her selfe upon the upper bed , turn'd up the bottome , where she fell most unwoman-like to worke with her maid , making her quite uncapable of future marriage ; and this was done withinin memory ( for to the womans great ignominy and shame , in the same towne i have heard it reported , and been shewne the very house where the deed was done : the horridnesse of which act makes me that i cannot conceale her name ; shee was call'd mistris brig house . ) in this intrim , a serving-man comming in , and hearing his mistris was in great displeasure and distemperature gone up with her maid , and knowing her froward and hasty disposition , he went to the doore and knockt ; but hearing none but one as it were miserably forcing breath for life : he lookt in either at some chinke , or the key-hole , where he saw his mistris in the same posture i before described , with a knife in her hand , and one pittifully bleeding under her : he broke open the doore , being wainscot , and casting her off from the bed to the floore , tooke up the maid , nigh stifled , and carried her to a neighbours house , where chyrurgeons were sent for , and she in time recovered of life , though shee had made her utterly unable of conception . but what gain'd shee by this her uncivill cruelty ? she was after abhorr'd by all good and modest women , asham'd to looke out of her owne doores ; neither would any of fashion converse with her , but held it a scandall to be but seen in her company . but now to return to the judgments inflicted upon adultery , and to shew what our own countrey relates , as those perpetrated and committed in this land. king locrine , who succeeded his father brute in the kingdome , tooke to his bride guendolina , daughter to corinaus duke of cornwall , who lived in great conjugall love together , having a young prince to their issue call'd madan : but after the king having rest and ease in his age , with which his youth was scarce acquainted with , he was greatly enamoured of a delicate faire lady whose name was estrild , the daughter of one homber a dane , who with a great power invading the land , the king gave him battaile , and having routed their whole army , they were forc'd to take that great river which parteth lincoln-shire and holdernes , and runnes up to hull ; in which he with his people being drowned , left to the same river his name unto this day . to returne to the matter , locrine had by this lady estrild , a daughter call'd sabrina ; but this close packing could not be long conceal'd , but by some who thought to insinuate into the favour of the queen ( who was of a haughty and masculine spirit ) all was told her ; for which being mightily incensed , no mediation could appease her implacability ; but she first incensed her father , and then all her owne particular friends , whom by her bounty or favour shee had before obliged to make warre upon her husband ; and prevailing in her purpose , shee gave the king battaile , in which his party was discomfited , and he himselfe slaine in field . this revenge to any of reason might seeme sufficient ; but here her anger rested not , but shee caused the faire estrild and her daughter sabrina to be brought unto her tent , where having reviled them both , one with the name of whore , the other of bastard , shee in her heat of bloud , and height of rage , commanded them both to be throwne into the river neare unto the place where the battaile was late fought , where they were both drowned , the river upon that accident losing the name ; and after the daughter sabrina hath beene called severne even to this day . brithricus , the first king of the west saxons , began his reigne in the yeare of our lord , seven hundred threescore and eighteen , and the tenth of charles the great , then king of france , who took to wife ethelburge , one of the daughters of off a king of mercia ; he was a valiant prince , and renowned for many warlike exploits ; but especially for beating the danes , and compelling them to avoid the land. but what can valour or prowesse availe against a wicked and cursed woman , who the more freely to enjoy the moecall embraces of her libidinous companion , plotted divers ways to take away her husbands life , which at length she affected , by poysoning him , and divers of his family ; which having done , and fearing to be questioned about the fact , she truss'd up her jewels , and the best things about her , and fled into france , unto the court of charles the great , with whom she so temporized and qualified her owne impious cause , and being withall a lady of extraordinary aspect and presence , that she grew highly into his grace and favour . but when after he was informed of her unstable condition , hee thought to make some tryall of her ; and being at that time a widdower , one day when hee was in some private conference with her at a window . hee said openly ; now lady i put it to your free election , whether you will take mee for your wedded lord and husband , or this my son here standing in presence ? to which question , shee without the least pause gave this suddaine answer ; then i make choice of the sonne , and refuse the father ; which the king taking as an affront , and being therewith somewhat mov'd , he as suddenly reply'd ; i protest woman , if thou hadst made choice of me , i would have given thee to my sonne , if he would have accepted of thee ; but for that thou hast slighted and for saken me ; thou shalt now have neither of us ; and so presently commanded her as a recluse to be shut up into a nunnery . but this place , though never so strict , could not containe her within the bounds of modesty or chastity ; for by the meanes of some libertines , her old companions and acquaintance , shee made an escape out of the cloister ; and having quitted that place , shee wandred up and downe , till having consumed all that shee could make , she fell into necessitous poverty , in which she miserably dy'd , none commiserating her in her greatest extremity . in memory of which her misdemeanors , mixt with the murder of her naturall lord and husband , the kings of the west saxons made a decree , that thence-forward none of their wives should be called queenes , nor sit by them at any feast , or in any place of state or honour : and this was observed amongst them for a long time after . now to shew how the creator of all , who instituted chaste matrimony in paradice , as hee hates those contaminated with all impurity , so of the contrary , he is a guardian and potector to those of cleane and undefiled life , as may appeare by this subsequent story . in the time of edward , the sonne of king edgar , by his first wife egelfleda , who began his reigne in the yeare of grace nine hundred threescore and nineteene , though he was opposed by his step-mother elphaida , who got into her confederacy alphred , duke of mercia , a potent man in those dayes , to have instated her sonne egelredus , a childe of seven yeares old in the regall dignity : yet she was opposed by bishop dunstan with the rest of the clergy , who were also supported by the earle of east - ingland , now called essex ; who against the queens minde , and her confederates , crowned the said edw. at kingstowne ; but the fore-named alphred , who altogether adhered to the proceedings of the dowager queen , ( being suspected to have too much private familiarity with her ) they agreed to put the strict religious cloysterers out of the college of winchester , where k. edgar had before there placed , and put into their roomes so many wanton and lascivious clerks , every one of them having his concubine about him : which controversie had been like to have ended in bloud : but there was an assembly of the bishops and lords , the prelates and peeres of both parties , in which dunstan maintaining chastity , was much despised by the adversary ; but still he upheld his opinion , being grounded upon justice and vertue . now the place of their meeting was in a faire and large upper ●●om ? and in this great division and argument it being doubtfull which side would carry it , suddenly the joysts of the loft failed , and the floore tumbled downe , being a great distance from the ground , in which ruine , the greatest part of those adverse to the bishop and clergy , were either slaine outright , or very dangerously hurt , even to lamenesse : but of all those that stood with dunstan in the defence of chastity , not one perished , neither was any heard to complaine of the least hurt felt or found about them : by which miraculous accident , the bishop compass'd his pious and religious ends . this king edward upon a time being hunting in the forrest , and having lost his traine , and finding none of his servants neare him , hee bethought himself that his mother-in-law elphaida , with her sonne egelredus , lived at a place called corfe-castle ( which is in the west-countrey ) and thought it no better a time then now to give her a visit : but the malicious woman looking out of her window , and knowing him a far off , called to one of her servants ( of her owne breeding ) and told him what he had to doe ; for she perceived he was alone , and none of his peeres , or attendants about him . by this time the king was come to the castle gate , whither she descended , and offered him all the courtesie of entertainment that any syren ( who only flatters to destruction ) could have done : for with courteous words she besought him to alight , and to lodge in the castle that night ; both which he with great affability and gentlenesse refused , saying he would onely taste a cup of her beere , and then ride to finde out some of his company : but the cup being brought , he had no sooner moved it towards his mouth , but this barbarous villaine , traitor , and regicide , strook him with a long dagger , edg'd on both sid 〈…〉 which entring behind , the poynt appear'd to have fore'd way through his breast : at which mortall wound receiv'd , he put spurres to his horse , making speed towards the forrest , in hope to have met with some of his servants ; but by the extremity of bleeding , fainting by the way he felt from his horse with one foot intangled in the stirrop ; then he was dragg'd crosse high-wayes , and a thwart plowde lands , till his horse staid at a towne called covisgate , where he was found ; but not being knowne for the king , hee was unworthily buried at a town called warham , where his body remained for the terme of three yeares after , at which time it was discovered , and the dissembling and murderous woman thinking to clearer her selfe of the fact to the world , thought at the first to visit him in the way of pilgrimage ; but to make the cause evident against her , the horse on which she rode could not be compell'd to come neare unto the place by a miles distance , neither by faire usage , nor sore beating , or any course that man could devise : after whose death her sonne egelredas was crowned king ; in the first yeare of whos● reigne the land grew barren , and scarce bore any fruit ; there happened moreover a plague , which tooke away the men , and a murraine , which destroyed the beasts and cattaile . he proved likewise a great enemy to the church ; being ungracious in the beginning , wretched in the middle of his life , and hatefull in the end thereof . neither could some church-men cleare themselves of those capitall crimes which they very bitterly reproved in others : for sigandus made bishop of shirburne , about the twelfth yeare of edward , sirnamed the confessor , shortly after usurped the bishoprick of winchester by strength , who was a lewd and unlearned man ( as most of the prelates of england were in those dayes , and wholy devoted to avarice , lust , and vaine-glory , who could not containe himselfe within the lists of keeping variety of concubines , which in those dayes was held but a veniall or quotidian sinne , but he imploy'd his panders to corrupt married women to his lustfull embraces , thinking no wickednesse could be truely committed , till hee had ascended the highest branch thereof : and when it was openly spoken , that he was unworthy the name of a priest , who made such boast of the pompe of the world , the use of voluptuousnesse , gluttony , and luxury , whilst in the interim there was no care of instructing mens soules in the way towards heaven . hee had learn'd from some one of his chaplaines ( a better scholler then himselfe ) this poore and slight answer to evade it ; nunc aliud tempus , alii pro tempore mores . now the times are chang'd , and wee have learnt to suit our manners and conditions to the present ; ( a notorious church-temporizer in those dayes . ) but though he reign'd long in great pompe and prosperity , he was in the time of william the conquerour deprived of all his ecclesiasticall honours , and confined to winchester , and there kept prisoner till he dyed ; who in that extreame dejection , when he should onely have repented him of his former avarice , and studied newnesse of life , would usually sweare he was a very poore man , and not worth one peny , and that hee was free from all concupiscence of lust ; both which were proved untrue : for after his death a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found about his necke , by which in divers places of the earth was discovered much treasure ; and those women that ministred unto him were no other then prostitutes and concubines . henry the second was a potent and most victorious prince ; but after he had falne into the libidinous embraces of the lady rosamond , daughter to the lord fitzwaters ; he was never quiet , but continually afflicted with warres both forraine and domestick ; insomuch , that both his queene and sons rebelled against him , and put the whole realme into great combustion ; and for her part shee did not escape a due scourge for her offence : for though the king provided all meanes possible for her security and safety , by building the intricate labyrinth at woodstock , and gave her in charge to a most trusty guardian ; yet the queen at length by her spies found her out , and with more then a womanish chastisement , which should ever savour of some mercy , tore off those delicate locks with which the king had been so much intangled , and forced her to drinke a draught of deadly poyson , by which her life was compell'd out of her body : and thus lust ever carryeth her rod at her owne girdle . to descend unto these latter times , how many strange and bloudy murders have beene committed through lust ? i will give them but a meere nomination , because most of them have beene staged , book'd , and balleted , and disperst abroad through the kingdome : as master arden of ●eversham slaine by his wife and her adulterous companion cosby ; the act it selfe being committed in his owne house , by a barbarous and inhumane villaine , most commonly knowne by the name of black will , who after the deed done , and his reward received , fled into the low-countries , where he thought himselfe secure : but gods hand reached him even thither ; where for some other deed of the same nature , he was burnt on a stage in flushing ; and shee her selfe , with cosby and his sister , together with a gentleman master green , who had carried letters betwixt the two adulterers : ( though hee took it upon his death , he knew not the intents of them ) were all publikely executed at the gallowes . the like murder was committed on the person of one master page of plymouth , by his young wife ; and one master george strangwidge , who as the common voice went , were privately contracted together before her inforc'd marriage : but howsoever as they were convicted of the murder , so for the same they were condemn'd , and publikely executed . and but of late dayes , those two bloudy ministers of the devill , most commonly knowne by the names of countrey tom , and cambury besse , who made a trade to have her his whore walke in the evening into the fields ; and where she saw any gentleman or other likely to have money about him , or good cloathes on his backe , shee would insinuate into his company , and with her libidinous allurements offer her selfe to his prostitution ; which if he accepted of , that arch-limbe of the devill ( who hid himselfe privately for that purpose , and stealing upon them with a bastinado hooped and plated with iron ) beate out his braines , even in the very act of lust , neither having pitty of body or soule : then rifled they their pockets , and stript them of their cloathes , of which they made profitable chaffer , being vendible at the brokers ; for the last of which , being committed upon a young gentleman of good quality , by his cloathes they were discovered and apprehended , hee being executed neare unto the place where the last fact was committed : and after being thence removed to a more remote place , his body hangs in chaines upon a gibbet even to this day ; and shee was hang'd in clerken-well fields , over against islington . if any would have further inspection into the cursed fruits of lust , let him but enquire after the monethly sessions at new-gate , where scarce one passeth without those that goe for maid-servants , either strangling their bastard-issue , or putting them downe into privities , not caring to save their smal credit in this world , to hazard everlasting perdition in the world to come : yet notwithstanding all their close packings , they are in the end found out , and brought to the gallowes . i am loath to be more tedious in this then the rest ; therefore i conclude with this distick , as a generall caveat unto all libidinously addicted : quid facies , facies , veneris cum veneris ante , non sedeas , sedeas , ne pereus pereus . what wilt thou doe , when thou before loose venus shalt appeare , stay not , but take thine heeles , lest her allurements cost thee deare . chap. vii . gods judgements against the sinne of gluttony . tthis sinne of gluttony tooke its originall in our great grandam eve , as we read genesis . . and the lord god commanded the man saying , thou shalt eat freely of every tree of the garden , but of the tree of knowledge of good and evill , thou shalt not eate of it ; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death . againe . . so the woman seeing that the tree was good for meat , and that it was pleasant to the eyes , and a tree to be desired to get knowledge , took of the fruit thereof , and did eate , and gave also to her husband with her , and he did eate : for which they were most grievously punished , and all man-kinde for their sakes : for verse . vnto the woman god said , i will greatly encrease thy sorrowes and thy conception : in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children ; and thy defire shal be subject to thy husband , and he shall rule over thee . also to adam he said , because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife , and hast eaten of the treewhereof i commanded thee , saying , thou shalt not eate of it : cursed is the earth for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life : thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee ; and thou shalt eate the herbe of the field : in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread , till thou returne to the earth ; for out of it wast thou taken , because thou art dust , and to dust shalt thou returne . we read numb . . . then the people arose all that day , and all that night , and all the next day , and gathered the quailes : he that gathered the least , gathered ten homers full ; and they spread them abroad for their use round about the host : whilst the flesh was yet in their teeth , before it was chewed the wrath of the lord was kindled against the people , and the lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague : there they buried the people that fell a lusting , deut. . when thou shalt eate and be satisfied , beware diligently that thou forgettest not the lord thy god , who brought thee out of the land of egypt , and the house of bondage . againe , . . the parents shall say to the elders of his city , this our son is stubborne and disobedient , and will not obey our commandement , but is a rioter and a drunkard . then all the men of the city shall stone him with stones unto death , so shalt thou take away evill from amongst you , that all israell may heare it and feare , ecclesiasticus . . if thou sittest at a costly table , open not thy mouth wide upon it , and say not , behold much meat : remember that an evill eye is a shame ; and what thing created is worse then a wicked eye ; for it weepeth for every cause : stretch not thine hand wheresoever it looketh , and thrust it not with it into the dish . eate modestly that which is set before thee ; and devour not , lest thou bee'st hated . leave then off first for nurtures sake ; and be not insatiable , lest thou offend . when thou sittest amongst many , reach not thy hand out first of all : how little is sufficient for a man well taught ? and thereby he belcheth not in his chamber , nor feeleth any paine . a wholsome sleep commeth of a temprate belly ; he riseth up in the morning , and is well at ease with himselfe ; but paine is watching and choler , like diseases and pangs of the belly are insatiable men . if thou bee inforced to eate , arise , goe forth , and empty thy stomack , and then take thy rest ; so shalt thou bring no sicknesse unto thine house . shew not thy valiantnesse in wine , for wine hath destroyed many ; the furnace proveth the edge of the tempering , so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkennesse . wine soberly drunk is profitable for the life of man : what is life that is overcome with wine ? wine was made from the beginning to make man glad , and not for drunkennesse : wine measurably taken and in time , bringeth gladnesse , and chearefulnesse of the minde ; but drinke with excesse maketh bitternesse of minde , brawlings , and scoldings . drunkennesse increaseth the rage of a foole , till he offend ; it diminisheth his strength , and maketh wounds , &c. againe . . be not greedy in all delights , and bee not too hasty of all meats : for excesse of meats bringeth sicknesse , and gluttony commeth with cholerick diseases . by surfeit have many perished , and he that dyeteth himselfe prolongeth his life . thus farre the old testament ; let us now heare what the gospel saith luke . . woe be to you that are rich , for ye have received your consolation : woe be to you that are full ; for yee shall be hungry : woe be unto you that now laugh ; for yee shall waile and weepe . againe . . take heed , lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse , and cares of this life , lest that day come upon you unawares : for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth . watch therefore and pray continually , that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe , and that ye may stand before the sonne of man. rom. . . the night is past , and the day is at hand ; let us therefore cast away the workes of darknesse , and let us put on the armour of light : so that we walke honestly as in the day , not in drunkennesse or gluttony , nor in chambering or wantonnesse , nor in strife or envying : but put yee on the lord iesus christ , and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it . and luke . in the dayes of noe they eate and dranke , they marryed wives , and were given in marriage , even untill the day that noe entred into the arke , and the floud came and destroyed them all . thus farre the scriptures : i come now to the fathers , st. ambrose in one of his sermons saith , that ill ministers wait upon the throat , which alwayes covets , but is never satisfied ; for what is more insatiable then the belly ? to day it receives , to morrow it requires ; being full , it commends abstinence ; being empty , it cannot endure the name of any such vertue . hunger is a friend to chastity , an enemy to wantonnesse : but saturity betrayeth modesty , and corrupts good manners . it is not the meat , but the immoderate appetite that is condemned : for as st. augustine saith , it was not for a quaile or a phesant that eve longed for , but for an apple ; and thereby brought a curse unto all man-kinde . it was not for a kid , or a lamb of the flock that esau hungred , but for a messe of broth ; for which he sold his birth-right . elias was fed with flesh ; but iohn the baptist with locusts and wilde honey : and david thirsted not for wine , but water ; for which he reprehended himselfe : neither was our saviour in the wildernesse tempted by the devill with flesh , but bread : and as gregory in his moralls saith , it is not the meat , but the lust after it that is in fault ; for we oft-times may eate of dainty cates without offence , and yet upon course and common fare may sinne by surfeit : and in another place , where gluttony is predominant , all those honours that men winne are lost ; and whilst the belly is not bridl'd , all vertues runne to havocke ; but when that is curb'd and kept in moderation , many vices with it are awed and restrain'd . in vaine it is for us to enter into any spirituall conflict against the devill , our common adversary and his agents , unlesse we first suppresse the enemy that is within us : which is voracity and lust after eating and drinking , because if those enemies that are so neare us bee not subdued , in vaine we shall strive to have the victory over those remote and afarre off : to smal purpose it were to fight against the enemies without the walls , when there is nothing but tumults , mutiny , and sedition within the city : after full feeding , when the stomack is supply'd even unto belching , so that it must needs say it hath enough ; yet is not the curiosity of the appetite satisfied , for the eye is delighted with the colour , and the pallate pleased with the taste , when the poore suffering stomack ( best pleased with a mediocrity and temperature ) which neither sees the colours , nor relisheth the pleasantnesse of the taste , is rather ruin'd then refresh'd , and confounded then comforted . innocentius lib de vil. condit . human . useth words to this purpose : gluttony shut up paradice , sold the birth-right , hang'd the baker , beheaded the baptist ; nebuzandan the prince of cooleus , burnt the temple , destroyed jerusalem ; & baltazer sitting at his great feast saw the hand-writing upon the wall , and that night was slaine by the caldeans . hugo in claus. saith , that there be some who sit downe to a feast with an unquiet agitation of the members , expressing the insatiate intemperance of their mindes , they shake their heads , shrug the shoulders , they expand their hands , and not without great uncomlinesse , and unseemly gesture , as if they were rowzing and preparing themselves to ingorge and swallow the whole banquet . other unmannerly postures and carriages at table they use ; for sitting in one place , with their eyes they greedily survey every dish that is served in ; their hands ready to reach to the full length of their armes , removing this further off , and pulling that nearer ; then they breake the bread , poure wine into the cups and glasses , besieging themselves round with the best dishes ; then they pant , swell , and breath short , through the vehemence and extremity of feeding , so that you wou'd thinke them seeking for some wide passage to tumble in their fat bits , to satisfie their craving and crooking bellies , as if the narrownesse of their chaps and jawes could not supply their voracious stomack with that superabundance which it expects : thus sits hee like one besieging a city , doubting in what place first to begin his assault , and therefore would make irruption upon all places , and at once ; and such is this gastrimargia , or cormorantedulitie . they were wont of old to build temples to the gods , erect altars , appoint flammins and priests to serve , kill beasts for the sacrifice , burne incense : and so the carnall and voluptuous men in these dayes , they make their kitchin their temple , their table their altar , their cookes their priests , their veales , lambs , capons , &c. provided for their dyets ; the beasts for imitation , and the fumes and steame of their sawe'd dishes , censary incense . indeed over superstitious is the industry and care they have in setting forth the services and severall courses at their great and solemne feasts and banquets . infinite are the varieties and multiplicity of their decoctions , rostings , bakings , fryings , stewings , and the like ; with new devised sawces , composed of severall ingredients , now soft , then hard , now cold , then hot ; some temper'd with pepper , others with onions and garlick , then with cinamon , then with salt ; mens guts longing as women with great bellies . then ariseth a disputation amongst these helnoes , whether such a dish tastes better boyl'd or roasted , bak'd or broyl'd , carbinado'd , or otherwise : insomuch that after a dozen dishes of solid meat devovr'd , there is no impediment or let , but that the last course of more curious and dainty cates , is as soone swallowed : and when the stomack by often belching , and eructations shall say it hath enough ; yet are not their boundlesse and unlimited appetites satisfi'd : such are they who make their bellies their god : and thus far hugo . augustus caesar hearing one erotes a procurator of egypt had bought a bird which in fighting was never conquered , but had the victory of all with which she contended , and that he in an humour had wrung her necke asunder , and eate her to breakfast ; he caused the man to be sent for , and after the cause was discuss'd , and he had confess'd the act , he commanded his body to be nayl'd to the mast of the ship , judging him to be unworthy life , who for a little voluptuousnesse and itching desire of the throat , would not spare a poore bird , who might have given delight to many in her single duells ; and which moreover , by her undaunted spirit , yeelded an happy omen to caesar of his perpetuall prosperity in his warre . this plutarch reports of him in his roman apothegmes ; the vice of the belly not onely debilitates the body , but shortens the dayes of man ; surfeit of meats devoures more then the sword ; and the intemperance in wine devoures more then the sea . the devill by wine worketh miracles ; but all quite averse and opposite to those which our saviour did when hee was upon the earth ; who made the lame to walke , the dumbe to speake , the blinde to see , the deafe to heare . the meere contrary to these hee practiseth against gluttons and drunkards ; for let them with never so constant and steady steps walke to the taverne , they often returne from thence indenturing and reeling this way and that way ; their knees being made unserviceable ; and their legs so debilitated , that they are scarce able to support them from falling to the earth . let the drunkards eyes bee never so perfect and cleare at his going in , at his comming back hee shall finde them so waterish , filmy and blear'd with the fumes of wine , that he shall scarcely see to finde his way to his owne dwelling : be his speech never so voluble and distinct , hee shall finde a great change and alteration in his tongue ; for it will falter in his mouth , he shall lispe and clip his english , and be scarce able to utter any one intelligible word : and be his hearing never so aggragate & quick , excesse and superfluity of wine shall so dull and stupifie that sense , that he shall seem to be appoplex'd all over , that till the charme be over , and the wine have left working , hee shall not have power to awake , or the strength to hold up his head , though a drum should beate by him , or a cannon be shot off by his care . moreover , our saviour restored the mad and lunatick to their senses ; but the devill ( by wine abused ) takes from the sober all sense , and from the apprehension all understanding ; the moderate spirit it makes mad , and the low-minded lunatick ; and these are the anti-maskes with which he fooles and deludes his servants , dandling , and cockering them to their utter ruine and destruction . i come now to history . one albidinus , a young man of a most perdit and debaucht course of life , when he had consumed all his lands , goods and jewells , and exhausted all his estate even to one house , he with his owne hands set that on fire , and despairing of any future fortune , left the city , and betaking himselfe to the sollitude of the woods and groves , hee in a short space after hang'd himselfe . lucullus a noble roman , in his praetorship govern'd africk two severall times ; he moreover overthrew and defeated the whole forces of king mithrid●t●s , and rescued his colleague cotta , who was besieged in calcedon , and was very fortunate in all his expeditions ; but after his greatnesse growing an eye-sore to the common-weale , he retired himselfe from all publike offices or imployments , to his owne private fields , where he builded sumptuously , sparing for no charge to compasse any rarity that could bee heard of ; and had in his house he made a very rich library , and plentifully furnish'd with books of all sorts . and when he had in all things accomodated his house , suiting with his owne wishes and desires , forgetting all martiall discipline before exercised , hee wholly betooke himselfe to riotous commessations , and gluttonous feasts ; having gotten so much spoyle and treasure in the warres , that it was the greatest part of his study how most profusely to spend it in peace . it is reported of him , that pompey and cicero one night stealing upon him with a self-invitation to supper , he caused on the suddaine a feast to be made ready , the cost whereof amounted to fifty thousand peeces of silver ; the state of the place , the plenty of meat , the change and variety of dishes , the costly sawces , the finenesse and neatnesse of the services , driving the guests into extraordinary admiration . briefely , having given himselfe wholly to a sensuall life , his high-feeding , and deep quaffing brought him to such a weaknesse , that hee grew apoplex'd in all his senses ; and as one insufficient to governe either himselfe or his estate , hee was committed to the keeping of m. lucullus his neare kinseman , dying soon after . caesar the sonne of pope alexander , was one of those who much doted on his belley , and wholly devoted himselfe to all kinde of intemperance , who in daily breakfasts , dinners , afternoon sittings , suppers , and new banquets , spent five hundred crowns of the same , not reckoning feasts and extraordinary invitations . for parasites , buffoones , and jesters , he allowed yearely two thousand suits of cloathes from his ward-robe : he maintained also a continuall army of eight thousand souldiers about him ; and all this hee exhausted from his fathers coffers . and galentius , the sonne of iohn galentius , the first duke of imsubria , was ranked amongst these great rioters , who cared not at what expence he was , so he might see the tressells of his tables ready to bend under the waighty and gluttonous dishes that were plac'd upon them : who at one feast made at the celebration of his daughters marriage ( at which petrarch the learned italian poet was present ) spent an hundred thousand peeces of money , which might be rated to the value of a spanish piece of eight , or a dutch ricks doller . one peter a priest , and cardinall in the time when syxtus was pope , in the space of two yeares was knowne to lavish and waste three hundred thousand double-duckets ( rated at twelve shillings english the piece ) upon vanities and unnecessary disbursements , the greatest part of which was consumed in his kitchin and seller , the rest in sundry kindes of excesse and prodigality . i read also of one belflorius by nation a sicilian ; at first of very meane and low fortunes , but after by parsimony ( being a banker and an vsurer ) attaining to an infinite , and almost incredible estate , hee did not take the common course of your avaritious money-masters , to imprison it in strong and iron-barr'd chests , but cleane contrary hee built him a faire and goodly house , and when it grew up somewhat above the sellerage and foundation , in stead of stone or bricke , his materials were plates and pieces of silver , which amounted to a mighty summe ; and having finish'd this argent structure , there he spent the rest of his dayes in all voluptuous feeding : so that one would have thought epicurus himselfe to have survived in him : so what he got lewdly , having spent lavishly , he dyed like to a fowle which we have in england call'd a knott , which never eats in season till it dye of fatnesse . he began in poverty , continued in prodigality ended in surfeit . at first a camelion , after a cormorant , and lastly a swine or boare fatted for slaughter . let us therefore bethinke our selves , that whensoever wee sitdowne to eate and drinke , we have two guests to entertaine , and those are the body and the soule : whatsoever the body receiveth departs away quickly into the draught , and is seene no more ; but that on which the foule feedes , lasteth and abideth for ever ; for then is the minde most apt to apprehend reason , and ghostly instruction , where the free operations of the ●raine are not dull'd and molested by such vapours as the excesse of feeding distempers it withall . salust saith , nothing can appeare more abject and mis-becomming man , who is the image of the creatour , then to live as a slave to the mouth and belly . but how hard a matter is it ( faith cato ) to preach abstinence to the belly which hath no eares , and yet is importunate , whether the hand have wherewith to supply it or no. socrates inviting certaine of his friends to a schollers pittance , or a spare supper , when he was taxed by one of his guests for too slender provisions , made answer ; if these whom i invited be vertuous , they will say here is enough ; but if they be otherwise , then i say here is too much : intemperancy is a root that hath hand in every disease that belongeth unto mans body : and it is a proverbe common amongst us ; much meat , much malady . origen tells us , that vessells more fully fraught then they are able to carry , are forc'd to sinke ; and the stomack and belly surcharged with too much meat and drinke causeth bodies to surfeit , which is the readiest meanes to prepare sicknesse , and sicknesse is the immediate path-way to death . one gorgius , a very temperate and abstemious man , being demanded how he came to arrive to the number of an hundred and eight yeares , and in all that time was not visited with any grievous sicknesse ? made answer , i never eate but when i was hungry , nor never drunke but when i was thirsty , and then both moderately . and king cyrus being asked by one of his great captaines , named artabazus , in a long and heavy march , what he would have provided for his supper ? he answered , bread ; for drinke ( saith he ) we shall finde in every current or fountaine by the way : to order our lives well and frugally , is to live temperately , and avoid high and voluptuous feeding ; for there is a great difference betwixt living well , and living sumptuously : because the first proceeds from discipline , temperance , frugality , and moderation of the soule , contented with her owne riches : the other of waste , excesse , luxurious riot , and contempt of all order and mediocrity ; but in the catastrophe or conclusion , the one is attended with shame and dishonour , the other with applause and glory : they be the very words of plato ; therfore let us suffice nature , but surfeit not , supply the bodies necessities , but offend it not : for who so shall endeavour the contrarie , let him be forewarned by the subsequent examples . maximinus , a groome of base and sordid condition , borne of needy parents , his father being a poore shepheard ; and hee being of a strong and able body , betooke himselfe to bee a common souldier , in which practice he shewed presidents of unexampled courage ; insomuch , that he was promoted by the good emperour alexander severus his lord and master , to eminent place and office , and grew of great remarke in the campe : but such was his ambition , and ingratitude withall , that he conspired the death of his prince , and caused him with his mother mammaea to bee slaine , leaving not one that was friend or favourite to his vertuous predecessor alive : which done , hee usurped the imperiall purple ; who as hee was a barbarous thracian by birth , so hee was by nature covetous after bloud-shed , removing all without any mercy , whom hee either feared or hated ; or if neither , so he knew him to be rich , to possesse himselfe of his estate . i will not stand to make a particular relation of all his insolencies , rapines , extortions , massacres , and murthers , but come unto that which is now in agitation , his gluttony ; which was in such excesse , that every day for his owne particular allowance , he had forty pounds of flesh , and bread answerable to the quantity of meat , and five gallons of wine for his drink ; and so much hee constantly devoured , besides sallets , made dishes , and other junkets and kickshawes that came by the bye ; for though his maine repast was sollid food , on which hee laid his foundation , yet was hee lickerish also after any other rarity that was served into his table : and yet for all this , could not ( his god ) his belly save him , but after three yeares usurpation , in whose imperiall command hee had demeaned himselfe with all brutish tyranny , returning from the siege of aquilaea , which he was compell'd to leave to his great dishonour , he was at rome with one balbitinus miserably cut to pieces amongst his souldiers . the emperour bonosus was also such another . vopiscus reports of him , that as hee used to eate voraciously , so hee dranke incessantly ; insomuch , that no man was able to contend with him in his great draughts , and elbow-deep healths : insomuch , that the emperour aurelianus said of him ; that fellow was onely borne to drinke , not to live . upon a time when the embassadors of the babarians were to appeare before him , and to deliver themselves from the king their master , in stead of hearing their embassie , hee caused great store of wine to bee brought , and pretending their liberall and free welcome and entertainment , hee so ply'd them with healths , that they were not able to expresse themselves for what cause they were sent thither ; but cunningly withall proposed unto them such questions , that in their lavish cups they utter'd unto him the very secrets of their hearts , being much more then they would have otherwise reveal'd : and when hee had understood what he would , hee tauntingly dismist them , and would never affoord them further audience . so much as he drunke so much he could evacuate at pleasure , so that his body was never surcharged neither in all his day-riots , or nights commessations could it bee perceived either by the faltering of his tongue , or failing of his legs , that hee was any way distempered , he was of such an able constitution : but all that could not secure his life , or adde to his dayes ; for after being overcome by probus ( who succeeded him in his empire ) he caused him to dye a most unworthy death , no way beseeming his former state and dignity , but rather suiting his vicious incontinency ; namely to be hanged by the neck in an hempen halter , like a common fellon : from whence a jest grew amongst the souldiers ; amphorum pendere non hominem ; that it was no man that hung there , but a tun or hogshead . the same author vopiscus speakes of one call'd phago , an insatiable devourer , who had no other pride nor practice ; in somuch , that hee grew as famous for that abominable vice , as if hee had beene possess'd with some extraordinary vertue : his name and ●ame spread so farre , that it came to the eares of the emperour aurelianus ; who for novelties sake , willing to see if hee were able to doe what was reported of him , admitted him to his table , and for whose dyet provision was made accordingly ; and divers spectators to behold the prodegy , there at one supper he devoured an hundred leaves of bread , a fat wether , and an hog of a yeare old , and drank to them according to the rate of eight gallons of wine : insomuch , that all left eating to see him feed ; and wondred the rather , because he seem'd no way mov'd or distempered : for which the emperour at the intreaty of those who brought him thither , dismist him with a reward . but hee shortly after dyed miserably , choked in the midst of his so gluttonous feeding . a certaine noble generall being told that one of his souldiers could at once eate such an huge quantity of provant and victuall , that it seemed to him incredible , hee sent for him , and finding his other abilities no way exceeding others , hee presently commanded him to bee hanged , saying , that he and an hundred more such as himselfe , were in one moneths space able to starve him and his whole army . clodius albinus , whose guts were as a sinke or common shore to entertaine what trash or garbage , was conveighed into it , yet withall loved to feed with all delicacy , he is said at one supper to have devour'd five hundred figs , an hundred persick apples , ten melons of ostea , twenty pound weight of libican grapes , an hundred ficedulae , which are birds that feed upon the vines , much like a nightingale , and forty oysters . it is spoke of one called heterognathus , that through hasty eating , he devoured the flesh from his owne jawes and cheeks , and sent it downe packing with the rest . heraclides pictas was such an helno , that scarce any of his time could parallell him : some he would invite to breakfast , some others to dinner , a third company to supper , and feed heartily with them all , ( sit as long as they would ) and eate and drinke with them without intermission , or cessation , and at night see all the tables cleare , that nothing were left for morning . king mithridatus also may truely bee call'd an insatiate eater , who would give rewards to such as would feed highest , and drinke deepest , making it his greatest glory that hee was never exceeded in either ; yet was desirous to have others companions with him in his gluttony ; setting which aside , hee was a man of admirable parts , and had so exquisite a memory , that hee was able to speake two and twenty severall languages , and call all the souldiers in his army by their names : besides , for his valour he was feared of all ; yet hee was overthrowne in battaile first by syllus , next by lucullus , and lastly by pompey quite defeated : hee used to eate poison ; and in his last great overthrow would have poyson'd himselfe , but it had not the strength to worke upon him . being in prison , such was the majesty of his countenance , that when an executioner was sent to put him to death , hee frighted him with his very looke , and loath to have any other deaths-man but himselfe , he was found slaine by his owne hand , piercing those bowells that had beene the receptacle of so much unnecessary dyet . with whom may be numbred eresicthon , who after hee had consumed his whole revenue , sold his daughter metra for money , by p 〈…〉 ng her body to every stranger , and having devoured all , he after eate the flesh off from his owne armes , and in the end dy'd of hunger . eusebius reports of one domitius affer , who receiving more meat at supper , then his stomack could well digest , or his belly containe , dyed suddenly sitting at the table . philoxenes was of that nasty and beastly greedinesse , that being invited to any table , without respect to the honour of him who made the feast , if he perceived any to fall upon that dish which hee had a minde to , hee would most unmannerly blow his nose upon the meat , that they refraining it , he might ingrosse it wholly and solely to himselfe ; hee was moreover heard to wish to have the necke of a crane , that hee might take the more delight in the going downe of his meat and drinke . the emperour galba who succeeded nero in the imperiall purple , reigned seven moneths and seven dayes ; and notwithstanding hee was threescore and three yeares of age , yet hee had an appetite betimes in the morning , before the rising of the larke : he was no sooner up , but hee call'd for his breakfast , which sometimes ( if other occasions call'd him not ) hee would continue till noone , and dine never the worse ; and soo make dinner and supper meet even till bed time . vitellius also , ( i would put their deaths together , because the manner of their lives were so alike ) he was emperour , and was so covetous , that he pillaged and robbed the very churches and temples , and taking away the golden vessells and plates , made those of brasse to serve in their stead . but his gluttony was incomparable , for hee had served into one supper , two thousand severall sorts of fishes , and seven thousand severall kindes of fowles ; and more hee would have had , if more could have been compass'd : moreover , when hee lay neare unto the sea hee would suffer no fish to come to his table ; but when hee kept court farre up within the land , hee would feede upon nothing else , because without extraordinary charges it could not bee conveighed unto him ; esteeming that which was deare onely dainty . but to come to their deaths ; these two charibdes and ingurgitating quick-sands , when they saw that they were ready to be slaine by the hands of their owne souldiers ; they both ( though happening at severall times ) desired to bee made drunke before their executions , which was granted them , so that when the souldiers swords pierced their bowells , the wine mixed with bloud issued out of their wounds ; and thus as they were in their lives monstrous , so they were in their deaths everlastingly miserable . i have hitherto spoke of eaters , i come now to drinkers ; the first onely hastning their owne ruines , but the latter having been the destruction of themselves and others . concerning this sinne of bibacity and vinosity , infinite are the examples that antiquity hath left to posterity ; of which i remember unto you some few . amongst the grecians , proteus the macedonian had the name of an invincible tosse-pot ; to whom alexander the great having dranke a bowle of twelve sextaries , which is of our measure two ●ottles and a quart , he quickly play'd it of● , and after some small pause , caused it the second time to be brim'd , and dranke to him againe . but alexanders strength failed in the pledge , and the bowle slipt through his fingers . hee grew to such intemperance , that after excesse of drinking , he was forc'd to keepe his bed two dayes and two nights together , without being seeene abroad : in his wine hee would cause his best friends to bee slaine , and then grievovsly lament them being sober . he was call'd by his owne souldiers the cup-conquerer : and whosoever could poure most wine downe his throat , they would say of him ; yea marry , this is a fellow that may drinke with alexander ; who when twenty have beene in company together , hee hath drunke to every one of them round , and then pledg'd them againe severally ; which horrible vice was a mighty eclipse to all his other vertues . calostiphenus the sophist comming to him into the symposian , the king offered him a deepe draught , which hee refused with this answer , i desire not , o alexander , to receive such a pledge from thee ; by taking of which , i must bee enforc'd to enquire for a physitian . but this great captaine and commander , who was lord of the whole earth , who made his body no better then a seller or stowage for wine , which he took in voluntarily : at the same passage against his will he received poison , which ended both his life and the hope of all his future victories . and no wonder when men come to glory in a sinne , and make it their pride ; for cares mitelenus reports of him , that when hee came to the tombe of calanus , the indian philosopher , hee celebrated to his honour and memory three prizes ; for musick , wrastling , and drinking ; in which who excell'd in the first , had a talent ; in the second , three hundred pieces of silver , in the last ten : and in that thirty indians contending for mastery , drunke themselves dead in the place , and six more expired some few houres after . antiochus was so besotted with wine , that scarce a day passed him without dissemper ; and yet notwithstanding sirnamed the illustrious : possedippus speaks of one antiochus , to whom they gave the the name of bibax , who fought a great battell against arbaces in media ; but being slaine in the conflict , & his body brought before the conqueror , he taunted him in these words ; thy wine and thy boldnesse hath much deceived thee , o antiochus , who in thy deep and lavish cups didst promise to thy selfe to have drunke up the empire of arbaces . polybius speakes of one agrones , king of the illirians , who by often and immoderate surfeits , dy'd of an extreame paine in the belly . dionisius junior drunke out his eyes ; and cleomenes the lacedemonian , stabb'd himself with his knife when he was extreamely cup-shot . elpenor , having drunke hard , would needs climbe a ladder ; but his head having taken the winde , ( as his body had received the wine ) his hands and feet both failing , hee fell downe and brake his neck . the like happened to one philostratus comming from the sinuesanian baths ; and cleomenes king of sparta , in striving to imitate the scithian vinoleuch , grew frantick , and so dy'd . lacides the philosopher by too much compotation fell into the disease call'd paralysus , and dy'd of it ▪ armitus and cyannippus , both of syracusa , in their drunkennesse ravish'd their daughter ; and in their sobriety were after slaine by their owne children whom they had vitiated . it is further read of alexander , that he was of a wondrous temperate and abstemious continence , till he had subdu'd the persians , who liv'd the most deliciously of any nation under the sunne : but as he conquered them , so their vices captiv'd him , and made him a meere slave to all sensuality and pleasure . so the romans were a people of civill demeanour , and of a most thrifty and temperate dyet ; but having won the monarchy from the grecians , as they could teach the other to fight , so they could quickly learne of them to drinke and health it after their lavish and riotous manner : briefely , you shall scarcely read of any brave and victorious nation , who brought any forraigne people under subjection ; but though the spoils he took thence were of never so great value , there came with him the greatest part of their vices , were they never so vile . i need not presse this much farther , the late examples from the roman emperours and others , may sufficiently illustrate it . i come now to the most bitter fruits that grow upon this cursed tree of gluttony , and the parricidal and bloudy effects thereof doctor selreccerus in pad . pag. . hath this history : in the same city ( saith he ) where st. augustine was borne , dwelt a very rich man , both of great power and substance who had one onely sonne , the sole heire to his meanes and fortunes , who taking very debaucht , and riotous courses , notwithstanding his fathers dayly admonishments ; yet still hee persisted in his former course of life . the father out of his greater indulgence , as having but one , had allowed him large exhibition ; and the mother too of her naturall love had still supply'd his riotous expences , both using him with gentle and courteous language , hoping by that fair course to draw him to some regularity : but finding that it nothing prevailed , but that every day he grew worse then other , he began then to change his coppy , his brow was more austere , and his look more supercilious , and his tongue ( before altogether inur'd to advise and gently perswade ) grew now to another tone , sharply to reprove and reprehend him : but that which toucht the son nearest , was , he took away all his meanes from him , leaving him to the wide world , thinking ( if any thing ) want and necessity might make him look into himselfe , and in time reduce him to some goodnesse : but alas his hopes were all in vaine ; for the young man grew so stupid and besotted in drunkennesse , that hee grew like one sencelesse , at least uncapable of any good and wholsome counsell . it happened some moneths after he had this neglect from his father , and his scores abroad grew so high , that neither taverne nor ale-house ( knowing him to be in his fathers displeasure ) would give him any further credit : he came home to the house ( whence hee had been foure weekes absent ) and being full of wine , entred at the gate , whom his father meeting , and seeing him in that distemperature , he began to chide him after the old manner ; which the other impatient to heare , catcht him by the throat , and having utter'd many execrable oathes , call'd him old dotard , and said , money he wanted , and money he would have ere he departed : the father seeing violence offered , called out for helpe ; at which the sonne drew his dagger , and stabb'd him into the shoulder , most of the servants were absent abroad ; but the mother hearing her husbands voice , comes downe , and seeing him bleed , and her sonnes dagger bloudy in one hand , and with the other grasping his throat , shee fell downe upon her knees , and humbly besought him to spare his life ; but the devill had got such power over him , that he was deafe to all intreaties , and solely ben● on the most horrid mischiefe that could be devised : for breaking suddenly from his father , he at an instant whipt out his sword , and ran him cleane through the body ; and then turning towards his mother , who fill'd the place with many a lamentable out-cry , he dispatcht her of life also ; and as he was about to enter the house , purposing to rifle their coffers , and so to be gone , in came some of the servants , and finding their master and mistris weltering in their blouds , they stood confounded and amazed , and not knowing what murderers were in the house , or how strong they were , they shut fast to the doores , and barricado'd them , till they had called in helpe sufficient : officers were sent for that open'd the doores , and searching the house , found the paracide with his bloudy weapons in his hands , and his pockets well stuft with gold , who was presently apprehended , and sent to prison , and there laden with as many irons as hee was able to beare : there needed no great examination , the fact being so apparent was soone confest , and hee condemned to suffer onely one death , who had deserved a thousand . i could almost parallell this story , even here in our countrey , with a young gentleman , that dwelt with his mother not farre from salisburie , whose father being dead , his mother continued a grave and religious matron . this young man seldome comming sober home , she had often disswaded gently from such debaucht courses , but found in him no amendment : one night he staying abroad very late , she resolved not to goe to rest till hee came in , and if he were any way intoxicated , or overcome with wine , to chide him soundly , which happened according to her feare ; for that night hee was extraordinarily in drinke , which shee by his uncertaine steps , and justling the walls perceiving , intercepted him in his way to his chamber , and began to chide and rate him soundly , which he not having the patience to endure , the devill so wrought with the wine , that he drew his rapier and runne her through the body : and this hapned within these few yeares , whose name i conceale as loath to offend his worshipfull friends and kindred yet living , who might thinke the fact being so horrid , ( howsoever themselves bee innocent thereof ) a blemish to their name and posterity : and in consideration of the premisses , i leave to all parents , who are too cockering and indulgent over their children , in bringing them up , this counsell from solomon , with-hold not correction from the childe , if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not dye ; thou shalt smite him with the rod , and shalt deliver his soule from hell . notwithstanding these fearefull judgements , how many may we meet in the day-time come either led , or else reeling from the tavernes , but especially in the night , where some have beene almost stifled by falling into kennells , others found sleeping upon dung-hills , on which stumbling , have not beene able to rise , but there have took up their lodging for all night ; some that have been conducted home , yet in going up staires to bed , have falne backward and broke their necks . but of all miraculous escapes that i have heard of ; i my selfe knew two gallants come from the taverne , so strangely overtaken with wine , that when they came into the street , they were scarce able to stand , or goe , or move one foot before another ; the night was darke , and loath they were to take the benefit of a light , because their indenturing should not bee observ'd : and because they would both take one fortune , they catcht fast hold one of the other , and on they went ; it happened in the way that a seller doore being left open , downe they both fell into a vault : but here is the wonder , one of their rapiers slipt out of the scabbard , and fell with the pummill downwards , and the point up-right ; these tumbled after it , and it ranne one of them through the breeches at the knee , up to the waste , and thence through the body of the dublet up to the shoulder , where the point appear'd an handfull bare at his neck , and yet in the whole passage not so much as once raz'd any part of his skinne . the noise of the fall suddenly commanded a light ; but when they saw the rapier so strangely scabbarded , and by search found that the party had no hurt , they were all amazed , and the two drunkards with the apprehension thereof made almost sober : this was one of gods miraculous deliverances ; but let none presume to make that a president for his security : for doubtlesse , hee hath lesse wit then an ideot , who being in his best sobriety , would hazard the like danger . but it hath not happened so to others ; for a butcher who was observed for a common drunkard , being pot-shot , and in his cups , was got into a car● to receive some hides , or such like commodity to lade it with , and stooping his body to take something in , his head was too heavy for his legges that should have supported him , and downe ●ee fell upon a forke which stood by the cart side with the pikes upward , hee pitcht his breast upon it , which pierc'd him to the heart , so that he dyed immediately without calling to god for mercy : and this is knowne not long since to have happened . in norfolke three men comming drunke out of an ale house , late in the night , amongst many other prophane and blaspemous speeches , they began to jest at hell , and withall to sweare , that in the most obscure place of it , it could not be so dark as that night was ; at length they were to take leave and part every man to his home ; and after a drunken farewell , the one of their wayes lying over a bridge , his feet failing he slipt into the water , and was drowned : the two other were horse-men , one of which , by the stumbling of his horse , was cast upon the ground , where he was after found dead , with his neck broken ; neither did the third escape without a most remarkable judgement ; for his horse was found grazing in one place , and he dead in another , but without any wound ; for some conjectur'd that hee perish'd with the extremity of cold , it being a bitter frosty night , and snow falling withall . a glasier in chancery lane , not long since so overcharged his stomack with wine , that comming home he fell a vomiting in that extreame and extraordinary fashion , that breaking a veine within him he dyed within two dayes after : and a barber in drewry-lane comming from the taverne in the like distemper , his wife with much adoe got him to bed , where he fell into a sound and dead sleep ; for that night being very tempestuous , and a mighty winde stirring , and they lodging in an upper roome or garret , the chimney was blowne downe and he kill'd in his bed , his wife that lay close by his side , having no hurt at all : to reckon up all the knowne judgements in this kinde would make this tractate voluminous : these therefore for the present i hope may satisfie the indifferent reader , who if he shall but enquire from man to man of the disasters hapning in that kinde , shall heare from their owne motion , stories too many of all good christians to bee charitably commiserated , and lamentably deplored . these have been examples of such as wee call downe-right drunkards , and like selfe-murderers have beene not onely accessaries , but the agents of their owne deaths : of which nature one accident of which my selfe was eye-witnesse , comes fresh in my remembrance , and happened some seven or eight yeares since at the most : five young men comming from islington upon a sunday , where they had beene drinking good store of ale , in their way home came to the nags-head taverne upon clerken-well hill , where they cal'd for wine , ( what quaintity they dranke i am not certaine ) but in the midd'st of their carrowsing , one of them ( being a young man a barber in ivy-lane , and lately married ) grew to to bee drowsie , and at length dropt under the table ; which the rest not minding , put it off with a jest , and said , he did but counterfeit sleep till the reckoning was paid ; another said , hee had knowne him doe the like before ; and thus they past the time till they were ready to part ; when calling for a reckoning , they also call'd for their drowsie companion to rise , and to goe along with them : but hearing that he made no answer , they pusht him and jogg'd him , yet all in vaine ; till at length by the helpe of the master of the house , they lifted up his body , and set him on one of the benches ; but his head fell downe into his bosome , for there was no life in him : at which they grew all amaz'd ; neither can i blame them , who for every glasse of wine they enforc'd him to drinke beyond his strength , might as well to have given him a stabbe in the breast with a puniard : the next day came his weeping wife , and some of his sorrowfull kindred , and conveighed his body from the taverne to the church to be buried . i come now to that from which i late deviated , as to those who through excesse of gusling ( for manners sake call'd good fellowship ) destroy not themselves with suddaine deaths , but rather consumptions and lingring maladies , which also by degrees bringeth on an assured and untimely end , one of the branches thereof is luxurious prodigality , mixt with intemperate vinocity , of which i will give you but one president . a rich citizens sonne , and well ally'd amongst the aldermen , being a personable and proper young man , daring , and valiant , of a wondrous active body , acute wit , and a seeming sollid apprehension ; his father dying , left him ( what estate in land i know not ) thirty thousand pound in ready cash , besides plate , jewels , and houses furnish'd with rich hangings , with all utensills suitable to the state of aldermen . now this man who was no gamster to lavish his meanes that way , yet spent all his whole and entire estate within the space of three yeares : would any man beleeve how this could be possible ? well , i will tell you how ; he kept two or three tall fellowes in skarlet liveries , dawb'd with gold lace ; and for his owne particular would shift his cloathes twice a day , wearing one suit in the morning , another after dinner : his most frequented taverne , was the kings head in new fish-street , where hee usually din'd and supt in the long roome , at the long table , where though hee were but himselfe and his friends , hee would have the boord throng'd with variety of dishes , from the top to the bottome ; and as his meat was beyond rule , so many times his drinke was beyond reason : and though he could not be without flatterers or sycophants about him , yet could they never foole him out of any bounty : his table was free for them , but his pockets shut , keeping alwayes a brace of principall good geldings ; his delight was to ride them off from their legges , and when they were foundred , or past present service , give them to one of his groomes . he had a great longing to please all his five senses at once ; nor could he bee at peace within himselfe till he had accomplish'd it ; and allow'd to the delight of every sense a severall hundred pound , for which hee bespoke a curious faire roome , hung with the richest arras that could bee hir'd , and furnish'd with all the most exquisite pictures that might bee bought or borrowed , to please the eye . hee then had all the choicest musicke that could be heard of , and how farre off soever to be sent for , with all the varieties or rarities that could be raised from any instrument , to give him content to the eare . then he had all the aromaticks , and odoriferous perfumes to delight his sent in smelling : next all the candies , preserves , all the junkets , even to the stretching of the apotecaries , or confectionaries art to palliate his taste : and lastly a beautifull and faire strumpet lodg'd with him in a 〈…〉 e compass'd , to accommo 〈…〉 〈…〉 ore then ever sardanapalus did ) 〈…〉 to tell of his mea 〈…〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 these ( though they were great in themselves ) yet in the relation would appeare nothing , and therefore i omit them : briefly , as he grew in an instant to wealth , so he fell as suddenly to want ; and then those who had been his greatest sycophants , would shun the way of him : he drew to all the debauchtnesse that could be nam'd , being a brother of the broom-staffe , not worth a cloak , though never so thred-bare , being forc'd most shamefully to beg of his acquaintance , and those he had knowne ; hee was after prest for a common souldier , and for running away from his captaine should have been hang'd ( but for his worshipfull kindred , for whose sake i also forbeare to name him ) the matter was put off : but now followes the wonder , after all this contempt , misery , and penury , two or three gentlemen call'd him up into a tavern , of purpose to have some discourse with him ; and one amongst them desired him to resolve him faithfully of one question he would aske him , who protested unto him that he would unfaignedly doe 't : he then said to him , you have been a gentleman well bred , and have spent a very faire fortune , you are now cast downe to the lowest disgrace that can be , as having tasted of all miseries whatsoever ; and you know them both , plenty & poverty , in a full measure ; now my demand of you is , ( the premisses considered ) if you had all your former estate in your hands entire ( knowing what you now know ) would you not be a very good husband ? to whom he made answer , and bound it with a great oath ; if i had , said hee , all the estate i before enjoyed , and ten times a greater , i would spend it all to liveone week like a god , though i were sure to be dam'd to hell the next day after : which strook the gentlemen into such astonishment , and anger withall , that instead of giving him money , which was their purpose , they thrust him out of the roome as a prophane and blasphemous wretch , and would never look upon him after . who that shall look upon all the prodigalls and spend-thrifts that have had great fortune , and have wasted them to nothing ; or consider how many young shop-keepers that have had good and sufficient stocke to set up with , and through drinking and company-keeping , ( neglecting their home-affaires ) have suddenly proved trade-falne ; and what hath been the end ? but to fill gaoles , and furnish prisons ; or if they escape with liberty , to fall into dissolute and desperate courses , which bring them into certaine disgrace , but most commonly unto untimely end . besides , how many young heires in the countrey , borne to faire revenues , and possest of great estates , who having liv'd formerly in the countrey , and after come to see the fashions of the city , what by tavernes , ordinaries , game-houses , brothell-houses , and the like , have been so besotted and stupified , that they have suddenly run themselves out of all their fortunes ; and then growing desperate , having spent their own , forc'd from others , and taking purses by the high-way side , have come at length to disgrace their gentry by their infamous deaths at the gallows . and these and the like are the remarkable judgments continually exercis'd upon gluttons & drunkards : from which sin of gurmandizing , as from all the rest , god of his infinite mercy , even for the merits of his sonne christ jesus deliver us all . amen . finis . a table of the severall chapters contained in the two first parts of this book . chapt. . touching the corruption and perversity of this world , how great it is . pag. . what is the cause of the great overflow of vice in this age. . that great men , which will not abide to be admonished of their faults , cannot escape punishment by the hand of god. . how the justice of god is more evidently declared upon the mighty ones of this world , then upon any other , and the cause why . . how all men both by the law of god and nature are inexcusable in their sinnes . . how the greatest monarchs in the world ought to be subject to the law of god ; and consequently to the laws of men and nature . . of the punishments that seized upon pharoah king of egypt , for resisting god , and transgressing the first commandement of the law. . more examples like unto the former . . of those that persecuted the son of god and his church . . more examples like unto the former . . of the iews that persecuted christ. . of those that in our age have persecuted the gospell in the person of the faithfull . . other examples of the same subject . . a hymne of the persecution of gods church , and the deliverance of the same . . of apostata's and back-sliders , that through infirmity and feare have falne away . . of those that have willingly falne away . . of the third and worst sort of apostates , those that through malice forsake the truth . . more examples like unto the former . . of hereticks . . of hypocrites . . of conjurers , and inchanters . . of those that through pride and vaine glory , strove to usurpe the honour due to god. . of epicures and atheists . . touching the transgressors of the . commandement by idolatrie . . of many evills that have come upon christendome for idolatrie . . of those that at any time corrupted and mingled gods religion with humane inventions , or went about to change or disquiet the discipline of the church . . of perjurers . . more examples of the like subject . . of blasphemers . . of those that by cursing , and denying god give themselves to the devill . . more examples of gods judgement upon cursers . . punishments for the contempt of the word and sacraments , and abuse of holy things . . those that prophane the sabbath-day . judgements in the second book . chap. . of rebellious and stubborne children towards their parents . . of those that rebell against their superiours . . more examples of the same subject . . of such as have murthered their rulers and princes . . of such as rebelled against their superiours , because of subsidies and ●●●es imposed upon them . . of mu 〈…〉 〈◊〉 ● . a suit of examples like unto the former . . other examples like unto the former . . other memorable examples of the like subject . . of divers other murtherers , and their severall punishments . . of the admirable discovery of murthers . . of such as have murthered themselves . . of paracides , or parent murtherers . . of subject-murtherers . . of those that are both cruell and disloyall . . of queens that were murtherers . . of such as without necessity , upon every light occasion move war. . of such as please themselves overmuch in seeing cruelties . . of such as exercise too much rigor and severity . . of adulteries . . of rapes . . other examples of gods iudgements upon adulterers . . shewing that stewes ought not to be suffered amongst christians . . of whoredomes committed under colour of marriage . . of unlawfull marriages and their issues . touching incestuous marriages . . of adulterie . . other examples like unto the former . . other examples like unto the former . . more examples of the same argument . . of such as are divorced without cause . . of those that either cause , or authorize unlawfull divorcements . . of insestuous persons . . of effeminate persons , sodomites , 〈…〉 ●onsters . . of the wonderfull evill that ariseth from the greedines of lust. . of unlawfull gestures , idlenesse , gluttony , drunkennesse , ●ancing , and other such like dissolutenes . . of theeves and robbers . . of the excessive burdening of the commonalty . . of those that have used too much cruelty towards their subjects in taxes and exactions . . more examples of the same subject . . of such as by force of armes have either taken away , or would have taken away the goods , and land● of other men . . of vsurers , and their theft . . of dicers , card-players , and their theft . . of such as have been notorious in all kind of sin . . more examples of the same argument . . of calumniation and false witnesse . . that kings and princes ought to look to the execution of justice , for the punishment of naughty and corrupt manners . ● of such princes as have made no reckoning of punishing vice , nor regarded the estate of their people . . how rare and geason good princes have been at all times . ● . that the greatest and mightiest cities are not exempt from punishment of their iniquities . . of such punishments as are common to all men in regard of their iniquities . . that the greatest punishments are reserved and laid up for the wicked in the world to come . . how the afflictions of the godly , & punishments of the wicked differ . a brief summary of more examples annexed to the form● 〈◊〉 ●●e same author . chap : . of such as have persecuted the church of christ. . of perjury . . of epicures and atheists . ibid. . of idolatry . . of blasphemy . . of conjurers , magitians , and witches . ibid. . of the prophanation of the sabbath . . of drunkennesse . . of rebellious & disobedient children to parents . . of murtherers . ibid. . of adultery . . of theeves and robbers . . of 〈◊〉 . of the molestation of evill spirits , and their execution of gods judgements upon men . ibid. . the conclusion , concerning the protection of holy angels , over such as feare god. a table of the most remarkable judgements contained in the last part of this book , never before imprinted . devoured by wormes . pag. poisoned . self-murther . ibid. ●●postume . a spanish history against pride in knowledge . 〈◊〉 , &c. the popes nephew hanged . an italian rack● 〈◊〉 death herbert earle of vermendois . bajazet beats out his own brainis . ibid. b●adaas neck broke by a fall . ib. earle goodwin choaked at the table . earle harold shot in the eye . , pierce gaveston beheaded . sir hugh spencer beheaded , and his sonne hang'd and quartered . earle mortimer hanged . sundry others executed . a briefe relation of the life and death of cardinall wolsey . , envious persons punished sundry wayes . . one brother murthereth another . a remarkable history of a roman prince pope boniface his miserable death . the death of caesar germanicus . ib. matrinus head cut off . bassianus and his mother torne in pieces & throwne into a ●akes . alexander severus miserably slaine . ib. prince cranne , with his wife and children burnt to death . one brother killeth another , and the mother murdereth her owne son. , prince morwith devoured by a sea monster . sundry other remarkable judgements upon envious persons . the unfortunate deaths of edw. . his two vncles . , ptolomeus pisco torne in pieces . cirenes famished to death . ibid. one destroy'd by lightning . ibid. of another torne in pieces by wolves . ibid the story of philaris brazen bull. , sundry relations of bloudy women . , remarkable observations upon the emperor caligula , together with his death . avidius cassius his bloudy acts and miserable death . sundry murthers strangely discover'd . sundry judgments against the sin of sloth a strange story of a slothfull chamber-maid . covetousnesse defined . the infinite riches of some men . the monstrous covetousness of mauritius the emperor , together with his death . sundry judgments against covetousnes . a strange murther committed in honey-lane , and as strangely discover'd . a scholler murdereth his fathers servant . parents murder their own children . iudgements inflicted upon usurers . lust learnedly defined . , &c. gods judgements against gluttony . , &c. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e foure species of pride . habbak . . . nicanor . alexander the great . nero casar . varus pergaus . menecrates the physitia● . pride in all states , conditions , and sexes . the nature of pride . s. augustine . plutarch . an excellent spanish history against pride in knowledge . the . questions propounded . the earth . humilitie . pride . advantage well taken . their marriage . a just censure . his owne tongue condemned him . histories out of our owne chronicles , in which the sin of pride hath beene most severely punished . notes for div a -e examples in the gospell . one brother murdereth the other . the history of a roman prince . the soldans great love to the prince . envy in women . murder the fruits of envy . a just judgement upon an envious traytour . envy pursued by many disasters . notes for div a -e texts in the holy scripturè by which wrath is condemned . noted murderers in the holy text. notes for div a -e examples of sloath out of the scriptures . a strange story of a sloathfull chamber-maid . notes for div a -e the parents murder their owne naturall sonne for the luere of money . notes for div a -e fabia . zoe the empresse . women branded for incest . papinius and canusia . julia the empresse and antonia coracalla . semiramis . a spanish maid . a gentleman of millan . the prince of opolia . a burgesse of ulmes . an advoc 〈…〉 of consta 〈…〉 . a nobleman of piedmont . cyanip . syrac . armuti●s . childebert k. of france , and plectrude . philip the second , and gelberge his q. a miraculous deliverie . a needful observation . a lamentable history . jealousie . a fearefull prison , or dungeon . a cruel lady . a fearfull sight . the former parallel'd with a modern story . an unwomanly act. locring , estrild , & sabrina . ethelburge , a notorious adult 〈…〉 . an unadvised woman . the fury of elphaida . a miraculous accident . a bloudy regitide . sigandus bish. of sherburne and winchester . henry the second . mr. arden of ●eversham . master page of plymouth . countrey tom and cambury besse . notes for div a -e the symptoms of gluttony . from the old testament . texts out of the new testament . the fathers of gluttony . erotes . the devills miracles . albidinus . lucullus . caesar the son of pope alexander . galentius . belflorius a sycilian . good admonitions against gluttony . maximinus a great glutton . the emperor bonosus . phago edax . clodius albinus . heterognathus . mithredates k. of pontus . domitius affer philoxenes . galba and vitellius . drunkards amongst the grecians . alexander the great . antiochus the illustrious . agrones . the bitter fruits of gormundizing & gluttony . an unmatchable villain● . almost the like done in england . the effects of too much wine a miraculous escape . a drunken bu 〈…〉 . a judgement upon three drunkards . a glasier . a barber . one that drank himself to death . a true relation of a prodigall citizen . a strange and unheard of prodigall . a treatise of the divine essence and attributes. by thomas iackson doctor in divinitie, chaplaine to his majestie in ordinary, and vicar of s. nicolas church in the towne of newcastle upon tyne. the first part commentaries upon the apostles creed. book jackson, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a treatise of the divine essence and attributes. by thomas iackson doctor in divinitie, chaplaine to his majestie in ordinary, and vicar of s. nicolas church in the towne of newcastle upon tyne. the first part commentaries upon the apostles creed. book jackson, thomas, - . [ ], ; [ ], , [ ] p. printed by m[iles] f[lesher] for iohn clarke, and are to be sold at his shop under st. peters church in cornhill, london : [i.e. ] the second part has separate pagination, register, and title page with imprint date . the two parts comprise book of the author's "commentaries upon the apostles creed". printer's name from stc. in this edition of part , b r has catchword "others.". part is in the same setting as stc . . reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng apostles' creed -- commentaries. providence and government of god -- early works to . god -- attributes -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a treatise of the divine essence and attribvtes . by thomas iackson doctor in divinitie , chaplaine to his majestie in ordinary , and vicar of s. nicolas church in the towne of newcastle upon tyne . the first part . london , printed by m. f. for iohn clarke , and are to be sold at his shop under st. peters church in cornhill . . to the right honovrable and trvly noble william earle of penbrooke , lord high steward of his majesties houshold , knight of the most noble order of the ga●ter , and chancellor of the vniversity of oxon ; the blessings of this life , and of the life to come be multiplied . had the consciousnesse of my weaknesse left any place for expectation that my poore labours should have found such benigne acceptāce with men of higher place and judgement , as by the report of honourable personages , and mine owne late experience of your noble favours , some of them i now perceive have found with your honour , these present papers had come to crave your patronage in a better dresse than now they doe . besides the consciousnesse of my inabilities to please the acurate judgements of this age , want of opportunities for these many yeares to give my selfe that contentment , which i was once bold to promise unto my selfe , had almost deterred me from publishing any part of my former labours , which were not popular , and for the pulpit , of which ranke this present treatise is not . the subject or matter of it is academicall , and was conceived in that famous nurserie of all good literature , which for these many yeares hath flourished , and many more may it flourish under your honorable patronage . if either these , or other of my labours of the like argument , which tooke their first being from the benignity of that soile , may finde acceptance with your lordship , i shall need no other apologie for publishing them beside my unfaigned desire to leave the christian world a testimonie of that high esteeme which i have ever made of your honourable favours to that renowned vniversity , and of my thankfulnesse for my particular interest in your generall goodnesse . if this manifestation of my weaknesse may occasion other academickes to shew their strength in this and like arguments , it shall be a great part of my joy and comfort to see better fruits of your lordships favour brought forth by others , than i can present unto you . but if these may finde that acceptance which i most desire , your lordship will haply bee deemed by some , to patronize not my weaknesse onely , but mine errors . it is not so unusuall , nor so much for mee to be censured for an arminian , as it will be for your lordship to be thought to patronize arminianisme . to give your lordship that satisfaction therefore in this point , which i am not bound to give unto others ; if the man which most mislikes the arminian or lutheran doctrine in the points most controverted through reformed churches , will but agree with me in these two , that the almighty creator hath a true freedome in doing good ; and adams off-spring a true freedome of doing evill ; i shall not dissent from him in any other points controverted , unlesse it be in this one , that there needs to be no other controversie at all betweene the arminians and their opposites in point of gods providence and predestination . in all other particulars , save onely so farre as they are reducible to these two , i have not yet the learning or understanding to conceive , what contradiction there is or can bee , betweene men not willing to contend about words . but if any in opposition to arminius , will maintaine that all things were so decreed by god before the creation of the world ; that nothing since the creation could have fallen out otherwise than it hath done , or that nothing can bee amended what is amisse , i must crave pardon of every good christian to oppugne his opinion , not as an errour onely in divinity , but as an ignorance which involveth enmity to the sweet disposition of the all-seeing and unerring providence ; as a forerunner of ruine to most flourishing states and kingdomes where it growes common , or comes to full height . for supplanting or preventing the growth of such opinions , i make bold to crave your lordships patronage . thus with my continuall praiers for your lordships health , with all increase of honor and happinesse , i humbly take my leave . from my study in newcastle upon tine . november . . your lordships in all duty and observance , thomas iackson . the contents of the severall chapters in this ensuing treatise . section i. of the one absolutely infinite , and incomprehensible essence in generall . chapter . folio . how farre wee may seeke to expresse what by light of nature or other wayes may be conceived concerning the incomprehensible essence , or his attributes . containing two philosophicall maximes which lead us to the acknowledgement of one infinite and incomprehensible essence . of infinity in beeing , or of absolute infinitie : and the right definition of it by the ancient philosophers . there is no plurality of perfections in the infinite essence , albeit the perfection of all things be in him . of the absolute identity of the divine essence and attributes . section ii. of the severall branches of absolute infinitie ; or of the infinitie of the divine attributes , as they are severally apprehended by us . chapter . folio . of divine immensity , or of that branch of absolute infinity , whereof infinity in magnitude , or space imaginary is the shadow . of eternity , or of that branch of absolute infinity , whereof successive duration or the imaginary infinity of time , is the modell . of the infinity of divine power . of the infinity of divine wisedome . that it is as impossible for any thing to fall out without gods knowledge , as to have existence without his power or essentiall presence . of divine immutability . of the eternall and immutable decree . of transcendentall goodnesse : and of the infinity of it in the divine nature . of the infinitie and immutability of divine goodnesse communicative , or as it is the patterne of morall goodnesse in the creature . in what sense , or how gods infinite will is said to be the rule of goodnesse . of gods infinite love to mankinde . what the church of england doth teach concerning the extent of gods love : of the distinction of singula generum , and genera singulorum : of the distinction of voluntas signi , and voluntas beneplaciti . section iii. that gods good will and pleasure is never frustrated , albeit his unspeakeable love take no effect in many to whom it is unfeignedly tendered . chapter . folio . in what sense god may be said to have done all that he could for his vineyard , or for such as perish . the truth and ardency of gods love unto such as perish , testified by our saviour , and by s. paul. want of consideration , or ignorance of gods unfeigned love to such as perish , a principall meanes or occasion why so many perish . how god of a most loving father becomes a severe inexorable iudge . whilest god of a loving father becomes a severe iudge , there is no change or alteration at all in god , but onely in men and in their actions . gods will is alwayes exactly fulfilled even in such as goe most against it . how it may stand with the iustice of god to punish transgressions temporall , with torments everlasting . how anger , love , compassion , mercy , or other affections are in the divine nature . a treatise of the divine essence and attribvtes . section i. of the one absolutely infinite , and incomprehensible essence in generall . the originall of atheisme , of errours , or misperswasions , concerning the beeing , or attributes of the divine nature , being in a former treatise at large discussed ; the next enquiries , which exact method would in this argument make , are , first , how this truth of gods being , most certainly known , by internall experience unto some , may by force of speculative argument bee made manifest unto others . secondly , how his nature and attributes may be fitliest resembled . my first resolution professed in the beginning of the discussing of the originall of atheisme , as yet restraines me for adventuring too farre in the former . for whilest i view the progresse which i have purposed ; to debate this point , upon my first entry into that paradise of contemplation , ( within whose territories i now encampe ) by syllogisticall force of argument , seemeth to me as great an oversight , as to entertaine an enemy , more desperate then potent , with a pitched battaile , when as all his forts might , by constant prosequution of advantages gotten , be orderly taken , each after other , without possibility of any great losse , or apparent danger . now the atheists chiefe strength lying in a preconceived impossibility of a creation and resurrection , the conquest of the whole truth will easily bee compassed , after those weake holds bee ( as in due time they shall be ) utterly demolished . or in case , after their overthrow , he be of force to bid us battaile , we shall be most willing to try our intended quarrell with him by dint of argument , in the article of the last iudgement . in the meane time , wee may , without danger of his checke , proceed upon those advantages , which the grounds of nature give us . chap. i. how far we may seeke to expresse what by light of nature , or otherwayes , may be conceived concerning the incomprehensible essence , or his attributes . first , if every particular man , or bodie generable , have precedent causes of their beings ; their whole generations must of necessity have some cause : otherwise all should not be of one kinde or nature . now this progresse from effects unto their causes , or betwixt causes subordinate , cannot be infinite : but as all progressive motion supposeth some rest or stay , whence it proceedeth , so must this progresse , whereof i speake , take beginning from some cause , which hath no cause of its being . and this is that incomprehensible essence , which wee seeke . but whereunto shall wee liken him ? things compared alwayes agree in some one kind , or have ( at least ) a common measure . is then this cause of causes contained in any predicamentall ranck of being ? or can our conceipt of any thing therein contained , be truly fitted unto him ? or may his infinite and incomprehensible nature be rightly moulded within the circumference of mans shallow braine ? one thing it is to represent the infinite essence , another to illustrate this truth , that he cannot be represented . though nothing can exactly resemble him , yet some things there be which better notifie how farre he is beyond all resemblance or comparison , then others can doe . by variety of such resemblances as his works afford , may our admiration of his incomprehensiblenesse bee raised higher and higher , and with our admiration thus raised , will our longing after his presence still be enlarged . the nature of things finite and limited , no philosopher can so exactly expresse , as painters may their outward lineaments . but as some sensible objects , besides their proper shape or character , imprint a kinde of dislike or pleasance in creatures sensitive : so have our purest and most exact conceipts intellectuall certaine symptomaticall impressions annexed , which inwardly affect us ; though we cannot outwardly so expresse them , as they may imprint the like affection in others . hence it is that the more right resemblances we make to our selves of any thing , the greater will be the symptomaticall impression of the latent truth ; some part or shadow whereof appeareth in every thing , whereto it can truly be compared . and though we cannot in this life come to a cleare view of that nature , which we most desire to see ; yet is it a worke worthy our paines , to erect our thoughts , by varietie of resemblances ( made with due observance of decorum ) unto an horizon more ample then ordinary ; in whose skirts or edges , wee may behold some scattered rayes of that glorious light , which is utterly set unto men , whose thoughts soare not without the circumference of this visible world ; for all we see with ou● bodily eyes , is but an hemisphere of midnight darknesse , to the habitation of saints , and seat o● blisse . the rule of decorum in all resemblances of things amiable or glorious is , that as well the simple termes of comparison be sightly and handsome , as the proportion betweene them exact . supposing the ods of valorous strength betweene aiax and ordinary trojanes , to have beene as great , as homer would have us beleeve it was ; the manner of this champions retreat , being overcharged with the multitude of his enemies , could not more exquisitely be resembled , than by a company of children , driving an hungry hard-skinned asse with bats or staves out of a corne-field or meadow . the asse cannot , by such weaklings , be driven so hard , but he will feed as he goes ; nor could aiax be charged so fiercely by his impotent foes , but that he fought still as he fled . the proportion is approved , as most exact , by a * teacher of poetry that was his arts master , who notwithstanding , with the same breath disallows the invention , as no way applyable unto turnus , at least in the courtly censure of those times wherein virgil wrote . be the congruity betweene the termes never so exquisite or pleasant ; the asse notwithstanding is no amiable creature , nor can wisedome or valour , for his many base properties willingly brook comparison with him in any . more fitly ( as this author thinketh ) might turnus his heroicall spirit have beene paralleld by a lion , which though unable to sustaine the fierce pursuit of many hunters , yet cannot be enforced to any other march , then passant gardant . but wee must allow the poet ( whose chiefe art is to please his readers appetite with pleasant sauces , more then with solid meates , ) to bee more dainty and curious in this kinde , than it is requisite the school-divine or philosopher should be : albeit neither of them need much to feare , lest their discourses be too comely , so solidity of truth bee the ground of their comelinesse . no courtly poet is more observant of the former rule of decorum in their comparisons , than the holy prophets are . thus hath the lord spoken unto mee ( saith esaias , cap. . vers . . ) like as the lion , and the young lion roring on his prey , when a multitude of shepheards is called forth against him , hee will not bee afraid of their voice , nor abase himselfe for the noise of them : so shall the lord of hosts come downe to fight for mount sion , and for the hill thereof . saint * austin hath noted three sorts of errors in setting forth the divine nature : of which , two go upon false grounds , the other is altogether groundlesse . some ( saith he ) there be that seeke to measure things spirituall by the best knowledge which they have gotten ( by sence or art ) of things bodily . others doe fit the deity with the nature and properties of the humane soule , and from this false ground frame many deceiptfull and crooked rules , whilest they endeavour to draw the picture or image of the immutable essence . a third sort there be , which by too much straining to transcend every mutable creature , patch up such conceipts , as cannot possibly hang together , either upon created or increated natures , and these rove further from the truth then doe the former . as ( to use his instance ) he which thinkes god to be bright or yellow , is much deceived ; yet his errour wants not a cloke , in as much as these colours have some being ( from god ) in bodies . his errour againe is as great , that thinkes god sometimes forgets , and sometimes cals things forgotten to minde ; yet this vicissitude of memorie and oblivion , hath place in the humane soule , which in many things is like the creator . but hee which makes the divine nature so powerfull , as to produce or beget it selfe , quite misseth not the marke onely , but the butt , and shoots ( as it were ) out of the field : for nothing possible can possibly give it selfe being or existence . but though in no wise wee may avouch such grosse impossibilities of him , to whom nothing is impossible ; yet must we often use fictions or suppositions of things scarce possible , to last so long till we have moulded conceipts of the essence and attributes incomprehensible , more lively and semblable , then can be taken either from the humane soule alone , or from bodies naturall . to maintaine it as a philosophical truth , that god is the soule of this universe , is an impious errour * before condemned , as a grand seminary of idolatry . yet by imagining the humane soule to be as really existent in every place , whereto the cogitations of it can reach , as it is in our bodies , or rather to exercise the same motive power over the greatest bodily substance in this world , that it doth over our fingers , able to weild the heavens or elements with as great facility and speed , as we doe our thoughts or breath : we may , by this fiction , gaine a more true modell or shadow of gods infinite efficacy , then any one created substance can furnish us withall . but whilest we thus , by imagination , transfuse our conceipts of the best life and motion , which we know , into this great sphere , which we see , or ( which sute better to the immutable and infinite essence ) into bodies abstract or mathematicall : we must make such a compound as tacitus would have made of two noble romanes : demptis utriusque vitiis solae virtutes misceantur : the imperfections of both being sifted from them , their perfections onely must be ingredients in this compound . yet may we not thinke , that the divine nature , which we seeke to expresse by them , consists of perfections infinite , so united or compounded . we must yet use a further extraction of our conceits , ere wee apply them to his incomprehensible nature . chap. . containing two philosophicall maximes which lead us to the acknowledgement of one infinite and incompre●ensible essence . vnto every student that with observance ordinary will survey any philosophicall tract of causes , two maine springs or fountaines doe in a manner discover themselves : which were they as well opened and drawne , as some others of lesse consequence are , wee might baptize most atheists in the one , and confirme good christians in the other . the naturall current of the one directly caries us to an independant cause ; from whose illimited essence and nature , the later affords us an ocular or visible derivation of those generall attributes , whereof faith infused giveth us the true taste and relish . the former wee may draw to this head , [ whatsoever hath limits or bounds of being , hath some distinct cause or author of being . ] as impossible it is , any thing should take limits of being , as beginning of being from it selfe . for beginning of being is one especiall limit of being . this maxime is simply convertible , [ whatsoever hath cause of being hath also limits of being . ] because it hath beginning of being : for [ omnis causa est principium , & omne causatum est principiatum , ] every cause is the active beginning or beginner of being , and an active beginning essentially includes a beginning passive , as fashionable to it , as the marke or impression is to the stampe . or in plainer english , thus ; where there is a beginning or beginner , there is somewhat begunne . where the cause is prae●xistent in time , the distinction or limits of things caused or begun , are as easily seene as the divers surfaces of bodies severed in place . but where the cause hath onely precedence of nature and not of time , ( as it falleth out in things caused by concomitance or resultance , ) the limits or confines of their being seeme confounded , or as hardly distinguishable as the divers surfaces of two bodies glued together . yet as wee rightly gather that if the bodies be of severall kindes , each hath its proper surface , though the point of distinction bee invisible to our eyes : so whatsoever we conceive to have dependance upon another , wee necessarily conceive it to have proper limits of being , or at least a distinct beginning of being from the other , though as it were ingrafted in it . but whether we conceive effects and causes distinctly as they are in nature , or in grosse , so long as wee acknowledge them ( this or that way conceived ) to be finite and limited , wee must acknowledge some cause of their limitation , which ( as we suppose ) cannot be distinct from the cause of their being . why men in these dayes are not gyants , why gyants , in former , were but men , are two problems which the meere naturalist could easily assoyle by this reason , for substance one and the same . the vigour of causes productive or conservative of vegetables , of man especially , from which he receiveth nutrition and augmentation , is lesse now then it hath beene at least before the flood ; though but finite and limited , when it was greatest . why vegetables of greatest vigour , ingrosse not the properties of others lesse vigorous , but rest contented with a greater numericall measure of their owne specificall vertues ; is , by the former reason as plaine . for in that they have not their being from themselves , they can take no more then is given ; nor can the natures whence they are propagated , convey them a better title of being , then themselves have . this as the seale communicates his fashion to the waxe , so doth the limited force or vertue of causes , alwayes imprint bounds and limits upon their effects . if further it be demanded , why the elements having the opportunity of mutuall vicinity , to wreake their naturall enmities or hostilities , doe not each trespasse more grievously upon other ; as why the restlesse or raging water swallowes not up the dull earth , which cannot flye from any wrong or violence offered ; or why the heavens , having so great a prerogative by height of place , largenesse of compasse , and indefatigable motion , do not dispossesse the higher elements of their seat ? the naturalist would plead the warrant of natures charter , which had set them their distinct bounds and limits by an everlasting undispensable law . yet is nature in his language alwaies an internall or essentiall part of some bodies , within which it is necessarily confined . as the nature of the heavens hath not so much as liberty of egresse into neighbour elements , nor the proper formes of these , ( upon what exigence or assaults soever made against them in their territories , ) so much as right of removall or flitting into lower elements . or , in case it be pretended that these particular natures , have a nature more generall for their president ; yet this , whether one above the rest , or an aggregation onely of all the rest , is still confined to this visible world , and both so hidebound with the utmost sphere , that they cannot grow greater or enlarge their strength . so that nature taken in what sense the naturalist lists , cannot be said so properly to set bounds or limits to bodies naturall , as to bee bounded or limited in them . or to speake more properly , nature her selfe did not make , but is that very domestique law , by which they are bounded , and therefore , in no case , can dispense with it . and in that she is a law , ( for the most part , but not absolutely indispensable ) shee necessarily supposeth a lawgiver ; who , if he have no law set him by any superiour ( as we must of necessity come in fine to some one in this kinde supreame ) hee can have no such limits or bounds , as he hath set to nature , and things naturall . he neither is any part of this visible frame , which we see , nor can he be inclosed within the utmost sphere . and thus by following the issue of the former fountaine , we are arived in the latter , which fully discovered , opens it selfe into a boundlesse ocean . whatsoever hath no cause of being can have no limits or bounds of being . and being , may bee limited or illimited two wayes : either for number of kindes and natures contained in it , or for quantity and intensive perfection of every severall kinde . of things visible , we see the most perfect are but perfect in some one kinde , they possesse not the entire perfection of others ; and that perfection , whereof they have the just propriety , is not actually infinite , 〈◊〉 finite and limited . whatsoever thus is , it was as possible for it not to have beene , and is as possible for it not to be , as to be but of this or that kinde , not all that is , or hath being . even those substances which we call immortall , as the heaven of heavens , with all their inhabitants , be they angels or archangels , principalities or thrones , enjoy the perpetuall tenour of their actuall existence , not from their essence , but from the decree of their maker . manent cuncta non quia aeterna sunt , sed quia defenduntur curâ regentis . immortalia tutore non egent , haec conservat artifex , fragilitatem materiae vi sua vincens . seneca epist . . all things continue in being , not because they are eternall , but because they are defended by the providence of their governour . things immortall need no guardian or protector . but the maker of all things preserveth these things ( which we see continue in being ) overmatching the frailty of the matter by his power . in this mans philosophy nothing which is made , can be by nature immortall , though many things be perpetually preserved from perishing . nothing which is immortall , can bee made . he grossely erred , if hee were of the same opinion with some others of the * ancient , that god had a desire to make things immortall , but could not by reason of the frailty or untowardlinesse of the matter . but that things made out of the matter , or made at all , could be immortall by nature , he rightly affirmed . for to be immortall in his language , is to be without beginning , without dependance . and what so is , hath an eternall necessity of existence . absolute necessity of existence , or impossibility of non-existence , or of not being alwayes what it is , and as it is , implies an absolute necessity of being or of existence infinite ; which cannot reside save only in the totality or absolute fulnesse of all being possible . the greatest fulnesse of finite existence conceiveable , cannot reach beyond al possibility of non-existence , nor can possibility of non-existence , and perpetuall actuall existence , be indissolubly wedded in any finite nature , save only by his infinite power , who essentially is , or whose essence is to exist , or to be the inexhaustible fountaine of all being . the necessary supposall , or acknowledgement of such an infinite or essentially existent power , cannot more strongly or more perspicuously be inferred , than by the reduction of known effects unto their causes , & of these causative entities ( whose number and ranks are finite ) into one prime essence , whence al of them are derived ; it self being underivable frō any cause , or essence conceivable . in that this prime essence hath no cause of being , it can have no beginning of being . and yet is beginning of being , the first & prime limit of being , without whose precedence , other bounds or limits of being , cannot follow . if that which philosophers suppose to be the root of incorruption in the heavens , can brooke no limits of duration , but must bee imagined without end or beginning ; why should it content it selfe with limits of extension ? seeing duration is but a kinde of extension , seeing motion , magnitude , and time , by their rules in other cases , hold exact proportion . things caused ( as induction manifesteth ) are alwayes limited and moulded in their proper causes . nor are there two causes ( much lesse two causalities , ) one of their being , another of their limitation or restraint to this or that set kinde of being . for whatsoever gives being to any thing , gives it the beginning of being . as sophroniscus was the true cause why socrates was in that age wherein he lived , not before or after ; why he was a man not a beast , an athenian , not a barbarian . quicquid dat formam , dat omnia consequentia formam : whatsoever gives forme of being to any thing , gives all the appurtenances to the forme : is a physicall maxime which supposeth another metaphysicall , quicquid dat esse , dat proprietates esse : that which gives being unto any thing , gives likewise the properties of such being as it hath . now limits of being , are essentiall properties of that essence or being , wherin they are found . and distinct bounds or limits are included in the distinct forme of being , which every thing hath from its cause . actuall essence or existence it selfe , is distributed to every thing that hath cause of being , as it were sealed up in its proper forme or kind of being . it is as possible to put a new fashion upon nothing , as for any thing that is , to take limits or set forme of being from nothing . that which hath nothing to give it being , can have nothing to give it limits or bounds of being . and as no entity can take its being , or beginning of being from it selfe ; so neither can it take bounds or limits from it selfe , but must have them from some other . the prime essence or first cause of all things that are , as it hath no precedent cause of existence , nor can it be cause of existence to it self ; so neither can it have any cause of limits without it selfe , nor can it be any cause of limits to it selfe . it remaines then , that it must bee an essence illimited , and thus to be without bounds or limits , is the formall effect or consequence of being it selfe , or of that which truly is , without any cause precedent to give it being , or make it what it is . so essentially is the conceipt of being without bounds or limits , included in our conceipt of being without cause precedent , that if we should , by way of supposition , give any imaginary entity leave to take beginning or possession of being from it selfe , without the warrant of any cause precedent to appoint or measure it out some distinct portion or forme of being : thus much being once by imagination granted , wee could not ( by any imagination possible ) debarre this entity from absolute necessity of being for ever after whatsoever it listed to be , or from being all things , rather than any one thing . of the heathens , many did hold an uncreated chaos praeexistent to the frame of this vniverse : and philosophers , to this day , maintaine an ingenerable matter , which actually is not any body , but indifferent to be made every body . let us but suppose ; first the one , or other of them to be as homogeneall in it selfe , as the ayre or water : secondly , to be able to actuate , or proteus-like to transforme it selfe into a better state than now it hath , without the helpe of any agent or efficient ; and then , as it could have no cause , so can there bee no reason given , to restraine it from taking all bodily perfection possible to it selfe . and if it bee true , which some teach , that this prime matter hath neither proper quantity nor quality , what should hinder it to take both without measure , supposing it might bee its one carver of those endowments ? or imagine there were such a vacuity , where the world now is , as we christians beleeve there was before it was made , and onely one of democritus casuall atoms , or some meere possibility or appetite of the matter , left free , venire in vacuum , to give it selfe full and perfect act without curbe or restraint of any superiour power or sharer to cry halfe mine with it , or make claime to the nature of any actuall entity lost ; it being supposed to be able to take any one nature upon it , what should either hinder or further it , to assume the nature of earth , rather than of water , or of these two , rather than of any other element , or of any simple bodies , rather than of mixt or compounded substances , or of bodily substances , rather than spirituall , or of all these , rather than of their metaphysicall eminences , and perfections ? or whilst we imagine it , without cause of existence or beginning , no reason imaginable could confine it to any set place of residence or extension : no cause could bee alledged why it should take possession of the center , rather than of the circumference of this vniverse , as now it stands , or of both these rather than of the whole sphere , or of the whole sphere rather than of all extensive space imaginable . only the very supposition of taking beginning though without cause , doth put a limit to its duration ; because this kinde of beginning , being but imaginary , depends upon our imagination , as upon its true cause . and yet even thus considered , me thinks it should extend its existence both waies , and draw a circular duration to the instant where it beginnes . or ( not imagining the beginning ) let us imagine it only to have true present being without any cause precedent to push it forward , or superiour guide to appoint it a set course ; and it is not within the compasse of imagination , why the duration of it should not reach as farre the one way as the other . as farre beyond all imagination of time past , as of time to come , why it should not comprehend all duration imaginable by way of present possession , or supereminent permanency , without admission of any deflux , division , or succession , for continuation of its existence . if it bee objected , that any thing may follow from supposition or imagination of impossibilities , the reply is easie . the objection is either false , or true in a sense , which no way impeacheth , but rather approves that kinde of arguing . true it is , there is almost nothing in nature so impossible , as it may not be the possible consequent of some impossibility supposed or granted : but of every particular impossibility supposed or imagined , the possible * consequences are not infinite ; neither such nor so many as we list to make them ; they are determinate by nature . now we cannot conceive it to be in nature more impossible for a meere logical possibility , really and truely to take beginning of actuall being onely from it selfe , then it is for that which is supposed & imagined thus to take beginning , to be restrained either to any determinat kind or part of being , or to bee confined to any set place or residence . or if any mislike these imaginarie models , let him ( now he hath givē us leave to make them , and vouchsafed to looke upon them ) utterly cancell or deface them . the everlasting edifice to whose erection they are destinated , is this ; such as we cannot cōceive that not to be , which we conceive to take beginning of being from it selfe without any cause precedent ; such of necessity must we conceive and beleeve him to bee indeed , who neither tooke beginning from himselfe , nor had it given by any , but is the beginning of being , the sole maker of all things that bee , being himselfe without beginning , without dependance o● any cause , without subordination to any guide , to appoint his kinde , to limit his place , or prescribe his time of being . he is in all these , and whatsoever branch or portion of being imaginable , truely and really infinite , the quintessence or excellency of all perfections ( whether numericall or specifical ) incident to al sorts or degrees of beings numerable . chap. . of infinity in beeing , or of absolute infinitie : and the right definition of it by the ancient philosophers . were the question proposed in formall termes [ an inter nihil & aliquid detur medium , ] whether something or nothing may admit a meane or middle nature : few answerers in the schools would make choice of the affirmative : if any did , hee might easily be thus opposed : every meane betwixt two is either by participation of both extreames , ( as lukewarme is neither hot nor cold , but a mixture of both ; ) or a meane by abnegation , as being capable of neither . so a stone , though in it be not blinde , yet cannot see ; and is therefore such a meane as we now speake of , ( i ) medium abnegationis , betwixt sight and blindnesse . that which is not ( so is nothing ) can communicate no kinde of being ( for it hath none , ) unto any thing ; therefore it is impossible there should bee any meane of participation betwixt nothing and something . and to finde a meane betwixt them , by abnegation , that is , any thing which is neither something nor nothing , is as hard , as to assigne a space or vacancy betweene a line and the point that terminates it . what name soever we propose , unlesse it have some degree or portion of entity answering to it , we may justly say , it is just nothing . these reasons notwithstanding though they firmely hold in secular disputes of predicamentall or numerable entities , yet the infinite essence comes not within the lists of this division . is he then a meane between something and nothing , rather an excellency too transcendent , to be comprehended under the name of something , or of any thing ; for this were to make him a * numerable part of being . on the other side , we should avouch as much under our hand , as the foole said in his heart , if we did cōprehend him under the other extream . to say there is no god , or that god is nothing , are speeches altogether equivolent , both equally false , and alike blasphemous . fully contradictory to their falshood , and in direct opposition to their blasphemie , we may more safely say and think , that god is one , yet no one thing . and if we avouch him to be all , our meaning is , he is a great deale more than all things . the latine ens , which universally taken , directly answers to our english every thing , or any thing ; ( as * mirandula well observes ) faciem concreti habet , it beares the face or image of a concrete . and every concrete takes its name from that nature , whereof it participates ; which nature , notwithstanding by reason of its simple , pure , and perfect essence , cannot brooke the same name which it bestowes on others . nothing is truly tearmed hot , or white , but from participation of heat or whitenesse ; yet to say heat is hot , or whitenesse white , is a speech as improper and unnaturall , as it would bee to style the kings majesty , lord president , chiefe iustice of some court , or with some other inferiour title , meerely dependent on supreame majesty . heat then is that from which things are called , as by participation of it , they truly are , hot ; whitenesse , that , from whose particiration , things are termed white . this shall we speake of god , so we speake of him as best befits his supreame majesty , that hee is no one thing , but rather one , from whose most pure & perfect being , all things are said to bee , what they are . that man is one thing , and the earth another , that any thing is sayd to be , what it is , includes a participation of his being , whose proper name is * i am : whose essence is the very quintessence , the incomprehensible and indiminishable fulnesse of that , without which , wee can neither affirme or deny ought of that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely foundation of every thing , that can bee named alone , the onely bond of all things that can bee combined or linckt together . say * we then not onely , that he is one , but that he onely is : and that in him the eminent totality or perfection of every thing , to whom this title , is , can be imparted , is contained . angels and immortall spirits are , but they are not being it selfe , that is , they are what they are , by participation of his essence , who onely is , who alone comprehends all things . of the greatest angell which he hath created , or of the most noble intelligent spirit which the philosophers imagined , were he present , or did we know the place of his residence , we might without wrong say , this angell , or yonder intelligence ; or speake of either , as of a numerable part , though a principall one of this vniverse . for though his nature be much more perfect then ours is , and hee according to the perfection of his nature , much more excellent then his fellow angels are : his perfections neverthelesse have their bounds and limits , not uncapable of these demonstrative signes , this , here , or yonder , &c. he neither containes the specificall perfection of our nature , nor the numericall of his fellowes , within the measure of his perfection . in his kind then he is most perfect , yet is he not that perfection which he hath in him , but the receptacle of it ; and if he have perfection onely in him , without being himselfe perfection , quid habet quod non accepit ? all he hath must bee participated or borrowed from perfection it selfe . and of his borrowed perfections , one neither properly is another , nor are all or any of them , what he is . his power is not the same that his wisedome is ; his wisedome is not his goodness , nor his goodnesse his life . sathan and his angels have life , though they have lost their goodnesse ; and their power to practise , is lesse than their wit to plot mischiefe and villany . the best , the wisest , or mightiest of those immortall spirits , which kept their stations , is not able , either by his meere power to give being to things that are not , or life to livelesse creatures ; his wisedome cannot inspire wisedome into creatures indued with life ; his goodnesse is no fountaine whence grace may be derived into the heart of man. but when we say god is one , or god onely is , in this indivisible unity , we include all multiplicity . nor can wee say more of him in fewer words than seneca hath done ; est totum quod vides , & totum quod non vides : hee is the absolute totality of all and every part of being or perfection , which we see in things visible , or conceive in substances invisible . by the same analogy of speech that wee say a statue , or picture , though made after life , is , no true man ; we are bound to say , and thinke , that no creature ( the best of which is but the image of god ; his being , at the best , but participated ) truly is . it is their chiefe grace to be true shadows of true being . o● as it is usuall with divines to enstyle christ , the true samuel , david himselfe , the right salomon , the onely sampson : not that they thinke the stories of those mens lives , were onely faigned legends for good example , ( or that no such persons had ever truly beene , ) but because they did foreshadow one far more excellent , than themselves , in whom that was really and fully exhibited , which was only prefigured in them . so we say god alone is , because the totality and fulnesse of that being is in him , whose representation is in his creatures . thus much is included in all those sacred passages , wherin he saith of himselfe , i am he , i am god , and there is none besides . thus much many comments yet extant in the ancient philosophy of the heathens , being compared with these texts , would fully informe us . the stoicks appropriate the name of essence unto god , & unto the matter , which they foolishly conceive to be coeternall with him , able to overmatch the benignity of his active power , by its passive untowardlinesse . how ever , they held nothing worthy the title of essence , which was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 independently everlastingly . plotines philosophy was more divine , unlesse perhaps he gave too much to his demoniacall or angelicall spirits , as many others , not conceiving any creation but out of the matter praeexistent , seeme to allot a kinde of independent being to immateriall substances . an error easie to have beene checkt , had the favourers of it beene put in mind , that these their demi-gods by necessary consequence of this opinion , must have beene acknowledged infinite in being . whereas the true notion of such infinitie , by the apparent grounds of true philosophy , is onely proper , onely possible unto one ; because it entirely includeth all that can be ; and , all , absolutely excludes all plurality . from this principle rightly sounded , did plato deny things sensible truly to be , or ( as seneca paraphrases upon his text ) they make a shew only , or put on a countenance of being for a time , being uncapable of the stability or solidity of true being . so far was this divine philosopher from their herefie , which acknowledged an independent being in immateriall substances , that ( to the aristotelicall christian his shame ) * hee derives their immortality , not from the immaterialitie or excellency of their nature , but from the speciall grant or charter of their maker ; as if dissolution or finall expiration were due to them as they are creatures ; albeit the execution of it were everlastingly differed from their first creation . these termes of being , is , or are , &c. which are so common to al things , that without them , we can neither make enquiry after any thing , nor distinguish it from nothing , are attributed by the same philosopher to this eternall maker of all things , after such an eminent and soveraigne manner , as may not be communicated to any other . so the name of poet ( to use * seneca his comment upon plato his dialect ) absolutely or demonstratively taken , was homers peculiar title throughout greece , albeit the name of poet was common in that time to all versifiers . the poet homer was a tautology amongst the graecians , but poet aeschylus , or poet euripides none . a greater tautology or solaecisme it had beene in platoes divinity , to have said of god , as we doe of our selves or of angels , he is something , every thing , or the most excellent thing . enough it was to have said he is one , or . he is all , although he should have hit his or the anoient philosophers meaning best , that had said , he is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he that is . or as the apostle comments upon gods name revealed to moses , he which was , is , and which is to come , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . parmenides much more ancient then plato , did not deny ( unlesse simplicius one of aristotles followers double with us ) all distinction , either numericall or specificall , or more generall , betweene the visible or intelligible parts of this vniverse . any member of which division , being granted , multitude and division would necessarily follow . * but how many or great soever , the parts of multitude were , in his opiniō , they truly were not , in respect of that unitie , whence they had their originall . that speech of this sage philosopher , omnia unum sunt , which aristotle , in the first entry into his new philosophy , stumbles at as a paradoxe , was an orthodoxall principle of true divintie . parmenides meant the same that plato did , ( perhaps better ) although he exprest his meaning in a poeticall manner , more apt to bee mistaken , though rightly taken , more magnificent and much apter to occasion admiration . the speech it selfe will naturally beare this construction , multitude of things visible , is but the multiplyed shadow of invisible independent unitie : things sensible , or by imagination numerable , are but so many severall representations of his incomprehensible being , who is one ; not as one is part of multitude , yet most truly one , because indivisible and unmultipliable , as wanting nothing , as most entirely possessing all that can accrue by multiplication : most truly one , because he onely is , and unto his being nought can be added , nought detracted from it , by the increase or diminution of other beings . or in parmenides meaning , he so is , that if al things numerable should lose that being which they have , or be annihilated , all might be found againe in him , and be restored with iobs restitution , to their wonted estate , without diminution of his soveraigne being . for whatsoever now is , heretofore hath bin , or can be extant , besides him ; hath a more excellent manner of being , treasured up in his eternall and infinite essence , than may with safety be committed to its owne charge or custody . happy had it beene for aristotle himselfe , and not amisse for us , if he had imployed his extraordinary talent of wit , in setting forth that infinite treasure of wisdome , whence he received it ; or spent his daies in contēplation of that unity , whēce al things whereof he wrote , had their beginning , rather thā in decyphering their severall natures and perfections , altogether omitting the essentiall references , or dependencies , which they had from him ; unlesse this mirror of nature , had bin of their number , who infatuated ( as the apostle speakes ) by divine wisedome , became vaine in their imaginatiōs ; he might have perceived his owne definition of such infinity as he imagined in the divisibility of magnitude or succession of time , to have beene ( as plato speakes of time it selfe ) but a moveable image of that true and solid infinity , whose definition , being well assigned by others , was censoriously rejected by him ; or such a floating shadow of it swimming in his braine , as the sun or starres imprint in a swift running streame . a perfect definition should bee so fitted to the entire nature of the thing defined , or to the thing it selfe absolutely considered , as the barke is to the tree , or other visible surfaces to the bodies which they environ : to expresse some particular properties or branches , much lesse some references or considerations of it , is not enough . the question then being absolutely proposed quid est infinitum ? what is infinity ? or what is it to be infinite ? the definitive and satisfactory answer must bee such , as shall expresse not the nature of infinity in succession onely or in division , not in this or that respect only , or according to some particular abstraction or consideration ; but the nature of infinity simply and absolutely considered . that only is absolutely and properly infinite , which is infinite not according to one conceipt or kinde of infinity , but that which is infinite in being . this was that infinity which the ancients well defined , when they said , infinitum est extra quod nihil est : infinity is that without which nothing is , or can be . for as infinity in longitude , includes all length conceiveable , and infinity in solid magnitudes , all dimensions imaginable ; so must infinite being include all being possible ; and it is impossible for any thing to be without or besides that , wherein all being possible is contained . thus did these ancient heathens feele after and seeke , and in a manner find , that lord under the notion of unum and infinitum , in whom , as s. paul saith , ( act. . . ) we live , and move , and have our being . his words will beare or rather presuppose that improvement , which is necessarily included in the ancients definition of absolute infinitie , it is impossible that any thing living should have life , that any thing moveable should move , that life or motion should have the least degree of being , save only in him , who onely is . for as the same apostle there saith , vers . . he giveth to all , life and breath , and all things . the very first beginnings , the first and last degrees of such being as they have . aristotle then came farre short of the truth in saying , infinitum est extra quod semper aliquid est , that is infinite , which never hath so much , but it is alwaies getting more . the truth is , aristotle did not , could not deny the definition assigned by the ancients , to be a true and perfect definition of absolute infinity , or of infinity in being . wherein then , or upon what grounds did he dissent from them ? either in that he did not acknowledge any such absolute infinity or infinite being , as the ancients beleeved ; or else did suppose , that they held this visible world or some bodily magnitude to be so actually and absolutely infinite , as the former definition doth import . concerning this latter sort of infinity , whatsoever the ancient philosophers did , we christians doe not dissent from aristotle : for we deny any bodily magnitude actually infinite . but that there is an absolute infinity , or an essence actually and absolutely infinite , may be necessarily inferred from those branches of that infinity which consists not in act , but in possibility , or succession , which aristotle rightly acknowledged , and well defined . for , whence should al the parts of this visible world possibly get any new portion of time , any succession or addition to their present being or duration , which now they have not ; save onely from his infinite and inexhaustible store , who , before all times , had so much of being in every kind , as he could not possibly either get any more , or lose a dramme of what he had ; albeit through every moment of duration divisible , he furnished all things , that are ( as hee could doe more ) with as much perfection , as they are capable of , that is , all of them with perfection or being in it selfe finite , but in some of them without limit of duration . but are all things in him ? or such only as include perfection ? or shall wee say perfections are in him , rather than in the things themselves ? and if so , whether shall we say hee is one perfection , or all perfections ? chap. . there is no plurality of perfections in the infinite essence , albeit the perfection of all things be in him. of the absolute identity of the divine essence and attributes . hee argued like himselfe that said , we must either allow the gods to have bodies , or deny them sense ; because sense is never found without a body . what was it then in his philosophy , which framed the organs of bodily sense ? a body already organized and indued with sense ? or a spirit ( virtus formatrix ) which rather is in the body , than is a body it selfe ? and if this spirit frame the organs by its owne skill , epicurus should in reason have afforded it both sense and reason in greater measure than hee had himselfe ; who , out of the same matter , could not make so much as one haire white or blacke ; much lesse the most exquisit instruments of sense . but if this spirit , by which , in philosophers opinions , our bodies are produced , work not by art , but is only set on work by the supreame artificer ; seeing he can make it to do more without sense & reason , thā epicurus could doe , by all his art or philosophicall skill : wee must needs grant sense ( & reason ) to be in him , yet such , or in such a sort , as befits his majesty , not such as * epicurus took delight in . our argument is grounded on the psalmists philosophy . vnderstand yee bruitish among the people , and yee fooles when will yee be wise ? he that planted the eare shall he not heare ? he that formed the eyes , shall hee not see ? hee that chastiseth the heathen , shall not he correct ? he that teacheth man knowledge , shall not he know ? psal . . , , . yet as wee say that he onely is , and all things numerable are but meere shadowes of his being ; so wee must hold , that hearing , sight , and reason are in him , according to their idaeall patterns or perfections , not according to those imperfect pictures , which communicated to men and beasts , distinguish them from vegetables or livelesse creatures ; whose perfections likewise are in him . but some things perhaps there be , which have no portion of perfection , as the prime matter , or some like dead or dull masse . for how shall that , which is but a body , be in him that hath no body ? that maxime , idem est non esse , & non apparere , is not so true in matters of civill proofe or allegation , as the other stemme of the same root , idem est non esse & non operari , is in nature . to be without efficacie or operation , or to serve unto no use , is all one , as not to be at all . or , rather , so to be , hath the same proportion to simple non-being , as nihil agere , to otiosum esse . to be without use or operation is more remote from true being , and worse in nature , than simply not to be . if any such things there be , how should we say they are in god , in whom is nothing but perfection ? yet of things without proper use or operation , there might be some peculiar end best knowne to their maker ; if it were but to commend the perfection which other creatures borrow from him , and to stirre up our thankfulnesse , that we neither are such dull masses our selves , nor are troubled with harbouring or supporting them . but even these , if any such there were , could not be existent or extra causas , unlesse they truely were in him. what is it then for all things that are , or their perfections to be in him ? for all things to be in him , is no more then that he alone can produce them without seed or matter precedent . all things , not extant onely , but possible , are in his wisedome , as the edifice is in the artificers head : all things againe are in his power , as strength or force to move our limbes , is in our sinewes or motive faculty . the perfections of all things are truly said to be in him , in as much as whatsoever is , or can bee done by their efficacy or vertue , hee alone can doe without them . hee could feed all the beasts of the field without grasse , heale every disease , without herbe , mettall , or other matter of medicine , by his sole word , not uttered by breathing , or any other kinde of motion ; not distinct from his life or essence . hee is life it selfe ; yet is not his life supported by any corporeall masse , or praeexistent nature , nor clothed with such sense as ours is : for sense , in as much as it cannot be without a corporeall organ , is an imperfect kind of knowledge . paine hee cannot feele as we doe , because that tendeth to destruction , which is the period of imperfection : yet what soever paine any sensible or materiall object can inflict upon us , he alone can inflict the same in an higher degree . the measure of paine , likewise , which we feele by sense , he knows much better without sense or feeling of it . but when wee say all things are in him , after a more excellent manner , than they are or can bee in themselves : wee must not conceipt a multitude or diversity of excellencies in his essence , answering to the severall natures of things created : we must not imagine one excellencie sutable to elementary bodies , another to mixt , a third to vegetables , a fourth to sense , &c. one to the humane nature , another to the angelicall . and if * plato meant there were as many severall idaea's eternally extant , whether in the first cause of things , or without him , as there were substances specifically distinct one from another ; his opinion may neither be followed , nor approved by any christian . in all these , divine excellency , as one face in many glasses of different frame , is diversly represented , being in it selfe more truly one than any other entity , that is termed one , or then any bond of union betweene things united . of natures extant , some , to our capacity , represent him better , some worse ; not the meanest or basest , but is in some sort like him ; not the most excellent creature that is , not all the excellencies of all , can so fully represent his nature , as an apes shadow doth a mans body . but what in other cases would seeme most strange , infinite variety best sets forth the admirable excellency of his indivisible unity . touching the question proposed , whether he were one excellency or all excellencies ? whether he were one perfection , or all perfections , respondent ultima primis . the answer is in a manner given in the beginning of this discourse . though hee that saith god is all perfections , excepts none , yet hee includes onely perfections numerable and participated : and to say he were onely one perfection , implyes onely perfection limited , and therefore perfection borrowed , not independent . or admitting there be a meane betweene all , or some perfections , and one perfection , which may fitly be expressed by all perfection : yet he that should thus say [ god is the universall unity or totality of perfection ] had need to distinguish acurately of universality and totality , and define vniversale ante rem ▪ more exquisitely than the platonickes doe ; that he may acquit his meaning , from suspition of such totality , or universality , as ariseth not onely by aggregation of parts , but whose extent is no more than equall to all its parts . for every other universall or whole , is fully equalized by all the parts taken together ; whereas the divine nature infinitely exceeds all particular natures or perfections possible , though in number they could be infinite . it is then ( if any man list so to speake ) such a totality or universality , as cannot bee augmented , much lesse made up by multiplication of any other perfection , though prosecuted in infinitum ; neither diminishable or exhaustible by multiplicity or division of particulars derived from it . but whether wee consider this his infinite essence in it selfe , or , as it eminently containes all things possible ; the incomprehensibility of it is in both respects more fully intimated ( exprest it cannot be ) by indefinite formes of speech ; than by addition of any definite termes , whether of singularity , universality , or totality . hee speakes more fully and more safely , that saith , god is being it selfe , or perfection it selfe ; than he that saith , he is the onely being , or all being , the onely perfection , or all perfection , the totality of being and of perfection . so all plurality be excluded , we expresse his being and perfection best , by leaving them , as they truly are , without all quantity . that all plurality , not onely of idaeall perfections answering to the natures of things numerable or created , but of internall perfections , whose different titles necessarily breed plurality of conceits in us ; must be excluded from the true , orthodoxall intellectuall apprehension of the illimited essence , may from the former maine principle be thus evinced . in that hee is without beginning , without end , without all cause of being , without dependence ; we cannot imagine , or at least our understanding must correct our imaginations , if they shall suggest , his power to bee as the stemme , wisedome , goodnesse , and other like atributes , as branches growing from his being or essence , as from the root . for if his being or essence be absolutely independent , it is absolutely illimited ; and being such , what could limit or restraine it from being life , from being power , from being wisedome , from being goodnesse , from being infinitely , whatsoever any thing that hath being is ? * he that affirmes any of these attributes to bee what another is not , or divine essence not to bee identically what all those are , must grant as well the attributes , as the essence to be finite and limited . if power in god have a being distinct from wisedome , and wisedome another being distinct from goodnesse , one must needs want so much of infinite being , as another hath of proper being distinct from it , and , at the best , they can bee but infinite secundùm quid , or in their ranke . againe if any of them be , what essence identically is not ; essence cannot bee infinite , because wisedome , power and being have their severall beings distinct from it . and the nearer these come ( whether severally or joyntly considered ) to the nature of true infinity , the more naked and impotent they leave their mother-essence , if we once grant essence and them to bee distinct , as parents and children , or as root and branch , or to what use should powerlesse essence serve ? to support these branches of infinity ? this it could not doe without infinite power . and those branches , if they need a root or supportance , their being must needs bee dependent , and therefore limited . from the former definition of absolute infinity , [ infinitum est extra quod nihil est ] we may conclude , that unlesse all power , unlesse all wisedome , unlesse all goodnesse , unlesse all that truly is , or can possibly be supposed to have true being , bee identically contained in gods essence ; he could not be absolutely infinite or illimited in being . whatsoever is uncapable of limit , is uncapable of division or numericall difference : for wheresoever it can be truly said , this is one , and that another , or this is , and is not that , each hath distinct limits . but seeing our imagination or phantasie is divisible , and our purest intellectuall conceipts of infinity , but finite ; we cannot thinke of god as infinite in power , infinite in wisedome and in essence ; but wee must frame a conceit of power distinct from our conceit of essence , and a conceit of wisedome distinct from both . and this plurality of conceipts in us , usually brings forth a conceit of plurality betwixt his essence , and his attributes ; unlesse our understandings be vigilant and attentive to correct our phantasies , by this following , and the like knowne philosophicall truth . as we cannot contemplate incorporeal substances without imagination of some corporeall forme , and yet the understanding constantly denyes them to bee like their pictures presented to it by the phantasie , or to have any such corporeall forme as it doth paint them in : so in this case , notwithstanding the plurality of our imperfect conceipts , or multiplicity of perfections imagined by us , in our contemplations of the godhead ; we must stedfastly beleeve , and acknowledge , that he infinitely is , what all these severall representations intimate : not by composition , or mixture of perfections severally infinite , but by indivisible unity of independent and illimited being . and as it is a maxime most infallible in naturall philosophie [ vis unita fortior ] force , otherwise the same , is alwaies greater united , than being scattered or diffused : so is the metaphysicall extract of it , more eminently true in divinity . the indivisible unity of illimited being or perfection , is , in every respect imaginable , more excellent and soveraigne than all infinite perfections , by imagination possibly could be , so they were , though never so strictly , but united . from this fundamentall truth of gods absolute infinity by indivisible unity , wee may inferre , he is powerfull above all conceit of infinite power , rooted in the same essence with infinite wisedome , and partaker of all her fruits , but not identically the same with her . wise he is , beyond all conceit of infinite wisedome , though sworne confederate with infinite power , or linked with it , or with other perfectiōs , in any other bond , but not in absolute identitie . good likewise he is above all possible conceit of infinite goodnesse , though indissol●bly matched with all other perfections that can bee conceived , unlesse they be conceived ( as we must beleeve in him they are ) different onely in name or mans conceit , but indivisibly agreeing with it in the internall unity and identity of nature and essence . lastly , the immensity of his majesty , and infinity of duration , common to his essence and all his attributes , infinitely exceed all conceit of infinite succession or extension , whose parts cannot be actually and indivisibly the same , one with another , or with the whole . this is the bottomlesse and boundlesse ocean of admiration , wherein contemplative wits may bathe themselves with great delight , but whereinto they cannot dive , without great danger ; that the totality of every conceiveable excellency and perfection , should be contained , after a manner farre more excellent in unity indivisible , then if their natures , which they hold thus in common , were laid out in severall , without any bounds prescribed , besides infinities proper to each kinde . but seeing our imaginations have a more sensible apprehension of greatnesse , exprest under the notion of totality or divisible infinity , then under the conceipt of indivisible unity ; and seeing every whole , seemes much greater , when it is resolved into parts , ( as a mile by land , whose severall quarters or lesse portions , are distinctly represented to our eyes , seemes much longer than two miles by water , whose levell surface affords no distinct representation of parts , or diversity of aspect ) it will bee very behoovefull to unfold some principall branches of being or perfection , whose infinitie or totality is eminently contained in the unity of infinite being . for being thus sorted by imagination into their severall ranks , like so many numbers in a table ready for addition , the understanding may with admiration guesse at the product , like an arithmetician , which had gone so far in geometricall progression , that he could not number the last and compleat summe ; yet acknowledgeth that the progresse in nature , can admit no end or limit . or though we could thus proceed by addition or multiplication of perfections in infinitum , we were still to allow the understanding to use the improovement of the former rule , vis unita fortior : or to admit the platonickes conceipt , concerning the masculine force of unity in respect of pluralities effeminate weaknesse , to bee in this point more orthodoxall than in any . section ii. of the severall branches of absolute infinitie ; or of the infinitie of the divine attributes , as they are severally apprehended by us . chap. . of divine immensity , or of that branch of absolute infinity , whereof infinity in magnitude , or space imaginary is the shadow . order of nature leads us first to explicate two branches of perfection infinite , that answer unto a kind of infinitie , so frequent and obvious to our thoughts , that our imaginations will hardly suffer it to be severed from those subjects , which our understandings by light of reason may , and by the eye of faith , must confesse to bee finite , to wit , time and place . the cause of this difficultie in abstraction , was signified * before to be this . no event there is observed by sense , but is husked in the circumstance of place and time , whence it is , that these two accompany many phantasmes , after they bee winnowed from all the rest , into the closet of the understāding . the conceit of mathematicall or metaphysicall space , is so naturally annexed to our imagination of time and place physicall ; that albeit reason , aswell as scripture demonstrate the world to be , for physicall magnitude , finite ; yet our phantasies cannot be curbed from running into imaginary locall distance , beyond the utmost surface of this goodly visible worke of god , yea beyond the heaven of heavens . the philosopher , which thought all place or locall distance to bee contained within the utmost sphere , it beeing contained in nothing else ( for extra coelum nihil est , was his saying ) might in congruity have granted , a like termination , or circumscription of succession or time ; unto which notwithstanding our imaginations will not easily subscribe . for though our understanding oft refute their errour , which deny the beginning of time ; yet our senses still nurse an imaginary successive duration much longer before the creation of this visible world , than the continuation of it hath beene . and ( which is much to bee admired ) some schoole-braines have beene so puzled in passing this unsoundable gulfe , as to suspect that god , which is now in every place of the world created by him , was as truly in these imaginary distances of place and time , before the creation was attempted . thus have they made place commensurable to his immensitie , and succession , or time coequall to his eternitie . but what could they answere us , if we should demand , whether this duration , or locall distance , wherein they imagine god to have beene before the creation , were created by him , or not ? whether they were truly something , or meerly nothing ? if they held them to be meerly nothing , they should have told us , that they had a reall imagination of an infinite space , which really was not : and therefore could not bee truely tearmed imaginary space before the world was created . for it is one thing to imagine an infinite space , and another to avouch there was an infinite imaginarie space before they could have any imagination of it . hee that made the world and all that is in it , is not much beholding to those men , for building him an infinite castle , not in the ayre ( which had no being before the creation ) but in that which neither thē was , nor since hath had any being , save onely in the vanishing imaginations of men which have perished . for if this imaginary space were any more thā a meere imagination , it was surely created by god. had then this imaginary space another space or distance-locall , or this imaginary time or successive duration , another duration , wherin to be produced ? or doe they make this imaginary time or place fully commensurable to eternity or immensity ? if god from eternity had been in any other infinity besides himselfe , hee could not be said to be incomprehensible . by this imaginary space no realty can bee truely meant besides god himselfe , whom the * hebrews enstyle by the name of place ; to wit , infinite . but what shall we answer unto these or the like captious demands of the atheist : if the world , if time , if place , which now are , had not been from everlasting ? where was your god when these were not , some where , or no where ? if no where , hee and nothing might be fellow residents . in respect of eternity or immensity , no creature , no positive essence , no numerable part of this vniverse is so like unto him , as this negation of all things , which we describe by the name of nothing . it hath no beginning or end of dayes . nothing or the negation of all things , as it is the object of our positive conceit , is more like unto him than any one thing , in that no distinct or proper place of residence can bee assigned to nothing , or to the negation of all things : yet most unlike him , in that it is truly and absolutely no where , not in it selfe . non entis , non est actio , non est qualitas , non conditio , that which is not can have no capacity to accept any condition of being , it can have no right or title to bee termed it selfe . we may truly say some objective conceipts are nothing : but we cannot rightly conceive , that nothing should have any degree or kinde of being ; and want of being is the worst kinde of barrennesse that can be imagined . we cannot imagine it should bring forth any degree or ranke of being . it cannot be mother to that which possibly may bee ; it cannot be nurse to that which is . but of god wee cannot absolutely say , he was no where , before the world was made ; we must use this limitation [ hee was no where save in himselfe : ] but such and so in himselfe , that he was more than all things , longer than time , greater than place , more infinite than capacity it selfe , uncapable of circumscription or commensurability , able to limit time and place , ( or whatsoever we conceive to be by succession or addition infinite , ) by his essentiall presence , or coexistence more than penetrative ; being so in both , in all things that are , as nothing possibly could have beginning , or continuance of being , unlesse he were in them , as the center of their supportance ; yet so as they cannot environ or encompasse him . the absolute infinity of his being includes an absolute impossibility of his being onely in things , that are , or may be , though by his power those may be in number , by succession , infinite . had the evaporations of proud phantasticke melancholy , eclipsed the lustre of his glorious presence , in that late prodigious questionists braine , which would bring us out of the sunne-shine of the gospell into old aegyptian darknesse : for as some well conjecture , this error of inclosing god in the heavens , and excluding his essentiall presence from this inferiour world , was first brought forth in aegypt , but so ill taken , as it could not be propagated to many nations ; entertained by few philosophers of better sort , aristotle or the author of the booke de mundo ad alexandrum , excepted ; from whose opinion verstius did herein dissent , that hee held god to be everywhere by his power , and immediate providence : his error notwithstanding , is exceeding grosse and unsufferable , in that hee makes his infinite power , wisedome , and goodnesse , in whose sweet harmony divine providence especially consists , but as agents or ambassadors to his infinite majesty : as if his infinite majesty onely were full compere to his essence , unfitting to bee imployed abroad , or to keep residence any where , save in the court of heaven . or if his power and wisedome be joynt assessors with his essence in the heavens , and yet reach withall unto the earth , unto every thing within this canopy , which is spred betwixt us and his glorious presence : his power , his wisedome , &c. may in some sort be held more infinite than his essence , as being in many places where it is not . but for god to be everywhere here on earth , or in the region under the earth , by his wisedome , by his power , or by his goodnesse , is perhaps in his language no more , than that the effects of these attributes are every where , that all things as well in earth as in heaven , are essentially subject to that eternall law , which he hath appointed them ; that every creature doth as constantly fulfill his will , and obey his power , in his absence , as if it were penetrated by his presence ; that the eye of his knowledge pierceth every corner of the world , and seeth the secrets of mens hearts , as clearly , as if it were resident in their centers . and in part , unto this purpose , some great schoolemen distinguish the manner of gods being in all things , by his essence , by his power , by his presence . let us take it as possible to supposition or imagination , ( what by the habit of christian faith , we are fully perswaded to bee in it selfe impossible ) what by light of reason might be demonstrated to imply a manifest contradiction to any well-setled understanding , viz. [ that infinite essence or being it selfe should not be every-where essentially present , or that infinite power should not bee able to reach every possible effect : ] yet should al things that are , be present to him , whose name , whose best description is [ i am . ] nothing could be done or said without his presence , that is , without his perfect notice . and in this sense perhaps it hath beene rightly avouched by some good authors , whose meaning hath beene much mistaken , or wilfully perverted by others , that all things as well future as past , are alike present to him , who was every where ( before there was any distinction of times ; ) because nothing can bee said or done , without his perfect knowledge or just notice . nothing can be begun , continued , or finished , without his expresse warrant or intuitive permission . he hath a vigilant eye over all things that are , or possibly can be . or taking it againe as not impossible to imagination , that divine knowledge were not so truly infinite as wee beleeve it is ; yet admitting his power to bee truly infinite , nothing could be done , said , or intended , without its concourse , operation , or assistance . so that he might be everywhere by his infinite power , albeit his knowledge were not infinite ; or every-where by his infinite knowledge , albeit his power were but finite . but by the infallible consequence of these indemonstrable principles , it will necessarily follow , that his essence , being as was shewed before , truly infinite , nor world , nor time , nor place , nor power , nor wisedome , nor any thing possible can be where it is not , it must needs be , where any thing is , or possibly may be . he is in every center of bodily or materiall substances , in every point imaginable of this visible vniverse , as an essentiall root , whence all and every part of what is besides him spring , without waste or diffusion of his substance , without nutriment or sustentation from any other root or element . the conservation of immaterial or illocall substances , is from the benefit of his essentiall presence . materialls are daily made and renewed by the transient efficacy of his creative power . doe we make these collections only , or doth not the scripture teach this philosophy also ? am i a god at hand , saith the lord , and not a god farre off ? ier. . . nothing is , nothing can be without the reach of his power , his omnipotency cannot be confined within the places that are : for his hand hath made them all , not as prisons to inclose his essence , not as manicles to hinder the exercise of his mightie arme . can any hide himselfe in secret places , that i shall not see him ? saith the lord , ibid. vers . . this is a formall demand of our assent unto the infinitie of his knowledge . these are two speciall , but not the onely wayes of his being every where , which the scripture teacheth : for there followes a third , which after the manner of our understanding , is the root or foundation of al the rest ; that indeed , from which the two former branches are most necessarily inferred , doe not i fill heaven and earth ? saith the lord. doth he fill heaven and earth by his power , or by his knowledge onely ? nay , but most properly and in the first place by his essentiall presence . for his essence is infinitely powerfull , infinitely wise . his filling the earth as well as heaven , by his essentiall presence , cannot be denyed but from one of these two reasons following . either , that his essence is altogether uncapable of intimate coexistence , with such grosse and base creatures , as the parts of this inferiour world : or else , because it is his will , to abstract or withhold his essentiall presence from them . to affirme the former part , to wit , that his nature is uncapable of intimate coexistence with any nature created by him , is to deny his omnipotency ; as all , by necessary consequence , doe , which grant not the immensity of his essence . for what can withstand or withdraw his essence from piercing the earth , as well as heaven ? not the hardnesse of it , not the loathsomnesse of the vile bodies contained in it . if either of these qualitites , or ought besides , could deny the admission of his essentiall presence , he were not omnipotent , because not able to place his essence in that locall space , in which , were it filled with more subtill or more glorious bodies , it might as well reside , as in the heavens . suppose he should ( as no doubt hee is able ) annihilate the earth , and create a new heaven in the space wherein it now is , or demolish his present heavenly seat , or turne it into a baser masse then this earth is ; were it not possible for him to bee in this new heaven by his essentiall presence , or should he be neither in it , nor in the new earth ? if hee could not be here , he were in this respect more impotent than the angels , who can change their mansions when they mislike them . shall wee then take the latter part of the former division , and say , it is his will and pleasure to withdraw his essence from this lower roome of his own edifice , whiles it remaines so ill garnished , as now it is ? if hee have made heaven his habitation by choice , not by necessity of his immensity , with which all places , as we contend , must necessarily be filled ; hee might relinquish it by the like free choice of some other mansion , which he could make for himselfe as pleasant and beautifull : yea , hee might by the like freedome of will , come and dwell with us here on earth . so that in conclusion , he which admitteth gods wil to be free , but denies the absolute immensity of his essence , makes him capable of locall motion or migration from place to place . and such motion necessarily includeth mutability , which is altogether incompatible with infinity . reason grounded on scripture , will warrant us to conclude from the former principle , that hee which hath no cause of being , can have no limits of being , no bounds beyond which it cannot be . essence or being illimited cannot possibly bee distinguished by severalties of internall perfections , though united : much lesse can it be distinguished or limited by any place , whether reall or imaginarie . in that he is the authorlesse author of all being , it is altogether as impossible for him not to bee in every thing that is , as it is for any thing to be without him. the indivisible unity of his infinite essence is the center and supporter of all things , the conservation of place , and that which holdeth things divisible from resolving into nothing . dominus ipse est deus in coelo sursum & in terra deorsum : the lord ( saith moses ) hee is god in heaven above , and in the earth below , deut. . . yet saith salomon , king. . . behold the heavens , and the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee . may we say then , hee is as truely without the heavens , as he is in them ? or that he is where nothing is with him ? surely , hee was when nothing was , and then hee was where nothing was besides himselfe . or peradventure before the creation of all things numerable , there neither was whē nor where , but only an incomprehensible perfection of indivisible immensity and eternity ; which would still be the same , though neither heaven nor earth , nor any thing in them should any more be . we may not so place him without the heavens , as to cloath him with any imaginary space , or give the checke to his immensity by any parallel distance locall . but hee is said to be without the heavens , in as much as his infinite essence cannot bee contained in them , but necessarily containes them . hee is so without them , or if you will , beyond them , that albeit a thousand more worlds were stowed by his powerfull hand each above other , and all above this ; hee should by vertue of his infinite essence , not by free choyce of will , or mutation of place , bee as intimately coexistent to every part of them , as hee now is to any part of this heaven and earth which wee see . this attribute of divine immensitie was acknowledged , and excellently expressed by many of the ancient philosophers , but most pithily by some of the ancient fathers . before all things , saith * tertullian , god was alone , and hee was to himselfe , world , place , and all things . the manner of his coexistence with the world , * philo the iew well expressed : god filleth all things , yet is contained in none , containing all . the vicinity of his essence preserveth their essences more truly than the symbolizing qualities of their naturall places doe . and even this efficacy of symbolizing or preserving qualities , flowes as immediately from his essentiall presence , as the passive aptitude of bodies preserved by them , doth . the more the places are through which bodies naturall swiftly move , the lesse properly they are in them . in analogy to this condition of naturall bodies , the more capable man is of all knowledge , the more lyable his capacity is to distraction , as consisting rather in united perfections , than in firme and indivisible unity of perfection . and therefore it is often said of most pregnant wits , qui ubique est , nusquam est , he that is every where , is no where . or he that ingageth himselfe to all courses of life , goeth through with none . but of god , who is perfection it selfe , not by aggregation , but by absolute unity of essence ; that of saint bernard is most admirably verified , nusquam est , & ●bique est , hee is no where , because no place whether reall or imaginary can comprehend or containe him : he is every where , because no body , no space , or spirituall substance can exclude his presence , or avoid the penetration of his essence . but saint gregories character of gods ubiquitary presence and immensity , is more lively and full . deus est intra omnia non inclusus , extra omnia non exclusus , supra omnia non elatus ; god is within all things , yet not shut up , or inclosed in them ; he is without all things , yet not excluded from them ; hee is above all things , yet not elevated or exalted by them ; hee is below all things , yet not burdened or depressed by them . greg. in psal . . anselmus notwithstanding ( had not long custome or generall consent prescribed too strōgly against him ) would have reformed this kinde of speech , deus est in omni loco , god is in every place , by changing one particle , deus est cum omni loco , god is with every place . this criticisme of his , though well approved by some good writers ; whilest they dispute against such as say god was every where , before any place was , yet ( in my opinion ) the use of it , were it as common as the other , which he sought by this to correct , would cōceale much matter of admiration , ( which the description of immensity used by saint bernard and others promptly suggests ) if not occasion or suggest an erroneous imagination of coextension in the divine essence . the bodies which are contained in places , are truly said to be with the places which containe them , and the places with them ; and wee may distributively averre , that every body is with every place , and every bodily substance is with its mathematicall dimen●ions , in the same place with it . but so to be in every place , in every least part of every body , as not to bee contained in any or all of them , though we should multiply them in infinitū , doth exclude all conceipt or coextension with thē , and much better notifie the indivisible unitie of gods immensity , & the incōprehensiblenes of his essentiall presence , than if wee should say he were with every place . but as no characters of the incomprehensible essences ubiquitary presence doe so well befit it , as these that intimate more to our cogitations than we can in words expresse : so of this kinde i have found none , from which i have received so full instruction , or reaped the like fruits of admiration , as from that of trismegist , deus est sphaera , cujus centrum est ubique , cujus peripheria nusquam , god is a sphere , whose center is every-where , whose circumference is no where . not the least particle of this universall globe or sphere , but is supported by the indivisible unity of his essence , as by an internall center . and yet neither the utmost circumference of this visible world , nor any circumference conceiveable , can so circumscribe or comprehend his essentiall presence , that it might bee said , thus farre it reacheth and no further . for albeit hee would crowne the convexity of these heavens with others , so much higher and more spacious , than these heavens , as these are than the earth , and continue this course unto the worlds end : yet all should bee comprehended in his essence ; it could not be comprehended in any . their circumference should still be somewhere , whereas his essence , though still inlarging ( by this supposed daily exercise of his power ) the bounds of its actuall coexistence with these new creatures , is in it selfe altogether boundlesse . omnipotency it selfe , cannot pitch a circumference to it , because nothing can be , but it must be in it , which onely truly is , and cannot bee contained in any thing imaginable . in that all things are contained in him , he is rightly resembled by a sphere , which is of al figures the most capacious . in that all things cannot comprehend him , he is rightly resembled by a sphere whose circumference is no where . two points notwithstanding in the former resemblance seeme difficult to mens conceipts ; but more difficult it is fully to expresse what may rightly be conceived concerning them . the former difficulty is , how a center should be conceived to be every where : the second , how the indivisibility of gods presence in every place , should bee compared unto a center . to the former it may be sayd , that as the divine essence by reason of its absolute infinity , hath an absolute necessity of coexistence with space or magnitude infinite : so were it possible there should bee ( as some divines hold it possible there may be ) a magnitude or materiall sphere actually infinite ; this magnitude could have no set point for its center , but of every point designable in it , wee might avouch this is the center as well as that . every point should have the negative properties of a sphericall center ; there could be no inequality betweene the distances of severall points from the circumference of that which is infinite , and hath no bounds of magnitude . to the second difficulty it may bee said , the manner of divine presence or coexistence to every place or parcell of bodies visible , is rightly compared unto a center , in that it hath no diversity of parts , but is indivisibly present to all and every part of things divisible . his presence againe is herein like to magnitude actually infinite , in that it can have no circumference . but whether the divine essence may have as perfect actuall coexistence to every point or center , as it hath to every least portion of magnitudes divisible , cannot so cleerely bee inferred from the indivisibility of divine immensity , because the indivisibility of centers or points , and of spirituall substances are heterogeneall , and heterogenealls are oft-times assymmetrall , that is , not exactly commensurable . hence the most subtill schoole-men or metaphysicall divines , as well ancient as moderne , resolve it as a point irresoluble by humane wit , whether a mathematicall point or center can be the compleat and definitive place of an angell , albeit they hold the angelicall natures to bee as truely indivisible , as points or centers are . but it is one thing for an immateriall or spirituall essence to have true coexistence with every center , another to be confined to a center , or to have a definitive place or coexistence in it . and whatsoever may bee thought of angells ; of the divine essence we may say , that he is as properly in every center as in every place , seting wee acknowledge him to bee alike incomprehensibly and indivisibly in both . the manner of his indivisibility we conceive by his coexistence to a center . his incomprehensiblenesse , by his coexistence to all spaces or places imaginable , without coextension to any , without comprehension in all . we may in no case imagine , that there is more of god , or that god is more fully in a great space than in a little ; in the whole world , than in a man or little world . for this once granted , an asses head should participate the essentiall presence of the deity in greater measure than a mans heart doth . but in what respects god is said to bee more specially present in one place than in another , or to be present with some , and absent from others : hereafter . the absolute perfection of this attribute , in whose right apprehension or conceipt many other divine perfections , according to our manner of conceiving them , are as it were couched or lodged , may best bee gathered by opposition to the imperfections of bodies or materiall magnitudes . a body though of homogeneall nature , suppose a pole or stone fixed in the earth , invironed above with water and the ayre , can have no coexistence with these divers bodies , otherwise than according to the diversity of its owne parts : that part of it which hath coexistence with the ayre , can have no coexistence with the earth or water . farre otherwise it is in god , whose absolute infinity in that it is not composed of parts , but consists in perfect unity , cannot bee coexistent to any place after any other manner than he is coexistent to all , that is , by indivisible unity or identity , wheresoever he is ( and hee is every where , ) he is unity it selfe , infinity it selfe , immensity it selfe , perfection it selfe , power it selfe . all these branches of quantity , in which we seek to ingrasse so many sorts of infinities , thereby to expresse or resemble his incomprehensible nature , do flow from participation of his infinite presence . vnlesse he were infinitie or immensity it selfe , there could be no magnitude , no measure quantitative , by whose multiplication wee could in any sort gather or guesse what immensitie or infinitie meant . that imaginary infinitie which wee conceive by succession or composition of parts ( for their severall extensions finite , though in number infinite ) is but a transient raye or beame of that actuall and stable infinitenesse , which hee possesseth in perfect unitie , without any imaginary diversity of parts united . had his immensity any diversity of parts , there should be more power in many parts , than in one , or few : unto the full exercise of his whole power or force , there should bee a concurrence of all parts required : & this concurrence of parts in number infinite , would perhaps be impossible . infinitum transire non potest . at the least , were divine power so lodged in divine immensitie , as strēgth or power is in our bodily faculties , it could not bee so omnipotent , as we beleeve it is . our strength or force is alwaies increased by unition or cōtraction of severall parts ; his power can receive no increase seeing his immensity excludes al division , & doth not so properly include , but rather properly is , vnity it selfe . the prophets and other holy men in their patheticall expressions sometime speake of god as farre absent , because his powerfull presence is not manifested in such sort as they could wish . oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens ( saith the prophet esa . c. . . ) that thou wouldest come downe , that the mountaines might flow down at thy presence : as when the melting fire burneth , the fire causeth the waters to boile : to make thy name knowne to thine adversaries , that the nations may tremble at thy presence . when thou diddest terrible things which wee looked not for , thou camest downe , the mountaines flowed downe at thy presence . but to indoctrinate us , that this description of his powerfull presence did include no dogmaticall assertion of his locall descent , no denyall of his being everywhere , or filling every place by his essentiall presence : the same prophet elsewhere pictures out his immensity to us under the shape of a gyant able to squeze the whole globe of heaven , earth & waters ; who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand ? & meted out heaven with his span , and comprehended the dust of the earth in his three fingers ( after such a manner as men take up dust or sand ) and weighed the mountaines in scales , and the hills in a ballance ? esay . . behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket , and are counted as the small dust of the ballance . behold , he taketh up the isles as a very little thing . all nations before him are as nothing , and they are accounted to him lesse than nothing and vanity , vers . . . thus hee linketh his essentiall presence with his power and knowledge . why sayest thou o iacob , and speakest o israel ; my way is hid from the lord , and my iudgement is passed over from my god ? hast thou not knowne ? hast thou not heard , that the everlasting god , the lord , the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not , neither is wearie ? there is no searching of his understanding . vers . , . yet iob in his anguish had almost said as iacob did ; o that i knew where i might finde him ! that i might come even to his seat ! i would know the words which he would answer me & understand what he would say unto me . behold , i go forward but he is not there , and backward but i cannot perceive him : on the left hand where he doth worke , but i cannot behold him : he hideth himselfe on the right hand , that i cannot see him . iob . , , , . but though he might hide himselfe from iob , yet could not iob hide himselfe or his wayes from him : for so he confesseth in the next words , he knoweth the way which i take , vers . . whither shall i goe ( saith the psalmist ) from thy spirit ? or whither shall i flye from thy presence ? if i ascend up into heaven , thou art there : if i make my bed in hell , behold thou art there . if i take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall thy hand lead me , and thy right hand shall hold me , &c. psal . . vers . , , , . thou hast possest my reines ; thou hast covered me in my mothers wombe . these and the like straines of other godly men , argue a sympathy of gods essentiall presence , not onely invironing their bodies , but penetrating their soules , and diffused through their hearts . his coexistence with all , his essentiall presence or inhabitation in all , is the same , although the worldly minded take no notice of it . and when it is sayd , that he beholdeth or knoweth the ungodly afarre off , this language fitly expresseth their conceit of him , and of his essence . they consider not , that hee is alwayes neere unto them , alwayes about them , alwayes within them , but in heaven onely , whither their thoughts seldome ascend . and according to their misconceit of him , so it happens to them , they imagine him to be farre distant from them , and his helpe and succour in their distresse comes slowly to them , as if it had too farre to goe . chap. . of eternity , or of that branch of absolute infinity , whereof successive duration or the imaginary infinity of time , is the modell . whatsoever hath beene , or rightly may be conceived of divine immensity , will in proportion as well suit unto eternity . and unto this divine attribute is that of tertullian as applyable : [ ante omnia deus erat solus , & erat sibi tempus , mundus , & omnia : ] before all things were , god was , and he was unto himselfe time , the world , and all things else . we cannot properly say , he was in time before he made the world . for as saint augustine acutely collects , if he which alwayes is , and was , and is to come , had alwayes beene in time ; hee could not have beene before all times , nor could he be , as we beleeve he is , as truly before all times future , as before all times past . his eternity then , is the inexhaustible fountain or infinite ocean , from which time or duration successive ( in what finite substances soever they bee seated , ) with all their severall branches or appurtenances , doe perpetually flow ; and unto eternity , they have if not the same proportion , yet the same references , the same dependances on it , which finite and created magnitudes have to divine immensity . * as there was from all eternity a possibility for us to bee before wee were ; so our actuall being or existence , whilest it lasteth , is composed of a capacity to be what we are , and of the actuation or filling of this capacity . life ( sensitive especially ) is but the motion or progresse of this capacity towards that which fills it , or as it were a continuall sucking in of present existence , or continuation of actuall being , from somewhat praeexistent . vnlesse the vegetables , by which our life is continued , had existence before they become our nutriment , they could not possibly nourish us , or continue us in that estate of being which we have . nor could these vegetables themselves exist , unlesse they did draw their existence or continuation of their being , from that which did every way exist before them ; and unto which they doe by motion or continuation of their being approch . so that future times , and all things contained in time it selfe , presuppose a fountaine of life , as truly praeexistent to their future terminations or motions , as it was to their beginnings . that description of time [ tempus edax rerum , ] as if it were the devourer of all things which are subject to alteration , did rellish more of poeticall wit , than of any metaphysicall truth . for if time did devoure al things which are brought forth in time , what is it that could possibly nourish them , or continue their being from their beginning to their end ? whilest the time appointed for them lasts , they cannot possibly be consumed or perish . nothing there is that doth or can desire its owne destruction , nor long after the presence or fruition of that , which doth devoure or destroy it . all things naturally desire the continuation of such being , as they have ; which notwithstanding things temporall cannot have , but from the continuation or fruition of time . time then it is not , but their owne motions or endeavors to injoy or entertaine time approching , which doth waste or consume things temporall . we naturally seeke to catch time , and it is the nature of time , though continually caught , not to be held by us . this nimblenesse of time , is so like unto the swift progresse of motion , that some acknowledge no difference at all betweene them . whereas in true philosophy , the length of time passing by us , is onely notified by motion . motion in true observation goes one way , and drives time another , as the streame which runnes eastward , turnes the wheele westward . our actuall being or existence slides from us with time , and our capacity of being , continuing still the same , runnes on still , being alwayes internally moved with desire of actuation or replenishment . and this replenishment cannot otherwise bee gotten , than by gaining a new coexistence with time approaching , whose office , designed by eternity , it is to repaire the ruines which motions present or past have wrought in our corruptible substances . the best of our life , the very being of things generable ( as * plotinus excellently observes ) is but as a continuall draught or receipt of beeing from the inexhaustible fountaine of life . nature , saith he , ( meaning the nature of things generable ) hastens unto that being which is to come , nor can it rest , seeing it drawes or suckes in that being which it hath by doing now this and now that , being moved as it were in a circle with desire of essence or of being what it is . nor are we men , or any creatures ( specially generable ) permitted to draw or sucke so much of our proper being from the fountaine of eternity , at once , or in any one point of time , as we list . we have our portions of life or selfe-fruition distributed piece-meale and sparingly unto us , lest too much put into our hands at once , might make us prodigall of the whole stock . as may yonglings by their parents too much bounty towards them , whilest their experience is small , overthrow themselves and their posterity . and nimblest wits , for the most part , runne through largest fortunes in least time ; usually shortning their dayes by taking up pleasures ( due in their season ) beforehand , seeking as it were to enjoy the fruits of many yeres duration all at once . whereas fruition of delights and pleasures should be measured by the capacity of our estate or condition ; as wise men fit their expences according to the tenour of their revennues . albeit the constant motion of the sunne and moone be appointed by the creator as a common standard for the measuring of all times : yet every thing temporall , or endowed with duration measurable by the motion of the heavens , hath its proper time , which in all of them is no other than a participation of eternity . and hee should define the severall branches of time most exactly , that could number or decipher the severall actuatiōs , draughts or replenishments , which are derived from the infinite fountaine of life & being , to fill the capacities , or satiate the internall desires of things temporall . and albeit the motion of the heavens bee constant and uniforme ; yet the duration of things temporall or sublunary ( though measured by their constant motion ) is capable of internall contraction and dilatation . some things have a kind of a double duration , and runne a course of time as it were indented . life , albeit in it selfe most sweet , yet in us is often charged with so * great a measure of sowre occurrences , that were it at all or most times , as some whiles it is , the fruition of it could not quite the paines we are put to in preserving it . and the worse our estate is , the longer it seemeth to bee such , because vitall existence or duration , through distraction of mind , or vehement motion , seemeth divided into more parts , then without such impulsions it could take notice of . in griefe or paine wee strive to thrust time present apace from us , that some other may come better attended . in delight or pleasure wee seeke to arrest it , and wish to have our joyfull moments fixed , or to have them still to returne and goe , so that wee might prolong our daies by living the same times over and over again , as men often walke longer in pleasant gardens , then in vast fields , by often resuming the same short walkes . were it possible for us to stay those gratefull parcels of time , till new ones come with like supply ; the current of pleasure , thus damnd vp , would swell ; and our fruition of such imperfect existence as we have , would be much more perfect and entire . but seeing the pleasure of borrowed life , is to the identity of being , but as water to the pipe , through which it runnes ; all the remedy wee have against welcome times departing from us , is to regain the like , and make up the unity of our existence of selfe-fruition by equivalency . the gluts or gushes of pleasure , may at one time bee much greater than at another , yet still transient , never consistent . the fruition of them cannot possibly be entire : begotten and dying in every moment ; they are , and they are not in a manner , both at once ; so that we lose them as we gaine them . the angelicall natures , albeit they account not the continuation of their duration , nor number the portions of their participation of eternity , by the motion of the heavens , as being not fed with expectance of that time or successiō , whose opportunites wee watchfully attend : yet their desires ( more fervent by much then we have any ) to continue what they are , witness they have not all that in present possession , which is allotted to their compleat duration . nothing , being the foundation as well of angelical excellēcies , as of our mediocrities , makes them uncapable of that entire selfe-fruition , which is essentiall to him which made thē of nothing , being made of none . he , as he is of himselfe without beginning , so is he entirely in himselfe , and can acquire nothing by succession . he desires not his own duration , which none can give him , nor needs he to desire it , because it is alway entirely & indivisibly present , without possility of addition . for how should essence it selfe , or infinity of being , get ought to morrow , which to day it hath not ; or lose ought to day which yesterday it had . the first branch of impossibility which we can conceive as incident to him , that is thus truly infinite , is , not all times to containe within himselfe all fulnesse of joy , however possible . he is life it selfe , & therfore life truly infinite . and infinite life , being infinitely sweet , containeth joy truly infinite ; altogether uncapable of any addition or diminution . as in a body infinite ( could any such be ) there could be no middle or extreams ; so neither can infinite life admit any parts , as being indivisible into duration subsequent & precedent . natures , capable of these differences , have alwayes the one accomplished by the other . time comming ( as we said before ) repaires the losses of time going , and perfects or supports things naturall by successive continuance of present being . but perfection it selfe can no more bee perfected , than whitenesse can be dyed white . life , or essence infinite , excludes vacuity , or capacity of resumed acts to fill up the measure of actuall existence , or fruition of being . in that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , all-sufficient , he can want nothing ; and to him that can want nothing , all must be present . we must then conceive of the divine essence , as infinite , not onely in life , but in the degrees or acts of life : which in the eternall cannot be many , but onely take the denomination of plurality , from things decreed . as hee is said everlasting with reference to the perpetuity of succession , which still supposeth his interminate existence , as present to the whole and every part of it . consider him in himselfe , and he is every way indivisibly infinite , and interminable ; not onely because hee had no beginning , nor shall have ending : for so might time or motion be held interminable , could the heavens have beene created from everlasting ; whose revolutions neverthelesse or successive parts of motion , should have beene truly numerable , and therefore terminable ; whence whatsoever had beene contained within their circuit , should still have gotten somewhat which before it had not , either addition of duration , or ( which is all one ) continuance of their first existence , or some new acts of life , of sense , or reason . but unto essence infinite , none of these can accrue . if they could , as yet he should not be , nor ever could hee bee actually eternall , but everlastingly onely by succession . for eternity , as boetius hath well defined it , is the entire or totall possession of interminable life , all at once or together . howbeit these termes of totall fruition or possession , may seeme to include some parts , though not in the life possessed , yet in the possession of it ; which ( i take it ) was farre from this good authors meaning . what meant he then to use such tearmes ? onely to exclude succession , which hath a totality of being , but not altogether , or all at once . as the next houre , and whatsoever shall have successive duration in it , shall bee wholly and fully existent ; but so as one part shall goe before , another come after . so is not that duration which is interminable . but in what sense totality is attributed to essence or duration infinite , will better appeare in the issue of these explications . this definition of boetius , though conceived in such termes as might minister occasion of wrangling in subtile disputes ; doth notwithstanding imprint a more lively character or notion of the everliving god his infinite happinesse , than aquinas definition doth , though very artificial : [ aeternitas est duratio manens , uniformis , sine principio , & fine , mensurâ carens , ] eternity , is a duration uniforme , and permanent , without beginning or end , uncapable of measure . but * plotin ( in mine opinion ) gives a more deepe and full apprehension of it in fewer tearmes ; [ aeternitas est vita infinita ] eternity is infinitie of life . and such we gather it to be , because it is the university or totality of life , and can lose nothing , in that nothing of it is past , nothing to come . he addes withall , that these termes of being , all , whole , or losing nothing , are added onely for explication of that , which is sufficiently contained in these words , infinite life . in the same treatise he excellently observes , when we say , that is eternal , which alwayes is : ( as the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbatim signifies ) this * alway , is added for declaration sake , and yet being assumed to expresse the uncorruptiblenesse , or indeficiency of that which is eternall ; it breeds a wandring imagination of plurality or indivisibility of duration . the best medicine , by his prescription , for purging our brains of this erroneous fancy , were to enstyle eternity onely with the name of entity or being . but as being is a name sufficient to expresse essence , and essence it selfe , or essence independent a full expression of eternity : yet because some philosophers comprise generation , or the being of things generable under the name of essence , it was behooveful for our better instruction , to say , that is eternall , which alwaies is , & cannot cease to be . whereas in true philosophicall contemplation , it is not one thing , truly to bee , and alwayes to be. there is no greater difference betwixt these two , than to be a philosopher , and to be a true philosopher . now there can be no truth in saying , he is a philosopher , who is no true philosopher , for [ ens & verum convertuntur ] the entity of every thing necessarily includes the truth of every thing . notwithstanding because some doe counterfeit philosophy , or falsly usurpe the name of philosophers ; we give the title with an addition to such as wel deserve it , and enstyle them , by way of difference from the others , true philosophers . and in like manner , when we say , that is eternall , which alwayes is ; wee seeke to notifie no more by this universall note , alwaies , then that it hath a true and no counterfeit , no second-hand or dependent being . another secondary and subordinate use of the universall signe , alwayes , added to entity , is , to intimate the interminable , indistinguishable & indivivisible power , which needeth nothing besides that which it actually and for the present hath . now it hath all , that is or can bee , in that it truly is : for true entity is absolute totality , and unto totalitie , nothing is wanting . but that which is in time comprehended , how perfect or totall soever it may bee in its kinde , besides other wants , alway needs somewhat to come , never fully besped of time . on the contrary , that which so is , as it needs no after being , and cannot be brought within the lists of time , either determinate , or in succession infinite , but now hath whatsoever is expedient to bee had : this is that , which our notion of eternity hunteth after . that which thus is , hath not its essence or being delivered unto it enwrapt in quantity , but is precedent to all quantity or mensuration . farre otherwise have things generable their being , as it were spun out from divisibility . the very first being which they have supposeth quantity , and as much as is cut off from the draught or extension of their duration , so much they lose of their being or perfection . ignorance of this plotinicall philosophie hath much perplext some logi●ians , questioning whether socrates in the instant of his dissolution or corruption , be a man , or corps , or both . to be both implyes a contradiction ; these two negative propositions being simply convertible , no corps can be a man , no man can bee a corps . and yet there is as much reason , that he should in this instant bee both as either . for true resolution we are to say , he was a man , and shall be a corps , or he ceaseth to bee the one , and begins to be the other . but the being or existence of both being mensurable by time , must needs bee divisible , and for this reason , not comprehensible by an instant which is indivisible . but plotins conclusion is , whilest wee seeke to fit that which truly is , with any portion of measure or degree of quantity , the life of it being thus divided by us , loseth its indivisible nature ; we must then leave it ( as it is ) indivisible , as well in life or operation , as in essence , and yet infinite in both . of time , no part truly is , but the present , which is never the same : and as one questioned ( in that age wherein the art of navigation was imperfect ) whether navigators were to be reckoned amongst the dead or the living : so it is more doubtfull then determinable , whether time participate more of being , or of not being ; yet as is time , such is the nature of things brought forth in time . but eternity ( being the duration of him who onely is , being made of none , but maker of all things , and the dispenser of time it selfe into its portions ) as * ficinus describes it , is as a fixed instant or permanent center , which needs no succession for supply ; all sufficient to support it selfe , and all things else . the same writer not unfitly compares eternity to a center in a circle ; and time to the points or extremities of the lines in the circumference , alwayes so moving about the center , that were it an eye , it might view them all at once . yet must we not hold eternity to be indivisible , after the same manner that points or centers are . these are indivisible , because they want the perfection of that quantity , whose parts they couple . eternity is indivisible by positive infinite , as containing all the parts or perfections possible of succession in a more eminent manner , then they can be contained in time it selfe , which ( as plato wittily observes ) is a moveable image of eternity . this difference betwixt the indivisibility of an instant or moment , and eternity , may perhaps make the solution of that seeming contradiction lesse difficult then it is to some great schoolemens apprehensions : [ petrus in aeternitate agrotat , et , petrus in aeternitate nō aegrotat . ] peter is sick in eternity , peter is not sicke in eternity . this affirmation & deniall , in one and the same indivisible instant or limited portion of time , would inferrean indivisible contradiction , which in eternity they doe not . and yet is eternity more indivisible than an instant , but indivisible after another manner . but i know not how it comes to passe , that the true shadow of perfection it selfe , is oft-times more apparant in things most imperfect . natures more perfect ( by a borrowed perfection ) hold the meane betweene them ; out of both we may spell more than we can put together , for right expressing the nature of perfectiō it selfe . the prime matter , though of things created most imperfect , is of creatures sublunary , most like unto the creator , in being ingenerable and incorruptible ; in that it is the alpha whence all things generable spring , and the omega into which they are resolved : yet is the prime matter most contrary to its maker , in that wherein it doth resemble him. it is in a sort or manner , all things generable , but perfectly nothing , as wanting the true unity of entity , or determinate being . the creator or essence it selfe , is the incomprehensible perfection of all things , without participation of their imperfections . the earth againe is like the eternall founder in permanency and immobility , but this it hath from its naturall dulnesse ; whereas the perfection of this shadow is in him from the infinite vigour of his vitality . the swift motions of the heavens , or motion as swift as we may imagine , is as a middle terme of proportion between the earths immobility , and the supermotion , or more then infinite mobility of the deitie , which we tearme the infinite vigour of his vitality . instants in this are most like eternity , in that an infinite number of them added together , yeelds no increase of quantity : nor doth eternity receive addition from succession infinite , which most unlike it in being divisible , doth yet better expresse the positive infinity of it , than instants can doe . eternity againe , is like a fixed center , because indivisibly immutable ; yet withall most like a circle . and trismegists description of the deity , commutatis commutandis , as well exemplifies the eternity , as the immensity of his nature . eternity is a circular duration , whose instants are , alwayes , whose terminations or extremities never were , never shall be : it is coexistent to every parcell of time , but not circumscriptible by any : succession infinite cannot be coequall to it . for albeit the motion of the heavens , or other notifications of duration divisible , should continue the same , without interruption or end : yet every period and draught of time , we can imagine , shall still fall within eternity , now totally existent ; and which hath beene , is , and ever will be unto every minute or scrupe of time , that hath beene , is , or shall be , alike everlastingly coexistent , not by acquisition of any new successive parts , but by indivisible and interminable unity . we cannot perhaps properly say , that god shall be after all times or durations to come ; for duration must flow from his everlasting being without end . and what can be after that which hath no end ? and here we suppose , that albeit time or duration successive had their actuall beginning with the creatures : yet there shal be , or may be , if not a time , yet some duration successively infinite . and that onely is after this manner , infinite , unto which somewhat of the same kinde may still bee added . thus , as in the continued and divisible quantities , [ non datur minimum . ] there is no fraction so little , but may be lesse ; and as in numbers [ non datur maximum ] there is no number so great , but it may be made greater by addition : so in successive duration [ non datur ultimum . ] it may be truly said to last for ever , because it can have no last portion . but howsoever we cannot properly , or without exposing our speech to captious exceptions , say , that eternity shal be after all time or duration successive ; ( seeing this may seeme to import , that duration or succession shall finally cease : ) yet that eternity ( being duration , actually , interminably and indivisibly , not successively , infinite ) now is , and ever was , as infinitely praeexistent or precedent to all ages , or successions comming towards us , one way ; as it is and was to the worlds nativity , or the first out-going of time , the other way . this is a point which we must beleeve , if we rightly beleeve god to bee eternall , or know what eternity is . a point , which would to god they had seriously and in heart considered , which have had gods eternall decree and the awards of it , most frequently in their mouthes and pens . and he is no christian that would deny whatsoever is by god decreed , was so decreed before all worlds : so is he no christian philosopher , much lesse a true christian divine , that shall refer or retract the tenor of this speech [ before all worlds ] to that only which is past , before the world began . whatsoever can be more properly said or conceived to be past , then to be yet to come , or to bee in every moment of time designable , can have no property of eternity . for that onely is eternall , which alwayes is , and so alwaies is , that it hath precedence or praeexistence infinite to all successions , which way soever wee looke upon them , or take their beginning , whether backwards or forwards . it was a great oversight ( or rather want of insight into the nature of this great sphere or visible world ) in lactantius , ( otherwise a learned christian ) not onely to deny there were any antipodes , but to censure the philosophers ( which had gone before him ) of grosse ignorance or infatuation , for avouching this truth , now manifested to meaner scholars , or more illiterate christians , than any which lactantius taught . a greater ignorance it would be in us which acknowledge this truth , to say these antipodes were under the earth , and the inhabitants of europe and africa onely above it ; or that the heavens were as farre under our antipodes , as they are above us . for whosoever walkes on the earth , whether in this region or that , whether at the halfe or full antipodes , is above the earth . and every part of the heavens unto which the lookes of men are erected , as well the nadir as the zenith , as well the south pole as the north-pole is above the earth . and as the heavens are every way above the earth , so is eternity every way before all worlds , before all times . as we beleeve this visible world and all things in it , had a beginning ; so we expect it shall have an end : now the eye of eternall providence lookes through the world , through all the severall ages , successions , or durations in the world ; as well from the last end to their first beginning , as from their first beginning to their last end . there is no period of time to us imaginable , which is not so invironed by eternity , as the earth or center is with the heavens ; save onely that the heavens are finite , and eternity infinite . so that the heavens though far every way , are no way infinitely above the earth ; whereas eternity or gods eternall decree , are every way infinitely before all worlds , before all times . in this sense , were it possible , the world might have beene created , or motions continued from everlasting ; the eternall , notwithstanding , should have been everlastingly before them . for that period of motion which must terminate the next million of yeares , shall have coexistence with eternity now existent ; whose infinity doth not grow with succession , nor extend it selfe with motion ; but stands immovable with times present , being eternally before times future , as wel in respect of any set draught or point , whence we imagine time future to come towards us , as in respect of the first revolution of the heavens , whence time tooke beginning . or , to speake as we thinke , it is impossible to conceive any duration to be without beginning and ending ; without conceiving it circular , and altogether void of succession . notwithstanding , if any list to imagine time both wayes everlasting ; the continuity of it may be best conceived by the uninterrupted fluxe of an instant ; and the stability of eternity , by the retraction of such a perpetuall fluxe into one durable o● permanent instant . o● , not to suffer the remembrance of childish sports altogether to passe without any use or observation , if not for composing some greatest controversies amongst learned men , yet for facilitating contemplation in one of the greatest difficulties , that philosophy , whether sacred or humane , affords to the conceit of the most curious . the difficulty is , how eternity being permanent and indivisible , should have coexistence with succession or motion . we have seene a top turne so swiftly upon the same center , in a manner , that it seemed rather to sleepe or rest , than to move . and whilest it thus swiftly moved , any bright marke or conspicuous spot , how little soever , seemed to be turned into an entire and permanent circle . seeing motion thus swift , may be procured by a weake arme , it will be no hard supposal to conceit that a mover of strength and vigour infinite , should be able to move a body in a moment . admit then the highest visible sphere should be moved about in a moment ; all the several parts of successive motion , which now it hath , would be contracted into perfect unity : which whether it should be called a cessation from motion , or a vigorous rest , or a supermotion , actually containing in it parts of motion successively infinit , were not so easie to determine . if thus it were moved about in an instant , the nature of it supposed to be incorruptible , and the mover immortall , remaining still in the same strength and minde ; he would not move it more slowly this day or yeare , than he did the former . this supposition admitted , there should bee not onely parts successively infinite of one revolution , but revolutions successiuely infinit in one and the same instant . or to speake more properly ; as these revolutions should not properly be termed motion , but rather the product of motions infinitely swift , united or made up into a vigorous permanency : so should not the duration of one or of all these revolutions bee accounted as an instant or portion of time , but a kinde of eternity or duration indivisibly permanent . the motion of the eight sphere supposed to be such as hath beene said , that is motion infinitely swift , or not divisible by succession ; the sunne moving successively as now it doth , should have locall coexistence to everie starre in the eight sphere , to every point of the eclipticke circle wherein it moves , at one and the selfe same instant , or in every least parcell of time . every star in the eighth sphere , every point should be converted into a permanent circle ; and so in one circle there should be circles for number infinite , as many circles as there bee points or divisibilities in the ecliptique circle . thus in him that is eternall , are beings infinite , and in eternity are actually contained durations in succession infinite . the former supposition admitted , we could not say that the inferiour orbes , moving as now they doe , did move after the eighth sphere , but that the times of their motion were eminently contained in it . for the eighth sphere being moved in an instant , should lose the divisibility of time , and the nature of motion , with all the properties that accompany them , not by defect , ( as if it no way comprised them , ) but by swallowing up time or division successively or potentially infinite , into an actuall permanency . by this supposition of passive motion made infinitely swift , by the strength of the mover , and improved into a kinde of actuall indivisible permanency , we may conceive of the first movers eternity , as mathematicians conceive the true nature of a sphere , by imagining it to be produced by the motion of a semicircle upon the axis . for let the eternall be but thus imagined to bee an intellectuall sphere , capable of momentary motion or revolution throughout this world ; and the indivisible coexistence of his infinity , to every part of time and place , will be very conceivable . yet as mathematicians perswade not themselves , their figures are produced by motion , but rightly conceive their nature to be such without any production , as if they were so produced : so let eternall duration bee esteemed more indivisible , than the unity of motion conceived as infinitely swift , yet not made indivisible by such swiftnesse of motion , but indivisible onely of it selfe , and by the infinite vigour of his vitall essence , wherein all the perfection of motion or rest , are ( if i may so speake ) indivisibly tempered , or ( lest i should bee mistaken ) eminently contained . the same proportion which motion contracted into stability hath unto succession , hath divine essence to all other essences , eminently containing all , no one kinde formally . this divine essence , whose essentiall property we conceive eternity to be , is truly the totality of being ; * a totality not aggregated of parts , but rather ( as plotine intimates ) producing all other parts or kindes of being . eternity likewise is a totality of duration , not aggregated of parts , nor capable of accesse or addition ; but rather a totality from which all durations or successions flow , without resolution or diminution of its infinite integrity . as if a body should cast many shadowes of divers shapes in a running streame , the shadowes vanish and are repayred in every moment , without any diminution of the bodie . chap. . of the infinity of divine power . the circumstances of time and place are presupposed , the one as spectator , the other as stage to all things , which wanting place or time , or being it self , present themselves anew in their proper shape and forme . but of things so presented , operation or power in their kinde is the native and immediate property . nothing that hath any proper seat or existence numerable in this spacious amphitheatre , but is fitted for acting some part or other usefull for the maintenance of the whole . now all operation or power , which ( according to the variety of things created ) is manifold and diverse , doth give but such a shadow of that infinite power , which is eminently contained in the union of infinite essence , as time and place did of his immensity and eternity . the force and vertue of some things may perhaps more properly be termed strength or power passive , then operation . howbeit even in the earth and earthly bodies , by nature most dull , there is a power or strength to sustaine waights laid upon them ; a power to resist contrary impulsions , which perhaps essentially includes an active force or operation ; a power of swaying to the center , which is no more passive than active , but a meane betwixt both . even in the dullest body that is , there is a secret force or slow activity to assimilate other things to themselves , or to preserve symbolizing natures . in bodies lesse grosse and more unapt to resist violence offered , as in the windes , vapours , or exhalations , or in the spirits or influences which guide our bodies , we may perceive an active force or power motive fully answerable to the greatest passive strength or resistance . other elements or mixt bodies , are indued with an operative power of producing the like , or destroying contraries . celestiall bodies , the sunne especially , have a productive force to bring forth plants out of their roots , to nourish and continue life in al things . it is perhaps impossible , for any thing , that hath not being of it selfe , to receive infinity of being in any kind from another , though infinite . impossible for the fire , because the substance of it is finite , to be infinitely hot ; but were it such , it would be infinite in operation . as the author or first setter forth of all things operative , who alone truly is , surpasseth all conceit of any distinct or numerable branch of being : so is his power more eminently infinite in every kinde , than all the united powers of severall natures , each supposed infinitely operative in its owne kinde , and for number likewise infinite , can bee conceived to be . now what was generally observed before , that things by nature most imperfect , doe oftentimes best shadow divine perfections , hath place againe in this particular . gods infinite power is clearliest manifested in creatures which seem least powerful . where wast thou ( said god to * iob ) when i laid the foundations of the earth ? declare if thou hast understanding . who hath laid the measures thereof , if thou knowest ? or who hath stretched the line upon it ? whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ? or who laid the corner stone thereof ? the excellent majesty of this speech , sufficiently testifies it was uttered by god himselfe , though taken from his mouth , by the pen of man. but setting aside the majesticke phrase or resemblance , farre surmounting all resemblance all observance of poeticall decorum ; what cleerer fountaine of deeper admiration , can the eye of mans understanding looke into , then this , that not onely every corner stone in the world with its full burthen , but all the mighty buildings or erections , which are seene upon the whole surface of the earth ; yea the whole earth it selfe , with all the mountaines and rockes upon it , with all the metalls or massie substance that are within it , should be borne up by that which is lesse than any corner stone , by that which indeed is no body or substance , not so much as a meere angle or corner . yet so it hath pleased him , by whose wisedome the foundations of the earth were layd ; to make that little point or indivisible center ; which is farthest removed from our sight , the most conspicuous place and seate of that indivisible power which is infinite . let mathematicians imagine what rules or reasons of equipendence they list , their last resolution of all supportance into the center , must suppose the same truth which the aegyptian magicians confessed , [ hic digitus dei est ] the finger of god is here . impossible it were for that , which in it selfe is matter of nothing , impregnably to support all things supportable ; unlesse it were supported by the finger of god. and yet if we conceive of him , as isaias describes him , all the strength and power that is manifested in the supportance of the whole earth , and all therein , is not the strength of his little finger . yea though wee should imagine , that as the waight of solids amounts according to their masse or quantity : so the sustentative force , which is chambered up in the center , should be multiplyed according to the severall portions or divisibilities of magnitude successively immensurable : yet this imagination of force so multiplyed , it being divisible , could not equalize that true and reall conceipt of force divine , which ariseth from consideration , that it is indivisibly seated , throughout immensity . to uphold earths innumerable much weightier and massier than this is , which borne by him , beareth all things ; would be no burthen to his power sustentative : ( so from the effects , his power , though in it selfe one , must receive from us plurality of denominations . ) and yet fully commensurable to this power sustentative , is his active strength or power motive . he that spans the heavens with his fist , could tosse this vniverse with greater ease , than a gyant doth a tennis ball , throughout the boundlesse courts of immensity . rocks of adamant would sooner dissolve with the least fillep of his finger , than bubbles of water with the breath of canons . our admiration of this his active power , which we conceive as incomprehensible , and altogether uncapable of increase , may bee raised by calculating the imaginary degrees of active powers increase in creatures divisible , as well in quantity , as operation . though powder converted into smoake , be the common mother of all force , which issueth from the terrible mouth of the gunne : yet the canon sends forth his bullet ( though more apt to resist externall motion ) with greater violence than the sachar : and every ordinance exceeds other in force of battery , according to the quantity of the charge or length of barrell . but were it possible for the same quantity of steele or iron , to bee as speedily converted into such a fiery vapour , as gunpowder is ; the blow would be ten times more irresistible then any , that gunpowder out of the same close concavity , can make . the reason is plaine ; the more solid or massie the substance to be dissolved , is , the greater quantity would it yeeld of fire , or other rarer substance , into which it were dissolved . and the greater the quantity , the more violent is the contraction of it into the same narrow roome : and the more violent the contraction is , the more vehement is the eruption , and the ejaculation swifter . thus from vapours rarified or generated in greater quantity , than the concavities of the earth , wherein they are imprisoned without vent , is naturally capable of ; doe earthquakes become so terrible : these and the like experiments bring forth this generall rule , the active strength of bodies multiplieth , according to the manner of contraction or close unition of parts concurring to the impulsion or eruption : so doth the active force or vigour of motion , alwayes increase , according to the degrees of celerity which it accumulates . now though the most active and powerfull essence cannot be encompassed with walls of brass , nor chambred up in vaults of steele , albeit much wider than the heavens ; yet doth it every where more strictly gird it selfe with strength then the least or weakest body can be girt . for what bonds can we prescribe so strict , so close or firme , as is the bond of indivisible unity , which cannot possibly burst or admit eruption , wherein notwithstanding infinite power doth as intirely and totally encampe it selfe , as in immensity . how incomparably then doth his active strength exceed all conceipt or comparison ? the vehemency of his motive power , whose infinite essence swallowes up the infinite degrees of succession in a fixed instant , and of motion in vigorous rest ; cannot bee exprest by motion so swift and strong , as would beare levell from the sunne setting in the west , to the moon rising in the east . to cast the fixed starres downe to the center , or hoyse the earth up to the heavens , within the twinkling of an eye , or to send both in a moment beyond the extremities of this visible world , into the wombe of vacuity whence they issued , would not straine his power motive . for , all this we suppose to be lesse then to bring nothing unto something , or something to such perfection , as some of his creatures enjoy . howbeit even such as take the fullest measure of perfection from his immensity , must derive their pedigree by the mothers side , from meere nothing or vacuity . homo , saith s. austine , terrae filius , nihili nepos ; man is the son of the earth , and the grandchilde of nothing . and when he shall come unto the height of his glory , he cannot forget , he must remember , that the worme was his sister , and the creeping thing the sonne of his mother . to produce as many worlds out of nothing , as the sunne each yeare doth herbes or plants out of the moistned earth , would breed no cumbrance to his power or force productive . to maintaine , repaire , or continue all these in the same state , whilest he makes as many moe , would neither exhaust nor hinder his conservative vertue . multiplicity or variety greater than wee can imagine of workes most wonderfull , all managed at one and the same time , could worke no distraction in his thoughts , no defatigation in his essence . from the unity of these and the like branches of power , all in him most eminently infinite , doth the attribute of omnipotency take its denomination , whose contents , so farre as they concerne the strengthning of our faith , shall hereafter be unfoulded . chap. . of the infinity of divine wisedome . that it is as impossible for any thing to fall out without gods knowledge , as to have existence without his power or essentiall presence . bvt power in every kinde thus eminently infinite , could not be so omnipotent , as we must beleeve it ; did it not in this absolute unity of all variety possesse other branches of being , according to the like eminency or infinity of perfection . strength or power , if meerely naturall or destitute of correspondent wisedome , to comprehend , manage , and direct it , might bring forth effects in their kinde truly infinite , whose ill forecast or untowardly combinations , neverthelesse , would in the issue argue lamentable impotency , rather then omnipotency . and hard it would be to give instance almost in any subject , wherein a double portion of wit matched with halfe the strength , would not effect more , or more to the purpose , then a triple portion of strength , with halfe so much wit. archimedes did not come so farre short of polyphemus in strength or bulk of body , as the wonderfull works wrought by his mathematicall skill , did exceed any that the gyant could attempt . every choice is better or worse accordingly as it more or lesse participates of true wisedome : and most unwise should that choice justly be esteemed , which would not give wisedome preheminence to power . knowledge then , might wise men choose their owne endowments , would be desired in greater measure then strength . wisedome , saith the wiseman , is the beginning of the wayes of god. and shall not that branch of being , by which all things were made , by which every created essence hath its bounds and limits , be possest by him , ( who gave them being and set them bounds , ) without all bounds or limits ! above all measure ? yes , whatsoever branch of being wee could rightly desire or make choice of before others : the inexhaustible fountaine of being hath not chosen , but is naturally possest of , as the better . and therefore if we may so speake , though both be absolutely infinite ; his wisedome is greater then his power , to which it serves as guide or guardian . and as the excellency of the artificers skill often recompences the defect of stuffe or matter : so the infinity of wisedome or knowledge seemes , in a manner , to evacuate the necessity of power or force distinct from it . howbeit i will not in this place , or in our native dialect , enter that nice dispute , which some schoolemen have done ; whether gods essence and knowledge be formally his power . but whilest we conceive power and wisedome as two attributes formally distinct , ( at least , to ordinary conceipts , ) we may conceive wisedome to be the father , and power the mother of all his workes of wonder . as for philo and other platonicks that make knowledge the mother of all gods workes , it is probable they dreamed of a created knowledge , or perhaps under these termes , they cover some transformed notion of the second person in trinity , who is the wisedome of the father , by whom also he created all things : who as he is the onely begotten sonne from eternity , so is hee likewise a joint parent of all things created in time by the father ; as eve was in some sort adams daughter , and yet a true mother of all that call him father . but here we speake not of that wisedome of god , which is personall ; but of the wisedome of the godhead , as it is essentially and indivisibly infinite in the whole trinity . wisedome , as all agree , is the excellency of knowledge , from which it differs not , save only in the dignity or usefulnesse of matters knowne , or in the more perfect maner of knowing them . though no man be wise without much knowledge , yet a man may know many things , and not be very wise . but if we speake of knowledge divine , not as restrained in our conceipt to this or that particular , but simply , as it comprehends all things , the name of wisedome in every respect best befits it : for though many things knowne by him , whilest compared with others more notable , seeme base and contemptible ; yet not the meanest , but may be an object of divine contemplation to a christian , that considers not the meere matter or forme , or physicall properties , but the creators power , or skill manifested in it . how much more may the vilest creatures , whilest he lookes upon his owne worke in it , and the use whereto he appointed it , be rightly reputed excellent ? he knowes as much of every creature , as can be knowne of it , and much more than man possibly can know : and thus he knoweth not onely all things that are , but all that possibly may bee . this argues wisedome truly infinite ; whose right conceit must be framed by those broken conceipts which we have of the modell of it . of wisedome then or usefull knowledge , the parts or offices are two : the one stedfastly to propose a right end : the other , to make and prosequute a right choice of meanes for effecting it . humane wisedome is oft-times blinde in both , and usually lame in the latter . neither can we clearly discerne true good from apparent ; nor doe our consultions alwayes carry eaven , to the mistaken markes whereat we ayme ; but be the end proposed good or bad , so it be much affected , the lesse choice of meanes is lest , the more eagerly wee apply our selves unto their use , and strive as it were , to straine out successe by close embracing them . and for this reason , ignorance or want of reason to forecast variety of meanes for bringing about our much desired ends , is the mother of selfe-will and impatience . for what is selfe-will , if a man should define it , but a stiffe adherence to some one or few particular meanes , neither onely nor chiefly necessary to the maine point ? and wits conscious of their owne weakness , for conquering what they eagerly desire , presently call in power , wrath , or violence , as partiall or mercenary seconds to assist them . whereas hee that out of fertility of invention , can furnish himselfe beforehand with store of likely meanes for accomplishing his purpose , cannot much esteeme the losse or miscariage of some one or two . howbeit , as mans wit in this case is but finite , so his patience cannot be compleat . even the wisest will be moved to wrath or violence , or other foule play , if the game whereat he shoots be faire and good , and most of his strings already broken . nor can he be absolutely secure of good successe , so long as the issue is subject to contingency , and may fall without the horizon of his foresight and contrivance . but wisedome infinite doth compleatly arme the omnipotent majesty ( if i may so speake ) with infinite patience and long-suffering , towards such as every minute of their lives violently thwart and crosse some or other particular meanes , which he had ordained for his glory and their good . hee is light , saith the apostle , and in him is no darknesse . he distinguisheth the fruits of light from fruits of darknesse , before they are , even before he gave them possibility of being . as impossible it is for his will to decline from that which he discernes to be truly good , as for his infinite essence to shrinke in being . many things may ( as every thing that is evill doth ) fall out against his will , but nothing without his knowledge , or besides his expectation . that which in its owne nature ( as being made such by his unalterable decree ) is absolutely contingent , is not casuall in respect of his providence or eternall wisedome . in that he fully comprehends the number of all meanes possible , and can mixe the severall possibilities of their miscariage , in what degree or proportion he list : he may , and oft-times doth , inevitably forecast the full accomplishment of his proposed ends , by multiplicity of meanes , in themselves not inevitable , but contingent . so that , successe is onely necessary to the last , yet not absolutely necessary unto it . all the necessity it hath is oft-times gotten by casuall miscariage of the possibilities bestowed upon the former : as if he ordained the apprehension of a traytor , or of a malefactor , by an hundred meanes , all by the immutable decree alike possible , and equally probable ; if ninety and nine doe misse , the hundreth and last , by the rules of eternall wisedome , must of necessity take . but in that it was possible for the former to have taken , successe falls to this last , not by absolute necessity , but as it were by lott ; for it might have beene prevented by the former , by supposall onely of whose miscariage it is now necessary . and yet successe it selfe , or the accomplishment of the end proposed by infinite wisedome , was absolutely necessary and immutable . there is a fallacy , though the simplest one that ever was set to catch any wise man , wherein many excellent wits of these latter ages , with some of the former , have beene pitifully intangled . the snare , wherein it were not possible for any besides themselves to catch them , they thus frame or set , whatsoever god hath decreed , must of necessity come to passe : but god hath decreed every thing that is : therefore every thing that is , comes to passe of necessity . all things are necessary at least in respect of gods decree . the extract or corrallary whereof , in briefe , is this : it is impossible for ought , that is not , to bee : for ought that hath beene , not to have beene , for ought that is , not to be ; impossible for ought to be hereafter , that shall not be . but if it be ( as here i suppose ) very consonant to infinite wisedome ; altogether necessary to infinite goodnesse ; and no way impossible for infinite power , to decree contingency as well as necessity ; or that some effects should bee as truly contingent , as others are necessary ; a conclusion quite contradictory to that late inferred , wil be the onely lawfull issue of the former maxime , or major proposition matched with a minor of our choosing . let the major proposition stand as it did before , [ whatsoever god hath decreed must of necessity come to passe ] with this additionall , nothing can come to passe otherwise than god hath decreed it shall or may come to passe . the minor proposition , which ( if our choice may stand ) shall be consort to the major , is this , but god hath decreed contingency as well as necessity , or , that some effects should bee as truly contingent , as others are necessary ; therefore of necessity there must bee contingency , or effects contingent . the immediate consequence whereof is this , there is an absolute necessity , that some things which have not beene , might have beene ; that some things which have beene , might not have beene . that some things which are not , might be ; that some things which are , might not be : that some things which shall not be hereafter , might bee ; that some things which shall be hereafter , might not be . but as ill weeds grow apace , so the late mentioned errour once conceived , was quickly delivered of a second , which derived the infallible certainty of gods foreknowing things future , from an infallible necessity ( as they conceived it ) laid upon them ( before they had being ) by his immutable decree . but every wise decree presupposeth wisedome , and wisedome essentially includeth knowledge : shall we then grant that gods knowledge is antecedent , and his foreknowledge consequent to his decrees ? or shall we say he did inevitably decree the obliquity of iewish blasphemy against his sonne , because he did most certainly foreknow it , or , that hee did therefore certainly foreknow it , because hee had irresistibly decreed it ? most certaine it is , that he did as perfectly foresee or foreknow all the obliquities of their malice & blasphemy against christ , as he did their very acts or doings : if those could be distinguished from their acts or doings . briefly , to admit the former conclusion ; that the eternall foreknowes all things , because he decrees them ; or , that they are absolutely necessary in respect of his decree ; were to imprison his infinite wisedome , in his selfe-fettered power ; to restraine the eternall majestie from using such liberty in his everlasting decrees , as some earthly monarchs usurpe in causes temporall or civill : for , papae nunquam ligat sibi manus ; the pope ( as they say ) never tyeth his owne hands , by any grant or patents : which is a fault in him ; onely because he is otherwise very faulty , and unsufficient to support or weild so high a prerogative with upright constancy . but , in that holy and mighty one , the reservation of such liberty ( as anon we intimate ) is a point of high perfection . that to be able to decree an absolute contingency as well as necessity , is an essentiall branch of omnipotency or power infinite , shall ( by the assistance of this power ) be clearly demonstrated in the article of creation . that god did omnipotently decree a contingency in humane actions , that the execution of this decree is a necessary consequent of his communicative goodnesse , ( a consequent so necessary , that unlesse this be granted , we cannot acknowledge him to be truly good , much lesse infinitely good , ) shall ( by the favour of this his goodness ) be fully declared in the treatise of mans fall , and of sinnes entrance into the world by it . that which in this place wee take as granted , is , that gods wisedome is no lesse infinite than his power ; that he perfectly foreknowes , whatsoever by his omnipotency can be done ; that his power and wisedome are fully commensurable to his immensity and eternity ; that all these rules following , are exactly parallell in true divinity . gods presence is not circumscriptible by the coexistence of his creatures ; he is in every one of them as a center , and all of them are in him as in a circumference capable not of them only but of all that possibly can bee ; onely uncapable of circumscription or equality . his eternity is more than commensurable to time or any duration of created entities : it is in every duration as a permanent instant ; and all durations are contained in it , as a fluent instant in a set time , or as noonetide in the whole day . his power likewise may not be confined to effects that are , have beene , or shall bee : the production of every thing out of nothing , argues it to be truly infinite ; and yet the production of all , is to the infinity of it , not so much as a beame of light which is strained through a needles eye , is to the body of the sunne , or to all the light diffused throughout the world . least of all may his infinite wisedome be comprehended within those effects which by his power have been produced , or which it now doth or hereafter shall produce . but looke how farre his immensity exceeds all reall or compleat space , or his eternity succession , or the duration of things created , or his power all things already reduced from possibility to actuall existence ; so farre doth his infinite wisedome surmount the most exact knowledge that can bee imagined of all things already ereated and their actions . nothing that is , could have borne any part in the world , without the light or direction of his knowledge : and yet that measure of his knowledge which can bee gathered from the full harmony of this vniverse , is lesse in respect of it absolutely considered , then skill to number digits , is to the entire or exact knowledge of all proportions or other arithmeticall rules or affections , that can arise from their multiplications or divisions . the causes , properties , & hidden vertues of each thing created , are better knowne to him , than so much of them as we see or perceive by any other sense , is to us : and yet he knowes whatsoever by infinite power possibly might have beene , but now is not , whatsoever hereafter may be , though it never shall be ; as perfectly as he doth the things which at this instant are , heretofore have beene , or hereafter must be . the subject wherein this his incomprehensible wisedome exhibits the most liuely and surest apprehensions , for drawing our hearts after it in admiration ; is the harmony or mixture of contingency with necessity . and this , most conspicuous in moderating the free thoughts of men or angells , and ordaining them to the certaine and necessary accomplishment of his glory . the contingent means which by his permission and donation , these creatures may use for attaining their severall ends , or private good , may be successively infinite . and yet , albeit the utmost possibilities of their varieties and incōstancies , were reduced to act , the ends notwithstanding , which his infinite wisedome hath forecast in their creation , should by any course of many thousands , which they may take , be as inevitably brought to passe , as if no choice or freedome had beene left them ; or as if every succeeding thought had been drawne on by the former , and al linked to that which hee first inspired , or by his irresistible power produced , with indissoluble chains of adamantine fate . we would esteeme it great wisdome or cunning ( to use s. austines illustratiō ) in a fowler to be able to catch againe all the birds , which he had formerly caught , after he had permitted every one of them to take wings and flye which way they listed . god hath nets every where spred , for catching such as his wisedome suffers to flye farthest from him , or most to decline the wayes which in his goodnesse he had appointed for thē : and ( which is most of all to be admired ) the very freedome or variety of mens thoughts , so they be permitted to imploy them according to their owne liking , becomes their most inevitable , and most inextricable snare . for all their thoughts are actually numbred in his infinite wisedome , and the award of every thought determinately measured , or defined by his eternall decree . so farre is freedome of choice or contingency from being incompatible with the immutability of gods will , that without this infinite variety of choice or freedome of thought in man and angels , wee cannot rightly conceive him to be as infinitely wise , as his decree is immutable . free it was for mee to have thought or done somewhat in every minute of the last yeare , whereby the whole frame of my cogitations or actions for this yeare following might have beene altered : and yet should god have beene as true and principall a cause of this alteration , and of every thought and deed thus altered ; as he is of those that de facto are past , or of that which i now thinke or doe . nor should his will or pleasure ( as some object ) depend on mine , but mine though contingently free , necessarily subject unto his . for unto every cogitation possible to man or angell , he hath everlastingly decreed a proportionate end : to every antecedent possible , a correspondent consequent ; which needs no other cause or meanes to produce it , but onely the reducing of possibility ( granted by his decree ) into act. for what way soever ( of many equally possible ) mans will doth encline , gods decree is a like necessary cause of all the good or evill that befalls him for it . did we that which we doe not , but might doe ; many things would inevitably follow , which now doe not . nor doe the things , which at this instant befall me , come to passe , because he absolutely decreed them , and none but them ( as we say ) in the first place ; but because hee decreed them as the inevitable consequents of some things , which hee knew i would doe , which notwithstanding hee both knew and had decreed , that i might not have done . for whatsoever i should have done and have let undone , there was a reall possibility to have done it ; though not inhaerent in me , yet intituled unto mee in particular by gods decree ; untill some demerit of mine or my forefathers , did cut off the entaile , and interrupt the successefull influence . for here i will not dispute , how farre the sinnes of parents may prejudice their children ; but these termes should , or might , being referred to matters of duty ; are as infallible signes in divinity , as in grammar , of a potentiall , what we should have done or might have done , was possible for us to have done , by that decree whence all power and possibility , not meerely logicall , is derived . so then , both that which might befall me if i did otherwise , and that which now befals mee doing as i doe , flow alike immediately from the absolute necessity of his eternall decree : whose incomprehensible wisedome herein appeares most admirable ; that though the variety in this kinde were infinite , yet should it comprehend all ; not one thing could fall without the actuall circumference of it . the generall reason , why most christian writers are more able and apt both to conceive right , and to speake more consequently to what they rightly conceive , concerning other branches of divine absolute infinitenesse , than concerning his infinite knowledge , is , because all creatures without exception , are true participants of gods other attributes , besides his wisedome or knowledge . for even the meanest creature , the worme or gnat , hath a portion of that being , of that power , of that duration , which in him are infinite : and that portion of these attributes which they have , or that quantity of being which they have , is a participation of his immensity . but of his knowledge or wisedome , men and angels ( the manner of whose knowledge is to men for the most part unknowne ) are of all his creatures the onely participants . and ( as hath been observed before ) those rules are alwayes the most cleare and certaine , and most easily gathered ; which are gathered from an uniforme identity of particulars , in variety of subjects . those universall rules ( on the contrary ) are hardly gathered , or ( without accurate observation ) are lesse certaine , which can be experienced onely in some one or fewer subjects . another speciall reason why we doe not conceive so magnificently or so orthodoxally of gods knowledge , as were fitting ; is , because we want fit tearmes to expresse them in . for seeing words are taken as the proper vesture of our thoughts & conceipts ; and seeing most men are apt to conceive or judge rather according to the vesture or outward appearance of things , than according to the inward truth : it is almost impossible for us not to transforme the manner of gods knowledge or decrees , into the similitude of our owne conceipts , conjectures , or resolutions ; so long as we put no other vesture or expressions upon gods decree or knowledge , than were fitted for our owne . to salve this inconvenience , or to prevent the occasion of this errour , * saint gregory moves this doubt : how we can say there is any praescience or foreknowledge in god , seeing onely those things can be properly said to be foreknowne , which are to come : whereas we know , that nothing is future unto god , before whose eye , no things are past ; things present doe not passe by him , things future doe not come , upon him. whatsoever hath beene to us , is yet in his view ; and whatsoever is present , may rather be said to be knowne than foreknowne . to the same purpose saint austine would have gods knowledge of things which are to come , to bee tearmed rather science than praescience or foresight ; seeing all things are present to god. but these two great lights of the latine church , with some others that follow these for their guides , have not in this argument exprest themselves so clearly or so accurately as that their expressions can passe without question or exception in the schooles . we may not say ( nor did saint austine or saint gregory , as i presume , thinke ) that god doth not see or know a distinction betweene times past , present , or to come , more cleerely than we doe . if then he distinguish times present from times past or future , how is it said by st. gregory ; that nothing to him is future , nothing past ? if these differences of time or of succession be reall ; the eternall knowes these differences much better than we doe . and if he know a difference between things present , past , and to come ; to be present , past , or to come , is not all one in respect of his eternall knowledge . if god , as all grant , be before all worlds ; his knowledge being coeternall to his being , must needs be before all worlds . and saint austine himselfe grants a scientia a science or knowledge in god most infallible , of all things that have beene , are , or shall be ; before they are , were , or could be ; for they could not be coeternall to him , who is before all worlds , the beginning of the world it selfe , and of all things in it . now all knowledge of things not yet present , but to come , is foreknowledge : to determine or decree things future , is to predetermine or foredecree them . and seeing god from eternity hath both knowne and decreed the things that then were not ; he is said to have foreknowne and foredecreed them . so then god foreknowes , and man foreknowes ; god hath decreed , and man hath decreed . but the difference between the manner of their foreknowing and decreeing , being not oft-times wel expressed by learned writers or teachers , and seldome duely considered by their readers or hearers ; the identity of words wherewith we expresse our own foreknowledge & gods foreknowledge , begets a similitude of conceipt , or will hardly suffer us rightly to conceive the true difference betweene the nature and manner of humane wisedome , and wisedome divine . and this hath beene the fertile nursery of many errours in this argument , which now and hereafter we shall endeavour to displant : imitating the heralds , who are often enforced to give the same coat to divers parties ; but alwayes with some difference , remarkeable to such as are conversant in the mysteries of their art. our knowledge of things to come is many wayes imperfect ; ( and foreknowledge onely ) because the duration neither of our knowledge , nor of our selves , as yet can reach unto that point of time , wherein things so knowne , get first existence . we looke on them as on things afarre off , which we expected to meet ; for as things past resemble moueables going from us , so things future seem to come upon us . and whiles they get being , which before they had not ; we get continuance of being , and of knowledge , which before we had not ; that is , we gaine a reall coexistence with them : for if the daies , or thred of our life should be cut off before the things foreknowne by us come to passe , or get actuall being ; wee could not possibly haue coexistence with them . such being or duration as they have , is too short the one way , & our existence too short the other way , to make up this knot or bond of mutuall relation , which wee call coexistence : there must be on our part , a continuatiō or lengthning of that existence which we have ; and on their part , a growth into that actuall being , which whilest they are meerely future , they have not ; before wee and they can bee truely said to exist together . now if we shall mold the manner of gods foreknowledge of things future in our owne conceipt or foreknowledge of them , we shall erroneously collect ; that , seeing wee cannot infallibly foreknow future contingents , so neither could they be infallibly fore-knowne by god ; if to him or in respect of his decree , they were contingents , and not necessarily predetermined . and some there be , which push our pronenesse to this errour forward , by another ; not distinguishing betweene contingency and uncertainty , they argue thus ; that which is in it selfe uncertaine , cannot certainly be knowne : every future contingent is in it selfe uncertaine : ergo , it is not possible , that a future contingent should certainly be knowne . but they consider not that there is a twofold uncertainty : one formally relative : another onely denominative or fundamentall . that which is relatively uncertaine , cannot be certainly knowne ; for so it should bee certaine to him , to whom it is uncertaine . but a future contingent , as it is contingent , doth not necessarily or formally include this relative uncertainty ; although it usually be in part the foundatiō or cofounder of it . for relative uncertainty , or that uncertainty which is so termed with relation unto knowledge , results partly from the nature of the object , suppose a future contingent or event mutable ; partly and more principally , from the imperfection of the knowledge , in respect of which it is said uncertaine . but the same effect or event , which is in part the foundation of uncertaintie , with respect to finite or unperfect knowledge , may bee the distinct and proper object of knowledge in it selfe infallible , or of knowledge infinite . now if we grant , that there is any knowledge in it selfe infallible , we cannot imagine that any thing possible ( yet is every future contingent , though we consider it as contingently future , possible ) should bee uncertaine unto such knowledge . we should againe consider , that the eternall providence , doth neither know or foreknow contingents future , by interposed or expiring acts ; but by interminable and eternall knowledge , in which there is no succession , nothing future , nothing past . and without the interposition of some determining or expiring acts , there can bee no errour in men ; no man erres while hee is in the search of truth , or whilest he suspends his iudgement . take then away the imperfection of our knowledge or iudgement , whilest it is in suspense ; which is ignorance , rather than errour ; and it better resembles divine knowledge , than our actuall resolutions or determinations doe . the best knowledge which we can have of things contingent , is but conjecturall : and of things meerly casuall , we cannot have so much as a true conjecturall knowledge ; for , those things we tearme casuall , which are without the reach or sphere of our forecast or conjecture . and hence it is , that the actuall exhibition of any event , whether casuall or contingent , doth alwaies actuate , increase , or perfect our knowledge . the true reason why we cannot certainly foreknow events contingent , is because our essence & knowledge are but finite : so that things contingent are not so contained in us , that if we could perfectly know our selves , wee might perfectly know them . but in the divine essence all reall effects , all events possible , whether necessary , casuall , or contingent , are eminently contained , the perfect knowledge of his owne essence , necessarily includes the perfect knowledge not onely of all things that have beene , are , or shall bee , but of all things that might have beene , or possibly may be . for as gods essence is present in every place , as it were an ubiquitary center ; so is his eternity or infinite duration indivisibly coexistent to every part of succession ; and yet withall is round about it . hee it is , that drives things future upon us , being from eternity as well beyond them , as on this side of them . though hee should create other creatures without the circumference of this world , they should be all within his presence , without which , it is impossible ought besides him , should have any existence : yet should he not properly gaine any new existence in them , but onely take a denomination of coexistence with them ; because they have existence in him , which before they had not . thus , admitting the branches of contingency or indifferent possibilities never reduced to act , to be in our apprehension numberlesse ; yet whensoever any thing comes to passe , which might not have beene , it cannot fall without the sphere of gods actuall knowledge , which is fully commensurable to eternity and immensity ; and therefore is not onely coexistent to every successive act , but doth environ whole succession . and whether of such things as possibly may be , more or fewer bee reduced to act ; nothing accrewes to eternall knowledge , no new act can bee produced in it , by the casuall event ; but only that which was eternally knowne , having now gotten actuall coexistence with eternity , bestowes this extrinsecall denomination upon the eternall creator , it was foreknowne from eternity ; that is , in plaine language , knowne , when it was not , by him that more properly alwayes indivisibly , is , then was before it . and being such , his knowledge of things , which , in respect of us are onely future and foreknowne , doth as truly resemble , or rather containe our knowledge of things past or presēt , as of things to come . now for us to apprehend a thing past , under the nature of a thing contingent , is not impossible . and though we certainly know it to bee already past , yet this certainty of our knowledge , doth not perswade us , that it came to passe certainly , or inevitably ; but is very compatible with our conceipt of its contingency or casuall production , whilest it was present . our knowledge of such things past or present , is necessary ; but the event it selfe is not therefore necessary , nor to bee termed necessary in respect of our knowledge . much lesse may we say , either that contingent effects are necessary , or that no effects are not necessary , in respect of gods decree or foreknowledge of them . for if we beleeve that gods foreknowledge of all events to come , be they of what kinde they possibly may bee , is more cleare and more infallible than our best knowledge of things past or present ; the necessary infallibility of his knowledge , can neither adde any degree of necessity to the nature of the events foreknowne , nor take one jo● of contingency from them . god should not be absolutely infinite either in essence or in knowledge , if the absolute infallibility of his foreknowledge , or the impossibility of his not erring in his predictions , were in it selfe grounded upon , or to be inferred by us , from the absolute necessity of the event , rather than from the absolute infinity of his wisedome . for those effects which being otherwise in their nature contingent , it is in our power ( by gods permission , by circumspection and forecast ) to alter by laying a necessity upon them , which before they had not ; we are able ( after this necessity laid upon them by our selves ) infallibly to foreknow and foretell , albeit our knowledge still remaine but finite . now , that some events , which are to day , in themselves and by gods decree , truly contingent , may by our industry and circumspection , become to morrow truly necessary , no intelligent christian divine will ( i hope ) deny ; or if any doe deny it , we shall be able ( by gods assistance ) positively to demonstrate the truth of this our assertion , and withall demonstrate the dangerous inconveniences of the contradictory opinion , in the treatise of divine providence . in the meane time , to finish this principall stemme of divine providence , to wit , his infinite wisedome ; and the dependance which things temporall have upon his eternall knowledge : succession we imagine as a scrole containing severall columnes of contingency or indifferent possibilities ; of which onely so many , or so much of any , as in revolution of time , take inke , and are unfoulded , become visible to men and angels . but the almighty looketh on all things , as well from that end of time which is to come , as from that which is past : his infinite and eternall wisedome , doth not onely encompasse all things that come to passe , as the circumference doth the center ; but penetrates the whole scrole of succession from end to end and from corner to corner , more clearly then the suns brightnesse doth the perspicuous or purified ayre . those columnes of meere possibilities never actuated , which his finger from eternity hath drawne in characters secret and invisible to his creatures , are alike distinct and legible to his glorious eye , as those others whose first draught , being as secretly and invisibly fashioned by him , man or other second causes by his concourse , fill with actuall or sensible existence ; as the embroyderer doth the drawers obscure patterne , with conspicuous branches of silke , gold , or silver . but lest we may be thought to reade the ancients with no greater reverence , than we do some moderne writers from whom wee freely dissent , without any impulsion of envy or vainglory , let us for conclusion of this long discourse , a little reflect upon the testimonies before avouched out of s. austine , and out of s. gregory . the truth then at which these two learned fathers aimed , & which , in the charitable construction of such as read them with reverence , they did not misse , may bee fully comprised in these observations following , which are but necessary extracts of what hath hitherto beene delivered . whereas s. gregory saith , vnto god nothing is past , nothing to come ; the true construction of his meaning is , that in gods knowledge of things past , present , or to come , there is nihil futurum , nihil praeteritum , no such difference of time or duration , as we expresse by these words , future or past : for it alwayes is , and so perfectly alwayes is , that nothing can be added to it by succession or variety of events , be they necessary , casuall , or contingent . but as his eternal knowledge of all things , doth not make all things , which he knowes , to be eternall ( no not in respect of his eternall decree or knowledge , for he eternally decrees and knowes things temporall and mutable : ) so neither doth the immutable or absolute certainty of his knowledge , make all things so known by him , to be immutable or absolutely necessary , either in themselves or in respect of his eternall knowledge . onely this we are bound to beleeve , and this is all that we may in this argument safely say : [ gods knowledge of things mutable & unnecessary , is absolutely necessary , because absolutely infinite . ] againe , it is most true which s. gregory saith ; that things future doe not come upon god as they doe upon us ; that things present do not passe him , or from him , as they do from us . whilest things present passe from us , we likewise passe from them : for we continually lose that portion of duration or coexistence which wee had with them ; alwayes gaining , whilest our glasse is in running , a new ●rit or link of coexistēce with that which is next to come . nothing , in this sense , can passe by god or from god , because he alwayes is , and the manner of his duration is indivisible : he cannot lose any existence by antiquity , nor gaine any new portion of duration , by everlasting continuance . times passing exonerate themselves into the ocean of his infinite duration , without inlarging it ; times comming incessantly flow from it , without diminution of it . times future againe , are said to come upon us , or to meet us ; because our duration or existence cannot reach to future things , whilest they are future : the very angels are not of so long standing or duration to day , as they shall bee to morrow : unlesse things future did come towards them , and as it were meet them , they should have no coexistence with them . in this sense , times future cannot be said to come upon god , because he alwayes is , and exists every way before them . his duration is yesterday , to day , to morrow , the same for ever ; and every way the same without addition of quantity , without alteration of nature or quality : and in it are all things that are . so much of being as things future can bee said to have , they have it in him and from him : so much of being as there remaines of things past , remaineth in him , and things present , even presence it selfe , cannot for a moment subsist , without him. chap. . of divine immutability . with these stemmes of divine perfection hitherto exprest , another presents it selfe to our contemplation , which some schoole-men have moulded in the same conceipt with eternity ; of which , others conceive it to bee the off-spring . vs it sufficeth , that the true explication of the former , confirmes the truth of this attribute , whose briefe explication we now seeke . and perhaps , if i should speake properly , the knowledge of it , is the off-spring of our right knowledge of the former . the attribute it selfe , whose truth in former disputes hath beene supposed , is divine immutability ; which may be thus demonstrated . all mutation supposeth a defect or imperfection , either in respect of the terme , whence , or into which , the change is made ; and therefore can have no place in absolute or abstract perfection , or in essence infinite . more particularly , all mutation or change , is either in essence , in quantity , in place , or in quality ; under which we comprehend all vitall endeavors , all acts of the will or vnderstanding . in essence or nature , it is impossible the totality and fountaine of essence should admit any change , as impossible for him which hath no author of being , not to bee alwayes what hee is ; as for that which now is not , to take his being to it selfe : unto infinit perfection ( for such he is ) what can accrew ? on the other side , nothing can fall from it , but must fall into him ; seeing , he is in being infinite . and in that he filleth every place by his essentiall presence , it is impossible hee should move from place to place , or be carryed by any circular motion , being indivisibly and totally in every space that can be imagined . and as his immensitie could not be entended or contracted by extension of new magnitudes , or by diminution or annihilation of the old ; so neither can his eternity , bee shortned or lenghtned by continuation of succession , or expiration of time or motion . power , in like sort , truly infinite , can admit no intension or remission , in endeavors ; but moveth all things without motion , and worketh all things without labour or toyle inherent : for all things are made , and brought to nothing , by his sole will or word . nor speakes hee ought , which from eternity hee hath not spoken ; albeit succeding ages have still new messengers of his eternall will and word , all flesh is as grasse , and all the glory of man as the power of the grasse ; the grass withereth , and the flower thereof falleth away . but the word of the lord endureth for ever . and yet this was that word of the gospell , which seemed then first to be preached unto them . all the difficulty wherewith flesh and blood in this article are usually assaulted , or seeme to themselves to be beset , is , how his will or counsaile should be eternally immutable , and yet everlastingly free : but supposing , what we often promise , and once for all ( by his assistance ) shall undoubtedly prove ; that absolute contingency or possibilities aequipendent betwixt many effects , may as truly be the object of his eternall decree , as necessity in other workes of nature : i see not what appearance of difficulty can present it selfe , to such , as beare the two former principles before mentioned levell in their mindes and thoughts ; the one , that god is absolute infinite in being : the other , that hee is absolutely perfect , according to all the branches of beeing or perfection by us conceiveable ; or , more than all these , perfection it selfe . now in things that have any better portion of being , wherein they can truly delight ; it is , to our apprehension , a degree or portion of perfection to have an immutable state of such being ; an imperfection , to be subject to alteration or change . but , whether their estate bee mutable or immutable , it is a greater perfection to be free in their operations , than to be restrained to some one or few particulars , without any choice or variety of subjects , wherein they may exercise their operative faculties . bruitish , or meerly sensitive creatures have a delectable kinde of being , whose continuance they desire ; but without all variety of choice , or desire of any better being , although the best being they have be subject to alteration or change . men are free in their operations ; but mutable and subject to alteration , as well in their nature , as in their operations , or in the objects of their freedome ; and yet are more excellent than the visible heavens , which are not obnoxious to alteration or corruption . so that , if the heavens , or other incorruptible substances , had their freedome of choice , which men have ; they would bee more perfect and excellent creatures than man is : or , if man were as immortall as they are , he would be incomparably more perfect than they can bee , without the freedome of choyce or will , which ( as we now suppose ) is the inseparable consequent , or companion of reason or intellectuall knowledge . but , though freedome be in it selfe a great perfection ; yet to be free to do evil , is a branch of imperfection , which springs from the mutability of the creatures freedome . and this their mutability , though in it selfe an imperfection , yet is an imperfection necessarily praerequired , or praesupposed to the perfection of the creature . for no creature can bee truly perfect by nature , but by the will and pleasure of the creator . and it is his will and pleasure , to make them mutable , before they be immutably happy . but the creator of all things , in that he is absolutely perfect , even perfection it selfe , is essentially immutable , essentially free , and immutably happy ; because infinitely good . yet if we compare these attributes amongst themselves , immutability is the ground or supporter , not the crowne or perfection of freedome , but freedome rather the perfection of immutabilitie . yet were freedome in it selfe , how perfect and complete soever it were , no absolute perfection , unlesse it were immutably wedded unto goodnesse . absolute immutability and absolute freedome , may very well stand together , even in our conceipts ; so they be rightly joyned , or sorted . to be freely immutable , implyes a contradiction ; if not unto the nature of immutability , yet unto the nature of absolute perfection , or to our true conceipt of infinite being . to be freely immutable , is a branch of imperfection or impotency ; which might put al those perfections , which are contained in that nature which is no otherwise than freely immutable , upon the hazard . if the divine essence were freely immutable , or free in respect of his immutability , whether of nature or goodnesse ; it were possible for him to put off these two attributes , and to eloath himselfe with mutability , which is alwayes charged with possibility of doing amisse . but to be immutably free , is no point of imperfection ; but rather the period of perfection ; and necessarily inferres this perfection ( which wee call freedome ) to be as unchangeable as the attributes of power , of wisedome , of eternity , or goodnesse are . the excellency of his nature and essence necessarily includes an eternall liberty or freedome in the exercise of his omnipotent power , and in the influence or communication of his goodnesse ; free it is for him , from everlasting to everlasting , omnipotently to decree as well a mutability in the actions of some things created , as a necessity or immutability in the course or operation of nature inanimate : that the course of mans life , or the finall doome awarded to every man ( though that must be awarded unto all according to the diversity of their courses , ) should be immutable ; because they are foreset by an immutable omnipotent decree ; hath no more colour of truth , than to say the omnipotent creator , must needs be blacke because he made the crowes and ebony blacke ; or white , because he made the snow and swannes white ; or greene and yellow , because hee made the gold yellow , and the popinjayes greene : or that hee should be of all colours , because the rainbow is his creature . let us beleeve then , that he is everlastingly and immutably free , to make creatures of what kinde it pleaseth him , that he hath printed a resemblance of his freedome in the mutability of this inferiour world , and hath left a modell of his immutability in the celestiall and immortall substances . but the more immutable hee is , the more irresistible we conceive his power to bee : or the greater his wisedome is , the lesse preventable the contrivances of it are : the worse it would be with such as have to deale with him , were not his goodnesse ( which is the rule of his eternall decree ) immutably as great , as he himselfe , or his other attributes are . chap. . of the eternall and immutable decree . from all , or most of the former speculations , concerning the severall branches of the divine attributes or perfections , somwhat may be gathered , not unusefull for rectifying or bettering our apprehensions of gods absolute and omnipotent decree . a point , though in all ages most difficult , yet in this age become so common , and so farre extended , that no divine can adventure upon any other service profitable for the present estate of christs militant church , but he shall be enforced either to make his passage through it , or come so nigh unto it , that hee must , in good manners , doe homage unto it . that this decree is for its tenour , immutable , ( if wee take it in the abstract , or as it is in god ) is cleare from the attribute last handled ; that the same decree , is irresistible in its executions , or that the things decreed are inevitable , is evident from the attribute of gods infinite power or omnipotency . that this immutable irresistible decree , is eternall , or before all times , no man questions . yet is it not agreed upon by all , either what a decree is , or what it is to be eternall . all least the most part doe not perfectly beare in minde , the true importances of an eternall decree . to this purpose have the former speculations concerning eternity , and gods infinite wisedome beene praemised ; lest , by the incogitant use of these and the like scripture phrases , [ god foreknowes or hath decreed all things from eternity ; ] that slumber might creepe upon the unvigilant or unattentive reader ; with whose dreames many deceived , have thought and spoken of gods decree or predetermination of things to come , as of acts already irrevocably finished and accomplished ; and by a consequent errour , resolve that it is as impossible , for any thing to be otherwise than it is , will be , or hath beene ; as it is to recall that againe , which is already past . in which conceipt , though they doe not expressely speake or thinke it , they necessarily involve thus much [ that god by his eternall and powerfull decree , did set the course of nature a going with an irresistable and unretractible swingde ; and since onely lookes upon it , with an awfull eye , as masters sometimes watch their servants , whether they goe the way they are commanded . ] but it is a rule in divinity , not contradicted , ( for ought i know ) by any christian , that there is altogether as great need and use of power and wisedome infinite , to manage the world , as there was at first to make it , pater meus operatur adhuc ( saith the * wisedome of god ) et ego operor . my father worketh hitherto , and i worke . and as hee ceaseth not to worke , so doth he never cease to decree . omnia * operatur secundum consilium voluntatis suae . hee worketh all things according to the counsell of his will. so that albeit the counsell of his will , by which hee worketh , be eternall ; yet all things are not yet wrought by it . shall we say then , he hath not decreed whatsoever doth or shall befall us ? yes , in this sense we may , [ he doth not now first begin to decree thē : ] but in as much as his decrees have no end , wee should remember withall , that hee now decrees them . and it were much safer for every man in particular to looke on gods decree concerning himselfe , as present or coexistent to his whole course of life ; rather than on it , as it was before the world , or in adam : for so we shall thinke of it , as of an act past and finished , which hath denounced sentence upon us , more irrevocable than the lawes of the medes and persians . howbeit even these lawes , whiles they were in making , suppose that liberty in their makers , which they utterly tooke from them being once enacted . gods decrees are like theirs , in that they are in themselves unalterable : but not in that they make some evills , which befall others , inevitable ; or some casuall inconveniences , unamendable . no wisedome , but that which is infinite , and an eternall law in it selfe , foreseeing all things that possibly can bee , hath just warrant to make decrees for men everlastingly immutable . too strict obligement unto lawes positive , or decrees unalterable , deprives both lawgivers and others of their native liberty and opportunity of doing good . were the popes wisedome and integrity parallell to that supereminent dignity , which he challengeth ; it were not amisse for the body whereof hee is the lawfull head , if he exercised the same power over his grants or acts , that hee doth over his breath : alwayes reserving a liberty to send them forth , or call them in , to enlarge , contract , or invert them , according to exigences or occasions present . to alter his opinion of men , as they doe theirs in points of usefull doctrine , or their demeanours in matters of life ; curbing him this yeare , whom hee priviledged the last yeare ; now punishing where he lately rewarded ; and , shortly after , rewarding where now hee punisheth ; would argue no mutability of mind , or unsetled fickle disposition , but rather immoveable constancy ; if so in all these changes he truly observed the rule of iustice , which because it is alwayes one and the same , and never varies , must needs afford different measures to different deserts , and fit contrary dispositions with contrary recompences . but seeing princes and governours , are made of the same corrupted mold with those , whom they governe ; oft-times exposed by height of place to greater blasts of mutabilitie , and inconstancy , than their inferiours ; publicke lawes have beene sought out by most nations , to runne like a straight line , betwixt two distorted and crooked ones ; and to bee as a firme , or barre , betweene the tumultuous and raging passions of princes and subjects , which every foot ( as we say ) would fall foule were they not thus fended off , one from the other . vpon this consideration many conquerours have beene content to sheathe up a great part of their illimited power ( retayning some competent prerogatives to themselves and their successors ) in publicke edicts or lawes , not altogether so unalterable as the lawes of the medes and persians : yet lesse subject to change , then lords purposes , or princes pleasures : and every act wherto they passe their consent , restraines them of some former liberty , and abates somewhat of their present greatnesse ; to whose length or continnance ( as theopompus observed ) much by this meanes , is added ; and it were better to live an hundred yeares , ( as hee said ) with ingenuous health and strength , then to swagger it for twenty , with gyantly force , or athleticall constitution . and albeit the law ( which is a common looking glasse to direct the prince in commanding , and the subject in obeying ) may sometimes lay out authority , and sometimes obedience , or inflict punishment one while , and dispense rewards another while , in measure greater or lesse , than a wise & just arbitrator , chosen for these particular purposes , would allow of ; yet hath it beene thought fittest for all parts , rather to brooke these interposed mischiefes , then to be perpetually subject to the former inconveniences of the papacie ; if the popes ( such as they are ) or other princes should practise according to the canonists rule , papa nunquam ligat sibi manus , the pope never tyes his owne hands . but the unerrable rule of everlasting iustice , who from eternity decrees , whatsoever may bee , and foresees whatsoever will be , ( because heaven and earth may sooner passe than his words or acts ) passeth no act to the prejudice of his absolute and eternall power of iurisdiction . what grant or promise soever he make , cannot binde the exercise of his everlasting libertie , for a moment of time : they last no longer than durante beneplacito : seeing gracious equity , and onely it , is his everlasting pleasure . he ever was , ever is , and ever shall be , alike indifferent and free to recompence every man according to his present wayes . and in that , hee alwaies searcheth the very hart and secret thoughts , and never ceaseth to decree ; his one and indivisibly everlasting decree , without any variety or shadow of change in it selfe ; fits all the changes , severall dispositions , and contingent actions of men and angels , as exactly , as if he did conceive , and shape a new law , for every one of them ; and they are conceived and brought forth , as wel befitting them as the skin doth the body , which nature hath enwrapped in it . no man living ( i take it ) will avouch any absolute necessity from all eternity , that god should inevitably decree the deposition of elies line from the priesthood , or his two sonnes destructions by the philistims : for this were to bereave him of his absolute and eternall liberty . i demand then , whether within the compass of time , or in eternity , as praeexistent to elies dayes , he past any act that could restraine his eternall liberty of honouring elies families , as well as any others in their time ? to say , he did , were impiety ; because it chargeth the almighty with impotent immutability . what shall we say then ? the deposition of his race , the sudden death and destruction of his sonnes , were not at all absolutely necessary , but necessary onely upon supposed miscariage of the possible meanes and opportunities , which hee had given them for honouring him . and that eternall decree , [ they that dishonour mee , them will i dishonour , ] as coexistent to the full measure of this their transgression , by it shapes their punishment . to thinke of gods eternall decree with admiration void of danger ; we must conceive it , as the immediate axis or center , upon which every successive or contingent act revolves : and yet withall , that , wherein the whole frame of succession or contingency is fully comprehended , as an unconstant movable sphere in a farre greater quiescent , or rather in such a one ( as in the description of eternity was imagined ) which hath drawne all the successive parts of motion , into an indivisible unity of duration permanent . every part of the larger sphere ( this , swallowing up motion , in vigorous rest ) should have coexistence locall with all and every part of the next moveable sphere under it , move it as slowly and swiftly , as the latitude of successive motion can admit . whilest we thus conceive of gods eternall decree , and of his foreknowledge , ( included in our conceipt of it ) according to the analogy of what we must beleeve , concerning the manner of his ubiquitary presence or immensity : we shall have no occasion to suspect , that his necessary foreknowledge of what we doe , should lay a necessity upon our actions , or take away all possibility of doing otherwise . rather , we may by this supposall , beleeve that as probable , and perceive in part the manner how it is so , which shall by gods assistance be demonstrated to be de facto most true . as , first , that the omnipotent doth eternally decree an absolute contingency in most humane acts : secondly , that this eternall act or decree ( which we thus conceive to be throughout the whole succession of time , in every place indivisibly coexistent to each humane thought or action ) doth not only perpetually support our faculties , but withall uncessantly inspire them with contingency in their choice : that is , it so moves them , as they may without lett or incumbrance , move themselves more wayes then one : and yet , even whilest it so moves them , it withall inevitably effects the proportioned consequents , which from everlasting were fore-ordained to the choices , which we make , be they good or bad ; or according to the severall degrees of good or evill done by us , or of our affections or desires to doe them . chap. . of transcendentall goodnesse : and of the infinity of it in the divine nature . if in assigning reasons of maximes or proverbiall speeches , wee might not bee thought to fetch light beyond the sunne ; we should say , life unto things living is therefore sweet , because it is a principall stemme of being , as sweetnesse likewise is of goodnesse . however , we may resolve this physicall axiome , into a metaphysicall : omne ens qua ens est bonum ; vnto every thing , it s owne proper being is good . poyson , though noysome to man , to the aspe is pleasant , so is venome to the toad , and the adder delighteth in his sting . in things inanimate , there should be no reluctance of contrary or hostile qualities , unlesse each had a kinde of gratefull right or interest in their owne being , and were taught by nature to fight for it , as men doe for their lives or goods . this is that goodnesse which we call entitative or transcendentall . a goodnesse equally , alike truly communicated to al things that are , from his goodnesse who onely is ; but not participated equally , or according to equality , by all . for as the least vessell that is filled to the brimme , is as full as the greatest that can be , and yet the quantity of liquor contained in them equally full , is most unequall : so , albeit the entitative being of the flye , ant , or worme , be unto them as good as mans being is to man : ( for even the ant or flye being vext , or wormes trod upon , will bewray their spleene , and labour as it were to right themselves for the losse or prejudice which they suffer in their entitative goodnesse , by doing harmes to their tormentors ) yet is mans being simply much better than the being of ants or wormes . and much worse were that man , than any beast , that with gryllus in the poet , would like to change his humane nature , for a bruitish . this excesse of entitative goodnesse , by which one creature excelleth another , accreweth partly from the excellency of the specificall nature of entity which it accompanieth ; as there is more entitative goodnesse is being a man than in being a lyon ; and more in being a lyon , than in being some inferiour ignoble beast : it partly accreweth according to the greater or lesser measure , wherein severall creatures enjoy their specificall nature . men though by nature equall , are not equally happy , either in body or minde . bodily life in it selfe is sweet , and is so apprehended by most ; yet is lothsome to some ; who ( as we say ) doe not enjoy themselves , as none of us fully doe . sensitive appetites may be in some measure satisfied by course , not all at once . the compleat fruition of goodnesse incident to one , defeats another ( though capable of greater pleasure ) for the time , of what it most desires . venter non habet aures , the belly pinched with hunger must be satisfied with meat , so must the thirsty throat bee with drinke , before the eares can sucke in the pleasant sound of musicke , or the eye feed it selfe with fresh colours or proportions . too much pampering bodily senses , starves the minde ; and deepe contemplation feedes the mind , but pines the body of making many bookes ( saith * salomon ) there is no end ; and much study is a wearinesse of the flesh the more knowledge we get , the greater capacity wee leave unsatisfied ; so that we can never seize upon the intire possession of our owne selves : and contemplation ( as the wise king speaketh ) were vanity , did we use the pleasures of it any otherwise , thā as pledges or earnest of a better life to come . and albeit man , in this life , could possesse himselfe as intirely as the angels doe their angelicall natures , yet could not his entitative goodnesse or felicity , be so great as theirs is ; because the proper patrimony which he possesseth , is neither so ample nor so fruitfull . god alone is infinite , in being infinitely perfect ; and he alone , infinitely enjoyes his intire being , or perfection . the tenure of his infinite joy or happinesse , is infinitely firme , infinitely secured of being alway what it is ; never wanting so much as a moment of time , to inlarge or perfect it by continuance , uncapable of any inlargement or increase for the present . but this entitative or transcendentall goodnesse , is not that which wee now seeke ; whereto notwithstanding it may lead us . for even amongst visible creatures , the better every one is in its kind , or according to its entitative perfection , the more good it doth to others . the truest measure of their internall or proper excellencies , is their beneficial use or service in this great vniverse , whereof they are parts . what creature is there almost in this whole visible sphere , but specially in this inferiour part , which is not beholden to the sunne ; from whose comfortable heat , nothing ( as the * psalmist speakes ) can bee hid ? it is , at least of livelesse or meere bodies , in it selfe , the best and fairest ; and farre the best to others . and god ( as it seemes ) for this purpose , sends forth this his most conspicuous and goodly messenger , every morning like a bridegroome bedeckt with light and comelinesse , to invite our eyes to looke up unto the hils whence commeth our helpe : upon whose tops he hath pitched his glorious throne , at whose right hand is fulnesse of pleasures everlasting . and from the boundlesse ocean of his internall or transcendent joy and happinesse , sweet streames of perpetuall joy and comfort , more uncessantly issue , than light from the sunne , to refresh this vale of misery . that of men the chiefe inhabitants of this great vale , many are not so happy as they might be , the chiefe causes are ; that , either they doe not firmely beleeve the internall happinesse of their creator , to be absolutely infinite , as his other attributes are ; or else consider not in their harts , that the absolute infinitie of this his internall happinesse , is an essentiall cause of goodnesse ( in it kinde , infinite ) unto all others , so farre as they are capable of it ; and capable of it all reasonable creatures , by creation , are : none but themselves can make them uncapable of happinesse , at least , in succession or duration , infinite . goodnesse is the nature of god ; and it is the nature of goodnesse to communicate it selfe unto others , unto all that are not over growne with evill : of which goodnesse it selfe can be no cause or author . chap. . of the infinitie and immutability of divine goodness communicative , or as it is the patterne of morall goodnesse in the creature . the father of epicures , wil have more than his sonnes , to consent with him , that imbecility and indigence , are the usuall parents of pitie , bountie , kindnesse , or other like branches of communicative humane goodness . whilest we ned not others helpe , we little think in what need they stand of ours . the prince in his jollity , can hardly compassionate the beggers misery : nor knowes the begger how to bemone decayed nobles : whose condition is more miserable than his owne , though so it seemes not unto him ; who would thinke he had fully conquered want , were hee but furnished with such supplies of meat , drinke , and clothing , as these have alwayes ready at hand . that sympathy , which in livelesse or reasonlesse creatures , naturally flowes from similitude of internal qualities , seldome breaks forth in men ; but either from experimentall remembrance of what lately hath , or from apprehension of what shortly may befall themselves : sight of the like afflictions in others , as wee have lately felt , revives the phantasmes or affections which were companions of our mourning ; and by so pitying of our owne former plight , we pity them . but albeit epicurus observation may seeme in a manner universall , whilest applyed to its proper subject , man in his corrupt state ; yet when he transcends à genere ad genus , from our corruptible nature to the divine nature , which is immortall ; his inference is of the same stampe with those fooles inductions , that concluded in their hearts , there was no god. the divine nature ( saith he ) is not penetrable by mercy or pity : why so ? will you heare a bruit make enthymems ? because these finde no entrance into the hearts of men , but through some breach of defect or indigence . it is well this slow-bellyed evill beast , could grant mans nature not to bee altogether so bad or cruell , as want might not tame it , and make it gentle and kinde . but would not bruit qeasts , so they might speake , disclaime his conclusion ; that true felicity , or fulnesse of all contentment possible , should make the divine nature worse , than want and misery doth the humane ? surely , there is somewhat else amisse in that , which is made better by defect . nor could wealth and honour make the mighty unmindefull of others , but by making them first forget themselves . the externalls whereon our desires fasten , so captivate the humane soule , that she cannot doe as she would , or as nature teacheth her ; but these strings being cut , she followes her native sway . and in a good sense it was most true , which a master of a better sect , than epicurus founded , hath taught ; nemo sponte malus . lust in old age , pride in beggars , and shifting in men overflowing with wealth , seeme to transcend the nature of sinnes , and are monsters in corrupted nature ; because , not begotten by temptations , they in a manner beget themselves : yet scarce shall we finde an old man so prone to lust , a rich man so delighted in shuffling , an epicure so addicted to his pleasure , or any at all so ill affected either in himselfe or towards other ; that being askt , wold not professe his desire to deserve well of others , to be liberall , to be upright , compassionate , just and bountifull . for though continuāce in bad custome , induce in a sort , another nature ; yet can it not transport any man so farre beyond himselfe , or miscarry his thoughts so much , but he shall feele some secret impulsions unto goodnesse , and some retractions from evill . but as * seneca well observes , it is no marvaile that we do not amend what we know to be amisse in ourselves ; seeing errors in every other mystery or profession , make the professor ashamed : onely such as erre in matter of life & manners are delighted with their errours . the mariner takes no delight to see his vessell overturned , nor the physitian in sending his patient before his time unto his grave . the oratour rejoyceth not when his clyent is through his errour overthrowne . contrariwise , every criminous person is delighted with his crime . one solaceth himselfe in adultery , and taketh courage to prosecute his desires from the very difficulty of accomplishing thē . another delights in over-reaching others , and in theft ; never displeased with his faultinesse , untill it prove unfortunate . all are apt to dissemble their faults , being content when they fall out fortunately , to reape the fruit of them , whilest they subduct the faults of them ; but , a good conscience delighteth to set it selfe forth and to have notice taken of it , whereas naughtinesse is afraid of darknesse it selfe . and as epicurus elegantly saith , a malefactor may have the hap , but not the assurance to be undiscovered . but ( as this author replyes ) what availes it him not to have his naughtinesse discovered , without hope or assurance that it shall not be discovered . his conclusion is , naughtines may be safe , but it can never be secure . the reason why their naughtinesse an never be warranted with security , is ; because conscience in men most vicious , still beares evidence against them , that they live not as shee would have them . for ( as seneca in the same place well observes ) though bad custome may worke a delight in naughtinesse , yet even in minds drencht in the very dreggs of filthinesse , there still remaines a sense of goodnesse : nor is it so much our want of knowledge , as of our right estimate of what we know to be nought , which maketh naughtinesse to be so little abhorred . the minde of man , in that it is indued with reason , hath the rules of equity imprinted in it ; which it alwaies seekes to instampe upon the inferior faculties of the soule . but this divine light of reason , hath as small force to kindle the love of vertue in hearts overgrowne with sensuall desires , as the sunne in a mist , hath to set moist stuffe on fire . the unsetled affections of youth , somtimes admit the impression of these ideall characters , in actuall retired speculations ; so will the water take the same shape from the seale , which the waxe doth , but hold it no longer than the seale is held upon it . the heart , which maturity of years hath hardened with vast desires , will as hardly bee wrought into a new forme , as the stone , which cannot take any other shape , but only by losing some of its masse or substance ; yet if those vast desires be cut off , or their hopes of supplyes from externalls interecepted ; the soule , thus freed , becomes more fashionable unto reason . affability , which is as the superficiall draught of reason indeavouring to stampe the heart with reall and solid kindnesse ; is as naturall 〈◊〉 epicure , as to another man , so long as the exercise of it is not prejudiciall to his belly . and the less his desires were to satisfie it , the larger would the extension of his bowels of compassion be towards his brethren , or poore neighbours ; some drops of kindnesse may distill from him in the overflow of plentie or store sufficient to feed both eye and appetite . but in the daies of scarcity , he suckes in cruelty as wine , and feedes upon the needy as upon delicates : were there no more sweet morsels in the market then would serve one man ; not one of this crew , but would cut them out of his fathers throat , rather than suffer his owne weasand to bee defeated of its intemperate expectations . indigence then , though epicurus could not see so much , is , upon different occasions , the mother as well of cruelty and oppression , as of bounty or pitty . from doing to all , as we would be done unto by any , nothing doth hinder us so much ( if ought befides doe hinder us at all ) as our conceipted or opinative want of somewhat , which either for the present we doe , or hereafter may stand in need off , for satisfying the variety or unconstant longings of our unknowne desires . how well soever they may speake or protest , experience schooles us ; not to trust any that fixe their expectations upon great matters , or have one eye alwayes upon their private ends , but with this limitation ; if the premisses they now make shal not crosse their opportunities , when matters come to tryall . but if wee know a man of meanes , more than competent for maintaining that estate wherein his constant resolution hath pitcht content , one otherwise of temperate desires , and composed affections , able to discerne what is fitting betwixt man and man ; we thinke him a fit rule for directing others , a patterne whereto would all conforme themselves , nothing should goe amisse in church or common weale . no man that conceives his owne cause to bee just and good , but would commend it to his arbi●rement before anothers . for ▪ internall moderation mixt with outward competency , is the onely supporter of true constancy . yet cannot this mixture , in any created essence bee so firme or permanent , but possibilities or opportunities of satisfying some internall latent capacities , by externall proffers , may dissolve it . for finite existence hath possibility of nonexistence to controll it , and possibility of nonexistence includes possibility of being otherwise than it is . and therefore it is never impossible to finite being either to lose it selfe , or change his properties . a more particular root of this contingency , or unconstancy in reasonable creatures or intelligent , is the infinite capacity of their conceits or desires ; within whose compasse their finite motions may become excentricke and irregular , as it were a starre fixed in too wide a sphere . the desires of collapsed angells , were once tuned by their creator in as perfect harmony as any creatures could be : they had all cōpetency that could be desired , whether of internall faculties , or of objects to cōtent thē . howbeit , whilst the chiefe ringleader of this rebellious rout , sought to satisfie this infinitie of his desire ; not by participation of his joyfull presence , who was infinitely good ; but by affecting that greatnesse and majesty infinite , which he was enabled to conceive , but whereof his nature was more uncaple than a whirry of an argoes-eyes saile ; his capacities did overcope . and his intemperate longings , while he was in travell of this prodigious birth , hath imprinted that vgly shape upon him , which now he beares . hee is become the monstrous brood of his owne monstrous and deformed desires ; his mouth opening too wide to swallow that which is incomprehensible , could never since be shut ; his ravenous appetite cannot bee satisfied . like the grave he feedes on rottennesse , and by continuall gnawing and devouring that which cannot satiate , he continually encreaseth his unquenchable hunger . his will is wedded unto mischiefe , and affecteth nothing but that which is by nature evill ; & amongst evills that most greedily and uncessantly , which is most contrary to infinite goodness . the first man by this monsters impulsion , reaching too high for that which hee could not compasse , did put himselfe from off the appointed center of his rest and revolutions ; and since continueth irregular and unconstant in all his motions , thoughts , and actions . in him , in our selves , in the whole nature ( besides that part which hath firme union with the infinite essence ) wee finde the maxime infallibly verified , mota facilius moventur . by our first parents needlesse yeelding to one temptation , wee are not able to resist any ; our resolutions to follow that which wee acknowledge to bee good , or our adhaerence unto that infinite goodness , from which he divorced his will ; can neuer in this life bee so firme and strong , but the allurements to contrary evills , may bee so great or so cunningly proposed by the great tempter , that , without especiall grace we cannot resist their attractions . since our internall harmonie betwixt soule and body ; and mutuall correspondency of each faculty with other , was dissolved , no externalls can consort with us . iust competency seemes too little , all of us being as easily led by abundance , as driven by want , to doe evill . and , which is worst of all , our earnest attempts to doe that which is good and right , drawes iniquity after them ; and whiles wee take too hastie , or unweildy ayme at our owne welfare , others harmes fall under our levell . that which most improoveth the force of temptations , whether suggested by want or indigence , or by other occasions or opportunities ; is the inequalitie , partly of our naturall propensions , partly of meanes which minister their severall contentments or annoyances . wealth , in some men , gets the start of wit , and overswayes them ( otherwise not much mis-inclined ) unto such vanities , as usually are neither bredd nor nursed , but by abundance . others wits over-reach their revenues ; and imboldens them to stretch their projects or inventions beyond the rules of right and equity . some mens bodies overgrow their soules ; and these are easily impelled to act any boysterous mischiefe : others being impotent of bodie , strive so much the more to furnish their mindes with subtill inventions or commodious experience : and by making too much use of the common proverbe , [ hee that is weake had need to bee wilie , ] are easily tempted to practise unlawfull policie , with delight ; as the onely preservative against contempt , or as an instrument of revenge upon such as they hate or feare . and it would goe much against the course of common experience , if that wilinesse which hath weaknesse for its foundation , should not be often enforced to cover or shelter it selfe with craft and fraud . to love our owne wills , is an impotency naturall unto all . and wee love them the better , at least more strongly , when we perceive them set on that which in it selfe is good . whence it is that our desires of doing many things which are good and commendable , often draw us to use meanes not so commendable , for their accomplishment . many , out of an extraordinarie good will unto the poore , thinke it no robbery to cozen the rich ; or to dispense with publike lawes , for gratifying some private friend , whose welfare in conscience they are bound to tender . vnto these , and many like enormities , the infinite capacity of finite existence gave first possibility of being , and the inequality of our internall propensions , which can never fitly match or hold just proportion with externall occurrences , gives life and improvement . but in the incomprehensible sphere , which hath vbiquity for its center , and omnipotency for its axis ; whose numberlesse lines are all possible perfections , measurelesse ; there is no place for exorbitancie . one branch of being , cannot mis-sway or over-toppe another ; all being so great and firme , as none can bee greater or firmer ; being not united , but possessed in such perfect unity , as prevents all possibility of distraction or division . shall wee say then , hee possesseth all things that possibly he can desire to have ? or rather , he alwayes infinitely is , without all possibility of not being , whatsoever possibly can be . and though being infinite , he can doe all things ; yet can he not desire to perfect himselfe , or to be greater or better than he is . in that he neither can feare the impayrement , nor wish the inlargement of his own estate ; all outward imployments of his power are for the good of his creatures . his will to have them when they were not , was but the influence or working of his essentiall goodnesse ; which is so abundantly sufficient to his infinite being , that the overflowing of it is the fountaine of all things besides , which are good . nothing besides him could possibly have beene , unlesse he were in power and in being , infinite . and unlesse his infinite being had beene infinitely good , nothing besides him , should actually have beene , or beene indowed with such being , as all things that actually are , have from him . the proper being of every thing , which actually is , or at least the continuance or amendment of such being , is infinitely desired by all , as being the stamp or impression of his infinite goodnesse , which is alike truly , though not equally , or in the same measure communicated to all things that are . the entity of every thing is good to it selfe , and most desired . and though these first assurances of his goodnesse and loving kindnesse , be usually requited on mans part with unkindnesse and despight : yet the greatnesse of his majesty , never swayes him to sudden revenge . quite contrary to the corrupt nature of man , ( whose goodnesse usually is ill-thriven by his over-growing greatnes : ) the unresistible strength of his almighty power , is the unmovable pillar of moderation and mercifull forbearance . the greatest potency of man being but finite , the higher it growes , the apter it is to be overtopt with jealous impotency . the greatest monarch that is , may be prevented by others , ( of whose power he is jealous ) in the exercise of his power or authority over him ; unlesse he carefully watch his time , and fit seasons , or take opportunity when it is offered , for accomplishing his projects . but of god , saith the wiseman , wisd . . . thou mustring thy power judgest with equity , and orderest , or governest us with great favour ; for thou maist use power when thou wilt . and his will is to use it , when men will not beleeve that he is of full power to doe what hee will ; as the same wiseman expresseth , vers . . but more full unto our present purpose , are the sayings of the same wiseman , vers . , . for so much then as thou art righteous thy selfe , thou orderest all things righteously ; thinking it not agreeable with thy power to condemne him that hath not deserved to be punished . for thy power is the beginning of righteousnesse , and because thou art the lord of all , it maketh thee to be gracious to all . though this author be not , yet this passage in him , is canonicall , and fully consonant to gods owne words to ionah , chap. . , . then said the lord , thou hast had pitie on the gourd , for the which thou hast not labored , neither madest it to grow , which came up in a night , and perished in a night : and should not i spare nineveh that great city , wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons , that cannot discerne between their right hand and their left hand , and also much cattle ? amongst great men ▪ many oppresse their tenants : but what lord would spoile his proper inheritance , whereto no other can be intituled ; or eate out the heart of that ground which hee cannot alienate or demise ? what architect would deface his owne worke , unlesse the image of his unskilfulnesse ( whereof the creator cannot bee impeached ) be so apparant in it , as he cannot but blush to behold it ? or who would leave a goodly foundation bare or naked , unlesse he be unable to reare it up without injustice ? now seeing the entitative good of proper being , is the foundation of that true happinesse which flowes from more speciall participation of gods presence ; wheresoever he hath laid the one , it is to all that rightly consider his wisedome , truth , and goodnesse , an assured pledge of his will and pleasure to finish it with the other . as his nature is immutable , so are his gifts without repentance . the current of his joyfull beneficence , can admit no intermission , much lesse admixture of any evill . sorrow , woe , and misery , must seeke some other originall ; they have no hidden vent , or secret issue from the ocean of ioy and happinesse . as the fountaine of bodily light cannot send forth darknesse , but uniformly diffuseth light ; and light onely throughout this visible sphere : so cannot the infinite ocean of true felicity , send forth any influence , but such as is apt to cherish the seeds of joy and happinesse ; wherewith every creature capable of them , was sowne in its first creation . and , as it is the property of light propagated or diffused from the sunne , to make such bodies as are capable of its penetration ( as glasses , chrystall , pearle , &c. ) secondary fountains of light to others : so doth the influence of divine goodnesse , inspire all that are conformable to his will , with desire of doing to others as he hath done to them ; that is , of being secondary authors or instruments of good to all . but such as wilfully strive against the streame of his over-flowing goodnesse , or boysterously counterblast the sweet and placide spirations of celestiall influence , become creators of their owne woe , and raise unto themselves those stormes wherein they perish . yet so essentiall it is unto this infinite fountaine of goodnesse , however provoked , to send forth onely streames of life ; and such is the vertue of the streames which issue from him , that as well the evill and miseries which miscreants procure unto themselves , as their mischievous intentions towards others , infallibly occasion increase of joy and happinesse unto all that give free passage unto their current . and this current of life , which issueth from this infinite ocean , never dryes up , is never wasted by diffusion : the more it is dammed or quarved by opposition of the sonnes of darkenesse , the more plentifully it overflowes the sonnes of light . all the good which one refuseth or putteth from thē , returnes in full measure to the other . but if the miseries which wicked spirits , or their conforts , either suffer themselves , or intend to others , worke good to those that receive the influence of infinite goodnesse ; might he not without prejudice , or imputation , inspire these castawayes with such mischievous thoughts , or at least intend their woe and misery , as these are occasions or meanes of others happinesse , or of his glory ? wee are indeed forbid to doe evill that good may ensue ; but if it bee his will to have reprobates doe or suffer evill for the good of his chosen , shall not both bee good , as willed by him , whose will ( in that hee hath absolute dominion over all his creatures ) is the rule of goodnesse ? chap. . in what sense , or how gods infinite will is said to be the rule of goodnesse . bad was the doctrine , and worse the application or use , which anaxarchus would have gathered from some hieroglyphicall devices of antiquity ; wherein iustice was painted as iupiters assistant in his regiment . hereby , saith this sophister unto alexander , ( then bitterly lamenting the death of his dearest friend clytus , whom he had newly slaine in his temelent rage ) your majesty is given to understād , that the decrees of great monarchs , who are a kinde of gods on earth , must bee reputed oracles of iustice , and their practices may not bee reputed unjust either by themselves , or by others . but this sophisticall inversion of these ancients meaning , was too palpable to please either the wiser or honester sort of heathen , though living in those corrupt times . for albeit many of them conceived of iupiter , as of a great king , subject to rage and passion , yet all of them held iustice for an upright , milde and vertuous lady ; ready alwayes to mitigate , never to ratifie his rigorous decrees ; alwayes tempering his wrath with equity . the true iehovah , as he needes no sweet-tongued consort to moderate his anger , as abigail did davids ; so hath he no use of such sophisters as anaxarchus , to justifie the equity of his decrees , by his omnipotent soveraignty or absolute dominion over all his creatures . to derogate ought from his power , who is able to destroy both soule and body in hell fire , i know is dangerous ; & to compare the prerogatives of most absolute earthly princes with his , would be more odious . yet this comparison i may safely make : * he doth not more infinitely exceed the most impotent wretch on earth in power and greatnesse , than he doth the greatest monarch the world hath , or ever had , in mercy , iustice , and loving-kindnesse ; nor is his will the rule of goodnesse , because the designes thereof are backt by infinite power ; but because holines doth so rule his power , and moderate his will , that the one cannot enjoyne , or the other exact any thing not most consonant to the eternall or abstract patternes of equity . his will revealed doth sufficiently warrant all our actions , because we know , that he wils nothing but what is just and good ; but this no way hindereth , but rather supposeth iustice and goodnesse to be more essentiall objects of his will , than they are of ours . and therefore when it is said [ things are good because god wils them ] this illative infers only the cause of our knowledge , not of the goodness which we know : and the logicall resolution of this vulgar dialect , would be this , we know this or that to be good , because gods will revealed commends it for such . but his will revealed commends it for such , because it was in it nature good ; for unlesse such it had bin , he had not willed it . these principles though unquestionable to such as fetch their divinity from the fountaine , will perhaps in the judgement of others that never taste it but in trenches , be liable to these exceptiōs . if the goodnesse of every thing presuppose its being , & nothing can be without gods wil , what cā be good ( we speake in order of nature , not of time ) before god wills it ? of being or goodnesse actually existent in any creature , it is most true , neither can be without some precedent act of gods will. but as there is a logicall possibility presupposed to the working of the almighty power : so is there a goodnesse objective precedent in order of nature , to the act or exercise of his will. and unto some things considered as logically possible ; this goodnesse objective is so essentially annexed ; that if it bee his will to give them actuall being , they must of necessity be actually good ; nor can hee that can doe all things , will their contraries . hee might , had it pleased him , have taken life and existence from all mankind , when he preserved noah and his familie . but to reserve them men , and no reasonable creatures , was no object of power omnipotent ; much lesse doth his omnipotency enable him to worke ought contradictory to his owne nature or essentiall goodnesse . as is the man , so is his strength , and as is the nature of the willer , such are the objects of his will. simile gaudet simili . to long after such meats as feed diseasefull humors , is naturall to every disease . and our nature being corrupted , whets our appetites to such things as are agreeable to the praedominant corruption wherewith it is tainted , not to the purity wherein it was created . to will onely that which is consonant to his nature , is so much more essentiall to god , than unto us , by how much his nature is more simple than ours is . and seeing it is essentiall purity , altogether uncapable of corruption , his will cannot pitch but on that which is pure and holy . whence the prime rule of all goodnesse , without himselfe , is consonancy to his essentiall purity and iustice . for as much as thou art righteous thy selfe thou orderest all things righteously , thinking it not agreeable to thy power to condemne him that hath not deserved to bee punished . wisedome . . he loveth truth and sincere dealing , because he himselfe is true and just . that veracity which is coeternall to his essence , includes an everlasting enmity unto treachery , fraud , and perjury ; his immortally spotlesse and unchangeable purity , cannot approve of lust and intemperancy , or condemne chastity in any person , at any time . nor could he have given a law , as some lawlesse lawgivers have done , for the authorizing of promiscuous or preposterous lust . to legitimate violence , or entitle oppression unto the inheritance bequeath●d to conscionable and upright dealing , is without the prerogative of omnipotency ; it cannot be ratified by any parliament of the trinitie blest for ever . the practise , or countenance of these and the like , are evill ; not in us onely , to whom they are forbidden ; but so evill in themselves , that the almighty could not but forbid and condemne thē , as profest enemies to his most sacred majesty . to square great mens actions to the dictates of reason or nature , given in their good dayes , or to bring their wills within compasse of any constant law ; seemes greater violence , than if we should seeke to fashion their bodies by handsome well proportioned garments , but much too strait . and yet we see by daily experience , that such as are most impatient of regulation or restraint , are most importunate to have their owne unruly wills , the rules of their inferiours minds and consciences . to doe otherwise than they would have them , though they alleage the dictates both of reason and gods word , will admit no appeale from the censure of peevishnesse or perversenesse . but for them to set constant patternes of that morality or good behaviour , whose defects in inferiours they either punish or make advantage of ; is reputed a kinde of pedantisme , or mechanicall servitude . to request such performances , seemes as harsh , as if we should intreat them to set us copies , or songs , or take pains in teaching us some honest trade . and seeing inferiours are secretly blinded with this pride of heart ; which breakes forth more violently in superiours ; most of both rankes , measure gods will by their owne . but if wee will condemne this impatience of restraint , as a fault in our selves , we must of necessity acquit the almighty from the like . the infinite greatnesse of his majesty , cannot wrest his most holy will from strict observance of such rules of righteousnesse as he sets us to follow . that integrity wherewith our first nature was cloathed , was but the image of his holinesse . and hee that requires us to be holy , as he is holy , or perfect as our heavenly father is perfect ; exacts not of us , that wee should be as holy and perfect as hee is , in any point of his imitable perfections . every part of that holinesse which becommeth saints , is in the best of them , but as the materiall forme in an house built of untowardly stuffe , by unskilfull hands : but in him , according to the exactest mathematicall or idaeall forme , that the cunningest architect hath in his head . the best examples of goodnesse , we can conceive , are but as dead pictures of those everliving ones , which he expresseth in his workes . all his decrees concerning man , are not in themselves onely , but to mans eyes that looke not on them a squint , so straight and just , that hee will referre the tryall unto the deliberate and sober thoughts of his enemies . is not my way equall ? are not your waies unequall ? ezek. . . this may instruct us , that those patternes of holinesse or perfections which wee are bound to imitate in him , are not to be taken from his bare commandement , or revelation of his will , but from the objects of his will revealed , or from the eternall practices which hee hath exhibited ; as so many expresse or manifest proofes , that his will is alwayes holy and iust : albeit wee cannot alwaies so expressely discerne the manner how it is just and holy in some particular commandements ; but must implicitely beleeve it to bee such in them , because it is so eminently and apparantly holy and just in those perfections , whereof our generall duties are the imperfect representations . of all his morall commandements , not one there is , whose sincere practise doth not in part make vs truely like him ; & we are bound to be conformable to his will revealed , that we may be cōformable to his nature ; without conformity wherevnto , we cannot participate of his happinesse ; for , happinesse is the immediate consequent of his nature . the antecedent of lactantius argument . [ qui nos irasci jubet , is utique irascitur , ] .i. he that biddeth us be angry , is certainly angry himselfe , ] is not so certaine or authentique , and the inference is somewhat doubtfull . but out of all question , he that bids us unfaignedly blesse our persecutors , doth unfaignedly tender his blessings to such as persecute him in his members . he that seriously exhorts us to bee mercifull and kind to all , sheweth kindnesse to the most unkinde . that charity which hee hath injoyned every man towards all ( his greatest enemies not excepted ) though we consider it in the most charitably minded martyrs , in whose death it seemed to shine , were but as weake sparkles , or vanishing smoak , of those infinite and eternall flames of love , which burst out in him toward such , as have deserved worse at his hands , than any tyrant of his tormented servants . that truth and fidelity , which he exacts of us , the faithfulnesse of abraham himselfe ; is but a little mappe , or narrow surface of that infinite soliditie of truth , whereon his promises are founded . betweene the chastity and temperance of purest virgins , and his eternall purity , there is the like true correspondency ; but not so great , as there is betwixt the dross and corpulency , and the refined or sublimated spirits of the same bodies . or could that rule which is the fulfilling of the whole law & the prophets , doe unto every man as we would be done unto ; be exactly fulfilled by us ; it would be but a slender , though a true modell or representation of his eternall equity . he that honoureth me , him will i honor . for in this , and the like , he expects no more than the inward affection of mortall hearts , or prayses of man whose breath is in his nostrils , being ready out of his goodnesse , to recompence these silly services , with glory , love and happiness everlasting . but doth he intend thus well to all , or destruction unto some , as it is a meanes of blisse to those whom he loves ? if so he did , we might be exempt from that negative precept , of not doing evill that good might ensue . for the only reason why we are boūd not to doe so , is because in so doing we should become unlike our heavenly father , and not be perfect as he is perfect . but as he turnes the voluntary evils of some , to the good of others ; so may wee , and ought to consecrate such forfeitures , as legally fall into our hands to pious uses ; or better the states of such as tender publike welfare , by others deserved harmes . be it then granted , ( which is the root of all objections against these resolutions ) that gods glory must as well appeare in the punishment of the reprobate , as in the beatifying of the elect ; the consequence will bee quite contrary to that which their objections would hence inferre ; for , if the foundation of gods glory , bee as sure in the one case , as in the other ; the manner of his dealing with both must be alike perfect , and alike behovefull for us to follow . sine bonitate ( saith seneca ) nulla majestas , goodnesse is the foundation of glory . now , were it true , that he did intend evill to some , before they had committed any ( though not as evill to them , but as a meanes of others good ) or absolutely ordained them to eternall inevitable misery , for the advancement of his owne glory ; wee should not sinne , but rather imitate the perfection of our heavenly father , in robbing iudas to pay peter , or in feeding the hungry , such especially as be of the houshold of faith , with the spoiles of ungodly rich men , or unbeleevers . more warrantable it were to guesse at the perfection of his iustice towards the wicked , and of his bounty towards the godly , by the commendable shadow or imitatiō of it in earthly gods . to procure the common good without intention of harme to any , and with admission of as few private mischiefes as may be , is the chiefe praise of great states-men . and it is the glory of princes , to encourage all men unto vertuous courses by good example , gratious exhortations , and unpartiall distribution of publike honors or commodities : and yet withall to inflict disgrace upon haughty contemners of those gracious allurements ; and to bee sterne in execution of iustice ( without fauour ) upon notorious transgressors of wholesome lawes . yet not to use severity without sorrow , nor draw blood but by way of medicine ; for preserving of their crownes and dignities , for maintenance of publike peace , or for preventing the like diseases in other particular members of the same body . magistrates that would mind these matters , more than raysing themselves , their friends , or posterity , more than life it selfe , which they owe unto their countrey ; should exhibite us a true model , though ( god wot ) but a slender one of our heavenly fathers wisdome and loving kindnesse : first in drawing men to repentance , by gratious promises , and unfaigned proposalls of inestimable rewards for their service : secondly , in making the wicked and obstinate despisers of his infinite goodnesse , serve to the manifestation of his endlesse glory , and confirmation of those that love him in the immortal state of happinesse . these prints of his fatherly care and iustice , are yet fresh to bee seene in his proceedings with ungratious cain . and the lord said unto cain , why art thou wroth ? and why is thy countenance fallen ? if thou doe well , shalt thou not be accepted ? and if thou dost not well , sinne lyeth at the doore : and unto thee shall be his desire , and thou shalt rule over him , gen. . ver . , . severe punishment for doing evill , without precedent loving instructions , or good encouragement to doe well , is the naturall off-spring of unnaturalnesse . it beares no shadow of that justice or equity , whose glorious patterne shines most brightly in our heavenly father . chap. . of god infinite love to mankinde . if the apostles authority could not perswade us to beleeve , his reasons would inforce us to grant , that the issues of blessing and cursing from one and the same mouth , are contrary to the course of nature , and argue the nature of man , ( in whom alone this discord is found ) to be much out of tune . out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing , my brethren , these things ought not so to be . iam. . . for nature in other things gives you a better example . doth a fountaine send forth at the same place , sweet water and bitter ? can the figtree , my brethren , beare olive berries ? either a vine figs ? &c. these and the like fountaines of naturall truth , are as open to us , as they were to him , and wee should much wrong both this ambassador of christ , and gods image in our selves , if we did beleeve them only for his authority , and not for their owne native perspicuity . the best use of apostolique●authority , in these allegations , is to warrant our use of the like , though in matters divine : not one of his instances but holds as truly in god , as in man ; not one but receiveth a necessary increase of strength , from the indivisible unity of the divine essence . for a fig-tree to beare olive berries , is lesse impossible , than for the tree of life to bring forth death . to cause the vine bring forth figs , were not so hard a point of husbandry , as to derive cursednesse or misery from the fountaine of blisse . for a spring to send forth water sweet and bitter , fresh and salt , at one and the same place , is more compatible with any reasonable conceipt , than for hate or harmefull intentions to have any issue from pure love . but god is love : yea , love is his essence as creator . in that he is the author of being , hee is the author of goodnesse to all things that are , ( being , unto every thing in its owne proper being , is good ) and goodnesse in an intelligent don●r , is alwayes the fruit of love. hence saith the wiseman , of him that is wisest of all , of him that can neither deceive nor be deceived : he hateth nothing that he hath made . for even their being , and that goodnesse which accompanies it , is an undoubted pledge of his love . if to blesse god the maker , and to curse men which are made after his similitude , argue ( in the apostles supposall ) a dissolution of that internall harmony , which should be in the humane nature : to hate some , and love others of his best creatures , all being made after his owne image ; would necessarily infer a greater distraction in the indivisible essence , besides the contradiction which it implyes to infinite goodnes . to love the workes of his owne hands , is more essentiall to him , that made all things out of meere love , than it is unto the fire to burn matter combustible : and if his love be , as he is , truly infinite , it must extend to all , seeing all are lesse than infinite . love , were it perfect in us , would perfectly fulfill gods law , and make up a compleate body or system of morall goodnes . now the most absolute perfection of that love , whereof the humane nature ( though uncorrupted ) could bee capable , would be but an imperfect shadow of our heavenly fathers most perfect love ; which hath the same proportion to his goodnesse , that love in us ( were it as perfect as it possibly might bee ) should have to our morall goodnesse . that is , it is his compleat communicative goodnes . and though these two in him bee rather different names , than divers attributes , yet wee love his goodnes better , whiles it is attired with the name of love. for , of men that doe us equall good turnes , we love them best , whom we conceive to love us most : and loving kindnesse seemes good and lovely , even in the eyes of such as reape no profit from it , besides the sight of it . the very exercise of it in others , excites our weake inclinations to the like : and our inclinations moved , stir up a speculative assent or secret verdict of conscience , to approve that truth which wee cannot follow in the practice : beatius est dare , quam accipere : it is a more blessed thing to give , than to receive . no man measureth that which wee call a good nature ( as of men some are better natured than others ) either by the means it hath to benefit , or by the benefits bestowed ; but by the fervency of unfaigned good will , and hearty desires of doing good to all . this is that wherein ( especially when it is holpen by grace ) we most resemble the divine nature , which is infinitely better than the humane nature ( though takē at the best ) not only in respect of his ability to do good , but of his good wil to do the best that may be . and this his good will exceeds ours , not intensively only , but extensively . for we are bound to imitate him as well in the extension of our unfaigned good will towards all , as in the fervency of our desires to do the best good we can to some , because his loving kindnes to man is both waies infinitly perfect , thus saith the lord , let not the wise man glory in his wisedome , nor the strong man glory in his strength , neither the rich man glory in his riches : but let him that glorieth , glory in this , that he understandeth , and knoweth me ; that i am the lord which exercise loving kindnes , judgement , and righteousnesse in the earth : for in these things i delight , saith the lord. ier. . , . the first then & most native issue of infinite goodnesse , is the exercise of bounty or loving kindnesse , which floweth from it , without matter or motive to incite it . this is that which gave being , and with being , some portion of goodnesse unto all things that are ; it alters the name , but not the nature in the current . to prevent others with good turnes before they can expect or deserve them , is the highest point of bounty , whereto the ability of man can reach . but god gave vs that we most desire , proper being , with the appurtenances , before we could desire it ; for it is the foundation of all desire . from bounty or loving kindnesse , or from that goodnesse whence they spring , mercy and compassion differ only in the extrinsecall denomination taken from different objects . compassion is good will towards others , provoked from notice of their miserie : and mercy is but an excesse of bounty , not estranged from ill deservers , in distresse ; so long as the exercise of it breedes no harme to such as are more capable of bountifull love and favour . this incompossibility betweene the exercise of mercy and bounty towards particulars ill deserving , and the preservation of common good , occasioneth the interposition of iustice punitive ; whose exercise is in a sort , unnaturall to the father of mercy . for he doth not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men . lamen . . . nothing in good men can provoke it towards offenders , but the good of others deserving either better or not so ill , which might grow worse by evill doers impunity . to take pleasure in the paine or torture of notorious malefactors , is a note of inhumanity : their just punishment is onely so farre justly pleasant , as it procures either our owne , or others welfare ; or avoydance of those grievances , which they more justly suffer , than wee or others of the same societie , should doe . the more kind and loving men by nature are , the more unwilling they are to punish , unlesse it be for these respects . how greatly then doth it goe against his nature , who is loving kindnesse it selfe , to punish the workes of his owne hands ; man especially , who is more deare unto him , than any child can be unto his father , for hee is the father of all mankind ? for it is he that made us , and not we our selves ; not those whom we call fathers of our flesh , for even they likewise were made by him. hence he saith , call no mā father on earth , for one is your father which is in heaven , mat. . ver . . is the title his peculiar , more than the realty answering to it ? is he more willing to bee called the onely father of all the sonnes of men , than to doe the kinde office of a father to them ? no , like as a father pittieth his owne children , so the lord pitieth them that feare him , for he knoweth our frame , he remembreth we are but dust . psal . . , . it seemes this psalmist either was or had a most kinde and loving father , and hence illustrates the kindnesse of his heauenly father , by the best modell of kindnesse which hee knew . but if god truly be a father of all mankind , he certainly exceeds all other fathers as farre in fatherly kindnesse , as hee doth men in any branch of goodnesse or perfection . this is the first foundation of our faith , layd by his onely sonne : * aske and it shall be given unto you , seeke and ye shall finde , knocke and it shall be opened unto you . for every one that asketh , receiveth , and he that seeketh , findeth , and to him that knocketh it shall be opened . or what man is there of you , whom if his sonne aske bread , will he give him a stone ? or if he aske a fish , will hee give him a serpent , math. ● vers . , , , . every father that heard him , would have beene ready to have answered no ; yet none so ready or carefull as they should be , to give or provide best things for their children , because all besides him are evill fathers . if ye then being evill know how to give good gifts to your children , how much more shall your father which is in heaven , give good things to them that aske him , ver . . hee is then so much more willing to give good things to his children , as he is better or greater than other parents . his love to all men , seeing all are his sonnes , by a more peculiar reference than abraham was adams , or isaac abrahams , is infinitely greater than any parents beare to the fruits of their bodies . mortall fathers love children when they have them ; but love to themselves , or want of means to immortalize their owne persons , makes them desire to have children . the onely wise immortall god ( who is all-sufficient to all , most to himselfe , unacquainted with want of whatsoever can bee desired ) out of the abundance of his free bounty and meere loving kindnesse , did first desire our being ; and having given it us , doth much more love us , after we are instamped with his image . for he sowes not wheate , to reape tares ; nor did he inspire man with the breath of life , that he might bring forth death . the heathens conceived this title of father , as too narrow for fully comprehending all references of loving kindnesse betwixt their great iupiter and other demigods or men . iupiter omnipotens regum rex ipse ▪ deusque progenitor , genitrixque deum , deus unus , & omnis . and another poet * , iupiter & mas est & nescia faemina mortis . and because the affection of mothers , especially to their young and tender ones , is most tender : the true almighty hath deigned to exemplifie his tender mercy and compassion towards israel , as david did ionathans love towards him ; far surpassing the love of women , yea of mothers to their children . sion had said , the lord hath forsaken me , and my god hath forgotten mee . but her lord replyes , can a woman forget her sucking child , that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe ? yea , they may forget , yet will i not forget thee , esay . ver . . and if his love could sufficiently bee expressed by these dearest references amongst men , whose naturall affection towards their tender brood ( in respect of meaner creatures ) is much abated by wrong use of reason ( as many mothers by greatnesse of place , or curiosity of education , are lesse compassionate towards their children , then other silly women are ) he hath chosen the most affectionate female amongst reasonlesse creatures , to blazon his tender care and loving protection over ill-deserving children : how often would i have gathered thy children together , even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings ! math. . ver . . finally , as he gives much more to our being , than our earthly parents , whom we suppose to give us being ; so all the sweet fruits or comforts of love , whether of fathers and mothers towards their children , of husbands towards their wives , or of brethren to brethren , sisters to sisters , or one friend to another ( their sinfulnesse onely excepted ) are but distillations or infusions of his infinite love to our nature . to witnesse this truth unto us , the son of god was made both father , and brother and husband to our nature , &c. every reference or kinde office , whereof reasonable creatures are mutually capable , every other creature ( though voyd of reason , so not voyd of love and naturall affection ) may expresse some part of our heavenly fathers loving kindnesse : but the love of all , though infinitely increased in every particular , and afterwards made up in one , could no way equalize his love towards every particular soule created by him . feare of death or other danger , hath such joynt interest with love , ( as well in the heart of man , as in other creatures ) that , albeit they would doe more for their yong ones than they doe , if they could , yet they doe not usually so much as they might : not so much for their model of wit or strength , as god for his part though infinite in wisedome & power doth for the sonnes of men . he that feareth none , but is feared of al , he that needs no counsellor , but hath the heart of prince and counsellor in his hand , makes protestation in his serious griefe , that he hath done all for his unfruitfull vineyard that he could , as much as possibly could be done for it . or , if his serious protestations cannot deserve credit with deceitfull man , his solemne oath is witnesse of greater love than hath beene mentioned , of greater than the heart of man is able to conceive , even towards such as all their life time have hated him. as i live saith the lord , i will not the death of him that dyes . if besides the authority of these and infinite more sacred texts most perspicuous in themselves , the interpretation of the church , be required for establishing of the doctrine delivered ; the whole ancient church some peeces of saint austine onely excepted , which may bee counterpoyzed with other parts of the same fathers writings , is ready to give joynt verdict for us . and whether the restrictions which some reformed churches have endeavoured to lay upon gods promises , be compatible with the doctrine of the english church , comes in the next place to be examined . chap. . what the church of england doth teach concerning the extent of gods love : of the distinction of singula generum , and genera singulorum : of the distinction of voluntas signi , and voluntas beneplaciti . _what middle course soever the church of england doth hold , or may take for compromising contentions betweene some other reformed churches in points of election and reprobation , of free wil or mans ability , before the state of regeneratiō : she doth not in her publike and authorized doctrine come short of any church this day extant , in the extent of gods unspeakable love to mankind . no nationall councell , though assembled for that purpose , could fit their doctrine more expresly to meet with all the late restrictions of gods love , than the church our mother , even from the beginning of reformation , hath done ; as if she had then foreseene a necessity of declaring her judgement in this point , for preventing schismes or distraction in opinions amongst her sonnes . first , she injoynes us to beseech god to have mercy upon all men . this was the practice of the ancient church , which in her opinion , needed no reformation . a practice injoyned by * s. paul , i exhort or desire first of all , that supplications , prayers , intercessions , and giving thankes be made for all men . if any man shall seeke to lay that restraint upon this place , which s. austine somewhere doth , as if the word [ all men ] did import only genera singulorum [ all sorts of men , ] not , singula generum , [ every particular man : ] the scanning of the words following , the sifting of the matter contained in both , with the reason of the exhortation , and other reall circumstances , will shake off this or other like restriction , with greater ease than it can be laid upon it . wee are commanded to pray for no more ▪ than them , whose salvation we are unfainedly to desire , otherwise our prayers were hypocriticall . are we then to desire the salvation of some men onely , as they are dispersed here and there , throughout all nations , sorts , or conditions of men , or for every man of what condition soever , of what sort or nation soever he be ? the apostle exhorts us to pray for kings ( not excepting the most malignant enemies which the christians then had ) and for all that be in authority . and if we must pray for all that are in authority , with fervency of desire , that they may come unto the knowledge of the truth ; then questionlesse , wee are to desire , wee are to pray for the salvation of all and every one , which are under authority . god is no accepter of persons ; nor will the omnipotent permit us so to respect the persons of the mighty in our prayers , as that we should pray that all and every one of them might become peeres of the heavenly ierusalem , and but some choice or selected ones of the meaner sort might bee admitted into the same society . wee must pray then for high and low , rich and poore , without excepting any , either in particular or indefinitely . the reason why our prayers for all men must be universall , is , because wee are bound to desire the spirituall good of all men ; not as they fall under our indefinite , but under our uniuersall consideration . the reason againe , why wee are bound to desire the spirituall good of all men universally considered , is , because wee must be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect . vnto this universall desire , wee must adde our best endeavours that saving truth may be imparted unto all ; because it is our heavenly fathers will , his unfaigned will , that all should come to the knowledge of truth . both parts of this inference [ as first , that it is our duty to pray for all sorts of men , and for every man of what sort soever : and secondly , that we are therefore to pray thus universally , because it is gods will , not onely that we should thus pray , but that all without exception shold come unto the truth and be saved ] are expressely included in the prayers appointed by the church of england to bee used upon the most solemne day of devotions . the collects or praiers are in number three . the first , almighty god we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family for the which our lord iesus christ was contented to be betrayed , and given up into the hands of wicked men , and to suffer death upon the crosse , &c. the tenour of this petition , if we respect onely the forme , is indefinite not universall : but every logician knows , and every divine should consider , that the necessity of the matter , whether in prayers or propositions , will stretch the indefinite forme wherewith it is instamped , as farre as an absolute universall . that the forme of this petition is in the intention of the church of england , to be as farre extended as we have said ( that is ) [ to all and every one of the congregation present ] the prayer following puts out of question . for in that wee are taught to pray for the whole church , and for every member of it . almighty and everlasting god , by whose spirit the whole body of the church is governed and sanctified : receive our supplications and prayers , which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy congregation ; that every member of the same , in his vocation and ministery , may truly and godly serve thee . &c. if here it be excepted , that albeit this prayer be conceived in termes formally universall , yet is the universall forme of it to be no further extended , than its proper matter or subject ; and that ( as will be alleaged ) is the mysticall live-body of christ , whose extent , or the number of whose members , is to us unknowne : the third and last prayer will clearely quit this exception , and free both the former petitions , from these or the like restrictions . for in the last prayer wee are taught to pray for all and every one which are out of the church , that they may bee brought into the church , and bee made partakers with us of gods mercy , and the common salvation . mercifull god , who hast made all men , and hatest nothing that thou hast made , nor wouldest the death of a sinner , but rather that he should be converted and live : have mercy upon all iewes , turkes , infidells , and heretiques , and take from them all ignorance , hardnesse of heart ; and contempt of thy word ▪ and so fetch them home , blessed lord , to thy flocke , that they may bee saved among the remnant of the true israelites , and be made one fold , under one shepheard iesus christ our lord. if god therefore will not the death of any iew , turke or infidell , because of nothing hee made them men : wee may safely conclude that he willeth not the death of any , but the life of all , whom of men or infidells , hee hath made christians ; to whom he hath vouchsafed the ordinary meanes of salvation , and daily invites , by his messengers , to imbrace them . hee which made all things without invitation , out of meere love , made nothing hatefull ; nor is it possible that the unerring fountaine of truth and love , should cast his dislike , much lesse fix his hatred upon any thing that was not first in it nature odious . nothing can make the creature hatefull or odious to the creator , besides its hatred or enmity of that love , by which it was created , and by which he sought the restauration of it when it was lost . nor is it every degree of mans hatred or enmity unto god , but a full measure of it , which utterly exempts man from his love ; as that reverend * bishop and glorious martyr , one of the first reformers of the religion profest in this land , observes . if with these authorized devotions we compare the doctrine of our church in the publike catechisme , what can bee more cleare , then that as god the father doth love all mankind , without exception ; so the sonne of god did redeeme not some onely of all sorts , but all mankind universally taken : first wee are taught to beleve in god the father who made us and all the world . now , if the church our mother have in the former prayers truly taught us , that god hateth nothing which he hath made ; this will bring forth another truth : viz. that either there be some men which are not of gods making ; or else that hee hateth no man ( not esau ) as he is a man , but as a sinner , but as an enemy or contemner of his goodnesse . and consequently to this branch or corollary of this former truth , wee are in the same catechisme , in the very next place taught to beleeve in god the son who hath redeemed us and all mankind . and if all mankind were redeemed by him , than all of this kind were unfeignedly loved ; none were hated by him . and though in the same place , wee are taught to beleeve in the holy ghost as in the sanctifier of all that are sanctified , yet this wee are taught with this caveat , that he doth sanctifie al the elect people of god , not all mankind . all then are not sanctified by god the holy ghost , which are redeemed by god the sonne , nor doth god the father bestow all his spirituall blessings upon all whom hee doth unfeignedly love , or on whom hee hath bestowed the blessing of baptisme as the seale or pledge of their redemption . all these inferences are so cleere , that the consideration of them makes us doubt , whether such amongst us , as teach the contrary to any of these , have at any time subscribed unto the booke of common prayers , or whether they had read it before they did subscribe unto it or contradict it . that this universall extent of gods love , and of the redemption wrought by christ , is a fundamentall principle , whereon many serious and fruitfull exhortations in the booke of homilies are immediately grounded , shall ( by gods assistance ) appeare in the article concerning christ . for a concludent proofe that god doth unfeignedly will , not genera singulorum , all sorts of men onely ; but singula generum , every one of all sorts to be saved ; take it briefely thus : all they which are saved , and all they which are not saved , make up both parts of the former distinction or division to the full . but god will have all to bee saved which are saved ; he likewise willeth the salvation of all such , as are not saved , that is , of such as dye : therefore he willeth the salvation of every one of all sorts . that god doth will the salvation of all that are saved , no man ever questioned ; that god did will not the life , but death of such as dyed , the iewes ( gods owne people ) did sometimes more then question : and to prevent the like querulous murmurings of misbeliefe in others , he once for all interposed his solemne oath ; as i live saith the lord , i will not the death of him that dyeth , but rather that he should repent and live . none then can be saved whom god would not have saved ; many are not saved , whom god would have saved . but how , or by what will doth he will that they should be saved that are not saved ? doth he will their salvatiō by his revealed , not by his secret will ? doth he give signification onely of his good will towards them , whereas his good will and pleasure , is not finally to doe them any reall good ? this i take to be the meaning of voluntas signi , and beneplaciti . but , it being granted , that god doth will the salvation of all men , by his revealed will , or voluntate signi ; this alone will sufficiently inferre our intended conclusion [ that he truly wils the salvation of all , without the exemption of any . ] vpon such as contradict this doctrine , it lyes upon them to prove not the negative onely , that god doth not will the salvation of all by his secret will ; but this positive particular , that god doth nill or unwill the salvation of some by his secret will , whose salvation he willeth by his revealed will. now if it be answered , that he doth by his secret will or good pleasure , unwill or nill the salvation of the same parties to whom he willeth salvation by his will revealed or signified ; they must ( without remedy ) acknowledge the one or the other member of this division : as , either [ that there be two wils in god of as different inclinations ad extra , as the reasonable and sensitive appetite are in man : ] or [ that there is a manifest contradiction in the object of one and the same divine will. ] that , all men should be saved , and that some men should not be saved , implyeth as formall a contradiction , as to say , [ all men are living creatures , some men are no living creatures . ] now that all men should bee living creatures , and that some men should not be living creatures , falls not within the object of omnipotency . and if the will of god , be at truly undivided in it selfe , as the omnipotent power is : it is no lesse impossible that the salvation of all , and the non-salvation of some should be the object , or true parts of the object of one and the same divine will undivided in it selfe , than that the actuall salvation of all , and the actuall and finall condemnation of some , or the non-salvation of all , should be really effected by the omnipotent power . whether this divine will be clearly revealed , or in part revealed , and in part reserved or secret in respect of us , all is one ; so this will in it selfe and in its nature , bee but one , and undivided . the manifestation or reservation of it , or whatsoever other references it may have to us , can neither increase nor abate the former contradiction in the object . or if voluntas signi , bee not essentially the same with voluntas beneplaciti , there is a manifest contradiction or contrariety betwixt them : if the salvation of all bee the object of the one , and the non-salvation or reprobation of others , be the object of the other . yet doe we not ( like rigorous critiques ) so much intend the utter banishment of this distinction out of the confines of divinity , as the confinement of it to its proper seat and place . rightly confined or limited , it may beare faith and allegiance to the truth , and open some passages for clearing some branches of it : but permitted to use that extent of liberty which hath beene given to it by some , it wil make way for canonization 〈◊〉 ●●esuiticall perjuries , for deification of mentall evasions or reservations . let us compare iesuiticall practices with that patterne , which is the necessary resultance of some mens interpretation of gods oath in this case . were this interrogatory put to any iesuiticall assassinat , imagine a powder-plotter ; [ doe you will or intend the ruine of the king or state , or doe you know of any such project or intendment ? ] there is none of this crue so mischievously minded , but would be ready to sweare unto this negative [ as the lord liveth , and as i hope for life and salvation by him , i neither intend the ruine of king or state , nor doe i know of any conspiracy against him . ] and yet in case the event should evidently discover his protestation to be most false ; yet would he rest perswaded , that this or the like mentall evasion or reservation [ i neither intended the ruine of king or state , so they would become romane catholiques ; nor did i know of any conspiracy against them , with minde or purpose to reveale it unto them , ] may be a preservative more than sufficient , a soveraigne antidote against the sinne of perjury , which hee had swallowed or harboured in his brest ; specially if the concealement of his treason , make for the good of the church . to put the like interrogatory unto the almighty iudge , concerning the ruine or welfare of men , no magistrate , no authority of earth hath any power . yet hee , to free himselfe from that foule aspersion , which the iewes had cast upon him ( as if such as perished in their sinnes , had therefore perished , because it was his will and pleasure they should not live but dye , ) hath interposed his often mentioned voluntary oath ; as i live , i will not the death of him that dyes , but rather that he should live . shall it here bee enough to make answer for him , interpretando , by interpreting his meaning to be this ? i doe not will the death of him that dyes , so he will repent , which i know he cannot doe : nor doe i will his non-repentance , with purpose to make this part of my will knowne to him ; however , according to my secret and reserved will , i have resolved never to grant him the meanes , without which he cannot possibly repent ; whereas without repentance hee cannot live but must dye . but , did gods oath give men no better assurance than this interpretation of it doth , i see no reason ( yet heartily wish , that others might see more ) why any man should so much blame the iesuites , for secret evasions or mentall reservations in matter of oath . for the performance of our oaths in the best manner that wee are capable of , is but an observance of a particular branch of that generall precept , be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect . who then can justly challenge the iesuite of imperfection or falshood , much lesse of perjury , for secret evasions or mentall reservations , when his life is called in question ; if once it bee granted , that the god of truth , in matter of oath concerning the eternall life or death of more men than the iesuites have to deale with , doth use the like ? in matters then determined by divine oath , the distinction of voluntas signi and beneplaciti , can have no place ; specially in their doctrine who make the bare entity or personall being of men , the immediate object of the immutable decree concerning life and death everlasting . for the entity or personall being of man , is so indivisible , that an universall negation , and a particular affirmation of the same thing , [ to wit , salvation ] falling upon man , as man , or upon the personall being of men , drawes to the strictest point of contradiction . farre ever be it from us to thinke , that god should sweare unto this universall negative , i will not the death of the man that dyeth ; and yet beleeve withall , that he wils the death of some men that dye , as they are men , or as they are the sonnes of adam : that hee should by his secret or reserved will , recall any part of his will declared by oath ; that hee should proclaime an universall pardon to all the sonnes of adam under the seale of his oath , and yet exempt many from all possibility of receiving any benefit by it . shall we then conclude that the former distinction hath no use at all in divinity ? or if this conclusion be too rigorous , let us see in what cases it may have place , or to what particulars it may bee confined . first , it hath place in matters of threatning , or of plagues not denounced by oath . thus god , by his prophet ionas , did signifie his will to have nineveh destroyed at forty dayes end ; this was voluntas signi ; and he truly intended what hee signified : yet was it his voluntas beneplaciti , his good will and pleasure at the very same time , that the ninevites should repent and live . and by their repentance , his good will and pleasure was fulfilled in their safety . but in this case there was no contrariety betweene gods will declared or signified .i. [ voluntas signi ] and his good will and pleasure , .i. [ voluntas beneplaciti ] ; no contradiction in the object of his will however considered , for that was not one and the same , but much different , in respect of gods will signified by ionas ; and of his good will and pleasure , which , not signified by him , was fulfilled . one and the same immutable will or decree of god did from eternity award two doomes , much different , unto ninevch ; taking it as it stood affected when ionas threatned destruction unto it , or as it should continue so affected ; and taking it as it proved , upon the judgement threatned . all the alteration was in nineveh , none in gods will or decree : and nineveh being altered to the better , the selfe same rule of iustice , doth not deale with it after the selfe same manner . the doome or sentence could not bee the same without some alteration in the iudge , who is unalterable . and in that hee is unalterably iust and good , his doome or award , was of necessity to alter , as the object of it altered . deus saepe mutat sententiam , nunquam consilium . gods unchangeable will or counsell doth often change his doome or sentence . the same rule holds thus farre true in matter of blessing or promise not confirmed by oath : upon the parties alteration unto worse , unto whom the promise is made , the blessing promised may be revoked , without any alteration of gods will or counsell . yet may we not say , that the death or destruction of any to whom god promiseth life , is so truely the object of his good will and pleasure , as the life and salvation of them is , unto whom he threatneth destruction . the same distinctiō is of good use in some extraordinarie cases , or as applyed to men after they have made up the full measure of their iniquity , and are cut off from all possibility of repentance . thus god willed pharaoh to let his people goe out of egypt , and signified this his will unto him by moses and aaron , in mighty signes and wonders . this was voluntas signi , onely , not voluntas beneplaciti . for though it were his good will and pleasure , that his people should depart out of egypt ; yet was it no branch of this his good will and pleasure , that pharaoh should now repent or bee willing to let them goe . rather it was his good will and pleasure ( specially after the seventh plague ) to have the heart of pharaoh hardned . and yet after his heart was so hardned , that it could not repent , god so punished him , as if it had beene free and possible for him to repent , and grant a friendly passe unto his people . but pharaohs case was extraordinary ; his punishment so exemplary , as not to be drawne into example . for as our apostle intimates , it was an argument of gods great mercy and long suffering , to permit pharaoh to live any longer on earth , after he was become a vessell of wrath destinated to everlasting punishment in hell . the reason why god thus plagued pharaoh , for not doing that which now he could not doe ( all possibility of amendment being taken from him ) was to teach all generations following , by his fearefull end , to beware of his desperate beginnings , of struggling with god , or of persecuting them , whose patronage hee had in peculiar manner undertaken . and here again , there is no contradiction betweene these two proposition [ god from all eternity did will the death of pharaoh ; god from all eternity did not will the death , but rather the life of pharaoh . for albeit pharaoh continued one and the same man , from his birth unto his death , yet did he not all this time continue one and the same object of gods immutable will and eternall decree . this object did alter as pharaohs dispositions or affections towards god or his neighbours altered . there is no contrariety , much lesse any contradiction , betweene these [ god unfaignedly loveth all men ; god doth not love , but hate the reprobate , although they be men , yea the greatest part of men . ] for here the object of his love and hate is not the same ; he loves all men unfaignedly as they are men , or as men which have not made up the full measure of iniquity : but having made up that , or having their soules betroathed unto wickednesse , he hates them . his hate of them as reprobates ; is no lesse necessary or usuall , than his love of them as men . but though he necessarily bates them being once become reprobates , or having made up the full measure of iniquity : yet was there no necessity layd upon them by his eternall decree , to make up such a measure of iniquity . how these deductions will consort with some moderne catechismes i doe not know : sure i am they are consonant to the opinion of that learned bishop and blessed martyr in his preface to his expositions of the ten commandements ; a fit catechisme for a bishop to make . every man is called in the scripture , wicked , and the enemy of god ; for the privation and lacke of faith and love , that he oweth to god. et impii vocantur , qui non omnino sunt pii ; that is , they are called wicked that in all things honour not god , beleeve not in god , and observe not his commandements as they should doe ; which we cannot do by reason of this naturall infirmity , or hatred of the flesh , as paul calleth it , against god. in this sense taketh paul this word , wicked . so must we interpret st. paul and take his words ; or else no man should be damned . now we know that paul himselfe , st. iohn , and christ damneth the contemners of god , or such as willingly continue in sinne , and will not repent . those the scripture excludeth from the generall promise of grace . thou seest by the places afore rehearsed , that though wee cannot beleeve in god as undoubtedly as is required , by reason of this our naturall sicknesse and disease , yet for christs sake in the judgement of god wee are accounted as faithfull beleevers , for whose sake this naturall disease and sicknesse is pardoned , by what name soever s. paul calleth the naturall infirmity , or originall sinne in man. and this imperfection or naturall sicknesse taken of adam , excludeth not the person from the promise of god in christ , except wee transgresse the limits and bounds of this originall sinne by our owne folly and malice ; and either of a contempt or hate of gods word , we fall into sinne , and transforme our selves into the image of the devill . then wee exclude by this meanes our selves from the promises and merits of christ , who only received our infirmities , and originall disease , and not the contempt of him , and his law. section iii. that gods good will and pleasure is never frustrated , albeit his unspeakeable love take no effect in many to whom it is unfeignedly tendered . chap. . in what sense god may be said to have done all that he could for his vineyard , or for such as perish . to found both parts of a contradiction in truth , fals not within the sphere of omnipotency , and we may with consent of al divines , maintaine it to be impossible . the true originall aswell of our aptnesse to conceive difficulties in the points proposed , as our ignorance in assoyling them , is because we extend not this maxime so far as it naturally would reach ; and the reason why we extend it not so farre , is our pronenesse to extend our owne power to the utmost , and , for the most part farther then justice or true goodnesse can accompany it . it is our nature to be humorous , and the nature of humor to be unconstant . fortunes character may be every sonne of adams motto : tantum constans in levitate , onely constant in unconstancy . and being such , nothing can imply any constant contradiction to our nature ; nothing that is truly and constantly the same , but will one time or other contradict our changeable and inconstant humors . and these enraged with contradiction , doe , ( tyrant-like ) arme power , without just tryall or examination , without either respect or reverence , against whatsoever contradicts them . the right use of power in creatures meerely sensitive , is to satiate their appetites of sense : for nothing hath power to move it selfe , but what is sensitive : and , all power , whether of body or minde , was bestowed on man for the execution of his will , or accomplishing his desire of good : but , since his will , by his fall , became irregular , and his desires corrupt ; his power is become like a common officer , or undercommander to all his unruly appetites , domineering by turne or succession ; all other inclinations being under the command of it . so the wise man hath charactered the resolution of voluptuous men , cap. . . come on therefore , let us enjoy the good things that are present , and let us speedily use the creatures like as in youth . and ver . . let our strength be the law of justice ; for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth . even in such as are by most esteemed good men and sober , those notions of truth and equity which are naturall and implanted , are so weake and ill taken ; that , rather than upstart carnall appetites or desires which custome countenanceth , should be enraged through their reluctance , they presently yeeld their consents to such proposalls , as ( were they resolute , firme and constant ) would as offensively contradict them , as punishment or paine doth our sense of pleasure . vnto such proposalls we often yeeld , as are impossible to be approved by equity ; to whom we usually professe our dearest love and allegiance , with promises to frame our lives by her rules . but love in us ( whether one simple and indivisible quality , or an aggregation or cluster of divers inclinations , all rooted in one center , ) is not alike set on divers objects . hence , when it comes to opposition betweene sense and reason , betweene our selves , our private friends , and common equity , it divides it selfe unequally . the particular inconveniences whereto we are daily exposed , by the inordinate love of the world , and the flesh , are infinite ; all may be reduced to these two originalls : first , it blindes our judgements , and makes our intentions seeme upright and just to our partiall desires , or at least not incompatible with the rules of equity ; when as , to impartiall judgements , they are palpably unjust . secondly , having blinded our judgements , it forthwith abuseth our power or authority ; to effect whatsoever is not , for the present , apprehended for a grosse and evident wrong . so that nothing whereon our love or liking is for the present mainly set , seemes any way impossible unto us ; unlesse it bee altogether without the compasse of our power : and , through the variousnesse of our humerous disposition , that , which we cannot like or admit to day , will be allowed of to morrow . but though there bee none that doth good , no not one , yet some there be doe lesse evill than others . and seeing those amongst us , whose love to equity is more strong and constant than their neighbours , are alwayes drawne with greater difficulty to dispense with truth or approve unjustice ; the consequence necessarily amounting from this experimented truth , is , that [ if any mans judgement in matters of equity and justice were infallible , and his love to justice and knowne equity altogether constant and invincible , it would bee impossible for him to transgresse in judgement . ] thus as well the strength of unconstant humorous desires , as the faintnesse of love or equity ( both which most men may experience in themselves ) as the contrary vertues , which they may observe in some few joyntly conspire to rectifie our conceit of god , in whom the ideall perfection , of the ones integrity and constancy , is without all mixture of the others vice or humorous impotency . the first rule for right extending the former maxime [ to make both parts of a contradiction true , is no part of the object of power omnipotent ] would be this ; many effects which are very possible to power alone considered , or as it hath the mastery over weake inclinations unto equity , necessarily imply a direct and manifest contradiction unto some divine attributes , no lesse infinite or immutable than almighty power . hence it followes , that many effects or designes , which seeme possible to the humane nature , may bee impossible or most incongruous to the divine . it is more shamefull then impossible for rich men to lye & cozen , or for magistrates to oppresse and wrong their inferiors ; albeit the ones riches or others power , were infinitely increased , without internall increase of their fidelity . but to him that is eternally true and just , yea eternall truth and justice , it is as impossible to speak an untruth , or doe wrong , as for truth to be a lye , or justice to be unjust . many things then are possible to meere power , which are impossible to it , as linkt with truth or love ; and many things againe possible to it , as linkt with these , which yet directly contradict the eternall patterne of justice or goodnesse ; and are by consequent impossible to the almighty , who is no lesse just and good , then powerfull . many pyrats by sea , or robbers by land , might they injoy but halfe the power & authority for a month , whereof ordinary princes by inheritance are possest ; would doe their companions and friends more good , and worke their enemies greater spoyle in this short space , than any monarch can doe in his whole raigne , which holds it a point of majestie to moderate his actions by that princely rule ; princeps id potest quod jure potest , princes can do no more than they can doe justly . in this sense , i think we may truly say , all before christ were theeves & robbers , or in respect of him very unjust ; not abraham , david , ezekiah , iosias , not one of the prophets , might they have but halfe that power and authority cōmitted to them over angels for a night , which the son of god from everlasting had , without robbery ; but would have thought it very possible to have removed the romane army with as great terror , losse and disgrace , as the angell of the lord sometimes had done the assyrians , from ierusalems-siege ; whose fatall destruction , god incarnate cleerly foreseeing , bewailed with teares , but would not , but could not prevent . for to the king of everlasting righteousnesse , that onely was possible , which was justly possible . and though he were a father to israel , and the prince of peace , yet he approves a most bloody and mercilesse warre , before an unjust peace , and disgracefull to eternall majestie ; for so the prophet had said in his name , before , there is no peace unto the wicked ; to such as stubbornely abandon the wayes of peace , and wilfully neglect saving health , so often and lovingly tendred unto them ; hos salus ipsa servare non potuit , and shall infinite power save them , whom infinite salvation cannot save ? to have smitten the men of sodom with blindnesse , before lust had entred in at their eyes ; had beene a worke as easie to almighty power , as blinding them in the attempt or prosecution of lust conceived . but that contradiction which the prevention of this sinne , did not imply unto gods power , it did ( all circumstances considered ) necessarily imply unto his iustice ; by whose immutable and eternall rules , they were left unguarded against these foule temptions , for wilfull contempt of his goodnesse , for abusing his long suffering and loving kindnesse . but did it imply any contradictiō to his goodnesse or loving kindnesse , to have prevented the sodomites former contempt or abuse of them ? out of question it did , unto his eternall equity ; for all his waies are mercy and truth . and these sodomites wilfulnesse presupposed , the eternall rule of his goodnesse and loving kindnesse , had appointed justice to debarre them , as now they are , from reaping those fruits , whereof his goodnesse , as they were men , had made them capable . the principle whence the just proofe of these seeming paradoxes , as also the right explication of all difficulties in this argument , must be derived , is a schoole maxime borrowed from orthodoxall antiquity , now not much used , but of much use in true divinity , and for this reason to bee more fully insisted upon , in the treatise of mans first estate . the maxime it self is briefly thus ; it is impossible for mā or other created substance , to be absolutely impeccable from his creation . onely he that is infinite in being , is infinitely good ; and infinite goodnesse onely implyes an absolute impossibility of being bad . as god onely essentially is , so hee onely is essentially and immutably good ; all things besides him are or sometimes were subject to mutability , aswell in essence as in their state and condition . power omnipotent could not from the first creation , have pared off all mutabilitie from mans morall goodnesse , without perishing the onely possible root of his eternall and immutable happinesse . to decline to evill , implyes no contradiction to being simply , but onely to omnipotent being : it is so possible to all creatures , that without this possibility , it were ( as we shall afterwards prove ) impossible for them to be truly like their creator , for a moment in that attribute , whose participation is the only assurance of their eternall weale . if god either by his omnipotent power , or infinite wisedome , had necessarily ( though without any violence ) restrained this possibility in man , of declining from good to evill , man had forthwith ceased to have beene truly and inherently good , and ceasing to be such , had utterly lost all possibilities of that estate , whose pledge or earnest he received in his creation . gods goodnesse is his happinesse . and his participative goodnesse is the foundation of mans happinesse . so that not gods justice onely , but that loving kindnesse whereby hee created man , and appointed him as heyre apparent of life eternall , did remove all necessity from his will , because the imposition of necessity ( whether laid upon him by power or wisdome infinite ) had utterly extinguished that goodnesse wherein it was onely possible for the creature to expresse the creators goodnesse manifested in his creation . now that was not gods essentiall or immutable goodnesse , for that is incommunicable . all the goodnesse man is capable of , doth but expresse gods goodnesse communicative . it is the stampe of it communicated . as god then did communicate his goodnesse to his creatures , not by necessity but freely , so could not the creature be truly good ( that is like his god ) by necessity but freely . nor was it possible for him to have beene either confirmed in such goodnesse as he had , or translated to everlasting happinesse ; but by continuing freely good for some space , or lesse evill , than by the liberty which god by his immutable law had given him in his creation , hee possibly might have beene . continuing good , though but for a while , without necessity , the riches of gods free bounty , had beene continually increased towards him , and had finally established him in everlasting blisse by confirmation of him in true goodnesse , or by investing him with immortality . since his fall wee are not usually capable of mercy or of the increase of his bounty ; much lesse of these everlasting fruits whereof blessings temporall are the pledges ; but by free abstinence from some evills , unto whose practices , the possibility of our corrupted nature might be improved . and albeit we doe not alway that which is in its nature evill , yet we can doe nothing well , but even the good which we do we doe it naughtily : yet unlesse we doe both lesse evill , and the good which we do lesse naughtily than we possibly might doe , god still diminisheth the riches of his bounty towards us ; and by inhibiting the sweet influence of his gracious providence , suffers us to fall from one wickednesse to another , being prone to runne headlong into all , if once the reines of our unruly appetites , bee given into our unweildie hands . farre bee it from any sonne of adam to thinke hee is able without gods love and favour to withdraw himselfe from the extremities of mischiefe , much lesse to doe such good as may make him capable of well-doing . so strong is our love to sinfull pleasures , since our first parents gave the reines unto our appetite , that none can recall themselves or repent , without the attractions of infinite love . and yet many whom this infinite love doth daily imbrace , because they apprehend not it , are never brought by the attractions of it to true repentance . despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse , saith the apostle , rom. . . his forbearance and long suffering , not knowing that the goodnesse of god leadeth thee to repentance ? of whom speakes he thus ? of such onely as truly repent , and by patient continuance in wel-doing , seeke for glory , honour , and immortality ? nay , but , of them who for hardnesse of heart , cannot repent ; but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath , and the revelation of the righteous judgment of god. were the riches of his bounty therefore fained , or did hee onely profer , but not purpose to draw them unto repentance , which repented not ? this is no part of our heavenly fathers perfection , no fruit of that wisedome which is from above , but a point of earthly policy devoid of honesty ; a meere tricke of wordly wit , to whose practice nothing but weaknesse and impotence to accomplish great desires , can mis-incline mans corrupted nature . but doth it not argue the like impotency , though no such want of integrity in god , not to effect what he wils more ardently and more unfainedly , than man can doe the increase or continuance of his welfare , or avoidance of endlesse misery ? no ; it being supposed ( as we have said ) that man is not capable of endlesse joyes , unlesse he will be wrought by meere love , without the impulsions of unresistible power , unfaignedly to love him that hath prepared them for him ; the same infinite love which continually drawes him unto repentance , was in congruity to leave him a possibility not to be drawne by it . for coactive penitency , would have frustrated the end to which repentance is but a meane subordinate . the imployment or exercise of gods almighty power to make men repent against their wils , or before they were wrought to a willingnesse by the sweet attractions of his infinite love , or by threatnings of judgements not infinite or irresistible , would be like the indeavors of a loving father , more strong than circumspect , who out of pity to his sonne , whom he sees ready to be choked with water , should strangle him by violent haling him to the shore . most men by ascribing that unto gods power which is the peculiar and essentiall effect of his love , doe finally misse of that good , which both infallibly conspire to poure , without measure , upon all such as take right and orderly hold of them . how shall wee then fasten our faith to them aright ? we are to beleeve , that gods infinite power shall effect without controule or checke of any thing in heaven or earth , all things possible for their endlesse good , that truly love him ; but constraines no mans will to love him , being alwaies armed against wilfull neglectors of his unfaigned love . no man would argue his love to be lesse than infinite , because not able to produce the effects of infinite power : and as little reason wee have to thinke , that power , though infinite , should bee the true immediate parent of love , which never springs in any reasonable creature , but from the seedes of love or lovelines sown in the humane soule , though they doe not alwayes prosper . constraint , because it is the proper and immediate effect of power , is a companion fit for lust ; whose satisfaction breedes rather a loathing of the parties constrained , than any good wil or purpose to reward them for being unwilling , unloving , or impatient passives ; nothing but true unforced love , can yeeld contentment unto love . needy man , to whom benevolences though wrested are ever gratefull , cannot bee induced to love the parties from whom they are wrested . for , non tantum ingratum sed invisum est beneficium superbè datum : good offices whilest they are presented by pride , are not onely ungratefull but odious . but god who giveth to all men liberally , and upbraideth no man ; as he esteemes no gifts ( howsoever given ) so he alwayes detests the niggardly backwardnesse , and loves the cheerfulnesse of the giver . from these discussions the truth of the former rule , with the right solution of the maine probleme proposed , may bee illustrated , by examples of divers kinds in subjects knowne and familiar . be the charge never so great , so the exonerations be well nigh equal , the incoms are lesse than if their charge were little , and their exonerations none . or , be a mans revenues never so large , so his necessary expences be no lesse , hee shall not bee able to doe as much for his friend in some reall kindnesse , as hee whose estate is not halfe so great , if so his annuall expences be tenne times lesse . in like case , though mans love to his dearest friend , be ( in respect of gods love to us ) but faint , and his power but small ; yet because his love to justice is much lesse , or rather his partiality greater , hee oft-times effects that for his temporall good , which god though infinite in power , doth not effect for those whom hee infinitely loves . for the bequests or grants made unto man by his infinite love , must undergoe the examination of justice and equitie . what are alike infinite , before they passe the irrevocable seale of infinite power , one of these cannot attempt , much lesse absolutely bring ought to passe , without the others consent . infinite love cannot oversway , either gods incomprehensible wisedome to devise , or his omnipotency to practise meanes for mans salvation , which contradict the unchangeable rules of infinite equity . his love is as truly indivisible , as infinite ; and is for this reason more indissolubly linkt unto the unchangeable rules of his owne justice or equity , than unto mankinde , whose goodnesse in his best estate , was but mutable ; nor are any of adams posterity so capable of that infinite mercie , wherewith god embraceth them , as gods iustice and majestie are of his infinite love. these being as he is absolutely immutable , are throughout eternity immutably loved of him , who indivisibly is majestie , iustice , love , immutable . chap. . the truth and ardency of gods love unto such as perish , testified by our saviour , and by s. paul. these are no paradoxes , but plaine truth ; without whose acknowledgement , wee shall hardly finde any true sense or good meaning in gods protestations of sorrow for his peoples plagues , or in his expostulations of their unthankfulnesse , or in his kind invitations of them to repentance , which never repent , or in his tender profers of salvation to those which perish . i have spred out my hands all the day long unto a rebellious people , which walketh in a way that was not good , after their owne thoughts , &c. isay . . his infinite power expects their conversion , as the mariner doth the turning of the tyde ; but may not transport them into the land of promise , untill his loving-kindnesse have converted them . the unremovable rules of eternall equity , will not suffer him to stretch out his hands any farther than he doth , towards the sonnes of men ; and when the measure of their iniquity is accomplished , his infinite iustice will not suffer him to stretch them out so farre any longer . albeit hee cannot then without unfaigned sorrow , withdraw them from those to whom in love unfaigned hee hath stretcht them out . thus ierusalems iniquity come to the full did fill our redeemers heart with woe , and his eyes with teares . if thou hadst knowne , even thou , at least in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace ; but now they are hid from thine eyes : luke . . did he speake this as man , or doth not the spirit say the same ? hee that spake this , spake nothing but words of spirit and life , nothing but the words of god , if we may beleeve that he meant as he hath spoken . i have not spoken ( saith * hee ) of my selfe , but the father which sent me , hee gave me a commandement , what i should say , and what i should speake : whatsoever i speake therefore , even as the father said unto me so i speake . his bowels of compassion were freely extended towards thē , from that exact conformity which his spotlesse and blessed soule held with gods infinite love ; and yet restrained againe by that conformity , which it as exactly held with the eternall rules of gods infinite justice or equity : and from these different motions or distractions , thus occasioned from that indissoluble uniō of his divisible soule , with these two different attributes of the indivisible nature , were his teares squeezed out . he wept then as man , not as god ; and yet in this humane passion , did visibly act that part which god before his incarnation had penned , as a sensible memoriall of his unconceivable love . o that my people had hearkned unto me : and israel had walked in my wayes ; i should soone have subdued their enemies , and turned my hand against their adversaries . the haters of the lord should have submitted themselves unto him but their time should have endured for ever . he should have fed them also with the finest wheat , and with honey out of the rocke should i have satisfied thee . psalm . . vers . , , , . wheat and honey , here promised , were emblemes of better blessings purposed towards them . and thus avouching this his purpose , under no character of courtly complement , but in the forme of legall assurance ; his words are undoubted tokens of unfeigned love and desire unquenchable of their welfare , that did not prosper . israel might have said , as ierusalem afterwards did of her sorrow ; was there ever any love like unto this love wherewith the lord imbraced mee in the dayes of my youth . notwithstanding this excessive fervency of his loving kindnesse ( whose will is infinite ) laid no necessity upon their wils to whom hee wished all this good . they had a liberty left them by eternall equity , to refuse it . hee out of the wishes of his bounty as he protesteth , was ready to poure out his best blessings according to the immensity of his loving kindnesse , so israel would open his mouth wide to receive them . but my people ( saith he ) would not hearken unto my voice ; and israel would none of mee ; so i gave them up unto their owne hearts lust ; and they walked in their owne counsells . psal . . vers . , . lord , who had sinned , the heathen people or their forefathers in like manner as israel did , that in times past thou sufferedst them all to walke in their owne wayes ? acts . . they that observe lying vanities forsake their owne mercy , saith the prophet ionah . . . never hadst thou given them up to their owne hearts lust , to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath , had they not despised the riches of thy bounty ; whose current , neverthelesse was not altogether diverted from their posterity . to them thou leftest not thy selfe without a witnesse , in that thou didst good , and gavest them raine from heaven in fruitfull seasons , filling their hearts with food and gladnesse . to all nations even in the time of darknesse , when they were strangers from thee ; these and the like temporall and sensible blessings , were unquestionable earnests of thy everlasting love , since more fully manifested ; for thou so lovedst the world ( not israel onely ) that thou gavest thine onely begotten son , to the end that who so beleeved in him , should not perish but have everlasting life . what further argumēt of gods infinite love , could flesh & blood desire ; thā the son of gods voluntary suffring that , in our flesh , by his fathers appointment , which , unto flesh and blood seemes most distastfull ? that this love was unfaignedly tendered to all , at least , that have heard or hereafter may heare of it , without exception ; what demonstration from the effect , can be more certaine , what consequence more infallible , thā the inference of this truth is frō a sacred truth received by all good christians , viz. [ al such as have heard gods love in christ proclaimed and not beleeved in it , shall in the day of iudgement appeare guilty of greater sinnes , than their forefathers could be endited of ; and undergoe more bitter death , than any corruption drawne from adam , if christ had never suffered , could have bred . ] i shall no way wrong the apostle in unfolding his exhortations to the athenians thus farre ; but they rather offer the spirit by which hee spake , some kinde of violence , that would contract his meaning shorter . the times of this ignorance ( before christs death ) god winked at , but now commandeth all men every where to repent ; because hee hath appointed a day , in the which he will judge the world in righteousnesse , by that man whom hee hath ordained , whereof he hath given assurance unto all men , in that hee hath raised him from the dead , acts . , . why all men in the world have not heard of gods infinite love thus manifested , many causes may hereafter bee assigned , all grounded upon gods infinite iustice or mercy . of christs death many which heard not might have heard ; many which are not , might have bin partakers ; save only for their free and voluntary progresse from evill to worse , or wilfull refusall of gods loving kindnesse daily profered to them in such pledges , as they were well content to swallow ; foolishly esteeming these good in themselves , being good onely as they plight the truth of gods love to them , which he manifested in the death of his sonne . with this manifestation of his love , many againe out of meere mercy have not beene acquainted ; lest the sight of the medicine might have caused their discase to rage , and make their case more lamentably desperate . chap. . want of consideration , or ignorance of gods unfeigned love to such as perish , a principall meanes or occasion why so many perish . bvt if the most part of men , as we cannot deny , doe finally perish , what shall it availe to revive this doctrine of gods infinite love to all ; by whose fruitlesse issue , he rather is made an infinit looser , than men any gainers ? as for god , he hath frō eternity infallibly forecast the entire redemption , of his infinite love , which unto us may seeme utterly cast away . and of men , if many dye , whom he would have live ( for his will is , that all should bee saved , and come to the knowledge of the truth ) the fault is their owne , or their instructers ; that seeke not the prevention of their miscariage ; by acquainting them with this coelestiall fountaine of saving truth ; whose taste we labor to exhibite unto all , because the want of it , in observation of the heathen , is the first spring of humane misery * . or , in language more plaine , or pertinent to the argument proposed , most men reape no benefit from gods unspeakeable love ; because not considering it to be his nature , they doe not beleeve it to be as he is , truly infinite , unfeignedly extended to all that call him maker . but had the doctrines , which those divine oracles [ god is love , and would have all men to bee saued ] naturally afford , beene for these forty yeeres last past , as generally taught , and their right use continually prest , with as great zeale and fervency , as the doctrine and uses of gods absolute decree , for electing some , and reprobating most , in that space have beene , the plentifull increase of gods glory , and his peoples comfort throughout this land , might have wrought such astonishment to our adversaries , as would have put their malicious mouths to silence . who would not be willing to be saved , if hee were fully perswaded , that god did will his salvation in particular ; because hee protests hee wills not the death of any , but the repentance of all , that all might live ? or were the particulars of this doctrine , unto whose generality , every loyall member of the church of england hath subscribed , generally taught & beleeved ; all would unfeignedly endeavour with fervent alacrity to be truely happy , because none could suspect himselfe to bee excluded from his unfeigned and fervent love , who is true happinesse . whose love and goodnesse is so great , that hee cannot passe any act , whereby any of his creatures should bee debarred either from being like him in love and goodnesse ; or being such , from being like him in true happinesse : but alas , while the world is borne in hand , that the creator oft-times dispenseth the blessings of this life , not as undoubted pledges of a better , but deales with most men , as man doth with beasts , feeding them fattest which are appointed first to bee slaine : the magnificent praises of his bounty secretly nurseth such a misperswasion in most men of his goodnesse ; ( at least towards them ) as the epigramm●tist had of a professed benefactor , that shewed him ( as he thought ) little kindnesse in great benevolence . munera magna quidem misit , sed misit in hamo , et piscatorem piscis amare potest ? great gifts he sent , but under his gifts , there covered lay an hooke , and by the fish to be belov'd , can th'cunning fisher looke . the frequency of sinister respects in dispensing of secular dignities or benevolences , makes such as are truly kind , to be either unregarded , or mistrusted by such as stand in neede of their kindnesse . and as fishes in beaten waters , will nibble at the bait , although they suspect the hooke : so the world hath learned the wit to take good turnes , and not to be taken by them ; as suspecting them to bee profered in cunning rather than in true kindnesse : and cunning , where it is discovered or suspected , is usually requited with craft ; love onely hath just title unto love . the most part indeed are so worldly wise , that none but fooles will easily trust them ; howbeit our naturall mistrust of others , makes all of us a great deale worse than we would be . and as if we thought it a sinne or point of uncharitablenesse , to prove other mens conjectures , that measure our dispositions by their owne , altogether false ; wee fit our demeanours to their misdeemings of us , and resolve rather to do amisse ; than they should thinke amisse . howbeit even in this perfidious and faithlesse age , the old saying is , not quite out of date : ipsa fides habita obligat fidē . many would be more trusty than they are ; and do much better by us than they doe , would we wholly commit our selves to their trust and kindnesse . now , though by mans goodnesse or badness , god can neither become worse nor better in himselfe ; yet the riches of his bounty , or communication of his goodnesse , are still multiplyed towards those that stedfastly beleeve him to bee such as hee is : one , whom all are bound to love ; because hee is so kind and loving ; one whom all may safely trust , because his loving kindnesse is so utterly void of partiality , being armed with power and justice infinite . thy righteousnesse is like the great mountaines , thy judgements are like the great deepe ; o lord thou preservest man and beast . how excellent is thy louing kindnesse , o god! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings . psal . . ver . , . this especially should move all to admire his loving kindnesse , that he loved all without any other motive than his owne meere goodnesse or loving kindnesse , either to incline his will or stirre up his power to give them a being like his owne : we love him ( saith saint iohn ) because he loved us first . doe all then whom hee unfeignedly loves , love him vnfeignedly ? would god they did : for so ( as his will is ) all should bee saved . did then the apostle meane that his love to us , is no true cause of our love to him ? yes ; yet not simply as it is in him , but as being unfeignedly in him it is truly apprehended by us . ingenuous love is never lawfully begotten , or fully conceived but from an apprehension of true lovelinesse in the object ; and nothing can bee more lovely then love it selfe , when it is firmely apprehended or undoubtedly knowne . though secret consciousnesse of our owne unlovelinesse , in the state of nature , makes us oft-times too mistrustfull of others love : yet unto our nature unregenerate and overgrowne with corruption , it is almost impossible , not to love them whose love to us we assuredly know to be unfaigned ; unlesse their behaviour be very loathsome . howbeit even so we love their persons , though not their presence , wherewith againe we willingly dispense , if it may gratifie us in other things , which we much desire . that which makes the worlds condemnation so just , that infinite mercy may not dispence with it , is mens dull backwardnesse to love him , of whose glorious beauty , the most glorious , most admired creatures are but fleeting shadowes , no true pictures . him of whose infinite love and unfeigned preventions in unrecompensable benefits , all the pleasures wee take in health , the joy of strength , the sweetnesse of life it selfe ; and whatsoever in it is good and lovely , are infallible pledges , and yet his intention in free bestowing them is to bind himselfe ( more strictly than man is bound by receiving the just price of what he bargaines for ) to instate us in the incomprehensible joyes of endlesse life . hee requires nothing at our hand , but that wee may be more capable of his loving kindnesse , by drawing still nearer and nearer to him , with all our hearts , with all our soules , and with all our strength ; of whose least portion he is sole maker and preserver ; of all whose motions hee is sole author and guide . from participation of his favour or presence , whatsoever is good in them , is undoubtedly capable of increase . the services wherein the eternall king requires demonstration of this our love , are not so hard , as those which wee willingly performe to corruptible men , not invested with any shadow of his lovelinesse , nor seasoned with any tincture of his loving kindnesse ; to men , that cannot be so beneficiall as loving to their friends , nor halfe so loving as they are lovely , though their lovelinesse come farre short of their greatnesse . far otherwise it is with him , whose greatnesse and majesty are truly infinite : hee is as glorious and lovely as great , as loving as lovely , and yet withall no lesse beneficiall than loving to those which love him , and doe his will. this unfaigned love of him , raised from beleefe of his loving kindnes toward us , is as the first conception or plantation of true happines , to which once truly planted , whatsoever in this life can befal us , serves as nutriment . diligentibus deum omnia operantur in bonum . wee know that all things worke together for good , to them that love god , to them who are called according to his purpose . as this article of his goodnesse and love is to be prest before any other , so the first and most naturall deduction , that can be made from this or any other sacred principle ; and that which every one when hee first comes to enjoy the use of reason , should be taught to make by heart , is this : he that gave mee life indued with sense , and beautified my sense with reason , before i could desire one or other of them , or know what being meant ; hath doubtlesse a purpose to give me with them , whatsoever good things my heart , my sense or reason can desire ; even life or being as farre surpassing all goodnesse , flesh and blood can conceive or desire , as this present life , i now enjoy , doth my former not being , or my desirelesse want of being what now i am . these are principles , which elsewhere ( by gods assistance ) shall bee more at large extended : yet would i have the reader ever to remēber , that the infinite love , wherewith god sought us when we were not , by which he found out a beginning for mankind , fitted as a foundation for endlesse life , can never be indissolubly betrothed unto the bare beeing which hee bestowed upon us . the finall contract betwixt him and us , necessarily presupposeth a bond or linke of mutuall love . there is no meanes possible for us to be made better or happier than we are , but by unfaigned loving him , which out of love hath made us what we are . nor are we what we are , because he is , or from his essence onely , but because he was loving to us . and after our love to him enclasped with his unspeakable and unchangeable love to us , whose apprehension must beget it ; the faith by which it is begotten in us , assures our soules of all the good meanes the infinitie of goodnesse may vouchsafe to grant , the infinity of wisedome can contrive , or power omnipotent is able to practise ; for attaining the end whereto his infinite love from all eternities doth ordaine us . and who could desire better encouragement or assurance more strong then this , for the recompence of all his labours ? or if all this cannot suffice to allure us , hee hath set feare behind us to impell us unto goodnesse ; or rather before us , to turne us backe from evill . chap. . how god of a most loving father becomes a severe inexorable iudge . bvt if god as wee have said bee love , shall not his love be like his nature , altogether unchangeable ? how then shall hee punish his beloved creatures , or have anger , hate , or jealousie , any place or seat in the omnipotent majestie ? can these consort with infinite mercie ? many philosophers have freed god from anger , making him author onely of grace , and favour towards men . and i could wish their heresies had beene better refuted than they are , or at least , that men would bee better perswaded of such refutation , as lactantius hath bestowed upon them , albeit i will not bind my selfe to stand to his decision of this point , but rather illustrate by instance or experiment , how extreame severity may stand with the fervency of fatherly unfaigned love . few mens hearts would have served them to have dealt with their owne bowels as torquatus did with his . howbeit in all that mighty people amongst whom he lived , i am perswaded but a few had taken the like care and paines to traine up their children in the most commendable qualities of that age . not one would have adventured his owne person further , to have rescued his sonne from the enemy , or justified him in any honourable quarrell . in these and the like points , he had , and , upon just occasion , would further have manifested , as much unfained love , as any father could unto his sonne ; more than the imbecility of sex would suffer a tender hearted mother , to make proofe of . doth then the adjudging of this his owne son to death , rightly argue he loved him lesse than other parents did their children , whose worse deserts they would not have sentenced so severely ? no : it rather proves love and care of martiall discipline , and hate to partiality in administration of civill iustice , to have beene much greater in him , than in other parents of his time . the more just and equall the law hee transgressed was , or might have beene ( as for illustration sake we will suppose it to have been a law most equall and just ) the more it commends his impartiall severity , that would not suffer the violation of it goe unpunished in his dearest sonne ; whom the more desirous hee was to make like himselfe in religious observance of martiall discipline , and practice of iustice towards the enemy ; the readier he was to doe justice upon him for doing the contrary . that excessive love , which he bare unto his person , whilest his hopefull beginnings did seeme to promise an accomplishment of those martiall vertues , whose first draught hee himselfe had well expressed ; turnes into extreame severity and indignation , after he proves transgressor of those fundamentall rules , by which he had taken his direction ; and unto whose observance his desire of posterity was destinated . so it falls out by the unalterable course of nature , or rather by a law more transcendent and immutable than nature it selfe , that a lesse love being chained ( by references of subordination betweene the objects loved ) with a greater , cannot dislinke it selfe without some deeper touch of displeasure , than if the bond or reference had beene none . the neerer the reference , or the stricter the bond ; the more violent will the rupture be , and the dissociation more unpleasant : as there is no enmity to the enmity of brethren , if the knot of brotherly kindnesse once fully untie : the reason is , because our love to our brethren , is neerest united with the love of our selves , unto which all other love is in some sort subordinate . true affection is alwayes most displeased , where it is most defeated ; where most is deservedly expected and least performed . now as partiality towards our selves , and indulgence to our inordinate desires , oft-times begets desire of revenge upon unnaturall or unkinde brethren : so doth the constant and unpartiall love of equity and wholesome lawes , naturally bring forth just severity towards presumptuous neglecters of them whose persons wee love no lesse , than they do that would plead with teares for their impunity . towards them , unto whom wee would give reall proofe of more tender and true affection , than their partiall abetters doe , could wee winne them , by these or other warrantable means , to link their love with ours , or to love that best which most deserveth loue . as seleucus loved his son ( for saving the one of whose eyes , ( both being forfait by the law ) he was cōtented to lose one of his own ) more dearely than most princely mothers do their children , for he loved him as himselfe , yet could not dispence either with himselfe , or his sonne , because he loved the publike law , and common good , that might accrue by this singular example of iustice ; better than either , better than both . for every man to love himselfe best , is in our judgement no breach , but rather a foundation of charitie . alaw to whose performance every man is bound in matters of necessity concerning this life , or in whatsoever may concerne the life to come ; though not in cases of secular honour or preferment , wherein proximus quisque sibi , must ( by the law of conscience , and fundamentall rule of christianitie ) give place to detur digniori . but nothing can be so worthy of love or honour as god ; who will we , nill we , doth and must enjoy this liberty or priviledge of loving himselfe best . and if he love himselfe better than he doth any creature , he must love equity and justice better than he doth any man ; for he himselfe is equity it selfe , the eternall patterne as well of iustice as of mercy ; he cannot be unjustly mercifull towards those men , whom he loves more dearely than any man doth himselfe . and in as much as goodnesse it selfe is the essentiall object of his will , he loves nothing absolutely and irrevocably , but that which is absolutely & immutably good . so was not man in his first creation , much less is he such in his collapsed estate ; and yet gods love ( so super infinite is it ) extends it selfe unto our nature so collapsed and polluted with corruption , which he infinitely hates . this his love , which knowes no limit in it selfe , is limited in its effects towards men , by the correspondency which they hold or lose with that absolute goodnesse , or with those eternall rules of equity , justice , or mercy , in which his will is to haue man made like him . such as have beene either in re or spe , though not as they should bee , yet such as either infinite loving kindnesse can vouchsafe to accept , to cherish , or encourage to goe forward as they haue begunne ; or infinite mercy to tollerate in expectation of their repentance , or aversion from their wonted courses : these , if once they finally dissolve the correspondency , which they held with mercie , or burst the linke which they had in gods love , ( with reference to that goodnesse , wherto the riches of his bounty daily inviteth them ) his displeasure towards them kindles according to the measure of his former mercies or loving kindnesse . if being illuminated by his spirit , they finally associate themselves to the sonnes of darknesse , or having put on christ in baptisme , they resume their swinish habit , and make a sport of wallowing in the mire ; the sweet fountaines of joy and comfort , which were opened to them as they were gods creatures , not uncapable of his infinite mercy , prove floods of wo & misery to them as they are sworne servants of sinne and corruption : for , hate to filthinesse and uncleanness , is essentially and formally included in gods love of absolute goodnesse , righteousnesse and true holinesse . and the displeasure or indignation which he beares to these , must needes seize on their persons that have covered thēselves with them , as with a garment ; and to whose soules they sticke more closely than their skinnes doe to their bodies , or their flesh unto their bones . chap. . whilest god of a loving father becomes a severe iudge , their is no change or alteration at all in god , but onely in men and in their actions . gods will is alwayes exactly fulfilled even in such as goe most against it . how it may stand with the iustice of god to punish transgressions temporall , with tormens everlasting . _the summe of all is this ; love was the mother of all his workes , and ( if i may so speake ) the fertility of his power and essence . and seeing it is his nature as creator , and cannot change : no part of our nature ( seeing every part was created by him ) can bee utterly excluded from all fruits of his love ; untill the sinister use of that contingencie wherewith hee indued it , or the improvement of inclinations naturally bent unto evill , come to that height as to imply a contradiction for infinite justice or equity to vouchsafe them any favour . whether naturall inclinations unto evill , may bee thus farre improved in the children by their forefathers or no , is disputable ; but in another place . concerning infants ( save onely ) so farre as neglect of duties to be performed to them , may concerne their elders , seeing the scripture in this point is silent , i have no minde here or elsewhere to dispute . if faith they have , or such holinesse as becommeth saints ; neither are begotten by our writing or preaching , nor is the written word the rule of theirs as of all others faith that are of yeares . and unto them onely that can heare or reade , or have the use of reason , i write and speake this , as well for their comfort and encouragement to follow goodnes , or for their terror , lest they follow evill . love , much greater than any creature owes or performes , or is capable of , either in respect of himselfe , or in others , is the essentiall and sole fruit of gods antecedent will , whether concerning our nature as it was in the first man , or now is in the severall persons derived from him . and of this love every particular faculty of soule or body is a pledge undoubted ; all , are as so many ties or handles to draw us unto him , from whom we are separated onely by dissimilitude ; our very natures being otherwise linkt to his being , with bonds of strictest reference or dependency . on the contrary , wrath and severity are the proper effects of his consequent will , that is , they are the infallible consequents of our neglecting and despising his will revealed for our good , or sweet promises of saving health . the full explication and necessary use of this distinction , hath taken up its place , in the articles of creation , or divine providence . thus much of it may serve our present turn . that gods absolute wil was to have man capable of heaven & hel , of joyes and miseries immortall . that this absolute will whose possible objects are two , is in the first place set on mans eternall and everlasting joy , more fervently than man can conceive ; yet not so , as to contradict it selfe by frustrating the contrary possibility , which unto man it had appointed . that gods anger never kindles , but out of the ashes of his flaming love despised . nor doth the turning of tender love and compassion , into severity & wrath , presuppose or argue any change or turning in the father of lights and everlasting mercy ; it is wholly seated in mens irregular deviation from that course which by the appointment of his antecedent will they should and might have taken ( whereto his fatherly kindnesse did still invite them ) unto whose crooked wayes , which they doe , but should not follow ; from which the same infinite goodnesse doth still allure them by every temporall blessing , and deterre them by every crosse and plague that doth befall them . this bodily sunne , which wee see , never changeth with the moone , his light , his heat are still the same ; yet one and the same heat in the spring time , refresheth our bodies here in this land ; but scortcheth such as , brought up in this clime , journey in the sands of affricke . his beames reflected on bodies solid , but of corruptible and changeable nature , often inflame matter capable of combustion . but ( as some philosophers thinke ) wold not annoy us ( unless by too much light ) were we in that aethereall or coelestiall region wherein it moves . at least , were our bodies of the like substance with the heavens ; the vicinity of it would rather comfort than torment us . thus is the father of lights a refreshing flame of unquenchable love , to such as are drawne by love to be like him in purity of life , but a consuming fire to such as he beholdeth a farre off ; to such as run from him by making themselves most unlike unto him . no sonnes of adam there be , which in some measure or other had not some taste or participation of his bountie . and the measure of his wrath is but equall to the riches of his bounty despised . to whom this infinite treasure of his bounty hath beene most liberally opened , it proves in the end a storehouse of wrath and torments , unlesse it finally draw them to repentance : according to the height of that exaltation whereunto his antecedent will had designed them , shall the degrees of their depression be in hell for not being exalted by it . nor doth any man in that lake of torments , suffer paines more against his will , than he had done many things against the will of his righteous iudge daily leading him to repenttnce . the flames of hell take their scantling from the flames of gods love neglected ; they may not , they cannot exceede the measure of this neglect . or to knit up this point with evidence of sacred truth ; god alwaies proportioneth his plagues or punishments in just equality to mens sinnes . and the onely rule for measuring sinne or transgression right , must bee taken from the degrees of mans opposition to gods delight or pleasure in his salvation . not so much as a dramme of his delight or pleasure can be abated , not a scruple of his will , but must finally be accomplished . the measure of his delight in mans repentance or salvation , shall beee exactly satisfied and fulfilled . mans repentance he loves as hee is infinite in mercy and in bounty : mans punishment he doth not love at all in it selfe , yet doth hee punish as hee is infinitely just , or as hee infinitely loveth justice . this is but the extract of wisedomes speech , prov. . vers . . because i have called , and ye refused , i have stretched out my hand , and no man regarded : but yee have set at nought all my counsell , and would none of my reproofe : i also will laugh at your calamity , i will mocke when your feare commeth , when your feare commeth as desolation , and your destruction commeth as a whirlewind ; when distresse and anguish commeth upon you : then shall they call upon me , but i will not answer ; they shall seeke me earely , but they shall not finde mee : for that they hated knowledge , and did not choose the feare of the lord. they would none of my counsel : they despised all my reproofe . therefore shall they eate of the fruit of their owne way , and be filled with their owne devices . for the turning away of the simple shall slay them , and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them . but who so harkeneth unto me , shall dwell safely , and be quiet from feare of evill . and it were to be wished , that some moderne divines , would better explicate than they doe a schoole tenet , held by many , concerning gods punishing sinners in the life to come , citra condignum , that is , lesse than they deserve . for by how much their punishment is lesse than the rule of divine iustice exacts : so much of that delight or good pleasure which god should have reaped from their salvation , may seeme by this remission to be diminished . but this point i leave to the judicious readers consideration , who may inform himselfe from the * expositors of that sacred maxime . his mercy is above all his works . psal . . . to thinke god should punish sinne unlesse it were truly against his will , or any sinne more deeply than it is against his will and pleasure , is one of those three grosse transformations of the divine nature , which saint augustine refutes . for thus to doe is neither incident to the divine nature , nor to any other imaginable . most of us , are by nature cholericke , and often take offence where none is given , and almost alwayes greater than is justly given ; but to be offended with any thing , that goes not against their present wills , is a way wardnesse of men , whereof the humane nature is uncapable . to punish any , which doe not contradict their wills , is an injustice scarce incident to the inhabitants of hell. it is the mutability of our wills or multiplicity of humors , which makes us so hard to be pleased . our minds ( at lest our affections ) are set upon one thing fasting , upon another full ; on this to day , on that to morrow ; on sweet meates in health , on sowre in sicknesse ; on kindnesse in mirth , on cruelty in anger ; and because each hath his severall inconstant motions , wee cannot hold consort long together , without crossing or thwarring . but no man ever offended by merrily consorting with his brother disposed to mirth ; nor by consenting to wreake his will , whilest hee was in rage . no man ever punished his servant for doing that which for the present he would have him doe ; nor doe the devills themselves vex the wicked ( till gods justice overtake them ) but the godly ; because the one doth what they would , the other what they would not have him doe ; neither could displease them , were it not their wicked will to have all as bad and miserable as themselves . could the damned by their suffering , either ease these tormentors , of paine , or abate their malice ; they would be lesse displeased at them , and lesse displeased , torment them lesse . and , whom then have they made the subject of their thoughts , or did they rather dreame than thinke on god , that sometimes write as if it were not as much against gods will to have men dye , as it is against mans will to suffer death . for they suffer death , not because god delighteth in it , but that gods will may be fulfilled in their suffering or passion , according to the measure it hath beene neglected or opposed , by their actions . but though the rule of justice bee exactly observed in proportioning their paines to the degrees or fervency of his love neglected ; yet seeing the continuance of their neglect was but temporall , how stands it with his justice to make their paines eternall ? the doubt were pertinent , if the immortall happinesse , wherunto the riches of gods bountie , did daily lead them during their pilgrimage on earth , whereof they had sweet promises and full assurance , had not farther exceeded all the pleasures of this mortall life , for whose purchase , they morgaged their hopes of immortality , than the paines of hell doe these grievances or corrections , which caused them murmure against their heavenly father . in this sense we may maintaine what mirandula in another doth : that no man is everlastingly punished for temporall offences as committed against god. how then ? man wilfully exchanging his everlasting inheritance for momentany and transient pleasures , becomes the author of his owne woe , and reapes the fruit of his rash * bargaines , and so makes up that measure of gods glory and pleasure , by his eternall sufferings , which he might and would not doe , by eternall participation of his joyfull presence . * and it is more than just , ( for it is justice tempered with abundant mercy ) that they should suffer everlasting paines , who not twice , or thrice , or seven times onely , but more than seventy times seven times , have wilfully refused to accomplish gods eternall pleasure by accepting the sweet profers of their eternall joy . in every moment of this life , we have a pledge of his bounty to assure us of a better inheritance , the very first neglect whereof , might in justice condemne us to everlasting bondage . the often and perpetuall neglect , turnes flames of eternall love into an eternall consuming fire . for if love and mercy bee his property as hee is creator and preserver of all mankinde : his love ( as was said before ) must needs be more indissolubly set on those attributes than on man. the end of his love to man , is to make him happy by being like him in the love of goodnesse : now the more he loves him with reference to this end , or the oftner hee pardons him for neglecting or refusing the meanes that draw unto it ; the greater is his wrath against impenitency , or finall contempt of his loving mercy . this is his * most deare and tender attribute , which being foully wronged will not suffer justice to sleepe . patientia laesa sit furor . long restraint of anger upon just and frequent provocations , makes the out-bursting of it , though unseemely and violent , seeme not altogether unjust nor immoderate . albeit the forme and manner of proceeding , which humane patience much abused , usually observes in taking revenge , cannot in exact justice bee warranted or approved : yet this excesse of anger , or delinquency in the forme , is so tempered with matter of equity , that it makes those actions of patient men much abused , seeme excusable , which in others would be intollerable . the ideall perfection of this rule of equity , thus often corrupted by humane passions , is in the divine nature , without mixture of such passion or perturbation , as is pictured out to the terror of the ungodly in the propheticall characters or descriptions of his anger . et excitatus est tanquam dormiens dominus , &c. then the lord awaked as one out of sleepe , and like a mightie man that shouteth by reason of wine : psal . . . although he be a father to all , and seeme to winke at his sonnes enormities : yet when hee awakes , he hath a curse in store , for such as abuse his patience , and make a mocke of his threatnings ; more bitter than that which noah bestowed on cham. to attribute patience to him , and to deny him wrath and indignation ; were , in lactantius his judgement , to inrich his goodnesse , by robbing his majesty . the reasons of those philosophers are apparently vaine , which thinke that god cannot bee angry . for even earthly empire or soveraignty , forthwith dissolves , unlesse it be held together by fear . take anger from a king , and in stead of obedience , he shall be throwne headlong from the height of dignity . yea take anger from a man of meaner ranke , and hee shall become a prey to all , a laughing-stock to all . i am not ignorant what censures passe upon this author for his incommodious speeches in this argument of gods wrath or anger . his words , i must confesse , sound somewhat harsh , to eares accustomed to the harmony of refined scholastique dialect . yet * betuleius , a man too learned , and too well seene in lactantius , to let grosse faults pass without espiall , and too ingenuous to spare his censure upon errors espyed ; after long quaerulous debatements , chides himselfe friends with his author : whose meaning in conclusion he acknowledgeth to be orthodoxall and good ; albeit his characters of divine wrath in the premisses , may seeme better to fit the fragility of humane peevishnesse , than the majesty of the almighty iudge . his phrase ( perhaps ) might be excused in part , by the security of those times wherein he wrote ; his fault ( if any fault it were not to speake precisely in an age more precise for maintaining the elegancy or life of style , than the right use or logicall propriety of words ) is too common to most writers yet , and consisteth onely in appropriating that to the divine nature , which is attributed to it onely by extrinsecall denomination . but leaving his phrase ( about which perhaps he himselfe would not have wrangled ) his argument holds thus farre true : god is more deeply displeased with sinne , than man is , though his displeasure bee not cloathed with such passions , as mans anger is : and yet the motions of the creatures appointed to execute his wrath , are more furious than any mans passions in extreamest fury can bee . what mans voice is like his thunder ? what tyrants frownes like to a lowring sky , breathing out stormes of fire and brimstone ? yet are the most terrible sounds , which the creatures can present , but as so many ecchoes of his angry voice ; the most dreadfull spectacles that heaven or earth , or the intermediate elements can afford , but copies of his irefull countenance . howbe it this change or alteration in the creature proceeds from him without any internall passion or alteration . immotus movet : he moveth all things , being himselfe immoveable . but as lactantius may bee so farre justified , as we have said , so perhaps he is inexcusable in avouching anger to bee as naturall to god , as mercie , love , and favour are . to him that duely considers his infinite goodnesse , it may seeme impossible that hee should bee moved by us , or by any thing in us , to mercy ; seeing , as * saint bernard well observes , he hath the seminary of mercy in himselfe , and cannot take the seeds of it from any other . the fruits of it , wee may , by ill deserving , so hinder , that they shall never take nor prosper in our selves ; but to punish or condemne us , we in a sort constraine him . and though he be the author as well of punishment as of compassion , yet the manner how these two opposite attributes , in respect of us proceed from him , is much different ; the one is naturall to him , and much better than any naturall comfort unto us ; the other is in a sort to him unnaturall , and most unnaturall and unpleasant unto us : for as s. a ierome saith , god when he punisheth , doth in a manner , relinquish his nature , and therefore when he proceeds to punishment , he is said to goe out of his place , and to worke alienum opus , a strange or uncouth worke . the wicked and reprobate , after this life , shall alwayes see and feele his anger : but though they see him thus , immediately , they doe not see his nature so immediately as the elect shall doe , to whom he shewes himselfe in love ; this is his proper visage , the live-character of his native countenance . the manifestation of his anger in what part of the world soever , or in what manner soever made , is a veile or vizard put betweene him and the reprobate , lest they shold see the light of his countenance and be made whole . hence , in the sentence of condemnation , it shall be said , depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire . from his essentiall presence they cannot , but from the light of his countenance or joyfull presence , they must of necessity depart . for were it possible for them to behold it , no torments could take hold of them ; the reflex of it upon whom soever it lighteth , createth joy ; the fruition of it , is that happinesse which we seeke . to conclude : lactantius rightly inferres , it were impossible sinne should not be odious to him , to whom goodnesse is pleasant and delightfull . now his dispeasure at sinne , is the true cause of all displeasant motions or alterations in the creatures . his errour , albeit we take him at the worst , was not great : and as it may easily be committed by others , so it may as quickly be rectified , if wee say , that anger and hate are by consequent , or upon supposall of sinne , as necessary to the divine nature , as love and mercy , but not so naturall . but how either love or anger , both of them being either formally passions , or indissolubly linkt with passions , may be rightly conceived to be in god , is a point worth explication . chap. . how anger , love , compassion , mercy , or other affections are in the divine nature . no affection or operation that essentially includes imperfection , can properly be attributed to perfection it selfe . but if the imperfection be onely accidentall , that is , such as may bee severed from the affection ; the affection after such separation made , may without meaphor ( in some schoolemens judgement ) be ascribed to god. hence the same schoolemen will have distributive justice to be in him , after a more peculiar manner than commutative justice is ; because commutative justice ( as they alledge ) essentially includes rationem dati , & accepti ; somewhat mutually given and taken . mercy likewise is ( in their judgements ) more properly in god , than anger or revenge ; because it may bee abstracted from compassion , which is an imperfectiō annexed , but not essential to the reliefe of others misery , wherein mercy ( as they contend ) formally consists . it sufficeth us , that such affections or morall qualities as in us formally and essentially include imperfectiō , may be contained in the divine essence ; though not formally , yet eminently , and most truly , as we suppose anger is . for in this point wee rather approve of * lactantius his divinity , than of * seneca's philosophy . hee that bids us be angry and sin not , seeks not the utter extirpation , but the moderation of anger , qui ergo irasci nos jubet , ipse utique irascitur ; he that bids us be angry , is doubtlesse upon just occasion angry himselfe . nor should we sin , if we were angry onely as he is angry ; or at those things onely that displease him , so far as they are displeasing to him ; and were we as much inclined to mercy and loving kindnesse as we are to anger , the motions of the one would argue as great passion as the motiōs of the other . but seeing * gods mercy which is proposed unto us for a patterne , is ( if i may so speake ) more reall and trnly affectionate in him than his anger , the difficulty how either should be in him is the same , or not much different : how can there be true compassion without passion , without motion or mutation ? in many men it is observable ; that the better use they have of reason , the lesse they participate of affection : and to cary those matters with moderation , which others can neither accomplish nor affect without excesse of passion or perturbation , is a perfection peculiar to good education , much & choice experience or true learning . and thus by proportion they argue , that god who is infinitly wise , must be as utterly void of passiō , though he be truly said mercifull in respect of the event . the conclusion is truer than the reason assigned . and in most men whom the world accounteth wise or subtile , reason doth not so much moderate as devoure affections of that rank we treat of . the cunningest heads have commonly most deceitfull or unmercifull hearts : and want of passion often argues want of religion , if not abundance of habituated atheism or irreligiō . every mans passions are for the most part moderate in matters which he either least affects or minds the most . perpetuall minding , especially of worldly matters , coucheth the affections in an equall habit or constant temper ; which is not easily moved , unlesse it be directly or strongly thwarted . desires once stifned with hope of advantage by close sollicitation , secret cariage , or cunning contrivance ; take small notice of violent oppositions which apparantly either overshoot , or come short of the game they lye in wait for . but even such moderate politiques , if their nets be once discovered and the prey caught from them , fall into achitophels passion . indignation and mercy , because incompatible with such meanes as serve best to politique ends , are held the companions of fooles . and unto the world so they seeme , because they are the proper passions of reason throughly apprehending the true worth of matters spirituall . for though gravity or good education may decently figure the outward motions ; yet is it impossible not to bee vehemently moved , at the miscariage of those things , which we most esteeme . and the wiser we are in matters spirituall , the higher wee esteeme the promulgation of religion , the good of gods church , and promotion of his glory . the better experience we have of his goodnesse ; the more we pity their case which as yet never tasted it : the more compassionate wee are to all that are in that misery whence we are redeemed . did we esteeme these or other duties of spiritual life , as they deserve : the extreamest fits of passion , which any worldly wise man can be cast into , wold seem but as light flashes to those flames of zeale and indignation which the very sight of this misguided world , would forthwith kindle in our brests . it is not then gods infinit wisdome which swallowes up all passion , or exempts him from those affections which essentially include perturbation ; for so the most zealous and compassionate should be most unlike him in heavenly wisdome . but as the swift motion of the heaven , better expresseth his immobility or vigorous rest , then the dull stability of the earth . so doth the vehemency of zeale , of indignation , or other passions of the godly ( so the motives be weighty and just ) exhibite a more lively resemblance of his immutability or want of passion , then the stoicall apathy , or worldings insensibility in matters spirituall can doe . how we should in godly passions bee likest god in whom is no passion ; or how those vertues or affections which are formally in us , should bee eminently in him ; cannot by my barren imagination bee better illustrated , then by comparing the circle in some properties with other figures . a circle , in some mens definitive language , is but a circular line ; and to any mans sense ( as in some respects ( perhaps ) reason must acknowledge ) it is rather one line , then a comprehension of different lines , or a multitude of sides inclosed in angles . and from the unity of it perhaps it is , that many flexible bodies , as wands or small rods of iron , brasse , &c. which presently breake if you presse them into angles , or seek to frame them into any other figure , will bee drawne without danger into a circular forme . notwithstanding some infallible mathematicall rules there be exprest in tearmes which in strict property of speech ( or univocally ) agree only to figures consisting of sides and angles ; whose truth and use , reason experienceth to bee most eminently true in the circle . take a quadrangle ten yards in length , and foure in bredth , another eight yards in length , and sixe in bredth , a third seven yards every way : the circumference of all three is equall . yards ; so is not the superficiall quantity , but of the first . yards , of the second . of the third . the same induction alike sensible in other many-sided figures , affoords this generall unquestionable rule ; among figures of the same kind , whose circumference is equall , that whose sides are most equall , are most capacious . yet frame a five-angled figure whose whol circumference is but . yards , though the sides be not equall , the superficiall quantity of it will bee greater , then the superficiall quantity of the former square : and yet a sixe-angled figure of the same circumference , though the sides be unequall , will bee more capacious then that . and still the more you encrease the number of angles , though without any encrease of the circumference , the greater will the capacity or superficiall quantity of the figures be , specially if the sides be not unequall . from this evident induction ariseth a second tryed rule in the mathematique . amongst figures of divers kinds , whose circumferences are equall , that which hath most angles , is alwayes most capacious . the circle which to our sense seemes neither to have sides , nor angles ; by a double title grounded on both the former rules , hath the preheminence for capacity of all other figures . it is more uniforme than any other , or rather the abstract or patterne of uniformity in figures , admitting neither difference of ranckes , or sorts , as triangles , quadrangles , or other many-sided figures doe : nor of inequality betweene its owne internall parts or lines : neither can one circle bee more capacious then another of the same circumference : nor can any line in the same circle bee longer then another that is drawne from one part of the circumference , to another , through the same center . it is then in this respect more capacious then any other figure , because it is most uniforme . the sides of other figures may be exactly equall , but the distance of every part of their circumference from the center , cannot admit such equality , as every part of the circles circumference doth . the circle againe is more capacious then any other figure , because more full of angles . for the angles which it no where hath univocally , formally , or conspicuous to sense ; reason apprehends it to have every where eminently . for as the philosopher tells us , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a totangle , and so hath the prerogative or royalty , though not the propriety of the second rule . it is more capacious than any other figure , not onely because it is more ordinate or uniforme , but withall , because it hath more angles than any other figures can have ; even as many as can be imagined , it being a totangle . this analogy betweene sides and angles as they are found in the circle and in other figures , mee thinkes well expresseth that analogy which schoole divines assigne betweene wisedome , science , love , hatred , goodnesse , desire , &c. as they are found in god and in man. for no one name or title of any affection can be univocally attributed to the creator and to the creature : and yet the rules of equity , of mercy , of iustice , of patience , of anger , of love , which we are commanded to follow , though not without passion or affection , are most truly observed by him : yea their truth in him is infinitely eminent : so farre must we be from conceiting him to bee without ardent love , without true and unfaigned good will to us , without wrath burning like fire to consume his adversaries , because he is without all passion . he is most loving , yet never moved with love , because he is eternally wholly love ; he is most compassionate , yet never moved with compassion , because he is eternally wholly compassion ; he is most jealous of his glory and a revenger of iniquity most severe ; yet never moved with jealousie , yet never passionate in revenge ; because to such as provoke his punitive justice , hee is eternally severity and revenge it selfe . againe , how the indivisible essence should bee wholly love , and wholly displeasure , wholly mercy , and wholly severity , i cannot better illustrate then by the circle , the true embleme of his eternitie , which is as truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as well all sides , as all angles . and being such , the sides and angles cannot be distinguished in it : but the sides are angles , and the angles sides ; at least they are , if not essentially , yet penetratively the same . the circle likewise is as truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of equall sides and equall angles , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a totangle or totilater ; and did it not contiaine multiplicitie of sides , as well as of angles in most exact and eminent uniformity , it could not have the full prerogative of the former rules . nor could the indivisible essence either be so great or excellent in himselfe , or a moderator of all things so powerfull and just , as wee beleeve hee is ; unlesse he did eminently containe the perfections of all things possible as well as of any one . some philosophers have placed the humane nature , as a line diameter or aequilibrium in this visible sphere ; making man the measure of all things , as participating all other natures : much what after the same manner that mixt bodies containe the force and vertues of the elements . and mans nature , til it was corrupt , did ( without doubt ) include such an eminent uniformity to all things created , as the eye doth unto colours . as hee was then the true image of god for his essence ; so did he in this property , beare a true shadow of the divine prerogative , whose essence , though , for number or greatnesse of perfections contained in it , altogether measurelesse , is the most true and exquisite measure of all things that are , or possibly can be : all the conditions or properties of measure assigned by the philosopher are as truly contained in the incomprehensible essence , as sides or angles in the circle , but farre more eminently . a measure it is , not appliable to measurables , for kind or quantity much different , according to diversitie of parts , which it hath none , for it is immutably , eternally and indivisibly the same : and unto it the nature , essence , quality , and quantity of all things , are actually applyed , in that they have actuall being . it is impossible the immutable creator should be fitted to any thing created ; but in that he is immutable , and yet eminently containeth all things in his indivisible essence , he eternally and immutably fits all the possible varieties whereof contingency it selfe is capable . being all things else , hee is fitnesse it selfe in a most eminent and excellent manner : the present disposition of every thing , either , whiles it first begins to be , or continues the same , or whiles it is in the change or motion ( whether from good to evill , or from evill to good , from evill to worse , or from good to better ) is more exquisitely fitted in it owne kind , by eternall , immutable and incomparable fitnesse ; then it could be by any other measure , which the creator himselfe could create with it , or devise for it , after the alteration or change were accomplished . in that he is indivisibly one , and yet eminently all , he is immutable , contrariety it selfe unto contraries : arithmeticall equality it selfe to things equall , geometrically equall to things unequall ; according to every degree of their unequall capacities , in what sort soever . and as of his other attributes one truly and really is another , so in respect of man , his measure is his judgement or retribution whether of rewards or punishments , not the rule onely by which he rewards or punisheth . vnto man in his first creation , and whiles he continued as he created him , he was and would have continued bountie it selfe ; unto man yet as he is his creature , he is love it selfe : and unto man made by his own folly an impotent wretched and miserable creature , hee is so entyrely mercy and compassion if selfe , that were there a distinct god of love , or a goddesse of mercy , or two infinite living abstracts of meere love , and meere mercie ; they could not be so loving and mercifull unto man touched with the sense of his owne miseries , nor solicite him so seriously and perpetually unto repentance as he doth , who is entirely infinite mercy , but not mercy only . vnto the truly penitent he is so truly and entirely gratiousnesse it selfe , that if there were a trinity of such abstract graces , as the poets have faigned , they could be but a figure or picture of his solid and infinite gratiousnesse . vnto the elect and throughly sanctified , he is so truely and entirely felicity and salvation it selfe ; that if the heathen goddesses , felicitas and salus , or platoes idea of true happinesse might be inspired with life and sense ; they could not communicate halfe that happinesse to any one man ( though they wold choose his hart for their closet , or actuate his reasonable soule as it doth the sensitive ) that is imparted by him to al his chosen , who is entirely infinite happinesse , but not happinesse onely . for unto the impenitent and despisers of his bountie , of his love , his mercy , grace , and salvation ; he is justice , indignation , and severity it selfe . nemesis her selfe were she enabled with spirit , life and power much greater then the heathens ascribed unto her , and permitted to rage without controle of any superiour law ; should not bee able with all the assistance the furies could afford her , to render vengeance unto satan and his wicked angles , in such full and exquisite measure as the just iudge will doe in that last dreadfull day . then shall he truely appeare to be , as our apostle speakes , all in all : the infinite abstract of all those powers which the heathens adored for gods , as authors either of good or of evill : then shall he fully appeare to be mercy , goodness , grace and felicity ; nemesis , pav●r , and terrour it selfe ; the indivisible , and incomprehensible idea of all things which in this life our love did seeke after , or our feare naturally laboured to avoyd : the onely loadstone whereto our love , our desire in our creation were directed , was his goodnesse and loving kindnesse . and feare was implanted in our nature as an helme or rudder to divert us from his immutable justice or indignation ; which are as rockes immoveable , against whom whosoever shall carelessely or presumptuously runne , must everlastingly perish without redemption . finis . a treatise of the divine essence and attribvtes . the second part . containing the attribute of omnipotency , of creation and providence , &c. by thomas iackson doctor in divinitie , chaplaine to his majestie in ordinary , and vicar of s. nicolas church in the towne of newcastle vpon tyne . london , printed for iohn clarke , and are to be sold at his shop under st. peters church in cornehill . . the contents of the severall chapters in this ensuing treatise . section i. of the attribute of omnipotency , and creative power . chap. folio . the title of almighty is not personall to the father , but essntiall to the godhead . of omnipotency , and of its object : of possibility and of impossibility . this visible world did witnesse the invisible power and unity of the godhead unto the ancient heathens . the first objection of the atheist , of nothing , nothing can be made . of the doubtful sense of this naturall , how far it is true , and how far it is false . by what manner of induction or enumeration of particulars , universall rules or maximes must bee framed and supported . that no induction can bee brought to prove the naturalists maxime , of nothing , nothing can be made . the second objection of the naturalist : [ every agent praesupposeth a patient or passive subject to worke upon ] cannot be proved by any induction . the contradictorie to this maxime proued by sufficient induction . shewing by reasons philosophicall , that aswell the physicall matter of bodies sublunary , as the celestiall bodies which work upon it , were of necessity to have a beginning of their being and duration . discussing the second generall proposed , whether the making something of nothing rightly argue a power omnipotent . sect . ii. of divine providence in generall : and how contingency , and necessity in things created are subiect unto it . chapter . folio . of the perpetuall dependance which all things created have on the almighty creator , both for their being and their operations . the usuall and daily operations of naturall causes with their severall events or successes , are as immediately ascribed to the creator by the prophets , as the first creation of all things , with the reasons why they are so ascribed . containing the summe of what we are to beleeue in this article of creation , and of the duties whereto it binds us : with an introduction to the article of his providence . though nothing can fall out otherwise then god hath decreed : yet god hath decreed that many things may fall out otherwise than they doe . contingency is absolutely possible , and part of the object of omnipotency , as formall a part , as necessity is . the former conclusion proved by the consent of all the ancients , whether christians or heathens , which did dislike the errour of the stoickes . the principall conclusions , which are held by the favourers of absolute necessity , may be more clearly justified , and acquitted from all inconveniences , by admitting a mixt possibilitie or contingency in humane actions . the former contingency in humane actions or mutuall possibility of obtaining reward or incurring punishment , proved by the infallibile rule of faith , and by the tenour of gods covenant with his people . that gods will is alwayes done , albeit many particulars which god willeth , bee not done , and many done which he willeth should not be done . of the distinction of gods will into antecedent & consequent . of the explication and use of it . of the divers acceptions or importances of fate , especially among the heathen writers . of the affinitie or alliance which fates had to necessitie , to fortune or chance , in the opinion of heathen writers . of the proper subject and nature of fate . the opposite opinions of the stoicks and epicures . in what sense it is true , that all things are necessary in respect of gods decree . of the degrees of necessity , and of the originall of inevitable or absolute necessity . sect . iii. of the manifestation of divine providence in the remarkable erection , declination and periods of kingdomes : in over-ruling policie , and disposing the success of humane undertakings . chapter . folio . of the contrary fates or awards whereof davids temporall kingdome was capable : and of its devolution from gods antecedent to his consequent will. of the sudden and strange erection of the macedonian empire , and the manifestation of gods special providence in alexanders expedition and successe . of the erection of the chaldean empire , and of the sudden destruction of it by the persian , with the remarkeable documents of gods speciall providence in raising up the persian by the ruine of the chaldean monarchy . of gods speciall providence in raising and ruinating the roman empire . why god is called the lord of hosts , or the lord mighty in battaile . of his speciall providence in managing warres . of gods speciall providence in making unexpected peace , and raising unexpected warre . of gods speciall providence in defeating cunning plots and conspiracies , and in accomplishing extraordinary matters by meanes ordinary . sect . iv. of gods speciall providence in suiting punishments unto the nature and qualitie of offences committed by men . chapter . folio . of the rule of retaliation or counterpassion . and how forcible punishments inflicted by this rule without any purpose of man , are to quicken the ingraffed notion of the deity , and to bring forth an acknowledgement of divine providence and iustice . of the geometricall proportion or forme of distributive justice ; which the supreame iudge sometimes observes in doing to great princes as they have done to others . how the former law of retaliation hath beene executed upon princes , according to arithmeticall proportion , or according to the rule of commutative justice . the sinnes of parents visited upon their children , according to the rule of retaliation . grosser sinnes visited upon gods saints according to the former rule of counterpassion . of sinnes visited or punished according to the circumstance of time or place wherein they were committed . what manner of sinnes they bee which usually provoke gods judgments according to the rule of counterpassion . and of the frequency of this kinde of punishment foresignified by gods prophets . the conclusion of this treatise , with the relation of gods remarkeable judgements manifested in hungarie . a treatise of the diuine essence and attributes : the second part , containing the attribute of omnipotency , of creation and providence , &c. j beleeve in god the father almighty . section i. of the attribute of omnipotency , and creative power . chap. . the title of almighty is not personall to the father , but essentiall to the godhead . in further explication of this article , it is added in the nicene creede , i beleeve in one god the father almighty . this title of almighty or omnipotency , is not given to the sonne , or to the holy ghost , nor are either of them expresly enstyled by the name of god , in the creede . the omission of the title of god , and of the attribute almightie , ( which is proper to the godhead ) when the persons of the sonne and of the holy ghost with their severall offices are described ; may administer this scruple to men , not much conversant in these great mysteries , [ whether the father onely be god , or onely almightie , or the onely god almightie , in such sort as the sonne and holy ghost are not . ] to say the father onely is god , or the father onely is almightie , were to wrong the sonne and holy ghost ; to both whose persons these titles are due : and our faith in this point of the trinitie , above all others , must be uniforme and unpartiall , without respect of persons . and for the better instruction of such as did not fully apprehend the right meaning of the apostolique creede , this uniformitie of our faith is expresly taught by athanasius . such as the father is , such is the sonne , and such is the holy ghost : the father is god , the sonne is god , and the holy ghost is god : the father is almightie , the sonne is almighty , and the holy ghost almightie : yet shall we often reade in scriptures , and in writers orthodoxal , euen in athanasius himselfe , [ that the father is the onely god. ] so saith the sonne of god , iohn . vers . . this is life eternall , that they may know thee , the onely true god , and iesus christ whom thou hast sent . doth christ therefore deny himselfe to be the onely true god ? or rather is it a part of our beleefe , and of our saviours meaning in that place , that wee must know not onely god the father , but iesus christ also , whom hee hath sent , to be the onely true god ? and though it be not in that place expressed , yet it is necessarily implyed in other scriptures , that the holy ghost is the onely true god. no christian may question this proposition , ( pater est solus deus ) the father is the onely god : nor this , ( filius est solus deus ) the sonne is the onely god : nor this third , ( spiritus sanctus est solus deus ) the holy ghost is the onely god. the father likewise is the onely almightie , the sonne likewise is the onely almightie , and the holy ghost the onely almightie : on whom our faith is joyntly and uniformly set . this uniformitie of our faith hath for its object , the unitie of nature in the trinitie . but to say ( solus pater est deus , solus pater est omnipotens ) the father onely is god , or the father onely is almightie ; the son onely is god , or the sonne onely is almightie ; the holy ghost onely is almightie : were more then heresie , grosse infidelitie . for every one of these speeches include a deniall both of the coequalitie of their persons , and of the unitie of their nature . of the ground of this distinction , or of the difference betweene these severall propositions ( solus pater est deus , pater est solus deus ) the father onely is god , and the father is the onely god , &c. by the assistance of this blessed trinitie wee shall discusse , after wee have proved the sonne to be truly god , and the holy ghost likewise to be truly god , in the severall articles which concerne their persons and offices . now the same arguments , which proves the sonne to be truly god , and the holy ghost likewise to be truly god , will likewise prove the sonne to be the onely god , the onely almightie . the point next in view , and first to bee handled , is the meaning of this attribute almighty , and how it agrees to the godhead or divine nature as it is presupposed one and the same in the three persons . chap. . of omnipotencie , and of its object : of possibilitie and of impossibilitie . ὈΥκ αδυνατήσει παρα τῷ Θεῶ παν ῥὴμα . nothing shall be unpossible unto god , saith the angell to the blessed virgin , doubting or moving this question , how shall i ( instantly ) conceive and beare a sonne , seeing i know not a man ? that the accomplishing of that , which the angell had said , was possible to god , the event did prove . but that nothing should be impossible unto god , can neyther be proved by any event , nor will it necessarily follow , at least the necessity of its consequence is not so cleare from the words uttered by the angel , which admit of some restriction . for , to be god , or to be equall with god , is something , more then meere nothing . is it then possible for god to make a god euery way equall unto himselfe ? the sonne of god , who was conceived by the holy ghost , and borne of the blessed virgin , was equall with god , yet not so made , but so begotten from all eternitie . hee is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and is not comprehended under the former proposition . for being god from all eternitie , it was impossible hee should be made . must then the angels speech , or the article of omnipotencie bee restrained to things possible ? or is god said to be omnipotent onely in this respect , that hee is able to doe all things , that are possible to be done ? in respect of whom then shall they be counted possible ? in respect of god himselfe , or in respect of men or angells ? or with reference to angelicall or humane knowledge onely ? or in respect of knowledge divine ? to be able onely to doe all things , that man or angels can doe , or can conceive may be done , doth not exequiate or fill our conceit of power and wisedome truly infinite : it is much lesse than the full extent , or contents of omnipotencie : which certainly containeth power and wisedome much greater than can be comprehended by man or angell . againe , to say that god can doe all things , that are possible for him to doe , or may be effected by his infinite power and wisedome , is to say the same thing twise , and yet to leave the true notion of omnipotencie unexpressed . were the question propounded , what things can be seene or heard ; what things cannot be seene or heard : a man should be little wiser by this answer , things visible onely can be seene ; things invisible cannot be seene : things audible onely can be heard ; things inaudible cannot be heard . for if one which knowes no latine , nor the derivation of english words from it , should further aske what it is to be visible , what it is to be invisible ; or what is the meaning or signification of audible and inaudible ? the answer would be , that is visible , which can be seene ; that is invisible , which cannot be seene : that is audible , which may be heard ; that inaudible , which cannot be heard . so that he which formerly knew the signification of these words , or their forme in latine ( whence they are derived , ) should learne nothing by this answer , which for reall sense is but idem per idem , a diversitie of words , without any difference in the thing signified by them . againe , though these two propositions be convertible , [ . every object of sight is visible , and whatsoever is visible is the object of sight : . every object of hearing is audible , and whatsoever is audible is the object of hearing ; ] yet is not visibilitie the true and proper object of sight nor audibilitie of hearing . to be visible , or invisible ; to be audible , or inaudible , are termes relative . and euery relation or relative terme supposeth a ground or root , whence it ariseth or results ; which in nature hath precedency of it : now it is the root or ground from which the relation results , which is the proper object of every facultie whether it be passive as our senses are , or active , as our understanding is . . this relation or relative terme , to be visible or audible , results from the impression , which the proper object of sight or hearing make upon these two senses , or at least from the aptitude which they have to imprint their proper shape or forme upon these senses . the object of sight , which is colour or light , cannot found the relation of audibilitie , because neyther light nor colour have any aptitude to imprint their forme upon the eare ; nor can the relation of visibilitie result from sounds , which are the proper object of hearing , because sounds have no aptnesse or power to make any sensitive impression upon the eye . sounds then are the proper object of hearing , and the ground or root , whence bodies take the denomination of being audible . light or colour is the proper object of sight , & the ground or root whence bodies in which light or colour is found , receive the relative denomination of being visible . vnto the question then , [ what things may be seene , what things may not bee seene ; what things may be heard , or may not bee heard , ] the true and onely philosophicall answer is , those things onely can be seene , which are endowed with colours , or participate of light ; those things which have no colour or participation of light cannot be seene . those bodies onely which are apt to make or give sound , can be heard ; those which can yeeld no sound , cannot be heard . if it should further be demanded , why sounds only are audible , when as neyther colours nor other qualities can be audible , or become the object of hearing ? the only way to assoyle this question would be to instruct him that makes it , in the manner how sounds are produced , how they are carryed by the ayre unto the eare , how they are there entertained by the ayre , which the eare or organ of hearing continually harbours within it selfe for their entertainment . hee that should see the fabricke of the eare , and take the use of its severall parts ( of the anvile & the hammer especially ) into serious consideration , would cease to enquire why sounds are audible rather then colours , and begin to admire the inexpressible skill of the artificer , which framed this live-eccho in all more perfect sensitive creatures . no marvell if the eare perceive sounds , seeing the use or exercise of this sense is a continuall imitation of the production of sounds . and as no creature understands the expressions of our rationall internall notions , save that onely which is endowed with the like internall notions of reasons ; so neither could the eare or sense of hearing perceive sounds , unlesse it had a continuall internall sound within it selfe . hee againe that should view the severall humours of the eye , the chrystalline especially , would never move question , why colours should make that impression upon the eye , which they doe not upon the eare . the point questioned in this part of divinitie , or concerning the meaning of this attribute [ omnipotencie ] comes to this issue . whether power infinite & omnipotent have any object wherunto it is , or may be so immediately terminated , as sight or the visive facultie is unto light or colours , or as the faculty of hearing is to sounds , whence the relation or relative denomination of possibilitie doth so result , as visibilitie doth from the sight or visive facultie , as it respecteth colours . if infinite power presuppose any other object pre-existent to possibilitie , as light and colours are to visibilitie , this object must needs be eyther privative or positive : something or meere nothing . if wee shall say this object is a positive entitie , eyther it was frō eternitie without dependence on his almightie power , & so it should be , as that power is , infinite . or if we say this supposed object were from him , or by him , or had dependance on his power ; then certainly it was possible , and therefore cannot bee precedent to all possibilitie . whence it may seeme concluded , that gods infinite power or omnipotencie is the onely foundation of possibilitie , and by consequence cannot possibly have any object , whereto it is or can be terminated , or so fitted , as the visive facultie or sight is to light or colours . howbeit in truth the former reasons onely conclude , that the object of omnipotencie can be no positive entitie , nor the privation or negation of any determinate being . but that the same omnipotent power may have an object purely negative , or including a totall negation of all things numerable , though their number were potentially infinite , the former reasons or the like cannot enforce us to deny . all things are said to be possible unto god , because by his omnipotent power , he can make all things not out of positive possibilities or entities possible , but of meere nothing , that is , without any positive entitie pre-existent , to serve either as matter , agent , or instrument . what ? shall we say then , that things not possible onely , but impossible , may be done or made by power omnipotent ? or may wee say that impossibilitie is eyther something , or at least ( as some have taught ) a degree or part of non esse , or of nothing ? but how can that which is not , have any degrees or parts ? or , admit we might conceive things impossible or , impossibilities to be degrees or parts of nothing , yet so conceived , wee must needs conceive them to have the same negative conditions or properties , which are attributed to non esse , to simple not being , or to nothing , that is , they might be such objects of infinite power , as non esse , or not being is . yet he that made all things that are , of nothing and can resolve them into nothing againe , doth never attempt or profer to resolve them into impossibilities , nor did hee make any thing of impossibles . whether then impossibilitie or impossibles be something or nothing , how is it possible they should so resist the power omnipotent , which can doe all things , as that nothing can be made of them ? lastly , if impossibilities can be no objects of gods power , then things possible or possibilities , must be the onely object of it , and so we shall fall into the former circle , that god can doe those things onely that are possible , and those things onely are possible which god can doe . here the schooles acutely distinguish betweene possibilitie relative and absolute . * possibilitie relative being the first draught or capacitie of all being or perfection limited , must needs be founded upon omnipotencie : nothing is relatively possible , but by reference to , or by denomination from this almighty power . absolute possibilitie they conceive ad modum objecti , as it were an object that doth terminate omnipotent power , not positively as colours do sight , but privatively as darknesse doth sight ; or as an empty sphere without which omnipotencie it selfe doth never worke . this absolute possibilitie , or possibilitie meerly logicall , which is presupposed to relative possibilitie , as light or colour is to visibilitie , cannot otherwise be notified or expressed than by this negative , of not implying contradiction . but here the former difficultie concerning impossibilities meets with us in another shape . for it will be againe demanded , whether contradiction be any thing or nothing ? or how it should come to oppose gods almightie power , more then eyther non esse , simple not being , or all things that are possibly can doe ? can it bee lesse then nothing ? that is impossible ; rather it is , if not so much more , yet so much worse then nothing , as that it cannot possibly beare the true forme or character of any thing ; and for this reason can be no object of power omnipotent . vnder that notion which wee have of omnipotencie or infinite beeing , truth it selfe , and vnitie it selfe or identitie , are as essentially included , as entitie or being it selfe . it is no impotency in god , but rather the prerogative of his omnipotencie , that he cannot weaken his power by division , nor admit any mixture of imbecilitie , that he cannot deny or contradict himselfe . in that hee is infinitely true , or infinite truth it selfe , the ratification or approbation of contradictions , is more incompatible with his nature or essence , than falshood is with truth , than weaknesse with power , than malice with goodnes . there is no falshood unlesse it include some degrees or seeds of contradiction : as all truth is the offspring of unitie or identitie . in conclusion , as all things which are or possibly may be , can be no more then participations of his beeing , who is beeing it selfe : so they must by an eternall law , whensoever they begin to be , beare a true though an imperfect resemblance of his unitie , of his identitie , of his veracitie , as well as of his power which is omnipotently true , omnipotently just . in answer to the last difficultie proposed , it must be said that impossibilitie is neyther any positive entitie , nor is it any part or branch of non esse , or of nothing . for in respect of him who is all , more then all things , there can be no absolute non esse . hee calleth things that are not as if they were , that is , hee can by his sole wrod make all things which yet are not , which yet have not beene , to have true being . hee can make any thing of nothing . that then which we call impossibilitie , must not be derived from non esse , nor from falshood , which is finally resolved into contradiction . so that the rule of contradiction is the test , by which impossibilities , as well as falshood must be discovered : and it is more to bee impossible then to bee false . from what fountaine then doth impossibilitie spring ? from absolute and omnipotent power , or from the infinitie of the divine nature ? but seeing in him all power and being is contained , seeing the very possibilitie of limited being takes its beginning from him , the possibilitie of weakening his power , the possibilitie of contradicting or opposing himselfe , must by the eternall law be excluded from the object of omnipotencie . as we say , two negatives make an affirmative , so to be unable to dis-enable it selfe , is no imperfection , no impotencie ; but the greatest perfection , the highest degree of power wherof any nature is capable , because the impossibilitie of dis-enabling or weakning himselfe is a positive branch of the prerogative of omnipotencie . . it is not so true an argument of power in men to be illimited by law , or to be able to doe what they list , as to bee willing to doe nothing , but that which is lawfull and just : unlesse mans will be a law to his power , and goodnesse a law unto his will , how absolute and illimited soever his power may bee in respect of other men , or of any coactive law which they can make to restraine it , it may quickly come to make an end of it selfe . and the end or cessation of power absolute is the worst kind of limit that can be set unto it . the power of the persian kings , was sometimes so absolute and so illimited , that cambyses having no possitive law to curbe his will , fell in love with his owne sister . and yet so naturall is the notion of mans subjection unto some law , even unto men of corrupt mindes , that this lawlesse king consulted his iudges , whether his desire to enjoy the love of his sister , might be countenanced by law . the effect of these sages answer , was , that they knew no law in speciall , which might warrant the brother to marry the sister , but they had found a transcendent law , by which the kings of persia might doe what they list . by the like prerogative of this transcendent law ; another king , upon her request did delegate his absolute power unto his queene for a day . and she by delegation of this power , having libertie to doe what she list , did use it to the destruction of him that gave it her : for shee cut off his head , before she surrendred it . it is then a branch of the almighties prerogative , that his omnipotent power cannot for a moment be delegated or bequeathed to any other ; that as he can doe whatsoever he will , so nothing can be done or willed by him , which may derogate from the endlesse exercise of his infinite majestie , power , truth , or goodnesse . the use of this doctrine concerning the prerogative of omnipotencie , and the absolute impossibilitie of doing any thing that may derogate from it , is in generall this . as no opinion in the judgement of philosophers can be convinced of absurdity , untill it be resolved into a contradiction either unto it selfe , or unto some principle of nature from which it pretends some originall title of truth : so the only rule for the discovering impiety of opinions in divinitie , or for cōvincing their authors of heresie or infidelitie , is by manifesting their repugnancie or contradictiō to some one or other divine attribute , or to some special promise or asseveration made by the almightie in scriptures , and whosoever denies or contradicts any part of gods word , doth contradict the divine truth or veracitie which no man hath any temptation either to deny or contradict , but from some doubt or deniall of his omnipotencie . of such opinions as either contradict this article of omnipotency , or falsely pretend some colourable title of truth from it , wee shall have occasion to speake in the particular articles , against which these errors are conceived , or whose truth they prejudice . having hitherto declared the object and meaning of this arcle , we are in the next place to proove the truth of it against the atheist . chap. . this visible world did witnesse the invisible power and vnitie of the godhead unto the ancient heathens . lest any man should misconceive the former title of almightie to bee but as a faire promising frontispice to an unresponsible worke , we have the fabricke of this vniverse , the whole world it selfe and all things in it , produced as witnesses of the almightie fathers alsufficiencie for effecting whatsoever either this grand attribute of omnipotencie , or any other article of this creed may promise or intimate unto us . for when wee professe our beliefe , that there is a father almightie , who made the heaven and earth , wee must beleeve not onely that hee made both , but that hee which so made them both , is both able and willing to effect all things for us , for which wee have his promise ; euen things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard ; things which cannot possibly enter into the heart of man , by any bodily sense . to this purpose the nicene creed expresseth this article more fully . i beleeve in one god the father almightie , maker of heaven & earth , and of all things visible and invisible . hee that hath already made many things to us invisible , cā prepare those things for us , which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard . the inspection of this great visible sphere , did convince the understandings of such as had no other booke , besides this great booke of nature , to instruct them ; the understandings of men altogether unacquainted with moses writings , that the author of this great booke , was the onely god , the onely invisible power , which deserved this soveraigne title . for though it be probable that plato had read moses his historie , and his law ; there is no probabilitie , that either orpheus or pythagoras , both farre more ancient then plato , had read or seene them , or could understand the language wherein they were in their times onely extant : yet iustin . martyr one of the most ancient christian writers , produceth the testimonie of pythagoras , ( an heathen philosopher against the heathen ) as a second to orpheus for confirmation of that truth , which we christians in this article beleeve . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . let him that sayes , i am a god , win homage by his deed , and lay a world like this to pawne , before i give him creede . . now albeit neither orpheus nor pythagoras were canonicall writers , though their joynt authoritie be not infallible , yet the holy ghost a teaer most infallible , hath declared the reasons which they used , to be most infallible by the testimonie of two canonical writers . the first is that of the psalmist , psal . . , . the lord is great & greatly to be praised : he is to be feared above all gods . for all the gods of the nations are idols , or gods no-gods : but the lord made the heavens . the prophet ieremy is more expresse and more peremptorie . chap. . vers . , , . but the lord is the true god , he is the living god and an everlasting king : at his wrath the earth shall tremble , and the nations shall not bee able to abide his indignation . thus shall yee say unto them , the gods that have not made the heavens , and the earth , even they shall perish from the earth , and from under those heavens . hee hath made the earth by his power , he hath established the world by his wisdome , and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion . . the consonancie between the live oracles of god and the dictates of reason in heathen men , afford us this aphorisme , that it is not nature her selfe ( which is never otherwise than negatively , or at the most privatively opposed to the goodnesse of god ) but the corruption of nature , which is alwaies contrarie to the good spirit of god , whereby men are seduced unto atheisme . and seeing this corruption of nature whereof atheisme is the symptome , is the onely disease of the soule ; the disease and the symptome cannot more kindly be cured then by reviving the strength of nature . the receipt for reviving and strengthning nature must be compounded of these two truths , both evident by light of reason not eclipsed by interposition of corrupt affections or malignant habits , or freed from these by illumination of the spirit . the first truth is , that this visible world did not make it selfe , but had a maker which gave it beginning and continuation of being : the second , that the making of this visible world doth evince the maker of it to be omnipotent , and able to effect whatsoever he hath promised . but before the former truth can have its operation upon the humane soule which is misaffected ; the objections of the atheists must bee removed . all his objections may be reduced to these two , ex nihilo nihil fit ; of nothing nothing can bee made : whence seeing we acknowledge creation , either to be a making of all things of nothing , or ( at least ) to suppose that some things are made of meere nothing : the truth which we christians in this article beleeve , may seeme directly to contradict a philosophicall truth or principle in nature . this first objection is seconded by another . to create or to make something of nothing is to bee active : or thus , creation supposeth an agent , and euery agent presupposeth a patient . now if there were any patient , or passive power praeexistēt to the act of creation , this passive power or patient wherein it lodgeth was not created , but must have a beeing from eternitie . from the difficultie included in this last objection , some philosophers did conceive an unfashioned or confused masse , coëuall to the eternitie of divine power , which they acknowledged to be the artificer or framer of this great worke , into that uniformitie or beautie of severall formes which now it beares . the first objection admits a double sense or doubtfull construction , and hath no truth in respect of the almightie maker , saue onely in the impertinent sense . the second objection universally taken , is false . chap. . the first objection of the atheist , of nothing , nothing can be made . of the doubtfull sense of this naturall , how far it is true , and how farre it is false . when it is said by the naturalist , that nothing can be made of nothing , or that every thing which is made is made of something : this particle ex or of , hath not alwaies the same importance : and in the multiplicitie of its significations or importances , the naturalist either hood winks himselfe , or takes opportunitie to hide his errour ; or at least makes advantage of the doubtfull phrase against such as seeke to resell him . when we speake of naturall bodies or sublunary substances , this particle of , usually denotes the proper and immediate matter whereof euery such body is made . thus we say the elements are mutually made one of another , or of the matter which is common to them all ; mixt bodies are made of the elements wrought or compacted into one masse ; vegetables & living substances indued with sense , are made of mixt bodies , as of their immediate and proper matter . sometimes the same particle of or that speech ( this body is made of that ) doth not denote the immediate & proper matter whereof it is made , but yet imports that that part of the bodily substance , which was in the one , becomes an ingrediēt in the other which is made of it . so of water , wine was made by miracle iohn . yet not made of water as of its immediate or proper matter , not so as vapors are made of moysture , ordistilled waters of fume or smoake : for so , that great worke had beene no true miracle , had included no creation , but a generation only . now it is impossible unto nature to generate wine of water , without the ingredient of any other element . it cannot be made by generation otherwise then of the juyce or sap of the vine , which is not a simple element , but the expression of a bodie perfectly mixt . howbeit in this miraculous conversion of water into wine , some part of the corporeall substance of water did remaine as an ingredient in the wine . there was not an utter annihilation of the water , and a new production of wine in the same place , where water had beene , but a true and miraculous transubstantiation of water into wine . and * thus we must grant that trees and vegetables were on the third day made , not immediately of nothing , that fishes and beasts were made , the one of the bodily substance of the earth , the other of the bodily substance of the waters , neither immediately made of nothing , albeit both were made , not by generation , but by creation , that is , not of any bodily matter , naturally disposed to bring forth or receive that forme , which by the creators hand , was instamped upon them . for in true philosophy , that which philosophers call the matter of all things generable , was not the first sublunary substance , which was produced ; nor was it comproduced or concreated with them , but created in them after they were made . god had gathered the waters into one place , and the drie land into another , before either of them had power to conceive or become the common mothers of vegetable and living things . thus were the heaven , and the earth first made , and the waters divided by the firmament , whereas the earth did not become the matter or common mother of things vegetable , before the third day , * wherein god said , let the earth bring forth grasse , the hearb yeelding seed , and the fruit tree , yeelding fruit after his kind , whose seed is in it selfe , upon the earth ; and it was so . gen. . . nor did the waters become the common matter or mother of fishes , before the fift day , let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life , &c. now this production of hearbs or plants out of the earth , of fish and fowle out of the substance of the water , was not a meer conservation or actuation of that power , which the earth & waters had before ; but the creation of a new power in them , the continuation of which power , is part of that , which we call the passive power of the matter . nor had the fishes or whales , which god created , this passive power in themselves from their first creation , but received it from that blessing of god , ver . . be fruitfull and multiply , and fill the waters in the seas , and let fowle multiply in the earth . nor did the earth become the common mother of vegetables , as of hearbs , grasse , trees , &c. and of more perfect livings creatures , at the same time . it received power to bring forth the one upon the third day ; not enabled to bring forth the other , untill the fift day ; god said , let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind , cattell , and creeping thing , and beast of the earth . so that all these and man himselfe were not immediately made of nothing , though immediately made by god himselfe : for they were made by him of the substance of the earth , which was visible & praeexistent to their making , though not made of it as of the matter . but when it is said , in the first of genesis , [ god in the beginning made the heaven and earth , ] it cannot be supposed or imported , that he made them of any visible or invisible substance praeexistent : and if hee made them or their common masse of no substance praeexistent , here was something made of nothing : but how of nothing ? or what doth this particle import ? not that nothing should remaine as an ingredient in the first masse , or as if it had the like precedency to it , as the earth had to living things : the almightie did not so turne nothing into something , as our sauiour did water into wine . to say any thing could be made of nothing in this sense , or according to the former importances of the particle of , doth indeed imply an evident contradiction ; for so nothing should be something , and simple not beeing should haue a true being . to make nothing to be something , fals not within the object of power omnipotent ; it can be no part of the almightie makers worke . as cyphers cannot bee multiplied into numbers , by any skill in arithmetique , though supposed infinite ; so neither can nothing be converted into something , nor become an ingredient in bodies created by any power , though infinite . as the omnipotent creator is one vnitie it selfe , so euery thing which he makes must have its unitie or identitie , it cannot consist of contradictories . . when then it is said , that all things were made of nothing , or that creation supposeth some things to be immediately made of nothing , this particle of can onely import terminum a quo , the terme onely of the action , not any matter or subject : and yet the tearme thus imported , can bee no positive entitie , but a meere negation of any positive entitie precedent . to make the heauens and earth of nothing , is in reall value no more , then to make them not of any matter or entitie praeexistent , whether visible or invisible , on which their maker did exercise his efficient power or efficacie ; but to give them such beeing , as they then first began to have , that is , a corporeall beeing or existence , by the meere efficacie or vertue of his word . as , suppose the sunne should in a moment be suffered to transmit his light into a close vault of stone ; we might truely say , this heavenly bodie , did make light of darknesse tanquam ex termino , in that it made light to be there , where was no light at all before , but meere darkenesse . and thus to make light out of darknesse , doth no way argue , that it turned darknesse into light , or that darknesse did remaine as an ingredient in the light made . after this manner , did the amightie make the heaven and earth of nothing , that is , he made the corporeall masse or substance , out of which all things visible were made , where no limited substance , whether visible or invisible , was before ; and by the same efficiencie , by which this masse was made , he made place or spatiousnesse quantitative , which had no beeing at all before ; he did not turne indivisibilitie into spatiousnes , or meere vacuitie into fulnes : fulnes and spatiousnesse were the resultance of that masse which was first made , without any entitie or ingredient praeexistent . to make something of nothing in this sense , implies no contradiction ; there is no impossibilitie , that the heaven and earth should be thus made , but this will not suffice to refute the atheist or infidell . for many things are possible which are not probable , and many things probable which are not necessary . the next question then is , what necessitie there is in the infallible rules of nature and reason , that the heavens & the earth , should be made of nothing . against the probabilitie onely of moses his historie of the first creation , the atheist will yet oppose this generall induction , that all bodily substances that begin to be what before they were not , that all things which we see made , are alwayes made by some efficient cause , not out of meere nothing , but of some imperfect being praexistent . to examine then the general rule pretended to amount from this generall induction , s or what truth there is in that philosophicall maxime , ex nihilo nihil fit , is the next point . chap. . by what manner of induction or enumeration of particulars , universall rules or maximes must bee framed and supported . that no induction can bee brought to proove the naturalists maxime , of nothing , nothing can be made . to frame a generall rule or principle in any facultie , art , or science , there is no other meanes possible besides induction , or a sufficient enumeration of particular experiments to support it . the particulars , from which this sufficiencie must amount , may be in some subjects fewer , in others more . how many soeuer the particular instances or alleaged experiments be ; the number of thē will not suffice to support an universall rule , unlesse they erect our understandings to a cleare view of the same reason , not onely in all the particulars instanced in , but in all that can be brought of the same kind . vnlesse there bee a cleare resultance of the same reason in all , the induction failes , and the rule which is grounded on it , must needes fall . for this cause , universall rules are easily framed in the mathematiques , or in other arts , whose subjects are more abstract , or not charged with multiplicitie of considerations or ingredients ; from whose least variation , whether by addition or subtraction , whether by further commixture or dissolution , the cause or reason of truth so varies , that the rule which constantly holds in a great many like particulars , will not hold in all , because they are not absolutely or every way alike . hee which seriously observes the manner , how right angles are framed will without difficultie yeeld his assent unto this universall rule , that all right angles are equall , because hee sees there is one and the same reason of absolute equalitie in al that can be imagined . and this negative rule , will , by the same inspection , win our assent without more adoe , that if any two angles be unequall , the one of them ( at least ) can be no right angle . the consideration likewise of a few particulars , will suffice to make up these universall never-failing rules . . first , that the greater any circle is , the greater alwayes will the angle of the semicircle be . . the second , that the angle of the least semicircle which can be imagined , is greater then the most capacious acute-angle that can be made by the concurrence of two right lines . and yet it will as clearly appeare from the inspection of the same particulars , from which the former rules do amount , that the angle of the greatest semicircle imaginable , cannot possibly be so capacious , as every right angle is . the consideration of the former rules , specially of the first and third , will clearly manifest , that the quantitie contained in these angles , how little soever they be , is divisible into infinite indeterminate parts , or divisible into such parts , without possible end or limitation of division . but albeit the difference of quantitie between a right angle and the angle of a semicircle , bee potentially infinite , or infinitely divisible , according to parts or portions in determinate ; yet will it not hence follow , that the one angle is as great againe as the other , according to the scale of any distinct or determinate quantitie , or expressible portions . and this observation in mathematicall quantitie , would quickly checke or discover the weaknesse of many calculatory arguments or inductions oft-times used by great divines in matters morall or civill . as for example , that every sinne deserveth punishment infinite , because every sinne is an offence committed against an infinite being or majestie . and the greater , or more soveraigne the majestie is , which wee offend ; the greater alwayes will the offence be , and meritorious of greater punishment . yet all this onely proves , an infinitie of indeterminate degrees in every offence against the divine majestie , by which it exceedes all offences of the same kinde committed onely against man : it no way inferres an infinite excesse or ods of actuall determinate punishment , or ill deserts . for this reason , wee have derived the just award of everlasting supernaturall paines , unto temporarie and transeunt ( bodily or naturall ) pleasures , from the contempt of gods infinite goodnesse , which destinates no creatures unto everlasting death , but such as he had made capable of everlasting joyes ; nor were any of them infallibly destinated unto everlasting death , untill they had by voluntary transgression , or continuance in despising of the riches of his goodnesse , made themselves uncapable of the blisse to which hee had destinated them . but to returne unto the force or efficacie of induction : that ( wee say ) is neyther so cleare , nor so facile in matters physicall or morall , as it is in the mathematiques . now , the reason , why perfect inductions are so difficultly made , in matters naturall , is , because the subject of naturall philosophy is not so simple or uncompounded , as mathematicall bodies or figures are : and yet are naturall bodies subject to greater varietie of circumstances , more obnoxious to alteration by occurrences externall , then abstract lines , or motionlesse figures , or bodies are . the cunningest alchymist ( albeit hee could exactly temper his furnace to all the severall degrees of heate , that any fewell , of what kinde soever , could afford ) cannot by any fire , or by any degree of heate , which issues from it , hatch the most imperfect bird that flyes : yet if he should hence inferre , that no birds could bee hatched by any kinde of heate , daily experience would convince his assertion of falshood , and his induction , although it consisted of ten thousand instances or experiments taken from the heate of the forge , or furnace , to be altogether lame . a man mighty try the like conclusion of hatching birds , in all the sands , that this iland affords , upon the eggs of all the fowles that breed in it , or about it , and finde their barrennesse and unaptnesse for bringing forth any flying creature , to bee as great , as it is for bringing forth wheate or other corne . and i am perswaded the compost of this our soyle is an unapt to bring forth the former effects , as our sands are . yet if any man should hence make this generall induction , that no sand or * compost could performe this midwifery to the conception of any fowles ; his errour might bee confuted by the ostriches , which have beene hatched in the sands of arabia ; and by some compost in aegypt , which performes that office unto young chickens , which brood-hens doe with us . no man in his time , or since he died , hath beene either more accurate or more industrious in observing the externall causes of sicknesse and health , then hippocrates was . and , no question , but he was as carefull to take his observations or frame his generall rules , from multitude of experiences , as any philosopher or physitian hath beene . notwithstanding * his observation concerning the nature and qualities of winds , and the dependence of mens health or sicknesse upon them , are farther out of date in france , then an almanacke made the last yeare for the meridian of london , would be this yeare for the meridian of mexico . the same winds , which in his countrey , or in countries wherein hee made his observations , were most healthfull ; are most noysome in some parts of france . the diversitie of the soile , whence windes in severall regions arise or passe through , makes one and the same winde ( in respect of the point or quarter of heaven from whence it comes , ) to produce quite contrary effects in severall religions , or situations . the east wind may , in some regions , dispose mens bodies to the iaundice , and yet purifie mens blood in other places not farre distant for latitude . so may the south-wind , in some regions , taint mens bodies with consumptions , coughs , or other infirmities , and yet bee healthfull , in other regions not much distant for longitude . let then the meere naturalist tyre himselfe , and his reader , by long inductions , or with multitude of experiments in agents & subjects natural , for supporting his generall rule , ex nihilo nihil fit , [ every thing is made of something ] yet his observation , will reach no farther then to agents or efficients , visible , or limited . albeit his experiments in this kind were infinite ; this inference neverthelesse [ no visible agent can make any thing of nothing , therefore nothing can bee made of nothing by an invisible or supernaturall agent ] would be more disjoynted then this following ; no heate of fire or of the sunne in what degree soever , can hatch liue-creatures , ergo the heate of the dam cannot hatch her young ones . the difference betweene visible agents , may be much greater , then the difference betweene the heate or warmth of divers bodies . no earthly bodies can produce heate in others , but either by heate inherent in themselves or by motion , yet this will not conclude , that no celestiall bodie ( the sunne for example ) can produce heat in bodies sublunary , unlesse it selfe be inherently hot , or at least not without motion . it is more then probable , that the sunne is not formally or inherently hot , and yet although it should stand still , ( as once it did ) in its sphere above our horizon , it would heat and warme us no lesse then now it doth , whilst it moueth . for cōclusion ; to make any perfect inductiō sufficient to support an vniversall rule , from earthly bodies , which shall conclude bodies coelestiall , or from agents sublunarie or uisible , which shall as uniformely hold true in an agent invisible and supercoelestiall , is more difficult then to twist ropes of loose sand . that which the naturalist should proove , if hee would bee an atheist or infidell in graine , or oppose the truth of scriptures with probabilitie , is , that there is no invisible or spirituall agent . and this is the point whereat the second objection aymes : there can be no agent without a patient , no exercise of art , or power , without some matter or subject to worke upon . chap. . the second objection of the naturalist : [ every agent praesupposeth a patient or passiue subject to worke upon ] cannot bee proved by any induction . the contradictorie to this maxime proved by sufficient induction . actus agentium sunt in patiente bene disposito . the efficacie of every agent ( saith the philosopher ) is in the patient fitly disposed to receive it . and else-where hee determines it as a positive truth , that every action is in the patient , not in the agent . and this his position , may bee ratified by perfect induction or experiments inpregnable : for every action is an operation , and every operation is so necessarily annexed vnto the effect produced , that where the one is , the other needes must be ; and every effect is in the patient , or at least is the patient . the softning of waxe , the hardning of clay , the revivall of vegetables of severall kindes , are all actions proceeding from one and the same actuall force , or unvariable influence of the sunne . the reason , why the active force is but one and the same , and why the actions or operations are many and much different , is , because the active force , is in the agent , whereas the action or operation is in the patient , and is diversly multiplied according to the diversitie and multitude of the patients . we shall not need to question the universall truth of the former maxime , that every action is in the patient , as some have done . for it holds as true in divinitie as in philosophy , & most apparent in the subject whereof we treate . creation it selfe is an action , a reall action , yet not really in the creator , but in the creature onely . for no reall attribute , can be in the creator , which was not in him from eternitie ; the creature onely gets beginning of being by creation , which before it had not . if then there can bee no agencie without an action , and every action be in the patient , the cause is concluded , that every agent though omnipotent supposeth a patient . . but it is one thing to suppose or require , another to praesuppose or praerequire patiēt ; one thing to require or suppose a patient , another to require or suppose a matter or subject to worke upon . we are then to distinguish of patients , and betwixt the workes wrought or effected by agents . a patient is usually taken for the matter or subject on which the agent doth exercise his active force , or out of which it produceth its worke . euery finite agent , aswell naturall as artificiall doth praerequire and presuppose such a kind of patient , that is , some reall matter or subject , whereon to worke . but this kind of patient is no just compere , no full correlative to an agent universally taken . the relalatiō betwixt an agent & patient taken in this sense , is neither so formall or necessary , as it is ( inter agens & actum ) betweene the agent , and that which is acted , betweene the efficient and the effect , or betweene the worker and his worke . god wee grant could be no actuall agent , much lesse an omnipotent actuall agent , without some act or worke produced by him . as there could bee no creature without a creator , so could there bee no creator without a creature . but that which the naturalist is to prove , is , that the worke of creation presupposeth some matter or subject for the creator to worke upon . to manifest the impperfection of his inductions to this purpose , and to cleare our contradictorie assertion , wee are to distinguish or explicate the severall workes , which are or can be wrought . . three sorts of workes the meere naturalist grants . . meerely naturall . . meerely artificiall . . partly naturall , partly artificiall . workes of the last ranke , ( for instance ) are physicall medicines , or all such workes as nature of her owne accord , doth not attempt or undertake , but onely as shee is set a working by art. natu●e makes no physicall doses , but onely affords the simples , of which they are compounded by the apothecarie : who notwithstanding cannot compound them without the ministery or operation of nature . the physitian may allot the severall quantitie of every ingredient , besides the proportion betwixt them ; but the mixture must be immediately effected by heate , or other naturall qualities . so likewise must the extraction or expression of many simples bee wrought by nature , but at the appointment or direction of the physitian . nature doth not attempt the making of bell-metall , much lesse of bells ; and yet she affords all the ingredients to the bell-founder , who cannot mixe them by any art , or skill , without the heate of the fire , or other operations of nature , set on worke or directed by him . workes meerly naturall comprehend all sorts of bodies generable , whether the elements , or bodies mixt . the generation of every such body presupposeth a mutation or alteration of qualities in the matter , before it become capable of a new forme or nature . every alteration of qualitie wrought in any sublunary body ( whether it be a praeviall disposition or introduction to a new forme or nature ; or whether it be accomplished without generation of any new substance ) is the proper effect or worke of the agent , which causeth it . so is every artificiall worke or forme , the effect or worke of the artificer . so that art hath its proper effects as well as nature , and every artificiall effect or worke supposeth an efficiencie or agencie in the art or artist : yet doth not the exercise of this active force or efficiencie , eyther presuppose or require any such passive alteration of quality in the matter or subject , whereon it workes , as nature requires in her patients . every statue or image of wood , is the effect of the statuarie , or a worke of the art of imagery ; yet doe not these workes , being meerly artificiall , eyther suppose , or necessarily require any alteration of qualitie in stone and wood . the statuary produceth no naturall effect or qualitie , which was not in the stone before , but onely makes that visible and apparant to the eye , which was formerly hidden or enveyled in the stone . every letter of the decalogue was in the tables of stone , before they were ingraven , eyther by the finger of god or by moses , and became legible onely by their art or skill of ingraving ; yet not made legible by any addition of substance , of quantitie , or qualitie , but by meere abscision of quantitative parts . and this abscision , from which visible characters , or terminate figures result , whether in wood or stone , is the proper effect of the carver or ingraver . both these inductions following , universally taken , are false , ( though both true in their proper subject : ) [ . no statuary , or carver , or other like artificer can produce his proper worke , without some abscision or variation of quantitie in the subject , whereon hee workes : therefore nature cannot produce her proper effects , without some alteration of quantitie in the matter or subject wherein shee workes . . naturall agents or efficients never produce their proper effects , but by working some alteration or qualitie in the matter : therefore no artificer can produce the proper workes of his art , without the like alteration of qualitie in the subject whereon hee workes . ] nor will it follow , that because effects meerly artificiall may be wrought without any alteration of qualitie , therefore mixt effects , or workes partly naturall , partly artificiall , as compounded medicines or bell-metall , can be so wrought . least of all can it be inferred , that because art as well as nature supposeth a subject praeexistent whereon to worke ; therefore the agent supernaturall , or the efficient superartificiall , alwayes presupposeth some matter or subject praeexistent , out of which , or in which hee produceth his proper worke . the reason why the former inductions faile , is because the agents or efficients are of a different ranke or kinde . and the * prohibition holds as true in point of induction as of demonstration , non licet transcendere a genere ad genus . hee that will demonstrate any conclusion , must not rove from one kinde of subject to another . and the reason why in thus roving he shall certainly faile of his intended conclusion , is , because the principles whence the intended conclusion must be inferred , cannot be gathered but by induction , and no induction can prove any generall maxime , unlesse it consist of particulars of the same kinde . a philosophicall maxime cannot be gathered from inductions meerly mathematicall , nor mathematicall principles from experiments philosophicall . nor can artificiall maximes or conclusions ( especially negative ) bee gathered from experiments naturall , nor maximes naturall from observations in subjects meerely artificiall . least of all can any theologicall maximes , be ratified from experiments meerely naturall , artificiall , or mathematicall ; but onely by inductions , or reasons abstract and metaphysicall , that is , such as hold true in all arts or sciences whatsoever . the onely certaine rule , which all the former inductions can afford , is this : there can bee no reall effect , whether artificiall , naturall , or supernaturall , without an efficient : nothing which now is not , or sometimes was not , could possibly bee made without some agent or maker : betweene every naturall agent and its patient , betweene every artificer and his worke , there alwayes results a mutuall relation of efficient and effect . but this rule will not abide the turning : betweene every efficient and its proper effect , there alwayes results a mutuall relation of agent and patient ; if by this terme patient wee understand a matter or subject praeexistent to the exercise of the agents efficiencie . the usuall division of agents into artificiall , naturall , and supernaturall , supposeth a three-fold diversitie in their objects , betwixt which there is this proportion , as nature alwayes affordeth art a compleat naturall subject to worke upon : so the supernaturall agent , or supreme efficient , exhibits that imperfect substance or matter unto nature , which shee brings unto perfection . nature doth so unto art , as it is done to her by a benefactor supernaturall . vnto this observation upon the former division , wee can adde no more , nor can any more be required , besides a just proofe that there is an agent supernaturall , which sometimes had no matter at all to worke upon , but made even nature her selfe , and the passive capacitie or subject whereon shee workes , of no worke or matter praeexistent . the matter it selfe , and nature it selfe , are the immediate effects of his active force or efficiencie . now to beate the naturalist at his owne weapon , wee are to make proofe of this assertion by full induction , and strength of reason grounded upon experiments in every subject wherein the naturalist can instance . first , it is universally true of all the workes as well of nature , as of art , which now are perfect , and sometimes were not so , that they did not make themselves , but had ( respectively ) their severall makers or efficient causes , which brought them unto that perfect estate and condition which now they have . the most perfect works of nature cannot put themselves into a perfect artificiall forme , without the help of some artificer . stones doe not naturally grow into statues , nor trees into the pictures or images of men or birds : brasse and copper , with other metalls conceived in the bowells of the earth , doe not either by themselves , or by the help of naturall causes which produce them , cast or mould themselves into guns or bullets . the earth and water doe not worke themselves into the live-substance of plants or vegetables , but are first wrought , and ( as it were ) kneaded together by the heate of the sunne ; first altered , & then incorporated into the substance of such trees , by the vegetative faculty , which is actually resident and praeexistent in the trees or plants , which are nourished by them . there is no sublunarie substance which did not take beginning , either entirely and together , or piece-meale and successively . the elementall bodies of the ayre and water , were not totally the same a thousand yeares agoe , that now they are : both continue the same they were by equivalencie of succeeding parts , or daily addition by new generation . now successive generation supposeth an end or destruction of that that was , & a beginning of that which succeedes in its place ; and the beginning of every thing , supposeth a beginner or cause efficient , to give it being . the race or continuation of more perfect sublunary substances , as of vegetables and moving creatures , remaines the same , not by equivalency of succeeding parts , but by a totall production of distinct individualls . and every distinct individuall tree or liuing creature , hath its immediate and proper efficient , as well as its materiall cause , nothing can give it selfe a distinct numericall being . what is the reason then , why the workes of nature , which are perfected in their kinde by their proper efficients ( as trees come to full growth ) cannot transforme themselves into bodies artificiall without the worke of the artificer ? what is the reason why the imperfect masse , wherein the seeds of nature are contained , cannot grow up into a perfect or compleate body naturall , without the efficiencie of some other in the same kinde already compleate ? fortes creantur fortibus . nature makes nothing perfect , but by the help of some agent formerly made perfect : doth the perfection of bodies artificiall by an indispensable law of necessitie , require a perfect worke of nature praeexistent to the operation of art : and doth this perfect worke of nature , bee it brasse , wood , or stone , by a like indispensable law of necessitie , require an imperfect masse or matter praeexistent to the naturall agents or efficients , which mould or kneade it into its perfect or specificall forme ? and shall not this imperfect masse , with all its severall elements or ingredients that can be required to the perfection of any naturall body , more necessarily require some precedent efficient cause of its imperfect being or existence ? this cannot be conceived ; for if these imperfect substances , whereof any naturall body is made , could eyther give beginning of being to themselves , or have it from no cause efficient , they should bee in this respect much more perfect , than the more perfect workes of nature , in that they eyther make themselves , or have no maker . vpon this principle of nature , or from this impossibilitie in nature [ that any visible work whether naturall or artificiall , should either give it selfe being or have its being from no cause precedent ] did * tully rightly argue , that as a man comming into an house , wherein were no live creatures saue rats and mice , could not conceive that either the house did make it selfe , or had no other maker besides these rats and mice , which were found in it : so neither can it be imagined , that this visible spheare wherein the workes of art and nature , are daily seene , and doe daily begin to be and expire ; could either make it selfe , or have beeing of it selfe , without beginning , without a maker super-artificiall , or an efficient supernaturall . every part of this vniverse considered alone , is a worke of nature , but the exquisite harmony betweene them , is a worke more then artificiall . all that nature can adde to art , or art to nature , is but a shadow of that great artificers skill , which composed the severall workes of nature into so excellent a forme , and tuneth their discording qualities , into such exact harmony . the induction of tully is more briefly , but more pithily and expressely gathered by our apostle heb. . ver . . euery house is builded by some man , but hee that built all things is god. but if every house bee built by some man , how is god said to build all things ? shall every builder of an house be a god ? no : but whatsoever man doth build , god doth likewise build . for except the lord doth build the house , they labour in vaine , that are builders of it . psalm . . . better it were to bee idle or to doe nothing , then either to be laborious in building houses , or watchfull in guarding cities strongly built , unlesse the lord doe afford not onely his concurrence , but his blessing to the labours of the one , and to the watchfulnesse of the other . but in this argument wee may expatiate without impeachment of digression from the matter , or of diversion from our ayme , in the following treatise of divine providence . . this present treatise requires an induction , sufficient to prove that every visible or sublunarie substance , aswell the common matter whereof all such things are made , as the severall formes , which are produced out of it , have an efficient cause precedent to their making or production . for the seuerall formes , or bodies generable which are constituted by them , the induction is as cleare to every mans sense or understanding , as any mathematicall induction can bee . the naturalist is neither able nor disposed to except against the universalitie of it , or to instance in any sublunarie bodie , which hath not a true efficient cause , or an agent precedent ; from whose efficacie its physicall or essentiall forme , was either made , or did result . the question onely remaines about the efficiencie or production of the prime or common matter . seeing it is the mother of generation , wee will not vexe the naturalist by demanding a generative cause efficient of its beeing , but that it must have some cause efficient , wee shall enforce him to grant from a generall maxime most in request with men of his profession . the maxime is [ that the philosophicall progresse from effects to their causes , or from inferiour to superiour causes , is not like arithmeticall or geometricall progressions ; it cannot bee infinite . ] wee must at length come to one supreme cause efficient , which in that it is supreame , is a cause of causes , but no effect , and being no effect , nor cause subordinate to any other agent , it can have no limit of beeing , it can admit no restraint in working . whatsoever we can conceive as possible to have limited beeing , or beginning of such beeing , must haue both frō it & by it . now if the perfect workes of nature , bodies sublunarie of what kind soever , suppose a possibilitie physicall included in the prime and common matter , before they have actuall being ; if it imply no contradiction for them to have beginning of beeing , it will imply no contradiction , that the prime mater it selfe or imperfect masse , whereof they are made , should have a beginning of its imperfect beeing ; that physicall beeing which it hath , doth presuppose a logicall possibilitie of beeing , as it is ; that is , no contradiction , for it sometimes to be , and sometimes not to haue beene . this supreame cause or agent which ( as we suppose , ) did reduce the logicall possibilitie of the prime matter of sublunary bodies into act , cannot be the heavens , or any part of the hoast of heavē , neither the sun , moon nor stars . for , albeit the sun be the efficient cause , by which most workes of nature in this sublunarie part of the world , are brought to perfection : yet is it no cause at all of that imperfect masse or part of nature , on which it workes . vnlesse it had some matter to worke upon , it could produce no reall or solid effect by its influence , light or motion , how ever assisted with the influence of other stars or planets . yet must this prime matter , have some cause ; otherwise it should be more perfect than the bodily substances , which are made of it . for they all stand in neede , both of this prime matter , as a cause in it kinde concurrent to their production , and of the efficiencie of the sunne or other coelestiall agents to worke or fashion the materialls or ingredients , of which they are made . if either this common matter of sublunary substances , or the sunne which workes upon it , had no superiour cause to limit their beeing or distinguish their offices ; both of them should bee infinite in beeing ; both infinite in operation . now if the matter were infinite in beeing : the sunne or other coelestiall agents , could have no beeing but in it , or from it . for if the sunne were infinite in operation , the matter it selfe could bee nothing at all ; no part of nature , unlesse it were a worke or effect of the sunne . infinitie in beeing excludes all possibilitie of other beeing save in it and from it . and infinitie in operation , supposeth all things that are limited , whether in beeing or operation , to bee its workes , or resultances of its illimited efficacie . chap. . shewing by reasons philosophicall , that aswell the physicall matter of bodies sublunary , as the celestiall bodies which worke upon it , were of necessitie to have a beginning of their beeing and duration . for further demonstration , that as well the sunne , which is the efficient generall , as the prime matter which is the common mother of bodies sublunary , had a beginning of beeing , there can be no meane eyther more forcible or more plausible , then another maxime much imbraced and insisted upon by the great philosopher , to wit , that as well the efficient as the materiall cause derive the necessitie of their causalitie from the end or finall cause , unto which they are destinated . the sunne doth not runne its daily course from east to west , or make its annuall progresse from north to south , to get it selfe heate , or for the increase of its native force or vigour , by change of climates ; but for the propagation of vegetables , for the continuance of life and health in more perfect sublunary substances . if then wee can demonstrate , that those vegetables or more perfect sublunarie bodies , for whose continuall propagation , for the continuance of whose life and well-fare the sunne becomes so indefatigable in its course , had a true beginning of beeing , that the propagation is not infinitely circular : the cause will be concluded , that as well the common matter , whereof they are made , as the sunne it selfe which produceth them , had a beginning of beeing and operation from the same supreame cause , which appointed the sunne thus to dispense its heate and influence , for the reliefe and comfort of this inferiour world . to prove that these sublunarie more perfect bodies , as vegetables , &c , had a beginning of beeing or propagation ; no argument can be more effectuall to the naturalist , or others that will take it into serious consideration ; than the discussion of that probleme , which plutarch hath propounded , whether the egg were before the hen , or the hen before the egg. the state of the question will be the same in all more perfect vegetables , or living creatures , which usually grow from an imperfect or weake estate to a more perfect and stronger : [ whether the acorne were before the oake , or the oake before the acorne . whether the lyon had precedencie of nature to the lyons whelp , or the lyons whelp unto the lyon. the induction may be for eyther part most compleate , in respect of all times and of all places , if with the naturalist wee imagine the world to have beene without beginning , or without ending . no naturalist can ever instance in any more perfect feathered fowle , which was not first covered with a shell , or contained in some more imperfect filme ; in any bull which was not first a calfe ; in any lyon , which was not first a whelp ; in any oake , which did not first spring from an acorne : unlesse he instance in painted trees , in brazen bulls , or artificiall lyons . of live naturall substances it is universally true , ( omnia ortus habent , suaque certa incrementa ) all have their beginning , all their certaine increase or augmentation . the induction again is for the other partie as compleate and perfect . there never was a true acorne , which did not presuppose an oake ; nor a lyons whelp which did not presuppose a lyon to beget it , and a lyonesse to bring it forth . now every productive cause , every live-substance , which produceth another by proper causalitie or efficiencie , hath alwayes precedencie of nature and of time , in respect of that which is produced by it . the lyon is in order of nature and of time , before his whelp , and yet is every lyon wherein the naturalist can instance , a whelp before it be a lyon ; so is the oake , in order of nature and of time , before the acorne , and yet cannot the naturalist instance in any oake , which was not an acorne or plant before it grew to be an oake . if then eyther the race of lyons , or the propagation of oakes , had no beginning ; it would inevitably follow , that oakes had beene perpetually before acornes , and acornes perpetually before oakes ; that lyons whelpes from eternitie had precedency or prioritie of time of lyons , and lyons the like precedencie or prioritie of time of their whelps . and if they had bin mutually each before other from eternitie , according to prioritie of time and nature , they must have beene mutually each after other . how the naturalist will be able to digest this circular revolution of prioritie and posterioritie , in respect of the same individuall natures , or what hee will say to these following inconveniences , i cannot tell , but desire to know : every whole or perfect fish , which the naturalist hath heard or read of , had beginning of its individuall beeing from spawne . this induction is most compleate and perfect in the schoole of nature , most irrefragable by the supposition of the naturalist with whom wee dispute . every fish hath a beginning from spawne , and that which hath a beginning from spawne , hath a beginning of its beeing . no fish or spawne is or hath beene immortall , or without beginning . now if it bee universally true , that every particular fish hath its beginning , it implies an evident contradiction , to say that the race of fishes , which consist onely of particular fishes , was without beginning . there must in every race of fishes be some first fishes , or first spawnes , before which there was none of the same kind , frō which this mutual propagation did take its beginning . and though this propagation be without end , yet could it not be without beginning , unlesse wee would grant that fishes are not onely of an incorruptible nature , but of a nature infinite or eternall . if there were no beginning of this mutuall propagation , it would bee demanded whether the number of fishes or lyons that shall bee ( granting what the naturalists suppose , that this propagation shall be endlesse ) can ever be as great , as the number of those fishes and lyons that have beene ? or whether the number of those that have beene , may not be conceived to be more infinite , or in another sort infinite , than the number of those that shall be . that the number of fishes , or lyons , which , from this time forward , may be , ( suppose the world were never to end ) can be no otherwise infinite then potentially or successively onely , or by addition , because there shall never be any last lyon , or fish , &c. after which there shall bee no more , the naturalist will not denie . for those lyons or fishes , which from this point of time shall be , have as yet no actuall beeing , nor have they before this time had any such beeing . whence it is cleare , that their number can never be actually infinite , but infinite onely by addition , as continuate quantitie is by division . * but if fishes have beene produced from spawne , and spawne from fishes , without any beginning of time , wee must of necessitie grant , that there have beene fishes , lyons , oakes , &c. propagated each from other , for number actually infinite : for every fish , which could produce spawn , had actuall beeing before it could yeeld spawne , & every spawne wherof any fish is made , hath actuall beeing before any fish can be made of it . whence if this propagation had beene without beginning , their number must needes be actually infinite , so infinite that there could have beene no more than have beene , that there can be no more than now are . that onely is actually infinite , unto which nothing of the same kinde can be added . if this mutuall propagation had beene from eternity , the number of things propagated should have been actually infinite in every point of time imaginable . it is impossible that any thing should be actually infinite from eternitie , and not bee alike actually infinite throughout every part of time ; as infinite yesterday as to day , or as it shall be to morrow . it is againe impossible , that any thing should be actually infinite in any part of time , or by any succession of time , which was not infinite from eternitie , and before all times . if wee shall suffer our imaginations of mutuall propagations , to rove backward without an imagination or acknowledgement of some first beginning to stay or limit them , our soules shall finde as little rest ( with lesse securitie ) as noahs dove did , whilest the earth was overflowed with water , if she had not returned to the arke . vnlesse wee thus pitch upon a first beginning of time and all things temporall , we shall not only make shipwracke of faith , but drench our immortall soules in a bottomlesse lake or poole of absurdities , even in nature . the conclusion arising from these premises , is , that albeit naturall reason or discourse could never have found out that which moses hath written , concerning the particular manner of the worlds creation ; as that it , and all things in it , all the severall originals of propagation , were created in sixe dayes : yet moses his narrations can onely give satisfaction to such problemes , as men by light of nature may propose or cast , but can never , without the light of gods word , be able to assoyle . by so much of this light as moses in the first chapter of genesis holds out unto us , wee may easily free our selves from perpetuall wandring in that inextricable maze of mutuall or circular precedencie , betweene things generable , and their generative efficients , which the naturalist can never avoid , untill with us hee grant , that which the * philosopher by the light of nature did indefinitely teach ( actus prior est potentia , ) that which hath perfect beeing , is simply and absolutely before that which proceedeth from it , or is brought to perfection by it . thus moses tells us , gen. . vers . . that there was an earth , before there was any grasse , that out of this earth was brought forth hearb yeelding seede ; and fruit trees yeelding fruit with seed in them , before there was any propagation by seede . so he tels us againe , vers . . that god created great whales , and every living creature ●at moveth in the waters after their kinde , before there was any spawne of fishes or seede of fowles : for so it followes in the . ver . that god blessed them , ( after hee had made them ) saying , be fruitfull and multiply , and fill the waters and the seas , and let fowle multiply on the earth . and it was this blessing upon fish and fowle ( thus created at once , that is , made perfect in their kinde , not by growth or succession , but by present operation of his omnipotent power ) which gave first beginning to the naturall propagation of fishes and fowles by seede or spawne . againe , in as much as the greatest whales or other creatures most perfect in their kinde , though produced in a moment , did presuppose a possibilitie of their being , and in their most perfect actual beeing include more than a possibilitie of not beeing , a necessary inclination to returne unto the matter or masse out of which they were made . this beeing which they have , presupposeth an infinite and pure act , which every way hath precedencie of them , as having no cause at all of his beeing , but is beeing it selfe , without possibilitie of not beeing . the manner or method which moses observed in the creation , was this : hee made the heaven and earth and first masse , of meere nothing , that is , without any masse or subject visible or invisible praeexistent , whereon to worke . that imperfect masse of this great spheare , now distinguished into its severall parts , and , within sixe dayes , adorned and beautified in every part beyond all skill of art , was the first effect or prime worke in order of time or nature of his all sufficient active power or efficiencie . out of this masse hee made all things visible in their kind , not by meanes or efficiencie naturall , but by the same supernaturall or omnipotent power , by which he made the first masse out of nothing . in the prime and cardinall workes of the sixe dayes , the almighty did proceede , though by supernaturall efficiencie , in that order or method , which nature , by his appointment , since hath followed . man which is the most perfect visible creature , was the last made , & next before him , the beasts of the field , which are next in perfection to him : next before them , the fowles of the ayre and fishes of the sea ; and immediately before them , the sunne , the moone , and the stars . but in the severall fountaines or roots of propagation by seede , hee baganne the contrary way . hee first made man perfect , before hee gave him the power of propagation . so did hee make every living creature actually perfect in his kinde , before he gave them power to increase and multiply by naturall seede or inchoation of now being . . it is a conceipt groundlesse , either in philosophy or divinitie , which some late divines aswell of the romish as of reformed churches , not without faire pretence of saint augustines * authoritie , have taught , that all things were created at once , or in one day , by the almightie maker : that the mention of gods six daies worke , is interserted by moses , onely for distinction sake , or in respect of our incapacitie to conceive distinctly of gods workes . but if all things had beene made in this sense , at once , that is , upon one day : no reason could be given why gods commendation of something which hee made , should bee omitted , and exprest upon the making of others ; or why the commendation of his workes , should have beene oftner exprest than once , if the productiō or finishing of al things which he made , had beene momentarie , or in the compasse of one day . now in the first part of moses his historie [ in the beginning god made the heaven and the earth ] we doe not reade , that god saw it was good . what is the reason ? because as yet they were not perfected in their kind ; but destinated onely unto more perfection . of the light which was created the first day ( saith moses ) god saw that it was good . but so he saith not of the second dayes worke , which was the separation or division betweene the waters which are above the firmament , and the waters beneath it . what doth this omission of the divine approbation intimate unto us ? thus much , if no more , that the second dayes worke did not bring the waters to that perfection and use whereunto they were destinated . but of the third dayes worke , in which the earth was severed from the waters , under the firmament , and enabled by his creative power , to bring forth hearbes and other vegetables , god ( saith moses ) saw that it was good . and so it is likewise said of the fourth dayes worke , in which the sun and moone and the stars were made ; and so likewise of the fift , wherein the water was authorized to bring forth fowles and fishes perfect in their kind : and lastly of the sixt day , wherein man was made , it is said , that god saw all that he had made , and it was exceeding good . to explicate every dayes worke in particular , would require a larger treatise , then we project our intended commentaries upon the apostles creede , shall bee . of such euangelicall mysteries , as the historie of the sixt dayes worke and the seaventh dayes rest , did by way of embleme , portend or foreshadow , wee shall have occasion to treate , when wee come unto the sonne of gods consecration unto his everlasting priesthood ; or of the sonne of mans residing three dayes and three nights , in the wombe of the earth : which speech of our saviour , cannot bee verified either of three naturall dayes , or of three artificiall dayes and nights , but hath a peculiar reference to three of those evenings and mornings , which moses mentioneth in the historie of the creation . the taske for the present undertaken , was to shew the * possibilitie of the creation , or making all things of nothing , and that there is a necessitie in nature , that things generable should have a beginning , that the propagation of living creatures , could not be from eternitie , not before all times imaginable . and if sublunarie substances , or vegetables had a beginning : not the elements onely whereof they are made , but the heavens themselves , the sunne , the moone , the starres , by whose influence they are produced , must have their beginning too ; because the end of their beeing , of their operation , of continuance in their course or order , is for the continuall propagation of vegetables , and living bodies . i may conclude this first point , with that acute collection of iustin martyr , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] if there were no sunne , there could be no use of the eye , and if there were no eye , there should be no use of the great eye of this world , at least of its light . but in asmuch , as the sunne is necessary for the eye , and the eye for the sun , there is a necessitie that both of thē should have a beginning of beeing . for that which hath no beginning of beeing , cannot have its beeing for any other sake , besides it owne . nor can we truely say , that it is for its owne sake . and this authors reason for this assertion , is most judiciously acute . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , praeter causam enim est cujus cansa non est , so the latin translator . the authors full meaning is , that which hath no efficient cause to give its beginning of beeing , can have no finall cause of its beeing , or rather no cause at all , whether finall , formall , or material . but is it selfe the cause of causes , the prime efficient , by which all things are what they are , and the last end or finall cause , for which they are . chap. . discussing the second generall proposed , whether the making something of nothing rightly argue a power omnipotent . the discussion of the second generall principle , might well have had its admission into divinity denyed , had not some schoole divines , by disputing whether there can be any instrumentall cause of creation , given it a colourable pretence for intruding it selfe . their meaning may in more civill language be thus exprest ; [ whether the power of creating may by omnipotency be delegated to any agent , not omnipotent . ] that omnipotency it self cannot be delegated , all agree . now if the production of spirituall grace in the heart of man be , a true and proper effect of creative power ; they who teach that the sacraments of the gospel do conferre grace ex opere operato , that is , by their proper efficacy ; are ingaged to make proofe , that the power of creation may be delegated , by the almighty father , either to the consecrated sacramentary elements , or to the priest which consecrates them . but leaving the discussion of this question ( in the explication of whose termes or meaning , the favourers or maintainers of it , do not agree ) 〈◊〉 proper place 〈◊〉 our present question is , whether ability to create substances visible or invisible , doth necessarily inferre it to be omnipotent . spirituall grace , all grant , is no substance . but here againe , the schoolemen have troubled themselves and their readers , with a question , if not more curious , yet as unnecessary as the former ; as whether this visible world , or at least some part of it , might not have beene created immediately by angels , as by gods instrumets . the question ( perhaps ) might be more pertinent and more distinct , were it framed thus ; [ whether to make any visible or invisible substance of nothing , or without any matter pretedent , which should remaine , as an ingredient in the substance made , do rightly infer the immediate maker to be omnipotent . ] that any cause efficient of substance , which hath beene created , or hereafter may be created , could be enabled to create or make any other substance , without any entity praexistent , whereof it should be made , is an hypothesis or supposall , which hath no other ground either in philosophy or divinity ; besides the vncertaine grounds , from which some have attempted to prove , that creation is a prerogative of the one omnipotent , which cannot be delegated to any other . this truth some labour to prove from this maxime , inter 〈◊〉 & non ens infinita distantia est : [ betweene something , betweene any thing which truly is , and meere nothing , there is an infinite distance or disparity . ] now this breach of disparity or distance infinite ( which they conceive ) between something & nothing , cānot be fully made up save only by power truly inf●nite , whence it may seeme concluded , that it is impossible for any thing to be made of nothing ; save onely by power in it selfe omnipotent , or absolutely : infinite . the conclusion it selfe , or the last proposition in the inference , i verily beleeve to be most true ; but the meane to inferre it , or manner of inferring it , is not so certaine , as the conclusion is sound . the argument is b●t calculatory . and this kind of argument is deceitfull , unlesse the degrees of proportion whether between the disparity o● cong●●ity of termes compared , bee determinate and certaine . the degrees of disparity , betweene something and nothing , cannot be more in number or more infinite , than are the entitive degrees of any created substance . and these are not actually or absolutely infinite , nor can the disparity betwixt something and nothing , betwixt nothing and the most excellent eventure that is , be so great or so absolutely infinite , as is the disparity betwixt the most excellent creature that is or can be , and the one omnipotent creator , who alone is absolutely infinite . but be it onely supposed , no way granted , that the power of making some visible substance out of nothing , might be delegated to some creature ; the exercise of this power thus delegated , would not inferre the exerciser of it , but only the author , to be omnipotent . for to be omnipotent , includes as much as to be able to do all things , which imply no contradiction ; as much as to make all things that can be conceived as logically possible , out of nothing , because all sorts or kinds of being , numerable or comprehensible , are eminently contained in the incomprehensible essence ; of which the attribute of omnipotency is a chiefe prerogative . it is not then all one , to be enabled to make some thing , suppose a gnat or flye , out of nothing ; and to be able to make as many things , as now are extant in the world , or much better than these are , out of meere nothing . it is a maxime evident by light of reason , that no doner can really give more than he hath to give : suppose he were willing , enabled and authorized to give himselfe : to give its whole nature with the appurtenances to any other creature already extant , or in possibility to bee created . it being then supposed , that an angell by some speciall delegation from the incomprehensible essence or power omnipotent , might be enabled to make something of nothing , it were not possible that he should make any nature or essence more excellent than himselfe . yet it is possible , that there might be some more excellent created substance than this angell : yea of necessity there should be a possibilitie of his being more excellent in his kind , than now he is . however ; for him to give , for him to bestow a more excellent being upon that which is not , than , for the present he himselfe hath , is no way possible . suppose then hee might entirely alienate from himselfe , or bequeath the best being , which for the present he hath , upon some possibility of being , or advance some numerable not being to his own estate by his utter annihilation ; this could not argue him to be omnipotent , because there be many other effects possible , which are not in his power to produce ; albeit he could resume that which he had given unto another , and bestow it againe where he pleased . lastly , seeing the prime essence , who alone is absolutely infinite , did not make all things out of nothing by a necessity of nature , but because it was his will so to make them : no creature by any delegated power imaginable , could possibly make any one thing , or more things out of nothing , besides those which the omnipotent was willing should be so made ; nor these any better either for substance or qualitie , than his will was , they should be . nor could any creature be enabled by his will out of nothing to make any thing , which was not eminently contained in the nature of that creature , to whom this power of creating , is supposed to be , by his will , delegated . for albeit some efficient or productive causes bring forth effects for substance or qualitie more excellent then themselves : yet this they never doe , this they cannot doe , unlesse they worke upon some advantage , which the subject or matter whereon they worke doth afford them . but this advantage cannot be supposed in the production of any substance , out of no subject or matter praexistent . all the excellency , which any effect or substance so produced can have , must be intirely derived from its efficient . and that can be no greater excellency or perfection , than the efficient it selfe hath ; not altogether so great , because it must be eminently contained in the perfection of its efficient : if so be the efficient have any perfection or being left , after the production of such an effect . so that every efficient cause , which is or can be supposed , as an instrumentall cause of creation , or as enabled to produce something out of nothing , is thus farre limited , that it can produce no effect more excellent that it selfe , and being thus limited in it selfe , and by dependance on an higher cause , as well in its being , as in its operation , it cannot be conceived to bee omnipotent . for that includes as much as to be illimited in operation , or , which is all one , to bee the operative power of the incomprehensible essence , or of being infinite . but though to be able to make something out of nothing be not formally aequipollent to the attribute of omnipotency : yet can it not hence be concluded , that any agent besides the one omnipotent , is either able or can be enabled to produce the least substance that is , the least portion or matter ingredient to any bodily substance out of meer nothing . to lay the first foundation or beginning of being of any finite substance , is the sole effect of being it selfe , and therefore of that which is truly infinite in operation . whatsoever is finite or limited , can have no other kind of being , than borrowed or participated . and this kinde of being must bee immediately derived , without intervention of any instrumentall cause , from being not participated or borrowed , but from increated and authentique being . to create , is to give actuall being or existance , without the help or furtherance of any contributer or confounder . now if this power of creating could possibly bee delegated to any created substance , it were possible for that which is created by it , to have its being extra infinitum esse , that is , it should not be immediately and intirely contained in the infinite and incomprehensible essence or being . for in this very supposall [ that one created substance might by power delegated from omnipotency , create another ] it is necessarily implied , that the substance created should have its being intirely , or part of its being immediately from the other , which , by power delegated , is supposed to create it . and having such being , as it hath , either intirely or in part immediately from the other , it could not be immediately and intirely contained in the first cause of all things . and if the least substance possible , could have its being , not immediately and intirely from the first cause or supreame efficient , he could not bee actually and absolutely infinite in being , or omnipotent in working . for that onely is absolutely infinite , or infinite in being , in which all things possible are immediately contained ; without whose incomprehensible being , nothing can have existence ; without whose immediate operation nothing can begin to be or exist . these agitatiōs discussions may notifie unto us the strength & soundness of that treble rule or fundamentall principle layd by others , and before touched by us . first , it is peculiar unto art to turne bodies already formed and perfected by nature , into another fashion : it is the property of nature , and of naturall and finite agents , to worke the unfashioned or confused matter into some determinate forme or set kinde of being . it is the prerogative of the omnipotent maker , to afford naturall agents the intire matter and stuffe , whereon they worke ; and to bestow on them such being as they have , whether that be materiall or immateriall , celestiall or sublunary , spirituall or bodily ; and to bestow i● intirely , without the helpe of any co-efficient , without the contribution of any stuffe or matter , of any reallitie praeexistent . section ii. of divine providence in generall : and how contingency , and necessity in things created are subject unto it . chap. . of the perpetuall dependance which all things created have on the almighty creator , both for their beeing and their operations . bvt will it suffice us to beleeve , that as art hath its proper subject made or fitted by nature ; or as more perfect substances praesuppose an imperfect state in nature : so this imperfect state of nature , or the subject on which naturall efficients do work , was made of nothing , without any coagency of nature or art , by the sole power of the almighty father ? to beleeve all this , is but the first part of our beleefe of this article of creation . for better apprehending the intire object of our beleefe in this point , we are to observe the difference betwixt the dependance , which art hath on nature , or which workes artificiall have on the artificer , or which more perfect naturall substances have on the imperfect substances , whereof they are made , or on their naturall efficients ; and the dependance which both naturall agents & patients , & which efficient causes as wel artificiall as naturall , with their severall matters or subjects , have on the almighty creator and maker of all things . first then nature or causes naturall , after they have finished their proper works , and fitted them for art to worke upon , do not cooperate with the artificer in fashioning them to his ends or purpose . the artificer againe , after he hath finished his worke , doth not continually support , preserve or apply it to those uses , unto which it serves ; but leaves this unto their care for whose convenience it was made . the clocke-maker doth not tye himselfe to keep all the clocks which he makes : nor doth he which undertakes to keepe them , binde himselfe to watch their motions perpetually , or to observe them as curiously as physitians doe their sicke patients . againe , the most perfect works of nature , as vegetables and living things , depend upon their causes , whether materiall or efficient , ( for the most part ) onely in fieri , not in facto , whilest they are in making or in perfecting , not after they be made and perfected . the lyonesse doth not perpetually nourish her whelps with her owne substance ; nor doth the raven continually provide for her young ones ; or any other creatures more kinde than they , perpetually support or direct their brood in their motions , but leave them to fend for themselves . if the almightie creator should doe no better by his most perfect creatures , their returne to nothing , would be as speedy , as their production from it . all of them have a perpetuall and undispensable dependance upon his power , not onely whilst they are in making , but as great after they are made . and thus great and perpetuall it is , not in respect of their substances onely , but as truly in respect of their motions or operations . the imperfect masse or matter whereof bodies naturall are made , is not onely his sole worke , or effect of his omnipotency ; but that it is workable or fashionable unto any set forme , this likewise is an effect of his operative power ; it could not be perpetually thus fashionable , but by his perpetuall working . that the most perfect naturall agent , should worke or dispose this matter to any set forme : this likewise is his worke . he doth not onely support both agent and patient in that being which he gave them , but doth perpetually cooperate with them in their motions ; doth apply and direct their motions unto those ends and uses , whereto his wisdome hath ordained them . concerning the manner of that perpetuall dependance , which all finite agents with their effects , have on the one omnipotent and supreame illimited efficient , whether in respect of their existence or operation ; the disputes in schooles are intricate , and the questions perplexed . but the best is , the ingenuous reader may quit them , if he will be but pleased to take unto himselfe , if not an ocular demonstration , yet a visible representation of this truth , in that perpetuall dependance , which light diffused ( whether through the celestiall bodies , as the moone or starres , or through the ayre or other inferiour elementary bodies capable of enlightning ) hath on the fountaine of light , to wit , the body of the sunne : or which the light in rooms , otherwise dark , hath on the light of fire or candles by night . so perpetuall , so essentiall is this dependance which light , in bodies inlightned by others , hath on the bodies which enlighten them ; that some * good philosophers , from observation of this dependance , have concluded , that [ lumen . non est inhaesive in corpore illuminato , sed in corpore lucente ▪ ] the lightsomnesse which appeares in these inferiour bodies , or in bodies not lucent in themselves , is not inherently or subjectively , in the borrowers , or bodies enlightned , but in the bodies which enlightens them . to prove this conclusion , they use this antecedent , that light borrowed or participated , doth follow the motion of the body which bestowes or lends it ; and this antecedent they thinke sufficiently proved by sense . for if we hold a looking-glasse to a candle by night , the light which for the present appeares either in the whole glasse or in some part of it , will alter its place or seat according to the motion of the candle . if you move the candle higher or lower than it was , the light in the glasse will remove with it , from the highest place to the lowest , and from the lowest to the highest , as it shall please the mover to alter the aspect betwixt them , so will the light move from one part of the roome to another , as the candle is removed . and if you take the candle quite out of the roome , the light will follow it , and leave nothing but darknesse behind . the same observation holds as true in a dyall , in which the light or shadow constantly followes the motion of the sun. but to hold this conclusion , [ that light borrowed from the sunne or a candle , should be inherently or subjectively in the sunne or candle ] is more than true philosophy will warrant ; more than the unquestionable truth of the former experiment can logically inferre . for though light in bodies not lucent in themselves , bee not their owne , but borrowed ; yet in that it is borrowed , it must bee truly in the borrower , not in the body which lends it . for every one which lends , is presumed to transfer the use of what hee lends unto him that borrowes : the borrower must have the possession of what is lent him , during the time of the loane . as for the former experiments , they may be retorted upon such as use their helpe for inferring this pretended conclusion , [ * that light diffused is not inherently in the body enlightned , but in the body lucent , or enlightning . ] for the mutation of the seat of borrowed light , whether in a looking-glasse held to a candle , or in a sun-dyall , will be the very same , albeit the candle or dyall stand still in the same place ; if so we move the looking-glasse the same way from the candle , or the dyall the same way from the sunne , by which the sun did move from the dyall , or the candle was moved from the looking-glasse . this conclusion is most certaine , [ that the motion of light , according to the motion of the body which diffuseth it , doth no way inferre the light not to be inherently , ( according to the inherency which it hath ) in the body , through which it is diffused ; but rather that this light , however inherent in the body enlightned , hath a perpetuall indispensable dependance upon the light of the body which produceth it ; a dependance on it , not onely in fieri , that is , whilest it is in production , which is in an instant ; but a dependance in facto , so long as it continues in the body enlightned . and we cannot better conceive the manner , how a line should be made by the continued fluxe of a point , or a surface by the continued motion of a line ; or how time should receive its continuation from the continued fluxe of an instant , than by observing the manner how light being produced in an instant in the body , which borrowes it ( the extremity of it being terminated to a mathematicall point or line ) doth vary its place of residence in the same body , moving continually from one part to another , according to the degrees of motion , either of the body which gives the light , or of the body which is enlightned , one from the other . if either body could move or bee moved from the aspect of the other , in an instant , the light would remove from the body enlightned in the same instant . but moving as it doth , the motion of the light from one part of the same body or roome into another , is perpetuall ; there is no interruption in the motion so much as momentary , no interposition of darknesse so long as the motion lasts . and yet it is not the same numericall light , which thus moveth in the bodie or roome enlightned . there is a continuall production of light fully answerable to the continuall succession of the motion . the light , whilest in motion , continues no longer the same than the aspect betweene the bodie enlightning and enlightned continues the same . and it may be questioned , whether there be not a perpetuall production of new light , even whilest neyther the body enlightning nor enlightned remove one from the other , whilest both stand or rest upon their severall centers . but what ever philosophers may dispute one way or other concerning the proper subject of light diffused or participated , or concerning the identifie or multiplication of it in bodies not lucent in themselves , but enlightned : the dependance of borrowed or participated light upon the fountaine of light , whence it is borrowed , is the most perfect embleme , which the eye of man can behold , of that dependance which all things numerable that are , or can be , have on the incomprehensible essence , or inexhaustible fountaine of beeing . whether light participated or diffused , have any true inherence or no in bodies enlightned , or whether it be present with them or in them , ( ad modum spiritalium ) after such a manner as spirits are in sublunary bodies , or with them ; this is certaine , that light participated , is not deduced or drawne out of any matter praeexistent , or out of any positive qualitie inherent ; it is produced out of darknes or want of light . and herein it is the true embleme of created entities , which were not made of any entities praeexistent , but of nothing . as light participated or diffused , hath no permanent root in bodies enlightned : so things created have not their root of beeing in any maetter praeexistent , nor hath the prime matter , of which things generated are made , any root precedent out of which it groweth . such being as it hath , it hath intirely by its perpetuall dependance upon beeing it selfe . the most excellent numerable beeing that can be imagined , is more truely participated or borrowed from beeing it selfe , than the light of the moone or sarres , than the light in the ayre , water , or yce , is from the body of the sunne . and albeit the formes or perfect bodies , which , by operation of efficients naturall , respectively result or are produced out of the matter , have a being distinct from the matter , out of which they are made or produced : yet even these have the same immediate dependency upon the incomprehensible essence or inexhaustible fountaine of beeing , which the prime matter hath . as the resplendencie or irradiation of coloured glasses , be they yellow , greene or azure , have the same immediate dependance upon the light of the sunne , which the light diffused throughout the heavens , water , ayre , or pure glasses , hath ; unlesse the sun send forth his beames upon them , these colours have no resplendencie , they cannot affect the sense of sight . nor can any created agent ( albeit endowed with qualities operative , more forcible and permanent , than any coloured glasses can bee ) produce any reall effect , without the cooperation or coagencie of the incomprehensible essence , or inexhaustible fountaine of beeing . as impossible it is , that any agent should move , or be moved , otherwise than by the vertue of his almighty power , as that it should have beeing or existence ( extra infinitum esse ) without his infinite beeing or immensitie , or that the continuance of it in such being , should not be comprehended in his infinite and interminable duration , which wee call eternitie . againe , as light borrowed or diffused throughout this inferiour world , hath a beeing in its kinde distinct from that light , which is permanently seated in the fountaine of light , on which , notwithstanding , all borrowed light absolutely depends as being eminently contained in it : so every numerable beeing , or part of this world , the sunne , the moone , the starres , the elements , mixt bodies , vegetables , man , and beast , have their proper kinde of beeing distinct each from other , and distinct againe from the incomprehensible fountaine of beeing ; on which notwithstanding all of them have more immediate , more essentiall dependance , than either the lights , or different shapes in a glasse , have on the sunne which gives the light , or on the bodies which they represent . and in this incomprehensible fountaine of beeing , all things not onely which are , but which possibly may bee , are more eminently contained , than the least-sparkles or portions of borrowed light , which appeare in broken glasses , are in the body of the sunne . in this point onely , or in this especially , is the production of light in this inferiour world by the sunne , unlike the creation of all things by the almighty father of lights , in that the sunne produceth light or resplendency , without any free choice or intelligence , but by a necessitie of nature , that is , it so produceth light , as it hath no power not to produce it . so doth not the almighty father eyther create the things that are , or preserve them in their estate of beeing , or cooperate with them in the production of such effects , as they in their severall kindes and rankes are truly said to produce . for albeit the almighty father , bee more immutable than the sunne , yet is hee immutably free . for freedome of will , by which creatures rationall exceede all creatures meerly naturall , or capable of no better endowment then sense , being a true and reall branch of beeing , a perfection of the most perfect creatures , must be as truely and really , though in an eminent manner , contained in the maker of all things , as any other branch of numerable beeing is . now the object of this freedome of will in the omnipotent maker , is not onely the creation or not creation of things that are or may bee ; not the preservation or destruction of things created , or of the severall endowments or qualifications : but part of this object of divine freedome is the enabling or inhibiting of all his creatures , to exercise those qualities or faculties which are to them most naturall , and in their kinde most powerfull . albeit nebuchadnezzar had power to make the flames of intēded persecution , much hotter than any ordinary fire ; though other tyrants might have power to make the like againe , much hotter than hee did , or to environ gods saints with the fire of hell ; yet if the almighty creator withdraw the influence of his power from such fire or flames , they can have no more power to burne or scorch his servants , than they have to coole them ; although we suppose their nature and qualities to be preserved still entire , by the same power , by which they were created . for as ( but now ) was said , the inhibition or enabling of naturall qualities or faculties to exercise their native force , is as truely the object of divine freedome , as the preservation or destruction of the agents themselves , with their qualities or endowments is . for the same reason , the sunne was no way wounded in his substance , nor hurt , nor tainted in its influence or other qualitie , when , by the divine power , which is immutably and perpetually free , it was inhibited in its course or motion . that the almightie creator neyther in our time , nor in the times long before us , hath laid any such restraint upon the sunne , that it should not move , or upon the fire , that it should not burne , is not from any restraint which hee hath laid upon his power by his eternall decree ; but from his immutable and eternall freedome . wee may not say , that he cannot , for the times present or which are to come , lay the like inhibition upon the sunne , upon the fire , or upon other celestiall or sublunarie bodies , for exercising the functions most naturall to them . that hee will not , at any time , lay the like restraint upon them , wee are not bound to beleeve , untill thus much be by his word revealed unto us . that god cannot at this time bring such a generall inundation upon the earth as hee did in the dayes of noah , we may not say or thinke : but that hee will not destroy the world by water , wee must beleeve , because wee have his solemne promise to this purpose sealed unto us , by the signe of the bow in the cloud . but when the iniquitie of this present world shall come unto the same height and measure , which the old world had made up , wee beleeve hee will destroy it by fire . for other mutations in the course of nature , the condition or exigence of times ensuing , may be such , as that they may be as strange and miraculous , as at any time heretofore they have beene . the not interposing of miracles in these our dayes , proceedes not from any act passed by the almightie to the contrary , nor from the unchangeablenesse of his eternall will ; but from the condition or course , which his creatures hold de facto , whose condition or estate is in it selfe , and by his almighty will so to have it , so changeable and so improveable to different purposes , that many events , which to our observation would be most strange , might upon speciall occasions be produced , without any change or alteration in his power , whose exercise ad extra , that is , in respect of effects producible in the creature , is immutably free , untill hee promise to inhibit them , as hee hath done the generall inundation . and although hee be most immutable in all his promises or inhibitions : yet doth not every promise or inhibition which hee makes , induce an absolute immutabilitie or necessitie of the things promised or inhibited . their immutabilitie or necessitie is the proper effect of his more solemne or peculiar promises . nor are such inhibitions as he hath set unto the water absolutely necessary from eternity , but grow necessary in revolution of time , by the changeable condition of the creature . and albeit we can neither prescribe limits to his will , nor conceive any reason of the mutations which fall out in the creatures by his inhibition , by his permission , or by his positive enabling them to exercise their native functions ; yet of the least mutation , that can fall out in the world , he knowes a cause or reason , nor doth he suffer any thing to be done , for which his immutable freedome in governing the world , hath not an eternall rule or reason infinitely more perfect , than the wisest man living can give any for his best acts or undertakings . but suppose the sun to have that freedome of power in the emission or not emission of his beames , which men have over their breath , or that dexterity in tempering or moderating its light or influence , which skilfull musitians have in modulating their voices : and the former representation of that power which god hath over all his creatures , and of their dependance on him in their beings and operations by the dependance which light hath on the sunne , would be more lively and full . but the psalmist hath made choice of that free power , which man hath over his animall faculties , as over his breath or operation of his senses ; as the fairest picture of gods free power creative and providence over his creatures . these wait all upon thee , that thou mightest give them their meat in due seasons . that thou givest them , they gather : thou openest thine hand , they are filled with good . thou hidest thy face , they are troubled : thou takest away their breath , they dye , and returne to their dust . thou sendest forth thy spirit , they are created : and thou renewest the face of the earth . the glory of the lord shall endure for ever : the lord shall rejoyce in his workes . he looketh on the earth , and it trembleth : he toucheth the hils and they smoake . psal . . vers . . &c. yet even in these and the like emblematicall expressions of the creators free power over his creatures , or in the choisest that can bee taken or gathered out of the propheticall descriptions , from the exercise of mens free and purest thoughts , there will still remaine this disparity : we cannot alter the objects of our intellectuall or abstract contemplations , without some alteration or change of acts. it is then the prerogative of the almighty , freely to will things most contrary and different , without any diversity in his will. and this his free will not onely worketh greater varietie or change in the creature , than the wits of all men in the world can conceive , but withall irresistibly determines the issue of every possible change , without any shadow of change or alteration in his thoughts or resolutions ; which in him are not many , but more truly one infinity , than any one thought in us is one . this disparity betweene the identity of his eternall knowledge , and of his immutable freedome , and the manner of our understanding or intellectuall choice , i cannot yet better represent than by the * former disparity , betweene the circle and many sided figures . mans purest intellectuall thoughts or actuall choices , are in the contemplative part of the soule , as angles are in many sided figures , all as different each from other , as one angle is from another in a quadrangle , and every one is as distinct from the substance of the soule wherein they are , as angles in a quadrangle are from the sides or surface of it . but those which wee terme , or conceive as severall acts or exercises of the divine power , as the act of creation , the act of preservation , the act of conseruation , the production of miracles , &c. are in the almighty , not so much distinct one from another , or from his incomprehensible essence , as the angles in a circle are from the sides or from the circumference , which notwithstanding is a totangle , in which there is no sensible distinction betweene sides and angles , albeit both of them bee truly contained in the circumference , as all power and freedome of power is contained in the immutable , infinite and incomprehensible essence . chap. . the usuall and daily operations of naturall causes with their severall events or successes , are as immediately ascribed to the creator by the prophets , as the first creation of all things , with the reasons why they are so ascribed . from the forementioned hundred and fourth psalme , which is no other than a sweet paraphrase upon the sixe dayes work of creation , and from the like propheticall emblazoning of gods glory , which amounts from consideration of his workes ; the intelligent reader will informe himselfe , that the continuall rising and setting of the sunne and moone , their incessant diffusion of light through this visible world , the perpetuall ascent of springing waters into the hills , their continuall decursion from them into the sea , the limitation of the seas ebbing and flowing , the daily growth of plants and vegetables , the motion of living things on the earth and in the waters , are as immediately and as intirely ascribed unto the operative power of the creator , as their first creation out of nothing was . yet the reason of their ascribing all this unto the immediate and sole power of god , will no way warrant the truth of their criticisme , who teach that neither the fire doth truly heat or burne , or the water really coole or moisten , or that no visible creature hath any reall operation upon another , but that our assigning of their motions or operations , as true causes ( in their kind ) of the effects which we see daily produced , is but a solaecisme of vaine philosophy , or of sciences falsly so called ; whereas the right resolution of this solaecisme into distinct and christian phrase , is but this , god doth produce heat , cold , moisture , vegetables , and other living things , ( ad praesentiam creaturarum ) the fire , water , sunne , earth , &c. being but bare witnesses of the creators power , which is manifested in them , or of its operation in their presence , by which operation alone , all those effects are produced , which the philosophers ascribe unto the creatures . and most true it is , that the creator doth daily worke all those effects , which we attribute to naturall agents : yet doth hee not worke such effects onely in them , or where they are present , but he truly worketh by them and with them . and if the omnipotent power be truly said to worke by and with natural meanes or causes , they must truly worke with him , in their kinde . when the apostle saith , in him wee live and move , and have our beeing , this necessarily implies , that wee have a life in its kinde distinct from his life , a motive power different in its kinde from his power , a kinde of beeing likewise distinct from his infinite essence , or from being-it-selfe . but in as much as the life of all things living , the motions of every thing that moveth , the being of every numerable thing , that is , hath such an absolute dependance as hath been declared upon his creative power ; hence it is that the prophets and divine philosophers , ascribe all the visible effects or events , which time presents or place accompanieth , no lesse intirely to the creator , than the first production of their visible and naturall causes . as for the former critickes , in whose language , god onely worketh in his creatures , or ( his creatures being present ) they might with as good reason , affirme that the sunne did not really move , but that god did move , the sun being present ; yet could he not move or create motion ad praesentiam solis , unlesse the sunne did truly move . the truth is , the sunne doth move , or is moved by gods presence in it , but he doth not move with it or by it . but with the sunne or other creatures , he truly worketh , as they truly worke with him . and , by this concession of some true power and property of working unto naturall agents , more is ascribed to the creator of all things , than can bee ascribed by the contrary opinion , which utterly denies al power or property of working to the creatures . for he that denyes any effects to be truly wrought by them , cannot ascribe their abilities or operative force ( which , in his opinion , is none ) unto their creator . but * moses taugh the israelites , that it was god which gave them power to gather substance . nor were they more bound to praise god for the substance which they gathered , or for the manna which by miracle hee sent unto them , than for the 〈◊〉 which he gave them to gather the one or other . ye● is not this absolute and immediate dependance , which every creature , as well or its being , as for its power or exercise of it , hath o● the almighty creator , the intire ground or reason , why the effects which are ( in their kinde ) produced by the creatures , are by the prophets wholly ascribed unto power almighty . for this dependance , or the reason of ascribing all things to god which is grounded on it , being for the present ●questred ; he hath a peculiar title to all the works or effects , ( especially to all of greater and more publique consequence ) which the creatures produce , from his skill or wisedome in contriving the combination of second causes , with their severall operations , for the assequution of their last or utmost end . nor was the entitative goodnesse of every creature in his kinde , albeit considered in that perfection wherein god made it , the ground or reason of that approbation which hee bestowed upon them , as they severally began to bee , or after hee had accomplished them all . god ( saith moses ) saw all that he had made , and loe it was exceeding good . what goodnesse then was this , which hee thus commends ? the goodnesse of order or of harmony betwixt them , as they were parts of this vniverse . this harmony , was the accomplishment of his severall workes , the ground of his praises , and the complete object of our beleefe of this article of creation . hence saith the apostle , heb. by faith we beleeve ; what ? secula facta esse , nay more then so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the worlds were harmonically made . it was a double over-sight in some good divines , from one or both of these two principles , ( omne ens qu●●ens , est bonum , ) what soever hath being is good , whatsoever is , was made by god , and all things which god made were good ; to infer , that sinne or morall evill could have no positive entitie . for the greater the entitative goodnesse of any creature is , the greater measure of morall evill it alwayes includes , unlesse its entitative goodnesse hold such harmony or correspondency with the rest , as may helpe to make up or support that goodnesse of order , that is , that goodnesse of coordination amongst themselves , or of that joint subordination unto their creator , which he first framed and placed in this vniverse , as it was his worke . vnlesse sinne or morall evill had some positive entitie , or some positive degrees or measure , all sinnes should be equall , there could bee no different kinds of sinne , no numericall difference or degrees betwixt particular sinnes of the same kind . but of the nature of sinne or morall evill , and how compatible this evill is with goodnes entitative , more at large , by gods assistance , in the treatise of originall sinne , or the estate or condition of the sons of wrath , which estate every child of adam by participation of this first sinne doth inherit . the peculiar title which the almighty creator by right of creation , or by the combination or contrivance of naturall and intellectuall agents , hath to all the praises , which either the souldier or * statesman , the landlord , the husbandman , or such as live by merchandizing daily rob him of , will come more fitly to be declared in some following treatises of divine speciall providence . if the reader desire a briefe abstract or summe of what hath beene said of gods power in creating the world , or of the reservation of this free power unto himselfe to alter , to innovate or amend the estate wherein he hath hitherto preserved it ; i cannot exhibite this generall view more clearly or more succinctly than iustin martyr hath done in his answer to the fourth question of the grecians . the question was thus proposed , [ an deus faciat , feceritve , facturusve sit : et si facit , suaptene voluntare , an praeter voluntatem ? ] whether god do make the things that are , whether hee hath made the things that have beene , whether hee will make other things which yet are not , or the things which are , after a better manner than as yet they have beene made : or if he be or hath beene a maker , or continue to make things better , whether he do all this out of his owne free will , or besides his will. his full answer to this question is , fecit deus , & facit , & facturus est , suapte sponte & voluntate : nam creaturam ipse condidit , quae antehac non fuerat , volens . eam providentia sua in eo ut sit , conservat : quod quidem est , facit . quam etiam instauraturus est , & in statum meliorem redacturus per restitutionem sive renovationem : quod est facturus est : ut repurget cam ab absurditate omni , ex rationalium ignavia contracta . non quod per judicii considerationem & deliberationem posterius id quod melius sit , invenerit ; sed quod longe antea & prius quam mundum condidit , constitutum habuerit ut faceret . neque enim possibile est ut vel ad notionem vel ad potentiam , deo posterius quidquam accedat , quod prius non habuerit . volentem autem deum mundum creasse , illud est documento , quod cum deus potuerit plures efficere soles , non plures , sed unum duntaxat effecerit . nam qui plures non potest condere soles , neque unum condere potest : & qui unum solem creare potuit , necessario quoque plures creare potuit . quomodo igitur quos facere potuit plures soles , deus non fecit , nisi certe quod plures soles facere noluit ? sin quos non fecit soles , voluntate non fecit : perspicuam utique fuerit , cum etiam quem fecit , voluntate fecisse . et veluti sol , ita & reliquae creaturae partes omnes , quae vel obnoxiae vel non obnoxiae sunt corruptibilitati , ex voluntate dei & id quod sint , & id quod hujusmodi sint , habent . chap. . containing the summe of what wee are to beleeve in this article of creation , and of the duties whereto it binds us : with an introduction to the article of his providence . to beleeve that god is the maker of heaven and earth , and of all things visible and invisible , includes in it an acknowledgement not onely of the six dayes worke , but that he still makes all things that are , and shal make all things which hereafter shall be . so long as any thing which hath beene continues in beeing , so long as any thing which now is not , shall beginne or not cease to be , so long the almighty continues a maker . and in as much as some things which are made , or which hereafter shall be made , shall have no end , he continues an everlasting maker . this title of maker is none of his eternall attributes , but a denomination ascribed unto him from his workes which all had their beginning in time , or rather with time , or with duration finite or numerable . it is an everlasting attribute , for that properly is everlasting , which though it have beginning yet it hath no end . but albeit the acts or exercises of his will or power had a beginning with the world , ( for they are alwayes in the creature or effect ) yet his will and purpose to make the world are eternall : so is the power by which he made it , so is the combination of all these , to wit , his providence , by which hee orders and governes all things , coeternall to his essence . all moderne controversies to my knowledge account it an heathenish solecism to say , god only did make or hath made the world and all things in it , he doth not now make them . for this were to deny the necessity of his everlasting worke in preserving , supporting , and continuing all things in their proper being . and to deny this , would bee more than a solecisme of speech , a reall branch of infidelity . is it then a lesse solecisme of speech to say , or a smaller portion of infidelity to thinke , that god only hath decreed before all times what shall fall out in time , but doth not now decree nor shall any thing hereafter be decreed by him ? questionlesse , if his decree be coeternall to his power , the same with his will or purpose , if hee cease not to worke or will , he ceaseth not to worke or decree . he did decree to worke when he did not worke , or produce any effect ad extra , but hee never produced any effect or worke when hee did not decree . for he worketh all things by the counsell of his will , not by the counsell of his will as past and ended , but by the counsell of his will , which was , which is , and which is to come . and he decreeth all things for the times present after the selfe same manner that he decreed them from eternity , otherwise his decree were not eternall , could have no resemblance of eternity . to infer that gods decree is an act past , or that god doth not now decree , because he hath decreed al things before all worlds , is a solecisme or ignorance , to say no worse , of the same nature , quality & scantling , as if you shold say , god was before the world was , therefore god is not since the world was , nor shall be after the end of this world . for the world could neither begin , continue , nor cease to be , but by his eternall and irresistible decree , which neither hath beginning nor end , nor can admit any interposition of change . it is true , that if we consider the deity in himselfe or his decree as it is in him , or the same with him , there is neither praeteritum nor futurum , no such difference in them as wee character or notifie by these termes past or to come : yet if wee consider god or his eternall decree , as they include a reference of precedency to things temporall , past , or to come , or as times current have coexistence with him , wee may not deny that god was before all times , and did decree things to come , that he is in all times current , and doth decree the issue of times present or ensuing . thus in all times , and in all places , the almighty father is present with us , present in us , as our maker and preserver , present by his eternall providence to order and governe us . and the government of the world , specially of men and angels , is in true divinity , the proper object of the eternall decree . and if god be thus with us , nothing can goe amisse with us , save only by our ignorance , by our misbeleefe or weake beleefe of this first article . the true , that is , the firme and sound beleefe of every morall or sacred truth , specially of such fundamental truths as are contained in this article , alwayes include a correspondency in the beleever unto the thing beleeved . and this correspondencie must have its place , not in the braine or apprehensive faculty onely , but in the affection . the sympathy of affection unto the thing beleeved , results from the impression which the speculative forme or representation in the braine makes upon the heart , which is the seat of the affection . the meanes subordinate to the spirit of god for making this impression , are two : a right explication or branching of the article or object to be beleeved : & a serious and frequent meditation upon the object rightly branched , or a taking not of the truth onely , but the consequences of it into deepe and setled consideration ; or as we say , a laying of both to heart . the maine branches of this article are three : first , that god is the maker of all men that are , not of adam onely . secondly , that he is the preserver of all . thirdly , that he perpetually ordereth and governeth all things , even the thoughts of men , by the irresistible uncessant working of his omnipotent decree or will. in our beleefe of the two first branches ( bee it lesse or more , weake or strong ) so it be uniforme , it is essentially included , that god is good to all , in that he hath given life and being unto all . of this his goodnesse no man can want store of witnesses , so long as either he injoyes himselfe or the necessary supplyes of life . one speciall duty , whereunto the beleefe of this article doth immediately bind all men , is expresly commended to us by our saviour , matth. . the generall neglect whereof is more than sufficient to condemne not the heathens or infidels onely , but the greatest part of such as professe the christian faith , of infidelity : take no thought for your life , what ye shall eate , or what ye shall drinke , nor yet for your body what you shall put on . is not the life more than meat ? and the body than rayment ? it is a sin for him which beleeves that god hath given him that life and being which he hath , not to beleeve that god did give him both for his greater good , or that he will not increase his blessings upon him , so he doe not distrust his fatherly care and providence : a greater sinne it is to suspect or question , whether god have not a more fatherly care over all men , than he hath over other creatures . so our saviour addes , behold the fowles of the ayre : for they sow not , neither doe they reape , nor gather into barnes , yet your heavenly father feedeth them . are ye not much better then they ? in that god hath given man a better kind of life and being than the fowles of the ayre ; this is an undoubted pledge unto all , that he hath prepared far better food for them than for birds and beasts , an everlasting food ; so they do not distrust his providence . and as hee provideth better food for man than for beast , so hath he better rayment for them in store , than he hath for vegetables ; so they will seeke it from him , and not be their owne carvers . which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature ? and why take ye thought for rayment ? consider the lillies of the field , how they grow ; they toyle not , neither do they spin . and yet i say unto you that even salomon in all his glory , was not arrayed like one of these : wherfore if god so cloath the grasse of the field , which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven ; shall hee not much more cloath you , o ye of little faith . that to distrust gods providence or doubt of his love , of such love as is ready to bestow better rayment upon them than salomon in all his royalty had , is a point of infidelity , is included in our saviours inference or conclusion : therefore take no thought , saying , what shall we eate ? or what shall we drinke ? or wherewithall shall we be cloathed ? for after all these things do the gentiles seeke . for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things . is it then unlawfull to make any thing which the gentiles sought after , any part of our care ? no , the gentiles after their fashion , sought after god , who ( as the apostle saith ) giveth to all life and breath and all things , even to the gentiles , that they should seeke the lord : if happely they might feele after him and finde him . acts . , . the onely reason why they did not find him , was because they sought him amisse . and the reason why they sought him amiss was their ignorance of this truth which our saviour and s. paul hath taught , to wit , that god did give the very gentiles themselves food and rayment , with other necessaries of life , even life it selfe , with all its contentments , to the end that they might seeke him and taste his goodnesse . but they ran counter , and sought only after those things which were good not in themselves , but as they were pledges of his goodnesse . and the more eagerly they thus sought after these temporall good things , the further they ran from the fountaine of goodness , which alone must sweeten the best things we can desire , and season our soules for the right entertainment or fruition of them . our speculative assent unto this article , or approbation of this truth , whereof these gentiles were ignorant , will rather aggravate than mitigate our saviours censure of them ; if we be as greedy seekers after the necessities of life , or as solicitous hunters after superfluities , as the gentiles were . the distinctions or divisions of care , with annotations what kinde of care , is by our saviour forbidden , what allowed of , are easie to be found almost in every writer , especially in the expositors of that . chapter of matthew . but whether through the default of hearers or of teachers , or respectively of both : too much liberty is every where taken for employing the greatest part of mens times and indeavours in providing things of this life . notwithstanding all the prohibitions which have been given by our saviour to the contrary : covetousnesse and ambition , the two grand enemies of beleefe in god and his loving providence , have no where in any age thriven better , than amongst zealous christian professors in these later times . and which is most to be lamented , scripture is secretly opposed to scripture for justifying or countenancing unchristian care of wordly matters . the warrant , which many take to themselves from the mistaken sense of one place in s. * paul , he that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell , is used as a countermand to our saviours prohibition . for the right limitation whereof , the onely caveat which i have to commend unto the reader , is this , as s. paul , how mightily soever he debase workes , not ceremoniall onely , but morall , doth never denie their use or necessity either for attaining to justification , or for making our election sure , but onely seeks to strengthen our relyance upon gods mercies in christ by denyall of our selves , and of the best works which we can do , whether before regeneration or after : so our saviour , albeit he seeme universally to forbid all care of minding temporall contentments , yet in deed and reall meaning , forbids us onely to place any part of our hopes or confidence in our owne endeavours . he doth not simply forbid all care of things temporall , but so farre onely as it is an hindrance to our care and watchfulnesse for trying and tasting the goodnesse of god , or as it weakens our relyance upon his fatherly providence . if we be watchfull in prayer , and frequent in meditations upon gods goodnesse already experienced , our care of heavenly things and estimate of gods goodnesse will better teach every one of us in his severall calling , the right limitation of his domestique cares , than any generall rule which can be gathered from the nature , quality , or quantity of cares . for conclusion , he which forbids us to take care for the morrow , commands us to pray this day for to morrowes bread , that is , to pray every day for the good successe or blessings of the dayes following , with all attention and watchfulnesse . another fundamentall duty , and one of the most formall effects of faith , as it respects this article , is that of the preacher , ecclesiastes the . vers . . remember now thy creator in the dayes of thy youth . but why is this duty in particular prest upon youth ? because the prints of gods creative power are then most fresh in our nature , and might transmit a fairer copy or truer estimate of the creators goodnesse unto old age , than old age can take any : so young men by often reflecting upon the present comforts of health and strength , upon the activity of body , the quicknesse of sense and spirit , would ingrosse them deeply in their memories . youth then is the fittest season for estimating the benefits of creation , and old age the choicest time for surveying our unthankfulnesse to our creator . if the former contentments of youth , with the comforts which accompany our best thoughts and actions , were truly calculated in our fresh and choicest daies , and rightly waighed upon their proper center , our thankfulnesse would reciprocate upon the fountaine from which they flow , and be returned to their doner in a measure equiponderant to their waight upon our soules . and nothing but want of thankfulnesse in such as have tasted the ordinary benefits of creation , can hinder the descent of gods choice of blessings in great abundance . would we but sequester that delight which we take in health and strength from our selves , and surrender it wholly into his hands that gave it , he is still ready to renew and better our present and former estate . did we empty our hearts of pride , of selfe-delight , or complacency , by powring forth such joyfull thanks giving as the psalmist doth , it is he that hath made us , and not wee our selves : ●t is he that gives us all those good things wherein we joy , we did not receive them from our friends or parents , wee cannot take them to our selves : the same lord , as the psalmist elsewhere avoucheth , would give us our hearts desire , even fill our hearts with joy and gladnesse which shall never saile or decrease . this is his sole and proper gift , for though we could take unto our selves all the temporary contentments of transitory pleasures , which either our hearts could wish , or our inventions calculate , yet should wee not have our hearts desire , so long as we fixe our delight either in the things enjoyed , or in the enjoying of them , and not in the lord which gave them unto us , and us power to enjoy them . from thus delighting in the lord , or from rendring according to the benefits bestowed upon us , the generall withdrawments are but two . first , an over prizing of such externalls as procure or increase our contentments . secondly , an ouervaluing the feare or dread of mens persons , or other externalls which seeme to menace disgrace , vexation , or torment unto us , if we should doe as in our calmest thoughts we often desire to doe . the sinister sway of both temptations or withdrawments from the duties commended unto us , cannot be otherwise counterpoized than by taking the last branch of this article into deepe and serious consideration . the last branch was , that god doth nor onely make and preserve us , but doth withall perpetually order , direct , and governe both us and all the externalls which we love or feare , by his all-seeing , ever-working decree or counsell . if our soules or senses have for once or twice beene overjoyed with the possession of any externalls or instrumentall causes of contentment , let us call to minde , that as the almighty creator gives both us and them their being , so hee likewise stints and limits as well their operations , as our capacities to receive their impressions at his pleasure . the same externalls which formerly wrought our comfort or contentments , may procure our griefe and misery by too much or unseasonable familiarity with them , or fruition of them . if in feare or dread of evill menaced by man , or represented to us by fire , by sword , or other unruly instruments of wrath or vengeance , wee cannot hope that the almighty creator will by miracle abate their strength , or inhibit the exercise of their native qualities or dispositions , as he did in daniel and the three childrens cases ; yet unlesse our faith in the last branch of this article faile , it will confirme us in this resolution , that he can and will so contrive the concurrence of hurtfull agents , as they shall become instruments of greater good to such as love him , and in temptations adhere unto him . the rule or maxime is universally true : no agent or instrument , whether of temporall harme or comfort , whether of joy or griefe , can worke any other wayes or any further than he by his eternall decree or providence hath appointed it for the present to worke . and in that promise made unto us by our apostle , that hee will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength ; it is included that he will so restraine or abate the force and efficacy of all second causes , as they shall not conquer our patience or quell the comfort of our unwounded conscience . chap. . though nothing can fall out otherwise then god hath decreed : yet god hath decreed that many things may fall out otherwise than they doe . men , otherwise of light and vaine behaviour , gaine oftentimes respect amongst the multitude by pretended descent from worthy families , with whom their names have some alliance : so doe inconsiderate positions or conclusions dangerously erronious , many times get more esteeme among the learned , than ordinary truths doe , as being mistaken for the true and naturall off-springs of undoubted maximes . there is no christian , but thinkes himselfe bound upon his allegiance to submit his assent unto the former principle , [ it is impossible , that any thing should be , which god hath decreed not to be ; or any thing which is , should otherwise bee , than god hath decreed it should be . ] and many which make a conscience as well of their words as of their wayes , ( herein perhaps especially faulty , that they are too zealously sollicitous not to speake amisse , ) make no scruple of entertaining these and the like inferences following , as naturally descending from the former maxime : [ it is impossible ought should fall out otherwise than it doth : all things in respect of god and his omnipotent decree , are necessary : contingencie is but a solecisme of secular language , or if any thing may without offence be termed contingent , it must be reputed such , onely with reference to second causes . ] howbeit such good men as doe thus write and speake , will give us leave ( i know ) to take it in the first place as granted , that god is wiser than we are , and knowes the nature of all things and their differences better than they or we doe . this being granted , we will in the second place suppose that contingency is not a meere fictitious name of that which is not , as tragelaphus ; nor altogether synonymall to necessity . the question about contingency , and of its difference from necessity , is not such as one in merriment once proposed in schools ; an chimera calcitrans in vacuo terat calceos : the very names of contingency and necessity to ordinary latinists differ more than ensis and gladius , than vestis and indumentum , betwixt which perhaps the ancient latine artificers or nomenclators knew some difference . yet was it impossible for them to know any thing which god knew not , who out of all controversie knowes the true difference betweene contingency and necessity , much better then we can doe . for both of them are entities of his making , and serve as different lawes to the diversity of his creatures , or their different actions . all the reasons that can be drawne from the immutability of gods decree to the contrary , may with greater facility and strength of the same decree be retorted than brought against us . for god immutably decrees mutability . now who will say that things mutable , are in respect of gods decree or knowledge immutable ? the heavens and other bodies moveable according to locall motion , are truly moveable in themselves , absolutely moveable , not immoveable in respect of gods decree or knowledge : for he knowes them to bee moveable , because he decreed them so to be ; hee doth not know them to be immoveable because he decreed them not to be such , unlesse for a time by interposition of miracle . it implies lesse contradiction , to say , deus immutabiliter decernit mutabilia , than to say ( which hath beene accounted an ancient orthodoxall maxime , ) stabilis dat cuncta movere . for mobility is a branch of mutability . every thing in respect of gods decree or knowledge is altogether such as god hath decreed it should be . if then god hath decreed there should be contingency , as well as necessity ; it is altogether as necessary that some events should be contingent as others necessary : and as truly contingent as the other is necessary in respect of gods decree . albeit to speake properly , the natures of contingency and necessity consist not in meere relation or respect . for in as much as both are immediate and reall effects of divine omnipotency ; both must have absolute being , the being of neither is meerly relative . now if contingency have a true and absolute being , it is neither constituted in the nature of contingency by any respect or relation to second causes , nor can any respect or relation to the first cause deprive it of that absolute nature , which the omnipotent efficacy of the cause of causes hath irrevocably bestowed upon it . briefly , if contingency be any thing , it is that which it is by the omnipotent decree ; and being such , it is altogether as impossible that some effects should not be absolutely contingent , as that such effects as the divine decree hath appointed to bee necessary , should not be at all . or if we would make impartiall inquiry into the originall of all things , nothing without the precincts of the most glorious and ever blessed trinity , is absolutely necessary . by contingency ( lest haply we might be mistaken ) we understand the possible meane betweene necessity of being and necessity of not being , or of being such , or of not being such ; or betweene necessity of doing , and necessity of not doing , or necessity of being done , or necessity of being left undone . this meane betweene necessity of doing , and necessity of not doing , is that which in agents intellectuall , as in men and angells wee call freedome of will or choice . vnto which freedome , necessity is as contradictory , as irrationability is to the nature of man , and contingency as necessarily presupposed as life and sense are to reason . adde reason to contingency , and we have the compleat definition of free-will . in those cases wherein the creator hath exempted man from restraint of necessity , his will is free . the divine will it selfe is not free in those operations which are essentiall , though most delectable . god the father is more delighted in the eternall generation of his sonne : so is god the father and the sonne in the eternall procession of the holy ghost ; than in the creation , production , or preservation of all the creatures . yet are not these or other internall operations of the blessed trinity so free in respect of the divine nature , as is the production of the world . whatsoever god decrees he decrees it freely , that is , so as he might not decree it . whatsoever he makes he makes it freely , that is , he so makes it , as that it was not necessary for him to make it . chap. . contingency is absolutely possible , and part of the object of omnipotency , as formall a part as necessity is . it is an unquestionable rule in the art of arts , that propositions , for their forme not incompatible , may from the necessity of their matter or subject , become equivalent to propositions directly contradictory ; whose indispensable law or rule it is , that if the one be true , the other must needs be false , they admit of no meane betwixt them . now there is no matter or subject in the world , which is so absolutely necessary , as the existence of the divine nature , or the internall operations of the trinity . whence it is , that betweene these two propositions [ the generation of the sonne , is necessary , the not generation of the son is necessary . ] there is no possible meane which can be capable of truth . the first is so absolutely necessary , and so necessarily true , that the latter is eternally false . but such is not the case or condition of these two propositions following : [ the creation or existence of the world is necessary : the not creation or non existence of the world is necessarie . ] these are not contradictories for their form , nor equivalent to contradictories for their matter or subject , and therefore may admit a meane betweene them . to say the creation or existence of the world was absolutely necessary , hath no truth in it : for it had a beginning of existence and being , and may have an end : and the other extreame or contrary [ the not creation or non existence of the world is absolutely necessary , ] hath lesse appearance of truth in it . it remaines then , that the two contradictorie propositions to these false ones , must be true . the contradictory to the former is this : [ the creation or existence of the world is not absolutely necessarie . ] the contradictory to the latter is this ▪ [ the not creation or non existence of the world is not absolutely necessary . ] now seeing the world is created , and yet it was not necessary that it should be created : both these propositions following ( seeing either of them is a true meane betweene the two former extreames or false ones , ) are most true : [ the creation of the world was possible , the not creation of the world was possible . ] and if as well the not creation , as the creation of the world , was possible ; wee may not deny that god did freely create it : seeing freedome properly taken , includes or is a possibility of doing or not doing . it was likewise free for the almighty , to create or not to create man or angell . but his free purpose to create them after his owne image being supposed : it was not meerly possible , but altogether necessary that they should bee created good . in as much as he is goodnesse it selfe , it is not possible that evill should bee created by him , that he should be the author of it . as is his being , so is his goodnesse , perpetually absolute , eternally necessary . but though men and angels were necessarily created good , yet their goodnesse in the beginning was mutable , not perpetually necessarie . the question is , whether continuance in that goodnesse , wherein god created them , were truly possible in respect of gods decree , unto such as have not so continued , or their non continuance necessary : or whether , neither their continuance or non continuance were necessary , or both alike possible . to say that adams continuance in goodnesse was , in respect of gods decree , necessary , is ●vidently convinced of falshood by his fall . so that the other part onely remaines questionable , whether adams non continuance in the state of goodnesse , were so absolutely decreed by god , that it was not possible for him to continue . for resolution of this point , we are to inquire , first , whether in respect of gods power it were possible . secondly , whether in respect of his goodnesse it were necessary or most congruent , to ordaine or decree neither a necessitie of continuance , nor a necessitie of non continuance in goodnesse ; but the meane betweene them , that is , an absolute possibilitie of continuance , and an absolute possibilitie of non continuance . that it was possible to decree such a mutuall possibilitie , may thus be proved . . whatsoever implies no contradiction , is absolutely possible , and fals within the object of omnipotencie . but this mixt possibilitie of continuing or not continuing , being a meane betwixt the necessitie of adams continuance , and the necessitie of not continuance in the state of integritie , implies no contradiction : ergo , it was possible for god to decree it . that it implies no contradiction in respect of the forme , is a point so cleare from the first principles of argumentation ▪ that hee which vnderstands not this , is neither fit to dispute , nor to be disputed with . but the same forme ( notwithstanding ) of contrarietie applied to the divine nature , the persons in trinitie , or their internall operations , admits no meane . what is the reason ? the nature and attributes of the deitie are absolutely necessary and precedent to all divine decrees or effects of gods power . and it implies a contradiction , that any thing which is absolutely necessarie , should admit any mixture of contingency , or of possibilitie of the contrary . but the nature , state , condition , or existence of man , are not proper obiects of the divine decree , yet proper effects of his power , and being such , they are not absolutely necessary ; and not being necessary in themselves , they cannot incomber or involve propositions , for their forme , not necessarie with absolute necessitie . whatsoever had a true possibilitie of beeing before it was , may bee actually such as it was absolutely possible for it to be , or such as it might please the almightie creator ( who is free in all his actions ad extra ) to make it . it was possible for him to make mans goodnesse or his continuance in it , not to be necessary , but contingent . he that made man of nothing , had nothing to resist or hinder him from squaring or framing his nature , to that abstract forme of truth which was in its selfe , or ( as we say ) objectively possible . for absolute omnipotencie includes an abilitie to ingrosse or fill meere logicall possibilities , with true and physicall substances or qualities , as truely answerable unto them , as naturall bodies are to bodies mathematicall . but concerning gods power to decree an absolute contingencie in the state , condition , or actions of men , there can bee no question amongst such as grant his omnipotencie to be out of question . what could necessitate his will to lay a necessitie of sinning upon adam , whose fall or first sinne , if it were necessary in respect of gods decree , the necessitie must needs proceed from gods omnipotent decree , without which nothing can haue any reall possibilitie or true title of beeing , much lesse a necessitie of beeing . for divine omnipotencie is the first and sole foundation of all beeing , otherwise then by it ; and from it nothing can come to passe either necessarily or contingently . . whatsoeuer is and hath not beene , must of necessitie have some cause of now beeing . and as is the event or effect , such must the causalty bee . if the one be necessarie or inevitable , it is impossible the other should bee contingent or meerely possible . both , or neither , must bee necessarie . man we suppose did once stand upright , his first sinne or fall , that action what soever it were , which brought him downe , the evils which thence ensued , are not meere nothing : evill it selfe got some kinde of beeing by his negligence , which from the beginning it had not . of all , or any of these , the question still revolves , whether they were necessary or not necessarie , but contingent . if contingent , we have no more to say , but gods peace be on them , which so speake and thinke : if any reply , that they were necessarie , he must assigne a necessary cause of their beeing . for without some cause they could not be , and without a necessitating cause , there was no necessitie that they should bee . was this supposed necessitie then from man or from god ? from any second cause , or from the first cause of all things ? if from man onely or from other second causes ; then were they necessary not in respect of the first cause , but in respect of the second : that is , some second cause did make them necessarie , when as the first cause had left them free , or meerely possible ; which to affirme is contrary to their positions , with whom we dispute , and in it selfe unconceiveable . for who can make that necessarie , which god hath made contingent or subject to change ? what can be said then ? that god did make mans fall , his first sinne or appetite of the forbidden fruite , to bee necessarie , or necessitate his will in his sinister choyces ? this were all one , as to say , that god were the immediate and necessarie cause of sinne , of death , of all the evills that have befallen mankinde since adam . for he is the sole immediate and necessarie cause of all things which hee so decrees as they cannot possibly fall out otherwise . for him to erre in decreeing , or for the execution of his decree to bee defeated , is impossible . in respect of his proper and adaequate object , and peremptorily intended effect , his will is a more irresistible , more powerfully necessitating cause , than any other cause whatsoever . now if gods will had beene , to leave no possibility for adams perserverance , his fall had beene the compleat object of gods decree concerning our first estate , and by consequence gods decree , or will had beene the first cause of sinnes first entrance into the world . chap. . the former conclusion proved by the consent of all the ancients , whether christians or heathens which did dislike the errour of the stoikes . the incommodious or inconsiderate speeches , which some of better note and antiquitie , have let fall , were ( as i perswade my selfe ) but symptomes of their provoked zeale , or eager desire to salve those grosse absurdities , which they had rightly espied in others . but it is alwaies more easie to expugne an errour or salve a particular inconvenience , then to provide , that no more shall follow upon the cure or medicine . had those famous lamps of gods church , by whose light many grosse opinions have beene discried and reformed , seene the inconveniences , which follow upon their owne positions , as clearely , as many of their friends since have done : it would bee a foule slander in us to suspect , that they would not wil-willingly have altered their dialect , or taken advise for expressing their good meaning in tearmes more safe , more proper , and scholastique . if otherwise we abstract their speeches from that respect and reverence , which we owe unto their memorie , or that good opinion which best men have had of their sinceritie : i cannot see wherein the necescesarie consequences of their opinions , as they are usually expressed , comes short of the manichees errors , or wherein they differ at all from the stoicks . the manichees held all evill , and mischiefe in the world to fall out by inevitable necessity : but this necessitie they derived from an evill author , from a prime cause or creator of evill onely , not of any thing that was good . and better it is ( for it is more consonant to our saviours advise ) to acknowledge the tree for evill , where the fruite is evill , then to justifie it for good , when the fruite is apparently and of necessitie naught . the pertinacie or stiffenesse in this common error , [ evils and mischiefe , or wicked actions fall out by necessitie ] being presupposed aequall ; they adde lesse sinne or errour to it , which hence acknowledge a prime cause of evill , or a cause evill by fatall necessitie ; then those which hold evill to be necessary in respect of his omnipotent decree , who is infinitely good . in fine , the manichees were grosse haeretiques in holding evill and mischiefe to fall out by inevitable necessitie ; but this heresie once admitted , it was rather a consonancy of error , then any addition of new heresie , to admit two prime causes or creators , the one of good , the other of evill . they durst not slander goodnesse with any crime , or for being the author of any thing that was not good : nor were they disposed to flatter greatnesse , as if evill were no evill , because it proceeded from it . . that which the ancients reprooved in the stoicks opinion , as most injurious to god and all good men , was , that they held all things ( and evill things amongst the rest ) to fall out by fate or unavoydable necessitie . this foundation being once laied , the rootes of vertue must utterly perish , and that which we call vice should bee a meere name , or matter of nothing : there is no place left for just reward or punishment . whether by fate the stoicks meant the influence of starres , the course of nature , or the decree of god ( who to them was all one with nature ; ) all was one in respect of the former inconveniences , which necessarily followed from admission of an inevitable necessitie in humane actions , whence soever that be derived . to say , it comes from the first cause , or from the second , is meerly accidentall to the error or inconvenience so sharply & justly reproved by the primitive church . in respect of a tradesmans commoditie , it is all one , whether he be prohibited for setting up or trafiquing , by the companie of his own profession , or by some higher powers , so the prohibition or restraint be as large & peremptorie , without hope of release : or if he bee restrained upon his allegiance by the prince or privy counsell , his hopes of thriving will be much lesse , then if he were tied onely by the locall statutes of some pettie corporation . thus if the stoick derived the necessitie of all things from the revolution of the heavens , or from other second causes , as their supposed guides : the impossibilitie of doing otherwise then we doe , was , in every christians conceipt , evidently much lesse , then if we derive this necessitie from the omnipotent decree . now the danger or incenvenience of their opinion , did formally consist , in nursing a conceipt in men , that it was impossible for them to doe otherwise then they doe , or to avoyd the evills and mischiefes into which they fall . and these dangers or inconveniences , are so much greater in christians then they were in the stoicks ; as the god which wee acknowledge is more omnipotent , then nature or the stoicks god . for the more omnipotent he is , the more impossible is it for any creature to avoid the necessitie which by his decree is layed upon him . . in respect of the former inconveniences , or of the opinion it selfe , it is meerely accidentall , whether this necessity bee layed upon us by coaction , or willingly and cheerefully entertained by us ; whether it proceed from gods power or impulsion , or from his wisdome : so our actions and their issues , bee , in respect of his omnipotent power or will , alike unavoidable . if birds and fishes could speake , i suppose the one would as much complaine of those that in hard frost or snow , allure them with baites to come within the fall of the trappe , as the other would doe of fishers for driving them violently into their nets . if the birds once taken be used as hardly ; their expostulations would be so much more just , as their usage before their taking , was more kinde . to make a man willing to undoe himselfe , upon faire promises made , not with purpose to doe him good , but to circumvent him ; is greater cruelty then can accompany open violence . hee that wittingly ministers poyson instead of physick , is in all mens judgement , as true a murderer , as hee that kils with the sword , albeit the partie to whom it is ministred , having no reason to suspect any danger , doe willingly drinke it . and the lesse suspitious or more charitably affected hee is to his professed physitian , the greater wrong he hath in being thus uncharitably dealt with . it would little boote the malefactor in this kinde , to plead ; albeit i gave it him , hee might have chosen whether he would have drunke it , because i did not inforce him with a drawen dagger or other weapon to be his owne executioner . in many cases , one may be the true cause of anothers death , and deserve death himselfe , although he be not any necessarie cause of his death , or plot his destruction without possibilitie of avoidance . but if our willing choyse of those waies which lead to death , be necessarie in respect of the almighties decree , so that there be no possibilitie left , to escape it ; hee is a more necessarie and more immediate cause of all their deaths that thus perish , then any man can be of his death whom he poisons . and if the case stood thus with any , their miserie were greater , by how much they did lesse suspect his goodnesse : however , most miserable , because most desperate . reason and knowledge ( the two ornaments of the humane nature ) should be to them a curse . he that neither knowes nor doth his masters will , shall be beaten ; because it was possible for him to have known it : but w th fewer stripes , because not knowing it , there was no possibility left for him to doe it . but he that knowes it , and doth it not , shall be beaten with many stripes , because the knowledge of his will to punish sinners , and reward the righteous , did include a possibilitie to avoyd death , and to be made partaker of life . if otherwise , there bee no possibilitie left for him , that knowes gods displeasure against sinne , to avoid the wayes of sinne ( those are death ; ) his case before and after death , is much more miserable than his , whom god in just judgement , hath deprived of knowledge . and the praeserver of men should be accounted much more favourable to stocks and truncks , than unto many men upon whom hee besto●es his best gifts in great plentie ; if these be bestowed upon the conditions now mentioned , or be charged with remedilesse miserie . but admitting their miserie to be fatall and inevitable by divine decree ; is it not possible to acquit this decree , or the author of it from being the author of evill ? did the stoick condemne all iudges of injustice that sentenced malefactors unto violent death , whereto by their opinion , all that suffered it , were inevitably destinated ? perhaps the feare of censure in publique courts , did make them silent in this point : but was not this care to keepe themselves harmelesse , or feare not to offend magistrates , altogether fatall ? galen ( 〈◊〉 my remembrance ) in his stoicall discourse , quòd mores animi sequuntur temperamentum corporis , hath framed this answer to the question proposed : we doe not offend in killing snakes or toades or other like venemous creatures ; albeit their naturall temper or disposition be unaltrably harmefull unto men . and if nature or temper of bodie make some of our owne stamp and ranke more noysome than these creatures are , unto their neighbours ; to fit the one sort with the same measure of punishment , which is due unto the other , is no injustice , no inequality . and * lipsius , a man not too much abhorrent from any opiniō , that was fashionable to his new stile , or might serve to set forth the point , which for the present he much affected ; gives this briefe placet , in favour of the stoicks opinion : ( fatali culpae fatalis paena , ) punishment is fatall to fatall crimes . but this is principium petere , to take that for granted which is questioned . for , if the harmes which malefactors do and suffer , be truly fatall ; the one is no true crime , the other is no just punishment . to galen i answer , that if we could by any skill in physick or complexions discerne some men to bee as naturally disposed to mischiefe all that come in their way , or by chance offend them ; as are the snake , the sloworm , or other serpent , it would be the wisest way for such as love their lives , to rid the world of these fatally mischievous reasonable creatures , as fast as they met with them ▪ or to appoint some certaine daies for hunting them , as wee do noysome beasts . but to examine their suspitious intentions , to question their actions , to arraign their persons , or put them upon a formall or legall tryall of their life , would be as ridiculous , as to produce witnesses against a snake , to empannell a iury upon a mad dog , or to take bale for a wolfes appearance , before a butcher , in an assembly of mastives . the common notions of good and evill , & the ingraffed opinion of contingency in humane actions , have taught the lawgivers of every nation , to put notorious malefactors unto more exquisite tortures , than we do harmfull creatures ; either to enforce them to utter , what no destiny nor complexion makes them voluntarily confesse , or else to deterre others ( that are as naturally disposed to evill , as they were ) from doing the like . scarce any malefactor ( unless he be poysoned with this opinion of absolute necessity ) but will acknowledge that it was possible for him to have done otherwise thē he hath done ; possible for him to have avoided the doome , which is passed upon him by man : which to have avoided had been absolutely impossible , if it were to be awarded upon him by gods eternall decree , or ( which is all one ) if in respect of this decree , it had been necessary . as ignorance of the true god , and his saving truth , makes the former error more excusable in the stoicks , than in such christians as shal maintain it : so might impotency exempt that god which the stoicks worshipped , ( whether nature , fate , or some other distinct celestiall power ) from those imputatiōs , unto which omnipotency makes the god of christians lyable , if all things were by vertue of his decree absolutely necessary . it was a received opinion among many heathens , that the gods themselves were subject unto fate , & for this reason , when any thing fell out in their judgement amiss ; fates commonly did either intirely bear the blame , or the greatest part of it . and their gods ( indeed ) had deserved pity rather than blame , if they could do no better than they did , as being over-mastered by fates . but for a christian to inveigh against fates , is to accuse or deny his god. if fates be nothing , hee hath no reason to complaine of them : if any thing they bee , they are of the true gods making , who made all things , who cannot possibly be subject to any thing that he hath made . nor can it stand with our allegiance to say when any disasters befall us , that our god could no otherwise choose , that our mischances were the absolutely necessary effects of his omnipotent decree . one speciall cause of this error , and of some mens adherence to it , is a jealousie or zealous needlesse feare , lest they should grant god to be impotent , or not so omnipotent but that some things might take possession of beeing without his leave or notice . the originall of this feare , is , want of distinction , betweene chance or casualty , and such contingency as hath beene expressed . many reasons might be alledged sufficient to demonstrate the inevitable absurdities of this supposed absolute necessity . but it is one labour to convince an error before indifferent hearers ; another to make men forsake the errours which have long possessed them : a third to win them unto a liking of the contrary truth . for effecting the two latter , no meanes can be so effectuall in respect of their disposition with whom we have to deale , as a plaine declaration , how ill this opinion of absolute necessity , how well this doctrine of mixt possibility or contingency consorts : first with their owne resolution of other difficulties in this very argument whereof wee treate : secondly , with the perpetuall voice of gods spirit , and his messengers , specially when they seeke ex professo , to perswade to good , and to disswade from evill . chap. . the principall conclusions , which are held by the favourers of absolute necessity , may be more clearly justified , and acquitted from all inconveniences , by admitting a mixt possibility or contingency in humane actions . the most i have met withall , are afraid in plaine termes to maintaine ; that god did as immediately and as necessarily decree adams fall or state of sinne , as his originall justice or state of integrity . for this were to make him as true , as proper , and necessary a cause of sinne , and of all evill , as he is of goodnesse . to allay the harshnesse of some speeches , heretofore used , by those men whom they favour , they will grant no more then this : that god did decree to permit his fall . but the speech is improper and very ambiguous ▪ and in what sense soever it may be taken , it must plead its warrant or right use , from our opinion ; theirs can afford it none . permission , to speake properly , is a vertuall part of the decree it selfe ; not the object whereto the decree is terminated . but to let this passe ; we will take [ gods decree to per●it ] to be all one , as if they had said gods permissive decree . did god then by his decree , permit adam to sinne ? if he did , this decree was either just or unjust . whatsoever is by just decree permitted , is by the same decree sufficiently warranted . at least the punishment , otherwise due unto it , is dispensed with . such divorces as were unlawfull from the first institution of matrimony in paradise , were permitted to the israelites for the hardnesse of their hearts by moses , and for this reason , they were not punished by the judiciall law. if it should please our soveraigne to permit sickly students to eate flesh in lent , we would take his professed permission , for a sufficient dispensation with the penall statutes in this case provided . god questionlesse would never have punished adam for eating an apple , if by his eternall decrece he had * permitted him to have eaten it . but their meaning haply is not , that god did allow or approve his eating of it , seeing he threatned it with death . but if , by his decree , he did not allow it , he did permit it onely in such a sense , as we may say the lawes of our land , permit men to be hanged because they keepe not men close prisoners , nor so tye their hands that they cannot steale , rob or kill , before they bee suspected or convicted of felonie , robbery , or murder . but ▪ no tyrant did ever before hand forbid such a fact , under paine of death , without a supposed naturall possibility to avoid it . and just lawes afford ordinary or civill meanes for satisfying nature in necessities , lest these ( as they know no l●w ) enforce men to use their naturall possibilities or faculties amisse . the lawes of this land and others , which make theft matter of death , permit men the free imployment of bodily faculties , to earne their bread , or ( if they be impotent ) to crave or accept the benevolence of others , lest they should perish for hunger , or be enforced to steale . if our lawes or lawgivers , not permitting any of these meanes or the like , should punish the taking of a loafe of bread or cup of drinke , with death ; they might be more truly said to enjoyne , then permit theft ; to be more delighted with the bloud of the needy , than with preservation of publike peace ; albeit they did not set other mens meat before thē , when they are hungred , nor lead their hands to take it . in like manner , he that saith , god did permit adam to eate the forbidden fruit , and by eating to incurre death , doth necessarily imply , that god permitted him the free use of his externall and internall faculties to satisfie his appetite , with some other meate . now the free use of any faculty includes the concourse or cooperation of god , without which it is impossible any creature should move . and this concourse was a part of his decree or will as it concerned this act . more plainly : he that permitted adam to sinne , did more than permit him to abstaine from sinne , or to persevere in obedience . if then god in permitting him onely to sinne , did afford meanes necessary for reducing this possibility of sinning into a sinfull act not allowed ; his more than permission of him to abstaine from sinne , his commandement to persevere in obedience , did not onely suppose a true possibility for him to abstaine and persevere , but include withall better meanes for reducing this possibility into act , then were afforded for enabling him actually to sinne . these two contrary possibilities , and the severall meanes for accomplishing them , must beare a proportion answerable to a meere permission without approbation , or to a prohibition , and to a peremptorie command of civill authoritie . now every just lawgiver affords better meanes and incouragement for accomplishing his commands or requests , then he doth for breaking or neglecting them . ▪ for conclusion , when they say god , by his aeternall deree , did permit adams fall , their meaning rightly expressed , is no more then this ; god did not decree that his perseverance should bee necessarie . for necessitie of perseverance excludes all possibility of falling . but if his fall had beene necessarie in respect of the aeternall decree , it had not onely beene permitted , but allowed and required . it remaines then that both were possible , neither necessary in respect of the divine decree . or to untwist the knot a little further ; god by his decree did permit and allow him a possibility to fall ; but he did not allow the reduction of this possibility into act , that is , he gave it him , not to the end that he should fal , but that his perseverance might be more beneficiall . he did not onely permit or allow him a possibitie of perseverance , but did command and require the reduction of this possibilitie into act . this forme of wholsome doctrine admitted , will clearely enlighten the truth of another distinction or resolution much used , but mightily obscured , or rather quite stifeled , by such as hold all things necessary in respect of the aeternall decree . the distinction is : god is the cause of every action , but he is not the cause of the obliquitie which accompanies sinfull actions , nor of sinne as it is sinne . this is their last apologie for avoyding that imputation of making god the author of sinne . herein wee both agree ; the coexistence of the all-working decree ( or divine cooperation ) is necessarily required to every action or effect . every action includes a motion , and in him wee move , wee live , and have our beeing . but hee that will grant this cooperation or actuall coexistence of the all-working decree to be the necessarie cause of every action , unto which it is most necessarily required ; must , upon the same tearmes , grant , god to bee not the necessarie onely , but the onely cause of all and every obliquitie , of all and every sinne , of all that hath beene , is , or can be blame-worthy in men or devills , from their creation to euerlasting . the demonstration of this inconvenience or absurdity , wherewith we charge the adverse opinion ( but no maintainer of it ) must be referred unto the discussions of the state of innocency and the manner of sinnes entring into the world : we are now engaged to extract a better meaning out of their other words , than they themselves expresse , or can truely be contained in them , untill they abandon the opinion of absolute necessity in humane actions , as they have reference to the aeternall decree . seeing it is agreed vpon , that god and man are joynt agents in every sinfull action , or in effects essentially evill ( such questionlesse was mans desire to be like god , or his lusting after the forbiden fruite : ) the probleme remaines , why both should not be aequall sharers in the sinne : or how it is possible justly to condemne men of iniquitie , without some imputation unto god , who is the principall agent in all actions . shall wee bee partiall for him or seeke to excuse him by his greatnesse ? shall wee say hee cannot doe amisse , because he is supreame lord over all , and may doe with his creatures what hee list ? to such as count the donative of robbers a true boone or reall curtesie ; to such as can magnifie their owne integrity , whereof they give no proofe , save onely as he did by negatives , ( non hominem occidi , ) i am no murtherer . the poet hath shaped an answere , as fit as pertinent , ( non pasces in cruce corvos , ) thou shalt not feede ravens upon a gibbet . to say god is the author of sinne were hideous blasphemie : yet to say he is no tempter , no seducer of mankind to evill , is not to offer praise unto him . let my spirit vanish with my breath , and my immortall soule returne to nothing , rather then suffer her selfe to be overtaken with such a dead slumber , as can rest contented to set forth his glory by bare negatives , or by not being the author of sinne , who is most highly to be praised in all his works , whose goodnesse is infinitely greater in concurring to sinfull actions , then the goodnesse of his best creatures in the accomplishment of their most syncere intentions . the truth of this conclusion is necessarily grounded upon these assertions hereafter to bee discussed : that mans possibilitie or hopes of attaining everlasting happinesse , was of necessitie to bee tempered with a possibilitie of sinning , or falling into miserie . to permit or allow man this possibility of sinning , & to bestow upon him the contrary possibility of not sinning and hope of happines was one & the same branch of divine goodnesse . one & the selfe same branch of gods goodnesse it was , to allow this possibilitie of sinning , and to afford his concourse for reducing of it into act. for unlesse he had decreed to afford his concourse thereto , it had beene impossible for man actually to have sinned . and if for man to sinne had beene made impossible by gods decree : it had been alike impossible for him to have done well or ill , or to become truly happy . briefly , god in that hee decreed a mixture of contrary possibilities , decreed withall a concourse or cooperation sutable unto , and sufficient for the actuall accomplishment of both . to the probleme propounded , the answere from these grounds , is easie : albeit god and man bee joynt agents in every action or effect essentially evill , yet the whole sinne is wholy mans : because the nature of sinne consists either in mans using the possibility of sinne allowed of god for his good , to accomplish such acts , as god disallowes , or in not using the contrary possibilitie unto such acts , as he not onely alloweth and approveth , but requireth and commandeth , such as he most bountifully rewardeth , and unto whose accomplishment , hee affordeth , not his ordinarie concourse onely , but his speciall furtherance and assistance . in every sin of commission , we approve and make choice of those acts which his infinite goodnesse disalloweth . in every sinne of omission , we do not approve those acts , which he approveth : although perhaps it may be questioned , whether there can be any sinne of pure omission , or not mixt with commission ; that is , any sinne wherein we doe not either like what god dislikes , or reject and contemne what he likes & cōmends unto us for good . from these resolutions we may finde some truth in an usuall position ; which , without this truth presupposed , is palpably false . every action or effect , as it is an effect or action , or as it proceeds from god , is good . the best meaning whereof it is capable , must be this ; gods goodnesse is seene in every action , even in those which are most sinfull . to vouchsafe his cooperation to them , is a branch of his goodnesse , because man could not be happy without a possibility of deserving to be miserable . but humane actions or effects in their owne nature , indefinitely considered , or in the abstract as they are actions , are neither morally good , nor morally bad . when it is said that every action , as an action , is good , this must be understood of transcendentall goodnes only , of which kind of goodnes moral evill or sin it selfe is partaker . if every action , as it is an actiō were morally good , it were impossible any action shold be morally evill . if we consider humane actions not indefinitely , or with this reduplication , as they are actions , but descending unto particulars , some are good , some are bad , and some ( perhaps ) positively indifferent , but of this hereafter . chap. . the former contingency in humane actions or mutuall possibility of obtaining reward or incurring punishment , proved by the infallible rule of faith , & by the tenour of gods covenant with his people . though manifest deductiōs of ill sounding consequences from their positiōs , which we refute , and more commodious explanations of other tenents common to both , may somewhat move the favourers of universall necessity to a dislike of their owne opinions , & in part incline them to the opposit truth : yet is it positive proofe of scriptures that must strike the maine stroak , & fasten their assents unto it . and god forbid they should bee so uncharitable , as to think , that we or any sonnes of the true church , would be unwilling to put our selves upon this tryall . scripture wee grant ( and are ready upon as high and hard termes as they , to maintaine , ) is the onely infallible rule of rectitude or obliquitie in opinions concerning god , or mans salvation . yet are we not hereby bound to reject reason , and infallible rule of art , as incompetent iudges , what propositions in scripture are equipollent , which opposite , which subordinate : or what collections from undoubted sacred maximes , are necessary or probable , or what conclusions are altogether false and sophisticall . nor ought they to suspect reason in others to bee unsanctified ; because it is accompanied with rules of prophane sciences . for even these are the gifts of god , and are sanctified in every christian , by the rule of faith . and in as much as both of us admit scripture to be the onely rule of faith in it selfe most infallible : both of us are tyed by infallible consequents of truth from this rule derived , to admit of this maxime following ; * gods threats and promises , his exhortations , admonitions , or protestations , whether immediately made by himselfe or by his prophets , containe in them greater truth and syncerity then is in our admonitions , exhortations , and promises . his truth and syncerity in all his wayes are the rule or patterne , which we are to imitate , but which wee cannot hope to equalize . put the case then a religious , wise , and gracious prince , should exhort a young gentleman ( that in rigour of law had deserved death for some aemulous quarrell in the court ) to behave himselfe better hereafter , and he should be sure to find greater favour at his hands than any of his adversaries : no man would suspect any determination in the prince , to take away his life for this offence , or any purpose to intrap him in some other . a minister of publique iustice in our memory told a butcher , ( whom he then sentenced to death for manslaughter , ) that he might kill calves , oxen and sheepe , but mankinde was no butchery ware ; hee might not kill his honest neighbours . the solecisme was so uncouth , and so ill beseeming the seat of gravity and of justice , that it moved laughter ( though in a case to be lamented ) throughout the assembly ; and a young student standing neare the barre , advised the poore condemned man to entreat a licence to kill calves and sheepe that lent. the wisest of men may sometimes erre , sometimes place good words amisse , or give wholsome counsell ( such as this was , had it beene uttered in due time and place ) out of season . but to spend good words of comfort and encouragement , upon such as thou hast certainly appointed to dye ; to floute the children of destruction with faire promises of preeminence ; that be farre from thee o lord. shall not the iudge of all the earth doe that which is right and just : a thing welbeseeming the best and wisest princes of the earth to imitate ? was then the sentence of condenmation for cains exile or utter destruction without possibility of revocation , when thou entreatedst him as a most loving father ; why art thou worth ? and why is thy countenance fallen ? if thou doe well , shalt not thou bee accepted ? and if thou doest not well , sinne lyeth at the doore : and unto thee shall be his desire , and thou shalt rule over him ? did that , which the text saith , afterward came to passe , come to passe by inevitable necessity ? and cain talked with abel his brother : and it came to passe when they were in the field , that cain rose up against abel his brother and slue him . my adversaries ( for i am not theirs ) must be entreated to pardon me , if i be as resolute and peremptory for my opinion hitherto delivered , as they are for any other . for reason and conscience ruled by scripture perswades me , it is possible for the iudge of quick & dead to be unjust in his sentences , or unsyncere in his incouragement , as that cains destruction should be in respect of his decree , altogether necessarie or impossible to have beene avoyded . when the lord tooke first notice of his aemulation and envie at his yonger brother ; god would not banish him from his brothers presence , nor so tie his hands that he could not strike : but he used all the meanes that aequitie ( in like case ) requires to move his heart , that way which it was very possible for it to bee moved . and unto this motion cain had both gods assistance and incouragement , as readie as his generall conc●urse to conceave anger in his heart , or to lift up his hand against his brother . the very tenor of gods grand covenant with the sonnes of abraham includes this twofold possibilitie , one of attaining his extraordinary gracious favour by doing well , another of incurring miserable calamities by doing ill . if yee walke in my statutes , and keepe my commandements , and doe them ; then will i give you raine in due season , and the land shall yeeld her increase , and the trees of the field shall yeeld their fruit . and your threshing shall reach to the vintage , and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time : and yee shall eate your bread to the full , and dwell in your land safely &c. i am the lord your god , which brought you forth out of the land of aegypt , that yee should not bee their bondmen , and i have broken the bands of your yoke , and made you goe upright . levit. . ver . . ad . but if yee will not hearken unto mee , and will not doe all these commandements ; and if yee shall despise my statutes , or if your soule abhorre my judgements , so that ye will not doe all my commandements , but that ye breake my covenant : i also will doe this unto you , i will even appoint over you terrour , consumption and the burning ague , &c. levit. . ver . , , , &c. this tenor or condition was to continue one and the same throughout all generations . but some generations , as the event hath proved , were de facto partakers of the blessings promised ; others have had their portion in the curses . shall wee hence inferre , that prosperitie , was in respect of gods decree or good pleasure altogether necessarie unto such as prospered , not so much as possible unto those that perished , or that their calamity was absolutely necessary ? i would say rather , & i have gods word , yea his heartie wishes , for my warrant , that the most prosperous times , which any of abrahams or davids posteritie enjoyed , did come farre short of that measure of prosperitie , which by gods aeternall decree , was possible to all , even to the whole stocke of iacob throughout all their generations . o that my people had hearkned unto me : and israel had walked in my wayes ! i should soone have subdued their enemies , and turned my hand against their adversaries . the haters of the lord should have submitted themselves unto him : but their time should have endured for ever . psal . . verse , , . but in what estate ? fed with the finest of the wheate , and satified with hony out of the rocke . verse . were these meere wishes of winde which vanished with the avouchers breath ? did the pslmist utter them out of tender affection to his people and country , without commission from his maker ? or was he lesse affected towards his people then this his messenger , that his message wants the waight of everlasting truth ? to these and the like demands , of many bad answers , this is the best and most common : god would undoubtedly have made his promise good , and done aswell by israell as here hee wisheth , if israell could have turned to him or done what he requires . but that , say the same men , was in repect of gods decree or secret will , impossible . whēce , seeing the condition neither was nor could be performed by israel , god was not bound to bestow these blessings upon them , but free to reserve his store unto himselfe , or for some other people ; which was profered ( but upon conditions impossible to bee performed ) unto israell . might not churlish naball have promised abundance of bread , of wine and flesh to davids servants , upon like tearmes ? may not cutthroate vsurers assure bags of gold to bedridden or decrepit limbs , upon condition they will fetch them from the toppe of high towers or sleep mountains ? but what kindnesse , what synceritie could there be in such lavish profers , specially if the impotent wretches were by covenant excluded from al use of crutches ? yet is it more possible for a creeple to goe without his crutches , then for israell to walke in the waies of god , without his aide or assistance . necessitie therefore constraines us to confesse the one of these two , either that there was no more synceritie in the almighties protestations , then in nabals or the vsurers supposed bountie , which they never meant to use , but upon performance of impossibilities : or else his promises , if they had any syncerity in them , did include his furtherance and assistance unto israell for performing the condition required . now unto whatsoever effect or event the furtherance or speciall assistance of omnipotent power is , upon the truth and synceritie of divine promise , alwaies ready and assured , the same effect cannot truly be deemed impossible in respect of the aeternall decree . and whatsoever is not in respect of this decree impossible , the non existence of it , or the existence of the contrary effect , cannot , in respect of the same decree , be necessarie . so then neither was israels well-doing and prosperitie , nor their ill-doing and calamitie at any time absolutely necessarie , in respect of gods decree ; both were possible , both contingent . the truth of these collections from gods word ( or rather of these infallible consequences of his essentiall goodnesse , sincerity and truth ) though necessarie and evident unto artists , may from other positive authorities of the same word be ratified à fortior to common sense . if neither these good things which god sincerely purposeth and expressely promiseth , nor that evill which he seriously and expressely threatens , bee necessary in respect of his decree : much lesse can that good which is neither particularly promised or avouched ; or that evil which is not expressely threatned or foretold by his infallible messengers , be held necessary in respect of his decree . now , that the prosperity which he expresly promiseth by such messengers , is not so necessary , as to exclude all possibilitie of cōtrary evill ; nor the evill which he solemnly denounceth so necessarie , as not to leave a true possibilitie for a contrary blessing : his prophet hath given such a generall and evident assurance , not to israell onely out to all the nations of the earth ; as we cānot deny , but that it was devised of purpose , by the lord himselfe , as a post statute to prevent this strange misconstruction , which his people had then made , & which he then foresaw would afterwards be enforced upon his decrees or lawes , by this praejud●cate opinion of absolute necessitie . at what instant i shall speake concerning a nation , and concerning a kingdome , to pluck up and to pull downe , and to destroy it ; if that nation against whom i have pronounced , turne from their evill , i will repent of the evill that i thought to doe unto them . and at what instant i shall speake concerning a nation , and concerning a kingdome to build and to plant it ; if it doe evill in my sight , that it obey not my voyce , then i will repent of the good wherewith i said i would benefite them . ier. . ver . , , , . and , if wee may gesse at the nature of the disease , by the medicine , and the manner of applying it ; the house of israell , was at this time almost desperately sicke of this errour which we refute . or what need we frame conjectures from the qualitie of the medicine , when as the working of it hath made the crisis palpable and apparent . the pestilence is best knowne by the botch , or outbursting . what then was the issue of that cordiall which the prophet ministred unto them , being but the extraction of the former generalls ? thus saith the lord ; behold , i frame evill against you , and devise a device against you ; returne yee now every one from his evill way , and make your wayes and your doings good . we have seene the application of the medicine , what was the operation ? and they said , there is no hope , but wee will walke after our owne devises , and wee will every one doe the imagination of his evill heart . ier. . ver . , . but did the prophet take their answere verbatim , as they uttered it ? no , god did not appoint him to keepe a register of their words , but to make a comment upon the secret language of their hearts . they are sufficiently convicted to have said , wee will every one doe the imagination of his evill heart , in that the imaginations of their heart were evill , and they had resolved to retaine their wonted principles , and not to hearken unto the prophets doctrine . the true and literall paraphrase of their replye , no interpreter extant hath so fully expressed , as the usuall language of some in our times briefly doth ; what shall bee , will be : there is no hope the world will amend : if it bee gods will to prosper the courses which are taken , all will be well : if not , his will however must be done . thus we delude and put off our maker with ifs , and and 's : when as his will revealed , aswell for private as publike good , so wee would addresse our selves to doe it , is plaine and absolute . and it is impossible we should addresse our selves to doe it , vnlesse wee would hearken 〈◊〉 to such as teach it . to expect any other fruite , or use of this doctrine of absolute necessitie , then carnall securitie in time of peace and prosperitie , and than desperate wilfulnesse in distresse and adversitie , were a madnesse . and seeing this frenzie did still grow greater and greater , in the iew , as the destruction of ierusalem ( whereof it was both times the principall cause and most fearefull prognostique ) grew neerer : the lord authorized another prophet ( after ieremie ) to interpose his oath for the cure of it . they thought that death and destruction , when they approached , were armed with absolute necessitie , ( derived from gods decree ) to punish them for their fathers sinnes : and in this conceipt many yeelded unto them , when they might easily haue conquered them . to discover the vanitie of this skale and to acquit his omnipotent decree from the suspected imposition of necessitie . as i live ( saith the lord god ) yee shall not have occasion any more to use this proverbe in israel : the fathers have eaten sowre grapes , and the childrens teeth are set on edge . behold , all soules are mine , as the soule of the father , so also the soule of the son is mine : the soule that sinneth , it shall die . ezek. . ver . , , . have i any plasure at all that the wicked should die , saith the lord god ? and not that he should returne from his wayes and live ? ver . . cast away from you all your transgressions , whereby yee have transgressed , and make you a new heart , and a new spirit : for why will yee dye , o house of israel ? for , i have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth , saith the lord god : wherefore turne your selves and live ye . vers . , . if the returning of this people , wherein god tooke pleasure , were not necessary , as the event hath proved ( for , the most part of them did not returne ) it must needs argue a spice of their frenzy , to think their death , wherein he tooke no pleasure , should be necessary . the onely orthodoxall resolution of this point then , must be this , [ it was gods good will and pleasure , ] ( the formall dictate , and absolute injunction of his eternall and irresistible decree , ) that neither the life or death of such as perished should be necessary ; but that both should be possible : albeit the choise of life had beene more pleasant to god , who had complained with griefe , perditio tua ex te o israel . chap. . that gods will is alwayes done , albeit many particulars which god willeth , bee not done , and many done which he willeth should not be done . avt erit aut non erit , is a prophecie which will never bee out of date , impossible ever to bee impeached of falshood : an answer as universally true to all , as unsufficient to any question concerning things to come . the truth of every disjunctive proposition , as logicians teach , is fully salved , if any one member , though of never so many , be true . or if the disjunction or division be artificially formall , the actuall existence of one part or member , excludes the actuall existence of the other : so doth the absolute necessity of the one exclude all possibility of the others reduction into act . if i should wage any summe that it would either raine all day to morrow , or be faire all day to morrow ; no man of understanding would put me to prove , that it did both raine all the day , and hold up all the day . the proofe of either part , would be sufficient to evince the truth of my disjunctive assertion ; that both should be actually true is impossible . or if my adversary could substantially prove , either any intermission of raine or interruption of faire weather : his advantage against mee would bee as evident ; because the proposition , which he was to make good against me , was but disjunctive : so that of any two minutes in the whole day , if the one were rainy , and the other faire , my universall disjunctive must needs be false , and his apparantly true , because directly contradictory unto mine . that it should at one and the same time raine and not raine , is impossible , and comes not within the compasse of any contradictory contestation , it can be no object of lay or wager . when wee say that god in many humane actions decrees a mixture or multiplicity of possibilities ; our meaning is , that the tenour of gods eternall & omnipotent word , from which all things derive as well the law and ma●●●●● of their being ; as their being it selfe : is in respect of the severall possible events decreed , not conjunctive or categoricall , but disjunctive . and we hold it a sinne to thinke or say , that the onely wise almighty creator is not able to conceive or make propositions as truly disjunctive , as any of our making are , or not able to make as formall and contradictory opposition betweene their severall parts , as any humane wit can conceive . thus much being granted , our intended inference is an everlasting truth . gods decree or determinate proposition , concerning the supposed multiplicity of possibilities or manifold events , all alike possible ; is alwaies exactly fulfilled , when any one of the events , whose possibilities are decreed , goes actuall existence . to reduce more of them then one into act at one and the same time , is , in many cases altogether impossible , and falls not within the object of omnipotency . if the reduction of any one of them , into actuall possession of its owne being , were in respect of his decree , or by any other meanes , altogether necessary ; his decree should necessarily ; be broken , and his omnipotency might be overborne . for the necessity of ones being , takes away all possibilitie of being from the contradictorie , which omnipotency ( as is supposed ) had bestowed upon it . finally , gods decree in respect of all and every part of its proper object , is alike omnipotent : and therefore it is as impossible for any necessity ( by vertue or respect of what cause soever , ) to incroach upon those events , the law or manner of whose production god hath decreed to be contingent ; as for contingency to hinder the production of those events , the law or manner of whose production or existence , he hath decreed to be necessary . as impossible for necessity to mingle with absolute contingency , from which god hath separated it ; as for contingencie to be wedded to absolute necessity , whose mariage god hath forbidden by an everlasting decree . the onely difficulty , wherewith these conclusions can ( as i conceive ) with probability bee charged , may be conceived thus : admitting gods decree concerning the house of israels life or death , were ( as evidently it was ) disjunctive , and did essentially include a possibility of life , and a possibility of death , in respect of all or most of their persons , or of their publike state ; yet no man will denie but that amongst the severall or opposite members of this or the like decree , god wills one , more than another . for so he saith , that hee willed not the death , but the life of him that dyed . now if that which god willeth not , may come to passe ; and that which he willeth may not come to passe ; or if , of two possible events , that whose actuall being he willeth tenne thousand times more ardently , never get actuall being or existence ( as being prevented by the actuall accomplishment of the contradictorie or incompatible event which he lesse willeth , ) how can his will , in this case bee fulfilled ? and if his will be not fulfilled , his decree must needs bee broken ; and if his decree may be broken , how is his will said to be irresistible ? how do we beleeve him to be omnipotent ? some perhaps would hence conclude , that if of two objects , which we suppose to bee alike truly possible , there bee no necessity , that that should come to passe , which god willeth most , or any probabilitie for that to come to passe , which he lesse willeth , or willeth not at all , but rather the contrary : then there is a possibilitie or rather a necessitie , that his will should not be alwaies fulfilled , that he might sometimes sit downe with a kinde of losse , and say with impotent man , i have failed of my purpose . the best preparation for fit and peaceable entertainment of the orthodoxall solution to these difficulties , will be to declare the evident and necessary truth of that assertion , which they object unto us , as a dangerous inconvenience able in their judgement to infer the last conclusion . truth fully and evidently declared will justifie it selfe against all gainsaiers . the assertion which we grant will necessarily follow from our former discursions , and comes now to justifie it selfe is this ; that such things as god no way willeth , oft-times come to passe , when as their contradictories , which he wils most ardently , come not to passe . ] the principall instance for justifying this truth , is the repentance and life of a sinner , which god hath sworne that he willeth ; so doth hee not his death , if we will beleeve his oath . if any mans verdict shall scatter from mine , or others , which maintaine this doctrine , i must call god and his conscience to witnesse , whether he hath not left that undone , which god wold have had him to do , & sometimes done , that which god would have had him not to doe ? let him that will answere negatively to this interrogative , indite that confession which we daily make in our liturgy of falshood or slaunder . let him call for iacobs ladder downe from heaven , and require a guard of angels to conduct him safely into gods presence . for if hee have as truely and continually done gods will here on earth , as the angels doe it in heaven ; hee may justly challenge speedie admission into their societie . but if he can with safe conscience communicate with us sinnefull men , in that confession ; his exceptions against our assertion are but needlesse scrupulosities , altogether against reason ? whatsoever they bee in respect of his conscience , yet to his exceptions wee are to frame a further answere . there is an absolute necessity , that gods will should alwayes be fulfilled : but there is no such necessitie , that it should alwayes bee fulfilled by the parties to whom it is revealed or directed . they are tyed indeed by necessitie of praecept , and at their perill , alwayes to doe it ; but the almightie god , doth not referre the fulfilling or evacuation of it , to their fidelitie , choice or resolution : for so the certaintie or infallibilitie of executing his decree , should bee but commensurable to the fragility of our nature ; and that which some object unto us would fall directly upon themselves , to wit , that gods will should depend upon mans will. as hee alwayes grants the requests of the faithfull , or , as the psalmist speakes , gives such as delight in him , their hearts desire , albeit he alwaies gives them not the particulars or materialls which they request or heartily desire : so he knows how to fulfill his own will , or do his pleasure , albeit those particulars or materials , which he ardently wils and takes most pleasure in , be not alwayes done by us . and this answer might suffice unto a reader not scrupulously curious . but sophisticall and captious objections require artificiall and formall solutions . the former objection may perhaps be framed more captiously thus . of more particulars proposed to the choise of men , if that bee not alwayes done , which god willeth most , his will is not done at all . for as a lesser good whilest it stands in competition with a greater , is rather evill than good : so , that which is lesse willed or desired , cannot be said to bee willed or desired at all , in respect of that which is more desired , specially in the language of gods spirit , which expressely saith , that god will have mercy , and not sacrifice . whence it will follow , that when sacrifice was offered , without performance of duties of mercy , or obedience ; gods will was not done , but broken . it is gods will likewise , that we should goe unto the house of mourning , rather then unto the house of mirth . the duties to be performed in the house of mourning are many : to mourne , to fast , to pray , with other branches of humiliation ; all which god truly willeth , in different measure according to the diversity of their nature , or the more or lesse intensive manner of their performance . the transgressions likewise usuall and frequent in the house of unhallowed mirth , are many and much different as well in quality as degree ; all detested of god as contrary to his most holy will , but more or less detested according to their nature , quality or degree , or other circumstance . suppose a man , to whom choise of going into the house of mirth or mourning is solemnly proposed ; the inconveniences of the one , and gracious acceptance of the other in gods fight , seriously prest by gods minister ; do vtterly reject the preachers counsell , and adventure upon the most desperate evill that is practised in the house of mirth : shall wee say gods will is in this case fulfilled ? yes , though the evils which he willeth not , were tenne thousand , and man did desperately resolve to doe the very worst and most contrary to his will ; yet that which he willeth most , shall still be done : for it is his absolute and peremptory will , that all the particulars offered to mans choice , as well those which his holinesse most abhorreth , as those which hee willeth most , should bee truly possible for a man to choose without impediment , that none should bee necessary . now this liberty being left to man which way soever his will inclineth , gods will shall be most infallibly fulfilled , in the selfe same measure , as if the very best had beene chosen by man ; seeing it is his absolute will to grant him freedome ( at his perill ) to choose the very worst and refuse the best . and the perill is , that gods will shall be done upon him according to the measure it was neglected by him . as this proposition [ the sun will either shine or not shine this day at twelve of the clocke ] will be as true if the sunne shine not , as if it shine : so gods will being ( as is supposed in this case ) disjunctive , shall bee as truly fulfilled , albeit man doth that which he willeth not , as if he did that which he willed most . for his will ( as was now said ) may ( according to the same measure ) be fulfilled two wayes , either by us , or upon us ; whether it be this way or that way fulfilled , it is all one to god , but much better for us to doe it , then to have it done upon us . and though it be possible for us not to doe it , yet not doing it there is no possibility left , that it shall not be done upon us . in as much then as gods will must of necessity be done , and no man can doe it by doing evill , ( seeing it is set onely on that which is truly good ; ) the punishment of such as continue to doe evill , is absolutely necessary , that is altogether as unavoydable , as if they had beene appointed to it from all eternities , or created to no other end , then that they might be punished . for the punishment of evill is good , and is for this reason a part of gods will , or rather a part of the object of his irresistible will or inviolable decree ; yet may we not say that god * simply willeth evill , or delighteth in punitive justice , which he never willeth , but upon supposall of evill deserts in the creature . as for the evill it selfe , which deserveth punishment , that , god is not said ( in true divinity ) to will at all , either voluntate signi , or beneplaciti , either by his secret or revealed , or by his antecedent or consequent will. for nothing is evill , but that which swarveth from , or is contrary to the rule of goodnesse , and other rule of goodnes there is none , besides gods goodnesse ; nor doth he wil any thing that is not consonant to his goodnesse ; so is not any thing that is truly evill . they which otherwise teach , that god in any sort can will that which is morally evill , have mightily forgot the rules of logick : for if nothing be evill , but that which god would not have done , then nothing which god would have done , can be evill . chap. . of the distinction of gods will into antecedent and consequent . of the explication and use of it . gods will being , as all confesse , indivisible , some there bee which hold all distinctions concerning it , no lesse unfitting , then the division of christs seamlesse coate . others mislike that distinction of his antecedent and consequent will , and yet are content to distinguish his will into revealed and secret , or into voluntatem signi & beneplaciti . the use notwithstanding of the first distinction [ of his antecedent and consequent will ] is most ancient ; warranted by the authority of chrysostom , and well exemplified by damascene . and of this distinction i have made choise in other meditations , as most commodious ( to my apprehension ) for resolving many problemes arising out of propheticall and euangelicall passages , concerning the fulfilling of gods will in his threats or promises . the ingenuous reader will not bee so uncharitable or injurious towards chrysostom or damascene , as to suspect , that either of them imagined two wills in god ; unto which imputation , they are more justly liable , which affect the distinction of gods secret and revealed will , or of voluntatis signi & beneplaciti . for every distinction of gods will , must bee framed ex parte volitorum , non ex parte volentis , in respect of the things willed , not in respect of him that willeth them . we must in charity and good manners permit chrysostom and damascene that liberty of speech which we take our selves . now it is usuall with all of us , to attribute that verbo tenus unto the cause , which really and properly belongs only unto the effect , or to denominate the intellectual faculty from the qualitie of the object to which it hath reference ; as when we say the sunne is hot , the understanding is practique , &c. the meaning of those two good authors , whom we follow in the use of the distinction of gods antecedent or consequent will , was this , or the like : that god by one and the same indivisible will , might differently affect or approve divers objects , according to the nature quality or degrees of goodnes contained in them . and certaine it is , that the immensity or greatnesse of our god , doth not make his power or will to bee unweildy . though he be in power truly infinite , yet he alwayes worketh not according to the infinity of his power , but oft-times more gently and placidly , then the weakest or softest spirited of his reasonable creatures can doe . though his will likewise be alwayes irresistible , yet is it not alwayes so peremptorily set on this or that particular object willed by him , as mans will , for the most part , is . the variety of particular objects which hee truely willeth in different measure , is much greater than the wit of man can comprehend so is the liberty or variety of choise , which hee alloweth unto his creature , much greater then we can without grudging , afford to such as have dependance on us . some things he willeth in the first place and directly ; though not so peremptorily , but that things lesse willed by him , or contrary evills , which hee willeth not , may get the start or take place of them in humane choise . other things he willeth in the second place , or by consequence , as in case , that which in the first place he willed , be ( by abuse of mans free will ) rejected . the former he is said to will by his antecedent will , because the object willed by him , hath antecedence or preeminence in respect of his beneplacitum or acceptance : the latter he is said to will by his consequent will , that is not in the first place or directly , but by consequent , as supposing those objects , which he better approved , to be neglected . whatsoever is good in it selfe , and good withal for a reasonable creature to make choise of , that , god is said to will by his antecedent will , as the repentance of a sinner , and the joyfull fruits which the sinner shall reape by his penitencie . whatsoever in it selfe is not evill , or contrary to the rule of goodnesse , but evill to the reasonable creature , which must suffer it , as sicknesse , death , all kinde of torture or calamity , that god willeth onely by his consequent will. we may not deny but that he truly willeth the death of obstinate sinners , yet this he willeth by his consequent will. their obstinacy in sinne he willeth not at all , for if he did , he would not punish it : for punishment is the necessary consequent of his will neglected . both these branches of one and the same will ( which from the reference onely which they have unto their different objects , wee conceive to bee two or divers ) are subordinate to his absolute and peremptorie will , which is , that man should have a libertie of doing , and not doing those things which in the first place he willed or liked better . but is not this libertie of man an imperfection ? an issue though a blemish to youth and livelihood , is ofttimes a good meane or principall cause of health to an unsound and crasie bodie . so possibility of declining to evill , albeit in it selfe an imperfection , and not possibly incident to aeternall and immutable goodnesse , is no way contrary to the participated actuall goodnesse of the reasonable creature ; whereof it is an essentiall or constitutive part , at the least a necessarie ingredient or condition precedent to the constitution of it . and imperfection with reference to this end , may be the object of gods antecedent will , or part of that which in the first place he willeth and principally intends . but inasmuch as actuall evill is formally dissonant to actuall goodnesse ; hee which is actually and infinitely good , cannot but hate or dislik actuall evill in whomsoever it is found , as much as he loveth the contrary good . now punishment or malum poenae , being as necessarie a consequent of gods hate or dislike of sinne , as reward or happinesse is of his loue to vertue and pietie : the reasonable creature by declining from vertue to vice , from good to bad , doth ipso facto and inevitably bring evill [ malum poenae & damni ] tribulation and anguish upon it selfe . by reward and punishment in this place , wee understand not onely life and death everlasting ( of whose reference to gods aeternall decree , we shall in particular dispute hereafter , if superiours shall so think fit : ) but every temporall blessing or crosse , all prosperity or calamitie , specially publike & remarkable . prosperitie we alwayes take to be a pledge of gods love ( though not alwaies of the person , on whom it is bestowed , yet of some good quality in him or in some of his , serving for publique use or private imitation ; ) and is alwayes ( in the beginning at least ) an effect of gods antecedent will. calamitie we take alwayes for a token of gods dislike , though not alwaies of the person afflicted , yet either of somewhat in him to bee amended , or of somewhat formerly done by him , to bee by others avoided ; and is an effect of gods consequent will. for hee wils no evill at all , not malum poenae , but as it is either a punishment or correction for evill done , or good neglected , or as it is a medecine to prevent the doing of evill , or neglect of goodnesse . from the infinite varietie of possibilities authorized by the aeternall decree , and their correspondent consequences , which one time or other actually follow upon their reductions into act , by the irresistible award of the same decree ; wee may resolve many difficulties , and abandon sundry inconveniences , wherewith the heathen in their vaine speculations , and many christians in more grievous temptations , charge , either the truth or goodnesse of gods providence . the varietie of such possibilities , amounts , partly from the specificall nature of the objects , made possible by the divine decree : partly from the severall degrees of good or evill contained in such objects , or in mens actions concerning them . the whole latitude ( if i may so speake ) of gods providence , as it concernes kingdomes , states or persons , consists in moderating and ordering the possible devolutions or alternations of the resonable creature from his antecedent will to his consequent . the alternations or devolutions themselves , may be numberlesse , save onely to god ; so may the degrees bee of mans dissonancie or consonancie to gods antecedent will , throughout the course of his life . chap. . of the divers acceptions or importances of fate , especially among the heathen writers . the very name of fate , will be i know , to many very offensive , unto whom i am unwilling to give the least offence . the use of it ( i must confesse ) is in some cases prohibited by st. austin , a man too modest , to vsurpe greater authoritie then he had ; and oecumenicall authoritie in this point hee had none , or none so great as might impose silence upon all posteritie . would to god such as are most forward to presse us with this reverend fathers interlocutorie sentence once or twice perhaps vttered for not vsing the name ; could be perswaded to stand to his definitive sentence often pronounced against the nature of the errour , which the heathens , against whom hee disputes , covered under this name . vpon condition they would be pleased not to revive the nature of the errour , or bury their opinions that way tending ; my heart and mouth should never give breath unto the name . the opinion which some rigid stoicks had of fate , is an haeresie not to bee named among the heathen ; so deepely tainted with the very dregs of heathenisme , that it is a wonder any christian writer should come neere it ; that any at least should take infection from it : especially seeing the reverend and learned fathers of the primitive church , had provided so many excellent preservatives against it . but albeit fate , according to that sense or meaning , where in some heathens tooke it , was become a wicked idol : yet seeing the word or name , whether in the ordinary use of greeke or latine writers , hath greater varietie of significations or importances , then almost any other word in the world besides ▪ to abandon all , for one ill sense , or importance , seemes to me as rude and uncivill a part , as to roote out a whole clan or surname , because one of the same name and stocke had beene at deadly sohood with our family or had otherwise deserved death . vpon diligent perusall of the best philosophers , historians or poets amongst the heathens , of some historians and moralists of best note amongst christians ; we may finde realities , or solid matter answering to this word fate , which cannot bee so well expressed by any other terme or name , by any paraphrase more briefe than the true and proper definition of the matter or reality signified by it . now if the matter defined , prove to bee no idoll ; the name certainly is indifferent , and of the definition there may be a good morall or historicall use . for finding out the true and proper definition or description of it , we are to explicate the divers acceptions or importances of the name . fatum à fando dictum , and sometimes imports no more then the dictate of nature , or the certaine course appointed to things naturall . thus naturall death , is by some accounted fatall . and dido according to this importance , did not die by fate , because shee prevented lachesis by cutting the thred of her owne life , before this great arbitresse of mortality had passed sentence upon her ; * sed quia nec fato , merita nec morte peribat . and according to this importance it is used by the prince of romane historians in the sixt booke of his annals ; per idem tempus lucius piso pontifex ( rarum in tanta claritudine ) fato obijt . about the same time l. piso high priest died a naturall death ( being . yeares of age ; ) a matter rare in those times , in a man of so great birth and place . sometimes againe death it selfe , howsoever it come upon men , is termed fate or destiny ; perhaps because the comming of it is by course of nature certaine , albeit the time and manner of it , be unknown or incomprehensible . so another roman poet saith , the parthians poysoned arrowes carryed fates upon their points , able to let in death at the least breach of skin , fatumque in sanguine summo est . it may be virgil held naturall death to be fatall , because it cannot be avoided , being otherwise of our opinion , that dido might have lived longer , or that it was not absolutely necessary from the houre of her birth , that she should live so many yeares and no * more . for so some of the wisest amongst the heathens held death to be fatall , that is , simply necessary unto all ; albeit to dye at this or that set houre , were in their opinion contingent , or at least supposed a contingency before it became necessary . of this opinion was a pythagoras and his followers . and so it seemes was b iustine martyr . but lucan , we know , was somewhat allyed unto the stoicks , and out of his private conceit that the set time or manner of every mans death , was no lesse necessary then death it selfe , he might , not inconsequently terme violent or sudden death , fatall . and tacitus , who seemes to be doubtfull , whether all things fell out by fate or necessity or no , ascribes violent and undeserved death , as well as naturall , unto fate . for , speaking of agricola his untimely death , ( as we would terme it ) he saith , constans & libens fatum accepit : he constantly and willingly entertained his fate . martials conceit concerning death and fates , is not much different from lucans , or this last cited place of tacitus , though not altogether the same . nullo fata loco possis excludere : cum mors venerit , in medio tybure sardinia est . from fates no place is priviledg'd : but when death is their doome , the pestilent sardinia , in tyber findeth roome . and as death , in his opinion , could not bee repelled where fates had granted his admission ; so neither could it be obtruded , or admitted , without the leave or approbation of fates , if the authority of the father of poets be authentique . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vexe not thy soule , for none can send me to my grave , before , my day be come , since all mens lives runne on a fatall score which none may passe , none not make up ; 't is not mans power or will can change the period which is set as well to th' good , as th' ill . virgil was somewhat of a better minde in this point than homer was , or they are , which can thus liberally dispose of their friends bodies or bones . similis si cura fuisset , tum quoque fas nobis teucros armare fuisset . nec pater omnipotens troiam , nec fata vetabant stare , decemque alios priamum superesse per annos . had like care beene , nor mighty love , nor fates did fore-ordaine or troy to fall , or priamus not tenne yeares more to raigne . that no man can dye before his day come , is an opinion in whose truth some are so confident , as they will not stick to bequeath the bones of their dearest friends unto the divell , if they should dye otherwise . and it is certaine , all things have their appointed time , yet may wee not hence collect that no man can live longer or dye sooner than he doth , or that the number of his dayes cannot possibly bee diminished or encreased : but of this argument see * iustin martyr , or the author of the questions and explications , which have for a long time gone under his name . in all these or the like acceptions of fate , and the very common conceipt which this name suggests , there is an importance of necessitie . and according to the severall degrees of necessitie , fates good or bad ( for so they divided them for their qualitie ) were subdivided into ( majora & minora ) into lesser and greater fates . ( fata minora ) lesser fates , were held alterable by enchantment or other curious practises , taught by sathan , as imitations of those sacred rites or solemnities , which god had ordayned for averting imminent plagues . ( fata majora ) chiefe or supreame fates were so unalterable , so inflexible , that their great god iupiter could not command them , but was to doe whatsoever was designed by them 〈◊〉 done . whence as lactantius wittily 〈…〉 they could not rightly enstyle him maxi●●● because hee was lesse then this kinde of fate●● in this heathenish division notwithstanding , there was a true glimpse of a christian truth , hereafter 〈◊〉 ●●sewere to be discussed . subordinate to this division of fates , were the opinions of the caldean and aegyptian astrologers concerning the power or efficacie of the heavens , over sublunary bodies . the * caldeans were impious not in practise only but in opinion , in that they held the operation of the heavens to be unalterable and unpreventable by the wit , industry or skill of man : all which such as follow ptolomie the aegyptian , expressely deny , & bring good reasons for their deniall . if their practises to foretell things to come , bee no worse than their opinions concerning the manner how they come to passe ; it would bee no great sinne to be their schollers . there is no christian but will grant his god to be greater then heathenish fate , and his law to be above all controll of any other law or power whatsoever . and yet by the doctrine of many divines , the almighty lawgiver is made aeternally subject to his owne decrees . their meaning is taken by many to be in effect this : that albeit god be omnipotent , yet it is true of him , post semel emissum volat irrevocabile verbum . that he had past his omnipotent word , concerning the ordering and managing of all things to come , before it could be taken or accepted by any creature : and that by his word thus past once for all for ever , such irrevocable doome had passed upon some of his best creatures before their nonage , ( in their non existence ; ) as they would not have accepted life or being it selfe , when they first entred vpon possession of it , if they had knowne upon what hard conditions it had beene tendred . or , were it yet left free for them to disclaime those covenants or conditions of life and beeing , whereunto they never gave their consent ; the greatest part of divine goodnesse which they could hope to be partakers of , were to be released from the right of creatures , and to returne againe to nothing . briefly , by making god supreame lord of such hard weirds or sinister fates , as are by these men inevitably awarded to absolute reprobates ; they doe not adde so much unto his greatnesse , as they derogate from his goodnesse , in respect of the heathen gods . for , unto such of the heathens , as granted fates a negative voice in some cases against the good purposes of their gods ; it was some comfort to thinke , that their gods wished them well , and did entreate them , as great personages or courteous gentlemen do their sutors , whom for the present they cannot pleasure , as being overborn by the opposite faction . but alas , what can it boot poor impotent man , to beleeve his maker was not from aeternitie subject to fates , or any other law ; if by his owne lawes , or decrees , he hath bound them before the world had beginning , ( without all hope or possibility of release ) to harder conditions of life , then the heathens imagined could bee injoyned by fates . for it is probable , that such of the heathen as were most peremptorie for the absolute necessitie of fatall events , did thinke bad fates had spit their poyson , when this life was ended . they did not suspect the miseries inflicted by them , to be for time so everlasting , or for their qualitie so unsufferable , as wee christians beleeve the torments of the life to come shall bee to all that are ordained for the day of wrath . but bee the torments for their qualitie more exquisite than the heathens could conceive any ; was it absolutely necessary for the almightie from aeternitie to appoint them ? if so it were , there was a fatall necessitie praecedent to the almightie decree . but if his decree hath brought this absolute necessitie upon men ; the execution of this decree by instrumentall or second causes , differs nothing save onely in excesse of rigour and severitie , from the most rigid stoicall fate . chap. . of the affinitie or allyance which fates had to necessitie , to fortune or chance in the opinion of heathen writers . bvt that we may finde out , which wee most desire , some mittigation or tolerable reconciliation of the most harsh opinions , whether maintained by heathens or christians in this argument : it is a common notion received by all , that every fatall event is necessarie ; but very few of the heathen , were of opinion , that all necessarie events were fatall . albeit by way of such a poeticall licence in substituting the speciall for the generall , as he used that said , hunc ego si potui tantum sperare dolorem . fate is sometimes taken for necessity without restriction . it was not usuall with ancient heathens , nor is it with such as to this day use to ascribe many events to fates , to terme the rising , or setting of the sunne , the ebbing and flowing of the sea , or other like effects of hourely observation ( necessary by the common course of nature ) fatall . in the literall construction of many good writers , fate and fortune , are , if not synonimall in their formall , prime , or direct significations , yet coincident in their importances or connotations . their titles , to the selfe same events or effects , were ofttimes undistinguishable , by such as ascribe too much to the one or to the other . ausonius , but for verse sake , might as well have said , dum vult fortuna , as , dum fata volunt , bina venena juvant . when such successe the fates shall will , one poyson shall another kill . or iuvenal as well , si fata velint , as , si fortuna volet , fies de rhetore consul : si volet haec eadem , fies de consule rhetor. of rhetorician whom she will , dame fortune consull makes : and when she will , to meaner state , her favorite downe she takes . others held fortune to be a branch of fate , or an instrument for executing what was by fates designed . quid referam cannas ? admotaque moenibus arma ? varronemque pigrum , magnum quod vivere posset postque tuos thrasimnene lacus ? fabiumque morantem accepisse jugum victas carthaginis arces ? spectatum hannibalem nostris cecidisse catenis ? exiliumque rogi furtiva morte duisse ? adde etiam italicas vires , romamque suismet pugnantem membris , adjice & civilia bella : et cimbrum in mario , mariumque in carcere victum : quod consul totiens exulque ex exule consul : et jacuit libicis compar jactura ruinis atque crepidinibus cepit carthaginis orbem : hoc nisi fata darent , nunquam fortuna tulisset . the resultance of this long oration , is no more than this : fortune was but the messenger to bring all those welcome , or unwelcome presents to the romane state , which fate did bestow upon it . of this argument see more in the . chapter of this booke , parag . , , , , , , , . in tacitus his language fate and fortune have sometimes the same reference or importance . occulta lege fati , & ostentis ac responsis destinatum vespasiano liberisque ejus imperium post fortunam credidimus : after his good fortune we surely beleeved , that the empire was by the secret course of fate , by signes and oracles destinated to vespasian and his sonne . tacit. . histor . cap. . yet is not this difference betwixt fate and fortune constantly observed by these two writers themselves , much less observed at all by others : with cominaeus , machiavel , and other later historians or politicians , fortune and fate , are used promiscuously . the properties or attributes of fate , are , in ordinary construction the same , or equivalent to those of fortune . the titles of fate were anciently these , or the like , unavoydable , insuperable , inflexible , ineluctable . and it is a conceit or prenotion , that to this day runnes in many christians mindes , that nothing can be against a chance : where fortune failes , nothing prevailes . this difference notwithstanding betwixt them , might bee observed in many writers ( or in their language , which have cause , in their owne apprehensions to like well or complaine of them . ) that the ordinary successe of others labours or consultations , are for the most part ascribed by envy or aemulation unto fortune : whereas fates are usually charged with the calamities or disasters , which befall themselves or such as rely upon their counsells . most men are by nature prone to excuse themselves in their worst actions , si non à toto , yet à tanto , by accusing fortune ; and can be well content to exonerate their galled consciences , of inward griefe , by venting bitter complaints , or receiving plausible informations from others , against fates . attonitis etiam victoribus , qui vocem precesque adhibere non ausi , lacrymis ac silentio veniam poscebant , donec cerealis mulceret animos , fato acta dictitans , quae militum ducumque discordia , vel fraude hostium evenissent . tacitus lib. . histor . num . . even the conquerors were astonished at the sight , who not daring to speake , begged their pardon with silence and teares , till such time as cerealis with comfortable words revived their spirits ; affirming that those things , which indeed came to passe through the mutinousnesse of the souldiers , or the dissention of the leaders , or the malice of the enemies , were but fatall mischances which could not bee escaped . some againe derive fate and fortune from one and the same fountaine , and distinguish them onely by excesse of strength , as the same streame in winter differs from it selfe in drouth of summer . advertendum vero illud , quandocunque illa coelestium causarum ratio ita digeritur , ut artem exculcatam exsuperet , dici à platonicis fatum : ubi vero sic , ut vincere inertem desidiosumque evaleat rursum à solerti strenuoque vinci , fortunam . vtrobique vero divinam statuunt providentiam , quae ad finem agat sibi soli notum quae universa modis contemperet occultioribus . lection . antiquar . lib. . cap. the platonicks , which derive most humane events or successe from the order or disposition of celestiall causes , call this disposition , fate ; when it is so strong , that no endeavours or skill of man can prevaile against it : but when the strength of it is of such a middle size , as may prevaile against sloathfull and carelesse men , but may bee vanquished by the vigilant and industrious , they call the same disposition fortune . in both cases they admit a divine providence , which worketh to ends knowne onely to it selfe . for this affinity betweene fortune , chance and fate in best writers , it will bee expedient to touch at the seat of chance or fortune in our way , and to declare what is meant by these termes ; and whether such events as we say fall out by fortune or chance , have any alliance with necessity . in this discussion , i hope wee shall arive at that point , whereat the favourers of absolute necessity , and the favourers of other opinions concerning fate and fortune , more fluctuant , will bee content to cast anchor . fortune ( saith * plutarch ) is a part of chance , as free-will or choise is of contingency . every casuall event is contingent , but every contingent effect is not casuall or a chance : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the very name of chance in greek ( saith aristotle ) implies as much as to be to no end or purpose : yet this etymology ( under correction ) was no part of the ancients meaning , which gave the greek name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to such events as we terme casuall , unlesse [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frustra ] be referred onely ( as perhaps aristotle intended ) to the efficient cause . after a manner of speech not much unlike to this , the schoolemen say that is gratis dictum ( as wee would say freely spoken ) not for which a man takes no fee , but for which he hath no just ground or reason . and that in phrase of scripture is said to bee done gratis or frustra , which is done without just motives or provocation , not that which is done or attempted to no end or purpose . oderunt me frustra , and oderunt me gratis , they hated me without a cause , or they hated me vainly , are in some translations equivalent . the word in the originall answers to both . in analogy to this kinde of speech , those events were said to fall out by chance , or to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which in the opinion of such as gave this name , had no efficient cause , or at least none discernable , but were supposed to move themselves or to take possession of such short beeing as they had , without the assignement of any superiour power , or of any constant or setled cause ; intruding themselves into the course of nature , like unbidden guests , sometimes as unwelcome as frost in summer , sometimes as welcome as warme weather to such as want fire in winter . fortune hath her authority placed onely in reasonable actions or * deliberations , yet not in all these , but onely in such events as fall out either so farre beyond or contrary to mens intentions , that they may be rather wondred at , then expected . if husbandmen should digge their vineyards with purpose to finde gold , the fruitefull vintage thereon following ( though no part of their intentions ) could not so properly b●e ascribed to fortune , as if a husbandman , intending onely to dig his vineyard in hope of a plentifull vintage , should finde store of gold. the meaning of plato , of aristotle and plutarch may bee better perceived by fit instance , then by large scholastique commentaries upon their severall definitions of fortune . valerius maximus ( and to my remembrance , plutarch ) hath a memorable storie of one iason phereus , that was cured of an impostume in a fray or duell . the blow of an enemy was the cause of this mans health , but by a rare and unusuall accident , quite contrary to his intention that gave it ; and altogether beyond his expectation that received it . his purpose was only to maintaine his reputation or revenge his wrongs , either to wound or to be wounded , without any hope or thought of curing his disease , the danger wherof was not fully discovered , til it was past . but a more perfect idaea or exemplarie forme of fortune good or bad , then any historian relates , the greeke epigrammatist hath pictured for our contemplation . the matter of the epigram was in english thus : a silly poore wretch , being deprived of all meanes to live , resolves to deprive himselfe of breath ; but , whilest he sought a place convenient for acting this desperate purpose , finding store of gold which another had hid ; he returned home againe leaving his halter in the place , which was worse taken by him that hid the gold , then meant by him that left it : for he hanged himselfe in it for griefe of his losse . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a poore wretch finding gold , for ioy , left 's halter in its steed : which he that left the gold , for griefe , did make his fatall threed . to finde gold was no part of that poore mans hopes , whom despaire of like meanes to live by , had made desirous of death : the other had as little minde to dispatch himselfe , when he came to visit the supposed stay and comfort of his life wherein his soule had solaced her selfe with the foole in the gospell . chap. . of the proper subject and nature of fate . the most usefull issue which these or the like cases afford is this , whether the event specified in them bee meerely casuall , contingent , or ( in some sort ) necessarie . one and the same determination , will as well befit the like quaestion , concerning such events as are properly tearmed fatall , whose proper subject , nature and definition , we are more particularly to inquire after . the first quaere , which few meddle withall , would bee this : whether fatall events participate more of contingencie , then of necessitie . but setting aside all comparison , it sufficeth us that they truely participate of both ; but in different degrees or measures according to the diversitie of times . contingencie is alwayes as necessarily praesupposed to the production of events fatall , as necessitie is included in them . and as the proper forme or essence of fates consists not in every sort of necessitie , but in some peculiar branch thereof ; so neither is every contingent subject a fit matter for receiving that forme or branch of necessitie , wherein the nature of fate consists , and which giues denomination and being to events fatall . i have heard many unthrifts , upon the loosing of a faire game at tables , curse the dice or cry vengeance upon ill luck ; but i never heard any gamester frame such inditements either in verse or prose , against fates , as were usuall amongst the heathens , whose language in other cases , is with our unthrifts most familiar . such pettie adventures as cardes and dice , are as met all too base to be instampt with the inscription of fate : whose proper subject in publike affaires , is matter either of tragedie or of triumph : in private matter either of extraordinarie and unusuall prosperitie or of calamitie . most of gods creatures are the subject of contingency ; mankind onely or humane societie , is the the proper sphaere , without whose circumference , neither fortune or fatall events doe wander . yet is not every part of man subject to fate , though man according to every part bee subject to that contingencie , which is praesupposed to fates . * iustin martyr ; though a professed enemy to stoicall fates , and a most valiant champion , a chiefe leader to all the rest which have defended the christian truth against that sect , being most potent in the infancie of christianitie ; was not so nice , as either to deny us the right use of the name fate , or the nature of the thing thereby signified . this , saith he is immutable fate , that such as doe well , shall be rewarded , and such as doe ill shall bee punished . quid aliud est fatum , saith minucius feli●● quàm quod de unoquoque nostrum deus fatus est , qui cum possit praescire materiam ▪ pro meritis & qualitatibus singulorum , etiam fata determinavit . both of them follow their master st. paul , that god will render to every man according to his workes : unto them that are contentious , and disobey the truth , and obey unrighteousnesse , shall bee indignation and wrath . tribulation and anguish shall bee upon the soule of every man , that doth evill , of the iew first , and also of the graecian . but to every man that doth good , shall bee glorie , and honour , and peace , to the iew first , and also to the graecian . for there is no respect of persons with god. rom. . verse , , , . it is a point cleare from the authoritie of minucius felix and iustin martyr , and from the grounds of christianitie it selfe , that the reasonable soule is not subject to fate , * taken ( in the stoicall sense ) for absolute necessitie , whencesoever such necessitie be derived . for as iustin martyr strongly concludes , if the soule of man were by the necessitie of the divine decree , either violently driven or placidly drawne to good or evill , there could bee no vice or vertue , or god should bee as truely the onely author of all vice , sinne , and wickednesse , as he is of vertue and godlinesse ; or as st. austin infe●●●● , hee could not justly punish any besides himselfe , who is altogether incapable of punishment , but more uncapable of deserving it , or of doing evill . that freedome of choyse or contingencie , which these good writers , with all the auncients suppose as granted , by the divine decree , to the humane soule , is the proper subject or immediate matter whereto fate is limited . the nature or essence of fate , in their doctrine consists in the infallible doome or sentence , past by the divine providence upon mens actions according to their nature or qualitie . the actions or choyses themselves are truely and properly contingent , not fatall , the events or issues of them are fatall , not contingent . and in this sense did most of the * heathens , in their sober moodes use the name of fates . so virgil ascribes the want of an b heire male by the untimely death of the first borne and the ill c successe of warre unseasonably undertaken , or begun ( as a man would say ) in an ill time , unto the fates , or weirds allotted by the gods . the fained cōplaint or speech which hee puts in latinus his mouth disswading * turnus & his people from going to war , is a true picture of moses his expostulation with the israelites , which had gone out to warre contra●y to gods commandement , and found that successe by experience , which latinus fore-warnes turnus of : yee answered , and said unto mee , we have sinned against the lord , wee will goe up and fight , according to all that the lord our god commanded us . and when yee had girded on every man his weapons of war , ye were readie to go up every man into the hill. and the lord said unto me , say unto them , goe not up , neither fight , for i am not among you : lest yee be smitten before your enemies . so i spake unto you , and you would not heare , but rebelled against the commandement of the lord your god , and went presumptuously up into the hill. and the amorites which dwelt in that mountaine , came out against you , and chased you as bees doe , and destroyed you in seir , even unto hormah . and yee returned and wept before the lord ; but the lord would not hearken unto your voyce , nor give eare unto you . deuter. . vers . , , , , . plagues or punishments are properly then termed fatall , when god will not repent or change the doome threatned ; when his eyes are shut unto mens teares , and his eares unto their prayers . but of all the heathens which i have read , this point is most divinely discussed by * hierocles in his commentary upon pythagoras golden verses . if calamitie ( saith he ) be the award of divine power , pythagoras might better have called it divine will , than divine misfortune . if it bee not the award of divine power , it had beene enough to have called it misfortune ; a divine misfortune it cannot bee . out of these straights he winds himselfe with this acute distinction , inasmuch as calamitie or vengeance is the award of divine power , it is in this respect rightly called divine . but with reference to this or that particular man , it is a misfortune . his meaning ( as he elsewhere illustrates himselfe ) is this : the divine power ( as every just iudge ) doth onely intend to punish evill , suppose adulterie , murder , incest , &c. but that this or that man should commit these or the like evils , which necessarily draw calamitie upon themselves , this is contingent . now the necessarie award of a contingent evill , is by the pythagoreans , sometimes termed fate , sometimes divine misfortune . . not to interpose ought one way or other praejudiciall to the different opinions concerning freewill , as it hath reference to merit , election or predestination ( for all which points wee have allotted a peculiar place in this long worke : ) we hold it for the present as a part of our creede or fundamentall point of christianitie ; that man in in respect of some objects , hath a true freedome of choyse or contingencie , and is enabled by his creator to make varietie of antecedents in thought , word or deede . but the * antecedents being once made by man , though not without divine cooperation ; god alone allots the consequents , without any concurrence or suffrage in man. to repaire to gods house or loyter at home , or in worse places on the lords day , is left free unto us by the divine decree : but what good or evill , spirituall or temporall , shall befall us upon our better or worse choise , is intirely and meerely in the hands of god. wee have no power or freedome to resist the doome or sentence which god hath appointed to our resolutions , be they good or bad . as unto evill or goodnesse indefinitely taken , some measure of reward or punishment is , in the language of iustin martyr and other of the auncients , truely fatall : so every * possible degree of good or evill , whether meerly moral , or spirituall , hath successe from aeternitie fitted to it quoad pondus , in measure more exact then the cunningest arithmetician can devise . gods iustice holds one scale , his mercy and bountie the other ; their severall awards are most exact , most infallible and irresistible ; yet alternant . punishment or chastisement for offences past is necessarie , yet not absolutely necessarie to any mans person in this or that degree ; because the aeternall decree hath left him a possibilitie not to offend in this or that kinde , or not to offend in such a degree ; or in case hee so offended , to seeke for pardon . nor shall wee , by this assertion bee enforced to imagine any new act or determination in god , either for daily awarding different successe , or the same successe in different measure , according to the diversitie or contingency of humane choise , which may varie , every moment . for the infinite , incomprehensible and all comprising essence , as is * before observed , is fitnesse it selfe , an vnchangeable rule aeternally fitting every alteration possible to the creature , without any alteration in it selfe . a rule it is , which needes no application to the event , the event by getting existence or actuall beeing is actually applied unto it . the just measure and qualitie of that successe , which is by the idea of equitie , bountie , or mercie allotted to every event , is no lesse essentially contained in goodnesse it selfe , then the event it selfe or its beeing , is in infinite essence , or in essence it selfe . the immediate and proper subject of fate , is freedome of choise or contingencie in humane actions ; the genus proximum , is the certaintie of divine retribution according to the nature and qualitie of the choyse wee make . yet are not rewards or retributions , but retributions extraordinary and remarkeable , aswell for their manner of execution as for their matter or qualitie , properly termed fatall . of sinister fates , there is no contingent subject , which can exhibit a more exact picture or modell , for the manner how they come to passe , then a game at chesse or tables . many games at both , which at the beginning , or untill the middle of time spent , in them , are very faire and more then tenne to one ; after some few oversights , or ill dice , become desperate and irrecoverable , by any skill that can be vsed : so events properly fatall , become at length unpreventable , irresistible ; but such they were not from the beginning of time , or from their infancie or first attempts , on whom they fall . such disasterous or dismall events , for which the heathens usually indited fates , were commonly remarkable checks given , they know not by whom , to humane policies or cunning contrivances . they were , as the unexpected winning of an after-game , upon some great stake or wager . good or dexterous fates , were the unexpected issues of mens contrivances , for their owne or associates good fortunes . the manner of accomplishing such fates or fortunes , is like a game wonne by a bungler , against a skilfull player , by extraordinarie dice , or by the suggestion of some by-stander , more skilfull then both . this kinde of fate or strange fortune , of which most of the heathen knew not well what to make , wee may define , to be the incomprehensible disposition , or irresistible combination of second causes , conspiring for the infallible execution of gods will , maugre all plots or conspiracies of men to defeate the events , which hee had purposed . sinister or disasterous fates were the infallible execution of his consequent will. good fates or fortune , were the infallible effects of his antecedent will ; both were sometimes strangely & remarkeably accomplished against cunning and potent oppositions , not so much for the parties sakes whom they befell , as for others . many disasters have befallen some men , though deservedly for their owne sins , yet withall for the admonishing of others , to prevent the like . hence it is that the heathen poets observation [ multi committunt eadem diverso erimina fato ] though in many cases most true , is no way prejudiciall to the unchangeable rules of the all-seeing providence , which is alwayes full of equitie , whose justice is still allayed with mercy . chap. . the opposite opinions of the stoicks and epicures . in what sense it is true , that all things are necessarie in respect of gods decree . the stoicks did well in contradicting the epicures , which held fortune and chance to rule all things , or at least to bee in themselves somethings , not meere denominations of such events as had no certaine or constant cause , apprehensible by man. the originall of their errour , was , their desire to be extreamely contrary to the epicureans in a matter contingent , or rather in contingencie it selfe : for that is the common subject of fortune , chance or fate . fortune and chance they deny to be any thing , with no other purpose , it seemes , then that they may make fate to bee all things . they were orthodoxall in acknowledging an infallible unerring providence , but they ●rred againe as much in not acknowledging this infallible providence , oft-times to hold the meane betweene chance or fortune , and absolute necessitie ; or not to order and moderate contingencie it selfe . from the same originall , some have thought it to be the most safe and compendious course for rooting out errour and superstition , to overthrow the a●tecedent , when their commission directs them onely to deny or refute the consequence . as not a few , no lesse affraid ( and the feare it selfe is just ) to grant merit of workes , then the stoicks were to admit of chance , have taken away all contingency in humane actions , save onely with reference to second causes . wherein they seeme to invert that rule of tyrannicall policie : he is a foole that kills the father , and leaves his braits behind to revenge his blood . these take away the harmelesse parents for the faultie issues sake , seeking to destroy true and orthodoxall antecedents for the incommodious consequences which others have falsely fathered upon them . the reclaiming of men from this one errour is my present and scope . for the better effecting whereof , we will subscribe at length unto their general maxime , [ that all things are necessary in respect of gods decree , ] upon condition they wil not extend it beyond its naturall and proper subject , or not take decree in the stoicall , but in a civill sense . now hee that saith [ all things are necessary in respect of gods decree , ] cannot in civill construction bee conceived to meane any more then thus ; all things which god hath decreed are necessary . the question then is , whether every thing that is , may truly bee said to be the object , or part of the object of gods decree . to which question our answer must be negative . for those things onely are properly said to be decreed , which are enacted and appointed for better ordering and moderating such things as either by nature , custome , or ill example , are apt to grow worse , or may be amended by good education , wholesome advice or discipline . every decree of man supposeth the subject or party whom it immediately concernes , to be capable of perswasion to good or evill , to be alterable in his inclinations , through feare of punishment , or hope of reward . magistrates or corporations take order that mad men or dogs should doe no harme ; yet are not these creatures the proper subject of their decrees or sanctions . they do not tie mastives by penall laws not to bite , they do not bind mad men to good behaviour : but they i●joyn men of reason and understanding to muzzle m●stives lest they bite ; to keepe mad men or franticks , close , lest they should doe mischiefe by going abroad . now the divine decree concerning the ordering of man , is the rule or patterne of all humane decrees , and therefore supposeth somewhat in man , which makes him more capable of the divine sanction , than reasonlesse or inanimate creatures are . this capacity of the reasonable creature or man , consists in freedome of choise or contingency , in his actions or resolutions . the donation of this freedome upon man , is an act of gods free bounty , and is presupposed as the proper subject to the divine decree , or to all acts or awards of divine justice or mercy . the proper and formall object of the same decree , is , the moderation of this contingency or freedome of man , by awarding the issues or consequences , in mercy , justice , or bounty , exactly proportioned to the nature and manner of his choise and resolution . for illustrating the truth of our intended conclusion , let us take the epigrammatists * relation , or that idaea of chance or fortune , which hee hath pictured , for a true story . it was not necessary in respect of the divine decree , that the one should be so extreame poore , or the other so miserably rich , as to come within the compasse of that snare , wherin the latter was taken . the meanes by which the one came to that depth of poverty or melancholly passions , wherewith hee had almost beene stifled , and the other to that height of covetousnesse , from which he fell headlong into despaire , were contingent . neither were driven into such excesse of passion or distemper by irresistible necessity . but taking them as now they have made themselves ; that the one should be led unto temptation , the other into it ; fell not out by chance , but by the especiall disposition of the divine providence . the great tempter intended mischiefe to the one , but failed , god having yet a blessing in store for him . to the other , perhaps he intended not this particular harme , untill opportunity did offer it . so that the inriching of the one by a chance rare and unusuall , in respect of man , was necessary in respect of gods decree of mercy and fatherly providence ; the delivering of the other unto sathan , was likewise necessary , in respect of gods justice . now if such events , as to the apprehension of meere naturall men come by chance , be necessary in respect of the divine decree : disasters by common consent reputed fatall , must by efficacy of the same decree be divorced from contingency , with which formerly they had connexion . for though fortune , as well as fate , be a branch or particle of the proper object of the divine decree ; yet as they have reference to man , this difference may in the last place be observed betwixt then : those things fall out by meere chance or fortune , whose procuration or prevention hath not beene thought of at all by man , or but sleightly , before they happen : those by fate , which have beene often and seriously thought of , but either farre exceed all expectation , or frustrate sollicitous care or forecast . oft-times the unexpected accomplishment of one mans expectation defeates the industrious hopes or anxious contrivance of another , and such events are in a twofold sense termed fatall . heu stirpem invisam , ac fatis contraria nostris fata phrygum . both phrygian race , and phrygian fate , as contrary to ours , we hate . all events properly fatall include a kinde of canvas betweene man and man , nation and nation , or betweene divine providence and humane policie , or betwixt the soule of man and wicked spirits licensed by divine providence to sollicite , tempt , or assault her . chap. . of the degrees of necessity , and of the originall of inevitable or absolute necessity . vvere the maine question hitherto disputed , thus proposed , whether all things were only so farre necessary , so farre contingent , as it pleased the omnipotent to appoint : or whether the successe or issue of humane intentions or contrivances , were so far avoydable or unavoydable , as he hath made them by his decree : i should have infidels only for mine adversaries : christians , i am perswaded , will move no questions about his power or ability , but only about his will or pleasure , for determining all things . and who can deny that gods law or covenant for effecting some things , is more strict and peremptory , then for effecting others . the prophet supposed his covenant for day and night to bee more certaine and invariable , than his covenant for the former and latter raine . and yet the law which he hath appointed for the most glorious creatures in the firmament , is not like the law of the medes and persians . it was dispensed withall all at iosuahs suit , and may againe be dispensed with at his pleasure . the motion of the sun and moone , is not perpetually necessary in respect of his decree . the seasons of seed time , harvest , and the disposition of these lower regions ( in which fortune may seeme to have placed her wheele , and chance erected his tottering throane ) may become certaine and constant to such as constantly observe his holy covenants : if you walke in my statutes , then will i give you rain in due season . levit. . . &c such was the wisedome of the lawes given unto this people , that by observing them , they might have changed the disposition of the ayre , altered the influence of the heavens , and have had dominion over the starres . constancy of assent or adherēce unto these fundamental truths of religion , wold fasten our minds unto a point of inestimable use ( as wel forreforming or curing maladies of state ▪ as of private life ) often in this treatise intimated , but not fully declared . the point is this ; maine events which at this instant are meerely contingent , and may easily bee prevented by diversity of practices , not onely possible but acceptable by the divine appointment , may in succession or revolution of time , become more necessary , and at length truly fatall , altogether unavoydable . absolutely necessary from all eternities , nothing can truly be reputed , besides the deity , and the internall operations of the ever blessed trinity . many things which from the beginning of time had but the first degrees of possibility , ( their contraries or incompatible opposi●es being in the highest degree of probability , ) have by the continued sinister sway of mans thoughts and practices , beene drawne from meere possibilities to be more then probable , and unto the first degree of necessity : yet at the first not absolutely or irresistibly necessary . some meanes there may be , though but a few left of many , and those not easie to be put in practice , for preventing them . the events of greater consequences which stood thus , were with the heathens accounted fata minora : for fates ( as we said before ) admit the selfe same division or degrees that necessity doth . the same events by omission of practices appointed by the divine decree for their prevention , become altogether irresistible and absolutely necessary in respect of any meanes possible for averting them : yet not absolutely necessary from eternitie , but absolutely necessary only from that point of time , wherein the eternall decree or providence did cut off all contrary possibilities , which before were concurrent with the possibility of their being . and events thus utterly bestript of all contingency , or al possibility of being recalled or avoyded , were by the heathens ascribed [ fato majori ] to greater fates . the symptomes or characters of events becomming thus irresistibly & absolutely necessary , come * elsewhere ( by gods assistance ) to be deciphered . here it sufficeth to advertise the reader , that as divers things besides , so necessitie may be enstyled absolute many waies , but two especially . some things are said to be absolutely necessarie , that is , altogether inevitable , albeit this necessitie or inevitablenesse did accrue from some occasions or set points of time lately past . as many diseases , in their nature curable , and easie to have beene cured by ordinarie medicines ( if they had beene administred in time , ) do , by some few daies ill diet , by carelesse attendance , or casuall relapse , become altogether incurable , by any after-care or helpe of physick . other events there be , which were absolutely necessarie in respect of all times : their exhibition or production could not by any policie of man have beene prevented . so our saviours death was absolutely necessary from the beginning of the world , but whether absolutely necessary from eternity , or absolutely necessary , without supposall of adams fall ( which was not necessary ) shall not here be disputed . certaine it is , that nothing decreed by god , can be so absolutely necessary as the divine nature , or blessed trinity is . many errors have found opportunity to mingle themselves with divine truth for want of a commodious distinction or explication of this indistinct and confused terme absolute : the anatomy of it were worth the paines of the learned . evident it is , that some things which are not to day , may to morrow be , in their kind , absolute . we truly say , that the summe of mony wherin one man stands bound unto another , is absolutely due from the time of the forfaiture , or non-performance of the condition : that is , there is no plea left in law , no course or meanes of iustice to avoyd the payment of it . yet was not the same sum absolutely due from the first date of the bond ; the performance of the condition in due time had prevented the losse , which negligence or breach of promise hath now made necessary and irrecoverable . moneys lent upon no other consideration , but upon meere good will , to be repayd whensoever the party lending shall demand them ; are absolutely due , from the date of the recognizance , and for that which is absolutely due , there is a necessitie of payment or satisfaction . . some disasterous events become , by divine providence , irresistibly necessarie long before they be actually accomplished , or inflicted : such was the destruction of pharaoh , of senacherib , the desolation of iudah and ierusalem by titus . others become fatally irresistible within some few dayes or houres before they happen , other not till the very moment wherein they are awarded either for some grievous sinne then committed , or for some remarkable document of gods justice . some againe are for a long time totally irresistible and unpreventable ; others resistible quoad * tantum , though not quoad totum , that is , part of the evils might be prevented , though not the whole . all that we have said concerning the alteration of possibilities , or contingencies , or change of events contingent into necessary , may easily be conceived , without any surmise of alteration in the omnipotent , or in his everlasting decree . the least degree of possibility or contingency , is as necessarily derived from * his absolute irresistible will , as necessity it selfe in the highest degree . it is impossible for possibility to have any right to actuall being without his speciall appointment . to think that fate , chance , or fortune , should nestle in some certaine periods of time , or be brought forth by revolutiōs of the heavens , is altogether heathenish . but neither doth scripture insinuate , nor can reason justly suspect any danger in avouching , that the almighty suffers that contingency or multiplicity of possibilities betweene good and evill , or the severall degrees of evill , wherewith hee hath endued the reasonable creature , to explicate or contract it selfe in every moment of time . and according to the nature of the free motions of man , the irresistible decree brings 〈◊〉 such events or issues , as were truly possible from eternity , but become necessary by revolutions , not of the heavens , but of mans hart and thoughts ; publike plague or calamities become necessary , or inevitable by these meanes onely . we must ever remember that god hath not so decreed all things before they come , or the manner how they shall come , as that he doth not yet decree them . for he continually decrees as well necessity as contingency , and brings forth effects as well contingent as necessary , from this present houre ; both being sometimes meerly possible . the truth of this our last assertion , may be demonstrated from our former principle : if one part of a disjunctive proposition be denied or faile , the other may be necessarily inferred , though neither bee absolutely and determinately necessary , but become such by consequence , or upon supposition of the others failing . many things which in respect of our present purpose or resolution are free or contingent , may within a short while after become altogether necessary and unavoydable , without any alteration or change in us . suppose a iudge should be tied by oath to execute justice upon a malefactor within eight dayes ; there is no necessity that he should performe his vow the first , second , third or fourth day . the execution or not execution of iustice , is during the first seven daies , free and contingent , without any breach or violation of oath : but omitting the opportunities , which the first seven dayes have offered , the execution of iustice upon the eighth day , is as necessarie , as his honesty or fidelity ; as necessary , as if hee had beene tied by oath to execute it upon that day alone . the parts of indefinite time , or of the matter promised or threatned by man , may be farre more than this instance implies . so that the performance of those duties or promises , which for a long time was free and arbitrarie , and might have beene performed in different measure , becomes at length absolutely necessary , and necessary to such a determinate degree . the parts of gods disjunctive decree , and the degrees as well of every matter decreed by him , as of the time allotted for the execution of it , may be numberlesse in respect of us . and man by not entertaining the opportunities , which by severall times have beene allotted him , for reducing his possibilities of doing gods antecedent will into act , may forfeit the very possibilities themselves for ever , or for a long time . and by continuance of such neglect of many parts or kindes of successe , all truly possible , in respect of the eternal decree ; that only shall in the end become necessary , which he least desires , which his soule shall most de●est . in respect of some future events not as yet become necessary , the eternall decree leaves fewer branches of contrary contingencies or possibilities , in respect of others more . their multitude may expire or revive every moment , according to the diversity of mens waies , on which gods will is alwaies done by means infinite , at least to man incomprehensible . the incarnation of our blessed saviour , was in the opinion of some of the ancients , absolutely necessary before the creation of mankind , & should in time infallibly have been accomplished for confirming or augmenting that happy estate wherein adam was created ; if so he had continued stedfast in it untill the time appointed by god for his change or translation . but however the schooles may determine or wave this question ( i must confesse , neither very usefull nor in this place much necessary ) there was no necessity questionlesse , that the second adam should become a bloudy sacrifice for our sinnes , unlesse the first adam had sinned : but after he , by his actuall transgression , had utterly cut off that possibility of perseverance , which the eternall decree had bestowed upon him , the humiliation and bitter passion of the sonne of god , became as necessary in respect of gods mercy and bounty towards man , and of his infinite justice which ( notwithstanding his infinite mercy ) was to be fully satisfied , as his incarnation . after cain had despised gods 〈◊〉 and had slaine his brother abel , it was necessary the messias should proceed from seth ; yet not then so necessary , that he should be the sonne of abraham , as the son of seth. others lineally descended from seth , might have forfeited their reall possibilities , or ordinary hopes of attaining unto this glorie . at the least , when god first made his promise to the woman and her seed , the birth of abraham was not in respect of the eternall decree so necessary , as christs birth was . it was possible to have written terah as childlesse as iechoniah , after his mariage with abrahams mother . but after the same god had passed that promise unto abraham and confirmed it by solemne oath , in thy seed shall al● the nations of the earth be blessed : it was thenceforth altogether as necessary , that our redeemer should be the seed of abraham , as of the woman : yet not then so necessary , that he should bee the sonne of iudah , or that iudah should have a sonne called iesse , or that iesse should have a son called david , a man after gods owne heart . that glory , which long after gods oath to abraham , befell the tribe of iudah , was ( for ought we know or can object unto the contrary ) a part of that dignity ; whose possibility was once really possessed by reuben , though utterly forfeited by his misdemeanour . but after iacob had prophesied , that the scepter should not depart from iudah , till shilo come , or rather after the lord had sworne not to faile david in bestowing the prerogative promised to iudah upon his seed , the necessity becomes as great , that our high priest , after the order of melchisedeck , should bee the sonne of david as the son of man , or seed of abraham . now if we can perswade our selves , that god either speakes or sweares as he truly intends , or that mortall man may certainly know where to have him , or what to trust to : wee must beleeve and acknowledge those events concerning which he hath sworne not to repent , to be farre more necessary in respect of the irresistible decree , from the first interposition of such oath ; then those ordinary blessings or cursings , which hee seriously threat●eth or promiseth , but disjunctively , & with expresse reservation of their repentance whom he threatneth , or of their defection whom he incourageth by his promises : yet such was his covenant of life and death with his people , such was his decree concerning the prosperity or calamity of davids temporall kingdome ; as the * prophets comments upon the promise made to * david expresly testifie . by these and the like oracles fully exemplified in the alternation of ierusalem and iudahs contrary fates , or successe ; we may discerne the course of that eternall providence , by whose irresistible unerring disposition , all other states or kingdomes have the certaine periods of their prosperity or calamity assigned , and by which princes and greatest statesmen stand or fall . section iii. of the manifestation of divine providence in the remarkable erection , declination , and periods of kingdomes : in over-ruling policy , and disposing the successe of humane undertakings . chap. . of the contrary fates or awards whereof davids temporall kingdome was capable : and of its devolution from gods antecedent to his consequent will. homer was not so blinded with the heathenish misconceit of fate , as not-to-see more wayes to death than one . in achilles he described two courses of life , the one shorter but decked with glory ; the other longer , but bare and naked of ●ame : both alike possible by fates . thetis foresaw , fates by two wayes , might bring me to my end ; the one by troy , where if my time i should with honour spend , it was but short : but if at home , a sluggard still i stayd ; my life was long , but with no fame , or praise to be repay'd . now as one poyson sometimes expels another : so this opinion of double fate , ( if men be disposed to use this terme ) takes away the malignity of that error , which holds all events to be fatall ; albeit of such twofolded fates or successe , the one part or the other must by absolute necessity be fulfilled , according to the parties choise , unto whom they are awarded . the body of that which homer shadowed in achilles , is evidently contained in gods forementioned covenant with israell , and sealed unto us by manifest experience in davids line . for of gods speciall providence over the seed of abraham or the iewish nation in generall , we have treated at large in the first booke of the comments upon the apostles creed . the contrary fates of davids kingdome in succeeding ages , seeme to wrastle & strive , as iacob and esau did in the womb , or to countersway each other , like two opposite scales unequally ballanced , by turnes . that thus it fared with davids kingdome , doth not argue gods decree concerning it to have beene mutable , but rather immutably to have elevated & depressed both prince and people , according to the degrees of their mutability in turning to him or from him . salomon had the largest talent of wealth , and the greatest measure of wit to use it , that any earthly king either before or after him had . his possibilities to increase his kingdome , and propagate greatnesse to his posterity , were much greater than any earthly monarch since him might expect . many parts of gods glorious promises made to david , were literally meant of him , which were never literally fulfilled in him , or in his naturall linage ; because they did not performe the conditions , which god required , that they might bee more capable of his extraordinary undeserved favours . the covenant with david is expressed psal . . i have found david my servant : with my holy oyle have i anointed him . with whom my hand shall bee established : mine arme also shall strengthen him . the enemy also shall not exact upon him : nor the sonne of wickednesse afflict him . and i will beat downe his foes before his face : and plague them that hate him . this promise pertaines to david and to his successors : but however the promise was on gods part unalterable , yet the prerogative promised was subject unto change on contingency . for so a little after the psalmist distinguisheth betwixt davids seed and davids sonnes . his seed will i make to endure for ever , and his throne as the dayes of heaven . this he speakes not of many , but of one , to wit , of christ , to whom onely the kingdome of david was predestinated . of such as were ordained to this kingdome , he speakes in the plurall , not absolutely but conditionally : if his children forsake my law , and walke not in my judgements ; if they breake my statutes , and keepe not my commandements : then will i visit their transgression with the rod , and their iniquity with stripes . the tenour then of gods covenant with david as it concerned christ was absolute , but as it concernes davids other sonnes , it was disjunctive , or conditionall . if any shall question why god for many generations did deale no better with davids successors , than with the successors of other kings , the answer from the tenour of the covenant is plaine , they forsooke his lawes , and would not walke in his iudgements . psal . . vers . . and thus breaking his statutes , their visitation was altogether unevitable , not on a sudden , but by degrees . the lords arme even in salomons time was stretched out , ready to fetch the blow , which after his death fell upon his son rehoboam , as heire to his chastisements . the blow was sudden and smart ; for of twelve tribes , ten were rent from his kingdome by ieroboam . the wounds inflicted by the egyptian upon iudah and benjamin , and upon ierusalem her selfe , were grievous , though as yet not uncurable . so grievous as might give that people plainly to understand , that the prosperity of davids earthly kingdome was not like the dayes of heaven , nor the glory of salomons throne like the sunne in the firmament , altogether priviledged from change , or mutability . but albeit the motion of the creature , appointed to execute gods wrath , were sudden , yet the waight of ierusalems burthen was not permanent , because shee was not as yet frozen in sinne . of rehoboams successors some were good , and these by their penitency and heroicall reformation , set back the diall of such dismall fates , as still did threaten them : many were bad , and did draw gods plagues upon themselves and their people . and whilest the blow of gods stretched out arme , is diverted and borne off by the fervent prayers of godly princes ; the waight of the whole nations burthen , is much increased by the iniquity of the people . either the number of the supplicants was not equall to the number of the delinquents ; or the fervency of their prayer and repentance , not so constant , as the others delight in sin and wickednesse . the waight of their sinister fates , by this meanes secretly and insensibly increasing ( even whilest their motion was restrained or abated ) increased the swiftnesse or violence of the motion , when by permission of the divine decree , they had liberty to take their wonted course . ioas and achas pulled them on so fast , that micha threatned judgement , not against the king and nobles onely , but against city and temple , in such a thundring voice , as if desolation had even then besieged the city round about , and utter destruction was ready to enter in at the breach : therefore shall sion for your sake be plowed as a field , and ierusalem shall become heapes , and the mountaine of the house , as the high places of the forest . micha . ver . . spake he this of his owne times , or of some others following ? was it in respect of the eternall decree , altogether impossible for this dreadfull sentence to have beene forthwith put in execution ? indeed many of their magistrates and politicians , most of their priests and prophets , untill this very instant had said to the like purpose : is not the lord among us , none evill can come upon us . vers . . this vaine confidence presumptuously and falsly grounded upon the immutability of gods promises , made the doome menaced by micha more necessary and fatall at this time , than otherwise it would have beene ; though to such as understood the tenour of gods covenant with his people , neither at this time nor many yeares after , altogether unevitable . the good king hezekiah knew the lord did not threaten in jest , and for this reason his feare was hearty , and his prayers earnest : did he not feare the lord , and besought the face of the lord ? ier. . ver . . but did this his feare or hearty prayes impaire the present possibility or necessity of the plagues threatned ? yes , the lord repented him . of what ? that he had denounced all this evill against ierusalem , or intreated hezekiah so roughly by his prophet micha ? no : but the lord repented him of the evill which he had denounced against him and meant to execute . for who repents himselfe of that which he did not so much as truly intend ? is god then as man that he should repent ? it is impossible that there should be any change of purpose in god , & herein he is most unlike to man , or the son of mā , whose repentance alwayes includes some internall alteratiō of wil or purpose , not of the matter purposed only . our best intentions of good to others , often expire upon particular respects , and cannot be revived againe , albeit we neither had just occasion to take dislike , nor the same reasons to continue it , which we had to take it . through the inconstancie of our nature we loath to morrow what we like to day : our affections alter without any change in the matter affected by us . far otherwise it is with god , whose will or purpose is still immutable ; and yet exactly fitteth every change or mutation in the creature . to have punished ierusalem continuing her wonted course ( but sixe moneths longer after the prophet had thus warned her ) with such miseries as senacherib had menaced , was one part of the eternall and unchangeable decree : another part of the same decree ( no lesse immutable ) was to avert these plagues from ierusalem truly repenting upon their denunciation . no former wickednesse could alienate his love from her , or make him recall the blessings promised to david , so long as this people was so affected , as in that covenant was required . the possibility of the desolation menaced by micha , was , for the present , as great , as the assyrian was potent . it might truly have beene said of this city , in respect of his army , what one saith of navigators : est tua tam prope mors , quàm prope cernis aquam . that extraordinary power wherewith the lord had armed this tyrant to take vengeance upon his neighbour nations , might well make the present avoydance of the plagues menaced by micha , seeme almost impossible . but good hezekiah , by turning with all his heart , and all his soule unto the lord , unto whom all things are possible , did not only remove destruction threatned from the city and temple , but caused it to turne upon the destroyer . ierusalem and iudah , by the unfained penitence of prince and people , became the object of gods antecedent will , and fell under the former part of gods covenant with david : the enemy shall not exact upon him , nor the sonne of wickednesse afflict him . and i will beat downe his foes before his face , and plague them that hate him . psal . vers . , . the assyrian by going beyond his commission , in daring not hezekiah only , but the lord of hosts , unto whose protection hezekiah had fled , becomes the object of gods consequent will , which by divine appointment , he was at that time to execute upon ierusalem ; but upon ierusalem fallen away by disobedience , not upon ierusalem returning in heart unto her god. that this people might have some time of breathing and respite to gather themselves for the better accomplishing of so great a worke , as hezekiah had begun ; the lord in his wisdome so disposed that tirhakah king of cush should make forward to entertaine senacherib with battaile at that very instant , wherein he had purposed to give the on set upon ierusalem . this unexpected removall of present terror , was ( no doubt ) a sure pledge unto the people for strengthning their relyance on gods promise , for setling their hearts and continuing their constancy in fervent prayers , during the time of the enemies absence . and seeing the force of egypt and cush were not sufficient to dissipate senacheribs mighty army , perhaps not able to hold him play any longer ; the lord sends hezekiah and his people deliverance from heaven : then the angell of the lord went forth , and smote in the camp of the assyrians , a hundreth fourescore and five thousand : and when they arose , early in the morning , behold they were all dead corpses . isaiah , . vers . . the noise of this great overthrow was as the joyfull sound of a iubile unto ierusalem , and did portend another more admirable and victorious iubile to bee accomplished in the same place ; of which * elsewhere . this for the present might witnesse to hezekiah and the people , that rather then one tittle of gods covenant with david should fal to the ground , the host of heaven should leave their station , and keepe garrison on earth . a little after this miraculous deliverance , the sun is compelled to goe fifteene degrees backwards , for setting forward the course of hezekiah his life , whom death and fate had now , in the worlds sight , arrested . god hereby testified unto prince and people , that if they would continue such in health , as they were in sicknesse , so well-minded in peace and prosperity , as they had beene in strait siege , or other distresse of war : ierusalems good dayes might become as certaine and constant , as the dayes of heaven ; seeing that great light , which was appointed from the beginning to rule the day , did now give place to hezekiahs prayers . but most of this people were most unlike their prince , albeit even he , after he had received those two miraculous pledges of gods loue , did not render according to the reward bestowed upon him . chron. . v. . for his heart was lifted up , therefore there was wrath upon him , and upon iudah and ierusalem . notwithstanding , hezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart ( both he and the inhabitants of ierusalem : ) so that the wrath of the lord came not upon them in the dayes of hezekiah . after the yoake of ashur was taken from off this peoples neck , many of them became wanton , others secure , as not suspecting that a cockatrice should spring out of this serpents root , that his fruit should be a fiery flying serpent . isai . . v. . vnto hezekiah himselfe , though a most wise and prudent king , the babylonian tyranny , being now in his infancy , did seeme by nature mor● mild and gentle , than the assyrian had beene . and not content to entertaine the king of babylons ambassadors with curtesies sutable to their congratulations , he shewed them his treasury and all the good things wherwith the lord had blessed him : willing ( perhaps ) to give their master and the world to wit , that notwithstanding the former wars and exactions , hee was no begger ; but a fit confederate for neighbour princes , to curbe the insolency of the assyrian , whose strength though much abated by the terrible blow , which the angell of the lord had given senacheribs host , was not quite broken till many yeares after . but the prophet knew this fawning whelpe to be of wolvish kinde , and discovered those implanted seeds of cruelty in him , which when they came to be ripe , would be more noysome to the kings and princes of iudah , than his predecessor the assyrian had beene . isaiah said unto hezekiah , heare the word of the lord : behold , the dayes come , that all that is in thy house , and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day , shall be caried unto babylon : nothing shall bee left , saith the lord. and of thy sonnes that shall issue from thee , which thou shalt beget , shall they take away , and they shall bee eunuches in the palace of the king of babylon . king. chapter . vers . , . any heathen which had held esaias for an undoubted sooth-sayer , would instantly have concluded hence , that the captivity of hezekiahs successors , and all the miseries which the babylonian afterwards brought upon iudah and ierusalem , were absolutely fatall , altogether impossible to be avoided . and many good christians ( perhaps ) will question , whether the plagues here threatned , were not from this point of time , necessary in respect of the divine decree . to answer this question by interrogation : why should not the spirit of the prophet esay be as truly subject to the former propheticall rule , as micahs was ? now god , according to that rule , was ready to repent him of all the evill , which he had threatned , whensoever the people should repent them of whatsoever they had done . the lord had given hezekiah and his successors a farre larger and longer time , for preventing the evill which esay threatned , than they had for avoiding the doome denounced by micah . the very tenour of the denunciation made by esay , shewes them a ready meanes for preventing the woe denounced ; so they would have laid it to their hearts , or followed the advise of succeeding prophets . but mortality must needs be rife , where variety of diseases and multitudes of unskilfull empyricks do meer . the common transgressions of the people , are the epidemicall diseases of states : and such projects as princes or statesmen , without the prescript of gods word , or suggestion of his providence , use for their recovery , are like unseasonable ministration of empyricall or old wives medicines , to crased bodies . they usually invite or entertaine the destruction or ruine of kingdomes , otherwise ready to depart . not the best amongst the kings of iudah , but were smatterers in empyricall or secular policy . some were more , some lesse , all too much given to put confidence in multitude of men and store of treasure . and for increasing this supposed sinew of warre and nutriment of peace , they used meanes , neither warrantable by gods written law , nor by the rule of charitie . to prevent this mischiefe which is the root of all evill , what perswasion could be more fit or pertinent , than this prediction of the prophet : that the wealth which hezekiah and his fathers had heaped together , which his successors would be too carefull to increase , would in succeeding ages steale their children , for whom it was provided , from them , and make them miserable captives in a forraigne land. to heape up riches we know not for whom , is a vanity ; to heape them up with care and toile to the destruction of our best private friends , and advancement of the publike enemy , is the extremity of folly mixt with misery . had hezekiah his successors beene as ready to aske counsell of gods prophets as of politicians ; these could have instructed them , that the miseries foretold by esay , were fatall unto covetousnesse and unconscionable care for posterity ; yet not simply necessary after covetousnesse was much increased in hezekiahs successors . for long after the going out of this decree , whensoever the princes of iudah repented for their owne oppression , and the oppression of their fathers , the lord repented him of the plagues denounced , and shewed himselfe ready to remove the oppressor from them . and though in penitency in other sinnes , did in part concur ; yet continuance in violence and oppression , was the principall string and fatall cord , by which the princes of iudah did draw captivity upon themselves and their children , and desolation upon the city . to passe over the various alternation of iudahs and ierusalems different fates , in the dayes of manasses ammon , and iosias , and come to iehoikim , iosias sonne , in whose dayes the inveterate disease of iudah came to a crisis : did not thy father ( saith the prophet ieremy to this untoward and prince ) eate and drinke , and doe judgement and justice , and then it was well with him ? he judged the cause of the poore and needy , then it was well with him : was not this to know me ( saith the lord ? ) but thine eyes and thy heart are not , but for thy covetousnesse , and for to shed innocent blood , and for oppression , and for violence to doe it . therefore thus saith the lord concerning * iehoiakim the son of iosiah king of iudah , they shall not lament for him , saying , ah my brother , or ah sister : they shall not lament for him , saying , ah lord , or ah his glory . he shall bee buried with the buriall of an asse , drawne and cast forth beyond the gates of ierusalem . ier. . vers . , , , , . shortly after the execution of this sentence upon iehoiakim in full measure , ieconiah his son , with other of the royall seed , according to esaias former prophesie , were caried captives unto babell , and all or some of them made eunuches . howbeit the execution of the same decree upon zedekiah and such as were yet left behinde , was not as yet unavoydable , or meerly fatall ; but such notwithstanding they made it at last by continuance of like covetousnesse and oppression . when the city was more narrowly besieged by the chaldean , than it had beene by the assyrian : the lord of hosts calls for the aegyptian , as he had done for the king of cush , to remove the siege . the libertie and respiration which zedekiah and his besieged people in the meane time got , being much greater then hezekiah had for two years space together ; was a true pledge of gods antecedent will , which in part they had fulfilled , and which should undoubtedly have beene fulfilled in greater measure for their good , so they had used this liberty to gods glory ; or gone on so well in this time of breathing , as in their distresse they had begun . ye were now turned , and had done right in my sight , in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour , and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name . but ye returned and polluted my name , and caused every man his servant , and every man his hand-maid , whom hee had set at liberty at their pleasure , to returne ; and brought them into subjection , to be unto you for servants and for hand-maids . therefore thus saith the lord , yee have not hearkned unto me , in proclaiming libertie every one to his brother , and every man to his neighbour : behold i proclaime a liberty for you , saith the lord , to the sword , to the pestilence , and to the famine : and i will make you to be removed into all the kingdomes of the earth , &c. ier. . v. , , . and zedekiah king of iudah and his princes will i give into the hands of their enemies , and into the hand of them that seeke their life , and into the hand of the king of babylons army which are gone up from you . behold , i will command , saith the lord , and cause them to returne to this city , and they shall fight against it , and take it , and burne it with fire , and i will make the cities of iudah a desolation without an inhabitant . ver . , . too much skill in secular policy made them put too great confidence in the strength of aegypt : and this confidence in the helpe of man , made them secure , whilest they were conscious of breaking the covenant which their fathers had made , and they lately renewed with their god. the probabilities of the aegyptians success against the chaldean , were ( in all politique esteeme ) very great : and likely it is that the chaldeans were brought back againe with speed unto ierusalem by the speciall hand of the almighty , that they might execute his judgements upon this rebellious people . how necessary , how fatall and unevitable the execution of his consequent will alwayes becomes , where his antecedent will hath beene thus openly and wilfully neglected , may best be gathered from the same prophets reiterated threats unto this people , resuming ( as it seemes ) their former vaine confidence of the chaldeans finall departure , after his forementioned prophecy to the contrary . ier. . ver . , . thus saith the lord , deceive not your selves , saying , the chaldeans shall surely depart from us : for they shall not depart . for though ye had smitten the whole army of the chaldeans that fight against you , and there remained but wounded men among them ; yet should they rise every man in his tent , and burne this citie with fire . to extinguish this flame , or prevent the extinction of zedekiahs royall race and iudahs earthly glory , there was no possibility left , so long as they wrestled with fates , and made policie their strength : yet was there after this time , a possibility , as true , as gods promise can make any , for escaping à tanto , though not à toto ; a possibility for zedekiah to have kept himselfe and his family in a better estate , then they afterwards enjoyed ; a possibility to have left the city and temple standing , after death had disposed of them ; so he would at the time appointed by god , have submitted himselfe unto the king of babell , unto whom he had sworne allegiance . then said ieremiah unto zedekiah , thus saith the lord the god of hostes , the god of israel ; if thou wils assuredly goe forth unto the king of babylons princes , then thy soule shall live , and this citie shall not bee burnt with fire , and thou shalt live and thy house . but if thou wilt not goe forth to the king of babylons princes , then shall this city bee given into the hands of the chaldeans , and they shall burne it with fire , and thou shalt not escape out of their hand . ier. . ver . , and zedekiah the king said unto ieremiah ; i am afraid of the iewes that are fallen to the chaldeans , lest they deliver mee into their hand , and they mocke me . but ieremiah sayd , they shall not deliver thee : obey , i beseech thee , the voice of the lord , which i spake unto thee : so it shall bee well unto thee , and thy soule shall live . but if thou refuse to go forth , this is the word which the lord hath shewed me . and behold , all the women that are left in the king of iudahs house , shall bee brought forth unto the king of babylons princes , and those women shall say ; thy friends have set thee on , and have prevailed against thee : thy feet are sunke in the mire , and they are turned away back . so they shall bring out all thy wives , and thy children to the chaldeans , and thou shalt not escape out of their hand , but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of babylon : and thou shalt cause this citie to bee burnt with fire . &c. vers . , , , , . this last neglect of gods antecedent will , so often revealed for his good , procured the speedy execution of his consequent will without all possibility to avoid it . not a title of ieremies or ezekiels prophesie , which his * politicians sought to set at variance , but is exactly fulfilled upon him , and so is micahs prophesie upon this citie . the manner how ieremies and ezekiels prophesie , which seeme to contradict each other , were both fulfilled , is admirable , and might well move a man , not well acquainted with the nature of prophecies and gods speciall providence , to think the fates had plotted his ruine . but this particular argument is prosecuted elsewhere more at large . to recapitulate the summe of many arguments to like purposes vnto every possible choise or resolution made by man , whether concerning matters private or publique , there is a distinct correspondent successe allotted by the omnipotent and immutable decree . every actuall choise or resolution , is as the drawing of a new lott , whose just price or recompence , be it good or bad , is instampt upon it from eternity . and for the awarding or payment of it in due time , the whole host of gods creatures stand bound by the very tenour of their beeing or dependancy upon their maker . seeing all of them were made by his word , and are continued by his meere will and pleasure ; sooner shall they forfeit their very beeing , and be resolved into nothing , than the least tittle of gods will , concerning any creature , should not be fulfilled ; or , that successe , be it good or bad , should not be awarded to private men or publike states in that exact degree and measure , which god from eternity hath appointed . from ignorance of this essentiall subordination , which fate or conspiracy of second causes , have unto gods irresistible providence , who by his infinite creative power , can at all times dissolve their combination , or compose them anew , by wayes to man for number incomprehensible , as pleaseth him ; the wisest amongst state wizards have erred and do erre more grossely in assigning the causes of kingdomes ruines or erections , or in prognosticating the successe of politick skill , than a vulgar astronomer should do , which would take upon him to foretell the peculiar disposition of the ayre or weather in every place throughout this iland , for every houre of the yeare following . the observation which many of them gather from the inspection of times present or past , are of as little use for future ages , as an almanack of this yeare , is for the yeares following . sooner may moderne scholars prove extraordinary husbandmen , by observing virgils calender of the rising and setting of stars , or other rules of that ancient husbandry , which he describes ; than pragmaticall wits become wise statesmen by reading tacitus , livy , or others , better acquainted with the mysteries of state , or princely secrets , than with gods providence or with the almighties decree concerning the successe of their projects . though that decree bee as he is most immutable , yet the variety of mens dispositions , especially in sundry ages , is greater than any alterations in the heavens ; the divers conjunctions or oppositions of mens wils to his , are more then can be found amongst the starres . now it is his immutable will to render unto every people and nation , according to the degrees of that conformity or dissonancy , which they hold ; with his mercy , bounty , or justice , or with his most holy will. chap. . of the sudden and strange erection of the macedonian empire , and the manifestation of gods speciall providence in alexanders expedition and successe . aristotle * being born when greece did flourish , and living when the halcyon dayes of macedon beganne to dawne , would gladly tie the light of gods countenance , which in his full age was inclining to the meridian of greece , unto the situation of his country , and disposition of his countrimen , whose politick vertues , in his philosophicall vanity , were intailed to the peculiar temper of that clime . the people ( saith hee ) that live in cold countries , and in europe ( as distinct from greece ) are stout and hardy , but not so wise and politick ; more free then civill , much apter to be their owne men then their neighbours masters . the asiatickes ( that want no wit ) are destitute of courage : therefore they remaine in servitude and subjection unto others . the grecians as they enjoy the middle place for situation , so they participate with the asiaticks for wit , and colder countries for courage , in such proportion , as enapts them to preserve their libertie , and to beare rule and soveraignty over others . many comets at their first appearance , are usually mistaken for fixed starres , reputed next in glory unto the moone ; untill their parallax bewray their place , and their sudden end discover their orginall to bee corruption . thus the brightnesse of the grecian monarchy , whilest it was in rising or comming unto its height , misperswaded their hearts whose eyes it dazeled , that it was to endure like the daies of heaven ; whereas it proved but like the glistring bubbles of the morning dew , which dissolve with the strength of those beames , that gave them lustre . this is the onely difference : the period of their splendor falls in the compasse of an houre , and comets usually continue not many months . wheras the rise and fall of kingdomes commonly outreach any one mans age or observation , and such as follow marke the occurrences of their owne times more then their connexion with former . whence it is , that secular politicians are alwayes learning , and never attaine unto the knowledge of what they seeke . howbeit , aristotle lived long enough to have seene his error , for alexander ( i take it ) did dye before him , and with alexanders life the light of macedon was extinguished , and the glory of greece much eclipsed and abated . and though neither greece nor macedon have changed their clime or site , yet aristotles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , keene cocks of the game , have proved as arrant cravens since , as the asiaticks in his time were ; as any europe ever hatched : infamous for effeminatenesse under the romanes , so deeply infected with the asi-aticke luxury , that their very nature seemed to be tainted with servility , and to sollicite that barbarous yoake , which for a long time hath been laid upon them . but their present estate stands in more need of our prayers , then their fore-elders did of our censure . to returne unto their best times . never had any monarchy on earth save one ( if happily that may be called a monarchy ) either so speedy an erection or so sudden a dissolution , as the macedonian had . the true reason of its sudden dissolution , as a * writer in this case unpartially tells us , was , because the foundation of it was laid by perjury . the true cause of its swift erection , was partly the execution of gods justice upon the persian , and other nations communicants with him in his present luxury , partly the accomplishing of gods antecedent will for the good of his church , as is * elsewhere specified . in aristotles time , alexander was , as nebuchadnezzar had beene gods scourge or hammer to bruise all easterne nations . the incredible successe of alexanders furious attempts were such , as no heathen which outlived him , could ascribe unto policy , wealth , or strength , or whatsoever meanes meerly humane . amongst others , the heroicall romane poet so describes his beginnings and proceedings , as if the fates had used his restlesse instinct to purchase same , but as a spur to make him runne the race , and his sudden death as a curb to check his fury , lest he should transgresse the bounds that they had set him . — macedum fines , latebrasque suorum deseruit , victasque patri despexit athenas , perque asiae populos fatis urgentibus actus humana cum strage ruit , gladiumque per omnes exegit gentes : ignotos miscuit amnes ; persarum euphraten , indorum sanguine gangen : terrarum fatale malum , fulmenque quod omnes percuteret pariter populos , & sydus iniquum gentibus . oc●ano classes inferre parabat , exteriore mari , non illi flamma , nec undae , nec sterilis libye , nec syrticus obstitit ammon . isset in occasus , mundi devexa secutus , ambissetque polos , nilumque à fonte bibisset : occurrit suprema dies , naturaque solum , hunc potuit finem vesano ponere regi . lucan . lib. . sed cecidit babylone suae , parthoque verendus . pro pudor ! e●i propius timuere sarissas , quam nunc pila timent populi : licet usque sub arcton regnemus , zephyrique domos , terrasque premamus flagrantis post terga noti : cedemus in ortus arsacidum domino , non foelix parthia crasso exiguae secura fuit provincia pellae . lucan . ibid. the easterne nations ( to our shame ) the grecian pikes did dread more than they doe the romans dart , whose soveraignty is spred through climates hot , and climates cold ; through all the winds that blow . did not proud race of arsacus , vs in the east o're-crow . yet parthia stout , which , ( unreveng'd ) drunke roman crassus blood , to little pella , on safe termes , of conquer'd province , stood . ▪ some passages in this poet may serve as a motto to apelles his devise , who painted alexander with a thunderbolt in his hand ; as if hee had beene appointed for a sudden terrour to nations farre and near , astonishing more places with dread of his swift approach , then felt his stroke . but whatsoever the poet or painter could expresse , was more excellently represented by gods prophet , many yeares before alexander or darius was born . and as i was considering , behold , an hee goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth , and touched not the ground : and the goat had a notable horn betweene his eyes . and hee came to the ramme that had two hornes , which i had seene standing before the river , and ranne unto him in the fury of his power . and i saw him come close unto the ramme , and he was moved with choler against him , and smote the ramme , and brake his two hornes , and there was no power in the ramme to stand before him , but hee cast him downe to the ground , and stamped upon him ; and there was none that could deliver the ramme out of his hand . therefore the hee goat waxed very great , and when he was strong , the great horne was broken : and for it came up foure notable ones , towards the foure windes of heaven . dan. . ver . , , , . what should move the prophet to compare the kingdome of the medes and persians to a * ramme , or what the comparison did in particular portend , is not so usefull for me at this time to know , nor so easie to finde , as the mysticall portendment of his resembling the macedonian kingdome to a goat . the macedonians in daniels time , and untill philip of macedons time ( who as * alexander in his choler , upbraided them , first made them gentlemen ) were poore shepheards or goath●ards scarce able to defend their owne mountaines ; no way likely to assault the persian in his owne land. now as the swiftnesse of alexanders expedi●ion , and the fiercenesse of his onset upon darius , is lively resembled by a goat running to push ; so his tender yeares are excellently characterized in the hebrew , which is verbatim hircus caprarum , which properly signifies rather a kid , then a goat come to full growth ; or a male kid that followeth the damme . for , alexander , when hee undertooke this expedition against darius had more of his mothers countenance , then of his fathers . but the yonger he was , the more ready he was to conceive hope of victory against all hope in the forecast of man. his too much haste had procured worse speed , unlesse he which had raised up his spirit to this attempt , had a while arrested him with sicknesse at tharsis . his abode there and at solis to sacrifice for his recovery , made darius presume that hee had runne himselfe out of breath , and durst not looke upon his puissant host , much lesse abide his push . and in this errour , into which his owne and others presumptuous confidence , in the multitude and magnificence of his army , had led him , he makes haste to follow after alexander , who , before either knew of others removall , was gotten beyond him . the circumstances of their mutuall errour and of their conflict , are so consonant , to the prophets predictions , that i must beleeve the same god , which decreed absalons fal by overthrowing achitophels counsell , had now fully decreed to ruinate the persian monarchy , by suffering darius to listen more unto his flattering braggards , then unto the mature advice of amyntas . this wise * captaine , by birth a macedonian , well knowing alexander to be of such a forward spirit , as would scorne either not to seeke his adversary any where , or not to incounter him wheresoever he found him ; counselled darius to expect him in the plaine of assyria , whither he assured him that hee would shortly come , though to the great disadvantage of the grecians : but that advantage which alexander scorned to seeke , the lord mighty in battaile , vouchsafed to give him , as alexander himselfe freely acknowledged , after he knew where darius his army was encamped . although hee could hardly be brought to beleeve that darius had left his station and marched toward cilicia , untill his scouts brought him certaine word that he had his adversary in his hands , so it would but please him to put them forth whilest time served to take him . but the historians censure of darius his fatall miscariage , will give the ingenuous reader better satisfaction , then any discourse can be made upon it . to excuse his folly in not hearkning to amyntas , which had beene too grosse if it had been meerly naturall , he saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. which the translator misinterprets , when he saith , ac fortasse deus illum eo loci adduxit . the authors words import thus much in english : assuredly some divine misfortune led him into that place , in which his horsemen , his chiefest trust , would doe him no * service , wherein nor multitude of men , nor store of munition , could advantage him , being so straitned that he could not make any true representation of the gaudinesse or goodlinesse of his army . it was a place so fit as alexanders counsell of warre , could not have made choise of a fitter for delivering vp the scepter of persia into his hands . alexanders sollicitous , though superstitious care to render thankes or supplications for good successe unto the reputed gods of every place where he touched in this expedition , is to me a sufficient testimony or assured signe , that he had taken certaine notice of some peculiar divine instinct impelling him to undertake it . and not knowing from what speciall god this instinct or impulsion came , he tendred his service unto all he knew . * iosephus his narration of his devotion at ierusalem , and great respect of gods high priest there , sutes well with his usuall demeanour towards other gods , related by this heathen writer , and is not improbable from his princely kindnesse unto the iewes , to whom he allotted free habitation in the city called by his owne name . vide dion . many particulars not impertinent to this discourse , i leave to the ingenuous readers observation , that shall be pleased to peruse diodorus siculus , arianus , or quintus curtius . these present rightly applyed , may asswage that declamatory humour of some pedantick politicks , which would have alexanders strange successe to be the naturall issue of macedonian valour , and asiatick effeminatenesse . such collections might bee tollerated in a young student appointed to make a theame or declamation in praise of masculine or frugall spirits , or in dispraise of feminine luxury . howbeit these politick conjectures , are rather imperfect , than altogether untrue : whether the authors of them did apprehend so much or no , i know not , but certaine it is , their opinion supposeth a divine truth , which they expresse not . it is not improbable in true divinity , that the persians were plagued as for many other sinnes , so in speciall for their riot & luxury , and that god to give them notice hereof , did make speciall choise of the macedonian to bee his scourge ; a people remarkable in those dayes for austerity of life and masculine behaviour . for so it is usuall with the just lord to upbraid those whom he severely punisheth for some predomiant vice , with some contrary vertue in them , by whom he punisheth , as elsewhere is exemplified more at large out of * salvianus . but unlesse the lord had otherwayes disposed of time and place , the persian horses were not so effeminate or cowardly , but they might easily have put the macedonian pikes to flight , or trampled the footmen under their feet , as darius courtiers proudly bragged before their encounter . but pride goes before destruction , and god for this ●●●●on brought them into those straits , wherein they might perceive and see the truth of what his prophet had said , an horse is but a vaine thing , neither shall hee deliver an● by his great strength . psal . . . and againe : woe to them that goe downe to aegypt for helpe , and stay on horses , and trust in charets , because they are many , and in horsemen , because they are very strong : but they looke not unto the holy one of israel , neither seeke the lord ▪ isaiah . ver . . i should think my selfe infideli deteriorem , worse then the heathen writer , if i did not derive alexanders victory over darius , from the divine decree : the time appointed ( to use his * words ) was now come , that the macedonian should take the empire of asia from the persians , as the persians had taken it from the medes , and the medes from the assyrians . now who is it that can appoint the times , but hee which sitteth above the circles of the heavens , and moveth all things , being himselfe immovable ? chap. . of the erection of the chaldean empire , and of the sudden destruction of it by the persian , with the remarkable documents of gods speciall providence in raysing up the persian by the ruine of the chaldean monarchy . the weapons of war woūd more or lesse , according to their skill or strength that weild thē . so is the whole strength of warre it selfe ; so is the might and policie of every kingdome more or lesse successefull to friends , or hurtfull to foes , according to the proportion which it holds , with his will or purpose , who is enstyled the lord of hosts , the lord mighty in battaile . * vnlesse the grecians had beene generally lyable to the aegyptians censure [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the grecians are alwayes children ] in true antiquity , aristotle might have informed himselfe and his followers , that the assyrians , and other inhabitants of the southerne coasts of asia , had sometimes beene a people so fierce and terrible in war , that alexander attended with the whole strength of macedon , would have beene but as a flock of sheepe or an herd of goats to an host of wolves or lyons . whilest tiglath pelezer , senacherib , and other kings of assyria , were hammers in the hand of god , who could resist them ? the strength of these assyrians was so great , that the prophet foresaw the sudden advancement of the chaldeans to the like or greater height or strength , would hardly be beleeved by neighbour nations , iew or gentiles , untill they felt it to their smart . * behold ye among the heathen , and regard , and wonder marvellously : for i will worke a worke in your dayes which ye will not beleeve , though it be told you . for loe , i raise up the chaldeans , that bitter and hasty nation , which shall march through the bredth of the land , to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs . they are terrible and dreadfull : their judgement and their dignity shall proceed of themselves . their horses also are swifter then the leopards , & are more fierce then the evening wolves , and their horsemen shall come from far , they shall flye as the eagle that hasteth to eate . they shall come all for violence : their faces shall sup up as the east winde , and they shall gather the captivity as the sand . and they shall scoffe at the kings , and the princes shall bee a scorne unto them : they shall deride every strong hold , for they shall heape dust and take it . the true and finall reason , as well of the assyrians as the chaldeans sudden greatnesse and successe in battaile , was the accomplishment of gods consequent will upon israel and other neighbour countries , growne , by speedy increase of their iniquitie , slaughter-ripe . howbeit , the power it selfe or successe of these two monarchies was a sure pledge of gods antecedent * will for their owne greater good ; so they had gratefully acknowledged his goodnes in making them so great . but when these battaile-axes began to lift up themselves against him , which hewed the nations with them ; he abated their edge and softned their temper . of nebuchadnezzar , whose excessive pride had made him prouder then the rest , that oracle was verified in an exquisite sense : * man being in honour had no understanding , but became like the beast that perisheth . and that other remnant of the last forecited prophecie , was literally fulfilled in him , of whom it was meant ; then shall his minde change , and he shall passe over , and offend , imputing this his power unto his god. habak . . v. . and balshashar his sonne not taking warning by his humiliation , nor by the hand writing upon the wall , was surprized with sudden destruction , either the selfe same night wherein the hand was seene writing , or ( which is more probable ) the same night of some yeare following . he had filled the measure of his fathers sinnes , as full with iniquity , as the boules wherein he caroused were with wine ; and that being full , to drinke the cup of gods wrath was to him at that time , necessary . now according to the chaldeans growth in former iniquity , the prosperity of the medes and persians did daily increase , and their successe in warre , become every day more assured , than formerly it had beene , and at length ( in such a sense as hath beene observed ) altogether fatall . the frugality of their private life , and publique discipline , specially in warre , were qualifications without which ( perhaps ) the lord would not so highly have advanced them , or used them as his instruments in this service . but even these , and all other morall vertues , unto which the politician ascribes their good successe , were proper effects of gods consequent will , now absolutely set to plague the chaldeans , and of his antecedent will for israels redemption ; sure tokens withall , of his love unto these conquerors . the historicall syncerity of xenophons intentions , or literall truth of his ingenuous relations , have not beene so much disparaged by any other pretences what soever , ( if by any other at all ) as by the heroicall sweet exemplary disposition of his admired cyrus , by his dexterity in consultations , and the extraordinary speedy successe of what hee put in execution . whatsoever xenophon hath said concerning his successe , it doth not so farre exceed the unsuspected stories of alexanders swift growth in fame and greatnesse , as that did the greatest increase or excesse , which any one generall , ( though much longer live'd than alexander was ) or which any one age did ever bring into the romane state. the * best spirits which rome had bred , whilest they lookt on alexanders picture , and the map of his conquest , were ashamed of their owne dulnesse and slow progresse of their victories . the parthian though not so masculine and valorous as in alexanders time he had beene , was able , in pompeys . judgement , to have given caesar the check , after his pharsalian victory . and in this perswasion pompey had sought 〈◊〉 from him , had not ca●●es indignation at the motion deterred him : si servère potes , miserum quid decipis urbem ? the ods of antiquity betweene cyrus , alexander , caesar and pompey , and other circumstances of severall times , being rightly allowed ( according to the rate of * former discussions to this purpose , ) will make the credit of xenophon in his institution of cyrus , of arianus , and quintus curtius , in their histories of alexander , and of the best romane writers from livie downewards , to any unpartiall examiner , much what eaven . or what if cyrus , as he is set forth by xenophon , did in his infancie , youth , or maturity , ( all odds and allowances of antiquity rightly made ) farre excell alexander , pompey , caesar , or any other whosoever that lived after him , as well in dexterity of wit , as in exemplary disposition of life , military or civill : all this may , without any just suspition of poeticall fiction , without the least transgression of a faithfull historians bounds , bee referred unto a more intimate , more placid , and more loving touch of that spirit , wherewith , all that much excelled others in any age , have beene in some measure or other inspired , and incited to those exploits which have beene performed by them . i cannot blame the latter romane heathen for mistrusting xenophons relations in the forementioned booke ; but surely , that christian which will not acknowledge some extraordinary * fruits of gods peculiar calling , of his professed fatherly institution , instruction , and protection of cyrus , shall much forget himselfe . thus saith the lord to his anointed , to cyrus , whose right hand i have holden , to subdue nations before him : and i will loose the loynes of kings to open before him the two leaved gates , and the gates shall not be shut . i will goe before thee , and make the crooked places straight ; i will breake in pieces the gates of brasse , and cut in sunder the barres of iron . and i will give thee the treasures of darknesse , and hidden riches of secret places , that thou maist know , that i the lord which call thee by thy name , am the god of israel . for iacob my servants sake , and israel mine elect ; i have even called thee by thy name : i have surnamed thee , though thou hast not knowne me . i am the lord and there is none else , there is no god besides me : i girded thee , though thou hast not knowne me . that they may know from the rising of the sunne , and from the west , that there is none besides me ; i am the lord , and there is none else . isai . . ver . . usque ad . the spirit of god ( so farre as my remembrance or observation serves mee ) doth not elsewhere vouchsafe to grace any heathen prince with such honourable titles , or affable speeches as these here mentioned are . of gods owne people , but few were called by their names , before these were imposed by men . this is the prerogative of such as were types of the true emanuel . the very * characters , which the heathen have made of cyrus his amiable cariage towards men , his devotion , and vigilant care to testifie his thankfulnesse towards the gods for his good speed , are evident tokens of this his speciall calling to the present service , and of his seeking to expresse himselfe in outward * performances : albeit young samuel-like , he could not distinguish the callers voice , wanting an ely to instruct him ; yet can no atheist bee so impudent as to surmis● that esay , leremy , and xenophon , should conspire like partners to make a faire game by seeing one anothers hands . for what common stake could they hope to gaine by this practice ? but to omit generalities for justifying xenophon and herodotus in relating such rare documents of cyrus his infancy ( albeit these being compared with the former prophecie and sacred relations concerning salomon , or others whom god hath called by name , are in themselves capable enough of credit : ) we will descend to such particulars in heathen writers , as are consonant to the sacred passages , concerning the babylonian warre , and may serve to set forth the wisedome and providence of god in effecting his good purpose towards the captive seed of abraham . for ( according to the intent and purport of the former prophecy ) the reader is alwayes to beare in minde , that the true and finall cause of gods extraordinarie blessings upon cyrus , and of his conquest of the babylonians , was the appointed deliverance of his chosen people , and the manifestation of his power and wisdome to the ends of the world . a man of moderne experience in treatise of leagues , and but of speculative acquaintance with the difficulties which interpose to hinder the association of lesser segniories against mighty neighbour monarcks , would happely deeme that xenophon had framed his relations of cyrus his successe , in linking bordering nations to the medes and persians , by the modell of some academicall canvas , or suit for some annuall office amongst fellow citizens . the armenians , the hyrcanians , the cedrosians , with many other naturall subjects to the babylonian , all unacquainted with the project at the beginning , come over unto cyrus with as great facility and speed , as if there had beene no greater danger in undertaking this doubtfull and ( in common experience ) most desperate war , than in giving a free voice to one competitor before another in a free and popular state. but xenophon was not so meane a contemplative scholar , as to commit so foule a solaecisme as this had beene ; albeit his pupose had beene to poetize in these narrations . poeticall fictions must beare a true resemblance of probability . truths themselves must bee set forth in their native colours , although they appeare to ordinary experience , most incredible . such was the successe of cyrus in the former businesse ; if it were to bee deriued onely from his owne witt or contriuance . but xenophon might have good historicall reasons not to suspect the persian annalls or persians reports of cyrus , as we haue sacred authoritie to beleeue the matters reported by them . he that called cyrus by his name before hee was borne , and had now set him vp as competitor with the babylonian , for the asiaticke monarchie , had layd the plot , and made the canvas for him before hee set forth : and ( which is principally to bee obserued ) had giuen publick warning to those nations , which xenophon mentions ( more then threescore yeares before ) to bee ready with others in armes against babell : * set up a standard ( saith ieremie ) in the land , blow the trumpet among the nations : prepare the nations against her : call together against her the kingdomes of * ararat , minni , and ashchenash : appoint a captaine against her : cause her horses to come up as the rough caterpillers . prepare against her the nations with the kings of the medes , the captaines thereof , and all the rulers thereof , and all the land of his dominion . and the land shall tremble and sorrow : for every purpose of the lord shall be performed against babylon , to make the land of babylon a desolation without an inhabitant . it is intimated by another * prophet , that the lord would have these prophesies concerning babylon so remarkeably fulfilled , that all the world might take notice of them : the lord answered mee and said ; write the vision , and make it plaine upon tables , that he may runne that readeth it . for the vision is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speake , and not lye : though it tarry , waite for it , because it will surely come , it will not tarry . behold his soule which is lifted up , is not upright in him ; but the just shall live by his faith . yea also , because he transgresseth by wine , hee is a proud man , neither keepeth at home , who inlargeth his desire as hell , and is as death and cannot be satisfied , but gathereth unto him all nations , and unto him all people . shall not these take up a parable against him , and a tanting proverbe against him and say ; woe to him that increaseth that which is not his : how long ? and to him that ladeth himselfe with thick clay ? shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee ? and awake , that shall vex thee ? and thou shalt be for booties unto thē ? because thou hast spoyled many nations , all the remnāt of the people shall spoyle thee : because of mens blood and for the violence of the land , of the citie , and of all that dwell therein . cyrus in the beginning of this expedition was but cyaxarez his agent , to regaine the revolted armeneans . the warre was managed in the king of media his name , albeit god ( according to esaias prophesie ) did prosper cyrus under him , as hee did david under saul . the same did goe of cyrus amongst the medes and persians , as it had of dauid through the host of israell , cyaxarez hath slaine his thousand , and cyrus his tenne thousand . the monarchy was to be setled on the persian ; cyaxarez was feoffee in trust for cyrus , as saul was , by gods appointment , for dauid . their * taking of armes was just , and in their owne defense . their first resolutions did reach no further , then to the safeguard of their borders , much trespassed upon by the caldeans , untill unexpected successe & hopefull opportunities of better , daily presenting themselves without seeking , did invite them to come neerer . after they had gotten secret intelligence of the enemies estate , many new associates , and qui● possession of so much of his dominions , as would suffice to maintaine their doubled armie ; they had no hope to conquer , no purpose to besiege the metropolies of the kingdome . that , which after a doubtfull consultation , did chiefly sway them in the height of all their strength to continue their war , was the complaint of their trusty * confederates , justly fearing lest they should become a prey to the insolent tyrant , ( much exasperated by their revolt ) as ready , as able to take revenge upon them , if once their armie should be dissolued . the overthrow of craesus , following upon their resolution to continue the warre , brought great accesse of new associates and fresh supplies unto their armie . had cyrus or his confederates understood the tenour of the commission which the lord of hoasts had sealed them before they undertooke this warre ; they had no question giuen the onset upon babylon before the overthrow of craesus , at that time when they marched by it . their written warrant , if they could have read it , was very expresse , and their invitation to attempt , full of hope : remove out of the midst of babylon , and goe forth out of the land of the caldeans , and be as the hee goates before the flocks . for loe , i will raise and cause to come up against babylon , an assembly of great nations from the north countrey , and they shall set themselves in array against her , from thence she shall be taken : their arrowes shall be as of a mightie expert man : none shall returne in vaine . and caldea shall be aspoile : all that spoile her shall bee satisfied saith the lord. ier. . vers . , , . but such is the infinite wisedome of the lord , that ignorance or concealement of his purpose from men whom hee imploies in his service , is oft-times the best meane to have it spedily executed by them . in this assembly of great nations from the north , foretold by * esaiah ; besides the armenians and hyrcanians , the lydians and the cappadocians , with others mentioned by xenophon , were included , without whose presence and assistance the enterprise had beene in vaine . the opportunitie which cyrus after his conquest of craesus tooke , was the definite time , appointed by god , but concealed from men , perhaps from the prophet himselfe , which pe●ned the commission . the entire presence of these nations now assembled , and skilfully set in array , before the citie ( as god had commanded , for representing their terrour and strength ) was yet nothing so terrible to the besieged spectators as the fame of their absence had beene , when they were ●ewer . the * magnificence of babylons wals , did seeme to outface them in the height of their bravery , & made them contemptible in her proud childrens eyes . cyrus himselfe despaired of doing any good by violent assault ; his chiefe hopes , were , not in the multitude of his souldiers , but in the multitude of his enemies , more easie to bee vanquished by famine , then if they had beene fewer . but this his project seemed to them ridiculous , being stored with provision for twenty yeares ; within which space , some of those companies which hee had set by course to keepe quarter before the city , would forsake him , others they hoped would become their friends , as they anciently had beene : and in this confidence , they rest secure , as if they had thought to have out-laughed their sudden destruction . the doome which our saviour gave upon the foole in the gospell , doth so well befit the king of babylon , his wisest counsellors and followers , as if it had beene framed of purpose for them . each of them had said unto his soule , soule thou hast store of provision layd up for many yeares , take thine ease , eate , drinke , and be merry : but the lord had said unto them all , by his prophet daniel , yee fooles , in this night of your merriment and solemnity of your god , shall your soules bee taken from you , and whose then shall those things be , that you have provided ? the hand which wrote that dreadfull sentence upon the wall , mene , mene , tekel , vpharsin ; was not more visible to belshazzar himselfe , then the finger of god in all this businesse , is , or may be to such , as will conferre xenophons historicall narrations , with propheticall predictions . first * cyrus casts his trenches neere the river , whether w th purpose to interrupt or divide its course , or only for more commodious defence of his army , or annoyance of his enemy , xenophon expresseth a not ; herodotus is of opinion , that this opportunity was rather taken when it offered it selfe , then sought by cyrus , when he first began to cast his trenches . however , the trenches being made , were ready , when opportunity served , to rob the city of the deepe streame , whose naturall course was through the midst of it ; and the streame diverted from its wonted chanell , left an easie entrance for cyrus and his army , under the wals and ●loodgate through which it passed . his stratagem to make this entrance into the city now drowned with wine , opens to us the literall meaning of divers aenigmaticall prophecies : a drought is upon her waters , and they shall be dryed up : for it is the land of graven images , and they are madde upon their idols . ier. . v. . whatsoever cyrus might intend , it was ierusalems and syons curse upon babylon , which gave successe unto his stratagem . the violence done to me , and to my flesh , be upon babylon , shall the inhabitants of zion say ; and my blood upon the inhabitants of chaldea , shall ierusalem say . therefore thus saith the lord , behold i will plead thy cause , and take vengeance for thee , and i will dry up her sea , and make her springs dry . ier. . ver . , . all these plagues here threatned , are exactly fitted to the patternes of cruelty which nebuchadnezzar had exhibited in the destruction of the holy city , and the derision of her and other captivated princes . ierusalem in the present sense and fresh memory of her griefe had thus complained : nebuchadnezzar the king of babylon hath devoured me , he hath crushed me , he hath made mee an empty vessell : ( therefore must babylon bee drawne dry of water ) he hath swallowed mee up like a dragon ; hee hath filled his belly with my delicates , he hath cast me cut . ier. . vers . . therefore must babylon become as heapes , a dwelling place for dragons , an astonishment , and an hissing without an inhabitant . vers . . it is significantly foretold by habakkuk that nebuchadnezzar had consulted shame to his house . habak . . and it is the opinion of good interpreters , that the woe following should be particulatly directed unto him and to his family : woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke ; that puttest thy bottle to him , and makest him drunke also ; that thou maist looke on their nakednesse . thou art filled with shame for glorie ; drinke thou also , and let thy foreskinne bee uncovered : the cup of the lords right hand shall be turned unto thee , and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glorie . habak . . vers . , . divers authors of good note have left written , whether upon any better authoritie then tradition of the hebrews , i know not ( though that i know in many cases worthy of respect and credence ) that nebuchadnezzar did use to make himselfe sport , by making his captive princes drunke . this and the like insolencies the lord avengeth upon his sonne and people : in their heate i will make their feasts , and i will make them drunken , that they may rejoyce , and sleepe a perpetuall sleepe , and not awake , saith the lord. ier. . vers . . and when the time appointed was come ( whether that were the first or second yeare after the hand writing upon the wall ) the lord gave cyrus notice of the babylonians intended aniversary revellings , whom hee had now more infatuated , then they at other times used to infatuate themselves . cyrus his stratagem to drie up the water , either first conceived or put in execution upon this notice of their drunken festivall , and whatsoever purposes of his that tooke effects , are all directed to the accomplishing of gods revealed purpose or consequent will upon babylon , as it were so many arrowes to their marke . the lord of hoasts was the archer , and cyrus his bow , whose intentions against babylon must therefore prosper , because , the lord of hoasts hath sworne by himselfe , saying , surely i will fill thee with men , as with caterpillers ; and they shall lift up a shout against ●hee . ier. . vers . . there is not one clause of cyrus his advise or exhortation to his followers , after they had found the river to bee passable , or of his proclamation after their entrance through the water-gate which xenophon relates , but is parallell to some part or other of ieremies prophesies . wee may boldly say all that cyrus commanded , was faithfully executed , that the scripture might bee fulfilled . that * which in reason might most daunt or deterre his souldiers from raunging the streets of babylon , was opportunitie of annoyance from the tops of their flat-roofed houses . but this inconvenience cyrus by his good foresight turnes to his advantage . if any ( sath hee ) clime up to the tops of their houses ( as it is likely many of them would ) we have god vulcan our confederate : for their porches are very apt to take fire , their gates being made of palmetrees , & asphaltites inunctae , which will serve as oyle to cause them to take fire , and wee have store enough of torches pitch and straw to inlarge the flame after the fire be once kindled . by this meanes either we may enforce them to forsake their houses or burne both together . the execution of this stratagem would quickly amate men already affrighted with the sudden surprisall of the citie . to this purpose , the lord had spoken long before : the mightie men of babylon have forborne to fight : * they have remained in their holds : their might hath failed , they became as women : they have burnt their dwelling places : her barres are broken . ier. . vers . . one post shall runne to meete another , and one messenger to meet another , and shew the king of babylon that his citie is taken at one end . and that the passages are stopped , and the reedes they have burnt with fire , and the men of warre are affrighted . verse , . xenophon tels us , that after cyrus had given gobrias and gadatas in charge to conduct the armie with all speede to the kings palace : si qui occurrebant , of such as * came in their way , some were slaine , others retired againe into the citie , others cryed out . that which made the noyse more confused and the danger lesse apprehended , was , that gobrias and his souldiers being babylonians by birth , did counterfaite the roaring of that unruly night . whatsoever occasion of distast or implacable discontent the proud king had given to these two captaines , ( whether those which xenophon reports or others ) the finall cause of that successe , which their bloody intentions against their native king did finde , was the accomplishment of gods will reuealed against him for his grandfathers crueltie against ierusalem , whereof being gently warned by gods prophet , he no way repented , but added gall to wormwood , and thirst to drunkennes , o thou king , the most high god gave nebuchadnezzar thy * father a kingdome , and majestie , and glorie , and honor . and for the majestie that he gave him ; all people , nations , and languages trembled and feared before him : whom he would , he slew ; and whom hee would , he kept alive ; and whom hee would , hee set up ; and whom hee would , hee put downe . but when his heart was lifted , and his minde hardened in pride : he was deposed from his kingly throne , and they took his glorie from him . and hee was driven from the sonnes of men , and his heart was made like the beasts , and his dwelling was with the wild asses : they fed him with grasse like oxen , and his body was wet with the dew of heaven , till hee knew that the most high god ruled in the kingdome of men , and that hee appointeth over it whomsoeuer he will. and thou his sonne o belshazzar , hast not humbled thine heart , though thou knewest all this : but hast lifted up thy selfe against the lord of heaven , and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee , and thou and thy lords , thy wives and thy concubines have drunke wine in them , and thou hast praysed the gods of silver , and gold , of brasse , yron , wood and stone , which see not , nor heare , nor know : and the god in whose hand thy breath is , and whose are all thy wayes , hast thou not glorified . then was the part of the hand sent from him , and this writing was written . and this is the writing that was written , mene , mene , tekel , vpharsin . this is the interpretation of the thing , mene , god hath numbred thy kingdome , and finished it . tekel , thou art weighed in the balances , and art found wanting . peres , thy kingdome is divided , and given to the medes and persians . dan. . vers . . to . thus wold daniel have cured babel , but she was not cured by him ; howbeit belshazzar was more kinde to daniel then to himselfe , then most great princes are to gods best prophets that reprove them : for he commanded and they cloathed daniel with scarlet , and put a chain of gold about his neck , & made a proclamation concerning him , that he should be the third ruler in the kingdome . in that night was belshazzar the king of the caldeans s●aine . and darius the median tooke the kingdome being about threescore and two yeere old . dan. . vers . , , . for it is not the bestowing of a scarlet robe , of court holy water , or of reall honour in greatest measure upon gods servants , that can couer a scarlet sinne in princes . the staine of blood can never be washed off , nor the crie of the oppressed blowne away ( though the whole element of water , winde , & ayre were at their commands ) without the teares and sighs of the oppressors , whose hearts cannot be cleansed without repentant prayers . ierusalems sighs and teares in her sorrow had sunke too deepe into the almighties eares , to be expiated without the sacrifice of many sorrowfull hearts and contrite spirits throughout babel : israel is a scattered sheepe , the lyons have driuen him away : first the king of assyria hath devoured him , and last this nebuchadnezzar king of babylon hath broken his bones . therefore thus saith the lord of hosts the god of israel , behold i will punish the king of babylon and his land , as i have punished the king of assyria . and i will bring israel againe to his habitation . &c. ier. . vers . , , . thus israel is revolved from gods consequent wil to his antecedent , & babylon from his antecedent to his consequent will. and for the speedy execution of both parts of this his will , for israels good , and babylons hurt , the persian monarchy is with such speed erected . but some happily will here demand , wherein the similitude mentioned by ieremie , betweene the king of assyria and the king of babylons punishments , did consist ? senacharib is the onely assyrian king , whose disastrous end is registred in sacred story : and belshazzer is the onely king of babylon , that did parallell him in his plagues . senacharib was slaine by his owne sons , belshazzar by his naturall subjects , sometimes his dearest friends , but made his enemyes by his unnaturall * cruelty . senacharib for blaspheming the god of israel was murthered whilest he offered sacrifice in the house of nisroch his god : this was one remarkable branch or issue of hezekiah his praiers against him in the temple , to wit , that the lord would declare himselfe to bee a god above all the gods of the nations . beshazzar is slaine in his royall pallace , whilest he solemnizeth the feast of his great god bell ; part of whose ceremonies were to praise the gods of silver and gold , of brasse , wood , yron , and stone , and to sawce this idolatrous luxury , with such sacriledge and blasphemie , as * daniel had forewarned them to avoyd . senacharib had a large time of repentance allotted , from the sudden destruction of his armie untill his death . belshazzars disaster and dissolution of his empire , fell out both in one houre ; both ( it may be ) were more sudden , because his warning to desist from oppression , sacriledg and idolatry , were more expresse and solemn . the justice of god , though executed upon the assyrian hoast , by the more immediate hand of his power , upon babylon by his wisedome ; in managing the opportunities and moments of warre , was in both alike remarkable ; in that both had their fatall sudden blow in that very night , wherein they had lifted up themselves against the god of heaven , and blasphemed the holy one of israel : it came to passe that night ( not imediately after ezekias had received zennacheribs blasphemous message , but in the same night some two yeares after ) that the angell of the lord went out , and smote in the campe of the assyrians , an hundred fourescore and five thousand , &c. * king. . . and in that night ( saith daniel ) was belshazzar the king of the caldeans slaine , to wit , in that night , which was solemnly consecrated unto the caldeans god , and solemnized by aniversarie custome ; but whether in that night tweluemonth , wherein the handwriting was sent from god , or more yeares after , is not certaine : that it should be the selfe same night , is from many sacred circumstances , most improbable , if not impossible . in what night soever it was ; the sudden surprizall of belshazzers court and kingdome , though to moderne politicians it may seeme strange ; yet no circumstance related by any sacred writer is in it selfe so incredible , as that which aristotle in his second booke of his politicks reports , as credited by him ; to wit , that some parts of this great citie did not perceive the deadly blow , which the principall parts of it had felt , till three dayes after it was given . it is a very inconsiderate note which ramus , or he that set forth his translation of aristotles politiques , hath left in the margine of this text : hic locus indicat post alexandri victorias hos libros scriptos esse , & tamen permirum sit in his alexandri nullam mentionē fieri . a judicious criticke would rather have conjectured that these bookes had been written before alexander tooke babylon from darius ; in that , there is no mention in all these bookes of alexanders projects or successe ; fit matters ( specially being fresh ) for politick discourse or instance . at the least , he which had read and remembred the prophesies of ieremie or daniel concerning . babylons destruction , stood bound in christian charitie to have demurred upon the point ( before he had giuen sentence ) whether this place were not to bee understood rather of babylons surprizall by cyrus thē of alexanders taking of it ; though it had beene out of question that alexander had taken it before aristotle wrote his politicks . aristotle might haue more good authors then one , for this report . herodotus , wee know , ( whom aristotle had read ) relates the like ; whose entire narration concerning the taking of babylon by cyrus i have transcribed , that the reader may compare his historicall relations with the prophecies before rehearsed , or hereafter to be cited . [ cyrus quum gyndem mulctasset in trecentos & sexaginta rivos diductum , & alterum ver illuxisset , ita porro ire babylonem pergit , babyloniis eum producto exercitu praestolantibus . qui , ubi propiùs urbem ille promovit , cum eo conflixerunt , praelioque fugati , in oppidum compulsi fuerunt . ii tamen , quia cyrum jampridem animadverterant inquietum esse , viderantque omnes pariter gentes aggredientem , comportaverant permultorum annorum commeatus : ideoque tunc obsidionem nihili faciebant . et cyrus , quum jam longo tempore nihil admodum res ipsius proficerent , inops consilij erat . tandem sive alius ei anxio suggessit , sive ipsi in mentem venit quid in rem esset , sic statuit faciendum : instructis universis copiis , partim quà fluvius urbem ingreditur , partim à tergo quà egreditur , praecipit ut , quum cernerent alveum posse transiri , illac urbem invaderent . ita instructis atque admonitis suis , cum inutiliori exercitus parte abijt ad paludem . eò ubi pervenit , quae babyloniorum regina fecerat circa flu●en & circa paludem , eadem & ipse fecit . nam revocato flumine , alveum ejus pristinum vado transibilem reddidit . quod quum ita factum esset , persae qui ad hoc ipsum instructi erant , per alveum unde fluvius euphrates abscesserat mediorum ferè femorū tenus fortiter babylonem introierunt . quos babylonij , si factum cyri priùs aut audissent , aut sensissent , haud dubiè contempto eorum ingressu , pessimo exitio affecissent . nam obseratis omnibus quae ad flumen ferunt portulis , conscensisque septis , ipsi pro ripis stantes illos progressos veluti in cavea excepisset . nunc ex inopinato eis persae ●stiterunt : & quum capti essent qui media urbis incolebant babylonij , propter ejus tamen magnitudinem non sentiebatur ( ut fertur ) ab iis qui circa extrema habitabant . sed quòd fortè dies festus eis esset , exercendis choreis atque oblectationibus operam dabant , donec planè hoc resciverunt . atque ita primò capta est babylon . herodotus lib. . ] one materiall circumstance there is in herodotus , which is not so much as intimated by xenophon ; and it is this : albeit the babylonians could neither have prevented cyrus in diverting the course of the river , nor withstood his entrance by its chanell ; yet might they with ease have stopped his passage along the chanell , or his entrance into any street of the citie , had they beene mindfull to shut those gates , which at the end of everie street did open upon the river . but that night being consecrated to revelling , the passage by water from one part of the city to another was freely permitted . they had a solemne custome of leaving those gates open that night , which on other nights were to be shut . and by this meanes , destruction found a more easie entrance into that great city . some modern politicians have discoursed in folio , against the vastnesse of cities as most incommodious for defence , taking occasion from aristotles exceptions against babylon , which in his censure was a region ; no more a citie then peloponesus should be , if it were walled about . but it was not babylons vastnesse which bred this insensibility when the day of destruction was come , that some members of her should not so much as feele any paine when others were utterly cut off . should any prince now living , in confidence of this experiment , attempt the like upon quinzie , moscho , or if any other greater cities there be in the world , he might finde their citizens better prepared uppon few houres warning then babylon was in three dayes , unlesse perhaps he made his assault upon moscho upon some great festivall , wherein her citizens enjoy the liberty of lacedemonian slaves , to be beastly drunke without censure . cities farre lesse then babylon , onely her matches in impiety , have beene surprised with babylonish stupidity , when the ful measure of their iniquity had brought forth the day of visitation . carthage was farre greater and fuller stuft with all sorts of people when scipio razed it , then when the vandals tooke it . and yet no member of it , in the former calamity , was so senselesse of their fellow-members , or of their common mothers griefe , as the whole body was , when most of its naturall members were cut off by the vandall . [ fragor ut ita dixerim , extra muros & intra muros praeliorum & ludicrorum confundebatur ; vox morientium voxque bacchantium : ac vix discerni forsitan poterat , plebis ejulatio , quae cadebat in bello , & sonus populi qui clamabat in circo . et cum haec omnia fierent , quid aliud talis populus agebat , nisi ut , cum eum deus perdere adhuc fortasse nollet , tamen ipse exigeret ut periret . salvianus lib. . ] the noise of battaile without the wals , and the noise of sporting within the walls ; the voice of dying men , and the voice of riotous or drunken men , were so mingled and confounded , that a man could hardly have distinguished the outcries of such as fell in battaile from the noise or cry of the multitude in the game-court . and by such doings , what did this people else , but solicite their owne destruction at gods hands , who otherwise would not ( haply ) have destroyed them ; or not at this time . with the like stupidity was treers taken , none of the greatest cities then in europe , though one of wealthiest amongst the gaules , after she had beene thrice lanced . the very babylonish madnesse did possesse another citie not farre from treers : such a lethargie had over-spred the whole corporation , vt principes illius urbis , ne tunc quidem de convivijs surgerent , cum urbem hostis intraret : ideo enim deus ipsis evidenter , uti credo , manifestare voluit cur perirent , cum per quam rem ad perditionem ultimam venerant , eam ipsam agerent cum perirent . salvi●nus ibidem . her governours did not breake off their feasting and banqueting , when the enemie did enter the city . god ( as i conjecture ) did purposely manifest the reason why they perished , in that they were doing that very thing when they perished , which had brought them to utter destruction . but of the causes , symptomes , or signes of divine infatuation , elsewhere . thus much i thought expedient in this place for the young readers information ; that albeit babylon had beene much greater in compasse , then she was , so that the measure of her iniquity had beene lesse ; the date of her prosperity might have beene much longer . chaldea might have sate as queene of nations , in despight of all politicke prognostications , which have beene framed since her overthrow . the best service which this kinde of critick usually performes to states or kingdomes , is to fixe their bol●s upon the gates of great cities , after they have beene ransacked by the enemy . but babylons iniquity being grown unto that setled height , at which it stood in ieremies and daniels times ; although her strength , her wealth , provision , and policie , had beene farre greater then they were , and contracted into a narrower roome , than the compasse of her walls ; the date of her soueraignty would have beene as short ; the device of the lord would have beene performed against her by other meanes , as sure , and speedy , as cyrus used , if his stratagem had beene defeated . for * strength of body , or strength of wit , skill in armes , or skill in policie ; all of them are but the gifts of god , hee can either deny them when he pleaseth , or inhibit the use of them where they most abound . he that commanded the fire not to touch his saints in the furnace , can as easily prohibite the strong to use his strength , the swift his flight , and intoxicate the politicians braine that shall displease him . this is the word of the lord which came to ieremiah the prophet , against the gentiles , against aegypt , against the armie of pharaoh necho king of aegypt , which was by the river euphrates in carchemish , which nebuchadrezzar king of babylon smote in the fourth yeare of iehoiakim the sonne of iosiah king of iudah . order yee the buckler and shield , and draw neere to battaile . harnesse the horses , and get up yee horsemen , and stand forth with your helmets , furbish the speares , and put on the brigandines . wherefore have i seene them dismaid , and turned away backe ? and their mighty ones are beaten down , and fled apace , and looke not back : for feare was round about , saith the lord. let not the swift flee away , nor the mighty man escape , they shall stumble and fall towards the north by the river euphrates . ier. . vers . , , , , , . goe up into gilead , and take balme , o virgin , the daughter of egypt : in vaine shalt thou use many medicines : for thou shalt not be cured . the nations have heard of thy shame , and thy cry hath filled the land : for the mightie man hath stumbled against the mightie , and they are fallen both together . vers . , . if a few shall chase a multitude , we know the reason , the one was either lesse valiant , or lesse skilfull then the other ; but why the valiant should turne their backs in the day of battell , it is gods prophet , not the politician must resolve us : they could not stand because the lord did drive them . vers . . the lord had given moab wit and strength and wealth abundance : hee had beene at ease from his youth , and he had setled on his lees , and had not beene emptied from vessell to vessell , neither had hee gone into captivity : therefore his tast remained in him , & his sent is not changed . ier. . . but when he begun to ascribe his prosperitie to his strength or policie , to trust in wealth , and deride his poore neighbour israel now going into captivitie , the lord who is debtor to none ; bereft him of all : therefore behold , the dayes come , saith the lord , that i will send unto him wanderers that shall cause him to wander , and shall emptie his vessels , and breake their bottles . and moab shall bee ashamed of chemosh , at the house of israel was ashamed of bethel their confidence . how say yee , we are mightie and strong men for the warre ? moab is spoyled and gone up out of her cities , and his chosen young men are gone downe to the slaughter , saith the king , whose name is the lord of hoasts . the calamitie of moab is neere to come , and his affliction hasteth fast . ier. . , , , , , &c. the horne of moab is cut off , and his arme is broken , saith the lord. make yee him drunken : for he magnified himselfe against the lord. moab also shall wallow in his vomit , and he also shall be in derision . for was not israel a derision unto thee ? was he found among theeves ? for since thou spakest of him , thou skippedst for joy . ver . , , . they shall howle , saying ; how is it broken downe ? how hath moab turned the backe with shame ? so shall moab be a derision , and a dismaying to al them about him . for thus saith the lord , behold he shall flee as an eagle , & shall spread his wings over moab . kerioth is takē , & the strōg holds are surprised & the mightie mens hearts in moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs . v. . , as for babylon , if she were stupid and blinde , without all foresight , feare or apprehension of that hideous stormes approach , wherein shee perished : the wonder is lesse to any christian , then their stupiditie ; who thinke her destruction might by rules of policy have bin prevēted . for , * though her defendants had beene more in number then her proud wals could containe , though every one had beene more stout then hector , armed with more hands then briarius had ; though every one of her sta●gazing statesmen had had more politick eyes then argos had , all had beene one , totidemque occulos nox occupatuna . a messenger from the lord of hoasts , had called for a dimnesse of sight upon her seers , and sung a lullaby to her souldiers everlasting sleepe : i will make drunke her pinces and her wisemen , her captains and her rulers , and her mightie men : and they shall sleepe a perpetuall sleepe , and not awake saith the king , whose name is the lord of hoasts . ier. , vers . . so infallibly doth divine iustice observe the rule of retaliation , whereof i shall hereafter speake : though babylon should mount up to heaven , and though shee should fortifie the height of her strengh , yet from me shall spoylers 〈◊〉 unto her ; saith the lord. ier. . ver . . for , seeing her people hath entred into the sanctuary of the lords house , the lord wil doe judgement upon her grauen images . vers . . to conclude , the reason of babels stupiditie , and whatsoever oversights the politician can discover in her ( related by xenophon or herodotus ) was , that the fulfilling of ieremies prophesies against her , might become more manifest to succeeding ages : how is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken ? how is babylon become a desolation among the nations ? i have layd a snare for thee , and thou art also taken , o babylon , and thou wast not aware : thou are founde and also caught , because thou hast striven against the lord. the lord hath opened his armorie , & hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation ; for this is the worke of the lord god of hoasts , in the land of the caldeans . come against her from the utmost border , open her storehouses , cast her up as heapes , and destroy her utterly , let nothing of her bee left . ier. . vers . , , , . for she had carried away all that was in ezekias house , all that his father had laid up in store , nothing was left , as esaiah had foretold . c. . v. . the exact fulfilling of whose prophecie is registred by the sacred historian . chron. . verse . the sudden surprizall of the citie and court of babylon made the finding of the treasure of darkenesse and the riches of secret places , which the lord by his prophet had promised to cyrus , more easie , then if his entrance at that time had beene suspected or feared : for so the besieged might have had leisure to have hid their treasure where the enemy should hardly have found it . but what speciall comfort is this to sion , that cyrus had done to babylon , as babylon had done to her . this might satiate or somewhat allay the boyling heat of a revengefull minde . but is the miserie of an enemy of like use unto gods people , as was the brazen serpent ? can the sight of it cure their griefe , or beget true happinesse in such as looke on it ? it is very probable that babylons spoiles did helpe to reedifie ierusalem . and albeit , the god of sion , had other meanes in store ( more by many , then man can number or conceive ) for reducing his people into their owne land ; we may , notwithstanding , without censure of curiositie , safely conjecture , that the disgraces which nebuchadnezzar & his successors has done unto the royall seed of iudah , were the first seedes of their speciall favour and grace with cyrus . of the plagues threatned by esaiah unto ezekiah for shewing his treasures unto the babylonians , it was one part that of his sonnes some should bee eunuches in the palace of the king of babylon . is . . . now it is unlikely that cyrus would eyther make the persians eunuches , or trust the caldeans about his bodie . daniel and other his fellowes of the royall seed of iudah , being made such unto his hand , were men as fit for his purpose as hee could seeke . and it was his purpose upon consultation ( as * xenophon tels us ) to have eunuches next about him , as men most likely to be trusty . daniel or others of good note amongst this people , being admitted to favour , for to be of cyrus bedchamber ; would not bee defective in procuring their countries good . and easie it was for him , that causeth darkenesse to bring forth light , that turneth the shadow of death into the morning , to raise vp a blessing unto his people out of their expiring curse . but whether by this meanes or others , certaine it is , that such of iudah as escaped nebuchadnezzars sword , were detained captives to him and his sonnes untill the erection of the persian monarchy . chron. cap. . vers . . now in the first yeare of cyrus king of persia ( that the word of the lord spoken by the mouth of ieremiah , might bee accomplished ) the lord stirred up the spirit of cyrus king of persia , that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdome , and put it also in writing , saying ; thus saith cyrus king of persia , all the kingdomes of the earth hath the lord god of heaven given mee , and he hath charged mee to build him an house in ierusalem , which is in iudah , who is there among you of all his people ? the lord his god be with him , and let him goe up . vers . , . this last passage compared with the forecited prophecie , esaiah . vers . , , . may acquit iosephus his report of daniels conference with cyrus , from all suspition of fiction or uncertainty of tradition . blessed be the name of god for ever and ever : for wisdome and might are his : and hee changeth the times and the seasons , he removeth kings and setteth up kings . dan . vers . , . he hath yet a fourth hammer in his hand , to bruize and crush these westerne nations , as the three first had done the easterne , and yet appointed to take fuller vengeance upon these iewes ( whom he had now redeemed by cyrus ) then the chaldean had done ; after the second measure of their iniquity , became more full then the former had beene . chap. . of gods speciall providence in raising and ruinating the roman empire . the lingring growth of the romane monarchy hath made the print of gods speciall hand in erecting it , lesse discernable , then it had beene in the sudden advancement of the three former . nor was it come to any competent height before prophecie did cease in iewry . so that we are ( for the most part ) destitute of such comments , as god had furnished us with , upon the histories of other monarchies . but whatsoever the registers of romes successe have ascribed to fortune , wee may recover it , by the former ruled cases , as entirely due unto gods providence . now the ancient romans were not of their later satyricall poets minde : nullum numen abest , si sit prudentia . not felicity her selfe , whom they tooke for a goddesse , much lesse was prudence , or any other supposed patronesse of inferiour vertues , so much honoured by them as lady fortune ; the multitude of whose temples testified they tooke her for their soveraigne mistris . from this reall testimony of the ancient romans , ( who best knew by what meanes their state was raised , or at least perceived it to bee often held up and inlarged by meanes in particular unknowne to them ; ) livie and plutarch give fortune * precedence of vertue ( civil or martiall ) in the roman territories , as being a more speciall benefactresse or principall foundresse of their empire . machiavel is of a contrary minde , perswaded thereto , by such a reason , as argues he had not god or his providence in his thoughts ; that his thoughts were not his owne , when he conceived it : so dissonant it is to truth and his owne politick principles . his words are these ; if no other state did ever compasse such a mighty empire as rome did , why should this be attributed to fortune , rather then to good lawes and discipline ? with plutarch and machiavel it fares just so in this controversie , as it usually doth with other controversors ; each of them hath the truth under his levell , whiles he oppugnes the adverse opinion ; both of them overshoot it whilst they deliver their owne . plutarch rightly denies the morall or civill goodnesse , whether of romane lawes or lives , to have brought forth their greatnesse . hee erreth as much in adjudging all that to roman fortune , whereto roman vertue had no just title . notwithstanding if by fortune hee meant any certaine latent cause more then humane , which did convay success to the current of roman policies , by secret and hidden passages ; his meaning is better then his manner of expressing it . to thinke thus charitably of this ingenuous philosopher , wee have reason , as knowing him to be a perfect enemy , aswell to epicurean chance , as to stoycall fate : and therefore no adversary of divine providence . in favour of machiavels opinion , who deserves no favour himselfe , thus much on the other side might be said ; if the auncient romans had beene as vaine as the graecians , as luxurious as the asiaticks , as perfidious as the carthagineans , as uncivill and barbarours as many nations , which they conquered : they should not have beene so constantly fortunate in their enterprises at home , and abroad , as livie and plutarch had observed them to bee . that is , in our language , divine providence would not have destined them unto that greatnesse , unto which at length they grew , if they had beene alwayes , or for the most part , as bad , as in the period of their prosperitie , they proved . for albeit god be debtor unto none ; yet the abandant riches of his bountie , will no suffer him to leave morall vertues or constant execution of lawes comparativly good , vnrewarded with blessings temporall . all this , notwithstanding will not inferre , what machiavell undertooke to prove that the romans did raise themselves , more by vertue , then they were raised by fortune ; if wee take fortune ( as in all probabilitie plutarch did ) for an hidden fountaine , secretly feeding those courses which the romans tooke for their good , with successe and speed farre above their expectation . vnder this indefinite latitude of unknowne causes , the divine providence or coelestic fortuna ( as the pythagorians terme it ) may bee comprehended , and this divine providence or celestiall fortune it was , which raised the romans : they did not raise themselves by their vertues . for wee do not use to say that princes favorites do advance themselves , albeit princes would not advāce them to such great dignities as they enjoy , unless they were in some measure qualified unto their liking . some nations have beene , others might have beene more observant of better lawes then the romans knew , and have used the same discipline of peace and warre , even all their policies , with greater sinceritie of good intentions then they did ; & yet not have propagated their soveraignty ouer others , halfe so farre , as the romane empire was ( by gods speciall providence ) propagated . for vertues morall , and ciuill discipline , or reformation of misdemeanors , ( though all more exact , then the practise of any nation could hitherto patternize ) are no such meritorious causes of temporall prosperitie or dominion , as may binde god in justice , to dispense the one in greatest plentie , where the other most aboundeth . without these qualifications the romans had not beene capable of such prosperitie , as god in bountie bestowed upon them ; but the true positive cause of their extraordinary greatnesse , was the speciall service , whereto his wisedome had appointed them . the rule of his liberalitie in disposing kingdomes , is the correspondency or proportion , which temporall greatnesse holds with the execution of his will , whether for punishing those which have made up the measure of their iniquitie , or for the propagating or preservation of his church already planted , or for preparing or ploughing up the hearts of wilde and unnurtured nations , for better receiving the seed of his gospell . when the measure of that prosperitie , which god for these and like purposes had allotted rome heathen , and her iniquitie became full ; shee and her provinces became a swifter prey to barbarous nations , some scarce so much as heard of before , then any neighbour countries had beene to her . the incredible successe of the goaths and vandals , of the franks and almaines &c , but specially of the hunnes , ( whose furious progresse was like to the vultures flight , & seem'd to presage the slaughter which they made ) will justifie the probability either of xenophons stories concerning cyrus , or of curtius , arianus , or other writers of alexanders conquests . was it then naturall policy or skill in warre , which did seate all , or most of these barbarous nations in these westerne countries ? vertues they had not many amongst them , yet each of them some one or other commendable qualitie , which did manifest the contrary predominant vice or outcrying sin in the christian people , which god had appointed them to plague , as * salvianus hath excellently observed . howbeit this great power was not given them altogether to destroy others , but withall to edifie themselves in the faith , and to bee made partakers of gods vineyard which hee had now in a manner taken from these vngratefull husbandmen , whom they conquered . the francks became christians through feare of the * almaines ; dread of the hunnes did drive the burgundi●ns to seeke sanctuary in the same profession and no question , but such of the ancient christian inhabitants , as outlived th●se stormes , did beleeve god and his servants better afterward , then they had done before . never were there any times more apt or more powerfull to kindle devotion in such as were not altogether frozen in unbeliefe , or benummed with the custome of sinning , then these times were . rome , which had beene the watch tower of politicke wisdome , became more stupid then babylon had beene , when the day of her visitation did come upon her . her citizens , ( were a meere politician to be their judge ) deserved to be buried in their cities ruines , for not awaking upon such and so many dreadfull warnings as shee had . extraordinary prophets the christian world at that time had none , because it needed none : the prophecies of ancient times did so well befit them , as if they had beene made of purpose onely for them . nor senacherib , nor nebuchadnezzar in the prime of their strength and power could better have brooked that title ( though given them in expresse termes by god ) which attilas ( as it seemes from certaine * apprehension of his extraordinary calling to doe the like service , ) had inserted into his royall titles , a malleūs orbis & flagellum dei ; the hammer of the world and scourge of god. the fame of alexanders first victories , was nothing so terrible to asia , as the noise of this scythian thunderbolt was to the utmost parts of europe , and would have beene to africa and asia , unlesse the lord had put his hook into his jawes , when he begunne to swallow these and other nations in his greedie hopes . but when the time of his commission drew neare to an end , this sampson had a dalilah to abate his strength . h● that had made himselfe sport with others miserie , and counted it his greatest glorie to shed much blood , was choaked with his * owne , in his mariage bed : these were the first fruits of his luxurious nuptiall feasts ; what the after crop was , wee leave to god. the knowne successe of these hunnes , throughout hungary and other parts of europe , may serve as a leading case to determine the question proposed betweene plutarch and machiavel ; their valour or strength of warre was not so much as knowne by fame to europeans , until they felt it . the passages into europe , out of these places of scythia , which they inhabited , was unknowne unto themselves , much lesse did they dream of invading the roman empire , untill he that had decreed to make them a scourge to europe , did lay a traine to teach them the ready way unto it . * the manner of their introduction was in the philosophers language by as meere a chance or fortune , as if a sexton should finde a casket of gold , whilest hee digs a grave . they had no other intention , that very morning wherein they first became acquainted with the confines of europe , then to chase the hart , and the hart no other desire , than which was meerly naturall , to save his life . that this reasonlesse creature by seeking thus to satisfie his naturall de●ire , should shew these hunnes a safe passage through the fens of maeotis , into europe ; was meere chance in respect of them or their shallow forecast , but providence in respect of him , who hath the product or issue of every attempt possible , in numerato , as we say , in ready coyne : who can so temper all occurrences at his pleasure , as that the selfe same ingredients may be an wholesome potion unto some , and deadly poison unto others ; and so combine the carelesse intentions of men , and the desire of brute beasts , as they shall become more faithfull cofederates for accomplishing his will , then men can bee ( albeit they purposely conspire together , and binde themselves by solemne oath or sacrament ) for effecting their owne designes . the report which these roving hunters had made to their countrimen of that pleasant land , into whose confines the chased hart had led them , did invite the chiefe heads of their clans , with their severall rascalities , to flock into europe like beggers dismist out of a prison , invited to a solemne banquet . and their hunger-starved appetites , being once fed with variety of uncouth pleasures , did whet their wits and arme their spirits , to attempt greater matters then they could conceive before . artis magister ingeniique larg●torventer . their bellies taught them new arts , and practice of inventions unsuspected unto christians . the mixt inhabitants of that country , which from them was after termed hungary , having sufficient warning of their intended invasion , had prepared a competent army , whose leaders presumed , they were more safely guarded against the sudden assault of their barbarous enemies for one night , by the river of danow which ranne betweene them ; then they could be by any wall or trench . and in this presumption they rested as secure for that night , of the hunnes , as the babylonians were of cyrus . it is very likely , that detricus generall for the romance , and matrinus , alias martinus , ( or macrinus ) chiefe commander for the pavonians , one or both had read how cyrus had divided the river gyndis , and so turned the course of euphrates in one night , that the usuall chanell of it became passable to his foot souldiers before the morning . but that the like should be attempted upon * danow was not credible ; to be effected by their enemies , they knew it impossible . and what other passage there was possible for these hunnes to find , being utterly destitute of ship or boat , they could not suspect . but they bought the knowledge of their new invention a great deale too deare ; with the losse of the better part of their armie , which encamping in the open fields , were pittifully slaughtred like wandring sheepe by the * hunnes , who with the helpe of bladders had swum over to the number of an hundred thousand , in the deadest time of the night . this sudden disaster , which being now past , might in some moderne politicians judgement easily have beene prevented , did so lessen the roman forces , that albeit they became cōquerors in the next conflict , yet purchased they victorie with the losse of so many souldiers , that they were not able to stand before the multitude of their furious enemies in the third encounter : and to try them the fourth time , they had no courage . the stumpe of that arrow , which detricus carried in his forehead to rome , in witnesse that he had confronted his enemies , and was not wounded in the backe , did pierce the hearts of some and daunt the spirits of other romans . and the fresh bleeding experiments of these hunnes incredible fury , might well occasion , that generation and their children , to flatter their cowardly fancies , with forged tales , as if it were no disparagement to the romans ( though as yet in highest esteeme for valour amongst the sonnes of men ) to bee outdared by an inchanted generation of infernall monsters , borne of witches and begot by devils . for such legends of these hunnes originall , have gone for currant amongst * good writers , and are not altogether out of date in some places unto this present day . but the romanes did want a marius , sylla , or camillus , to be their dictator in these times ; detricus was no iulius or germanicus : what the best of these could haue done , or durst haue attempted , had they been living then , is more then the spirit of any now living can divine ; hee that had made these in their times valorous , had now decreed the beggerly hunnes should bee victorious , and there is neither counsell nor might against the lord. or if this bee not canonicall scripture with politician , let us examine whether the evidence of truth manifested in the historicall narrations , whereon machiavel comments , have not extorted as much from him in a manner against his will , and contrary to his purposed conclusions , as the author of truth in this point hath taught vs. hee , * saith machiavel , that wil compare the romans wise carriage of state-businesses for many yeares together , with their ill managing of matters , whē they were invaded by the gauls , shal find them so different , as that the latter grosse error may seem to haue bin committed by another people , not by the same . so stangely doth fortune ( so he now accords in termes with livie , whom herein he contradicted before ) blind the judgements of men , when it is her pleasure not to have her power controuled , whose authority is so great , that neither they which are commonly exposed to danger deserve much blame , nor they much praise , which enjoy perpetuall felicity . fates may so strongly draw both parties this way or that way , as the policie of the one shall not be able to prevent the evils which happen , nor the others vertue be sufficient to bring forth good successe . in fine , taking fortune and fates for terms equivalent , throughout his whole discourse , hee * concludes for plutarch ; that the greatnesse of the romane empire was decreed by fate ; and with reference to this end , as rome could not in her growing age be overthrowne , so it was expedient that she should often be oppressed and afflicted , that her statesmen might become more wary and wise , for procuring that greatnesse which fates had decreed to accomplish by them . wherefore , that all these might take place : the fates ( which as he grants , use meanes convenient for effecting their purpose ) had put camillus to exile , not to death ; suffered the city to bee taken by the gaules , but not the capitoll : and that the citie might be taken with lesse adoe , they had likewise ordained that the greatest part of the romane army , being discomfited by the gaules , should not retire to rome , but flye to veios . to knit up all ( as he speakes ) in a bundell , it was the ordinance of fates , that the romanes should for this turne use neither their wonted wit , nor discretion , for averting the evills which befell them , and yet have all things made ready to their hands , for defending the capitoll and recovering of the city . by the forecast of fates , not of the romanes , it was , that exiled camillus , who was no way guilty of the wrongs which the senate had done unto the gaules , no way obnoxious unto them , but free from all obligements , should bee at ardea with one army , and expected at veios by another , that they might with joynt forces assault the gaules , when they least expected , and so recover the city . had machiavel told us what hee meant by fates or fortune , wee might either quickly agree with him , or easily confute him , as disagreeing most from himselfe : whatsoever hee meant by them , it had beene a point of honesty in him , to have craved pardon of plutarch for contradicting him in the former discourse ; seeing hee borroweth plutarchs owne language in this comment of romes surprizall by the gauls . if machiavel by fate or fortune , understand some branch of gods decree or providence , mentem teneat , linguam corrigat . for though he comment upon a heathen writer , it would no way misbeseeme him sometime so to speak , as men might suspect him to be a christian . but not to question in what signification he used the words fates or fortune ; the reall attributes which he gives to fate or fortune , cannot belong to any power in heaven or earth , save onely to the onely wise invisible god , for who can blinde the mindes of men , of such politicke wise●men as the romanes were , save onely hee who made our soules , and giveth wisdome to whom he pleaseth , who can make choise of excellent spirits , for managing humane affaires present , or entertaine occasions offered for great atchievances ? who againe can deprive such men ( men so qualified as machiavel would have them ) of life , depose them from their dignities , or so abate their strength ; as they shall not bee able to make resistance when evills are determined ? that power onely can doe all these , which knoweth all things , worketh all things , determines all things , ruleth all things . yet all these attributes here specified hath machiavel , bestowed on fate . either was this man stricken with heathenish blindnesse for detaining the truth in unrighteousnesse , or else in seeing thus farre into events , in his judgement , fatall , hee might have seene gods providence ruling in them , and disposing of all humane affaires whatsoever . the like contemplation of fatall or fortunate events , led commineus , a man aswell seen in matters of state , as machiavel was , unto a distinct view of divine prouidence , as shall be shewed * heareafter . whatsoever effect these observations wrought in machiavel ; the perusall of them will lift up the christian readers heart to sing with daniel : blessed bee the name of god for ever and ever , for wisedome and might are his . hee changeth the times and seasons , he giveth wisdome unto the wise , and knowledge to them that know understanding . but though wee could make this or the like orthodoxall construction of machiavels meaning , in this discourse , though fate and fortune in his language were the same that gods providence is in ours ; yet the use which hee makes of this his doctrine , would neither be consonant to his owne principles elsewhere delivered , not to the eternall truth : hoc unum pronunciabo de fortunae viribus & fati necessitate , quod historias omnis generis percurrenti facile apparebit , homines fati necessitatem evitare non posse : sed faciliorem eventum ijs , quae ab eo impendent , efficere , eumque promovere ; adeoque parcarum ●elas texere , non retexere , aut rumpere . quod etsi ita se habeat , non decet tamen , ut animum abjiciamus , nosque plane committamus fato ; sed , quacunque fortunâ aspirante , bene speremus , diligenter prudenterque rebus nostris provideamus : quòd fatorum viae & rationes producendorum effectuum , obscuriores sint , quam ut a nobis intelligi qu●ant . machiavil . in fine lib. . what great matter is this , which is so plainely witten in histories of every kinde , as he● that runnes may reade it ? his resolution is this , that men cannot avoid the necessitie of fate , but rather facilitate the events by it decreed : so vnable are they to undoe the contrivances or contextures of destinie , that by how much the more they struggle with them , they weave and knit them faster . but shall state-pilots for this reason strike saile to fortune , and suffer the world to floate , whether fates doe drive it ? no , rather beare out against all blasts of chance , because the wayes of fate , and manner how it brings its matter about , are so obscure , that no wit of man can discerne them . but what bootes it us to know the wayes of fates to be so obscure , that they cannot be knowne , if neither knowne nor unknowne , they can bee avoided ▪ it would inspire our indeavours with greater alacrity , and our indeavours would be blessed with better successe , were wee taught ( as the truth is ) that such events as politicians terme fatall , are in their nature , alterable , though not by us , or by any humane skill or policie , yet by him whose almighty ayd , is alwayes ready for us , so we seeke it with due humilitie . but machiavel ( if i mistake him not ) was once of opinion , that fates and fortune interpose their authority only in some more principall humane affaires ; he acknowledgeth no generall providence over all . the generall maxime whence hee falsely derives his fruitlesse inference , is , that gods decree ( whereof fates good or bad , are necessary branches ) is altogether immutable . the most necessary , immediate , and most usefull consequent of which truth , is this , as long as the parties against whom he decrees evill , continue the same ; the evill decreed , is as immutable as his decree , and men by seeking to avoid it by their wit or strength , doe draw it more speedily , or more heavily upon them . for , it is impossible , that humane power should not bee foiled , whilest it opposeth it selfe against omnipotency ; or the devices of humane wisedome not be defeated , whilest they counterplot wisdome infinite . but though in the almighty , or in his decree , there be no shadow of change ; yet as daniel speakes , he changeth times and seasons ; and in that his mercy is immutable , he is alwayes ready to repent him of the evills forethreatned , when men repent them of the evill , for which hee threatneth them . or , in termes ( perhaps ) more proper , it is one essentiall part of his immutable decree to alter the events decreed , or foresignified , ( bee they good or bad ) according as men alter their mindes for better or worse . but how fates are invited or may be avoyded , wee are to speake more particularly hereafter . the very instance whence machiavel framed his forementioned aphorisme , will bee a fit example for illustrating our present rule . the romanes ( as he observes ) were usually most religious observers of the law of nations , and whilest they continued thus , gods blessings did rest upon their policies : but at the time when the gaules inuaded italy ; the fahii , being sent embassadours in a treaty of peace , unaduisedly put on the girdle of warre , and slew a standard-bearer of the gaules in defence & quarrell of the clusini , betwixt whō they should have been indiferent arbitrators . and in stead of just punishment ( which by the law of nations was , to have beene delivered up unto the enemies whom they had wronged , ) the romans did grace them with the office of tribunes , at their returne , and appointed them chiefe managers of that warre with the gaules , which * their insolencie had provoked . the successe whereof was such , as the israelites had , before achans sacriledge was punished by iosuah . romes present calamitie had spred much farther , if the whole state had beene as deepely infected with this foule crime , as the whole senate and people , * then resident at rome were : sed veios habitante camillo , illic roma fuit : in as much , as the life and soule of the roman estate did then reside in the exiled camillus and his company , ( who had suffered much wrong from the romanes , but had done none unto the gaules ; ) it pleased the lord to raise up his spirit , to rescue the citie from their tyranny , who would have revenged the offence committed , with greater severitie , then this aeternall aequitie had appointed for this time , wherein romes iniquitie was not fully ripe for utter destruction . to doe justice , though to a publick enemy , is a fundamentall rule of propheticall and christian policy , whereto machiavel hath one , and plutarch another discourse very pertinent . thus to doe , is good and acceptable in the sight of god , without whose speciall direction and benediction , the practise of most approved rules of policy , prove more fruitlesse , if not more dangerous to great estates , then choisest receipts doe to illiterate or ordinarie patients , being administred without the physitians advise or prescript . * to a patient demanding why the same medicine , which had once done him much good , did at the second time doe him harme ; vindicianus a learned physitian in s. augustines time answered , because at the first time , i gave it you ; you tooke it the second time your selfe , being of that age , in which i would not have given it . now as diversitie of times , alteration of humors , or constitution of mens bodies , may cause the selfe same medicine , which at some times brought health , at another time to bring forth death or dangerous sicknesse to one and the selfe same body : so may kingdomes , whether for forme or government the same , or different , be speedily overthrowne , by following that method of reformation , or the selfe same rules of policy , by which most states formerly have beene preserved . hee that changeth times and seasons , disposeth the concurrents , or dissolveth the combination of occurrent circumstances or opportunities ; must give his approbation or allowance , before any contrivance of man can be effectuall . he is the supreame physitian of mens soules , the preserver of states and kingdomes . the greatest statesmen are at the best , but his chyrurgions , or his apothecaries , and if they adventure upon any difficult cure without consulting him ; the same hand which healed this yeare , may wound the next ; the same receipt which gave life to day , may kill to morrow . from these collections , machiavel , so hee would bee constant unto himselfe , cannot vary . the diversitie of fortune much furthering some , and crossing others , * he derives from these originalls : as there be divers kindes of proceedings in managing the affaires of peace or warre , with whose diversities the dispositions of men , by nature or custome much different , suit , some with one , some with another : so have different times their seasons and opportunities . some times require quick dispatch , others delay of businesse ; some businesses speedy execution , others maturity of consultation and long forecast . now seeing no one man is fitted for all kindes of proceedings , nor no one kinde of proceeding can befit all or most times , but all have their limits , which without errour or danger they cannot transgresse . hence it is that those men least erre , and become most fortunate in their atchievements , which have the hap to be imployed in such times and seasons , as best agree with their naturall and accustomed manner of projecting . statefortune then by machiavels conclusion , is no bastard brood , no fatherlesse bratt , but the true and legitimate ofspring of time , fitly matched with the peculiar disposition of experienced practickes . on the contrary , publique misfortune or ill successe , is the naturall issue of mens endeavours , when they are undertaken in an unfit time . the onely question then remaining , is , whether there bee any , or if any , who is the chiefe author of all fit matches or disagreements betweene the severall dispositions of men , and the opportunities of times ? it is a point unquestionable , that the prime author of such matches , is the first author of all successe , be it good or bad , in humane affaires . the greatest amongst the sonnes of men cannot command what opportunities they please , but must bee content with such as time affords them : nor are the wisest of men alwaies able to make choyse of the best which time presents . time likewise , though thus affording opportunities , cannot appoint the men , that are most fit to entertain them . so that neither is time the fountaine or author , nor can men bee their owne carvers of good successe . doth this office then belong to goddesse fortune ? if shee could see this , she might see all things ; and were no longer to bee reputed fortune : wisdome and prouidence should be her titles . it is that wisdome by which all things were made , which disposeth their operations . it is that providence , which was before all times , that dispenseth the times and opportunities , that are . these sit supreame scrutators in consultations of state , and have more casting voyces , then the world takes notice off . they secretly sway every election : other suffragants may freely declare their opinions , and vent their breath ; which these tune and moderate as they please . that we may descend to machiavels instance ; the romanes appointed no generall without publick consultation . whether fabius maximus were chosen generall by unanimous consent of the senate , or with difficultie and contradiction , we have not observed , or doe not remember . even such as were most forward , or factious for him , did little thinke how well his peculiar temper did sute with the opportunitie of those times , wherein he was appointed to cope with hannibal . the common rumors , which run of him throughout rome , argue a generall dislike of his proceedings ; if lingring , might in their censures be called proceedings rather then cowardly delay or detrectation . the best proofe he gave for a long time of his courage , was his constant contempt of others censures . * but after , the event did as farre surpasse their hopes of his slow proceedings , as these had come short of their first expectations ; their note was changed . fabius was now the a onely man , and ( as some of them make him ) more then a man ; in b common esteeme the onely author of their cities preservation . howbeit , to such as can resolve effects into their prime and native causes , children might more justly be fathered upon the woman that beares them , then this joyfull issue , which was brought forth by his lingring , can be upon his forecast or wisedome . for this cunctation , of which the peculiar opportunities of these times begat good successe ; was to fabius ( * as machiavel well observes ) a disposition naturall : he could not have changed with the times , nor fashioned himselfe to new occasions . hee had held the same byas still , though on another much different ground : and so might he well have lost his late purchased fame , and rome her prize ; unlesse there had beene more skill used in playing the game , than the supposed roman gamesters practised . as suppose fabius had beene sent to have bid hannibal play in africk , and scipio appointed to keepe the goale in italie : rome and carthage , by the misplacing of these two men , might have changed fates and fortunes . rome , in all likelihood , had beene taken , when fabius saved it ; and carthage inriched with romane spoiles , at the time when scipio ransacked it . rome could not have found a surer buckler to beare off hannibals blowes in italy , then lingring fabius : nor a fitter sword to beat him in his native soile , then forward scipio . and yet was fabius the most forward man to oppose scipio his expedition into africk : and it may be some of scipio his friends had bandied as earnestly against fabius . either of them liked his owne course best : if haply either liked any other besides . neither of them knew , what temper was fittest for every season ; nor is it possible for the wisedome of man to match these alwayes aright , because albeit the temper or dispositions of men did never alter , ye● the occasions or opportunities of times are more changeable than the moone . the aphorisme which machiavel gathers from the former discussions is not so false , as imperfit , and it is this : seeing different times require different manners of proceedings , and state-agents cannot easily change their manner , whereto they have beene most accustomed ; it were most expedient for states to change their agents , that their severall dispositions might more exactly sute with the alterations of times and opportunities . the facilitie of observing or practising this rule in aristocratis , is in his judgement , one speciall cause why , that kinde of government is more durable then monarchicall . for princes will hold their wonted wayes , they will not change their resolutions , much lesse will they give place to others , that are better fitted for entertaining the opportunities or change of times . * petrus soderinus , a man for his moderation and wisedome fit to have governed an empire , did ( as hee thinkes ) overthrow himselfe and the florentine estate , by continuing his authoritie , being unable to put off his wonted lenitie and patience , in times requiring austere imperious reformation . whereas pope iulius the second , plaied the lyon all his time with the foxes luck : the more he was cursed for his impetuous insolency , the stronger hee grew : no thankes to him or his witt , but to the times , which had they changed , he must have fallen . but was not septimius afer , for his native severitie , aswell fitted to the impetuous disposition of the roman empire when he undertook it , as any medicine can be to the malady , for which it is by art prepared ? and yet his practise ( though exactly answering ●o machiavels rules of reformation ( here and elsewhere set downe ) found but the mountebankes successe ; hee cured some present mischiefes , but procured more grievous , secret , and more permanent inconveniences . the barbarous nations which longed most for romes destruction , learned the use and art of making the romans weapons and artillerie , from the discontented exiles , which his severitie thrust upon them . nor did constantine the great ( though leunclavius be willing to preferre the unsanctified zozimus his bill against him , to christian princes ) halfe so much weaken the empire , by his largesse towards the christians , as septimius did wound it , by seeking to restore or rather to intend the rigour of ancient discipline amongst moderne dissolute romans . many like practises , in the issue became meanes of the empires more speedy dissolution ; though all , ( as farre as the eye of policy could see , ) most convenient for the present season , but it is not for politicians to know the exact temper of times & seasons , which the father hath put in his owne power , as cases reserved for infinite wisdome . had rome in the dayes of arcadius and honorius stood at the same point of liking with god , as she sometimes had done : these oversights ( as it pleaseth posteritie now to censure them ) of constantine and septimius with infinite other particulars of like nature , falling out before and after them , should have added much to the measure of her wonted prosperitie . but being now declined from gods favour to the aspect of his iustice , all conspire against her : and her best supporters become stumbling-blocks , to cause her to fall . and , although it had beene possible for the severall successions of her ancient and choisest senators , to have beene assembled together in counsell for her good ; yet what possibilitie was there left to prevent the combination of second causes secretly conspiring her destruction , when as the unavoidable mischances of nations , which they knew not , even the disasters of her enemies became confederates with domestick miscariages to worke her mischiefe . if we consider onely the visible causes , or meanes observable , by which this mightie empire came to miserable ruine : not all the oversights committed by any one , though the very worst of al her governours or counsellors ; not all the devises of any one natiō or cōmon enemy , did sow the seedes of so much evill and mishap , as befel her from one example of severitie , unseasonably practised by the * king of goathes , upon a wicked woman , that sought to cover her adultery , by her abused husbands blood . the fact indeed deserved the height of princely indignation , and more then an ordinary death , but to pull her in peeces with horses ( as hermanarichus commanded ) was so indignely taken by her brethren , that in revenge they killed this grave and auncient king ; by whose wisedome and authoritie the goathes had beene able so well to have matched the huns , as the romanes might have stood as arbitrators to moderate the quarrell as they saw fit , or to have devided the prey . but the goathes , being suddenly deprived of their ▪ governour in the very nicke ▪ when the warre was begun , left their habitation to the hunnes , and ( upon protestations of more then ordinary fidelitie and good service ) got to be admitted as naturall subjects within the empire , which by this meanes became exposed to a double mischiefe . it hath the hunnes as neare , but more insolent and noisome neighbours , then the goathes had beene : and through the folly and greedinesse of the imperiall officers , the goath in short time of a former open enemy , became a treacherous friend . the romans nurst this young snake in their bosome , after such an unpleasant and untowardly fashion , as they might bee sure , hee would be ready to use his sting , when god should send him one . and albeit the goath and hun , did naturally worse agree , then the toade & spider : yet in relation to the execution of gods justice upon the roman empire , they hold this exact subordination , that wheresoever the one had broken skinne , the other was ready to infuse his poyson ; the one alwaies ready to inlarge the wounds , which the other had made , before they closed . howbeit , when both these enemies had done the worst to rome that they intended , ( for both of them had power in respect of any help that man could make , to do her as much harm , as they listed ) yet the prophets speech concerning israel , was remarkably true of her , perditio tua ex te o roma , romes destruction was from her selfe . her very enemies would have healed her , but babylon-like shee would not be healed . alaricus the goath had taken the citie , but made conscience of defacing it : he spared the suppliants for the temples sake . attilas was kindly intreated by pope leo not to visit it ; the rather thereto perswaded , because god had visited alaricus for polluting it . it was the crie of the noble aetius his blood treacherously shed , not by the enemy , but by the emperour valentinian , at the instigation of maximus , which did solicite gensericus king of vandals to come out of afrique to visit rome , now sunke so lowe by aetius his fall , that she could never bee raised againe . the concatenation of sinister fates , that is , ( in better language ) the combination of second causes designed by god for the execution of his consequent will upon the roman empire , is in this case so pregnant : that i cannot make a fitter close of this discourse , then by relating the historicall circumstances , occasion and consequence of aetius his death . maximus a roman senator , and principall favorite of valentinian the emperour , * sporting with him on a time in his palace , chanced to leave his ring behind . the emperour , by this token invites maximus his lady to come and visit his empresse eudoxia , his intention being to visit her in such a manner , as was no way pleasing to her , but most displeasing to her husband , unto whō she disclosed their joynt wrong & her speciall griefe . the indignity of the fact ( being done by so deare a friend as he supposed valentinian was ) made so deepe impression in his heart , that an ordinary revenge could not suffice . the emperors life seemed too small a recōpence , without hopes of succeding him : & his hopes of succession ( he saw ) were but vain if aetius should survive valentinian : maximus therefore , smoothly dissembling his discontent for the present , perswades the emperour that aetius was too potent in the opinion of the state , and become more popular than before , by the happy successe of his late employment against attilas the common enemie and terrour of christendome . the emperours weakness is easily wrought to put aetius to death , which ( as one observes ) was in effect to cut off his owne right hand with his left , and to expose himselfe to publike hatred and danger , without a defendant . thrasilas , a centurion to aetius , knowing his generalls loyalty and innocency , in ●●venge of his undeserved death , kills valentinian ▪ and maximus not content to usurpe the empire , unlesse he might have the empresse eudoxia in to the bragaine , abuseth her as valentinian had done his lady . eudoxia more impatient than maximus his wife had beene , sollicites gensericus king of the vandalls to revenge her husbands death , and her wrongs . in the execution of gods will or wrath upon maximus , the roman●● prevent him , for they stone him to death ; but ●ould not prevent the ransacking of the city by him , and the finall overthrow of the romane empire . as for those imperiall titles which some afterwards tooke upon them , these were but as ominous formalities for the more legall resigning up of the romane soveraignty into the hands of strangers , as momillus surnamed augustulus ( the last of italian blood which bare rule in rome ) did it into the hands of the hunnes , the reliques of attilas his race , their inveterate enemies ; whose rage and cruelty when it was at the height of its strength , had beene broken by aetius his valour . as the romane rulers and senate had done to him : so hath the lord now done to them . chap. . why god is called the lord of hosts , or the lord mighty in battaile . of his speciall providence in managing warres . albeit the sole authority of scripture without the assignement of any reason , be a warrant alsufficient for us to enstyle our god the lord of hosts : yet why he is so often in scripture thus enstyled , as by a most speciall and peculiar attribute , these reasons may without offence bee given . his peculiar hand is not in any subject of humane contemplation more conspicuous , then in the managing of warres . why it should bee more conspicuous in this then in other businesses , wherein men are much imployed , the reason is plaine : for contingences are no where more ticklish than in warre , not is their number in any other subject so incomprehensible to the wit of man. it is hard to use wit and valour both at once ; hard to spie an errour upon the first commission of it , harder to redeeme the time , or regaine opportunities lost . it is a grosse errour which hath insinuated it selfe into some politicians thoughts , if wee may judge of their thoughts by their writings ; that the chances which may fall out contrary to warriours expectations , are not so many but that they may be forecast or numbred . it is the politicians errour likewise , ( though would to god it were his alone ) to think all occurrences which are casuall in respect of man , to be from the first occasions of warre begun , so determined by him , which gives successe in battaile , as that victory must in deed and truth ( though to men she seeme not so ) incline to one party more than to the other . these casualties of war , or doubtfull inclinations of victorie , are in succession infinite . their possibilities one way or other , may every moment increase from misdemeanours either of them which fight the battailes , or of the parties for whom they fight . the fairest probabilitie of good successe may be abated from every good act or reformation of the adversarie . gods eternall freedome either in determining new occurrences , or altering the combinations of others already extant , cannot be prejudiced by any act past . he hath not so before all time decreed them , that hee doth not still decree them , at his pleasure , as well during all the time of warre and fight , as before . ita accidit * saepenumero , ut fortuna ad utrumque victoriam transferat , quò bellum extrahatur , animosque nunc horum , nunc illorum accendat . so it oftentimes falls out , that fortune makes faire profer of victory to both sides , and one while incourageth this partie , another while that , by which meanes warres are usually prolonged . now whatsoever in these cases befals men either beyond their expectation , or contrary to their forecast , is counted fortunate , if it be for their good ; or fatall , if it be for their harme . hence men not only of most accurate booke-learning amongst the romanes , but of best experience in matters of war , have given more to fortune , then by-standers or historicall relators usually acknowledge to bee her due . had caesar upon a diligent and accurate survey of the meanes , by which he got his victories , allotted fortune her just part in severall , or told us truly how much fell out beyond or above his expectation , how much just according to his reckoning : the world ( i think ) would have beene of the same minde with machiavel in his * forementioned contemplations of romes surprisal by the gaules , which was , that the most victorious do not deserve much glory either for wit or valour , nor the conquered much dispraise for the contrarie imperfections ; seeing fate or fortune have alwayes the chiefest stroke as well in the exaltation of the one , as in the dejection of the other . notwithstanding it is no part of mine , whatsoever it was of machiavels meaning , to have any man deprived of that commendation which is due to him in respect of other men . and it is not the least title unto true praise , to be in favour with the supreame disposer of martiall successe . in respect of him the victorious have no cause to boast , but rather to condemne their sloath and negligence in that the fruites of their successe , was no better then usually it proves , they having so good assistance , and sure pledges of divine favour . wheresoever cicero , caesar , vegetius , or other heathens , could suspect or descrie the secret assistance of fate or fortune , specially in matters more remarkeable , as are the usuall consequents of warre ; there we may without solecisme say , the finger of the lord of hoasts did worke . for if the least wound that is given or taken in fight , doe not make it selfe , but is made by the vigilant and working hand of man ; shall not the chiefe stroke or sway of battaile , which usually falls without warriers comprehension , lead us to a direct , a certaine and positive cause ? now if this cause were otherwaies unknown , by what name could we more properly call it , then by the lord of hoasts , or great moderator of warre . if wee may guesse at gods working in all , by the manifestation of his speciall hand in some : i am perswaded there was never any great battaile fought since the world began , much lesse any famous warre accomplished with such facilitie or speed , but that if it had pleased the historians to expresse all circumstances of speciall moments , or could the reader survey such as they expresse , with as diligent and curious eyes , as one artificer will anothers worke : the consultations of their chiefe managers , & the executions which seem to have most dependance on them ; would beare no better proportion w th their entire successe , then the day laborers work doth with a curious edifice , or then the pioners paines doth w th the defence or expugnation of strōg forts or castles . and yet even in the maturest deliberations or most exact consultations of warre ; related by ordinary historians , the finall determination , may for the most part be resolved into some speciall divine instinct : the execution of that which men by such instinct determine and resolve upon , essentially depends upon the disposition of gods peculiar providence , who hath an authentique negative in the use of every meanes , which men make choice of ; albeit in using them he admit men , as his coworkers , but not as sharers in production of the principall effect or end . he alone bestoweth victorie where hee pleaseth , by what meanes or whose agency hee pleaseth , but not alwayes with victorie and successe , unlesse such as be his agents or instruments in the execution of his consequent will upon others , be ready to doe his antecedent will or pleasure themselves . this is a subject whos 's fuller explication would require a larger volume , then this whole treatise in my intendment shall be . i will therefore instance especially in one battaile , and another warre , of the greatest consequences , that the histories of these three hundred yeares past present unto us . the first shall be in that fierce and violent conflict at grūwald betweene iagello or vladislaus king of poland and lituania , and the crucigeri or knights of prussia , about the yeare one thousand foure hundred . should a politician or souldier , that will beleeve no more , then hee sees grounds for out of his owne art , have seene , the mighty preparation and couragious resolution of both parties , hee would haply have demanded a signe of gods providence , and said in his heart , let us see either of these two armies take flight upon a conceipted noise of chariots or horsemen , or an imagination of an army not really existent : or what gedeon is hee now alive , that dare adventure on the weaker of them , with three hundred men , although hee had thrice three hundred trumpeters to encourage them . we will not therefore presse any with beleefe of miracles in these later times , but rather perswade them with us to acknowledge , that those extraordinary manifestations of power more then naturall , in battailes fought for israell and iudah by gedeon or sampson , by the angels , by the hoast of heaven , or by inferiour elements , were not more pregnant documents of gods immediate hand in managing warres , nor better proofes of his just title to be the lord of hosts ; than the contrivances of ordinary causes and occurrences in martiall affaires of moderne times , doth or might afford to all such as rightly survey them . to make a mighty armie fall by the free and unimpeached exercise of their owne valour and strength , can be no lesse wonderfull to unpartiall eyes , than to scatter them by fire and lightning , than to beat them downe by mighty hailestones from heaven . to cause the stronger and more skilfull in warre to faint , without diminishing of their courage and strength , is no lesse the lords doing , than if their hearts had beene surprised with a panick terrour , or their armes suddenly deprived of life and motion , as ieroboams was . yet this was the case of the prussian knights of the crosse , and the germane forces which assisted them against iagello . the conduct of the right wing of iagelloes army , which did consist of lituanians , was commended to his brother vitoudus , not out of any foresight of advantage , but in honour of his person , or of that nation ; which was perhaps an oversight in point of warre . however , this wing was fiercely assaulted by the opposite wing of the germane armie , which was a great deale the stronger , especially for horsemen . god by his secret * providence did so dispose that this advantage should redound unto their greater overthrow . for the lituanians being the farre weaker part of iagello his army , both for want of skill and of armour , after a furious encounter fled the faster : and the germane wing , which had put them to flight , not suspecting but that their other wing had beene as able to match the polonian , as they had beene to defeat the lituanian ; pursued the victorie so long and so farre , that they were neither able fully to succour the other wing being scattered and broken by the polonians , before their returne , nor to flye from their enemies with that speed they desired ; as being over wearied with the former chase . of the germans , by this oversight and presumption , fiftie thousand were slaine , and ( as some relate ) almost as many taken prisoners . they had put their confidence in the valour , skill and multitude of their armie , which did consist of an hundred and fortie thousand choice souldiers . the good king iagello his trust was in his praiers to god ; and in the presumption of his enemy , which had beene so triumphant before the victory , so certaine of victorie before the joyning of the battaile ; that they would not give iagello leave to say his prayers , or doe his wonted service unto god , but sent him two swords in mockerie , one for himselfe , and another for his brother vitoudus , as if they had wanted weapons to defend themselves ; profering him withall , that if the place wherein hee then was , were too strait for ordering his men they would goe back , as in contempt and scorne they did , and make him roome . this insolent message was by the religious king embraced , as a welcome prognostique that they should give him place against their wils . and so it fell out , that they were not able to defend themselves within their trenches ; their tents and cariages became a prey to polonians , being so well fraught with all manner of provision , not for necessitie onely , but for pleasure , that iagello caused a great number of wine-vessels to bee burst in pieces , lest his souldiers should be overcome with plenty of wine , after they had overcome their potent enemies , or at lest be hindred from further pursuite of victorie . there a man might have seen a strange spectacle , a flood or stream not of blood or wine , but as if it had bin of gore by the mixture of the wine and the blood alike violently shed in the germane camp. the gaudinesse of their armour would not suffer such as escaped by flight , toly hid in the fennes or reeds into which they ranne . this was the issue of their unhallowed confidence , which had in their tents abundance of torches and of chaines ; the one provided ●or leading the nobles of poland captives , the other for firing their cities . there is a storie mentioned by salvianus , exactly paralleld to the former , for the different d●spositions of the parties conflictant , and for the contrary successe which befell their contrary demeanours before the battaile . the conflict was betwixt the goathes and the gaules . the goathes were a kinde of christians , but arrians , through default of their instructors . the gaules were catholiques , as good as rome had any in those dayes ; so were the prussian knights : iagello was a late convert●christian , and very devout in his kinde , yet not quite purged from some heathenish inbred superstition . it was a custome with him , to turne thrice round about , and to breake a straw in three pieces before he went abroad . how much more acceptable or lesse displeasing unto god , how much more availeable in the day of battell un●ained humilitie , fear & devotion , ( though in part tainted with e●roneous opinion , and superstition ) are , than confidence in the puritie of opinions , or profession of orthodoxall religion , without correspondency of practise , cannot better be expressed than it is by * salvianus . that saying of our saviour , hee that exalts himselfe shall bee brought lowe , was evidently experienced in the goaths and in us : they h●mbled themselves and were exalted ; we exalted our selves and were dejected . this our generall found true in himselfe , being led captive into that citie of the enemies , into which he presumed he should the same day have entred as conquerour . herein the judgement of god was apparent upon him , that hee should suffer , whatsoever hee had presumed or undertaken to doe . the king of the goathes ( as hee concludes , ) fought with prayers and supplications before he came to fight with the arme of flesh ; and he therefore went out with confidence unto battaile , as having obtained victorie in his prayer . a second parallel to the former battaile , for the alternant inclinations of victorie ▪ or sudden turning of wofull and sad beginnings unto joyfull issue , might bee taken from that famous battaile of flodden , if wee may beleeve eyther the ordinarie scottish historie , or the constant report of the english , which were then alive , and tooke the relation from the mouthes of such as were imployed in that service , being men of note & no way partiall . in their observation , it was the extraordinary valour the of scottish vauntguard in the very first onset or joyning of battaile , which brought victory ( otherwise doubtfull or declining from them ) to the english . for the sudden discomfiture and confused flight of the english vantguard unto the maine battaile , made that unfortunate king beleeve , that the english army began to reele ; and out of this mistake , as one that had prepared himselfe to follow the chase , rather then to order his owne battaile , hee was encompassed by the english in that very place ( as some report ) which he had beene forewarned , but in termes generall and ambiguous , to eschue . that great warre betweene charles the fift , and the confederate princes of germany , begun in the yeare . was more lingring . for as the iudicious * historian observes , we shall hardly finde any record in antiquity of two such great armies lying so neare one to the other , so long as these two armies did without a ful battel . the war was managed , as if it had bin a game at chess , wherein divers oversights were cōmitted on both sides ; & yet the disadvantage given or taken , still so recoverable , that the old maxime , non licet bis peccare in bello , may seeme by the event of this warre , to be restrained to praelium , rather to a set battaile then to war ▪ charles the emperour , did in the esteeme of warriours , manage his businesses more cautelously than the confederates did : and yet if wee should speake in the ordinary politician or souldiers language , was more beholding to fortune , than to prudence or counsell of warre . it was a great oversight to expose himselfe unto such imminent danger , as he did at * genge , out of a desire to view his enemies army . for ( as the spaniards confesse ) if the confederate princes had beene as vigilant to take advantage , as he was carelesse to give it ; they might have put an end to this war , as soone as it was begunne . it is noted likewise , as a great oversight in them , that they did not assault him , whilest hee was encamped about ingolstade and r●●isborne , expecting fresh supplies out of italy and the low countries : yet the losse of this opportunity they had easily redeemed not long after , had not their project beene disclosed to charles , who removed his camp before they had notice , and , by favour of the great windes , which that night hapned , surprized donaverd , a place of good importance for his present designes ; that count egmond with his netherland forces , on whose skill and valour charles did most relye , should escape the surprisall intended by the landgrave , was more from good hap and caesar magius his extemporary sophisme , than from any forecast either of the emperour himselfe , or of count egmond . for unlesse his souldiers had been perswaded that the landgrave was nearer to them over night , than indeed he was ; hee had beene nearer to them , or sooner upon them in the morning , than they could have wished . but this false alarum , given by magius , made them willing , though much wearied , to march all night . not long after their safe conduct unto the maine campe , the chiefe counsellors of warre were instant with charles to dissolve his army for that w●nter , untill the next spring . that his resolution to the contrary , proved so successefull , was more than in humane wisdome could be forecast ; so long as the successe of maurice duke of saxony , and the bohemians which had invaded the territories of iohn duke of saxonie , was uncertaine . but the prevailing power of this unexpected enemie , being a known professor of that religion for whose maintenance his noble vncle and father in law had taken arms , enforced the confederates to divide their army , which could not but give advantage to charles . but that henry the eight of england , and francis the first of france , ( neither of them likely to have stood as by-standers in this great businesse , if they had lived ) should both dye in this interim , this was the lords doing , not fortunes . charles could not ground any resolution upon the hope of it , nor could the confederate princes foresee the disadvantage , which from their death did redound unto them . yet after all these prejudices on the confederate princes behalfe , charles his expedition into saxony against iohn prince elector , who had retired thither with part of the army , to prevent maurice his further proceedings ; was very doubtfull and full of danger : and yet was charles ( who before had shewed himselfe to bee more timorous and backward ) more resolute and forward , in this expedition , than any of his captaines or commanders . doubtlesse lest his captaines , his souldiers , or counsell of warre should boast , as if their own right hands , their policy and strength had gotten the victory ; the lord of hosts , the lord mighty in battaile , did so dispose that the emperour one while should feare , where no feare was , and another while be couragiously wilfull or resolute , against his grave counsell of warre , and against all probabilitie of hopefull successe . at nordling , when his army was full , and his souldiers fresh , when the spaniards ( after some difficult passages had beene conquered by their undaunted resolution , ) were perswaded that victorie was hard before them ; charles would not give them leave to overtake it , or ( as if it had beene snatched out of their jawes ) they did gnash with their teeth for very indignation ; nor was this hope of victory in the spaniards conceived from intemperate heate of warre , or longing desire to fight without good grounds of reason . for maximilian egmond , a wise and well experienced commander , was so taken with the same perswasion , that when the emperour called him back , he pulled his helmet off his head , and for anger and indignation , threw it with violence against the ground . had egmond followed his advantage and presently overcome his enemies , this might have beene attributed to scipioes valour in him . or , if charles himselfe had continually sought to drive away danger by delay , he might have beene reputed another fabius . but this ●●mper changed with the time , versâ tabulâ cu●●ebat , qui modo stabat , & stabant qui modo currebant . they drew back , which formerly could hardly be recalled from fighting ; and hee which recalled them , drawes them forwards against their wills . for comming neere to * mulberg , where iohn prince elector of saxony was taken ; albeit the duke of alva ( one at that time as notoriously knowne for his resolution , as for his cruelty afterwards ) and the rest of the counsell of warre , did utterly mislike his intended passage , over the river of e●ve that day , as an attempt too adventrous and desperate , which might yeeld great advantage to his enemy ; no perswasion could move or weaken his resolution , but fight he would upon that very day upon what termes soever . and it afterwards appeared that unlesse he had put this his unseasonable desire of battaile ( as to them it seemed ) in present execution , he might long have waited , before he had laid hold on the like opportunitie againe . for some few houres start , might either have secured the duke of saxony from a necessity of battaile , or assured him of victory , if hee had beene enforced to fight . the next morning , after his overthrow , the emperour met with new supplies , which had received the duke in a well-fenced place , whereas it was caesars good fortune to take the duke the day before , beyond all expectation , in such a place , as he could not fight upon equall termes , nor make from him but by a disgracefull flight . alva out of his experience and skill might foresee much hazard and danger in his masters adventrous resolution to passe over an unknowne river in such haste ; and his master , out of some humour or restlesse instinct , might be pusht forwards to fight that day , without apprehension of any just reason why : but who besides him alone , which appointeth the occurrences and opportunities of time , could foresee or forecast , that the duke of alva , being sent on a sudden to seek a guide , should forthwith light on a man , from whom some of the duke of saxonies followers ( a few dayes before ) had taken two colts , and made him ready and willing in hope of revenge , or recovery of his loss , to discover an unknowne passage of that uncouth river . they had reason to enstyle him , as they did , dux via : for he stood the emperour in more stead , than any ten captaines in his army , he being resolved to try the fortune of battaile that day . thus the lord of hoasts , as skilfull as mighty in battaile , can turne and winde the whole fabrick of warre with the least finger of his hand , and overthrow or establish the cunningest projects of greatest princes , and their counsels of watre , by the experience and information of a silly ▪ countrey swaine . captaines may consult , but he determines ; they throw the dice , he appoints the chance ; they may set their men as it pleaseth them , but he in the issue will play the game as it pleaseth him. when we see great statesmen , or subtile politicians more grossely infatuated in some particulars of greatest consequence , then ordinary men usually are ; this is a sure token , that the wisdome which they formerly used , was not their owne : but when we see them wittingly cunning to worke their owne overthrow , this is an argument that there is one wiser then they , which sometimes gives wisedome , sometimes onely lends it so , as he will require satisfaction for the mis-imployment of it . and it is not so great a wonder , to see a wise man infatuated , or utterly deprived of wisedome , as to see his wit and skill continually imployed in weaving a net , to insnare himselfe in , and such as rely upon his projects and power . hitherto charles the fift had the fortune of good dice , and played the fore-game exceeding well . but seeing religion lay at the stake , god instructs others to play the after-game a great deale better against him ; albeit he had two great counsellors , the one for matters of state , the other for warre , to wit , the duke of alva , and granvel the chancellor , as by-standers to helpe him . the sum of their advice , was to account severity the best fruits of victory ; and to keepe them under by strong hand , whom hee had conquered ; and to bring them in by cunning , which had yet some opportunity to stand out against him . his first oversight , was in committing the ever-renowned duke of saxony , to the custody of a spaniard , to alfonsus vives , brother to the famous ludovicus . this bred great alienation of affection and discontent in some nobles of germany , of whose fidelitie and good service in this warre , he had proofe sufficient . but more mightily overseene he was , in the cunning draught of those articles , upon which the landgrave of hessen did yeeld himselfe , not as a prisoner , but as a reconciled friend , or subject , as he presumed . the emperour and his counsell , had wit enough to take this man prisoner , but not to foresee the blot , which would hereupon follow , not to the stayning onely of the emperours honour , but to the hazard of the maine game , and utter losse of his late conquest . they did not consider that maurice of saxonie , sonne in law to the landgrave , was as subtill as valorous , and being as ambitious as subtill , would meditate as full a requitall of this reall disgrace and delusion , ( he being interested in the reconcilement ) as hee had done of a friendly but sharpe check , given by his vncle and guardian ( the now captive duke of saxonie ) for being too prodigall of his patrimony in his nonage . but maurice his disposition and abilities , were happily unknowne unto the emperour : and it was not usuall , for a forward young captaine , not above twentie six yeares of age , to be of as deepe a reach in matters of state , as his gray headed and most experienced counsellors . the more patient hee was for the present , the more deeply hee layed his plot , the more vigilant hee was to entertaine all opportunities which should be offered for the redemption of his father in law , and the libertie of his countrie . the making of maurice prince elector in his captive vncles stead , did adde much to his power : the spanyards securitie and insolency expressed in their printed bookes of the conquest in germanie as of some meaner province , or appendix to their affected monarchie , did much exasperate the germane princes especially , all but of brandeburgh hitherto a faithfull adherent unto charles the fift , and a trusty friend and companion unto maurice , to whom he was now more neerely li●kt by the sure tye of common discontent . the first opportunitie , which maurice had for effecting his long concealed plot , was the manifestation of charles his purpose for reducing the romish religion into the free states and cities of germanie ( which had abandoned it ) contrary to his former promises , when hee solicited their ayde against the duke of saxonie and landgrave of hessen , not as the chiefe maintainers or patrons of reformed religion , but as rebels against his imperiall majestie . this unexpected purpose of charles was most clearely bewrayed in the siege of magdeburge , against which citie , no occasion of hostility could be pretended , besides her citizens resolution to maintaine that religion , which by publique authoritie had beene established . the whole body of germany besides , was in a manner so drowned and choaked , that libertie ( especially in points of religion ) could scantly draw breath , save onely through flaccus illyricus ▪ his penne . for subduing this citie , which for a while had held out stoutly against others set to besige it , maurice of saxony was adjudged the fittest man , who being imployed in this service , gaines opportunity by protraction of the warre to make leagues as well with the french king as with some princes and states of germany : but after many suspitions and jealousies taken against him , so cunningly goes on with his project , that he came upon charles the emperour on such a sudden manner at inchborrouh , as made him and his courtiers , with the forraine embassadours there attending , to leave the supper which had beene provided for them unto maurice and his company . there was a horse-liter and torches provided for the emperour himselfe with some few attendants , but such scarcity of horses for the rest , that a man might have seene that common resemblance of princes , of nobles , and common people , to a company of chesse men promiscuously put up into a cō●on bag , when the game is ended , really acted in the confused flight of this great emperours amazed court. dukes , earles , & lords , great commanders in warre , common souldiers and kitchin boyes , were glad to trudge it on foot in the mire hand in hand ; a duke or earle not disdaining to support or helpe up one of the blacke guard ready to fall , lest he himselfe might fall in the mire , and have none to helpe him . this was the issue of the greatest warre which germany had seene or knowne since the dayes of charles the great ; in the managing and prosequution whereof more excellent commanders were imployed by charles the fift , than any prince in christendome since hath had to imploy . vnto many is given power and wit sufficient for compassing the conquest of their potent enemies , unto whom the wisedome of using the victorie aright ( which they oftentimes purchased at too deare a rate ) is denyed . the same lord of hoasts which put his hooke into senacheribs nostrills , and thereby dragged this furious monster , which had ranged farre and neere to devoure others , into his owne land ; there to fall by his owne bowells in the house of his false gods ; had all this while led charles the fift ( a prince of more calme and moderate spirit , ) as it were in a silken string , yet strong enough to bring this roving projector back againe within the rheine , where he is now to encounter with the french. and being thus overwearied in the germane warre , the duke of guise at the siege of metz , beates his souldiers out of heart and breath , and makes charles himselfe thus to pant : iam me desertum & circa me nullos viros video ; now i see i am a man forsaken , and have no men about me . few there were besides himselfe , that were willing to have the siege continued any longer : and one of his common souldiers , out of the bitternesse of his discontented soule and diseased body , calls him the sonne of a mad woman to his face , for continuing it so long . but whether his undertaking or prosequuting this siege , did relish more of his mothers disposition , than of his owne ; let warriours judge : he never shewed more wisedome in any enterprise before , then he did in this ; that he sought not from this time , to wooe his wonted fortunes , by wrestling with fates . but after he perceived the lord of hoasts did not goe out with his armies , as before he had done ; he willingly puts off his imperiall robes with his armour , and betakes himselfe to a private retired life . how much happier in this resolution , than either the davus or diabolus germaniae , than the often mentioned maurice of saxony , surnamed the victorious , or the turbulent albert of brandeburgh , which had brought him into these straits ! as these two princes in all their undertakings , in their secret confederacies , whether for charles the fift , or against him , had aymed more at their private ends , than at the publique weale of germany : so it pleased the lord of hoasts ( after he had by their joynt forces , so turned the seales of the germane warre , as is before set downe ) to settle the publique peace , by their fatall discord . so i terme it , partly because they had beene so deare friends , * partly because a reconcil●ation betwixt them was so earnestly sought by many , and would have beene readily embraced by maurice , had not albert , more out of the strength of wine , than either of wit or courage , provoked him to battaile by a most gross and most unseasonable challenge . maurice had given good tokens of his inclination to peace , and the like was expected from albert. but a the messenger being dispatched after dinner , when bacchus was more predominant with albert , than either minerva or mars ; in stead of a pledge of peace , hee sent his colours to maurice , and so after they had eaten and drunk , they rose up to play , after such a manner as abners young men and ioabs did , sam. . , . the manner of their mutuall assault , was more like a butchery , than a sober warre . albert in this furious conflict was so foyled , that hee never recovered root or branch againe : but after some few attempts , lived as a perpetuall exile or vagabond ; his memory being as hatefull to his country in his absence , as his presence had beene terrible , whilest he was able to gather forces . and * maurice who deservedly enjoyed the title of victorious , did take up victory upon exchange of life ; having so much use of sense and memory , as to have his enemies colours presented to his eyes , now ready to be closed up in perpetuall darknesse . this was the end of this victorious prince , which had outstripe the greatest statesmen of those times in maturitie of wit , and deepnesse of judgement , in matters martiall or civill , before his body was come to its full growth : in so much that policy ( whom caesars in their greatnesse are oft-times forced to serve ) did seeme to attend on him , enabling him to atchieve those projects with an heroicall carelesse resolution and majestique grace , for the purchase of which , many powerfull monarchs have beene often drawne to use untowardly shifts and slye coll●sions , odious and contemptible to their inferiours . he was the only man of his age ( as one writes of him ) that had the skill to take occasion ( when it offered it selfe ) by the very point , and to carve opportunities out of perplexities . yet for all this ●ad no skill or forecast to prevent ; no fence to put by the sudden stroke of death , which se● a short period to his farre reaching plots , and dashed the masterpiece of his projects , when it was come to the very height , and ready to fall upon the marke it aymed at . the spaniards have more cause to blesse the day of this princes death , then the day of their victory over the duke of saxony his uncle . for if he had lived but a little longer , the wings of austria and spaine had ( in all probability ) beene cut a great deale shorter throughtout germany and the low-countries , than since they have beene , by the confederacy which the french king and he had made lately for ruinating charles the fift . but whatsoever devices were in their hearts , the counsell of the lord was against them : and that must stand , though by the sudden fall of the confederates . to reflect a little upon the more speciall interpositions of gods providence in moderating the proceedings and issues of this warre . the romanists have small cause to brag ( though many of them doe so ) of charles his victorie over the two confederate princes , as of some speciall token of gods favour to their church and religion . * chytreus , a most unpartiall writer , and well acquainted with the state of germany as then it stood , and with the severall dispositions of the chiefe confederates ; ingenuously confesseth as a speciall argument of gods favour towards the professors of the reformed religion throughout germany , that the duke of saxony and landgrave of hessen had not the victory which they expected over the emperour . hee might have more reason thus to write , then i know or now remember : but certainly their agreement during the time of the war , was not altogether so good , as to promise any lasting concord or sure establishment of true christian peace throughout the severall provinces of germany , if they had prevailed . shertelius , who commanded in chiefe for the free cities , did ( as some write ) forsake the campe , as being wearie of their wranglings . however their few yeares captiuitie , was a fatherly chastisement , no plague or token of gods wrath against them . as the unjust detention of the landgrave , brought greater dishonour to the emperour charles , then any one act that ever he did : so the duke of saxonie wonne himselfe more honour by his durance , then the emperour could bestow upon him . victorie in battaile , abundance of wealth , and titles of honour , are gifts and blessings from the lord ; yet of which pagans and infidels are capable ; and such , as many heathen have scorned or not affected . but for a prince by birth , which had beene continually borne upon the wings of better fortune , alwayes reputed the chiefe stay and pillar of his country ; to endure captivity in an uncouth court , with such constancy of minde , as could turne the intended contempt and scorne of his witty enemies , into kindnesse and admiration , and cause such as had led him captive , not only to pitie but to honour him , and propagate his fame unto posterity . this was a blessing peculiar to gods saints . that character which forraigne writers have put upon him , will hardly befit any that is not a christian inwardly and in heart ; [ neque in prosperis elatum , neque in adversis dejectum sui hostes unquam vidêre : ] his enemies did never see him either puft up with prosperitie , or dejected with adversity . but was it not the greater pitie , ( if we may speake after the manner of most men , and as many germanes in those times did , ) that so noble a prince should be punished with the perpetuall losse of his electorall dignity ? yet even this ( that we may with veneration rather admire than question the secret wayes of gods providence ) was no losse , but gaine unto gods church , and the publique weale of saxony , which he more sought , than his owne ends or commodities . for by his falling into charles his hands , the electorall dignity of saxony fell into another collaterall line , which proved as beneficiall and favourable to good learning and reformed religion , as any other princely family of germany in those times . witnesse ( to omit their other good deeds in this kinde ) that princely munificence of duke augustus ( brother and heyre to maurice the victorious ) annually exhibited to ministers orphans , related by * polycarpus lyserus . how well those good examples which maurice himselfe , and his brother augustus had set , have beene followed by their successors , falls not within my reading or observation . but surely these two advancers of this second line did better imitate the princely vertues of their deprived vncle , than his owne sons were likely to have done . for the judicious unpartiall french historian , assignes this as one speciall reason , why the fame and memory of iohn duke of saxony did not continue so fresh and pretious after his death , as he deserved , quia reliquit filios sui dissimillimos . chap. . of gods speciall providence in making unexpected peace , and raising unexpected warre . the hand of the almighty is not more conspicuous in managing warres begunne by men , than his finger is in contriving their first beginnings . love is his nature , and friendship or mutuall love betwixt man and man , princes or nations , is a blessing which descends from him alone , who is the onely author of all true peace , but not the author onely of peace . sometimes hee kindles unquenchable dissentions where the seeds of secular peace have been sowne with greatest policy , and watered with continuall care and circumspection . sometimes againe hee maketh sudden unexpected concord between spirits which jarre by nature , and joynes the right hand of inveterate foes , to strengthen the stroke of iustice upon his enemies . later chronicles will hardly afford any example of worse consort betweene neighbour princes , than was betweene charles of burgundy , and lewes of france ; whether wee respect the contrarietie of their naturall dispositions , or the incompossibilitie of their projects or engagements . nature had planted , and policie had nourished a kinde of antipathy betwixt them . and yet how quickly and unexpectedly did these two great princes ( after irreconcileable variances ) close and agree together to crush the wise , the rich , and martiall earle of saint paul , then high constable of france . he that had beene of both these princes courts , and of both their counsels , hath left it observed , that they could never bee brought in all their life time to concurre in any other action or project besides this : albeit they had often greater motives to entertaine peace betweene themselves , than provocations to conspire against this earle . perhaps his experience of their ill consort made him more confident than otherwise hee would have beene ; though confident he might have beene upon better grounds than most great subjects or inferiour princes can be , if wit , if wealth , if policie , if martiall power or authority could secure any from the execution of gods iustice . the best use which machiavel or his scholars make of this potentates mishap , is to forewarne great subjects or inferiour princes not to interpose as arbitrators or vmpires upon advantage , when their betters fall at variance . the advice i confesse is very good , and ignorance hereof , or want of like con●ideration ( it may be ) was some part of this great earles folly , not his principall fault ; some occasion , no tue or prime cause of these two great princes combination against him . for besides lewes and charles , * cominaeus , a man no way inferiour to machiavel in politique wit , had espied a third principall actor in this tragedy , whose first appearance was ( to his apprehension ) in the likenesse of lady fortune , but was discovered upon better review to be divine providence . this good authors comment upon this accident is so full and lively , as it will not admit any paraphrase of mine , without wrong , not onely to him , but to the reader . onely of one clause pertinent as well to the discourse following , as to that or the like passage of sacred writ , [ as every man sowes , so shall he reape , ] i must give the reader speciall notice . this earle was alwayes delighted to sow the seeds of warre , war being ( as he and the world thought ) the chiefe field or surest ground of his glory , and he ends his thus honoured life with a bloody and unglorious death . this was by gods appointment the most naturall crop and proper harvest of such a seed-time as he had made . yet was not the finger of god more remarkable in knitting these two princes , which al their life times had stood ( as we say ) at the staffes end , than in loosing the strict link of mutuall amity between other ancient friends , and sworne confederates ; albeit the politician seeke in this case , as in the former , altogether to cover or obliterate all impression of it . for it is his manner or humour , as was observed before , to bring as much grist as he can , and more then he ought , to his owne mill ; to entitle such partiall and subordinate meanes , as fall within the compasse of his profession , sole or prime causes of those effects which are immediately produced by divine providence . he spake merrily that said , a man could not bestow his almes worse than on blinde men , seeing they could finde in their hearts to see their best benefactors hanged . but it hath beene delivered in good earnest as a cautelous rule by some politique discoursers , that the most thanklesse office any great personage can doe to his dearest friend , were to make him king. it is a lesson of every dayes teaching , the greater men grow , the more they scorne to bee thought to be beholden unto others . the very sight of such as they have beene more beholding unto , than they can handsomely requite , seemes to upbraid ambitious minds . hee is a meane historian that cannot instance in divers upstart princes , which could not long suffer the heads of those men , whose hands had put crownes on theirs , unto which they had no lawful title , to stand where nature had given them lawfull possession , ( ●i . ) upon their owners shoulders . politique rules or aphorismes grounded upon historicall observations of this kinde , are not altogether without use . but the doctrine inveiled in poeticall fictions , is in this and many other cases more catholique than the historians or politicians observation . vsuall it is with the poets when they represent the originall and progresse of tragicall dissentions betweene quondam friends ; in the first place to dispatch the furies abroad with fire-brands in their hands to kindle or blow the coales of cruell and ( without the mutuall blood of the actors ) unquenchable hatred . and to speake the truth without fiction , it seemes scarce possible that such light sparkles of humane anger as are usually the first seeds of quarrels betweene neighbour princes or confederate states , should grow unto such raging and devouring flames as they often doe , unlesse some spirit more potent than the spirit or breath of man did blow them . now if by furies the poets meane infernall fiends or evill spirits , their language doth not varie much from the ancient dialect of canaan . god ( saith the author of the booke of iudges , cap. . ver . , . ) sent an evill spirit betweene abimelech and the men of schechem : and the men of shechem dealt treacherously with abimelech : that the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sonnes of ierubbaal might come , and their blood be layd upon abimelech their brother which flew them , and upon the men of shechem which ayded him in the killing of his brethren . the mutuall disasters of both parties related in the verses following , is but the just award of lothams imprecation . vers . , . if yee then have dealt truly and sincerely with ierubbaal , and with his house this day , then rejoyce ye in abimelech , and let him also rejoyce in you . but if not , let fire come out from abimelech , and devoure the men of shechem , and the house of millo : and let fire come out from the men of shechem , and from the house of millo , and devoure abimelech . it would be more easie than safe , out of the histories of times ancient and moderne , domestique and forraine , to parallell this last instance so exactly as well for successe as practise , as might be sufficient , if not to perswade the irreligious politician , yet to leave him without excuse for not being perswaded , that there is an immortall king of kings and lord of lords , from whose jurisdiction no corner of the earth can be exempted ; an everlastingly wise and righteous iudge , which oversees the inventions of mans heart with a stedfast eye , and measures their actions with a constant hand ; one that visiteth the same irregularities by the same rule or canon , and fitteth like sinnes with like punishments , after thousand of yeares distance in time , in places distant some thousand of miles . but leaving the collection of parallell examples or experiments sutable to the rule proposed unto the readers private observation : the proofe of the last mentioned conclusion will bee more apparent and concludent from the examples or instances in the last section concerning the rule of retaliation . chap. . of gods speciall providence in defeating cunning plots and conspiracies , and in accomplishing extraordinary matters by meanes ordinary . when it is said that in god we live , wee move , and have our beeing , this is not to be understood only of being or life naturall , or of motion properly so called , but is to be extended unto life and operations purely intellectuall . so that the incomprehensible nature in respect of our apprehensions , is as properly an agent superartificiall , as supernaturall . all the skill wherewith any intelligent creature is or can be endowed , all the devises and projects of mens hearts , are as essentially subordinate to his incomprehensible wisedome , or counsell of his will , as the life , being , and motions of things naturall , are to his creative , conservative , or cooperative power . howbeit this subordination of the rationall creatures cogitations to his infinite wisedome , doth no way deprive it of all liberty or freedome , in projecting , devising or consulting ; but onely of power to appoint successe unto its owne projects or devises . thus much , to my apprehension , is included in the wise kings maxime , * many devises are in the heart of man : but the counsell of the lord , that shall stand . this freedome or liberty of mans wil in devising or projecting , and the want of all liberty or power to allot successe unto his projects , doth more truly argue , that which the latines call servum arbitrium , that is , mans servitude so misery and sinne , than if he had no more liberty in the one case than in the other . the more ample the spheare of his liberty in projecting or devising , is , or ( by divine permission ) may be ; the more admirable doth the counsell of the lord appeare in directing and ordering his free courses , most infallibly unto such ends as hee appoints , by meanes for their kinde , ordinary and naturall . and if we would diligently consider the works of god in our dayes , they are as apt to establish true beleefe unto the rules of christianity set downe in scripture , as were the miracles of former ages , wherein gods extraordinary power was most seene : yea the ordinary events of our times , are more apt for this purpose in this age , than use of miracles could be . for the manifestations of gods most extraordinary power , cease , by very frequencie , to be miraculous ; and men ( such is the curiosity of corrupted nature ) would suspect , that such events ( were they frequent or continuall ) did proceed from some alteration in the course of nature , rather than from any voluntary exercise of extraordinary power in the god of nature . but the continuance of these ordinary events , which the all-seeing wisedome of our god daily and hourely brings to passe , is most apt to confirme the faith of such as rightly consider them . for by their successive variety , the amplitude of his unsearchable wisdome is daily more and more discovered , and by their frequency the hidden fountaine of his counsell , whence this multiplicity flowes , appeares more clearly to be inexhaustible . only the right observation or live-apprehension of these his works of wisedome , is not so easie and obvious unto such as minde earthly things , as his workes of extraordinary power are . for such works amate the sense , and make entrance into the soule , as it were by force ; whereas the effects of his wisedome or counsell , make no impression upon the sense , but upon the understanding only , nor upon it , save onely in quiet and deliberate thoughts . for this reason , true faith was first to be planted and ingrafted in the church by miracles , but to be nourished and strengthned in succeeding ages , by contemplation of his providence . the limits of this present contemplation , shall be by example or instance to shew in what manner the wisedome of god doth sometimes defeat the cunningest contrivances or deepest plots of politicians , and sometimes accomplish matters of greatest consequence by meanes or occurrences light and slender in the esteeme of men . but how weake or slender soever they bee for their particular nature , or in themselves , yet the combination or contexture of them must needs be strong , because it is woven by the finger of god. what plot could have been invented against any land or people , more deadly , then that of hamans against the people of god , storied ester . , . his information against them was bitter , and easie to finde entrance into an absolute monarchs eares , whose words must be a law to all , especially to his captivate and conquered subjects . and the iewes on the other side more likely to change their lives , than the lawes of their god , for any princes pleasure . what hope ( in humane sight ) for mordecai to finde any favour , when as he was to execute this bloody law , whose particular spleene and revengefull mind against mordecai , had for his sake procured it , in most absolute forme against the whole iewish nation ? you will say , that ester lately received to greatest favour with the king , and now made consort of his bed , might prevaile much . and for a barbarous king to shew mercy , at his queenes entreaty , unto such as had done him so good service , as mordecai had done assuerus , is but an ordinary thing . i confesse as much , that many occurrences , which seem to conspire for mordecai and his peoples deliverance , are not extraordinary . for a king in his cups , to take a displeasure at his former queene , that would not consent unto his folly ; or for his displeasure unto the divorced , to shew greater love unto his late espoused queene , is a matter neither strange nor unusuall : but that queene vashti should bee displaced , and ester ( unknowne to bee of the captive hebrewes kinde ) admitted to be assuerus his mate , just at that time , when haman , the iewes sworne enemy , was exalted next to the king and queene in dignity ; this can only be ascribed to him , who , as the wise sonne of syrach speakes , hath made all things double , one against another , ecclus , . v. . againe , that the king , the very night before hee came to the banquet which ester had prepared , should take no rest ; this was the keeper of israels vigilant care over his people , who neither slumbers nor sleepes , whilest his enemies are a plotting mischiefe against them . againe , that the king taking no rest should seeke to solace his restlesse thoughts by reading the chronicles , that reading them hee should light on that place , wherein the now distressed mordecaies faithfull service , in bewraying the treason intended against his person , by bigtan and teresh his eunuches , was registred : all this doubtlesse , was only from his wisedome , that hath the disposition of al the lots , much more of all the plots which man can cast . many other occurrences might here be considered , no one of which considered apart , from the rest , but is ordinary and usuall ; and yet the entire frame or composture of them , such as cannot bee referred to any but his workmanship , who hath created all things in number , waight , and measure . yet a politician that should have read this story in the persian chronicles , could at the first sight have discovered a great oversight in haman , in not putting sooner in execution this his absolute commission ; semper nocuit differre paratis . perhaps this conditionall proposition may bee true , that if he had executed his commission with speed , the iewes had fared worse ; but for this cause the lord did not suffer him to entertaine this resolution . yet , let us see whether haste in execution could accomplish the like designes against a state in like case . fliscus that nobly descended and potent genoesi , with his familiar verina , had enacted as cruell a law against the dorian family , and the other nobility of genoa ; which they had resolved to have writen , first with characters of blood upon their pretended enemies brests , & after their death , to have condemned them by proclamation , when as fliscus through popularity should have got the diadem . their plot for effecting their enemies death and their owne advancement , was layed as exactly as policy could devise ; their practise and execution of meanes invented , was more exact then the patterne which machiavel gives for like designes . first , because store of armour and munition was necessary for such an action , and provision of such store of munition would be suspicious for a private man to undertake in a popular and factious state ; fliscus perswades young doria ( whose death he especially sought ) to be his partner in setting out a man of warre against the turkes . doria kindly accepts the offer , altogether ignorant of the others intent , which was by this colour to furnish himselfe with armour and munition out of the countrie for doriaes overthrow . and being once furnished with such tragicall attire , without suspition of any tragedy to ensue : for to provide himselfe of sutable actors ; hee invites a multitude of the commons to a night feast , where in stead of thanksgiving before meat , hee makes a patheticall oration , exhorting them to banquet it that night in the nobilities blood , assuring them that they should bee their owne carvers for ever after , of the good things of that citie . some for love to fliscus , others for hate to the nobility , some for feare of present danger , and others for hope of greater dignities ; for one cause or other , all at length , save two ( who desired to be spared for their faint hearts ) offer themselves to fliscus his service . and by their forwardnesse , the city gates , next to the key , whose command made most for their purpose , are presently surprised : yet not without some noise , which comming unto doriaes eare , makes him suspect that his mariners were quarrelling ; and rifing out of his bed to compose the supposed quarrell by his presence , he falls immediately into his enemies hands before he was sought for . but however this yong gallant had committed no actuall crime , that by course of humane law , deserved a violent death by such executioners ; yet the right hand of the lord had found him out , for consenting by piracy to disturbe the publique peace lately concluded betwixt charles the fift and the turke : which peace the genoezes amongst others , the dorian faction above other genoezes , but especially this young doria & his fathers house ( which had stood for caesar against the french ) were bound in conscience to observe . but leaving the cause of his death unto the righteous iudge : his sudden end in any politicians judgement was a good beginning to fliscus mischievous designes . and what more could machiavel have in the next place given in charge , but that the gallies which made some stirre at the noise , should with all speed bee boorded to make all sure , untill the tragedy were fully acted . this fliscus sought to put in execution with as great speed as machiavel in like case could have wished . but haste ( as wee say ) makes waste : his forward minde had made him forget , that his body was not so nimble in armour , as out of it ; not so apt either to avoid a slip , or to recover himselfe when he began to slide . by his hasty treading upon a loose plank ( as if the snare had been set for his soule by the almighties hand ) he , and one or two of his companions , fell some yard or two short of their purpose , and drowned themselves and their plot , even whilest it was come to such perfection , that the younger fliscus yet hoped to make himselfe duke of genoa , as haply he might have done , if the lord had lent him so much wit as to have concealed his elder brothers death , scarce knowne to any till he bewrayed it to such as enquired for him , in hope to finish all instantly by his presence . but they partly amazed with the elder brothers sudden disaster , and seeing no sufficiency in the younger , to satisfie their expectation , dissolve the rout , and ceasing to project the ruine of others , begin every one to seek the best meanes for his owne safety . thus hath this politique gentleman consulted shame unto his house , his stately palace is demolished , and his noble family almost extinct . yet were all the conditions which greatest plot-masters require in such projects , exactly observed in this : the plot it selfe as acurate as could by the reach of man be devised , their counsell communicated but to a few at the first , the execution of it so speedy , that the appointed actors could have no leisure to deliberate whether it were better to relent , or goe forwards ; and yet the successe more dismal and sudden , than their enemies could expect or wish . thus machiavels rules have their exceptions , but the prophets calendar is never out of date ; non est viri dirigere gressus ejus . not machiavel himselfe had he been present , could so have directed fliscus his steps , that his treadings should not slip ; yea , he should have fallen , though machiavel had held the plank . for his iniquity had overgrown his plot , and being come to ful height , it strikes upon that immutable & irresistible doome which god by moses had pronounced , deut. . v. . vengeance and recompence are mine , their feet shall slide in due time , and the day of their destruction is at hand , and the things that shall come upon them , make haste . these men we spake of , hastned their owne destruction , by making too much haste to destroy others . perhaps the politician will reply : as haman was too slow , so fliscus was too hasty , and should have observed the contrary rule , differ ; habent parvae commoda magna morae . suppose this hot-spur were revived , to re-act his former or the like cunning plot , and for his better remembrance should take the dolphin and harrow for his devise , with this inscription , festina lente ; it were not possible his speed should be better , so long as his intentions were as bad , or worse then they had beene ; and his adversaries no worse then they were , when he conspired their death . to omit more examples ancient or foraigne : the fresh memory of the powder treason eclipseth all that have gone before it . no politician can justly accuse the actors of this intended tragedy , either of hamans too long delay , or of fliscus his haste . such maturity and secrecie they used in their actions and consultations , as none on earth could have used more , considering the many lets and impediments which did crosse their projects . hell it selfe had gone so long with this hideous monster , that it was weary and well content to make an abortive brood , as fearing the pangs that must have accompanied the full delivery of what had beene conceived within her bowels , would be unsufferable . but achitophel had wit at will , to plot a treason to his soveraignes overthrow ; yet herein blinded by him , that gave him sight in other projects , that he could not forecast what harmes might befall him by absoloms folly . and though the arch-plotter were vir profundae dissimulationis , one that could give traiterous counsell , as the destroying angell of the lord , and hide his counsell as deep as hell ; though he had this extraordinary quality in him , of making his friends so sure unto him , that they would adventure both body and soule at any time for his sake : yet thus farre infatuated he was , as not to consider , that some of them which were so willing to worke a publique mischiefe for his pleasure , might also have a desire to secure their private friends from danger , by giving them some generall or ambiguous admonition , albeit against their oaths of secrecie . that one of them should seeke to admonish his honourable friend of the instant danger , was a thing not extraordinary , except in this , that so much good nature could be left in his brest , that could consent unto his countries ruine . that a man of the iesuites instruction , should finde an evasion in an oath , which he held lawfull , is a matter usuall . and who knowes whether hee that permits evill , because he knowes to turne it unto good , did not at this time make use of the iesuites doctrine of playing fast and loose with his sacred and dreadfull name , to animate this discoverer to dispense with that solemne oath of secrecy which he had taken , and afterward to forsweare the fact so deeply . i do not think he durst have adventured upon either , without some secret mentall reservation . but without all question , it was his counsell which moderateth the maine devises of mans heart , that moved him to expresse his minde in such termes , as might represent or call the fathers disaster , unto the remembrance of his royall sonne , whom nature had taught to make jealous constructions of every speech , word , or circumstance , that might revive the memory of the intendments against his father , and to forecast all possible interpretations of all occurrences , which might portend or intimate the like designes against himselfe . as the sincerity of his royall heart and consciousnesse of clemency towards all , especially towards that faction which deserved none ; had brought our soveraigne asleepe in security : so the collections which he made out of the disclosers aenigmatical admonitions , were such as a man would make , that had heard the letter read in a dreame or slumber , not such as so wise and learned a prince would in other cases have made in his vigilant and waking thoughts . but from what cause soever the dreame came , the interpretation was from the lord , and let it be unto the kings enemies for ever . the event hath proved the discloser to have beene a false prophet , and to have spoken presumptuously when he said , that god and man had concurred to punish the iniquity of those times , by such a blow as he meant . we must with the true prophet make confession : not unto us lord , not unto us , but unto thy name give the glorie . it was not god and man , but god alone , that did sute and order the severall occurrences by which the intended blow was prevented . it was not god , but the devill , that did intend it . that the iewes in the dayes of mordecai , that the genoezes within this age , that this land and people within our memory , have not become a prey unto their malicious enemies , was meerely from the counsell of the lord , which must stand , for our good , if we decline not unto evill . it is not the breath or vapour of hell , that can undermine our state , or shake our princes throne ; whilest god is with us . but if he be against us , what can be for us ? if he doe but speake the word , even the least word of mortall man , whose breath is in his nostrils , shall be sufficient to blow up or overturne a kingdome . if subjects should rebell , as often as princes breake jests upon them , they might worke their owne greater real disgrace , and wrong both themselves and their posterities farre more in deed , than the other had done in words . but opportunitie makes a theefe , and want of opportunitie oftimes keepes great mindes much discontent , from rebellion . but when it shall please him that hath reserved the perfect knowledge of times and seasons to himselfe , not to dispose their opportunities to any land or peoples good ; a womans unseasonable word may breed mightiest empires greater reall mischiefe , than emperours swords for many generations can redresse . so it fell out , when iustin the emperour had removed narses the eunuch from his regency of state upon importunate accusations , which , for the present , he could not put off , but only by putting him from his place . sophia his empresse ( not so wise herein , as after-experience might have taught her to have beene ) whether willing ( as the old proverb is ) to adde scathe to scorn , or whether desirous to sooth narses his calumniators in their humour ; said she would have narses come unto constantinople , there to spin amongst her maids . the jest , being brought unto his eares , provoked him to give her proofe of his masculine spleene and indignation . for he thus resolved , seeing it hath pleased her excellency to appoint mee this taske , i shall shortly spinne her such a threed , as shee and her husband shall hardly bee able all the dayes of their life to untwist . not he , but the lord by his mouth had spoken the word , and it was done . for alboinus king of the lombards comes instantly out of hungary at narses his call , who could not disswade him from entring into italy , after it repented him of his former spleene against sophia , and of his encouraging of this king to revenge his wrong . the easterne empire had received many wounds before this time , but lately cured of the most dangerous by narses his good service . this was the first perpetuall and irrecoverable maime : the second more grievous did follow upon as light occasions , but where in the concourse of many circumstances were more notable . when * mahomet first begun to counterfeit extaticall visions , and practise sorcery ; he aymed perhaps , at no greater matters than simon magne did , onely to be accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , some great one among his fellow badgers and camel-drivers . he did not so much as dreame of nestorius or his heresie . and sergius the monke , when he began to maintaine that heresie at constantinople , did think as little of arabian sorcery . after these two , by satans instigation , and gods permission , had made a medley of iewish infidelity and grecian heresie , as if it had beene a garment of english wool and out landish●●int ; they least thought of any mutinie towards , in heraclius his camp for want of pay . the romane quaestor was altogether ignorant of mahomets visions or his new coined lawes , when he thus disgracefully intreated the arabians or sarazens : there is scarce sufficient provision for the romane and grecian souldiers , and must this rascality of dogs be so importunately impudent , in demanding their pay ? sed habet & musca splenem . these poore barbarians were such hungry dogs , as looked to be cherished where they fawned , and could be content to change many masters , rather then be continually raited thus . now albeit the romane quaestor did thus uncourteously dismisse them , without a pasport or direction whither to goe : yet the lord by his harsh language did hisse for these hornets , unto mahomets campe ; who had beene lately foiled by the persian , untill these fugitives raised him up , and made him lord of aegypt . thus of the heresie of sergius ( by birth an italian , by profession a monke ) and of mahomets sorcery , and of these sarazens mutiny , hath the divine providence , made up a triple cord , which cannot to this day be broken , having continued almost these thousand years , as a fatall scourge to christendome . a meere politican , that considers the causes of iustinus his losse , by the discontent of narses , or of heraclius his prejudice by these sarazens revolt , would from both draw that aphorisme which divers have done , from a trusty * gascoignes answer unto charles the . french king. the aphorisme is that princes must beware what speeches they use unto great souldiers or men of valour , seeing that gascoigne ingenuously told his lord and master , that for a foule disgrace he could turne traytor , though all the riches of france , though the french kingdome it selfe would not suffice for a bribe to make him prove false , or to corrupt his loyall minde . the rule or aphorisme is in many cases good . yet if this and all other like caveats were strictly observed , and other matters not amended ; he that at his appointed time turnes disgracefull speeches unto the speakers overthrow , can make the mildest words , which generalls or other confederates in armes can utter , for accomplishing their joynt purposes , to effect their owne ruine , and delivery of their enemies . it is a knowne story of a family or faction in perusium , who having gathered a competent armie of their allies , to surprise the citie from which they had beene lately banished ; made their forcible entrance into it by night , but sting all the chains that otherwise would have hindred the passage of the horsemen , untill they came unto the market stead or chiefe place to bee surprized . but here their hercules , wanting roome ( by reason of the presse ) to fetch a full blow with his club , for bursting that chaine , much stronger ( in all likelihood ) than the rest , cries * back , back , unto those that were next unto him , and they the like unto such as were behinde them , untill the same words had run like an eccho to the hindmost ranks or reere ; who imagining that those in the front had descried some danger , resolved to be the first in retiring , as they had beene the last in entring : and hence they in the front perceiving themselves suddenly destituted of their company , give their enterprize for lost , which one blow more , or one word lesse , had presently effected . but perpetuall exile was by divine justice the enterprisers due ; and though iron chaines may be burst by the strength of man , yet the counsell of the lord , that shall stand , more firme than walls of brasse , or rocks of adamant ; that his enemies at the appointed time may fall before it . the onely use which the politician hath made of this and like experiments , is this : first , that generalls should bee very wary what words should passe throughout their army , and for this purpose to keepe servants , women , or other talkative or clamorous creatures , farre from the army , when any service is toward . secondly , to accustome their souldiers , onely to respect their commanders speeches , and to account of others as winde , that blowes afarre off . these caveats were given above yeares agoe ; and yet have greater forces than these italians had , beene upon as light occasions defeated in their intended surprisalls of cities by night , after they had blowne open their gates with petars . however , the admonition hath its use and seasons , though oftentimes observed without successe , because it is too much relyed upon . mordecai spake with confidence unto ester ; if thou holdest thy peace at this time , comfort and deliverance shall appeare unto the iew out of another place ; because as he supposed , the counsell of god was for their good . but though souldiers should hold their peace , and generalls speake nothing but what the politician should prompt , yet shall destruction come upon them upon other occasions ; if the counsell of the lord bee once against them . yea though the parties disagreeing should lay all enmity aside , and consult for the establishing of peace , yet shall they conclude in blood , if the lord of hosts be displeased with them . a fit instance to this purpose is registred , as camerarius tels us in foraigne annalls , though not intimated by our english historians , who had as much reason as any other to have recorded it , if the story had beene true . but seeing they have omitted it , i will not expect the readers historicall assent unto it , but only commend it unto him as an example for illustrating the probability of the last observation . the english and french army being ready to joyn battell in normandy , the french captaines perswade their king to intreat a parley with the king of england , that so all matters might be compromised without further harme or danger to either partie . the place agreed upon for the parley was a ruinated chappell , a little distant from both armies . a friendly compromise was by both kings resolved upon to be further ratified upon deliberation of their severall counsells . but before their parting , a huge snake , whether stirred up by the noise of their attendants which waited without , or upon other occasions , seemed by her hissing and swelling necke to make towards them . both of them alike afraid , draw their swords , and yet neither willing to trust other within the walls , run out with their naked swords in their hands : their attendants upon this sight misdeeming some outfall in the chappell betweene them , doe the like ; and the armies upon this view joyne battaile , and could not bee recalled , untill much blood on both parties was , and more had beene spilt , unlesse the night had come vpon them . be this , as it may be , a true story , or a fiction : the possibility of such unexpected occurrences ( all which are at the almighties disposition ) are infinite , and cannot be comprehended , much lesse prevented by the wit of man which is but finite . so that although the plots and devises of mans heart be many , yet hath the lord more counterplots perpetually in store , and therefore of all counsells , the counsell of the lord it shall stand . whilest i reade some speculative politicians , that seeke by observing the errors of former times in managing civill affaires or projects , to rectifie or correct their oversights , and take upon them to make an ephimerides of future events : their discourses in my slender observation , argue a greater ignorance in them , of divine providence , than their practises would in the mathematicks , that would labour out of a surd number to extract a perfect square . he that knowes the rules of arithmeticall division , might in every working or attempt of resolving a full number into its proper square , come nearer and nearer to the square number , and yet be sure not to finde it , though he spent nestors yeares in dividing and subdividing the same number , or resolving fractions into fractions . the reason is this , how little soever a surd number exceeds the next square , yet the overplus is in division infinite . and so are the events which the politician seeks to rectifie or determine of , and therefore not certainly rectifiable or determinable ; save onely by him whose wisdome is actually infinite . it is an errour incident to little children to think they might easily shake hands with the man in the moone , or with endymion kisse the moone it selfe , if they were upon the next hill where it seemes to them to set : and if you bring them thither , they think they came but a little too late ; if they could bee now at the next hill where they see it goe downe , they imagine they might doe so yet . such for all the world is the practicall politicians errour , the cause of both in proportion the same . children are thus deceived , because they imagine no distance betweene heaven and earth , or betweene heaven and that part of earth which terminates their sight . and so the secular politicians minde , reacheth no farther than the hemisphere of his owne facultie . either he knowes not , or considers not , how farre the height and depth of his wisedome and counsell that sits in the heavens , and rules the earth ; exceeds the utmost bounds or horizon of his foresight and limited skill : in this only different from the childe , that his wit is more swift and nimble than the others body , so that he is not so soone weary of his pursuit . but if hee misse of his purpose at the first , he hopes at his next flight to speed , and thus in seeking after true felicity ( which was hard by him , when hee beganne his course ) he runnes round all the dayes of his life , even as he is led by him that daily compasseth the earth . better might painters hope , by looking on the multitude of men now living , to draw accurate pictures of such as shal be in the age to come ; than any politician can expect , either by observation of former times , or experience of his owne , to prescribe exact rules for managing of future projects . for if we consider the whole frame or composition of circumstances , or all the ingredients , ( if i may so speake ) of every event ; there is as great a varietie in humane actions , as there is in mens faces . never were there two events of moment upon earth altogether alike ; each differs from other , either in the substance , number , or quality of occurrences , or in the proportion of their consonancie or dissonancy unto the counsell of the lord ; as there is no visage but differs from another , if not in colour or complexion , yet in shape or figure . i have beene perhaps rather too long , then too bold in decyphering the vanity of this proud criticke , which accuseth christianity of cowardize in actions , and devotion of stupiditie and dulnesse in consultation of state. but so might bats and owles condemne the eagle of blindnesse , were tryall of sight to be made in that part of twilight , wherein darknesse hath gotten the victory of light . some men not able to discern a friend from a foe , at three paces distance in the open sunne , will reade their pater noster written in the compasse of a shilling by moone shine , much better than others clearer sighted , can reade a proclamation print . the purblinde see best by night , yet not therefore better sighted than others are , because the absolute triall of ●ight is best made by day . so is the meere politician more quick fighted , than gods children in matters permitted by divine providence , to the managing of the prince of darknesse . for albeit the righteous lord do in no case permit , or dispense with perjury , fraud , or violence ; yet he suffers many events to be compassed by all or some of these , or worse meanes . now when matters usually managed by speciall providence , come by divine permission once to catching ; hee that makes least conscience of his wayes , will shew most wit and resolution . for whatsoever falls to satans disposalls , shall assuredly bee collated on him that will adventure most . it is his trade and profession to lend wit , might , and cunning , for satisfying present desires , upon the mortgage of soules and consciences . and his scholar or client ( the politique atheist ) perceiving fraud and violence to prosper well in some particulars , imagines these or like meanes throughly multiplied to be able to conquer all things , which he most desires . but when satans commission is recalled , or his power by gods providence contracted ; the cunningest intentions or violent practises of politicians , prove much like to a peremptory warrant out of date , which being directed to one county is served in another . both indanger the party prosecuting , and turne to the advantage of the prosecuted . i conclude this chapter and section with the observation of a namelesse author , but set downe in verses , related by camerarius . si vitam spectes hominum , si denique mores , artem , vim , fraudem , cuncta putes agere . si propius spectes , fortuna est arbitra rerum : nescis quam dicas , & tamen esse vides . at penitus si introspicias , atque ultima primis connectas , tantum est rector in orbe deus . who looks on men , and on their manners vile , weenes nought is wrought , nought got sans force or guile : who nearer looks , spyes ( who knows what ? ) her wheele who coozneth fraud , and oft makes force to reele . but eagle sights which pierce both far and neare , eye one who onely ruleth all this spheare . section iv. of gods speciall providence in suiting punishments unto the nature and qualitie of offences committed by men . chap. . of the rule of retaliation or counterpassion . and how forcible punishments inflicted by this rule without any purpose of man , are to quicken the ingraffed notion of the deitie , and to bring forth an acknowledgement of divine providence and iustice . aristotle did rightly denie retaliation or counterpassion to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , exact justice ; and yet it may be , pythagoras his thoughts did soare much higher than his , when he pitched upon the affirmative . in ordinary offences committed by unequall or extraordinary persons , pythagoras his tenent , is not universally true . as if a great person should beat his farre inferiour , without just cause , it stands neither with the law of god , * or rule of equity , to beat him in the same fashion , or according to the same measure againe . but when kings and monarks doe extraordinary wrongs unto their subjects , or practise prodigious cruelties upon their inferiours ; they usually suffer the like harmes or plagues themselves . but who ( saith cominaeus ) shall call potentates in question , who shall accuse , who shall condemne , who shall punish them ? all ( as he resolves ) that can be required to a formall processe , shall be supplyed by the complaints and teares of such as are agrieved by them ; by the sighes and grones of the fatherlesse and widowes . these are more authentique than any witnesses of fact , more powerfull then any atturney or advocate , before the supreme tribunall of god. so good and gratious a iudge is he , and so compassionate to the oppressed , that even in this life he often punisheth kings for their sakes , so evidently and so remarkably , as there can be no place for doubt amongst the observant , that he is a most just avenger of humane impietie . but most princes ( as the same author notes ) are so unexperienced , so inconsiderate that whiles prosperous fortune smiles upon them , they feare no stormes , no punishment , no conviction . and for want of this feare , which is the beginning of wisedome , god suddenly raiseth up some adversary or other , when they least suspect . affliction in some kinde or other is the surest friend , the most trusty counsellor , that any prince can use ; for of all the rest of his retinue , it onely knoweth not how to flatter . and affliction or calamity of the same kinde , which they have undeservedly brought upon others ( when that befalls them ) is the most sincere , most powerfull preacher that enters in at any court gate , for bringing potentates to the knowledge of god and of his lawes , or to acknowledge him to be as well the iudge of iudges , as lord of lords . for as iustice cannot be done upon private offenders but by the warrant of supreame authoritie ; so when wee see such judgements befall supreme magistrates themselves , as to the notions of naturall reason are just and right , and as it were exactly fitted to that which they have done to others ; this clearly argues there is a supreme tribunal in heaven , which hath more soveraigne authoritie over the highest thrones and principalities on earth , than they have over the meanest subject that lives under them , or filliest wretch that sojournes within their territories . and if the tallest cedars be not without the reach of divine iustice , shall it not controll the lower shrubs ? never was there any man on earth ( i am perswaded ) save one ( who was more than man ) but upon a diligent survey of what hee had done & suffered , might have taken just occasion to repeat that lesson , which the suffrance of such calamitie from the hands of men , as he had procured unto others his neighbour princes , had taught adonibezech to say by heart , threescore and ten kings having their thumbes and their great toes cut off , gathered their meat under my table : as i have done so god hath requited me . iudg. . . this tyrants offences had beene many and grosse , more barbarous than many princes in this age would ( perhaps ) commit ; yet an usuall practice upon the conquered in those ancient times ; a politique embleme of slavery , in thus fitting their hands for the oar● , and disenabling them to use the pike , or other like instrument of warre . however ; more at this day would be ready , upon like provocation or custome to deale as boysterously with their vanquisht foes , as adonibezech did with his , rather than to make the like ingenuous confession ; though god did call their sinnes to minde by such sensible remembrances , as awaked him . this i have generally observed , that lighter touches of gods afflicting hand , did more affect the outragious people of the old world ( unlesse such as were delivered up into a reprobate sense ) than his severe blowes do many amongst us , which have the reputation of moderate , of civill , yea of sanctified men . the minds of most men are so blinded and choakt with cares of this world , that they looke no further than into second causes ; and hence ( like idiots ) they suspect such blowes as are reached them from heaven , to be given by such as are next unto them . but even amongst such as look farre enough beyond second causes ; amongst such as see god in his word , and daily heare his promises , some there bee which either distinguish too nicely between gods temporall punishments , and his fatherly chastisements , or else make not right application of this distinction to their owne particular . from the one or other mistake , ( perhaps from both ) whatsoever affliction befalls them , after they have taken speciall notice of their regeneration , is entertained as a meere loving correction , sent for no other end than to worke for their future good , not as a touch of gods punitive justice requiring serious repentance for some particular sinnes past . but whatsoever may be thought of the distinction it selfe , this application of it , was not in use amongst the ancient saints and people of god. few moderne spirits of ingenuous birth and breeding , but would scorne to be suspected of such rude and vast behaviour , as some of iacobs sonnes used towards their father , others towards ioseph , or the shechemites . and yet , how quickly doth the feare , rather than the sufferance of lighter affliction than ioseph suffered at their hands , call their offences against him to their remembrance . they knew themselves to bee as free from the crime wherewith he charged them , as he was from merit of death , when they put him into the pit , or from desert of bondage , when they sold him to the madianites . notwithstanding , his very not being so flexible to their requests , as their instant occasions required , ( though nothing so inexorable as they had been to him in his extremity , when they knew him ( as now they do not ) to be their brother ) caused them to make this mutuall confession one to another , [ we are verily guilty concerning our brother , in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought us , and we would not heare : therefore is this anguish come upon us . gen. . . ] this speedy relentance upon this warning , is an assured testimonie , that the feare of god and of his just judgements , did in some measure lodge in all their harts ; but most abundantly , now , in reubens , whose former sinnes against his father , did equalize , if not superabound his brethrens sinnes against young ioseph , of whose miscariage he was least guilty . for unto the rest confessing their sinnes , as was set downe before in the next verse , hee thus replyes ; spake i not unto you , saying , doe not finne against the childe , and ye would not heare ? therefore behold also his blood is required . yet was this confession uttered thirteene yeares after the fact was committed , untill that time never called in question . chap. . of the geometricall proportion or forme of distributive justice ; which the supreame iudge sometimes observes in doing to great princes as they have done to others . bvt these sonnes of iacob were private men . and god in putting them into the same feare & anguish of soule into which they had put their harmlesse brother , might observe the strict rule of retaliatiō or counterpassion , without swerving from the rule of equitie , seeing their brother was their equall : but doth the righteous lord observe the same rule betwixt parties for condition or state of life most unequall ? doth he mete out punishment unto princes , in just equality to the harmes which they have wrongfully done to their subjects or inferiours ? surely he is no respecter of persons , in cases of justice or revenge . but where the blow or matter of punishment , which lights on potentates is much lesse , the griese or smart may be fully as great , as their fury can procure unto their subjects . in the case betweene kings and subjects , properly so called , or betweene superiour and inferiour subjects , there is a kinde of allowance to bee made , according to geometricall proportion , without swerving from the exact rule of retaliation . it is a memorable comparison which * cominaeus ( according to this allowance ) hath made , betweene the evills which lewis the eleventh french king , had done to others , and the like evils , which god , in the end of his raigne , did bring upon him . to be disrespected by them , whom hee had advanced far above their deserts , and graced with dignities whereof their education and profession was uncapable , could not but be a great griefe unto this great king , as the like ungratefulnesse would be unto any other : yet a just & usuall award of divine iustice upon such princes as thus neglect the rule of humane distributive justice , in the dispensing of honorable favours . but for a prince , which had alwayes required exact obedience , alwayes accustomed to expect an observance from his subjects , more than ordinarily is given unto other princes ; to be , in his old age , inforced to observe and flatter the churlish humour of his a physitian , whose untoward service hee had recompenced with a standing fee of a thousand crownes a month , besides other gratuities extraordinary : ▪ this was a perpetuall torment , whereof lewis in his perplexity could not but often complaine unto others , yet could not remedy . for this was a disease which he durst not make knowne unto his physitian , whose displeasure he feared more than any thing else , besides death ; which was the only cause why he so much feared his displeasure . and is it not ( as the wise king speakes ) a vanity of vanities , or more than so , a misery of miseries , that the feare of this last point or close of life , should make great men slaves , for the most part of their lives , and bring a necessity upon them , of fearing every one with more than a slavish feare , that may in probability be conceived as an instrument or messenger of its approach . now this king was so excessively afraid of death , that he had given it in strict charge unto his friends and followers , not to give him warning of this his last enemy , by name , whensoever it should ( to their seeming ) approach : but to exhort him onely to a confession or expiation of his sinnes . yet was it his ill hap or fate , after he had set his house in order , and after his dejected spirits had beene somewhat raysed with new hopes of recovery , to have death rung into his eares by his servants , after such an indiscreet and unmannerly fashion , as if they had sought to put him into purgatory , whilest he was alive . his barber , with others , ( whom he had rewarded farre above their deserts ) without any preamble or circumlocution of respective language , ( as if they had come unto him , rather as iudges to pronounce the sentence of death upon him , than as gentle remembrancers of his mortality ) told him bluntly and peremptorily , that his houre was come , that hee was not to expect any further comfort from his physitian , or from the hermit , who ( as he thought ) had prolonged his life . if we could unpartially weigh the quality and condition of the parties , who were thus uncivilly and unseasonably bold with him , in the one scale of just estimation , and the greatnesse of his person , his natively timorous disposition and accustomance in the other ; the disparity would move us to bee of cominaeus his minde in this point ; that this untoward remembrance or denunciation of death , was more bitter and grievous unto lewis , than the sharp message of death , which he had sent by commissioners , unto those two great peeres of france , the duke of nemours , and the earle of saint paul , giving them but a short respite to marshall their thoughts , and order their consciences before their finall encounter with this last enemie of mortality ; which they could not feare so much as lewis did . as this great king had done unto these great subjects , so have his servants done to him . lewis again , had caused certain places of * little ease to be made , or ( at least ) did well accept the invention of iron cages or grates , little more in compass than the square of a tall mans length , wherein he detained such as offended him ; some for divers , months , others for many yeares together . a and through consciousnesse of this his rigorous dealing with others , he confined himselfe ( for a long time ) to a custody or durance as strait for his greatnesse , as the iron cages were for their mediocrity . they were not more desirous to see these close prisons opened , or to heare of the day of their deliverance from them , than he was carefull to cause the iron . fences , wherewith he had incompassed the castle , wherein he had imprisoned himselfe , to bee close shut ; save onely at such times , as hee appointed them ( upon speciall occasions ) to be opened . his miserable captives were not afraid of passengers , or of such as came to visit them , they needed no guard to secure them : lewis caused certaine archers to keep centinell as well by day as by night , to shoot at all that came neere his castle gates , otherwise than by his special command or appointment . in fine , he was more afraid to be delivered out of his prison , by the nobility of france , than his captives were to be put in such cages ▪ that which he feared from his nobility , was not death or violence , but his deposition or removall from the present government , from which many wise princes in their declining age , have with honour and security sequestred themselves . whether lewis in entertaining the invention of iron cages , and the use which he made of them , or the cardinall , which to please his severe humor , first invented them , were more faultie , i cannot tell , nor will i dispute ; the rule of retaliation was more conspicuously remarkable in the cardinall . for as ●ominaeus tells us ( who himselfe had lodged eight months in one of them ) the cardinall was by lewis command detained prisoner ( fourteene yeeres together ) in the first that was made . it was well observed , whether by a christian or heathen , i now remember not , — neque lex hâc justior ulla est , quam necis artisices , arte perire sua . a law ●●●re just than this cannot beset , which cruell skill doth catch in ijs owne net . one perillus was the body or subject of the embleme whereof this motto was the soule . he died a miserable death , in that brazen bull , which he had made , at the tyrants request , for the deadly torture of others . and albeit , this cardinall did not dye ( for ought i reade ) in the cage of his owne invention , yet had he a greater share of vexation in it , than was intended for others . what good effect this long and hard durance wrought in the cardinalls soule , is not specified by my author . but it is an observation of excellent use , which an heathen * philosopher hath made upon like accidents in generall ; that law or rule of equity ( saith he ) which wretched men in effect deny whilest they doe wrong to others , the s●m● law the sam● men desire might be in force whilst they suffer wrong or harms by ●t he●s . for example , he th●● 〈◊〉 wrong , doth wish what the f●●le saith in his heart , there were no god : for so he might hope to escape that vengeance which whilest he thinks of a god or justice divine , hangs over his head uncessantly threatning to fall upon him . but hee that suffers wrong , is willing to beleeve there is a god , and heartily wisheth it so to be , that by his assistance he may bee supported against the evills , which he suffers . it is for this reason ( saith this philosopher ) expedient that such as grieve and afflict others , should have experience of the like affliction , to the end that being taught by their owne losse or grievance , they might learne that truth , which being blinded by avarice or other unruly desire , they could not see before . and this truth or good lesson they may easily learne , so they will undergoe the mulct or punishment due to their offence , with submission or patience . albeit the cardinall had beene a flat atheist before , or one at least that had not god in his thoughts , whilest he sought to please the rigorous humour of this king , with an invention so displeasing unto others ; yet after experience had taught him how exactly that misery had befalne himselfe , which by his furtherance had befalne many , or was likely to befall them ; hee did ( no question ) often wi●h in his heart , that the rule of retaliation , wherwith he was visited , might be constant and unpartiall ; that king lewis himselfe might not bee exempted from its visitation . now unto what rule or law could so great a king bee subject , besides that one everliving rule or eternall law it selfe ? he that heartily wisheth iustice might bee done on such , as have full power and authority to doe it , but will not doe it ; doth implicitely , yet necessarily acknowledge a law or iudge supreame , iustice it selfe ; so is god. and he that seriously desires mitigation of that paine or misery , which by the irresistible force of humane authority is inflicted on him doth , acknowledge a mercy more soveraigne than any earthly power , and this can be no other than god , who is mercy it selfe . many may cast the feare of god out of their thoughts ; but none all notions of divine iustice out of their hearts . these notions or apprehensions of an everliving rule of equity , mercy , and justice , are so deeply rooted in the consciences of all , and are themselves of such an immortall nature , as they can never be so utterly extinguished in any , but that affliction will inspire them with fresh life and motion , and make them breathe out supplications to the supreme iudge , either for mercy towards themselves or for justice upon other . the particular evills which lewis , by divine iustice , in this life , suffred ( haply ) had never come to the exact notice of posterity , unlesse cominaeus his wits , had beene set on worke to observe them , by his experience or foresufferance of the like evills from lewis , or by his procurement . besides this authors imprisonment eight months in the iron cage ; another evill there was , wherein no ancient servant or follower of this king , but had a large portion . for , he had either a naturall inclination , or a disposition acquired by custome , to hold them , whom he did not formally sentence to any set punishment , in a perpetuall feare or anxiety of minde . now the consciousnesse of this his disposition and customary practice in his best and able dayes , did ( as it were ) binde him over to indure the like torments in his feeble and declining yeares . metus pessimus tyrannus , to live in perpetuall feare , is to live under the most cruell tyranny , that can bee . and unto this tyranny greatest tyrants are more subject and more obnoxious , than their inferiours can be to them . for though it be possible for one man to keepe many thousands in perpetuall awe and feare , yet is it not so much for every man ( of so many ) in his owne particular to feare one man , ( how greatly soever ) as it is for one man ( how great soever ) to stand in feare , but of halfe so many . yet can no man be so great or so well guarded , as not to have often and just occasion to feare some harme or other , from everie one , whom he hath made to feare him more than is fitting . whence , he that seekes to sowe the seedes of feare in the hearts of others , doth but thereby ( as it were ) consecrate his owne heart or brest to be the receptacle or store-house of the multiplied increase or crop . for even in this case that saying is most true , as every one sowes , so shall he reape . what other issue could be expected from lewis his rigid practise upon others , and his owne native timorous and ignoble disposition , than such tormenting jealousies and perplexities , as cominaeus tells us in his old age did seize upon him , and enforce him to feare the vertue and worth of his dearest friends , not daring to trust sonne or daughter , or sonne in law . now it is more than a purgatorie , even an hell upon earth , for a man which can take no joy in himselfe , to deprive himselfe of all comfort from his dearest friends , and them of all comfort from him . so * uncomfortable was the duke of bourbon his sonne in lawes companie to lewis , and lewis his company unto him , that when he came to visit him in peace , and out of loyall respect and duty , he caused a slye search to be made of him , and of another earle his companion , whether they did not beare offensive weapons under their garments ; thus polluting the nuptiall joyes of his late maried sonne and heyre , with sordid jealousies of his sonne in law. chap. . how the former law of retaliation hath been executed upon princes , according to arithmeticall proportion , or according to the rule of commutative justice . bvt however lewis of france were punished , according to the rule of retaliation or counterpassion : yet in the manner of retribution , the righteous lord did observe a kinde of geometricall proportion . the affliction or visitation it selfe , was the just award of punitive iustice : & yet the form of proceeding bears the character of humane distributive iustice , which hath usually some respect to the dignity of the persons awarded . so humane laws , which punish capital crimes with death , are dispensed with , by the favour of the prince , for the manner of death . that , is not so ignominious or dishonorable in the execution upō nobles , as upō inferiors involved in the same capitall crime , or treason ; no not , albeit the nobles be principalls , and inferiours but accessories or assistants . but this favourable kind of punishment for the externall forme , god doth not alwaies use towards princes . if many times he may seeme to beare respect or favour unto their place or persons , this ariseth not from their greatnesse , but from some other causes best knowne unto himselfe . his judgements upon princes and other potentates , are often executed , according to the most strict arithmeticall proportion that can be required in the rule of retaliation upon equalls , as well for the manner as for the matter of punishment . and although god in this life never plagueth any according to the full measure of their offences committed against himselfe : yet he often visiteth kings and monarks , with a fuller visible measure of calamity , than they have brought upon others , and with calamity of the same kinde . though pharaoh had beene the greatest monark , and his court the most glorious seat of nobility ( till their time ) on earth : yet because hee and his nobles had plotted cruelty against the innocent , without relentance or remorse , the dignity of his or their persons procures no mitigation either for the matter or manner of punishment . their dues are fully paid them ( as we say ) in kinde ; the guiltlesse blood of poore hebrew infants is rendred seven ●old into the bosome of the aegyptian nobility and men of warre . never did any state or kingdome , since the foundation of the world were laid , receive so terrible a wound within its owne territories , in one day , as at this time egypt did , but females did in some measure feele the smart . yet in this last , as in the former plagues , no egyptian woman had cause to lament for her selfe , for her sister , or daughter ; but many for their husbāds , their brothers or sons . what was the reason ? the * egyptian mid-wives ( and they were women ) if no other of their sex besides , had beene more merciful to the infant males of the hebrewes , than the egyptian men had been . and as they had done , so hath the lord requited the one and rewarded the other . to the mercilesse cour●iers , politicians , and men of warre , he hath rendred vengeance and judgement , without mercy , and punished them with miserable and ignominious death , shewing compassion on the weaker and more pitifull sex . it was a rare document of divine justice to ordaine , & of divine wisdome so to contrive , that the dogges should lap king ahabs blood in the same * place , where they had lapped the blood of naboth ( stoned to death through his connivance or permission . ) as sure a token it was of justice tempred with mercy , and of the great kings speciall grace or favour unto this gracelesse king of israel , that the * dogs which lapped his blood should not so much as touch his body . being slaine in battell , his death was honourable , as the world accounteth honour , yet was it not so much the dignity of his royall person , as his humiliation upon the prophets chalenge , which made him capable of this favour ; but not a dram either of disgrace or misery from which ahab was by gods mercy in part released , which did not fall into the scale of iustice , wherein the impiety of proud iezabel was exactly waighed . the measure of her husbands punishment is not so much less as hers was fuller than naboths had been . the sight of her cōmanding * letters caused poore naboth to be stoned to death by the men of his citie : and at iehues call , her body is dashed against the stones by her owne servants . the dogs lapped naboths blood , but they devoured iezabels flesh : she had beene shamelesly cruell in her life , and she hath a most shamefull and a most fearfull death . nor would the all-seeing iudge suffer that respect to be done to her corps , which her cruell * executioner intended , upon remembrance that she had beene daughter to a king. it was i must confesse a ruefull case , and yet a judgement , more righteous than rufull , that she which had issued from royall womb , she from whose wombe had issued royall progenie , ( for she had beene respectively lawfull daughter , lawfull wife , and lawful mother unto three kings ) should be entombed , ere her corps were cold , in the entrailes of * dogs , should have no better burial than the dead ass or other carion ; albeit she died in her owne royall palace . but thus the almighties arme sometimes reacheth greatest princes even in this life heavier blowes , than they can give unto their poorest subjects . but where the blow or matter of punishment which falls on them is much lighter , the wound or torment may be more grievous , as was observed before , than their furie can procure unto their despised brethren . but neither doth the sacred relation concerning pharaohs overthrow , or iezabels death containe a more perspicuous , ocular demonstration of divine iustice executed according to the rigour of retaliation , than hath beene represented or rather really acted upon a publike stage within the memory of some now living . the subject of this rufull spectacle was henry the second french king of that name . the accident is not recorded by gods spirit , yet the experiment ( as unpartiall writers , which i take it were eye witnesses of it , have related ) is as exactly parallell to the rules of gods spirit , and affords as good instruction for moderne princes , as examples in the sacred story , did to posterity . this youthfull king in the beginning of his reigne , had licenced others to feed their eyes with the sight of a deadly duell , authorized by him in favour of vivonus to the disgrace and prejudice ( as the court of france expected ) of chabotius : whose hands notwithstanding the lord did strengthen , to kill the favourite , who after many bitter provocations had drawne him within the lists , more against his will , than an old beare is brought to the stake . the death of vivonus though most just , doth no way excuse the barbarous injustice of this king , who hath this justice done upon him : hee had made a sport of shedding blood , and he himselfe is slaine in ludicro certamine , running at tilt : and slaine by that hand which had beene his instrument to apprehend those noble and religious gentlemen , which had been lately imprisoned , and in whose misery the court of france did then rejoyce : and adding gall to wormwood , solemnized these and the like triumphant shewes or sportings in their sight : yet was it not count montgomeries hand , but the right hand of the lord , which did at one and the same instant unty the kings bever , and guide the splinter or glance of montgomeries speare into that eye , which had beheld a duell , that could not be determined without the death of the one or other combatant ( both being frenchmen , & his natural subjects ) with such delight , as yong gallants do ordinary prizes , or other like spectacles of recreation . of vivonus his death , few or none but frenchmen were eye-witnesses ; but of this kings tragicall triumph , spain & germany with other countries were spectators by their proxies or ambassadors . as if the lord would have these thē present to cary this message to their masters to be by thē directed to the rest of christiā princes . discite justitiā moniti & non temnere divos . take warning by this princes fate , not to approve what god doth hate . god is no accepter of persons : in respect of the execution of his most righteous law ; as is the people , so is the prince : his word must be alike fulfilled in both ; not only subjects that kill one another , but princes ( be they kings or monarks ) that authorize murder , or suffer their subjects blood to be unjustly spilt , by man shall their blood be spilt ; if other executioners faile , even by the hand of their dearest friends : such was count montgomery to this king . the caveat , which from the untimely death of this earle , a judgement inflicted by divine justice , not so much for this , ( though this were pretended by the queen mother and dowager to take away his life ) as for other offences , hath beene elsewhere commended to yong gallants or princes servants , was ( to my remembrance ) this , not to be instruments thogh to kings in the execution of manifest injustice , seeing this noble gentleman after much honor & many victories ●otten by war , in defence of those of the reformed religion , whom he had formerly wronged , came at length to lose his head in that very place , whither , by henry the seconds appointment , he had brought divers noble gentlemen to the fagot , & some of that honorable bench , which afterward sentenced him to death . chap. . the sinnes of parents visited upon their children , according to the rule of retaliation . all the parties hitherto instanced in , were visited by the rule of retaliation in their owne persons , some of them not in their owne persons alone . but it is usuall with the supreme iudge to visit the ou●crying sinnes of irreligious parents , upon their children , according to the former rule . and to this purpose the visitation of ahabs , and of iezabels bloody sinnes against naboth ▪ may , by * expresse warrant of sacred writ , be improved . but no histories , profane or sacred , afford more fit instances for the proofe of this conclusion , than our owne chronicles doe . it was a question amongst the heathen philosophers , an res posterorum pertineant ad defunctos ; whether the ill or welfare of posterity , did any way increase or diminish the happinesse of their deceased ancestors . the negative part is determined by the great philosopher in his moralls . and i know no just cause or reason , why any christian divine , should either appeale from his determination , or revive the doubt . yet if the affirmative part of the former question , were supposed as true , or were it lawfull to imagine or feign such interchange of speech , or dialogues , betwixt deceased grandfathers , vnkles , and their nephewes , as our saviour ( i take it ) not by way of reall history , but of fiction , doth betweene abraham and dives ; me thinks edward the third , and lionel duke of clarence might have taken up iothams parable against bullinbrooke and the house of lancaster , if yee have dealt truly and sincerely with us , and with the prime stemmes of this royall stock , then rejoyce yee and your posterity in your devises : but if not , let fire come out from among your selves , or from our stock , to devoure you , and to make your posterity curse your dealings with us . and in what region soever 〈◊〉 soule did in the third generation reside , it might have framed its responsary unto this parable out of adonibezeks song , as i have done to you and yours , so hath the lord requited me and mine . and had this or the like saying ( upon the deposition of bullinbrookes heyre ) beene daily rung into the eares of edward the fourth , felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum . amongst men , none more happy is than he , that can his owne by others harmes foresee : it might have wrought better effects for the bodily or temporall good of his harmlesse sonnes , than any dirge could , after his death , procure unto his soule . few chronicles else will exhibit such a continued pedigree of unhallowed policies ill successe , as our owne annalls of those times doe . vnto richard the second and his misleaders , it seemed a branch of plausible policy to banish his cozen ( henry of bullinbrook ) this land ; the vicinity of whose heroicall spirit was an heart-sore to this degenerate prince . but what successe did the counsell of the lord award unto this jealous devise ? bullinbrook by his presence amongst foraine nations ( which scarce knew him before ) gained so much honour , and so much love with the chiefe peeres of this realme ( which had knowne him before ) by his absence , that richard the second was taken in his owne feare , and his crowne set upon bullingbrookes head , with generall applause . but the lesse right he had unto it ; the greater was his jealousie , lest richard the second , or some other more principall stemme of the royall stock might take it off againe . the only meanes , as he thought , for securing himselfe from this feare , and for setling the crowne upon the house of lancaster , was , to put the poore deposed king to death ; whose errours deserved pitie and compassion from every true english heart , if not for his grandfathers , yet for his heroicall fathers sake , that gideon which had brought so much honour to the english nation . and after richards death , the master-piece of his policy was , to suffer mortimer the lawfull heyre unto the duke of clarence , and now unto the english crowne , to live a miserable captive under the enemy , who had more reason to revenge himselfe upon the english by mortimers death , than bullinbrook had to murther richard the second . this soule sinne of bullinbrooke was visited upon the third generation . his grandchilde and heyre , henry the sixt , a man more free from staine of guiltlesse blood , than either richard the second or bullinbrooke had beene , is cruelly murthered by edward the fourth , a stemme of mortimers stock , and of lionel duke of clarence . for though god hath sworne not to punish the children for their fathers offences ; yet he hath professed it , as a rule of his eternall justice , to visit the sinnes of fathers upon the children . and from the equity of this rule , many princely races have utterly determined and expired , in the dayes of such princes as were most free from the actuall sinnes of their ancestors , which were the causes of their expiration ; as is in other meditations shewed at large . but though it were just with god to visit bullinbrookes sinne on henry the sixt : did edward the fourth commit no injustice by doing that which god would have done ? yes ; he did therefore most unjustly , because he did doe that , which god would not have done by him . and therefore the counsell of the lord , which overthrew the bloody devises of bullinbrooke for setling the crowne of this kingdome on himselfe and his heyre males , did more speedily overthrow the devise of edward the fourth . god visits his sinne in the next generation upon his lovely and harmlesse sonnes in their nonage , before the devises of their hearts were capable of any evill or mischiefe towards men , and did visit them by the hands of their bloody uncle richard the third , who , by their fathers appointment , had practised butchery upon the house of lancaster , that he might become a more skilfull slaughterman of the house of york . thus did blood touch blood , and for a long time run in the blood of his royall race , untill the issue was staunched by the blood of the cruell tyrant slaine in battaile by henry the seventh . all these instances mentioned in this , with some others in the former chapters , will fall under another more usefull consideration , in the treatise of prodigies . or divine forewarnings betokening blood . chap. . grosser sinnes visited upon gods saints according to the former rule of counterpassion . as it is generally more safe to speake the truth of times past , than to open our mouths against the iniquity of times present : so to trace the prints of divine providence , in thus fitting punishments to mens enormities , will be lesse offensive , whilest this search is made abroad , than it would be , were it or the like made neerer hand , or at home . yet were it well , and it might goe much better with this land and people , if every ancient , every noble , or private family , specially such as have had much dealings with other men , would make the like search within their owne pale . few families there be of greater note , but either have or might have had undoubted experience of some visitations upon them , according to the rule of counterpassion , within two or three descents . that most private men doe not finde experiments of this rule in themselves , this falls out for want of observation , or because they keepe not a true register of their owne doings or sufferings . no man can plead any personall exemption from this canon , by reason of his righteousnesse or integrity ; none can altogether secure his posterity , that some one or other of his sinnes shall not bee visited upon them . nor can it justly be accounted any taxe or prejudice , unto any family , to undergoe with patience , that mulct , which the righteous iudge hath laid upon them . to murmure or grudge at our owne or others visitation , whose welfare we wish or tender , is blame-worthy with god and good men . and albeit this distemper be not ( onely ) meritorious of death ; yet is it this , which for the most part brings a necessity of dying upon such , as have otherwise deserved death , whether bodily or spirituall . for no man , which with patience and humility , acknowledgeth the equity or justice of his punishment , as it proceeds from god , but will , in some measure , recall himselfe , or inhibit his progresse in that sinne , the smart of whose punishment he feeles . and unto every degree of sincere revocation or repentance , some degree of mitigation is awarded . the best meanes for instilling the spirit either of meeknesse or patience , in suffering for offences past , or of feare to offend in the like kinde againe , will be to take the punishments or corrections of gods saints , into serious consideration . ▪ if for the manifestation of gods justice , it must be done unto his dearest saints , as they have done unto others , either whilest they themselves were his enemies , or made him their enemy , after their reconcilement had beene wrought : what may they looke for in the end which still continue adversaries to the truth . david was a man after gods owne heart ( excepting the case of vriah , ) yet not therefore free from disgrace , danger , or harme , after the prophet had solemnly denounced his pardon ; thy sinnes are forgiven thee : in respect of the adultery committed by bathsheba , absolons offence against his father david , was much greater than davids had beene against vriah . the one was done in * secret , the other in the open sunne . the death , if not of bathshebaes childe , yet of his son absolon , was more bitter unto david , than his owne death could have beene . so much he confesseth himselfe , and testifies the truth of his confession with his teares . and the king was moved , and went up to the chamber over the gate , and wept ; and as he went , thus hee said , o my sonne absolom , my sonne , my sonne absolom : would god i had dyed for thee , o absolom my sonne , my sonne . king. . . so that here was more than a full retaliation , if we consider his offence , as it had reference onely unto vriah . for one mans life is as much worth as anothers , and vriah lost but one life , david was to suffer the losse of two . yet this is not all that the prophet had to say to him for this offence ; for so he saith , sam. . . thou hast killed vriah the hittite with the sword , & hast taken his wife to be thy wife , and hast slaine him with the sword of the children of ammon . now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house , because thou hast despised me , and taken the wife of vrias the hittite to bee thy wife . but when it is said that david was a man after gods owne heart , excepting the matter of vriah , this exception includes , if not an interruption in the bond of grace , by which he had beene intirely linked unto gods favour , yet some wound or breach in the estate of his wonted favour and liking with god. and no marvell , if that sinne which made this breach , and for a time removed the fence of gods favourable protection , were visited upon his person and upon his posterity . but are the sins which men commit , whilst they are gods enemies thus visited upon any , after their full admission into the estate and favour of gods sonnes , or whilest the bond of their reconciliation remaines unwounded and entire ? we doe not reade of any grosser sinnes committed by saint paul , after our saviour had effectually called him . we may without breach of charity , perswade our selves , that he was as free from that time forward , from wronging any man , iew or gentile , as samuel had beene from wronging israel . saint stephen , at his death , prayed for him , not against him . but though hee freely forgave him , yet will not the righteous iudge suffer the wrongs , which he had done , unto this blessed martyr , passe without some solemn remembrance . those which stoned saint stephen , laid downe their garments at pauls feet ; and his willingnesse to take charge of them , argues he was consenting to his death : so i thinke was not barnabas . and for this reason , we doe not reade that barnabas was stoned , as paul was , by the iewes which came from antioch and iconium unto lystra and derbe ; albeit both had beene alike offensive for preaching the gospell at iconium ; where the same * violence had beene likewise joyntly attempted against both . vpon the matter then betwixt saint paul and saint stephen ( albeit saint stephen make himselfe no partie ) this is the onely difference ; stephen dyed by the hands of his persecutors , so did not paul. yet , it seemes , the righteous lord suffered these malignant iewes to doe as much unto saint paul , as had beene done by his consent unto saint stephen , even as much as they themselves desired , which did despite him no lesse than their countrimen and brethren in iniquity , had done s. stephen . for they drew him out of the citie , supposing he had beene dead . howbeit as the disciples stood round about him , he rose up and came into the citie , and the next day he departed with barnabas to derbe . acts . , . paul ( wee may conclude ) was more extraordinarily preserved by god , not lesse rigorously dealt withall by the iewes , than saint stephen had beene . that he was extraordinarily preserved , we have reason to beleeve , because he was appointed to be a patterne of suffring more violence than this , from the time of his calling . that he was appointed to bee a patterne of suffering evills , we must beleeve , because god himselfe doth expresly testifie as much , at the time of his calling , unto ananius , who was to ratifie his calling so farre as the notice of it concerned the visible church . for when ananias did demurre upon his admission into the church , the lord said unto him , goe thy way : for he is a chosen vessell unto mee , to beare my name before the gentiles , and kings , and the children of israel . for i will shew him , how great things he must suffer for my names sake . act. . , and yet ( perhaps ) saint paul had not been made such a spectacle to the world of suffrance or persecutions , unlesse he had persecuted more than saint stephen ; unlesse hee had made havocke of the church . it is not probable , that these iewes had any minde to punish paul for his offence against stephen ; of which if they had any notice or remembrance , this would have made them more ready to pardon him , for preaching the gospel at this time , than to put him to death for persecuting such , as had preached it before . their resolution to stone him , at this time , rather than beat him with rods , as their usuall manner was , argues that their wills , though otherwise free ( more than enough ) to doe mischiefe , were , by the all-seeing providence , determined or guided in the manner of practising mischiefe . to say , the author of beeing , and fountaine of goodnesse , did instill this spirit of fury and malice , into the hearts of these iewes , or did , by any decree , absolutely necessitate them to conceive so full a measure of mischiefe , as now possessed them , were ( i take it ) to swerve from the forme of wholsome words , & would give some advantage to the adversaries of truth . it was sathan & thēselves , which had charged their brests with this extraordinary measure of fury and malice . but these , being so overcharged , as that without some vent or other they were ready to burst ; he , who is as well the supreme moderator of mens thoughts and resolutions , as iudge of their actions , did not onely permit or suffer , but direct , appoint , and order , that they should exonerate or discharge their furious malice upon saint paul , not upon barnabas ; and upon saint paul , by that peculiar kinde of violence , which now they practise , rather than by any other , unto which they were more accustomed . chap. . of sinnes visited or punished according to the circumstance of time or place wherein they were committed . it may be , the circumstance of the time , wherein this visitation happened to s. paul , might suggest as much , as wee have observed , unto himselfe , or unto others then living , whom the remembrance or notice of his former trespasses , might concerne . but however it were in this particular , the identitie , whether of the time , or of the place , wherein men have done , and afterwards suffer extraordinary evill , are in their nature , better remembrancers of gods justice , than the exact identity or likenesse of the evills , which they have done to others , and from others suffer , is ▪ if a man should meet with mischiefe in the same place , or be overtaken by it on the same day , wherein he had done the like mischiefe vnto others : the event would naturally argue a legall and formall processe of divine iustice , calling time and place ( which are alwayes witnesses of actions done in greatest secresie ) to give speciall evidence against him ; and to make his owne conscience confesse that , which all the world besides were not able to prove . some within our memories , have concluded their unseasonable sportings with death , sudden and casuall in respect of men , upon the same day after revolution of times , wherein they had deserved or cunningly avoided the sentence of death , being more than due unto them , if iustice might have had its naturall course . and it might peradventure have gone better with them , if they had hid themselves , for that day , in the house of mourning , or not adventured upon the house of mirth , or fields of sport . to particularize in , or comment upon domestique moderne examples , would bee offensive ; beatus populus qui scit jubilationem : that people or family is happy , which knows the times & seasons of rejoycing and mirth , but more happy are they , which know the times and seasons of mourning , or for preventing the day of visitation . and the best meanes to foresee or prevent it , would be to keepe an exact calendar of our owne and of our forefathers sins , for these we are bound to confesse with our owne . and if we would unpartially judge our selves , for both , by unfaigned repentance and hearty contrition : we might escape the judgements of god , which by our neglect hang over us , and , without amendment , will fall upon us . it is a saying amongst the later iewes , volvitur meritum in diem meriti : though punishments do not immediately pursue the fact which deserves it , nor instantly overtake the party which committed such fact ; yet it resteth not , but roules about untill it meet with them or their posterity at the same point of time , wherein it was deserved . the temple by their calculation , was twice destroyed upon the same day of the same month , upon which moses had broken the tables . though so it were de facto , yet this revolution infers not this destruction to be fatall . it might have beene , at both times , prevented , had that generation wherein it hapned , beene as zealous of gods glory , as moses had been ; or had they held idolatry or hypocrisie in as great detestation as moses had done . some foraigne * writers have observed , that the hope of this land , whilest he lived , edward the sixt , did dye upon the selfe same day ( after revolution of some yeares ) in which his father had put sir thomas moore to death , a man otherwise faulty , yet so true a pattern of morall justice , as it cannot seeme strange , if the righteous iudge did take speciall notice of king henries dealing with him , and insert the day of his death in his everlasting calendar , to be after signed with the untimely death of king henries only son. how the sins of parents are often punished in their harmlesse , or lesse harmfull posterity , is elsewhere discussed . i will not interrupt this discourse , with any digression concerning divine equity in this point , nor with any apology for these curious observations , as some enstyle them : i relate onely matters of fact , or punishments answerable to offences , as well for the circumstance of place , as of time . * pausanias a famous antiquary , or , to describe him better to a meere english reader , the cambden of greece , hath observed as much , as now we doe , in his narrations of the warres between the romans and the corinthians , or achaians , managed by metellus and critolaus . the history , though briefe ( as being but an appendix of his intended topography ) is fraught with many remarkable circumstances , pointing out unto us a divine provid●nce ; of which , two ( concerning the selected band of arcadia put to flight , but with more honour than the rest of critolaus army ) are more specially parallell to the rule of retaliation . these arcadians after the foile , retyred safe ( to the number of a thousand ) unto elatea , a city of the phocenses ; where they found good welcome at the first , upon some ●ermes of ancient confederacy or alliance . but the sudden noise of critolaus and his companies overthrow , dissolved the links of former amity . the poore arcadians were commanded , by the state of phocis , forthwith to relinquish elatea ; and , in their returne to peloponnesus , meeting unexpectedly with metellus forces , were all slaine by the romans , in the selfe same place , in which their fore-elders had forsaken the grecian l●●guers , or con●●derates against philip of macedon . honest countrimen see meteors or other appearances , as perfectly as philosophers do ; but they often erre in guessing at the place or subject where in the appearance is made . thus many imagine the sunne to be reddish , in a foggy morning ; when as the rednesse is in the ayre . so did this heathen antiquary , expresly and fully discern the power of divine iustice in this event ; from the circumstance of the persons ( a race of truce-breakers ) and from the place of their discomfiture . his eyesight or apprehension herein , was as cleare as any christians . wherein then consists his error ? in attributing this award of divine iustice unto the gods of greece . but did any southsayer of greece foretell , that the fathers breach of truce should be thus visited upon their children as elias foretold , that the dogs should lap ahabs blood , and eate iezebel and their childrens flesh , in the same place where they had lapt the blood of naboth , whom iezebel had caused to be stoned to death ? the identity of iustice done upon divers people and nations , rightly argues that the god of israel , did then rule and execute judgement unto the ends of the world ; although he did not deale so with any nation , as he did with israel ; neither had the heathen knowledge of his lawes , much lesse such distinct foreknowledge of his judgements or visitations as was usuall in israel ; unlesse it were in some cases extraordinary . to have seene with our eyes , what we have read in a faithfull and judicious * historian , one to dye in a fit of the falling-sicknesse , or , ( as it was then presumed ) to bee vexed to death by an evill spirit , at the time appointed for his consecration , even whilest he did prostrate himselfe before the altar to receive the holy ghost , by the imposition of his metropolitans hands , would have moved the like question to that of christs disciples , concerning him that was borne blinde ; lord , who did sinne , this man , or his parents ? whose shame did he fome out with his last breath , his owne , or some others ? such as is here expressed , was the ●ate of strachyquaz sonne to b●leslaus the first , and brother to b●lesla●s the second , king of b●h●me , who with the bishop of mentz , was an eye witnesse of this prodigious fearefull accident . and if consecration dinners were then in use , ( as doubtlesse they were , when kings sonnes and brothers thought it no scorne to be consecrated bishops ) respondent ultima primis ; strachyquaz did better brooke his name after his death , than at his birth or baptisme , or ( as my author speakes ) on his lustration day . the realitie answering to his name , and portended by it , he left behinde him : the dinner provided , was indeed ( terribile convivium ) a banquet of dread or horrour to all spectators , a feast of whose d●●●●ies few ( i thinke ) would eate . and thus much doth the name strachyquaz in the bohemia●● language import ; a name imposed upon this unfortunate person , at his birth , in triumphant memorie of that bloody banquet , unto which his father bolestaus the first , had invited wenceslaus the king his elder brother , with intent to murther him , as he did ; taking opportunitie to accomplish this impietie , in the temple of god , where this king ( afterwards sainted ) was at his midnights devotions . . to sit as coroners upon the soules of men deceased , is a thing which i have ever misliked , though sometimes practised by men , otherwise of deserved esteeme . and whosoever in this case will take upon him to sit as iudge , my request shall bee not to serve upon the iury. yet if my opinion were in this particular demanded , [ whether this man dying ( as the story presumes ) of a deuill , the manner of his death were any certaine prognosticke , or probable presumption of his damnation ] my verdit should goe in mitiorem partem , that , thus to dye of a devill , unlesse his former life had beene devillish , ( which the historie no way intimates ) doth no more argue his damnation , than the untimely death of ieroboams child , did argue him to have beene guiltie of his parents actuall sinnes ; in the manner of whose death ; notwithstanding , as wel as in strachyquaz his tragicall end , the sinnes of their parents were remarkeably visited , according to that rule of iustice , which now we treat of , that is , by way of counterpassion , in respect , if not of time , yet of the places wherein they were visited . that ieroboams child dyed in gods favour , the text instructs us . king. . . all israel shall mourne for him and bury him : for hee onely of ieroboam shall come to the grave , because in him there is found some good thing toward the lord god of israel , &c. but to returne to strachyquaz : the maner of whose death , ( as is apparent ) was more fearefull and prodigious , yet no signe of damnation . for as there is ( vates praeteritorum & futurorum ) a branch of prophesie in discovering times past , as well as events to come ; so there may bee , and oft-times are prodigious and portentuous accidents , which point at nothing ( de futuro , s●● a retro ) which looke backwards , not forwards . the best use or signification of this fearefull disaster was to advertise the present generation , and their successors , that the execrable and sacrilegious murder , committed by boleslaus , father to strachyquaz , was not expiated as yet , but to be vis●●●d upon more generations without heartie repentance and confession of this wicked usurpers , and his complices sinnes , wherewith the land of boheme had beene polluted . the first borne of egypt , was slaine for their fathers offences against the infant males of the hebrewes ; and strachyquaz dyed this fearefull death by the visitation of his fathers sinnes upon him ? but he might ( perhaps ) have lived much longer , and have dyed in peace , had he lived according to that rule whose profession hee had taken upon him ; that is , if hee had continued ( as hee once resolved to doe ) a true p●nitentiarie , and not affected to be a prelate . for , if god would not suffer his temple to be built by david ( a man otherwise after his owne heart ) onely because hee had beene a man of warre : wee may , from the morall analogie of this sacred embleme , collect that the same holy lord would not suffer the sonne of that malignant cruell pagan fratricide , which had imbrued his hands in the blood of his priests , and murthered his annointed king in the holy place , to beare rule over his house , or church . this his unseasonable ambitious humor , without any other actuall remarkable crime , might in divine iustice exact some print of the supreame iudges indignation . all this ( notwithstanding ) being granted ; doth not prove , there was no good thing found in the partie , that was thus punished , as well as in ieroboams child . it was a fauour to the one , that he dyed in peace , though in his infancie , and it might be some matter of honour or favour to the other , that he had christian buriall in the church , wherein hee died ; and that hee was not made a prey to the fowles of the ayre . but this wee speake skeptique wise , what became of strachyquaz after his fearefull end , we leave it for the eternall iudge to determine . whatsoever became of him , the death of his grandmother drahomira , was much more terrible : as she had lived , so she dyed , a malitious blasphemous pagan ; a cruell bloody step-dame to christs infant church , in that kingdome . the storie ( i know ) will unto many seeme strange , yet in my observation very capable of credit ; if we consider the exigence of those times , and the then desperate state of boheme . christianity and paganisme lay then at stake , whether should be entertained , whether expelled : the pagans by their unconfeionable policie ( which aymes at nothing but some private end , alwayes readie to hazard whatsoever lyes within their levell , rather then misse of it ) had so cunningly played the foregame , and , by their bloody plots , removed so many principall men out of the way , that there was no possibilitie left , save onely in the almighties immediate hand , to make any thing of the aftergame . now in case of such desperate extremities ( specially when they happen during the infancie of any particular church ) it cannot to mee seeme incredible , if the good spirit of god doe out vy those prodigious cruelties , which sathan deviseth against the saints , by sudden miraculous executions upon their actors , sathans instruments . the tragedy of drahomira was briefly thus : this queen-mother , had animated her pagan-sonne boleslaus , surnamed savus , the cruell , to murder his elder brother , and liege lord wenceslaus , onely because he had approved himselfe a zealous professor of the doctrine of life . to terrifie others from taking the sacred function upon them , she caused the bodies of those priests and prelates , whom boleslaus had ●assacred , to lye unburied ; and * one podivivus , a man of principall note in his time , to hang two intire yeares , upon the gallowes . vpon these and many like provocations of gods just vengeance , her grave was made before she felt her selfe sicke ; her buriall like to that of corah , of dathan , and abiram . whether this opening of the earth were truly miraculous , or whethet it happened in the period of some naturall declination ( the supporters or pillars of it being digged up , or undermined before ) the opening of it at that time , wherein this wicked woman was to passe over that very place , in which she had caused the priests bodies to lye unburied , was the lords doing , and no lesse wonderfull to christian eyes , than if it had beene ( as perhaps it was ) a meere miracle . the truth of this story , wanted not the testimony of many ages . for passengers , from the day of her death , untill the day , wherein mine author wrote this story , ( which was within this age current ) eschewed the place wherein she dyed , as execrable and accursed by god. chap. . what manner of sinnes they be , which usually provoke gods judgements according to the rule of counterpassion . and of the frequency of this kinde of punishment foresignified by gods prophets . ivstice , as was intimated before , doth not formally consist in retaliation , and yet is retaliation a formall part or branch of iustice . and of this branch nemesis amongst the heathen , was the ordinary arbitresse . shee was , in their divinity , a goddesse of iustice , not iustice her selfe ; nor did every * wrong ( in their opinion ) belong unto her cognizance , but such insolent wrongs onely as deserved vengeance or indignation . nor doth the righteous most mercifull lord and onely god , usually punish ordinary or private , but publique and outcrying sinnes , by the severe law or rule of counterpassion . and it is observable , that most prophesies , which are powred out against any land , city , or people , with fuller indignation , are so intermingled with threats of judgement by way of counterpassion , that the quality and circumstances of the crimes may seeme to serve the prophets as glasses for representing the nature and quality of the judgements to come . and if the crimes were as well knowne to m●n as the judgements are , we would thinke the one were moulded in the other . this exact proportion betwixt the patterne of sinnes which babylon had set , and the manner of gods judgements upon her for them , hath beene observed * before , and i will not make the prophesies concerning her destruction , any part of this observation . the prophesies concerning other nations and cities , will afford plenty of instances to this purpose . samaria shall be as an heape of the field , and as plantings of a vineyard : and i will powre downe the stones thereof into the valley , and i will discover the foundations thereof . and all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces , and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire , and all the idols thereof will i lay desolate : for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot , and they shall returne to the hire of an harlot . micah . , . the wound of samaria , as the prophet addes , vers . . was incurable , but so was not the wound of iudah as yet , although it was come to iudah by infection , and had touched at the very gates of ierusalem . for so he saith vers . . the inhabitant of maroth waited carefully for good , but evill came downe from the lord unto the gate of ierusalem . thither it came , but it found no entrance in for the present , as it did into the gates of other cities of iudah . lachish of all the cities of iudah was the first which tooke the impression of israels idolatry , and did in part derive it unto sion . and as she was the first and principall in sinne , so she was the first in the plagues here threatned . the chariots of ashur did first triumph in her streets , and her inhabitants felt the dint of the assyrian swords , when * ierusalem escaped with the lash of rabshakehs tongue . that which is afterwards related in the sacred story , concerning ierusalems defence against senacherib , ( who had surprised most of the strong cities of iudah , and had made lachish his seat of residence ) was significantly charactered by the prophet micah in the place forecited , evill came downe from the lord unto the gate of ierusalem , but it entred into the gates of lachish , for so he addes , o thou inhabitant of lachish binde the charet to the swft beast : she is the beginning of the sinne to the daughter of sion : for the transgressions of israel were found in thee . they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountaines , and burne incense upon the hills under oakes , and poplars , and elmes , because the shadow thereof is good : therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome , and your spouses shall commit adultery . i will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome , nor your spouses when they commit adultery : for themselves are separated with whores , and they sacrifice with harlots : therefore the people that doth not understand , shall fall . hosea . , . the children of ammon , of moab , and edom , did triumph more then other nations in the day of iudahs heavy visitatiō by nebuchadnezzar , and for this cause they have an heavier doome read by gods prophets , which lived at that time , then other nations had . ezekiel . , &c. sonne of man , set thy face against the ammonites , heare the word of the lord god ; thus saith the lord god , because thou saidst , aha , against my sanctuary when it was prophaned , and against the land of israel , when it was desolate , and against the house of iudah when they went into captivitie : behold therefore , i will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession , and they shall set their palaces in thee , and make their dwellings in thee : they shall eate thy fruite , and they shall drinke thy milke . and i will make rabbah a stable for camels , and the ammonites a couching place for flocks : and yee shall know that i am the lord. for thus saith the lord god , because thou hast clapped thine hands , and stamped with thy feet , and rejoyced in heart , with all thy despite against the land of israel : behold therefore i will stretch out mine hand upon thee , and will deliver thee for a spoile to the heathen , and i will cut thee off from the people , and i will cause thee to perish out of the countries : i will destroy thee , and thou shalt know that i am the lord. thus saith the lord god , because that moab and seir doe say , behold , the house of iudah is like unto all the heathen : therefore behold , i will open the side of moab from the cities , from his cities which are on his frontiers , the glorie of the countrey beth jeshimoth , baal-meon , and keriathaim , unto the men of the east , with the ammonites , and will give them in possession , that the ammonites may not bee remembred among the nations . and i will execute judgements upon moab , and they shall know that i am the lord. thus saith lord god , because that edom hath dealt against the house of iudah by taking vengeance , and hath greatly offended , and revenged himselfe upon them : therefore saith the lord , i will also stretch out my hand upon edom , and will cut off man and beast from it , and i will make it desolate from teman , and they of dedan shall fall by the sword . and i will pay my vengeance upon edom by the hand of my people israel , and they shall doe in edom according to mine anger , and according to my fury , and they shall know my vengeance , saith the lord god. the doome of moab is more particularly set forth by ieremy . chap. . . there shall be no more praise of moab in heshbon , they have devised evill against it : come and let us cut it off from being a nation ; ( so moab had said of israel ) also thou shalt be cut downe , o mad men , the sword shall pursue thee . and againe , verse , , . the horne of moab is cut off , and his arme is broken , saith the lord. make yee him drunken ; for hee magnified himselfe against the lord : moab also shall wallow in his vomit , and he also shall bee in derision . for was not israel a derision unto thee ? was hee found among theeues ? for since thou spakest of him , thou skippest for joy . the like doome of moab is foretold by zephanie . chap. . , , . i have heard the reproach of moab , and the revilings of the children of ammon , whereby they have reproached my people , and magnified themselves against their border . therefore , as i live saith the lord of hosts the god of israel , surely moab shall bee as sodome , and the children of ammon as gomorrah , even the breeding of nettles and saltpies , and a perpetuall desolation , the residue of my people shall spoile them , and the remnant of my people shall possesse them . this shall they have for their pride , because they have reproched and magnified themselves against the people of the lord of hoasts . the lord will bee terrible unto them : for hee will famish all the gods of the earth , and men shall worship him , every one from his place , even all the iles of the heathen . so farre wide were moab and edom in their divinations , when they said , the house of iudah is like unto all the heathen . ( ezek. . . ) that all the yles of the gentiles were to become , such as the house of iudah had beene , that is , professed worshippers of the true god , who had now appointed to make himselfe known , to all the world , by his judgements upon these proud heathens , which for their blasphemies have now forfeited their nationall interest in this blessing here promised to the iles of the gentiles , for they ceased to bee nations . whiles gods plagues are thus fitly suited to the matter or manner of mens sins : the longer the punishments themselves are delayed , the surer document they may afford unto the observant , that there is a watchfull eye of an alseeing providence , without whose presence no fact can bee committed ; an attentive eare which never shuts , alwayes readie , alwayes able to take notice of every word that can bee spoken , and to register proud blasphemous boastings in the indelible characters of an everlasting booke . it is an observation worth the noting , which a learned commentator hath made upon the place last cited out of zephaniah . [ verbum audivi suam emphasim habet ] these words [ i have heard ] are emphaticall , they intimate as much unto us , as if in the name of the lord , the prophet had said , though moab saw not me , yet i heard him ( for i was present with him ) when hee pronounced the coast of israel waste . and what i heard i cannot forget , nor will i forgive : according to his intentions against israel at the time appointed , will i doe to him . the cryers of edom against ierusalem when ierusalem was drowned with her childrens teares , ( which yet could not quench the fire then kindled in her pallaces ) were more bitter then the cry of edom and ammon against iudah had beene . [ rase it , rase it , even to the foundation thereof . ] the scope at which their wishes did ayme , was that ierusalem and the temple , might so be demolished that they should never be raised againe . and according to this scantling of their malicious wish , the psalmist proportions that imprecation against edom , which in the issue proved a prophesie : remember o lord the children of edom , in the day of ierusalem , who said , rase it , rase it , &c. the more full expression or ratification of this implicit prophesie , we have in another prophet , who lived about eighty yeares after the edomites had uttered that accursed cry against ierusalem : i have loved you saith the lord , yet ye say , wherein hast thou loved us ? was not esau iacobs brother , saith the lord ? yet i loved iacob , and i hated esau , and layd his mountaines and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wildernesse . whereas edom saith , wee are impoverished , wee will returne and build the desolate places : thus saith the lord of hoasts , they shall build but i will throw downe , and they shall call them , the border of wickednesse , and the people against whom the lord hath indignation for ever . mal. . , &c. some good expositors have from the litterall sense of this place collected , that edom , not long after the babilonish captivitie , did utterly cease to be a nation . and whether any of esaus posteritie bee left upon the face of the earth , some have questioned , and ( to my remembrance ) determined for the negative . these ( whatsoever besides ) were the effects of gods professed hate to esau . but there is a seed or nation yet on earth , which shall at the time appointed be made partakers of his blessing so often promised to ierusalem , and enjoy the fruites of his professed love to iacob . these prophetical passages cōcerning ammon , moab , and edom , afford many usefull speculations , did either these times afford us freedome , or this place opportunitie to dilate upon them . but leaving the rest unto the juditious readers owne collection , out of the seuerall expositors of the places by mee quoted , i shall onely request him to take this one admonition from mee , [ not to rejoyce , much lesse to triumph in any others calamitie , although hee knew it to be the speciall award of divine justice , or a condigne punishment purposely suted by the all seeing providence to some peculiar sinne . ] edom and babylon knew that ierusalem and iudah were justly punished for their offences against the righteous lord , and themselves to be the appointed executioners of his justice : yet all this doth no way excuse them , for their presumption in the manner of execution . my people have beene lost sheepe , their shepheards have caused them to goe astray , &c. all that found them have devoured them , and their adversaries said , wee offend not , because they have sinned against the lord , the habitation of iustice , even the lord , the hope of their fathers . yet all this acquits not babylon from guilt of gods judgments in spoyling gods people : for so it followes ; remove out of the midst of babylon , and goe forth out of the land of the caldeans , and be as the hee-goats before the flockes . ier. . , , . and againe , verse , . caldea shall be a spoile ; all that spoyle her shall be satisfied , saith the lord , because yee were glad , because yee rejoyced , ô yee destroyers of mine heritage . not onely the practise , or reall intention of mischiefe , but the delight , or joy , which men take in the calamitie of others by whomsoever it bee procured or intended , doth make men lyable to the rule of retaliation . for every degree of delight or joy in others misery , includes a breach of that fundamentall law of equitie , [ quod tibi fieri non vis , alteri ne feceris ] vvhatsoever wee would not have done vnto our selves , wee should bee vnwilling to doe , or to see done vnto others . ] and all visitation by the rule of counterpassion , as it concernes wrongs intended or done by one man to another , is but a resarcination or making up of that breach , which hath beene made in the fundamentall law of equitie , that is , of doing as wee would be done unto . but besides the wrongs which potentates or priuate men practise upon , or intend to others , there is a peculiar disposition , which makes men liable to the iudgements which they feare , or at least hasten the execution of iudgements otherwise deserved . and that is a tempting god by the curiositie of superstitious feare , or by dissimulation . an instance to this purpose ( and that is all which at this time i meane to use ) we have in * ieroboam and his wife , who went disguised unto the prophet ahijah , ( as if it had beene unto some cunning man ) to know what should become of her young sonne abijah then visited with sicknesse . the doome or punishment doth so well befit the temptation , that the circumstances of the time and place , &c. wherin the discovery of her dissembling was by the spirit revealed unto the prophet , may seeme to have suggested unto him the time of the childes death , with other circumstances . the prophets eies were dimme , that he could not discerne her by sight , but the lord so supplyed this defect , that hee knew her by the sound of her feete , before shee came in at the doore . the * lord said unto ahijah , behold the wife of ieroboam commeth to aske a thing of thee for her sonne , for hee is sicke . thus and thus shalt thou say unto her , for it shall bee when shee commeth in , that shee will faine herselfe to bee another woman . and it was so , when ahijah heard the sound of her feete as shee came in at the doore , that hee said ; come in thou wife of ieroboam , why fainest thou thy selfe to be another ? for i am sent unto thee with heavie tidings , &c. arise thou therefore , get thee to thine owne house ; and when thy feet enter into the citie , the childe shall dye , &c. and * ieroboams wife arose , and departed and came to tirzah : and when shee came to the threshold of the doore , the childe dyed . but of that peculiar branch of divine providence , which takes men in the nets of their owne superstitious feare or imaginations , wee shall have fitter occasion to speake in the treatise of prodigies or divine fore-warnings . cap. . the conclusion of this treatise , with the relation of gods remarkable judgements manifested in hungary . did god alwayes fit his plagues to exorbitant or out-crying sinnes immediately after their commission , men would suspect that hee did distrust his memory . should hee deferre all as long as hee doth sundry , for many yeares , and some speciall ones till the second , third , or fourth generation ; this would tempt us in the interim to thinke hee tooke just notice of none : because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily , therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill . ecclesiastes . . but the same preacher to counterpoyze the sway of this inbred temptation , addeth ; though a sinner doe evill an hundred times , and god prolongeth his dayes , yet i know that it shall bee well with them that feare the lord , and doe reverence before him . but it shall not be so well to the wicked ; neyther shall hee prolong his dayes , hee shall bee like a shadow , because he feareth not before god , verse , . besides this authoritie of the preacher ( concerning the determinate extent or meaning of whose words . i will not here dispute ) wee have a propheticall generall rule , which never faileth in it selfe , nor to the apprehension of the observant . how mightily soever iniquitie abounds in any citie , land , or countrey , yet the just lord is in the midst thereof : hee will not doe iniquitie . every morning doth hee bring his judgement to light , hee faileth not ; but the unjust knoweth no shame . zephaniah . vers . . but these sacred as well as other maximes , have their peculiar subjects , in which they are more remarkably verified at out time then at another . the extraordinarie documents of gods punitive justice , had beene no doubt more rise in iudah about zephanies time , than in former ages . and amongst moderne christian states , none have beene so fertile as the kingdome of hungarie , since it stood upon the same termes with the turke , that iudah in zephanies dayes did with the chaldaean . i will give the reader onely a hint or taste from one or two particulars , to set his meditations ( if it shall please him ) on working to observe the like out of the histories of that countrey . amongst all the persons of better place , or same mentioned in those histories , could there bee found but tenne ( as for ought i know there may bee more ) whose legends eyther in , respect of wrongs done to others by them , or of wrongs done to them by others , might afford so many pregnant proofes of divine retaliation , as doth the legend of fryer george or ( as thuanus calls him ) martinusius : the prophets proposition [ every morning hee bringeth forth judgement to light ] might by exact logicall induction be proved to have beene universally true in that kingdome for more than tenne yeares together . this man by his valorous wit had advanced himselfe from a turne-spit , or cole-carrier to be a cardinall : otherwise for his temporall dignitie and authoritie , full peere to most princes of christendome ; no way inferiour to many kings , save onely in want of royall title . in the height of his prosperitie he had entertained one marc anthony de ferraro , secretarie to castaldie , lieutenant to ferdinand the emperour in those parts , as a secret intelligencer to betray his master , but was in the end miserably betrayed by him . for this assassinate ( * ( ferrarius ) having at all houres free accesse upon this hope , tooke hence opportunitie to conveigh the rest of the bloody actors into the bed-chamber of this usually well guarded prince , or tyrant , in a dismall morning , before hee was dressed . ferrary himselfe giving the first wound , whilest hee was reaching penne and inoke to subscribe unto the counterfeit letters or patents , which hee then did tender him . this fryer or cardinall ( marlinusius ) had plaid the hypocrite ( as was then presumed ) with his christian neighbours , being either in affection to his owne country , or for his private ends , more engaged to the turke . and captaine lopez , with the spanish harquebuzes designed by ferdinand and castaldie to assist marquesse pallavicino for effecting this plot , were permitted , without suspition of hostility into the castle , being apparelled in turkish weeds or long gownes , under which they covered their harquebuzes , and such other armour , as they thought expedient for this feat . his death though bloody and cruell in the highest degree did not so deeply affect unpartiall hearts , either with pity toward him , or with indignation at his murderers , as the strange and unusuall neglect of his * mangled corps , did their hearts , which either through partialitie or credulitie , have professed a delectation of his tyrannicall life , upon higher termes than hee deserved . his enemies it seemes , were so carefull to effect their intended plot , and his friends so affrighted with his sudden disaster , that his dead bodie remained many daies together above ground , unburied , or uncovered , with the blood frozen upon it ; so stiffe with cold that it might rather seeme to have beene a blurred or besmeared statue of stone , or marble , than a dead man. a fit relique for a sacrilegious palace ; such was the castle wherein hee was murthered , for whose erection he had demolished an ancient church and monasterie of religious persons . and whether it were , that * indignation doth sometimes make men as well peeces of prophets , as of poets ; or whether it were spoken by way of bitter imprecation ; the * abbot upon the sacrilegious oppression , did foresignifie , that this castle , whose foundations were laid with others , should at length be seasoned with the blood of him that built it . who buildeth so , me thinkes , so buildeth he , as if his house , should his sepulcher bee . though gods judgements upon this man were ( as all his are ) most just ; yet were they unjustly done by these assassinates . they were gods instruments , but the devills agents , in acting this plot : and by doing to this cardinall as hee had done to others , they themselves become lyable , in this life , to the rigour of the indispensable law , as they have done to him , so must it be done to them . gods will is fulfilled upon them , as the devills will was fulfilled by them . hee was a murderer from the beginning , and they are his sonnes . and , though they afterwards disperse themselves throughout divers kingdomes or nations , yet the cry of this cardinals blood doth still pursue them . which way soever they wander ; the almighties net is spred out for them , and being still hunted after by gods judgements , all of them are driven at length into it . this wee are sure of ( saith the forementioned author of the hungarian historie ) that all those which were actors of his death , in time fell into great misfortunes . the marquesse sforce , within a while after was overthrowne and taken prisoner by the turkes , who inflicted great torments upon him . captaine monin , was beheaded at saint germanes in piemont . marc anthony ferraro in anno . ( which was about six yeares after ) was also beheaded in alexandria ( his native country ) by the cardinall of trent his command . another was quartered by the french men in provence . cheualier campegio in anno . was in the presence of the emperour ferdinand mortally wounded with a bore in bohemia . * thuanus relates the selfe same accidents , from the testimonies of more writers than this , save onely that hee omits the mention of him that was quartered in provence . what one of many hundred mornings after this fact was there , wherein ferdinand did not lose soting either in hungary or in transylvania ; wherein the turke did not sensibly incroach upon christendome , and gaine advantage against christians ? the just comparison betweene the misery of iudah in zedechiaes dayes , and of hungary under lewis the second , with the parallell manner of these two noble kings and their adherents miscariage , must be referred for breuities sake , to other treatises . onely to shut vp this exemplification of the prophets assertion verified in peculiar sort in hungary : what example of divine iustice , either more pregnant or more durable was ever manifested in iudea , than was to bee seene every morning for more then twenty yeares together in the fields of moacz , where the horse and his royall rider ( king lewis ) found a miserable grave before they were quite dead ; but where the bones of such as were slaine in that unfortunate battaile , lay unburyed in such abundance as did exhibit a wofull spectacle to every christian passengers eye , from the yeare . untill the time of * busbequius his embassage to constantinople ( how long after i know not ) which was upon the mariage betweene king philip and queene mary , about the yeare . the christian hungars of those times after the losse of their late mentioned king , had as just cause to insert that lamentation into their liturgie , as ieremie had to take it up : the annointed of the lord was taken in their nets , of whom we said , under his shaddow we shall be preserved alive among the heathen . lamentations . . as full an interest in that complaint of the psalmist , as the ancient iewes had during the time of nebuchadnezzar or antiochus his rage : the dead bodies of thy servants , have they given to be meate unto the fowles of the heaven , the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth , their blood have they shed like water , & there was none to burie them . ps . . , . the pittifull women of iudea did eate their children , when titus besieged ierusalem . the women of hungarie ( no lesse mercifull ( as may be presumed ) than other christian women are , buried their children alive , lest their timorous outcryes might bewray the place of their abode , or latitation , when soliman and his furious helhounds did so greedily hunt after their lives . the people of hungary would not take example from the miseries which had befallen iudea , nor breake off those sinnes which brought this miserie upon them : god grant the prophets and seers of this kingdome , eyes to discerne , and this whole people , one and other , patient hearts to heare those sinnes , whether of practise , or opinion discovered , which threaten the like judgements unto this land , as have befallen the kingdome of hungarie , one of the most flourishing kingdomes in the christian world , within a few yeares before its ruine . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * nec dictis erit ullus bonos , si cum actus ab urbe daunius hostili teucris urgentibus heros , vix pugna absistit , simili● dicetur asello , qu●m pueri laeto pascentem pinguia in agro ordea stipitibus duris detrudere tendunt , instantes , quatiuntque sudes per terga , per armos . ille autem campo vix cedere , & inter eundum saepe hic atque illic avidis insistere malis : omnia conveniunt , rerumque , simillima imago est . credo equidem , sed turpe pecus , nec turnus asellum , turnus avia atavisque pote●s dignabitur heros . aptius hanc speciem referat leo , quem neque tergae ira dare , aut virtus patitur , neque sufficit unus tendere tot contra , telisque obstare sequentum . hieron . vida poet. lib. . * et hic quidem omnium morbus est trium generum quae proposui : & eorum scilicet qui secundum corpus de deo sapiunt , & eorum qui secundum spiritualem creaturam sicuti est anima ; & eorum qui neque secundum corpus , neque secundū spiritualē creaturā , et tamen de deo falsa existimant : eo remotiores à vero , quo id quod sapiunt , nec in corpore reperitur , nec in facto & condito spiritu , nec in ipso creatore . qui enim opinatur deum ( verbi gratia ) candidum vel rutilum , fallitur ; sed tamen haec inventantur in corpore . rursum , qui opinatur deum nunc obliviscentem , nunc recordantē , vel si quid hujusmodi est ; nihilominus in errore est : sed tamen haec inveniuntur in animo . qui autem putant ejus esse potentiae deum , ut seipsum ipse genuerit : eo plus errant , quòd non solum deus ita non est , sed nec spiritualis nec corporalis creatura . nulla enim res omnino est , quae seipsum gignat ut sit . aug. de trinit . lib. . cap. . * in the . book , section . * mittamus animum ad illa quae aeterna sunt . miremur in sublimi volitantes rerum on niū formas ▪ deumque inter illa versantem , & providentem , quemadmodum quae immortalia facere non potuit , quia materia prohibebat , defendat à morte , ac ratione vitium corporis vincat . senec. ib. whether for thus saying hee fall under the censure of muretus in his annotations upon this place , i refer it to the judicious reader . impie stulta veterum opinio , deum voluisse quidem à primo omnia immortalia facere , sed non potuisse , propter materiae vitium . quasi non , ut caetera omnia , ita materiam condiderit , ac procrearit deus . recte lacta●●tius , idem materiae fictor est , q●i & rerum materia constantium . * qui scholas regūt , ia id nobis exploratū reliquerūt : tale esse conditionalis propositionis naturam sive conditionem , ut existente falso quod antecedit , & etiam quod subsequitur , possit remanere vera conditionalis . pasq . c. . ad rō . fol. though it were impossible for an angell from heaven to preach any other gospell than paul had preached , and impossible likewise for any angell of heaven to be accursed , yet s. pauls conditionall proposition was true ; if an angell from heaven should preach any other gospell , he should be accursed . in like manner this supposition or conditionall [ if any thing could take beginning from it selfe , it should be infinite ] is true : although both these positions be false ; first , that any thing can take beginning from it self : secondly , that any thing which hath beginning can be infinite . and this only is absolutely true , that which truly is without all beginning , is absolutely infinite . * idem absolutum , quod et deum dicimꝰ , non cadit in numero cum omni alio , ut quod deus & coelum , sint plura , aut duo , aut alia , & diversa ; sicut nec coelum est idem absolutum , ut coelum quod est aliud à terra . et quia idem absolutum est actu omnis formae formabilis forma , non potest forma esse extra idem . quo enim res est eadem sibiipsi , forma agit , quòd autem est allerialias est , quia non est idem absolutum , hoc est omnis formae forma . est igitur idem absolutum , principium , medium , & finis , omnis formae , & actus absolutus omnis potentiae . cusan . de genes . dialog . pag. . * lib. de ente & uno . * ex. . . * cum primum ingressus academiam sueris , occurret tibi parmenides , qui unicum demonstrabit deum essererum omnium ideas , id est , exemplaria rationesque eminentissimè continentem vel producentem . occurret melissus et zeno , qui solum deum revera esse demonstrent , caetera verò videri . marcil . ficin . epist . . pag. . vide senecam ep. . & muretū in annot . * dijs à se factis promisit deus non factus immortalitatem ; quod impossible est , se dixit esse facturum . sic enim eum locutum narrat plato , &c. vide aug. lib. . de civ . dei cap. . et solum in . senten . distin . . q. . art . . et platoriem ipsum in times . p. * secundum ex his quae sunt , ponit plato , quod eminet et exuperat omnia . hoc ait per excellentiam esse , ut poeta cōmuniter dicitur : omnibus enim versus facientibus hoc nomen est : sed iam apud graecos in unius notam cessit . homerū intelligas cum audieris poetam . quid ergo hoc est ? deus scilicet maior ac , potentior cunctis . seneca ep . . quid per ideas intelligat . plato , vide ibid. et apud muretum in annotat . * 〈◊〉 ] this is the chiefest name of the eternall and most blessed god , so called of his essence , being , or existence , which is , simply one , deut . . the force of this , name , the holy ghost openeth he that is , that was , and that will bee , or is to come , rev. . . & . . & . . & . . and the forme of the hebrew name implyeth so much , je being a signe of the time to come , ieheveh , he will be , h● , of the time present , hoveh , he that is ; and vah of the time past , havah , he was . it importeth that god is , and hath his being of himselfe from before all worlds : [ isa . . . ] that he giveth being or existence unto all things , and in him all are and doe consist , [ acts . ] that he giveth being unto his word , effecting whatsoever hee hath spoken , whether promises , [ exod. . . esay . , . ] or threatnings , [ ezek. . . and . ] it is in effect the same that ehieh , i will be , or i am , as god calleth himselfe , exod. . . of this the gentiles named the greatest god iove and iupiter , that is , iah-father , of the shorter name iah , mentioned psal . . . and varro the learnest of the romanes , thought iove to bee the god of the iewes . august . lib. . de consen . euan. cap. . hereof also in greeke writers hee is called iao diodor. sicul lib. . cap. . clem. alexand. strom. lib. . macrob. lib. . saturnal . cap. . but in the greeke tongue the name iehovah cannot rightly bee pronounced , and for it the greeke bibles have lord , which the new testament followeth , as marke . . from deut. . . and elsewhere usually ; and the hebrew text sometime putteth adonai lord , or elobim god , for ievovah , as psalme . . compared with psalme . . . chron. . . with kings . . ainsworth upon psal . . . * vide lactant . lib. . de ira dei. et betuleum in com . * tertium genus est eorū quae propriè sunt : innumerabilia haec sunt , sed extra nostrum posita conspectū . qua sunt , interrogas ? propria platonis suppellex est . ideas vo●at , ex quibus quaecunque videmus , omnia fiunt , & ad quas cuncta formantur . hae immortales , immutabiles , inviolabiles sunt . quid sit idea , id est , quid platoni esse videatur , audi . idea est eorū quae naturâ fiūt exemplar ae●ernum . sword● . ep . ● . plato in timaeo ait ideas nunquam fieri , semper esse : corporea autem omnia nunquam esse , semper fieri . vide cusan . dialog . de genesi , quomodo idem , identificando , pluralitatem producit . * deus verò multipliciter dicitur , magnus , bonus , sapiens , ●eatus , verus , & quicquid aliud non indignè dei videtur . sed eadem magnitudo ejus est , quae sapientia : non enim mole magnus est , sed virtute . et eadem bonitas quae sapientia , & magnitudo , & eadem veritas , quae illa omnia . et non est ibi aliud beatum esse , & aliud magnum , aut sapientem , aut verum , aut bonum esse , aut omnino ipsum esse . nec quoniam trinitas est , ideo triplex putandus est : al●oqui minor erit , pater solus , aut filius s●lus , quam simul pater & filius ▪ august . de trinitate lib. . cap. . notes for div a -e * in the . booke . section . * axioma hic proponit r. david . tu reples omnem locum , & comprehendis , & nullo loco comprehenderis , nec ullus te locus complecti , & contineri potest . hinc haebraei etiā deum indigitant vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locum , quum dicunt , benedictus locus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus appellationis r. elias in tisbite adfert auplicē rationem . quia deus instar loci omnia com plectitur , ip se autem à nullo comprehenditur . qui autē hodie contendant deū esse corpus coelo inclusum , minus rectè sentiunt , quam iudaeorum rabbini . dolendum est ista contraria errata hodie defendi . quidā disputant et asserunt corpus christi esse utique : et tamen negant esse spiritum praesertim immensum & infinitum . alij negantes deum esse spiritum simplicem , faciunt corporeum , & loco circumser●●●nt ▪ c●ppen in psal . ver . ● quo ibo à spiritu tuo . * ante omnia enim deus erat solus , ipse sibi & mundus & locus , & omnia . solus autem , quia nihil aliud extrinsecus praeter illum . caeterum ne tunc quidem solus : habebat enim secum quam habebat in semetipso , rationem suā scilicet . tertul . adversus praxean . cap. . * de confusione linguarum . * vide tertul . in apologet . cap. ▪ * a rebus generalibus si abstuleris ipsum erit ; cum in perpetuâ acquisitione versentur , subitò non esse contingit . rebus autem , quae non sunt tale , si ipsum erit adjunxeris , accidit à se●e ipsius esse labi . manifestum enim ex hoc fuerit , ipsum esse non esse illis innatum , si fiat ex eo quod futurum sit , & factum fuerit , & sit in posterum faciendum . videtur enim in rebus generabi libus id potissimum eisentia esse , scilicet tractus quidam ab ipso esse ex generationis initio , quousque ad temporis extrema perveniat , quando non sit ulterius , idque ipsum quod dicitur , est in eis existete , ac si quis quicquā ex hoc ductu circumcidat , vita comminui . qua propter & esse diminui , & universo quidē esse eiusmodi oportet , quousque sic erit . quam●●rem ad ipsum esse futurum natura festinat , neque vult qui●scere , quippe cum esse sibi hauriat dum ali●d quiddam atque aliud agit , moveturque in orbem quodam essentia desiderio . plot. emead . . pag. . * see ecclesiasticus . . * ac si quis aeternitatem ita descripserit , scilicet vitam jam infinitam ex eo quod sit universa ; nihilque amittat , cum nihil vel praeterierit , vel sit futurum ; alioquin jam tota nō esset : is profecto proximè ad definitionem ejus accedet . quod enim deinceps subditur , scilicet totā esse , nihilque amittere , expositio quaedam est ejus quod dicebatur , scilicet ( vita jam infinita ) plotin . emead . . lib. . cap. . p. . * non aliud quiddam est ens , aliud vero semperens , sicut neque aliud est philosophus , aliud vero philosophus verus . verumtamen quia nonnulli philosophiam simulant adjunction est philosophus verus . sic & enti ipsum semper & ipsi semper adjungitur ens , adeò ut dicatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. semper ens , unde dicitur 〈◊〉 .i. aevum . qua propter sic accipiendum est ipsum semper cum ente , ut vere ens nobis significet . plotin . emead . . lib. . cap. p. . * ad . plotin . lib. ennead . . * de hac duplice totalitate , vide marsil . ficinum ad . plotin . lib. enneadis . . * cap. . vers . , , . * quomodo est praescius , dum nulla nisi quae futura sunt , praesciātur ? et scimus quia deo futurum nihil est , ante cujus oculos praeterita nulla sunt , praesentia non transeunt , futura non veniunt : quippe quia omne quod nobis fuit & erit , in ejus prospectu praesto est , & omne quod praesens est , scire potest potius quam praescire . greg. lib. . in iob. cap. . et paulo post , in illo , nec praeterita , nec futura reperiri quaeunt , sed cuncta mutabilia immutabiliter durant ; & quae in seipsis simul existere non possunt , illi simul omnia assistunt , nihilque in illo praeterit quod transit : quia in aeternitate ejus modo quodam incomprehensibili , cuncta volumina saeculorum transeuntia manent , currentia stant . vide petrum damianum in ep . . de omnipotentia , & ludovicum ballaster hierologiae , cap. . * ioh. . . * ephes . . . * eccles. . * psa . . . * quod plerosque in emendabiles facit , omnium aliarum artium peccata , artificibus pudori sunt offenduntque : errantem in vita peccata delectant . non gaudet navigio gubernator everso , non gaudet egro medicus elato , non gaudet orator , si patroniculpareus cecidit . at contra , omnibus crimen suum voluptati est . laetatur ille adulterio , in quod irritatus est ipsa difficultate : laetatur ille circumscriptione furt●que nec ante illi culpa , quam culpae fortuna displicuit . id prava consuetudine evenit . alioqui ut scias , subesse animis , etiam in pessima abductis , boni sensum , nec ignorari turpe , sed negligi , omnes peccata dissimulant , & quamvis feliciter cesserint , fructu illorum utuntur , ipsa subducunt . at bona conscientia prodire vult , & conspici . ipsa nequitia tenebras timet . eleganter itáque ab epicuro dictum pute , potest nocenti contingere ut lateat , latendi fides non potest . aut si hoc modo melius hunc explicari posse juditas sensum : ideo non prodest latere peccantibus , quia latendi etiam si facultatem habent , fiduciam non habent . ita est , tuta scelera esse possent : secura non possunt , seneca epist . . sunt qui scribunt , anaxarchum sophis●am consolandi ejus causa accersi●um , ad eum venisse , quumque cubantem atque suspirantem offendisset , arridentem dixisse , ignorare ipsum cur veteres sapientes iustitiam iovi assidentem fecerint : nimirum quia quicquid à iove decernitur , id juste factum esse censeri debent . opportere igitur , quae à magno rege fierent , justa existimari ; primum quidem ab ipso rege , deinde à caeteris mortalibus . atque hoc quidem dicto non nihil solatii alexandro attulisse . ego vero majoris errati quam prioris autorem alexandro anaxarchum fuisse censeo , si illam viri sapientis sententiam esse statuit . arrian . de expedit . alex. lib. . * quanto superior est deus homine , tam mea malitia est ●nferior bonitate eius , ut qualitate ita etiam quantitate . anselm . in meditat . cap. . * ad multiplicandum quippe sanctorum sapientiam proficit , quod postulata tardè percipiunt , ut ex dilatione crescat desiderium , ex desiderio intellectus augeatur . intellectus verò cum intenditur , ejus in deum ardentior affectus aperitur . affectus autem ad promeranda coelestia tanto fit capax , quanto fuerit expectando longanimis . greg. lib. . moral . in iob ca. . * orpheus . vide apul. in lib. de mundo . 〈◊〉 forcatulli lib. . p. . * tim. . * hooper in his preface to the ten commandements . see parag. of this chapter . notes for div a -e * ioh. . , . * heu primae scelerum causae mortalibus agris naturam nescire de●m . silius italicus . lib. . de be●●o pun●●● . rom. . . meroveo certe auget probitatis famam atque justitiae necatus filius , justissimas utique ob causas , ne quis ipsi diritatem in alienos falso exprobet liberos , vel in suos inauditam saevitiam nullis fultam rationibus : quales nec posthumius tiburtus , nec t. manlius torquatus olim habuere . foreatulus de gallorum imperio & philosophia . lib. . et paulo post . posthumus dictator , quia aulus filius injustus praesidiis egressus hostes fuderat , victorem audacem caedi securi jussit : at torquatus itidem latino bello , cos . filium à metio tusculanorum duce provocatum , & forte detractandae pugnae pudore incensum , ac spolia referentem , mactari à lictore mandavit : jure forsitan , cum , teste paulo iurisconsulto , parentibus romanis antiquior esset disciplina militaris charitate liberorum . at qui gelaor merovei filius in patrem contumax , in cives procax , in omnes superbus & injurius , pudicis matronis vim intulerat , p●tres & maritos terrnerat , ceciderat foederatos ac amicos franci nominis lacessierat . cumque ex amicissimis aulicis quispiam objecisset meroveo lucium gellium censorem romanum , qui filio novercam solicitanti , & praeter●● parricidium meditanti , ac propemodum convicto , ignovisset , & in reatu constitutum absolvi diligentissime curasset : ille , inquit , boni patru functus est officio , ego boni ducis : qui debellare hostes didici , & socios honorificè tractare , eorumque ulcisci injurias . * quod in fine versus . dicitur , mesericordia ejus s●per omnia opera ejus , hoc , inquit calv. neque absurdum , neque durum videri debet . nam cum pec●ata nostra totum mundum involvant dei maledictione , vbique locus est misericordiae dei ut brutis etiam animalibus subveniat . hunc locum tractat zanchius de natura dei. l. . c. . q. quam magna sit dei misericordia ▪ i. deus de justitia sua multum semper remittit . it reprobri cum postea puniuntur non pro meritis puniuntur [ haec zanchij sententia ] in igitur remittit illis propter satisfactionem christi , an sine ulla satisfactione ? [ verba coppen . ] notandum hic in diabolis & reprobis condemnatis , post hanc vitam non videri quaerenda misericordiae divinae vestigia . coppen in psal . . . videtur zanchij expositio contradicere lac . c. . v. damnatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ei qui non praestitit miseris ordiam . * for i reckon , that the sufferings of this present time , are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us . rom. . . * quod si christo salus nostra tam chara fuit , & tam charò constitit , quid est quare nostram ipsi salutem tantopere negligamus ? quibus supplicijs , & qua ignominia sempiterna non sumus digni , modicum laborem prore obtinenda tam praetiosa recusantes ? quomòdo nos effugie●●us ( inquit paulus ) si tantum neglexerimus salutem ? acosta con . . de circumcisione . * isa . . i have long time holden my peace , i have been still and refrained my selfe : now will i cry like a travailing woman , i wil destroy & devoure at once . ex his apparet vanas esse rationes philosophorum , qui deum putant sine ira : & inter caeteras laudes ejus id ponunt , quod est contra ipsā majestatem . regnum hoc imperiumque terrenum , nisi metus custodiat , solvitur . aufer iram regi , non modo nemo parebit , sed etiem de fastigio praecipitabitur . imo vero cuilibet humili eripe hunc affectum , quis eum non spoliabit ? quis non deridebit ? lactantius cap. . de ira dei. p. . * hactenus mihi magna contentio suit cum lactantio , dum humanis rationibus , divinam iram ex humana metiretur fragilitate . iam autem , quia dicit iram dei sicut ipsum etiam deum , eternam , nihil habeo quod repugnem . nam ex syncrisi divinae atque humanae irae intelligas , ipsum de divina longe aliter quam de humana loqui : neque esse accidens quod in deum non cadit , sed proprium , quia ira dei à justitia dei nihil differt . iustitia verò dei exeterna lage manet , contra quam si quis deliquerit , vindictam nimirum illius dei sentiet , apud quem nullus vel temporum vel locorum terminus est . betuleius in com. in cap. . lactant. de ira dei. * deus ex se sumil seminarium miserendi , quod judicat & condemnat nos , eum quodammodo cogimus , ut longe aliter de corde ipsius miseratio quam animadver . sio procedere videatur . bernard . ser. . in natal . dom. a vide hierom . in cap. . mich. vide riberam in . mich. num . . et in . mal. num . . * de ira dei , cap. . * quotiens impetu opus est non irascitur , sed exurgit , & in quantum putavit opus esse concitatur remittiturque non aliter quam quae tormentis exprimuntur tela , in potestate mittentis sunt , in quantum torque antur . sen. lib. . de ira . cap. . ita aut ira non est , aut inutilis est . ibid. * dum ergo ad verba mutabilitatis nostrae descenditur , ex iis quibusdam gradibus factis ascendet qui petest ad incommunicabilitatem dei , ut rideat sine zelo zelantem , sine ira irascentem , sine dolore & penitentia , penitentems , sine misero corde , mis●ricordem , sine praevisionibus praescientem . gregmoral . lib. . in . cap. iob. inter figuras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ordinator 〈◊〉 est capacior . inter figuras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heterogeneas terminatior est capacior . see esay . , , . ezek. . . deut. . , . qui quotidie contemnit deum , etiam quotidie judicatur , non manifesto sed occulto judicio , non aperto sed tamen certo : occultiora saepe sunt certiora manifestioribus coppen . in psal . . etiam dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ipsius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coppen . ibid. notes for div a -e * certe non est per ectus & pulcher mundus , nisi omne quod sit palehrū , sit aliqua bonitas quae velit ; & omne quod scibil● , sit sapientia quae sciat ; & quod possibile , potentia quae possit . na qua aliquid possibile non potuit , aut scibile ignoravit , aut pulchrū nol it , vel invidet , maneum & imperfectum exierit opificium : ipsum verò pulchrum , aut scibile , nemo definit ad bonitatem volentis , aut scientiam scientis . sed pulchrum est , quod rei cui accidit ad propriam bonitatem obtinendam , perfectionem adijcit ; & scibile , quod in sese habet principium , unde sciri pos●it : igitur neque possibile , quod simpliciter dicitur & non ad aliquid , definiri debet ad potentiam : sed simpliciter possible , est illud , quo facto & posito , nulla repugnantia fit , aut contradictio . tune enim res per sese fuerit impossibilis , cum in ipsa est ( ut ita dicamus ) impossibilitas . externum vero quiddam fuerit , si ob idsolum dicatur impossibilis , quod non sit causa quae possit facere . oportet igitur sit in rebus causa aliqua , quae possit quidquid in sese repugnantiam nullam continet . at vero fieri ex nihilo non est simpliciter impossibile , sed impossibile cuidam virtuti fin●●ae , puta naturali ; qua virtute esse aliam superiorem , & potentiorem , non est impossibile . vallesius de sacr . philosoph . pag. . . iustin martyr . de monarchia dei. the two main principles contained in the article of creation . * de verbo , creare , ego ita censeo , creare duplex esse , alterum & praecipuum , ex nihilo facere : alterum sine materiae dispositione facere . nam substantia non videtur aliter fieri posse , quam generatione , aut creatione . generatio vero non est nisi in materia disposita : quae igitur sine materiae dispositione est , creatio vocari debet . qua propter sive ex nihilo omnia , sive ex nihilo quaedā , quaedam ex materia non disposita , sed jubendo fee●● omnium est deus effector & creator . vallesius . c. . p. . * of this argument see erastus in the beginning of his first tome against paracelsus . see the first part of the divine essence & attributes , chap. . pag. . . * see macrobius in his relation of augustus his apophthegmes . * vide septalium in hippoc. de aere , aquis & locis . * vide arist lib. . poster . analyt . cap. * see tully lib. de natura deorum . * ego certe hac in re laudo aristotelem , quod cum impossibilitatem ( ut ita dixerim ) aeternorum motuum , & corporum , non praeviderit , maluit ab eterno esse pulchrā hanc mundi faciem , quam aliquando ex aeterna deformitate emersisse . oportuit vero ipsum aternitatē illam temporis meditari ; reperisset siquidem , ut neque in corpore , neque in loco ( haec enim ille demonstravit ) ita neque in tempore infinitatem esse potuisse : si quidem est etiam tempus quantum , ut & corpus , & locus . si igitur omnia quanta finita , tempus quoque totum finitvm est , & erit . quare fact us est aliquando 〈◊〉 ex nihilo . vallesusde sacra philosoph . pag. . * aristor . nono mataphysicorum , cap. . manifestū est , quod actus prior potentia est . dico autem non solum illa potentia determinata quae dicitur principium transmutatorium in alio , prout aliud est , sed prorsus omni motivo , et statorio principio . et metaphys . cap. , quare vita , & aevum continuum , & aeternum deo inest . hoc enim est deus quicunque vero ( ut pythagorici , et speusippus putant ) optimum & pulcherrimum non esse in principio , eo quod plantarum quoque ac animali ū principia , causae quidem sunt : bonum vero , & perfectum in ijs esse , quae ex his sunt , non recte putant . sperma namque ex alijs prioribus perfectis est , neque sperma primum est , sed quod perfectum est : veluti hominem dicere quispiam possit priorem spermate esse , non illum , qui eo generatur , sed alium , ex quo ipsum sperma est . quod itaque est quaedam aeterna , immobilisque substantia , & à sensibilibus separata , constat ex dictis . * divus augustinus censet omnia esse creata simul eodem momento , seu in eodem nunc ; illam vero partitionem dierum , non significare partes temporis , sed distinctionem , & gradus quosdam naturae verum : atque factum esse hominem ex terra , non actu praeexistente , sed existente potentia in ipso , velut quivis dicitur nostrum , vere factus ex quatuor elementis , tametsi nulla terra , aut aqua erat actu id ex quo facti sumus , sed semen & sanguis . itaque ut unico intuitu tota facies , & ejus omnes partes , inspeculo exprimuntur , ita unica iussione dei , constitisse totam hanc corpoream molem , & in ea refulsisse illum divinitatis fulgorem , quem vocamus naturam . caeterum quia non omnes sancti hoc ita intelligunt , alia responsione est opus . vallefius de sacra philos . cap. . pag. . neque vero hoc ullam arguit primae causae debilitatem . non enim eam causam naturalem ponimus , q●aeque faciat semper quantum potest , sed liberam & sapientissimam , quae facit ut maxime expedit , atque omnia pulcherrin●a & concinna , in nnmero , pondere , & ●●c●sura . quapropter verba illa capitis . ecclesiastici , qui vivit in aeternum creavit omnia simul , ego ita interpretor ; creata esse omnia intra illam hebdomadam , perfectumque esse mundum , ita ut nulla ejus pars princeps , quaeque a creatione habitura esset initium , deesset . nam ut initio capitis secundi dicitur , perfecti sunt caeli & terra , & omnis ornatus eorum , complevitque deus dic sexta opus suum . valles cap . pag. . * si facta omnino non sunt ( viz. corpora coelestia ) fit ut sint per sese ab aeterno , et esse proprio existentia . quapropter nullum illorum ab alio pend●at , aut alio posterius sit , sed per sese sint , & operentur ab aeterna ( cum operatio procedat à cujusque rei natura , & proprio esse : ) quare nulla illis prior causa sit , ( si enim haec effecta ab alio non sunt , non sit ulla eorum causa ) quapropter mundus hic universas , neque unus erit , neque totus , neque perfectus , cum non pendcat totus ab unica virtute & causa , neque causae omnes in unam omnium primam , referantur : sed sint multae mundi partes , à quibus non procedatur ad ullam aliam superiorem , & priorem , hoc vera fieri non potest . nam ant illae partes habent aliquam naturam sive essentiam communem , aut omnino habent nihil commune . ex adeo diversis , ut nihil commune dicatur de illis , nulla ratione potest constari unum : nam neque ordo esse ●otest inter omnino diversa . ordo enim secundum aliquid commune est , dicimus enim inter petrum & franciscum ordinem quendam esse . si concedis partes illas mun●i habere aliqu●● essentiam communem ; constat , quandoquidem non sunt omnino cadem , habere as aliquid commune & aliquid diversum . est autem quod commune unum : quae diversa multa . illud ergo commune prius erit illis omnibus diversis : si quidem ex co constant haec : non ergo 〈◊〉 partes , suo quaeque ordine primae causae , sed pend●bant illae omnes ab aliquo 〈◊〉 causa , à qua daeta erat eis communis illa essentia . vallesius de sacra philosophia ▪ pag. . see chapter . § . notes for div a -e * vide zabarel . de lumine . * vide anton . scarmilion . de coloribus . * see the first part of the divine essence & attributes , chap. . pag. , . &c. * who fed thee in the wilderness with manna , which thy fathers 〈◊〉 not , that hee might humble thee , and that he might prove thee , to doe thee good at thy latter end : lest thou say in thine heart , my power and the might of my hand hath 〈…〉 is wealth . but thou shalt remember the lord thy god , for it is hee 〈…〉 power to get wealth , that he may establish his covenant , which hee 〈…〉 , as it is this day . devt. . vers . , , . * vide salvi●num lib. . num . . * tim. ▪ in what good sense all things may be said necessary in respect of gods decree . see chap. . parag . . * in dialogistam . * quàm lon●è quaeso est à jubente ●ermittens ? qui en●m , 〈◊〉 nos ista ●mala ) perferre , et prohibere potest ne perferamus , probat absque 〈◊〉 ●ebe●●●●ferre , & quaecunq● pati●●ur . sustin●●e salvi●n . lib. . in initio pa. . * vid. suffrag . britannorum in concil . dordr . thesi . de antecedaneis ad conversionem . vide etiam d. wardum concione de gratia discriminante pag. , , . editionis . gen. . ▪ gen. ▪ , , . objection answer . * et vere clamor & grandis clamor est , quando pietas dei , peccatorum clamoribus vincitur , ut peccantes punire cogatur . ostendit ergo dominꝰ , quam invitus puniat etiam gravissimos peccatores , dicens , quod clamor sedomorum ad se ascenderit . hoc est dicere : miseritordia quidem mea mihi suadet ut parcam , sed tamen peccatorum clamor cogit ut puniam . salvianus lib. . * virgil. . aeneid . vid. rodiginum lib. . cap. ▪ pag. . * see cha. . §. . a that death it selfe is fatall , pythagoras supposeth in those verses ; iura colas non ore tenus ; sed rebus & ipsis : nec pravis mentem suescas rationibus uti : sed mortem fato subituros noveris omnes : divitias quandoque dari ; quandoque perire . that disasterous or untimely death was not fatall but preventable , he supposeth in the verses following , for he calleth all calamities divina infortunia . see hierocles upon both places . see his annotations upon the latter . chap. . of this booke . parag. . b quaest . . si deus mortalem naturam nostram fecit , cur deum mortem non fecisse dicis ? explicatio . non si quid est mortale naturâ , id omnino mori necesse est . argumente sunt enoch & elias , qui cum naturâ mortales sint , in immortalitate etiam manent superiores excelsioresque effecti quàm ad quos elogium illud pertineat , terra es , & in terram revertêris . verum est igitur , naturam nostram à deo factam esse mortalem , mortémque invectam esse in mundum hominis inobedientiâ . si enim deus ut naturam fecit mortalem , sic etiam mortem fecisset , non inobedientia mortem induxisset : ac si deus inobedientiam non fecit , ne mortem quidem fecit . * homer . iliad . . non procul à fine . virgil. aeneid . lib. . * quaestio . . si hominum natura ut mortalis , proprium ac suum finem agnoscit , tempus autem unuscujusque non est certi cujusdam termini ; quod quidem fotum vocant ij qui à religione nostra abhorrent : quomodo ezechiae addita sunt tempora ? quod enim additum est , in praefinito determinatoque numero certè sumitur . vnde igitur in merientibus incertum interminatumque tempus docetur ? explicatio . non esse uniuscujusque tempus certum ac definitum , 〈◊〉 divi●● scripturae verbis docetur , si in campo invenerit homo puellam desponsatam , eique vi●llata dormierit : vitum quidem interficite , puellam autem ne interficite . mores e●●m corrupit homo proximi sui , eumque puls●ns non crat qui juvaret , atque ita haecres 〈◊〉 . et puella clamavit , nec suit qui ei auxilium ●●●ret . non autem divina scriptura violatum therum coactae morti comparasset , simor● certa desinitaque fuisset . quod enim apud deum definitum est , id nec viola●i , nec transiri potest . quod si ita est , profecto definitae ezechiae vitae tempora vitae non sunt addita , sed annis ejus qui indefinite occupaverant , quorum sinis morbo lethali eveniebat , nisi deus morbam ejus curasset , eumque ad vitam revocavisset . iustin . martyr . explicat . pag. . * vide bellantium . at vos , o superi , & divum tu maxime rector iuppiter , arcadij quaeso miserescite regis : ●t patrias audite preces , si n●mina vestra incolumem pallanta mihi , si fata reservant : si visurus eam vivo , & venturus in unum , vitam oro : patior quemvis durare laborem . sin aliquē infandū casum fortuna minaris , nunc , ô nunc , liceat crudelem abrumpere vitā . virgil. aeneid . lib. . manil lib. cap. . caelius rodigin . lection , antiq . lib. . c. . * casus autem latius patet quam fortuna : quando & eam complectitur , & multa alia quae alias aliter accidere suapte naturâ possunt . ipsum nomen hoc indicat . est enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graecis quod ultrò & à se fit : intelligiturque casus , quum quod alterius causa sierisolet , 〈◊〉 propter illam caus●m , quale frigus sub caniculae ortum esse videtur non enim frustra , neque denique sicut quod est in nostra potestate , pars est contingentis : sic fortuna pars est casus . vtque casus contingenti , ita i●s quae in nostra sunt potestate , fortuna accidit : non omnibus tamen , sed in quibus consilium delectusque adhibentur , uti diximus . proinde casus communis est animatorum & animae expertium : fortuna hominis est propria , ejus qui jam agere possit . idque hinc constat , quòd fortunatum esse & foelicem esse pro eodem habentur , & foelicitas est quaedam agendi dexteritas : haec autem solius est perfecti hominis . quae ergo fato comprehenduntur , haec sunt ▪ contingen● , possibile , delectus , in nostra situm potestate , fortuna casus , iisque , adjuncta , de quibus est etiam * fortassis , & perinde : quae omnia continentur quidem fato , nullum autem eorum fatale est . plutarch . de fato . pag. , . faium iamen sub provi ●e●lia comprebendit . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a -e * plato fortunam causam in propositis constitutisque per accidentiam & consequutionem . aristoteles , causam per accidens in ijs quae ex animi appetentia propter quid fiunt , obscuram illam quidem & instabilem . diff●rre autem à fortuna spontaneum temer ariumque casum . quod enim à fortuna , idem à temeritate quoque fieri : hocque gerendis in rebus esse . quod autem temerarium spontaneumque sit , non continu● idem à fortuna fieri , idque citra omnem rerum administrationem usu venire . porò fortunam rationalium esse ; spontis autem casum , tum rationalium , tum rationis expertium animantium , tum inanimatorum corporum . epicurus , causam non sibi constantem , personis , temporibus , modis : anaxagoxas & stoici , indeprehensam humano captui causam . siquidem eventorum quaedam è necessitate , quaedam è fato , quaedam ex libero & constituto , quaedam è fortuna , nonnulla è suae spontis casu . plutarch . de placitis & decretis philosoph . lib. . p. . notes for div a -e * si fato fieret , ut esset aut improbus , aut bonus ; profectò contraria in cum cadere nunquam possent , nec saepissime mutaretu● ; quin nec alii quidem probi essent , alii malitalioqui fatum causam malorum esse , contrariaque sibi facere sentiremus , aut illud quod ante dictum est , videri verum esse , nihil esse virtutem nec vitium sed opinione solum bona , & mala judicari : quae , ut vera ratio docet , maxima est & impieta● & injusti●ia . verum fatum hoc immutabile esse dicimus , iis qui praeclaras bonasque res cligunt , ac sibi proponunt , digna praemia , itemque iis qui contraria , digna praemia constituens . non enim ut alia , veluti a●bores & quadr●pedia , quae nihil voluntate & judicio facere possunt , sic hominem deus condidit . neque enim praemio ac laude dignus esset , si per se , & à se , bonum non deligeret , sed bonus ●actus esset : nec si malus esset , jure supplicio afficeretur , cum non à se talis esset , sed aliud nihil esse posset , nisi quod factus fuisset . iustin . martyr . apolog pro christ pag. . itaque deus non est sic mundum deletu●us & eversurus ut nulli sint jam futari improbi angeli , daemones , & homines , propter christianorum semen & genus quod ipsum causam rerum esse intelligit . nam nisi hoc esset , ne vobis quidem haec jam à malis geniis fieri ullo modo possent , sed ignis judicij delapsus omnia dissiparet & incenderet , quemadmodum etiam cl●vies superioribus seculis nemini pepercit , nisi uni illi qui à nobis nochus appellatur , à vobis deucalion , ejusque familiae , ex quo rursus tam multi nati sunt quorum partim improbi , partim boni fuerunt . sic enim conflagrationem fore cens●mus , non , ut stoicis placet , omnium rerum inter ipsas mutatione , quod turpissimum videtur : nec fato homines facere aut pati quicquam co●ū quae fiunt & evenium , judic●mus , sed voluntate ac judicie unumquenque bene agere aut peccare : malorūque geniorū operā bonos , veluti socratē ejusque similes exagitari & in vincula conjici : sar ●anapatū aut●̄ , epicurū ac fimiles in rerū abundantia & gloria beatae vitae compotes videri : quod cum non intellexissent stoici , fati necessitate fieri omnia censuerunt . iustin mart. apol. . pro christ . pag. . * rodiginus lection . antiquar . lib. cap. . caeterum quo planius fati ratio pernoscatur , ita omnino colligendum , sicuti animi rationalis summus creator est deus , atque idem gubernator , ita et corporis geniter est mundus , ac moderator , vnde consequitur illud , uti animus velut dei filius ab deo , tanquam à patre , providentiae legibus clementer agatur , & suaviter . corpus verò ut mundi membrum à mundano corpore fati viribus , velut particula quaedam ab mole tota impetu quodam ●ra●atur violento : unde fit , uti in mentem nulla pror sum sati vis queat assultare , nisi quatenus corpori ipsa se fatalibus obnoxio legibus , addixerit . propterca semper ferè divinus plato ab corporis amore , ac externorum cura ad animi & dei cultum praecipit defugiendum , quando non alia ratione declinari mala queunt . * neque enim si non esset providētia , ordo ille in mundo existeret , quod fatum possit aliquis appellare : nec si ista deessent , ulla esset mulcta ullumque adversus sceleratos judicium : immo nec bonorum praemium , nec cōmendatio . at vero , providentiā atque ordine existentibus , omnes oportebat qui jam nascuntur eadem bona sortiri ; si nihil à seipsis ad inaequalitatem contulissent . hierocles in carm. pythag. pag. . and again pag. . tot tantaque adeo ex versibus istis possumus baurire prae●epta quae ad virtut● institutionem primam conferunt . videntur enim & providentia , & fati , liberatisque animi verissimimas rationes complecti ; quibus molestiam illam , quae in eorum , quae c●rnuntur , dissimilitudine versatur , oratio examinavit ; inque omnibus malorum caussam deum nequaquam existere demonstravit . that fates may stand with freedome of election in man , tacitus observes out of the ancient heathens . sed mihi haec , ac ●alia audienti , in incerto judicium est , fatone res mortalium & necessitate immutabili , an forte voluantur . quippe sapientissimos veterum , quique sectam eorum aemulantur , diversos reperies : ac multis insitam opinionem , non initia nostri , non finem , non denique homines diisque curae . ideo creberrima & ●ristia in bonos , laeta apud deteriores esse ; contra alii , fatum quidem congruere rebus putant sed non è vagis stellis , verum apud principia & nexus naturalium causarum , ac tamen electionem vitae nobis relinquunt : quam ubi elegeris , certum imminentium ordinem . neque mala vel bona , quae vulgus putet : multos qui conflictari adversis videantur , beatos : ac plerosque quamquam magnas per 〈◊〉 , miserrimos : si illi gravem fortunam constanter tollerent , hi prospera inc●nsulte utantur . caeterum plurimis mortalium non eximi , quo primo cujusque ortu ventura destinentur : sed quaedam secus quàm dicta sint cadere , fallacijs ignara dicentium , ita corrumpi fidem artis , cujus clara documenta , & antiqua aetas & nostra tulerit . quippe à filio ●jusdem trasulli , praedictum neronis imperium in tempore memorabitur , ne nunc incepto longiù● abierim . cornel. tacit. lib. . annal. num . . b aeneid . . filius huic , fato divum , prolésque vir●lis nulla fuit ; primáque oriens erepta juventa est . c virgil. aeneid . . vndique collecti coeunt , mattémque fatigant . illicet infandum cuncti contra omnia bellum , contra fata deum , perverso numine poscunt . certatim regis circunstant tecta latini . ille , velut pelagi rupes immota , resistit . vt pelagi rupes , magno veniente fragore , quae sese , multis circum lat●antibus undis , mole tenet ; scopuli ne quicquā , & spumea circū saxa fremunt , later ique ill●●a refunditur alga . * verū ubi nulla datur caecū exuperare potestas consilium , & saevae nutu iunonis eunt res : multa deos aurásque pater testatus inanes , frāgin●ur heu fatis , in quit , fer●múrque procell● . ipsi has sacrilego pendetis sanguine poenas , o miseri , te turne nefas , te triste manebit suppliciam : votisque deos venerabere seris . * si quidem per se alteri quidem divitias ; alteri autem paupertatem , divinum judicium tribuit : divinam voluntatem nominari istud oportuit , non infortunium . sin autem nih●l hujusmodi nominibus imperat ; sed fortuito & temere accidit , ut felix iste sit , sicuti dicunt ; ille autem infelix : infortunium vocare tantummodo istud oportuit ; non divinum infortunium . sin porro deus arbiter unicuique tribuit , quod meritis convenit ; neque in caussa est , ut tales ipsi simus ; sed eo fine tantum justitiam possidet , ut ex praescripto ipsius , gestis paria referat : non immerito conjunctis nominibus judicij decreta divina infortunia nuncupat : sive , ( quia divinum sit judicium , atque intelligens ) praeponendum putarit quod divinitatem atque scientiam demonstret : sive etiam ( quod sponte malitiam idipsum amplectatur , de quo agitur , unde etiam calamitatibus istis dignum est ) infortuniorum nomen adjecerit , tanquam non ex professo certum hominem vel supplicio , vel praemio afficere deus statuat ; sed eum semper , qui i●●o se , atque illo modo gesserit ; cujus rei caussa non sit extra nos investiganda . itaque voluntatis nostrae , divinique judicij nexum infortunium parere ; nihilque aliud totum hoc divinum existere infortunium , quam dei adversus peccata calculum . hieroc in aurea pythag. carmina pag. . * see chap. . §. . * nos ita judicandū humanū gen●à christo dicim● , ut tamē etiā nūc omnia deum , prout rationabileputat , regere ac dispensare credamus : & ita in futuro judicio judicaturum affirmemus , ut tamen semper etiam in hoc seculo judicesse doceamus . dum enim semper gubernat deus , & semper judicat : quia gubernatio ipsa est judicium . salvian . lib. . and again : ●deo etiam sanctos homines castigatos quōdā judicio dei legimus , ut judicandos nos , deo judice , etiam presenti seculo nosceremus ; quia sicut deus est semper , sic justitia dei semper : sicut omnipotentia domini indeficiens , sic censura indemutabilis : sicut deus jure perpetuus , sic justitia perseverans . salvian . lib. . * in the treatise of the divine essence . part. . notes for div a -e * see cha. . notes for div a -e * in the treatise of prodigies & of their usefull observation . * see cha. . parag . . & . * nos calamitatum nostrarum authores s●mus . deus enim pius est & misericors , & qui , ut scriptum est , neminem velit perire vel laedere . nos● ergo adversum nos omnia facimus . nihil itaque , nihil est in nobis crudelius nobis . nos inquam , nos etiam deo nolente cruciamus . sed videlicet adversum meips●im dicere arbitror , qui cum superius dixerim , ob peccata nostra nos puniri à deo , nunc dicam nos puntri à nobis ipsis . vtrumque verum est ; deo quippe punimur , sed ipsi facimus ut puniamur . cum autem punire nos ipsi facimus , cui dubium est quin ipsi nos nostris criminibus puniomus : quia quicunque dat causam qua puniatur , ipsese punit , secundum illud ; funibus peccatorum suorum unusquisque constrin gitur . salvianus lib. . * ier . ● . &c. * sam. . . &c. see the next chapter of this book parag . . notes for div a -e homer . iliad . . * in the treatise of christs answer to iohn . * see iosephus in the history of iehoiakim . et seder olam . * see josephus in the historie of zedekiah . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist . l. . cap. . polit . * pa●san . * in the fulfilling of that prophesie , zac. . v. . * the persian rams , as some relate , are of an extraordinary greatnesse , and might serve as an embleme of darius his excessive power in respect of alexanders , if it were to be measured by visible cōjecture . * non sum facturus verba , macedones , ut vos abista domum redeundi cupiditale demoveam ( siquidem per me integrum vobis est quò libuerit abire ) sed ut intelligatis , quid ego vobis praestiterim , & qualē vos mihi vicē rependentes discedatis . ac primum à philippo patre ( ut par est ) ordiar . philippus enim vos incertis sedibus errantes atque inopes , & pleresque sub pellibus degentes , exiguosque ovium greges in montibus pascentes , ac pro ijs parum feliciter adversùs illyrios , triballos , & finitimos thracas bellum gerentes ; pro pellibus chlamydes gestendas dedit , ex montibus in planitiem deduxit , paresque hostibus ad pugnandum effecit , ut non tam in locerū munitione deinceps , quā in vestra virtute sal●tē collocaretis urbes vobi● habitādas dedit , optimisque legibus atque institutis ornavit . idem vobis in eos ipsos barbaros qui vos assiduis populationibus lacessebant , imperium acquisivit , & dominos èservis effecit : magnam thraciae partem macedoniae adjecit oppidisque ad marit●mam oram peroppor tunis in potestatem suam redactis , commerciorum sacultatem aperuit , & tutas metallorum fodinas suppeditavit . thessalos praeterea , quorum metu olim exanimati eratis , vestro imperio subjecit : gente phocensium afflicta , aditum in graeciam amplum & expeditum pro angusto & difficili vobis patefecit . arrian ▪ de expedit . alex. lib. . p. . * darius interea cum exercitu castris locum delegerat , assyriae cāpum planū omnique ex parte apertum , qui & magnitudini exercitus maxime commodus esset , & ad ducendum equitatum peropportunus visus fuerat . a quo quidem loco ne recederet , amyntas antiochi filius , ab alexandr● transfuga , su●serat . loci enim amplitudinem , & multitudini persarum & impedimentis percommodam esse . et mansit quidem eo loci darius . caeterū quum alexander longiorem moram tarsi ob aegritudinem sa●●ret , neque minorem solis , ubi & sacrificarat & ludos fecerat ; mullum etiam temp●ris in expeditione adversùs cilicas montanos posuisset : darium à sententia sua abduxit , neque invitus adid quod maxime cordi erat credendum , protractus est . siquidem ab ijs qui ad voluptatem tantam loquuntur ( maxim● semper regibus , cum quibus versantur , damno futuri ) impulsus , alexandrum ulterius progredi 〈◊〉 sibi 〈…〉 adventûs perculsum . arrian . de expedit . alex. lib. . pag. . * hoc etiā modo ejus animum commoverant , quòd darij equitatum facile universas macedonum copias proculcaturum dicebant : quantumvis amyntas alexandrum , ubicunque is darium esse audi● et , venturum affirmasset : ibique eum opperiri suasisset . caeterum deterior sententia , quod primo accessu gratior auribus accideret , vicit . ac fortasse deus illum eo loci adduxit , ubi nec equitatus magno usui esse posset , ut nec infinita hominum pariter & jaculorū ac telorum multitudo ; sed nec ipsam quidem excercitus magni ficentiam ostendere poterat : sed alexandro facilem omnino victoriam praebebat . oportebat enim asiae imperiū persis à macedonibus adi●i , quemadmodum persa medis ac prius medi assyriis ademerant . arrian , ibid. * postquam namque è longinque vidit candidatum populum , & sacerdotes ante agmen in amictu byssino , pontificemque in stola hyacinthina auro distincta , tiaram in capite gestantem , prae fix● aureâ lamina dei nomine inscript● , vix mentis compos , solus accedens ad pontificem ●lexander , comiter salutans nomen dei adoravit , quem se in macedonia vidisse memoravit , dum deliberaret quo pa●to asiam posset subigere , ejusque ●ortatu expeditionem suscepisse . quare & deo immolavit ▪ salvis vitibus in templum ascendens , gavisus admodum o●●enso sibi libro d●●●elis , in qu● graecum quendum pers●● debellaturum significabatur . lib. antiq . . cap. . * dupliciter in illa hispanorū captivitate deus ostendere veluit , quantum & ●disset acrius libidinem , & diligeret ●●stitatem , cum et vandalos ob solam maximè pudicitiam illis superponeret , & hispanos ob solam vel maxime impudicitiam subjugaret . quid enim ? nanquid non erant in omni orbe terrarum b●rberi fortiares , quibus hispaniae traderentur ? multi absque dubio , imo ni fall●r , omnes . sed id●o ille infirmissimi● hostibus cuncta tradidit , ut ostenderet scilicet , non vires valere , sed causam ; neque no● tunc ignavissimorum qu●rundam hostium fortitudine obrui , sed sola 〈◊〉 nostrorum impuritate superari . de gubern . dei. lib. . * parag. . * behold , they shall surely gather together , but not by me : whosoever shal gather together against thee , shall fall for thy sake . behold i have created the smith that bloweth the coales in the fire , and that bringeth forth an instrument for his worke , and i have created the waster to destroy . no weapon that is framed against thee , shall prosper , and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement , thou shalt condemne . this is the heritage of the servants of the lord , and their righteousnesse is of me , saith the lord. isaiah . vers . , , . * hab. . v. . to . * vide s. hieron . in cap. isai . v. . & . * psal . , . * fama est [ caesarem ] quū alio tēpore in hispania , legeret per otium alexandri historia , diu eum secum cogitabundum sedisse , inde lachrymas profudisse , mirantibus causam amicis dixisse ; annon videtur vobis gemendum , quum hae aetate , alexander tot jam regna subegerit , me nihildum gessisse praeclari ? vt ergo hispaniam attigit , mox accinxit se operi , atque intra paucos dies cobortes decem ad priores viginti conscripsit . plutarch . in vita iul. caesaris . * see the first booke upon the creed . pag. . &c. * it is memorable which xenophon relates in his fourth book , at the time when cyrus did prosecute the victory , which he had gotten over the babylonians in the first conflict , wherein their king was slaine . quum autem progrederentur , & nox a●petiisset ; proditum est ; cyro & exercitui lucem claerissimam caelitus ablatam fuisse : quo factum ut in animis ●mnium quidam horror erga numen divinum , & in hostes confidentia existeret . xenopon . lib. . * ego vero sic ●io , mi rex , inquit . nam regem natura ni●ilo te minil● ortum arbitror : quam ille rex est , qui dux apum in alveo nascitur . illi enim semper apes ultro parēt , ac quocunque loco ma●serit , ab eo nulla earum discedit . quod si aliquò prodierit , nulla ipsum deserit . lam mirisicus eis amor erga principem hunc suum innascitur . itidem erga te mihi quodam modo videntur hi homines adfecti esse . xenophon . lib. . p. . * cyrus autem domum reversus , precatusque vestam patriam , & iovem patrium , & deos caeteros in militiam domo profectus est , quum quidem & pater eum una prosequeretur . ac postquam domo egressi essent , fulgura tonitruaque dextraei oblata fuisse perhibentur . quae quum adparuissent , alio praeterca nullo captato augurio perrexere ; quod maximi dei signa nemini obscura esse possent . xenophon lib. . p. . hee knew by experience that he was set on worke by some divine instinct , and this made him seeke to please all which he tooks for gods or divine powers . so xenophon relates in his third book : bonis avibus hostile solum invasit ; ut vero primum fiaes transierat , tellurem libationibus prepitiam sibi reddidit , & deos atque heroas regionem assyriorum incolentes sacrificiis placa●●t . quibus peractis rursum iovi patrio rem divinam fe●it , nec si quis alius se deorum 〈◊〉 , ullum neglexit . the watchword which he gave unto his souldiers in that battell wherein the king of babylon was slaine , was , iupiter auxiliaris & dux . xenophon . lib. . * ier. . , , . * the first occasion of cyrus his expedition was to regaine the revolting armenians unto his uncle cyaxarez , king of the medes . and these hee won to their allegiance , partly by love , partly by sleight , having ●ur prized some parts of their country ( under pretence of hunting ) before they were aware . see xenophon , book . and . how cyrus won the chaldeans which bordered upon the armenians to his side . and his . book , how the hircanians , after the king of babylon was slaine in battaile , revolted to him , and of the good service which they did him . and after them the sacae and the cadusii , with gobrias and godatas two great princes . * hab. . v. , , &c. * pr●cedente vero tempore moritur apud medos astyages , & cyaxares astyagis filius , matrisque cyri frater , medorum imperio potitur . rex autem assyriorum quum cyros universos , non exiguam sane nationem , subegisset , arabum regem imperio suo subjecisset , hyrcani●s subditos haberet , bactrios appug●aret ; futurum existimabat , ut si medorum vires d●bilitasset , facile finitimis omnibus imperaret . xenophon . lib. p. . * the medes themselves were unwilling to follow the warres after the king of babylon was slaine , untill the hyrcanians did perswade them ; and cyrus himselfe was doubtfull what to doe , untill he saw in what desperate estate he should leave gobryas , if his army were dissolved . see xenophon in the . book . * esa . . . * qui autem in mure stabant , obsidionem hanc irridebant , quòd ei● commeatus esset copiosior , quam in annos viginti . quae cyrus quum audiisset , in partes duodecim exercitum divisit , ut pars quaelibet unum anni mensem in excubiis esset . quibus iterum auditis , multo etiam babylonii magis irridebant , qui cogitarent secum , phryges ac lycios & arabes , & cappadoces futur●s c●ntra se in excubiis ; quos omnes arbitrabantur animia erga se magis esse benevolus , quam erga pers●● . ac fossae quidem jam actae erant . cyrus vero quum audiisset , celebrari babylone festum , quendam ejusmodi diem quo babylonii omnes nocte tota potarent & comessarentur : quamprimum eo die tenebrae accessissent , magna mortaliam multitudine adhibita , fossarum ostia versus amnem aperuit . hoc quum factum esset , aqua noctu in fossa● manabat , & alueus fluvii per urbem tendens hominibus permeabilis esse cepit . &c. xenoph. de instir . cyri histor . lib. . pag. . * ac primum quidem turres propter flumen exstru●bat palmis ●undatas , quarum non minor erat , quam jugeri longitudo . nam hac majorem etiam in longitudinem excrescunt . has autem pa●mas operi propterea subjiciebat , ut quam maxime videretur id facere quod solent , qui ad urbem obsidendam sese comparant , ut tametsi flumen in fossem dilaberetur , ipsas turres non everteret . etiam multas , alias supra terram egestam excitabat , ut quam plurima essent excubiarum loca . xenophon . de instit . cyri lib. . histor . pag. . a yet it seemes by cyrus his answer to chrysantas , that he had no hope to finde any entrance into the citie , otherwise then by famishing the besieged . vbi jam in castris essent cyrus ijs , quos oporteret , convocatis , dixit : urbem socij undique contemplati fuimus : atque equidem , quo pact● quis adeò firmos & excelsos muros oppugnando capere possit , videre mihi non videor . quanto autem plures homines in urbe sunt , quando ad pugnandum non exeunt , tanto citi●s fieri arbitror ut fame in potestatem redigantur . nisi igitur aliquem alium modum habetis , quem nobis ostendatis , hoc ipso nobis istos expugnandos esse autumo . et chrysantas inquit : hic●ine fluvius per urbem mediam labitur , cujus latitudo ●●adia duo superat ? ita profecto , ait gobryas , ac tanta quoque prefunditas ejus est , ut ne duo quidem viri , alter alteri insistentes , supra aquam exstare possint . quo fit , ut fluvio sit urbs etiam munitior , quam moenibus . et cyrus : missa faciamus haec , ait mi chrysanta , quae viribus nostris potiora sunt . xenophon . de instit . cyri lib. . pag. . the reason why cyrus did cast his trenches so wide and deepe , was in his first intention , as it seemes , onely for the more commodious defence of his souldiers against the sallies of their enemies . adibita vero mensura quamprimum fossa latissima profunditissimaque vobis erit agenda , pro parte cuique●ua ; quo paucissimis custodibus vobis sit opus . xenophon . ibid. * at si hoc in mente● alicui venit quod fertur esse formidabile urbem intrantibus ; ne tectis illi conscensis hinc inde tela in nos conjiciant : id ipsum maxime vobis animos addat . nam si qui conscendent aedes , opitulator nobis est deus vulcanus . et sunt eorum vestibula crematu facilia . nam januae palmarum è materìa fabricatae sunt , quae ingens incendium citò parient ; & copia pici● ac stuppae , quae citè magnam flammam eliciunt . quo fiet , ut vel celeriter necesse sit hos ab ●dibus aufugere , vel celeriter exuri . verum agite , arma capite , diis equidem juvantibus praeibo . xenophon . de instit . cyri histor . lib. . p. . * cyrus autem co●ortes equitum per vias passim dimittebat , edicens , ut si quos extra domos invenirent , ●cciderent : at illis , qui adhuc in aedibus essent , per syriacae linguae peritos 〈…〉 jussit , ut intus manerent . quod si quis foris deprehenderetur , enus morte mult a●dum . et ●i quidem haec exs●quebantur . xenophon . ibidem . pag. . * atqui , aiebant illi , qui erant cum gobrya , demōstrate nobis i●inera quū vob●s ea cognitasint . vrbs enim tota , hac nocte comessationi est intenta . sed in excubias tamen ante regiae portas incidemus , quod cae semper i●tic coll●centur . non negligenda res est , ait cyrus , sed eundum , ut quam maxime imparatos offend imus . quae quum essent dicta , pergebant . si qui eis obviam venirent , partim caesi peribant , partim retrò vicissim fugiebant , partim clamorem edebant . cum his & gobrya●i clamores edebant ●osdem , velut ipsi quoque comessationum socii . simul pergentes , quà celerrime progredi poterant , ad regiam perveniunt . et hi quidem gobryae gadataeque adjuncti portas regiae clausa● invoniunt : qui verò adversus regiae custodes ire jussi f●erant , irr●unt in eos in ignem luculentum potantes , statimque hostili cum eis more agunt . xenophon ibidem . * so grandfathers are usually called fathers in scriptures , specially in respect of such as inherit after them . it is evident from ier. . vers . . that evil-merodach did immediately succeed nabuchadnezzar . this evil-merodach was that king of as●yria which was slain in the battaile betwixt cyrus and the babylonians related by xenophon in his . book . a king much better beloved of his subjects than his son belshazzar . * he had slaine gobrias his sonne , because hee was a better archer than himselfe : and gelded gadatas being jealous lest he should prove his corriuall ▪ * dan. . . * see abulensis and 〈◊〉 in their comments upon this place . * see section . cha . parag . . & chap . parag . . * orto autem clamore ac strepitu , quum ij , qui erant in●us , tumultum sentirent , & inspici rex juberet quid illud esset rei ; apertis aliqui portis , soras procurrunt . eas quum patefactas gadatai conspicerent , iruunt & illos rursus fugientes intro sequuti , ac ferientes , ad regem accedunt : eumque jam er●ctum cum acinac● , quē strictum tenebat , inveniunt . hunc gadataei & gobriani numer● plures opprimunt , interfectis etiam jis , qui regi aderāt ac partim aliquid objiciebant , partim fugiebant , partim se quacunque re peterant , tuebantur . xenophon . l. . pag. . * quumque in mentem ei veniret , quid in se nego●ij suse episset , qui multis mortalibus imperare niteretur , & habere domicilium in urbe inter illustres amplissima institueret , quam sic adfecta in eum esset , ut urbs alicui maxime infesta : quum haec inquam expenderet , corporis sibi custodia opus esse existimavit . quod item sciret , homines opprimi faciliùs non posse , quam inter vescendum , bibendum , lavandum in cubili & somno : circumspiciebat , quos●am in his sibi maxime sidos habere posset . arbitrabatur autem , non posse fidum hominem unquam esse , qui magis amaret al um , quam illum , qui ejus custodia indigeret . quamobrem ●lios , quibus essent liberi , vel conjuges genio congruentes , vel amores alij , naturae quadam coactione judicabat ad eos maxime diligendos impelli . at eunuchos omnibus his carere cernens maximi facturos putabat illos , à quibus locupletari plurimum possent , & opem habere , si injuriis adficerentur , atque etiam honoribus ornari . a quo autem beneficiis in hos conferendis ipse superari posset , neminem fore censebat . xenophon . lib. . pag. . * existimarunt multi , & inter caeteros plutarchus gravissimus autor , populum romanum in acquirendo tanto imperio majore fortune prosperitate , quàm virtute usum esse ; idque vel ipsiusmet populi romani autoritate constare . neque enim fortunae tot templa dedicasset , nisi ei victorias suas acceptas tulisset . nam romae nulli deorum , dearumve tot erant posita templa , uti fortunae . eidem huic sentiae videtur livius quoque suffragari , eò quòd in recitandis orationibus imperatorum , nunquam solius virtutis mentionem facit , sed fortunae auxilium adjungit . ego vero contrarinm sentio , neque plutarchi hanc opinionem defendi posse contendo . nam si nulla extitit respublica quae tantum imperium , uti roma acquisivit : cur id fortunae potiùs , quam bonis ipsius legibus & institutis tribuamus ? virtus exercituum , & imperatorum singularis industria imperium romanum peperêre : res autem p●rtas conservarunt bona rei● : institutio , rectaque gubernandi ratio à primo legislatore constituta : uti deinceps copiosiùs disseremus . disput . nic. machiavel . lib. . cap. . in initio . * de providentia . lib. * vide annonium lib. . cap. . see the treatise containing the origi●nall of vnbeliefe , &c. cap. . §. * other barbarians had the like apprehension of their calling to the like service as salvianus witnesseth . potuerant ( wandal● ) ergo ille degere , nec timebant : sed illa utique coelestis manus , quae eos ad punieuda hispa norum flagitia illuc traxerat , etiam ad vastandam africam transire cogebat . ipsi denique fatebantur , non suum esse quod facerent . agi enim se divino jussu at perurgeri . ex quo intelligi potest quanta sint mala nostra , ad quos vastandos atque cruciandos ire barba●i compelluntur invi●i , secundùm illud quod vastator terrae israeliticae rex assyriorum ait . esa . . & ier. . salv. lib. . de gubern . dei. a chronica hungarorum . * vide chronica hungarorum . et bonfin . lib. . dec . . * bonfin . lib. . dec . . * see chapter . parag . . * bonfinius . lib. . dec . . * aëtius postquam audivit attilam exercitum infinitae multitudinis ductare in gallias , obviandum maturè putavit : & , ut ipse dicere solebat , enitendum , ut ala●tores , seu mali genii procul ferro exterminarentur : alludens ad naturam umbrarum & daemonum , qui gladium eductum timent & minus , ut psellius ait ; ac praeterea scite alludens ad originem decantatam hunnorum ad daemones referendam . nam cum filimer rex gothorum post egressum scanziae insulae terram scythicam ingressus , reperisset mulieres quasdam magas maleficâ arte populum vexare , longè fugatas adegit in solitudinem , ubi spurci ac vagi spiritus in complexum suumeas illexere , humanae , figurae , sed in humanae prorsus mentis & impietatis supremae edituri sobolem , nempe hu●nos , rapto & venatu ali consuetos . forcatulus . lib . pag. ● . ex iornande in lib. rerum getic . fabulosum putarem , nisi d. augustinus sylvanos & faunos , agrestia veterum numina , improbos extitisse mulieribus , appetisse & peregisse concubitum retulisset : & daemones quosdam , quos inquit , dusios galli nuncupant , eadem cupidine inquinatos pr● comperto haber●tur . ibid. ex augustino . lib. . de civit. dei. cap. . * disput . lib. . cap. . quod si quis igitur animo comprehendat res à populo romano , prius tam praeclarè , longo annorum numero , gestas : iisque has conferat , quas adversùs gallos gessere : tam diversat esse comperiet , ut non ab uno eodemque sed diversis populis , g●estae esse videantur . vsque ad●o scilicet , occaecat fortuna animos hominum , ait livius : cum vim suam ingru●entem ref●ngi non vult . quo ●it , ut qui in perpetuis pericul● versantur , min●s vit●perari debeant ; & min●s laudari qui continuâ foeli●itate fruuntur : cum & illos & hosfata tr●●ere videantur● neque consilium illorum ad resistendum malis ; neque horum virtus ad comparandam foelicitatem multum facere queat . &c. * he concludes ; cum urbi romae tanta imperii magnitudo fatalis esset ; opprimi , ac vehementissime affligi ●am oportuit , ut deinceps cautior , prudentiorque fieret , ac tantam imperij molem acquirendam : delere tamen planè non debuit . itaque ut omnia h●ec ita succederent , fata camillum in exilium misêre , non necaverunt , urbem à gallis permisêre occupari non capitolium : utque commodiùs occupari urbs posset , efficêre , ut major exercitus pars , ex praelio non romam , sed veios fugeret . et ( ut omnia uno quasi fasce comprehendam ) effecerunt , ut ad avertendum à republica tantam malorum molem , nihil à pepulo romano prudenter sapienterque fieret : ad defendendum capitolium & recuperandam urbem jam captam omnia commodissima instructa essent . disput . nic. machiavel . lib. . cap. . * see cha . . parag . . * imprimis igitur habenda ratio est earum rerum , quae fato ipso , seu astrorum influxu , evenire videntur , & quibus ut resistamus , fortuna non permittit . quarum exemplum luculentissimum est id , quod , populus romanus , in clade gallica accepit . nam cum fatis urgentibus , tanta moles mali instaret : primam occasionem , ad illam accelerandam dederunt tres fabij legati , qui cum agere debuissent de pace , inter clusinos & gallos ; contra jus gentium , pro clusinis , adversùs gallos praelio decertarunt : atque ita gallorum iram , adversùs populum romanum provocarunt . machiavel . lib. . cap. . * magnus ille nostrorū temporum medicus vindicianus , consultus à quodam ; dolori ejus adhiberi jussit , quod in tempore congruere videbatur : adhibitum sanitas consecuta est . deinde , post annos aliquot eádem cursus corporis causâ commotus , hoc idem ille putavit adhibendū : adhibitum vertit in pejus . mira●us , curr●t ad medicū , indicat factum : at ille , ut erat acerrimus , ita respondit ; ide●●a●è acceptus e● , quia ego non jus●● : ut omnes qui audîssent , parumque hominem nossent , non eum arte medicinali fidere , sed nesci● qua illicitâ potentiâ putarent . vnde , quum esset à quibusdam postea stupentibus interrogatus , aperuit quod non intellexerant , videlicet illi atati jam non hoc se fuisse jussurum . august . epist . . ad marcellinum . * magnus ille nostrorū temporum medicus vindicianus , consultus à quodam ; dolori ejus adhiberi jussit , quod in tempore congruere videbatur : adhibitum sanitas consecuta est . deinde , post annos aliquot eádem cursus corporis causâ commotus , hoc idem ille putavit adhibendū : adhibitum vertit in pejus . mira●us , curr●t ad medicū , indicat factum : at ille , ut erat acerrimus , ita respondit ; ide●●a●è acceptus e● , quia ego non jus●● : ut omnes qui audîssent , parumque hominem nossent , non eum arte medicinali fidere , sed nesci● qua illicitâ potentiâ putarent . vnde , quum esset à quibusdam postea stupentibus interrogatus , aperuit quod non intellexerant , videlicet illi atati jam non hoc se fuisse jussurum . august . epist . . ad marcellinum . * dum sape multumque ipse mecum cogito de fortunae diversitate quae aliis secundam , aliis adversam se in eorum actionibus , institutisque exhibet : hanc ejus causam invenisse mihi videor , quòd ut diversi sunt agendi modi , aliis atque aliis hominibus consueti ac naturales : ita aliae atque aliae sunt temporum rationes , occasionesque ▪ quidam in rebus gerendis , administrandisque ferocia quadam utuntur , & omnia cum impetu agunt . &c. mac●iavel . lib. . cap. in initio . * non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem . a vnus home nobis cunctande restituit r●m . ennius . b — sed mens humana major ; nec t●la nec enses nec fortes spectabat equos , tot millia contra poenorum invictumque ducem , tot in agm●ne , solus ibat , & in sese cuncta arma virosque gerebat . sillius italicus . lib. . * neque fabius sua cūctatione , ●llâ cōmodiori tēporū occasione uti potuit , quam illâ ipsâ : cum tamen naturalis esset in fabio illa cunctatio , non ex praesenti temporum statu su●pta . id enim vel eo ipso satis declaravit , quòd cum scipio in africam postea ad conficiendū bellum trajicere vellet : fabius ei vehementer resistebat , & omnibus modis impedire conabatur : ut qui naturâ suâ magis ad cunctandum , arcendaque praesentia pericula ferretur , quàm ad alia majorasubeunda . itaque per fab●um non stetit , quò minus punicum bellum absolvi fini●ique non posset , quòd is non animadverteret alia jam tempora esse , & aliam belli gerendi rationem commodam existere . quod si solus rerum potitus fuisset , victoriam de carthaginensibus obtinere nequivisset , quod belli gerendi rationes temporum diversitati nescivisset accommodare . se●●um in ea republica totessent insignes imperatores , ac rei militaris peritissimi homines , voluit fortuna , ut sicuti difficilibus illis temporibus fabius bellum sustinere , ac pericula arcere ; ita postea , commodiori rerū statu , scipio id conficere , & victoriā obtinere pot●erit . ma●h● . c. . * petrus soderinus , cujus alias etiam mentionē fecimus , naturâ humanus erat , et patientiâ suâ multas injurias ferebat , quae res salutaris fuit reip. simul atque ipsi quandiu tēpora clemētiora fuere . sed cum tēporū mutatione ferrea quaedā aetas adesset , quae severitatem postulabat : atque ille à cōsueta sua patiētia & bonitate discedere nesciret , semetipsum simul , atque patriam perdidit . machiavel . lib. . cap. . * bonfin . lib. dec . . * vide pr●cop . l. . de bell● vandalico . paulus diaconus . lib. vide bonfinium lib. v. dec . . & niceph. l. hist . eccles . cap. . * lazius . * cha. . §. . * vide varsevicii paral . in vita iagell . * non ita gothi , non ita vuandali , qui & in discrimine positi opem a ●eo postulant , & prosperitatis suae munus divinis nominibus appellant . denique probavit hoc , bello proximo infelicitas nostra . cum enim gothi metuerent , praesumpsimus ●os : nos in viribus spem ponere , illi in deo : cum pax ab illis postularetur , a nobis negaretur : illi episcopos mitterent , nos repelleremus : illi etiam in alienis sacerdotibus deum honorarent , nos etiam in nostris contemneremus : prout actus utriusque partis , ita & rerum terminus fuit . illis data est in summo timore palma ; nobis in summa elatione confusio . ve●è & in nobis tunc & in illis evidenter probatum fuit illud domini nostri d●ctum : quoniam , qui se exaltat , humiliabitur , & qui se humiliat , exaltabitur . illis enim exaltatio data est pro humilitate ; nobis pro elatione dejectio . namque agnovit hoc ille dux nostrae partis , qui c●ndem urbem hostium , quam ●odem die victorem se intrat●rum ●sse prasumpsit , captivus intravit &c. in quo quidem pr●ter ipsam rerum infelicitatem , praesens judicium dei patuit , ut quicquid facturum se usurparat , ipse pateretur . &c. salvian . lib. . * thuanus anno ▪ * thuanus ibidem . * thuanus anno ▪ * inter mauritiū et albertum , cum essent aequales , maxima sēper fuerat necessitude ; sic ut nihil esset illis cōjunctiu● . tribus enim bellis a●bo simul caesari militarunt , gallico , smalcaldico magdeburgi●o deinde , quartū atque postremum hoc in caesarem susceperunt . sed natis offensionibꝰ , hunc tam funestū habuit exitum ipsorū amicitia . sleidanus comment . li. . anno . see the occasions of their out fall . lib. . anno . a vide thuanum anno . ▪ * sig●a militaria sunt hostibus erecta , & ad ipsum ex prael●o relata : pedestria quidē quinqu aginta quatu●r , equestria vero qu●tuordecim . mauritius ergo vitam quidem ipse profudit , sed alberti tamen vires atque r●bur admodum fregit : nam ab eo praelio vix●●quam ille potuit vel m●●diocres recolligere copius . sleidanus ▪ comment . lib. . anno . vide plur● thuanum . * in the life of charles the fift . * in his preface or epistle dedicatorie to the continuation of chemnitius his harmony . of maurice his munificence and good affection towards learning and religion , see sleidan . lib. . anno . * quid v. hoc loco dicas de fortuna , mund●i gubernatrice ? ut nonnulli putāt ▪ obtinebat ille summā in gallijs authoritatem : finitimus erat utrique principi ; arcem habebat munitissimam , & rebus omnibus instructam . praesecerat eum rex quadring entis cataphractis : valebat ingenio ; & peritia rei bellicae praestabat ; magnum habebat rerum usum , & auri vim ingentem possidebat . statuendū est igitur fortunam , qua nihil est mutabilius , ei fuisse planè adversariam . sed revera nihil aliud est fortuna , quam sigmentum poeticum . quin potius ita judicandum est iratum ei fuisse deum & graviter offensum . et si de consiliia arcanis fas esset ulli homini pronunciare , dicerem illum excitasse iram dei adversum se , hac unare po●issimum quod per emnem vitam , mente & animo totus in hoc fuerat ut perpetuum bellum a●eret . nam in eo positam esse putabat sua dignitatis materiam , ac v●luti segetem . neque vero difficile ei erat istud perfi●●● . tota enim natura & moribus & ingenio principes in●● se dissidebant . vix igitur credendum est fortunam aliquam eo dementiae adduxisse virum longe prudentissimum , ut eos principes adversum se concitaret , quorum fuerat per omnem vitam in rebus omnibus contraria , & diversa voluntas : qui nullam rem unquam simul ex animo comprobarunt nisi hanc in illius caput factam conjurationem . cominaeus commentar . lib. . juxta finem . * pro. . . vide thuanum anno . see the histories which write of iustin the second . * see the writers of the emperours lives ▪ in the life of heraclius . * camerarius ex ferrono . * see guicciardine and machiavel , locis citatis . notes for div a -e * interrogavi paulò antè , quis habiturus sit quaestionem de potentibus , quis illo accusabit , quis litem defi●iet , quis poenam irrogabit ? certè querimoniae & lachrymae miserorum hominum , quos crudeliter vexarunt , item viduarum & pupillorum gemitus atque suspiria , quos parentibus atque maritis inhumanè spoliarunt , breviter eorum , quos afflixerunt & fortunis omnibus denudarunt , lamentationes atque planger , erunt accusationis loco , quam illi coram suprem● dei tribunali sislent . qui magnitudine scelerum offensus , non semper concedit diuturniorem impunitatem , sed illos aliquando verberat prasentibus poenis , ita quidem evidenter & clarè , ut dubitari non possit , ipsum esse justissimum impietatis nostrae ultorem . plerique vero principes , imperiti quidem illi & inconsulti , quam diu prospera utuntur fortuna , nihil tal● metuunt , sed cum maximè securi sunt omnium rerum , tunc ecce deus repentè illis adversarium aliquem excitat , de quo minime suspicati fuerant . cominaeus in fine lib. . * componā ergo illius accrbitates ac dolores , quos pertulit ante mortem , ●um ijs malis & incommodis , quibus alios affecit . magnitudine quidem inter se differunt , ac longè aliud etiam fuit ipsius munus : verùm , quò prosperiori fuit usus fortuna , & quò major extitit ejus per omnem europam authoritas : eo quoque vehementiùs fuit af●ictus , dum praeter consuetudinem suam & naturam aliquid perferre coactus est . ineo , quem diximus , eremica , summam perpetuò spem habebat , ac subinde missis nuncijs interpellabat eum ut vitam sibi produceret . nam etsi res suas , quasi jam moriturus , constituerat : tamen redintegrato animo , sperabat se posse evadere . cominaeus lib. . in initio . a medico suo menstruum dabat stipendium , ut supr● quoque diximus , decem aureorum millia : nec id modò , verum etiam episcopatum ambianensem ejus nepoti , & munerae publica multa largiebatur ejus propinquis & amicis . et tamen medicus tam erat verbis in eum asper & durus , ut nihil supra : valde igitur eum rex metuebat , & ad suos familiares , de illine asperitate 〈◊〉 , saepe querebatur , neque tamen andebat eum à se dimittere . ibid. mortem nullus unquam veh●m●ntius exhorruit : n●mo etiam majori studio & ratione de remediis unquam cogitavit , quam ipse . familiaribus suis per omnem vitam , & mihi quoque saepenumerò mandaverat , s● quando ipsum in ea necessitatate positum esse conspiceremus , ut nulla prorsuo fact● mentione mortis , ad peccatorum expiationem solummodo adhortaremur , ac videbatur essen●nc temporis molliori animo , quam ut adeò duram sententiam audiret . ibidem . jpse d●os ga●●●● principes d●cem 〈◊〉 & c●●nest ablium , capite mu●ctaver● , & quod alterū n●●usset , jā cū esset moritur●● , ipsū punituit . et quem ad●●●dum illis per homines delectos , denunciatum fuit supplicium , paneis verbis , & breve temporis spa●iū , quo de solu to sua statuerent , cōcessū , ad eundem plane modum isti , nulla verborum 〈◊〉 circuitione , cū ei praesignificarēt mortem : ut officio nostro satisfaciamus , ai●bant●res ipsa postulat . spem nullā d●inceps collocare debes , vel in eremita , vel in quovis alio . nam actū est de te prorsus . ibid. * carceres 〈◊〉 ravit horrendos , & valde tetros , nempe caveas aliquot , partim ferreas , partim ligneas , ferreis laminibus coopertas , latitudine octo pedum , & altitudine paulo majori , quam est staturae hominis . excogit●verat hanc rationem cardinalis baluensis , & in cam , quae primum perfecta fuit , inclusus est ipse , perque totos quatuordecim annos detentus . ibid. a et sicut per ipsius imperiū carceres illi funesti fuerunt inventi : ad eundē plane modū ipse quoque ante mortem , consimilibus omnin● vinculis sese induit , inque majori versabatur metu , quam illi , quos aliquando captivos detinuerat . ibidem . ingrediendum erat omnibus non quidem per patentē portam , sed per parvnlū ostium , & praeter paucos aliquot familiares , quorū erat opera necessaria , nemo quisquam , nisi voluntate ipsius , introibat . ibidem . * hierocles in haec aurea pythagorae carmina : mortales quaecunque deus mittentibus , angunt ; vt tua sors tulerit ; pati●●● ne ferre recusts : nec speranda medela tamen , sed novis & istud ▪ parcius ista viris immittere numina justis . multos ipse , per omnem vitam , perpetuo metu et solicitudine excruciaverat : & nunc ecce videmus ●ū ad con●imilē plane modū affligi . cui enim se cōmittat , qui liberis etiā suis , & genero fidem non habet ? haec autem non ad ipsū modò pertineat : verū etiam ad cos omnes principes , qui metui volunt : qua quidē in re quanta sit servitus , quū ad senectutē pervenerunt , tunc demū aperte sentiunt , quiae coguntur invicem plurimos formidare . com. ibid. * borbonius & comes dunensis , legatos flandriae , qui nuptius deiph●● interfue●ant ambosae , honoris causa , quod fieri solet , deduxerant . vbi plessiū revertissent magno cum comitatu ; è stipatorum , & satellitum suorum praefectis quendam accersit , & explorare jubet , an essent arma●isub veste , sed ut dissimulanter faceret , mandat , intereà dum familiariter cum iis loquitur . com. ibidem . * exod. . . &c. * king. . . * kin. . . * king. . . kin. . . * king. . . * ibidem . vide thuanum ad finem lib. . * see the . kings . . and king. . . &c. * sam. . . sam. . saint paul acknowledgeth his consent unto saint stephens death , either as expresly given by him or as included in his willingness to keep the garments of such as stoned him to death . * acts . , . acts . . and when the blood of thy martyr stephen was shed , i also was standing by , and consenting unto his death , and kept the rayment of them that slew him : * vide thuanum . * pausanias in achaic . lib. . p. . * dubravius in histor . boem . * in● à breve igitur tempus va●cu●um divi wenceslai compictū fuit , vaticinantis , ●o e , ut à discessu suo , a●●●●m pauli presbyteri sacerdotibus vacuum redderetur . co●●eptus inter precipuos ad suppliciū , podivivus quoque totum biennium in furcâ sub dio pendena , nulla tabe violati , nedum corrumpi , consici●ue potuit , donec post haustam terrae hiatu drahom●●m , sepeliretur . nam quo manifestior , graviorque paena appareret , quae merito de crudelissima atque impiissima muliere exigenda fuerat ; eo loci ▪ quo adhuc insepulta jacebant ossa occisorum sacerdotum , terra sua sponte dehiscens , vivam d●ahomiram , una cum curiu & qui simul vehebantur , absorbuit , auriga solo incolumi , qui ad arā juxta sitam ( nune haud extat ) equo desiliens , accurrit , eum sorte tintinnabulum tinnire audisset , ut corpus domini adoraret , execrante illum drahomira on nibus maledictis . quare locum eum etiamnum , ut execratum funeslum●ue declinant viatores , qui arcem pragensem ab occidentali plaga petunt . quar quam terra eodem loci in statum pristinum cohaeserit . puniti & illi divinitus , qui boleslaum assectati , gladios etiam suos adversus divum wenceslaum strinxerunt . pars enim eorum mente alienata , in rabiem●ue versa praecipites ex alto deorsum se dabant : quidam in eos gladios , quos nudaverant , incubuere . ad haec templi paries , quem pr●pe occisus fuit divus wenceslaus , velut caedis ipse quoque conscius , aut potius , ut testis foret sceletis sempiterni , nulla ullius opera abstergi , elui●ue potuit à cruore , quo respersus ex corpore divi wenceslai fuerat . haec tandem tot prodigia , tam●ue varia supplicia , boleslaum exterruerunt , ut mitius deinceps cum christianis agere , saevitiam●ue suam adversus illos remittere inciperet . dubravins in histor . boem . lib. . p. . * see the treatise of the originall of atheisme & idolatry . chap. . parag . . * chap. . * king. . & esay . . esay . * king. . , . * vers . . &c. * vers . . * hac vero arte conjurati in georgij cubiculum irruperūt : marcus antonius ferrarius , castal do ab epistolis homo prostitutae audacia jam abaliquo tempore tantam cum georgio familiaritatem contraxerat , dum se berum prod●re simulat , ut cubiculorijs ejus proptereà factus noti●r , quavis 〈◊〉 ad ipsum admiteretur . thuanus lib. . * and so this assembly was discomfited , every man taking his neerest & safest way , leaving their masters dead body to be a prey and spoile unburied . it remained there many dayes above ground naked and without light , there being not any who respected to cover or bury him , being so stiffe with cold , that he seemed as a man made out of marble , having in his head , brest , and armes , many wounds , upon which was yet remaining the blood all frozen ▪ which to say truly was an object worthy of compassion : and on the other side it was execrable and enormous to see , so great a personage so vildly lest without buriall by those , who ( god knowes for what cause ) had practised his death . martin fu●ee in his historie of hungary . booke . * si natura negat , facit indignatio versum . * behold now the end of the proudest and insolentest man in the world , and the greatest and closest tyrant that ever lived . god permitting that hee should in that very place end his dayes , which hee had caused to be built upon the foundations of an ancient church and monastery of religious persons , which for that occasion he caused to be defaced and pulled downe ; and for the ruine whereof his death was foretold unto him by the abbot of that place . see the history of hungary in the place before cited . see thuanus lib. . * certe percusseres georgij post ejus necem ad unum omnes p●nas dedisse plerique scripserunt : ac sfortiam quidem diuturna & morte pejore apud turcos captivitate . moninum vero insubalpi●a regione ad germani fanum cervice abscissa ; ferrarium denique qui alexandriae , quae ipsa patria erat , cardinalis tridentini ●●ssu sexennio post securi percussus est . postremo equitem compegium , qui hujus , saeculi anno inter venandum in ferdinandi ipsius conspectu apri fulminio dente in bohemia discerptus est , honestiori , nec tamen minus infortunata morte . thuanus lib. . * quidex eo sperandum sit , satis eum docent superiorum temporum exempla , acceptae ad nicopoli● , & ad varnam clades , absentesque adhuc ●●●ibus caeserū christianorum ad 〈…〉 busbeq . epist . . gods unchangeableness: or gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. from whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that oliver cromwell is by the providence of god, lord protector of england, scotland and ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom god hath set over them. unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. together with answers to some cheif objections made against the lord protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / therefore written and published for publicke good, by george smith, gent. smith, george, or - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing s thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) gods unchangeableness: or gods continued providence, in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, counsels and things, as at the beginning of the world, so to the end of the world, for ever, according to the counsel of his own will. from whence is gatherd six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes, alterations and vicissitude of these our present times. wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved, that oliver cromwell is by the providence of god, lord protector of england, scotland and ireland, &c. to whom the people owe obedience, as to him whom god hath set over them. unto which is added, the causes of discontent, repining and murmurings of men: also, some serious advertisements, and seasonable admonitions to the discontented, and reprehensions to all impetuous, arrogant murmurers. together with answers to some cheif objections made against the lord protector and his present government, endeavouring (if possible) satisfaction to all men. / therefore written and published for publicke good, by george smith, gent. smith, george, or - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed for tho. underhill at the ancor and bible in pauls churchyard, and lawrence chapman next to the fountain tavern in the strand., london, : . annotation on thomason copy: "jan :"; the final ' ' in the imprint has been crossed out and replaced with a " ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng cromwell, oliver -- - -- early works to . providence and government of god -- early works to . great britain -- politics and government -- - -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no gods unchangeableness: or gods continued providence,: in preserving, governing, ordering and disposing of all creatures, men, actions, coun smith, george c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion gods unchangeableness : or gods continued providence , in preserving , governing , ordering and disposing of all creatures , men , actions , counsels and things , as at the beginning of the world , so to the end of the world , for ever , according to the counsel of his own will . from whence is gathered six necessary inferences very applicable to the changes , alterations and vicissitude of these our present times . wherein is clearly demonstrated and proved , that oliver cromwell is by the providence of god , lord protector of england , scotland and ireland , &c. to whom the people owe obedience , as to him whom god hath set over them . vnto which is added , the causes of discontent , repining and murmurings of men : also , some serious advertisements , and seasonable admonitions to the discontented , and reprehensions to all impetuous , arrogant murmurers . together with answers to some chief objections made against the lord protector and his present government , endeavouring ( if possible ) satisfaction to all men . therefore written and published for publike good , by george smith gent. jer. . . o lord , i know that the way of man is not in himself ; it is not in man that walketh , to direct his steps . psal. . , . for promotion cometh neither from the east , nor from the west , nor from the south . but god is the judge : he putteth down one , a●d setteth up another . pet. . , . submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake , whether it be to the king as supreme , or unto governours , as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers , and for the praise of them that do well , for so is the will of god , &c. london . printed for tho. underhill at the ancor and bible in pauls churchyard , and lawrence chapman next to the fountain tavern in the strand . . to all free-born people of england , that are lovers of peace and truth , grace be unto you and peace from god our father , and from the lord jesus christ , &c. christian reader , there is not any doctrine more usefull to the life of man , or more necessary to be known to the comfort of the saints , then the doctrine of providence ; for not to know and beleeve , that god the creator doth by his secret and wise providence govern all things , is injurious to god , and hurtfull to our selves , and as much as to deny the soveraignty and high prerogative of the lord jehovah over the worlds ; which is indeed the exercise of his kingly dominion , in ordering the whole universe , which in the following discourse i offer unto your serious consideration : but because these times are pestered with many pestilent opinions , and seditious practises , all truths cannot please all men , every man believeth or denieth whatsoever may most advance their own particular judgments and interests ; so that i well know this discourse will be very unpleasant to many of this age : therefore ( good readers and my friends ) let me beg your patience , not only in the matter of my discourse , thwarting the desires and self-designes of men , it being against the common stream of the now raigning opinions ; but in the manner also , in my applications to the present changes and alterations , designs and interests , so strongly strugled for by the most of men ; to all which this my discourse runs in flat opposition ; the same thing being flatly denied which i affirm and do defend . i think i am the first that in this way and manner hath published any thing in defence of the present government under his highness the lord protector : i have not read nor seen any thing written of this nature , but what hath been to the contrary ; by which i received so little satisfaction , or am so farre from being satisfied by what i have read , that my spirit burned within me to make opposition thereunto , which caused me to put my pen to paper on this subject . give me also leave to give my judgment in the matter ; i am one of the free-born of the nation , and claim my vote as well as any other , having a proportionable right to all priviledges , and must proportionably share in any affliction that god shall please to inflict upon the nation ; therefore it concerns me to speak as well as to hear others speak ; if i speak not their sense , let me be born with , as i bear with them that speak not my sense : if any my friends be offended at what i write , i cannot help their passion , nor will i be angry at them : i know not any mans aym nor end in what they do , so well as i know my own : i know my own ; i know my aym is publike good , and my end gods glory , nor do i seek to please men but to please god , i seek not victory but verity ; if god accept of my endeavour , i have my end ; if men reject it , or me for it ; i pass not : yet i would so speak and write , that i may not give any offence , neither to the jew , nor to the gentile , nor to the church of god : but if offence be taken without cause , why therefore should i lose my liberty in which christ hath made me free ? but though i be free from all men ( as the apostle speaketh ) yet would i be servant to all ( in the sense the apostle speaketh ) that i might gain the more to god : there is a time to speak , and a time to keep silence ; if ever there were a time to speak for god , and the cause of the saints on earth , the despised ones , it is now no time to be silent , but to contend earnestly for the truth , and for the faith that was once delivered to the saints : it was but once delivered , i dare not say it shall be delivered a second time , to them that have had it once delivered , if they lose it , whether it be to a nation or to a man only . we in england have had it delivered to us , we , beyond capernaum , have been exalted unto heaven &c. the mysteries of the gospel have been unfolded unto us above all other nations , and god hath long owned us to be his people ; the word hath been operative , working in power , piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit , joynts and marrow ; a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart : it hath been a converting word , else whence had those rebellious children their conversion boasted of , that cast off their mother that bare them , and brought them forth ? an antichristian church brings not forth a christian brood : it is thus farre true , that we have had much chaff mixt with the pure wheat , many weeds have grown in this vineyard of gods planting : was there ever wheat without chaff ? was there ever a garden without weeds ? but never so many as at this day : some have been alwayes , and some will be to the end of the world : there shall be , there must be tares among the good corn : the evil one will cast tares where god casts good seed ; and that evil one hath been busie in this age above all ages ; the field of gods kingdom seemeth now to be covered all over with tares , but god can gather in his good corn , and weed out those tares , at the day of his harvest : he will manifest the blasphemers , and reprove the horrid blasphemies , strange self-opinions , false christs , false apostles and teachers , seducers of mens souls , evil angels in shape of angels of light , that under the notion of truth broach damnable heresies , doctrines of devils : all o●d herefles , abominated by the primitive church , are all at this day revived at once , and in disguised new dresses , come like wolves in sheeps cloathing : these are such as trouble the church of god , which the apostle in his time wished to have been cut off , gal. . . and it is the duty of the christian magistrate to suppress them ; he is as christs vicegerent and lievetenant on earth , not only to command observance of the first table , but also of the second : if he that despised moses law , died without mercy , under two or three witnesses ; how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy , who hath trodden under foot the sonne of god . &c. and done despight to the spirit of grace ? heb. . , . and the sword is not put into the magistrates hand in vain we read in deut. . from vers. to vers. . if any had broken the covenant with god , and worshipped false gods , he was to be stoned to death : yet i say not , that every heresie under the gospel should be punished by death : but i say , it is the duty of the supreme magistrate , to suppress all heresie and blasphemy by a law : nor do i say , that an erring conscience is to be punished by the law of the magistrate , if he keep his erring opinion within his own walls ; but if he seduce others , and thereby stirre up sedition , alienating mens judgments from due obedience , i say such a one is liable to the wrath of the civil magistrate ; and those magistrates , that tolerate or connive at such things , will be found to do the work of the lord negligently : those things i only hint at by the way , and leave to the consideration of the judicious . what i have said as to the matter of my following discourse , which is providence , ordering all things ; it is the truth of god held forth in sacred scripture , from which i cannot retrograde : what i have said as to the matter applicatory , i only give my judgment , and leave the even to that providence which governs all things . as to my vindication of the lord protector , whom providence hath exalted , providence will yet further order him , and all his counsels and actions , after the counsel of gods will : god hath a great work for him to do , and it shall be done , whether to be a nursing father to the church of christ , and a skilfull esculapius , to heal the distempers of three sick and wounded nations , or whether for a contrary work , i cannot assert , god only knowes it , to whom all secrets belong : what is revealed belongs to us , and it is our duty as we are men , to own the powers that be ; and as we are christian men to pray for them ; therefore for him ; that god will make him a glorious instrument in his own hand for his glory and the peoples good . we hope well , but prayer is better then our hopes , and is the means to accomplish our hope : and god is alwayes better to his praying people then their prayers : let us not sinne by withholding our prayers , which thing hath sometimes caused blessings to be turned into curses : let us not limit the holy one of israel , nor give rules to providence ; nor let us spend our time in devising and plotting , nor as the athenians , make it our work to hear and to tell news ; but pray and endeavour for peace and truth ; and beleeve , that god is a rewarder to them that diligently seek him . there is yet balm in gilead , a dore of hope is opened to us ; the seed is yet in the barn ; as yet the vine and the figg-tree , the pomegranate and the olive tree , hath not brought forth ( saith the prophet , ) from this day i will blesse you ▪ hag. . . it is god that prepareth the seed and the ground , and gives the increase by his blessing , psal. . , . therefore let us pray unto god for our governours , for his highness , and for his parliament ; for as god doth instruct the husbandman to discretion , to break the clods of his ground , and to cast in his seed in the appointed place and time , as the prophet speaketh ; so doth he instruct princes , and teacheth them discretion to rule and govern as he pleaseth ; for by him princes raign and rule ; the husbandman waiteth for the fruit of the earth ( saith james ) and hath long patience for it , untill he receive the early and the later rain ; and shall not we follow the footsteps of providence , and patiently wait gods time and means , for giving us the blessings promised ? let us cast off our own wayes , wills and designs , and be obedient to providence , and see what the lord our god will do for us . courteous reader , read me with patience , not with any prejudice : try all truths , oppose nothing that is truth ; good counsell is not to be slighted , nor seasonable reproof to be scorned , though it come from one of whom you could say as achab said of michaiah , that you hate him , and that he doth not speak good concerning you but evil : i have written what god hath instructed me , do you read , and read all ; then judge ( as god shall put into your heart ) of him who is your servant in the lord jesus christ , that desires increase of grace to you and all the israel of god . george smith . the principall things touched upon in the following discourse . god the creator doth govern all things by his secret providence . page . the want of the true knowledge of providence , is cause of murmurings . p. , & . providence set forth by the ladder that jacob saw in his vision , and by the piller of cloud that guided israel in the wilderness . p. . nothing comes to pass by chance or devisings of men , or meerly by nature , but by providence . ibid. providence what it is ? ibid. & p. . it is the eye of god . p. . it ordereth all the actions of men . ibid. the dayes and life of man . p. . it ordereth the dispositions of men . ib. it ordereth the wicked actions of wicked men . ib. it ordereth the secrets of the heart , and the answer of the tongue . p. . it ordereth the least of things , which men falsly say come by chance or fortune . ib. all creatures animate and inanimate wait on god , and obey and execute his command . p. . providence changeth the order that nature hath put into things . ib. all the works of providence are known and certain to god from eternity . ib. but they are all contingent to men . p. . the times of families and kingdoms are appointed by god , their rise and their period is certainly set , and the means thereto conducing . p. , & . why jehu was punished like achab. p. . admonition to those that god hath made punishers of others sins . ib. providence ordereth all actions and things , to advance men and nations as pleaseth him , p. , . providence ordered oliver cromwell to be lord protector . p. . every mercy and every judgment is from god , not from men , but as instrumeuts in gods hand . p. , . inferences drawn from the doctrine of providence . p. . all mercies to men or nations are of gods free grace and love . ib. particular mercies instanced . p. , . all judgments are from god as recompence for sinne . p. . particular sinnes instanced , and at ripeness in england . ib. how priviledges of parliament were lost . p. . a memento of the covenant . ib. the wicked are taken in their own craftiness , and fall by their own designs . p. . observations of some actions and designs of king james , and of the late king . p. , . six peeces of providence very observable to the late king . p. . considerable providences to the long parliament . p. . six considerable quaeries propounded . p. . god hath set a time when he will give in mercies , and when he will instict judgements . p. , . and upon whom . ib. and how much it shall be . p. . but all those times and purposes in god , are unknown to men . p. , . mens boldness to foretell gods times and purposes . ib. revelations and visions in these times , but vain fancies . p. . these are trying and shaking times . p. , . god shaketh nations severall wayes . ib. the word of god like fire shall consume all opposers . p. . the greatest reformation , hath ever met with greatest opposition . ib. three things have long threatned judgment to england . ib. men not able to bring any enterprise to pass by all their contrivings . p. . the lord protector set up by providence , made successfull by saints prayers . ib. although god hath set the time for every purpose , which cannot be altred , yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawfull means , p. , . how god is said to repent , or to be changed . p. . no means must be used but lawfull means . p. . we must not trust in means , nor be too solicitous in the use of means without a particular promise . ib. nor to use unwarrantable means to obtain lawfull things . ib. christs kingdom is spiritual . he accepts not the use of the sword in the saints hand , to set up his kingdom . ib. reasons why ? p. . the pressings in mens spirits , not alwaies agreeable to the spirit of god . p. , . the spirit of god leadeth but to one truth . ib. the right means to obtain mercies , and to avoid judgments . , . what the doctrine of paul and peter is , concerning the civil magistrate . ib. the civil magistrate hath authority to command the worship of god , and to punish the contemners of it . p. . when god hath manifested his will by the work of providence , we are to submit and not to murmur . p. . murmurers reproved . ib. the effects of murmuring . ib. the causes of mens murmurings . p. . severall sorts of murmurers noted . p. , . order in discipline required by christ in his church . ib. men ascribers , are god prescribers . p. . the murmuring of corah was against the offices of magistracy and ministry . p. , . advice to the people . p. , . men are building new babels . ib. kings , nursing fathers to the church under the gospel . ib. christs enemies shall be slain miraculously , by the sword that goeth out of his mouth . p. . it was israels sinne in asking a king before god gave him , and it is a sinne in any people to reject a king when god gives him . p. . seditious persons like sheba the sonne of bichri . ib. the bitterness of warre , instanced in abner and joab . ib. five principall objections made against the lord protestor , answered . p. . the cause of our late warre , what . p. . the lord protector vindicated , as to former promises . p. . in his trust to the parliament and nation . ib. in breach of priviledges of parliament . p . that this is a free parliament . ib. concerning the militia . p. . concerning his negative voice . p. . concerning religion . p. . concerning making laws , and raising of money . p. . that he is no favourer of cavaliers , but as in justice he ought . ib. gods vnchangeablenesse , or , gods continued providence in preserving , guiding , ordering and disposing of all creatures , men , actions , counsels and things , as at the beginning of the world , so to the end of the world , for ever ; according to the counsell of his own will . that there is a god that hath created the world and all things , we all acknowledge ; the heathen confesse the same , but know not the true god in his essence and being , god hath hid himself from them , farther then what is revealed to them by the works of creation , therefore they frame gods to themselves according to their fancies , and so make many gods : we christians do acknowledge one god , and but one god , distinguished by three persons , father , sonne , and holy ghost ; and that there is three persons or three hypostases , and but one god , is revealed to us by the word of god , contained in the holy scriptures of the old and new testament , where only this mystery of the godhead is to be known ; therefore the wisest and most prudent of the heathen cannot know this , because they have not the sacred scriptures made known to them ; but this we all prof●sse to know and to beleeve , therefore it we●e in vain and lost labour to use arguments to prove it . but that this one god the god of israel doth govern , order , and dispose all c●eatures , actions , things , men and counsels , according to the purpose of his own will , is not so clearly acknowledged nor beleeved , but contrary , it is denied by some though by name they are christians , yet they go not in their practise in this particular beyond the old sect of stoick philosophers , who though heathen acknowledge a deity , yet leave the guidance and ordering of things to nature , and so tye god to second causes ; therefore it will not be unnecessary to prove , that there is a secret and special providence of god that governeth and ordereth all things ; for indeed the want of the knowledge and practice of this is the cause of great complainings , discontents , and murmurings against god and against men ; we look at instrumental causes but see not the efficient cause , the cause of all causes : jaco● did not only look to the foot of the ladder which he see in his vision , but he 〈◊〉 at him who sate at the top of the ladder a ; this ladder doth literally set forth gods providence governing all things ; the steps or gradations of the ladder are the divers means which god useth ; the angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits which god sendeth forth to execute his will , as the apostle tels us , they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation : and the b psalmist exhorting us to the praise of god saith , who is like the lord our god , that hath his dwelling on high , and yet abaseth himself to behold the things in the heaven and in the earth ? psa. . , . he so beholdeth all things as to order all things , and all actions , not only men and angels , but the unreasonable creatures , yea , inanimate things by a providence : as the israelites were led through the wildernesse by a pillar of a cloud by day , and by a pillar of fire by night , so all creatures are guided by providence : you know that when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle , the israelites journeyed and went forward so long as the pillar went before them , but when the ●pillar staid they staid , in that place where the cloud abode there they pitched their tents , as is said , num. . . again , when the cloud was taken up whether by day or by night , they journeyed , and so long as it rested they remained in their tents ; whether it was for a day or for daies , for moneths , or for years : c god is the same to us that he was to israel , his providence is the same , though altered in the dispensations , &c. god is eternal , and he is unchangeable in all his waies , he made himself known in times past by his wondrous works and special revelations , but now he maketh himself known by his word as well as by his works . the visible things created which are but part of the works of god , do set forth to the whole world his power and wisedom , psa. . and as the psalmist saith , the lord is known by the judgements which he executeth , psa. . . but especially by his word he hath made himself known to his people , his word is contained in the sacred scriptures of the old and new testament , there he hath revealed himself in his attributes , names , titles , eternal essence and being ; and by his word we come to know what his works are , they are revealed in scripture to be decree , creation and providence ; decree was the purpose of god before all time what should be in time , and till time shall be no more ; creation was the making of the worlds and all things in them of nothing , and that was in the beginning of time ; providence is the governing and disposing of all things , by which god the creator doth exercise his kingly power for ever , according to the decree and secret counsel of god , effecting every purpose , in the time , place , and by the means pre-ordained by god . now that there is such a ruling providence that ordereth all things , and every thing in the world , is necessary to be known and beleeved by all ; therefore i shall endeavour to prove it by scripture and experience , and that nothing comes to passe by chance or meerly by nature , nor can be effected and done by any devisings , contrivings , wisedom , or power of men , without the disposing of providence : for if there be a god that made all things , it must needs be that the same god governs all things and their actions , according to his will : but god made all things , that 's confessed , why did god make the creature ? not for themselves , nor to leave them to act and do as they list ▪ but god made all for himself , for his own glo●y , d yea , he made the wicked for the day of wrath : it was indeed a glorious work to make the worlds and all creatures , but it is a more glorious work to govern the worlds and every creature by his most wise providence : this providence he calleth the eyes of his glory e , by it his glory is manifested in every thing , and this glory he will not give unto any other f : providence is the absolute soveraign power of god over the creatures , exercising his eternal decrees and secret counsell , ordering things and actions according to his good pleasure , after the counsell of his own will g ; thus saith the lord ( speaking of things done from the beginning of the world , and things to be done ) my counsell shall stand , and i will do all my pleasure h ; seek ye out of the book of the lord ( saith the prophet ) and reade , not one of these things shall fail , nor ssiall misse one of another i : all things shall come to passe , and be so ordered and fitted unto another as the sword to the scabbard or knife to the sheath : i will speak the word , and the word that i speak shall be done k ; the lord of hosts purposeth , and who shall disanull it l ? he spake and it was done ( saith the psalmist ) he commanded and it stood fast m . there was a sore famine in samaria , and the prophet telleth them that the next day there should be great plenty , but this seemed a thing impossible , and was not beleeved , the assyrians being then with a mighty army besieging samaria n : now the lord made the host of the assyrians to hear a noyse of horses aad chariots , and of a mighty host , and for fear they all fled from their tents , and left their tents and camp , even as it was with all provisions , and fled for their lives o : now there were four lepers that were in distresse and ventured themselves to go to the camp of the assyrians , where they found abundance of food and treasure , and all the host was fled ; these bring tidings to samaria ; and as the lord had said by his prophet so it came to passe p : here was no contrivance , nor wisedom , nor power of men in all this , but the work of providence ; so you shall see that when two men go into the field to hew wood , the head of the axe sticth from the helve at unawares , and killeth one of these men q : this is the work of providence , and in such a case god himself saith , i have delivered such a man to the slayers hand r : if god take care of a sparrow , he much more taketh care of a man , but a sparrow falleth not to the ground without the providence of god , and a mani , of more value then many sparrows ſ : two men travell on the way , the one is robbed of his purse , the other is never assaulted , this is providence in the one and in the other . you know ahab would needs go up to ramoth-gilead , he was very confident of victory , he takes much advice and counsell about it , strengthens himself by the assistance of king jehosapha● , and is encouraged by no lesse then four hundred false prophets ; all say to him go and prosper t ; only mic●iah the prophet of the lord tels him from the mouth of god , that he should not return in peace ; ahab scorns the prophets words , and imprisons him , and goes on with confidence of his design ; now what crossed him in his design , contrivements , and power , &c. the text tels you , a certain man drew a bow at a venture , ●nd shot an arrow ; he knew not ahab , nor could any know him , for he had disguised himself ; ahab wanted not for any contrivance , policy , counsell , nor strength to preserve himself , yet maugre all policy , the arrow thus shot at a venture findes out ahab , and although ahab was armed it is by providence guided to the joynts of his armour , where it enters , and hits ahab so that he died u ; here providence executeth the decree of god upon ahab ; you know the king of assyria sent a mighty and invincible army against hezechiah king of judah , confident of successe : hezechiah unable to make opposition by any equality of strength , yet this invincible host is destroyed , not by any art , wisedome , counsell , or strength of men , all was wanting ; but an angell of the lord went out and smote the camp of the assyrians in one nigh●one hundred fourscore and five thousand w , this is also the work of providence . as the actions of men so their daies and life are ordered and appointed by god , therefore saith holy job , the daies of every man are appointed by god , and all those daies are ordered by providence , though men know them not , nor how they are secretly ordered and every hour preserved till the appointed time be come , for saith job , thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe x , therefore saith he , i will wait till my change come y ; so the pro david , my times ( saith he ) are in thy hands z . and as providence ordereth the actions and lives of men , so it doth reach to the orderings of the disposition and naturall affections of men , either to love or hatred , to kindnesse , or to chur●ishnesse , what else changed the disposition and affection of esau , from bloudy wrath to loving kindenesse , when he came out against jacob with hatred , and when he meeteth him he embraceth him with loving-kindenesse and brotherly affection a ; so you shall see laban pursuing jacob in great anger , and when he is on the way his disposition and anger is changed b ; you may see the midianites that came out against israel all in love one with the other , and hatred against israel , fall one upon another , and destroy one another , providence ordereth that every one set his sword against his fellow c ; the like you may see in the army of the philistims d . yea more , it is evident from sacred scriptures , that all the wicked actions of wicked men are ordered by providence , god ruleth them , and orders them for the accomplishment of his secret counsel , and by the ordering of those actions god hath glory : i say , they are ordered by providence , not as wicked men intend or act them , they intend and act out of a wicked principle , to a wicked end , but god orders them otherwise , to effect something of his own decree , and turns it to good in the doing his will ; the action , and the sin in the action is their own , but the ordering of the action is of god : all wicked actions of wicked obdurated pharaoh , providence ordered to the glory of god . st paul hath this expression , for the scripture saith of pharaoh , even for this cause have i raised thee up , that i might shew my power in thee , and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth , e rom. . . his cruelty in destroying all the male-children of the hebrews ; moses being cast into the river , the repulse that pharaoh gave to moses message from god , his encrease of the burthens and labours on the hebrews , and his oft refusing to let the people go , &c. providence ordered all these things to the advancement of gods glory : so it is said of sihon king of heshbon , that god hardened his heart , and why ? that sihon king of heshbon out of the bitternesse and envy of his own heart against israel , should refuse to suffer them to passe peaceably through his countrey , to the end that israel might have a just cause to engage warre with them and destroy them f . was there ever so great an act of wickednesse acted in the world , or invented , as that horrid conspiracy of herod , pontius pilate , judas , the gentiles , and the people of the jews against the lord christ ? yet providence ordered all this , and brought the greatest good out of that most horrid act ; the scripture saith plainly , that all this was no more but what was before-determined should be done g : st john speaking of the unbelieving jews from that place isa. . . saith , god hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts h : and esay saith , the lord hath powred upon them the spirit of deep sleep , and hath chosed their eyes , the prophets , rulers , and seers hath he covered i ; god is not only a bare permitter of evil actions in men , but he is a powerful agent , ordering of those evil actions by his wise and secret providence , to serve to the purpose of his own will ; the sinne is their own but the guidance of the action is gods , ordered to his own glory ; job tels us , that the deceiver and the deceived are both his k , he ordereth both ; if a prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing , i the lord have deceived him l , that is , such prophets as ahabs four hundred prophets were , whom satan could not deceive till he was bid to go and prevail : all the actions of the devil are ordered by providence , and there is not , nor cannot be any action of the devil but what is extreamly wicked : remarkable is that place of st john , rev. . . speaking of that foul apostacy of papacy , he saith , they shall give their power and strength to the beast , he saith not they will give , but they shall give , as a thing that god had pre-ordained to be , much more may be said , this i hope may suffice to prove this truth . yet furrhermore you shall see , that as god orders by his providence all men , and all actions , of all sorts , their times , their dispositions , &c. so he ordereth the very secrets of the heart , and the answer of the tongue ; the wiseman tels us , the kings heart is in the hand of god , be turns it as the rivers of waters whithersoever he will m : and the answer of the tongue is from the lord n , to this effect is that saying of christ to his disciples , take no thought what you shall speak , for it shall be given to you what to speak at the same hour o : the man thar shall consult within himself , and debate in his own thoughts , and come to a full resolurion what he will answer or speak to this or that thing , so as that he thinks nothing shall alter him , yet that man when he comes to put his resolves into action , shall speak or do as providence shall order and direct , it may be quite contrary to what he resolved , something will come in between the preparation and the action ; caiaphas the high priest doubtlesse spake not those words of himself when he said , it was expedient that one man should die for the people , but providence ordered him to use those those words , that as he was high-priest that year , he prophefied , that christ should die for the nation p : so the wiseman tels us , many seek the favour of the ruler , but every mans judgement is from the lord ; as we know men usually seek the favour of a judge before whom they have a matter to come , but they consider not that the verdict shall be as providence shall order it . yea , providence extendeth to the least and smallest of things as well as to the greatest , for god worketh all things after the counsell of his own will , even those things that men corruptly call chance or fortune ; the very hairs of a mans head they are numbred q , a sparrow is one of the meanest of birds , yet a sparrow falleth not to the ground but by providence r ; the grasse , the corn , the trees , the plants , and the flowers of the field grow and flourish by providence ſ , yea , the lot that is cast or drawn as we say by chance , is ordered and disposed by providence ; providence ordereth all and every thing . and as god by providence governs and orders all creatures and their actions , so all creatures readily obey his command , they are all at his call , at his beck they come , and at his beck they go , whatsoever he commandeth that they do ; every creature in their kinde own him for their creator and preserver ; the eyes of all ( saith the psalmist ) wait upon thee , and thou givest them their meat in due season t ; god is the great master of the whole universe , the great family of the world , he sets every one in their station , appoints every one their work , and pays them all their wages ; thy judgements ( saith the prophet ) are a great deep , thou preservest man and beast u ; the young lions seek their meat of god w ; and god prepareth for the young ravens their food x ; the creatures are the hosts and armies of god , at what time soever he is pleased to muster them together ; the contemptible grashoppers if god please to whistle them shall be a destroying army y ; poor despised flies shall come in swarms to plague a whole nation if god command them , yea , at gods command , frogs and lice shall be irresistible armies ; and who can stand before them ? the hail , the ice , the snow , the fire , the water , the windes , all and every thing are at his command ; all things in heaven , on the earth , in the seas , and in hell , are at his beck ; angels , men , beasts , birds , fishes , yea devils themselves are commanded by god , and are his instruments to punish , overturn , lay desolate , and destroy the mightiest monarchs , kingdoms , or people as pleaseth him . yet further , that order that nature hath set in the creatures or things , when god pleaseth to command , shall be altred and changed in extraordinary manner ; the red sea must part in sunder and stand as a wall on this side and on that side ; the proud streams of the river jordan shall be altred and turned back , even in the time of her highest pride and overflowings z ; the sun which as the bridegroom cometh out of his chamber , and as a giant rejoyceth to run his race a must at gods command , for execution of his decree stand still upon mount gibeon b : again when god pleaseth it shall neither stand still nor go forward , but it must go backward ten degrees c ; let jouah be cast into the sea , if god command the waters shall not drown d ; if daniel must be cast into the den of cruell , hungring , ravening lions ; they shall not be able one of them against gods command , to open a mouth to hurt him e , if the three children must be cast into a double-heated , fiery furnace , the fire shall not burn , nor so much as scorch one hair of their head f ; when god will have israel come out of egypt in quiet , not so much as a dog in all egypt shall move his tongue at man or beast g ; and when god commands the very dogs of jezabels own house shall tear and devour jezabel h , all things act or forbear to act as god pleaseth to command them , they readily execute all his pleasure . known unto god are all his works from the beginning of the world i , that is , nothing is new unto god in all the works of providence ; he knows all and every thing from all eternity , what shall be for ever ; there is no contingency in the decrees of god , they are certain and unchangeable , nothing shall fail of all that he hath purposed , but providence shall surely effect and accomplish every work in its appointed time and season , and by the means appointed , according to the pleasure of god , but unto men the works and decrees of god are unknown , they are contingent both in respect of actions and events : and hence it cometh to passe that great works and strange events that providence bringeth to passe in the world are wondred at , because they are strange to us , we never see such a thing , such a change , such an overturn , &c. nor looked not for any such thing ; as the prophet speaks , when thou didst terrible things which we looked not for , when thou camest down the mountains flowed down me thy presence k , that is , when god appeareth in the world , in acting any new and great work , which we have not seen nor looked for , whether it be in the delivering of the church out of some great affliction , or bringing calamities upon his church for their sins ; or whether it be in visiting the nations inhabitants of the earth for their long-born with iniquities , their abominable murthers , cruelties , and oppression , their contempt of god and persecution of his servants the ministers , &c. when god i say shall come , and unexpected by us , unlooked for , overturn , overturn , throw down the mighty , lay waste and make desolate strong cities , fortified nations , and the greatest monarchies ; then the mountains shall melt , or flow down as water at gods presence , all obstructions shall be cast out of the way , the great men and most crafty counsellors , that stood like mountains a little before , seeming impossible to be removed , these shall vanish and come to nothing ; who art thou o great mountain before zerubbabel ? thou shalt become a plain l ; god will throw off kings , and corrupt , irreligious , oppressing parliaments , let them make their mountains never so strong they shall be cast down : this is the absolute soveraignty of god , the exercise of his kingly power , his everlasting dominion : who is ( as the apostle expresseth ) the blessed god and only potentate m , he who hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written , king of kings and lord of lords , rev. . . he changeth times and seasons , removeth kings and setteth up kings , &c. he is a just and righteous god , and hath no respect of persons , keepeth covenant and promises to his people , will not fail , nor can be hindred ; he is infinite in power , and he is unchangeable in all his waies and works ; he is the king of saints n , he goes forth conquering and to conquer o all kings and nations that are his enemies , and shall break them with a rod of iron , and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell p , for he is also king of nations q , and for the seed of jacobs sake he will break in peeces the shepherd and his flock , the captain and the rulers r ; out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword , that with it he should smite the nations ſ , and he shall rule them with a rod of iron , for the lord is high above nations , and his glory above the heavens t ; to him the nations are as the drop of a bucket , and the small dust of the ballance , all nations are before him as nothing , and are counted to him lesse then nothing , and vanity u ; he hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand , and measured the heavens with a span , comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure , and weighed the mountains in scaics , and the hils in ballances * : such is the greatnesse of gods power ; the daies of men , the years of families , and the ages of kingdoms are all by him numbred and determined , the time of their beginning , the time that they shall continue , the times and means of their encrease , and of their diminution , and the instruments to accomplish all gods will in every particular ; all is known and appointed by god , * till which time they shall stand , and longer they cannot stand ; their period is certain , determinated by god who is unchangeable ; but unto men they are altogether unknown , therefore uncertain ; secret things belong unto god , yet these secrets god will reveal to his saints in the time appointed , when the time of the accomplishment is come and not before , as we shall shew afterward in the proper place . you know that gideon was a good man , and god stirred him up to be a deliverer of his people from the bondage of the midianites , the people would have made him their king , and his poster●ty to rule after him , which he refused ; yet gideon that he might leave a memorial of his acts and name , asked of the people their earrings , and their chains of gold , which they had taken as their prey from the conquered enemy , one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold , besides other ornaments , &c. which they willingly gave him , of which he made an ephod , and put it in his city , and all israel went a whoring after it , that is , they superstitiously worshiped it , which thing became a snare to gideon and to his house y ; this was the means to bring a period to gideons family , for as soon as gideon was dead , abimelech the son of gideon , which he had by his concubine a shechemite , together with the men of shechem , conspired against the sons of gideon , which were threescore and ten , and slew them all save jotham who escaped ; thus god made abimelech the instrument to punish the sin of gideon , and abimelech was made king , and reigned . years ; here was ambition , treachery , and murther in abimelech , and in the men of shechem , this puts a period to the life of abimelech , to the people of shechem , and to abimelechs kingdom , for the text saith , god sent an evil spirit between abimelech and the men of shechem z ; so that abimelech is the instrument to destroy the men of schechem that joyned with him in his conspiracy and murther of his brethren , and set him up over them ; and when he had done that , providence makes a silly woman the instrument to destroy abimelech a . so you know ahab sinned , he sold himself to do wickedly , and god by the prophet foretelleth the destruction of him , of his family , and of his kingdom b ; providence brings jehu to be the instrument to accomplish this work , iehu did it to the full , and with great zeal , seeming to the lord of hosts , but iehu's heart was not upright before god c , therefore the prophet hosea from the mouth of god denounceth judgement against the house of iehu for the bloud of ahabs house d ; iehu did all that god had threatned against ahabs house , and he did but what was the will of god should be done , yet iehu must be no lesse punished then he had punished ahab ; calvin gives a good reason of this , it was not ( saith he ) for any act done ro iezabel , or upon the children of ahab , for in all that the lord himself testifieth he did well e , but because iehu's heart was not upright to god in that that he did , and because iehu did not depart from the sins of ahab f , iehu sinning like ahab must be punished like ahab , and it was made good accordingly at the time appointed g : the apostle tels us that these things are written for our adusonition h , &c. this is an admonition to them of our time whom god hath made instruments to punish the sins and oppressions of others , that they take heed that they be not guilty of the sinnes and oppression that they have punished in others ; it were a happinesse to this nation if some were not as faulty as those that they have punished ; it is good that sin be punished , but it will prove very ill to the punishers that walk in the practise of the same sinnes . it was well done of henry the eight in putting down the popes supremacy , and demolishing monasteries , nunneries , priories , &c. let his end be what it will , or what it was , or the cause of doing it ; but it was very ill in henry the . that he continued in the practise of the same superstition and persecution of gods people : it was a good act to cut off tyranny , but it is extream evil that the same hands should act high oppression ; god will stir up other hands to cut off them and their families , he hath already shewed his anger , and will perfect it to their ruine , if their repentance prevent it not , for god is unchangeable in all his judgements and his dealings with men , wherein a man sinneth therein he shall be punished , as it was with adonibezek , if men notwithstanding all warnings , admonitions , and examples , will go on in sin , it is a sign that their period is nigh : thus it was with the sons of ely , they were wicked , and they were oppressive , they caused the sacrifices of god to be abhorred i , and they were admonished by good old ely , but they would not hearken to his voice , to be reformed , and why ? because saith the text the lord would slay them k , and providence ordereth the philistins to be instrumental to accomplish it ; this was also the occasion of casting off flies family for ever : by this we see how providence orders things , actions , and instruments to overturn and cut off men and families , yea , whole kingdoms , as we see in the mighty of chaldea , at the period of time the hand-writing upon the wall shewed belshazzar that god had numbred his kingdom and finished it l , the set time was come , and the same night was belshazzar slain , and the monarchy transferred to the medes and persians , when he little expected such a change , as appeareth by his jol●ity , feasting , and drinking wine , with a thousand of his lords , and causing the vessels of silver and gold to be brought to carouse in , which his father nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in hierusalem ; god defers long , but when he smites he doth it suddenly , when men least look for it , and that irresistibly . now as providence ordereth things , actions and instruments , to cut off and to destroy , as it pleaseth him , so providence ordereth things , actions and instruments , secondary causes , to advance men , families , and kingdoms , when he pleaseth ; of which i shall offer two or three instances ; we see when god for the bringing his own purpose to passe in accomplishment of his decree and promise made to abraham , and would to that end advance ioseph above his brethren , that he might be the instrument to preserve his fathers house , which was then the only visible church on earth , providence orders every thing to concurre : and herein observe these nine particular peeces of providence : . iacobs love to ioseph procures his brethrens hatred m . his brethrens hatred procure consultations and conspiracies against the life of ioseph . . providence suffereth them not to agree in their counsels to kill him , and so his life was preserved . . they sell him to the midianitish merchants , these merchants carry him into egypt , and there they sell him to potiphar a chief officer to king pharaoh , where god blesseth ioseph and prospered all that he put his hand unto n . . ioseph is cast into prison by the false accusation of potiphars wife : in the prison he findeth favour of the keeper of the prison , and is trusted by him o . . two of pharaohs servants , his chief butler and his chief baker are by pharaoh cast into the same prison where ioseph was p , and are put under iosephs charge . . this butler and this baker dream each of them one dream in one and the same night ; ioseph came to the knowledge of their dreams , and shews them the interpretation of it . . this occasioneth iosephs skill and knowledge in the interpretation of dreams to be known q . pharaoh also dreameth a dream which none could interpret , which occasioneth ioseph to be sent for out of the prison , who telleth unto phara●h the interpretation of his dream ; upon which ioseph is made ruler over pharaohs house , and over the whole kingdom , next to pharaoh himself r . god brings a famine on all the earth , except in egypt , for there he had given plenty ; therefore iacob sends his sons into egypt to buy food ſ there they bow to ioseph their brother and do homage to him , as was foretold by his dream , and for which they so much the more hated him t : thus you see how providence ordered every thing to concurre to effect gods purpose : and ioseph himself ●els his brethren as much , saying , it was not you but god that sent me before to preserve you a postcrity on earth , and to save your lives u , &c. a means to accomplish what was promised long before w . the like instance we have in the advancement of h●ster and mordecai : very observable in ten other particular peeces of providence : . that at so great and publike feast as the king ahashuerus made to his princes and people , it should come into the kings minde to send for his queen vastai , a thing unusuall at such meetings . . that the queen should give so peremptory a denial : and that the king for that one offence , should be so greatly incensed against his queen , whom he loved ( and in whose beauty he gloried ) as to call for advice to revenge himself upon her x . . that the princes , nobles and wise men , should thereupon suddenly advise to put away vastai from being queen . . that when the fairest of the persian virgins were to be called to the king to chuse him another queen , that ester should be brought amongst them , who was of a strange countrey and a captive , without any friend or means in court to preferre her , nor was her kindred nor family known , yet providence gives her favour in the eyes of hegai the keeper of the women y , and of all that looked on her , and specially in the eyes of the king , so as she was taken into the house royall , and afterward became queen in vastai's stead z . . that mord●cai a captive jew should be in the hearing of the treason plotted by two of the kings servants to take away the kings life , and that by his discovery the treason was prevented a . . that this discovery of morde at should be recorded , and mordecai named for the discoverer . . that haman the agagite having gotten an irrevocable decree to destroy mordecai and all the jews , the whole church of god b , yet swelling in rage against mordecai , prepared a gallows of fifty cubits high to hang mordecai thereon c . . that the same night before the intended execution of mordecai , sleep should go from the king , which caused him to call for the chronicles to be brought and read before him , and that the act of mordecais discovery and saving the kings life , should be then among thousand other things pitched ●pon , and read to the king , which then occasioned the king to think of giving honour to mordecai , which he never thought of before d . . that at that very instant haman should come to the king with intention to speak that mordecai might be hanged on the gallows prepared , of which he was not only disappointed , but to his shame and grief was made the instrument to honour mord●cai , and being taken in his own snare was himself hanged on the gallows he made to hang mordecai e . . that esther by her intercession to the king in the behalf of her self and her people , obtained her request , and they the people that were designed to death became the destroyers of their enemies , so that the church of god was not only preserved from the cruelty of their enemies , but was greatly advanced to their great joy , rejoycing , and thanks-giving , to the praise and glory of god ; all which is left to the memory of all ages upon sacred record ; such is the power and wisedom of god so ordering every thing by his providence to his own glory and his peoples good . take into your consideration the many providences for preservation to david ▪ whom god purposed to advance to the ●hrone of israel : what straits and difficulties he was often brought into by by designs of secret enemies , treacheries , revolting of friends , and the malice of saul and his flatterers , daily pursuing his life , with a great and resolute army , all made frustrate by providence , that the decree of god prophesied by iacob , might in him be accomplished , that a scepter should not depart from iudah , nor a law-giver from between his feet until shiloh come f , which was spoken of david and in him fullfilled g , the particulars would be too long to instance them ; it may be i shall touch some of them in another place afterward , and leave the whole story to the reader to contemplate . something i might say of many particulars and clear providence , observable of late daies in ordering things , actions , and instruments , leading oliver our present lord protector to the place , office , and dignity in which he now ruleth , with the honourable high court of parliament , for whom i pray , and of whom i intend to say something more in the proper place afterward , in the mean time we have i hope said enough to prove that god and god alone pulleth down kings and setteth up kings ; that so we may acknowledge that every mercy and every judgement is from god , ordered by him , and is not from men , whatsoever their designs are , or whatsoever they intend or aim at as their end , for all men good and bad are but instruments in gods hand , secondary causes , and can do nothing but what god by providence leads them to do , or permits to be done to effect his own purpose and secret decre● , ordering all and every action thereunto . it is true , that a merciful man doth good , and a good man sheweth mercy , but a good mans goodnesse is not his own , he hath received it from god who is the fountain of all good , nor can a good man distribute good to another but as he is guided by god , he is but the instrument in gods hand , every good and perfect gift is from above , and cometh down from the father of lights h : a man may be able to do good to this or that man , yet he may sometimes want will to do it , if he have a will it is from god , where , how , or to whom he shall do that good ; or if a good man have a will and intention to do good to this or that man , his intentions may be crossed that he cannot do it , or if he be not crossed in his intentions , yet the good he doth may turn to the hur● of him that receives it , except god blesse and prosper it , so that all good and every mercy to any man , let the instrument be what it will it is from god : god gave ioseph favour with the keeper of the prison i and god extended mercy to his people in the sight of the kings of persia k , all is from god ; men are but gods instruments , therefore iacob praieth to god that god would give his sons favour with the men they had to do with l . and as it is in mercies , so it is in judgements and afflictions , all is from god , men are his instruments , secondary causes ; it is true that wicked men devise and imagine mischief continually , and plot against the righteous , to afflict and to molest them , although the wickednesse which they plot is their own ; and they think they have power to act accordingly , they never wanting will to do it , yet they are crossed by providence in acting what they intend : and often yea alwaies ( to the elect of god ) the evil they think to do turns to the good of them against whom it is done ; as the bufferings from satan did to paul , it was advantage to him , for if wicked men could act answerable to their wils and intentions , neither righteousnesse nor holinesse should be amongst men ▪ not the man on earth that should practise either , but they are in gods hand , his instruments , to do his pleasure , and no more , neither wicked men nor sa●an himself cannot do , as shall be shewed afterward . the want of due and serious consideration of this truth and submission to it , causeth much discontent and murmuring among men , for in our affl●ctions we are ready to fly in the face of men , meer instruments , secondary causes , and as the prophet complains , we turn not to god that smiteth us , nor seek to the lord of hosts m ; we are like the dog that bites the stone that is cast at him , but looks not at the hand that cast it ; we are sensible of the rod that whips us , but take no notice of the hand that holds it ; we complain of men and things , accidents and causes , and it is likely not without cause , but god the cause of all causes ( except sin ) we consider not , who saith of himself , i the lord do all things , i create the light and make darknesse , i make peace and create evil n : god mingleth a perverse spirit in the midst of counsell o , he leadeth away counsellors spoiled , and maketh judges fools p ; god stirred up hadad and rezon to be adversaries to solomon q , and they did much mischief in israel all solomons daies ? shall there be evil in the city ( saith the lord ) and i the lord have not done it r ? that is , evil of affliction , punishment , not the evil of sin , for that is the procuring cause of all punishment , as we shall shew in the proper place ; all that i now drive at , is but to prove , that all secondary causes , men or things , can do nothing of themselves either to misery or to happiness ; but that all mercies and all judgements , are of god , from him , and by him , he disappointeth the devises of the crafty , so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise . this i say is the soveraignty of god the creator over all things , governing the world by his wise and secret providence ; and it doth above all things declare the glory , omnipotency , and incomprehensible wisedom of god , working in and by all things , after the counsell of his own will ; that all things though in motion and use , never so contrary one to another , and in their nature and ends destructive one to another , yet all and every thing in most harmonious union , work together in one consent to effect and accomplish whatever god hath in his secret counsel determined , yea , by the worst of instruments , to do glorious things , bringing good out of their evil , and work deliverance to his church by the , enemies actions , and destroy his enemies by their own counsels , causing the wisedom of the wise to perish , and to hide uuderstanding from the prudent ſ , when he giveth quietnesse who can make trouble ? and when he hideth his face who can behold him ? whether it be done against a nation or against a man only t . thus much shall serve for foundation or groundwork of our intended discourse , from whence we may gather some inferences , and therein take a view of some late and remarkable providences in these our daies , ordering counsels actions and things contrary to mens designs and endeavours , and working all things after the counsell of his own will , pulling down and setting up whom he pleaseth for the accomplishment of his own secret purpose , first one , and then others , changing times and seasons , men and counsels , governments and things : from whence i inferre , first , that all mercies are from god , and are given in to a nation or people of gods free love , not of any desert , merit , or by any procurement of men . secondly , that all judgements and afflictions are from god only , and are the just recompence for sin , procured by our selves , men or things afflicting , being but secondary causes , instruments in gods hand . that the evil designs of men , their wicked counsels , aims and ends , are all ordered by providence , and turned to their own ruine . fourthly , that god in his secret counsel hath set a time when he will give in mercies to a nation , and when he will inflict judgements , and hath also appointed the means , and upon whom it shall be , what it shall be , and how much it shall be , and that those times altogether unknown to men fifthly , although god have set the time for the one and for the other , which shall certainly be accomplished in its time , according to gods good pleasure , yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawful means for the obtaining of the one , and for the avoiding of the other . sixthly , that when god hath effected and done his will in any thing visibly made known to us by the work of his providence ; we are not to murmure nor repine though it be in any thing contrary to our expectation or desire , or though it be to our great affliction , but to submit to it willingly , only by praier to seek unto god , and patiently wait his time and means for deliverance . for the first , that all mercies are from god , and are given in to a people or nation , of gods free love , not of any desert , merit , or by any procurement of men ; this inference is very clear , and warranted by sacred scriptures , whether spiritual mercies or temporal mercies . first , all spiritual mercies are of gods free love , we neither deserve , nor can by any means of our own procure the least spirituall mercy ; we are all by adams fall alienated from god , and are become his enemies n , we are born heirs of wrath w , and there is nothing in us that can reconcile us to god , nor any way appease his wrath against us , therefore whatever the mercy be that we enjoy it is of gods free-love ; any punishment lesse then hell fire is a mercy from god which we cannot deserve : god indeed made man righteous and upright , but men have sought out many inventions x ; men can pervert their own waies , and make themselves miserable , but no way help themselves out of misery ; but god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son , &c. joh. . . so loved , that is , he loved beyond what can be expressed , he gave his only begotten son , it was a free gift , free love , in the full dimensions , unconceivable and incomprehensible , he sent his son made of a woman and made under the law to redeem us , that we might receive the adoption of sons y , yea , christ gave himself to redeem us from our iniquity z ; we are not redeemed by corruptible things , but with the precious bloud of christ a , if all the angels in heaven should give themselves to die for the sin of one man , it could not redeem him ; all angels and men joyned together cannot procure the expiation of one sin , therefore all is of gods free love ; but that god should give his son jesus christ into the world to take our nature , our flesh , and for us to undergo reproach and shame , and sorrow of soul , and at the last lay down his life for us , that we by his death might have life ; this is a love not to be expressed . secondly , all temporal mercies are of gods free-love , no man hath by right nor desert the least claim to any good thing , but as it is the free-gift of god , every mercy to a nation , to a family , or to a particular man is the free-gift of god : it is gods free love and mercy that the heavens are not made iron and the earth brasse , and that our fruitful land is not turned into a barren wildernesse , that the fruits of the earth are not parched away by droughts , nor destroied by inundations , nor an enemy let in upon us to devour and consume all our labours ; it is gods free mercy to man to give wine to chear the heart , and bread to strengthen him : and that he giveth us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons , filling our hearts with food and gladnesse , a mercy that we of gods free mercy enjoy at this day beyond imagination ; and it is free mercy that god doth not suddenly smite us for our unthankfulnesse under such enjoyments , and for the murmurings of men for such a blessing ; it was gods free-love to his church to put into the heart of henry the . to cast off the popes supremacy , let the cause or end be what it will ; it was from god the earnest of future deliverance from the bondage of spirituall babylon : it was gods free-love to preserve q. elizabeth from the rage and bloudy plots of an antichristian brood , that she might be instrumental to a gospel-reformation , carried on by her with much piety , although not perfected : it was gods free-love to this nation to scatter the spanish armado in . and to defeat the papists bloudy design in their hellish plot of the powder-treason in . and it was free mercy from god to withhold the destroying plague of pestilence from this city of london , amidst the many great distractions wherewith he had afflicted us ; this sinfull city which deserves nothing from god but wrath and judgements , yet god hath long spared it , when the plague hath been sore in other countreys , and in divers places of this nation ; it was doubtlesse free-mercy from god that god gave us a parliament in . and the fault was in men that it was not for happinesse to posterity : it was free mercy from god that we were victorious over the power of a late royall army , and that we were not given as a prey into their hands , and it was no lesse free mercy to england , that we had victory over he insulting people of the netherlands ; as also to order things by his wise providence , to compose things so as new to settle a peace between the two common-wealths , which i pray may be lasting to gods glory : it was the lord that was on our side when men rose up against us , else they would have swallowed us up quick : the snare is broken and we are escaped . and truly ( whatsoever some men think ) it was a great and free mercy from god that our everlasting parliament was dissolved , who had a price put in their hand , but they neglected it though they sate full twelve years : self-seeking , covetousnesse , and private interest blasted the good fruit we expected ; at the first we made them demy-gods , but god hath shewed us they were but men : they indeed took off an oppressor , but they gave life to oppression , and brought a free people into hard bondage : the house of israel was gods vineyard , and the men of judah his pleasant plants , whence god looked for judgement but behold oppression , for righteousnesse but behold a cry b ; religion and policy were with many but one and the same thing , we fasted for strife and debate , and smote with the hand of wickednesse , but did not loose the bands of wickednesse , to undoe the heavy burthens and let the oppressed go free c : providence dissolved that parliament not yet that i know lamented by any : and truly i conceive it was no lesse mercy from god that the succeeding parliament was dissolved too , many members therein having a design to destroy our laws and religion , to cut off the head of the two great ordinances of god , magistracy and ministery , at one blow , and so set open a floud-gate for loose licentious liberty to break in upon us to our confusion , where then should we have found the true liberty and priviledge of the people so much talked of , while we were under the oppression of an arbitrary power ? blessed be that providence that hath prevented those designs , and freed us from that yoke , giving us comfort in hopes of a setled peace and holy reformation , with the restoring us again to our laws and true priviledges , by that illustrions and noble champion oliver lord protector of england , scotland , and ireland , & e. whom providence hath made instrumental to hinder destruction to the nation , and provide that our teachers are not driven into corners , as the lord hath promised they shall not be d . let no man mistake me to think that i am an enemy to parliaments , i am not god knows it , but i am a lover and honourer of parliaments , and shall ever , as my own life , and the publike safety , but i hate the sins of parliaments , covetousnesse , self-seeking , oppression , schisms , divisions , factions and private interest , these god hates , and i cannot nor will love what god abhors though i be hated for it : i do with much thankfulnesse acknowledge it as a free mercy from god that we have this present parliament , my praier is , that god will make them blessings to lasting posterities ; and surely it is free-love and mercy from god in setting up that authority and single person which hath called this parliament ; and as great a mercy that providence discovered that plot and murtherous design hatched in france and to be executed upon his person in england : the same mercy and free-love was extended to this nation for his highnesse late escape from the danger of his presumptuous attempt in a recreation not becoming his dignity , i pray it may be a monition to him not again to go out of his place and rank : providence having called him to the care of the greatest affairs con●erning the church of god in general , and the welfare of the people of these three nations , a heavy burthen ! and requires the whole strength of body and minde ; and above all these mercies we must not forget to acknowledge it a mercy from god that we at this day do enjoy the ordinances of god , notwithstanding the mighty oppositions both on the left hand and on the right hand , superstition on one side and imprudent zeal on the other , we have the word of truth held out to us , and may enjoy every ordinance in its purity if we will , or if we were not wanton ; for men may be as holy as they will or can be , there is no restraint in that , nor persecution for it : i wish we did not too much counive at grosse apparent heresie and blasphemy , for though the truth should be free heresie should have a bar , god blames the church of pergamus and the church of thyatira , for suffering them them that held the doctrine of balaam : and for suffering her that called her self a prophetesse , to teach and seduce e , &c. dead flies ( saith solomon ) cause the ointment of the apothecary , to send forth a stinking savour f , and corrupt doctrines suffered are dishonour to the truth . we come to the second inference , and that is , that all judgements and afflictions are from god only , and are the just recompence for sinne , procured by our selves , men or things afflicting , being but secondary causes , instruments in gods hand : this is very fully proved in the whole book of god , that all iudgements and afflictions are from god ; is sufficiently proved in our foregoing discourse ; and that they are the just recompence of sinne is as clear , for god never punished but for sin , and if there had been no sin there should never have been any punishments , the soul that sinneth shall die g : the old world was destroyed by a deluge , and why ? for sinne , god saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth h &c. and for sinne sodom and gomorrha was destroied by fire from heaven : nadah and abihu for their sinne were devoured by fire , and that ( for ought we know ) for a sinne of ignorance i : the wages of sinne is death k ; what else is warre , pestilence and famine but the recompence of sin ? and so procured by by our selves : all afflictions on the body , in the minde , on the estate , or in our respective relations are just recompence for our sinnes from the hand of god l ; there hath been no alteration , no overturnings , iudgements and misery but for sin , and is all procured by our selves : we may say of england as daniel said of israel when they were under the captivity of chaldea , to us belongeth confusion of face , to our kings , to our princes , to our fathers , and to all the people because of our transgressions m : and as ezra , that god hath punished us lesse then our deservings n : and as jeremy , it is of the lords mercy we are not consumed o : our elder sister is samaria , and our younger sister is sodom , we have justifiedour sisters in all the abominations which we have done p : what shall we say to the pride of england even in the day of her calamity ? oh the pride of apparel , the pride of place , of gifts , of blessings received , yea of graces and of our supposed or flattered humility ! what shall we say to the idlenesse and fulnesse of bread ? the drunkennesse , swearing , forswearing , and the abominable blasphemies , that england is guilty of ? and what shall we say of the murders , adulteries , mighty oppressions , self-love , and wicked sorcery that is in england ? the dishonouring of the lords day , contempt of gods worship and generall neglect of all duties of the first and second table ? what lukewarmnesse is there in religion ? more then ever was in laodicea , what hot contentions about fancies and ceremonies , and coldnesse to the power of holinesse ? what unthankfulnesse under the enjoyment of multitude of mercies ? what security and self-promising of happy condition ? as if no evil could befall them , like the men of laish that dwelt carelesly , and there was no magistrate in the land that might put them shame in any thing q : although our professed and common enemy is vigilant , watching and seeking all advantages against us , if god should ( as they hope ) give us into their hand , were it not just with god ? and were it not by our own procurements , may not god say to us as to israel , thou hast destroyed thy self , but in me is thy help r . give me leave ye people of england , my brethren , to put you in remembrance of one sin more ; and it is not a little one of which i fear many thousands are guilty more or lesse ; you made a solemn covenant , with your hands lift up to the most high god , in the time of your distresse , for reformation and defence of religion , as should be agreeable to the word of god ( not the established discipline in scotland nor england , but ) for the setling one discipline in the three nations , and that is no lesse then the command of god , ye shall have one ordinance both for the stranger and for him that is born in the land ſ ; i fear we are so far short of performing what we covenanted in this particular , that we ( or very many ) have purposely acted the quite contrary : we covenanted against popery and prelacy , which is ( god be blessed ) in a great measure cast off ; but heresie , schism , blasphemy and prophanesse are encreased , which we also covenanted to extirpate ; we covenanted to preserve priviledges of parliament and liberty of the people , but where are they ? if lost , who lost them ? the power of the enemy could not take them from us ; but lost they are , or in great measure lost : i will not dispute whether a parliament or an army lost them , or took them from us , for it was neither ; it was self-seeking that lost all , now hopeful by providence to be again restored by his highnesse , stirred up by providence ( i hope with confidence ) to be englands deliverer : as to that part of the covenant that concerned the late king , and that which concerned the union of the three nations , i conceive them to be lesse substantiall and more conditional ; conditions and circumstances not well observed , makes the forfeiture on that side ; providence i trust will put us into a better union then we intended or could then think of , god worketh all things after the counsell of his own will ; i charge no particular person , nor blame any more then my self , i know my own heart is deceitful to my self , i cannot say so much of any other mans . all my aim and desire is , as to my self so to all others , to stir them up to considerate remembrance , that we are yet under such a covenant , and that i and every one may examine whether we have done our duty or not , and what we finde to be wanting in us let us in the strength of the almighty endeavour to make up by humbling our souls before god whom we have offended ; for the covenant was lawfull or it was unlawfull ; if lawfull , we have provoked the high god by our sleighting of it ; if unlawfull , we have dishonoured god in swearing before him to that which he would not own ; so there is great cause and good ground why we should be deeply humbled in the presence of god : every particular person covenanted to reform himself , and to endeavour reformation in others , and each one to endeavour to go before another in example of real reformation : if we have done what we were able in this particular , we have done well : if not , sinne lieth at our door , and judgement will surely enter into our houses ; for as god is true and just , he will avenge the quarrell of his covenant t ; let no man great or small promise to himself safety , nor think it is fogotten by god , though it be cast off by men ; joshua and the princes of israel made a covenant with the gibeonites , with whom they might not make covenants , but had commission to slay them , yet saul four hundred years after brake that covenant , and for the breach of that covenant god brought a famine three years year after year in the time of david , until execution was done upon sauls house u ; god takes notice of all our doings , but especially of our keeping or breaking of covenants ; because god is as it were called from his place to come to witnesse our sincerity and uprightnesse , the breach whereof god calleth the pollution of his name k , and for it threatneth israel to destroy them by the sword of an enemy , and by the pestilence , and to remove them into all kingdoms captives , which in the time appointed was made good ; gods forbearance is no acquittance , though men foolishly imagine it so . because sentence is not speedily executed against an evil work , therefore the hearts of the sons of men is set in them to do evil l : though god suffers for a time , yet all that time providence ordereth actions and things , for safety to some , and for destruction to others , and this brings us to the third inference . the third inference is , that the evil designs of men , their wicked counsels , their aims and ends are all ordered by providence , and turned contrary to their designs to be their own ruine ; this truth is obvious , it is proved by scripture and by common and daily experience . the lord ( saith the psalmist ) is known by his judgements which he executeth , the wicked is snared by the work of his own hand m : this is one of gods judgements upon wicked men and wicked counsels , they shall be snared by their own works : he taketh the wicked in their own craftinesse , and the counsell of the froward is carried ●eadlong n , yea , his own counsel shall cast him down o : thus haman the agagite was snared in his own wicked devises , and ahitophels own counsell became his ruine : you know how it fared with rehoboam the son of solomon , and with jeroboam the son of nebat : rehoboam forsook the counsell of the old men that were counsellors to his father , and followed the counsell of young men like himself ; the people come unto him for ease of their heavy burthens which solomon his father had laid upon them ; he by his counsell gives them a very rough answer , and tels them his father chastised them with whips , but he would chastise them with scorpions , he would adde more to their burthens , heavy oppression , and his finger should be thicker then his fathers loins p , but god turned his own aim and all his counsell to his losse ; ten tribes revolted from him , and from his family for ever , and made jeroboam their king . jeroboam he fearing lest the people of israel should return again to rehoboam , if they should go up to jerusalem to offer sacrifice , therefore to establish himself in the kingdom he took counsel , and made two altars and two calves of gold , pretending it was too far a journey for the people to go up to jerusalem , q and he set one in bethel and the other in dan , and he made of the lowest and basest of the people , to be priests in the high places : now this wicked design by which he thought to establish himself , became his ruine r : see the like by the experiences of our time ; king james father to our late king , not thankful for gods mercies to him , bringing him from a mean kingdom to a rich and plentifull nation flowing with milk and honey , grew wanton , and like jeshurn● kicked , he came to strong cities , a fat land , houses filled with goods , wells digged , vineyards , olive-yards , fruits , &c as is expressed by nehemiah , ch. . . but he like israel rebelled against his god , and cast his law behinde his back , and persecuted the prophets and ministers that testified against him , exalting himself and prerogative to make his son and family like nimrod ; what strange wickednesse did he act in his private chamber ? and openly gave away the lawful wives of men to others , viz. the lady rich to the lord mount-joy , the countesse of essex to carre , &c. did he not design to bring the people of this nation under , by laying heavy burdens upon their shoulders ? what else was loan-money , illegal fines for buildings , and his fooling of parliaments ? endeavouring to make them uselesse and himself a great monarch , preparing for a greater work which his son was to act ; which design our late king endeavoured to exalt , and in pursuance thereof followed the footsteps of his father ( not in personal sins , but ) in publike grievances : like rehoboam to make one of his fingers heavier then his fathers loins ; and like jeroboam to set up calves in bethel , and in dan , to ensnare the people , to advance prerogative : did not he endeavour by his prelats , or his prelats by him , to bring in a compliance or neer union between england and rome ? and to effect their design they endeavoured to weaken the nations of able religious men , and of arms , why else was rochel betraied under pretence of releeving it , and many able and godly men slaughtered ? why else was that mock-voyage to cadis ? why else were our honourable parliaments disgraced ? called only of necessity for money sake , but not suffered to reform any evil , nor to put them to any shame which were the actors of abominable wickednesse , but honourable members of parliamennt for such things were imprisoned , where many died , others were banisht their houses into remote countreys prisoners and exiles ▪ &c. and for the advance of prerogative , new waies were invented to get money without parliaments or law ; loan-money , knighthood-money , ship-money , compositions for cottages , compositions for new buildings , moneys for forrest lands , woods , timber , &c. monopolies upon all our necessary commodities , taxes upon customs , and gun-powder ingrossed and kept from the subject , their arms seized , companies of souldiers were billeted in most market-towns of the nation , and lest that should be too little to effect the tyrannical design , the duke and his plotrers had provided to have flanders horse brought into england , with swisser riders ; no man is so silly i think as to ask why all this was done , for the reason is plain to every reasonable man . nor was this all , for all zealous and godly ministers were weeded out of every town and countrey ; bishop wren can easily name you some scores if not hundreds that he drove from their livings and habitations ; besides them he procured to be imprisoned and banisht . arminianism was advanced and they were made bishops that defended it ; lectures were put down , afternoon sermons on the lords day were forbidden , books were published to give way to prophane the lords day by sports and pastimes ; these books were commanded to be read in all churches to ingratiate the multitude , and such ministers as refused to reade these books were suspended , the morality of the sabbath was denied , preached against , sunday called no sabbath , the name minister was changed to priest , the table to an altar , on which basons and tapers were set , there was very little wanting to plain popery but the name ; thus far the design was carried on smoothly . scotland only stood in the way as some rub that must be removed , and to that end a liturgy was sent down to them which they would not swallow ; therefore they must be forced , an army to that purpose was prepared ; the scots make opposition , money grew wanting to manage that design to leavy more forces ; a parliament was called to raise money , which refusing to give were quickly dissolved : the scots grew enraged , had encouragements , make invasion , which caused another parliament to be called , that parliament would give no money except they might be established to sit till they had reformed abuses and things ; they were established by an act to sit until both houses consented to dissolve , and also two acts of grace was passed , viz. to take away the high-commission and star-chamber ; all this to please the people that they might assist in their further design of war , as shortly after appeared , wherein providence ordered their designs , counsels , aims , and ends to gods glory and to their own ruine . here take speciall notice of six severall peeces of providence ; . that the great pressures , innovations , and the designs apparent of bringing on greater oppression even to a perpetual slavery , caused great fears in the people , which could not be secured but by an established parliament . . that providence infatuated the late king and his counsell in passing an act of unlimited time for establishment of that parliament , which was the giving away of one chief part of prerogative , by which he might else have dissolved that parliament after some years , and saved his head ; esau sold his birthright but he designed to have the blessing , providence had infatuated him that he considered not that the blessing was annexed to the birthright : our late king sold that part of his exercised prerogative , with design to get it double , not only to be king still but tyrant too , how providence hath ordered those designs we know . thirdly , that after the signing of the act aforesaid the soveraign authority was in the parliament , which the late king by a wicked councel and lying clergy was seduced to take arms against , as ahab was by his councell and . lying prophets , to go up to ramoth-gilead to his own ruine , and the ruine of his family . fourthly , that his heart was hardened and the hearts of his councel , and would not hearken to any offer of peace or reconciliation , though many addresses were made to him from time to time by the whole house unanimously , but his heart like pharaohs was hard , and the time of his peace was hid from him , until it was too late , when he desired it and might not have it . fifthly , that providence should make use of the earl of essex to be the instrument to drive the late kings wife from him , whose wife the late kings father gave to another man . sixthly , that the late king by his refusal of all offers of reconciliation , and his delaies , entreaties , providence over-ordering all things against his designs , became his irrecoverable ruine ; of whom we may say as sir walter rawleigh saith of darius , he was infatuated in all his counsels and undertakings against alexander , ever following the worst counsell , and using the unsafest means to preserve himself , which sheweth plainly that god had purposed his destruction and the losse of his kingdoms ; and that the disappointing him and his counsell in all their designs , and overthrowing their bloudy and cruell armies was the immediate work of providence for the accomplishing of the secret purpose of god ; if we continue not to imitate and act the same sins of oppression and innovation , or the like , as jehu did : if so we do , iehu's reward will be given , for our god is an unchangeable god ; what he hath done to others before us , he will as surely do still , and for ever where the like sins are acted ; god sometimes gives a king in ●is anger , and takes him away in his wrath , hos. . . they , whether king , parliament , or people , that reject the word of the lord , the lord will reject them , sam. . . thus god did by saul , and thus he did by rehoboam ; for in that the ten tribes revolted , god himself testifieth and saith , this thing is done by me , kin. . . who is he ( saith the prephet in the name of the church ) that saith it cometh to passe when god commandeth it not , lam. . . many other observable providences have offered the due consideration of them to us ; which i may not passe by with silence among many that have attended our late parliaments both in their sitting and in their dissolution ; i shall minde you of these few , the first shall be this , that when things were not likely to succeed according to the parliaments design , or a great part in parliament , they devised to publish an ordinance called the self-denying ordinance , thereby calling all the members of both houses from all offices and military affairs , here was a specious pretence , but by them that made it it was not intended to be observed ; for who left any place of profit to serve the publike ? it is true , so far as the present design reached it took and made a great and a good change in the army , but providence ordered that ordinance and that change , pulling down and setting up , to frustrate the future design of them that made it : providence by that ordinance took off the right honourable his excellency the earl of essex from being general , when he had gone with courage and fidelity as far in that work as his principles could carry him , providence made him instrumental to lay the foundation of that work , providence also by that ordinance and that change ordered , that the right honourable and noble sir thomas fairfax should be set up in his room , to raise the structure of that work and building upon the fonndation essex had laid , as fitter to effect gods further purpose , who built as far as his principle could carry him , when providence had used essex as far as god had purpose to use him in that work : providence also in sir thomas fairfax his time put a perverse spirit amidst the members of parliament , so as the contest was very great , grew into factions and interests , some designing the life of him whom others designed to die , so as the power of the sword was called to end the controversie , and all to the accomplishment of gods will , his excellency the lord fairfax having a farre larger commission then ever the parliament gave before , having in his hand power , the use of the whole militia , castles , forts , towns , &c , providence ordered upon some scruple in his excellency that he voluntarily and resolvedly laid down his commission , when earnestly sollicited both by parliament and by the then l●eutenant general cromwell to hold it up ; and providence still ordering things to effect the purpose of god , ordered that the then lieutenant generall should have the same commission , or larger , without limit , to be captain generall of all forces by sea and land , castles , forts , &c. consequently of all the whole militia ; this was providence , that he might lay on the topstone of the structure and finish the work so farre : and as providence had stirred him up as a valiant champion , so next as a faithful patriot to his countrey to dissolve a sit still parliament , to whom god had given all opportunities to do their nation good , but they would not , nor could give themselves to consider what was their duty to act for their private interests , some levelling the earth for their own design , others building of castles in the air for a fifth monarchy , an unsafe practice and very unsound doctrine , unwarrantable to be maintained in bloud , if these be not clear providences what shall we call providence ? these things we have seen gradually acted and ordered by a secret and wise providence , turning the design of the parliament in their self-denying ordinance , and the powers and commissi●ns thereupon granted , to their dissolution , which they aimed should have been the means to have perpetuated their sitting . these things premised , i shall modesty offer six queries to any impartiall man upright and unbyast in this case . first , whether it was not of providence that the parliament gave to his excellency the lord cromwell that unlimited power for the safety of the nation , as it was of providence that the late king and his councel past an act of unlimited time for the parliament to sit , to his own ruine and casting off his posterity ? . whether his excellency were not bound in conscience for publike safety , being a publike person in trust , to make use of the one , as well as the parliament made use of the other ; and by that authority to dissolve an undoing parliament , as well as to suppresse a destroying enemy , both conducing to publike safety ? thirdly , whether the dissolving of that parliament were any greater breach of priviledge then the taking out of one half of the members by force , of which he had before of late a president in the time of the lord fairfax , and well approved of by the dissolved parliament . fourthly , whether as providence served our necessity by the late kings act for the parliaments sitting for a long time , it did not ( after severall admonitions ) as much serve our necessity , after their too long fitting , to dissolve that parliament by the power of their own commission ? fifthly , whether it were not evidently a providence , that the succeeding parliament ( not appointed by his excellency , but ) chosen by the souldiery , many of them promoting ( except in giving away the publike treasure ) the like destructive waies , to the taking away our fundamental laws , and bringing in ( as it were ) another gospel , pulling down and overthrowing all , but set up nothing except a floudgate to confusion , should of themselves , that is , the major part , to prevent those ( almost executed ) designs , dissolve that parliament , and resign their authority into his excellencies hand ? sixthly , whether providence did not wonderfully order things in that time of distraction , discontent , and division among the people at home , and a bloudy warre abroad : that his excellency calling of a councel , seeking god by praier and fasting , all his councel and all other persons of quality whom it concerned to be acquainted with the thing , should most harmoniously agree , and resolve to meet one way as to the government of the three nations ; and with one consent publikely to entitle him ( then his excellency ) to be lord protector of england , scotland , and ireland , and of all the dominions and territories thereunto belonging ? let me say again with the prophet , who is he that saith it cometh to passe when the lord commandeth it not ? lam. . . these things sufficiently prove the inference , that the evil designs of men are ordered by providence to their own prejudice . the next and fourth inference is , that god in his secret counsell hath set a time when he will give in mercies to a nation , and when he will inflict judgements , and hath also appointed the means ; and upon whom it shall be , what it shall be , and how much it shall be ; and these times are altogether unknown unto men . that this is a truth , that god hath appointed a set time for mercies and for judgements , the holy ghost witnesseth , eccl. . . to every thing there is a season , and a time to every purpose under heaven : if there be a time to every purpose then nothing is contingent , if to every purpose then it must needs be appointed by god , none but god knows all times and purposes , therefore none but god can appoint times and seasons ; this is one part of gods soveraignty , as he is governour of the world ; men sometimes may appoint times and never intend to keep them , and they may sometimes appoint times to some purpose which they are not able to perform , or sometimes they may appoint times , and their minde changeth , they are altered from what they intended ; but god is just and intendeth to do all that he saies and appoints ; and he is infinite , can do whatsoever he will , nothing can disable him ; and he is unchangeable , in him is no shadow of change , whatever he hath appointed shall surely be done in its time : is there not ( saith job ) an appointed time to man on the earth ? job . . as much as to say , there is an appointed time . you know god promised to give abraham a son , of whose seed the saviour of the world should come a : and god set a time when that mercy should be given , and at the set time sarah conceived and bare isaac b : so god promised to give unto abrahams seed the whole land of canaan ; and he set the time when it should be made good , and that was from the time of the promise four hundred and thirty years , which was made good to a day , for saith the prophet moses , at the cud of years , * even the self same day all the hosts of the lord went out of egypt c ; the prophet isaiah prophesying of the encrease and glory of the church , saith , the lord shall hasten it in his time * god had set the time when it should be , the psalmist speaking of the time of gods shewing mercy to zion saith , the set time to favour her is come d : daniel spake of the appointed time when the saints should possesse the kingdom e : the very time was set for the coming of christ in the flesh , when the fulnesse of time was come god sent forth his son made of a woman , f &c. and there is a time set and certain when he shall come the second time in glory g , but these times are altogether unknown to men . so for judgements , god hath appointed and set the time when he will inflict them , whether on nations , families or persons : god himself witnesseth this truth when he tels abraham , the sins of the amorites were not yet full h : the time and measure of their iniquities was set , israel had sinned against god a long season , in oppression , and in sabbath-breaking , &c. but when the time was come and the measure of their iniquity made up , that they came to despise his word , and to misuse his prophets ; there was no remedy , then god gives them into captivity i : destruction was threatned to palestine , and the time set k ; so for babylons judgements , the time was set l ; the devils have a time set , and they know it is set , but know not when it shall be m ; jehu had a set time for his family to last , four generations , and it was fulfilled n at that time . as there is a set time for mercies and for judgements known and appointed by god , so he hath appointed upon whom it shall be ; he in his secret counsell spareth one and punisheth another , as pleaseth him ; he hath set his mark upon his as he did upon the house of the israelites , that the destroying angel might passe over o , the destroier shall not touch one that hath the mark , old , young , maids , children and women , that are marked p ; but those that have not gods mark of protection , them he separates every one to evil q ; so he hath appointed what it shall be , whether sword , famine , or pestilence , or any other affliction , according to their sins ; thy men shall fall by the sword , and thy mighty men in the war r , this was a particular judgement threatned for the pride of the women ; again , i will number to the sword , and ye shall bow down to the slaughter ſ , this was threatned for the hypocrisie of the people , and in more particular it was against assyria , they shall waste assyria by the sword t ; so in particular the lord called for a famine u , so the lord by the prophet saith , i have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of egypt w : this was a judgement among others for oppression and irreligious worship , also the grashopper and the palmerworm , to devour the fruit of the land , he will likewise send harmfull beasts to destroy , as is threatned to the people , walking stubbornly against god x , he also threatneth to smite them with consump●ions , with burning agues and feavers , with blindenesse and with astonishment and other particular plagues y , and all these are appointed by god , this for one and that for another , as pleaseth him ; this the prophet jeremy maketh clear and saith , thus saith the lord , such as are for death to death , such as are for the sword to the sword , suchas are for famine to the famine , and such as are for the captivity to the captivity z , as god hath appointed to every one , so he commandeth to be done , and providence effecteth all . god hath also appointed how much it shall be , how long every judgement and affliction shall last , not oppressing men , nimrods of the earth , nor satan himself can punish or afflict , till god will have them afflict , nor can continue the affliction either to a nation or to a man , a day longer then the time god hath set ; you know david complained that the plowers ploughed on his back , they made long furrows , but how long ? till the time appointed by god , then the rigbteous lord cuts the cords asunder a ; it is a metaphor taken from the plowman , he holds the plow , the horses draw by cords or traces , and the plow breaketh and teareth the ground , but when the cords are cut the horses may go , but the plow stands still , it makes no more furrows ; there would be no end of afflicting if the devils and wicked men were not limited ; god saith to them as to the proud waves , thus far you shall go and not a foot further ; god tels abraham that his seed must be afflicted , and be strangers in a land ( or lands ) that was not theirs ; and god sets the time how long it should be ; four hundred years is the set time b , this time of affliction began presently after the birth of isaac , and was thirty years after the promise made to abraham before-mentioned , which moses counting from the time of the first promise , maketh four hundred and thirty years , exod. . . the captivity in babylon was appointed , and the time set how long it should be threescore and ten years c ; satan was limited in all his temptations and afflictions upon iob , he could not go one jot further then gods appointments d ; the holy ghost foretelleth the afflictions of the church , but withall tels them , the time is set how long and what it shall be ; satan shall cast some of you into prison , how long ? you shall have tribulation ten daies e , god had set the time , and when that time is out , neither devils nor men can afflict any longer , pharaoh may pursue israel with a mighty army to his own destruction , but cannot hurt one of the people of israel , when his commission is out f ; so long as god would have israel to be afflicted , every taskmaster in egypt could make their lives miserable , but when the time appointed was expired , pharaoh with all his host cannot continue it one day , not so much as a dog in all egypt shall move his tongue at man nor beast g . but although god have set times to all purposes , and all are known to him , yet these are unknown to men ; israel although the time of their affliction and servitude was foretold , knew not the time of their deliverance till it came , for they knew not from what time to begin their account of the four hundred years : so although ieremy had foretold that israel should be in captivity seventy years , yet they knew not when those years were expired , because they were not sure whether they took the beginning at the first captivity , which was in the time of iehojaki● ; or in the second , which was in the time of jeconiah ; or in the third , which was in the time of zedekiah , when the temple was burnt and wholly broken down ; it is true , daniel saith he understood by books ( that was by jeremies prophecy ) that god would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of jerusalem h , by which he knew the time was near , but though he was a prophet of god , god had not revealed to him that it was expired , nor could he ascertain the time ; neither could nehemiah nor ezra till the very time was come ; nor could they say or imagine by what means their deliverance should come : but god who only is wise and faithfull in all his promises , keeps his time , and by providence ordereth the means to effect the thing promised , so it was in bringing back his people from their captivity , which what done when they looked not for it , before they were aware ; hence it was that the church in celebrating her praise for that deliverance , saith , when the lord returned again the captivity of zion , we were like them in a dream i , the suddennesse of their deliverance was amazement to them , as if they had but dreamed it ; the time of christs coming in the flesh was foretold by daniel and others of the prophets ; it was shewed to daniel by the seventy weeks k , yet until the very time came none could tell or say that was the time ; so the time of christs second coming it is foretold , and signs given us of the time , yet no man , no , nor the angels in heaven can tell the time when it shall be : not what day nor what age l : we are theref●r : commanded to watch , for saith our saviour christ , ye know not when he will come , neither doth any man know who shall be smitten , and who shall escape in the time of any calamity , though it be certainly known and appointed by god ; christ telleth his disciples , it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own power m ; god hath set the time for the fall of babylon , and he hath set the time for the conversion of the jews , but the time nor means we cannot know till the accomplishment be : hence i conceive daniel is commanded to shut up the words , and to seal the book even to the end n , that is , shut or seal this prophecy , for it is obscure , and long to the end , before it shall be accomplished : it is the saying of irenius , that every prophecy before it be accomplisht is as a riddle , but being once accomplished it is plainly understood ; and though by faith we look upon all prophecies to come as that which is truth , and that there is a certainty in them as if we now saw them fulfilled , yet at the time of their accomplishment they shall be much more glorious , and it is true that as knowledge encreaseth , so men will be more studious in them , and in observing the several providences of god working and ordering secondary causes , as the means to accomplish them in the time appointed , but it cannot be known unto us as is proved . then surely it must needs be unwarrantable boldnesse in any to take upon them to tell what god will do , and when he will do it , and will prescribe the means how it shall be done , as many do in these daies , who spare not to affirm , that christ shall come to reign on the earth a thousand years , and the time when he shall come , and by what means that fifth monarch shall be set up , and what governours and government shall be in the world till then , they will tell us when the jews shall be converted , and how ; when babylon shall fall , and by whom , and what means ; but these things are secrets of gods counsell , as i have shewed , things which he keeps to himself in his own power , and till the time of the accomplishment no man can know the certainty of them ; to tell us of revelations , visions , dreams , and new lights , is nothing , but even as much as if they should say they dreamed , they were in a dream , for they are meer fantasies ; i can say of these men no other then the prophet jeremy saith of the false prophets of his time , which prophesied lies , saying , i have dreamed , i have dreamed o , god himself testifieth of such prophets , that he had not s●●t them yet they ran , nor spoken to them yet they prophefied p . it is good , that good men should search into all truths , it is their duty , and compare providences with sc●ipture , to finde out all truths : but good men ( for so i judge of many of them , though seduced by a false spirit ) to be too confident in things altogether doubtful is unwarrantable boldnesse , they should consider that there are many lying spirits gone out into the world , therefore saint iohn exhorts , that we beleeve not every spirit q , and we are foretold , that in these latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrins of devils r ; and we know that satan can transform himself into an angel of light ſ ; christ himself hath foretold us , that there shall arise false christs and false prophets , and shall shew great signs and wonders , that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect t , but he commands that we beleeve them not u , and gives a memorandum with an ecce , behold , i have told you before ; and we know , that these are the times wherein the devil is let loose to deceive the nations●● because we see the nations are deceived , and he hath great wrath bec●●se he knoweth that he hath but a short time w : the apostle peter writing to beleevers saith , there were false prophets among the people , and tels them , there shall be false teachers among them , who shall privily bring in damnable heresies , and shall bring upon themselves swift damnation x . these are those times foretold , but we will not see it , we will not know them , we presume to tell of times that shall be , but will not take notice of the times that be ; this is the time of great triall , and yet in these times men will be most confident and secure , and take not notice that satan hath deceived them , to be the fulfillers of the prophecies of christ , and of his apostles , in their heresies and seducements , &c. there is a time to every purpose , but because men knowing it not , but misseth their time , their misery is great ; they are snared with an evil time , when it falleth suddenly upon ihem , as fishes that are taken in an evil net , and as birds that are caught in a snare y . these times , the times of this generation are not only trying times , but they are shaking times , god is now shaking the nations and kingdomes of the world , according to that prophecy of haggai , it is a little while and i will shake the heavens , and the earth , and the sea , and the dry-land , and i will shake all nations i : god may be said to shake the nations several waies , he shakes by his voice k , in thunder and lightning , as when the law was given on mount sinai ; and he shakes by his fearful and terrible judgements upon his enemies , casting down and overturning monarchs and kingdoms ; and he shaketh by the power of the gospel , as at christs birth a new star appeared , and led to him , and at his death the earth shock , the graves opened , the sun was darkened ; and at the preaching of the gospel by the apostles , men , nations , and kingdoms were shaken , turned and changed upside down . god hath of late shaken this nation ( as many other ) by the sword ; he is still shaking nations , yea , all nations by the sword of his indignation , rending , tearing , scattering , and overturning this or that nation , this or that power ; these are doubtlesse gods refining times ; preparations for accomplishment of the glorious things to be done for his church , which are promised ; the downfal of antichrist , gog and magog , and making the enemies of christ to become his foo●stool . the calling of the scattered jews , and bringing in the fulnesse of the gentiles , when it shall be said , who are that fly as a cloud , and as the doves to their windows l ? and the gathering together of his people , that there shall be one shepherd and one flock m , and that satan shall be ●●oden under our feet n , all which in the times appointed shall be assuredly made good ; not by the shaking of the nations by the sword , though god may use the nations as instrumentally to break one another in peeces , as a preparative thereunto , so far as pleaseth him : but the accomplishment thereof must be by the shaking of the nations by the word of god ; which i conceive is meant by the apostle , where he saith , yet once more will i shake , not the earth only , but also heaven o , signifying a spirituall shaking by the powerful preaching of the gospel and work of gods spirit , to bring gathering the church into one , subduing our lusts and carnality , mortifying sin , and making us a reformed people , conformable to christ , and that the kingdom of christ may be set up in our hearts , for which we are taught to pray ; he that sate upon a white horse p and made warre , and on his head had many crowns , and clothed in a vesture dipt in bloud , his name is called the word of god , rev. . . the armies that followed him were in heaven , therefore spirituall , and the sword , with which he smiteth the nations , goeth out of his mouth ; this is no materiall sword , but it is the word of god , the sword of the spirit : when he threatned the church of pergamus for suffering false doctrines among them , he tels them he will come and fight against them by the word of his mou●h q : that word of the gospel which the wicked would have sliegh●ed and called foolishnesse , shall with wondrous power shake the nations , dest●oy , and conquer the world of the wicked , as is expressed in other scriptures r , which agrees with that of the prophet , not by might , nor by power , ●ut by my spirit saith the lord of hosts ſ , but i will not go further in this point , because i would not too much digresse from the inference to which i am speaking , i only hint at these things by the way , to the end that men may be stirred to search dilgently after truth as they would search for silver t , and bring every mans judgement to the touchstone as they do gold , that they may not be deceived ▪ by dreams or specious shews , and so depart from the truth and lose their future happinesse . this is a time of shakings , god is now shaking the nations , gods judgements are abroad in the earth , that the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousnesse u : the shakings of this nation have been great , not only in temporals but in spirituals , thrones , dignities , and governments , have been shaken and shaken , cast down , overturned and changed again and again , religion adulterated , annihilated , and made a matter of policy , the very foundation of that pillar and ground of truth , hath been stricken at , undermined , and sorely assaulted , and is at this day , but we have a sure promise , that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it w , and we have seen gods provident care thereof , that they that have been the heads of this assault have been broken in peeces and their ass●tiations , the word of god is as fire and it shall consume stubble ; all the enemies of truth shall be like straws , though numerous , which conspire against a burning coal , and encompasse it by heaps to put it out , that when they think they have done it , and have eclipsed the light for a little while , it shall kindle , burn , and consume them all , these straws though mighty for a time shall come to nothing ; this is their time of attempts , and this is the time that god will purge his church , this is the time of reformation , and of great judgements ; for whenever god hath been doing any great work tending to reformation , the devil and satan , that great old enemy and subtle serpent hath alwaies made the greatest opposition , the greater the work is that god is doing the stronger the oppositions will be , as we see in rev. . , , , . considered and compared : that god is doing a great work in these daies is manifest , clear as the light of the sun , but what god will do he only know , to us it is unknown , whether he will at this time give in to england the mercies promised , or whether he will yet afflict us with more and greater judgements we know not : the former shall be made good assuredly to his church , the latter seems rather to be our present portion , the effects of all the alterations and changes in our times , is hid from our eyes , only it is gods good pleasure , and he is doing a great work . there are three things , evils , that have long threatned the great judgements and changes which we of england have lately felt and seen in this nation . . the encrease and growth of all kinde of sin , especially corruption in religion x , and a general crying oppression , these do still remain as high as ever . . the appearance and encrease of secondary causes thereunto conducing , principally jealousies , divisions , emulations , hypocrisie , sedition and treachery z : these things are effects of gods anger a , and forerunners of great changes , but these do encrease in england . . the straits and necessities of the church , when good men especially holy , godly ministers are scorned , contemned , and misused b , then god is exceeding angry , and brings wrath without remedy ; for the churches necessity is gods opportunity to deliver his church and to avenge himself of their enemies , and that is alwaies by great changes : god hath made change after change in england , once , twice , thrice , and again , but the evils are not changed , therefore more changes are threatned : the prophet denonncing judgement against the king and kingdome of israel saith thus , thou profane wicked prince of israel whose day is come , when iniquity shall have an end , thu● saith the lord god , remove the diadem and take off the crown , this shall not be the man ; ex●lt him that is low , and abase him that is high , i will overturn , overturn , overturn it , and it shall be no more until he come , whose right it is and i will give it him c ; this prophecy was concerning zedekiah , and israels carrying captive into babylon , and the government of christ , to whom all kingdoms and nations are given , and are his right , whom he is pleased to set up as vicegerent under him , to rule in righteousnesse and judgement , shall be established , god will abase him that is highest , and exalt him that is low , and will overturn , and overturn again and again until he come , for his right it is to whom jesus christ shall give it . so it is evident that all turnings , overturnings and changes that have been in this nation , or whatsoever shall be are not by accident , nor by the subtle contrivement of counsel or men , but as all is ordered by providence to effect gods will , for man is not able of himself to bring any enterprise to passe , he is not able ( saith doctor preston ) to see all the wheels that tend to make up an enterprise , nor if he were able to see them all , he is not able to turn them , nor to fit every one so together as to make up an enterprise . god by providence after several changes and several attempts of new enterprises , which the attempters ( though skilful to deceive and powerful to compell ) could not enterprise , hath given us a supream magistrate to judge the people of these nations ; and by providence hath intitled him oliver lord protector of england , scotland , and ireland , and of the dominions thereunto belonging ; this is the man whom god by his secret providence hath made the instrument of our deliverance , from the designs of an anti-christian brood , and from the powers of royall and hierarchical enemies , and rescued our laws and religion out of usurpers hands , therein comparable to gideon ; it is true he accepted of what gideon refused d , but he coveted not what gideon asked e , nor indented beforehand , as iephthah did f , he might have sate in parliament at ease , and with profit as others did , but providence ordered him to another work , and he freely and voluntarily exposed himself to all hardships , to endure the parching sun by day , and the nipping frost by night , as a zealous patriot of his nation , his sleep departed from his eyes , his bed the open field , and the heavens his curtains , he was not backward to jeopard his life in the high places of the field for the safety of his countrey , not shifting to secure himself in the greatest danger , nor declined any engagement with the enemy , let the disadvantages be what they could , 〈◊〉 three , four , or five to one of the enemies party , yet not once that i can remember was he put to the worst , or caused to fly from , or turn his back from the enemy , from the beginning of the war to the end thereof ; he is of an ancient family , he hath been well educated in learning and in religion ( except only some youthful tricks ) hath been a professor of holinesse and practiser of justice , the man of the saints praiers , whom god prospered , and made successeful in all his undertakings , and providence hath kept in all dangers , ordering all along by gradations to what he now is , as is observed in our third inference : why god hath done all this we cannot give any reason , but that it is his secret will to effect his own purpose ; but whether it shall be at this time as an income of mercies , or encrease of afflictions , i leave to the all-knowing god who will manifest his pleasure in his own time ; it may be a mercy from god and so i esteem of it , but we may by our divisions turn it to a judgement ; as indeed our seditious practises do threaten : sure i am ( whatever may be ) that since providence laid this burthen upon him , he hath managed it with much wisedom and justice , the fruits whereof we have had some taste , to the honour of god i speak it , and do apprehend that his purposes tend thereunto ; as also to the honour , safety , and benefit of the common-wealth , manifested by his ordering affairs abroad , in making honourable peace , thereby stopping more and greater effusion of bloud , and exhausting of treasure ; as also his highnesses care for proving ministers , to eject those that are scandalous and unsound , in which i yet hope his highnesse and present parliament will make better and further progresse , that known heresies , apparent blasphemies , and open prophanesse may be extirpate and ●ast out of these three nations , which that they may do shall be my constant praier , and that as god hath added to his highness encrease of worldly honour ; he will also double and redouble to him spiritual humility , wisedom , holinesse , with all other graces ; and let this be the praier of zions saints , that peace and truth may be established , jesus christ set up in ou● hearts , and sincerely worshiped in his own ordinances , that the purity of ordinances may stand like the ark of god , before which all heresies , seducements , and doctrines of devils may fall like dagon to the earth ; so that if it be possible eugland may be the beloved nation , and the praise of the whole earth , for the which let us all pray and endeavour , and this brings us to our fifth inference . the fifth inference is , that although god have set a time for the giving in of mercies , and for inflicting of judgements , which shall certainly be a●complished in their time , yet men are to be diligent in the use of all lawful means for the enjoying of the one and the avoyding of the other : this was ever the practice of holy men in all ages , the prophet daniel notwithstanding he was well assured of the performance of gods promise for the deliverance of his people , after the set time of seventy years was expired , yet he praieth with his face toward ierusalem g , yea , when he knew the time was at hand , he yet praieth for the accomplishment of it , and confessed his own sins and the sins of the people h , nor did he think it sufficient to pray for a spurt , but he praied from the morning until the time of the evening sacrifice i : thus zion her self complaineth unto god and praieth for deliverance k , and nehemiab when the time was come , mourned , fasted and praied , and used all lawful endeavours l , he looked sad in the presence of the king , sig●●●●ing the sorrow of his heart , for the ruines of ierusalem , and this was a●●●●ns by which he obtained favour to make his r●quest to the king , yea , ●●●lest his tongue was speaking to the king , his heart praied to the god of h●aven m ▪ and god gave him his desires , not only to build the temple at ierusalem , but to have all materials necessary for the wo●k ▪ the reason why all lawful means must be used , is , because whatsoever god in his secret counsel hath determined to be done ▪ he hath also determined and appointed the means how it shall be done : as he hath decreed the end , he also hath decreed the means conducing to that end ; so it was in the things of rebu●lding the city and temple : god had determined it should be built again promised it by his prophets : and he had also determined and appointed that ●yrus should be the means or secondary cause of it , therefore he cals cyrus his shepherd he that shall perform all his pleasure , even saying to ierusalem , thou shalt be built , and to the temple , ●by foundation shall be laid n , and he shall let go my captives o : and this was at the time appointed made good as you may see ezr. . . and herein gods purpose and secondary causes work together : god worketh by such men and endeavours as he hath appointed , and such means men are to use . you know god promised to israel many blessings , both temporall and spiritual , he promiseth the downfal of their enemies , and great encrease of all things , multiplicity of blessings in all outward comforts p , so he promiseth to them , and in them to us christrans , all spirituall blessings ▪ freely given for his own name sake , he promiseth to sprinkle clean water on us , to clense us from all our filthinesse and from our idols ; he will give us a new heart and put his spirit into us , and cause us to walk in his statutes q , signifying thereby the merits and bloud of jesus christ , which cleanseth us from all iniquity , &c. yet saith the lord ( notwi●hstanding he will surely give all these blessings freely ) i will be sought unto , i will be enquired of by the house of israel to doe it for them r , so you shall see god sends the prophet to hezekiah , to te●l him , he should su●ely die of the disease , of which he was sick ; hezekiah notwithstanding makes his addresses by praier unto god unto god , to spare his life , and obtains his desire , god addes fifteen years ſ , praier obtains the mercy desired , that 's one means , yet there must be another means added ; hezekiah must take a bunch of figs and apply to the mortall sore , and he shall recover t , when god alloweth , nay , requireth that we shall use all lawful means ; for us to neglect to use the means or obstinately reject the means , we are self-enemies , and it is just with god to withhold the mercy we desire , or to bring the judgements upon us , we would avoid ; to neglect , slieght or contomn any lawfull means , is a tempting of god , that man that shall cast off all means , and say he will rest upon providence , neither beleeves there is indeed an over-ruling providence , nor can rest upon providence upon any scripture ground ; he that will rest upon providence must follow the dictate and waies of providence , else he deceives himself ; the physician in cases of any necessity ▪ is the means for health , the chirurgion is a means for cure of a fretting wound , ulcer , or gangrene : the lawyer to clear a questioned title , or to pleade a doubtful cause before the judge ▪ he that shall in such or the like cases , neglect or reject such means , providence offering it to him , shall be justly condemned of folly by any wise man , so it is in all things between god and us , to obtain mercies or to avoid judgements , we are to search out and to use all lawfull means . but in the use of any means though never so lawfull , we must take heed that we trust not to the means , for that is sinful , and the way to deprive our selves of what we do expect or most desire , and to involve our selves in these troubles and miseries we would avoid and most fear : this was the si● of that good king asa , in his disease , he sought not to the lord but to the physicians u : we must be diligent in means , but trust in god as much as if we had no means to use ; you shall see that when moses was to leade the people of israel through a vast and barren wildernesse , god gave him a pillar of a cloud by day , and of fire by night to go before them ; and the ark of the lord went before to finde out a resting-place w , for where the ark rested they staied , and as long as the cloud rested upon the ark they rested in their tents x ; this was providence guiding the people to conven●ent places for water and rest , yet moses the servant of god is very inquisitive with his father in law , whom providence had brought to him , and who was acquainted with the waies of the wildernesse and places where was springs of water , to instruct him in the way , and be a guide unto him y , he would not be wanting in the use of any lawful means : when the prophet nathan , sent from god , tels david that his childe should surely die ; david notwithstanding sets himself to the use of means to preserve the childes life z , yet david did not therein oppose himself against gods will , for david knew that the use of lawful means was no way crossing of gods purpose ; he well knew that gods comminations are sometimes conditional and sometimes absolute , as indeed they are , and so are the promises of mercies : gods threatning of judgement against nineveh was conditional , yet forty daies and ninevth shall be destroied , that is , if nineveh do not repent ; but ni●eveh repented and was spared a ; the text saith , god saw they turned from their evil waies , and repented of the evil he said he would do to them ; not that god indeed repented or can repent , or be changed : the word repent we finde several times in scripture , sam. . . the lord repented that he made saul king , and gen. . . it repented the lord that he had made man , so in ioel . . god is slow to anger and of great kindenesse ; and repenteth of the evil , and in ver. . who knoweth if he will repent and leave a blessing behinde him ? these and other the like scriptures are by some objected against the absolute decrees and purpose of god , as if god did not absolutely determine what he would do , but as if there were a contingency in god , and that he upon occasion changeth his decree and purpose ; to this i answer , that the word repent or repentings is but an expression which the holy ghost useth after the manner of the speech of men , whereby the pity and compassion of god is set forth unto us , and how unwilling he is to punish his creatures , as in lam. . . he doth not afflict willingly , that is , he delighteth not to punish , to afflict , or to grieve the ●hildren of men , but as he is provoked by their sins which he hateth , and he hateth nothing but sin , or for sin , but god is said to delight in mercy , mic. . . we are not to search into the secret decrees of god , which is absolute nor which is conditional , but we know god is unchangeable in all his purposes and varieth not , the strength of israel ( saith the prophet ) will not lie , nor repent , for he is not a man that he should repent b , therefore repentance in god is nothing else but his unchangeable ordering and disposing of changeable things : god is not changed in any thing but things change and alter , known unto god are all his works from the beginning of the world c , and what he hath purposed shall be done , nothing can alter it , as is shewed in our former discourse : god is immutable , he changeth not , in him i● no variablenesse nor shadow of turning d , but god is said to change when they whom god loveth and taketh care of are changed , then god changeth the course of things so as it is for their good : god unchangeably forgiveth them that repent as he did nineveh , and unchangeably punisheth them that go on in their wicked waies , as he did saul : all comminations of god are means to repentance and to reformation , and repentance with reformation is the means to prevent the judgements threatned , except where the decree is absolute , as in the case of esau , heb. . . and with cain or iudas , &c. and in case of resisting the means and motions of repentance , as the stiff-necked israelites , heb. . . to whom there is no place for repentings ; but this is the secret counsell of god , and belongs not to us to search into farther then it is revealed in scripture , and the revealed will of god is our rule , we are to look no further , but practise according to what it holds forth to us , whether the threatning of judgements be absolute or conditionall , it is not for us to enquire into it , but we are to use all lawful means to prevent it , as to obtain any mercy promised ; for all comminations of god are either for our repentance that we may prevent the evil , or to our obduration that we may be without all excuse , therefore god saith , at what instant he shall speak concerning a nation , or concerning a kingdom , to pluck up and to pull down , and to destroy it ; if that nation turn from their evil , i will repent of the evil i thought to do unto them : and at what instant he shall speak concerning a nation or kingdom , to build and to plant it , if it do evil in his sight , he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them e , god is pleased to give encouragement to all , and the covenants which god hath made between himself and mankinde are conditional : the covenant with adam was upon exact obedience on mans part , do this and live ; the covenant in christ is not of works but of grace , established upon better promises , as the apostle reacheth f , given by the hand of a mediator , ties us by the condition to beleeve and repent : the fi●st covenant under the law sheweth what we should do , but cannot ; the second covenant under the gospel teacheth us how all is done for us , if we beleeve and repent : the promises of the law are to the exact workers and doers of the law g : the promises of the gospel are to him that worketh not , but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly h &c. now if we break the condition on our part , god is no way bound to us , for if we beleeve not , we shall be condemned i , if we repent not we shall perish k : thus it was to the nation of the jews , wrath came on them to the utmost , because of their impenitency and unbelief , how much more shall it be so to all other nations and so it is to england ! great blessings are promised , and destroying udgements a●e threatned , but god will surely withhold our mercies , will pluck up what he planted , and will hasten destroying judgements if we do not beleeve and repent ; therefore it is englands duty to be diligent in the use of all lawfull means , to obtain mercies and to avoid judgements . here let me give caution in two things : . that we use no means but such as is lawful , warrantable in scripture : . that we must not be solicitous in the use of any means for things for which we have not a promise : to use unlawful means for the obtaining of lawful things , or to seek unlawfull things by any means , are both equally evil : as for instance , sarah did well to endeavour and expect the blessing to jacob , because she had a promise ; but sarah did ill in using unlawfull means for a lawful thing : jeroboam had no promise of the kingdom , but he had a leading providence which was equivalent , therefore he did not ill in using means to obtain it : but it was his great sin in using unlawful means to establish himself in his kingdom : so saul , in the time of his distresse it was lawfull for him and duty to use means , and endeavour to avoid the danger threatned , but it was his sinne to use unlawful means , to go to the witch of eudor * , con●rary to this you see when good hezechiah was in distresse he useth such means as is warrantable , first he en●eavoureth to preserve himself and kingdom against a potent enemy by agreement and pacification l : what they could not do it , though warrantable , as appears of the saying of christ m , then he flies to the rock of strength , he opens the whole truth of his case unto god , and trusts in him , and was thereby delivered n . we know david had an absolute promise of the kingdom from god , and found great opp●sition , saul persecuted him to the death , yet david would not use ●n●awful means to obtain the promise , nor to preserve himself , he only useth such wa●rantable means as providence offered to him , and trusts in god! it is true , he eat of the shew-bread which was belonging only to the priests , but this is justified by the lord christ in case of necessity o , mercy is to be preferred before sacrifice , so he fled to achas king of gath , and he changed his b●haviaur and feigned himself mad p , this in case of necessity to save life is not unlawfull , he did not distemble with his tongue to say he was mad : it may be lawful for a man to dissemble in his behaviour or discretion , when it is unlawful to do it in words , nor did he do it as distrusting in god , as is apparent psa. . . he trusted in god and was delivered at that time when he changed his behaviour , as is evident by the title of that psalm : it is granted that in matters of religion to change behaviour is sin , as to bow to an idol , or to be hypocritical in shews of religion , a● it is to be feared very many are at this day , and have been for honour or profit , as simon magus did , nor did he dissemble his behaviour , to the end he might murther as cain did , and as joah did , but david intended damage to none , only his own safety : we have a kinde of resemblance to this in the lord christ , to try his disciples , luk. . . the text saith , he made as if he would have gone farther : and whereas it may be objected he lyed ●o ach●sh when he said that he had been against the south of judah , and against the south of the kenites q , &c. he did not lie unto him , he spake doubtfully to the question asked , so as achaz might take it in a double sense , either that he had been against the people of the south of judah , and of the kenites , or against the people of the philistims that dwelt in the adjacent villages of the south of judah , and so indeed it was ; so that david lyed not , nor used any unlawful means to obtain the promised kingdom , nay , when opportunity was in his hand he would not hurt saul , though he then hunted after davids life as after a partridge on the mountains , declaring his trust in god and innocency toward saul ; when he had him at all advantage in the cave ▪ and at another in his trenches , david would do no act to crosse gods providence though animated to it by his chief friends . contrary to davids practice is the practice of men at this day who without any warrant from gods word , contrary to humanity , plot and contrive means to betray and subvert men and governments , that are not su●able to their own desires , and contrary to clear providence , and that by abominable evil means ; and also in a sollicitous use of good means for the obtaining of things not promised , nor any leading providence or probabilities to the things endeavoured for , but will and fancy , or the instigations of false deceiving spirits , what else are the many and frequent fastings one contrary to another , and appeals to god in things which tend to strife and debate , and to set up the kingdom of christ by bloud , who saith , his kingdom is not of this world , or if it were he needs not the material sword to exalt him : for all power is given unto him both in heaven and in earth r ; he is king for ever in a sp●r●tual sense , but they that take the sword shall perish by the sword ſ , he can presently have more then ten thousand angels to cut down all his enemies at once if he please , and when he please t ; and he no where in all the scripture commandeth nor exciteth any of the saints to carry on his cause in bloud , nor to use endeavours by the sword to set up a fifth monarchy , neither to make war against nations , to destroy kings as kings the sword of christ is the sword that goeth out of his mouth , rev. . . with this sword he will smite the nations , and by this sword were the rem●ant slain , rev. . . god refused to accept of davids desire to build the material● temple for gods worship , because he had been a man of war , and had sh●d much bloud u : and again , king. . . thou shalt not build a house to my name , because tho● hast shed much bloud upon the earth in my sight : the temple was a figure of christ , and was for external worship : if that which was but a figure and materiall might not be built with bloudy hands , then doubtlesse the thing typified which was the glory of christ , the spiritual temple and spiritual worship of the new and heavenly jerusalem , shall not be built by the sword of the saints on earth , a strange and unwarrantable opinion , and a worse practice ; the holy ghost is pleased to intimate to us that while the temple was in building there was not heard neither axe nor hammer , nor any too● of iron , all the time of the building w ; from whence i infer , the holy and spirituall worship of christ , shall not be set up by any instruments of war , but as in the building of the temple the stones were hewed and the materials made ready before they were brought to the building , and were hewed by the men of tyre and other nations who did not belong to the services of that temple ; so god will use the sword of the heathen and wicked men of the world to prepare for the work of the spiritual temple , they shall be his drudges to do that bloudy work , to hew the nations and kingdoms as pleaseth him ; they shall be his instruments to cut down , dig up , and hew one another , and cast down the mig●ty mountains till they be made plains , they shall doe it in wrath and revenge one to another , but god will work by them after the counsell of his own will : and then as in the reformation in the d●ies of hezechiah ▪ god will prepare the hearts of his own people , and the thing shall be done suddenly x ; they shall be a willing people in the day of his power , this it consonant to holy scriptures , and hath been the manner of gods doings , not by might nor by power , but by the spirit of the lord of hosts y . besides , david in his reign was a type of the churches troubles and war , es solomon was a type of the churches peace and flourishing condition ; bus i finde not that david nor solomon ever made an offensive war against any nation , but it was ever defensive , except by command from god , or a providence leading to it , as in the case of the ammonit●s , when they had abused davids embastadors and his friendly courtesie , and disgraced them that were his messengers : and the assyrians who joyned with them z ; but for them to attempt things for which they have neither command nor any leading providence , but upon their own wils , fancies , or as some say by the direction and guidance of the spirit , to these men , not i but the lord christ saith unto them as to james and john when they would have had him to command fire to come down from heaven upon the sama●itans : ye know not what manner of spirit of spirit ye are of a ; the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them ; these men have spirits of infirmies , croo●ed spirits , like that woman whom the lord christ healed b , the lord in mercy cure thew : we are commanded not to beleeve every spirit c in rev. . . there were three unclean spirits went out of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast , and cut of the mouth of the false prophet ; what were these spirits ? these were the spirits of devils , working miracles , and what else , they go to the kings of the earth and of the whole world , to gather them to the battle of the great day of god almighty , ver. . the spirit of god saith expresly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the saith , giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils d ; hence is that precept of the apostle , to try the spirits whether they are of god because many false prophets are gone out into the world , joh. . . i know many good men are seduced and do seduce at this day , and it is grievous to them and unsufferable to them to bear it to be told they are seduced , because they have a zeal to god and to holinesse ; surely so had paul when he was in a great errour , and so was david full of holy and right zeal to god , yet his spirit erred ; his spirit was prest to build god an house , so as he vowed to do it , psa. ▪ . and he consulted with the prophet nathan about it , and nathans spirit closed with his spirit , and said , go do all that is in thine heart , for the lord is with thee e : but the spirit of holy david and the spirit of the prophet nathan , were both con●rary to gods spirit in that work , for the word of the lord to nathan forbad it afterward . give me le●ve i beseech you in the mercies of god to say unto you that are fifth monarch men , as st james saith to the whole church and sa●n●s , do not ●rre my beloved brethren f , it is most true that violent ungrou●ded affections are violent temp●ations , and will bring violent and certain affl●ctions upon men and nations ; obedience is better then sacrifice , blinde sacrifices nor uncommanded service by god were never accep●e● ; who hath required this at your hand ? let us therefore walk humbly with god , ●eny our selves , our own spirits , our own righteousnesse , and ●et up the lord christ in our hearts , that he may spiritually rule over us and in us by mortifying our corruptions , subduing our carnall reason and our unbridled lusts ; this is i● the lord jehovah hath promised , and this is it we are taught to pray for , thy kingdom come ; and for this as for all other mercies thereon attending , let us be ever diligent in the use of all lawful means , in behalf of our selves or nation , and the whole church of god , with submission to gods will ; and truly he that will impartially and strictly examine his own heart ( and be sure it deceive him not ) shall finde that all his endeavours will be too little , to bring his will to the will of god in every thing , but the heart is deceitfull above all thing , and desperately wicked , who can know it g ? and from the deceit of our own hea●●s together satans instigations , we labour to bring gods will to our will , and hence ariseth great evils and distractions even among christians , at this day ; all boast of the spirit and yet walk contrary to the ●pirit , for the spirit is one and is not divided , the spirit leads into the way of one truth not many truths ; give me leave to put the question which paul in the like case , are ye not carnal h ? yet these corinth●aus to whom paul speaks were beleevers , sain●s in the apostles esteem , for he gives them the right hand of brotherhood , though in this respect carnall in their divisions concerning spirituall things , and those things if not prevented will bring sore judgements , and prevent the mercies by us exp●cted and t● the church promised . the lawfull means to prevent the one and to possesse the other , are of two sorts , spiritual and civil , which for brevity i shall but name , for i intend not p●olixity in this discou●se ; the first and chief means is praier , pray continually , , that 's the rule given i , and pray earnestly k , and fervently l ; but we must come to pray with humble hearts , else god will not hear our prayers , he giveth grace to the humble m , bu● he resisteth the proud ; god heareth the desire of the humble , and will prepare their heart , and incline his heart to hear n , he dwelleth with the humble and will revive the spirit of the humble and contrite ones , isa . . and we must pray for such things as are according to gods will , such things as are according to gods will , such things as we have p●omise for , not according to our own wils , you ask and receive not , and why ? because ye ask a●●sse o : this is the considence we have in him , that if we ask any thing according to his will h●heareth us p , but if we ask according to our own will he will not hear him , that is , he wi●l not give him what he asketh ; and we must also ask in faith without wavering , jam. . . but how can we have faith in asking any thing for which we have not a promise ? for faith is grounded upon the promise ; abraham beleeved the promise , rom. . . he staggered not at it , he was fully perswaded that what god had promised he was able to perform , and would do it q ; and without faith it is impossible to please god , r what is not of faith is sin , without faith god accepts no praier ſ ; and in the last place we must ask all that we pray for in the name of iesus christ , whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name he will give it you t ; see joh. . . and in extraordinary cases we must adde spiritual ●●sting to our praier , for there is a kinde of devil that goeth not out but by praier and fasting u , humble your selves in the sight of the lord , and he shall lift you up , jam. . . we must come with humbled hearts , willing , and desirous to bring our wils to gods will , but take beed of fasting and praying , and making appeals to god , w to bring gods will to your will , it is not safe to tempt god , for our god is a consuming fire . the next means is to get the love of god kindled in our hearts , let us get burning zeal to the truth , and receive the truth in the love of it , contend for verity not for victory ; advance the gospel in the ministry of it , love the brotherhood , honour all men , fear god , and honour the supream magistrate x , whether king or lord protector , this is apostolical doctrine , let every soul be subject to the higher powers , for there is no power but of god , the powers that be are ordained of god y ; this is the apostle pauls doctrine , and this is the apostle peters doctrine , submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the lords sake z , for so is the will of god a ; this is no new devised doctrine , nor is it in the least antichristian , but the doctrine of the law and the doctrine of the gospel , if there come any unto you , and bring not this doctrine ( that is , that denieth this doctrine ) receive him not into your house , neither bid him god speed b ) to deny this truth of the gospel , and teach for gospel another thing , is to bring in another gospel : but i am commanded by the gospel , that though men or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel then what the apostles have preached , not to beleeve it c ; the gospel establisheth a standing magistracy and a standing ministry , by them liberty and religion is maintained and preserved if well regulated . therefore it highly concerns parliaments , of which by gods mercy and love to his people , we are not wholly deprived , nor by one for ever oppressed ; it is gods mercy and his honour ( the lord protector i mean ) whom god hath made instrumental to call this honourable assembly in parliament together , i say it concerns them to consider whence we are fallen , and whether we are going , and by their authority to put bars against licenticusnesse and loose liberty , and to be a wall of protection unto the truth , that those foxes may be taken that spoil the vines , for our vines have tender grapes d ; honourable parliament , if my scribling sheets ever come to your view , take notice from them that god hath by his good providence called you together to make up the breach that finne hath made ( or rather god for sin ) upon us ; we have been perfidious to god , and god hath removed justice and equity from us ; you must be both phinchas and aaron ; phinchas to rise up with courage and zeal , not only to do justice but to give life to the just laws of the nation , that justice may be done by a law against the transgressors of gods law e , and aaron to stand between the dead and the living , that gods anger may be appeased : f : you in behalf of the good people of these three nations , are to settle by gods assistance these unsetled nations , what is possible for the present , and with all possible care to look to the future , the god almighty be your strength and your counsellor , in the great work under your hands , that you may be instruments in 〈◊〉 hand to establish a just and setled magistracy and a holy religious ministry , that the glory of the lord jehovah may be advanced , and the people of these nations may again enjoy their rights and proprieties , our sins cry to god for g●eate● judgements , and the people cry under great pressures ; and god hath called you that are the great men of these nations to prove and to try what you will do for him , jer. . . you have known the way of the lord and the judgement of your god , turn you not aside as others have done ; god seeks now as he did in jerusalem , to finde a man , if there be any that executeth judgement and secketh the truth , that he may spare poor england , jer. . . and let not the poor of these nations be forgotten by you , provide houses and stock to set them to work in all cities , countreys , and towns , that there may not be a beggar in our israel g ; debts ought to be paid , but publike faith debts not paid is most dishonourable to the nation , i know as things have been managed it is no easie thing to pay them ; but to purge the university and nurseries of learning from their open pollutions and vicious practices , and schools of learning to be purged of vitious schoolmasters , the poyson of youth and the bane of age and ages , is a work acceptable to god , a means to obtain blessings to posterities , and it will cost no money to do it . these and the like means diligently used , really prosecuted , freed from self-interest , vain-glory , or hypocrisie , will assuredly multiply mercies on the nations , and prevent the judgements threatned , and cause england to be the praise of the whole earth : i pray give me leave to say what the lord by the prophet said in another case ( concerning tythes then due by a law of god , leviticall , only belonging to the jews ; now due by no such right , but they were unjustly withheld ) therefore saith the lord , prove me now therewith , if i will not open to you the windows of heaven , and pour you out a blessing h &c. so i say , use such means as before i have briefly mentioned , and prove the lord if he will not double and redouble all sorts of blessings on this common-wealth . i blesse god that there hath been a beginning of a reformation of some things by his highnesse more then in some years past by others , though much was promised ; and i blesse god that put into his highnesses heart and this present parliament to call for a general and publike day of humiliation , for emergent causes named , which god will doubtlesse accept of , as of late he did by a signet of his favour , when we by his highnesse order sought god for rain in our great necessity ; although some who stile themselves saints not only refused to joyn in our petitions , but used unchristian speeches to gods dishonour and contempt of the duty : and truly it was sad to observe the general neglect of our late solemn fast , that only shops should be shut , and places for recreation full ( as i was informed ) but churches shut or empty , in respect of the numbers of inhabitants , many omitting the duty out of carnal respects , and many out of will , because it was commanded , and because the end crossed their self-interests ; i do affirm that it is no lesse a duty in the christian magistrate to command the duties and performance of duties for the true worship of god , then it was duty to the magistrate under the law , but the magistrate under the law did command such duties , as asa , jehosaphat , jehojada , hezckiah , and others : we know that asa did not only command reformation of gods worship , bur annexed to his command a great punishment i ; and ezra did the like k ; and the apostle paul diminisheth nothing of the magistrates authority under the gospel , nor is there any scripture that offers the least doubt of that their authority , but rather makes it greater , heb. . . therefore i say that the neglect or rather contempt of such duties , and the suffering of it uncontrolled by the magistrate , will in stead of a blessing bring a curse , as is threatned by the prophet , jer . . but the due observance of the holy and spiritual worship of god held forth by the magistrate , and practised by the minister and people , is the chief means to divert the judgements we fear and procure the blessings we want . i come now to the sixth and last inference , and that is , that when god hath effected and done his will in any thing visibly made known to us by the work of providenee , we are not to murmure nor repine , though it be in any thing contrary to our expectation or desire , or though it be to our great affliction , but to submit to it willingly , only by praier to seek unto god , and patiently wait his time and means for deliverance . this hath been the practice of the godly in all ages ; k thus holy david did , while his childe was yet alive he used all lawful means for the life of it : but when god had done his will , and the childe was dead , he left off to mourn , and murmured not , but patiently bear the affliction ; thus did just and righteous job , he feared his sons might sinne , and procure gods displeasure , he therefore used the right means to prevent it m , but when providence had brought that to passe which he feared , and god had visibly manifested his pleasure , job was patient , he murmured not , neither against providence nor instruments , but blessed the name of the lord n : the church under her great affliction murmured not , they acknowledged gods hand , and complained of their sins the cause of all o , and waited patiently for their deliverance : it is good ( saith the prophet ) that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the lord p ; surely ( saith job ) it is meet to be said unto god , i have born chastisement , i will not offend any more q ; and the apostle exhorts , that we be followers of them that by faith and patience inherit the promise r : but to murmure against providence is wickednesse , and the effects of murmuring and discontents is very dangerous ; dangerous to a mans self , and bringeth others into dangers too : you know what became of the murmuring israelites in the wildernesse , from time to time , as is recorded in the books of exodus and numbers ; consider the case of murmuring korah and all his murmuring company , the earth opened and swallowed them up ſ ; this was the immediate hand of god , not moses nor aaron , yet such was the rebellious hearts of the people , that the next day they all fall to murmuring against moses and against aaron , and accused them that they had killed tho lords people t ▪ and for this there died presently of them , fourteen thousand and seven hundred by a sudden plague u ; you know that for this sin of murmuring all the people that came out of egypt from twenty years old and upward , were excluded from the promise , except caleb and ioshua w : hence the apostle exhorts us christians , not to tempt god as they tempted him , nor to murmure as they murmured and were destroied ; for saith he , all these things happened unto them for our examples x ; god is the same to us that he was to them , only he hath divers dispensations of his judgements ; he is an unchangeable god for evert if we sin like them that went before us , we shall be as greatly punished as they were , yea , greater ; though god do not so usually strike men suddenly for sin as formerly , yet there is greater wrath to come . let us a little consider the cause of mens murmuring , and see if it do not arise from a carnal heart , a carnal man propounds ends to himself , as the merchants st iames speaks of , that say they will go to such a city , or such a countrey , and buy , and sell , and get gain , but say not , if god will : so it is with men that seek their own ends in any thing , they propound this or that , but god is not in their thoughts , they say no● , if god will ; but we will do this or that thing , or would have this or that done , &c. it may be , nay , it is common with these men , that they will have the name of god in their mouths , but ( as the psalmist speaks ) god is not in all their thoughts ; and therefore when their wils and designs are crossed , they are angry , and repine against god and men ; thus the people of israel did in the wildernesse , they met with crosse providences which they looked not for , and they could not bear it , but cry out against moses , saying , because there were no graves in egypt ; hast thou brought us to die in the wildernesse y ? and again , wherefore hast thou brought us out of egypt to kill us in the wildernesse , our children and our cattel z . thus at this day we have seen many strange providences such as we looked not for , and men have had many and diverse designs , aims and ends , but meet with crosse providences , which they cannot bear , nay , resolve they will not bear , they complain and cry out against this and that thing , but specially they murmure against god and own not his providence in governing the world ; therefore they also murmure at the thing done , and against the instruments doing it , this is i say against god himself , for he alone orders every thing and every action , as is proved in the beginning of this ourdiscourse , which may satisfie humble men ; but saith the wisest of men , the foolish man perverteth his way , a and his heart fretteth against the lord : this is a carnal heart , for a spiritual man sees god in all and bears all things with patience , and waits by praier for guidance by providence , but never praies against a manifest providence , except to be delivered from the evil that may in some cases be feared , for providences lead the people of god into straights and afflictions for sin , as well as it delivereth them from afflictions when they are humbled , and this the church was well acquainted with ; therefore say , it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the lord b , then by the rule of contrary it must needs be evil to repine and murmure . it is very observable that moses mentioneth a mixed multitude that came with israel out of egypt , exo. . . these were of other nations , probably servants , that kept their cattle , &c , and they seeing the mighty wonders that god did for his people in egypt joyned with them , and would go out with them ; as the multitude that followed christ for the loaves c , but being crossed in their expectation they grow discontent and murmure , lusting after the fleshpots of egypt d , and bred a generall discontent among the people , such a mixed multitude was among the people of israel after they were delivered from their seventy years captivity , which good nebemiah separated from israel e . such a mixed multitude are at this day in england , some of other nations , some of contrary religions , priests and jesuites , and others that have by all subtle waies insinuated themselves , and these have set the people into discontents and murmurings , and are enemies to the advance of the gospel , and to the building of the spirituall temple , no lesse then those adversaries of iudah and benjamin that would have insinuated themselves under pretence of helping to build the temple , saying , they sought the god of israel as the israelites did , and did sacrifice to him f , when indeed they were enemies , and endeavour to hinder their work ; but zerubbabel and the chief of the fathers cast them off , then they send to have conference with nehemiah to betray him , but he would not own their message g , and the work in his hand prospered . but our fathers of england have hearkened to these our mixt multitude , and gods work hath been hindred , and themselves lost their honour ; the mixed multitude among us are grown numerous and incorrigible , they do not only murmure but they ( some of them ) threaten , and resolve not to be satisfied , for if one sort have what he desires another will dislike it , and that which is accepted this year shall be cried down next year ( nay sometimes next day ) for they that seek they know not what , cannot tell when to be pleased at every thing that is done : some cry out against it , and against the instruments doing it , without regard to providence or publike interest , and these cause murmurings among the people who would not murmure but for them ; these are those that have tasted of the heavenly mauna , but grew wanton , lusting after other food , many of these came into our hosts because they saw the great thing the lord did for us , but they came not in with the first , nor did they bear the brunt of the day , and being enticed by their own lusts they murmure and grow impatient at every providence that crosseth their desires : they murmured against our first parliament called anno dom : . and rejoyced when it was dissolved , endeavouring to carry on their designs by the next parliament , but providence crossed them , and they were dissolved too : and providence hath ordered all actions , counsels and things , to set up another way of government , which for private interest was cried down : now oliver by the providence of god is set up and made lord protector of england , scotland , and ireland , &c. the great and general murmuring is against him , he is a man of honour and integrity , the instrument in gods hand to do great and mighty things for us , and as i have said before he is the man of the saints prayers , and by their praiers god hath made him prosperous and successeful in all his undertakings , we ( yea many of the chief murmurers ) have acknowledged it , and owned him as our ioshua : what hath he done to the prejudice of the people or nation , that we now murmure against him ? why , he hath by gods providence frustrate the designs and aims of the mixed multitude , therefore they all murmure ; the antichristian and prelatical parties and all the hierarchy are angry and seek his life , the levelling party and the men of the fifth monarchy they are angry , and combine together by plotting against him , and as the prophet saith of himself so i may say of his highnesse , they watch for his halting , saying , peradventure he will be enticed , and we shall prevail against him , and take our revenge upon him h : besides these there is another sort of this mixed multitude that murmure , and they are pecuniaries , either oppressors or mercenaries : because it is conceived his highnesse will look after the publike treasuries , and manage the publike treasure to publike advantage ; these were afraid of a day of account in this life that were not afraid of a judgement day in the life to come , therefore they are angry ; there is another sort that are ambitious to have the honour and command that providence hath cast upon his highnesse , therefore they are angry , for ambitious men cannot endure any superiour ; good men without holy watchfulnesse may fall into the evil of ambition : we finde that aaron and his sister miriam a prophetesse grew ambitious against moses , they quarrell with him about the ethiopian woman which he had married , that 's their pretence , but then they plainly tell moses that god had not only spoken by him but by them also ; you know how god took it at their hands , if good men sin god will not spare them but more severely punish them : some other there be that murmure against his highnesse , as ioab did against good david in the case of abner , because he made peace with him , and with the house of saul k : others murmure , because they conceive more honour , greater esteem , and better reward is given to some then to themselves , like those that were hired into the vineyard l , you know what answer christ gives to such ; this kinde of evil began to enter into the hearts of the disciples , but christ taught them a better lesson m , of some of these sorts , are all the great murmurers of which the apostle iude saith plainly , these are they that walk after their lusts , and their mouth speaketh swelling words n ; these strive for masteries , they would all command but they cannot endure to obey , and would perswade the people that all their oppressions , injustice , and cruelty is righteousnesse , and that the justice distributed to every man through one man , is oppression ; every mans waies are right in his own eyes o , as the holy ghost is pleased to express ; and they would do as when there was no king in israel but every one did what was right in his own eyes p , to adulterate religion , abuse the ministers of the gospel , teach for doctrines the precepts of men , commit adultery , blasphemy , and kill , or what not , as in the time of vacancy of judges in israel , that there was no publike magistrate in the land to put them to shame in any thing q : was not england almost brought to this condition ? and is it not the thing so much laboured for at this day ? and that under the specious pretence of a reformation , such a reformation as ascendeth out of the smoak that came out of the pit r : blessed be our jehovah that hath thus far holpen us against such designs , that they have been prevented by his good providence ; and let the instrument be blessed by iehovah who hath been used by his hand to disappoint their purposes , of whom i hope and expect much better things then from those reformers , or then we have seen in our age for due administration of justice and establishment of religion and laws , that religion may be advanced , held forth to the people by a holy discipline , according to the word of god , which is the will of christ , not the fancies of men , for god is a god of order and not of confusion , he is not the authour of confusion but of peace in all the churches of the saints ſ ; and it was the apostles joy in beholding their order and stedfastnesse of faith in christ t ; and for this cause as himself saith , he left titus at crete , that he should set things in order that was wanting and ordain elders in every city u ; order by a discipline of worship in the purity of ordinances is the way to that reformation the lord jehovah looketh for ; and the establishment and due execution of good and just laws , that every man may enjoy his own propriety , and that justice may be distributed to every man without favour or revenge impartially , and that oppressors may be punished severely , according to their offence ; this is the thing god looks for at the hand and by the place to which he hath called the lord protector ; and this i beleeve he intendeth and will do , if murmurers will have but patience , if he do it not , he dissembleth with god , and god will judge him , who only knows the secrets of all hearts ; for judgement belongs unto god alone , he hath not given that unto men , but he hath commanded us not to judge ( but our selves ; ) judge not that ye be not judged w , for the lord is a god of judgement , blessed are they that wait upon him x : the prophet malachy sharply reproveth the jews in a case like ours at this day ; ye have wearied the lord with your words , yet ye say , wherein have we wearied him ? when ye say , every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the lord y ; that is , you make acclamations against god and blasphemous clamours , because you have not forthwith what ye desire , and in their own way , as if he were a favourer of evil doers , therefore ye cry out where is the god of judgement ? as a violent affirmative that there was no such just god , thus murmurers weary god , shall not god search out this , for he knoweth the secrets of the heart z . why then do we judge and condemn the man that hath done us good and no harm ? and why do we murmure against god and repine at providence ? the lord in mercy open the eyes of all his people , and bring their hearts suitable to himself , that they may willingly submit their wils to the will of god : you know we had a long time of peace and knew not the bitternesse of war , and we had a happy beginning of reformation in the daies of q. elizabeth , but in stead of going forward we went backward , and fell into the hands of oppressors and persecutors of gospel-truths , which was the procurement of war , ( a sore punishment ) we expected relief from men , but were more oppressed , they neither cared to ease us , nor pitied out condition , our religion grew to be mixed with multitudes of new devices , and all old heresies ( cried down by the primitive church ; ) under these calamities we groaned and cried to god , yea , many of gods people sought him by praier and fasting , private and publike for deliverance , and that god would give us judges as at the first , and counsellors as at the beginning a , that we might be called the righteous and faithfull nation , yet we will not give god leave to do it for us , though we see providence working it , we will not be satisfied except god bring his will to our will , nay to our wils , except god will give us the thing we ask in our own way , and by the means we our selves prescribe and set down , we will not own it any other way ; we ascribe too much to our selves , therefore we prescribe unto god things , times , men and means . god by providence hath given us again a free parliament , freely chosen by the people , or it is their own fault , if some of the members that the people have chosen be discontented , and are of any of those sorts of murmurers before spoken of , so as they refuse to act for the good of the commonwealth , it is their fault , and i fear their sin , it is not his highnesses fault , nor the peoples , but it will be some grief to the refusers when they shall see the work done without them , or that it should miscarry by their neglect , they knowing that at this day the pillar and ground of truth is shaken ; and the two great and standing ordinances of god strongly assaulted by many of that kinde of temper that korah and his company was ; that rose up against the office of moses and the office of aaron , who would have no magistrate but themselves , nor no ministry , but of themselves ; the office of magistracy was in moses , the office of the ministry wa● in aaron ; they are two distinct offices , and not promiscuously to be mixed , nor to be severed from a christian commonwealth , gods word is the rule to both , moses and aaron were brethren , and of one tribe , signifying a propinquity in their offices , they go together , and are defence and instruction one to the other ; now against these offices korah and princes of the people , men of renown , rise up and say , moses and aaron , wherefore lift you up your selves above the congregation of the lord , you take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy , even every of them b ; moses in this case makes his appeal to god , the murmurers did the like ( as some among us too presumptuously have done ) god decides the controversie between them , and saith , he will cause their murmurings to cease , god gave a signal testimony on the side of moses and aaron , shewing who was the man that god did chuse , by causing the rod of the tribe of levi to budd , blossom , and to bear almons in the tabernacle of witnesse c ; we are not to expect such miraculous signs in our time , yet it cannot be denied our enemies themselves being witness , but that god hath done wonderfull things by his highnesse for us and against our enemies , of which we have ( and may have a lasting ) benefit ; if we provoke not the almighty by our murmurings , and cause him to turn our blessings into a curse ; faith makes not haste , but staies gods time , and waits upon providence ; but it appears we live more by sense then by faith ; we trust god so far as we see reason for it , and no farther ; we say as the murmurers in the wildernesse did to moses , thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey , or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards ; wilt thou deceive us , and make thy self a prince over us , and put on t the eyes of his people d ? dost thou think they do not see thy falshood toward them ? these murmurings kept the people from the land they looked for , and brought a curse upon them which they looked not for , and thus it may befall us , if god be not more merciful to us ; who is then the sinner , and who shall posterity have cause to curse ? i beseech you my brethren of england , be not impatient , take heed that you fight not against god , murmure not at any providence , beleeve that god ruleth in the earth , and governs all things , and that all the turnings and overturnings , and the changes which we have lately seen is of god ; and all these , yea , all things shall work together for good to them that love god e : let us trust god who is faithful in all that he hath said , and will make good whatsoever he hath promised , and that to us in our times , if we provoke him not : let us therefore be followers of them that by faith and patience inherit the promise f : consider what our condition was before our last change , and whether men were leading of us , if providence had not disappointed their design ; were we not hasting into that ( or worse ) condition that israel was in , at the beginning of asa's government ? when they were without the true worship of god , without a teaching priest , and without a law ? and there was no peace to him that went out or to him that came in , but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countreys g ? if it were so with us then let us imitate those good people , and do as they then did , they in their trouble did turn unto the lord their god , and sought him , and he was found of him , chro. . . and at that time god stirred up the heart of asa , and he reformed all the evils , and they were delivered ; god , as i have said , by strange providences , evident to us , hath stirred up his highnesse , and given him the honour to be lord protector of his people , who knoweth what the lord our god will do for us by him ? let us seek god for him , and daily pray that god will give him wisdome as to solomon , and courage as to phinehas , and zeal for the lord of hosts , and for the religion of his god , as to good asa , hezechiah , and others , that god made instrnmentall for the glory of his name , and for the good of his people ; such i hope his highnesse will be to us , not only in these three nations , but to the church militant through the whole world : take the apostles rule and practise it , put up your praiers , supplications , intercessions and thanks-giving for all men , but especially for all that are in authority , and why ? that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and holinesse h ; but if we will disobey such precepts as this , and provoke such providences as have led us thereunto , and be obstinate in our own waies and wils , as if we would build new babels to our own fancies , and say as those builders said , let us make us a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth i ; god will surely bring the evil upon us that we seek to prevent , and we shall be scattered in our work : have we not ( some of us ) begun to lay the foundation of such a work ? why else are we thus confounded that we cannot understand one another ? one cals for mortar , and another brings a mattock ; one cries out for brick and stone , another brings a hammer and an axe ; one is building and another is breaking down ; one saies christ jesus is setting up kings and chief magistrates according to his own heart , to be his vicegerents on earth , such as shall own the lord christ , and acknowledge that they reign by him and for him , according to that prophesie of the evangelicall prophet , isa. . . kings shall be thy nursing fathers and queens shall be thy nursing mothers , they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth , and lick up the dust at thy feet , and thou shalt know that i am the lord , &c. that is , as the nurse feeds the childe , and defends it from harm , so kings and queens under the gospel shall tender the church of christ , to provide for it by providing holy ministers and honourable maintenance for them , that they may not serve tables , but wholly attend to the ministry of the word and sacraments , and be a wall of protection to keep them from harm , and that corrupt doctrines break not into the church , and they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth , that is , they shall acknowledge the lord christ to be their head , before whom they shall cast down their crowns , and acknowledge they are but his vicegerents , by him appointed to feed , cherish , and defend his faithful ones , and to reverence the word of christ , &c , according to that of the psalmist , all kings shall fall down before him , all nations shall serve him k ; others say , that christ is staining the pride of all glory , and bringing into contempt all the honourable of the earth , pulling down all kings and kingly powers , isa. . . others say , that christ is only pulling down all wicked kings , tyrants , and persecutors , and will stain the pride of all humane glory , such as babylon and tyre , against whom the prophet isaiah in the . chapter before-mentioned denounceth judgement but not against all kings , yet deny not that the lord christ who is said to ride upon a white horse , going forth conquering and to conquer , rev. . . shall conquer all kings and kingdoms that are his enemies , all shall stoop before him ; others say , christ only shall reign and shall be king of the saints , and shall be set up in his glory and kingdom on earth by the sword of his saints , in bloud , alluding to that in rev. . . he was cloathed in a ves●ure dipt in bloud , and as in psa. . . the saints shall wash their feet in the bloud of the wicked , and in psa. . . that thy foot may be dipped in the bloud of thine enemies , &c. the meaning of these places is plain to be no more but the suddain destruction which the lord jehovah should bring upon the wicked , such as are enemies to the church , as in the words going before in psa. . , . as a snail that melteth they shall passe away , and before the pots can feel the thorns , he shall take them away as with a whirlwinde : he shall , who is that he ? it is god jehovah he shall do it , not the saints ; the lord christ to whom all power and dominion is given , and was given to him from the time of his incarnation , as he himself witnesseth , mat. . . all power is given to me , &c. he doth not say , it shall be given me , but in the present tense it is given unto me ; hence is that of isa. . . i have tr●d the wi●epresse alone , and of the people ( our saints ) there was none with me , for i will tread them in mine anger , and trample them in my fury , see rev . . and rev. , . by which it is evident that the destruction of christs enemies shall not be by the sword in the hand of the saints , but by some miraculous way from heaven , like that expressed in rev. . . fire came down from god out of heaven and devoured them ; it is doubtlesse true that satan is let loose out of prison , and god useth him instrumentally to deceive the nations , we see it , and the lord jehovah doth cause them by satans deceits to destroy and consume one another , but the great destruction must come by some great and miraculous way from the hand of god , and thus christ is said to be king of nations , and he is king of saints in a peculiar manner , he is the protector and safe preserver of the saints on earth , and he ruleth in them spiritually , notwithstanding m. spittlehouse be of an erring opinion , as he expresseth in a late paper published in print : i shall esteem and strive to imitate him in any vertue , but i must dissent from his errours : of this i have spoken in our fifth inference , to which i referre the reader for further satisfaction ; we that make scripture our rule , say , and shall ever aver , that the kingdom of christ is set up by praier , and that is the power of the spirit of god within us , he shall rule in the hearts of the saints , and by his kingly power shall and will subdue our lusts or fantasies and self-waies ; mortifie the flesh and the affections thereof , that we may be fit temples for him to dwell in , that he alone may rule and reign there l ; others there be that will have none to rule over them but caesar , caesar must be their king , they will neither have christ , nor his vicegerent to be their king , but they say stoutly as the unbeleeving jews , away with him , away with him , we have no king but caesar m ; such are the great disciples of m. evans , who hath a notable art to abuse texts of scripture ; many other such babel practices we have to work confusion in a poor shattered common-wealth , but god in his appointed time will prove our buildings and what they are , whether we have built upon the sands or upon the rock n : i shall at this time omit to numerate mens self-waies , and shall with the apostle paul give this caution to all , he saith of himself ( according to the grace of god which was given to him as a wise master builder ) he had laid the foundation , and another buildeth thereon , but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon , for the fire shall try every mans building what it is , cor. . , . let not any that professe to be christians contend for victory but seek verity , for strife and division are fleshly and carnal , as the apostle expresseth in the chapter last mentioned ; the lord christ exhorts us to peace , the apostles all exhort to peace , love , and concord , and saint paul tels us , if we bite and devour one another , we shall be consumed one of another o ; and the lord christ by a convincing argument saith , that if a nation be divided against it self it cannot stand p , consider how great things god hath done for you q , therefore serve the lord with all your heart ; but if you will murmure against god ; and do wickedly , ye shall be consumed both ye and your king , these are the words of samuel to the people when they bad sinned in asking a king , not simply in asking a king , but violently desiring it before gods time came , that he would give them a king , for david was from the beginning ordained to be their king , although they had not asked a king , as is evident gen. . . and kings are gods lieutenants on earth : it is no lesse sinful to refuse a king when god gives him , then it was sinful to ask a king before gods time was come , wherein he would give them a king , let not this be englands sin , it will not be unpunished , we have seen the work of providence all along , in setting up our lord protector , all the plottings and devices , and counsels of men , could never have effected such a thing , in such a way , it is evident that god hath done it , we have seen the working of the wheels , and the living creatures by the wheels , spoken of by the prophet ezechiel , in chap. . , , . &c. and in chap. . . &c. and a wheel in the middle of a wheel r , it is hard to kick against pricks , and it is a dangerous thing to provoke providence . i have seen a seditious paper sent abroad by some that stile themselves sober christians , intitled , some memento's to the army ; i hope they are as they stile themselves ; but i am sure christians have neither precept nor example of such practice , to stir up rebellion : there was one sheba the son of bichri a very seditious man , upon scripture record , a son of belial , of whom it is said , he blew a trumpet , and said , we have no part in david , every man to his tent o israel ſ ▪ bichri prepared as he intended for a new war against david ; what his reward was from the hand of a just god , you shall see sam. . . he lost his head by the hands and consent of his associats ; scatter thou the people ( saith the psalmist ) that delight in war t ; you may know that warre is every where in scripture threatned as one of gods sorest judgements , and peace is promised as a singular mercy to a nation , it was so to the nation of the jews , and is especially promised to the church under the reign of christ ▪ kingdom , when they shall beat their swords into plow shares and their spears into pruning books u , there is a time of warre and there is a time of peace w ; we had our time of war , and tasted of the bitternesse of it , god now in great mercy offereth us our time of peace , if we will not accept of it but provoke god by our murmuting we may fear the event . christians and englishmen , i pray consider that saying of ahner to joab , shall the sword devour for ever ? will it not be bitternesse in the latter end x ? you know how it proved , bitter both to abuer and to joab ; discontents , ambiand false interest procured the sword to eat the flesh of them by the just hand of god ; as abuer had shed the bloud of many in israel in an evil cause , his bloud was shed by joab wickedly y , and joab because beshed the bloud of war in the time of peace z , he was slain by the sword at the horns of th● 〈◊〉 : a god hath manifested his will to us by clear providences , let us as men tha● fea● god and own his providence submit unto it , and not murmure nor repine , but with patience wait to see what god will yet do for us ; he hath multitudes of blessings to the obedient , and as many curses and scourges to the murmurers ; if it he ( as the psalmist saith ) a good and pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity b ; then it must needs be an evil and unpleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in discord , dissention , strife and variance , all disunited and disjointed in affections . consider what i have said , and the lord give every one a good and right understanding in all things ; if that i have said being well weighed be not found to be truth , beleeve it not , but if it be the truth , follow it , practise it : or this that i say shall one day be a witnesse against him that readeth and slieghteth it , and give me leave to adde this to the rest , and tell you , that those that are contemners and murmurers against the government of a common-wealth in the infancy of it ; they are he greatest enemies to that common-wealth , not hurtful only to themselves but to the whole nation , the evil example of one murmurer draws more to the imitation of that sin , then the perswasion and good counsell of many can divert , and so all or multitudes oft perish together ; as we see in the men that were sent to spy out the land of canaan , they murmured and brought an evil report of that good land , which caused all the people to weep and murmure and cry out against moses , and aaron c , for which their murmuring they were excluded from that good land and promise ; and not only so , but they even those men that brought up the evil report , were destroied before the lord by a plague d ; consider what god hath done he will do still ; for god is unchangeable , it is one of his attributes which he takes only to himself , i am the lord , i change not e ; in him is no variablenesse neither shadow of change f ; therefore it must of necessity follow from gods unchangeablenesse , that whatsoever he hath done in former times he will do the same , for he is the same ; what judgements he hath inflicted for any sin , or that he hath threatned to inflict he will still do the same ; therefore the apostle tels ( even us christians ) that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning g &c. i confesse ( my brerhren ) when i took my pen in hand to write upon this subject discourse , i intended not above three sheets of paper , but the matter is encreased before me , and i could not expresse my self with more brevity , i would yet for further satisfaction modestly give answers to some objections made by some sorts of men against his highnesse the lord protector , which i will do in as few lines as i can possibly . object . it is objected , that the cause of our war which hath cost so much bloud and treasure , was , to defend our rights and freedoms against the tyranny of kings , to be governed under a parliament as free people by just laws , &c. but the lord protector assumes to himself the authority of a king by exercising a greater tyranny over the people then the king did , to give laws , &c. answ . i answer the cause of our warre ( as instrumental ) was , to defend the rights and priviledges of parliament , the freedom and liberty of the people , and the defence of the true religion against incroaching tyranny , and innovations subtlely insinuated by the late king and his evil counsel ; but that our warre intentionally was against the lawful authority of kings , or against the person of the late king as he was king , or against his just prerogative , i deny ; only against his evil councel the war was raised , that the priviledges of parliament , the liberty of the people , and the truth of religion might be defended and established , this will appear by severall parliament declarations , protestations , and solemn covenant ; wherein the parliament do declare , protest , and covenant ( as their own priviledge , freedom and liberty , &c. ) to defend and preserve the kings person , his just rights and prerogatives , so far as it might stand with the preservation of religion and the peoples rights ; but the late king standing in strong opposition to the parliament and liberty of the people , and his rights and prerogatives coming in competition with or against the preservation of religion and priviledges of parliament and the peoples right ; he defending and taking upon himself all the evil actions and wicked devices of his evil councell , miscarried ( for so providence had ordered it should be : ) and the people ( as providence led them ) submitted to a parliament to govern them as a free people , they expected much ease and great reformation , but enjoyed — . now i would ask the objectors these two short questions . . if a parliament should become more tyrannicall then a king , and lay heavy burthens upon them , reaching to their persons , lives , and estates , by an unknown law or arbitrary power , and suffer innovations to come in on every side , to the contempt of religion and adulterating every truth , turning religion into every shape to metamorphise truth ; whether in this case , if such should be , the people might not as justly cry out and take up arms against such a parliament as against a king ? . if all these evils could be found and sensibly felt by the people , whether it were justice to themselves , acceptable to god , or benefit to their posterity , to cast off , and to abandon for ever the authority and use of parliaments ? i think they would give their negative , except such as would live without all order or command , which is to be worse then devils ; nor is the office nor just power of a king to be for ever rejected because there have been tyrannical , oppressing , superstitious , or idolatrous kings , for the office of a king is the ordinance of jehovah , and cannot be made null by man : to this office though not by the name or title of a king , god by his providence hath exalted the lord protector ; and he that resists his just authority and government resists the ordinance of god : it is evident he hath not assumed to himself that authority : he that objects that , i beleeve speaks against the dictates of his own conscience ( except his conscience be cauterized ) and that he hath exercised any tyranny or oppression over the people , it is false , and malicious calumniation , or that he will ever do any such thing is but envies suspicion , therein measuring his corn by their own bushell ; he hath been the instrument in gods hand to withhold greater oppressions from the people , and what at this day lies upon their shoulders , were laid on by others , not by him , from which he is endeavouring to free us ; let us not therefore whilest he is easing of us cry out against him , and say he hurts us , like the dogge that bites him that saves him from the tree ; and for laws he hath given none of himself , for he refers that to the honourable parliament now sitting , and successors : that which he did by advice of his councel in the regulating of the chancery , and ejecting scandalous ministers , and bringing all treasuries into one , &c. were ( i think ) very acceptable things and beneficial to the nation , such as were long looked for from — but they came not . object . obj. i , but he hath protested , engaged , and promised before god and men against the government to be by one person , and that the government should be by succeeding parliaments , &c. i answer , not contesting whether he made any such particular engagement and promise or not : but grant he did , such a thing i hope the objector will grant , for it cannot be denied that in every promise or engagement there is some condition , the condition not kept the promise or engagement is void ; whether it were between man and man in private contract , or whether it were between a publike person of trust and a nation , or to other persons of publike concernment , if in any thing of private contract , doubtlesse although the promiser were a looser by it he is in strictnesse of conscience tyed to perform what he promised ; but if to publike concernment , the conditions failing in the least , he is not bound to perform what he promised and intended , for that were the highest breach of trust , possibly his highness might by perswasion and conditions promised , engage against the government by kings , and to be governed by parliaments , beleeving ( such or such conditions being performed ) it might be most for the peoples freedom and liberty , but when he found the conditions waved , and that the freedom and rights of the people was monopolized , and their liberty turned into licentiousness , he might change his minde and purpose : a good father that promiseth to his childe such or such an inherinance , and really intends to do it , yet if he be fully and experimentally convinced that his childe will abuse that donation , he revokes his promise , alters his intention , and gives it to any other , and that justly : i am unwilling to speak all the truth in this case , because i would not cast dirt , &c. but the question is whether his highness was not bound rather to wave such a promise to preserve posterity , then to keep it to enslave a nation , he being a chief and principal man in trust ? for as i said just now , in every promise there is some condition , as when it was imposed by supream authority on all the people of the nation to engage to be true and faithful to that government then without king or house of lords ; the condition was implied that the people must have honest and just protection under that government ; and the end of all promises and engagements ought to be to gods glory and publike good : now if after such promise or engagement made by his highnesse , if either the condition or the end did not concurre or answer the intention ( as we know it did not ) his highness is absolutely freed from his promise or engagement , and no way tied unto such a promise . object . it is further objected , that he was the commenwealths servant , trusted by parliament to maintain the priviledges of parliament , and was paid for what he did : but for him to dissolve parliaments , break their priviledges , and set up himself to rule and govern as he please , is not just . answ . let it be granted he was the common-wealths servant , he ever acknowledged it , so was the parliament too , but became lords over the people at their own will , and although he were trusted by the parliament , yet he was not a servant to the parliament farther then the parliament was servant to the commonwealth , for publike benefit , he himself as a member had equal voice in parliament , and had greater trust imposed on him then all , even by the authority of parliament , for their lives and liberty , and the well-being of the three nations lay in his trust and faithfulnesse , who never failed in the least of any performance , in which by the blessing of god upon his industry providence made him instrumental of ●heir preservation and of the nations ; he was as a souldier well contented with his pay , he repined not , nor sought for more , only endeavoured that the fruits of gods blessing given in by god to the nations by his industry and faithfulnesse might be distributed to the people in all justice , which was not done , but the contraty ; therefore i say he being established the chief person in trust , was bound to discharge that trust in all things for publike good , especially providence leading him by gradations , step by step , to what he did , which if he had neglected or shall hereafter neglect , god will raise up some other , but if he had been unfaithful in this , then what should he do ( as job speaketh ) when god shall arise up ? and when god visiteth what should be answer him ? nor did he break the priviledge of parliament though he dissolved that parliament , for the priviledges of parliament were broken ( but not by him ) long before their dissolution , by whom and upon what design the whole people of the nation knew , and i willingly omit to repeat : if the attempting to take out five members was a breach ( as surely it was ) then the taking out or driving away of more then half five hundred , was a greater breach and as much as a whole dissolution , which priviledge could not well be restored without a dissolution ; for if that parliament ( as was in design by some ) had been perpetuated ; or if ( as was by some others designed ) there had been another force upon the house , or ( as they called it ) another purge , where had been the priviledges of the people ? what would have become of the fundamental laws of the nation ? and amongst how many heresies and corrupt new formed religions must we have searcht to finde truth ? and who should have known his right or enjoyed his propriety in any thing ? nor did his highnesse set up himself , for god set him up , who puls down and sets up whom he pleaseth , providence leading him to that he is , nor doth he seek to rule and govern according to his own will , but according to the fundamentall laws of the nation , and agreeable to the will of god , else he would have asked much more for himself and his posterity then he hath done , nor intending to rule by any arbitrary power , for then he would nor have bounded himself by laws and articles , as you see he hath in the government published by himself , &c. and taking care for the future by tri●nnial parliaments , and calling this present parliament freely elected by the people as a means to restore lost priviledges : in all which is no injustice but faithfulnesse in the discharge of his trust , as a servant to the commonwealth for publike good . object . fourthly , the great objection framed against his highnesse , is , . that he called this parliament upon design , as he did other former things , for his own ends , not for publike benefit . . that it is not a free parliament , not free in the elction , nor free wh●n assembled to proceed as a free parliament , restraint was put upon them , many members sent away , because they would not engage to his design , to confirm on him the supream power of the nation , give him the militia , negative to all parliament resolves , power to make laws , and to raise money , so that not only all the strength and treasure of the nation should be in his power , but religion too , which is more then ever the king had , and the things for which we engaged in a war against him as a tyrant , &c. answ . to this i answer , as we say in our proverb , and that truly , ill will never speaks well , the men of the world , designing men , have ever envied vertue and honour , which i verily beleeve are compactible in his highness● , and therefore envyed , not by the righteous , but by the men of the world , whose designs and interests are crossed : . that he called this parliament for any other end then for publike benefit , circumstances do demonstrate ; if things be compared with things which i willingly forbear to particularize ; and for all preceding things which the objectors call designs , providence hath clearly led him to , as is proved in our foregoing discourse . . that this is a free parliament , both in the election and in the proceedings , is evident to them that are not blinded by some prejudication ; for the restrictions made in respect of qualification in persons to be elected and electors , was so far from infringing the peoples liberty , or being any barre to their freedom , that it was indeed their greatest freedom and security of their safety , and was at this time ( considering out present condition ) of absolute necessity ; many designs being on foot to corrupt and ensnare counsels , the judgements of men being much unsetled by subtle insinuations of seducers ; nor was there any restraint upon parliament proceedings when assembled , as is objected , but what tended to publike good , and the end why this parliament was summoned , viz. to put things that are out of order into order , by the legal way of parliament proceedings , not to encrease factions , nor to maintain parties and private interests , but to establish religion , peace , and just laws , the main basis and foundation to the well-being of a commonwealth , wherein the parliament is free , and i hope by their wisedom , through the assistance and direction of jehovah , this parliament will be instrumentall in the laying of such a foundation , that god may own us for his people , dwell in our land , remove his afflicting hand from us , and leave a blessing to posterity . i say further , that this present parliament was summoned by the authority of the lord protector , which authority is from god , to which providence hath led him all along , and we are commanded to be subject to the higher powers , not some but all ; let every soul be subject , why ? for there is no power but of god , the apostle tels you that the powers that be are ordained of god , rom. . . by this power he summoned this parliament , and before the summons he by the advice of his counsell declared to all the people the condition that the commonwealth was in , and what was now necessary to be done for a happy settlement , i need not repeat any particular thing declared , nor verbally spoken by his highnesse at the parliaments first assembling , because it is publike to all , the people in all obedience to his highnesse authority according to his summons , made their respective elections ; the knights and burgesses elected ( or the most of them ) accepted of their elections , and appeared at the day and place ; why any one should after all this oppose that authority which called them , and the end why they came together , i will not judge . that his highnesse sent any away , as is objected , i deny , they were at their own liberty to sit in the house or to depart , it was at their free choice , that which they were to subscribe was no other then was plainly held forth to all men in the government as to one man , this was no barre to the free debates in parliament , for their debates to establish justice and righteousnesse , or offering any thing that might conduce to the benefit of the common-wealth , it is only a bar against oligarchy , the worst of governments ready to break in upon us : it is true it doth confirm his highnesse lord protector , for his life and no more , which if he did not for publike benefit he might have asked it for his posterity , and carried it by his power , if he had made himself his design , as is objected ; to that part of the objection concerning the militia , he was trusted with it by the parliament , and it was at his dispose , for the good of the publike , and so he ever used it with all faithfulnesse , and god by it made him instrnmental to bring us out of egypt ( i may say ) by great wonders ; we are still in the wildernesse scarce come so far as to mount nebo : and we have many thousands among us that still look back unto egypt , and we have the children of anak , giants and cananites that stand in the way and hinder out entrance into the possession of our evangelicall happinesse promised , these must be subdued and kept under , therefore the militia is still as useful in his hand as before , to secure the people from those lusting murmurers , and to subdue the cananites ; he claims not the militia to himself , but desires it may be in parliaments and himself , providence hath put it into his hand , and he knows his own heart , that he intends to use it no way but for the benefit of the common-wealth by advice of parliament , but he cannot know any others heart , nor can he say of any other that they would so use it , no , not for the people , if it were in their hands at this time , for the people are of as many mindes as men , if all might elect whom they would to serve in parliament , or all that would by designs get to be elected should be members , it is more then probable the enemy might in short time be masters of the militia , and by it not only give away our freedoms so much talked of , and the liberty of the people , but take away our lives also , and which is more then all take from us the priviledge of the gospel , and what else hath been purchased with so much bloud and treasure , and turn our pleasant eden into an acheldama ; the good people of this nation with his highness may say at this time , as david once said , the sons of zervia he too hard for me , which caused david to omit the doing that justice he willed to be done ; and truly my judgement tels me , if his highness should for his time ( whatever he may for publike good grant for future ) part wholly with the militia from his hand , he should provoke providence and betray his trust to the commonwealth ( which consists not of a few men that appropriate singularity to themselves for private interests , but all the people ) and give his life as a prey to his enemies , and with himself the three nations , which till some settlement be established , depend upon his welfare ; as also the interest that all true christian people in the world have in the welfare of this nation ; there must be a trust somewhere , but every man may not be trusted , though every free born subject have right in it ; nor can it be trusted in the hands of the multitude , for they rule by voice , not by law , nor to some of them , because others have equal right : nor can it be safe under the hand of a government democratical ( the thing mightily aimed at by the opposites to his highness , under specious shews , to please and to deceive the people ) which is , as experience tels us , next cosen to the highest tyranny ; why then not rather in him ? of whose trust and fidelity the people of this nation have good experience and great deliverance , from a first and second thraldom , till he by gods blessing with his parliaments advice can settle it in safety for the future . and whereas it is objected , that he seeks a negative voice to the parliaments resolves , is a scandal , he asks it not but only in those things that fundamentally concern the government , and that is ( if men could see ) for publike benefit , that neither oligarchy nor domocracy may start up to enthrall and enslave the people , by governing them according to will and fancy , by promises without known laws , where then would be the freedom and liberty of the people now so much talked of by the objectors ? these things he only excepts against , in all other things whatsoever of parliament resolves being drawn into bils , and offered unto his highness , if he consent not unto them within twenty daies , they are to passe into , and to become laws , although he shall not give his consent , as is exprest in art. . and for his seeking to have power to make laws , and to raise money , it is meer calumniation , he seeks it not , nor claims it not , but leaves it to the wisedom of parliament , as appears in art. . except ( as is there excepted ) for and in cases of safety and of necessity , till the time that this presant parliament were assembled , and that to be done by him with the advice of his counsel , as in art . . so then he seeks not the strength nor treasure of the nation to himself , nor to have it in his own power , as is objected : and for religion he seeks nor to have it in his power , but leaves it also to the parliament to debate , consult , and resolve , that he by them and they by him might receive all light possible in so great a business , for in the multitude of counsel there is safety ; it is indeed a great work , beyond the wisedom of man to appoint , without divine assistance and spiritual wisedom ; his highness well knows the evil of the rigid prelatical persecution , in tyrannizing over the consciences of men in that rigid st●ictness ; and he as well knows the evil of unbridled liberty , that it is abused and made a cloak of maliciousness , and as servants to corruption , occasions to the flesh , and to licentiousness , blasphemies , heresies , and doctrines of devils , the original of all discord , dissenti●ns , quarrels , seditions , and confusion , which seldom ends , if tolerated , but with destruction to the best and most flourishing commonwealths : these are rocks that will split the ship of the best fortified commonwealth , therefore carefully to be avoided by the best advice and skill of the most experienced pilot , in which his highness doth not refuse the counsel of this parliament , nor doth he refuse to pass the bill they shall agree on , except in his wisedom he see ( as our chief pilot ) something in it be dangerous to the well-being of the nation , and give them satisfaction therein , for he is more in this case then any one man in parliament , possibly a vote may be carried by one man , which in such a case he may justly deny , because the utility , peace , and happiness of a commonwealth depends upon the right discipline in religion , and the justice of execution of just laws , for regulating between two extreams ; religion in the power of it , in all godlinesse , is a law in it self , and needs no law to command it , for religion is truly the very nursing mother to all vertues , graces , peace , and unity among men ; and i must tell the objector , that the late kings have not really endeavoured this , but he or they had power to have done it , the neglect was his ruine , and a chief cause of englands misery . nor did we engage against this power or authority of the late king , but against his misusing of that power , casting off those just laws which by his authority he should have observed and commanded to be executed for the good of his people ; he seeking to rule by his own will , by absolute power in himself , to cast off all just laws and adulterate religion at his pleasure ; this was the original of our war , and this is that which the ancients in all times have called tyranny ; but his highness assumes not to himself so much authority as the late and former kings claimed and exercised , that which he claims is such a power as may enable him to establish religion in its purity , and that he with his parliament might enact and give life to all just laws , under which the people may live in all peaceableness , and be governed in all sobriety and godlinesse , with tranquillity and utility , for present and future , that the people may dwell safely every man sitting under his own vine and under his figree , as in the daies of solomon , king. . . besides , we ought to consider , that for severall years past we have travelled in a wilderness in untroden and uneven waies , and are digressed much from the right way of good discipline , almost in that condition as israel was when without a known law , and without a teaching priest , chr. . . and it is nor possible that in an instant at the first step we should recover our lost way , and at●ain to such a reformation as all good people desire , but we must expect as we have been led in crooked waies , and leaped over all bounds to lose our selvs , we must meet with some unevenness and cragged steps before there can be an establishment in all truth and justice ; the work is very great and the greatest works are done with the greatest difficulty , because they ever meet with the greatest opposition , it was so in ezra's time , and it is so now ; yet let none that truly fear god be discouraged , for god is our god , if we seek him he will be found of us , but if we forsake him not he will cast us off for ever . cor. . . ult. these are the words of david to solomon , when he was to build the materiall temple , and in ver. . he tels him for his greater encouragement god had chosen him to build it , and exhorts him to take heed and be strong to doe it ; there is a spiritual temple to be erected , of which that was the type , we know not by express words who god hath chosen and appointed to do it , but it shall be done at the time appointed , and by the man and means appointed ; what was promised concerning the temple at jerusalem in a spiritual sense , belongs to us under the gospel , as that promise which god made to joshua , ch. . . belongs to all christians , and is to them applied by the apostle heb. . . for he hath said he will never fail you nor forsake you : god is now working by his providence for us , though we will not see it ; but let us take heed we do not provoke providence whatever men object or pretend , let us follow the footsteps of providence , not our own wils , and be careful not to envy men that god will honour , but imitate them who through faith and patience inherit the promise . object . it is again objected by some , that his highness is a favourer of them that are known cavaliers , so as they have equal priviledges with them that have ventured all for publike good , &c. answ . ans. why then do others object against him for exempting all cavaliers , from being elected or electors of members to serve in parliament ; if an enemy shall submit shall not he receive him into favour , and shall anothers eye be evil because he is good ? and because we have been in a war shall we never be reconciled ? god forbid . besides the parliament upon good and christian considerations hath past an act of pardon to such delinquents as had compounded , or were not sequestred , if any compositions were not made or any were unsequestred , it was not nor is his highness fault ; by this let any judicious man , unbiast in the case , judge whether these objections be not more of envy or out of rashnesse then of truth or justice . other objections i might answer , but these i have named are the chief , and those that seem to carry the greatest weight in them ; therefore i shall omit to say any more , having been already longer upon this discourse then i intended . postscript . some small things have been mistaken by the printer and by my self , not any thing much ▪ material that have observed that needs an errata , what you finde i pray amend by you● pen , and let your christian love and patience bear with the rest , farewell . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- a gen. . . b heb. . c numb. . . ex. . . d pr. . . isa. . . e isa. . . f isa. . . g eph. . h isa. . psa. . i isa. . k ez. . l isa. . m ps. . n kings . . o kin. ● . p ver. . q deut. . . r ex. . ſ mat. . . t king. . . u king. . . w king. . . x iob . y iob . . z ps. . a gen. . b gen. . . c iud. . d sam. ● . . e ex. . . f deut. . . g act. . . & act. . , . h joh. . . i isa. . k ioh . . l eze. . m pr. . . n pr. . o mat. . ● . p ioh. . . q mat. . . r mat. . . ſ mat. . , , t psalm . . u psa. . . w psa. . x job . . y joel . z josh. . . ps. . . a ps. . . b josh. . , . c isa. . . d jon. . e dan. . f dan. . , . g ex. . . h king. . , . i act. . . k isa. . l zech. . . m tim. . . n rev. . o rev. . . p psa. . . q ier. . r ier. . . ſ rev. . . t ps. . u isa. . , . * isa. . . * da. . . luk. . , . y iud. . z iud. . a iudg. . , . b king. . . c king. . , . d hos. . . e king. . . f vers . . g king. . . . h cor. . . i sam. . . k sam. . . l dan. . m gen. . , , . & v. . n gen. . , , . o ver. . p gen. . , q gen. . . r ver. . ſ gen. . , . t gen. . , . u gen. . w gen. . . act. . . x est . . y est . . . z ve . , . a ver. . b esth. . , . c est . . . d est . . , e est . . f gen. . . g isa. . . h iam. . . i gen. , . k ezr. . . l gen. . m isa. . . n isa. . . o isa. . p iob . q king. . , . r am. . . ſ isa. . . t job . . n col. . . rom. . 〈◊〉 w eph. . x ecc. . . y gal. . , . z tit. . . gal. . . a pet. . 〈…〉 b isa. . . c isa. . , d isa. . . e rev. . . f ecc. . g ezek. . . h gen. . . i lev. . , k ro. . . l lev. . deut. . m dan. . n ezr. . o lam. . p eze. . , , q jud. . r hos. . ſ lev. . t lev. . . u sam. . . k ier. . . see vers . . . l ecc. . m ps. . . n io● . o io● . . p kin. , . q king. . , . r kin. . and king. , . a gen. . . b gen. . * act. . c exod. , . * is . d psa. . . e dan. . f gal. . . g luke . . h gen. . . i chr. . , . k is . . l ier. . m mat. . . n king. . . hos. . . o ex. . p eze. . . q deut. . . r ●sa . ſ is . . t mic. . . u kin. . . w amos . . x lev. . . y deut. . , &c. z ier. . . & ier. . . a psa. . . b gen. . . c ie. . chro. . . d iob . . e rev. . f exo. . g ex. . . h da● . . . i ps. . k dan. . , . l mat. . . m act. . . n da. . o ier. . . p ver. . q ioh. . r tim. . ſ cor. . . t mat. . . vtr . . u rev. . w rev. . . x pet. . y e●c . i hag. . , . k ier. . . psa. . . l isa . . m ioh. . . n rom. . . o heb. . . p rev. . q rev. . r th. . ſ zec. . . t pro. . . u isa. . . w mat. . . x iudg. . y zep . . . eze. . . jer. . . z judg . . a is . . b chron. . . c ezek. . , , . d iud. . e ver. . f iud. . g dan. . h dan. . , . . i ve. , k lam. . , . l neh. . . m neh. . , n isa. . . o ●s . . . . p eze. q ve . , r ezek. . . ſ kiu . , , . t is . . u chron. . . w numb. . . x nùmb. . . y numb. . . z sam. . . a jon. . b sam. . . c act. . . d jam. . e jer. , , f heb. . . g ro . . h rom. . . i joh. . . k luk. . 〈◊〉 . * sam. . . l king. . . m luk. . . n kin. . . . o mat. . , . hos. . . p q sam. . . q sam. . . r mat. . . ſ mat. . t mat. . u chro. . . w king. . x chro. . . y zec. . . z sam. a luk. . . b luk. . c joh , . d tim. . e ●● sam. . f iam. . g jer. . h cor. . col. . . i t● . . k iam. . l ver. . m jam n ps. . o jam. . . p joh. . . q rom. . , r heb. . ſ mat. . . t ioh. . . u mat. . . w heb. . . x pet. . y ro. . . z pett. . . a ver. . b ioh. c gal. . . d can. . e numb. . f numb. . . g deu. . h mal. . i chron. . . k ezr. . k sam. . , . m io● . job . . n iob . , . o lam. . , . p lam. . . q iob . r heb. . ſ num. . , . t num. . . u ver. . w numb. . . x cor. . , . y exo. . ● . z ex. . . exo. . . a pr. . . b la. . c joh. . . d nu. . e neh. . f ezr. . . g neh. . , . h jer. . . k sam. . , . l mat. . . m luke . , . n jud. . o pro. . p iud. . q iud. . r rev. . , ſ cor. . t col. . . u tit. . . w mat. . x is . . y mal. . z ps. . a isa. . b nu. . . c num. . , , . d num. . , . e ro. . . f heb. . g chron. . , . h tim. . , i gen. . k ps. . l cor. . , . m joh. . . n mat. . o gal. . p mar. . q sam. . . r ez. . . ſ sam. . t ps. . u isa. . . mic. . . w eccl. . . y sam. . . z ki. . . a ki. . b ps. . c nu. . d numb. . . e mal. . . f iam. . g ro. . . charis kai eirēnē, or, a pacifick discourse of gods grace and decrees in a letter of full accordance / written to the reverend and most learned dr. robert sanderson by henry hammond ... ; to which are annexed the extracts of three letters concerning gods prescience reconciled with liberty and contingency ; together with two sermons preached before these evil times, the one to the clergy, the other to the citizens of london. hammond, henry, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) charis kai eirēnē, or, a pacifick discourse of gods grace and decrees in a letter of full accordance / written to the reverend and most learned dr. robert sanderson by henry hammond ... ; to which are annexed the extracts of three letters concerning gods prescience reconciled with liberty and contingency ; together with two sermons preached before these evil times, the one to the clergy, the other to the citizens of london. hammond, henry, - . [ ], , p. printed for r. royston ..., london : . first three words of title in greek characters. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng grace (theology) providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or a pacifick discourse of gods grace and decrees : in a letter , of full accordance written to the reverend , and most learned , dr. robert sanderson . by henry hammond . d. d. to which are annexed the extracts of three letters concerning gods prescience reconciled with liberty and contingency . together with two sermons preached before these evil times , the one to the clergy , the other to the citizens of london . london . printed for r. royston , at the angel in ivy-lane , . to all our brethren of the church of england . § . . in relation to the controversies concerning gods grace and decrees , nothing was ever superior , in my thoughts , to the feare that the great interests of religion , christian practise , and particularly that of charity , might be obstructed by them . § . . it hath long been the complaint of pious and learned men , ( of the justice whereof , if formerly we had , we cannot now reasonably retain any doubt , ) that the crude and unwary treating of these , and ( from thence derived , ) an hasty premature perswasion of their being in christ , ( assisted by a beliefe of irrespective decrees , and grace irresistible , and no possibility of interrupting their justified estate , ) was apt to contribute to the presumtions , and securities , and finall impenitences of some men , who having most loudly renounced the power , choose yet not to quit the forme of godliness . § . . and for the heares , and uncharitable distempers , which the managing of these controversies particularly have been guilty of , we need not look abroad among the dominicans and jesuites , jansenists and molinists , for proofes . our own region hath not of a long time failed of evidences . the old weapon of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , crying down for carnall men and herericks , pelagians and semipelagians , papists , socinians , and what not ? ( even rifling the poets hell to fetch out titles for their adversaryes , ) hath never been more nimbly taken up , and vigorously handled , then in these dayes . § . . and as if fewell to dissentions were still wanting , it hath been the endeavour of some to suggest this jealousy , and clancularly to infuse it into the minds of men , that they which oppose unconditionate decrees , &c. ( and pretend to think they effectually serve the ends of christianity thereby , ) have entertained such vehement dislikes , and aversations to all that scheme of doctrines , that they retain no charity to the maintainers of them , though they be in other things as constant , obedient sonns of the church of england , as any ; and when opportunity shall assist their designe , will take care rigorously to fence their communion from them , and whatever the accord be in other doctrines , ( wherein our church is eminently concerned against the common adversaries , ) will proceed finally to exterminate and exclude them . § . . the consequences of this perswasion , once imbibed , be it never so causelesse and unprovoked , how noxious and inauspicious they may prove to all that are on either side concerned in them , what leven of bitter zele and animosityes it may cause to ferment in the minds of some , what blasts and improsperityes it may bring on the endeavours of others ; and , betwixt both , what detriment to the true and solid ends , whether of religion , or reformation , ( the squaring of our lives according to that other , more sublime , patterne in the mount , mat. v. the inhaunsed , transcendent , indispensable lawes of purity and peaceableness , ) i shall not here need to set forth , every man's sagacity serving him competently to make this discovery . § . . yet was it not a rationall hope , that the bare disclaiming and renouncing so great a guilt , would be admitted to the purgation of those , against whom it had been suggested and believed . it therefore seemed to me more seasonable to tender an ocular demonstration of the contrary , by bringing my lamb , or turtle , ( my offering to the temple of peace , ) and really exemplifying the charity and accordance , that may readily be attained between dissenters , when minds prepared with meekness , and love of the truth , wheresoever they meet with it , can take courage to deny themselves , and so to deposit prejudices , and instead of names and shadowes , to give themselves up to the entire guidance of that light which shines in scripture . § . . in order to this end , it seemed not improper , to offer at this time to publick view the present sentiments of the judicious dr. sanderson , the regius professor of the university of oxford , ( and the rather , because some manuscript tables of his former thoughts , and some passages from his sermons , long since preached , and now republished , have been made use of , to gain authority to those doctrines which he is now far from owning , ) and briefely and perspicuously to annex unto , and compare with them , those amicable and pacifick reflexions , which may hope to gain the unanimous consent of all true sons of our venerable mother , the church of england , whose chiefe aime it hath alwayes been to discountenance divisions and fractions , and occasions and fomenters of those , especially singular doctrines and novell articles of faith , and in a catholick harmonious charity , to plant primitive belief , and zele of good workes , and so instead of the empty forme , the full power of godlinesse . § . . what is so largely added on that one head of prescience , had some appearance of necessity , to repell a shaft borrowed of late from the socinian's quiver , who having resolved it impossible for god himself to for esee future contingents , have given disputers their choice , whether they like best , bluntly to deny god's prescience , and so , at his cost , maintain their own liberty , or more piously to maintain prescience , and then give it the same force of evacuating all liberty and contingency , which predetermination of all events was justly accused to draw after it ; the mistake very dangerous on either side , and the temtation equally fitted for both , if it were not timely obviated . § . . that these ensuing discourses may be effectually successfull to the designed end , of advancing the threefold interest of truth , and peace , and uniforme christian obedience , that it may supplant the vineger by the oyle , the nitre by the balsome , and procure , by consent of litigants , a solemne supersedeas , if not conclusion to debates , ( an aversion to these heathen agones , which afford nothing , but to the combatant blowes , and leaves to the conquerour , ) above all , that it may provide us , by this truce , a greater vacancy for the continued exercises of reall piety , and engage us to make diligent use of it , ( to adde , as to our faith vertue , ( or courage , ) so to our godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse , and to that the yet higher ascent and accomplishment of charity , ) that it may compact us all into that union that most succesfully contributes to our growth , and so possess us of that qualification , to which immarcessible joyes are awarded by our righteous judge , shall be continually the prayer , as in the following sheetes it hath been the sincere single endeavour , of festo omnium sanctorum . your-fellow labourer h. hammond . a letter of full accordance , written to d. robert sanderson , concerning gods grace and decrees . dear sir , § . . having had a sight of the letter which you sent m. — about the antiremonstrant controversies dated mar. . and observing one of the reasons , which you render of your having avoided to appear on that theme , [ a loathness to engage in a quarrell whereof you should never hope to see an end ] i thought my self in some degree qualified to answer this reason of yours , and thereby to do acceptable service to many , who do not think fit that any considerations , which have not real and weighty truth in them , should obstruct that which may be so much to the common good , i mean , your writing and declaring your mind on any profitable subject . § . . that which qualifies me more then some others , to evacuate the force of this one reason of yours , and makes me willing to attempt it , though not to appear in opposition to any other passage , that ever you have written , is the true friendship that hath passed between us , and the sweet conversation that for sometime we enjoyed , without any allay or unequableness , sharp word , or unkind , or jealous thought . the remembrance whereof assures me unquestionably , that you and i may engage in this question , as far as either of us shall think profitable , without any the least beginning of a quarrel , and then that will competently be removed from such , as of which you cannot hope to see an end . § . . and before i go any farther , i appeal to your own judgement , whether herein i do not at least speak probably , and then whether it were not a misprision , which you are in all reason to deposite , to apprehend such insuperable difficulties or impossibilities at a distance , which when they are prudently approached , and examined , so presently vanish before you . if this one reflection do not convince you , it remains , that the speculation be brought to practice , and exemplified to your senses . § . you set out with a mention of some positions , wherein , you say , divines , though of contrary judgements , do yet all agree . and then it is not credible that you and i should be so singular , as to differ in them endlesly ; of this number you propose five , . that the will of man is free in all his actions . . that very many things in the world happen contingently . . that god from all eternity foreseeth all , even the most free and contingent events . . that whatsoever god foreseeth shall infallibly come to pass . , that sinners are converted by the effectual working of gods grace . of each of these you say we have from scripture , reason and experience , as good and ful assurance , as can be desired for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or truth of them , that they are so . ] and i who fully subscribe to the undoubted truth of each of the propositions , and do it also upon the very same three grounds ( of scripture , reason , and experience ) which you mention , need not the intercession of our friendship to render it impossible to give you any the least trouble of so much as explaining your sence in any of these . § . . next , when you resolve , that all the difficulty is about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( referring that to no more then three heads ) . how to reconcile the certain futurition of what god foreseeth , with the liberty of the rational creature , and the contingency of casual effects , as they proceed from inferiour causes . . in what manner or measure the effectual grace of god cooperateth and concurreth with the free will of man , in the conversion of a sinner . . how to cut so even a thread , as to take the whole of what we do amiss to our selves , and leave the whole glory of what we do well to his grace . ] you are again as secure as any amulet can make you , that this resolution of abbreviating the controversies , and confining them to these few heads , shall never engage you in the least degree of debate : and then i shall challenge you to feign , how it can remain possible , without contradicting ones self ( which still is not quarrelling with you ) to engage you in any uneasie contention , unless it be on one of these three heads , , and when i have by promise obliged my self , which now i do , not to raise any dispute , or attempt to ensnare or intangle you in any of these three , you have then nothing to retract but your fears , to which if i tell you , you cannot adhere , discerning a sure and near period to that which you apprehended endless , this is all the victory i shall project , or be capable of in this matter . § . . of the first of these three difficulties , the reconciling the certain futurition of what god foresees , with the liberty of the rational creature , and the contingency and casual effects , it falls out , that you have in your shorter letter , dated ap. . given that account , which evidenceth it to be , in your opinion , no invincible difficulty , your words are these , [ that gods praescience layeth no necessity at all upon any event , but that yet all events , as they are foreseen of god , so shall they certainly and infallibly come to pass , in such sort as they are foreseen , else the knowledge of god should be fallible , which certainty of the event may in some sort be called necessity , to wit , consequentis or ex hypothesi , according as all the most contingent things are necessary , when they actually exist , which is a necessity infinitely distant from that which praedetermination importeth . ] this i take to be so clear an explication of that difficulty , and so solid a determining of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the manner of reconciling praescience with contingency , that as i fully consent to it in every part of your period , so i doubt not but the last part alone hath made it as intelligible to any ordinary understanding , as whole books of philosophers have attempted to do . § . . for gods praescience from all eternity being but the seeing every thing that ever exists , as it is , contingents , as contingents , necessary , as necessary , can neither work any change in the object , by thus seeing it , ( convert a contingent into a necessary ) nor it self be deceived in what it sees , which it must be , if any thing in process of time should be otherwise , then from all eternity god saw it to be . § . . i was lately advised with by a divine , to me unknown , but one that seems to be a man of good learning , about the distinction frequently made in this matter , betwixt inevitably and infallibly , and my answer and replyes to his severall objections , ( because i would demonstrate the perfect accordance betwixt you and me in this , which , within this year or two is put into a very grave attire , and revered as a great difficulty ) i will give you at large by way of appendage at the end of this letter , having by hap a copy retained by me , and though it cost you some minutes to survey them , yet i know your patience of all such exercises so well , that i doubt not of your willingness to be thus detained by me , which yet here you shall not , loco non suo . § . . then for the second , in what manner and measure the effectuall grace of god cooperateth , or concurreth with the free will of man in his conversion ] you seem to me to have given a punctuall account of each part of that also , in the said second letter , in these words , that god worketh not by his grace irresistibly , but yet so effectually on those whom he hath ex beneplacito appointed to salvation , in ordering the means , occasions and opportunities with such congruity to that end , as that de facto it is not finally resisted ] here it is evident your resolution comes home to each terme in the difficulty ; for if effectuall grace worke not irresistibly , then we see in what manner it cooperates with the free will of man , viz. so as it still remains possible for him to resist it . and if the effectualness of his working consist in ordering the means , occasions , and opportunities with such congruity , &c. then as that stateth the measure of the cooperation ( the onely second part of the difficulty ) and doth it expresly in bishop overals way , so this supposeth grace sufficient to conversion and salvation to be given to those , who are not converted , and saved , quite contrary to the three grand praetensions of doctor twisse , the supralapsarians , and sublapsarians , and whether it be true or no , is presently freed from all the odious consequences charged on the several schemes of the antiremonstrants , and so may safely be granted , or not opposed by them , who yet want evidence of scripture to establish it , and so this is not likely to bring any uneasie engagement upon you . § . . and then as there remains no more difficulties , but the third , so , if you mark it , the grounds are already laid , whereby that is unquestionably resolved , for having granted that god gives sufficient grace , and yet , when he cooperates most effectually , he doth it not irresistibly , this is the very thred you seek to cut by , so as to devolve the whole blame of all our miscarriages on our selves , and the entire glory and praise of all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good performances , or good successes on his grace . were any of us so left or past by , as to be denyed sufficient grace , and yet destined to perish , meerly through want of necessaries ; the whole blame could not rationally fall on our selves , it could not be said of christs yoke , that it were * easie , or his † commandment not far from us , the fault that was found with the mosaical oeconomy , heb. viii . . and which made another ( the evangelical ) necessary , would still lye against this , viz. that men were not enabled to perform what was required , and yet the non-performance eternally revenged on many of them . but sufficient grace being tendred by god , and by no default , but their own , proving ineffectuall , the entire blame falls unavoidably on those , who do not thus open to him that knocks , so receive , as to make use of it , but resist , or grieve , or quench what was so mercifully designed , and might have been improved by the humble and diligent receivers unto their greatest advantages . § . . on the other side , if our nature being universally corrupted by adam's fall , all possibility of rising out of that grave of sin be the effect and benefit of the grace , as that is of the death of christ , if it be god that worketh in us both to will and to do , of his good pleasure , the first by his preventing , the second by his assisting grace , and both those bottom'd meerly in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure , nothing in us any way meriting the first act , or purpose of giving grace , any farther then our wants and miseries rendered us the proper objects of his compassions and reliefs ; and the subsequent aids in like manner challengeable , onely from his promise , and the purport of the parable of the talents , of giving to him that hath , rewarding the use of the lower , with the gift of an higher degree of grace , then still is this , the attributing nothing to our selves , but demerits , and provocations , and giving the whole glory to god. § . . having gone thus far without any considerable disagreement , about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , how to reconcile these three seeming repugnancies , wherein you apprehended the greatest difficulty to lye , and being hereby , as by so many postulata accorded between us , competently provided and furnished of a standard , and umpire , ( in case any light difference should arise ) what objection can s. pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. xi . . ( belonging expresly to another matter , the cutting off the obdurate , and gathering all perswasible believing jews and gentiles , and no way applicable to this ) interpose , why we should not proceed together to the consideration of the doctrine of decrees , as it hath been variously debated by others , and by you perspicuously recapitulated in the process of your papers ? § . . to this therefore i presume of your good leave that we now proceed , and whereas you have prudently chosen to begin with an history of your own thoughts on this subject , which you have laid down with great particularity , i shall set out with a bare transcript of that , which will need no comment of mine , to render it usefull to the reader , in discovering to him the true and sole originall of the thriving ( for some time ) of those doctrines among us , and how so many of our church came to be seasoned with them , and in giving him a but necessary caution for the laying the grounds of the study of divinity in the writings of the antient church , rather then in our modern systemes and institutions . your words are these , § . . when i began to set my self to the study of divinity as my proper business , ( which was after i had the degree of master of arts , being then newly xxi . years of age ) the first thing i thought fit for me to do , was to consider well of the articles of the church of england , which i had formerly read over twice , or thrice , and whereunto i had subscribed . and because i had then met with some puritanicall pamphlets written against the liturgie , and ceremonies ; although most of the arguments therein were such as needed no great skill to give satisfactory answers unto , yet for my fuller satisfaction ( the questions being de rebus agendis , and so the more suitable to my proper inclination ) i read over with great diligence and no less delight that excellent piece of learned hooker's ecclesiasticall politie . and i have great cause to bless god for it that so i did , not onely for that it much both cleared and setled my judgement for ever after in very many weighty points ( as of scandall , christian liberty , obligation of laws , obedience , &c. ) but that it also proved ( by his good providence ) a good preparative to me ( that i say not , antidote ) for the reading of calvin's institutions with more caution then perhaps ( otherwise ) i should have done . for that book was commended to me , as it was generally to all young scholars in those times , as the best and perfectest systeme of divinity , and fittest to be laid as a ground work in the study of that profession . and indeed being so prepared as is said , my expectation was not at all deceived , in the reading of those institutions . i found , so far as i was then able to judge , the method exact , the expressions clear , the style grave , equall and unaffected : his doctrine for the most part conform to s. augustines , in a word , the whole worke very elaborate , and usefull to the churches of god in a good measure ; and might have been ( i verily believe ) much more usefull , if the honour of his name had not given so much reputation to his very errours . i must acknowledge my self to have reaped great benefit by the reading thereof . but as for the questions of election , reprobation , effectuall grace , perseverance , &c. i took as little notice of the two first , as of any other thing contained in the book ; both because i was alwayes affraid to pry much into those secrets , and because i could not certainly inform my self from his own writings , whether he were a supralapsarian ( as most speak him , and he seemeth often to incline much that way ) or a sublapsarian , as sundry passages in the book seem to import . but giving my self mostly still to the study of moral divinity , ( and taking most other things upon trust , as they were in a manner generally taught both in the schools and pulpits in both vniversities ) i did for many years together acquiesce without troubling my self any farther about them , in the more commonly received opinions concerning both these two , and the other points depending thereupon . yet in the sublapsarian way ever , which seemed to me of the two , the more moderate , rationally and agreeable to the goodness , and justice of god : for the rigid supralapsarian doctrine could never find any entertainment in my thoughts from first to last . but mdcxxv . a parliament being called , wherein i was chosen one of the clerks of the convocation for the diocesse of lincoln , during the continuance of that parliament ( which was about four moneths , as i remember ) there was some expectation that those arminian points ( the onely questions almost in agitation at that time ) should have been debated by the clergy , in that convocation . which occasioned me ( as it did sundry others ) being then at some leasure , to endeavour by study and conference to inform my self , as throughly and exactly in the state of those controversies , as i could have opportunity , and as my wit would serve me for it . in order whereunto , i made it my first business to take a survey of the severall different opinions concerning the ordering of gods decrees , as to the salvation or damnation of men ; not as they are supposed to be really in mente divina ( for all his decrees are eternall and therefore coeternall , and so no priority or posteriority among them : ) but quoad nostrum intelligendi modum , because we cannot conceive or speak of the things of god , but in a way suitable to our own finite condition , and understanding : even as god himself hath been pleased to reveal himself to us in the holy scriptures by the like suitable condescensions and accommodations . which opinions , the better to represent their differences to the eye , uno quasi intuitu , for their more easie conveying to the understanding by that means , and the avoiding of confusion and tedious discoursings , i reduced into five schemes or tables , much after the manner as i had used to draw pedigrees ( a thing which i think you know i have very much fancied , as to me of all others the most delightfull recreation ) of which schemes , some speciall friends , to whom i shewed them , desired copies : who , as it seemeth , valuing them more then i did ( for divers men have copies of them , as i hear , but i do not know that i have any such my self ) communicated them farther , and so they are come into many hands . those are they which doctor reynolds , in his epistle prefixed to master barlees correptory correction , had taken notice of . having all these schemes before my eyes at once , so as i might with ease compare them one with another , and having considered of the conveniences and inconveniences of each , as well as i could , i soon discerned a necessity of quitting the sublapsarian way of which i had a better liking before , as well as the supralapsarian , which i could never fancy . ] § . . thus far your history , which , i verily believe to have perfect truth in every step of it , without any disguise or varnish , and so i pass from it without any farther reflections . § . . next then follows your distincter view of the severall wayes , which have been embraced by those of the antiremonstrant perswasion , and the motives on which you were forced to dissent and depart from each of them , and to this i am obliged to attend you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and the wayes being especially three , the method of greatest advantage will be to begin with a transient view of those , each of which you with great reason reject , and to set doctor twisses first ( though it came last into the world and adorn'd it self with the spoiles of the other two ) because that sets the object of election higher , then the other do , homo creabilis , man considered before he is created . his design and scheme you have perspicuously drawn , thus , [ that god making his own glory the only end of all other his decrees , all these decrees of creating man , of permitting sin , of sending christ , of preaching the gospel , of electing some , of reprobating others , and the rest , make up one entire coordinate medium , conducing to that one end , and so the whole subordinate to it , but not any one part , or joynt thereof subordinate to any other of the same . ] against this , your objection i profess to be very convincing , taken from his own beloved axiome , so oft repeated by him , ( and borrowed from him , and built upon by others ) that whatsoever is first in the intention , is last in the execution . for as it is most evident , that of these his supposed coordinate decrees some are after others in execution ( the fall after the creation , the coming of christ after both , and so of the rest ) so if he will stand to his principle , he must , as you say , grant , that those that were thus after any other in the execution , were in gods intention before them , which will necessarily bring in a subordination among them , and so quite overthrow this ( as you call it ) new crochet of coordination . § . . your other causes of dislike to his way are equally rational , . the falsness of that his logick maxime , which he builds so much upon , which yet hath no certain truth , or other then casuall , but when it is applyed to final causes , and the means used for the attaining any end . . the prodigiousness of his other doctrine , that there are more degrees of bonity in damnato quam annihilato , ( because the bonitas entis ) and so that it is better for the creature to be in eternall misery , then simply not to be ; when christ expresly pronounceth the contrary of wicked men , that it had been better for them never to have been born , to have a milstone about the neck , and to be cast into the sea , ( a figure to represent annihilation ) then to be involved in those dangers that attend their sins . . his resolving gods election of a man to life eternall to be * no act of his mercy , and likewise his † reprobating and ordaining to damnation to be no act of his justice , but of his pleasure . ] a few such propositions as these are competent to blast and defame any cause , which requires such aids , stands in need of such supporters , and therefore you will be confident i concurr with you in rejection of that , though i think neither of us likely to undertake the travel of refuting of his whole work . § . . next then for the supralapsarians , with whom the object of the decree is homo conditus , man created , not yet fallen , and the sublapsarians , with whom it is man fall'n , or the corrupt mass , your rejections and reasons thereof are twined together , and are especially two , which you justly call very weighty , and so i suppose they will be deem'd by any man , that shall consider the force of them , without prejudice , i shall therefore set them down from your letter in your own words . § . . the first reason is , because though it might perhaps be defensible , as to the justice of god , in regard of his absolute power over his own creature , yet it seems very hardly reconcileable with the goodness of god , and his exceeding great love to mankind , as they are plentifully and passionately set forth in his holy word , to decree the eternall damnation of the greater part of mankind , for that sin , and for that sin onely which was utterly and naturally impossible for him to avoid , for the decree of reprobation according to the sublapsarian doctrine , being nothing else but a meer preterition or non-election of some persons whom god left , as he found them , involved in the guilt of the first adams transgression , without any actuall personall sin of their own , when he withdrew some others , as guilty as they , without any respect to christ the second adam , it must needs follow that the persons so left are destin'd to eternall misery , for no other cause , but this onely , that adam some thousand years since did eat the forbidden fruit , and they being yet unborn could not help it . § . . the other reason was , because the scripture not onely saith expresly , that god hath chosen us in christ before the foundation of the world , eph. . , . and consequently the decree of sending christ must be praecedaneous to that of election , but also doth every where , and upon all occasions hold forth the death of christ , as intended by god for the benefit of mankind , in the utmost extent , [ the world , the whole world , mankind , every man , &c. ] and not for the benefit of some few onely , the rest by an antecedent peremptory decree excluded . to which it would be consequent , that according to the tenure of ( the more moderate of these ) the sublapsarians doctrine , jesus christ the judge at the last day , when he should proceed to pronounce sentence upon the damned , should bespeak them to this effect , ite maledicti , voluit enim pater meus pro beneplacito , ut adam peccato suo vos perderet , noluit ut ego sanguine meo vos redimerem , go ye cursed , for my father of his meer pleasure will'd that adam by his sin should destroy you , will'd not that i by my blood should redeem you , the very thought whereof ( you say ) your soul so much abhorr'd , that you were forced to forsake that opinion of the sublapsarians , ( having , as you profess , never phansied the superlapsarians ) and conclude it unsafe to place the decree of election before that of sending christ . § . . these two reasons of changing your judgement , are , i confess , so worthy of a considering man , who makes gods revealed will his cynosure , and doth not first espouse doctrines of men , and then catch at some few obscure places of scripture , to countenance them , nor makes his retreat to the abyss of gods unfathomable counsels , as the reason of ( that which is its contradictory ) his attempting to fathome and define them , that i doubt not but the tendering of them to all dispassionate seekers of truth , that have not so me interests to serve by adhering peremptorily and obstinately to their prepossessions , will be of the same force to disabuse and extort from them the same confessions , which they have from you , causing them fairly to deposite these two schemes , and either not to desine at all , or to seek out other solider methods , and more catholick grounds of defining ; and if the wise heathen were in the right virtus est vitium fugere , & sapientia prima stultitia caruisse — this will be some degree of proficiency , which they that shall with unspeakable joy have transcribed from you , will also have temptation to accuse your fears , or waryness , that they received not this lesson sooner from you , especially when they are told , what here you express , that these have been your thoughts , ever since the year . i. e. . years since , which is an age or generation in the scripture-use of the word . § . . that none may be any longer deprived of this means of their conviction , or permitted to think or teach securely and confidently , and as in accord with you , what you profess your soul thus long to have abhorred the very thought of , i desire you will at length communicate your thoughts your self , or else allow this letter of mine to be your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and do it for you , under some testimony of your full approbation of this your sence . § . . but all this , thus far advanced , is but the rejection of the severall erroneous wayes , and onely the negative part of your thoughts , which yet , by the way let me tell you , is fully sufficient both to the peace of churches , and of particular souls ; if the erroneous wayes be rejected , from whence all the misapprehensions of god , and ill consequences thereof flow , the church is competently secured from tares , and then what need express articles , and positive definitions come in to her rescue ? § . . this i suppose the reason both of our churches moderation in framing the article of predestination , and of our late kings declaration , in silencing the debate of the questions . for if by these methods the church could but have prevailed to have the definitions of the several pretenders forgotten , all men contenting themselves , as our article prescribes , with the promises of god , as they are declared in scripture , ( which sure are vniversal and conditionate , not absolute and particular ) the turmoil and heat , and impertinence of disputes had been prevented , which now goes for an engagement in gods cause , the bare fervour and zeal in which is taken in commutation for much other piety , by many the most eager contenders . the doctrines being deemed doctrines of god , are counted evidences of sanctified men , and affix the censure of carnality on opposers , and from hence come bitter envyings , railings , and at the least evil surmisings , and these are most contrary to the outward peace of a church or nation . § . . and for particular mens souls , if the rigid doctrines be found apt to cool all those mens love of god , who have not the confidence to believe themselves of the number of the few chosen vessels , and to beget security and presumption in others , who have conquered those difficulties , and resolved that they are of that number , and to obstruct industry and vigorous endeavours , and fear of falling , and so to have malignant influences on practise , yet seeing it is the believing the antiremonstrant schemes ( one or other of them ) to be the truth of god , which lyes under these ill consequences , the bare laying them aside , leaves every man indispensably under the force of christs commands to disciples , terrours to the unreformed , and conditional ( most expresly conditional ) promises to all ; and those being substantially backed with the firm belief of all the articles of the creed , particularly of the judgement to come , are by the grace of god abundantly sufficient to secure evangelical obedience , the true foundation of peace to every christian soul , and therefore i say , est aliquid prodire tenus , your negative part , if there were no more behind , will be of soveraign use to all that have been seduced into any liking of those errours , which are by a man of your moderation and judgement , in despight of contrary prepossessions , on reasons so convincing and perspicuous , rejected . § . . but in the space of thirty four years , though you have permitted your genius to lead you to other studies ( which if your rejections be granted , i shall willingly confess to be more universally profitable , then any minuter searches into the decrees ) those of moral or practical divinity , yet it seems you have not liv'd such an obstinate recluse from the disputes and transactions of men , but that occasions you have met with to excite your faculties , to wade a little farther into the positive part of these doctrines : and indeed it is hard to conceive how a man can have spent so many hours , as the survey of doctor twisses vindiciae gratiae , were it never so slight and desultory , must have cost you , without some other reflections , besides those of bare aversation to his hypotheses . § . . to these you at length proceed , proposing them with difference , owning some of them , as your present thoughts , and opinion , whilst in others you profess to be purely sceptick , and to propose them onely as conjectures , that seem to you in the mean time not improbable , untill you meet with some other more satisfactory . and in making this difference i fully accord with you , discerning that undeniable evidence of grounds in the former , which is not so readily discoverable in the latter . i shall therefore follow your direction herein , and rank these severally , setting down those which you own as your opinion first , and afterward , with that note of difference , proceed to your conjectures . § . . concerning the decrees of election and reprobation , your present opinion is contained in these three propositions ( prefaced with two more , which are but the disavowing the three wayes of massa nondum condita , condita ante lapsum , & corrupta . ) § . . i. that man being made upright , and so left in manu consilii sui ( god permitting him to act according to that freedome of will wherewith as a reasonable creature he had endowed him ) did by his own voluntary disobedience , through the cunning of satan , tempting him thereunto , fall away from god , cast himself into a state of sin and misery , under the bondage of satan , without any power , possibility , or so much as desire to recover himself out of that wretched condition ; all which god did decree not to hinder , as purposing to make use thereof , as a fit occasion for the greater manifestation of his power , wisdome , goodness , mercy , justice , &c. of this my opinion is , that it is , in every branch of it , so undeniably founded in the express affirmations of holy writ , that there can be no doubt of it to any christian . § . . ii. that man being thus falln , god out of his infinite compassion to his creature , made after his own image ( and that satan might not finally triumph in so rich a conquest , if the whole mass of mankind should perish ) decreed to send his onely begotten son jesus christ into the world , to undertake the great work of our redemption , and to satisfie his justice for sin , that so notwithstanding the same , the whole mass of mankind lost by the fall of the first adam , might be restored to a capability of salvation , through the mercy of god , and the merits of jesus christ , the second adam . in this , compared with what you before said , and afterwards add , i discern your full agreement to the words of our church-catechism , as those are exactly consonant to the manifold testimonies of sacred writ , that christ dyed for , and thereby redeemed all mankind ; your words being not ( to my apprehension ) capable of any of those evasions , that others are willing to reserve themselves in this business , as of his dying sufficiently , but not intentionally for all , for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is superseded by your words of gods sending christ &c. that so mankind &c. ] which must needs import his unfeigned intention , that mankind should be restored to a reall capability of salvation , which is not with truth affirmable , if any one individuall of that whole kind be absolutely passed by , or left , or excluded from his part in this restauration , and capability of salvation , which yet we must resolve many millions to be , if that which is perfectly necessary to the recovery of those which were so totally lost , as your former proposition truly supposed , be not really and effectively made up to them by christ . and as in this full latitude i am obliged to understand you , so i wish not any more pregnant words to expresse it , then those which you have chosen . § . . iii. that man having by his fall rendred himself uncapable of receiving any benefit from the covenant made with him in his first creation , god was graciously pleased to enter into a new covenant with mankind , founded in his son jesus christ , consisting of evangelical but conditional promises , of granting remission of sins , and everlasting life , upon the condition of faith in christ , repentance from dead works , and new obedience : and gave commandment that the said covenant by the preaching of the gospel should be published throughout the world . this , you say , you conceive to be that which the arminians call the generall decree of predestination , but is rejected by the calvinists , ] and that all these decrees are ( according to our weak manner of understanding the way of gods counsells , salva coexistentiâ & praesentialitate rerum omnium in mente divinâ ab aeterno ) antecedent to the decrees of election and reprobation . ] to this also i fully assent , both as to the truth , and fulness of the expression in every part , especially in that of gods entring with mankind ( without any restraint ) the new covenant , founded in christ : of the conditionateness of the promises of that new evangelical covenant : of repentance and new obedience , together with faith in christ , making up that compleat condition : of the antecedency of this covenant in christ ( and the command of publishing it throughout the world ) to the decrees of election and reprobation : which seems to me to be expresly set down from christs words mar. xvi . , . and he said unto them , go ye into all the world , and preach the gospel to every creature , he that believeth and is baptized , shall be saved , he that believeth not , shal be damned . ] which evidently founds those two decrees in the precedaneous preaching , and mens receiving or rejecting of the gospel . § . . and when the gospels are all so express in setting down that command of christ to his apostles of preaching the gospel to all the world , to the whole creation , i. e , the whole gentile , as well as jewish world , ( and the travels of the apostles witness their obedience to it ) and when the command of christ is equivalent with a decree , and his giving of that in time an evidence of its being by him predestin'd from all eternity , it is very strange that this should be denyed or questioned by the calvinists , or the arminians rejected by them , when in effect they do but repeat christs own words , who if he gave command to publish the gospel to all , then must the publishing of the gospel be matter of a general decree , there being no other so sure a way of discerning what was ab aeterno predestined by god in his secret counsel , as the scriptures telling us what was by the father , or christ in time actually commanded . § . . thus far and no farther reach those which you own to be your present opinions , and pronounce of them , that you are so far convinced from the phrases and expressions frequent in scripture , that you cannot but own them as such , and then let me tell you , it were very happy that all men would agree in these , and yet more happy , it instead of more curious enquiries , they would sit down , and betake themselves uniformly and vigorously to that task , which the●e data bind indispensably upon them , and which is of that weight , that it may well imploy the remainder of their lives to perform it to purpose , i mean the work of evangelical obedience , the condition of the new covenant , without which the capability of pardon and salvation , which was purchased for mankind in general and for every man , shall never be actuated to any . § . . beyond these therefore what you add , you acknowledge to be but conjectures , which though to you they seem not improbable , yet you profess to maintain your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or scepticisme in them . and if in any of these i should , on the same terms of conjecture , or seeming probability , differ from you , this still were fully to accord with you in the general , viz. the suspension of belief , and proceeding no farther then conjectures in these things . what the issue will be , shall now be speedily experimented , by proceeding to a view of them , remembring still that you propose them but as conjectures . § . . the first is , that the object of the decrees of election and reprobation , as they are set forth in the scripture , seemeth to you to be man preached unto , those being elected to eternal life , who receive christ , as he is offer'd to them in the gospel , viz. as their lord and saviour , and those reprobated , who do not so receive him . ] herein i not onely perfectly agree with you , but more then so , i do think it an unquestionable truth , which carries it's evidence along with it , and so will be acknowledged by any that observes the limitation by you affixt to the subject of the proposition , the object of the decrees [ as they are set forth in the scripture ] for he that shall but consider , that the holy scripture is a donative afforded us by god , and designed for our eternal advantages , not to enable us to judge of others , but our selves , not to discover all the unsearchable recesses of his closet , or secret counsels ( abs condita domino deo nostro ) but to reveal to men those truths , which themselves are concern'd in , would make no difficulty to conclude , that the scripture speaks onely of those , to whom it speaks , and as the apostle saith , cor. v. . what hath he to do to judge them that are without ? leaving them wholly to gods judgement , so doth the scripture declare gods dealing onely with those , to whom the scripture comes , to whom some way or other ( whether by writing or preaching it matters not ) the gospel of christ is revealed . § . . this as it appears by innumerable evidences in the scripture , so it is put beyond all dispute by that even now recited text , at christs farewell , mar. xvi . his commission to his apostles , and declaration of the fixed determin'd consequences of it , an express transcript of gods eternal destinations or decrees in that matter , go into all the world , and preach the gospel to every creature , he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved , and he that believeth not shall be damned ] in which words what can be the meaning of [ shall be saved , and shall be damned ] but this , that god hath decreed salvation and damnation to such ? those therefore are the object of those divine decrees , who are the subject of that proposition , and those are evidently men preached to , of which some believe , and are baptized , and those have their parts in the first decree , that of election to salvation , some reject the gospel , and believe not , and those fall under the second branch , that of rejection to damnation . § . . against the evidence of this , no opposition can be made , and to this it is undeniably consequent , that all the decrees whereof scripture treateth , are conditionate , receiving christ as the gospel offers him , as lord , and saviour , the former as well as the latter being the condition of scripture-election , and the rejecting or not receiving him thus , the condition of the scripture-reprobation . § . . as for any other which can be phansied distant from this ( and so all absolute election or inconditionate reprobation ) it must needs be resolved to be the meer invention and fabrick of mens brains , without the duct of gods spirit in scripture , which if at least it hold not a strict analogy with that which the scripture hath thus revealed to us , will never be excused from great temerity , and the sin of dogmatizing , the rifling gods secrets , and setting up our own imaginations , if not prejudices , for the oracles of god. if this were well thought of , it would infallibly set a period to all further disputes , on this subject . and the proposition , which i have last set down from you , is so irrefragably convincing , that i hope it may be successful to so good an end , and all men that read it , resolve it their duty to preach no other decrees of god from scripture , but this , that all that receive the gospel preached , and live according to the praescript rule thereof , ( for that is to receive christ as there he is offered to them , as a lord and saviour ) shall be saved , and all they that reject it , when it is thus revealed , or live in contradiction to the terms whereon it is established , shall be damned . this would probably change curiosity into industry , unprofitable disquisitions into the search and trying of our own wayes , and working out our own salvation . § . . to this proposition , if it shall be granted , you annex two corollaries , and i that have not onely yielded but challenged the undoubted truth of the proposition , can make no question of the corollaries , the first is this , § . . that it will be impossible to maintain the doctrine of vniversal grace in that manner as the remonstrants are said to assert it , against the objection which is usually made by their adversaries , how evangelical grace can be offer'd to such nations or persons , as never had the gospel preached unto them . ] § . . the truth of this corollary ( as of all other ) must be judged of by the dependence from the principle , the connexion it hath with the former proposition ; that spake of the decrees , as they are set forth in scripture , and of the condition required of them that are elected to salvation , receiving christ preached , as he is offered in the gospel , and accordingly it is most evident , that they that will found their doctrine on scripture , must find not onely difficulty , but impossibility to maintain the gift of evangelicall grace ( which i suppose to be a supernaturall power to believe and obey the gospel ) to those , to whom the gospel hath never been revealed . what the remonstrants are said to assert in this matter , i shall forbear to examine , because i design not to engage in any controversie at this time with any ; onely as on one side it is evident , that their adversaries can receive no benefit by the objection , the salvability of all to whom the gospel is preached , being as contrary to their doctrine of onely the elect , as it would be , if extended to the heathens also , all christians being not with them in the number of the elect ; so on the other side , i should think it strange , that in our present notion of evangelical grace , for a strength from god to receive and obey the gospel preached , it should , by the remonstrants , or any other , be affirmed from scripture , that it is given , or offered to those to whom the gospel hath not been revealed : s. paul stiles the gospel , the power of god unto salvation , and the preaching of it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 administration of the spirit , and indeed the spirit is in scripture promised onely to them who believe in christ , and therefore speaking of what may be maintained by scripture , and confining the speech to evangelical grace , the universality of it can no farther be by that maintained to extend , then to those to whom the gospel is preached , for if faith cometh by hearing , and hearing by the word , i. e. preaching the gospel , it must follow , they cannot believe , and so have not evangelical grace , or strength to believe , without a preacher . § . . and therefore i remember the learned bishop of sarisbury , doctor davenant in his lent sermon ( i think the last he preached before the king ) declared his opinion to be ( as for vniversal redemption , so ) for vniversal grace within the church ; and as for this he was , i think , by none accounted an arminian , so i never heard any that was of the remonstrant perswasions , unsatisfied with the scantness of that declaration , but thought it as much , as , speaking of grace in the scripture notion of it , evangelical grace , could with any reason be required of him . § . . as for the state and condition of heathens , to whom the gospel is not revealed , and yet it is no fault of theirs that it is not , as all those that lived before christ and many since , as it is evident the scripture was not delivered to them , nor consequently gave to us christians rules for the judging of them , so it is most reasonable which you add in your second corollary , which is this , § . . that into the consideration of gods decrees such nations or persons are not at all to be taken , as never heard of the gospel , but they are to be left wholly to the judgement of god , since he hath not thought fit to reveal to us any certainty concerning their condition , but reserved it to himself , amongst his other secret counsels , the reasons of his wonderful and unsearchable dispensations in that kind . ] to which i most willingly subscribe in every tittle , and challenge it as the just debt to the force of that reason , that shines in it , that no man pass fatall decretory sentences on so great a part of mankind , by force of those rules , which they never heard of , nor without hearing could possibly know that they were to be sentenced by them . and this the rather upon four considerations which scripture assures us of . first , that as all men were dead in adam , so christ died for all , that were thus dead , for every man , even for those that deny him , and finally perish : which as it must needs extend and be intended by him , that thus tasted death for them , to the benefit of those that knew him not ( for if he died for them that deny him , why not for them that are less guilty , as having never heard of him , especially when 't is not the revelation of christ , to which the redemption is affixt , but his death ) so the certain truth of this is most expresly revealed and frequently inculcated in the scripture ( though nothing be there found of gods decrees concerning them ) upon this ground especially , that no person of what nation soever should have any prejudice to christian religion , when it should be first revealed to him , when he finds his interest so expresly provided for by so gracious a redeemer , who if he had not dyed for every man , 't were impossible for any preacher to assure an infidel , that he dyed for him , or propose any constringent reason to him , why he should believe on him for salvation . to this it is consequent , that whatsoever gods unrevealed wayes are , to deal with any heathen , what degree of repentance from dead works , obedience , or performance soever he accept from them , this must needs be founded in the covenant made with mankind in christ , which you most truly have established , there being no other name under heaven , no salvation possible to lapsed man by any other covenant ; which , being set in opposition to the first covenant of perfect unsinning obedience , and therefore called a second and evangelical covenant , on condition onely of sincere obedience , of doing what by gods gift , purchased by christ , men are enabled to do , it follows still , that whatsoever acceptation or mercy they , who never heard of christ , can be imagined to have afforded them by god , must be conformable to the tenure of the evangelicall covenant , and so to the praise of the glory of that grace , whereby whosoever is accepted by god , is accepted in the beloved . § . . the second consideration is the analogy , which , in one respect , is observable between those to whom the gospel is not revealed , and all children and idiots within the pale of the church , for although believing in christ were supposed equally by the law of scripture to be exacted of all , and so of both those sorts ( nay by the intervention of the vow of baptism to be more expresly the obligation of those that are baptized , then those that are not ) yet there is no reason producible to free the christian children and idiots from the blame of not believing , which will not with equall force be producible for those heathens , to whom the gospel was never revealed , it being as impossible to see without the presence of the object , as without the faculty of sight , without the sun , as without eyes , without the revelation of christ , as without the intellective faculty ; which if it be not part of the importance of that decree of heaven , go and preach , and then he that believeth not shall be damned , yet it is fully accordant to it , and shews that that text was not designed to give suffrage to the damnation of all but christians , which is all that your corollary , or my observations have aspired unto ; to which it is yet farther necessarily consequent , that these scripture decrees which you speak of ( and whosoever speaks of any other must be resolved to speak from some other dictate , then that of scripture ) comprize not all men , no nor all baptized christians under them , being terminated onely in those to whom the gospel is revealed , and those certainly are not all that are brought into the world , or even to baptismal new birth . § . . the third consideration is , that seeing the scripture assures us , that they which have received more , of them more shall be required , and that he that knoweth and doeth not , shall be beaten with many stripes , this must needs advertise us , that whatever priviledges christians may have beyond heathens , this is not one , that a smaller degree of obedience and performances shall be accepted of them , then of heathens would be , but the contrary , that to whom less is given , less will be required , according to that of s. augustine , ex eo quod non accepit , nullus reus est , no man is guilty from that which he hath not received . § . . the fourth consideration is , that god rewards those that have made use of the single talent , that lowest proportion of grace , which he is pleased to give ; and the method of his rewarding is by giving them more grace , which as it is in some degree applicable to heathens , who have certainly the talent of naturall knowledge , and are strictly responsible for it , so if they use not that , but retain the truth in unrighteousness , rom. . . that makes their condition but the same with ours , ( who are finally lost also , and at the present have our talent taken away from us ) if we make not the due use of it . § . . this , 't is visible , hath befaln those nations who once had the gospel preacht to them , and after the knowledge of the truth , return'd to their heathen sins , and so had their candlestick taken from them ( to which and not to gods primary denying them evangelical grace , their present barbarity is to be imputed ) and the onely conclusion which we can hence duely make , is the acknowledgement of gods just judgements on them , and reasonable fear lest he deal in like manner with us , if we transcribe their copy , imitate them in their demerits . should god most justly thus punish this nation at this time , could it either now or in future ages be reasonable hence to argue against the doctrine of vniversal grace , in case there were a concurrence of all other evidences for the truth of the doctrine ? certainly it could not . in like manner then it cannot be reasonable to argue thus from the like fate , and effects on other nations . § . . to which i may add , that christ being , we know , in gods decree and promise , the lamb slain from the beginning of the world , if this argument be now of force against the heathens , it must equally hold against all that understood no more of the predictions of christ , then the pagans do now of the history . § . . and then it must , should it have force , follow , not onely that the sacrifice of christ was intended to be of avail to none but the jews , to whom onely the oracles of god were committed , ( which yet you acknowledge was intended to all ) but also that as far as we have wayes of judging , a very small part of those jews received the salvifick grace of christ , if it were confined and annext to the revelation and belief of him ; for if we may judge of other ages by that wherein christ appeared , the prophecies of the crucified messias were very little understood by that people . all this makes it more prudent , and rationall , and pious to search our own wayes , then to pass sentence on other men , which is the onely thing i have aimed at in these four considerations . § . . your second proposition , which you tender as a conjecture , i cannot but own under an higher style of an evident truth of scripture , it is this , that there is to the outward tender of grace in the ministry of the gospel annexed an inward offer also of the same to the heart , by the spirit of god going along with his word , which some of the schoolmen call auxilium gratiae generale , sufficient in it self to convert the soul of the hearer , if he do not resist the holy ghost , and reject the grace offerr'd : which as it is grounded upon these words , behold i stand at the door and knock , and upon very many other passages of scripture beside , so it standeth with reason , that the offer , if it were accepted , should be sufficient ex parte sui to do the work , which if not accepted , is sufficient to leave the person , not accepting the same , unexcusable . ] this i say i am obliged to assent to in the terms , and upon the double ground both of scripture and reason , whereon you induce it . if there were but one text of scripture so convincingly inferring it , that sure would advance it above a barely probable conjecture . but i think the whole tenure of the new testament inforceth the same , and though you name but one , you say there are many other passages of scripture , on which 't is founded . i shall mention but two , . that of the apostle who cals preaching the word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the administration of the spirit , which the father expresses by verbum vehiculum spiritus , the word is the chariot in which the spirit descends to us , . that description of resisting the holy spirit , which s. stephen gives us , act. vii . . by their being like the jews , which persecuted the prophets which spake unto them , which concludes the holy spirit to be given with the preaching of the gospel , else how could the rejecting and persecuting the one be the resisting of the other ? so likewise though you mention but one reason , yet that is as constringent as many , nothing but sufficiency of supernaturall grace being competent to render him , that is acknowledged naturally impotent , unexcusable . and therefore deeming that abundantly confirmed to advance it above a disputable probleme , i proceed to the next proposition , the third , which you rank under the style of conjectures , it is this , § . that because the sufficiency of this general grace notwithstanding , through the strength of naturall corruption it might happen to prove uneffectuall to all persons , god vouchsafed out of the supereffluence of his goodness , yet ex mero beneplacito , without any thing on their part to deserve it , to confer upon such persons as it pleased him to fix upon , ( without inquiring into under what qualifications , preparations or dispositions considered , ) a more speciall measure of grace which should effectually work in them faith and perseverance unto salvation ] this ( you say ) you take to be the election especially spoken of in the scriptures , and if so , then the decree of reprobation must be nothing els but the dereliction or preterition of the rest , as to that special favour of conferring upon them this higher degree of effectuall grace . against this , you say , you know enough may be objected , and much more then you esteem your self able to answer , yet to your apprehension somewhat less then may be objected against either of the extreme opinions . ] § . . of this proposition , as being the first by you produced , to which your caution seems to be due , some things may in passing be fitly noted . first , that for the stating of that community which is here set down as the object of election and reprobation , and exprest by a generall style [ all persons ] this caution is necessarily to be taken in , that the proposition is not to be interpreted in the utmost latitude , that the style [ all persons ] is capable of , but as analogy with your former doctrine strictly requires , for the generality of men preach'd to : and so neither belongs to heathens , nor to the infants or idiots , or uninstructed among christians , but to those that having the gospel revealed to them , and sufficient grace to enable them to receive it , are yet left in the hand of their own counsell , whether they will actually receive it , or no. § . . now of these ( which is the second thing to be observed in your proposition ) it is manifest , that if ( as you suppose both in the former , and in this proposition , ) they have grace truly sufficient afforded them , then they want nothing necessary to a faln weak sinful creature , to conversion , perseverance and salvation , and if so , then by the strength of this grace , without addition of any more , they may effectually convert , persevere and be saved ; and then though what may be , may also not be , and so it be also possible that of all that are thus preach'd to , and made partakers of this grace , no one shall make use of it to these effects , yet this is but barely possible , and not rendred so much as probable , either upon any grounds of scripture or reason . in the scripture there is no word revealed to that sense , or , that i ever heard of , produced or applyed to it , but on the contrary , in the parable of the talents ( which seems to respect this matter particularly ) they that received the talents to negotiate with , did all of them , except one , make profit of them , and bring in that account to their master , which received a reward , which is utterly unreconcileable with the hypothesis of gods foreseeing that the talent of sufficient grace would be made use of by none that received no more then so . as for that one that made not use of it , all that is intimated concerning him , is , that if his share comparatively was mean , yet by the lord he is charged as guilty for not putting it into the bank , that at his coming he might receive his own with usury , which certainly evinces , that that lazy servant is there considered as one that might have managed his stock as well as the rest , and that that stock was improvable no less then the other , according to their severall proportions , and so herein there is no difference taken notice of in favour to your conjecture . and in reason it hath no sound of probability , that of so great a number of christians , sufficiently furnished by god , no one should make use of it to their souls health ; 't is evident in the apostles preaching at jerusalem and elswhere , that at the first proposal of the truth of christ to them , and the doctrine of repentance , whole multitudes received the faith , and came in , and no doubt many of them proved true , and constant christians , and it is not amiss to observe of the heads of doctrine , which the apostles agreed to publish in all their peregrinations , that they are of such force ( and were on that account pitcht on by them ) as might reasonably and probably , with the supposed concurrence of gods grace , beget repentance , and new life in all , to whom they were preach'd over the whole world , ( and then what the apostles deemed a rationall and probable means to that end , there is no reason or probability to think should never in any produce this effect ) according to that of athanasius , that the faith confest by the fathers of nice , according to holy writ , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sufficient for the averting of all impiety , and the establishment of all piety in christ . to which may be applyed that of s. augustine of the creed , quae pauca verba fidelibus nota sunt , ut credendo subjugentur deo , ut subjugati recte vivant , recte vivendo , cor mundent , corde mundo , quod credant , intelligant . these few words are known to believers , that by believing , they may be subjugated to god , that by being subjugated , they way live well , that by living well they may cleanse their hearts , that by cleansing their hearts they may understand what they believe . and herein the all-wise providence and infinite mercy of god seems to be engaged , who in the parable of his dealing with his vineyard , isa . v. not onely expostulates , what could i have done more to my vineyard which i have not done ] but also affirmeth that he looked it should bring forth grapes , and as a farther evidence of that , built a wine-press , in expectation of its bearing fruit by strength of what he had done to it , which could not well be affirmed by , or of god , if it were not probable and rational , that in some it should have the desired effect . § . . and if what , on account both of scripture and reason ( the onely wayes left us to judge by in this matter ) is thus far removed from improbable , may be supposed to have any truth in it , i. e. if the sufficient grace annexed to the authorized sufficient means , have without farther addition , ever converted any , it then follows necessarily in the third place , that the election and dereliction now proposed by you must have for its object not indefinitely ( as before you set it ) man preach'd unto , or all that part of mankind to whom the gospel is offered , and that grace annexed thereto , but onely that portion of such , as are not wrought upon , or who god in his infinite prescience discerns would not be wrought upon effectually , and converted by that measure of sufficient grace , which he hath annext to the word preach'd . for without enquiring what proportion of the number of men preach'd unto may probably be placed in that rank ( or without assuming any more , then that it is neither impossible nor improbable that there should be such a rank ) of men converted , and persevering by the strength of that foresaid sufficient grace , annexed to the word , the inference is undeniable , that all , whether few or many , that are of this rank ( it being no way probable there should be none ) shall certainly be saved by force of the second covenant , which decreed eternall life to all that should believe on him and receive him , as the gospel tenders him , as their lord and saviour , and so cannot be comprised in the number of them to whom this supereffluence of goodness is supposed to be vouchsafed , in the granting of which ex mero beneplacito your conjecture makes the scripture-election to consist , and in the dereliction and preterition of the rest ( in respect of that speciall favour ) the decree of reprobation . § . . the plain issue whereof is but this , that if this conjecture , thus explicated , be adhered to , then many not onely of children , idiots , heathen ( formerly reserved to gods secret judgements ) but of adult baptized christians also , either are or may be saved , who are not of the number of the scripture-elect . which whether it be reconcile able with the purport of those places , which in scripture seem to you to respect election , or to favour this opinion , i must leave to farther consideration , being as yet incompetent to interpose any judgement of it , because i know not what those places are which most seem to favour it . § . . as for the doctrine it self , of supereffluence of grace to some , ( abstracted from making it any account of gods decrees of election and reprobation ) it is such as i can no way question , for certainly god being granted to give sufficient grace to all , there is no objection imaginable against this superabounding to some ex mero beneplacito ; nothing more agreeable to an infinite abyss and unexhaustible fountain of goodness , then such supereffluence , and he that hath not his part in it , yet having his portion , and that supposed sufficient , ought not to have an evil eye , to complain and murmure at this partiality , and inequality of distribution of gods goodness , or if he do , the words of the parable of the labourers in the vineyard must here have place , friend , i do thee no wrong , did not i agree with thee for a penny , take that is thine , and go thy way , is it not lawful for me to do what i will with my own ? mat. xx . , , . and it is there observable , that all the occasion of murmuring arose from the order there observed in accounting with , and paying the labourers , beginning with them that came last into the vineyard , for by that means they being allowed a dayes wages for an hours labour , the others expectation was raised to an higher pitch , then probably it would , if they had been paid , and discharged first , for then not seeing the liberality that others tasted of , they would in all probability have expected no more , then the hire for which they agreed ; and then why should so casual a circumstance , as the being paid last or first , have any influence on their minds , or tempt them to murmure at gods goodness , who from the nature of the thing had no least temptation to it ? § . . onely by the way it must be yielded to the force of that parable , that that supereffluence of which some are there supposed to tast , was no part of the covenant of grace , ( his agreement with them being but in these words , go into the vineyard , and what is right you shall receive , v. . ) but , above what his bargain or covenant obligeth , of his good pleasure , though , on the other side , it be observable , . that an allowable account is there given by those men of their not coming sooner into the vineyard , and consequently of their not bearing the heat of the day , in which all the disproportion between them and others , all the seeming supereffluence is founded , viz. they were no sooner called , or hired by any man , and . that by the application of the parable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to those that came first , and those that came later into the apostleship , to peter , and paul , there might still be place for more abundant labouring in those that came last , and so for reward , in proportion ( though through mercy ) to that more abundant labouring , according to the way of setting down the same parable among the jews , in * gemara hierosol where the kings answer to the murmurers is , he in those two hours hath laboured as much as you have done all the day . § . . but without examining the acts of gods munificence , according to any rules but those of munificence , and again without insisting on the method which god himself seems to direct us to in this matter , in the parable of the talents , where the rule is generall , that to him that hath shall be given , and he shall have abundance , i. e. that the supereffluence of grace is ordinarily proportioned to the faithful discharge of former trusts , making use of the foregoing sufficient grace , there will be little reason to doubt , but that god out of his meer good pleasure , without any desert on our part , doth thus dispense his favours to one , more then to another , to one servant five talents , to another ten , but to all some , onely the difficulties will be , . whether it be not as possible , though not as probable , that the supereffluence of grace may be resisted , as the lower , but sufficient degree , and then , whether the condemnation be not the greater , there will be no doubt ; paul that is the most pregnant example of the supereffluence , is still , under a woe , obliged to preach the gospel , and whilest he preacheth to others , supposes it possible , that himself , if he do not bring his body in subjection , may become a castaway , and till he hath fought his good fight , and finish'd his course , and constantly kept the faith , we never find him confident of receiving his crown , which then he challenges from gods righteousness , or fidelity ; . whether the extraordinary favour of god , which some men receive , and by vertue of which , over and above the sufficient grace , they may be thought to be wrought on effectually , may not rather be imputed to gods special providence , then his special grace ? so in bishop overals way it seems affirmable , for in his scheme the effectualness seems to be attributed to the giving what is given , tempore congruo , at a time when ( whether by sickness , or by any other circumstance of their state ) they are foreseen by god to be so qualified and disposed , that they shall infallibly accept christ offered , on his own conditions , and so convert , and receive the seed into good ground , and so persevere and be saved , when the same man , out of those circumstances , would not have been wrought on by the same means . and if this be it which you mean ( as i doubt not but it is , and that herein you perfectly agree with bishop overall ) then i say the question is , whether the seasonable application or timeing be not rather to be imputed to speciall providence , the mercy of gods wise and gracious disposal to those men that are thus favoured , then to special grace , as that signifies an higher degree of gods grace , then is that sufficient measure , which is afforded to others ; it being possible that an equall , nay a lower degree of grace , being congruously timed and tendred , may prove effectual , when the like , nay an higher , at another time , proves uneffectual . and though all acts of gods good providence may in some sense be styled acts of his grace , and so extraordinary providences may be styled special graces , in which sense , the striking paul in his journey to damascus , and calling to him out of heaven with grace proportionable to that call , may fitly be called a work of gods special grace ; and so is every sickness or other judgement , that is sent to melt any , supposeable to have a proportionable , and that is an extraordinary and special grace annext to it ; and the providence , and so the grace is the greater , if it be applyed tempore congruo , when there is no potent obstacle or principle for resistance ; yet still the question is seasonable , whether this be all that is meant by this speciall measure of grace , which shall work effectually , or if more be meant , what ground there is for it in the scripture . § . . to this second question your advertisement by letter hath given the satisfaction i expected , that you were not curious to consider the distinction between the grace and the providence of god , there being no necessity for so doing , as to your purpose , which was onely to express your sense , that it must be the work of god ( whether of grace or providence it matters not ) that must do the deed , and make the sufficient grace effectuall . this answer i accept , and make no farther return to it , onely from the uncertainty of the former , as to any establishment from scripture-grounds , and so likewise of this latter , till it shall appear by any sure word of promise to have any reall influence on the mattèr in hand , there is way made for a third question , § . . whether granting the truth of all that is pretended for the supereffluence of gods goodness to some , this can fitly de defined the thing , whereto election is determined , and whether all that have not their part in this , are in scripture-style said to be reprobated . this i say , not to propose any new matter of dispute , or to require answer to all that may be objected against this notion of decrees , which you ( and other very learned and sober men ) have proposed by way of conjecture onely , but rather to demonstrate my concurrence with you , that this can amount no higher at most , then to a matter of conjecture . § . . and having said this , i shall propose it to your impartial consideration , i. whether the scripture ought not to be our guide in all even opining and conjecturing in such matters , which are so much above our reason ? ii. whether the scripture do not furnish us with these express grounds , . that there are some sort of auditors that come to christ , become his proselytes , embrace the gospel , when 't is preach'd unto them , that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fit , or prepared , or disposed for the kingdome of god , obedience to the gospel , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , disposed for eternall life , on file for it ( in opposition to others who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. . not worthy of , meet , or qualified for the evangelical state ) . that probity of mind is specified to be this temper , a willingness to do gods will , that ( in the parable ) of the good ground , and the honest heart meant by it . . that the evangelical dispensations are governed by the maxime of habenti dabitur , to the humble he gives more grace , the poor are evangelized , the children , and poor in spirit , of such , and of them is the kingdome of heaven ; and lastly , that god hath chosen the foolish things of the world , the weak , the degenerous , the vilified , those that are not , in opposition to the mighty , powerful , noble and wise . iii. whether on these and many other the like fundamentall truths of the gospel , it be not more reasonable to fetch the ground of the effectualness of that sufficient grace to one , which is not effectuall to another , from the temper and disposition of the heart , to which the gospel is preached , then from any other circumstance ( especially when this doth not deny , or exclude the proper efficacy of those circumstances , whatsoever they or it shall any way appear to be ) god having made the baptist the forerunner to christ , repentance to faith , the * breaking up our fallow grounds , to his not sowing among thorns , and the very nature of the gospel being such , that all that are truly sensible of their sins , the odiousness and danger of them , and heartily desirous to get out of that state , the weary and heavy laden , the humble , docile , tractable , honest heart , willing to take christs yoke upon them , are constantly wrought on , and converted , when the promulgate mercies , or promises of the gospel , and the grace annext to it , are addrest to them , whereas the very same , nay perhaps a greater degree of light and grace , meeting with a proud , refractary , pleasurable , or any way hypocritical , and deceitful heart , either is not at all heeded and received , or takes no firm root in it . § . . and if now ( the onely objection i can foresee ) it be demanded , whether this of probity , humility , &c. the subactum solum , soyl mellow'd , and prepared for this effectuall work of grace , be not some natural quality , of the man , for if so , then the efficacy of grace will be imputed to these natural , or moral preparations , which is grosly prejudicial to the grace of god , and to the owing of all our good to his supernatural operations , the answer is obvious and unquestionable , that this ( i shall call it evangelical ) temper is far from being natural to any corrupt child of adam , where ever 't is met with , 't is a special plant of gods planting , a work of his preparing , softning , preventing grace , and as much imputable to the operation of his holy spirit , as any effect of his subsequent or cooperating grace is , which i challenge to be the meaning of those words of christ , joh. vi . . all that my father giveth me , shall come to me ; where such as these , are first fitted by god , and then by him are said to be given to christ , works of his finger , his spirit , and then by the authour of them presented to christ , as the persons rightly disposed for his discipleship , and his kingdome in mens hearts , and this work of gods in fitting them , is there called his drawing of them to christ , v. . and as there it is said that none but such can come to christ , so vers . . all such shall come to him , which is an evidence that the coming , wherein the effectualness of the grace consists , is imputable to this temper wrought in them by god. and if still it be demanded why this is not wrought in all christians hearts , i answer finally , that the onely reason the scripture teaches us is , because some resist that spirit , that is graciously given by god , and purposely designed to work it in them . § . . and if it still be suggested , that some are naturally more proud and refractary , and voluptuously disposed then others , ( an effect of their temper , owing oft to their immediate parents , who may transfuse their depravations and corruptions immediately to their children , as well as adam hath done to us all mediately ) and so a greater degree of grace will be necessary to the humbling and mollifying them , and a lower , which might be sufficient for meeker tempers , will be unsufficient for them , and so still these are as infallibly excluded , and barred out , as if it were by a fatal decree passing them by in massa , this will be also satisfied , by resolving , that god in his wise disposals and abundant mercies , proportioned according to mens wants , gives a greater degree of preventing grace to such as he sees to be naturally in greatest need of it , or els applies it so advantageously by congruous timing , as he knows is sufficient even to them , to remove these naturall obstacles , but all this ( to them , as to others ) resistibly still , and so , as though it succeed sometimes , yet is frequently resisted . § . . by this means he that is proud and obstinate , and continues , and holds out such against all the softning preparations of heaven , ( sufficient to have wrought a kindlier temper in him ) being so ill qualified for the holy spirit of discipline , is not converted , but hardened by the same or equall means of the word and grace , by which the humble is converted , and then replenished with higher degrees ; and when the scripture is so favourable to this notion , saying expresly that god chooses one and not the other , gives more grace to one , and from the other takes away that which he hath , resists the proud ( when they refuse discipline ) * speaks to them onely in parables , because seeing they see not , i. e. resist and frustrate gods preventing graces , and infinite the like , why may not this rather be the scripture-election , then that other which seems not to have any , at least not so visible grounds in it ? § . . should this be but a conjecture too , it is not the less fit for this place , where our discourse hath been of such , and the onely seasonable inquiry is , either . which is of probables the most , or of improbables the least such , ( and that i suppose is competently shew'd already ) or . which may be most safe , and least noxious , in case it should fail of exact truth . § . . on which occasion i shall add but this , that the onely consequence naturally arising from this scheme is , that we make our elections after the pattern of god , choose humility and probity , and avert pride and hypocrisie , that before all things in the world , every man think himself highly concerned . not to resist or frustrate gods preventing graces , but chearfully to receive , cooperate , and improve them , to pray , and labour , and attend and watch all opportunities of grace and providence , to work humility and probity in his heart , impatience of sin , and hungring and thirsting after righteousness , as the onely soyle , wherein the gospel will ever thrive , to begin his discipleship with repentance from dead works , and not with assurance of his election and salvation , to set out early , and resolutely , without procrastinating , or * looking back , luk. ix . . and . if he hath overslipt such opportunities , to bewail and retrive them betimes , lest he be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin . and . whatsoever good he shal ever advance to , by the strength of gods sanctifying and assisting grace , to remember with the utmost gratitude , how nothing hath been imputable to himself in the whole work , but from the beginning to the end , all due to supernatural grace , the foundation particularly ( that which if it be the most imperfect , is yet the most necessary part of the building , and the sure laying of which tends extremely to the stability of the whole ) laid in gods preventions , cultivating our nature , and fitting us with capacities of his higher donatives ; and what can less prejudice , nay more tend to the glory of his grace , then this ? § . . whereas the other scheme , as it takes special care to attribute all the work of conversion to grace , and withall not so to limit that communicative spring , as to leave any destitute of a sufficient portion of it ( in which respect i have nothing really to object against it , if it could but approve it self by gods word to be the truth ) so when it bears not any such impress of divine character upon it , it may not be amiss to consider , whether he that is perswaded that the sufficient grace is such as may , and ( as some set it ) god sees will never do any man good , without the addition of his superesfluence , which he affords to few , ( and that if that come , it will infallibly do the work , if it come not , he is so past by , as to be reprobated by god ) may not have some temptations to despair on one side , and not do his utmost to cooperate with that sufficient grace , which is allowed him , and so with the fool in ecclesiastes * fold his hands together till he comes to eat his own flesh , or els to presume on the other side , and expect securely till the coming of the congruous good time of gods choice , which shall give the effectualness to his grace , and so be slothfull and perish by that presumption ? § . . whether the scheme , as it is set by learned men , ( abstracting now from the truth of it ) be in any considerable degree lyable to this danger , i leave those , that are favourable to it , to consider , presuming that if it be , it will not be thought fit to be pitcht upon , as the most commodious , without either the authority of scripture , or some other preponderating advantages tendred by it , which to me are yet invisible . and thus much may serve for the doctrine of gods decrees , which if i mistake not , leaves them in relation to man , in this posture , ( as far as the scripture-light leads us ) § . . . that god decreed to create man after his own image , a free and rationall agent , to give him a law of perfect unsinning obedience , and conferr on him grace and faculties to perform it , and to reward that obedience with eternal bliss , and proportionably to punish disobedience . . that foreseeing the willfull fall of the first man , with whom , and with all mankind , in him , this covenant was made , and consequent to that , the depravation of that image , and that grace , ( the image of satan , corruption of the will , and all the faculties , taking the place of it ) he decreed to give his son to seek and to save that which was lost , making in him , and sealing in his blood a new covenant , consisting of a promise of pardon and sufficient grace , and requiring of all the condition of uniform sincere obedience . . that he decreed to commissionate messengers to preach this covenant to all mankind , promised to accompany the preaching of it to all hearts with his inward sufficient grace , enabling men to perform it in such a degree , as he in this second covenant had promised to accept of . . that the method which he hath decreed to use in dispensing this sufficient grace , is , . to prevent and prepare mens hearts by giving them the grace of humility , repentance and probity of heart , i. e. by awaking and convincing men of sin , and giving them ( in answer to their diligent prayers ) grace sufficient to produce this in their hearts , and then upon their making use of this grace to the designed end to add more powerfull assistances and excitations , enabling them both to will and to do , and upon their constant right use of these , still to advance them to an higher degree of sanctification , and perseverance , till at length he accomplish and reward them with a crown of glory . § . . on the other side , to forsake them in justice , that obstinately resist and frustrate all these wise and gracious methods of his , and having most affectionately set life and death before them , and conjured them to choose one , and avoid the other , still to leave unto them , as to free and rationall agents , a liberty to refuse all his calls , to let his talents lye by them unprofitably ; which if out of their own perverse choices they continue to do , he decrees to punish the contumacy finally , by assigning them their own options , to take their talents from them , and cast them into outer darkness , where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth . § . . how clearly every part of this scheme is agreeable to the several parables , whereby christ was pleased to adumbrate the kingdome of heaven , and innumerable other passages in the gospel , and the whole purport of the new covenant , i leave to every man to consider , and then to judge for himself , whether it be not safer and more christian to content our selves with this portion , which christ hath thought fit to reveal to us , then to permit our curiosities to deeper and more pragmatick searches , especially if those shall either directly , or but consequentially undo , or but darken what is thus explicitly settled . § . . i proceed now to your second head of discourse , ( which also i suppose , is , by what hath been already considered , competently established ) concerning the efficacy of grace , &c. where your proposition is thus set down . § . . that in the conversion of a sinner , and the begetting of faith in the heart of man , the grace of god hath the main stroke , chiefest operation , yet so , that the free will of man doth in some sort cooperate therewith ( for no man is converted or believeth without his own consent ) all parties pretend to agree . the point of difference is , how to state the manner and degree of the cooperation , as well of the one , as of the other , so as neither the glory of gods grace be eclipsed , nor the freedome of mans will destroyed . in which difficult point , you say , you think it fitter to acquiesce in those aforesaid acknowledged truths , in which both sides agree , then to hold close to either opinion ] § . . in this proposition , it being by you in the conclusion most undeniably and christianly resolved , that the one care ought to be , that neither the glory of gods grace be eclipsed , nor the freedome of man's will destroyed , it would not be amiss a little to reflect on the former part , and demand whether your expression were not a little too cautious , in saying , the grace of god hath the main stroke and chiefest operation ] did i not discern the ground of that caution , because you were to express that whereunto all parties must be supposed to consent . this being abundantly sufficient to account for your caution , i shall not doubt of your concurrence with me , that it may with truth be said , and i suppose also by the agreement , if not of all christians , yet of both parties in this debate , particularly of the remonstrants , that the grace of god is in lapsed man the one sole principle of spirituall life , conversion , regeneration , repentance , faith and all other evangelical vertues , and that all that can justly be attributed to our will in any of these , is the obeying the motions , and making use of the powers , which are thus bestowed upon us , by that supernatural principle ; to work and work out our own salvation , upon the strength of gods giving us to will and to do ; by [ giving us to will and to do ] meaning his giving us power to each , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luke . is giving us power to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our lives , every initiall and more perfect act of holiness , especially persevering in it all our dayes , being wholly imputable to that power , which is given by gods spirit . for indeed when it is considered , what the state of our corrupt will is , being naturally averted from god , and strongly inclined to evil , it seems to me scarce proper to call this , in relation to supernatural vertues , a free will , till god by his preventing grace hath in some degree manumitted it , till christ hath made it free ; being then what it is , i. e. in some degree emancipated by gods grace , and by grace onely , ( this act of christs love , and grace being reached out to enemies , to men in their corrupt state of aversion and opposition to god ) the will is then enabled ( still by the same principle of grace ) to choose life , when it is proposed , and the wayes and means to it , and though it be left free to act or not to act , to choose or not to choose , yet when it doth act and choose life , it doth it no otherwise ( to my understanding ) then the body doth perform all the actions of life , meerly by the strength of the soul , and that continuall animation it hath , it receives from it ; which makes the parallel compleat , and gave ground to the expression and comparison betwixt giving of natural life , and regeneration . § . . what freedome the will naturally ( under this corrupt state ) hath to other things , of all sorts , i do not now consider any farther , then that it is fully furnished with ability to sin , and so to refuse and contemn , and to receive in vain the grace of god , and grace it self doth not deprive it of that part of its corrupt patrimony : as for an uniform constant choice of those things that belong to our peace and spiritual end , for the beginning of that , and every step of motion through , and perseverance in it , its freedome , and strength , and every degree of life , or action , is wholly and entirely from grace , and then he that without him can do nothing , can do all things through christ that strengthens him . and so the onely remaining question is ( which to me , i confess , is a posing one ) what exception can possibly be started against this stating , and consequently what farther doubt there can be in this matter . § . . i have of my self by my natural generation , ( but this is also from god ) power for natural , nay sinful actings , for this i need no farther principle , and the supervenience of a supernatural takes it not from me ; our experience assures us , what the scripture so oft mentions , that we often resist the holy ghost , which we could not do , if at least it were not tendred to us : but for all degrees of good , from the first good motion toward conversion , to the enstating us in glory , it is wholly received from the spirit of god , and the glory of it cannot in any degree , without the utmost sacriledge , be arrogated or assumed to our selves , as the work of our free will ; and seeing it is one act of superabundant grace to enable us to do any thing , and another to reward us for doing it in so imperfect a manner , ( and with such mixtures of manifold pollutions ) and a third to exercise us in , and reward us for those things , which are so agreeable and gratefull to our reasonable nature , commandments far from grievous , a gracious yoke , as well as a light burthen , not unto us , o lord , not unto us , but to thy name , give we the praise . praise the lord , o my soul , and all that is within me , praise his holy name . § . . what you add on this theme , is by way of reflexion , on the inconvenient opinions of the opposite parties in this matter . . that on the calvinists part these two things , viz. the physical predetermination , and ( which must necessarily follow thereupon ) the irresistibility of the work of grace , seem to you to be so inconsistent with the natural liberty of the will , and so impossible to be reconciled therewith , that you can not yet by any means fully assent thereto ] the style wherein this concludes [ cannot yet fully ] signifies to me , that you have , with great impartiality ( if not with favour and prepossession of kindness to the antiremonstrant side ) endeavoured your utmost to reconcile these two doctrines of predetermination and irresistibility , with the common notions of morality and christianity , and you cannot find any means to do it ; and i fully consent to you in it , and cannot but add , that the very being of all future judgement , and so of heaven and hell , considered as rewards of what is here done in our bodies , whether good or bad , nay the whole oeconomy of the gospel , of giving , and giving more , and withholding and withdrawing grace , and the difference betwixt the grace of conversion and perseverance , and the force of exhortations , promises , threats , commands ( and what not ? ) depends immediately and unavoidably on the truth of the catholick doctrine of all ages , as in these points of predetermination and irresistibility , it stands in opposition to the calvinists . the shewing this diffusedly , according to the merit of the matter , through the severall steps , were the work of a volume , of which i shall hope there can be no need , after so many have been written on the subject . § . . your next reflexion is on the arminians , of whom you say , on the other side , me thinks , the arminians ascribe less to the grace of god , and more to the free will of man , then they ought , in this , that according to their doctrine , why of two persons ( as peter and judas ) supposed to have all outward means of conversion equally applyed , yet one should be effectually converted , the other not , the discriminating power is by them placed in the will of man , which ( you say ) you should rather ascribe to the work of grace ] if this be the right stating of the case between the arminians and their opposites , i am then without consulting the authors , assured by you that i am no arminian , for i deem it impossible ( i say not for any man , not knowing what miracles the magick of some mens passions may enable them to work , but ) for you that have written what i have now set down from you , to imagine you ascribe more to the grace of god , and less to the will of man , then i have thought my self obliged to do , making it my challenge and interest , and requiring it to be granted me ( and not my concession onely ) that all that any man is enabled to do , is by christs strengthening him , § . . but not to question what others do , or to accuse or apologize for any , let us consider the case you set , and allow the truth to be judged of , in this whole question , by what this particular case shall exact . § . . but . in the setting of it , i cannot but mark two things , . that the persons made use of to set the case in , are judas and peter . . that to the word [ converted ] is prefixed [ effectually . ] this would make it probable that you think a man may be converted , and yet not effectually converted , or however that judas was not effectually converted . that judas was converted , and , as far as concerned the present state , abstracted from perseverance , effectually converted , i offer but this one testimony , the words of christ to his father , * [ of those whom thou gavest me i have lost none , save onely the son of perdition ] that whosoever is by the father given to christ , is converted , and that effectually , is concluded from christs universal proposition , all that my father giveth me , shall come to me , joh. vi . . and here it is expresly said that judas ( though by his apostacy now become the son of perdition ) was by god given to christ , and therefore he came to christ , i. e. was converted , which also his being lost , his very apostacy testifies , for how could he apostatize from christ , that was never come to him ? from hence it seems to me necessary either to interpret your speech of final perseverance , as if none were effectually converted , but such who persevere , ( which as it belongs to another question , that of perseverance , to which you after proceed , and not to this of reconciling irresistibility and free will , so it would seem to state it otherwise , then i perceive you afterwards do ) or , to avoid that , to understand no more by judas and peter then any other two names , suppose robert and richard , john at noke and john at stile , ( as you since tell me your meaning was ) the one converted effectually , i. e. really , the other not , when both are supposed to have the same outward means of conversion equally applied to them . § . . now to the question thus set of any two , and supposing what hath been granted between you and me , that the outward means are accompanyed to both with a sufficient measure of inward grace , my answer you discern already , that the discrimination comes immediately from one mans resisting sufficient grace , which the other doth not resist , but makes use of : in this should i add no more , there could be no difficulty , because as it is from corruption , and liberty to do evil , ( that meeting with the resistibility of this sufficient grace ) that one resists it , so it is wholly from the work of grace upon an obedient heart , that the other is converted ; and so this stating ascribes all the good to the work of grace , i. e. to that power , which by supernatural grace is given him , and all the ill to man and his liberty , or ability to resist . § . . but from what hath been said , there is yet more to be added , viz. that the obedience of the one to the call of grace , when the other , supposed to have sufficient , if not an equal measure , obeyes not , may reasonably be imputed to the humble , malleable , melting temper , ( which the other wanted ) and that again owing to the preventing graces of god , and not to the naturall probity , or free will of man , whereas the other , having resisted those preparing graces , or not made use of them , lyeth under some degree of obduration , pride , sloth , voluptuousness , &c. and that makes the discrimination on his side , i. e. renders him unqualified and uncapable to be wrought on by sufficient grace , and so still , if it be attentively weighed , this attributes nothing to free will , considered by it self , but the power of resisting and frustrating gods methods ( which i should think , they that are such assertors of the corruption of our nature , should make no difficulty to yield him , but that they also assert the irresistibility of grace , and that is not reconcileable with it ) yielding the glory of all the work of conversion , and all the first preparations to it , to his sole grace , by which the will is first set free , then fitted and cultivated , and then the seed of eternal life successfully sowed in it . § . . if the remonstrants yield not this , you see my profession of dissent from them , if they do , as for ought i ever heard or read ( which indeed hath been but little in their works , that i might reserve my self to judge of these things , without prepossession ) they doubt not to do , you see you have had them misrepresented to you . but this either way is extrinsecall and unconcernant to the merit of the cause , which is not to be defended or patronized by names ( but arguments ) much less to be prejudged or blasted by them . § . . you now add , as a reason to inforce your last proposition , that although the grace of god work not by any physical determination of the will , but by way of moral suasion onely , and therefore in what degree soever supposed , must needs be granted ex natura rei possible to be resisted , yet god by his infinite wisdome can so sweetly order and attemper the outward means in such a congruous manner , and make such gracious inward applications and insinuations , by the secret imperceptible operation of his holy spirit , into the hearts of his chosen , as that de sacto the will shall not finally resist . that ( you say ) of the son of syrach , fortiter & suaviter , is an excellent motto , and fit to be affixed , as to all the wayes of gods providence in generall , so to this of the effectuall working of his grace in particular . ] § . . this for the substance falls in with the last of those which you so cautiously set down for meer conjectures , seeming to you not improbable . and so here you continue to propose it , , as that , which god can do , ( and thus no christian can doubt of it ) . by the one testimony which you tender for the proof of it , the words of ecclesiasticus [ strongly but sweetly ; ] which though it be there most probably interpreted of the works of gods providence , not particularly of his grace , so if it were , most fully expresses their thoughts , who building on the promise of sufficient grace , and the way of the working of that by moral suasion , will apply the fortiter to the sufficiency , and the suaviter to the suasion , and yet resolve ( what frequent experience tells us ) that those that are thus wrought on , strongly and sweetly too , and as strongly and sweetly ( if not sometimes more so ) as they that are converted by it , are yet very ( very ) many times , not converted . § . . here therefore the point lyes , not whether god can thus effectually work upon all that he tenders sufficient grace unto , nor again , whether sometimes ( and whensoever he pleaseth ) he doth thus work , ( for as this is the most that you demand , so this is most evident , and readily granted ) but . whether all are effectually converted and persevere , and so are finally saved , on whom god doth work thus sweetly and powerfully , attempering the outward and inward means , applications and insinuations , by the secret imperceptible operations of his spirit , and that in a congruous manner ( i add time also ) . whether his doing thus is such an act of his election , as that all to whom this is not done , shall be said in scripture to be left , past by , and reprobated . § . . if thus it is , ( not onely can be ) and if it may be convincingly testified by any text of scripture , that this really is the scripture election , it shall be most willingly and gladly yielded to : but till this be done , . that other scheme , which i so lately set down , may be allowed to maintain it's competition against this , and . it is to be remembred from the premises , that the glory of gods grace in every one's conversion is abundantly taken care of , and secured , without the assistance of this : . that the ground of the anti-remonstrants exception to the arminian occurrs in this way of stating too , for since 't is here affirmed , that grace even thus applyed is possible to be resisted , why may not the accepting this higher degree be as imputable to mans wil , as of the other barely sufficient grace the objecter supposes it to be ? § . . lastly , the saying of our saviour mat. xi . . is of no small moment in the case , and yields a substantial prejudice to this way . for . it is expresly affirmed vers . . of those cities wherein were wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his most abundant powers or miracles , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they repented not ; his miracles i suppose had his grace annexed to them , and it is hard to believe that where his most numerous miracles were afforded , they should all want the advantage of the congruous timings to give them their due weight of efficacy : however there is no pretence of believing it here , where it is said , christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 began to reproach and upbraid them , that the miracles had been so successless among them , which he could with no propriety do , if any circumstance needfull to their efficacy had been wanting to them : and v. . the more intolerable measure of damnation , which is denounced against them , puts this beyond question , that these wanted not the more superabundant advantages of grace . secondly , it is also as explicitly pronounced by christ , that those miracles and that grace which were not effectuall to the conversion of those jewish cities , chorazin and bethsaida , would have been successful to the conversion of others , and made them proselytes and penitents of the severest kind , in sackcloth and ashes . whereupon i demand , had those means , those miracles ( the instruments and vehicles of grace , that were then used to chorazin and bethsaida ) the timings and other advantageous circumstances , which the opinion , now under consideration , pretends to be the infallible means of the salvation of the elect , or had they not ? if they had , then it seems these may fail of converting , and so have not that speciall efficacy , which is pretended , it being expresly affirmed , that here they succeeded not to conversion . but if they had not the timings &c. then it remains as undeniable , as the affirmation of christ can render it , that those means , that grace , which hath not those advantageous circumstances , may be , nay , if granted to tyre and sidon , heathen cities , would actually have been successfull to them . and what can be more effectuall to the prejudice of a conjecture , then this double force of the words of christ confronted expresly to both branches of it ? and then i hope i may with modesty conclude , that there remains no visible advantage of this way , to recommend it , in case the scripture be not found to own , and more then favour it in some other passages . § . . your last proposition on this theme is , that sith the consistence of grace and free will is a mystery so transcending our weak understandings , that it hath for many years exercised and puzzled the wits of the acutest schoolmen to find it out , insomuch as hundreds of volumes have been written and daily are de concursu gratiae & liberi arbitrii , and yet no accord hath hitherto followed , you say , you have ever held , and still do hold it the more pious and safe way , to place the grace of god in the throne , where we think it should stand , and so to leave the will of man to shift for the maintenance of its own freedome , as well as it can , then to establish the power and liberty of free will at the height , and then to be at a loss how to maintain the power and efficacy of gods grace , ] § . . but if what hath been clearly laid down , for the attributing all our spirituall good to the work of grace , and assuming nothing of this kind to the innate power of free will , but a liberty to resist grace , the rest being humbly acknowledged to be due to a supernaturally conferred freedome , or emancipation , whereby we are enabled to make use of grace , and by the power thereof to cooperate with it ; then . the consistence of grace and free will in this sense , is no such transcending mystery , and i think there is no text in scripture that sounds any thing towards the making it so . . 't is evident , that the difficulties that have exercised the schools in this matter arise from their endeavouring to state it otherwise , some by maintaining predetermination and irresistibility , which all the powers of nature cannot reconcile with man's free wil ad oppositum ; and some few that go another milder way , are yet afraid of departing too far from the former , and instead of irresistibility substitute efficacy , as that signifies infallibility of the event to the elect , and so find difficulty to extricate themselves ; whereas grace sufficient , but resistible , given together with the word to all , to whom christ is revealed , hath . it self nothing of difficulty in the conception , and . being understood , utterly removes all farther difficulty in this matter . for hereby we place the grace of god in the throne , to rule and reign in the whole work of conversion , perseverance , and salvation , ( and what can be more demanded , that we have not asserted ? certainly nothing by you , who in setting down the consent of all parties , exprest it by no more then its having the main stroke and chiefest operation ) and need not put the will of man to shift for the maintenance of its own freedome , as long as we can do it with much more safety and temper , then either by setting it at the height with the pelagians , or endangering to convert it into a meer trunk , or leaving men to the duct of their own humours , either to advance it above its due , and grow insolent , or depresse it below what is meet , and so give up themselves to sloth , and indifferency . § . . on the third or last head concerning grace and perseverance , your propositions are three , the two former i shall set down together , because the first is but a preparative to , or one way of proof of the second , which onely concerns our purpose . i. that faith and all holy graces inherent in us , love , patience , and humility , &c. are the gifts of god wrought in us by his grace and holy spirit , none will deny ; but that they are wrought in us by infusion and in instanti ( as philosophers teach forms to be introduced into the matter by naturall generation in instanti , ) at least that they are alwayes or ordinarily so infused , you see no necessity of believing , or why it may not be said of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( spirituall graces ) notwithstanding they be acknowledged the gifts of god , as well as of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( spirituall gifts , as we translate them ) which are certainly the gifts of god as well as the other , and so acknowledged ; that they are ( after the manner of other habits ) ordinarily acquirable by industry and frequented acts , and the blessing of god upon our prayers and endeavours . to what purpose els were it for ministers in their sermons usually to press motives to stir up men to labour to get faith , love , &c. and to propose means for their better direction , how to get them ? ii. whence ( you say ) it seemeth to you further probable , that faith and all other inherent graces , as they may be with gods blessing attain'd , may be also lost again by sloth , negligence , and carnall security , and therefore you cannot but doubt of the truth of that assertion which the contra-remonstrants do yet averre with great confidence , that faith once had , cannot be lost , and other the like . the distinction that they use , as a salvo in this question , of a true and temporary faith , signifieth ( say you ) little or nothing , for it at once both beggeth and yieldeth the whole question : it . beggeth the question , when it denyeth that faith that may be lost , to be true faith , and withall . yieldeth the question , when it granteth a temporary faith , which term is capable of no other construction , then of such a faith , as being once had is afterwards lost . it is one of the articles of our church , that after we have received the holy ghost , we may depart from grace given . ] § . . in these two there is nothing for me to question , and as little to add to them , unless i annex , what i suppose you did not think needfull , the express consent of scriptures and fathers , whereon our churches article must be resolved to have been founded . in the old testament the examples of the angels in heaven , of adam in paradise , and in a remarkable manner of two to whom god had given eminent testimony , . david , in the matter of vriah , an odious murther added to adultery , and continued in impenitently , till after the birth of the child , the blemish whereof still sticks to him , and remains upon record , as an allay to all his excellencies , now that he is in heaven . , solomon , whose heart was by his multitude of wives and concubines taken off from god , and debauched to idols , no way being left us to discern whether ever he returned or no , unless his ecclesiastes be a declaration and fruit of his repentance ; and as these and many other examples , even of that whole old-testament-church , the jews , make this evident , so the words of ezekiel are express both for totall and finall falling away . if the righteous turn from his righteousness , in his unrighteousness shall he die . § . . the new also is parallel , in the example of peter , thrice , with time of deliberation between , and after express warning from christ , and his resolute promise to the contrary , denying and abjuring of christ , whose return from this fall with bitter tears , is called by christ conversion , and the sin upbraided to him thrice after his resurrection , simon , son of jonas lovest thou me more then these ? in reference to his confident undertaking , though all men should deny thee , or be offended , yet will not i. and if the argument from christs express words , formerly produced , be of force , then is judas ( one of those that was by god given to christ , and came unto , and believed on him ) an example of the blackest sort , testifying to this sad truth , that a believer and disciple of christ may betray him to his crucifixion , and die in desperation , § . . to these two instances , the former greatly aggravated with circumstances , the latter finall , and of the highest degree imaginable , it is not needfull to add more , els it is obvious to increase the catalogue with those that were polluted by the gnosticks , by name , hymenaeus and alexander , who putting away a good conscience , concerning faith made shipwrack , and again hymenaeus and philetus , who fell off so far , as to the denyall of any future resurrection , of whom the apostle there speaking , saith , if god peradventure will give them repentance , and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil ] looking on their estate as that of lapsed believers , and though not utterly hopeless , yet extremely dangerous , and this exemplified in whole churches , apoc. ii . and iii. which are therefore threatned present destruction , if they do not speedily return . § . . to which purpose the texts in the sixth and tenth to the hebrews are unanswerable , in the sixth , that it is impossible , i. e. extremely difficult , for those that were once enlightned , &c. if they fall away , to renew them again unto repentance , adding the similitude of the reprobate earth , whose end is to be burned . from which how distant is the doctrine of those , that either imagine it impossible for such to fall away totally , or if they are fallen away , not to be renewed again to repentance ? in the tenth also , t were vain to make so severe interminations against those who sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth , ( as we read v. . ) if there were no possibility of so sinning , but especially the . verse is remarkable , the just shall live by faith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and if he ( the just ) shall draw back , my soul hath no pleasure in him ] explicating v. . what drawing back he speaks of , even drawing back unto perdition , and that is finall , as well as totall , and both , it seems , very possible , as every where appears by the exhortations to him that thinketh he standeth , to take heed lest he fall , when if he do , it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness , then after he hath known it , to turn from the holy commandment , and this in such a degree , as is exprest by returning to the vomit , and wallowing in the mire , the acts and habits of the foulest sins , in forsaking of which their conversion consisted . § . . the testimonies of the fathers are too long to be set down , and indeed unnecessary to the confirmation of that , to which the scripture hath testified so plentifully , especially since it is not ( it cannot be ) denyed by the contrary-minded , that saint augustine , the onely fautor of their cause , in the point of decrees , and effectuall grace , granteth possibility of falling , both totally and finally , from a justified estate , and useth it as a means to prove his absolute decrees . i now proceed to your third and last proposition in these words , § . . yet i believe wee may securely admit the doctrine of perseverance of gods elect , and the certainty thereof , so as it be understood . . of their finall perseverance onely , leaving roome for great ( perhaps totall ) interruptions and intercisions in the meane time . . of the certainty of the thing , ( certitudo objecti , ) in regard of the knowledge , and purpose of god , but , not of any undoubted assurance , that the elect themselves have thereof , ( certitudo subjecti , as wee use to distinguish them , ) there being a great deale of difference between these two propositions , it is certain that the elect shall not fall away finally , and the elect are certain that they shall not fall away finally . ] § . . in this proposition i can fully yeild my concurrence , if by rendering my reasons for my consent , i may be allowed to expresse what i mean by it . this i shall do through the severall branches of it . . i believe not onely that securely we may , but that of necessity ( and under the pain of contradiction in adjecto , ) we must admit the doctrine of perseverance of gods elect , and the certainty , ( most unquestionable certainty ) thereof , gods election of any person to the reward of the covenant , being undoubtedly founded in the perseverance of that person in the faith , this perseverance being the expresse condition of the covenant , he that endureth to the end , the same shall be saveá , he and none but he , but if he draw back , gods soule hath no pleasure in him . § . . which that it is nothing available toward concluding that they which can fall totally from their justified state , may not yet fall finally also , i infer to be your sence from your great dislike to the calvinists salvo , taken from the distinction of a true and temporary faith , which assures me , you take that faith for true , which yet is but temporary , then which nothing is more contrary to the establishing the perseverance of all the faithfull , unlesse there be some promise that all temporaries shall so recover again before their death , as finally to persevere , ( which as i think , 't will not be pretended , so if it be , they are no longer temporaries , ) or unlesse it cease to be in their power to continue in their sins , into which they are fallen , which sure it cannot , unlesse the grace of perseverance be irresistible , which if it were , there is no reason , why that of conversion , to all that are converted , should not be irresistible also . § . . . for their great , ( perhaps totall ) interruptions and intercisions in the meane time , i can no way doubt , but those are subject to them , who yet upon gods foresight of their returne , and persevering constancy at length , are elected to salvation . it is certain , which the article of our church saith , that as they which have received the holy ghost may depart from grace given and fall away , so by the same grace of god they may returne again , and then returning they may no doubt persevere , and then 't is certain they are elected to salvation , the mercy and pardon in christ extending not onely to the sins of an unregenerate state , and the infirmities and frailties of the regenerate ; but also to all the willfull sins and falls of those that do timely returne again by repentance , as david and peter did ( but judas certainly , solomon possibly did not , ) and then continue stedfast unto the end . and so 't is onely the finall perseverance that is required indispensably of the elect , which is reconcileable with their great , perhaps totall intercisions . § . . but 't is not amiss here to advert , that this doth no more suppose or include the reconciliation or favour of god , to those that have been once regenerate , when they are fallen into grosse sins , then to the unregenerate remaining in the same or greater sinns , it being as possible in respect of us , ( perhaps more probable in respect of god , ) that the unregenerate may convert and persevere , ( and then they are approved to be the elect , ) as that they that were once regenerate , but now fallen , may return again . it is as certain from before paul's birth , and from all eternity , that he was elected , as that david or peter was , and then either his blasphemous persecuting the name of christ must have been at the time when he was guilty of that , reconcileable with gods favour , viz. before his conversion , ( and then for the gaining of gods savour what needed his conversion ? ) or else peter's denying and abjuring of christ , davids adultery and murther must not be reconcileable , notwithstanding their supposed election . for as to the sonship of their former life , that will no more excuse their contrary wasting sins , then the future sonship of the other , nay it will set the advantage on the other side , the unconverted saul obtaines mercy , because he did it ignorantly , in unbelief , whilst their sins have the aggravation of being sins against grace , and forsaking , and departing from god , which respect makes the state of apostates as the most unexcusable , so the most desperately dangerous state . § . . . that there is a certitudo objecti to all the elect , cannot be doubted , for if they be elected to salvation , they will finally persevere , if they persevere not , they were not elected . again this certainty of the object , is a certainty in regard of the knowledge and purpose of god , . of his knowledge that either they will not fall , or if they do , that they will rise again , and then finally persevere . . of his purpose or decree of election , that every such , finally persevering , though formerly lapsed christian , shall be saved . § . . . for the certitudo subjecti ; as i consent to you fully in disclaiming any necessity of that , so i suppose it is wholly extrinsecall to this subject , devolving to this other question , not whether every one that is elect , be sure he shall not fall away , but whether every believer be or ought to be sure of his election ? of which if he were sure , i could not resist his being obliged to believe himself certain of his finall perseverance ; election and finall failing being incompetible . § . . having given you this interpretation of my sence , and so consent to each branch of your proposition , i have no more to add , but that if you mean it in a farther sence , proportionable to your former conjecture on the head of decrees , of bishop overall's opinion , i shall no otherwise debate or question it , then i did that , and so the fate of this and that , are folded up the one in the other , and if the scripture shall be found favourable to the one , it shall be yeilded , and then there will be no controversy of the other . § . . onely i desire to add , that it will deserve our speciall care and warinesse , so to deliver our thoughts in this matter , that we leave no man any ground of hope , that in case he depart from his duty , and so fall from grace , or into any willful act or habit of sin , he shall yet be so preserved , whether by gods grace , or by his power , and providence , that he shall not finally dye without repentance : for as there is no promise of god to found that hope , so in time of temptation to any pleasurable , transporting sin , &c. it will be in danger to betray and ruine him , that hath a good opinion of himself , especially if he hath been taught , that faith is a full assurance of his election . § . . the same i say of grace , as it signifies the paternall favour of god to his elect children , which is thought by some to be onely clouded , and , as to their sense and present experience and comfort , darkned by their most willfull sins , so as god may be highly displeased with them , as david with his son absolom , and yet continue his paternall love and favour to them , as david did his to that ungracious son , in the height of his rebellion . § . . 't is possible this example of david may have some rhetoricall energy in it , to perswade and deceive some . if it have , then . i may not unfitly ask this question , whether they think god had then that kindness to absolom that david had ? if he had not , how can it be drawn into example to god ? if he had , how then can it agree with it , to cut him off in the midst of his rebellion , which 't is manifest david would not have done . but omitting that , i answer . that 't is visible , that this in david was passionate indulgence , such as men ( as joab tells him ) disliked , and to this kind of humane passionate , i oppose that other kind of divine dispassionate love , producing in god bowels of pity , frequent admonitions and warnings , powerfull messages , strong and earnest calls , and proposition of all rationall motives to repentance . but if those prevail not , the just still continuing to draw back , gods soul hath no pleasure in him , and the greater obligations of love and grace they are , against which he hath sinn'd , the greater the provocations are in the sight of god , and nothing consequently but the greater degree of punishment to be expected . how god is affected toward rebellious sons is set down is . . , , , , &c. § . . and then to put any man in hope , that what is not ordinarily revealed in the gospel , may yet be laid up for him in the cabinet of gods secret counsels with this seal upon it , the lord knoweth those that are his , as if they might be his still in gods acceptation , which walk most contrarily to him , this may prove a most dangerous snare of souls , and it is strange it should seek shelter in that text . tim. . . which was most expresly designed to the contrary , as is evident both by the notation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning of the verse , which in all probability signifies the covenant of god , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stability whereof , there prest , must assure us that there is no salvation to be expected , but according to the contents of that great indenture , once for all sealed in the blood of christ , of which as that indeed is one part , which is inscribed on one side of the seal [ the lord knoweth those that are his ] i. e. he will never fail to own those that continue faithfull to him ; so the other , on the other side , is most emphatical , [ let every man that nameth the name of christ , depart from iniquity ] which if he do not , he hath forfeited all the priviledges of his christianity . § . . the gnostick heresie , one branch of it especially , noted in marcus's scholars , in irenaeus , is a seasonable warning to all sober christians in this matter , he told them of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a redemption , or kind of baptism , which rendered them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , naturally and immutably spirituall , no more to be polluted by sin , then gold by lying in the mire , or the sun beams by lighting on a dunghill , and that whatever they did , they should ( as with the helmet of the mother of the gods ) be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , invisible to the judge , the effects whereof , as to all carnality , &c. were so detestable , that it becomes every man most sollicitously to guard and secure his schemes of election and doctrine of perseverance of the elect , from all probability , if not possibility , of ministring to the like , and that cannot well be by any other method of resolution , but this , that those that persevere unto the end shall be saved , and none els ; our tenure in all the priviledges of election , . gods favour , . the continuall assistance of his grace , and . the inheritance of sons , being inseparably relative and annext to the constant filiall obedience , which he indispensably requires of us , under the gospel of conditionall promises . § . . thus have i past through all your letter and given my self the liberty of these strictures , by way of reflexion on all and every passage therein , which belonged to this subject of god's decrees and his grace ; and without the addition of any unnecessary recapitulation of the severalls , it is already evident , how perfect the agreement is between us in all that you in any degree positively assert , or own as your opinion : and if in one particular which you are so carefull to propose , as a bare conjecture , and not allow it your favour in any other quality , it should happen that we finally dissent ( though in propriety of speech conjectures are not sentiments ) yet it were strange the dispute betwixt us should be of any length . and so you discern the utmost of uneasiness , which is likely to be given you by this address of dear sir your most affectionate brother and servant h. hammond . a second letter , being a view of two emergent difficultyes . deare sir , the very freindly reception which my larger trouble found from you , is my full encouragement to proceed to the conclusion of my importunity and your exercise , which cannot now be far off , if i may judge by your letter . § . . two difficultyes , you say , you have sprung by farther entring into the consideration of this matter , the first occasioned by my distinction betwixt the worke of grace and of providence , the second arising from the concessions of scripture of gods withdrawing his grace from those that reject it . § . . to those i shall make these returnes , which i doubt not will prove satisfactory . the first seemeth to favour an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or suspence , and to avert all defining in these points : for , say you , since the efficacy of divine grace followeth the acts of his providence , so as it may seem in a manner to depend chiefly thereupon , and the wayes of his providence are abyssus multa , deep and unfathomable , it seemeth to you to conclude strongly that the manner how god effectually worketh by his grace to the conversion of a sinner is also to our understandings incomprehensible . ] to this you cannot but foresee my reply , that the proposall of that distinction was by me designed as a prejudice to bishop overal's way , which you had then mentioned as your conjecture . and if it shall have indeed that influence upon you or any man , as you speake of , to encrease the difficulty , and to conclude strongly , that the manner of gods working , &c. is incomprehensible ; yet you know this cannot in justice be applyed farther then to that particular scheme , against which peculiarly this disadvantage was proposed , and then the onely regular conclusion is , that this which you proposed but as a conjecture , should now grow lower in your esteem , and scarce be thought worthy to be own'd as such . § . . and the more force there is in this one consideration , thus to incline you , the lesse shall i despair , that two more considerations , which then encompassed this , and the superadded tender of another way , that the scripture-grounds , especially christ's parables in the gospel , suggested , will in some degree prevaile with you , to deposite this conjecture , which ( beside other prejudices against it , ) hath no grounds of scripture to pretend to , in exchange for that other , that hath , and pretends no further , then it shall approve it selfe to be thus founded . § . . this is all that i may say to an objection which i was to cherish and strengthen , ( rather then answer . ) but i shall not think that needfull , onely i leave it to have that force with you , which you shall see fit to give it , remembring onely that it ought not to have force with him , that accepts not that scheme , that alone is concerned in it . § . . which scheme having been proposed by you with perfect warinesse , and profession of allowing it to be no more then a conjecture , one such difficulty as this , is , i acknowledge , sufficient to remove you from it , and in that case it will not be unseasonable again to tender that which you may finde better qualified for your acceptance , having without question an advantage , from the parable of the sower , to recommend it . i shall endeavour to make this cleare to you . your supposed intricacy , or unfathomable question , is , what it is that makes sufficient grace to be effectuall to any ? i say the parable of the sower was intended by christ on purpose to answer that question , which it hath competently performed , for here wee see , the seed being the same , ( whether that were the word , or grace , it matters not , as long as 't is remembred that the word is the vehicle of grace , and the instrument of conveighing it to the heart , ) all the difference taken notice of , is onely in the soyle , viz : some troden down , and crusted ; some stony ; some thorny ; some good , and mellow . proportionably to this four-fold difference of the ground , the severall fates of the seed are described , and your one question divided into four , and answer exactly accommodated to each . § . . the first question is this , what is it that makes sufficient grace , uneffectuall , to some men , so that though it be on gods part freely afforded them , and as freely as to any other , yet it hath not the least effect upon them ? and the answer is evident in the explanation of that parable , mat. xiii . . because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one that heares the word , to which that grace is annexed , but either understands it not , or minds it not ; and so the divil comes and catcheth away that which was sown , ( and in that case there is no great need of that divil towards the obstructing effectuallness , let the seed ly there never so long , if it be not minded , it can signifie nothing toward an harvest . ) § . . the second question is , what is it that makes sufficient grace , after it is received , and that with joy , ( great forwardness and alacrity at the first ) to become so uneffectuall to the supporting a man in time of temptation , that rather then endure any smart for piety , he falls into any the grossest sins ? and the answer follows v. . because such a man is of a temper that yields not grace any depth to root in , he hath some stonyness at the bottome , some pleasure , or passion , or other remains of resistance rooted in him , which he hath not divested himself of , and when duty begins any way to check that , he is impatient , and throws off piety , of which he made very fair professions , and such as had , as far as his trialls formerly went , reality in them , till this last signall tryall was made of him , for which , it seems by the effect , he was not qualified . § . . the third question is , what is the reason that sufficient grace , once received and bringing forth fruits , though it come not to combat with any sharp tryalls , doth yet many times decay and perish after a while ? and the answer is v. . that there remained in the heart of such some piece of ill temper unreformed , which in time prolified , and sent out great and wasting sins ( though not so generally decryed in the world ) viz. worldly sollicitudes , and such as the wealth of the world is apt to beget in men that have or seek it , and these being permitted to thrive in the soul , 't is regular that grace , which cannot consist with such ( you cannot serve god and mammon ) should be overrun , and choaked , and at length destroyed by that means , which had it not been for this cause of abortion , as it was sufficient , and effectuall for a while , so it would have prosper'd to perseverance . § . . and this introduceth the fourth and last question , what then is it that renders sufficient grace effectuall both to conversion and perseverance ? and the answer is v. . the goodness of the soile , probity of the heart , wherein that sufficient grace is received , and what that is , is best discerned by the opposition to all the former three , . it is a sincerely pliable , ductile temper , that neglects not to make use of any grain of grace , . it hath an uniform courage to combat with difficulties , and is not enslaved to pleasures . . it utterly despises the world , the allurements and the terrors of it , and uses it , as if it used it not . the former part of this temper renders it effectuall to conversion , the two latter to perseverance also . and considering that parable is set down by christ to give account of the various successes of the word of the kingdome , i. e. of the gospel among all those to whom it is made known , who with you are the adaequate object of the scripture-election , and reprobation , what can be farther required to the clear satisfaction of your whole difficulty ? § . . and then remembring that the onely remaining question , viz. whence is this probity ? hath been fully answered in the former papers , i appeal to no other then your self , whether this be not both a perspicuous , and authorized stating , having so weighty a passage of gospel to found it , and therefore in all justice preferrable to your bare conjecture , which , besides that it is pressed with difficulties ( as your self acknowledge ) which to you seem unanswerable , is not provided of any pretense of a foundation , hath no authority from holy scripture to recommend it . § . . if it have any , it is most probably that other short parable in the same chapter , v. . where the kingdome of god is compared to a treasure hid in the field , the which when a man hath found , he hideth , &c. there the man , which found the treasure , is not supposed to seek it ( for that makes another parable v. . ) but by the meer providence of god ( which the heathen philosophers were wont to stile chance , and commonly give this very instance of it the treasure found in the field , ) happily to fall upon it , when he passeth by on some other errand ; and this indeed is matter of frequent observation , augustine is converted by s. ambrose's sermon , when he came to it on no such design , saul is called to from heaven , and converted to christianity , when he was going to damascus on the most distant design of persecuting it . and to omit the many more examples of those of whom it hath been litterally true , that they have found god , when they sought him not , asked not after him , one eminent story our books give us , of two young children brought to a city to be sold , at a time when a devout nun had vowed to take some young child , and bestow her whole life , and utmost industry to bring it up in strict piety , and accordingly came and bought one of them , and assoon as she had bought her , a bawd came in her presence and bought the other , by which means these two , which were so lately in the very same indifferent condition , by this act of divine providence ( to which this was to be attributed ) were strangely discriminated , the one brought up and early engaged , and so persevering to the lives end in all piety , and the other by the contrary discipline debauched , and educated to the trade of harlotry , wherein she lived and persevered . in which it is visible how signal an influence this one act of divine providence had on so distant eternall fates of these two , and how eminent an ingredient it was in the saving the one and damning the other . § . . but from all these and innumerable the like , ( which are freely granted , and allowed to be competent to confirm your main conclusion , that the providence of god is abyssus multa ) you will soon discern , that there comes in no least advantage to that learned bishops scheme , which is the matter of your conjecture , and our onely present enquiry . the whole weight of that ( as far as i , or any man questions it ) being laid , not on the superabundance afforded to one above the other , ( which is willingly granted ) but on the foreseen universall inefficaciousness of the barely sufficient grace , acknowledged to be given to all , till that superadded advantage administred by gods providence in the choice of the congruous timing , come in , as the work of gods election , to make the discrimination . § . . now seeing in all these examples , and in that parable , nothing like this is to be found , no evidence , or intimation of gods foreseeing , . that that man that found the treasure , would never have been wrought on by that measure of sufficient grace , which that opinion allows god formerly to have afforded him , unless by that seasonable act of providence he had thus faln on the treasure in the parable , or . that augustine would never have been converted , if he had not been surprized by s. ambrose's sermon , or . that saul would not have been converted at another time , without , or even with that vision , and voice from heaven , or lastly that that fortunate child , that fell into the nun's , instead of the bawd's hands , would never have been brought to heaven any other way , and could not have miscarried under this method : through all these instances , i say , it is still apparent , that nothing is gained toward the approving the conjecture , these advantageous turns of providence afforded one man and not another , and the signall efficacy of such , being most freely granted by those who deem the conjecture improbable . § . . and indeed , if it be well considered , all that these , and a myriad of the like instances infer , is no more then this , the great and admirable variety of gods providentiall acts , not as those are all one with , but as in his hands they are instrumentall and subservient to his grace , whereby in diverse manners grace is advantageously assisted by providence , to one in this wise , and admirable manner , to another in that ; no man , who is allowed the sufficient grace , being denyed some benefit or other of providence to assist grace , and make it more then probable to become effectuall to him , if he doth not betray and frustrate the opportunities of the one , as well as the power and efficacy of the other . § . . so that still acknowledging most willingly , and admiring the abyss of providence , this no way obstructs the comprehending the manner ( or perplexes the doctrine ) of the cooperation of the grace of god with the will of man , but leaves it where the parable of the sower set it , that the efficacy of grace , and successfulness , whether to conversion , or perseverance proceeds from the mellowness , and preparedness of the soile , from the advantages which it meets with in the honest heart , as that again is wholly due to gods preventing graces , which have thus fitted the soile for the kindly seeds-time , planted pliableness , humility in the heart , where grace may be deeply and durably rooted , but this still resistibly in both parts , as hath formerly been exprest . § . . one phansie i know there is , which hath pleased some men in this matter , that god gives sufficient grace to those who do not make use of it , but resist it , and yet more then so , the power of using , or accepting , or not resisting it , but gives to the elect and onely to the elect , ipsam non resistentiam , the very not resisting , and this they will have to be the signal discriminating grace . § . . of these i shall demand . whether in those which have not this ipsam non-resistentiam given them , this be an effect of god's decree , which hath determined the certain infallible giving it to some peculiar persons , and so the not giving it to all others ? if it be not , then this is no foundation of discriminating grace , or consequently fruit of election and reprobation , and so is still impertinent to the matter for which it is brought . § . . but if it be the effect of gods decree , determining the giving it to some , and denying it to others , i then . demand , whether all they to whom it is not given , do therefore infallibly receive the grace of god in vain , because they have not this ipsa non-resistentia ( which is more then the power of not resisting ) given them ? § . . if this be not affirmed , then , as before , this comes not home to discriminating grace , nor consequently to the business of election and reprobation , which it was meant to assist . but if it shall be said , that they therefore infallibly resist , or receive in vain , because this ipsa non-resistentia is not given them , then it seems this gift of ipsa non-resistentia is such , as that they who have it not , want somewhat which is necessary to their effectuall receiving , or not-resisting grace , and if this be the condition of the far greatest part of the world , then how can it with any sincerity be affirmed ( as by those that make use of this expedient , it is profest ) that god hath to all mankind given christ , and in him all things , and particularly grace sufficient , and the power of not-resisting grace , which according to this phansie , none can choose but resist , who have not the ipsam non-resistentiam given them , which yet they affirm to be given but to a few , i. e. to none but the elect ? § . . this were ( by interpretation , and in effect ) for god to give to all men a power to an act , which yet the greatest part of those which have it given them , can never make use of to that act , for want of somewhat else which is not given them , which to all them which have not that somewhat else given ( and those the far greatest number of men for whom christ dyed ) is not a power to that act , viz. of not-resisting ; which what is it other then a direct contradiction , a power and not a power to the same act ? and withall so far from being a favour to them , that it is in event infallibly and inevitably the greatest curse , that could have befaln them , viz. the heightening and extreamly aggravating of their guilt and punishment , proportionably to their sin of resisting such sufficient grace , of standing out against christ , which as it is the height of guilt , ( and awarded the dregs of gods wrath , ) now under the gospel , and makes their condition in the world to come , much worse , then it would have been , if christ had never been borne , or preached to them , so it had never been thus direfully charged upon them , if they had not had the power of not resisting given them by christ . § . . this is a competent prejudice and discouragement to this phansy , of founding discriminating grace and the doctrine of unconditionate decrees in this difference betwixt the power of resisting , and the ipsa non-resistentia , the latter given onely to the elect. § . . but it will farther be defeated , if we reflect on that place of scripture , wherein gods giving the ipsa non-resistentia chiefly seems to be mentioned , phil. ii. . under the style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , working in us to do , or work , which that it tends not to the support or advantage of this phansy may be evident by these three considerations . § . . first , by the importance of the phrase , [ working in us to do , as before to will , ] which ( as was formerly noted , in passing , ) will best be understood by other parallel phrases , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gods giving to serve , luke . . . which is evidently his giving grace , or power , or supernatural abilities to serve , not onely furnishing him with a remote , and fundamentall power , or faculty , but withall having a particular immediate influence on the effect , actuating that power , when it is actuated , and so properly causing , or making him actually to serve , yet so as to leave him power also to neglect , and receive that power in vain , as the scripture elsewhere saith ; thus revel . xi . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i will give , wee render , i will give power , viz. power to the subsequent act , prophecying there , as in luke , serving in holynesse . by which analogy it is evident , that gods working in us to do , or work , is not interpretable to any more , then his giving supernaturall power , or sufficient grace to do , or worke , and causing him actually , though not irresistibly to work , and then here is no pretense whereon to found the foresaid difference , between god's giving the power of not resisting , and the ipsa non-resistentia , these two being equivalent in this text. § . . secondly , the same appeareth by the apostles exhortation foregoing in this text , to worke and worke out our own salvation with feare and trembling , for the inforcing whereof this reason is given , for it is god that worketh , &c. here our own working is under apostolical exhortation and precept , wee are commanded to worke , as elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cooperate , and worke together with god , which could not have place , if god alone , ( and not wee , ) did work in us the very working , whereas interpreting it of gods giving us the power of working , or doing , as well as of willing , and withall engaging us to make use of that power , and cooperating with us in the very act , and so causing us actually to work , yet so as to leave us a power of resisting , and frustrating , and receiving this power or grace in vain , this is a most proper and effectuall inforcement of the exhortation addrest to us , to work and work out our own salvation . § . . this farther and most irrefragably appeares by the persons , to whom both the exhortation , and this enforcement thereof is tendred , viz : the brethren indefinitely , or beloved , verse . . the whole church of professors at philippi to whom he writes , which being not made up wholly of the elect , sincere , and persevering christians , but like the net , in christ's parable , that caught both good and bad , and had no doubt some insincere persons , hypocrites , and temporaryes in it , the affirmation notwithstanding is indiscriminately of all , god worketh in them to work , which could not hold , if by this phrase were meant his giving the ipsa non-resistentia , and that as an evidence of discriminating grace , and an effect of his election , for this is not supposable to have belonged to that whole church , any more then it then did , or now is believed to do to all christians . § . . i have enlarged thus far , because i was not willing to omit , but rather to prevent whatsoever i could foresee might probably be objected in this businesse . and so this may suffice to have returned to your first difficulty . § . . the second difficulty you thus propose , whereas it is said , and that , ( as you conceive , ) most truly and agreably to plain evidence of scripture , that god withdraweth his grace from such as rejecting it when it is offered to them by the preaching of the gospel , do thereby frustrate the counsell of god against themselves , it seemeth hard to conceive how the grace of god should be so withdrawn from them , that so do , but that , so long as they are not deprived of the outward means , the same sufficient grace that was offered to them at the first hearing of the gospel , is offered to them still ; which if it was then sufficient on god's part , to do the work , is also still sufficient , and that in the same degree , and how then can it be said to be withdrawn ? it is true that the conversion of such a person , after so long obstinacy and refusall is more difficult then before , which may arise from the greater indisposition of the person to be wrought upon , but how it can be imputed in the least , to the withdrawing of the divine grace , ( to which yet undoubtedly it may and ought to be imputed , ) upon the former supposall on the like sufficiency remaining , i must professe my self not able to understand . ] § . . to this i shall not doubt to apply a satisfactory answer , and such as you will acknowledge to be such , by distinguishing of gods withdrawing his grace . for , . it being gods method to give more grace to those that walk worthy of it , the humble obedient children of grace , when he on our provocations stops that current , this may be called withdrawing . god's smitings are his admonitions , ( heare ye the rod , ) his admonitions , as any other dispensation of his word are vehicles of grace , and when these prevaile not , they are thus withdrawn , i. e. not farther encreased , ( why should yee be smitten any more , &c. is . . ) yet is this withdrawing consistent with gods affording sufficient grace , either by instruments of some other kinde , or even of the same kinde , the continuance of that proportion , which was formerly afforded ; as he that gives a competency , and would if he saw it well used , daily make additions to it , though he see cause to with-hold those additions , yet he may continue that competency . but in propriety of speech , ( the truth is , ) this is rather with-holding , then withdrawing , yet because the not giving what was promised to be given is tantamount to withdrawing , i therefore place this in the first ranke , supposing it cleare , that this doth not onely leave sufficient grace ; but is it self designed to awaken and quicken those that did not formerly make good use of it , lest a worse thing yet befall them . § . . secondly , then withdrawing being taken in the proper sense , for taking away from and diminishing the stock , before afforded , that may yet be but in part , not totall , and there being a latitude in sufficient grace , some degrees of that may be taken away , and yet that which remaines be sufficient , an image of which is that degree of church-censures , which cutting off from the participation of the eucharist , or suspending from it , allowes the hearing of the word , and partaking in the prayers of the faithfull , and this act of gods withdrawing , again is so far from denying sufficient grace , that it is purposely used and designed , as the most probable means to make that sufficient grace effectuall , which formerly had not been so . § . . there may yet be a third , and yet further degree of withdrawing , which at the present , and as to sufficient grace , may be said to be totall , i. e. such a withdrawing of grace at the present , that it shall truly be said such a man is not now allowed sufficient for his necessities , whether it be that his necessities are grown greater , and so the former competency will not suffice , or be it also , that some of that which he had is withdrawn , as when he that for some time had no violent temptations , and was furnished with strength proportionable to what he had , upon his betraying this strength , and sinning willfully against it , is by god called out to sharper combats , having been foiled with the weaker , and perhaps some part of his former strength withdrawn from him also , when he hath most need of succours , and should certainly have had them , had he not thus provoked the withholding them . in this case the aime of this punishment of gods is yet most wise and mercifull , thus to convince such a man of his guilts , and impotence , ( the effect of them , ) and so as by turning nebuchadnezzar into the field , thorowly to humble him , to excite ardency of prayers , both for pardon , and grace , which god in that case failes not to give , and so to restore such a man to a greater stability of his former state . § . . and so still this is neither finall , nor simply totall , as that signifies withdrawing all grace , but onely totall for a time in the sence declared , as it signified the withdrawing what was necessary to their present state . § . . and i need not shew you how far this is reconcileable with sufficient grace , any farther then thus , that such an one though severely mulcted hath yet time for repentance and grace to make some use of it , which if he failes not in , he hath assurance of more grace , and this demonstrated to be so , by his not being cut off in his sins , ( gods long-suffering leading him to repentance , ) and by the light of gods word , and articulation of his calls dayly continued to him , which are not void of that grace , which is sufficient to work conviction , and hath the promise of more , ( upon asking , ) made to him that is thus qualified for it . § . . fourthly , there is the removing the candlestick , the withdrawing all the outward ordinary means of grace , the preaching of the word and sacraments , which if it be done by the censures of the church , is called the delivering up to satan , or if it be done by gods judgements , invasion of barbarians , &c. it is yet to those persons that are thus punished , perfectly proportionable to that of the church-censures . and yet of those it is said expresly by the apostle , that the end of inflicting them is for edification , that they may be disciplined , taught not to blaspheme . this supposes continuance of grace to them that are thus punished , and that sufficient to make use of this punishment to their amendment , nay the punishment , though it be the withdrawing of one instrument of grace , is it self another , and therefore purposely chosen and allowed in exchange for the former , because it is looked on as the more probable to produce the effect . § . . they that see so great a benefit withdrawn from them for their unworthiness , will be thereby excited to reflect on their provocations , and bewail them , and contend by all regular means to regain what they have forfeited , and to repair their defects some other way , and this being the very end to which this punishment is by god designed , it is not imaginable , he doth yet ( till this method also be despised ) withold that degree of grace from such which is necessary for the producing of the effect . § . . all the ordinances of god , we know ( and such are the censures ) yea and all the wise dispensations of his providence , particularly his punishments of this life ( and therefore this , as the last , beside excision ) are instruments of grace in the hands of his wisdome , as well as the preaching of the word is , and therefore in all reason to be resolved to be the vehicles of grace also , and so neither is this any objection against gods giving sufficient grace to those , whom he thus punishes , in case they begin to make use of it . if they do not , but continue still obstinate , 't is just it should at length be withdrawn from them . § , . but this must be understood onely of those persons to whom the light of the gospel had formerly shined , not to their distant posterity , which never have had any gleames of it , though their ancestors had the fullest sunshine . these are to be reckon'd with the heathen , with whom you know we undertook not to meddle , treating onely of the scripture-election , terminated in those to whom the scripture is revealed . § . . fifthly there is a totall and finall withdrawing of all grace , as well as the means of it , which is visible in the cutting off such an one in his sins , and when this comes , our former supposall of sufficient grace , as of the preaching of the word , and god's calls , are utterly at an end , but this breeds no shew of difficulty , that man having enjoyed and mispent his time of sufficient grace , and now the store-houses are shut up . § . . but there is yet possibly a sixth state of with-drawing , when before either cutting off , or with-drawing gods outward calls , whilst life , and the preaching of the word is continued , the obdurate sinner , that hath long hardened his own heart against god , thereby provokes him totally to with-draw all inward grace from him , as much as if he were already in hell ; this seems to be pharaoh's case after the sixth judgement , and was designed by god to very excellent ends , to make him an example to all those that should be inclined to harden their hearts against god ; and though we know not that god thus deals with any others , yet it is sure he justly may with all whom he may justly cut off in their sins . and in this case i acknowledge the non-conversion of such a man is not onely imputable to the indisposition of the person to be wrought on , but also to the withdrawing of the divine grace , for then , as i said , the former supposal ( of the like sufficiency remaining ) ceaseth , and is out-dated . § . . what fresh difficulties can arise from this concession , i cannot divine , unless . it should be objected , that then , it seems , the word is not alwayes the vehicle of grace , and then . who knows when it is so , when not ? and how then is this reconcileable with the doctrine of sufficient grace alwayes accompanying the word ? and to these the answers are obvious , . that it is granted that the word is not the vehicle of grace to the divils who believe and tremble , to the damned who have received their sentence , nay nor to those that are thus arrived to the highest degree of obduration in this life , and have , as pharaoh , this exterminating sentence passed upon them . it is sufficient if it be so to them that are in a capacity to make use of it , and have not utterly hardened themselves against it , the scripture-expression being , that the gospel is the power of god to salvation to every one that believes it , and this is enough to establish our pretensions , the doctrine of sufficient grace . there is a competent time allowed every man , and 't is certain , death is the conclusion of it , 't is possible some space before death . § . . as for the second , if it were on the premised grounds granted , that sometimes it cannot be known whether or no the preaching of the word do then bring this grace with it , yet the one regular consequence would be that we should all be the more carefull to make use of grace , when it is afforded : but when to this is added , that this barren season is alwayes the reward of obstinate obduration ( and of nothing less then that ) as long as we have any softness left , that is our assurance that this sad time is not yet come upon us . they that go on in their obdurate course , have reason to expect this fatal period every hour , but they that have remorse , and any degree of sincere relenting , may know by this , that this state of spiritual death hath not yet seized them , and that is sufficient to guard this doctrine from all noxious consequences , having provided that none shall hereby think his state desperate , that is willing to reform it . § . . but then it is farther to be remembred , that there appears not in the word of god , any other example of this totall spirituall dereliction finally inflicted , before death , but onely that of pharaoh , after the time that god is said to have hardened his heart ; and the reason of this is set down , god keeps him alive , after the time due to his excision , that he might shew in him his power . and such singular examples ought no farther to be taken into consideration by us at this distance from them , then to warn us , that we keep as far as it is possible from the like provocations , and then there remains not , that i discern , any farther appearance of difficulty in this matter . § . . as for any others that shall be apt to occur , when men set themselves to consider of these points , not divining what they are , i may not pretend to speak to them , any farther then thus , that in all probability they may be measured by these , which you have chosen to mention , and by nearer approach to them be likewise found not to be so deep , as at the distance they are conceited to be . this then concludes your trouble ; it remains that according to my promise i now onely annex the letters of praescience , and hasten to subscribe my self your most affectionate brother and servant h. hammond . the extracts of three letters concerning gods praescience reconciled with liberty and contingency , referred to , and promised in the first letter to d. sanderson , §. . the first letter . § . . as to the distinction betwixt inevitably and infallibly , ( of which you desire my sence ) it is certain you must understand no more by the infallibility , then is vulgarly meant by necessitas ex hypothesi , which is no more then that whatsoever is , cannot not be , or , omne quod est , eo ipso quod est , necessariò est . for so whatsoever is seen , or ( which is all one in an infinite deity ) foreseen by god , is thereby supposed to have , in that science of his , an objective being ; if it were not , or did not come to pass , it should have no such objective being , if it have , it is thereby evidenced to be seen by him , who was , is , and is to come , and so ( being infinite ) is equally present to all , and equally sees , and knows all from all eternity . what therefore you conclude ( as it is most agreeable to this , so it ) is most true , that god knows all things as they are , such as come to pass contingently , he knows to come contingently , and from thence i undeniably conclude , therefore they are contingent ; as for socinus's resolution that he foresees onely what are foreseeable , and that contingents are not such , but onely those that come to pass by his decree , i conceive it as dangerous as m. calvins , that he predetermines all things , and it is visibly as false . for it is evident by the prophecies of judas &c. that god long ( before ) foresees sins , which are as certainly contingent , and not decreed or decreeable by god. if therefore any that writes against the remonstrants go about to retort their arguments , and conclude from their acknowledgements of gods praescience , what is charged on their adversaries doctrine of praedetermination , i conceive it is but a boast , that hath no least force in it , praedetermination having a visible influence and causality on the object , but eternal vision , or praevision being so far from imposing necessity on the thing to be , that it supposes it to be already , from the free choice of the agent , and that being of it is , in order of nature , before its being seen . gods seeing , or foreseeing hath no more operation or causality of any kind on the object , then my seeing your letter hath caused your letter . you wrote freely , and now i see it , and that being supposed , it is infallibly certain that you have written , and that you cannot not have written . and just so it is in respect of god. onely i am finite , and so is my sight , i see few things , and those onely which are present , but god being infinite sees all ab infinito , that are never so long hence future . — at cambridge they have lately printed origen contra celsum , and philocalia gr. & lat. ( which were rarely had and dear ) the latter of which hath good chapters on this subject . § . . this letter met with some prepossessions , so far advanced , as to cause a reply of some length , and that necessitated my larger endeavours to remove them , which i shall here add also ; his reply , to which this referres , is none of my goodes , and therefore i may not take that liberty in disposing of that , but you will discerne the force of it , in my returnes , which were as followes . the second letter . sir . § . . i received your letter , and in it your sence of that difficult point , which i cannot approve of , but on the contrary assure my self , that as omnipotence is not onely the power of doing all things that any or all creatures can do , but more then so , the doing all things that imply not a contradiction , ( as the same thing at once to be and not to be , the doing of those being as impossible to god , as it is to lye , ) so the omniscience of god is the knowing all things which any creature can know , and not onely so , but the knowing all things which implye not a contradiction to be known , and then that will be extensible to all things that are past , present , or to come , of what sort soever they are ; what is past , or present , or being future is decreed by him , or comes to passe by some necessary cause in nature , which he decrees not to hinder , gods knowledge of these will not , i suppose , be doubted of . all the question will be of future contingents , which before they are done , are possible to be , or not to be , but whensoever they come to passe , are as determinately in being ; as is any thing else , ( the most necessary , ) that is allready done . unlesse then , what by being future is out of my reach , is also by being future , out of gods reach , there can be no pretense that any such future contingent should not be objicible to gods all seeing knowledge . § . . and that nothing that ever shall be , or will come to passe , is thus out of gods reach , must sure be yeilded to gods immensity , which relating to time , as well as place , it will be equally derogatory to it to limit it to the present time , in opposition to the future , and to the present , ( be it whatsoever finite , ) place . this therefore i take to be the one thing fit to be considered in this matter , whether gods immensity comprehend not a commensuration to all time , and somewhat beyond that , as much as infinite is beyond finite . § . . this i suppose cannot be denyed to the notion which is due to a deity , and if so , then god was immense from all eternity , and cannot be imagined to advance or arrive to this by any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , proficiency , or improvement , by continuing or enduring from the beginning to this time , or to the end of the world , but in every imaginable point of time , even before time was , he was thus immense , and if so , his knowledge being as immense as himself , all that he was from eternity present to , ( i. e. all things that ever were or shall be , ) must needs be objected to his knowledge . § . . against this , your prime argument is , that it is no more derogatory to his omniscience not to know that which is in nature unintelligible , then to his omnipotence , not to do things impossible . ] this is expresly socinus's grand argument , and to it i answer . . that the phrase , ( in nature unintelligible , ) may be set to signifie no more then what no naturall , i. e. created power can know , and then there is no truth in the proposition , unlesse proportionably [ impossible ] signify what no finite naturall created power can do : and if both those phrases be meant so , there is nothing gain'd by it , because a deity may both do and know more , then any creature can . but then secondly , the phrase [ in nature unintelligible ] may also signifie that which in the nature of things , whether finite or infinite , created or uncreated , is not possible to be understood ; and thus i suppose you meane it , and then the interpretation of the phrase must be , that for such a thing to be objicible to any , though infinite , understanding , implyes a contradiction , ( for nothing else is simply impossible : ) and this being your meaning , i absolutely deny , that for god to be by his immensity present to all time , ( and all that he is present to , he may see , ) implyes a contradiction , or hath any appearance , ( to him that considers what infinite is , ) of so implying . and if you will make tryall and attempt to prove it doth , it must be by proceeding on the known definition of contradictoryes , a repugnance in terminis , as idem eodem respectu esse & non esse , and then you will soon discerne the unquestionable truth of my deniall . for gods seeing all future contingents , will neither imply god to be , and not to be , to see , and not to see , to see certainly , and not to see certainly , nor the future contingent to be , and not to be , or to be necessarily and not to be necessarily , or to be future , and not to be future . for the thing being future , and contingent now , and so continuing till it comes to passe , and when it comes to passe , coming to passe contingently , and so as it might not come to passe also , but when it actually is done , it implying a contradiction , ( and so being impossible , ) not to be done , and so being necessary necessitate hypotheticâ , i. e. supposing that it is , all this god sees and knowes by the severall acts of his intellect , answerable to the severall notions of the thing . § . . from all eternity , and so in every point of time , before it comes to passe , god sees it both as future , and as contingent , and so , as that , which till it is , may be or may not be ; and when it comes to passe , in ipso fieri , he sees the man that does it , act freely , having power to the contrary , and the thing never necessary , but as being done , and that onely by that necessity , whereof that proposition in logick is to be understood , omne quod est , eo quod est , necessariò est . all which is very obvious to be conceived , and there is not the least contradiction , or shew thereof in it . § . . this one would thinke you readily granted , when you say , god infallibly knowes all that is past , present , or possible to be , ( for no man demands any more , ) yet you deny it again in these words , [ meer contingents which with equall possibility may be , or may not be , have no being in act , and therefore can cast no reflection , or objective being into the mind of god. ] to which i reply , first , that you ought to advert . . that what may be , or may not be , may be . . what may be , is possible , and . you your self confesse that god knowes all that is possible . secondly that the having no being in act , ( which seemes to be your stumbling block , ) is a phrase proportioned to the thing , and to our finite understandings , to which the thing is future onely , and so hath no being yet : but when god is considered as infinite , then whatsoever shall ever be in act , that actuall being of it , is the object of gods sight , and hath been so from all eternity , and is no more removed from him , then that is removed from me , which is present with me ; and if you say , god sees before , what in after time shall hang in the ballance of humane indetermination , i e. what he may do , deliberates , and is free to do , or not to do , but hath not yet done , i demand , why may he not also foresee which end of the ballance doth at length overpoise ? ( is not one of these as truly future , as the other , when the man is not yet borne ? ) and so again , which end doth not overpoise , and never will , although he see it might , if the man should choose so , and that the man may so choose , but still that he doth not . this is it , wherein you say the contradiction is , and now it is visible there is none , nor the least approach towards any . § . . here you add , ( which is your second main objection , ) that it is a mistake to call that possible , which god foresees shall never be , for if god foresees the contrary , ( i. e. that it shall never be , ) it is indeed impossible . but , . i pray , is nothing possible to come to passe , but what actually comes to passe ? if so , nothing that is , is contingent . but if some things be possible to come to passe , which yet do not come to passe , why may not god see they will not come to passe ? and if he can , then that is no mistake , which you say is . . do but change the word foresight into ( which is the same , ) seeing from all eternity , and then it is plain , that god from all eternity may see that thing will never actually be , which yet is free for the agent to do , or not to do , ( and god sees that too , ) and so is possible every way , save onely ex hypothesi , on supposition that it will never be ; and as the bare hypotheticall necessity is no absolute necessity , so the bare hypotheticall impossibility is no absolute impossibility . . god sees every thing as it is , and it 's being or not being such , is in order of nature antecedent to gods seeing it ; therefore it infallibly followes , that if it be possible to be , though it shall never be , god sees it is possible to be , and if god sees it possible , it unavoidably followes that it is possible . § . . and it is not fit here to interpose , that though it seem to us possible , in respect of second causes , yet if god foresee the contrary , it is indeed impossible ; ] for what i am by god left free to do , or not to do , that , not onely seemes , but is indeed possible , and so it is , though in event i never do it , and being so in it self , god's seeing it will never be , hath no least influence upon it , so as to make the least change in it , ( for that is the work of his will , not of his knowledge , ) and so it cannot from possible convert it into impossible . § . . when therefore you say , no cause can effect that which god sees shall never be , this is onely true in sensu composito , that , in case it shall never be , and so god sees it shall never be , no cause shall effect it , but in sensu diviso it is most false , for i am truly able to write more lines to you then i shall ever write , or consequently then god foresees i shall write , and even this , that i am thus able , god equally foresees . § , . by this you see how far i am from being convinced , or by any reason forced to grant , that future determinations of free agents are not foreseeable , and what the inconvenience is of affirming they are not , even no less then derogating from gods immensity , and infinity , and judging the perceptions of an infinite creator by our finite , created measures , his more then unfathom'd ocean by my span , and feigning contradictions , where there are none . § . . now to the inconveniences which you enumerate , i shall reply also , as oft as i perceive i have not prevented , or answered them already . the first is , that the sight can be no more certain then the things are which are seen , and therefore there cannot be a certain knowledge of those things , which in their causes are uncertain , ] i answer that all the certainty of the knowledge of any thing depends upon its being first , and then of its being known to be , and not onely upon the certainty of its causes ; i do now as certainly know that i have written nine pages to you , as i know that the fire burns , therefore that may be known certainly , which is not certain in its causes . and as that which is present to me is certainly known by me , so are all things to come from all eternity , present to an immense creator , be they contingent , or not . and in this case there is not more in the effect then in the cause , for what is contingently come to pass , being done , is certain , and cannot be undone , and god sees it , as it is , therefore he sees it as done , and so certain , yet as done contingently , and so as that which might not have been , the being , certain , the manner of its coming to act , uncertain . the being then being the cause of the seeing , or in nature antecedent to it , and the seeing the effect or consequent of the being , the certainty of the effect is but proportionable to , and exceedeth not the cause . § . . the second inconvenience is , that of saying that every thing that happens was certain to be , before it happens ] but i say not so , unless by certain you mean ex hypothesi , certain to be , in case it be ; for in case it should not be , god should see it would not be , and then it should be as certainly otherwise . § . . the short is , all exhortations , industry , preaching , &c. are founded in the liberty of our actions , and if they be free till they be actually determined , and then are past freedome , and become necessary , so consequently must exhortations , &c. be all usefull , till the thing be done , ( and then indeed , as to the doing , or not doing that , they are not usefull , but their second season of usefulness comes in , in case it were a sin , exhortation to repentance , &c. ) and that is as much , as can be or need be pretended to , and this is fully competible with gods seeing certainly from all eternity , whatsoever shall come to pass in time ; his seeing it supposing it done , though for the manner of its being done , that were contingent , and if so , then is it not certain to be , before it happens , but it is certain to be , when it is , and it first is , in order of nature , before it is seen , and its being already seen , before it be done , depends onely on the immensity of gods presence , and sight , which reacheth out to all that ever shall be ; so that that which is future to us , he is present to it , and in that sence , though he sees it as future , t is yet present to him . § . . your third inconvenience is , that , by this , the damnation of such or such men is as fixed and unalterable , as though they were reprobated from all eternity , and it is as ill in respect of me , if i must inevitably be damned by my own free will , as if i had been sentenced to hell by gods decree , and in respect of god worse , for he must be deprived of the free exercise of his omnipotence , ( because he cannot make that not to be which he foresees will be ) and brought under a stoicall fatality , and so be an helpless spectatour of what anothers will is pleased to effect . ] i answer if by [ such and such men ] you mean such or such individuall entities , without respect to their qualifications or demeanures , then all your consequence , as it is inconvenient , so it is false , for from gods seeing ab aeterno , that judas will be reprobated , it follows not , that he sees he will be reprobated , but for his willfull treason . but if you mean by such or such men ] men so or so qualified , i. e. finally impenitent , then 't is true , but not inconvenient , that finall impenitents , should from all eternity be reprobated . and speaking of these in this sence , 't is true , which you add , that it is as ill in respect of the person , i. e. finall impenitents , meaning by [ as ill ] as sad and penal , nay 't is more sad , and penal to be reprobated for final impenitence , which i am guilty of by my own free-will , then it would be to be onely by gods decree involved in it , my willful culpable guilt being some addition to my misery , and ( as long as god is just ) it being expectable that those punishments will be sharper , which i bring on my self , by the exercise of my free will , then what comes on me by a decree grounded no way in my actions . and so still this is no inconvenience . but if you mean by [ as ill ] that which hath as little mixture of gods goodness towards me , then your consequence is false , for to gods seeing judas reprobated , and his seeing it ab aeterno , it is no way consequent , that he gives him no power to escape damnation , viz. grace to be able to stand and not fall , or grace to recover if he will make use of it , but the contrary rather follows ; for how can god see him damned for the betraying christ , and not repenting and returning , unless this were done wilfully by him ( sins of weakness and ignorance finding mercy , as in the case of saul , persecuting the church ) and unless he were first a disciple of christ , and so were illuminated , and assisted by christ , and if he were so , then he had this power and grace , or might have had it , if he were not wanting to himself , and if so , then this was not so ill to him ( in this sense , of which now i speak ) as to have been irrespectively reprobated , and never vouchsafed this grace . § . . so when you say it is worse in respect of god , and prove that because he must be deprived of the free exercise of his omnipotence ] there is no truth in that consequence , or the reason of it . for gods omnipotence consists not in being able to make both parts of a contradiction true , that were in the very attempt a departing from veracity , a falseness , a sin , and so the greatest impotence , and so most contrary to omnipotence . and such is that , which alone your consequence , and the reason of that supposes , making that not to be , which he foresees will be , for by the latter part of that expression you mean that which from eternity he sees to be done , and then to be done and not to be done , is in terminis contradictory . and this impotence or not being able to cause the same thing at once to be and not to be , is far from all notions of stoical fatality , that i ever heard of ( els sure all rationall creatures must be stoicks , for they all resolve that what is , cannot not be ) and as far from making god an idle helpless spectator of what anothers will is pleased to effect : for his providence , and assistence , and efficacy belong to other things , not to the making that not to be , when it is , but to the preventing it before it came , giving grace sufficient , preventing , restraining , exciting , &c. ordering it and disposing of it to his own wise ends , when it is done , and punishing the doer justly , if he repent not , to which he is also ready to give grace , if he humbly ask , and seek and knock for it : all this is supposed to be done by god , and so god is no helpless spectator , and all this is reconcileable with the effects being wrought by our free will , as long as gods grace works not irresistibly . § . . here i remember that of s. augustin . de civ . l. . c. . nullo modo cogimur , aut retenta praescientia dei , tollere voluntat is arbitrium , aut retento voluntatis arbitrio , deum , quod nefas est , negare praescium futurorum , ( this is expresly contrary both to the calvinists pretension on one side , and the socinians on the other . ) § . . your fourth inconvenience is , that then god never purposed to save all mankind . ] if by purposing you mean decreeing , and by saving , actually bestowing heaven upon them , then that consequence is true , but not in the least wise inconvenient , for god never decreed to save final impenitents , and such are many of mankind , after the giving of christ , but on the contrary , hath sworn such shall not enter into his rest . the saving of mankind which god decreed is the redeeming them , and giving them christ , and grace , and making them salvable , and being deficient in nothing toward that end to those , that will make use of it . as for the other notion of salvation , it is no where said that god purposed that in the notion of decreeing , but onely that he so will'd as to desire it , and to give sufficient means of effecting it , but those means proportioned to rational agents , and so not violent or irresistible , or such as should , by being contrary to freedome , exclude rewardableness . so when you say , christ could not have an intention to dye for them , who he foresees would be nothing advantaged by it ] if by dying for them ] you mean so dying , that they should actually be saved , so 't is true , he intended not to dye for those that are finally impenitent , and so are not advantaged by it , for sure it is no part of his covenant or intention in dying , to save such : but if by dying for them you mean purchasing pardon , upon supposition of repentance , then that he intended thus to dye for them , that make not this advantage of it , ( and so he sees make it not ) appears evidently by many texts , which tell us of his redeeming those that deny him , that perish , &c. and is intimated by the very style you use of their being nothing advantaged by it , for if he did not purchase those advantages for them , why is that phrase used ? § . . your fifth inconvenience is , that on this supposition , god could not seriously call upon such , whom his prescience points out for damnation , to repent , more then i could bid him take heed that he fall not , whom by tumbling down i saw mortally bruised already . ] i answer , . that if you mean any more by that phrase [ his praescience points out to damnation ] then [ he sees ab aeterno , that they will not repent , but dye in their sins , ] i reject the phrase , as not belonging to the question , my hypothesis being far from yielding , that praescience doth any other way , but this , or in any other sense , point out any to damnation . and therefore changing that obscurer for this other more perspicuous phrase , i say that gods praescience of mens not making use of his call , is very reconcileable with the seriousness of his call , which i inferr from gods own words , and oath , as i live , saith the lord , i desire not the death of him that dyes , turn you , turn you , for why will you dye ? what can be more serious then this speech , directed to those that dye , and he sees , obstinately will dye . but this differs widely from my warning him to take heed of falling , whom i see actually fall'n , because whensoever god thus calls not to fall , the man is not fall'n : when he calls him to arise again , being fall'n , he is not irreversibly fall'n , and therefore accordingly he calls him ( not , not to fall , but ) to rise again . and what god thus doth in time , god ab aeterno decreed to do , and his foreseeing it would not produce the desired effect , was in order of nature after the decree of doing it , and therefore is in no reason to have any influence on ( so as to change ) the decree , and if not so , then the decree standing still in force , it is most necessary that it should be performed , and so that god should in time call thus seriously to repentance . § . . and indeed , for god to foresee ( as he doth , or els would not punish for it , ) that his most serious call will be rejected , and yet not to suppose his call is most serious , is an absolute contradiction , and so cannot possibly be supposed or imagined . § . . to my argument of judas's sin being foreseen , and foretold by god , from whence i conclude that that is foreseen which is not caused by god , or to which the man is not determined by any act of gods will ) which you say is very pressing , you answer by referring to my judgement . whether the prophecies could not have been fullfilled , had judas never been born : . whether by listning to his master he could not have repented , &c. ] to the first i answer , that the prophecy , as it was terminated in him , could not possibly have been fullfilled , had he never been born , and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or utmost completion of the prophecy psal . . . was terminated in him , the holy ghost by s. peter tells us , act. . to the second , that i doubt not but by listning to christ , he might have repented , and then god foresaw that he might , yet foresaw he would not do what he might , and so foretold this ; whereas if he would have done otherwise , it is as undoubted , that god should have foreseen that , and might , if he had pleased , have foretold it also , as christ did not onely his treason , but also s. peters denyall , and repentance also . as for that which you suggest , that the prophecy of him might be like that of jonah , conditional ] , there is little probability for it , when the event hath so much otherwise interpreted it , which if it had not done , i should not have resisted your suggestion , as far as concerned his perishing . but then . you know my argument was founded in gods foreseeing his sin ( and no his perishing ) and to that his conditional foresight , exemplified in jonas to nineveh , is not applyable , § . . that which you cite from chrysostome , who gives for a reason why christ admitted judas to the sacrament , that nothing might be omitted that might conduce to his amendment ] belongs not to your first , but second question , and so i allowed of it , as you see , and am not prejudiced by it . for to your concluding question i answer expresly , christ look'd on judas's not sinning , or repenting , as possible , till by his repudiating all the means of grace , and his measure of iniquity fill'd up , he withdrew his grace from him , which whether he did before , or not till his death , i have no means of desining . onely this i resolve , that christs foreseeing what he would do , had no least influence on the effect , any more then the effect hath on the cause , or the sense on the object , gods foresight being in nature consequent to , and caused by his doing it , not the cause of it . and when you say , that if it were possible , then the contrary was not certain , i grant it was not certain , till it was done , and when you inferr , then it could not be foreseen , i deny the consequence , for those things which are not certain , till they are done , may by an immense deity be ab aeterno seen to come to passe in time , and so that sight or foresight be as certain , as a foresight of what is most necessary in its causes : and the reason is clear , because of that which is done , it is as certain that it is done , as of that which is in causis , it is certain , that it is in causis , and being so , it may cast a reflexion on the understanding of him that is present to it , and so is god to futures , as well as to the present . § , and when you say in your postscript , that it is a contradiction to say that things past or future are present , and therefore all things are not , nay cannot be present to god ; ] i answer , . that you use not the right definition of a contradiction , in saying thus , for future doth not contradict present , but present and not present is a contradiction , and so future and not future ; . although it be granted of any finite thing , that it cannot be both present and future , yet god being immense , may and must be present to that which is future , or els he is bounded and limited . yet this doth not inferr god to see what is future as present ( which you say is to be deceived ) but to see what is future as future , which though indeed it be future , yet he by his immensity may be present to it . and none of the inconveniences , which you add , follow on this ; onely let me tell you ( on strength of that proposition , quicquid est necessario est id quod est ) that as god cannot change what is past , so he cannot change that which is present , so as to make it , when it is present , not present , and then no more can he change that which is future , so as to make it not future . all that can be done is , either . to make that which is contingent ( and so may be or may not be ) to become necessary , by decreeing it ; or . to come to pass really , though but contingently , or els . not to come to pass , or finally to leave it still free , yet to foresee what will freely be done , as much as what will necessarily be done . § . . so that you see the maxime which you mislike , is not so much , that all things are present to god , i. e. represented to him sub ratione praesentis , as this , that god by his immensity is present to all things , and his sight being as infinite as his being , this is as easie to be understood , as the other , or as any infinite is comprehensible by our finite understandings , which you call duller apprehensions , for so sure are all ours , when we imploy them upon infinites . you see into what a length i am run , indeed much above mine own intentions , but shall not repent of it , if it contribute to the disabusing you , and shewing you the way out of this intricacy . § . . this second letter having some enforcements of the old , and addition of new scruples , returned to it , by the same hand , which i accounted it my duty to answer at large , by a third letter , ( which i suppose will conclude this controversy , ) i shall here also subjoin it . it was as followeth . the third letter . sir . § . . though yours of — made hast to me , yet i found no leasure to afford it any serious reflections , till this — and therefore being already guilty of two long delayes , i shall not now encrease them by prooeme , but fall immediately to the view of your reply . and in it , what you first lay down , partly by way of concession , partly by way of apology for your own notion , partly by way of opposition to mine , i must confesse i see not what propriety of application it hath to that which was the ground-work of my paper , viz : that whatsoever hath a being , or ever shall have a being , ( which though by being future 't is out of my reach , yet by being future , is not removed out of gods reach , ) is objicible to gods all-seeing eye of knowledge , and this upon the grounds of his infinite unlimited immensity , by you and by all christians acknowledged , and the no contradiction , ( which alone renders it impossible to god , ) which it implyes , for god thus to reach out immensly , and see all ab aeterno , which ( and in the manner as it ) in time comes to passe . § . . in stead of shewing this implicancy of a contradiction , ( which alone was to have been done , ) you have tendred a reason to prove , [ that god's knowledge is not properly said to be immense , in regard he knowes all things possible , ] viz : because they conjunctim are not absolutely infinite . but sure this hath no force against my position , which doth not prove gods immensity of knowledge , by this argument of his knowing all things possible , or by any other , but takes that for granted , and needing no proofe , and from thence inferres and concludes the other , viz : his knowing all things past , present or future , and against this concluding 't is visible your reason is of no kind of force , [ for that these conjunctim are not infinite , ] for an immense knowledge may and must see all finites , though it self be infinite . § . . so again , when you say his immensity cannot relate to time , and place , which are both finite , and you cannot see how any quantitative extension should be subjected in a purely spirituall essence , and press this with absurdityes , and strange consequences , ( as if it were maintained by them , against whom your debates lye , ) if you consider again , you will see , there was no cause for it , i am sure in my papers there was none , which when they proposed to your consideration , whether gods immensity comprehend not a commensitration to all time , immediately added , and somewhat beyond that , as much as infinite is beyond finite . by comprehending a commensuration to all time , if when it had that immediate addition to explaine it , it can be misunderstood , i must then farther expresse my self , that i meant , no quantitative extension , or indeed any more then this , that god is , was , and shall be , from , and to all eternity , and as his essence , so is his immensity , omnipresence , omniscience ; he sees and knowes all things , not onely that are or have been , but that ever shall , or will be , i. e. shall ever have an actuall being , objicible to knowledge , and even for possibles , that yet never come to passe , he sees and knowes both parts . . that they are possible to be . . that they will never be . § . . this i have added in relation to those words of yours , on which you seem to lay weight , [ the time to come is now no time , as the things which meerly be possible , are now no things , and therefore to apprehend that god is in such time , or that such things are present with him , is to conceive that that is not . ] § . . here , first , let me tell you , your comparison , or proportion holds not , being laid betwixt the time to come , which is really future , and the things meerly possible , which shall never be ; but passing that , 't is certain secondly , that though the time to come , according to our finite measures , is now to us no time , i. e. is not the present time , ( which holds equally of the time past , which being past is now to us not present , ) yet in respect of gods immensity this cannot be said , for that were to encumber him with our sinite rules , and measure infinity by our span of time , which with me you professe to avert , and abhor . § . . so though the things meerly possible are now no things , ( i shall add , nor ever shall be , ) yet even these are objicible to him as they are , i. e. as things meerly possible ; which yet never shall actually be , for he may and doth see that they are possible , and also that they shall not come to passe . § . . and when against this you argue , that this is to conceive that which is not , ] if you mean by it , that which is not actually , i grant it , but find no inconvenience in affirming , that god sees or conceives that to be possible , which he sees is not , nay shall never be ; but if you meane , that if so , then god conceives contrary to truth , there is then no shew of truth in that consequence , for his conceiving that to be meerly possible , which is meerly possible , is to see according , ( and that is not contrary , ) nazianzen's speech that god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , alwayes is , but neither properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was , nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shall be , and that eternity is neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time , nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , part of time , is so far from having any unkind aspect on my notions , that it is the very thing that i contend , that we must not go about to fathom eternity by our finite lines of time , but lay all that is done in time , or ever shall be , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , naked and bare before him , and still acknowledge that beyond this , there is an infinite abysse , which we cannot fathom . § . . on this what you build , and apply equally to that which is past , and future , [ that which is past vanishing , say you , into nothing , and before it was , being nothing , ] might ( me thinks ) by being reflected on , extricate you out of your labyrinth . for can you doubt that god knowes what is now past ? i presume you do not , can not ; and then why may he not as well know what is future ? when the onely objection to that , being [ because it is not , and he must then know that , that is not , ] you have equally resolved , that that which is past , is not , as that that is future ; and so that your objection , either holds against both , or neither , i pray consider this . § . . next when you insist , that the acts of his infinite understanding , in relation to the creature , must needs be finite , as the creatures are finite . ] i cannot apprehend , how you can reap any the least advantage by it , meaning , as the words import , that god sees things as they are , for this you know and acknowledge is my ground also , and to this it is consequent , ( and so not strange , ) that whatsoever he sees ab aeterno , he must see , as it is , i. e. as it is done in time , whether necessarily , or contingently , but no way consequent , that he can see nothing ab aeterno , because it is in time that it comes to passe , for that which comes to passe in time , he that is eternall , and immense , and omniscient , may ( seeing it implyes no contradiction , ) see ab aeterno , though i who am finite , and whose sight is limited , and finite , cannot . § . . when therefore you argue , that it is no more derogatory to his eternal wisdome , to say that he sees or knowes this or that in time , and not ab aeterno , then it is to his infinite power , to say that it workes in a finite manner , ] me thinks the fallacy should be to gross to impose on you , upon a second view : the former member of your comparison expressly denying his seeing or knowing ab aeterno , which is the greatest derogation to immensity , and omniscience and eternity , when the latter hath no such negation of his power of working , but affirmes onely that he workes in a finite manner , ( which he may do sometimes , when there is no need of interposing his infinite power , ) but not that he workes not ab aeterno , which the proportion , if it were observed , would exact , and then that would be as derogatory to his power also . § . . the observing of this will i hope cleare to you that which you say is so strange , it being but the same fallacy again in another dresse , ( which therefore i shall no farther pursue , ) or if the reason which you add , from the temporariness of the creature , which ab aeterno had no being , save onely in mere possibility , ] have still any force with you , i hope it will cease to have so , when . you consider that an objective being is sufficient to cause knowledge , and that it 's being in time is no hindrance to an immense deity to see it ab aeterno , for if he may see it a day before it comes to passe , why may he not equally ab aeterno ? . that futures , though contingent , differ from meer possibilityes , that which is meerly possible never coming to an actuall being , and so being not future , and of such i should erre indeed strangely , if i thought god did foresee them as future , or see them as having an actuall being . it suffices that he sees them as they are , i. e. as meerly possible , and why that which is possible , though it never be , god may not see ab aeterno to be possible , i neither see , nor am offered by you any shew of reason . how you come to conceive it said by your adversaryes that the acts of gods understanding are all necessarily eternall , ( you meane i suppose by your whole discourse ab aeterno , ) i guess not , when he that saith god sees ab aeterno , what now i do , must also grant that he now , i. e. in time sees me do it , or else could not believe him omniscient . 't is the part of immensity to do both , and of omniscience to know all things both future , and present , and the affirming one of these is very far from denying the other . § . . you say this is no convincing argument , gods understanding was infinite ab aeterno , therefore whatever he knowes , he knew ab aeterno , more then this , gods power , &c. was infinite ab aeterno , ergo : what he does now , he does ab aeterno . ] but . who urged that former argument in that forme ? not i surely . . if i now shall , your parallel bears no proportion with it , unless the antecedent and consequent be better suited then they are ; for in your antecedent you speak of power , in the consequent of doing , which belongs to gods will , not to his power , ( for sure god does onely what he wills , not whatsoever he hath power to do , or to will. ) but set both to the same , viz. to his power , and then it will follow inevitably thus , gods power and ability of doing whatsoever he pleased was infinite ab aeterno , ergo . whatsoever he now does he had power to do ab aeterno ; and this is the argument which alone is suitable to the former , gods understanding was infinite ab aeterno , ergo . whatsoever he knowes , ( or now sees , ) he knew or saw ab aeterno , i. e. whatsoever now is , or ever shall be done . both these are apparently true , though one of those which you had suited amiss , were false , the other remaining true . § . . having removed these rubs , which you say thus hinder your consent , i shall hope you will yeild to as much as i pretend , which is not , you see , that god coexists to things that neither are , nor ever will be , i. e. to things onely possible , but not future , but that gods immensity is such , as that he reacheth out and is present , ab aeterno , to all that is done in time , and so that all that ever shall be , is ab aeterno objected to his knowledge ; against this nothing that you have said in your five first pages hath any semblance of force , and therefore i hope this now will be granted by you , and then i have it under your hand at the bottom of your fift page , that most of your objections will be easily answered , which therefore i might leave your self to do ; but having a little more leasure then ordinary , i will a while accompany you in the view of every of them ; and begin with your defence of your first objection . § . . and there first , when to prove it to imply a contradiction that a thing that is not , ( as , say you , all mere possibles are , ) should be intelligible , you thus argue , it 's being intelligible implyes that it is , so it is , and it is not , ( which is a contradiction , ) the fallacy is two fold , . you confound futures that are , ( by being such , ) supposed to have an objective being , though not as yet an actuall , with meer possibles , which never shall be , and so are not future , but onely possible to be , and agreeably are seen and known onely to be possible , but not to be future , and . you confound an objective being which alone is implyed in being intelligible , with present , or actuall being ; and now take it out of these ambiguities , and set it as it is , that god ab aeterno did , or now doth see that which to day is not , but to morrow shall be , and then what is become of that , [ is and is not , ] i. e. of the contradiction ? or consequently of your whole cause ? nothing being impossible to god , but what implyes a contradiction ; which therefore again i presse ; shew the contradiction , or yeild the cause . § . . secondly , when to your saying that all things past , present , or possible , are known to the divine wisdom , i returned a parenthesis , [ no man demands any more , ] and you now reply , that i did not fully apprehend your meaning , which was that god knew all things possible , not as future , my rejoynder is , that i well discerned the difference betwixt possible and future , all things being not future , which are possible ; yet because all futures are possible , ( though all possibles are not future , ) i could not misapprehend your words , which spake of all things possible , ] in concluding that all futures were comprehended under that style of all things possible , for sure futures are in that number , and then if all futures were intelligible to god , and by you granted to be infallibly known by him , this as i said , was all i demanded . there is difference i conceive , betwixt possible and meerly possible , all futures are possible , but what is meerly possible excludes futurity . sometimes you speake of meer possibilityes , and then i never apprehend you to meane futures , as , when you speake of all that is possible , i am obliged to do . § . . now then if you spake , or speake of meer possibilityes , and say that god knew all things meerly possible , as meerly possible , and not as future , you say most truly , but then your example of b's future marriage is nothing to your purpose , for if it be considered as future , then though it be yet possible to be , or not to be , yet it is not meerly possible , for by being supposed future , it is consequent that it shall be , whereas what is meerly possible , shall never be . when therefore you say , both are known by god as possible , ( viz : that he shall marry , and that he shall not , ) neither as future , you deceive your self , for though he sees both as possible , yet he sees one as future , viz : as contingently future , future when it might be otherwise , and the other as meerly possible , i. e. not future , sees it , i say , as future , not by consequences , or per scientiam mediam onely , in the ordinary notion of that , viz , if this be , that will follow , ( for which science there is place sometimes in things meerly possible , and not future , as in the example of the oracle concerning the men of keilah , that if david trusted them , they would deliver him up , when yet he not trusting himself to them , they did not , could not deliver him , ) but by reaching out so far as to see it done , in that other notion of scientia media , whereby god sees what man will freely do , and not onely conditionally what he might or would do . § . . your following objections against this , that what is known as future , is certainly known will be , but a. b's marriage is altogether uncertaine , ] is of no more force then the answer of the double necessity , simplex , and ex hypothesi evacuates , for what is certainly known will be , may be also in respect of the agent uncertain , as being free for him to do , or not to do , which notwithstanding when he hath done , it is then certainly what it is , and as so , it is seen by god from all eternity . § . . thirdly , when i said that the having no being in act , is a phrase proportioned to the thing , and to our finite understandings , 't is visible . . that i spake of the phrase , and nothing else . . that my meaning is , that to our finite understandings that is not present , or in act , which is still future , but yet god by his immensity may reach out , and be present to it , or see it , as wee do that which is before our eyes . § . . and when against my words you argue thus , [ if it be proportionable to the thing , then it is also to gods understanding which depends thereon , ] 't is plain again , that you misapprehend mee , for i oppose gods infinite , to our finite understandings , and not gods understanding the thing , to the reality of it ; god understands it , as it is , and so sees that future , and contingent , which is truly so , ( as cicero saith , vt praeterita ea vera dicimus quorum superiori tempore vera fuerunt instantia , sic futura , quorum consequenti tempore vera erunt instantia , ea vera dicemus , ) but till it actually be , god sees it by his infinite science , which by our finite we cannot reach . § . . let it then be granted that gods understanding depends on the thing , what followes thence ? no more but this , that future contingents having yet no being in act , and therefore being not visible to our finite faculties , have yet a being objective , as being really , though contingently future , and gods knowledge being proportioned to the things , and depending on them as such , i. e. as future contingents , and not as actually being , these he knowes by his infinite knowledge . § . . but say you , his understanding can be no more actuall then the thing is from whence he derives that understanding , ] what truth is there in this ? i know what is past , my knowledge is actuall , but the thing past is not so ; i know if the course of nature be not altered , ( or , which as to this matter , is equivalent , i believe , ) the sun will rise to morrow , here my knowledge or belief , is actuall , but the object is future , not yet actuall , save onely that it is now actually true , that the sun will rise then . and then why may not gods knowledge be actuall either of what is past , or future , ( and so now actually is not , ) and yet he see it as it is , i. e. what is past as past , what future , as future ? § . . fourthly , when to my question , [ why , if god sees before , that which in after time hangs in the balance of humane indetermination , he may not also foresee which end of the balance will at length overpoise ? ] you answer , that the foresight of the former is the foresight of possibles , but the foresight of the other is the foresight of a contingent future , and that the one is not as truly future , as the other , ] you cannot but see , you do not render any answer to the question , i. e. any reason why he may not see what is really , though contingently future , as well as that which is meerly possible ? it is true , one is not as truly future , as the other , but what shew is there of reason , that what is lesse future , or not future at all , shall be seen , and that which is future , and shall really be , shall yet not be seen by him that is omniscient ? can it 's no kind of being , not so much as in futurition , set the advantage on that side , and make that most intelligible , which hath no being , and that least , which hath ? if it do , yet sure it shall be no ground of resolving that the really future is not at all , even to god foreseeable , or that there is any contradiction in this , which if you remember was incumbent on you to prove , by that of hanging in the balance , &c. but is not now attempted by you . § . . i proceed to your defense of your second objection . and first when you grant that many things are possible , which will never be brought to act , ] how could you say before , that it was a mistake to call that possible which god foresees shall never be ? is that a mistake which is perfectly true ? or is not gods foresight agreeable to what is ? § . . but say you now , god that sees all things as they are , sees them as possible , not the one side of a contradictory proposition as determinately true , and the other as assuredly false , for so he should see them as they will be hereafter , but not as they are now , ] i answer , . god that sees them as they are , sees them not onely as possible , but as future , for they are not onely possible , but future , . of contradictory propositions , as , that i shall kill my self to morrow , and i shall not kill my self tomorrow , ] one is determinately true , i mean not by determinately true , that god hath decreed it shall be , but it is true on the one side , and not on the other ; for if i kill my self tomorrow , then it is true to day , that i will kill my self tomorrow , and if so , then it is false , that i shall not kill my self tomorrow . what then is determinately true , god sees as determinately true , and so sees it as it is . . if he sees them as they will be hereafter , sure this is sufficient , who would desire any more ? nay this is to see them as they now are , for now they are future , i. e. things that now are not , but shall hereafter be . § . . in your reply to my second answer , it is no way pertinent which you say of a bare supposition proving nothing , yet being granted proving any thing that is necessarily deducible from it . for . when i speak of a bare hypotheticall necessity , you speak of a bare hypothesis or supposition , which is quite another thing , your bare supposition is a supposing , ( though no more then supposing ) that to be , which is not , but our bare hypotheticall necessity is a conditional , as that is opposed to an absolute necessity . how wide are these one from the other ? . then if you review that my second answer , to which you make this reply , you shall see how little propriety it hath to it . it was this , change the foresight into seeing from all eternity , and then it is plaine , that god from all eternity may see that will never actually be , which yet is free for the agent to do or not to do , ( and god sees that to , ) and so is possible every way , save onely ex hypothesi that it will never be , and as the bare hypotheticall necessity is no absolute necessity , so this bare hypothetical impossibility is no absolute impossibility . to this your reply is , that though a bare supposition prove nothing , yet it being granted , it infallibly proves any thing necessarily conclusible from it . ] you see now how little this is ad iphicli boves , and yet , . if it were pertinent , it would not be for your advantage , for supposing , ( as i also do , ) that god sees the thing as contingently future , free for the agent to do or not to do , it must by your rule necessarily follow , that the thing is contingent , and so not absolutely necessary , or any other wayes , then that when it is , it cannot not be , which was all i had to make good in that answer . § . . in my third answer you grant all i aske , onely you interpose , that to our purpose it is all one whether gods prescience render the object certain , or presuppose and find it certain ; and , as if this were , upon the meer saying it , presently granted , as a maxime cleare by it's own light , you add no word of proof to it . which how far from reasonable it is , you will now discover . and . to render , and to find , are as far from all one , as to cause and not to cause , for sure what i render certain , i cause to be so , what i find certain is caused by another and not by me . and being thus distant in themselves , it is strange they should to our purpose be all one . is it all one to our purpose , whether i commit sin freely , when i had grace to abstain from it , or god cause or work it in me ? what two things can be lesse all one then these ? and this the one purpose , for which the men , with whom you dispute , do insist on this subject , and distinguish betwixt gods foresight and his decree . and therefore as you are very sollicitous that your opinion should be freed from the imputation of derogating from the divine immensity , and omniscience , so at this time it concernes you to be as carefull , lest you offend against gods purity , and other attributes , when you make it all one for his prescience to find and to render the object certain ; i. e. to see all the sins that wee commit , and to cause them . i pray consider this , and it will force you either to acknowledge that god foresees certainly what we do freely and contingently , or to deny our sins , ( i. e. voluntary actions , ) to be free , or to deny that christ foresaw that peter would deny , or judas betray him , both which he foretold to his disciples . § . . i proceed to your defense of the objected inconveniences against my answers to them . and first , it breakes no square , whether [ in themselves , ] be inserted , or omitted , . because what is in it's causes utterly uncertain , is so in it self . . because you yeild to all i said on this head as rationall and convincing , and onely question the truth of my principle , which you know i was not again to prove in that place , when i was answering the objections , or inconveniences . § . . your second inconvenience i understood before in the very sence that your instance now sets it , and accordingly i rendered answer to it , and shewed wherein it was that exhortations , &c. were founded , viz. in the liberty of our actions , so long as till they be actually committed , and no longer . and to this you give no answer at all , nor to ought i say on that head , but onely say over in another scheme the same thing to which i answered . § . . in this your new scheme you say , that had it been known aforehand , that a. b. would obstinately have continued in his wickedness , it had been vain to have used exhortations , and so for god ( supposing his prescience , ) it were vain to enjoyne them . ] here the word [ vain ] in the obvious notion imports unprofitable , or uselesse , and then , . i pray consider , whether it be fit to speak thus of god. it is certain christ saw peter would fall , judas would betray him , yet he told them both of it before , and that telling them was a timely admonition , and equivalent to an exhortation , adding of judas a terrible threat , or denunciation , that it was better for him , that he had never been borne . would you think it tolerable for any christian to say hereupon , it was vain , for christ to do all this ? i trow you would not , and therefore will your self think fit to avoid it . § . . should you have any scruple in this , the story of pharaoh , and the passages , rom. ix . referring to it , would , à multò majori & fortiori , supersede or answer it . god had there foretold moses , that he pharaoh's heart , which i hope is much more toward inferring a necessity , then christ 's foretelling peter , or iudas of the fall of the one , and treason of the other . and yet god exhorts pharaoh after that , and he that objects against his doing so , rom. ix . that saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; why doth he yet , ( after that sixt judgement , when god himself hath sent his plagues on his heart , why doth he still , or yet ) find fault , is answered , nay but , o man , who art thou , that disputest against god ? § . . in the former part of that story , when it was not come to that height , yet it is most evident that from the beginning of moses's mission to pharaoh , god had foretold that pharaoh , would harden his own heart , and that ( alone ) is perfectly parallel to our case , which is of prescience of future contingent acts of mans will , yet are all gods messages and signes by moses purposely sent to melt , and perswade him to let the people go . doth any man now want a perspective to discerne that these messages of heaven were not vaine ? or that such acts of divine wisdom , ( his wayes , that are not like ours , ) are not to be submitted to our tribunall , but adored and reverenced , and no otherwise approached by us ? but then , § . . secondly , if by vain you meane no more , then that which doth not finally obtain the effect principally designed , so there will be no difficulty in affirming with s. paul , that gods grace and so his exhortations , &c. may be received in vain , for so god knowes it is too frequent for us to do , mean while what thorow our default becomes fruitless to us , doth not returne so to god , but serves gods subsequent , ( though it resists his , ) antecedent will , which is also gods will , viz : to punish the obdurate , as well as his antecedent is to save the humble and tractable , and the more frequent the exhortations are , supposing grace annext to enable to make use of them , ( as you know we suppose , ) the more culpable is the obstinacy against such meanes , and the more culpable , the more justly punished , and so gods justice vindicated from all aspersion , and mans freedome asserted : and the exhortations , that have contributed to all this , will not be deemed vain , though they attain not the fruit primarily intended , the salvifick effect or designe of them . § . . and whereas you compare this to a physician prescribing a medicine , which he foresees will do him no good . ] i must ask by what meanes it comes to passe that that medicine will do him no good ? by it 's own insufficiency or impropriety to the disease , or by the obstinacy of the patient , that he will not take it ? if by the former , i then acknowledge with you that physician were vain ; but that is no way applyable to god , whose medicaments are sufficient , being the power of god to salvation to all that believe . but if it be by the second onely , then the physician is far from vain , as doing all that the wit of man can do , or wish toward the recovering of his patient . for he that will not use his recipe's , seemes bent on his own death , and as guilty of it , as he that cuts his own throat , and 't is no disparagement to the physician , that when he is prescribing remedies for his feaver or consumption , he doth not cure his obstinacy , or that he prescribes to him , as to a wise man he would prescribe , ( though indeed the event be much other , then it would be in a wise man , but that is not the physicians fault , ) and as little can the vanity be imputed to gods operations , when by our defaults onely they prove uneffectuall ; god himself , isa . v. appealing to us in the like case , what could he have done more to his vineyard which he had not done , when yet pro uvis labruscas , instead of grapes it brought forth nothing but wild grapes . § . . in that place no doubt it was possible for god to have done somewhat which he did not , viz. to have forced the ground to bring forth good grapes , but to a vineyard interpreted there to be the house of israel , to a rational vineyard , and to that which was to be left in a state of rewardablenesse , of doing and not doing , of freedome , the dowry of the will of men and angels , with which they were created , this was not competible and therefore 't is truly said , god could do no more , then he did , or doth , ( whatsoever the event be and be foreseen by him , ) and that is as contrary as is possible to the objection of vainnesse . § . . for the enforcing the third inconvenience , you say it seemes hard that finall impenitents should from all eternity be reprobated , unlesse conditionally , ] never considering , what was most conspicuous in my answer , that final impenitence it self is that onely condition . when therefore you say , it were , as if a person should be sentenced to death for a fact before it be committed , you fall back into the two mistakes , which my answer , if adverted to , had prevented . . you speak of a person simply , and abstracted from guilt , when i speak of a final impenitent , i. e. a person so very ill qualified , and fouly guilty . . i suppose his sentence to be founded in his guilt , and his guilt , in order , before his sentence , but both of them in the mind of god , ( who seeing his guilt , awards that punishment , adapts his revenge to that fact , ) seen as past , before ever that sentence goes out against him . § . . here you say a. b's , salvation was ab aeterno possible , ( which i grant , ) and thence infer , that god did not ab aeterno see his damnation as certain , but onely as possible . but i deny the consequence , for he may see both his salvation and damnation as possible , and yet see one of them as onely possible , the other being also future , which is somewhat more , then onely or barely possible . meane while nothing hinders , but what is , ( and god sees , ) thus future , he might by his omnipotent power have prevented , ( which yet , you say , by my reason he could not , ) onely then , he had not seen it as future , but as that which would have been , if he had not prevented it . § . . again you say , that if god had infallibly foreseen that a. b. living longer would unavoidably have fallen into sin , and therein have persevered till death , you verily believe , in regard of his goodness and love to mankind , not onely in generall , tim. ii. . peter iii. . but to a. b. himself , ez. xviii . . that god would take him away in his infancy , assoon as baptized , when he was in the state of grace and salvation . ] in this processe of yours , i wonder whence the word unavoidably came . for i that according to your supposition , look on a. b. as one baptized , and in the state of grace , and salvation , can never grant that he unavoidably falls and finally perseveres in such sin , as brings damnation ; i grant he may fall , and that finally , but sure not unavoidably , for by that grace he was enabled to stand , and if he fall , he falls willfully , but that is not unavoidably . § . . and what if godsees from all eternity that he will thus fall , doth that render his fall unavoidable ? no , but gods foreseeing that he would fall willfully , when he had grace to stand , ( which circumstance he foresaw , as well as the fall it self , ) must infer the quite contrary , that when he falls he might have stood , and so fell not unavoidably . § . . but then leaving out that unseasonable word , [ unavoidably , ] which in all reason you might have done , when in relation to the certitude of gods prescience you had said , [ infallibly foresees , ] there will then be no ground of truth in that proposition , no shew of proof of it from the goodness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of god to all , or to any particular , as those texts or any other express it , for from none of those it is rendred probable in any degree , that they which are baptized , and have sufficient grace given them , and promise of abundance , if they make use of it , shall have violent restraints , or be taken out of the world , rather then they shall fall into wilfull sin . consult the places again and you will soon find there is no propriety in them for the proofe of this . § . . and yet if even this also were true , it would no way incommodate our pretensions , for in that case of gods taking away such a man , in his infancy , it would follow by our doctrine , that god foresaw that from all eternity , and so that he foresaw not a. b. a finall impenitent , which is the destroying and voiding your whole supposition . § . . how then this seeming advantage could reasonably incline you , to profess it your thought , that the doctrine of prescience is very much inconsistent with the omnipotence and goodness of god , &c. and that 't is swallowed without examination , i now leave you candidly to consider , by your reflexions on the strength of that reed you laid this weight on . judge i pray , might not god , if he would , have created a world of men , taken them up into heaven , and crowned them , ( if crowning it could be called , ) with everlasting blisse , and so left none of them in the hazards of this world ? yet did not , ( it is evident by the fact , ) his love of mankind oblige him to this , but men are left to vast dangers , and multitudes fall under them . must all this now be imputed to gods ignorance how all things would frame in the world in this other course , which yet it appeares he hath chosen ? the consequences are too horrid to insist on . let us instance once for all in adam , 't is certain he fell , and in him all his posterity , did not god foresee or know this , till the effect told it him ? then how was christ given in decreto divino , before the creation of the world ? i hope you will not say he was not so given , when the scripture is in many places so expresse for it , especially , ephes . i. . and when gods decrees are ab aeterno , and so especially this , the foundation of all the rest , of those that concern our salvation , yet can i as little imagine what else you can say , unlesse you will forsake your hypothesis . § . . for if he decreed christ before the creation , then he foresaw there would be need of him , if so , then he foresaw adams fall , and then why may he not have foreseen all other mens sins , all contingent future events , of which he is no more the author , and of which there is no more necessity that the free agents should act them , then there was that adam should sin before he was created . i pray consider this , and it will do your whole businesse . § . . but let us examine your reasons , by which you will approve your affirmation , that prescience ab aeterno derogates from omnipotence . you instance in charls's death , and you might have done the like in the death of christ , whereof the sacred writ testifies , that it was by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of god. now prescience being admitted , say you , it was as certain that king charles should die , jan. . as now it is that he did die that day , and to that it is consequent , that it could not have been prevented by omnipotence it self . ] your consequence i deny , sub hâc formâ , because he that saw it would be that day , equally saw , both that he might , and that he would not prevent it . by his omnipotence it is certain , he might , by his will and wisdom , ( now revealed , ) that he would not prevent it , by his omniscience , that from all eternity he knew he would not , by his very mercy to him , and for other most wise ends , that he would actually deliver him up to the wills of the malicious , able to destroy the body , but no more , which again is founded in his foresight of their malice , and must suppose it . all which makes it as infallible , that god might have prevented it , as that he would not , did not , therefore this is far from derogating from his omnipotence , in this of his not being able to prevent it , the contrary to which is by this our scheme expressly established . § . . this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; for my positive answer , you cannot but know already , all the necessity consequent to prescience is the necessity ex hypothesi , it is necessary to be while it is , and because it will be , therefore god foresees it will be , and if men would have done otherwise , god would have foreseen otherwise . § . . when you take it for mine acknowledgment then , that god cannot change that which is future , so as to make it not future , i answer , that sensu diviso it is most false , for whatsoever is future , god can change , and make it not future , and then foresee it not future . but if you meant conjunctim , that remaining future , he could not make it not future , . that is a great impropriety of speech , and most unreasonable , that he that speakes of changing , should mean keeping it still as it is , unchanged , and . you see the fallacy , that most palpable one , of a benè divisis ad male conjuncta , which i hope will no longer impose upon you . the ill consequences you feare and exaggerate , should god be thought not to have been able to have prevented it , i shall not need insist on , detesting the thought , as much as is possible , and having so far secured our scheme from it , that if god foresees not that he could prevent any future whatsoever , i shall not think he foresees any thing . § . . so likewise for his goodness , you cannot doubt but i acknowledge that as fully as you , in relation to our salvation : let us see then how i am obliged to deny this again by admitting his prescience . why , say you , if god willingly suffer so many to be damned , whom he might have saved where is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? &c. i answer , just where you your self will , and must place it , unlesse you believe many shall not be damned finally . for 't is most certain , god by his absolute power might have saved all them , that yet are now damned , and the shew of inconvenience is exactly the same , whether god be believed to foresee all things ab aeterno , or no. for suppose we , that god foresaw not , but saw in time as we do every thing that happens in our presence , and suppose we a wicked man filling up the measure of his iniquityes , or ready to die in his sins , i demand might not god , if he would , rescue him out of that state , convert him into a saint , and assume him , as he did elias in the sanctified state ? questionlesse he might , yet without all controversy he doth not thus to every wicked man , for if he did , none should be damned ; do you now reconcile this with gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his words and many vehement asseverations , ( as i doubt not but you are well able to do , ) and then review your own question , [ if god willingly suffer so many to be damned whom he might have saved , where is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ? ] 't is not possible you should need more words to disintangle this snarle , and in my former papers i shewd you in this place to what gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belongs , giving sufficient grace , &c. : to which you reply nothing , and therefore i suppose consent to the truth of it , though 't is sure both that god by his absolute power might do more then he doth , ( and therefore i like not your expression , that he does what omnipotence could performe , citing , isa . v. . in place of it , i should have said , what his covenant , promise , mercy , justice , equity , wisdom , obliged him to do , or what was reconcileable with all these , without interesting his absolute power , or omnipotence in it , ) and that obstinate sinners do actually resist , and frustrate all the methods that are used by him . § . . of the manner of s. austin's asserting prescience i need not farther insist , then that by the expresse words of that period i produced , he will have it reconciled with the free will of man , which if all would do , there were little more to be required of them . yet because you have endeavoured to take off the force of s. austin's words , and from vives's words on chapter , ix . ( quod si indignum , &c. dicamus à providentia voluntateque dei cognitionem ejus prosicisci , voluntatem statuere quod futurum sit , scientiam quod volunt as statuerit , nosse , ) to draw him to calvins sence , i shall read over that ix . chapter , both text , and comment , and give you some passages out of it ; in the text , . that they are much more tolerable that bring in syderea fata , a fatality depending on the starrs , then they which take away praescientiam futurorum , foreknowledg of futures : and that it is a most open madness , confiteri deum & negare praescium futurorum , to confess god , and to deny his prescience . . nos ut confitemur summum & verum deum , it a voluntatem summamque potestatem & praescientiam ejus consitemur , nec timemus ne ideò voluntate non faciamus quod voluntate facimus , quia id nos facturos esse praescivit cujus praescientia falli non potest , as we confess the supreme and true god , so we confess his will , and supreme power and prescience , neither do we scare least we should not do voluntarily , what we do voluntarily , because he foresaw it , whose prescience cannot be deceived , making it the heathen feare of cicero , which now is yours , lest the infallibility of the prescience should impose necessity , and frustrate lawes , exhortations , &c. . nos adversus sacrilegos ausus & deum dicimus omnia scire , antequam fiant ( marke omnia ) & voluntate nos facere , &c. contrary to the darings of sacrilegious men , we both affirm that god knowes all things before they are done , and that we do them voluntarily . . novit incommutabiliter omnia quae futura sunt , & quae ipse facturus est , he knowes unchangeably all things which are to come , and which he will do , not onely the latter , but the former , and all of one as well as the other . . he that foreknew all the causes of things , among them could not be ignorant of our wills , quas nostrorum operum causas esse praescivit . which he foresaw to be the causes of our workes . . qui non est praescius omnium futurorum non est utique deus , he that foresees not things to come , is not god. . of our liberty , voluntates nostrae tantum valent , quantum deus eas valere voluit , & praescivit , & ideò quicquid valent , certissime valent , & quod facturae sunt ipsae , omnino facturae sunt , quia valituras atque facturas esse praescivit cujus praescientia falli non potest , our wills can do as much as god will'd and foreknew they were able , and therefore whatsoever they can do , they most certainly can do , and what they will do , they altogether will do , because he foresaw they could and would do it , whose prescience cannot be deceived . next in vives's comments you have , non res futurae ex scientia dei manant , sed scientia potius dei ex illis , quae tamen futurae non sunt deo , ut est error multorum , sed praesentes . quocirca non recte dicitur praescire , nisi relatione ad actiones nostras , dicendus est scire , videre , cernere . quod si indignum videtur , &c. things future do not flow from gods science , but rather gods science from them , which yet are not future to god as the error of many is , but present , wherefore he is not rightly said to foresee unlesse it be in relation to our actions , he must be said to know , to see , to perceive , which if it appeare unworthy , &c. there come in the words by you recited , of gods science coming from his will , which you say is calvinism , but is not set by vives to interpret s. augustin's sence that way , no nor to assert it as his own , but to recite another opinion , that hath lesse impiety in it , then the denying of prescience would have . thus you see what that chapter in the father , or his commentator gaines you . mean while i take you at your word that you grant with s. augustin the prescience of god , and if you grant it with him , you must grant it not onely in things which come to passe necessarily , ( as all that god decrees do , ) but simply in all things , and particularly in those , wherein voluntatis arbitrium retentum , freedom of will retained is concerned , for to those you see he thorow out the ix . and x. chapters applyes it , and if you grant prescience in them , you grant as much as i desire , if not , you deny it , ( which yet you again say you do not , ) more then s. augustin . § . . what you here add as your conclusion from s. augustine in his confessions , lib. ii. c. . videri non possunt sed praedici possunt ex praesentibus quae jam sunt & videntur , they cannot be seen but they may be foretold from those things that are present , and are now seen , and from origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , viz : that gods knowledge of future contingents is meerly hypotheticall , this being supposed , that will follow , &c. ] i shall now proceed to examine , . by a view of your two testimonies , then of your conclusion from them . and first for s. augustin's words , they are not spoken of gods prescience or predictions , but of ours , and that of things coming from natural causes , intucor auroram , saith he , oriturum solem pronuncio , &c. i behold the morning , i pronounce the sun will rise . look and you will see it manifestly , so then it is nothing to gods prescience of future contingents , and you can conclude nothing from it . § . . and for the chapter in origen's philocalia , it cannot be , but you must have noted in it , the weight that he layes on the prediction of judas's treason , the general resolution , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , every thing that is future , god sees it will come to passe , ( and yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the foreknower is not cause of all that are foreknown , ) citing from susanna , , . that god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the knower of secrets , that knowes all things before they are , then he proposes the question , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , how god from all eternity foreknowing those things that are thought to be done by every man , our free will may be retained . which he treats against the heathen that say gods foreknowledge takes away all praise and dispraise , &c. and maintain it just as you do , as you will see , if you compare your , and their arguing . now to these his answer is , that god from the beginning of the creation of the world , nothing being without a cause , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the progresse of his mind thorow all things that are future , sees them , that if this be , that will follow , &c. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , proceeding to the end of things , he knowes what shall be . which he doth expresse , to shew that he sees the dependence of all things , not from his own will , who by knowing them , as it followes , causes them not , but in a concatenation of humane acts and choises , as when by temerity one walkes inconsiderately , and meeting with a slippery place falls , which he that sees , is no way the cause of his fall , saith he , adding that god foreseeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , how qualified every one will be , sees also the causes that he will be so , mean while his foreseeing is not the cause of their being what they are , but though strange , saith he , yet 't is true , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the thing future is the cause that such a foreknowledge is had of it , for it doth not because it was known come to passe , but because , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) it was to come to passe , it was known . then he comes to a distinction in what sence it is true , that what is foreseen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall altogether be , and states it just as we do all along . from all which , ( that i may now follow , you to your inferences , ) you can with no reason conclude , that it was his and the rest of the fathers doctrine , that gods foreknowledge of future contingents is meerly hypotheticall . you see most evidently from their sayings , every where scattered , ( competently by those which i have now set down , ) that this was not their doctrine . and this one passage , if it were favourable to your conceit , ( as it is not , ) yet could in no reason evacuate all others . § . . in your conclusion that which i mislike is not the word , [ hypothetical ] but [ meerly ] for that signifies god to have no other foreknowledge but that . i doubt not but of all things that are , god foresees , as origen's words were , that if this be , that will follow , and so i deny not hypothetical foreknowledge . but i cannot confine gods foreknowledge to this one head , for why may he not also see , ( and as easily , ) that this , and that will both be ? the principall use of hypothetical foreknowledge , is in things meerly possible , which come not to passe , ( as before i applyed the example of keilah , which you now mention . ) but what can that have to do with those things , which do actually come to passe , and that meerly by the free will of man , and by no necessity of consequences ? though , ( as i said , ) even in those , god that sees them as they are , both in their causes , and most casuall , or voluntary mutations , and progression , and all circumstances concomitant , sees one thing following , ( though but freely , not necessarily , ) out of another , first this , and then that , and because this , or upon this motive , therefore that ; which as it is far from asserting any necessary chain of causes , contrary to the freedome of mans will , which in that very place origen largely establishes , so it is far from a knowledge meerly hypothetical , for that is not the knowledge of what is , but what will be , if somewhat else make way for it , which being uncertain , whether it will be or not , there can be no determinate knowledge , that the other will be , which is quite contrary to his instances of judas's betraying christ , &c. which were as really and determinately foreseen and foretold , as they were really acted . and therefore i must desire you not to think this favourable to the socinian's opinion of gods foreknowledge of future contingents being onely or meerly hypothetical , ( though god foresee hypothetically , yet not onely so , ) or that this key will fit all places of scripture , which foretell things to come , because it fits the case of keilah , and jer. , . and some few others . § . . i have the more largely insisted on this , because it seemed so likely to mislead you , there being some examples of foreknowledge meerly hypothetical , from whence yet to infer that gods foreknowledge indefinitely , is meerly such , i. e. that he hath no other , is the same errour as from particular premisses , or from one or two examples to make an universal conclusion . § . . on view of your fourth objected inconvenience , you grant all i said in answer to it , onely , say you , the former difficulty seemes to recurre , how a. b. may be truly salvable , when if absolute prescience be granted , his damnation was as certain before he was borne , as it will be when he is in hell. ] i answer . . that in answer to objected inconveniences all that can be required of any man is , to shew that that inconvenience doth not follow , not to establish the principal doctrine again , ( which before had been done by the no implicancy of contradiction , which left it possible for god to foresee future contingents , and then by consideration of his omniscience , which qualifies him to know every thing which is scibile , or the knowing of which implyes no contradiction , and then by the testimonies of the prophets , who from gods prescience foretold such futures , ) having therefore done all that was incumbent on me , i had hoped the difficulty would not still have remained , when all i said was granted . but seeing it doth , i answer , . that supposing gods eternal prescience , it cannot but as clearly appeare , that a. b. not onely may be , but is truly salvable , whilst he is in viâ , as that he is damned , or no longer salvable , when he is in hell. for supposing a. b. in viâ , to be one , for whom in gods decree christ dyed , and supposing gods eternall prescience of all that is , ( unquestionably of all that he himself will do , as he sure will all that is under his decree . ) it must thence necessarily follow , that god foresees him salvable , and supposing that at length he is damned , it doth but follow , that god foresees him damned ; these two things then by force of praescience are equally cleer , that he is one while salvable , another while damned , and so they are equally certain , and if his having been salvable do not hinder his being damned , then neither will his being damned hinder his having been salvable . he is truly salvable who god foresees will not be saved . how so ? because god truly bestows upon him all means necessary to salvation , and that being all that is required to make him salvable , this is as truly done , when the effect followes not , as when the meanes are most successfull . and gods prescience of the successlessness , makes no change , hath no influence either on the meanes , or the man , any more then my seeing a thing done hath causality in the doing it . now if he be salvable , ( though in event he never be saved , but damned , ) and gods praescience that he is salvable , be as efficacious to conclude him salvable , as his prescience that he is damned , to infer him damned , what a palpable partiality is it to infer from prescience , that his damnation is certain before he is borne , and yet not to infer from the same principle , that his salvability was certain before he was borne ? nothing can more irrefragably prove the weakness of your inference , then that it is so obvious to retort it . § . . the short is , that which is future onely contingently , it is certain that it is foreseen by god , yet till it is , it may be otherwise , and if it be otherwise , god sees it to be otherwise , and what may be otherwise , is not certain to be so , and therefore his damnation is not certain before he is born , which is the direct contradictory to your inference , and that method which will equally infer contradictories , of what force it is to establish truth , i leave you to judge who propounded the difficulty . § . . here then is the errour , because god cannot erre in his foresight , therefore you conclude from supposition of his prescience , that the thing , which you speake of , is certain , when yet it no way appeares to you or me , that god ever foresaw it , but by our supposing that it comes to pass . hence then comes all the supposed certainty , from supposing it to come to pass , which is the certitudo ex hypothesi , a certainty that it is , as long as it is supposed to be , and then gods prescience hath nothing to do with it , but it would be as certain without supposing gods prescience , as now it is by supposing it . and now would you have me shew you how a. b. is truly salvable whilst you retain your supposition that he is damned ? this , if you marke , is your difficulty , for you have no other ground to suppose that god foresees him damned , but because you suppose him damned , and seeing it is , you see what a taske you have set me , even to make two members of a contradiction true together . this i confesse i cannot do , and i grant god cannot , yet thus much i will do for you , i will mind you , that even when a. b. is in hell , the proposition is still true , that a. b. when he was on earth was salvable , and if it be true when he is in hell , i appeale to you whether it be not true , when god foresees he will be in hell , doth gods foreseeing him in hell impede more then his actuall being in it ? if not , then notwithstanding gods prescience , a. b. is salvable , and so now i hope you see both that , and how he is so . § . . in your fifth inconvenience , you still adhere that you think it scarcely reconcileable with that determinate prescience which i hold , for god seriously to call those whom he foresees ab aeterno that they will not repent . but you take no heed to the place of scripture , which i demonstrated it by , turne you , turne you , why will you dye ? and , as i live , i delight not in the death of him that dyes , where it is evident , god seriously , ( if an oath be a note of seriousnesse , ) calls those who dye and will dye . why do you not lay this to heart , when it is so cleare , and ( you yet give me your leave to say , ) unanswerable ? § . . i said , when god calls to a man not to fall , he is not fallen , and , you say true , but he is fallen in gods prescience . ] i now ask you , how you know he is ? your onely possible answer is , that if he be fallen , then by the doctrine of prescience , god must foresee him fallen , and you now by way of supposition , ( which 't is lawfull for disputations sake to make , ) take it for granted , i. e. suppose he is fallen . and then , ( as even now i said , ) to your voluntary supposition all is due , and with that i cannot reconcile the contradictory , and so still what is this to prescience ? § . . again you conclude , that god sees , a. b. will never rise again , how do you know , or imagine god sees it , but because you suppose it true , that he will never rise again ? and if it be true , then it is also infallibly true , whether god see it or no. and so still what have you gained , your supposing it true is it to which adheres the supposition of gods foreseeing , and infallibility consequent to that , but that addes no weight to that which was before supposed infallible . § . . again you aske , can god seriously call him , who [ he sees ] will never repent , seriously do that he sees useless , and absolutely ineffectuall ? ] i have oft told you , and proved to you , that he may , 't is certain he called pharaoh , when he had predicted he would not hearken , and he most seriously doth things to salvifick ends , which do not eventually attain those ends , and he foresees they do not . § . . i said that what god doth thus in time , he ab aeterno decreed to do , this ( as it is apparent by the antecedent , to which the relative [ thus ] belongs , ) i spake of gods calling men , some not to fall , others to rise again , and you reply , that it seemes to you utterly improbable that god should do whatsoever he doth , by an antecedent decree . ] i have no temptation to leave our present taske , which is sufficient for the day , to dispute that question with you in the latitude , as your , ( whatsoever he doth , ) importeth . it will suffice , if god doth any thing by an antecedent decree , or decree any thing before he do it , for if any thing , then sure his calls and warnings , which are parts of his covenant of grace , and that is sub decreto , decreed by him . and then what i said before , is still of full force , gods foreseeing mens disobediences to his calls , was in order of nature posteriour and subsequent to his decree of calling and giving them grace , and being so , cannot move him to change what went before , or presently to disannull it , and till it be disannulled , 't is certain , and exacted by veracity , that he act according to it , i. e. that he call those seriously , who yet he foresees resist him . why you should here farther inlarge , of the greater improbability , that god should without consideration decree what afterward he perceives would be uselesse , i guess not , being sure no words of mine gave you temptation to think that i affixt inconsiderate decrees to our god of all wisdome , or counted those calls uselesse , which through our obstinacy , ( onely ) faile of their designed good effect . § . . no more did i give you cause for that harsh-sounding phrase of gods necessarily pursuing it , because it was decreed . ] i should rather have suggested to you these words , instead of them , that god is faithfull , and just , and veracious , and so performes his part of the covenant of grace with men , howsoever they are , ( and he foresees them , ) wanting to their own part . § . . what you say you understand not in my last papers , i thus explaine ; those calls of god which the obdurate reject , are most seriously meant by god to their reformation , else he would not punish them for rejecting them , as he doth by withdrawing them , &c. this god decrees to do ab aeterno , which he could not , unlesse he soresaw their rejection of them , and yet neither could he foresee their so criminal rejecting them , unlesse he foresaw the seriousnesse of them , and if he foresaw that , then it is as certain as any thing , that god foresees that they are serious , and although god do not actually inflict punishment upon bare foresight of sin , yet sure he may decree to punish those whom he foresees to deserve it , and that is all that is necessary to my arguing . else i might tell you that god that accepts not a temporary faith , will never accept such a man as is answerable to the stony , or thorny ground , ( who in time of tryall would fall away , ) though he should be taken away before temptations approach . § . . in that of judas , you grant that the prophecy , as terminated in him , could not have been fulfilled , had he never been born , but then your quere remaines , say you , whether it might not have been fullfilled in another ? ] i answer , . it could not have been fullfilled in another , without some other disciples doing what he did , and 't is certain no other did so , and therefore what was foretold must have been fulfilled in him , or else , ( which may not be believed of a divine oracle , ) had not been fulfilled . but then , . christs words to john pointing out judas for the traitour , he that dippeth , &c. was a prediction of god perfectly terminated in judas's person , and could not be fulfilled in any other , and so your new quere is answered also . and that gives you a farther reason , ( if what was said before to your second quere were not sufficient , ) that our saviours prediction was not conditional , but categorically enunciative , verily i say unto you that one of you shall or will betray me , and he that dippeth , at that time when christ spake it , deictically , i. e. judas , is that person . § . . in your view of what i said to your second question , you first insist on my answer , that the event proved the denunciation against iudas was not like that against niniveh conditional , but i foresaw the small force of that , which i used onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and therefore added a second , that the prediction of iudas was of his sin , as well as punishment , and the prediction of his sin , could not be conditional , nor the prediction of the ninivites punishment any way be applicable to it , leaving therefore the weaker , i adhered onely to this , which when you labour also to evacuate , by interpreting , [ one of you will betray me , ] by [ unlesse he repent , &c. he will betray me . ] you consider not , . that christs death , as it was from all eternity decreed by god , so it was oft predicted by christ , and his resurrection , and many other things depending on it , and among these still the treachery of one of his disciples is one , and that is not reconcileable with this interpretation . . that foreseeing that he would be so disposed , as unlesse he repented he would betray him , is the foretelling of a future contingent . . that one particular prediction , wherein iudas was deictically signified , was private to s. iohn , that lay in iesus his bosome , as appeares , ioh. xiii . , , . and though the words to iudas himself , mat. xxvi . . may better beare that sence you assigne , yet the words to iohn , which iudas heard not , could be no such admonition to iudas , and therefore were without question absolute , and so those other to peter verily i say to thee , before the cockcrow twice , thou shalt deny me thrice , when he had professed he would rather die , then deny him , are not easily healed with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ unlesse thou repent thou wilt deny me , ] for assuredly peter meant not now to deny christ , but resolved the contrary , and therefore had nothing to repent of in this behalfe . and when you seeme to demonstrate it could not be absolute , because judas might confessedly have repented , and if he had , then it must have been interpreted conditionally , i answer according to my hypothesis , that if iudas had repented , christ had never foreseen , or declared of him , as he doth , i. e. that he should betray him . § . . but , say you , you see not why a conditional prediction may not be applyable as wel to the prevention of sin , as of punishment , ] i shall shew you why it may not , because the punishment is gods work , and for the averting of that there is force in the ninivites repentance , which is the condition required on their part , on the performance of which god hath generally promised to suspend his punishments , and therefore the threats are conditional , which in equity will not be inflicted , if the condition be performed . but the sin is man's work and to the commission of that no other party contributes but himself , and so neither is the prediction of it a threat , but a down-right enunciation , neither is there any condition imaginable to be performed on the other party , answerable to the other case , unlesse god should forcibly interpose to avert it , ( and that cannot be imagined to be the meaning , [ except i restrain judas he will betray me , ] or if it were , it were still an act of gods absolute foreknowledge , that he will do so , if not violently restrained ) all probable meanes to his amendment , and particularly the admitting him to the sacrament being , saith s. chrysostom , already used to him , and yet , saith christ , he will betray me . . now for defence of your postscript , and the contradiction which that charged on our hypothesis , i pray marke the issue of it . if you can prove that it implyes a contradiction for god to foresee future contingents , then you certainly prevaile , as on the other side if you succeed not in this attempt , you must resolve your opinion erroneous , because nothing being impossible to god but to lie , and so to make good both parts of a contradiction , if prescience bring not this consequence , it must be possible to god , how inexplicable or unintelligible soever it be to me , who for want of facultatem analogam , cannot judge of the actions of an eternal god , and if it be yeilded possible , then the predictions of scripture will be proofes beyond question of the truth of it . to this one test then let us come . the contradiction you assigned was , our saying , that things future are or may be present to god. i shewed you the definition of contradictoryes was not competible to these , of which est and non est is the known example , and present and future are neither present and not present nor future and not future . and again in contradictions both parts must be considered in the same respects , whereas future being enunciated in respect of us , and our finite sight , present is exprest to be in respect of god , whose science is immense , and infinite . § . . now to this you reply , . that present and future , though they are not formal contradictions , yet really and in sence they are , for future is that that is not present , but to come , and present and not present are formally contradictory . . that my concession that no finite thing can both be present and future is enough for you , for god cannot be present to that which is not present to him . ] i now answer to your first , that there is nothing so false , that i cannot make good by this your arguing . in particular , by this the doctrine of the trinity and vnity were equally confuted , for trinitas in the wonted notion is not one , but three , and one , and not one , are formally contradictory . this is the direct image and transcript of your arguing , mutatis mutandis , yet i know you deny not the tri-unus deus , how then can you on no better proofe deny prescience ? the socinian's conformably deny both , but you are partial , and deny but one of them . it is never safe to despise the ordinary rules of art , but seldome more dangerous then in this , whereas if logick were duely revered in it's dictates , and nothing thought contradictory in sence , but what is an affirmation , and negation of the same thing , this intricacy would be unfolded , and that which is future to me , be present to god , without the encumbrance or dread of a contradiction . § . . to the second i answer , that it cannot suffice to your pretensions , that no finite thing is both present and future , meaning , ( as it is plaine i did , ) in the same respect , present and future to me : when yet what is future to me , may be present to one that lives a year hence , and so much more to god who liveth for ever . when therefore in your proof you seeme to suppose me to hold , that what is future to me , is not present to god , you did mistake me , for as i said , that god being immense may and must be present to that which is future , or else he is bounded and limited , and so not immense , infinite , so i deemed that , which god is thus present to , to be objectively present to him , and so it was from all eternity , though to us it be not yet present , but future . so that the other part of the definition of contradictoryes , if it had been adverted to , had superseded this part of your answer also , viz. that it is the affirmation and negation of the same thing in the same respects , as here you see it was not , and so was not usefull to you . § . . but say you , if all future contingents are and ab aeterno were all present to god , then they are all eternall . ] i deny that consequence , what is finite , and in it self yet future , by it's objective presence to god , is not changed into eternall , nay even that which really is , and so is really , ( and not onely objectively , ) present to him , is yet as far from eternall , as christ's body , by being united to his infinite divinity is from becoming infinite . this then was but a sophisme that you will soon see thorow . § . . and so your other part of the same passage of s. augustin confess . l. ii. c. , that again you resort to , was in effect formerly answered , by shewing that it belonged onely to what is future , and present to us , and so to our sight , not to gods. i have now gone thorow your papers and wearied you , and almost my self , yet if what is written prove usefull to you , to the depositing that which i cannot but deem an errour , although i lay no epithets upon it , it will be far from burthenous to your very affectionate friend and servant h. hammond . postscript . § . . to extricate you finally out of this difficulty , i shall desire you by way of recapitulation , to consider apart these two propositions , the first that gods science being as immense and infinite , as himself , is not limited to things past or present , or futures , by him decreed , but extends to all that ever shall be , or may be ; to what may be , so as to see it may be , though it be not , to what shall be , so as to see it come to passe , as in time it doth come to passe , contingent things , contingently , &c. of which proposition if there can be any doubt to any man , who stedfastly believes gods immensity , let the predictions recorded in the scripture be considered , those especially which are of sinnes , which it is as impossible for god to decree or predetermine , as to cause , and yet he foresees and foretells them , witnesse christs foretelling peter , that he should deny him thrice , when peter himself was so far from foreseeing , or purposing it , that he resolved the contrary . the second proposition , that there are future contingents , that all the sinnes ( at least ) of men are not decreed , and predetermined by god , or caused by any necessity . of which no man can doubt , which believes the scripture , and therein the procedure of the judgement to come , the difference in respect of guilt and punishment betwixt voluntary and involuntary actions , ( the motions of men and of stones , ) and again the exhortations and menaces of god in scripture , and the great seriousnesse , exprest , and protestations prefixt to them . § . . if taking these propositions apart , any christian can doubt of the truth of either of them , he sees the shelves he splits upon , and the shipwrack of a great part of the faith , whither on this , or that side . but if he cannot but assent to these truths severally , and onely wants the skill of reconciling the seeming difficulties which they beget , when he attempts to put them together , ( of which sort are all the inconveniences , or objections , produced in this matter , ) let him on that occasion consider , how ( more then ) credible it is , that he doth not understand all things , that are , having but finite facultyes , and finite measures , which are not proportioned to infinite powers , or objects ; which makes it most seasonable to supersede all farther enquiries , and to acquiesce in an assurance , that god can reconcile his own contradictions , such i meane , as though by the known rules of logick they appeare to be really no contradictions , yet by us are conceived to approach nere to such , through prejudice , or thinking ( not too little , but rather ) too much upon them . in which case to restrain our farther searches is the same necessary mortification , which it is to restrain inordinate appetites , and is a principall peice of duty owing to the apostles precept of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being wise to sobriety : god give the world of christian professors more of it , then is yet discernible among them . finis . the last vvords of the reverend , pious and learned dr. hammond : being two prayers for the peaceful re-settlement of this church and state. prayer i. o blessed lord , who in thine infinite mercy didst vouchsafe to plant a glorious church among us , and now in thy just judgment hast permitted our sins and follies to root it up , be pleased at last to resume thoughts of peace towards us , that we may do the like to one another . lord , look down from heaven , the habitation of thy holiness , and behold the ruines of a desolated church , and compassionate to see her in the dust . behold her , o lord , not onely broken , but crumbled , divided into so many sects and fractions , that she no longer represents the ark of the god of israel , where the covenant and the manna were conserved , but the ark of noah , filled with all various sorts of unclean beasts ; and to complete our misery and guilt , the spirit of division hath insinuated it self as well into our affections as our judgments ; that badge of discipleship which thou recommendedst to us , is cast off , and all the contrary wrath and bitterness , anger and clamor , called in to maintain and widen our breaches . o lord , how long shall we thus violate and defame that gospel of peace that we profess ? how long shall we thus madly defeat our selves , lose that christianity which we pretend to strive for ? o thou which makest men to be of one mind in an house , be pleased so to unite us , that we may be perfectly joyned together in the same mind , and in the same judgment . and now that in civil affairs there seems some aptness to a composure , o let not our spiritual differences be more unreconcilable . lord , let not the roughest winds blow out of the sanctuary ; let not those which should be thy embassadors for peace still sound a trumpet for war : but do thou reveal thy self to all our eliah's in that still small voice , which may teach them to eccho thee in the like meek treating with others . lord , let no unseasonable stiffness of those that are in the right , no perverse obstinacy of those that are in the wrong , hinder the closing of our wounds ; but let the one instruct in meekness , and be thou pleased to give the other repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth . to this end do thou , o lord , mollifie all exasperated minds , take off all animosities and prejudices , contempt and heart-burnings , and by uniting their hearts prepare for the reconciling their opinions : and that nothing may intercept the clear sight of thy truth , lord , let all private and secular designs be totally deposited , that gain may no longer be the measure of our godliness , but that the one great and common concernment of ruth and peace may be unanimously and vigorously pursued . lord , the hearts of all men are in thy hands , o be thou pleased to let thy spirit of peace overshadow the minds of all contending parties ; and , if it be thy will , restore this church to her pristine state , renew her dayes as of old , let her escape out of egypt , be so entire , that not an hoof may be left behind : but if thy wisdom see it not yet a season for so ful a deliverance , lord , defer not , we beseech thee , such a degree of it ; as may at least secure her a being ; if she cannot recover her beauty , yet , o lord , grant her health , such a soundness of constitution as may preserve her from dissolution . let thy providence find out some good samaritans to cure her present wounds : and to whomsoever thou shalt commit that important work , lord , give them skilful hands and compassionate hearts ; direct them to such applications as may most speedily , and yet most soundly , heal the hurt of the daughter of sion ; and make them so advert to the interests both of truth and peace , that no lawful condescension may be omitted , nor any unlawful made . and do thou , who art both the wonderful counsellor and prince of peace , so guide and prosper all pacifick endeavors , that all our distractions may be composed , and our jerusalem may again become a city at unity in it self ; that those happy primitive dayes may at length revert , wherein vice was the onely heresie ; that all our intestine contentions may be converted into a vigorous opposition of our common enemy , our unbrotherly feuds into a christian zeal against all that exalts it self against the obedience of christ . lord , hear us , and ordain peace for us , even for his sake whom thou hast ordained our peace-maker , jesus christ our lord. prayer ii. o most gracious lord , who doest not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men , who smitest not till the importunitie of our sins enforce thee , and then correctest in measure , we thy unworthy creatures humbly acknowledge that we have abundantly tasted of this patience and lenity of thine . to what an enormous height were our sins arriv'd ere thou beganst to visit them ! and when thou couldst no longer forbear , yet mastering thy power , thou hast not proportion'd thy vengeance to our crimes , but to thy own gracious design of reducing and reclaiming us . lord , had the first stroke of thy hand been exterminating , our guilts had justified the method ; but thou hast proceeded by such easy and gentle degrees , as witness how much thou desiredst to be interrupted , and shew us , that all that sad weight we have long groaned under , hath been accumulated onely by our own incorrigibleness . 't is now , o lord , these many years that this nation hath been in the furnace , and yet our drosse wasts not but increases ; and it is owing onely to thy unspeakable mercy , that we , who would not be purified , are not consumed ; that we remain a nation , who cease not to be a most sinfull , and provoking nation . o lord , let not this long-suffering of thine serve onely to upbraid our obstinacy , and enhanse our guilt ; but let it at last have the proper effect on us , melt our hearts , and lead us to repentance . and oh , that this may be the day for us thus to discern the things that belong to our peace ! that all who are ( yea , and all who are not ) cast down this day in an external humiliation , may by the operation of thy mighty spirit have their souls laid prostrate before thee in a sincere contrition ! o thou who canst out of the very stones raise up children unto abraham , work our stony flinty hearts into such a temper as may be malleable to the impressions of thy grace , that all the sinners in sion may tremble ; that we may not by a persevering obstinacy seal to our selves both temporal and eternal ruine , but instead of our mutinous complaining at the punishments of our sins , search and try our ways , and turn again to the lord. o be thou pleas'd to grant us this one grand fundamental mercy , that we who so impatiently thirst after a change without us , may render that possible and safe by this better and more necessary change within us ; that our sins may not , as they have so often done , interpose and eclipse that light which now begins to break out upon us . lord , thy dove seems to approach us with an olive-branch in her mouth , oh let not our silth and noysomness chace her away ; but grant us that true repentance which may at one thee , and that christian charity which may reconcile us with one another . lord , let not our breach either with thee or among our selves be incurable , but by making up the first prepare us for the healing of the latter . and because , o lord , the way to make us one fold is to have one shepheard , be pleas'd to put us all under the conduct of him to whom that charge belongs ; bow the hearts of this people as of one man , that the onely contention may be who shall be most forward in bringing back our david . o let none reflect on their past guilts as an argument to persevere , but repent , and to make their return so sincere as may qualify them not onely for his but thy mercy . and , lord , be pleas'd so to guide the hearts of all who shall be intrusted with that great concernment of setling this nation , that they may weigh all their deliberations in the ballance of the sanctuary , that conscience , not interest , may be the ruling principle , and that they may render to caesar the things that are caesars , and to god the things that are gods ; that they may become healers of our breaches , and happy repairers of the sad ruines both in church and state : and grant , o lord , that as those sins which made them are become nationall , so the repentance may be nationall also , & that evidenc'd by the proper fruits of it , by zeal of restoring the rights both of thee and thine anointed . and doe thou , o lord , so dispose all hearts , and remove all obstacles , that none may have the will , much lesse the power , to hinder his peaceable restitution . and , lord , let him bring with him an heart so intirely devoted to thee , that he may wish his own honour onely as a means to advance thine . o let the precepts and example of his blessed father never depart from his mind ; and as thou wert pleas'd to perfect the one by suffering , so perfect the other by acting thy will ; that he may be a blessed instrument of replanting the power instead of the form of godliness among us , of restoring christian vertue in a prophane and almost barbarous nation . and if any wish him for any distant ends , if any desire his shadow as a shelter for their riots and licenciousnesse , o let him come a great but happy defeat to all such , not bring fewel , but cure , to their inordinate appetites ; and by his example as a christian , and his authority as a king , so invite to good , and restrain from evil , that he may not onely release our temporall , but our spiritual bondage , suppress those foul and scandalous vices which have so long captivated us , and by securing our inward , provide for the perpetuating our outward peace . lord , establish thou his throne in righteousnesse , make him a signall instrument of thy glory and our happinesse , and let him reap the fruits of it in comfort here , and in blisse hereafter ; that so his earthly crown may serve to enhanse and enrich his heavenly . grant this , o king of kings , for the sake and intercession of our blessed mediator , jesus christ . the end . london , printed for richard royston at the angel in ivie-lane , . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , . pet. . . notes for div a -e five positions agreed on by all . three heads of difficulty . of reconciling praescience with liberty of contingency . of the manner and measure of the cooperation of effectuall grace with the free will of man. how to attribute all good to god , and evil to our selves . * matth xi . † rom. x. saint pauls o the depth . an history of doctor sandersons thoughts in these points . d. twiss his way . causes of rejecting it . * l. . digr . . † ibid. digr . . the supralapsarians way , the sublapsarians . reasons against both . the negative part sufficient to peace , &c , our churches moderation . the kings declaration in order to peace . good life . difference between opinions and conjectures . three propositions concerning gods decrees , mans fall. the giving of christ for mankind . the new covenant , the decree of publishing the gospel to all the world , evangelical obedience , matters of conjecture . the first . the object of scripture election . all scripture decrees conditionate , temerity of introducing absolute decrees . whether the heathens have evangelical grace . of the condition of those to whom the gospel is not revealed , four considerations concerning them . the first . the second , the third . de lib. a●bit . l. . c. , the fourth . the second conjecture an undoubted truth . inward grace annexed to the ministry of the gospel . the third conjecture of effectual grace and scripture-election and reprobation . animadversions on this conjecture . the first . the second from scripture . and reason . in ep. ad epictes . in libel . de fide & symbolo , in tom. iii. and the unreconcile ableness of this conjecture with making man preach'd to , the object of the decrees . the doctrine of supereffluence of grace to some , acknowledged . but this of supereffluence no part of the covenant of grace . * ●●d . bera●●●th . difficulties concerning supereffluence . i. whether it be not resistible . ii. whether it belong not rather to providence then grace . iii. whether this be it to which election is determined . considerations from scripture opposed to the former conjecture . luk. ix , act. xiii . . jo. vii . . mat. xiii . . luc , viii , , mat , xiii , ● , jam , iv , , mat , xi , , mat. xix . . and v. . luc. vi . . cor. . . the ground of effectualness of grace more probably deduced from probity of heart . * ●er . iv . . this probity no natural preparation , but of gods planting by preventing grace . the one objection against this satisfied * mat. xiii . . the safeness of this stating . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tit. bostr . compared with the other . * cap. iv . . an anacephalaecsis of the doctrine of gods decreess of election . of reprobation . the conclusion . of the efficacy of grace . the power of grace in conversion , &c what the freedome of will now it . ability to sin . all good due to grace . predetermination and irresistibility , how unreconcileable with christian principles . of arminians attributing too little to grace . of judas whether he were not converted . * joh. xvii . , whence discrimination comes . from mans liberty to resist . from gods preventions . nothing imputed to man but power of resisting . the whole work of conversion to grace . of the congruous manner &c. making grace effectuall . this a member of the former conjecture . fortiter & suaviter . what is the only question here . mat. xi . . a special prejudice to the conjecture . consistance of grace and free will. the difficulties in the schoolmens way whence . how easily superseded . of falling from grace . our article . grounds of it in scripture . in the old testament . ch. iii. . & xviii . . in the 〈◊〉 . luk. xxii . joh. xxi . . mar. xiv . , . joh. xvii . . & vi . . tim. . . tim. ii . . cor. x. . pet. ii . . s. augustin . of perseverance of the elect . mat. . . heb. . . temporary faith may be true . the elect subject to intercisions . the falls of those that have been once regenerate no more reconcileable with gods favour then of the unregenerate . nay the advantage is on the unregenerates part . tim. . . certainty of the object . certatinty of the subject . 〈…〉 . of gods favour to rebellious children no comfort for such from tim. ii . . the marcusians heresie in this point , a good warning . the conclusion . notes for div a -e two difficultyes . an argument from the unfathomableness of gods providence . the distinction between providence and grace . the force thereof against the forementioned conjecture . other considerations to prejudice it . the other way confirmed from the parable of the sower . the question what makes sufficient grace effectuall . punctually answered by christ . the fourfold difference of soile . the one question divided into foure . the first . the second . the third . the fourth . the character of the honest heart . the conjecture compared with this other way . one pretension for the conjecture , from the finding the hidden treasure . the conversion of augustine . of saul . the distant fate of two children . answered . the point of the difficulty whether the barely sufficient grace be universally inefficacious . no pretense for this . providence allowed to assist grace . but is of no force to the question . a phansie of gods giving the elect ipsam non-resistentiam examined , and found weake . considered in relation to this phansie . phil. ii . . the second difficultye . concerning gods withdrawing sufficient grace . the severall wayes of gods withdrawing grace . the first rather with-holding . consists with his affording sufficient . the second . not totall . the third totall , but only for the time , and neither simply totall . rom. li. . the fourth total , yet it self designed as a grace , most effectuall of any . cor. xiii . . tim. i. . gods punishments instruments of his grace . the fifth totall and finall withdrawing of all grace by excision . the sixth before excision . the word is not accompanied with grace to the damned , or the highest degree of obdurate . rom. . ● . where any softness , none of that . pharaoh the onely example of it in scripture . rom. ix . . notes for div a -e necessitas ex hypothesi . objective being . socinus's doctrine . calvins . gods foresight of sins . difference betwixt praedetermination and praevision . omniscience proportionable to omnipotence . future contingents with in gods reach . proved by gods immensity . socinus's argument answered . of the contradiction . a second objection . inconveniences enumerated and answered . the first . the second . the third . the fourth . the fifth . the foreseeing of judas's sin . the argument from thence defended . hom. . ●● mat. the ground of our assertion gods immensity , and the no implicancy of a contradiction . gods immensity extends to the knowledge of all things possible . an objection against that answered . gods immensity supposed not proved . a second objection . what is meant by commensuration to all time . a third objection . answered . what is future is objicible to god. so what is meerly possible . a fourth objection answered . orat. ● . no proportion between our finite and gods infinite . asist objection answered . god may know that which actually is not . a sixt objection answered . gods seeing every thing as it is . a seventh objection answered . an eigth objection answered . difference between possible and future . all gods acts are not ab aeterno . a ninth objection answered . gods knowledge suitable to his power , gods coexistence to all that ever is , not to what never shall be . the enforcements of the former objections answered . the first enforcement of the first . the second . possible and meerly possible differ . scientia media . the third de fato . the first nforcement of the second . the second . the third . great difference betwixt rendring and finding certain . the great consequence of this difference . the defence of the objected inconveniences , answered . the first . the second . prescience makes not exhortations vain . the example of pharoah . acts of gods wisdome not submitted to our censure . gods antecedent and consequent will. the uneffectuallness of gods acts not chargeable on him ; force not competible to a rational vineyard . the third . wilfull falls are not unavoidable . nor made so by gods prescience . gods love to mankind engages him not to prevent them by death , whose fall be foresees . if it did , it is nothing to the case of prescience here . adams sin foreseen by god , yet not prevented . evidence that it was foreseen , the same of all other sinnes . that prescience derogates not from omnipotence . gods prescience derogates not from his goodness . s. augustine and lud. vives their sense of prescience . philocal . c. . c. . origens testimony . p. . p. . ibid. ibid. ibid. hypothetical . foreknowledg . the fourth 's salvability of judas as conclusible from prescience , as damnation . the fifth . gods serious call to those who he sees will die . gods foresight of mans rejecting his calls and the criminousness thereof a proof of the seriousnes of them . the predictions of judas could not be fulfilled in another , not conditionall . so that of peters denyall . prediction of sin cannot be conditionall . the issue of the whole question whether prescience of contingents imply a contradiction . the lawes of contradictions . the argument , holds equally against the trinity , and unity . what is present to god , is not eternall . two propositions . the first of god immense science . the proof of it . the second of contingency and liberty . the proof of it . the conclusion . no king but jesus, or, the walls of tyrannie razed and the foundations of unjust monarchy discovered to the view of all that desire to see it wherein is undeniably proved that no king is the lords anointed but jesus ... / by henry haggar. haggar, henry. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing h ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) no king but jesus, or, the walls of tyrannie razed and the foundations of unjust monarchy discovered to the view of all that desire to see it wherein is undeniably proved that no king is the lords anointed but jesus ... / by henry haggar. haggar, henry. [ ] p. printed for giles calvert ..., london : . numerous errors in pagination. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library. eng providence and government of god. great britain -- history -- commonwealth and protectorate, - . a r (wing h ). civilwar no no king but jesus: or, the walls of tyrannie razed, and the foundations of unjust monarchy discovered to the view of all that desire to see haggar, henry b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion no king but jesus : or , the walls of tyrannie razed , and the foundation of unjust monarchy discovered to the view of all that desire to see it . wherein is undeniably proved , that no king is now the lords anointed , but jesus : and the designe of god now upon the face of the earth , is briefly laid open : and the rulers of the nation , with their present power and authority , plainly proved to be of god ; and therefore ought to be honoured and obeyed by all men living under them . being considered in the following particulars . by henry haggar , a servant of christ , and of the commonwealth of england ; sometimes belonging to the garison of stafford . wo to the crown of pride — for , the lord of hosts hath purposed it , to stain the pride of all glory , and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth . isai. . . with . . and behold , a king shall reign in righteousness , and princes shall rule in judgement . isa. . . london , printed for giles calvert , at the signe of the black spread-eagle at the west-end of pauls . . to the reader . courteous reader , whosoever thou art that lovest either peace or happiness , here or hereafter , to thee , in all love , i commend these ensuing lines , with an earnest desire that thou mayst profit by them . and to that end , let me intreat thee to read and consider them impartially ; trie and measure them by that true touch-stone , and infallible rule , which is the word of god : ask him for wisdom to discern between things which differ ; and the lord give thee understanding in all things . the mark i chiefly aim at , is , to unfold the fraud and deceit of the man of sin , and to lay open that mystery of iniquity in which he worketh by his instruments , with all deceivableness of unrighteousness , to deceive the hearts of the simple ; and to shew what rights and titles he doth falsly claim in these evil days ; and how grosly men mistake , in giving him what is proper to god , both in church and commonwealth . i know thou canst not be ignorant of the great change that god hath wrought in this nation , in a few yeers ; for which cause , many men do gnaw their tongues for anger , and are ready to blaspheme the god of heaven , being not afraid to speak evil of dignities and powers which are set up and established by god , ( who pulleth down one , and setteth up another , whom he pleaseth . ) and for want of knowledge in these things , men perish as in the gainsaying of korah , being found fighters against god , and are brought into the pit of destruction unawares , to the ruine of body , soul , and goods . which things having been by me considered in some measure , according to the understanding the lord hath given me , i finde my self in conscience bound , and by love and pity constrained , to speak what i know and am sure of , to others ; having learnt it chiefly out of the scriptures , and somewhat by considering the times , and the conditions of men in these days of danger and peril , in which so many make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience : i therefore am bold to present these lines to the view both of friends and enemies ; by which i shall discharge my duty towards god and man in some good measure , and shall be at peace in my self , when i know i have not hid my talent in a napkin , nor kept back any thing that might be profitable to my country-men & acquaintance amongst whom i live . but it may be some will say , that it is too weighty a piece of work for me to meddle with ; i should have left it to some wise and learned men , that are better able to distinguish between things which differ . to which i answer : what i have done well , was not too hard for me to do . secondly , it hinders none of the wise and prudent of the nation that fear god , from doing more . thirdly , these are the days in which god is pleased to chuse and make use of foolish and weak instruments in the worlds account , to confound the wisdom of the wise , and to bring down the strength of the mighty , and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent : and if god make choice , let men take heed how they refuse . therefore , courteous reader , let not the weakness of the instrument cause thee to slight any thing that may be profitable ; but what is agreeable to truth and sound reason , receive in love ; and what is contrary , reject . and thus with my unfeigned love to all that wish themselves happiness , i rest , being ready to serve them in all things lawful and convenient to the utmost of my power , henry haggar . the epistle , to the saints in the order of the gospel , with all that truly fear god : grace , mercy , and peace , be multiplyed to you , through the knowledge of god , and our lord and savlour jesus christ . dearly beloved , seeing it is the portion of the saints , and children of god , living in this generation ( especially in this our nation of england ) to partake of such great mercies ( from god our father , and from our lord and saviour iesus christ ) as to live under such rulers ; and that the lord hath set over us such in authority , as are for the praise of them that do well , and for the punishment of evil doers ; so that under them we may live a quiet life in all godliness and honesty : it is therefore expedient , that we and all that truly fear god , should labour to walk worthy of these mercies ; and to sh●w forth our thankfulness by our obedience , both tawards god , and those men whom he hath set over us ; that so the lord may still delight in us , and rejoyce over us to do us good , and to bless us with all manner of blessings ; both spiritual and temporal : that we being thus delivered from all our enemies , may serve him that hath wrought this great deliverance for us , without fear , in holiness and righteousness all our days : walking as his children , blameless and harmless , without rebuke , in the midst of a crocked and perverse nation , shining as lights in the world , holding forth the pure word of life . therefore i exhort you , and every of you ( professing godliness in sincerity ) in the name of our lord iesus christ , and by the mercies that we have received from him , and by him from god our father , that we may with all diligence labour and exercise our selves ( as our beloved brother paul hath given us an example , act. . , . ) to have always consciences void of offence , both towards god , and towards man . and for as much as we believe with him the resurrection of the just and unjust , and the eternal judgement , that shall be at the appearing of our lord and saviour iesus christ : seeing we look for such things , let us consider what manner of persons we ought to be , in all holy conversation and godliness , looking for , and making hast unto the coming of the day of god : knowing , that we which patiently continue in well doing , shall then receive the reward of righteousness , which is a crown of righteousness and glory ; that in due time we shall reap if we faint not . therefore , dear friends , let not us be ignorant of gods great work , which he is now a working upon the face of the earth ; but let us that be children of the day , be sober and watch ; knowing that these are the days of vengeance , in which all things must be fulfilled that are written in the prophets : and the signes of the coming of the lord are upon the face of the earth ; even distress of nations , and perplexity , kingdom against kingdom , and city against city ; and mens hearts failing them for fear , and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth : but yet let us remember the promises , rom. . . it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved : and again ; heb. . , . he hath said , i will never leave thee , nor forsake thee ; so that we may boldly say , the lord is our helper , and we will not fear what man can do unto us ; therefore let us remember the words of our lord christ , luke . . when these things begin to come to pass , then look up and lift up your heads , knowing that your redemption draweth nigh . wherefore this is my humble advice to all that fear the lord , that we labour now to approve our consciences before god , by being to him that redeemed us , a peculiar people , zealous of good works ; knowing that is the end of our redemption and preservation , tit. . . let us therefore consider , that christ is that great prophet , by whom god hath spoken to us in these last days , heb. . . and that we are commanded to hear him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto us , act. . , . and his sheep are they that hear his voice , and follow him , joh. . . and the voice of a stranger will they not follow , vers. . and we are his friends if we do whatsoever he hath commanded us , joh. . . and he that hath his commandments and keepeth them , it is he that loveth him , joh. . . for this is the love of god , that we keep his commandments ; and his commandments are not grievous , joh. . . but he that saith he loveth christ , or knoweth christ , and keepeth not his commandments , is a lyer , and the truth is not in him , joh. . , . with joh. . . and whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of christ , hath not god ; joh. . and if any shall come to you and preach any other doctrine then what is already preached , receive him not , ver. . yea , if we , or an angel from heaven shall preach any other gospel then that which we have preached to you , ( saith paul ) let him be accursed ; as we said before , so say i now again , let him be accursed gal. . , . for how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation as was first preached by the lord himself , and was confirmed to us by them that heard him : god bearing them witness both with signes and wonders , and divers gifts of the holy ghost , according to his own will ? heb. . , . wherefore , dear brethren and beloved in the lord , let us contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints , jude vers. , . even as it was delivered at the first by the lord himself , and his holy apostles : for there are certain men crept in unawares , which do turn this grace of our lord jesus christ into wantonness , and deny the lord that bought them , in their actions , although they confess him in their words ; and do also think to make us forget and deny him , by their dreams , which they tell every man to his neighbour , as the lord saith jer. . . let us therefore , seeing we know these things before , beware lest we also being led away with the errour of the wicked , fall from our own stedfastness ; but let us grow in grace , and in the knowledge of our lord and saviour iesus christ : let us abide in his love , by keeping his commandments , joh. . . and continue his friends , by doing whatsoever he hath commanded us , ver. . so shall we have a good conscience , void of offence towards god , through our lord iesus christ , and boldness and access with confidence through faith in his blood , unto that throne of grace , where he ever liveth to make intercession for us . to him be glory for ever . lastly , we must exercise a good conscience towards man , even by doing to all as we would they should do to us : but in a special manner , we ough to have respect unto the magistrates whom god hath set over us , to do to them even as we would they should do to us ; viz. if we would that they should protect and preserve us in well-doing , we ought also to assist and aid them , both with persons and estates , without which they are not able to suppress wicked and ungodly men ; they being , without us , but private or particular persons : therefore i desire that all christians may be put in minde to be subject to principalities and powers , and to obey magistrates ; to be ready to every good work , and not to speak evil of any man ; to be no brawlers , but gentle , shewing all meekness to all men , tit. . , . we know also , that there is no power but is of god ; for the powers that be , are ordained of god : and therefore , he that resisteth them , resisteth the ordinance of god : especially when rulers are not a terrour to good works , but to the evil ; therefore we must needs be subject to such , not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake : let us consider them as the servants of god , set over us for our good , to take vengeance and execute wrath upon them that do evil . let us render to all their due ; tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom , fear to whom fear , honour to whom honour belongeth : see rom. . but i know some will object , that we ought indeed to pay tribute and custom to whom it is due , and to give honour to whom honour belongeth : but it belongs not to this present power and authority ; for the scripture saith , that we should fear god , and honour the king , and that we should be subject to every ordinance of man for the lords sake , and to the king as supreme : but these have rebelled , and slain their king ; therefore neither honour , obedience , nor tribute belongs to them . to which at present i answer , that to the end this stumbling-block may be taken away , and a right understanding may come in the place , and a true affection to these present rulers may be begotten in the hearts of those people that stumbled , and a general reconciliation might speedily be brought forth amongst all men ; i have presumed to present these ensuing lines to their view : knowing before that enemies will except against the most perfect truth , and soundest reason , ( witness their excepting against the word of god ) but friends will bear with infirmities . wherefore i desire you that are friends , when you have read and considered what i have written , and tried it by the word of god , if then you shall finde any thing too light or useless , that you will impute it to that imperfect part which in some measure doth dwell in all men ; and remain fully assured , that what i want in words and expressions , is fully made up in my affection toward the state and commonwealth in general . thus , destring that what is according to truth and sound reason may be profitable to all , i commit what is written to your serious consideration , and impartial judgement ; and you into the hands of the lord ; and remain , to the utmost of my power , your faithful brother , stedfast in the faith of the gospel of iesus christ ; and his servant for your sakes , henry haggar . the particulars of the book are in order at followeth . i. that it is god alone that ruleth in the kingdoms of men , and they have nothing to do to question him how ; whether it be by kings , as supreme heads , as in and after the days of saul , david , and solomon ; or by the elders of the people to rule and judge them , as before there was any king but god himself in israel . ii. what it is to rule with god . iii. what was the original of monarchy amongst men ; or whence it first came , that a man should bear the name of king over the people of god . iv. who is of the royal blood . v. who is now the lords anointed . vi . what is gods desine against the kings and rulers of the nations in these last days . vii . wherfore he will destroy them . viii . what they may or should do , to escape the hand of god lifted up against them . ix . what the saints and people fearing god , should do in these days of vengeance . x. their duty to this present power acknowledged , and they vindicated from the reproaches and slanders falsly cast upon them by wicked men ; viz. that they , are the false prophets of the last times , and those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of christ , and the ignorant and unlearned that peter speaks of , which wrest the scripture to their own destruction , and despise government , and are not afraid to speak evil of dignities , and will not obey magistrates , but have slain their king , &c. no king but jesvs , &c. and now , according to the method propounded , i shall proceed to shew first , that it is god alone that ruleth ; and men have nothing to do to question how : whether it be by kings as supreme heads , as in and after the days of saul , david , and solomon ; or by the elders of the people to rule and judge them , as before there was any king but god himself in israel . but now let me not be mistaken and abused , as if i went headlong , without wisdom or the fear of god , to rail against kingly power , or kings ; like those that spake evil of things they know not : for i approve of kings and rule by kings , as well as of ruling or judging the people by elders ; but it must always be considered , in all ages and generations of the world , what rule and rulers god doth approve of : for it is he that setteth up one , and pulleth down another ; and he it is that ruleth in the kingdoms of men , and giveth them to whomsoever he will ; yea , and setteth over them the basest of men , dan. . . . and now let us consider , if the god of heaven did in that age take away the kingdom and dominion of the whole earth from nebuchadnezzar , that head of gold , and turn him out a grasing among the oxen , and give his kingdom to whomsoever he pleased ; then let not men in this generation think it strange , though god almighty hath taken away the kingdoms of england , scotland , and ireland ( which are but a small part of the earth ) from charles stuart , and given them to the honorable parliament , which were indeed at first confirmed by him , before his evil counsel had drawn him away from them ; therefore none can say they gathered together without him , to conspire against him ; for they gathered together to him , and were confirmed by him , and with him , and he with them ; and so were a lawful assembly of magistrates according to the law of god and a lawful parliament according to the law of nations ; and from this lawful assembly , and powers ordained of god , he withdrew , and by evil councel rent himself from them , and would come no more at them , notwithstanding all the invitations they gave him in all humility , as will yet appear by their propositions and remonstrances : all which plainly sheweth the immediate hand of god against him and against his family ; his sins and the sins of his forefathers being now at the full . and further , let it be considered , that god will have the living men to know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men , and giveth it to whomsoever he will ; yea , and settetth over it the basest of men , dan. . now if the lord will take a kingdom from a king , and give it to the basest of men ; how can the most honourable of men help it ? they may gnaw their tongues for anger , and blaspheme the god of heaven ; yea , they may be found fighters against god , as many have been ; but they shall not prosper : as we see they have not in our days ( consider it : ) for it was not because they wanted the noble blood ; for they had the king himself , and the greatest nobles in the land with them : neither was it because they wanted stout men of resolved spirits ; for they had of the prime of the nation , as they themselves have oftentimes boasted ; and for the number of men they far exceeded , and the affections of the country were generally towards them ; therefore it was the immediate hand of god against them , who in his time pulleth down one , and setteth up another , whom he pleaseth ; who at this time hath pulled down the king and lords of this nation , and hath and will make the elders thereof rulers and judges in their places ; and who can say to him , what doest thou ? be wise now therefore , o ye kings , and be instructed , ye that are judge's of the earth , psal. . . be still and know that he is god : learn to know that the lord of hosts is with us , and the the god of jacob is our refuge , psal. . , . again , that god alone is king , and ruleth the nations how he pleaseth , or by whom he pleaseth ; is evident , by considering that in sam. . . where the lord by samuel reproveth the children of israel for chusing another king besides himself , in these words : and you said , nay , but a king shall reign over us , when the lord your god was your king . and again he saith , when they said , give us a king , they rejected the lord that he should not reign over them , sam. . . therefore the lord lamenteth over them , saying , o israel , thou hast destroyed thy self , but in me is thine help . i will be thy king for there is none other that may save thee in all thy cities , hol. . , . again , the people of the nation of england , need not so much to wonder and be disturbed at what the lord hath done : for it was always gods way and work , if any king displeased him , he would pull him down , and set up another , whom he pleased ; yea , even the basest of men : therefore saith dan. . . he changeth the times and seasons , he removeth kings : witness also his dealing with the kings of israel . first , his rejecting of saul from being king , and rending the kingdom from him , and giving of it to his neighbour , sam. . , . secondly , the lord rent the kingdom again from david's house for solomons idolatry , king. . . and gave it to jeroboam his servant ; which came to pass , ver. , . thirdly , the lord took away the kingdom from his house , in the days of his son nadab ; and gave it baasha the son of ahijah , king. . , , , . fourthly , he took it away from him , and gave it to zimri his servant : see king. . , , . and for his wickedness he gave it to omri , ch. . , . again , the lord took away the kingdom from the house of omri : in ahabs days it was prophesied and accomplished in the days of joram . see king. . , , , . to the end , thus it is cleerly proved that god alone ruleth in the kingdom of men , and giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth . but it will be objected . that god did this to them for their wickedness ; but who can say king charles was so wicked ? answ. as for his wickedness , it 's possible to make it appear he had some , but i shall leave that to god to judge of : onely this i dare assirm that some of the fore-named kings were as good and as holy men as king charles and did as many good things for the honour and glory of god in their generation as ever he did ; and had as much of the knowledge of god in them , and more then ever he had ; as it appeareth by saul , sam. . , , , , . david and solomon . therefore , for shame , let not that be pleaded : for if saul , onely for sparing the sheep and oxen with a good intent to offer sacrifice to god with them , and for shewing mercy to agag king of the amalekites , must have his kingdom rent from him , sam. . , , . because he had left undone the commandment of god ; surely then it may be proved , by the things already declared against charles stuart in print , to the view of all men to which i refer you , that he was so great a sinner , that the great god that searcheth the hearts , and is a true , beholder of the inward parts of man hath seen so much evil in him , as might in justice move him to take away his kingdom and dominion from him , and lay his honour in the dust ; and will without question , at the great day , make it appear to the faces of all them that do oppose him ; to whom i leave it with what is written , and proceed to the second , which is to consider what it is to rule with god . we read , hos. . . the words of the lord by the prophet are these : ephraim compasseth me about with lyes , and the house of israel with deceit : but judah yet ruleth with god , and is faithful with the saints . from whence i thus reason : that that power , which is faithful with the saints , or to the saints , to protect them in well-doing that power doth rule with god . secondly , those people that do the good and acceptable will of god , by keeping the holy and righteous commands of god given by jesus christ in these last days , heb. . , . with act. . , . they are the righteous and holy people , and the saints of god ; and that power and authority that protects and preserves such a people in so doing , doth protect and preserve the saints . but the present power and authority of this nation of england do protect such a people in so well doing : therefore they rule with god , and are faithful to the saints ; and do hereby honour god , by having respect to his children , and them that fear him : and they which honour me , i will honour , saith the lord ; but they which despise me , shall be lightly esteemed , sam. . . and such a power we must needs be subject to , not onely for fear of wrath , but also for conscience sake : for they are not a terrour to good works , but to the evil . again , those rulers that are a terrour to good works , do not rule with god : for rulers and powers ordained of god , are not a terrour to good works but to evil . see rom. . , , . therefore , saith the lord , ( prov. . . ) when the righteous are in authority , the people rejoyce : but when the wicked bear rule , the people mourn . and the truth is , were it not to suppress the wicked that would destroy the saints , as cain slew his brother abel , there should need no power nor law amongst men , but the law of love : for the law was not made for the righteous man , but for the lawless and disobedient , &c. and the powers that are ordained of god , were not ordained to be revengers of wrath upon good men that keep the commandments of god , but upon evil men that break them . and thus it is plain , that those magistrates and rulers which are faithful with the saints , to preserve and keep them in well-doing , that power is of god and ruleth with god ; and it shall stand against all opposers . and we may safely conclude , that that power which is used to vex persecute and destroy the saints and honest men searing god , is not of god ; and therefore it shall not stand . but the power in king charles his days was so used , as many honest conscientious men can testifie by woful experience : therefore it was not of god , and is thrown down . but it will be objected , that now since the king is gone , there is as great persecution , taxing , and oppressing of men , as ever . to which i abswer , i positively deny that honest conscientious men that fear god , and desire to live in peace , are persecuted as before : but indeed , if any conspire and rebel against this present power of the nation of england , so wonderfully set up and preserved by god himself ; it is their policie and good wisdom to suppress such malignant spirits , by confining their persons to such places as they may do least hurt in and by sequestring their estates , to make use of them for the best advantage of the commonwealth . and indeed , to that end they are a power ordained of god , even to take vengeance and execute wrath upon them that do evil . therefore if any man would not fear the present power , let him do that which is good , and he shall have praise of the same . see rom. . , , . secondly , whereas many complain of taxes , and oppression by taxes more then ever ; i answer , there was never such occasion for taxes as is now , in any mans days now alive : and we all know , that necessity hath no law . therefore if the magistrate do require more then ordinary of us , to supply our present wants , and to deliver us out of such great dangers and troubles as otherwise would come upon us , even to the destroying both of persons and estates of all that fear god , we must not call this oppression , nor murmur against the magistrate : for in so doing we shall murmur against god ; for it is he that sendeth these wars and troubles upon us for our sins ; who then can give us peace ? it 's not in the magistrates power , until the lord please . as for example : if the lord please to send a famine of bread in the land , and make us buy our food at an extraordinary rate , shall we therefore murmur at the magistrate ? or will that do us any good , until the lord be pleased to send plenty ? so now also , if the lord be pleased to make us buy our peace at a dearer rate then ordinary , let us not murmur against the magistrates ; but rather let us consider our ways , and labour to finde out the cause why the lord doth thus chastise us , and to remove it , that so these evil effects may cease . and truely , if we consider well what the lord hath done for us , in giving food and raiment in such a plentiful manner , and that england is yet a nation inhabited by its own children , notwithstanding those fierce and bitter wars that have been even in the bowels of it , we shall have more cause to praise the lord for his mercies then to murmur at his chastisements : for he hath not dealt so with every nation . how often hath he chastised his people israel with sorer chastisements then we have yet felt , praised be his name ! as we may read in kings . . when an asses head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver , and the fourth part of a kab of doves dung for five pieces ; and when women boiled their children and eat them , because of the siege , and straitness thereof . i suppose england hath not yet tasted so deep of this bitter cup : chap. . but there is a generation of murmurers and complainers , as jude saith , that are not afraid to speak evil of dignities , which remain still in the body of the nation , and disturb the peace thereof ; and will do , until they be purged out : the lord is a doing of it ; for the head and the tail must go together , isai. . . he hath already cut off the head , which is the ancient and honorable ; the tail must follow , which is the prophet that teacheth lyes , and doth daub the princes of the nations with untempered mortar ; seeing vanity , and divining lyes , saying , thus saith the lord , when the lord hath not spoken . see isa. . , . with ezek. . , , . you may know them by their fruits : these are they which teach the people to murmur against the present powers , and to complain of the great taxes and heavie burthens that are now in the commonwealth ; when indeed they were the men that first caused them , by stirring up the people , crying out , curse ye meroz , curse bitterly the inhabitants thereof , because they came not out to help the lord against the mighty : and , cursed be he that keepeth back his hand from shedding of blood . and are still the onely continuers of these bitter wars , ( which cause the taxes to continue ) by stirring up sedition , and causing division amongst the people . whereas , if they would as much labour to make peace , there would the sooner be an end of these troubles , and a removing of the heavie burthens and taxes necessitated thereby . but these men it is to be feared , have a further designe in hand then all men know : for , if it be observed they could in the beginning of the wars list up their voices like a trumpet , cursing . meroz . bitterly ; using the aforesaid words , to stir up men to go and fight against the king . and in those days , they could pray heartily , even with tears , for the prosperity of the parliaments army ; and as heartily give thanks for the overthrow and destruction of the kings party ; and teach others so to do : ( let them deny it if they can . ) and this zeal continued , so long as they thought , that , if their forefathers the bishops , and the rest of that brood , had perished with him that then they should have been heirs of their inheritance , viz. of all their lands and revenues , and so of all their honour , pride , and vain-glory ; and to have had the scepter committed to them . to rule and tyrannize over the consciences of men fearing god while this hope remained , their zeal burnt hot as fire , and all was well , and the parliament was a power ordained of god : but when the honourable and prudent rulers of this nation denied them these things , and especially that they might not tyrannize over the conscience , to make all men be of their religion , to see with their eyes and go on their legs , and believe as they believe , even as they do at rome : when this is denied , then they are the men that first complain of persecution , because they themselves may not be the persecutors : and now they cannot in conscience give thanks for shedding of blood ; but when the state desired those that feared god to give him thanks for that great deliverance and victory over the scots at dunbar , there was scarcely one in five miles compass to be found : and some of those that did meet , by relation of some that are honest which were among them , they told the people that they had more need to keep it as a day of weeping , mourning and humiliation , then a day of thanksgiving ; with many other scandalous words , tending to the disaffecting and disengaging of the hearts of the people from the state . therefore let it be well considered , who are they that despise dominion , and are not afraid to spoak evil of dignitses . these are they which in all ages had the praise of men generally : therefore saith christ luke . . wo be to you when all men speak well of you : for so did their fathers of the false prophets , these were they in ahab's days which deluded him and all israel , teaching them to forsake the commandments of the lord , and to follow baalim ; when elijah , that one prophet of the lord , discovered the folly and deceit of four hundred and fifty of them at once , king. . , , , , , , . these are they which again in king ahab's time deluded him , and caused him to go up to ramoth-gilead to fight , when that one prophet of the lord , micaiah , withstood four hundred of them to their faces , and warned ahab not to go up ; yet he believing the four hundred false prophets , rather then that one prophet of the lord , went up , and was slain . thus we see , that through their lyes and delusions , they bring even kings and princes to destruction both of body and soul . these are they which in our age , and in this nation of england , have done the same to charles deceased , which their fore-fathers did to king ahab in stirring of him up to war against his subjects , especially against those that most feared god ; and so have brought him to destruction . and these are still at this present time deluding his ignorant son , calling of him charles the second ; having his person in admiration , because of advantage , as jude saith , v. . and by this means they stir up him , and his poor deceived supposed subjects to war against the powers of this nation of england , so wonderfully set up and established by god himself , and powerfully preserved and defended by his immediate hand , against all enemies whatsoever ; which all that have but eyes open may easily see : and yet these seers are so blinde , that they cannot see the hand of the lord lifted up against them , and that kingly power , as they call it , which hath always joyned with them ( being deceived by them ) to persecute the saints and children of god ; of whom god is now taking vengeance : yet they are still leading their king whom they have chosen and his subjects whom they have deceived , into the pit of destruction without remedy , they themselves being certain to fall with them : for , if the blinde lead the blinde , they shall both fall into the ditch , matth. . . therefore let the honourable parliament of england beware of them ; let the noble and valiant army take heed of them , and watch them , as the worst enemies they have : for , what satan and his instruments cannot do by tyranny and strength , that they will accomplish by treachery and deceit , if possible . therefore let the commonwealth of england in general , with all the noble governours and officers , and honest plain-hearted country-men , learn to watch them with a single eye , lest they seduce you , and cause you to divide , and so bring you to destruction before you are aware . therefore ; dear country-men , take heed of being deluded by them again to war and bloodshed , lest you provoke the lord to anger and so the whole nation be drowned in blood without remedy : for then , they that now complain of some taxes necessitated by these present troubles , stirred up first by them , will have cause to complain for want of bread to eat , and cloathes to put on . therefore , having food and raiment , let us be therewith content , and serve the lord our god with gladness and joyfulness of heart , for the abundance of all things , lest he give us up to serve our enemies which he shall send against us , in hunger , and in thirst , and in nakedness , and in want of all things ; and he put a yoke of iron upon our necks , until he have destroyed us . see deut. . . thus have i , in some measure , discovered who are the instrumental causes of our unhappiness . i shall proceed to the third particular , viz. whence the original of monarchy did spring . and in the clearing of that , i shall not make use of the worst of people , viz. the nations of the world ; for they were enemies to god , and given up to work all manner of wickedness with greediness , although they had kings , as appeareth by their adulteries , abusing themselves with mankinde , and with beasts , and causing of their children to pass thorow the fire to molech , allowed of by their kings , like the wicked rulers of sodom , levit. . , , , , , . and god in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways , act. , . therefore they are no example for us to walk by : but we shall look into the ways of the children of israel , god's peculiar people : for i know that the people of england in general would gladly be counted the people of god , and would be offended if we should deny them the name of christians . we shall therefore consider how there came to be a king in israel at first , over the people of god ; whether it was by the commandment of god , and so according to his pure minde ; or whether it did not spring from a corrupt principle in the people , and was the pride and wickedness of their hearts , and not the least , but the greatest of all the sins they committed , to chuse any other king to rule over them but god onely . for the clearing of which , i shall examine these following scriptures . sam. . , , , , , . we read that all the elders of israel gathared themselves together , and came to samuel , and said , behold , thou art old , and thy sons walk not in thy ways ; now make us a king to judge us , like all the nations . here we see the pride and wickedness of their hearts , in that they would have a king to judge them , like all other nations , whom god had given up to walk in their own ways , and according to the lust of their own hearts . therefore observe what followed : first , it displeased samuel the prophet of the lord : secondly , he prayed to the lord , and sought him about it : thirdly , the lord answered , saying , hearken to the voice of the people in all that they have said unto thee : for they have not rejected thee , but they have rejected me , that i should not raign over them : according to all the works which they have done since they came out of egypt , even to this day , wherewith they have forsaken me , and served other gods , so do they also unto thee . now therefore hearken to their voice : howbeit , yet protest solemnly unto them , and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them . thus we see , that though they pretended good in it , namely , that it was because samuel's sons were wicked ; yet the lord was angry with them , and said that they rejected him in so doing : notwithstanding he gave them their desire , which was a king , but it was in his anger ; and he took him away again in his wrath . see hos. . . again , when samuel had declared the manner of their king , and told them that they should cry out in that day because of their king which they had chosen , but the lord would not hear them ; yet still they refused to obey the voice of samuel , and said , nay . but we will have a king over us , to judge us , and go out before us , and fight our battels ; that we may be like all the nations . so samuel rehearsed all these words again in the cars of the lord , by which he was provoked , and said in his anger , give them a king . and here 's the beginning of kings amongst the people of god . and thus have i shewed plainly , that it was not at all of god ; but contrary to his holy will , that any should have the name of a king over his people but himself ; and it did arise from the pride and corruption of the people , as further appeareth in these words : and samuel called the children of israel together unto the lord to miz●eh , and said , thus saith the lord god of israel , i brought up israel out of egypt , and delivered you out of the hands of the egyptians , and out of the hands of all kingdoms , and of them that oppressed you ; and you have rejected your god , who himself saved you out of all your adversities and tribulations ; and you have said to him , nay , but give us a king : chap. . , , . surely i might now take up the complaint of moses against them , deut. . . o foolish people and unwise ! do ye thus requite the lord ? is he not thy father that bought thee ? hath he not made thee , and established thee ? remember the days of old , consider the yeers of many generations : ask thy father , and he will shew thee ; thy elders , and they will tell thee , &c. i desire to apply it to england . dear country-men , consider it in time , before you provoke the lord to anger . hath not god himself now of late years done as great things for us ? hath not he by his immediate hand delivered us out of all our troubles , and out of the hands of all that hate us , so as they do not rule over us ? consider the condition the nation hath been in within these few yeers , and how the lord hath remembred us in our low condition , and changed it ; and , beyond all expectation hath given us peace and plenty , in stead of war and famine in our land . consider how he hath prospered all things under the hands of this present authority , both at home and abroad ; and all that rise up against them are confounded and brought to nothing , and that by weak means ; which shews the immediate hand of god amongst us . let us therefore take heed that we do not requite the lord evil for good , like a foolish and unwise people , by desiring a king , to satisfie our own lust pride , and vain-glory : for the lord is now our king ; and will be , if we do not reject him , and cast him off , by chusing a man in his stead to reign over us , judge us , and fight our battels . and to that end , let us again consider what a great wickedness it was in the people of israel , and how mightily the lord was displeased with them for asking a king . see sam. . , , , . in these words : now therefore stand still and see this great thing which the lord will do before your eyes . is it not wheat-harvest to day ? i will call unto the lord , ( saith samuel ) and he shall send thunder and rain ; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of god , in asking a king . so samuel called unto the lord , and the lord sent thunder and rain : and the people greatly feared the lord , and samuel . and all the people said to samuel , pray for thy servants unto the lord thy god , that we die not : for we have added to all our sins this evil , to ask us a king . and his answer was , ( vers. , , . ) god forbid that i should sin against the lord in ceasing to pray for you . but i will teach you the good and right way , ( which is ) onely to fear the lord , and serve him in truth , with all your hearts , and consider what great things he hath done for you . but if ye shall still do wickedly , ye shall be consumed , both ye and your king . and thus we have considered , from the beginning to the end , what great sin and abominable wickedness it was , for the people of god to chuse any other king but himself , to rule over them , judge them , and fight their battels . and it is considered to that end , that we the people of england , professing our selves to be the people of god in our generation , amongst whom also the immediate hand of god hath been lifted up , and his arm made bare for us : i say , that we run not headlong into such sin and wickedness as to ask us a king , when the lord hath taken away our king in his anger , and is become our king himself . let us remember from what principle it did arise , and from what root it did spring , that a man should be chosen king , and bear the name of king over the people of god : it was from the pride and corruption of their own hearts : and of all their wickedness and sins that they had committed , there was none like this , that they should ask another king , and reject god ; as is formerly proved by these scriptures ; sam. . , , , , , . vers . , . chap. . , , . chap. . , , , , , , , , , . therefore he gave them a king in his anger , and took him away again in his wrath , hos. . . and seeing they would have a king , the lord would have him of his own chusing ; and therefore he chose david his servant , a man after his own heart , and took him from the sheep-folds , from following the ewes great with young , he brought him forth to feed jacob his people , and israel his inheritance , psal. . , . but i am afraid that if the lord should now take a young shepherd from following the ewes great with young , and set him over us to be our king , even those that so much desire a king , would be as much displeased then , as they are now . what shall the lord do to please these people ? he must not reign over them himself , although he have all power in heaven and earth in his hands , and their own lives also ; but they reject him , saying , nay but give us a king : and he must not chuse a man after his own heart for them , but he must be a man after their own corrupted hearts : and who is that ? truely one of the blood royal , one that is by descent come out of the loyns of the lords anointed , as they apprehend . therefore seeing it is such a hard thing to please these people , that god himself cannot please them , ( except he should let them walk in their own ways , and give them up to their own hearts , lusts , as he did the nations in times past which he destroyed ) why then should i , or any man under heaven , think to please them by speaking the truth ? yet notwithstanding i will perform my duty at this time , to my country-men and acquaintance according to the flesh ; and would gladly make use of the talent or mite which god hath given me , for their profit , and his glory . therefore i shall speak a few words to these two things so stumbled at amongst men , viz. the royal blood , and the lords anointed . it may be , if these stumbling-blocks were taken away , men would walk more uprightly , and in less danger . and first , i shall speak of the royal blood . i would gladly learn of any man , from whence the royal blood came first . not that i deny that there is royal blood , or persons noble and honourable , and to be honoured more then others : but my question is , how they came so ; whether by generation , or exaltation . if by generation , and so must continue , then i shall easily prove that , all the men in the world are of the royal blood , and so have all right to be kings and princes , one as well as another , if that give them right . and if it do not , why do men plead it ? but it is evident that the noble blood comes not by generation : for god hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the face of the earth , acts . . now if they were all made of one blood that was either noble blood , or ignoble . if it were noble , then all men were noble : for he made them all of one blood ; and so they continue , and will continue , until the end of ages . therefore it is by exaltation , namely , when god exalteth men ( as the prophet saith , psal. . , . ) out of the dust , and lifteth them out of the dunghill , to set them with princes , even with the princes of his people ; then they are honorable , and not before . again , if the same god will cast down the same persons for their wickedness , whom before he exalted , and pour contempt and shame upon them and their posterity , and bring them again to dishonour ; who can give them honour ? it is not in the power of all the men of the earth to do it , if they should stand up for one man : for it is god that poureth contempt upon princes , and causeth them to wander in the wilderness ; where there is no way , psal. . . and it is god that changeth times and seasons , and removeth kings , and setteth up kings , dan. . . and it is god that turned out the greatest king that ever reigned upon the face of the earth , to grasing among the beasts ; and made him , even that head of gold , more contemptible then the bafest of men , dan. . . with chap. . . and it is the same god that exalteth the needy out of the dust , and taketh the poor out of the dunghill ; that he may set him with princes , even with the princes of his people ; and then they are of the royal blood : if men will plead for it , let them . but yet i humbly conceive , that it is the vertue of all the honorable of the earth , to consider from whence they were taken ; ( and though they be called gods , psal. . , . yet they must die like men , and return to the dust ; and after that cometh judgement : ) that so , when they shall come to give up their account to god at the great day , they may be able to do it with joy : for then cometh that everlasting honour and glory which shall not be taken away from them that shall once be counted worthy to be made partakers thereof . and thus much concerning the blood royal , who are of it , and how they came so . and now i shall come to speak of the lords anointed ; whose name we ought not to take into our mouthes , but with reverence and godly fear . but i know that ignorance hath been the mother of devotion in this thing also ; and men have put light for darkness , and darkness for light , and called evil good , and good evil ; speaking evil of things they know not ; calling the lord bishops anointed , the anointed of the lord ; and have thrown down christ the true anointed , and , as much as in them lay , have laboured to lay his honour in the dust ; reviling and persecuting him , in his poor saints , wheresoever they found him , even to the death ; not remembring the words of our glorious lord jesus , matth. . . considered with . by which words we understand , that what is done to his saints , is done to himself , be it good or evil ; according to his words to paul , acts . . saul , saul , why persecutest thou me ? which was his saints , & holy people which contended earnestly for that faith once delivered by himself . and thus have the kings of the earth stood up , and the rulers have taken counsel together , against the lord , and against his anointed , as it is written , act. . . therefore now the lord that sitteth in heaven , is laughing of them to scorn , and hath them in derision , and is vexing of them in his fore displeasure , psal. . , , , , . staining the pride of all their glory , and is bringing into contempt all the honourable of the earth : and thus the poureth contempt upon princes , by casting down and destroying of them , even by men that have been and are base and contemptible in their eyes . and thus the lord is vexing of them , and will vex them in his sore displeasure , until he have destroyed them from off the earth : because they have vexed , persecuted , and shed the blood of his saints , therefore he will give them blood to drink : for they are worthy . and thus will god the lord let his king upon his holy hill of ston , and learn all men to know who is the lords anointed . for the clearing of which , i would gladly be answered this question , if any will or can : ( namely ) how king charles , or any of the kings of the nations , became the lords anointed ? or when , or what day was it ? what was done to them , by which they were made the lords anointed ? but this i confess that when the lord archbishop of canterbury anointed charles the first ( deceased ) to be king of england , that then he became the lord bishop of canterbury's anointed ; but no other lords anointed that i know of : and therefore we may observe , that when that lord that anointed him lost his head , he that was anointed by him could not keep his long : and so their old proverb was verified , no bishop , no king . but i much wonder what lord 's anointed charles the second is , seeing there was no lord bishop in scotland to anoint him . surely , the highest title he can claim ; is but sir john presbyter's anointed . but , for the further clearing of this thing , i deny that any king , whatsoever he were , since the lords anointed ( christ ) came in the flesh , was ever called the lords anointed . see acts . , , . with chap. . , , . and let any of the most wise and zealous people in the land for that thing , prove it if they can : and if they cannot , let them confess that they have been zealous , but not according to knowledge . another question is , where ever any were called the lords anointed before christ came in the flesh , but onely those that had the rule and dominion over the jews , which were the people of god , and abraham's seed according to the flesh , of whom ( as paul saith ) christ , or the lords anointed , came . see rom. . . . and therefore they were called so in the type , as they were figures of ( christ ) the true anointed , that was to come , and be born of the jews , matth. . . if any shall object , and say , that cyrus was called the lords anointed , isai. . . i answer , that is the same which i said before : for he was at that time king , and had rule and dominion over the people of god , abraham's seed : and the lord telleth us ( in vers . . ) wherefore he calleth him so , in these words : for jacob my servants sake , and israel mine elect , i have even called thee by name , and surnamed thee , though thou hast not known me . and thus the lord himself hath fully answered that objection ; and it 's clearly proved , that none before the coming of christ did ever bear the name of the lords anointed , so much , as in the type , but onely those that were kings ; and had rule over gods own peculiar people , abrahams seed : which teacheth us thus much , that none are now the lords anointed , but he ( onely he ) that is lord and king over the house of israel , abrahams seed ; which in ( christ ) the lord , that was borne king of the jews , mat. . whom god hath anointed himself ; not with oyle-olive sweetly perfumed , but with the oyle of gladness above his fellows , heb. . . even with the holy spirit of wisdome and understanding , and of counsel and might , and of knowledge and the fear of the lord . see act. . . with isa. . , . he is the lords anointed ; to whom god hath given a name above every name , and him hath god highly exalted , and set him at the right hand of his majesty on high , far above all principality , and power , and might , and dominion , and every name that is named , not onely in this world , but also in that which is to come , psa. . , . with eph. . , , . and to him hath god committed all power in heaven and in earth , mat. . . to give commandments , to the sons of men for whom he hath , dyed , act. . , ; . and also to reward them that observe and do them with the things promised ; which is to partake of the same eternall life and glory with himself , that the father hath given him ; according to these scriptures , psal. . , . rom. . , . chap. . . pet. . , rev. . . . chap. . , , chap. . . and to reward those . that know him not , and obey not his holy gospel , according to their works , rom. . . to those that are contentious , and obey not the truth , but obey unrighteousness , he will render indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil , whether jew or gentile : and will destroy them with an everlasting destruction from the presence of god , and the glory of his power . and this honour and glory he received from god the father in the holy mount , when peter , james , & john were eye-witnesses of his majesty ; and that voyce they heard that came from the excellent glory , saying , this is my beloved son , in whom i am well pleased , pet. . , , . this is the lords anointed ; who is the onely king of kings , and lord of lords ; by whom kings raigne , and princes decree justice , even all the judges of the earth . counsel is his , and sound wisdome ; he is understanding , and he hath strength , prov. . , , . he loves them that love him ; and those that seek him early , shall find him ; but those his enemies that will not that he should reigne over them , shall be brought and slaine before him . luke . . and thus have i shown , and clearly proved by the scriptures , that christ is the lords anointed king onely and alone ; and none of the kings of the nations can have any right to such a title any otherways then the saints and all that fear god in generall have ; which is , by partaking of the same anointing spirit , through believing , as it is written , the anointing that ye have received of him , abideth in you ; and you need not that any man teach you : but as that anointing teacheth you of all things , and is truth , john . . and againe he saith ; we have an unction from the holy one ; vers. . and , he that stablisheth us with you in christ , and hath anointed us , is god , who hath also sealed us , and given us the earnest of his spirit in our hearts , cor. . , . and this anointing is as proper to a begger , as to a king , if he be a believer : and if a king be an unbeliever , he hath no right at all to it ; for there is no respect of persons with god ; but he hath chosen the poor in this world rich in faith , and heirs of the kingdome prepared for them that love him , james . . and he hath revealed his truth to babes and sucklings , and hid it from the wise and prudent ; insomuch that paul saith , that none of the princes of this world knew it : for had they known it , they would not have crucified the lord of glory , cor. . , . therefore saith james . , . let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted ; but the rich , in that he is made low : for god will raise them both up , to sit together in heavenly places in christ jesus , eph. . . and he will make them partakers of his fulness ; and members of his body , of his flesh , and of his bones , chap. . . therefore let the kings , princes , and rulers of the nations , be wise , and learn to know what the lord meaneth , when he faith , touch not mine anointed , and do my prophets no harm : for he that once reproved kings for their sakes , and slew great and famous ones for them , psal. . . . with . , . is now about to reprove all the kings upon the face of the earth for their sakes ; as i shall now make it appear , by shewing gods dedesigne against them , in these last days . and first : the designe of god and his purpose is ( in this last age of the world ) to staine the pride of all their glory , and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth , isa. . . and to pour contempt upon princes , and to cause them to wander in the wilderness , where there is no way ; and to set the poor on high from affliction , and to make him families like a flock ; psa. . . again , the purpose of the lord is to sacrifice the flesh of kings , and mighty men , and the chiefe of the earth ; and to give their flesh to be meat to the fowls of heaven , rev. . , . with ezek. . , . where he saith . they shall eat the flesh of the mighty , and d●ink the blood of the princes of the earth . now if the lord will do these things to the great and mighty kings , and princes of the earth ; who then can give them honour and , deliver them in the day of his wrath ? and that the lord will do it , consider further what is written , jer. . , . a noise shall come from the ends of the earth : for the lord hath a controversie with the nations ; he will plead with all flesh : he will give them that are wicked to the sword . thus saith the lord of hosts , behold , evil shall go forth from nation to nation . this the lord will do , untill he have stained the pride of all their glory , ( viz. ) untill he have taken away their kings , wherein they glory , and of whom they so much boast . that this is so , consider the fore-going words : they shall eat the flesh of kings ; and princes , and mighty men , and chief captaines , and of all that stand up with them against the lord . and for further confirmation of these words , consider what is written , ier. . . thus saith the lord of hosts , the god of israel , to me , take the wine-cup of this fury at mine hand , and cause all the nations to whom i send thee , to drink it . consider what nations , ver. . , , , , , , , . first , jerusalem , and the cities of judah , and the kings and princes thereof , to make them a desolution , an astonishments , and hissing , and a curse , ( as it is at this day . ) we are sure this is true , that they are a hissing and a curse at this day : why then should the other be so incredible , ( namely ) that he will destroy all the kings of the nations , with their honorable princes , if they stand up against him , and against his anointed ; as followeth . pharoah king of egypt , and his servants , and his princes , and all his people ; and all the mingled people , and all the kings of the land of vz , and all the kings of the land of the philistines , and ashkolon , and azzah , and ekron , and the remnant of ashdod , edom , and moab , and the children of ammon , and all the kings of tyrus , and all the kings of zidon , and the kings of the isles beyond the sea : dedan , and tema , and buz , and all that are in the utmost corners ( the lord will find them out : ) and all the kings of arabia , and all the kings of the mingled people that dwel in the desert : and all the kings of zimri , and all the kings of elam , and all the kings of the medes , and all the kings of the north , far and near , one with another ; and all the kingdoms of the world that are upon the face of the earth , &c. to all these was the prophet sent , to declare to them the words of the lord of hosts the god of israel , ( namely ) that they should drink and be drunken , and spue and fall , and rise no more , because of the sword , which i will send among them . the certainty of it doth further appear in the , verses ; where he saith , if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand , to drinke , then shalt thou say to them ; thus saith the lord of hosts , ye shall certainly drink : for lo , i begin to bring evil upon the city which is called by my name ( viz. jerusalem ) and shall ye be utterly unpunished ? ye shall not be unpunished : for i will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth , saith the lord of hosts . thus is the designe of the lord of hosts made plain by the holy scriptures of truth , and not by any cunning devised fables , or fancies of my own brain : these sayings are faithfull and true ; therefore they will come to pass in their appointed times . and that they are not yet come to pass , is plaine to all that do understand : for most of the kings of the nations are yet in their pompe and glory , and are enemies to the lords anointed ; therefore he will avenge himself upon them speedily : for these be the days of vengence , in which all things that are written in the prophets against the enemies of christ , must be fulfilled , luke . . and now in the earth is distress of nations , and perplexity ; and mens hearts failing them for feare , and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth . for the signes of the coming of the lord are now amongst us , even here in england ; and the beginning of sorrows is in the nation : the lord hath now begun to make us drink of this bitter cup ; and it will be great mercy if we drink no deeper : notwithstanding some murmur and complain ; it is because their eyes are not open to see god's designe now upon the face of the earth : if they did , they would see more cause to give thanks to the lord for his mercies , then to murmur against him for his favourable and gentle chastisements ; he hath not dealt so with every nation : and if england escape thus it will be very strange to me ; and so i beleive it will be to all that rightly understand what god is now doing , and his work which he will accomplish upon the face of the earth , yet before the end : for he hath not yet made a man more precious then fine gold even a man then the golding wedge of ophir . isa. . , . neither hath he made the earth empty , and laid it waste , and scattered the inhabitants thereof , is . . , , . but when it shall thus be in the midest of the land among the peoples , there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree , and as the gleaning of the grapes , when the vintage is ended : they shall lift up their voice and sing for the majesty of the lord , ver. . . therefore let the wicked and ungodly men , that know not christ , and obey not his holy gospel , but are enemies , and will not that he should reigne over them ; let them howl for sorrow of heart : for their sorrows are begun , and the day of the lord is at hand ; and it shall come as a destuction from the almighty : then shall all their hands be faint , and every mans heart shall melt , and they shall be afraid ; pangs of sorrow shall take hold of them : they shall be in pain as a woman in travel : they shall be amazed one at another , and their face shall be as flames . isa. . , , . but let those that feare the lord , and keep his commandements , rejoyce , and lift up their heads ; for the day of their redemption draweth nigh . for it shall come to pass ( even in those days ) that whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord , shall be saved ; luk. . . act. . . the next thing in order to be observed , is , wherefore god will destroy them . answ. because in all ages they have been his enemies , and the persecuters of him and his saints . those they were that in the time of the law , being deluded and blinded by the false prophets , did persecute and kill the prophets of the lord ; as in ahabs days , zedekiahs days , and jehoiakims days , ier. . . chap. . , , , . with king. . , . and chap. . , . they also were the men in christs days , which by wicked hands brought him to his end ; as it is written , act. . . the kings of the earth stood up , and the rulers were gathered together against the lord , and against his christ : for of a truth against thy holy child jesus , whom thou hast anoninted , both herod , and pontius pilate , with the gentiles , and people of israel , are gathered together &c. this is the generation the lord speaks of , mat. . calling of of them serpents , and generation of vipers ; saying to them , how can you escape the damnation of hell ? because they had slain the prophets and righteous men that lived in their days , and in the days of their forefathers . this is that wicked spirit of persecution which all along from cain to the end of the world hath reigned , and will reigne in the hearts of all ungodly men and women , to persecute and kill the saints : therefore saith paul , gal. . . as then he that was born after the flesh , persecuted him that was born after the spirit , even so it is now : and christ saith , the time cometh , that whosoever killeth you , will think he doth god good service . and , these things will they do unto you , because they have not known the father nor me , joh. . . . and indeed , who have been the chiefest actors in it , but the kings and princes of the nations , which , as paul saith , knew not god , nor the hidden wisdom of god : for had they known it , they would not have crucified the lord of glory , cor. . , . and the reason why they did not know it , was , because they suffered the wicked priests and false prophets of the times to blind the eyes of their minds , lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ should shine into their souls , cor. . , . and this they effected , by handling the word of god deceitfully , & changing the truth into a lye ; teaching for doctrines the commandments of men , in stead of the commands of god given us by christ : so walking in cratiness smoothing over their deceits with a company of good words , and false speeches ; thereby deceiving the hearts of the simple : and through covetousness and sained words , have made merchandise of their souls , rom. , , with pet. . , . and indeed , it 's no marvell though it be thus : for it is the policy of satan to gain the kings and rulers of the nations to him self ; for by that meanes he can easily suppress the people of god living under them , and also delude and deceive those that have not the knowledg of god amongst them , by the examples of them in authority : for look what religion the kings and rulers of the nations are of , the same generally the people are : as for example , the kings of israel , and the rulers there of , if they were good , the people were the better ; but if they were evill , the people were generally wicked : and therefore it is said , king. . . the lord shall smite israel as a reed is shaken in the water , and he shall root up israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers : and he shall give up israel because of the sins of jereboans ; who did sin , and who made israel to sin . we may likewise observe the same in judah , in the days of rehoboam the son of solomon , king. . , , , . in these words : and judah did evil in the sight of the lord and provoked him to jealousie with their sins which they had committed , above all that their fathers had done , &c. the same things may be observed by us of late days here in england : for in the days of edward the sixth , the people were protestants ; but in queen marys days they were papists ; for shee and the rulers were soland in queen elizabeths days , again protestants ; for she and the rulers were so . thus we see it is the fashion of the nations , and of our nation of england also , to be of that religion that their kings , nobles , and rulers were : and great reason : for , first , its praise-worthy , and highly commendable in the sight of men , to be so ; secondly , it is the way to live in peace , and to escape the crose of christ . but let us remember , that what is highly esteemed in the sight of men , is abomination in the sight of god , luk. . . again , the lord will aveng● himself upon them , because they have persecuted his saints without a cause ; as is written , psal. . . princes have persecuted me without a cause : & because they have given their power to the beast , and suffered that serpentine and viperous generation of false prophets and deceivers , to make use of them to persecute and destroy the saints and children of the most high god ; notwithstanding he hath said , psa. . . right dear and precious in the sight of the lord , is the death of his saints ; and that he will require it at the hands of this generation , mat. . , . with rev. . . where he saith , that in her was found the blood of all the saints and prophets , and all that are slain upon the earth . eightly , it is to be considered , what the kings and rulers of , the nations may or should do , to escape the hand of god lifted up against them : for although there be a generall distruction pronounced against the kings and princes of the nations ( their sins , and the sins of their fore-fathers , being at the full ) without respect of persons ; yet it is not without respect of their conditions , but except they repent ( as christ saith ) they shall all perish , luke . . as we also see in jon. . . when the lord by the prophet had pronounced destruction to nineveh within fourty days ; yet we see when they acknowledged their sins , and humbled themselves before the lord , he was pleased to forgive them , and spare their king and their city , according to his gratious promise , as we may read , ier. . . . , . in these words : at what instant i shall speak concerning a nation , on a kingdom , to pluck up or to pull down and destroy it ; if that nation against whom i have pronounced , turn from their evil i will repent of the evil , i thought to do unto them . and at what instant i speak concerning a nation and a kingdom , to build and plaint it ; if that nation do evil in my sight , that it obey not my voice , then will i repent of the good wherewith i said i would benefit them . thus we see , the lord hath gratiously left open a door of repentance for them to escape thorow ; although it s to be feared that very few will make use of it : notwithstanding my humble advice is to all in generall , that they will let the counsell of the lord be acceptable unto them which in these words is expressed : be wise now therefore , ye kings ; and be instructed , ye that are judges of the earth : serve the lord with fear , and rejoyce with trembling , psa. . , . break of your sins by righteousness , and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor , if it may be a lengthening of your tranquility , dan. . . for who can tell whether god will turn and repent , and turne away from his fierce anger , that they perish not ? seeing also he hath said , jer. . , if that nation against whom i have spoken , turne from their evil , i will repent of the evil that i thought to do to them . but more particularly , i shall apply my self to the honourable rulers of this nation ; whose happiness , with the prosperity of the whole nation , i much long after , and dayly pray for the continuing and perfecting of : and to that end , i shall make bold to put your honors in mind of these following particulars : not as one proudly taking in hand to teach you , but humbly and in the fear of god to advise you ; as one that hath obtained mercy of the lord : first , that you will fear the lord , and serve him in truth with all your hearts ; and consider what great things he hath done for you : for if you and the nation shall still do wickedly , we shall be consumed , sam. . , . consider therefore how he remembred you in your low condition ; and when you were little in your own eyes , he chose you , and made you the heads of the nation , sam. . . and ever since , hath gone before you , and fought your battels , and given you the victories : and now at present , he hath given you rest , and a breathing-time , to sit down and consider how he hath wonderfully delivered you out of the hands of your enemies : so that they which hate you do , not rule over you ; but he hath delivered them into your hands , and you rule over them : which is a double mercy . now therefore in the fear of god , while you have time , sit down and seriously consider how the lord hath digged and planted you , and how he hath fenced you and made an hedge about you : and what could men fearing god desire more for a temporall safety and deliverance , that he hath not done ? as he said once to israel , isa. . , , . now therefore is the time that the lord looks for fruit ; and now is the time that the rulers of the nation , and the judges of the people ought to be instructed , and to learn wisdom ; to serve the lord ( that hath thus delivered them ) in fear , and to rejoyce before him with trembling . secondly , take heed therefore lest now , when the lord looks for judgement , he behold oppression ; and for righteousness , he hear a cry : which may justly cause him to take away the hedge , and pull down the wall that he hath built about us , and lay us waste , as he did his people israel , isa. . , . i speak not these things to accuse any , but to warn all , in time to take heed ; for as paul saith in another case , rom. . if god spared not his people israel the naturall branches , let us take heed lest he also spare not us : and it is for you that are the heads of the people and princes of the nation ; i say it is for you to know judgment ; and of you that the lord requireth these things , mic. . . therefore let all that are in authority in the nation , consider their ways ; and , wash you , and make you clean , put away the evill of your doings from before the eyes of the lord ; cease to do evil , learn to do well , seek judgement , relieve the oppressed ; judge the fatherless , plead for the widow : then you may have boldness to draw near , and to come and reason together with the lord ; and though your sins be as scarlet , they shall be as white as snow : if you will be willing and obedient , ye shall eat the good things of the land ; but if you refuse and rebel , you shall yet be dovoured with the sword : for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it , isa. . , , , , . you may do all this now , you have time enough ; no enemies to trouble you . in time of distress you promised well : the people hoped you would performe , and therefore were willing to put to their hand to help in time of need : and now the storme is over , the eyes of all your friends in the nation are upon you , expecting these things from you ; which the lord requireth of you , and his people do beleive you will perform , although we thus speak , to stir up your minds by way of remembrance . thirdly , and you honourable , noble and valiant men of the army , whom god hath crowned with so many victories ; you that have seen the works of god , and his wonders in delivering you in most eminent dangers , and covering your heads in the day of battel , and made your hearts and hands strong , and your faces bold , to look upon your enemies in the height of all their pride , and gave them into your hands when you were in your lowest condition , ( remember dunbar ; ) be not now faint-hearted , but remember , and forget not to look your friends whom you have fought for in the faces , and petition to them , and plead with them for just judgement , and equity ; that the nation may be established in righteousness : then may you sit down in peace , and injoy the fruits of your labour and hazards . but think not that the work is already done , because you for present have done fighting : its true , the lord hath delivered you , and all the magistrates in the land , out of the hands of your enemies ; but it now remaineth that both you and they strive together ( and that while you have time ) to deliver the oppressed from oppression , and the poor & needy out of trouble : for god hath delivered you to that end , that you , as instruments in his hands , may deliver them : and he hath prepared yet another blessing for you , against you have done that work ; as you may see , psal. . , , . in these words : blessed is he that considereth the poor and neeby ; the lord will deliver him in time of trouble : the lord will preserve him , and keep him alive ; and he shall be blessed upon the earth : and the lord will not deliver him into the hands of his enemies ; but the lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing : yea , he will make his bed in all his sickness . thus we see how good and acceptable a work it is in the sight of god , and what the lord hath promised to those that faithfully labour in it : therefore they that are already about it , let them not be weary of well-doing : for in due time they shall reap , if they faint not . and those that are not about it , let them up and be doing : and lord that hath promised to be with them . therefore let none say , the former lawes and statutes of the nation do hinder them in this work : for if they be corrupt , why are they not taken away ? who hinders you , or can hinder you ? is not the lord with you , while you are with him , doing of his will and work ? and hath he not given the power into your own hands ? be sure therefore he will require these things at your hands that are in authority , and have the power in possession . but men are very prone in these things , to frame their work according to the politick law of nations , rather then to measure it by the perfect law of god : therefore my humble advice in the next place is , that your honours will , fifthly , be pleased to consider david , that man after gods own heart , who ruled the people prudently with all his power : consider , i say , how he meditated in the law of the lord day and night , psal. . . and how he sought him with his whole heart , that he might not wander from his commandments , psal. . . for by them he was made wiser then all his enemies , and had more understanding then all his teachers : because he meditated upon the testimonies of the lord , and because he kept his precepts , he came to understanding more then the ancients ; verse . , , . and these things are written , and left upon record , for our instruction , upon whom the ends of the world are come : therefore let us be instructed by them , and especially you that are in high places ; for the god israel hath said , they which rule over men must be just , ruling in the fear of god ; and as the light of the morning , when the sun ariseth in a morning without clouds ; and as the tender grass springing out of the earth , by the clear shining after raine , sam. . , . and truly there hath bin a great shower upon the nation these many yeers ; but now it is ended : therefore the lord grant that after you may so spring up and grow in works of justice , and mercy , and righteousness , that by them you may shine forth in the nation : so as both your selves , and they which do behold you , may have cause to rejoyce , and glorifie god . otherwise , i for my part am very confident that englands miseries are not yet done ; but the lord will again chastise us with chastisements seven times worse then before : but i hope for better things , although i thus speak . sixthly , the example of solomon is worthy of serious consideration , who when the lord had made him ruler over his people , he then besought him for an understanding heart that he might discern between good and bad , and that he might know how to judge righteously between man and man and how to go out and in before so great a people : and this thing pleased the lord so , that he did not onely grant him his request , but also gave him riches and honour , which he did not aske , nor cover after : and promised him further , that if he would walk in his ways , and keep his statutes and commandments as his father david did , he would also lengthen his days , king. . , , , , . now , would the honorable rulers of this nation know how to discern between good and bad , and to judge righteously between man and man , and how to go out and in before this great people which the lord hath set them over ? would you have honour and riches here , and true happiness hereafter , with god in glory ? then ask it of the lord , as david and solomon did : meditate in his law , and exercise your selves therein day and night : learn out of that , what is justice , and judgement , and equity , and the lord will be with you , and give you wisdome and understanding in all things : for he is no respecter of persons , but giveth to all that ask in faith , freely , and upbraideth not , james . . . therefore , right honorable , dispise not these sayings because of the weakness of the instrument who at this time puts you in mind of them , but let the counsell of the lord be acceptable to you : it may be as daniel saith , a lengthening of your tranquillity , chap. . therefore let all that are in authority labour to be such as they ought to be , ( namely ) men fearing god , and hating covetousness : ( for if any be otherwise minded , let them know , the lord will have such to rule before he hath done : ) and aske the lord for wisdome ( even that hidden wisdome , which few or none of the princes of this world have attaind unto ) cor. . . that , so you may wise and understanding hearts , to judge the people righteously : for without this wisdome , who is able to go out and in before so great a people as god hath set you over ? especially when the eyes of most of them are upon the rulers for evill , and do watch for their haltings . be wise now , therefore , you that are the rulers of the nation ; and be instructed , yee that are the judges of the people , and remember that although you be called gods , yet you must die like men ; and after that , cometh the righteous and impartiall judgement of god , to whom you must give account at the great day , of all your actions . therefore take heed ye be not conformable to their image which god hath cast downe by you , and do not tread in the footsteps of them whom god hath destroyed by your hands , for their pride , vaine-glory , covetousness and oppression : which wickedness in them , was now come to the full . but especiaily , take heed of persecuting the saints , and men fearing god , for conscience sake in the things of god , the which they were deluded and led into by those wicked antichristian ministers which attended upon them in the bishops days ; a great part of whom is left amongst us to this day , and some of them so transformed into ministers of righteousness , that they will hardly be discerned from them : but this need be no wonder ; for paul saith , the devill himself is transformed into an angel of light , cor. . , . but by their works they may be known . therefore if there be any secretly inticing your honours to persecute men fearing god , which make the holy scripture a rule both for their faith and obedience , you may be sure they are of that old generation the lord christ speaketh of : you may read their genealogie , and see whose children they are , mat. . , , , , , , , , . compared with john . . but i know by wofull experience , they have so much of the wisdom from beneath as to call us hereticks , and pestilent fellows , and movers of sedition ; and ring leaders of sects : for after the same manner they accused paul , act. . . but his answer is sufficient for all those which tread in his footsteps , and contend earnestly for that faith which was once delivered to the saints in pauls days ; which answer is written , act. . . , , . in these words , they cannot prove the things whereof they accuse me : but this he confessed ( to felix ) that after the way which they call heresie , so worship i the god of my fathers , beleiving all things that are written in the law and the prophets ; and have hope towards god , which they themselves allow , that there shall be a resurrection of the dead , both of the just and unjust . and herein do i exercise my self always , to have a conscience void of offence , towards god and towards man . from which words of paul , i observe these things . . that they which persecuted him , did themselves allow that it was lawfull for him to beleive all things written in the law and the prophets ; and yet they accused him for an heretick : even so do men in these days : they will allow us to beleive all things written in the law and the prophets , and all the gratious words of christ and his apostles ; but if we practise them , they will accuse us for hereticks . . those which do believe all things written in the holy scriptures , and acknowledge the resurrection of the just and unjust , and labour to keep good consciences , void of offence towards god and towards man ; they are no hereticks : let them believe and do what they will , if it be no more then is written in the word of god to believe and obey . therefore let all men take heed how they persecute any for believing or practising any thing written therein , although it be never so contrary to their judgement . . if any be hereticks , it must needs be they which do not believe and obey the things written and commanded in the holy scriptures : for , as christ saith to the sadduces , they erre , not knowing the scriptures . . i understand that the great difference amongst men lyeth in the practical part of religion : for the devill and wicked men do not care how much truth men know and believe , so they practise none ; for the greater is their condemnation : but if any come to practise it , by keeping the commandments of god , by which doing they exercise a good conscience towards god , and are blameless and righteous before him , as zacharias and elizabeth were , luke . then presently persecution ariseth : for satan well knoweth , that to believe and obey both , will bring a man to happiness in dispite of him : and therefore it is , that the poor saints are so much persecuted for practising nothing but what is written in the word of god , and was practised before in the days of christ and his apostles . but let men take heed how they offend those which earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints ; not in king henries or queen elizabeths days onely , but i mean all that was first preached and practised by the lord and his holy apostles ; even as it was delivered at first . therefore my prayer shall be for all those in authority , that , they may learn to know that they are ordained of god to judge between man and man , and not between god and man ; and to rule over mens bodies , not souls . but this i speak in the behalf of those which go not beyond the scriptures , and do not presume above what is written : but if any deny them , i have nothing to say for them ; they must answer for themselves when they are called to it . thus hoping that the magistrates in generall will be as willing to protect all people fearing god , and walking according to the rule of his word , as they are willing to pray for and assist them in time of need ; i shall conclude this matter , and proceed to the next particular ( viz. ) to shew what is the saints duty , and how they ought to behave themselves in these dangerous days and perilous times , briefly in these words . first , let not our hearts be troubled at the wars and rumours of wars , distresse of nations , and perplexity that is now upon the face of the earth : for all these things must come to pass ; but the end is not yet , mat. . , , . for these are the beginnings of sorrow , and the days of vengeance , in which all things must be fullfiled that are written in the prophets , luke . . therefore the second thing we are to be exhorted unto , is , to take heed to our selves , lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness , and the cares of this life , and so we be taken unawares in that snare that shall come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth ( which do not take heed : ) therefore let us watch and pray always , that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass on this side the grave , and that we may have our part in the resurrection of the just , and stand before the son of man with great boldness , luke . , , . for they which have their part in the first resurrection , are blessed and happy , and shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdome of their father , when our vile bodies shall be changed and made like the glorious body of the lord , as it is written , rev. . . mat. . . with phil. . . but the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement , nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous in that day , when the heavens shall depart , or pass away with a great noise , and the elements shal melt with servent heat , & the earth , with the works therein , shall be burnt up . at which time , the dead , both great and small must all appear before the judgment-seat of christ , to receive according to their deeds done in the flesh , whether they be good or bad . the consideration of which righteous judgement to come , made felix tremble , although he was a judge : therefore , dear christians , and all that feare god , and believe that all these things shall come to pass ; let us , us as peter saith , pet. , , . consider what manner of persons we ought to be , in all holy conversation and godliness : looking for , and making haste unto , the coming of this great day of god : for it 's the property of the wicked to put the evil day far from them : but let us , so much the more as we see the evil day approaching , prepare to meet the lord , by putting off the work of darkness and putting on the armour of light , walking honestly as the children of the day : laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness , and receiving with meekness that ingrafted word of god , which is able to save our souls . and forasmuch as we know that godliness is great gaine , having both the promise of this life , and that which is to come ; let us put on the new man which after god is created in righteousness and true holiness , and let us be clothed with humility ; then shall we be fit and ready to meet the lord at his coming , and to look death in the face , whensoever it shall approach . let us take heed of lying and deceit : and let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth , but that which is good to the use of edifying and building up each other in our most holy faith : and let all bitterness , and wrath and evil speaking , filthiness , foolish talking , and jesting , be put away from us , and not once be named amongst us : as becometh saints : for , for these things sake cometh the wrath of god upon the children of disobedience : let us not therefore be partakers with them , but see that we walk circumspectly , not as fools but as wise , children of the light ; redeeming our time , because the days are evil . and in a common calamity many times all things fall out alike to all ; and as dieth the wiseman , so dyeth the fool ; and there is one event to the righteous , and to the wicked ; to the clean , and to the unclean ; to him that sacrificeth , and to him that sacrificeth not , and to him that sweareth , as to him that feareth an oath : so that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all the things that are before him in this present evil world , eccle. . , , . but this we know through believing , that our lord jesus christ gave himself for our sins , that he might deliver us from them , and all the corruptions and pollutions that are therein through lust : and by him is given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises , that by them we might be made partakers of the divine nature . let us therefore give all diligence to add to our faith vertue , and to vertue knowledge , and to that temperance , and patience , and godliness , and brotherly kindness , and love ; that we may be fruitfull in the knowledge of christ , and abound in the work of the lord , for asmuch as we know our labour shall not be in vaine ; and if we do these things , we shall never fall , but an entrance shall be opened to us abundantly , into the everlasting kingdome of our lord and saviour jesus christ , pet. , so that we may stand by saith , and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of god , even that eternal weight of glory the apostle speaketh of , cor. . , , , . which will make our affliction seem light and momentary : and though our outward man should perish , yet our inward man will be dayly renewed . let us therefore consider these things , lest we faint and be weary in our minds ; and that we may lift up our heads and rejoyce , knowing the day of our redemption draweth nigh . thus having laboured to stir up your pure minds in some measure by way of remembrance , i shall proceed to the last particular , namely , the vindication of the saints from the false aspersions cast upon them by wicked ignorant men . first , they assirme that we will not obey magistrates , but have rebelliously rose up against , and prevailed over the king to the taking away of his life : and therefore they conclude that we are those that dispise dominion , and ars not afraid to speak evil of dignities . to which answer : this is no more true then that which ahab spake of elijah , when he told him that it was he that troubled israel , king. . . . and therefore the same answer may well serve us , ( viz. ) that it is not we that have troubled the nation , by fearing god , and keeping his commandments , which are written in his word of truth ; for that is the whole duty of man , eccle. . . but it was he , and his fathers house , in that he had forsaken the commandments of the lord , and brought in the commandments and traditions of men in stead therof , as ahab followed after baalim : and therefore in vain did they worship god , as christ faith . but let our accusers remember those prophane days of liberty , which were set up by authority , and books of liberty read in stead of preaching , by which they strengthened the hands of the wicked , that they could not turne from their wickedness : for they thought all was well so long as it was set up and allowed by authority , and read by the parish-priest . secondly , let them remember the persecuting of them that feared the lord in those days , by banishment , imprisonment , and spoiling their goods , and some by death , whose blood cried for vengeance in the eares of the lord , with the prayers , sighs and grones of the other banished out of their native countrey from friends and acquaintance , and those in prison ; the wife being separated from her loving husband , and the husband from his dear wife ; the children from their parents , and parents from their children : being thereby made uncapable of getting a livelihood in the world ; even to the utter undoing of many : and all because they would but search into the scriptures for eternal life , further then the bishops , and the king and his counsel would have them . by all which it is evident , that it is the just hand of god that hath taken vengeance upon his teachers and counselers , and will yet find out more of them ; and that not onely in this land , but in other nations also , untill he hath stained the pride of all their glory , and brought into contempt all the honorable of the earth : the which is sufficiently proved before , in the sixth and seventh particulars of this book . thirdly , let them consider the abundance of wickedness that was at court in his days ; what gluttony , drunkenness pride , swearing , lying , whoring , carding , dicing , and all manner of unlawfull gaming , allowed of , practised , and maintained by him , his courtiers , and their attendance : all which , with the reft of their wickedness , procured the just judgement of god upon them : for , because of these things the wrath of god cometh upon the children of disobedience , eph. . , , , . againe , whereas they accuse us of speaking evill of dignities , and for resisting of powers ; i answer , it 's false : for there is no power but of god , the apostle saith , rom. . . , . and how to know what power is of god , he sheweth in the & verses , in these words : for rulers and powers ( that are of god ) are not a terrour to good works , but to the evil . therefore if thou doest that which is good , thou shalt have praise of the same : for he is the servant of god to thee for good : and is for the praise of them that do well , and for the punishment of them that do evil . and , saith the apostle , to such a power we must needs be subject , not onely for wrath , but also for conscience sake . object . but the powers that are , be of god ; and must be obeyed , though they should be wicked . answ. i deny it : for wicked men in authority commanding wicked things , ought not to be obeyed , but opposed ; either actively , by doing ; or passively , by suffering . therefore said the apostle to the magistrates , act. . . whether it is right in the sight of god , to hearken to you more then to god , judge you . and again , chap. . , . peter and the other apostles told the magistrates , they ought to obey god rather then them . thus we see magistrates are not to feared and obeyed because they are magistrates and powers , but because they are good magistrates , and powers ordained of god ; such as are for the praise of them that do well , and a terrour to them that do evill , pet. . . therefore saith the apostle , rom. . . they that do well shall not need to be afraid of the powers that are of god : but we know by wofull experience , that those that did well , had most cause of fear , and were in greatest danger : therefore that power was not of god , and is cast down . againe , if we must understand it in their sence , ( viz. ) that all powers are of god ; and must be obeyed because they are powers ; then we shall prove the devil , and all wicked men , as theives and murtherers , must be obeyed : for the devil is both a prince and a power ; even the prince of the darkness , the prince of the powers : of the aier , the spirit that now worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience , eph. . . but now i hope none will say , that because he is a power , that therefore he ought to be obeyed , or that he is of god . but if the other argument be true , this must needs follow : but men reason thus , because they are ignorant , and are indeed of the number of those that speak evil of things they understand not : and shall utterly perish in their own corruptions , except they repent , pet. . . for indeed , these men know not , neither do they consider what god hath done in former ages ; much less what he is doing , and will do , yet before the end of all things : and therefore speak they evil of things they know not : and , as peter saith againe , they think it strange that we run not in the same excesse of riot with them ; and therefore speak they evil of us : but let them know they shall give an account to him which is ready to jude the quick and dead , pet. . , . . obj. but there are many noble , wise , and prudent men in this nation , and most or all of the kings and princes of other nations that take part with them ; and who dares say that they are such ? answ. most or all of the kings , princes , and nobles of the world are ignorant of the knowledge of god , and of his great design and work that he hath to do upon the earth : for had they known it ( saith paul ) they would not have crucisied the lord of glory , cor. . . and did those princes and great men in our days know it , they would not crucifie him in his members : but , as christ saith , these things will they do unto you , because they have not known the father nor me , joh. . , . and indeed , the world by wisdom knew not god : therefore saith paul , the wisdom of this world , and of the princes of the world , comes all to nought , cor. . . but as for the wisdom of god , that shall endure for ever : he revealeth it to them that fear him : and his covenant is to give them understanding , without respect of persons , psal. . . , with james . . and there is not many wise , nor noble , nor mighty , that god hath chosen ; but he hath chosen the poor in this world , rich in faith , and heirs of his kingdom , james . . and god hath chosen the foolish things of the world , to confound the wise ; and weak thing of the world , to confound the mighty ; and base things , and things that are dispised , hath god chosen ; to the end that no flesh should glory in his presence . see cor. . , , , . therefore saith christ , i thank thee , father , lord of heaven and earth , that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent , and revealed them to babes : even so , father , for so it seemed good in thy sight , luke . . thus having shown the reason why men salsly accuse us , and speak evill of us , as of evil doers ; i shall proceed to vindicate my self and others from the next reproach and slander , ( namely ) that we are the false prophets that shall arise in the last days , and deceive many . in answer to which , i shall proceed in order thus : first , we will consider which are the last days in which they should arise . secondly , how we may know a false prophet from a true one . and first , i affirme , that the last days in which the false prophets should arise , did begin in the time when christ and his apostles were upon the earth : which is cleared by considering the world in its three ages : the first days of it being from the creation till the flood , and after till moses , by whom the law was given : the second days , or middle age of the world , being from moses to christ : the last days , from christ to the end : which days shall be shortned , for the elects sake , now that the false prophets did begin to arise when christ was upon the earth , and his apostles is evident , first from mat. . , , where christ warns his disciples to take heed that no man deceive them 〈…〉 for many shall come in my name and say i am christ ; and deceive many : therefore those were the last days in which deceivers should come , because he warned his disciples then in the flesh not to be deceived . secondly , that those were the last days in scripture-language appeareth , act. . , . in these words . this is that which was spoken by the prophet joel , that it should come to pass in the last days ( saith god ) i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh , &c. and this was then fulfilled : therefore these were the last days . thirdly , the apostle saith , heb. . , . god who at sundry times and in divers manners spake to our fathers by the prophets , hath in these last days spoken to us by his son , &c. therefore those days in which christ was in the flesh , and spake to us the minde of his father , were the last days in which the false prophets should arise : for , saith peter , as there were false prophets among the people , ( namely , the people of israel under moses ; ) even so shall there be false teachers amongst you : ( namely , under the gospel . ) fourthly , that those were the last days in which false prophets should arise , and did arise , is undeniable , joh. . . in these words , where he speaks in the present time , thus : little children , it [ is ] the last time : and as you have heard that antichrist shall come , even so now there are many antichrists ; by which we know that it [ is ] the last time . therefore the false prophets and teachers did arise in those days , and that out of the church of christ : for , saith the apostle , vers. . they went out from us : and again , ( saith paul ) the mystery of iniquity doth already work , thes. . . and i know ( saith he ) that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among [ you , ] not sparing the flock . and of your own selves shall men arise , speaking perverse things , to draw away disciples after them , acts . , . thus we see when the last days began , and when the false prophets did arise ; and ever since that , they have continued and increased in the world . and , without question , the pope may from hence well plead his antiquity , and so his succession : for i believe they might be in times past in the true church at rome : for we see that false prophets and teachers had their rise out of the apostolike church , in the primitive times . but there is another prophecie to be fulfilled in these last days of all , ( namely ) that christ will consume and destroy them with the spirit of his mouth , and the brightness of his coming , thes. . this compared with micah . , , , , . in these words : in the last days it shall come to pass , that the mountain of the house of the lord shall be established in the top of the mountains , and exalted above the hills : and people shall flow unto it . and many nations shall come , and say , come , let us go up to the mountain of the lord , and to the house of the god of jacob ; and he shall teach us his ways , and we will walk in his paths : for the law shall go out of zion , &c. and the lord shall judge among many people , and rebuke strong nations afar off ; and they shall break their swords into plough-shares , and their spears into pruning-hooks : nation shall not lift up a sword against nation , neither shall they learn war any more . but every man shall sit under his vine , and under his fig-tree , and none shall make them afraid . for all people will walk every one in the name of his god , and we will walk in the name of the lord our god for ever and ever . these things shall come to pass in their appointed times ; for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it : but it is not yet come to pass ; therefore we must look for other times in the last days of all ; viz. not the rising of false prophets , but the destroying and casting of them down ; which the lord will hasten . the second thing is , how we may know a false prophet : of which i shall speak as briefly as i can , because , by what hath been said before , they may be known . . they will preach and prophesie in the name of christ ( very much ; ) but they say , and do not : see matth. . , , , . if antichrist should not come in the name of christ , he could not deceive so many : for the world hath been deceived these many hundred yeers by praying and preaching in his name , by them that have not obeyed his commandments , nor contended for the faith as it was once delivered to the saints , jude . . they are of a persecuting spirit : for they win stir up the magistrate to persecute others , which both say and do those things commanded in scripture , which was first preached by the lord himself and his holy apostles : and yet they cannot tell us how we shall escape , if we neglect it . see heb. . , . . . they commonly deny christ to be come in the flesh , in effect , though not in words , by grounding their religion upon the ceremonies of the law ; as is well noted in that little book of tho. collier's , called three parallels , one between , the priests of our times , and they under the law . . they love to give expositions of plain places , of scripture , thereby to blinde the eyes of the ignorant , by darkning the counsel of god with their words without knowledge ; thereby endeavouring to make the people set their faith in their wisdom , and not in the power of god ; contrary to paul , and the apostles of christ . see cor. . . lastly to escape their wiles , let all men try the spirits by the words of god : remember , the noble bereans , acts . , . who searched the scriptures daily , to see whether the things were so . therefore let none venture their souls upon their expositions , lest they lose them ; but let us he sure we have a written word of god for what we believe , and for what we obey : for he is a wise man that believes and obeys the sayings of christ , and not their expositions of his sayings . see luk. . , , , , consider it well , and learn to be wise . the next thing we are accused of , is , that we are those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine we have learned , rom. , . from which place , our enemies take occasion to warn the people to take heed of us , and avoid our company : for , say they . who are they which cause these divisions and offences amongst us , but these separatists , and men of a new faith ? to which , at present , i shall briefly answer thus , for the clearing of it . first , consider [ when ] the apostle spake these words : it was sixteen hundred yeers ago . secondly , to [ whom ] he spake them : it was to the true church of christ that was then at rome , rom. . . thirdly , [ what ] doctrine it was they had learned : it was the doctrine of christ which was preached to them by paul himself , in those days ; and therefore he exhorteth them to mark them that laboured to cause divisions and offences contrary to it : for ( saith he ) they that are such , serve not the lord jesus christ , but their own bellies ; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple , vers. . now what is all this to a people that never learned this doctrine , but the doctrine of their teacher , or his predecessor ; 〈◊〉 be , if it were tried by the word of god , it is so far from that which paul speaks of , that they ought to separate and divide from it . secondly , the same may be said of jude's exhortation to the saints to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints ; therefore it is not that which was delivered since jude's days , contrary to it ; but that which was delivered before , in his days : or else why should he say , contend for that faith which was once delivered , if it were still to deliver ? therefore let us make that which was first preached by christ and his apostles in that generation , a perfect rule of faith and obedience in this generation ; and let us contend earnestly for it , and mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to what is written in the holy scriptures , and avoid them . lastly , it is said , that we are the ignorant and unlearned that wrest the scriptures to our own destruction , pet. . . to which i answer : if peter meant those which are unlearned in reference to humane learning , i confesse we may be some what guilty : but if peter meant humane learning , then he condemns himself , and the other apostles : for , acts . . we read that peter and iohn were ignorant and unlearned men : therefore he meaneth them which are ignorant and unlearned in the things of the spirit of god , which , as paul saith , the naturall man perceiveth not ; nor any of the princes of this world knew , for all their learning , cor. . , , , . with . againe , we know that the pope , his cardinals and jesuites , want no humane learning ; and yet most men in england conclude that they wrest the scriptures to their own destruction . again , we know the ancient , learned , grave bishops in our days wanted no greek nor hebrew ; and yet they are concluded to be antichristian and erroneous . lastly , the apostle sheweth us plainly who he calleth unlearned , cor. . . where he saith , if the church be come together into some place , and they all speak with tongues , and there come in those that are unlearned , or unbelievers , they will conclude they are mad : but if all prophesie , and there come in unlearned , or unbelievers , they will be convinced , &c. by all which we see that unbelievers are the unlearned once which wrest the scriptures to their own distruction : which indeed they must needs do , if they have not heard and learned christ , and been caught by him , as the truth is in jesus , eph. . , , . thus having cast in my mite into the treasury , towards the continuing and increasing the peace and prosperity of the church of christ , and the common-wealth of england ; i freely commit what is written to the view of all men ; desiring them to read and consider it seriously , and trie it by the word of god , and judge impartially : and if any finde profit , let god have the praise and glory , and let me have the prayers of all that fear god , and regard not iniquity in their hearts : to whom i desire while i live , to remaine , a loving brother , and faithful servant , in the service of christ , henry haggar . finis . christian reader , the author hereof hath another treatise extant , intituled , the spirit of promise : or , those rich treasures that so long have lien hid in christ , searched out , and discovered to the saints . wherein is undeniably proved , that the holy spirit of promise , and the gifts thereof , are the saints proper right now , and may and ought to be sought after with all diligence , so as be attained unto in this generation , full as well as in the apostltes . which is also to be sold by giles calvert , at the signe or the black spread eagle at the west-end of pauls . the law and equity of the gospel, or, the goodness of our lord as a legislator delivered first from the pulpit in two plain sermons, and now repeated from the press with others tending to the same end ... by thomas pierce ... pierce, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the law and equity of the gospel, or, the goodness of our lord as a legislator delivered first from the pulpit in two plain sermons, and now repeated from the press with others tending to the same end ... by thomas pierce ... pierce, thomas, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by s. roycroft for robert clavell ..., london : . includes index. includes [ ] p. of advertisements at end. errata: preliminary p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. christian life. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion imprimatur , c. alston r. p. d. hen. episc. lond. a sacris domesticis . october . . the law and equity of the gospel . or the goodness of our lord as a legislator . delivered first from the pulpit in two plain sermons . and now repeated from the press , with others tending to the same end. to which is added , the grand inquiry to be made in these inquisitive times ; together with the resolution of paul and silas . as also an improvement of that inquiry , containing , in its parts , a resolution unto it self . and a scriptural prognostick of jesus christ's second advent to judge the world. lastly a proeservative against ambition . by thomas pierce d. d. chaplain in ordinary to his majesty , and dean of sarum . london , printed by s. roycroft for robert clavell at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . . a preface to the reader . christian reader , thô some disputes are made needful by needless questions which are raised by a strife of words ; and thô when malice , or curiosity , carnal interest , or ambition , have brew'd and broached such doctrines , as are dishonourable to god , and his holy gospel , or have a tendency to the ruin of church and state , the greatest lovers of peace and silence must so dispute against the former , as by their arguments to assert and secure the later ; thô the most peaceable dr. hammond , * the best of men , and † the divinest , ( as two eminent prelats have publickly stiled him from the press , ) thought it his duty to be the author of more disputes and defensatives , than i and my betters have ever yet been , ( as his controversial writings do make apparent , his second volume being spent like the eighth volume of erasmus ) yet 't were heartily to be w●sh'd such powerful courses could be taken , as might prevent the every cause and occasion of them . experience tells us 't is often easier , by obstinate silence to prevent , than by reason to confute , or to shame an error . and next to such a resolved silence , i know not any better preventive of needless controversies and questions , than our medit●●ing on questions which are not needless ; but of great consequence to be asked , and of greater necessity to be answered . and such as to which we ought to give our selves b wholly . as c what we must do that we may be sav'd ? what is the certain d diagnostick whereby to judge without sin of our selves , and others ? and as well of our present , as future state ? what is that we call the gospel ? and wherein especially does it consist ? what is it to be able to e comprehend with all saints , the breadth , and length , and depth , and highth , and so to know the love of christ which passeth knowledge ? to know the immensity of his love , expressed to us ( as by an emblem , ) by all the dimensions of the cross he was fastned to ; extended upwards , and downwards , and on both the sides of it ; a type of the fathomless love of christ , whereof the knowledge is supereminent , surpassing and transcending all other knowledges in the world. in so much that we may fitly espouse our apostles resolution , f not to know any thing in comparison of jesus christ , and him crucified ; whereby is pithily represented the law and equity of the gospel , which is the summ of all the theology a faithful steward needs preach , towards g the saving of himself , and of them that hear him . and as in the days of our forefathers , when christian simplicity was at its purest , a vitious life was justly reckon'd , not only the greatest , but the worst haeresie in the world ; so of convictions , and confutations , religious practices were the most cogent . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as st. chrysostom somewhere calls them , ) convincing syllogisms and arguments , not to be answer'd by the acutest , nor ever heartily gainsaid by the worst of men . and therefore as controverted doctrines have taken up much of my time pass't , so these ( i am sure ) are the grand requisites , which 't will be better to advance for the time to come . i easily guess what will happen , to me and others of the old stamp , ( the envied friends and disciples of dr. hammond , ) whilst we ingage in this course of preaching up christ as a legislator ; and of celebrating the law , as well as the equity of the gospel ; of walking evenly in our doctrines 'twixt two extremes ; to wit socinians on the one side , and solifidians on the other . even the same that befell the antient fathers of the church ; who for distinguishing the persons or subsistences of the deity , were called tritheites and arians by the followers of sabellius ; and yet were called sabellians too , both by the tritheites and the arians , for not dividing the very substance , or the deity it self . so for teaching that our saviour did consist of two natures , they were branded as nestorians by the whole sect of the eutychians ; and yet were stiled eutychians too by all the gang of the nestorians , for asserting that our saviour was no more than one person . after the very same manner ; we , for holding the necessity of impartial obedience to christ's commands , and ( by consequence unavoidable ) a necessity of good works , as part of the means of our being saved , do commonly pass for socinians in the rash censure of solifidians ; and yet are accompted solifidians by the like rashness of the socinians , for our disclaiming all merit in our obedience and good works , as to the making satisfaction to the justice of god for our transgressions ; and for desiring with st. paul , to be found only in christ , not having our own righteousness , but that which is of god by faith. but we must not be afraid to assert and propagate the truth , because there are who infer it from diverse falshoods ; nor may we dishonestly let it go , for other mens holding it in unrighteousness . for for us to deny our obligation to good works , because there are who do contend for the merit of them ; or for us not to own the perfect necessity of obedience , which does naturally tend to the glory of god , because socinians own the same to his great dishonour ; or for us not to infer it from the divinity of our saviour , ( as well as from the perfection both of his covenant and his commands , ) because such haereticks do infer it from their denial of his divinity , and of his plenary satisfaction for the sins of the world ; is just as bad as if the christians should now begin to dogmatize , that there are three distinct gods , ( the father , son , and holy ghost , ) because the jews and the mahomedans do constantly hold there is but one . i shall therefore so order the following parts of my design , betwixt the enemies of truth upon either side , as to hazard the displeasure of both extreams . but yet because i am convinc'd by the best searches i can make , that the preaching up of faith in its vulgar notions , hath been generally the cause of such a carnal security , as hath shrunk up those sinews of vertuous living , wherein the strength of religion doth chiefly stand ; and that men are made infidels ( not to say atheists ) in their practice , by no means more , than by their errours about the nature and the great privilege of the gospel , and so of their belief in the lord jesus christ ; i shall give such a byass to my ensuing meditations , as may incline them most strongly to the advantages of obedience , and strict converse . whether by solving such objections , as still remain to be consider'd ; or by the clearing of such scriptures , as men have appetites to obscure ; or by shewing the agreement , of such as may seem to contradict , or else by pointing at such instructions , as all the premisses put together shall chance to yield us . and this i shall do , if god permit upon some future opportunities ; if this i presently lay hold on shall prove as worthy of acceptation , as by me it is well-intended . that it may , i think fit to premise before-hand this declaration : that if in any thing i have spoken , i seem to have spoken somewhat austerely ; i have not done it with any particular reflections , upon any man's person , alive , or dead . my propositions are universal , as well as true ; and my severities to the guilty lye all in common . as many as find themselves concern'd , may make their personal and their private applications of my reproofs ; so as they carry it in their memories , that i have made none at all . for the longer i live , the more i am of this opinion , that truth it self may be asserted , and questions about it decided also , without reflecting upon the persons ( thô we must intimate the parties ) from whom we differ . and here i am tempted to take occasion ( where none is offer'd ) to tell my reader for his service , ( if i can rightly apprehend it , ) that when i am now and then consulted by a young student in divinity , and a candidate for the priesthood , what kind of cynosure he shall steer by , when he is newly launching forth in the vast ocean of theology ; i do not presently direct him , ( as dr. steward at st. germans directed me , ) to begin with vincentius lirinensis ; to proceed with baronius and the magdeburgenses ; then with the fathers of the church for the first three hundred years ; nor do i presently ingage him in the learned and elaborate and laudable method of mr. dodwell , whose parts , and piety , his patience , and his pains-taking , many theologues may imitate , but few can equal ; but first i tell him , that the shortest and surest way , whereby to make himself a sufficient and sound divine , is ( next to his reading and revolving the word of god , ) to study the works of dr. hammond ; beginning with his annotations , at least with his paraphrase on the new testament , his practical catechism , and his book of fundamentals . for i have been long of this opinion ; that he whose important office it is , to be a leader of other men in the way of truth , and either not at all to err , or else to err as inoffensively , as 't is possible for him to do in a state of frailty , will find it safest to be a follower of the most excellent dr. hammond , who ( if any man ever was ) was a circumspect follower of jesus christ. to whom be glory for ever and ever . errata . page . line . read dear . and l. . r. dearer . p. . l. . after of r. that . p. . l. . in marg . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . from the bottom , r. receive . p. . l. . from the bottom , r. good. p. . l. . in marg . r. c. . p. . l. . r. streight . and l. . after them r. in . p. . l. . after option r. to be . p. . l. . r. six and twentieth . p. . l. . in marg . r. tra . p. . l. . for at r. of . p. . l. . from the bottom , r. art . p. . l. . r. most congregations do consist . p. . l. . after elegantly r. call's it . p. . l. . after spouse ) r. we are . p. . l. . after or , blot out to . p. . l. . after near add to . p. . l. . r. modrevius . p. . l. . dele the. p. . l. . after and dele the. p. . l. . r. promised . p. . l. . r. especially . p. . l. . after is r. many thousand . the necessity of wearing the yoke of christ. john xiii . . ye call me master and lord , and ye say well , for so i am . § . that we may see how well the text may be made suitable to the time , both to the day of the month , and to the buis'ness of the day , we shall do well do bear in mind , throughout the tenor of my discourse , that our saviour's last supper did consist of two parts . there was a coena , and a post-coenium : which we may fitly enough express , by calling them the first , and the second course . our saviour rose from the first , to wash and wipe his disciples feet , ( v. . ) which as soon as he had done , he sat him down unto the second , ( v. . ) and then designing to institute the tremendous sacrament of his body , he prepared his communicants with these words following , ( v. . ) ye call me master and lord , and ye say well , for so i am . the word lord , and the word master do so agree in the translation , and yet in the original do so much differ , that we must bring in the greek to explain the english , or else we shall miss of its full importance . § . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word which refers to power . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which relates to knowledge . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which properly signifies authority ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which properly signifies to teach . our blessed saviour is the first in his kingly office , and the second in his prophetical . he is [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] a lord , to protect and govern ; he is [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] a master , to direct and teach us ; and both he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in such a degree of supereminence , as is not common to him with others ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lord , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the master . in as much as he is the lord , we are to serve in his house ; and in as much as he is the master , we are to learn in his school . he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord , to stretch his scepter over our hearts ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the master , to light his candle within our heads . as a master , he instructs us to know our duties ; but as a lord , he commands us to do them also . he is proposed to us as both , for our observance and imitation . that looking on him as our lord , we may be humble ; and taking after him as our master , we may be wise . § . and this which helps us to understand , may help us also to divide , and apply the text. for first of all , if he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which properly signifies a lord , whose prerogative it is to command and rule us ; then must we pay him a strict obedience , in as much as we are his subjects , or as being his soldiers , and servants too . ( such as promised in our baptism to fight manfully under his banner . ) secondly , if he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which properly signifies a master , whose property it is to instruct and teach us ; then do we owe him obedience too , as being his followers and disciples , placed under his discipline , and trained up in his school . thirdly , it follows by way of inference from two expressions in the text , ( towit the first , and the last , ) that he is not only to be called our lord and master , but to be seriously received and own'd as such . for mark the manner in which he speaks . ye call me lord , and ye call me master ; and in that ye say well , because what ye call me , i truly am . but to say well , is one thing ; and to do well , another . and therefore because i truly am what ye call me , be you as truly what you pretend . if i your lord and your master have washed your feet , remember then to do as ye have me for an example , and see that ye wash oneanothers feet . if they have called me belzebub , who am the master of the house ; how much more should such as you ( who are but some of my houshold ) be content to be called as bad , or worse ? in the two first of these particulars we have the doctrin of the text ; and in the last we see the use. not an use of my framing , but such as the author of the text was pleas'd himself to draw from it for our instruction . § . the result of the doctrin is briefly this . that we must not expect to live as libertines under christ , who is not only our elder brother , to make us partakers of his inheritance ; but our lord and our master , to make us obedient to his commands . not our lord only to save us , but especially our lord to be served by us . nor our master only to teach us by the veracity of his doctrin , but more especially to reform us by the convincingness of his life . our lord and master in the text hath such a twofold importance , as comes to one and the same end in the application . we may distinguish the notions , but must not separate or divide them . they must be coupled in my discourse , as here they are in the subject of it . for as scholars of christ , we ought to imitate his example ; which how can we do , unless as servants of christ , we obey his will ? when * iesus began both to do , and to teach , he taught according to what he did . as were his precepts , and his doctrin , such exactly was his life , and his conversation . he led his life by the rule of the moral law ; by his perfect obedience unto which , he was pleased to blunt the edge , and to abate the rigour of it . so that 't is absolutely impossible for us to follow his example , unless by yielding our obedience to his commands . we cannot embrace him as a master , unless we receive him as a lord too . § . and with this i am desirous to fill my readers so much the rather , because i take it to be a point , concerning which as it is dangerous , so it is easie for us to err . and so much the easier , because it is acceptable and pleasant to the natural appetites of the flesh , to look on christ as a redeemer , but nothing else . to entertain him as a lamb , fit to be fed upon at his table , whereby we may be nourished to life eternal ; but not at all as a shepherd to guide and govern us , and by the strictness of his discipline , to keep us from straying out of his pastures . for let us look a little within us , and examin our own hearts by our own experience . do we not naturally esteem it an happy thing , to have as much of this world as we know what to do with ? as much as we can sacrifice to all our senses ? to live in as great a superfluity of sports and pleasures , as a tiberius can in joy , or a petronius think of ? and ( when we are deeply run in debt by our expenseful sensualities ) to have all our debts paid out of another man's purse , all our recknings made even , acquittances put into our hands , and nothing more required to be done on our parts , than to believe we owe nothing , and that if by continuing in our exorbitant expences we plunge our selves in new debts , they shall all be discharged out of the very same treasure ? nay , is it not yet a more pleasing error , a more delicious kind of mistake and madness , to think our debts were all remitted before we were able to contract them ? and then with a greater force of reason , are we not apt to look on them ( i do not say as the most rational , but ) as the most comfortable preachers , who bring us tidings even from heaven , that all our duties are done already by another man's obedience in our behalf ? that all our sins are discounted by another man's sufferings ? all our punishments inflicted upon another man's shoulders ? and that 't is safe for us to sin , upon condition we despair not of being pardon'd , but believe without doubting that we were justified from eternity , and that our sins were all forgiven before they could possibly be committed ? not only all the sins that are , but all that shall be ? § . i need not say who they are , by whom this carnal christianity is preach't and printed ; nor can we choose but confess , that to the men who have embraced this present world , as did demas , ( the men who are afraid there is a heaven , because it infers there is a hell too , the men who live after the flesh , and most pretend unto the spirit , the men who pray and despise dominion , the men who praise god and defraud their neighbour , ) it is an admirably pleasant and gladsom doctrin . and this i take to be the reason , why so much of the libertine doth shew it self with bare face in the christian world . for what the sons of disobedience do think most pleasant , they do passionately desire to have most true . all their wits are set on work to find our arguments and reasons , whereby to evince it , and make it good . what soever they feed upon is so exceedingly fermented by this four leven , that the wholsomest of meats is made to nourish their disease ; and none so much , as the bread of life . even sermons and sacraments are most perverted to their destruction . and therefore the tendency of opinions ought to be diligently weigh'd . for when men's opinions in religion are gratifications to the flesh , and when they are servants to those opinions , and transported with the pleasure of being such , there is hardly any passage in all the scriptures , which they will not prevail with to sound that way . but seeing the ioy and contentment which is wont to arise from a pleasing falshood , is but like the ioy of hypocrites , exceeding * short , and cannot last any longer than a natural man's life , ( which , if it continue till he is old , is much too young to be but the childhood of aeternity , ) we ought to look upon them as our surest friends , who are so curteously severe , as to awaken us out of our reverie ; not permitting us to go on in our merry dream , for fear it prove a dead sleep by long continuance , whose danger will not be discern'd , until we awake in another world . § . they indeed do say truth , who say that christ is our saviour , our sacrifice , our elder brother , and our advocate , and that by him we are redeemed from the curse of the law ; ( gal. . . ) but nothing hurts more than truth it self , when 't is not solidly and wholly , but only partially deliver'd . and they say not the whole truth , until they add this unto all the rest , that christ is our a master , our b lawgiver , our c king , and our d iudge ; and that he came not to abrogate , but to perfect the law. to fulfil it , saith the english ; to fill it up , saith the greek ; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word , matth. . . hence therefore i shall argue the obligation lying upon us , that we exceed the iews as much , by our obeying the moral law , as they did us , by their obeying the ceremonial . and this i shall do by three such steps or degrees , as may serve for three rounds of a iacob's ladder ; whose bottom , although it touch the earth , yet it reacheth at the top within the heavens . § . first , if christ were nothing more than our lord and master , we must be concluded to be his servants ; because they are relative and correlative , which do mutually infer the one the other . and were we nothing more to him than hired servants , we could not sure but be obliged to do his work : which is not only to believe he is true , and righteous , and will pay us the wages which he hath promis'd ; but ( over and above ) it is to come when he calls , to go when he sends , and to do what he bids us , without exception , or delay . for was it ever yet the work of an hired servant , to believe that his master is an honest meek man , who first will suffer himself with patience to be abused by his servant , and then besides his forgiveness , will give him also a great reward ? no. 't is the keeping of his commandments which is the doing of his work ; and that is strictly recommended by christ himself , as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or touchstone whereby to judge what we are ; whether loving , or faithful , or knowing servants . if loving servants , we will keep his commandments , iohn . . if faithful servants , we will be sure to do whatsoever he commands us , iohn . . if knowing servants , and such as know that we know him , his best beloved servant tells us , we will keep his commandments , iohn . . still the keeping his commandments is as 't were the great vein , carrying spirits and life throughout the body of the gospel , that is , health and salvation to them that read it . let men write never so much ; let them dispute never so well for the cause of christ ; or let them preach never so often ; this at last will be the product and sum of all , fear god , and keep his commandments . and therefore the keeping of his commandments , which is the doing of his work , is every where set before us as the only-sufficient proof , or demonstration , that we do not only call him our lord and master , but that we practically receive him as truly such . but this is not all . § . for he is such a lord and master , as deserves more of us than bare obedience ; in as much as he hath not only hired us , but hath bought us out-right . so said st. paul to his corinthians , we are not our own , for we are bought with a price . and therefore if he had been pleas'd , he might justly of servants have made us slaves . lord ! how exactly should we be dutiful to this our master , if we would only do for him , as we would that our servants should do for us ? we look for absolute , impartial , universal obedience , from a servant only hired from year to year . and sure much more from such a servant , as is bound in an apprentiship for six or seven . much more yet from such a servant , as we have bought out of the gallies , and dearly paid for , and made as much our peculium , as either our sheep , or our oxen , or as the furniture of our house . but now the blessed lord and master speaking to us in my text , hath bought us all from what is worse than the turkish gallies ; even as much as a lake of fire and brimstone is worse than a sea of salt and water . nor must we serve him the less ( with the antinomians , ) but rather the more for our being bought : because being bought , we cannot possibly be our own ; and sure the less we are our own , the more we must needs be his that bought us ; he having bought and deliver'd us out of the hands of our enemies , as well to the end that we might * serve him , as to the end that we might be safe . he bought us for his own sake , as well as ours . we indeed were deer to him , but he was deerer unto himself . the very disgraces which he suffer'd as having a tendency to our good , were first and chiefly suffer'd by him as having a tendency to his glory . and however he intends our present good , in order to our future glory ; yet he intends our glory too , so far forth as 't is in order , and subordination unto his own . so that if when he bought us , and made us his , he aymed sooner at his own glory , than our salvation , it cannot but follow from that supposal , he aymed sooner at our salvation from the tyranny of sin , than from the torments of hell as the wages of it . and this he did as for his own sake , so very particularly for ours . i say for ours ; because the torments of hell could not possibly come neer us , were it not for the tyranny and filth of sin. when men do sin as with a * cartrope , ( to use the phrase of the prophet esa , ) with the strength of the cartrope , they draw hell to them . but especially for his own ; because the tyranny of sin is an impudent rebellion against his will , and immediately tendeth to his dishonour ; whereas the torments of hell are great discouragements from sin , and executions of vengeance on them that do it . hell is god's bridewell , or house of correction ; but sin is that tyrant which drags us thither . hell is god's creature , but sin is satan's . the torments of hell are extreamly useful , as well to satisfie the iustice , as to set forth the glory of our creator ; whereas the tyranny of sin doth oppose itself against both. in so much that the reasons are great , and many , why we are bought with a price by our lord and master , that we might live in obedience to him that bought us . sin was the object of his hatred , for being the subject of his dishonour ; and therefore the scope of our saviour's purchase , was rather to purifie , than to forgive us , although it was to forgive us too . to forgive in the second place , thô to purifie in the first . according to the method st. peter us'd in his preaching ; repent and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out , ( acts . . ) without repentance and conversion , no such blessing as forgiveness can ever be . § . but neither is this the greatest title , our saviour hath to his being our lord and master . for as he hath not only hired , but bought us out-right , so neither hath he bought us with any corruptible things , as silver , or gold , or pretious stones , but with his own most pretious blood , pet. . , . now had we been people never so lovely , or been worth never so much , he could not have bought us with more expense ; he could not have paid at a deerer rate ; even almightiness itself could not have given more for us. for he that bought us was the word , the word that was in the beginning , the word that was with god , the word that was god , the word by whom all things were made , ( john . . ) and sure the word that was god , was almightiness itself ; add he it was who gave himself for us , ( tit. . ) and more than himself he could not give . for of him , and through him , and to him are all things , rom. . . & heb. . . § . lord ! by how many rights and titles , may he pretend to our obedience when he commands us ? all the relations of sub and supra are made use of in scripture for our conviction . not only here in this text , is he said to be our lord , and we his servants ; he our master , and we his scholars ; but he is every thing to us ( in other passages of scripture ) which may oblige us to the love , and the service of him . he ( for example ) is our head , and we his members . he our bridegroom , and we his spouse . he is our shepherd , and we the sheep of his pasture . he our everlasting father , and we his children . he our king , and we his subjects . he is our god , and we his people . he our potter , and we his clay . he our creator , and we the work of his hands . and as if all this together were hardly enough to indear him to us , he is also our redeemer , and we the price of his blood. now to what purpose , or for what reason , should our saviour be said to be all this to us throughout the scriptures , unless it were to afford us this general lesson , that whatsoever can be due , in any measure , from any inferiour to a superiour , of any quality or degree , the same is due in perfection , and out of all measure , from us to christ. in one capacity our love , our fear in another , our veneration in a third , our meek submission in a fourth , our delectation in a fift , our admiration in a sixt , our perfect dependence in a seventh , and our absolute obedience in every one . 't would be a profitable impertinence ( if an impertinence ) to insist on this last , from every one of our saviour's relations to us . but not to run out beyond the time which is allow'd for this service , i shall press it no farther , than the text and the context will give me warrant . § . first then let us consider , that seeing our saviour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a master to teach , and to instruct us ; nor only so , but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lord , to command , and govern us ; it is not only our duty , to learn the knowledge of his doctrin , as his disciples ; but withal as his servants , we must yield obedience to his commands . for if we follow him as a master sent to principle , and teach us , and nothing else ; so that as scholars of his school we hold his sentiments or tenets , and entertain his propositions as sure and certain , but go no farther ; what then do we more by way of reverence to christ , than the several sectaries of the world to the several authors of their opinions , whether their opinions are true , or false ? shall we be followers only of christ , as they of geneva are of calvin , or as they of helvetia do follow zuinglius , or as they of saxony follow luther , or as the brethren of scotland do follow knox ? shall we be factious only for christ , as the franciscans are for scotus , and the dominicans for aquinas ? nay shall we follow christ no otherwise , than as the stoicks did zeno , or the academicks , plato ? or as iulian did iamblicus , and the old magi , zoroastres ? shall we think we are christians good enough to serve turn , for having been baptiz'd in the name of christ , and for historically believing his holy gospel ? the very scholars of pythagoras were most exactly of his creed , and great admirers of his philosophy , and perfectly led by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . his mouth was their oracle ; his words their text ; what he said , they were sworn to , because he said it . and shall we who are christians give no more reverence unto christ , than the old pythagoreans were wont to give unto pythagoras ? or than the turks at this day do give to mahomed ? shall we live as if we believ'd , that christianity is but a sect , if not a faction ? and that nothing is to be done , but to be orthodox professors , embracing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as the heathen call'd it , ) that is , the doctrin , or tenet , or faith of christ ? whilst at the very same time we do abjure him by our neglects , revile him by our oaths , spit upon him by our uncleanness , buffet him by our blasphemies , strip him by our sacriledge , and even murder him by our rage ? methinks the blindness of the heathen may be of some vertue to clear our eyes . for the disciples of pythagoras did not only give assent to their master's dictates , but also did imitate his example , and were obedient to his commands . just as alexander's soldiers did so ambitiously affect to be like their general ; that they were loath to speak plainly , because he stutter'd . or as the scholars of plato were so exceedingly concern'd to have a similitude with their master , that they espoused his deformities , and prided themselves in his imperfections . they would have cushions under their dublets , because he was gibbous , or too thick back't . so devoted they were to their master plato , that because he was not strait , they would reckon none hansom who were not crooked . § . lord ! what a shame it is for christians , to be less conformable to a master , who is infinitely fairer than the children of men , most accomplished and perfect in every kind ? and yet we know without obedience we cannot possibly be conformable , either to his precepts , or his example . for notwithstanding he was a son , yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffer'd , ( heb. . . ) and being made perfect through suffrings , he thereupon became the author of eternal salvation , ( not to them that believe him only , but ) to them that obey him also , ( v. . ) not to any believing rebels , not to treacherous believers , of which the world is too full ; but to them who have faithfulness , as well as faith ; who so believe , as to serve him , and do his will. he is not the author of salvation to them that know it , but do it not ; or to them who do promise , but not perform it . ( for almost all do know his will , and all do promise to perform it , not only in their baptism , but over and above on their bed of sickness . ) no to them , and them only , is he the author of salvation , who live according to what they know ; and justifie their promise , by their performance . our saviour intimates by a parable ( matth. . , , , . ) that the obedient churl is much better , than the mealymouth'd rebel . it is a vain thing to say , we are sons of god , and servants of christ , unless we practically shew , as well as say it . a son honoureth his father , and a servant his master ( said god heretofore by the prophet malachi ; ) if i then be a father , where is mine honour ? if i be a master , where is my fear ? now what was thus said to others , by god the father under the law , is as effectually said to us , by god the son under the gospel . * why call ye me lord lord , and do not the things that i say ? to say , sir your servant , is either a complement , or a ieer , when we say it with our lips , but without our actions . and this doth seem to be intended by the words of my text , if we compare it with the inference deduced from it . ye call me lord and master , and ye say well . but to say very well , is not sufficient ; for the * devils said well , in saying that christ was the son of god. and the worldling † said well , in that he said unto our saviour of the commandments of the law , all these things have i kept from my youth . but not every one that saith unto me lord lord , shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; for the life of christianity consists in practice . and therefore the inferences are these , which are drawn from the text by him that spake it . if i then your lord and master have washed your feet , ye also ought to wash oneanother's feet , ( v. . ) if ye know these things , happy are ye if ye do them , ( v. . ) and by the same logick he argues in the very next chapter , which is another part of his farewell-sermon : if any man love me , he will keep my words , ( v. . ) and he that loveth me not , keepeth not my words , ( v. . ) which is as if he should have said , [ he that loves me will obey me , and do the things that i appoint him ; which if any man does not , let him say what he will , he does not love me . ] for no good tree can bear ill fruit , ( that 's an aphorism of christ , matth. . . ) there is not any thing more impossible , than that sincere love , and a solid faith , should ever bring forth rebellion , and disobedience . ( or so much as consist with that which does . ) no , no more than a vine can bring forth thorns , or no more than a fig tree can bring forth thistles . from whence the sequel is unavoidable , that if we do not justly obey our master , we neither heartily love him , nor do we cordially believe him . for let our faith and our love be what they can be , they are no more than a couple of trees , which must be known by their fruit. that 's the great diagnostick commended to us by our saviour , whereby to judge of ourselves and others , matth. . . if the fruit is disobedience to the commandments of our lord ; then the love that is pretended is but a thorn , and the faith so much talk't of , an arrant thistle . let the lover or the believer be commonly call'd what he will , either a vine , or a fig tree , a godly man , or a saint ; and let the leaves or the branches be never so specious to the eye , ( i mean professions , and shews , and forms of godliness , ) yet our master's affirmation is still as true , as it is terrible , every tree [ without exception ] which bringeth not forth good fruit , is hewn down , and cast into the fire , ( matth. . . ) lord ! what a change of men's manners would this one word produce , were it but throughly understood , or but sufficiently consider'd ? had it the happiness to be taken , as well into the hearts , as the ears of men ? behold the only sure way whereby to judge without sin of our selves or others . if we are fraudulent persons , or drunckards , if we are schismaticks , or rebels , if we are slanderers , or railers , or fals accusers , or any otherways abounding in the fruits of the flesh , ( gal. . . ) 't is plain that god , when he cuts us down , will also cast us into the fire . i say he will and must do it , because of his iustice and veracity , unless repentance step in timely 'twixt us , and death . and still , by repentance , i mean amendment . not an empty confession that we have sin'd , nor yet a cheap wishing we had not sin'd ; no nor expressions of attrition for having sin'd ; but a bringing forth fruits meet for repentance ; a renovation of the outward and inward man ; such a thorow reformation as does make a * new creature ; a change of mind , and of manners , even the fruits of the spirit , gal. . . in a word ; if we are not our own , but are bought with a price , and bought out right by our lord and master , and that as to the whole of us , both soul and body ; then ( as st. paul does well infer ) let us glorify him that bought us both in our bodies and in our souls , because they are not truly ours , but his that bought them , cor. . . § . but there is yet another lesson to be derived from this doctrin , and such as our master in the text has taught us how to draw from it by his example . for it being to be praemised , that the disciple is not above his master , nor the servant above his lord ; we must not only do as our master did , but ( when god shall call us to it , ) it is our duty also to suffer , as he hath suffer'd . first we must do as our master did ; for 't is his own way of arguing in the next verse after my text ; if i your lord and master have washed your feet , ye ought also to wash oneanother's feet ; for i have given you an example , that ye should do as i have done . here he argues from his being our lord and master , the obligation lying upon us to give an active obedience to his example , and ( by way of consecution ) to his command . and this being so , what manner of men ought we to be in the course of our lives and conversations ? we ought to love oneanother , as he did us ; not only unto the death , but to the fulfilling of the law too . and how far are they from that , who are ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is ) inventors of evil things ? of lyes , and slanders , and most malitious accusations , against a people more innocent , and better reputed than themselves ? this is not to do as we would be done by . much less is it to love our neighbour as ourselves . much less yet to love our friends , as our lord loved us when we were his enemies . to be imitators of christ , ( which men must be , if they will be christians , ) we ought to * serve one-another , as he did us ; yea to serve our inferiours , as he did his ; and that with such a kind of service , as is the washing of their feet . and his reason to inforce it is chiefly this , [ the disciple is not above his master , the servant is not above his lord , and i have given you an example , that ye should do as i have done . ] but now besides that this argument does evince the moral necessity of our active obedience and conformity to his example and command ; it also shews us our obligation of having a fellowship with his suffrings , and a conformity to his death , which connotates our passive obedience also ; and is the main thing intended in this second lesson the context yields us . § . for when he had said to his disciples , that he would shortly send them out as so many sheep amongst wolves , from whom their usual entertainment should be to be persecuted , and hated , and to be scourged in their synagogues , and all for the sake of him that sent them , ( matth. . . &c. ) he labour'd to give them an acquiescence in all their suffrings , from this one single consideration , that 't is enough , for the disciple , if he be as his master , and the servant as his lord , ( v. . ) if they have called the master of the house belzebub , how much more shall they call them of his household ? ( v. . ) there he argues from his being our lord and master , the obligation lying upon us , to suffer the evils which he hath suffer'd . then if at any time we shall fall into the enmity of the world , into a cross or disgrace which is undeserved ; we may relieve ourselves enough with this one remembrance , that 't is the friendship of the world which is enmity with god , ( james . ▪ ) and that 't is well for the servant , if he be as his lord ; we must not be ambitious to be above him ▪ it will be useful to expostulate and reason the matter within ourselves . shall we be such mad disciples , as to expect , or but desire , to fare any better than our master ? shall we be such over-nice , or such delicate servants , as to repine at those hardships , which were the portion of our lord ? shall we expect to be applauded , and well reported by all the world , not only by the best , but by the worst of men also , when our blessed lord and master is call'd a winebibber , a glutton , an hypocrite and a deceiver , a blasphemer , and a boutefeux , a conjurer , and a demoniack ? or shall we shamelesly be seeking great things for ourselves , whilst our master is the outcast and scorn of men ? ( when he who is at once the king , and also the bishop of our souls , is trodden down into the dust , it may seem a thing improper , an absurdity , and a soloecism for us to prosper . ) shall we who are not our own , but are bought out right by our master christ , be either so arrogant , or so stately , as to be stretching our selves on couches , and beds of ivorie , whilst he our lord , and our lawgiver , our king , and our head , our advocate and our iudge too , is either grov'ling upon the earth in a bloody sweat , or stretched out upon the cross in tears of blood , as well as brine ? shall we be drinking wine in bowles , ( like the wantons of whom we read in the prophet amos , ) whilst our master cry's out , he is a thirst , and has nothing wherewith to quentch it , but the cup of trembling and astonishment , not only sharp as vineger , but bitter as gall too ? shall we be crowning our selves with rosebuds , ( like the atheists of whom we read in the book of wisdom , ) whilst our lord and master's diadem is made of thornes ? shall we be dancing to the sound of the viol , whilst his ears are bored through with the most sharp-pointed sarcasms , that the wit of insultation can well invent ? let us look upon the case in another colour , and admit it were our own . would we not wonder at such a servant , and think him mad , who should affect to eat finer , and take less pains , to be much better clad , and to lye softer than his master ? it is enough then for us , that we fare at least as well as our master christ ; that we suffer no more , than to be spit upon , and buffeted , and scourg'd , and crucified . if a christian is but beggar'd , or if but rail'd at , and slander'd for conscience sake , he fares a great deal better than his master christ did ; if he is crucified , or hang'd , he fares no worse . the thought of which will be sufficient , ( if we are qualified with faith , ) to make us smile upon our suffrings when they are wrongfully cast upon us , and to furnish us with patience ( if not with pleasure ) in all our pains . i say with pleasure , because our master taught his disciples , to rejoice in that case , and to leap for ioy ; for that is the english of our saviour's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , matth. . . rejoice ( saith he to his disciples ) and leap for joy , when men shall revile you , and persecute you , and speak all manner of evil against you falsly , for my sake . § . thus having seen the obligation , laid upon us by iesus christ as our lord and master , both to imitate his example , and to yield obedience to his commands , as well by doing him passive , as active service ; i shall conclude with the necessity , the indispensable necessity we all are under , either of rising to life eternal , if we accomplish this condition ; or of incurring ( if we do not ) by so much the greater condemnation . for let our professions be what they will , of faith in christ as a redeemer ; we cannot own him as a master , unless we are followers of his life ; nor without sincere obedience , can we recive him as a lord. and yet unless we so receive him , he will not then receive us , in the great day of discrimination , when he shall solemnly put a difference betwixt the wheat , and the chaff , taking the one into his garner , and burning up the other with fire unquentchable . for not to him , who hides his talent in the earth ; much less to him , who vainly throws it into the aire ; but to him who does employ and improve his talent , the righteous judge of all the world will use that sentence of approbation , ( matth. . . ) well done thou good and faithful servant , enter thou into the ioy of thy lord. from whence it follows as unavoidably , as that god cannot lye , that we must all without exception be first well doers , we must first of all be good and faithful servants , before the iudge can say to us , well done good and faithful servants . and yet again he must be able to say that to us , before he can possibly bid us enter into the ioy of our lord. he cannot say well done , to an evil doer ; he cannot call him a faithful , who is an unfaithful servant ; he cannot say come ye blessed , and enter ye into the ioy of your lord , to whom the sentence of go ye cursed into everlasting fire does of right belong . § . and if these things are so ; then as we tender the greatest interest both of our bodies and of our souls . let no man cozen us to hell , by making us believe we are sure of heaven . beware of comfortable preachers ( as they that love to be flatter'd do fasly call them , ) who either write or speak much in the praise of faith , but in disparagement of obedience to the commandments of our lord. and often quarrel at the necessity of being rich in good works , as if salvation were to be had at a cheaper rate . let me put the case home , as well to others as to myself , in the fewest words . have we an earnestness of desire to live for ever in bliss and glory ? or are we careless and indifferent what shall become of us hereafter ? do we seriously believe an immortality of our souls , a life after death , and a day of iudgment ? or do we but talk of these things in civility to the men amongst whom we live ? if we are in good earnest in the rehearsal of the creed , of the two last articles in particular , the resurrection of the body , and the life everlasting ; then let the condition of the new covenant abide forever in our remembrance . and seeing this is the condition on which the promise of salvation is given unto us , that we receive and own christ as our lord and master , as our saviour , and our prince , as our advocate , and our iudge too ; and that we so own him in our lives , as well as in our beliefes , as well in our practice , as speculation ; let us not flatter ourselves for shame ( as so many traytors to our own souls , ) that salvation will be found upon easier termes . for to such as cannot pretend to be babes , or ideots , or never to have liv'd within the sound of christ's gospel , the words of the apostle are very positive and express , that without holiness and peace , ( that is to say , without our duties both to god , and to our neighbour , ) no man living shall see the lord , hebr. . . and this i think may suffice us to have learn't at this time from the text in hand . for thô i say not that these are all , yet these especially are the lessons we are concern'd to draw from it , and such as willingly flow to us from its most rational importance . now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think , according to the power that worketh in us , unto him be glory in the church by christ jesus , throughout all ages , world without end . the yoke of christ easier than that of moses : and his burden a refreshment to such as labour . matth . xi . . for my yoke is easy , and my burden is light . ( a text not unsuitable to all the severities of the lent , which is ( if st. ierome may be believ'd , and other fathers more antient , ) of apostolical institution . a time sequester'd by that autority , for the exercise and practice of christian strictness , expressed pithily in my text , by our bearing both the burden and yoke of christ. ) § . the affinity and connexion is as obvious , as it is close , betwixt my present , and former text. for it was the last service which i perform'd in this place , to shew how christ is our lord and master . such as he was pleas'd to assert himself , in the thirteenth of st. iohn , at the thirteenth verse . it now remains that we contemplate the moderation of the laws , whereby our lord is exceeding gratious , and our master extreamly good. for it seems not sufficient that he is known to be a lord , in exacting obedience to his commandments , unless he be as well known to be good and gratious , in that his commandments are not grievous . ( nothing neer so insupportable as they were thought by those gnosticks st. iohn alludes to , iohn . . who fell away from christianity , and disown'd christ himself , for fear their loyalty and obedience should cost them dear ; living then , as they did , in times of trial , and persecution ; ) he is our lord , and our master , in respect of the yoke with which he binds , and in regard of the burden wherewith he loads us . but this our master is good , and our lord gratious , in respect of the easiness which he gives unto the one , and in regard of the lightness wherewith he qualify's the other . but § . our translation , however true , is so far short of the original , that ( as before , so now also , ) the greek must come in to assist the english , or else we shall miss of its whole importance . for 't is not only my yoke is easy , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , my yoke is good. my yoke is profitable and useful . my yoke is an indearing and delectable yoke . for all this and more is imported by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as lexicographers and glossaries do make apparent . that is , ( to express it without a metaphor ) the service of christ is a most gratious , and desirable service . what he commands us to perform , is not only very possible , but facil and easy to be perform'd . nor only so , but sweet and pleasant in the performance . it is not only our bounden duty , but 't is our interest , our delight , our reward to serve him . § . and such as the yoke is with which he binds , such is also the burden wherewith he loads us . whatsoever his burden may here import . if the burden of his precepts , then 't is absolutely light . for then the burden and the yoke are terms aequivalent . the lightness of the one explains the easiness of the other ; and the later clause of the text is but an exegesis of the former . or admit that by his burden is meant the burden of his cross ; yet even then we must confess it is comparatively light . and so indeed it is in two considerable respects . first in respect of the endless punishment , which will fall upon them that refuse the burden ; and again in respect of that unspeakable reward , which will be given unto them that shall take it up . the cross of christ at its heaviest is but a burden of afflictions , which st. paul accompts light for these two reasons . first because it is but for a moment ; next because it works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory . for as the same apostle saith to the same corinthians , ( what seems at first hearing a contradiction , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that that which was glorious was not glorious at all , in respect of the glory which excelleth . so 't is as true that our afflictions are no afflictions , in comparison with the beatitudes which they work for us as our reward . § . this is the meaning of the text consider'd simply in it self . wherein are two things especially which offer themselves to our consideration . first the greatness of christ in the extent of his authority ; and secondly his goodness , in the merciful use or employment of it . first his greatness is very evident , in that he has the power to impose a yoke , and a burden . a yoke of injunctions upon our necks , and a burden of suffrings upon our backs . next his goodness is as apparent , from the easiness of the one , and from the lightness of the other . for besides that eternal and exceeding weight of glory , which gives an easiness to the yoke , however hard ; and a lightness to the burden , however heavy ; the one is so easy in it self , and the other in it self is so truly light , ( considering that dolor , si gravis , brevis , is just as much , as si longus , levis , ) that even the yoke of his injunctions does give us freedom , and the burden of his suffrings affords us strength . if we put them both together , they make a text without length extremely copious ; for it exhibits to us at once the law and equity of the gospel . the yoke and the burden do prove the first , as the easiness and the lightness infer the second . it serves to keep us in the fear , and the faith of christ. for first the nature of a yoke implies a bridle to our presumption ; and then the easiness of this yoke does also forbid us to despair . christ is here both in his kingly , and priestly office ; at once to rule , and to bless us too . he is an absolute soveraign , because to him it does belong to put a yoke upon our necks , but yet withal he is a good and a gratious soveraign , because it is not only easy , but gives us ease too . and though it may sometimes vex the body , yet it brings * rest unto the soul. the reason of which is wrapt up in the causal for , being consider'd in its retrospect on the verse going before . where no sooner had he said , take my yoke , and ye shall find rest ; but immediatly it follows , for , or because my yoke is easy . and this again affords us a double reason , for which we should come at his invitation , ( v. . ) first because my yoke is easy , therefore come unto me ; next because it is so gratious as to give rest unto your souls , therefore come unto me all ye that labour . and this is the meaning of the text in its relation to the context . § . to contract my meditations within the compass of the time , and withal to go forwards with the design i have in hand , ( which is not only to shew the law , but also the equity of the gospel , ) i must not now consider christ in the extent of his authority , as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is to say ) an absolute unaccomptable master , to whom of right it does belong to impose a yoke , and a burden ; ( for that was properly the subject of the last service which i perform'd ; ) but only in the exercise and usage of it , as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is to say ) a mild , and a gratious master ; whose commands are so far from being burdensom and grievous , that even his yoke makes us able to bear his burden , and his burden does enable us to wear his yoke . at which paradox to nature if any natural man stumble , he may illustrate it to himself by the wings of an eagle , which are indeed a real burden , and of considerable weight to the eagle's body , but such a burden as by which she soars up loftily towards heaven , which for want of that burden would be a groveler on the earth . or he may clear it by the weights of a vulgar clock , which , the heavier they are , do make it go so much the faster . § . a subject upon which i do the rather indulge my thoughts , ( thô better handled i doubt not by other men , and somewhat often by my self upon † other texts , ) because we have libertines in our days , as there were gnosticks in st. iohn's , who make the law by which we live ( i mean * the law of christ's gospel ) to need our apologies and defensatives , by bringing up an ill report of the christian yoke , as if it were as hard as the yoke of moses , which neither we , nor our fathers , neither the prophets , nor the apostles , were ever able well to bear , ( acts . . ) just as they who went to spy out the land of canaan , giving it out to be a land which did eat up its inhabitants ; a land full of gyants , the sons of anak , in comparison with whom themselves were grashoppers . yet they confessed it was a land which even flow'd with milk and hony , excellent figs , and pomegranates , and such gygantaean grapes too , ( in full proportion to the inhabitants ) that one single cluster was fain to be carried on two men's shoulders . and caleb thought it not impossible to take possession of the land , in order whereunto he pressed earnestly for an essay ; implying that all the explorators , excepting iosua and himself , deceiv'd the people with their own fears ; thereby tempting them to murmur against the means of their redemption , and to think hardly of their redeemer , as if he had put them upon the doing of things impossible to be done . so there are multitudes even in christendom , ( and at this very day ) antinomians and solifidians , who having not courage enough as christians to make a trial of their ability , how far forth they are impowred to wear the yoke of christ's commands , or bear the burden of his cross ; and being unwilling that other christians should be less cowardly than themselves , have given it out among the people , that christ commands impossibilities . which is as much as to say , that his yoke is too hard , and his burden too heavy , and that by consequence their rebellions are but the infirmities of their nature , which might have been possibly in their wishes , but not at all in their abilities to be avoided . whereas the truth is , they are resolv'd to sit still , to be at peace with their temptations , and not to make the best use of the powers within them ; so that the devil becomes strong , in that they make themselves weak ; and 't is in stead of wisdom to him , that he finds men foolish . if at any time he conquers , it is because they do not fight ; yea if he does not fly from them , it is because they do not resist him ; for so saith st. iames expresly , resist the devil and he will fly from you . but cowards call their mean submissions , their inabilities to resist , that so they may sin without scruple , or at least stop the mouth of a clamorous conscience . for building ( as they do ) upon a very great falshood , that christ commands impossibilities ; they make their error the more incurable , by adding to it as great a truth , [ that having done all we can , in our submission to the burden and yoke of christ , we shall never be accountable for all we cannot ; because where our utmost obedience ends , our saviour's begins to be reckon'd to us . ] thus truth and falshood are tyed together by the necks , ( as iupiter in plato serv'd ioy and sorrow , ) that if they will not be friends , they may be made to be companions ; and even forced to conspire against their wills , to make us tamely submit our necks to the yoke of satan , in pretence that our saviour's is too ruggid for us to bear . and truth it self becomes hurtful , by being dishonestly tack'd on to as great a falshood . § . but god be thanked there are others of caleb's brave judgment and disposition ; who think of christ with more reverence , than to believe that his yoke is insupportable , or that he looks for harder services than he enables us to perform . they judge that christ commands nothing but what is reasonable , and congruous , and therefore possible to be done ; at least in that sincere measure wherein he mercifully exacts it , and with all those assistances which he continually affords ▪ and with those equitable grains , which as a saviour he allows for human frailty . and therefore they strive so much the harder to put his commands in execution ; to wear the yoke of his precepts in all parts equally . they think the difficulties are such as by the strength of his grace they are impowred to overcome ; more invited by the pomgranates and grapes of canaan , than discouraged with the gyants , which are to be grapl'd with in the way . and thence it is that they neglect not the visible means of being happy to all eternity , for fear of a temporary unhappiness 'twixt them and it. § . indeed the sons of disobedience , who court the friendship of the world , and thence are said by st. iames to be the enemies of god , may make an objection of their experience against the saying of our saviour touching the easiness of his yoke , and against st. iohn's exposition of it , when he saith of christ's commandments , they are not grievous . for hath not christ commanded all men to love their enemies ? and is not that a grievous precept unto them who forsake and detest their friends ? hath not christ commanded all men to be content with their own , nor so much as to covet their neighbours goods ? and is not that a grievous precept , to such as live upon plunder , or defraudation ? hath not christ commanded all men the rigid duty of self-denial ? and is not that a grievous precept to our proverbial apolausticks , who deny themselves nothing that heart can wish , but indulge themselves in all that either their appetites can crave , or their fancies call for ? nay hath not christ commanded all men to take up his cross , and to bear that after him ? and is not that a grievous precept , to such as love to lay it heavily upon other mens shoulders ? how then are his yoke and his burden easy , when the greatest part of men do slip their necks out of the former , and cast the later ( not upon , but ) behind their backs ? § . thus in the person of a demas , who hath embraced this present world for want of a confidence in the next , i have objected against my text as strongly at least as i am able , and against the exposition st. iohn made of it against the gnosticks : and i think i have done it with very great reason . for as an objection is never stronger , than when it is borrowed from experience ; so truth is never more glorious , than oppositions and objections ( by being well answer'd ) are apt to make it . nor can an objection be better answer'd , or more to the snarler's satisfaction , than when experience as well as reason , even in the greatest and best of men , is opposed to the experience and wants of reason in the worst . the answer cannot be categorical , but must be adaequate to the objection , and so proceed by several steps ; first in general , and then in some of the choisest or the most difficult of the particulars . first i answer in general , that when 't is said by our lord , his yoke is easy , and burden light , it is not meant in relation to that inveterate rank of sinners , in whom the god of this world ( as st. paul calls the devil ) hath blinded the minds ; whose consciences are callous , and cauteriz'd , who ( like them in the acts ) do always resist the holy ghost , and have not only grieved , but even quench'd the spirit of grace . it is not meant of those profligates , who shake christ's yoke from off their necks , and tread his burden under their feet . but as 't is meant that his yoke is smooth and easy in it self , or easy to them who are wont to wear it , ( whereby they have fitted it for their necks , and their necks for it , ) so 't is meant that his burden is not absolutely and simply , but comparatively light ; in respect of that glory , whereof it works for us a weight unspeakable ; and in respect of that burden , of god's heavy vengeance , from which it frees us . in like manner when st. iohn affirms of christ as a legislator , that his commandments are not grievous , it is not meant with respect to the * carnal minded , who are said by st. paul to be at enmity with god ; ( for to men of sore eyes the glorious bounty of the sun is the greatest nuisance , and so to men of sick palates the very best meat is the most unsavorie ; ) but 't is meant that his commandments are not grievous in themselves , nor to such as have the patience to try them throughly , nor have forfeited or lost the moral honesty of their nature , which the god of good nature implanted in them . shall sore eyes object against the soundest , that of all noxious things , light it self is the most hurtful ? or shall a blind man infer , ( and that from the topick of experience , ) that the sun in his meridian is in reality but a shadow ? or shall a man of the most depraved and paved palate , be allow'd to argue well from his own experience , that salt it self has no savour ? nor any thing else that is season'd with it ? and is therefore fit for nothing but to be cast unto the dunghill ? no , the objection lyes clearly against the soreness of the man's eyes , and the sickness of his palate , not at all against the sun , and as little against the salt , which are evinced by the experience as well of the most as the most judicious , ( indeed of all mortals who are not mad , ) to be as good and useful creatures , as any are in the upper , and lower world . this is the monogram of the answer i purpose in general to the objection , ( before i descend to the most difficult of the particulars , ) and i am now to fill it up with as good a zographesis as i am able . § . first then to strengthen our resolutions of accustoming our selves to law and discipline , and not to wear the yoke of christ , just as the ox wears his master's , meerly for fear of being goaded , but from a principle of love to the yoke it self ; let us consider how those commandments , which do make up the law or the yoke of christ , do but exact the things of us which are agreeable to our reason , and therefore suitable to our nature , and therefore consonant to our desires . i mean our rational desires , which we injoy , as we are men ; though not our brutish ones , which we suffer , as we are animals , and which ( without any difference ) are common unto us with the beasts that perish . it should be natural for us ( as men , indued with reason , ) to love the beauty of our lord , and to fear his power . because we naturally incline to the means of safety , at least as far as we do know them , or believe them to be such . now all that tends unto our safety may be reduc't to two heads , seeking god , and eschewing evil. and rational nature does incline , as well to the first , as to the second . nay as things which are good , and have a tendency to our safety , are more or less excellent , and useful to us ; so nature , whilst it is rational , must needs incline to that of the higher , more strongly than to that of the lower value . and that which saves a man for ever , being of much an higher value , than that which saves him but for a time , 't is plain that nature , being rational , does most incline towards the former : and all the commandments of our lord having a tendency unto that , are by consequence agreeable to human nature . especially when our nature is also rectified by grace , which does not fail to work with any , who do not fail to work with it ; and however insufficient to make us sinless , is yet abundantly sufficient to make us single and sincere . less than which in our service our master's iustice cannot exact , and the equity of his gospel exacts no more . § . the truth of which may be evinced , from the absurdity which would follow its being supposed to be false . for the moral commands of christ , like the moral commands of moses , must be acknowledged to be * holy , iust , and good. which yet i know not how they could be , were they not adequate to the faculties of grace and reason . for what goodness can there be , in an impossibility of doing the good that is required ? or what holiness can there be , in unavoidable transgressions for want of strength ? or what iustice can it be , that any rational agent should be accomptable for the things he could never help ? to command impossibilities is not agreeable to reason , in him who threatens an endless punishment for not performing what is commanded . and therefore no such hard yoke can be imposed by our lord on the neck of any . no such heavy and grievous burden can be laid by a saviour on any shoulder . for though 't is true that the reprobates , ( both men , and devils , ) being left , and forsaken , and finally given over by the iudge of all the world , are under a sad impossibility of doing good ; yet it is as true too , that they drew upon themselves such a deplorable necessity of doing evil , they were not created in that condition . for god created them upright , and made them capable of duty ; but they found out and follow'd their own inventions , whereby to lose the capability which god had given them , eccles. . . if men are so wilful in using the liberty of their wills , as to make an absolute covenant with death , and with hell to be at agreement ; if they will sin with both hands , ( as one † prophet words it ) and draw iniquity as with a cart-rope , ( as it is in * another ) no wonder if in the words of the book of wisdom , they ‖ pull destruction upon themselves with the work of their hands . and in these considerations , all who are lovers of christ indeed , and think ingenuously of him , and are not grosly injurious to him , nor have an evident pique at him , must either say that he commands us in proportion to our talents of grace and reason , or will not punish us for the not doing what is impossible to be done . thus as the antinomian error may be sufficiently confuted by arguments leading ad absurdum , so the truth of christ's doctrin is as sufficiently confirmed , by the absurdity which would follow its being supposed to be false . § . again if we are not out of our wits , nor have cast off the gentleness and humanity of our nature , we are not able to give an instance in any one of christ's commands which is truly grievous ; we cannot pitch on that precept which is not agreeable to our nature . for what other is the sum of all his commandments put together , than that we do to all others , as we would that all others should do to us ? and what is that , but the law of nature ? not only written by severus ( a meerly heathen emperour ) in all his plates , and publick works , but by the invisible finger of god , in the natural heart and conscience of man as man , till tract of time and evil custom ( in some depraved persons ) have raz'd it out ? let us keep but this precept , and break the rest , if we are able . for what does our lord require of us in any one or more parts of his royal law , which is not easily reducible to this one head ? deal we as righteously with men , as by men we would be dealt with ; and let us do the will of god , with as much singleness and zeal , as we desire that god himself will be pleas'd to do ours ; and then we have at once fulfill'd the law of nature , and of christ too . § . now if the yoke of christ's precepts is thus easy in it self , how smooth and easy is it to them , who have inur'd themselves to it by their obedience ? an argument taken from experience will be as cogent as any can be . david found , after a great and a long experience , that the commandments of god were sweeter to him , than the hony , and hony-comb , psal. . . where the word hony being us'd , by a kind of a proverb among the hebrews , for all imaginable objects of sensual pleasure , 't is plain the meaning of the prophet must needs be this ; that the pleasure arising to him from the rectitude of his actions , and an uniform obedience to gods commands , was as much greater than any pleasure which he had ever yet injoy'd in the breaches of them , as the pleasure which smites the soul , is greater than that which affects the body . betwixt which two there is so signal and wide a difference , that ( by an obvious antimetabole ) the pleasure of the soul is the soul of pleasure ; to which the pleasure of the body is in comparison nothing more than a putrid carcass . and as the pleasures of the soul are by much the greatest , so 't is the soul's greatest pleasure , to arrive at an ability to despise that of the body . such was the savour and the gust which david had of god's precepts , and such was his accompt of the delight he took in them . and surely all people of vertue in all the ages of the world , have ever said the same thing from the same experience . so that if any body is not of david's mind , 't is meerly for want of his experience . for the proof of sweet things lyes in the trial , and the taste . as the psalmist cry'd out in one place , lord how sweet are thy words unto my taste ! yea sweeter than hony unto my mouth ! so he prayed in another , lord open thou my lips . for he knew he could not taste that food from heaven , whilst carnal prejudice and perversness had shut his mouth . first therefore having pray'd that god will open our lips , ( as the psalmist did ) we must indeavour ( as he did too ) to taste , and see , how gratious the lord is , and not only in his promises , but precepts also . which the oftner we taste , with the more appetite shall we desire them . but we know not how they taste , before we taste them . as he who covets , knows not the sweetness of contentment . nor he the delights of living chastly , who has eyes full of adultery . nor he the deliciousness of temperance , who hath made himself a slave to debauch and surfet . fraudulent persons could not be fraudulent , if they experimented the pleasure of upright dealing ; but they must actually be upright in all their dealing , before they can find out the pleasure of it . the royal prophet therefore said well , that when he had kept the commandments , he loved them exceedingly ; not that he loved them exceedingly before he kept them . what else was it which induced him to speak so kindly of his afflictions , to say that god of very faithfulness had caused him to be troubled , but that he was thereby much * assisted in the keeping of the commandments , which , he knew by much experience , are naturally apt to rejoyce the heart , psal. . . and that in the very keeping of them is great reward , psal. . . but where a cloud of vitious habits doth incessantly interpose bewixt the eye and the object , how can the beauty of the commandments be rightly seen , or apprehended ? the prophet david was sain to pray , not only that god would open his lips that he might taste , but also his eyes , that he might see the wondrous things of his law , psal. . . and by the help of his grace , ( which we must pray for , as well as david , ) we are to cast out the mote , ( perhaps the beam ) out of our eyes , before our eyes can be ravish't with the charming beauty of christ's commands . and the way to do that , is ipso facto to obey them . for they are pure ( saith the psalmist ) and inlightning the eyes , ( psal. . . ) they give wisdom unto the simple , are altogether undefiled , and converting the soul ; moreover by them is thy servant taught , ( v. , . ) from which expressions of the psalmist it plainly follows , that the commands of the law moral ( which are common to moses with christ and nature , ) do make an excellent collyrium , a soveraign oyntment or eyesalve , to clear our sight of those mists , which the devil and the world have cast before them . § . say then thou demas , thou crude , and unexperienced christian , or whoever thou art who hast a share in the objection . dost thou find within thy self nothing of appetite or love to the yoke of christ ? it is because thou dost not know , how pleasant a thing it is to wear it . and wilt thou know the true reason why thou dost not know that ? it is because thou art not us'd to the wearing of it . for how can any man find the pleasure of keeping close to christ's precepts , before he keeps them ? do but live a strict life , ( and begin now in lent ) till thou hast got into an habit of living strictly , and my life for thine thou wilt find it pleasant . but he who will not live exactly , till he arrives at those pleasures , which nothing less than experience can bless him with , is neither more nor less foolish , than the meer scholar in hierocles his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , who would not adventure into the water , until he was certain that he could swim ; or one who utterly refuseth the putting of meat into his mouth , until he shall have tasted the goodness of it . for as thou canst not taste meat , till thou hast put it into thy mouth , nor find its goodness , till thou hast chew'd it , and ( by digesting it into blood ) hast made it a parcel of thy self too ; so thou canst never discern the sweetness of the commandments of christ , until for some time they have been thy diet. do but feed upon them enough , and digest them into thy soul by obedience to them , and then how soon wilt thou resemble the men in homer ? who having eaten a while of * lotos , were as much captivated in love with the place it grew in , as our ecstatical st. peter with the delights of mount tabor . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wer 't thou but wonted , and inur'd , as much to the keeping of christ's commands , as now thou art to the breaking of them , thou wouldst find as great a change , as from hell to heaven . and if from this instant wherein i speak , thou wilt but serve the lord christ with as much zeal and assiduity , and as long as thou hast served thy master satan ; ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) i dare lay a wager of gold to brass , thou wilt not change masters for all the world. § . but here perhaps it may be said , that the main aking tooth is not drawn out of the obection . for thô the yoke of christs precepts is thus evinced to be easy , yet the burden of his cross is not hence proved to be light . nor does it follow his yoke is easy in that ruggidest part of it , wherein both his yoke and his burden meet . for so we know they both do in his precept of self-denial , and of bearing his cross after him , whether laid upon us by others , or freely taken upon our selves . § . to which i answer by these following degrees , ( beginning with the least and lowest . ) first when laid upon us by others , there is matter of comfort in it , from the consideration of its bare nature for we know 't was the prerogative of goodly men heretofore above other mortals , that they were able out of choice to be bravely miserable , ( if such a latinism as that may be us'd in english. ) fortiter ille facit qui miser esse potest . many examples of which we have , not only in the christian , but heathen world. it was for no other reason , that hierocles flung his blood in his lictor's face ; that zeno spit out his toung into the teeth of his tormentor ; that the indians in valerius did chose to suffer the extremities of heat and cold ; that the brachmans and the gymnosophists maintain'd their paradox even to victory , nihil jucundius esse quàm pati ; i say for no other reason , than to demonstrate that their souls were above the infirmities of their bodies . somewhat like the brave martyrs in the eleventh chapter to the hebrews , ( thô not from the same religious principle , ) who having been tortur'd , would not accept of a deliverance . in the midst of all their agonies , they would not admit of a relaxation . and we know that an army of frogs and lice ( as in egypt ) may have the power to do mischief , but are utterly incapable of being injur'd . they are the great and the good , who are most of all subject to suffer wrong . regium est & magnificum , bene facere , & male pati . we may explain it out of st. peter ; if ye do well , and suffer for it , happy are ye . for this is thankworthy , this is acceptable with god. and hereunto are ye called , because christ also suffer'd for us , leaving an example that we should follow his steps . god himself is most capable of insolent usages and affronts , by the transcendency of his being , and the praerogative of his omnipotence ; most obnoxious to indignities , by his being all goodness ; and the most lyable to dishonours , by his being all glory . so next and immediately under god , the most susceptive of abuses are his vicegerents ? whose highest priviledge it is , and that which makes them most like their maker , ( whose lieutenants they are on earth , ) that all the subjects put together are not obnoxious to the wrongs which their soveraigns suffer . in so much that we should scorn to need a more effectual motive , to make us an obedient and loyal people , than our resentment of the hardships they suffer for us . besides that all crowns are so lin'd with crosses , and all crown'd heads so apt to ake , ( even abstracting from all the injuries which they are ever subject to as the butts of envy , ) that they deserve the ease and comfort of their best subjects good affections , if but to make them some amends for all the malignities of the worst ; and in requital of their cares for the common safety . and here i am tempted to a digression i cannot easily forbear : for if it is profitable and short too , it will be pertinent enough . it is but this ; that if the people of these realms will either all travel abroad into foreign parts , or at least take the pains to be taught at home , how much like princes rather than subjects , they live in the land of their nativity , ( being compar'd with other subjects throughout the habitable world , ) they will say of our british soveraign , what no other people can say of theirs , that his yoke is very easy , and his burden exceeding light . § . another comfort the cross affords , when laid by the guilty upon the innocent , does lye in this ; that the iudge upon the bench can but condemn a malefactor ; the king himself can but reprieve him ; 't is god only who can forgive him . so that mischievous men have this common to them with the devil , that they are able to wrong the innocent ; whereas the innocent man hath this derived to him from god alone , that he is able ( as to himself ) to acquit the guilty . here then we may demand with the royal psalmist , why boastest thou thy self , ô tyrant , that thou canst do mischief ? so can a toad , so can a spider , so can a pest , or an imposthume . why dost thou glory in thy ability of blasting thine enemy with a lye , or of bearing false witness against thy neighbour ? so can the father of lyes the devil , who thence is call'd by way of eminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the detractor , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the accuser of the brethren . nay why dost thou pride it in thy power of being skilful to destroy , either the livelyhoods or the lives of a world of men ? so can the palmer-worm , or mildew , so can a deluge , or a drouth . which if seriously consider'd by him who suffers , as well as by him who does an injury ; 't will yield the first matter of comfort , and the second matter of terror . for qui tulit injuriam ignoscere potest ; qui fecit , nunquam : whilst he who suffers injury has a divine opportunity of giving pardon , he who does it has nothing left as the issue of it , but bitter repentance , or condemnation . hence therefore we must learn to discriminate two things , which most commonly are confounded , and apprehended to be the same . for 't is one thing , to insult , or to domineer ; and quite another , to gain a victory . just as 't is one thing , to be wrong'd ; and quite another , to be worsted . the devil and pilate ( for example ) did domineer over our saviour , who yet ( we know ) had the best of both. dives insulted over lazarus , ( as 't is expressed by way of parable , ) though lazarus in the end had the better of him . anytus and melitus could not hurt socrates , though they could kill him . and though st. paul could be beheaded by the emperor nero , yet he could not be conquer'd or worsted by him . the mode or fashion of a victory does not detract from the essence of it . it does not cease to be a victory because 't is got by not fighting ; as that against cade by king henry the sixth . nor does it cease to be a victory , in case 't is purchased by delays ; as that against hannibal by fabius maximus . nay 't is a victory , though it be won even by flying out of the field ; which was the way by which the parthians were wont to conquer . and so 't is victory nevertheless , though obtain'd by suffering ; as by the noble army of martyrs against the whole heathen world . it being impossible that a thing should cease to be what it is , through the nature of the means , by which it is so . it is so far from being necessary , that conquest should consist in making havock of an enemy by wounds and slaughter , that 't is but one sort of conquest , and that the meanest . let us therefore set it down as a truth unmoveable , upon which we may adventure to lean with safety ; that to be mightily overborn , whilst by impiety , must needs be either none at all , or a glorious overthrow . because 't is clear that god's mercy is overborn by men's impenitence ; and even his greatest longanimity may be quite beaten out by our provocations . § . thirdly the burden of the cross , when 't is laid upon us by others , is made exceedingly lighter to us than i have hitherto shew'd it to be , by our looking up to him , who hath born it for us , and before us ; and by our reflecting on the reward , towards which it does lead us , and lift us up . eusebius tells us of some in egypt , who , however groaning at once under three sorts of tyranny , that of poverty , and pestilence , and persecution , did yet express so great a ioy at the return of good friday , upon which they were to celebrate their master's suffrings on the cross , as that the sense of their suffrings seem'd to be wholly swallow'd up , by the far greater sense which they had of his. though they were scatter'd and dispers't as far asunder , as the ingenie of malice could well contrive , ( some imprison'd upon the land , some under hatches upon the sea , some in caves of the wilderness , and some condemn'd upon the scaffold , ) yet , as the angles of a pyramid , however distant at the basis , do still come nearer as they ascend , and at last concenter in the conus ; so how distant soever the one from the other those christians were , in respect of their bodies here below , they met together in their affections at the same throne of grace . and though our church , like theirs , in the late ill times , was truly militant , when with the burden she labour'd under she sadly hung down her head , yet sursum corda , she lifted up her heart to the lord of glory , and by an union of affections kept all her holy days and feasts with the church triumphant . it would be certainly a voluminous , if not an endless undertaking , ( thô otherwise easy enough ) to prove by way of induction , or by a catalogue of the particulars , how many myriads have been enabled to run with patience the race that was set before them , by meerly looking unto iesus the author and finisher of their faith , so far forth as for the ioy that was set before him , he endured the cross , and despised the shame , and so sate him down at the right hand of god. nor indeed can it be otherwise , with such as love and believe in the lord jesus in sincerity , and give an evidence of both by their new obedience . for so long as we are such , the spirit it self ( saith st. paul ) beareth witness with our spirits , that we are children of god. and if children , then heirs ; heirs of god , and joynt heirs with christ ; if so be we suffer with him , that we may also be glorified together with him . and suffer with him we shall with the greater ease , ( if not ambition , ) because we shall reckon with st. paul , that the suffrings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us ; and because the whole trinity is clearly ingaged in our behalf : ( for so st. paul tells us in the following parts of the same chapter . ) god the father gave us his son , and all good things together with him . god the son gave us himself , not only that he might dye , but also rise from the dead , and be an advocate for us incessantly at the right hand of god. thirdly god the holy ghost ingageth for us as much as either ; both by helping our infirmities , through which we know not what we should pray for as we ought , and by making intercession for us with groans not to be utter'd . and whilst so great a care is taken both of us , and our interest , by god himself , it cannot but follow that all the crosses which shall be laid upon us by others , will work together for our comfort in this life present , as well as for our glory in that to come . § . lastly the burden of christ is light , when freely taken upon our selves ; as ( in particular ) when he commands us ( somewhat like what the ammonites commanded the men of iabesh gilead ) to pluck out an eye , ( a right eye too , ) and to cast it from us . for first it is not an absolute , but a conditional command . we are to pluck out an eye , upon a supposal that it offends us ; that is to say , if it is scandalous , and makes us stumble into sin ; and into such wasting sin , as makes us fall headlong into hell ; for so our saviour does infer in his very next words . in such a formidable case , and for the preventing of such a mischief , it is not only not grievous , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( saith our saviour ) it is profitable for thee , that one of thy members perish , and not that thy whole body be cast into hell. so that secondly 't is not a positive , but a comparative command . and 't is the dictate of common sense , that of two evils of punishment , we are in prudence to choose the least . as rather to lose one eye than both , and rather both than the whole body ; and rather the body than the soul. to suffer any thing , rather than death ; and death it self , rather than hell. a man having a gangraene in any limb of his body , will not only permit , but hire the artist to cut it off . and by consequence will confess it very much better and more desirable , to pluck out his eye , and to cast it from him , than , by keeping it in his head , to be cast into hell. better suffer under them who can destroy the body only , than under him who can destroy both body and soul. yea thirdly 't is the dictate of sanctified reason , that of any two evils , whereof the one is of sin , the other of affliction , we must choose to suffer the greatest , rather than wilfully do the least . our first care must be , to make a covenant with our eyes , not to look upon a maid . next in order to that design , we should not look round about us in the streets of the city , for fear our eyes become our enemies . or if our eyes chance to wander beyond the bounds of that counsel , our third degree of care must be , not to gaze upon a woman , lest we fall by those things that are pretious in her , ( v. . & . ) or if this cannot be done , 't is better to out them whilst they are innocent , ( as virginius did his daughter , ) than continue them as inlets to sin and hell. nor should we be griev'd at our advantage , though it be bought with great pain , whilst it is for the prevention of a very much greater . last of all , this commandment which is so grievous to us in sound , is very far from being such in its intrinsick signification . for , in our saviour's gratious sense , 't is but the vanity of the eye which we are bound to pluck out ; 't is but the violence of the hand which we are bound to cut off ; and the obliquity of the foot which we are bid to cast from us , ( as is shewn more at large in an * other place . ) several vices of the soul being fitly enough expressed by so many members of the body . and that severest of our lord's precepts , if thy right eye offend thee , pluck it out ; if thy right hand offend thee , cut it off ; if thy right foot offend thee , cast it from thee ; may very well admit of this serene signification : that we must pluck out a lust , thô as dear to us as a right eye . and we must cut off an avarice , thô as dear to us as a right hand . and we must cast away an ambition of greater things than are good for us , thô perhaps as dear to us as both our feet . § . thus we see this very precept , which seems a very rough part of our saviour's yoke , and a very heavy part of his burden too , does upon serious consideration appear as easy , and as light , as any servant can expect from so kind a lord. for this maxim being praemis'd as most unquestionable , and cogent , that without the pursuing of peace and holiness , no man living shall see the lord ; and that no unclean thing can ever enter into the kingdom of heaven , but does inevitably belong to the commonwealth of hell , how could our master have obliged us with better expressions of his love , than by commanding us to flee from the wrath to come ? and to forbear the least evil which may possibly lead unto the greatest ? rather to crucifie the flesh , than permit it to defile and destroy the spirit ? even to pluck out our right eye , rather than suffer it to pollute us ? to lose any thing , rather than heaven ? to indure any thing , rather than hell ? and rather to smart for some time , than to all eternity ? § . say then again thou habitual sinner , or who ever else thou art who hast a share in the objection . since 't is thy duty and thy interest to bear the yoke of christ's precepts and the burden of his cross with faith and patience , by whomsoever 't is laid upon thee , whether spitefully by others , or piously by thy self ; what pretense canst thou invent for thy unkindness to those commandments , which are not only not grievous , but very agreeable to thy nature , if at least thou retainest and hast not rooted out that nature , which the god of good nature implanted in thee ? or what apologie canst thou make for thy starting aside from the cross of christ , which alone can exalt thee to wear a crown ? nor that a meer earthly and perishing crown , but one which fadeth not away , eternal in the heavens . so that admitting the cross of christ were heavy or grievous in it self , yet in respect of thy reward it should cease to be so . shall any thing be call'd grievous , which does evidently tend to thy greatest good ? all the apologie thou canst make , and all the reason thou canst give , is , that thou art not yet arrived at a true christian faith , nor by consequence at a love of the lord jesus in sincerity . for do but imagin ( honest friend ) thou wert just falling from a praecipice , or from the pinacle of a temple ; and a neighbour standing by should thrust his hand to thy rescue , and catching hold of thine arm should snatch thee back with such a vehement and sudden twinge , as either to dislocate or break a bone ; would'st thou be angry with thy neighbour for so much rudeness ? and in stead of being thankful for springing in to thy deliverance , would'st thou accuse him of being hasty , and quarrel the roughness of his motion , asking why he did not use thee with greater softness , and would not deliberate before he acted ? would'st thou not rather kneel down before him , and make an offer of obedience , as well as thanks , and look upon him thenceforwards as dearer to thee than thy life ? and in case thou art a rich man , as he a poor one , would'st thou not give him an yearly pension for such an obliging act of friendship , as that ransoming of thy life with the utmost hazard of his own ? apply this now to the case in hand . imagin as strongly as thou art able , that thou art even now falling into the bottomless pit of hell , ( a lake eternally burning with fire and brimstone , ) and suppose in this case that god the son shall spring forth from the bosom of god the father ; ascend the cross with set purpose , to fetch thee down ; and descend into the grave , for no other end than to raise thee up ; and go purposely into hell , to fetch thee back from thence to heaven . wilt thou repine at that deliverance , in case the violence of the twitch shall happen to cost thee a little pain ? or be displeas'd with thy deliverer , in case he should not set thee free at a cheaper rate , than that of taking off the weights that kept thee down , ( that is ) by mortifying the flesh , with the affections and lusts ; by commanding thee to be clean , and pure , and holy ; and that for this obliging reason , because thy happiness does depend on thy being such ? wilt thou grumble at thy physician , for being severely faithful to thee , in using the means of thy recovery ? or wilt thou not rather bethink thy self , with the royal psal mist , quid retribuam ? what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits and blessings bestow'd upon me ? if this redeemer of thine is poor , ( as in his members indeed he is , ) wilt thou not give him an yearly pension , ( devote a part of thy revenue to pious uses , ) as a small token that thou resentest his goodness to thee ? or admit that he is great , ( as in himself he is immensly and unspeakably such , ) wilt thou not sacrifice unto him the constant tribute of thy obedience , though he should rigidly command thee to fight with anakims and lyons , to fetch him water from bethleem , or grapes from canaan ? suppose he orders thee , ( as he does , ) to pluck out an eye of lust or vanity ; to cut off an hand of fraud or violence ; to cast away a foot which is swift to shed blood ; rather than keep them to thy undoing ; wilt thou not execute those orders for the love of thy saviour , and of thy self too , rather than thine eye shall find the right rode to hell , thine hand work out thine own damnation , thy foot carry thee in the broad way which leadeth to destruction ? imagin strongly that thy saviour does long as much for thy obedience as king david did to drink of the well of bethlem ; christ as perfectly out of kindness , as david out of curiosity . wilt thou not do as much for christ , as david's soldiers did for him ? what they did to please david , was at the peril of their lives . but what thou dost to please christ , is for the safety of thine own . and 't is so natural for a man to pursue his own interest , that there is no better way to make a rebel become obedient , than by convincing him of this , that 't is his interest to be so , as well as duty . although a man be such a passionate idolizer of his wealth , that he will part with his blood , a great deal sooner than with his mony , yet a desperate fit of sickness will make him send for the physician , and he conceiving it for his interest , will give him very large fees too . the tenderest person and the most delicate , who values his body above his soul , if he esteems it for his interest to have a member saw'd off , being infested with a gangraene , will ( as i said a little before ) even hire the chirurgion to use his tool . and ( after the very same manner , as well as on the same ground , ) he who is now the greatest enemy , both to the counsels , and commandments , and cross of christ , if he be but once brought to an inviolable belief , ( without all scruples , or peradventures , ) that every man shall live eternally either in heaven , or in hell , and that 't is clearly for his interest to do or suffer as christ commands him , because in order to his escape from all the miseries of the one , and in order to his attainment of all the beatitudes in the other ; he will presently break off his sins by righteousness , as daniel charged nebuchadnezzar . he will be ready for restitution to every one whom he hath injur'd , as zachee the publican when he repented . he will bring forth fruits meet for repentance , as the jews were admonished by iohn the baptist. he will be glad to be thought worthy to suffer shame for christ's sake , as the apostles at ierusalem , acts . . the consideration of his interest will give an high relish to all his suffrings , making his torments and his tormentors to become his great instruments and means of pleasure . § . thus we see in all cases , both temporal , and spiritual , every man is for himself , and intends his own interest , in whatsoever it is which he undertakes ; either the interest of his profit , or of his pleasure , and reputation ; the interest of his flesh , or of his spirit ; his present interest , or his future ; still 't is one interest , or other , which leads him on unto the best , or the worst performances in the world. is any man covetous and extremely close sisted ? he thinks it is for his interest , as being the way to be rich in mony , which is the only grand project that he is driving . or is he free , and open-handed ? he thinks it for his interest , because it is the ready way to make him rich in good works , which is the highest and noblest end at which he ayms in this world. is there any man running headlong into a customary contempt of his saviour's yoke ? he thinks it is for his interest , as being the way to live merrily , and in prosperity here on earth , which is the soveraign allective of his desires . or does any man take pleasure in supporting both the burden and yoke of christ ? he thinks it is for his interest , as being the way to dye safely , and to live after death a life of bliss and immortality ; which is the utmost atchievement his heart is set on . lastly would ye know the reason , why i have meditated so much upon this kind of subject ? why i have struck so many blows upon this great anvil ? made so many long discourses ( though on occasion of divers texts ) touching the equity and the law of our saviour's gospel ? and indispensable necessity of our obedience unto the end ? the reason of it is truly this , because i have thought it most mine own , and other men's interest so to do . and till we are able to be so happy , as to convince our selves and others , that 't is most for our interest to bear the yoke of christ's law , and the burden of his cross when 't is laid upon us ; 't is very sure that neither of us shall bear the one , or the other , as is requir'd . whereas 't is as sure , on the other side , that as we never neglect our interest in what is secular , or carnal , ( as touching our credits , or our estates , or our temporal preservation ; ) so as little shall we indure , to start aside from the burden or yoke of christ , if indeed we do believe it our greatest interest to bear them as he requires . for can the very same man who is sollicitously careful to get a trifle , be as perfectly careless to gain a talent ? or stand in very great dread of a lesser punishment ? but of an infinitely greater , in none at all ? if we are strict in our conforming to the commandments of men , with whom the penalties are but temporal , and the recompenses but finite . ; we cannot sure be non-conformists to the commandments of christ , on a supposal that we believe it as great a truth as any is , that his punishments and rewards , are both immortal , and immense . nor can i think of a more rational or a more satisfactory accompt , why the commandments of men should be so commonly heeded by us , with more circumspection than those of christ , but that we fear them more , and believe him less ; or value the interest of our bodies above the interest of our souls ; or prefer the seeming certainty of what is present , before the hope and expectance of what is future ; and had rather become the owners of earthly contentments in possession , than to be dealing for reversions in heaven it self . § . and therefore to the end we may be able even to feel , and by consequence to arrive at the conviction of experience , that the yoke of christ's law is really easy in it self ; and the burden of his cross is in comparison very light ; and that they have both a secret vertue of giving rest unto the souls of them that labour , and of refreshing the heavy laden ; ( for so our saviour tells us expresly in the two next verses before the text , ) let us be conversant incessantly in all the means of attaining to a true christian faith , that so by cordially believing , we may passionately love the lord jesus christ. and that loving him as we ought , we may by consequence delight in doing that which he requires , and by consequence may attain to that reward which he hath promis'd . for as our faith and our love , do what we can , will beget obedience , ( if the first is unfeigned , and the second without dissimulation , ) so 't is sure that our obedience will end in bliss . not in bliss whilst we are passengers , but when we shall arrive at our iourneys end . for here we are dead ( saith our apostle , ) and our life is yet hid with christ in god. but when the lord iesus christ who is our life shall appear , then shall we also appear with him in glory . which god the father of his mercy prepare us for , through the working of his spirit , and for the worthiness of his son ; to whom be glory for ever and ever . the indispensable necessity of strict obedience under the gospel . the indispensable necessity of strict obedience under the gospel . heb. xii . , . wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved , let us have grace , whereby we may serve god acceptably , with reverence and godly fear . for our god is a consuming fire . there is something difficult in the text , which will ( i think ) be best explain'd by way of answer to an objection . for why is it said here , let us have grace ? it may seem at first hearing a strange expression , whether we have it , or have it not . for if we have it , it seems superfluous ; and if we have it not , it seems as vain . we need not say let us have , what 't is plain we have already before we say it : and we say to no purpose , let us have this or that , which whilst we have not , it is not in our power to have . for , is the grace of god almighty at our disposal ? can we confer it upon our selves , that it should hear be said to us , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let us have grace ? we cannot have grace till we receive it , nor can we possibly receive it , till god most freely bestows it on us . what is this that he saith then , let us have grace ? to answer this it must be known , that in many places of scripture grace doth signifie the gospel . whether as being the chief instrument or means of grace ; or as containing and exhibiting the covenant of grace , which does often stand oppos'd unto the covenant of works ; or else as being the great message of grace and favour from heaven to earth . whether for these , or for other reasons , so it is that the word grace doth often signifie the gospel ; especially then , when 't is oppos'd unto the law. a clear example of which we have , iohn . . the law came by moses , but grace and truth from iesus christ : that is , the gospel of grace and truth . for there was truth in the law , as well as in the gospel ; and grace was given unto the iews , as well as to the gentiles , of whom we are . and therefore the meaning of it must be , that as the law came by moses , so the gospel of grace came down from heaven by iesus christ ; and so it is called by st. paul , acts . . another instance of it we have rom. . . we are not under the law , but under grace : that is , the gospel of christ which is the word of his grace ; and so st. paul calls it again , acts . . for it cannot be meant concerning the grace of sanctification ; because even they were under that , who were under the law that was given by moses ; else would caleb and ioshua , and moses himself have been void of grace . which being eminently impossible , 't is plain the gospel must be the thing which is there opposed unto the law. and as in other places of scripture , so particularly in this which now is under consideration , the grace of god is so set , as to signifie nothing but the gospel . and ( the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very often being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to have it in this place , is nothing else but to hold it fast . so that the scope of the exhortation , is , that we hold fast the gospel or law of christ , described to be the instrument , whereby we may perform a service acceptable to god. but acceptable service it cannot be , unless attended with fear and reverence . to wit with a reverence of his mercy in the beginning of the text , and with a fear of his wrath in the later end . the duty therefore is here inforced both before and behind ; and that with such reasons , as 't is not easy to resist . for first the reason going before is drawn from the richness of our reward , in case we serve god as he here requires . and then the reason coming behind is from the grievousness of the punishment , in case we serve him not at all , or not at all with due reverence and godly fear . our reward , if we do , is no less than a kingdom , and a kingdom not to be moved . but our punishment ( if we do not ) is to perish by the hand that should make us whole ; to feel the god of our life a consuming fire . the one affords us an allective , whereby to draw us to the duty ; the other an impellent , to drive us on . it is the wisdom and the care of the holy penman , to place our duty in the midst of a double motive , that if the one cannot engage us , the other may . he begins with a promise , to feed our hope ; and concludes with a threat , to excite our fear . the first as a spur does provoke to vertue ; the second , as a bridle , withholds from vice. and he is sure a dull beast , whom such a spur cannot excite , or at least a very wild one ; whom such a bridle cannot restrain . the whole circuit of the text being thus explain'd , there are five things especially to be inferr'd . first that the liberty of a christian doth carry its yoke along with it . it being a liberty from moses , but not from christ ; the condition of whose gospel is our obedience unto the law. i do not mean the mosaical , whether iudicial or ceremonial , which were but positive laws at best , but the natural , or moral , which is withal the aeternal law ; the law , of which our saviour saith , that he came not to abrogate , but to fulfil it : not to evacuate , but fill it up . rather to strengthen , than to destroy it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let us have grace , that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let us hold fast the gospel or law of christ. and let us hold it as an instrument whereby to serve him . and let us serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so as our persons and our service may be accepted . but yet secondly , we cannot serve him so , as to be accepted ; ( we cannot do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so as to satisfy and please him in what we do , ) unless we serve him with reverence and godly fear with a reverence of his mercy , whereby we are capable of a kingdom ; and with a fear of his wrath , whereby he becomes a consuming fire . so that the reverence has a retrospect on the beginning of the text ; and the fear has a prospect upon the end. and therefore thirdly , here is a reason for each of these qualifications , by which our service is to be such , as to be accepted . a reason why it must be with reverence , and a reason why it must be with fear . let us serve god with reverence , because thereby we receive a kingdom , ( a kingdom of grace and glory too ; the first being as 't were an inchoation of the second ; and both as i conceive , alluded to in this text ; ) again let us serve him with godly fear ; because he is else a consuming fire . and then fourthly , it is obvious to infer even from hence , that the fear of god , as a destroyer , may nevertheless be a godly fear ; because it is coupled here with reverence , and by consequence with love . for reverence is a compound , which hath love as well as fear for a chief ingredient . and the fear here expressed by godly fear , is not only a fear of god's power and majesty , in respect of which he is a severaign , who hath an absolute do minion over the work of his hands ; nor only a fear of his love and mercy , in respect of which he is a father , who by his children must be revered : but especially a fear of his wrath and iustice , in respect of which he is a iudge , and so an executor of vengeance . it is a fear indeed of god , but under the notion of a consumer . a fear enforced with a reason all arm'd with terrour ; ( for nothing strikes terror so much as fire . ) lastly a fear whereof the terror is ushered in with the causal for , which shew's the tendency of the terror towards the godliness of the fear : for thus lyes the order and the coherence of the words . let us serve him with reverence and godly fear , for our god is a consuming fire . last of all we may infer from the pronoun our , that god is no such accepter of persons , as to connive at sin in us , whilst he does punish it in others . no , the times of their ignorance god winked at , ( saith the apostle , ) but now commandeth all men every where to repent . to us indeed , if we repent , he is a god ready to pardon ; swift to shew mercy , and slow to wrath . but to us being impenitent he is a terrible , * a jealous , and an avenging god. from whence 't is inferr'd by the holy writer , that we , as well as the people israel are bound to serve god with fear and reverence ; because our god as well as theirs is a consuming fire . that is , the same god is such , as well to us , as to them. for here 't is worthy to be observ'd , that as moses exhorting his people israel to take heed unto themselves , that they forget not the covenant of the lord their god , gave his reason in these words , for the lord thy god is a consuming fire ; so our apostle in this chapter , having first of all compared the law with the gospel , moses with christ , and a contemner of the one with a despiser of the other ; and having exhorted us to the duty incumbent on us as we are christians ; gives the very same reason in the very same words , ( with no more than the change of a monosyllable , ) for our god is a consuming fire . such he is , as the god of all ; but above all , as he is ours ; because we sin , when we sin , against greater light ; and against greater obligations to cease from sinning . having now done with the explication and with the division of the text , 't will be most useful as well as natural to begin with the first of the five illations , because the greatest numbers of men do stand in need of a conviction , that christianity is a service requiring our industry and care. a service consisting of obedience , as well as faith ; in as much as the promises of the gospel are clog'd with precepts . thô the yoke of christ is easy , yet 't is a yoke ; and thô his burden is light , yet 't is a burden to stand fast in that liberty wherewith christ hath made us free , is to hold fast the gospel or law of christ , and to hold it as an instrument whereby to serve him : and to serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so as our persons and our service may be accepted . a doctrin the rather to be imprinted in all our memories and our minds , ( as either a method for prevention , or means of cure , ) because throughout the whole catalogue of damning haeresies , whether as that catalogue was begun by irenaeus , or as continued by epiphanius , or as perfected by st. austin , ( and other writers of the church , ) none hath shed a more killing influence upon the minds and manners of christian people , ( so far at least as i am able to conjecture , ) than the mistaken , but pleasant notions , of iustification , and faith , the imputed righteousness of christ , and christian liberty . hardly any four things are more needful to be believ'd ; or more subject to be mistaken . never was poyson more pernicious , or more to be antidoted than that , to which i oppose the main drift of the well intended project i have in hand . there were gnosticks , and nicolaitans , carpocratians , and valentinians , whilst yet the day of the gospel began to dawn ; whom the tempter had betrayed into such a lust , that lust had blinded with such an ignorance , that ignorance was the mother of so many and great errors , and those errors brake forth into such execrable sins , that 't were perhaps another * sin to make men acquainted with their nature , or but to tell them their very names . for there are sins ( saith st. paul ) which 't is a shame even to speak of . so as tertullian passed them by with a † profession of his bashfulness ; he wanted the confidence and the courage , to name those things which were done in secret . to such as these we can award no fitter punishment , than that to which the ephesians condemn'd herostratus ; when , having burnt diana's temple ( just as pausanias kill'd king philip , ) for no other end than to be talk't of , he was decreed by that senate to be forgotten . ( and forgotten he had been , if one single theopompus had not put him into his story . ) and therefore there was need of epiphanius his * apology , for having given us a narrative of those tacenda , although he did it in detestation . now as often as i consider within my self , how the oldest and the worst of all those haeresies do walk about in new names through our english streets ; that though the scenes are somewhat different , yet still the actors do all agree ; that the † gnosticks , and * nicolaitans , and carpocratians of the first times are repeated as 't were by a metempsychosis , in the antinomians , and solifidians , and sanguin fiduciaries of ours ; that we have had , if not as false christs as * barch●●hebas , yet as false prophets as barjesus ; who have so preached up the gospel , and so cry'd down the law , ( i only mean the evangelical or christian law , ) and made obedience so cheap a thing by enhauncing the price of faith , as to have turn'd christian liberty into libertinism , and the grace of god into wantonness ; i am tempted to wish the gospel were sometimes preach'd , as the law of god was first publish'd , in thundring and lightning . that god were sometimes represented , as well by us unto the english , as by st paul to the hebrew christians , not only , as in his nature , a quickning light ; but as he is also in his effects , a consuming fire . if not in hope to raise some who seem to be dead in their security , yet at least to awaken others , who ( it is to be hoped ) are yet but drowzy . for as 't is the custom and the craft of some cunning pleaders , by citing the authority of laws and statutes , to patronize the breach of them ; or as ausonius could compile the most loathsom fescenine , out of virgil himself , the parthenian poet ; or as a spider sucks poyson from the very same flower , from which a bee doth extract the most soveraign hony ; so i know not which hath drawn the more deadly venom from the wholsom † letter of the gospel , the gnosticks heretofore , or the libertines now ; whether the former were worse corrupters of the third * chapter of st. iohn , or the later of the fourth of st. paul's epistle to the galatians . for as the gnosticks in those times , so the libertines in these , are wont to cocker up themselves ( with the she tempter in epiphanius ) that they are all the chosen vessels ; not vessels of a respective , but of an absolute election . they think it much below them , to look upon god as a consuming fire . it is for men of their perfection , not to serve him with fear , but with familiarity . thence they commonly do so startle at the legal obedience of the iews , the mo ral honesty of the gentiles , and the pretendedly meritorious good works of the romanists , as to fortifie themselves against these , with the naked faith of the antinomians . and so like him in spartianus , who poyson'd himself with too much antidote , ( not considering that there is poyson , as well in the quantity of the best meats , as in the quality of the worst , ) they prevent a less disease with a greater , and kill themselves with their preservative . for men to sweeten their malady , and make their sickness pleasant to them , they think it better than to cure it ; and so the humor be not painful , it is no matter how peccant ' t is . they think they have met with the great purchace timotheus brag'd of in athenaeus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : all the fortunate i stands are caught forsooth in their net. they dream they have found the new skill of the old athletae , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to conquer the devil without a combat . and though st. paul ( poor man ) was fain to work out his salvation with fear and trembling ; to beat down his body , and bring his flesh into subjection ; to crucify the world unto himself , and himself unto the world , always bearing about in his body the dying of the lord jesus ; lest whilst he preached unto others , he himself might become a castaway ; yet the professors i allude to are so much happier than st. paul in their own opinion , that their victories cost them neither dust , nor sweat. they imagin they have got a peculiar knack of being sav'd ; and without any more ado can so believe themselves to heaven , that it seems to them as easy to dye like the thief on our saviour's cross , as it is to live like him . for they have set up a new faith upon mount sion , as manasses and sanballet did erect a new temple upon mount ierezim ; that the most scandalous malefactors , who have been any way obnoxious for breach of law , may fly for refuge to that asylum , and so become of their party . their vices many times do so border upon vertue , ( or appear at least in that visard , ) that conceiving they are sanctified with that unclean spirit , with which indeed they are possest ; mistaking the corruptions of common nature , for the secret suggestions of special grace ; an hypocritical sigh , for a sincere repentance ; a sturdy presumption for an unshaken faith ; and a carnal security , for an assurance of salvation ; they make no doubt but to enter at the very striat gate , meerly by walking in the very broad way ; supposing that the chiefest reason why so very few do find it , is their seeking to acquire it with too much pains . and therefore for their own parts , that they may not be in danger to put their trust in good works , they live as if they took care to have them bad enough . hence they swallow the greatest camels , and never feel them going down ; sacriledge , and schism , and the sin that is as bad as the sin of witchcraft , deposing of kings , and subversion of kingdoms . for if ( say they ) they are once regenerate , none of these things can ever hurt them . humbly supposing it the priviledge of freeborn christians , not to need the common honesty of moral men . these especially are the persons who stand in need of a conviction , that to be such , as they would be thought , they must be some of god's servants , as well as sons . and withal , they must be shew'd wherein the service is to consist . for most agree upon the word , but many differ about the thing . our saviour tells us of certain jews , who took the killing of his apostles to be doing god service . and saul did seek to serve god , by madly blaspheming against his son. how many professors of christianity , within our knowledge , and observation , have thought it a service to the bridegroom , to offer violence to the bride ? most inhumanly to deprive her of all her ornaments and jewels ? and to expose her stark naked , to the derision of her enemies on every side ? how many refiners upon religion have verily thought to serve god , by shedding the blood of his vicegerent ? just as certain old heathens did worship hermes , by throwing stones at the image of him . it is not therefore so much my business , to prove that god is to be serv'd , as to shew what we must do whereby to serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so far forth as to please him by it , and so as our service may be accepted . the single word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of invaluable importance ; it seems to be one of the main hinges , on which the door of our hope and salvation turns . it concerns us more than the world is worth , to know exactly how much it means ; and so to be able to demonstrate ( at least to our selves , if not to others ) what kind of service it is to be , which god will reckon to be sufficient . for considering those words of our blessed saviour , seek to enter in at the strait gate , for many shall seek and shall not enter ; how can we quiet our understandings , or safely set our hearts at rest , before we know what it is , which will please our master ? and when our service will be accepted ? now a service only consisting of naked orthodoxy and faith , ( as it is an assent of the understanding , ) is not the acceptable service commended to us in the text. but ( as appears by the context ) the chiefest requisite is obedience to the commandments of our master , whereof our faith is a special instance . 't is an employing of our selves in our master's business ; a careful observance of his will , in whatsoever he commands us to do , or suffer . our saviour tells us the way to life is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not only narrow , but craggy too ; ( for that 's imported by the original , though not exprest in our english bibles ; ) a way so incumber'd with christian precepts , and so block't up with strict commands , that as nothing but faith can open the door , so nothing but obedience can clear the way . so that faith and obedience are to a christian , ( as the two comets to a mariner , whereof the one is call'd castor , the other pollux , ) never auspicious but in conjunction . by faith indeed we may have the gospel ; but we hold it not fast , without obedience . without them both in conjunction , we cannot have grace , as the text injoyns . for naked faith without obedience ( like either of those comets without the other , ) is apt to raise up a tempest of god's displeasure , enough to shipwrack the soul of man. i cannot set them both off with a better colour , than if i compare them to iacob's * two wives ; whereof the one was very beautiful , but barren too ; the other was fruitful , but yet deform'd . for as faith ( like rachel ) is wholly barren without obedience , so obedience ( like leah ) is but deform'd without faith. again , as that without this is void of eyes , so this without that is utterly destitute of feet . and though i take it to be impossible , for any follower of christ to arrive at heaven , until obedience take up faith upon her shoulders , that the one may traverse the way thither , and the other direct it ; yet because i conceive it less impossible of the two , for an honest blind heathen to shew me his faith by his vertuous works , than for a knavish and knowing christian to shew me his works by his naked faith , ( a thing esteemed by st. iames the greatest absurdity in the world , ) were iacob's option mine , i should rather choose leah with her blere eyes , than rachel with her barrenness , that is , obedience without faith , rather than faith without obedience . and do think it by so much a safer thing , to be a very strict moralist , than a very loose christian , by how a likelier thing it is , for a traveller to arrive at his journey 's end , by being a baiard that can go , than a cripple that can but see . they who know not , must be instructed ; and they who know , but are wilful , must be convinc'd ; and we who acknowledge as well as know , must be for ever put in mind , that when we are said in any scripture to be sav'd , or justified by faith , it can be meant of no other faith , than what is the mother of obedience , and evermore attended with it . which may appear as by other arguments , so particularly by this ; that as faith and disobedience are set as terms of opposition , ( i pet. . , . ) so faith and obedience are set as terms aequipollent , ( rev. . . ) from whence 't is obvious to infer , that our lord is not an absolute , but a conditional redeemer . how else can that god who is a comfortable light , be said to be in this text a consuming fire ? it is the property of satan , to be an abaddon , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and how can an attribute of hell , be in any sense apply'd to the god of heaven , but that it is spoken by a metonymie of the effect for the efficient , and imply's god almighty his deportment towards us , after the measure of ours to him ? a fire to purifie and preserve , if we are gold ; but a fire to consume , if we are stubble : a case to be easily illustrated by the waters of iealousy ; which if a woman were chast , would make her fruitful ; but if adulterous , they made her thigh to rot , and her belly to swell . just so said simeon of the holy child iesus , that he is set for the fall , and for the rising again of many in israel . for the fall of the rebellious , and for the rising again of his loyal subjects ; for the fall of such persons as will not serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but for the rising again of such , as will serve him with reverence and godly fear . which proves by a consequence unavoidable , that as he is not an absolute , but a conditional saviour ; so the condition on which he saves us , is our being true subjects and servants to him . 't is our repentance from dead works , and our bringing forth fruits meet for repentance . it is an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience , and a conscience void of offence towards god and towards men . it is our having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , and the keeping of our selves unspotted from the world. lastly the condition on which he saves us , is the denying of our selves , and the taking up of his cross ; not to put it out of the way , but to follow him with it whithersoever he shall lead us ; nor to lay it upon other mens shoulders , but meekly to bear it upon our own . this is the acceptable service pointed at in my text. less than this is too little , because it is less than will be accepted . and if we come short of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text will be nothing worth . of this i must labour so much the rather to convince my self , and such as hear me , because the best of us all is apt to have something of the fiduciarie , and ( without a continual watch ) will have a smack of the antinomian . for let us examin our selves throughly , and sift our selves unto the bran ; and then speak freely as honest men unto our selves . do we not flatter our selves often , that we are good enough to serve turn ? and that we must not be righteous overmuch ? that 't is improper for us to live as in the common-wealth of plato , whilst we are in the dregs of romulus ? and that we need not be better than other men , of whose salvation we suppose it is not charity for us to doubt ? have we not often sinn'd the more , if not that grace may abound , yet because it hath already so much abounded ? and the rather adventur'd to be evil , because of our knowledge that god is good ? do we not generally conceive , ( like him in zosimus ) that we may sin the more safely for being christians ? and have a priviledge to be wicked above the rest of mankind , because we are worshippers of a god who is a god ready to pardon ? are we not much the more careless of falling headlong into sin , and much the less careful of getting out , because we read , that if we sin , we have an advocate with the father , who is the propitiation for all our sins ? compare the lives of most christians , ( i mean professors of christianity , ) with what we read of unbelievers , ( whether ignorant gentiles , or stubborn iews , ) and you will say they have need to be all instructed , or atleast to be put in mind , that believers being the men with whom the best of god's talents have been entrusted , are by consequence the men too , of whom the best service will be requir'd . this i shall briefly make appear from two general topicks , or heads of arguing . from the principal end or final cause of our saviour's coming hither , and from his principal business which took him up when he was here . first for the end of his coming hither , it was rather to redeem us from sin , than hell. rather to sanctifie our nature , than meerly to justifie our persons ; rather to make us truly righteous , than only to reckon or count us iust. and this may appear , as by other reasons , so more especially by these . first that sin is by nature far worse than hell , because our sins can serve for nothing , but to injure and incense the righteous iudge of all the world ; whereas hell is good for something ; even to satisfie the iustice which sin hath injur'd , and to glorifie the iudge whom it hath incens'd . from whence it follows , that 't is much more conformable to the holiness of god , and more advanceth his glory too , to have sent his son into the world , rather to purifie , than to forgive it . to forgive it indeed by a secondary intention , but to purifie it by the first ; ( for purity by nature being better than pardon , by a very good sequel was sooner meant , ) to reduce us to our obedience as the chief purpose of his coming , and to give us heaven as the accession . for real happiness consisting in being holy as god is holy , 't is plain that heaven can be no more , than a good appendix of our felicity . for can we imagin , that god himself can be any whit the happier for being in heaven ? no ; 't is heaven which is the happier for being god's throne : which should he fix upon the earth , heaven would presently be his footstool . as it is not the court which gives majesty to the king ; but wheresoever the king is , there 's the court. to be in heaven without holiness , ( like the lost regiment of angels ) would be to make it a second hell. and therefore they , at the day of judgment , who shall intreat the hills to cover them , and the mountains to fall upon them , will have no other reason for that intreaty , than to be hid from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne . from whence it is obvious to infer , that to a man of impure eyes , nothing smarts more than the sight of bliss . and therefore our saviour's coming hither was first to fortifie our eyes , or to make them pure , and then to procure us the blessed vision . besides , secondly , had he been sent into the world , only to amplify our charter , but not our statutes ; to free us as really from the moral , as from the ceremonial law ; or from the observance of the law moral , as well as from the curse , and the rigour of it ; and so to make us no whit holier , but only happier than before ; ( if yet a man can be happy who is not holy , which rather implys a contradiction , ) he might have been buried before he was born ; ( buried , i mean , in his mothers womb ; ) or he might have been born , only to be buried ; he might have been murder'd as commodiously by herod in the cradle , as by pilate upon the cross ; and with as great a convenience , have dyed a saviour at a year old , as in living till three and thirty . for what better reason can we imagin , why he should live so long a saint , before he dyed a publick sacrifice , but that as 't were by the aequator , or standing rule of his life , we might reform and regulate all the obliquities of our own ? that he might free us from sin 's dominion , by his precepts and example , his life and doctrin , as well as from the wages of it by his death and resurrection ? for dly , let us expostulate and reason a little within our selves . can there be any thing more irrational , more dishonourable to god , or more disgraceful to our religion , than to think that our saviour came down from heaven , only to open , and so to shut up the gates of hell ? to be a friend of publicans and sinners in the same ill sense , in which his * enemies spake him to be so ? 't is true indeed in one sense , there can be nothing more orthodox , than was the malice of those blasphemers . christ indeed was the friend of publicans and sinners , the greatest friend to be imagin'd . but 't was by saving them from their sins , as he did matthew , and zachaeus , mary magdalen , and the like ; not by saving them for all their sins however indulgently lived in . not by making it safe for them to be sinners without amendment . could he come for nothing else but to proclaim a iubilee for malefactors , and so to make them more voluptuous , not more vertuous than before ? can we imagin that the law was so a schoolmaster to christ , as that the end of his coming should be to turn us from our books ? to beg us a kind of an endless playday , and so to send us out as truants into a mahomet's paradise ? can it be possibly consistent ( i say not with scripture only and reason , but indeed ) with common sense , that he should purifie to himself a peculiar people , not by bridling sin , but by letting it ride ? that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in zosimus should be ( as the spaniard there calls it ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ( that is to say in plain english ) that the meer christianity of our opinions should abundantly expiate for all the atheism of our lives ? and so that the gospel should be intended , not for a rule , but a dispensation ? 't is true this fallacy of the tempter is too too commonly swallow'd down ; although not only the stream of reason , but all the current of the scripture runs quite against it . for in the third of the acts , at the twentieth verse , god having raised up his son iesus sent him to bless us , ( saith st. peter ; ) but how ? even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that blessing altogether consisted in his turning us away every one from our iniquities . so in the second to titus , at the eleventh verse , the grace of god which bringeth salvation hath appeared indeed to all men . but to what end ? 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , we may live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world . again in the fourteenth verse of the same chapter , christ is said indeed to have given himself for us ; but immediately it follows , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. the gist consisteth in his redeeming us from all iniquity . to which at least we may accommodate what is said of our saviour , matth. . . where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is in beza's translation he bare their sicknesses ( or their sins , ) is in tertullian's he took them away . and let the translation be what it will , sure i am that the reason is very good . it being the noblest benefaction , and much most worthy of a saviour who came from heaven , rather to cure the lame , than to give them crutches ; rather to rid us of our sins by reducing us to obedience , than by acquitting us only of punishment , to make our sins the more supportable . and as the prime end of his coming hither , was to correct and reform our practice , so his prime business when he was here was ( as our lord ) to prescribe us precepts , and to press for a due obedience to all the precepts which he prescrib'd . though 't is the custom of the world , to look upon him as a saviour , and nothing else , in his priestly office only , which is to bless us , and to insist upon his being our elder brother ; yet * the name written upon his garment , and on his thigh , is king of kings , and lord of lords . his name is christ as well as iesus . moses was his type , as well as ioshua . and observe in what order . he is our moses in the first place , to make us fit for a blessed canaan ; and then our ioshua to give us possession . the general title of the gospel [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] which we love to call the new testament ( and nothing else ) would ( by a more genuine translation of the word ) be expressed by the new covenant , that is to say , the new † law. for so it is called by st. paul , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the law of faith , ( rom. . . ) and as the whole moral law was published by christ , as well as moses , ( which any man may see who will not wink , in the fifth , sixth , and seventh chapters of st. matthew , ) so christ , as well as moses , thought fit to give it upon a * mountain . nor is it unworthy our observation , that throughout the new testament , though there is many times a precept without a promise annexed to it ; yet there is not one promise which is not clogg'd with some precept . as if our saviour had esteemed it an easier thing , to make us believing and orthodox christians , than obedient and sincere ones . according to which he elsewhere tells us , that they only shall enter into the kingdom of his father † , not that call upon his name , but that do his will. nay ( as there he goes on in the following verses , ) though a man may have faith to the working of miracles , yet if it be built upon the sand , ( as most certainly it is , when 't is not seconded with obedience , ) he foretells what he will say unto men of that sort at the day of judgment , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i never knew you . ( not that christ can be ignorant of their persons , or their works , to whom he will say , i never knew you . for even that very saying imports he knew them well enough , that is , he knew them to be such , as did deserve that such words should be spoken to them . and therefore the meaning must needs be this , i never knew you to be members of my body , or to be sheep of my fold ; that is , i know you to be persons i cannot own . for as to know in the holy dialect does often signifie to approve ; so not to know does very often import no more than to disown . ) i must confess we might think it exceeding strange , but that our oracle does assure us 't is very true , that as believers we may be able to cast out devils , and yet as disobedient may be our selves possess 't with them ▪ we may preach to save others , and yet be castaways our selves . for be we never so zealous preachers , or professors of the gospel ; and at the very same time indulgent transgressors of the law ; our very advocate will say , when he shall come to be our iudge , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , depart from me ye workers of iniquity . and therefore our blessed saviour being about to leave the world , and to teach his disciples ( before he left them ) how to serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in such a manner as he would like ; did not speak in this stile , if ye love me , cast all your care upon my promises ; or if you love me , stoutly rely upon my merits ; ( althô there is a place for each of these too , ) but , as preparatory to both , if ye love me , keep my commandments , john . . which was as if he should have said , shew me your faith by your works , and your love by your obedience . plainly implying to them and us , that our sonship does not give us any exemption from our service ; our service being the only thing by which we are able to prove our sonship . as christ hath a priestly , and a prophetical , so hath he also a kingly office. nor may we kick at the scepter and throne of christ , and think it sufficient to declare we are his majesty's most humble and loyal subjects . some earthly potentates have been thus mock'd , but the king of kings will never be so . we cannot honour our lord by disobeying him ; or shew our selves kind , by being undutiful ; for we see that our obedience is both the argument and the badge of a true affection . our saviour saith , matth. . . he that follows me not , is unworthy of me . where to follow him , is to be like him ; to conform our selves to him more than a parasite to his patron ; not to walk in his path only , but to tread in his very footsteps . according to that of the pythagoreans ( which deserves for its worth to be christianiz'd , however writ by that hierocles who writ a book against christ , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thou shalt honour god the better , the more thou studiest to be like him . for him we love most , whom we most imitate ; and he honours god best , who doth best resemble him ; and what kind of resemblance he most requires , st. iohn hath told us twice together in his first epistle and third chapter ; to wit , our being pure as he is pure , ( v. . ) and our being righteous as he is righteous , ( v. . ) and our saviour to the same purpose , having mustred up his precepts with the several promises annext , makes a kind of a corollarie or rather abridgment of the whole , not at all with a command , that we be happy as god is happy , but with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , be ye perfect as he is perfect . thus as briefly , and yet as fully as i could possibly contrive , i have shew'd the chiefest end of our blessed saviour's coming hither , and his principal business when he was here . it was not only as a saviour , to propose promises to our faith ; nor only as a teacher , to fiill our heads with new knowledge , but as a soveraign , and a prince , ( as st. peter calls him ) to exact obedience to his commands . and to place it without dispute , he made it part of his business , when he was here , to let us know , why he came hither . for as he tells us in one place ( enough to keep us from despair ) that he came not to destroy mens lives , but to save them ; so he tells us in another , ( enough to keep us from presumption , ) that he came not to destroy the law , but to save and preserve that also : and that in each sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not by fulfilling it only , but by * filling it up too . for thô nothing could be completer than the law moral in it self , yet did he fill up those vacuities which moses left in his delivery . from all which it follows ( do what we can ) that unless our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the iews , we shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven . for can there be any thing more agreeable to the judgment of common sense , ( i had almost said of carnality it self ) than that where god hath afforded a greater stock , he should expect a greater increase ; that where he hath strengthened the shoulders , he should in proportion increase the burden ? and that as he hath shrunk up the mosaical law , so he should also extend the moral ? of moses we know , that he had a vail upon his promises , as well as upon his face ; and was as obscure upon mount nebo , as before he had been upon mount sinai . whereas our antitype of moses hath been graciously pleas'd to * uncover both. the iews beheld christ as in a glass , but we ( in comparison ) face to face . they walk't by twilight , but we by the sun in his meridian . they were us'd like little children , but we like men. they had a sensible good propos'd , but we an intellectual . they as 't were an apple , but we an inheritance . they a transitory kingdom , but we a kingdom not to be moved . they were promis'd a redemption indeed from egypt , but we from hell. they to be fed with milk and hony , but we never to hunger or thirst . they a long life , but we an eternal one . they a canaan , but we a heaven . and that god will exact the * most strict accompt of our wanderings , to whom he hath held the greatest light for the better clearing of our ways , we may infer from our saviour's words in the eleventh chapter of st. matthew , where tyre and sidon are more excusable than corazin and bethsaida , because the later had been obliged with greater means of conviction , but all in vain . this affords a lesson for our humiliation , that however our reward is extremely great , even a kingdom which cannot be moved , ( a kingdom of grace and of glory too , ) yet god hath placed it very high , and the way to it is very steep . we must not flatter our selves therefore , that we are able to fall upwards ; that with a yawning relyance we can ever climb up the hill of sion , and drop as 't were into heaven with a drowzy confidence . we have no incouragement from our apostle , to believe we shall go thither , by meerly believing we are regenerate , and cannot fail of our being there . he does not here press on his hebrew christians , to receive their salvation with faith ; but to serve for it with reverence . not to expect it only with confidence , but strictly to endeavour it with godly fear . for our god is a consuming fire . to him be glory for ever and ever . how a man is to work out his own salvation . philip . ii. . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling . the words ( in general ) are a command , delivered by st. paul , in the name of god the great master , to the servants of god , in the church at philippi . in which there are chiefly four things to be consider'd . first the quality of the servants . next the wages which they expected . thirdly the work , with which the wages was to be earn'd . and lastly the manner , or qualification , with which the working was to be cloath'd . first for the quality of the servants , they were such as had been diligent in the performance of their duty . they had not only been sometimes dutiful ; they had not only been good by fits ; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they had always obeyed ; they had evermore liv'd in the fear of god. next for the wages which they expected , that is expressed by [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] to be salvation ; both as it signifies a deliverance from the tremendous pains of hell , and as importing an advancement to the ravishing ioys of heaven then thirdly for the work , with which the wages was to be earn'd , that is evidently obedience to the lord iesus christ very significantly implyed in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as that looks back upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . as ye have always obey'd , so now much more obey the gospel . continue the course of your obedience . go on to finish the work which ye have begun ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , work , and work out your own salvation . last of all , for the manner or qualification of the working , whereby to make it become effectual for the receiving of the reward , there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , our salvation is to be wrought for , with fear and trembling ; and that according to the threefold signification of this expression . first with meekness and humility . we must not put the least trust in the greatest performances of our own ; nor must we be puff't or lifted up with the gifts and graces which god hath given us . next with diligence and solicitude . that we may not for want of perseverance , finally miss of the prize that is set before us , and for which we have hitherto as it were contended by our obedience . thirdly with awefulness , and horror , or holy dread ; because as god is ( in one cafe ) a quickning light , so he is ( in another ) a consuming fire . he who purposely created us to do him service , is he who will turn us to destruction , unless we serve him as he requires . and now to anticipate an inquiry , how humility , and solicitude , ( as well as awefulness and dread , are comprehended under the notion of fear , and trembling , i think it is easy to make it clear from the consideration of the context ; without recourse to those other scriptures , wherein we meet with the same expression . for first in vain should we indeavour the working out of our salvation , but that it is god who worketh in us both to will , and to do . and therefore we must do it with all humility of mind , because in our selves ( as of our selves ) there dwelleth no good thing ; no not so much as inclination to any thing that is good , no not so much as aversation from any thing that is evil . but every good and perfect gift is from above , and cometh down from the father of lights . if we can triumph over the law , as the strength of sin , by treading sin under our feet , as the sting of death , all the thanks must be to god , who hath given us the victory through our lord iesus christ. and yet secondly ; although it is god that worketh in us both to will , and to do ; yet the apostle makes it a reason , why we our selves are to work out our own salvation . and therefore we must do it with care and diligence , lest whilst god by his grace is not wanting unto us , we finally miss of his glory , by having been wanting unto our selves . thus we see there is pregnant reason , for the double importance of the phrase as 't is meerly rational . and of the literal signification i suppose there cannot be any doubt . for we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling , ( in as much as that signifies the greatest awefulness and dread , ) because of the dreadfulness of our doom , in case we work not at all , or not at all to that purpose that god requires . and thus i hope i have so divided , as withal to have explained , and clear'd the text. the first three parts of the whole division may well be thrust up together into this doctrinal proposition . [ that our salvation is not attainable by a meer orthodoxy of iudgment in point of faith , or a bare rectitude of opinions concerning god ; but by obedience to the gospel or law of christ. ] for what is expressed by obedience , in the former part of this verse ; is also expressed in the later , by the working out of our own salvation . and as salvation is a thing which requires our working ; so 't is not any kind of working will serve our turn . for the last particular of the four affords us a second proposition , which is as apt to defend us from carnal security , as the first . to wit , [ that however unavoidable our state of bliss may seem to us , by our having ( with the philippians ) obeyed always , yet our obedience unto the gospel or law of christ , by which alone we are to work out our own salvation , is to be qualified and season'd with fear and trembling . ] the first of these i have consider'd in a former subject of meditation , when i enlarged upon the matter of which our working is to consist . i now am come to that part of my general method and design , which obligeth me strictly to the consideration of the second ; as touching the manner or qualification wherewith our working is to be cloath'd , whereby to make it become effectual for the receiving of our reward . to wit , with meekness and humility , with diligence and solicitude , with awefulness and horror , or holy dread ; the threefold importance of fear and trembling ; which must first be considered in the gross , and after that , in the retail . first consider'd in the gross , it shews us a ready and easy way of reconciling and understanding those parts of scripture , which being taken but in the letter , do seem to differ , and contradict . for there is not any one passion or affection of the mind , either more rigidly forbidden , or more earnestly commanded , than that of fear . it is so rigidly forbidden , that the fearful and unbelieving have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone , ( rev. . . ) where st. iohn making a muster of such as are listed under the devil , and bound for hell , sets the fearful and unbelieving ( as it were ) in the front of the whole battalia , with which the desperate prince of darkness is wont to wage war against the father of lights . as for the murderers , and whoremongers , the sorcerers and idolaters , they all march after in rank and file ; implying the fearful and unbelieving to be the ringleaders in hell , and as it were in the van of the devil's army . unbelief is so commonly the cause of fear , and fear is commonly such a tempter to unbelief , that we find them often yok't together , if not so as to signifie , one , the other . woe be to fearful hearts , and faint hands , and the sinner that goeth two ways ; woe be to him that is faint-hearted , for he believeth not , therefore shall he not be defended , ( ecclus. . , . ) it seems that fear is a thing , of which we ought to be sore afraid ; because it is apt to make us sinners going two ways at once . one in our principles , and quite another in our practice . very fit to be compar'd unto wandering stars , which are carried towards the west by the primum mobile , whilst they are stealing towards the east by their proper motion . when peter was frighted upon the sea , and cryed [ lord save me ] as he was just ready to sink ; although it was a good prayer , yet because it proceeded from carnal fear , rather than faith , our saviour presently took him up with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , o thou of little faith , wherefore didst thou doubt ? and so it was fitly said by zachary in his divine benedictus , that god did therefore deliver us out of the hands of our enemies , that we might serve him without fear , ( luke . . ) with which agrees that of st. paul to timothy ; he hath not given us the spirit of fear , but of love , ( tim. . . ) to which it is added by st. iohn , that there is no fear in love , for perfect love casteth out fear , ( john . . ) thus we see how this passion is very rigidly forbidden throughout the scriptures . and yet for all that it is so earnestly commanded , that we cannot serve god acceptably , unless we serve him with fear , as well as reverence , ( heb. . penult ) nor can there be any such thing as the working out of our salvation , unless we do it with fear and trembling . for the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom , ( prov. . . ) nay ( as solomon goes on in the fourteenth chapter , v. . ) the fear of the lord is a fountain of life ; the attainment of which is the end of wisdom . and thence 't is set by our apostle as the highest accomplishment of a christian , to perfect holiness in the fear of god , ( cor. . . ) what then may be the meaning of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , these so seeming contradictions , that we must serve god with fear , and that we must serve him without fear ? that there is no fear in love , yet no true love without some fear ? the reconcilement of these is extremely obvious . it is no more but to distinguish betwixt that which is carnal , and that which is spiritual ; betwixt the spirit of bondage , and the spirit of adoption ; betwixt a servile , and filial fear . as 't is true in one sense , that perfect love doth cast out fear , so 't is true in another , that perfect love doth carry fear along with it . when i say with st. iohn , it casteth out fear ; i mean that childish unmanlike fear , which betrayeth those succours that reason offereth ; especially that heathenish and carnal fear , the fear of poverty , and pain , and other effects of persecution ; the fear that made so many sinners going two ways at once . and so it casteth out one fear with another ; the fear of them that can kill the body , but are not able to hurt the soul , with the fear of him who is able to cast them both into hell. in this sense 't is said , we must serve god without fear . but when i say the same love doth carry fear along with it , i mean the fear of offending god , the fear of quenching or grieving his holy spirit ; the fear of never doing enough whereby to please him ; the fear of falling into temptation ; the fear of a treacherous deceitful heart ; that is , the fear of unsincerity in the performance of our service ; the fear of falling from our own steadfastness , and so of receiving the grace of god in vain . in this sense 't is said by the royal prophet , serve the lord with fear , and rejoyce unto him with reverence . and thus 't is said by the royal preacher , happy is the man that feareth always . as a meer carnal fear is a fear of that which is carnal , so a godly fear is the fear of god. first a fear of his majesty , in respect of which he is a soveraign ; next a fear of his mercy , in respect of which he is a father ; ( for so 't is said by the prophet david , there is mercy with thee , ô lord , therefore shalt thou be feared . ) lastly a fear of his wrath and iustice , in respect of which he is a iudge , and also an executor of vengeance . this fear of god is so necessary for the qualification of our obedience , that all without it is nothing worth ; and even this , of it self , is wont to supply the place of all . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ( that is ) men fearing god , is an expression made use of by god himself , whereby to signifie conscientious and pious men ; men who live in obedience to all his precepts . iob was said to be an upright , and perfect man , because he was one that feared god. and the words of moses to israel have a remarkable importance ; what doth the lord thy god require of thee , but only to fear the lord thy god ? ( deut. . . ) and what is it to fear him , but ( as it follows in the next words ) to walk in all his ways , and to love him , and to serve him , with all thy heart , and with all thy soul ? without this fear , we shall easily fall into presumption , or into carnal security . we shall not strive to enter in at the strait gate ; nor give all diligence to make our calling and election sure . we shall not give an earnest heed unto the things which we have heard , ( heb. . . ) if we do not fear , lest a promise being left of entring into his rest , any of us should seem to come short of it , ( heb. . . ) we shall not labour to enter into that rest , ( v. . ) for who will labour to get a thing , which he verily thinks he hath as good as in possession ? or who will labour to keep a thing , which he verily thinks he can never lose ? i will not here stand to shew the manifold danger of their opinion , who say they were justified from eternity , and their sins so forgiven , before committed , that they cannot fall totally , much less finally from grace ; although my text would bear me out in such a profitable severity . nor dare i otherwise be severe to any difference in opinion , than as i find it corruptive of christian practice . the case is clear , that our apostle having commended his philippians , for having always obey'd the gospel , does not there make a stop , as if they had done enough already , or needed no more of his admonitions ; but immediately adds , that they must work for their salvation ; and work so far , as to work it out ; and work it out in such a manner , as to do it with fear and trembling ; and that according to the threefold importance of this expression ; which having thus considered in the gross , i shall now consider in the retail too . first we must work it out with meekness , and humility of mind , because it is god that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure . all we have is but little , and all that little is but receiv'd . all the good we have received , we have received as intrusted , or lent unto us ; and whatsoever god lends us , he lends us purposely to employ . of all that is lent us to be imploy'd , we are every one to render a strict accompt . and this alone may serve to keep us in all humility of mind , that the more we have , the more we owe , and for so much the more we are accomptable . and for the more we are unable to render a satisfactory accompt , by so much the more we shall be appal'd at the day of reck'ning . 't is true indeed ( vvhat st. iohn saith ) that by keeping the commandments we may come to have a * right to the tree of life ; and by suffering for god , may be counted worthy of the kingdom of god. affliction suffer'd in such a case is said to ‖ work for us a weight of glory . 't is true indeed we may be profitable servants in god's accompt ; because the unprofitable was commanded to be cast into utter darkness , matth. . . and the joys of heaven are express'd by a † crown of righteousness ; as if eternity of life were become our due . but all this only by the force of god's promise who cannot lye ; or by the tenor of the covenant which god was pleas'd to make with us ; not by vertue of our obedience , as that that is equal to our reward . which , when it is in its apogaeo , at the utmost top of its exaltation , is not worthy to be compar'd with the glory which shall be revealed in us . for however st. paul had preach'd the gospel , and preach'd it too without charge , not living of the gospel , ( which yet by right he might have done , ) but making his own hands to serve and minister to his necessities , that he might not be burdensom unto any ; yet he professed he had nothing to glory of , for so gratuitous a preaching the word of god ; because a moral necessity was laid upon him , and woe had been to him if he had not preach'd it , ( cor. . . ) our blessed saviour so puts the case , as to illustrate it with a colour , luke . , , , . admit a servant is very diligent in the performance of his duty ; ever going when he is sent ; ever coming when he is call'd ; and ever doing as he is bid . does the master give thanks to that diligent servant , for doing the things that were commanded him ? i trow not ( saith our saviour . ) even so ye , ( as our lord goes on to application , ) when ye shall have done all those things that are commanded you , say , we are unprofitable servants , we have done but our duty ; and had been lyable to wrath , if we had not done it . away then with those philosophers st. austin speaks of , qui sibi vitam beatam fabricare vellent , who design'd themselves a heaven of their own skill and industry . and away with those pharisees , not only of our saviour's , but of these our own times ; whose custom 't is to thank god , for that they are not like other men . and confining sanctity to the men of their sect , do separate from the rest of the christian world , as from publicans and sinners ; sinners not to be approached by men of their purity . stand farther off ( is their language ) for we are holier than you , ( isa. . . ) conform we rather to st. paul , the special badge of whose saintship was the profoundness of his humility . for as the chiefest of sinners do call themselves ( by an impious antiphrasis and hyperbole ) the chief of saints ; so that apostle on the contrary , although chieftain among the saints , doth call himself ( by an holy m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 osis ) the chief of sinners . when therefore our obedience hath led us to christ , and christ is leading us to heaven , let us remember the new ierusalem , though a vastly great city , yet ( contrary to myndus ) hath a very low gate . and seeing the lowness of the gate , stoop we down to enter in . let us love good works , but let us not lean too hard upon them . let us love them as things , without which we cannot be saved ; but let us not hope to be saved by them . let us not labour with an ambition of being more meritorious , but less unworthy than heretofore . claim we heaven by a right , not of purchace , but of donation . having added obedience to our faith , add we meekness to our obedience . having done iustice , and lov'd mercy , let us walk humbly with our god. and so expect our salvation with faith , and hope , as withal to work it out , with fear and trembling . and that according to the first importance of this expression . again we must do it with fear and trembling , in as much as that signifies the greatest anxiety and solicitude , that we do not run in vain , nor labour in vain , ( philip. . . ) that we do not faint as we are running , and possibly miss of the prize within a stride of the goal . for though we work for salvation whole years together , and work for it never so hard , yet whilst we are in the body , and compass'd about with a tempting world , we cannot say we have work'd it out . so that that is a thing to be still in doing , and to be done with fear and trembling . for as there are a sort of labourers who do not come into the vineyard , until the ninth or tenth hour ; so there are that fall off in the very evening , and lose the benefit of their labour during the heat of the day . ( for when they cease from being righteous , all their pass't righteousness shall not be mention'd , ( ezek. . ) had not iudas been worthy , christ had not made him an apostle ; and had he not been a good apostle , he had hardly been trusted with the bag , much less had he been sent to dispense the gospel . 't is very late e're we read the devil enter'd into iudas , hardly sooner than a day or two before his death . and though our saviour said , he chose twelve , whereof one was a devil ; yet did he not say , he chose a devil . for iudas was not a devil , that is , a traytor , 'till some time after he had been chosen . which fitly serves to put us in mind , that if we know what we are , we are not sure of what we shall be . what our last days will be , we cannot tell till we have liv'd them . we may speak out of hope , but out of certainty we cannot . i know who they are , who breath nothing but assurance of life eternal , as if that were the english of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as if their rebellions were meritorious , mistake the sturdiness of their presumption , for the stability of their faith. so little or nothing are they concern'd in st. paul's exhortation to fear and trembling , that supposing they are sure , they think it below them to be solicitous . i would to god that such professors had but the patience to consider , that st. peter doth not exhort us to make our selves sure of our election ; but to make our election sure . the vvord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not meant in an active , but passive sense ; nor of the person , but of the thing . st. paul had sure as much reason , not to doubt of his election to life eternal , as any meer mortal , before , or after . and yet vvith vvhat a deal of fear and trembling , did he run the race that was set before him ? how did he strive for the mastery ? and in order thereunto , how very temperate was he in all things ? how did he keep under his body ? how did he bring it into subjection ? and all for fear , left whilst he was preaching unto others , he himself might be a * castaway ? how did he † suffer the loss of all things , and count them but dung for the winning of christ , who was at once his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , at once his rewarder , and his reward ; the setter out of the prize , and the goal it self ? 't is true indeed , he wins that loses , who loses all to win christ. but , in order unto this end , with what fear and trembling did he press towards the mark , and reach forth to those things that were before him , embracing a fellowship with the sufferings of christ , and being conformable unto his death ; if by any means he might attain to the resurrection of the dead ; if by any means he might apprehend that , for which he was also apprehended of christ iesus ? and here to anticipate an objection which very easily may be made by a sort of men , i think it of use to be observ'd , that he first had fought the good fight , and finished his course , before he durst presume to say ( in the following words , ) henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness . it was not till after his perseverance with faith and patience unto the end , that is , but a little before his death , when the axe and the headsman stood ready for him , ( at least when both were within his prospect , ) that he was able to speak with so great assurance . for before that season , whilst he was yet but in his course , and had not fought to a perfect victory ; he flatly told his philippians , he did not speak of his proficiency in the school of christ , as if he counted himself to have apprehended , or as if he thought he were already made perfect ; but on the contrary , he did so work out his salvation with fear and trembling , as that he macerated himself , and ( what with fasting , and watching , and other austerities of life , ) he did bear in his body the dying of the lord iesus ; lest whilst he preach'd to save others , he himself might not be sav'd . he had not yet endured unto the end , and so he was not yet free from fear . for he that endureth unto the end , the same is he ( saith our saviour ) who shall be sav'd ; ( matth. . . ) it was the voice of god himself , ( reveal'd from heaven five several times ) he that overcometh shall inherit all things , rev. . . he that overcometh is he that shall eat of the tree of life , ( rev. . . ) he that overcometh is he that shall not be hurt with the second death , ( v. . ) he that overcometh is he that shall eat of the hidden manna , ( v. . ) and who is he that overcometh , but he that keepeth god's works unto the end , ( v. . ) to apply this now unto our selves ; if we can say with st. paul , that our battle is quite fought , ( against the world , the flesh , and the devil , ) and that our course is quite finished , ( in so much that we are able to lay our hands upon the goal , ) we then may say with him too , henceforth is laid up for us a crown of righteousness . we may say , we have a right to the tree of life ; that god is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a righteous iudge , who will not be so unfaithful ( having given us a promise , ) as to forget our work and labour of love , ( heb. . . ) and so being sure to be with christ , we may desire to be dissolv'd too . but whilst we are upon the way , and we cannot tell how far from our iourneys end ; nor what may happen 'twixt this and that ; sure the use we are to make of our present standing , is to take great heed that we do not fall . we must beware , if we are righteous , that we do not return from righteousness to sin . the higher we stand in god's favour , we must beware so much the more , that we be not high-minded , but rather fear ; lest for having ( like capernaum ) been lifted up to heaven , we be the rather ( like capernaum ) cast down to hell. there was a proverb among the iews , the sow is turned being wash't to her wallowing in the mire . and st. peter applys it to certain christians , who have made it good in the application ; even by growing unrighteous after regeneration , ( pet. . ult . ) for having been wash'd from the mire of sin original by the laver of baptism , and from the mire of sins actual by the blood of iesus christ , in the other sacrament of eucharist , they have committed the very sins , of which they had solemnly repented , and so their latter end hath been worse than their beginning . now ▪ putting the case unto our selves , we know not what may arrive betwixt the cup and the lip , much less betwixt this and the day of iudgment ; especially if we meet with a time of trial. we cannot be confident of our strength upon any better ground than st. peter stood on . and having not grace at our own disposal , we must not boast ( as he did ) what we will do above others , when christ is under a condemnation . if we have follow'd him to golgotha , we must religiously fear to forsake him there . for let our enduring be what it will , it will be found to no purpose , unless we endure unto the end . and thence it follows , that 'till we have happiness in possession , we are to live by such a faith , as doth admit an holy mixture of fear and trembling . this mode or manner of our obedience being as rigidly requir'd by god almighty , as the matter , and measure , and method of it . not only faith , and repentance , and amendment of life , but also perseverance in each of these , is the condition of the promises which god in christ hath made to us . whose house we are ( saith the epistle to the hebrews ) if we hold fast the confidence , and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end , ( heb. . . ) take heed therefore brethren ( as it follows a little after ) lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief , in departing from the living god , ( v. . ) but exhort one another daily , whilst it is call'd , to day , lest any of you be harden'd through the deceitfulness of sin , ( v. . ) for we are made partakers of christ , ( not absolutely , but with an if , ) if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end , ( v. . ) now what needed the holy penman to have crowded and throng'd so many caveats so thick together in that one chapter , ( and in other chapters of that epistle , ) if the people of god are so sure of heaven , that there is not place left for a fear of hell ? if some at least who were enlightned , and by true grace sanctified , do turn mammelucks and apostates , as lycerus hath observ'd , and as the apostle doth take for granted , ( heb. . . ) we ought to fear , and take heed , that we be none of their number . for god's promises to us of a spiritual canaan , are no more absolute than those of a temporal canaan , which he made heretofore to his people israel . and since he swore to the * provokers which came with moses out of aegypt , that notwithstanding his promise , ( which appears by that to have been conditional , ) they should not enter into his rest , ( heb. . . ) the apostle tells us we ought to fear , lest ( if we do as they did ) we come short ( as they did ) of the conditional promise proposed to us , ( heb . . ) and conformably to this , st. iohn doth earnestly exhort us , to look to our selves , that we lose not the things which we have wrought , but that we may receive a full reward , ( joh. . ) and he that saith here for our consolation , [ it is god that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure , ] doth also say for our greater caution , that we our selves are to work out our own salvation . plainly intimating unto us , ( for he is not guilty of contradictions , ) that god's working in us to will and to do , is not after an irresistible , but congruous manner ; not as with natural , but as with voluntary agents ; not by physically inforcing , but by morally persuading our peevish wills. he doth so work with us , as to require that we also do work with him. it is evinced even from hence , that as god hath his part , so we have ours , in the great business of our salvation , because we are many times threatned with falling short of the promise , in case we depart from the living god. for god cannot threaten to be reveng'd upon his creatures , for what himself doth either do , or not do , but for what is either performed , or not performed , by his creatures . it being not possibly imputable to the creature , that god hath made it thus , or thus ; any more than god himself can be accomptable to his creature , why he made it thus , or thus. god indeed doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , most divinely work in us both to will , and to do , the work required to our salvation . but 't is that we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , work out that work which he is pleas'd to work in us . and by consequence we must do it with fear and trembling , lest when god hath done his part , we finally miss of salvation , for having been wanting in doing ours . and this doth lead us to consider the third importance of the expression , the very great awefulness or dread , with which we are to work out our own salvation . the two first were rational , this third is literal . and indeed the third may be deduced out of the second . for if we may fall as well as others , we may be lyable to vengeance , as well as others . that which calls for our solicitude , deserves our fear . and that which was st. paul's reason , may well be ours , even because our god is a consuming fire . i may say in some sense , that god made hell for the use of all ; as well of the best , as the worst of men . for a torment only to these , who have hated knowledge , and will not choose the fear of the lord ; but for a terror also to them , whom he would therefore have to fear , that they may not feel it . that working out their salvation with fear and trembling , they never may come to the place of torment . the same spirit that saith , fear not them that can kill the body only , ( which is a fear proceeding from the spirit of bondage , ) doth also say at the same time , but rather fear him who can cast both body and soul into hell. implying this to be such a fear , as doth very well consist with the spirit of adoption . it 's true indeed , we may be brutishly valiant , and over-daringly encounter the wrath of heaven , without the least fear of the pains of hell. but this ( i say ) is a beastly courage ; an arrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say , a fool-hardiness rather than valour . true valour being that , that is built on reason . nor can we reasonably be free from the fear of hell , until we come to be sure of heaven . and sure of heaven we cannot be , until we have fought the good fight to a final victory , and perfectly finish'd our christian course . we must not suffer the novel fancy of unconditional election to flatter us out of all fear of the wrath of god , and make us sure to miss of heaven , by making us dream it is unavoidable . for as god in his iudgment is no respecter of persons , so neither was he in his decrees . as his rule is in time , to judge us according to our works ; so he decreed from all aeternity , to proceed in time by that rule . he did determin the end of men , with a special respect to their qualifications , ( from whence his decree is call'd respective , ) but he did absolutely determin that men who are thus or thus qualified , should come to this or that end . and i could wish that this distinction ( since 't is sufficient of it self ) might find so much favour in all mens eyes , as to appease and reconcile dissenting brethren . that as the decrees of the almighty are said to be absolute in one sense , so they may candidly be granted to be respective in another . this methinks should be the judgment of all mankind , ( being so visible in it self , and of so necessary importance to the well-ordering of our lives , ) that god did absolutely decree a most indissoluble connexion betwixt repentance and salvation , as betwixt impenitence and condemnation . which proves the end to have been decreed with a special respect unto the means . let this one thing be granted , ( as well for the comfort of the good , as for a terror to evil doers , ) and i , for my part , shall ask no more . for the decree which is respective in sensu diviso , may so be proved to be absolute in sensu composito , as to afford a demonstration , that god's decree of the several ends was in respect to the several means . for if in sensu composito , he did absolutely decree , that all who are faithful and repent should belong to heaven , and that all who are faithless and impenitent should in like manner belong to hell ; then his decree was respective ( in sensu diviso ) of that repentance , or impenitence , by which professors do belong to heaven , or hell. from whence it follows unavoidably , that if we are faithless and impenitent , ( be it in a greater , or lesser measure , ) we ought to be affected with fear and trembling , ( in the literal sense of this expression , ) and never to give our selves rest , until we be faithful , and do repent . but faithful and penitent we cannot be , till by the power of god's grace , ( after our prayers and tears shall have given him no rest ) he shall be pleas'd to work in us , and with us too , not only to will , but to do his work . that by the power of his grace we may all endeavour , and by the power of his grace on our endeavours , we our selves may have a power too , whereby to work out our own salvation . and work for it we must with a sacred horror , because of the dreadfulness of our doom , if we work remissly . for as ( on one side ) god himself cannot condemn us , ( although our sins past have been very great , ) if we immediately repent and amend our lives , because he is faithful who hath promised , and he hath promised forgiveness to all that repent and turn unto him ; so withal ( on the other side ) let our righteousness past have been what it will , yet if we return from righteousness to sin , god himself cannot save us , without our repentance and reformation , because he hath sworn that the impenitent shall not enter into his rest. not that god can be overpower'd by any quality in the creature , whether repentance in the first case , or impenitence in the second ; but because his power ( in the first ) is suspended by his mercy , as it stands in conjunction with his truth . for in his mercy he made a promise to give us pardon if we repent , and in his truth he must perform it . just so his power ( in the second ) is suspended by his iustice , as it stands in conjunction with his truth too . for in his iustice he made an oath to be revenged on the impenitent , and in his truth he must make it good . now since each of these cases concerns us all , ( be we never so good , or be we never so evil , ) i need not shew by another medium how the love of god's mercy doth consist with a fear of his indignation , and how whilst we love him as a father , we ought to fear him as a judge . but ( to conclude with such a caveat , as may best of all become an ingenuous people ) take we heed that our fear do not swallow up our love ; for fear it swallow up us too in the bottomless pit of desperation . we must serve god with fear , but so as to fear him also for love. ever saying with the psalmist , there is mercy with thee ô lord , therefore ▪ shalt thou be feared . the psalmist did not thus argue , there is mercy with thee ô lord , therefore shalt thou be rely'd upon , therefore we shall make the bolder with thee ; we shall break thy commandments without the fear of being damn'd , because we know thou art slow to anger , and being angry art quickly pleas'd ; but because of thy mercy thou shalt be feared . and there is good reason for it . for by how much the kinder a father is , a well-natur'd son will fear to offend him so much the more . and the more our father which is in heaven does even delight to please us , ( by heaping his mercies and favours on us , ) by so much the more shall we be afraid , ( if we are well-natur'd children ) to exasperate our father which is in heaven . what then remains , but that we ponder these things , and lay them up in our hearts , and draw them forth into our actions , and daily repeat them in our lives , and reap the comfort of so doing , in the hour of death , and the day of iudgment . which god of his mercy prepare us for , even for the glory of his name , and for the worthiness of his son ; to whom , with the father , in the unity of the spirit , be ascribed by us , and by all the world , blessing , and glory , and honour , and power , and wisdom , and thanksgiving , from this time forward for evermore . the grand inquiry to be made in these inquisitive times , taken from the mouth of the frighted iailour of philippi . the grand inquiry to be made in these inquisitive times . acts xvi . . what must i do , that i may be saved ? thus the iailour at philippi sought to his pris'ners for a deliverance . not his ordinary pris'ners , who at once were in bondage to him and satan ; and were bound up in misery as well as iron ; who had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , spirits so gross , and so incrassat , and so manacl'd to the flesh , that together with their bodies , their souls were put into the stocks , as knowing no better liberty than what consisted in the freedom of hands and feet . but the pris'ners in the text were pris'ners only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . men whose liberty did consist in the ubiquity of their thoughts , and in being made free of the new ierusalem . men , who by living the life of faith , maintain'd an intercourse with god and his glorious angels . and though their carkasses or outsides were contiguous to the earth , yet their commerce and conversation was still in heaven . they were at once such a free and such a dreadful sort of pris'ners , as by their liberty to pray , and to sing praises unto god , ( v. . ) may be said to have taken their prison captive . for their midnight devotions were suddainly follow'd with an earthquake ; in so much that the foundations of the prison were shaken , the doors flew open of themselves , and the bands of the pris'ners were all unloos'd , ( v. . ) nor indeed is it a wonder , that such a miracle should be seen in so blind a dungeon , whilst the pris'ners that were in it were paul and silas . for these were two of that little number , by whom the world had been turned upside down , acts . . not in that malitious sense , in which the words were there us'd , by the certain leud fellows of the baser sort , who had assaulted the house of jason , and set the city in an uproar , ( v. . ) they having turn'd it upside down , not for the worse , but for the better . the confusion which they made did tend to harmony , and order . they made men antipodes to themselves , by their contrary walking to what they hitherto had done . and so in effect , they turn'd a chaos upside down , more properly than a world. or if it must needs be call'd a world , it was the world lying in wickedness , joh. . . the world compos'd of three ingredients , which made it fit to be cleans'd by another deluge . for all that is in the world ( as the same st. iohn saith ) is the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eye , and the pride of life . and this alone was that world , which by precept , and example , by life , and doctrin , these first preachers of christ were to turn upside down . and this accordingly they did in a great many respects . as in opening the eyes of the ignorant gentiles , and in mollifying the hearts of the stubborn iews , and in breaking down the partition-wall , which god himself had built up betwixt the iew and the gentile . they turn'd the world upside down , by beating swords into plough-shares , and warlike spears into peaceful pruning-hooks . by making the lamb to lye down with the wolf , and the kid with the hyaena . by making friendship and peace between the greek and the iew , as between the iew and the samaritan . by turning infidels into believers ; idolaters into christians ; and the rebellious sons of darkness into children of the light. thus without archimedes his postulatum or hypothesis , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or ( as it is in the dorick dialect ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an easy way was found out , to turn the world upside down . sure i am that in my text there was somewhat like it . for paul and silas who were yesterday as the off-scowring of the earth , are now on a suddain entertain'd as two inhabitants of heaven . they who yesterday had been drag'd , both in their persons , and in their names , through the publick market-place of philippi , ( v. . ) who had had their cloaths rent , and been beaten with rods , ( v. . ) who had been thrown into a dungeon as a couple of pernicious and insufferable men , ( v. . ) are now revered and sought unto , as the very oracles of god. that very iailour who was yesterday putting their feet into the stocks , and thrusting them into the inner prison , ( v. . ) is now awak'd by their musick , and stands affrighted at their liberty , and is ready to kill himself with his sword , for fear of dying by their escape ; when , being hinder'd by his pris'ners from offering violence to himself , he even springs into their presence with fear and trembling , and ( by faith coupl'd with fear ) falls down prostrate at their feet with this short inquiry , ( an inquiry very plain , but yet sufficiently mysterious , and as copious in the sense , as it is short in the letter , ) what must i do , that i may be saved ? which is as if he should have said , ( that i may paraphrase his words , ) seeing i cannot but acknowledge , that the doctrin you teach is the truth of god , and the truth of that god who now hath testified it by miracle , in shaking my prison by its foundations , in compelling its doors to do you reverence , and in making your fetters afraid to hold you ; and seeing i cannot but acknowledge , that such a god is to be served by every one who will be sav'd ; i beseech you sirs inform me wherein his service is to consist , and how i may attain to so great salvation . it is not silver , or gold , or security for your persons , that i demand ▪ i do not earnestly intreat you to confine your heads within the dungeon , or to return your feet into the stocks , ( though that is as much as my life is worth ; ) but if there is any thing in the world which you will do for my sake , tell me what i must do , that i may be saved . and here i am sorry that i must say , ( what yet i must , if i deal uprightly , ) that we who pass for very prudent and sober christians , may very well be sent to school to this frighted heathen . we may learn from this iailour in his time of exigence and distress , how our souls should be employ'd at our times of leisure . not in progging for riches , or worldly greatness , asking what we must do to get a fortune when we have none , or to increase it when it is gotten , or to keep it when 't is increas't , or to recover it when it is lost , or to secure it if recover'd from running the risque of a relapse ; nor yet in progging ( with eudoxus ) for ease and pleasure , without either end , or interruption , asking what we shall eat , or what we shall drink , or wherewithal we shall be cloath'd . we must not be carefully contriving with the unjust steward , ( luke . . ) in his what shall i do to put a cheat upon my lord , and to oblige his debtors to me , that when i am put out of my stewardship , they may receive me into their houses . nor may we ask with the wealthy miser , ( luke . . ) what shall i do for sufficient treasuries and barns , wherein to bestow all my fruit and my goods ; ( as if his life had consisted in the abundance of the things which he possessed , v. . ) but our inquiry must be rather like that of the multitude to our saviour , what shall we do that we may work the work of god ? ( that is to say in plainer terms , ) what course shall we take , that we may do what thou bidst us ? that we may labour for the meat which will never perish , but indure unto life everlasting ? or as the publicans and souldiers , and other proselytes to the baptist , who had warn'd them to flee from the wrath to come , ( luke . , . ) what shall we do whereby to anticipate our destruction , and to avert the sad effects of the fatal axe , which now is laid to the root of the tree ? what shall we do , as to the bearing good fruit , to prevent hewing down , and being cast into the fire ? or as the iailour of philippi to paul and silas , ( in the words which are now before us , ) what must we do that we may be sav'd ? in which inquiry of the iailour there are four things observable . first the end of the inquiry ; next the means conducing to it ; then the necessary connexion between the one and the other ; and lastly the person here inquiring , together with the persons inquired of . first the end of the inquiry is here expressed to be salvation . 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that i may be sav'd . next the means of its attainment ( which make the object of his inquiry ) are here imply'd to consist in practice . for it is not thus ask't , what must i outwardly profess ? or what must i inwardly believe ? but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what must i do , that i may be sav'd ? thirdly the necessary connexion between the means and the end , is very significantly imply'd in the little word must. for 't is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall i do ? ( though that is also comprehended , ) but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what must i do that i may be sav'd ? lastly the person here inquiring , together with the persons inquired of , are the iailour and his two pris'ners , paul and silas . these he earnestly consulted about the business of his salvation . yet not as pris'ners , or private men , but as attested by the miracle to be embassadors from god. for as god the son had his mission from god the father , so had they theirs from god the son. as my father sent me , so send i you , was the saying of christ to his twelve apostles . and he that receiveth you , receiveth me , as he that receiveth me , receiveth also him that sent me . they were not only the nuntio's , but representatives of christ. he alone was the oracle , at which salvation was to be ask't ; but paul and silas were two of those sacred mystae , by whom the responses were to be given . and so of them in that notion our neophyte iailour did fitly ask , what must i do , that i may be saved ? this indeed is the division , but it is not nice enough to be the measure of my intent in the tractation of the text. wherein i purpose to consider , not so much the matter , as the condition of the question . no nor that , in a dogmatical , but in an applicatory way . nor so , in general , or at large , but as particularly relating unto the terrors in the context , whereby the iailour of philippi was happily frighted into devotion . it being chiefly my present aim , ( not to touch on those notions which i have used on a text of some affinity with this in another place , but ) to fill up the vacuities of my former design , by supplying that here , which was there omitted . for the accomplishing of which , as in all moral subjects of meditation and discourse , the method is still to be analytical ; so in this ( above all ) which now does call for our attention , i must begin with the end of the iailor's quaere . for he who is so great a sluggard , as not to open his lips for the way to heaven , will hardly be so industrious , as to labour with his hands , or so much as pluck them out of his bosom , whereby to lay * hold on eternal life . how very far are they from striving to enter in at the strait gate , who are not anxious enough to ask , whereabout the gate lyes , or which is the way to get it open ? how little can we expect they should give all diligence , to make their calling and election sure , who have not the courage or curiosity to learn of what sort it is ? who are too lazy to contemplate , or too delicate to inquire , either into the end , or the nature of it ? can they be heartily employ'd in working out their salvation with fear and trembling , who will not trouble themselves to ask , ( no not so much as this heathen-iailour ) what it is they must do that they may be sav'd ? 't is very strange that so it should be , but very clear that so it is : that of the all which concerns us as men or christians , though nothing makes a greater noyse than the salvation of the soul , yet there is nothing in the world of any considerable accompt , ( whether for profit , or pleasure , or reputation , ) which is so little look't after , or labour'd for . for this is sure the sole reason , ( or at least one of the chief ) why a far * lesser number of men belongs to heaven than to hell ; and why the harvest of satan will be very much greater than that of christ ; because men commonly are industriously and expensively wicked , they sin as with a cart-rope , and drink iniquity like water , they think they can never bid enough , whilst they are purchasing a mansion in the territories of darkness ; and therefore in the words of the prophet isaiah , ( though spoken by him in * another sense , ) they make a covenant with death , and with hell are at agreement , ( isa. . . ) or , ( as the excellent book of wisdom does more designedly express it , ) they even call death to them , and pull destruction upon themselves with the works of their hands . they are as studious of variety , and as wittily inventive of evil things , as if the burden of their inquiry were none but. this , what must we do that we may be damn'd ? but now so far are most men from being either as expencefully or as elaborately vertuous , that they rather are afraid of being righteous overmuch ; ( as they love to misinterpret the words of solomon ; ) their strictest care is , not be taken for praecisians ; and they are really asham'd to be holy indeed , for fear it should make them look like hypocrites . they are so far from taking pains , and making a business of religion , that they do not so much as say , with the * pythagoreans , ( who summon'd the actions of every day before the tribunal of every night , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what evil have i done since i rose this morning ? or what good deed have i omitted ? whither goes the way that i am now walking in ? goes it to egypt ? or to canaan ? leads it to heaven ? or to hell ? much less do they ask with this frighted iailour in the text ; what must we do that we may be sav'd ? now the reason of this reason doth seem to be chiefly a want of that , which was required of the iailour as a chief means of his being sav'd ; even a cordial beliving in the lord iesus christ , and a belief of that salvation which in the text is inquired after . of which i doubt there are but few that are true believers , even of them who do not doubt of their own belief . so that there is not a greater instance of the deceitfulness of a man's heart , than his treacherous belief that he does believe ; when yet he proves by all his practice that he is either no believer , or else no better than a gamester when he believes that he shall win . how many professors of christianity who daily assent unto the creed , do still confute their own belief of the two last articles , the resurrection of the body , and the life everlasting ? for is it possible that a man should very seriously believe he shall last for ever , and not be vehemently solicitous , whether in heaven , or in hell ? or that he really should believe there is a heaven , and a hell , without a minutely concernment , to which of the two he must needs belong ? if a man's neck be but obnoxious to the gallows or the block , or his goods but in danger of confiscation , sleep it self will not be strong enough to give him rest , until he has us'd his whole strength to purchase a pardon , or a reprieve . and did he as really believe , that he shall rise after death to a day of iudgment , when evil doers shall be cast into a bottomless asphaltites , a lake which evermore is burning with fire and brimstone , ô with what horror and indignation would he look back upon his sins ? with what remorse and self-revenge would he afflict himself for them in soul and body ? with what a vehement desire would he demonstrate his repentance by change of life ? ô with what carefulness and concernment would he endeavour to make his peace with abused iustice ? with what strong crying and tears would he sue for mercy ? not in the language of st. peter , when transported out of his wits by his great amazement , depart from me ô lord , for i am a sinful man ; but rather with christ upon the cross where he recited in syriac those words of david , my god , my god , why hast thou forsaken me ! how much rather would he choose , to do it now to some purpose , and that but once , than at last to no purpose , and that for ever ? say then , good reader , and say without partiality ; can a man in good earnest believe his own immortality , whilst he so seldom or never mindes the future condition of his soul ? and is not solicitous what to do , that he may be sav'd ? there can be nothing more incredible , than that a man of such a faith should be so destitute of fear . for what accompt can be given , why a man should shrink at death , a great deal more than at damnation , and more provide against the pains of a dying life , than the torments of a death which will live for ever , ( that is , more against the first , than the second death , ) but that he steadily believes the first may easily come to pass , whilst he hopes that the second is but a fable ? they who hitherto have thought they were true believers , whilst yet their infidel lives have strongly prov'd that they were none , will confess what i say , if they ever shall have patience enough to meditate ; and shall meditate long enough , to comprehend the whole force of my present reason . now in order to my purpose , which is to rouze up some or other out of the lethargie they are in , and to set them on work in this grand inquiry , i shall reason a little farther with the paganish professors of christianity . and first of all let it be granted , ( what ought not yet to be suppos'd , ) that what they have not in themselves an active power to demonstrate , cannot have a passive power of being demonstrated by others ; that so they may not be offended at the uncivil possibility , of other mens being deeper or quicker sighted than themselves . for some are so strongly of opinion , that their particular comprehension is the adaequate measure of all existence , that they are apter to deny , and to disbelieve , that there is any thing in the world beyond the horizon of their conceipt , than to suspect , or confess , that their souls are short-sighted . not vouchsafing to consider , how great a number of things there are about the body of a flea , which are invisible to their eyes , whilst unassisted , and yet are evident unto any , who shall behold them through a microscope . and if to the natural eye of reason , we add the telescope of faith , which is the evidence of things not seen , we shall have an easy prospect of that salvation , which the iailour of philippi enquired after . and discern the true reason , why the sciolists of the age ( who are call'd the wits ) do first contend there are no spirits , and thence infer there is no hell , and so conclude they need not ask , what it is they must do that they may be saved ; even because they have too much , and too little wit. for if they had less , they would not raise their objections ; and if they had more , they would be able to refute them . but be it so that they themselves are not able to demonstrate , there is a hell to be saved from ; dare they say they are better able to demonstrate that there is none ? can they say that they have dyed , to make a decision of the question ? and been restored again to life , to declare the negative by experience ? do they suspect the galilaean whom we commonly call iesus , in what he saith of an outer darkness , and therein of a worm which never dyes , and of a fire which is not quenched ? and do they so far suspect him , that they resolve to make an essay of his veracity , and therefore trust not his doctrin , till they have try'd it ? will they admit of no philosophy , but what they call experimental ? and therefore stay till they are dead for a determination of their doubt , because ( forsooth ) until the time that they have tasted the first death , they know not if they can feel a second ? i say admit they do not know , that there are torments after death to indure for ever . should not this suffice to awe them , that such there are for ought they know ? or are their souls so wholly drown'd and swallow'd up in sensualities , as that they have not any leisure wherein to consider their latter end ? have they not melancholy enough in their constitutions , to fix their volatil spirits ( no not so much as for an hour ) upon that which concerns them the most that may be , even the subject of a joyful or sad eternity ? or have they the leisure to consider their latter end , but only want sufficient courage and resolution to indure it ▪ as being a pungent , and a dismal , and not only a sad , but an insupportable consideration ? this methinks is as absurd , as whatsoever it is that hath been alledg'd . for if they have not the patience to think or meditate upon hell for a little season ; how much less will they be able to undergo it with patience to all eternity ? if the wages of sin is such , whilst it is yet but in the earning ; lord ! how terrible will it be at the time of payment ? and what a strange contradiction does this imply in some mens humours , that they should dare incur the danger of induring those torments of hell it self , whereof they dare not indure so much as a deep consideration ? no not long enough to inquire , what they must do to be saved from them ? but all this is no more than an empty mormo , to them whose faculties are possess 't with a spirit of slumber , being benumn'd by those foolish and hurtful lusts , which drown the soul in misery and perdition . some are either so intangled with worldly cares , or else so transported with carnal pleasures , they do so hunger after some sins , and so thirst after others , and are so satisfied in the misery of injoying god's anger , ( by being at a full agreement with sin and hell , ) that they are still too much diverted by offering sacrifice to their senses , to be able to reflect , or to look before them . either they do not at all remember , in the midst of their injoyments , that for all these things god will bring them to iudgment ; or if some times they do , they straight contrive how to forget it . and if nothing else will , either wine , or women , or sleep , or musick , or all these together , will put it out of their remembrance . prosperity is a weapon , which hardly one in ten thousand hath ever known how to wield . no not solomon the wise , in a state of grace ; no nor adam the uncorrupt , in a state of innocence ; no nor lucifer the beatified , in a state of glory . they that have so much peace without , as to beget a stupefaction , call'd peace within , who live at ease in their possessions , and have a great friendship with the world , will be rather lifted up , like the men of ephraim , or fall a kicking , like iesurun , or stretch themselves upon their couches and drink wine in bowls , like the wantons in zion of whom we read in the prophet amos , than let it enter into their thoughts , that the feet of those darlings do lead to death , and that their hands take hold of hell. they will be otherways employ'd , than in contriving how to stand in the day of wrath , or in studying what to do , that they may be sav'd ? it concerns us therefore to pray , with the poenitent emperour mauritius , that god will use us as he did here the frighted iailour of philippi , even terrifie and scare us out of our carnal security , ( into which our successes are apt to cast us , ) and awaken us into a sense of the great concernment of our souls . that he will fetch us unto himself , although it be by the sharpest and dreadful'st methods . that he will use us as severely , as once he did nebuchadnezzar ; even drive us from the comforts of human society and converse , and give us our dwelling with the beasts of the field : that he will make us eat grass as an herd of oxen , and let our bodies be wet with the dew of heaven ; until we come to consider , as well as know , that the most high god ruleth in the kingdoms of men , and that the great year of recompence will shortly come , when he will put a vast difference between the wheat and the chaff , taking the one into his garner , and burning up the other with fire unquenchable . if after all his fair warnings both by his prophets and by his rod , after his shaking the very foundations both of a kingdom and of a church , ( as here he shook those of the jailour's prison , ) and now if after his shooting at us , not only with his venom'd , but invisible arrow , the plague of pestilence , we are not quicken'd into a sense of our sin and misery , it is but high time to pray for what we most of all deprecate ; that to the end we our selves may be some way better'd , he will make a much worse thing happen to us . that he will make us as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the dung , and refuse of the earth . that he will load us at once with disgrace and torment , whilst from the pleasures , and the plenty , he reduces us to the beggary and byles of iob. that he will do to us in mercy , what st. paul decreed in iustice to his incestuous corinthian ; even deliver us up to satan for the destruction of the flesh , that our spirits may be saved in the day of the lord iesus . that finding this to be a cruel , and an inhospitable world , we may live in it as pilgrims and sojourners on the earth . that our weariness of this , may make us long and look out for a better country . that being brought to the extremity of lying with lazarus and the dogs at the rich man's door , we may be thereby instructed , if not compell'd to cast about , how we may lodge also with lazarus in abraham's bosom . this , i say , is our interest , and so it should be our option , therefore our wish and our contrivance , and by consequence our prayer , that if we cannot be brought to god but by the buffettings of satan , nor be made in love with heaven without a foretast of hell , ( which hath been to most patients the wholsom'st med'cin , ) that then he will make our very torments a means of bliss ; that he will make our very destroyer become an instrument of our safety , and even give us up to satan , to deliver us from him . that he will bless us with the miseries of a sinful world ; and wean us utterly from the flesh , by making it loathsom to our remembrance . for that god who at the first commanded light out of darkness , and an harmony of creatures out of an indigested chaos , can by the same creative power , so over-rule and dispose of our three grand enemies , the world , the flesh , and the devil , as to make them three antidotes against the venom of themselves . to give an instance in each of these ; the terrible buffettings and roarings of the lyon or the dragon , ( that is the devil , ) are made an excellent kind of antidote against the serpentine wiles and allurements of him . the many deceiptfulnesses and frauds and cruel usages of the world , do make the fittest prophylactick against its vanities and its pomps . the natural rottenness and stench , and noysom diseases of the flesh , become the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against its lusts. just as the bitings of the scorpion are said to be cured by the skin ; or as the fire of the chymist in spirits of wine , is most anodynous , and asswaging , to whosoever hath been burned , or scalded with it . or as the root * mandihoca , though of it self a rank poyson , does ( with no greater praeparation than that of its being well press't , ) afford a meal to make bread for many great nations in america . and shall we not pray that by any means , ( be they never so pungent ) by any method , ( be it never so sharp ) we may be made to perform our vow in baptism , by forsaking the devil and all his works , the pomps and vanities of the world , with the sinful lusts of the flesh ? if hardly any thing but shipwracks will make us pray , we are deeply concern'd to pray for shipwracks . if we are grown so atheistical , as not to cry out to god and the lord iesus christ , but in a fit of the strangury , or the stone ; well may we pray for such fits , as st. basil once did for a relapse into his feaver , as soon as he found his soul the worse for the recovery of his body . if nothing but dangers can keep us safe , ( as indeed all dangers contribute to it , unless the danger of security be of the number ) we have most reason to fear , what we commonly most affect , such a full flowing tide of good things here , as made our saviour's description of dives his heaven upon earth . if we find in our selves that * scriptural character of a bastard , a being suffer'd to live in sin without the chastisement of † sons , we well may wish for those terrors which take so much from our felicities , as to give us good hope that we may be sons . we can never better discern the great advantages coming to us by frights and terrors , ( such as these in my text , ) than by reflecting upon them in some examples . when god himself would gain reverence both to his majesty and his law , and beget in his people a fear to break it , it pleas'd his wisdom to deliver it with many circumstances of terror ; even with thundring and lightning , with fire and tempest , with the sound of a trumpet , and the voice of words , which voice was so terrible , that they who heard it intreated they might not hear it any more . and so terrible was the sight , that moses said , i exceedingly fear and quake , ( heb. . , , . ) and st. paul having premis'd a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we must all appear before the iudgment-seat of god , does presently add thereupon an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , knowing therefore the terrors of the lord we persuade men . which is as if he should have said , that the due consideration of a iudgment to come should be the strongest of all incitements to the amendment of our lives . this in reason should prevail , when all things else are ineffectual . nor does any thing more dispose us for such a sad consideration , than the happy interruptions of our prosperity . david boasted in his prosperity , he should never be removed , psal. . . but when god hid his face , it presently follows , that he was troubled , v. . then he cried unto the lord , and piously made his supplication , v. . just so it was with the whole people israel . the more they were compass'd about with blessings , they presently sinn'd so much the more , ( psal. . . ) but when he slew them , they sought him , and inquired early after god , ( v. . ) nor was it otherwise in the times of the prophet ieremy , and amos ; wo be to them that are at ease in zion , ( amos . . ) for they put far off the evil day , ( v. . ) but in the time of their trouble , men are ready to say , arise , and save us , jer. . . exactly thus it was with the very disciples of our lord. for whilst all was well with them , and that their ship injoy'd a calm , their blessed master was asleep , and they as perfectly secure , as if his eye had been watching over them . but behold a great tempest , which made the sea cover the ship , made them also cry out , and awake their master out of his sleep , with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lord save us , we perish . 't is true indeed they so spake of a meer temporal destruction ; and of that they spake too from a panick fear . but how many in the world do hardly come to [ lord save us , or what must we do that we may be sav'd , ] until they are like the poor syrian , just ready to perish ? yet even this becomes an argument to prove the danger of our felicities , and the benefit growing to us from seeing the terrors of the lord , that they who are scoffers at religion during the time of their health and plenty , are universally on their death-beds of the religion of the clinicks ; and being brought down to the brink of hell , will commonly lift up their hands and their eyes to heaven ; crying out in the language , though not in the spirit of christ's disciples , lord save us we perish . and sometimes too , ( although very seldom ) not only in the language , but in the sense and syncerity of the poor seeker in my text , what must we do that we may be sav'd ? belshazzar had not in all his life so much as a fit of true devotion , until the fingers of a man's hand coming forth out of a wall of their own accord , ( or invisibly helpt by an hand from heaven , ) and setting his judgment before his eyes in mene tekel upharsin , had even loosed the ioynts of his loins and knees , and together with his countenance had chang'd his heart too . and ( to conclude with that instance which is afforded out of the text , as being that that gave occasion to all the rest ) we see the iailour of philippi was never truly in his wits , until thus frighted . until the miracle of the earthquake had struck his prison into a palsie , and himself into a trembling , it never entred into his thoughts , what should become of him hereafter . but when he saw by signs and wonders which fill'd him with ecstasie and astonishment , that there was punishment for the wicked , reward for the righteous , and a god that judgeth the earth , and quite another kind of god than what he had hitherto adored ; a god that could bow down the heavens , and make the earth become quaker ; a god that gave light to the blackest dungeon , shook the prison by its foundations , conveighed liberty to the captives , and fill'd the hearts of the despised with unspeakable ioy in the holy ghost ; he very easily inferr'd , that they had hitherto been but idols , which he had paid devotion to ; and that in requital of his idolatries , he was lyable to the wrath of the only true god : that paul and silas were apparently two of his emissaries or heraulds , as might be gather'd from the miracles which had been wrought for their sakes : that they by consequence could inform him , touching the means of his escape : and therefore instantly he resolv'd to lay himself at their feet , ( though they were pris'ners of the dungeon , and he the master of the house , ) saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sirs , ( so the english ) or rather masters and lords , ( so the greek , ) what must i do that i may be sav'd ? and this does lead me from the end , to the proper object of his inquiry , or the means inquired after for its attainment . the second part of my division , and now in order to be consider'd . the end of the inquiry being future , and invisible , is only the object of our thoughts , or at the most of our desires . but the means of its attainment , are ( as i noted ) here imply'd to consist in practice . and therefore this is that part , whereof the most of mankind can least indure the consideration . of the few who are concern'd to wish and supplicate for the end , fewer yet are contented to trouble themselves about the means . they will readily ask , that they may be sav'd ; but not so readily inquire , what they must do that they may be sav'd . for should they ask what they must do , they are afraid it would be answer'd , that they must cease to do evil , and learn to do good ; that they must seek iudgment , relieve the oppressed , help the fatherless , and plead for the widow . that they must mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts. that they must crucifie the world unto themselves , and themselves unto the world . that if an eye , or a hand , or a foot offend them , they must pluck out the one , and cut off the other . that they must not take any thought for the morrow , but sell all they have , and give it to the poor ; deny themselves , take up christ's cross , and follow him . they will be sav'd with all their hearts , provided it may be gratis , either upon none , or on easy terms : but dare not ask what they must do , with a serious purpose to be doing whatsoever shall be answer'd to be a requisite to salvation , for fear the answer should be harder , than they are able to indure . as that they must hate their own lives , and love their enemies . that they must fast as well as pray , but feed their enemies when they hunger . that they must turn the right cheek to him that strikes them on the left . that when they are persecuted and rail'd at , they must not only rejoyce , but * leap for ioy. † that they must pray without ceasing , rejoyce evermore , and in every thing give thanks . make a † covenant with their eyes , not to look upon a maid ; and * abstain from all appearance of evil. but now the iailour in my text , although he had hardly yet the knowledge , had the true courage of a christian. upon condition he might be sav'd , he did not care on what terms . 't is true salvation was the end , but the means of its attainment did make the object of his inquiry . for he did not simply beg that he might be sav'd , as if he thought he might be sav'd ▪ without the least cooperation or any endeavour of his own ; but as if he had concluded within himself , ( as st. augustin did some ages after , ) that god who made us without our selves , will never save us without our selves , he ask't how much he was to contribute towards the means of his salvation . and this he ask'd in such a manner , as to imply his being ready , to contribute whatsoever could be exacted . for he did not thus ask , what must i say ? or what must i believe ? what opinions must i hold ? or what sect must i be of ? what must i give ? or whither must i go ? but ( in a manner which implyed all this , and more , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , what must i do , that i may be sav'd ? but though this is praise-worthy , 't is very far from being enough . for 't is one thing to ask , what things are to be done that we may be sav'd ; and effectually to do them , is quite another . the wealthy quaerist in the gospel could easily ask what he should do , that he might inherit eternal life ; and as easily learn the things ask't after : but when he was answer'd , that he must sell all he had , and give it to the poor , he could not so easily fall to practise what he had learnt , by putting the precept in execution . so the multitude of jews could easily ask our blessed saviour , what they must do that they might work the work of god , joh. . . but being told they must believe , that he was the bread that came down from heaven , then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they murmur'd , v. . nay they despised him for his parentage , v. . it was an hard saying , v. . nay so far they were from doing the work of god , who had so lately and so readily ask't him what they must do that they might work it ; that from thence they drew back , and would no longer walk with him , v. . such a peevishness there is in the minds of men , that though they love to be asking the will of god , they cannot indure to be told it , much less to be employ'd in the doing of it ; no not though they are also told , that this alone is the price at which salvation is to be had . men may come to be baptiz'd , as the multitude did to iohn the baptist , and yet may be at that instant a generation of vipers , luke . . a generation of vipers , and yet have abraham for their father , v. . that is , their father after the flesh ; in which respect god is able out of arrant stocks and stones to raise up children unto abraham . but when 't is ask't what we must do , to be his children after the spirit ; the answer is , we must inherit at once the faith and the works of abraham . and accordingly the baptist did proportion his directions to such as ask't them . he did not tell them what they must teach , whereby to be orthodox professors ; or what they must hold , whereby to be orthodox believers ; but as they ask'd what they must do , so he told them those things that were of necessity to be done . begin not to say within your selves , we have abraham to our father , ( for so have they who are sons of belial , ) but bring forth fruits worthy of repentance , v. . if ye are publicans , exact no more than is appointed you , v. . if ye are soldiers , do violence to no man , neither accuse any one falsly , and be content with your wages , v. . if ye are christians of any calling , let him that hath two coats impart to him that hath none ; and he that hath meat , let him do likewise , v. . still 't is our doing the things ask'd after , not our asking what we must do , which is effectually the way to our being sav'd . and accordingly when 't is said by the apostle st. iames , that faith without works is dead , and nothing worth , it is intimated to us by that expression , that a rectitude of iudgment is nothing worth , but as it stands in conjunction with a like rectitude of life . as if our faith , and our knowledge , and good professions , could amount unto no more than the meer body of religion , whilst the soul that enlivens it is still the sanctity of our actions . thence a good man is called , not an hearer , or a believer , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a doer of the word , jam. . , . and when it pleas'd our blessed saviour to give a general description ( in the fifth chapter of st. iohn , ) as well of the few that belong to heaven , as of the many that go to hell , he did not give them their characters from their being of this or that country , of this or that calling , of this or that church , or congregation , of this or that faith ( not to say faction ) in religion ; but only from their being qualified with such and such practice , with such and such works , with such and such habits of conversation . our saviours words are very plain , but ( in my apprehension ) of great remarque , and such as being well consider'd would teach us how to pass a iudgment ( without any prejudice to our charity ) touching the safety , or the danger , the unworthiness , or the worth , of our selves , or others . for when all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the son of man , and shall come forth , our saviour adds both their qualities , and the ends of their coming forth , they that have done good shall infallibly come forth unto the resurrection of life , and they that have done evil , unto the resurrection of damnation , john . . now certainly he who is the saviour , can best of all tell us what belongs to salvation , and to whom it does belong ; who they are that must be saved , and what we must do that we may be sav'd . it is not meerly the priviledge of being received into the church , and of being admitted to all her publick dispensations , but especially the abstaining from so much evil , as would denominate evil-doers , and the doing so much good , as does denominate a good and a faithful servant , by which a man hath just ground to think himself in god's favour , and that he is doing what he must do , that he may be sav'd . and if this is the exegesis of what is said by paul and silas , ( and that by way of answer to the inquiry of the iailour ) believe in the lord iesus christ , and thou shalt be sav'd , so as it cannot be understood concerning faith without works , but of such a faith only as worketh by love , and so fulfilleth the law of christ , ( the proof and evidence of which we have in part seen already , and shall see more at large upon the next opportunity , ) then let us not so mistake the words in the next verse after my text , or take them so by the wrong handle , as to imply that paul and silas were but a couple of antinomians ; or that nothing is to be done as of necessity to salvation , but barely to believe in the lord iesus christ , ( which being abstracted from obedience , is nothing better than presumption ; but rather let us work out our own salvation , and let us do it with fear and trembling . let us give all diligence , by adding to faith vertue , and one vertue unto another , to make our calling and election sure . let us not look upon our selves as having already apprehended , or as being already made perfect , but forgetting those things that are behind , let us reach forth to those things that are before ; ever pressing towards the mark , for the prize of the high calling of god in christ iesus . and leading a life of self-denials , by frequent watchings , and fastings , and other warrantable austerities , which are found in holy scripture to be fit instances of attrition , let us beat down our bodies , and bring our flesh into subjection ; if by any means we may attain to the resurrection of the dead , if by any means we may apprehend that , for which we are also apprehended of christ iesus . that so when time it self shall be lost into eternity , and all days shall be ended in that one great sabbath which never ends , we may also lose our hopes , and our endeavours of being sav'd , into the ravishing experience and presence of it : there with angels and arch-angels , and with all the company of heaven , singing hosannahs , and halleluiahs , to him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lamb for ever more . a short and easy resolution of the fore-mentioned enquiry borrowed from the mouths of the two free-pris'ners , paul and silas . a resolution of the inquiry from a practical belief . &c. acts xvi . . believe in the lord iesus christ , and thou shalt be saved . § . there are such shallownesses and depths too in this little short passage of the * waters of life , ( as i am prompted out of scripture to call the gospel , ) that i may say of this rivulet , what st. austin once spake of the whole ocean of holy writ , the tenderest lamb may here wade , and the tallest elephant may swim . it is a small current of words , but such as opens and will ingage us in a full sea of matter . a sea as hospitable and easy , as that which is now call'd the euxine , but yet as hazardous , and as difficult , if not as proverbial as the aegaean ; and so as famous for danger , as 't is for safety . a sea we all are to sail in , if bound for heaven ; and yet for want of good steerage , how many adventurers unaware have been imbark'd in it for hell ? and been even split upon the rock of their own salvation ? the antinomians , fiduciaries , and solifidians , ( betwixt whom there is a nice , but a real difference , ) do not more differ in the ground , and the occasion of their error , than they agree in the danger , and issue of it . for making use of the literal against the rational importance of many scriptures , and blending many great truths with the greatest falshoods , ( so as the latter do pass for currant by their vicinity with the former , ) they commonly reason within themselves in this following manner . § . sure we need not live so rigidly by rules and praecepts , as some arminian and legal divines would have us . for * we are not under the law , but under grace . and † we are justified by faith ) without the deeds of the law. nor are we justified from some things , whilst we are answerable for others ; but ( as st. paul taught at antioch , where he is written to have preached forgiveness of sins , ) ‖ all that believe are justified from all things , from which they could not be justified by the law of moses . then why should we busie our selves with martha about many things of little moment , when 't is so easy for us with mary to choose the one that is needful ? for can any thing be easier , than to believe without doubting that iesus is the christ ? yet * whosoever so believeth is born of god. and † whosoever is born of god , overcometh the world . nor indeed is it a wonder , considering the vertue of such belief ▪ for our saviour tells us expresly , ‖ that all things are possible to him that believeth . from whence it follows that to believe , is the unum necessarium , which a christian is to provide in his way to heaven . and accordingly said our saviour unto the ruler of the synagogue , not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , * only believe . nor can this be thought the priviledge of but here and there one ; for 't is indefinitely extended to all in general ; † he that believeth in me hath eternal life . where the word he , being indefinite , is tantamount to whosoever , and every one . and so indeed it is express't in other passages of scripture ; as when 't is said to cornelius , and others with him , ‖ whosoever believeth in him , shall receive remission of sins . and in the epistle to the romans we find it said of the gospel , * that ' t is the power of god unto salvation to every one that believeth . where the gospel cannot be meant as being inclusive of the law , because 't is said of our lord in the same epistle , † he is the end of the law to every one that believeth . besides , need we care to be better , or better advised than st. paul , that great apostle of the gentiles , and pretious vessel of election ? do we not find him confessing , and that in the time of his apostleship , that ‖ he was carnal , and sold under sin ? that the good he would , he did not ; but the evil which he would not , that he did , whereby he sinn'd against god and his conscience too ? that no good thing did inhabit in him , and that he was brought into captivity to the law of sin which was in his members ? well therefore did he desire , in his epistle to the philippians , * to be found only in christ , not having his own righteousness which is of the law , but that which is through the faith of christ , the righteousness which is of god by faith. why then should we be going such a long way about , whilst behold in the scriptures so much a neerer way home ? what need we shut up our selves from a thousand pleasures and contentments , by our endeavour of living up to the moral law , by a contempt of this world , by mortifications of the flesh , by daily contendings against the devil , by bearing both the yoke and the cross of christ , by frequent watchings and fastings , and other denials of our selves , by making prayers , and hearing sermons , and by a world of good works , ( which are commonly very chargeable , or at least troublesom in the performance , ) i say what need of all this , whilst salvation may be had upon easier terms ? we cannot certainly be wiser , nor need we probably be warier , than paul and silas in the text. who being ask'd as ghostly fathers , and that by a newly-converted heathen , what he was to do that he might be sav'd , gave him no other answer of direction or advice , than that he must believe in the lord iesus christ. § . which , in the sense of the solifidians , antinomians , and fiduciaries , ( for whom i have hitherto been objecting , if not as well as they can wish , at least as strongly as i am able , ) is just as if they had answer'd thus. jailour , be of good comfort . for we were lately in as much jeopardy , as thou canst possibly be in . and though thy danger is great , thy escape is easy . for do not think that christianity is such a difficult religion as some would make it . it is rather the easiest and most indulgent , as well as the safest in all the world. it hath indeed many praecepts , but by vertue of one alone ( which we shall presently tell thee of ) all the rest will be wav'd , or dispensed with . so that although it is a law , 't is a law of liberty . a law of liberty from the rigors and austerities of the law. a special part of christ's purchase , and the great priviledge of a christian. nor is it only his priviledge , but duty too : he being commanded , and so oblig'd , ( not only suffer'd , or allow'd , ) to stand fast in that liberty wherewith christ hath made him free . what sins soever thou hast committed which cannot be expiated for amongst iews or gentiles , by thy conversion unto christ will be blotted out . be it so that thou hast liv'd in perfect enmity to god ; yet to us hath he committed the word of reconciliation . we are embassadours for christ , in whom alone we preach pardon , and forgiveness of sins ; not an absolute necessity of moral obedience and good works , which assist not our faith , but declare it only . he hath satisfied by his death for all the debt we ow'd to it , and is the propitiation for all our sins . he is our wisdom , and our redemption , and all besides that , which we are able to want or pray for . nor stand we in need of an inhaerent , as being safe by a transferr'd and imputed righteousness . for as abraham believed and 't was imputed to him for righteousness , ( rom. . . ) so also to us shall it be imputed , if we believe on him that raised up iesus from the dead , ( v. . ) we have been scourg'd on his back , and born a cross on his shoulders ; we have been cleans'd by his blood , and still are heal'd by his stripes ; we are beheld in his face , and shall be judg'd in his person , just we are by his righteousness , and for ever repriev'd by his condemnation . it is for christians to distinguish betwixt external and internal grace , and so betwixt an outward and inward holiness . for our holiness without us ( that is , in christ ) does supersede the necessity of one within us . and is extremely more effectual to the saving of the soul than any holiness within us could ever possibly have been . we shall not therefore need to load thee with heavy burdens , which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear . nor shall we trouble thee at once about many things . for though thy quaestion is very copious , and of ineffable importance , as to the end inquired after , thy being sav'd ; yet 't is so easy to be resolv'd , as to the means of its attainment , that all the answer we shall give thee is only this , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believe in the lord iesus christ , and thou shalt be saved . § . and now it would be high time to divide the text , ( after such a pleasant and easy paraphrase , as the wit of flesh and blood is too too ▪ apt to make of it , especially when assisted by learned patrons , ) but that i think the way to it is not sufficiently praepar'd . for should so weighty a quaestion be so very lightly answer'd , as with a bare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believe , and be sav'd ? this is short work indeed , and such as would make paul and silas to be the comfortablest preachers in all the world. i mean the pleasantest , and the most popular , i say not the faithful'st , and most sincere . for if this answer is sound and orthodox , that nothing more needs be done towards any man's being sav'd , than to believe in the lord iesus christ ; why then saith our saviour , narrow is the way , and strait is the gate that enters into life , and few there be that go in thereat ? or to what purpose are we commanded , that we strive to enter in , and also told at the same time , that many shall seek who shall not enter ? or why does st. paul in other places press so earnestly for obedience to the commandments of christ , which are at least comprehensive of the whole moral law ? or why do we read in the new testament , that every man is to work out his own salvation , to fight , and to labour , and to use all diligence for the making of his calling and election sure ? are these things necessary for others ▪ but not for the iailour of philippi ? was he alone to be sav'd at so cheap a rate , as a single belief on the lord iesus christ ? or was he not one of those philippians of whom st. paul required more ? or did he require at other men a great deal more than there was need ? or does he now joyn with silas in soothing up the poor iailour , and sowing pillows under his elbowes , which is no better than to dawb with untemper'd morter , to lead their convert into a paradise , wherein there lurks both an old and a cunning serpent ? a serpent apt to persuade him ( and by the help of this text ) that though there are in the gospel , which is the garden of god , a great many sorts of forbidden fruit , yet 't is so far from being deadly , that 't is not dangerous to taste it , ( as the best of god's children have ever done , ) so long as he can eat of the tree of faith too ; which is not only better tasted , but also wholsomer by far than the tree of knowledge , by being grafted on the stock of the tree of life . what ( i say ) might be the motive which induced paul and silas to give this answer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe and be sav'd ? is there more than this needful , or is there not ? if any thing more than this is needful for the attainment of salvation , why then did they conceal it , and that from one who even thirsted after a full draught of knowledge , what was the all he was to do , that he might be sav'd ? or if this is so sufficient , that nothing more than this is needful , what necessity is there of preaching , or of learning any thing else ? for , as when it was said by our blessed saviour , [ it is easier for a camel to pass the eye of a needle , than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven , ] his disciples ask't presently , [ who then can be sav'd ; ] so when to one that had inquired , [ what he must do that he might be sav'd , ] no other answer was given by paul and silas , than that he must believe in the lord iesus christ ; it may be ask't with as good reason , who then can be damn'd ? for thus ( we see ) the way to heaven is not only made broader , but less incumber'd than that to hell. the flock of christ is made a great and a numerous flock . so as the kingdom of heaven is but improperly compar'd unto a pearl of great price , which a merchant sold all that he had to purchase , since one may have it for a believing in the lord iesus christ. all which being absurdities , and very profanely inconsistent with the veracity of our saviour , may seem to speak paul and silas to be a couple of gross casuists , for having given the jailour's quaere so lame and partial a resolution . but this again is an absurdity as little allowable as the former . for besides that * all scripture is of divine inspiration , and paul and silas in particular had been acknowledged by the daemoniack ( in the th verse of this chapter ) to be the servants of the most high god , who shew unto us the way of salvation ; the text which now lyes before us may be justified by a parallel out of our saviour's own mouth . for having been asked by the people who flock't about him at capernaum , what they should do that they might work the work of god , ( john . . ) this ( reply'd our blessed lord ) is the work of god , that ye believe on him whom he hath sent , ( v. . ) in so much that to obviate , and to satisfie all objections , we must not quarrel , or suspect , but meekly study to understand , and explain the text. which i shall first attempt to do by a full division , and after that ( not by a curious , but ) by a pertinent , and useful tractation of it . § . first to divide the text aright , ( and so as that it may contain an explication of its importance , ) we must view and review it in its double relation to the context . i mean in its dependance on the words going before , and its cohaerence with the two verses which do immediately follow after . the words before are an inquiry , touching the thing of all the world which is to every man living of greatest moment , even the necessary means of his being sav'd . this is the ground , and the occasion , and introduction to the text. the text it self is an obscure , because a short resolution of that inquiry . and the two verses coming after , do very happily , though briefly , ( and so indeed the less plainly ) expound it to us . the inquiry was made by the frighted iailour of philippi . the resolution is given by paul and silas . the exposition is st. luke's , to whom we also owe the narrative and the contexture of the whole . the text abstractively consider'd , does afford at first view , but a single act , and a single object . yet in relation to the context , each of these is twofold ; one whereof is express'd , and the other imply'd . first the object here express'd is ( in sensu composito ) the lord iesus christ. and this is objectum formale quod. it is not christ without iesus , nor is it iesus without the lord. for that were the gross and common fallacy , a benè conjunctis ad malè divisa , which yet the flesh of most professors is apt to impose upon their spirits . he is in all his three offices to be the object of our belief . and in his three * special titles his threefold office is here included . his prophetical in the first , his priestly in the second , and his kingly in the third . if salvation is the end , and if we aspire to have it also the event of our belief , we must impartially believe in the whole messias . not as iesus only , a saviour ; no nor only as christ , a king ; but undividedly , and at once , as the lord iesus christ. this is the object of our faith which is here express'd . next the word of god preach'd is the object of our faith , which is here imply'd . and ( as the men of the schools do love to word it ) this is fidei objectum formale quo. for as faith cometh by hearing , and hearing by the word of god , which word cannot be heard without a preacher ; so no sooner was it said by paul and silas , that the jailour must believe in the lord iesus christ , but in the next breath it follows , they spake unto him the word of god , ( v. . ) they had in vain told him he must , had they not taught him how he might . and therefore they did not only possess him with the necessity of his believing , but in tenderness to his soul they straight afforded him the means too . they did not train up their convert ( like the catechists of rome ) only to believe as the church believes , that is to say , by a blind and implicit faith , making ignorance and credulity the only parents of devotion ; but they built up his faith on the foundation of the scriptures ; that by the knowledge of some praemisses which he might easily comprehend , he might attain to a belief of what was yet incomprehensible . to beget in him a solid and a well-grounded faith , such as whereof he might be able to give a rational accompt , they both exhorted him to believe in , and also preached to him the word of the lord jesus christ ; the object of our faith which is here imply'd . come we now , from the double object , to observe in the text a double act too . whereof the first is internal , and that express'd ; the second external , and that imply'd . the act internal , which is express'd , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to believe . the act external , which is imply'd , is to confess what is believ'd in spite of temptations to conceal it . ( and this did the iailour of philippi in the next verses after my text. ) for as inwardly with the heart a man believeth unto righteousness , so outwardly with the mouth * confession is made unto salvation . indeed the gnosticks were all for the inward act only , for the better avoiding of persecution . but the outward is by god as indispensably requir'd ; and the inward act without it is not sincere . thence it is that they are coupl'd as the condition of salvation , rom. . . if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the lord iesus , and believe in thine heart that god hath raised him from the dead , thou shalt be sav'd . believing and speaking are from the same spirit of faith , cor. . . it is written , i believed , and therefore have i spoken . we also believe , and therefore speak . a double act then there must be , if the end be to be sav'd . a true believer must be a confessor in time of trial , and when duly call'd to it , a martyr too . again , as the object , and the act , so too the subject of it is double . for though begun in the intellect , yet 't is consummated in the will , ( as * aquinas and his followers do rightly state it , ) or else it would be meerly an human faith , fides cui potest subesse dubium , a faith whose very formal reason is a radical fear , ( i do not mean an ingenuous , but carnal fear , ) a faith without love , and without activity , and so without the effect of obedience too . and therefore cajetan argues well , that an habit of salvifick or saving faith must be at once both a speculative , and a practical habit . and truly such is that faith which is required in the text , as may appear by the effects and products of it in the context . for first the iailour did assent unto the things that were preached by paul and silas ; which infer's the christian faith to have got already into his head. and then immediately after , we find it sunk into his heart too ; witness the sacrament of his baptism which he received from paul and silas ; witness also his tender charity in his washing of their stripes , his entertaining them at his table , and his rejoycing even in that that might be temporally his ruin , ( v. ) which are a proof of his abounding in those fruits of the spirit , acts of iustice , and gratitude , and works of mercy , and spiritual ioy in the holy ghost ; all effects and diagnosticks of saving faith ; the overflowings of that love , which ( to use st. paul's phrase ) is shed abroad in the heart of a true believer . and thus we have the twofold * subject , of believing ( as we ought ) in the lord iesus christ : to wit the intellect , and the will too . our full assent must be seconded by our love of the truth , and obedience to it ; and that by a natural production of the one out of the other . for what at first is no more than the light of knowledge in the brain , does , by enkindling in the bowels the fire of love , ( of love to god in the first place , and to our neighbour in the second , ) produce obedience to the first and the second table of the law. after the object , and the act , and the subject of this belief , ( each of which is twofold , ) we are in order to reflect on the nature of it . which is indeed very closely , but significantly couch'd in the praeposition . for 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe the essence or existence of jesus christ ; nor is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe his truth or veracity ; but 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe and trust in , or upon the lord jesus . believe at once his propensity and power to save thee . believe his power , for he is dominus , the lord. and believe his propensity , for he is iesus , the saviour . well therefore said the author of the epistle to the hebrews , whosoever cometh to god , must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him . now what is thus said of god , is exactly true of the lord iesus christ. for god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself . and whosoever cometh to christ , must believe , as that he is , so withal that he is a rewarder too . a rewarder , but of whom ? and on what condition ? for he is not a rewarder of all in general , no nor of all that do believe him to have the office of a rewarder , but of all such as seek him , and that with diligence , and of all who thus believe in him as in the lord jesus christ. such an important monosyllable is the praeposition in , ( as 't is the english of the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and in conjunction with an accusative , ) that the life of the text would be lost without it . for standing here , as it does , betwixt the act , and the object , it does imply the true nature of saving faith. pass we on from the nature to the necessity of believing . which here is visibly imply'd by the retrospect of the text , as 't is an answer to the question , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , what must i do that i may be sav'd ? ] for sure the sense of the answer , if it be adaequate to the question , must needs be this , thou must believe in the lord jesus christ. it is of absolute necessity , and indispensably requir'd . for , as without our pleasing god , it is impossible to be sav'd , so ( we know ) without faith , it is impossible to please him , heb. . . last of all we have here the issue , or the conclusion of the whole matter , at once implyed in the reflexion of the answer upon the question , and expressed in the words of the answer too . salvation is not the effect , but yet the necessary event of our faith in christ. nor is it properly the wages , but most certainly the reward of a true believer . it comes to pass as unavoidably upon the praemisses suppos'd , as an effect on a supposal of all things requisite to its production . for the question having been this , [ what must i do that i may be sav'd , ] to which the answer is , believe , and thou shalt be sav'd , ( an answer given by paul and silas who spake as the spirit gave them utterance , ) here does arise a mutual inference , as of the praecept and the promise , so of the duty and the reward . here is a necessary tendency of the first towards the second , and a necessary dependence of the second upon the first . for as salvation cannot be had ( by such as live under the gospel , without a praevious belief in the lord iesus christ , so wheresoever such believing does go before , 't is very plain that salvation must follow after . both afford us matter of caution , and comfort too . the former serving to humble , and the latter to support us . that defends us from praesumption , and this secures us from despair . thus have i done with the division , and ( in the ordering of that ) with the explication of the text. wherein if i have trespass't by too much length , it will in justice be imputed to my desire of perspicuity , and of making it one arrest unto the plausible objection that lyes against it . § . in the ensuing tractation of it , i must begin with the act which is here express'd , and consider it as relating to the first and chief object . and this i must do in such a manner , as to make it a farther antidote against the venom of the objection . which to the end that i may do with the more success , i must explore by such ways as are not able to mislead us , what of necessity must be meant by such an act of believing , as does arise from an habit of saving faith. for as every one that paints is not presently a painter , nor every painter an apelles ; so 't is not every belief which can denominate a believer , nor is it every believer who can be sav'd . it will not therefore be sufficient to preach up the faith of christ in general , ( which yet too many are wont to do , because 't is easiest to be done , ) nor to depredicate in particular the several rare fruits and effects of faith , without distinguishing all along betwixt the roots and the causes from whence they grow ; but we must first have the patience to learn our selves , and then the care as well as skill to make it visible unto others , how much the habit of salvifick or saving faith is meant to grasp and comprehend in its whole importance ; and so ( by a consequence unavoidable ) how much short of salvation , every faith , without this , will be sure to land us . now in the bringing of this about ( wherein 't is certainly as needful , as it is difficult to be orthodox , and yet wherein learned men have seldom hitherto agreed , ) we are all apt to err with the greater ease , the less we are able to determin , how many acceptions of the word faith may be found in scripture . for ( not to speak of its import in human authors ) we may observe it in holy writ to have been used in so many and different senses , that school-divines have strangely varied touching its various significations . for first a medina will acknowledge but two acceptions of the word faith. b albertus magnus allows of five . c alphonsus à castro admits of seven . d vega goes higher , as far as nine . e bonaventure and f valentia arise to ten . g alexander hallensis will have eleven . nay h sotus tells us of some who are for fifteen significations , whereas himself ( with medina ) will own but two . i will not presume to be an umpire between so many and subtil school-men , though i confess i am not able to give an absolute assent unto either of them . i can evince that the word faith hath very various significations , and easily instance in the chief , whereof 't is dangerous to be ignorant , or which at least it will be useful very particularly to know . but when i shall have given pregnant instances of many , and those the most that at present i can discern , i shall not be so dogmatical as to deny that there are more . first 't is clear that the word faith does signify faithfulness and truth . as rom. . , . what if some did not believe ? shall their unbelief make the faith of god of none effect ? no , let god be true , and every man a lyar . next it signify's the promise , which is in faithfulness and truth to be performed . and of this we have an instance tim. . . where the wanton young widows are said to be lyable to damnation , because they have cast off their first faith. that is , their promise of constant widowhood which they had made unto the church , whose single interest and service they had thereby wedded and espous'd . thence it signify's a confidence , as that is opposed to distrust ; a full dependance on the power , and a firm adhaerence unto the promises of our lord. thus it was used by our saviour , when peter cryed as he was sinking , [ lord save me , ] o thou of little faith , wherefore didst thou doubt ? matth. . . in the same sense he said to the two blind men , do ye believe that i can do this ? according to your faith be it unto you , matth. . . and thus 't is used by st. iames , by whom we are exhorted to ask in faith , nothing wavering , james . . again we find the word faith set to signifie conscience , or knowledge compar'd with the rule of action , as 't is observ'd by theophylact , and the interlineary gloss upon rom. . . whatsoever is not of faith , is sin. nay faith , by a synecdoche , is made to signifie the gospel . whereof we meet with an example gal. . . where when 't is said , after faith is come , we are no longer under a school-master : the plain meaning of it is only this , that after the coming of the gospel we are no longer under the law. it is sometimes us'd to signifie a bare assent ; and such is that faith which is call'd historical , and is common to men with believing devils , james . . but as sometimes an assent , so at other times the object assented to . and of this we have an instance in the epistle of st. iude , where to contend for the faith which was once deliver'd unto the saints , is nothing else but to contend for the creed it self , the christian doctrin , which is the ground , and the rule of faith. § . thus we find the word faith in seven distinct significations ; but none of these will amount to a saving faith , however some of these are ingredients in it . for saving faith is not only an * habit or faculty of the intellect , whereby we firmly and without fear , but yet withal without evidence , assent to all things propos'd to be believed in the church as reveal'd by god , ( which is the schoolmen's definition of a justifying faith , or ( as they rather love to speak ) of the faith which is infused in iustification , ) for this is but part of that description , which the same men afford to the † faith of miracles , whereby a man may move mountains , and yet be damn'd ; may cast out devils , and be himself possess'd with them ; as is evident from the preaching both of our saviour and st. paul , matth. . , . cor. . . nor is it only such a relyance on the mercy of god , and the merits of a saviour , as carrys with it a full persuasion of the remission of our sins ; ( as some who are enemies to the schoolmen are wont to teach ; ) for this may possibly be alone , unattended with repentance and change of life ; and being not the mother of such an off-spring , it must by consequence be inferr'd to be but the daughter of praesumption . § . no , the saving faith is that , which comprehends both the former , and more than both. it is indeed the very pandect of all that is requisite to salvation , by being the substance and the epitome even of all other duties required of us . in so much that we must learn how to expound it when alone , by what we find spoken of it when it stands in conjunction with other duties . for when our saviour gave commission for the preaching of the gospel to every creature , he did not only say , he that believeth shall be sav'd ; but he that believeth and is baptèzed , he 's the man that shall be sav'd , mark . . and so when he preached first in galilee , he did not only say , believe ; but , repent , and believe the gospel , ( mark . . ) and still by repentance is meant amendment , as st. peter hath explain'd it by his preaching at ierusalem in solomon's porch . where he did not only say , repent and believe ; nor only repent , and be baptized , ( as he had said a while * before , ) but repent and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out , ( acts . . ) again in other places of scripture we find it coupl'd with confession , without the company of which it is * nothing worth . and of this i gave examples in the division of the text. nay we read in other scriptures , touching the a work , and the b law , and the c obedience of faith. nay in one place especially , i observe the two phrases [ to believe , and to obey , ] are clearly us'd as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the very same breath importing both the same thing , and promiscuously expressing the one the other . the place i speak of is rom. . . but they have not obey'd the gospel : for esaias saith , who hath believed our report ? now if obeying in the first clause did not signify believing , it must have been in the second , [ who hath obeyed our report ? ] because it is in the first , [ but they have not obeyed the gospel ] and if believing in the second clause did not signify obeying , it must have been in the first , [ but they have not believ'd the gospel , ] because it is in the second , [ who hath believed our report ? ] else what means the causal for , by which the second clause is proved to give a reason of the first ? for this is evidently the logick which our apostle there useth . to believe the report of the evangelical prophet isaiah , is to obey the holy gospel which he prophetically preached . but they have not believ'd the former ; therefore they have not obey'd the latter . but neither have we yet the utmost of saving faith. for as it signifies an obedience to all the commandments of the law , in that it * worketh by love , which is indeed the † fulfilling of it , so it does many times imply a perseverance ( in love , and in obedience , ) unto the end . as when 't is said by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , we are not of them that draw back unto perdition , but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. we read of some who had a faith in the lord jesus christ , but such as was utterly overthrown by hymenaeus and philetus , ( whose words did eat into their faith as doth a canker , ) and so however for a time it might have justified , yet for want of perseverance it could not save them . for let the nature of our faith be what it can , still 't is a requisite to salvation , that we indure unto the end , matth. . . § . now when the faith of a believer is arriv'd at such a pitch as hath been describ'd , by repentance , and conversion , and perseverance unto the end , or ( to use st. paul's words , . thess. . . ) by his work of faith , his labour of love , and his patience of hope , ( that is to say in terms yet plainer , ) by the obedience which his faith , and by the industry which his love , and by the constancy which his hope in the lord jesus christ hath effected in him , so that the righteousness of god hath been successfully revealed from faith to faith , ( as st. paul expresseth a perseverance in faith , rom. . . ) it is then indeed the substance of things hoped for , and the evidence of things not seen , and virtually the praesence of things yet future . a steady dependance upon god for the performance of his promise , and a confident expectation of the glory to be reveal'd . a being convinc'd that that is true by a mental demonstration , which does not fall under an ocular . and as , in other respects , faith is said to be the hand , so in this is it the eye of a pious soul , wherewith looking up to iesus , the author and finisher of our faith , we may easily see our way through any night of tribulation that can befall us . thus we see how saving faith does carry hope in its importance , as well as charity ; as may appear by the duplicity of the apostle's definition , which seems to have a twofold genus , and a twofold differentia . for first he saith it is the substance , and then the evidence . in as much as 't is an evidence , it is objected on things invisible ; but in as much as 't is a substance , so it is of things which are hoped for . a definition very fitly against the method and the rules of art and nature , because it is of such a quality as is exceedingly above them . and yet it is a definition , whereof i think it will be easy to give a rational accompt . for this faith being ( an act , or rather ) an habit of the intellect , and yet determin'd to its object by the empire of the will which is at last its subject too , ( that as expressed by the word fides , and this as well by the word fiducia , ) 't is plain its object must be consider'd both as true , and as good. as the object of the intellect , the injoyments of heaven are still consider'd by us as true , and so are properly contemplated as things not seen whereof there is yet no other evidence , than that of faith. but as the object of the will , they are consider'd by us as good , and so are properly here expressed by things hoped for , and faith of such may be call'd the * substance . though not in a logical , or physical , or metaphysical sense , yet in a moral , and metaphorical ; as that which is first in every kind , and either radically or vertually contains the rest in it , is said to be the substance of all the rest ; as the contents are the substance of the following chapter ; or as adam was the substance of all mankind ; or as there is said to be a substance and body of sin , which very body is also said to have a strength , and a sting . and then with a greater force of reason may faith be said to be the substance of things hoped for , because it hath an amazing power of presentiating the things which are wrapt up in futurity , and represents them all at once , as well to the will , as the understanding . it gives us ( as i may say ) a kind of livery and seisin of all we hope and pray for , and even long to be united to , though by the help of a dissolution . in so much that the plenitude of this one grace in the sense i mention'd ( which plenitude is expressed by a * threefold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and boldly rendred a full assurance , ) i say the plenitude or fulness of this one grace , which is attainable by christians whilst here below , is worthily reckon'd by st. paul , the inchoation of our glory . this very grace is once affirm'd to be a kind of beatifick ( although an antedated ) vision of the glory of god. and for a man to leave this for a better world , with such a cordial believing in the lord iesus christ as was here recommended by paul and silas , ( which i have hitherto explain'd by several passages of scripture , ) is nothing else but to pass from a paradise to a heaven , or ( to use st. paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) from one glory to another . for we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the lord , are changed into the same image , from glory to glory , even as by the spirit of the lord , cor. . . § . but some may tacitly now object against paul and silas in the text , ( or at least against st. luke , the relator of it , that if by faith we must be justified , and also sanctified in part , before we can expect it should ever save us , they should have told the jailour of it in terms at large , and have shew'd in the retail , how many duties of a christian are succinctly comprehended in that expression ; not have told him only in gross , ( as dutchmen make their dishonest reckonings , ) he must believe in the lord iesus christ. for how knew the jailour he was to do any thing but to believe ? or to believe in any other , than the second person in the trinity , god manifest in the flesh ? for they seem to have made no mention to him of his being to believe in god the father , or in god the holy ghost , much less did they add the other articles of the creed , which are ingredients in the object of saving faith. § . to which i answer by two degrees . and first of all by a concession , that if indeed paul and silas had said no more to their catechumenist , than that he must believe in the lord iesus christ , not explaining what was meant by that habit of faith from which the act of his believing was to proceed , nor yet explaining what was meant by the lord iesus christ , who is often put by a synecdoche for the whole object of our belief , ( faith in christ being the pandect of christian duties , which are all shut up in faith , as homer's iliads in a nutshell , ) then indeed they might have made him a solifidian , or a fiduciary , which had not been the way to his being sav'd . but secondly i answer , that the objection is made of a false hypothesis ; for paul and silas dealt honestly and discreetly with the jailour ; when having told him he must believe in the lord iesus christ for his being sav'd , ( it presently follows after the text , ) they spake unto him the word of god ; that is , they expounded the scriptures to him . and in the doing of that , they prov'd the object of his faith to be the trinity in unity ; not solely and exclusively the lord jesus christ , but in conjunction with god the father , and with god the holy ghost too . again in expounding the scriptures to him , they could not but tell him what was meant , by an effectual belief in the lord jesus christ ; importing such a kind of faith , as is ever working ; and such a kind of working , as is by love ; and by such a kind of love , as is the fulfilling of the law ; and of such a law too , as does consist of somewhat higher and more illustrious injunctions than those of moses ; and of such an obedience to those injunctions , as is attended and waited on by perseverance unto the end. there is no doubt but they acquainted him , ( in their expounding of the scriptures , and speaking to him the word of god , ) how very highly it did concern him , not only to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust , and also to believe in the lord iesus christ , but besides this , ( as st. peter speaks , ) to give all diligence , for the adding to his faith , vertue ; to vertue , knowledge ; to knowledge , temperance ; to temperance , patience ; to patience , godliness ; to godliness , brotherly kindness ; to brotherly kindness , charity . for that these were all needful , and no redundant superadditions , is very clear from st. peter in the next verse but one . he that lacketh these things is blind , and cannot see a far off , and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins . but if these things be in you , and abound , then indeed ( as st. peter adds ) ye shall not be barren in the knowledge of our lord iesus christ. if ye do these things , ye shall never fall , pet. . . now can we think that st. peter did not teach the same doctrin with paul and silas ? or can we think that paul and silas would withhold from the jailour that train of duties , for want of which he had been blind , and not in case to see god ? no , whatever might have been wanting in their succinct and pithy answer , whereby to give him a right understanding of it , was abundantly supply'd by their following sermon . and though the heads of their sermon are not put upon record , ( but only the text upon which they made it ; ) yet st. luke records this , that such a sermon there was preach'd , in that he saith , they spake to him the word of god. § . and truly this is such a method , as i could wish were well observ'd by all that are of their function . i mean the stewards of the mysteries of the living god , unto whom is committed the word of reconciliation , whose lips are made to be the treasuries and conservatories of knowledge , and which the people are appointed to seek at their mouths . for the text we have in hand is often turned to advance either truth , or falshood , even according to the handle by which 't is held forth to the giddy people ; and is made to be eventually either venomous , or wholsom , just in proportion to the sense in which 't is taken and digested by them that hear it . if to believe is only taken for an assent unto the truth , or a relyance on the merits of jesus christ , or a confident application of all his promises to our selves , and this in a kind of opposition to the necessity of good works , ( which ought to be in conjunction with it ; ) then 't is apt to cause a wreck in the waters of life ; and through the malignity of a digestion , a man may be kill'd by the bread of heaven . but if 't is taken for obedience to the commandments of christ , with perseverance unto the end in conjunction with it ; then the answer of paul and silas is the short summary of the gospel , and they might well promise salvation to whosoever should accomplish the purpose of it . that this indeed is the importance , may appear by the words of our blessed saviour ; who having been asked by a iew , as paul and silas by a gentile , [ what course was to be taken whereby to inherit eternal life , ] gave him an answer which some may censure , as too much savouring of the law , but yet it seems not unsuitable to the oeconomy of the gospel , [ if thou wilt enter into life , keep the commandments . ] now in as much as paul and silas did not teach another doctrin , but the same in other words with their master christ , they must needs be understood to have given this answer , that if the jailour should so believe in the lord jesus christ , as to imitate his example , and yield obedience to his commands , and continue so to do all the days of his life , he should not fail ( in that case ) of his being sav'd . and though the rule is very true , that nothing is wanting in any sentence which is of necessity understood , which well might justifie paul and silas in the conciseness of their expression : yet not contented with this excuse , they rather chose not to want it , by speaking largely to the jailour the word of god. after the very same manner , § . that the people may not wrest the outward letter of the scripture to their damnation , we must carefully explain and disentangle it to their safety . if any of us shall be consulted by either believers or unbelievers , about the means of their being sav'd , we have two ways of answer , and both exact ; but both are to be taken cum grano salis , and with a due interpretation . we may answer with our saviour , they are to keep the commandments ; or else with paul and silas , that they are to believe in the lord iesus christ. but if the former , we must add , this is the chief of the commandments , that we believe on the name of the lord iesus christ , joh. . . and although we must have an inherent righteousness in part , yet there is need that that of christ be imputed to us , if but to make up all the wants and the vacuities of our own . for our own is no better than filthy rags , if impartially compar'd with our double rule , to wit the doctrin , and life of christ. we must negotiate indeed with the talents of grace , that we may not be cast into outer darkness ; yet so as to judge our selves at best to be unprofitable servants , weigh'd with the greatness of our redeemer , and with the richness of our reward . or if we give them the second answer , we must also speak to them the word of god. we must explain what it is , to believe in christ ; and by the help of some distinctions ( duly consider'd , and apply'd , ) teach them to see through all the fallacies , and flatten the edge of all objections , which are oppos'd to the necessity of strict obedience and good works . when any iustifying vertue is given to faith , we must tell them it is meant of faith a unfeigned . when we speak of the sufficiency of faith unfeigned , we must shew them how b love is the spirit of faith. whether because ( in the active ) it works by love , or else because ( in the passive , in which the syriac and tertullian translate the word ) by works of charity and obedience faith is wrought and made perfect . when we celebrate the force of a c lively faith , we must season it with a note , that faith is d dead being alone . when 't is said out of st. paul , that we are justified by e faith , without the deeds of the law , 't is fit we add out of st iames , that we are justified by f works , and not by faith only . for ( to shew that st. iames does not either contradict or confute st. paul , ) the works excluded by st. paul , are no other than the deeds of the ceremonial law ; and those included by st. iames , are no other than the works of the moral law. so we are justified by faith as the root of works ; and we are justified by works , as the fruit of faith. not by faith without works , for then st. iames would not be orthodox ; nor yet by works without faith , for then we could not defend st. paul ; but by such a faith as worketh , and by such works as are of faith. by both indeed improperly , as being but necessary conditions ; but very properly by christ , as being the sole meritorious cause . again because 't is very natural for carnal professors of christianity , so to enhaunce the price of faith , as to depretiate good works , and make obedience to pass at the cheaper rate , they must be told that when our saviour ascribes the moving of mountains , and other miracles to faith , he does not speak of that faith , which is a sanctifying grace , gal. . . but of that faith alone which is an edifying gift , cor. . . by which a man may do wonders , and yet be damn'd , matth ● . , . so when he said unto the ruler , who had besought him to heal his bed-rid daughter , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , only believe , he only meant it was sufficient for the healing of her ●ody , without alluding in any measure unto the saving of her soul. so far he was , in that place , from giving any ground of hope to a solifidian . and therefore briefly let it suffice me to say once for all ; that when we find men believers without good life , we must shew them how many ways a man may be a believer without true faith , may be justified in the praemisses , yet not sav'd in the conclusion ; may get no more by his knowledge , than to be beaten with many stripes ; and have no more of a saviour , than to be damn'd by . we must instruct them to distinguish betwixt the act , and the habit of their believing . but above all , betwixt a speculative , and a practical belief . a belief in the heads , and the hearts of men . a belief which does consist with a drawing back unto perdition , and that by which a man believes unto the saving of the soul. § . stand forth therefore thou antinomian , or thou fiduciary , or whosoever else thou art who art a sturdy believer without true faith , and ever namest the name of christ without departing from iniquity ; try thy self by this touchstone which lyes before thee ; and examin whether thy heart be not as apt to be deceiptful , as 't was once said to be by the prophet ieremy . let the tempter that is without , make thee as credulous as he can ; and let the traytor that is within , make thee as confident as he will of thy faith in christ ; yet thou wilt find , when all is done , there is exceeding great truth in the spanish proverb , that 't is a very hard thing to believe in god. and so very few there are who attain unto it , that it may rationally be doubted , whether when the son of man shall come a second time from heaven , he will come with such success , as to find faith upon the earth . examin therefore whether thy self may'st well be reckon'd to be one of that little number . examin whether thy belief is really such as thou believ'st it ; and try whether thy confidence is not the thing to be distrusted the most of any . for § . of this i can convince thee by a mental demonstration , which is more cogent than an ocular , that if thou hast not such respect unto the recompence of reward , as to choose rather ( with moses ) to spend thy short and dying life in mortisications and self-denials , and to suffer tribulation with the people of god , than with the brutish sons of belial , to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; if thou dost not esteem the reproach of christ to be much greater riches than all the treasures of egypt ; or if thou canst basely fear them that can kill the body only , ( but are not able to hurt the soul , ) more than him that can cast both soul and body into hell ; and hast often done more to escape the former , than ever thou wilt do to eschew the latter ; thou hast not yet the first degree of a saving faith. thou dost not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not so much as believe the lord jesus christ. thou dost not assent to his veracity , or look upon him as a true speaker . thou dost not so far confide in the truth of his promises and his threats , as to adventure any great matter upon the meer reputation and credit of them . for most undoubtedly , if thou didst , thou wouldst prefer that which leads to all the pleasures that he hath promis'd , before the things that will betray thee to all the pains that he hath threaten'd . thou wouldst pursue with more vehemence what will end in an eternal and exceeding weight of glory , than what will terminate in a worm which never dyes , and in a fire which is not quenched . that thou dost now affect to walk , rather in the broad than the narrow way , is not so much that thou espousest a way which leads thee to destruction , or hast averseness unto that by which thou mayst enter into life ; as that thou dost not quite believe the lord jesus christ , when he would fright thee from the one , and allure thee to the other . that thou dost now take the course to dwell with everlasting burnings , rather than that which hath a tending to ioys unspeakable , cannot possibly be from hence , that thou preferr'st a very short to an endless pleasure , but rather from hence that thou preferr'st thy present experience of the first , to the uncertainty and the doubtfulness which thou retainest of the second . not at all that thou preferrest the miseries of hell to the ioys of heaven , but that thou dost not believe what is said of either . § . again admit thou dost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , believe the truth and the veracity of the lord jesus christ ; yet if thou are destitute of the faith which is consummated by love , and by such a love too as doth cast out fear ; nor only the fear of all that may be inflicted , but so far also the feeling of all that is , as to be able to rejoyce , and to leap for joy , when thou art persecuted and rail'd at for righteousness sake ; if thou canst not say heartily , in the language of st. paul , i take pleasure in insirmities , in reproaches , in necessities , in persecutions , and in distresses for christ his sake ; if ( in a word ) thou art not able to conquer all thine own weakness by ghostly strength , so as to hold fast thy union and good intelligence with christ , in spight of nakedness , or famin , or peril , or sword , or life , or death , or angels , or devils , or principalities , or powers , or things present , or things to come , and all by vertue of that faith which overcometh the world ; ( which is not only the means of conquest , but the victory it self ; ) thou dost not heartily believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is ) in , or upon the lord jesus christ. 't is very evident that thou doubtest either his power , or his propensity . thou dost not so depend , and rely upon him , as that i can assure thee thou shalt be sav'd . § . again if thou hast not such a faith , as does denominate thee a good and a faithful servant , such a justifying faith , as in the literal sense of it does make thee iust , ( iust i mean in that notion , in which 't was said of holy iob , that he was a just and an upright man , ) if thou hast not such a faith as by which thou art qualified in part , both with holiness and righteousness , with godliness and honesty , with the duties of the first and the second table , whereby the righteousness of christ may be so wholly imputed to thee , as to instate thee in the pardon of all thy sins ; ( it being impossible that thy saviour should ever justifie thy person , and not sanctifie thy nature in some proportionable degree ; ) if besides thy assent to the veracity of his doctrin , and besides thy dependance on the almightiness of his power , thou dost not pay so great a reverence unto the iustice of his will too , as to serve and obey him with godly fear ; thou dost not practically believe in the lord jesus christ. thou dost not own him in his authority , dost not receive him in his commands , dost not embrace and entertain him as he comes to thee a legislator , as one who hath a name written both on his vesture and on his thigh , king of kings , and lord of lords . and by consequence though thy head may be as full as it can hold of the christian science , or however thou mayst have faith whereby thou canst remove mountains ; yet thou dost not so believe in the lord jesus christ , as that i can assure thee thou shalt be sav'd . § . again if thou hast not such a telescope , as by which thou art inabled to look on the other side the veil , such a faith as , is the evidence of things not seen , and the substance of things that are hoped for ; hast not any praepossession of things invisible , and future , nor any glimmerings and foretasts of the glory to be reveal'd ; hast no ground for an assurance , ( whether of faith , hope , or understanding , ) that thy pardon is seal'd , and thy peace ratified ; art not inwardly sustained , in all thy agonies and conflicts , with spiritual ioy in the holy ghost ; hast not any the least intelligence , ( through the secret whispers of the spirit ) of a ravishing mansion praepared for thee in the land of the living . and art not placed by that intelligence above the level of temptations , exempted from the fear of what men or devils can do unto thee ; if thou canst not reflect with comfort upon the day of discrimination , when the lord iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels , in flaming fire , taking vengeance on them that know not god , and that obey not the gospel of iesus christ ; or if thou canst not think undauntedly upon the opening of the books out of which thou must be judged , and that from this consideration , that the father judgeth no man , but hath committed all iudgment unto the son ; i say , if thou hast not attained to this , thou dost not perfectly believe in the lord iesus christ : dost not fully lay hold on his golden scepter : dost not receive him as a saviour , by whose blood thou art cleansed from all thy sins : dost not look upon christ as an elder brother , or behave thy self as one having the spirit of adoption : dost not behold him in his high-priesthood after the order of melchisedech ; and all for want of that eye of faith , by help of which ( with st. stephen ) thou mightst see the heavens opened , and iesus sitting at the right hand of god , ever making intercession with groanings not to be uttered , and rendring his father propitious to thee . § . i will not say , thou shalt be damn'd , if thou arrivest not exactly at this perfection , because i know there are degrees of salvisick grace , in proportion to the degrees of the beatisick glory . and though thou art not of their magnitude , who shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father , ( matth. . . ) yet thou mayst possibly be of theirs , who are to shine as the stars for ever and ever ; ( dan. . . ) but when i consider how great a stress is laid by god in the new testament , upon the habit of believing in the lord iesus christ , and weigh the stress of those things that are laid upon it , with all the requisites in scripture that hold it up ; i cannot in faithfulness to my text , or in iustice and charity to my readers , say less than this , that whosoever they are amongst us , who are solicitous ( with the iailour ) to know the minimum quod sic of a christian's duty , and how much they must do that they may be sav'd ; if they do not so assent to the veracity of a saviour , so depend upon his power and his propensity to save them , so submit unto his pleasure , and so conform unto his praecepts , and ( on the grounds before mention'd ) so apply unto themselves their saviour's merits and mediation , as that in lieu of forsaking christ to serve the flesh , and the devil , they do forsake them both at once , for the service of christ , and reckon their happiness even on earth to consist in those pleasures , which minds the most uncorrupted do most approve of , ( such as are the love of christ , the satisfaction of an unblameable and a well-ordered life , the testimonial of a pure and so a peaceable conscience , the finding out of god's will revealed to them in his word , the generous pleasure of abstaining from all sorts of false and forbidden pleasures , a real carelesness and contempt of all the vanities of this world , and a well-grounded expectation of all the glories in the next , so as no kind of outward or temporal sufferings can deprive them of their inward and spiritual ioys ; but still they hold fast their confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end , ) i say , if christians rest satisfied with less than this , i cannot say that their election is yet so sure in it self , as the apostle st. peter shews how to make it . nor can i say they do believe in the lord iesus christ , so as to answer the whole design of paul and silas in the text , or so as that i can assure them they shall be sav'd . § . why then should we suffer our eyes to sleep , or the temples of our heads to take any rest , 'till we are owners of such a faith , as will infallibly serve our turn ? that is , such a faith as a man may * live by ? such a faith as by which we may be sure to please god , or at least without which it is † impossible to please him ? for however it is the free and the sole gift of god , yet 't is for us not to resist it , but rather to give it a good reception , and to retain it when it is given , not to squander it away , or to keep it useless , which is expressed by our receiving the grace of god in vain , cor. . . nay farther yet it is for us , ( by diligent search into the scriptures , and constant practice of self-denials , and importunity added to prayer , and by watching thereunto with all perseverance , ) not only to receive , and to retain the grace of god ; but over and above to abound more and more , ( thess . . ) that is to say , we must employ , and improve our talent , not hide it under a bushel of worldly cares , or smother it in a bed of unlawful pleasures . and seeing 't is god that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure , we ( as * labourers with god ) are bound to work out our faith , in the very same sense , in which we are to work out our own salvation , ( philip. . . ) never ceasing to make a progress from faith to faith , 'till we attain unto the evidence of things not seen , and the substance of things hoped for , even a practical , and a cordial , and an habitual belief in the lord jesus christ : not as a prophet only , to teach us ; nor as a prince only , to rule us ; but as an advocate and a priest too , who is incessantly procuring , and pouring his benefits upon us . to whom accordingly , with the father , in the unity of the spirit , let us evermore ascribe , as is ever due , blessing , glory , honour , and power , from this time forwards for evermore . an improvement of the inquiry taken from the mouth of a iewish convert . and containing , in its parts , a resolution unto it self . an improvement of the inquiry , &c. mark x. . and when he was gone forth into the way , there came one running , and kneeled to him , and asked him , good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit eternal life ? behold the only great scruple to be discussed and resolv'd ; the only necessary quaestion to be proposed and laid to heart , by all that live in these sceptical and disputative times . wherein there is hardly perhaps a family , much less a parish , much less a city , or a town , in which the shape of mens iudgments ( and by consequence of their souls ) is not almost as various as that of faces . for though the most of men are travelling to the same iourneys end , yet it is ( saith boêthius ) diverso tramite , they love to walk towards it in several paths . happiness is a thing which the worst men aym at ; but they discover by their inquiries , what variety of ways they take to miss it ; with how much industry , and expence , with how much carelesness , and care too , they do not only arrive at this , to have their labour for their pains ; but also purchase to themselves a most costly ruin ; at once a most pudendous , and most unprofitable repentance . were we at leisure to survey the several orders and ranks of men , from him that whistles at the plough , to him that treads upon crowns and scepters , we should find them all byass't by secular interesses and aims ; most incessantly pursuing their carnal projects and designs . poor boôtes will needs be asking , ( so low and humble is his ambition , ) what he shall do to maintain a teem ? the same boôtes growing rich , will as willingly be able to keep a coach. here a man is ambitious of some great office in the court ; whilst perhaps the great courtier is at least as ambitious of being greatest . the only subject of his inquiry , is what he shall do to wear a crown . but having waded as far as that , ( through blood and rapine , ) he thinks his crown is too light , and his territory too narrow ; and therefore makes it his next inquiry , what he shall do for the inlarging the straitned borders of his dominion . his next project is , how to be monarch of the west . and if perhaps he climbs thither , his inlarged ambition does want more room ; from whence ariseth another quaestion , what he shall do to subdue the world , that kings and princes may bow down to him , and that whole nations may do him service . nay if he arrives at that too , his unlimited desires are more imprison'd than before ; and so his last ▪ quaestion is ( like that of the great * macedonian robber , ) what he shall do for more worlds wherewith to satisfie his hunger , and ( not to quench , but ) to exercise his cruel thirst. thus is every man a scambler for some kind of happiness here on earth , ( at least for the shadow and picture of it ; ) but there is not the like solicitude for the getting of a kingdom and crown in heaven . where shall we meet with a man of youth , who joyns his heart unto his head ; and asks about the great business for which he came into the world ? where shall we meet with a man of riches , who makes it the great contrivance and design of his life , to be advis'd in what manner he ought to live ? where shall we meet with a man of power , who will indure to be looking so far before him , as to consider and contemplate his latter end ? or who will look so far within him , as to examin the state of things , betwixt his saviour and his soul ? as whether he hath made his election sure ? or whether he hath not rather received the grace of god in vain ? where is he that crys out with the frighted iailour at philippi , what must i do that i may be saved ? that makes a strict and impartial search after the requisites of his salvation ? that sends as 't were an huy and cry after things future and invisible ? and makes it the burden of his inquiry , ( with this young man , this rich man , this ruler in the text , ) good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit eternal life ? a text as worthy to be consider'd , by every one who does believe an immortality of his soul , and prepares for an arrest at the hour of death , and expects to be try'd at a day of iudgment , perhaps as any one text in all the scriptures . a text so fruitful of particulars , and of particulars so pregnant for meditation , that 't is not easy to resolve , with which of the many we should begin . they do not come in such order , as the creatures once did into noah's ark , two by two ; but they press in upon us all together in a crowd , as it were striving with one another , which shall have the first place in our consideration . here is a servant , a master , work , and wages ; here is an excellent inquiry made by the servant to the master . and here are both their qualifications to make them pleasing to one another . for the servant is diligent , the master good . here is the manner also , and matter , and final cause of the enquiry . and here are divers other particulars growing out of the body of these particulars , as the lesser branches of a tree are wont to grow out of the greater . but dismissing all the rest until we meet them in the division , i here shall fasten upon the servant as fit to direct and assist us in it . there being nothing more proper to entertain us till we come thither , than the several looser circumstances both of his person , and his approach . as for his person ; we may observe him so qualified in three respects , as one would think should ill dispose him for such an inquiry as here he makes . for in st. matthew he is a young man ; a rich man in st. mark ; in st. luke , a ruler . and it may seem a thing strange ( as the world now goes ) that being a young man , he should inquire after life ; or that being a rich man , he should inquire after heaven ; that being also a ruler , he should inquire after subjection . it is not easy to be believ'd , ( so far it is from being usual , ) that he who lately began to live , should be solicitous for aeternity ; that he who had purchased the present world , should pursue an inheritance in the next too ; and that a person of command , should readily set himself to service . yet thus he did , and did with vehemence . for whether we look upon his motion , whilst he was hastening towards christ ; or on his posture , when he was at him ; his salutation , in the entrance ; or his inquiry , in the end ; we may by his running , guess his readiness ; by his kneeling , his humility ; by his compellation , his zeal ; and by the manner of his asking , the great resignedness of spirit wherewith he asked . for when iesus ( saith the text ) was gone forth into the way , there came one running , and kneeled to him , and asked him , good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit eternal life ? words which are partly the evangelists , and partly the quaerist's of whom he speaks . the evangelist's own words have three particulars of remarque ; first , the person who here inquires , next , the nature of his inquiry , thirdly , the oracle inquired of . the quaerist's words at first view consist of three general parts , which again at the second view do afford us six more . here is first a compellation , secondly a question , thirdly the end , or the motive , or cause of both. in the first we have to consider not only the subject of the quaerist's compellation , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , master , ] but also the adjunct or qualification , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good. ] again in the second , we have two things observable ; to wit , the matter of the inquiry , in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the manner , in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; 't is [ what ] and [ what shall i do ? ] in the third , we have also two ; first the object to be obtained ; [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , eternal life ; ] and then the manner of obtaining it ; [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is by inheriting ] but this is not all . for i observe the compellation hath a twofold aspect upon the question ; and seems to give us a pregnant reason at once for the matter and manner of it . first here is something to be done by every follower of christ , and that because he is a master . it is not , master , what shall i say , or master , what shall i believe , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; master , what shall i do ? here is secondly observable in this candidate of heaven , a meek resignedness of mind to any command of christ imaginable , and that because he is a good , or a gracious master . the servant presumes not to choose his work , he does not bargain for life aeternal at such a rate as he thinks fit , with a [ master , i will do this , or that , ] but indefinitely asks ( with an humble kind of indifference , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall i do ? these are particulars more than enough , not only to exercise and entertain our attentions , but ( perhaps ) to distract them too . and therefore it cannot be taken ill , if i shall gather their whole result into four doctrinal propositions . first that the son of god incarnate , who at present is our advocate , and will hereafter be our iudge , and who purposely came to save us from the tyranny of our sins , is not only a saviour , to propose promises to our faith ; but also a master , to challenge obedience to his commands . we must not only believe him , which is but to have him in our brains ; nor must we only confess him , which is but to have him in our mouths ; no nor must we only love him , though that is to have him in our hearts ; but farther yet we must obey him , and do him service , which is to have him in our hands and our actions too . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; master , what shall i do ? and yet secondly ; our lord and saviour jesus christ is not any way a severe or aegyptian-like master , who looks to reap where he never sow'd , and exacts store of work without allowing any materials ; but a master full of mercy and lovingkindness . and this he is in two respects . to wit of the work which he requires , which is not foesible only , but pleasant ; and of the wages which he promiseth , aeternal life . for each of these reasons , which do arise out of the text , he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a good master . and therefore thirdly , we must in gratitude unto so good a master as this , behold our selves as obliged to two returns ; to wit a readiness of obedience , and a resignedness of wills. first a readiness of obedience , even because he is our master ; next a resignedness of wills , because he is our good master . our christian tribute to both together , [ to wit his authority , and his goodness , ] must not only be universal , but unconstrain'd . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall i do ? that is to say , i will do any thing . i am ready to perform whatever service thou shalt appoint , be it never so harsh , or be it never so difficult . eternal life is such a prize , as for which i can never do enough . i say not therefore what i will do , but humbly ask what i shall . yet fourthly and lastly ; when we have done the most we can we are * unprofitable servants . our obedience is not the cause , but the aequitable condition of our reward . and we finally arrive at eternal life , not by way of purchase , as we are servants ; but of inheritance , as we are sons . it is not here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee seek not to merit or to deserve , ( as some gross christians pretend to do , ) but meerly to inherit eternal life . i now have done with the introduction , wherein is included the explication and division of the text. but as 't is easy for an artist to design more work in a little time , than he is able to accomplish a long time after ; so however i have already drawn the monogram or scheme of my well-meant project , yet to fill it with the zographesis , by making it practical , and easy , not only useful to the most knowing , but also familiar to the most ignorant of those that read me , will be the business not of one , but of several essays . and this the rather , because before i find access to the four doctrinal propositions , i must direct to several lessons from those three preliminary subjects the text affords us . to wit the quality of the person who here inquires , the excellent nature of his inquiry , and the condition of the oracle inquired of . first the person here inquiring had three remarkable qualifications ; youth , wealth , and honour . and yet for all that , he did not ask as a young man , how shall i purchase the sweetest pleasures ? nor yet as a rich man , how shall i compass the greatest wealth ? no nor yet as a ruler , how shall i climb to the highest pinacle of preferment : but notwithstanding his three impediments pulling him down towards the earth , he seemed wholly to be solicitous , how he might come by a place in heaven . and therefore hence we are to take out a threefold lesson ; one for young men , another for rich men , a third for rulers . ( and i suppose of these three , this particular congregation does now consist ) . first our young men must learn , from the example of this inquirer , to remember their creator in the days of their youth , whilst the evil days come not , nor the years draw nigh when they shall say , we have no pleasure in them , ( prov. . . ) and that especially for these three reasons . first the younger any one is , he came the more lately out of the hands of his creator ; and has had the less time , to grow forgetful of the rock out of which he was hewn . it is with mens souls as with their bodies , and with their bodies as with their cloaths ; the newer , commonly the better ; and the older , so much the worse . a little evil communication is enough to ferment the greatest mass of good manners . and if the whole world does lye in wickedness , ( as st. iohn affirms it does , ) how can we look to be the purer , by growing old and decrepit in so much dirt ? no , the longer we converse with pitch or birdlime , ( to which the wickedness of the world may very happily be compar'd ) it is by so much the harder to make us clean . besides , we ought to run after christ , ( like this inquirer in the text , ) not go to him like a torpedo , as if we did not affect , but fear him ; or tanquam bos ad cer●ma , as if we were afraid to be baited by him . but now the younger any man is , he can run so much the faster ; whereas grown old he will hardly go . it was therefore the blessing of god to enoch , that he took him away speedily , and even hasten'd to cut him off , to the end that wickedness might not alter his understanding , nor deceipt beguile his soul , ( wisd. . , . ) this was that that gave occasion to the young mans inquiry which lyes before us . for having heard our saviour say , suffer little children to come unto me , for of such is the kingdom of god , ( v. . ) and that no man shall enter into the kingdom of god , unless he receive it as a little child , ( v. . ) he immediately consider'd within himself , that notwithstanding he was hitherto a young man , he had yet outliv'd his harmless childhood ; and that the longer he should live , the farther off he should grow from a little child ; and so it concern'd him very nearly ( even before he grew older , and heap't up sins as well as years , ) to address himself to christ with this petition . for god's sake , master , resolve me one question . if 't is true , what thou say'st , that little children are the inhabitants of which the kingdom of god is more especially made up ; what then shall i do , who am no little child , that i also may inherit eternal life ? the consideration of which example ought to provoke us to aemulation , and to be prevalent also with us , to remember our redeemer in the days of our youth , whilst we have had but a little time , to be infected with a sick and contagious world. again the younger any one is , the more capable he is of a deep impression . as when a new vessel is season'd with this or that liquor , it will savour of it the longer for being new. and a very young tree , be it never so crooked , will yet be made to grow straight ; but if an old tree is crooked , it is incorrigible ; neither industry nor artifice can then reform it . so if a man is well principl'd and well disposed from his youth , or suck in good manners almost as soon as he does his milk , vertue will cleave to him as close , as his two essentials ; 't will be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( as galen elegantly ) that is , a kind of acquired nature . but he who is an old sinner , or a sinner in grain , will find it as difficult not to be so , as for a leopard to change his spots , or a blackmore his skin , jer. . . aegrius ejicitur ▪ and it is by much an easier thing , at first to put on the armour of light , than at last to cast off the works of darkness . as to preserve ones health is easier , than to recover it when it is lost . remember therefore thy redeemer in the days of thy youth , whilst yet thou hast a remembrance to hold him in ; lest if thou wickedly put it off to thy days of dotage , thou forget ( like fat iesurun ) the god that made thee . lastly the younger any one is , he is a sacrifie the fitter for god's acceptance . of all the fruits of the earth , before the times of the law , he did require for his portion , the first and choicest . nor would he have any thing under the law , but what was clean and without blemish . so he expects under the gospel , that we should give him still the best , of whatsoever we have , or are . and to answer his expectation , of all the days in the week , we give him sunday , which is the first . of all the hours in the day , we ought to give him the very morning ; to converse with him betimes , before our spirits are taken up with his two grand rivals , the choaking cares , and bewitching pleasures of the world. thus we must consecrate our youth and our childhood to him ; which we may call the very morning and dawning of our days . that is to say , we must serve him with the excellence of our strength ; whilst we are fresh and florid , and so an oblation the worthier of him . what! spend the flower of our age on that base triumvirate , the world , the flesh , and the devil ? and at last when we are wither'd , obtrude our selves upon our maker ? shall we spend on god's enemies the spring and april of our lives , when our memories and our wits are fresh as rose-buds ? and put off god with our december , when we have nothing to entertain him , but frost , and snow ? nothing but doatage and forgetfulness , wherewith to make an oblation to him ? will god accept of that putrid carkass , whose life and beauty hath been bestow'd upon the devil ? or when the world and the flesh have injoy'd our kernel , how can we think that our creator will be contented with the shell ? admit the case were our own , and that the wife of a man's bosom should spend her youth and her verdure in the love of strange men ; would he be willing to receive her when at last she comes to him both halt and blind ? or what would we think of that man , who having invited us to his table , should take the marrow to himself , and humbly present us with the bone ? or give the victuals to his dogs , and leave us to dine upon the platters ? if ye offer the blind for sacrifice , is it not evil ( saith god to israel ? ) or if ye offer the lame and sick , is it not evil ? offer it now unto thy governour , will he be pleased with thee , or accept thy person , saith the lord of hosts ? 't is an important expostulation , in the first of malachi , at the eighth verse . now if one man refuseth such an offering from another , as the offerer knows not what to do with ; why should not god refuse us , when we refuse coming to him 'till old and ugly ? that is to say , 'till we our selves are grown such burdens unto our selves , as we know not what to do with ? it is not likely he will have us , if we will not have him , until we are not worth having . if we will not both love him , and obey him whilst we are young , he has certainly no inducement to be amorous of us when we are old ; when we are worm-eaten with years , and have nothing to treat him with , but catarrhs , and tissicks ; nothing but rottenness and stench for his entertainment . o let it never once depart out of our memories and our minds , that * samuel was but a little child , when yet he wore a linnen ephod , and spent his time in the temple ; as being to his god such a perfect votary , that even his actual living in , was a real forsaking of the world. remember that † daniel was but a youth , and yet a prophet of the most high. that david was but a stripling , when yet he had a mighty zeal for the lord of hosts . that iohn the baptist , from his cradle , was a most absolute recluse . that iohn the evangelist and divine was but a very young man , when grave enough for an apostleship , and for the privilege to lean on his saviour's bosom . that king iosias was but a child , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , saith the cassobelite in her epistle to ignatius , ) when yet he sought after the god of his father david , chron. . . that timothy was but a youth , and yet a bishop ; of whom st. paul ( his ghostly father ) gave this witness to the world , that he had known the scriptures even from a child . inquire we therefore with the psalmist , wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way . and as the votary in my text went running to christ whilst he was young , so let us also go running to him , whilst we are able to run apace . and let us kneel ( as he did ) before our knees are grown stiff . and having kneeled down to christ , let us call him good master , with our inquirer . and let the subject of our inquiry be only this ; what shall we do that we may be sav'd ? if no man can enter into the kingdom of heaven , unless it be as a little child ; what then shall we do , who are stricken in years , and have long since outliv'd our littlechildhood , that we also may inherit aeternal life ? this is the use we are to make of the first qualification of our inquirer , and these are the reasons on which it stands . next our rich men must learn , from the example of this inquirer , that the greater their riches are , the greater necessity lyes upon them to fly for sanctuary to christ. it being as difficult for a rich man to enter heaven , as for a camel to find a passage through the eye of a needle . and so there is need that they run to christ , that christ may shew them the danger of being rich , and by his counsel defend them from it . that he may teach them the christian method , whereby they may safely attain to riches , or how they may honestly possess them , or how they may usefully put them away . how they may profitably be rid of those pleasant enemies ; unlade themselves of such heavy thick clay , ( as the prophet calls it ; ) and run to christ so much the nimbler , for being light ; for being emptied and disburden'd of so much white and red earth . how they may reap the greater harvest , by * casting their bread upon the waters ; how they may make themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness , and help to save themselves by that , which helps to damn so many others . how they may lay up a treasure in heaven , and provide themselves bags which wax not old , where the worm of time doth not corrupt , nor the thief of sequestration break through and steal . if there are any amongst our selves , who have riches in possession , either dishonestly acquir'd , or uncharitably kept ; we ought to start away from them , like a man who unaware hath chanced to tread upon a serpent ; and to fling them far enough from us , like the emperour sigismund ; and to go running after christ ( like the rich votary in my text , ) saying , what shall we do who are men of great plenty , and so are tempted more strongly than others are , and therefore every day walk in greater ieopardy of our lives ) ; we for whom it is so hard to enter into the kingdom of heaven , even as hard as for a camel to enter through a needle 's eye , ) what shall such as we do , that we also may inherit aeternal life ? this is the use we are to make of the second qualification of our inquirer , and this is chiefly the reason on which 't is built . lastly our great men must learn , from the example of this inquirer , to lay their greatness at christ's feet , and to tread it under their own . or ( to express it in the words of the son of sirach ) the greater he is , to humble himself so much the more , ecclus. . . and the reason there is , ( though other reasons are to be given , ) because the mysteries of god are only revealed unto the meek , ( v. . ) the humble soul is god's temple , if not his heaven too . for what was said heretofore by the heathen oracle in hierocles , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ that god delights himself as much in a pious soul , as to dwell between the cherubim in heaven it self , ] may be evinced to be true from out the oracles of iehovah ; who saith by the mouth of his prophet esa , that the man upon whom he delights to look , and in whom he is pleas'd to dwell , is the man of a poor and a contrite spirit , who even trembles at his word . and what said st. paul to his corinthians ? ye see your calling , brethren , how that not many wise men after the flesh , not many mighty , not many noble men are called ; but the foolish , and base , and despised things of the world , and the things which are not , are made choice of by god , to bring to naught things that are : and that as for other , so for this reason also , that no flesh may glory in his presence . this is that nobleness indeed , wherewith the nobleness of the world cannot be worthy to be compar'd , unless as the child , or the parent of it . for secular nobleness or nobility , ( consider'd simply , and in it self , ) has ever been reckon'd to arise , from one or more of these three grounds . 't is either merited by prudence , ( secular wisdom , and erudition , ) or purchased by wealth , or earn'd by courage . i mean the courage which is exerted in a generous defense of ones king and country ▪ but he is a man of the noblest courage , who is afraid of the fewest things . only afraid of an impious act ; or indeed afraid of nothing , unless of not fearing god. the vitious warrier or dueller , who seems to breath nothing but courage , ( such courage as is common to the stout horsman with his horse , when carrying thunder in his throat , he madly rusheth into the battel , ) i say a man of such an animal , or brutal courage , who will rather be damn'd than be thought a coward , is yet , for all his brave pretences , most cowardly afraid of reproach , and obloquie , and of twenty other objects of carnal fear . whereas a man that fears god , fears nothing else : fears not what man can do unto him , ( psal. . . ) and he who does not fear god , is not a valiant , but stupid sinner . to meet with nobleness indeed , we must not consult the herald's book , unless we take along with it the book of the acts of the apostles , ( chap. . vers . . ) where the people of beroea are said to be nobler than those of thessalonica , not because they were descended from greater parents , nor because they were advanced to greater places , but because with greater readiness they heard the word of god preach't ; that is , because they were meeker , and of more teachable dispositions . that alone is true nobleness , which is sometimes the daughter , and still the mother of humility . that 't is sometimes the daughter , is very evident : for 't was the lowliness of mary which made her the mother of our lord. and so when abigail made david that winning complement from the heart , of her being the humble handmaid to wash the feet of the servants of her lord , her humility did so advance her in david's mind , that he made her his queen , if not his mistress . the king was so captivated and charm'd by the powerful magick of so much meekness , as he could not have been more by any philtrum to be imagin'd . thence st. peter thought fit to call it , the ornament of a meek and a quiet spirit ; as being that that does dress and set off a beauty , more than any recommendations of art , or nature . nor is true nobleness more the daughter , than 't is the mother of humility . for as the lowliness of mary made her the mother of our lord , so she was much the more lowly for that advancement . and so the ruler in the gospel , ( who is ennobl'd by three evangelists , thô nam'd by neither , ) the fuller he was of worldly greatness , the more he saw it did concern him to make himself little before the majesty of christ , from whom he was to seek for an higher birth and extraction ; such as by which he might have claim to an inheritance of aeternity , which is not competent to any who is not of an immortal race ; nor can he be of such a race , unless by being first regenerate , and born of god : and to be qualified for that , he must humble himself as a little child , apt to learn , and to obey , meekly submitting unto the rod , and even kissing the hand that holds it . look of what temper an earthly father is wont to find his little child , a child that trembles at every threat , and is easily kept in awe by an angry look , of the very same temper ought himself also to be , in respect of his father who is in heaven . but now , besides the single reason which has been given by siracides ; there are other reasons assignable , why the greater any man is , he is to humble himself the more . he must be humbler , being a master , than whilst he was yet but his master's man. still the lower , for being high. and because to some persons this may seem an harsh paradox , or at least an hard saying ; i shall attempt to make it easy by three degrees . first 't is observable in historians and moral writers , that such as are rais'd out of the dust are apt to prove the most ingrateful and cruel tyrants . they commonly take down the stairs by which themselves were taken up ; and , like a man climbing upon a ladder , love to be treading under their feet the chiefest means of their advancement ▪ asperius nihil est humili cum surgit ad altum . the fire out of the bramble affects to devour the lofty cedar . thence it was that pausanias murder'd king philip , to be talk't of . and 't was phocas his sensuality , of a pitiful common souldier , to set his foot upon the neck of the great emperour mauritius . so charles the first of these realms ( of whom the world was not worthy ) was not only sent to heaven by some of the vilest of all his subjects , but particularly by some himself had rais'd out of the mire . and if these things are so , that they are aptest to be debauch't by their worldly greatness , whose greatness steams out of a dunghill ; ( as every man's does if he be traced far enough back , ) it follows then that they have need of the greater care , and must be ply'd with the stricter caveats , the greater they are , to humble themselves so much the more , because they are then in the greatest danger . for the greater any one is , by so much the greater are his temptations : and to be safe from that artillery , he stands in need of being armed with greater meekness . the more st. paul was advanced by his abundance of revelations , the more he was buffeted by satan , and by himself too . for he did therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , beat his body black and blue , ( as the word imports , ) that , by those profitable severities , he might bring it into subjection . again , the greater any man is , the more humility does become him . it sits upon him so much the better , with the more loveliness , and congruity . it is not only the more his duty , but honour and ornament to be humble . 't is a vertue which should flow from a man of grandeur , with such a kind of peculiarity , as munificence ought to do from a man of wealth . for he who is flat upon the ground can no more prove that he is humble , than he who lives upon almes , that he is liberally-minded . we know the taller any man is , by so much the lower he has to stoop : whereas the lowliness of a dwarf , is not his vertue , but stature only . we need not go far to find an instance ; for go we whither we will , it will find out us . how many are there who do not scorn to beg their bread from door to door , not because they are humble , but shameless creatures ? who , were they honourable , and potent , would quickly shew themselves proud , and oppressive too . vices made almost invisible in the necessitous sort of men , not for want of a being , but of competent materials , to set them forth . the weaponless serpent epidaurus , though much more harmless , may yet be as malitious as any other ; nor is 't a commendable innocence , which only proceeds from a want of teeth . how many are there within our knowledge whose backs are cloath'd in course russet , whilst yet their bloody-minded insides are lin'd with scarlet ? and when a person of such a frame shall be reduced by some extremity , to beg an halfpenny through a grate , ( which is wont to be said of the great general bellizarius , ) that is only his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his lowness of fortune , not his lowliness of mind . it 's true indeed , an humiliation may help dispose him for an humility , ( just as any sinners attrition may lead the way to contrition ; ) but sure i am that the gymnosophists , who were tormented by antiochus , were no whit the meeker for being humbled . they who think themselves humble , because they see themselves low , ( and not for any other more solid reason , ) do not know their own hearts ; which are commonly so hidden from human eyes , as hardly ever to be discern'd , till they are placed upon a mountain : let that mountain be what it will , whether of riches , or renown , or of worldly greatness . almost all that were sick came to christ for a cure ; and ( as they at least thought ) with good devotion . but in that they did not all return to thank him , they shew'd the principle of their coming to have been nothing but their convenience . had the votary in my text been very poor and contemptible , had he been every body's servant by being in every body's debt , or miserably haunted with some disease , he had not done a strange thing in seeking christ upon his knees ; but that being extremely rich , and a ruler too , and in the bravery of his youth , he should consider christ so much , and himself so little , this was an evidence of his generous and noble meekness . and therefore the greater thou art , my son , lessen thy self so much the more . and do it for a third reason , which ought at least to be as prevalent as both the former . for the greater any man is , the greater accompt he is to give to his one great master which is in heaven ; that is , to a master , with whom there is not respect of persons . in the day when god shall judge the secrets of men by iesus christ , he who now sits in state and jurisdiction upon the bench , shall stand at god's just and impartial bar. he shall be called to a reck'ning , a dreadful reck'ning , how his talent of authority has been employ'd , and what good he has done with his jurisdiction . what poor orphans he has righted ; what widows causes he has pleaded ; what injur'd innocence he has protected ; what vertuous persons he has incouraged with rewards ; what vile offenders he has discountenanced and punish't ; what great mens oppressions he has resisted ; what rising mutinies and rebellions he has indeavoured to repress . for a man's honour , and authority , his power , and greatness , as well as wealth , are things of which he must give accompt . thô for a king to be accomptable to any tribunal upon earth , implies indeed a contradiction , yet kings themselves do stand accomptable to god , even for their high privilege of unaccomptableness to men. and therefore the greater any man is , he is to humble himself the more , and then ( as it follows in the text ) he will find favour of the lord. this is the use we are to make of the third qualification of our inquirer ; and these especially are the reasons inducing to it . but now the case in my text is one of the strangest we ever heard of . for would we not think it exceeding strange , if the chief magistrate of a city ( forgetting the mace that is born before him ) should run to meet the poorest cottager , and throw himself down upon his knees too , and lifting up his trembling hands , should intreat him so humbly as to call him master , and so earnestly intreat him as to call him good master ? 't is true that christ was no cottager , because according to his manhood he was very much poorer , as having not where to lay his head. yet the man in my text who had great possessions , and was a ruler , in the pride and glory of his youth too , did thus come running after christ ; and kneeled down to him , thô in the form of a servant ; and call'd him master , thô born of mary , spouse to ioseph the carpenter . as if through that veil of the carpenter's son , he had had an eye of faith to see the wisdom of the father , the son of that almighty architect , who indeed was the builder of all the world , heb. . . this jewish convert without a name hath somewhat more strange and more remarkable in his conversion , than the iailour of philippi who was but frighted into his wits , and sought for salvation in that fright only ; and rather in the negative , than positive sense of that word . for that which he sought directly , was a deliverance out of his dangers ; not an inheritance of aeternity , but only an escape from the wrath to come . so that the quaerist we are upon , is more didactical than the former ; as affording us many more , and more noble lessons . three whereof we have had already . and three , if well minded , are enough for one lecture ; as , if slighted , they are too many . and therefore the prospect of life aeternal , which is a very great deep , ( enough to exercise the freshest and the most vigorous of our thoughts , ) is the fitter to be reserved for another opportunity . the excellent nature of the inquiry . mark x. . and when he was gone forth into the way , there came one running , and kneeled to him , and asked him , good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit aeternal life ? § . having done with the person who here inquires , and dismiss't the three lessons arising thence , together with the reasons on which those lessons were chiefly grounded ; i am in order to proceed to the second general observation , the excellent nature of his inquiry ; which was not carnal and temporal , but wholly spiritual and eternal . he did not ask as an ordinary youth , what he should do that he might compass the greatest measure of sensuality ? nor as an ordinary worldling or man of wealth , what he should do that he might purchase the greatest treasure of gold and silver ? nor as an ordinary ruler , what he should do that he might climb to the highest honour upon earth ? but casting these things as it were behind his back , or treading them down under his feet , he was intent upon inquiring , as no ordinary christian , ( even before christianity had got its name , ) what he should do to get an interest and share in heaven ? how much soever he did abound in the things that are seen , which are temporal ; he wholly directed his ambition to the things that are not seen , which are eternal . as the faster he ran to salute his master , by so much the better he was in breath ; so the lower he kneeled down , he lifted his thoughts so much the higher . being mounted on the wings of an holy zeal , his soul had now taken a nobler flight , than to pearch upon any thing on this side heaven . as if he had lost the consideration of all his secular concernments , such as houses and lands , goods and good name , wife and children , if he had any , and other things here below , all the subject of his inquiry was , what he should do that he might be sav'd ? not only saved in the negative , but in the positive sense of that word . not only so as to be rescued from a bottomless lake of fire and brimstone ; but also so as to be drown'd or swallowed up , in a boundless ocean of bliss and glory . nothing would satisfie him but life ; and no other life than one eternal . [ good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit eternal life ? ] § . from him therefore let us learn , how to regulate our ambitions , and where to fasten our wild desires . we ought to tread upon the glories of such a world as this is , ( which besides that 't is a perishing and fading world , is also the instrument of satan whereby to betray us to our destruction , ) and level the gaspings of our souls at things invisible and future , things expressed to us in scripture , by a city having foundations , heb. . . and by a kingdom which cannot be moved , heb. . . and here in this text , by aeternal life . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was st. paul's precept to his colossians , set and settle your affections on things above ; and that for this reason , because your christ is there sitting at the right hand of god. set them not upon the earth , for iesus christ is not here , but is long since risen , ( as the angel once said to his weak disciples . ) and if we are risen together with christ , let 's make it appear that we are risen , by our seeking those things that are above . since we were born out of due time to injoy the wish of st. austin , by seeing our saviour in the flesh ; let us look for him where he is , and at least behold him in the spirit . since ( i say ) we were not living when christ was conversant upon earth , let us redeem the whole time by a ghostly conversation with christ in heaven . he who desires in curiosity to see the pope , or the king of spain , and all the rarities to be met with throughout their countries , will inquire ( as he is going ) which is the ready way thither ; and ( information being given ) will be sure to take the way which leads to italy , or castile ; not that which will carry him either to muscovy , or poland . after the very same manner , but with a greater force of reason , if we desire either in kindness , or in a religious curiosity , to have a sight of the new ierusalem , praepared as a bride adorned for her husband , of which we hear such strange things from the traunce and rapture of st. paul , as well as from st. iohn in his revelations , where for want of a better and a more lively way of comparison , he is contented to express that holy city by things so cheap and so homely , as gold , and crystal , and pearl , and saphir , and emerald , chalcedony and iaspar , sardonyx and chrysolite , sardius and topaz , amethyst and iacinth , a river of life and immortality , planted round and beset with trees of health as well as pleasure , and shin'd upon by the lustre ( not of such obscure things as sun and moon , but ) of god and the lamb , ( in comparison with whom the sun and moon are nothing more , than as a couple of black spots in the face of heaven , ) which though the richest hypotyposis st. iohn could make of his vision , and exceedingly beyond the goodliest things that are visible in the beautifullest parts of the neather world , are yet incomparably short of that new ierusalem which is above ; if we long to be fulfilling our double heat and curiosity , the one proceeding from our youthfulness , and the other from our devotion , by an immediate conversation with adam and eve , and righteous abel , in a pleasanter paradise than that of eden ; by keeping company with noah , in a safer ark ; with caleb and ioshua , in a better canaan ; with david and samuel , in a diviner sion , than that wherein they delighted whilst they were sojourning here below ; if we desire to see lazarus in abraham's bosom , or in what kind of robes of bliss and glory that noble army of martyrs is now apparell'd , of whom the world was not worthy , when they wander'd about in sheep-skins and goat-skins , in dens and desarts , being destitute , afflicted , tormented , not because they could not reach , but would not accept of a deliverance , to the end they might obtain by so much a better resurrection : or if we desire to be recovering what we so many years have lost , our dear deceased friends and parents , or would converse with those children , and children's children , which ( by a succession of generations ) will descend from our bodies when we shall be gather'd to our fathers ; if we do long to be acquainted with those obliging and friendly spirits , whom we deservedly revere as our guardian angels , ( to whom the custody and conduct of our particular persons is peculiarly committed by god almighty ; ) and would receive their meanings whilst we communicate our own ; not by language , but intuition , without the deceitful and poor assistance of such articulate and successive discourse as ours ; or if we would be able to read all hearts without the detecting of any secrets , because in a place not to be habited by shame , or envy , or private interest ; if we think it a fine thing to have the wings of a cherub ( not only of a dove , which was the subject of david's wish ) and to be mounted by those wings to such an exalted kind of zenith , or height of bliss , as shall lift up our souls above our glorified bodies ; whence looking down upon the sun , as a thing exceedingly below us , we shall discern the very epicycle , by which he moves slowly from west to east , even whilst he moves swiftly from east to west , and comprehend all truths , without the motherhood , and pregnancy of such a dull thing as time , ( which yet is the swiftest-wing'd flyer on this side heaven , ) by grasping all things at once , not one thing first , and then another : in a word ( not to be endless in this beginning of my discourse ) if we inwardly do pant and even gasp after a day , when fulfilling at once the appetites of grace and good nature , we shall be able to conceive , and hear , and see , what neither eye hath seen , nor ear heard , nor hath ever enter'd into the heart of man to conceive ; when we shall not only see , but tast of bliss ; nor only tast , but be filled with it ; nor only fill'd , but overflown ; nor only overflown , but swallow'd up too ; when we shall drink , and drink deep of the waters of joy , and of such pure ioy , as shall not be mingl'd with any drop either of sorrow , or interruption ; when we shall be as 't were inebriated with the plenteousness of god's house ( as the psalmist in his rapture was bold to speak ) by drinking of it as out of a river ; or ( to express it in plainer terms ) when our glory shall be greater than the greatest ambition of our desires , and our ioys far more than our hearts can hold ; when we shall be giddy ( as 't were ) with happiness , and drown'd in pleasures ; shall have raptures , and transports , and exiliencies of spirit , more than david himself in his sacred ecstasie , by which was drawn from him that strange expression ; and very much greater than that of esa , when being cast into a traunce , he did presentiate to himself the last and general resurrection , with an [ awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust ; ] when we whose heads do now ake in comprehending and grasping the shallowest things , shall happily loose all our doubtings into the clearest demonstration , our conjectures into assurance , our expectations into injoyment , and faith it self into experience ; when the three triads of holy orders which make up the hierarchy of heaven , of which it is said by the prophet daniel , a fiery stream issued out , and came forth from before him , thousand thousands ministred unto him , ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him , ( dan. . . ) shall open those books whereout the dead are to be judged ( rev. . . ) and when with them the holy elders , casting their crowns before the throne of him that liveth for ever and ever , ( rev. . . ) shall all salute us , and bid us welcome into the ravishing converse of those glorious courtiers ; when that life , and that eternity , which in my text are inquired after , shall not only present themselves with their retinue and attendants unto the faculties of our souls , but shall withal take up their lodgings in our glorified bodies : if , i say , we are desirous to injoy a great deal more than we are here ever able to ask or think , even all that we can , and that we cannot imagin ; and would meet with all that in the very life , whereof the word of god hath given us but a very faint picture : then whilst others , like martha , are busying themselves about many things , let us apply our selves ( with mary ) to the one thing that is needful : let us make it the very centre of all our projects and designs : let our studies and disputes , our aims and ambitions , our controversies and questions end all in this , [ which is the way to the new ierusalem ? and what shall we do to be walking in it ? which is the way to escape a hell ? and what must we do to obtain a heaven ? ] for this is certainly the scope of the young man's inquiry we have in hand , what shall i do , that i may inherit aeternal life ? § . . all the kingdoms of the earth can neither satisfie , nor justifie all our appetites and desires . but the kingdom of heaven ( expressed here by eternal life ) will be sure to do both. for if we are covetous , here are riches to make it lawful . if we are amorous , here is beauty to make it vertuous . if we are ambitious , here is glory to make it good. for we must know that our affections receive their guilt , or vitiosity , not from their strength , but from their blindness , when they are either double-sighted , and look asquint ; or else are short-sighted , and cannot see a far off ; they embrace those things for fair or pleasant , which ( like ixion's watery iuno ) do only mock them with their injoyment . whereas were our affections so eagle-sighted , as to see through the creatures , discerning happiness in its hypostasis , and flying at it where it is , our only fault would then be this , that our ambition is too low , and our avarice too little , and that we are not amorous enough . for they are poor-spirited persons , of thick heads and narrow hearts , whose thoughts are groveling upon the creature , and aspiring to nothing but what is finite . it is an impotent ambition , a feeble avarice , and a very flat love , which makes a stoop at such low trifles , as crowns and kingdoms here on earth . he alone is of a noble and erected mind , who can say , and say heartily , ( with christ to pilate , ) his kingdom is not of this world. alas the kingdoms here below are less than grass-hoppers , to the very least mansion in the kingdom of heaven . nor are they genuine , but degenerate and bastard eagles , which will greedily catch at such little flies . the soul of man was created for the highest purposes and ends. and therefore we may not only be lawfully , but even dutifully ambitious , provided our ambitions are great enough , and every whit as high as our soul's extraction : we are not only permitted , but even obliged to be covetous , upon condition that it be but of solid riches , which are not liable to plunder , or to impairment . we ought in conscience to be inamour'd , if it be of real beauty , and not of that which depends upon human fansie ; not of handsome dirt , or well-complexion'd clay ; not of beauty so call'd , whose foundation is in the dirt , which saith to corruption , thou art my father , and to the worm , thou art my mother . but if we choose a right object , like the spouse in the canticles , we shall never be so well , as when ( with that spouse ) sick of love. for our bowels ought to yern after the bridegroom of our souls ; we ought to pant after goodness , and ( in the phrase of espensaeus ) to * languish after him who is the fountain of that goodness , and so to thirst after that fountain , as never to be satisfied 'till swallow'd up . in this one sense the italian proverb is to be verified , bello fin fà chi ben amando muore . he makes a good end that dyes a lover ; to wit a lover of him , who is the great lover of souls . we should not vouchsafe to love our selves , unless because we love him , or because he loves us , the only measure of loving whom is to love him without measure . § . seeing therefore we have met with an easy way , whereby to bridle a passion , and at the same time to let it loose ; how at once we may abjure , and yet injoy our sensuality ; or ( to speak more exactly , ) how 't is the duty of a christian , not to evacuate , not to invalidate , not to extenuate his affections , but only to regulate and to direct them , to place them there where true injoyment is to be found ; let no man say within himself , what shall i do to get a fortune , to raise a family , to erect a temple unto fame ? what shall i do to be a man of this world of some authority and power , able to mischief or to oblige , to beat down mine enemies , and raise my friends ? what shall i do to be a man of great knowledge , a famous chymist , an exact mathematician , a remarkable lawyer , or an eminent divine ? ( for the best of these inquiries has something in it of carnality ; ) but let every man say within himself , [ what shall i do to get an interest in jesus christ ? and to be sure i am a member , not only of his visible , but of his mystical body ? what shall i do for a demonstration , that my faith is truly such as does work by love ? and that it does work by such a love , as does bring forth obedience to the commandments of christ ? and such a kind of obedience , as christ will graciously accept ? what shall i do that i may repent ? and repent in such a manner , as to bring forth fruits meet for repentance ? what shall i do to see the secrets of my heart ? and to know by some token which will not fail me , whether the good which i do is well enough done ? ( i mean well enough to deserve acceptance . ) what shall i do whereby to work out mine own salvation , and yet for all that to serve my god without fear all the days of my life ? what shall i do whereby to make my election sure , and to make my self sure of my election , so as to be able to say in truth with st. paul , henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness ? what shall i do , or what shall i not do , or what shall i suffer either for doing or not doing , that by distress , or persecution , by nakedness , or famin , by peril , or sword , by banishment , or bonds , by sickness , or death , by any means whatsoever , ( however troublesom , or costly , or any way terrible to the flesh , ) i may but finally inherit eternal life ? § . but now how little there is to be found of real and solid christianity , even in that part of christendom where christ and his gospel are always preach't , ( least of all amongst them who are the great monopolizers of life aeternal , ) 't will not be difficult to guess by the solemn theme of their inquiries , what shall we eat ? and what shall we drink ? and wherewithal shall we be cloath'd ? which shews the zeal and the devotion wherewith they sacrifice to the flesh. and therefore well said our saviour ( to shew the religion such men are of ) after all these things do the gentiles seek , ( matth. . ) thereby intimating unto us , that christians must seek for diviner things , than such as perish in the using ; for in the seeking of such as these , they do not differ from the gentiles who know not god. and yet if we look upon those professors who do pretend to an inclosure of all the good things in heaven , we may observe them still inclosing as many good things as they can on earth too . it is enough for poor lazarus , to have his good things hereafter ; and enough for rich dives , to have his proportion of good things here ; but the good men i speak of will needs be happier than lazarus , and yet much richer than dives too . they will have their good things , as well in this , as another world. all the subject of their inquiry , is not how to be better than other men , in acts of iustice , and works of mercy , but how to be greater and more regarded , which is call'd a being better in point of quality , and degree . and after these very things do the gentiles seek ; they of iava and the molucco's , they of tartary , and china ; whether as greedily as christians , i cannot tell . but our saviour spake only of food and rayment , as of things which the gentiles are wont to seek . and well it were for real christians , if nominal christians would seek no more . if food and rayment would serve the turn , christians then ( like other creatures ) might quietly live by one another . but it seems they have no more than the name of christians , who chiefly seek ( with the gentiles ) the low concernments of the flesh. for as many as are christians in very good earnest , will bestow themselves in seeking the kingdom of god , and the righteousness thereof , supposing such things as these will be added to the rest as a good appendix . man not living by bread alone , as our saviour said to satan , but by bread as it is blessed by the good word of god. nor indeed is he worthy to live by bread , who is not able to live without it ; who is not able to subsist upon better things . when we reckon food and rayment among the necessaries of life , ( which we do with good reason ) we only speak of such a painful and dying life , as is not worthy our caring for , unless in order to life aeternal . and for the nourishing of that , the very famishing of the body may pass for * food unto the soul. from all which together it seems to follow , that they who arrogate to themselves , not only the greatest both faith and hope , but the perfectest assurance of life aeternal , do prove themselves ( unaware ) the greatest infidels in the world ; whilst neglecting the grand inquiry they ought to make after heaven , they let the tide of their affections run out wholly upon the earth . for did they really look for a day of iudgment , as much as they do for an hour of death , they would as certainly provide against the one , as commonly they do against the other . they would take as much care to be just , and honest , as universally they do to be rich or healthful . and make as much of their souls by mortification and self-denial , as now they do of their bodies by a plentiful injoyment of creature-comforts . 't is true indeed ; life aeternal is a thing which is quickly talk't of ; nor are there any so uncivil , as not to afford it a friendly mention . it is no hard thing to be another mans flatterer , much less is it difficult to be ones own . to be secure and praesumptuous , is cheap , and easy . yea , 't is pleasant to flesh and blood , to be carnally set free from that fear and trembling , wherewith a man is to work out his own salvation . thence it is that we abound with such an herd of fiduciaries and solifidians ; who having persuaded themselves to fancy , that life eternal is a thing which cannot possibly escape them , and that all the next world is irresistibly their own ; they think they have nothing to do in this , but to make a trial , whether it hath not been decreed , that all shall be theirs that they can get ; and whether it hath not been decreed , that they shall get all they try for ; and whether it hath not been decreed , that they shall try to get all. when men are season'd with such a principle , they cannot think it concerns them to give all diligence , for the making of their calling and election sure , by ceasing to do evil , and by learning to do well ; or by adding to faith , vertue , and one vertue unto another . but supposing their election so sure already , as to be pass't the possibility of being miss't ; it is natural for them to give all diligence , to make themselves sure of somewhat else . for ( let them say what they will , and let them think what they please , and let them do what they can , ) they cannot possibly give diligence to seek a thing in their possession , or to secure what they believe it is impossible for them to lose . no man living will light a candle , to look about for those eyes which he believes are in his head ; nor will he search after his head , which is ( he doubts not ) upon his shoulders . our saviour's two parables of the lost sheep and the lost groat , cannot but seem an arrant iargon unto a man of such principles as now i speak of . for will he send about the country , to find a sheep which is in his fold ? or sweep the house for a groat which he praesumes is in his pocket ? no , being poyson'd with an opinion , that he was justified from eternity , and hath grace irresistible , and therefore cannot fall totally , much less finally from grace ; he will esteem it a thing impertinent for a man of his talents , to be so anxious as to inquire , what good things he ought to do , that he may inherit eternal life . § . the great unhappiness of it is , ( what i am sorry i have reason to believe i say truly , ) that there are few congregations , wherein there are not such professors as now i speak of ; who as long as fermented with such a leven , cannot possibly be profited by all our preaching . and therefore they ( above others ) must be inform'd , that by the nature of our inquiries , we ought to try ( as by a touchstone ) of what sort we are ; whether silver , or alchymy ; whether true and solid gold , or but polished iron with double gilt. by this we may explore , from whence we came , and whither 't is that we are going ; of whom we are , and whom we are for . for that saying of our saviour , matth. . . which historically refers to the roman army , wheresoever the carkass is , there the eagles will be gathered together ; must needs be applicable and true in this sense also , which is our saviour's own sense , luke . . where your treasure is , there your heart will be also . from whence it follows unavoidably , that if we are men of another world , and have our treasure laid up in heaven ; we shall behave our selves as pilgrims and perfect sojourners here on earth . we shall be commonly looking upwards , with our backs upon egypt , and our faces towards canaan . our souls will be athirst for god , ( psal. . , , . ) our hearts will pant after eternity , as the hart panteth after the water-brooks ; crying out with holy david in an exiliency of spirit , o when shall we appear before the presence of god ? how low soever both our bodies and fortunes are , our conversation will be above . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. we shall behave our selves as men who are free of god's city . our hearts will evermore be there , unless our treasure is somewhere else . if the kingdom of heaven is that pearl of great price , to which our lord in his parable thought fit to liken it , and if we are those merchants that traffick for it , we cannot choose but be busy in our inquiries after the price ; still resolving upon the purchase at any rate that can be ask't ; and ever asking what we shall give , or ( as here ) what we shall do , that we may any ways inherit eternal life . so it follows again on the other side , that if we are commonly looking downwards , and behave our selves here as men at home , as if we did not intend any farther iourney ; if the burden of our inquiries is such as this , [ what shall we do to live long upon the earth , and not see the grave ? or what shall we do to escape going to heaven , 'till such time as we are pass't the pleasant injoyments of the earth ? how shall we put the evil day afar off ? how shall we be saved without repentance , or repent without amendment , or amend no more than will serve our turn ? what shall we do to be good enough , and yet no better than needs we must ? what shall we do to serve two masters , and reconcile the two kingdoms of god and mammon ? and so confute what is said by our blessed saviour in the sixteenth of st. luke ? what for a religion wherein to live with most pleasure , and one to dye in with greatest safety ? what shall we do to live the life of the sensual'st epicure , and yet at last dye the death of the strictest saint ? ] if , i say , our affections are clinging thus unto the earth , it is an absolute demonstration that all our treasure is here below , and that we are men of the present world , in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds ; for our saviour's famous rule is at once of universal and endless truth , wheresoever the carkass is , there the eagles will be gathered together ; wheresoever our treasure is , there our hearts will be also . and whither our hearts are gone before , ( the case is evident and clear ) our tongues and our actions will follow after . § . now since these are the inquiries of several seekers ; to wit of them who do affect to dwell here , and of them that look out for a better country , that is an heavenly ; and since we may judge by their inquiries , to which kind of master they do belong , to god , or mammon ; 't is plain the lesson or the use we are to take from it is this , that when we find our selves beset with a twofold evil , the one of sin , and the other of affliction , ( in so much as we know not which way to turn , there being on the right hand a fear of beggery or disgrace , and on the left hand a fear of hell , ) when ( i say ) we are reduced to such an hard pinch of our affairs , we must not carnally cast about , and tacitly say within our selves , [ what shall we do to keep our livelyhoods ? or what shall we do to hold fast our lives ? ] but what shall we do to keep a good conscience , and to hold fast our integrity ? and since 't is nobler to be led by the hope of a reward , than to be frighted into our duties , by the fear of being punish't if we neglect them ; let us not ask , like the children of hagar , ( in the spirit of bondage which is unto fear , ) what shall we do , that we may not inherit a death aeternal ; but as the children of sarah , ( in the spirit of adoption which is unto hope , ) what shall we do , that we may inherit aeternal life ? which life being hid with christ in god , ( as st. paul speaks to the colossians , ) for god's sake whither should we go , either to seek it when it is absent , or to find it when it is hid , or to secure it when it is found , unless to him who hath the words of eternal life ? that is , the words which are the means by which alone we may attain to eternal life . the words which teach us how to know it , the words which tell us where to seek it , the words which shew us how to find it , the words which afford us those rules and precepts , by our conformity unto which we cannot but take it into possession ? there is no other name to make us inheritors of eternity , but only the name of our lord iesus christ , acts . . and considering what is said by our blessed saviour , that this ( and this only ) is life eternal , to know the only true god , [ with a practical knowledge ] and iesus christ whom he hath sent , ( john . . ) we should religiously resolve , not to know any thing else . not ( i mean ) in comparison of iesus christ and him crucified ; nor yet to any other end , than to serve and assist us in that one knowledge . look what carking and caring any covetous man useth to get his wealth ; look what industry and labour an ambitious man useth to get his honour ; look what vigilance and solicitude any amorous man useth to get his idol ; the same solicitude and diligence is each religious man to use , for the getting of an interest in iesus christ. which gives me a passage from the second to the third observable i proposed ; from the nature and quality of the young man's inquiry , to the condition of the oracle inquired of . as he sought for nothing less than eternal life , so did he seek it from him alone , who is the way to that life , and the life it self . he did not go to take advice from the witch of endor ; ( for the madness of saul had made him wiser , or more at least in his wits , than to knock at hell-door for the way to heaven ; ) nor did he ask of apollo pythius , or go to iupiter ammon to be inform'd about the way to eternal life ; ( for all the oracles of the heathen were put to silence by our messias , ( as plutarch and others of their own great writers have well observ'd ) and should they speak never so loudly , he very well knew they could not teach him ; ) nor did he go to aaron's ephod , to ask the urim and thummim about the means of his salvation ; ( for he knew that that oracle was now grown dimm , and that in case it had been legible , it could not help him ; ) nor did he betake himself to moses , the iewish law-giver , much less to the scribes , the learned interpreters of the law ; ( for he found mysterious moses had still a veil upon his face , which the scribes and pharisees were not able to remove ; ) much less durst he go to the law it self for a relief ; there being nothing more plain , than that the law worketh wrath : those tables of stone are as the hones or the grindstones , at which the sting of death is whetted , and made more sharp . for as the sting of death is sin , so the strength of sin is the law , ( cor. . . ) the law does thunder out a curse , as well as a rigid obligation , ( the one from mount ebal , as well as the other from mount sinai , ) upon every soul of man who shall but fail in the least iota . for it is written ( saith st. paul , who only saith it out of the law , ) cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them . or ( to consider it yet more distinctly ) admit aeternal life had been expected from the law by this inquirer , yet sure it may sooner be ask't than answer'd , to which of the laws he should have had recourse for it ? certainly not to the ceremonial ; for that was but a shadow of things to come , whereof the body is christ , ( coloss. . . ) the very sacrifice of the law was not able to expiate , but only to commemorate the peoples sins , ( heb. . . ) therefore in vain would he have sought to the ceremonial law : and as vainly to the iudicial ; for that was a politick constitution peculiar only to the iews , and reaching no farther than to a civil iurisdiction . much less yet could he seek to the moral law of moses for life eternal ; for the moral law exacted so universal an obedience , and also denounced so great a curse ( as i said before ) on the least omission , that he could look for nothing thence but the justest matter of despair . for first our nature is so corrupt , and our persons so much corrupter , since our having found out many inventions , that if we say we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us , ( john . . ) and secondly if righteousness come by the law , then is christ dead in vain , ( gal. . . ) what then remain'd to this inquisitive iew , but that the law should be his schoolmaster to bring him unto christ ? ( gal. . . ) the law being adapted by the infinite wisdom of god's oeconomy , either to lead or to drive him thither . for requiring more from him than he was able to perform , and yet denouncing a curse on his non-performance , it could not but make him stand affrighted at the ugly condition he was in ; i mean his desperate impossibility of ever attaining to life eternal , by the meer perfection of his obedience . hence he saw it concern'd him to seek somewhere else . he found it clear by demonstration , ( and by the woful demonstration of sad experience , ) he stood in need of a saviour , and of such a saviour too , as might deliver him from the curse and from the rigour of the law , by being made both a curse and a ransom for him . again he saw both by the doctrins , and by the miracles of christ , that he was most likely to be that saviour ; to wit a saviour from whom he was to look for such a clue , as might be able to conduct him out of the labyrinth he was in . and therefore just as this saviour was gone forth into the way , this kind of neophyte in my text came running to him , and asked him , ( meekly kneeling upon his knees , ) good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit eternal life ? now if christ was his oracle who only liv'd under the law , how much more must he be ours , who were born and bred under the gospel ? shall men of our dignity and profession , of our proficiency and growth in the school of christ , ( an holy generation , a royal priesthood , a peculiar people , ) shall such as we go in inquest of life eternal , to such deceivable oracles , as either zuinglius , or calvin , piscator , or erastus , or iohn of leyden ? to the sepulchres of martyrs , to the discipline of monasteries , to daily ave maries and masses , to papal indulgences or bulls , or to the outward scarrifications and buffettings of the flesh ? shall we lean upon such reeds as will but run through our elbows ? or shall we inlighten our selves by candles , when behold the sun of righteousness is long since risen in our horizon ? or to fly for refuge to the saints , when behold a saviour ? christ is called very fitly the sun of righteousness , ( mal. . . ) to whom the apostles are but as stars in the firmament of the gospel , which only shine forth with a borrowed light , and have no other brightness than what he lends them . now all the stars in the firmament cannot make up one sun , or afford us one day without his presence . just so all the learned and the good men on earth , all the angels & saints in heaven cannot make up one saviour , ( or but light us the way to eternal life ) without the influence and lustre of jesus christ. iairus , a ruler of the synagogue , a man that wanted no worldly means whereby to cure his only daughter , did yet despair of her recovery , until he fell down at the feet of christ , ( luke . . ) and so the woman who had been sick of a bloody flux no less than twelve years together , and had spent all she had in physicians fees , was not the better but the worse , until she crowded towards christ , and touch't the hemm of his garment , ( luke . . ) that we are every one sick of a bloody flux too , appears by our scarlet and crimson sins . which flux and fountain of our sins can never possibly be cur'd , unless by him who is the fountain for sin and for uncleanness , ( zach. . . ) for as red wine is good for a bloody flux in the body , so is that which gushed out of our saviour's body , who called himself the true vine , the only good thing for this disease in the soul. and of this wine we drink in the cup of blessing which we bless , in the sacrament of the body and blood of christ. to him alone must we fly as to the physician of our souls ; who saith to us under the gospel , as once to israel under the law , i am the lord god that healeth thee , exod . . . he alone ( saith st. peter ) is the head-stone of the corner , nor is there salvation in any other , ( acts . , . ) it pleased the father , that in him should all fulness dwell , ( coloss. . ) and of his fulness have all we received grace for grace , ( john . . ) all things necessary to life , and to life eternal , are delivered to him of the father , ( matth. . . ) and this 't will be easy out of scripture , ( for i am speaking to believers , i should not else produce a text , ) to make apparent by an induction . for first if we are hungry , he alone is the bread of life , which whoso eateth shall live for ever , ( john . . ) next if we are thirsty , he alone is the living water , which whoso drinketh shall never thirst , ( john . . ) thirdly if we are foul , he alone has that blood by which we may be cleansed from all our sins , ( john . . ) fourthly if we are foolish , he is the wisdom of the father , who hath laid up in him all the treasures of knowledge , ( coloss. . . ) he is doctor catholicus , and only he. for when he was transfigur'd upon mount tabor , a bright cloud overshadow'd him , and behold a voice out of the cloud , this is my beloved son , hunc audite , hear him , ( matth. . . ) it is the top of that wisdom which we are capable of on earth , to sit with mary at his feet , and to hear his word , ( luke . , . ) fifthly if we inquire for the only true way , which leadeth unto life , and to life eternal , he alone is the way , the truth , and the life , ( john . . ) are we affrighted at the law ? he alone hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us , ( gal. . . ) in a word : he is the true noah's ark , whereby to escape the inundations of sin and hell. he hath broken the ice , and made way for us , that we may enter into the gate , ( micah . . ) he is our ionathan after the spirit , who first hath scaled in his person the heavenly mountain , that we the bearers of his armour may follow after , ( sam. . . ) the ministration of his word is the spiritual chariot , by which he carries us with himself into the outward court of the temple , and thence at last within the veil into the sanctum sanctorum . he alone is the gate both of grace and salvation ; none can go unto the father , unless by him , ( john . . ) he alone is the iacob's ladder , whose top reacheth into the heavens ; that is to say the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by which as by a bridge , or isthmus , heaven and earth are tyed together ; angels and men pass to and fro ; angels to men , and men to angels . by him hath the father reconciled all things unto himself , ( coloss. . . ) he it is that invites us , when we are weary and heavy laden , to come unto him for a refreshment , ( matth. . ) from him the spirit and the bride say , come : and let him that heareth say , come . and let him that is athirst , come . and whosoever will , let him come and take freely of the water of life , ( rev. . . ) all which being consider'd , we thus may argue within our selves . if the great queen of shebah did choose to take so long a iourney as from shebah to ierusalem , and all to hear a wise man speak , ( matth. . . ) or if socrates , though an heathen , was such a lover of wisdom , as to travel for his improvement through several countries , and put himself to learn of every great master that he could hear of ; with how much a greater force of reason should we travel far and near to find out the wisdom of the father ? to learn of that good , as well as great master , who alone hath the words of eternal life ? but some perhaps may here object , that the man in the text met with christ in the way , whilst here on earth . how shall we find him out since his ascension into heaven ? the psalmist tells us he is in heaven , and in hell too . if we go up into heaven , he is there ; and if we go down into hell , he is there also . but to heaven we cannot , and to hell we dare not go . to which the answer is very obvious . that if christ is in hell , because he is every where , by the necessity of his godhead ; he is by consequence here on earth too , for the very same reason . and that we may not say with seneca , [ qui ubique , nusquam , ] that he who is every where is no where , for that he is every where invisible , and so as difficultly found as if he were not ; the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise , say not in thine heart , who shall ascend into heaven ? ( that is to bring christ down from above ) or who shall descend into the deep ? ( that is to bring up christ again from the dead , ) for christ in his word , is very nigh thee , even in thy mouth , and in thine heart , that is , the word of faith which we preach . we need not go to compostella , or travel in pilgrimage to other places , where they pretend at least to shew us his seamless coat , and his cross , and his crown of thorns . we need go no farther than to his word , and his sacraments , his ministers , and his members . and having thus found him out , we must not content our selves , with herod , to gaze upon him in curiosity ; but , with zachaeus , out of devotion . nor must we grow old in our setting out , but rather hasten to him betimes , and as fast as we can run too , and as humbly as it is possible we must go kneeling to him , and ask him , good master , what shall we do ? or with the disciples upon the sea , master , master , we perish . that is , we perish of our selves , without thy stretched out hand to support and save us . and therefore lift we up our voices , with those ten lepers in the way , iesus master , have mercy on us . for indeed he will never have mercy on us , unless we have mercy upon our selves , that is to say , unless we take him upon his own most righteous terms ; not only as a iesus who came to save us , but withal as a master , who does expect to be served by us . and this does lead me to consider the compellation of our inquirer , concerning which i shall discourse upon the next opportunity . now to the king eternal , immortal , invisible , the only wise god , be honour and glory for ever and ever . the goodness of christ as a legislator . mark x. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit aeternal life ? § . having done with the person who here inquires , and with the excellent nature of his inquiry , and with the only true oracle inquired of ; it now remains that i proceed to the significant compellation , wherewith the person who here inquires , praepares the way to his inquiry . the compellation ( as hath been said ) does consist of two parts ; first the subject , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , master ; next the adjunct or qualification , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , good. § . from the first being compared with the matter of the question , ( that is to say , with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) 't is very obvious to draw forth this doctrinal proposition . that the son of god incarnate , who at present is our advocate , and will hereafter be our iudge , and who purposely came to save us from the tyranny of our sins , is not only a saviour to offer promises to our faith , but also a master to exact obedience to his commands . we must not only believe him , which is but to have him in our brains ; nor must we only confess him , which is but to have him in our mouths ; no nor must we only love him , which ( were it possible to be done ) were only to have him in our hearts ; but farther yet we must obey him and do him service , which is to have him in our hands and our actions too . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; master , what shall i do ? § . a proposition of such importance to all that are candidates for heaven , and solicitous for the way which will lead us thither ; that truly a sermon on such a subject should be as long as a man's life . we cannot touch on that string either too often , or too much , by which we are taught to bear a part in the quire of heaven . and therefore if at present i only touch upon it in short , i would be known so to do for these two reasons . first because i must consider it in the second doctrinal proposition , ( it being impossible to consider that christ is a good master , and not to consider at the same time that he is a master ; ) next because i shall resume it upon a sitter passage of scripture , which i shall handle either in this , or in a neighbouring congregation . § . it shall therefore suffice me to say at present , that almost all the appellatives which are any where given to christ in scripture , do either express or imply his empire . he is a prince in the prophet esa , and has a government on his shoulders ; a ruler in micah ; a sun of righteousness in malachi . in as much as we are soldiers , he is the captain of our salvation ; as the sheep of his pasture , he is our shepherd ; as fellow members of a body , he is our head. he is a king and a lord in the revelations . nor is he only as other kings , the lord 's anointed , or the lord 's christ ; but by way of supereminence , christ the lord. * the lord of life he is in one place ; and the † lord of glory in another . every tongue must confess that iesus christ is the lord , ( phil. . . ) § . farther yet , he is a lawgiver , as well as a lord. for so we read in two prophets , ( who plainly speak it of our messias , ) out of zion shall go forth a law , ( isa. . . mic. . . ) and our apostle tells us expresly , that however we are free from the law of moses , yet still we are under the law to christ , ( cor. . . ) to understand which the better , we must know the moral law imports a threefold obligation . one , as being the law of nature ; and so 't is obliging to all mankind . another , as being the law of moses ; and so 't is obliging in special manner unto the iews . a third , as being the law of christ ; and so 't is obliging unto as many , as do call upon the name of our lord jesus christ. who did not come to make the law of none effect through faith , ( as many thought in st. paul's days , and more in ours , ) but by faith to establish the law , rom. . . that 't is indeed the law of christ , and the law to be fulfill'd , is very evident from the words of st. paul to the galatians , bear ye one anothers burdens , and so fulfil the law of christ , ( gal. . . ) § . thus we see by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which here relates to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is meant a master to command , as well as teach . for moses himself was somewhat more than a teaching master , who yet did humbly submit and do obeysance unto christ ; as when a king enters a city , the maior of the town yields up his mace. moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant ; but christ as a son , and as a son over his own house , whose house are we , ( heb. . , . ) when i say that master moses did submittere fasces , as it were yield up his mace to christ , i speak as prompted by himself in the eighteenth of deuteronomy , at the fifteenth verse ; where saith moses to the people , ( by a divine and prophetick spirit , ) the lord thy god will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me , unto him shalt thou hearken ; that is , to him shalt thou be obedient . a text so plainly understood touching the mastership of christ , or of his being a legislator , that 't is cited by st. peter in the third chapter of the acts ; and by st. stephen , acts the seventh ; and by both to the purpose at which i drive . to which agreeth this observation , that as at the close of our saviour's sermon which he deliver'd upon the mount , he is said to have taught the astonish't people , as one having authority , and not as the scribes , ( matth. . ult . ) so in the close of that commission with which he shut up all his sermons , and sent his preachers into the world , he gave them charge to preach his gospel , as that in which was contained his royal law. [ all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth , go ye therefore , and teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you , ( matth. ult . ult . ) in a due discharge of which commission , we find st. paul , ( rom. . ) and st. iames , ( chap. . ) and st. peter and st. iohn , in several parts of their epistles , requiring absolute obedience to the commandments of christ , that is to christ , as a legislator . the words of st. paul are most remarkable , ( cor. . . ) circumcision is nothing , and uncircumcision is nothing , but the keeping of the commandments . as if the apostle should have said , let us not please our selves too much with our being of this or that religion , embracing such or such a sect. for no man living shall be sav'd for being of this or that profession , a iew , or a gentile , an unbeliever , or a believer , ( a papist or a protestant , a presbyterian , or a prelatist . ) but men are better , or worse , and in a more savable or unsavable condition , as they are more or less obedient to the commandments of christ. this i take to be the meaning of that expression in st. paul , which is so far only difficult as it is spoken by an ellipsis : circumcision is nothing , and uncircumcision is nothing , * but the keeping of the commandments is all in all . that is it must do us good in the day of wrath , because 't is that that christ requires , as the condition of the covenant 'twixt him and us. and without which it is impossible that we receive him as a lord. but there is nothing more pertinent to prove the mastership of christ , ( as here we have it in the text , ) than his own resolution of the young mans question , as we find it set down in st. matthew's gospel ; where no sooner was it ask't by our inquirer , [ good master what good thing shall i do that i may inherit eternal life ; ] but straight the master return'd this answer , if thou wilt enter into life , keep the commandments , ( matth. . . ) and being presently ask't which , our saviour passed by the first , and only instanced in those of the second table . to shew , that faith will not avail us without obedience ; nor obedience to the first table without obedience unto the second . whereby 't is intimated unto us , that they are desperately erroneous who think they are lovers of their god , whilst they are haters of their neighbour ; and that because they do not worship more gods than one , have no images in churches , are no swearers , or sabbath-breakers , they have therefore discharged their duty towards god , notwithstanding their dishonouring of publick parents , their killing , their cousening , and their bearing false-witness . such as these must be taught by the answer of this master to this inquiry , that their chiefest duty towards god is their duty towards their neighbour ; and that their godliness is but guile , whilst they acknowledge the true god , and yet disown his vicegerent ; abhor idols , and yet commit sacrilege ; scruple at vain or common swearing , but yet dissemble , and lye , and enter into solemn covenants against their many most sacred and praevious oaths ; whilst they are strict sabbatizers , but disorderly walkers six days in the week ; ever putting on the form , but ever denying the power of godliness . the good master in the text will not thus be serv'd by us ; for he expects good servants too . and to our being good servants , there is nothing more needful , than that we be honest and upright men . in this especially ( saith our saviour ) consists the way to eternal life . so that the liberty and freedom so much spoken of in the gospel is a manumission from satan , and not from christ ; who did not live our example , that we might not imitate him ; or praescribe us praecepts , that we might not obey them . no , the liberty of the gospel doth only make us the more his servants . and though his service is perfect freedom , yet doth it not cease to be a service . for as he that is called in the lord , being a servant , is the lord's free-man ; so is he the lord's servant , who is called being free , cor. . . we are not said with greater truth to be infranchiz'd by the gospel , than to have made an exchange of masters . we were before servants to sin , but now to righteousness . before to satan , but now to christ. we did before serve an hard master , but now a good one . and this i come to shew at large upon my second doctrinal proposition . that our lord and saviour jesus christ is not any severe egyptian master , but a master full of mercy and loving kindness . and this he is in two respects , in respect of the work which he requires , which is not foesible only , but pleasant ; and of the wages which he promiseth , aeternal life . he is , for each of these reasons , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a good master . § . that he is a good master , and a good master in perfection , we may discern by the particulars of which a perfect good master must be compos'd . for he who exacts no more duty than we are able to discharge , and yet affords a greater recompence than we are able to deserve ; he who sets us such a task , as is not only always possible , but most times * easy ; nor only easy to be perform'd , but also pleasant in the performance ; he who treateth his servants as friends and brethren , as if he were their fellow-servant , or indeed his servants servant ; he who when he takes upon him the most of mastership and empire , commands his servants no meaner things , than he himself in his person hath done before them ; he who when he is affronted , is very easily reconcil'd , and even sues to his servants for reconcilement ; he whose work is worth the doing because to do it is a reward , and yet rewards it when it is done , above all that we are able to ask or think ; he is sure a good master , and a good master in perfection ; even as good as we are able to wish , or fancy . and just such a master is iesus christ. he is the master that makes us free , ( gal. . . ) the master whose service is perfect freedom . rom. . , . the master that frees us from all other masters besides himself . the master that bids us call no man master upon earth , for one is our master , and he in heaven , matth. . . § . indeed if moses were our master , and none but he ; our case were then very hard . for he requireth more service than we are able to perform , and pronounceth a curse in case we do not perform it , and yet affords not any strength whereby to adapt us for the performance . but yet however he is an hard master , he is not a cruel or an unjust one , because he is an hard master in order to a just and a gracious end. that is , he drives us from himself , to make us look out for a better master . he gives us a law by which we cannot be justified , ( gal. . . ) that we may seek to be justified by somewhat else . he pronounceth a curse to as many as are of the works of the law , that he may fright us into his arms , who hath redeemed us from the curse by being made a curse for us , ( gal. . . ) in a word , he is our schoolmaster to bring us unto christ , that being under christ we may be no longer under a schoolmaster , ( gal. . , . ) and thus having ascended from moses to christ , from the hard master to the mild one , we are no longer under the tyranny and exactions of the law , but under the kingdom and state of grace , ( rom. . . ) no longer in bondage under the elements of the world , ( gal. . . ) but have received the adoption of sons , ( v. . ) we are no longer under a master who can only forbid sin , but we are now under a master who can forgive it . no longer under a hard master , who the longer we serve him , keeps us in bondage so much the more ; but we are now under a good one , who turns our service into sonship , translating us into heirs and coheirs with himself , ( v. . ) § . but here it cannot be deny'd , that if we look upon christ as nothing more than a master , who came not to abrogate , but to fill up the law , ( matth. . . ) our condition is not better , but rather worse than it was before . for christ is stricter in his precepts than moses was ; and seems to have set us an harder task . he commands us to forgive and to love our enemies ; not to look upon a woman with the adultery of the eye ; to rejoyce in persecutions ; and to leap for ioy when we are mourners ; he commands us to fight with all that is in the world ; and not to give over fighting until we conquer . i therefore say with all that is in the world , because as the sublunary world was divided of old ( before the times of columbus , and americus vesputius , ) into these three parts , europe , asia , and africa , to wit the parts of that world which was created by god alone ; so st. iohn in his first epistle hath divided the world of sin and wickedness , the world created by men and devils . for as he tells us in one place , that the whole world lyeth in wickedness , ( like a * net cast into the sea , ) so he tells us in another , that all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eye , and the pride of life . and methinks this trichotomy hath such an analogy with the former , as that the one may seem to have given occasion unto the other . africa for its heat , to the lust of the flesh ; europe for its avarice , to the lust of the eye ; asia for its bravery , to the pride of life . now to conquer a world of temporal enemies , is more than any one man could yet attain to ; how much less can any conquer a world of sin ? such an amorous man as scipio might sooner conquer all africa , than the lust of the flesh. such a ravenous man as caesar might sooner conquer all europe , than the lust of the eye . such an ambitious man as alexander might sooner conquer all asia , than the pride of life . all these admirable victors were slaves to sin , which had subdued them from their cradles , and led them captive into their graves . admit that alexander had conquered the world without him , ( which yet we know he did not , and livy tells us he could not do , ) sure we are he was enslaved to the world within him ; to the lust of the flesh , by the queen of the amazons ; to the lust of the eye , which nothing could fill but another's empire ; and to the pride of life too , because by that he affected an apotheosis upon earth . but now the soldiers and servants of iesus christ are commanded to conquer this world of sin. and that our master should command us to overcome that triumvirate , to which the universe of men hath so long been tributary , may seem as unreasonable to flesh and blood , as to flesh and blood it is impossible . so that it cannot be deny'd , but that if christ were nothing more than a master to us , we should not only be in a dangerous , but in a desperate condition . and the setting his servants so hard a task , would loudly speak him as hard a master . § . but again we must confess on the other side , that if we look upon christ as more and better than a master , to wit a sacrifice , and a priest , an elder brother , and an advocate , not only a lawgiver , but a propitiation , not only a * prince , but a * saviour too , who gives * repentance as well as praecepts , and * forgiveness of sins ; who requires no more of us than he enables us to perform , and expects not to reap , but after the measure that he hath sown ; our case is infinitely better than under the paedagogie of moses , and we must needs be concluded to serve a very good master . for though he bids us have an eye to the perfection of his commands , yet is he pleas'd to have an eye to the imperfection of our nature , and looks not on the imperfection , but on the meer sincerity of our obedience . though we must fasten an eye of fear on the exactness of his injunctions , yet he does cast an eye of favour upon our weakness to undergo them . this is a rule which will never fail us . ( and be it spoken to the comfort of whosoever has a wounded and broken spirit ; ) our master christ is so good , as to put a great value upon the willingness of our minds ; accepts the tribute of our obedience , even according to the power and ability which we have , not according to what we have not , ( cor. . . ) he either enjoyneth no harder things than he gives us ability to accomplish , or else he satisfieth his iustice with a great deal less than he injoyneth . in each of which cases he is a very good master . for what we cannot perform for want of strength , he himself hath performed in our behalf , and still doth take in good part our hearty indeavours of performance . be it so that he leads us upon very hot service ; commands us to fight against all the world ; and fight it out until we conquer ; ( or at least until we are beaten into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , into more-than-conquerours , by being manfully overcome , and valiantly trodden under foot ; ) yet if we equally consider , as well the proof of our armour , as the prowess of our enemies , comparing the armory of grace with the artillery of temptations ; and the strength of him that fights for us , with the strenth of him that fights against us ; we cannot choose but confess ( if we have any ingenuity abiding in us ) that as there are lusts of the flesh , which war against the soul , so there are weapons of the spirit , which are abundantly sufficient to give them battle . and though our enemies are so urgent , that we cannot expect to injoy a peace ; yet when christ is our captain , we may rationally hope to obtain a victory . and sure a victory over sin , must needs be very much better , than to be at peace with it . if indeed we can do all things through christ that strengthens us , ( as the apostle tells us we can ) how can we dare to be afraid , whilst our commander is our strength too , who whilst he leads us by his example , does also follow us by his grace ? 't is true indeed , had he commanded us to fight , where he knew we must be conquer'd ; and only promised an eternity , upon the performance of things impossible ; it had not been to incourage , but jear our weakness ; to reproach our endeavours , and not reward them . but ( to speak in the phrase of the royal psalmist ) the lord is righteous in all his ways , and perfectly holy in all his works . the fortifications of every soul are so proportion'd to the besiegers , that ( excepting such as pharaoh , who was finally given over , ) god permits not a temptation to make a battery , where he provides not a grace to prevent a breach . — nec enim bone ductor magnarum virtutum inopes , nervisque carentes christicolas vitiis populantibus exposuisti . as by the tenor of his praecepts we must do any thing that we ought , so by the power of his grace we can do any thing that we must . for 't was very truly said by the pythagoreans , that ability does dwell the next door to necessity . we can , if we will , shut out adultery from the eye , and keep out murder from the heart . but then the utmost of their assaults requires the utmost of our resistance . we cannot do it by sleeping , or sitting still . it is required that we stir up the gift of god that is in us , and exert our very utmost of skill and strength . there is a time when we must strive to such a degree against sin , as to resist it even to blood. as god on his part is faithful , and will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength , so must we be faithful too , and persevere in our resistance , although our resistance may cost us dear . § . i cannot make this plainer than by example , nor by a plainer example than what our own good master was pleas'd to give us , matth. . , , . where first having forbidden us even to look upon a woman with such an eye , as is the inlet of vanity , or the outlet of lust , he immediately commands us , if our eye offend us , to pluck it out ; if our hand offend us , to cut it off ; if our feet offend us , to cast them from us . that if we cannot conquer one way , to wit by way of prevention , we may yet do it another , by way of cure. or that if we cannot conquer our ghostly enemy , yet at least we may vex him by our escape . if we can do either , it will suffice . for if we are able to keep our eye from offending us , then we need not pluck it out ; or if we are able to pluck it out , then we can keep it from offending us . and this is most certain , that if we fail of the one , we may attain unto the other . if we cannot keep our eye from offending or insnaring us , or from making us to stumble and fall into sin , ( as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does there import ) yet ( like democritus in tertullian ) we can pluck it out of our head , and cast it from us . or if we cannot keep in our tongue , yet ( like zeno eleates ) we can chaw it between our teeth , and so spit it out of our mouths . if not our heart from scandalizing us , yet ( like cato vticensis , ) we can tear it out of our bosome . or we can take a more gentle and legal course . for we can block up its avenues , and intercept its provisions , and so compel it to a surrender for want of victuals . there is not any kind of devil , no not the devil of concupiscence , but may be cast our of the heart , one way or other . fervent prayer peradventure will exorcise it of it self ; especially if we continue and persevere in that duty ; if we pray without ceasing , and that in the sense of the apostle . but if to the stratagem of prayer , we add the engine of fasting too ; and of fasting from the occasion , as well as from the food of that hungry enemy ; we shall famish and enfeeble the strongest lust ; and so by famishing the monster , preserve the man. § . but some perhaps may here object , and silently expostulate within themselves : is the case of us christians so hard and tedious , as that we cannot be saints but at the price of being monsters ? are we not fit to see god , 'till we have pluck't out our eyes ? or must we cut off our hands , for the working out of our salvation ? or must we cut off our feet and cast them from us , that we may walk so much the better in the narrow way of the commandments ? does not st. iohn tell us of christ , ( to prove he is a good master , ) that his commandments are not grievous ? but what more grievous , than to pluck out an eye ? and are we not told by christ himself , ( to prove he is a good master , ) that his yoke is easy , and his burden light ? but what is more uneasy , than to cut off an hand ? what more burdensome to our shoulders , than what we cannot stand under , unless with the loss of our very feet ? and how is christ a good master , whilst he placeth his servants in such great exigences and streights , that to preserve our integrity , we must be forc't to be dismember'd ? if that which opens into life is such a very strait gate , that to make our selves slender , we must cut off our hands ; and a gate so very low , that to be short enough to enter , we must cut off our feet ; where is the easiness of the service so often talk't of ? this proves indeed he is a master with a witness , but that he is a good one , it does not prove . this indeed shews his work is possible ; but 't was affirm'd it should be easy , and pleasant too . § . 't is true i did , and still i do . for though to one who should literally pull his eye out of his head , i might say with as good reason , as he in * cedrenus did to didymus , [ be not troubled at the loss of those fleshly eyes , which are obnoxious to the attempts of every petulant fly ; but let it rather be thy comfort , that by being thus blinded , thou hast such eyes left thee , as by which angels themselves do see , ] i say though this were an answer which might satisfie the objection , and which would not with ease be reply'd unto , yet the answer i shall give will be far more welcome . for the words of our master are spoken only by a figure , and do signifie in substance no more than this ; that we must rather part with any thing , than at once with the purity and the salvation of our souls . be it friend , or profit , be it pleasure , or reputation , whatsoever we love as we love our eyes , or think as useful to our purpose as hands and feet ; yet if it entice us to any wickedness by which we shipwrack our conscience , or fall from the favour of our god , we must rather cut it off , and cast it from us , than indure to be captiv'd by its allurements . if before we are aware we are surpriz'd with a temptation , so as lust does conceive and is impregn'd in the heart , we must destroy it in that instant , e're it hath time to bring forth . or if perhaps it hath brought forth the act of sin , we then must rob it of the all that may feed and nourish it , that so it may be no more than an act of sin ; and that , for want of provision , it may not prosper into an habit . it being better to suffer any thing , in hindering lust from conceiving , and from bringing forth sin , than suffer sin ( by being finished , ) to bring forth death . this i conceive to be the upshot of those hard sayings , if thine eye offend thee , pluck it out ; if thine hand offend thee , cut it off ; if thy foot offend thee , cast it from thee . nay in the judgment of st. chrysostom , ( upon the place , ) to pluck out our eyes , is but to turn them aside from their tempting objects . to cut off our hands , is only to lay them upon our hearts . and to cast our feet from us , is no more than to direct them another way ; to abstain from the occasions and opportunities of evil ; to turn aside from all incentives and temptations unto sin. and therefore hitherto there is nothing in this very hardest of christ's commands , but what consisteth with his being a very good master . for since he commands what he commands us , both in order to our gaining the greatest good , and in order to our escape from the greatest evil ; ( a lake which evermore burns with fire and brimstone ; ) the very hardest and sharpest of his commands , must be comparatively easy , and pleasant too . thus i have dwelt somewhat long upon this one precept , [ if thine eye offend thee , pluck it out , ] because it seems to be the hardest our master christ hath praescrib'd ; and so by consequence to evince him a good master here , is to evidence his goodness in all the rest . § . if again it be objected , that our master doth praescribe us an impossible task , whilst he commands us to be perfect as our father in heaven is perfect , although the * righteous man falleth seven times a day ; † and in many things we offend all ; and no ‖ flesh is righteous in the sight of god. § . the answer to it is briefly this : that 't is not said by our master , [ be ye as perfect as your father in heaven , ] but , be ye perfect as he is perfect . which is as if he should have said , be ye perfect pro modulo , as he is perfect sine modo . you after your measure , as he without it . it is meant of a likeness , and not at all of an equality . be ye perfect , as the word perfect is oppos'd to unsincere , and only signifies integrity ; not as opposed to infirm , and signifies absolute perfection . or to expound it more exactly , our master speaks in that place touching the latitude of our charity , which he would not have confin'd within the limits of our country , or our acquaintance , our friends , and brethren ; but he would have us extend our love , as our father in heaven extendeth his , as well to our enemies , as to our friends . that this is the meaning of the text , is very evident from the context , and from the parallel place of scripture , luke . . where on the very same occasion of exhorting his disciples to love their enemies , he concludes in these words , be ye merciful as your father in heaven is merciful . but now suppose that that text were to be literally expounded , and that our master had commanded us , not only an impartial , but an immaculate obedience ; an obedience without sin , as well as without unsincerity ; yet by aristotle's rule , which may be a rule amongst christians too , [ that what is possible by our friends , is also possible to us , ] our obedience may be adequate to the very exactest of his commands . for our master is our friend ; ( as he himself hath call'd himself , iohn . . ) and he hath satisfied the law , as well by his active , as by his passive obedience ; and this he hath done in our behalf too . and if by the friendship of our master ( imputing to us his own obedience ) his commands are foesible , and to be done ; if we can do all things through him that strengthens us by his grace , through him that directs us by his example , through him that satisfies for our rebellions by his perfection of obedience in our behalf ; we can never sure complain of an egyptian task-master , but may modestly rather make him st. austin's challenge , da domine quod jubes , & jube quod vis . do thou command us , ô lord , even what thou wilt , whilst thou dost give us both to will , and also to do what thou commandest . § . come we now from the first unto the following ingredients , of which a perfectly good master must be compos'd . he sets his servants such a task , as is not only possible , but easy too ; nor only easy to be done , but pleasant commonly in the doing . first so easy to be done , that sincerity is imputed and reckon'd to us in stead of innocence ; and a well-meant endeavour doth pass with christ for a performance . himself hath told us ( matth. . . ) that as pretious as heaven is , we may have it for the asking . as inaccessibly as god is plac'd , we may find him for the seeking . and as fast as the door is shut , we shall have it open'd for but the knocking . 't is true indeed our good master hath both a yoke , and a burden , ( matth. . . ) but the one is so easy , and the other is so light , that even his yoke gives us freedom , and his burden strength . it is therefore a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or cold expression in st. iohn , to say his commandments are not grievous ; for ( to use the physician 's language ) they are cordial and restaurative to such as faint , paregorical and anodynous to such as are in great pain . witness the recipe which is given by the great physician of our souls , matth. . . where first having praemised , come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden , and i will give you rest ; he presently adds this receipt , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , take my yoke upon you , [ that is , my praecepts , ] and ye shall find rest unto your souls . he binds us , we see , but with silken fetters . he loads us indeed , but as the poets loaded atlas , when they plac'd that heaven upon his shoulders , without the influence of which he could not have stood upon his feet . thus our lord ( without a fiction ) bids us bear our own prop , and undergo such a burden as holds us up ; yea such a burden as mounts us upwards . nor could we soar as high as heaven , if we were not thus laden . § . such is the easiness of our service ; and then for the pleasantness , we have the verdict of st. chrysostom , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . vertue , without a heaven , is so much pleasanter than vice , that all the school of the peripateticks thought sit to call it their summum bonum . nor is there any thing more obvious in several parts of our gospel , than for grace to be express'd by the kingdom of heaven . as if our present state of grace were the inchoation of our glory ; and that by the newness of our life , we did but antedate our resurrection . the greatest happiness under heaven , being as aristotle defines it , when * our souls are ever working by the square and directions of the most exact and consummate vertue . for what but this was the design of our own good master , in that abridgment of all his precepts , be ye perfect as your father in heaven is perfect ? § . that other master of mens souls , christ's competitor for our service , treats all his vassals with greater tyranny , than even the malice of zosimus could describe in constantine , or suetonius in vespasian . not only puts excize upon their offices of nature , and makes them prostitute their daughters to pay their tribute ; but even tortures them with the moral of what the poets could but invent. uses the proud man like sisyphus , the envious like prometheus , the avaricious like tantalus , and the lustful like ixion . but now with this let us compare the most reasonable service which christ injoyns . he does not busy us at once about many things . for his commandments at the largest are but a decalogue , and yet are shrunk to a dichotomie . the whole duty of a christian being only this , to love his god with all his heart , and his neighbour as himself . now is there any thing in the world , either more suitable to our nature , or more agreable to our desires , ( i mean to our desires either of profit , or reputation , ) than to love god and our neighbour after the measure that he injoyns ? nothing sure is more noble , than by the loving of our god , to become his favourites and friends ; nothing more profitable or gainful , than by the loving of our neighbour , to lay up treasure upon use in the bank of heaven . yet into these two bottoms the several duties of a christian are all wound up . which if we unravel into particulars , what a lovely rank of graces may we observe to march forth ? such as are faith , and humility , chastity , and sobriety , mercifulness , and iustice , and other couples of the like nature ; quae utique omnia non onerant nos , sed ornant , as somewhere salvian is pleas'd to word it . that is , our duty is so much our ornament , our labour so much our ease , and our burden so much our prop , that our good master in effect requires no more of us than this , that at least for his sake , if not our own , we will do so much as be at liberty ; that we will gratisie him so far , as to take our ease ; and that in love to so good a master , we will vouchsafe but to be happy . § . but , to pass a little farther to other instances of a good master ; our master christ doth command us no meaner things , than he himself in his person hath done before us . he suffer'd a birth , that he might be under the law ; and - indur'd a life , that he might fulfil it . like the emperour hadrian in spartianus , ( who underwent as much service as the meanest soldier in his army , ) our master thought it not below him , to wash and wipe his disciples feet : call'd iudas friend , in the same instant that he betray'd him . he emptied himself of glory ; became of no reputation ; not only prayed for his persecutors , but laid down his life even for them that took it away . in every action of his converse he set us a copy of obedience , as well to facilitate our transcript , as to commend it ; that we might neither think it much , nor find it difficult . § . it is another great point of our master's goodness , that he does not break with us for every fault . although we run away from him , ( as , god know's , we do too often ; ) yet he does not in his displeasure presently turn us out of his service ; but desires that his goodness may lead us back unto repentance . and as he is not soon offended , so when he is , he is quickly pleas'd . we shall be sure to find mercy , at the price of shewing it . for luke . . we are promis'd an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a cheap 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 't is but forgive , and ye shall be forgiven . nay so vehemently good is our master christ , that he sends and sues to us for our consent to be forgiven . we are embassadours for christ , ( saith st. paul by the spirit in his epistle to the corinthians , ) as if god himself did beseech you by us , we pray you in christ's stead , be ye reconciled unto god , ( cor. . . ) is not this a strange height of condescension , that god in christ should beseech us , and that christ by his ambassadours should pray unto us for a pacification ? that being neglected , he should court us ? that being repulsed , he should covet us ? that being buffetted , he should bless ? and most unworthily affronted , he should intreat ? nay consider what it is , which he intreats to have granted . not that he may be invited to be reconcil'd to us , but that we will be so gracious as to be reconcil'd to him ; implying god to be already reconciled unto us . and so his intreaty is only this , that having done him a thousand wrongs , we will at last be friends with him . that how many injuries soever we have offer'd him for the time pass't , we will not aggravate them all , by our contempt of that pardon he offers to us . that having offended against his iustice , we will not sin-away his love , and his mercy too . but that after the many breaches which we alone have made wide betwixt him and us , we will finally admit of a reconcilement . thus it appears by the ingredients of which a perfect good master may be compos'd , that jesus christ is a good master , and a good master in perfection . § . last of all , if to the work which our lord requires , to wit obedience unto his praecepts , we add the wages which he promiseth , eternal life , we must confess him as good a master , as his servants are able to wish , or fancy . do but compare him with the masters of greatest note amongst the heathen . * epicurus taught his scholars , that the greatest happiness they could aim at was the pleasure of the mind . aristippus and eudoxus were for that of the body . diodorus went no higher , than to the absence only of pain . herillus thought rather the perfection of knowledge . the stoicks gave the preference to an unpassionateness of life . the peripateticks made it of three ingredients . the first whereof was vertue , which they call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or great essential ; the second ingredient was a compound , comprehending all the goods both of body and fortune , and those as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not as parts , but subservients to the foelicity of man ; the third was pleasure , and that they were pleased to express by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not as a part , or a subservient , but a meer consequent of bliss . thus the great masters amongst the heathen did direct their disciples by the dimm light of nature . but christ alone is the good master , who has both taught us as his disciples , and also promis'd us as his servants , eternal life . § . and the least measure of such wages , as life added to eternity , and to both the fruition of god himself , is transcendently greater than the greatest measure of our obedience . a christian's vails are more worth , than his service comes to . the very earnest our master gives , ( if we compare it with our work , ) might very well suffice for our wages too . but his final reward ( which is express'd by life eternal ) does amount to so huge and unconceivable a value , that the case stands with us , as heretofore with simonides , when demanded by hiero the definition of god ; the longer we study to sum it up , the more we shall find it unconceivable . and what we cannot conceive , we can much less utter . it is not only the greatest that we can have , nor only the greatest that can be had , but even the greatest we are able to ask or think , the greatest we are able to wish or fancy . the very hope and expectation of life eternal , although at many years distance , and wrapt up in futurity , does carry with it the greatest pleasure of which we are capable whilst we are here ; not to mention those pleasures which it will ravish us with hereafter . for that is sure the greatest wages , and carries with it the greatest pleasure , whose very hope and expectation is apt to soften the hardest work , and able to alleviate the heaviest burden . but the hope and expectation of life eternal , and the glory to be reveal'd , is apt to soften the hardest work , and to lighten the heaviest burden ; therefore that is the greatest wages , and carries with it the greatest pleasure . the assumption is to be prov'd by an induction of particulars : i mean the admirable experiments which have been made in this life by saints and martyrs ; whose very torments have been sweeten'd and made delicious , by nothing else but the foretasts of life eternal . were life eternal nothing better , than a kind of perpetual youth , an unmovable station upon the point of one-and-twenty , we may guess how much admir'd , and how much coveted it would be , by the care which people take of their embonpoint . how many use their thrid of life , as prudent penelope did her web ? when being wound up to a real age , they unravel it again to a seeming youth ? so very willing they are to live , and yet so very unwilling to outlive beauty , that they will needs court eternity by a nursery of colours . so that when fifty or threescore years begin to be legible in their faces , ( characters there dug by the plough of time , ) a dash or two of their pencil will strike off twenty . and therefore the years which they have liv'd , though scarce the childhood of life eternal , may yet assist them in its discovery as far as a little imperfect guess . they who fain would never dye , can tell me best how sweet is life ; and they who fain would ne're be old , can best inform me of eternity . § . but i must not here make a panegyrick of life eternal ; as well because i insisted on it in considering the nature of the young man's inquiry , as because i must hasten to make advantage of what already hath been deliver'd . since therefore christ is so much a master , as to beget our greatest reverence ; and yet a master so full of goodness , as to merit our greatest love ; a master , to challenge our obedience ; and a good master , to invite it ; a master , to keep us from contempt ; and yet withal a good master , whereby to give us familiarity ; a master , to set us on work ; and a good master , to reward us ; since ( i say ) he is so good , as to be willing to allure , what he is so much a master , as to be able to compel ; since our imployment is not only very proportionable to our strength , but very conformable to our nature ; not only tending to our interest , but even agreeable to our desires ; since our master is goodness it self , our service freedom as well as pleasure , and our wages eternal life ; let us not serve him only for fear , but let us fear him only for love . rather as a good master , who will reward , than as a master , who can punish . let not our obedience be meerly servile , and only paid to the law of a carnal commandment , ( heb. . . ) but filial rather and ingenuous , to the law that is spiritual , ( rom. . . ) iob was objected against by satan , that he serv'd god for something ; and that the source of his obedience was but a mercenary devotion . now though we cannot but have something for serving god , yet ( that hell may not upbraid us ) let us serve him for nothing more , than the honour and happiness to serve him . shall we serve our good master from the same base principle , from which the very worst servants will serve an ill one ? for shame let us not serve him , as vanquish't people do serve their tyrants , or as some poor indians do serve the devil , only to the end that he may not hurt us . will he accept of our service ( think ye ) when we do make him our shelter , but not our choice ? a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or a meer plank after a shipwrack ? he is little beholding to such a proselyte , whom only his enemy hath made his friend ; and may rather thank hell for our obedience , when we come to him but in a fright . i would not ( with the woman who was met in the way by bishop ivo , with a firebrand in one hand , and a bucket of water in the other , ) either burn up the joys of heaven , or extinguish the fire of hell ; but so much i am of that woman's mind , that ( if i might have mine own wish , ) i would have all christian servants to love this master a great deal more than the ioys of heaven ; and i would have them fear his anger a great deal more than the pains of hell. if he did empty himself of glory , and as it were go out of himself to give us grace ; how should we empty our selves of all that is dear unto us , and even go out of our selves too , by self-denials , to advance his glory ? o let us therefore be such generous and disinteressed servants , as to vye obedience with his commands . in an humble kind of contention , let us indeavour to out-do , and ( if occasion ever serve ) to out-suffer what he commands us . since heaven it self is the merchandize , which ( in the parable of our lord ) must be sold for sweat ; let us more out-bid the pharisees , than the pharisees did the law. and that our master may say to us in his kingdom of glory , [ well done good servants , ] say we to him in this of grace , [ good master what shall we do ? ] let us not admit of ignobler motives for the present exciting us to our duties , than the bare doing them in this world , and an inheritance in the next . a good life here , and hereafter an eternal . now the earnest of our service , and then the wages . the very earnest of such an estimate , but so inestimable the wages , that 't is not so fit to be describ'd , as to be press'd and urg'd home on a congregation . for the knowledge of this ( unlike that of other things ) dwells in the * heart , not in the head. the way to understand the joys of heaven ( with st. paul , ) is ( with st. paul ) to be rapt up thither . rapt up in zeal , and affection , not in fancy , and speculation . in the yerning of the bowels , not in the working of the brains . let the scepticks therefore dispute themselves to heaven , whilst we in silence are walking thither . let the schoolmen take it in subtilty , and we in deed . let the pelagians or socinians try to purchase eternal life , whilst we inherit it . let the sanguin fiduciary possess himself of bliss , whilst we contend for it . let the philosopher injoy it as well as he can in his contemplations ; we shall best contemplate it in our injoyment . which god of his mercy vouchsafe unto us , even for the glory of his name , and for the worthiness of his son , our great and good master the lord jesus christ. to whom with the father in the unity of the spirit , be honour and glory both now and for ever . the inheritance of eternity is god's free gift after all our working . mark x. . good master , what shall i do , that i may inherit aeternal life ? a quaestion set forth in such happy terms , that i conceive it will be easy to resolve it out of it self . for the way to inherit eternal life , is to receive and own christ both as a master , and as a good master ; to obey him as the first , and to love him as the second , and to revere him as both together ; and when all is done , still to ask what we shall do ; to believe he will reward us according to our doings , and not only so , but above them too . the compellation having been handled in both its parts , i must proceed unto the matter and the manner of the quaestion , together with the manner of attaining to the end , or the final cause . the matter is imply'd in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the manner in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . from both together there ariseth this doctrinal proposition . that in duty and gratitude to such a good master as this , we must accompt our selves obliged to two returns . to wit a readiness of obedience , and a resignedness of wills. first a readiness of obedience , even because he is our master : next a resignedness of wills , because he is a good master . our christian tribute to both together , [ to wit his authority , and his goodness , ] must be at once universal and unconstrain'd . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall i do ? that is to say , i will do any thing . i am ready to perform whatsoever thou shalt appoint , be it never so harsh , or be it never so difficult . for life eternal is such a prize , as for which i can never do enough . i say not therefore what i will do , but humbly ask what i shall . this i take to be the scope of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and by consequence the ground of my proposition . when i contemplate on god almighty as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( to use the phrase of the pythagoreans , ) both as a god , and as a creator , in his essence , and in his attributes , in the unity of his nature , and in the variety of his works ; i know not whether i should conclude him to be more simple in himself , or else more different in his dispensations . and though this difference does appear in the whole oeconomy of the creation ; yet is it no where so conspicuous , as it is betwixt us , and our fellow-creatures . which if we have leisure but to compare , we shall find in other creatures so many traces of god's divinity , but withal in our selves such great remarques of his special favour , that though to them he is a just and a gracious god , i may say that to us he is a partial one . they acknowledge him a soveraign ; but we have the honour to call him father . they are the objects of his almightiness , but we of his indulgence and tender love. them indeed he created , but us he created in a similitude with himself . them he hath confin'd unto the dictates of an appetite ; * but hath turn'd us loose unto the liberty of a will. them he condemn'd to be infallible , for want of reason ; to us he gives the use of reason , and so the privilege to be led into truth or error . as they are never unfaithful , so are they ever press'd soldiers in god's great host. but we have the honour to be capable either of blame or commendation , by our being either rebels , or voluntiers . and according to this diversity of endowments in the creature , 't is very just he should expect a like diversity of obedience . from them a fatal obedience ; from us a filial . they are to suffer their maker's will ; but we properly to do it . they to serve him out of necessity ; but we from choice . they are to submit to his good pleasure ; but we to love it . or ( to sum up the difference with greater praeciseness as well as brevity , ) the other creatures may be said not to resist his commands ; but we only to obey them . obedience properly being that , which proceeds from option ; and that the best of our obedience , which is the production of our love. but see how much the scene is shifted , since first we enter'd upon the theatre ; and how oppositely we act to god's great design . for the ox knoweth his owner , and the ass his master's crib ; god's other creatures will , but only his people will not obey him . the sun was not too high , nor the * sea too unruly ; hell was not too guilty , nor the grave too strong . for we know the very devils obey'd our saviour in his life ; and death it self at his resurrection . but as if the partiality of god to man , by which he made him as the youngest , so the dearest child of his creation , had only given us that sad and accursed privilege , of becoming more obliged , and by consequence more miserable , because more ingrateful than all the rest ; we , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in st. chrysostom , even the pride of his workmanship , and the prime business of his providence , are the sole remnant of his creation , who turn the instances of his goodness into unnatural instruments of his dishonour . the only sublunary creatures that understand his will , and yet ( the devils alone excepted ) the only creatures that dispute it . some there are who will obey him by all means possible , but with a tacit proviso that he will first obey them. so far forth as they are pleas'd with the condition of his service , they are ready to serve him in what he pleaseth . if christ but once say the word , they will quickly follow him to mount tabor , or ( if need be ) they will go before him . but when he goes to mount calvary , they will be sure to stay behind ; or they will follow him then too , that is , they will not come near him . move after him they will , but will think it good manners , to do it at a great and an humble distance , like the catharists of old , who of late are call'd puritans , ( the more unclean in god's eyes for being so righteous in their own , ) on a praesumption they shall dye the death of the righteous , they do not much scruple what life they lead . the promises of their good master they swallow down very glibly ; but his praecepts they cannot digest . they had rather idly gape after life eternal , than by a rigid obedience take the pains to go towards it . or if perhaps they are content with the working out of their salvation , yet their assurance of their election will not suffer them to do it with fear and trembling . they so abominate the popery of coming thither ex condigno , and so hate the pelagianism of seeming worthy , as not to take any care of becoming fit . 't is most agreable with the privilege which they pretend to , to be with christ at his ascension ; from whence they leave him all his life to converse with publicans ; and look upon him at his death as fit to be companied only by thieves . there are others of a less sanguin , and so a less credulous constitution ; who do not throw themselves so wholly , or rather so supinely , into the arms of christ jesus , or so expect to be carried upon his shoulders , as not to make use of their eyes and feet too . only the worst of it is this , that having cheerfully follow'd him through all the passages of his life , they at last forsake him at his cross ; and if they betray him not , like iudas , yet like peter , they will not own him . keep him company they will to the brink of happiness , but there affrightedly start back like their brother demas . or else like agrippa , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they are within a very little of being good christians ; as having made a fair shift to pass the narrowness of the way , but only sticking as 't were at last at the straitness of the gate . as if when after a tedious march they are advanced as far as the door of heaven , they would not be at the pains to enter in . i cannot exemplifie what i say with so much pertinence to my text , as by the young and wealthy ruler concerned in it . it appears by the question which here he makes , and by his care of the commandments , ( v. . ) and by our saviour's love to him , ( v. . ) that he was one of some growth in his master's school . but withal it appears , ( v. . ) that he shrunk at the thought of an harder lesson . he had observed the commandments even from his youth . that was well , but not enough . for one thing he lacked , ( as his own good master told him , ) even the selling all he had , and giving it to the poor . but as if he had forgotten the generosity of his quaestion , [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; what shall i do ? ] whereby he evidently imply'd he would stick at nothing , which by this his good master should be injoyn'd ; he was sad at that saying , and went away grieved . and the reason of it was , he had great possessions , ( v. . ) it seems a treasure here on earth is so commonly inconsistent with one in heaven , that we must part with the one , to injoy the other . and agreably our saviour matth. . . compares the kingdom of heaven to a pearl of great price , which a merchant sold all he had to purchase . great possessions do so incumber a spiritual traveller in his iourney , that the door of heaven to a dives , is ( in the judgment of our master who cannot err ) as the eye of a needle to a camel , ( v. . ) which 't is impossible he should enter , or be able to pass through , unless by crumbling his possessions into as many small parts , as there are objects of his charity to assist him in the division . i do not say as many parts , as there are poor men and women who crave for alms , ( the parts would then be too little , and instead of entring the needles eye , would fall beside it , ) but i say as many parts , as there are objects of his charity ; which all are not , who are very poor , because their poverty may be their sin , ( by an obvious metonymy of the efficient for the effect , ) unjustly gotten , for want of labour ; and for the same want of labour , unjustly kept . else our laws had been unchristian in providing a bridewell and a beadle for such as beg ; nay st. paul had been cruel in condemning some of them to dye by famin. for he commanded his thessalonians , that if any would not labour , they should not eat , ( thess. . . ) but ( to resume my discourse , where this parenthesis made me leave it ; ) we see the camel , or the rich man , may not only be enabled to pass the eye of a needle , ( that is to say , the door of heaven , ) by giving the bunch upon his back , that is , his riches to the poor ; but he may do it and still be rich ; nor can be rich in good works , until 't is done . for though by having great possessions he is in a capacity of being rich , yet truly his they cannot be , until he has mercifully employ'd them . quas dederis solas semper habebis opes . but however this is pertinent to as much of my text as i am upon , if the wealthy man's quaestion be duly compar'd with the following answers ; yet it seems 't is so sublime and so untrodden a piece of our lord's philosophy , so very heterodox and strange to the conceptions of carnality , that it either transcendeth our capacities , or is too opposite to our desires . such incompatible masters are god and mammon , that as conscience by a proverb is the poor man's vertue , so life eternal by a promise is the poor man's reward . for though to have life wedded to eternity , is a match we like well ; yet unwilling we are often to pay the dowry . we are commonly more inclinable to part with our sweat , than with our mony ; and are readier , of the two , to earn heaven , than to buy it . and yet this earning of it also , as it does too much exceed our strength , so it too much crosses our inclinations . we are contented to serve our master , but so as it may stand with our ease , and leisure . like that disciple in st. matthew , who was willing and ready to follow christ , but so as in the first place to bury his father . or like them that were bid to the wedding feast , if we have nothing else to do , we are forsooth his humble servants . but if we have either a field to prove , a yoke of oxen to try , or a wife to marry , we receive and return his invitation , with an [ i pray you have me excus'd ] if he invites us to the miracle of loaves and fishes , then indeed the case is alter'd , and we shall flock to him by thousands . but if we are bid to sup with him upon a mess of sowre herbs , ( as at the passover , ) or to partake of an oleo made of vinegar and gall ; ( as at the time of his crucifixion , ) then we affect being abstemious , we lay our hand upon our mouth , and thank him as much as if we did . that is to say , in all such cases , either we are not at leisure , or else we do not like our fare . whereas when the master is so transcendently good , that for the work of a few minutes he gives an eternity of reward , we should prevent his commands with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , what kind of service wilt thou command us ? we should afford him ( for shame ) as great a resignedness of wills , as that heathen man cleanthes gave to his iupiter , and his fate . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . since on condition that he saves us , we care not how ; we should invite him to command us , we care not what ; and to lead us , we care not whither . we should give him up our souls as so many blanks , or unwritten tables , aequally susceptible of all , which our master shall be pleas'd to imprint upon us . for in the eighteenth chapter of st. luke , ( v. . ) whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of god , ( that is , the praecepts of the gospel , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as a little child , ( that is , as one who is passive , and of a teachable disposition , impartially receptive of all impressions , which the tenor of the gospel shall stamp upon him ; ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our saviour , he shall in no wise enter therein . and this , no doubt , is the meaning of that petition in the lord's prayer , thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven . which notes a sufferance ( saith tertullian ) to which , when we pray , we excite our selves . but certainly that cannot be all . for we pray in that petition , as well for the doing of what he commands , as for the suffering of what he inflicts . thy will be done , not only upon us , but by us too . let it be done here on earth , with the same alacrity as in heaven ; let it be done by thy children , with as much impartiality as by thy servants ; let it be done by us men , as unconstrainedly as by angels . if thou wilt have us to buy salvation , let us not choose our own price . if thou wilt have us to work it out , let us not choose our own task . if thou wilt have us to do it presently , let us not choose our own time. give us resignedness of spirits , and with that , what thou pleasest . be thy injunctions never so hard , or thy cross never so heavy ; be it the giving up our livelyhoods , or be it the parting with our lives , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thy will be done . 't is true we may pray with our blessed saviour , father if it be possible , let this cup pass from us . but then we must pray with our saviour too , nevertheless not our will , but thy will be done . i remember herodian reports of alexander , ( the cousin german to pseud antonine , ) he was so perfectly at the devotion of his mother mammaea , as to obey her in those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in which he was most of all displeased . not disobeying her even in those , in which disobedience had been a duty . and 't was pythagoras his theology , not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in iamblicus , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hierocles ; not only not to repine at god's oeconomy , but with all gentleness to embrace it . nor only to observe , and to do his will , even then when it thwarted theirs ; but to accommodate and conform their will to his. i am sorry i must say , ( what yet i must , ) that were pythagoras his metempsychosis now to be verified in himself , and he again to teach philosophy in these our days ; i know not which were the more probable , either for us to be the better for his christian-like principles , or for him to be the worse for our heathen-practice . and because reason , by many auditors , is more attended to than scripture ; let me bespeak you in the person , not so much of a christian , as of a philsopher . is there any thing in the world ( i do not say more impious , but ) more unpolitick , than for a lump of infirmities to enter the lists with the almighty ? or for a thing of a span long to resist immensity ? our disobedience to such a master will be found aequally ridiculous , whether we hope to thrive in it by opposition , or avoidance . for dare we stand against him who is omnipotent ? or can we fly from him that 's every where ? do we live in fear of them that can hurt the body ? and are we undaunted only at him who can kill the soul ? iacob could not wrestle with him , though he did it for a blessing , without the disjoynting of his thigh ; and shall we struggle for a curse , even at the price of a damnation ? if ausonius could say of the roman emperour , that 't was not safe scribling against a man , who had the power to proscribe ; and phavorinus of hadrian , that 't was not good to dispute with such a person , as had the command of thirty legions ; then with a greater force of reason , is it not wisdom , as well as duty , to yield obedience unto a master , who is infinitely great as well as good , and has the power to compel , as well as the sweetness to invite , and that not only our obedience , but our assent too ? we count it prudence in other things , to make a vertue of necessity . and being convinc'd we are unable to prevail against our master ; why do we not strive to be unwilling , and at least make a vertue of so much weakness ? if we duly contemplate inferiour nature , we shall find but too much reason even to aemulate and strive with the things below us . which yet , in this respect at least , are so much higher than our selves , by how much the more they are conformable to the blessed will and pleasure of him that made them . not only the beasts , which have no understanding , but the elements , which have no sense , do silently preach to the christian world , at once obedience , and self-denial . for what more contrary to nature , than for the earth to give rain ? or what are the clouds more unwilling to , than they are to rain earth ? and yet obedience to their maker is a thing so natural , as that they obey him against their nature . what is the sun more averse to , than either going back , or standing still ? and yet in obedience to god's command , he did not only stand still in gibeon , but withal went back upon the dial of ahaz . hereupon it will be useful thus to reason within our selves . are god's drudges so inclinable to his commands ? and shall we his darlings be so averse ? they are only obliged to their creator for being made ; our obligation is far greater , by our being made men ; and greater yet by our being remade . we are not only the work , but the breath of god , saith tertullian . nay farther yet , whereas he spake only for them , for us he died . and if they are so thankful for being the work of his hands , shall not we be much more , for being the price of his blood ? yes sure . as 't is our privilege , above them , to have a saviour , and a will , so our obedience must be more , and it must be more willing . it must not only be universal , ( for so is theirs , ) but also free , and unconstrain'd . as other creatures are obedient , because they cannot resist , so ought we , because we will not . we must not obey him only in fear , because he is a great iudge ; but because he is a saviour , we must take pleasure in our obedience . we ought to look upon his praecepts , with as kind eyes as on his promises ; and the employment of such a master , should as much incourage us as our pay . we ought to think the day lost which is not spent in his service ; and execute his precepts with so much readiness , as wishing at least we could prevent them . we should not only be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : not only ready with the praescriptions , but freewill-offerings of our obedience . it being a gallantry of devotion , and most worthy of a christian , to be most of all afraid of offending him , ( not whom we find a meer master very inclinable to punish , but ) whom we find a good master , most apt to pardon . let us hasten to him therefore preaching to us from the mount , and let us give him our attention in the spirit of the two emblemes of the law and the prophets , which had the honour to attend him upon mount tabor . undergoing his meanest offices in the humility of a moses , and with the greatest earnestness performing them in the zeal of an elias . let us render him every faculty both of our souls and of our bodies ; our mouths to confess him , our heads to believe him , our hands and feet to serve him , our wills to be ruled , and our wits to be captivated by him , our hearts to love him , and our lives to dye for him . all which , though it is all , is still too little , if we impartially consider the disproportion of our reward , that blessed parallel drawn out for us by god's own compass , life , and aeternity . a man ( you know ) would do any thing whereby to find life , though ( in our saviour's oxymôron ) it is by losing it , matth. . . and as a man will part with any thing , to save his life ; so with life too , to eternize it . if therefore our saviour does bid us follow him , let us not venture to choose our way . and if we can but arrive at heaven , it matters not much though we go by hell. for comparing his goodness with his mastership , his promises with his precepts , and the scantling of our obedience with the immenfity of our reward ; we shall find that our work hath no proportion with our wages ; but that we may inquire , when all is done , good master what shall we do ? and this does prompt me to proceed to my last doctrinal proposition . that when all is done that can be , we are unprofitable servants ; our obedience is not the cause , but the meer condition of our reward . and we arrive at eternal life , not by way of purchase , as we are servants ; but of inheritance , as we are sons . it is not here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not to deserve , but to inherit eternal life . as christianity , like manhood , hath its several steps and degrees of growth ; so the soul , as well as the body , doth stand in need of food , and raiment . and agreable to the complexion of immaterial beings , she is not only bedeck't , but sustain'd with righteousness . now as none can inherit eternal life , but he that is born of the spirit ; and as he that is born of the spirit , must also be nourished with the spirit , before he can possibly live an holy , and spiritual life ; so it is only god the spirit that gives us birth , god the son that gives us breeding , and god the father that gives us the privilege of adoption . the spirit feedeth us as his babes ; the son instructs us as his disciples ; the father indows us as his heirs . it is the spirit that fits us for our inheritance , the son that gives us a title to it , and 't is especially the father who doth invest us with the possession . but now of all god's external and temporal blessings which have any resemblance unto his spiritual , methinks the manna that fell from heaven is the liveliest embleme of his grace . of which though some did gather more , and some less ; yet they that gather'd most , had nothing over , and they that gather'd least , had no lack . thus as manna , like grace , is the bread of heaven ; so grace , like manna , is also measur'd out by omers . for even they that have least of the grace of god , have enough ( if well us'd ) to inherit heaven ; and even they that have most , have not enough to deserve it . but still the parallel goes on . for the reason why the manna which god sent down to the people israel , would not indure above a * day , was ( saith philo upon the place ) lest considering the care by which their manna was preserv'd , more than the bounty by which 't was given , they might be tempted to applaud , not god's providence , but their own . thus if god had bestow'd so full a measure of his grace , as to have left us altogether without our frailties , perhaps our very innocence might have been our temptation . we might have found it an inconvenience to have been dangerously good. like those once happy , but ever-since unhappy angels , whose very excellency of nature did prove a kind of snare to them ; even the purity of their essence did give occasion to their defilement ; their very height and eminence was that that helpt to pull them down ; and one reason of their falling was , that they stood so firmly . for though they were free from that lust , which is the pollution of the flesh ; yet they were lyable to ambition , which is the filthiness of the spirit . as if their plethory of goodness had made them wantons , or the unweildiness of their glory had made them proud ; 't was from a likeness to their creator , that they aspir'd to an equality ; and so they were the first of all the creatures , as well in their fall , as their perfections . now adding to this the consideration , that ingratitude does gather increase of guilt , from a greater abundance of obligations , ( so as the angels falling from heaven , could not fall less than as low as hell , ) we may perhaps find a reason , for which to congratulate to our selves , that dimensum or pittance of god's free grace , which hath left us our infirmities as fit remembrancers to humility . that being placed in a condition , rather of trembling , than of security , every instance of our defect may send us to god for a supply . god hath given us our proportion , that we may not grumble , or despair ; but not such a perfection , as once to adam and the angels before their fall , that we may not ( like them ) be either careless , or presume . so that making a due comparison , of that faint measure of goodness which now we possibly may have by the grace of god , with that full measure of glory which now at least we hope for , we must be fain to acknowledge , when all is done , that the greatest measure of our obedience is far from deserving the least of bliss . for as the sun appears to us a most glorious body , and yet is look't upon by god , as a spot of ink ; so though the righteousness of men doth seem to men to be truly such , yet compar'd with our reward , it is no more than as filthy rags . that other promise of our lord , never to see or to taste of death , had been sufficiently above our merits ; but to inherit eternal life too , though i cannot affirm it above our wishes , yet sure it is often above our faith. had we no more than we deserv'd , we should not have so great blessings as rain and sunshine ; and god had still been iust to us , had he made our best wages to be as negative as our work . for as the best of us all can boast no more , than of being less guilty than other men ; so we can claim no other reward , than to be somewat less punish't ; ( that is , to be beaten with fewer stripes . ) as the ox amongst the iews being unmuzzl'd upon the mowe ( by the special appointment of god himself , ) at once did eat , and tread the corn , whereby he received his reward , at the very same instant in which he earn'd it ; so the protection of such a soveraign is reward enough for our allegiance ; and the present maintenance of a servant is the usual recompence of his labour . whatsoever god affords us besides our being , is to be reckon'd supra computum . life at least is our stipend , and aeternity but our donative . nay if we seriously consider , that we are properly the authors of all that is evil in our selves , and nothing more than the instruments of what is good ; that when we pray very devoutly , 't is god that sets our lips a going ; and whensoever we give alms , 't is god that mollifies our hearts , and that stretcheth out our hands too ; he abundantly requites us for our obedience , by his enabling us to obey . for that the goodness of a mans life is * neither infus'd by nature , nor acquir'd by industry , but a special benefaction of god's free grace , plato himself , though an heathen , had yet discretion enough to say . † why then do the hebrew or roman pharisees take a pride in the doing of this or that duty , or boast the giving of this or that alms , as if they had any thing to give , which they themselves had not receiv'd ? ‖ why do they glory in their widowhood , or single life , when 't is only from god that they have their continence ? or why do they think to merit heaven by being rich in good works , when even the goodness of their works does but increase their obligation ? can they expect to be rewarded for their acceptance ? or think that ought is due to them , for their having been already so much oblig'd ? if from the liberty of their wills they argue the merit of their obedience , they must know they do impose a double fallacy on themselves . for neither can the wills of men incline to good without grace , nor is the liberty of their wills any whit less of god's giving , than all the rest . 't is god that makes us , not only able , but willing too to be obedient ; so that the privilege of our choice does not only not lessen , but greatly heighten our obligation . and since to perform our whole duty , is but to pay our whole debt , our lord might legally have awarded us , not a recompence , but a discharge . nay let me say a little farther , that had our master proposed to us neither an heaven to incourage , nor an hell to fright us to our obedience , it had been yet reward sufficient , to have but our labour for our pains ; and christ were still a good master , in crowning our foreheads with their own sweat ; in making it the reward of our christian race , to injoy the satisfaction of having run it . for the commandments of god are so extremely for our interest , and so conformable to our reason , that even in keeping them ( saith the psalmist ) there is great reward , ( psal. . , , . ) this i endeavour'd to make appear in the last days subject of my discourse , shewing the goodness of our master from the work about which he employs his servants ; ( as i shall also make it appear upon some other opportunity . ) and indeed 't is so impossible , that any arrears of bliss and glory should be due to us in heaven , for our having been obedient ( that is happy ) here on earth , that ( in the nineteenth chapter of st. matthew at the nine and twentieth verse , ) whosoever hath forsaken either father , or mother , or brethren , or sisters , or wife , or children , or houses , or lands , for the name of christ and his gospel ; although he shall receive an hundred fold , and that perhaps in this present world , yet 't is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he shall not purchase , but inherit eternal life . 't is true indeed that our obedience is the causa-sine-quâ-non , ( that is ) the necessary condition , which is required by god to our being there ; but it follows not thence that 't is the causa energetica , the effectual cause of our coming thither . for we cannot duly say , a man does walk with his hands , or eat with his ears , because he neither eats nor walks without them . and 't is as illogical to affirm that we can climb heaven by our good works , because without them we fall to hell. they keep us company indeed , but they do not carry us . thus if a patron gives me a mannor , and only covenants for the payment of some small quit-rent ; or else bestows upon me an ample field , upon condition that once a year i shall present him with a turf ; i cannot say that that turf is a recompence for the field , but an acknowledgment of the favour : not the paying him for a bargain , but the thanking him for a benevolence . and such is the infinite disproportion betwixt the best of our obedience , and our least degree of bliss , that 't is but a token of our homage , not an earning of our reward . and therefore 't is aptly observ'd by grotius , that the word in the hebrew text which answers to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sixth chapter of st. matthew , ( v. . ) doth promiscuously signifie both a gift , and a reward . thus life eternal is a reward , because 't is given upon condition ; but withal it is a gift , because 't is given us . say we therefore with holy iob , if we are wicked , wo unto us ; and if we are righteous , we will not lift up our heads , job . . or let us say rather with st. paul , cor. . . not that we are sufficient of our selves , to think any thing as of our selves , but that our sufficiency is of god. that though indeed we can work out our own salvation ; yet it is upon this accompt , that god himself worketh in us , both to will and to do of his good pleasure . that though perhaps we can do all things ; yet it is only through christ that strengthens us . that neither our duty , nor our happiness , are any way necessary to god ; who , as he needeth not the sinful , so neither hath he need of the righteous man. and therefore ( to pass out of this point , at the same door where i came in , ) let us confess , that at our best , we are but unprofitable servants ; that our obedience is not the cause , but meerly the condition of our reward ; and that if ever we arrive at eternal life , it will not be by way of purchase , as we are servants ; but by way of inheritance , as we are sons . which god of his mercy prepare us for , not for our faith , or for our works , but for the worthiness of his son. to him be glory for ever and ever . amen . a scriptural prognostick of jesus christ's second advent to iudge the world. a prognostick of the coming of christ to judgment . luke xviii . . but when the son of man cometh , shall he find faith upon the earth ? that is to say , he shall not . ( according to the rule of all grammarians and rhetoricians , that an affirmative interrogation is the most forcible way of expressing a flat and positive denial . ) § . the cohaerence 'twixt these , and the words foregoing , is so hard to be discerned at first appearance , that some have thought there is none at all . for if god will come speedily to the avenging of his elect , ( as our saviour saith he will , in the two next verses before my text , ) who were not elected without a praescience , as well of their faithfulness , as of their faith ; how can it be that when he comes , he shall not find faith upon the earth ? but if we attentively consider the text before us , as it stands in relation to all the verses going before , and more especially to the first , this objection will quickly vanish , and we shall find a good connexion , between the praecedent , and praesent words . for our lord having exhorted the neophyte-disciples to whom he spake , not to faint in their prayers , but to pray-on with perseverance , ( v. . ) excites them to it with an assurance , that their prayers shall not be fruitless . and that their prayers shall not be fruitless , he convinceth them by an argument à minori ad majus . this appears by his whole parable touching the widows importunity , praevailing over the heart of an hardned iudge . from whence the argument is as natural , as it is logical , and convincing . for if the prayer of the distressed and importunate widow returned at last into her bosom with good success , thô from a most corrupt iudge , who had no fear of god , nor regard of man , ( v. . ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with how much a greater force of reason shall all the prayers of the faithful receive an acceptable return , from the father of mercies , and god of all consolation , who is ( not only no unjust or obdurate judge , but ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the rewarder by way of eminence of them that diligently seek him , either sooner , or later , as he sees fit ? yes the time is now coming , when they shall be freed from their afflictions , and when the vengeance due from god shall speedily fall on the authors of them . to which he adds by way of complaint , and by a compassionate erotésis , or expostulation , ( cohaering with what he said before , by a conjunction adversative , ) that when he shall come in the later days to be an avenger of his elect , the apostasie will be so general , he will find but few of them . of the many who are called , he will find but few chosen . amongst a multitude of flatterers , he will find but few friends . in a world of praetenders , he will find but few faithful ; and with very much profession , very little true faith ; they alone being elect , who persevere unto the end in the faith of christ ; and whose faith is efficacious , as well as sufficient to make them faithful . § . we see the cohaerence of the text , which will help us not to err in the meaning of it . for in that our lord asks , when the son of man cometh , shall he find faith upon the earth ? it is as if he should have said in plain and peremptory terms , that at his second coming from heaven to judge the inhabitants of the earth , he shall not find many christians , who will pray with that faith , which alone can inable them to pray without ceasing , and not to faint . when he shall come to save believers , he will find but few such in the gospel-sense . not none simpliciter , but none secundum quid . comparatively none , or none to speak of . the greatest part of men will perish , even for want of that faith , whereby men's prayers become effectual . 't is not through any defect of goodness , and longanimity in god , that so few will be safe in the day of judgment ; but through a miserable defect of christian faithfulness , and faith , the great condition of the covenant , which god in christ ( the only true shechinah ) was pleas'd to make with the sons of men. historical faith there is in many , such as is common to men with devils , who are said by st. iames , to believe , and tremble . a sturdy praesumption there is in many , which they mistake for the perfection and strength of faith. a carnal security is in many , which they take to be the product and fruit of faith. there is in many such a carnal and human faith , concerning the being of heaven and hell , a life after death , and a day of judgment , as that there is such a place as constantinople , or eutopia ; whereof thô this is as fictitious , as that is real , yet by ignaroes in geography they are believed both alike . thus in one sense or other , faith is as common as infidelity : a weed which grows in most mens gardens . but very few have that faith , of which our lord does here speak ; to wit a faith which is attended with hope , and charity ; a faith coupl'd with fear to offend our maker ; a faith productive of obedience unto that which is called the * law of faith ; a faith importing all faithfulness in the discharge of that service we owe our master ; a faith expressed by a submission , first to god rather than man , and then to man for god's sake ; lastly a faith joyned with patience , and perseverance unto the end in the work of prayer ; to which our saviour had exhorted in the first verse of this chapter , and which indeed is the scope of this whole paragraph . § . thus we have clearly a praediction , that the last times will be the worst ; or that the world , towards its end , will be most dissolute , and debauch't ; that 't will not be only an iron-age , but that the iron will be corrupted with rust and canker . this is the doctrine of the text , and this must be divided into two distinct branches , as the word faith may here be taken in two distinct considerations . for in which sense soever we understand the word faith in the text before us , whether for a firm adhaerence unto the truth of christ's gospel in all its doctrines ; or for a faithful punctuality in all commerce and transaction 'twixt man and man ; whether in that as the cause of this , or in this as the fruit of that ; ( for 't is not pertinent now to mention all the other acceptions of faith in scripture , ) we shall have reason to suspect , the world is drawing towards its end , in that the praediction of our saviour is drawing so near its completion . before i come to prove or apply the doctrine , it will perhaps be worth while , to take a view of the description of the last and worst days , as st. peter and st. paul have drawn it up for us in their epistles : the one in gross , and the other in the retail . first st. peter tells us in general , there shall come in the last days scoffers , walking after their own own lusts. st. paul acquaints us in particular , what the several lusts are : this know also ( saith he to timothy , ) that in the last days perilous times shall come . for men shall be lovers of their own selves ; covetous , boasters , proud , blasphemers , disobedient to parents , unthankful , unholy ; without natural affection , truce-breakers , make-bates , ( otherwise called false accusers , ) incontinent , fierce , despisers of those that are good ; traitors , heady , high-minded , lovers of pleasures more than lovers of god ; having a form of godliness , but denying the power thereof . from these ( saith he ) turn away . and presently after he gives his reason . for of this sort are they who creep into houses , and lead captive silly women laden with sins , and led away with divers lusts ; ever learning , but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth . after this they are compared to iannes and iambres withstanding moses , men of corrupt minds , or men of no * judgment , and reprobate concerning the faith , ( tim. . from the first verse unto the ninth . ) this is st. paul's exact description of wicked doers in the last days , and that in the bosom of the church too , as learned beza expresly words it . now whether the last days refer to the destruction of ierusalem , or to the end of the world , or have an aspect upon both , ( which i conceive to be the best of the three opinions , ) we cannot but say it suits well ( a great deal too well , ) with the days we live in . for § . if we consider the faith of christ in the first general sense i lately mention'd , how is it totally rejected , or most wretchedly depraved , by the mahomedans in the eastern , and by the multitude of fanaticks , in the western parts of the world ? what with heathens , and iews , arrant atheists , and empty theists , modern arrians or socinians , what with dogmatists , and scepticks , and the more brutish acatalepticks , and damnable hypocrites in religion , who ( if it is possible ) may be thought worse than the worst of these ; how few in christendom are christians , or more than professors of christianity ? and even of professors how many are there , who in their words do own christ , whilst in their works they quite deny him ? like those concerning whom st. paul saith to titus , they are abominable , disobedient , and to every good work reprobate . do not the turks use our saviour with much more reverence and respect , thô they believe him but a meer prophet , than many thousands of verbal christians who do profess him to be a god ? the turks chastize their christian slaves , whensoever their anger or impatience moves them to swear , or to blaspheme . a turkish sultan could afford † a good admonition to a pope , and a christian emperour , that iesus christ had commanded them to put up injuries and affronts , but not to offer , or to revenge them . how like an heathen did * iustinian break his contract with the mahomedans ? and how sadly did they make an example of him ? how did nicephorus do the like with the turkish aaron ? and how was he made a like example ? a whole victorious christian army , dead in drunkenness and sleep , was so cut off by the saracens during the reign of michael ducas , that only a man was left alive to carry home tidings of that calamity . the christian emperour diogenes found as much faithfulness and humanity from the most admirable axan , ( a turkish sultan and an enemy , ) who took him pris'ner , as he found falsness , and barbarity from his own christian subjects at his enlargement . lord ! the wonderful difference between these two ! his turkish enemy sav'd his life , his christian subjects took it away . and the most scandalous * violation of christian faith with the mahomedans , to which the impious pope eugenius had most unchristianly exhorted the king of poland , cost ladislaus the signal loss of more than thirty thousand soldiers , whom their good father of the papacy may well be esteemed to have slain . to deal impartially with our selves , as well as honestly with our enemies , and religiously with our saviour , ( whose praediction in my text i am now justifying and proving ; ) what incouragement have the turks to joyn themselves with the christians , whilst they observe so many christians wearing religion as a cloak ? a cloak to cover irreligion ? a cloak of maliciousness and hypocrisie , to be put off and on as occasion serves ? a cloak for knavery , and sedition , and violation of oaths ? what invitations or inducements have the worshippers of mahomed to be converted to christianity , whilst for one drunkard in turky , they see there are multitudes in christendom ? or whilst they fear , by turning christians , they shall be under the persecution of fellow christians ? whereas continuing to be turks , the christians can do them but little hurt ? or whilst they find christian princes buying peace of the great turk , that they may break it with one another ; or whilst they hear that prosperity is avowed by many christians , to be a mark of the true religion ? or whilst they read that a most gracious and religious christian king , charles the first of great britain , was cruelly kill'd in cold blood by his christian subjects , and by the best sort of christians ( as some esteem them , at least as they esteem themselves , ) dissenting protestants , and reformers , refiners of the reformation , and even menders of the magnificat ? now what says the mahomedan , within himself , and to others on this occasion ? if such as these are the characters whereby christians are to be known , and christians of the purer sort too , christians tenderer in conscience than others are , christians scrupling at a surplice , or cross in baptism , sit anima mea cum paganis , ( the turkish musulman will say , ) let my soul be with theirs , who never once heard of the christian creed . o my soul , ( says the infidel , ) come not thou into their secret ; to their assembly , mine honour , be not thou united . for in their anger they slew a man ; and in their self-will they digged down a strong wall ; ( him who was to his people for walls and bulwarks . ) cursed be their anger , for it was fierce ; and their wrath , for it was cruel . such is the infidel's indignation , thô expressed in the words of a most faithful dying iacob , concerning two of his own sons . unto which may be added that other prophecy of the same iacob , touching the same combining sons , as sons of violence and bloodshed , ( that sooner , or later , ) god will divide them in iacob , and scatter them in israel . § . but let us consider whether the iews have greater incouragement than the turks , to unite with those christians in point of faith , who hold that none is to be kept with their fellow-christians , if ( forsooth ) they are not fully of their perswasion , and for that reason only are called hereticks . the italian iews at this day do hate adultery to the death ; whilst they observe italian christians do hardly accompt it a greater crime , than to eat flesh upon a friday . the iews are so much at unity within themselves , that ( as covetous as they are , and how much soever scatter'd abroad , ) they have a kind of community of goods and fortunes , in that they leave not their poor ones without relief , nor their captives without a ransom . whereas the christians , ( they observe , ) and as well protestants , as papists , are full of enmity , and strife , and perhaps of somewhat more than vatinian hatreds , from whence arise their departures and separations from one another . they will not meet to serve god under one and the same roof with their christian brethren , for fear they should obey man , and the laws in force . now the iews cannot believe the spirit of truth is in our dwellings , because he is also the spirit of unity ; and they conceive we could not be liable to such dissentions and divisions as are amongst us , had we the unity of truth in our fundamentals . how many fractions of religion have been observed to be in poland ? how many in england , and in holland , and in other christian countries , 't is hard to say . i will say a strange thing , no whit stranger than it is true . there is not a christian in all the world , who is not an haeretick , or a schismatick , in the accompt of other christians , perhaps no better than himself . how full are all parties of hot disputes , whereof the end commonly is rather victory , than truth ? and what a disgrace must it needs be to the christian name , that in all the bitter contests between the iesuites , and the iansenists , the dominicans , and the franciscans , the gallican church , and the church of rome , the popish churches , and the reformed , the regular protestants , and the irregular , the prote stants by and for , and those against the law establish't , the constant protestants , and the protestants given to change , the remonstrants , and antiremonstrants , the sub , and supralapsarians , and many other opposite parties , ( too many to be now reckon'd , ) a greater care is commonly taken to keep up the credit of a syllogism , or reputation of a side , than the unity and peace of the church of god ? if an erasmus , or a modrerius , if a melancthon , or a wicelius , if a cassander , or a thuanus , a spalatensis , or a grotius , does but indeavour to make up breaches , or perswade men to meet in the middle way , ( such as is the way of the church of england , or that of the augustan confession , ) how is he hang'd , drawn , and quarter'd by the implacable professors of both extremes ? as if the unity of christians , and the peace of the church , were to be , of all things , the most avoided ; or , if not to be avoided , at least despair'd of , as the most vain and the most fruitless , ( if not the most odious ) of any project in the world. so that if there was truth , as well as sharpness , ( which god forbid ) in what was said by the spanish friar , that few soveraign princes shall go to hell , because in all they are but few ; it may perhaps be said as truly in this case also , that few true christians shall go to heaven , because true christians ( comparatively speaking ) are very few . § . there are multitudes indeed who are called christians ; and so are those of the marrani , arabians and moores in the south of spain , a kind of baptized iews , and circumcised christians , men as bad as the ancient gnosticks , of one religion in their mouths , and of another in their hearts ; or like that far more ancient people , the people of sepharvaim , who feared the lord , and served their own gods. if not both at once , yet at least both by turns . it being the common custom and policy of the very worst men , to be professors of the religion the most in fashion , the easiest , and cheapest , most for their secular ends and interests , and where their wickednesses may pass with the greatest freedom . but our saviour in the text which is now before us , did only speak of a divine , and a saving faith , which is peculiar to unfeigned and real christians ; not at all of that human or historical faith , which is common to every titular or nominal christian , or hypocritical professor of christ's religion . so that the meaning of the text does seem to be evidently this : [ when the son of man cometh to be the judge of the quick and dead , shall he find faith , shall he find charity , shall he find iustice upon the earth ? ] for saving faith infers charity , and charity justice . where justice is wanting , there can be no christian charity ; and where there is not such charity , there can be no christian faith. now what corner is there in christendom , which does not live out of charity with one sort or other of christian people ? and commonly the most with their nearest neighbours , whom christians should love as they do themselves ? how universally do the italians despise the germans , if not abhor them ? and again how do the germans pay them back with detestation ? how do the little states of italy malign the four great ones ? and how do they all detest the protestants who are of piemont , and saluzzo ? what disaffections are there in swisserland , between the wealthy sort of protestants , and warlike papists ? those for france against spain , and these for spain against france ? and what antipodes unto each other are these next neighbours ? parted more by their animosities , than by their pyrenaean hills ? if we look but as far back , as the last civil wars of france , what mutual hatreds may we observe betwixt the hugonots , and the leaguers ? even as great as those in spain between the castilians , and the portugais ; or as great as those in italy , 'twixt guelphs , and gibelines ; or the bianchi , and the neri . how do the lutherans hate the papalins ? and the papalins them ? how do they both hate the calvinists ? and the calvinists both ? and what a pique have all three , at the most sober and the most moderate of all the protestants upon earth in the church of england ? even the great house of austria is hardly in charity with it self . for how often have the spaniards diverted the turks upon the emperour ? and to shift clear themselves , how have they bribed the bashaes , to put their master upon germany ? how many churches are there in christendom , whereof each has its different government , its different ceremonies and rites , its different method or manner of publick worship , its different opinions from all the rest ? and thô their differences are innocent when about things indifferent , yet what reciprocal disaffections are wont to arise from that variety ? what wants of charity there have been , between the principal christians of note , ( the most considerable i mean , both for power , and number , if not for name too , ) we may judge but too easily , by inquisitions upon one hand , and by rebellions upon another , by the massacres , and libels , and conspiracies upon both. and that the stronger parts of christendom have not yet swallowed up the weaker , they are beholden to the great turk , ( next and immediately under god ) for having found them other employment . § . now such as is the cause , a want of faith in the first sense , such is also the effect , a want of faith in the second . for , besides the wants of charity , whereby i have proved the wants of faith , there are as notorious wants of iustice , whereby to demonstrate the wants of both. men are so generally deceitful , in all their promises , and contracts , in their alliances , and leagues , in their covenants , and ingagements , in matters of traffick , and commerce , and as well between publick , as private parties ; obligations first meant as a restraint unto the guilty , are so turned into a gin to ensnare the innocent ; and they who have dispensed with other mens oaths , have so taught them by that example to dispense easily with their own , that if the iews are ask't the reason why the mahomedans are permitted by god almighty to prevail against christendom , for more than a thousand years together without controul , and to boast of their prosperity as a notable mark of the true religion ( an argument ad homines , i mean to the romanists and the fanaticks , not easily to be answer'd ) they will ascribe it to the blasphemies , execrations , and violations of oaths , ( those of allegiance more especially , ) which have abounded , and do abound , more amongst christians than amongst them. for the end of temporal blessings , are spiritual . if god gave the lands of the heathen to the israelites , to this end he gave them , that they might observe his statutes , psal. . . and therefore when we forfeit our spiritual blessings , we cannot rationally expect to injoy our temporal . should we pass through all orders and ranks of men , ( which might be done with ease enough , but that the time will not permit it , ) lord ! for how little christian faith , how much faithlesness , and falsness , and praevarication should we discover ? excepting only these nations wherein we live , soveraigns mind nothing more , than the exhausting of their subjects ; and ( not excepting these nations wherein we live , ) subjects mind little less than the enfeebling of their soveraigns . if the people here in england would either all travel a broad , or at least take the pains to be taught at home , how like princes , rather than subjects , ( in point of liberty , and propriety , ) they live at home , ( being compared with other subjects throughout the habitable world , ) they would be certainly more contented , than now they are , with their condition . they would be certainly so far from being given to change , and such passionate abhorrers of all sedition , as not to suffer themselves for ever , to be undone by their foelicities . men of all ranks and qualities would acquiesce in their great happiness , and learn to know when they are well . men of trade would be contented to part with the paring of their nails , to secure their fingers . men of land would be contented to pay little taxes ; and men of mony would not grumble to pay none at all . dissenting clergymen would not study to please the people for their own profit , more than to profit them for their own pleasure . nor would the people on the other side be so addicted as they are commonly , both to envy , and defraud , and defame the clergy . men of law would be contented to raise up great fortunes to them and theirs , out of the ruins of other mens ; and to injoy in full peace , all the profits and effects of dire contention . physicians would be contented to dispose of mens lives , not only at a safe , but at a profitable rate ; and with tentimes greater fees , than were ever yet heard of in foreign parts . all sorts of people ( in a word ) would most thankfully acquiesce in their several stations . whereas for want of due knowledge , or of an ingenuous consideration , how much better even artificers and common mechanicks do live in england , than men of the noblest blood and breeding under all foreign governments without exception , ( i say for want of due reflection on this great truth , ) all the foundations of our earth do seem to be utterly out of course . men are so drunk with their prosperities , so tired out with tranquillity , grown so restive with sitting still in the scorner's chair ; in contradiction to the * apostle , and his advice , they do so study to be unquiet , and not to do their own business , ( but the business of other men ; ) they are so sharp and quick-sighted in ordering other mens affairs , though most commonly blind as beetles in all the managements of their own ; are so perplext and dissatisfied with they-cannot-tell-what ; are so restless in their indeavours to prevent things unavoidable , to bring about things impossible , and to provide against things which never are likely to ensue ; they do so mutiny and repine at the good providences of god , and are so unwilling to permit him to rule the world his own way ; ( being bewitch't with an opinion that they are able to do it better by quaint contrivances of their own ; ) are so unwilling that their governours may be enabled to protect , for fear they should be tempted by such an ability to oppress them ; i say by all these infelicities which too much felicity hath occasion'd , the world is now grown to so ill a pass , that we may take up the words of the prophet ieremy , and apply them to the places and times we live in . run to and fro through the streets , and seek into all the broad places thereof , if ye can find a man , if there be any that executeth iudgment , that seeketh the truth , and i will pardon it . § . i know it may easily be objected against the argument i have us'd , that no wants of faith in the second notion of the word can prove 't is wanted in the first . for let the practice of men amongst us be what it will , yet their principles ( they will say ) may be as orthodox as their professions ; and they have still a firm assent unto the truth of christ's gospel in all its doctrines . but to this objection it may as easily be answer'd , that as a practical infidel or atheist is a worse monster than a speculative , so there is no better way to prove the first , than by the second . men may believe the word of god with an human faith , when yet 't is easy to demonstrate , they do not believe it with a divine one . nor is there any greater instance of the deceitfulness of a man's heart , than is his treacherous belief that he does believe , and that with a truly-christian faith ; when yet he proves by all his practice , that he is either no believer , or such a believer of the gospel , as he is of iulius caesar's , or cicero's works , and no whit better . for why should men be more forcibly , and more effectually restrain'd , ( as we see they are , ) from committing a lesser evil , which is forbidden under the poenalty of a meerly human law , and where the poenalty is no greater , than the loss of a man's ears , or the forfeiture of his estate , than from committing a greater evil , which is forbidden by god himself , under the poenalty of their missing the ioys of heaven , and also of abiding the pains of hell , but that they do more believe the one , than they do the other ? it cannot be for this reason , that men do think it a greater misery , to suffer a little for a short time , than all imaginable torments to all eternity . it cannot be , that they had rather fry in hell without ceasing , than indure the short loss of life and fortune . but the true reason must needs be this , that men are as confident of the one , as they are diffident of the other . they have a manifold experience of temporal punishments , but the tempter makes them hope there are none eternal . they are strong in the faith of what concerns the praesent world , but they stagger in the faith of a world to come . they have an ordinary relish of sensual pleasure , but ghostly pleasure is a iargon they know not how to make sense of : they think it meerly a piece of gibbrish of ecclesiastical investigation . they make no doubt but they shall dye , and that their bodies being buried , shall all be moulder'd into dust. but they secretly suspect they shall never rise ; they are infidels in the point of a resurrection . they either doubt , and make a quaestion , or else they utterly disbelieve , both a life after death , and a day of judgment . this is the only reason assignable , why men are more afraid of them who can kill the body only , ( but are not able to hurt the soul , ) than of him who can cast both soul and body into hell. no other reason can i imagin , why men do commonly run counter to that known maxim , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why when 't is every man's wisdom to choose the least of two evils , men ( in avoidance of the least ) do choose the greatest , even to dwell with eternal burnings . and therefore well may it be said , as here it is in my text , that when the son of man cometh , he shall not find faith upon the earth : he shall not find evangelical and saving faith ; he shall not find it at least in many ; nay he shall find it in few or none ; in comparatively none , or none to speak of . let men pretend what they will , and let them will what they please , ye shall know them by their fruits , saith our blessed saviour . and the fruits of true faith , whereof the professors are true believers , are no where better to be seen , than in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the hebrews : wherein we have faith commended to us in four principal respects ; and all within the narrow compass of the six first verses . first in respect of its definition , which is to be the substance of things hoped for , and the evidence of things not seen . secondly in respect of its great and wonderful effects , whereof we have there two choice examples ; the one in abel , the other in enoch . thirdly in respect of its greatest benefit , as being that qualification by which we please god. lastly in respect of its indispensable necessity , as being that without which , it is impossible to please him . how could so many in the old testament ( of whom we have an accompt in the later parts of that chapter , ) have chosen poverty rather than wealth , and disgrace rather than glory , and pain it self rather than pleasure , if they had not had * respect ( and that a strange respect too , ) unto the recompence of reward ? if by the telescope of faith , ( as 't is the evidence of things not seen , ) they had not * seen him who is invisible ? if they had not been enabl'd to spy reward † afar off ? and to look clearly through the veil , which interposed as a skreen 'twixt it and them ? if they had not had a prospect of the several blessed mansions prepared for them , in the city of god whereof they had been made denisons , and in the house of that father of whom they were the adopted sons ? if they had not had an eye upon their particular resurrections ? and such an eye too , ( so full , so clear , so more than lyncean or eagle-sighted , ) that even then when they were tortur'd , they would not accept of a deliverance , to the end they might injoy by so much a better resurrection ? § . this is a truly salvisick faith , and such as necessarily signifies ( amongst other vertues ) a firmer adhaerence and assent unto the truth of christ's gospel in all its doctrines , than any man can ever have , by any human means possible , either to seneca's , or cicero's , or caesar's works . this is that for want of which , men will do and suffer more , to save their bodies , or estates , and that for a little space of time ; than they will either do or suffer , to save their more pretious souls , and that for ever . it was for want of this faith , that the iews were broken off ; and by this only we gentiles stand . this is that faith the iust shall live by . this is that on which depends our bliss , or misery for ever ; according to the words of our blessed saviour , whereof it is an explication , mark . . he that believeth , shall be saved ; but he that believeth not , shall be damned . here is short work indeed ; and such as might have sav'd the labour of many controversial volumes , which have been written , and made publick , between the molinists and the iansenians ; the franciscans and the dominicans , or the scotists and the thomists , between the lutherans and the calvinists , the arminians and the gomarists , the remonstrants and antiremonstrants , concerning the nature of god's decrees , and quaestions depending thereupon . our saviour tells us very succinctly , in words most plain , and most univocal , who are vessels of election , and who of wrath : who were decreed from all aeternity to heaven , and hell ; even believers , and unbelievers . no more but so : he that believeth , shall be saved , and he that believeth not , shall be damn'd . which cannot possibly be meant concerning every human faith , whereof the world is too full . it cannot be meant of such a faith , as makes a man abhor idols , but not abstain from committing sacrilege . nor can it be meant of such a faith , as is strong enough to remove mountains , ( to wit the laws and the land-marks of church and state , ) to pull down kings , and unsettle kingdoms ; but not strong enough to bring forth obedience to christ's commands , and ( by a consequence unavoidable ) to god's vicegerents upon earth . it cannot be meant of the antinomian , or the fiduciarie's faith , which sets it self into a kind of opposition unto good works ; and so by consequence is the parent of nothing but practical infidelity . but 't is meant of that sanctifying and saving faith , which whosoever hath , overcometh the world , john . . 't is meant of iustifying faith , not only in the mystical , but literal notion of the word ; a faith which so justifies , that ( in a competent degree ) it does evermore make its possessor iust. it makes him an upright and honest man. saving faith being a grace , which , as it is the most commonly talk't of , so it is ( i am afraid ) the least commonly understood , of any one thing in the christian code . we could not else so much abound with knaves and hypocrites as we do in the christian world. that which we call divine faith , which is a justifying and sanctifying and saving faith , and upon which the word of god does every where lay so great a stress , must be an habit of the will , as well as of the understanding ; not only flourishing in the head , but deeply rooted in the heart . it must be such as does contain a full and generous belief he dares to dye for ; a full and practical belief that iesus christ is the messias ; a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a full and absolute belief , both in his words , and in his works ; both in his counsels , and his commands ; both in his promises , and his threats . for he who thus is believing , is ipso facto , and eo ipso , at once an obedient and loving christian. a christian so loving , that the longer he lives , the more he lives the life of faith ; the more he is weaned and sequestred from the things here below ; the more he is wedded and betrothed unto those things that are above . his affections are taken off from the beggarly elements of the world , and fix't entirely upon god , as his soveraign good. i mean they are set upon god in christ , reconciling the world unto himself . and overcome the world he does , ( as st. iohn must needs mean , ) by overcoming its temptations ; its pomps , and vanities ; its smiles , and flatteries ; nor only the pleasures , but terrors of it . he overcometh that world , which st. iohn has comprized under three general heads , to wit the lust of the flesh , the lust of the eye , and the pride of life . for a sincere faith in christ , in his death , and resurrection , and in the consequences of both , gives us a much greater byass , a stronger bent and inclination to all good things , than the whole world can to the contrary , by all its flatteries , or its frights . it possesseth us immediately with inward ioy in the holy ghost , and praepossesseth us with an antepast of the glory to be reveal'd . it praesentiates unto us such joys to come , as do exceedingly over-weigh the frowns and favours of the world . it is expressed by st. iohn ( in the place before-cited ) not only as the means whereby we grow victors , but as the victory it self . this ( saith he ) is the victory which overcometh the world , even our faith : as if it were not only the instrument , but essence of it . § . it follows then that we must distinguish , with exceeding great care , and every minute of our lives , between two things which do extremely much differ , ( like heaven , and hell , ) and yet are commonly confounded to admiration . i say we must carefully distinguish , not only between an idle , and an operative faith , a faith which works , and a faith which works not ; but withal between a working , and working faith ; between a faith which only works by the love of a man's self , and a faith which duly works by the love of others . for when the son of man shall come with his holy angels in flaming fire , taking vengeance of them that know not god , and obey not the gospel of iesus christ , he will find enough idle , unactive faith , which either works not at all , or not at all by love , or else by none but self-love , which is the worst and greatest evil that can possibly come to pass in the last and worst times . st. paul sets it down , in his long catalogue of impieties which shall be in the last days , as the ring-leader and head of all the villanies which ensue : as the first and greatest link of that chain of darkness , which draws the other links after it , and reacheth as far as from hence to hell. in the last days ( says he to timothy ) perilous times shall come ; for men shall be lovers of their own selves , and ( in consequence of that , ) all the devilish things that follow , from the first verse unto the ninth , of that third chapter of the second epistle to timothy . a chain of darkness almost as long , as that the devils themselves are held in , and reserved ( saith st. iude ) until the iudgment of the great day . nor is it my opinion only , but that of estius , simplicius , and strigelius , that the sin of self-love is set down first in the black list , as the head-spring and fountain of all the rest. for i think i may challenge any man living ( without immodesty ) to name any one actual and damning sin , which has not the sin of self-love for its most execrable original . it was meerly self-love , which turned luciser into a devil , and made the son of the morning the prince of darkness . it was the sin of self-love which turned those protoplasts adam and eve out of their innocence , and by consequence out of their paradise , which they held and possessed by that one tenure . it was at first the love of self , and of self-preservation , which moved peter to renounce and abjure his master . and it was first a self-love , which produced in iudas a love of mony , wherewith he was tempted to betray , and to slay his master . thence it was that self-denial , or self-abnegation , was the very first lesson our saviour taught his first disciples . and 't is the first we are to learn , in the school of our master iesus christ. it being the causa-sine-qua-non of all other duties in a christian. for whosoever has once attain'd a good degree of self-denial , or of self-hatred for sins committed , can fast from eating , when he is hungry ; and even from drinking , when he is dry ; from stealing , when he is poor ; and from coveting , when he is rich ; from repining , when he is low ; and from oppressing , when he is lofty ; and so from every thing else , which either is sinful in it self , or so much as a temptation inducing to it . how did st. peter , when he repented , revenge himself upon himself , for his having so basely ( out of self-love ) not only disown'd , but forsworn his lord ? he did not only deny himself , in opposition to his denial of jesus christ , but abhorr'd himself too , in opposition to his self-love , which betray'd him to it . how triumphant was his faith , and his self-denial ? how triumphant over himself , and his former cowardize ? how did he preach up christ crucified , for which he was crucified with his head downwards ? and in all he did , or suffer'd , how did he bear down all before him , ( not only all the world , but the flesh , and the devil too , ) as mighty cataracts and torrents do sticks and straws ? so did peter , as well as paul , courageously sight the good sight of faith. such in him was that faith which overcometh the world. and when the son of man cometh to be the judge of quick and dead , ( lord ! ) how much ( or rather how little , ) shall he find of such fighting and conquering faith upon the earth ? § . this is infinitely far from that carnal faith , which only works ( by self-love ) all the degrees of disobedience to christ's commands . no , the faith which he shall find in comparatively none ( that is to say in very few ) at his second coming , is such a faith as strongly works by a love of others ; which is said with great reason to be the fulfilling of the law in both the tables of the decalogue , ( which our blessed lord came to fulfil and perfect , not to abrogate , or to destroy ; ) because 't is hard , if not impossible , for us to name any one duty , incumbent on us as men , or christians , which is not the necessary production of such a love as faith works by . for as immoderate self-love , which consists with an human and worthless faith , is the root of all evil without exception ; so a truly christian faith , which is operative , and works by a due love of others , ( a love of god with all our hearts , and of our neighbour as our selves , ) cannot choose but be the root of all the good fruits to be imagin'd . for how can any man indure to be rebelling against his god , whom he does love with all his soul , and above himself ? and how can any man ( knowingly ) suffer himself to be induced to wrong his neighbour , whom he does love without hypocrisie , and as himself ? that is , as sincerely , thô not as well ; or as well , ( if you please , ) thô not as much . with a sicut similitudinis , thô not aequalitatis . in which sense 't is said by our lord himself , be ye perfect , as your father in heaven is perfect . he does not there say , be ye as perfect as he is perfect ; but be ye perfect as sincerely , as he is perfect consummately . be ye that in your measure , which he is without measure . be ye perfect comparatively , as he is absolutely perfect . for as god is said in scripture to have made man in his own likeness , so we may say by the same reason , that he makes a man's perfection , ( thô at a vast and humble distance ) in the similitude of his own . now if what i have said of a true christian faith as it works by love , and as it is the substance of things hoped for , and as it is the evidence of things not seen , and as 't is that whereby a believer overcometh the world , be duly compared with all before it , touching the faithlesness , and malignity , the wants of love , and common honesty , wherewith the world is overcome ; 't will not be difficult to conclude , that when the son of man cometh , ( let his coming be when it will , ) he will find his own prophecy fulfill'd amongst us . § . perhaps 't is too little a thing to mention either cotterus , or dabricius , or christina poniatovia , however their praedictions touching christendom in general , and particularly touching the whole house of austria , and that of bourbon , ( long * and long ago printed , ) are coming to pass in these our days . nor will i apply that of david touching absolom's rebellion , and the general revolt occasion'd by it , stigmatized in the fourteenth and in the three and fiftieth psalm : the fool hath said in his heart there is no god. where by the fool he means a multitude , as appears by his next words . the lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men , to see if there were any that would understand , and seek after god. but they are all gone out of the way , they are altogether become abominable , there is none that doth good , no not one . nor will i descant upon that of the prophet micah , the good man is perished out of the earth . there is none upright among men . they all lye in wait for blood. they hunt every man his brother with a net. they do evil earnestly , and that with both hands . the iudge asketh for reward . the great man uttereth his mischievous desire . the best of them is a briar : and the most upright of them is sharper than any thorn hedge . ( i do not speak of these things in this unlimited universality , unless it be by a paralipsis . ) but this i think i may say with every man's suffrage and consent , there is so eminent a defection from god and goodness throughout the world , that most do seem to have renounced , and to have utterly cast off , all fear , and care , if not acknowledgment of the most high. the tongues of men are their own ; their thoughts are free ; their wills invisible ; and the secrets of their hearts are known to god only , the searcher of them . but yet as far as mens actions are the interpreters of their hearts , and as far as they discover an epidemical decay of christian strictness , a decay of that seriousness in reality and substance , which some poor quakers retain in shew , a decay of all duties to god and man , a decay of moral honesty , and humanity it self , and ( which is the top of all impiety ) a devilish blending and confounding the very natures of right and wrong , a turning religion topsy turvy , calling evil good , and good evil , putting bitter for sweet , and sweet for bitter , light for darkness , and darkness for light , holding perjury , and parricide , killing of kings , and subverting of kingdoms , not only innocent , but pious , not only laudable and vertuous , but the most highly meritorious , and supererogating works of the purest christians , nor only of the purest , but of the only true christians in all the world , the only members of the true church , and only heirs of salvation , whilst they who dare not break oaths of allegiance and supremacy , dare not rail at and libel the laws in force , dare not rebel against their governours , dare not fall down and worship the jesuites idol , even for this very reason are damn'd for ever ; i say as far as men's actions are thus the indices of their hearts , we may conclude there is a principle of downright atheism within them ; at least an heathenish belief that their souls are not immortal ; and that for what they do in this , they shall not be brought to give accompt in another world. § . i am far from undertaking ( what yet some have done ) to name the last days of the son of man , or the time of his coming to the avenging of his elect , and to judge the world. but of this i am certain , ( because i have it from his own mouth , as well as from the mouths of three at least of his apostles , ) that we must not infer the day of doom is far off , because there are few prepare for it , and even the wisest do not expect it ; no , it 's seeming very far off , is rather a sign of its approach . for the scriptures tell us expresly , that christ at his coming will surprize us as a thief in the night . his coming , for quickness , will be like * lightning . it shall be as suddain ( saith our lord ) as noah's deluge was to all , noah himself being excepted . they did eat , they drank , they married wives , even until the very day of noah's entring into the ark , when behold the flood came , and destroy'd them all. it shall at least be as surprising , as was the shooting of hell from heaven in the days of lot. and how surprising that was , our saviour tells us in the next words : they did eat , they drank , they bought , they sold , they planted , they builded , ( unto which it may be added , they play'd , they sported , they were indulging all their lusts , ) when behold the same day wherein lot went out of sodom , the fire and brimstone rained down , and destroy'd them all. so swift , so suddain , so surprising shall be the day , of the son of man's coming to judge the world. watch therefore ( says our saviour ) for ye know not what hour your lord will come . heaven and earth shall pass away ; but of that day and hour knoweth no man ( says he again , ) no not the angels of heaven . again ( says he ) be ye ready : for in such an hour as ye think not , the son of man cometh . all which that it is meant of the day of judgment , and the consummation of all things , not only or chiefly of the jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the destruction of ierusalem , seems to be evident from the conclusion of that whole prophecy of our saviour : for if that evil servant [ that man of sin by way of eminence , whether without christendom , or within it , whether in asia , or in italy , in germany , or in spain , in france , or england , ] shall say in his heart , my lord delayeth his coming , whereupon he shall praesume to smite his fellow servants , and to riot it with the drunken , the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him , and in an hour he is not aware of ; and shall cut him asunder , and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites ; there shall be weeping , and gnashing of teeth . § . what now is to be done , by us who live in these times , wherein i have shewn there is so common , so universal , so epidemical a state of depravation , but that every one in his station do labour hard to mend one : that we all watch and pray , lest we enter into temptation ? or that if we cannot escape the temptations of the world , yet by the powerful grace of god , well cooperated with , we may be able to overcome them ? in order whereunto , we must not only watch and pray for a time , and * examin our selves duly , whether we be in the faith of christ ; but we must not faint in it . we must quit our selves like men. we must be strong in the faith. we must stand fast in it . our watching must be constant ; our praying always . so expresly saith our saviour in the first verse of that paragraph , whereof my text is the conclusion . for the parable which he spake , was ( says st. luke ) to this end , that men ought always to pray , and not to faint . we ought to pray without ceasing , as st. paul bids his thessalonians . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the first , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the second , we must be a kind of euchites , ( be it spoken cum grano salis , ) we must pray without end , or intermission . and that for this reason , as well as for this end and purpose , that our lord at his coming may find us praying . a work of so very great importance , and so conducible to salvation , that even then when simon magus was in the gall of bitterness , and in the bond of iniquity , st. peter bid him pray to god , if perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him . pray therefore we must , that we may not fall . and if at any time we are fallen , still we must pray , that we may rise . and still for fear of relapsing , we must * watch unto prayer , and we must watch thereunto with all * perseverance . that so at what time soever the master of the house shall come , whether at evening , or at midnight , or in the morning , we may be found like wise virgins with oyl in our lamps , or in the number of the few faithful and blessed servants , whom our lord when he comes shall find so doing : and that finding us so doing , he may receive us with an euge , well done good and faithful servants , enter ye into the ioy of your lord. which god the father of his mercy prepare and qualifie us for , even for the merits of god the son , and by the powerful operation of god the holy ghost . to whom be glory for ever and ever . an antidote or praeservative against the prurigo of ambition . satan's masterpiece as a tempter to worldly greatness . matth . iv. . all these things will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me . or ( as st. luke sets down the words , ) luke iv. , . all this power will i give thee , and the glory of them ; for that is delivered unto me , and to whomsoever i will , i give it . if thou therefore wilt worship me , all shall be thine . § . there is a time when in scripture god is said to tempt man. and again there is a time when man is said to tempt god. last of all there is a time when the devil is said to tempt both ; and both at once in this text , in which are met the two natures of god and man. now though to tempt in each case is still a phrase of one sound , yet is it often found to be of very different significations . indeed so different , that they may seem to contradict . for moses saith , god tempted abraham ; and yet st. paul saith , god tempteth no man. it is implyed by our saviour , that god is tempted at least by some ; and yet 't is said by st. iames , he is not tempted of any . now the way to reconcile them is briefly this. when god is said to tempt man , it signifies nothing but a trial , a kind of search which god makes in the heart of man. not that god can be in doubt , or stand in need of an inquiry , how any man's heart is affected towards him ; but 't is to admonish him of his weakness , or to convince him of his hypocrisie , or else to evidence his faith , or to exercise his patience , or to make his integrity the more conspicuous , and rewardable , that god is pleased to explore and to search his heart . thus in genesis , and exodus , and in the thirteenth of deuteronomy , our father abraham and the israelites are said to have been tempted by god himself . § . man ( in the second place ) is said to tempt god , when without any necessity , or assurance of success , he rashly goes out of his calling to meet with danger . or when without any warrant , whether from the spirit , or word of god , he gladly falls into distress , ( like eldavid the false messias , of whom we read in learned buxtorf , ) supposing god , by some miracle , will help him out . for what is this but to explore , or to make a trial , both of the power , and goodness , and truth of god ? not at all out of faith in his word and promise , but out of a wanton curiosity , or bold praesumption . § . but now the devil is said to tempt either god , or man , and both together in the text , when not only without , but against the word , he does solicite and intice to something or other which is evil. and thus our lord is said in scripture to have been tempted , even as we. not by hunger only and thirst , by cold and nakedness , by slander and disgrace , by pangs and torments , and all degrees of affliction to which the name of temptations is justly fixt ; but to the worst of afflictions , that is , to sin ; and to the worst even of sins , to wit idolatry ; and to the worst of idolatries , even the worshipping of the devil . who being permitted to take him up to an exceeding high mountain , did shew him from thence , as in a landskip , all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them ; and thereupon made him this glorious offer , all these things will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me : or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , if , falling down , thou wilt worship me . § . which words do present us with satan's masterpiece ; and the motto on his ensign , is [ now , or never . ] for as the roman triarij , when their two first squadrons had fought in vain , were depended upon at last as their only refuge ; so when the devil had been improsperous in his two first onsets upon our saviour , he comes at last to make use of all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them ; clearly looking upon this , as his most formidable reserve ; and even against the fortifications , not only of the innocence , but the divinity of our lord , ( who was no less the lord of armies , than prince of peace , ) his most ingenious , most powerful , most hopeful stratagem . the text , at first view , affords no more than two generals . to wit the devil 's vast offer , and the unreasonable condition with which 't is clogg'd . but out of these generals put together , we may ( by the help of a little logick ) draw four particulars . each of which will be a doctrin , whereof it will be easy to make good use. . the first particular doctrin is , that the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , being all met together ( as here they are , ) do amount to nothing more , than so many glittering temptations . . the second is , that all the goods of this world , however lovely they may appear to carnal reason , or common sense , are yet by god's patience , and wise permission , in the devil's proffer , and disposal . i say they are so by god's permission , because the devil can give nothing , till god gives leave ; which , for wise and just ends , it often pleaseth him to afford . . the third doctrin is , that the utmost scope and drift of all the donatives of the tempter , is to steal our hearts from god , and to turn them wholly upon himself . he never proffers , but with a dangerous proviso . he does it liberally indeed , [ all these things will i give thee , ] but with a covetous supposition , [ if , falling down , thou wilt worship me . ] . from whence it follows in the fourth place , that how incessantly soever some men do labour , whereby to purchase these gifts of satan , yet there is nothing in the world with greater easiness to be compass'd ; if the devil may be try'd by his own confession . who , though the things here spoken of are great , and goodly , ( even the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , ) is yet most ready to part with all , in exchange for an act of our adoration . to attain the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the all that our tempter can give , or offer , nothing more needs be done , than to fall down to him and worship him . § . to prove the first of these four , [ that the kingdoms of the earth , when they are all put together , make but a glittering temptation , or handsom snare , ] we need not argue or dispute from a fitter topick , than the very signal method the devil here useth . who , when he could not corrupt our saviour by all the miseries of want , did now at last attempt to do it by the bountiful overtures of plenty . nor can we think he was so silly , as not to rise in his temptations , from the less unto the greater . it being for nothing but his subtilty , in conjunction with his malice , that he is call'd the old serpent ; and is said by st. iohn , to have deceiv'd the whole world. and if the children of this world are wiser in their kind ( as our saviour says they are ) than the children of light , how much more is their * father , who for the power of his working , and success of his policy , is called sometimes the † prince , and once ‖ the god of this world ? nor is it certainly for nothing , that the devil has in scripture such glorious titles . for if we consider the world of men , who are divided in their affections 'twixt christ and satan , we shall find by their actions , ( the best interpreters of their hearts ) that the territories of satan are much the greater . our saviour tells us of a broad way which leadeth to destruction , and many there be that go in thereat ; whereas ( in comparison , ) the way to life is but narrow , and they that go thither ( he saith ) are few . and therefore those unclean spirits which are expressed by st. paul to be the spirits now working in the children of disobedience , are but little after call'd by the same apostle , the principalities , and the powers , and ( which is more ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the rulers of this world. § . that thus it is , the scripture tells us . but some may wonder that thus it should be . what may therefore be the reason , why so few should fight manfully under the banner of our saviour , who therefore said truly , his kingdom is not of this world , and so many under satan's , who thence is said to be the ruler , and the god of this world ? it cannot be because god is more unwilling to be obey'd , and belov'd by his people , than satan is . nor can it be because god did make it necessary for satan , to have a greater success in the world than christ. nor can it be because god is more delighted in the damnation , than the salvation of his creatures . ( he would not fo gratifie the prince of darkness ; nor could his mercy have been then over all his works . ) nor can it be because satan is of more strength than the almighty , or more powerful to corrupt , than god to purifie . for could it consist with god's oeconomy , to work on our wills by that omnipotence , by which the wind and the fire and the sea obey him , we should not be in a capacity to break his praecepts ; we should act only as natural , spontaneous agents ; and do our duties as the stones do , in tending downwards . whereas having made us an other thing , to wit a rational sort of creatures , and that in viâ ; not yet arriv'd at our journeys end , but in a tendency from earth , either to heaven , or to hell ; not indefectibly good , like the spirits in heaven , nor consummately evil , like those in hell , but as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the skirts , or the confines betwixt them both ; to wit inclinable to evil , and also capable of good ; does therefore work upon our wills in a congruous manner ; in such a manner as is agreeable with the nature we are of , and with the condition we are in . does not press us by any force to list our selves in his army ; but freely leaves us our option , either to be royalists , or rebels to him . nor can it derogate from his goodness , that he leaves it in our power to be rebellious ; because he gives us sufficient grace , whereby he enables us to obey . it is not therefore by a fatality that satan has got so many soldiers ; but by the voluntary defection of such as serve him . who cannot say that the tempter does irresistibly debauch them , though with the vanities of the world he does assault them from without , and with the treacheries of the flesh he does surprise them from within . for the devil 's very utmost is but to tempt us . and let the matter of temptation be what it will , whether honour , or disgrace , whether pain , or pleasure , whether frights , or flatteries , whether want , or superfluity , or even the same in the text wherewith he tempted our blessed saviour , [ all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them ; ] yet because by all these he can but solicite , and intice us , we cannot say he does ravish , but court our wills. 't is true , the devil is represented by many terrible appellations throughout the scriptures ; as that of abaddon , and apollyon , a murderer from the beginning , a lyon , and a red dragon , a roaring lyon , and a serpent . and in one respect or other he is indeed each of these . but yet he carrys away the wills and assents of men , not as a lyon , only by strength ; nor as a roaring one , by rapacity ; but rather as a serpent , by circumvention . § . now then let us return to see how the argument will go on ; ( having seen enough already , upon what foot it stands , and put a block out of the way too , at which too many are wont to stumble ; ) can we imagin it to be likely , that the old experienced serpent , the subtlest creature under heaven , could be so stupid and obtuse in the art of mischief , as to employ his chief strength upon a design of less importance , and to reserve his weakest force for his very last onset , or assault ? at first he tempted our blessed saviour to nothing else but distrust ; and therefore only made use of his being hungry , ( v. . ) next he tempted him to praesumption , which is the opposite provocation ; and thought it enough for that effect , to put him in mind of his praerogative , ( v. . ) but now at last he runs higher , and seeks to bribe the most righteous iudge to the greatest unworthiness in the world , an idolizing the unworthiest of all his creatures . he knew that christ was the son of god , because he heard him so declared by god the father , ( chap. . v. . ) he also knew the son of god to be god the son too . and he knew that god the son was even the wisdom of the father . and when he would tempt wisdom it self to idolize the very tempter , he could not but know he was to use the highest allective to be imagin'd . which by what other means should he hope to do , than by taking up our lord to an exceeding high mountain , shewing him there , as in a synopsis , all the kingdoms of the world , with the glory of them , and then by making this lusty proffer , all these will i give thee , if thou wilt fall down and worship me ? § . this then does lead us to see the reason , why 't is said by st. paul , that the love of mony is the root of all evil. and why by st. iames , go to now ye rich men , weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you . and why 't is said by our saviour ( of whom we believe that he shall come to be our judge , ) wo to you that are rich , for ye have received your consolation . wo to you that are full , for ye shall hunger . wo to you that laugh , for ye shall mourn and weep . and why 't was said by the spanish friar , that few potentates go to hell , because ( comparatively speaking , ) they all are but few . and why we vowed in our baptism to fight manfully under christ's banner , as well against the world , as the flesh , and the devil . and why we pray in our publick litany , not only in all time of our tribulation , of lightning and tempest , of plague , pestilence , and famine , of battle , and murder , and suddain death ; but ( as a danger , if not a mischief , as great as either , ) in all time of our wealth , good lord deliver us . nor can we render a better reason , ( as long as charity sits as iudge , ) why so many who have been placed upon exceeding high mountains , ( a great deal higher even than that on which the devil here placed our blessed saviour , ) from whence they could not only see , but injoy the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , have gladly laid down those kingdoms , and divorc'd themselves from those glories , as having known them by sad experience , to be but exquisite temptations , and pleasant snares . § . but here i would not be so mistaken , as our lord was by his disciples , when he pronounced it impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god. for when i say that worldly greatness is one of the devil 's most cogent engines , whereby to batter down the castle or soul of man , i am far from implying 't is irresistible . though i argue that the devil is then the greatest poliorxetick , ( as soldiers word it ) when he lays siege to a man's soul with all the kingdoms of the earth ; yet can it not therefore be deny'd , but that we may beat him out of his trenches , through him that strengthneth us ; and that ( as he did , ) with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , get thee hence satan . honour and riches are but temptations ; and temptations in themselves are but things indifferent ; which , accordingly as they are us'd , do administer a nourishment to vice , or vertue . just as the very same sword is of it self apt to serve to the most contrary effects ; as well to punish , as to protect the guilty ; and either to defend , or to kill the innocent . and thus the same meat and drink , as it meets with an immoderate , or sober appetite , serves for the mischief of a surfeit , or for a necessary refection . the strength of a temptation , as it does in part lessen the sinner's guilt , when yielded to , and comply'd with ; so does it heighten the vertue too , when victoriously resisted . and as the angels who fell from a state of innocence and bliss , were the less capable of rising , in that they fell without a tempter ; so the angels who never fell , are the less capable of the coronets which virgins and martyrs shall wear in heaven , because they are pure , and impassive , and so exempted by god almighty from the dignity and privilege of suffering for him . this then ( we must confess ) is the great benefit of temptations , ( to give our enemies their due , ) that by resisting them to the end , we manfully fight under christ's banner , conform our selves to his example , and suffer for his sake , as he for ours . in which respect ( no doubt ) it was , ( as before i noted ) that st. iames began his epistle with this remarkable exhortation , brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into divers temptations . some may wonder at the expression , and think it impious , that at the instant in which we pray , lead us not into temptation , we should be glad of those things we daily deprecate . but st. iames does there speak touching proportionable temptations , such as are not above our strength ; and are not for the staggering , but for the trial of our faith. now the trial of our faith worketh patience , and patience breeds hope , and hope maketh not ashamed . again , the trial of our faith shall be found unto praise , and honour , and glory , at the blessed appearance of iesus christ. if christ himself had not been tempted with all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , yea and afterwards too with disgrace , and torment , and death it self , how then could he have led captivity captive ? but for injuries , and pains , where were our fortitude , and patience ? were it not for all sorts of forbidden fruit , where were continence , and sobriety , and all other abstinencies from evil ? were it not for wealth and plenty , where were munificence , and works of mercy ? where the victories of meekness , and moderation , if there were no such thing as glory , and worldly greatness ? yea but for danger , destruction , and death it self , how should we come by our immortality ? our saviour therefore , when he compar'd a rich man's entrance into heaven , with the entrance of a camel through the eye of a needle , did not speak of a natural , but of a moral impossibility . for wealthy abraham went to heaven , as well as poor forsaken lazarus . and therefore st. mark does very fitly , ( not only translate , but ) explain st. matthew ; saying , how hard ; not , how impossible ; nor for them that have riches , but for them that trust in them , to enter into the kingdom of god ? and this may competently serve to keep the richest out of despair . § . yet even this alleviation may serve to keep them from praesumption , and make them humble ; because 't is hard to have riches , and not to trust in them . nor is there any one thing ( that i am able at least to think of ) throughout the gospel , against which we are admonish'd , praepar'd , and arm'd , with greater store either of explicit , or implicit warnings . when an ingenuous young ruler , whom jesus * lov'd , came to inquire after eternity , and after the means of its attainment , there was not any thing but his † possessions , which seem'd to stand betwixt him , and heaven . for when his oracle had told him , he must sell all he had , and distribute unto the poor , he was sad at that saying , and went away grieved . so great and real is the misery of too much happiness upon earth . had he been worth but two mites , he would ( no doubt ) have parted with them ( as the poor widow did ) for a treasure in heaven . and that was promis'd by our saviour , in the very same breath , in which he was exhorted to sell all he had . but , however such a praecept could not be possibly so heavy , as not to be made exceeding light by such a promise as was annext ; yet such a dangerous thing it is to have the friendship of this world , by injoying all the pleasures which power and plenty can purchase for us , that the treasure in heaven was but of cold signification , and he was sad at that saying , that he must sell all he had . eternal happiness in reversion was but a melancholick thing , when only promised on condition of being merciful to the poor . the expression of st. luke is short and pithy on that occasion ; he was very sorrowful , for he was very rich. and from that single instance our lord took occasion to say in general , and of all , how hardly shall they that have riches , enter into the kingdom of god ? let the persons be who they will , great and rich , or rich only , rich and prodigal , or covetous , yet in case they have riches , their case is difficult . they may be sav'd , but very hardly . possibly they may , but with much ado : with very much strugling and striving to enter in at the strait gate . a man of great bulk may possibly ( though hardly ) be able to pass at a little door , by a great deal of squeezing , and compression , and coarctation of himself , perhaps by rubbing off his flesh , and by bruising some of his bones . and so a camel may enter through the eye of a needle ; but then the beast must be burnt to ashes , or cut at least into shreds and fitters , that one shred may enter before another , and all may pass in the conclusion . a very cold degree of comfort , not to be in any likelyhood , but in a bare possibility of being sav'd . § . it is enough to deterr us from being grieved at the loss , or overglad in the injoyment of worldly goods , that the good things of this world are apt to be enemies to all that 's good. they are often enemies to preaching ; for the deceitfulness of riches choaks the word , and makes the hearer become unfruitful , ( matth. . . ) they are usual enemies to praying ; for you ask , and receive not , because ye ask amiss , that ye may consume it upon your lusts , ( james . . ) they are common enemies to loyalty , and upright dealing ; for iudas being christ's cash-keeper did quickly find his very office became his tempter . he did not stab , but sell his master . nor that out of malice , but love of mony . and when the husbandmen of the vineyard conspir'd to murder their landlord's heir , it was to this end alone , that the inheritance might be theirs , ( mark . . ) again the things of this world are general enemies to religion ; to religion in its practical and chiefest part ; whose truth and purity does stand in this , that we keep our selves unspotted from the world ; that is to say , from the wealth , and friendship , from the luxuries , and the lusts , and the glories of it , ( iames . . ) briefly , they are enemies to the eternal salvation of soul and body . for they that will be rich , fall into temptation , and a snare ; into very many foolish and hurtful lusts , which drown the soul in destruction and perdition , ( tim. . . ) nor was it sure without cause , that our saviour made dives the repraesentative of the damn'd . a man of quality , and fortune , highly befriended by the world , cloath'd in purple and fine linnen , and faring sumptuously every day . which was so far from being a narrative of any particular man's case , that i could never read of any whose name was dives , much less that there was such in the time of lazarus . nor was lazarus there meant of any begger in particular , who lay full of sores at the rich man's gate . but all was spoken in a parable , and that as 't were on purpose to let us know , what kind of voiagers more especially are bound for heaven , and for hell ; and with what sorts of people they both are aptest to be stock't : to wit with poor lazars , and wealthy gluttons . those inhabitants of heaven , as these of hell. again it teaches us how frequent and usual 't is , for every man to have his portion of pain , and pleasure ; either in this , or another life . his good things here , and his evil things hereafter ; or his evil things now , and his good things then . for so said abraham out of heaven to the rich man in hell ; † son , remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things , and likewise lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted , and thou art tormented . and when ( agreably to this ) our blessed lord denounc'd a woe unto them that were rich , he gave this reason , because they had received their consolation . they had already been possess'd of their lot and portion of felicity . the scales hereafter would be turn'd , and the scene quite chang'd , when they should have their full share of afflictions too . and in this respect at least 't was fitly said by those voluptuaries , the hectors of their times in the book of wisdom ; let none of us go without his part of voluptuousness . let us leave tokens of our ioyfulness in every place : for this is our portion , our lot is this. § . now the reasons of this unhappiness , that the good things of this world are the goodliest snares and temptations , and such as our adversary the devil does put his chiefest trust in , are these that follow . first 't is hard , in the use of riches , to steer a safe and equal course betwixt the rock , and the whirl-pool ; avarice on the one side , and prodigality on the other . very hard not to offend , either in laying up riches , or at least in laying them out . § . as for the former , he whose treasure is not his slave , is clearly made a slave by it ; and is extremely more stupid than the beast on which he rides , because he is ridden by a beast , ( that is to say , ) by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or fourfooted beast which reigns within him . he does not more possess his riches , than he is possess'd by them ; and may be called not improperly his mammon's mule. our lord ingeminated his caveat against the daughters of the horse-leech , as if 't were that against which a man could never be too much warn'd . take heed ( saith he ) and beware of covetousness : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , see , and be kept safe . take heed , and take heed . a thing which looks like a battology , but is indeed nothing less ; a caution purposely redoubled , for the securing us from an affection which is the root of all evil. so very far is a man's life from consisting in the abundance of the things which he possesseth , so very far from being able to add a cubit to his stature , a minute to his duration , or a grain to his contentment , that they give him a poverty to be pitied , in that they make him not rich , towards god , or himself . rich towards god he cannot be , who layeth up treasure for himself . no nor rich towards himself , who layeth it up for he-knows-net-whom ; whether his son , or his son's guardian , or for one who will be able to squeeze them both. there being commonly one or other to whom the rest are but spunges ; nor can they tell either how soon , or by what kind of hand they may all be squeez'd . now 't is a very great punishment , as well as sin , for a man to bereave himself of good , that no-body-knowswho may fare the better , and as likely his enemies , as his friends . it was the character of a fool , which david gave of the niggard , he heapeth up riches , and cannot tell who shall gather them . and the niggard ( as i think ) is the only man , on whom our lord fastens the name of * fool. dost thou talk of pulling down , and of building up , and of making provision for time to come ? thou fool ! this night thy soul shall be required of thee . then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ? not thy childrens perhaps , but thy children's tyrants . thy riches are not in their power , who are themselves in the power of somewhat else , either without them , or within them . they have lost their propriety in all their legacies and estates , if a vespasian or a copronymus shall chance to rule them ; much more , if they shall live under the tyranny of their lusts. for if they pay tribute to their ambition , and contributions to their gluttony , and large excise to their other vices , such as is their childish dotage upon the vanities and the pomps and chargeable customs of the world , ( alas ! ) the main of their revenue goes out in taxes . for a man 's own lusts are the greatest oppressors to be imagin'd . besides , a man's * enemies commonly are they of his own house . even the fruit of his body is the fullest of bitterness to his soul. the more he heapeth up treasure , in intuition of his children , the more he tempts them to be his enemies , if they at least may be thought enemies , who do not only wish his death , but many times contrive it too . a poor man's child will love the life of his parents , because he lives by their labour ; whilst the wealthier sort of parents are apt to be troublesom to their children , because they stand betwixt them and plenty ; 'twixt them and their liberty to live as deliciously as they list . but because a man is ignorant , who or what shall be after him , his heaping up is nothing else but being prodigal to his purse ; all his carking and caring is , that his purse may never be in want . he is content for his own part to fare very hardly , and to eat the bread of scarceness , so that his dearly beloved purse may be but plentifully fed . so great a friendship there is betwixt him and it. and thus it was with the wealthy niggard in the gospel ; who wanting room enough wherein to lay up his crop in a plenteous harvest , did not rationally say , i will sell away my overplus , and bestow it upon my friends , in hospitality ; upon my beadsmen , in alms ; upon my self , or my family , in food and rayment ; but i will pull down my barns , and build greater , and there will i bestow all my fruits and my goods . the english word in the translation proves very emphatical , and seems to import the niggard's largess . it is not translated , i will gather my goods together , or lay them up , ( as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might well have been , ) but i will bestow them , or lay them out . although he was sordid to himself , and as close-fisted to his family , and to all other persons an arrant churl , yet to his storehouses and barns he was very free-hearted ; he gladly bestowed upon them , even as much as they could hold . to those his favorites and darlings he could not be liberal enough ; and therefore widen'd their vacuities , that he might fill them . the reason of which is very obvious . for as where a man's treasure is , there is his heart ; so wherever his heart is , there he loves to lay his treasure . had the rich man's heart been either in heaven , or upon christ , he had bestowed all his goods upon heavenly things ; had fed christ in his hungry members , or cloathed him in his naked ones , or redeemed him in his captive imprison'd members . he had erected , or indowed , either a college , or a church , an hospital , or an alms-house . but his heart ( 't is plain enough ) was wholly set upon his barns ; they had drawn out his bowels ; thither went his affections . though a little was too much to be bestow'd upon himself , yet all was little enough for them ; he was so passionately kind , and partial to them . one spends all upon his back ; another upon his belly ; a third upon his titles , and stiles of honour ; a fourth upon his sports and recreations ; and there are ( as that parable does plainly shew , ) who spend and lavish out all they have , on their barns or purses . § . thus 't is difficult not to offend in the laying up riches ; and 't is as difficult to be innocent in the laying of them out too . for we may borrow from our avarice , for the maintaining of our pride ; and what we spend on our ambition , is at least as ill laid out , as what we bestow on our barns or baggs . to keep an open cellar , and a very large table , is not the vertue oppos'd to avarice . for we may lavish out our all , in dishonour of god's name , as well as treasure all up , in distrust of his providence . our hearts will be ( as i said before ) in what place soever our treasure is ; and as good in our coffers , as in our kitchens . a talent wrapped in a napkin will be no more imputed to us , than one consumed upon our lusts. we know a man of great fortune has wherewithal to entertain and to cherish vice. has abundance of fewel to feed his fire . is able to purchase ( at any rate ) whatever is acceptable and pleasing to the greedy appetite of the flesh. whereas a man that is poor , cannot go to the price of many chargeable sins . his lamp burns faintly , for want of oyl . * fulness of bread is such a thing , as was reckon'd for one of the sins of sodom , and commonly follows a great estate . so that that which the rich man esteems his blessing , may prove the subject of a very great curse . for thus we read in the psalmist , let their table be made a snare to take them withal . and that which should have been for their welfare , let it be to them an occasion of falling , psal. . . thus we have the two branches of the first and chief reason , why the worlds good things are the goodliest snares and temptations ; and such as our adversary the devil does most rely on . § . again the goods of this world are apt to breed and nourish pride ; which was another great sin in the men of sodom . plenty makes men contemptuous , and superciliously looking down on such as are poorer than themselves . thence is the latin word superbia , à superhabendo . pride does take its derivation from having wealth above others . does not breed that respect which is due to others , but that undue respect of persons which is express'd by partiality , and declared against as an heinous sin , james . , . it is a custom whose tyranny has invaded most parts of the world we live in , to have respect unto him who weareth gay cloathing , and to make him sit down in the upper place ; whilst 't is said to the poor man , stand thou there , or sit here under my footstool , ( james . . ) not at all laying to heart , ( as st. iames goes on , ) that god hath chosen the poor of this world , rich in faith , and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promis'd to them that love him , ( v. . ) this is one of the main branches of that most fatal and fruitful tree , whereof the love of this worlds goods must needs be granted to be the root . § . again the goods of this world are very apt to breed sloath ; and this was the third great sin of sodom . not only pride , and fulness of bread , but abundance of idleness was in her . a man who lives by his labour has not time and opportunity to commit many sins , to which abundance of leisure would have betray'd him . he whose ambition leads him no higher than to the foddering of his cattle , or the government of his plough , will have the least cause of scruple , ( in all probability , ) as well in his conscience , as in his stomach . whereas a man of great plenty is not so apt to have employment to keep him ▪ safe ; and so much the less , by how much the less he has need of working . he is not only able to buy the various nourishments of vice , but is at leisure to be hurt , and debauched by them . he is not fortified with labour ; is not fenc'd and barricado'd with store of business ; the avenues of his soul lye always open ; so as the tempter needs not besiege him , but may take him by a surprise . whilst david liv'd at bethleem with his poor father , goodman iesse , where his thoughts were taken up with his attendance upon the cattle , his following the ewes great with young , in the spring , his washing and sheering them , in the summer , his giving them fodder , in the winter , and his keeping them from the wolf , at every season of the year ; whilst he was thus keeping sheep , he was able to keep himself too , as chast , and harmless . but when he was placed as a king , upon a very high mountain of worldly greatness , although he was placed there by god , he was so tempted there by satan , ( and that like christ , the son of david , with the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , ) as to have fallen into diverse most deadly sins . when he lived at his ease , and tarri'd still at ierusalem , stretch't himself upon his bed , and that at noon too , and had nothing else to do , ( when he rose from it in the evening , ) but to walk up and down upon the roof of his palace , where his employment was nothing greater , than the feasting of his eyes with all the varieties of the city ; none is so ignorant of his history , as not to know what did ensue . had he been with his army , as by right he should have been , ( for the text tells us 't was at the time when kings go forth to battle , ) he had been probably too busie , to have been tempted , as he was , whilst he lay at ease . in the time of his hardship and afflictions , we know he had somewhat else to do , than to admit of what he did at a time of idleness and plenty , when he wallowed in the mire of the good things of this world. thus the earth , which lyes idle , is presently over-run with weeds ; whilst the heavens , which ever move , still keep their purity . just as waters , standing still , are very easily corrupted ; whilst those that run , and run swiftly , keep themselves pure and unpolluted . § . again the goods of this world , the more they labour to fill the appetite , the more they dilate it , and make it empty . they are apt to make a thirsty , hydropick soul. as the poor man does labour , to grow less poor ; so the rich does lay up , to grow more rich . and though 't is hard to make a rule which will not admit of some exceptions , yet 't is generally observable , that a poor man's care is how to keep out of want ; whereas the care of the rich is how to get into superfluity . a man of mediocrity , who is but well enough to live , is aptest to think himself well enough ; nor aims so much at the increase , as at the meer praeservation of his possessions . whereas abundance of riches makes a plethory in the heart , which breaks out into an itch , without due purgings , and evacuations . by how much the fuller he is of wealth , by so much the more his heart is set upon the raising of his family , and the leaving to his children a great deal more than he was left . he loves to be joyning house to house , and to be laying field to field , and to be placed alone in the midst of the earth ; supposing that his dwelling place shall indure for ever , and his land be called by his name from generation to generation : thus do the riches of men conduce to many diseases in the soul ; a plethory , an itch , a lientery , a dropsy , a boulimia . these are the maladies of the mind , which abundance of riches do breed and cherish . the reason of it is chiefly this ; that what appears very great to them who want and desire it , does , to them who do embrace it , almost totally disappear . what hope and hunger present as bigg , possession makes to seem little , even because it does not stand at a due distance from the appetite . for an object may be too near ( as well as too far ) to be truly seen ; witness the letters of any book , which if we place too near our eyes , we are as little able to read , as if they stood a mile off . for which reason it is , we overlook what we possess , and even want what we have , whilst we covet more . § . other reasons may be given , but these i take to be the chief . and as i think they are enough , so i am not at leisure to point at more . for now 't is time that i apply , and so improve what i have said , by adding several considerations , whereof the one will very fitly become a step unto the other . and until we grasp all , the application will not be perfect . § . first then let us consider ; that if the world 's good things are commonly made the devil's lime-twigs , laid before us as our food , but only intended for our fetters ; it concerns us that our souls be night and day kept on wing , and incessantly flying over these snares of satan . which to accomplish the more effectually , we must be careful not to stand upon exceeding high mountains , nor take too much of this world within our prospect . the bowels of st. paul were so turn'd within him , when he consi der'd the earthy-mindedness of many professors in his time , as that he could not hold from weeping , in reflecting on the miseries he saw them in . whilst he was writing to his philippians , in a very cheerful stile , touching the glory to be reveal'd , and of his pressing towards the mark , for the price of the high calling of god in christ iesus , his soul was suddenly overcast with a gloomy cloud , and his cheerfulness in a moment was done away with a fit of mourning . for towards the midst of his epistle , his thoughts were occasionally diverted by such a melancholy remembrance , as put a sudden stop to his meditations , and made him break out into a parenthesis of tears . many walk ( saith the apostle ) of whom i have told you often , and now tell you even weeping , that they are enemies to the cross of christ , whose end is destruction , whose god is their belly , and whose glory is their shame , who mind earthly things . they liv'd in plenty and prosperity , complyed with the persecuting jews , were very indulgent to their appetites , and even boasted of their lusts ; that is , their happiness was as great as this world could make it , and for this , which is the object of most mens envy , or ambition , they were exceedingly bemoan'd by that compassionate apostle . that their souls , like silly birds , should be so caught and intangl'd with satan's lime-twigs , as to be groveling on the earth , and render'd utterly unable to give a spring towards heaven , this was his corrosive and cordolium . 't was this that turn'd his head into a fountain of tears , and made him to mingle his ink with weeping . this was that that made him write with an ellipsis in a parenthesis , and one parenthesis in another ; no sooner had he said [ for many walk ] but there he presently brake off ; as if the rest of his words had been suddenly swallow'd up with his commiseration . the royal prophet had been caught , but had been happily disintangl'd , and was so very much afraid to be caught again , that he earnestly fell a wishing for the wings of a dove , whereby to be able to fly away , not only from the injuries , but from the vanities of the world. one would have thought that such a potentate might have been satisfied with the world , who had its glories at his devotion ; yet even those were some of the things which made king david so weary of it ; and drew upon him that envy , with those malicious calumniators , which made his life to seem long , and his kingdom tedious : woe is me ( saith he in pity to himself ) that i am constrain'd to dwell with mesech , and to have mine habitation in the tents of kedar . so when moses was but a youth , he towred up like an eagle above the stratagems of the fowler , and could securely look down with an holy derision upon his nets . he was so far from desiring , that he refused to be a prince . so far from courting the top of honour , as to have turn'd his back upon it , when strongly courted to its acceptance : choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of god , than to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season . such eagles , now a days , are grown a rare sort of creatures ; there being few who ( like moses ) do so value and revere the reproach of christ , as to esteem it greater riches than all the treasures of egypt . it is ordinarily counted a spice of madness , for men to suffer any great hardships in point of conscience . so long as thou dost well unto thy self , men will speak good of thee , psal. . . but he who will not be caught in the devil's net , and flies the favours of the world which cannot honestly be injoy'd , however the greatness of his soul does speak him no less than a lofty eagle , yet he shall commonly be contemn'd as an arrant goose. but this should teach us to loath the world so much the more , and the wisdom of the world , which is not earthy only , and sensual , but devillish too , iames . . alas the wisdom of the serpent is a very foolish thing , wheresoever there is the sting , and the poyson too . and to have the dove's innocence , we need the wings also . for as whilst we are glued in our affections to the things here below , we think the world to be a great , and a glorious thing , so the higher we fly above it , the more contemptibly little 't is natural for it to appear . and therefore § . secondly let us consider , that as the way whereby to escape the glorious dangers of which i speak , is to sequester our affections from the things of this world , and to take wing towards a better ; so , that our flight may be the higher , we are to take some ready course whereby to make our selves light . for however it is natural for birds to fly , yet the most they can do is but to flutter , if they are laden with thick clay ; a phrase by which the prophet habakkuk describeth mony , and denounceth a woe to them that load themselves with it . the reason of which is very obvious . for notwithstanding it is natural for the spirit of man to fly upwards , yet what in one case is natural , may be impossible in an other . a man may fly just as soon with a weight of lead at his feet , as with a burden of silver upon his back . the lightest birds commonly do fly the highest . and considering 't is a duty , for a man so to buy , as if he were never to possess ; to deny his dear self , and to take up christ's cross , and to follow him ; it seems to follow thereupon , that he who hath least of this world , and the least to do in it , is probably the fittest for that great duty . though 't was not meerly for being poor , that lazarus was carried to abraham's bosom , yet 't was that that his poverty dispos'd him for . and st. peter said fitly ( touching himself and his condisciples , ) lo we have left all , and followed thee . because they could not follow christ , and carry all they had with them . for every follower of christ has a very narrow way wherein to walk , and a very strait gate whereat to enter . so that the body of a christian is load enough unto the soul ; and therefore many more impediments may well be spar'd . our bodies ( saith st. paul ) are but earthen vessels ; but dust and ashes , ( saith abraham ) gen. . . and sure the way to keep our selves unspotted from the world , is not to bury our selves alive , even by adding earth to earth , ashes to ashes , dust to dust. that being the way of our being buried , not in sure and certain hope , but in sure and certain fear of a resurrection . for when the minions of this world who are dead whilst they live , shall ( by the just judgment of god ) live again when they are dead too , and shall be summon'd out of their graves , as malefactors out of a dungeon ; they will say to the mountains fall on us , and to the hills , cover us ; that is , they will desire to be once more buried . now to prevent so sad a rising , we are to rise whilst we are here ; from the death ( i mean ) of sin , and from the grave of carnality . and that we may rise the more nimbly , we must be levis armaturae ; must not lay upon our selves too great a load of thick clay , which commonly brings with it another load , whether it be of worldly cares , or of carnal pleasures . whatsoever most christians may think of this , 't was sadly consider'd by many heathens , of which i shall but instance in four or five . diogenes was a poor , but yet a very great man , because his poverty was his choice ; and he was one who did not want , but contemn the gayeties of the world. how did he fly above the vices and follies of it , by stripping himself of its impediments , and by imping the wings of his brave ambition ? 't was his ambition to be at liberty , not to give hostages to fortune , to live a life disingaged from things below him . he found that one tub was enough to lye in , and one wooden . dish enough to drink in , and was resolved that his housholdstuff should hold proportion with his house . yea even that he thought too much , for its being somewhat more than was strictly needful . and therefore he brake his wooden dish , upon his first consideration , that the hollow of his hand had made it needless . now i the rather choose to instance in this remarkable philosopher , because i know him very much censur'd , and think him as little * understood . for that which is taken by a proverb to be the cynicalness and sowrness , was thought by diverse ancient authors the lovely nobleness of his temper . his choice of poverty was the result of his very deep knowledge , and contemplation . nature and industry had both conspir'd to his perfections ; of which it was not the least , that he knew the whole world , and always had it under his feet too ; as having weigh'd it in a ballance , and found its lightness . he had been sued to , and courted , by the great potentates of the earth , whose prosperities stoop't down to receive the honour of his acceptance . but what solomon , out of his wisdom , both infused , and acquired , ( acquir'd both by joious and sad experience , ) the same diogenes concluded , ( i shall not dare to say how , ) that all is vanity under the sun. now we all know that vanity is of extremely little weight , if put in the ballance of diseretion ; and in the ballance of the sanctuary , of none at all . nay the psalmist concludes , that man himself is but vanity , who yet is very much the noblest of any creature under the sun. and sure if every man is vanity , and the greater he is , the greater vanity , and not only vanity , but vexation of spirit ; how could godfrey duke of bulloin have done more prudently for himself , than in refusing to accept a crown of gold , where christ himself wore one of thorns ? or why should any of christ's followers buy the friendship of a prince , when xenocrates an heathen would not deign to sell his , no not to alexander himself who would fain have bought it ? why should a christian affect dominion , when * atilius an heathen made choice to leave it ? why should one of christ's disciples court and covet that plenty , which was despis'd by fabricius , an arrant heathen ? why should a christian set his heart upon the getting and leaving a vast revenue to his posterity , when the heathen man socrates thought it a charity to his children , to leave them none ? not that he thought it a breach of charity , to make provision for his family ; but that he durst not betray them to great temptations . as he himself had refused half the kingdom of samos when offer'd to him , so was he willing that his children should inherit his temper , and frame of mind . he knew the providence of god was the surest patrimony ; and had been taught by his experience , that friends well got were the next great treasure . 't was his duty , as a father , to leave his children very well , and by consequence in a condition ( not the richest , but ) the most suitable , and safest for them ; and therefore under a necessity of taking pains . conceiving it infinitely difficult for any man to live a strict and a vertuous life , who is not bless'd with some calling wherein to labour . ask't he was indeed by xenophon , and other friends , why of so many great offers he would not accept at least of some ; if not in his own , yet in his childrens consideration . but still he answer'd , [ * if they live as they ought , they cannot want blessings ; and if they live otherwise , i cannot wish that they may have them . if they are dutiful to their god , they will find him an indulgent and loving father . and if they rebel against their maker , what have i to do with them ? ] now consider how these heathens who liv'd before christ , had more of christian self-denyal , than most of them that come after . they were many of them plac'd upon exceeding high mountains ; shew'd the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them ; yea though they were proffer'd those injoyments , and strongly tempted to accept them ; yet so great was their courage , they did not yield . men , who if they are not fit for our imitation , are fit to shame us at least for our imitating no more of the life of christ. who , as it were in opposition to this temptation of the devil , drawn from the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them , made choice of * poverty and despisedness for his external qualifications . for though , by reason of his divinity , he could not possibly be obnoxious to the unworthiness of sin , yet by reason of his humanity , he was capable of suffering the most unworthy solicitations . and even those solicitations disturb'd his ease , although they had not the power to hurt his safety . something therefore there was in it for our edification , that when it pleased the god of heaven to take upon him our nature , who had it in his own choice , both of whom he would be born , and in what quality he would live , he did not choose the greatest , but rather the meanest and the most abject of all conditions . now whoever he is that chooseth , ( be he wise , or foolish , ) ever chooseth what is best , either really , or in shew ; either best in it self , or best to his imagina tion . from whence it follows that our saviour , being the wisdom of the father , ( as god the son , ) could not choose but choose wisely , and what was really the best , when he made choice to be so meanly both born , and bred . as for his birth , sure a carpenter's spouse was a very mean parent ; the stable of an inn was an exceeding mean place ; wherein an oxe and an ass were as mean attendants . and then for his breeding , it was in galilee , yea in nazareth , the meanest part of all palestine ; in the house of goodman ioseph , one of the meanest men of nazareth ; and in the way of a carpenter , as mean a trade as could well be chosen . our saviour shall not choose for us , if he chooses no better for himself , ( will the men of this world be apt to say . ) we would choose ( had we our choice ) to be born of princes ; to be bred in stately palaces , and brought up at court. none should be greater , if we could help it , nor any richer than our selves . we would choose the very things , wherewith the devil here tempted christ , all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them . would not be so poorly spirited , as to refuse a frank offer for want of a little complaisance , an act of worship , and veneration . a beast indeed will rest contented , when his belly is full ; and looks no higher , when he is empty , than to that which grows up from the ground he treads on . but man is made of another metal , and he is scarce fit to live who has no ambition , but sits him down ( like a beast ) completely satisfied with a sufficience . conscience and contentment are fit for persecuted churchmen , ( or well-bred quakers , ) or else for men whose wits are lost in their studies , and whose overmuch learning has made them as mad as any paul ; a man who talks of contentment in all conditions ; and would have us look no farther ( as to the goods of this world ) than food and rayment . is it not pity that such as these should be the reasonings of the followers and friends of christ , who followed the things which they eschew , and eschewed those things which they contend for ? his choice ( i say ) was to be poorer , and more despised than other men . and because , being a man , he was to be of some calling , he pitch'd on that that was lyable to least temptations ; and so was registred at nazareth , not in the quality of a freeholder , but of an handicraft-man . he was but faber lignarius , a wooden smith . had he been a freeholder , he had had ( though not a kingdom , yet ) a small pittance of this world. he might have trod his own ground , and have breath'd his own air , and have eaten his own bread , without depending upon the charity of any other man's hands , or on the labour of his own . but he was on the contrary so poor and destitute , that he had neither food , nor rayment , but what he earn'd , or had given him , or got by miracle . as long as from his twelfth to his thirtieth year of age , diverse fathers are of opinion , that he wrought for his living in his father in law 's shop . nor is there any church-writer who gives another accompt of him . and from thence until his death he obtain'd his bread , either by teaching , as a prophet , or doing good , as a physician ; both gratuitously , and freely , although by some he was rewarded . now that our saviour's way of choosing may have some influence upon ours , and this our second consideration may be as useful , as it is long , § . let us consider , in the third place , how god and satan are two competitors for our choice . satan tempts us to joyn with him , in his attempts against god ; god solicits us on the contrary , to side with him against satan . satan tempts us to rebellion , with the things that are seen , which are but temporal ; god solicits us to obedience , with the things that are not seen , which are eternal . satan's proposals are to the flesh ; god's especially to the spirit . satan takes us up to an exceeding high mountain , and discovers to us from thence , all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them ; god , on the other side , takes us up to mount sion , or at least takes us down to the valley of achor , and discovers to us from thence , the kingdom of heaven , and glory of it , and saith to us in effect , ( as the devil to christ , ) all this will i give you , if falling down ye will worship me . now it remains that we consider , to which proposal of the two our affections and appetites have the most reason to incline . let 's put them both into the scales , and then choose that that shall weigh the heaviest . as for the things of this present world , the best we can say of them is this , they all are to perish in the using . the world it self is but a thing , whose fashion passeth away . but 't is the saddest consideration , that the world 's good things are much more dangerous than they are frail . it being a duty extremely difficult , to use this world as not abusing it ; and yet if we omit to perform this duty , the richest possessions upon earth will but serve to purchase for us the largest interest in hell. so that the devil's liberality amounts to this only , that if we will but idolize him , he will give us whatsoever may do us harm . he will supply us with the means of being damn'd so much the deeper . was it ( think we ) for nothing , or a thing by meer chance , that as our saviour chose poverty ( rather than plenty ) for himself , so he chose such as were poor , ( as well in fortune , as in spirit , ) to be inrich'd by his grace , and made inheritors of his kingdom ? was there not ( think we ) something in it , that the primitive excellency consisted in selling all that they had , and laying it down at the apostles feet ? the least we can gather from it is this , ( and be it spoken as impartially to the due comfort of the poor , as to the needful humiliation of such amongst us as are rich , ) that poverty , though it is not exempt from all , is yet obnoxious unto fewer , and lesser dangers . for riches commonly do inable us to do things to be repented ; whereas poverty helps to fit us to repent of things done . indeed 't is best of the two , to have food convenient , ( as agur words it ; ) to be in such a mediocrity 'twixt poverty , and plenty , as not to be pinched with the former , nor too much loaded with the later . agur prayed against both ; but for different reasons . he prayed against poverty , as apt to make him turn thief ; but he prayed against riches , as apt to make him turn atheist . now by how much it is worse to be an atheist , than a thief , by so much riches should make a sadder , and a more formidable condition . and 't was perhaps for this reason , ( amongst some others , ) that the most learned of all our kings thought him the happiest man in england , who by his quality and estate had a middle station , betwixt an high constable , and a iustice of peace . for such a man is neither held to be poor nor rich. he has not the indigence of the one , nor the vexation of the other . is freer from contempt , and from envy too . has weaker temptations , and fewer troubles . this is to be fed with food convenient . and this is the condition which agur pray'd for . but that scarceness in it self is safer for us ( of the two ) than superfluity , we may infer from that method which the devil here used against our saviour : who , according as his prosperities did fall , or rise , did ever find his temptations to ebb , or flow . and we know the lowest ebb can but leave us dry , whereas the tyde of prosperity is apt to drown us . so frail , and so worthless , yea and so dangerous are the things , by which the rival of our maker most strongly tempts us . weigh we next the good things , not only of this , but a better world , wherewith the god who may despise , vouchsafes to court us . he does not only court us with the promise of a deliverance , from a bottomless lake of fire and brimstone , where the worm dyeth not , and where the fire is not quenched ; nor seek to win us only by promises of a crown immarcescible , of ioys unspeakable , and endless , such as our hearts cannot hold , nor our tongues utter , nor our reasons comprehend , nor our fansies reach ; but farther obliges and indears us with a world of bounties whilst we are here. for every man in the world has all the world in epitome ; and that not only as to the sight , but injoyment also , until he forfeits his birthright by the high treason of his debauches . till then ( i say ) he has a world , both to possess , and to injoy , not only within , but without him also . the world within him is so evident , and so very much resembling the world without him , ( far beyond what the romans had made its hieroglyphick , or embleme , ) that there is hardly any thing namable , either in heaven , or in earth , to which there is not something analogous , either in the body , or soul of man. the truth of which saying will soon appear , to whosoever will take the pains ( as augustine mascardus has somewhere done ) to draw a parallel of particulars . and then for the world without his person , 't is plain that that is within his power . for all the earth is his walk , if he please to use it . he has regions of air wherein to breathe : many rivers of water to quench his thirst : and an element of fire to keep him warm . so that if he has an house which will but hold him , and meat as much as he can hold , and as much rayment as he can carry , he has certainly as much as a man undebauch't knows what to do with ; and what a madness is it for him to covet more ? for how much worse than a brutality must we needs have exchanged our human nature , when nothing can please us but what 's forbidden ? and when nothing is forbidden , but what 't will mischief us to injoy ? how many pleasures and recreations has god been bountifully pleas'd to make lawful for us ? freely giving us the liberty , to choose as much as will do us good ? musick is allow'd us to please our ears ; perfumes to gratifie our smelling ; the beautiful structure of the universe to feed our eyes with admiration . rich variety of meats to treat our palates with , when we are hungry ; the most desirable felicity of quenching our thirst , when we are dry ; the great and innocent sensuality of warming our selves when we are cold . and seeing the old rule in logick is indisputably true , that the whole nature of every species is in each single individual : god has made it both a needless and sensless thing , for any man to covet his neighbour's wife , by having graciously allow'd him the happy society of his own . now since every man in particular does as really injoy the whole influence of the heavens , as if it were shed upon him alone , in so much that his injoyment of heat and light would be no greater , in case he were monarch of all the world ; can it be other than an irrational and an absurd kind of wickedness , if , whilst we lawfully injoy the whole benefit of the sun , we shall esteem it a want of happiness , that another man injoys it as well as we ? if , whilst our own cisterns are running over , we shall not be able to be satisfied , unless with stoln waters ? is there nothing will stay our stomachs , but the bread of dishonesty ? will nothing content us throughout our iourney , ( for which god has given us so plain an high-way wherein to walk , ) but the removing of signal land-marks , and the breaking up of hedges , and leaping over god's mounds ? and this at a time whilst we are told , that as our iourney is long , so our time is little , and yet eternity depends on the usage of it ? must we needs be still coveting another's house , another's land , another's servant , another's wife , or somewhat else which is anothers , and that at the instant of our abounding in two whole worlds which are our own ? no , let us rather bespeak our tempter , as ioseph did his kind mistress , how can we do so great a wickedness ? which way shall we be able to set about it ? had potiphar been a jealous man , or a cruel master , ioseph might have done much , at the frequent intreaties of a mistress . but he , considering how his master had withheld nothing from him , besides his wife , and intrusted him too with her , as well as with his whole substance , could not in gratitude to his master accept the favour of his mistress . he could not sin against so manifold and great a trust. so , if god had been a wilderness to any of us , tyed us up from all comforts , or left but few things lawful for us , we might then have sin'd against him with more excuse . but considering his bounty , and goodness towards us , his leaving it in our power to pick and choose our contentments in great variety , and his withholding nothing from us , but what will hurt us in the possession ; we ought to stir up his grace , as well as our own good nature in us , to an effectual resistance of the most powerful temptations , which shall at any time indeavour to debauch us into rebellion ; and say with ioseph , how can we do so great a wickedness against a deity so obliging ? how can we possibly be so ingrateful ? § . having therefore briefly weigh'd the rival-objects of our choice ; and seen the very vast difference between the things of this praesent , and future world ; yea between the same things of this present world , as they are differently offer'd , by god , and satan ; by god on the one side , as they are sanctified into blessings ; and on the other side by satan , as they are turn'd into a curse ; by god , as of right , and by satan , as of sufferance ; by god in such a measure , as has a tendency to our good , and by satan in such an extravagance , as is in order to our undoing ; by god , to satisfie our appetites , and by satan , to inlarge them ; by god , as obligations to love and gratitude , and by satan , as excitements to pride and luxury ; by god , as directives to the great end of our creation , and by satan , as amusements to keep us from it ; we cannot take a better course , when satan tempts us ( as he did christ ) with the greatness of the world , and the glory of it , than to reflect upon our solemn baptismal vow , and by consequence to fight against the prince of this world , and utterly to forsake its pomps and vanities ; not to walk according to the course of this world ; to fear its friendship ; to hate its wisdom ; to suspect its power , and to scorn its glory ; to crucifie the world unto our selves , and our selves unto the world ; to keep our selves unspotted and undefiled from the world ; and , whilst our vile bodies are here on earth , to have our conversations at least in heaven . § . these are the lessons we are to learn , from the first observable in the text , and such as prompt me to proceed to the consideration of the second . for of the many and cogent arguments whereby to make our selves think meanly of the things which we admire , this is none of the least , that they are not only in god's gift , ( by a natural right , ) but many times ( by his leave ) in the devil 's also . for thus rnn the words of the next particular in the division , that all the goods of this world , however lovely they may appear to the misty eye of carnality , are yet by god's patience , and wise permission , ( at least successively , though not at once , ) in the devil's proffer , and disposal . first i must evidence that so it is. next i must guess at the reasons why . and last of all i must proceed , to shew the manifold advantage and use of both. § . that so it is may be evinced more ways than one ; from scripture , from reason , and from experience . it is so evident from scripture , ( wherein our saviour calls satan * the prince of this world , st. paul the ruler , and the god too , ) that the devil in one sense said not amiss unto our saviour , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the power of this world is deliver'd to me , as that does signifie by an hebraism , that god does suffer or permit him to rob the innocent , and to heap riches upon the guilty , and so to dispose of whole kingdoms to the sons of violence and oppression , who call their strength the law of iustice. 't is true , the words of the devil , ( as st. luke sets them down ) are clearly spoken as by a sophister ; who , ( according to his custom ) being aequivocal or homonymous in what he says , does cunningly mix a little truth with the greatest falshood to be imagin'd . for if he means that god almighty has put the world into his hands , and intrusted him , ( as a deputy ) to pass a right of possession on whom he pleaseth , there is nothing more false than his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; ( which will be made to appear in its proper place . ) but if his meaning is only this , that god is pleas'd to let him alone in his course of wickedness for a time , and permits him to be mischievous as far as his fetters and chain will reach , nothing is truer than that assertion from the father of lyes . and nothing can shew its truth better , than such a scriptural example as that of iob. § . he ( we know ) was a perfect , and upright man : a man fearing god , and eschewing evil. as to the purity of his life , he had not his equal in all the earth . in so much that god upbraided and vexed satan with his integrity . yet even all that iob had ( and we know he had a world ) was left by god in the devil's power . for no sooner had satan said , put forth thine hand now , and touch all he hath , and he will curse thee to thy face ; but god return'd him this answer , all that he hath is in thy power : only upon himself do not put thine hand forth . 't is plain the devil is god's pris'ner ; for there we have the length of the chain that holds him . it did not reach to iob's person , but only to his possessions . and to them so universally , that the devil dispos'd of all to his prime instruments upon earth ; the sabaeans , the chaldaeans , the fire , and the whirlwind . he sent his journey-men , the sabaeans , to plunder iob of his oxen , to take his asses into possession , and slay his servants with the edge of the sword. employed the fire to kill his sheep and his shepherds . to the chaldaeans he bequeathed iob's stock of camels , together with the lives of those that kept them . and then for his children , both sons and daughters , the devil gave them all up unto the wind out of the wilderness , which blew down the house ( wherein they were met ) upon their heads . after this the bassl'd tempter was thus insulted over by god ; hast thou consider'd my servant job , who holdeth fast his integrity , although thou movedst me against him to swallow him up without a cause ? satan therefore ask't sufferance to tempt him farther ; to smite the body of iob with byles ; and to smite him cap a pe too , from head to foot. his chain , before , was very long ; it reach't as far as iob's all , besides his person . in so much that of the richest , he became the very poorest of all the people : for 't is a proverb , and an hyperbole , to say a man is as poor as iob. but now the chain is made longer by one considerable link . for having nothing left to him , except a body and a soul , and ( what was much worse than nothing ) a vexing wife , ( a wife whom the devil had leave enough to take from him , but would not use it , ) now at last his body too is in the power of the destroyer , who disposed of his flesh to the very bone ; nor is there any thing exempted , besides his soul. § . thus we see by example , how great a stroak the devil carrys , ( by god's long sufferance , and permission , ) in the outward management of the world. that is to say , in the disposal of all those things , which do pass amongst men for great and glorious . how was satan permitted to harden pharaoh , to inrage sennacherib , to excite nebuchadnezzar , against the israel of god ? and to dispose of all they had , according to his own lust ? should i produce as many examples as are producible out of scripture , and dwell on each as i have done in the case of iob , i should be in some danger of being endless . it shall therefore suffice me to say in brief , that whensoever one man invades another man's right , or whensoever one nation usurps dominion over another , against that precept of god and nature writ in every man's heart , [ what thou ▪ wouldest that no man should do to thee , do thou to no man , ] or against those other precepts , thou shalt not steal , thou shalt not covet , thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house , ( much less his house with all his land too , ) nay thou shalt not covet any thing ( much less all ) that is thy neighbours ; 't is not god , but the devil , who is the author of that injustice . god does patiently permit , and invisibly over-rule , and wisely order such perpetrations , to many most worthy and righteous ends , which in part we well know , and in part we know not , ( touching which i shall speak in their proper place ; ) but still the robberies and invasions are the contrivances of the devil . now in every such invasion there are two parties tempted ; one with loss , and another with acquisition . they that suffer the injustice are strongly tempted with affliction ; and they that do it are tempted worse , because with the bait of a prosperity which in such case is irresistible . the devil trys with one action to murder two souls at once . two at once , in case the robbery does only lye betwixt man and man. but many thousands of them at once , when betwixt the two parts of an armed nation . for then the devil at the same time provokes the stronger party to pride , as well as the weaker to impatience ; the injurious side to insolence , and the oppressed to despair . this i take to be the reason , why when the devil will do a mischief of most considerable importance , he does not content himself with brutish or inanimate instruments ; but rather prefers the use of such , as ought to be rational , and religious , and so are to render a sad accompt of what is done in the body ; that by dashing many thousands ( as when whole armies meet ) against each other , and getting victory for the oppressors , he may ( in one kind or other ) destroy them all. to wit the bodies of some , and the souls of others . had the devil ( for example ) infested iob with nothing worse than the fire , and whirlwind , or only tormented his flesh with byles , he had in vain spread his net to catch no more than one bird , ( for though iob was a * phoenix , he was but one ; ) had fought to plunder iob alone of his faith and patience . whereas by stirring up the sabaeans and the chaldaeans to do him mischief , he cunningly caught at one draught as great a multitude of souls , as he had prosperously employ'd in so foul a riot . § . now 't is plain by this instance of satan's power to take away , he has a power to bestow too , by god's permission ; and that in order to an end , not as bad only , but worse , propos'd by satan unto himself . for when he takes from the innocent , how liberal is he to the guilty ? it may be said of his instruments , they do not always serve him for naught . he often caresses them whilst they are here , that so hereafter he may have liberty to glut his malice on them the more . what he snatches ( as 't were with one hand ) from the innocent party , he commonly gives ( as with the other ) to the kennel of robbers whom he employs . look what camels and other cattle he deprived iob of , he did confer at the same instant on such as drove them out of his fields . and thus i hope my proposition is clear from scripture . § . secondly from reason 't will be as easy to evince it . for if the goods of this world were not suffer'd by god to be disposed of by the devil , our leviathan would have had reason for his denial of any difference 'twixt right and wrong . if god alone does still dispose of all possessions under the sun , ( as prosperous rebels and usurpers are wont to urge , ) and the devil of none at all by god's permission , all things then must needs be right , except the laws and the statutes which forbid men to steal upon pain of death . they would not only be irrational , but cruel things . for why should any man be censur'd , ( much less certainly should he be punish't , ) for taking that which god gives him ? shall not god , without offence , dispose of things as he pleaseth ? why then are we so wicked , so void of all ingenuity , as to prosecute a man who is call'd a thief , in case he breaks up our houses , takes our cash out of our coffers , drives our cattle out of our grounds , or carries our corn out of our barns , if god has made him his messenger , and ( by his absolute decree , or by his all-working providence , ) disposed of our substance to that man's use ? or why did god himself say , thou shalt not steal , if a man can have nothing , but what god gives him ? for whatsoever god gives him , becomes his own . no propriety of man can exclude that of god , or be equal to it . and in conveyances of title amongst our selves , still ( we know ) a deed of gift , confers as absolute a right , as a deed of purchase . if then we may have any thing which by right is not ours , we have it certainly from satan , and not from god. for one of these members following ( that i may make my work short ) must needs be granted . either that robbery , and theft , extorsion , and oppression , and all sorts of cousenage , are names , and words , and nothing else ; ( invented only by politicians , ecclesiastical and civil , ) or that if they are things , they are very good , as being derived from god the author ; or that god is the author of what is morally evil ; or that at least they are the works , not of god , but of the devil . the first of these cannot be ; for then it would follow , that theft is no sin. much less the second ; for then it would follow , that sin is good. much less the third ; for then it would follow , that god is evil. each of which being false , and blasphemous too ; 't is plain the fourth , by way of refuge , must needs be granted , ( seeing no fifth member can either be , or be imagin'd , ) that all our robberies and frauds are not of god , but of the devil . § . now this becomes a sure medium to prove the point we have in hand ; because the things of this world ( i mean the wealth and glory of it ) are wont to be bandied up and down , from one possessor to another , by secret fraud , or by open force . how very few ( in comparison ) are contented with the portion which god has given them ? and have no more in their possession than can be properly call'd theirs ? how much is gotten by daily cousenage , in fairs , or markets ? how much by filtching , and purloyning , in private families , and common fields ? how much by bribery , and corruption , in courts of justice , ( as we call them , ) and jurisdiction ? ( i do not mean so much in this , as in foreign kingdoms and common-wealths . ) how much by cutpurses and cutthroats , in publick meetings , and high-ways ? how much by preaching , and length of praying , when pharisaical negotiators do pray and preach for a pretence , that they may swallow down orphans and widows houses ? how much by riots and depredations of undisciplin'd armies , through the spirit which is still working in the children of disobedience ? in a word , i am not qualified to name the several ways and methods , by which injustice is promoted , and equity trodden into the dust. now whatsoever is ill-acquired cannot possibly be our own , however call'd by our names . for right and possession are many times at such distance , that they can never once meet , or be reconcil'd . yea by how much the nearer possession is , right may stand the farther off . ill got possession gives right to nothing , unless to hell , and the gibbet ; or to repentance , and restitution . ahab got a full possession of naboth's vineyard ; but 't was by murder , and perjury , and suborning sons of belial to bear false witness , and so by doing that to satan which satan tempted our saviour to . things so far from giving him right unto another man's goods , that they betray'd him into a forfeiture of what had otherwise been his own . for by a complicated treason against the majesty of god , his very soul ( as well as body ) became consiscate to the devil . indeed it implys a contradiction , that a man should get right , by doing wrong . there is a man in the world ( says the inspir'd prophet habakkuk ) who does inlarge his desire as hell , and is as greedy as the grave , and cannot be satisfied ; but gathereth together all nations , and heapeth to himself all people . but mark what follows . woe to him who increaseth what is not his. woe to him who coveteth an evil covetousness to his house , that he may set his nest on high , that he may be delivered from the power of evil. for the stone shall cry out of the wall , and the beam out of the timber shall answer it . woe to him that buildeth a town with blood , and stablisheth a city by iniquity . now what is the reason of all these woes , but that he increaseth what is not his ? if 't is his , let him shew how . did he buy it ? or was it given him ? or did he inherit it by nature ? or was it so made over to him , as canaan by god to the people israel ? if this later , let us hear it made good by a voice from heaven ; and that attested too by miracle . so as moses and aaron did prove the principle and power by which they acted . if he cannot do this , it is not his. therefore he hadit not from god ; therefore he had it from the devil . and thus we have the proposition made good by reason . nor by solitary reason , but in conjunction with scripture , and grounded on it . § . thirdly we may prove it by known experience . by other mens experience , and by our own . first by other mens experience , and that attested as well by sacred , as by secular story . david was taught by his experience , that prosperity was then the usual portion of the ungodly . for so he tells us at large in the seventy third psalm ; i was grieved at the wicked , i saw the ungodly in such prosperity . they are in no peril of death , but are lusty and strong . their eyes swell with fatness , and they do even what they list . they come in no misfortune like other folk , neither are they plagued like other men . therefore fall the people unto them , and thereout suck they no small advantage . tush , say they , how shall god see ? is there knowledge in the most high ? loe these are the ungodly , these prosper in the land , these have riches in possession . but i , on the contrary , who have cleansed my heart , and have washed mine hands in innocence ; i who have lived in the fear of god , and made a conscience of my ways , all the day long have i been punished , and been chastened every morning . the prophet ieremy tells us too , from his own experience , that the way of the wicked was wont to prosper ; and that they who dealt treacherously were happy men . they were planted , took root , they grew , they multiply'd ; yet god was not near in their mouth , and far from their reins . the prophet malachi , after him , had the like experience , that the proud were happy , and the workers of wickedness were set up ; yea they who tempted god were even delivered . so as it seem'd ( to the eye of flesh ) a very vain thing to serve the lord. and the same was observed by the prophet habakkuk . that the wicked ( in his time ) did even compass about the righteous ; they gather'd them in their net ; their portion was fat , and their meat plenteous . § . if we pass out of sacred into secular story , we may discover the same experience running through every age of man , from the one end unto the other . ( although my little time allow'd will not permit me to exemplifie , unless in here and there one . ) that will certifie how ninus first founded empire in iniquity . how the assyrians and chaldaeans continued that . how the medes and the persians invaded these . how philip of macedon usurped all greece ; and his insatiable son the eastern empire . how the romans made all bow down to italy . how the goths and the vandals subdued the romans ; and ravag'd the greatest part of christendom , as far as from poland to mauritania . how mahomed the first subdued the saracens , and profaneness became possess 't of the holy land. how the ottoman empire prospers against the purity of the gospel , and the profession of christianity , and so has done from age to age , and that by the practice of all impiety . how very clear a thing is it , ( a thing of which the world is witness , ) that the great sultan ( as they call him ) is the greatest monarch under heaven ? the greatest enemy to christ , the most abandon'd and given up to work iniquity even with greediness , the most incapable of mercy , either to men in his rage , or to women in his lust , and yet the fullest of prosperity of any potentate upon earth . how many millions of christian souls are there now groaning under his tyranny ? how many princes within our christendom are fain to buy their peace of him , or pay him tribute ? how many centuries of years have those mahomedans still prosper'd , more than any sort of christians that can be nam'd ? shall we now joyn in consort with all those infidels , and aver , that though christ was a great prophet indeed , yet mahomed was a greater ? shall we infer that those turks are the special favorites of heaven ? that god , in love to their alchoran , has signally favour'd them with the greatest and fairest quarters of the world ? has made a decision of the controversie betwixt the worshippers of mahomed , and those of christ , even by yielding to the former his approbation ? there are who talk at this rate , and know not how to talk otherwise , whilst they reason from the principles which they are led by . but god be thanked we are led by a clearer light . as having learnt from st. paul to say of such thrivers in their impiety , ( not that god has indowed , with much delight , but ) that god has indured , with much long-suffering , the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction . and again with st. paul we have learnt to say , that god did suffer those nations to walk in their own ways . had they walk't in god's ways , god had been said to have made them do it . but as they walked in their own , god only suffer'd them . we say ( as abraham to dives ) god permits them to have their good things , here. and here the devil is permitted to have a very wide scope ; to use a large kind of freedom . for however he is held in chains of darkness , yet his chains are so long , and many times so much inlarged , as that he goes to and fro upon the face of the earth . and not only so ; but , by the patience of which i spake , and the long-suffering of the almighty , bestows the kingdoms of the world on such as serve him . ( all the kingdoms , i do not say , but as many as god permits , who yet at one time or other , though not at once , may be said with great truth to permit them all. ) the ottoman emperours in their successions have been placed by the devil upon exceeding high mountains ; have seen the kingdoms of the world , and the glory of them ; and the devil in effect has said to them , as here to christ , all these things will i give you , if yee will fall down and worship me . those emperours have been suffer'd to do the one , and the devil has been permitted to give the other . i shall but name the wicked phocas , who ( of a very mean soldier ) did by his complicated impieties usurp the empire of mauritius , a pious prince . and then for him nearer home , who by his practice and his success drew that phocas to the life , i think i need not so much as name him . nor is there any thing more acknowledged , ( at least by the sober rank of men , who are not yet asham'd to believe the scriptures , ) than that witches , and wizards , magicians , and sorcerers , have made their contracts with the devil , as with a bountiful disposer of worldly goods . § . so that if we consult our own experience , if we ask our own eyes , and call our memories to accompt , how very frequent a thing it is for the hand of wickedness to prevail , for the stool of wickedness to prosper , in devouring the man that is more righteous than he ; and if we consider at the same time , that ( excepting some few , and extraordinary examples , such as the israelites of old who were commanded by god himself to spoil the egyptians of their iewels , and take the canaanites land for their own possession , ) it has been meerly the sin of robbery , in all the ages of the world , for any one or more men to seize upon that which is anothers , by private fraud , or by publick violence ; we cannot choose but subscribe to the sense of our saviour and st. paul , that the devil ( under god , and by god's permission , ) is one dispenser of preferment , if not the chiefest . and therefore not without reason is said by our lord , and his apostle , to be the ruler , and the prince , and even the god of this world. experience has made it a kind of proverb , that he who cannot dissemble , can hardly live . and conscience is so commonly the beggar 's vertue , that that is grown too to a kind of proverb . as if the high way to wealth , were to serve mammon , rather than god , pluto was made the proper name for the god of wealth . and 't was an aphorism of state in the late ill times , he who will have something , must do any thing to acquire it . like that of the poet in time of yore , aude aliquid brevibus gyaris , & carcere dignum , sivis esse aliquid — he who will rise to high promotion , and purchase the friendship of the world , must bravely dare to do something , worthy the gibbet , or the iayl. but if a man will serve god , he is to do it at his peril , of being a confessor perhaps , perhaps a martyr . 't was from the topick of this experience , that the devil here argued against our saviour . ( and my text , as i conceive , does well admit of this paraphrase . ) if thou wilt violate god ' s law , in an adhaerence unto mine ; if thou wilt lay aside thy conscience , and stick at nothing which i command thee ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. i will give thee whatsoever thine eye can see , or thine heart desire . thou may'st arrive a great deal sooner at wealth and greatness , by taking those courses which i suggest , than by relying upon the providence , or on the promises of god. for do but look round about thee , and trust thine eyes . thou seest it goes best with the worst of men ; and that the men of nice conscience are quite undone by their integrity . weigh the successes of evil doers with the calamities of the righteous , and thou wilt find them the wisest who worship me. this does seem to be the scope of the devil 's reasoning to our saviour . and my discourse added to his may serve to evince the proposition which lyes before us , that all the goods of this world ( at least successively , though not at once , ) are , by the sufferance of the almighty , in the devil's proffer and disposal . § . i have but one topick left from whence to make it yet clearer , or past dispute ; and that must needs be by way of answer to an objection . for if these things are so , ( some may say within themselves , men will be in great danger of becoming epicuraeans ; looking on god as without regard of what is done upon the earth , and as consining his providence to things transacted within the heavens . and if they once come to that , they will sin securely , and tumble down with great merriment into the bottomless asphaltites which gapes to have them . so far from scruple or regret in their words or actions , that they will rather use the language of those contemners in the psalmist ; tush , how shall god see ? is there knowledge in the most high ? or say with eliphaz unjustly accusing iob , how doth god know ? can he judge through the dark cloud ? or else with the braves in the book of wisdom ; let us lye in wait for the righteous man. if he is the son of god , he will help him , and deliver him from the hand of his enemies . besides , the doctrine we have in hand does seem to clash with those scriptures , wherein god is said to rule in the kingdoms of men . he giveth it ( saith daniel ) to whomsoever he pleaseth , and setteth up over it the basest of men . and christ is said to be the prince of the kings of the earth , rev. . . how then comes the devil to have the very same titles bestowed upon him ? § . to this objection i answer , and to the later part first , as being that that admitteth of most dispatch . what god and christ are call'd properly , in regard of their natural and soveraign right , the devil is tropically intitl'd , and by an usual catachresis , in regard of that possession which god permitteth him to usurp . the vineyard which was ahab's , was naboth's too ; de facto that , and de jure this. ( that is , ) the one was possess 't of what the other had a right to . so when we speak of laban's teraphims , we mean the teraphims belonging of right to laban . but when we call them rebecca's teraphims , we mean the teraphims which she hid , and had stoln from laban . the kings of spain are call'd by thousands , kings of portugal ; the kings of france , of navarr● ; the kings of england , of france ; all pretending to have a right , where others have gotten the whole possession . but now with a greater force of reason may the devil be call'd the ruler , and the god of this world ; not only because the world does ( for the greatest part ) adore him , and do him service , but because they do it too by his forbearance and permission , whose creatures they are , and whose right it is ; and who , in respect of his omnipotence , cannot possibly be resisted . for ( that i may pass from the later to the former part of the objection : ) § . so far is god from forsaking or slighting the government of the world , that ( as i said once before , but did not so prove it as now i must , ) satan himself is but his pris'ner , however his prison is somewhat wide . not at all his vicegerent , to rule the world in his stead , or with any degree of his approbation . in the twentieth chapter of the apocalypse , we find the devil laid hold on , and bound in a chain , and cast into a pit , shut up and seal'd for a thousand years , and again let loose for a little season . and what is all this , but the hypotyposis of a pris'ner ? and though his chain , for a time , is left by god very long ( as i said before ) yet all the while 't is but a chain , yea and such a chain too , as is not loose , any more than endless . we know the sea is god's pris'ner , though not a very close pris'ner , as others are . the wind it self is not at liberty , however we cannot discern its bounds . it seems indeed to be the freest of all god's pris'ners ; and therefore god is said to ride upon the wings of the wind , by the high flown wit of the royal poet. yet , as he said unto the sea , thus far , and no farther , shall thy proud waves go ; so he checks the very wind too , as with a bridle , and saith unto it , peace , be still . now we find that when our saviour was but pleas'd to say the word , not the wind , and sea only , but the devils also obey'd him . when he bid them come out of the poor daemoniack , they durst not stay ( or they could not ) one minute longer . yea they were forced to petition him , and ask his leave , before they could enter an herd of swine . it was indeed a great power which satan had over iob , as i shew'd before ; but i shew'd too how it was limited . first to his goods , with an exemption of his body ; and then at last to his body , with an exemption of his soul. it was indeed a great power which satan had over the christians in the purest ages of christianity , for no less than three hundred and thirty years , inflicting ten persecutions , from christ to constantine the great . and another great power during the arian persecution , under the tyranny of constantius . another great power , although a short one , in iulian's time. another in the time of the emperour valens . another more universal , in the fifth century after christ , when ( at the very same instant ) anastasius the emperour was an eutychian ; the kings of italy , spain , and africa , arians ; the kings of england , france , and germany , heathens . a greater power than all these the devil seemeth to have had in the tenth century after christ , when hell is said to have broken loose , and the prosperity of the church did much more threaten her utter ruin , than all her persecutions , when put together . yet all this while it was a limited , and stinted power . christianity thriv'd under its sufferings , and had a being ( though a poor one ) in the excesses of its injoyments . the gates of hell did not then so fully prevail against the church , as not to confess it to be a truth , that she was founded upon a rock . what our lord said to pilate , thou couldst have no power against me , were it not given thee from above , we ( with a little alteration ) may say as properly to the devil , and religiously defy him to do his worst . or we may say in some sense upon this occasion , ( as st. paul to the romans upon another , ) there is no power but of god. god ordaining it , if it is right ; or god permitting it , if it is wrong . here then lyes our comfort , as men , and christians , that the devil can no longer continue powerful , than god is pleas'd to be patient of him . the roaring lyon can no more hurt us , without god's leave , than the hungry lyons could hurt daniel , or than hunger it self could hurt elias , or than the burning fiery furnace could hurt the three loyal iews who were cast into it . nay upon such as serve god , the second death has no power ; which yet is known to be so strong , as to have power over the devil . for the time will one day come , when god will tye him up close in his chains of darkness , and will not suffer him any longer to dispose of any thing in the world , ( much less of the kingdoms , and glories of it , ) but will sink him into the depth ( for i cannot say the bottom ) of the lake which burns with fire and brimstone . nay though the devil was so impudent , as to tempt our blessed lord to the committing of idolatry , yet in saying [ all things are delivered to me ] he was seemingly so modest , ( or else so weak , ) as to confess that he has nothing ; which he has not received ; and that as great as he is , he has one above him ; one to whom he is a pris'ner ; one who , as he can freely give , so he can easily take away too ; one who does suffer but for a time , what he will certainly revenge unto all eternity . in a word he does confess , that all he has to dispose of is but derivative , and precarious . 't is at the most but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( if his own word were to be taken , ) deliver'd to him by his iudge , the proper owner of all the world , to whom at last he is to render a sad and terrible accompt . § . thus we see the devil's words ( luke . . ) have but a little truth mixt with a world of falshood . nothing is true in them but this , that god does suffer or permit him to be many times liberal to such as serve him . but now with this little truth which is but sufficiently imply'd , we have three or four falshoods which are sufficiently express'd . for first 't is false what he saith , ( if it be literally taken , ) that the things of this world are deliver'd to him . for not to hinder or to permit , or to suffer him to take and dispose of things , is very much less than to deliver , or put them to him to dispose of ; even as much as to be passive , must needs be less than to be active , in whatsoever thing it is which is brought to pass . 't is true , the devil was permitted to * take our saviour , not only once , but again ; and to carry him whither he pleas'd too ; as first into the city , and after that unto the mountain . but 't is false to say , our saviour was deliver'd up to satan by god the father . next 't is but figuratively true , and therefore literally false , that he gives the world's kingdoms to such as serve him . for being no more than an usurper , and therefore void of all right , he is not properly said to give , but rather to procure them to all usurpers . thirdly 't is false that he procures them to whomsoever he pleaseth , ( which yet he confidently adds , ) for he procures them no farther , than god sees good to permit , or suffer . last of all he saith falsly , that all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them are so much as permitted to his disposal , ( if he means all at once . ) for god disposeth of many kingdoms , wherein he suffers not the devil to have the least thing to do . 't was god alone who gave his people the land of canaan , although the devil took it from them , and helpt to procure it for the assyrians . 't was god alone who gave iob his store of cattle , although the devil prompted his labourers , ( the chaldaeans and sabaeans , ) to take them from him . 't was god alone who gave naboth a pleasant vineyard , although the devil ( by god's permission ) helpt ahab to it . 't was god alone who gave a kingdom , ( or rather three kingdoms which made a world , ) together with all the glory of it , to our late martyr'd soveraign of glorious memory , although the devil was permitted ( by the help of his tools ) to bereave him of it . in a word , if it is true , what is proverbially asserted , ( and upon very good grounds , ) that half the world , at the least , does live by cheating all the rest , and by imposing on one another ; then is it easy to discern and to state the difference , betwixt the right , and the possession of things on earth ; betwixt the blessings , and the curses convey'd to men by their prosperities ; betwixt the instruments , or bounties , of god , and satan . § . having hitherto shew'd the truth of my proposition , and withal clear'd it from the objection ; i am next to give the reasons , ( at least as many as i can think of , or can fairly conjecture at , ) why god is pleas'd , in this world , to indure with so much patience so great a confusion upon the earth , and leaves to the devil so great a power in the perverting and debauching the ways of men . for whilst we look at nothing else but what is present , and before us , we seem to see nothing but disorder , in most events under the sun. if none but good men did prosper , and none but evil men miscarry , a method then would be acknowledg'd , and men would probably be better than now they are . of if all that are good were in affliction , and all that are evil in prosperity , still there would be some method , however men in probability would be very much the worse for the knowledge of it . but as now the world goes , there seems to be no method at all . things fall out in such a blended promiscuous manner . for though the wicked are found to prosper a great deal more than the righteous , ( as has been shew'd , ) yet 't is as clear that many righteous do also prosper with the wicked , and many wicked ones , even here , are as much afflicted as the righteous . in which respect it was said by the royal preacher , that all things come alike to all . there is one event to the wicked , and to the righteous ; to the clean , and to the unclean , to him that sacrificeth , and him that sacrificeth not . as is the good , so is the sinner ; and he that sweareth , as he that feareth an oath . the race is not to the swift , nor the battle to the strong , neither bread to the wise , nor riches to men of understanding , nor yet favour to men of skill , but time and chance happeneth to them all . in so much that some are tempted by the seeming confusion of events , the prosperities of the worst men , and the calamities of the best , to distrust the very providence , yea to suspect the very iustice , yea to deny the very being of god himself . they think they , are born at all adventure , and that they shall dye as they are born . that their spirits shall vanish into the air , and be as if they had never been . § . now to preserve our selves from falling into the very same snare , let us reflect upon the reasons of this confusion , at which so many are falling headlong into the bottomless abyss of eternal misery . not insisting upon the reasons in such a measure as they deserve , but rather pointing at the chief topicks from which the reasons are to be fetch 't . one chief reason is to be taken from the natural freedom of the will , in every rational agent which is subjected to a law , and by consequence made worthy either of punishment or reward . god's way of working upon the will is exactly suitable to its nature , and therefore agreeable to its freedom ; tending to rectifie , but not destroy it ; and by consequence to incline , but not compell it . were all the workings of the almighty in full proportion to his almightiness , and therefore always , on all occasions , as irresistible , as they are good , i cannot see how it were possible for any creature to do amiss ; or how an action could be otherwise , than god would have it . nor can i see how 't would be possible to give a tolerable reason , why several men at the same time , and the same men at several times , are either better , or worse , than themselves , or others . why iohn was better than iudas , or paul better than himself . better ( i mean ) when he asserted , than when he persecuted the church . it follows therefore that the manner of god's impression upon the will cannot be cogent , and irresistible , but so congruous rather and suitable , as still to let it remain a will. and therefore he works upon it otherwise , than he works upon irrational and sensless creatures ; to wit by promises , and threats , by exhortations , and praecepts , and these in conjunction with a competent measure of his grace ; which agents natural , and involuntary ( such as vegetables , and brutes , ) are not susceptible of . now god determin'd from all eternity not to hinder from being done , what he eternally foreknew the congruous means i now mention'd would not prevail with wilful creatures , so as to hinder them from doing . for why should he by his omnipotence controul the wills of those creatures , whom both his promises , and his threats , his miracles , and his laws , and a competent measure of his grace , have been so thanklesly and vainly bestow'd upon ? when he cannot restrain our wills by means agreeable to our natures , or by any lesser means than what are destructive to our wills , and by consequence to our natures , ( which he eternally determined he would not violate , ) how very justly must he needs suffer the worst of actions , which withal he does direct to the best of ends ? § . another reason is to be taken from the corrigible condition of some evil doers , whom god is pleased to bless and prosper with many temporal injoyments , thereby to mollifie , and indear , and as it were overcome them with so much kindness . a great deal of love and longanimity will be enough to melt the heart of the hardest enemy , if there is any wax left in his composition ; if there is any good nature abiding in him . and such was the method touching which st. paul speaks in his epistle to the romans ; despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering , not knowing that the goodness of god leadeth thee to repentance ? when god is pleas'd to plant his vineyard upon a very fruitful hill , to make a strong fence about it , to gather out the stones , to build a tower in the midst , and to make a wine-press , what can he mean but to ingage it , to yield him grapes in proportion to all his culture ? and he appeals to the inhabitants of ierusalem and iudah , whether more could be done than he had done unto his vineyard , what could he signifie but his indeavours , to overcome evil with doing good ? thus god draws near to us in mercies , that we may also draw near to him , in the amendment of our lives and our conversations . § . a third reason is to be taken from the incorrigible condition of another sort of evil doers , whom god is pleas'd to give over , as physicians use to do their desperate patients . they being a sort of people , who are in love with their diseases , and cannot indure to be reform'd , and therefore kick at the means of cure. god leaves such as these to their own hearts lust , and lets them wallow ( like so many swine ) in the mire of temporal felicities . for as those very swine are ever suffer'd to fare the best , that is , to injoy the richest feeding , which are most of all designed for sale and slaughter ; so god indures with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath , to wax fat with all their contentments and sensualities , because by such their injoyments they fit themselves for destruction . to allow them the benefit of his rod , were to deal with them as sons ; which why should he do , whilst they only deal with him as rebellious servants ? suppose our sheep and our oxen were able to reason amongst themselves , and understood the real end for which they are turn'd into their pastures , would they not macerate their bodies , and bring their flesh into subjection , by a great deal of fasting and self-denial , and be afraid of faring well , at least in this consideration , that the fatter they grow , they grow the fitter for the shambles , and that the leaner they are , they are suffer'd to live so much the longer ? much the same is their case , who defile themselves as brute beasts , ( to use the comparison of st. iude. ) a comparison not odious , because 't is made by the holy ghost : who saith of them that are permitted to live and prosper in their impieties , that they are * fitted for destruction ; and prepar'd , like † sheep , for the day of slaughter . like sheep the rather , because as void of understanding , ( in respect of those things which must be spiritually discern'd , ) as little mov'd as any sheep with the sense of duty , and as far from considering their later end . the terriblest speeches in all the scriptures are such as these ; let him that will be filthy be filthy still . ye shall not be purged from your filthiness any more . make the heart of this people fat , and their ears heavy , and shut up their eyes , left they convert and be healed . why should ye be smitten any more ? ye will revolt more and more . why should i cast away my kindness in chastising you any longer , when ye still grow the worse by all that is done to make you better ? in vain have i smitten your children ; they have received no correction . from all which scriptures we may infer , that god is never so angry , as when he leaves the reins loose upon the neck of a brutish people . when he lets them grow wealthy to their undoing , and ruin themselves with their injoyments . when he permits them to be as happy as the devil himself would have them ; to have as much of this world , as the serpent is able to tempt them with . what solomon saith of a temporal father , [ he that spareth his rod , hateth his child , ] is often true of the eternal ; who intends to disinherit those incorrigible children , whom he does not in mercy vouchsafe to strike . and in consequence of this , § . a fourth reason is to be taken from the obligingness of the severity of the heavenly father towards his children , whom he disciplines in this world , that he may not condemn them in the next . for whom he loveth he chasteneth , and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth . we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us , and we gave them reverence , ( saith the same holy author of the epistle to the hebrews , ) though they chastised us for their pleasure . whereas the father of spirits does only chastise us for our profit : and for our profit many ways ; to wit for the exercise of our faith ; for the proof of our patience ; for the improvement of our humility ; for the begetting in all our hearts both a contempt of this world , and a desire of that to come ; for the convincing us of his iustice , which is so far from partiality , that he does hate and punish sin where e're he finds it , as well in his friends , as in his enemies . as he causeth the sun to shine , so he lays his rod too , both on the just and the unjust . for even they that are poenitent do feel its smart for a time and they that abide in their impoenitence , shall feel it infinitely more to all eternity again ▪ he chastiseth us for our profit , because for the hight'ning of our reward ; perhaps in this present life ; perhaps in that which is to come ; perhaps in this and that too . and of this we have iob for a new example . for had not he been more afflicted , as well as more righteous than other men , he had not been so proverbial , as now he is , as well for his patience , as his integrity . in the first chapter of iob , god permitted the devil to take all from him . but in the last chapter of iob , god gave him twice as much as he had before . nay the almighty had so mollified the marble-hearts of his acquaintance , that every man gave him a piece of money , and every one an ear-ring of gold. his later end ( saith the text ) was more blessed than his beginning . he regain'd his seven sons , and his daughters were the fairest amongst the children of men . yea that nothing might be wanting to make him amends for his adversity , he liv'd and prosper'd after this , no less than an hundred and forty years ; seeing his sons , and son's sons , even to four generations . such was his reward in the present life . but infinitely more in the life to come . such as none can conceive , much less describe , but he who is himself as infinite , as that reward is inexpressible . to sum up all in a word , ( and in the word of the same apostle , ) god corrects us for our profit , to make us partakers with him in holiness , and that to no lesser end , than to make us also sharers with him in heaven . § . the very mention of which does prompt me to give a fifth and last reason . a reason to be fetch 't from the life after death , and the day of iudgment : without which topick , all the rest are worth nothing ; and were there no other than this , it would be equal to a thousand . if in this life only we had hope , we should be ( saith st. paul ) of all men the most miserable . from whence i gather , that having an hope in the life to come , we are of all sorts of men by much the happiest . the psalmist sweetned all his sorrows with this single consideration , that the rod of the wicked shall not evermore rest upon the back of the righteous . for verily ( saith he ) there is a reward for the righteous , doubtless there is a god that judgeth the earth . the devils may very well be said to believe and tremble . for they do tacitly acknowledge , by that their question put to christ , [ art thou come to torment us before the time ? ] that however they are permitted their time of pleasure , yet they tremblingly expect their time of pain too . whatsoever things are taken from good men here , st. peter tells us , there is a time of restitution . whatsoever good men do suffer here in the body , the prophet hosea puts our thoughts upon days of recompence . isaiah calls it the year of recompence , and the day of the lord's vengeance . how could moses have preferred the reproach of christ , as much greater riches than the treasures in egypt , if he had not had respect unto the recompence of reward ? how could david himself have been kept from fainting , if he had not thus expected to see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living ? wherefore lift up the hands that hang down , and the feeble knees . in every shock of temptation from suffering wrongs , let us take up the words of the prophet ieremy for our support ; the lord god of recompences shall surely requite . words most worthy of our daily , if not of hourly consideration , that we may not faint in well-doing , or in suffering : for doing well . it is indeed a great temptation , and apt to make ones feet slip ▪ to see the possessions of the world in the devil's power and disposal . but our remedy is at hand , if we shall constantly bear in mind the other part of my proposition , that 't is all by god's patience and wise permission ; and that there will a day come , when god will make up his iewels , putting a very signal difference between the wicked and the righteous ; between the men that serve god , and them that persecute their brethren for having serv'd him . here the tares and the wheat grow up together till the harvest : yea the tares do overgrow and bear down the wheat ; and many times do choak it up too . that grand leviathan , the devil , is suffer'd here even to swim in the tears of the righteous ; to bathe himself in that brine ; and many times in their very blood too . but 't is a corrosive to the former , no less than a cordial to the later , that god is said to have a book of remembrance ; that the devourers of the righteous are established for iudgment . and that they who wax fat with the spoils of innocence , are prepar'd like sheep for the day of slaughter . and that he who at present goeth on his way weeping , whilst he beareth forth good seed , shall doubtless come again with ioy , and bring his sheafs with him . and that in due time we shall reap , if we faint not . add we to this our due reflexions , on the patience of iob , and the afflictions of ioseph . take we the prophets for an example ; and him expecially who indured such contradictions of sinners against himself , lest we be wearied and faint in our minds . i say , let us but read such parts of scripture , and but remember what we read , and but believe what we remember , and then we shall not be in danger to fret our selves at the ungodly , or to be envious against the evil doers . § . but now , besides these several reasons of the seeming disorder and confusion in the promiscuous distribution of all possessions under the sun , there may be other reasons given by considering men , and there are doubtless many others which are known to god only : and which cannot be better collected than from the example of our saviour , on whom the devil and his instruments were permitted to have so great a power . we know they put him to a painful and shameful death . and why were they suffer'd by god to do it ? even for quite other reasons than they were able to conceive , and for contrary ends to what they were led by : to wit , the satisfying his iustice ; the exhibition of his mercy ; the declaration of his wisdom ; the manifestation of his holiness ; the illustration of his power ; the exaltation of his glory ; and ( as worthily subordinate to each of these , ) the reformation and the safety of all our souls . all which if we compare with the five reasons going before , we shall not wonder at the truth of this proposition , that all the kingdoms of the world , and the glory of them , ( at least successively , though not at once , ) are by god's patience , and wise permission , in the devil's power and disposal . § . after the truth , and the reason , let us observe the special uses which may be made of his doctrin . first it teacheth us how to value the beggarly greatness of this world. over-value it we may , and very commonly we do too ; but undervalue it we cannot , do what we can . for what more despicable than that , which the devil can both procure , and deprive us of ? what more worthy of our contempt , than what is so undervalued by him that made it , as by him to be often left in the devil's power and disposal ? the devil can give us great possessions , just as he gave them to the chaldaeans ; and can take them away , as he did from iob. for both which reasons we ought to scorn them , and to behave our selves towards them as things below us ; fit for nothing but to be matter , whereby to exercise a bounty to such as want them . first ( i say ) 't is a disparagement to the wealth and glory of the world , that they are left so much by god in the devil's power , that satan is suffer'd to bestow them on such as serve him . for the gifts of the devil are never good , nor consistent with goodness in such as have them . they are dishonourable , and dangerous , and hostages given to destruction . the devil can give riches , ( in the sense before mention'd , ) but not contentment , and a right use , which are the ends for which we crave them . and for want of which ends , they increase our poverty . for as , when the body of man is aguish , no addition of clothes can make him warm ; so when the soul of man is vitious , no addition of treasure can make him rich . the reason of which paradox may thus be illustrated , and clear'd . we know that though the clothes defend the body from outward cold , yet 't is the body's inward heat which does warm the clothes : for else a coffin and a coverlid would warm a man when he is dead . which being evidently impossible , 't is plain that the body must warm the clothes , before the clothes can warm the body . and thence a child is much warmer in a very thin suit , than his old decrepit father when wrapt about with a wardrope . in like manner 't is the soul which makes the possession become sufficient , not at all the possession which gives contentment unto the soul. and as the way whereby to cure the cold access of an ague , is to cleanse the body from peccant humours , not to bring it to a great fire ; so the way to be happy as well as full , is to purge an over passionate and sickly soul , not to rake up a great estate . there are indeed who have abundance in conjunction with satisfaction ; but 't is clear their satisfaction does not arise from that abundance . for if contentment could grow from plenty , the man of macedon had been satisfied in his acquist of all asia ; and had not wept for another world. nor would they who at first do take up arms for meer liberty ▪ continue the keeping of them up for meer dominion , ( when they have got their own liberty , they would not take it from other men . ) from whence it follows , that no man living is contented , meerly because he has enough , but that many men have enough , meerly because they are contented . and as a man in a boat , when he would pull the bank to him , finds it impossible for him to do it , but by pulling himself upon the bank ; so the only way possible to fit our condition to our minds , is by bringing our minds to our condition . for if a man shall inlarge his desires as hell , and is as greedy as the grave , all the possessions in the world will not fill one of his eyes . 't was very shrewdly said by socrates to archelaus , that the cities of greece were found to prosper , which asked counsel of the devil ( in his oracle at delphi , ) whilst those that did not , were still afflicted . but though mad men and fools inferr'd the devil ( from that success ) to be the only true god , yet wise men knew him to be no better , than the most bountiful kind of cheat , and that he made men to prosper to their undoing . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . socrates challenged all historians from the beginning of the world to the day he writ in , to name a man who had been the better for any possessions of satan's giving . meaning that none had profited by them in the day of their prosperity ; and so little can they profit in the great day of wrath , ( as the wise man calls it ) that then they disprofit in extremity , because they purchase for their owners a place in hell. so little reason have we to boast , that we abound in those things , which the devil ( by god's sufferance ) can help us to , who neither can nor will help us , to use them wisely to our advantage . much less reason have we to boast , in what the devil can take away too ; in being tenants at will to so vile a landlord . there is nothing more usual with the prince of this world , than to set pilate against herod , as well as both against christ. he employs one robber in offering violence to another . and who would care for those riches which only make him the devil's sumpter ? can we think it a noble thing , to be laden with thick clay at the devil's pleasure , and again unladen at his command ? to have wealth bestow'd on us by our complyance with the tempter , and taken from us by other men's ? 't was wisely done of aristippus , the learned stoick , when he commanded his daughter areta , to give her son wisdom for his patrimony , in stead of wealth ; because the tyrants of cyrene could never plunder him of his philosophy , that inaccessible treasure which was within him ; who yet would be the sole masters of all his wealth , those obnoxious possessions which were without him ▪ which advice of aristippus was much like that of our lord himself , lay not up for your selves treasure on earth , where plunderers and thieves break through and steal . from whence 't is obvious to collect , that we are not so much obliged to them who give us our estates , as to them who do teach us to use them safely . the devil and his agents , are often permitted to do the former ; but god alone , and his embassadours , will oblige us so far as to do the later . § . secondly let us consider , that since we find god himself bestowing riches upon some , as upon abraham , and iob , or whosoever has a right to the several things which he possesseth ; whilst the devil gives to others , ( by god's permission ) as to the sabaeans , and the chaldaeans , who plunder'd iob of his substance ; to achan , and ahab , or whosoever has possession without a right ; it concerns us to examin the exact derivation of our estates ; and to have it well stated , whether we receive them from god , or satan . for if honestly acquir'd , and so from god , ( by his appointment , and approbation , ) then we may honestly injoy them , to the glory of god , and our private comfort . always bearing this in mind , that we are but god's almoners , or usufructuaries ; and must dispense to his members who is proprietary in chief . but if dishonestly attain'd to , and so from satan , ( by god's permission only , and sufferance , ) we cannot honestly possess , much less injoy them , and therefore ought to do neither to god's dishonour , and our damnation . but as our saviour hath said of the eye , and hand , that if at any time they offend us , we must pluck out the one , and cut off the other ; so must we say of our possessions , that if they offend us in the like sense , by making us stumble into sin , we must pluck them out of our treasury , ( like the emperour sigismund , ) and ( like him too ) cast them from us ; because 't is better for us to enter as poor as lazarus into heaven , than remaining rich as dives , to be cast into hell. always keeping this in memory , that ill-gotten goods may purchase matter for repentance , but repentance it self they can never purchase . § . thirdly let us consider , that if the devil himself is suffer'd to have more of this world at his devotion and disposal , than the great cham , or the great mogul , or whosoever of earthly potentates is worthily thought to be the greatest ; then are our shares of this world the things the most to be suspected , and of which we should least be proud . nor should we rashly take it for granted , that they are evermore the blessings and gifts of god , because we learn by sad experience , that they are many times the curses and snares of satan . if to have riches in possession were still a sign of god's favour ; this great absurdity would follow , that the devil himself would be god's chief favorite . the apostle's rule is , that whom he loveth he chasteneth ; not that whom he loveth , he maketh rich. that he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth ; not that every one whom he receiveth , he makes to wallow in prosperity . and 't was a thing so very rare , when times were better than now they are , to see the same man both good and prosperous , that men did scandalously complain in the days of malachi , it is vain to serve god ; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances ? and that we have walked mournfully before the lord of hosts ? when the proud are happy , and the workers of wickedness are set up ? nor was it otherwise in the days of the prophet ieremy ; they are waxen fat , they shine , they overpass the deeds of the wicked ; they judge not the cause of the fatherless , yet they prosper . see and consider how the devil inrich't and prosper'd those idolaters , whom he made to burn incense unto the moon , which they commonly then called the queen of heaven , in the four and fourtieth chapter of ieremy . whilst they committed that idol-worship , [ their women lying with strange men in their husbands presence , v. . ] all was well with them , they saw no evil . but when they ceased from that idolatry , they were consumed with sword and famin , ( v. . ) whence we see the great folly of those mens reasonings , who reckon prosperity as a mark of the best religion , and adversity of the worst . inferring herod and pontius pilate to be more the favorites of god , than the innocent iesus whom they slew , and hanged on a tree . for the former still liv'd in peace , and plenty , in ease , and honour ; whereas the later was vir dolorum , a man whose life was full of sorrows . let not any man therefore say , ( in pretence of gratitude , ) when he hath gotten an estate by fraud or violence , [ i thank god for it , i have a competent fortune ; these are the blessings of the lord upon my labours ; or god hath given these things unto me ; ] for what is this but a fair-spoken blasphemy , intitling god to the injustice , by which a man is made rich ? whereas to ascribe it to the devil , and his own heart's lust , is to lay the ugly brat at its father's door ; and to justifie god , whilst he dishonours and disobeys him . we must accordingly distinguish between the things that we possess , by distinguishing the means whereby we have them , and proportionably resolve on our usage of them . what is honestly come by , and we can prove so to be , we must not fail to be thankful for , and may injoy them as well with gladness , as with singleness of heart . but for our ill-gotten goods , ( the gifts of satan , and not of god , ) we must part with them as greedily into their true master's hands , as ever we got them into our own . § . last of all let us consider , that if the things of this world ( commonly call'd the goods of fortune , ) are often suffered by god to be in the power of the devil , and often given by the devil to such as serve him ; and if both must give accompt at the day of judgment , for whatsoever is so given , and so receiv'd ; we learn from hence not to repine at the prosperities of the wicked , but together with their ways , to have respect unto their end. for why should any man be envied for being the favorite of hell ? for accepting that proffer which here the devil made our saviour , ( upon condition of idolatry , ) and which , for that very reason , our saviour rejected with great disdain ? again we learn not to be sorry as men without hope , when we find it goes worst with the best of men . it being enough to reconcile the greatest prosperity of the unjust , and the greatest adversity of the righteous , both with the mercy and the iustice of god almighty , that the lord of the harvest , when the harvest-time is come , will gather the wheat into his garner , and burn up the chaff with fire unquenchable . if the flesh asks the quaestion , why does the way of the wicked prosper ? why are they happy who deal treacherously ? why has the devil so great a power upon earth ? why does the wicked devour the man who is more righteous than he ? let the spirit make answer in the words of the apostle , that this light affliction which is but for a moment , worketh for us ( afterwards ) a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory . whensoever we are tempted by either effect of the devil's power , ( be it prosperity , or affliction , ) let us look up unto our saviour upon the top of two mountains ; to wit the mountain we are upon , where he was tempted by the devil , with all the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them ; and the famous mount calvary , whereon he was tempted by the devil , with all the torments in the earth , and disgraces of them . thence we may see the perfect purity of that immaculate lamb , who rather would suffer those torments , than accept that offer . he had refus'd so many kingdoms , but would not refuse to receive a cross : refus'd the glory of the world , but not the shame too . he had refus'd long before to be made a king , but would not afterwards refuse to be vex't and disgrac'd with a crown of thorns . the meanest things in this world he would by no means despise , but he despis'd the pomps and vanities , which ordinarily pass for the greatness of it . and therefore as often as the devil shall use his power against us , as here he did against christ , let us relieve our selves with the memory of this one thing , that the servant is not above his lord. and that we are foolishly unreasonable , if we expect to fare better than an innocent iesus , in the midst of our manifold and hainous guilts . and that as he , so we too , may easily suffer many things , by duly weighing how they dispose us for an entrance into his glory . § . now having evidenced the truth of my second doctrin , ( with greater care of perspicuity , than of not being tedious , ) both from scripture , from reason , and from experience ; from aphorisms of scripture , and from scriptural examples ; from solitary reason , and reason grounded upon scripture ; from other mens experience , and from our own ; and all attested as well by sacred , as by secular story ; and having clear'd it yet farther by way of answer to an objection ; offer'd also at the causes of this seemingly-strange oeconomy in god's disposal of affairs ; and directed to the lessons it ought to teach us ; i think it time to pass forwards to the third observable i propos'd ; to wit , that the whole scope and drift of all the donatives of the tempter , is to turn our adoration out of its true and proper channel ; to steal it from god , and to divert it upon himself . he seldom or never proffers , but with a treacherous proviso . he does it liberally indeed , [ all these things will i give thee , ] but with this covetous reserve , [ if thou wilt fall down and worship me . ] . § . to demonstrate the proposition with the greater force and perspicuity , i am to imitate those men , who go a step or two back that they may leap so much the farther . and premise two or three words concerning the bounty of god and man , before i come to that of satan . it was a very smart saying of learned philo , ( and as true , as it was smart , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . god alone does give freely to all his creatures , whilst all his creatures to one another are no better at the best than ingenuous hucksters . the best of his creatures under heaven , which are confessedly men and women , yea the best of those best , which are the liberal and the munificent , when they do most seem to give , they do but seem so . for if they sell not their courtesies for land , or mony , yet commonly they sell them for praise , and honour , or at least for acknowledgments , and humble thanks ; or if for nothing in the earth , yet at least for the hope of being rewarded for them in heaven . it is but a generous way of trading , for one rich man to send presents unto another , because there is commonly on the one side some expectation of requital , arising from the knowledge of wealth and gratitude on the other . and this i take to be the reason , why the most covetous even of worldlings will be liberal to a person of power , and plenty ; because they hope he will do them as good a turn . nor can it truly and properly be call'd a gift , which is meant for a decoy to some great advantage , whether a step to preferment in times of safety , or else a bribe for protection in times of danger . the very clearest of our gifts are those we give to men in want , and who for that very reason are the least able to requite us ; and yet even those are a kind of bargains . for whilst we make a fair shew of giving any thing to the poor , the scripture tells us that ( in reality ) we are but* lending to the lord. and farther adds ( for our incouragement , ) that whatsoever we thus impart , shall be repaid to us again . so true is that which i noted from learned philo , that god alone is a perfect giver , whilst the freest of men are but liberal hucksters . our profusest favours to one another are but a mercenary munificence , as our largest offertories to god are but a mercenary devotion . § . hereupon we are to argue à minori ad majus . if the best mens gifts are so imperfect , what then are satan's , who ( besides that he has not a right to give , ) does sell his gifts for mens souls ? things so infinitely precious , that christ himself could not buy them , but with his blood. when our souls were to be purchas 't from sin and hell , the son of god being incarnate could not have given enough for them , if he had not vouchsafed to give himself . now 't is the avarice of satan , ( and his ambition at the same instant , ) to buy our souls back unto sin and misery , although he bids no more for them , than the pitiful allectives of wealth , and greatness ; the kingdoms of the earth , and the glory of them . and well it were , if it were no worse . for , besides that he offers a great deal more than he can give , ( he being ever god's pris'ner , as hath been shewn , ) the saddest part of it is , that however his biddings are on the earth , his general payments are still in hell. all his gifts do still flow from his desire of such gain . he reacheth his offers to us with one hand , that he may plunder us with the other . his liberality to us , is like the fisherman's to the river ; who in case he does cast in a worthless fly , 't is that the river may requite him with some good fish. when satan offers us any favours , we must immediately consider he is but angling after our souls . he baits his hook with worldly greatness , that whilst we catch at the one , we may be caught with the other ; and , like silly fishes indeed , may greedily swallow our own destruction . § . thus the things which we call the gifts of satan , we find by experience we do but call so . they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , gifts and no gifts . munera inescata , baits of bounty . such a condition is interpos'd betwixt the proffer , and the performance , as makes the donative far worse than nothing . his condition does evacuate and null his offer . for what he said unto our saviour , ( without a proxy , ) he saith ( by his instruments ) to each of us , all these things will i give thee , if falling down thou wilt worship me . which is as much as to say , all shall be thine with this proviso , that thou wilt take a sure course to be no whit the better , but much the worse for their injoyment . thou shalt be rich at this present , if for the future thou wilt be ruin'd . thou shalt have all the world at will , but thou shalt have it upon condition , that thou turn idolater , and be damn'd . and what is this better than to say , i will give thee very freely a great estate , upon condition thou wilt pay me a thousand times more than it is worth , and also make thy self incapable of its injoyment . i will shew thee the ready way , not to liberty only , but empire , upon condition thou wilt serve me , and be a slave . i will lift thee up , if thou wilt cast thy self down . thus does the devil speak contradictions ; and the proviso with which he proffers does make the proffer of none effect . like those beasts in the apologue , which offer'd the lyon to be their king , if he would but permit them to cut his claws . they would admit him to reign , and to triumph over them , if he would do them the favour to disable himself for the preferment . thus the devil either presents us with empty proffers rather than gifts , with flattering hopes , not true possessions ; or if he really indows us , he does it only to our undoing . if he helps us to wit , 't is that we may wickedly lay it out in speaking jestingly of scripture , and merrily drolling upon religion to make men laugh . if he helps us to beauty , it is to raise up self-love ; that we may use it , like wanton iezebel , for a snare , and a temptation , and that to divers most foolish and hurtful lusts , which drown the soul in misery and perdition . if to secular greatness , it is to betray us to self-relyance ; and break our necks from that ladder by which we mounted ▪ if he helps us with mony by any means , it is but just as old gamesters do lend their cash to young heirs , that they may lose it with them at play . or as harlots lend mony unto their prodigal gallants , that when they have spent it upon their lusts , they with whom they have spent it , may sue the bond. or as some supply madmen with knives and halters , that either they may strangle , or stab themselves . how sweet soever the gifts of satan may seem to be at the beginning , yet their end and designment is still as bitter as destruction . when he carried up our saviour unto a pinnacle of the temple , ( an high preferment , ) v. . it was to this end , that he might cast himself headlong , ( v. . ) when he took him up again unto a very high mountain , ( v. . ) it was to this end , that he might presently fall down , ( v. . ) just as when an eagle has found an oyster , he takes it up into the clouds , that he may give it by so much the greater fall , and that by breaking the shell , he may eat the fish. in a word , we may resemble the gifts of satan , to the monstrous locusts from out the bottomless pit ; which though they had on their heads ( as it were ) crowns of gold , and faces like those of men , and goodly hair like that of women , yet their teeth all the while were as the teeth of lyons , and the stings in their tails like those of scorpions . § . mark now the lessons which this does teach us . first it teacheth us to beware of the treacherous bounty of all our tempters , whether those tempters are men , or devils . whose very profusest liberality is an effect of base avarice ; and who do therefore only give , because they covet . if the men of the sanedrim do offer iudas a sum of mony , it is not out of any good-will to iudas , ( for they that most love the treason , do hate the traitor , ) but because they do covet the blood of christ. they were not true and real givers of their thirty pieces of silver , but only parted with them to iudas to buy his loyalty ; that having once sold that , he might sell his lord too . again , after this , they gave large mony unto the souldiers , whom they had set on full purpose to watch the sepulcher of christ. yet did they not do it in generosity , or with any design of the soldiers good , but only brib'd them to tell a lye : to wit that whilst they were sleeping , christ was stoln out of his grave . queen iezebel ( no doubt ) did send a present very considerable to the two sons of belial ; but it does not thence follow that she was liberally-minded ; for she only meant to hire them to bear false witness , and thereby to requite her with naboth's vineyard . so we know that simon magus was very free of his mony , but 't was to buy the famous gift of the holy ghost ; and this to the end that he might sell it to whomsoever he should please . we must be therefore very wary , when any offers are made us by any emissaries of satan , both what is offer'd , and by whom , and to what intent it is directed . we must beware of their offers , who shall offer us that which is none of theirs , ( as the devil here did , ) and we must mark the condition on which the offer is made . as whether it is not to ingage us in schism , or sacrilege ; whether it is not to make us partners in any conspiracy , or faction , that we may worship and fall down to something else besides god. suppose a man shall take thee up ( whosoever thou art who now dost read what i am writing ) unto some pinnacle of the temple , or some exceeding high mountain , and shall discover to thee ( from thence ) some very excellent seat which is none of his , to wit a noble pile of building , with a great deal of land round about it , beautiful gardens , and fish-ponds , and as well wooded as thou canst wish , and shall say unto thee , as satan here unto our saviour , all this will i give thee ; or thou shalt have it for a song ; ( thou shalt not pay above half the value , ) if thou wilt promise me to keep out the proper owner . what wilt thou do in such a case ? if thou acceptest of the proffer , thou dost rebel against god , and worship satan . for if thou dost but covet thy neighbour's goods , ( which is less than to seize upon them , ) thou transgressest god's law ; and in transgressing god's law , thou keepest satan's ; and to keep satan's law , is to fall down to him , and worship him . and if thou wilt not do this , thou must refuse the man's proffer , as christ did satan's ; and that with the like indignation , express'd by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , get thee behind me . get thee behind me , as for other , so for this great reason , because thou offerest to me that , which is none of thine . we must carefully distinguish 'twixt power , and right . it may be much in thy power , though more in satan's . but neither satan nor thy self can have a colour of right to it . wer 't thou as liberal of thine own , as of another man's goods , thou would'st have offer'd me the one at as cheap a rate as the other . something therefore there must be in it , that being a great lover of wealth , thou yet canst part with it so easily . it plainly shews that thou tak'st it for none of thine ; for else thou hadst stood upon other terms . and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , get thee behind me . which , as it ends the first lesson we are to take from this doctrin , so at the very same instant it prompts us also to a second . and therefore § . secondly let us consider , what kind of recompence , or return , we are to make unto the devil for all his offers . what david said in another case , to the end he might not be unthankful , [ quid retribuam , what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits bestow'd upon me , ] we are as well to say here , to the end we may not be unreveng'd ; quid retribuemus , what shall we render unto the devil for all his mischievous bounties bestow'd upon us ? the fittest requital we can make him , is to fling back his favours into his face ; and to bespeak him in such a stile , as was used by st. peter to simon magus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thy mony perish with thee . when any tempter shall make us dishonest proffers , as potiphar's wife did once to ioseph , and shall press us to an acceptance , as she did him ; we must repel such a tempter , as he did her ; who knew she did but offer , what she had no right to give . and certainly all of that nature we ought to look upon , as forbidden fruit. for such god made it by the last praecept in the decalogue , non concupisces , thou shalt not covet . and therefore as often as the devil ( by what instrument soever , ) shall frankly offer us a portion of wealth , or greatness , which he may easily have a power , but not a right to bestow upon us , let us rebuke him with such an answer , as ioseph made unto his mistress . or let us expostulate with our selves , as moses did with the people israel , do we thus requite the lord , o foolish people , and unwise ? is not he our father which bought us ? hath not he made us , and established us ? shall we kick at him like iesurun , and quite forget the rock out of which we were hewn ? or let us say with our saviour , ( whose words are writ for our learning , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , get thee hence satan . for it is written , thou shalt worship the lord thy god , and him only shalt thou serve . again it is written , thou shalt not covet or desire thy neighbour's goods , much less , by violence , or by fraud , shalt thou take them into possession . § . again we learn from this doctrin , to suspect our own treasures , as well as to be spotless from other mens . for satan tempts us to idolize him , as well by making us abusive of what we have , as by making us covetous of what we have not . agur pray'd against riches of god's own giving , not against such alone as are given by satan . for he did not say thus , suffer not the devil to give me riches ; but give me not riches , lest i be full and deny thee . thereby intimating unto us , that riches are temptations , though never so honestly acquir'd . and however they are blessings , as given by god ; yet , consider'd even as such , they are dangerous blessings ; for by the artifice of satan , and the suggestions of the flesh , they may be easily perverted to god's dishonour , and so prove matter of execration . indeed it is not our fault , to be as rich as god made us . but to sacrifice our thoughts , and to devote our affections to what we have , is flatly and plainly to idolize it . to bestow the very riches which god hath given us , upon our coffers , by avarice , or on our pride , by prodigality , ( which is another kind of avarice , to wit a coveting of fame , ) is neither better , nor worse , than to fall down to them , and worship them . all the wickedness in the world does seem to have enter'd at these three doors , beauty , riches , and reputation . the first of which does give fodder to the lust of the flesh , as does the second to the lust of the eye , and the third to the pride of life . now what danger soever there is in beauty ▪ will be found to be in riches , and reputation . they are idols all three , very eminently great ; but riches , if either , are much the greatest . te facimus fortuna deam , was said by the poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the greatest fortunes have more adorers , than the greatest beauties in all the world. besides that those are the most constant , as well as the fondest , and the most passionate . and 't is a rational conjecture , that there is more sleep broken for love of riches , in a year , than there is in many ages , for love of beauty . we may judge by one sigismund how it fares with all worldlings . when the worldly man should sleep , he will be thinking upon his treasure ; but when he should pray , he will fall asleep . and which is likeliest to be his deity ? that god of heaven , on whom he cannot think for sleeping , or that white and red earth , for his thinking upon which he can seldom sleep ? we see how avarice is idolatry , and so a spiritual fornication , and so an absolute divorce of our souls from god. nor can the sin of prodigality be one whit less , as being a sacrifice to the lust of the flesh , perhaps to many of those lusts , perhaps to all . and look how many lusts he trys to satisfie , so many idols he does adore . admit the prodigal spends nothing but what is properly his own , and does some good with it by accident ; yet it is but by accident that good is done ; for which not he himself , but his ambition is to be thank't . let the man be what he will who abounds in riches , whether a prodigal , or a niggard , or hardly either , they are apt to ingender a flat forgetfulness of god , ( as before i noted , ) which in iesurun , and nabal , and in david himself may be clearly seen . the first , waxing fat , did even kick against his maker . when the second was drunk , he valued not god , any more than david . the third has humbly recorded his own experience , psal. . , . and also that of the generality of god's own people : psal. . from v. . to v. . when god rain'd manna , and sent them meat to the full , and gave them all that they desir'd , then ( saith he ) they were not estranged from their lusts. but when he slew them , they sought him , and inquired early after god. then they remembred that god was their strength , and that the high god was their redeemer . so that prosperity was the thing which made them forgetful of their god , and heavy affliction was the instrument which brought him back to their remembrance . when riches do interpose between god and the soul , they are apt to intercept the attractive vertue , whereby god is wont to draw the soul unto himself ; as an adamant intervening between the iron and the loadstone , does intercept the magnetique force , wherewith the loadstone allures the iron . but as , if we take away the adamant , the iron will leap unto the loadstone ; so take away riches ( as in the abovenam'd experiment ; ) and the soul will be the apter to fly towards god. it is so natural for mortals to be transported with prosperity , that it extorted from moses an extraordinary caveat , before he thought he could with safety admit the israelites to taste of the sweets of canaan . now if prosperity is so dangerous , even when god himself gives it , how great a curse must it be , when the gift of satan ? if riches honestly gotten are such a clog unto the soul , as does oftentimes hinder her flight to heaven ; how shall she hope to mount thither , when both her wings and her talons are full of prey ? prosperity sure is such a weapon , as none but they who can contemn it , can safely use . and too much ease to which it tempts us is wont to prove a sadder curse , than what at first was denounced by god to adam , that in the sweat of his brows he should eat his bread. § . again we learn from this doctrin , as to suspect our own treasures when present with us , so not to seek them being absent with too much fervour . for the son of sirach tells us , that he who seeketh danger shall perish in it . and that riches are dangers , has not only already been made apparent , but may be farther made clear by our common experience of its effects . for notwithstanding there are some who do make themselves friends with the unrighteous mammon , ( that is , by giving it to the poor , do truly lend it unto the lord , and lay it out upon life eternal , ) yet we find it too general , that the greater mens qualities and fortunes are , by so much the greater are their vanities , and vices too . and that war of their lusts , which is a very great plague , they are so strongly wedded to , as to call it peace , wisd. . . and i suppose it was experience which taught the italians to use those proverbs , that a great deal of wealth brings a great deal of woe , and the greater the happiness , 't is to be trusted so much the less . proverbs so wholsom , as well as true , ( were they as diligently consider'd , as they are easily understood , ) that they deserve the next place to those of solomon . for if our riches are from god , we are by so much the more obliged ; and if from satan , the more indanger'd . if from god , they are intrusted with us as talents , of which we must give an exact accompt . and he that sits at the highest rent , has by so much an higher accompt to render . if from satan , they are but well-baited hooks , wherewith to catch our hearts from us ; and , with them , our adoration . how apt they are to prove mischievous , the devil himself discovers to us by his parting with them so easily . we may have them for no more than an act of worship ; and , that condition being premis'd , they go a begging for our acceptance . thus at once they are the cheapest and dearest things to be imagin'd : the cheapest , in regard they are so easily come by , ( for a man may be damn'd with a wet finger ; ) and the dearest , in regard we part with our innocence to acquire them . adam did not eat gratis of the fruit that was forbidden , though the serpent ask'd nothing , but let him have it for taking up . 't is easy to steal , and to be caught , and as easy to be hang'd , as it is to turn round , and to make grimaces . but sure the man would not be thank'd , who should commend the thing to us for its facility . this i know to be the subject of the last observable in the text , of which i shall take no further notice , than by shewing how it is useful to poor , and rich . 't is matter of comfort to the poor , ( such i mean as god himself has made such , ) that they want not the riches they are without ; and that their poverty is their option , as well as lot. for 't is evident , if they would , they might be easily as rich as the devil can make them . 't is matter of sorrow to the rich , and of great reproach too , that they should take so vast pains for things so easily to be compass'd : or think they get by those things , which are purchas'd at the price of so rich a iewel as a man's soul : or put their trust in those things , to which the title of uncertain is fix'd in scripture : ( as when st. paul exhorts timothy to charge the rich , not to trust in uncertain riches ) or make their boast of those things , which 't is in every fool 's power , to get , or part with ; but not in the power of one in a thousand , rightly to use , or to injoy . to find darius dying with thirst , whilst he was owner of many rivers ; and alexander frozen up with cold , even then when he had master'd the eastern sun ; and midas beggar'd by his wealth , when every finger of his was turn'd to a philosopher's stone ; is of it self enough to teach us , that none have ever been more in want , than they into whose bosoms the tempter has emptied his cormicopiae . § . but now besides these several lessons which the devil 's large offer is apt to teach us , there is a lesson to be drawn out of all these lessons ; and such as the whole discourse premised has an aptness in it self to dispose us for . this is a season not more proper for private austerities to the rich , than for a bountiful contribution to the necessities of the poor . these should injoy our self-denials , and be fill'd by our fastings in time of lent. nor can we better be exhorted , ( seeing the tenor of the text does suggest it to us , ) than to beat the devil with his own weapon . to make our selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness . to worship god with those things , for which we are tempted to worship satan . not to be honest only and just , but also merciful and munificent , even in spite to that devil , who is so earnestly desirous to make us worldlings . if the devil shall say to us , [ all this will i give you , if falling down ye will worship me , ] lay we back again to the devil , [ this we give unto the poor , because we fall down to , and worship god. ] we do not sanctifie the day , though we do never so much observe it , if to all our acts of sacrifice ( in prayer and sermon , ) we add not works of mercy too . as we hope that our prayers shall fly to heaven , we must lend them our charity to imp their wings . for what said the angel to cornelius , though but a proselyte of the gates , ( half a gentile , and half a jew , ) thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before the lord. mark the copulative [ and ] betwixt prayers and alms , implying the energy of the former , by help and vertue of the later . not his prayers without his alms. for god heareth not sinners , who draw near with their lips , when their hearts are far from him . and such are their hearts which break not out into their hands . there are but three courses imaginable to be taken with our riches , in case we have them . our being liberal to our coffers , in the laying up riches , and this for no-body-knowswhom ; or very bountiful to our lusts , in laying them out upon our vanities , and costly vices , which we solemnly have vow'd the forsaking of ; or being merciful to our saviour , who takes our charity to his members , as freely bestow'd upon himself . in so much that the question is now but this , whether we choose to be the children of god , or belial . i make no doubt but i am speaking to an intelligent sort of people , and that rightly understanding our greatest interest , we need the less to be perswaded that we will do our selves good , by making others to partake of the good we do . should any here be full as sinful as was nebuchadnezzar , i might adventure that to them , which daniel said unto the king , [ let my counsel be acceptable to you ; break off your sins by righteousness , and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor . if we desire a good provision against the winter of adversity , and to find out our bread after many days , let us cast it ( with solomon ) upon the waters . if we will settle our estates , either in whole , or in part , so as to free them from plunder , or sequestration , let us put them into bags which wax not old , into the treasury of heaven which faileth not , where neither moths can corrupt , nor any thieves break through and steal . the poor righteous man must needs be one of god's treasuries ; wherein whatsoever is laid up by us , shall be repaid to us again with immense advantage . especially when the worms which feed on the body after death , shall give it all up at the day of iudgment . this is a pious frand indeed , without either ironie , or oxymoron . for 't is honestly to beguile the grand deceiver of mankind ; and to make the devil's malice propitious to us . 't is to extract the greatest good out of the evil of his temptations ; ( to wit a soveraign praeservative from the great instrument of death ; ) as skilful chymists are wont to draw the most healthful medicines , out of those which in themselves are the hurtfull'st minerals . thus the skin of a scorpion becomes an antidote to his teeth . and thus the block at which we stumble , may be used as a step for our rise to heaven .. thus the ocean may be as modest , in the keeping of its bounds , as the smallest rivulet . and the man of greatest wealth , as poor in spirit as any lazar. thus a ioseph and a moses may be favorites of god in the court of pharaoh . and thus , if the more we have of lading to press our vessel into the sea , the more we also have of sails to give it motion ; or if the larger our revenues and fortunes are , we have the larger elevation of heart and soul to liberality , and pay the larger taxes of charity , laid upon us by a law from the king of kings ; we convert our poorest beadsmen into our richest benefactors , and reap by far the greater good from the good we do them . yea we make our selves such friends of our greatest enemies , ( which our saviour expresses fitly by the mammon of unrighteousness , ) as will receive us , when we fail , into eternal habitations . whither god of his mercy conduct us all , for the glory of his name , and for the worthiness of his son , to whom be glory , both now , and for ever . an amulet or praeservative against the prurigo of ambition . the danger of seeking great things for ones self . jer . xlv . . and seekest thou great things for thy self ? seek them not . § . between the prophecies of ieremy in all the chapters going before , ( all belonging to the iews , ) and other prophecies coming after , ( concerning nine other nations , ) from hence-forwards unto the end , this before us appertains unto baruch only . baruch the scribe of ieremiah , and a servant of the most high , one who had faithfully served both at the utmost peril of his life , and yet at last became liable to great exception . therefore god by ieremiah rebukes the man for his anxiety , for the disquietness of his spirit , and discontentedness in his condition ; for his distrust of god's providence , and his dissatisfaction in god's oeconomy ; for being querulous and complaining , that grief was added to his sorrow , and tears to sighing , and that after all his labour , ( when he thought to be rewarded , ) he found no rest ; for being afflicted , and perplex't , he could not reach to those talents his master had , as ioshua did to those of moses , and elisha to those of the great elijah ; last of all god rebukes him , for not sufficiently resenting the most deplorable estate of the king and kingdom , with the calamities then impendent on god's own house , and the publick worship ; and for having no prospect beyond himself , his private liberty and safety , his ability like ionas to sleep securely in a tempest , and sensless of danger in a shipwrack ; his getting a quiet habitation in peace , and plenty , when he saw all round about him , as it were upon the borders and brink of ruin. § . now to baruch thus flinching in times of trial and temptation , reserving an angle in his heart for secret avarice , and ambition , and a particular design on his private interest , ( as if he thought it not sufficient , to have his life for a prey in all places whither he went , or not an happiness great enough , to serve and suffer for his creator , to fare no worse than his soveraign , to live in loyalty and honour , and dye in innocence ; ) god sends his prophet ieremiah with a most vehement dehortation , or ( to speak more exactly ) with a most forcible prohibition , sitting close upon the neck of a sharp reproof ; and seekest thou ( baruch ) great things for thy self ? seek them not . an exprobration , and a reproof , enough to stab him into the heart , as being very sharply pointed in four respects . in respect of the person , vext and disquieted with his condition ; in respect of the things , he seeks to mend his condition by ; in respect of the selfishness , wherewith the things are sought after by such a person ; and in respect of the times , wherein to be selfish , is most absurd ; yea wherein to be selfish , is little less than sacrilegious . i shall but touch on these four , and dwell on that which i take to be most material . § . who should the seeker be but baruch ? a man professing the true religion , yes and a zealous assertor of it ; the prophet ieremy's own disciple , and his exact amanuensis ; his individual companion , his faithful friend and fellow-labourer , who writ and read the roll of prophecies against ierusalem and iudah , in the ears of all the people , and all the great men at court , and that with the most apparent hazard both of his liberty and his life . and yet , as good a man as he was , ( or had been once in his time , ) the things he now did seek after were not spiritual , but carnal ; not belonging to the future , but present life ; not great in themselves , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , great in the speakers phraseology , or the rude vulgar's estimation ; or only great by way of comparison with things much less ; or great in reference to the season , wherein it was a great thing , for any servant of god to have food and rayment ; for a ieremy , or a baruch , not to be cast into the * dungeon ; not to be cut with the same † penknife , or not to perish in the same fire , together with the dreadful roll , or book of prophecies which they had written . nor was it a little aggravation of baruch's guilt , that he became a self-seeker ; when being a man of a publick character , he should have been of a publick mind ; he should have sacrificed his private to publick interesses and ends. when he foresaw that king iehoiakim ( the son of good king iosiah ) was not only to be kill'd , but cruelly cast into the streets , exposed there as a prey to birds and beasts without burial ; when he foresaw that zedekiah ( another son of good iosiah ) should shortly after become the last king of iudah ; that the conquering king of babylon should butcher his sons before his eyes , and pluck his eyes out of his head , and lastly binding him in chains , should carry him captive out of ierusalem , as an hissing to his enemies , and an astonishment to his friends ; then for baruch to be seeking , and to be seeking great things , and to be seeking them for himself too ; not for his country-men , or country , not for the worship and house of god , but for his despicable diminutive inconsiderable self , ( a little drop of the bucket ) a single atom of the great heap of dust and ashes in iudaea , ( for men we know are no better , ) this was the acme and the top of the prophet ieremy's exprobration . the heathen cato in lucan was much more generous , in his sidera quis mundúmq , velit spectare cadentem , expers ipse metûs ? — the turkish caab of arabia , who rather chose to dye of thirst , than to drink of that water which his compatriots all wanted , was of much a more brave , and a more noble disposition . such were the gallant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in alexander ab alexandro , who would never once indure to fare any better than their king. had the king lost a limb by any accident whatsoever ? they would resolvedly lose the same . did the king happen to want an eye ? they would pluck out one of their own . and when the king came to dye , they scorn'd to live ; but at the time of his funeral , threw themselves into the fire . baruch in reason should have argued , like brave uriah , and eleazar , who did abhor being at rest , when better men than themselves were expos'd to hardships ; they hated self-praeservation in a kind of universal and general deluge of afflictions . shall such a man as i baruch , and in such a season as this , be seeking any thing for myself ? shall i be guilty of being safe , when 't is disloyalty to prosper ? shall i be seeking great things , when to be great , is a dishonour ? a shameful thing , to live at ease ? and little less than a sin , to live ? thus he ought to have reason'd , thô thus he did not . and see how god ( by way of sarcasm ) does as good as bid baruch put himself into one scale , and all the publick concerns of king and kingdom into the other , as it were asking if he looks to outweigh them all ; if his life is more precious , than church and state ; if he expects as great a privilege as was granted only by miracle to gideon's fleece ; to be blessed and enrich't with the dew of heaven , when all round about lyes dry , and barren . if he alone will be exempt from a compleat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from a national , a publick , a common destruction and desolation . behold ( says god to baruch ) i will bring evil upon all flesh , even upon this whole land. and seekest thou great things for thy self ? seek them not . § . thus we see how the reproof or the exprobration ( being whetted into a sharpness by four respects ) does give a vehemence and force to the prohibition . i shall not add any thing more to what i have said touching the first ; but apply my self wholly to the consideration of the second ; which of it self will be sufficient to take up more time than is now allow'd . and in the prosecuting of this , 't is not my purpose to reflect upon any mens persons of either sort. not on them who seek greatness they cannot find ; much less on them , who have been raised up to greatness they never sought ; least of all upon them , who do inherit that greatness they cannot help ; ( such as they never could have prevented , nor can easily escape . ) all i intend is a dissuasive from that which i take to be the ground of all our seditions , and separations , and fermentations of blood in the body politick ; from that malignity and envy , wherewith the men of low degree are wont to prosecute those above them : from the self-seeking , and the self-love , attended commonly with the love of revenge on others , which makes a world of men careless of publick safety : careless of perishing themselves , ( like nero with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) if all the objects of their envy may perish with them : from that avarice and ambition , and malecontentedness in their stations , wherein divine providence is pleas'd to fix them . from every one of these plagues my present dehortative or dissuasive ( suggested to me by the text ) is now intended ; thô most especially from the last , as from the root of those factions , and schisms , and heresies , which do at any time indanger the common peace ; yes and occasion the greatest miseries which can possibly ever fall upon church or state. in order to the framing of this dissuasive , and for the making it effectual to such as need it , i must consider those things which the world calls great ( and are in one word expressed by worldly greatness ) in their genuine , or native , and proper colours ; strip't of that vizard and disguise , which the phantasies of people ( by a too vulgar errour ) have put upon them . for hence will arise as many reasons , why in every state or station , it is every mans advantage , as well as duty , to study and con st. paul's lesson , how to want and to abound . how to want without envy , and how to abound without arrogance ; how to want without stealth , and how to abound without oppression ; how to want with submission , and how to abound with self-denial ; how to want with real comfort , and how to abound with moderation ; how to want with thanksgiving , as it is an act of sacrifice ; and how to abound with liberality , as it is a work of mercy . in a word , how 't is his interest , to rest contented with his condition of either sort ; and not to disquiet himself in vain , by solicitously seeking greater things for himself than his god allows him . a point of doctrin so momentous , of such necessity to be taught , and as well of such publick , as private consequence to be learn't ; that 't is not easy to be imagin'd , how such a monstrous sin as schism , contempt of government and order , and the voluptuousness of heading or leading parties , should continue one day in the christian world , if every man were convinced of this great truth , ( a truth as legible , and as bright , as if 't were written with a sun-beam , ) that god allows not of his ambition , but disapproves of his avarice , strictly prohibits and forbids the carnality of his seeking great things for himself ; has made obedience to authority to be of the essence of christianity ; one of the two special vitals of all religion ; the blood and life of the second table , clearly running in a great vein throughout the body of the gospel . nor only so , but that ( in reference to the present , as well as to the future , and better life , ) it is every man's interest , and special advantage , not to be great ; that he is the happiest man on earth , whom horace has seated in the middle , betwixt his maenius , and nomentanus : that 't is easier to be satisfied with what is but competent and enough , than with any thing beyond it , whether inherited , or acquir'd : and that 't is better to have a little with god's allowance and approbation , than the greatest things on earth by his bare permission . the world is now at such a pass , ( and 't is a duty not to forget it on this occasion , ) that we do sometimes stand in need to make apologies for god ; to assert and justifie his methods ; to alledge sufficient reasons for some of his precepts and prohibitions ; especially for such as now we have under consideration . nor can we expect to be believ'd in such a paradox as this , [ that ' t is a man's interest not to be great in this loathsom world , ] any farther than our reasons shall force assent . i shall but urge four or five , whereof the one will rise in order above the other : that if the former cannot affect us , the later may . § . the first of the reasons i pretend to , for the dissuasive i am upon , from any man's seeking great things for himself , and for god's prohibition , seek them not , may be derived from the fickleness of all great things on this side heaven . their having nothing in them of permanence , nothing of certainty , or firmness , which a man of any prudence knows how to trust . from whence it follows ex abundanti , that they have nothing in them of lovely , for which they should be coveted or courted by us . and this is a reason suggested to me from the very next words before my text. behold ( says god to baruch by the mouth of ieremiah ) that which i have built will i break down , and that which i have planted i will pluck up , even this whole land. he does not thus argue , there is a flaw in the building , which i will therefore break down ; or a barrenness in the plant , which i will therefore pluck up . but i will do it pro imperio , because i will. for i have built , and i have planted . the whole land is mine , and i will order it as i please . he needs not argue from its inhabitants whereby to justifie its destruction , because he is not only the owner , but the author of it . his having once built , is reason enough for his breaking down . and his having once planted , is reason enough for his plucking up . nor may the * clay say to the potter , why hast thou made , or unmade me ? why hast thou used me thus , or thus ? 't is true in god's distribution of endless punishments and rewards to the sons of men , he declares himself to act as a righteous iudge , a judge with whom there is not respect of persons , a judge who renders unto every man according to his deeds , and according to the law he is bound to live by . but the case is quite another , ( and stands upon quite another ground , ) in his dealing out the things of this dying life , the things which perish in the using , the things whose fashion passeth away , such as all the things are which the world calls great . in things of temporary concernment , ( such as those i now speak of , ) it pleaseth god to act and argue as an absolute soveraign ; to make his peremptory will his sufficient reason ; to prove the rectitude of his actions from his right of dominion , and his omnipotence . not only mary in her magnificat observes and celebrates god's pleasure , in his putting down the mighty , and in his raising up the meek , but even hesiod does the same as an heathen poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . — we may english it out of our bibles from daniel's words to nebuchadnezzar ; 't is the most high alone that ruleth in the kingdom of men : 't is he that giveth it at his pleasure to whomsoever he will ; and that setteth up over it ( either the best , or ) the basest of men. there can be nothing more pleasant to a man of low station , or more profitable and useful to men of grandeur , than to contemplate as well as read the wise oeconomy of god in the words of david ; and the truth of those words in their own experience : to wit , that promotion cometh neither from the east , nor from the west , not from the north , nor from the south ; but god is the iudge , who putteth down one , and setteth up another ; or permits the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the prince of this world , the devil to do it . for so we needs must distinguish , if we intend to speak sense touching the providence of god in the present case . the taking away what he has given , the breaking in pieces what he has built , the rooting up what he has planted , is that which happens many times by his blessed order ; but many times too by his bare permission . to mention ioseph , and iob , the good king iofiah , the glorious emperour mauritius , and the more glorious martyr charles the first of these realms , and to parallel in our minds the events of those best with the worst of men , is the shortest way imaginable ( the shortest at least i can imagin , ) to give a satisfactory reason for that distinction ; and to discourage men from seeking great things for themselves . for thus i argue : if it happens so ill to them who are born to greatness , and are above it , who have a right to great things by god's appointment , and yet are deprived of them all by god's permission ; ( yet one step farther , ) if it happens so ill to them who are as good as they are great , and whose greatness coupl'd with grace is the least thing in them , far surpassed by their humility , and generous meekness , by their compassion towards others , and by their empire over themselves ; what then shall we say of those wretched great ones , who owe their greatness to the great dragon ? who owe it ( next under satan ) to their own avarice , and ambition , their oppression , and extortion , their fraud , and rapine ? who possess their great things by god's meer sufferance , and at last are stript of them by his appointment ? such usurpers of greatness , as do at their best but injoy god's anger , who only sacrifice to their net , ( as the prophet speaks , ) and wholly rely upon themselves , upon their industry , or their wit , their strength , or prowess , or their any thing besides which they are wont to call theirs , god does oftentimes crush by the chief means of their support ; whilst he makes their very anchor become their rock , and turns their harbour into a quicksand ; sometimes splits them upon their pollcy , and sometimes upon their power . and this the royal psalmist does seem to mean , when he speaks of gods laughing such men to scorn , and of his having them in derision , ( psal. . . ) much what solomon saith of wisdom , that she will laugh at their calamity , and will mock when their fear cometh , ( prov. . . ) thus my first reason ariseth from the fickleness of the things which the world calls great , whether as righteously attain'd by god's appointment , or as injuriously invaded by god's meer sufferance . § . a second reason for my dissuasive from any man's seeking great things for himself , and for god's prohibition , seek them not , is to be taken from the yet sadder and more important consideration , that the worlds great things are not fickle only , but treacherous ; not only transitory , but false , and fallacious things . such arrant snares to their possessors , as are not more courted by men of folly and unadvisedness , than they are fear'd and suspected by men of mature deliberation . for the more like a meteor a man is rais'd out of the earth , the apter he is to return in tears . the higher any one is exalted , his head becomes so much the giddier , and the sooner his feet will fail him , and the lower his fall will be . 't was apuleius his conceipt , that an over-large fortune is like an over-long coat , ever tripping up the heels of him that wears it. briefly , the greater any man is , the more he is expos'd as the butt of envy ; he is by so much the fairer mark , to be singled out and shot at , with darts of mischievousness , and malice , as well as envy . a truth so experimented and known throughout the annals of all the world , that the great emperours of the east were almost all murder'd ; nor were there many of the west , who were not cut off by fraud , or fury . a flayl , against which it is so almost impossible to get a fence , that thô henry the great of france had as fair warning from the young merchant , as ever any prince had to secure himself , yet it was not long after , when ravilliac did convince him by plain experience , that the basest creature living who can despise his own life , can make himself master of other mens . in this and other considerations , how many born to great things have not been able to indure them ? how many have rejected the offers of them ? how many have been courted , and even compell'd to an acceptance ? how many have cast away their crowns , for sitting too heavy upon their heads , and for the overplus of cares they were lined with ? 't were easy to prove by an induction , ( were this a time , or place for it , ) that worldly greatness has something in it extreamly dreadful to a wise and considering man. that there are great diseases in it , and the greatest of all in the greatest governments , ( even there where the governours are the most absolute and successful , ) is clearly seen by the complaints of the greatest men living when most at ease . it is not only arrian's , but also seneca's observation , and best expressed in his own words . potentissimis & in altum sublatis hominibus excidere voces videbis , quibus otium optant , laudant , omnibus bonis suis praeferunt . cupiunt interim ex illo fastigio suo , si tutò liceat , descendere . nam ut nihil lacessat autquatiat , in se ipsa fortuna ruet . it was a thing augustus caesar did often wish , but could never reach , that he might one day be so happy , as to be freed from his cares and his crown of thorns ; that he might put off his greatness , and live at last unto himself , which in the top of all his glories he had never yet done . certainly his , if ever any , was a prosperous reign ; and yet his very conquests were bitter to him . for when from all parts abroad he had perfect peace , he had none at home . in his own city , in his own court , and if not in his own bosom , yet at least in his own bedchamber , there were plots , and conspiracies , and designs upon his life , carried on by some of the basest , and the most profligate of his subjects . not the swords only of caepio , murena , of lepidus , and egnatius , and plautius rufus were whet against him ; but even telephus , and audasius , and a vile skullion out of his kitchin , with knives and daggers conspir'd his ruin. and he would many times have left his imperial dignity , had not his enemies been such , and of such a frame , as that he could not descend , but by falling headlong . yet he descended in his desires , ( says lucius * seneca , ) and was a private person in wish , employing still his chief labours and thoughts about it ; thô still his circumstances were such , as to confine him to the majesty , and by consequence to the thraldom , in which he dyed . but this is certain , that as if greatness had oppress'd him , and cast him down , he would never once admit of the least increase . so far was he from suffering temples , that he would not have statues erected to him . to call him master , was as the breaking of his head. and how did he deprecate a dictatorship , the highest honour upon earth , ( when his people by force would have cast it on him , ) as one would deprecate a shameful and painful death , with a naked breast , and a bended knee ? if ever any crown'd head exceeded augustus in prosperity , polycrates of samos was sure the man. who yet was so far from being the happier for his felicities , that his felicities did afflict him , more than any thing else could . it did not trouble him a little , that he had nothing to vex him ; and that the goods he would part with , he could not lose . nor was it strange , or without reason , that his felicities were so irksom and grievous to him ; for his friend amasis king of aegypt had told him the danger of his successes , and that he took them for the prognosticks of he-knew-not-what - miseries in time to come . he told polycrates in effect , the same that solon told croesus , ( and what is now a by-word in our ethick systemes , ) ante obitum nemo , supremáque funera felix , none can be certain of his happiness , before his death . he said , he never knew any so over-fortunate in his life , who did not come to some dismal end. and as he chose for himself an wholsom mixture of adversity with good success , so he durst not continue friendship with one condemn'd to have his portion of good things here ; with one who was doom'd to a praeproperous , untimely bliss . * he having a dread , and an abhorrence of too much happiness upon earth , as that which he thought provok'd the anger , and the iealousy of heaven , if not the envy . now 't is observable in herodotus ( who gives us the history of it at large , ) that what was prophesy'd by amasis , was by oraetes made good . for all the felicities of polycrates did justly end in his † crucifixion . so true is that of the philosopher ( however most persons may think it strange , ) res inquieta felicitas est , ipsa se exagitat , movet cerebrum non uno genere , alios in cultum irritat , alios in potentiam , alios inflat , alios mollit . if english can express it , perhaps it may be thus rendred . worldly greatness is a restless , unquiet thing ; a plague and affliction unto it self , and to all that own it ; it exagitates the heads and hearts of men several ways ; some it intoxicates with cruelty , and some with pride ; some it stirs up to luxury , and some to lust ; some it swells up , and some it softens . as the sun at the same time does harden clay , and melt wax , some it makes so obdurate as to turn them into a rock , and some it dissolves into arrant loosness . § . which by the way suggests to us a third reason for the dissuasive from any man's seeking great things for himself , and for god's prohibition , seek them not . they being treacherous , and deceiptful , not only to the outward , but inward man ; not only in a secular , but moral sense ; not only to the bodies , but souls of men . they are corruptive even of principles ; as making their owners to imagin , that honour intitles them to ambition ; that pride belongs to men of power ; that greatness gives them a right to arrogance . from which corruption of judgment it comes to pass , that many others , as well as baldwin , ( that most famously ▪ devout cistercian monk , ) have been observ'd by historians to lose their sanctity with their obscureness , and after the measure of growing greater , to grow in all kinds the worse . in so much that pope urban directed his letters very fitly to baldwin thus : monacho ferventissimo , abbati calido , episcopo tepido , archiepiscopo remisso , salutem plurimam impertimus . it is so common for men to change from good to bad , or from bad to worse , with the change of their conditions from bad to good , or from good to better , and when they are lifted up in honour , to be elevated in mind too , that titus vespasian is the one emperour ( at least within my present memory ) who was moulded by his empire from bad to better ; from having been both a proud and a cruel subject , to his being both a mild and an humble soveraign . of most other emperours it may be said , ( as 't was by tacitus but of one , ) imperio digni , nisi imperâssent . they might have been worthy of their empires , if they never had been emperours . temporal happiness having this of malignant in it , ( in the judgment of agur the son of iakeh , that it makes men forgetful of him that made them , ( deut. . , . ) it breeds ingratitude , disaffection , and at last a disbelief of their soveraign good , ( prov. . , . ) 't was the opinion of st. chrysostom , ( upon st. paul to the ephesians , ) that as nothing can so highly provoke the wrath of the almighty , as the sin of breeding factions in church and state , so there is nothing that can so easily beget such factions in either of them , as the seeking of preferments and greatness in it . for where the most of men are seeking great things for themselves , there are few to take care of the common good , either in relation to church , or state. and the way to advancement , through such an excess of self-seeking , becomes too narrow , which 't is the interest of the publick to make as broad as it is possible ; that so the candidates going towards it may not tread on one another , for want of room to go by ; or at least for want of room to go by quietly , and without jostling . lord , what armies have been defeated , if not destroy'd too , by the chief officers great envy and malignant aemulations of one another ? we need not go far abroad for examples of it , if we are not utter strangers to things which have happen'd here at home . and christians ( one would think ) should all take warning by christ's disciples , who were impertinently disputing which of them should be the greatest , when nothing but pains , and persecutions and death it self did await them all. there was a time when great numbers did take fair warning by that example . but not to spend time in the enumeration of particulars , ( for the enumerating of which my time would fail me , ) it shall suffice me to say in general , and by the authority of st. austin , that most of the better sort of men who had the happiness to live in those better times , did suffer violence and force in their vast promotions . for being exceedingly afraid of the great dignities they were offer'd , and much more ready to quit their country , than to run the great risque of advancement in it , they were fain to be press'd and kept in prison , 'till they could bring their wills down to admit of greatness . thus the most modern of our great doctors , of the most primitive simplicity , a man as wise , as he was learned , and as good as good nature by grace could make him , was truly afraid to live so long , as to see the happy day he had daily pray'd for ; partly for his own sake , lest the bettering of the times should possibly make him grow worse than he was before ; and lest advancement should corrupt him , whom the contrary condition had kept intire ; partly for the sake of the publick also , lest a deluge of prosperity , overflowing all the borders of church and state , might beget as great a deluge of epidemical provocations ; to wit of downright irreligion , and immoralities of life . thence came his censure of the bold hermites in the time of the emperour theodosius the younger , who left their privacies and retirements , to study perfection in the king's palace , because ( forsooth ) there were stronger and more temptations to be subdued . for what was this but to presume ( as st. peter once did ) on their ghostly strength ? and so to tempt god himself to withdraw his grace from them , ( as he did for a time from st. peter also , ) to make them know their own weakness without his succours ? the greatest luminaries on earth being fitly by him compar'd to those famous lamps , of which 't is said by licetus , that they continued under ground no less than sixteen hundred years , but went out , and were extinguish't , as soon as brought into the air. and truly considering what examples we have in history of men , who by the tenure of their privacy did hold their innocence , but becoming publick persons were straight undone by their advancements , and had their former light of conscience extinguish't in them ; we have as little reason as baruch , to be anxiously seeking great things for our selves , but as great reason as dr. hammond , to be religiously afraid of being taken out of our privacies , and drawn too far into publick air , lest ( like the lamps before mentioned ) our present light should be darkned with too much lustre . § . there is yet a fourth reason for the dissuasive i am upon , from any man's seeking great things for himself , and for god's prohibition , seek them not , which is to be taken from a less obvious , and more surprising consideration ; to wit that the greater any man is , the greater is his obligation to the discharge of one duty , which , thô it is not quite impossible , is yet extreamly difficult , and most uneasy to be perform'd . for still the more a man abounds in the worlds great things , ( such as riches , and honour , and reputation , ) the more he is bound upon all accompts , to lay himself and them too at the feet of christ. still the more talents he has receiv'd , the more he has to reckon for , at the general audit ; and 't is still the harder for him , to make up a satisfactory accompt ; and still the sense of this burden both of difficulty and danger , should cast him down under that greatness , which is the aptest to puff him up . and why should any man be seeking those things for himself , which do but aggrandize his duty , and lessen his faculty to discharge it ? 't is ( i suppose ) from a conjunction of these two things , that the friendship of the world is said to be enmity with god. that 't is hard ( if not impossible ) for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven . that 't is a thing extreamly difficult , for a man to have his portion of good things twice ; here , with dives ; and with lazarus , hereafter . nor can i imagin a better reason , why the rich ( rather than others ) should be forewarned by st. iames , to weep and howl , for the miseries that shall come upon them , than that the same talents of greatness which are but lent and intrusted by god to men , to make them more and more affectionate and thankful to him , are wont to make them most forgetful and careless of him . that which obliges them to humility , is made to extimulate their pride . why then should we be seeking greater things for our selves than will do us good ? great enough to make it necessary to do a very important duty , which at the very same time ( speaking in a moral sense ) they make impossible to be done ? there can be no sadder case for any poor creature to be in , than when he is loaded with obligations which serve but to aggravate his guilt . yet this is commonly the upshot of as many great things as are got by seeking . lord , what comfort should this administer to men of mean and low stations , to men of slender and small estates ? how should they learn from these reasons for this reproof and prohibition of god to baruch , not to envy any man's greatness , and not to covet it for themselves ? not to wish it were their own , much less to seek it , much less yet to seize upon it ? is there any man here present at what has hitherto been deliver'd , as poor as iob upon the dunghil , or as miserable as lazarus at dives his door , as ambitious of the crumbs which happen to fall under his table , ( and perhaps as full of sores too ? ) let him lift up the hands that hang down , and the feeble knees . let him cheer himself up with this most rational , most useful , and most obvious consideration , that the less it pleaseth god to let him have his proportion of good things here , the likelier he is to have his good things hereafter . the less a man is overflowing with wealth and honour , or with any thing else which the world calls great , by so much the less he is expos'd as the butt of envy ; by so much the less he has to lose ; the less he has to leave behind him , the less he is in danger to stand amaz'd and confounded , and to tremble for fear in the day of wrath. the fewer talents he has received of worldly greatness , the fewer he has to answer for , in the day when god shall judge the secrets of men by iesus christ. besides that for the present , by so much the fewer are his temptations to pride and arrogance , to cruelty and oppression , to lust and luxury . or ( to express it with st. paul , ) by so much the fewer are his temptations unto rioting , and drunkenness , to chambering , and wantonness , to strife , and envy . to sum up all in a word , the more a christian is obnoxious to the ridiculousness of poverty , and the contempt of great men , the more conformable he is to the life of christ , in whom the lines of human misery did all concenter . we see how many and great comforts a man may raise out of his misery , if he can make a truly christian and philosophical use of it . and if these considerations cannot induce a poor man even to pity and compassionate any great man's condition , yet at least they should be sufficient to make him contented with his own . which is all i aim at in my present reasoning . but before i am aware , ( for want of due heed to my general method , thô not for want of good will to the most destitute and dissatisfied of those that hear me , ) i anticipate one of the uses i am to make of that doctrin this text affords , althô i have not quite done with the reasons of it . and yet i cannot well proceed , without occurring to an objection ; first by owning its force , ( so far forth as it has reason , ) and then by shewing its insufficience . 't is true i cannot but acknowledge , ( nor am i willing to stretch a doctrin , how true soever , beyond the just line of its due extension , which yet we all are apt to do , through the hatred we use to have of any error which we oppose , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as st. basil calls it ; i therefore say i must acknowledge , ) and i do it without regret , that what an old author has said of phidias , may be truly enough apply'd to every wise and good man in a moral sense . if phidias wanted ivory out of which to make a statue , he could make one of brass . if marble were wanting , he could make one of wood. if the best wood were wanting , he could make one of the worst . and still how course soever his materials happen'd to be , the statue should be as good , as the stuff would bear . just so a wise and good man will make the best use he can of any condition he can be in . all his wants will be with comfort ; all his advancements with humility ; all his injoyments with moderation . he will equally stand affected to death , and honour ; neither of which is to be courted , thô they are both to be indured ( when laid upon him unsought ) without impatience . but yet , as phidias could work the better , the fitter materials were allow'd him , and some were fitter for his purpose than others were ; so a wise and good man is able to make a better use , of one condition , than of another ; and therefore ought to choose that , which he can manage with the most ease , to the best advantage . now what condition that is , hath been sufficiently imply'd in the four reasons going before , [ of god's severe prohibition , seek them not ; ] and may yet more expresly be made out to us in that which follows . for § . if all secular greatness is less conducible to a man's happiness , or his contentment here on earth , and carries with it more impediments in the narrow way to heaven , ( which our lord and his apostles affirm expresly , ) than that other state of life which is low , and little ; it cannot but follow on the contrary , ( for contrariorum contraria est ratio , ) that the inferiour state of life is much the best , and the most retired the most desirable condition . indeed 't is pity that superfluities should enlarge a man's appetite , yet so they do . pity 't is that a man's avarice should ever be widened by his possessions , yet so it is . and therefore the scythians did very fitly thus expostulate with the great emperour , who conquer'd all he ever fought with , except himself ; quid tibi divitiis opus est , quae te cogunt esurire ? what hast thou to do with meat , which does but serve to increase thy hunger ? or what need hast thou of riches , which make thee still the more needy ? for they observ'd the more he had , the more he wanted what he had not . and the degrees of a man's want do ( by very sound ethicks ) define his poverty . we know 't is customary for parents , to make and leave ( if they can ) a great provision for their children , ( or for their nephews , if they have none . ) and still the greater estate they leave them , the better they think they have done their duty ; because they take it for a thing granted , that men are as happy , as they are rich. but when we reflect upon the character and the choice of those men , who either were sick of great plenty , and therefore left it as a disease ; or were afraid of its infection , and therefore refused the offers of it , 't is plain experience , and practice , and the best mens examples , as well as reason , yes and abundance of scripture too , will make us quite of another mind . for though contentment cannot arise from any proportion of estate , be it great , or little , ( because it grows to us from within , and not from any thing without us ; ) yet i conceive a mean estate does most contribute to its attainment ; and with the men who have but little , the greatest contentments are seen to dwell . the reason of which is very evident ; for 't is easy to have a little , and to be below envy ; whilst 't is absolutely impossible to be above it . and therefore that of claudian has apparent truth in it , est ubi despectus nimius juvat : there is a time when a man prospers by being slighted . when a man's poverty is his protection : when too much contempt secures his liberty and his life . 't is ever best , because safest , because least troublesom , least perillous , least invidious , not to be great . again , ad manum est quod satis est ; as 't is easy to have a little , so a little is sufficient for food and rayment : and st. paul infers strongly , that food and rayment are enough : ( the upshot of all we can want or pray for : ) and 't is enough that breeds happiness , because contentment , meeting with a mind that is fitted for it : and a man's mind is sooner fitted to find enough in a little , than to meet with it in great abundance . for , sudatur ad supervacua , ( says the roman philosopher , ) what is more than just enough , begins to have somewhat of excess ; and all excess is superfluous , which for that very reason will cost us sweat ; if not the sweat of the brow , yet the anxiety of the brain ; not only in the solicitude how to get , or to improve , but in that easier concernment , how to manage , and to praeserve it . in each of which cases , sudatur ad supervacua . the meaner man even in this is so much happier than the greater , by how much 't is better not to have , than to lose abundance : which , sooner or later , the great man must , and the mean man cannot . * still the greater any one is , the more he is obnoxious to chance , and fortune , by which 't is better not to be favour'd , than forsaken at last . and therefore the baleares ( of whom we read in diodorus ) did so reflect upon the misery which geryon's great treasures betray'd him to , ( for he had never else been visited and kill'd by hercules , ) that they durst not have plenty , for fear of thieves ; for fear of providing for their enemies , as geryon did . which comparing with that of david , [ he heapeth up riches , and cannot tell who shall gather them , ] and with the counsel of christ himself , take no thought for the morrow , and lay not up treasure upon earth , ( matth. . ) i do the less think it strange , thô strange enough , that maximus tyrius and other antients admir'd the wisdom of diogenes , in that he made it his choice , to be as unfurnished as an angel ; as free from all earthly goods , as the spirits of heaven . for they consider'd within themselves , that to have riches , and honours , as well as children , is to give hostages to fortune . and that 't is here , as in an army ; the greater the bulk , the more it is expos'd to wounds and slaughter . § . but thô the saying of epicurus is most evidently true , honesta res est paupertas laeta , that he who does not only bear , but injoy his poverty , is not only an happy , but an honourable man , and in this respect a rich one , that what he has not , he does not want , whilst he regulates his appetite , and makes it adequate to his condition ; yet because 't is not so easy , for a man and his poverty to be agreed , in case his poverty is so importunate , as incessantly to pinch him with cold and hunger ; i therefore put a wide difference between not seeking great things for our selves , and not providing what is enough . 't is not absolute poverty i recommend from this text , ( such as discalceats and mendicants pretend to love , ) but only poverty in comparison ; that which either borders on , or dwells within some few doors of it. i speak of poverty as oppos'd to those great things , from the seeking of which we are here dehorted . for this does seem a more safe , and more secure way to happiness , than great abundance ; because the less any one has above food and rayment , the less he roves beyond the limits of what is competent , and enough , ( as i said before ; ) the less he has to care for , and to give accompt of at the general audit ; briefly the less he has to lose , and to leave behind him ; not infallibly to his friends , but peradventure to his worst enemies ; not certainly to his sons , but perhaps to his sequestrators ; nor for certain to his daughters , but possibly to the artificers , who shall make a prey of them . i say 't is a state of mediocrity , a competency of fortune , attended still with a decent thriftiness , and frugality , ( as being that without which no riches can be great , or if great , not sufficient , ) which i commend from this text , as a soveraign medicine against the itch. and that the worst kind of itch to be imagin'd ; to wit the itch of a man's seeking great things for himself ; or very much greater than are allotted him by the wise providence of his creator . auream quisquis mediocritatem diligit tutus , caret obsoleti sordibus tecti , caret invidendâ sobrius aulâ . of all the secular great things from the seeking of which we are here dehorted , the least desirable i am sure , if not the most tremendous , are the great and rich offices of publick government and trust ; because they are the greatest obstacles to that which does the most import us , to wit the government of our selves . a work so incumbent upon our selves , ( next and immediately under god , ) as that it cannot be wholly managed by any other man's prudence , how much soever it may be greater , and more to be trusted than our own . besides that the government of a man's family , althô not great , and the government of his estate , althô but little , will take up more of his time ( on which his eternity does depend ) than he can very well part with from better objects . and for the governing of a man's self , all his time is too little ; whether we look upon the hardness or profit of it . to keep our thoughts , and our affections , our appetites , and our wills , within their due bounds and compass , and well employ'd on those objects to which of right they do belong , is so difficult in the doing , and yet so pleasant when it is done , that i know not whether the work , or the reward it brings with it is more important . hence an overplus of advancement is as distastful and as surfeiting to a moderate mind , as is an excess of meat and drink , either to a well-satisfi'd , or tender stomach . and therefore as a man of a sober appetite will expect to be excus'd by abler drinkers than himself , from taking in more than will do him good , or more than his body can well abide ; so we must pray to be excus'd , ( or be contented if we are not ) by men of larger appetites and stronger ambitions than our own , if we shall choose to be no greater , in wealth , and honour , than in desires ; to lessen our burden ( if already lying upon us ) in proportion to the strength we have to bear it ; to have our meat and our drink , as well as our hunger , and our thirst , exactly fitted to our digestions . § . 't is true indeed there is a time , when the worlds great things ( such as riches and honour ) come uninvited , and even grow upon their owners , who neither seek , nor care for them . in which case 't is to be said , non in rebus vitium est , sed in animis possidentium . riches are innocent in their increase , if we set not our hearts upon them ; if we look upon them as things which are false and flying ; if we carry our selves towards them with so much carelesness and contempt , as to be really poor in spirit ; reaping the benefit and the blessing which any lazarus can injoy , without the sting , and the disgrace , without the leprosie , and the ridiculousness , which an ugly french proverb , and vitious men have found in it , and none but they. it was a very gross error in the ancient apostolici , ( as they were pleas'd to call themselves ) to think it utterly unlawful for men to have estates peculiar to them , and that forsooth for this reason , because the apostles , and their first followers had all things in common , except their wives . 't was to put vertue upon the rack , and stretch her out ( like procrustes ) beyond her just and full stature , to wit , the extremity of her mean ; and therefore 't was with good reason , that epiphanius and others esteem'd them hereticks . for as a man of great age may receive the kingdom of god , as a little child ; so may one of great wealth , as a very poor one . it being the inward disposition , not the want of outward affluence , which makes a man poor enough to be regarded ( like the virgin ) by god himself . our self-denials , if we are rich , will make us voluntarily poor , and still the richer for being such . nor only the richer , but greater too . for magnus ille est qui in divitiis est pauper , says lucius seneca . he is generous , and great , who keeps the modesty and the meekness of a very poor man in the midst of plenty . the like to which may be said on the other side . he is indeed a great man , who is as if he were rich in the deepest poverty : as rich in comforts and contentments , and serenities of mind , as if he were owner of both the indies . if our riches decrease , and our desires decrease too , still our condition is the same , and we must needs be as well as ever . for beatus est ille qui vivit ut vult ; he who has all that he desires , cannot be happier than he is , whatever else may be added to him . and this is that frame of mind which the text suggests to us ; this we are all to pant after , and labour for , with a comparative contempt of the world without us . and to this the smallest things are more conducible than the greatest . a little with acquiescence , which was the portion of aglaus the poor arcadian , will not only make us happier , but even richer than * umidius with all his plenty . for thô 't is a postulate , or a principle , not to be question'd in geometry , that the whole must needs be more than any part of it self , yet in morality 't is to be question'd for several reasons . for such may be the blessed frame and constitution of a man's mind , as may enable him to confute , or elude the maxim. and that difficult hemistichion which hesiod sent his brother perses , ( by whom it seems he had been cheated of the one half of his estate , ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , half is more than the whole , may have its proof and exposition from the experience of a moderate and prudent man. for the one half of his possessions may be more to him than the whole , five or six several ways ; in that it may ( without a miracle ) be more conducing unto his happiness , and more in order to his designs , and even in reference unto the present , as well as to the future and better life ; and that by being ( for example ) more consistent with his privacy , and more conservative of his time ; more propitious to his sobriety , and more agreeable to his vocation ; more in a tendency to his contentment , and more by consequence to his health . many ways it may be more , both in a moral , and theological , ( which is the best , ) althô it cannot in a physical , or mathematical acception , ( which is the worst . ) for sure the former signification of the word more , is as much better than the later , as quality and goodness is better than quantity and bulk ; or as the injoyment of worldly things , than the bare possession . for the happiest man living , and the most noble apolaustick , cannot possibly be he who does own the most things , but evidently he who does want the fewest . and as the strengthning of a man's back is of greater use to him , than the meer lessening of his burden , so is the shortning of his appetite of more advantage to his well-being , than any lengthning of his titles , or any inlarging of his estate . else a cormorant , or a gulon , ( supposing them to have food in full proportion to their appetites ) would be much happier than a man. and a man with such a disease as physicians call a boulimis , or boulimia , ( supposing him also to have food in full proportion to his appetite , ) would be happier than a man of the soundest health . a thing so void of all reason , and so impossible to be true , that the belly-gods of the earth who still are satisfying their appetites , and the glorified saints of heaven who have the happiness to have none , do so far differ , ( as to the comforts and satisfactions which they injoy , ) that the pleasures of the first are much the lesser , but the more gross ; whilst the pleasures of the second are vastly greater , but more refin'd . § . from all that has hitherto been deliver'd , that is from the doctrin which has been laid , and from the reasons which have been given , why men should not be seekers of great things for themselves , ( a doctrin drawn from the reproof , and from the strict prohibition of god himself , and reasons arising from as good topicks as i have been able to argue from , ) some good lessons are to be taken , some good uses to be made , some good means to be suggested , and some good motives to be consider'd , as well by private , as publick persons ; by poor , and rich ; by the least and by the greatest , without exception . § . first , inferiour men must learn from this whole message of god to baruch , not to advance themselves by levelling ; not to seek greatness for it self , nor yet to seek it for themselves , much less for themselves by lessening others ; not to be troublers of the waters wherein they are desirous to fish for greatness ; not to aim at great things by heading parties , and factions , by nourishing schisms and separations , and ( what of it self is a great thing , ) by having the managements of sedition in church and state ; not to promote a fifth monarchy , by pretending nothing more than a common-wealth ; not to imagin that dominion must needs be founded only in grace ; and that the use of the creature belongs to none but the elect ; to many others indeed de facto , but de jure only to them ; they must learn not to be selfish under colour of self-denial , meerly forsooth in zeal to the publick good , and that right may take place ; ( not forsooth that they care for wealth , or honour , or have any true love to the creature-comforts , as they are such , but ) that goodness ( as they call it ) may be rewarded , and that religion may have its due , and that the blessed apostle paul ( whose words they take by the wrong handle ) may be justified in his saying , whilst godliness is found to be profitable for all things , having promise as well of the life that now is , as of that which is to come . this is the first and prime lesson which every private poor man , and every man under authority , althô not poor , is to learn from the dehortative , and from the bitter exprobration of god to baruch . he must not make himself the moral of aesop's toad , which had an ambition to swell it self into the bigness of an ox. he must not make himself obnoxious to the reproach of that proverb , scarabaeus contra aquilam ; being but a beetle , or but a butterfly , he must not aemulate an eagle , much less indeavour , either to lure her , or pluck her down . he must not make himself lyable to the wo , which god denounced heretofore by his prophet isaiah ; must not say tacitly to his father , what begettest thou ? or to the woman , what hast thou brought forth ? he must not mutiny and grumble against god's providence and his will , or seek to aggrandize himself , whether his maker will or no. being ( as he is ) but an earthern pitcher , he must not contend with a brass pot , or strive to equal ( much less to master ) the golden cistern . but he must labour on the contrary to reckon himself ( as he is ) in his proper element , and by consequence not to be capable of gravitation or levitation , from which the elements are exempt in their native places . he must make it his whole indeavour , his whole ambition , and delight , to acquiesce as things do which attain their center . not to turn seeker how he may raise , or disturb himself ; but to esteem it his private interest , to contribute all he can to the publick good ; to prove he loves the publick peace , by his following after the things that do make for peace ; as by making his reason to reign within him over his passions ; and his will over his appetite ; by submitting his more deceivable and private judgment , unto the less erring judgment of publick reason ; by seeking one great thing for himself , which is the glory of obedience ( as tacitus calls it ) to human laws and lawgivers , to every ordinance of man for the lord's sake ; and by esteeming it as glorious for a subject to be loyal , and obedient unto his soveraign , as for a soveraign to command , and protect his subject . it is every man's duty , as well as honour , and every man's advantage , as well as duty , to do in this case as he would be done by ; to pay as much reverence and submission to such as are over him in authority , as he expects from his own servants , his wife , and children . it being pity that any subject who is a rebel to his prince , should meet with any thing but rebellion , from all that owe service or duty to him . for why should any man expect to have a dutiful wife , an obedient son , or a faithful servant , who is neither of the three to his native soveraign ? but is undutiful and false to his publick parent ? not to the people's , but god's vicegerent ? there can be nothing more apposite , than that a boutefeux , a kindle-coal , a make-bate in the city , should have his house full of tumults : that he who is hissing at publick government , should carry a serpent in his own bosom : that as he sows , so he should reap : that his own wickedness should correct him : that he should suffer what he has done : and that with the measure he metes to others who are exceedingly above him , others exceedingly below him should duly measure to him again . nor should it otherwise be of pleasant , but as 't is of profitable remarque , that women did never here in england so affect mastery over their husbands ; never were children here in england so disaffected , so disobedient , so quite unnatural towards their parents ; never were servants here in england so false and treacherous towards their masters , as since our english-mens revolt from the god of order ; since their being too proud to be under god : or at least no farther willing that god himself should reign over them , than upon this condition only , that he will do it their way : either without any vicegerent , or with one of their choosing . what i now have said last , i should have taken for a digression , had not the evils now mentioned been all the fruit of the same plant , which had taken some root in the heart of baruch ; i mean the itch of a man's seeking greater things for himself , than god sees fit , or has been pleased to allow to such as seek them . § . now in order to the learning so great and good a lesson as this , which i have been hitherto describing , we must attend to those things which are the means of , and the motives to it . in order to the former , we must not only addict our selves to all the usual means of grace , such as prayer , and giving of alms , reading , and hearing the word of god , frequent perceptions of the lord's supper , private conferences with casuists , or ghostly fathers , and the like ; but we must use our best wit , and our soundest reason , and ( as st. paul exhorts timothy ) we must duly stir up the gift of god which is in us , whereby to find out such means as are perhaps the least thought of , thô perhaps the most effectual to reach the end we aim at . we know an archer , not to be short of the mark before him , will use his indeavour to shoot beyond it . as demosthenes , of a stammerer , attain'd to an excellent pronunciation , by speaking with pebbles in his mouth ; and so he facilitated his conquest of a natural impediment , by adding and subduing an artificial one . have we sincerely a desire to be the better for being rational ? to make a right use of the light within us ? to free our selves from a disease the most tormenting in all the world ? to be as happy as is possible in a valley of tears ? we must not only not seek great things for our selves , but must not suffer great things to grow upon us in excess . we must never once indure to have as much of this world , as we are able ; nor yet as much as is lawful for us ; but only as much as is expedient . we must not dare to make trials ( as too many are wont to do , through a most sinful curiosity , ) what store of riches may be attain'd to within the compass of one man's life . there being nothing more inhuman , more unbecoming , or more unworthy of a rational agent , than for a man to be condemn'd , by his own consent , to be digging all his days in the mine , or quarry ; to be so much below a bruit , as not to know when he has enough . enough to make use of , enough to keep , enough to care for , enough to lose , enough to leave behind him , enough to give accompt of in the day of judgment . there can be nothing more disgraceful to a man's reason and understanding , than not to know when he has enough in these six points i now have mentioned . not only christ , and his apostles , but horace himself , and his oppidius , and many other heathen writers , have taught us a lesson of human prudence , which men as men must needs confess 't is a shame and misery not to learn. denique sit finis quaerendi . — & finite laborem incipias , parto quod avebas . — we ought to fix on a proportion of worldly goods , to which our industry and prudence ( with due regard to our quality , and the necessities of our family ) may safely and innocently reach . and having once attain'd that , must say as resolvedly to our appetites , and by consequence to our indeavours , as god once said to the swelling waters of the sea ; thus far shall ye go , and no farther : we are at an end of our desires . we will not be troubled with any more . we will not be evermore adding to the dead weight of our possessions , but only to the right use and injoyment of them. as for surplasages of fortune , if any happen , we will employ them in christian projects , and ( not in philosophical , but ) theological experiments , ( suggested to us by god himself in several parts of his holy word , as ) how we may draw bills of credit upon him , who inhabits the new ierusalem . how we may * lend unto the lord , thô the proprietary of all ; and be paid by him again an † hundred sold for the forbearance . how we may ‖ feed and cloath our saviour , thô in his state of glorification ; how redeem our very redeemer , by contributing what we can to the redemption of christian captives from the tyranny of the turks ; and lay up in store a good foundation for our selves , upon a project of attaining eternal life . thus to stint all our appetites , and to limit our desires , is to antedate the happiness we hope and pray for . 't is to create unto our selves ( by the help of god's grace ) an humble degree of self-sufficience on this side heaven . it was the saying of a wise heathen , which no wise christian will scorn to learn , nihil nos magis ab animi fluctibus vindicaverit , quàm aliquem semper figere incrementis terminum . there is nothing can more exempt us from all inquietudes of mind , ( from the rack of expectation , and the strappado of disappointments , ) than our putting a certain period to our increase ; a certain boundary or butt to our acquisitions . our best successes being so slippery , and our appetites so strong , that for both we need bridles to hold them fast . § . it may perhaps be one motive to moderation of mind , and to a christian's not seeking great things for himself , that iesus christ , our great exemplar , did for himself seek the least ; was pleas'd to empty himself of glory , became of no reputation ; made it his choice to be so poor , as * not to have where to lay his head ; and thô he was born of the blood royal , the house of david , did choose to take upon him the form of a very mean subject , and to live on their charity who administred to him of their substance , luke . . nor was this only the option of god incarnate , the blessed redeemer of the world , our lord jesus christ , whose coming was to destroy the works of the devil , the pomps and vanities of the world , with the sinful lusts of the flesh , as well by his practice and example , as by his praecepts ; but all the wisest and the best even of meer moral men , thô they had no light to go by , but that of nature and education , had yet such a mastery over themselves , such a right apprehension of human conditions and affairs , had such an insight into the things which the world calls great , and did so seriously depretiate the pomps and vanities of the world , ( coveting poverty rather than wealth , and courting obscurity rather than honour , ) that most professors of christianity may be provoked by them to jealousy , if not prevailed upon effectually unto a generous aemulation . such as the famous abdolonymus , who , however he was by birth of royal family and extraction , was yet by breeding but a poor gardiner in the suburbs of sidon , where he work't out all his bread at his fingers ends , and so accordingly did eat it in the sweat of his brows . a condition so duly fitted to the humility of his desires , that when , created king of sidon , by alexander the great , he was ask't with what patience he could indure his late poverty ; i would to god ( answer'd he ) i could as well indure a kingdom . hae manus suffecêre desiderio meo ; nihil habui , nihil defuit . he said his hands had been sufficient to administer to his necessities ; and that the things which he had not , he did not want . the choice he made of his employment , brings democritus into my memory , who made the same . for having travell'd through the world , whereby to gain a full experience and knowledge of it , he chose at last a deep poverty , and a confinement to his garden ; wherein he satisfied his body with the productions of the earth , and feasted his soul with contemplation . the pomps and vanities of the world ( at the miseries of which heraclitus wept ) he daily laugh't at . and thô the vulgar thought him a madman for his recess from all company , yet hippocrates , who was sent to cure him of it as a physician , was compell'd by his discourse to admire his wisdom ; and pronounced them mad who had so esteem'd him . and truly crates of thebes may with somebody's profit be here remember'd ; who being both rich , and a philosopher , turn'd his land into mony , and put his mony to the banker on this condition , that if his sons did prove fools , he should supply their wants with it ; but if philosophers , he should deal out all his treasure to the most indigent of the city . it having been really his opinion , that fools want mony , however rich ; whilst wise-men , thô poor , are in need of nothing . now whether this is the true history , or that which is told us by philostratus , [ that crates threw his whole estate into the sea , as having found it a great impediment to the prosperity of his studies , and the tranquillity of his life , ] it matters not much ; because his judgment does appear by both accompts of his practice to have been this , that in very much of the world , there 's very much trouble , and solicitude ; and that the more any man has , the more he has of disturbance and interruption ; the more he has to be carking and caring for ; whether as to its use , or its conservation . the emperour sigismund ( i am sure ) did find it so to some purpose , when having brought him out of hungary a chest of gold ready coyn'd , he could never sleep well till he parted with it . for he could not ( saith cuspinian ) but still be thinking , either where he might keep it with greatest safety , or how lay it out to the most advantage . therefore calling to him his counsellors , with the chief officers of his army , and all his lifeguard more especially , he caus'd his chest to be laid open , and his forty thousand pieces ( a great treasure then , ) thrown out amongst them . those he call'd his tormentors , his murderers , his cruell'st enemies , and his lictors , which would not suffer him to rest , by reason of the lashes they laid upon him all night , without remorse , or intermission . this ( 't is plain ) is not impertinent to the discourse i am upon , thô impertinent in comparison with all those emperours and kings , and other persons more signal , whom i might reckon ( if i had time ) upon this occasion . but desirous to comply with the time allow'd , i shall not instance in as many , but in as few as i am able of most remarque . such as are the three scipio's , in whom the roman historians ( and the best of the greek ones ) do justly triumph . the chief of these was africanus , the glorious downfall of carthage , and staff of rome , as his paternal name scipio does well import . one who grew to such an highth of worldly happiness and renown , that there was nothing now left to make him higher , but his humility . he did not only refuse the offer , of having his statue signaliz'd in the highest places , but that of consulship during life , and that of perpetual dictator also . yea if polybius may be credited , ( who had most reason to know , ) both in asia , and europe , as well as africa , he did many times refuse to be made a king. and this polybius calls often , not the poverty , or the lowness , ( as the men of this age would be apt to call it , ) but , as it was in good earnest , the highth and greatness of scipio's spirit . i am perswaded ( says lucius seneca ) that scipio ' s soul went up to heaven , not because as a commander he led so many and great armies , but because of that piety by which he triumph't over himself . not so much because he saved , as because having saved , he left his country . nor because he left the service , but the honours , and the wealth , and injoyments of it . it was the littleness and obscurity of his house at linternum , which made that philosopher admire his greatness . it was his lying close hid in a little corner , turning his spear into a plough-share , and his sword into a pruning-hook , and labouring with his own hands in dressing and cultivating the earth , which made this great man who transcended all others , at the last to exceed and transcend himself . 't was in his cloud he shin'd brightest . 't was the foil of a retirement , by which this iewel was most set off . 't was his contempt of this world , which made him able to command it ; et rerum dominus nil cupiendo fuit . such an example of self-denial , or ( to speak more exactly ) moderation of mind , ( it being no self-denial , for any great man to injoy his wish , and to be as 't were preferr'd to a private life , ) was the most excellent cassiodorus ; a man of so very great authority with the gothic kings of italy , ( whom he had bless'd a long time as their principal minister of state , ) that he was reckon'd the very soul of their publick business , and one who ever gave life to their great affairs . yet being humbled by all his honours , and so quite tired out with his secular greatness , as to betake himself for refuge unto a contrary condition , he spent the residue of his time in such monastical contentments and contemplations , as drew out his life to the hundredth year . § . these and very many others , as well in ancient as modern story , may be sufficient to perswade us to be of bias his opinion : that a man's riches are to be carried , not on his shoulders , but in his breast ; ( and by consequence to be kept , not in his coffers , but in his brain ; ) they are to be such aswill attend him to what place soever he takes his flight ; and such as will stick to him at last in the day of wrath. these men knew as well , as apollo's oracle could tell them ; that aglaus was happier in his cottage , than king gyges upon his throne . and were convinced with anaxagoras , that publick honours and vast revenues can very hardly and very seldom consist with bliss : but that every man's happiness is to be sought for in his recess . § . if it shall now be imputed to me , that i have spent too much time in seconding reason with example , i have this to alledge in my justification ; that example upon many works more than reason . sure i am that it did upon the emperour charles the fifth , if either strada , or thuanus , or both together may be believ'd . for their accompt of him is this : that as one man's example taught him to make his resolution of laying all his crowns down at the feet of christ , so the examples of many more did confirm him in it : but with this great and signal difference , that the example which suggested his purpose to him , was taken from a poor and a private man ; whereas the many more examples which brought that purpose to execution , were of those emperours and monarchs of equal dignity with himself : to wit the emperour dioclesian amongst the heathen ; and amongst our christian emperours , anastasius the second , theodosius the third , isacius comnenus , michael rangabe , michael the son of ducas , nicephorus botoniates , manuel comnenus , iohannes cantacuzenus , and the no less religious than great lotharius . some of which emperours ( he observ'd ) had beaten their scepters into spades , wherewith they dug their own graves in their several gardens . others thought it their safest course , to leave the pleasures of the court for the severities of the cloyster . all preferring an obscure and a silent life , before the splendid'st injoyments this world could yield them . now all i pretend to in this first lesson i am upon , and in arguing as i have argued à majori ad minus , is not immodestly to contend with any great man , to seek his lessening ; especially if his case is such , as that he cannot descend at all , without his falling quite headlong ; but i pretend unto a prevalence with men of inferiour and low degree , to acquiesce in that station which god does see is best for them ; to acquiesce in his will , whose will is wisdom ; and not to be so excentrical in the motions of their souls , as to be crossing god's providence with their indeavours or designs ; nor to oppose their will to his , by the carnality of their seeking greater things for themselves than their god allows . i aim at teaching inferiour men who do not exceed mine own size , to reason and argue within themselves à majori ad minus . for why should little men be seeking great things for themselves , when many inheritors of greatness have been exceedingly sick of it , and therefore have left it as a disease ; whilst others , afraid of its infection , have perseveringly rejected the offers of it ? § . but there is another lesson for great men also ; who may learn ( if they please ) as well from the reproof , as from the prohibition of god to baruch , if not to part with their greatness , ( as the best of the greatest have often done , ) at least to know when they are well ; or if they patiently accept , yet at least not to seek an increase of greatness ; much less to seek it for themselves , their private interest and advantage , without a due respect to the publick good ; not to be guilty of so much levity , as still to soar higher and higher , ( as all light things are wont to do , ) but to prescribe unto themselves a ne plus ultra ; a certain term beyond which they will never tend . the emperour pertinax , of a grammarian , was well enough contented to become a great man ; and to indure as much envy as he knew what to do with , or how to bear : but did not like to be the object of all mens envy : and therefore 't was with great reluctance that he accepted of the empire ; or rather he did not so much accept it , as 't was by force impos'd upon him . glabrio was not discontented with his being at the top of the roman senate ; but knowing that to be enough , he durst not rise a step higher , and so refus'd the same empire with the same earnestness and vehemence , wherewith pertinax himself would have thrown it on him . maximinus was not unwilling , from a very low birth , and from the breeding of a shepherd , to be advanced by degrees to be the general of an army : but yet he knew his full measure ; and was really so afraid of being rais'd a step higher , that he did obstinately refuse to accept the empire , till being compell'd by a great army with their swords drawn about him , he was fain to take it up in his own defence , and only as somewhat a lesser evil , than to be murder'd for his humility . the like judicious apprehension had the incomparable decius of worldly greatness . an * emperour could no more persuade him to take the government of the army , than the army could make him willing to take the government of the empire . and thô at last he discharged both , yet he did both against his will , and by meer coaction . for zosimus tells of him expresly , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such an aversion to advancement ( above what was enough ) had the emperour tacitus ; who to escape the danger of it , hid himself for two months from all discovery . out of which hiding-hole when he was drawn , as out of a dungeon into a throne , how did he plead against himself his inability to ascend it ? how many infirmities did he pretend to , ( which in truth and by right he could never own , ) to excuse his rejection of so much glory ? nor ▪ was it any fault of his , that his rejection was rejected . the noble perdiccas had an ambition to be a great man at court , but not the greatest . he extended it as far as was agreeable with his subjection ; but there it left him . for curtius tells us , he refus'd the absolute empire of the world , when after alexander's death it was offer'd to him . so did xenophon more than once the honour of being generalissimo , when all the army of the greeks would have cast it on him . so did quintus fabius maximus the highest magistracy in rome , alledging his age , and his infirmities , till both the senators and the people were fain to compel him to an acceptance . so did manlius torquatus object the illness of his eyes against his being created consul . and when that could not excuse him , his chiding did . nec vestros mores consul ferre potero , nec vos imperium meum . were i consul ( said he ) i should no more indure your looser lives , than you my strict and severer discipline . they were obstinate in their choice , but so was he in his refusal . thus the consulship of rome was ambitious of him ; that which other men coveted , to him went begging . and honour it self had a repulse in being the candidate of manlius ; whom greatness earnestly , and with zeal , but vainly courted for his consent . so vipsanius agrippa , to whom augustus ow'd the most for the full settlement of his empire , refus'd a triumph which was decreed him for his conquering and quieting the asian rebels . so fabricius once refus'd to have his partnership in a kingdom , when by a king it was offer'd to him . marcius rutilus censorinus , and fabius maximus , did not only content themselves with a refusal of the honours conferr'd upon them , but chid the romans very severely for the excess of such favours so misapply'd . so marcus marcellus , thô the first who made it evident that syracuse might be taken , and even hanibal subdued , refus'd the government of sicily , and shifted it off on his collegue . so the seven wise men of greece were in nothing more thought to have shewn their wisdom , than in shifting off a treasure from the one unto the other , as men are wont to do burdens they hate to bear . cn. marcus coriolanus , thô of princely family and descent , affected rather to fall , than rise ; and rather poverty , than wealth . in so much that in reward of all his services in the wars , ( which were vastly great , ) he would not accept of land , or mony , ( when land and mony were offer'd to him , ) as thinking it happiness enough to have deserv'd them . curius also , thô a commander who conquer'd kings , and subdued kingdoms , was yet so delighted to live a frugal and private life , that neither the samnites , nor the senate could by any offers shake , much less alter his resolution . exactly such another was fabricius luscinus , the noblest roman of his time in point of honour , and authority , and yet by choice one of the poorest , in point of fortune : his desiring very little , did pass with him for a great possession : his contempt of all riches he did esteem the noblest treasure : and found it more pretious , than gold , or silver , that he would not be tempted by either of them to an acceptance . such another was aelius tubero , surnamed catus , who rejected the richest plate that could be sent him out of aetolia ; and , thô of consulary rank , made choice of being served in earthen vessels . aemilius paulus was a man , who having conquer'd k. perses , and enrich'd all the romans with the spoils of macedonia , did most magnanimously refuse to be the richer for them himself ; as thinking it recompence enough for his utmost labours , that his country had the emolument , and himself the satisfaction of doing well . such was the generous self-denial of fabius gurges , and ogulnius , and of the fabij pictores , when sent embassadours into aegypt , they were opulently presented by the munificent king ptolemy ; and however all was meant for their private use only , yet they sent it home intirely into the treasury and bank of the commonwealth . conceiving it dishonourable , if not unjust , that publick ministers should admit of any other compensation , than the publick commendation of their performance . such were also portius cato , and marcus cato uticensis , men so proverbial for the blamelesness and integrity of their lives , for their enmity to pleasures , and severity towards themselves , that i need no more than name them . xenocrates was as free from lust , and avarice , and ambition , as if he had been in good earnest ( what phryne call'd him ) an arrant statue . alexander the great would have bought his friendship , would he have sold it at any rate . and the talents which were sent him would have made him extreamly rich , but that he thought his best talent was his ability to despise them . alexander found it an easier task to conquer darius with his army , than this philosopher with his wealth : so that xenocrates , rather than he , might have been with some reason surnam'd the great . omnia habet qui nihil concupiscit , was the saying of cornelia , the famous mother of the gracchi . and if that has truth in it , certainly solon , rather than croesus , might have passed into a proverb for riches too . valerius poplicola was four times consul ; but it was for his wisdom , not at all for his wealth . for contenting himself to have done great things for the commonwealth , and esteeming it his happiness to do them gratis , he had estate enough only to live and dye with , but far from enough to pay the expences of his burial . of all he had or was besides , he had been prodigally free ; but his poverty was a treasure , he would never once part with for all the world. agrippa menenius made it his choice , to be as deserving , and as poor too , if that can be a man's poverty , which is his choice . if'tis , 't is such a poverty as makes its owner most truly great . and if agrippa had not been such , he had not sure been made a iudge between the senators of rome and the common people . but they who differ'd most fiercely in other matters , could not choose but agree in this , that poor agrippa menenius was both the worthiest , and the fittest , and by much the most likely to reconcile them . attilius regulus with an estate of no more than seven acres , was yet a great and a noble roman ; but delighting in a poor and a private life , he was taken from his husbandry , to sit at the helm of the roman empire . and how unwillingly so advanc'd , did appear by this ; that having subdued the publick enemies , and settled full peace in the commonwealth , he very gladly hast'ned back to that his old way of living by plough and harrow , which he had left for some time with an heavy heart . a consolation to the poor , and an instruction to the rich , how unnecessary to great and glorious actions meer riches are . i speak of riches unattended with frugality and prudence , with a contempt of mean pleasures , and moderation , as well as with conduct and magnanimity . lucius quintus cincinnatus was just as rich , or as poor , as attilius regulus : to wit a lord of seven acres , and very busy at his plough , when the dictatorship of rome was presented to him . a glorious dignity he receiv'd , but not enrich'd himself by . for it appears that his seven acres were at last shrunk to four ; he having lost the other three , by being a surety for his friend . lord ! the vastly wide difference 'twixt those times , and these ! or 'twixt their grandees , and ours ! ours are thought to live narrowly , if their houses do not stand on as many acres , as made up all this renowned dictator's means . valerius tells us of a king he names not , ( but describes to have been of a subtil judgment ) who said of a diadem deliver'd to him , that if a man did well consider , together with the outside , the inside of it , ( meaning the troubles , and the dangers , and the anxieties it is lin'd with , ) he would not have it for taking up . and if genusius had not been of the same opinion , ( by knowing the linings of a crown at the cost of others , ) he would not sure have left rome in a voluntary exchange for perpetual banishment , meerly to escape the possession of it ; meerly to be free from a coronation . and however theopompus did not plainly run away from the crown of sparta , yet he instituted the ephori , whereby to make it the less significant , and so as to sit upon his head with less disease . § . these and multitudes of the like ( whom to mention even with brevity , were to be tedious , ) thô they were persons in themselves of very great honour , and renown , were yet exceedingly much the greater , for their having had such limited and stinted appetites ; for their knowing what was necessary , and what expedient ; what was sufficient for their great purposes , and when they had innocently enough . they did not only not seek greater things for themselves than they had already , but either unwillingly did admit them , and with reluctance ; or else did obstinately refuse them , and cast them off . nay so far they were from seeking great things for themselves , that they sought their lessening . they thought there was nothing truly great , or great enough to be sought , but the publick good. and for this very reason they were the glory of their times ; the pride and pleasure of their historians ; and ( which is more to their advantage ) they were the blessings , and the supports , and the great ornaments of the countries wherein they liv'd . but when a man , having arriv'd at great things already , is ever casting about for greater , and has an ambition like the fire , which ever craves the more fewel , the more it has ; when his appetite after honour is as inordinate and as endless , as was that of albert wallestein , whom nothing less would ever satisfie , than the being above his maker ; then a man's greatness is his disease , and his disease of the worst sort too . 't is his hydrops , his boulimis , his intolerable prurigo , worse than the furor uterinus , which made the great empress barbara the vilest thing in the whole empire . even he , whose abundance of meat makes him hungry , and he whose superfluity of drink makes him dry , is not quite so sad a creature , nor quite so much to be deplor'd , as he whose honour makes him ambitious , and whose overmuch wealth excites his avarice . that such there are in this world , who do enlarge their desires as hell , and are as greedy as the grave , who like the two daughters of solomon's horsleech , have still enough , and too much , yet still too little ; are often full , and often weary , yet never satisfied , with seeking great things for themselves , ( i say that such things there are , ) i need not take pains to convince my hearers . for all the miseries we have read of , and all the miseries we have seen in our own civil wars , ( not now to mention all the miseries we have felt , ) have been especially the effects of that disease i now speak of ; if i may not rather call it a complication of diseases , which is commonly made up of four ingredients ; to wit a boundless ambition , an unstinted avarice , a restless envy , and an insatiable concupiscence after the pleasure of revenge . § . now in order to the prevention , or to the cure , ( that is to say , to the killing ) of such a complicated disease , every great man must choose so fit a condition for himself , and such an wholsom proportion of this present world , as may be aptest in it self to secure his interest in the next . woolsey wish't he had done it , ( and wallestein too , ) when 't was too late . but sir thomas moor did it , and that in time. this incomparable person , ( whom * ludovicus vives thought it dangerous to commend , for fear of doing him great wrong by falling short of his perfections , ) having been raised by his own merits , and without his own seeking , from a very low estate to the high chancellorship of england , became so satiated and cloy'd , as well with the honour , as with the cares of his glorious office , that he gladly laid it down , ( out of the love he had to privacy and tranquillity of life , ) as any other man's avarice , helped on by his ambition , could take it up . and this he did whilst yet a favourite , far from being under the cloud ( which he afterwards was in ) of his king's displeasure . yea he esteem'd it an higher favour to be permitted by his prince to ease himself of such grandeur , than that wherewith at first it was laid upon him . it being the thing which from a child he had wish'd and pray'd for , that god would give him such a vacation from the affairs of this life , as might suffice him to contemplate the immortality of the next , and fit himself for its injoyment . which his prayer having been granted , both by god , and the king , he was so exceedingly thankful for , as to carry his gratitude to his grave , and so as to order its being written upon his grave-stone . from whence being transferr'd to his publick works , 't is likely now to live as long as the art of printing . so when the famous william of wainflet ( as * budden tells us ) made it his choice to devest himself of the high chancellorship of england , and gave the king immortal thanks for giving him liberty so to do , he did it not only as being weary of the cares which that office had fill'd him with , ( thô that perhaps was one reason , ) nor did he it only as being glutted with the things of this world , to wit with the riches and honours of it ; ( thô that was also another reason ; ) but it was chiefly that he might mind the greater things of the next with the less distraction ; that he might not as before , serve god by snatches , but that the residue of his time might be wholly god's . many others might here be nam'd ( seven at least i am sure , ) who eas'd themselves ( as being weary ) of the great seal of england , in order to their advancement unto far greater things in a world to come . and thô it cannot be deny'd , but that being persons of most incorruptible integrity , they might safely have continued in their great iudicatures on earth , without the danger of being cast in the court of heaven , yet they resolv'd to take the way which they thought the surest ; as knowing it better to make it easy , than meerly possible to be sav'd . for they consider'd what they well knew , as well by scripture , as by reason , as well by history , as by experience , as well by other men's experience , as by their own , that thô it is not quite impossible , yet'tis a difficult thing on earth , for the very same man to be great , and innocent ; to be a favourite both of this , and the other world ; to fare as deliciously as dives all his days here below , and yet at last to lye with lazarus in abraham's bosom . i am sure sir thomas randolph thought it a thing so rare and difficult , to be a man of much publick and secular business , and at the same time to be fit to dye , that by letters he exhorted his intimate friend sir francis walsingham , to bid adieu to all the wiles of a principal secretary of state , as he himself had newly done to all the frauds or an embassadour , ( for the number of his embassies had been no less than eighteen , ) and to prepare himself by a penitent and private life , for the life to come . an admonition very seasonable in regard of both persons concerned in it ; walsingham , to whom ; and randolph himself , by whom 't was given . for they had long liv'd together as eminent ministers of state ; and neither of them liv'd long from after the time of this advice ; nor did the one outlive the other above a month or two at most . what induced queen mary ( the royal sister of charles the fifth ) to quit her government of belgium in exchange for a private and quiet life , 't is very easy to conjecture , but hard to tell . perhaps 't was chiefly out of reverence to the example of her brother , as 't was done the same day , wherein he laid down his empire , and crown of spain ; and even wept out of compassion to his poor brother , and his son philip , whose feeble shoulders were now to sink under two such loads , to wit the kingdom of spain , and the german empire . i say , whatever was her inducement to do a thing above the rate of her sex and breeding ; sure we are , that queen etheldred was wholly induced by her devotion to forsake the pomps and pleasures she might have liv'd in all her days , ( as the daughter of one king , the widow of another , and the wife of a third , ) had she not thought it an happier choice to live retiredly in an abby , which she had built , and indow'd , and was the abbess of till her death . and not to mention queen christina of sweden , or bambas of spain , ( unless it be thus by a paralipsis ) no fewer than nine of our own saxon kings , within the space of two hundred years , did freely relinquish their crowns and kingdoms . to which i add ; that when ionadab impos'd that strict command upon his sons , to drink no wine , to build no house , to sow no seed , to plant no vineyard , and all their days to dwell in tents ; ( in little despicable huts by the river iordan , ) he did not only so command them to shew his dominion , and his will , or only to exercise their obedience , and self-denial ; but because he did esteem it the safest state and condition , to help enable them for an innocent , and pious life . § . another use of this text is with a distinction to contradict it . we must not seek great things for our selves , because we must . not great things , because the greatest . for what can be greater than a kingdom ? and what so great kingdom , as the kingdom of god , to the seeking of which our lord excites us ? ( matth. . . ) so by st. paul we are commanded , to seek those things that are above , ( col. . . ) not above us here on earth , but above every thing that is earthy . nor are we only to seek god's kingdom , thô vastly great , but ( what is infinitely greater ) we are to seek god himself , who is the great rewarder of them that diligently seek him , and the rewarder of none besides , ( heb. . . ) thus the dehortative , seek not , is strongly inforced and urged on by a vehement exhortation , seek those things that are above . seek the greatest things imaginable , and seek them for your selves too . ye have not here a continuing city , and therefore seek one to come . for what says the author of the epistle to the hebrews ? the life we have is worth nothing , compar'd with that we hope for . which , being yet hid with christ in god , we must seek , and seek on , till we find it out . some things are great which are not good , and some are good but not great ; but these are the good and great things , which alone are worth seeking ; and which we are not only allow'd , but bid and bound to seek after . in comparison with these , [ the life which is hid with christ in god , the kingdom of god , and god himself . ] we ought to slight the arrant * nothingness of the things here below , which by a pitiful catachresis the world calls great ; and as devoutly seeks after , as after an heaven upon earth . so every hillock is a great thing with a community of emmets wherewith 't is peopled , thô 't is not determin'd by philosophers , whether ( like bees ) they are a kingdom , or ( like some other insects ) a commonwealth . but yet as great as that hillock does seem to them , we know 't is no bigger in respect of all the earth , than all the earth in respect of heaven . and yet so it is , notwithstanding their littleness , and their contemptibility , we do no more excel them in point of quantity , and strength , than they do us in the good qualities of peace , and prudence . for all communities of emmets are still at agreement among themselves ; are never indanger'd , much less destroy'd , by any intestine , or homebred , either divisions , or insurrections . whereas we have a kingdom so sadly divided against it self , that wicked men hope , and wise men fear , ) ( and there is ground for a suspicion , ) it cannot long stand . § . now to shew the real littleness ( the prophet esa calls it the nothingness ) of the great things below , being weighed in the ballance with those above , it will not probably be amiss , to put them both into the scales ; that so we may see how much the later weigh down the former . first the great things below are but figuratively such , and secundum quid ; somewhat great in appearance , but not indeed ; or only great in their relation to what is very much less ; and so an emmet-hill is as great in comparison with its inhabitants , as the whole globe of earth in respect of us . whereas the great things above are great simpliciter , and in themselves ; they are absolutely great , and without a figure . in comparison with them , all the great things below do presently dwindle into a point . the very orb the sun moves in is times bigger than all the earth ; but in relation to the circumference of the coelum empyraeum , or but of that which is called the primum mobile , all the dimensions of the earth do immediately vanish , and lose themselves into a center . next the great things below will sooner or later be sure to fail us , and so with very great reason they have the title of uncertain affixt unto them in holy writ ; whereas the great things above will abide for ever ; there the crown is immarcescible ; nor is there only an exceeding , but an eternal weight of glory . again , the great things below are mixt with troubles and solicitudes ; the stream of their injoyment does never run clear ; but what with crosses , or cares , is always muddy ; whereas the great things above do flow with such rivers of delight , as cannot be mingled with the least drop either of sorrow , or interruption ; in the presence of god is life , and most sincere pleasures for evermore . again , the great things below do only exercise our thirst , if not increase it ; superfluity it self , does but inlarge a man's appetite , and every man's avarice is only wid'ned by his possessions : whereas the great things above will give us a plenary satisfaction . there 't will be one of our injoyments , not to be able to desire ; all our longings and ambitions will be wholly swallowed up into meer fruition . besides , the great things below are very often by god's permission , in the disposal of the devil ; as is evident in the two cases of holy iob , and the sabaeans ; of the israelites , and pharaoh ; of iesus christ , and pontius pilate ; of the greek christians , and the great turk ; of innocent travellers , and highway thieves . by which and many other cases there can be nothing more clear , than that the great things below are by the sufferance of god in the devil's disposal . whereas the great things above are above his reach : his chain of darkness , which is his tedder , falling short of that region from whence he fell . lastly , the great things above do all legitimate our seeking , and make it gracious ; whereas the great things below do increase its guilt . and thence the great things above are strictly commanded to be sought ; whereas the great things below are under as strict a prohibition . those we must seek , with baruch ; but these , with baruch , we must forbear . these i think are all the uses we are to make of this message of god to baruch ; ( besides the use i made of it by way of anticipation on this day sennight ; ) and with these i dismiss its full and final consideration . finis . the table . a abstinence . a notable instance of it , p. . advantageous to a man's well-being , aeternal life the prime object of our search , , , &c. how described in holy writers , , , , &c. what meant by the words of eternal life , , , , , &c. afflictions . extreamly beneficial , and to be prayed for , , , &c. , . for them a time of recompence . , almsgiving necessary to life , , . a necessary concomitant of prayer , , . incouragements thereto , , ambition . how to be regulated , , . wherein a duty , , . &c. it 's itch antidoted , , , &c. unto the end . the danger of it , , , &c. incident to good men , antinomians . see solifidianism . apostates . too general . p. , assurance of salvation , how and when to be attained , , , , , , , , , atheists . reason'd with , , , , &c. avarice . how a duty of the first magnitude , , , &c. how a vice of the same , , , &c. idolatry and fornication , , . increased by possessions , authority . obedience to it of the essence of christianity , b. believers . seldom truly christian , yet seldom doubt of their being such , , , , &c. many ways believers without true faith , , , &c. brutes . how didactical to men , , c. caution . needful to the wisest and best of men , to , , christ. a master , a lord , a legislator , a king , a prince , a judge , and whatsoever may oblige us to do him service , , , , , , &c. a stone of stumbling to solifidians and antinomians , , . his false and true followers , , , , &c. , , &c. an easier taskmaster than moses , , &c. his service profitable and pleasant , , , &c. , , &c. his end in coming hither , and business when he was here , , , &c. , . our only oracle to be consulted , , , &c. his example to be followed , , christianity . wherein it consists , , , , &c. , , &c. the hardest parts of it , , . how made easy , , , &c. to . how divided , , commandments . how to keep them is the whole duty of a christian , , . in what respects not grievous , , , , &c. , , , &c. , , &c. how made possible and pleasant , , , , , &c. to . competition for our choice 'twixt god and satan , , . to confession as necessary as faith , , consideration . of what importance , , , &c. , , , contentment . it s true rise , not from abundance but the mind , . the way to attain it , . reasons for it , , . the benefit of it , cross. easy , whether laid on us by others , or freely taken upon our selves , to . curiosity . how to be profitably objected , , , &c. d. damnation . the most elaborately sought , , decrees of god how both absolute and conditional , devil . how the god of this world , , . how hard a taskmaster , , . wherein his chiefest strength lyes , , . &c. to the end . how much of the world in his disposal , and why , to . how limited , , , &c. a remedy against his temptations , , . his gifts improfitable , . and hurtful , . not to be boasted of , and why , ibid. his scope and end in bestowing them , , , , , , . what return we are to make him , , . how to beat him with his own weapon , diogenes . miserably misunderstood , , , &c. disciples of christ how to catechise themselves , , , , , disputes . what the only safe end of them , . among christians a stumbling-block to the jews , , , &c. divisions of christians scandalous , , , , &c. dives . why the representative of the damned , , e. election unconditional how dangerous to be believed , england . how much happier than other nations , , , &c. englishmen the worse the more ingrateful , , . their degeneracy , example . more cogent with some men than reason , , experience of the worst and best men compared , , , . a proof of the pleasure the law of christ yields us , , , , f. faith . seldom truly christian , , . of the greatest consequence that it be true , , , . a special instance of obedience , , . never true but when the mother of obedience , , . how a telescope , , , , . how and when salvifick , , , &c. it s several sorts and significations , , , &c. it s mysterious definition , , . how the pandect of christian duties , , , &c. to be found in very few , , &c. what faith salvifick , to fear . how requir'd to true faith , , . fear and trembling of a threefold importance , , , , &c. nothing more forbidden , or more commanded in scripture , , , . the reconcilement , , , &c. a religious passion , , , , fiduciaries represented , , , , &c. , . antidoted and humbled , , , &c. , , &c. , g. gifts . of men imperfect , , . of god only compleat , ibid. of the devil , dangerous , , , &c. . described , . to be bewared , , , god. how a comfortable light , and consuming fire , , . how his omnipotence should oblige us to obedience , , . his permissions of evil accounted for , , . &c. , . other reasons , . the uses to be made of it , , , &c. the difference 'twixt his distribution of endless torments , and present goods and evils , unto men , , , . evils happen to good men , by his order , or permission , ibid. goodness of christ as a legislator , , , &c. gospel . a rule , not a meer dispensation , . it s summary preached by paul and silas , , , &c. how a refuge from the law , , . why to be called the new law , , government . of a mans self difficult , grace . in all is sufficient , , . how it signifies the gospel , , , . resembled by manna , , . how it exceeds the state of innocence , . the freeness of it , , , &c. h. happiness upon earth wherein it lies , , , , , &c. , , , &c. heaven . see aeternal life . hell made for the use of all , . an hell to think of , , . humility . necessary in the working out salvation , , &c. , &c. the proper vertue of the greatest , , , , &c. the great motive to it , , , &c. hypocrisy . in what professors most seen , , i. idleness . it s miserable effects , , , &c. iews parallel'd with christians and less obliged , . less unexcusable , , impunity the severest punishment , , , &c. infidelity . how to be proved , , , &c. infirmities . how beneficial , , , injuries . how beneficial to the injured , , inquiries . how to be made , , , &c. to . what sort to be avoided , , . &c. a touchstone to try of what sort we are , , , &c. interest governs the world , , , iob. his case at large , to . and , . iustice. its wants in the world , , , &c. iustification . from eternity a dangerous doctrin , , . to what kind of faith it is ascribed , , , &c. k. kingdoms . the littleness of them on earth , , , &c. kings next to god , most capable of injuries , , . most accomptable to god , because not at all to man , . l. law of the gospel , , , &c. of faith , . of moses , how it drives us to christ , , , , . christ a legislator as well as moses , , , &c. liberality . in whom the effect of avarice , , . libertines . how made , and why so many , . like the old gnosticks , , . described , , liberty of a christian wherein it stands , , , , love. how it casteth out fear , and carries fear along with it , , , , . how the greatest of vertues , , . how seldom true , , . how it fulfils the whole law , , m. mahomedans . better than many christians , , man. how much more obliged than other creatures , , . yet of all the most ingrateful , , . how to learn of the brutes , , , &c. martyrdom . the reasonableness of it , , , &c. moderation of mind how attain'd , . motives to it , to . money . it s danger and description , , . moses . how he leads men to christ , , , &c. as a lesser paedagogue to a greater , , , &c. , . how he escaped the devils lime-twigs in his youth , n. niggard . his largess and folly equal , , . to nobility . wherein it consists , , , &c. it s proper duties , , o. obedience , its necessity to salvation , to . it must be passive as well as active , , , , . its own reward , , , , &c. indispensably necessary under the gospel , , , &c. all one with saving faith , , . the all in all to a christian , , , , &c. if not servile , but ingenuous , , , &c. , , . the condition , not the cause of salvation , , , &c. opinions . why to be well examin'd , , oracles many and deceitful , , orthodoxie not enough , , , &c. p. perfection . evangelical what , , persecution . consisting with pleasure , , , perseverance . necessary to life , , , , , , , poverty . preferred by many heathens , , , &c. sanctified by christ , and recommended , , , &c. . a comfort , , , , , , , . of what sort intended , , &c. practice . the life of christianity , , , &c. , &c. follows principles , , , &c. prayer . worthless without perseverance , , , &c. presumption . more dangerous than despair , , , . oft mistaken for faith , pride . in the poorest , , . the sin of sodom , principles . to be known by practice , , , &c. prodigality . hardly avoidable even by niggards , , . no less sin than avarice , prognostick of the coming of christ to judgment , to . promises of the gospel still clog'd with precepts , , . yet confer a right on all performances of the condition , , , , , prosperity . the hardest weapon to wield , , , &c. no mark of goodness , . tho , often its reward , . the common portion of the worst , , , &c. not to be envied , accompanied with trouble , puritans . modern catharists , , pythagoreans . their exact conformity to their master , , . wherein to be aemulated by christians , poverty . wherein it truly consists , . the good effect of it , ibid. & , . consolation from it , r. reconcilement 'twixt calvinists and remonstrants , , . 'twixt st. paul and st. iames , , by whom indeavour'd , . by whom abhor'd , ib. & redemption . at what rate procured , and wherein it chiefly consists , , , , &c. rather from sin than hell , , , &c. religion . it s life lyes in action , , repentance . how much is meant by it , reverence . compounded of love and fear , , , reward and punishment the inforcements of duty , , rich mens lesson , , . their dangers most and greatest , , , &c. riches . impediments to eternal life , . enemies to all that 's good , , . the devil's lime twigs , , , &c. inquiry to be made how we come by them , . and accordingly to be injoy'd or acquitted , . not always a sign of god's favour , and why , , , . always temptations , , . the greatest idol of the world , ibid. separate us from god , not to be sought by us , and why , , . thô to be well employ'd when lawfully acquir'd , ib. the dearest and cheapest things in the world , . matter of sorrow to the owners , . to be accounted for , , . how to be injoy'd with innocence , , , , s. salvation . to whom alone it belongs , , , , &c. , , &c. what the condition on which 't is given , , , &c. to be worked out by us , , &c. hard to have an assurance of , , to . the only thing to be searched after , , , &c. yet the least labour'd for , , satan . why his harvest more than christ's , . his master-piece , , , &c. scandal . to whom given by christians , , , &c. sedition . dissuasives from it , , , &c. self-denial and self-revenge the root of all goodness , , , &c. exemplified in the heathens , , , &c. but in christ above all , , , &c. self-love . how the root of all evil , , , , &c. attended with revenge , and carelesness , of others , service of god how mistaken , , sins . some not to be named , sloath. a sin of sodom as great as any , , , &c. socrates . how like a real christian , , solifidianism . it s danger , , , , , . confuted by arguments ad absurdum , , , . it s venom laid open , , , &c. , , , sufferings . peculiar to great and good men , , t. temptations . how to be encounter'd , , . what the greatest in all the world , , , &c. to the end . how to resist them , , , , . their benefit , , , , why to be rejoiced in , and when , ibid. terrors . of the lord of wholsom force , , , , , &c. , , &c. , . how instrumental to christianity , , , &c. truth . hurtful when but partially delivered , , . and when tack'd on to as great a falshood , . exemplified in satan , , , &c. u. unity , among the jews , . a mark of truth , , &c. w. watchfulness . a necessary duty , , , &c. wickedness . at what doors it enter'd the world , , world how turned upside down by the apostles , , . how made an antidote to its own venom , , , &c. how universally depraved , , , &c. worldlings . their misery , , worldly greatness . its dangers , , , &c. to the end. why it is beggarly , and can't be undervalued , , , . the want of it our advantage , , , &c. reasons not to seek it , , , , &c. to , . which the least desirable , to . wholsom lessons to poor and rich concerning it , , , . the means and motives to the learning of them , , , &c. , , &c. from the examples of great men , , &c. works . good ones absolutely necessary to salvation , , , , , &c. how salvation to be worked out , , , &c. y. young mens lesson , , books lately printed for robert clavell at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . a perfect copy of all the summons of the nobility to the great councils and parliaments of this realm , from the forty ninth of king henry the third , until these present times : with catalogues of such noblemen as have been summoned to parliament in right of their wives ; and of such other noblemen as derive their titles of honour from the heirs female from whom they are descended , and of such noblemens eldest sons as have been summoned to parliament by some of their fathers titles . extracted from publick records , by sir william dugdate knight , garter , principal king at arms. the order of the installation of henry duke of norfolk , henry earl of peterborough , and laurence earl of rochester , knights and companions of the most noble order of the garter , in the royal chappel of st. george at windsor , iuly . . an historical vindication of the divine right of tithes , from scripture , reason , and the opinion and practice of iews , gentiles , and christians in all ages . designed to supply the omissions , answer the objections , and rectifie the mistakes of mr. selden's history of tythes . part i. the second edition corrected and amended . by thomas comber dd. proecentor of york . an historical vindication of the divine right of tithes ; which is further proved by scripture and antiquity , and illustrated by the solemn consecration and great convenience of them : with an answer to the objections of other authors against them . part ii. to which is added , a discourse concerning excommunication . by thomas comber d. d. proecentor of york . a treatise of spousals , and matrimonial contracts : wherein all the questions relating to that subject are ingeniously debated and resolved . by mr. henry swinburne , author of the treatise of wills and testaments . the excellency of monarchical government , especially of the english monarchy : wherein is largely treated of the several benefits of kingly government , and the inconvenience of commonwealths . also of the several badges of soveraignty in general , and particularly according to the constitution of our laws . likewise , of the duty of subjects , and the mischiefs of faction , sedition , and rebellion . in all which , the principles and practices of our late commonwealths men are considered . by nathaniel iohnston doctor in physick . dr. stern archbishop of york , his book of logick . in octavo . dean of durham his counsel and directions , moral and divine , to a young gent. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a tim. . . * iohannes oxon in vitâ h. h. p. . et . † humfredus sarum in operum hammondi vol. . p. . b tim. . . c acts . . d matth. . , , , . mark . . e eph. . , . f cor. . . g tim. . . philip. . . rom. . . notes for div a -e * acts . . * job . . a joh. . , . b joh. . . gal. . . c rev. . . d mic. . . eccles. . . cor. . , . * luke . . * isa. . . psal. . . mal. . . * luke . . * mat. . . mar. . , ▪ luk. . , . † mat. . . mat . . ☞ luk. . , , , . jam. . . matth. . . ☞ * cor. . . matth. . . john . . pet. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrysost . philip. . . amos. . . wisd. . . ephes. . , . notes for div a -e cor. . . cor. . . * vers. . † ezek. . . ch. . § . mar. . . serm. . joh. . . ch. . & . § . and cor. . . ch. . * rom. , . jam. . . . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 num. . , , , , . num. . , , , . jam. . . jam. . . phil. . . joh. . . tim. . . cor. . . tim. . . acts . . thess. . . heb. . . * rom. . . luk. . . psal. . , . job . , . pet. . . * rom. . . gen. . . rev. . . ezek. . . isa. . . † micah . . * isa. . . ‖ wisd. . . quod tibi non vis fieri , alteri ne feceris . quam sententiam usque adeo dilexit , ut in palatio & in publicis operibus praescribi juberet . aelius lampridius in alex ▪ severi vitâ . matth. . . psal. . . psal. . . * ps. . , . * lotum gustâsse non inconcinnè dicantur illi , qui simul atque voluptatem rectè vivendi degustârunt , ad pristina studia revocari non possunt . odyss . . ileb . . . pet. . , , . & matth. . . psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epict , euseb. hist. eccl . l. . c. . heb. . , . rom. . , . vers. . vers. . vers. . vers. . matt. . , . & matt. . . matth ▪ . . ecclus. . . * see the third sermon on mar. . . part . § , , . heb. . . sam. . . dan. . . coloss. . , . notes for div a -e rom. . . to v. . * see deut. . . where a consuming fire is explained by a jealous god. which compare with exod . . . where the glory of the lord was like devouring fire upon the top of the mount. * euseb. hist. l. . c. . p. . † referre erubescimus , &c. tertul. de praescrip . advers . haeret. cap. . * epiphan . haeret . l. . tom. . p. , . † irenae . p. . * clem. alex. l. . paedag. p. . * euseb. l. . c. . quem locum confer cum l. . c. . † omnia adversus veritatem de ipsa veritate constructa sunt : operantibus operationem spiritibus erroris . tertul. apol. c. . p. . in veriverbium abiit apud italos . con l'evangelio si diventa haeretico . * vid. epiph. l. . tom. . p. . * matth. . . * gen. . . &c. * matth. . . zosim . l. . p. . * rev. . † compare rom. . . with rom. . . * matth. . . † matth. . . vers. . . matth. . ult . luke . . matth. . . * ita meletius monachus , concra isphacanem persam musulmanum . et tertullianus c. . de poenit . christus , inquit , susterstruit adjectionem legis . idem de patient . c. . p. . * vetus dicitur testamentum quia promissiones terrenas habet . august . de civ . dei. l. . vid. grot. discus . apol. rivet . p. , . * luke . , , . with which compare matth. . . notes for div a -e cor. . . job . . * rev. . . ‖ cor. . † col. . . thess. . . rev. . . rom. . . cor. . . vers. . . vers. . august . epist. . pet. . . cor. . . * vers. ult . † philip. . , , , , . lycerus in harm . evang. p. . * heb. . , . prov. . rom. . notes for div a -e john . . vers. . * tim. . , . * matth. . , . matth. . . * mortem vocat hostem mortiferum . ut sensus sit , sperabant se , blandiendo , salutem reperturos apud sennacharibum . grot. in locum . micah . . wisd. . , . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pythag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luke . . matth. . . psal. . . rom. . . tim. . . isa. . . eccles. . . hos. . . deut. . . amos . , . dan. . , , . cor. . . * piso in medicinâ brasiliensi , l. . luke . . * heb. . . † vers. . heb. . cor. . . psal. . psal. . matth. . . dan. . ▪ . . . isa. . , . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matth. . . † thess. . , , . † job . * thess. . . qui creavit te sine te , non salvabit ▪ te sine te . notes for div a -e * isa. . . heb. . . rev. . . rev. . , . the objection of several haereticks . * rom. . . † rom. . . ‖ acts . . * john . . † verse . ‖ mark . . * mark . . luke . . † john . . ‖ acts . . * rom. . . † rom. . . ‖ rom. . , , . vers. . * philip. . . the objection laid open as to the venom contained in it . the objection objected against from the absurdities couched in it . * tim. . . the objection more directly and fully answer'd . * v. acts . . rom. . . * rom. . . * aq. ● . q. . art . . * credere est actus intellectus secundum quod movetur à voluntate ad assentientium ; procedit autem hujusmodi actus à voluntate & ab intellectu , quorum utrumque natum est perfici secundum praedicta . et ideo oportet ut tam in voluntate sit aliquis habitus quàm in intellectu , si debeat actus fidei esse perfectus . sicut etiam ad hoc quod actus concupiscibilis sit perfectus , oportet ut sit habitus prudentiae in ratione , & habitus temperantiae in concupiscibili . ibid. in resp . ad obj . p. . heb. . . cor. . . a further and final amulet against the antinomian poyson . a michael medina de rectâ in deum fide lib. . cap. . b albertus magnus in . d. . art . ad . c alfonsus à castro in summâ de haeresibus , verbo fides , haeresi . d vega in tractatu de justificatione , q. . e bonaventura in . d. . in explicatione textûs , literâ b. f greg. de valent. in . ae . disp. . q. . punct . . g alexander hallensis p. . qu. . membro . h sotus de naturâ & gratiâ l. . c. . eight acceptions of faith , whereof the last only is saving . ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) * habitus seu facultas quaedam intellectus , quâ inevidentèr quidem , sed firmitèr assentimur iis omnibus quae tanquam à deo revelata proponuntur credenda in ecclesiâ . greg. de valent . tom. . q. . punct . . p. . † haec ipsa est fides quae dicitur fides miraculorum , adjunctâ firmâ quâdam fiduciâ circa eventum miraculosum . id. ib. p. . * acts . . * matth. . , . luke . , . a thess. . . b rom. . . c rom. . . * gal. . . † rom. . . heb. . . tim. . , . heb. . . * substantia solet dici prima inchoatio cujuscunque rei , & maximè quando tota res sequens continetur virtute in primo principio . aquinas ae . q. . art. . p. . col . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , coloss. . . an objection . answered two ways . pet. . , , , . verse . verse . nihil deest quod necessariò subintelligitur . a tim. . . b gal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passive sonat syro , & tertulliano adversus mercion . l. . et eò redit , quò . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jac. . . c pet. . . d jam. . . e rom. . . f jam. . . heb. . , . matth. . . cor. . . rom. . , , , . joh. . , . job . rev. . . cor. . . thess. . . rev. . . john . . acts . . rom. . . rom. . . heb. . . pet. . ▪ , , , , . psal. . . * habak . . . rom. . . gal. . . heb. . . † heb. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mark . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 john . notes for div a -e * unus pellaeo iuveni non sufficit orbis . juven . sat. . acts . . matth. . . mark . . luke . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , luk. . . vide melanch . loc . com . p. . * consule epistolam mariae cassobelitae ad ignatium , ex edit . usserianâ , p. . post append. ignatianam . † vide basilium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ubi proponit danielem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tim. . . psal. ▪ . * eccles. . . isa. . , . cor. . , , . cor. . . matth. . . notes for div a -e coloss. . ▪ . rev. . . quàm gloriosa dicta sunt de te civitas dei ! psal. . . de quâ quid dixerit s. bernardus , videre est in ipsius libro de animâ , c. . p. . rev. . , , , &c. rev. . , , . de animarum inebriatione , vid. s. bernard . de deo dilig . p. . . & super cant. serm. . p. . & gillebertum super cant. serm. . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lxx interpretes . inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus tuae . vulg. lat. — è pinguedine domus tuae . versio interlin . inebriabuntur quasi — pinguedine benedictionis domus tuae . chald. paraph. isa. . . * inter amoris divini fructus , liquefactio , & languor enumerantur . vide claud. espensaeum de triplici languore . c. . p. . etiam franco . abbat . affligeniensem tom. . de gratiâ dei. de amore quo piae animae deum prosequuntur , vide plotin . enn. . l. . p. . * iejunium animae alimentum est , leves ei pennas producens . bernard . pet. . , , . phil. . . coloss. . . john . . rom. . . deut. . . gal. . . rom. . , , . luke . . luke . . tim. . . notes for div a -e isa. . . mic. . . rev. . . * acts . . † cor. . . isa. . . * confer hunc locum cum gal. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . lex moralis datur duris in flagellum , proficientibus in paedagogiam , et perfectioribus in solatium . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dionys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . john . . vide tit. liv. l. . p. , , &c. * acts . . * acts . . * acts . . * acts . . prudentius in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pyth. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . amoris remedia , secundum cratem cynicum sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . diogen . laert. l. . tertull. apolog. c. . p. . projice quaecunque cor tuum laniant . quae si aliter extrahi nequeant , cor ipsum cum illis evellendum . seneca . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . antonius ad didymum apud cedrenum , p. . * mat. . ult . † james . ‖ psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aristot. eth. augustin . l. . confussionum , c. , , . philip. . gloria est gratia consummata . p. ferius specim . schol. orth. c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aristot. eth. l. . c. . quae unquam brevior et efficacior doctrinâ tuâ iesu bone ? non suades nisi credere , et non praecipis nisi amare . quid facilius quàm deo credere ? quid dulcius quàm ipsum amare ? quàm suave est iugum tuum , quàm leve onus ! nicol. de cusa de visione dei. cap. . p. . gal. . . hadrianus omnia ad gregarij militis modum fecit . spartian . john . , . * diog. laert. in vitâ epic. aristot. eth. l. . cap. . quantò diutiùs considero , tantò mihi res videtur obscurior . simonid . ad hieron . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . callimachus in hymn . ad apoll . matth. . . * matth. . . notes for div a -e * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . isa. . * matth. . . matth. : . matth. . . matth. . . matth. . . sufferentiam notat ad quam nos ipsos admonemus . tertull. herodian . l. . p. . luke . , . non tutum est in illum scribere qui potest proscribere . auson . non recte suadetis , familiares , qui non patimini me illum doctiorem omnibus esse credere , qui . habet legiones . spartian . in vitâ hadr. p. . liv. l. . p. . non modo dei opus , sed dei flatus . tertull. de animâ , c. . luke . . exod. . , . john . . * exod. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo. eadem est causa nostri infortunij , quae omnium , nimia foelicitas . florus . indignum est ad futurae gloriae comparationem omne opus humanum . salvian . john . . cor. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plato in menone . † si à deo confertur continentiae virtus , quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis ? tertull. de virginibus velandis , c. . ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clemens rom. in ep. ad cor. p. . matth. . . notes for div a -e hebr. . . * rom. . . rev. . . pet. . . tim. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . non est credendum ecclesiam aliquam in hoc seculo incorruptam , sed fore potiùs magnum perditissimorum proventum , in ipso etiam ecclesiae sinu , qui tamen summam pietatem prae se ferent . beza in locum . tit. . . † curopalates apud baronium ad an. ch. . * coelij august . curionis hist. saracen . l. . p. , , . lib. . p. , . l. . p. . l. . p. , confer spondanum ad a. d. . wolf. dreschs . de rebus turcicis a. d. . gen. . , . gen. . , . * thess. . . jer. . . an objection answer'd . * heb. . . * verse . † verse . verse . rom. . . hebr. . . heb. . . verse . hoc vitium primo loco ponit , quia caeterorum fons est . matth. . ult . * revelationum divinarum christofero kottero , christinae poniatoviae , nicolao dabricio factarum epitome , excusa a. d. . micah . , , . thess. . , . pet. . . ● rev. . . & . . * luke . , , , , &c. matth. . , , , &c. verse , , , . * gal. . . cor. . , . thess. . . acts . , . * eph. . . * eph. . . matth. . . matth. . , . notes for div a -e historiam de falso messiâ eldavid , a. d. . ex libro schevet iehuda sumptam , apud buxtorphum videre est in suo linguae sanctae thesauro , p. . t. liv. dec. . l. . rev. . . luke . . * john . . † john . . john . . ‖ cor. . . eph. . . eph. . . tim. . . james . . luke . , . matth. . . james . . matth . . mark . . * mark . . † luke . . ibid. qui omnia se fecisse dicebat , in primo certamine divitias vincere non potest . hieron . ad julianum . l. . epist. . luke . . verse . luke . . difficile , immò impossibile est , ut et praesentibus quis et futuris fruatur bonis : ut et hic ventrem , et ibi mentem impleat ; ut de deliciis transeat ad delicias ; ut in utroque seculo primus sit ; ut et in coelo , et in terrâ appareat gloriosus . hieron ad julianum , l. . epist. . p. . col . . † verse . luke . . wisd. . , . luke . . verse . verse . verse . psal. . . * luke . . micah . . luke . . luke . . * ezek. . . sam. . . verse , , , , &c. isa. . . psal. . . philip. . verse . verse . . heb. . , . verse . james ▪ . . habak . . . cor. . , . luke . . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. maxim. tyr. dissert . . p. . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. id. ibid. p. . * — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arrian . epict. l. . c. . qualis fuerit diogenes , quantusque , quantò homine major , quàm dei similis , constat apud ariani epictetum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , à capite ad calcem istius dissertationis . etiam apud senec . de tranquil . animi c. . psal. . . eccles. . . rex philosophi amicitiam emere voluit ; philosophus regi fuam vendere noluit . val. max. l. . c. . * rubori non fuit , eburneo scipione deposito , agrestem stivam aratri repetere . id. ib. c. . cic. offic. l. . * objicienti , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , respondet socrates , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. socrat. epist . . ex edit . leon. allat . p. , , , &c. confer arrian . epict. l. . c. ult . p. . * matth. . . luke . . gen. . , . the second proposition . it s truth proved . * john . . & ch. . v. . eph. . . cor. . . luke . . wisd. . . job . . verse . verse . verse . vers. , . verse . verse . verse . chap. . v. . . . verse . * job . . eph. . . habak . . , , &c. verse . verse . verse . verse . psal. . from v. . to v. . verse . . jer. . , , . mal. . . habak . . , , . rom. . . acts . . luke . jude . job . . habak . . . exod. . . chap. . . an objection . psal. . . job . . wisd. : . & . dan. . . answer'd . rev. . , . psal. . . & . . job . . mark . . john . . rom. . . dan. . . rev. . . luke . . * matth. . , . some reasons offer'd . eccles. . , , . wisd. . . isa. . , . * rom. . . † jer. . . rev. . . ezek. . . isa. . . chap. . vers . . jer. . . heb. . , , . verse , & . job . . vers. . . . . vers. . acts . . hos. . . isa. . . heb. . . psal. heb. . , . jer. . . mal. . , . mal. . . habak . . . jer. . . psal. . . gal. . . james . . heb. . . the application . socrat. epist. . p. . id. epist. . p. . socrat. epist. . p. . heb. . mal. . , . jer. . . jer. . , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plotin . enn. . l. . p. . cor. . . the third proposition . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . idem ubi supra . prov. . . matth. . . rev. . , , , . the application . matth. . . matth. . . verse . kings . . acts . , , . psal. . . acts . . deut. . . vers. . & . prov. . . deut. . . to v. . vide plotin . enn. . l. . ecclus. . . alta fortuna alto travaglio apporta . a maggior felicita , minor fede . tim. . . luke . . acts . . matth. . . dan. . . luke . . notes for div a -e verse . verse . jer. . , . * jer. . , , . † jer. . . verse . jer. . phil. . , . * isa. . . dan. . . & chap. . v. . psal. . , . arrian . epict. l. c. . p. . sen. de brevit . vitae c. . & . sueton. l. . c. . * ubi supra p. . hoc votum erat ejus , qui voti compotes facere poterat . sueton. in vit . octav. c. , . p. , . horodot . in thalia . c. , , &c. p. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. p. . † cap. . p. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. in c. . ad ephes. hom. . p. . aug. ep. . s. ambros. ep. . sozom. hist. eccl . l. . c. . socrat. hist. eccl . l. . c. . greg. presb. in vitâ nazianzeni . james . . luke . , , . seneca epist. . sub finem . * angustanda certè sunt patrimonia , ut minus ad injurias fortunae simus expositi . sen. diod. sic. l. . max. tyr. dissert . . p. . ad finem . arrian . epict. l. . c. . p. . &c. sen. de tranquil . animi c. . res cogendae sunt in arctum ; ut tela invidiae in vanum cadunt . hor. carm. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epipha . haer. . . hor. ● . . serm. sat. . quid mihi voluptatem nominas ? hominis bonum quaero , non ventris , qui pecudibus ac belluis laxior est . seneca . tim. . . isa. . , . gal. . . . tu cave , ne majus facias id quod satis esse putat pater , & natura coërcet . servius oppidius apud horat . l. . sat. . * prov. . . † matth. . . ‖ matth. . , . tim. . , , . * matth. . . q. curt. l. . justin. l. . ecce crudelissimi hi hostes ac carnifices , tortores illi qui me miserè flagellaverunt . accipite , ac inter vos dividite , ut mihi tranquillè dormire liceat . cusp . in vitâ sigism . p. ●● . val. max. l. . c. ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . polyb . l. . p. , . sen. in epist. . franciscus baconus in hist. vitae & mortis , p. . val. max. l. . c. . n. . extern . id. ib. n. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cic. paradox . strad . de bell. belgic . l. . p. . nec deerant exempla — quae in eâ deliberatione haerenti occurrebant . thuan. l. p. , . his & aliis exemplis confirmatus caesar , se imperio ac omnibus regnis abdicavit , tranquille & pacatè quod vitae supererat transacturiis . idem . ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . herodian . l. . p. . id. ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is herodian's expression of it . l. . p. , * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . zosimus l. . p. . ib. p. . vopiscus in vitâ taciti . p. . ad p. . q. curt. l. . c. . xenoph. in exped . cyri. l. . p. , ▪ liv. l. . c. . p. . idem l. . c. . p. . f lor. l. . c. . val. max. l. . c. n. , , &c. id. l. . c. . n. . &c. l. . c. . l. . c. . l. . c. . n. . l. . c. . n. . habak . . . * lud. vives in august . de civ . dei , l. . c. . mortalium harum rerum satur , quam rem à puero penè semper optaveram , ut ultimos aliquot vitae meae annos obtinerem liberos , quibus hujus vitae negotiis paulatim me subducens , futurae possem immortalitatem meditari , eam rem tandem indulgentissimi principis incomparabili beneficio , ( resignatis honoribus ) impetravi . tho. morus de se in suo ipsius epitaphio à se conscripto . * molestiarum pertaesus quas cancellarij munus afferre solet , simulque rerum humanarum satur , quicquid vitae supererat totum deo consecravit . buddenus in wainfleti vitâ , p. . paulò ante mortem literis quas vidi seriò admonuit , quàm dignum quàm necessarium , ut ille secretarii , ipse legati technis jam tandem valediceret ; uterque coelestem patriam cogitâret , et poenitendo divinam implorarent misericordiam . cambdenus in eliz. annal. tom. . seu parte quartâ , p. . godwin . de praesulibus anglicanis , p. . jer. . , . heb. . * isa. . . a divine tragedie lately acted, or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers, and other like libertines, in their unlawfull sports, happening within the realme of england, in the compass only of two yeares last past, since the booke was published worthy to be knowne and considered of all men, especially such, who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof. burton, henry, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a divine tragedie lately acted, or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers, and other like libertines, in their unlawfull sports, happening within the realme of england, in the compass only of two yeares last past, since the booke was published worthy to be knowne and considered of all men, especially such, who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof. burton, henry, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j.f. stam], [amsterdam : anno m.dc.xxxvi. [ ] by henry burton. misattributed to william prynne. printer's name from stc. examples given out of order, beginning with . with a final leaf bearing "an advertisement to the reader"; the last leaf is blank. identified as stc on umi microfilm. reproduction of the original in the newberry library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday legislation -- great britain -- early works to . providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - rachel losh sampled and proofread - rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a divine tragedie lately acted , or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers , and other like libertines , in their unlawfull sports , happening within the realme of england , in the compass only of two yeares last past , since the booke was published , worthy to be knowne and considered of all men , especially such , who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof . psal. . vers . . now consider this , ye that forget god , least he teare you in peeces , and there be none to deliuer you . gregorius m. moralium . lib. . c. . deus , etsi quaedam longanimiter tolerat , quaedam tamen in hac vita flagellat , & hîc nonnunquam ferire inchoatur quos aeterna damnatione consumat . tibullus elegiarum . lib. . eleg. - — foelix quicunque dolore alterius disces posse carere tuo . concil . paris . . lib. . c. . salubriter admonemus cunctos fideles , ut diei dominico debitum honorum & reverentiam exhibeant . quoniam hujus dehonoratio , & à religione christiana valde abhorret , & suis violatoribus animarum perniciem proculdubio generat . alex. alensis ex hieron . p. . q. . m. . art. . resol . quis dubitat sceleratiùs esse commissum , quod graviùs est punitum ? ut num. . . ibid. anno m. dc . xxxvi . to the reader . christian reader , it is a true saying of that royal king salomon prov. . . iudgments are prepared for scorners : that is , for such who contemne the precepts and admonitions of god , and his faithfull ministers . and as they are thus prepared , so are they oft times executed upon such , even in this present life : that gods power , truth , and justice might be manifested , and wicked men frighted from their evill courses : so the psalmist : psalm . . . the lord is knowne by the judgment that he executeth ; the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands : the reason is thus rendered by the prophet isay. c. . . for when thy judgements are in the earth , the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse ; though never so indocible and refractory before . neither doth god so inflict his judgements , * as to have them presently forgotten ; but he stampes a memento on them ; having so done his marvelous works ( as wel of justice , as of mercy ) that they ought to be had in remembrance . psalm . . . himselfe therefore hath vouchsafed to record ( even in sacred writ ) many notable examples of his avenging justice , both generall , nationall , and personall , for al posteritie to contemplate ; prefacing some of them with a special memorandum for our more serious consideration of them ; with luk. . . remember lots wife : which judgments though executed many thousand yeares past , yet they remaine still fresh upon record , as done but yesterday , even for this very end , that they might be examples unto us , not to last after evil things as they lusted , nor to trace the footsteps of their sinfull wayes , lest we should incurre the selfe same exemplarie punishments as they susteined . . cor. . . to . and as god himselfe , so holy men of god in all ages , following his example , have carefully observed , and registred to posteritie the speciall most remarkable judgments of god upon obstinate sinnes and sinners of all sorts , ( with which not only ecclesiasticall , but even profane stories , are fully fraught ) happened in the ages , and the places wherein they lived : many whereof m r. iohn fox in his acts and monuments , neere the end , m r raynolds , in his treatise concerning the miraculous discovery and punishments of murthers and murtherers . d r thomas peard in his theatre of gods judgments , with sundry others , have collected and digested into intire tractates , the very reading & serious perusall whereof , would no doubt daunt the most professed atheist , & reclaime the most incorrigible sinner . i therefore desiring to tread in their pious footsteps , having received from good intelligence many memorable presidents of gods avenging iustice upon sabbath-breakers ; & the profaners of sacred times devouted to his service , happening within the compasse of our little iland within two yeares space , ( since the publication of the declaration for sports and pastimes after evening prayer on the lords day , in parish churches by divers ( a ministers ) hath sett open the floudgates to this presumptuous sinne of sabbath-breaking ; thought it a part of my bounden duty to preserve and propagate their memorie both for the honour of gods truth and justice ; the vindication of the intire sanctifycation of his sacred day , ( which he hath visiblie pleaded for from heaven , since men have been audaciously profane , as to pleade , and i would i could not say to b write and preach against it upon earth ) the clearing of those ministers innocency , who now unjustly suffer thorough the malice of ungodly persecutors , and raging prelates , for refusing to joine with others in spurring on the people to the greedy pursuite of this crying dangerous syn , to the ruine of their soules , their bodies , and shame of our religion , and the monition of this present , and all future ages , to beware of this so dangerous a transgression . how god hath punished this very syn in former ages , in such who have either by dancing , sports , pastimes , orunnecessary labors and travels profaned his sacred day , i meane not to record : he that listeth may read store of such examples registred to his hands in the counsell of paris , under lewis and lotharius anno . l. . c. . ( which relates in generall ; that many present in this councell were eye-witnesses , and others of them had it by relation , that some men upon the lords day being aboute their husbandry , have bene slaine with thunder , some punished with the contraction of their joynts and sinnes , some even with visible fire have had their bodyes and bones burnt up in a moment , and sodainly resolved into ashes , and that many other terrible examples of like nature hath happened and did fall out dayly : by which it was declared , that god is mvch offended with the dishonovr of so gkeat a dai ; ) petrus plessensis in litania major sermo . in mathew paris , historia major anno . p. . in roger houenden anno . p. . in mathew westminster . flores historiarum : anno . in vincentius beluacensis , speculum morale l. . pr. . distinctio . ofdances , in the flower of the commandements , printed in the beginning of k. hen. . fol. . to . in henricus gran. distinct. . exemp . . in the magdeburge centuries centurie . . c. . in d r. bownde his doctrine of the sabbath edition . . p. . to . the first booke : in m r iohn feild his declaration of gods judgments at paris garden : in m r philip stubs his anatomie of abuses . p. . in the practice of piety : . to . and d r. beard his theatre of gods judgements . all which have registred sundrie notable iudgements of god upon sundry sabbath-breakers ( which have presumed to daunce , worke , or travell , on the lords holy day ) of purpose to shew the danger of profaning holy times , and to deterre men from this common sinne , for which so many have smarted from heaven in an exemplarie manner . i shall therefore confine my selfe only to such domesticke examples , as have fallen out in sundry corners of this our realme within these two yeares , of purpose to refute the * madnesse of those prophets , who in the presse and pulpit ; and the profanes of those people , who in their dauncing-greenes , and may-pole arbors , have bene so audacious , as to affirme , the profanation of the lords day by maygames , daunces , may-poles , wakes , and common labour out of time of divine service , ( especially after evening prayer ) to be no sin at all against the . commandement , or any other law of god or man ; but c necessary and commendable point of true christian liberty ( they should have sayd of carnall and heathenish licentiousnesse rather ) from which the people must not be debarred ; but let these blinde guides , and libertines learne from these examples , to correct this their erronious judgment , and practise ; for feare the lord make them the next examples in this kinde , to teach others to keepe his sabbaths better , and more intirely for the future . and if these tragical spectacles of divine justice will not perswade them , that such profaning of the lords most sacred day , is a syn , yea and a crying syn too , as all our writers , ( yea and our prelates generally , till now of late have unanimously defined , and the whole state in parliament in d two late famous statutes and e two more ancient acts , to omit our f homilyes g common praier booke , h canons , i articles , and k injunctions , which conclude the same ) i say have adjudged such a presumptuous transgression , as will draw downe gods vengeance on mens heads ; our late soveraigne k. iames of happy memory and our present gracious soveraigne lord r. charles with all the prelates , cleargy and people of the realme in the first yeares of both their raignes , in the severall bookes of common praier , and order for the publike fasts set out by their royall authorityes , and the bishops advice , with the consent and harty desire of the whole realme for the abating aversion , and ceasing of those dreadfull eating plagues which then swallowed up many thousands of people every weeke will informe them ; that amonge other syns , the profaning of the sabbath ( so king iames his booke styles the sunday ) and not keeping holy the lords day , was one cheife cause why those two great terrible plagues ( and why not also this great plague which is now begun and spread much abroade ) brake in upon us ; to the destruction not of some few particular persons , but of many thousands , and the punishment of the whole realme , and nation in generall . and because some of these men plead most falsly , that the chiefest writers of the reformed churches are of their opinion , l m r. rodolphus gualter , and m wolfgangus musculus ( men of principall note and learning amonge them ) will both assure them , that the lords day is not onely wholly , only , and intirely to be spent in religiovs pvblike and private dvties of gods worship , and that davncing , sportes , and pastimes , on it , are sinfvll , and execrable ; ( the constant judgment of all forraigne protestant divines whatsoever , as i am able to prove ; what ever n d r helyn or o others have rashly averred to the contrary ; but likewise further informe them ; that god may justly revenge the great contempt of his deity in profaning his sacred day with daunces and such like revells and discorders , with horrible pvnishments , neither is it to be dovbted ( saith m r gualther ) that the profanation of the lords day , is not the least cavse of the evils and calamities of ovr age , yea their owne most illustrious cardinall robert bellarmine ( whom they allmost deify when they doe but name him : ) is so farre a puritan in this particular , that he not only spends p . or . whole sermones against dauncing , mummeries , maskes , and such like bacchanals , ( which he simply condemnes at all times , but especially on sacred festivals and lords dayes as most detestable profanations of them ; ) but likewise professeth ; that the practise of them upon sacred times , was the occasion of all the publike calamities and judgments which they suffered . but by these daunces , mummeries , bacchanels , and discorders ( saith he ) we polute the holy dayes of the lord : and yet neverthelesse do we inquire the reasons why god doth punish us ? why we are slaine in our very houses ? doe not the scriptures cry aloude , sinne maketh a people miserable : and there is no evill in the citie , which the lord hath not done . therefore these our sinnes of profaning the holy dayes of the lord with daunces , revels and bacchanals , have procured us famine , and poverty , and pestilence , and sedition , and all plagves and scovrges . and verily ( saith he ) in another sermon . i vehemently feare , that if we proceed to celebrate the bacchanals with mummeries , and maskes , and daunces , as we doe at other times , and to provoke god to wrath , with so many wicked pastimes , our sinne will be growen to the full at last , and the anger of the lord be so farre incensed , that he will utterly destroy us , as we see he hath destroyed many nations , for what i pray hath destroyed grecia ? but even that very thing which we doe ? they were men exceedingly given to drunkenesses , feasting and davncing , ( and that upon sacred times ) as may be knowne , by the orations of basill , and chrisostome . but what hath god done ? because they were addicted to these things , and especially to davncing , he hath imposed such a severe tyrant ( to wit the turke ) upon their necks , that they now groane under the yoke , and are pressed with so heavy a burthen , that they have neither time , nor will to davnce or caper . thus bellarmine to his greate admirers shame and refutation . if then this sinne of profaning the lords day , by dauncing , maygames , ales , pastimes , or unnecessary travel and labour , drawe downe gods plagues and vengeance upon whole kingdomes and churches , as these authors , ( together with m r. iohn feild , in his declaration of the judgement of god , at paris garden ; and humphry robarts in his complaint for the reformation of divers vaine , and wicked abused exercises , practised on the sabbath day , which tend to the hinderance of the gospell , and increase of many abominable vices : printed by richard iones , london . together with m r. philip stubs , in his anatomic of abuses , and m r. iohn nortbrooke in his treatise where in dicing davncing , vaine playes and enterludes , with other idle pastimes and exercises commonly used on the sabbath day , are by the word of god , and ancient writers reprooved , printed for george bishop ▪ london : . ) most punctually testifie : and the practise of piety dedicated to his majesty , and . times printed by publike authority resolves : no wonder if it hath lately caused god to unsheath his sword of exemplarie justice upon these particular persons , ( that i speake not of the whole kingdome in generall now scourged with a fresh plague and lately a drought ) whose tragicall examples i here present unto your view , to deterre all others from this sinne. it is a true saying of cyprian , praebentur cunctis exempla , cum fuerint quibusdam irrogata supplicia . the divine punishments of a few are warnings to all : god grant that these may be so to us . hee ( saith the same father ) is over audacious , who strives to passe over there , where he hath seene another to have fallen ; hee is outragiously bead-stronge , who is not strucke with feare , when he beholds another perish in that course ; which he is running ; he onely is a lover of his owne safety , who takes warning by the deathes of others : and he alone is a prudent man , who is made wise by the ruines of other men . god of his mercie vouchsafe that the exemplarie deathes of these few here specified ( and of thousands more in this time of mortality , occasioned by this sinne of sabbath-breaking were as the former pests ; together with a plague in pope pelagius the second his time an. domin . . as petrus blessensis in his . sermon de litania majori , records : ) may prove life to many ; and the judgements on some , become remedies to cure all , who are sicke of the selfesame sinne. amen . examples of gods judgments vpon sabbath-breakers . these examples of gods judgements hereunder set downe , have fallen out within the space of lesse then two yeares last past , even since the declaration for sports ( tolerated on the lords day ) was published , and read by many ministers in their congregations ; for hereupon ill disposed people ( being as dry fewell , to which fire being put , quickly flameth forth ; or as waters , pent up and restrained being let loose , breake forth more furiously ) were so incouraged , if not inraged , as taking liberty dispensed , thereby so provoked god , that his wrath in sundry places , hath broken out to the destruction of many , would to god to the instruction of any . and the judgements are so much the more remarkable , that so many in number , as here are observed , ( besides many more , no doubt which have not come to our eares ) should fall within so narrow a compasse of time , so thick , and that in so many places : as we read not of such a number of judgements in this kinde for this one sin throughout the whole history of time , from the apostles hitherto : so many there are of them , as , it were too heathenish to impute them to chance , & too much stupidity , and envy of gods glorie , not to acknowledge the speciall hand of god in them , upon such transgressors of his owne sacred day : and it were to be wished , that all the examples in this kinde , within this compasse of time ; were diligently collected and compiled into one narration , for the further illustration of gods glory , and for admonition to all sabbath-breakers , who if they repent not , nor surcease from such their profanesse , it may justly be feared , that the number of such examples will be daily increased , till they make a heape for all the world , to stand amazed at . in the meane time , who so is wise , and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the lord : psal. . . as for the truth of them , i have good testimony under the hands of men , of sufficient credit , for the most of them ; and the rest hath come to our eares by credible report . if it shall so fall out , that one or two , or so , should proove otherwise , either for the substance , or circumstance ; let not the reader blame me , who have used my best diligence to inquire out the certain truth of them all , and i am sure the most of the examples are confirmed by witnesses without all exception , and none of them is to me of any suspected credit ; so as here are no fained miracles , nor fabulous stories , nor ould wives tales , for profane scoffers to ieare at , and play upon , thereby to disgrace and discredit all truthes in this kinde , as some of late have done ( history of the sabbath . part . . chap. . pag. . ) but these examples are such , as will abide the and search of this present age , wherein are yet living so many both eare and eye witnesse of them . example . . a miller at churchdowne , neere glocester , would needs ( contrary to the admonitions both of his minister in private , and generally in publicke , yea and that very day , and of other christian friends ) keepe a solemne whitson ale , for which he had made large preparation and provision , even of threescore dozen of cheescakes , with other things proportionable ; in the church-house , halfe a mile from his mille , his musical instruments were sett forth on the side of the church-house , where the minister and people were to passe to the church to evening prayer . when prayer & sermon were ended , the drumbe is struck up , the peeces discharged , the musicians play , and the rowt fall a dauncing , till the evening ; where they all with the miller resort to his mille ; where that evening before they had supt , about . of the cloke on whitsunday , a fire tooke suddainly in his house over their heads , and was so briefe and quicke , that it burnt downe his house and mille , and devoured with all the greatest of all his other provision and housholdstuffe . this is confirmed by sundry good testimonies . example . . richard benfield an apparitor in the parish of hemsteed kept an ale in the church-house , joyning to the church-yard with dauncing and revelling night and day without controule : pretending that the bishop would beare him out ) and not unlikely , because at his complaint to the bishop of his minister , for preaching against dauncing and maypoles , he was suspended for his labour ) it happened that upon the lords day at even , being the . day of aprill , that his youngest sonne was accused for stealing a purse , and . shillings in it , from a butcher who lay drunke upon the board or table in the church-house , for which he was like to be hanged ( the purse being found about him . ) vpon the . day of the said moneth , benfield his eldest sonne richard went downe into hempsteeds peirse , about some busines , & his youngest brother with him , where they mett with a litle boy called baker ( that had beene a fishing ) having some small fishes in his hand . benfields youngest sonne would have taken these fishes from baker , whereupon they fell together by the eares . the eldest brother rich. benfield went to helpe his yonger brother , being too weake for baker . this baker did sweare a great oath that he would stabbe him , if he did meddle with him , upon which words benfield fell upon baker , gave him a boxe or two , and ranne away . baker followed him with his knife in his hand , overtooke him , and thrust his knife three inches deepe into his body , which wound prooved mortall , so that he never spake more words then these ; oh iack baker hath killed me , and so fell downe . two men being present there , tooke him up in their armes , brought him up into the church-house alive , and so soone as they had put him out of their armes upon the table , he groaned , and died . remarkable it is , that where the father drew ale upon the lordsday and so profaned it : in the same place his sonne the next day drew his last breath ; for that the punishment inflicted was stamped with the resemblance of the sinne convicted . example . . at baunton in dorcetshire some being at bowles on the lords day , one flinging his bowle at his fellowbowler , hit him on the eare , so as the bloud issued forth at the other eare , whereof he shortly died . the murtherer fledd . example . . one good man paul neere stoke in dorcetshire , rejoycinge much at the erection of a summer-pole , at a parish cald simsbury in dorcetshire , & saying before one his neighbours , he would goe see it , though he went naked through a quickset hedge : which is a cōmon proverb they use : going with wood in his armes to cast into the bonfire , where he lived , and using these words : heaven and earth are full of thy glory , o lord : he was presently smitten by the stroke of god , and within . or . dayes dyed , and his wife with him . these two last examples are testifieth by a minister in his letter to a brother minister . example . . a mayd at enfield neere london , hearing of the liberty , which was given by the booke , which was published for sports , would needs goe daunce , with others on the lords day , saying shee would goe daunce , so long as shee could stand on her leggs ; shee daunced so long , that thereof within . or . dayes shee dyed . example . . in the edge of essex neere brinkley , two fellowes working in a chalke pitt , the one was boasting to his fellow , how he had angred his mistrisse with staying so late at their sports the last sunday night , but he sayd he would anger her worse the next sunday . he had no sooner sayd this , but suddainly the earth fel downe upon him , and slew him out right , with the fall whereof his fellowes limbe was broken , who had been also partner with him in his jollity on the lords day , escaping with his life , that he might tell the truth , that god might be glorified and that by this warning he might repent of his sin and reforme such his profanesse , and remaine as a pillar of salt , to season others with feare by his example . example . . the last spring a miller hard by wootton in worcestershire , went on the lordsday to a wake , whence returning home againe , the same day at night found his mill and house all on a fier ; this was testified by a minister ( in a reply to another minister ) who was an eye witnes . example . . at woolston in the same country , where the sayd ministers father had beene minister . yeares , and by gods blessing upon his labours , had reformed things very well , yet upon the publication of this booke in printe , many of the inhabitants the springe following , were imboldned to set up maypoles , morrice daunce , and a whitson ale , continuing their rude revelling a weeke together , with many affronts to their ancient and reverent pastor : but it pleased god , that not long after , a sparke from a smithes shop , caught in that roome where the ale was brewed , and though meanes were ready at hand , yet it could not be quenched , but set the house on fire , and presently flew to the barne in which their disorder was , and burnt the same with . dwelling houses more , most of whose inhabitants were actors or abetters in the same : this is testifieth by many . example . . at topudle in dorceshiere , one iohn hooper aliàs cole , upon the promulgation of the sayd booke , was let downe into a well to cleanse it , for to brew beere for a whitson ale , by francis laurence , aliàs smith , and stephen p●pe churchwardens , which well was in the backe side of richard laurence aliàs smith . which iohn hooperfel● from the rope into the well , where he dyed . example . . richard iones son of widdow iones , iul. . not farre from dorchester , being severely admonished by his mother , when shee understood he had a purpose on satturday night , to goe on the lords day with other companions to stoake to play at a sport , called fiues , but persisting in his resolution , and going the next day , accordingly being the lords day at stoake , where he played at the said sport , at night returning home with his companions , w m. burges , w m. hill , iohn edwards , after they had there wel drunke , they fall first a justling one another in the way , then to boxes , and in the end edwards stabbing iones under the left side , he dyed thereof , the monday night following about seaven of the clocke . behold here a terrible example of disobedience , to gods holy commandements , not only the fourth , but the fifth also . example . . at ovendeane in sussex about . or . miles from alfriston , aliàs ason , one iohn arcold , of the age of one or two and twenty yeares , eldest sonne to iohn arcold , a blacksmith dwelling in ason , with other younkars would needs fall a ringing of the bells on a sabbath day , presuming the booke for sports gave them full liberty so to doe . one of the churchwardens robert kenward hindred them from their jangling ; whereupon the said arcold , and his companions fell in some contestation with him , telling him that though he hindred them now , yet they would ring the next sunday , whether he would or no. but the said iohn arcold the ringleader before the next sunday came , was strucke with a sicknesse , in which he continued a fortnight or . weekes till he died , in which time robbert kenward the churchwarden , repairing to him , and putting him in minde of his bold affronting of him , he seemed to be sorry for it , and promised , if god would be pleased , to restore him againe to his health , he would never doe the like . god make his surviving companions , and all others , wise by his example . example . . at walton upon thames in surrey , not farre from oatlands , in the last great frost , youngmen on the lords day , after they had beene at the church in the forenoone , where the minister pressing the words of his text , out of . cor. . . that we must all appeare before the judgement seat of christ &c. they the while whispering one to another , as they sate . in the afternoone they went together over the thames , upon the ice , unto a house of disorder , and gameing , where they spent the rest of the lords day , and part of the night also in revelling , one of them in a tauerne merrily discoursing the next day of his sabbath-acts , and voyage over the ice ; but on the tewsday next after , these three returning home wards , and attempting to passe again over the yce , they all sanke downe to the bottome as stones , whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved , but the other two were drowned . rejoyce , o younge man , in thy youth , and let thy hart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth , and walke in the wayes of thy hart , and in the sight of thine eyes : but know thou , that for all these things god will bringe thee unto judgement . example . . in the yeare of our lord . octob. . after the booke for sports was known to be published in print , david price a welshman , servant to one thomas hill , a knowne grasier of that country , coming to banbury with his drove on satturday night , declared his purpose of driving them the next day , early in the morning being the sabbath or lords day : his host where he lodged , disswaded him , because it was the sabbath day , and told him that he would certainly be stopped , and made to pay for it according to the statute . hee answered that he would drive them , and let me see ( saith hee ) who will hinder me . so in the morning two other accompaning him , he went to fetch the cattell out of the ground , one that knew him , mett him at the townes end ( not yet out of the towne ) and admonished him , saying , what , david , today , today ? he made no answere , but went onward , and though for any thing , that appeared to any other , or that himselfe complained of , he was then in good health , as ever he was , yet within little more then a stones cast of the towne , he fell downe dead suddainly , and was burried in banbury church-yard the next day after ; none could discerne , any sensible or evident cause of so suddaine a surprizall ; and himselfe gave no signe of any paine , weakenesse , or illnesse , till the instant time that he gave up the ghost . example . ( . ) on ian. . . being the lords day , in the time of the last great frost . younge men presuming to play at football upon the yce on the river trent , neere to ganisborrow , comming alltogether in a scuffle , the yce suddainly brake , and they were all drowned . example . . at wicks a towne betwixt colchester and harwich in essex , upon whitsunday last in the afternoone two fellowes meeting at the football , the one killed the other . example . . at oxford this last sommer on the sabbathday , one bally hawkes a butcher , would needs goe into his feild with an hatchet and showell to mend his ditch : his wife disswaded him what shee could , being the sabbathday , but he said he would goe and make an end of his worke , which he did , for suddainly he was struck dead in his ditch , and so made an end of his worke , and his life together . example . . also at oxford a carpenter undertaking to mend a stage in s. iohns colleidge on the satturday night , for the finishing wherof he must of necessity spent some part of the lords day morning , that the stage might be ready against the munday following , he that night fell backward from the stage , being not farre from the ground , and brake his neck , and so ended his life in a fearefull tragedy . example . . at iuye hinckley a mile from oxford ( about the time when may-poles are sett up ) on the lords day after evening prayer , when most of the towne were at the may-pole , one iohn cooper , servant to master tinmore of the said towne , going along the street , a mayd out of a windowe in iohn nicols his house , not farre from the may-pole , called him to come in thither ; where also was another mayd , and a young man named christopher younge , servant to master willis of the sayd towne ; iohn cooper at first refused to come to them , but the mayd earnestly intreating him , he yeilded to her , and being come in , sate downe by the other two , where having sate a while , the foresaid christopher younge spied a gun over the chimney , which he supposing not to be charged , fondly tooke downe , and fell a tampearing with it , and first levelled at the mayds , and after held it up against iohn cooper , as he sate , and unwittingly lifting up the cocke , it strucke fire , and the peece discharged , and shot the said iohn cooper through the shoulder , so that he dyed presently , being heard only to say , o lord. example . ( . ) at dover the very same lords day , that the booke was read , one in s. iames parish that played on a kitt , went and played , and thereby calld together a sort of wenches and young men : but he was thereupon that very day struck by divine hand , so as within two dayes he dyed . example . . a young man neere bow , going to swimme in the river on essex side , on the lords day in the afternoone , was drowned . example . . two boyes of s. albons , going to verolanes ponds , a mile off to swimme on the lords day , iuly . one of them was drowned , and the other hardly escaped . example . . at ramsey in suffolke , a tall man on the lords day going with others to swimme , and being advertized and warned of a hole in the water ; he sware that there was no place there could drowne him , but by and by on a suddaine he was missing , being now under water , and so drowned . example . . on september . . being the lords day , two young men of the parish of s. dunstans in the west , london , going to swimme , were both drowned . example . ( . ) at thurlow in suffolke , one making a feast to his freinds on the sabbath day , for joy of the publishing of the booke for sports , was the next day pressed to death , by the suddaine fall of a faggot stack . example . . at twiford in buckinghamshire , a fellow playing at cudgels on the lords day ( or as some say , upon a revell day ) receaved a hurt in the face , whereof he dyed the next weeke . example . . at lemster , one master powel , ian. . on the lords day serving a writt of sub poena ( and that of purpose on that day as is credibly reported ) upon one master shuit a gentleman , this he did in the church-yard , so soone as they were come out of the church : master shuit thereupon told him , i thought you had beene an honester man then so , to doe this upon this day ; he replyed , i hope i am never a whit the more dishonest , or lesse holy for that : having spoken this , he suddainly fell downe dead , and spoke not a word more , his wife seeing this , was suddainly struck with sicknesse . example . . a fellow in sommersetshire being to make a tente upon the lords day , for a faire that was to be kept upon the munday following , sayd to one on the satturday , that they would reare it to morrow , so the next day which was the lords day , being drunk , he dyed the same day roaring . example . . at glassenbury in sommersetshire , at the setting up of a may-pole , it miscarrying fell upon a child , & slew it , and it is reported that it was the churchwardens child , who was the cheefe stickler in the businesse . also when the may-pole in the same towne , was againe the second time a setting up , a fire tooke in the towne , so as all the people about the may-pole were forced to leave it , and to runne to the quenching of the fire . example . . a may-lord of misrule , not farre from thence became madd upon it . example . . also at battersey neere london , the last yeare a notable example of gods judgement befell a fidler , the youth of the town of both sexes , being assembled solemnly to set up a garland upon their may-pole , and having gott a taber and pipe for the purpose , he with the pipe in his mouth , fell down dead and never spake word . example . . at corsham in wiltshire in the whitsunweeke , at a whitson-ale , one marke hulbert , a lusty young man , undertaking to act the fooles part , was so extreamly drunke and hurt with falls taken in the time of his drunkenesse , that shortly he tooke his bed , where he lay very loathsomly , in most grieuous paine , until the sixth day of iune , being the lordsday , on which he dyed at . of the clocke in the afternoone ( the usuall time for youth to take their liberty ) and was burried the same day before . of the clocke , & yet he burst , before he was layd into his grave . see iob. . . example . . on may . . being the lords day , one richard clerke ( an apprentise unto timothy denorell shoomaker of sherston in the country of wiltshire , within . miles of tedbury , ) being drunke at the church-house in the same parish , told henry larrum of the same parish , that was then in the same place drunke likewise with the church-house ale , that he the said richard , would either hange himselfe , or drowne himselfe , demanding of the sayd henry which of the two was best ; unto whom he replyed , that he hoped he would do neither ; on the day following , being munday in the morning , the said richard clerke was seene to goe through the streat , without a bande , as if he had beene going about his masters businesse , and putting on his band without the towne , he gott up into the middle of a tree , and there did hang himselfe . a miserable effect of carnall liberty and profane meetings on the lords day . example . . the . may . the booke of recreation was read in the parish church of alvelye in comit. salop , in the afternoone , after all divine exercises publicke ended , there fell out a bloody fight betwixt . of alvelye above said , and one of envield of the country of stafford neere adjacent , in so much that the man of envield was sore wounded , and had his jaw-bone broken , so that he could not eate his meat for the sustaining of nature ; in his extremity he layd his death to the charge of the other . the churchwardens of the parish of alvelye above said , presented these . for profaning of the sabbath to my lord his grace of canterbury ( to use the words of the relation ) being the time of his metropoliticall visitation , since which time two of the parties fledd ; the third was committed to prison in shewsbury , and was the next assises to come to his answere . example . . in march , betwixt . and . at billericay in essex , one theophilus pease , the ministers sonne of that towne , went to ring the bells on the sabbath day , whom the churchwardens for that time hindered ; but against the next sabbath , he gathered a company together , saying he would ringe in dispite of the churchwardens . while he was a ringing , he was taken with a giddinesse like one drunke , and so sickned , and about three dayes after dyed . example . . anno . ianuarie or there about in chichester diocesse , one thomas perkin , a willfull and usuall profaner of gods sabbath in hailing south , being ringing on a sabbath day , the rope tooke him up , and flinging him about . foot high , he fell downe on his head , and was taken up dead , and so remained long , but life at last was gotten into him , yet the bruise in his head is so great and dangerous as death is expected , and little hope of life remaineth . example . . at craies , two miles from billerikey , a servant of master holdsworth minister there , ringing on the sabbath , his master sent to forbid him : but he would ring still , and before he had done ringing , he was strucke sicke , and a while after dyed . this was a little after the booke for sports was publikely read in the church . example . . in iune . on the lords day , the tapster and chamberlaine of the queenes head in southwarke , ridd into kent to be merry , and having drunke liberally , riding homewards , the one of them fell from his horse , and broke his necke . example . . also in iune . and as some report the very same lords day , in southwarke at the red lion , neere s. georges church , in the afternoone , a man with another sate drinking so longe , that the other about sixe of the clocke departing , fell a sleepe so , that he never awaked againe . example . ( . ) at hellingsby . or . miles from ason in sussex , the booke being read on the lords day , in the church by the minister , on the next day being munday , an honest man , one tomkins being on his way , a neighbour overtakes him , and scoffingly askes him , if he would goe daunce with him the next sunday ; to whom the man aswered , take heed that thou be not dauncing in hell before that day come , or before it be longe ; by the next weeke gods hand fell on this scoffer , that himselfe and two more of his family dyed . example . . in the moneth of iuly . one master quince the chirurgiō of the tower of london , having an horse to sell , & meeting with a chapman , went to coleman-street , where the horse was kept , to see and contract for him , on the lords day in the afternoone ; the horse being sadled , m. quince gets upon his back , to shew his chapman how well he would pace ; which done , as he was a lighting of his backe , his foote , which lighted on the ground slipped , the other foote hung in the stirrup , so as he fell to the ground , and with the fall brake his thighbone short off , so that he was carried from the place to an house neere adjoyning , where he lay in great paine , and agonye for ▪ weekes space or more , allmost despairing of his life , and never stirring out of his bedde : at last it pleased god , by degrees to recover and restore him to the use of his legge againe , he having little use of it , ( & that with great paine ) for halfe a yeares space and more . his sonne had disswaded him from riding , because it was the lords day ; and himself hath since acknowledged it a just judgement of god upon him for profaning that sacred time , which hath made him more carefully to frequent the church , and to avoyd the profanation of the lords day ever since . this the party himselfe , and most of the tower can testify . example . ( . ) on february . . being the lords day , an apothecaries man in limestreat london , rid to barnet with another companion , to make merry , who returning home drunke , neere highe gate , met a tinker , and offring him some abuse , the tinker strikes one of their horses , whereat the one bid the other run him through ; who drawing his rapier , ran the tinker through the breast , that he fell downe dead : therupon being by and by apprehended , and confessing the fact , they were both sent to newgate . example . . at thorneton neere westchester , the people there , upon the first publishing of the booke prepared for a solemne summer ale . the bringing in of their lady flora should have been guarded with a marshall troope : the lustiest wench , and stoutest young man in the towne were chosen to be the purveyors for cakes , and for ribbons for favours , the solemnity was to be on the munday , but the preparation on the lords day ; this lusty tall mayd , on the satturday before went to the mill , to fetch home the meale for cakes on her head , shee being stronge and able for the purpose : but in the way , passing by a hedge , shee was suddainly struck by a divine stroke , and fell into the ditch , where shee was found dead ; shee was suffered to lye abroad in that pickle all the lords day , til munday morning , when the coroner being send for , shee was thence carried to her grave immediately , where all her solemnity was burried with her , & all her vaine thoughts in that very day , wherein the great solemnity should have been . and see what a good effect this wrought in the whole towne ; first , all their mirth was turned into mourning , no summer ale kept , and besides that , they being moved by the dreadfull stroke of god , tooke their may-pole downe , which they had before sett up , and never after would presume to set it up againe , or to have any more summer-ales , or may-games . god grant they continue in their sober mindes , and that all other would learne to be wise by their example . example . . in yorkshire at a wake , in the parish of otley at baildon , on the lords day , two of them sitting at drinke , late in the night , fell out and being parted , the one a little after finding his fellow , sitting by the fire with his backe towards him , comes behinde him , and with a hatchet chines him downe the backe , so as his bowells fell out ; the murtherer flying immediately , and being hotly pursued , lept into a river , and so drowned himselfe . o fearefull fruits of carnall liberty ! example . . one in glocestershire being very forward to advance a solemne sommer-meeting , wherein his sonne was to be a cheefe stickler , went himselfe in great jollity to see it , and there beholding it , he fell downe suddainly , and so dyed . example . . one at ham neere kingston , being a scoffer of all goodnesse , and a common profaner of the sabbath , going abroad to see his grounds on the lords day , and finding some neighbours cattell to have broken in , he runnes to drive them out , and that with such eagernesse , that he fell downe dead instantly upon the place . example . . one wright at kingston , being a scoffer of religion , and rejoycing much at the suspending of his minister , and others , for not reading the booke of sports in their churches , saying , hee hoped to see them allso served shortly : was within a day or two after struck with a dead palsy , all over the one side , and with blindnesse and dumnesse , that he could neither goe , see , nor speake , and so lay in a miserable manner for a fortnight , and then dyed . example . . in moorefields neere london , sundry youths playing at catt on the lords day , two of them fell out , and the one hitting the other under the eare with his catt , he therewith fell downe for dead in the place , the other was sent to prison : but the dead for the time , by gods mercy recovering , the prisoner was released ; which may be a warning both to them , and all other youth , to take heed how they so profane the lords day . example . . a woman about northampton , the same day that shee heard the booke for sports read , went immediately , and having . pence in her purse , hired a fellow to goe to the next towne to fetch a minstrell , who comming , shee with others fell a dauncing , which continued within night ; at which time shee was got with child , which at the birth shee murthering , was detected and apprehended , and being convented before the justice , shee confessed it , and with all told the occasion of it , saying it was her falling to sport on the sabbath , upon the reading of the booke , so as for this treble sinful act , her presumtuous profaning of the sabbath : which brought her adulte●y & that murther . shee was according to the law , both of god and man , put to death , much sinne and misery followeth upon sabbath-breaking . example . . also at northampton , in the last easter assises , there was a youngman who formerly , by seeing the example of good people , in the due sanctification of the lords day or sabbath , had begun to reforme his former loose kind of life , and to frame his conversation , according to gods word , and that in the well keeping of the sabbath , abstaining therein from sports and pastimes , and spending the whole day in the publike and private duties of it ; but when once he heard of the publishing of the booke for sports , and pastimes , he fell backe againe to his former wallowing , and being taken as he was picking a pocket , when the iudges weare in the church , upon examination confessed what he had formerly beene , and how he had been reformed , and that upon the publishing of the sayd booke , he was incouraged to run riot a fresh , by which meanes he fell into this impiety and iniquity , for the which he suffered death . example . . aprill ● . . being satturday , one travelling with three others from london to maydenhead , he ( the rest spending the sabbath there ) would travell on his way , the next day being the lords day , contrary both to gods commandement , and also of the lady whom he served : who had given him strict charge ; to observe the sabbath , and not to travell on it . he rode in the morning to henley , and there heard the sermon , after that he fell to travail in the afternoone , but as he went in the way , leading his horse in his hand gently downe a plaine descent , and even way , his horse suddainly fell , and broke both his fore leggs , the man sore agast at this not more suddaine , then strange disaster , which he could not but attribute to the immediate hand of god , and being past all hope of recovery was forced himselfe to knocke his horse in the head , and so to leave him , and being the next day overtaken at abington by his company , whom he had left the day before , and they asking him how it fell out , he was no further on his way , he smote his breast , and told them how it had befallen him in the way , saying that he had heard many a good sermon , yet none of them or any thing else did so worke upon his conscience , as this thing did ; and that this example should be a warning unto him for ever travailing on the sabbathday againe . this is testified under the hands of those . which had travailed with him , and over tooke him . example . . at dartmouth . upon the comming forth and publishing of the booke for sports , a company of younkers on may-day morning before day , went into the country , to fetch home a may-pole with drum and trumpett ; whereat the neighbouring ▪ inhabitants were affrighted supposing some enemies had landed to sacke them , the pole being thus brought home and set up , they began to drinke healthes about it , and to it , till they could not stand so steady as the pole did , whereupon the major and iustice bound the ringleaders over to the sessions , whereupon these complaining to the archbishops vicar generall , then in his visitation he prohibited the justices to proceed against them in regard of the kings booke . but the justices acquainted him , they did it for their disorder , in transgressing the bounds of the booke , hereupon these libertines scorning at authority , one of them fell suddainly into a ‡ consumption , whereof he shortly after dyed ; now allthough this revelling was not on the lords day , yet being upon any other day and especially may-day , the may-pole set up thereon , giving occasion to the profanation of the lords day the whole yeare after it was sufficient to provoke god , to send plagues and judgements among them . example . . in the same yeare . and in the same shire , one edward amerideth a gentleman , having bene pained in his feet , and being upon his recovery , whereupon one sayd unto him , he was glad to see him so nimble . amerideth replyed , that he doubted not , but to daunce about the may-pole the next lords day : but behold the hand of the lord , for before he moved out of that place , he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of hart , and dizsines in his head , that desiring helpe to carry him to an house , he dyed before the lords day came ; so fearefull it is to fall into the hands of the living god. example . . many more examples might here be added , not only such as have fallen out within these two yeares last past , since the sayd booke was published by the ministers in their churches , but also , since the booke was first of all printed and published , the very bruite whereof , without being read by ministers , was enough , and to much to imbolden youth to take their liberty in profaning the lords day , but for the present , i will add but one more . at chidlington upon the edge of hertfordshire , not farre from hitchin , a company of fellowes upon a holy day being to play a match at foot ball , one of them was tolling the bell , to assemble the rest , some being come into the church the randevoze of their meeting , suddainly it thundering was seene a blacke ball come tumbling downe a hill neere by : which tooke its course directly into the church , there it flew into the bell free and first slew him , that tolled the bell , then it flustered about the church and hurted divers of them , and at last bursting ; left a filthy stinke like to that of brimstone , and so left a terror to all such spend thrifts of precious time , and especially such as is dedicated to sacred uses , who so is wise and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the lord. psal. . . example . . vpon may day last , being the lords day , a mayd of the minister of the parish , cripplegate , london , was married to a widower having . children , the youngest being at nurce in the country ; upon this day they kept their feast in the church-house joyning to the church , where they spent all the afternoone in dauncing : but within one weeke after , the plague began in that parish in the new married mans house , where within a moneth it tooke away the man and his wife , and his two children that were in the house . and thus was the plague brought first into that parish this yeare . to this we will adde another example , because it fell within the same moneth , in the same city . a minister , rector of a church in london , on the saturday would goe with two of his neighbours , boon companions , to be joviall the next day , being the lords day , they conditioning that he should bestow a sermon upon them . they on the lords day , being now in the country , spent the forenoone idly : in the afternoone they goe to visit another london minister , who had another benefice there in the country ; he puts his brother to preach : which done invites him , with his companions , to a bottle of sacke . they drank so long , that the two neighbours tongues began to faile them . home to their lodging within a few miles they betake them . that night their minister could not sleepe ; and raising early to walke abroad , he returned with such a coldnesse upon him , that he looked , and felt like cold pale death ; the two neighbours much dismayd , and with much adoe get him home to london , where in that case continuing , he dyeth before the next sabbath day . example . . vpon may-eve thomas troe of glocester , carpenter in the parish of s. michaell , some comming unto him , and asking him , whether he would goe with them to fetch the may-pole , he swore by the lords woundes , that he would , though he never went more . now while he was working on the may-pole on may day morning , before he had finished his worke , the lord smote him with such a lamenesse and swelling in all his limbes , that he could neither goe , nor lift his hands to his mouth , to feed himselfe , but kept his bed for halfe a yeare together and still goes lame to this day ; may . . example . . about a yeare since . in ashton under the hill , in the parish of beckford , in the country of glocester , the minister there master blackwell , having occasion in his sermon in the afternoone on the lords-day to reproove the profaning of that day by sports &c. as soone as the sermon was done , a youngman of that place used these words , now master blackwell hath done , we 'le begin ; and so taking the cudgells , playes with them ; and at the second or third bout , he received a thrust in one of his eyes , that thrust it quite out , so as it hanged by , and could never recover it againe . these examples of divine justice , so notorious , so remarkableboth for number and variety , having fallen out in so narrow a compasse of time , and so dispersed over the whole land , as every particular place , and country might take speciall notice thereof : if they will not take , and make impression in our stony hearts , to moove us to speedy repentance ( as for many other enormities , and crying sins , so in speciall ) for this our ring-leading sinne of the heathenish profanation of the sabbath , or lords day : what plea can we make for our selves , why the lord of the sabbath , should not send some universall , epidemicall sweeping calamity uponthe land , sparing neither small nor great ? and now , that the plague and pestilence begins to breake forth , and spreeds itselfe much amongst us , the lord shooting these his terrible venemous arrowes , from which not even princes nor prelates palaces can secure themselves , from becoming his butts and marks : what can we more impute it unto , as the cause thereof , then to this grand sinne , of the profanation of the sabbath or lords day , occasioned so much the more by the publishing of the late booke for sports , and that , by the ministers themselves ? for was it not the judgement and confession of king iames of famous memory , and of the whole state and kingdome in an exhortation published in that great plague , beginning with his raigne , , where are these words : the lords sabbath is not kept holy , but polluted &c. and therefore the cause is apparent , why the plague is broken in amongst us ? and was not the same exhortation afterwards republished by our gracious king charles ( whom god long preserve a religious and righteous governour over us ) in the first yeare of his raigne , with the approbation of the whole parliament , where the same is acknowledged of that other great plague , in the beginning of his raigne . namely , that one principall & speciall cause thereof , was the not keeping holy , but polluting the lords day ? and if this were a principall cause of those great plagues then , why not of this which now we suffer ? yea what plague upon plagues may we not justly expect to breake forth upon us in these dayes , wherein we have increased & surpassed our fathers sins , and that in such a height , as they reach up to heaven , to pull downe flames and flakes of vengeance upon our heads . and so much the more , sith upon the publishing of the said booke , so manyfold mischiefes have attended and followed , as never any age since christ , much lesse such a christian state as we professe to be , hath seene , or ever heard the like . for besides the open violation of gods holy commandement , the . morall , acknowledged in our ‡ homily to be the ground of our christian sabbath day ( as it is there , no lesse then . severall times distinctly stiled ; as also in another * homily twice , which by the way makes me wonder at the audacious insolence , & arrogant ignorance of some new masters in these dayes , and in particular of d r. poch . in his sunday no sabbath , who is not ashamed to avouch with open mouth , that the name of sabbath was never given to the lords day , untill it was brought in by iohn knox , & others of the puritan faction in the yeare . what saith he then to the homilies of our church , which were set forth in k. edw. . his raigne , and so i am sure before . by . or . yeares ; now these ( to omitt innumerable testimonies more , both out of ancient fathers , and the prelates of this land ; too large to be comprehended in a parenthesis , being now to furnish a pretty treatise ) these our homilies ( i say ) so frequently and clearly called the lords day the sabbath day , before iohn knox called it so , . and the same homilies being set forth a fresh by queene elizabeth , . will dr. p. dare to charge the learned and pious compilers of them , a pack of puritans , or ( as * some other ) novell sabbatarians ? but this by the way ) by which violation ( i say ) of the sabbath or lords day , god is intolerably dishonoured , and his religion disgraced through outragious libertinisme : what an invention of antichristian tyranny hath broken in at the opening of this great sluice ? what havock is made in our church by sundry of the hierarchy in suspending godly ministers , depriving them of their liberty , livelyhood , and freeholds , against all lawes of god and man , so as they , their wives and children are exposed to beggery and all misery , and their flocks to be devoured of the wolves , and to become a prey to that roaring lion ; and all this , because they dare not offer violence to their consciences , in doing that , which should dishonour god , indanger their owne , and their peoples soules , abase before god and man the authority and dignity to their ministry , condemne the innocent people of god , and call the wicked righteous , teach inferiours rebellion to their superiours , and in a word hasten the pulling downe of vengeance from heaven upon the land ? o ye heavens , stand amazed at this sight ! tell it not in gath , nor publish it in the streets of askelon , least the daughters of the philistims rejoyce , least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . what could the pope have done more , then some of our prelates have done in this kind , for the darkening of the glory of christs kingdome , and for the setting up of antichrists throne againe in this land ? but our lord sayth , ye shall know them by their fruits . besides , what impudency and impiety hath broken out from sundry aëry and ambitious spirits , who have dared in their late published bookes upon bookes , to belch out their blasphemies against god , and the power , purity , and profession of the religion established amongst us for so many yeares . nor only is the floodgate of all profanenesse and impiety broken up , in the violation of the . commandement , but of the . also , when as , by occasion of the publishing of the sayd booke ( which inhibits magistrates and superiours , to restraine or punish youth for taking such liberty on the lords day , as the booke alloweth , and which all other books , writings , monuments of fathers , councells , kings , emperours , divines ancient and moderne , protestants and papists , have universally with one vote and voyce cryed downe , till now but yesterday a new generation of maleferiati hath risen up , out daring and defining the whole world , and god himselfe ) inferiour persons exalt themselves in high contempt against their superiours , as the common vulgar against the magistrate and minister , servants against their masters , children against their parents , and wanton wives against their husbands , which hath caused such outcryes and complaints of masters , for their servants unbridled and uncontrowled outrage on the lords day ; which must also in-jure them with pride and presumption of spirit the whole weeke after , and so their whole life , while like untamed colts they have thus learned to take the bitt betweene their teeth , and so to runne a gallop into all excesse of riot . so as if the booke be not all the sooner called in , and the authors of those late books against the sanctification of the lords day condignly punished ; and a speedy reformation hereofset on foot : how can we looke for a stay of the plague untill the land be consumed ? now the lord make us wise , to lay these things to heart , least he teare in peeces , and there be none to deliver . for as never any christian church hath produced such monstrous impieties : so never any church hath bene the theater of such tragicall examples of divine wrath , as our land is like to be , if we speedily repent not . vnlesse therefore we repent , we shall all likewise perish , as these examples have done before us . now for these so many , so markable examples of gods judgements inflicted upon the violaters and profaners of the lords day , and that in so short a time , even since the booke for such sports was published , we may thus argue and conclude . that , for which the lord inflicteth and executed so many notorious and severe judgements , must needs be a notorious and hainous sin , and so a breach of his holy commandement . but for the violation and profanation of the lords day by sports and pastimes , or by servile works , the lord inflicteth and executeth many notorious and severe judgements , as of late we have seene . erg. the violation & profanation of the lords day is a notorious and heinous sin , and so a breach of gods holy commandement . the major proposition is a maxime in divinity . god punisheth no man , but for sin : and sin is a transgression of gods law : . ioh. . . for the minor proposition , it is so cleare , as it cannot be denied , except men will be senselesse and blind atheists but they that feare god , shall declare the worke of god , for they shall wisely consider of his doing ; as ps. . . now if the violation or profanation of the lords day be a sin , and so a transgression of gods holy commandement : then of what holy cōmandement , but of the . and if of the . then the holy keeping of the lords day for the christian sabbath , is grounded upon the . commandement , and cōmanded in it , as god hath abundantly testified by his many remarkable judgments , even within this two yeares , as hath bene shewed . ob. but here some may object : god may punish men for the breach of humaine ordinances , which are not the expresse commandements of god. so in this instance , god may punish the violation or profanatiō of the lords day by such sportes , or wakes , as being a breach of a humaine ordinance , or ecclesiasticall institution . answ. i answere it is true , all humaine ordinances , being not against gods word , are to be observed for conscience sake of gods commandement , commanding subjection to all ordinances of men for the lords sake . and if it were a humaine ordinance , to dedicate this day of holy rest to god by a perpetuall vow and decree : then the greater is their sin , that devoure that which is sanctified , and after the vow make inquiry , how it may be violated . so as they ly under the wrath of god , for so doing , and are lyable to the like judgements , without repentance . the epilogve . thus have i presented you with a large scene of late severall examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers , and such a disorderly people , who have bene so presumptuous as to profane the lords owne sacred day , against the monitions of gods faithfull ministers , with unnecessary labour , vaine sports and idle pastimes . to which i might annexmany ancient precedents of like nature which i pretermit , onley one excepted , which is remarkable . in the yeare of our lord . in the famous metropolis of this our land , the city of london , two citizens the one leaving his wife , the other her husband , and committing adultery together on the lords-day , it pleased god to strike them dead with fire from heaven , whilst they were in in the very act of uncleannes , their bodies being left dead in the place halfe burnt up , sending out a most loathsome savour , for a spectacle of gods avenging justice unto others , to teach them both to shun the sin of adultery and of sabbath-breaking too , and to take heed how they commit any sin or wickednesse at any time and especially on gods sacred day , or how they follow dauncing , may-games , morisdaunces , ales , and such lascivious pastimes , b which commonly end in whoredome , adultery as being strong allurements thereunto , this judgment was so famous and remarkable , that laurentius bayenlinke , a forraine historian , in his opus chronologicum orbis universi antwerp . . p. . hath thought good to register it to posterity ; if any deeme those judgements strange , or that god should inflict such punishments on this sin , which some now justify , as a part of christian liberty , both in the pulpit & in c printed works . i shall only intreat such to remember , that the whole convocation house , all the archbishops , bishops , archdeacons , and greatest clerks of england in their booke intituled the institvtion of a christian man , subscribed with all their names , and dedicated to k. hen. . an . . and k. hen. . himselfe in his owne booke inscribed a necessary doctrine and erudition for any christian man set forth by the kings majesty of england , with the advise and approbation of the lords spirituall and temporall , and nether house of parliament , an . . and by the king himselfe , dedicated under his name and title to all his faithfull and loving subjects , and published by vertue of the statute , of . h. . c. . in the exposition of the . commandement , have in the very dawning of reformation injoyned all bishops and preachers diligently to instruct and teach the people , committed to their spirituall charge ( and i wish that some bishops would now doe it ) that against this commandement generally do offend all they , which having no lawfull impediment , doe not give themselves upon the holy day to heare the word of god to remember the benefits of god , to give thanks for the same , to pray , to exercise such holy works both publikely in the church , and privately in their houses , as be appointed for such holy dayes : but ( as commonly is used ) passe the time either in idlenesse , in gluttony , in riot or other vaine and idle pastime , doe * breake this commandement . for surely such keeping of holy day , is not according to the intent & meaning of this cōmandement , ( as some new * doctors now dogmatize ) but after the usage & custome of the iewes , ( though some late rabbies would make the world beleeve that the strict sanctification of the lords day , and the restraining of vaine sports and pastimes on it , is iewish , when a ignatius , b augustine , c cirillus , alexandrinus , d ephraim , syrus , e socrates , scholasticus , f theodosius the emperor , g beda , vincentius belvacensis , and generally all authors since , have branded dauncing , sports , and recreations on the lords day both as jewish and heathenish ▪ and i d r iohn white in his way to the true church , defended & published by his elder brother , d r fr. white now bp. of ely , k mr zanchie , l wolfg. musculus , m m r iohn sprint , as popish and licentious ; tending to the overthrow of piety , and desolation of publike governement , ) and doth not please god , but doth much more offend him , and provoke his indignation and wrath towards us . for as n s. augustine saith of the iewes , they should be better occupied , labouring in the feilds , and to be at plough , then to be idle at home . and women should better bestow their time in spinning of wool , then on the sabbath-day to loose their time in leaping or dauncing , and other idle wantonnesse . now if the whole clergy , king , state , and parliament were so quicke-sighted as in those times of darknes to see a lords day sabboth in the . commandement , to be wholly , onely and intirely dedicated to god and his true worship , as they there teach ; and so pious as to beleeve , that the exercise of vaine idle sports , pastimes , and dauncing on it , did much more offend god , then ploughing or spinning , and provoke his wrath and indignation towards us ; no wonder if we in the cleare sunshine of the gospell behold so many sad spectacles of his wrath , and indignation against the offendors of this commandement in this kind , to teach these blind seers , and seducing guides ( as o bp. latimer long since named them ) that god is now as jealous for the sanctification of his day , and as much offended with the profanesse of it , and infringers of the fourth commandement , by unnecessary labours , travell , or idle pastimes , as he had bene in any age , if not rather much more , in regard of the great light of the gospell , that hath for these many yeares so clearly shined amongst us , which if they will not yet beleeve , i shall at once close up their mouthes with the resolution of our homilies ratified by p act of parliament , and the . article of our church , to which these novellers have subscribed , and whose patronage they pretend against all q novell sabbatarians : but alas ( saith r the homily ) all these notwithstanding ( and i pray god , i may not still say notwithstanding all these fresh examples ) it is lamentable to see the wicked boldnesse of those , that will be counted gods people who passe nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the sunday . and these people are of two sorts , the one sort , if they have businesse to doe , though there be no extreame need , they must not spare for the sunday , they must ride journeyes on the sunday , they must drive and carry on the sunday , they must come and ferry on the sunday , they must buy and sell on the sunday , they must keepe markets and faires on the sunday , finally they use all dayes alike , worke dayes and holy dayes are all one . the other sort is worse ( so the homily against these ‡ new masters , who make labour in mens callings on the lords day worse and more unlawfull then dauncing & pastimes , contrary to the judgement of s s. augustine , gregory the great t alensis and all u writers since who unavoce resolve , that it is better and more lawfull to plough and spin on the sabbath-day , then to daunce : ) for allthough they will not travell and labour on the sunday , as they doe on the worke day , yet they will not rest in holinesse as god commandeth ; but they rest in ungodlinesse and filthinesse , prauncing in their pride , pranking and pricking , pointing and painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay , they rest in excesse and superfluity , in gluttony and drunkennesse ( as they doe at wakes , ales , and may-poles ) like ratts and swine , they rest in brawling and rayling , in quarrelling and fighting , they rest in wantonnes ( and what else is dauncing , moris-dauncing , maygaming &c. ) into-ish talking , in filthy fleshlines , so that it doth too evidently appeare , that god is more dishonoured and the devill better served on sunday , then upon all the dayes of the weeke besides . and i assure you , that the beasts that are commanded to rest on the sunday , honour god better then this kind of people , for they offend not god , they breake not their holy dayes . wherefore , o ye people of god , lay your hands upon your hearts , repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickednesse , stand in awe of the commandement of god , gladly followe the example of god himselfe , be not disobedient to the godly order of christs church used and kept from the apostles times untill this day , feare the displeasure and just plagues of allmighty god if ye be negligent , and forbeare not labouring and travailing on the * sabbath day , and doe not resort together to celebrate and magnifie gods blessed name in quiet holinesse and godly reverence . i shall conclude all with the words of the councell of paris under lewis and lotharius . anno . li. . c. . & . li. . c. . & . multa alia terribilia judicia &c. many other terrible judgments have bene , and hetherto are , whereby is declared how much god is offended with the dishonour of this day . wherefore the imperiall highnesse is specially to be implored of the ‡ preists , that this power ordained of god for the honour and reverence of so great a day , may put a feare into all men , least none of what condiō soever presume on this holy and venerable day to use these and the likesports , dauncings and leapings hereafter , because while they doe these things , they both darken the glory of christianity , and give occasion to the blasphemers of christs name the more to dishonour him . we require also , and earnestly intreat , that in the observation of the lords day , as we have a longe time beseeched you , you use due care that unlesse great necessity constraine you , free your selves on that day , as much as may be from worldly cares and sollicitousnesse . and that which becometh the honour of so great a day , that both you your selves doe it , and by your example doe teach and compell yours to doe it . we wholsomly admonish all faithfull people , that they give due honour and reverence to the lords day , because the dishonour of this day doth both much swarue and abhorre from christian religion , and doth without doubt procure the perill of soules to the violaters thereof ; and with that of the councell of burges , an . . apud bachellum decreta ecclesiae gall. l. . tit. . c. . allthough lords dayes and holy dayes are instituted only for this purpose , that faithfull christians abstaining from externall and gainfull works , might more freely and with greater piety give themselves to divine worship , and to the meditation of the infinite benefits of gods goodnesse towards mankinde , and so being wholly taken up with the wholsome duties of religion , should diligently beware as ignatius admonisheth the philippians , that they should not abuse holy dayes with any disgrace or injuries , yet notwithstanding in our times , it preposterously and usually comes to passe , that both solemne and religious dayes are not only spent in transacting , unlawfull and secular businesse , but likewise in luxury , lasciviousnesse , prohibited sports and pastimes revells , and the exercising of other wickednesses , whereupon it is not to be doubted , that for the greatest part , so many calamities wherewith we are so long since consumed are justly inflicted on us by god , who is incensed against us by so great wickednes . to appease whose present anger and likewise to avert his greater indignation hanging over our heads : we command all parish priests of our province , that they frequently and seriously admonish the people , that on lords dayes they not only keepe themselves from all prohibited works , but likewise that they be ex animo cordially and religiously , present at all sacred misteries of the church , and at the preaching of gods word , and that they pretermit not the works of piety in releiving the poore , comforting the afflicted , and in doing other pious things , wherein christian profession and charity do most of all shine forth . and we exhort all magistrates according to their and our duety , as farre as possibly we may , that they would take care , that those holy and solemne dayes should be holily and piously celebrated , this being principally in their power , and belonging to their charge . neither verily can any manner of governing the common wealth , be better or more praise worthy then that which gives the first place and care to divine worship and religion . finis . christian reader , as these examples have beene displaced , so one of them hath beene omitted in the printing , which because it is notable and worthy consideration , i shall here adde for a conclusion . m r. william noy , that great gamaliel of the law , his majesties late aturney generall , as he had a great hand in compiling and republishing the late declaration for pastimes on the lords day ( thrust out by his , and a great prelates practise , to thwart iudge richardsons good order for the suppressing of wakes and revels in somersetshire , and the iustices of that shires petition to his majesty for the continuance of it , and to make way for a starchamber censure against m r. prynne ) so he eagerly persecuted this wel-deserving gentleman of his own profession and society , ( to whom he was formerly a friend in appearance , but an inveterate enemy in truth ) for his histrio-mastix , compiled onely out of the words and sentences of other approved authors of all sorts , against the use and exercise of stage-plaies , enterludes , morisdances , maygames , may-poles , wakes , lascivious mixt dancing , and other ethnick pastimes , condemned in all ages , without any thought or suspition of giving the least offence , either to the kings most excellent majesty , the queene , or state , as he averred in his answer upon oath . and although this book was written . yeares , licensed almost three , printed fully off a quarter of a yeare , and published . weekes before the queenes majesties * pastorall , against which it was falsely voiced to have beene principally written ; diligently perused and licensed by m r. thomas buckner the then archbishop of canterbury his chaplaine , both before and after it came from the presse , entred in the stationers hall under the wardens hand , printed publikely in three authorized printing-houses , without the least controll , and published by the said licensers direction , who would have nothing new-printed in it , as appeared upon oath at the hearing : and although m r. noy himselfe ( to whom he presented one of the bookes ) upon the first reading of it , commended it , thanked him for it , oft affirmed that he saw no hurt in it , and at the hearing confessed , that the worst and most dangerous phrase and passage in it , might have a good and faire construction , and schollers would all take it in a good sence ; yet he handled the matter so ( by * suppressing the gentlemans exhibits and defence , wresting his words and meaning , refusing to discover the particulars of the booke on which he would insist , though ordered so to doe by the court , it being else impossible to instruct counsell how to make a reply , and by tampering under hand with some of his counsell by no meanes to make any justification or defence to cleare his innocency though the party earnestly intreated , and gave them instructions to the contrary ) that the poore gentleman at last received the heaviest y censure that this latter age hath knowne , all circumstances considered , being expelled the vniversity of oxford and lincolnes inne , thrust from his profession in which hee never offended , fined . pound to the king , ordered to stand on two severall pillories , and there to lose both his eares , his bookes to be there burned before him , and to suffer imprisonment during life besides . which sentence thought by most that heard the cause to bee meant only in terrorem , without any intention at al of execution , being respited for above three moneths space , and in a manner remitted by the queenes most gracious mediation ; was yet by this atturnies and a great prelates importunity , beyond all expectation suddenly and severely executed , without any the least mitigation , few of the lords so much as knowing of it . the gentleman hereupon is set on the pillory at westminster and there lost an eare ; mr. noy like a joyfull spectator laughes at his sufferings , and this his great exploit he had brought to passe , which divers there present observed and condemned in him . the gentleman like an harmelesse lambe tooke all with such patience , that hee not so much as once opened his mouth to let fall any one word of discontent . yet that just god and soveraigne lord of heaven and earth , z who beholdeth mischiefe and spite to requite it with his hand , and avengeth the innocent bloud of his servants , took this his mirth and malice so hainously , that the same day ( as some about him , and of his owne society reported ) he who thus shed his brothers and companions bloud , by the just hand of god fell a voyding and pissing out his owne : which so amazed him , that he used all meanes he could to smother it from the world , charging his laundres , and those about him , not to speake of it , refusing to acquaint his physicians with it : hereupon hee growes very palid and ill , the physicians wonder at it ; he complaines to them onely of the gravell and stone in his kidnies , till at last he grew so ill with this divine stroke , that he was forced to disclose his griefe to them , yet so as they must faithfully promise to disclose it to no man , for feare people should say it were a just judgement of god on him for shedding mr. prynnes blood : but god would not have this secret long concealed ; his laundres , men , & some gentlemen of his society discover and talke of it : he much vexed in mind , in stead of repenting of what he had done , and seeking to right the party wronged for his irreparable dammage , like a hart or beast once mortally wounded , proceeds on in his former fury , seeks to bring the poore distressed gentleman into fresh trouble & a further censure , brings him oretenus , into the starchamber , reviles him with all maner of uncivell words , moves to have him close prisoner among the rogues in newgate , sels his chamber as forfeited to the house by his expulsion , seiseth his books : and when as the court would not grant his unreasonable malitious motion , above . weeks after in the long vacation , when most of the lords were gone , and his majesty in his progresse , drawes up an order of his own making in starchamber for the gentlemans close imprisonment ( the last order he ever made ) caused the register to enter it , and sends it to the tower to be executed the same day he went to tunbridge waters , without the lords or courts privity . the day following drinking of those waters he was in miserable torture , in so much that most dispaired of his life , and some reported he was dead : and hearing there , that his disease of voyding bloud was then publikely known and talked of in london , he was so vexed at it , that hee fell out with his physicians and servants , rayling on them like a frantick man , as if they had betrayed him , and disclosed his secrets ; yea it so fretted and gnawed his heart & conscience , that it made his very heart & intrails to perish : and about a fortnight after brought him to his end . being opened after his death , ther was not a drop of bloud found in his body , for he had voided al out before , his false malicious hard heart with inward fretting & vexing was so consumed & shrinked up , that it was like an old rotten leather purse or meere scurfe , the physicians never seeing the like before , his flesh and kidnies were as black as an hat , his intrails ( except his lungs onely ) all putred ; and his carkas a miserable spectacle , but no stone that could trouble him was found about him : his funerall according to his desire was so private , that there were hardly gentlemen enough to carry him to his grave , but that some came in by accident . his clients the players , for whom he had done knight-service , to requite his kindnes , the next terme following make him the subject of a merry comedy , stiled ; a projector lately dead ; wherein they bring him in his lawyers robes upon the stage , and openly dissecting him , find . proclamations in his head , a bundle of old motheaten records in his maw , halfe a barrell of new white sope in his belly , which made him to scoure so much , and yet , say they , he is still very black & foule within . and as if this voiding of all his owne blood , & publike disgrace on the stage were not sufficient to expiate the wronged gentlemans bloud & infamy : himselfe in his last will layes a brand on his owne son and heire : bequeathing all his goods and lands not therein given to others , to edward his eldest son to be scattered and spent , nec de eo melius speravi : enough to make a dutifull child turne unthrift , & a signe of a dispayring man. which son of his upon his own challenge & rashnes hath since beene slaine in a duell in france by captaine byron , who escaped scotfree and had his pardon . thus hath god punished bloud with bloud : thus hath he dealt with one of the chiefe occasioners of this * declaration , & burner of that book , which learnedly manifested the unlawfulnes of the severall sports and pastimes countenanced in it , especially on the lords own sacred day out of old and new writers of all sorts , & specified divers judgements of god upon the authors , actors , & spectators of them , not unworthy consideration in these sable times of plagues and judgements . o consider this & all other the foregoing examples , ye impious prelates , that so far forget the lord , as still to silence , excommunicate & persecute godly ministers for not reading this declaration ( though there be no canon , statute , law or precept extant that requires it ) to the ruine , not so much of them , as their poore innocent peoples soules : ye that in these dolefull daies of plague and pestilence suppresse , neglect all publike fasting , preaching and praying , which now if ever should be cried up & practised , and in stead thereof give your selves over to * dancing , feasting , playing , * sabbath breaking , to draw downe more wrath and plagues upon us . you who oppresse & maliciously persecute godly men , for crossing you in your delights of sin , lest ye now perish as these have done , & so much the rather , because you have al these presidents to admonish you , and yet will not be warned . well , if you will not be admonished but proceed as you have done , if you perish , thanke your selves ; i can say no more to you but this : * discite justitiam moniti & non temnere divos . courteous reader , i pray correct with thy pen these mistakes and omissions of the printers , ere thou read the books , errata and omissions . in the title page , l. . r. inchoat . l . r. cansummat in the epistle , p. . l. . for with . r. as l. . r. hapning . p. . l. . r. so audaciously . l. . f. sins , r. sinewes . l. . f. hath , r. have . l. r. in petrus blesensis . p . ● . . r. pointes . p . l. . r. and such p. . l. . f. were as , r. as were in the examples , p. . exam. . l. were all drowned : adde this omission : as some letters report : others say they were onely in great danger of drowning , a spring tide breaking the ice , but with much labourwer at last saved after . or . houres space by the helpe of hotes . p. l. . f. reare , r reare p. . l. . f. r. l. . r. parish of s. giles p. . l. . f. now , r. enough . l . r. dr. h. l. . f. invention , r. inundation . l. . f. to , r. of . p. . l. . f. defining , r. defying . p. . l. . prophanesse , r. prophaners . p. . l . had , r. hath . l. . come , r. rowe . p. l. . this , r. his . l. . none . r. any . p. . l. . r. bochellum . p. , in the marg . r. beluacensis . psal. . . my flesh trembleth for feare of thee , and i am afraid of thy iudgements . levit. . . . and if ye will not for all this hearken unto me , but walke contray unto me : then i will walke contrary unto you also in fury , and i , even i will chastise you seven times more for you sinnes . an advertisement to the reader , covrteovs reader . be pleased to understand , that thorow some oversight at the presse , the foregoing examples are not orderly placed . indeed it was the authors minde that they should have beene otherwise to wit , . . . and so all the rest , in order one after another , as they are numbred in the booke , and to this end gave direction , but the same was not considered of these who where imployed for the printing , untill it was to late . now this we thought good to certifie thee of , that so the mistake may be imputed , to the parties deserving it , and not to the author , who it blamelesse herein . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * as he hath done on the . commandement itselfe , and on these infringers of it . a nullam habet spem salutis ager quem ad intemperantiā medicus hortatur : sence . b see the doctrine of the sabbath ; the history of the sabbath ; the treatise of the sabbath-day and discourse of the sabbath lately printed : whichthough they condemne the very name of sabbath , as iewish yet they are all characterised with that name and title . * . pet. . v. . c see the history , treatise , discourse , & doctrine of the sabbath accordingly , and sunday no sabbath . d . car. c. . . car. c. e . . h. . . . & . e. . c. . f of the time and place of prayer . part . . of disobedience and unlawfull rebellion . part , . p. . . g the prayer after the . and . commandement . h canon . . . i article of ireland . k queene elis ▪ injunct : . l homil. . in matth. fol. . hom. . in mar. f. . hom. . in lu. f. . hom. . in ioan. f. . hom. . in act. m comment . in matth. . & . p. . . in ioan. . f. . n history of the sabbath . part . . c. . inst. . . o d. ●ooklinghton sunday no sabbath p. . p concio . . . . . notes for div a -e . . aprill . . . . . . eccl. . . . . . . . ‡ deut. . . . . notes for div a -e ‡ homily of the time and place of prayer . part. . pag. . . . * hom. against rebellion part . . pag. . * doctor wh. bp. of ely. notes for div a -e a so the statute of . caroli c. . stiles them . b vincentius volnacensis spec. moral . li. . ps . . distin. . master northbrooke stubs , brant lovel , and others in their treatises against dauncing . c the late treatise , history and discourse of the sabboth , sunday no sabbath , doctor pri. and a soveraigne antidote against sabbatarian novelties . * ergo it is in force and the profaning of the lords day a sin against it . * as the treatise history discourse of the sabbath . a epist. . ad magnesianes . b tract . . in ioh. de . chordis . c. . in ps. . . de consensu euang. li . c. . c in ioh. euang. li. . c. . d homily de festis diebus . e eccl. hist. l. . c. . f codicis theodosij li. . tit . . lex . . g enare in ps. . i edit . . lon. . sect. n. . p. . se. . digr . . n. . p. . . k in . preceptum . l in iohn e● . c. . fol. . m proposition for the christ. sabbathd . p. . n in iohan. tract . . in ps. ▪ & . de . chordis c. . ( h ) speculū morale li. . part . . c. . o in his sermons . p . eliz. c. . which ratifies the articles . q the treatise and history of the sabbath . r part. . of the time and place of prayer . p. . ‡ treatise of the sabbath-day . p. . s tract . . in ioh. in ps. . & . de . chordis c. . t apud alex . alensis summ . theologiae part . . q. . m. . art. . u media villa peraldus nider volaterranus f. martyr , musculus , stuckius , aretius , hyperius , szegedine , angel. de clavasio . dr ▪ bound , dr criffith , williams practise of piety , osmund lake , and infinite others ▪ * see the homily . times styles the lords day and the . homily of rebellion twice . ‡ note . notes for div a -e examp. . * one of the actors wherof and hee who first shewed his booke to the king within few moneths after came to bee his fellow prisoners in the tower for a reall comentary on his misapplyed text * the iudge who upon his reference suppressed these exhibits contrary to law & promise to the gentleman , was himselfe not long after unexpectedly thrust out of his place before he knew of it . y the great lord that began this censure lost his lady in childb●d some three dayes after , who much grieved at this sentence and blamed him for it . which lord riding the last christ-tide into the country to keepe his christmas on the lords day , his coach and honor in the plaine street at brainford were both overturned and laid in the dirt , himselfe sore bruised , and thereupon forced to keepe his chamber a good space , there being some doubt of his recovery for a time . z psal. . . * the occasion of most of these tragicall examples . * neh. . . . * bishops saith augustine cont. btil . l. . c. . ) were all wont vaine dances to reprove , but now they are so farre from it , that they to dance doe love . thomas lovel his dialogue . witnes their late oxford pro phane plaies and dances . * virgil. lux orientalis, or, an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence, in relation to mans sin and misery. glanvill, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) lux orientalis, or, an enquiry into the opinion of the eastern sages concerning the praeexistence of souls being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of providence, in relation to mans sin and misery. glanvill, joseph, - . [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . written by joseph glanvill. cf. bm, wing. reproduction of original in british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng soul -- early works to . pre-existence -- early works to . truth -- early works to . providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - allison liefer sampled and proofread - allison liefer text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the much honoured and ingenious francis willoughby esquire . sir , t is likely you will no lesse wonder at this unexpected sally of my pen ; than at my having presixt your name to a trifle , that owns no authour . of the former , you will receive an account in the preface . and the latter , if the considerations following ; are not of weight , to attone for ; i know you have goodness enough to pardon , what i have not reason sufficient to excuse , or vindicate . well meaning intentions are apology enough , where candour , and ingenuity are the judges . i was not induced then to this addresse , because i thought i could oblige you ; worth describes it self in the fairest character . but reflecting upon that delight & satisfaction , that i have received in discoursing with you on such matters ; and knowing that your noble genius is gratified by such kind of speculations ; i thought i could not make more suitable payment for my content , or better acknowledge the favour i receive in your acquaintance , then by presenting you a discourse about praeexistence ; & giving you a peculiar interest in it , as you have in its authour . not that i would suggest , that you are a favourer of any strange opinions , or hold any thing in this particular , or any other , that is fit to be discountenanc'd . but i know you love to be dealing in high and generous theories , even where your self are a dissenter . nor is it the least evidence of the greatnesse and heroick nobleness of your spirit ; that amidst the flowing aboundance of the world's blessings with which you are encircled , you can yet dedicate your self to your beloved contemplations ; and look upon the furniture and accomplishments of the mind , as better riches , than the largest doals of fortune , and the wealth and revenues of an ample inheritance . and methinks vvhile most others at the best , do but use the donatives of providence ; you enjoy them . and by a nobler kind of chymistry extract from them a pleasure , that is not to be met with in all the trivial sports of empty gallantry . to be reviewing the recesses of nature , & the beauteous inside of the universe , is a more manly , yea angelick felicity , then the highest gratifications of the senses ; an happinesse , that is common to the youthful epicure , with his hounds and horses , yea your ends are more august and generous , then to terminate in the private pleasure you take , even in those philosophical researches ; for you are meditating a more general good , in those careful & profound inquiries you are making into animals , & other concerning affairs of nature , which i hope one day the world will be advantag'd by . but i must not ingage in an encomium , in which i cannot be just , but i must be troublesome . for your modesty is no more able to bear it , then my pen can reach . wherefore i shall dismisse your eyes from this tyresome attendance ; and only begge , that you would assure your self that no man is more your servant , then the authour of lux orientalis . the preface . it is none of the least commendable indulgencies of our church , that she allowes us a latitude of judging in points of speculation . and ties not up mens consciences to an implicit assenting to opinions , not necessary or fundamental ; which favourable and kind permission , is questionlesse a great obligation upon the ingenious , submissively to receive & observe her pious appointments for peace and order . nor is there lesse reason in this parental indulgence , then there is of christian charity and prudence ; since to tie all others up to our opinions , and to impose difficult and disputable matters under the notion of confessions of faith and fundamentals of religion , is a most uncharistian piece of tyranny , the foundation of persecution , and very root of antichristianisme . so that i have often wondred , that those that heretofore would have forced all men to a compliance with their darling notions , and would have made a prey of them , that could not bow down before the idol of their new-framed orthodoxy ; should yet have the face to object persecution and unchristian tyranny to our church appointments ; when themselves under a deep and crimson guilt of those very same miscariages , which they endeavour to affix upon those more innocent constitutions . for is it not a far more blameable and obnoxious imposition to srame systems of disputable opinions , & to require their admittance into our creeds , in the place of the most sacred , necessary , and fundamental verities ; than it is to appoint some harmlesse orders of circumstance and ceremony , which in themselves are indifferent and innocent . and let any equal man be judge , which is the greater superstition , either to idolize and place religion in things of dispute and meer opinions ; or conscienciously to observe the sanctions of that authority we are bound to obey . but how all those ill applyed reproaches of the church of england , recoyle upon those that discharge them , i have fully proved in a discourse on this subject , which in its due time may see the light. but for the present i go on with what i was about ; therefore i say , 't is a most commendable excellency in our ecclesiastical constitutions , which with all due regard ought to be acknowledged ; that they in some few matters of opinion , but such , as are of important concernment , or very meridian truthes , which i mention not to this purpose , as if men might therefore indulge themselves in what conceits and dangerous opinions soever their phancies might give birth to ; this were an unpardonable abuse of that noble and ingenious liberty that is afforded us . but that they might see the beauty of those well temper'd constitutions ; and that the mouth of obloquy might be stopped that slaunders our church , as if it yielded no scope at all for free inquiry ; when i dare say there is not a church in christendome , that in this regard is lesse criminal . as for the opinion of praeexistence , the subject of the following papers , it was never determined against by ours , nor any other church that i know of ; and therefore i conceive is left as a matter of school speculation , which without danger may be problematically argued on either hand . and i have so great confidence in all true sons of our common mother to think , that they will not fix any harsh and severe censures , upon the innocent speculations of ●hose , though possibly they may be errours , who own the authority , articles , canons , and constitutions of that church which they are so deservedly zealous for . therefore let me here premonish once for all , that i intend no innovation in religion , or disturbance of our established and received doctrines , by any thing i have undertaken in this little treatise ; but only an innocent representation of an antient and probable opinion , which i conceive may contribute somewhat towards the clearing and vindicating the divine attributes , and so representing the ever blessed deity , as a more fit object of love and adoration , then the opinions of the world make him . and what ever may be thought of the thing it self , or the manage of this affair , i 'me 〈◊〉 the end and design is concerning and important , and deserves at least a favourable construction of the undertaking . for there is nothing more for the interest of religion , then that god be represented to his creatures as amiable & lovely , which cannot be better done , then by clearing up his providences and dealings with the sons of men , and discovering them to be full of equity , sweetnesse and benignity , so that though i should be mistaken in the opinion which i endeavour to recommend , yet i expect the candour of the ingenious being betray'd into an errour , if it be one , by so pardonable an occasiō . if it be excepted against this undertaking , that the doctrine of praeexistence hath in a late discourse been purposely handled ; besides what the learned d. more hath written of it ; and therefore that this labour may seem a superfluous , unnecessary repetition . i answer , that that very treatise , viz the account of origen , made some such thing as this , expedient . for though the proof and management of this affair be there unexceptionable , as far as the authour is by his design ingaged ; yet , he being consined to the reasons of origen , and to the answering such objections , as the fathers urged against him ; hath not so fully sta●ed and cleared the businesse , but that there was room for af●er-undertakers . and 't is a ●reat disinterest to so strange and ●nusual a doctrine as this , to be 〈◊〉 partially handled : since so long , it will not be understood , and consequently be but exposed to contempt and ignominy . nor can we hope that the world will be so favourable to a paradox , or take so much pains for the understanding of that which they think a gross absurdity , as to collect those principles that are scatter'd up and down the writings of that great & excelent restorer of the platonick cabbala , and accomodate them to the interest of this opinion . so that i thought that till the reasons , answers , principles , & particular state of the hypothesis were brought all together to talke of praeexistence in arnes● were but to make a mans self ridiculous , and the doctrine , the common ludibrium of fools and ignorants . and yet i must confesse my self to be so much a contemner of the halfe witted censurers of things they know not , that this reason alone could not have moved my pen the breadth of a letter ; but some ingenious friends of mine , who were willing to do their maker right , in a due apprehension of his attributes and providences having read the letter of resolution , and thence being induced to think favourably of praeexistence , were yet not fully satisfied in the proof , nor able to give stop to those objections , which their imperfect knowledge of the hypothesis occasioned : wherefore they desired me to draw up a more full & particular account of that doctrine , which they had now a kindnesse for , and which wanted nothing more to recommend it to them , but a clear and full representation . for their satisfaction then , i drew up the following discourse , intending at first , that it should go no further then their hands , whose interest in mine affections had commanded it ; but they being more then i could well pleasure with written copies , and perceiving others of my acquaintance also , to whom i owe regard and service , to be in the like condition with these ; i was induced to let this little trifle tread a more publick stage ; and to speak my mind to them from the presse . if further reason be expected for mine undertaking a businesse in which others have been ingaged , i would desire them to consider what an infinite of books are written upon almost all subjects can be named . and i am confident , if they turn 'ore libraries , they 'l find no theam , that is of any consideration , lesse traced then this is . so that no body hath reason to call it a crambe , who considers , that there are multitudes , even of schollars that have never seen or heard of any thing of this nature ; and there is not , that i know of , any one book extant in any language besides this , that purposely , solely , and fully treats of praeexistence . wherefore who ever condemns this as a superfluous ingagement , if he will be just , must passe the same censure upon well nigh every discourse the presse is deliver'd of , for hee 'l meet with few written on lesshandled subjects . i might urge also if there were need on 't , that various representations of the same thing , fit the variety of phansyes and gusts of perusers ; and that may have force and prevalence to perswade in one for me , which signifies nothing in another . but 't is enough ; he that will judge me on this account , must passe the same award on every sermon he heares , and every book he looks on ; and such a censure will do me as little hurt , as him good , that passeth it . besides this exception , 't is not unlikely that some may object , that i use arguments that have already been pleaded in behalf of this opinion ; which rightly understood , is no matter of disrepute ; since every one else doth it that deals in a subject formerly written of . and i would have him that commenceth such a charge against me , to consult divers authours who have handled the same subject ; and if he find not the same arguments and reasons infinitely repeated every where , let him call me plagiary , & spare not . 't is true therefore i have not baulk't the reasons of origen , dr. more , or the authour of the letter of resolution , because they had been used already ; but freely own the assistance of those worthy authours ; however i think i have so managed , fortified , & secured them against exceptions , especially the most considerable , that i may reasonably expect a pardon , yea and an interest in them also . for 't is the backing of an argument that giv's it force & efficacy ; which i have done to the most weighty of them , at my proper cost & charges . nor should i have been faithful to my cause , had i omitted any thing that i thought confirm'd it , upon any pretence whatever ; since possibly this discourse may fall into the hands of some , who never met with those other authors . and my design being a full proof , defence , & explication of praeexistence , it had been an unpardonable defect to have permitted those weighty reasons by which it's learned assertours have inforced it . if any yet should criminat me ( as i know some did the account of origen , ) for using many of the same words , and some of the same phrases & expressions , that those others ; who have writ about those matters have made use of ; i am not very carefull to answer them in this matter ; and i doubt this engagement against those little seruples , will be importunate to the judicious . for no body blames the frequent usage of words of art ; or those which the first masters or restorers of any doctrine have been wont to express their notions by since that such words and expressions are best understood , as have by custome or the authority of some great authours been appropriated to such doctrines , as they have imploy'd them in the service of . and should every man that writes on any subject , be obliged to invent a new , all the termes he hath need of , and industriously to shun those proper , expressive words and phrases that are fitted to his hands , and the business he is about ; all things will be fill'd with impertinency , darkness & confusion . it must be acknowledged then , that most of the peculiar words & phrases that either i , or any body else that will speak properly & intelligibly in this matter , make use of , are borrowed from the judicious and elegant contriver of them , the profound restorer & refiner of almost-extinct platonism : whose invention hath been so happy in this kind , that it hath served up those notions in the most apposite , significant , comprehensive and expressive words that could well be thought of , where fore 't were an humoursome piece of folly for any man that deals in these matters industriously to avoid such termes and expressions as are so adopted and fitted to this purpose , and so well known among those that are acquainted with this way of learning ; when without vanity he could not think to be better surnish't from his own phancy . if in the following papers i have ufed any expressions of others , which these considerations will not warrant ; i must beg pardon for my memory which doth not use to be so serviceable . and where i writ this discourse , i had not one of my books within my reach , that treated of this , or indeed any other subject . nor am i at leasure now to examine , them and this , to see whether i can find any such coincidences ; which a mans phancy dealing frequently in such matters , might insensibly occasion . if any there be , let those that find them out , pardon them , as the slips of a too officious imagination● or however else they treat them , they shall not much difplease the authour . and now that this discourse may pass with lesse controul among those that shall light on it , i find my self ingag'd to speak a little to a double sort of readers , who are like to be offended at my design & averse to the doctrine asserted in these papers , and ( ) some will boggle at praeexistence , & be afraid to entertain it , upon an apprehension that the admission of this opinion will disorder and change the frame of orthodox divinity , which , were there cause for such a jealousy , were but a commendable caution ; but there 's hope this may prove but a panick fear , or such a needless terrour as surpriseth children in the dark , when they take their best friends for some bug-bear that would carry them away , or hurt them . for 't is but supposing ( as i have some where intimated in the discourse it self ) that god created all souls together as he did the angels that some of them sinned and fell with the other apostate spirits ; and for their disobedience were thrust into a state of silence and insensibility ; that the divine goodnesse so provided for them , that they should act a part again in terrestrial bodyes , when they should fitly be prepared for them ; and that adam was set up as our great protoplast and representative , who had he continued in innocence and integrity , we had then been sharers in that happinesse which he at first was instated in ; but by his unhappy defection and disobedience we lost it ; and became thus miserable in our new life in these earthly bodyes . i say the doctrine of praeexistence thus stated , is in nothing that i know of , an enemy to common theology : all things hence proceeding as in our ordinary systems ; with this only difference , that this hypothesis cleares the di●ine attributes from any shadow of harshnesse or inequality , since it supposeth us to have sinned and deserved all the misery we suffer in this condition before we came hither ; whereas the other which teacheth , that we became both guilty and miserable by the single and sole offence of adam , when as we were not then in being ; or as to our souls , as much as potentially in our great progenitour ; beares somewhat hardly upon the repute of the divine perfections . so that if the wary reader be afraid to venture upon the hypothesis , that i have drawn up at the end , ( which i confesse i would not give him the least incouragement to meddle with ) yet , without danger he may admit of praeexsistence as accommodated to the orthodox doctrine . nor should i indeed have medled with the other scheam , which is built upon the principles of meer reason and philosophy ; but that those friends who drew the rest of the discourse from me , ingag'd me to give them an account of the philosophicall hypothesis . in which , i know i have not in every particular , followed the mind of the masters of the origenian cabbala ; but kept my self to the conduct of those principles , that i judged most rational ; though indeed the things wherein i differ , are very few and inconsiderable . however for that reason i thought fit , to intitle no body to the hypothesis that i have made a draught of , least i should have affix't on any one , what he would not have owned . but for the main , those that understand it , know the fountain ; and for others , 't is no great matter if they be ignorant . now if any one judge me to be a proselyte to those opinions , because i call them not all to nought , or damn those , that have a favour for them ; i know not how to avoid the doom of their severe displeasure ; having said as much in the place where i treat of those matters , to purge my self of such a suspition as i thought necessary to cleare me , in the opinion of any competently ingenuous . as for others , let me say what i can , i shall be what their wisdomes think fit to call me ; and let that be what it will , i am very well content to bear it . i 'le only adde to take off the ground of this uncharitable jealousy , that among thefavourers of praeexistence , i know none that are adharers to those opinions ; & therefore for me to have declaim'd against any , on this account , had been a piece of knight-errantry ; and those donns that do so make gyants of the wind-mills of their own imaginations . but , ( ) there are another sort of readers that i have a word to say to , who contemne & laugh at every thing that their narrow noddles comprehend not . this i confess is a good easy way of confutation ; & if we may take every fool's smile for a demonstration , praeexistence will be routed . but the best on 't is , to call things by their right names , this is but a vulgar childish humour arising from nothing but a fond doating on the opinions we were first instructed in . for having made those the standard of truth & solidity , those praepossest decerners presently conclude every thing that is a stranger to their ears and understandings , & of another stamp from their education-receptions , false & ridiculous ; just like the common people , who judging all customes and fashions by their own , account those of other nations absurd , and barbarous . 't is well for those smiling confuters , that they were not bred in mahumetism , for then without doubt they would have made sport of christianity . but since they are so disposed , let them laugh at the opinion i have undertaken for , till they understand it ; i know who in the judgement of wise men will prove ridiculous . it was from this very principle that the most considerable truthes , that ever the world was acquainted with , were to the iews , a stumbling block , and to the greeks , foolishness ; and 't was such a spirit as reigns in these children of self-confidence , that call'd s. paul a babler . and methinks till these narrow scul'd people could boast themselves infallible , and all their opinions , an unerring canon , common modesty and civility should teach them better manners , then at first dash to judge that a ridiculous absurdity ; which the greatest and wisest sages that inlightned the antient world , accounted so sound and and probable a conclusion . especially it being a matter not determin'd against , but rather countenanc't in scripture , as will appear hereafter . but opiniative ignorance is very weak & immoral . and till those slight and vulgar decerners , have learn't that first principle of true wisdome , to judge nothing till they throughly understand it , & have weighed it in the ballance of impartial reason ; 't is to no purpose to spend ones breath upon them . courteous reader , in the authours absence , you are desired to correct the printers errours . lux orientalis . chap. i. the opinions proposed concerning the original of souls . it hath always been found a matter of discouraging difficulty , among those that have busied themselves in such injuiries , to determine the soul 's original . ●nsomuch that after all the contests and disputes that have been about it , many of the wisest inquisitors have concluded it undeterminable ; or , if they have sate down in either of the opinions , viz. of it's immediate creation , or traduction ( which of later ages have been the only competitors ) ; they have been driven to it , rather from the absurdities of the opposite opinion , which they have left ; then drawn by any rational alliciency in that which they have taken to . and indeed , if we do but impartially consider the grand inconveniences which each party urgeth against the others conclusion , it would even tempt one to think , that both are right in their opposition and neither in their assertion . and since each side so strongly oppugns the other and so weakly defends it self , 't is a shrewd suspicion that they are both mistaken . wherefore if there be a third that can lay any probable claim to the truth , it deserves to be heard to plead its cause ; and , if it be not chargeable with the contradictions or absurdities either of the one or other , to be admitted . now though these later ages have concluded the matter to lye between immediate creation , and seminal traduction ; yet i find that the more antient ●imes have pitcht upon praeexistence , as more likely than either ; for the plato●nists , pythagoreans , the chald●an wise men , the jewish rabbins , and some of the most learned and antient fathers were of this opinion . wherefore i think we owe so much at least to the mentory of those grave sages , 〈◊〉 to examine this doctrine of theirs , and if neither of the later hypotheses can ease our anxious minds , or free themselves from absurdities ; and this grey dogma fairly clear all doubts , and be obnoxious to no such contradictions ; i see no reason but we may give it a favourable admittance : till something else appear more concinnous and rational . therefore let us take some account of what the first opinions alledge one against another , and how they are proved by their promoters and defendants : now , if they be found unable to withstand the shock of one anothers opposition ; we may reasonably cast our eies upon the third , to see what force it brings to vouch its interest , and how it will behave it self in the encounter . chap. ii. daily creation of souls is inconsistent with the divine attributes . the first of these opinions that offers it self to tryal is , that god daily creates humane souls , which immediately are united unto the bodies that generation hath prepared for them . of this side are our later divines , and the generality of the schoolm●n . but not to be born down by authoritys , let us consider what reason stands against it . therefore , ( ) if our souls came immediately out of the hands of god when we came first into these bodies , whence then are those enormously brutish inclinations , that strong natural proclivity to vice and impiety , that are exstant in the children of men ? all the works of god bear his image , and are perfect in their kind . purity is his nature , and what comes from him , proportionably to its capacity partakes of his perfections . every thing in the natural world bears the superscription of his wisdome and goodness ; and the same fountain cannot send forth sweet waters and bitter . therefore 't is a part of our alleagiance to our maker to believe , that he made us pure and innocent and if we were but just then framed by him when we were united with these terrestrial bodi●s , whence should we contract such degenerate propensions ? some tell us , that this impu●ity was immediately deriv'd from the bodies we are unired to ; but , how is it possible , that purely passive insensible matter should transfuse habits or inclinations into a nature that is quite of an other make and quality ? how can such a cause produce an effect so disproportionate ? matter can do nothing but by motion , and what relation hath that to a moral contagion ! how can a body that is neither capable of sense nor sin , infect a soul , as soon as 't is unied to it , with such vitious debauched dispositions ? but others think to evade by saying , that we have not these depravities in our natures , but contract them by custome , education , and evill usages . how then comes it about , that those that have had the same care and industry used upon them ; and have been nurtured nuder the same d scipline and severe oversight , do so vastly and even to wonder differ in their inclinations ? how is it that those that are under continual temptations to vice , are yet kept within the bounds of vertue , and sobriety ? and yet that others , that have strong motives and allurements to the contrary , should violently break out into all kinds of extravagance and impiety ? sure , there is some what more in the matter than those general causes , which may be common to both ; and which many times have quite contrary effects . ( ) this hypothesis , that god continually creates humane souls in these bodies , consists not with the honour of the divine attributes . for , ( ) how stands it with the goodness and benignity of that god , who is love , to put pure and immaculate spirits , who were capable of living to him and with him , into such bodies as will presently desile them , deface his image , pervert all their powers and faculties , incline them to hate what he most loves , and love what his soul hateth ; and that , without any knowledge or concurrence of theirs , will quite marre them as soon as he hath made them , and of dear children , render them rebells or enemies , and in a moment from being like angels transform them into the perfect resemblance of the first apostates , devils ? is this an effect of those tender mercies that are over all his works ? and ( ) hath that wisdome that hath made all things to operate according to their natures , and provided them with what ever is necessary to that end , made myriads of noble spirits capable of as noble operations , and presently plunged them into such a condition wherein they cannot act at all according to their first and proper dispositions , but shall be necessitated to the quite contrary ; and have other noxious and depraved inclinations fatally impos'd upon their pure natures doth that wisdome , that hath made all things in number , weight , and measure , and disposed them in such exact harmony and proportions , use to act so ineptly ? and that in the best and noblest pieces of his creation ? doth it use to make and presently destroy ? to frame one thing and give it such or such a nature , and then undo what he had done , and make it an other ? and if there be no such irregular methods used in the framing of inferiour creatures , what reason have we to suspect that the divine wisdome did so vary from its self in its noblest composures ? and ( ) , is it not a great affront to the divine justice , to suppose , as we are commonly taught , that assoon as we are born , yea , and in the womb , we are obnoxious to eternal wrath and torments , if our souls are then immediately created out of nothing ? for , to be just is to give every one his due ; and how can endless unsupportable punishments be due to innocent spirits , who but the last moment came righteous , pure , and immaculate out of their creators hands ; and have not done or thought any thing since , contrary to his will or laws , nor were in any the least capacity of sinning . i , but the first of our order , our general head and representative , sinned , and we in him ; thus we contract guilt as soon as we have a beeing , and are lyable to the punishment of his disobedience . this is thought to solve all , and to clear god from any shadow of unrighte●sness . but what ever truth there is in the thing it self , i think it cannot stand upon the hypothesis of the souls immediate creation nor yet justifie god in his proceedings . for , ( ) if i was then newly created when first in this body ; what was adam to mee , who sinned above years before i came out of nothing ? if he represented me , it must be as i was in his loins , that is , in him as an effect in a cause . but so i was not , according to this doctrine ; for my soul ownes no father but god , its immediate progenitour . and what am i concern'd then in his sins , which had never my will or consent , more then in the sins of 〈◊〉 , or julius caesar ? nay , than in the sins of belzebub or lucifer ? and for my body , 't is most likely , that never an atom of his , ever came at mee ; or , if any did , he was no cause on 't . besides , that of it self is neither capable of sense , sin , guilt , nor punishment : or , ( ) admitting that we become thus obnoxious assoon as in the body , upon the account of his default , how doth it comport with the divine justice , in one moment to make such excellent creatures , and in the next to render them so miserable , by thrusting them into a condition , so fatally obnoxious ; especially since they were capable of living and acting in bodies more perfect , and more accommodate to their new undesiled natures . certainly , could they have been put to their choice whether they would have come into being upon such termes , they would rather have been nothing for ever . and god doth not use to make his creatures so , as that , without their own fault , they shall have cause to unwish themselves . hitherto in this second general arg. i have dealt against those that believe and assert the original depravity of our natures : which those that deny , may think themselves not pinch't by or concern●d in ; since they think they do no such dishonour to the divine attributes , while they assert , that we were not made in so deplorable and depraved a condition , but have so made our selves by our voluntary aberrations . but neither is this a fit plaister for the sore , supposing our souls to be immediately created and so sent into these bodies . for still it seems to be a diminutive and disparaging apprehen●on of the infinite and immense goodness of god , that he should detrude such excellent creatures as our souls into a state so hazardous , wherein he seeth it to be ten thousand to one , but that they will corrupt , and defile themselves , and so make themselves miserable here , and to eternity hereafter . and certainly , be we as indifferent naturally to good and evill as can be supposed ; yet great are the disadvantages to virtue that all men unavoidably meet with , in this state of imperfection . for considering , that our infant and growing age is an age of sense , in which our appetites , and passions are very strong , and our reasons weak , and scarce any thing but a chain of imaginations , 't is i say great odds , but that we should be caryed to inordinacy , and exceed the bounds the divine laws have set us . so that our lower powers of sense and passions using to have the head , will grow strong and impetuous ; and thus 't is an hundred to one but we shall be rooted in vice , before we come to the maturity of our reasons , or are capable of the exercise of virtue . and wofull experience teacheth us , that most men run so far before they consider whither they are agoing , that the care and diligence of all their lives after , will scarce reclaim them . besides , the far greatest part of the world are led into wickednesse and all kinds of debauchery , by corrupt and vitious education . and 't is not difficult to observe what an inormous strength , bad education hath to deprave and pervert well dispos'd inclinations . which things consider'd , this way also methinks reflects a disparagement on the divine attributes : since by creating souls daily and putting them into such bodies , and such parts of the world as his infinite wisdome sees will debauch them , and pervert them from the ways of righteousnesse and happinesse , into those of vice and misery ; he deals with them lesse mercifully then a parent among us would with his off-spring . and to suppose god to have lesse goodnesse then his degenerate creatures , is to have very narrow apprehensions of his perfections , and to 〈◊〉 him of the honour due to his attributes . ( ) it hath been urged with good probability by great and wise sages , that 't is an unbecomming apprehension of the majesty on high , to suppose him assistant to unlawful and unclean coitions , by creating a soul to animate the impure foetus . and to think , it is in the power of brutish lust to determine omnipotence to create a soul , whensoever a couple of unclean adulterers shall think fit to join in their bestial pleasures ; is methinks to have a very mean apprehension of the divine majesty and purity . this is to make him the worst of servants by supposing him to serve his creature's vices , to wait upon the vilest actions , and to engage the same infinite power that made the world for the perfecting what was begun by dissolute wantons . this argument was used of old by pious and learned origen , and hath been imployed in the same service since , by his modern defendents . but i foresee an evasion or two , that possibly with some may stand for an answer , the removal of which will clear the businesse . it may be pretended that god's attending to create souls for the supply of such generations , is but an act of his justice , for the detection , and consequently punishment , of such lawless offenders ; which therefore will be no more matter of disparagement then the waiting of an officer of justice to discover and apprehend a malefactour . but this subterfuge cannot elude the force of the argument , for it hath no place at all in most adulteries ; yea great injustice and injury is done many times by such illegitimate births ; the child of a stranger being by this means admitted to carry away the inheritance from the lawful off-spring . besides , god useth not ordinarily to put forth his almighty power to discover secret miscarriages , except sometimes for very remarkable and momentous ends , but leaves hidden iniqui●es to be the objects of his own castigations . and if discovery of the fault be the main end of such creations , methinks that might be done at a cheaper rate , that should not have brought so much inconvenience with it , or have exposed his own innocent and harmlesse off-spring to undeserv'd reproach and infamy . but further it may be suggested , that it is no more indecent for god to create souls to furnish those unlawful generations , then it is that a man should be nourisht by meat that he hath unlawfully come by , or that the cattle which he hath stoln should ingender with his own . but the difference of these instances from the case in hand is easily discernable ; in that the nourishment and productions spoken of , proceed in a set orderly way of natural causes , which work fatally and necessarily without respect to morall circumstances ; and there is no reason , it should be in the power of a sinful creature to ingage his maker to pervert or stop the course of nature , when he pleaseth . but in the case of creating souls , god is supposed to act by explicit and immediate will , the suspending of which , in such a case as this , is far different in point of credit and decorum , from his altering the setled laws he hath set in the creation , and turning the world upside-down . i might further add ( ly ) , that it seems very incongruous and unhandsome to suppose , that god should create a souls for the supply of one monstrous body . and of such prodigious productions there is mention in history . that 's a remarkable instance in sennertus , of a monster born at emmaus with two hearts , and two heads ; the diversity of whose appe●ites , perceptions and affections , testified that it had two souls within that bi-partite habitation . now , to conceive the most wise maker and contriver of all things , immediately to create two souls , for a single body , rather then suffer that super-plus of matter which constitutes the monstrous excrescence to prove effoete & inanimate , is methinks a derogatory apprehension of his wisdome , and supposeth him to act more ineptly in the great and immediate instances of his power , than in the ordinary course of nature about less noble and accurate productions . or , if it be pretended , that souls were sent into them while the bodies were yet distinct , but that after wards they grew into one : this , i say will not heal the breach that this hypothesis makes upon the divine wisdome ; it ●acitely reflecting a shameful oversight upon omniscience , that he should not be aware of the future coalescence of these bodies into one , when he made souls for them ; or at least , 't is to suppose him , knowingly to act ineptly . besides , that the rational soul is not created till the body , as to the main stroaks of it at least , is framed , is the general opinion of the assertours of daily creation ; so that then there is no roome for this evasion . and now one would think that an opinion so very obnoxious , and so lyable to such grand inconveniences , should not be admitted but upon most pressing reasons and ineludable demonstrations . and yet there is not an argument that i ever heard of from reason to inforce it , but only such as are brought from the impossibility of the way of traduction , which indeed is chargeable with as great absurdities , as that we have been discoursing of . 't is true , several scriptures are prest for the service of the cause ; but i doubt much against their intent and inclination . general testimonies there are to prove that god is the father and creatour of souls , which is equally true , whether we suppose it made just as it is united to these bodies , or did praeexist , and was before them ; but that it is just then created out of nothing when first it comes into these earthly bodies , i know not a word in the inspired writings that speaks it . for that saying of our saviour , my father worketh hitherto , and i work , is by the most judicious understood of the works of preservation and providence . those of creation being concluded within the first hebdomade , accordingly as is exprest in the history , that god on the seventh day rested from all his works . nor can there an instance be given of any thing created since , or is there any pretended , but that which hath been the subject of our inquiry ; which is no inconsiderable presumption , that that was not so neither ; since the divine way of working is not pari● colour or humoursome , but uniform , and consonant to the laws of exactest wisdome . so that for us to suppose that god , after the compleating . of his creation , and the laws given to 〈◊〉 things for their action , and continuanc● to be every moment working in a quit● other way in one instance of beings , tha● he doth in all besides ; is methinks a som● what odd apprehension , especially whe● no reason urgeth to it , and scripture silent . for such places as this [ the 〈◊〉 of the spirits of all flesh , the father 〈◊〉 spirits . the spirit returns to god 〈◊〉 gave it . the souls which i have mad● we are his off-spring . who formeth 〈◊〉 spirit of man within him , and the like signifie no more , but that our souls 〈◊〉 a nearer relation to god then our bodies as being his immediate workmanship made without any creature-interposal and more especially regarded by him but to inferre hence , that they 〈◊〉 then produced when these bodies 〈◊〉 generated , is illogicall and inconsequen● so that all that these scriptures will ser● for , is only to disprove the doctrine 〈◊〉 fraduction , but makes not a tittle for the ordinary hypothesis of daily creation against praeexistence . chap. iii. ( ) traduction of souls is impossible , the reasons for it weak and frivolous , the proposal of praeexistence . thus then we have examind the first way of stating the soul's original , that of continual creation ; and finding no sure resting place for our inquiry here , we remove to the second . the way of traduction or seminal propagation . and the adherers to this hypothesis are of sorts , viz. either such as make the soul to be nothing but a purer sort of matter , or of those that confess it wholly spiritual and immaterial . he dispatch the former , briefly strike at the root of their misconceit of the souls production , and shew it cannot be matter , be it as pure as can be conceived . therefore ( i ) if the soul be matter , then whatever perceptions or apprehensions it hath , or is capable of , they were let in at the senses . and thus the great patron of the hypothesis states it , in his leviathan , and other writings . but now clear it is that our souls have some conceptions , which they never received from external sense ; for there are some congenite implicite principles in us , without which there could be no sensation ; since the images of objects are very smal and inconsiderable in our brains , comparatively to the vastness of the things which they represent , and very unlike them in multitudes of other circumstances , so that 't were impossible we should have the sensible representation of any thing , were it not that our souls use a kind of geometry , or mathematick inference in judging of external objects by those little hints it finds in material impressions . which art and the principles thereof were never received from sense , but are presupposed to all sensible perceptions . and , were the soul quite vold of all such implicit notions , it would remain as senselesse as a stone for ever . besides , we find our minds fraught with principles logical , moral , metaphysical , which could never owe their original to sense otherwise , then as it gives us occasions of using them . for sense teacheth no general propositions , but only affords singulars for induction ; which being an inference , must proceed from an higher principle that ownes no such dependence on the senses as being found in the mind , and not deriv'd from any thing without . also we find in our selves mathematical notions , and build certain demonstrations on them , which abstract from sense and matter . and therefore never had them from any material power but from somthing more sublime and excellent . but this argument is of too large a consideration to be treated of here and therefore i content my self with those brief touches , and passe on . ( ) if the soul be matter 't is impossible it should have the sense of any thing : for either the whole image of the object must be received in one point of this sensitive matter ; a thing absurd at first view , that such variety of distinct and orderly representations should be made at once upon a single atom ; or the whole image is imprest upon every point , and then there would be as many objects as there are points in this matter ; and so every thing would be infinitely multiplyed in our delusive senses . or finally , every part of the soul must receive a proportionable part of the image ; and then , how could those parts communicate their perceptions to each other , and what should perceive the whole ? this argument is excellently managed by the great dr. h. more , in whose writings this fond hypothesis is fully triumpht over , and defeated . since therefore the very lowest degree of perception , single and simple sense , is incompatible to 〈◊〉 body or matter , we may safely conclude , that the higher and nobler operations of imagining , remembring , reasoning , and willing must have a cause and source that is not corporeal . thus therefore those that build the souls traduction upon this ground of its being only body and modified matter , are disappointed in the foundation of but ( ) another sort of assertors of traduction teach the soul to be spiritual and incorporeal , and affirm that by a vertue deriv'd from the first benediction , it can propagate its like ; one soul emitting another as the body doth the matter of generation . the manner of which spiritual production useth to be illustrated by one candles lighting another ; and a mans begetting a thought in anothers mind , without diminishing of his own . this is the most favourable representation of this opinion , that i can think on . and yet , if we nearly consider it , it will appear most absurd & unphilosophical for if one soul produce another , 't is either out of nothing or something praeexistent . if the former , 't is an absolute creation , which all philosophy concludes impossible for a creature . and if it be pretended that the parent doth it not by his proper natural virtue but by a strength imparted by god in the first blessing , increase and multiply , so that god is the prime agent , he only the instrument : i rejoin , that then either god hath thereby obliged himself to put forth a new and extraordinary power in every such occasion , distinct from his influence in the ordinary course of nature : or else ( ) he only concurres by his providence , as he doth to our other natural actions , we having this ability bestowed upon our very natures . he that asserts the first , runs upon all the rocks that he would avoid in the former hypothesis of continual creation , and god will be made the cause of the sin and misery of his spotless and blameless creatures ; which absurdities he cannot shun by saying , that god , by interposing in such productions , doth but follow the rules of acting , which he first made while man was innocent . for certainly infinite goodnesse would never have tyed up it self to such laws of working , as he foresaw would presently bring unavoidable inconvenience , misery , and ruine upon the best part of his workmanship . and for the second way , it supposeth god to have no more to do in this action then in our eating and drinking . consequently , here is a creation purely natural . and ●methinks if we have so vast a power to ●ring the ends of contradictorys together , ●omthing out of nothing , ( which some deny to omnipotence it self ) t is much we cannot conscrve in being our creature 〈◊〉 produced , nor our own intimate selves , since conservation is not more then creation . and t is much , that in other thing we should give such few specimens of so vast an ability ; or , have a power so divine and excellent , and no faculty to discerne it by . again ( ) if the soul be immediately produced out of nothing , be the agent who it will , god or the parent , it will be pure and sinlesse . for , supposing our parents to be our creators ; they make 〈◊〉 but as natural agents , and so can only transmit their natural qualities , but not their moral pravities . wherefore there can no better account be given from this way how the soul is so debauched and infected assoon as it comes into the body , 〈◊〉 in the former , and therefore it fails in the main end it is design'd for . thus we see then that the traduction of the soul supposing it to be produced out of nothing , cannot be defended . nor doth the second general way , yield any more relief to this hypothesis . for if it be made of any thing praeexistent , it is either of matter or spirit . the former we have undermin'd and overthrown already , in what was said against those , that hold it to be body . and if it be made out of any spiritual substance , it must be the soul of the parent , ( except we will revive the old enthusiastick conceit of its being a particle of the divine essence ) which supposition is against the nature of an immaterial being , a chief property of which , is to be indiscerpible . nor do the similitudes i mention'd in the proposal of the hypothesis , at all fit the businesse ; for one candle lights another , by separable emissions that passe from the flame of that which is kindled , to the ●ieke of the other . and flame is a body whose parts are in continual flux , as a ●iver . but the substance of the soul is stable , permanent , and indivisible , which quite makes it another case . and for a mans informing anothers mind with a thought which he had not conceived , it is not a production of any substance , but only an occasioning him to exertan operation of his mind which he did not before . and therefore makes nothing to the illustrating , how a soul can produce a soul , a substance distinct and without it self ; thus we see how desperate the case of the soul's original is in the hypothesis of traduction also . but yet to let it have fair play , wee 'l give it leave to plead it's cause ; and briefly present what is most material in its behalf . there are but two reasons that i can think of , worth a naming ( ) a man begets a man , and a man he is not without a soul , therefore 't is pretended that the soul is begotten . but this argument is easily detected of palpable sophistry , and is as if one should argue , a man is mortall therefore his soul is mortall , or is fat and lusty therefore his soul is so . the absurdity of which kinds of reasoning lyes in drawing that into a strict and rigorous affirmation , which is only meant according to vulgar speech , and is true only , in some remarkable respect or circumstance . thus we say , a man begetts a man , because he doth the visible and only sensible part of him ; the vulgar , to whom common speech is accommodate , not taking so much notice of what is past the ken of their sences . and therefore body in ordinary speaking is oft put for person as here man for the body . sometimes the noblest part is us'd for the whole , as when 't is said souls went down with jacob into egypt ; therefore such arguments as the assertours of traduction make use of , which are drawn from vulgar schemes of speech , argue nothing but the desperatenesse of the cause , that needs such pitiful sophistries to recommend it . such are these proofs which yet are some of the best i meet with , the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head ; souls descended out of jacobs loins ; adam begat a son in his own likenesse , and such like . according to this rate of arguing the scripture may be made speak any thing that our humoursome phancies please to dictate . and thus to rack the sacred writings , to force them whether they will or no to bring evidence to our opinions ; is an affront to their authority that 's next to the denying on 't . i might adde ( ) that begetting also hath a latitude , and in common speech signifies not a strict and philosophical production ; so that a man begets a man , though he only generates the body , into which fitly prepared descends a soul. and he that doth that upon which another thing necessarily follows , is said to be the cause of both . ( ) the adherents to traduction use to urge , that , except the whole man soul and body be propagated , there is no account can be given of our original defilement . and scripture gives evident testimony to that early pollution ; for we are said to be conceived in sin , and transgressors from the womb. we have already seen that indeed the way of daily creating souls , cannot come off but with vilely aspersing the divine attributes . and it hath been hinted , that neither can traduction solve the business : for if the parent beget the soul out of nothing , it will be as pure and clean as if god himself were it's immediate creatour ; for though a clean thing cannot come out of an unclean , when any thing of the substance of the producent is imparted to the effect ; yet where 't is made out of nothing the reason is very different , yea , the soul in all the powers that are concern'd in this production is now as clean and pure as ever 't was ; for it is suppos'd to do it by a capacity given , at its first creation while pure and innocent ; in which respect it is not capable of moral contagion ; this being an ability meerly natural and plastick , and not at all under the imperium or command of the will the only seat of morall good and evill . or , if our souls are but particles and decerptions of our parents , then i must have been guilty of all the sins that ever were committed by my progenitors ever since adam ; and by this time , my soul would have been so deprav'd and debauch'd , that it would be now brutish , yea diabolical . thus then we see , that even upon this reason 't is necessary , to pitch upon some other hypothesis , to give an account of the pravity of our natures ; which both these fayl in the solution of . and , since the former committs such violence upon the honour of the divine attributes , since the latter is so contrary to the nature of things , and since neither can give any satisfaction in the great affairs of providence and our natures , or have any incouragement from the sacred volume ; 't is i think very excusable for us to cast our eies abroad , to see if there be no other way , that may probably unriddle those mysteries , and relieve the minds of anxious and contemplative inquirers . in which search , if we light on any thing that doth sweetly accord with the attributes of god , the nature of things , and unlocks the intricacies of providence ; i think we have found , what the two former opinions aim at , but cannot make good their pretences to . and may salute the truth with a joyfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherefore from the modern disputants , let us look towards the antient sages , those eastern sophi , that have fill'd the world with the same of their wisdome ; and since our inquiries are benighted in the west , let us look towards the east ; from whence 't is likely the desired light may display it self , and chase away the darknesse that covers the face of those theories . therefore it was the opinion of the indian brachmans , the persian magi , the aegyptian gymnosophists , the fewish rabbins , some of the graecian philosophers , and christian fathers , that the souls of men were created all at first ; and at several times and occasions upon forfeiture of their better life and condition , drop't down into these terrestrial bodies . this the learned among the jews made a part of their cabbala , and preten to have received it from their great law-giver , moses : which hypothesis , if it appear but probable to an impartial inquiry , will even on that account be preferrible to both the former , which we have seen to be desperate . chap. iv. ( praeexistence ) praeexistence cannot be disproved . scripture saith nothing against it . it 's silence is no prejudice to this doctrine , but rather an argument for it , as the case standeth . praeexistence was the common opinion of our saviour's times . how , probably , it came to be lost in the christian church . therefore let us see what title it can shew for our assent , or whether it can prove it self worthy of the patronage of those great authors that have owned it . ( ) then , whether this doctrine be true or no , i m'e confident it cannot be proved false : for if all souls were not made together , it must be , either because god could not do it ; or because he would not , for the first , i suppose very few have such narrow conceptions of the divine power , as to affirm that omnipotence could not produce all those beings at first , which apart he is suppos'd to create daily ; which implies no contradiction , or as much as difficulty , to be conceived ; and which de facto he hath done in the case of angells . or , if inconsistence with any attribute should be pretended , that shall be prov'd quite otherwise hereafter ; and the amicable consistence of this hypothesis with them , yea the necessity of it , from this very consideration of the divine attributes , shall be argued in the process . therefore , whoever concludes that god made not all souls of old , when he produced the world out of nothing , must confesse the reason of this assertion to be , because he would not . and then i would ask him , how he came to know what he affirms so boldly ? who acquainted him with the divine counsells ? is there a word said in his revealed will to the contrary ? or , hath he by his holy penmen told us that either of the other waies was more suitable to his beneplaciture ? indeed , 't is very likely that a strong and ready phancy , possest with a perswasion of the falshood of this hypothesis , might find some half phrases in scripture , which he might suborne to sing to the tune of his imagination . for , in such a miscellaneous piece as the bible is , it will not be difficult for a man that 's strongly resolv'd against an opinion , to find somewhat or other that may seem to him to speak the language of his phancy ; and therefore it shall go hard , but that those whom their education or prejudice have ingaged against this hypothesis , will light on some obscure pieces of texts , and broken sentences or other , that shall seem to condemn what they disapprove of . but i am securely confident , that there is not a sentence in the sacred volume , from end to end , that ever was intended to teach , that all souls were not made of old ; or that , by a legitimate consequence , would inferre it . and if any there be that seem to look another way , i dare say they are collateral , and were never designed by the divine authors for the purpose they are made to serve , by the enemies of praeexistence . wherefore not to conceal any thing that with the least shew of probability can be pretended from the sacred volume in discountenance of the doctrine of praeexistence , i 'le bring into view whatever i know to have the least face of a testimony to the contrary , in the divine revelations . that so , when it shall appear that the most specious texts that can be alledg'd , have nothing at all in them to disprove the souls praeexistence , we may be secure that god hath not discovered to us in his written will , that 't was not his pleasure to create all souls together . therefore ( i ) , it may be pretended , that the doctrine of praeexistence comports not with that innocence and integrity in which the scripture determines adam to have been made . since it supposeth the descent into these bodyes to be a culpable lapse from an higher and better state of life , and this to be a state of incarceration for former delinquencies . to this i answer . ( ) no one can object any thing to purpose against praeexistence from the unconceiveablenesse of it , untill he know the particular frame of the hypothesis , without which , all impugnations relating to the manner of the thing , will be wide of the mark , and but little to the businesse . therefore , if the objectour would have patience to wait till we come to that part of our undertaking , he would find that there was but little ground for such a scruple . but however to prevent all cavillings , in this place i 'le shew the invalidity of this objection . wherefore , ( ) there is no necessity from the doctrine of praeexistence to suppose adam a delinquent , before his noted transgression in a terrestrial body : for considering , that his body had vast advantages above ours , in point of beauty , purity , and serviceablenesse to the soul , what harshness is there in conceiving that god might send one of those immaculate spirits that he had made , into such a tenement , that he might be his steward in the affairs of this lower family ; and an overseer , and ruler of those other creatures that he had order'd to have their dwelling upon earth . i am sure , there is no more contrariety to any of the divine attributes in this supposition , then there is in that , which makes god to have sent a pure spirit , which he had just made , into such a body . yea , ( ) supposing that some souls fell , when the angells did ( which the process of our discourse will shew to be no unreasonable supposition ) this was a merciful provision of our maker , and a generous undertaking for a seraphick and untainted spirit . for by this means , fit and congruous matter is prepared for those souls to reside and act in , who had rendred themselves unfit to live and injoy themselves in more refined bodyes . and so those spirits that had sinn'd themselves into a state of silence and inactivity , are by this seasonable means , which the divine wisdome and goodnesse hath contriv'd for them , put once more into a capacity of acting their parts anew , and comming into play again . now if it seem hard to any to conceive how so noble a spirit in such an advantagious body , should have been impos'd upon by so gross a delusion , and submit so impotently to the first temptation ; he may please to consider , that the difficulty is the same , supposing him just then to have been made ; if we grant him but that purity and those great perfections both of will , and understanding , which orthodox theology allows him . yea again ( ) i might ask what inconvenience there is in supposing , that adam himself was one of those delinquent souls , which the divine pitty and compassion had thus set up again ; that so , so many of his excellent creatures might not be lost and undone irrecoverabiy : but might act anew , though upon a lower stage in the universe : a due consideration of the infinite foecundity and fulnesse of the divine goodnesse will , if not warrant , yet excuse such a supposition . but now if it be demanded , what adam's standing had been to his posterity , had he continued in the state of innocence ; and how sin and misery is brought upon us by his fall , according to this hypothesis : i answer , that then among many other great priviledges , he had transsmitted downwards by way of natural generation that excellent and blessed temper of body ; which should have been like his own happy crasis . so that our apprehensions should have been more large and free , our affections more regular and governable ; and our inclinations to what is good and vertuous , strong and vigorous . for we cannot but observe in this state , how vast an influence the temper of our bodyes hath upon our minds ; both in reference to intellectual and moral dispositions . thus , daily experience teacheth us , how that , according to the ebb or flow of certain humours in our bodies , our witts are either more quick , free , and sparkling , or else more obtuse , weak , and sluggish . and we find that there are certain clean and healthy dispositions of body which make us cheerful , and contented ; others on the contrary ●orose , melancholly , and dogged . and 't is easie to observe how age or sicknesse sowres , and crabbs our natures . i might instance in allmost all other qualities of the mind , which are strangely influenc● and modifyed according to the bodie 's constitution . but none will deny so plain a truth ; and therefore i forbear to insist further on it . nor need i mention any more advantages ; so many , and such great ones , being consequent upon this . but our great protoplast and representative , falling through his unhappy disobedience , besides the integrity and rectitude of his mind , he lost also that blessed constitution of body , which would have been so great a priviledg to his off spring : so that it became now corrupt , weak , and indisposed for the nobler exercises of the soul ; and he could transmit no better to us , then himself was owner of . thus we fell in him , and were made miserable by his transgression . we have bodies convey'd to us , which strangely do bewitch and betray us . and thus we all bear about us the marks of the first apostacy . there are other sad effects of his defection , but this may suffice for my present purpose . thus we see how that the derivation of original depravity from adam is as clear in this hypothesis , as can be pretended in either of the other . and upon other accounts it seems to have much the advantage of both of them . as will appear to the unprejudiced in what is further to be discours'd of . finally , therefore , if the urgers of the letter of genesis of either side , against this hypothesis , would but consider , that the souls that descend hither , for their praevarication in another state , lye in a long condition of silence and insensibility , before they appear in terrestrial bodies ; each of them then might , from the doctrine of praeexistence thus stated , gain all the advantages which he supposeth to have by his own opinion , and avoid all those absurdities which he seeth the other run upon . if the assertours of daily creation think it clear from scripture that god is the father of spirits , and immediate maker of souls , they 'l find the same made good and assented to in this hypothesis . and if they are unwilling to hold — any thing contrary to the nature of the soul , which is immortal and indiscerpible , the doctrine of praeexistence amicably closeth with them in this also . and if the patrons of traduction would have a way , how sin and misery may be propagated from our first parent without aspersing the divine attributes , or affirming any thing contrary to the phaenomena of providence , and nature ; this hypothesis will clear the businesse ; it giving us so fair an account how we all dye in adam , without blotting the wisdome , justice , or goodnesse of god , or affirming any thing contrary to the appearances of nature . i have been the longer on this argument , because 't is like to be one main objection ; and we see it is so far from prejudicing , that it is no inconsiderable evidence of the truth of praeexistence . and now , besides this that i have named , i cannot think of any arguments from scripture against this doctrine , considerable enough to excuse a mention of them . however , if the candid reader will pardon the impertinency i 'le present to view what i find most colourable . therefore ( ) , it may be some are so inadvertent as to urge against our souls having been of old , that , sacred writ says we are but of yesterday ; which expression of divine scripture , is questionlesse to be understood of our appearance on this stage of earth . and is no more an argument against our praeexistence , then that other phrase of his , before 〈◊〉 go hence , and bee no more , is against our future existence in an other state after the present life is ended . nor will it prove more the business it is brought for , then the expression of rachels weeping for her children because they were not , will inferre , that they were , absolutely nothing . nor can any thing more be made . ( ) of that place in ecclesiastes , yea better is he than both they , ( meaning the dead and living ) which hath not yet been ; since , besides that 't is a like scheme of speech with the former , it seems more to favour , then discountenance praeexistence for what is absolutely nothing can neither be worse , nor better . moreover , we comming from a state of silence and inactivity when we drop into these bodies , we were before , as if we had not been ; and so there is better ground in this case , for such a manner of speaking , then in meer non-appearance ; which yet scripture phraseth a not being . and now i cannot think of any place in the sacred volume more that could make a tolerable plea against this hypothesis , of our souls having been before they came into these bodyes ; except ( ) any will draw a negative argument from the history of the creation , concluding that the souls of men were not made of old , because there is no mention there , of any such matter . to which i return briefly , that the same argument concludes against the being of angells of whose creation there is no more say'd in the first story then of this inferiour rank of spirits , souls . the reason of which silence is commonly taken to be , because moses had here to do with a rude and illiterate people , who had few or no apprehensions of any thing beyond their senses , and therefore he takes notice to them of nothing but what was sensible and of common observation . this reason is given also why minerals were omitted . 't were an easy matter , to shew how the outward cortex , the letter of this history is adapted to mean and vulgar apprehensions , whose narrowness renders them incapable of sublimer speculations . but that being more then needs for our present purpose , i shall forbear to speak further of it . i might ( ) further adde , that great and learned interpreters tell us , that all sorts of spirits , angels , and souls are symbolically meant by the creation of heaven , and light . and , if it were directly in the way of our present businesse , it might be made appear to be no improbable conjecture . but i referre him that is curious in this particular to the great restorer of the antient cabbala , the learned dr. h. more in his conjectura cabbalistica . and now from the consideration of the silence of the first history , we descend to the last and most likely to be urged scruple , which is to this purpose . ( ) we are not to step beyond the divine revelations , and since god hath made known no such doctrine as this , of the souls praeexistence any where in his word , we may reasonably deny it , or at least have no ground to imbrace it . this is the most important objection of all the rest , and most likely to prepossess timerous and wary inquirers against this hypothesis ; wherefore i conceive that a full answer to this doubt , will prevent many scrupulous haesitations , and make way for an unprejudic'd hearing of what i have further to alledg in the behalf of this opinion and ( ) i wish that those that urge scripture silence to disprove praeexistence would consider , how silent it is both in the case of daily creation , and traduction , we have seen already that there is nothing in sacred writ to warrant either , but only such generalls from which the respective patrons of either doctrine would inferre their own conclusion , though indeed they all of them with better right and congruity prove praeexistence . ( ) i suppose those that argue from scripture-silence in such cases mistake the design of scripture , which is not to determine points of speculation , but to be a rule of life and manners . nor doth it otherwise design the teaching of doctrinals , then as they have a tendency to promote the divine life , righteousnesse , and holinesse . it was never intended by it's inspired authors to fill our heads with notions , but to regulate our disorderly appetites and affections , and to direct us the way to a nobler happinesse . therefore those that look for a systeme of opinions in those otherways-designed writings , do like him that should see for a body of natural philosophy , in epictetus his moralls , or seneca's epistles . ( ) christ and his apostles spoke and writ as the condition of the persons with whom they dealt administred occasion , as did also the other pen-men . therefore doubtlesse there were many noble theories which they could have made the world acquainted with , which yet for want of a fit occasion to draw them forth were never upon record . and we know , few speculative truths are deliver'd in scripture , but such as were call'd forth by the controversies of those times : and praeexistence was none of them , it being the constant opinion of the jews , as appears by that question , master , was it for this man's sin or his fathers , that he was born blind , which supposeth it of the disciples also . wherefore ( ) there was little need of more teaching of that , which those times were sufficiently instructed in : and indeed , as the case stands , if scripture-silence be argumentative , 't wil be for the advantage of praeexistence ; since it being the then common opinion , and the disciples themselves being of that belief 't is very likely , had it been an errour , that saviour saviour or his apostles would have witnest against it . but there being not a word let fall from them in disapprooval of that opinion , though sometimes occasions were administred ( as by the question of the disciples , and some other occurrences ) 't is a good presumption of the soundnesse of it . now that praeexistence was the common opinion of the jews , in those times might be made good with full and convictive evidence , were it worth our labour to insist much upon this inquiry ; but this being only a by consideration , a brief touch of it will suffice us . one of the great rabbins therefore , mr. ben israel in his problems de creatione , assures us , that praeexistence was the common belief of all wise men among the jews , without exception . and the author of the book of wisdome , who certainly was a jew , probably philo , plainly supposeth the same doctrine in that speech , for i was a witty child , and had agood spirit , wherefore the rather being good , i came into a body un●filed . as also did the disciples in their foremention'd question to our saviour ; for except they supposed , that he might have si●ned before he was born , the question had been senslesse and impertinent . again , when christ 〈◊〉 them , whom men said he was they answered , that some said john the baptist , others elias , others jeremias or one of the prophets , which sayings of theirs suppose their beliefe of a metempsychosis & consequently of praeexistence . these , one would think , were very proper occasions for our saviour to have rectified his mistaken followers , had their supposition been an errour , as he was wont to do in cases not more considerable . therefore if the enemies of praeexistence will needs urge scriptures supposed silence against it ; they have no reason to take it amisse if i shew them how their argument recoyls upon themselves , and destroies their own cause , instead of their adversaries . ( ) besides , there were doubtlesse many doctrines entertain'd by the apostles and the more learned of their followers , which were disproportion'd to the capacities of the generality , who hold but little theory . there was strong meat for the more grown and manly christians , as well as milk for babes , and weaker constitutions . now scripture was design'd for the benefit of the most , and they could little understand , and lesse make use of a speculation so remote from common conceit , as praeexistence . among us , wise men count it not so proper to deal forth deep and mysterious points in divinity to common and promiscuous auditories . wherefore the apostles and others of their more improv'd and capable disciples might have had such a doctrine among them , though it were never expresly defined in their publique writings . and the learned origen and some other of the antients affirme that praeexistence was a cabbala which was handed down from the apostolick ages , to their times ; and we know those were early , and had therefore better advantages of knowing the certainty of such a tradition , then we at so vast a distance . nor need any wonder how it came at length to be lost , or at least kept but among a few , who considers the grossnesse of succeeding ages , when such multitudes could swallow the dull and coorse anthropomorphite doctrines ; much lesse , if he reflects upon that black night of barbarick ignorance which spread it self over this western world , upon the incursion of those rude and unciviliz'd nations that ' ore-ran the empire : out of which darknesse , 't was the work of some centuries to recover the then obscured region of civility and letters . moreover , it would allay the admiration of any one inquisitive in such researches , when he shall have taken notice of the starting up and prevailing of school-divinity in the world , which was but aristotles philosophy theologiz'd . and we know that philosophy had the luck to swim in the general esteem and credit , when platonis● and the more antient wisdome , a branch of which , praeexistence was ; were almost quite sunk and buried . so that a theology being now made , out of aristotelian principles , 't is no wonder that praeexistence was left out , nothing being suppos'd to have been said of it , by the great author of that philosophy ; and his admiring sectators were loath to borrow so considerable a theory , from their masters neglected rival , plato . but 〈◊〉 at once to remove this stone of offence out of the way , i think scripture is not so silent in this matter as is imagin'd . and i 'me confident , more can be said from those divine writings in behalf of praeexistence , then for many opinions , that it's opposers are very fond of , and think to be there evidently asserted . and had this been a commonly received doctrine , and mens witts as much exercis'd for the defence on 't , as they have been for the common dogmata , i nothing doubt , but that scriptures would have been heaped up in abundance for it's justification , and it would have been thought to have been plainly witnest to , in the inspired volume . for , as mens phancies wil readily furnish them with a proof of that , of whose truth they are strongly prepossessed ; so , on the contrary , they 'l be very backward to see any evidence of that which is strange to them , and which hath alwaies been reputed an absurdity . but my scripture-evidence is not so proper for this place , i intending to make it an argument by it self . therefore if the urger of this objection , will but have a little patience till i come so far on the way of my discourse , i hope he may be satisfied that praeexistence is not such a stranger to scripture as he conceits it . chap. v. reasons against praeexistence answered . our forgetting the former state is no argument to disprove it : nor are the other reasons that can be produc'd , more conclusive . the proof of the possibility of praeexistence were enough , all other hypotheses being absurd and contradictious . but it is prov'd also by positive arguments . now therefore to proceed , let us look back upon our progresse , and so enter on what remains ; we have seen , that god could have created all souls at first had he so pleased , and that he hath revealed nothing in his written will to the contrary . and now if it be found also , that he hath not made it known to our reasons that 't was not his will to do so , we may conclude this first particular , that no one can say , that the doctrine of praeexistence is a falshhood . therefore let us call to account the most momentous reasons that can be laid against it , and we shall find that they all have not weight enough in the least to move so rational and solid an opinion . ( ) then , 't is likely to be urged , that had we lived and acted in a former state , we should doubtlesse have retain'd some remembrance of that condition ; but we having no memory of any thing backwards before our appearance upon this present stage , it will be thought to be a considerable praesumption , that praeexistence is but a phancy . but i would desire such kind of reasoners to tell me , how much they remember of their state and condition in the womb , or of the actions of their first infancy . and i could wish they would consider , that not one passage in an hundred is remembred of their grown and riper age . nor doth there scarce a night passe but we dream of many things which our waking memories can give us no account of ; yea old age and some kinds of diseases blot out all the images of things past , and even in this state cause a totall oblivion . now if the reasons why we should lose the remembrance of our former life be greater , then are the causes of forgetfulnesse in the instances we have produced , i think it will be clear , that this argument hath but little force against the opinion we are inquiring into . therefore if we do but reflect upon that long state of silence and inactivity that we emerged from , when we came into these bodies ; and the vast change we under-went by our sinking into this new and unwonted habitation , it will appear to the considerate , that there is greater reason why we should have forgotten our former life , then any thing in this . and if a disease or old age can rase out the memory of past actions , even while we are in one and the same condition of life , certainly so long and deep a swoon as is absolute insensibility and inertnesse , may much more reasonably be thought to blot our the memory of an other life , whose passages probably were nothing like the transactions of this . and this also might be given as an other reason of our forgetting our former state , since usually things are brought to our remembrance by some like occurrences . but ( ) some will argue , if this be a state of punishment for former misearriages how comes it about then , that 't is a better condition then that we last came from viz. the state of silence and insensibility . i answer , that if we look upon our present terrestrial condition an an effect of our defection from the higher life , and in reference to our former happinesse lost by our own default , 't is then a misery , and a punishment . but if we compare our now-being with the state of inactivity we were deliver'd from , it may then be call'd an after-game of the divine goodnesse , and a mercy . as a malefactor , that is at first put into a dark and disconsolate dungeon , and afterwards is remov'd to a more comfortable and lightsome prison , may acknowledge his remove to be a favour and deliverance compared with the place he was last confined to ; though with respect to his fault and former liberty , even this condition is both a mulct and a misery . it is just thus in the present case , and any one may make the application . but it will be said , ( ) if our souls liv'd in a former state did they act in bodies , or without them ? the former they 'l say is absurd , and the latter incongruous and unlikely ; since then all the powers the soul hath to exert in a body , would have been idle and to no purpose . but ( ) the most that can be argued from such like objections , is , that we know not the manner of the thing ; and are no arguments against the assertion it self . and were it granted that the particular state of the soul before it came hither is inconceivable , yet this makes no more against it , then it doth against it's after-condition ; which these very objectors hold to be so , as to the particular modus . but ( a ) why is it so absurd that the soul should have actuated another kind of body , before it came into this ? even here 't is immediately united to a purer vehicle , moves and acts the grosser body by it ; and why then might it not in its former and purer state of life have been join'd only to such a refined body , which should have been suitable to its own perfection and purity ? i 'me sure , many , if not the most of the antient fathers thought angells themselves to be embodyed , and therefore they reputed not this such a grosse absurdity . but an occasion hereafter will draw our pen this way again , and therefore i pass it to a third return to this objection . ( ) therefore , though it were granted that the soul lived afore-times without a body , what greater incongruity is there in such a supposition , then that it should live and act after death without any union with matter or any body whatsoever , as the objectors themselves conceive it doth ? but all such objections as these will fly away as mists before the sun , when we shall come particularly to state the hypothesis . and therefore i may be excused from further troubling my self and the reader about them here . especially since , as hath been intimated , they prove nothing at all , but that the objectors cannot conceive vvhat manner of state that of praeexistence was , which is no prejudice to the opinion it self ; that our souls were extant before these earthly bodies . thus then i hope i have clearly enough made good that all souls might have been created from the beginning ; for ought any thing that is made known , either in the scriptures or our reasons to the contrary . and thereby have remov'd those prejudices that would have stood in the way of our conclusion . wherefore we may now without controul , from our proof of , that it may be so , pass on to enquire , whether indeed it is so ; and see , whether it may as well be asserted , as defended . and truly considering that both the other ways are impossible , and this third not at all unreasonable , it may be thought needlesse to bring more forces into the field to gain it the victory , after its enemies are quite scattered and defeated . yet however , for the pomp and triumph of truth , though it need not their service we shall add some positive arguments , whereby it may appear , that not only all other ways are dangerous and unpassable , and this irreproveable ; but also that there is direct evidence enough to prove it solid and rational . and i make my first consideration of this kind , a second argument . chap. vi. a second argument for praeexistence drawn from the consideration of the divine goodnesse , which alwaies doth what is best . ( ) then , whoever conceives rightly of god , apprehends him to be infinite and immense goodnesse , who is alwaies shedding abroad of his own exuberant fulnesse : there is no straightness in the deity , no bounds to the ocean of love. now the divine goodnesse referrs not to himself , as ours extends not unto him . he acts nothing for any self-accomplishment , being essentially and absolutely compleat and perfect . but the object and term of his goodnesse is his creatures good and happinesse , in their respective capacities . he is that infinite fountain that is continually overflowing ; and can no more cease to shed his influences upon his indigent dependents then the sun to shine at noon . now as the infinite goodnesse of the deity , obligeth him alwaies to do good , so by the same reason to do that which is best ; since to omit any degrees of good would argue a defect in goodnesse , supposing wisdome to order , and power to execute . he therefore that supposeth god not alwaies to do what is best , and best for his creatures ( for he cannot act for his own good ) apprehends him to be lesse good then can be conceived , and consequently not infinitely so . for what is infinite , is beyond measure and apprehension . therefore to direct this to our purpose , god being infinitely good and that to his creatures , and therefore doing alwaies what is best for them , methinks it roundly follows that our souls lived and injoy'd themselves of old before they came into these bodies . for since they were capable of living and that in a much better and happier state long before they descended into this region of death and misery ; and since that condition of life and self-enjoyment would have been better , then absolute not-being , may we not safely conclude from a due consideration of the divine goodnesse , that it was so ? what was it that gave us our being , but the immense goodnesse of our maker ? and why were we drawn out of our nothings but because it was better for us to be , then not to be ? why were our souls put into these bodies , and not into some more squallid and ugly ; but because we are capable of such , and 't is better for us to live in these , then in those that are lesse sutable to our natures ? and had it not been better for us , to have injoy'd our selves and the bounty and favours of our maker of old , as did the other order of intellectual creatures ; then to have layn in the comfortless night of nothing till 'tother day ! had we not been better on 't to have lived and acted in the joyful regions of light and blessednesse with those spirits that at first had being , then just now to jump into this sad plight , and state of sin and wretchednesse . infinite power could as well have made us all at once , as the angells , and with as good congruity to our natures we might have liv'd and been happy without these bodies , as we shall be in the state of separation : since therefore it was best for us , and as easy for our creatour so to have effected it , where was the defect , if it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not this to 〈◊〉 his goodnesse ! and to straight-lace the divine beneficence . and doth not the contrary hypothesis to what i am pleading for , represent the god of love as lesse good and bountiful , then a charitable mortall , who would neglect no opportunity within his reach of doing what good he could to those that want his help and assistance ? i confesse , the world generally have such narrow and unbecomming apprehensions of god , and draw his picture in their imaginations so like themselves , that few i doubt will feel the force of this argument ; and mine own observation makes me enter the same suspicion of its successe that some others have who have used it . 't is only a very deep sense of the divine goodnesse can give it any perswasive energy . and this noble sentiment there are very few that are possest of . however to lend it what strength i can , i shall endeavour to remove some prejudices that hinder it's force and efficacy ; and when those spots and scum are wiped away that mistake and inadvertency have fastned on it , 't will be illustrious by its own brightnesse . chap. vii . this first evasion , that god acts freely , and his meere will is reason enough for his doing , or forbearing any thing , overthrown by four considerations . some incident evasions , viz. that gods wisdome , or his glory , may be contrary to this display of the divine goodnesse , in our being made of old , clearly taken off . ( ) therefore , will some say , god worketh freely , nor can he be oblig'd to act but when he pleaseth . and this will and pleasure of his is the reason of our beings , and of the determinate time of our beginning . therefore if god would not that we should have been made sooner , and in a better state of life , his will is reason enough and we need look no further . to this evasion , i thus reply . ( ) 't is true indeed , god is the most free agent , because none can compell him to act , none can hinder him from acting . nor can his creatures oblige him to any thing . but then ( ) the divine liberty and freedome consists not in his acting by meer arbitrarious will as disujnct from his other attributes . for he is sayd to act according to the counsell of his own will. so that his wisdome and goodness are as it were the rules whereby his will is directed . therefore though he cannot be obliged to act by any thing without himself , yet he may by the laws of his own essential rectitude and perfection . wherefore i conceive he is said , not to be able to do those things ( which he might well enough by absolute power ) that consist not with his ever blessed attributes . nor by the same reason can he omit that which the eternal law of his most perfect nature ob●geth him to . the summe is , god never acts by meer will or groundlesse humour , that is a weaknesse in his imperfect creatures ; but according to the immutable rules of his ever blessed essence . and therefore , ( ) t is a derogation from his infinite majesty to assert any thing contrary to his goodnesse upon pretence of his will and pleasure . for whatever is most suteable to this most blessed attribute , and contradicts no other , that be sure he willeth . wherefore ( ) if it be better , and more agreeable to the divine goodnesse that we should have been in an happier state , before we came into these bodies , gods will cannot then be pretended to the contrary , especially it having been proved already , that he hath no way revealed any such will of his ) but rather it is demonstratively clear that his will was , it should be so . since as god never acts in the absence of his wisdome and goodnesse , so neither doth he abstain from acting when those great attributes require it . now if it be excepted again ( ) that 't is true that this hypothesis is most sutable to the divine goodnesse and the consideration of that alone would inferre it . but how know we but his wisdome contradicts it . i return briefly , that if it be confest to be so correspondent to , and inferrible from one attribute , and cannot be prov'd inconsistent with another , my businesse is determin'd . therefore let those that pretend an inconsistence , prove it . ( ) the wisdome of god is that attribute and essential perfection , whereby the divine actions are directed to their end , which is alwaies good , and best : therefore to do that which is best cannot thwart the divine wisdome , but alwaies includes and supposeth it . whence it follows , that what so comports with goodnesse , cannot stand opposite to wisdome . wisdome in god being indeed nothing else but goodnesse , contriving and directing for the creature 's good and happinesse . for we must remember , what was said above , that what is infinitely full and perfect , can have no ends for any self-advantage ; and therefore the ends of the divine wisdome are somthing without himself , and consequently the good and perfection of his creatures . so that unlesse it can be prov'd to have been contrary to ours , or any other creatures good , that we should have been extant as soon as the light , it cannot be concluded to have any contradiction to the divine wisdome . but it will be said again ( ) gods glory is his great end , for the promoting of which his wisdome directs all his actions ; and consequently , that which may be best for the creature , may not be so conducive to the divine glory , and therefore not agreeable with his wisdome . now though i think the world hath a very mistaken apprehension of gods glory , yet i shall not here ingage in more controversies , then i must needs . t is enough for my present purpose to intimate ; that gods glory is no by-end or self-accumulation , nor an addition of any thing to him which he was not eternally possest of ; nor yet is it any thing that stands in opposition to the good of his creation : but the display and communication of his excellencies ; among the which , his goodnesse is not the least considerable , if it be not that most divine and fundamental attribute which gives perfection to all the rest . so that we may assure our selves , that when ever his goodness obligeth him to action , his glory never stands in opposition . for even this is his glory to communicate to his creatures sutably to his own absolute fulness , and to act according to the direction of his essential perfections , yea , though we should state his glory to consist alone , in the honour and renown of his attributes , yet even then the hypothesis of our having been made in the beginning will accumulate to his praises , and represent him to his creatures as more illustrious ; since it is a more magnificent apprehension of his goodnesse , and cleares his other attributes from those stains of dis-repute that all other suppositions cast upon them . and though his glory should consist , as too many fondly imagine , in being praised and red by his creatures , even on this account also it would have obliged him to have made us all of old , rather then opposed it ; since , then , his excellencies had been sung forth by a more numerous quire , in continual hallelujahs . now if it should be urged , that god made all things for himself , and therefore is not obliged to consult the good of his creatures in all his actions . i rejoin , that god's making all things for himself , can argue no more then his making all things for his own ends , viz. the ends of goodnesse . besides , the best criticks make that place to speak no more but this , that god orders all things according to himself ; that is , according to the rules of his own nature and perfections . thus then we see that for god to do that which is best for his creatures , is neither contrary to his will and pleasure , his wisdome , nor his glory , but most consonant to all of them . and therefore since the praeexistence of souls , is so agreeable to the divine goodnesse , and since nothing else in the deity opposeth , but rather sweetly conspires with it , methinks this argument were enough to conclude it . but yet there are other ev●sions which would elude this demonstration , i shall name the most considerable and leave it to the judicious to determine , whether they can disable it . chap. viii . a second general evasion , viz that our reasons cannot tel what god should do , or what is best , overthrown by several considerations . as is also a third , viz. that by the same argument god would have been obliged to have made us impeccable , and not liable to misery . wherefore the second general evasion is , that our reasons cannot conclude what god 〈◊〉 , there being vast fetches in the divine wisdome which we comprehend not , nor can our natural light determine what is best . i answer ( ) our saviour himself , who was the best judge in the case , teacheth us , that the reason of a man may in some things conclude what god will do in that saying of his , if ye being evill , know how to give good things to your children , much more shall your father which is in heaven give his spirit to them that ask him . plainly intimating , that we may securely argue from any thing that is a perfection in our selves , to the same in god. and if we , who are imperfectly good , will yet do as much good as we can , for those we love and tender ; with greater confidence may we conclude , that god who is infinitely so , will conferre upon his creatures whatever good they are capable of . thus we see our saviour ownes the capacity of reason in a case that is very near the same that we are dealing in . and god himself appeals to the reasons of men to judge of the righteousnesse and equity of his ways . ye men of israel and inhabitants of jerusalem , judg between me and my vineyard , which place i bring to shew that meer natural reason is able to judge in some cases what is fit for god to do , and what is sutable to his essence and perfections . and if in any , methinks ( ) its capacity in the case before us should be own'd as soon as in any . for if reason cannot determine and assure us , that a blessed and happy being is better then none at all ; and consequently , that it was best for our souls to have been , before they were in this state of wretchedness ; and thence conclude , that it was very congruous to the divine goodness to have made us in a former and better condition ; i think then ( ) that it cannot give us the assurance of any thing , since there is not any principle in metaphysicks or geometry more clear then this , viz. 〈◊〉 an happy being , is better than absolute not-being . and if our reasons can securely determine this , 't is as much as we need at present . or if this be not certain , how vain are those learned men that dispute whether a state of the extremest misery a creature is capable of , and that everlasting , be not better then non-entity . ( ) if we cannot certainly know that it had been better that we should have exsisted in a life of happiness , proportion'd to our natures of old , then have been meer nothing , till some few years since ; we can never then own or acknowledg the divine goodness to us in any thing we injoy . for if it might have been as good for us not to bee , as to bee , and happily ; then it might have been as good for us to have wanted any thing else that we enjoy , as to have it : and consequently , we cannot own it as an effect of god's goodness that he hath bestowed any blessing on us . for if being be not better , then not-being , then 't is no effect of goodnesse that we are ; and if so , then 't is not from goodnesse that we have any thing else , since all other things are inferiour to the good of being . if it be said , it had been better indeed for us , to have lived in a former and happier state ; but , it may be , it had not been so for the universe ; and the general good is to be preferr'd before that of particulars . i say then , and it may serve for a ( ) answer to the general objection . if we may deny that to be done by almighty goodness , which is undoubtedly best for a whole species of his creatures , meerly on this account , that , for ought we know , it may be for the advantage of some others , though there be not the least appearance of any such matter ; we can never then argue any thing from the divine goodness . it can never then be prov'd from that glorious attribute , that he hath not made some of his creatures on purpose that they might be miserable ; nor can it be concluded thence , that he will not annihilate all the pure and spotless angells ; both which i suppose , any sober inquirer will think congruously deducible from the divine goodness . and if to say , for ought we know , it may be best for some other creatures , that those should be miserable , and these annihilated , be enough to disable the argument ; on the same account we shall never be able to prove ought from this , or any other attribute . i might adde , ( ) there is not the least colourable pretence for any such suspicion . for , would the world have been too little to have contain'd those souls , without justling with some others ? or , would they by violence have taken any of the priviledges of the other intellectual creatures from them ? if so , how comes it about that at last they can all so wel consist together ? and , could other creatures have been more disadvantag'd by them , when they were pure and innocent , then they will at last , when they are so many of them debauched and depraved ? ( ) if this be enough to answer an argument , to say , for ought we know , it may be thus and thus , when there is not the least sign or appearance of any such thing , then nothing can ever be proved , and we are condemned to everlasting scepticism . we should never for instance , from the order , beauty , and wise contrivance of the things that do appear , prove there is a god , if it were sufficient to answer , that things are indeed so made in this earth , on which we are extant ; but , it may be , they are framed very odly , ridiculously , and ineptly in some other worlds , which we know nothing of . if this be answering , any thing might be answered . but there is yet another objection against mine argument from the divine goodnesse which looks very formidably at a distance , though when we come near it , we shall find , it will not bear the tryall . and it may thus be urged . ( ) if the goodnesse of god always obligeth him to do what is best , and best for his creatures , how is it then , that we were not made impeccable , and so not obnoxious to misery ? or how doth it consist with that overflowing goodness of the deity , that we were let to lye in a long state of silence and insensibility , before we came into these bodies ? this seems a pressing difficulty , but yet there 's hopes we may dispatch it . therefore , ( ) had we been made impeccable , we should have been another kind of creatures then now ; since we had then wanted the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or liberty of will to good and evill , which is one of our essential attributes . consequently , there would have been one species of beings wanting to compleat the universe ; and it would have been a slurre to the divine goodnesse not to have given being to such creatures as in the id● were fairly possible ; and contradicted no other attribute . yea , though he foresaw that some would sin , and make themselves miserable , yet the foreseen lapse and misery of those , was not an evill great enough to over-ballance the good the species would reap by being partakers of the divine goodnesse in the land of the living ; therefore however , 't was goodnesse to give such creatures being . but it will be urged upon us , if liberty to good and evil be so essential to our natures , what think we then of the blessed souls after the resurrection ; are not they the same creatures , though vvithout the liberty of sinning ? to return to this ; i think those that affirm , that , the blessed have not this natural liberty as long as they are united to a body , and are capable of resenting it's pleasures , should do well to prove it . indeed they may be morally immutable and illapsable : but this is grace , not nature ; a reward of obedience , not a necessary annex of our beings . but will it be said , why did not the divine goodnesse endue us all with this morall stability ? had it not been better for us to have been made in this condition of security , then in a state so dangerous ? my return to this doubt will be a second answer to the main objection . therefore secondly , i doubt not , but that 't is much better for rational creatures , that this supream happiness should be the reward of vertue , rather then 〈◊〉 upon our natures . for , the procurement of that which we might have mist of , is far more sensibly gratifying , then any necessary and unacquired injoyment ; we find a greater pleasure in what we gain by industry , art , or vertue , then in the things we were born to . and had we been made secure from sin , and misery from the first moment of our being , we should not have put so high a rate and value upon that priviledge . ( ) had we been at first establisht in an impossibility of lapsing into evill ; then many choise vertu's , excellent branches of the divine life had never been exercis'd , or indeed have been at all . such are patience , faith , and hope ; the objects of which are , evill , futurity , and uncertainly . yea , ( ) had we been so fixt in an inamissible happinesse from the beginning , there had then been no vertue in the world ; nor any of that matchlesse pleasure which attends the exercise thereof . for vertue is a kind of victory , and supposeth a conflict . therefore we say , that god is good and holy , but not vertuous . take away a possibility of evill , and in the creature there is no morall goodnesse . and then no reward , no pleasure , no happinesse . therefore in summe ( ly ) , the divine goodnesse is manifested in making all creatures sutably to those id●as of their natures , which he hath in his all-comprehensive wisdome . and their good and happinesse consists in acting according to those natures , and in being furnisht with all things necessary for such actions . now the divine wisdome is no arhitrary thing , that can change , or alter those setled immutable idaea's of things that are there represented . it lopps not off essential attributes of some beings , to inoculate them upon others : but , distinctly comprehending all things , assigns each being it's proper nature , and qualities . and the divine goodnesse , according to the wise direction of the eternal intellect , in like distinct and orderly manner produceth all things : viz. according to all the variety of their respective ideaas in the divine wisdome . wherefore as the goodness of god obligeth him not to make every planet a 〈◊〉 star , or every star , a sun ; so neither doth it oblige him to make every degree of life , a rational soul , or every soul , an impeccable angell . for this were to tye him to contradictions . since therefore , such an order of beings , as rational and happy , though free , and therefore mutable , creatures , were distinctly comprehended in the divine wisdome ; it was an effect of god's goodness , to bring them into being , even in such a condition , and in such manner , as in their eternal idaeas they were represented . thus then we see , it is not contrary to the infinite plenitude of the divine goodness that we should have been made peccable and lyable to defection . and being thus in our very essential constitutions lapsable ; 't was no defect in the goodnesse of our maker that he did not interpose by his absolute omnipotence to prevent our actual praevarication and apostacy . since his goodnesse obligeth him not to secure us upon any terms whatever , but upon such , as may most promote the general good & advantage . and questionless , 't was much better that such , as would wilfully depart from the laws of their blessed natures , and break through all restraints of the divine commands , should feel the smart of their disobedience ; then that providence should disorder the constitution of nature to prevent the punishment , which they drew upon themselves : since those apostate spirits , remain instances to those that stand , of the divine justice , and severity against sinners , and so may contribute not a little to their security . and for that long night of silence , in which multitudes of souls are buried before they descend into terrestrial matter , it is but the due reward of their former disobedience ; for which , considering the happy circumstances in which they were made , they deserv'd to be nothing for ever . and their re-instating in a condition of life & self-injoyment after so highly culpable delinguencies , is a great instance of the over-flowing fulnesse of the divine compassion and benignity . thus then we see , that gods making us lapsable and permitting us to fall , is no prejudice in the least to the infinite faecundity of his goodness , and his making all things best . so that mine argument for praeexistence bottomn'd on this foundation , stands yet firm and immoveable , notwithstanding the rude assault of this objection . from which i pass to a fourth . chap. ix . a ( th ) objection against the argument from god's goodness viz. that it will conclude as well that the world is infinite and eternal , answered . the conclusion of the second argument for praeexistence . therefore fourthly , it will be excepted , if we may argue from the divine goodness , which always doth what is best , for the praeexistence of souls ; then we may as reasonably thence conclude , that the world is both infinite and eternal , since an infinite communication of goodnesse is better then a finite . to this , because i doubt i have distrest the readers patience already , i answer briefly . ( ) every one that believes the infiniteness of gods goodness is as much obliged to answer this objection , as i am . for it will be said , infinite goodness doth good infinitely , and consequently the effects to which it doth communicate are infinite . for if they are not so , it might have communicated to more , and thereby have done more good then now 't is supposed to do , and by consequence now is not infinite . and to affirm that goodnesse is infinite , where what it doth and intends to do is but finite , will be said to be a contradiction , since goodness is a relative term , and in god always respects somewhat ad extra . for he cannot be said to be good to himself , he being a nature that can receive no additional perfection . wherefore this objection makes no more against mine argument , then it doth against the infinity of the divine goodness , and therefore i am no more concern'd in it then others . yea ( ly . ) the scripture affirms that which is the very strength of mine argument , viz. that god made all things best ; very good , saith our translation : but the original , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle of the superlative . and therefore every one that owns it's sacred authority is interested against this objection . for it urgeth , it had been far more splendid , glorious , and magnificent for god to have made the universe commensurate to his own immensity ; and to have produced effects of his power and greatness , where ever he himself is , viz. in infinite space and duration , then to have confined his omnipotence to work only in one little spot of an infinite 〈◊〉 capacity , and to begin to act but 'tother day . thus then the late creation , and finiteness , of the world , seem to conflict with the undoubted oracle of truth as well as with mine argument , ment , and therefore the objection drawn thence is of no validity . ( ) those that have most strenuously defended the orthodox doctrine against the old opinion of the eternity and infinity of the world , have asserted it to be impossible in the nature of the thing . and sure the divine benignity obligeth him not to do contradictions ; or such things , as in the very notion of them , are impossible . but in the case of praeexistence , no such thing can be reasonably pretended , as above hath been declared ; and therefore there is no escaping by this evasion neither . nor can there any thing else be urged to this purpose , but what whoever believes the infinity of the divine bounty will be concern'd to answer ; and therefore 't will make no more against me , then against a truth on all hands confessed . let me only adde this , that 't is more becomming us , to inlarge our apprehensions of things so , as that they may suit the divine beneficence , then to draw it down to a complyance with our narrow schemes , and narrow modells . thus then i have done with the argument for praeexistence drawn from the divine goodnesse . and i have been the longer on it , because i thought 't was in vain to propose it , without taking to task the principal of those objections , that must needs arise in the minds of those that are not used to this way of arguing . and while there was no provision made to stop up those evasions , that i saw this argument obnoxious to ; the using of it , i was afraid , would have been a prejudice , rather then a furtherance of the cause i ingaged it in . and therefore i hope the ingenious will pardon this so necessary piece of tediousnesse . chap. x. a third argument for praeexistence , from the great variety of mens speculative inclinations ; and also the diversity of our genius's , copiously urged . if these arguments make praeexistence but probable , 't is enough to gain it the victory . but now i proceed to another argument . therefore , thirdly , if we do but reflect upon what was said above , against the souls daily creation , from that enormous pravity which is so deeply rooted in some mens natures , we may thence have a considerable evidence of praeexistence . for as this strong natural propensity to vice and impiety cannot possibly consist with the hypothesis of the souls comming just out of gods hands pure and immaculate ; so doth it most aptly suit with the doctrine of its praeexistence : which gives a most clear and apposite account of the phaenomenon . for let us but conceive the souls of men to have grown degenerate in a former condition of life , to have contracted strong and inveterate habits to vice and iewdnesse , and that in various manners and degrees ; we may then easily apprehend , when some mens natures had so incredibly a depraved tincture , and such impetuous , ungovernable , irreclaimiable inclinations to what is vitious ; while others have nothing near such wretched propensions , but by good education and good discipline are mouldable to vertue . this shews a clear way to unriddle this amazing mystery , without ●lemishing any of the divine attributes , or doing the least violence to our faculties . nor is it more difficult to conceive , how a soul should awaken out of the state of inactivity we speak of , with those radical inclinations that by long practice it had contracted , then how a swallow should return to her old trade of living after her winter sleep and silence ; for those customs it hath been addicted to in the other state , are now so deeply fastned and rooted in the soul , that they are become even another nature . now then , if praeexistence be not the truth , 't is very strange that it should so exactly answer the phaenomena of our natures , when as no other hypothesis doth any whit tolerably suit them . and if we may conclude that false , which is so correspondent to all appearances , when we know nothing else that can yield any probable account of them , and which is not in the least repugnant to any inducement of belief , we then strangely forget our selves when we determine any thing . we can never for instance , conclude the moon to be the cause of the flux and reflux of the sea , from the answering of her approaches and recesses to its ebbs and swellings . nor at this rate can the cause of any thing else be determin'd in nature . but yet besides . ( ) we might another way inforce this argument , from the strange difference and diversity that there is in mens wits and intellectual craseis , as well as in the dispositions of their wills and appetites . even the natural tempers of mens minds are as vastly different , as the qualities of their bodys . and 't is easy to observe in things purely speculative and intellectual , even where neither education or custom have interposed to sophisticate the natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that some men are strangely propense to some opinions , which they greedily drink in , as soon as they are duly represented ; yea and find themselves burthened and opprest , while their education hath kept them in a contrary belief : when as others are as fatally set against these opinions , and can never be brought favourably to resent them . every soul brings a kind of sense with it into the world , whereby it tastes and relisheth what is suitable to its peculiar temper . and notions will never lye easily in a mind , that they are not fitted to ; some can never apprehend that for other then an absurdity , which others are so clear in , that they almost take it for a first principle . and yet the former hath all the same evidence as the latter . this i have remarkably taken notice of , in the opinion of the extension of a spirit . some that i know , and those inquisi●ve , free and ingenuous , by all the proof and evidence that is , cannot be reconciled to it . nor can they conceive any thing extended but as a body . whereas other deep and impartial searchers into nature , cannot apprehend it anything at all , if not extended ; but think it must then be a mathematical point , or a meer non-entity . i could instance in other speculations , which i have observ'd some to be passionate embracers of upon the first proposal ; when as no arguments could prevail on others , to think them tolerable . but there needs no proof of a manifest observation . therefore before i goe further , i would demand , whence comes this meer notional or speculative variety : were this difference about sensibles , yea or about things depending on the imagination , the influence of the body might then be suspected for a cause . but since it is in the most abstracted theories that have nothing to do with the grosser phantasmes ; since this diversity is found in minds that have the greatest care to free themselves from the deceptions of sense , and intanglements of the body , what can we conclude , but that the soul it self is the immediate subject of all this variety , and that it came praejudiced and prepossest into this body with some implicit notions that it had learnt in another ? and if this congruity to some opinions , and aversene●e to others be congenial to us , and not advenient from any thing in this state , 't is me thinks clear that we were in a former . for the soul in its first and pure nature hath no idiosynerasies , that is , hath no proper natural inclinations which are not competent to others of the same kind and condition . be sure , they are not fatally determin'd by their natures to false and erroneous apprehensions . and therefore since we find this determination to one or other falshood in many , if not most in this state , and since 't is very unlikely it is derived only from the body , custom , or education , what can we conceive on 't , but that our souls were tainted with these peculiar and wrong corruptions before we were extant upon this stage of earth . besides , 't is easie to observe the strange and wonderful variety of our geniusses ; one mans nature inclining him to one kind of study and imployment , anothers to what is very different . some almost from their very cradles will be addicted to the making of figures , and in little mechanical contrivances ; others love to be riming , almost as soon as they can speak plainly , and are taken up in smal essays of poetry . some will be scrawling pictures , and others take as great delight in some pretty offers at musick and vocal harmony . infinite almost are the ways in which this pure natural diversity doth discover it selfe . now to say that all this variety proceeds primarily from the meer temper of our bodys , is me thinks a very poor and unsatisfying account . for those that are the most like in the temperayr , complexion of their bodys , are yet of a vastly differing genius . yea they that havebeen made of the same clay , cast in the same mould , and have layn at once in the same natural bed , the womb ; yea whose bodies have been as like as their state and fortunes , and their education & usages the same , yet even they do not unfrequently differ as much from each other in their genius and dispositions of the mind , as those that in all these particulars are of very different condition . besides there are all kind of makes , forms , dispositions , tempers , and complexions of body , that are addicted by their natures to the same exercises and imployments : so that to ascribe this to any peculiarity in the body , is me seems a very improbable solution of the phaenomenon . and to say all these inclinations are from custom or education , is the way not to be believed , since all experience testifies the contrary . what then can we conjecture is the cause of all this diversity , but that we had taken a great delight and pleasure in some things like and analogous unto'these , in a former condition ? which now again begins to put forth it selfe , when we are awakened out of our silent recess into a state of action . and though the imployments , pleasures and exercises of our former life , were without question very different from these in the present estate ; yet 't is no doubt , but that some of them were more confamiliar and analogous to some of our transactions , than others , so that as any exercise or imployment here is more suitable to the particular dispositions that were praedominant in the other state , with the more peculiar kindnesse is it regarded by us , and the more greedily do our inclinations now fasten on it . thus if a musitian should be interdicted the use of all musical instruments , and yet might have his choice of any other art or profession , 't is likely he would betake himselfe to limning or poetry ; these exercises requiring the same disposition of wit and genius , as his beloved musick did . and we in like manner , being by the fate of our wretched descent hindred from the direct exercising our selves about the objects of our former delights and pleasures , do yet assoon as we are able , take to those things which do most correspond to that genius that formerly inspired us . and now 't is time to take leave of the arguments from reason that give evidence for praeexistence . if any one think that they are not so demonstrative , but that they may be answered , or at least evaded ; i pray him to consider how many demonstrations he ever met with , that a good wit , resolv'd in a contrary cause , could not shuffle from the edge of . or , let it be granted , that the arguments i have alledged are no infallible or necessary proofs ; yet if they render my cause but probable , yea but possible , i have won what i contended for . for it having been made manifest by as good evidence as i think can be brought for any thing , that the way of new creations is most inconsistent with the honor of the blessed attributes of god : and that the other of traduction is most impossible and contradictious in the nature of things : there being now no other way left but praeexstence , if that be probable or but barely possible , 't is enough to give it the victory . and whether all that hath been said prove so much or no , i leave to the indifferent to determine . i think he that will say it doth not , can bring few proofs for any thing , which according to his way of judging will deserve to be called demonstrations . chap. xi . great caution to be used in alledging scripture for our speculative opinions . the countenance that praeexistence hath from the sacred writings both of the old and new testament ; reasons of the seeming uncouthnesse of these allegations . praeexistence stood in no need of scripture-proof . it will be next expected , that i should now prove the doctrine i have undertaken for , by scripture evidence , and make good what i said above , that the divine oracles are not so silent in this matter as is imagined . but truly i have so tender a sense of the sacred authority of that holy volume , that i dare not be so bold with it , as to force it to speak what i think it intends not ; a praesumption , that is too common among our confident opinionists , and that hath ocsion'd great troubles to the church , and disrepute to the inspired writings . for , for men to ascribe the odd notions of their over-heated imaginations to the spirit of god , and eternal truth , is me thinks a very bold and impudent belying it . wherefore i dare not but be very cautious what i speak in this matter , nor would i willingly urge scripture as a proof of any thing , but what i am sure by the whole tenor of it , is therein contained : and would i take the liberty to fetch in every thing for a scripture-evidence , that with a little industry a man might make serviceable to his design : i doubt not but i should be able to fill my margent with quotations , which should be as much to purpose as have been cited in general catechisms and confessions of faith , and that in points that must forsooth be dignified with the sacred title of fundamental . but reverend assemblies may make more bold with scripture then private persons ; and therefore i confesse i 'me so timerous that i durst not follow their example : though in a matter that i would never have imposed upon the belief of any man , though i were certain on 't , and had absolute power to injoyn it . i think the onely way to preserve the reverence due to the oracles of truth , is never to urge their authority but in things very momentous , and such as the whole current of them gives an evident suffrage to . but to make them speak every trivial conceit that our sick brains can imagine or dream of , ( as i intimated ) is to vilisie and deflowre them . therefore though i think that several texts of scripture look very fairly upon praeexistence , and would encourage a man that considers what strong reasons it hath to back it , to think , that very probably they mean some thing in savour of this hypothesis ; yet he not urge them as an irrefutable proof , being not willing to lay more stresse upon any thing then 't wil bear . yea i am most willing to confesse the weaknesse of my cause in what joint soever i shall discover it . and yet i must needs say , that who ever compares the texts that follow , with some particulars mention'd in the answer to the objection of scripture-silence , will not chuse but acknowledge that there is very fair probability for praeexistence in the written word of god , as there is in that which is engraven upon our rational natures . therefore to bring together here what scripture saith in this matter , . ●e lightly touch an expression or two of the old testament , which not improperly may be applyed to the businesse we are in search of . and me thinks god himselfe in his posing the great instance of patience , job , seems to intimate somewhat to this purpose , viz. that all spirits were in being when the foundations of the earth were laid : when saith he , the morning stars sang together , and all the sons of god shouted for joy . by the former very likely were meant the angels , and 't is not improbable but by the latter may be intended the blessed untainted souls . at least the particle all me thinks should comprize this order of spirits also . and within the same period of discourse , having question'd job about the nature and place of the light , he adds , i know that thou wast then born , for the number of thy days are many , as the septuagint render it . and we know our saviour and his apostles have given credit to that translation by their so constant following it . nor doth that saying of god to jeremias in the beginnning of his charge seem to intimate lesse , before i formed thee in the belly i knew thee , and before thou camest out of the womb , i gave thee wisdome ; as reads a very creditable version . now though each of these places might be drawn to another sense , yet that onely argues that they are no necessary proof for praeexistence , which i readily acknowledge ; nor do i intend any such matter by alledging them . however i hope they will be confest to be applicable to this sense ; and if there be other grounds that perswade this hypothesis to be the truth , 't is i think very probable that these texts intend it favour . which whether it be so or no , we have seen already . . for the texts of the new testament that seem to look pleasingly upon praeexistence , i shall as briefly hint them as i did the former . and me thinks that passage of our saviours prayer , father , glorifie me with the same glory i had with thee before the world began , sounds somewhat to this purpose . the glory which he prays to be restored to , seems to concern his humane nature onely ; for the divine could never lose it . and therefore it supposeth that he was in his humanity existent before : and that his soul was of old before his appearance in a terrestial body . which seems also to be intimated by the expressions of his comming from the father , descending from heaven , and returning thither again , which he very frequently makes use of . and we know the divinity that fils all things , cannot move to , or quit a place , it being a manifest imperfection , and contray to his immensity . i might add those other expressions of our saviour's taking upon him the forme of a servant , of rich for our sakes becomming poor , and many others of like import , all which are very clear if we admit the doctrine of praeexistence , but without it somewhat perplex and intricate : since these things , applyed to him as god , are very improper and disagreeing , but appositely suit his humanity , to which if we refer them , we must suppose our hypothesis of praeexistence . but i omit further prosecution of this matter , since these places have bin more diffusely urged in a late discourse to this purpose . moreover the question of the disciples , was it for this mans sin , or for his fathers that he was born blind ? and that answer of theirs to our saviours demand , whom men said he was ; in that some said he was john the baptist , some elias , or one of the prophets ; both which i have mention'd before ; doe clearly enough argue , that both the disciples and the jews believed praeexistence . and our saviour saith not a word to disprove their opinion . but i spake of this above . now how ever uncouth these allegations may seem to those that never heard these scriptures thus interpreted ; yet i am confident , had the opinion of praeexistence been a received doctrine , and had these texts been wont to be applyed to the proof on 't , they would then have been thought to assert it , with clear and convictive evidence . but many having never heard of this hypothesis , and those that have , seldome meeting it mentioned but as a silly dream o● antiquated absurdity , 't is no wonder that they never suspect it to be lodg'd in the sacred volumne , so that any attempt to confirm it thence , must needs seem rather an offer of wit then serious judgement . and the places that are cited to that purpose having been freequently read and heard of , by those that never discerned them to breath the least air of any such matter as praexistence , their new and unexpected application to a thing so litle thought of , must needs seem a wild fetch of an extravagant imagination . but however unconclusive the texts alledged may seem to those a strong prejudice hath shut up against the hypothesis ; the learned jews , who where persuaded of this doctrine , thought it clearly enough contain'd in the old volume of holy writ , and tooke the citations , named above , for current evidence . and though i cannot warrant for their judgement in things , yet doubtlesse they were the best judges of their own language . nor would our school-doctors have thought it so much a stranger to the new , had it had the luck to have been one of their opinions , or did they not too frequently apply the sacred oracles to their own fore-conceived notions . but whether what i have brought from scripture prove any thing or nothing , 't is not very materiall , since the hypothesis of praeexistence stands secure enough upon those pillars of reason , which have their foundation in the attributes of god , and the phaenomena of the world . and the right reason of a man , is one of the divine volums , in which are written the indeleble ideas of eternal truth : so that what it dictates , is as much the voice of god , as if in so many words it were clearly exprest in the written revelations . it is enough therefore for my purpose , if there be nothing in the sacred writings contrary to this hypothesis ; which i think is made clear enough already ; and though it be granted that scripture is absolutely silent as to any assertion of praeexistence , yet we have made it appear that its having said nothing of it , is no prejudice , but an advantage to the cause . chap. xii . why the author thinks himself obliged to descend to some more particular account of praeexistence . 't is presumption positively to determine how it was with us of old . the authors designe in the hypothesis that follows . now because inability to apprehend the manner of a thing is a great prejudice against the belief on 't ; i find my selfe obliged to go a little further then the bare proof , and defence of praeexistence . for though what i have said , may possibly induce some to think favourably of our conclusion , that the souls of men were made before they came into these bodys ; yet whil they shal think that nothing can be conceived of that former state , and that our praeexistent condition cannot be represented to humane understanding , but as a dark black solitude : it must needs weaken the perswasion of those that are lesse confirmed , and fill the minds of the inquisitive with a dubious trouble and anxiety . for searching and contemplative heads cannot be satisfyed to be told , that our souls have lived and acted in a former condition , except they can be helpt to some more particular apprehension of that stare ; how we lived and acted of old , and how probably we fell from that better life , into this region of misery and imperfection . now though indeed my charity would prompt me to do what i can for the relief and ease of auy modest inquirer ; yet shall i not attempt to satisfie punctual and eager curiosity in things hidden and unsearchable . much lesse shall i positively determine any thing in matters so lubricous and uncertain . and indeed considering how imperfect our now state is , how miserable shallow our understandings are , and how little we know of our present selves , and the things about us , it may seem a desperate undertaking to attempt any thing in this matter . yea , when we contemplate the vast circuits of the divine wisdome , and think how much the thoughts and actions of aeternity and omniscience are beyond ours , who are but of yesterday , and know nothing , it must needs discourage confidence it selfe from determining , how the oeconomy of the world of life was order'd , in the day the heavens and earth were framed . there are doubtless infinite ways and methods according to which the unsearchable wisdome of our maker could have disposed of us , which we can have no conceit of ; and we are little more capable of unerringly resolving our selves now , how it was with us of old , then a child in the womb is to determine , what kind of life it shall live when it is set at liberty from that dark inclosure . therefore let shame and blushing cover his face that shall confidently affirm that 't was thus or thus with us in the state of our fore-beings . however , to shew that it may have been that our souls did praeexist , though we cannot punctually and certainly conclude upon the particular state , i shall presume to draw up a conceivable scheame of the hypothesis ; and if our narrow minds can think of a way how it might have been , i hope no body will deny that the divine wisdom could have contriv'd it so , or infinitely better than we can imagine in our little modells . and now i would not have it thought that i goe about to insinuate or represent any opinions of mine own , or that i am a votary to all the notions i make use of , whether of the antient , or more modern philosophers . for i seriously professe against all determinations in this kind . but my business onely is , by some imperfect hints and guesses to help to apprehend a little how the state of praeexistence might have been , and so to let in some beams of antient and modern light upon this immense darknesse . therefore let the reader if he please call it a romantick scheam , or imaginary hypothesis , or what name else best fits his phancy , and he 'l not offend me ; nor do i hold my selfe concern'd at all to vindicate the truth of any thing here that is the fruit of mine own invention or composure ; though i confesse i could beg civilityes at least for the notions i have borrowed from great and worthy sages . and indeed the hypothesis as to the main , is derived to us from the platoni●s : though in their writings 't is but gold in oar , less pure and perfect : but a late great artist hath excellently refined it . and i have not much work to do , but to bring together what he up and down hath scattered , and by a method-order , and some connexions and notions of mine own , to work it into an intire and uniforme mass . now because the frame of the particular hypothesis is originally philosophicall , i shall therefore not deprave it by mingling with it the opinions of modern theologers , or distort any thing to make it accommodate to their dogmata , but solely and sincerely follow the light of reason and philosophy . for i intend not to endeavour the late alteration of the ordinary systeme of divinity , nor designe any thing in this place but a representation of some harmlesse philosophical conjectures : in which i shall continually guide my selfe by the attributes of god , the phaenomena of the world , and the best discoveryes of the nature of the soul. chap. xiii . [ ] pillars on which the particular hypothesis stands . now the fabrick we are going to build , will stand like as the house of wisdom upon seven pillars ; which i shall first crect and establish , that the hypothesis may be firm and sure like a house that hath foundations . therefore the first fundamental principle i shall lay , is [ ] all the divine designes and actions are laid and carried on by pure and infinite goodness . and methinks this should be owned by all for a manifest and indisputable truth ; but some odd opinions in the world are an interest against it , and therefore i must be fain to prove it . briefly then , every rational being acts towards scme end or other ; that end where the agent acts regularly and wisely , is either some self-good or accomplishment , or 't is the good and perfection of some thing else , at least in the intention . now god being an absolute and immense fulnesse , that is incapable of any the least shaddow of new perfection , cannot act for any good that may accrue to his immutable selfe ; and consequently , what ever he acts , is for the good of some other being : so that all the divine actions are the communications of his perfections , and the issues of his goodnesse ; which , being without the base alloy of self-interest , or partial fondnesse , and not comprised within any bounds or limits , as his other perfections are not , but far beyond our narrow conception , we may well call it pure and insinite benignity . this is the original and root of all things , so that this blessed ever blessed attribute being the spring and fountain of all the actions of the deity , his designes can be no other but the contrivances of love for the compassing the good and perfection of the universe . therefore to suppose god to act or designe any thing that is not for the good or his creatures , is either to phancy him to act for no end at all , or for an end that is contrary to his benigne nature . finally therefore , the very notion of infinite fulness is to be communicating and overflowing ; and the most congruous apprehension that we can entertain of the infinite and eternal deity , is to conceive him as an immense and all glorious sun , that is continually communicating and sending abroad its beams and brightnesse ; which conception of our maker , if 't were deeply imprinted on us , would i am confident set our apprehensions right in many theoryes , and chase away those black and dismal notions which too many have given harbour to . but i come to erect the second pillar . [ ] then , there is an exact geometrical justice that runs through the universe , and is interwoven in the contexture of things . this is a result of that wise and almighty goodness that praesides over all things . for this justice is but the distributing to every thing according to the requirements of its nature . and that benign wisdom that contrived and framed the natures of all beings , doubtlesse so provided that they should be suitably furnisht with all things proper for their respective conditions . and that this nemesis should be twisted into the very natural coustitutions of things themselves , is methinks very reasonable ; since questionlesse , almighty wisdom could so perfectly have formed his works at first , as that all things that he saw were regular , just , and for the good of the universe , should have been brought about by those stated laws , which we call nature ; without an ordinary engagement of absolute power to effect them . and it seems to me to be very becomming the wise authour of all things so to have made them in the beginning , as that by their own internal spring and wheels , they should orderly bring about what ever he intended them for , without his often immediaie interposal . for this looks like a more magnificient apprehension of the divine power and praeexistence , since it supposeth him from everlasting ages to have foreseen all future occurrences , & so wonderfully to have seen and constituted the great machina of the world that the infinite variety of motions therein , should effect nothing but what in his eternal wisdom he had concluded fit and decorous : but as for that which was so , it should as certainly be compast by the laws he appointed long ago , as if his omnipotence were at work every moment . on the contrary to engage gods absolute and extraordinary power , in all events and occurrences of things , is me seems to think meanly of his wisdome ; as if he had made the world so , as that it should need omnipotence every now & then to mend it , or to bring about those his destinations , which by a shorter way he could have effected , by his instrument , nature . can any one say that our supposition derogates from the divine concourse or providence ? for on these , depend continually both the being and operations of all things , since without them they would cease to act , and return to their old nothing . and doubtlesse god hath not given the ordering of things out of his own hands ; but holds the power to alter , innovate , or change the course of nature as he pleaseth . and to act by extraordinary , by absolute omnipotence , when he thinks fit to do so . the summe of what i intend , is , that gods works are perfect ; and as his goodness is discover'd in them , so is his justice wrought into their very essential constitutions : so that we need not suppose him to be immediately engaged in every event and all distributions of things in the world , or upon all occasions to exercise his power in extraordinary actions , but that he leaves such managements to the oeconomy of second causes . and now next to this , ( for they are of kin ) i raise the third pillar . [ ] things are carried to their proper place and state , by the congruity of their natures ; where this fails , we may suppose some arbitrary managements . the congruity of things is their suitablenesse to such or such a state or condition ; and 't is a great law in the divine and first constitutions , that things should incline and move to what is suitable to their natures . this in sensibles is evident in the motions of consent and sympathy . and the ascent of light , and descent of heavy bodies , must i doubt when all is done , be resolv'd into a principle that is not meerly corporeal . yea supposing all such things to be done by the laws os mechanicks , why may we not conceive , that the other rank of beings , spirits , which are not subject to corporeal motions , are also dispos'd of by a law proper to their natures , which since we have no other name to express it by , we may call congruity . we read in the sacred history that judas went to his place ; and 't is very probable that spirits are convey'd to their proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or a 〈◊〉 descends . the place●ifts would have the soul of the world 〈◊〉 be the great infor●ment of all such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as also of the phenomina , that ●e beyond the powers of ●asser , and 't is no unlikely 〈◊〉 : but i have 〈◊〉 need to ingage further about this 〈◊〉 not yet to speak more of this first part of my principle , since i● so nearly depends on what was said in be behalf of the former maxi● . yet of the 〈◊〉 we need a would or two . when therefore we cann● give accoun● of things either by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 or concen●able 〈◊〉 , ( as likely some things relating to the states of spirits , and immaterial beings can be resolv'd by neither ) i say then , we may have recourse to the arbitrary managements of those invisible ministers of equity and justice , which without doubt the world is plentifully stored with . for it cannot be conceived that those active spirits are idle or unimploy'd in the momentous concerns of the univers● yea the sacred volumne gives evidence o● their interposals in our affairs . i shall need mention but that remarkable instance in da●iel , of the indeavours of the prince of persia , and of grecia , to hinder michael , and the other angel , that were ingaged for the affairs of f●les ; or if any would evade this , what think they o● all the apparitions of angels in the ol● testament , of their pitching their tents about us , and being ministring spirits for our good . to name no more such passages ; now if those noble spirits will ingage themselves in our trifling concernments , doubtlesse they are very sedulous in those affairs that tend to the good and perfection of the universe . but to be brief ; iadvance . the fourth pillar . ( ) the souls of men are capable of living in other bodies besides terarestial ; and never act but in some body or other . for 〈◊〉 when i consider how deeply 〈◊〉 this state we are immersed in the body , 〈◊〉 can ●ne thinks searce imagine , that presently upon the quitting on●e , we shall ●e stript of all corporetry , for this would ●e such a jump as is seldome or never made in nature ; since by almost all i●ances that come under our observation his manifest , that she ●seth to act by due ●nd orderly gradations , and takes no precipition leaps from one extream to another . t is very probable therefore , that 〈◊〉 our immediately next state we shall ●ave another vehicle . and then , . 〈◊〉 that our souls are immediately 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 and s●bile body 〈◊〉 , then this grosse outside ; t is 〈◊〉 thinks a good presumption , that we shal● not be strip● and divested of our inmar● stole also , when we leave this dull eart● behind us . especially . if we take notic● how the highest and noblest faculties and operations of the soul are help'd on by somewhat that is corporeal , and that i● imployeth the bodily spirits in it's subli● mest exercises ; we might then be perswa● ded , that it alwayes 〈◊〉 some body o● other , and never acts without one . an● . since we cannot conceive a soul to live or act that is insensible , and sinc● we know not how there can be senc● where there is no union with matter , we should me seems be induc'd to think , tha● when 't is 〈◊〉 from all body , 't is 〈◊〉 and silent . for in all se●sations there is corporeal motion , as all philosophy and experience testifies : and these motions b● come sensible representations , by virtue of the union between the 〈◊〉 and it's confeder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so that when it is loos● and 〈◊〉 - 〈◊〉 from any body whatsoever it will be unconcerned in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( being a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) and ●o sence or perceptions will be convey'd by them . nor will it make any thing at all against this argument to urge , that there are 〈◊〉 and purely unembodyed spirits in the universe , which live and act without relation to any body , and yet these are not insensible : for what they know , and 〈◊〉 they know we are very incompetent judges of , they being a sort of spirits specifically distinct from out order and therefore their faculties and operations are of a very diverse consideration from ours . so that for us to deny what we may reasonably argue from the contemplation of our own ●atures , because we cannot comprehend the natures of a species of creatures that are far above us , is a great mistake in the way of reasoning . now how strange soever this principle may seem to those , whom customary opinions have seasoned with an other ●e lief , yet considering the reasons i have alleged , i cannot forbear concluding it very probable ; and if it prove hereafter serviceable for the helping us in some concerning theories , i think the most wary and timerous may admit it , till upon good grounds they can disprove it . the fifth pillar . ( ) the soul in every state hath such a body , as is fittest for those faculties and operations that it is most inclined to exercise . 't is a known maxime , that every thing that is , is for its operation ; and the contriver and maker of the world hath been so bountiful to all beings , as to furnish them with all suitable and necessary requisites for their respective actions ; for there are no propensities and dispositions in nature , but some way or other are brought into actual exercise , otherwise they were meer nullities , and impertinent appendices . now for the imployment of all kinds of faculties , and the exerting all manner of operations , all kinds of instruments will not suffice , but only such , as are proportion'd and adapted to the exercises they are to be used in , and the agents that imploy them . 't is clear therefore , that the soul of man , a noble and vigorous agent , must be fitted with a suitable body , according to the laws of that exact distributive justice that runs through the universe ; and such a one is most suitable , as is fittest for those exercises it propends to , for the body is the souls instrument , and a necessary requisite of action : whereas should it be otherwise , god would then have provided worse for his worthiest creatures , then he hath for those that are of a much inferior rank and order . for if we look about us upon all the creatures of god , that are exposed to our observation , we may seal this truth with an infallible induction ; that there is nothing but what is fitted with all sutaeble requisites to act according to its nature . the bird hath wings to waft it aloof in the thin and subtile aire ; the fish is furnisht with fins , to move in her liquid element ; and all other animals have instruments that are proper for their peculiar inclinations : so that should it be otherwise in the case of souls , it would be a great blot to the wise managements of providence , and contrary to its usual methods ; and thus we should be dis-furnish't of the best and most convictive argument that we have to prove that a principle of exactcst wisdom hath made and ordered all things . the sixth pillar . ( ) the powers and faculties of the soul , are either ( ) spiritual , and intellectual : ( ) sensitive : or , ( ) plastick . now . by the intellectual powers i mean all those that relate to the soul , in its naked and abstracted conception , as as it is a spirit , and are exercised about immaterial objects ; as , virtue , knowledge , and divine love : this is the plate●nical n●s , and that which we call the mind the two other more immediately relate to its espo●sed matter : for . the sensitive are exen●ised about all the objects of sense , and are concerned in all such things as either gratifie , or disgust the body . and . the plastick are those faculties of the soul , whereby it moves and forms the body , and are without sense or animalversi● : the exercise of the former , i call the higher life ; and the operations of the latter , the lower s and the life of the body . now that there are exercised faculties belonging to our natures , and that they are exercised upon such and such objects respectively , plain experience 〈◊〉 , and therefore i may be excused from going about to prove so universally acknowledged a truth : wherefore i pass to the seventh pillar . ( ) by the same degrees that the higher powers are invigorated , the lower are consopited and abated , as to their proper exercises , & è contra . . that those powers should each of them have a tendency to action and in their turns be exercised is but rational to conceive , since otherwise they had been superfluous . and . that they should be inconsistent in the supremest exercise and inactuation , is to me as probable . ●or the soul is a finite and limited being , and therefore cannot operate diverse wayes with equal intention at once . that as , cannot at the same time imploy all her faculties in the highest degree of exercise that each of them is capable of . for doubtlesse did it ingage but one of those alone , the operations thereof would be more strong and vigorous , then when they are conjunctly exercis'd , their acts and objects being very diverse . so that i say , that these faculties should act together in the highest way they are capable of , seems to be contrary to the nature of the soul. and i am sure it comports not with experience , for those that are endowed with an high degree of exercise of one faculty , are seldome if ever as well provided in the rest . 't is a common and daily observation , that those that are of most heightned and strong imaginations , are defective in judgement , and the facultie of close reasoning . and your very large and capacious memories , have seldome or never any great share of either of the other persections . nor do the deepest judgments use to have any thing considerable either of me●wry , or phancy . and as there are fair instances even in this state of the inconsistence of the faculties in the highest exercise ; so also are there others that suggest unto us . . that by the same degrees that some 〈◊〉 fail in their strength and vigeur , others gain and are improved . we know that the shutting up of the sences , is the letting loose and inlarging of the phancy . and we seldome have such strong imaginations waking , as in our dreams in the silence of our other faculties . at the sun recedes , the moon and stars discover themselves , and when it returns they draw in their baffled beams , and hide their heads in obsurity . but to urge what is more close and pressing ; it is an unerring remarque , that those that want the use of some one natural part or faculty , are wont to have very liberal amends made them by an excelelncy in some others . thus those that nature hath depriv'd of fight , use to have wonderfully tenacious memories . and the deaf and damb have many times a strange kind of sagacity , and very remarkable mechanical ingren●ities : not to mention other instances , for i 'le say no more then i must needs . thus then experience gives us incouraging probability of the truth of the theorem asserted . and in its self ●ts very reasonable ; for ( as we have seen ) the soul being an active nature , is alwayes propending to this exercising of one faculty or other , and that to the utmost it is able , and yet being of a limited capacity , it can imploy but one in height of exercise at once ; which when it loseth and abates of it's strength and supream 〈◊〉 ; some other , whole improvement was all this while hindred by this it's ingr●ssing rival must by consequence beg●n now to display it self , and awaken into a more vigorous 〈◊〉 : so that as the former loseth , the 〈◊〉 proportionably gaineth . and indeed 't is a great instance of the divine 〈◊〉 , that our faculties are made in ●o regular and equilibrium 〈◊〉 order . for were the same powers still ●ppermost in the greatest height of 〈◊〉 , and so ●nakerably constituted , there would want the beauty of variety , and the other faculties would never act to that pitch of perfection that they are capable of . there would be no liberty of wi● , and consequently no h●mare nature . o● if the higher powers might have lessen●d , and fayl●d without a proportionaable iner●ense of the 〈◊〉 , and they likewise have been remitted , without any advantage to the other faculties , the soul might then at length fall into an irrecoverable recesse and inactivity . but all these inconveniences are avoided by supposing the principle we have here insisted on ; and it is the last that i shall mention . briefly then , and if it may be more plainly , the higher faculties are those , whereby the soul acts towards spiritual and immaterial objects : and the lower whereby it acts towards the body . now it cannot with equal vigour exercise it self both ways together ; and consequently the more it is taken up in the higher operations , the more promp't and vigorous it will be in these exercises , and lesse so about those that concern the body , & è converso . thus when we are very deeply ingaged in intellectual contemplations , our outward sences are in a manner 〈◊〉 up and cramped : and when our senses are highly exercised and gratified , those operations monopolize and imploy us . nor is this lesse observable in relation to the plastick . for fr●quent and severe meditations do much mortifie and weaken the body ; and we are most nourisbt in our sleep in the silence of our senses . now what is thus tr●e in respect of acts and particular exercises , 〈◊〉 as much so in states and habits . moreover , 't is apparent that the plastick is then most strong and vigorous when our other faculties are wholly unimployed , from the state of the womb . for 〈◊〉 when she is at her plastick work ceal●th all other operations . the same we may take noti● of , in silk worms and other insects , which lie as if they were dead and insensible , while their lower powers are forming them into another appearance . all which things put together , give good evidence to the truth of our axiom . i 'le conclude this with one remark more , to prevent mistake ; therefore briefly ; as the soul alwayes acts by the body ; so in its highest exercises it useth some of the inferi●r powers ; which , therefore must operate also . so that some sen●ces , as ●ghs and somwhat analogous to hearing may be imployed in considerable degree even when the highest life is most predominant ; but then it is at the command and in the services of those nobler powers ; wherefore the sensitive life cannot for this cause be said to be invigour●ed , since 't is under servitude and subjection , and its gusts and pleasures are very weak and staccid . as this is the reason of that clause in the principlo , ( as to their proper exercises . ) having thus laid the foundation , and 〈◊〉 the pillars of our building , i now come to advance the superstructure . chap. xiv . a philosophical hypothesis of the souls ●aexistence . the eternal and almighty goodness , the blessed spring and roo● of 〈◊〉 things , made all his 〈◊〉 , in the best , happiest , and most perfect condition , that their respective natures rendred them capable of , by axiom the first ; and therefore they were then constituted in the inactuation and exercise of their noblest and most perfect powers . consequently , the souls of men , a considerable part of the divine workmanship , were at first made in the highest invigouration of the spiritual and intellective faculties which were exercised in virt●e , and in blissful contemplation of the supream deity ; wherefore now by axiom and , the ignobler and lower powers , or the life of the b●ily , were languid and rei●iss . so that the most te●uious , pure and simple matter being the fi●test instrumens for the most vigorous and spiritual faculties according to principle , , and . the soul in this condition was united with the most 〈◊〉 and athereal matter that it was capable of inacting ; and the inferior powers , those relating to the body , being at a very low ebb of exercise , were wholly subservient to the superiour , and imployed in nothing but what was serviceable to that higher life : so that the sences did but present occasions for divine love , and objects for contemplation ; and the plastick had nothing to do , but to move this passive and ●asie body , accordingly as the concerns of the higher faculties required . thus then did wee at first live and act in a pure and aethereal body ; and consequently in a place of light and blessedness , by principle d. but particularly to describe and point at this paradisaical residence , can be done only by those that live in those serene regions of lightsom glory : some philosophers indeed have adventured to pronounce the place to be the sun that vast o●b of splendor and brightness ; though it may be 't is more probable , that those immense tracts of pure and quiet aether that are above saturn , are the joyous place of our ancient celestial abode : but there is no determination in matters of such lubricous uncertainty where ever it is , 't is doubtless a place and state of wonderful bliss and happiness , and the highest that our natures had fitted us to . in this state we may be supposed to have lived in the blissful exercise of virtue , divine love and contemplation , through very long tracts of duration . but though we were thus unconceivably happy , yet were we not immutably so ; for our highest perfections and noblest faculties being but finite , may after long and vigorous exercise , somewhat abat● and remit in their sublimest operations , and adam may fall a sleep ; in which time of remission of the higher powers , the lower may advance and more livelily display themselves then they could before , by axiom ; for the soul being a little slackt in its pursuits of immaterial objects , the lower powers which before were almost wholly taken up and imployed in those high services , are somewhat more releast to follow a little the tendencies of their proper natures . and now they begin to convert towards the body , and warmly to resent the delights and pleasures thereof ; thus is eve brought forth , while adam sleepeth . the lower life , that of the body is now considerably awakened , and the operations of the higher , proportionably abated . however , there is yet no anomy or disobedience , for all this is but an innocent exercise of of those faculties which god hath given us to imploy , and as far as is consistent with the divine laws , to gratifie . for it was no fault of ours that we did not uncessantly keep our spiritual powers upon the most intense exercises that they were capable of exerting ; we were made on for purpose defatigable , that so all degrees of life might have their exercise ; and our maker designed that we should feel and taste the joyes of our congenite bodies , as well as the pleasures of those seraphick aspires and injoyments . and me thinks it adds to the felicity of that state , that our happiness was not one uniform piece , or continual repetition of the same , but consisted in a most grateful variety , viz. in the pleasure of all our faculties , the lower as well as the higher ; for those are as much gratified by suitable exercises and enjoyments a● ●hese ; and contequently according to their proportion capable of as great an happiness : nor is it any more derogation from the divine goodness , that the noblest and highest life was not always exercised to the height of its capacity , then that we were not made all angels , all the planets so many suns , and all the variety of the creatures form'd into one species : yea , as was intimated above , 't is an ●astance of the divine benignity , that he produced things into being , according to the vast plenitude of forms that were in his all knowing mind ; and gave them operations suitable to their respective natures ; so that it had rather seemed a defect in the divine dispensations , if we had not had the pleasure of the proper exercise of the lower faculties as well as of the higher . yea , me thinks , 't is but a reasonable reward to the body , that it should have its delights and gratifications also , whereby it will be fitted for further serviceableness . for doubtless it would be in time spent and exhausted were it continually imploy'd in those high and less proportion'd operations . wherefore god himself having so ordered the matter , that the inferiour life should have its turn of invigouration ; it can be no evill in us , that that is executed which he hath so determined , as long as we pass not the bounds that he hath set us . adam therefore was yet innocent , though he joyed in his beloved spouse , yea , and was permitted to feed upon all the fruits of this paradise , the various results of corporeal pleasure , as long as he followed not his own will and appetites contrarily to the divine commands and appointments . but at length unhappily the delights of the body betray us , through our over indulgence to them , and lead us captive to anomy and disobedience . the sense of what is grateful and pleasant by insensible degrees gets head over the apprehension of what is just and good ; the serpent and eve prove successful tempters ; adam cannot withstand the inordnate appetite , but feeds on the forbidden fruit , viz. the dictates of his deba●chea will , and ●sual pleasure . and thus now the body is gotten uppermost , the lower faculties have greater exercise and command then the higher , those being very vigorously awakened , and these proportionably shrunk up , and consopited ; wherefore by axiom . and . the soul contracts a less pure body , which may be more accommodate to sensitive operations ; and thus we fall from the highest paradise the blissful regions of life and glory , and become inhabitants of the air. not that we are presently quite divested of our etherial state , as soon as we descend into this less perfect condition of life , for retaining still considerable exercises of the higher life , though not so ruling and vigorous ones as before , the soul must retain part of its former vehicle , to serve it as its instrument , in those its operations : for the ●herial body contracts crasiness and impurity , by the same degrees as the immaterial faculties abate in their exercise ; so that we are not immediately upon the expiring of the highest congruity wholly stript of all remains of our celestial bodies , but still hold some portion of them , within the grosser vehicle , while the spirit , or higher life is in any degree of actuation . nor are we to suppose that every slip or indulgence to the body can detrude us from our athereal happiness ; but such a change must be wrought in the soul , as may spoil its congruity to a celestial body , which in time by degrees is effected : thus we may probably be supposed to have fallen from our supream felici●ie . but others of our order have made better use of their injoyments , and the indulgences of their maker ; and though they have had their periga's as well as their apoge's : i mean their verges towards the body and its joys , as well as their aspires to nobler and sublimer objects , yet they kept the station of their natures , and made their orderly returns , without so remarkable a defection : and though possibly some of them may somtimes have had their slips , and have waded further into the pleasures of the body then they ought to have done , yet partly by their own timely care and consideration , and partly by the divine assistance , they recover themselves again to their condition of primigenial innocence . but we must leave them to their felicity , and go on with the history of our own descent . therefore after we are detraded from our ●therial condition , we next descend into the aerial . the aerial state. now our bodies are more or less pure in this condition , proportionably to the degrees of our aposta●y : so that we are not absolutely miserable in our first step of descent ; but indeed happy in comparison of our now condition : as yet there may be very considerable remains of vertue and divine love , though indeed the lower life , that of the body be grown very strong and rampant : so that as yet we may be supposed to have lapst no lower then the best and purest regions of the ayre , by axiom & . and doubtlesse there are some , who by striving against the inordinacy of their appetitites , may at length get the victory again over their bodyes , and so by the assistance of the divine spirit who is alwayes ready to promote and assist good beginnings , may re-enkindle the higher life , and so be translated again to their old celestial habitations without descending lower . but others irreclaimeably persisting in their rebellion , and sinking more and more into the body , and the relish of its joyes and pleasures , these are still verging to a lower and more degenerate state ; so that at the last the higher powers of the soul being almost quite laid a sleep and consopited , and the sensitive also by long and tedious exercises being much tyred , and abated in their vigour , the plastick faculties begin now fully to awaken ; so that a body of thin and subtile ayre will not suffice its now so highly exalted energy , no more than the subtile aether can suffice us terrestial animals for respiration ; wherefore the aerial congruity of life expires also , and thus are we ready for an earthly body . but now since a soul cannot unite with any body , but with such only as is fitly prepared for it , by principle . and there being in all likelyhood more expirations in the ayre , then there are prepared bodyes upon earth , it must needs be , that for some time it must be destitute of any congruous matter that might be joyned with it ; and consequently by principle d. 't will lye in a state of inactivity and silence . not that it will for ever be lost in that forgotten recess and solitude , for it hath a●ptness aptness and propensity to act in a terrestrial body , which will be reduc'd into actual exercise , when fit ●atter is prepared . the souls therefore , that are now laid up in the black night of stuipdity and inertnesse will in their proper seasons be awakened into life and operation in such bodyes and places of the earth , as by their dispositions they are fitted for . so that no sooner is the●e any matter of due vital temper , afforded by generation , but immediatly a soul that is suitable to such a body , either by meer natural congruity , the dispositi , on of the soul of the world , or some more spontaneous agent is attracted , or sent into this so befitting tenement , according to axiom and . terrestrial state. now because in this state too we use our sensitive faculties , and have some though very small reliques of the higher life also ; therefore the soul first makes it self a vehicle out of the most spiritous and yielding parts of this spu●ous terrestrial matter , which hath some analogy both with its ●therial and aerial state . this is as it were its inward vest , and immediate instrument in all its operations . by the help of this it understands , reasons , and remembers , yea forms and moves the body : and that we have such a subtile aery vehicle within this terrestrial , our manifest sympathizing with that element , and the necessity we have of it to all the functions of life , as is palpable in respiration , is me thinks good ground for conjecture . and 't is not improbable but even within this it may have a purer fire and ather to which it is united , being some little remain of what it had of old . in this state we grow up meerly into the life of sense , having little left of the higher life , but some apish shews and imitations of reason , vertue , and religion : by which alone with speech , we seem to be distinguisht from beasts , while in reality the brutish nature is predominant , and the concernments of the body are our great end , our onely god and happiness ; this is the condition of our now degenerate , lost natures . however , that ever over-flowing goodness that always aims at the happiness of his creatures , hath not left us without all means of recovery , but by the gracious and benigne dispensations which he hath afforded us , hath provided for our restauration ; which some ( though but very few ) make so good use of , that being assisted in their well meant and sincere indeavours by the divine spirit , they in good degree mortifie and subdue the bodie , conquer self-will , unruly appetites , and disorderly passions , and so in some measure by principle . awaken the higher life , which still directs them upwards to vertue and divine love ; which , where they are perfectly kindled carry the soul when dismist from this prison to its old celestial abode : for the spirit and noblest faculties being so recovered to life and exercise require an aetherial body to be united to , and that an aetherial place of residence , both which , the divine nemesis that is wrought into the very nature of things bestoweth on them by principle the second . but they are very few that are thus immediatly restored to the celestial paradise , upon the quitting of their earthly bodies . for others that are but in the way of recovery , and dye imperfectly vertuous , meer philosophy and natural reason ( within the bounds of which we are now discoursing ) can determine no more , but that they step forth again into aer● vehicles ; that congruity of life immediately awakening in them after this is expired . in this state their happinesse will be more or lesse , proportionably to their virtues , in which if they persevere , we shall see anon how they will be recover'd . but for the present we must not break off the clue of our account , by going backwards before we have arriv'd to the u●most verge of descent in this philosophical romance , or history ; the reader is at his choice to call it which he pleaseth . wherefore let us cast our eyes upon the most , in whom their life on earth hath but confirm'd and strengthned , their degenerate sensual , and brutish propensions ; and see what is like to become of them , when they take their leave of these terrestial bodies . only first a word of the state of dying infants , and i come immediately to the next step of descent . those therefore that passe out of these bodyes , before the terrestrial congruity be spoyl'd weakened , or orderly unmound ; according to the tenour of this hypothesis , must return into the state of inactivity . for the plastick in them is too highly awakened , to inactuate only an aerial body ; and , there being no other more congruous , ready , and at hand for it to enter , it must needs step back into its former state of insensibility , and there wait its turn , till befitting matter call it forth again into life and action . this is a conjecture that philosophy dictates , which i vouch not for a truth , but only follow the clue of this hypothesis . nor can there any danger be hence conceiv'd that those whose congr●ityes orderly expire , should fall back again into a state of silence and intertnesse ; since by long and hard exercises in this body , the plastick life is well tamed and debilitated , so that now its activity is proportion'd to a more te●uious and passive vehicle , which it cannot fail to meet with in its next condition . for 't is only the terrestrial body is so long a preparing . but to the next step of descent , or after state. to give an account of the after state of the more degenerate and yet descending souls , some fancy a very odd hypothesis , imagining that they passe hence into some other more course and inferior planet , in which , they are provided with bodyes suitable to their so depraved natures ; but i shall be thought extravagant for the mention of such a supposition ; wherefore i come to what is lesse ●bnoxious . when our souls go out of these bodies therefore , they are not presently discharg'd of all the matter that belong'd to this condition , but carry away their inward and aerial state to be partakers with them of their after fortunes , onely leaving the unlesse earth behind them . for they have a congruity to their aery bodies , though that which they had to a terrestrial , is worn out and defaced . nor need we to wonder how it can 〈◊〉 have an aerial aptitude , when as that congr●ity expired before we defended hither ; if we consider the reason of the expiration of its former vital aptitude , which was not so much through any defect of power to actuate such a body , but through the excesse of invigoration of the plastick , which was then grown so strong , that an aerial body was not enough for it to display its force upon . but now the case is alter'd , these lower powers are worn and wearied out , by the toylsome exercise of dragging about and managing such a load of flesh ; wherefore being so castigated , they are duly attemper'd to the more easie body of air again , as was intimated before ; to which they being already united , they cannot miss of a proper habitation . but considering the stupor , dulness & inactivity of our declining age , it may seem unlikely to some , that after death we should immediately be resuffitated into so lively and vigorous a condition , as is the aerial , especially , since all the faculties of sence and action , are observed gradually to fail & abate as we draw nearer to our exit from this stage ; which seems to threaten , that we shall next descend into a state of less s●upor and inertnesse . but this is a groundless jealousie ; for the weaknesse and lethargick inactivity of old age , ariseth from a defect of those spirits , that are the instruments of all our operations , which by long exercise are at last spent and seattred . so that the remains can scarce any longer stand under their unweildy barthem ; much lesse , can they perform all functions of life so vigorously as they were wont to do , when they were in their due temper , strength , and plenty . however notwithstanding this inability to manage a sluggish , stubborn , and exhausted terrestrial body , there is no doubt , but the soul can with great care , when it is discharg'd of its former load , actuate its thin aery vehicle ; and that with a brisk vigour and activity . as a man that is overladen , may be ready to faint and sink , till he be releived of his burthen ; and then , he can run away with a cheerful vivacity . so that this decrepid condition of our decayed natures cannot justly prejudice our belief , that we shall be crected again , into a state of life and action in aerial bodies , after this congruity is expired . but if all alike live in bodies of air in the next condition , where is then the difference between the ●nst and the wicked , in state , place and body ? for the just we have said already , that some of them are re-instated in their pristi●e happiness and felicite ; and others are in a middle state , within the confines of the air , perfecting the inchoations of a better life , which commenc'd in this : as for the state and place of those that have lived in a continual course of sensuality and forgetfulness of god ; i come now to declare what we may fancie of it , by the help of natural light , and the conduct of philosophy . and in order to this discovery i must premise some what concerning the earth , this globe we live upon ; which is , that we are not to conceive it to be a full bulky mass to the center , but rather that 〈◊〉 somwhat like a suckt egg , in great part , an hollow sphear , so that what we tread upon is but as it were , an arch or bridge , to divide between the upper and the lower regions : not that this inward ●llowness is a meer void capacity , for there are no such chasms in nature , but doubtless replenisht it is with some ●uid bodies or other , and it may be a kind of aire , fire and water : now thi● hypothesis will help us easily to imagine how the earth may move notwithstanding the pretended indisposition of its bulk , and on that account i beleeve it will be somewhat the more acceptable with the free and ingenious . those that understand the cartesian philosophy , will readily admit the hypothesis , at least as much of it as i shall have need of : but for others , i have little hopes of perswading them to any thing , and therefore il'● spare my labour of going about to prove what they are either uncapable of , or at first dash judge ridiculous : and it may be most will grant as much as is requisite for my purpose , which is , that there are huge vast cavities within the body of the earth ; and it were as needless , as presumptious , for me to go about to determine more . only i shall mention a probability , that this gross crust which we call earth , is not of so vast a profound● as is supposed , and so come more press to my business . 't is an ordinary observation among them that are imployed in mines and subterraneous vaults of any depth , that heavy bodies lose much of their gravity in those hollow caverns : so that what the strength of several men cannot stir above ground , is easily moved by the single force of one under it : now to improve this experiment , 't is very likely that gravity proceeds from a kind of magnetism and attractive virtue in the earth , which is by so much the more strong and vigorous , by how much more of the attrahent contributes to the action , and proportionably weaker , where less of the magnetick element exerts its operation ; so that supposing the solid earth , to reach but to a certain , and that not very great distance from the surface , and 't is obvious this way to give an account of the phoenomenon . for according to this hypothesis the gravity of those bodies is lesse , because the quantity of the earth that draws them is so ; whereas were it of the same nature and solidity to the center , this diminution of its bulk , and consequently virtue would not be at all considerable , nor in the least sensible : now though there are other causes pretended for this effect , yet there is none so likely , and easie a solution as this , though i know it also is obnoxious to exceptions , which i cannot now stand to to meddle with ; all that i would have is , that 't is a probability , and the mention of the fountains of the great deep in the sacred history , as also the flaming vulcanoes and smoking mountains that all relations speak of , are others . now i intend not that after a certain distance all is fluid matter to the ce●ter . for the cartefian hypothesis distributes the subterranean space into distinct regions of divers matter , which are divided from each other by as solid walls , as is the open air from the inferiour atmosphear : therefore i suppose only that under this thick outside , there is next a vast and large region of fluid matter , which for the most part very likely is a gross and fa●lid kind of air , as also considerable proportions of fire & water , under all which , there may be other solid floors , that may incompass and cover more vaults , and vast hollows , the contents of which 't were vanity to go about to determine ; only 't is very likely , that as the admirable philosophy of des cartes supposeth , the lowest and central regions may be filled with flame and aether , which suppositions , though they may seem to some to be but the groundless excursions of busie imaginations ; yet those that know the french philosophy , and see there the reasons of them , will be more candid in their censures , and not so severe to those not ill-framed conjectures . now then being thus provided , i return again to prosecute my main intendment ; wherefore 't is very probable , that the wicked and degenerate part of mankindare after death committed to those squallid subterraneous habitations ; in which dark prisons , they do severe penance for their past impletyes , and have their sences , which upon earth they did so fondly indulge , and took such care to gratifie , now persecuted with darknesse , stench , and horror . thus doth the divine justice triumph in punishing those vi●e apostatet suitably to their delinquencyes . now if those vicious souls are not carried down to the infernal caverns by the meer congruity of their natures , as is not so easie to imagine ; we may then reasonably conceive , that they are driven into those dungeons by the invisible ministers of justice , that manage the affairs of the world by axiom . for those pure spirits doubtless have a deep sence of what is just , and for the good of the universe ; and therefore will not let those inexcusable wretches to escape their deserved castigations ; or permit them to resicle among the good , lest they should infect and poyson the better world , by their examples . wherefore i say , they are disposed of into those black under-abysses ; where they are suited with company like themselves , and match't unto bodies as impure , as are their depraved inclinations . not that they are all in the same place and under the like torments ; but are variously distributed according to the merits of their natures and actions ; some only into the upper prisons , others to the dungeon : and some to the most intollerable hell , the abysse of fire . thus doth a just nemesis visit all the quarters of the universe . now those miserable prisoners cannot escape from the places of their confinement ; for 't is very likely that those watchfull spirits that were instrumental in committing them , have a strict and careful eye upon them to keep them within the confines of their goal , that they roave not out into the regions of light and liberty , yea 't is probable that the bodies they have contracted in those squallid mansions , may by a kind of fatal magnetisme be chained down to this their proper element . or , they having now a congruity only to such fatid vehicles , may be no more able to abide the clear and lightsome ayr , then the bat or owl are able to bear the suns noon-day beams ; or , the fish to live in these thinner regions . this may be the reason of the unfrequency of their appearance ; and that they most commonly get them away at the approach of light . besides all this , some there are who suppose that there is a kind of polity among themselves , which may , under severe penalties , prohibit all unlicensed excursions into the upper world ; though i confess this seems not so probable , and we stand in no need of the supposition . for though the laws of their natures should not detain them within their proper residences ; yet the care and oversight of those watchful spirits ; who first committed them , will do it effectually . and very oft when they do appear , they signifie that they are under restraint , and come ●ot abroad , but by permission ; as by several credible stories i could make good : but for brevity i omit them . now though i intend not this hypothesis , either for a discovery of infallible truth , or declarement of mine own opinions , yet i cannot forbear to note the strange coincidence that there is between scripture-expressions in this matter , some main stroaks of the orthodox doctrine , and this philosophical conjecture of the state and place of the wicked . 't is represented in the divine oracles as a deep pit , a prison , a place of darkness , fire , and bri●stone ; and the going thither , is named a descent . all which most appositely agree with the representation we have made ; and the usual periphrasis of hell torments , fire , and brimstone , is wonderfully applicable to the place we have been describing ; since it abounds with fuliginous flames , and sulphurious stench and vapours ; and , as we have conjectur'd , the lowest cavity , is nothing else but a valut of fire . for the other expressions mention'd , every one can make the application . so that when a man considers this , he will almost be tempted to think , that the inspired writers had some such thing in their fancies . and we are not to run to tropes and figures for the interpretation of plain and literal descriptions ; except some weighty reason force us to such a refuge . moreover hell is believ'd among the orthodox to have degrees of torments , to be a place of uncomfortable horror , and to stand at the greatest distance from the seat and babitation of the blessed . all which , and more that i could reckon up , cannot more clearly made out and explained , then they are in this hypothesis . thus then we see the irreclameably wicked lodg'd in a place and condition very ●retched and calamilous . if any of them should be taught by their miseryes to renounce and forsake their impietyes ; or should have any dispositions to virtue and divine love reinkindled in them ; meer philosophy would conclude , that in time they might then be deliver'd from their lad durance ; but we know what theology hath determined . and indeed those bruitish apostates are so fixt and rooted in their sensual and rebellious propensions , that those who are not yet as far distant from their maker as they can be , are still verging downwards ; and possibly being quite void of the divine grace , and any considerable exercises of reason and conscience , they may never stop till they have run through all the internal stages , and are arriv'd to the extremest degree of misery , that as yet any are obnoxious to . wherefore the earth and all the infernal regions being thus monstrously depraved ; 't is time for the divine justice to shew some remarkable and more then ordinary severity upon those remorseless rebels ; and his goodness is as ready to deliver the virtuous from this stage of wretchedness and impiety . when therefore those have compleated the number of their iniquities , and these are fit for the mercy of so great a deliverance ; then shall the great decree for judgement be executed ; which though it cannot be expected that meer philosophy should give an unerring and punctual account of , yet we shall follow this light as far as it will lead us ; not intrenching upon the sacred rights of divinity , nor yet baulking what the ancient eastern cabbala , assisted by later discoveries into nature , will dictate ; but sincerely following the hypothesis , we shall leave all its errours and misguidances to be corrected by the more sacred canons . so that where we shall discern the wisdom of the world to have misdirected the most knowing and sedulous inquirers , we may duly acknowledge the great benefit of that light which we have received to guide us in matters of such vast and concerning speculation . the constagration of the earth . therefore at length , when the time preappointed by the divine wisdom for this execution , is come ; the internal , central fire shall have got such strength and irresistible vigour that it shall easily melt & dissolve that fence that hath all this while inclosed it ; and all those other smaller fires , which are lodg'd in several parts of the lower regions joyning themselves with this mighty flame , shall prey upon what ever is combustible and so rage first within the bowels of the earth , beginning the tragick execution upon those damned spirits that are there confi●ed ; these having been reserved in the chains of darkness to the judgment of this great day ; and now shall their hell and misery be compleated , and they receive the full reward of their impieties , which doubtless will be the most intollerable and severe torment that can be imagned , these sierce and merciless flames sticking close to , yea , piercing through and through their bodies , which can remove no where to avoid this fierie over-spreading vengenance . and now the subterranean vaults being thus all on fire , it cannot be long ere this prevailing combustion take hold of the upper regions , wherefore at last with irresistible violence it breaks forth upon these also : so that the great pyre is now kindled , smoak , fire , darkness , horror and confusion , cover the face of all things ? wherefore the miserable inhabitants of the earth and inferiour air , will be seized on by the devouring element , and suffer in that fire that was reserved for the perdition of ungodly men . but shal the righteous perish with the wicked ? and shall not the judge of all the earth do right ? wil not the sincere & vertuous both in the earth and air be secured from this sad fate ? and how can their deliverance be effected ? doubtless providence that in all things else hath been righteous and equall will not fail in this last scene ; but provision will be made for their recovery from this vengeance that hath taken hold of the wicked . but all natural causes failing here , since their bodies are not pure enough to wast them up the quiet regions of the un-infested ather ; and the higher congruity of life , being yet but imperfectly inchoated ; they would be detained prisoners here below by the chains of their unhappy natures , were there not some extraordinary interposure for their rescue and inlargement ; wherefore when we contemplate the infinite fertility of the divine goodness , we cannot think , that he will let those seeds of piety and vertue , which himself hath sown and given some increase to , to come to nought ; or the honest possessors of them , fatally to miscarry : but that he will imploy his power for the compleating what he hath begun , and the deliverance of those , who have relyed upon his mercies . but for the particular way and method how this this great iransaction will be accomplisht , philosophy cannot determine it . happy therefore are we , who have the discoveryes of a more certain light , which doth not only secure us of the thing , but acquaints us with the way and means , that the divine wisdome hath resolv'd on , for the delivery of the righteous . so that hereby we are assured that our ever blessed redeemer shall appear in the clouds before this fiery fate shall have quite taken hold of the earth , and its condemned inhabitants . the glory of his appearance with his caelestial legions , shall raise such strong love , joy , and triumph in his now passionately enamourd expectants , as shall again enkindle that high and potent principle , the spirit , which being throughly awakened and excited , will melt the grossest consistence into liquid aether , so that our bodyes being thus turned into the purest flame , we shall ascend in those fiery chariots with our glorious redeemer , and his illustirous and blessed attendants to the caelestial habitations . this is the resurrection of the just , and the recovery of our antient blessedness . thus have some represented this great transaction ; but i dare warrant nothing in this matter beyond the declarations of the sacred scripturs , therefore to proceed in our philosophicall conjectures , however the good shall be delivered ; be sure the wicked shall be made a prey to the scorching element which now rageth every where , and suffer the judgement threatened . but yet the most degenerate part of mankind ( if we consult meere reason and the antient eastern cabbals ) who are detained prisoners in the now inflamed almospheare , shall not for ever be abandon'd to misery and ruin . for they are still pretended to be under the eye and tender care of that almighty goodness , that made and preserveth all things , that punisheth not out of malice or revenge , and therefore will not pursue them to their utter undoing for ever : but hath set bounds to their destruction , and in infinite wisdome hath so ordered the matter that none of his creatures shall be lost eternally , or indure such an endlesse misery , then which not being it self were more eligible . wherefore those curious contemplators phancy , that the unsupportable pain and anguish which hath long stuck to those miserable creatures , will at length so consume and destroy rhat insensible pleasure and congruity that unites soul and body , that the thus-miserably cruciated spirit must needs quit it's unfit habitation ; and there being no other body within its reach that is capable of a vitall union , according to the tenor of this hypothesis , it must become senselesse and unactive by axiom . and so be buried in a state of silence and inertness . at length when these greedy flames shall have devoured what ever was combustible , and converted into a smoak and vapour all grosser concretions , that great orb of fire that the cartesian philosophy supposeth to constitute the centre of this globe , shall perfectly have recovered its pristine nature , and so following the laws of its proper motion , shall fly away out of this vortex , and become a wandring comet , till it settle in some other . but if the next conflagration reach not so low as the inmost regions of the earth , so that the central fire remains unconcern'd , and unimploy'd in this combustion ; this globe will then retain its wonted place among the planets . and that so it may happen , is not improbable , since there is plenty enough both of fiery principles and materials in those regions that are nearer to the surface , to set the earth into a lightsom flame , and to do all that execution that we have spoken of . some conceive therefore , that the conflagration will not be so deep and universal as this opinion supposeth it ; but that it may take beginning from a lesse distance , and spendit self upwards . and to this purpose they represent the sequel of their hypothesis . the generall restitution . those thick and clammy vapours which erstwhile ascended in such vast measures , and had fil'd the vault of heaven with smoak and darknesse , must at length obey the laws of their nature and gravity , and so descend again in abundant showres , and mingle with the subsiding ashes , which will constitute a mudd vegetative and fertile . for those warm and benign beams , that now again begin to visit the desolate earth , will excite those seminal principles into action , which the divine wisdome and goodnesse hath mingled with all things . wherefore they operating according to their natures , and the dispositions which they find in the restored matter , will shoot forth in all sorts of flowers , herbs , and trees ; making the whole earth a garden of delight and pleasure ; and erecting all the phaenomena proper to this element . by this time the ayre will be grown vitall again and far more pure and pleasant , then before the fiery purgation . wherefore they conceive , that the disbodyed soules shall return from their unactive and silent recesse , and be joined again to bodyes of purified and duly prepared ayre . for their radaical aptitude to matter still remained , though theyfell asleep for want of bodies of fit temper to unite with . this is the summ of the hypothesis as it is represented by the profoundly learned dr. h. more , with a copious and pompous eloquence . now supposing such a recess of any souls into a state of in activity , such a restitution of them to life and action is very reasonable ; since it is much better for them to live and operate again , then to be uselesse in the universe , and as it were nothing for ever . and we have seen above , that the divine goodnesse doth always what is best , and his wisdom is not so shallow as to make his creatures so as that he should be fain to banish them into a state that is next to non-entity , there to remain through all duration . thus then will those lately tormented souls , having smarted for their past iniquities , be recovered both from their state of ●rtechednesse and insensibility ; and by the unspeakable benignity of their maker , placed once more in such conditions , wherein by their own endeavours , and the divine assistance they may amend what was formerly amiss in them , and pursue any good resolutions that they took while under thelash of the fiery tortures ; which thos that do , when their good inclinations are perfected , and the divine life again enkindled , they shall in due time reascend the thrones they so unhappily fell from , & be circled about with unexpressible felicity . butthose that for all this , follow the sameways of sensuality and rebellion against their merciful deliverer , they shal besure tobe met with by the same methods of punishment ; and at length be as miserable as ever . thus we see the ayr will be re-peopled after the conflagration : but how the earth will so soon be restored to inhabitants , is a matter of some difficulty to determine since it useth to be furnisht from the aerial regions , which now will have none left that are fit to plant it . for the good were deliver'd thence before the conflagration : and those that are newly come from underthe fiery lash and latter state of silence , are in a hopeful way of recovery ; at least , their aerial congruity cannot be so soon expired , as to fit them for an early return to their terrestriall prisons . wherfore to help our selves in this rencounter , we must remember , that there are continually multitudes of souls in a state of inactivity , for want of suitable bodyes to unite with , there being more that dye to the aery state , then are born into this terrestrial . in this condition were myriads , when the general feaver seiz'd this great distemper'd body ; who therefore were unconcern'd in the conflagration , and are now as ready to return into life and action upon the earth's happy restauration , as if no such thing had hapned . wherefore they will not fail to descend into fitly prepared matter , and to exercise all the functsons proper to this condition . nor will they alone be inhabitants of the earth . for all the variety of other animals , shall live and act upon this stage with them ; all sorts of souls infinuating themselves into those bodys , which are fit for their respective natures . thus then supposing habitable congruous bodyes , there is no doubt , but there will be humane souls to actuate and informe them ; but all the difficulty is to conceive how the matter shall be prepared . for who shall be the common seedsman of succeding humanity , when all mankind is swept away by the fiery deluge ? and to take sanctuary in a miracle is unphilosophical and desperate . i thinke therefore , it is not improbable ( i mean according to the duct of this hypothesis ) but that in this renewed youth , of the so lately calcined and purified earth , there may be some pure efflorescences of balmy matter , not to be found now in its exhausted and decrepit age , that may be proper vehicles of life into which souls may deseend without further preparation : and so orderly shape and form them , as we see to this day several sorts of other creatures do , without the help of generation . for doubtlesse there will be great plenty of unctuous spirituous matter , when the most inward and recondite spirits of all things , shall be dislodg'd from their old close residences ; and scatter'd into the ayre ; where they will at length , when the fierce agitation of the fire is over , gather in considerable proportions of tenuous vapours ; which at length descending in a chrystalline liquor , and mingling with the finest parts of the newly modified earth , will doubtless compose as genital a matter as any can be prepared in the bodys of animals . and the calm and wholesome ayre which now is duly purged from its noxious reeks and vapours , and abounds with their saline spirituous humidity , will questionlesse be very propitious to those tender inchoations of life ; and by the help of the sun 's favourable and gentle beams , supply them with all necessary materials . nor need we puzzle our selves to phancy , how those terrae filii , those young sons of the earth will be fortified against the injuries of weather , or be able to provide for themselves in their first and tender infancy ; since doubtlesse , if the supposition be admitted , those immediate births of unassisted nature will not be so tender and helplesse as we , into whose very constitutions delicacy and effeminatenesse is now twisted . for those masculine productions which were always exposed to the open ayr , and not cloyster'd up as we , will feel no more incommodity from it , then the young fry of fishes do from the coldnesse of the water they are spawn'd in . and even now much of our tendernesse and delicacy is not natural but contracted . for poor children will indure that hardshp that would quickly dispatch those that have had a more careful and officious nurture . and without question we should do many things for self-preservati on and provision , which now we yield no signes of ; had not custome prevented the endeavours of nature , and made it expect assistance ; for the indian infants will swim currently , when assoon as they are born , they are thrown into the water . and nature put to her shifts , will do many things more then we can suspect her able for the performance of : which consider'd , 't is not hard to apprehend , but that those infant aborigines , are of a very different temper and condition from the weak products of now decayed nature : having questionlesse , more pure and serviceable bodies , senses and other faculties more active and vigorous , and nature better exercised ; so that they may by a like sence to that which carrys all creatures to their proper food , pursue and take hold of that nutriment which the free and willing earth now offerd to their mouths ; till being advantaged by age and growth , they can move about to make their choice . but all this is but the frolick exercise of my pen chusing a paradox ; and 't is time to give over the pursuit . to make an end then , we see that after the conflagration the earth will be inhabited again , and all things proceed much what in like manner as before . but whether the catastrophe of this shall bee like the former or no , i think is not to be determined . for as one world hath perish't by water , and this present shall by fire , 't is possible the next period may be by the extinction of the sun. but i am come to the end of the line , and shall not go beyond this present stage of providence , or wander into an abysse of uncertainties , where there is neither sun nor star to guide my notions . now of all that hath been represented of this hypothesis , there is nothing that seems more extravagant and romantick then those notions that come under the two last generals ; and yet so it falls out , that the main matters contained under them , one would think to have a strange consonancy with some expressions in the sacred oracles . for clear it is from the divine volumne , that the wicked and the devils themselves are reserved to a further and more severe judgement then yet afflicteth them ; it is as plainly declared to be a vengeance of fire that abides them , as a compleatment of their torments : and that the earth shall be burnt , is as explicitly affirmed , as any thing can be spoken . now if we put all these together , they look like a probability , that the conflagration of the earth shall consummate the hell of the wicked . and those other expressions of death , destruction , perdition of the ungodly , and the like , seem to show a favourable regard to the state of silence and inactivity . nor is there less appearing countenance given to the hypothesis of restitution , in those passages which predict new heavens and a new earth , and seem to intimate onely a change of the present . and yet i would have no body be so credulous as to be taken with litle appearances , nor do i mention these with an intent that they should with full consent be delivered to intend the asserting any such doctrines ; but that there is shew enough both in reason and scripture for these opinions to give an occasion for an hypothesis , and therefore that they are not meer arbitrary and idle imaginations . now whatever becomes of this perticular draught of the souls severall conditions of life and action , the main opinion of praeexistence is not at all concerned . this scheame is onely to shew that natural and imperfect reason can frame an intelligible idea of it ; and therefore questionlesse the divine wisdome could forme and order it , either so , or with infinitely more accuracy and exactness . how it was with us therefore of old , i know not ; but yet that we may have been , and acted before we descended hither , i think is very probable . and i see no reason but why praeexistence may be admitted without altering any thing considerable of the ordinary systeme of theology . but i shut up with that modest conclusion of the great des cartes . that although these matters seem hardly otherwise intelligible then as ihave here explained them : yet neverthelesse remembring i am not infallible , i assert nothing ; but submit all i have written to the authority of the church of england , and to the matured judgements of graver and wiser men ; earnest● desiring that nothing else may be entertained with credit by any persons , but what is able to win it by the force of evident and victorious reason . des cartes princ. prilos . lib. . ss . cvii . finis . the interest of divine providence in the government of the world a sermon preached at guild-hall-chappel, before the right honourable the lord mayor and aldermen of the city of london, febr. xi. / by j. goodman ... goodman, john, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the interest of divine providence in the government of the world a sermon preached at guild-hall-chappel, before the right honourable the lord mayor and aldermen of the city of london, febr. xi. / by j. goodman ... goodman, john, or - . [ ], p. printed for rich. royston ..., london : . reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god -- sermons. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion pritchard mayor . jovis xxii o die februarii . annoque regis caroli secundi angl. &c. xxxv o this court doth desire doctor goodman to print his sermon lately preached at the guild-hall-chapel , before the lord mayor , and aldermen of this city . wagstaffe . the interest of divine providence in the government of the world. a sermon preached at guild-hall-chappel , before the right honourable the lord mayor and aldermen of the city of london , febr. xi . . by j. goodman d. d. chaplain in ordinary to his majesty . london , printed for rich. royston , bookseller to his most sacred majesty . mdclxxxiii . to the right honourable sir william pritchard lord mayor of the city of london , and to the court of aldermen . my lord , and gentlemen , in obedience to your order i have printed , and here humbly present to you , the sermon i lately preached before you ; and therewith i make my acknowledgments of the respects you have shewed me in the kind entertainment of my endeavours to serve you. i made choice of the great doctrine of providence for the subject of my discourse , as well with a peculiar regard to the distracted condition of the times we live in ; as upon the general account of its perpetual usefulness to all the great purposes of religion : and i am now confirmed in my choice by the testimony of your judgments and approbation . my lord , though i live not much in the air of this busie world , yet a man must be quite out of it that is not sensible , not only of different apprehensions and disputes amongst us , but of the most violent passions and animosities , insomuch that no terms of reproach are thought virulent enough to bestow upon one another , but we must rake the sinks of other countries for odious nicknames to distinguish parties , and to perpetuate our quarrels . nor is this the worst of our case neither , for now at length ( as it uses to happen in declining age ) our choler seems to be turned into melancholy , and our anger into jealousie . we grow suspicious of our best friends , of our governours , of our clergy , of one another . by which means not only religion is scandalized , but the very sinews of society are relaxed , and the strength of the nation is dissolved . and what remedies can be sufficient to recover us from this condition ? it is true we have a gracious prince , but who can preserve a kingdom divided against it self ? we have good laws , but what can they signifie when they have lost their veneration ? we have a great many good men , but who will take upon him to make peace , when he that parts the fray is likely to receive the most blows , and he that pretends to be a common friend ( to the angry parties ) shall be treated as tbe common enemy ? in a word , we seem to be very near that condition which the historian bewails in his own country , nec morbos , nec remedia pati possumus ; we can neither subsist without a cure , nor yet will admit of the remedies . now , my lord , my text affords us hope even in this condition . it brings into view a mighty majesty , able to awe men into a composure : it gives us assurance that we are under his government , who can cool our heats , allay our passions , prevent our fears , and cure our melancholy . almighty providence can turn the hearts of men , change the scene of things , and make a tempest become a calm . and that in his own good time he will do this for us , we have encouragement to expect from the former experience we have had of his goodness , and upon the interest of the protestant religion , that vine which his own right hand hath planted amongst us . now that it may please him to effect this in our days , and to make your lordship , and the rest of the worthy magistrates of this city ( in their several places ) instrumental in so happy a work , is the hearty prayer of your lordship's most humble servant , jo. goodman . march . / a sermon preached before the right honourable the lord mayor and aldermen of the city of london . psalm xcvii . verse . the lord reigneth , let the earth rejoice ; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof . whether this psalm was penned by moses upon occasion of the victory obtained over sihon king of heshbon , as the first omen of israel's success in the conquest of the promised land ? ( as the jewish writers think ) or , whether it was composed by david upon the recovery of his throne and kingdom , when the conspiracy of absolom was defeated ? ( as the greek interpreters seem to intimate ) or lastly , whether the same david indited it , upon the huge inlargement of his dominions , by the addition of all those bordering countries , his conquest whereof we have recorded chron. . ( as seems most probable . ) it is however certain in the general , that the psalm is an hymn of praise to the divine majesty , and a devout acknowledgment of his power and providence in the management of the affairs of the world. and like as at the inauguration of some virtuous and brave prince , or especially upon some glorious specimen or instance of his wisdom and prowess in the conduct of affairs , it is usual for the people to make mighty shouts and acclamations : so here is the shout of a king in my text , and all the world is summoned to celebrate the glories of this great monarch jehovah . the lord reigneth , let the earth rejoice ; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof . by the earth , i understand the land of canaan and bordering countries , the territory of the church . by the multitude of the isles , i conceive is meant all the remoter parts of the world ; for by that name the jews in their language were wont to call all but the continent on which they inhabited , as may appear gen. . . where speaking of the posterity of japheth , the text saith , by these were the isles of the gentiles divided . so the words afford us these two observations : first , that the divine majesty is not a mere necessary agent or passive being , or unconcerned spectator of the affairs of the world , but manages and governs , as well as observes the course of things . secondly , that this divine providence and government of the world , is matter of security and satisfaction , of triumph and rejoicing to all mankind . and that although the church of god have a principal interest in it , and advantage by it ; yet no part of the world is neglected by god , or destitute of a providence . and these two shall be the subject of my present discourse . i am well aware that neither of them contain any new doctrine to entertain and gratifie curiosity ; but i am withal very certain , that they represent to us matter of the greatest usefulness and importance that can be for any times , but most peculiarly seasonable at this time . the doctrine of a providence ( and especially such an one as the text speaks of ) being the only consideration able to allay our passions , to abate our fears , to remove our jealousies , to cure our melancholies , and consequently to promote peace and settlement both in church and state. therefore i shall not doubt either of your patience or attention whilst i give account of these three things . first , i will shew what is meant by this expression , the lord reigneth . secondly , i will demonstrate the truth of the assertion , that god almighty exerciseth a reigning providence in the world. lastly , i will bring this down to practice , by discovering the great influence this truth hath upon all the interests of mankind . and by that time i perswade my self you will be ready to make the application in my text , and give example to the rest of the world , to rejoice that the lord is king. . i begin with the first , what is meant by this expression , the lord reigneth . i cannot imagine that any one that hears me should phansie this expression to give countenance to a fifth monarchy ( as they call it ) as if such an interest in the government of the world was hereby asserted to the divine majesty , as should repeal or disannul the authority of temporal princes and potentates ; or that they must become usurpers because god is king. for besides that ( as i shall shew anon ) they are only gods vicegerents and instruments of his government ; and so being subordinate cannot be repugnant to him : ( besides this i say ) it is evident that david , who ( i suppose ) indited this psalm , reigned at this time as a temporal prince , and neither thought his royalty impeached by the divine soveraignty , nor an invasion of the divine prerogative . and as little can i suspect that any should be so unreasonable , as to think that the supposition of a divine providence should supersede and discharge the use and efficacy of second causes , for it is a reigning providence we speak of ; now to reign is to command in chief , not to transact all things immediately , to prescribe to and govern , rather than to dispatch business by himself . that which therefore we are to understand by gods being king , is no more but that omne regnumest sub graviori regno ; that the lord god is lord paramount , who though he not only suffers but inables other causes to act under him , yet keeps the reins of government in his own hand ; and consequently can and doth whensoever he pleases , interpose , suspend or controll them , and over-rule all things to his own will and pleasure . that things are neither carried by the hurry of a blind fortune , or chance as the epicureans dreamed ; nor born away with the swinge of fatal necessity , as the stoicks imagined : nor yet left either to the will of man , or the natural efficacy of second causes , but that god sometimes interposes , and always guides and governs them . this is that which was darkly and figuratively , but elegantly exprest by the prophet ezekiel in his first chapter , where the course of second causes is compared to the wheels of a chariot , which run on in a road with a mighty cariere ; but then v. . there are said to be eyes in those wheels , intimating that god takes notice how all things go ; and not only so , but v. . there is said to be a spirit that guides and governs all their motions . thus the lord is king and reigns in the world ; and so much for that point , i pass to the second : . which is to make plain and demonstrative proof of this assertion , that so we may discover a just foundation for that joy and triumph which the text calls for upon that occasion ; and for this i offer these four following arguments . first , i argue from the very nature and notion of a god after this manner : every man that frames in his mind any worthy notion of the deity , conceives him to be a wise , powerful , just and good being ; and whosoever conceives of him any otherwise , or leaves out any of these attributes , debases him below the common notion that men have of him , and renders him no fit object of love , or fear , or worship and adoration , ( as i shall shew more anon . ) now he that denies such a providence as we have explained , denies to the deity all those perfections at once ; and in so doing forfeits and forgoes the most natural and general apprehension of a god ; so that either there is in effect no god , or there is a providence . for if he cannot take notice how things go in the world , we cannot esteem him wise . if he sees how things go , but cannot help or hinder them , we cannot allow him to be powerful ; and if he sees , and can help , but will not , men will have no apprehensions of him as either just or good. but because we certainly conclude him to have all those perfections , when we acknowledge him to be a god , therefore he doth govern the world. and thus in short we have all the branches of divine providence , at once , demonstrated from his nature and being . secondly , my second argument shall be from the spirit of prophecy , or from all those predictions of things to come , which have been verified in real effects in any age of the world. he that denies that any thing hath been foretold , and come to pass according to the prediction , must deny the faith and history of all the world ; and he that grants such things , cannot avoid the acknowledgment of a providence . for it is evident , that he who certainly foretells what is to come , must see through all the series of causes that tend to the production of such an effect , and especially if he define the very precise time and other circumstances answering to the accomplishment of the event , his knowledge must be very accurate and intimate to the whole intriegue of causes . but above all , if he declare before-hand , not only what shall come to pass according to the course of natural and necessary causes , but even such things as are casual and contingent , and such as are subject to the liberty and indifferency of the will of man and free agents : then ( whether men be able or no to discover the secret manner and means of this fore-knowledge it matters not ) it must be acknowledged , that he not only is privy to the cabal , and sees the consultations and workings of these causes ; but that he also governs the result and isfues of them , which is that we here mean by a reigning providence , as we before explained it . now all this matter of fact is evidently true in innumerable instances ; amongst all which , i will only take notice of the prediction of the deliverance of the jews , first from their egyptian bondage , and then from the babylonish captivity . in the former of these , the event was foretold above years before it came to pass , and the accomplishment was exact to a very day , as you find it observed , exod. . , . the words are these , and it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years , even the self same day it came to pass , that all the host of the lord went out from the land of egypt : it is a night to be much observed to the lord ; this is that night of the lord , &c. in the other passage of providence , viz. the babylonish captivity , it was foretold above seventy years before it came to pass , and in a time of the greatest unlikelihood of any such calamity to befal them , namely , in the time of their greatest prosperity ; and the period of their captivity was precisely determined to the just time of seventy years continuance , and then they were to be delivered and restored to their own land again : and all these strange things were punctually and precisely fulfilled , as appears by comparing together chron. . . and ezra ● . . in both which passages there are so many admirable circumstances , so great were the obstacles in the way of their accomplishment , and also so much of the will of man concerned in the whole case , that of necessity there must be a governing power as well as a foresight in the bringing it about ; in which two things lies the notion of a providence . this is the argument of tertullian , prescientiae ( or providentiae ) deus tot habet testes , quot fecit prophetas ; i. e. look how many prophets or prophecies ever were in the world , and so many infallible evidences of a providence . thirdly , my third argument is from miracles , or the several instances of divine interposition , either in raising and improving , or in depressing , suspending and altering the natural and ordinary course of second causes : for most assuredly , if ever the course of things hath been interrupted and brought into order again , there is plain evidence of a superiour power and management ; forasmuch as it is not imaginable , that natural causes should go out of course of themselves , without their own decay and failure , and impossible that being once out of order ( upon such decays and declensions ) that ever they should recover themselves into their former order again ; therefore if ever such a case hath happened , it must be the over-ruling hand of providence . now , that there have such extraordinary things happened in the world , as this argument supposes , the most epicurean and atheistical wits do not altogether deny , but endeavour to find out some wise salvo or other for them , upon natural principles , in which enterprise they are much forsaken of all true reason and philosophy , as they are destitute of devotion ; for to resolve that into natural causes , which is either above them , or contrary to them , is the greatest instance of humor and folly that can be assigned . they will observe , perhaps , that in the plagues of egypt , or in some of the miracles done in the wilderness , there was some appearance of natural causes ; but besides that , those causes were apparently incompetent to the effects : there was also such a strange and sudden bringing of those causes together , as could not but bespeak an almighty power and government . but then let them try their skill to tell us , what natural causes made the sun stand still in joshua's time , or made that unnatural eclipse at our saviours passion , when the two luminaries were in opposition . or let them tell us , how men utterly unlearned ( as the apostles and other primitive disciples were ) should be able to speak all kind of languages on the sudden ? how incurable diseases should be healed ? nay , men be raised from the dead by a word speaking : in all these , and a thousand instances more , there is undeniably the interposition of the divine majesty , and so god governs the world. fourthly , and lastly , i argue for a providence from the conspiracy and cooperation of all things that happen in the world , to a certain and uniform end , which cannot be without the direction and management of divine power and wisdom . things that are and happen in the world ( as we see plainly ) have different natures , and various tendencies , nay sometimes run flatly cross to each other ; but now if all those lines meet in the same point and center , if all apparent contrariety conspire to the same end , then there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a god in the world. for if things were either carried by blind and uncertain chance , it would be very strange , if they should not often clash and interfere ; or if they be acted by their respective necessary causes , yet those causes being often contrary to each other , no one end can be jointly pursued and carried on between them ; therefore when we see ( all this contrariety notwithstanding ) all things so attempered and adjusted , that they at last cooperate to one great purpose , viz. the glory of god , and the good of men ; then it is apparent that they are subordinate to one great , and wise , and universal cause , which presides over the world. there are an infinite number of noble instances of this kind in all history and experience , such as the afflictions of joseph in egypt , which god turned into a blessing to joseph , to all his fathers family , to pharaoh , and to all egypt . such was the drowning of jonas in the bottom of the sea , and his miraculous escape thence , which was made an effectual means to convince the ninevites , that god sent him with that awakening message . thus the persecutions of the church , which in the first aspect , looked like the most effectual way to suppress christian religion , proved in the issue , the most successful method of propagating of it . so the afflicted condition of good men in this world ( upon a superficial view ) looks as if virtue was under some malignant planet , or that if any god minded it at all , it was only to discountenance and dishearten it ; yet it proves nothing else in the conclusion , but a design to exercise , to try and confirm it , especially god so ordering the matter , that ordinarily the lives of such men are intermixed , and as it were checquered with prosperity and adversity ; the latter paring off their luxuriancy , and not suffering them to grow light and vain , and the former preserving them from melancholy and despondency ; the one affording them ballast , and the other sails , that by the help of both together , they may steer an even course through the world towards heaven . this is the argument of the apostle , rom. . . all things work together for good , to them that love god , &c. and that shall be my last argument for this great point ; it were easie to add a great many more , but i think these fully sufficient . . i come now to the third and last thing i propounded , viz. to shew the eminent and signal advantages that mankind hath by being under such a providence , that so they may be sensible what cause they have to rejoice that the lord reigneth : and this i represent in the six following particulars . first , the belief of such a providence as we have proved , is the prime pillar , and the very basis and foundation of all religion ; not only of this or that religion in particular , but of religion it self , and in the general notion of it . forasmuch as the belief of a god , is by no means sufficient to support that great fabrick , without this also of a providence . for let a man not only acknowledge the being and existence of a deity , but also let him look upon him as never so great and admirable in his nature ; yet if he conceive of him as inactive , such an one as either cannot or will not trouble himself to take notice of mens carriage towards himself : in a word , if he neither reward nor punish , the great obligation to religion is wanting ; for the mere reverence of his excellent nature will be utterly ineffectual , either to keep a man steady and constant in the difficulties of a strict and devout life , or especially to restrain him from such sins , as both his temper is greatly prone to , and to which he hath the strong allurements of pleasure and profit ; seeing such a man is sensible all along that he is ( upon this supposition ) as safe in despising and affronting , as in fearing and worshipping the divine majesty . and therefore the epicureans , for all their acknowledgment of a god , were reputed atheistical by the wiser sects of philosophers , and that not unworthily ; because ( as i said before ) they making him to enjoy his ease , and to be unconcerned in the affairs of the world , subverted providence , and with it overthrew all the reason of religion and piety . nay further , suppose a man should acknowledge not only a god but some kind of providence also , yet unless it be such a kingly providence as we have before stated , it will signifie little or nothing to the purpose of religion . for so we see the stoicks acknowledged both : but forasmuch as they apprehended the deity to be bound under the iron bonds of fatal and invincible necessity , so that though he was aware how it went with men , and might perhaps pity them in their distresses , yet could not help them ; they hereby cut the main sinews of vertue and devotion . but now upon supposition that god is not only a great and everlasting being , but a powerful , wise and free majesty , and that there is such a kingly providence as we assert ; then it is apparent that vertue and vice have vast differences , and piety and religion are the greatest concerns of mankind . and therefore it is very observable , that this is the great argument of the whole old testament , the main doctrine of those times , and of all those sacred writings of moses and the prophets , to awaken the world into the belief of such a presence of god in , and superintendence over the world. but i proceed . secondly , not only the internal reason and obligation to religion is founded upon providence , but also the external profession of christian religion in special , and the whole society of a church subsists by the support and protection of it . our saviour hath told us he would build his church upon a rock , and the gates of hell should not prevail against it : but it is certain , that it is not the inherent strength of the constitution of this political body his church , which can maintain it in all times , and against all assaults ; but the strong hand of almighty power that preserves it : otherwise it is not imaginable but it had been shattered to pieces long e're this day . for either the violence and cruelty of persecution had dissipated it , or the contagion of evil examples would have debauch'd it ; or prophane wit and drollery would have laughed it out of countenance , or its own follies and divisions would have crumbled it to nothing . but providence hath taken care , that neither the strength of its enemies , nor its own weakness , neither their wit nor its foolishness , neither their combined malice and union , nor its own animosities and distractions , have had their ( otherwise probable and ) natural effects upon it . and that this admirable event is not to be attributed to chance , or any other causes , but is the mere effect of divine providence , will be evident by this further observation , viz. that so long as any church hath kept close to god , and approved it self to him and to the laws of its institution , so long it hath always been safe and flourishing , ( at least if we except only the very infancy of the christian church and religion , at which time it pleased the divine wisdom to work a greater miracle of providence than all the rest , in exposing his church in so much weakness to such strength of opposition , and yet preserving it ( as the burning bush ) and thereby giving a more illustrious evidence to all the world of his providence over it , than constant prosperity could have afforded . ) but contrariwise , whensoever this church or any branch or member of it , hath by wantonness and self-confidence , by pride and schism , by hypocrisie or prophaneness , forfeited this divine protection ; if divine patience and moderate chastisements have not in due time reclaimed it , it hath by a severe act of the same providence been most remarkably delivered up to confusion and barbarism : god hath pulled down his fence , and the wild beast of the field spoils it , and the boar out of the woods devours it . but lest any man who hath observed the horrible degeneracy , the hypocrisie and corruptions of the church of rome , and yet withal takes notice of the great pomp , splendor and prosperity which that society enjoys , should make this an objection against that which i am discoursing , i freely answer , that i think it hath pleased god to make that singular instance on purpose , and by an act of the same providence by which he punishes other degenerate churches , he hath kept up that debauched church ( just as he did those wicked and idolatrous princes the kings of babylon and assyria , &c. ) to be a plague and a scourge whereby to chastise and reclaim other and better , but declining churches . in all other cases my observation is abundantly verified ; not only in the church of the jews , but in all those once famous christian churches of asia and africa . which whilst they were humble and holy , true to their principles , and worthy of divine protection , so long they were happy and glorious : but when they had provoked god to desert them , from that time it was neither their wit nor wealth nor learning , neither their numbers nor their reputation , neither their former zeal nor their apostolical foundation , could preserve them from ruine and barbarism . i proceed further . thirdly , divine providence is the security and protection not only of the church but of the state also . of kings and princes , of magistrates and governours , and of government it self : for it is not the satellites of princes , their lifeguards that secure them , their sword and scepter that defends them , not their purple and all the ensigns of majesty ; but an all-seeing of providence over them , and an invisible guard of providence that protects them . it was well observed by sir francis bacon , that in some respects the condition of crowned heads and soveraign princes was more unhappy and uncomfortable than of meaner persons , and in this respect amongst the rest , because they have a great deal to fear , and little or nothing more to hope for in this world. they cannot go much higher , and they may fall a great deal lower . other men if they have something to fear , yet they have a mighty sphere of hope to cheer and encourage them . princes have but little scope for their desires or ambitions , but on the other side , by reason of their long train , ill fortune hath great advantages against them . and indeed in these respects their condition were very melancholy , but that there is a providence which watches over them , and prevents their fears , and their dangers . they are god's vicegerents , and he maintains and upholds them in their offices under himself ; he strikes an awe and reverence of magistrates into the hearts of subjects , that an enraged multitude shall tremble at the sight of one man , and he in other respects like themselves , saving that he hath the stamp and character of divine authority upon him . he that calms the raging of the sea , and saith to the proud waves , hitherto shall ye go , and no further ; it is he also that stills the rage and madness of the people . therefore psal . . . the lord reigneth , be the people never so impatient ; he sitteth between the cherubims , be the earth never so unquiet : i. e. the divine majesty hath that influence upon the spirits of men , that it is not all the brutal rage and passion , nor all the combined force of evil men , shall be able to dissolve government , or interrupt that order he hath constituted . let us take one great and famous instance of this , sam. . the people of israel made a general defection from david their king , and , as one man , were all for setting absolom upon his throne : the number of the conspirators was as the sand upon the sea-shore , that in the expression of hushai they were able to fall upon david and his handful of men with him , as the dew falls upon the ground ; and if he should betake himself to any city or strong-hold , all israel shall bring ropes , and draw that city into the river ; so that there shall not be one small stone left . what becomes of david in this case ? who shall withstand this torrent ? only divine providence , this divides the waters , this dissolves that great black cloud , and makes it fall in a gentle dew ( otherwise than hushai intended ) and the result is , that 〈…〉 the same men strive who shall be the first and forwardest in setting david upon his throne again . therefore whatever prince or magistrate shall slight a providence , they slight the best fort of their empire and jurisdiction , they dismiss their guards , and lay themselves open to all the follies and rage and insolencies of the people . fourthly , divine providence is also the peoples caution and security against the weaknesses , passions and extravagances of princes and magistrates , so that they shall not need to resort to arms or any seditious and unlawful means in their own defence . we use to appeal to an higher court when we are opprest in an inferior judicatory , and this is our proper refuge , when our rights and properties are invaded , to look up to god the supreme potentate of the world , that he will restrain the exorbitances of his ministers . god is king of kings , not only because he is above all other princes , but because he restrains and controlls them , he makes and rules them , he invests and devests them . cujus jussu homines nascuntur , ejus jussu reges constituuntur , aptique illis qui ab ipsis in illis temporibus regnantur , said the great 〈◊〉 saint irenaeus . he that made men makes kings , and he fits and qualifies them for the times wherein , and the people over whom they reign . for it is he that can ( amongst other instances of his transcendent sovereignty ) turn their hearts also . so solomon himself a great and a wise king hath told us , prov. . . the heart of the king is in the hand of the lord , and he turneth it as the rivers of water ; that is , as an husbandman or gardiner , can by drains and trenches derive the water from one place to another , to his use and purpose ; so doth god almighty dispose and incline the hearts of princes , be they never so strong and deep . cyrus was a mighty prince , and had a heart as averse to the people of the jews , and to their religion also , as any of his predecessors , that carried them into , or kept them in captivity . what was the matter then ? what reason of state was there that he should let them go , and lose so much people , and so much tribute ? nothing , but the text tells us , god stirred up the heart of cyrus . nebuchadnezzar was so stiff-necked and impious , as that he defied any such providence over him as we are speaking of ; but god turned his heart first to that of a beast , and put him out to grass till he had learned , that the most high ruleth in the kingdoms of men . it is therefore no deceitful or illusory method of security , to appeal to , and trust in providence , in the greatest cases possible . it is true the safety of religion , liberty and property are mighty concerns ; but certainly they are not too great a stake to trust in the hands of god , who we see , both can secure them , and is obliged by the honour and interest of his own supereminent government to be tender of them , against all the arbitrary invasions of those under him . but perhaps some man will suspect , that it will look like cowardise , if not treachery ( in confidence of a providence ) to neglect other means of security ; and that it will be like him in the fable , that lay in the ditch , and used no endeavour to get out , but only cried to god to help him : to which i answer , that if the providence of god have afforded us other means that are lawful and warranted by the standing law and rule of his word , we tempt god if we neglect them , when those great interests are indangered ; but unless the means we use be as certainly and manifestly lawful and warrantable , as the cause we pretend to , shall be just and honourable , we shall but provoke providence instead of subserving it . we forego our greatest security by not being contented with it ; for by superseding providence we alienate it , and by shifting for our selves we fight against god. fifthly , providence is our security against private fears as well as publick , against solitude and dangers of all kinds , whether by ill accidents and encounters from brute beasts , or more brutish men . man is a very feeble creature , and impotent for his own defence in a thousand cases that happen every day ; it were therefore a most melancholy condition of life , if we were not under the shelter of a providence , if we had no patron , if there were not a superiour genius , an higher nature continually solicitous about us for our protection : and therefore the well known gentleman of malmsbury might well be timorous and afraid that every man should have designs to kill him , or that every accident might take away his life , for the man did not well believe in a god above , nor had any confidence in a providence . and indeed such a case is so sad and deplorable , that it seems to be a very silly thing to desire to live if it were true : a man had better dye once than live in perpetual fears of dying ; and nothing but childish cowardize could tempt a man to wish to live one day , if he were confident there was no such thing as a providence . but if i believe there is a god that over-looks me where-ever i am , that is tender of me , that can and will preserve me as long as he sees good , in spight of all evil designs or accidents : this erects a mans mind and fortifies his spirits ; this suffers him neither to fear nor to wish for death , but enables him both to live patiently , and to dye bravely . and consequently of this , the trust in a providence is the great incouragement of all generous enterprises and performances ; and these , whether they be publick or private , if a man design a secret good thing , what can be the inducement to it ? where can be the wisdom of giving himself the trouble about it , when he can expect no reward in this world , because the performance is kept secret from the notice of men ; and if there be no providence , it is certain there can be no reward in another world , and so his labour is wholly lost . but if it be a publick action he designs , he shall be sure to meet with those will envy and malign him , a second sort will suspect him , and a third will traduce and defame him ; and amongst the rest there will not want those that will find it to be their interest to oppose and hinder him : so that in short , without a special hand of providence , no man shall have either the heart to undertake , or the power and success to effect any noble action ; but grant this great point , and men are born above envy , opposition , and even above themselves . i cannot upon this occasion forbear to take notice of a noble and memorable passage of the roman orator , in one of his orations to the senate of rome , his words begin thus , quàm volumus licet , patres conscripti , nos amemus ; tamen nec numero hispanos , nec viribus gallos , nec calliditate poenos , nec doctrina graecos , &c. the sense of the whole is to this effect , as if he had said , fathers of the senate , let us entertain as good an opinion of our selves as we will or can ; yet it must be acknowledged , that we neither equal the spaniards in numbers , nor the gauls in strength and stature , nor the carthaginians in craft and subtilty , nor the greeks in learnimg and knowledge ; and yet it is as certain , we have overcome and triumphed over all these nations : now inquiring into the reason of this success , i can attribute it to no other cause , nor give any more probable account of it than this ; namely , that we live under a better and a quicker sense of a god and a providence than any of them do , and this , and this alone gives us all the advantage . sixthly , but sixthly and lastly , and to speak summarily , providence is of unspeakable advantage and influence upon the spirits of men , both in prosperity and adversity . it may seem indeed , that whilest a man is in prosperity , he is in no need of a providence ; and it is too commonly true , that men do not use to think much of god whilest all goes well with them . nevertheless this practice however general , is very foolish and unreasonable ; for besides the uncertainty of worldly prosperity , and that nothing is more ordinary than for mens fortunes to be soon at a stand , for all their broad sails and most earnest endeavours , if once the wind of providence desert them : besides this ( i say ) it deserves the most serious consideration , that all worldly prosperity is very little worth ( even whilest it lasts ) if there be no providence . for what great joy or contentment can the greatest affluence afford a man , if all come by mere chance , or the course of the stars , or by fate or any such undiscriminating causes . but on the other side , if a man can look upon his comforts , as the gifts and favours of a wise and a good god , then and then only they are comfortable indeed . and then for a state of adversity , that is sad indeed if there be no providence ; think what it is to be in a storm at sea , where the winds roar , the sea rages , the ship cracks , no anchor-hold , no shores to land upon , no comfort in pilot or governours of the vessel , nothing but a prospect of death every way ; if a man cannot look up to heaven , and have hope in god , what a case is he in ? or suppose a man be close prisoner , and denied the comfort of his friends , together with other refreshments of life , or confined to a sick-bed , or be buried alive with obloquy and reproach ; in a word , that a man be friendless and helpless ; now if it can be said to such a man , there is no help for him in god neither , here is the very quintessence of misery , a case sad beyond expression : but contrariwise , if a man in all the dismal circumstances aforesaid , shall yet firmly believe a providence that orders all things well and wisely , that can if he please bring a man out of all those difficulties , that certainly will make all these work for his good , and at last judge righteous judgment , and make him amends in another world ; then is any condition in the mean time very tolerable whatsoever it be . and thus i have , i hope , performed the three things i promised from my text ; and what remains now , but that we make application of all to our selves , and that in these two instances : . by setling this great doctrine in our minds . and , . by improving it in our hearts to all the comfortable consequences aforesaid . first , let us settle this truth in our minds , that god almighty exercises a kingly providence in and over all the world ; and let it ( if it be possible ) be a principle with us firm as a first notion , and indisputable as the verdict of our senses : my meaning is , let nothing make us stagger or be able to shake our belief of that which is of so vast consequence to us . forasmuch as without this persuasion , not only our religion is nonsence , but we are the most abject and pitiable creatures in the world. brutes and other inferiour creatures have indeed no apprehension of a providence , and yet enjoy themselves in proportion to their natures ; but then this is to be considered , they foresee nothing , they suspect nothing , and so do not torment themselves before the time . but man suspects dangers where they may not come , and foresees them when they are coming , is a sagacious and jealous creature , and so anticipates calamities , and accumulates them . now if there be no providence , his condition is worse than that of inferiour beings , he is doubly miserable , and that without remedy . shall then a trifling epicurean objection , nay , shall a sceptical surmise , or a flash of wit and drollery , baffle us out of that wherein the honour of our natures consists , and upon which all our comfort depends ? laugh at and scorn them that laugh at a providence , poor pitiful wretches that worship blind fortune , or a manacled and fettered deity , bound hand and foot by fatal necessity : our god is a wise and good and free agent , restrained , limited by nothing , but his own wisdom . he sees all things without difficulty or deception , manages all things without fatigue or weariness , governs all things with just order , judges without partiality , pities in all adversity , can relieve in all necessity , and with unspeakable glory rewards those that faithfully serve him . and pursuant of this belief let us in the second place raise our affections to the highest pitch of triumph , let us make a shout as in the text , the lord reigneth , let the earth rejoice , let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof : or as you have it in the . verse of the psalm immediately foregoing , tell it out amongst the heathen that the lord reigneth . let all foreign nations , and all foreign churches , all that have good will , and all that have ill will to our religion , or to our country , know that the lord is king , and that we trust not to the number of our forces , or the wisdom of our counsels , our seas , or our rocks , our courage or conduct , but to our king , to that divine providence which watches over us : let our prince and our magistrates take courage against the rage or the follies , the numbers or combinations of evil men , in consideration that they are the instruments of divine providence , the lieutenants of gods government , and he that set them in office under himself , will stand by them , and bear them out in discharge of their trust and duty . let the people be quiet , not listen to noise and rumours , but be sure to banish all disloyal thoughts of resorting to irregular means for the asserting their pretensions . is not god in the world ? hath any one wrested the scepter out of his hand ? why then should we not trust in him ? when philip melancthon , otherwise a very wise and peaceable and mild-spirited person , began to be out of humour with the then state of the world , luther addresses to him in these words , exorandus est philippus ut desinat esse rector mundi ; q. d. good brother philip let god alone to govern the world. let the oppressed , the widow , the fatherless and friendless take comfort , for he that sitteth in the throne will judge righteous judgment , and first or last avenge the cause of his meanest subject . nay , let the man that is tempted and assaulted by the devil , hold his ground , and fear nothing , for god is above the devil . to conclude , let us all lay aside our fears and our jealousies , our sighs and complaints , our melancholy and despondency , is there not a balm in gilead , is there no physician there , jer. . . have we not a wise and a powerful , a glorious and a good prince , why then should we murmur ? why accuse his reign ? why reproach his government ? novum seditionis genus otium & silentium , said the historian ; a sullen uncomfortableness and dislike of our condition , our discontent with the state of affairs , is a kind of sedition against heaven , our murmuring is no better than a libelling of gods government . wherefore ( to say no more ) let us stick close to this god , this mighty potentate ; let us hope , trust , and rejoice in him , and he shall bless our king , our church , our magistrates , and all our concerns . now to this universal monarch of the world , this king of kings , and lord of lords , be all glory and praise , worship and adoration world without end. the end . errata . pag. . l. . r. are as p. . l. . r. all-seeing eye of p. . l. . r. great saint . books written by the reverend doctor goodman , and sold by r. royston , at the angel in amen-corner . the penitent pardoned ; or , a discourse of the nature of sin , and the efficacy of repentance , under the parable of the prodigal son. the second edition corrected and enlarged . a sermon preached at bishops-stortford , august . . before the right reverend father in god henry lord bishop of london , at his lordship 's primary visitation . a serious and compassionate enquiry into the causes of the present neglect and contempt of the protestant religion and church of england . a sermon preached before the right . honourable sir robert clayton lord mayor , and the aldermen of the city of london , at the guild-hall-chapel , jan. xxv . . a sermon preached before the right honourable sir john moore lord mayor , and the aldermen of the city of london , at the guild-hall-chapel , decemb. . . the interest of divine providence in the government of the world. a sermon preached before the right honourable sir william pritchard lord mayor , and the aldermen of the city of london , at the guild-hall-chapel , february the th . . sermons preach'd upon several occasions before the king at white-hall by the right reverend father in god, john wilkins ... ; to which is added, a discourse concerning the beauty of providence by the same author. wilkins, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) sermons preach'd upon several occasions before the king at white-hall by the right reverend father in god, john wilkins ... ; to which is added, a discourse concerning the beauty of providence by the same author. wilkins, john, - . [ ], p. printed by h. cruttenden for robert sollers ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. "a discourse concerning the beauty of providence ... fifth edition" p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sermons, english -- th century. providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion sermons preach'd upon several occasions before the king at white-hall . by the right reverend father in god , john wilkins , late lord bishop of chester . to which is added , a discourse concerning the beauty of providence . by the same author . london : printed by h. cruttenden for robert sollers in st. pauls church-yard . . to the right honourable george lord berkeley , lord of berkeley , mombray , seagrave , and bruce , custos rotulorum of the counties of gloucester and surrey : and governour of the levant company . may it please your lordship , having these scattered discourses in my custody , and wholly at my disposal , either to republish , or suffer them to sleep in that darkness wherein they lay ; i thought it very incongruous to the necessities of this degenerate age , to let the excellent works of so learned , pious , and worthy a prelate be extinct , and lye hid from the open view of the world ; sith they are none of the worst of which this great man was pleased to bless our times with . these sermons were fram'd for , and preached before a great and regal auditory ; though by their plain , natural , and unaffected style ( a thing he always delighted in ) one would have thought the contrary ; since the chappels as well as courts of princes , are by byass'd and self-interested principles so often flatter'd . and now i thought no man so fitting as your lordship to shelter these discourses from the rage and fury of the atheistical male-contents of the age ; they being the fundamentals of religion that he treats of ; which i am very sensible your lordship well knows , are not only slighted , but bid open defiance to , and the authority of their institution call'd in question . that man would certainly be held a notorious delinquent , that should openly affront the king , and disown that authority , and legislative power , by which he commands obedience to his laws . the consequent may be justly applicable , in the words of a reverend and learned writer of our times , but to blaspheme god , and deride his service , seems to have a much greater malignity in it , inasmuch as our obligations to his honour and service , are much greater than they can be to any created being . and to such kind of men it may be said , in the words of a noble author , agnoscant vero hanc , suam formam , tanquam in speculo , miseri & perditi illi , qui deum obliviscendo , se sui oblitos non vident ; quia formam naturamque , essentiam , quantum in se est , obliterarunt . that i make this dedicatoryepistle proceeds not from a desire thus publickly to expose my self , ( for as i can have no interest to court the applause , so neither have i any reason to value the censure of the world ) but it is from a sincere principle to express that reverence i bear your lordship ; whom i know as you have goodness to pardon , so i presume to , your honour will be both ready and willing to stand in the defence of this bold address . that length of days may be in your right hand , and in your left , riches and honour , is the hearty and affectionate prayer of him , who desires nothing more , than to subscribe himself , ( in all the circumstances of a becoming devoir . ) my lord , your lordship 's most humble and most obedient servant , j. g. to the reader . when first these discourses were sent to the press there was neither epistle nor preface design'd , but it being a thing altogether uncouth and unusual ; i was unwilling to affect any thing of singularity , and in this affair ( to be so great a friend to the bookseller and printer , as ) to follow the common road. if there is any thing in the publisher that thou maist call folly or presumption it was done through ignorance or inadvertency ; and since i acknowledg my fault , i hope you will pardon it . as for the following discourses they are so admirably well pen'd , and their contexture so smooth and even that they are beyond all imaginable praise . it would argue nothing less than presumption to speak in their behalf , and it needs nothing more than the name of its author to recommend it to the world. farewel . a sermon preached before the king at white-hall , in lent , . prov . . , . length of days is in her right hand , and in her left hand riches and honour . her ways are ways of pleasantness , and all her paths are peace . the chief design of the wise-man in this text , is , to set forth the many great advantages that belong to religion ; in order to which , he doth here enumerate those five principal things that must contribute to a compleat state of happiness in this world , namely , health , and riches , and honour , and pleasure , and peace ; and asserts concerning them , that they are the proper effects of that wisdom which consists in being religious , this he expresses by way of allegory , representing wisdom ( as is usual for other virtues ) in the shape of a woman , or queen , with her arms extended , in the posture of directing and rewarding her followers ; holding in her right-hand the blessing of health , or length of days , the great promise of the law ; to which the precedence of the right-hand is therefore given , because it is amongst all worldly blessings the greatest and most desirable ; that , without which , a man cannot enjoy any thing else , nor so much as his own self ; length of days is in her right-hand . and then , for those other things , whic● the generality of men do so much covet and labour after , wealth , and reputation ; these likewise are at her disposal , and must proceed from her gift ; and in her left-hand , riches and honour . and , as for the cheerfulness of our conditions , he affirms , that the truest pleasure must be found in those ways that are directed by her ; her ways are ways of pleasantness . and because there are several things which have some present delight in them , seeming to drop as the honey-comb , and to be smoother than oyl , and yet upon trial , do prove in the issue , bitter as wormwood , and sharp as a two-edged sword ; therefore 't is added , that her ways are not only pleasant , but they are likewise safe and quiet ; all her paths are peace . that these things are the effects of religion , is here only affirmed , which , to them who believe the authority of scripture , is evidence sufficient : but , it were easy to prove this concerning each of them , by all other kinds of evidence , of which such matters are capable . i purpose at this time to treat only concerning the third of them , namely , honour ; as being the most proper subject for this presence and auditory . and that this can only be attain'd by religion and virtue , i doubt not but to prove with so much strength and perspicuity , as shall be sufficient to convince any o●● who will but attend and consid●r . in order to this , i shall first endeavour 〈◊〉 state the true nature of ho●●●● , and to shew wherein the most proper notion of it doth consist ; 't is an equivocal word , and is capable of various sences . first , sometimes 't is used to denote worthy and creditable parentage ; the being derived from such ancestors as have been famous in their generation for some eminent virtue or exploit : wherein there is this benefit , that a man hath great examples in his own family , and so much the stronger obligation not to degenerate from them : but it shews rather what such a man should be , than what he is ; and , to a person that is not virtuous , doth prove a prejudice rather than an advantage . secondly , sometimes 't is used to signify titles of place and dig●●ty , according to the various orders and degrees of ●obility in sev●●al nations : but , this kind of honour depending mee●●● upon the princes favour , mu●● therefore be wholly extrinsecal , and consequen●ly can have no more due to it than a meer external respect . such persons may challenge from us , that we should give them their due titles , and demean our selves towards them with that observance and ceremony as becomes their quality : but then , as to inward esteem and affection , they can demand no greater a share of this , than according as their real worth and virtue shall require . the royal stamp upon any kind of metal may be sufficient to give it an extrinsick value , and to determine the rate at which it is to pass amongst coins , but it cannot give an intrinsick value , or make that which is but brass , to be gold. 't is true indeed , there are some callings and relations of men , to whom an inward veneration is due , though the persons themselves should not be virtuous ; namely , magistrates , and ministers , and parents , and benefactors ; who , having somewhat of a divine stamp and impress upon them , may therefore challenge from us , that we should demean our selves towards them , both with such an outward respect as may become their places , and with such an inward respect too , as may be sutable to that image which they bear , our dependance upon them , and obligation to them . but then , we cannot be obliged to think such persons good men , unless we have some evidence to believe them to be so , or at least , not to be otherwise ; so that they are beholding to something extrinsical to their persons , namely , to their callings and relations , for that honour which is paid to them . thirdly , the word honour is sometimes used for that esteem and reputation which a man hath in the world , especially amongst virtuous persons ; according to which sense 't is defin'd by tully to be consentiens laus bonorum , the concurrent approbation of good men ; when those , who are best able to judg of real worth , shall both think and speak well of others , this is properly honouring of them . and in this sense ( which is the most proper notion of the words ) it is one of the greatest blessings that this world can afford ; much to be preferred before riches , or pleasures , or life it self . a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches , and loving kindness rather than silver or gold , prov. . . one that is a generous , virtuous man , will choose to dye , rather than do any thing that may expose him to infamy : st. paul was of this mind ; it were better for me to dye , than that any should make my glorying void . there have been some wise men , who have neglected and refused that other kind of honour , consisting in titles of dignity , as conceiving more of burden and temptation in it , than of real advantage ; but no man in his wits did ever despise a good name , unless such profligate dissolute wretches , as did either despair of , or resolve against doing any thing that might deserve it . 't is not easy to reckon up the many advantages that belong to this kind of honour : 't is power , inabling a man to do things great and worthy , to be useful to his friends and his countrey : 't is safety , and doth give a man such an interest in the esteem and affection of others , as will make them concern'd for his welfare , ready to stand by him and assist him in any kind of danger ; which are so great advantages , that whosoever shall wilfully neglect them , must needs be rendered very contemptible . having thus explained the proper notion of honour , i proceed in the next place to prove , that religion and virtue is the only means ●or the attaining of it . this i shall endeavour to do by testimony , and by reason , and by experience , which 〈◊〉 all the kinds of arguments that such matters are capable of . first , by testimony . the scripture doth abound in divers assertions and promises to this purpose : such as are religious are stiled the excellent of the earth , psal. . . and said to be more excellent than their neighbours , prov. . . they are gods peculiar treasure . the dearly beloved of his soul. he sets apart the man that is godly for himself . though such persons may be but low , as to their outward condition ; being put to wander up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins , being destitute , afflicted , tormented , seeking for refuge in desarts and mountains , in dens and caves of the earth ; yet may they upon the account of religion , be of such excellent value , that in the judgment of the holy ghost , the whole world is not worthy of them , heb. . , . the wise-man speaking of religion , saith , that it shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head , and as a chain about thy neck . exalt her , and she shall promote thee , and bring thee to honour ; she shall give to thy head an ornament of grace , and a crown of glory . god hath en●●●●ed himself by promise to those ●●at are religious , that he will set ●he●●bove other nations ; they shall be made the head , and not the tail , deut. . . he hath said , those that honour me , i will honour , sam. . . and certainly , he , who is the king of kings , must needs be the fountain of honour , and able to dispose of it as he pleases . but , because such persons as are no friends to religion , may have but a small esteem for the authority of scripture : therefore to these i would suggest the concurrent opinion of wise men in all former ages . though the ancient philosophers were divided into various sects , and differ'd very much from one another in several opinions ; yet , in this they have all agreed , that honour is due only to virtue , and doth not properly belong to any thing else . it would be tedious to enumerate the several sayings to this purpose , out of plato , aristotle , tully , seneca , and the other ancients : and certainly , that man must needs have a very extravagant conceit of his own abilities , who dares prefer his private opinion , before the general consent of wise-men in former ages , such as have been counted the greatest masters of reason , and most eminent for their knowledge and their wisdom , secondly , i proceed in the next place to confirm this by the principles of reason , that religion and virtue is the cause of honour . there may be a two-sold cause of things moral , natural . that is said to be the moral cause , which doth dispose a man to such a condition , upon the account of fitness and desert ; and in this sence honour is the reward of virtue . there is an equitable right , a suitableness and congruity , that good men should be loved and esteemed , and vitious men exposed to shame : as snow in summer , and as rain in harvest , so is hononr unsuitable for a fool , prov. . . the intermixing of winter and summer , would not cause a greater disorder in the natural world , than the cross disposal of honour and contempt would in the moral world. and hence is it , that the laws of all nations and governments , have owned it as a point of policy , to excite their subjects unto virtuous and worthy actions , by the motive of honour ; and to deter them from vitious courses , by the consideration of the shame and contempt which belongs to them . that is said to be the natural cause of a thing , which doth by its own immediate efficacy produce the effect ; and in this sence likewise is virtue the cause of honour . the fire doth not more naturally produce heat , than goodness doth love and esteem ; which will appear very plain , if we consider , that inward honouring is nothing else , but the believing a man to be worthy and virtuous ; and the testifying this by our words and actions is outward honouring . now , nothing can be more evident , than that the best means for one to be thought good , is to be so . a man may excel in strength , beauty , riches , learning , wit , which are all commendable things , and will contribute to a man's esteem ; but , if we apprehend such a one to be notoriously vitious , this esteem will not be accompanied with love , but with fear , hate , and envy ; because such a one hath by these things so much the greater advantage of doing mischief in the world : whereas on the other side , though a man should be destitute of all these other advantages , without any nobility in his ancestors , but of a small estate , a low condition ; yet , if we believe him to be a truly virtuous man , it cannot be , but that we must pay a veneration to him . all things whatsoever have some natural standard , whereby the goodness of them is to be measured ; namely , their suitableness unto that chief end , for which they are designed . we do not therefore account a ship to be good , because 't is curiously painted and gilded , or carved and inlayed , but because 't is fitted for all the purposes of navigation , which is the proper end and use of a ship : nor do we therefore account a sword to be good , because it hath a rich hilt , and an embroidered scabbard , but because it is fit for the proper use of a sword , which is to cut . they are the comparisons of seneca , speaking of this subject ; in homine quoque , nihil ad rem pertinet , quantum aret , quantum foeneret , a quam multis salutetur , &c. sed quam bonus sit . it should be so likewise in our esteem of men , who are not so much to be valued by the grandeur of their estates or titles , as by their inward goodness . every man is endowed with a natural principle , inclining him to a state of hap●●ness , and hath in some measure , both an ability to judg of , and a freedom and liberty for applying himself unto those duties , which are the proper means for the promoting of this end . and this being the peculiar difference of the humane nature , therefore a man is not upon any other account to be justly praised or blamed , but according to the right or wrong use of this natural liberty ; and consequently as a man doth find either in himself or others , a constant and firm resolution to make a right use of this , so should he proportion his esteem accordingly ; preferring this inward greatness , this rectitude of mind , whereby a man is resolved in every condition to do that which shall appear to be his duty , before any external greatness whatsoever . there are two kind of virtues amongst all the rest , which are by general consent esteemed venerable , and such as do advance the reputation of those who are endowed with them ; namely wisdom , courage . because they have a more intrinsick rise , and do less depend upon external advantages , but seem rather to be rooted in the inward frame and temper of mind ; and withal , are most beneficial both to our selves and others : the former signifying a man to have those intellectual abilities which are proper to his kind , whereby the humane nature is to be distinguished from other things : the other , because it argues a rectitude in the will , and a power to subdue the passion of fear , which is most natural to our present state of infirmity ; and withal doth support a man against difficulties , and inable him for those two services , of doing and suffering as he ought . and , for this reason , the vices that are opposite to these , are amongst all others counted the most shameful ; there being no greater reproach to be cast upon any one , than to be esteemed a fool , or a coward . now a man that is irreligious , cannot justly pretend to either of these virtues . . for wisdom . this is so essential to religion , that in the scripture-phrase ( especially in the writings of david and solomon ) they both go under the same name , and there is very good reason why it should be so ; because there is such an intimate agreement between the natures of them : the philosopher doth define wisdom to consist in an ability and inclination , to make choice of the right means in the prosecution of our true end. and nothing can inable a man for this but religion , both as to the subordinate end of temporal happiness in this world ; but chiefly with respect to that great and s●preme end of eternal happiness in the world to come . . and then for courage , 't is not possible for a man to be truly valiant , unless he be withal truly religious : he may be bold and daring , and able ( in a fearless manner ) to rush upon any danger ; but then he must stifle his reason from considering what the consequences of things may be , what shall become of him hereafter , if he should miscarry . there being no man whatsoever so totally free from the apprehension of a future state , but that when he is serious and considerate , he must be startled with doubts and fears concerning it : so that there cannot be any rational , sedate , deliberate courage , but only in such , as have some good hopes of a better estate in the other world ; and , 't is religion only that can inable a man for this , . i proceed to the third kind of argument to this purpose , from experience ; by which , i mean that practical knowledg , which every man may attain by his own observation of the usual course of things in the world : and , by this , it will appear , that no kind of persons have been more highly reverenced in the hearts and consciences of others , than those that have been most eminent for their virtue and religion ; which hath been always true , both with respect to publick communities , and private persons . first , for nations ; if we consult the stories of former times , we shall find that saying of solomon constantly verified , that righteousness doth exalt a nation , but sin doth prove a reproach to it : and more especially the sin of irreligion and prophaneness ; as this doth increase in any nation , so must the honour and reputation of that nation decrease . the roman empire was then at the highest , as to its name and greatness , when it was so as to its virtue ; when they were most punctual in observing the rites of their religion , ( though that were a false way of worship ) most heroical in their justice , courage , fidelity , gratitude ; then it was that they deserv'd to govern the world , and to be had in greatest honour above all other nations . and not only tully and polybius , two heathen writers , who , upon that account , might be thought more partial ; but st. austin also and lactantius , two of the fathers , do ascribe the flourishing of that empire , when it was at his height , to the religion , and piety , and virtue of those times ; and , as they did afterward degenerate from this , so did they decline likewise in their greatness and honour , . thus also hath it been with particular persons ; amongst the heathen , what elogies do we find in the honour of socrates , aristides , cato epictetus ? the latter of which , though but a poor slave , had yet such a veneration paid to his memory , that his earthen lamp by which he was wont to study , was , after his death , sold for drachms . nor was it otherwise amongst the christians ; the apostles were but poor fisher-men , illiterate mechanicks ; many of the martyrs were but of mean condition , much opposed and persecuted in the world ; and yet these men , during the time of their lives , were highly reverenced amongst those that knew them ; and since their deaths , what can be more glorious than that renown which they have amongst men , when the greatest kings and princes will not mention their names without reverence ; when whole nations are willing to set apart , and to observe solemn days and festivals in honour of their memories . and , as it hath always been thus formerly , so i appeal to every mans breast , whether it be not so now : let them but examine what their inclinations are towards such persons , whom they believe to be truly virtuous : not only to such amongst them as are their particular a●qua●ntance and friends , but lik●wise to s●rangers , nay , to very enemies ; whether they d● not esteem , and love them , and will well to them . i shall crave leave to speak briefly to two objections , that may be made against what i have been proving . i. the scripture saith ( speaking of good men ) that the world shall revile and persecute them , and speak all m●nner of evil against them : our saviour himself was despised and re●●●ted of m●n ; and his apostles 〈◊〉 used as the rubbish and off-scour●●●● of all things . to these two things may be said by way of answer . first , it cannot otherwise be expected , but that when a new religion is to be set up , men must be highly concern'd in their opposing of it , and of those that promote it : and the fore-cited texts do particularly relate to this very case ; when christianity was first introduced into the world , and to be propagated by the sufferings of those that professed it ; which being an exempt case , and not according to the usual course of things , therefore these texts are not equally applicable to other times and places , when and where the true religion hath obtained , and the kings prove nursing ●athers to it . secondly , those that knew our saviour and his followers , did highly honour them : and , as for others , that were ignorant of them , and not sufficiently convinced of their goodness , 't is no wonder that they used them accordingly . the most vicious person that is , if he doth either know , or have reason to think another to be virtuous , must of necessity pay to him an inward reverence ; because 't is not in any mans power ▪ so far to offer violence to his own faculties , as to believe any thing against its evidence . 't is true indeed , men have a greater power over their words and actions , than they have over their belief ; and therefore they may call , and use such a one as they please , they may revile , and persecute him ; and , in this sence , honor est honorante , but , even in so doing , they seem to pay a veneration to religion it self , whil'st they are fain to disguise it , under the names of hypocrisie , heresie , superstition , thereby to justifie themselves in their opposing of it . ii. it appears by the experience of all ages , that vitious men are sometimes had in honour . to this it may be answer'd . . external honour may be due to them . . internal honour may be given to them , by such as do not know them . the meer opinion of being virtuous , must of necessity have the same advantage in this respect , with real goodness ; the main difference is , that it is not like to last , because is almost morally impossible , for a man , who doth only dissemble virtue , to stand always upon so strict a guard , as not to be discover'd . if it be said , that men , who are notoriously vitious , are sometimes applauded , and cry'd-up for their virtue ; it may be answer'd , that this cannot be so truly stiled honouring as flattering ; the proper notion of which doth consist in giving undue commendations ; nor will any contribute to it , but vile sycophants , the worst kind of enemies , and the most incompetent judges of real worth : such only being fit to give praise , who are themselves praise-worthy . now if this be the true state of the case i have been speaking to ; that the generality of wise and considerate men , in all former times , have attested to this truth , if the reason of the thing require that it must be so ; and if it appear accordingly from common experience to be so , if the most material objections against it , may be so plainly and fully satisfied , then there can be no sufficient reason to doubt of the truth of this preposition ; that religion and virtue is the most proper means to promote the interest of honour , which is the thing i am to prove . i shall crave leave to suggest two things by way of application , and i have done . first , this may convince men of ●olly , who seek for honour by any other means . the great instances which are commonly given , of mens being fools , is , from their chusing such means , as are altogether insuffient for the end they design : as the endeavouring to make a blackamore white , by washing of him , &c. but , the using of such means , as are not only insufficient for , but opposite unto , and destructive of the end they propose ; this is a degree above folly , and may be stiled madness : 't is as if a man should run into the water to dry himself , and into the fire to cool himself ; and yet this is the case of many men in the world , who propose to themselves such courses , for the promoting of their honour , as are most destructive of it ; namely , prophaneness and contempt of religion , despising that which other men stand in awe of ; by which they think to get the reputation of wit , and of courage ; of wit , by pretending to penetrate more deeply into the nature of things , and to understand them better than others do ; not to be so easily imposed upon , as other credulous people are . of courage , by their not being so easily scared at the apprehension of danger at a distance . but , the plain truth is , such persons do hereby prove themselves to be both fools and cowards . fools , in mistaking their great interests , in making choice of such means , as can never promote the end they design ; there being no kind of men that are exposed ( whatsoever they themselves may think of it ) to publick infamy and hatred , than those that seek for credit by despising of religion . fools , in venturing their future estates and their souls upon such hazards , as all mankind would cry-out-upon for the most palpable folly and madness , if they should do the like , towards their temporal estates , or their bodies . cowards , in being more afraid of little dangers , because they are present , than of greater , because they are suture , and at a distance : as that souldier , who doth more dread the present danger of fighting , when he is obliged to it , than the future danger of suffering martial law for running away , may justly be esteemed a notorious coward ; so that man who is more afraid of a present inconvenience , by incurring the prejudice and displeasure of his loose companions , to whom he would be acceptable , than of a future mischief from the judgment of god. no man will esteem another to be truly valiant , because he is not afraid to do such vile unworthy things as will expose him to the displeasure and punishment of the civil magistrate ; much less should be so accounted , for daring to do such things , as will in the issue expose him to divine vengeance . for men of no real worth to expect the esteem and affection of others , as it is very unequal on their parts , requiring brick without straw ; so neither is it lawful nor possible for others to allow it them : not lawful , because it is as well a man's duty to contemn a vile person , as to honour them that fear the lord. not possible , because men must necessarily judg according to the most prevailing evidence ; nor can they esteem such an one to be worthy , whom they know to be otherwise , any more than they can believe that to be white and streight , which they see is black and crooked . secondly , if these things be so , it will hence follow , that men who have any sense of honour , should , by these considerations , be excited to a love of that which is the only means to it , namely , religion and virtue . those of ●●avish , sordid spirits , may be more easily perswaded by the consideration of gain ; but no motive can be more powerful with noble and generous minds than that of honour . that man takes very ill measures of things , who doth not make it one of his principal cares to keep his name unspotted ; it being no easy matter to recover a forfeited reputation . such profligate wretches , as are without any sense of honour or shame , may justly be esteemed the publick pests and mischiefs of mankind , and such as ought to be banished from amongst them , as being the common enemies to government and societies . of all sorts of men , there lies a peculiar obligation upon them that are in publick places , to preserve their reputations clear , and without blemish : a private person is not so much concern'd to look after publick fame , as that man is , who is ingag'd in publick employment . he that can abundantly satisfy himself , with the conscience of well-doing , while he is in a private station , if once he be called to any such employment , where he must be useful to others by his authority ; 't is most fitting then , that he should seek the aid of opinion , and publick esteem , because 't is this which rules the world , and stamps upon things the rates at which they are to pass . there is nothing in this world that we can propose to our selves of greater benefit , than the love and esteem of good men ; i have shewed before that it is power , 't is safety : and besides all the advantages which we have by it whilst we live , 't is one of those things that will abide after us , when we are gone out of this world ; and for that reason a special regard is to be had to it : and , the more wise any man is , the more care will he take to transmit a grateful memory of himself to future times ; and , since he must be spoken of after his departure , he will take care that he be well spoken of , that his name may be as a precious ointment , leaving a perfume behind it ; that men may rise up at the mention of it , and call him blessed . i shut up all , with that affectionate exhortation of the eloquent apostle , phil. . . finally brethren , whatsoever things are venerable , whatsoever things are lovely , whatsoever things are of good report , if there be any virtue , if there be any praise , think of these things . and the peace of god , which passeth all understanding , shall keep your hearts and minds through jesus christ. finis . a sermon preached before the king at white-hall , . eccles . . . let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; fear god , and keep his commandments : for this is the whole duty of man. this book is one of solomon's philosophical discourses , containing such principal observations about human affairs , as are apt t● offer themselves to the thoughts of every serious considerate man , especially concerning those things which may more immediately either promote or hinder our happiness . this text is the conclusion which he infers upon the whole matter , that which is the most natural result of all such debates and enquiries . in the former part he had taken into consideration those several states of life , to which men usually apply themselves for happiness ; namely , learning and wisdom , mirth and pleasures , power and greatness , riches and possessions : each of which he doth by great variety of arguments , prove to be vanity and vexation , and altogether insufficient to the end for which they are designed . then he takes notice of the several accidents of life , whether they concern our endeavours , or our persons . . for our endeavours . the most likely means are not always effectual for the attaining of their end. the utmost that human councils and prudence can provide for , is to ●ake care , when they are to contend in a race , that they be swifter than those who run against them ; or when they are to fight a battel , that they be stronger than those whom they are to encounter . and yet the race is not always to the swift , nor the battel to the strong ; nei●her yet bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of understanding , nor favour to men of skill ; but time and chance happens to them all . ( i. e. ) there is a secret providence which doth over-rule all those worldly events in such a manner , as is not accountable to human reason . even amongst secular businesses , which we are apt to think most within our reach and compass , there is nothing so much under the power of the wisest counsels and endeavours , but that the providence of god may interpose for the disappointing of it , and render it ineffectual . and then for those accidents to which our persons are liable , he observeth these three things : . our obnoxiousness to pain and sickness , which he stiles by the names of wrath and sorrow ; under which , when a man lies languishing , none of his worldly enjoyments will signify any thing to him ; nor will they be able to afford him any such ease or help , but that he may be thereby cut off in the midst of his days , and then all his thoughts perish , or else waste away a great part of his life with much anguish and weariness ; and may sometimes , perhaps , be driven to that extremity by noisome and painful diseases , as to chuse strangling and death , rather than life . . if it be supposed , that by the strength and cheerfulness of a man's natural temper , he should escape these , & live many years , and rejoyce in them all ; yet he must remember the days of darkness , which shall be many . ( i. e. ) those who devote themselves to continual mirth and pleasure , cannot yet avoid the thought of their future estates , what shall become of them hereafter , when they are to depart out of this world ; but that the remembrance of this will be often thrusting into their minds when ever they are retired and serious . and this being to them a dark obscure condition ; concerning their well-being , in which they can have no reasonable hopes , must needs therefore be a great damp and allay to all their other enjoyments . . but in the third place : suppose a man should be able to avoid sickness , and to put the trouble of these tho●ghts likewise far from him ; yet there is somewhat else which he cannot possibly decline , old age will unavoidably steal upon him , with all the infirmities of it ; when the grinders shall be few , and appetite cease ; when those who look out of the windows , shall be darkned , and the keepers of the house shall tremble : when a man shall become a burden to himse●● , and to his ●riends ; when those of his nearest relations , whom he hath most obliged by kindness , shall think it time for him to depart unto his long home , to creep off the stage , and make room for succeeding generations ; and then , after a little funeral-pomp of the mour●ers going about the streets , , a man shall be buried out of the way , and forgotten : for there is no remembrance of the wise , more than of the fool ; seeing th●t which now is , in the d●ys to come shall be forgotten . every generation producing somewhat which seems new and s●range , to take up men's talk and wonder , and to drown the memory of former persons and actions . and i appeal to any rational man , whether these are not some of the most material reflections that occur about human affairs . now from all these premises put together , he inserts this conclusion in the text , that to fear god , and keep his commandments , is the whole of man ( i. e. ) to be serious in the matter of religion , and careful about our future states , is that which every considerate man , after all his other disquisitions and experiments , will find to be his greatest interest , that which doth most of all deserve his care and study . there are these two parts in the words : . a description of religion , which in the former clause is said to consist in fearing god , and keeping his commandments . an awful apprehension of the divine nature , and an obedient submission to his will. . a commendation of religion , in the latter clause , this is the whole of man. it is the second of these only , which i purpose to treat of at this time . in the handling of which , the first thing to be enquired into , is , what is the true import and meaning of this phrase in the original : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the understanding of which , it will be proper to consider the several ways of expressing it in other translations . the septuagint and the vulgar do render it verba●●m , this is all , or every man. the word du●y , which is supplied by our english , being not in the original , or in other translations . this ought to be the way and course of all mankind , so the targum . this is the course to which every man is designed , so the syriack . this will be most profitable and advantageous to men , so the arabi●k . this is the whole of man ; so some of our later interpreters , most proper to the scope of the place , it being an usual analalogy in the hebrew , totius universalis , pro toto integrante , all for whole . so that according to these various interpretations of the words , they may contain in them a three-fold reference : to the essence , the happiness , the business of man. according to which , the sence of them must be , that religon , or the fearing of god , and keeping his commandments , is a matter of so great consequence to human nature , that . the essence or being of man , may be said to consist in it . . the happiness or well-being of man doth depend upon it . . the great business or duty of man , is to be conversant about it , and to labour atter it . these particulars i shall endeavour to make out by such clear principles of reason , attested to by several of the wisest heathen writers , as may be enough to satistie any serious man who is able to under●●and the reason and consequence of things , and will but attend and consider . . i begin with the first : religion is of so great importance , that the essence of man may be said to consist in it . mankind may be considered under a two-fold notion : . more separately , and by it self , according to that principle whereby 't is constituted in such a rank of creatures . . more complexly , as joyned in society , for which man seems to be naturally designed , and without which he could not well subsist . now religion will appear to be essential to him in both these respects . . as considered s●parately , according to those principles by which he is framed . that which doth constitute any thing in its being , and distinguish it from all other things , this is that which we call the form or essence of a thing . and this , for the human nature doth consist in those very things which are the chief principles and ●oundations of religion ; namely , the apprehensions of a deity , and an expectation of a future state after this life : which no other creature , below man , doth partake of ; and which are common to all mankind , notwithstanding the utmost endeavours that can be used for the suppressing of them . as for what is commonly alledged in the behalf of reason , it may be observed , that in the actions of many brute creatures there are discernable some kind of foot-steps , some impe●fect strictures and degrees of ra●●●cination ; such a natural sagacity as bears a near resemblance to reason . ●rom whence it may follow , that it is not reason in the general , which is the ●orm of human nature ; but reason as it is determined to actions of religion , of which we do not find the least signs or degrees in brutes . man being the only creature in this visible world , that is formed with a capacity of worshiping and enjoying his maker . nor is this any new opinion , but such as several of the ancient writers , philosophers , orators , poets have attested to ; who make this notion of a deity , and adoration of him , to be the the true difference betwixt man and beast . plutarch afferts it to be a very improper thing to own such for men , who do not acknowledg and adore the deity . and in another place , he affirms irreligion to be a kind of stupor , whereby men are deprived of their senses . so tully : ex tot generibus , nullum est animal , &c. amongst all the living creatures that are in the world , there is none but man that hath any notion of a deity ; and amongst mankind , there is no nation so wild and barbarous , but pretends to some religion . and in another place , quis ●unc hominem dixerit ? why should such a one be accounted a man , who by what he sees in the world , is not convinced of a deity , and a providence , and of that adoration he owes to it ? of the same sense is that of the satyrist , who speaking of religion , says this of it : — separat hac nos a grege brutorum , atque ideo venerabile soli sortiti ingenium divinorumque capaces . 't is this ( saith he ) that doth distinguish us from brute creatures , that we have souls capable of divine impressions . so ●hat , by what hath been said , it should appear , that the definition of man may be rendered as well by the difference of religiosum , as ration●le . as for that inconvenience which some may object , that atheistical and prophane persons will be hereby excluded : why so they are by other difference likewise : such persons having no just pretence to reason , who renounce religion : and it were well , if they might not only be reckoned amongst beasts ( as they are by the psalmist , where he stiles them brutish ) but driven out amongst them likewise , and banished from all human society ▪ as being publick pes●s , and mischiefs of mankind , such as would debase the nobility of our natures , to the condition of brute creatures , and therefore fit only to live amongst them . which brings me to the . consideration of man as a sociable creature . religion is essential to him in this respect also , as being the surest bond to tye men up to those respective duties towards one another , without which , government and society could not subsist . there is a remarkable passage in plutarch to this purpose , where he stiles religion , the cement of all communities , and the chief basis of all legislative power . and in another place he says , that 't is much more easy to build a city in the open air , without any ground to found it upon , than to establish a government without religion . a city ( saith he ) may make some shift to subsist without walls , schools , theaters , houses ; nay , without money , but not without religion . if it were not for this notion of a deity , and those natural impressions which we have concerning justice and probity , so necessary for the conservation of human society ; instead of those well-ordered governments and cities which are now in the world , mankind must have lived either wild and solitary in caves and dens , like savage-beasts : or else in troops of robbers , subsi●●ing upon the spoil and rapine of such as were weaker than themselves . pietate sublata , fides etiam , & societas humani generis , & una excellentassima virtus justitia tollitur , take but away the awe of religion , and all that fidelity and justice , so necessary for the keeping up of human society , must perish with it . 't is this fear of a deity , and the sense of our obligation to him , that is the only effectual means to restrain men within the bounds of duty . and were this wholly extinguished , there would follow such wild disorders and extravagancies amongst men , as would not leave so much as the face or least shadow of virtue or honesty in the world : there being no kind of vice which men would not abandon themselves unto , considering the impetuousness of their own natural appetites , and the power of external temptations , were this restraint from religion once removed or abolished . the two chief opposites to religion , are profaneness and superstition . both which , are prejudicial to civil government : the one by destroying conscience , the strongest obligation to political duties : the other by perverting and abusing it ; introducing in the stead it of , a new primum mobile , which ravisheth the spheres of government , and puts them into a preternatural course , as a noble author hath elegantly expressed it . the two grand relations that concern society , are government and subjection . and irreligion doth indispose men for both these . . for government . without religion , magistrates will lose that courage and confidence belonging to their stations , which they cannot so well exert in punishing the offences of others , when they are guilty of the same or the like themselves . those that sit on the throne of judgment should be able to scatter away evil with their eyes , as solomon speaks , prov. . . by their very presence and look , to strike an awe upon offenders , which will not be so easily done , if they should lye under the same guilt themselves ; sine bonitate nulla majestas , saith seneca : the very nature of majesty doth denote goodness as well as power . and without this , governours may easily lose that reverence which is due to them from others , and consequently that authority which they ought to have over them . when they cease to be gods in respect of their goodness , they may diminish in their power ; and though they should be able to keep men under as to their bodies and estates , yet will they decline as to that awful love and reverence whereby they should sway over the hearts and affections of men , the philosopher in the fifth book of his politicks , doth lay it down as a rule for magistrates , that they must be careful to give publick testimonies of their being religious and devout ; for which he gives this double reason : because the people will be less subject to entertain any jealousy or suspition of suffering injury from such whom they believe to be religious . and withall , they will be less subject to attempt the doing of injury against such ; as knowing , that good magistrates are after a more especial manner under the divine favour and protection having god to fight with them , and for them . . the want of religion will indispose men for the condition of subjects , and render them loose and unstable in those duties of obedience and submission required to that state . how can it be expected from that man who dares affront and despise god himself , that he should have any hearty reverence for his deputies and vicegerents ? those who are destitute of religion and conscience , as they are not to be trusted in any ordinary private duty towards those with whom they converse , much less can they be useful in any such extraordinary action , whereby the publick welfare is to be promoted . where there are no seeds of piety and virtue , there can be nothing of honour or magnanimity . he that is subject only upon the account of wrath , and the power of the sword which is over him , will be no longer so , when he hath an opportunity of escaping or resisting that power . nor is there any possible way to secure men in their quiet subjection and obedience ; but by their being obliged for conscience sake . and therefore such kind of persons , as by their open profaneness and contempt of religion , do endeavour to destroy conscience from amongst men , may justly be esteemed as the worst kind of seditious persons , and most pernicious to civil government . whatever disputes have been raised concerning the lawfulness of punishing men for their dissenting consciences in matters of religion ; yet never any man questioned the lawfulness of punishing men for their profaneness and contempt of all religion . such men as renounce conscience , cannot pretend that they suffer for it . and certainly this vice doth upon many accounts deserve the greatest severity of laws , as being in its own nature destructive of the very principles of government , and the peace of all human societies : besides the mischiefs consequent upon it from divine vengeance , so that upon all these accounts , there is just reason to infer the truth of this proposition , that religion is totum hominis in this first sense , as it refers to the essence of man considered either separately , or as a member of society . . t is so likewise with respect to the happiness and well-being of man. that is properly said to be the chief end or happiness of a thing , which doth raise its nature to the utmost perfection , of which it is capable according to its rank and kind . so the chief good belonging to a vegetable or plant , is to grow up to a state of maturity , to continue to its natural period , and to propagate its kind , which is the utmost perfection that kind of being is capable of . and whereas sensitive creatures , beside those things which are common to them with plants , have likewise such faculties , whereby they are able to apprehend external objects , and to receive pain or pleasure from them ; therefore the happiness proper to them , must consist in the perfection of these faculties , namely , in sensible pleasures , the enjoying of such things as may be grateful to their senses . but now mankind , ( if we will allow it to be a distinct rank of creatures superior to brutes ) being endowed with such faculties , whereby 't is made capable of apprehending a deity , and of expecting a future state after this life ; it will hence follow , that the proper happiness of man must consist in the perfecting of this faculty ; namely , in such a state as may reconcile him to the divine favour and afford him the best assurance of a blessed immortality hereafter . which nothing else but religion can so much as pretend to . and that this is most agreeable to natural light , may appear from the testimonies of several of the wisest heathens , pythagoras , plato , epictetus , &c. who assert a man's happiness , or chief end , to consist in a likeness or resemblance to the divine nature , in following of god , endeavouring to imitate him whom we worship , which are but several descriptions of religion . 't is true indeed , the nature of man , by reason of those other capacities , common to him with plants and brutes , may stand in need of several other things , to render his condition pleasant and comfortable in this world , as health , riches , reputation , safety , &c , now herein is the great advantage of religion , that besides the principal work which it doth for us , in securing our future estates in the other world ; it is likewise the most effectual means to promote our happiness in this world ; and that not only morally , upon account of that reward which virtuous actions do entitle a man unto from a just and a wise providence ; but naturally also , by reason of that physical efficacy which the duties of religion have in procuring for us each of those things , wherein our temporal happiness doth consist ; in promoting the welfare not only of particular persons , but of publick communities of mankind in general , and of the whole universe . insomuch , that if we could suppose our selves in a capacity of capitulating with god , concerning the terms upon which we would submit to his government , and to chuse the laws we would be bound to observe , it were not possible for us to make any proposals which upon all accounts should be more advantageous to our own interests , than those very conditions , to which we are obliged by the rules of religion and vertue . and herein doth the reasonableness of religion , and the beauty and wisdom of providence most eminently appear towards mankind , in governing us by such laws as do most apparently tend to the perfecting of our natures , and in making that only to be our duty , which is our interest . . religion is totum hominis , with respect to the chief business and duty of man , that which he ought to be most intent upon , and conversant about , as to his employment in this world. that general calling to which every man of what rank or quality soever is to be engaged . men are distributed under other particular callings , according as their education , abilities , friends , and several opportunities do dispose of them . but the obligation of religion , being of universal concernment , doth extend to all and every particular , there being none exempted from it , hoc est omnis homo , every man is concerned in it . and it is totum hominis likewise , 't is his calling , the chief business about which he is to be employed . i do not say , that a man's thoughts are always to be taken up about the immediate acts of religion , any more than a traveller is always to have his mind actually fixed upon the thought of his journey 's end . this would be inconsistent with the infirmity of our natures , and the necessity of our conditions in this world. but yet , as he that is upon a journey , doth so order all his particular motions , as may be most conducible to his general end ; so should men habitually , though they cannot actually , in every affair have respect to their chief end , so as to observe all the duties of religion , and never to allow themselves in any thing against the rules of it . and he that hath this care continually upon his mind , ( though he be but a secular person ) may properly be said to make religion his business . the wise-man in the beginning of this book , had proposed as his grand quaery to be discussed , to find out what was that good for the sons of men , which they should do under the heavens , all the days of their lives . ( i. e. ) what was the chief employment or business which they should apply themselves to in this world. and here in the text he asserts it to be the business of religion ; fearing god , and keeping his commandments : suitable to that precept of moses deut. . . and now , o israel , what doth the lord thy god require of thee , but to fear the lord thy god , to walk in his ways , and to serve the lord thy god , and keep his commandments : and the practice of st. paul , who made this his daily exercise , to keep his conscience void of offence , both towards god , and towards men . to the reasonableness of this , several of the wisest heathens have attested . that 's a remarkable passage in aristotle to this purpose , where he states that to be the most desirable proportion of all worldly felicities and enjoyments , which is most consistent with men's devoting themselves to the business of religion : and that to be either too much or too little of wealth , or honour , or power , &c. whereby men are hindred in their meditating upon god , or their worshipping of him . so epictetus , discoursing concerning the work and business he was designed to , hath this passage : if i had been made a nightingale or a swan , i should have employed the time of my life in such a way as is suitable to the conditions of those creatures : but being made a man , capable of serving and worshipping that god from whom i had my being , it 's but reason that i should apply my self to this , as being my proper work and business : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and therefore hereunto will i devote my self , as being the chief employment to which i am designed . so antoninus : evety thing ( saith he ) is designed for some kind of work ; beasts and plants , the sun and stars , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and what do you conceive your business to be ? sensual pleasures ? bethink your self a little better , whether this be suitable to the nobility of your nature , and those excellent faculties with which you are endowed . men usually apply themselves to that as their chief busines , which may quit cost and be worth their labour by which their interest is most promoted . and there is nothing can be more reasonable , than for that to be the chief business of a man's life , which is the chief end of his being . which is the third thing i proposed to speak to . i crave leave to mention two inferences very briefly by way of application , and i have done . if this be so , that religion is of so great importance , that it may be stiled the whole of man , with reference to all those things that are of greatest moment , the essence , the happiness , the business of man : . what monsters of ●olly , and madness , and contradiction , must those men be , who do upon this account put a greater value upon themselves , as being more learned , and wise and better than others , because they can contemn and despise religion ? certainly , by all the laws of god and men , such miscreants ought to be rendered most vile and contemptible themselves . their discourses ought not to be listned unto without nauseousness and detestation . their persons should be used as the lepers were under the law , whose company every one was obliged to avoid , as being unclean infectious persons . and perhaps this might be one good way , if not of curing themselves , yet of hindring their mischiefs upon others , when they should find themselves abhorred and abandoned by all sober men . . how dear should the concernments of religion be to every one of us , how serious should we be in the profession and practice of it our selves ! how zealous in promoting the honour and the power of it amongst others ! the things of this world are full of uncertainty , and of short continuance , when a few days are past , we must all of us go to the place whence we shall not return - and when we come to die , nothing then will be of any advantage to us , but religion , the testimony of our consciences , that in simplicity and godly sincerity , we have had our conversation in this world . upon which we may confidently expect , that there is laid up for us a crown of righteousness , which the lord the righteous judg , will give unto us at the day of his appearance ; when he shall come to bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil . finis . a sermon preached before the king at white-hall , in lent , . eccles . . . for god shall bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil . this book doth contain a philosophical disquisition concerning a state of happiness ; wherein the wise man doth particularly discuss each of those subjects , which according to the various opinions and tempers of men , are believed to have any pretence to it . the precedent verse ( as i have formerly shewed ) doth contain the conclusion of the whole matter ; the chief inference and result ftom all the former debates and enquiries ; wherein he asserts , that every man's true happiness doth consist in being religious , in fearing god , and keeping his commandments . and though this conclusion had been sufficiently proved by great variety of arguments , in the foregoing discourse ; yet he thinks fit here in the close of all , to back and enforce it with one argument more ; which above all others is most apt to make deep impression upon the minds of men ; and ( if any thing can ) to perswade them to the duties of religion : and that is the consideration of the last judgment , in the words of the text , for god shall bring , &c. that which i intend from these words , is to prove , against the infidels and scoffers of this age , the reasonableness and the credibility of this great principle of religion , concerning a future state of reward and punishment . though the principal evidence for this do depend upon scripture , especially the new testament , where it is said , that life and immortality is brought to light by the gospel . yet in a point of so great moment and consequence as this is , it is not to be imagined , that god should have left himself without a witness to all the nations of the world , but that all men should be endowed with such natural capacities and notions , as being improved by consideration , will afford sufficient evidence for the belief of this great fundamental principle . as for such men , who live under-the sense of guilt , whose interest it is that there should be no future account , it cannot be otherwise expected from such , but that they should be willing to dis-believe this . and from hence it is , that some of the ancient philosophers have employed their learning and subtilty , to dispute themselves into some kind of doubts and uncertainty about it . and yet the generality even of these have been forced to acknowledg it much more probable than the contrary . and as for the vulgar sort of people , who are guided by the more simple dictates of nature , these have in all ages and nations submitted themselves to this doctrine , and professed a firm belief of it . and though vulgar opinion be but a very bad topick about such matters as may gratify men in their ease and sensual appetites ; yet in such other opinions as are cross to their worldly interests , it may argue such things to be from some natural impression upon their minds , which they must believe , and cannot otherwise chuse . the arguments i would make use of to this purpose , may be reduced to these three general heads : . from the suitableness of this principle , to the most natural notions of our minds . . the necessity of it , to the government of mens lives and actions in this world. . the necessity of it , for the vindication of divine providence . . i begin with the first : the suitableness of it to the most natural notions of our minds , and those kind of impressions which belong to us , as we are reasonable creatures . wee see by experience , that all other things ( so far as we are able to judg ) minerals , plants , beasts , &c. are naturally endowed with such principles , as are most fit to promote the perfection of their natures in their several kinds . and therefore it is by no means credible , that mankind only , the most excellent of all the other creatures in this visible world , for the service of whom , so many other things seem to be designed , should have such kind of principles interwoven in his very nature , as do contain in them meer cheats and delusions . and therefore whatsoever those things are , which the generality of mank●nd , esp●cially the most wise and the most considerate part of them do agree in , ought to be allowed for highly credible ; otherwise it must follow , that we are framed with such kind of faculties , as in our most cautious exercise of them , are more likely to seduce us , and expose us to error , than to direct and lead us to the truth . but i shall endeavour to manifest this more particularly , by these three considerations . . this principle is most suitable to the general apprehensions of mankind , concerning the nature of good and evil. . to those natural hopes and expectations , which the generality of good men have , concerning a state of future happiness . . to those natural fears and expectations , which the generality of wicked men are possessed with , concerning a future state of punishment and misery . . this principle is most suitable to the general apprehensions of mankind concerning the nature of good and evil. all men heretofore have agreed , that there is such a thing as the law of nature , whereby things are distinguished into good and bad ; according to which , the actions of men are determined to be either virtuous or vicious . and as the one of these , doth in the essence of it imply comeliness and reward ; so doth the other denote turpitude and punishment . these things being implied in the very definitions of virtue and vice. and from hence it will follow , that as there is some superior power who hath put this law into our natures ; so will he take care to enforce the observance of it , by rewarding and punishing men accordingly . this being implied in the nature of a law. if there be nothing in the naked essence of things that makes them to differ , but what doth meerly arise from custom and positive laws ; why then custom and law would be able to render it a very virtuous and commendable thing for a man to be ingrateful , a breaker of compacts , a false witness , a perjured person ; which is so monstrous a position , that the common reason of mankind will abhor it upon the first proposal . nothing is more obvious , than that there is an universal desire amongst men , of seeming honesty : the most impudent and profligate wretch being loth to be esteemed to be , what really he is . the very sin of hypocrisie , so general amongst men , doth give a large testimony to the beauty of goodness , and the deformity of vice. nor is there any account to be given , why there should be impressed upon the nature of men such a value for the one , and dislike for the other , if there were not in the things themselves , something suitable to those contrary affections . we see by experience , that there is such a kind of rest and acquiescence in the mind , upon the discovery of truth , and the doing of virtuous actions , as belong to natural bodies , when they are in their proper places : which may argue these things to have some peculiar suitableness to the soul of man , and that the opposites to them do offer violence to some natural principle belonging to it . . this principle is most suitable to those natural hopes and expectations which the generality of good men have concerning a state of future happiness . from whence doth arise that confidence and courage , whereby those of meanest quality and abilities ( if otherwise virtuous persons ) can support themselves in their sufferings for that which is good : which doth necessarily suppose in them a strong , and even a natural belief and perswasion of such a future state , wherein their sufferings shall be considered and rewarded . besides that , there is a natural desire in all men , after a state of happiness and perfection . and if we consider the utter impossibility of attaining to any such condition in this life , this will render it highly credible , that there must be another state wherein this happiness is attainable : otherwise mankind must fail of his chief end , being by a natural principle most strongly inclined to such a state of happiness as he can never attain to . as if he were purposely framed to be tormented betwixt these two passions , desire and despair ; an earnest propension after happiness , and an utter incapacity of ever enjoying it . and , which is yet more considerable , the better and the wiser any man is , the more earnest desires and hopes hath he after such a state of happiness . and if there be no such thing , not only nature ▪ but virtue likewise must contribute to make men miserable ; than which , nothing can seem more unreasonable to those who believe a just and a wise providence . . this principle is most suitable to those fears and expectations which the generality of wicked men are possessed with , concerning a future state of misery . witness those natural suggestions of conscience in the worst of men , that upon any wicked action ( though never so private ) are often-times startling of them , with the apprehensions of another judicature and tribunal , before which they shall be called to an account for their closest sins . all that secret regret , and those inward smitings , laniatus & ictus , which are so often felt in the minds of men , upon the commission of any great sin , do argue some common intimations , even in the light of nature , of another judgment after this life , wherein they shall be accountable for such actions , which men do not punish or take notice of . and these natural fears do usually seize upon all kind of men promiscuously , even those who are most potent , who by their own wills can give laws to nations , and command mighty armies , yet cannot they avoid these checks and lashes of conscience , but that they will seize upon them , and shake them , as well as the poorest meanest subject . nor can such as are most obstinately wicked , who with their utmost study and endeavour , apply themselves to the suppressing and disbelief of these notions , so wholly stifle them , but that they will be continually rising up in their minds , and pursuing of them . now as there is no man whatsoever , that is wholly freed from these fears of future misery after death , so there is no other creature but man , that hath any fears of this kind . and if there be no real ground for this , then must it follow , that he who framed all his other works with such an excellent congruity , did yet so contrive the nature of man , the most noble amongst them , as to prove a needless torment and burthen to it self . if it be said , that these notions may proceed from such principles as men have derived from institution , and the teaching of others , and do not imply a nece●●●ty of any such natural impressions . to this it may be answered , that it is sufficient to denominate them natural notions ; if they have such a suitableness to the minds of men , as makes them to be generally owned by all those who apply their thoughts to the consideration of them . and that they have such a natural suitableness , may appear , because institution cannot so easily eradicate these notions , as it can fix them . now if the meer teaching of others were it self sufficient to impress these notions , without any such peculiar congruity in the things themselves , it would be as sufficient to deface them again : especially considering the advantage on this side , from that natural repugnancy we have against any thing which brings disquiet to our minds . and nothing is more troublesom in this kind , than the fear which follows upon guilt . but now , though there have been several men . of no mean abilities , in several ages , who have made it their business to root out of the minds of men all such troublesome notions about a futute state , endeavouring to perswade themselves and others , that as there was a time before they were born into the world , when they were not ; so at their dying , or going out of it , they shall exist no more . and yet , though it be their interest to believe this , though they make it their study and business to perswade themselves and others to it ; it may reasonably be doubted , whether ever yet , there hath been so much as one person that hath hereby become absolutely free from these fears : but for the most part , those who would have them esteemed vain and imaginary , without any foundation in nature , these are the persons who are most assaulted with them . hi sunt qui trepidant & ad omnia fulgere pallent . so powerful and unconquerable are these impressions , and therefore natural . . the second reason i proposed to speak to , was from the necessity of this principle , to the right government of mens lives and actions in this world , and the preserving of society amongst them . nothing can be more evident , than that the human nature is so framed , as not to be regulated and kept within due bounds , without laws ; and laws must be insignificant , without the sanctions of rewards and punishments , whereby men may be necessitated to the observance of them . now the temporal rewards and punishments of this life , cannot be sufficient to this end ; and therefore there is a necessity , that there should be another future state of happiness and misery . all the rewards and punishments of this life , are to be expected either from the civil magistrate , who by virtue of his place and calling is obliged to the duty of distributive justice : or else from divine providence , according to that most usual course which we find by experience to be observed by him , in his dispensation of these temporal things . now neither of these can afford sufficient motives for the government of mens lives and actions . . not all that may be expected from the civil magistrate , because there may be many good and evil actions , which they cannot take notice of ; and they can reward and punish only such things as come under their cognizance . and if this were the only restraint upon men , it could be no hindrance from any such mischief or villanies which men had the opportunity of committing secretly . nor would it extend to those who had power and strength enough to defend themselves from the law , and escape the penalty of it , but that such might without any check or fear , follow the inclinations of their own appetites . nor would it afford any remedy in the case of such wicked magistrates as should invert the order of their institution , proving terrors to well-doers , and encouragers to those that do ill . , not all that may be expected from common providence : for though it should be granted , that according to the most usual and general course of things , both virtuous and vitious actions are rewarded and punished in this life ; yet there may be many particular cases which this motive would not reach unto ; namely , all such cases where a man's reason shall inform him , that there is far greater probability of safety and advantage , by committing a sin , than can be reasonably expected , ( according to his experience of the usual course of things in the world , ) by doing his duty . suppose the case of the three children , or of any others called to martyrdom , who may be threatned with torments and death , unless they will blaspheme god , and renounce their religion , if it appear to them very probable , suppose a hundred to one , that upon their refusal , their persecutors will really execute what they threaten : and if on the other side it appear very improbabble , suppose ten thousand to one , that they shall not be delivered by a miracle : in such cases , it is not to be expected that the consideration of the ordinary course of providence in the dispensation of rewards and punishments , should be sufficient to restrain a man from any kind of blasphemy or villany whatsoever . but the thing i am speaking to , will more fully appear , by consideration of those horrid mischiefs of all kinds , that would most naturally follow from the denial of this doctrine . if there be no such thing to be expected as happiness or misery hereafter , why then the only business that men are to take care of , is their present well-being in this world ; there being nothing to be counted either good or bad , but in order to this . those things which we conceive to be conducible to it , being the only duties ; and all other things that are cross to it , being the only sins . and therefore whatever a man's appetite shall incline him to , he ought not to deny himself in it ( be the thing what it will ) so he can have it , or do it without probable danger . suppose it be matter of gain or profit he is disposed to , if he can cheat or steal securely , this will be so far from being a fault , that it is plainly his duty , because it is a proper means to promote his chief end , and so for other cases of anger , hatred , revenge , &c. according to this principle , a man must take the first opportunity of satisfying these passions , by doing any kind of mischief to the persons he is offended with , whether by false accusations and perjury ; or ( if need be ) by poysoning or stabbing of them ; provided he can do these things so , as to escape the suspition of others , and human penalty . now let any man judg what bears , and wolves , and devils , men would prove to one another , if every thing should be not only lawful , but a duty , whereby they might gratifie their impetuous lusts , if they might either perjure themselves , or steal , or murder , as often as they could do it safely , and get any advantage by it . but these things are so very obvious , and undeniable , that the most prophane ath●●stical persons do own the truth of them . and upon this , they are willing to acknowledg , that religion and the belief of another life , is a very politick invention , and needful for the well-governing of the world , and for the keeping men in awe , from the doing any secret mischiefs . which ( by the way ) is a concession of no small advantage to the honour of religion , considering that it proceeds from the greatest professed enemies to it . whereby they grant , that it is fit these things should be true , if they are not ; or at least that it is fit , that the generality of men should believe them to be true . and though they themselves pretend to believe otherwise , yet are they not so far out of their wits , as to be willing that those with whom they converse , their wives , and children , and servants , should be of the same opinion with them , because then they could have no reason to expect any safety amongst them . what securiry could any man have of his estate , or honour , or life , if such with whom he is most familiar and intimate , might think themselves at liberty to do all the secret mischiefs to them , that they had opportunity to commir ? but there is one thing more , which those , who profess to dis-belief this principle , should do well to consider ; and that is this , that there is no imaginable reason , why ( amongst those that know them ) they should pretend to any kind of honesty or conscience , because they are wholly destitute of all such motives as may be sufficient to oblige them to any thing of this nature . but according to them , that which is called virtue and religion , must be one of the most silly and useless things in the world . as for the principle of honour , which some imagine may supply the room of conscience , this relates only to external reputation , and the esteem which we have amongst others ; and therefore can be of no influence to restrain men from doing any secret mischief . from what hath been said , it will follow , that those who have any regard to their own safeties , ought to abandon all kind of society with such pernicious persons , who according to their own principles , must take all opportunities of doing any mischief to others , which they are able to effect , with any advantage to themselves . now if this be so ( as i have proved ) that the nature of man is so framed , as not to be effectually perswaded and wrought upon , without the consideration of such a future state . if it be necessary to put in everlasting motives , as the sanctions of that law , by which the human nature is to be governed ; this must render it highly credible , that there is such a state . because it must needs be very unworthy of god , to conceive of him , that he hath contrived the nature of one of his best and most noble creatures , after such a manner , as to make it incapable of being governed without falshood and deceit . . the third and last argument i proposed to speak to , was from the necessity of this principle to the vindication of divine providence . nothing is more universally acknowledged , than that god is good and just. that well-doing shall be rewarded , and evil actions punished by him. and yet we see that his dispensations in this life are many times promiscuous and uncertain : so tha● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 j●dg of lov● or hatred by all th●t is before him . the worst men are sometimes in the best condition . if in this life only we had hope , we should be of all men the most miserabl● , saith the apostle , speaking concerning those primitive times of persecution , when the better any man was , the more he was exposed to sufferings . now the greater uncertainty there is as to the pr●sent affairs in this world , by so much greater is the certain●y of a future ju●gment . what cou●d be a greater d●sparagement to divine providence , than to permit the calamities and sufferings which good men undergo in this world , many times upon the account of religion , to pass unrewarded ; and the many mischiefs and prophanations , which wicked men take the advantage of committing , by their greatness and prosperity in this world , to go unpunished ? what great glory would it be , to preside over this material world , s●ars , and meteors , sea and land , plants and beasts , to put these things into such a regular course , as may be suitable to their natures , and the operations for which they are designed ; and in the mean space to have no proportionable regard , either for those that reverence the deity , or those who contemn him ? 't is very well said to this purpose by a late author , that not to conduct the course of n●●ure in a due manner , might speak some defect of wisdom in god : but not to compensate vi●●ue and vice , besides the defect of wisdom , in not adjusting things suitably to their qualifications , but crosly coupling prosperity with vice , and misery with virtue , would argue too great a defect of goodness and justice . and perhaps it would be less expedient ( saith he ) with epicurus , to deny all providence , than to ascribe it to such defects . it being less unworthy of the divine nature , to neglect the universe altogether , than to administer human affairs with so much injustice and irregularity . and therefore 't is necessary for the vindication of divine providence , that there should be a future state and day of account , wherein every man shall be forced to acknowledg , that verily there is a reward for the righteous ; doubtless there is a god that judgeth the earth . i crave leave for a word of application , and i have done . if this be so , it will concern us then to enquire , . whether we do in good earnest believe this , that there shall be a future state of reward and punishment , according as mens lives and actions have been in this world . if not , why do we profess our selves to be christians ? why do we not renounce the articles of our creed ? nay , why do we pretend to any religion ? nothing can be more false and unworthy , than in a solemn and religious manner to own that in our profession , which we do inwardly disbelieve and deny . . do we at any time seriously consider this ? and revolve upon it in our minds ? do we bethink our selves , what our condition is like to be at that time , what preparations we have for it . what grounds we have for hope ? there cannot possibly be any greater stupidity , than for a man to be slight and careless in a business of so great moment . 't is the want of believing and considering this , that is the chief cause of all the viciousness and disorder in the world . . what impression doth the belief and consideration of this make upon our hearts and lives ? doth it stir up in us , vehement desires , and carefulness of mind in preparing for that time ? if a man were to be tried for life at the next assizes , how would his thoughts be taken up about his defence , what answer he should make , what the main plea is which he should insist upon , by what evidence it might be streng●hned and cleared up ? he would as soon forget to eat his meat , or to go to bed , as to let a business of this nature slip out of his mind . there is nothing more hard to be restrained , than the impetuous and wild exorbitances of youth ; and yet such persons would not , durst not indulge themselves , according to the ways of their own hearts , and the sight of their eyes ; if they did really believe and conside● , that ●or all these things god would b●●●g them to judgment . the business of religion , must therefore be above all other things of greatest consequence to us , because 't is the only means to secure us , as to our future conditions . the affairs of this life are but of short continuance , and full of uncertainty : and therefore 't is not much ma●erial what a man's condition may be in that respect . but there is another state and time which will more nearly concern our care ; and that is the great day of account . and till a man hath in some measure provided for this , he cannot live comfortably , or sleey quietly , or have any solid peace in his mind ; but must upon every serious reflexion be continually haunted with frightful apprehensions about his everlasting condi●ion . 't is scarce credible that any man should be so sottish , as to think , he shall escape dying : and when we do come to depart out of this world , it will then be no advantage to us , that we have had riches , or honour , or power . these things will then vanish away , as to our possession of them ; and the remembrance of them may prove a torment to our thoughts , rather than a comfort ; especially if we have reason to suspect , that these things were our portion in ●his life , and may be reckoned upon as our good things which we had already . certain it is , that they will render our accounts the more difficult : for to whom much is given , of them much shall be required . we must be answerable not only for our doings , but for the fruit of our doings . all the sins , or evil consequences which have been occasioned by our miscarriages , shall be set upon our score . and if these things be so . what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness , looking for , and hastning unto the coming of the day of god. if any thing can prevail with men to live soberly , righteously , and godly in this world , ir must be from the consideration of that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great god , our saviour jesus christ : to whom with the father , &c. finis . a discourse concerning the beauty of providence . by the right reverend father in god , john wilkins , late lord bishop of chester . psal. . . all the paths of the lord are mercy and truth , to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies . the fifth edition . london : printed by henry cruttenden , . the preface to the reader . amongst all other doctrines , this of providence ( though it do properly belong to natural theology . yet ) is of an universal concernmen● both for knowl●dg and practice , as any other point , in christian divinity , the very heathens have acknowleaged , only a universal providence of g●d , which puts the general kinds of things into a regular way of working ; but his particular providence likewise , which takes care of individual persons and actions . why else do all religions oblige men to pray unto him , and to expect his special assistance in every kind of want or necessity ? but now , though this common principle be so universally acknowledged in the notion of it , yet men are generally very negligent in the practical application of it to particular times and conditions ; and so lose that comfort and satisfaction that may be reaped from it . it is the chief aim and business of this discourse , to convince and quicken men unto this duty , as being by so much the more seasonable for these times , by how much the present troubles and confusions do now call upon us for it . it cannot but occasion some suggestions of diffidence and infidelity , to consider those many strange revolutions and changes in the world which in outward appearance seem so full of disorder and wild contingencies . and therefore it must needs be of special consequence for a man to have his heart established in the knowledg and belief of this truth here insisted upon : in all ages of the world men have been much startled in their judgments by that unequal dispensation which seems to be in those outward things , that one event should be to the righteous and the wicked . nay , that a just man should perish in his righteousness . and the wicked should prosper in his wickedness . that on the side of the oppressor there should be might , and the oppressed should have none to comfort them . this hath sometimes so amazed and perplexed the thoughts of considering men , that whilst they looked barely upon events , they could not tell how to extricate themselves from these difficulties ; which occasioned that speech of solomon ; surely oppression makes a wise man mad ; that is , puts him to his wits end , transports him with wild imaginations , whilst he knows not readily what to answer in defence of such proceedings . but now he that shall seriously consider how every thing is managed by an all-seeing providcnce , which is exactly careful , and infinitely wise , such a man will be easily satisfied , that in all these obscure administrations ( which seem unto us so full of casual , negligent , promiscuous events ) there is an admirable ( though unsearchable ) contrivance . as for the particular design which providence may aim at in some dispensations , this doth not always fall under our reach . it is the glory of god to conceal a matter . and many of his works are so ordered , that though a man labour to seek them out , yet he cannot find out , yet he shall not find them . yea further , though a wise man think to know them , yet shall he not be able to find them . and therefore , where we cannot understand his ways , it is there our duty , with an humble reverence to admire the wisdom of them . how would this ( if rightly considered and applied ) silence all those unseemly murmurings and complaints of men in these times ? remember , there is nothing befalls us but what the counsel of god had before dctermined to be done . and he can order things for the best , as well when they cross our desires , as when they comply with them . and therefore when you see the violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province , marvel not at the matter . that is , be not transported with wonder , or impatience , or unbelief , as if the providence of god were regardless or negligent : for he that is higher than the highest regardeth . though they that have the highest power amongst men may be so far from remedying , that they rather encourage such disorders ; yet god hath a strict watchful eye upon them . and though men may be apt to secure themselves in such proceedings , by the greatness of their own strength , as if there were nothing above them ; yet there are higher than they . and there is a time , when god will judg both the righteous and the wicked . let us be careful of our own duty , to serve providence in the usual means , and leave the disposal of events to him . it should be every mans chief business to clear up the evidences of his particular title and relation unto this great governour of the world ; and this will be the surest means to set us above the fear or hurt of all outward changes . we see with what artifice and compliance men will insinuate themselves into the affection of those who ( according to several revolutions ) are advanced into the places of power . of how much greater advantage would it be , to get an interest in his favour who doth and shall always rule over the sons of men , having all times at his disposal , out of whose hands no strength or policy shall ever be able to wrest the sway and dominion of things ? it cannot but afford strong consolation un●o every true believer , to consider , that he who hath the chief influ●nce in all these great changes and variety of events in the world , is both his god , and his father . how did this quiet the heart of old eli ? sam. . . it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good . and david upon the same consideration professeth , i was dumb , and opened not my mouth , because thou didst it . and our blessed saviour himself makes use of this argument , the cup that my father hath given me , shall i not drink it ? though the portion be bitter and displeasing , yet so long as it comes from a loving and careful father , we have no reason to fear any hurt by it . and on the other side , much of mens unquietness and dejection , is occasioned either by the want of this evidence , or by the neglect of applying it . when they terminate their thoughts upon secondary instruments , fearing men that shall die , and the sons of men men that shall be made as grass : forgetting the lord their maker , who stretched forth the heavens , and laid the foundations of the earth . that is that which makes men to fear continually , because of the fury of the oppressor . how would it compose all these fears and distempers , if men would but labour after this assurance of their interest in god , with the same zeal and intention of mind wherewith they prosecute their particular engagements and animosities against one another . he that hath god for his strength and refuge , is always sure to be on the strongest side , and need not fear the most tempestuous mutations . though the earth be removed , and the mountains should be carried into the midst of the sea : though the waters thereof roar , and be troubled ; and the mountains shake with the swelling thereof . thus much i thought fit to premise in the general , concerning the necessity and seasonableness of this subject . as for the particular occasion of publishing this discourse , i have nothing to say but this ; that being solicited for a copy of it by divers persons ( and some of eminent quality ) b●fore whom it was occasionally preached ; i knew not any more convenient way to satisfy their desires , than by such a publick communication of it . i could speak something from my own experience concerning the efficacy of this doctrine , against those damps and dejections of mind unto which such times as these will expose a man , it is my hearty prayer , that it may be useful to others also in this respect . farewel . the beauty of providence . eccles . . . he hath made every thing beautiful in his time : also he hath set the world in their heart , yet no man can find out the work that god maketh from the beginning to the end . this book contains solomon's experience in his search for contentment ; which being not to be found amongst any of the creatures , he advises never to trouble our selves in an eager prosecution after them , but to enjoy our possessions with a cheerful , liberal mind , without perplexing our selves in such cares and labours , as may defraud us of those honest comforts to be had by them : for there is nothing better for a man , then that he should eat and drink , and make his soul enjoy good in his labour , ch . . v. . that is one of the conclusions which solomon infers from his former discourse , and which he farther amplifies , and confirms in the following parts of his sermon . it being his chief scope in this book , to direct men how to behave themselves with cheerfulness and contentment under all those great revolutions , and that variety of eventts which may befall them in the world . this chapter contains a discourse concerning god's government and disposal of times ; and is therefore not unfitly stiled , the calendar or ephemerides of seasons : whence the wise-man with divers arguments urges upon us what he had before commended , a cheerful and contented mind . the text is one of these arguments ; god hath made every thing beautiful in his time : that is , there is a wise order and contrivance in all the works of providence : every particular event is most seasonable in that time which god appoints : and therefore we have no reason to repine at our condition , as if matters did not go well with us ; for 't is impossible they should have been better than they are : though they do cross our private hopes and desires , yet god best understands the fittest order and season for all things making them beautiful in his time . also he hath set the world in their heart : by [ world ] here is not meant this material world ; but seculum , the succession and course of things , as the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does properly import . this god hath set in , or * expounded unto mens hearts ; that is , he hath endowed us with an ability to descern in some measure that seasonableness which he observes in the government of the world. yet there is no man can find out the work that god makes from the beginning to the end : that is , 't is above humane ability to comprehend the reason of all divine proceedings ; we cannot find them fully out from the beginning to the end . others conceive that the words may be more properly rendred thus : as long as the world shall last , god doth reveal unto mens hearts the work which he makes , from the beginning to the end , excepting only some things unto which man cannot attain . as if he should have said , in all ages of the world there are still some passages of providence , wherein men may be able to discern a beauty and comeliness , though there are some other particulars which we cannot understand . the ●ense of both interpretations being for the substance much alike . that 's the connexion and meaning of the whole verse . the text , according to its natural fulness , doth comprize in it these three particulars . . every thing has its time . . every thing in its time is beautiful . . that is the proper season for all things which god appoints . . every thing has ●s ●me . to all things there is an appointed season , ver . . not only for such natural events as bear in them a kind of necessity , as a time to be born , and a time to dye , ver . . but also for those voluntary actions that seem to be most alterable and contingent ; a time to weep , and a time to laugh , ver . . the wisdom of providence in the government of this lower world , hath disposed to every thing its particular season . this is that we call the fulness of time , the ripeness of season . prov. , . the wise man says there , that the day brings forth events , paritura est dies ; alluding to a teeming-mother , to whom . there is a set date for her delivery . so doth time travel with the decrees of providence , and for each several action there is a pregnancy , and fulness of time . . every thing in its time is beautiful ; even such matters as in their own natures are not without some deformity . a time to kill , v. . a time to mourn , a time of war , v. . the scorching of summer , and the extream cold of winter , though both in themselves alike distastful , yet are comely in their seasons ; and those times would not be so beautiful without them . nor is it the natural goodness of any thing that can make it comely out of its proper season . that which beauty is in bodies , and harmony in sounds , that is opportunity in time. now as white and red , which are the usual materials of beauty , as those particular notes of which musick doth consist , may be so disposed of , as to cause deformity and discord : so actions , which in themselves are good , may be depraved by their unseasonableness . . that is the proper season for all things which god appoints : or thus : every particular event , is most beautiful in that time which the providence of god hath allotted to it . 't is above the contrivance of human policy to bring matters about in their fittest order . and therefore 't were but folly to conclude , that things do not fall out well , unless they answer our desires : for god best understands the fittest season for every purpose . and whatsoever , or whensoever he works , you may be sure 't is both beautiful , and in its time ; even those events which do most thwart our private ends ( could all circumstances be duly confidered ) we should find them to be performed in their most comely order , and best opportunity . as for the two first particulars , though they are implied in the text , yet are they most expresly handled in the former verses : and therefore i shall pass them over without any ther enlargement , insisting only upon this latter , as being more directly agreeable to the main scope of the words . and 't is a subject that in many respects will deserve your more especial attention ; 't is not commonly treated of . and besides , it may very much conduce to our contentment , to settle our hearts against all those conditions that may befal us in the world. 't is of very general use and concernment , suitable to all times and occasions : for times of suffering , to make us patient and submissive : for times of mercy , to make us cheerful and thankful . in brief , it extends to all persons , relations , businesses , seasons ; nothing is more generally useful than this , to have our hearts fully perswaded of that wise order and contrivance which there is in the the disposal of every particular event in the world. and 't is more especially seasonable for times of trouble and confusion , when men are apt to mistrust the government of providence , as if god neglect the care of this lower world , and leave all things to their own jarring-principles . then ( i say ) 't is more especially seasonable to vindicate the care and wisdom of providence ; to shew that every thing god doth , is best ; and consequently , that those many distractions and confusions under which we suffer , are far better than any other ( though the most flourishing ) condition could be . and that 's the subject i am now to insist upon . the point is this : every particular event is most beautiful in that time which the providence of god hath allotted to it . a truth , by so much the more seasonable for these times , by how much 't is now the more difficult to believe it . the observation lies plainly both in the scope of the place , and the most obvious sense of the words . the scripture is copious in other proofs to this purpose . deut. . . his work is perfect , and his ways are judgment ; a god of truth , and without iniquity , just and right . not only his first work of creation is exactly good and perfect ; but his ways of provi●●nce also are disposed with judgment and righteousness . so again , isa. . . the lord of hosts is wonderful in counsel , and excellent in working ; that is , every event of providence is managed and pre-ordained by an admirable wisdom . and therefore must needs be of excellent contrivance . and again , dan. . , . wisdom and might are his : he changeth the times and the seasons : he removeth kings , and he setteth up kings : those two attributes of strength and wisdom are for the most part put together in scripture . god never shews any argument of his strength , but his wisdom is engaged in it also . those great alterations and subversions which happen in the world , do not more demonstrate the greatness of his power in the doing of them , than the greatness of his wisdom in disposing of them for the best . and again , psal. . . o lord , how manifold are thy works ? in wisdom hast thou made them all : the earth is full of thy riches . which is as well true of the works of providence , as of the works of creation . but this truth is more directly intimated by that vision of ezekiel in the chapter of his prophecy , wherein he doth express how all events in the world are wisely disposed of by the care and government of providence . the scope of that vision was , to confirm the faith of the prophet in the certainty of those things which he was to foretel ; because god himself , by whom he was inspired , had such a special influence in the orderly managing of all inferiour events . though matters might seem to run upon wheels ( as we say ) , to follow their own courses , without any special guidance ; to go at random ; yet these wheels have eyes in them , v. . that is , there is the eye of providence , which directs them in their revolutions . and then besides , these wheels are likewise governed by the four living creatures ; that is by the angels of god , who are fitted for all their services , with four remarkable endowments . . with wisdom and prudence , typified in that vision , by the face of a man. . courage and resolution , the face of a lion. . sedulity and diligence , the face of an ox. . swiftness and dispatch , the face of an eagle . in all which , the prophet doth at large explain unto us , with what deliberate care and fore-cast the providence of god doth dispose of all these inferior events . this truth may yet be further evidenced , from the very light of nature , and the testimony of the heathen . hence was it that the ancients did set forth their gods with harps in their hands , to shew the harmony they observed in the government of the world . and midas was condemned to wear asses ears , because he preferred pan's pipe before apollo's l●te ; humane policy before divine providence . nay the devil himself doth acknowledg the wisdom and seasonableness of divine proceedings , and therefore would fain have sheltred himself under this pretence : matth. . . art thou come to torment us before our time ? implying , that it would not become the god of order to do any thing untimely . and doubtless that must needs be an evident and a great truth which is confessed by the mouth of so great a liar . for the further confirmation of this , let us a little consider some of those rugged passages of providence which seem to be performed with the greatest negligence and deformity . look upon the history of joseph : he was ( you know ) one of the promised seed , concerning whom god had foretold a superiority and dominion over the rest of his family . now , that after this , he should be exposed to the treachery of his malicious brethren : that besides his nearness to slaughter from their hands , he should be sould into a far countrey , whence there was no hopes ever to hear on him again : that there he should be so endangered by the rage of a lustful woman , and suffer so tedious and unjust imprisonment ; all this might seem to be an oversight and neglect of providence , as if it had forgotten the promotion which joseph was designed to . and yet do but reflect upon the latter part of the story , and you shall find , how all these misfortunes did mightily conduce , not only to his advancement , but all to the safety and preservation of that whole ●amily , which was then the visible church . so that if each of his brethren had given him as much money as they sold him for , it had not been so great a kindness as he received from their intended cruelty . it is an elegant gloss of st. gregory upon this story , divino judicio quod declinare conati sunt , renitendo servierunt : ideo venditus est à fratribus joseph ne adoraretur , sed ideo est adoratus , quia venditus . it was so ordered by providence , that what they sought to decline , they did promote , even by their striving against it ; joseph was therefore sold by his brethren , that he might not be worshiped , and yet he was therefore worshiped , because he was sold. sic divinum consilium dum deviatur , impl●tur ; sic humana sapientia dum reluctatur , comprehenditur . even so the divine councel is accomplished in being opposed ; so humane policy is defeated by the means of promoting it . thus also is it in the history of david : he was ( you know ) designed to a kingdom ; but how many straits was he put to before he attained it ? being forced into the wilderness like a wandring out-law , and followed there by a company of discontented persons , who was as ready ( perhaps ) upon every trivial occasion to revolt from him , as before from saul . but , above all the rest , his last distress was the one of the most desperate , when he was spoiled at ziglag , not only of his goods , but his wives and children too , when his own souldiers in their mutiny and discontent were ready to stone him ; there being then but little hopes to save his life , much less to get a kingdom , and yet this distress also was , in the event of it , contrived to his advantage . for having afterwards pursued the amalekites , he not only recovered his own , but got such abundance of other spoils from them , as served him for rich presents , whereby he might renew and confirm the friendship of his wellwishers in israel ; that after the death of saul ( which presently followed ) he might by their free votes be chose to succeed him , sam , . and chap. . you may observe likewise somewhat to this purpose in the story of jonah , when he was sent to nineveh about so weighty a matter as the safety of that great and populous city , and that too when their destruction was within ken , but forty days off ; that he should now make delays and fly to tarshish ; that upon such a strait he should run himself into hazards , might seem to argue some carelessness and neglect in the government of providence . and yet this error of his was so wisely managed in the event , that it proved a great advantage to the main end of his business . for 't is a probable opinion , that these mariners who cast jonah into the sea , were a special occasion that his preaching was so succesful afterwards ; the ninevites being by them informed , that this was that prophet for whom they had lately suffered so violent a tempest ; how the wind ceased , and all was calm again , when they had once cast him into the sea from whence in was not possible he should be delivered , but by a miracle . and therefore they concluded , that this must needs be some man extraordinarily inspired from above ; and that his preaching was not idle threats , but such as might justly fright them into that rigorous fast which afterwards we read of both for man and beast . it being the wisdom of providence so to contrive it that this offence of jonah should mightily advantage that end which it did seem most directly to oppose . so likewise for that dissention betwixt paul and barnabas , act. . it might seem the most unseasonable breach that could possibly be imagined ; when the church of the christians was now in its beginning and infancy , that then the two chief members of it should fall at variance amongst themselves , was such an untimely dissen●ion , that an enemy could not wish them worse .. nothing could more thwart the promulgation of the gospel of peace , than the contentions of those that preach it . if that state which is already established into a kingdom , divided against it self , cannot stand ; much less could those small beginnings think to encrease into a church by divisions . and yet this likewise was so disposed of in the event , that it did mightily conduce to the gospel thorow the whole world : for by this means those two parted asunder , the one into cyprus , the other into syria and cilicia , and like two mighty streams spread themselves several ways that so they might the better water the barren and thirsty corners of the world . thus have you seen the beauty of providence in some rugged passages of it . 't is so in every other particular , though seeming unto us never so deformed . but man cannot find out the work of god from the beginning to the end . for the further evidencing of this truth , there are two grounds upon which 't is bottomed , that being understood and considered , will make the point very clear . . god is exactly careful of every thing . . he is infinitely wise , for the disposal of all to the best . . god doth overlook all things by an especial providence . eph. . . he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. there is no event in the world i● is ordered both according to god's will , and by his counsel : psal. . . whatsoever the lord pleased , that did he both in heaven , and in earth , and in the sea , and in all deep places . not only in the heaven , where his glory is more especiolly conspicuous ; but in the earth too , where matters seem to be full of confusion : and in the sea , and in all deep places , where we cannot so much as take notice of them . there is nothing so great , but is under his power ; nothing so little , but is within his care. those actions and events that seem unto us most free , and casual , inconsiderable , are all of them ordered by his providence . . that which is most free , the hearts and affections of men do follow the guidance of his decrees ; men may do after their own counsels and inclinations , but they are still suitable to his providence ; there is nothing more in our thoughts and words ; and yet both the preparation of the heart , and the answer of the tongue , is from the lord , prov. . . . that which seems most casual : the disposing the lot is from him , prov. . . he who is accidentally flain by another , is said to be delivered into his hands by god , exod. . . that casual arrow shot at random , was directed by providence to fulfil the prediction of ahab's death , king. . . there is no liberty for causes to operate in a loose and stragling way ; but in matters of greatest uncertainty , there is a preordained course of effects . . the least , most inconsiderable things , are not neglected by providence . it was a * prophane speech of the aramites , that god was the god of the mountains , not of the valleys , king. . . whereas he regards the lowest , the least thing , as well as the greatest . the young lions , psal. . . the ravens . psal. . . are provided for by him . he feeds the fowls of the air , adorns the lillies , and clothes the grass of the field , which to day is , and to morrow is cast into the oven . sparrows ( you know ) are but cheap birds ; are not two of them sold for a farthing ? mat. . . and yet not one of these do fall to the ground without your father . he must give the fowler leave to kill them ; nay , when they are upon the wing in their frequent and often repeated motions ; yet then it is he that must appoint them the time and place when and where they shall settle ; and in this sense also , not one of them doth fall to the ground without your father . the hairs of your head are yet less observable contemptible even to a proverb , pili non facio , ne pilo quidem melius . and yet these , with god , are inter numerata , amongst those things whereof he takes an exact account . that place cor . . doth god take care for oxen ? doth not simply exempt such things from the law of his providence ; but 't is argumentum a minori , and doth imply his especial care of that higher rank of creatures to whom these are subordinate , the plain meaning of it is , that if god hath by a particular law provided , that the ox should not be muzled that treads out the corn ; he will be much more careful of the labourers in his harvest . 't is recorded to the glory of some ancient generals , that they were able to call every common souldier by his own name ; and careful to provide not only pay for their captains , but litter also for the meanest beast that did serve the camp. now you know there is not any creature but is a souldier to the lord of hosts . he doth sometimes muster up an army of lice and flies ; and therefore 't is but reason that his providence should take care for such things also : why should it not be as great an argument of his power to preserve and order these lesser creatures , as it was at first to make them ? the creation of a glorious angel did not cost him more than that of a despicable fly. was it not he that out of the same primitive nothing put that difference which there is amongst several natures ? and if the painter in the same piece draw a silken and a woollen garment , why should he value the one above the other , since it was the same art that did . both make and distinguish them ? . as his providence doth extend to all things , so likewise does his wisdom . as he is exactly careful , so is he infinitely wise ; and therefore as able for the contrivance of every the the least particular thing , as he would be if he had nothing but that to look after . if the providence o● god had but one project on foot , we could easily conceive how he might be able to drive that through all the windings and circumstances of it , with care and wisdom . nay , we would trust any wise man with the managing of a single business , when he had nothing else to distract his endeavours : but for all those multitude of affairs amongst men and angels ; nay , for the very circumstances and manner of all those several actions and motions which are performed in every moment of time through the whole world ; we cannot conceive but that in such a tumult of business the eye of providence may be sometimes overseen . but this arises from our mistake of the divine nature ; we measure god by our own finite abilities ; whereas we should consider , that that which is infinite , cannot be confined by time , or number , or place ; but is as well able at all times to look to all things , in all places , as if there were only one business to be cared for . you may see some imperfect resemblance of this amongst the creatures . do but consider the sun , how that at the same time , without labour or confusion , it is employed in divers services for all the creatures under heaven ; the distinctions of seasons , the growth of several plants , its various influence upon minerals , the cherishing of living creatures , with sundry other such variety of employments , which we are not able so much as to take notice of . or else , do but mark the nature of the soul , which at the same time perhaps doth contemplate heaven , direct the body in its sundry motions , distribute the food in a wise proportion to the several parts , not neglecting so much as the least hair about it , but supplying that with suitable nourishment . and all this it does without weariness or distraction . and if a creature can do thus , much more then the creator , who gives to every thing its proper ability , and doth actuate all things by a more immediate assistance than the soul it self . so that though we suppose infinite occasions , ( which notwithstanding creatures are not capable of ) yet the providence and wisdom of god is infinite also ; and there is the same proportion of infinite to infinite , as of one to one now put both these reasons together : if the providence of god be thus exactly careful of every the least particular ; if he be thus infinitely wise for the disposal of all to the best ; no wonder then , though every event in the world be both beautiful , and in its time . for the further clearing of this truth , there are two doubts or queries to be resolved , that seem to oppose it . . what 's the reason why this beauty of providence doth not appear to us ; but that many things seem so full of disorder and confusion in the world ? . how may this consist with the the permission of sinful actions , which can neither be beautiful nor seasonable ? i begin with the first , to shew the reason why in so many things we cannot discern this beauty of providence . the verse of the text tells us , that man cannot find out the work of god from the beginning to the end : that is , 't is above humane capacity to comprehend the reason of all divine proceedings ; we cannot find them fully out from the beginning to the end , and so job . . . he doth great things past finding out . lo , he goeth by me , and i see him not : he passeth on also , but i perceive him not . and again , chap. . , . behold , i go forward , but he is not there ; and backward , but i cannot perceive him : on the left hand where he doth work , but i cannot hehold him ; he hideth himself on the right hand , that i cannot see him . the meaning is , that where ever job turned his eyes , there were still some passages of providence which he could not apprehend the meaning of . god hath reserved this as a peculiar prerogative to himself . it is not for us to know the times and the s●asons which the father hath put in his own power , acts. . . there may be a two-fold reason of this : . the obscurity of the things themselves . there are treasures of wisdom . col. . . not only for their preciousne●s , but for their privateness too ; hidd●n wisdom : cor. . . secrets of wisdom : and these are double to that which is ( as zophar speaks ) , job . . that is , those concealed providences which we do not discern the reason of , are of much greater proportion than those that appear . we read in that fore-cited place , ezek. , . of a wheel within a wheel , signifying those involutions and intricacies which there are in the ways of providence . and the psalmist tells us , that his way is in the sea , and his paths in the great waters : and his foot steps are not known . psal. . . as it is in the works of nature , where there are many common things of excellent beauty , which for their littleness do not fall under our sense : they that have experimented the use of microscopes , can tell , how in the parts of the most minute creatures there may be discerned such gildings and embroideries , and such curious variety as another would scarce believe . why , 't is so in the works of providence ; there are very many passages of frequent daily occurrence , whose excellent contrivance doth not fall under our sense or observation . . our own ignorance and short-sightedness ; and that in a two-fold respect : . we cannot see that end and drift which providence aims at in many particulars ; and therefore no wonder though they seem unto us rude and uncomely . we measure things by this false balance of opinion , which weighs only their outsides , and doth not look upon their ends and relations . now the beauty of things doth consist much in their tendency and reference to their proper ends . if an ignorant man that knows not the reason of a wind-mill or water-mill should look upon them only as places of habitation , he cannot think them well situated , where they are so much exposed to the violence of winds and waves ; whereas he that understands how the wisdom of the artificer hath contrived those motions unto useful ends ▪ must needs confess a beauty and comeliness in the work . 't is so likewise in the events of providence , which none can rightly apprehend , but he that understands the special drift and purposes which they are designed to . . we cannot see the whole frame of things , how sundry particular events , in a mutual relation , do concur to make up the beauty of the whole . he that can discern only two or three wheels in a clock , how they move one against another , would presently think , that there were contrariety and confusion in the work . whereas he that beholds the whole frame , and discerns how all those divers motions do jointly conduce to the same end cannot chuse but acknowledg a wise order in the contrivance of it . so likew●se is it in the frame of times ; where he alone is fit to judg of particulars , who understands how they r●ter to the general . but now we are but of yesterday , and know nothing , because our days upon the earth are as a shadow . ( saith bildad ) job . . . we look upon things according to a short succession , and so are not able to discern that beauty which there is in their references to other matters afar off . but n●w , to god a thousand years is but as one day . he beholds all things , w●●ther past or to come , in the same instant . there is no succession in eternity , but all things within the reach of time are present unto that . though in the revolution of a wheel , there be a mutual succession betwixt the parts contained in it ; yet an eye that is placed without , can at the same time discern the whole motion . thus also is it in the revolution of time ; where , though there be a mutual succession betwixt those things that are contained ●nder time ; yet god , who is without and above it , doth at the same view behold all together . so that 't is no wonder , though many things seem beautiful to him , which to us who are so short-sighted , may appear harsh and desormed . . the second quaere was this , if there be such an over-ruiing providence which doth dispose of all to the best ; how comes it to pass that there are so many sinsul actions in the world ? to this i answer two things : , when men thwart gods will of precept , they serve his will of providence . those particular interests of gain , honour , pleasure , revenge , which sway mens desires and actions , are wisely contrived to the promoting of gods decrees and glory , when augustus made the general tax upon the world , his end was to enrich himself , and fill his coffers but god used it as a means to fulfil the prophecy of christ's birth at bethlehem . rehoboam , and jehu , and cyrus , had all their several aims in those works wherein they were subservient to providence . and they did still accomplish his counsel in prosecuting their own designs . . that which in re●pect of man's execution is wicked and disorderly , in respect of god's appointment is beautiful and comely . there could not be any more horrid act , than the betraying and crucifying of our blessed saviour ; and yet even in this ( as it was decreed by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledg of god , acts . . ) there was the greatest miracle of divine wisdom that ever was extended to the creature : such depths of policy , which all the subtilty of men and angels was not able to contrive , no nor to suspect , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as the apostle calls it , eph , . . interchangeable wisdom of curious variety , as the word signifies . now if god could thus manage the worst action of man to the best advantage of man , well may we conclude , that every event of providence is beautiful in its time . i have now done with the explication and confi●mation of the text. in the application it may be useful for these lessons : . ●or information , and that in a twofold respect : . it may teach us our duty to take notice of , and observe the works of providence . . it may direct us what to judg of the affairs of these times under which we are fallen . . if all the events of providence be so wisely contrived , 't is certainly then our duty to consider and to take notice of them . psal. . . the works of the lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein . and again , v. . he hath so done his marvellous works , that they ought to be had in remembrance . now a man cannot be said to seek out , or to remember that which he doth not carefully observe . 't is the chief scope of that psalm to excite men unto this duty . and david makes it a note of piety for men to delight themselves in the contemplation of god's works , to remember him in his ways , as the prophet isaiah speaks . this asaph found by experience to be a special antidote against all diffidence and carnal fears ; in the psalm when he was surprised with those sad thoughts , will the lord cast us off for ever ? and will he be no more entreated ? hath god forgotten to be gracious ? &c. he presently applies himself to this remedy , v. , . i will remember the works of the lord ; surely i will remember thy wonders of old : i will meditate also of thy works , and talk of thy doings , if a man were but well read in the story and various passages of his life , he might be able to make an experimental divinity of his own . he that is observant of gods former dealings and dispensations towards him , may be thence furnished with a rich treasury of experience against all future conditions . there are very many duties that depend upon a right understanding of the times . a man knows not how to order his prayer and praises , without some observation and skill in these . it was a great commendation which was given to the men of issachar , that they had under standing in the times to know what israel ought to do , chron. . . and the ignorance of these the wise-man complains of , as being a very great evil , ec●les . . . for man knoweth not his time ; but as fishes are taken in an evil net , and as birds are caught in the snare : so are the sons of men nared in an evil time , when it falls suddenly upon them . now this observance of gods works and dispensations , is a duty always seasonable , but more especially in such times as these . 't is commonly observed , that though smooth and peaceable times are best for the liver , the man that lives in them ; yet times that are full of change and vicissitude , are best for the w●●●er , the historian that writes of them : so though quiet seasons may best suit with our desires and outward condition ; yet these disturbed , confused times , may be the best improved by observation , and do most set forth the wisdom of providence . the common providence of god in the various seasons and order of nature , may afford excellent matter for contemplation ; much more that special providence of his in the guidance of humane affairs , which have been always managed with various wisdom . but especially in his dispensations towards these latter ages , wherein there have been many new , unusual emergencies , such as our forefathers have not known . how many strange observable passages may a considering man pick out amongst the affairs of these few last years ? how strangely hath the whole course of things both in churh and state , been turned about , beyond all mens imaginations ? how hath god in every respect , and on all sides , pusled the wisdom of the wise , and enfeebled the strength of the mighty , abating the glory of all humane power , lifting himself up above others , in those things wherein they dealt most proudly , effecting great matters by despised means ! what strange ebbs and flows of hope have we known ? when men have been most full of confidence , then some unexpected accident hath ●ntervened , and disappointed all : so that the wisest men have been often put to stand at a gaze , not knowing what to judg of the issue of things : and ( though we have not had leisure to observe it , yet ) there has been something equivalent to this in other nations ; the whole christian world being generally full of strange commotions . now we may certainly conclude , that all these unusual turns and changes of things , are not for nothing . there is some great design to be accomplished by them ; 't is our duty with diligence to observe the passages , and with patience to attend the issue . . this may direct us what to judg of the present times under which we are fallen . if it be so that every particular event is so exactly regular and beautiful ; hence then we may infer , how all that confusion and disorder which seem to be in the affairs of these times is not so much in the things themselves , as in our mistake of them . the roughest seasons ( though they may be unsuitable to our desires ) yet have in them a proper comeliness as well as times of the greatest serenity . true indeed , the scripture doth sometimes mention evil days ; but this is not so to be understood , as if time in it self could be evil , either naturally , for so god pronounceth it good ; or morally , because 't is not subjected to any moral rule ; but only accidentally , in respect of our mistake and abuse of it ; when either we judg of it according to our own wishes , or mispend it according to our own lusts . 't is only unwise , unholy men , that make unhappy times . as in the works of creation , nothing is properly deformed , but every thing hath a peculiar beauty , according to that rank and station wherein 't is placed : though in vulgar speech we use to call a toad and a serpent ugly ; yet that is only in reference to common esteem : whereas in respect of the universe they are as regular and comely parts as any of the rest ; their outward shapes being suitable to their inward forms , and those purposes for which they are intended . so it is likewise in the ways of providence ; those designs that in respect of our apprehensions are carried on by a cryptical involved method , are yet in themselves of as excellent contrivance , as any of those that seem to be of more facil and perspicuous order . if a man in these times shall with his reason consult only the outward face of things they must needs seem full of irregularities and disorder ; when the spirits of men in the prosecution of the same ends , and the pretence of publick welfare , shall be imbittered against one another , even to publick ruin : when there is a violent perverting of judgment and justice in a nation , and on the side of the oppressor is might : but the oppressed have none to comfort them . when there is a total subversion of those degrees in which the order and harmony of things doth confist , servants being on horses , & princes walking as servants on the earth : when the mountains are removed , and pillars of the earth tremble . when religion and laws ( which are the foundation of a people ) are out of course . and yet even in all this , there may be a design of providence for our good . this is certain , all god's promises to his church are infallibly true , and all his dispensations ( though never so cross in outward appearance ) have a tendency towards the fulfilling of those promises . and why should not a man rest himself in this belief ? in our natural enquiries after the efficient cause of things , when our reason is at a stand , we are fain sometimes to sit down , and satisfie our selves in the notion of occult qualities ; and therefore much more should we be content to be ignorant in the final cause of things , which lye more deep and obscure than the other . let no man then presume to censure the several vicissitudes and changes of things , as if they were unseasonable and ill contrived . remember we are but short-sighted , and cannot discern the various reserences and dependences amongst the great affairs in the world , and therefore may be easily mistaken in our opinion of them . we do in this world ( for the most part ) see only the dark side of providence . at the last and great day of manifestation , when the whole plot of divine love shall be laid open , then we shall be able to discern the beauty of providence in all the rugged passages of it ; how tribulation , distress , persecution , famine , nakedness , peril , and the sword , do all work for the best to those that love god. judg nothing therefore before its time , cor. . . consider , we cannot see the works of god from the beginning to the end . and you know there is a vast difference betwixt the beginning and the end of a building . it may be our lots perhaps in these times to see only the beginning of the fabrick ; when the old frame is demolished , the rubbish lies scattered about , the new materials being gathered into heaps . posterity perhaps may see the end of it , when all these confused preparations shall be made up into a beautiful structure . . this may serve for reproof of two sorts of persons . . those that do not observe or regard the works of the lord. . those that murmur and repine at them . . this may reprove those that do not observe or regard the works of the lord. 't is a great argument of infidelity and irreligion , when men let many remarkable providences pass by them without notice or observation : or when they look upon them only in a slight and superficial manner , like those whom the prophet isaiah complains of , seeing many things but observing not . this sin of inadvertency of god's various providences , hath been oftentimes severely threatned and punished in scripture , isa. . . because they regard not the work of the lord , nor consider the operation of his hands , therefore is my people gone into captivity . and again , jer. . . the whole land is made desolate , because no man layeth it to heart . the heaviest judgments that can befal a nation , are captivity and desolation . and yet they are both denounced against this stupidity and carelesness of spirit . and you may guess at the hainousness of the sin , by the greatness of the punishment . 't is a sin , that is after a more especial manner appropriated to wicked men . psal. . , . the wicked through the pride of his countenance , will not seek after god : god is not in all his thoughts . thy judgments are far above , out of his sight . things that he never enquires after , or regards , as if he were not at all concern'd in them . quae supra nos nihil ad nos : he looks no further than second causes , unto which he ascribes the success or miscarriage of events ; and doth not take notice of that divine providence , by whose influence they are guided . you see this is made the note of wicked men . and therefore , as we would avoid that censure , so still it concerns us to avoid the sin . . this may serve for the reproof of those that murmour and repine at the works of providence , that take upon them the magisterial judgment of events ; as if they could tell how to frame things much better , and to contrive the issue of things to greater advantage . how ordinary is it for men to discourse thus concerning the great changes of these times ? as if the unsearchable ways of god were to be judged before the tribunal of humane reason : who art thou o man that disputest with god ( saith the apostle ) ? how despicable , in comparison to his infinite majesty and wisdom ? if there be a commonwealth amongst ants and bees ( as some naturalists say there is ) , 't would make a man smile to think , that they should take upon them the censure of state-matters amongst us men : and yet here the disproportion it finite ; whereas betwixt god and man 't is infinite : as the heavens are higher than the earth , so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts , and my ways than your ways . he that will take upon him to mend the contrivance of things , let him remember ( says one of the stoicks ) that the first thing he is to do , is to mend god , to teach him wisdom and care . and if he shall think himself unfit for that , let him not presume upon this . for consider , is not the providence of god exactly careful of every thing ? is not he infinitely wise , to dispose of all to the best ? are not all things subservient to his will ? why certainly then , ( however matters may appear to us ) yet nothing could have been better than it is . every thing shall prove ●or the best , in respect of his glory , and ( if we belong to him ) in respect of our good too . 't is an observable check which solomon gives to such presumptuous persons as are apt to repine at and censure the course of things , eccl. . . say not thou , what is the cause why the former days were better than these ? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning concerning this . it should seem , that those flourishing days of solomon , so very eminent for all kind of plenty and peace ( silver being in jerusalem as stones , and cedars as the sycamore in the vale for abundance ) , were not yet without some morose repining spirits , who were still maligning the present condition of things ; and therefore no wonder if we find the like humour among men in other times . this the wise man doth here reprove , both by a prohibition and a reason . . a prohibition , say not thou , what is the cause why the former days were better than these ? that is , be not transported with that common humour of censuring and condemning the state of times , and commending the times past ; as if the course of events were not managed by the same wise providence now , which governed the world before , he doth not forbid men to enquire after the cause of publick sufferings : for this is frequently enjoined in scriptue , that upon the occasion of any special judgment , we should search and try our hearts , consider our ways , and our doings , labouring to find out the cause of gods displeasure , that we may accordingly meet him in his ways . but the meaning is , that we should not take upon us the p●remptory censure of times and dispensations , presuming to condemn those things which we cannot understand . . the reason . for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this thing . that 's a figurative expression , stiled a meiosis , when a phrase signifies much more than the naked words do import . the meaning is , 't is extream folly for men to take upon them the censure of times and providences , as if they were competent judges of such matters . there are two places of scripture that will make up a syllogism to prove this conclusion . he that judgeth of a matter before he hath enquired into , and understands it , it is folly and shame unto him , prov. . . but now , it doth not belong unto us to know the times & the seasons which the father hath kept in his power , act. . and therefore it must needs be folly to take upon us the magisterial censure of such things . every day hath its proper evil , as well the former as these ; and every doy hath its proper advantage , as well these as the former . the very dregs of time , if we endeavour to make a right use of them , may be redeemed into opportunity . there are two reasons of mens offending in this kind : . when they look only upon some partlculars , without the consideration of their proper end , or general frame . now 't is true indeed , that some particular events , singly looked upon , may seem very prejudicial ; but the whole contexture of affairs in their co-operation , shall prove for the best . all things shall work together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for good to those that love god , rom. . . but now 't is above our capacity to comprehend the whole frame of things : and that is not disorder in respect of the whole which to us may appear so , being compared with some particulars . you know , that in the natural body the variety and dissimilitude of parts , is required to the beauty of the whole ; the roundness of the head , the length of the arm , the flatness of the hand ; blackness in one part , and whiteness in another ; all these being singly compared amongst themselves , though they may seem to argue some opposition and deformity , yet look up●n them as they stand in relation to the whole frame , and it will appear how in their several ways they do each of them conduce to its comeliness and order . if this lower world had in it no changes and varieties , but were in all respects alike , it would not then be so properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a beautiful world , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a lump or mass. . another occasion of mens offending in this kind , is , when they will judg of events according as they suit with their own wishes . and in this case , 't is impossible that every humor should be satisfied , because particular desires ( besides their opposition to one another ) will likewise be inconsistent with the general design . it would seem better perhaps to every private man , if he himself were a magistrate ; or a king ; and every common soldier a commander , or a general . but how could this consist with the exigencies of the common-wealth , or an army , where their must be degrees , and disproportion of places , according to the necessity of several employments ? 't is so in the government of this great universe : that difference which their is betwixt particular things , and times , and persons , doth much conduce to the beauty and conveniency of the whole . 't is our safest way then to conclude , that all matters are for the best , beautiful in their times , though to us they may seem full of disorder and contrariety . thus the apostle in that remarkable place , rom. , . speaking concerning the rejection of the jews , when god would cast off and destroy his peculiar people , and that for his own glory and advantage ; he concludes , his judgments unsearchable , and his ways past finding out : but of him , and to him are all things : as if he should have said , god will do this strange work ; and though for my part i know not the reason of it , his judgments are unsearchable , &c. yet sure i am , that of him and to him are all things ; that , is as the making of all things was of his power , so the resolution of all things should be to his glory . though his judgments are as the great deep , for their obscurity and unmeasurableness , not to be fathomed by our shallow apprehensions , yet his righteousness is as the strong mountains , for their eminency and stableness , psal. . . though clouds and darkness may be round about him , yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne , psal. . . . this may serve for exhortation , to perswade us unto these four duties . . not to be too hasty in our desire or prosecution of any thing . . nor to trouble our selves with any solicitous care about the success of things . . to be equally prepared for all future events . . to behave our selves with carefulness and contentment in all conditions . . hence we learn , not to be too hasty in our desire or prosecution of any thing . god best knows the fitest season for every event ; we shall have it when its time is come ; and before that , 't would not be beautiful : like snow in harvest ( as the wise man speaks ) which though it might possibly be some refreshment to our particular , yet would be a deformity in the course of nature . there are some men whom the prophet stiles of a hasty heart , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isa. . . who are too heady and impatient in their hopes . and it is a weakness that arises from our infidelity and distrust of providence . for he that believeth , maketh no hast , chap. . . 't is god's usual course to defer what he promises , thereby to exercise our faith , to put an edg on our desires , and a value upon the blessing . in natural affairs , we are fain to expect the proper season and maturity of things ; the husbandman will wait for his harvest ; he doth not expect to sow and reap both in a day . it should be so likewise in other matters . and since that is always the fittest time for every thing which god appoints , it will become us then patiently to wait his leisure , and not with over-hasty desires to run before him . abraham was fain to tarry a long time for a son , david for a kingdom , and the whole world for christ. he that rightly understands the worth of any blessing , and his own want , cannot think much to wait for it . the poor man , at the pool of bethesda , being sensible of his own lameness , was content to tarry there thirty eight years in hopes of a remedy . suppose a promise were deferred to the utmost , yet do but compare the shortness of our lives with the duration of our souls , and then no delay can seem tedious . neque enim est aliquid in tam brevibus vitae metis ita serum , quod longum expectare immortalis putet animus . a man conscious to himself of his own mortality , cannot think any time long which is confined within the narrow bounds of life . is there then any mercy which thou expectest ? do not over-rashly hasten it with any indirect project , as if thou wert able to help the providence of god with wiles and devices of thine own . though it be long in coming , yet it will come at last ; it cannot be more slow than sure . when isaac was laid upon the alter , and bound for a sacrifice , and his father's hand lift up for the fatal blow , yet then there came a rescue from heaven , which would not have been so beautiful , if by any unlawful act it had been hastened before that time , either by abraham's sparing his son , or isaac's resisting his father . joseph did undergo a tedious imprisonment in the land of egypt ; 't is likely , being the key-keeper , he might have taken his own time , and have scaped when he would ; but then he had lost his preferment : whereas by tarrying god's leisure , he was delivered with advantage . though david had been a long while anointed to a kingdom , yet because he did not use any hasty means for the enjoying of it , therefore did providence clear the passage for him , and prospered it to him afterwards . he might have killed saul in the cave , and abner too , when he found them sleeping ; but then he had been over-hasty ; 't were better they should fall by their enemies . the lord shall smite them when their day shall come to dye , . sam. . . and before that , 't would be but rashness to attempt it . and so likewise when he stopt himself in his haste after nabal's life , you know within a while after god took him away by his own immediate hand , and gave both his wife and estate to david . an over-forwardness in the hastening of our hopes , is the ready way to imbitter them unto us . you know how much trouble and contention there grew from that hasty act of sarah , when in her mistrust of the promise , and fear of being childless , she must needs give hagar , to abraham . so likewise for jacob's too much haste in getting the blessing by a wrong means , you know it cost him afterwards many dangers , and a tedious exile . whereas if he had tarried longer , god would have brought it about for him by a more easie and beautiful way . gods time is the best ; and he never fails his own season : i the lord will hasten it in its time , isa. . . for us to measure the fitness of seasons by our own weak apprehensions , is not this to set the sun by our dial ? we are too short-sighted , apt to antedate the promises . the lord will arise , and have mercy upon sion , when the time to favour her , yea , when the set-time is come . psal. , . . hence we learn , not to trouble our selves with any solicitous care about the success of things . to serve providence in the usual means , that is our work ; but the issue and event of things , that 's god's work , we have nothing to do in it . that which is not under our power , should not be under our care . if there be nothing at our disposal , but that all events do depend 〈◊〉 upon an higher providence , 't were but a vain thing than to busie our selves with hopes and fears about them . much of the disquietness amongst men in the world , arises from hence , that they busie themselves about god's work , and neglect their own . is there then an evil thou fearest ? why , 't is not in the power of any creature to hurt thee . though men should use plots and threats against thee , yet they can do nothing . they sate together , and counselled against david , devising to take away his life , psal. . . but what was his comfort ? why , saith he , v. . my times are in thy hands , o lord. he knew that no ill sccess towards him was in the power of others . or is there an evil thou feelest ? why , it comes from the hand of god. be not then impatient . 't is but a childish currish thing to beat the rod or bite the stone that hurt thee . david could quietly vndergo the railing of shimei , when once he had discerned in it the providence of god. or is there a good thou hopest for ? why , it is not within the reach of thy abilities . and therefore 't were but in vain to think thou couldst command it by thine own endeavours . we would count it a mad thing for one that is naturally low , to busie himself in the study & labour of growing tall , because this is not alterable by any thing in our power ; since no man can add one cuhit to his stature . why , 't is so in other things likewise ; god doth as well set bounds to our estates , as to our statures ; and of our selves we can as little add one penny to that as one cubit to this . and therefore , never let any one think that he can raise himself as he pleases , and be the master of his own fortunes . though he were furnished with the greatest helps and probabilities of advancement ; yet the battle is not always to the strong , nor the race to the swift ; neither bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of understanding , nor yet fauour to men of skill ; but time and chance happen to them all , that is , there is a secret providence , which doth so unavoidably dispose of these lower events , that the likeliest means we can use , cannot promise us any certain success . they that with a compass-wisdom will delay events , that with forecasts and provisions will bind providence ; for the most part , are not only disappointed in what they hoped for , but do meet with a curse instead of it . see that place , isa. , . behold all ye that kindle a fire , that compass your selves about with sparks , walk in the light of your fire , and in the sparks that you have kindled ; this shall you have of my hands , you shall lye down in sorrow . . hence we learn to be equally prepared for all future events , not wishing for one more than another . whatever comes to pass shall be beautiful , and therefore should be welcom . all things that befall us , shall lead us on to the same journey 's end , happiness . and therefore we should not in our expectation of future matters , engage our selves in the desire of any particular success ; but with a traveller's indifferency ( as epictetus speaks in arian ) who when he comes to doubtful turnings , doth not desire one way should be true more than another . so should we entertain every thing that we meet with in our passage through this life ; especially since we are sure that there is none of them but ( if we belong to god ) shall further us in that which is our main business , our journey to happiness . and therefore to be very solicitous about any particular success , what is it but to limit and confine the power of god ? nay , to prefer our own policy before the wisdom of providence ; as if we alone were able to discern what would be the best issue of things ; mark how the same heathen bespeaks such a person : thou foolish man ( saith he ) dost thou not desire that which will be most convenient for thee ? and can there be any thing better than what god appoints ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherefore by such immoderate and eager desires , thou dost as much as in thee lies to corrupt the judg , and seduce the counsellor . the stoicks have many excellent passages to this purpose : nunquam sapientem poenitentiae subit ( saith seneca ) quia nihil melius illo tempore fieri potuit quam quod factum est . a wise man is never troubled at any cross event ; he knows nothing could have been better than it is . omnia illi succedunt ; nihil preter opinionem accidit . all things are successful to him , he is disappointed in nothing , because indifferent to every thing . whilst others are tossed up and down betwixt hopes and fears , his mind is established . now if meer reason could advance heathen men to such resolutions , much more than should a christian's faith in the providence of god , with those many promises wherein he hath an interest , raise his mind to this heroick temper , and make him bend himself with a submissive compliance unto every condition . obj. but what then , may not a man ( nay , should he not ) be very earnest in his desires and prayers , for some particular deliverance or blessing ? i answer , yes . but in all temporal matters , it must be still with a tacit submission to the will of god , who knows better what is fit for us , than we do our selves . see the example of david to this purpose , sam. . . he was there put to a very great exigence , his son absolom had suddenly raised a great army against him , insomuch as he was fain to fly for his life : there were some of the priests adhered to him , and followed him with the ark ; but he , upon serious thoughts , desires them to return again : for ( saith he ) if i shall find favour in the eyes of the lord , he will bring me again , and shew me both it , and his habitation . but if he thus say unto me , i have no delight in thee ; behold here i am , let him do to me as seemeth good unto him . here 's no deep anxiety or aestuation of spirit , no bitter exclaiming against his unnatural son , and difloyal subjects ; but quiet succumbency , an indifferent composure of mind , which resolves to be content in every condition . he puts the case both ways , and is provided for either . if it prove after this manner , why then so ; if otherwise , then thus . so true is that common emblem , that every wise man is a cube or dye , not to be flung from his bottom . let him be cast any way , he still lights upon his right basis ; whatever his condition may be , si fractus illabatur orbis , yet his mind is still calm and peaceable . obj. but would you have a man turn stoick ? should he not be troubled at the afflictions that befall him ? sol. i answer : yes : he must be sensible of his sufferings , and consequently cannot but grieve under them , especially so far as his own sin and neglect hath oceasioned them . but then it should be his care to quiet his heart from immoderate trouble , by the consideration of that wise providence , who doth dispose of all for the best . . lastly , hence we learn , to behave our selves with cheerfulness and contentment under all those conditions which the providence of god shall think fittest for us . 't is the wise-man's own inference from the text in the verses immediately after it : there is nothing better , than for a man to rejoyce , and do good in his life ; that he should eat and drink , and enjoy the good of his labour . for if every thing be best which god appoints , we have no reason then to be troubled at any event . what though it do cross our desires , yet 't would not have been so well , as if it had been otherwise . things cannot be better with us than they are . david thought it a hard case , that that his child by bathsheba must dye . but did he lose any thing by it ? was it not better for him to have such a legitimate heir as solomon was ? we are but ill contrivers of our own welfare , and therfore should without murmuring submit our selves and affairs to the government of providence . what though that do straiten us in our desires ? you are content to let the physician bar you of many things , because he hath cast your water , felt your pulse . consider then , doth it not as much concern us to provide for the salvation of our souls , as the health of our bodies ? or doth not god understand this , as well as the physician that ? what reason have we then to repine at his proceedings ? he was a wise son in plutarch , who being told by a freind that his father would disinherit him , answered , non faciet nisi faciendum : he will do nothing but what he should . thus should a christian willingly resign up himself in every condition , to the disposal of providence . do but apply this consideration according to the several occasions of your lives . when your hearts are at any times amazed or dejected with the thought of the publick confusions ; remember , that god sits in heaven , observing and ordering all these inferiour motions for the best . and so too in the case of particular sufferings , 't is likely that there is not any amongst you , but hath some kind of private trouble and grievance to which he is more especially exposed ; either weakness of body , or too narrow a fortune , losses in your estates , disappointment in your hopes , unhappy relations , or the like . and these things , as we are men , cannot chuse but grate upon our spirits with some kind of harshness and discontent . but now as believers , we have a remedy against them . for consider , there is nothing befalls us by chance . all things are ordered by the deliberate counsel and fore-knowledg of god. he is as exactly careful of every one of us , as if he had nothing else to look after . do not thinkthat any trouble befals you , because he doth not regard ; for his care and providence doth extend to all things : nor because he cannot help ; for he is almighty : nor because he doth not regard ; for he is equally infinite in all his attributes : but because his wisdom finds that condition to be fittest for thee : there is something amiss which should be mended . when the superfluous humour is corrected , the physical potion shall be taken away . and 't is not reasonable to expect physick and health both together . when the wound is healed , the smarting-plaster shall be removed . and thou mayest confidently say with david , psal. . . i know o lord , that thy judgments are right , and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me . how happy might we be , if we could settle our hearts upon these considerations . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. stillingfleet . morn . du pless . de veritat . relig . chr. cap. . notes for div a -e prov. . . tuscul. q. . cor. . . cap. . . deut. . . exod. . . jer. . . psal. . . pro. . . chap. . , . john . . prov. . . psal. . . notes for div a -e serm. ii. chap. : , . ch. . . ch. . . ch. . . ch. . . ch. . . de leg . l. . juvenal . sat. . against colotes . nat. deor. l. . lord bacon's essays . cap. . ch. . . moral . . ad eudem in fine . lib. . sect. . notes for div a -e serm. iii. tim. . . cor. ● . . amyraldus psal. . . eccl. . . jer. . pet. . , . tit. . , . notes for div a -e psal. . jer. . eccl. . . ch. . . ch. . . ch. . v. ch. . v. . pro. . . eccl. . , . act. . . eccl. . . ch. . . psal. . . ●oh . . . isa. . , . notes for div a -e * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this very suitable to the original . propos. confirmation by testimony divine . so jer. . . job . . chron. . . prov. . . ver . . humane testimony . bacon's sap. vet. examples jonah . paul and barnabas . mat. . . ver. , , . confirmation by reason . reas. . * like that of the poet , non vacat exiguis rebus adesse jovi . reas. . vindication from doubts and objections . psa. . . pet. . . applicat . . use for inmation . isa. . . eph. . . tim. . , . eccl. . . chap. . . eccl. . job . , . psal. . . rom. . . . use . for reproof . isa. . . is. . , . epictetus . kings . . mat. . . eph. . . use . for exhortation prov. . . translated fearful . boetius consol. l. . sam. . . . ver. . eccl. . . disp. . . c. . de benef . lib. . . object . sol. object . sol. v. , . aequ●in est ut ho mini placeat , quicquid placet d●o . the theatre of gods judgements wherein is represented the admirable justice of god against all notorious sinners ... / collected out of sacred, ecclesiasticall, and pagan histories by two most reverend doctors in divinity, thomas beard ... and tho. taylor ... beard, thomas, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the theatre of gods judgements wherein is represented the admirable justice of god against all notorious sinners ... / collected out of sacred, ecclesiasticall, and pagan histories by two most reverend doctors in divinity, thomas beard ... and tho. taylor ... beard, thomas, d. . taylor, thomas, - . the fourth edition, with additions. pts. printed by s.i. & m.h. and are to be sold by thomas whitaker ..., london : - . part has special t.p.: the second part of the theatre of gods judgements / collected out of the writings of sundry ancient and moderne authors, by thomas taylor. london : printed by r. herne, . reproduction of original in harvard university libraries. bibliography: p. [ ] in first pt. imperfect: pt. lacking on film. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the theatre of gods judgements : wherein is represented the admirable justice of god against all notorious sinners , great and small , specially against the most eminent persons in the world whose exorbitant power had broke through the barres of divine and humane law. collected out of sacred , ecclesiasticall , and pagan historie by two most reverend doctors in divinity , thomas beard of huntington , and tho. taylor , the famous late preacher of mary aldermanbury in london . the incomparable use of this book for ministers and others is largely expressed in the preface . the fourth edition , with additions . god hath woollen feet , but iron hands . aug. london , printed by s. i & : m. hand are to be sold by thomas whitaker at the signe of the kings armes in st pauls churchyard , mdcxlviii . to his highnesse iames duke of york . sir , in the lowliest posture of humility these historicall examples , extracted out of the choicest authors both ancient and moderne by two learned doctors , are presented to your highnesse ; neither would they presume to put themselves under so high a patronage , did i not humbly conceive , that being historicall peeces , they might be fit for your highnesse perusall , history being the proper'st and most advantagious study that princes can apply themselves unto , because it containes examples of all sorts ; in history brave men stand as marble statues erected in the temple of immortality , and bad men as malefactors upon gibbets , expos'd to the publick view of the world to all posterity . although your highnesse hath a royall father for an incomparable living patterne of all the cardinall vertues with their attendants , ( which breaking through these late clouds of civill confusions ) shin'd with an advantage of lustre to the wonderment of the world ) as also against any thing that may have the least vicinity with vice , to imitate , yet , humbly under favour , variety of examples , as of witnesses in law , cannot doe amisse , the one for confirmation of truth , the other for direction of life ; in which opinion i rest , your highnesse most humble , and most obedient servant , m. heron . the preface . if to avoid and eschew vice ( according to the saying of the poet ) be a chiefe vertue , and as it were the first degree of wisedome ; then it is a necessary point , to know what vice and vertue is , and to discerne the evill and good which either of them bring forth , to the end to beware lest we dash our selves unawares against vice in stead of vertue , and be caught with the deceitfull baits thereof . for this cause the great and famous philosopher , about to lay open the nature of morall vertues ( according to that knowledge and light which nature afforded him ) contented not himselfe with a simple narration of the properties , essence , and object of them , but opposed to every vertue on each side the contrary and repugnant vice ; to the end that the sight of them , being so out of square , so hurtfull and pernicious , vertue it selfe might be more admirable , and in greater esteem . and for this cause also god himself , our soveraigne and perfect law-giver , that he might fashion and fit us to the mould of true and solid vertue , useth ostner negative prohibitons then affirmative commandments in his law ; to the end above all things to distract and turne us from cvill ; whereunto we are of our selves too too much inclined . and as by this , meane sin is discovered and made knowne unto us , so is the pnnishment also of sin set before our eyes , by those threatnings and curses which are there denounced : to the end that whom the promises of life and salvation could not allure and perswade to doe well , them the feare of punishment ( which followeth sin as a shadow doth the body ) might bridle and restraine from giving them over to impiety . now then if the very threatnings ought to serve for such good use , shall not the execution and performance of them serve much more ? to wit , when the tempest of gods wrath is not onely denounced , but also throwne downe effectually upon the heads of the mighty ones of the world , when they are disobedient and rebellious against god. and hereupon the prophet saith , that when gods judgements are upon earth , then the inhabitants learne justice . and doubtlesse it is most true , that every one ought to reap profit to himself by such examples , as well them which are presented daily to their view by experience , as them which have been done in times past , and are by benefit of history preserved from oblivion . and in this regard history is accounted a very necessary and profitable thing , for that in recalling to minde the truth of things past , which otherwise would be buried in silence , it setteth before us such effects ( as warnings and admonitions touching good and evill ) and layeth vertue and vice so naked before our eyes , with the punishments or rewards inflicted or bestowed upon the followers of each of them , that it may justly bee called an easie and profitable apprentiship or schoole for every man to learne to get wisedome at another mans cost . hence it is that history is termed of the ancient philosophers , the record and register of time , the light of truth , and the mistresse and looking-glasse of mans life : insomuch as under the person of another man it teacheth and instructeth all those that apply their mindes unto it , to governe and carry themselves vertuously and honestly in this life . wherefore they deserve great praise and commendation , that have taken paines to inroll and put in writing the memorable acts and occurrents of their times , to communicate the same to their posterity : for there the high and wonderfull works of god doe most clearely , and as it were to the view , present themselves , as his justice and providence : whereby albeit hee guideth and directeth especially his owne , to wit , those that in a speciall and singular manner worship and trust in him ( as by the sacred histories , touching the state and government of the ancient and primitive church , it may appeare ) yet hee ceaseth not for all that to stretch the arme of his power over all , and to handle and rule the prophane and unbeleeving ones at his pleasure ; for he hath a soveraign empire and predominance over all the world ; and unto him belongeth the direction and principall conduct of humane matters , in such sort that nothing in the world commeth to passe by chance or adventure , but onely and alwayes by the prescription of his will ; according to the which he ordereth and disposeth by a strait and direct motion , as well the generall as the particular , and that after a strange and admirable order . and this a man may perceive , if he would but mark and consider the whole body , but especially the end and issue of things : wherein the great and marvailous vertues of god , as his bounty , justice , and power , doe most clearely shine ; when he exalteth and favoureth some , and debaseth and frowneth upon others , blesseth and prospereth whom hee please ; and on the contrarie , curseth and destroyeth whom he please , and that deserve it it is hee also which erecteth principalities , and which maintaineth common-wealths , kingdomes , and empires , untill by the sum and weight of their iniquities they sink themselves into ruine and destruction . and herein is he glorified by the execution of his most just and righteous judgements , when the wicked after the long abuse of his lenety , benignity , and patience , doe receive the wages and reward of their iniquities . in this ( i say once again ) shineth out the wonderfull and incomprehensible wisedome of god , when by the due ordering of things so different and so many , hee commeth still to one and the same marke which hee once prescribed , to wit , the punishment of the world according to their demerits . and this same is most manifest and apparant even in the histories of prophane writers , albeit in their purpose it was never intended nor thought upon , nor yet regarded almost of any that read the same ; men contenting themselves for the most part with the simple recitall of the story , therein to take pleasure and passe away time , without respecting any further matter : notwithstanding , the true and principall use of their writings ought to be , diligently to marke the effects of gods providence , and of his justice , whereby to learne to conteine our selves within the bounds of modesty and the feare of god ; seeing that they which have carried themselves any thing uprightly in equity , temperance , and other naturall vertues , have been in some sort spared : and the rest ( bearing the punishment of their iniquities ) have falne into destruction . this consideration ought to perswade every man to turne from evill , and to follow that which is good , seeing that the lord sheweth himselfe so incensed against all them which lead a wicked , damnable , and perverse life . and this is the cause why i , having noted the great and horrible punishments wherewith the lord in most righteous judgement hath scourged the world for sin , according to that which is contained as well in sacred as prophane histories ; having gathered them together , and sorted them one after another in their severall rooms , according to the diversity of the offences , and order and course of time , which as neare as i could i endeavoured to sollow , to the end to lay downe , as it were in one table , and under one aspect , the great and fearefull judgements of god upon them that have rebelled or repugned his holy will. and this i do not with purpose to comprehend them all ( for that were not onely difficult but impossible ) but to lay open the most notable & remarkable ones that came to my knowledge ; to the end that the most wicked , dissolute , and disordered sinners , that with loose reines runne fiercely after their lust , if the manifest tokens of gods severity presented before their eyes doe not touch them , yet the cloud and multitude of examples , through the sight of the inevitable anger and vengeance of god upon evill livers , might terrifie and somewhat curb them : perjurers , idolaters , blasphemers , and other such wicked and prophane wretches , with murderers , whoremongers , adulterers , ravishers , & tyrants , shall here see by the mischiefe that hath falne upon their likes , that which hangeth before their eyes , and is ready to lay hold of them also . for albeit for a time they sleep in their sins and blindnesse , delighting in their pleasures , and taking sport in cruelties and evill deeds , yet they draw after them the line wherewith ( being more ensnared then they were aware ) they are taken and drawne to their finall destruction . and this may teach and advertise both those that are not yet obstinate in their sins , to bring themselves to some amendment ; and those that feare god already , to strengthen and encourage them in the pursuit and continuance in their good course . for if god shew himselfe so severe a revenger of their sinnes that take pleasure in displeasing him , there is no doubt but on the contrary he will shew himselfe bountifull , gracious , and liberall in rewarding all them according to his promise which seeke to please him , and conforme their lives unto his will. great and small , young and old , men and women , and all other , of what degree and condition soever , may here learne at other mens charges , how to governe themselves in duty towards god , and betwixt themselves , by a holy and unblameable life in mutuall peace and unity ; and by shunning and eschewing sin , against the which god ( a most just judge ) powreth forth his vengeance , even upon the heads of them that are guilty thereof . beside , here is ample matter and argument to stop the mouthes of all epicures and atheists of our age , and to leave them confounded in their errors , seeing that such and so many occurrents and punishmēts are manifest proofs , that there is a god above that guideth the stern of the world , and that taketh care of humane matters , & that is just in punishing the unjust and malicious . againe , whereas so much evill , and so many sins have reigned and swayed so long time , and do yet reign and sway upon the earth , we may behold the huge corruption and perversity of mankinde , and the rotten fruits of that worme-eaten root , originall sin : when we are not directed nor guided by the holy spirit of god , but lest unto our owne nature . and hereby true faithfull christians may take occasion so much the more to acknowledge the great mercy and singular favour of god toward them , in that they being received to mercy , are renewed to a better conversation of life then others . in brief , a man may here learne ( if he be not altogether void of judgement and understanding ) to have sin in hatred and detestation , considering the wages and reward thereof ; and how the justice of god pursueth it continually , even to the extreamest execution , which is both sharp and rigorous . touching the word iudgement , i have imitated the language of holy scripture : wherein as the ordinances and commandements of god are called judgements , because in them is contained nothing but that which is just , right , and equall : so likewise the punishments inflicted by god upon the despisers of his commandements are called by the same name , as in exod. . . chron. . . & . . ezech. . . & . . and elsewhere , because they also are as just as the former , proceeding from none other fountaine save the most righteous judgement of god ; whereof none can complaine but unjustly . the names of the authors from whom the most part of the examples contained in this book are collected . moses and other sacred writers . tertullian . cyprian . eusebius . socrates . theodoret. sozomenes . nicephor . ruffinus . suidas chrysostome . luther . illyricus . herodotus . thucydides . dion . halycarnasseus . diodorus siculus . polybeus . plutarch . herodian . dyon . procopius . iornandes . agathius . aelianus . tit. livius . salustius . suetonius . corn. tacitus . amm. marcellinus . iustinus . eutropius . lampridius . spartianus . flavius vopiscus . cuspinianus . orosius . aimoinus . gregor . turonensis . anton volscus . paulus diaconus . luitprandus . olaus magnus gothus . sabellicus . anton. panormitanus . aeneus silvius . ravisius . hieronymus marius . alexander ab alexandro . petrus pramonstratensis . mich. ritius neapolitanus . fulgosius . fran. picus mirandula bembus . antonius bonfinus . munsterus . iohan. wierus . platina . nauclerus . vincentius . hugo cluniacensis . benno baleus . gagninus . paulus aemilius . discipulus de tempore . acts and monuments . carion . chronicon . beza . iosephus . manlii collectanea . stow chronica . froyssard . enguerran de monstrel . philip de comines . nicholas gilles . guicciardine . paulus iovius . benzoin milanois . iob. fincelius . centuriae magdeburg . abbas vrispurgensis . philippus . melancthon . sleidanus . lanquet . chronica . the first booke , of the worthy and memorable histories of the great and marvellous iudgements of god sent upon the world for their misdeeds against the commandements of the first and second table . chap. . touching the corruption and perversity of this world , how great it is . even as one that taketh pleasure to behold a pleasant and delightsome place , a piece of ground covered and painted with all manner of fine flowers , a garden decked , and as it were cloathed with exquisite plants and fruitfull trees , is much grieved so soone as he perceiveth all this beauty and pleasure suddenly to be withered and scorched by the violence of some outragious tempest : or if he be constrained to cast his eyes from them , upon some other place by , all cragged and parched , full of briers and brambles . in like sort , a man cannot chuse but be sore grieved and discontent , when hee beholdeth on the one side the wholsome light of the sunne , whereby the heavens doe many wayes distill their favours upon this world , gloriously to advance it selfe : on the other side he perceiveth such an army of thicke clouds and palpable darknesse , from whence such a number of disorders and hurliburlies do arise , that most strangely disfigure the face of the whole world : when that he which ought to be gentle and peaceable , is become mischievous and quarrellous : in stead of being true and single hearted , disloyall and deceirfull : in stead of being modest , well governed , and courteous , is proud , cruell , and dissolute : in stead of serving god , serveth his owne humors and affections : which kinde of behaviour is too common and usuall ; for there is not any kind of wickednesse which is not found in this ranke . vngodlinesse vomiteth up his fury together with injustice , in those men of whom it is said , there is none that understandeth or secketh after god : their throat is an open sepulchre , they use deceit in their tongues , the poyson of aspes is under their lips , they have nothing in their mouths but cursing and bitternesse , their feet are swift to shed bloud : destruction and misery is in their waies , and they have not knowne the way of peace : in summe , the feare of god is not before their eyes . from whence it commeth , that being not restrained by any bridle , like untamed colts broke loose , they give the full swinge to their bold and violent affections , running fiercely to all filthinesse and mischiese : and being thus enraged , some of them with horrible blasphemies ( most villanously ) speake and doe in despight of god , and deny him that created them , and sent them into the world : others are not ashamed to be open forswearers of themselves , violating and breaking every promise , without regard of faith or honesty : others , as they are of cruell and bloudy natures , so they doe not cease to exercise these their natures by outragious practises : to some of them whoredomes and adulteries are no more esteemed , than as sports and pastimes , whereof they boast themselves : to another sort , cousenings , extortions , and robberies , are ordinary exercises , whereof they make their best occupations . all which evils are so common and so usuall at this time amongst men , that the world seemeth truly to be nothing else but an ocean full of hideous monsters , or a thicke forrest full of theeves and robbers , or some horrible wildernesse wherein the inhabitants of the earth , being savage and unnaturall , void of sence and reason , are transformed into bruit beasts , some like tygres or lyons , others like wolves or foxes , others like dogges and swine : oh sinfull nation ( would the man of god say if hee lived at this houre ) a people laden with iniquity , a seed of the wicked , corrupt children , they have forsaken the lord , they have provoked the holy one of israel to anger . the noble and high minded are proud to disdaine the lower , and ready alwaies to smite them , making their countenance pale with vices and oathes : the magistrate partiall and full of brides , overthroweth equity : the merchant covetous and desirous of gaine remembreth not his integrity : nor the labourer his simplicity . and so vertue in most men lyeth buried , piety banished , justice oppressed , and honesty troden under foot : in such sort , that all things being as it were overthrowne and turned upside downe , men speake evill of good , and good of evill , accounting darknesse light , and light darknesse , sowre sweet , and sweet sowre . and by such disorder it commeth to passe , that the most vertuous are despised , whilest naughty-packs and vitious fellowes are esteemed and made much of . chap. ii. what is the cause of the great overflow of vice in this age . if wee would consider from whence it is that this great disorder and corruption of manners doth arise , we should finde especially that it is because the world every day groweth worse and worse , according to the saying of our saviour and redeemer ( christ iesus the sonne of god ) that in the latter dayes ( which are these wherein we live ) iniquity shall be increased . and herein wee shall perceive even the just vengeance of god to light upon the malice and unthankfulnesse of men , to whom when hee would draw neere , to doe good unto by offering them the cleere light of his favour , the more they strive to alienate and keep themselves aloofe from him , and are so farre from being bettered thereby , that they shew themselves a great deale more malitious and obstinate than ever they did before : not unlike to those who by nature being bleare eyed , and tender sighted , are rather dazled and dimmed by the sunne beames , than any wayes enlightened : so men in stead of growing better , grow worse , and every adde some increase to their wickednesse : to whom also many great men give elbow-roome and permission to sinne , whilest justice slumbreth , and the not punishing of misdeeds giveth them liberty and boldnesse to commit their wickednesse : so that some of these mighty ones shew themselves but little better than the other . a mischiefe to be lamented above the rest , drawing after it an horrible overflow of all evils , and like a violent streame spoyling every where as it goeth : when as they that ought to governe the sterne of the commonwealth , let all goe at randome , suffering themselves to be rocked asleep with the false and deceitfull lullaby of effeminate pleasures and delights of the flesh ; or at least letting themselves be carried headlong by the tempest of their owne strong and furious passions , into imminent danger and shipwrackes : when as their carefull watch fulnesse and modesty , accompanied with the traine of other good and commendable vertues , ought to serve them for saliscables , ankers , masts , and skuttles , whereby to governe and direct the vessell whose steersman they are appointed , and those that are their charge , to whom they ought to give a good example of life , and to bee unto them as it were a glasse of vertue : for they are set aloft , as it were upon a stage , to bee gazed at of every commer . their faults and vices are like foule spots and scars in the face , which cannot by any means bee hid . and therefore they ought to be carefull to lead an honest and vertuous life , that thereby they might perswade and move the meaner sort of people to doe the like : for it is a true saying of the philosopher , like prince , like people ; insomuch that every one desireth to frame himselfe according to the humour of his superiour , whose will and manners serve simply for a law to do evill : to the which men use by taking any occasion too hastily to give themselves over with too much liberty : whereupon followeth an unrecoverable ruine , no lesse than the fall of a great house , which for want of pillars and supporters that should uphold it , suddenly falleth to the ground ; so this ship being deprived of her governour , is set loose and layd open to the mercy of the waves , violence of windes , and rage of tempests , without any direction and government : and so the body of man , not having any more the light of his owne eyes , abideth in darknesse all blinded , not able to do any thing that is right and good , but ready every minute to fall into some pit . and this is the perversity and corruption of this world . chap. iii. that great men which will not abide to be admonished of their faults , cannot escape punishment by the hand of god. in this poore and miserable estate every man rocketh himselfe asleep , and flattereth his owne humour , every man pursueth his accustomed course of life , with an obstinate minde to doe evill : yea many of those that have power and authority over others , according as they are indued and perswaded with a foolish conceit of themselves , make themselves beleeve , that for them every thing is lawfull , and that they may doe whatsoever they please ; never imagining , that they shall give up an account of their actions , to receive any chastisement or correction for them ; even as though there were no god at all that did behold them . and being thus abused by this vaine and fickle security , they swimme in their sinnes , and plunge themselves over head and eares in all kinde of security ; giving hearty welcome and entertainment to all that approve and applaud their manners , and that study to feed and please their humour . as contrariwise none lesse welcome unto them , than they that tell them of their faults , and contradict them never so little : for they cannot abide in any case to bee reprooved , whatsoever they doe . and now adayes every base companion will forsooth storme and fume as soone , if hee be reproved of a fault , as if hee had received the greatest wrong in the world : so much is every man pleased with himselfe , and puffed up with his owne vice and foolish vanities . and what should a man doe in this case ? it is as hard to redresse those great mischiefes , as if wee should goe about to stop and hinder the course of a mighty streame there where the banke or causey is broken downe : if it bee not by applying extreame and desperate medicines , as to desperate diseases , which are as it were given over by the physitian , and to the which a light purgation will doe no good . for as for admonitions and warnings , they are not a whit regarded : but they that give them , are derided or laughed to scorne , or reviled for their labours . what must wee therefore doe ? it is necessary that wee assay by all means to bring these men ( if it be possible ) to some modesty and feare of god ; which if it cannot bee done by willing and gentle means , force and violence must be used to plucke them out of the fire of gods wrath , to the end they be not consumed : if not all , yet at least those that are not grown to that height of stubbornnesse , and of whom there is yet left some hope of amendment . for even as when a captaine hath not prevailed by summoning a city to yeeld up it selfe , he by and by placeth his cannon against their walls , to put them in seare ; in like sort must we bring forth against the proud and high minded men of this world , an army of gods terrible judgements throwne downe by mighty and puissant hand on the wicked , more terrible and searefull than all the roaring or double canons in the world , whereby the most proud are destroyed and consumed even in this life , all their pride and power , how great soever it be , being not able to turne backe the vengeance of god from lighting upon their heads , to their utter destruction and confusion . and it is manifest by infinite examples . now because that the nature of man is fleshly , and given to be touched with things that are presented before their faces , or hath been done before time ; it is a more forcible motive to stirre them up , than that which as yet cannot be made manifest , but is to come . therefore i purpose here to set down the great and fearfull judgments , wherwith god hath already plagued many in this world , especially them of high degree , whose example will serve for a glasse both for these that live now , or shall live hereafter . and to the end that the justice of god may more cleerely appeare and shew it selfe in such strange events ; before we go any further , we will run over certaine necessary points concerning this matter . chap. iiii. how the iustice of god is more evidently declared upon the mighty ones of this world , than upon any other , and the cause why . seeing then that these men are more guilty and culpable of sinne than any other , they deserve so much a more grievous punishment , by how much their misdeeds are more grievous : for doubtlesse , there is a god that judgeth the earth ( as the psalmist saith ) who as hee is benigne and mercifull towards those that feare and obey him , so he will not suffer iniquity to goe unpunished : this is hee ( saith the prophet ) that executeth justice , mercy , and judgement upon the earth : for if it be the duty of an earthly prince , to exercise not only clemency & gentlenesse , but also sharpnes and severity , therby punishing & chastising malefactors , to suppresse all disorders in the common wealth ; then it is very necessary , that the justice of our great god , to whom all soveraign rule & authority belongs , and who is the iudge over al the world , should either manifest it self in this world , or in the world to come : & chiefly towards them which are in the highest places of acount , who being more hardened and bold to sin , do as boldly exempt themselves from all corrections and punishments due unto them , being altogether unwilling to be subject to any order of justice or law whatsoever : and therefore by how much the more they cannot be punished by man , and that humane lawes can lay no hold upon them ; so much the rather god himselfe becommeth executioner of his owne justice upon their pates : and in such sort , that every man may perceive his hand to be on them . let any adversity or affliction light upon a man of low degree , or which is poore and desolate , no man considereth of it rightly ; but talking thereof , m●n cease not to impute the cause of this poore soules misery , either to poverty , or want of succour , or some other such like cause . therefore if any such be in griefe , or by chance fallen into some pit and drowned , or robbed and killed in the way by theeves : straightway this is the saying of the world , that it commeth thus to passe , either because he was alone without company , or destitute of help , or not well looked to and regarded : and thus they passe over the matter . but as concerning great men , when they are any way afflicted , no such pretences or excuses can be alleadged ; seeing they want neither servants to attend upon them , nor any other means of help to succor them : therefore when these men are overtaken and surprised with any great evill , which by no means they can eschew , and when their bold and wicked enterprises are pursued and concluded with strange and lamentable events , in this we must acknowledge an especiall hand of god , who can intangle and pull downe the proudest and arrogantest he that lives , and those whom the world feareth to meddle withall . these proud gallants are they against whom god displaieth his banner of power more openly , than against meaner and baser persons : because these poore soules finde oftentimes to their paines , that they are punished without cause , and tormented and vexed by those tyrants , not having committed any offence at all , to deserve it : whereas ( as philip comine saith ) who dare be so bold as to controll or reprehend a king and his favorites , or to make enquiry of his misdeeds : or having made inquisition of them , who dare presume to informe the iudge therof ? who dare stand up to accuse them ? who dare sit down to judge them ? nay who dare take knowledge of them ? and lastly , who dare assay to punish them ? seeing then in this case , that our worldly justice hath her hands bound behind her from executing that which is right ; it must needs be that the sovereigne monarch of heaven and earth should mount up into his throne of iudgement , and from thence give his definitive unchangable sentence , to deliver up the most guilty and hainous sinners to those paines and torments which they have deserved ; and that after a strange and extraordinary manner , which may serve for an example to all others . chap. v. how all men , both by the law of god and nature , are inexcusable in their sinnes . now to the end that no man should pretend ignorance for an excuse , god hath bestowed upon every one a certaine knowledge and judgement of good and evill , which being naturally engraven in the tables of mans heart , is commonly called the law of nature , wherby every mans owne conscience giveth sufficient testimony unto it selfe , when in his most secret thoughts , it either accuseth or excuseth him : for there is not a man living , which doth not know in his heart , that he doth an evill deed , when he wrongeth another , although he had never been instructed elsewhere in that point . so , although that in tarquinius superbus time ( cicero saith ) there was no written law established in rome , forbidding the ravishing and deflouring of wives and virgins , yet the wicked sonne of this tarquine was not therefore lesse guilty of an hainous crime , when contrary to the law of nature he violently robbed lucrece of her chastity : for no man can be ignorant , that it is a most grievous crime to lay siege to the chastity of a married woman , with such outrage : and so the whole people of rome did esteeme of it , as a crime most wicked , strange , and intolerable , and worthy of grievous punishment . every man knoweth thus much , that hee ought not to doe that to another , which he would not another should do to him : which sentence the emperour severus made alwaies to bee spoken aloud , and declared by the sound of the trumpet , in the way of advertisement , as often as punishment was taken upon any offendor , as if it were a generall law pertaining to all men . this is that equity and justice which ought to be ingraffed in our hearts , & whereof nature her self is the schoolmistresse : from this fountaine all humane and civill lawes are derived : if we had not rather say that they are derived from that true spring of equity , which is in the law of god , which law he hath given for a plaine and familiar manifestation of his will , concerning just , holy , and reasonable things , touching the service , honour , and glory , which is due unto himselfe , and the mutuall duty , friendship , and good will , which men owe one to another : whereunto he exhorteth and enticeth every one by faire and gracious promises , and forbiddeth the contrary by great and terrible threatnings ( so gentle and mercifull is he towards us , and desirous of our good . ) this is that law which was published before the face of more than six hundred thousand persons , with the mighty and resounding noise of trumpet , with earthquake , fire , and smoake , and with thunders and lightnings , to make men more attentive to heare ; and more prepared to receive it with all humility , feare , and reverence ; and also to put them in minde , that if they were disobedient and rebellious , he wanted no power and ability to punish them ; for he hath lightning , thunder , and fire , prepared instruments to execute his just vengeance , which no creature under heaven is able to avoid , when by the obstinate transgression of wicked men he is provoked to anger and indignation against them . this is that holy law which hath been set forth by the prophets ; by the rule whereof , all their warnings , exhortings , and reproovings have been squared . to this law , the onely begotten son of god , our saviour and redeemer iesus christ , conformed his most holy doctrine , bringing men to the true use and observation thereof , from which they had declined , and whereof he is the end , the scope , and perfect accomplishment : so that so farre it is that a christian man may be ignorant of it , and have it in contempt , that none can be counted and reputed a true christian , if hee frame not his life by the rule thereof ; if not fully , yet at least as farre forth as hee is able : otherwise , what a shame and reproach is it for men to call themselves by the name of gods children , christians , and catholiques , and yet to doe every thing clean contrary to the will of god , to make no reckoning of his law , to lead a dissolute and disordered life , and to be as evill , if not worse than the vilest miscreants and infidels in the world ? god willeth and requireth that he alone should bee worshipped and prayed unto ; and yet the greater part of the world are idolaters , and full of superstition , worship images , stockes , and stones , and pray to creatures , in stead of the creator . god forbiddeth us to sweare by his name in vaine : and yet what is more rise than that ? so that a man can heare nothing else but oaths and blasphemies . many for the least trifle in the world sticke not to sweare and forsweare themselves . god forbiddeth theft , murther , adultery , and false witnesse bearing , and yet nothing so common as backbitings , slanders , forgeries , false reports , whoredomes , cousenings , robberies , extortions , and all manner of envies & enmities . god hath commanded , that we love our neighbours as our selves ; but we , in stead of love , hate , despise , and seeke to procure the hurt and damage of one another , not regarding any thing but our owne peculiar profit and advantage . is not this a manifest and profest disobedience , and intolerable rebellion against our maker ? what childe is there that is not bound to honour and reverence his father ? what servant , that is not bound to obey his master , and to doe all that he shall will him ? what subject , that is not tied in subjection to his prince and soveraigne ? yet there is not one which will not confesse , yea and sweare too with his mouth , that god is his lord and father . which if it be true , what is then the cause that in stead of serving and pleasing him , they doe nothing else but displease and offend his majesty ? is not this the way to provoke his wrath , and stirre up his indignation against them ? is it any marvell if he be incensed with anger , if hee be armed with revenge , and send abroad his cruell scourges upon the earth , to strike and whip it withall ? is it any wonder , if hee pile up the wicked ones on heaps , and shoot out his revengefull arrowes against them , and make them drunken with their owne bloud , and make his sword of justice as sharp as a rasor , to punish those rebels that have rebelled against him ? for vengeance is mine ( saith he ) and belongeth only unto me . whosoever therefore he be that followeth the desires and concupiscence of his owne flesh , and this wicked world , and shall lead a life contrary to the instruction and ordinance of the law of god , yea although he never heard thereof , yet is hee guilty thereof , and worthy to be accursed ; for so much as his owne conscience ought to serve for a law unto himselfe , by the which he is condemned in those evill actions which hee committeth : even as paul saith , all that have sinned without the law , shall likewise perish without the law. chap. vi. how the greatest monarchs in the world ought to be subject to the law of god , and consequently the lawes of man and nature . every man confesseth this to be true , that by how much the more benefits and dignity he hath received from another , by so much he is the more bounden and beholden to him : now it is so , that kings and princes are those upon whom god hath bestowed more plentifully his gifts and graces , than upon any other , whom hee hath made as it were his lievtenants in the world : for hee hath extolled and placed them above others , and bedecked them with honour , giving them power and authority to rule and raigne , by putting people in subjection to them ; and therefore so much the more are they bound to re-acknowledge him againe , to the end to doe him all honour and homage which is required at their hands . therefore david exhorteth them , to serve the lord even with reverence . this then their high and superintendent estate is no priviledge to exempt them from the subjection and obedience which they owe unto god , whom they ought to reverence above all things . yee princes and high lords ( saith the prophet ) give you unto the lord eternall glory and strength : give unto him glory due unto his name , and cast your selves before him to do him reverence . if they owe so much honour unto god as to their soveraigne , then surely it must follow , that they ought to obey his voice , and feare to offend him ; and so much the rather , because hee is a great deale more strong and terrible than they , able to cause his horrible thunderbolts to tumble upon their heads , they being not able once to withstand his puissance , but constrained very often to tremble thereat . in all that prescription and ordinance ordained and set down by god concerning the office of kings , there is no mention made of any liberty he giveth them to live after their owne lusts , and to doe every thing that seemeth good in their own eyes : but hee enjoyneth them expresly , to have alwaies with them the booke of his law , delighteth to reade and meditate therein , and thereby to learne to feare and reverence his name , by observing all the precepts that are contained in that booke . as for civill and naturall lawes , insomuch as they are founded upon equity and right ( for otherwise they were no lawes ) therein they are agreeable to , and as it were dependents on the law of god ; as is well declared by cicero in the first and second booke of his lawes ; for even they also condemne theeves , adulterers , murtherers , parricides , and such like . if then princes be subject to the law of god , ( as i am about to shew ) there is no doubt but that they are likewise subject to those civill lawes , by reason of the equity and justice which therein is commended unto us . and if ( as plato saith ) the lawes ought to be above the prince , not the prince above the lawes , it is then most manifest , that the prince is tyed unto the lawes , even in such sort , that without the same , the government which hee swayeth can never be lawfull and commendable . and if it be true , that the magistrate is or ought to be a speaking law ( as it is said ) and ought to maintaine the authority and credit thereof , by the due and upright administration of iustice ( for if hee did not this , he were a dumbe law , and without life ) how is it possible that he should make it of authority and force with others , if hee despiseth and transgresseth it himselfe ? david did never assume so much to himselfe , as to desire to have liberty to doe what hee listed in his kingdome , but willingly submitted himselfe to that which his office and duty required ; making , even then when he was installed and established king over the whole land , a covenant of peace with the princes and deputies of the people : and we know , that in every covenant and bargaine both parties are bound to each other , by a mutuall bond to performe the conditions which they are agreed upon . the like is used at the coronation of christian kings , whereas the people is bound and sworne to doe their alleagance to their kings ; so the kings are also solemnely sworne to maintaine and defend true religion , the estate of iustice , the peace and tranquillity of their subjects , and the right and priviledges ( which are nothing but the lawes ) of the realme : whereas david was by the prophet nathan reproved for the adultery and murder which he had committed , he neither used any excuse , nor alledged any priviledge whereby he was exempted from the rigour of the law to justifie his fact , but freely confessed without any cloake , that he had sinned . whereby it appeareth of how small strength and authority their opinion and words be , which thinke or affirme that a prince may dispense with the lawes at his pleasure : by this opinion was the mother in law of antonius caracalla seduced ; who having by her lascivious and filthy allurements enticed her sonne in law to lust , and love her , and to desire her for his wife , perswaded him that he might bring his purpose to passe , and that it was lawfull enough for him , if hee would , though for other it was unlawfull , seeing that hee was emperour , and that it belongeth not to him to receive , but to give lawes : by which perswasion , that brave marriage was concluded and made up , contrary to the law of nature and nations , and to all honesty and vertue . so it was reported how cambyses tooke his owne sister to wife , whom notwithstanding a little after hee put to death : which thing being not usuall then among the persians , not daring to enterprise it ( although hee was a most wicked man ) without the advice of the magistrates and counsellors of his realme ; he called them together , and demanded whether it was lawfull for him to make such a marriage or no ? to whom they answered freely , that there was no prescript law which did allow of it : yet ( that they might sooth him up , fearing to incurre his displeasure ) they said further , that though there was no law to command it , yet such a mighty king as hee , might doe what he pleased . in like manner the trencher philosopher anaxarchus , after that he had told alexander the great with a loud voice , that hee ought not to feare the penalty of any law , nor the reproach nor blame of any man , because it belonged onely to his office to create lawes for all other to live by , and to prescribe the limits of lawfull and lawlesse things ; and that it became him , being a conquerour , to rule like a lord and a master , and not to obey any vaine conceit of law whatsoever ; and that what thing soever the king did , the same was sacred , just and lawful , without exception . and by this means made his proceedings farre more dissolute and outragious in many things than ever they were before . dion in the epitome of xiphiline reporteth , how the emperours were wont to usurpe this priviledge , to be exempted from all law , that they might not be tyed to any necessity of doing or leaving undone any thing , and how in no case they would endure to be subject to any written ordinances : the which thing is manifest even in the behaviour of the chiefest of them , as well in regard of their life and manners , as of the government that they used in their common-wealths . for first of all , augustus caesar having kept in his owne hand the office of the triumvir ten yeares ( as suetonius testifieth ) hee also usurped the tribunes office and authority , and that till his dying day : and likewise tooke upon him the censorship ; namely , the office of correcting and governing manners and lawes , if need required : whose successors ( a man may truly say for the most part ) trampled under their feet all sincere and sacred lawes , by their notorious intemperance , dissolutenesse , and cruelties . and yet for all this there wanted not a parasiticall lawyer , who to please the emperor his lord and master the better , and to underprop , and as it were seele over with a faire shew that tyrannicall government used by other emperours ; foisted in this as a law amongst the rest , princeps legibus solutus est , that the prince was exempted from all law . as for that which they alleadge out of aristotles politiques , it maketh nothing to set a colour upon this counterfeit : ( for saith aristotle ) if there be any man that excelleth so in vertue above all others , that none is able to compare with him , that man is to be accounted as a god amongst men , to whom no law may be prescribed , because he is a law unto himselfe : all which i grant to be true , if that which was presupposed could take place : for where no transgression is found , there no law is necessary ; according as saint paul said , the law was not given for the just , but for the unjust and offendors : but where is it possible to find such a prince so excellent and so vertuous , that standeth not in need of some law to be ruled by ? of the like force and strength is that which is written in the first booke of institutions , tit . . the words are these : the princes pleasure serveth for a law , because the whole body of the people hath translated all their authority , power , and jurisdiction unto him . this is spoken of the romane emperours , but upon the ground of so slender and silly reason , that upon so weake a foundation it can never stand : for if it be demanded , whether this action of the people , of giving over their right and prerogative to their prince , be willing or constrained , what answer will they make ? if it be by constraint and feare ( as it is indeed ) who will not judge this usurping of their liberty utterly unjust and tyrannicall , when one man shall arrogate that to himselfe which pertaineth to many , yea to the whole body of the people ? and admit that this reason was effectuall , yet the glosse upon the place saith very notably , that the princes pleasure may be held for a law , so farre forth as that which pleaseth him be just and honest : giving us to know thus much thereby , that every will and pleasure of a prince may not indifferently be allowed for a law , if it be an unjust and dishonest action , and contrary to the rule of good manners . moreover , it appeareth by the customes of many antient people and realmes , that princes had never this license given them , to doe what they listed : for let them be never so mighty , yea as mighty as darius , under whose raigne the persian monarchy was abolished ; yet hee must be content ( acording to the law of the medes and persians ) not to be able to infringe that law which was by the advice of his peers and privy councell enacted , and by his owne consent and authority established : no , though for daniels deliverance sake , whom he loved , he greatly desired and tooke paines either to disannull , or at least to give a favourable interpretation of it . such in old time was the custome of the kings of aegypt , not to follow their owne affections in any actions they went about , but to be directed by the advice of their lawes : for they had not so much authority as to judge betwixt man and man , or to levy subsidies and such like by their owne powers ; neither to punish any man through choler , or any overweening conceit , but were alwayes tyed to observe justice and equity in all causes : neither did it grieve them so to doe , being perswaded that whilest they obeyed their lawes , nothing could betide them but good . the lacedemonian kings were in such bondage to the lawes of their countrey , that the ephori , which were set up to none other end but to be a bridle to hold them backe from doing what they listed , had absolute authority to correct them when they had committed any fault ; which subjection nothing displeased king theopompus , as it is apparent by the answer he made his wise , that reproved him once in anger , saying , by his cowardise he would leave a lesse kingdome to his children , than he had received of his ancestors . nay ( saith he ) a greater , forsomuch as more durable and permanent . plutarch praising the uprightnesse of king alcamenes , who , for feare to breake the law , refused divers presents that were sent him , bursteth into this speech : o heart worthy of a king , that hath preferred the authority of the law before his owne profit ! where are those fellowes now that cry , kings pleasures ought to be observed for lawes , and that a prince may make a law , but is not subject to it himselfe ? and this is that which plutarch saith as concerning that matter , who lived under trajan the emperor . cornelius tacitus discovering the beginning and originall of the romane civill law , saith , that servius the third king of rome after romulus and numa , was the only man that most established those lawes , whereunto kings themselves ought to yeeld and be obedient . and admit that the emperours swayed with great power and authority almost all the world ; yet for all their fiercenesse and haughtinesse of minde , pliny durst tell trajan , that an emperour ought to use to carry himselfe with such good government in his empire , as if he were sure to give up an account of all his actions : thou must not ( saith hee ) desire more liberty to follow thine owne lust , than any one of us doe : a prince is not set over the law , but the law placed in authority above the prince . this was the admonition of that heathen man. likewise antonius and severus , two mighty emperours , although by reason of an opinion of their owne greatnesse and haughtinesse , wherewith they flattered themselves , bragged that they were not subject to any law ; yet they added this clause withall , that notwithstanding they would live according to the direction of the law . this ( saith theodosius and valentinion , two no lesse mighty emperours ) is a voice becomming the royall majesty and greatnesse of a king , to confesse himselfe to live under a law ; and in truth it is a thing of greater importance than the imperiall dignity it selfe , to put soveraignty under the authority of law . amongst many other good lessons and exhortations which lewis that good king gave unto his sonne on his death-bed , this was one worthy the remembring , how he commanded him to love and feare god with all his strength , and to take heed of doing any thing that should be contrary to his law , whatsoever should befall him ; and to provide that the good lawes and statutes of his kingdome might be observed , and the priviledges of his subjects maintained : to forbid iudges to favour him more than any others , when any cause of his owne came in tryall . thereby giving us thus much to understand , that every good king ought to submit himselfe in obedience under the hand of god , and under the rule of justice and equity . wherefore there is neither king nor keisar that can or ought to exempt himselfe from the observance of sacred and upright lawes ; which if they resist or disanull , doubtlesse they are culpable of a most hainous crime , and especially of rebellion against the king of kings . chap. vii . of the punishment that seised upon pharaoh king of aegypt , for resisting god , and transgressing the first commandement of the law. wee have sufficiently declared in the premisses , that the mightiest potentates of this world are bound to range themselves under the obedience of gods law : it remaineth now that we produce examples of those punishments that have fallen upon the heads of the transgressours of the same , according to the manner of their transgression , of what sort soever : which that we may the better describe , it behooveth us to follow the order of the commandements , as the examples wee bring may be fitly referred to any of them . and first we are to understand , that when god said , thou shalt have none other gods before me , hee condemneth under these words the vanity of men that have forged to themselves a multitude of gods : hee forbiddeth all false religion , and declareth , that hee would be acknowledged to be the sole and true god ; and that we should serve , worship , love , feare , and obey him in and above all things ; and whosoever it be that doth otherwise , either by hindring his worship , or afflicting those that worship him , the same man provoketh his heavy wrath to bee throwne upon him , to his utter ruine and destruction . this is the indignation that lighted upon pharaoh king of aegypt , as wee read in the booke of god : who being one of the most puissant kings of the earth in his age , god chose him for an object to shew his wonderfull power , by the means of horrible plagues and scourges which hee cast upon him , and by destroying him with all his armies at the length , as his rebellion well deserved : for he like a cruell tyrant continuing to oppresse the children of israel , without giving them any release or breathing time from their misery , or liberty to serve god , although by moses in the name and authority of god ( who made himselfe well enough knowne unto him , without the help of any written law ) hee was many times instantly urged and requested thereunto : so many judgements and punishments assayled him one in the necke of another , in such sort , that at length he was overtaken and ensnared therewith . first of all , the very waters of aegypt being converted into bloud , proclaimed warre against him : then the frogges which covered the face of the earth , climbed up even to his chamber and bed , and filling every corner of his land , sounded him an alarme : next a muster of lice and gnats , and such other troublesome and stinking creatures , summoned him to combate : an handfull of embers seattered in the aire by moses , were unto him as the strokes of a stone or a shaft , which did wonderfully disfigure their bodies with boyles and most noysome scabbes : afterward the grashoppers were put in battell array against him , together with the hailestones , horrible thunders and lightenings , wasting and spoyling , and running up and downe grievously through his whole land . after all these bitter blowes , the tyrant being cut short , and being so besieged on every side with hideous and palpable darknesse , that he could not tell which wayes to turne himselfe , yet would hee not be brought to any reason , but continued obstinate and hardened against god , though all the elements , with heaven and earth , had taken armour together , and conspired his destruction . therefore while hee remained in this wretched state , gods angell punished him in the person of his eldest sonne , which died suddenly in one night , together with all the first borne of aegypt ; wherewithall both hee and all his people being greatly moved and grieved , at length gave the israelites not onely leave , but also hasted them to depart : but anon , as he saw them going , like a man bestraught he ranne after them againe , and pursued them with a mighty army , untill god in the meane while opening a passage for his children overthwart the deep red sea , attended him in the mid way , where hee surprised and ensnared him , overthrew and violently overturned the wheeles of his chariots , and put his whole army to a burly burly ; and that he might utterly destroy him , caused the sea from each side to returne to his channell , which drowned and devoured him and all his army . and this is one of the noblest and fearfullest judgements of god that can be mentioned , and therefore is very often recounted in many places of the scripture , as a thing most memorable above others . neither ought wee to marvell , if so notable a history as this is not set downe among the writings of prophane authors : for that besides their histories doe not ordinarily stretch so farre , as to record such antient acts , there is also no doubt but the successors of that tyrant , and all the aegyptians , sought all means possible to cancell and blot out the memory of their so great and horrible ruine . and if by chance any historiographer make mention of the departure of the israelites out of aegypt , it is done in such sort , that the truth is not onely disguised , but wholly perverted by them , and in place thereof nothing but lies and falshood foisted in . like as pharaoh by his unjust and outragious persecuting of the children of god , made himselfe so guilty of gods wrath , that he deserved to be utterly destroyed , with the greatest part of his people : so also after their miraculous deliverance , whosoever laboured either to hurt , hinder , or resist them , did no lesse incurre gods displeasure and fierce wrath against them , wherewith they were consumed : whereof the overthrow and discomfiture of amalech is a plaine example ; who , admit all the great wonders which god had done for the israelites in aegypt and in the red sea ( whereof the brute being blowne into all corners of the earth , hee could not be ignorant ; ) yet was he so malitious and foolish hardy , as to take up armour against them , and to meet them to bid them battell ; but he and his wicked complices were by ioshuah and his poore people ( though unwarliking and unacquainted with such actions , lately crept out of bondage , wherein they had been only exercised to make mortar and bricke , and not to handle weapons ) discomfited and overthrowne : for the lord of hosts ( who is the divider of victories to whom he pleaseth ) at the servent prayers of his servant moses , fought for them , to the confusion of amalech and all his traine ; and therefore he commanded moses to put this deed of his in writing , as a thing worthy to be remembred ; who also erected an altar in the same place , for a perpetuall monument of so noble a victory . as amalech , and for the like sinne , were arad a king of the canaanites , sehon king of amorites , and og king of basan , with their people and cities , destroyed and rased downe ; so the madianites enterprising to withstand the foresaid israelites , by the wicked and pernicious counsell of balaam , were subdued and put to the sword , even five kings of them together , not one escaping save the young virgins which had never committed fornication with man. after that the children of israel had continued a season peaceably in the land of canaan which the lord had bestowed upon them , then did eglon king of moab rise up , and subdued them by warre , and tyrannized over them eighteene yeares . and although it was gods will that they should be thus chastised , because of their corruption , and iniquity , neverthelesse this moabite ( his rod ) hee caused ( in regard of his love to his people ) to be slaine by ahud an israelite , as hee was taking his case in his chamber . in like manner was his wrath stirred up against iabin king of asor , who had oppressed israel twenty yeares : whose army , though it was great and well appointed , was notwithstanding by baraks handfull of men , under the conduct and rule of deborah the prophetesse , wondrously discomfited ; in such sort , that of all the multitude there remained not one that felt not the edge of the sword , except sisera their captaine ; who escaping from the battell by betaking him to his heeles , turned in by chance into the house of a woman called iahel ; who hating him , as he slept , with a hammer fastened a naile into his temples ; and thus escaping from those whom he feared , he was murthered by her whom he trusted . and so this valiant warriour , as he was overcome in battell by the conduct of a woman , so was he put to death by the hand of a woman . that which happened to the madianites in the time of gideon , is admirable and very strange ; who being furnished with a mighty army of souldiers , with the amalekites and other their allyes , to destroy israel , were so scarred and scattered at the sound of the trumpets , and brightnesse of torches of three hundred men at the most that were with gideon , that through the marvellous astonishment they were in , they turned their blades into their owne bosomes , and murthered one another , till the greatest part of them were destroyed ; and the residue being put to flight , and pursued by the men of ephraim , two of their kings , oreb and zeb , were taken and slaine . a while after it came to passe , that the princes of the philistims , who had oppressed the people of god by the space of forty yeares , being assembled together with all their people in the temple of dagon their god even then when after their sacrifices , they thought to make themselves most sport and pastime with poore sampson , whose eyes in mockery & contempt they had put out , were altogether massacred by the fall of the house which sampson by his strength pulled upon their heads : which was the greatest overthrow that before times by his means they had received . in the raigne of saul king of israel , agag king of amalech , the posterity of those that laid wait for israel in the desart , as they came out of aegypt , were by saul ( following the commandement of the lord ) set upon ; who running upon him and his people , made a great slaughter and butchery of them , not sparing man , woman , nor childe , but the king onely , whom he tooke to mercy , and led captive , which he ought not to have done . this captaine being thus spared by one that was but little better than himself , could not so escape ; for the prophet , samuel became the executioner of gods vengeance upon him , since saul refused it , and with his own hand flew him , even then when he thought he should live . a little while after , goliah a gyant of the philistims , who as well through the hugenesse of his stature , and strength of body , as through the horrible cruelty which appeared in him , seemed in mans eyes invincible , proudly and presumptuously defied the army of the living god , offering and daring any one man of israel to enter combate with him : this proud fellow was , notwithstanding all his brags , by young and unarmed david , save a little sticke and a few stones which he had in his hands ; vanquished and trod under foot ; for he gave this great beast such a knocke with one of his stones on the forehead , that at the first blow he tumbled him groveling on the earth , and quickly leaping upon him , caught hold of his huge sword , and therwithall cut off his monstrous head : which the philistims perceiving , turned their backes and fled , and were pursued and slaine by the israelites . chap. viii . more examples like unto the former . in the time of achab , benhadad king of syria accompanied with two and thirty kings , came very proudly against israel , as it were in despight of god to bid him battell , but it turned to his owne shame and confusion , being first dishonourably put to flight by servants of the princes of israel ( a small handfull to encounter so mighty an army : ) and secondly , returning to seeke revenge , found the losse of footmen at one clap , besides which escaping by flight , were crushed in pieces by the ruine of a wall in the city aphec . and so this brave gallant , that erst bragged , that the gold and silver of israel , yea their wives and children were his , was now glad to fly for his life amongst the rest , and in his returne to hide himselfe , all dismaied in a little chamber ; and from thence ( being advised thereto by his servants ) to send to intreat achab for his owne life , which a little before thought him sure of the lives of all israel . yet for all this , ere long hee enterprised a new practise against the prophet elizeus , and besieged also the city of samaria so long , that certaine women ( constrained by extreme famine ) devoured their children : but in the end he was compelled ( through fearfull terror which god sent into his army by the noise of infinite chariots and horses which sounded in their eares , as if some puissant host of men of warre had been marching towards them ) to forsake the siege , and flee with all his forces , leaving behinde them their tents , horses , carriages , victuals , and munitions , to be a prey for them that pursued them not . and lastly , falling ficke , hazael one of his owne servants , that succeeded him in the kingdome , to the end hee might dispatch him quickly , and without tumult , early in the morning tooke a thick cloth dipt in water , and spreading it over his face , stifled him to death . when the moabites and ammonites rose up in arms against iehosaphat king of iuda , as soone as this good king humbled himselfe together with all his people before the face of god by fasting and prayer , forthwith god sent such a giddinesse of spirit amongst his enemies , that they killed one another : and the men of iuda without being troubled with fighting , gathered the spoile which they had scattered , and enriched themselves with their reliques . aman , promoted in honour and credit above all the princes of the court of king assuerus , conceived so beastly an hatred against the poore dispersed iewes ( being at that time the only church of god ) that malitiously he conspired , in one day to destroy and put to death the whole nation , to the very women and infants : and in accomplishing this his purpose , he mightily abused the authority of the king , whom he falsly informed . that this nation would not be subject to his ordinances and lawes which his other people were subject unto ; and that therefore hee ought not to permit and suffer them any longer . but god that carrieth alwayes a watchfull eye over his church , and knoweth how to breake and dash all the enterprises of his enemies , brought all this wretches purposes to nought , by preserving miraculously those whom he would have destroyed , and making him doe reverence to mordecheus , whom hee specially sought to bring to infamy , and for whom he had of purpose provided a gibbet to hang him on , but was hanged thereon himselfe , with ten of his sons : beside , all those which had conspired with him against the iewes , were upon the same day which they had set downe for their massacre , by the kings commandement slaine by the hands of them whom they had appointed to the slaughter . balthasar king of babylon , as he was feasting among his princes , commanded amidst his cups , the golden and silver vessels which nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple of ierusalem , to be brought , that both he , and his princes , and his wives and concubines might drinke therein ; exalting himselfe thus against the lord of heaven , and boasting in his idols of earth ; therefore god being stirred up to wrath against him , appointed his destruction even whilest he thus dranke and made merry in the midst of his jollity , and caused a strange and fearefull signe to appeare before his eyes , a bodilesse hand writing upon the wall over against the candlesticke ; the words of which writing portended the destruction of his kingdome , which presently ensued ; for the very same night hee was murthered , and the scepter seised upon by darius king of the medes . antiochus , by sirname epiphanes , or excellent ( though by truer report of people , contemptuously entituled the furious ) king of asia , being venomously enraged against the iewes , began at the first marvellously to oppresse them , to rob and spoile their temple , and to slaughter the people . about ten yeares after , deceiving the poore people with faire and smooth words , covers of most vile and wretched treason , whilest they imagined no mischiefe , hee set upon them in such cruell sort , that the losse and desolation which they endured at that time was inestimable ; for besides the destruction of ierusalem their city , the slaughter of infinite multitudes of their people , and the captivity of women and infants ; as if all these were not enough , there was yet another misery to make up the full summe , worse than all the rest : which was this ; the cursed tyrant seeing his purpose not to take the full effect , commanded every where , that all his subjects ( i meane the iewes ) should forsake and abjure the law of god , and be united into one religion with the infidels . by means of which edict the religion of god was defaced , the books of his law rent and burned , and those with whom any such books were found , rigorously put to death : which fearefull cruelty when the iewes perceived , it caused many of them to wax faint hearted , and to give themselves over to wallow in the dirty fashions of the uncircumcised idolaters , and in their madnesse to subscribe to the unjust lawes of the vile monster . now after he had committed all these outrages , he was repulsed with dishonour from the city of elymais in persia , which he went about to spoile and rob , and forced to fly to babylon ; where after tidings of the overthrow of his two armies in iudea , with griefe and despight he ended his dayes . antiochus the sonne of this wretched father succeeding him as in his kingdome , so in wickednesse , perjury and disloyalty ; when , to the end to consult about his owne affaires , he concluded a peace with the iewes , and by solemne oath as well of himselfe as his princes , confirmed the free exercise of their religion : behold , suddenly he falsied his plighted and sworne faith , and undid all that ever he had done ; but it was not long ere hee also was overtaken by the army of demetrius , and together with lysias his governour , put to death . a while after reigned alexander his brother , who whilest he was encombred with the troubles of cilicla , that revolted from him , the king of aegypt his father in law came traiterously to forestall him of his kingdome , tooke his wife , and gave her to hi● deadliest enemy , and afterward gave him battell , discomfited his forces , and drove him to fly into arabia for safety ; where in stead of helpe , he found an hatchet to chop off his head , which was sent for a present to gratifie the king of aegypt withall . not long after , antiochus his sonne recovered the scepter of his father ; but alas his raigne endured but a small space ; for being yet but a young childe , hee was slaine by tryphon in the way as he led him to warre against the iewes . and thus perished the cursed race of antiochus , which felt gods wrath upon it even in the third generation . antiochus the sonne of demetrius ( of whom mention was made but a little before ) after hee had chased tryphon from the kingdome of asia , which he usurped , and broken the league which he had made with the iewes , gave himselfe wholly to worke them mischiefe . therefore comming against ierusalem , he tooke it by force , commanding his souldiers to put all to death that were within the same ▪ so that within three days there was such a massacre of young and old men , women , and children , that the number of the slaine arose to foure score thousand carkasses . after this , having executed many more villanies against this people , in so much as to make them renounce the law of god , putting them cruelly to death that did not obey his commandement , it came to passe , that this cruell tyrant was first of all put to flight by the inhabitants of persepolis a city of persia , for going aboue to rob their temple of their treasures : next endamaged by an overthrow of his army in iudaea : which hee no sooner understood , but he tooke counsell in his fury how to be revenged of ierusalem , and belched forth bitter threats against it . but in the meane time the lord stroke him with a sudden and incurable plague , and surprised him with a horrible torment of his entrails . howbeit , for all this he ceased not his malicious enterprise , but hasted forward his journey towards the iewes with such cagernesse , that in the way he fell out of his chariot , and bruised so his body , that it became putrified and so full of corruption , that very vermine scrawled out thereof , and the rotten flesh dropping piecemeale away , no man , no not himselfe being able to endure the stinch thereof . then was he constrained in the midst of his torments to confesse , that it was meet that he should submit himself unto god , that he which is mortall , ought not to exalt himselfe so high , as to compare with the immortall god : and in this estate this reprobate ended his wicked dayes by a strange and most miserable kind of death . chap. ix . of those that persecuted the sonne of god and his church . if they who in the law injured and persecuted the church of god , were punished according to their deserts , as we have already heard ; is it any marvell then if the enemies and persecuters of our lord and saviour christ iesus , which labour by all means to discountenance and frustrate his religion , and to oppresse his church , doe feele the heavy and fearefull vengeance of god upon them for their very wickednesse and unbelie●e ? no verily , for he that honoureth not the sonne , honoureth not the father which sent him , and is guilty therefore before god , of impiety and prophanenesse . from this hainous crime king herod in no wise can be exempted , that caused all the infants of bethlehem of two yeares old and under , to be cruelly murthered , in hope thereby to put the true messias and saviour of the world to death . for which deed , accompained with many other strange cruelties , as by killing the ordinary iudges of the house of david , and his owne wife and children , this caitise was tormented with sundry intolerable griefes , and at last devoured by an horrible and most fearefull death . for ( as iosephus reporteth ) his body was boyled , and his bowels gnawne in two by a soft and slow fire , fretting inwardly , without any outward appearance of heate : besides the ravenous and insatiable desire of eating , which so possessed him , that without chewing , his meat in whole lumps descended into his body , devouring it so fast as it could be throwne into his mouth , and never ceasing to farse his greedy throat with continuall sustenance : moreover , his feet were so swolne and pust up with such a flegme , that a man might see through them ; his privy parts so rotten and full of vermine , and his breath so stinking , that few or none durst approach neer unto him ; yea his owne servants for sooke him . now lying in this wretched plight , when this wicked man saw no remedy could be found to asswage his griefe , hee went about to kill himselfe , and being not able to performe it , he was constrained to endure all the pangs of a most horrible , lingring , and languishing death , and at last mad and miserable bestraught of sense and reason , to end his dayes . as for herod the tetrarch , sirnamed antipas ( who to please herodias , had caused iohn baptist to be beheaded ) when hee had likewise prepared snares for our saviours feet , and being sent to him by pilate , to quit himself , and gratifie him withall , had jeasted and mocked at him his belly full , behold , his reproaches and mockes ( was he never so subtle ) turned into his owne bosome : for first , after that his army had been discomfited by the souldiers of king aretas , whose daughter ( in regard of herodias his brother philips wife ) he had repudiated ; a further shame and dishonour befell him , even to be deprived of his royall dignity ; and not only to be brought into a low and base estate , but also being robbed of his goods , to be banished into a farre countrey , and there to make an end of the rest of his life . as touching pilate the governour of iudea , he did so excell in wickednesse and injustice , that notwithstanding the restraint of his owne conscience , the law of civill equity , and the advertisement of his own wise , yet he condemned christ iesus , the just and innocent , to the death of the crosse : albeit hee could not but know the power of his miracles , the renowne whereof was spread into all places . but ere long having been constrained to erect the image of the emperour caligula in the temple of ierusalem to be worshipped , he was sent for to make personall appearance at rome , to answer to certaine accusations of cruelty which were by the iewes objected against him : and in this journey being afflicted in conscience , with the number and weight of his misdeeds , like a desperate man , to prevent the punishment which he feared , willingly offered violence to his owne life , and killed himselfe . the first emperour that tooke in hand to persecute the christians , was nero the tyrant ; picking a quarrell against them for setting the city on fire ; which being himselfe guilty of , hee charged them withall , as desirous to finde out any occasion to doe them hurt : wherefore under pretence of the same crime , discharging his owne guilt upon their backs , hee exposed them to the fury of the people , that tormented them very sore , as if they had been common burners and destroyers of cities and the deadliest enemies of mankinde . hereupon the poore innocents were apprehended , and some of them clad with skinnes of wilde beasts , were torne in pieces by dogges ; others crucified , or made bone-fires of on such heapes , that the flame arising from their bodies , served in stead of torches for the night . to conclude , such horrible cruelty was used towards them , that many of their very enemies did pitty their miseries . but at last this wretch , the causer of all , seeing himselfe in danger to be murthered by one appointed for that purpose ( a just reward for his horrible and unjust dealing ) hastened his death by killing himselfe , as it shall be shewed more at large in the second booke . the author of the second persecution against the christians , was domitian , who was so puft up and swolne with pride , that he would needs ascribe unto himselfe the name of god. against this man rose up his houshold servants , who by his wives consent slue him with daggers in his privy chamber : his body was buried without honour , his memory cursed to posterity , and his ensignes and trophies throwne downe and defaced . trajan , who albeit in all things , and in the government of the empire also , shewed himselfe a good and sage prince , yet did hee dash and bruise himselfe against this stone with the rest , and was reckoned the third persecuter of the church of christ : for which cause he underwent also the cruell vengeance of god , and felt his heavy hand upon him : for first he fell into a palsie , and when he had lost the use of his sences ( perswading himselfe that he was poisoned ) got a dropsy also , and so died in great anguish . hadrian in the ninth yeare of his empire caused tenne thousand christians to be crucified in armenia at one time ; and after that ceased not to stirre up a very hot persecution against them in all places . but god persecuted him , and that to his destruction ; first with an issue of bloud , wherewith he was so weakned and disquieted , that oftentimes he would faine have made away himselfe : next with a consumption of the lungs & lights , which he spate out of his mouth continually ; and thirdly with an unsatiable dropsie : so that seeing himselfe in this horrible torment , he desired poison to hasten his death , or a knife to make quicke riddance ; but when all those means were kept backe , he was inforced to endure still , and at last to die in great misery . whilest marcus antonius , sirnamed verus , swayed the empire , there were exceeding cruelties set abroach against the poore christians every where , but especially at lions and vienna in daulphin ( as eusebius in his ecclesiasticall history recordeth ; ) wherefore he wanted not his punishment , for he died of an apoplexy , after he had lien speechlesse three dayes . after that severus had proclaimed himselfe a profest enemy to gods church , his affaires began to decline , and he found himselfe pestered with divers extremities , and set upon with many warres ; and at length assaulted with such an extreme paine throughout his whole body , that languishing and consuming , he desired oft to poison himself , and at last died in great distresse . vitellius saturninus one of his lievtenants in those exploits became blinde : another called clandius herminianus governour of capadocia , who in hatred of his owne wife that was a christian , had extremely afflicted many of the faithfull , was afterwards himselfe afflicted with the pestilence , persecuted wi●h vermine bred in his owne bowels , and devoured of them alive in most miserable sort . now lying in this misery , he desired not to be knowne or spoken of by any , lest the christians that were lest unmurthered , should rejoice at his destruction , confessing also that those plagues did justly betide him for his cruelties sake . dicius , in hatred of philip his predecessor , that had made some profession of christianity , wrought tooth and naile to destroy the church of christ , using all the cruelties and torments which his wit could devise , against all those which before time had offered themselves to be persecuted for that cause . but his devillish practises were cut short by means of the war which he waged against the scythians ; wherein , when he had raigned not full two yeares , his army was discomfited , and he with his son cruelly killed , others say , that to escape the hands of his enemies , he ran into a whirl●pit , and that his body was never found after . neither did the just hand of god plague the emperour onely , but also as well the heathen gentiles throughout all provinces and dominions of the romane empire . for immediately after the death of this tyrant , god sent such a plague and pestilence amongst them , lasting for the space of ten yeares together , that horrible it is to heare , and almost incredible to beleeve . dionysius writing to hierax a bishop of aegypt , declareth the mortality of this plague to have been so great at alexandria , where hee was bishop , that there was no house in the whole city free . and although the greatnesse of the plague touched also the christians somewhat , yet it scourged the heathen idolaters much more : beside that , the behaviour of the one and the other was most divers : for as the foresaid dionysius doth record , the christians through brotherly love and piety did not refuse one to visit and comfort another , and to minister to him what need required : notwithstanding it was to them great danger ; for divers there were , who in closing up their eies , in washing their bodies , and int●rring them in the ground , were next themselves which followed them to their graves . yet all this s●ayed not them from doing their duty , and shewing mercy one to another . whereas the gentiles contrarily being extremely visited by the hand of god , felt the plague , but considered not the striker ; neither yet considered they their neighbour , but every man shifting for himselfe , cared not for one another . such as were infected , some they would cast out of the doores halfe dead , to be devoured of dogs and beasts ; some they let die within their houses , without all succor ; some they suffered to lie unburied , for that no man durst come neere them : and yet notwithstanding , for all their voyding and shifting , the postilence followed them whithersoever they went , and miserably consumed them . insomuch that dionysius reporteth of his owne city alexandria , that there was not left in the city , of old and young , so many as there was wont to be old men from threescore yeares upwards . this plague , though it spred it selfe over the whole world , yet especially it raged where the edicts of the emperour had beene against the christians , whereby many places became utterly desolate . valerian , albeit in the beginning of his empire he shewed himself somwhat mild and gentle towards the professors of religion , yet afterwards he became their deadly enemy ; but when he had terribly persecuted them in his dominions , it was not long ere he was taken prisoner in the persian wars , being seventy yeares old , and made a slave to his conquerour all the rest of his life : and whose condition was so miserable , that sapor king of persia used his backe as a blocke or stirrop to mount upon his horse . yea he dealt so cruelly with the poore old man ( as eusobius testifieth ) that to make up the full number of his miseries , he caused him to be fleine alive , and poudred with salt . the like severity of gods terrible judgment is also to be noted in glaudius his president , and minister of his persecution● : for god gave him up to be possessed and vexed of the devill , in such sort , that biting off his owne tongue in many small pieces , he so ended his dayes . neither did galienus the sonne of valerian , after the captivity of his father , utterly escape the righteous hand of god : for beside the miserable captivity of his father , whom he could not restore , such strange portents , and such earthquakes did happen , also such tumults , commotions , and rebellions did follow , that trebellio doth reckon up to the number of thirty together , which at sundry places , all at one time , tooke upon them to be emperours of the romane monarchy : by the means whereof hee was not able to succour his father , though he would : notwithstanding the said galienus , being , as is thought , terrified by the example of his father , did remove , or at leastwise moderate the persecution stirred up against the christians , as it may appeare by his edict set forth in eusebius . aurelian being upon point to trouble the quiet of the church , which it a while enjoyed under the emperour galien ; even whilst he was devising new practises against it , a thunderbolt fell from heaven at his feet , which so amazed him , that his malitious and bloud-thirsty mind was somewhat rebated and repressed from doing that which he pretended ; untill that reourning to his old bent , and persevering to pursue his purpose , when gods thunder could not terrifie him , he stirred up his owne servants to cut his throat . dioclesian went another way to worke , for he did not set abroach all his practises at one push , but first assayed by subtle means to make those that were in his army to renounce their faith ; then by open proclamation commanded , that their churches should be rased and beaten downe , their bibles burned and torne in pieces : that they that were magistrates , or bore any publique office in the commonwealth , if they were christians , should be deposed : and that all bondmen that would forsake their profession , should be enfranchised . when hee had thus left no devise unpractised that might further to abolish and destroy the religion of christ , and perceiving that , notwithstanding all his malice and cruell rage , it every day ( through the wonderfull constancy of martyrs ) increased and grew even against the haire ; with very spight and anger he gave up the empire . and lastly , when he had been tormented with diverse and strange diseases , and that his house had been set on fire with lightning , and burned with fire from heaven , and he himselfe so scarred with thunder , that he knew not where to hide him , he fell mad and killed himselfe . there was joyned to this man in the government of the empire , one maximilian , whose cruelty and tyranny against the christians was so outragious also , that upon a solemne festivall day , when infinite numbers of them were assembled together at nicomedia , in a temple , to serve god , he sent a band of atheists to inclose them , and burne the temple and them together , as they indeed did : for there were consumed at that bone-fire ( as nicephorus writeth ) twenty thousand persons . in like sort dealt he with a whole city in phrygia , which after he had long besieged , hee caused to be burnt to cinders , with all the inhabitants therein . but the end of this wretch was like his life , even miserable : for lying a while sicke of a grievous disease , the very vermine and such horrible stinke came forth of his body , that for shame and griefe hee hung himselfe . maximinus that raigned emperour in the east , was constrained to interrupt and make cease his persecution which he had begun , by means of a dangerfull and grievous sicknesse , and to confirme a generall peace to all christians in his dominions , by publique edicts . his sicknesse was thus : in the privy members of his body , there grew a sudden putrifaction , and after in the bottome of the same a botchy corrupt bile , with a fistula , consuming and eating up his intrails , out of the which came swarming an innumerable multitude of lice , with such a pestiferous stinke , that no man could abide him ; and so much the more , for that all the grossenesse of his body , by abundance of meat before he fell sicke , was turned into fat ; which fat now putrified and stinking , was so ugsome and horrible , that none that came to him could abide the sight thereof , by reason whereof the physitians which had him in cure , some of them not able to abide the intolerable stink , were commanded to be slaine ; other some , because they could not heale him , being past hope , were also cruelly put to death . at length , being put in remembrance , that his disease was sent of god , hee began to repent of the cruelty which he had shewed the christians , and forthwith commanded all persecution to cease . but ( alas ) this peace was so brittle , that it lasted but six moneths ; for even then he sought by all means possible againe to trouble and disquiet their rest , and sent forth a new edict quite contrary to the former , importing their utter destruction . and thus being nothing amended , but rather made worse by his sicknesse , it affailed him afresh , in such sort , that every day growing in extremity , as he grew in cruelty , it at last brought him to his death , his carkasse being all rotten and full of corruption and wormes . saint chrysostome writeth of him , that the apple of his eye fell out before he died . maxentius and licinius , the one emperour of italy , the other of the east , perceiving how the emperour constantine that raigned in the west , was had in great reputation , for maintaining the cause of the christians , began also to doe the like : but by and by their malice and hypocrisie discovered it selfe , when they undertook to trouble and afflict those whom before they seemed to favour . for which cause constantine taking arms against them , destroyed them both one after another ; for maxentius thinking to save himselfe upon a bridge on tyber , was deceived by the breaking of the bridge , and so drenched and drowned in the water . licinius was taken and put to death . and thus two tyrants ended their dayes , for persecuting the church of christ. in the tenth yeare of the persecution of dioclesian , galerius his chiefe minister and instrument in that practise , fell into a grievous sicknesse , having a sore risen in the neither part of his belly , which consumed his privy members , from whence swarmed great plenty of wormes engendred by the putrefaction . this disease could not be holpen by any chirurgery or physick : wherefore he confessed that it justly happened unto him for his monstrous cruelty towards the christians , and called in his proclamations which he had published against them . howbeit notwithstanding he died miserably , and as some write slew himselfe . chap. x. more examples of persecutors . saint bartholomew one of the twelve apostles , after hee had preached christ jesus unto the indians , and delivered them the gospell written by saint mathew , and had converted many unto the faith , albeit the miracles which he wrought were strange and supernatural ( for hee restored many diseased persons to their health , and clensed king polemius his daughter from an unclean spirit wherewith she was possessed ) yet in regard that he destroyed their idoll astaroth , and bewraied the subtilties of satan , he was by astyages , polemius younger brother , at the instigation of the idolatrous priests , first cruell beaten with clubs , after fleyed , and last of all beheaded . but within thirty dayes after , both the wicked king , and the sacrilegious priests , were poffessed with devills , and brought to a wretched and miserable death . aphraats that heavenly philosopher , going out of his cloyster towards the temple , to feed the flocke of christ with some wholesome food of sound doctrine ; and being perceived by the emperour valeus , and demanded whither he went ; he answered , to pray for him and his kingdome . yea , but said the emperour , it were more convenient for thee that professest thy selfe a monke , to remaine at home in contemplation , than to stray abroad : true answered this holy man , if christs sheep enjoyed peace ; but as it becommeth an honest matron to sit still within doors ; nevertheles if her house were on fire , and the flame invi●oned her , should she not stirre to helpe to quench it ? and should i lye still , and see my countrey set on fire by the persecution ? whereat the emperour being netled , threatned him with death ; and one of his chamberlaines taunting him for his boldnesse , used him most currishly . but presently as he went to the baths , to make them ready for the emperour , the hand of god stroke him with an apoplexy , that he fell downe dead into the waters . under the empire of iulian the apostate , all they that either conspired or practised the death of cyrillus a deacon of heliopolis , scituate neer to libanus , came to a miserable end : for after that constantine was deceased , by whose authority the holy martyr had broken downe many of their images and idoils , the abhominable idolaters did not onely murther him , but also devoured his liver with bread , as if it had been the sweetest morsell of meat in the world . but the all-seeing eye of god saw their villany , and his revengefull rod bruised them in peeces : for their teeth wherewith they chewed that unnaturall food , fell all out of their heads ; and their tongues wherewith they tasted it , rotted and consumed to nothing ; and lastly , their eyes which beheld it , failed them , and they became blinde . and thus were they all served , not one excepted , bearing justly the markes of gods wrath for so inhumane and unnaturall a deed . at tyre a city of phoenicia , under the raigne of dioclesian , many christians that stoutly professed and maintained the faith and religion of christ jesus , were after many tortures and destructions , exposed to wilde beasts to be devoured , as beares , libards , wilde boares , and buls : the savage basts , though made fierce and furious by fires and swords , yet ( i know not by what secret instinct . ) resused once to touch them , or to come neere them , but turned their teeth upon the infidels that were without , and came to set them on upon the saints , and tore many of them in pieces in their steads . howbeit , although they escaped the jawes of wilde beasts , yet they escaped not the swords of them that were more savage than any beasts : and though the bowels of beares refused to entombe them , yet were they intombed in the flouds , and crowned with the crowne of sacred martyrdome . processus and martianus , keeper of the prison wherein the apostles peter and paul were inclosed at rome , seeing the miracles which were wrought by their hands , believed in christ , and together with seven and forty other prisoners were baptized . which when paulinus the judge perceived , hee injoyned them to lay aside their conscience , and offer sacrifice to idols . but they , readier to obey god than man , could neither by threats nor violence bee brought to it ; but chose rather to bee beaten with clubs or consumed with fire , or scourged with scorpions , as they were , than to yeeld to deny their maker , by doing worship to devilish and monstrous idols . but that judge the procurer of their martyrdomes , shortly after became himselfe an object of gods wrath ; when his eye-sight failed him , and an evill spirit so possessed and tormented him , that in the extremity of terrours and griefe , he breathed out ere long his last and miserable breath . nicephorus reporteth , how the emperour trajan having caused five holy virgins to be burned , for standing in the profession of the truth , commanded certaine vessells to be made of their ashes mingled with brasse , and dedicated them to the service of a publique bath ; but the bath that before time instilled a wholesome and healthfull vapour into mens bodies , now became pernitious and fatall unto them : for all that washed themselves therein , felt presently such a giddinesse in their braines , and such a dimnesse of sight , that they fell downe dead forthwith : the cause of which mischiefe being perceived by trajan , he melted againe the virgin-moulded vessells , and erected five statues to the honour of them ; so choaking as it were one superstition with another , to his owne eternall infamy and disgrace . agapitus , a youngman of fifteene yeares of age , being apprehended by the inhabitants of preneste , and grievously tormented , for refusing to offer sacrifice to their idols ; and when all would not serve to shake the foundation of his faith ( which was builded upon a rocke ) hee was condemned and executed to death : for , being first scourged with whips , then hanged up by the feet ; after having hot scalding water poured upon him , at last hee was cast unto wilde beasts . with all which torments being not terrified , nor yet dispatched , finally had his head cut off . but behold , the judge called antiochus , that pronounced the sentence , fell downe from his throne before the face of the world , even whilst the young man was in the mid'st of his torments ; and by his example made knowne to all men , how odious such cruell persecutors are in the sight of him that judgeth the earth , and controlleth the mightie princes and potentates of the same . in the empire of iulian the apostate the lord sene such horrible earthquakes upon the world , that what for the fall of houses , and raptures of fields , neither citie nor countrey was safe to abide in : besides , such an extreame drouth dryed up the moisture of the earth , that victualls were very geason and deare . these plagues theodoret avoucheth to have fallen upon the world for the impietie of iulian , and the miserable persecution of christians . the emperour gallus had good successe in his affaires whil'st he abstained from shedding the bloud of the christians ; but as soone as hee gave himselfe over unto that villany , his prosperitie , kingdome , and life diminished and decreased at once : for within two yeares he and his sonne v●lusianus , in the warre against aemylian , were both slaine , through the defection of his souldiers , who in the point of necessitie forsooke him . beside , the lord in his time sent upon the provinces of rome a generall and contagious pestilence , which lasted whole ten yeares without intermission , to make satisfaction for the much innocens blood which was spilled amongst them . arnolphus the fourescor ▪ th emperour , raged like a tyrant against all men , but especially against those that professed the religion and name of christ jesus : for which cause the lord stirred up a woman the wife of guid● , to minister unto him the dregs of his wrath in a poysoned cup , by means whereof such a rottennesse possessed all his members , that lice and wormes issuing out continually , he dyed most miserably in or●nge , a city of bavary , the twelfth yeare of his raigne . bajazet the turke , to what a miserable and ludibrious end came he , for his outragious hatred against all christendome , but especially against constantinople , which he had brought to so low an ebbe , that they could scarce have resisted him any longer , had not tamberlaine the tartarian revoked him from the siege , and bidden him leave to assayle others , and looke unto his owne ? and indeed he welcommed him so kindly , that he soone tooke him prisoner , and binding him with chaines of gold , carried him up and downe in a cage for a spectacle , using his backe for a foot-stoole to get upon his horse . and thus god plagueth one tyrant by another , and all for the comfort of his chosen . gensericus king of the vandales exercised cruell tyranny against the professors of the truth . so did honoricus the second also : but both of them reaped their just deserts : for gensericus dyed , being possessed with a spirit ; and honoricus being so rotten and putrified , that one member dropped off after another . some say , that he gnawned off his owne flesh with his teeth . authar is the twelfth king of lombardy forbad children to be baptised or instructed in the christian faith : seeking by that means to abolish and pluck downe the kingdome of christ ; but he raigned not long , for ere six yeares were compleat , he dyed with poyson at pavia : and so he that thought to undermine christ jesus , was undermined himselfe most deservedly , in the yeare of our lord . when arcadius the emperonr , through the perswasion of certain envious fellowes , and his wife eudoxia , had banished iohn chrysostome bishop of constantinople into bosphorus ; the next night there arose such a terrible earth-quake , that the empresse and the whole citie was sore affrighted therewith ; so that the next morrow messengers after messengers were sent without ceasing , till they had brought him backe againe out of exile , and his accusers were all punished for their wrongfull accusation . thus it pleased god to testifie the innocency of his servant , by terrifying his enemies . smaragdus an exarch of italy was transported by a devill , for tyrannizing over christians in the first yeare of the empire of mauritius . ma●●u●ha a sarasen , being equall to pharoah in persecuting the church of god , god made him equall to him also in the manner of his destruction : for as hee returned from the spoyle of the monastery of ca●●ime and mossana , and the daughter of many christians , the lord caused the sea to swallow up his whole army , even an hundred ships , so that few or none escaped . another time , even the yeare , they were miraculously consumed with famine , sword , pestilence , water , and captivitie , and all for their infestuous rancour and tyranny towards christians : for whom the famine spared , the sword devonred ; whom both these touched not ; the pestilence ate up ; and they that escaped all three , yet perished in the waters ; and ten ships that escaped the waters , were taken by the romans and the syrians : surely an egregious signe of gods heavie wrath and displeasure . to conclude , there was never any that set themselves against the church of god , but god set himselfe against them by some notable judgement : so that some were murthered by their subjects , as bluso king of the vandales ; others by their enmies , as vdo prince of sclavonia ; others by their wives , as cruco another sclavonian prince ; others discomfited in warre , as abbas the king of hungaria : some destroyed by their owne horses , as lucius the emperour , who first cast his owne daughter , because she was a christian , amongst the same horses . and generally few persecutors escaped without some evident and markable destruction . chap. xi . of the iewes that persecuted christ. by how much the offence of the iews was more hainous , not onely in despising and rejecting the lord of glory , whom god had sent amongst them for their salvation , but also in being so wicked as to put him to death ; by so much the more hath god bestowed his fearfull indignation upon them : as at many other times , so especially by that great calamity and desolation which they abid at their last destruction , begun by vespasian , and perfected by titus ; which was so great and lamentable , as the like was never heard of untill this day : for if the sacking and overthrow of ierusalem , then when ieremy the prophet made his booke of lamentations over it , was reputed more grievous than the subversion of sodome , which perished suddainly , how much more then is this last destruction without all comparison , by reason of those horrible and strange miseries , which were there both suddainly & in continuance of time committed ? neither truly is there any history which containeth a description of so many miseries as this doth : as it may appeare by iosephus record of it . for after that they had been afflicted in divers countries , and tossed up and downe by the deputies a long while , there were slaine at caesarea in one day twenty thousand : at alexandria another time fifty thousand : at zabulon and joppe eight thousand and foure hundred , besides the burning of the two towns : at damascus ten thousand that had their throats cut . as for jerusalem , when it had a long time endured the brunt of the warre both within and without , it was pinched with so sore a famine , that the dung of oxen served some for meat : others fed upon the leather of old shooes and buckles ; and divers women were driven to the extiemity to boyle and eat their owne children : many thinking to save their lives by flying to the enemy , were taken and slit in pieces , in hope to finde gold and silver in their guts ; in one night two thousand were thus piteously dealt withall ; and at the last the whole city was by force taken , and the holy temple conslumed by fire . and this in generall was the miserable issue of that lamentable warre : during which , fourscore and seventeen thousand iewes were taken prisoners , and eleven hundred thousand slaine ; for within the city were inclosed from the beginning to the ending , all those that were assembled together from all quarters of the earth , to keep the passeover , as their custome was . as touching the prisouers , some were carried to rome in triumph ; others were here and there massacred at their conquerors wils ; somes lot it was to be torn in pieces and devoured of wild-beasts ; others were constrained to march in troops against their fellowes , and kill one another as if they had been enemies . all which evils came upon them for the despight and fury which they used towards the sonne of god and our saviour ; and that was the cause why he , foreseeing this desolation , wept over jerusalem , and said , that it should be besieged on every side , and rased to the ground , and that not one stone should be left upon another , because it knew not the time of her visitation . likewise said he to the woman that bewailed him as he was led to the crosse , that they should not weep for him , but for themselves and their children , because of the dayes of sorrow which were to come , wherein the barren and those that had no children , and the dugs that never suckled should bee counted happy . so horrible and pitifull was the destruction of this people , that god would not suffer any of his owne children to bee wrapped in their miseries , nor to perish with this perverse and unbelieving nation : for ( as eusebius reporteth ) they were a little before the arrivall of these mischiefes , advertised from heaven by the speciall providence of god , to forsake the city , and retire into some far country where none of these evils might come neer them . the reliques of this wretched people that remained after this mighty tempest of gods wrath , were dispersed and scattered throughout all nations under heaven , beeing subject to them with whom they sojourned , without king , prince , judge , or magistrate to lead and guide them , or to redresse their wrongs , but were altogether at the discretion and commandement of the lords of those countries wherein they made their abode ; so that their condition and kind of life is at this day so vile and contemptible ( as experience sheweth ) that no nation in the world is halfe so miserable , which is a manifest badge of gods vengeance yet abiding upon them . and yet for all this , these dispersed reliques ceased not to vomit out the foame of their malice against christ , it being so deep rooted an evill , and so inveterate , that time nor reason could revoke them from it . and no marvell , seeing that god useth to punish the greatest sinnes with other sinnes , as with the greatest punishment : so they having shut their eyes to the light when it shined among them , are now given over to a reprobate and hardened sence ; otherwise it were not possible they should remain so obstinate . and albeit ( god be thanked ) we have many converts of them , yet i dare say for the most part , they remain in malitious blindnesse , barking against , and despighting both our saviour himselfe , and all that professe his name , although their punishments have been still according to their deserts : as by these examples following shall appeare . the jewes of inmester , a towne lying betwixt calchis and antioch , being upon a time celebrating their accustomed playes and feasts , in the midst of their jollity , as their use is , they contumeliously reviled not only christians , but even christ himselfe : for they got a christian childe , and hung him upon a crosse , and after many mocks and taunts , making themselves merry at him , they whipt him to death . what greater villany could there be than this ? or wherein could these devils incarnate shew forth their malice more apparently than thus ? not content once to have crucified christ the saviour of the world , but by imitation to performe it againe ; and as it were to make knowne , that if it were undone , they would doe it : so also handled they a boy called simeon , of two years and an halfe old , in the yeare of our lord . and an another in fretulium five years after that . but above all , they massacred a poore carpenters son in hungary in hatred of christ , whom they falsly supposed to bee a carpenters son : for they cut in two all his veines , and suckt out his blóud with quills . and being apprehended and tortured , they confessed that they had done the like at thirna foure yeares before , and that they could not be without christiàn bloud , for therewithall they anointed their priests . but at all these times they suffered just punishment ; for being still taken , they were either hanged , burned , murthered , or put to some other cruell death , at the discretion of ●he magistrates . moreover , they would at divers times buy the host of some popish priest , and thrust it through with their knives , and use it most despightfully . this did one bleazarus in the yeare of our lord , the of october , but was burnt for his labour : and eight and thirty at another time for the same villanie , by the marquesse ioachinus : for the caitifes would suffer themselves to be baptised for none other end , but more securely to exercise their villanies . another jew is recorded in the yeare of our lord to have stoln the picture of christ out of a church , & to have thrust it through many times with his sword , whereout , when bloud miraculously issued , hee amazed , would have burned it , but being taken in the manner , the christians stoned him to death . the truth of which story , though i will not stand to avow , yet i doubt not but it might be true , considering that either the devill might by his cunning so foster and confirme their superstition , or rather that seeing christ is the subject of their religion as well as of ours , though after a corrupt and sacrilegious forme , and that the jew did not so much aime at their religion , as at christ the subject of it , the lord might shew a miracle , not to establish their errour , but to confound the jews impiety , especially in those young yeares of the church . in our english chronicles are recorded many histories of the malitious practises of the jews against christians , in hatred of christ jesus our saviour , whom they in contempt call our crucified god ; and especially this devillish practise was most frequent amongst them here in england , as in germany , france , and other places where they were suffered to inhabite ; namely every year to steale some christian man● childe from the parents , and on good friday to crucifie him in despight of christ and christian religion . thus they served a childe at lincolne named hugo , of nine years of age , in the yeare , in the reigne of henry the third , and another at norwich about the same time ; having first circumcised him and detained him a whole yeare in custody . in which two facts they were apprehended ; and at lincolne thirty two of them put to death , and at norwich twenty , but this was not all the punishment that they endured : as they proceeded and increased in their malice against christ and his religion , so he proceeded in vengeance and indignation against them : first therefore at the coronation of richard the first , whereas some of them presumed to enter into the court-gate contrary to the kings expresse commandement , a great tumult arising thereupon , a number of them were slaine , and their houses fired in the city of london , by the raging multitude and from thence the example spred into all other countries of the land : for they following the example of the londoners , havocked , spoyled , killed , and fired as many jewes as they could come by ; untill by the kings writs unto the sheriffe of every county the tumult was appeased , and some few of the principall authors and stirrers of this outrage punished . and it is to bee noted , that this yeare the iewes held for their iubilie , but it turned to them a yeare of confusion . neither were they thus massacred onely by the christians , but they became butchers of themselves also : for in the city of yorke , when as they had obtained the occupying of a certaine castle for their preservation , and afterward were not willing to restore it to the christians againe , and being ready to bee vanquished , and offering much money for their lives , when as that would not be accepted , by the counsell of an old jew among them , every one with a sharpe rasor cut anothers throat , whereby a thousand and five hundred of them were at that present destroyed . at north-hampton a number of them were burnt , for enterprizing to fire the city with wilde-fire , which they had prepared for that purposes besides many grievous impositions and taxes which were laid upon them . at last by king edward the first they were utterly banished this realme of england , in the yeare : for which deed the commons gave unto the king a fifteen . and about the same time also they were banished out of france for the like practices ; and still the wrath of god ceaseth not to punish them in all places wheresoever they inhabit . but that their impiety may bee yet more discovered , i will here set downe the confession of one of their own nation , a jew of ratisbone converted to the faith , one very skilfull in the hebrew tongue . this man being asked many questions about their superstition and ceremonies , answered very fitly : and being demanded , why they thirsted so after christian mens bloud ? he said it was a mystery onely knowne to the rabbines and highest persons ; but that this was their custome he knew , when any of them was ready to dye , a rabbine anointed him with this bloud , using these or such like words : if hee that was promised in the law and prophets hath truly appeared , and if this iesus crucified bee the very messias , then let the bloud of this innocent man that diedin his faith , cleanse thee from thy sins , and help thee to eternall life . nay epiphanius affirmeth , that the jews of tyberias did more confidently affirme it than thus : for they would whisper into a dying mans eare , beleeve in iesus of nazareth whom our princes crucified , for he shall come to judge thee in the latter day : all which declareth how impious they are to goe against their owne conscience , and upon how fickle ground all their religion standeth . chap. xii . of those that in our age have persecuted the gospell in the person of the faithfull . as the religion of christ hath beene hitherto cruelly crossed and besieged by the mightiest captaines of this world ( as hath been partly declared ) so it hath not been any better entertained by the potentates of this age , that ceased not to disturbe the quiet , and pursue to death the lives of gods children for their professions sake and to bring them utterly to ruine : to addresse all the engines and subtilties of their malicious and wicked counsels , without leaving any one device unthought of that their wit could imagine , or their power afford ; they joyned craft with force , and vile treason with horrible cruelty , thereby to suppresse the truth , and quench that faire and cleere light , which god after long time of blindnesse and ignorance , had caused of his infinite mercy to shine upon us . there fires were kindled every where with the bones of martyrs ; whilest for the space of forty yeares or thereabouts they never ceased to burne those that were followers of that way . now when they saw that all their butcheries and burnings were not able to consume this holy seed , but that the more they went about to choake it , the more it grew up and increased , they tooke another course , and raised up troubles and seditions in all quarters , as if by that means they should attaine the end of their purpose . hell vomited up all her furies of warre , the whole earth was in a tumult , young and old with tooth and naile were imployed to root out the church of christ , but god stretching forth his arme against all their practises , shewed himselfe not only a conqueror , but also a most sharpe revenger of all his adversaries . this is most apparent in that which happened to thomas arondel an english man , archbishop of canterbury , an enemy and persecutor of the truth of christ : who having put to death divers holy and upright men , thinking that all he did was gain , was rooted out at last himselfe , by a most strange and horrible death ; for he that sought to stop the mouth of god in his ministers ; and to hinder the passage of the gospell , had his owne tongue so swolne , that it stopped his owne mouth , that before his death hee could neither swallow nor speake , and so through famine died in great despaire . foelix farle of wartemberg , one of the captaines of the emperour charles the fifth , being at supper at ausburg with many of his companions , where threats were blowne out on every side against the faithful , swore before them all , that before he died he would ●ide up to his spurs in the bloud of the lutherans . but it hapned in the same night , that the hand of god so stroke him , that he was strangled and choaked with his own bloud : and so he rode not , but bathed himselfe , not up to the spurs , but up to the throat , not in the bloud of lutherans , but in his owne bloud , before he died . in the raign of francis de valois of late memory , the first king of france of that name , those men that shewed themselves frowardest , sharpest , and most cruell in burning and murthering the holy martyrs , were also forwardest examples of the vengeance of god prepared for all such as they are . for proofe whereof , the miserable end of iohn roma a monke of the order of the white friers , may serve ; who although in regard of his hood and habit ought not to be placed in the number of men of note , yet by reason of the notable example of gods vengeance upon him , wee may rightly place him in this ranke . this man therefore , at that time when the christians of cabrier and merindol began to suffer persecution , having obtained a commission from the bishop of provence and the embassadour avignion , to make inquisition after and seise upon the bodies of all them that were called lutherans ; ceased not to afflict them with the cruellest torments he could devise : amongst many of his tortures this was one , to cause their boots to be filled with boiling grease , and then fastning them overthwartwise over a bench , their legs hanging over a gentle fire , to seeth them to death . the french king advertised of this cruelty , sent out his letters patents from the parliament of provence , charging , that the said iohn de roma should be apprehended , imprisoned , and by processe of law condemned . which news when the caitife heard , he fled backe as fast as he could trot to avignion , there purposing to recreate and delight himselfe with the excrements of his oppression and robbery which hee had wrung out of the purses of poor people : but see how contrary to his hope it fell out ; for first he was robbed of his evill gotten goods by his owne servants ; and presently upon the same hee fell sicke of so horrible and strange a disease , that no salve or medicine could be found to asswage his paine ; and beside it was withall so loathsome , that a man could not endure his company for the stinke and corruption which issued from him . for which cause the white fryers ( his cloysterers ) conveyed him out of their covent into the hospitall ; where increasing in ulcers and vermine , and being become now odious , not onely to others , but to himselfe also , hee would often cry , either to be delivered from his noysomnesse , or to bee slaine , being desirous , but not able to performe the deed upon himselfe . and thus in horrible torments and most fearfull despaire he most miserably died . now being dead , there was none found that would give sepulture to his rotten carkasse , had not a monke of the same order dragged the carrion into a ditch , which he provided for the purpose . the lord of revest , who a while supplied the place of the chiefe president in the parliament of provence , by whose meanes many of the faithfull were put to death , after hee was put beside his office , and returned home unto his owne house , was attached with so grievous a sicknesse , and such furious and mad fits withall , that his wise and neerest allyance not daring to come near him , he like a frantick bedlam , enraged and solitarily ended his life . a counsellor of the same court called bellemont , was so hot and zealous in proceeding against the poor prisoners for the word of gods sake , that to the end to pack them soon to the fire , he usually departed not from the judgement hall from morning to evening , but caused his meat and drinke to bee brought for his meales , returning not home but onely at night to take his rest . but whilest hee thus strongly and endeavourously imployed himselfe about these affaires , there began a little sore to rise upon his foot , which at the first being no bigger , than if a waspe had stung the place , grew quickly so red and full of paine , and so increased the first day by ranckling over all his foot , and inflaming the same , that by the judgement of physicians and chirurgions , through the contagious fire that spread it selfe over his whole body , it seemed incurable , except by cutting off his foot , the other members of the body might be preserved : which hee in no case willing to yield unto , for all the medicines that were applied unto it , sound the second day his whole leg infected , and the third his whole thigh , and the fourth day his whole body , insomuch that he died the sameday , his deadbody being all partched as if it had been rosted by a fire . and thus he that was so hot in burning poore christians , was himselfe by a secret flame of gods wrath , as by slow and soft fire , burned and consumed to death . lewes du vaine , brother in law to meni●r the president of the said parliament of provence , with the brother and son of peter ●urand , chiefe butcher of the city ajax , the evening before the horrible cruelty was executed at merindoll , fell at debate amongst themselves , and the morrow , as instruments of gods judgements , slew one another . the judge of the city aix ( one of that wretched crew ) drowned himselfe in his returne , as he passed over the river durance . as for the chiefe judge that was principall in that murtherous action , touching the condemnation of those poore soules of merindoll and cabrieres , he likewise suddainly died before he saw the execution of that decree which himselfe had set downe . iohn mesnier lord of oppede , another chiefe officer of the aforesaid parliament , that got the leading of the murthering army against the poore christians aforesaid , committing such excesse of cruelty , that the most barbarous heathen in the world would have yearned to doe . for which cause hee was also summoned to appeare personally at the parliament of paris , there to answer those extortions , robberies , and oppressions , which were layd to his charge ; and being convinced and found guilty theieof , was neverthelesse released and set at liberty ; and that which is more , restored to his former estate . howbeit , though hee escaped the hands of men , yet was hee overtaken by the hand of god , who knew well enough the way how to entrap and abate his proud intents : for even then when hee was in the height of worldly prosperity , and busier than ever , in persecuting christians , even then was hee pulled downe by a flux of bloud , which provoking his privy parts , engendred such a carnositie and thicknesse of flesh therein , and withall a restraint of urine , that with horrible outeries and raving speeches hee died ; feeling a burning fire broyling his entrailes from his navill upwards , and an extreme infection putrifying his lower parts , and beginning to feele in this life , both in body and soule , the rigour of eternall fire , prepared for the devill and his angels . iohn martin trombant of briqueras in piemont , vaunting himselfe every foot in the hinderance of the gospell , cut off a ministers nose of angrogne in his bravery ; but immediately after was himselfe assayled by a mad woolse , that gnawed off his nose as hee had done the ministers , and caused him like a mad man to end his life : which strange judgement was notoriously knowne to all the countrey thereabout ; and beside , it was never heard that this woolfe had ever harmed any man before . caspard of renialme , one of the magistrates of the city of anvers , that adjudged to death certaine poore faithfull soules , received in the same place , ere hee removed , a terrible sentence of gods judgement against himselfe ; for he fell desperate immediately , and was faine to be led into his house halfe beside himselfe , where crying that he had condemned the innocent bloud , he forthwith died . chap. xiii . other examples of the same subject . about the same time there happened a very strange judgement upon an ancient lawyer of bourges , one iohn cranequin , a man of ripe wit naturall , and a great practitioner in his profession , but very ignorant in the law of god , and all good literature , and so enviously bent against all those that knew more than himselfe , and that abstained from the filthy pollutions of popery , that he served instead of a promotor , to inform ory the inquisitor for them ; but for his labour , the arme of god stroke him with a marvellous strange phrensie , that whatsoever his eyes beheld , seemed in his judgement to be crawling serpents : in such sort , that after he had in vaine experienced all kinde of medicines , yea and used the help of wicked sorcery & conjuration , yet at length his senses were quite benummed , and deprived him , and in that wretched and miserable estate he ended his life . iohn morin , a mighty enemy to the professors of gods truth , one that laboured continually at paris in the apprehending and accusing the faithfull , insomuch that he sent daily multitudes that appealed from him to the high court of the palace ; died himselfe in most grievous and horrible torment . the chancellour of prat , he that in the parliaments of france put up the first bill against the faithfull , and gave out the first commissions to put them to death , dyed swearing and blaspheming the name of god , his stomacke being most strangely gnawne in pieces , and consumed with wormes . the chancellour oliver being restored to his former estate , having first ( against his conscience ) renounced his religion ; so also now ( the same conscience of his , checking and reclaming ) he spared not to shed much innocent bloud , by condemning them to death . but such a fearefull judgement was denounced against him ( by the very mouths of the guiltlesse condemned soules ) that stroke him into such a feare and terrour , that presently he fell sick , surprised with so extreme a melancholy , that sobbing forth sighes without intermission , and murmurings against god , he so afflicted his halfe-dead body , like a man robbed and dispossest of reason , that with his vehement fits hee would so shake the bed , as if a young man in the prime of his yeares with all his strength had assayed to doe it . and when a certaine cardinall came to visit him in this extremity , he could not abide his sight , his pains increasing thereby , but cried out as soone as he perceived him departed , that it was the cardinall that brought them all to damnation . when he had been thus a long time tormented , at last in extreme angish and feare he died . sir thomas more l. chancellour of england , a sworne enemy to the gospell , and a profest persecutor by fire and sword , of all the faithfull , as if thereby he would grow famous and get renowne , caused to be erected a sumptuous sepulchre , and thereby ( to eternize the memory of his prophane cruelty ) to be engraven the commendation of his worthy deeds : amongst which the principall was , that hee had persecuted with all his might the lutherans ; that is , the faithfull : but it fell out contrary to his hope ; for being accused , convicted , and condemned of high treason ; his head was taken from him , and his body found no other sepulchre to lie in but the gibbet . cardinall cr●s●entius , the popes embassadour to the councel of trent , in the yeare of our lord , being very busie in writing to his master the pope , and having laboured all one night about his letters ; behold as he raised himselfe in his chaire , to stir up his wit and memory , over-dulled with watching ; a huge blacke dog with great flaming eyes , and long eares dangling to the ground , appeared unto him : which comming into his chamber , and making right towards him , even under the table where hee sate , vanished out of his sight : whereat he amazed , and a while sencelesse , recovering himselfe , called for a candle , and when he saw the dog could not be found , he fell presently sicke with a strong conceit , which never left him till his death ; ever crying , that they would drive away the black dog which seemed to climbe up on his bed : and in that humour he died . albertus pightus , a great enemy of the truth also ( insomuch that paulus iovius calleth him the lutherans scourge ) being at boloigne at the coronation of the emperor upon a scaffold , to behold the pompe and glory of the solemnization , the scaffold bursting with the weight of the multitude , he tumbled headlong amongst the guard that stood below , upon the points of their halbards , piercing his body cleane through , the rest of his company escaping without any great hurt : for though the number of them which fell with the scaffold was great , yet very few found themselves hurt therby , save onely this honourable pighius , that found his deaths wound , and lost his hearts bloud , as hath been shewed . poncher , archbishop of tours , pursuing the execution of the burning chamber , was himselfe surprised with a fire from god , which beginning at his heele , could never be quenched , till member after member being cut off , he died miserably . an augustine frier named lambert , doctor and prior in the city of liege , one of the troop of cruell inquisitors for religion , whilest he was preaching one day with an open mouth against the faithfull , was cut short of a sudden in the midst of his sermon , being bereaved of sense and speech , insomuch that he was faine to be carried out of the pulpit to his cloister in a chaire , and a few dayes after was drowned in a ditch . in the yeare of our lord , there was one george hala a saxon , minister of the word and sacraments , and a stout professor of the reformed religion , who being for that cause sent for to appeare before the archbishop of mentz at aschaffenburge , was handled on this fashion : they took away his owne horse , and set him upon the archbishops fooles horse , and so sent them back homewards , conducted by one appointed for the purpose : who not suffering him to ride the common and beaten way , but leading him a new course through uncoth paths , brought him into an ambush of theeves placed there by the bishops appointment , who set upon him and murthered him at once : but it is notoriously knowne , that not one of that wicked rabble came to a good end , but were consumed one after another . in a city of scotland called fanum ianius , the chiefe mart towne of that countrey , soure of the chiefest citizens were accused by a monke before the cardinall , for interrupting him in a sermon , and by him condemned to be hanged like heretickes , when no other crime could bee laid to their charge , save that they desired the monke to tie himselfe to his text , and not to rove up and down as he did , without any certain scope or application of matter . now as they went to execution , their wives fell downe at the cardinals feet , beseeching and intreating pardon for their husbands lives : which he was so farre from granting , that hee accused them also of heresie ; and especially one of them ( whose name was helene ) for hee caused her young infant to be pulled out of her armes , and her to be put to death with her husband , for speaking certaine words against the virgin mary , which by no testimonies could be proved against her . which doome the godly woman taking cheerfully , and desiring to hang by her husbands side , they would not doe him the least favour , but drowned her in a river running by , that it might be truly said , that no jot of mercy or compassion remained in them . but ere long the cruell cardinall found as little favour at another butchers hands , that slewe him in his chamber , when hee dreamed of nothing lesse , and in his cardinalls robes hanged him over the wall to the view of men . and thus god revenged the death of those innocents , whose blouds never ceased crying for vengeance against their murtherer , untill he had justly punished him in the same kinde , and after the same fashion which hee had dealt with them . of this cardinall , called david beton , buchananus reporteth many strange acts of cruelty , both in the common-wealth of scotland , in matters of state , as also in the church , in questions of religion ▪ how he suborned a false testament in the dead kings name , whereby hee would have created himselfe chiefe governour of the whole kingdom , had not his knavery bin soon detected : and how he set many together by the eares of the chiefest sort , not caring which of them soonest perished , so that they perished ; glutting himselfe thus with bloud : but amongst all his cruelties , the least was not extended towards the professors of the gospell , whom hee endeavoured by all means possible , not to suppresse only , but even utterly to extinguish : many he put to death with fire , divers he forced to revolt with extreame torments , and many he punished with banishment : among whom was george buchanan , the reporter of this history ; who being taken and imprisoned , escaped through a window , whilest his keepers slept , out of this lions jaws . amongst the rest there was one george sephocard , a most learned and sincere preacher of the word of god , in whom his savage cruelty was most eminent , this man abiding at one iohn cockburns house , a man of no small reckoning & account , about miles from edenborough , was first sent for by the cardinall , & after being not delivered , he together with the vicegerent , beset all the passages that he might not escape ; so that cockburn was constrained to deliver him into their hands , upon the assurance of earl bothuel , who promised to protect him from all injuries : how be it notwithstanding the earles promise , and the countermand of the vicegerent , refused to meddle with that innocent man , yea and gave command , that no proceedings should be made against him ; yet the bloudy tyrant condemned him tobe put to death , & also caused the condemnation to be executed : and that which doth more aggravate his cruelty , he caused a place to be prepared for him and his company , hung with tapestry and silke , very sumptuously , that he might be a joyfull spectatour and eye-witnesse of his torments . but marke how the just vengeancee of god shewed it selfe even in that place : for , as it is in the former story , not long after , this vile butcher was murthered in his owne house , by the conspiracy of normanus leslius , son to the earle of rothusia , who early in a morning surprised his porters , and all his servants , in their sleepe , and murthered him in his bed that had murthered so many christians : and to stop the rage and fury of his friends , hung out his body for a spectacle unto them in the same place where a little before he had with such triumph beheld the tortures of that guiltlesse martyr : insomuch that almost all did not only acknowledge the just view of gods judgement herein , but also remembred the last words of that constant saint , who being ready to give up the ghost , urtered this speech in effect : he that sitteth and beholdeth us so proudly in that high place , shall within few dayes as reproachfully lye , as now arrogantly he sitteth . a story not much unlike in manner of punishment , happened in the raign of king henry the eighth , to one sir ralph ellerker , knight marshall in the towne of calice , when as adam damlip , otherwise called george bucker , a sincere preacher of the word of god , was condemned to be executed as a traytour in pretence , though indeed for nothing but defending the truth against the dregs of popery , would not suffer the innocent and godly man to declare either his faith , or the cause he dyed for : but said to the executioner , dispatch the knave , have done , not permitting him to speake a word in his owne defence to cleere himselfe from the treason that was objected , not proved against him ; but this cruell tyrant swore he would not away before he saw the trayterous heart out . now this said sir ralph in a skirmish or road betweene the french and us at bulloine , was amongst others slaine , whose only death sufficed not the enemies , but after that they had stripped him starke naked , they cut off his privy members , and pulled the heart out of his body , & so lefthim a terrible example to all bloudy and mercilesse men : for no cause was knowne why they should use him so rather than the rest ; but that it is written , faciens justitias dominus & judicia omnibus injuria pressis . thomas b●aver , one of the privy councellors of the king of scots , was a sore persecutor of the faithfull in that land : for which cause , lying on his death bead , he fell into despaire , and said , he was damned , and a cast-away ; and when the monkes came about him to comfort him , he cryed out upon them , saying , that their masses and other trash would do him no good , for he never beleeved them ; but all that he did was for love of lucre , and not of religion , not respecting or beleeving there was either a god or a devill , or a hell , or a heaven , and therefore he was damned , there was no remedy . and in this miserable case , without any signe of repentance , he dyed . but let us come to our homebred english stories , and consider the judgments of god upon the persecutors of christs gospell in our own countrey . and first to begin with one doctor whittington , under the raigne of king henry the seventh , who by vertue of his office , being chancellour to the bishop , had condemned most cruelly to death a certaine godly woman in a town called chipping sadberry for the profession of the truth , which the papists then called heresie . this woman being adjudged to death by the wretched chancellor , and the time come when she should be brought to the place of her martyrdome , a great concourse of people both out of towne and country was gathered to behold her end : amongst whom was also the foresaid doctor there present , to see the execution performed . the godly woman and manly martyr with great constancy gave over her life to the fire , and refused no paines or torments to keep her conscience cleere and unreproveable against the day of the lord. now the sacrifice being ended : as the people began to returne homeward , they were encountred by a mighty furious bull , which had escaped from a butcher that was about to kill him ( for at the same time as they were slaying this silly lamb at the townes end , a butcher was as busie within the towne in slaying of this bull. ) but belike not so skilfull in his art of killing of beasts , as the papists be in murthering christians , the bull broke loose , as i said , and ranne violently through the throng of the people , without hurting either man or childe , till he came to the place where the chancellour was , against whom , as pricked forward with some supernaturall instinct , hee ranne full butt , thrusting him at the first blow through the paunch , and after goaring him through and through , and so killed him immediately , trayling his guts with his hornes all the street over , to the great admiration and wonder of all that saw it . behold here a plaine demonstration of gods mighty power and judgement against a wretched persecutor of one of his poore flocke : wherein ( albeit the carnall sence of man doth often impute to blinde chance that which properly pertaineth to the only power and providence of god ) yet none can be so dull and ignorant , but must needs confesse a plaine miracle of gods almighty power , and a worke of his own finger . stephen gardiner also , was one of the grand butchers in this land , what a miserable end came hee unto ? even the same day that bishop ridley and master latimer were burned at oxford , he hearing newes thereof , rejoyced greatly , and being at dinner ate his meat merrily ; but ere he had eaten many bits , the sudden stroke of gods terrible hand fell upon him , in such sort , that immediately he was taken from the board , and brought to his bed , where he continued dayes in intolerable anguish , by reason he could not expell his urine ; so that his body being miserably inflamed within ( who had inflamed so many godly martyrs ) was brought to a wretched end , with his tongue all blacke and swolne , hanging out of his mouth most horribly : a spectacle worthy to be beholden of all such bloudy burning persecutors . bonner bishop of london , another arch butcher , though he lived long after this man , and dyed also in his bed ; yet was it so provided of god , that as he had been a persecutor of the light , and a child of darknesse , so his carkasse was tumbled into the earth in obscure darkenes at midnight , contrary to the order of all other christians : and as he had been a most cruell murtherer , so was he buried amongst theeves and murtherers ; a place by gods judgement rightly appointed for him . morgan bishop of s. davids sitting upon the condemnation of the blessed martyr bishop farrar , whose roome he unjustly usurped , was not long after stricken by gods hand after such a strange sort , that his meat would not go downe , but rise and picke up againe , sometime at his mouth , sometime blowne out of his nose , most horrible to behold , and so continued unto his death . where note moreover , that when master leyson ( being then sheriffe at bishop farrars burning ) had fetcht away the cattell of the said bishop , from his servants house into his owne custody , divers of them would never eate meat , but lay bellowing and roaring , and so dyed . adde unto this bishop morgan , iustice morgan a judge that sate upon the death of the lady iane : this iustice , not long after the execution of the said lady , fell mad , and being thus bereft of his wits , dyed , having ever in his mouth , lady iane , lady iane. bishop thornton suffragan of dover , another grand persecutor , comming upon a saturday from the chapter-house at canterbury , and there upon the sunday following looking upon his men playing at bowles , fell suddenly into a palsey , and dyed shortly after . and being exhorted to remember god in his extremity of sicknesse : so i do ( saith he ) and my lord cardinall too , &c. after him succeeded another suffragan , ordained by the foresaid cardinall , and equall to his predecessor in cruell persecuting of the church ; who injoying his place but a short time , fell downe a paire of staires in the cardinals chamber at greenwich , and broke his necke , and that presently ( let it be noted ) after he received the cardinals blessing . the like sudden death hapned to doctor dunning the bloudy and wretched chancellour of norwich , who after he had most rigorously condemned and murthered a number of simple and faithfull servants of god , was suddenly stricken with death even as he was sitting in his chaire . the like also fell upon berry , commissary of norfolke , another bloudy persecutor ; who foure dayes after queene maries death having made a great feast , whereat was present one of his concubines ; as he was comming home from the church , where he had ministred the sacrament of baptisme , fell downe suddenly to the ground with a heavy groane , and never stirred after , thus ending his miserable life without any shew of repentance . so doctor geffrey chancellor of salisbury , another of the same stampe , was suddenly stricken with the mighty hand of god in the midst of his buildings , where he was constrained to yeeld up his life , which had so little pitty of other mens lives before : and it is to be noted , that the day before he was thus stricken , he had appointed to call before him ninety poore christians , to examine them by inquisition , but the goodnesse of god and his tender providence prevented him . doctor foxford , chancellor to bishop stockesley , dyed also suddenly . so did iustice lelond the persecutor of one ieffery hurst . alexander the keeper of newgate , a cruell enemy to those that lay in that prison for religion , dyed very miserably , being so swollen , that he was more like a monster than a man , and so rotten within that no man could abide the smell of him . his sonne called iames , after hee had spent all his fathers substance riotously , fell downe suddenly in newgate market , and there wretchedly dyed . iohn peter sonne in law to the said alexander , and no lesse cruell to the poore christians , rotted away , and so dyed . cox an earnest protestant in king edwards dayes , and in queene maries time a papist , and a promoter , going well and in health to bed ( as it seems was dead before the morning . all these almost , with many more which i could recite , dyed suddenly , being most cruell and horrible persecutors of the flocke of christ. many there were , which though they escaped sudden death , yet did not avoid a most miserable and wretched end . in the number whereof i may place first alexander the keeper of newgate , together with his sonne in law iohn peter , of whom mention was made before : also master woodroofe the sheriffe of london , who used to rejoyce at the death of the poore saints of christ , and would not suffer master rogers , going to his martyrdome , to speake with his children : this man lay seven or eight yeares bed-rid , having one halfe of his body all benummed , and so continued till his dying day . also one burton the bayliffe of crowland in lincolneshire , who having been a protestant in outward shew in king edwards dayes , as soone as queene mary was quietly seated in the kingdome , became very earnest in setting up the masse againe , and constrained the curate by threats to leave the english service , and say masse . this blinde bailiffe not long after , as he was riding with one of his neighbours , a crow flying over his head , let her excrements fall upon his face , the poysoned stinke and savour whereof so annoyed his stomacke , that he never lest vomiting untill he came home , and there after certaine dayes , with extreame paine of vomiting , crying and cursing the crow , desperately he dyed without any token of repentance . also one robert baldwine , who being stricken with lightning , at the taking of william seaman , pined away and dyed . robert blomfield also , bailiffe to sir iohn ierningham , after he had prosecuted one master browne , pined away both in his goods and body , by a consumption of both . william swallow the cruell tormentor of george egles , was shortly after plagued of god , that all the haire of his head , and nailes of his fingers and toes went off ; his eyes were well neere closed up , that he could scant see ; his wife was also stricken with the falling sicknesse , with the which malady she was never infected before . lastly ( to omit many others ) one twiford is not to be forgotten ; who in king henries dayes was a busie doer in setting up stakes for the burning of poore martyrs : and seeing the stakes consume so fast , provided a big tree , cutting off the top , and set it up in smithfield , saying , i will have a stake that shall hold . but behold gods hand ; before ever that tree was consumed , the state of religion turned , and he fell into an horrible disease , rotting alive above the ground before he dyed . besides these , many there were that hanged themselves . as for example , one clarke an open enemy to the gospell in king edwards dayes , hanged himselfe in the tower. so did pavier the towne clarke of london , another bitter enemy to the gospell . so did the sonne of one levar a husbandman , that mocked and scorned at the holy martyr master latimer , being dead ; and that at the same houre , as neere as could be gathered , whilst his father was railing upon the dead martyr . so did henry smith a lawyer , who having been a protestant , became a papist . others drowned themselves ; as namely richard long at calice , in king henry the eights dayes . iohn plankney a fellow of new colledge in oxford , in the yeare of our lord . and one lanington a fellow of the same colledge , in a well at padua , or as some thinke , at rome . others were stricken with madnesse : in which ranke place first justice morgan , of whom wee made mention a little before : then , a sheriffes servant that railed upon iames abbes a godly martyr , as he was going to be burned ; saying , that hee was an heretique and a mad man ; but as soone as the fire was put to the martyr ( such was the fearefull stroke of gods justice upon him ) he was there presently in the sight of all the people stricken with a frenzy , crying out aloud , that iames abbes was saved , but he was damned ; and so continued till his dying day . so likewise one william a student in the inner temple , in the midst of his railing against the gospell of christ and the professors thereof , fell starke mad . many other examples of the like kind i could here adde , but he that desireth to know and read more thereof , let him have recourse unto the latter end of the acts and monuments of the english church , where he shall find a whole catalogue of such like examples . the overthrow of many mighty ones in our age , serve for a looking glasse to represent the high exploits of the wonderfull judgements which the king of kings hath sent upon those that have in any place or countrey whatsoever , resisted and strove against the truth . whereof some after great victories , which by their singular dexterity and worldly wisedome in the mannaging of their affaires , have atchieved , by a perverse and overthwart end , contrary to their former prosperity , have darkned and obscured the renowne and glory of all their brave deeds , their good report dying with their bodyes , and their credit impaired and buried with them in their graves . others in like manner having addressed all their forces , and laid their battery , and placed all their pieces and canons against the wals of sion , and thinking to blow it up and consume it to ashes , have made many breaches into the sides thereof , yea they have so bent all their strength against it , and afflicted it with such outragious cruelty , and unmercifull effusion of bloud , that it is pitifull and lamentable to remember : howbeit after all their policies and practises , their courage hath been at length abated , and themselves raked one after another out of this world , with manifest markes of the just vengeance of god upon them . for though it may seem for a time that god slepeth and regardeth not the wrongs and oppressions of his servants , yet he never faileth to carry a watchfull eye upon them , and in his fittest time to revenge himselfe upon their enemies . chap. xiv . a hymne of the persecution of gods church , and the deliverance of the same . along the verdant fields all richly dy'd . with natures paintments , and with flora's pride : whose goodly bounds are lively chryst all streames begirt with bow'rs to keep backe phoebus beames ; even when the quenchlesse torch , the worlds great eye , advanc'● his rayes orethwartly from the skie , and by his power of heavenly influence reviv'd the seeds of springs decay'd essence : then many flockes unite in peace and love , not seeking ought but naturall behove , past quietly uncharg'a with other care , save of their feed within that pasture faire . these flocks a sheepheard had ( of power and skill ) to fold and feed , and save them from all ill : by whose advice they liv'd ; whose wholsome voice they heard and fear'd with love , and did rejoyce therein with melody of song and praise , and dance , to magnifie his name alwaies . he is their guide , they are his flocke and fold , nor will they be by any else controld . well knowing , that whom he takes care to feed , he will preserve and save in time of need ; thus liv'd this holy flocke at hearts content , till cruell beasts all set on ravishment , broke off their peace , and ran upon with rage , themselves , their young , and all their heritage ; slitting their throats , devoured lambs and all , and dissipating them that seap't their thrall . then did the jolly feast to fast transforme , ( so ask't the fury of that ragefull storme ) their joyfull song was turn'd to mournfull cries , and all their gladnesse chang'd to well adyes . whereat heav'n grieving , clad it selfe in blacke ; but earth in uprore triumph't at their wracke . what profits then the sheephooke of their guide ? or that he lies upon a beacons side , with watchfull eye to circumscribe their traine , and hath no more regard unto their paine ? to save them from such dangers imminent ( some say ) as are so often incident . 't is not for that his arme wants strength to break all proud at tempts that men of might do make : or that he will abandon unto death his owne , deare bought with exchange of his breath . for must we thinke , that though they dye they perish ; death dyes in them , and they in death reflourish : and this lifes losse , a better life renues , which after death eternally ensues . though then their passions never seeme so great , yet never comfort serves to swage their heat : though strength of torments be extreame in durance , yet are they guencht by hopes and faiths assurance . for thankefull hope , if god be grounded in it . assures the heart , and pacifies the spirit . to them that love and reverence his name , prosperity betides , and want of shame . thus can no tyrant pull them from the hands of mighty god , that for their safety stands : who ever sees , and ever can defend ; them whom he loves , he loves unto the end : so that the more their fury overfloweth , the more each one his owne destruction soweth . and as they strive with god in policy , so are they sooner brought to misery . like as the savage boare dislodg'd from den , and hotly chased by pursuit of men , run's furiously on them that come him neere , and goares himselfe upon the hunters speare : the gentle puissant lambe , their champion bold , so help 's to conquer all that hart 's his fold , that quickly they and all their progeny confounded is , and brought to misery . this is of iudah the couragious lion , the conquering captaine , and the rocke of sion ; whose favour is as great to iacobs line , as is his fearefull frowne to philistine . chap xv. of apostata's and backsliders , that through infirmity and feare have fallen away . it is a kinde of apostasie and backsliding condemned by the first commandement of the law , when as hee that hath been once enlightened by the word of god in the knowledge of salvation , and nourished and instructed therein from the cradle , doth afterward cast behind his backe the grace of gods spirit , or disallow thereof , and exempt himselfe from the service of god , to serve idols , or make any outward shew to doe it : which kinde of sinne may be committed after two sorts ; either through infirmity and feare , or willingly and with deliberation : when not being pressed or constrained thereto by any outward means , a man doth cleerely and of himselfe abandon and forsake the true religion , to march under the baoner of satan and antichrist . and this is also of two sorts ; either when a man doth simply forsake the profession of the truth , to follow superstition and idolatry , without attempting any thing beside the meere deniall of his faith ; or when after his revolt he professeth not onely the contrary religion , but also endeavoureth himselfe by all means possible to advance it , and to oppresse and lay siege to the doctrine of gods truth in those that maintaine the same . by this it appeareth that there are three kinds of apostasie ; one as it were inforced and compelled , the second voluntary , the last both voluntary and malitious : which though they be all very hainous and offensive in the sight of god , yet the second and third sort are most dangerous , and of them also one more hurtfull and pernitious than the other , as we shall perceive by that which followeth . now as all these kinds are different one from another , so i will referre the examples of each sort to his severall place , that the efficacy thereof may be the better perceived . and first of those which have fallen away through feare and infirmity , and afterward in order of the rest . athough that they who by the conceit and feare of tortures presented before their eyes , or of speedy and cruell death threatned against them , doe decline and slide backe from the profession of the gospell , may pretend for excuse the weakenesse and feeblenesse of the flesh , yet doubtlesse they are found guilty before the throne of god , for preferring the love of this transitory and temporary life before the zeale of his glory , and the honour which is due to his onely begotten sonne , especially at that time when they are called out of purpose by their martyrdome to witnesse his sacred truth before men , and he desireth most to be glorified by their free and constant perseverance therein : to the which perseverance they are exhorted by many faire promises of eternall life and happinesse : and from the contrary terrified by threats of death and confusion , and upon paine to be discharged from the presence of christ before god , because they have denied him before men : which is the misery of all miseries , and the greatest that can happen to any man ; for what shall become of that man whom the sonne of god doth not acknowledge ? now to prove that god is indeed highly offended at this faint hearted cowardlinesse , he himself hath made knowne unto us , by the punishments which divers times he hath sent upon the heads of such offendors . as in the time of the emperour valerian the eighth persecutor of the church , under whose persecution albeit that many champions bestirred themselves most valiantly in that combat of faith ; yet there wanted not some , whose hearts failing them , and who in stead of maintaining and standing for their cause to the death , as they ought to have done , retyred and gave up themselves to the enemy at the first assault . amongst the number of which doubty souldiers , there was one that went up into the capitoll at rome , in that place where iupiters temple in old time stood , to abjure and recant christ and his profession : which he had no sooner done , but he was presently strucke dumbe , and so was justly punished in that very member wherewith he had offended . a woman likewise having renounced her profession , and feeling in herselfe no remorse of conscience for her fall , went as she was wont to doe in the time of her rest and prosperity , to the bathes and hot-houses to refresh herselfe , as if all had had gone well with her ; but she was so seised upon and possessed by an evill spirit , that in stead of pleasure , which she fought for , she fell to lamenting , and tormenting her owne flesh , and chopt in pieces with her dainty teeth her rebellious tongue , wherewith shee had spoken wicked words , and dishonoured god , and tasted meats offered to idols : and so this poore wretch , whereas she should have wasted her selfe in teares of true repentance , and in the true bath of grace and mercy , because she had more care of cleansing her body from filth , than her soule from sinne , became corrupt and filthy both body and soule , by the meanes of that uncleane spirit which god had given power to afflict her : and armed her owne mouth , which had tasted , chewed , and swallowed that cursed food , furiously to rise against her selfe to destroy her : so that she became her owne murtherer , for she survived not long , by reason that her bowels and intrails were choaked up to the throat with paine . another woman well stricken in yeares , that in like manner had revolted from the truth , thrust her selfe notwithstanding into the assembly of the faithfull , as they were receiving the holy sacrament . but that holy food which nourished the soules of them that believed , turned to her bane ; for she found there in stead of peace , a sword ; in stead of norishment , deadly and mortall poison , in such sort , that immediately after the receit of that holy supper , she began to be marvellously troubled and vexed in soule , and felt the hand of god so heavy upon her for her offence committed in denying her saviour , to shun her persecution , that trembling and stamping she fell downe dead . there was also in like manner a certain man , that having renounced his saith , did notwithstanding present himselfe at the celebration of the holy supper , presuming to come and eat at his table , whom he had a little before denied ; but receiving into his hand part of the sacrament as well as the rest , and thinking to put it into his mouth , it was turned into ashes : whereupon he stood amazed and confounded in himselfe , god manifesting in him , that hee that revoked his faith , and recoiled from christ jesus , christ jesus would recoile from him , & give him over to death , by depriving him of his grace , and spoiling him of the power of his quickning and saving spirit . these are the fearfull examples of gods judgements , which saint cyprian reporteth to have light upon back sliders in his time ; adding moreover , that besides these , many were possessed of devils , robbed of their wits , and inraged with fury and madnesse , and all for this offence of apostasie . amongst all the examples of our age , of gods severe justice upon apostates , the example of francis spi●ra an italian lawyer , a man of credit and authority in his countrey , is most pitifull and lamentable ; who having embraced the true religion with marvellous zeal , and made open profession of the same , feared not freely to declare his opinion of every point of doctrine that came in question , and grew in knowledge every day more and more . but it was not long ere he was complained of to the popes embassadour : which when he understood , and saw the danger wherein he was like to fall , after he had long debated and disputed the matter in his owne conscience , the counsell of the flesh and worldly wisedome prevailing , he resolved at last to goe to the embassadour , to the intent to appease his wrath , and do whatsoever he should command . thus comming to venice , and over-ruled with immoderate fear , he confessed that he had done amisse , & craved pardon for the same , promising ever after to be an obedient subject to the popes lawes : and that which is more , when it was enjoyned him , that at his return home he should in his owne countrey openly recant his former profession , he refused not , but performed his recantation in due sort . but it chanced very soone after , that this miserable man fell sicke of body and soule , and began to dispaire of gods mercy towards him . his physitian perceiving his disposition , judged , that the cause of his bodies disease was a vehement conceit and thought of minde ; and therefore gave advice to minister counsell to his troubled minde very carefully , that the cause being taken away , the effect also might surcease . to this end many learned men frequented him every day , recalling into his minde , and laying open before him many expresse places of scripture , touching the greatnesse of gods mercy . which things he avouched to be true , but said that those promises pertained not to him , because he had renounced christ jesus , and forsworne the known truth , and that for this cause nothing was prepared for him but hell fire , which already in soule hee saw and felt : i would ( said he ) willingly , if it were possible , love god , but it is altogether impossible . i onely feare him without love . these and such speeches used he with a stedfast countenance ; neither did his tongue at any time run at randome , nor his answers savour of indiscretion or want of memory ; but advisedly warned all that stood by to take heed by his example , how to listen too much to worldly wisedome , especially when they should be called before men to professe the religion of christ. and lying in this extremity , he refused all manner of sustenance , rebuking and being angry with his sonnes that opened his mouth to make him swallow some food to sustaine him ; saying , since he had forsaken his lord and master , all his creatures ought to forsake him ; i am afraid of every thing , there is not a creature that hath not conspired to worke my destruction : let me die , let me die , that i may goe and feele that unquenchable fire , which already consumeth me , and which i can by no meanes escape . and thus hee died indeed , pined to death in despaire and horrible torment of conscience . nichomachus a man that stoutly professed christ jesus in prosperity , being brought to his triall at troas , and put into torments he denied him ; and being delivered by that meanes , consented to offer sacrifice unto idols . but as soone as he had finished his sacrifice , he was hoisted up by the spirit of darknesse , whose darling now he was , & dashed against the earth : so that his teeth biting his prophane tongue ( wherewith he had denied his saviour ) in two , he died continently . tamerus a professor of the true religion , was feduced by his brother to cleave unto popery , and to forsake his first love : but for his defection from the truth , the lord gave him up into a ceprobate sense , so that falling into despaire he hung himselfe . richard denton a blacksmith dwelling at wels in cambridge-shire , having been a professor of the gospell a foretime ; when william woolsey martyr ( whom the said denton had first converted from the truth ) sent him certaine money out of prison at ely , with his commendations , that hee marvelled he tarried so long behinde him , seeing he was the first that delivered him the booke of scripture into his hand , and told him that it was the truth : his answer was this , i confesse it is true , but alas i cannot burn . but he that could not burne in the cause of christ , was afterward burned against his will ; for in the year his house was set on fire , and whilest he went to save his goods , he lost his life . there was also one burton bailiffe of crowland in lincoln-shire , who pretending an earnest friendship to the gospell in king edwards time ; after the kings death began lustily to set up the popish masse againe , and would have beaten the poore curate , if he had not setled himselfe thereto : but see how the lords judgement overtook , him ; as hee came riding from fennebanke one day , a crow flying over his head , let fall her excrements upon his face , so that it ranne from the top of his nose downe to his beard , the poysoned sent and savour whereof so annoyed his stomack , that he never ceased vomiting untill he came home : and after falling deadly sicke , would never receive any meat , but vomited still , and complaining of that stinke , cursing the crow that had poysoned him : to be short , within few daies he died desperately , without any token of repentance of his former life . hither may we adde the examples of one henry smith a lawyer of the middle temple , and arnoldus bomelius a student of lovaine ; both which having professed the truth a while , and after being seduced by evill company , the one of gilford , the other of master tileman , smith afterward hanged himselfe in his chamber in the temple , in the yeare of our lord . bomelius murthered himselfe with his owne dagger . and thus these two apostata's felt the heavy scourge of gods wrath , for revolting from the truth which they once professed . chap. xvi . of those that have willingly fallen away . these kinde of apostata's which we are now to speake of , are such as without any outward compulsion , threats , or likelyhood of danger , forsake freely gods true religion , and give themselves over to all idolatry : against whom there is a decree ordained in the thirteenth of deutronomy , by the law-giver of heaven : which is this ; if the inhabitants of any city have turned from the lord , to follow after strange gods , let them be destroyed with the edge of their sword , and their city consumed with fire , that they may be utterly rased out and brought to nothing . this was the sinne of solomon king of israel ( a brave and mighty kingdome in his time ) a man subject to none for power , nor fearing any for authority : yet for all this , so filthily recoyling from the truth which hee knew and had professed , that in stead of serving the true god , he became a setter up of false idols , and that of his owne freo will and pleasure : he that had been so well brought up and instructed from his childehood in true religion by his school master the prophet nathan , into whose charge hee was committed ; and so often and earnestly admonished by his father david , to observe diligently the law of god , to direct his wayes thereby : and whom god vouchsafed this honour , to appeare twice unto , and to enrich and adorne with such excellent wisedome , that the queene of saba hearing his report , came to ierusalem to be his auditor : even this solomon in his old age , when he should have been most stedfast and constant , suffered himselfe to be seduced by the enticements of his strange wives and concubines , to offer service unto strange gods , and to forsake the god of heaven , to worship the idols of the gentiles . and as his renowne was great and famous before for building that sumptuous and beautifull temple at ierusalem ; so was his obloquy and reproach the greater , for erecting altars and chappels for the idols of his wives and concubines , even for every one of their idols , to the intent to flatter and please their humors : it was therfore just and equall , that the lord ( his wrath being provoked against him ) raised up two strong enemies that wrought him and his people much scath . yea moreover ieroboam , one of his owne servants ( whilest hee yet lived ) was by the ordinance of god designed king over ten tribes : and so god punished him for his idolatry and backsliding , leaving him but a small portion of the kingdome to continue to his successors : which , had it not been for his father davids sake , had been also taken away . it is true , that we read not that he ever hindred the service of the temple , or compelled or perswaded any man to worship an idoll ; yet he did enough to make him culpable before god of a grievous sinne , in that he being the head and soveraigne magistrate of the people , committed such wickednes and such apostasie in israel : beside , it is a marvellous strengthning , that in all his history there is not so much as any token mentioned , or to be gathered of his true repentance alter this notable fall . and hee that well weigheth the nature and quality of this sinne , shall perceive that it somewhat resembleth that which is spoken of , heb. . ver , , , : for solomon was not so ignorant and destitute of the knowledge of god , but rather had the treasure of wisedome in fulnesse and abundance , and was endowed with the gifts and graces of gods spirit , that he was able to instruct others , and to discharge a doctors place in the church , as he also did both by word and writing . and although that the sonne of god was nos as then yet manifested in the flesh ; yet the power and efficacy of his death being everlasting , and from the beginning , whereof the law with the ceremonies and sacrifices thereof , was as it were a schoolemaster , could not be hidden from him : therefore so soone as he addicted himselfe to his idolatry , he forthwith abandoned the holy ordinances and sacrifices of gods law , and quitted himselfe of the promise of salvation therein contained ; disanulling and making of none effect , as concerning himselfe , the grace of the mediator , ordained from the beginning : so that his downfall was terrible and perillous . yet there be that thinke that after all this he wrote the booke of ecclesiastes , as a declaration of his repentance ; whose opinion i purpose not to contradict . roboam his sonne succeeded him , as well in the likenesse of his sinne , as of his kingdome : for after that the priests and levites forsaking the part of ieroboam because of his idols , and leaving their houses and possessions to strangers , had made repaire to him , for feare of god , and love of his holy service , and that he had disposed and put in order his publique affaires , for the ratifying and confirming of his kingdome ; presently he and all his people forsooke the law of god , and gave themselves over to idolatry and other grievous sinnes : wherefore the lord also forsooke and gave them over to the hands of caesac king of aegypt , that raised up a mighty power of men , even a thousand and two hundred chariots , threescore thousand horsemen , with an infinite multitude of footmen to make warre against him : so that all the strong cities and fortresses of iudah , no nor ierusalem it selfe , was strong enough to repulse him from sacking and taking them , and robbing the temple of their treasures and despoyling the kings palaces of his riches , and carrying backe into aegypt a rich prey of the best and beautifullest things that were therein . and this was the first shake that ever this kingdome received since it was a kingdome , whereby it began to waine and decline . notwithstanding all this , yet the lord had compassion and pitty of him and all his people , and would not suffer his dignity to be troden under foot and quite suppressed , but restored him once againe into an honourable estate , because when he was reproved by semeia the prophet , he humbled himselfe before the lord , and his princes also : which is a mafest signe , that his sinne was not an universall apostasie , whereby hee was wholly turned aside from god and all hope of grace , but it was a particular revolt , such as was that of his forefathers , the children of israel , when they imagined that god would be present with them in the idolatrous golden calfe , and in that figure to worship him , so grosse and sencelesse were they : although yet roboams sin seemeth to exceed theirs in greatnesse and guiltinesse . the iewes that in the time of ptolomey philopater abode in aegypt , and willingly renounced the law and service of god , in hope thereby better to provide for their worldly commodities , enjoyed not long their ease and prosperity : for the other iewes which had couragiously stucke to their profession , and had been miraculously delivered from their enemies , being grieved and chased at their recoyle , made their supplications to the king ( whose heart god inclined to favour their suit ) that he would permit them to revenge gods quarrell upon those apostates as they had deserved : alledging , that it was hard for them to be true subjects to the king , who for their bellies sake had rebelled against the commandement of god. the king seeing their request reasonable , and their reasons which they alledged likely , not onely commended them , but gave authority to destroy all those that could be found in any place of his dominion , without any further enquiry of the cause , or intelligence of the kings authority ; insomuch that they put to death all those that they knew to have defiled themselves with filthy idols , doing them before , all the shame they could devise . so that at that time there were dispatched above three hundred persons : which when they had accomplished they rejoyced greatly . chap xvii . of the third and worst sort of apostates , those that through malice forsake the truth . if so be that they of whom we have spoken in the two former chapters , are in their revoltings inexcusable ( as indeed they are ) then much more worthy condemnation are they , who not only in a villanous contempt cast away the grace of gods spirit , and his holy worship ; but also of a purposed malice set themselves against the same , yea and endeavour with all their power , utterly to race and root it out , and in stead thereof to plant the lies , errors , and illusions of satan by all means possible . against this kinde of monsters sentence is pronounced in the thirteenth of deutronomy , to wit , that justice should be executed upon them with all extremity , and no mercy and compassion shewed upon him , be he prophet or what else , that goeth about to seduce others from the service of the almighty , to follow false gods . this is the pitfall wherein ieroboam the first king of israel slipped by the perversenesse of his owne conscience ; who as he had by his rebellion against rehoboam and the house of david , upreared a new kingdome ; so by rebellion against god and his house ( in hope by that means to retaine his usurped state and people in subjection ) upreared also a new religion : for distrusting the promises of god which were made him by the prophet ahias as touching the realme of israel , which he was already in possession of , and despising the good counsell of god , in respect of his owne inventions , he was so besotted and bleared with them , that just after the patterne of his idolatrous forefathers , who by their aegyptian tricks had provoked the wrath of god against themselves , he set up golden calves , and caused the people to worship them , keeping them so from going to ierusalem to worship god : nor yet content with this , hee also erected high places to set his idols in ; and having restrained the priests and levites from the exercise of their charge , hee ordained a new order of priests to sacrifice and minister unto his gods , and proclaimed a newer feast than that was in iuda ; even the seventh day of the eighth moneth : wherein he not onely exiled the pure service of god , but also perverted and turned upside downe the ecclesiasticall discipline and policy of gods church , which by the law had been instituted . and that which is yet more , as he was offering incense on the altar at bethel , when the prophet cryed out against the altar , and exclaimed against that filthy idolatry , by denouncing the vengeance of god against it , and the maintainers thereof , he was so desperate and sencelesse , as to offer violence to him , and to command that he should be attached ; but the power of gods displeasure was upon him by and by : for that hand which he had stretched out against the prophet , dried up , so that he could not draw it backe againe ; and at the very instant , for a manifest declaration of the wrath of god , the altar rent in pieces , and the ashes that were within were dispersed abroad . and although at the prayer of that holy man , his hand was restored to his former strength and soundnesse , yet returned not he from his unjust and disloyall dealing , but obstinately continued therein till his dying day . wherefore also the fierce wrath of god hunted and pursued him continually : for first of all , he was robbed of his sonne abia , dying through sicknesse : then he was set upon by abia king of iuda , with an army of foure hundred thousand men of warre : and though his power was double in strength and number , arising to eight hundred thousand persons , yet was he and his vaste army quite discomfited : for he lost at that field five hundred thousand of his men , beside certain cities which were yeelded to abia in the pursuit of his victory : his courage was so abated and impoverished ever after this , that he could uever recover strength to resist the king of iudah any more : and so god revenged at once the apostasie both of the king and people of israel , and last of all so strucke him after , that he died . ioram king of iuda , although his father iosaphat had instructed him from his childehood with holy and wholsome precepts , and set before his face the example of his owne zeale , in purging the church of god from all idolatry and superstition , and maintaining the true and pure service of god ; yet did he so foulely runne astray from his fathers steps , that allying himselfe by the marriage of athalia , to the house of achab , he became not only himselfe like unto the kings of israel in their filthy idolatry , but also drew his people after him , causing the inhabitants of ierusalem , and men of iuda , to runne a whoring after his strange gods : for which cause elias the prophet most sharply reproved him by letters ; the contents whereof in summe was this : that because he rebelled against the lord god of his fathers ; therefore the people that were in his subjection should rebell against him . presently the arabians and philistims rose up against him , wasted his countrey , robbed him of his treasures , tooke away his wives , and put all his children to the sword , except little ochozias his youngest sonne that was preserved : and after all these miseries , the lord smote him with so outragious and uncurable disease in his bowels , that after two yeares torment he died thereof , his guts being fallen out of his belly with anguish . ioas also king of the same country , was one to whom god had bin many wayes beneficiall from his infancy : for he was even then miraculously preserved from the bloudy hand of athalia , and after brought up in the house of god , under the tuition of that good priest iehoiada ; yet he was no sooner lifted up into his royall dignity , but by and by he and his people started aside , to the worship of stocks and stones , at that time when hee had taken upon him the repaire of the house of god. but all this came to passe after the decease of that good priest his tutor , whose good deeds towards him in saving his life , and giving him the crowne , he most unthankfully recompenced , by putting to death his sonne zacharias ; whom hee caused ( for reproving and threatning his idolatry in a publique assembly , incited thereto by the spirit of god ) to be stoned to death in the porch of the temple . but seeing he did so rebelliously set himselfe against the holy spirit , as if he would have quite oppressed and extinguished the power thereof , by the death of this holy prophet , by whom it spake ; god hissed for an army of syrians , that gave him battell , and conquered his souldiers , who in outward shew seemed much too strong for them . his princes also that had seduced him , were destroyed , and himselfe vexed with grievous diseases ; till at length his owne servants conspired against him for the death of zacharias , and slew him on his bed ; yea and his memory was so odious , that they could not afford him a burying place among the sepulchres of their kings . amazias the sonne of this wicked father , carried himselfe also at the first uprightly towards god in his service ; but it lasted not long : for a while after , he was corrupted and turned aside from that good way which he had begun , to tread in the by-paths of his father ioas : for after he had conquered the idumaeans , and slaine twenty thousand men of warre , and spoyled divers of their cities ; in stead of rendring due thanks to god , who ( without the ayde of the israelites ) had given him that victory , he set up the gods of the edomites , which he had robbed them of , to be his gods , and worshipped and burned incense to them , so void of sence and reason was he . and being rebuked by the prophet of his adverse dealing , he was so farre from humbling and repenting himself thereof , that quite contrary , he proudly withstood and rejected the prophets threatnings , menacing him with death if he ceased not . thus by this means having aggravated his sinne , and growing more and more obstinate , god made him an instrument to hasten his owne destruction ; for being proud , and puffed up with the overthrow which he gave the edomites , he defied the king of israel , and provoked him to battell also ; but full evill to his ease : for he lost the day , and was carried prisoner to ierusalem , where before his face ( for more reproach ) foure hundred cubits of the wall was broken downe , the temple and palace ransackt of his treasures , and his children carried for hostages to samaria . and not long after , treason was devised against him in ierusalem , so that he fled to lachish , and being pursued thither also , was there taken and put to death . likewise king ahaz for making molten images for baalim , and walking in the idolatrous wayes of the kings of israel , and burning his sonnes with fire , after the abhomination of the heathen , in the valley of ben-hinnon , was forsaken of the lord , and delivered into the hands of the king of syria , who carried him prisoner to damascus ; and not onely so but was also subdued by pekah king of israel , in that great battell , wherein his owne sonne , with fourescore thousand men at armes , were slaine ; yea and two hundred thousand of all sorts , men , women , and children , were taken prisoners : for all these chastisements did he not once reforme his life , but rather grew worse and worse . to make up the number of his sinnes , he would needs sacrifice to the gods of damascus also , thinking to finde succour at their hands : so that he utterly defaced the true service of god at ierusalem , broke in pieces the holy vessels , lockt up the temple dores , and placed in their steads his abhominable idols , for the people to worship , and erected altars in every corner of the city to doe sacrifice on . but as he rebelled on every side against his god , so god raised up enemies on every side to disturbe him : the edomites and philistims assaulted him on every side , beat his people , tooke and ransackt his cities : on the other side , the assyrians whom he had hired with a great sum for his help , turned to his undoing and utter overthrow and confusion . wat shall we thinke of manasses ? who re-edified the high places and altars , which the zeale of ezech● as his father had defaced and throwne downe , and adored and worshipped the planets of heaven , the sunne , the moone , and the starres , prophaned the porch of gods temple with altars dedicated to strange gods , committing thereon all the abhominations of the gentiles ; yea , and caused his sonnes to passe through the valley of ben-hinnon , and was an observer of times and seasons , and gave himselfe over to witchcraft , charming , and sorceries , and used the help of familiar spirits and soothsayers ; and that which is more , placed a carved image in the house of god , flat against the second commandement of the law : so that he did not only go astray and erre himselfe , in giving over his mind to most wicked and damnable heresies , but also seduced the people by his pernitious example and authority to doe the like mischiefe . and that which is yet more , and worst of all , he made no account nor reckoning of the admonitions of the prophets ; but the rather and the more hardened his heart , to runne out into all manner of cruelty and wickednesse , that his sinnes might have their full measure . for the very stones of the streets of ierusalem were stained from one corner to another with the guiltlesse and innocent bloud of those that either for disswading him from , or not yeelding unto his abhominable and detestable idolatry , were cruelly murthered : amongst the number of which slaine innocents , many suppose that the prophet esayas ( although he was of the bloud-royall ) was with a strange manner of torment put to death . wherefore the flame of gods ire was kindled against him and his people : so that he stirred up the assyrians against them ; whose power and force they being not able to resist , were subdued , and the king himselfe taken and put in fetters , and bound in chaines , carried captive to babylon : but being there in tribulation , hee humbled his soule , and prayed unto the lord his god ; who for all his wicked , cruell , and abhominable apostasie was intreated of him , and received him to mercy ; yea and brought him againe to ierusalem into his unhoped for kingdome . then was he no more unthankfull to the lord for his wonderfull deliverance , but being touched with true repentance for his former life , abolished the strange gods , broke downe their altars , and restored againe the true religion of god , and gave strait commandement to his people to doe the like . wherein it was the pleasure of the highest , to leave a notable memoriall unto all posterity , of his great and infinite mercy towards poore and miserable sinners , to the end that no man ( be his sinnes never so hainous ) should at any time despaire : for , where sin aboundeth , there grace aboundeth much more admit that this revolt of manasses was farre greater and more outragious than was solomons , yet his true repentance found the grace to be raised up from that 〈◊〉 ●ull downefall : for , god hath mercy on whom he will have mercy , and compassion on whom he will have compassion . o the profound riches of the wisedome and knowledge of god! how unspeakable are his judgements ? and his wayes p●st finding out . amon the wicked sonne of this repentant ●ather committed also the like offence in serving strange gods , but recanted not by like repentance ; and therefore god gave his owne servants both will to conspire , and power to execute his destruction , after hee had swayed the kingdome but two yeares . chap. xviii . of the third and worst sort of apostata's . by how much the more god hath in these latter daies poured forth more plentifully his graces upon the sonnes of men , by the manifestations of his sonne christ iesus in the flesh , and sent forth a more cleere light by the preaching of his gospell into the world than was before times ; by so much the more culpable before god , and guilty of eternall damnation are they , who being once enlightened and made partakers of those excellent graces , come afterwards either to despise or make light account of them , or goe about to suppresse the truth , and quench the spirit which instructed them therein . this is the sinne against the holy ghost , which is mentioned in the sixth and tenth chapter to the hebrewes and in the twelfth of luke ; and in another place , it is called a sinne unto death , because it is impardonable , by reason that no excuse of ignorance can be pleaded , nor any plaister of true repentance applyed unto it . the apostata's of the old testament under the law were not guilty of this sinne : for although there were many that willingly and malitiously revolted and set themselves against the prophets of god , making warre as it were with the holy ghost ; yet seeing they had no such cleere testimonies of christ iesus , and declaration of gods spirit as we have , their sinne cannot be properly said directly to be against the holy ghost , and so never to be remitted : according to the description of this sinne in those passages of scripture which were before recited , as it may manifestly appeare by the former example of king manasses . the apostle himselfe likewise doth averre the truth hereof , when he saith , if we sinne willingly after that we have received the knowledge of the truth , there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes , but a fearefull looking for of judgement , and violent fire , which shall devoure the adversaries . if any man despised moses law , he died without mercy , under two or three witnesses : of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthy , which treadeth under foot the sonne of god , and counteth the bloud of the new testament as a prophane thing , whereby he was sanctified , and doth despight to the spirit of grace . here we may see that this sinne is proper to those onely that lived under the gospell , and have tasted of the comfort and knowledge of christ. iudas iscariot ( that wicked and accursed varlet ) committed the deed , and feeles the scourge of this great sinne : for he ( being a disciple , nay an apostle of christ iesus ) moved with covetousnesse , after he had devised and concluded of the manner and complot of his treason with the enemie , sold his lord and master , the savior of the world , for thirty pieces of silver , and betrayed him into the bands of theeves and murtherers , who sought nothing but his destruction . after this vile traitour had performed this execrable purpose ( by reason whereof he is called the sonne of perdition ) he could finde no rest nor repose in his guilty conscience , but was horribly troubled and tormented with remorse of his wickednesse , judging himselfe worthy of a thousand deaths , for betraying that innocent and guiltlesse bloud . if hee looked up , he saw the vengeance of god ready to fall upon him and insnare him : if hee looked downe , he saw nothing but hell gaping to swallow him up : the light of this world was odious to him , and his own life displeased him , so that being plunged into the bottomlesse pit of despaire , he at last strangled himselfe , and burst in twaine in the midst , and all his bowels gushed out . there is a notable example of lucian , who having professed christianity for a season under the emperour trajan , fell away afterwards , and became so prophane and impious , as to make a mocke at religion and divinity ; whereupon his sirname was called atheist . this wretch , as he barked out ( like a foule mouthed dog ) bitter taunts against the religion of christ , seeking to rend and abolish it , so he was himselfe , in gods vengeance , torne in pieces and devoured of dogs . porphyrie also ( a whelp of the same litter ) after he had received the knowledge of the truth , for despight and anger that he was reproved of his faults by the christians , set himselfe against them , and published books full of horrible blasphemies , to discredit and overthrow the christian faith. but when he perceived how fully and sufficiently he was confuted , and that he was reputed an accursed and confounded wretch for his labour , in terrible despaire and anguish of soule he died . iulian the emperour , sirnamed the apostate , cast himselfe headlong into the same gulfe : for having been brought up and instructed from his childehood in the christian faith , and afterward a while a profest reader thereof to others in the church , as soone as he had obtained the empire , malitiously revolted from his profession , and resisted with all his power , the faith and church of christ , endeavouring by all means possible , either by force to ruinate and destroy it , or by fine sleights and subtilties to undermine it . and because his purpose was to doe what hurt hee could to christians , therefore he studied by all he could , to please , content , and uphold the contrary party , i meane the painims : he caused their temples first to be opened , which constantine his predecessor had caused to be shut up : he tooke from the christian churches and their ministers those priviledges , liberties , and commodities which the said constantine had bestowed upon them : and not content with this , he confiscated the church revenues , and imposed great taxes and tributes upon all that professed the name of christians , and forbad them to have any schooles of learning for their children . and yet more to vexe and grieve them , he translated many orders of the church discipline and policy into paganisme . after he had thus by all means striven to beat down the scepter of christs kingdome , it turned quite contrary to his expectation ; for in stead thereof , the scepter of his owne kingdome was broken and brought to nought : at that time when making warre upon the persians , he was wounded with an arrow , which pierced his armour , and dived so deep into his side , that he died thereof . when he undertooke this voyage , he was furnished with such bravery both of apparell and all things else , as it might seeme it appertained to him and none else to overwhelme and oversway the world ; still belching out threats against poore christians , whom he hed determined at his returne from persia utterly to destroy , and leave none alive , as was afterwards reported by one of his councell . the number of his souldiers was so innumerable , and his strength so impregnable , that he made no other reckoning but to be lord of persia in a very short space . but loe how the lord overturneth the attempts of his enemies : this great army ( as s. chrysostome reporteth against the heathen ) in which he put so much confidence , seemed ere long to be rather a vaste and weak multitude of women and infants , than an host of warriours : for by evill and foolish conduct and government , there rose so great a famine amongst them , that their horses which were provided for the battell , served for their bellies , yea and for want of that too , many hundreds died for hunger and thirst . even when he skirmished , his owne side came to the worse , doing more scath to themselves , than to their enemies ; and lastly ( leading them so undiscreetly ) they could not by any means escape , out were constrained after he was slaine , to intreat the persians to suffer them to retyre ; and so as many as could , escaped and fled away to save their lives . and thus this brave army was thus miserably dismembred and discomfited , to the everlasting shame of that wicked apostate . one of the treasurers of this wicked emperour ( who to please his master , forsooke also the religion of christ ) being on a time mocking and deriding the ministry of the holy word , died miserably on a sudden , vomiting his owne bloud out of his mouth , and ( as chrysostome saith ) his privy parts being rotten and purrified , and consumed with lice , for all that ever he could doe to remedy the same . it is recorded of trebellius the first king of the bulgarians , that being converted with his people to the faith of christ , to the end to give himselfe more quiet to the meditation and exercise of religion , resigned over his kingdome to his eldest sonne : whom when hee perceived to renounce the faith , and to follow strange gods , he not only deprived of all his royall dignity , but also caused his eyes to be put out , for a punishment of his apostacie , and bestowed the kingdome upon his other sonne ; shewing thereby , that he that abandoneth the true light of salvation , is not worthy to enjoy the comfortable light of the world . during the heptarchy of the saxons here in england , there raigned in northumberland two kings ; one called ostrich , who was king of the deirians , and the other eaufride king of the bernirians ( for into those two provinces was that countrey antiently divided . ) these two kings before they came to their crownes , were by the preaching of paulinus converted to the faith of christ , and baptised into the same faith ; but as soone as god advanced them to their kingly dignities , presently they expelled the king of glory out of their hearts , and renouncing christ , betooke themselves againe to their filthy idols . but they joyed not long in this their apostacie ; for within one yeare they were both slaine by cedwalla king of the britaines , the one in battell , the other comming to sue for peace : and so they forsaking christ in their prosperity , were forsaken by him in their adversity , and given over to be a prey into the hands of their enemies . this yeare wherein these two kings thus revolted and were slaine , hath upon it the marke of vengeance to this day : for by the common consent of all chronicles , that the memory of these apostates might be utterly defaced and blotted out , it was reckoned in the account of the next kings raigne , to wit oswold , a holy and religious man ; and so both the name of the kings , and the time of their raigne , is , in detestation of the apostacie , utterly left out of our english stories , as if they were unworthy to have a place among men , much more among kings , that forsooke christ of their owne accord , without any constraint or compulsion thereunto . a divine at louvaine , one iames la●onus , who was well instructed at the first in the knowledge of the truth , afterwards renouncing the same , endeavoured with all his power to oppugne and oppresse it . this man being on a time mounted into a pulpit , to preach before the emperour charles the fifth , was at the very instant so amased and astonished , that no man could perceive what he said , and so made himselfe a laughing stocke to all that audience . seeing himselfe thus disgraced , he returned from brussels to louvaine , where he fell into such griefe and sorrow of minde , for the dishonour which he had gotten , that it turned at length into despaire : and in his dayly lectures , these or like words oftentimes escaped after that goodly sermon , that he had impugned the truth of god : which when divers of his owne coat heard , they caused him to be shut up fast in a house , where in desperation he died , telling every man he was damned , and that he could not hope for salvation or remission of his sins , because that of meer malice he had resisted and made war with god. cardinall poole an englishman , had also somtimes professed himselfe to be well seen in the sincerity of the gospell , yet contrary to his conscience he sent into his countrey the trophies and ensignes of antichrist the pope , which before had been rased out and abolished the realme ; but he died two or three daies after queene mary , in horrible griefes , terrors , and fearfulnesse , without any shew of repentance . stephen gaediner bishop of winchester , and after chancellor of england , shewed in his young yeares some forwardnesse to withstand the popish abuses and superstitions ; but as soone as he was exalted to honour , he turned over a new lease , and began freshly and furiously to afflict and to rend the poore & faithfull servants of christ , putting them to the cruellest deaths he could devise . and yet more to discover his prophanenesse and rebellion , he wrote many books against the pure religion of god : and being thus swolne with venomous spight against the sonne of god , beside the extreame covetousnesse , whoredomes , and extortions which raigned in him , behold the lord layd his hand of wrath upon him , and stroke him with so strange a malady , that before his death such horrible stinke issued from him , that none of his friends and servants , no not himselfe , could endure the savour thereof : his belly was swolne like a taber , his eyes distracted and sunke into his head , his cheeks thin , and the appearance of his whole face very terrible : his breath savoured of a filthy and intolerable stinke , and all his members were rotten with continuall griefes and swounings ; yet this vile wretch in the midst of all these torments ceased not to yell out continuall blasphemies , and infamous speeches , and so despighting and maugring god , died . peter castellon bishop of maston , having attained to great riches and renowne , by the means of the gospell , turned notwithstanding his backe to christ , and mightily inveyed in his sermons at orleance against the profession of his religion ; seeking to make it knowne , that he had not onely abjured and denied it , but also that hee was a profest adversary unto it . this man sitting at a time in his chaite , fell into a strange disease , which no physitian had ever seene , or could search out the cause of ; for one halfe of his body was extreme hot , and burned like fire , the other extreame cold , and frozen like ice ; and in this torment with horrible cries and groanings he ended his life . a gray frier called picard , who once was not ashamed of the gospell , afterwards set himselfe to preach against that which he had professed , and being in the pulpit at orleance , after infinite blasphemies which he had disgorged against the truth , at last said , that he protested before god and the holy assembly , that he would never preach more after that day , because he was an apostate : which saying he by and by impudently and constantly denied , to the perill and damnation of his owne soule ; thinking by his horrible cursings and forswearings , to abuse the poore ignorant and superstitions people ; but he no sooner came into the field , but the puissant hand of god over-reached him , and stroke him speechlesse , so that he was carried thence halfe dead , and within short space died , altogether without any appearance of repentance . among other iudges which shewed themselves hot and rigorous in persecuting and proceeding against the faithfull prisoners of valence in daulphine , and other romanes , at that season when two ministers of the same city suffered martyrdome , one lanbespin a counsellor , and ponsenas the kings atturney at the parliament of grenoble , both two having been professors in times past , were not the backwardest in that action ; but god made them both strange examples of his wrath : for lanbespin falling in love with a young maid , was so extremely passionate therein , that he forewent his owne estate , and all bounds of civill honesty , to follow her up and down whithersoever she went : and seeing his love and labour despised and set at nought , he so pined away with very thought , that making no reckoning of himselfe , such a multitude of lice so fed upon him , and tooke so good liking of their pasture , that by no means he could be cleansed of them ; for they increased and issued out of every part of his body in such number , as maggots are wont to engender in a dead and rotten carrion . at length a little before his death seeing his owne misery , and seeling gods heavy vengeance upon him , he began to despaire of all mercy ; and to the end to abridge his miserable dayes , he resolved to hungerstarve himselfe to death . which purpose the lice furthered ; for they stucke so thicke in his throat , as if they would have choaked him every moment : neither could he suffer any sustenance to passe downe by reason of them . they that were eye witnesses of this pittifull spectacle , were wondrously moved with compassion , and constrained him to eat whither he would or not . and that they might make him take culliss●s and other stewed broaths , because he refused and strove against them , they bound his armes , and put gagges into his mouth , to keep it open whilest others poured in the food . and in this wise being gagged , he died like a mad beast , with abundance of lice that went downe his throat ; insomuch that the very papists themselves stucke not to say , that as he caused the ministers of valence to have gagges thrust into their mouths , and so put to death , so likewise he himself died with a gagge in his mouth . as touching ponsenas , commonly called bourrel ( a very butcher indeed of poore christians ) after he had sold his owne patrimony , and his wives and friends also , to the end to buy out his office , and had spent that which remained in house ▪ keeping , hoping in short space to take up twise as much as he had scattered , fell downe into a strange and unknowne disease , and shortly grew in despaire of gods succour and favour towards him , by a strong remembrance of those of valence , and the other romanes which he had put to death , which would never depart out of his minde , but still presented themselves before him : so that as one bestraught of reason and sence , he denied his maker , and called upon his destroyer the devill , with most horrible and bitter ensuings : which when his clearke perceived , he layd out before him the mercies of god , out of all places of the scripture , to comfort and restore his decayed sense . but in stead of returning to god by repentance and prayer , he continued obstinate , and answered his clerke ( whose name was stephen ) in this wise ; stephen , stephen , thou art blacke : so i am and it please you ( quoth he ) but i am neither turke nor moore , nor bohemian , but a gascoigne of red haire . no no ( answered he ) not so , but thou art blacke ; but it is with sinne . that is true ( quoth he ) but i hope in the bountifull mercy of god ; that for the love of christ who died for me , my blacke sinnes shall not be imputed to me . then he redoubling his choler , cried mainly after his clerke , calling him lutheran , huguenot , villaine . at which noise his friends without rushed in to know what the matter was . but hee commanded , that stephen his clerke should presently have a paire of bolts clapt on his heeles , and to be burned for an heretique . in briefe , his choler and rage boyled so furiously in him , that in short space he died a fearefull death , with horrible howling and outcries . his creditors scarse gave him respite to draw his carkasse out of his bed , before they seised upon all his goods , not leaving his poore wife and children so much as a bed of straw to lye in : so grievous was the curse of god upon his house . another great prince having in former time used his authority and power to the advancing of gods kingdome , afterwards being seduced by the allurements of the world , renounced god , and tooke part with the enemies of his church , to make warre against it ; in which war he was wounded to death , and is one notable example of gods just vengeance , to all that shall in like manner fall away . chap. xix . of heretiques . as it is a matter necessarily appertaining to the first commandement , that the purity and sinceritie of the doctrine of gods word be maintained , by the rule whereof he would have us both know him , and understand the holy mysteries which are revealed to us therein : so also by the contrary , whatsoever tendeth to the corrupting or falsifying of the same word , rising from foolish and strange opinions of humane reason , the same transgresseth the limits of this commandement : of which sort is heresie , an evill of its owne nature very pernicious and contagious , and no lesse to be feared and shunned than the heat of persecution : and by means whereof the whole nation of christendome hath been heretofore tossed with many troubles , and the church of god grievously vexed . but as truth got ever the upper hand , and prevailed against falshood : so the broakers and upholders of falshood came ever to the worse , and were confounded as well by the strength of truth , as by the speciall judgements of god sent downe upon the most part of them . theudas & iudas galileus were two that seduced the jews before christ : for the first of them said he was a prophet sent from god , and that he could divide the waters of jordan by his word , as ioshuah the servant of the lord did . the other promised to deliver them from the servitude and the yoake of the romanes . and both of them by that means drew much people after them : so prone is the common multitude to follow novelties , and to beleeve every new sangle that is but yesterday set on broach . but they came both to a deserved destruction : for fatus the governour of jury overtooke theudas , and sending his trunke to the grave , carried his head as a monument to jerusalem . as for iudas , he perished also , and all his followers were dispersed , manifesting by their ends , that their works were not of god , but of men , and therefore must needs come to naught . after christ , in the apostles time there was one elymas a sorcerer , that mightily withstood the doctrine of paul and barnabas , before sergius paulus the deputy , and sowed a contrary heresie in his minde : but paul full of the holy ghost , set his eyes on him , and said , o full of all subtilty and mischief , the childe of the devill , and enemy of righteousnesse , wilt thou not cease to pervert the strait wayes of the lord ? now therefore behold , the hand of the lord is upon thee , and then shalt be blinde for season . and immediately there fell upon him a mist and darknesse , and hee went about to seeke some to lead him by the hand . and this recompence gained hee for his erroneous and hereticall practise . a while after him , under the empire of adrian , arose there another called benchochab , that professed himselfe to be the messias , and to have descended from heaven in the likenesse of a star , for the safety and redemption of the people : by which fallacy he drew after him a world of seditious disciples ; but at length he and many of his credulous rout were slaine , and was called by the iewes bencozba ( that is ) the son of a lye . and this was the goodly redemption which this heretique brought upon his owne head and many of his fellowes . it is reported of cerinthus an heretique , that he denying and going about to darken the doctrine of christs everlasting kingdome , was overwhelmed by the sudden fall of an hot house which fell upon him and his associates , as soone as s. iohn was departed from it : for ireneus saith , that he heard polycarpus often report , how s. iohn being about to enter into the bathes at ephesus , when he perceived cerinthus already within , departed very hastily ; saying to those that bore him company , that he feared that the house would fall upon their heads , because of cerinthus the heretique , that was therein at that instnat . manes , of whom the maniches tooke their name and first originall , forged in his foolish braine a fiction of two gods , and two beginners , and rejecting the old testament , and the true god which is revealed in the same , published a fifth gospell of his owne forgery , yea and was so besotted with folly ( as suidas testifieth of him ) that he reported himselfe to be the holy ghost : when he had thus with his devillish heresies and blasphemies infected the world , and was pursued by gods just judgement , at last for other wicked practises he had his skin plucked over his eares alive , and so dyed in misery . montanus that blasphemous caitise , of whom came the montanists , or pepuzian heretiques , of a towne in phrygia called pepuza , denied christ our saviour to be god , and said he was but a man only like other men , without any participation of divine essence : he called himselfe the comforter and holy spirit which was forepromised to come into the world ; and his two wives priscilla and maximilla , he named his prophetesses , and their writings prophecies : howbeit all their cunning could not foretell nor prevent a wretched and desperate end which befell him ; for he hung himselfe , after he had deluded the world a long season , and proved by his end , his life to have been vile and damnable , according to the proverb , qualis vita , finis it a , a cursed life , and a cursed death . of all heretiques that ever troubled and afflicted gods church , the arrians were the chiefe : the author and ringleader of which crue , as by his vainglorious pride and ambition he sought to extoll himselfe above the clouds , boasting and vaunting in his damnable errour ; so by the just vengeance of god he was abased lower than hell , and put in everlasting shame and opprobry : for he had long time as it were entred the list , and combated with christ , and was condemned for an heretique by the nicene councell , and his bookes burned : and then afterwards making shew before constantine the emperour , with a solemne oath to recant his old errours , and approve the profession of faith , which the councell of nice had set forth concernning christs divinity , whereunto also he subscribed his name : but all that he did was in hypocrisie , to the end to renew and republish the more boldly his false and pernitious doctrine . but when he thought himselfe neerest to the attainment of his purpose , and braved it most with his supporters and companions , even then the lord stroke him with a sudden fear in the open street , and with such horrible pangs in his guts , and vehement desire of disburthening nature , that he was faine to come unto the publick houses appointed for that purpose , taking them which were next at hand for a shift : but he never shifted from them again ; for his breath went out of his mouth , and his guts ran out of his fundament , and there lay he dead upon his owne excrements . as the emperour constantius was a great favourer and supporter of this sect , and maintained it against , and in despight of true christans , and by that meanes stirred up schismes and dissentions throughout all christendome : so the lord to requite him , stirred up iulian ; whom he himselfe had promoted to honour , to rebell against him : whose practices as he went about to suppresse , and was even ready to encounter , a grievous apoplexy sudenly surcharged him so sore , that he died of it ; before he could bring his purpose to passe . the emperour valens was infected also with this poyson , wherewith likewise he infected the gothes , who by his means were become the greater part arrians , and not christians : but neither went he unpunished ▪ for when he marched forth to represse the rage of the furious gothes , who were spread over all thracia , and had given them battell , he lost the day , and being shamefully put to flight , was pursued so fiercely , that hee was faine to hide himselfe in a little house , which being set on fire by the gothes , he was burnt therein . as for nestorius , which would maintaine by his foolish and dangerous opinions , that the divinity of christ was divided from his humanity , making as it were two christs of one , and two persons of one , and so turned upside downe that whole ground-worke of our salvation , escaped no more the just vengeance of god than all other hereticks did : for first he was banished into a far country , and their tormented with a strange disease ; the very wormes did gnaw in pieces his blasphemous tongue , and at length the earth opened her mouth , and swallowed him up . concerning the anabaptists , which rose up about five hundred yeares since , it is evidently known how divers wayes god scourged and plagued many of them : some of them were destroyed by troops and by thousands ; others miserably executed and put to death in divers places , as well for their monstrous and damnable heresies , as for many mischiefes and outrages which they committed . by all which things god doth exhibit and set before our eyes , how deere and precious in his sight the purenesse of his holy word , and the unity of his church is ; and how carefull and zealous every one of us ought to be in maintaining and upholding the ●ame : when as he revengeth himselfe so sharply upon all those that go about to pervert and corrupt the sincerity thereof , or which be breeders of new sects and divisions among his people . olympus ( by office bishop of carthage , but by profession a ●avourer and maintainer of the arriah heresie ) being upon a time in the bath 〈◊〉 himselfe , he uttered with an impious mouth , blasphemous words against the holy trinity , but a threefold thunderbolt came from above , and stroke him dead in the same place ; teaching him by his paine , and all other by experience , what it is to blaspheme the lord of heaven , or with polluted lips to mention his sacred majesty . this hapned in the yeare of our lord god five hundred and ten . cyril hath recorded unto us of his owne knowledge , a more wonderfull and admirable wonder of god upon an heretique than all the rest , and such an one indeed , as the like ( i dare say ) was never heard of : the history is this ; after the decease of saint hierome , there stood up one sabinianus a perverse and blasphemous fellow , that denied the distinction of persons in the trinity , and affirmed the father , the sonne , and the holy-ghost , to be but one distinct person : and to give credit to his heresie , he wrot a booke of such blasphemies , tending to the confirmation of the same , and fathered it upon saint hierome , as being the author of it . but silvanus the bishop of nazaren mightily withstood and reproved him , for depraving so worthy a man now dead ; and offering his life for the truth , made this bargain with sabinianus , that if saint hierome the next day did not by some miracle testifie the falsenesse of his cause , he would offer his throat to the hangman , and abide death ; but if he did , that then he should die . this was agreed upon by each party , and the day following , both of them accompanied with great expectation of the people , resorted unto the temple of jerusalem to decide the controversie . now the day was past , and no miracle appeared , so that silvanus was commanded to yeeld his neck to that punishment which himselfe was author of : which as he most willingly and confidently did , behold , an image like to saint hierome in shew , appeared and stayed the hangmans hand , which was now ready to strike : and vanishing forthwith , another miracle succeeded ; sabinianus head fell from his shoulders , no man striking at it , and his carkasse remained upon the ground dead and sencelesse . whereat the people amased , praising god , clave unto silvanus , and abjured sabinianus heresie . whence wee may observe the wonderfull wisedome of god , both in punishing his enemies , and trying his children whither they will stand to his truth or no ; and learne thereby , neither rashly to measure and limit the purposes of god , nor yet timorously to despaire of help in a good cause , though we see no meanes nor likelihood thereof . grimoald king of lombardy was infected with the arrian heresie , for which cause the lord punished him with untimely death ; for having been let bloud , the eleventh day after as he strove to draw a bow , he opened the veine anew , and so bled to death . ●abades king of persia , when he saw his sonne phorsuasa addicted to the maniches , he assembled as many as he could of that sect into one place , and there setting his souldiers on them , slew them till there was not one left . photinu● a gallograecian , for renuing the heresie of hebion , and affirming christ to be but an excellent man borne naturally by mary , after the manner of other men , excelling in justice and morall vertues , was by the emperour valentinianus justly banished . the emperor iustinian favouring the heresie of the apthardocites , when as he gave out one edict whereby anastasius the bishop , and all other that maintained the truth , should be banished ; suddenly he was stroken with an inward and invisible plague , which took away his life , and forestalled his wicked and cruell determination from comming to the desired effect . in all which examples we may see how god doth not onely punish heretiques themselves , but also their favorers and supporters , yea the very places and cities wherein they lived and broached their blasphemies : as by the destruction of antioch is seene , which being a very sinke of hereticks , was partly consumed with fire from heaven above , in the seventh yeare of iustinus the emperour , and partly overthrowne with earth-quakes below , wherein euphrasius the bishop , and many other were destroyed . moreover , besides those , there were under pope innocent the third , certaine heretickes called albigenses , or albiani , which being possessed with the same spirit of fury that the maniches were , affirmed that there were two gods ; the one good , and another evill : they denied the resurrection , despised the sacraments , and said that the soules of men after their separation , passed either into hogs , oxen , serpents , or men , according to their merits they would not spare to pollute the temples appointed for the service of god , with their excrements , and other filthy actions , and to defile the holy bibles with ruine , in despight and contumely . this heresie like an evill weed , so grew and increased , that the branches thereof spread over almost all europe ; a thousand cities were polluted therewith ; so that it was high time to cut it short by violence and the sword , as it was ; for they were oppressed with so huge a slaughter , that an hundred thousand of them were slaine , partly by war , partly by fire , at one time . gregory of tours hath recorded the life and death of an hereticall monk of bordeaux ; that by the help of magicke wrought miracles , and tooke upon him the name and title of christ , saying hee could cure diseases , and restore those that were past help by physick , unto their healths : hee went attired with garments made of goats haire , and an hood , professing an austerity of life abroad , whereas he plaid the glutton at home ; but at length his cousenage was discovered , and he was banished the city , as a man unfit for civill society . in the yeare of our lord god , in the empire of otto the fourth , there was one almaricus also that denied the presence of christ in the sacrament , and said , that god spake as well in prophane ovid , as holy augustine : he scoffed at the doctrine of the resurrection , and esteemed heaven and hell but as an old wives fable . hee being dead , his disciples were brought forth into a large field neere paris , and there in the presence of the french king , degraded and burnt : the dead carkasse of almaricus being taken out of the sepulchre and burnt amongst them , it fell out that whilest they were in burning , there arose so huge a tempest , that heaven and earth seemed to move out of their places ; wherein doubtlesse the soules of these wicked men felt by experience , that hell was no fable ; but a thing , and such a thing as waited for all such rebels against god , as they were . anastasius , emperour of constantinople , being corrupted with the heresie of eutiches , published an edict , wherein all men were commanded to worship god not under three persons as a trinity , but as a quaternity , containing it in foure persons : and could not by any counsell be brought from that devillish error , but repelled from him divers bishops with great reproach , which came to perswade him to the contrary : for which cause not long after , a flash of lightning from heaven suddenly seised upon him , and so hee perished when he had raigned twenty eight yeares . iustinus the second also , who after the death of iustinian obtained the imperiall crowne , was a man of exceeding pride and cruelty , contemning poverty , and murthering the nobility for the most part . in avarice his desire was so insatiate , that he caused iron chests to be prepared , wherein he might locke up that treasure which by unjust exactions he had extorted from the people . notwithstanding all this , he prospered well enough untill he fell into the heresie of pelagius , soone after which , the lord bereft him of his wits , and shortly aster of his life also , when hee had raigned eleven yeares . mahomet , by birth an arabian , and by profession one of the most monstrous hereticks that ever lived , began his heresie in the yeare . his off-spring was out of a base stocke ; for being fatherlesse , one abdemonoples a man of the house of ismael , bought him for his slave , and loved him greatly for his favour and wit : for which cause he made him ruler over his merchandise and other businesse . now in the meane while one sergius a monk ( flying for heresie into arabia ) instructed him in the heresie of nestorius : a while after , his master died without children , and left behinde him much riches , and his wife a widow of fifty yeares of age , whom mahomet married , and when she died , was made heire of all her riches . so that now ( what for his wealth and cunning in magick ) he was had in high honour among the people . wherefore ( by the counsell of sergius ) hee called himselfe the great prophet of god. and shortly after ( when his fame was published ) he devised a law and kinde of religion called alcaron , wherein hee borrowed something almost of all the heresies that were before his time , with the sabellians he denied the trinity : with the maniches he said there was but two persons in the deity : he denied the equality of the father with the sonne , with eunomius : and said with macedone that the holy ghost was a creature ; and approved the community of women with the nicholaits : he borrowed of the jewes circumcision ; and of the gentiles much superstition ; and somewhat he tooke of the christian verity , besides many devillish fantasies invented of his owne braine : those that obeyed his law , he called sarazins . now after he had lived in these monstrous abuses forty yeares , the lord cut him off by the falling sicknesse , which he had dissembled a long time , saying when he was taken therewith , that the angell gabriel appeared unto him , whose brightnesse hee could not behold : but the lord made that his destruction , which be imagined would be for his honour , and setting forth his sect. infinite be the examples of the destruction and judgement of private heretiques in all ages , and therefore we will content our selves with them that be most famous . in the yeare of our lord , and the third yeare of the raigne of queen elizabeth , there was in london one william geffery , that constantly avouched a companion of his called iohn moore to bee christ our saviour , and could not bee reclaimed from this mad perswasion , untill hee was whipped from southwarke to bedlam , where the said moore meeting him , was whipped also , untill they both confessed christ to bee in heaven , and themselves to bee sinfull and wicked men . but most strange it is , how divers sensible and wise men were deluded and carried beside themselves by the subtilty of satan , in the yeare , and of the raigne of queene elizabeth , the memory whereof is yet fresh in every mans head and mouth , and therefore i will but briefly touch the same . edmund coppinger and henry arthington , two gentlemen , being associated with one william hacket , sometimes a prophane & very leud person , but now converted in outward shew , though not in inward affection , were so seduced by his hypocriticall behaviour , and the devils extraordinary devices , that from one point to another they came at last to thinke , that this hacket was anointed to be the judge of the world ; and therefore comming one day to hackets lodging in london , he told them they had been anointed of the holy ghost : then coppinger asked him what his pleasure was to be done ? goe your way ( saith he ) and proclaim in the citie , that christ jesus is come with his fanne in his hand to judge the earth : and if they will not beleeve it , let them come and kill me , if they can . then coppinger answered , it should be done forthwith ; and thereupon ( like mad-men ) he and arthington ran into the streets , and proclaimed their message aforesaid : and when by reason of the concourse of people they could not proceed any further , they got up into two emptie carts in cheape , crying , repent , repent , for christ iesus is come to judge the world : and then pulling a paper out of his bosome , he read out of it many things touching the office and calling of hacket , how he represented christ by taking part of his glorified body , &c. besides , they called themselves his prophets , one of justice , another of mercy . and thus these simple men were strangely deceived by a miraculous illusion of satan , who no doubt by strange apparitions had brought them into this vaine conceit . but let us observe the end of it ; it was thus : the whole citie being in amaze , tooke hacket , the breeder of this device , and arraigning him before the maior and other justices , found him guiltie as well of this seditious practise , as of speaking traiterous words against the queene : wherefore he was shortly after hanged on a gibbet in cheap-side , counterfeiting to his last his old devices , and at length uttering horrible blasphemies against the majestie of god. as for his prophets , coppinger dyed the next day in bride well , and arthington was kept in prison , upon hope of repentance . chap. xx. of hypocrites . as god is a spirit and truth , so he will be worshipped in truth of spirit and affection , and not in hypocrisie and dissimulation : for which cause he commandeth us by the mouth of moses , in the sixth and tenth chapters of deuteronomy , to love and honour him with all our heart , with all our soule , and all our strength : which hypocrites are so farre from doing , that they have nothing in them but a vaine shew of coined religion , and so by that means break the first commandement ; thinking to bleare gods eyes with their outward shewes and ceremonies , as if he were like men , to see nothing but that which is without , and offereth it selfe to the view ; but it is quite contrary : for it is he that descryeth the heart , and searcheth out all the cornors thereof , to see what truth and sinceritie is therein , and therefore hateth and detesteth all hypocrisie , and abhorreth all such service as is performed onely for fashion sake , or in regard of men : as appeareth by there proofes and checks which the prophet esay denounceth against the hypocrites of his time : who made shew of honouring god , but it was but with their lips and vaine and frivolous ceremonies , not in truth of heart and affection : so our saviour christ thundred out his curses against the scribes and pharisees with the judgements and vengeance of god for their hypocrisie . with this sinne was balaam that wicked prophet , upon whom god bestowed a certaine gift of prophesie , infected : for when king balac sent for him to curse the israelites , he made as though he would not enterprise any thing contrary to the will of god as if he had him in great reverence and estimation : neverthelesse being allured and enticed by the golden presents which were sent him , he despised gods commandement , and discovered his own secret impietie , and became an hired slave and enemy to the people of god : but as he was in journey towards him , there happened a strange and prodigious thing ; an angell met him by the way with a naked sword in his hand ready to hew him in pieces : whom when he himselfe being blinded with covetousnesse as with a vaile , could not perceive , ●is asse saw and was afraid ; and that which was more strange , the poore bruit and dumbe beast speaking in a new language like a man , reproved his masters madnesse . whereat he being sore amazed , and notwithstanding all the asses humbling before the angell , yet pursued his unhappy journey , to his eternall shame and confusion , as one of an obstinate and heardened heart ; for he was forced by the spirit of god to blesse those whom he had purposed to curse ; and yet further discovering his hypocrisie and envious disposition , he was the cause why the israelites provoked the wrath of god against themselves , through the pernicious and deceivable counsell which he gave to the madianites ; for which cause he himselfe was in the end slain . in this range may we place geesie , elizeus servant , who being as is it were the disciple and profest follower both of his masters life and doctrine , the true prophet of god , by whom for the further assurance and confirmation of the grace and blessing of god , he had seene many notable and excellent miracles wrought ; yet notwithstanding was not true of heart , but drawne aside by desire of lucre , that caused him secretly ( unwitting to his master ) to ru●ne after naaman the syrian in his masters name , for the money and apparell which his master had before refused : and supposing his knavery to be so hidden that it could not come to light , god discovered and pulled off his visard , and punished as well the deed , as the manner of doing hereof , upon him and his posteritie , with a perpetuall leprosie . saint luke in the first chapter of the acts , doth at large describe the hypocrisie of ananias and saphira , who that they might seeme zealous to godward , and charitable toward the saints , having sold a certaine possession , under pretence of giving the price thereof among the poore , retained covertly a certaine portion of it to their owne use , being so impudent as to lye unto the holy ghost the president of the church , and founder of all secrets : but being attached by the mouth of peter , a just and fearfull judgement of god fell on them both , even their sudden death at the apostles feet , one after another . nicephorus telleth of one philip , the first emperour that undertook the name and profession of christ ; but by the report of other writers , it proceeded not from any zeale of religion , or feare of god , but onely to the intent to counterfeit a kind of honestie , and cover his foule vices and cruelties under the cloake of religion . but god quickly espied and punished his deepe hypocrisie ; for before he had raigned full five yeares , both he and his son were slain at verona by his men of war. let us learn then this lesson , by these examples to carry our selves in all purenesse , sinceritie , and good conscience before god ; that our thoughts , words , and deeds , being estranged from all hypocrisie , and dissimulation , may be agreeable and acceptable in his sight . moreover , even as hypocrisie can winde and insinuate her selfe into the pure and sincere service of god , as hath been declared ; so doth she play her part with no lesse bravery and ostentation in superstition and idolatry : for the truth whereof ( before i proceed further ) i will set downe a history not altogether unworthy the reading and remembring . two hundred yeares are not yet past , since there was in the raigne of charles the seventh , king of france , a certaine preaching frier of britaine , called frier thomas , who by his dissembling customes and brags , under pretence of a certaine reformation of manners , so mightily deceived the whole world , that every where he was reputed for an holy man. this frier puffed up with a greedy desire of vaine-glory , used to goe from towne to towne , and from countrey to countrey , finding exceeding honourable entertainment in every place ; which he tooke very willingly ; and that he might ride at the more case , he got him a little young mule , that would goe very softly ; and in this sort appointed , he was accompanied with divers of his owne order , and many other disciples that went for the most part on foot by him : the people flocked from all quarters to see him ; yea , and many were so besotted , as to forsake their fathers , mothers , wives , and children , to attend upon this holy man. alwayes when he came neere to any citie , the burgesses , and gentlemen , and clergy , with one consent came forth to meet him , doing him as much reverence ( saith mine author ) as they would have done to one of christs apostles if he were alive . hee was very well content , that honourable personages , as knights and such others , being on foot , should hold his mule by the bridle , to be in stead of pages and lacquies to lead him into the townes . his entrance into every citie was with great pompe and magnificence , and his lodging provided at the richest and stateliest burgesses house . now that he might the better play his part , they prepared him in the best and convenientest places in the citie , a scaffold richly hung and garnished , upon the which his custome was first to say masse , then to begin his sermon ; wherein he ripped up the vices of every estate , but reproved especially the clergies enormities , because of their concubines and whores which they maintained : wherein he did say nothing but that which was good and lawfull ; but in the same he used no discretion , but joyned madnesse and sacriledge with his monkish nature , in stirring up little children to exclaime upon women for their attyre , promising certain dayes of pardon to them , as if he had been a god : so that ladies and gentlewomen were inforced to lay aside for a season their accustomed trinkets . moreover also , towards the end of his sermons hee commanded to be brought unto him their chesse-boords , cards , dice , nine-pins , and such other trash , which he openly threw into the fire , to be burned before them all . and that he might give more strength and credit to this his paltry rifraffe , he caused the men and women to be divided on each side , with a line drawne betwixt them , as in a tennis-court ; and by this means he drew together sometimes twentie thousand persons : so ready and zealous is and ever hath been the world to follow after such hypocriticall deceivers , rather than the true preachers of gods word . but let us heare the issue of this holy hypocrite ; it was thus : when he had in the fore-named sort traversed as well france as flanders ; it took him in the head to passe the mountaines , and visit rome ; imagining that it was no hard matter to obtaine the popeship , seeing that in all places where he went , there was equall honour given unto him : or if he should faile of that hope , yet at least the pope and his cardinals would entertain him honourably ; but it happened farre short of his expectation : for popes are not so prodigall of their honours , to doe any such reverence to a poore silly monke , but are very niggards and sparing thereof even towards kings ; so farre are they from leaving their thrones of majestie to any other : neither must we thinke that the pope cared greatly for all those trickes and quidditi●s of frier thomas , seeing he himselfe is the onely merchant of such trash . when he was arrived at rome , pope eugenius seeing that he came not according to custome , to kisse his holinesse feet , sent for him twice , and understanding that he refused to come , and that he feigned himselfe to be evill at ease , sent his treasurer , but not to impart to him any treasure , but to apprehend and attatch him . the frier now perceiving that enquiry was made for him , and that they were at his chamber-dore , leapt out at a window , thinking by that means to escape ; but he was quickly taken prisoner by the treasurers servants , waiting before the dore , and brought before the consistory of cardinals : law proceeded against him , by doome wherof , though no erroneous opinious could be proved against him , he was adjudged to the stake to be burned for an hereticke : but it was sufficient to make him guiltie , because he defamed the priests in his sermons , and had spoken so broadly of their gossips , and had been so bold to usurpe the authoritie of giving pardons , which the popes claime for a priviledge of their owne see ; and besides , had made no more account of him that is a petty god on earth , but had done all these things without his leave and licence : it was a hard matter to be endured of the bishops of rome , that a silly monke should so intermeddle with their affaires , and should derogate any whit from their supremacy , seeing that they quit themselves so well with kings and emperours , and can at every sleight occasion make them stoope : neither is it to be doubted , but that pope eugenius was very jealous of the honour which frier thomas attained unto in every place , and fearfull lest his presence might disturbe his present estate . by this meanes god , who useth all instruments for his owne purpose , and can direct every particular to the performing of his will , did punish and correct the hypocrisie of this monke , that seemed to be holy and wise , being indeed nothing but foolish , stubborne , and ambitious . moreover , most notable was the hypocrisie of two counterfeit holy maids ; one of kent in england , called elizabeth barton ; the other of france , called ioane la pucelle : the former of which , by the procurement and information of one richard master , parson of aldington , and edward bocking doctor of divinity , a monke of canterbury , and divers others , counterfeited such manner of trances and distortions in her body , with the uttering of divers counterfeit vertues and holy words , tending to the rebuke of sinne , and reproving such new opinions as there began to spread , that shee woon great credit amongst the people , and drew after her a multitude of favourites ; besides , she would prophecy of things to come , as that shee should be helped of her disease by none but the image of our lady in aldington ; whither being brought , she appeared to the people to be suddenly relieved from her sicknesse ; by meanes of which hypocriticall dissimulation she was brought into marvellous estimation , not only with the common people , but with divers great men also , insomuch that a book was put in print , touching her fained miracles and revelations . howbeit , not content to delude the people , she began also to meddle with the king himself , henry the eight ; saying , that if he proceeded to be divorced from his wife queene katherine , he should not remaine king one month after , and in the reputation of god not one day : for which and many other tricks practised by her , she with her complices was arraigned of high treason , and after confession of all her knavery , drawn from the tower to tyburne , and there hanged ; the holy maidens head being set upon london bridge , and the other on certaine gates of the city . the other named la pucella de dieu , marvellously deluded with her counterfeit hypocrisie , charles the seventh , king of france , and all the whole french nation ; in such sort , that so much credit was attributed unto her , that she was honoured as a saint , and thought to be sent of god to the aide of the french king. by her meanes orleance was woon from the english , and many other exploits atchieved , which ( to be short ) i will referre the reader unto the french chronicles , where they shall finde her admirable knavery at large discovered . but touching her end , it was on this sort : as she marched on horsebake to the towne of champaigne , to remove the siedge , wherewith it was guirt by the duke of burgoine and other of the english captaines , sir iohn leupembrough , a burgonian knight , tooke her alive , and conveyed her to the city of roan , where she faigning her selfe with child , when the contrary was knowne , was condemned and burnt . and thus these two holy women , that in a diverse kind mocked the people of england and france by their hypocrisie , by the justice of god came to deserved destructions . chap. xxi . of conjurers , and enchanters . if god by his first commandement hath enjoyned every one of us to love , serve , and to cleave unto him alone in the conjuction and unity of a true faith and hope unremovable , there is no doubt but he forbiddeth on the other side that which is contrary to this foresaid duty , and herein especially that accursed familiarity which divers miserable wretches have with that lying spirit , the father of errour , by whose delusions and subtilty they busie themselves in the study of sorceries and enchantments , whereupon it is forbidden the israelites in the nineteenth of leviticus , to turne after familiar spirits , or to seeke to soothsayers to be defiled by them : and the more to withdraw them from this damnable crime , in the chapter following there is a threat set downe against it in manner of a commandement , that if either man or woman have a spirit of divination or soothsaying in them , they should dye the death , they should stone them to death , their bloud should be upon them : so in the two and twentieth of exodus , the law of god saith , thou shalt not suffer a witch to live : and moses following the same steps , giveth an expresse charge in the eighteenth of deuteronomy , against this sinne , saying , let nonebe found among thee that useth witchcraft , nor that regardeth the clouds or times , nor a sorcerer , or a charmer , or that counselleth with a spirit , or a teller of fortunes , or that asketh counsell of the dead , for all that doe such things are abhomination unto the lord. and therefore this sinne , sam. ver . . is reputed amongst the most hainous and enormous sinnes that can be : when they shall say unto you ( saith the prophet ) enquire at them that have a spirit of divination , and at the soothsayer , which whispers and murmures : answer , should not a people enquire at their god ? from the living to the dead ? to the law , and to the testimony ? wherefore it was a commendable thing , and worthy imitation , when they that had received the faith by pauls preaching , having used curious arts , as magicke and such like , being touched with the feare of god , brought their bookes , and burned them before all men , although the price thereof amounted to fifty thousand pieces of silver , which by budeus his supputation ariseth to five thousand french crownes . the councels , as that of carthage , and that other of constantinople , kept the second time in the suburbs , utterly condemned the practices of all conjurers and enchanters . the twelve tables in rome adjudged to punishments those that bewitched the standing corne . and for the civill law , this kind is condemned both by the law iulia and cornelia . in like manner the wisest emperours ( those i mean that attained to the honour of christianity ) ordained divers edicts and prohibitions , under very sharp and grievous punishments , against all such villany : as constantine in the ninth book of the cod. tit . . enacted , that whosoever should attempt any action by art magicke , against the safety of any person , or should bring in or stir up any man , to make him fall into any mischiefe or riotous demeanour , should suffer a grievous punishment : in the fifth law he forbiddeth every man to aske counsell at witches , or to use the helpe of charmers and sorcerers , under the paine of death . let them ( saith he in the sixth law ) be throwne to wild beasts to be devoured , that by conjuring or the helpe of familiar spirits go about to kill either their enemies , or any other . moreover in the seventh law he willeth , that not so much as his owne courtiers and servants , if they were found faulty in this crime , should be spared , but severely punished ; yet neverthelesse , many of this age gave themselves over to this filthy sinne , without either feare of god , or respect of law : some through a foolish and dangerous curiosity , others through the overruling of their owne vile and wicked affections , and a third sort , troubled with the terrours of an evill conscience , desire to know what shall besall and happen unto them in the end . thus saul the first king of israel being troubled in himselfe , and terrified with the army of the philistims that came against him , would needs foreknow his owne fortune , and the issue of this doubtfull warre . now whereas before whilest he performed the duty of a good king , and obeyed the commandement of god , hee had cleansed his realme of witches and enchanters ; yet is he now so mad as to make them serve his owne turn , and to use their counsels in his extremity ; adding this wickednesse to the number of his other great sins , that the measure thereof might be full : he went therefore to a witch to seeke counsell , who caused a devill to appeare and speake unto him in the shape of samuel , and foretell him of ( gods just judgement upon his wickednesse ) his utter and finall ruine and destruction . an example not much unlike unto this in the event , but most like in practise , wee finde recorded of natholicus , the one and thirtieth king of the scots : who , after he had unjustly usurped the crowne and seepter , and installed himselfe by much bloudshed into the throne of the kingdome , by open intrusion , and no apparent shew of right , sought by the same means to confirme and establish the kingdome unto him : and therefore ( as wickednesse is alwaies accompanied with suspition and feare ) hee sent one of his trustiest f●iends to a witch , to enquire of things to come , both what successe he should have in his kingdome , and also how long he should live : the witch answered , that he should not live long , but should shortly be murthered , not by his enemy , but by his familiar friend : when the messenger urged instantly of whom ; she answered , of him : hee detesting her at first , and abhorring the thought of any such villany , yet at length considering that it was not safe to disclose the witches answer , and on the other side , that it could not be concealed , resolved for his most security , rather to kill the tyrant , with the favour of many , than to save him alive with the hazard of his owne head . therefore as soone as he was returned home , being in secret alone with the king , to declare unto him the witches answer , he slew him suddenly , and gave him his just desert , both for his horrible cruelty , and wicked sorcery . let all them that make no conscience of running to witches , either for their lost goods , or for recovery of their owne or friends health , remember this example either for their instruction to amend , or for their terrour , if they continue that devillish practise . plutarch in the life of romulus reporteth of one cleomedes , a man in proportion of body , and cruell practises , huge and gyant-like : who for that he was the cause of the death of many little children , and was pursued by the parents of those dead infants , who sought to be revenged on him for that cruell part , he hid himselfe in a coffer , closing the lid fast to him : but when the coffin was broken up , the conjurer was not therein , neither alive nor dead , but was transported by the malitious spirit the devill , to a place of greater torment . antient histories make mention of one piso , a man of credit and authority among the romanes , whom the emperour tiberius gave unto his sonne germanicus for an help and counsellor in the mannaging of his affaires in asia ; so well was he perswaded both of his sufficiency , courage , and loyalty towards him . it chanced a while after , that he was suspected to have bewitched to death the said germanicus : the signes and markes of which suspition were , certaine dead mens bones digged out of the earth with divers charmes and curses , and germanicus name engraven in tables of lead , and such like trash which witches use to murther men withall , were found with him . whereupon tiberius himselfe accused him of that crime ; but would not have the ordinary iudges to sit upon it , but by speciall priviledge committed the enquiry thereof unto the senate . piso , when every man thought he was preparing himself for his defence against the morrow ( like a wise man to prevent all mischiefes ) was found dead the day before , having his throat cut , and , as most likelihood was , finding himselfe guilty of the fact , and too weake to overweigh the other side , forestalled the infamy of a most shamefull death , by killing himselfe ; although there be that say , that the emperour sent one of purpose to dispatch him in this manner . olaus magnus telleth of one methotin , a noble magitian in old time , that by his delusions did so deceive and blinde the poore ignorant people , that they accounted him not onely for some mighty man , but rather for some demy god ; and in token of the honour and reverence they bare him , they offered up sacrifices unto him , which he refused not ; but at last his knaveries and cousenages being laid open , they killed him whom before they so much esteemed : and because his dead carkasse with filthy stinke infected the approachers , they digged it up , and broached it upon the end of a stake , to be devoured of wild beasts . another called hollere ( as the same author witnesseth ) plaid the like tricks in abusing the peoples minds as strongly as the other did , insomuch that he was reputed also for a god : for he joyned with his craft , strength and power to make himselfe of greater authority in the world . when he listed to passe over the sea , he used no other ship but a bone figured with certaine charmes , whereby he was transported , as if both sayles and wind had helped and driven him forwards ; yet his inchanted bone was not of power to save him from being murthered of his enemies . the same author writeth , that in denmarke there was one otto a great rover and pyrat by sea , who used likewise to passe the seas without the help of ship or any other vessell , and sunke and drowned all his enemies with the waves , which by his cunning he stirred up : but at last his cunning practise was over-reached by one more expert in his art than himselfe , and as he had served others , so was he himselfe served , even swallowed up of the waves . there was a conjurer at saltzburg , that vaunted that he could gather together all the serpants within half a mile round about into a ditch , and feed them and bring them up there : and being about the experiment , behold , the old and grand serpent came in the while , which whilest he thought by the force of his charmes to make to enter into the ditch among the rest , he set upon and inclosed him round about like a girdle so strongly , that hee drew him perforce into the ditch with him , where he miserably died . mark here the wages of such wicked miscreants , that as they make it their occupation to abuse simple folke , they are themselves abused and cousened of the devill , who is a finer jugler than them all . it was a very lamentable spectacle that chanced to the governour of mascon a magitian , whom the devill snatched up in dinner while , and hoisted aloft , carrying him three times about the towne of mascon in the presence of many beholders , to whom he cried on this manner , help , help , my friends ; so that the whole towne stood amased thereat , yea and the remembrance of this strange accident sticketh at this day fast in the minds of all the inhabitants of this country ; and they say , that this wretch having given himselfe to the devill , provided store of holy bread ( as they call it ) which he alwaies carried about with him , thinking thereby to keep himself from his clawes ; but it served him to small stead , as his end declared . about the yeare , charles the seventh being king of france , sir glyes of britaine , lord of rais , and high constable of france , was accused ( by the report of enguerran de monstrelet ) for having murthered many infants and women with childe , to the number of eightscore or more , with whose bloud he either writ or caused to be written books full of conjurations , hoping by that abhominable means to attaine to high matters : but it happened cleane crosse and contrary to his expectation and practise ; for being convinced of those horrible crimes ( it being gods will , that such grosse and palpable sinnes should not go unpunished ) he was adjudged to be hanged and burned to death , which was also accordingly executed at nantes , by the authority of the duke of britaine . iohn francis picus of mirand saith , that he conferred divers times with many , who being inticed with a vaine hope of knowing things to come , were afterwards so grievously tormented by the devill ( with whom they had made some bargain ) that they thought themselves thrise happy if they escaped with their lives . he saith moreover . that there was in his time a certaine conjurer that promised a too curious and no great wise prince , to present unto him upon a stage the siege of troy , and achilles , and hector fighting together as they did when they were alive ; but he could not performe his promise for another sport and spectacle more hideous and ougly to his person ; for he was taken away alive by a devill , in such sort , that he was never afterward heard of . in our owne memory the earle of aspremont and his brother lord of orne , were made famous , and in every mans mouth , for their strange and prodigious seats , wherein they were so unreasonably dissolute and vaine-glorious , that sometime they made it their sport and pastime to breake downe all the windowes about the castle aspremont , where they kept ( which lyeth in lorraine two miles from saint michael ) and threw them piecemeale into a deep well to heare them cry plumpe : but this vaine excesse presaged a ruine and destruction to come , as well upon their house , which at this present lyeth desolate and ruinous in many respects , as upon themselves , that finished their daies in misery one after another ; as we shall now understand of the one the lord of orne : as for the earle , how hee died , shall more at large be declared elsewhere . now it chanced , that as the lord of orne was of most wicked and cruell conditions , so hee had an evill favoured looke , answerable to his inclination and name , to be a conjurer : the report that went of his cruelty was this , that upon a time he put the baker ( one of his servants , whose wi●e he used secretly to entertaine ) into a ●un , which he caused to be rowled from the top of a hill , into the bottome , sometimes as high as a pike , as the place gave occasion ; but by the great mercy of god , notwithstanding all this , this poore man saved his life . furthermore , it was a common report , that when any gentlemen or lords came to see him , they were entertained ( as they thought ) very honourably , being served with all sort of most dainty faire and exquisite dishes , as if he had not spared to make them the best cheere that might be : but at their departure , they that thought themselves well refreshed , found their stomacke empty and almost pined for want of food , having neither eaten nor drunk any thing save in imagination only ; and it is to be thought , that their horses found no better fare than their masters . it happened one day that a certaine lord being departed from his house , one of his men having left something behind , returned to the castle , and entring suddenly into the hall where they dined but a little before , he espied a munky beating the master of the house that had feasted them of late , very sore . and there be others that say , that he hath been seen through the chink of a dore lying on a table upon his belly all at length , and a munkey scourging him very strangely ; to whom he should say , let me alone , let me alone , wilt thou alwaies torment me thus ? and thus he continued a long time : but at length after he had made away all his substance , he was brought to such extremity , that being destitute of maintenance , and forsaken of all men , he was fain ( for want of a better refuge ) to betake himselfe to the hospitall of paris , which was his last mansion house , wherein he died . see here to how pittifull and miserable an end this man fell ; that having been esteemed amongst the mighties of this world , for making no more account of god , and for following the illusions of satan ( the common enemy of mannkdi ) became so poore and wretched as to dye in an hospitall among cripples and beggars . it is not long since there was in lorraine a certaine man called coulen , that was over much given to this cursed art : amongst whose tricks this was one to be wondred at ; that he would suffer harquebuses or pistols to be shot at him , and catch their bullets in his hand without receiving any hurt : but upon a certain time one of his servants being angry with him , hot him such a knock with a pistoll ( notwithstanding all his great cunning ) that he killed him therewith . moreover , it is worthy to be observed , that within these two hundred yeares hitherto , more monks and priests have been found given over to these abhominations and devillishnesses , than of all other degrees of people whatsoever , as it is declared in the second volume of enguerran de monstralet more at large : where he maketh mention of a monke that used to practise his sorceries in the top of a tower of an abbey , lying neere to longin upon marne , where the devils presented themselves to be at his commandement : and this was in the raigne of charles the sixth . in the same booke it is recorded , that in the raigne of charles the seventh , one master william ediline doctor in divinity , and prior of saint germaine in lay , having been an augustine frier , gave himselfe to the devill for his pleasure , even to have his will of a certain woman : he was upon a time in a place where a synagogue of people were gathered together ; where to the end that he might quickly be ( as he himselfe confessed ) he took a broom and rode upon it . he confessed also that he had don homage to that enemy of god , the devill ▪ who appeared unto him in the shape of a sheep , and made him kisse his hinder parts , as he reported . for which causes hee was placed upon a scaffold , and openly made to weare a paper containing his owne faults , and afterwards plotted to live prisoner all the rest of his life laden with yrons , in the bishop of eureux his house , which was accordingly executed . this happened in the yeare . in the raigne of the same king , , there was a certaine curate of a village neere to soissons , who to revenge himselfe of a farmer that retained from him the tenths which were appointed to the knights of the rhodes , went to a witch , of whom he received in gift a fat toad in an earthen pot , which she had a long while fed and brought up , which she commanded him to baptise ; as he also did , and called it by the name of iohn : albeit i tremble to recite so monstrous and vile a fact ; yet that every man might see how deadly besotted those sort of people are that give themselves over to satan , and with what power of errour he overwhelmeth them , and beside , how full of malice this uncleane spirit is , that as it were in despight of god , would prophane the holy sacrament of baptisme . this good holy curate , after he had consecrated the holy host , gave it also to the toade to eat , and afterward restored it to the witch again , who killing the toade , and cutting it in pieces , with other such like sorceries , caused a young wench to carry it secretly into the farmers house , and to put it under the table as they were at dinner ; whereupon immediately the farmer and his children that were at the table fell suddenly sicke , and three dayes after died : the witch her selfe being detected , was burned , but the curate suffered onely a little imprisonment in the bishop of paris house , and that not long for what with friendship and money he was soone delivered . froissard , who was treasurer and canon of chymay , reporteth of another curate in the countrey of beare ( under charles the seventh ) that had a familiar spirit which hee called orthon : whose helpe hee used to the disturbance of the lord of corosse , by causing a terrible noise to bee heard every night by him and his servants in his castle , because the said lord withheld his tythes from him , and converted them to his owne use . in the yiare , at nuremburg a certaine priest studied art magick , and being very covetous of gold and silver , the devill ( whom hee served ) shed him through a chrystall certaine treasures hidden in the city : he by and by ( greedy of this rich prey ) went to that part of the city where hee supposed it to have lien buried : and being arrived at the place , with a companion whom he brought to this pretty pastime , fell a searching and digging up a hollow pit , untill he perceived a coffer that lay in the bottome of the hole , with a great blacke dog lying by it : whither he was no sooner entred , but the earth fell downe and filled up the hole , and smothered and crushed him to death . so this poore priest was entrapped and rewarded by his master no otherwise than he deserved ; but otherwise than he expected or looked for . howbeit they are not onely simple priests and friers that deale with these cursed arts , but even popes themselves . silvester the second ( as platina and others report ) was first a conjuring frier , and gave himselfe to the devill upon condition he might be pope , as he was indeed ; and having obtained his purpose , as it seemed he began earnestly to desire to know the day wherein he should die : which also his schoolmaster the devill revealed unto him , but under such doubtfull tearmes , that he dreamed in his foolish conceit , of immortality , and that he should never die . it chanced on a time as he was singing masse at rome in a temple called ierusalem ( which was the place assigned him to die in ) and not ierusalem in palestina ( as he made himselfe falsly to beleeve , he heard a great noise of devils that came to fetch him away ( note that this was done in masse while ) whereat he being terrified and tormented , and seeing himselfe not able any way to escape , hee desired his people to rend his body in pieces after his death , and lay it upon a charriot , and let horses draw it whither they would ; which was accordingly performed : for as soone as he was dead , the pieces of his carkasse were carried out of the church of laterane by the wicked spirit , who as he ruled him in life , so he was the chiefe in his death and funerals . by like means came benedict the ninth to the popedome , for he was a detestable magitian ; and in the ten yeares wherein he was pope having committed infinite villanies and mischiefs , was at last by his familiar friend the devill strangled to death in a forrest , whither he went to apply himselfe the more quieter to his conjurings . gregory the sixth , scholler to silvester , as great a conjurer as his master , wrought much misery in his time , but was at last banished rome , and ended his life in misery in germany . iohn the two and twentieth , being of no better disposition than these we have spoken of , but following judiciall astrology , sed himselfe with a vain hope of long life , whereof he vaunted himselfe among his familiars , one day above the rest at viterbum , in a chamber which he had lately builded , saying , that he should live a great while , he was assured of it : presently the floore brake suddenly in pieces , and he was found seven daies after crushed to pieces under the ruines thereof . all this notwithstanding , yet other popes ceased not to suffer themselves to be infected with this execrable poison : as hildebrand , who was called gregory the seventh , and alexander the sixth , of which kinde we shall see a whole legend in the next booke . doe but marke these holy fathers how abhominable they were , to be in such sort given over to satan . cornelius agrippa , a great student in this cursed art , and a man famous both by his owne works and others report , for his necromancy , went alwaies accompanied with an evill spirit in the similitude of a blacke dogge : but when his time of death drew neer , and he was urged to repentance , hee tooke off the inchanted collar from the dogs neck , and sent him away with these termes ; get thee hence thou cursed beast , which hast utterly destroyed mee neither was the dog ever after seen : some say he lept into araris , and never came out againe . agrippa himselfe died at lyons in a base and beggarly inne . zeroastres king of bactria is notified to have bin the inventer of astrology and magicke . but the devill ( whose ministry he used ) when he was too importunate with him , burned him to death . charles the seventh of france , put egedius de raxa● marshall of his kingdome , to a cruell and filthy death , because he practised this art , and in the same had murthered an hundred and twenty teeming women and yong infants : he caused him to be hanged upon a forke by a hot fire , and roasted to death . bladud the sonne of lud king of britaine , now called england , in the yeare of the world , ( hee that builded the city of bath , as our late histories witnesse , and also made therein the bathes ) addicted himselfe so much to the devillish art of necromancy , that hee wrought wonders thereby , insomuch that he made himselfe wings , and attempted to flee like dedalus : but the devill ( as ever like a false knave ) forsooke him in his journey , so that hee fell downe and brake his necke . in the yeare of our lord , one ●●mon penbrooke dwelling in saint georges parish in london , being a figure setter , ●nd vehemently suspected to be a conjurer , by the commandement of the iudge appeared in the parish church of saint saviour at court holden there : where whilest he was busie in eutertaining a proctor , and leaned his head upon a pew a good space , the proctor began to lift up his head to see what he ayled , and found him departing out of this life , and straightwayes he fell downe ratling in the throat , without speaking any one word . this strange judgement happened before many witnesses , who searching him , found about him five devillish books of conjuration and most abhominable practises , with a picture in tin of a man having three dice in his hand , with this writing , chance dice fortunately ; and much other trash : so that every one consessed it to be a just judgement against sorcery , and a great example to cause others to feare the just judgement of god. now let every one learne by these examples to feare god , and to stand firme and stedfast to his holy word , without turning from it on any side , so shall he be safe from such like miserable ends as these wicked varlets come unto . chap xxii . of those that through pride and vaine-glory strove to usurpe the honour due unto god. aforgetfull and unthankfull minde for the benefits which god bestoweth upon us , is a branch of this first commandement , as well as those which went before : and this is when we ascribe not unto god the glory of his benefits , to give him thanks for them , but through a foolish pride extoll our selves higher than we ought , presuming above measure and reason in our owne power , desire to place our selves in a higher degree than is meet . with this sond and foolish affection ( i know not how ) our first fathers were tickled and tainted from the beginning , to think to impaire the glory of god : and they also were puffed up with the blast of ambition , that i know not with what fond , foolish , rash , and proud conceit , went about after the floud to build a city and tower of exceeding height , by that means to win same and reputation amongst men : in stead whereof they ought rather to have praysed god by remembring his gracious goodnesse in their miraculous deliverance in their fathers persons , from that generall deluge and shipwracke of the world : but forasmuch as with a proud and high stomacke they lifted up themselves against god , to whom all glory onely appertaineth , therefore god also set himselfe against them and against their over bold practises , interrupting all their determined presumptuous purposes , by such a confusion and alteration of tongues which he sent among them , that one could not understand another : so that with shame they were constrained to leave their begun worke . and besides , in stead of that strong and sure habitation which they dreamed on , to maintain and defend themselves by , against all enemies , and 〈◊〉 fortresse and castle wherby they went about to keep other in subje●●●on to them , they were forced to forsake the place by the just judgement of god , who scattered and dispersed them hither and thither that he might bring them to that estate and condition which they most of all feared , and strove to shun . and thus god resisteth the proud , and favoureth the humble : loe here the punishment wherewith god punished their sin , remaining still upon them this day , for a chastisement of their proud spirits . with the staine of this sinne , most commonly , the mightiest potentates of this world are defiled , who although both by word and writing avouch and confesse their power to be by the grace of god , yet for the most part they are very unthankfull for the same , and so proud and high minded , that they shew themselves most obstinate and ungratefull of all men : for oftentimes they rob him of the honour and glory which is peculiar unto himselfe , and attribute it to themselves , in setting forth their brave and sumptuous shewes and triumphs : this is the sinne whereof nabuchadnezzar king of babell was reproved ; for god having bestowed upon him a kingdome with such pompe and renowne , that he made whole nations to tremble before his face , and putting many people in subjection under him , he ( in stead of giving thanks for these great benefits ) exalted himselfe , suffering his heart to swell , and his understanding to waxe hard with pride , not regarding the lord who extolled him so high : and yet notwithstanding he was constrained to confesse and acknowledge him for the true god , to have an everlasting kingdome , and an infinite power , as well by the forewarning of dreames which daniel interpreted , as by the miraculous deliverance of three young men out of the burning furnace ; therefore as he walked one day in his royall palace at babylon , and vaunted of his greatnesse , and magnificence , saying to himselfe , is not this great babell , which i have built for the house of the kingdome , by the might of my power , and for the honour of my majesty ? now whilest the word was yet in his mouth , a voyce was heard from heaven , saying , o king , to thee it is spoken , thy kingdome shall depart from thee : and according to the tenour of the voyce hee was immediately deposed from his royall seat , spoiled of all his glory , driven from the society of men , deprived of sense , and made a companion for the bruit beasts , and wilde asses , eating grasse like oxen , even so long , untill his haire was growne stiffe like eagles feathers , and his nailes like the clawes of birds . in which estate he continued the space of seven yeares ; even he that a little before was so proud and arrogant , and he that had conquered so many kingdomes and nations , that triumphed over ierusalem , with the kings thereof . this is a most excellent looking glasse for kings to behold the ficklenesse and instability of all their power and pomp , when it pleaseth god to humble and bring them under : there is neither scepter , crowne , stay , or strength of man , that is able to hinder and turne aside the hand of the almighty , the king of kings , from abasing and weakning the most high and strong of this world , let them be never so brave and jolly , and bringing them into a low , contemptible , and brutish estate . besides this which we have already touched , there is another kinde of pride and presumption most damnable and detestable of all ; and it is when a man doth so much forget himselfe , as to seise and take upon him that honour which onely appertaineth to god , ascribing to himselfe a certaine deity . one would hardly thinke that there were any such in the world , so proud as to commit this sinne , did not experience by certaine examples teach us the contrary : as first of all the king of tyre , whose heart was so exalted with the multitude of riches , and the renowne and greatnesse of his house , that he doubted not to esteeme himselfe a god , and to desire majesty and power correspondent thereunto . for which presumption god by the prophet ezechiel reproved him , and threatned his destruction , which afterward came upon him , when by the power of a strange and terrible nation , his goodly godhead was overcome and murthered , feeling indeed that he was no god , as hee supposed , but a man subject to death and misery . king herod , sirnamed agrippa , which put iames the brother of iohn to death , and imprisoned peter , with purpose to make him taste of the same cup , was puffed up with no lesse sacrilegious pride ; for being upon a time seated in his throne of judgement , and arrayed in his royall robes , shewing forth his greatnesse and magnificence in the presence of the embassadors of tyre and sidon , that desired to continue in peace with him , as he spake unto them , the people shouted and cryed , that it was the voice of god , and not of man : which titles of honour he disclaimed not , and therefore the angell of the lord smote him suddenly , because he gave not the glory to god : so that he was eaten with wormes , and gave up the ghost . iosephus reporteth the same story more at large on this manner : vpon the second day of the solemnization of the playes which herod caused to be celebrated for the emperours health , there being a great number of gentlemen and lords present , that came from all quarters to his feast , he came betime in the morning to the theatre , clad in a garment all woven with silver of a marvellous workmanship ; upon which , as the sun rising cast his beames , there glittered out such an excellent brightnesse , that thereby his pernitious flatterers tooke occasion to call him with a loud voice by the name of god : for the which sacrilegious speech , he not reproving nor forbidding them , was presently taken with most grievous and horrible dolours and gripes in his bowels , so that looking upon the people he uttered these words : behold here your goodly god , whom you but now so highly honored , ready to die with extreame paine . and so he died indeed most miserably , even when he was in the top of his honour and jollity , and as it were in the midst of his earthly paradise , being beaten downe and swallowed up with confusion and ignominy , not stricken with the edge of sword or speare ( for that had been far more honourable ) but gnawne in pieces with lice and vermine . simon magus , otherwise called simon the samaritane , borne in a village called gitton , after he was cursed of peter the apostle , for offering to buy the gifts of the spirit of god with money , went to rome , and there putting in practise his magicall arts , and working miracles by the devill , was reputed a god , and had an image erected in his honour , with this inscription , to simon the holy god : besides , all the samaritanes , and divers also of other nations accounted him no lesse , as appeared by the reverence and honour which they did unto him : insomuch , as they called his companion , or rather his whore helena ( for that was her profession in tyre a city of phenicia ) the first mover that distilled out of simons bosome . now he , to foster this foolish and ridiculous opinion of theirs , and to eternize his name , boasted that he would at a certaine time fly up into heaven , which , as he attempted to doe by the help of the devill , peter the apostle commanded the unclean spirit to cast him down again , so that he fell upon the earth and was bruised to death , and proved himselfe thereby to be no more than a mortall , wicked , and detestable wretch . moreover elsewhere we read of alexander the great , whose courage and magnanimity was so exceeding great , that he enterprised to goe out of greece and set upon all asia , onely with an army of two and thirty thousand footmen , five hundred horse , and an hundred and foure score ships : and in this appointment passing the seas , he conquered in short space the greatest part of the world : for which cause he was represented to the prophet daniel in a vision , by the figure of a leopard with wings on his backe , to notifie the great diligence and speedy expedition which he used in compassing so many sudden and great victories ; with pride he was so soone infected , that he would brooke no equall nor companion in his empire ; but as heaven had but one sunne , so he thought the earth ought to have but one monarch , which was himselfe : which mind of his he made known by his answer to king darius demanding peace , and offering him the one halfe of his kingdome to be quiet ; when he refused to accord thereunto ; saying , he scorned to be a partner in the halfe , and hoped to be full possessor of the whole . after his first victory had of darius , and his entrance into aegypt ( which he tooke without blowes , as also he did rhodes and cilicia ) he practised and suborned the priests that ministred at the oracle of hammon , to make him be pronounced and entituled by the oracle , the sonne of iupiter ( which kinde of jugling and deceit was common at that time . ) having obtained this honour , forthwith he caused himselfe to be worshipped as a god , according to the custome of the kings of persia : neither wanted he flatterers about him that egged him forward , and soothed him up in this proud humor : albeit that many of the better sort endeavoured tooth and nayle to turne him from it . it hapned as he warred in india , he received so sore a wound , that with paine thereof he was constrained to say , though he was the renowned sonne of iupiter , yet he ceased not to feele the infirmities of a weake and diseased body : finally , being returned to babylon , where many embassadors of divers farre countries , as of carthage , and other cities in africa , spaine , france , sicily , sardinia , and certaine cities of italy , were arrived to congratulate his good successe , for the great renowne which by his worthy deeds he had gotten ; as he lay there taking his rest many dayes , and bathing himselfe in all kinde of pleasure , one day after a great feast , that lasted a whole day and a night , in a banquet after supper , being ready to returne home , he was poysoned ; when before hee had drunke his whole draught , he gave a deep sigh suddenly , as if hee had been thrust through with a dart , and was carried away in a swoone , vexed with such horrible torment , that had he not been restrained , he would have killed himselfe . and on this manner he that could not content himselfe with the condition of a man , but would needs climbe above the clouds , to goe in equipage with god , drunke up his owne death , leaving as suddenly all his worldly pompe , as hee had suddenly gotten it : which vanished like smoake , none of his children being any whit the better for it . there was in syracusa a city of sicilia ( which is now called saragosse ) a physitian called menecrates , whose folly and presumption was so great , that he accounted himselfe a god , and desired to be so reputed by others ; insomuch that he required no other wages and recompence of the patients which he tooke in hand ( as aelianus witnesseth ) but that they should onely acknowledge him to be iupiter , and call him so , and avow themselves to his service . vpon a time denis the tyrant , desirous to make some pastime with him , made a feast , and invited him amongst others to be his guest ; but because he was a god , to doe him honour answerable to his name , he placed him at a table all alone , and set before him no dishes , but only a censer with frankincense , which was a proper and convenient service for the gods . this honourable duty pleased the physitian very well at the first , so that he shuffed up the perfume most willingly : but when this poore god saw the other guests eating and drinking indeed , and himselfe not being able to be fed with smoake , ready to starve with hunger , arose up and went away all inraged in himselfe , and derided of others ; having more need to purge his owne braines of their superfluous humor , than others from their sicknesses . caligula the first , emperor , being become an ordinary despiser and open mocker of all religion , it came presently in his braine to beleeve ( so drunken was he with a draught of his owne foolish conceit ) that there was no other god but himselfe ; therefore he caused men to worship him , and to kisse his hands or his feet in token of reverence ( which honour afterwards the popes tooke upon them ) yea and was so besotted , that he went about by certaine engines of art to counterfeit thunder and lightnings : albeit in all this pride and arrogancy , or rather folly , there was none so timerous and fearefull as he , or that could sooner upon lighter occasion be dismaied . one day as he was by mount aetna in sicily , hearing by chance the violent cracking of the flames which all that season ascended out of the top of the hill , it strucke so sudden and horrible a feare into him , that he never ceased flying all night till he came to phar in messina . every little thunderclap put him in feare of death , for he would leap up and downe like a mad man when he heard it thunder ; finding himselfe not able by his god head to defend himselfe from the power thereof : but if there chanced greater cracks than ordinary , then would not his hot bed hold him , but needs must he run into the cold floore underneath the bed , to hide himselfe . thus was hee compelled against his will to feare him whom willingly he would not deigne to acknowledge . and thus it falleth out with all wicked miserable atheists , whose hearts imagine there is no god ; and therefore have so little assurance in themselves , that there need no thunder and lightening to amase them ; for the shaking of every leafe is sufficient to make them tremble : to conclude , this atheist , void of all religion and feare of god , and full of all prophanenesse , was according to his due desert , murthered by one of his servants : of the which will follow more at large in the next booke . domitian likewise was so blinded with pride , that hee would be called a god , and worshipped : of whom also wee will speake in the second booke . to these we may adde them also , that to the end to make themselves feared and reverenced as gods , have counterfeited the lightnings and thunders of heaven , as we read of one alladius a latine king that raigned before romulus : who being a most wicked tyrant , and a contemner of god , invented a tricke whereby to present to the eare and eye , the ratling and swift shine of both thunder and lightning ; that by that means astonishing his subjects , he might be esteemed of them for a god : but it chanced that his house being set on fire by true lightning , and overthrowne with the violent strength of tempestuous rain , together with the overflowing of a pond that stood neer , he perished by fire and water , burnt and drowned , and all at once . did not the king of elide the like , and to the same end also , by the devise of a char●t drawne about with foure horses , wherein were certain yron-works , which with wrinching about gave an horrible sound resembling thunder , and torches and squibs which hee caused to be throwne about like lightnings , in such sort , that hee oftentimes burnt the beholders : and in this manner he went up and downe braving it , especially over an yron bridge which he had of purpose built to passe and repasse over at his pleasure ; untill gods long suffering could not endure any longer such outragious and presumptuous madnesse , but sent a thunderbolt from heaven upon his head , that all the world might see by his destruction , the exceeding folly and vaine pride which bewitched him in his life time : which history the poet in the person of sibylla , setteth downe to this effect : i saw salmon in cruell torments lie , for counterfeiting thunder of the skie , and ioves cleere lightning : whilst with torches bright , drawne with foure steeds , and brandished his light , he rode triumphantly through elis streats , and made all grecia wonder at his feats . thinking to win the honour of a god , ( mad as he was ) by scattering fire abroad . with brazen engines , and with courses faigning , a noyse like that which in the clouds is raigning , and no where else : but god from thickest skie , no torch , but such a thunderbolt let flie at him , that headlong whirld him from his cell , and tumbled downe into the deepest hell. thus this arrogant king was punished according to the quality of his offence , even in the same kinde wherein he offended : which thing though it be found written in a poet , yet ought not be rejected for an old wives tale , seeing it is not incredible , that a king might make such pastimes and yron-crashing noises , nor that he might be justly punished for the same : and the rather , because caligula did the like , as we have heard before . and wee read also , that one arthemesius , in the time of the emperour iustinian , counterfeited by certain engines and devises , in his owne house in constantinople , such earthquakes , lightenings , and thunders , that would astonish a wise braine to heare or behold them on a sudden . but above all others that by darkning the glory of god , to increase their own power , have proudly exalted themselves against him , the popes are the ring-leaders , whose unbridled boldnes hath bin so much the more impudent and pernitious ; for that in terming themselves the servants of the servants of god , in word , in deed , take unto them the authority and power of god himselfe : as of pardoning and absolving sinnes , creating lawes and ordinances at their pleasure , in binding or unbinding mens consciences ; which things appertaine to god onely . nay they have been so brazen-faced , as to command angels and devils , as clement the fifth did in one of his buls : so impudent as to be carried like idols upon their vassals shoulders , and weare three crownes upon their heads ; so proud and arrogant , as to constraine kings and emperours to kisse their feet , to make them their vassals , to usurp lordship and dominion over them , and all their lands and possessions , and to dispossesse whom they like not , of kingdomes , and install in their roome whom they please ; and all this by the thunder of excommunication , whereby they make themselves feared and stood in awe of . by which dealing of theirs , they verifie in themselves that which the scripture speaketh of antichrist , which is the man of sinne , the sonne of perdition , an adversary , and one that exalteth himselfe against all which is called god , or which is worshipped , till he be set as a god in the temple of god , shewing himselfe that he is god. wherefore also the heavy vengeance of god is manifest upon them , by the great and horrible punishments they have been tormented with : for some of them have had their eyes pulled out ; others have dyed in prisons ; a third sort have bin smothered to death ; a fourth hath bin killed with the sword ; a fifth hath died with hunger ; a sixth hath been stoned ; a seventh poysoned ; and yet there hath not wanted an eighth sort , whom the devill himselfe hath stifled . this it is to over-reach the clouds , and not content with earthly power , to usurp a supremacy and preheminence over kings : such was the pride of pope boniface the eighth , when he sent an embassage to philip the faire , king of france , to command him to take upon him an expedition against the sarazens beyond the sea , upon paine of forfeiting of his kingdome into his hands ; and when having his sword by his side he shamed not to say , that he alone , and none else , was emperour and lord of all the world : in demonstration whereof , he bestowed the empire upon duke albert , together with the crowne of france ; and not content herewith , his insolency was so importunate , that he charged philip the faire to acknowledge himselfe to be his subject in all causes , as well spirituall as temporall , and to levy a subfidy for his holinesse out of his clergy , disabling his authority in bestowing church livings , which prerogative he challenged to his see : the conclusion of this bull was in these words : aliud credentes fatuos reputamus ; as much to say , as , whosoever is of another mind than this , we esteeme him a foole . whereunto the king answered in this wise , philippus dei , gratia francorum rex , bonifacio se gerenti pro summo pontifice salutem modicam sive nullam . sciat tua maxima fatuitas , in temporalibus nos alicui non subesse , ecclesiarum & prebendarum vacantium collationem ad nos jure regio pertinere : secus autem credentes fatuos reputamus deviantes . in english thus : philip by the grace of god king of france , to boniface bearing himselfe for pope , little or no health . be it knowne to thy exceeding great foolishnesse , that we in temperall affaires are subject to none , that the bestowing of benefices belongs to us by our royall right : and if there be any that thinke otherwise , we hold them for erroneous fools . a memorable answer , well beseeming a true royall and french heart . immediately he assembled together a nationall councell of all the barons and prelates within his dominion , at paris , wherein boniface being pronounced an hereticke , a symonist , and a manslayer , it was agreed upon by a joint consent , that the king should doe no more obeisance , but reject as nothing worth , whatsoever he should impose . wherefore the king to tame his proud and malitious nature , dispatched secretly two hundred men at armes under the conduct of one captaine noguard , towards avian in naples ( whither his holinesse was fled for feare of divers whose houses and castles he had caused to be rased downe ) there to surprise him on a sudden : which stratagem they speedily performed , and carried him prisoner to rome , where he died most miserably . peter mesie a spanish gentleman of sevill , saith in many of his lectures , that he died in prison inraged with famine . nicholas gilles in his first volume of french chronicles reporteth , that he died in the castle saint angelo , through a fluxe of his belly , which cast him into a frenzy , that he gnew off his owne hands , and that at the houre of his death there were heard horrible thunders , and tempests , and lightenings round about : this is he in whose honour this fine epitaph was made : intravit ut vulpes , regnavit ut leo , mortuus est ut canis , he entred like a fox , raigned like a lyon , and dyed like a dog. and this was he that on the first day of lent giving ashes to the bishop of genes , in stead of using the ordinary forme of speech , which is , memento homo quòd cinis es , & in cinerem converter is , remember man that thou art ashes , and into ashes thou shalt returne said in despight and mockery , memento homo quia gibellinus es , & cum gibellinis in cinerem converter is : rember that thou art a gibelline , and together with the gibell nes thou shalt be turned into ashes : and in stead of laying the ashes upon his forehead , threw them into his eyes , and forthwith deprived him of his bishopricke , and would have done worse , if it had been in his power : marke what little account this holy father himselfe made of these ceremonies ; and therefore it is no marvell if others mocke at them , seeing the popes themselves make them but matters of pastime . if it be so therefore , that no man ought to arrogate to himselfe any title of deity , then consequently it is no lesse unlawfull to give that divine honour to any other mortall creature ; and therefore the people of caesarea faulted greatly , when blasphemously they called king herod a god , as hath been declared before . likewise it was high and proud presumption in the senat of rome , not to receive any god to their common-wealth , without their owne fore-approbation and consent . as if that god could not maintaine his dignity , nor stand without the good liking and assent of men ; or as if that man could defie whom he li●ted , which is a most ridiculous and absurd thing . and thus the romanes in time of tiberius consecrating to themselves a whole legion , even thousands of false gods , would not admit of the true god , and his sonne christ , but rejected him above all others . among all the vanities of the athenians , this was one worthy noting , how they ordained , that demetrius , alexanders successor ( for re-establishing their popular and antient liberty ) with his father antigonus , should be called kings , and honoured with the title of saving gods , and to have a priest that should offer sacrifice unto them : and moreover caused their pictures to be drawne in the same banner where the pictures of iupiter and minerva ( the protectors of their city ) were drawne in broidered worke : but this goodly banner as it was carried about in procession , was rent in pieces by a tempestuous storme that arose suddenly . god thereby manifesting how odious and displeasant both this new and old superstition was in his sight : besides that , doe but consider the laudable vertues that so commended this new god demetrius , to make them honour him in such sort ; they were violence and cruelties , intemperance , with all inordinate lasciviousnesse , villanies , and whoredomes : so that it was no marvell if they had made him a god , being unworthy altogether of humane society . this new found god having gotten a great victory by sea , as he triumphed and braved it with ships after the same , was so shattered with a sudden tempest , that the greatest part of his navy went to wrecke , and afterwards was vanquished by seleuchus in a battell , wherein his father antigonus was slaine : and when he thought to returne to athens , they shut their gates upon him , whom a little before they had canonized for a god : for which cause he raised war against them , and so wearied them with onsets on each side , and so inclosed them both by sea and land , that being brought to extreame famine and necessity , they were compelled to entertain him again , and to behold the horrible outrages of their owne made god , to their griefe and confusion . but not long after , seleuchus once againe damped his courage , insomuch that having lived three yeares in a countrey of syria , like a banished outlaw ; for feare to be delivered into his hands , and weary of his owne life , he stuffed himselfe so with food , that he burst in pieces . therefore let every man learne by these examples , not to translate the honour and majesty of god to any creature , but to leave it to him alone , who is jealous thereof , and will not ( as the prophet saith ) give his glory unto another . chap. xxiii . of epicures , and atheists . as touching voluptuous epicures and cursed atheists , that deny the providence of god , beleeve not the immortality of the soule , think there is no such thing as life to come , and consequently impugn all divinity , living in this world like bruit beasts and like dogs and swine , wallowing in all sensuality ; they doe also strike themselves against this commandement , by going about to wipe out and deface the knowledge of god ; and if it were possible , to extinguish his very essence ; wherein they shew themselves more than mad and brutish , whereas notwithstanding all the evident testimonies of the vertue , bounty , wisedome , and eternall power of god , which they dayly see with their eyes , and feele in themselves , doe neverthelesse strive to quench his light of nature , which enlighteneth and perswadeth them and all nations of this , there is a god , by whom we live , move , and have our being ; who although in his essence is invisible , yet maketh he himselfe knowne , and as it were seene by his works and creatures , and mighty government of the world , that he that would seeke after him , may ( as one might say ) handle and feele him . therefore they that would perswade themselves that this glorious heaven and massy earth wanted a guider and a governour , have their understanding blinded from fight of things manifest , and their hearts perverted from all shew of reason : for is there any substance in this world that bath no cause of his subsisting ? is there a day without a sun ? are there fruit and no trees ? plants and no seeds ? can it raine without a cloud ? be a tempest without winde ? can a ship sayle without a pylot ? or a house be built without a carpenter or builder ? if then every part of this world hath his particular cause of being and dependance , is it likely that the whole is without cause to be to it a furnishing and government ? say , you hogs and dogs , doe you not beleeve that which you see ? or if your eyes be bored out that you cannot see , must you thinke there is no sunne nor light , because your eyes are in darknesse and blindnesse ? can you behold all the secrets of nature ? is there nothing but a voice , a singing of birds , or an harmonious consort of musicall instruments in the world ? and yet who perceiveth these small things ? can you behold the winde ? can you see the sweet smell of fragrant flowers along the fields ? can you see the secrets of your owne bodies , your entrailes , your heart and your braine ? and yet you cease not to beleeve that there are such things , except you be heartlesse and brainlesse indeed : why then doe you measure god by your own sight , and doe not beleeve there is a god , because he is invisible , since that he manifesteth himselfe more apparently both to understanding and sence , than either voice , smell or winde ? doe not your owne oathes , blasphemies , and horrible cursings beare witnesse against you , when you sweare by , despight and maugre him whom you deny to be ? doth not every thunderclap constraine you to tremble at the blast of his voyce ? if any calamity approach neere unto or light upon you , or if death be threatned or set before your eyes , doe not you then feele , in spight of all your reason , that the severe judgement of god doth waken up your dull and sleepy conscience to come to his tryall ? there was never yet any nation or people so barbarous , which by the perswasion and instinct of nature hath not alwayes beleeved a certaine deity , and to thinke otherwise is not only a derestable thing , but also most absurd , and so contrary to humane reason , that the very paynims have very little tolerated such horrible blasphemy . the athenians are witnesses hereof , who banished protagoras their city and countrey , because in the beginning of one of his books he called in question the deity , and caused his books to be burned openly . neither shewed they any lesse severity towards diagoras , sirnamed the atheist : when being ( as some say ) injuriously and falsly accused of this crime , and for feare of punishment , fled away , they proclaimed , that whosoever did kill him should have a talent of silver in recompence , which in value is as much as six hundred crowns , after the rate of five and thirty shillings french to the crowne . how much more then is the state of christendome at this day to be lamented , which we see in many places infected with such a contagious pestilence , that divers men invenomed with this deadly poison , are so mischievous and wretched , as to make roome for atheisme , by forbidding and hindering by all means possible , the course of the gospell : wherein they make known what they are , and what zeale they beare to the religion and service of god , and with what affection they are led towards the good and safety of the commonwealth , and what hereafter is to be hoped of him : for where there is no knowledge nor feare of god , there also is no bridle nor bond to restraine and hold men backe from doing evill : whereupon they grow to that passe to be most insolent and prophane . this is the divinity and goodly instruction that commeth beyond the mountaines , from that scientificall vniversity and colledge of the right reverend masters , and from the excellent holinesse of some of their popes : whose manner of life is so dissolute , lascivious , dishonest , and sardanapal like , that thereby their atheisme is evidently and notoriously knowne and talked of by every one . hereof pope leo the tenth , a florentine by birth , may serve for an example : who as he was a very effeminate person , given to all manner of delights and pleasure , having no other care but of himselfe , and his owne filthy carkasses ease ; so had he no more taste at all , nor feeling of god and his holy word , than a dog : he made the promises and threats contained in holy scripture , and all else that we beleeve , matter to laugh at , and things frivolous and of no weight ; mocking at the simplicity , the faith , and beleefe of christians : for one day when cardinall bembus ( who also shewed himselfe to be none of the best christians in the world , by his venetian history , where as ost as he speaketh of god be useth the plurall number , after the manner of heathen writers ) alleadged a place out of the gospell , his damnable impudency was so great as to reply , that this fable of christ had brought to him and such as he , no little profit . oh stinking and cursed throat to belch out such monstrous blasphemy ! doe not these speeches bewray a villanous and abhominable atheist , if ever any were ? is not this to declare himselfe openly to be antichrist ? for he is antichrist which denieth iesus to be christ , and which denieth the father and the sonne , according as saint iohn saith . albeit in the meane while this cursed caitife , that had as much religion as a dog , made shew to be the protector and defender of the catholicke faith , making warre with all his power against christ iesus in the person of his servant luther . now after he had by his pardons and indulgences drawne out a world of money , and heaped up great treasures by the maintenance of courtizans and whores , and had enriched his bastards , one day being at meat , he received newes of the overthrow of the french in lombardy , whereat hee rejoyced out of measure , and for that good tidings doubled his good cheare ; suddenly he was constrained to turne his copy from joy into sadnesse , from pleasure into griefe and gnashing of teeth , by a most bitter and unlooked for death , which deprived him at once of all his pleasures , to make him drink the cup of gods fierce wrath , and to throw him downe headlong into everlasting paines and torments which were provided for him . pope leo ( saith saint martin of belay in his second booke of memorable things ) hearing of the great losse which the frenchmen sustained at milan , tooke so great joy thereat , that a catarrhe and an ague ensuing , killed him within three dayes after ; a happy man indeed to die with joy . pope iulius the third was one of the same stampe , nothing inferiour to the former in all manner of dissolute and infamous living , and vile and cursed talke , making knowne by his impiety , that he had none other god but his belly , and that he was none of christs fold , but one of epicures crew ; he was such a glutton , and so passionate in his lusts , and so prophane a despiser of god and his word , that once at supper being inraged , and blaspheming because they had not served in a cold peacocke which he commanded to be kept whole at dinner , though there were other hot on the table ; a cardinall that was present , desired him not to be so moved for so small a trifle : what ( quoth he ) if it pleased god to be so angry for eating of an apple , as to thrust adam and eve out of paradise , should not i which am his vicar be angry for a peacocke , which is far more worth than any apple ? see how this wicked wretch prophaned the holy scripture , and like an epicure and atheist mocked god : but he died of the gout , after he had been long plagued with it , together with other diseases , leaving none other good name behind him , save the report of a most wicked and abhominable man. philip strozze , whom paulus iovius reporteth to have bin commonly bruited to be an atheist , was an exile of florence , and afterwards prisoner there in the time of cosimus medius , the prince of that commonwealth , ( against whom this philip had enterprized to make warre ) and being in prison , he killed himselfe with the sword of a spaniard his keeper , which by oversight he had left behinde , setting the point against his throat , and falling downe upon it : so may all atheists perish and come to naught . francis rabelais having suckt up also this poison , used like a prophane villain , to make all religion a matter to laugh and mocke at ; but god deprived him of his sences , that as he had led a brutish life , so he might die a brutish death ; for he died mocking all those that talked of god , or made mention of mercy in his eares . how miserable was the end of periers the author of that detestable book intituled symbolum mundi , wherein he openly mocked at god and his religion , even finally he fell into despaire , and notwithstanding all that guarded him , killed himselfe . iodelle also a french tragicall poet , being an epicure and atheist , made a very tragicall and most pittifull end ; for he died in great misery and distresse , even pined to death , after he had rioted out all his substance , and consumed his patrimony . ligneroles the courtier , to make himselfe seeme a man of service , made open profession of atheisme ; but his end and destruction came from thence whence he looked for credit and advancement . to bring the matter to an end , i will here set downe a notable and strange thing that chanced in the raigne of lewis the ninth ( as enguerran de monstrelet in his second volume of histories recordeth it ) upon the fifteenth day of iune in the yeare of our lord god , there happened a strange thing in the palace at paris : so it was , that there was a matter in law to be tried betwixt the bishop of angiers , and a rich citicen , whom the bishop charged to have spoken before many witnesses , that he beleeved not that there was either god or devill , heaven or hell. now whilst the bishops lawyer laid to his charge these things , the place began to tremble very much wherein they were , and a stone fell downe from the roof amongst them all , without hurting any ; yet every man was sore afraid , and departed out of the house untill the morrow ; then the matter was begun againe to be pleaded , which was no sooner in hand , but the chamber began afresh to shake , and one of the summers came forth of his mortisehole , falling downwards two foot , and there stayed : so that all that were within the hall looking to have been slaine outright , ran out so violently , that some left behinde them their caps , others their hoods , others their slippers : summarily , glad was he that could get out first ; neither durst they plead any more causes in that place untill it were mended . thus much reporteth enguerran , without mention of any decision of that matter . now forasmuch as nothing happeneth by chance , it is most likely that god by that accident would give us to understand , both how monstrous and detestable all such speeches are , as also how men ought to feare and abhorre them , seeing that the dumbe and sencelesse creatures , and wood , beams , planks , and stones , and the earth it self ( by nature stedfast and fixed ) are so far from enduring them , that they are moved withall . there was a certaine blasphemous wretch , that on a time being with his companions in a common lnne , carowsing and making merry , asked them , if they thought a man was possessed with a soule or no ? whereunto when some replyed , that the soules of men were immortall , and that some of them after release from the body lived in heaven , others in hell ( for so the writings of the prophets and apostles instructed them ) hee answered and swore , that he thought it nothing so ; but rather that there was no soule in man to survive the body , but that heaven and hell were meere fables , and inventions of priests to get gaine by ; and for himselfe , he was ready to sell his soule to any that would buy it : then one of his companions tooke up a cup of wine and said , sell me thy soule for this cup of wine : which he receiving , bad him take his soule ; and dranke up the wine . now satan himselfe was there in a mans shape ( as commonly he is never far from such meetings ) and bought it againe of the other at the same price , and by and by bad him give him his soule ; the whole company affirming it was meet he should have it , since he had bought it , not perceiving the devill : but presently he laying hold of this souleseller , carried him into the aire before them all , toward his own habitation , to the great astonishment and amasement of the beholders ; and from that day to this he was never heard of , but tryed to his pain that men had soules , and that hell was no fable , according to his godlesse and prophane opinion . pherecides ( by birth a syrian , a tragicall poet and a philosopher by profession ) boasted impudently against his schollers of his prosperity , learning and wisedome ; saying , that although he offered no sacrifices unto the gods , yet he led a more quiet and prosperous life , than those that were addicted to religion , and therefore he passed not for any such vanity . but ere long his impiety was justly revenged ; for the lord struck him with such a strange disease , that out of his body issued such a slimy and filthy sweat , and engendred such a number of lice and wormes , that his bowels being consumed by them , he died most miserably . at hambourgh not long since there lived an impious wretch , that despised the preaching of the gospell , and the ministers thereof , accounting it as a vaine thing not worthy the beleeving of any man : neither did he thus himself only ; but also seduced many others , bringing them all to atheisme and ungodlinesse . wherefore the lord justly recompenced him for his impiety : for he that before had no sence nor feeling of god in his conscience , being touched with the finger of the almighty , grew to the contrary , even to too much feeling and knowledge of god , that he fell into extreme despaire , affirming now his sinnes to be past forgivenesse , because he had withdrawne others from the truth , as well as himselfe , whereas before he thought himselfe guilty of no sinne ; and that god was so just , that he would not forgive him , whereas before he thought there was no god ( so mighty is the operation of the lord when he pleaseth to touch the conscience of man ) finally , continuing in this desperate case , he threw himselfe from the roofe of a house into a well , and not finding water enough to drowne him , he thrust his head into the bottome thereof , till he had made an end of his life . in the yeare of our lord there lived one hermannus biswicke , a grand atheist , and a notable instrument of satan , who affirmed , that the world never had beginning , as foolish moses dreamed : and that there was neither angels , nor devils , nor hell , nor future life , but that the soules of men perished with their bodies : besides , that christ iesus was nothing else but a seducer of the people ; and that the faith of christians , and whatsoever else is contained in holy writs , was meere vanity . these articles full of impiety and blasphemy , he constantly avouched to the death ; and for the same cause was together with his books burnt in holland . a certaine rich man at holberstadium abounding with all manner of earthly commodities , gave himselfe so much to his pleasure , that he became besotted therewith ; in such sort , that he made no reckoning of religion , nor any good thing , but dared to say , that if he might lead such a life continually upon earth , he would not envy heaven , nor desire any exchange . notwithstanding ere long ( contrary to his expectation ) the lord cut him off by death , and so his desired pleasure came to an end : but after his death there appeared such diabolicall apparitions in his house , that no man daring to inhabite it , it became desolate : for every day there appeared the image of this epicure sitting at a board , with a number of his ghests , drinking , carousing , and making good cheare ; and his table furnished with delicates , and attended on by many that ministred necessaries unto them , beside with minstrels , trumpetters , and such like . in summe , whatsoever he delighted in , in his life time , was there to be seene every day . the lord permitting satan to bleare mens eyes with such strange shewes , to the end that others might be terrified from such epicurisme and impiety . not inferior to any of the former in atheisme and impiety , and equall to all in manner of punishment , was one of our owne nation , of fresh and late memory , called marlin , by profession a scholler , brought up from his youth in the vniversity of cambridge , but by practise a play-maker , and a poet of scurrility , who by giving too large a swing to his owne wit , and suffering his lust to have the full reines , fell ( not without just desert ) to that great outrage and extremity , that he denied god , and his sonne christ , and not onely in word blasphemed the trinity , but also ( as it is credibly reported ) wrote books against it , affirming our saviour to be but a deceiver , and moses to be but a seducer of the people , and the holy bible to be but vaine and idle stories , and all religion but a device of policy . but see what a hooke the lord put in the nostrils of this barking dogge : so it fell out , that as he purposed to stab one whom he ought a grudge unto , with his dagger , the other party perceiving , so avoyded the stroke , that withall catching hold of his wrest , he stabbed his owne dagger into his own head ; in such sort , that notwithstanding all the means of surgery that could be wrought , he shortly after died thereof : the manner of his death being so terrible ( for he even cursed and blasphemed to his last gaspe , and together with his breath an oath flew out of his mouth ) that it was not onely a manifest signe of gods judgement , but also an horrible and fearefull terrour to all that beheld him . but herein did the justice of god most notably appeare , in that he compelled his own hand which had written those blasphemies , to be the instrument to punish him , and that in his braine , which had devised the same . another also of our owne nation is not to be overpassed , who for an atheist and an epicure might compare with any of the former , and for the judgement of god upon him doth give place to none . it was a gentleman of barkshire , whose name i forbeare to expresse , a man of great possessions . this man was an open contemner of god and all religion , a profest atheist , and a scorner of the word of god and sacraments ; insomuch , as i have heard reported of very credible persons , being a witnesse at the baptising of a childe , he would needs have it called beelzebub . besides this , he was given over to all sensuality of the flesh , keeping in his house continually notorious strumpets , and that openly without shame : his mouth was so accustomed to swearing , that he could scarse speake without an oath . this miserable man , or rather beast , having continued long in this damnable course of life , at last gods heavy vengeance found him out : for upon a certain day riding abroad a hunting with another companion , as they were discoursing of many vaine matters , it pleased almighty god of a sudden to strike him with sudden death : for falling suddenly to the crupper of his horse backward , he was taken downe starke dead , with his tongue hanging out of his mouth after a fearfull manner , and became a terrible example to all wicked atheists , of gods justice . hither i might adde the examples of others , who having been in high places of favour in former times , are fallen like lucifer from their heaven , that is , their worldly felicity , and live like him in chaines of imprisonments . these had wont ( being in their bravery ) to mocke at all religion , and to make themselves merry with scoffing at the holy scripture , but the lord hath brought them downe , and plucked the feathers of their pride , to teach them to know there is a god , and that religion is no matter of policy , but gods owne ordinance , to bring men to blessednesse ; and let them be assured , if they repent not , the lord will yet further execute his vengeance upon them , and make them more manifest spectacles of his justice . many more moderne and home-bred examples i could adde ; of some that were hanged , some that died desperate , some that were deprived of their senses , having been notorious atheists and epicures in their lives ; but i hope these already named are sufficient to prove , that the lord of heaven observeth the wayes of men , and rewardeth every man according to his works , especially such as strive to deny his essence-or his sonne christ. i would to god ( and i pray it from my heart ) that all atheists in this realme , and in the world beside , would by the remembrance and consideration of these examples either forsake their horrible impiety , or that they might in like manner come to destruction ; and so that abominable sin which so flourisheth amongst men of greatest name , might either be quite extinguished and rooted out , or at least smothered and kept under , that i● durst not shew it head any more in the worlds eye . chap xxii . touching the transgressors of the second commandement , by idolatry . we have hitherto seene how and in what sort they , that either by malice , or impiety , or apostasie , or heresie , or otherwise have transgressed the first commandement have been punished : let us now consider the judgements that have befallen idolaters , the breakers of the second commandement . but before we proceed , wee must know , that as it is required of us by the first commandement , to hold god for our true and onely god , to repose all our whole trust and confidence in him , and call upon him , serve and worship him alone ; so in the second to this the contrary to this is forbidden ; which is , to doe any manner of service , honour , and reverence by devotion to idols , forasmuch he is a spirit ( that is to say , of a spirituall nature and essence , which is infinite and incomprehensible ) so loveth he a spirituall worship and service , which is answerable to his nature , and not by images and pictures , and such other outward and corruptible means , which he hath in no wise commanded : wherefore isaiah the prophet reproving the folly and vanity of idolaters , saith , to whom will you liken god , or what similitude will you set up unto him : therefore if it be not gods will , that under pretence and colour of his owne name , any image or picture should be adored ( being a thing not only inconvenient , but also absurd and unseemly ) much lesse can hee abide to have them worshipped under the name and title of any creature whatsoever . and for this cause gave he the second commandement , thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image &c. which prohibition the israelites brake in the desart , when they set up a golden calfe , and bowed themselves before it after the manner of the paynims , giving it the honour which was onely due to god : whereby they incurred the indignation of almighty god , who is strong and jealous of suffe●ing any such slander to be done unto his name : wherefore he caused th●●e thousand of them to be stroken and wounded to death by the hand of the levites , at the commandement of moses , to make his anger against idolatry more manifest , by causing them to be executioners of his revenge , who were ordained for the ministry of his church , and the service of the altar and tabernacle . howbeit for all this , the same people not long after , fell back into the same sin , and bowed themselves befere strange gods , and through the allurements of the daughters of moab , joyned themselves to belphegor : for which cause the lord being insenced , stroke them with so grievous a plague , that there died of them in one day about twenty and foure thousand persons . and albeit that after all this , being brought by him into the land of promise , he had forbidden and threatned them , for cleaving to the idols of the nations , whose land they possessed , yet were they so prone to idolatry , that notwithstanding all this , they fell to serve baal and astaroth : wherefore the fire of gods wrath was inflamed against them , and he gave them over to be a spoyle and prey unto their enemies on every side , so that for many yeares , sometimes the moabites oppressed them , otherwhiles the madianites , and ever after the death of any of their iudges and rulers which god raised up for their deliverance , some grievous punishment befell them : for then ( being without law or government ) every man did that which seemed good in his owne eyes , and so turned aside from the right way . now albeit these examples may seeme to have some affinity with apostasie , yet because the ignorance and rudenesse of the people was rather the cause of their falling away from god , than any wilfull affection that raigned in them , therefore we place them in this ranke , as well as they have bin alwaies brought up and nuzled in idolatry . one of this c●●w was ochosias king of iuda , sonne of ioram , who having before him an evill president of his wicked father , and a worse instruction and bringing up of his mother athaliah , who together with the house of achab pricked him forward to evill , joyned himselfe to them and to their idols , and for that cause was wrapped in the same punishment and destruction with ioram the king of israel , whom iehu slew together with the princes of iuda , and many of his neere kinsmen . and to be short , idolatry hath been the decay and ruine of the kingdome of iuda , as at all other times , so especially under ioachas sonne of iosias , that raigned not above three moneths in ierusalem , before he was taken and led captive into aegypt by the king thereof , and there died : from which time the whole land became tributary to the king of aegypt . and not long after , it was utterly destroyed by the forces of nabuchadnezzar king of babel , that came against ierusalem and tooke it , and carried king ioachim with his mother , his princes , his servants , and the treasurers of the temple , and his owne house , into babylon ; and finally tooke zedechias that fled away , and before his eyes caused his sonnes to be slaine : which as soone as he had beheld , commanded them also to be pulled out , and so binding him in chaines of yron , carried him prisoner to babylon ; putting all the princes of iudah to the sword , consuming with fire the temple , with the kings palace , and all the goodly buildings of ierusalem . and thus the whole kingdome ( though by an especiall prerogative , consecrated and ordained of god himselfe ) ceased to be a kingdome , and came to such an end , that it was never re-established by god : it is no marvell then if the like hapned to the kingdome of israel , which was after a sort begun and confirmed by the filthy idolatry of ieroboams calves , which as his successors maintained or favoured more or lesse , so were they exposed to more or lesse plagues and incumbrances . nadab , ieroboams sonne , being nuzled and nurtured up in idoll worship , after the example of his father , received a condigne punishment for his iniquity : for baasa the sonne of ahijah put both him and all the off spring of ieroboams house to the sword , and raigned in his stead : who also being no whit better than those whom he had slaine , was punished in the person of ela his sonne , whom zambri also his servant slew . and this againe usurping the crowne , enjoyed it but seven dayes , at the end whereof ( seeing himselfe in danger in the city of tirza , taken by amri , whom the people had chosen for their king ) went into the palace of the kings house , and burned himselfe . as for achab , he multiplied idolatry in israel , and committed more wickednesse than all his predecessors , wherefore the wrath of god was stretched out against him and his ; for he himselfe was wounded to death in battell by the syrians , his son ioram slain by iehu , and threescore and ten of his children put to death in samaria by their governors and chiefe of the city , sending their heads in baskets to iehu . above all , a most notable and manifest example of gods judgement was seene in the death of iezabel his wife , that had been his spurre and provoker to all mischiefe , when by her eunuchs and most trusty servants , at the commandement of iehu , she was throwne downe out of a window , and trampled under the horse feet , and last of all devoured of dogs . moreover , the greatest number of the kings of israel that succeeded him , were murthered one after another : so that the kingdome fell to such a low decline , that it became first tributary to the king of assyria , and afterward invaded and subverted by him , and the inhabitants transported into his land , whence they never returned , but remained scattered here and there like vagabonds , and all for their abhominable idolatry . which ought to be a lesson to all people , princes , and kings , that seeing that god spared not these two realmes of iuda and israel , but destroyed and rooted them out from the earth , much lesse will he spare any other kingdome and monarchy which continue by their images and idol-worship , to stirre up his indignation against them . chap. xxv . of many evils that have come upon christendome for idolatry . if we consider and search out the cause of the ruine of the east empire , and of so many famous and flourishing churches as were before time in the greatest part of europe , and namely in greece , we shall finde that idolatry hath been the cause of all : for even as it got footing and increase in their dominions , so equally did the power of saracens and turkish tyranny take root and foundation among them , and prospered so well , that the rest of the world trembled at the report thereof ; god having raised and fortified them , as before time he had done the assyrians and babylonians , as whips and scourges to chasten the people and nations of the world that wickedly had abused his holy gospel , and bearing the name of christians , had become idolaters : for no other name than this can be given them , that in devotion doe any manner of homage to images and pictures , whatsoever may superficially be alleadged to the contrary . for be it the image either of prophet , apostle , or christ iesus himselfe , yet it is necessary that the law of god stand whole and sound , which saith , thou shalt make thy selfe no graven image , nor any likenesse of things either in heaven above , or in earth beneath , thou shalt not how downe to them , nor worship them , &c. wherefore he performed the part of a good bishop , that finding a vaile spread in the entrance of a church dore , wherein the image of christ or of some other saint was pictured , rent it in pieces , with these words , that it was against the authority of the sacred scriptures , to have any image of christ set up in the church . after the same manner , serenus bishop of marscilla , beat downe and banished all images out of his churches , as occasions of idolatry : and to shun them the more , it was ordained in the elibertine councell , that no image nor picture should be set up in any church : for which cause also the emperour leo the third , by an open edict commanded his subjects to cast out of their temples all pictures and statues of saints , angels , and whatsoever else , to the intent that all occasions of idolatry might be taken away : yea and he burned some , and punished divers otherwise , that in this regard were not pliant , but disobedient to his commandement . after which time , when images were recalled into greece and into constantinople ( the chiefe city and seat of the east empire ) it came to passe by a great and dreadfull ( yet just ) judgement of god , that this famous and renowned city , in the worlds eye impregnable , after long siege , and great and furious assaults ) was at length taken by the turks , who having won the breach , and entred with fury , drove the poore emperour palaeologus ( even till then fighting for the cities defence ) to that extremity , that in retyring among the prease of his own souldiers , he was thronged and trampled to death ; and his slain body being found , was beheaded , and his head contemptuously caried about the city upon a launce . now after the massacre of many thousand men , to make up a compleat , & absolute cruelty , they drew the empresse with her daughters and many other ladies and gentlewomen to a banquet , where after many vile and horrible wrongs and disgraces , they killed and tore them in pieces in most monstrous manner . in all which , the execution of gods most just wrath for idolatry did most lively appeare : which sinne , accompanied with many other execrable and vile vices , must needs draw after it a grievous and terrible punishment , to serve for example to others that were to come : neither was it a thing by chance , or hap-hazzard , that the christians were made a mocking stock to them in that wofull day , when in their bloudy triumphs they caused a crucifix to be carried through the streets in contempt , and throwing durt upon it , cried in their language , this is the gallant god of christians . and thus did god license and permit these savage turks to commit every day grievous outrages , and to make great wasts and desolations in all christendome , till that they grew so mighty , that it is to be feared lest the saying of lactantius touching the returne of the empire into asia , be not verified and accomplished very shortly , if there be no amendment practised : for we see by wofull experience , that almost all the forces which christian princes have mustered from all quarters , in pretence to resist their fury and rage , have not only been bootlesse and unprofitable , but also that which is worse , given them further occasion by their bloudy victories , and wonderfull slaughter of so many millions of men , to make them more obstinate in their detestable mahometisme & turkish religion than they were before : for they make their boasts thereof , and reare up trophies of their cruelties , taking no more pitty of the vanquished , than the butcher doth of a sheep allotted to the slaughter . whereof we have a pittifull example in the overthrow of the french army , which iohn the sonne of philip duke of burgondy led against the turke bajazet , and by the treachery and cowardise of the hungarians , who in the time of battell turned their backs and fled , was overcome : in that this wicked and cruell tygre expresly charged , that all the prisoners ( in number many ) should be murthered one after another , which was readily executed before his eyes ; so that saving the chiefe captaines and certaine few lords of the company , that were spared in respect of great ransomes , there escaped not one alive . besides these generall calamities , the lord hath particularly shewne forth his indignation against private persons and places for idolatry : as in spoletium at one time there perished by an earthquake three hundred and fifty , whilest they were offering sacrifice unto idols . at rome under the empire of alexander severus , after that the left hand of the image of iupiter was miraculously melted , the priests going about to pacifie the anger of their gods with lectisterns and sacrifices , foure of them together with the altar and idoll were stricken in pieces with a thunderbolt , and suddenly such a terrible darknesse overspread all the city , that most of the inhabitants ran out into the fields all amased . moreover , did not the lord send lightning from heaven to inflame that notorious temple of idolatry , of apollo , or rather the devill of delphos , in the time of iulian the wicked apostate , whilest he was exercising tortures upon one theodorus a christian , and did it not consume the image of apollo to ashes ? the famous and rich temple of iupiter at apamea , how strangely did it come to ruine and destruction ? for when the president and tribunes ( who had in charge to destroy it ) thought it a thing almost unpossible , by reason of the strength of the wals , and matter of it ; marcellus the bishop undertook the labour , and found out a man that promised to shake and root up the foundation of it by fire ; but when he had put it in practise , a blacke devill appeared and hindred the naturall operation of the fire : which when marcellus perceived , he by earnest and zealous prayer drove away the devill , and so the fire rekindled and consumed it to nothing . in all which examples we may see the wonderfull indignation of god against idoll-worshippers when by such strange and extraordinary means he bringeth them to destruction . and this doubtlesse is no new course , for even since the beginning of the world ( if we consult histories ) we shall finde , that well nigh all the kingdomes , places , persons , and countries that have been any wise infected with this sinne , have still come to some ruine or other , and to some great overthrow , and their idolatry suppressed by some notable and strange accident . whereof saint hierome may be a witnesse , who affirmeth , that when iesus being a childe was carried into aegypt for feare of herod , all the idols of aegypt fell downe , and all their miracles became mute , which the prophet isaias foreseeing , saith , behold , the lord rideth upon a swift cloud . and shall come into aegypt , and the idols of aegypt shall melt in the midst of her . besides , the generall silence of the devill in his oracles throughout the world presently upon christs incarnation , is a thing known and confessed of all men . notwithstanding all which , the holy pope will still maintain his idolatry , albeit the lord hath made manifest tokens of his indignation against it . as appeareth by that which happened in the yeare , being the popes iubile , when such a concourse of people was made from all quarters of the world to honour that superstitious day : for the people being upon adrians bridge , were so thrust together , that two hundred men and three horses lost their lives , being trampled upon and stifled to death : many fell into the water over the bridge , and so perished ; of whom an hundred and thirty were buried at saint celsus . and these are the fruits of their indulgences , which are too much bought and sought for , and of their iubilies , proceeding from the bishop of rome his impious and sacrilegious zeale . now to eschew these and such like misfortunes ; the true and onely meanes is , an unfained diversion from all idolatry and superstition , and whatsoever else contrarieth the pure service of god , and a conversation unto him , to serve him in spirit and truth , as the scripture exhorteth . chap. xxvi . of those that at any time corrupted and mingled gods religion with humane inventions , or went about to change or disquiet the discipline of the church . now seeing that god hath set downe a certaine forme of doctrine and instruction , according to which hee would have us to serve him , and established a kinde of discipline to be observed and maintained of every man inviolably , it behoveth therefore every christian to conforme himselfe unto this order ; and not to be guided by every fickle imagination of his own braine , or every rash presumption that ariseth in himselfe , but onely by the direct rule of gods word , which onely we ought to follow . by meanes of neglecting which duty , many vaine and pernitious ceremonies and strange superstitions have beene brought in and swayed mightily : by reason whereof great controversies and disputations are taken up at this day . albeit indeed it be a thing manifest , that being not grounded and propped upon the anchor of the scriptures , they ought to be abolished , what brave outward shew in appearance soever they beare . and that they set abroach things are not blamelesse and excusable before god , it appeareth by the punishment of nadab and abihu , who being ordained priests of god , to sacrifice and offer onely those things which were commanded in the law , yet were so evill advised as to offer strange incense and perfume upon the altar , received at the very instant of the fact condigne punishment for their presumption : for suddenly this their strange fire invaded them so fiercely , and so piercingly , that they were soon burned and consumed therewith : and so they were not spared , albeit they were aarons sonnes , even his first borne , and moses nephewes ; that by them all other might feare and take warning how to enterprise any thing in gods service contrary to his expresse ordinance . this moderation also ought to be observed in the church discipline , to wit , that every man containe himselfe within the precincts of his vocation , and that none intrude themselves into any charge without being called of god thereunto : whereof corah greatly faulted , when being not content with the dignity of a levites office which god had bestowed upon him , he ambitiously aspired to the priests office , and besides this stirred up and drew to his faction dathan and abiram , and many others , to the number of two hundred and fifty persons , against moses and aaron : but he drew withall the vengeance of god downe upon himselfe and all that tooke his part in most horrible and fearefull manner : for some of them , to wit , the two hundred and fifty , who , notwithstanding moses reproose , were so hardy and presumptuous as to present themselves the next morrow after the tumult , openly before the tabernacle , to offer incense , as if they had beene true priests , were for their flame of ambition and pride , set on fire and consumed with the flame of gods wrath : others , to wit , dathan and abiram , for their audacious enterprise against god , in the person of his servants , moses and aaron , and their high mindednesse and rebellion , in not comming out of their tents at the commandment of moses , were throwne downe into the lowest pit , the earth opening her mouth , and swallowing them up alive with their tents and families , and all that belonged unto them , to the fearefull amasement of the whole people , that were beholders of this spectacle . oziah king of iuda , carried himselfe a long while uprightly and modestly in the service of god : but after god had given him many great victories over his enemies the philistims , the arabians , the amorites , and that his renowne and feare was spread not onely to his neighbours , but also to strange nations , by and by his heart was puft up with pride and selfe-conceit , that he dared to enter the temple of god , and burne incense upon the altar , which belonged onely to the priests office to doe : and not obeying the strong resistance and countermand of the good priests that had charge of the temple , he was strucken with a leprosie , and hastily carried out and sequestred from the society of men all his life time . and so this proud king that foolishly tooke upon him more than was lawfull and convenient , was forced to recoile , and to be still , being humbled under so grievous a scourge as never for sooke him till his death . when the arke of the covenant was in bringing from abinadabs house in kyriathjarim , in a cart guided by vzza and ahio , abinadabs sonnes , it fell out on the way , that it being shaken by the oxen , ( unfit servitors for such a worke ) vzza put forth his hand to hold it ; but therein hee went beyond his charge , and therefore was punished forthwith with present death , for his inconsiderate rashnesse : for albeit he was both a levite , and thought no evill in his heart , yet in no respect was be licenced to touch the arke , being a thing lawfull for the priests onely . let therefore every one be advised by these examples , to follow the rule in serving god , that is by him designed , in all simplicity , modestie , and obedience , without altering or declining , or undertaking any thing above or beside their calling . chap. xxvii . of perjuries . the third commandement ( which is , thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vaine ) is first and especially broken by perjury , when god is so lightly esteemed , nay , so despised , that without any regard had to his name , that is to say , to his greatnesse , majesty , power , divine vertue , and fearefull iustice , ( for these bee his names ) men by fraud and malice abuse their oathes , either in denying that which is true , or affirming that which is untrue , or neglecting their promises made and vowed to others : for this is neither to have respect unto his presence , who is every where , nor reverence to his majestie , who is god of heaven and earth , but rather to make him beare witnesse to our lye and falshood ; as if he approved it , or had no power to revenge the injury and dishonour done to him . and therefore against such , in threatning words he denounceth judgement , that he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine . howbeit very many over-boldly give themselves over to this sinne , making little or no conscience to cousen one another even by forswearings : whereby they give most cleare evidence against themselves , that they have very little feare of god before their eyes , and are not guided by any other rule save of their owne affections by which they square out and build their oathes , and pull them done againe at their pleasures ; for let it be a matter of vantage , and then they will keepe them , but straightway if a contrary perswasion come in their braine , they will cancell them by and by : wherein they deale farre worse and more injuriously with god , than with their knowne enemies ; for he that contrary to his sworne faith deceiveth his enemy , declareth that therein he feareth him , but feareth not god ; and careth for him , but contemneth god. it was therefore not without good reason that all antiquity ever marked them with the coat of infamy that forswore themselves . and thereupon it is that homer so often taunteth the trojans by reason of their so usuall perjuries . the egyptians had them in detestation as prophane persons , and reputed it so capitall a crime , that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished by death . the ancient romanes reverenced nothing more then faith in publike affaires , for which cause they had in their citie a temple dedicated to it : wherein for a more strait bond they used solemnely to promise and sweare to all the conditions of peace , truces , and bargaines , which they made , and to curse those which went about first to breake them : for greater solemnity and confirmation hereof , they were accustomed at those times to offer sacrifices to the image of faith for more reverence sake . hence it was that attilius regulus , chiefe captaine of the romane army against the carthaginians , was so highly commended of all men , because when he was overcome and taken prisoner , and sent to rome , he onely for his oathes sake which he had sworne , returned againe to the enemy , albeit hee knew what grievous torments were provided for him at his returne . others also that came with him , though they were intreated , and by their parents , wives , and allies , instantly urged not to returne to hannibals campe , could in no wise be moved thereunto : but because they had sworne to the enemie , if the romans did not accord to those conditions which were offered , to come againe , they preferred the bond and reverence of their promised faith , though accompanied with perpetuall captivity , before their private commodities , and neerest linke of affection . but two of these ten ( for so many were they ) falsified their oath , and whatsoever mist they might cast to darken and disguise their perjury with , yet were they condemned of all men for cowards , and faint-hearted traytors : insomuch that the censors also nored them with infamy for the fact ; whereat they tooke such griefe and inward sorrow , that being weary of their lives , they slew themselves . now what can they pretend that professe themselves christians and catholickes , to excuse their perjuries , seeing that the very heathen cry out so loud and cleere , that an oath and faith is so sacredly to be kept towards our enemies ? this is one of the greatest vertues and commendations which the psalmist attributeth to the faithfull man , & him that feareth god , and whom god avoucheth for his owne , not to falsifie his oath that he sweareth , though it be to his dammage . the gibeonites although they were so execrable a people , that for their great and horrible wickednesses and ahominations they might be well esteemed for hereticks , yet the princes of israel , after they had sworne and given their faith unto them , would in no wise retract or goe against their oath , albeit , therein they were deceived by them , for feare of incurring the wrath of god , that suffereth not a perjurer to goe unpunished . vpon what ground or example of holy scripture then may that doctrine of the councell of constance be founded , the purport whereof is , that a man ought not to keepe his faith with hereticks ? i omit to speake how these good fathers ( by hereticks ) meant those men who fearing god , relyed themselves upon his word , and rejected the foolish and superstitious inventions of men . and under what colour can the popes usurpe this authority , to quit and discharge subjects of their oath wherewith they are bound to their superiors ? yet this was the impious audacity of pope zacharia , pope boniface the , and pope benedict de la lune , who freed the frenchmen from their duty and obedience which they ought unto their kings . in like manner disgorged gregory the his choler and spight against the emperour henry , by forbidding his subjects to be his subjects , and to yeeld that obedience unto him which subjects were bound to doe . how be it if an oath be made either against god , or to the damage and hurt of our neighbour ( it being for that cause unlawfull ) it behoveth us to know that we ought to revoke it , lest wee fall into the sinne of saul and herod . now what punishments god hath laid upon perjuries , these examples that follow shall make known unto us . osee the last king of israel , being made ( by gods just judgement for his sinnes ) subject and tributary to salmanazar king of ashur , without regard to the bond wherewith he was bound , and to his faith which he had plighted , conspired and entered league with the king of aegypt , against him : but he discovering their seditious and privie conspiracies , assembled his forces , spoyled his countrey , and bad them warre on all sides ; laying fiege to the chiefe citie of his kingdome , after three yeeres tooke it , together with the forsworne king , whom he put in close prison , and kept very straightly , leading him and his whole nation captive into syria , to end their dayes in misery : of which evill , as of all others that happened in that warre , the disloyalty and treason of osee was the next and chiefest cause . among the bed-roll of sinnes which zedechias the last king of iuda is noted withall in holy scripture , perjury is one of the count : for notwithstanding he received his kingdome of nabuchadnezzar , and had sworne fealty to him , as to his soveraigne , yet brake he his oath in rebelling against him ; which was the very cause of his destruction : for nebuchadnezzar to be revenged on his disloyalty , sent a puissant armie against ierusalem , which took , spoyled , and burnt it , and overtooke the perjurer in his flight , and first made him a beholder of the slaughter of his owne children , and then had his owne eyes bored out , and was carried in chaines to babylon , serving for a spectacle to all posteritie , of gods wondrous judgements upon perjurers . and thus both the kingdomes of israel and iuda were for breach and falsifying their oath quite extinguished and rased out . the great deceiver and most treacherous person , one of them , that ever greece saw , was lisander the lacedemonian , a busie-body , full of cunning , subtilty , and craft , and one that performed the most of his acts of warre , more by fraud and stratagems , than by any other meanes : this was he that said , that when the lions skinne ( meaning fortitude ) would not serve , it was needfull then to sow unto it the foxes case ( meaning subtilty ) he made so little reckoning of forswearing himselfe , that he would often say , that children were to be cousened with trifles , as dice and cockles , and old men with oathes : but with deceitfull tricks he was occasion of much evill , and divers murders : but at last this foxe making warre against the thebans , for that they had taken part with the athenians against him , and given them succour and meanes for recovering their liberty , was taken in the trap , and slaine at the foot of their walls . metius suffetius , generall of the albanes , procured the fidenates to enter warre against the romanes , contrary to his oath which he had sworne unto them , and being called by the romanes to their succour , and placed in an out wing to helpe if need were , whilest the rest were fighting , hee drove away the time in ordering his men , and ranging them into squadrons , to see which part should have the best , that he might joyne himselfe unto that side . but tullus the roman king having obtained the victory , and seeing the cowardise , subtilty , and treason of this albane , adjudged him to a most strange and vile death , answerable to his fact : for as he had in his body a double heart swimming between two streames , and now ready to goe this way , now that , so was his body dismembred and torne in pieces by foure horses , drawing foure contrary wayes : to serve for an example to all others to be more fearefull and true observers of their oathes than he was . in old time the africans and carthagenians were generally noted for perfidy and falshood above other nations ; the cause of which bruit was principally that old subtile souldier annibal , an old deceiver , and a notorious perjurer , who by his crafts and cousenings which he wrought without religion or feare of god , raised up the evill report . this subtile foxe having made warre in italy sixteen yeeres , and all that while troubled and vexed the romanes sore , after many victories , wastings of countries , ruines , and sackings of cities , and cruell bloodshed , was at length overcome by scipio in his owne conntrey ; and perceiving that his country-men imputed the cause of their fall unto him , and sought to make him odious to the romanes , by laying to his charge the breach of that league which was betwixt them , he fled to antiochus king of syria , not so much for his owne safeties fake , as to continue his warre against the romanes , which he knew antiochus to be in hammering , because they came so neere unto his frontiers : but he found his hope frustrate ; for king antiochus , for the small trust he affied in him , and the daily suspition of his treachery , would not commit any charge of his armie into his hand , although for valiantnesse and prowesse he was second to none of that age. it came to passe therefore , that as soone as antiochus was overthrown of the romanes , he was constrained to flie to prusius king of bythinia , that tooke him into his protection : but being as treacherous himselfe , hee soone devised a meanes to betray him to quintius , the generall of the romane armie : which when annibal understood , and seeing that all passages for evasion were closed up , and that he could not any way escape , he poysoned himselfe , and so miserably ended his treacherous life . and thus the deceit which he practised towards others , fell at length upon his owne pate , to his utter destruction . albeit that perjurers and forswearers were to the egyptians very odious and abominable ( as wee said before ) yet among them there was one ptolome , who to bereave his sister arsinoe of her kingdome , stained himselfe with this villanous spot , and thereby brought his purpose to passe ; for pretending and protesting great affection and love unto her in the way of marriage ( for such incestuous marriages were there through a perverse and damnable custome not unlawfull ) and avowing the same by solemne oath before her embassadours , did notwitstanding soon make knowne the drift of his intent , which was to make himselfe king : for being arrived in shew to consummate marriage , at his first approach hee caused his nephewes ( her sonnes which she had by her former husband lysimachus , and were come forth from their mother to give him entertainment on the way ) to be slaine ; yea , and lest they should escape his hands , hee pursued them even to their mothers bosome , and there murthered them , and after ( expelling her also from her kingdome ) caught the crowne , and reigned tyrant in her roome : all which mischiefe he committed by reason of the faithlesse oath which hee had taken : and although that in such a case no oath ought to bee of force to confirme so lawfull affiance ( though it bee pronounced and taken by the name and in the temple of their idols ) yet notwithanding it being done with an evill conscience , and to an evill purpose , he that did it can be no lesse then a perjurer . but for this and other vices it came to passe , that ere long he was conquered by the gaules , who taking him in battell , slew him and cut off his head , and having fastened it upon a lance , carried it in signe of victory and triumph up and downe the hoast . a most notable example of the punishment of perjurie and falshood in vladislaus king of hungary and his army destroyed by the turkes , is set downe in bonfinus his hungarian history , after this manner . it fell out that the king of hungary had so well bestirred himselfe against the turks , that amurathes was glad ( upon unequall conditions , and even to his owne hurt , and their good ) to conclude a peace with him : wherein it was agreed , that certaine provinces should be restored to the hungarian , which otherwise could not have been recovered but by great losse of men . this league being made , and the articles thereof engrossed in both languages , with a solemne oath taken on both parties for the consirmation of the same ; behold the cardinall of florence , admirall of the navie which lay upon the sea hellespont ( now called saint georges arme , which divideth turkie from greece ) sendeth letters to the king of hungary to perswade him to disannull and repeale this new concluded peace : this practise likewise did cardinall iulian , the popes legate in hungarie , with might and maine helpe forward : which two good pillars of the church , inspired with on and the same spirit , wrought together so effectually with the king , that at that instance he falsified his oath , broke the peace , and sent to constantinople to denounce warre afresh ; and forthwith whilst their embassadors were retyring their garrisons out of misia , to bring them into their hands againe , and had sent forty thousand crownes for the ransome of great men which were prisoners , and had restored the realme of rascia and all their captives , according to the tenour of their late league , not knowing of this new breach : in the meane while ( i say ) he set forward his armie towards the great turkes in all expedition . now the turkes secure and misdoubting nothing , were set upon unawares by the king , yet putting themselves in defence , there grew a long and sharpe battell , till amurathes perceiving his side to decline , and almost overcome , pulled out of his bosome the articles of the aforesaid peace , & lifting up his eyes to heaven , uttered these speeches : o iesus christ , these are the leagues that thy christians have made and confirmed by swearing by thy name , and yet have broken them againe : if thou beest a god , as they say thou art , revenge this injurie which is offered both thee and mee , and punish those truce-breaking varlets . he had scarce ended these speeches , but the christians battell and courage began to rebate , vladislaus himselfe was slaine by the i●nizaries , his horse being first hurt ; his whole army was discomfited , and all his people put to the sword , saving a few that fled : amongst whom was the right reverend embassador of the pope , who as soone as he had thrust in over the eares , withdrew himselfe ( forsooth ) farre enough from blowes or danger . then followed a horrible butchery of people , and a lamentable noyse of poore soules ready to be slaughtered , for they spared none , but haled them miserably in pieces , and executed a just and rigorous judgement of god for that vile treachery and perjury which was committed . chap. xxviii . more examples of the like subject . bvt let us adde a few more examples of fresher memory , as touching this ungodly perjury : and first king philip of macedony , who never made reckoning of keeping his oathes , but swore and unswore them at his pleasure , and for his commodity : doubtlesse it was one of the chiefest causes why he and his whole progeny came quickly to destruction ( as testifieth pausanias ) for hee himselfe being yeeres old , was slaine by one of his owne servants ; after which olympias his wife made away two of his sonnes , anideus , and another which he had by cleopatra , attalus his neece , whom she sod to death in a cauldron : his daughter thessalonicaes children likewise all perished : and lastly , alexander after all his great victories , in the middest of his pompe , was poysoned at babylon . gregorie tours maketh mention of a wicked varlet in france among the people called averni , that forswearing himselfe in an unjust cause , had his tongue so presently tyed , that he could not speake but roare , and so continued , till by his earnest prayers and repentance the lord restored to himselfe the use of that unruly member . there were in old time certaine people of italy called aequi , whereof the memory remaineth onely at this day , for they were utterly destroyed by q. cincinnatus . these having solemnely made a league with the romanes , and sworne unto it with one consent , afterward chose gracchus cluilius for their captaine , and under his conduct spoyled the fields and territories of the romanes , contrary to the former league and oath . wherupon the romans sent q. fabius , p. volumnius , and a. posthumius embassadors to them , to complaine of their wrongs and demand satisfaction : but their captaine so little esteemed them , that he bad them deliver their message to an oake standing thereby , whilest hee attended other businesse . then one of the three turning himselfe towards the oake , spake on this manner : thou hallowed oake , and whatsoever else belongeth to the gods in this place , heare and beare witnes of this disloyall part , and favor our iust complaints , that with the assistance of the gods wee may bee revenged on this injury . this done they returned home , and shortly after gathering a power of men , set upon and over came that truce-breaking nation . in the yeer of rome built , , the fidenates revolted from the friendship and league of the romans , to toluminus the king of the veyans , and adding cruelty to treason , killed foure of their embassadours that came to know the cause of their defection : which disloyalty the romans not brooking , undertooke war against them , and notwithstanding all their private and forrein strength , overthrew and slew them . in this battell it is said , that a tribune of the souldiers seeing toluminus bravely galloping up and down , and incouraging his souldiers , and the romans trembling at his approch , said , is this the breaker of leagues , and violater of the law of nations ? if there be any holinesse on earth , my sword shall sacrifice him to the soules of our slaine embassadours ; and therewithall setting spurres to his horse , he unhorst him , and fastening him to the earth with his speare , cut off his perfidious head : whereat his army dismaied , retired , and became a slaughter to the enemies . albertus duke of franconia having slaine conrade the earle of lotharingia , brother to lewis the fourth , then emperor , and finding the emperors wrath incensed against him for the same , betooke himselfe to a strong castle at bamberg ; from whence the emperour neither by force nor policie could remove him for seven yeares space , untill atto the bishop of mentz by trecherie delivered him into his hands . this atto under shew of friendship repaired to the castle , and gave his faith unto the earle , that if he would come downe to parle with the emperor , he should safely return into his hold : the earle mistrusting no fraud , went out of the castle gates with the bishop towards the emperour ; but atto ( as it were suddenly remembring himselfe , when indeed it was his devised plot ) desireth to returne back and dine ere he went , because it was somewhat late : so they do , dine , and returne . now the earle was no sooner come to the emperor , but he caused to be presently put to death , notwithstanding he urged the bishops promise and oath for his returne : for it was answered , that his oath was quit by returning backe to dine , as he had promised . and thus the earle was wickedly betrayed , though justly punished . as for atto the subtill traitor , indeed he possessod himselfe by this meanes of the earles lands ; but withall , the justice of god seised upon him , for within a while after he was stricken with a thunderbolt , and as some say , carried into mount aetna , with this noyse , sicpeccatalues , atque ruendorues . cleomenes king of lacedemonia making warre upon the argives , surprised them by this subtilty , he tooke truce with them for seven dayes , and the third night whilest they lay secure , and unwarie in their truce , he oppressed them with a great slaughter , saying , ( to excuse his trecherie , though no excuse could cleare him from the shame thereof ) that the truce which he made was for seven dayes onely , without any mention of nights : howbeit for all this , it prospered not so well with him as he wished : for the argie vwomen , their husbands slaine , tooke armes like amasons , tolesilla being their captainesse , and compassing the citie walls , repelled cleomenes , halfe amased with the strangenesse of the sight . after which he was banished into aegypt , and there miserably and desperatly slew himselfe . the pope of rome with all his heard of bishops , opposed himselfe against the emperor henry the fourth ; for he banished him by excommunication from the society of the catholike church , discharged his subjects from the oath of fealty , and sent a crowne of gold to rodolph king of suevia , to canonize him emperor : the crowne had this inscription , petra dedit petro , petrus diadema rodulpho ; that is , the rocke gave unto peter , and peter gave unto rodolph the crown : notwithstanding rodolph remembring his oath to the emperour , and how vile a part it was to betray him whom he had sworne to obey and defend , at first refused the popes offer : howbeit by the persuasion of the bishops sophistrie , he was induced to undertake the name and title of caesar , and to oppugne the emperor henry by armes , even by foure unjust battels , in the last of which rodolph being overcome , lost his right hand , and was sore wounded otherwise : wherefore being ready to die , when one brought unto him his hand that was cut off in the battell , he in detestation of the popes villanie , burst forth into these termes , ( many bishops standing by ) behold here the hand wherewith i swore fealtie to the emperor , this will be an argument of my breach of faith before god , and of your traiterous impulsion thereunto . and thus he deceased , justly punished even by his owne confession for his perjurie . howbeit for all this manifest example , the pope and bishops continued to persecute the poore emperor , yea and to stir up his owne sonnes , conrade and henry , to fight against him ; so hardned are their hearts against all gods judgments . narcissus bishop of ierusalem , a man famous for his vertues , and sharpe in reproving and correcting vice , was accused by three wicked wretches of unchastity , and that falsly and maliciously ; for to prove their accusation true , they bound it with oaths and curses on this wise ; the first said , if i ly , i pray god i may perish by fire : the second , if i speake aught but truth , i pray god i may be consumed by some filthie and cruell disease . the third , if i accuse him falsely , i pray god i may be deprived of my sight , and become blinde . thus although the honesty and chastity of narcissus was so well knowne to all the faithfull , that they beleeved none of their oaths , yet the good bishop , partly mooved with griefe of this false accusation , and partly with desire of quietnesse from worldly affaires , forsooke his bishopricke , and lived in a desart for many yeares . but his forsworne accusers by their death witnessed his innocencie , which by their words they impugned : for the first , his house being set on fire extraordinarily , perished in flame , with all his family and progenie . the second languished away with an irkesome disease that bespread his bodie all over . the third seeing the wofull ends of his companions , confessed all their villanie , and lamenting his case and crime , persisted so long weeping , till both his eyes were out . thus god in his just judgement sent upon each of them their wishes , and thereby cleered his servant from shame and opprobry . burghard archbishop of magdeburg , though in regard of his place and profession , he ought to have given good example of honestie in himselfe , and punish perjurie in others ; yet he thrice broke his promise and oath with his owne citisens , the senat and people of magdeburg : for first hee besieged them with a power of men , and though they redeemed their liberty with a summe of money ( he swearing not to besiege them any more ) yet without respect of truth and credit he returned afresh to the siege : but his persidie was soone tamed ; for they tooke him prisoner at that assault : howbeit he so asswaged their angrie mindes , with his humble and lowlie entreaties and counterfe it oathes , never to trouble them any more , but to continue their stedfast friend , that they not onely freed him from imprisonment , but restored him to all his dignities with solemnitie : neverthelesse the traiterous archbishop returning to his old vomit , got dispensation for his oath from pope iohn the xxiij , and began afresh to vex , molest , and murther them whom he had sworne to maintaine : but it was the will of god that he should be once againe caught , and being enclosed in prison , whilest his friends sought meanes to redeeme him , the gaoler beat him to death with a dore barre , or as some say , with an yron rod taken out of a window ; and so at last , though long , his perjurie found its desert . the small successe that the emperor sigismund had in all his affaires , ( after the violation of his faith given to iohn hus and hierome of prague at the councell of constance , whom though with direct protestations and oathes he promised safe conduct and returne , yet he adjudged to be burned ) doth testifie the odiousnesse of his sin in the sight of god. but above all , this one example is most worthie the marking , of a fellow that hearing perjury condemned in a pulpit by a learned preacher , and how it never escaped unpunished ; said in a braverie , i have oft forsworne my selfe , and yet my right hand is not a whit shorter than my left . which words he had scarce uttered , when such an inflamation arose in that hand , that he was constrained to go to the chirurgion and cut it off , lest it should infect his whole bodie ; and so his right hand became shorter than his left , in recompence of his perjurie , which he lightly esteemed of . about the yeare of our lord , when king ethelstane , otherwise called adelstane , raigned here in england , there was one elfrede a nobleman , who with a faction of seditious persons conspired against the king presently after the death of his father , and at winchester went about to put out his eyes : but the king by the good providence of god escaped that danger ; and elfrede being accused thereof , fled to rome , to the end to purge himself of the crime by oath before the pope : who beeing brought to the church of saint peter , and there swearing , or rather forswearing , himself to be cleere , when indeed he was guilty , behold the lords hand on him , suddenly as soon as his oath was pronounced , he fell down in a strange sicknesse ; and from thence being brought to the english house in rome , within three daies after departed this life . the pope sent word hereof to king ethelstane , with demand , whither he would have him buried among christians or no : who through the perswasions of his friends and kinsfolke , granted , that though he neither lived nor died like a christian , yet he should have christian buriall . in the towne of rutlinquen a certaine passenger came into an inne , and gave a budget to his hoast to be kept , in the which there was a great sum of money : but when he demanded it againe at his departure , the host denied it , and gave him injurious words , with many mocks and taunts . whereupon the passenger calleth him in question before the iudge , and because he wanted witnesses , desireth to have him sworne : who without all scruple offered to sweare and protest , that he never received or concealed any such budget of money from him ; giving himselfe to the devill if he swore falsely . the passenger seeing his forwardnesse to damne himself , demanded respit to consider of the matter , and going out , hee meets with two men , who enquire the cause of his comming thither , and being informed by him , offer their help unto him in his cause : thereupon they returne before the iudge , and these two unknowne persons justifie that the budget was delivered unto the host , and that hee had hidden it in such a place : whereat the host being astonished , by his countenance and gesture discovered his guiltinesse : the iudge thereupon resolved to send him to prison , but the two unknowne witnesses ( who were indeed two fiends of hell ) began to say , you shall not need , for we are sent to punish his wickednesse ; and so saying , they hoisted him up into the ayre , where he vanished with them , and was never after found . in the yeare of our lord , goodwine earle of kent sitting at the table with king edward of england , it happened that one of the cupbearers stumbled , and yet fell not : whereat goodwine laughing , said , that if one brother had not holpen another ( meaning his legs ) all the wine had been spilt : with which words the king calling to mind his brothers death , which was slaine by goodwine ; answered , so should my brother alphred have holpen me had not goodwine been : then goodwine fearing the kings new kindled displeasure , excused himselfe with many words , and at last eating a morsell of bread , wished it might choke him if he were not guiltlesse of alphreds bloud . but he swore falsly , as the judgement of god declared , for he was forthwith choaked in the presence of the king , ere he removed one foot from that place ; though there be some say he recovered life againe . long time after this , in the raigne of queene elizabeth , there was in the city of london , one anne averies widow , who forswore her selfe for a little money that she should have paid for six pounds of tow at a shop in woodstreet : for which cause being suddenly surprised with the justice of god , shee fell downe speechlesse forthwith , and cast up at her mouth in great abundance , and with horrible stinke , that matter which by natures course should have been voided downewards , and so died , to the terrour of all perjured and forsworne wretches . there are in histories many more examples to be found of this hurtfull and pernitious sin , exercised by one nation towards another , and one man towards another , in most prophane and villanous sort , neither shaming to be accounted forsworne , nor consequently fearing to displease god and his majesty . but forasmuch as when we come to speak of murtherers in the next book , we shall have occasion to speake of them more , or of such like , i will referre the handling thereof unto that place : onely this , let every man learne by that which hath been spoken , to be sound and fraudlesse , and to keep his faith and promise towards all men , if for no other cause , yet for feare of god , who leaveth not this sin unpunished , nor holdeth them guiltlesse that thus taketh his name in vaine . chap. xxix . of blasphemers . as touching blasphemy , it was a most grievous and enormous sin , and contrary to this third commanmandement , when a man is so wretched and miseble , as to pronounce presumptuous speeches against god , whereby his name is slandered and evill spoken of : which sinne cannot chuse but be sharply and severely punished ; for if so be that god holdeth not him guiltles , that doth but take his name in vain must he not needs abhor him that blasphemeth his name ? see how meritoriously that wicked and perverse wretch that blasphemed and murdered ( as it were ) the name of god , among the people of israel in the desart , was punished : he was taken , put in prison , and condemned , and speedily stoned to death by the whole multitude : and upon that occasion ( as evill manners evermore begat good lawes ) the lord instituted a perpetuall law and decree , that every one that should blaspheme and curse god , of what estate or degree soever , should be stoned to death , in token of detestation : which sentence , if it might now adaies stand in force , there would not raign so many miserable blasphemers and deniers of god as the world is now filled and infected with . it was also ordained by a new law of iustinian , that blasphemies should be severely punished by the judges and magistrates of commonweales : but such is the corruption and misery of this age , that those men that ought to correct others for such speeches , are oftentimes worst themselves : and there are that thinke , that they cannot be sufficiently feared and awed of men , except by horrible bannings and swearings they despight and maugre god : nay it is further come to that passe , that in some places , to swearc and ban be the markes and ensignes of a catholike , and they are best welcome that can blaspheme most . how much then is that good king saint lewis of france to be commended , who especially discharged all his subjects from swearing and blaspheming within his realm , insomuch that when he heard a * nobleman blaspheme god most cruelly , he caused him to be laid hold on , and his lips to bee slit with an hot yron , saying , hee must be content to endure that punishment , seeing he purposed to banish oathes out of his kingdome . now wee call blasphemy ( according to the scripture phrase ) every word that derogateth either from the bounty , mercy , justice , eternity , and soveraigne power of god. of this sort was that blasphemous speech of one of king iorams princes , who at the time of the great famine in samaria , when it was besieged by the syrians , hearing elizeus the prophet say , that the next morrow there should be plenty of victuals and good cheap , rejected this promise of god made by his prophet , saying that it was impossible ; as if god were either a lyar , or not able to performe what he would : for this cause this unbeleeving blasphemer received the same day a deserved punishment for his blasphemy , for he was troden to death in the gate of the city under the feet of the multitude that went out into the syrians campe , forsaken and left desolate by them , through a feare which the lord sent among them . senaccherib king of assyria , after he had obtained many victories , and ●●odued much people under him , and also layd siege to ierusalem , became ●●proud and arrogant , as by his servants mouth to revile and blaspheme the living god , speaking no otherwise of him than of some strange idoll , and one that had no power to help and deliver those that trusted in him ; for which blasphemies he soone after felt a just vengeance of god upon himselfe and his people : for although in mans eyes he seemed to be without the reach of danger ( seeing he was not assayled , but did assayle , and was guarded with so mighty an army , that assured him to make him lord of ierusalem in short space ) yet the lord overthrew his power , and destroyed of his men in one night by the hand of his angell thousand men , so that he was faine to raise his siege , and returne into his owne kingdome , where finally he was slaine by his owne sons , as he was worshipping on his knees in the temple of his god . in the time of the machabees , those men that were in the strong hold called gazara , fighting against the iewes , trusting to the strength of the place wherein they were , uttered forth most infamous speeches against god : but ere long , their blasphemous mouths were encountred by a condigne punishment : for the first day of the siege , machabeus put fire to the towne , and consumed the place ( with the blasphemers in it ) to ashes . holofernes , when achior advanced the glory of the god of israel , replyed on this fashion : since thou hast prophesied unto us , that israel shall be defended by their god , thou shalt prove that there is no god but nabuchadnezzar , when the sword of mine army shall passe through thy sides , and thou shalt fall among their slaine : but for this blasphemy the lord cut him short , and prevented his cruell purpose by sudden death , und that by the hand of a woman , to his further shame . nay , this sinne is so odious in the sight of god , that he punisheth even them that give occasion thereof unto others , yea though they be his dearest children , as it appeareth by the words of the prophet nathan unto king david : because of this deed ( saith he ) of murthering vriah , and defiling bathshabe , thou hast made the enemies of the lord to blaspheme , the childe that is borne unto thee shall surely die . in the empire of iulian the apostata , there were divers great men that for the emperours sake sake forsooke christ and his religion : amongst whom , was one iulian , uncle to the emperour , and governour of the east ; another , foelix the emperours treasurer : the first of which two , after hee had spoyled all christian churches and temples , pissed against the table whereon the holy sacraments were used to be administred , in contempt , and strucke euzoius on the care for reproving him for it : the other beholding the holy vessels that belonged to the church said , see what pretious vessels maries sonne is served withall . after which blasphemy , the lord plagued them most strangely : for iulian fell into so strange a disease , that his intrailes being rotten , he voided his excrements at his mouth , because when they passed naturally , he abused them to the dishonour of god. foelix vomited bloud so excessively night and day at his blasphemous mouth , that he died forthwith . about the same time there lived a famous sophister and epicure called libanius ; who being at antioch , demanded blasphemously of a learned and godly schoolemaster , what the carpenters sonne did , and how he occupied himselfe ? marry ( quoth the schoolemaster , full of the spirit of god ) the creator of this world ( whom thou disdainfully callest the carpenters sonne ) is making a coffin for thee , to carry thee to thy grave : whereat the sophister jeasting , departed , and within few daies dying , was buried in a coffin , according to the prophesie of that holy man. the emperour heraclius sending embassadors to cosroë the king of persia to intreat of peace , returned with this answer , that he would never cease to trouble them with warre , till he had constrained them to forsake their crucified christ , and to worship the sunne . but ere long he bore the punishment of his blasphemy : for what with a domesticall calamity , and a forrein overthrow by the hand of heraclius , he came to a most wofull destruction . michael that blasphemous rabbine , that was accounted of the iewes , as their prince and messias , as he was on a time banquetting with his companions , amongst other things this was chiefest sauce for their meat , to blasphme christ and his mother mary , insomuch as he boasted of a victory already gotten over the christians god. but marke the issue : as he descended down the stayres , his foot slipping , he tumbled headlong and broke his neck ; wherein his late victory proved a discomfiture and overthrow , to his eternall shame and confusion . three souldiers ( amongst the tyrigetes , a people of sarmatia ) passing through a wood , there arose a tempest of thunder and lightening , which though commonly it maketh the greatest atheists to tremble , yet one of them to shew his contempt of god and his judgements , burst forth into blasphemy and despightings of god. but the lord soone tamed his rebellious tongue : for he caused the winde to blow up by the root a huge tree , that fell upon him and crushed him to pieces , the other escaping to testifie to the world of his destruction . at a village called benavides in spain , two young men being together in a field , there arose of a sudden a terrible tempest , with such violence of weather and winde , and withall so impetuous a whirlwinde , that it amased those that beheld it . the two young men seeing the fury thereof comming amaine towards them , to avoid the danger ran away as fast as they possibly might : but make what haste they could it overtooke them : who fearing lest the same should swing them up into the ayre , fell flatlong down upon the earth , where the whirlwinde whisking about them a pretty while , and then passing forth , the one of them arose so altered and in such an agony , that he was scarcely able to stand on his feet : the other lying still and not stirring , some others afarre off , that stood under a hedge , went to see how hee did , and found him , to be starke dead , not without markes upon him of wonderfull admiration : for all his bones were so crushed , that the pipes and joynts of his legges and armes were as easie to be turned the one way as the other , as though his whole body had been made of mosse ; and besides , his tongue was pulled out by the roots , which could not by any meanes be found , though they sought for it most diligently . and this was the miserable end of this wretched man , who was noted to be a great outragious swearer & blasphemer of gods holy name ; the lord therfore chose him out , to make him an example to the world of his justice . no lesse notable is the example of a young girle , named denis benesield , of twelve yeares of age : who going to schoole amongst other girles , when they fell to reason among themselves after their childish discretion about god , one among the rest said that he was a good old father : what , hee ? ( said the foresaid denis ) he is an old doting foole : which being told to her mistresse , she purposed to correct her the next day for it : but it chanced that the next day her mother sent her to london to the market , the wench greatly intreating her mother that she might not goe , so that she escaped her mistresses correction . but the lord in vengeance met with her : for as she returned homeward , suddenly she was stricken dead , all the one side of her being black ; and buried at hackney the same night . a terrible example ( no doubt ) both to old and young , what it is for children to blaspheme the lord and god , and what it is for parents to suffer their young ones to grow up in blindnesse , without nurtering them in the feare of god , and reverence of his majesty , and therefore worthy to be remembred of all . in the yeare an arrian bishop called olympius , being at carthage in the bathes , reproached and blasphemed the holy and sacred trinity , and that openly : but lighting fell downe from heaven upon him three times , and he was burnt and consumed therewith . there was also in the time of alphonsus king of arragon and sicily , in an isle towards africa , a certain hermit called antonius , a monstrous and prophane hypocrite , that had so wicked a heart to devise , and so filthy a throat to belch out vile and injurious speeches against christ iesus and the virgin mary his mother ; but hee was strieken with a most grievous disease , even to be eaten and gnawne in pieces of wormes untill he died . chap. xxx . of those that by cursing and denying god give themselves to the devill . as concerning those that are addicted to much cursing , and as if their throats were hell it selfe , to despightings and reviling against god ( that is blessed for ever ) and are so mad as to renounce him , and give themselves to the devill : truely they worthily deserve to be forsaken of god , and given over to the devill indeed , to go with him into everlasting perdition : which hath been visibly experienced in our time upon certaine wretched persons , which have been carried away by that wicked spirit to whom they gave themselves . there was upon a time in germany , a certain naughty packe of a most wicked life , and so evill brought up , that at every word he spake almost , the devill was at one end ; if walking he chanced to tread awry , or to stumble , presently the devill was in his mouth : whereof albeit he was many times reproved by his neighbors , and exhorted to correct and amend so vile and detestable a vice , yet all was in vaine : continuing therefore this evill and damnable custome , it happened , that as he was upon a time passing over a bridge , he fell downe , and in his fall gave these speeches , hoist up with an hundred devils : which he had no sooner spoken , bat the devill whom he called for so oft , was at his elbow to strangle him , and carry him away with him . a certain souldier travelling through marchia , a country of almaigne , and finding himselfe evill at ease in his journey , abode in an inne till hee might recover his health , and committed to the hostesses custody certaine money which he had about him . now a while after being recovered of his sicknesse , required his money againe ; but she having consulted with her husband , denied the receit , and therefore the returne thereof ; and accused him of wrong , in demanding that which she never received : the souldier on the other side fretted amaine , and accused her of cousenage : which stir when the goodman of the house understood ( though privy to all before ) yet dissembling , tooke his wives part , and thrust the souldier out of doors : who being throughly cha●ed with that indignity , drew his sword , and ran at the doore with the point hereof : whereat the host began to cry , theeves , theeves , saying that he would have entred his house by force : so that the poore souldier was taken and cast into prison , and by processe of law ready to be condemned to death : but the very day wherein this hard sentence was to be pronounced and executed , the devill entred into the prison , and told the souldier that he was condemned to die ; howbeit neverthelesse if hee would giue himselfe bodie and soule unto him , he would promise to deliuer him out of their hands : the prisoner answering , said , that he had rather die being innocent , and without cause , than to be delivered by that meanes : againe the divell replied , and propounded unto him the great danger wherein he was , yea and used all cunning meanes possible to perswade him : but seeing that he lost his labour , he at length left his suit , and promised him both helpe , and revenge upon his enemies , and that for nothing : advising him moreover when he came to judgement , to plead not guiltie , and to declare his innocencie and their wrong , and to intreat the iudge to grant him one in a blew cap that stood by to be his advocate : ( now this one in a blew cap was the divell himselfe ) the souldier accepting his offer , being called to the barre , and indicted there of felonie , presently desired to have his atturney , who was there present to plead his cause : then began the fine and craftie doctor of the lawes to plead , and defend his client verie cunningly , affirming him to be falsly accused , and consequently unjustly condemned , and that his host did withhold his mony and had offered him violence , and to prove his assertion he reckoned up every circumstance in the action , yea the verie place were they had hidden the mony . the host on the other side stood in deniall very impudently , wishing the divell might take him if he had it : then the subtill lawyer in the blew cap , looking for no other vantage , left pleading , and fell to lay hold of the host , and carrying him out of the sessions house , hoisted him into the ayre so high , that he was never after seen nor heard of . and thus was the souldier delivered from the execution of the law most strangely , to the astonishment of all the beholders , that were eye witnesses of that which happened to the for sworne and cursing host . in the yere of our lord , at megalopole neer voildstat , it happened in the time of the celebration of the feast of pentecost ▪ the people being set on drikingng and carousing , that a woman in the company commonly named the devill in her oathes ; till that he being so often called on , came of a sudden , and carried her through the gate aloft into the ayre before them all , who ran out astonished to see whither he would transport her , and found her a while hanging in the ayre without the towne , and then falling downe upon the ground dead . about the same time there lived in a city of savoy one that was both a monstrous swearer , & also otherwise very vicious , who put many good men to much fruitlesse paines , that in regard of their charge employed themselves often to admonish and reprove his wicked behaviour , to the end he might amend it : but all in vaine , they might as well cast stones against the wind ; for he would not so much as listen to their words , much lesse reforme his manners . now it fell out that the pestilence being in the city , he was infected with it , and therefore withdrew himselfe a part with his wife & another kinswoman into a garden which he had : neither yet in this extremity did the ministers forsake him , but ceased not continually to exhort him to repentance , and to lay before his eyes his faults and offences to the end to bring him into the right way . but he was so farre from being touched or moved with these godly admonitions , that he strove rather to harden himselfe more and more in his sinnes . therefore one day hasting forward his owne mishap , as hee was swearing and denying god , and giving himselfe to the devill , and calling for him with vehehemency , behold even the devill indeed snatched him up suddenly , and heaved him into the aire , his wife and kinswoman looking on , and seeing him fly over their heads . being thus swiftly transported , his cap tumbled from his head , and was found at rosne ; but himselfe no man could ever after set eye on . the magistrate advertised hereof , came to the place where he was taken , to be better informed of the truth , taking the witnesse of the two women touching that which they had seene . here may wee see the strange and terrible events of gods just vengeance upon such vile caitifes ; which doubtlesse are made manifest to strike a feare and terrour into the heart of every swearer and denier of god ( the world being but too full at this day of such wretches ) that are so inspired with satan , that they cannot speake but they must name him , even him that is both an enemy to god and man , and like a roaring lion runneth and roveth too and fro to devoure them : not seeking any thing but mans destruction . and yet when any paine assaileth them , or any trouble disquieteth their minds , or any danger threateneth to oppresse their bodies , desperately they call upon him for aid , when indeed it were more needfull to commend themselves to god , and to pray for his grace and assistance , having both a commandement so to doe , and a promise adjoyned , that he will help us in our necessities , if we come unto him by true and hearty prayer . it is not therefore without just cause , that god hath propounded and laid open in this corrupt age , a theatre of his iudgements , that every man might be warned thereby . chap. xxxi . more examples of gods iudgements upon cursers . bvt before we goe to the next commandement , wee will adjoyne a few more examples of this devillish cursing . martin luther hath left registred unto us a notable example showne upon a popish priest that was once a professor of the sincere religion , and fell away voluntarily unto papisme ; whereof adam budissina was the reporter : this man thundred out most bitter curses against luther in the pulpit , at a town called ruthnerwald , and amongst the rest , wished , that if luthers doctrine were true , a thunderbolt might strike him to death . now three dayes after there arose a mighty tempest , with thunder and lightening : whereat the cursed priest , bearing in himselfe a guilty conscience , for that hee had untruly and malitiously spoken , ranne hastily into the church , and there fell to his prayers before the altar most devoutly ; but the vengeance of god found him out and his hypocrisie , so that he was stroken dead with the lightening , and albeit they recovered life in him againe , yet as they led him homewards through the church-yard , another fl●sh so set upon him , that he was burnt from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot , as blacke as a shoo , so that he died with a manifest marke of gods vengeance upon him . theodorus beza reporteth unto us two notable histories of his owne knowledge , of the severity of gods judgment upon a curser and a perjurer ; the tenor whereof is this , i knew ( said he ) in france a man of good parts , well instructed in religion , and a master of a familie , who in his anger cursing , and bidding the divell take one of his children , had presently his wish ; for the childe was possessed immediatly with a spirit : from which though by the servent and continuall prayers of the church he was at length released , yet ere he had fully recovered his health he died . the like we read to have happened to a woman , whom her husband in anger devoted with bitter curses to the divell ; for sathan assaulted her persently , and robbed her of her wits , so that she could never be recovered . another example ( saith he ) happened not far hence , even in this country , upon a perjurer that forswore him selfe to the end to deceive and prejudice another thereby : but he had no sooner made an end of his false oath , but a grievous apoplexy assailed him , so that without speaking of any one word he dyed within few dayes . in the yere of our lord , the day before good fryday , at forchenum a city in the bishopricke of bamburg , there was a certaine crooked priest both in body and minde , through age and evill conditions , that could not go but upon crutches , yet would needs be lifted into the pulpit to make a sermon : his text was out of the chap. of the first epistle to the corinthians , touching the lords supper ; whereout taking occasion to defend the papisticall errours and the masse , hee used these or such like blasphemous speeches , o paul , paul , if thy doctrine touching the receiving of the sacrament in both kinds be true , and if it be a wicked thing to receive it otherwise , then would the divell might take me : and ( turning to the people ) if the popes doctrine concerning this point be not true , then am i the divels bondslaue , neither do i feare to pawne my soule upon it . these and many other blasphemous words he used , till the divell came indeed , transformed into the shape of a tall man , blacke and terrible , sending before him such a fearefull noyse , and such a wind , that the people supposed that the church would have fallen on their heads : but he not able to hurt the rest , tooke away the old priest , being his devoted bondslave , and carried him so far that he was never heard of . the bishop of rugenstines brother hardly escaped his hands : for he came back to fetch him ; but he defending himself with his sword , wounded his owne body , and very narrowly escaped with his life . beside , after this there were many visions seene about the citie , as armies of men ready to enter and surprise them , so that well was he that could hide himselfe in a corner . at another time after , the like noyse was heard in the church whilst they were baptising an infant ; and all this for the abhominable cursing and blasphemy of the prophane priest. in the yeare of our lorld , at s. gallus in helvetia , a certaine man that earned his living by making cleane rough and soule linnen against the sun , entering a taverne , tasted so much the grape , that he vomited out terrible curses against himselfe and others : amongst the rest he wished , if ever he went into the fields to his old occupation , that the divell might come and breake his necke : but when sleepe had conquered drinke , and sobriety restored his sences , he went again to his trade , remembring indeed his late words , but regarding them not : howbeit the divell to shew his double diligence , attended on him at his appointed houre in the likenesse of a big swarthy man , and asked him if he remembred his promise and vow which he had made the day before , and if it were not lawfull for him to breake his necke ; and withall stroke the poore man , trembling with feare , over the shoulders , that his feet and his hands presently dried up , so that he lay there not able to stir , till by help of men he was carried home ; the lord not giving the devill so much power over him as he wished himselfe ; but yet permitting him to plague him on this sort , for his amendment , and our example . henry earle of schwartburg through a corrupt custome used commonly to wish he might be drowned in a privy : and as he wished , so it hapned unto him , for he was so served , and murthered at s. peters monastery in erford , in the yeare of our lord , . the like befell a young courtier at mansfield , whose custome was in any earnest asseveration , to say , the devill take me if it be not so : the devill indeed tooke him whilest hee slept , and threw him out of a high window , where albeit by the good providence of god he o●ught no great hurt , yet he learnt by experience to bridle his tongue from all such cursed speeches , this being but a tast of gods wrath that is to fall upon such wretches as he . at oster a village in the duchy of megalopole , there chanced a most strange and fearefull example upon a woman that gave her selfe to the devill both body and soule , and used most horrible cursings and oathes , both against her selfe and others : which detestible manner of behaviour , as at many other times , so especially shee shewed at a marriage in the foresaid village upon s. iohn baptists day , the whole people exhorting her to leave off that monstrous villany : but she nothing bettered , continued her course , till all the company were set at dinner , and very merry . then loe , the devill having got full possession of her , came in person , and transported her into the aire before them all , with most horrible outcries and roarings , and in that sort carried her round about the towne , that the inhabitants were ready to die with feare , and by ct by tore her in foure pieces , leaving in four severall high wayes a quarter , that all that came by might be witnesses of her punishment . and then returning to the marriage , threw her bowels upon the table before the major of the towne , with these words , behold , these dishes of meat belong to thee , whom the like destruction awaiteth , if thou doest not amend thy wicked life . the reporters of this history were , iohn herman the minister of the said towne , with the major himselfe and the whole inhabitants , being desirous to have it knowne to the world for example sake . in luthers conferences there is mention made of this story following : divers noblemen were striving together at a horse race , and in their course cried , the devill take the last . now the last was a horse that broke loose , whom the devill hoisted up into the aire and tooke cleane away . which teacheth us , not to call for the devill , for he is ready alwayes about us uncalled and unlooked for , yea many legions of them compasse us about even in our best actions to disturbe and pervert us . a certaine man not far from gorlitz provided a sumptuous supper , and invited many guests unto it , who at the time appointed refused to come : he in anger cried , then let all the devils in hell come . neither was his wish frivolous ; for a number of those hellish fiends came forthwith , whom he not discerning from men , came to welcome and entertaine : but as he tooke them by the hands , and perceiued in stead of fingers , clawes , all dismaied he ran out of the doores with his wife , and left none in the house but a young infant , with a foole sitting by the fire , whom the divels had no power to hurt , neither any man else , save the goodly supper , which they made away withall , and so departed . it is notoriously knowne in oundle a towne in northamptonshire , amongst all that were acquainted with the partie , namely one hacket , of whom more hath spoken before , how he used in his earnest talke to curse himselfe on this manner ; if it be not true , then let a visible confusion come upon me . now he wanted not his wish , for he came to a visible confusion indeed , as hath been declared more at large in the twentieth chapter of this booke . at witeberg , before martin luther and divers other learned men , a woman whose daughter was possessed with a spirit , confessed , that by her curse that plague was fallen upon her : for being angry at a time , she bad the divell take her , and she had no sooner spoken the word , but he tooke her indeed , and possessed her in most strange sort . no whit lesse strange and horrible is that which happened at neoburg in germanie , to a sonne that was cursed of his mother in her anger , with this curse , she prayed god she might never see him returne aliue ; for the same day the yong man bathing himselfe in the water , was drowned , and never returned to his mother alive , according to her ungodly wish . the like judgement of god we read of to have beene executed upon another sonne that was banned and cursed by his mother , in the citie of astorga . the mother in her rage cursed one of her sons with detestable maledictions , betaking him to the diuels of hell , and wishing that they would fetch him out of her presence , with many other horrible execrations : this was about ten a clocke at night , the same being very darke and obscure ; the boy at last through feare went out into a little court behind the house , from the which hee was suddenly hoised up into the ayte , by men in shew of grim countenance , great stature , and loathsome and horrible gesture , but indeed cruell fiends of hell , and that with such swiftnesse ( as he himselfe after confessed ) that it was not possible , to his seeming , for any bird in the world to fly so fast : and lighting downe amongst certaine mountaines of bushes and briers , was trailed through the thickest of them , and so all torne and rent , not only in his cloaths , but also in his hands and face and almost his whole body . at last the boy remembring god , and beseeching him of helpe and assistance , the cruell fiends brought him backe againe through the aire , and put him in at a little window into a chamber in his fathers house , where after much search and griefe for him , hee was found in this pittifull plight , and almost besides himselfe . and thus though they had not power to deprive him of his life , as they had done the former , yet the lord suffered them to afflict the parents in the sonne , for the good of both parents and sonne if they belonged unto the lord. but above all , this is most strange which hapned in a town of misina , in the yeare of our lord god , the eleventh of september ; where a cholericke father seeing his sonne flacke about his businesse , wished hee might never stirre from that place : for it was no sooner said , but done , his sonne stucke fast in the place , neither by any meanes possible could be removed , no not so much as to fit or bend his body , till by the praiers of the faithfull his paines were somewhat mitigated , though not remitted : three yeares he continued standing , with a post at his backe for his ease , and foure yeares sitting , at the end whereof he died ; nothing weakened in his understanding , but professing the faith , and not doubting of his salvation in christ iesus . when he was demanded at any time how he did : he answered most usually , that he was fastened of god , and that it was not in man but in gods mercy for him to be released . iohn peter sonne in law to alexander that cruel keeper of newgate being a most horrible swearer and blasphemer , used commonly to say , if it be not true , i pray god i may rot ere i die : and not in vaine , for he rotted away indeed , and so dyed in misery . hither we may adde a notable example of a certaine yong gallant that was a monstrous swearer , who riding in the company of divers gentlemen , began to sweare and most horribly blaspheme the name of god : unto whom one in the company with gentle words said , he should one day answer for that : the yonker taking snuffe thereat , why ( said he ) takest thou thought for me ? take thought for thy winding sheet . well ( quoth the other ) amend , for death giveth no warning , as soone commeth a lambes skin to the market , as an old sheeps . gods wounds ( said he ) care not thou for me : raging still on this manner worse and worse , till at length passing on their journey , they came riding over a great bridge , upon which this gentleman swearer spurred his horse in such sort , that he sprang cleane over with the man on his backe , who as hee was going , cried , horse and man and all to the divell . this terrible story bishop ridley preached and uttered at pauls crosse : and one haines a minister of cornwall ( the reprehender of this man ) was the reporter of it to master fox , out of whom i have drawne it . let us refraine then ( wretches that we are ) our divelish tongues , and leave off to provoke the wrath of god any longer against us : let us forbeare all wicked and cursed speeches , and acquaint our selves as well in word as in deed to praise and glorisie god. chap. xxxii . punishments for the contempt of the word and sacraments ; and abuse of holy things . now it is another kind of taking the name of god in vaine , to despise his word and sacraments : for like as among earthly princes , it is accounted a crime no lesse than treason , either to abuse their pictures , to counterfeit or deprave their seales , to rent , pollute , or corrupt their letters patents , or to use unreverently their messengers , or any thing that commeth from them : so with the prince of heaven it is a fin of high degree , either to abuse his word prophanely , which is the letters patents of our salvation ; or handle the sacraments unreverently , which are the seales of his mercy ; or to despise his ministers , which are his messengers untous . and this he maketh knowne unto us not only by edicts and commandments , but also by examples of his vengeance on the heads of the offendors in this case . for the former , look what paul saith , that for the unworthy receiving of the sacraments , many were weake and sicke among the corinthians , and many slept . how much more then for the abusing and contemning the sacraments ? and the prophet david , that for casting the word of god behinde them , they should have nothing to do with his covenant . how much more then for prophaning and deriding his word ? and moses , when the people murmured against him and aaron , saith , that their murmurings were not against them , which were but ministers , but against the lord. how much more then is the lord enraged , when they are scoffed at , derided , and set at naught ? hence it is that the lord denounceth a wo to him that addeth or taketh away from the word ; and calleth them dogs that abuse such precious pearles . but let us come to the examples wherein the grievousnesse of this sinne willly more open than by any words can be expressed . first , to begin with the house of israel , which were the sole select people of the lord , whom he had chosen out of all other nations of the world , to be his owne peculiar flocke , and his chiefe treasure , above all other people of the earth , and a kingdome of priests , and a holy nation ; when as they contemned and despised his word spoken unto them by his prophets , and cast his law behinde their backe , he gave them over into the hands of their enemies , and of ammi made them loammi ; that is , of his people , made them not his people : and of ruhama , loruhama ; that is , of such as had found mercy and favour at gods hand , a nation that should obtain no mercy nor favour , as the prophet hosea speaketh . this we see plainly verified first in the ten tribes , which under ieroboam fell away from the scepter of iuda : for after that the lord had sundry times scourged them by many particular punishments , as the famin , sword , and pestilence , for their idolatry and rebellion to his law ; at the last in the ninth yere of the raign of hoshea king of israel , he brought upon them a finall and generall destruction , and delivered them into the hands of the king of ashur , who carried them away captive into assyria ; and placed them in hala and in habor , by the river of gosan , and in the cities of the medes ; and in stead of them seated the men of babel , of cuthah , ava , hamath , and sepharvaim , in the cities of samaria . thus were they utterly rooted up , and spued out of the land of their inheritance , and their portion given unto strangers , as was threatned to them by the mouth of moses the servant of the lord : and the cause of all this is set down by the holy ghost , kin. . . to be , for that though the lord had testified to them by al his prophets & seers , saying , turn from your evill wayes , and keepe my commandements and my statutes , according to all the law which i commanded your fathers : neverthelesse they would not obey , but hardned their necks : & then it followeth in the ver , therfore the lord was exceeding wroth with israel , and put them out of his sight , and none was left but the tribe of iuda onely . now though the kingdome of iuda continued in good estate long after the desolation of the ten tribes , ( for this hapned in the raigne of ahaz . king of iuda ; ) yet afterward in the raigne of zedekiah , the great and famous citie ierusalem was taken by nabuchadnezzar the king of babel , and utterly ruined and defaced : the glorious and stately temple of the lord , built by salomon , the wonder of the world , was burnt down to ashes , together with all the houses of ierusalem , and all other great houses in the land : all the rich vessels and furniture of the temple , of gold , silver , and brasse , were carried to babel by nabuzaradan the chiefe steward . the king himselfe was bound in chaines , and after he had seen his owne sons slaine before his eyes , had his owne eyes put out , that he might never more take comfort of the light . the priests and all the greatest and richest of the people were carried away in captivity , and only the poore were left behind to dresse the vines and til the land . now what was the cause of this lamentable destruction of this holy city , of the temple and sanctuary of the lord , and of his owne people ? it is set downe by the holy-ghost in expresse word , chro. . , . that , when the lord sent unto them by his messengers , rising early , and sending , because he had compassion on them , and on his habitation , they mocked the messengers of god , despised his words , and misused his prophets : and therefore the wrath of the lord arose against his people , and there was no remedy . behold here the grievous judgement of the lord upon such as contemned his word , and despised his prophets . thus was the first city and temple destroyed : and did the second fare any better ? no verily , but far worse : for as their sinne was greater , in that the former iews contemned only the word spoken by the prophets which were but servants , these despised the word spoken by the sonne himself , which is the lord of life ; so their punishment was also the greater : for as the apostle saith , if they which despised moses law died without mercy , how much sorer punishment are they worthy of which tread under foot the sonne of god , and count the bloud of the testament as an unholy thing , and neglect so great salvation , which first began to be preached by the lord himselfe , and afterward was confirmed by them which heard him . therefore the destruction of the second city and temple by titus and vespasian emperours of rome , was far more lamentable than that of the former : yea , so terrible and fearefull was the judgement of god upon that nation at this time , that never the like calamitie and misery was heard or read of : there at the siege of ierusalem the famin was so great within the walls , and the sword so terrible without , that within they were constrained to eat not only leather and old shoo 's , but horse-dung , yea their owne excrements , and some to devour their owne children : and as many as issued out were crucified by the romans , as they had crucified the saviour of the world , till they had no more wood to naile them on . so that it was most true which our saviour foreprophesied , that such should be the tribulation of that time , as was not from the beginning of the world , nor should be againe to the end . at this destruction perished eleven hundred thousand iewes , as historians report ; besides them which vespasian slew in subduing the country of galilee : over and besides them also which were sould and sent into aegypt and other provinces , to vile slavery , to the number of seventeene thousand : two thousand were brought with titus in triumph ; of which , part he gave to be devoured of wilde beasts , and part otherwise most cruelly were slaine . by whose case all nations may take example , what it is to reject the visitation of gods verity being sent unto them , and much more to persecute them which be sent of god for their salvation . and here is diligently to be observed the great equity of this judgment : they refused christ to be their king , and chose rather to be subject unto caesar ; now they are by the said ( their owne ) caesar destroyed , when as christs subjects the same time escaped the danger . the like example of gods wrathfull punishment is to be noted no lesse in the romans also themselves , for despising christ and his gospel : for when tiberius nero the emperor having received by letters from pontius pilat , a true report of the doings of christ iesus , of his miracles , resurrection , and ascention into heaven , and how he was received as god of many good men , was himselfe mooved with beleefe of the same , and did confer thereof with the whole senat of rome , to have christ adored as god. but they not agreeing thereunto , refused him , because that contrary to the law of the romans , he was consecrated ( said they ) for a god before the senat of rome had decreed and approved him . thus the vaine senat which were contented with the emperor to raign over them , were not contented with the meeke king of glory , the sonne of god , to be their king ; yea they contemned also the preaching of the two blessed apostles peter and paul , who were also most cruelly put to death in the later end of domitius nero his raigne , and the yeare of christ , for the testimony and saith of christ. and therefore after much like sort to the iews were they scourged and entrapped by the same way which they did prefer : for as they preferred the emperour , and rejected christ , so did god stirre up their owne emperours against them , in such sort , that both the senators themselves were all devoured , and the whole city most horribly afflicted the space almost of three hundred yeares together . neither were they only thus scourged by their emperors , but also by civill wars , whereof three were sought in two yeares at rome after nero's death : as likewise by other casualties : for in suetonius is testified , five thousand were hurt and slaine by fall of a theatre . how heavy and searefull the judgement of god hath beene towards those seven famous churches of asia , to the which the holy ghost writeth his seven epistles , revel . and . histories sufficiently testifie , and experience sheweth : for whereas in the apostles time , and long after in the dayes of persecution , no churches in the world more flourished ; after , when they began to make light account of the word of god , and to fall away from the truth to errors , from godlinesse to impieties , the lord also made light account of them , and removed his candlesticke , that is , the ministery of his gospell , from amongst them , and made them a prey unto their enemies : and so they which before were subjects to christ , are now slaves to mahomet ; and there where the true god was worshipped is now a filthy idol adored ; and instead of the gospel of christ , is the turks alcoran ; in stead of the seven stars and seven candlesticks are seven thousand priests of mahomet , and worshippers of him : and thus for the contempt of the gospel of christ , is the chrurch of christians made a cage of divels . venerable bede in his ecclesticall history of england reporteth , that about the yeare of our lord , after that the brittons had been long afflicted by the irish , picts , and scots , and that the lord had given them rest from all their enemies , and had blessed them with such great plenty of corn , and fruits of the earth , as had not been before heard of , they fell into all manner of sins and vices , and in stead of shewing themselves thankfull to the lord for his great mercies , provoked his indignation more fiercely against them : for , as he saith , together with plenty grew ryot , and this was accompanied with a train of many other foule enormities , especially the hatred of the truth , & contempt of the word , and that not only in the laity and ignorant people , but even also in the clergy and sheepheards of the people : for which cause the lord first sent among them such a contagious plague , that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead : and when by this punishment they were not reclaimed , then by their owne counsels and procurement the lord brought upon them a fierce and mighty nation , even the saxons of germany ; who albeit they came at first as helpers and succorers of them against their enemies , yet ere long proved their sorest foes themselves , and after much bloudshed drave them almost quite out of their kingdome , confining them into a haven , nooke , and corner of the same , where they remaine till this day : and all this came upon them ( saith that reverend authour ) for their ingratitude for gods mercies , and contempt of the word of god. againe , we reade a little before this , how that god stirred up gildas a godly learned man , to preach to the old brittons , and to exhort them to repentance and amendment of life , and to forewarne them of plagues to come , if they repented not : but what availed it ? gildas was laughed to scorne and taken for a false prophet ; the brittons , with whorish faces and unrepentant hearts , went forward in their sins ; and what followed ? god to punish their contempt of his word and ministers , sent in their enemies on every side , and destroying them , gave their land to other nations . againe , not many yeares past , almighty god seeing idolatry , superstition , hypocrisie , and wicked living used in this land , raised up that godly learned man iohn wickliffe to preach unto our fathers repentance , and to exhort them to forsake their idolatry and superstition : but his exhortations were not regarded , he with his sermons was despised , his bookes and himselfe after his death , were burnt : what ensued ? a most grievous and heavy vengeance : they slew their lawfull king , and set up three other on a row , under whom all the noble bloud was slaine up , and halfe the commons destroyed ; what by warre in france , and civile discord among themselves , the cities and towns were decayed , and the land brought half to a wildernesse . o , extrem plagues of gods just vengeance ! but these examples be generall over whole nations : now let us descend to particular judgments upon private persons , for contemning , scorning , or despising the word of god , the holy sacraments , and the ministers of the same . hemingius a learned divine , in his exposition upon the first chapter of s. iohns gospell reporteth , that about the yere there was a certain lewd companion in denmark , who had long made profession to mocke at all religion , and at devout persons : this fellow entering into a church where there was a sermon made by the minister of the place , began contrary to all those that were present , to behave himselfe most prophanely , and to shew by lewd countenances and gestures , his dislike and contempt of that holy exercise : to whom the preacher ( being instant upon his businesse in hand ) spake not a word , but only sighing , praied unto god , that this mocker might be suppressed : who seeing that the preacher would no● contest against him , but contemned his unworthy behaviour , goeth out of the church , but yet not out of the reach of gods vengeance : for presently as he passed out , a tyle fell from the house upon his head , and slew him upon the place : a just judgement upon so prophane a wretch . from whence all scorners and deriders of godly sermons , and the preachers of the same , may take example for their amendment , if they have any grace in them . christopher turke a counsellor of estate to a great nobleman in germany , going one day to horse , and mocking at a certaine godly nobleman who was then prisoner in his enemies hands , uttered these or such like speeches ; see what is become of these gallants , that sung so much one with anothe● , when any one doth wrong us , god is our succor and defence : but he had scarce ended his words , when as a sudden griefe tooke him , so that he was forced to alight from his horse , and to be carried to bed ; where in stead of singing , he dyed in dispaire , drawing forth his tongue as blacke as a cole , and hanging out of his mouth . this happened the ninth of iune , . the contempt of the sacrament of baptisme was most notably punished in a certaine curate of misnia in thuring : whose custome was whensoever hee had baptised any women children , in contempt of the foeminine sex , and without any regard to the holy sacrament , to say , that they should not carry them backe to the house , but cast them into the river . this prophane curate looking one day over the bridge of elbe ( which is a large and a deepe river ) how the boats did passe ; no man touching him , nor his braine any way altered , but by a secret judgement of god , fell over the bridge into the water , and was presently drowned : that he which so impiously wished drowning to other , and that at the sacrament of baptisme , was drowned himselfe . this happened in the yeare . the contemptuous and irreverent handling of the word of god in the pulpit , together with open hatred of the gospel , was most famously revenged in one nightingale the parson of gondal besides canterbury , in the raigne of queen mary , anno . this wretched parson upon shrove sunday ( which was the third day of the moneth of march ) making a sermon to his parishioners , entred beside his text , into an impertinent discourse of the articles lately set forth by the popes authority , in commendation thereof , and to the disgrace of the gospell : saying more over thus unto the people , my masters and neighbours , rejoice and be merry , for the prodigall sonne is come home : for i know that the most part of you are as i am , i know your hearts well enough , and i shall tell you what happened to me this weeke past : i was before my lord cardinall , and he hath made me as cleane from sinne as i was at the font-stone ; and he hath also appointed me to notifie unto you the bull of the popes pardon ; and so reading the same unto them , he thanked god that ever he lived to see that day : adding moreover , that he beleeved , that by the vertue of that bull he was as cleane from sinne as that night that he was borne : which words he had no sooner uttered , but the lord to shew that he lyed , stroke him with sudden death , and so he fel down out of the pulpit , never stirring hand nor foot , not speaking word , but there lay , an amazement and astonishment to all the people . denterius an arrian bishop being at bizantium , as he was about to baptise one barbas after his blasphemous manner , saying , i baptise thee in the name of the father , through the sonne , in the holy ghost , ( which forme of words is contrary to the prescript rule of christ , that bad his disciples to baptise all nations , in the name of the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ) the water suddenly vanished , so that he could not then be baptised : wherefore barbas all amased , fled to a church of purer religion , and there was entertained into the church by baptisme . socrates in his ecclesiasticall history reporteth the like accident to have happened to a iew , who had beene oftentimes baptised , and came to paulus a novatian bishop , to receive the sacrament againe ; but the water as before vanished ; and his villany being detected , he was banished the church . vrbanus formensis and foelix iducensis , two donatists by profession , rushing into thipasa a city of mauritania , commanded the eucharist to be throwne among the dogs ; but the dogs growing mad thereby , set upon their owne masters , and rent them with their teeth , as being guilty of despising the body of christ. certainly a notable judgement to condemne the wicked behaviour of those miscreants , who were so prophane , as not only to refuse the sacrament themselves , but also to cast it to their dogs , as if it were the vilest and contemptiblest thing in the world . theopompus a phylosopher being about to insert certaine things out of the writings of moses , into his prophane works , and so to abuse the sacred word of god , was stricken with a frenzy ; and being warned of the cause thereof in a dreame , by prayers made unto god , recovered his sences againe . this story is recorded by iosephus . as also another of theodectes a poet , that mingled his tragedies with the holy scripture , and was therfore stricken with blindnesse , untill he had recanted his impiety . in a towne of germany called itzsith , there dwelt a certaine husbandman that was a monstrous despiser and prophaner of the word of god and his sacraments : he upon a time amidst his cups , railed with most bitter termes upon a minister of gods word ; after which , going presently into the fields to overlooke his sheepe , he never returned alive , but was found there dead , with his body all scortched and burnt as blacke as a cole : the lord having given him over into the hands of the divell , to be thus used for his vile prophanenesse and abusing his holy things . this d. iustus ionus in luthers conferences reporteth to be most true . in the yeare of our lord , a certain coblers servant being brought up among the professors of the reformed religion , and having received the sacrament in both kinds , after living under popery , received it after their fashion in one kinde ; but when he returned to his old master , and was admonished by him to go againe to the communion as he was wont , then his sleepy conscience awaked and he fell into most horrible dispaire , crying that he was the divels bondslave , and therewithall threw himselfe headlong out of the window , so that with the fall his bowels gushed out of his mouth , and he died most miserably . when the great persecution of the christians was in persia under king sapor , in the yeare of our lord , there was one miles an holy bishop , and constant martyr ; who preaching , exhorting , and suffering all manner of torments for the truth of the gospel , could not convert one soule of the whole city whereof he was bishop , to the faith : wherefore in hatred and detestation of it he forewent it cleane : but after his departure the lord made them worthily ●ue their contempt of his word ; for he sent the spirit of division betwixt king sapor and them , so that he came with an army of men and three hundred elephants against it , and quickly subverted it , that the very apparance and memoriall of a city was quile defaced and rooted out . for certainly this is a sure position , where gods word is generally despised , and not regarded nor profited by , there some notable destruction approcheth . in a certaine place there was acted a tragedy of the death and passion of christ in shew , but in deed of themselves : for he that played christs part , hanging upon the crosse , was wounded to death by him that should have thrust his sword into a bladder full of bloud tyed to his side ; who with his fall slew another that played one of the womens part that lamented under the crosse : his brother that was first slaine seeing this , slew the murtherer , and was himselfe by order of justice hanged therefore : so that this tragedy was concluded with foure true , not counterfeit deaths , and that by the divine providence of god , who can endure nothing lesse than such prophane and rediculous handling of so serious and heavenly matters . in the vniversity of oxford the history of christ was also played , and cruelly punished , and that not many yeares since : for he that bore the person of christ , the lord struck him with such a giddinesse of spirit and brain , that he became mad forthwith , crying when he was in his best humour , that god had laid this judgment upon him for playing christ. three other actors in the same play were hanged for robbing , as by credible report is affirmed . most lamentable was the judgement of god upon iohn apowel ( sometimes a serving-man ) for mocking and jeasting at the word of god : this iohn apowel hearing one william malden reading certaine english prayers , mocked him after every word , with contrary gaudes and flouting termes ; insomuch that at last hee was terribly afraid , so that his haire stood upright on his head , and the next day was found besides his wits , crying night and day without ceasing , the divell , the divell , o the divell of hell , now the devill of hell there he goeth : for it seemed to him as the other read , lord have mercy upon us , at the end of the prayer , that the devill appeared unto him , and by the permission of god depilved him of his understanding . this is a terrible example for all those that be mockers , at the word of god , to warne them ( if they doe not repent ) lest the vengeance of god fall upon them in like manner . thus we see how severely the lord punisheth all despisers and propha●●rs of his holy things , and thereby ought to learne to carry a most dutifull regard and reverence to them , as also to note them for none of gods flocke , whosoever they be that deride or contemne any part of religion , or the ministers of the same . chap. xxxv . of those that prophane the sabbath day . in the fourth and last commandement of the first table , it is said , remember to keepe holy the sabbath day : by which words it is ordained and enjoyned us to separate one day of seven from all bodily and servile labour , not to idlenesse and loosenesse , but to the worship of god , which is spirituall and wholesome . which holy ordinance when one of the children of israel in contempt broke , as they were in the wildernes , by gathering sticks upon the sabbath , he was brought before moses and aaron , and the whole congregation , & by them put in prison untill such time as they knew the lords determination concerning him : knowing well , that he was guilty of a most grievous crime . and at length by the lords owne sentence to his servant moses , condemned to be stoned to death without the host , as was speedily executed . wherein the lord made knowne unto them , both how unpleasant and odious the prophanation of his sabbath was in his sight , and how seriously and carefully every one ought to observe and keepe the same . now albeit that this strict observation of the sabbath was partly ceremoniall under the law , and that in christ iesus we have an accomplishment , as of all other , so also of this ceremony , ( he being the true sabbath , and assured repose of our soules ) yet seeing we still stand in need of some time for the instruction and exercise of our faith , it is necessary that we should have at least one day in a weeke to occupy our selves in and about those holy and godly exercises , which are required at our hands ; and what day fitter for that purpose than sunday ? which was also ordained in the apostles time for the same end , and called by them dies dominicus , that is , the day of our lord : because upon that day he rose from the dead , to wi● , the morrow after the iewes sabbath , being the first day of the weeke : to which sabbath it by common consent of the church succeeded , to the end that a difference might be put betwixt christians and iewes . therefore it ought now religiously to be observed , as it is also commanded in the civill law , with expresse prohibition not to abuse this day of holy rest , in unholy sports and pastimes of evill example . neverthelesse in stead hereof we use the evill imployance , abuse , and disorder of it for the most part , for beside the false worship and plentifull superstitions which reigne in so many places , all manner of disorder and dissolutenesse is in request , and beareth sway in these dayes : this is the day for tipling houses and tavernes to be fullest fraught with ruffians and ribalds , and for villanous and dishonest speech , with lecherous and baudy songs to be most ri●e : this is the day when dicing , dauncing , whoring , and such noysome and dishonest demeanors , muster their bands and keep ranke together ; from whence foame out envies , hatreds , displeasures , quarrels , debates , bloud sheddings , and murthers , as daily experience testifieth . all which things are evident signes of gods heavy displeasure upon the people where these abuses are permitted , and no difference made of that day wherein god would be served , but is contrarily mostdishonored by the overflow of wicked examples . and that it is a thing odious and condemned of god , these examples following will declare . gregory turonensis reporteth , that a husbandman , who upon the lords day went to plough his field , as he cleansed his plow-share with an yron , the yron stucke so fast into his hand , that for two yeares hee could not be delivered from it , but carried it about continually to his exceeding great paine and shame . another prophane fellow , without any regard of god or his service , made no conscience to convey his corne out of the field on the lords day in sermon time ; but hee was well rewarded for his godlesse covetousnesse : for the same corne which with so much care he gathered together , was consumed with fire from heaven , with the barne and all the graine that was in it . a certaine nobleman used every lords day to goe a hunting in the sermon while ; which impiety the lord punished with this judgement : he caused his wife to bring forth a childe with a head like a dog , that seeing he preferred his dogs before the service of god , hee might have one of his owne getting to make much of . at kimsta● a towne in france , there lived in the yere of our lord , a certain covetous woman , who was so eager upon the world , and greedy of gaine , that she would neither frequent the church to heare the word of god her selfe , nor suffer any of her family to doe it , but continually abode labouring and toyling about drying and pilling flax , and doing other domesticall businesses : neither would she be reclaimed by her neighbours , who admonished and dehorted her from such untimely works . one sabbath day as they were thus busily occupied , fire seemed to issue among the flax , without doing any hurt : the next sabbath day it tooke fire indeed , but was quickly extinct : for all this she continued obstinate in her prophanenesse even the third sabbath , when the flax againe taking fire , could not be quenched till it had burnt her and two of her children to death ; for though they were recovered out of the fire alive , yet the next day they all three died . and that which was most to be wondred at , a young infant in the cradle was taken out of the midst of the flame , without any hurt . thus god useth to exercise his judgements upon the contemners of his commandements . the centuriators of magdeburge , intreating of the manners of christians , made report out of another history , that a certaine husbandman ( in parochia gemilacensi ) grinding corne upon the lords day , the meale began to burne , anno dom. , which though it might seeme to be a thing meere casuall , yet they set it downe as a judgement of god upon him for breaking the sabbath . as also of that which they speake in the same place of one of the kings of denmarke , who when as hee ( contrary to the admonition of the priests , who desired him to deferre it ) would needs upon the day of pentecost make warre with his enemy , died in the battell . but that may be better knowne to us all , which is written in the second booke of macchabees , of nicanor the iewes enemy , who would needs set upon them on the sabbath ; from which when other the iewes that were compelled to be with him , could no way disswade him , he was slaine in the battell , and most miserably but deservedly handled , even the parts of his body shamefully dismembred , as in that history you may read more at large . therefore in the councell at paris every one labouring to perswade unto a more religious keeping of the sabbath day , when they had justly complained , that ( as many other things ) so also the observation of the sabbath was greatly decayed through the abuse of christian liberty ; in that men too much followed the delights of the world , and their owne worldly pleasures , both wicked and dangerous : they further adde , multi nánque nostrum visu , multi etiam quorundam relatu dedicimus , &c. for many of us have been eye-witnesses , many have intelligence of it by the relation of others that some men upon this day being about their husbandry , have been strucken with thunder , some have been maimed and made lame , some have had their bodies ( even bones and all ) burnt in a moment with visible fire , and have consumed to ashes , and many other judgements of god have been , and are daily ; whereby it is declared , that god is offended with the dishonour of so high a day . and our time hath not wanted examples in this kind , whosoever hath observed them , when sometimes in the faires upon this day the wares have swumme in the streetes ; sometimes the scaffolds at playes have falne downe , to the hurting and endangering of many ; sometime one thing , sometime another hath fallen out , to the great damage and hurt of many that have no conscience of this day ; yea , often to the endangering of their lives : and that which is most strange , within these late yeares , a whole town hath been twice burnt for the breach of the sabbath , by the inhabitants , as all men judged : the just report thereof i passe over here to set downe , untill such time as i shall be better instructed . famous and memorable also is that example which happened at london in the yeare at paris garden , where , upon the sabbath day were gathered together ( as accustomably they used ) great multitudes of prophane people , to behold the sport of beare baiting , without respect of the lords day , or any exercise of religion required therein : which prophane impiety , the lord that he might chasten in some sort , and shew his dislike thereof , he caused the scaffolds suddenly to breake , and the beholders to tumble headlong downe ; so that to the number of eight persons , men and women , were slaine therewith , besides many others which were sore hurt and bruised , to the shortening of their dayes . the like example happened at a towne in bedford shire called risley , in the yeare : where the floore of a chamber , wherein a number were gathered together to see a play on the sabbath day , fell downe , by meanes whereof many were sore hurt , and some killed . surely , a friendly warning to such as more delight themselves with the cruelty of beasts , and vain sports , than with the works of mercy and religion , the fruits of a true faith , which ought to be the sabbath dayes exercise . and thus much for the examples of the first table , whereof if some seeme to exceed credit , by reason of the strangenesse of them , yet let us know , that nothing is impossible to god ; and that hee doth often worke miracles to controll the obstinate impiety and rebellion of mortall men against his commandement . besides , there is not one example here mentioned , but it hath a credible or probable author for the avoucher of it . let us now , out of all this that hath been spoken , gather up this wholsome lesson , to love god with all our heart and affection , to the end we may worship him , invocate his holy name , and repose all the confidence of our salvation upon him alone through christ iesus , seeking by pleasing and obeying his will , to set forth his glory , and render him due thanks for all his benefits . finis . the second booke . chap. i. of rebellious and stubborne children towards their parents . wee have seene in the former booke , what punishments they have incurred , that either malitiously or otherwise have transgressed and broken the commandements of the first table : now it followeth to discover the chastisements which god hath sent upon the transgressors of the second table . and first concerning the first commandement therof , which is , honour thy father and mother , that thy dayes may be prolonged in the land which the lord thy god hath given thee . c ham one of old noah's sonnes , was guilty of the breach of this commandement ; who in stead of performing that reverence to his father which he ought ( and that presently after the deluge , which being yet fresh in memory , might have taught him to walke in the feare of god ) came so short of his duty , that when he saw his nakednesse , hee did not hide it , but mocked and jeasted at it : for which cause hee was cursed both of his father , and of god , in the person of his youngest sonne chanaan , and made a servant to the servants of his brethren : which curse was fulfilled in his posterity the canaanites , who being forsaken of god , were rooted up and spued out of their land , because of their sinnes and abhominations . marvellous strange was the malice of absolon , to rebell so furiously against his father david , as to wage warre against him : which he did with all his strongest endeavours , without sparing any thing that might further his proceedings ; insomuch that he grew to that outrage and madnesse , through the wicked and pernitious counsell of achitophel , that hee shamed not villanously to commit incest with his fathers concubines , and pollute his bloud even before the eyes of the multitude : by which means being become altogether odious and abhominable , hee shortly after lost the battell : wherein though himselfe received no hurt nor wound , yet was he not therefore quit ; but being pursued by gods just judgement , fell unwittingly into the snare which he had deserved : for as he rode along the forrest , to save himselfe from his fathers army ; his moyle carrying him under a thicke oake , left him hanging by the haire upon a bough betwixt heaven and earth , untill being found by ioab , he was wounded to death with many blowes . whereby every man may plainly see that god wanteth no means to punish sinners when it pleaseth him ; but maketh the dumbe and sencelesse creatures the instruments of his vengeance : for hee that had escaped the brunt and danger of the battell , ( and yet not having therefore escaped the hand of god ) was by a bruit beast brought under a sencelesse tree , which god had appointed to catch hold of him as an executioner of his just judgement : which if wee consider , is as strange and wonderfull an accident as may possible happen ; and such an one as god himselfe provided , to punish this wicked , proud , and rebellious wretch withall : for seeing his outrage and villany was so great as to rebell against his father , and so good and kinde a father towards him as he was , it was most just , that he should endure so vile a punishment . beside , herein doubtlesse god would lay open to the eyes of all the world , a fearefull spectacle of his judgements against wicked and disobedient children , thereby to terrifie the most impudent and malitious wretches that live , from this horrible sinne . and for the same cause it was his pleasure , that that wicked and false achitophel should fall into extreme ignominy and confusion for forsaking david , and setting forward with counsell and presence yong absolon against his father ; for which cause with despaire he hung himselfe . now by this example it is easie to perceive how unpleasant this sin is in gods sight , and how much he would have every man to hate and detest it , seeing that nature her selfe teacheth and instructeth us so farre , as to yeeld duty and obedience unto those that begat , nourished , and brought us up . notwithstanding all this , yet is the world full of ill advised and ill nurtured youth , that are little lesse disobedient unto their parents than absolon was , as adramalech and saraser , that slew their father sennacherib as he was worshipping in the temple of nisroth his god : but whereas they looked for the soveraignty , they lost the benefit of subjection , and were banished into armenia , their brother esarhaddon raigning in their stead . gregory of tours maketh mention of one crannius the son of clotarius king of france , who having conspired treacherously , and raised warre against his father , together with the earle of brittaine his supporter , were both vanquished and put to flight ; but the earle was slaine in the pursuit : the prince himselfe also ( thinking to escape by sea , where lay provided certaine ships ready to receive him ) was in the mid way overtaken , together with his wife and children , whom he purposed to make partakers of his fortune , and were altogether ( by the expresse commandement of his father ) shut up in a little house , and there burned together . in this wise did clotarius revenge the treachery and rebellion of his sonne , after a more severe , cruell , and fierce manner than king david did , who would have saved his sonne absolons life , notwithstanding all his wickednesse , and malitious and furious rebellion : but this man contrariwise being bereft of all fatherly affection , would use no compassion towards his sonne , but commanded so cruell an execution to bee performed , not onely upon him , but upon his daughter in law also , and their children , perchance altogether innocent and guiltlesse of that crime . a very rare and strange example , seeing it is commonly seene , that grandfathers use more to cherish and cocker their childrens children than their own . therefore we must think , that it was the providence of god to leave behind a notable example of his most just and righteous severity against disobedient and rebellious children , to the end to amase and feare all others from enterprising the like . philip comineus hath recorded the treacherous tragedy of a most wicked and cruell sonne called adolphus ( for the world waxeth every day worse than other ) that came in an evening suddenly to take his father the duke of gilderland prisoner , even as he was going to bed , and would not give him so much liberty as to pull on his hose ( for he was bare legged ) but carried him away in all haste , making him march on foot without breeches five long almaine miles , in a most cold weather : and then clapt him up in the bottome of a deep tower , where there was no light save by a little window , and there kept him close prisoner six moneths together . after which cruell fact , he himselfe was taken prisoner in like manner , and carried bound to namur , where he lay a long time , untill the gaunts reprived him forthwith , and led him with them against tournay , where he was slain : in the while of his imprisonment , his father yeelding to nature , disinherited him of all his goods , for his vile ingratitude and unnaturall cruelty , and left the succession of his dukedome to the duke of bourgondy . in the yeare of our lord , in a village called iuchi , neere to cambray , there dwelt a certaine man ( or rather a beast ) that in a great rage threw his owne mother out of his doores thrice in one day , and the third time told her in fury , that hee had rather see his house on fire , and burnt to coles , than that she should abide there but one day longer . it happened that the very same day , according to his cursed speech , his house was indeed fired , but how or whence no man could judge : and the fire was so fierce , that it consumed to ashes not only that house , but also twelve other houses adjoyning : which was an evident figure of gods just judgement in punishing so vile and unnaturall a deed by fire , seeing he deserved at the least to lose his house for banishing her out of it , that had borne him in her belly , and nourished him with the milke of her paps . in this place i may fitly insert two memorable examples of the same subject , gathered by an author of credit and fame sufficient , to this effect . it is not long ( saith he ) since a friend of mine , a man of a great spirit , and worthy to be beleeved , recounted to me a very strange accident which , he said , hapned to himselfe , and proved his saying by the testimony of many witnesses : which was this : that being upon a time at naples at a kinsmans and familiars house of his , he heard by night the voice of a man crying in the street for aid , which caused him to rise and light a candle , and run out to see what the matter was : being come out of the doores , he perceived a cruell and ougly shaped divell , striving with all his force to catch and get into his clouches a yong man , that strove on the other side to defend himselfe , and for feare raised that outcry which he had before heard : the yong man seeing him , ran to him forthwith , and catching fast hold by his cloathes , and pitifully crying to god , would in no case let go his hold untill his cruell enemy forsooke him : and being brought into the house all dismaied and beside himselfe , would not let go his hold untill he came to his sences againe out of that exceeding feare . the cause of which assault was , he had led all his time a most wicked life , and had been a contemner of god , and a rebell against his parents , using vile railing and bitter speeches against them , in such sort , that in stead of blessing , they had layd a curse upon him . and this is the first example . concerning the second , i will also set downe the authors owne words , as followeth . of all the strange things ( saith he ) that ever i heard report of , that which happened not long since at rome is most worthy to be remembred , of a certaine yong man of gabia , borne of a base and poore family , but endued with terrible and furious nature , and addicted to a loose and disordinate life . this gallant picking a quarrell with his owne father , in his anger reviled him with most grosse and reprochfull tearmes : in which mad fits , as one wholly given over to the divell , he purposely departed to rome to practise some naughty device against his father : but his ghostly father the divell met him in the way , under the shape of a cruell and ougly fellow with a thicke bushie beard , and haire hanging disorderly , and cloathes all rent and tattered ; who as they walked together , enquired of him why he was so sad : he answered , that there had passed some bitter speeches betwixt his father and him , and now he devised to work him some mischiefe . the divell by and by like a crafty knave soothed him up & said , that he also upon the like occasion went about the same practise , and desired that they might pursue both their voyage and enterprise together : it was soone agreed upon betwixt them , being like to like , as the proverbe goeth . therefore being arrived at rome , and lodged at the same inne , one bed did serve them both ; where whilest the yong man securely and soundly slept , the old malicious knave watching his opprtunity , caught him by the throat to strangle him : whereat the poore wretch awoke , and cried for help to god so that the wicked spirit was constrained to forsake him without performing his purpose , and to flee out at the chamber with such force and violence , that the house roofe crackt , and the tyles clattered downe aboundantly . the host of the house being awaked with the noyse , cryed out to know what the matter was , and running into the chamber where this noyse was , with a candle in his hand , found the poore young man all alone betwixt dead and alive , of whom ( recovered ) he learnt out the whole truth , as hath been told : but he after this terrible accident repented him of his wicked life , and was touched with the sence of his grievous sinne so nearly , that ever after he led a more circumspect and honest life . thus much we finde written in that author . henry the fifth inspired with the furies of the pope of rome , made warre upon his father henry the fourth , vexing him with cruell and often battels , and not ceasing till he had spoiled him of his empire , and till the bishop of mentz had proudly and insolently taken from him his imperiall ornaments even in his presence : but the lord in recompence of his unnaturall dealing , made him and his army a prey unto his enemies the saxons , and to flie before them , stirring up also the pope of rome to be as grievous a scourge unto him , as he had beene before time to his father . now as the ambition of a kingdome was the cause of this mans ingratitude , so in the example following , pride and disdaine ruled , and therefore he is so much the more to be condemned , by how much a kingdome is a stronger cord to draw men to vice , than a mans owne affection . there was ( saith manlius ) an old man crooked with age , distressed with poverty , and almost pined with hunger , that had a sonne rich , strong , and fat , of whom he intreated no gold or silver , or possession , but food and sustenance for his belly , and clothes for his backe , but could not obtaine it at his hands : for his proud heart , exalted with prosperity , thought it a shame and discredit to his house , to be borne of so poore and base parentage , and therefore not onely denied him reliefe , but also disclaimed him from being his father , and chased him away with bitter and crabbed reproaches . the poore old man thus cruelly handled , let teares fall as witnesse of his griefe , and departed comfortlesse from his tygre minded sonne . but the lord that gathereth up the tears of the innocent , looked down from heaven in justice , and sent a fury into the sences and understanding of this monstrous son , that as he was void of nature and compassion , so he might bevoid of reason and discretion for ever after . another not so cruell and disdainfull as the former , yet cruell and disdainfull enough to plucke downe vengeace upon his head , would not see his father beg indeed , nor yet abjure him as the other did ; but yet undertaking to keepe him , used him more like a slave than a father : for what should be too deare for him that gives us life ? yet every good thing was too deare for this poore father , vpon a time a dainty morsell of meat was upon the boord to be eaten , which as soone as he came in he conveied away , and foisted in courser victuals in the roome . but marke what his dainties turned to : when the servant went to fetch it againe , he found in stead of meat snakes , and of sauce serpents , to the great terrour of his conscience : but that which is more , one of the serpents leaped in his face , and catching hold by his lip , hung there till his dying day , so that hee could never feed himselfe , but he must feed the serpent withall . and this badge carried he about as a cognisance of an unkinde and ungratefull sonne . moreover this is another judgment of god , that commonly as children deale with their parents , so doe their children deale with them : and this in the law of proportion is most just , and in the order of punishing most usuall : for the proofe whereof , as experience daily teacheth , so one example or two i will subjoyne it is reported how a certaine unkind and perverse sonne beat his aged father upon a time , and drew him by the haire of his head to the threshold : who when hee was old was likewise beaten of his sonne , and drawne also by the haire of the head not to the threshold , but out of doores into the durt ; and how hee should say he was rightly served , if he had left him at the threshold , as he left his father , and not dragged him into the streets , which hee did not to his . thus did his owne mouth beare record of his impiety , and his owne conscience condemne him before god and men . another old man being persuaded by his son ( that had maried a yong wise ) with faire and sugred promises of kindnesses and contentments , to surrender his goods and lands unto him , yeelded to his request , and found for a space all things to his desire : but when his often coughing annoyd his yong and dainty wise , he first removed his lodging from a faire high chamber to a base under roome , and after shewed him many other unkinde and unchildly parts : and lastly when the old man as ked for cloathes , he bought foure elnes of cloath , two wherof he bestowed upon him , and reserved the other two for himselfe . now his young sonne marking this niggardise of his father towards his grandfather , hid the two elles of cloath , and being asked why hee hid them ( whether by ingeniousnesse or instinct of god ) he answered , to the end to reserve them for his father , against he was old , to be a covering for him . which answer touched his father so neere , that ever after hee shewed himselfe more loving and obsequious to his father than he did before . two great faults , but soone and happily amended . would it might be an example to all children , if not to mitigate them , yet at least to learne them to feare how to deale roughly and crookedly with their parents , seeing that god punisheth sinne with sinne , and sinners in their owne kinde , and measureth the same measure to every man which they have measured unto others . the like we read of another that provided a trough for his old decrepit unmannerly father to eat his meat in : who being demanded of his sonne also to what use that trough should serve , answered for his grandfather : what ( quoth the childe ) and must we have the like for you when you are old ? which words so abashed him , that he threw it away forthwith . at millan there was an abstinate and ungodly sonne , that when he was admonished by his mother of some fault which he had committed , made a wry mouth , and pointed his fingers at her in scorne and derision . whereat his mother being angry , wished that he might make such a mouth upon the gallowes . neither was it a vaine wish , for within few daies he was taken with a theft , and condemned by law to be hanged ; and being upon the ladder , was perceived to wryth his mouth in griefe , after the same fashion which he had done before to his mother in derision . henry the second of that name , king of england , sonne of geffrey plantagenet , and maud the empresse , after he had raigned twenty yeares , was content to admit his young sonne henry ( married to margaret the french kings daughter ) into participation of his crowne : but he like an unnaturall son to requite his fathers love , sought to dispossesse him of the whole ; for by inciting the king of france and certaine other nobles , hee tooke armes , and raised warre against his owne naturall father : betwixt whom divers strong battels being fought , as well in england by the deputies and friends of both parties , as also in normandy , poytou , guian , and britain ; the victory alwayes inclined to the father , so that the rebellious son with his allies were constrained to bend to his fathers will , and to desire peace , which he gently granted , and forgave his offence . howbeit the lord for his disobedience did not so lightly pardon him , but because his hasty mind could not tarry for the crowne till his fathers death , therefore the lord cut him short of it altogether , causing him to die six yeares before his father , being yet but young , and like to live long . lothair king of soissons in france , committed the rule of the province of guian to his eldest son cramiris , who when ( contrary to the mind of his father ) he oppressed the people with exactions , and was reclaimed home , he like an ungratious and impious son , fled to his uncle childebert , and provoked him towarre upon his owne father , wherein he himselfe was by the just vengeance of god taken , and burned with his wife and children to death . furthermore it is not ( doubtlesse ) but to a very good end enacted in the law of god , that he which curseth his father or mother should die the death , and that rebellious children and such as be incorrigible , should at the instance and pursuit of their owne parents , by order of law be stoned to death . as children by all these examples ought not onely to learne to feare to displease and revile their parents , but also to feare and reverence them , lest that by disobedience they kindle the fire of gods wrath against them : so likewise on the other side parents are here advertised to have great care in bringing up and instructing their children in the feare of god , and obedience to his will ; lest for want of instruction and correction on their part , they themselves incurre a punishment of their carelesse negligence in the person of their children . and this is proved by experience of the men of bethel , of whose children two and forty were torne in pieces by beares , for that they had been so evill taught as to mocke the holy prophet elizeus , in calling him bald-pate . heli likewise the high priest was culpable of this fault , for having two wicked and perverse sonnes , whom no feare of god could restraine , being discontent with that honourable portion of the sacrifices allotted them by god , like famished and unsatiable wretches fell to share out more than was their due , and by force to raven all that which by faire meanes they could not get : and that which is worse , to pollute the holy tabernacle of god with their filthy whoredomes , in such sort , that the religion of god grew in disgrace through their prophane dealings . and albeit it may seem that their father did his duty in some sort , when he admonished and reproved them , yet it is manifest by the reprehension of the man of god , that he did no part of that at all , or if he did , yet it was in so carelesse , loose , and cold manner , using more lenity than hee ought , or lesse severity than was necessary , that god turned their destructions ( when they were slaine at the overthrow of israel by the philistins ) to be his punishment : for understanding the dolefull newes of his sonnes death , and the arkes taking , at once , he fell backewards from his stoole , and burst his necke , being old and heavy , even fourescore and eighteene yeares of age , not able either to help or stay himselfe . david also was not free from this offence ; for hee so much cockered some of his children , that they proved the greatest plagues and scourges unto him , especially absolon and adonijah : for the one openly rebelled against him , and almost drove him out of his kingdome ; the other usurped the title and honour of the kingdome before his fathers death : of this it is recorded . that david so cockered and pampered him , that he would never displease him from his youth . but see how he was punished in them for this too great lenity ; both of them came to an untimely death , and proved not onely the workers of their owne destruction , but also great crosses to their father . ludovicus vives saith , that in his time a certain woman in flanders did so much pamper and cocker up two of her sonnes , even against her husbands will , that she would not suffer them to want money , or any thing which might furnish their roiotous life , both in drinking , banquetting , and dicing ; yea she would stoale from her husband to minister unto them : but as soone as her husband was dead , she was justly plagued in them both , for they fell from royoting to robbing , ( which two vices are commonly linked together ) and for the same one of them was executed by the sword , and the other by the halter , she her selfe looking on as a witnesse of their destructions , whereof her conscience told her that her indulgence was the chiefest cause . hither may we referre that common and vulgar story , and i suppose very true , which is almost in every childes mouth , of him that going to the gallowes , desired to speake with his mother in her care ere he dyed ; and when she came unto him , in stead of speaking , bit off her care with his teeth , exclaiming upon her as the causer of his death , because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults , but by her flatteries established him in vice , which brought him to this wofull end : and herein she was doubly punished , both in her sonnes destruction , and her owne infamy , whereof she carried about her a continuall ma●ke . this ought to be a warning to all parents , to looke better to the education of their children , and to root out of them in time all evill and corrupt manners ; lest of small sprigs they grow to branches , and of qualities to habits , and so either be hardly done off , or at least deprave the whole body , and bring it to destruction : but above all to keep them from idlenesse and vaine pleasures , the discommodity and mischiefe whereof this present example will declare . at a towne called hannuel in saxony , the devill transforming himselfe into the shape of a man , exercised many jugling trickes and pretty pastime to delight young men and maids withall , and indeed to draw after him daily great companies : one day they followed him out of the city gates , unto a hill adjoyning , where he played a jugling tricke indeed with them , for he carried them all away with him , so that they were never after heard of . this history is recorded in the annales of the aforenamed city , and avouched to be most true ; being a notable and fearefull admonition to all parents , to set their children to learning and instruction , and to withdraw them from all such vaine and foolish pastimes . chap. ii. of those that rebell against their superiors . now as it is a thing required by law and reason , that children beare that honour and reverence to their naturall parents which is commanded ; so it is necessary by the same respect , that all subjects performe that duty of honour and obedience to their lords , princes , and kings , which is not derogatory to the glory of god ; & the rather , because they are as it were their fathers , in supplying that duty towards their subjects which fathers owe their children : as namely in maintaining their peace and tranquility in earthly things , and keeping them under the discipline of gods church ; to which two ends they were ordained . for this cause the scripture biddeth every man to be subject to the higher powers ; not so much to avoid the punishment which might befall the contrary , as because it is agreeable to the will of god. and in another place , to honour the king ; and , to give unto caesar that which is caesars , as unto god that which is gods. so also in moses law wee are forbidden to detract from , or speake evill of the magistrate , or to curse the ruler of the people . yet for all this the children of israel were not afraid many times to commit this sin , but then especially when they charged moses with conspiring the murther of those rebels that ( under corah , dathan , and abiram , captaines of that enterprise ) set themselves against him and aaron ; whom not he , but god for their pride and stubburnnesse , had rooted out and destroyed : and thus they backbited and slandered moses , and mutined against him , being their soveraigne magistrate and conductor , that so meekly and justly had brought them out of egypt , even by the speciall commission of almighty god. but the fury of gods displeasure was so stirred up against them for this their fact , that they were scourged with a grievous plague , whereof dyed about foure thousand and seven hundred persons . in the time of king davids flight from absalom , who pursued him to bereave him of his kingdome , there was one semei a ieminite , that in his wicked and perverse humour , in stead of service done unto his soveraigne , especially in that extremity , not only presented not himselfe unto him as a subject , but as a railer cursed him with most reproachfull tearmes , as of murtherer , and wicked man , and also threw stones at him and his followers , in most despightfull manner : for which his malitious and rebellious act , though whilest david lived he was not once called in question : yet was he not exempted from punishment therefore ; for in the end his wickednesse fell upon his owne head , and destruction overtooke him by desert of another fault , at the commandement of solomon . the punishment of shiba the sonne of bichri tarried not all so long , who having also with a proud and audacious heart stirred up the greatest part of israel to rebell against david , then when he thought to have been most at quiet , enjoyed not long his disloyall enterprise ; for being speedily pursued by davids servants , and besieged in the city abel , his head was cut off by the citizens , and throwne over the wall , as a just reward for his rebellious act . but let us passe over these sacred histories , and come to prophane , yet probable , and more neere examples . when camillus besieged the phalischi , a people in hetruria , neere to mount floscon , a schoolemaster of the city , who had the rule over the chiefe mens sons , both touching instruction and governance , led them out of the city gates one day in shew to walke , but indeed to betray them into camillus hands : which unfaithfull dealing camillus did not onely mislike , but detest and refuse , thinking it an unhonest part by such finister meanes to bring even his enemies in subjection ; and therefore reproving the trustlesse schoolmaster , and binding his hands behind his back , he gave every one of his schollers a rod , with commandement to whip him backe unto the parents , whom hee had pretended so to deceive . a most noble act in camillus ( would wee could finde the like among christians ) and a most deserved punishment of the schoolmaster , ( would no traitor might be served better . ) neither might that worthy romane repent his deed , for the phalischi in admiration and love of this notable justice , freely yeelded themselves and their city to him , which otherwise in long time , and without great effusion of bloud he could not have atchieved . did tarpeia the daughter of sp. tarpeius speed any better , when sh●t betrayed the tower whereof her father was the overseer ; to tatius king of the sabines , who at that season besieged rome , upon condition of a summe of gold , or as other writers say , of all that the souldiers wore on their left hands ? no verily , for the sabines ( as soon as they had obtained their purpose ) overwhelmed her with her left hand gifts ; to wit , their shields , and not their rings and bracelets , which she hoped : to the end to leave an example to the posterity , how no promise nor oath ought to be of force to traitors , to keep them from punishment . neither did these noble young men of rome , amongst whom were the consull brutus sonnes , come to any better issue , when they conspired to receive king tarquinius into the city by night , who by the vertue and valour of their father was worthily expulsed : for their secret and wicked counsell being bewrayed to the consuls iunius and pub. valerius , by vindicio a bondslave , they were apprehended , having letters about them written to tarquinius to the same effect : and being condemned , were first shamefully scourged with rods , and after executed to death . pausanias king of sparta having conspired with the persians against his own countrey , and as it were offered violence to his owne bowels , fled into the sanctuary of pallas for reliefe , when he saw the ephori to go about to call him in question for his treason . now whereas it was irrelegious to take him from thence by violence , they agreed to shut him up there continually , and so to pine him to death . which when his mother understood , she was the first person that brought a stone to stop up the doores , to hinder him from getting forth : and therein shewed a notable example of godly cruelty to her childe , and cruell pitty to her countrey : approving that saying of aristippus , who being demanded why hee neglected his sonne being borne of his body ? answered , doe wee not cast from us lice and flegme which are also bred of our bodies ? insinuating , that they which have nothing to commend them to their parents but generation , are not to be esteemed as children ; much lesse they that degenerate . when brennus , captaine of the gaules , brother to belinus , and sonne to moluntius king of brittaine , besieged ephesus , a devillish woman enticed with the jewels which brennus wore about him , betraied the city into his hands . but brennus detesting this abhominable covetousnesse , when he entred the city so loaded her with gold , that he covered and oppressed her therewith . in like manner herodamon delivered up to the emperour aurelian his own native city tian● , in hope to save his owne life by betraying his countrey . but it fell out quite contrary to his expectation ; for though caesar had sworne not to leave a dog alive within the wals , because they shut their gates against him , and also his souldiers were instant and urgent upon his promise , yet he spared the city , and destroyed the traitor , and quit himselfe of his promise , by hanging up every dog in the city , contrary to his owne intent , and his armies expectation ; yet agreeable to his words , and most correspondent to equity and true fortitude . in the yeare of our lord , the bishop of colonea practising to spoile the city of her priviledges , and reduce it under his own jurisdiction : hermanus grinu , consul , and chiefe magistrate , withstood his power and authority with all his force , so that he could not bring his purpose about . wherefore two cannons belonging to the bishop , sought to undermine this their enemy by policy , and to take him out of the way : for which end they invited him in very kind manner to dinner , but when he was come they brought him into a young lyons denne ( which they kept in honour of the bishop ) and unawares shut the doores upon him , bidding him shift for himselfe , thinking that it was impossible for him to escape out alive . but the consull perceiving in what great danger he was , wrapped his cloake about his left arme , and thrusting it into the mouth of the hungry lion , killed him with his right hand , and so by the wonderfull providence of god , escaped without hurt . but the two traiterous canons he caught right soone , and hung them at their cathedrall church , to their owne confusion , and tertor of all traitors . it was noble saying , and worthy the marking , of augustus caesar , to ramitalches king of thracia , who having forsaken anthony , to take part with augustus , boasted very insolently of his deserts towards him : then caesar dissembling his folly , dranke to another king , and said , i love treason , but i cannot commend nor trust a traitour . the same also in effect philip of macedony and iulius caesar were wont to say , that they loved a traitour at the first , but when hee had finished his treason , they hated him more than any other : signifying , that traitours deserved no retribution of thankes , seeing their office was accepted for a time , yet they themselves could never be counted lesse than naughty and disloyall persons : for no honest man ever betrayed his countrey or his friend : and what greater punishment can there be than this ? but for manifest proofe hereof let this one example serve in stead of many , namely , of theodoricke king of francia , and irminfride king of thuringia , who being profest foes , and having sought many cruell battels , at length the latter was conquered of the former , by the lucky assistance of the saxons . this irminfride thus subdued , sued for pardon and release at the conquerours hand , but hee was so farre from pittying his estate , that he corrupted one iringus a nobleman , and irminfride's subject , to murther his master , which he performed kneeling before theodoricke , running him through with his sword at his backe : which traiterous deed , as soone as it was finished , theodoricke , though the setter of it , yet he could not abide the actour , but bad him be packing , for who could put trust in him that had betrayed his owne master ? at which words iringus ( mad with anger and rage ) ranne at theodericke also with purpose to have slaine him too ; but his hand missing the marke , returned his sword into his owne bowels , so that he fell down dead upon his masters carkasse . what more notable and wonderfull judgement could happen ? surely it is an example worthy to be written in golden letters , and to bee read and remembred of every one , to teach men allegiance and obedience to their princes and superiors , lest more sudden destruction than this fall upon them . after the death of ieronimus king of siracuse , andronodorus and themistius , provoked by their wives descending of the bloud royall , affected an usurpation of the crowne , and wrought much hurt to the commonwealth : but their practises being discovered , the pretors ( by the consent of the senatours ) slew them both in the market place , as rotten members of their common body , and therefore fit to be cut off . and when they understood , how their wives damarata and harmonia were breeders and incensers of this mischiefe , they sent to kill them also ; yea and heraclia , harmonia her sister , guiltlesse and witlesse of the crime ( for no other cause , but because shee was sister unto her ) was pluckt from the altar , and slain in the tumult , with two of her daughters that were virgins . and thus is treason plagued not only in traitors themselves , but also in those that are linked unto them in friendship and affinity . the glory and reputation of fabritius the roman is eternised by that noble act of his , in sending bound to pyrrhus a traitor that offered to poyson him . for albeit that pyrrhus was a sworne enemy to the roman empire , and also made war upon it , yet would not fabritius trecherously seeke his destruction , but sent back that traitor unto him , to be punished at his discretion . what notable treasons did hadrian the fourth , pope of rome , practise against the emperor frederick barbarossa , yet all was still frustrate ; for the lord protected the emperour , and punished the traitour with a sudden and strange death ; for he was choaked with a flie which went downe his throat and stopped his breath , and could by no meanes be pulled out till it made an end of him . besides , many others that went about the same practise , were brought to notable destructions : as that counterfeit foole whom the italians set on to murder fredericke in his chamber , which had been performed , had he not leaped out of a window into a river , and so saved his life : for the foole being taken , was throwne headlong out of the same window and broke his neeke . as also an arabian doctor , a grand poysoner , who going about to infect with poyson his bridle , his saddle , his spurres , and stirrops , that as soone as he should but touch them , hee might be poysoned , was discovered and hanged for his labour . in the yeare of our lord , when as the emperour charles the fourth , and philip duke of austria , were ready to joyne battell in the field , charles distrusting his owne power , undermined his foe by subtilty on this fashion : he sent for three of duke philips captaines privily , and persuaded them with promises of rewards to worke some meanes to terrifie the duke , and dissuade him from that battell : which they performed with all diligence ; for they told the duke , that they had stolne into the emperours tents by night , and viewed his power , which they found to exceed his by three parts , and therefore counselled him not to try the hazard of the battell , but to save his souldiers lives by flight , which if they tarried , they were sure to loose . wherewithall the duke mistrusting no fraud , sore affrighted , tooke the next occasion of flight , and returned home with dishonour . now when these three traitors came to the emperour for their compacted rewards , he caused them to bee payed in counterfeit money , not equivaling the summe of their bargaine by the twentieth part : which although at first they discerned not , yet afterwards finding how they were cousened , they returned to require their due , and complaine of their wrong . but the emperor looking sternely upon them , answered ▪ that counterfeit money was good enough for their counterfeit service , and that if they tarried long , they should have a due reward of their treason . ladislaus lerezin , governour of alba iulia in hungary , under maximilian the emperour , in the yeare : the city being besieged , and in some danger of losing , albeit hee was advertised , that within two dayes he should receive some reliefe , yet yeelded the city traiterously into the hands of the turkes upon composition . the cruell turks forgetting their faith and all humanity , massacred all the souldiers within the city , and sent ladislaus the traitour bound hand and foot to selym the great turke : where he was accused for his cruell slaying of some turkish prisoners , and delivered to his accusers to be used at their pleasure ; who ( a just reward of his former treason ) put him into a great pipe stickt full of long nailes , and then rolled him downe from a high mountaine , so as the nailes ran through him , and ended his life in horrible torment . besides , his sonne that was also partaker of this treason , died miserably without meanes , and abandoned of all men , in great poverty and extremity . when as the city of rhodes was besieged by the turke , there was in it a certaine traiterous nobleman , who upon promise to have one of solymans daughters given him in marriage , did many services to the turke in secret , to the prejudice of the city . the island and towne being woon , he presented himselfe to solyman , expecting the performance of his promise : but hee in recompence of his treason caused him to be flayed alive ; saying , that it was not lawfull for a christian to marry a turkish wife , except he put off his old skinne : being thus flayed , they layed him upon a bed all covered with salt , and so poudered him , that in short space he died in unspeakable tormenes . chap. iii. more examples of the same subject . when manuel the emperour of constantinople lay about antioch with an army prepared against the turke , one of his chiefest officers , namely , his chancellour , put in practise this notable piece of treason against him : he waged three desperate young men with an infinite summe of money to kill him on a day appointed , and then with a band of souldiers determined to possesse himselfe of the crowne , and of the city , and to slay all that any way crossed his purpose . but the treason being discoured secretly to the empresse , she acquainted her lord with it , who tooke the three traitours , and put them all to cruell deaths : and as for the chancellour , he first bored out his eyes , and plucking his tongue through his throat , tormented him to death with a rigorous and most miserable punishment . when the turke besieged alba graeca , certaine souldiers conspired to betray the city into his hands , for he had promised them large rewards so to doe ; howbe it it succeeded not with them , for they were detected and apprehended by paulus kynifius governour of hungary , who constrained them to eat one anothers flesh , seething every dayone to feed the other withall , but he that was last was faine to devour his owne body . scribonianus a captaine of the romans in dalmatia , rebelled against the emperor claudius , and named himselfe emperor in the army ; but his rebellion was miraculously punished , for though the whole army favored him very much , yet they could not by any meanes spread their banners , or remove their standers out of their places as long as he was called by the name of emperor , with which miracle being moved , they turned their loves into hatred , and their liking into loathing , so that whom lately they saluted as emperor , him now they murthered as a traitor . to rehearse all the english traitors that have conspired against their kings from the conquest unto this day , it is a thing unnecessary , and almost impossible . howbeit , that their destructions may appeare more evidently , and the curse of god upon traitors be made more manifest , i will briefely reckon up a catalogue of the chiefest of them . in the yere lewline prince of wales rebelled against king edward the first , and after much adoe , was taken by sir roger mortimer , and his head set upon the tower of london . in like sort was david , lewline's brother served . r●●s and madok escaped no better measure in stirring the welchmen up to rebellion . no more did the scots , who having of their owne accord committed the government of their kingdome to king edward , after the death of alexander ( who broke his neck by a fall from an horse , and lest no issue male ) and sworne fealty unto him ; yet dispensed with their oath by the popes commission , and frenchmens incitement , and rebelled divers times against king edward : for he overcame them sundry times , and made slaughter of their men , slaying at one time , and taking divers of their nobles prisoners . in like manner they rebelled against king edward the third , who made three voyages into that land in the space of foure yeares , and at every time overcame and discomfited them , insomuch that well neere all the nobility of scotland , with infinite number of the common people were slaine . thus they rebelled in henry the sixths time , and also henry the eights , and divers other kings reignes , ever when our english forces were busied about forraine wars , invading the land on the other side most traiterously . in the reigne of king henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him sir iohn holland , d. of excester , with the dukes of aumarle , surrey , salisbury , and gloucester : and at another time sir thomas percy earle of worcester , and henry percy son to the earle of northumberland : at another , sir richard scroope archbishop of yorke , and divers others of the house of the lord moubray : at another time sir henry percy the father , earle of northumberland , and the lord bardolph : and lastly , ryce ap dee and owen glendour , two welchmen : all which were either slaine , as sir henry percy the younger ; or beheaded , as the rest of these noble rebels ; or starved to death , as owen glendour was in the mountaines of wales , after he had devoured his owne flesh . in the reigne of henry the fifth , sir richard earle of cambridge , sir richard scroope treasurer of england , and sir thomas gray were beheaded for treason . no lesse was the perfidious and ungratefull treachery of humphry banister an englishman towards the duke of buckingham his lord and master , whom the said duke had tenderly brought up , and exalted to great promotion , for when as the duke being driven into extremity , by reason of the separation of his army which he had mustered together against king richard the usurper , fled to the same banister as his trustiest friend , to be kept in secret untill he could find opportunity to escape ; this false traitor , upon hope of a thousand pounds which was promised to him that could bring forth the duke , betraied him into the hands of iohn mitton shirife of shropshire , who conveied him to the city of salisbury , where king richard kept his houshold ; where he was soone after put to death . but as for ungratefull banister , the vengeance of god pursued him to his utter ignominy : for presently after , his eldest sonne became mad and died in a bores sti● : his eldest daughter was suddenly stricken with a foule lepry : his second sonne marvellously deformed of his lims , and lame : his youngest sonne drowned in a puddle : and he himselfe in his old age arraigned and found guilty of a murther , and by his clergy saved : and as for his thousand pounds , king richard gave him not a farthing ; saying , that he which would be nutrue to so good a master , must needs be false to all other . to passe over the time of the residue of the kings , where in many examples of treasons and punishments upon them are extant , and to come neerer unto our owne age , let us consider the wonderfull providence of god in discovering the notorious treasons which have been so oftenpretended , and so many , against our late soveraigne queene elizabeth , and protecting her so fatherly from the dint of them all . first therefore , to begin with the chiefest , the earles of northumberland and westmerland , in the eleventh yeare of her raigne began a rebellion in the north , pretending their purpose to be sometimes to defend the queenes person and government from the invasion of strangers , and sometimes for conscience sake to seeke reformation of religion : under colour whereof they got together an army of men , to the number of six thousand souldiers ; against whom marched the earle of suffex , lieutenant of the north , and the earle of warwicke , sent by the queene to his ayde : whose approch strucke such a terrour into their hearts , that the two earles , with divers of the arch rebels , fled by night into scotland , leaving the rest of their company a prey unto their enemies , whereof threescore and six , or thereabout , were hanged at durham . as for the earles , one of them ( to wit ) of northumberland , was after taken in scotland , and beheaded at york . westmerland fled into another countrey , and left his house and family destroyed and undone by his folly . a while after this , what befell to iohn throgmorton , thomas brooke , george redman , and divers other gentlemen at norwich , who pretended a rebellion under the color of suppressing strangers , were they not discovered by one of their owne conspiracy thomas ket , and executed at norwich for their paines ? the same end came francis throgmorton to , whose trecheries as they were abhominable , and touching the queens owne person , so they were disclosed not without the especiall providence of god. but above all , that vile and ungratefull traitor william parry , upon whom the queene had powred plentifully her liberality , deserveth to be had in everlasting remembrance to his shame ; whose treasons being discovered , he payed the tribute of his life in recompence thereof . what shall i say of the earle of arundell , and a second earle of northumberland ? did not the justice of god appeare in both their ends , when being attainted for treason , the one slew himselfe in prison , and the other died by course of nature in prison also ? notorious was the conspiracy of those arch traitours , ballard , babington , savadge , and tylney , &c. yet the lord brought them downe , and made them spectacles to the world of his justice . even so that notorious villaine doctor lopez ( the queenes physitian ) who a long time had not onely beene an intelligencer to the pope and king of spaine of our english counsells , but also had poisoned many noblemen , and went about also to poyson the queene her selfe , was he not surprised in his treachery , and brought to sudden destruction ? in summe , the lord preserved her majesty not only from these , but many other secret and privy foes , and that most miraculously , and contrary to all reason , and spread his wings over her , evermore to defend her from all her enemies , and in despight of them all brought her , being full of yeares , in peace to her grave : all these treasons had their breeding and beginning from that filthy sinke of romish superstition , from whence the poison was conveied into the hearts of these traiterous wretches , by the means of those common firebrands of the christian world , the wicked iesuites , whose chiefest art is treason , and whose profession is equivocation , and practise , to stir up rebellion ; and therefore as long as they breath in the world let us looke for no better fruits from such trees . and hath the reigne of our now soveraigne king iames beene free from these sinons ? he hath as yet swayed the scepter of this kingdome not fully nine yeres , and how many treasons have beene complotted and practised against his majesty and the state , and how miraculously hath the lord preserved him evermore , even as the apple of his eye , and the signet on his right hand . to omit the treason of raleigh and cobham , and that also of watson and clerke , that late and last divellish and damnable practise of blowing up the parliament house with gunpowder , together with the king , prince , and all the nobles and chiefe pillars of the land , is never to be omitted nor forgotten , but to be remembred as long as the sunne and moone endureth , to the shame of their religion , and the professours thereof : never nation so barbarous , that ever practised the like : never any religion so odious , that maintained the like : but such are the fruits of their so much advanced religion , such the clusters of their grapes : how be it the lord prevented their malice , and turned it upon their owne pates , not only by a divine and miraculous discovery of their treason ( the very night before it should have beene effected ) but also by bringing the chiefe plotters thereof unto confusion ; some by the ordinary proceeding of justice , and some by slaughter in resistance : and that which is not to bee overpast , some of the principall of them being together in a chamber , were so scorched by their owne powder , which was in drying , that they were driven to confesse the heavy judgement of god to be upon them . i pray god such may ever bee the end of all traitours , and that the religion which bringeth forth such horrible fruits may not onely be suspected but abhorred of all . moreover , there is yet another kind of treason , and another ranke of traitors as pernitious as any of the former , and as odious before god and man. such are they which either upon private quarrels , or received injuries , or hope of gaine , or any other silly respect , forsake their countries , and take part with the enemies to fight against it : or they that in time of necessity refuse to fight , or dare not fight in defence of it : the former sort are called fugitives , & the latter cowards . as touching the first , they havebeen alwayes in detestation in well governed policies , and also evermore severely punished . the aeginates punished them with the losse of their right hand thumbs , to the end they might no more handle a speare or a sword , but an oare : the mitylenians with losse of their lives : the inhabitants of samos marked them in the face with the picture of an owle : and the romans punished them after divers fashions . fabius maximus caused all those that had fled from the roman succours to the enemy to lose their hands . africanus the former , though gentle and mild by nature , yet in this respect he borrowed from forreine cruelty : for having conquered carthage , and got into his power all those romane rebels that tooke part against his countrey , he hung the romans as traitors to their countrey , and mitigated the punishment of the latines , as but perfidious confederates . africanus the later , when hee had subdued the punicke nation , he threw all fugitives amongst wilde beasts to be devoured . lucius paulus aftor the conquest of the king of persia , committed these fellowes to the mercy of elephants . generally there is no nation under the sunne which holdeth them not in execration : and therefore our english fugitives , who under cloke of religion not onely abandon their countrey , their kindred , and their prince , but also conspire the undoing , and sweare the destruction of them , are they not worthy to be handled like traitours , and to have their quarters spectacles of perfidy ? the bridge and gates of london beare witnesse of the wofull ends that these runnagates come unto . as touching cowards ( i meane such as preferring their lives or liberty , or any other by-respects , before their countries welfare , and either dare not or will not stand stoutly in defence of it in time of warre and danger ) they deserve no lesse punishment than the former , seeing that as they are open oppugners , so these are close underminers of the good thereof . and therefore the romanes did sharpely chasten them in their government , as may appeare by diverse examples of the same : as first they were noted with this ignominy , never to eat their meat but standing ; and hereunto they were sworne : nay , they were in such hatefull account amongst them , that when annibal offered the senate captives to be redeemed , they refused his offer ; saying , that they were not worthy to be redeemed , that had rather be taken basely than die honestly and valiantly : the same senate dealt more favourably with the captives which king pyrrhus tooke , for they redeemed them , but with this disgrace , degrading them from their honours and places , untill by a double spoile they had woon their reputation againe . l. calpurnius piso handled titius the captaine of his horsemen in sicilia ( one who being overcharged with enemies , delivered his weapons unto them ) on this manner , he caused him to goe bare footed before the army , wearing a garment without seames , he forbad him society with any save such as were noted with the same fault , and from a generall over horsemen he debased him to a common souldier . how did the same senate correct the cowardise of caius vatienus ( who to the end to priviledge himselfe from the italicke warre , cut off all the fingers of his left hand : ) even they proscribed his goods , and cast him into perpetuall prison , that that life which hee refused to hazard in defence of his countrey , he might consume in bondage and fetters . fulgosius saith , that among the germanes it was so unhonourable a part to lose but a shield in the warre , that whosover had happened to doe so , was suspended both from the place of common councell , and from the temples of religion ; insomuch , that many ( as he reporteth ) killed themselves to avoid the shame . the people called daci punished cowards on this sort : they suffered them not to sleepe but with their heads to the beds feet-ward ; and besides , by the law they made them slaves and subjects to their owne wives . what viler disgrace could there be than this ? and yet the lacedemonians plagued them more shamefully : for with them it was a discredit to marry in the stocke of a coward ; any man might strike them lawfully ; and in their attire they went with their clothes rent , and their beards halfe shaven . thus are all kind of traitors continually punished of the lord by one meanes or other ; and therefore let us learne to shun treason as one of the vilest and detestablest things in the world . chap. iiii. of such as have murthered their rulers or princes . zimri , captaine of halfe the chariots of elah , king of israel , conspired against his lord , as he was in tirza drinking till he was drunke in the house of arze his steward , and came upon him suddenly , and smote him till hee died , and possessed the kingdome in his roome . howbeit , herein he was the lords rod to punish the house of baasha , yet when the punishment was past , the lord threw the rod into the fire ; for he enjoyed the crowne but seven dayes : for all israel , detesting his fact , made omri king over them , who besieged him in tirza , and drove him into that extremity , that hee went into the palace of the kings house , and burnt himselfe and the house with fire . iozachar the sonne of shimeah , and ieozabed the sonne of shomer , came to no better end for murthering iehoash king of iuda : for amaziah his sonne after the kingdome was confirmed unto him , caused them both to be put to death : but their children he slew not , according to that which is written in the booke of the law ; the fathers shall not be put to death for the children , nor the children for the fathers , but every man shall beare this owne sin . neither did shallum , that slew zacharia king of israel , prosper any better ; for he reigned but one month in samaria , when menahim the sonne of gadi rebelled against him , and slew him as he had done his master . amon , the sonne of manasseh , was slaine by his owne servants , but the lord stirred up the people of the land to revenge his death , and to kill all them that had conspired against their king. but to let passe the holy histories of the sacred scripture , wherein , ever after any treason , the holy ghost presently setteth downe the punishment of traitours , as it were of purpose to signifie how the lord hateth all such rebels that rose up against his owne ordinance : let us consider a little the consequents of these in prophane , yet credible authors , and apply them unto our purpose . archelaus king of macedonia had a minion called cratenas , whom hee loved most entirely ; but he againe requited him not with love but with hatred , and stretched all his wits to install himselfe in his kingdome , by deposing and murthering him : which though he accomplished , yet his deserts were cut short by the vengeance of god : for he continued not many dayes in his royalty , but he was served with the same sauce that he had made . archelaus before him to taste of , even betraied and murthered , as he well deserved . lodovicus sfortia to the end to invest himselfe with the dukedome of millain , spared not to shed the innocent bloud of his two nephewes , the sonnes of galenchus , together with their tutors , and one francis calaber , a worthy and excellent man ; but the lord so disposed of his purposes , that he ( in stead of obtaining the kingdome ) was taken prisoner by the king of france , so that neither he nor any of his off spring injoyed that which he so much affected . when numerianus was to succeed ●arus his father in the empire , arrius axer his father in law , to the end to translate the empire unto himselfe , entered a conspiracy , and slew his sonne in law , that nothing mistrusted his disloyalty : but the pretorian army understanding the matter , discharged arrius , and elected dioclesian in his roome , who laying hold upon his competitour , laied an action of treason to his charge , and put him to death in the sight of the multitude . theodoricke and fredericke conspired against their owne brother thurismund king of the visigothes , to the intent to succeed him in his kingdome : and albeit that nature reclaymed them from the act , yet they slew him without all compassion . but after thirteene yeres reigne the same theodericke was requited by his other brethren with the same measure that he before meted to his brother thurismund . and so though vengeance slept a while , yet at length it wakened . aelias antonius gordianus , emperour of rome , though so excellent a young prince , that he deserved to be called the love and iewell of the world , yet was he slaine by one promoted by himselfe to high honour , called philip arabs , when he was but two and twenty yeres old : after whose decease this philip got himselfe elected emperour by the band , and confirmed by the senate . all which notwithstanding , after five yeres decius rebelled , and his owne souldiers conspired against him , so that both he at verona , and his sonne at rome , were slaine by them about one time . after the death of constantine the great , his three sonnes dividing the empire betwixt them , succeeded their father . constantine the eldest had for his share spaine , france , the alpes and england ; constance the second held italy , africa , graecia , and illyricum ; constantine the younger was king and emperour of the east . but ambition suffered them not to enjoy quietly these their possessions : for when the eldest being more proud and seditious than the other , not content with his alotted portion , made warre upon his brother constance his provinces , and strove to enter italy , he was slaine in a battell by aquileia , when he was but five and twenty yeares old ; by which meanes , all the provinces which were his , fell to constance , and therewithall such a drowsinesse and epicurisme for want of a stirrer up after his brothers death , that he fell into the gout , and neglected the governement of the empire : wherefore in a●sourge and in rhetia they created a new emperour ; one magnentius , whose life before time constance had saved from the souldiers , and therefore his treachery was the greater . this magnentius deprived and slew constance , but was overcome by constantine the third brother in illyricum , yet in such sort , that the conqueror could not greatly brag , for he lost an infinit company of his men , and yet missed of his chiefe purpose , the taking of magnentius , for he escaped to lyons , and there massacring all that he mistrusted , at last growing ( i suppose ) in suspition with his owne heart , slew himselfe also : and so his traiterous , ingratefull , and ambitious murther was revenged with his owne hands . victericus betrayed lnyba king of spaine , and succeeded in his place ; seven yeares after , another traitour slew him , and succeeded also in his place . mauritius the emperor was murthered by phocas , together with his wife and five of his children , he seating himselfe emperour in his roome : howbeit , traitors and murtherers can never come to happy ends : for as he had slaine mauritius ; so priscus , heraclianus , and phorius three of his chiefest captaines , conspiring against him , with three severall armies gave him such an alarme at once at his owne doores , that they soone quailed his courage , and after much mangling of his body , cut him shorter by the head and the kingdome at one blow . in the time of edward the second and edward the third in england , one sir roger mortimer committed many villanous outrages in shedding much bloud , and at last king edward himselfe , lying at barkley castle , to the end that he might ( as it was supposed ) enjoy isabel his wife , with whom he had very suspitious familiarity . after this , he unjustly accused edmund earle of kent of treason , and caused him to bee put to death therefore : and lastly , he conspired against king edward the third , as it was suspected , for which cause he was worthily and deservedly beheaded . among this ranke of murtherers of kings we may fitly place also richard the third , usurper of the crowne of england , and divers others which he used as instruments to bring his detestable purpose to effect : as namely sir iames tirrèl knight , a man for natures gifts worthy to have served a much better prince than this richard , if he had well served god , and beene endued with as much truth and honesty as he had strength and wit : also miles forest , and iohn dighton two villaines fleshed in murthers . but to come to the fact , it was on this sort : when richard the usurper had enjoyned robert brackenbury to this piece of service of murthering the young king edward the fifth , his nephew , in the tower , with his brother the duke of yorke , and saw it refused by him : he committed the charge of the murther to sir iames tirrel ; who hasting to the tower , by the kings commission received the keyes into his owne hands , and by the helpe of those two butchers , dighton and forest , smothered the two princes in their bed , and buried them at the staires feet : which being done , sir iames rode back to king richard , who gave him great thankes , and as some say , made him knight for his labour . all which things on every part well pondered , it appeareth , that god never gave the world a notabler example , both of the unconstancy of worldly w●ale , and also of the wretched end which ensueth such despightfull cruelty : for first , to begin with the ministers , miles forest rotted away peecemeale at saint martins , sir iames tirrel died at the tower hill beheaded for treason , king kichard himselfe ( as it is declared elsewhere ) was slaine in the field , hacked and hewed of his enemies , carried on horsebacke dead , his haire in despight torne and tugged like a dog : besides , the inward torments of his guilty conscience were more than all the rest : for it is most certainly reported , that after this abhominable deed hee never had quiet in his minde ; when he went abroad , his eye whirled about , his body was privily fenced , his hand ever upon his dagger , his countenance and manner like one alwaies ready to strike , his sleep short and unquiet , full of fearefull dreames , insomuch that he would often suddenly start up and leap out of his bed , and runne about his chamber , his restlesse conscience was so continually tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression of that abhominable murther . chap. v. of such as rebelled against their superiors , because of subsidies and taxes imposed upon them . as it is not lawfull for children to rebell against their parents , though they be cruell and unnaturall , so also it is as unlawfull for subjects to withstand their princes and governors , though they be somewhat grievous and burthensome unto them : which we affirme , not to the end that it should be licensed to them to exercise all manner of rigour and unmeasurable oppression upon their subjects ( as shall be declared hereafter more at large ) but we entreat onely here of their duties which are in subjection to the power of other men , whose authority they ought in no wise to resist , unlesse they oppose themselves against the ordinance of god. therefore this position is true by the word of god , that no subject ought by force to shake off the yoke of subjection and obedience due unto his prince , or exempt himselfe from any taxe or contribution , which by publicke authority is imposed : give ( saith the apostle ) tribute to whom tribute belongeth , custome to whom custome pertaineth , feare to whom feare is due , and honour to whom honour is owing . and generally in all actions wherein the commodities of this life ( though with some oppression and grievance ) and not the religion and service of god , nor the conscience about the same is called into question , we ought with all patience to endure whatsoever burthen or charge is laid upon us , without moving any troubles , or shewing any discontentments for the same : for they that have otherwise behaved themselves , these examples following will shew how well they have been appaied for their misdemeanors . in the yeare of our lord , after that guy earle of flanders having rebelled against philip the faire his soveraigne , was by strength of armes reduced into subjection , and constrained to deliver himselfe and his two sons prisoners into his hands , the flemings made an insurrection against the kings part , because of a certain taxe which he had set upon their ships that arrived at certaine havens : and upon this occasion great warre , divers battels , and sundry overthrowes on each side grew , but so , that at last the king remained conqueror , and the flemings ( for a reward of their rebellion ) lost in the battell six and thirty thousand men that were slaine , beside a great number that were taken prisoners . two yeares after this flemmish stirre , there arose a great commotion and hurly burly of the rascall and basest sort of people at paris , because of the alteration of their coines : who being not satisfied with the pillage and spoilage of their houses , whom they supposed to be either causes of the said alteration , or by counsell or other meanes any furtherers thereunto , came in great troupes before the kings palace , at his lodging in the temple , with such an hideous noise and outrage , that all the day after , neither the king nor any of his officers durst once stir over the threshold : nay they grew to that overflow of pride and insolency , that the victuals which were provided for the kings diet , and carried to him , were by them shamefully throwne under feet in the dirt , and trampled upon in despight and disdaine . but three or foure daies after this tumult was appeased , many of them for their pains were hanged before their own doores , and in the city gates , to the number of eight and twenty persons . in the raigne of charles the sixth , the parisians ( by reason of a certaine taxe which he minded to lay upon them ) banded themselves and conspired together against him : they determined once ( saith froissard ) to have beaten downe loure , and s. vincents castle , and all the houses of defence about paris , that they might not be offensive to them . but the king ( though young in yeares ) handled them so ripe and handsomely , that having taken away from them their armor , the city gates and chaines of the streets , and locked up their weapons in s. vincents castle , hee dealt with them as pleased him . and thus their pride being quashed , many of them were executed and put to death : as also for the like rebellion were at troyes , orlean , chalon , sens , and rhemes . about the same time the flandrians , and especially the inhabitants of gaunt wrought much trouble against lewis the earle of flanders , for divers taxes and tributes which he had layd upon them , which they in no respect would yeeld unto . the matter came to be decided by blowes , and much bloud was shed , and many losses endured on both sides , as a meanes appointed of god to chastise as well the one as the other . the gaunts being no more in number than five or six thousand men , overthrew the earles army consisting of forty thousand , and in pursuit of their victory tooke bruges , whither the earle was gone for safety , and lying in a poore womans house , was constrained ( in the habit of a beggar ) to fly the city . and thus he fared till king charles the sixth sent an army of men to his succor ( for he was his subject ) by whose support he overcame those rebels in a battell fought at rose bec , to the number of forty thousand : and the body of their chiefetaine philip artevil , slaine in the throng , he caused to be hanged on a tree . and this was the end of that cruell tragedy , the countrey being brought againe into the obedience of their old lord. a while before this , whilest king iohn was held prisoner in england , there arose a great commotion of the common people in france , against the nobility and gentry of the realme , that oppressed them : this tumult began but with an hundred men that were gathered together in the countrey of beauvoisin , but that small handfull grew right quickly to an armfull , ●●on to nine thousand , that ranged and robbed throughout all brie , along by the river marne to laonoise , and all about soissons , armed with great bats shod with yron : an headlesse crue without governour , fully purposing to bring to ruine the whole nobility . in this disorder they wrought much mischiefe , broke up many houses and castles , murthered many lords ; so that divers ladies and knights , as the duchesses of normandy & orleance , were fain to fly for safegard to meaux : whither when these rebels would needs pursue them , they were there overthrown , killed , and hanged by troups . in the yeare of our lord , there were certain husbandmen of souabe that began to stand in resistance against the earle of lupsfen , by reason of certaine burthens which they complained themselves to be overlaid with by him : their neighbors seeing this , enterprised the like against their lords : and so upon this small beginning ( by a certaine contagion ) there grew up a most dangerous and fearefull commotion , that spread it selfe almost over all almaine : the sedition thus increasing in all quarters , and the swaines being now full forty thousand strong , making their owne liberty and the gospels a cloake to cover their treason and rebellion , and a pretence of their undertaking armes ( to the wonderfull griefe of all that feared god ) did not onely fight with the romane catholickes , but with all other without respect , as well in souabe as in franconia : they destroyed the greater part of the nobility , sacked and burnt many castles and fortresses , to the number of two hundred , and put to death the earle of helfest , in making him passe through their pikes . but at length their strength was broken , they discomfited and torn in pieces with a most horrible massacre of more than eighteen thousand of them . during this sedition there were slaine on each side fifty thousand men . the captaine of the souabian swaines called geismer , having betaken himselfe to flight , got over the mountaines of padua , where by treason he was made away . in the yeare of our lord , in the marquesdome of the vandales , the like insurrection and rebellion was of the commonalty , especially the baser sort , against the nobility , spirituall , and temporall , by whom they were oppressed with intolerable exactions : their army was numbred of ninety thousand men all clowns and husbandmen , that conspired together to redresse and reforme their owne grievances , without any respect of civill magistrate , or feare of almighty god. this rascality of swaines raged and tyranized every where , burning and beating down the castles and houses of noblemen , and making their ruines even with the ground : nay , they handled the noblemen themselves , as many as they could attaine unto , not contumeliously only , but rigorously and cruelly , for they tormented them to death , and carried their heads upon speares , in token of victory . thus they swayed a while uncontrolled , for the emperour maximilian winked at their riots , as being acquainted with what in juries they had been overcharged : but when he perceived that the rude multitude did not limit their fury within reason , but let it runne too lavish to the damnifying as well the innocent as the guilty , he made out a small troup of mercinary souldiers , together with a band of horsemen , to suppresse them , who comming to a city were presently so environed with such a multitude of these swaines , that like locusts overspread the earth , that they thought it impossible to escape with their lives ; wherefore feare and extremity made them to rush out to battell with them . but see how the lord prospereth a good cause , for all their weak number in comparison of their enemies , yet such a feare possessed their enemies hearts , that they fled like troups of sheep , and were slaine like dogges before them : insomuch , that they that escaped the sword , were either hanged by flocks on trees , or rosted on spits by fires , or otherwise tormented to death . and this end befell that wicked rebellious rout , which wrought such mischiefe in that country , with their monstrous villanies , that the traces and steppes thereof remaine at this day to bee seene . in the yeare of our lord , richard the second being king , the commons of england ( and especially of kent and essex ) by meanes of a taxe that was set upon them , suddenly rebelled , and assembled together on blackheath , to the number of or more : which rebellious rout had none but base and ignoble fellowes for their captaines ; as wat tiler , iacke straw , tom miller , but yet they caused much trouble and disquietnesse in the realme , and chiefly about the city of london , where they committed much villany , in destroying many goodly places , as the savoy , and others ; and being in smithfield , used themselves very proudly and unreverently towards the king : but by the manhood and wisedome of william walworth , major of london ( who arrested their chiefe captain in the midst of them ) that rude company was discomfited , and the ringleaders of them worthily punished . in like manner in the raigne of henry the seventh , a great commotion was stirred up in england by the commons of the north , by reason of a certaine taxe which was levied of the tenth peny of all mens lands and goods within the land ; in the which the earle of northumberland was slain ; but their rash attempt was soon broken , and chamberlain their captain with divers other hanged at yorke , for the same . howbeit their example feared not the cornishmen from rebelling upon the like occasion of a tax , under the conduct of the lord audley , untill by woefull experience they felt the same scourge : for the king met them upon blackheath , and discomfiting their troups , took their captaines and ring leaders , and put them to most worthy and sharp death . thus we may see the unhappy issue of all such seditious revoltings , and thereby gather how unpleasant they are in the sight of god. let all the people therefore learne by these experiences to submit themselves in the feare of god to the higher powers , whether they be lords , kings , princes , or any other that are set over them . chap. vi. of murtherers . as touching murther , which is ( by the second commandement of the second table ) forbidden in these words , thou shalt not kill : the lord denounceth this judgment upon it , that he which striketh a man that hee dieth , shall die the death . and this is correspondent to that edict which he gave to noah presently after the universall floud , to suppresse that generall cruelty which had taken root from the beginning in cain and his posterity , being carefull for mans life ; saying , that he will require the bloud of man , at the hands of either man or beast that killeth him : adding moreover , that whosoever sheddeth mans bloud , by man also his bloud shall be shed , seeing that god created him after his owne image : which he would not have to be basely accounted of , but deare and precious unto us . if then the bruit and unreasonable creatures are not exempted from the sentence of death pronounced in the law , if they chance to kill a man : how much more punishable then is man , endued with will and reason , when malitiously and advisedly he taketh away the life of his neighbour ? but the hainousnesse and greatnesse of this sinne is most lively expressed by that ordinance of god set downe in the of deutronomy , where it is enjoyned , that if a man be found slain in the field , and it be not knowne who it was that slew him , then the elders and iudges of the next towne assembling together , should offer up an expiatory sacrifice by the hands of the priests , to demand pardon for that cruell murther , that the guilt of innocent bloud might not be imputed unto them . and if by oversight or negligence without any malice , hatred , or pretence , one killed another , yet was he not exempted from all punishment , but suffered to fly to the city of refuge , to be kept , and as it were inclosed untill his innocency were made manifest , or at the least untill the death of the high priest. from this ( it may seeme ) arose the custome of painims in the like case ; which was , that if a man had unwillingly committed murther , he did presently avoid the countrey , and goe unto some man of power and authority of a strange nation , and present himselfe at his gate , sitting with his face covered , humbly intreating pardon and reconciliation for his murther : and for one whole yeare he might not returne into his countrey . on this manner was the sonne of a certaine king of phrygia entertained in king craesus court , who unadvisedly had slaine his owne brother . whereby it is manifest , how odious and execrable in all ages , and all places , and all people , this murther hath been : insomuch that men did shun their very meeting and company , and abandon them out of their temples and publicke assemblies , as people excommunicate and prophane . and yet for all this , mankinde ( for the most part ) like savage beasts hath by the instigation of that wicked spirit ( who was a murtherer from the beginning ) been too too addicted to this kind of cruelty , not being afraid to offer violence to nature , and shed innocent bloud . such was the franticke and perverse cruelty of the second man cain , when without any occasion , but onely through envy , he slew his brother abel , and that traiterously : which deed , albeit it was done in secret and without the view of men , yet it could not shun the piercing eye of god , who reproved him for it , saying , that the bloud of abel cried for vengeance from the earth . and although this cursed and wicked murtherer received not immediately a condigne punishment answerable to his crime ( god to the end to spare mans bloud , using undeserved favour towards him ) yet escaped hee not scot free , for he was pursued with a continuall torment and sting of confcience , together with such an incessant feare , that he became a vagabond and a runnagate upon the earth : and seeing himselfe brought into so miserable an estate , he fell to complaining , that the punishment was greater than he was able to beare . thus god permitted this wretch to draw out his life in such anguish , that for a greater punishment he might pine away the rest of his daies without comfort . a man may find in this world many such brother murthering cains , who for no occasion sticke not to cut their throats , whom ( for the bond of common nature wherein all men are linked together as branches to one root ) they ought to acknowledge for their brethren and friends : upon whom the heavy hand of god hath not beene more slacke to punish either by one meanes or other , than it was upon their eldest brother cain . but seeing the number of them is so great , and it is not so convenient to heape up here so huge a multitude together , it shall suffice onely to recount the most famous and notablest of them , as of those that have beene men of note and reputation of the world , or that through an ambitious desire of raigning , have by armes sought to atchieve their purposes : for these for the most part are the greatest murtherers and butchers of all , that through their wicked affections , worldly pompe , or desire of revenge , have no remorse of making the bloud of men run like rivers upon the earth , making no more account of the life of a man , than of a flie or a worme . such an one was abimelech one of the sonnes of gedeon , who to the end to usurpe the regiment of the people , ( which his father before him refused ) got together a rout of rascal and vile fellowes , by whose aid comming to his fathers house , he slew seventy of his brethren , even all except ioathan the yongest , that stole away and hid himselfe . after which massacre , he raigned in jolity three yeares , and at the end thereof was cut short by god , together with the sichemites his provokers and maintainers , who were also guilty of all the innocent bloud which he had shed : for god sent the spirit of division betwixt them , so that the sichemites began to despise him , and rebell against him ; but they had the worst end of the staffe , and were overcome by him : who pursuing the victory , tooke their city by force , and put them all to the edge of the sword . and after he had thus destroied their city , put fire also to the castle , wherein he consumed neere about a thousand persons of men and women , that were retired thither to save their lives . and thus god brought upon them the mischiefe which they had consented and put their hands unto : for as they had lent him aid and furtherance to the shedding of his brethrens bloud , so was their owne bloud with their wives and childrens shed by him : yet this tyran not content therewith , made war also with the inhabitants of tebez , and tooke their city , and would have forced the tower also , wherein the citisens had inclosed themselves ; but as he approched to the wall , a woman threw downe a piece of a milstone upon his head , wherewith finding himselfe hurt to death , he commanded one of his soldiers to kill him outright . and thus this wicked murtherer that had shed the bloud of many men , yea of his owne brethren , had his braines knockt out by a woman , and died a most desperate death . the bloudy treachery of baana and rechab , chiefe captaines of ishbosheth , sauls son , in conspiring against and murthering their master whilest he slept , abode not long unpunished ; for having cut off his head , they presented it for a present to king david , hoping to gratifie the king , and to receive some recompence for their paines . but david being of an upright and true kingly heart , could not endure such vile treachery , though against the person of his enemy ; but entertained them as most vile traitors and master-murtherers , commanding first their hands and feet to be cut off , which they had especially imployed as instruments about that villany , and afterwards caused them to bee slaine , and then hanged for an example to all others that should attempt the like . for the like cause was ioab ( generall of king davids host ) for killing abner traiterously ( who forsaking ishbosheth , had yeelded himselfe to the king ) cursed of david , with all his house , with a most grievous and terrible curse . and yet notwithstanding a while after he came againe to that passe , as to murder amasa one of davids chiefe captains , making shew to salute and embrace him . for which cruell deed , albeit that in davids time he received no punishment , yet it overtooke him at last , and the same kinde of cruelty which he had so traiterously and villanously committed towards others , fell upon his owne head , being himselfe also killed as he had killed others : which happened in king solomons raigne , who executing the charge and commandement of his father , put to death this murderer in the tabernacle of god , and by the altar , whither hee was fled as to a place priviledged for safetie . cha. vii . a sute of examples like unto the former . leaving the scripture , we finde in other writers notable examples of this subject ▪ as first of astyages king of the medes , who so much swarved from humanity , that he gave in strait charge that young cyrus his own daughters sonne , now ready to be borne , should be made away by some sinister practise , to avoid by that meanes the danger which by a dreame was signified unto him . notwithstanding the young infant finding friends to preserve him alive , and growing up by meanes of the peers favor ( to whom his grandfather by his cruell dealings , was become odious ) obtained the crowne out of his hands , and dispossessing him , seated himselfe in his roome . this cyrus was that mighty and awfull king of persia , whom god used as an instrument for the delivery of his people out of the captivity of babylon , as he foretold by the prophet isaiah : who yet ( following kinde ) made cruell war in many places for the space of thirty yeares : and therefore it was necessary that he should taste some fruits of his insatiable and bloud-thirsty desire , as hee indeed did : for after many great victories and conquests over divers countries atchieved , going about to assaile scythia also , hee and his armie together were surprised , overcome , and slaine , to the number of two hundred thousand persons : and for his shame received this disgrace at a womans hand , who triumphing in her victory , threw his head into a sacke full of bloud , with these tearmes , now glut thy selfe with bloud which thou hast thirsted after so long time . cambyses , cyrus son , was also so bloudy and cruell a man , that one day hee shot a noblemans sonne to the heart , with an arrow , for being admonished by his father of his drunkennesse , to which he was very much given , which he did in indignation , and to shew that he was not yet so drunken but he knew how to draw his bow . he caused his own brother to be murdered privily , for feare he should raigne after him ; and slew his sister for reproving him for that deed . in his voyage to aethiopia , when his armie was brought into so great penurie of victuals , that they were glad to feed upon horse flesh , hee was so cruell and barbarous , that after their horses were spent he caused them to eat one another : but at his returne from aegypt , the susians his chiefe citizens welcommed him home with rebellion : and at last , as he was riding , it so chanced , that his sword fell out of the scabberd , and himselfe upon the point of it , so that it pierced him through , and so he dyed . after that xerxes by his overbold enterprise had disturbed the greatest part of the world , passed the sea , and traversed many countries , to the end to assaile greece with innumerable forces , he was overcome both by sea and by land , and compelled privily to retire into his countrey with shame and discredit : where he had not long beene , but artabanus the captaine of his guard killed him in his palace by night : who also after that and many other mischiefes committed by him , was himselfe cruelly murthered . the thirty governours which the lacedemonians set over the athenians by compulsion , were such cruell tyrants , oppressors , and bloudsuckers of the people , that they made away a great part of them , untill they were chased away themselves violently : and then being secretly dogged and pursued , were all killed one after another . pyrrhus king of epire that raigned not long after alexander the great , was naturally disposed to such a quicknes and heat of courage , that he could never be quiet but when he was either doing some mischiefe to another , or when another was doing some unto him : ever devising some new practise of molestation for pastimes sake . this his wilde and dangerous disposition began first to shew it selfe in the death of neoptolemus , who was conjoyned king with him , whom having bidden to supper in his lodging under pretence of sacrifice to his gods , he deceitfully slew : preventing by that meanes neoptolemus pretended purpose of poysoning him when occasion should serve . after this he conquered macedonia by armes , and came into italie to make war with the romans , in the behalfe of the tarentines , and gave them battel in the field , and slew fifteen thousand of them in one day : he took their camp , revoked many cities from their alliance , and spoyled much of their countrey even to the walls of rome : and all this in a trice without breathing . againe by ascolie he encountred them the second time , where there was a great overthrow of each side of fifteene thousand men : but the romanes had the worst , and tooke their heeles . when hee was intreated by the sicilian embassadors to lend them aid to expulse the carthaginians out of their isle , hee yeelded presently and chased them out . being recalled by the tarentines into italy for their succour , he was conquered by the romanes after he had made war upon them six yeres . at his returne to epire he re-entred by violence macedonia , tooke many places , overcame the army of king antigonus that resisted him , & had all the whole realm rendred into his hand . being intreated by cleominus to make war upon sparta , to the end toreinstall him in his kingdome which he was deprived of : forthwith he mustered his forces , besieged the citie , and spoyled and wasted all the whole country . afterwards there being a sedition raised in the city of argos betweene two of the chiefest citizens , one of the which sent unto him for aid , he ( what issue soever was like to ensue , whether victory or vanquishment ) could not abide in peace from disquieting others and himselfe , but must needs go to take part in that sedition : but to his cost , even to his destruction . for first in his way he found an evill-favoured welcome by an ambush placed of purpose to interrupt his journey , amongst whom he lost his son : which mishap nothing dismaied him , nor abated any whit of his purpose or courage from pursuing this journey to argos , though the citizens themselves intreated him to retire , and though he had no businesse there save only to looke over the town● being arrived by night , and finding a gate left open for him to enter by , by the meanes of him that had sent for him to his aid , hee put his souldiers in , and possessed himselfe of the towne incontinently . but the city being aided by antigonus and the king of sparta , charged and pressed him so sore , that he sought meanes to retire out of the same , but could not . at which time being about to strike a young man of the city that had done him some hurt , his mother being aloft upon the roofe of an house , perceiving his intent , threw downe a tile with both her hands upon his head , and hit him such a knocke upon the necke through default of his armour , that it so bruised his joynts , that he fell into a sudden swound , and lost his sight , his raines falling out of his hand , and he himselfe tumbling from his saddle upon the ground , which when some of the soldiers perceived , they drew him out of the gate , and there , to make an end of the tragedy , cut off his head . the cruelty of the ephori was marvellous strange , when being unwilling once to heare the equality of lands and possessions to be named , which agis their king , for the good of the commonwealth ( according to the antient custome and ordinance of licurgus ) sought to restore : they rose up against him and cast him in prison , and there without any processe or forme of law sttangled him to death , with his mother and grandfather . but it cost them very deare : for cleamenes who was joynt king with agis , albe it he had consented to the weaving of that web himself , to the end he might raigne alone ; yet ceased he not to prosecute revenge upon them , which hee did not onely by his daily and usuall practises openly , but also privily ; for taking them once at advantage , being at supper all together , hee caused his men to kill them suddenly as they fat . and thus was the good king agis revenged . but this last murtherer which was fullied and polluted with so much bloud , he went not long unpunished for his misdeeds : for soone after , antigonus king of macedonia gave him a great overthrow in a battell , wherein hee lost sparta his chiefe city , and fled into aegypt for succour : where after small abode , upon an accusation laid against him , he was cast into prison , and though he escaped out with his company by cunning and craft , yet as he walked up and down alexandria in armor , in hope that through his seditious practises the citizens would take his part , and help to restore him to his liberty ; when he perceived it was nothing so , but that every man forsooke him , and that there was no hope left of recovery , he commanded his men to kill one another , as they did . in which desperate rage and fury he himselfe was slain , & his body being found , was commanded by king ptolomey to be hangd on a gibbet , and his mother , wives , and children that came with him into aegypt , to bee put to death . and this was the tragicall end of cleomenes king of sparta . alexander the tyrant of pheres never ceased to make and spy out all occasions of warre against the people of thessaly , to the end to bring them generally in subjection under his dominion : he was a most bloudy and cruell minded man , having neither regard of person or justice in any action . in his cruelty he buried some alive , others he clothed in beares and boares skins , and then set dogs at their tailes to rend them in pieces ; others hee used in way of pastime to strike through with darts and arrowes . and one day as the inhabitants of a certaine city were assembled together in counsell , he caused his guard to inclose them up suddenly , and to kill them all even to the very infants . he slew also his owne uncle , and crowned the speare wherwith he did that deed with garlands of flowers , and sacrificed unto him being dead , as to a god . now albeit this cruell tygre was garded continually with troupes of souldiers that kept night and day watch about his body wheresoever hee lay , and with a most ougly and terrible dog , unacquainted with any saving himselfe , his wife , and one servant that gave him his meat , tied to his chamber dore , yet could hee not escape the evill chance which by his wives meanes fell upon him : for she taking away the staires of his chamber , let in three of her owne brethren provided to murther him , as they did : for finding him asleep , one tooke him fast by the heeles , the other by the haire , wringing his head behind him , and the third thrust him through with his sword , shee all this while giving them light to dispatch their businesse . the citizens of pheres when they had drawne his carkasse about their streets , and trampled upon it their bellies full , threw it to the dogges to be devoured ; so odious was his very remembrance among them . i●gurth , sonne to manastabal , brother to micipsa king of numidia , by birth a bastard , for hee was borne of a concubine , yet by nature and disposition so valiant and full of courage , that hee was not onely beloved of all men , but also so deerely esteemed of by micipsa , that he adopted him joynt heire with his sonnes adherbal and hiempsal , to his crowne , kindly admonishing him in way of intreaty to continue the union of love and concord without breach between them , which hee promised to performe .. but micipsa was no sooner deceased , but hee by and by not content with a portion of the kingdome , ambitiously sought for the whole . for which cause hee first found meanes to dispatch hiempsal out of his way by the hands of the guard , who in his lodging by night cut his throat , and then by battell having vanquished adherbal his brother , obtained the sole regiment without controlment . besides , hee corrupted so by bribes the senators of rome that had soveraigne authority in and over his kingdome , that in stead of punishment which his murther cried for , he was by the decree of the senate allotted to the one halfe of the kingdome . whereupon being growne yet more presumptuous , hee made excursions and ryots upon adherbals territories , and did him thereby much injury : and from thence falling to open warre , put him to flight , and pursued him to a city , where hee besieged him so long , till he was constrained to yeeld himselfe . and then having gotten him within his power , put him to the cruellest death he could devise : which villanous deed gave just cause to the romanes , of that warre which they undertooke against him , wherein hee was discomfited : and seeing himselfe utterly lost , fled to his sonne in law bochus , king of mauritania , to seeke supply of succour , who receiving him into safegard , proved a false gard to him , and delivered him into the hands of his enemies , and so was he carried in triumph to rome by marius fast bound ; and being come to rome , cast into perpetuall prison , where first his gowne was torne off his backe by violence , next a ring of gold pluckt off his eare , lap and all ; and lastly , himselfe starke naked throwne into a deepe ditch , where combating with famine six dayes , the seventh miserably ended his wretched life , according to the merits of his misdeeds . orsius , saith he , was strangled in prison . methridates king of parthia put to death the king of cappadocia , to get his kingdome , and after under pretence of parlying with one of his sonnes , slew him also : for which cause the romanes tooke up the quarrell , and made warre upon him , by meanes whereof much losse and inconvenience grew unto him as well by sea as by land . after the first overthrow , where one of his sisters was taken prisoner , when he saw himselfe in so desperate a case , that no hope of helpe was left , he slew two other of his sisters , with two of his wives , having before this warre given his foruth sister ( who also was his wife ) a dram of poyson to make up the tragedy . afterward being vanquished in the night by pompey the roman , and put to flight with onely three of his company , as he went about to gather a new supply of forces , behold tydings was brought him of the revolt of many of his provinces and countries , and of the delivering up of the rest of his daughters into pompeyes hand , and of the treason of his yong sonne pharnax , the gallantest of his sonnes , and whom he purposed to make his successor , who had joyned himselfe to his enemy , which troubled and astonished him more than all the rest ▪ so that his courage being quite dashed , and all hope of bettering his estate extinguished , his other two daughters he poysoned with his owne hands , and sought to practise the same experiment upon himselfe , but that his body was too strong for the poison , and killed the operation thereof by strength of nature : but that which poyson could not effect , his owne sword performed . though pompey the great was never any of the most notorious offenders in rome , yet did this staine of cruelty , ambition and desire of rule , cleave unto him : for first he joyning himselfe to silla , dealt most cruelly and unnaturally with carbo , whom after familiar conference , in shew of friendship , he caused suddenly to be slain , without shew of mercy . and with quintius valerius , a wise and well lettered man , with whom walking but two or three turnes , he committed to a cruell and unexpected slaughter . he executed severe punishment upon the enemies of sylla , especially those that were most of note and reputation , and unmercifully put brutus to death , that had rendered himselfe unto his mercy . it was he that devised that new combat of prisoners and wilde beasts , to make the people sport withall ; a most inhumane and bloudy pastime , to see humane and manly bodies torne and dismembred by brute and senselesse creatures : which , if we will beleeve plutarch , was the onely cause of his destruction . now after so many brave and gallant victories , so many magnificent triumphs ; as the taking of king hiarbas , the overthrow of domitius , the conquest of africa , the pacifying of spaine , and the overwelding of the commotions that were therein , the clearing of the sea coasts from pirates , the victory over methridates , the subduing of the arabians , the reducing of syria into a province , the conquest of iudea , pontus , armenia , cappadocia , and paphlagonia : i say , after all these worthy deeds of armes and mighty victories , he was shamefully overcome by iulius caesar in that civill warre , wherein it was generally thought that he had undertaken the better cause in maintaining the authority of the senat , and defending the liberty of the people , as he pretended to doe : being thus put to flight , and making towards aegypt , in hope the king ( for that before time he had beene his tutor ) would protect and furnish him , that he might recover himselfe againe , he found himselfe so farre deceived of his expectation , that in stead thereof the kings people cut him short of his purpose , and of his head both at once , sending it for a token to caesar , to gratifie him withall . neverthelesse , for all this , his murtherers and betrayers , as the yong king , and all others that were causers of his death were justly punished for their cruelty , by the hands of him whom they thought to gratifie : for as cleopatra the kings sister thr●w her selfe downe at caesars feet to entreat her portion of the kingdome , and he being willing also to shew her that favour , was by that means gotten into the kings palace ; forthwith the murtherers of pompey beset the palace , and went about to bring him into the same snare that they had caught pompey in . but caesar after that he had sustained their greatest brunt , frustrated their purposes , and recovered his forces into his hands , assayled them with such valour and prowesse on all sides , that in short space he overcame this wicked and traiterous nation . amongst the slaine , the dead body of this young and evill advised king was found , overborne with dirt . theodotus the kings schoolemaster ( by whose instigation and advice both pompey was slaine , and this warre undertaken ) being escaped and fled towards asia for his safety , found even there sufficient instruments both to abridge his journey and shorten his life . as for the rest of that murthering fellowship , they ended their lives some here , some there , in ( that mercilesse element ) the sea , and by ( that boisterous element ) the wind , which though senselesse , yet could not suffer them to escape unpunished . although that iulius caesar ( concerning whom more occasion of speech will be given hereafter ) did tyrannously usurp the key of the roman common-wealth , and intruded himselfe into the empire against the lawes , customes , and authority of the people and senate , yet was it accounted a most traiterous and cruell part to massacre and kill him in the senate , as he sat in his seat misdoubting no mishap , as the sequell of their severall ends which were actors in this tragedy did declare : for the vengeance of god was so manifestly displayed upon them , that not one of the conspirators escaped , but was pursued by sea and land so eagerly , till there was nor one left of that wicked crue whom revenge had not overtaken . cassius being discomfited in the battell of philippos , supposing that brutus had beene also in the same case , used the same sword against himselfe ( a marvellous thing ) wherewith before he had smitten caesar. brutus also a few dayes after , when a fearefull vision had appeared twice unto him by night , understanding thereby that his time of life was but short , though he had the better of his enemies the day before , yet threw himselfe desperately into the greatest danger of the battell , for his speedier dispatch ; but he was reserved to a more shamefull end . , for seeing his men slaine before him , he retired hastily apart from view of men , and setting his sword to his breast , threw himselfe upon it , piercing him through the body , and so ended his life . and thus was caesars death revenged by octavius and anthony who remained conquerors , after all that bloudy crew was brought to nought : betwixt whom also ere long burst out a most cruell division , which grew unto a furious and cruell battell by sea , wherein anthony was overcome , and sent flying into aegypt , and there taught his owne hands to be his murtherers . and such was the end of his life , who had beene an actor in that pernicious office of the triumvirship , and a causer of the deaths of many men . and forasmuch as cleopatra was the first motive and fetter on of anthony to this warre , it was good reason that she should partake some of that punishment which they both deserved ; as she did : for being surprised by her enemies , to the intent she might not be carried in triumph to rome , she caused an aspe to bite her to death . marke here the pittifull tragedies that following one another in the necke , were so linkt together , that drawing and holding each other , they drew with them a world of miseries to a most wofull end : a most transparent and cleere glasse , wherein the visages of gods heavy judgements upon all murtherers are apparently deciphered . chap. vi. other examples like unto the former . after that the empire of rome , declining after the death of theodosius , was almost at the last cast , ready to yeeld up the ghost , and that theodorick king of the goths , had usurped the dominion of italy under the emperor zeno , he put to death two great personages , senators and chiefe citizens of rome , to wit , simmachus and ●oeti●● , only for secret surmise which he had , without probability , that they two should weave some she web for his destruction . after which cruell deed , as he was one day at supper , a fishes head of great bignesse beeing served into the table , purposing to be very merry , suddenly the vengeance of god assailed , amased , oppressed , and pursued him so freshly , that without intermission or breathing it sent his body a senselesse trunk into the grave in a most strange and marvellous manner : for he was conceited ( as himselfe reported ) that the fishes head was the head of simmachus , whom he had but lately slaine , which grinned upon him , and seemed to face him with an overthwart threatning and angry eye : wherewith hee was so scarred , that he forthwith rose from the table , and was possessed with such an exceeding trembling and icle ehilnesse that ran through all his joynts , that he was constrained to take his chamber and goe to bed , where soone after with griefe and fretting and displeasure hee died . he committed also another most cruell and traiterous part upon odoacer ; whom inviting to a banquet , he deceitfully welcommed with a messe of swords in stead of other victuals , to kill him withall , that he might sway the empire alone both of the gothes and romanes without checke . it was not without cause that attila was called the scourge of god : for with an army of five hundred thousand men he wasted and spoiled all fields , cities and villages that he passed by , putting all to fire and sword , without shewing mercy to any : on this manner he went spoiling through france , and there at one time gave battell to the united forces of the romans , vicegothes , frenchmen , sarmatians , burgundians , saxons , and almaignes : after that he entered italy , tooke by way of force aquilea , sacked and destroyed millan , with many other cities , and in a word spoiled all the countrey : in fine , being returned beyond almaigne , having married a wife of excellent beauty , though he was well wived before , he died on his marriage night suddenly in his bed : for having well carowsed the day before , he fell into so dead a sleepe , that lying upon his backe without respect , the bloud which was often woont to issue at his nostrils , finding those conduits stopped by his upright lying , descended into his throat , and stopped his winde . and so that bloudy tyrant that had shed the bloud of so many people , was himselfe by the effusion of his owne bloud murthered and stifled to death . ithilbald king of gothia at the instigation of his wife put to death very unadvisedly one of the chiefe peeres of his realme : after which murther , as he sate banquetting one day with his princes , environed with his gard and other attendants , having his hand in the dish , and the meat between his fingers , one suddenly reached him such a blow with a sword , that it cut off his head , so that it almost tumbled upon the table , to the great astonishment of all that were present . sigismund king of burgundy suffered himselfe to be carried away with such an extreame passion of choler , provoked by a false and malicious accusation of his second wife , that he caused one of his sonnes which he had by his former wife , to be strangled in his bed , because he was induced to think that he went about to make himselfe king : which deed being blowne abroad , clodomire sonne to clodovee and clotild king france , and cousin german to sigismund , came with an army for to revenge this cruell and unnaturall part ; his mother setting forward and inciting him thereunto , in regard of the injury which sigismunds father had done to her father and mother , one of whom he slew , and drowned the other . as they were ready to joyne battell , sigismunds souldiers forsooke him , so that hee was taken and presently put to death , and his sonnes which he had by his second wife were taken also , and carried captive to orleance , and there drowned in a well . thus was the execrable murther of sigismund and his wife punished in their owne children . as for clodomire , though he went conqueror from this battell , yet was he encountered with another disastrous misfortune : for as hee marched forward with his forces to fight with sigismunds brother , he was by him overcome and slaine ; and for a further disgrace , his dismembred head fastened on the top of a pike was carried about to the enterview of all men . hee left behinde him three young sonnes , whom his owne brethren and their uncles clotaire and childebert , notwithstanding their young and tender yeres , tooke from their grandmother clotildes custody , that brought them up , as if they would install them into some part of their fathers kingdome ; but most wickedly and cruelly , to the end to possesse their goods , lands , and seigniories , bereft them all of their lives , save one that saved himselfe in a monastery . in this strange and monstrous act clotaire shewed himselfe more than barbarous , when he would not take pity upon the youngest of the two , being but seven yeares old , who hearing his brother ( of the age of tenne yeres ) crying pittifully at his slaughter , threw himselfe at his uncle childeberts feet with teares , desiring him to save his life : wherewith childebert being greatly affected , entreated his brother with weeping eies to have pity upon him , and spare the life of this poore infant : but all his warnings and entreaties could not hinder the savage beast from performing this cruell murther upon this poore childe , as he had don upon the other . the emperour phocas attained by this bloudy means the imperiall dignity , even by the slaughter of his lord and master mauricius , whom as he fled in disguised attire for feare of a treason pretended against him , he being beforetime the lievtenant generall of his army , pursued so maliciously and hotly , that he overtooke him in his flight , and for his further griefe , first put all his children severally to death before his face , that every one of them might be a severall death unto him before he died , and then slew him also . this murtherer was he that first exalted to so high a point the popish horn , when at the request of boniface he ordained , that the bishop of rome should have preheminence and authority over all other bishops : which he did to the end that the staine and blame of his most execrable murther might be either quite blotted out , or at least winked at . vnder his regency the forces of the empire grew wondrously into decay ▪ france , spaine , almaigne , and lombardy , revolted from the empire : and at last himselfe being pursued by his son in law priscus with the senatours , was taken , and having his hands and feet cut off , was together with the whole race of his off-spring put to a most cruell death , because of his cruell and tyrannous life . among all the strange examples of gods judgements that ever were declared in this world , that one that befell a king of poland , called popiel , for his murthers , is for the strangenesse thereof most worthy to be had in memory : he reigned in the yeare of our lord . this man amongst other of his particular kinds of cursings and swearings , whereof he was no niggard , used ordinarily this oath , if it be not true , would rats might devoure me ; prophesying thereby his owne destruction ; for hee was devoured by the same meanes which he so often wished for , as the sequell of his history will declare . the father of this popiel seeling himselfe neere death , resigned the government of his kingdome to two of his brethren , men exceedingly reverenced of all men for the valour and vertue which appeared in them . he being deceased , and popiel being growne up to ripe and lawfull yeares , when he saw himselfe in full liberty , without all bridle of government to doe what hee listed , he began to give the full swinge to his lawlesse and unruly desires , in such sort , that within few daies he became so shamelesse , that there was no vice which appeared not in his behavior , even to the working of the death of his owne uncles , for all their faithfull dealing towards him , which he by poison brought to passe . which being done , he caused himselfe forthwith to be crowned with garlands of flowers , and to be perfumed with precious oyntments : and to the end the better to solemni●e his entry to the crowne , commanded a sumptuous and pompous banquet to be prepared , whereunto all the princes and lords of his kingdome were invited . now as they were about to give the onset upon the delicate cheere , behold an army of rats sallying out of the dead and putrified bodies of his uncles , set upon him , his wife and children , amid their dainties , to gnaw them with their sharp teeth , insomuch that his gard with all their weapons and strength were not able to chase them away , but being weary with resisting their daily and mighty assaults , gave over the battell : wherefore counsell was given to make great cole ●ires about them , that the rats by that means might be kept off , not knowing that no policy or power of man was able to withstand the unchangeable decree of god ; for , for all their huge forces they ceased not to run through the midst of them , and to assault with their teeth this cruell murtherer , then they gave him counsell to put himselfe , his wife , and children into a boat , and thrust it into the middest of a lake , thinking that by reason of the waters the rats would not approach unto them : but alas in vaine ; for they swum through the waters amaine , and gnawing the boat , made such chinkes into the sides thereof , that the water began to run in : which being perceived of the boatman , amased them sore , and made them make poste haste unto the shore , where hee was no sooner arrived , but a fresh muster of rats uniting their forces with the former , encountred him so sore , that they did him more scath than all the rest . whereupon all his guard , and others that were there present for his defence , perceiving it to be a judgement of gods vengeance upon him , abandoned and for sooke him at once : who seeing himselfe destitute of succour , and forsaken on all sides , flew into a high tower in chouzitze , whither also they pursued him , and climbing even up to the highest roome where hee was , first eat up his wife and children ( she being guilty of his uncles death ) and lastly gnew and devoured him to the very bones . after the same sort was an archbishop of mentz , called hatto , punished in the yeare , under the reigne of the emperour otho the great , for the extreme cruelty which he used towards certain poor beggers , whom in time of famine he assembled together into a great barn , not to relieve their wants , as he might and ought , but to rid their lives , as he ought not , but did : for he set on fire the barne wherein they were , and consumed them all alive ; and comparing them to rats and mice that devoured good corne , but served to no other good use . but god that had regard and respect unto those poore wretches , tooke their cause into his hand , to quit this proud prelate with just revenge for his outrage committed against them ; sending towards him an army of rats and mice to lay siege against him with the engines of their teeth on all sides , which when this cursed wretch perceived , he removed into a tower that standeth in the midst of rhine , not far from bing , whither hee presumed this host of rats could not pursue him ; but he was deceived : for they swum over rhine thick and threefold , and got into his tower with such strange fury , that in very short space they had consumed him to nothing ; in memoriall whereof , this tower was ever after called the tower of rats . and this was the tragedy of that bloudy arch-butcher that compared poore christian soules to brutish and base creatures , and therefore became himselfe a prey unto them , as popiel king of poland did before him ; in whose strange examples the beames of gods justice shine forth after an extraordinary and wonderfull manner , to the terrour and feare of all men ; when by the means of small creatures they made roome for his vengeance , to make entrance upon these execrable creature-murtherers , notwithstanding all mans devises and impediments of nature : for the native operation of the elements was restrained from hindering the passage of them , armed and inspired with an invincible and supernaturall courage , to feare neither fire , water , nor weapon , till they had finished his command that sent them . and thus in old time did frogs , flyes , grashoppers , and lice , make war with pharaoh , at the command of him that hath all the world at his becke . after this archbishop , in the same ranke of murtherers we finde registred many popes , of all whom the most notorious and remarkable are these two , innocent the fourth , and boniface the eighth , who deserved rather to be called nocents and malefaces than innocents and boniface , for their wicked and perverse lives : for as touching the first of them , from the time that he was first installed in the papacie , he alwayes bent his hornes against the emperor fredericke , and fought with him with an armie not of men , but of excommunications and cursings ; as their manner is : and seeing that all his thundering buls and canons could not prevaile so farre as he desired , he presently sought to bring to passe that by treason which by force he could not : for he so enchanted certain of his household servants with foule bribes and faire words , that when by reason of his short draught , the poyson which he ministred could not hurt him , he got them to strangle him to death . moreover , he was chiefe sower of that warre betwixt henry , lantgrave of thuring , whom hee created king of the romanes , and conrade , frederickes sonne , wherein he reaped a crop of discomfitures and overthrowes : after which , he was found slaine in his bed , his body being full of blacke markes , as if he had beene beaten to death with cudgels . concerning boniface , after he had by subtile and crafty meanes made his predecessor dismisse himselfe of his papacie , and enthronised himselfe therein , he put him to death in prison , and afterward made war upon the gibilines , and committed much cruelty ; wherefore also he dyed mad , as we heard before . but touching popes and their punishments , we shall see more in the chapter following , whither the examples of them are referred , that exceeding in all kinde of wickednesse , cannot be rightly placed in the treatise of any particular commandement . chap. ix . other memorable examples of the same subject . if wee descend from antiquities to histories of later and fresher memory , wee shall finde many things worthy report and credit : as that which happened in the yeere betwixt two gentlemen of henault ; the one of which accused the other for killing a neere kinsman of his , which the other utterly & stedfastly denied : whereon dwilliam , county of henault , offered them the combat in the city of quesney to decide the controversie , when as by law it could not be ended : whereunto they being come , and having broken their speares in two , and encountered valiantly with their swords , at length he that was charged with and indeed guilty of the murder , was overcome of the other , and made to confesse with his mouth in open audience the truth of the fact : wherefore the country adjudged him in the same place to be beheaded ; which was speedily executed , and the conquerour honourably conducted to his lodging . now albeit this manner of deciding controversies be not approved of god , yet we must not think it happened at all adventures , but rather that the issue thereof came of the lord of hosts , that by this meanes gave place to the execution of his most high and soveraigne justice , by manifesting the murderer , and bringing him to that punishment which he deserved . about this very time there was a most cruell and out ragious riot practised and performed upon lewis duke of orleance , brother to charles the sixth , by the complot and devise of iohn duke of burgundie , who ( as hee was naturally haughtie and ambitious ) went about to usurpe the government of the realme of france , for that the king by reason of weakenesse of his braine was not able to mannage the affaires thereof , so that great trouble and uncivill warres were growne up by that occasion in every corner of the realme . as therefore he affected and gaped after the rule , so hee thought no meanes dishonest to attaine unto it , and therefore his first enterprise was to take out of the way the kings brother , who stood betwixt him and home . having therefore provided fit champions for his purpose , he found opportunity one night to cause him to come out of his lodging late by counterfeit tokens from the king , as if he had sent for him about some matters of importance : and being in the way to s. pauls hostle , where the kings lodging was in paris , the poore prince suspecting nothing , was suddenly set upon with eighteen roisters at once , with such fury and violence , that in very short space they left him dead upon the pavement , by the gate barbet , his braines lying scattered about the street . after this detestable and odious act committed and detected , the cruell burgundian was so farre from shaming , that he vanted and boasted at it , as if he had atchieved the most valorous and honourable exploit in the world ( so farre did his impudencie outstretch the bond of reason . ) neverthelesse , to cast some counterfeit colour upon this rough practise , he used the conscience and fidelitie of three famous divines of paris , who openly in publike assemblies approved of this murder ; saying , that he had greatly offended , if he had left it undone . about this device he imployed especially m. iohn petit , a sorbonist doctor , whose rashnesse and brasen-facednesse was so great , as in the councel-house of the king , stoutly to averre , that that which was done in the death of the duke of orleance was a vertuous and commendable action , and the author of it to be void of fault , and therefore ought to be void of punishment . the preface which this brave orator used , was , that he was bounden in duetie to the duke of burgundie , in regard of a goodly pension which he had received at his hands , and for that cause he had prepared his poor tongue in token of gratitude to defend his cause . he might better have said thus , that seeing his tongue was poore and miserable , and he himselfe a sencelesse creature , therefore he ought not to allow or defend so obstinately such a detestable & traiterous murder committed upon a duke of orleance , and the same the kings brother , in such vile sort ; and that if he should doe otherwise , he should approve of that which god and man apparently condemned , yea the very turkes and greatest paynims under heaven ; and that he should justifie the wicked , and condemne the innocent , which is an abomination before god ; and should put darkenesse in stead of light , and call that which is evill , good : ( for which the prophet esay in his fifth chapter denounceth the jugdements of god against false prophets ) and should follow the steps of balaam , which let out his tongue to hire for the wages of iniquity : but none of these supposes came once into his minde . but to returne to our history : the duke of burgundy having the tongues of these brave doctors at his commandement , and the parisians who bore themselves partially in this quarrell ( generally favourers of his side ) came to paris in armes , to justifie himselfe , as he pretended , and strucke such a dreadfull awe of himselfe into all mens mindes , that notwithstanding all the earnest pursuit of the dutchesse , the widow of orleance , for justice , he escaped unpunished , untill god ( by other meanes ) tooke vengeance upon him : which happened after a while , after that those his complices of paris ( being become lords and rulers of the citie ) had committed many horrible and cruell murders , as of the constable and chancellor , two head officers of the realme , whose bodies fast bound together , they drew naked through the streets from place to place in most despightfull manner : for the daulphin escaping their hands by night , and safegard in his castle , after that he heard of the seisure of the citie ; found meanes to assemble certuine forces , and marched to montereaufautyon with men , of purpose to be revenged on the duke for all his brave and riotous demeanors : hither , under colour of parling and devising new means to pacifie these old civill troubles , he enticed the duke , and being come , at his very first arrivall , as he was bowing his knee in reverence to him , he caused him to be slaine . and on this manner was the duke of orleance death quitted , and the evill and cruelty shewed towards him , returned upon the murderers owne necke ; for as he slew him trecherously and cowardly , so was he also trecherously and cowardly slaine , and justly requited with the same measure that he before had measured to another : notwithstanding herein the daulphin was not free from a grievous crime of disloyaltie and truth-breach , in working his death without shame of either faith-breach or perjury , and that in his owne presence , whom hee had so often with protestation of assurance and safetie , requested to come to him . neither did he escape unpunished for it ; for after his fathers decease he was in danger of losing the crowne , and all for this cause : for philip duke of burgundie taking his fathers revenge into his hands , by his cunning devices wrought meanes to displace him from the succession of the kingdome , by according a marriage betwixt the king of england and his sister , to whom he in favor agreed to give his kingdome in reversion after his owne decease . now assoone as the king of england was seised upon the governement of france , the daulphin was presently summoned to the marble table , to give answere for the death of the old duke : whither , when he made none appearance , they presently banished him the realme , and pronounced him to be unworthy to be succeeder to the noble crowne : which truely was a very grievous chastisement , and such an one as brought with it a heape of many mischiefes and discomfitures , which happened in the warre betwixt england and him , for the recovery of his kingdome . peter , sonne to alphonsus king of castile , was a most bloudy and cruell tyran : for first he put to death his owne wife , the daughter of peter duke of burbon , and sister to the queene of france : next hee slew the mother of his bastard brother henrie , together with many lords and barons of the realme , for which he was hated not onely of all his subjects , but also of his neighbor and adjoyning countries : which hatred moved the foresaid henrie to aspire unto the crowne ; which , what with the popes avouch , who legitimated him , and the helpe of certaine french forces , and the support of the nobility of castile , he soone atchieved . peter thus abandoned , put his safest gard in his heeles , and fled to bordeaux , towards the prince of wales , of whom he received such good entertainment , that with his aid he sonne re-entred his lost dominions , and by maine battell chased his bastard brother out of the confines thereof : but being re-installed , whilest his cruelties ceased not to multiply on every side , behold henrie ( with a new supply out of france ) began to assayle him afresh , and put him once again to his shifts : but all that he could doe , could not shift him out of henries hands , who pursued him so hotly , that with his owne hands hee soone rid him out of all troubles , and afterwards peaceably enjoyed the kingdome of castille . but above all the horrible murders and massacres that ever were heard or read of in this last age of the world , that bloudy massacre in france , under the reigne of charles the ninth , is most famous , or rather infamous ; wherein the noble admirall , with many of the nobility and gentrie , which were protestants , were most traiterously and cruelly murdered in their chambers and beds in paris , the foure and twentieth of august , in the night : in this massacre were butchered in paris that very night ten thousand protestants , and in all france , ( for other cities followed the example of paris ) thirty , or as some say , forty thousand . i will not stand to relate the particular circumstances and manner thereof , it being at large described by divers writers both in french and english : only to our purpose , let us consider the judgements and vengeance of almightie god upon the chiefe practisers and plotters thereof , which were these : charles the ninth then king , by whose commission and commandement this massacre was undertaken ; his brother and successour the duke of aniou ; the queene mother , his bastard brother , and the duke of guise , yea the whole towne of paris ; and generally all france was guilty thereof . now observe gods just revenge : charles himselfe had the thred of his life cut off by the immediat hand of god , by a long and lingring sickenesse , and that before he was come to the full age of yeres : in his sicknesse bloud issued in great abundance out of many places of his body , insomuch that sometimes he fell and wallowed in his owne bloud : that as he had delight to shed the bloud of so many innocents , so he might now at the latter end of his dayes be glutted with bloud . and surely by this meanes the lord did put him in minde of his former bloudy murders , to draw him to repentance , if it were possible . the duke of anjou , who succeeded this charles in the crowne of france , and was called henrie the third , was murdered by a young iacobine monke , called frier iaques clement , at the instigation of the duke de maine and others of the league , and that ( wherein appeareth manifestly the hand of god ) in the selfe same chamber at s. cloves wherein the councell for the great massacre had beene taken and plotted , as it is constantly affirmed . the duke of guise , in the yeare , the of december , was murdered by the kings owne appointment , being sent for into the kings chamber out of the councell chamber , where attended him with rapiers and poniards ready prepared to receive him . the queene mother soone after the slaughter of the duke of guise , tooke the matter so to heart , that shee went to bed , and dyed the first of ianuarie after . touching all the rest that were chiefe actors in the tragidie , few or none escaped the apparant vengeance of god : and as for paris and the whole realme of france , they also felt the severe scourge of gods justice , partly by civile wars and bloudshed , and partly by famine and other plagues ; so that the lord hath plainly made knowne to the world , how precious in the sight of his most holy majestie , is the death of innocents , and how impossible it is for cruell murderers to escape unpunished . chap. x. of divers other murderers , and their severall punishments . maximinus from a shepheard in thracia , grew to be an emperor in rome by these degrees : his exceeding stength and swiftnesse in running commended him so to severus then emperour , that he made him of his gard , from that he arose to be a tribune , and at last to bee emperor : which place he was no sooner in possession of , but immoderate cruelty ( all this while buried ) began to shew it selfe : for he made havocke of all the nobilitie , and put to death those that he suspected to be acquainted with his estate : insomuch as some called him cyclops , some b●siris , others a●teus , for his cruelty . wherefore the senate of rome seeing his indignity , proclaimed him an enemy to their commonwealth . and made it lawfull for any man to procure his death : which being knowne , his souldiers lying at the siege of aquileia , moved with hatred , entred his tent at noone day , and flew him and his sonne together . iustinian the yonger ( no lesse hatefull to his subjects for his cruelty than maximinus ) was deposed from the empire by conspiracy , and having his nosthrils slit , exiled to chersona , leontius succeeding in his place . howbeit ere long he recovered his crowne and scepter , and returned to constantinople , exercising more cruelty at his returne , than ever he had done before : for he had not only put to death leontius and tiberius , but also all that any way favored their parts . it is said of him , that he never blew his mangled nose , but he caused one of them to be executed to death . at last he was slaine by philippicus , to verifie the word of the lord , that he which striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword . albonius king of lunbardy , drinking upon a time to his wife rosimund in a cup made of her fathers skull ( whom he in battell had slaine ) so displeased her therewith , that ( attributing more to naturall affection than unity of marriage ) decreed with her selfe to hazard life and kingdome , to be revenged upon this grievous injurie ; wherefore she thus practised : a knight called hemichild was enamoured with one of her maids ; him shee brought into a secret darke place by policie , in shew to injoy his love , but indeed to be at her command ; for she supplyed his loves place : and then discovering her selfe , put it to his choise , either to kill her husband , or to be accused by her of this villanie . hemichild chose the former , and indeed murdered his lord in his bed ; and after the deed done , fled with her to ravenna . but marke how the lord required this murder , even most strangely ; for they both which were linkt together in the fact , were linkt together also in the punishment ; and as they had beene joynt instruments of anothers destruction , so he made them mutuall instruments of their owne for rosimund thinking to poyson him too , made him drinke halfe her medicine : but hee feeling the poyson in his veines , staied in the mid way , and made her sup up the other halfe for her part : so they died both together . the electors of the empire disagreeing in suffrages , adolphus duke of nassavia , and albertus duke of austria , tooke upon them the regiment and managing of the state : whereupon grew grievous wars in all germanie , and dissention between the two state-men , so that adolphus was slaine by the duke of austria in battell by the citie of spire : whose death was thus notably revenged . all that tooke part against him , or that were accessary to the murder , perished most strangely ; albert earle of hagerloch was slaine , otto of ochsensteme was hanged , the bishop of mentz died suddenly of an apoplexie , in his cellar , the bishop of strasbrough was butchered by a butcher : the earle of leimingen died of a frensie , the duke of austria himselfe was slaine by his nephew iohn , from whom hee had taken the government of suevia , because of his unthriftinesse : generally they all came to destruction , so grievous is the crie of innocent bloud , against those that are guilty thereof . after the death of woldimirus king of rhythenia , his sonne berisus succeeded in the kingdome , who though hee was a vertuous and religious prince , yet could not his vertue or religion priviledge him from the malice of his brother suadopolcus , who gaping and itching for the crowne , slew his brother this good prince as hee was sleeping in his chamber , together with his esquire that attended upon him : and not content herewith , but adding murder to murder , hee assaulted another of his brethren by the same impietie , and brought him to the same end . whereupon the last brother iorislaus ( to bee revenged on this villanie ) set upon him with an armie of men , and killing his complices , drove him to fly to crachus king of polonia for succour : who furnishing him with a new armie , sent him backe against his brother , in which battell ( his successe being equall to the former ) hee lost his men , and himselfe escaping the sword , dyed in his flight to polonia , and was buried in a base and ignoble sepulchre , fit enough for so base and ignoble a wretch . and that we may see how hatefull and ungodly a thing it is to be either a protector or a saver of any murderer , marke the judgement of god that fell upon this king of polonia , though not in his own person , yet in his posterity ; for hee being dead , his eldest sonne and heire crachus was murdered by his younger brother lechus , as they were hunting , so disguised and torn , that every man imputed his death not to lechus ( whose eyes dropt crocodiles teares ) but to some savage and cruell beast : howbeit ere long ( his trechery being discovered , and disseised of his kingdome ) hee died with extreame griefe and horrour of conscience . and thus we see that crachus his kingdome came to desolation for maintaining a murderer . iohn the high priest of jerusalem , sonne and successor to iudas , had a brother termed iesus , to whom bagoses the lieutenant of artaxerxes army promised the priesthood , meaning indeed to depose iohn , and install him in his roome : upon which occasion this iesus growing insolent , spared not to revile his brother , and that in the temple , with immodest and opprobrious speeches , so that his anger being provoked he slew him in his rage ; a most impious part for the high priest to pollute the holy temple with bloud , and that of his owne brother , and so impious , that the lord in justice could not chuse but punish the whole nation for it most severely . for this cause bagoses imposed a tribute upon them , even a most grievous tribute , that for every lambe they offered upon the altar , they should pay fiftie groats to the king of persia , besides the prophanation of their temple with the uncircumcised persians , who entred into it at their pleasures , and so polluted the sanctuary and holy things of god : this punishment continued upon them seven yeares and all for this one murder . gerhardus earle of holsatia , after he had conquered the danes in many and sundry battells , was traiterously slaine in the citie kanderhusen , by one nicolaus iacobus , a rich baron : so that whom the open enemy feared in the field , him the privie subtile foe murdered in his chamber . but the traitor and murderer , albeit hee fled to the castle schaldenburg , and got a band of souldiers to defend himselfe , yet hee was surprised by the earles sonnes , who tormenting him as became a traitor to bee tormented , at last rent his body into foure quarters , and so his murder and treason was condignely punished . above all , the execution of gods vengeance is most notably manifested in the punishment and detection of one parthenius an homicide , treasurer to theodobert king of france ; who having traiterously slaine an especiall friend of his called ausanius , with his wife ●apianilla , when no man suspected or accused him thereof , he detected and accused himselfe after this strange manner : as hee slept in his bed , suddenly hee roared out most pittifully , crying for helpe , or else hee perished : and being demanded what he ailed , he halfe asleepe answered , that his friend ausanius and his wife , whome hee had slaine long agoe , summoned him to judgement before god : upon which confession hee was apprehended , and after due examination stoned to death . thus though all witnesses faile , yet a murderers own conscience will betray him . pepin and martellus his sonne , kings of france , enjoying prosperity and ease , fell into divers monstrous sinnes : as to forsake their wives and follow whores : which filthynesse when the bishop of tung●ia reproved , dodo the harlors brother murdered him for his labor : but hee was presently taken with the vengeance of god , even a lousie and most filthie disease , with the griefe and stinke whereof being moved , hee threw himselfe into the river of mosa , and there was drowned . how manifest and evident was the vengeance of god upon the murderers of theodorick bishop of treverse ● conrade the author of it dyed suddenly : the souldier that helped to throw him downe from the rocke , was choaked as he was at supper two other servants that layd to their hands to this murder , slew themselves most desperatly . about the yeare of our lord . ge●lian the wife of gosbere prince of wurtiburg , being reproved by kilianus for incest ( for shee married her husbands brother ) wrought such meanes , that both hee and his brethren were deprived of their lives : but the lord gave her up to satan in vengeance , so that shee was presently possessed with him , and so continued till her dying day . a certaine woman of millaine in italie hung a young boy , and after devoured him instead of meat , when as she wanted none other victuals ▪ and when she was examined about the crime , she confessed that a spirit perswaded her to doe it , telling her , that after it she should attaine unto whatsoever she desired : for which murder shee was to r●●●nted to death by a lingring and grievous punishment . this arlunus reporteth to have happened in his time . and surely how soever openly the divell sheweth not himselfe , yet he is the mover and perswader of all murders , and commonly the doctor . for hee delighteth in mens blouds and their destruction , as in nothing more . a gentleman of chaleur in fossignie , being in the duke of savoyes army , in september the yeare of our lord , and grieving to behold the cruelties which were exercised upon the poore inhabitants of that countrey , resolved to depart from the said army : now because there was no safer nor neerer waie for him , than to crosse the lake to bonne , he entreated one of his acquaintance , named iohn villaine , to procure him meanes of safe passage over the lake : who for that purpose procured two watermen to transport him , with his horse , apparell , and other things : being upon the lake , the watermen , whereof the chiefest was called martin bourrie , fell upon him and cut his throat : iohn villaine understanding hereof complained to the magistrates ; but they being forestalled with a present from the murderer , of the gentlemans horse , which was of great value , made no inquisition into the matter , but said , that hee was an enemy which was dispatched : and so the murderers were justified ; but god would not leave it so unpunished : for about the fifteenth of iuly , this bourrie going with divers others to shoot for a wager , as hee was charging the harquebuse which hee had robbed the gentleman of when hee murdered him , it suddenly discharged of it selfe , and shot the murderer through the heart , so that hee fell downe starke dead , and never stirred nor spake word . in the first troubles of france , a gentleman of the troups which besieged moulins in bourbonnois , was taken with sickenesse , in such sort that hee could not follow his company when they dislodged ; and lying at a bakers house which professed much friendship and kindnesse to him , hee put such confidence in him , that hee shewed him all the money that he had : but so farre was this wretch from either conscience or common honestie , that assoone as it was night hee most wickedly murdered him . now marke how god revenged it : it happened not long after , that the murderer being in sentinell , one of his owne fellowes unawares shot him through the arme with a harquebuse , whereof he languished the space of three moneths , and then died starke mad . the town of bourges being yeelded by monsieur d'yvoy , during the first troubles in france , the inhabitants were inhibited from talking together , either within or without the towne , or from being above two together at a time : under colour of which decree many were most cruelly murdered : and a principall actor herein was one garget captaine of the bourbonne quarter , who made a common practise of killing innocent men , under that pretence . but shortly after , the lord that heareth the crie of innocent bloud met with him for hee was stricken with a burning fever , and ranne up and downe blaspheming the name of god , calling upon the divell , and crying out if any would goe along with him to hell , hee would pay his charges ; and so died in desperate and franticke manner . peter martin , one of the queries of the king of france his stable , and post-master at a place called lynge , in the way towards poyctou , upon a sleight accusation , without all just forme of lawfull processe , was condemned by a lord to bee drowned : the lord commanded one of his faulkners to execute this sentence upon him , upon paine to bee drowned himselfe : whereupon he performed his masters command : but god deferred not the revenge thereof long ; for within three daies after , this faulkner and a lackey falling out about the dead mans apparell , went into the field and slew one another . thus he that was but the instrument of that murder was justly punished : how much more is it likely that the author escaped not scot free , except the lord gave him a heart truely to repent ? it hath beene observed in the history of france , since the yeare of our lord , that of a thousand murders which remained unpunished in regard of men , not tenne of them escaped the hands of god , but came to most wretched ends . in the yeare of our lord iohn diazius , a spaniard by birth , living a student and professor in paris , came first to geneva , and then to strasbrough , and there by the grace of gods spirit saw his sorbonicall errors , and renounced them , betaking himselfe to the profession of the purer religion , and the company and acquaintance of godly men : amongst whom was bucer that excellent man , who sent him also to nurnburge , to oversee the printing of a booke which he was to publish . whilest diazius lived at this nurnburge ( a city scituat upon the river dimow ) his brother , a lawyer , and judge laterall to the inquisition , by name alphonsus , came thither , and by all meanes possible endevoured to dissuade him from his religion , and to reduce him againe to popery . but the good man persisted in the truth notwithstanding all his perswasions and threats : wherefore the subtill fox took another course , and faining himselfe to be converted also to his religion , exhorted him to goe with him into italy , where he might do much good ; or at the least to angust : but by the counsell of bucer and his friends he was kept back , otherwise willing to follow his brother . wherefore alphonsus departed , and exhorted him to constancy and perseverance , giving him also fourteene crowns to defray his charges . now the wolfe had not been three dayes absent , when he hired a rakehell and common butcher , and with him flew again to nurnburge in post hast : and comming to his brothers lodging , delivered him a letter , which whilest he read , the villain his confederat cleft his head in pieces with an axe , leaving him dead upon the floore , and so fled with all expedition . howbeit they were apprehended , yet quit by the popes justice ( so holy and sacred are the fruits of his holinesse ) though not by the justice of god , for within a while after hee hung himselfe upon his mules necke at trent . duke abrogastes slew valentinian the emperour of the west , and advanced eugenius to the crowne of the empire : but a while after , the same sword which had slain his lord and master was by his owne hands turned into his owne bowels . mempricius the sonne of madan , the fourth king of england , then called britaine after brute , had a brother called manlius , betwixt whom was great strife for the soveraigne dominion : but to rid himselfe of all his trouble at once , he slew his brother manlius by treason , and after continued his raigne in tyranny and all unlawfull lusts , the space of twenty yeeres : but although vengeance all this while winked , yet it slept not , for at the end of this space , as he was hunting , he was devoured of wilde beasts . in the yeare of our lord god one sigebert was authorised king of the saxons in britaine , a cruell and tyrannous prince towards his subjects . and one that changed the ancient lawes and customes of his realme after his owne pleasure : and because a certaine nobleman somewhat sharpely advertised him of his evill conditions , hee maliciously caused him to bee put to death . but see how the lord revenged this murder , hee caused his nobles to deprive him of his kingly authority , and at last as a desolate and forlorne person , wandring alone in a wood , to be slaine of a swineheard , whose master he ( being king ) had wrongfully put to death . about the yeare of our lord ethelbert king of the east angles , a learned and right godly prince , came to the court of offa the king of mercia , perswaded by the counsell of his nobles , to sue for the marriage of his daughter , well accompanied like a prince with a great traine of men about him : whereupon offa's queene conceiving a false suspition of that which was never minded , that ethelbert under the pretence of this marriage , was come to worke some violence against her husband , and the kingdome of mercia , so perswaded with king offa and certaine of his councell that night , that the next day following offa caused him to be trained into his palace alone from his company , by one called guymbertus , who tooke him and bound him , and after strooke off his head , which forthwith he presented to the king and queene . thus was the innocent king wrongfully murdered , but not without a just revenge on gods hand : for the aforesaid queene , worker of this villany , lived not three moneths after , and in her death was so tormented , that she bit and rent her tongue in pieces with her teeth , which was the instrument to set abroach that murtherous practise . offa himselfe understanding at length the innocency of the king , and the hainous cruelty of his fact , gave the tenth part of his goods to the church , bestowed upon the church of hereford , in remembrance of this ethelbert , great lands , builded the abbey of s. albons , with certaine other monasteries beside , and afterward went to rome for his penance , where hee gave to the church of s. peter , a peny through every house in his dominion , which was commonly called romeshot , or peterpence , and there at length was transformed from a king to a monke . thus god punished not only him and his wife , but the whole land , for this vile murder . one principall cause of the conquest of this land by the normans , was a vile and horrible murder committed by one goodwin , an earle in england , upon certaine mormans that came overwith alfred and edward , to visit their mother emma , that had beene married to king canutus . this matter thus fell out : when these two came from normandy to england , to visit their mother , as i have said , earle goodwin having a daughter called godith , whom hee thought to marry to edward , and advance him to the kingdome , to bring his purpose to passe used this practise , that is , to perswade king hardeknout and the lords , not to suffer those normans to bee within the realme , for jeopardy , but rather to punish them for example : by which meanes hee got authority to order the matter himselfe : wherefore hee met them on guild downe , and there wretchedly murdered , or rather martyred the most part of the normans , killing nine , and leaving the tenth alive throughout the whole company ; and then tything againe the said tyth , he slew every tenth knight , and that by cruell torment , as winding their guts out of their body , after a most savage manner : among the rest he put out the eyes of the elder of the two brethren , alfred , and sent him to an abbey at elie ; where being fed with bread and water , hee ere long ended his life . now albeit hee obtained his purpose hereby ; and married his daughter to edward , who was after king , called edward the confessor , yet did not gods justice sleepe to punish this horrible murder : for he himselfe died not long after suddenly , having forsworne himselfe , and the normanes with william their duke ere long came into this iland , to revenge this murder , as also to claime a right of inheritance bequeathed unto him by edward his nephew : and how hee succeeded , and what misery he brought this whole nation unto , who knoweth not . but heere is the justice of god : as the normans comming with a naturall english prince , were most cruelly and barbarously murdered of englishmen ; so afterwards the englishmen were slaine and conquered , by the normans comming with a forreine king , being none of their naturall countrey . in the yeare of our lord sixe hundred threescore and eighteene , childerich king of france caused a nobleman of his realme , called bolyde , to bee bound to a stake , and there beaten to death , without the pretence of any just crime or accusation against him : for which cruelty his lords and commons , being grievously offended , conspired together , and slew him and his wife as they were hunting . in the raigne of edward the second and edward the third , sir roger mortimer committed many villanous outrages , in shedding much humane bloud : but he was also justly recompenced in the end ; first he murdered king edward the second , lying in barkeley castle , to the end he might , as it was supposed , enjoy isabel his wife , with whom he had very suspitious familiarity . secondly , he caused edward the third to conclude a dishonorable peace with the scots , by restoring them all their ancient writings , charters , and patents , whereby the kings of scotland had bound themselves to be feudaries to the kings of england . thirdly , he accused edmund earle of kent , uncle to king edward , of treason , and caused him unjustly to bee put to death . and lastly he conspi redagainst the king to worke his destruction ; for which and divers other things that were laid to his charge he was worthily and justly beheaded . in the reigne of henry the sixt , humfrey the good duke of gloucester , and faithfull protectour of the king , by the meanes of certaine malicious persons , to wit , the queene , the cardinall of winchester , and especially the marquesse of suffolke , ( as it was supposed ) was arrested , cast into hold , and strangled to death in the abbey of bure : for which cause the lords hand of judgement was upon them all : for the marquesse was not onely banished the land for the space of five yeares , but also banished out of his life for ever ; for as hee sailed towards france , hee was met withall by a ship of warre , and there presently beheaded , and the dead corps cast up at dover ; that england wherein he had committed the crime , might be a witnesse of his punishment . the queene , that thought by this meanes to preserve her husband in honour , and her selfe in estate , thereby both lost her husband and her state : her husband lost his realme ; and the realme lost anjou , normandy , with all other places beyond the sea , calice onely excepted . as for the cardinall , who was the principall artificer of all this mischiefe , he lived not long after ; and being on his death bed , murmured and grudged against god , asking wherefore hee should die , having so much wealth and riches ? and saying , that if the whole realme would save his life , he was able either by policy to get it , or by riches to buy it : but death would not be bribed ; for all his aboundant treasure he died miserably , more like a heathen than a christian , without any shew of repentence . and thus was the good dukes death revenged upon the princiall procurers thereof . as the murder of a gentleman in kent , called master arden of feversham , was most execrable , so the wonderfull discovery thereof was exceeding rare . this arden being somewhat aged , had to wife a young woman , no lesse faire than dishonest , who being in love with one mosbie more than her husband , did not onely abuse his bed , but also conspired his death with this her companion : for together they hired a notorious ruffin , one blacke will , to strangle him to death with a towell as he was playing a game at tables : which though secretly done , yet by her owne guilty conscience , and some tokens of bloud which appeared in his house , was soone discovered and confessed . wherefore she her selfe was burnt at canterbury : michael , master ardens man , was hanged in chaines at feversham : mosbie and his sister were hanged in smithfield : greene another partner in this bloudy action was hanged in chaines in the high way against feversham : and blacke will the ruffian , after his first escape , was apprehended and burnt on a seaffold at flushing in zeeland . and thus all the murderers had their deserved dues in this life , and what they endured in the life to come ( except they obtained mercy by true repentance ) is easie to judge . cha. xi . of the admirable discovery of murders . as the lord hath shewed himselfe a most just judge , in punishing most severely this horrible sinne of shedding mans bloud , so hath he alwaies declared his detestation thereof , and his will to have it punished by those who are in his stead upon the earth , and have the sword of vengeance committed unto them : by his miraculous and superhaturall detecting of such murderers from time to time , who have carried their villanies so closely , as the eye of man could not espy them : plainely shewing thereby , that the bloud of the slaine crieth to the lord for vengeance from the earth , as abels did upon cain ▪ and that god will have that law stand true and firme , which he made almost before all other lawes : he that sheddeth mans bloud , by man shall his bloud be shed . if i should commit to writing all the examples of this kinde , which either are recorded in authors , or which dayly experience doth offer unto us , it would require rather a full booke than a short chapter for that subject : and therefore i will be content with some few , and those for truth most credible , and yet for strangenesse most incredible . and to begin with our owne countrey : about the yeare of our lord , a certaine nobleman of the danes , of the kings stock , called lothebrocus , father to inguar and hubba , entring upon a certaine time with his hawke into a cockboat alone , by chance through tempest was driven with his hawke to the coast of northfolke in england , named rodham : where being found , and detained , he was presented to king edmund , that raigned over the east-angles in northfolke and suffolke at that time . the king ( as hee was a just and good man ) understanding his parentage , and seeing his cause , entertained him in his court accordingly ; and every day more and more perceiving his activity , and great dexterity in hunting and hawking , bare speciall favour unto him : insomuch that the kings faulconer bearing privy malice against him , for this cause , secretly as they were hunting together in a wood , did murther him , and threw him in a bush . lothebroke being thus murthered , and shortly missed in the kings house , no tydings could be heard of him , untill it pleased god to reveale the murther by his dog : which continuing in the wood with the corps of his master , at sundry times came to the court , and fauned on the king : so that the king suspecting some such matter , at length followed the trace of the hound , and was brought to the place where lothebroke lay . whereupon inquisition being made , at length by some circumstances of words , and other suspitions , it was knowne that he was murdered by berik● the kings faulconer : who for his punishment he was set into the same boat of lothebroke alone , and so committed to the mercy of the sea : but the sea more mercifull to him than he was to lothebroke , carried him directly to the coast of denmarke , from whence lothebroke came ; as it were there to be punished for his murder . here the boat of lothebroke being well knowne , hands were lay upon him , and by torments he was enquired into : but hee to save himselfe , uttered an untruth of king edmund ; saying , that the king had put him to death in northfolke . whereupon revenge was devised , and to that end an army of men prepared and sent over : which was the first occasion of the danes arrivall in this land . thus was this murther wonderfully discovered by meanes of a dog . plutarch in his book desolertia a●imalium , reporteth the like story of a souldier of king pyrrhus , who being slain , his dog discovered the murderers : for when as the dog could by no meanes be brought from the dead body , but fauning upon the king , as it were desiring helpe at his hand ; the king commanded all his army to passe by in good order by two and two , till at length the murtherers came ; and then the dog flew upon them so fiercely , as if he would have torne them in pieces ; and turning to the king , ranne againe upon the murderers . whereupon being apprehended and examined , they soone confessed the fact , and received condigne punishment for their desert . plutarch ascribeth this to the secret of natures instinct : but we must rather attribute both this and all such like , to the mighty finger of god. who to terrifie men from shedding humane bloud , doth stirre up the dumbe creatures to be revealers of their bloudy sinne . the like story the same author reporteth of the murder of the poet hesiod , who being slaine by the sonnes of ganyctor , the murder , though secret , and the murderers , though unknowne to all the world save to god and their owne conscience , were discovered and brought to punishment by the means of a dog which belonged to him that was murdered . the like also we reade of two french merchants , which travailing together through a certaine wood , one of them rose against the other for the desire of his mony , and so slew him , and buried him ▪ but the dog of the murdered merchant would not depart from the place , but filled the woods with howlings and cryes . the murderer went forward on his journey , and the inhabitants neere the said wood , found out the murdered corps , and also the dog , whom they tooke up and nourished till the faire was done , and the merchants returned ; at which time they watched the highwayes , having the dog with them : who seeing the murtherer , instantly made force at him without all provocation , as a man would doe at his mortall enemy : which thing caused the people to apprehend him ; who being examined , confessed the fact , and received condigne punishment for so foule a deed . the same author reporteth yet a more memorable and strange story of another murder discovered also by the meanes of a dogge , which i may not omit . there was ( saith hee ) a certaine maid neere paris , who was beloved of two young men ; the one of whom as he was going to visite his love , happened to be murdered by the way , and buried : now his dog which he had with him would not depart from the grave of his master : at the last the young man being missed by his father and brethren , was diligently sought for ; but not finding him , at last they found his dog lying upon his grave , that howled pittifully as soone as he saw his masters brother : the grave was opened , and the wounded corps found , which was brought away , and committed to other buriall , untill the murderer should be descryed : afterward , in processe of time , the dogge in the presence of the dead mans brethren espied the murderer , and presently assaulted him with great fiercenesse : whereupon he was appreliended , and examined , and when by no meanes nor policy he would confesse , the magistrate adjudged , that the young man and the dogge should combate together : the dogge was covered with a dry sod skinne in stead of armour , and the murderer with a speare , and on his body a thinne linnen cloth ; and so they both came forth to fight : but behold the hand of vengeance : the man offering at the dogge with his speare , the dogge leaped presently at his face , and caught him fast by the throat , and overthrew him : whereat the wretch amased , cryed out to the beholders , take pity on me , and pull off the dogge from my throat , and i will confesse all ▪ the which being done , he declared the cause and manner of the whole murder , and for the same was deservedly put to death . all these murders were discovered by dogges , the lord using them as instruments to reveale his justice and vengeance upon this bloudy sinne , but these following by other meanes : the murder of the poet ibycus was detected by cranes ; as you may see in the chapter of this booke more at large set forth . luther recites such another story as that of ibycus , of a certain almaigne , who in travelling fell among theeves , which being about to cut his throat , the poore man espied a flight of crows , and said , o crows i take you for witnesses and revengers of my death . about two or three daies after , these murdering theeves drinking in an inne , a company of crows came and lighted on the top of the house : whereupon the theeves began to laugh and say one to another , looke yonder are they which must revenge his death , whom we dispatched the other day . the tapster over-hearing them , told it to the magistrat ; who presently caused them to be apprehended , and upon their disagreeing in speeches and contrary answers , urged them so far , that they confessed the truth , and received their deserved punishment . there was one bessus ( as plutarch reporteth ) who having killed his father , was brought both to knowledge and punishment by the meanes of swallowes : for his guilty conscience persuaded him , that the swallowes in their chattering language did say to one another , that bessus had killed his father : whereupon not able to conceale his owne guiltinesse , hee bewrayed his horrible fact : and was worthily and deservedly for the same put to death . but of all the examples that either reading or experience can afford , none in my opinion is either more admirable , or a more clearer testimony of gods providence & justice , than that which hapned about a lucquois merchant , who comming out of england to roan in france , and from thence making towards paris , was in the way , on a mountain neer to argentueil , murdered by a frenchman his servant , and his body throwne amongst the vines . now as this fact was a doing , a blind man ran by , being led by his dog ; who hearing one groane , asked who it was ? whereunto the murderer answered , that it was a sicke man going to ease himselfe . the blind man thus deluded , went his way , and the servant with his masters money , and with papers of his takes up at paris a good summe of money , and sets up a shop at roane . now this merchant being expected at luca a whole yeare together , whither he had sent word he would shortly repaire ; when he came not , a messenger was dispatched to seeke him out ; and after much enquiry at london and roan , and elsewhere , he learnt at last in an inne , that a lucquois merchant about sixe moneths before had lodged there , and was gone to paris : where also not hearing any tydings of him , he suspected that he was murthered , & made his complaint to the court of parliament at roan : which imbracing this businesse ( being directed by gods providence ) made enquiry up and downe the towne , whether there were any that within seven or eight moneths had set up a new shop ; and finding one , caused him to be arrested for a supposed and a pretended debt : but in the end examined him upon this murther , and laid it to his charge : herewith the prisoner , solicited partly bythe remorse of his conscience , & partly by hope of freeing himselfe by a bribe , confessed the fact in private to the justice but as soone as he perceived that he went about to call in witnesses to his confession , hee denyed it againe : in briefe , the new merchant is committed to prison , and he sueth the justice for forgerie and false imprisonment : the justice can by no meanes cleare himselfe , but onely by the assurance that all men had of his honesty . the matter hangs thus in suspence , till at length the dead carkasse of the lucquois was ●eard of , and the blind man also came to light who heard the noyse of the murther : to make short , this blind man was brought to confront the prisoner ; and twenty men were caused to speake one after another , and still the blinde man was demaunded , whether hee knew their voices , and said , that that was the man that answered him on the mountaine . this course being ofttimes re-iterated , the blind man hit alwayes on the right , and never missed . whereupon the court condemned him to death , and before he dyed he confessed the fact , to the great glory of gods justice , and the great amazement and strange astonishment of all men . at paris , in the yeare of our lord , a certaine young woman was brained by a man with a hammer , neere unto saint opportunes church , as she was going to midnight masse , and all her rings and jewels taken from her : this hammer was stolne from a poore smith there by the same evening ; who therefore being suspected of the murder , was cruelly handled , and put to extraordinary torture , by reason of the vehement presumptions made against him ; in such sort , that hee was quite lamed and deprived of the meanes to get his living ; whereby being reduced into extreame poverty , he ended his life in great misery . all this while the murderer remained unknowne almost for the space of twenty yeares , and the memory of the murder seemed to be buried with the poore woman in her grave : now marke the justice of god , who hath promised , that nothing shall be so hid but shall be brought to light . it hapned , that one iohn flaming , sergeant of the subsidies at paris , being upon occasion of businesse at s. leups , a village by montmorency , chanced among other talke at supper to say , how he had left his wife at home sicke , and no body with her but a little boy : there was an old man then present , named monstier , and a sonne in law of his , who immediatly upon this speech went away that night , with each of them a basket of cherries and a greene goose , and came about ten of the clock the next morning to flamings house , where they intended to murder both the woman and the boy , and to possesse themselves of all the goods that they could conveniently carrie away : but the lord prevented them of their purpose : for being let in at the dores by the boy , pretending that they came from the husband with th●se remembrances to his wife , they presently slew the boy , thinking also to surprise the woman ; but she hearing the cry of the boy , lockt fast her chamber dore , and cried for helpe out at her window , whereupon the neighbors running to the house tooke these two villaines , one hidden in the funnell of the chimney ; and the other in a well in the cellar , with nothing but his nose above water . now these two wretches being thus apprehended , arraigned , and condemned , being on the seaffold at the place of execution , the old man desired to speake with the smithes widow , whose husband was suspected for the first murder : of whom when she came , hee asked forgivenesse ; saying , that it was he which had killed the young woman by s. opportunes church . thus the lord discovered both the innocency of the smith , and the guiltinesse of this vile murderer , and that twenty yeeres after the fact was committed . not long since the like discovery of a murderer was made here in england in leicestershire , not farre from lutterworth , almost twenty yeeres after the fact committed , the murder was committed by a miller upon one in his mill , whom he buried in the ground hard by : this miller removed unto another countrey , and there dwelt a long space , untill at last guided by gods almighty providence , to the manifestation of his justice , he returned unto that place to visit some of his friends . now in the meane time whilest he was there , the miller that now possessed the former mill , had occasion to dig deepe into the ground , where he found the carkasse of a dead man , presently it was suspected that some had beene murdered , and was there buried : whereupon the lord put it into their hearts to remember , how about twenty yeares before a certaine neighbour of theirs was suddenly missed , and could never be heard of , insomuch that all supposed him to have beene dead in some strange countrey : this carkasse they suspected to be his , and bethinking themselves who was then miller of that mill , behold he was there ready in the towne , not having been there for many yeares before . this man was suspected , nd thereupon examined , and without much adoe confessed the fact , and received deserved punishment . who seeth not here manifest traces and footsteps of gods providence ? first in reducing the murderer to that place at that time : secondly , in stirring up the miller to digge at the same time also : thirdly , in putting into the hearts of the people the missing of such a man , whose memory was almost forgotten : and lastly , in causing the murderer to confesse his deed , when as no proofe nor witnesse could be brought against him : but here is the justice of god against all such , vengeance will not suffer the murderer to live . henry ranzovius , lieutenant for the king of denmarke in the duchie of holsace , makes relation in a letter of his , of an ordinary meanes of finding out murderers , practised in the kingdome of denmark by king christiernus the second , and permitted over all his kingdome ; the occasion whereof ( he saith ) was this : certaine gentlemen being on an evening together in a stove , fell out among themselves , and from words grew to blowes ( the candles being put out ) insomuch that one of them was stabbed with a punyard . now the deed doer was unknowne by reason of the number ; although the gentleman accused a pursevant of the kings for it , who was one of them in the stove . the king to finde out the homicide , caused them all to come together in the stove , and standing round about the dead corps , becommanded that they should one after another lay their right hand on the slain gentlemans naked breasts , swearing they had not killed him : the gentlemen did so , and no signe appeared to witnesse against them ; the pursevant onely remained , who condemned before in his owne conscience , went first of all and kissed the dead mans feet , but as soone as he layed his hand on his breast , the blood gushed forth in abundance , both out of his wound and nosthrils , so that urged by this evident accusation , he confessed the murder , and by the kings owne sentence was incontinently beheaded : whereupon ( as i said before ) arose that practise which is now ordinary in many places of finding out unknowne murders ; which by the admirable power of god are for the most part revealed , either by the bleeding of the corpes , or the opening of the eye , or some other extraordinary signe , as daily experience doth teach . the same authour reporteth another example farre more strange , in the same letter written to david chytreus , which happened at itzehow in denmarke . a traveller was murdered by the high-way side , and because the murderer could not be found out , the magistrates of itzehow caused the body to be taken up , and one of the hands to be cut off , which was carried into the prison of the towne , and hung up by a string in one of the chambers : about ten yeares after , the murderer comming upon some occasion in to the prison , the hand which had been a long time dry began to drop blood on the table that stood underneath it : which the gaoler beholding , stayed the fellow , and advertised the magistrates of it ; who examining him , the murderer giving glory to god , confessed his fact , and submitted himselfe to the rigour of the law , which was inflicted on him , as he very well deserved . at winsheime in germany , a certaine theefe after many robberies and murders committed by him upon travellers and women with childe , went to the shambles before easter , and bought three calves heads , which when hee put into a wallet , they seemed to the standers by to be mens heads : whereupon being attached and searched by the officers , and he examined how hee came by them , answered and proved by witnesses , that hee bought calves heads , and how they were transformed ●hee knew not : whereupon the senate amazed , not supposing this miracle to arise of naught , cast the party into prison , and tortured him to make him confesse what villany he had committed ; who confessed indeed at last his horrible murders , and was worthily punished for the same , and then the heads recovered their old shapes . when i read this story , i was halfe afraid to set it downe , least i should seeme to insert fables into this serious treatise of gods judgements : but seeing the lord doth often worke miraculously for the disclosing of this foule sinne , i thought that it would not seeme altogether incredible . another murderer at tubing betrayed his murder by his owne sighes , which were so deepe and incessant , in griefe not of his fact , but of his small booty , that being but asked the question , he confessed the crime , and underwent worthy punishment . another murtherer in spain was discovered by the trembling of his heart ; for when many were suspected of the murder , and all renounced it , the judge caused all their breasts to be opened , and him in whom he saw most trembling of brest , he condemned , who also could not deny the fact , but presently confessed the same . at isenacum a certaine yong man being in love with a maid , and not having wherewith to maintain her , used this unlawfull meanes to accomplish his desire ; upon a night he slew his host , and throwing his body into a cellar , tooke away all his money , and then hasted away ; but the terrour of his owne conscience and the judgement of god so besotted him , that hee could not stirre a foot untill he was apprchended . at the same time martin luther , and philip melancthon abode at isenacum , and were eye-witnesses of this miraculous judgement , who also so dealt with this murderer , that in most humble and penitent confession of his sinnes , and comfort of soule , he ended his life . by all these examples wee see , how hard it is for a murderer to escape without his reward : when the justice of man is either too blinde , that it cannot search out the truth , or too blunt , that it doth not strike with severity the man appointed unto death , then the justice of god riseth up , and with his owne arme he discovereth and punisheth the murderer ; yea , rather than he shall goe unpunished , sencelesse creatures and his owne heart and tongue rise to give sentence against him . i doubt not but daily experience in all places affordeth many more examples to this purpose , and especially the experience of our judges in criminall causes , who have continuall occasion of understanding such matters in their circuits : but these shall suffice for our present purpose . chap. xii . of such as have murdered themselves . when the law saith , thou shalt not kill , it not onely condemneth the killing of others , but much more of our selves : for charity springeth from a mans selfe ; & therfore if they be guilty of murder that spill the bloud of others , much more guilty are they before god that shed their owne bloud : and if nature bindeth us to preserve the life of all men as much as lyeth in our power , then much more are we bound to preserve our owne lives , so long as god shall give us leave . we are here set in this life as souldiers in a station , without the licence of our captaine we must not depart : our soule is maried to the body by the appointment of god , none must presume to put a sunder those whom god hath coupled : and our life is committed to us as a thing in trust , we must not redeliver it , nor part with it , untill he require it againe at our hands that gave it into , our hands . saint augustine in his first booke de civitate dei , doth most strongly evince and prove , that for no cause voluntary death is to be undertaken : neither to avoid temporall troubles , least we fall into eternall ; nor for feare to be polluted with the sinnes of others , lest by avoiding other mens sinnes , we encrease our owne ; nor yet for our owne sinnes that are past , for the which we have more need of life that we might repent of them : nor lastly : for the hope of a better life , because they which are guilty of their owne death , a better life is not prepared for them . these be the words of augustine : wherein he alledgeth foure causes , by which men are mooved to this unnaturall act ; and concludeth , that for none of them , nor for any other cause what soever , a man ought to lay violent and bloudy hands upon himselfe ; yea , concludeth peremptorily , that a better life after death doth not receive such , to wit , that wilfully and desperately murder themselves , and die without repentance , as commonly they doe . but here it is to be observed , that many which seeme to make away themselves , are murdered and made away by the divell , and not by themselves : for otherwise it were not possible that then should perish so strangely as they doe : as when some have beene hanged with their knees almost touching the ground ; others upon a weake twigge , not strong enough to beare the weight of the tenth part of their body : others beene drowned in a puddle of water : which plainely sheweth , that the divell , either as the principall actor , or at least as a helper , was the procurer of their murders , and not alwayes themselves : and therefore i must needs say with luther , that both charity and conscience inhibites resolutely to judge all such to be damned that seeme to have made havocke of their owne lives ; for the mercy of god is incomprehensible , and why may he not save the soules of them , whose bodies he gave leave to the divell to torment , yea to destroy ? besides , we read of many holy women , who in the time of persecution cast themselves into the deep stream to preserve their chastity from the violence of the wicked persecutours ; and yet were reputed in the church for holy martyrs . saint augustines judgement is worthy to be learned and imitated of all concerning this matter , who thus defineth the case : of these ( saith he ) i dare avouch nothing rashly : it may be the church of god was perswaded by divine authority to receive them into the number of martyrs ; or it may be they did this act , not being deceived , after the manner of men , but being commanded of god , not erring , but obeying ; as also we are to judge of sampson : now when god biddeth , and without all doubt makes knowne his will , who can call this obedience a crime ? who can accuse a duety of piety ? but a little after he giveth a caveat , ne divina iussio ullo nutet incerto ; that is , that we be sure god bids ; for often times the divell translates himself into an angell of light , and wil feine a message from god , which proceedeth from his owne malice . all this is to be conceived only touching that extraordinary case of those holy women that drowned themselves , and yet were held for martyrs in the church of god : as for others that shall wilfully and wofully shed their owne blouds , and rob themselves of that precious jewell of life which god hath given them to keep , no doubt but as they commit a horrible and hainous crime , so they incurre a horrible and fearefull judgement : yea , the very act it selfe is both a crime and a judgment ; a crime deserving a further judgment , even eternall damnation in hell fire ; and a judgement and punishment of some notable sinnes comm●●ed by them before , and of an ungodly and wicked life unrepented of . the drift therfore & purpose of these examples following is this , to shew how the lord punisheth oftentimes in men an ungodly life with voluntary and wilfull murder of themselves , and this wilfull murder of themsel●es with eternall damnation after this life ended , as a just recompence of their deserts ; and all to teach us repentance , the onely means to prevent both these . the first we reade of in holy scripture that cruelly murdered himselfe with his owne hands , was king saul ; who , as it is recorded of him , was a most wicked man and a tyran : for being chosen from among all the people of israel to be king by the lords owne appointment , and advanced as it were from the plough to the scepter , he like a most ungratefull wretch kicked against his advancer , and rebelled against his god that had done so great things for him : yea , hee not onely contemned his lawes , and cast his commandements behind his backe but also proved a most cruell tyran , and shed much innocent blood : amongst the rest of his cruelties , this was the chiefe ; upon the false accusation of doeg the edomite , he caused fourescore and five persons , that were priests , and wore a linnen ephod , to bee staine at one time , and nob the citie of the priests to be smote with the edge of the sword , both man and woman , childe and suckling , oxe and asse : yea , so wicked was he , that when the lord would not answer him neither by prophets , nor by dreames , nor by any other meanes , he went to take counsell of the divell , at the mouth of the witch of endor : for all which his abominable wickednesse , the lord gave him over at last to so desperate a minde , that rather than he would fall into the hands of his enemies , he fell upon his owne sword , and murdered himselfe . zimri also , the king of israel , is set forth by the holy ghost to be a wicked man , and a traitor : for he conspited against his master ela , the sonne of baasha king of israel , and flew him as he was drinking in tirza , and proclaimed himselfe king in his roome : but the army hearing thereof , made omri , the captaine of the hoste , king : who comming to besiege tirza , wherein zimri was , zimri seeing that the citie was taken , went into the palace of the kings house , and there , together with the house burnt himselfe , rather than he would fall into the hands of his enemy : now the holy ghost setteth it downe in plaine words , that the lord sent this judgement upon him for his sinnes which he had sinned , in doing that which was evill in the of the lord , and walking in the way of ieroboam , who made israel to sinne . achitophel , that great counsellor of state to king david , of whom it is said , that the counsell which he counselled was like the oracle of god , when hee saw that the counsell which hee gave was not followed , but despised , hee sadled his asse , and arose and went home into his owne citie , and put his houshold in order , and hanged himselfe : and that this was gods just vengeance upon him for his former wickednesse , it may appeare both by his conspiracie with absalom against his liege lord king david , and also that wicked counsel which hee gave unto him , of going in unto his fathers concubines in the sight of the people . in the second booke of the machabees is recorded a notable story of one raz is an elder of jerusalem , who is there set forth to bee a man of very good report , constant in religion , a father of the jewes , and a lover of the citie : yet notwithstanding , this man rather than hee would fall into the hands of nicanor his enemy , murdered himselfe after a most fearefull and savage manner , for first hee fell upon his sword , and when as for haste that stroke dispatched him not , hee ran boldly or rather furiously to the wall , and cast himselfe downe headlong ; after which yet breathing , hee got up on a steepe rocke , and rending out his bowels with his owne hands , threw them amongst the people , calling upon the lord of life , that hee would restore them againe unto him . the author of that booke commendeth this fact for a valiant and noble deed ; but surely wee are taught out of the booke of god by gods spirit , that it was a most bloudy , barbarous , and irreligious act : for rather should a man endure all the reproaches and torments of an enemy , than embrue his owne hands in his owne bloud ; and therefore if he were not extraordinarily stirred up hereunto by the spirit of god , this must needs bee a just punishment of some former sinne wherein hee lay without repentance , and a forerunner of an eternall punishment after this life . let us joyne iudas and pilate together , the one being the betrayer of his lord and master jesus christ our saviour , the other the condemner of him , and that against his conscience : as they both agreed in one malicious practise against the life of christ , so they disagreed not in offering violence to their owne lives : for iudas hanged himselfe , and his bowels gushed out , and pilat being banished to vienna , and oppressed with the torment of conscience and feare of punishment for his misdeeds , to prevent all killed himselfe , and so became a notable spectacle of gods justice , and christs innocencie . the jewes , as they are recorded in scripture to bee a stiffe-necked and stubborne nation , above all the nations under the sunne , so none were ever more hardy and daring in this bloudy practise of selfe-murther than they were ; which may bee thought a portion of gods just judgement upon them for their sinnes : three examples of greatest note i will propound , which i thinke can hardly bee matched . when the city of jerusalem was taken by herod and sosius , there was a certaine jew that had hidden himselfe in a denne with his wife and seven children ; to whom herod offered both life and liberty , if hee would come forth : but the stiffe-hearted wretch had rather die than bee captive to the romanes : therefore refusing herods offer , hee first threw downe his children headlong from a high rocke , and burst their neckes , next hee sent his wife after them , and lastly tumbled himselfe upon their carkasses to make up the tragedie : a horrible and lamentable spectacle of a proud and desperate minde . the second example is nothing inferior to the former . after the siege and sacking of jotapata by the romanes , forty jewes ( among whom was iosephus the writer of this story ) having hid themselves in a cave , by mutuall consent killed one another , rather than they would fall into the hands of the romanes ▪ iosephus onely , with one other , by his persuasion , by great art and industry , after the other were slain , proceeded not in that bloudy enterprise , but yeelded themselves to the mercy of the enemies , and so escaped with their lives . this fearefull obstinacy may well be imputed to the justice of god upon them , as for their other sinnes , so especially for crucifying the lord of life , whose bloud they imprecated might fall on them and on their children . the third example surpasseth both the former both in cruelty and obstinacy : eleazer the jew after the taking of jerusalem fled into the tower of messada with nine hundred followers ; being besieged there by sabinus flavius , a roman captaine , when he saw that the walls were almost beaten downe , and that there was no hope of escaping , he persuaded his companions by a pithy and vehement oration , and drew them to this resolution , that tenne should be chosen by lot , which should kill all the rest , together with their wives and children , and that afterward they themselves should kill each other . the former part of this tragedy being performed , the surviving tenne first set on fire the tower , that no prey might come unto the enemy ( the victuals only preserved , to the end it might be knowne , that not hunger , but desperate valour drew them to this bloudy massacre ▪ ) then according to their appoyntment , by mutuall wounds they dispatched one another : and of so great a number not one remained , besides one woman with her five children , who hearing the horriblenesse of their determination , hid her selfe in a cave in the ground , and so escaped with the life of her selfe and her children , and became a reporter of this whole story . the like story is recorded by livie touching the campagnians ; who being besieged by the romanes , and constrained to yeeld up their city unto them upon composition , vibius , a chiefe nobleman of the city , with seven and twenty other senatours , that they might not fall into their enemies hands , after they had glutted themselves with wine and good cheere , dranke all of them poyson , and so bewayling the state of their countrey and embracing each other , and taking their last farewell , died ere the enemies were received into the city . buthes , otherwise called boges by herodotus , governor of thracia , being besieged in the city eion , by cymon the athenian captaine , to the end that the enemy might receive no benefit nor great glory by his victory , first caused the city to be fired , and then by one consent they all killed themselves . so likewise did ariarathes king of capadocia , when he was besieged by perdicca . cato vticensis , rather than he would fall into the hands of iulius caesar , his enemy , after his victory over pompey , fell upon his owne sword , and slew himselfe ; having first read plato's booke of the immortality of the soule . so likewise did marcus antonius , after that he was over come by augustus . and cleopatra the aegyptian queene , when as by her allurements she could not intice augustus to her lust , as she had done anthony , but perceived that she was reserved for triumph , escaping out of prison , and placing her selfe in her sumptuous sepulchre , neere to the body of her dead paramour , set an aspe to her left arme , by the venome whereof she died as it were in a sleepe . thus the lord doth infatuate the mindes of wicked and ungodly persons , and such as have no true knowledge nor feare of the true god in their hearts , making them instruments of his vengeance , and executioners of his wrath upon themselves . hannibal the sonne of amilchar , after many victories and much bloodshed of the romans , at last being overcome , and doubting of the faith of prusia the king of bythinia , to whom he was fled for succour , poysoned himselfe with poyson which he alwayes carried in a ring to that purpose . at the destruction of carthage , when as asdrubal the chiefe captaine submitted himselfe to the mercy of scipio , his wife cursing and railing on him for his base mind , threw her children into the midst of a fire , and there ended her dayes : and asdrubal himselfe not long after followed her by a voluntary and violent death . when cinna besieged the city of rome , two brothers chanced to encounter together in single fight , one of cinna's army , the other of the contrary : and the one having slaine the other , after that the conquerour perceived that it was his brother whom hee had slaine , hee slew himselfe also , to make satisfaction for his brothers blood : and so they were both buried in one grave . norbanus a consull of rome flying from scylla , slew himselfe at rhodes , rather than he would fall into his enemies hands : and so did likewise marius the sonne , at praeneste . of the murderers of iulius caesar , almost all became also the murderer of themselves : cassius stabb'd himselfe with the same dagger wherewith he had stabb'd caesar : brutus the night before his overthrow at philippi , saw in his chamber a vision of a great fearefull man ; and he demanding who he was , and what he would , he answered , i am ( o brutus ) thy evill spirit , and to morrow thou shalt see me at philippi : to whom brutus with a bold courage answered , i will therefore see thee there . the next day brutus being conquered by augustus and anthony , at philippi , fell upon his own sword and slew himselfe . methridates that bloody and mighty king of pontus being overcome of lucullus and pompey , and set upon by his owne sonne , went about to make away himselfe by poyson : which when it tooke not effect , by reason of his daily taking of antidotes , he forced a french souldier of his to lay violent hands upon him ; and so hee became a wilfull spiller of his owne blood , that had caused the blood of so many thousands to be spilt . his two wives monica and veronica , hearing of the miserable end of the king , made likewise themselves away ; for the one hanged her selfe , but when the weight of her body broke the cord , shee committed her selfe to bochis the eunuch to bee slaine : the other received poyson , which when it wrought not so speedily as shee desired , bochis also was made an instrument to dispatch her . most famous and notorious is the story of lucretia , who being ravished by tarquinius the yonger , and impatient of that injury and disgrace , slew her selfe openly , and gave cause by her death of the change of the roman state , from the government of kings to consuls . sophronia another roman woman , but a christian , when as she could by no meanes escape the lust of decius the emperour , daily assaulting her chastity , tooke a sword , and by her husbands consent slew her selfe ; and so to prevent one sin , she committed another farre worse than that she feared . portia the daughter of cato , and wife of brutus , hearing of the death of her husband at philippi , sought for a knife to kill her selfe ; which being denyed her , she eat burning coales , and so ended her life by a strange kinde of death . wee read of many wanton and lewd poets that have thus made an end of themselves : who as for the most they are epicures and atheists , so seldome come to a good end : labienus the railing poet ( who for that cause was called rabienus ) understanding that his bookes were adjudged to bee burned by a publike decree , would not survive his own writings , and therefore killed himselfe . lucretius the atheist taking a love potion to incite his lust , was by the force therof deprived of his sences , and so deprived himselfe also of life in his rage . empedocles the vainglorious poet , affecting the name of a god , and of immortality , threw himselfe headlong into mount aetna , and so perished . silvius italicus being taken with an incurable disease , chose rather to be his owne murderer , than to endure the torment of his sicknesse . cornelius gallus an amatorius poet , having robbed the city thebes , over which he was set to be governour by augustus caesar , and fearing to be called to account , prevented the punishment of humane justice , by executing the justice of god upon himselfe with his owne hands . of those that persecuted the church of christ , very many were given over by god to be persecutors of themselves , and spoylers of their owne lives : as nero for example , the first emperour that tooke in hand to persecute christians , he seeing himselfe in danger to be murdered by one appointed for that purpose , to prevent the malice of the murderer , murdered himselfe . magnentius another tyrant , and enemy to christs church , being overcome by constantius , brother to constans , whom he had slaine , fled to lions , and there became his owne butcher : whose death as soone as his brother decentius understood , he also hanged himselfe . galerius the emperour , after he had tormented the christians by all cruell means , and left no way unattempted whereby he might root them out of his kingdome , fell into a grievous disease , through the torment whereof , not being able to endure any longer , he thrust a sword into his own bowels , and so miserably ended his dayes . and to come neerer to our owne age , in king edward the sixths dayes one clerke an open enemy to the gospel , hanged himselfe in the tower : so did pavier towne-clerke of london : so did the sonne of one levar a husbandman , that mocked and scorned at the holy martyr master latymer : so likewise did henry smith a lawyer , another open adversary to gods truth . richard long , another enemy to gods truth , drowned himselfe at calice , in king henry the eights dayes . iohn plankney , a fellow of new colledge in oxford , did the like anno . and likewise one hanington , a fellow of the same colledge , in a well at padua ; or , as some thinke , at rome . of these you may reade more in the first booke . hither i might adde many examples of moderne experience , as namely of a covetous wretch in the isle of elie , who being cast in a suit of law , through impatience of griefe , came home and hanged himselfe : of another that had beene a great dealer in worldly matters , and an undoer of a family or two of good credit and revenue , by usury , and taking forfeiture of bonds , and that by his owne flattering perswasion : being himselfe arrested at huntington for debt , rather then he would satisfie it , though he was able enough , cut his owne throat , after a most fearefull and horrible manner : another being a man of note and good possessions , threw himselfe downe headlong from the top of a church . many such like examples i could adjoyne , with their names and places of abode , but i forbeare , least by reporting gods judgements upon the dead , i should offend some that are alive . these therefore already proposed may be a sufficient taste of this kinde of judgement , inflicted by god upon wicked persons : and also may serve for a caveat and warning to all men to take heed how they offer violence to their owne lives , seeing it is not onely a punishment of sinne past , but a fearfull sinne it selfe , and a forerunner and causer of punishment to come , even of eternall punishment , except the lord extraordinarily and miraculously shew mercy , which none ought to presume of . chap. xiii . of paricides , or parent murderers . if all effusion of humane blood be both horrible to behold , and repugnant to nature , then is the murdering of parents especially detestable , when a man is so possessed with the devill , or transported with a hellish fury , that he lifteth up his hand against his own father or mother , to put them to death : this is so monstrous and inormous an impiety , that the greatest barbarians ever have had it in detestation : wherefore it is also expresly commanded in the law of god. that whosoever smiteth his father or mother in what sort so ever , though not to death , yet he shall die the death . if the disobedience , unreverence , and contempt of children towards their parents , are by the just judgements of god most rigorously punished ( as hath beene declared before in the first commandement of the second table ) how much more then when violence is offered , and above all , when murder is committed ? thus the aegyptians punished this sinne : they put the committants upon a stacke of thornes , and burnt them alive , having beaten their bodies beforehand with sharpe reeds made of purpose . solon being demanded why he appointed no punishment in his lawes for paricides ; answered , that there was no necessity , thinking that the wide world could not afford so wicked a wretch . it is said , that romulus for the same cause ordained no punishment in his common wealth for that crime , but called every murderer a paricide ; the one being in his opinion a thing execrable , and the other impossible . and in truth there was not for yeeres space ( according to plutarchs report ) found in rome any one that had committed this execrable fact . the first paricide that rome saw , was lucius ostius , after the first punicke warre ; although other writers affirme , that m. malliolus was the first , and lucius the second : how soever it was , they both underwent the punishment of the law pompeia , which enacted , that such offenders should be thrust into a sacke of leather , and an ape , a cocke , a viper , and a dog , put in to accompany them , and then to be throwne into the water , to the end that these beasts being enraged and animated one against another , might wreke their teene upon them , and so deprive them of life after a strange fashion , being debarred of the use of the aire , water , and earth , as unworthy to participate the very elements with their deaths , much lesse with their lives : which kinde of punishment was after practised and confirmed by the constitution of constantine the great . and albeit the regard of the punishment seemed terrible , and the offence it selfe much more monstrous , yet since that time there have beene many so perverse and exceeding wicked , as to throw themselves headlong into that desperate gulfe . as cleodoricke sonne of sigebert king of austria , who being tickled with an unsatiable lust of raigne through the deceivable perswasions of cleodovius king of france , slew his father sigebert as he lay asleepe in his tent in a forrest at noone time of the day ; who being weary with walking , laid himselfe downe there to take his rest : but for all that , the wicked wretch was so farre from attaining his purpose , that it fell out cleane contrary to his expectation : for after his fathers death , as he was viewing his treasures , and ransacking his coffers , one of cleodovius factors strooke him suddenly , and murdered him , and so cleodovius seised both upon the crowne and treasures . after the death of hircanus , aristobulus succeeded in the government of judea , which whilest he strove to reduce into a kingdome , and to weare a crown , contrary to the custome of his predecessors , his mother & other brethren contending with him about the same , he cast in prison , & took antigonus his next brother to be his associate : but ere long ( a good gratefull son ) he famished her to death with hunger that had fed him to life with her teares , even his naturall mother : and after perswaded with false accusations , caused his late best beloved antigonus to be slaine by an ambush that lay by strato's tower , because in the time of his sicknesse he entred the temple with pompe . but the lord called for quittance for the two bloodsheds immediately after the execution of them : for his brothers blood was scarce washed off the ground , ere in the extreamity of his sicknesse he was carried into the same place , and there vomiting up blood at his mouth and nosthrils , to be mingled with his brothers , he fell downe starke dead , not without horrible tokens of trembling and despaire . nero that unnaturall tyran surpassed all that lived , as in all other vices , so in this ; for he attempted thrice by poyson to make away his mother agrippina : and when that could not prevaile , by reason of her usuall antidotes and preservatives , hee assayed divers other meanes : as first a devise , whereby she should be crushed to death as she slept , a loosened beame that should fall upon her ; and secondly by shipwracke : both which when she escaped , the one by discovery , and the other by swimming , he sent anic●tus the centurion to slaughter her with the sword : who with his companions breaking up the gate of the city where she lay , rushed into her chamber , and there murdered her . it is written of her , that when she saw there was no remedy but death , she presented her belly unto the murderer , and desired him to kill her in that part which had most deserved it , by bringing into the world so vile a monster : and of him , that he came to view the dead carkasse of his mother , and handled the members thereof , commending this , and discommending that , as his fancy led him , and in the meane time being thirsty , to call for drinke : so farre was he from all humanity and touch of nature : but he that spared not to embrue his hands in her blood that bred him , was constrained ere long to offer violence to his own life , which was most deere unto him . henry the son of nicolotus duke of herulia , had two wicked , cruell , and unkind sonnes , by the yonger of whom , with the consent of the elder , he was traiterously murdered , because he had married a third wife : for which cause nicolotus , their cousin-german , pursued them both with a just revenge ; for he deprived them of their kingdome , and drove them into exile , where they soon after perished . selymus the tenth emperour of turkes was so unnaturall a childe , that he feared not to dispossesse his father bajazet of the crown by treason ; and next to bereave him of his life by poyson . and not satisfied therewith , even to murder his two brethren , and to destroy the whole stock of his own blood . but when hee had raigned eight yeares , vengeance found him out , and being at his backe ▪ so corrupted and putrified his reins , that the contagion spread it selfe over all his body : so that he dyed a beast-like and irksome death , and that in the same place where he had before oppressed his father bajazet with an army , to wit , at chiurle a city of thracia , in the year of our lord . in the moneth of september . charles the younger , by surname called crassus son to lodouick the third , was possessed & tormented with a divell in the presence of his father , & the peeres of the realme ; which he openly confessed to have justly happened unto him , because he had pretended in his mind to have conspired his fathers death and deposition : what then are they to expect , that doe not pretend , but performe this monstrous enterprise ? a certaine degenerate and cruell son longing and gaping after the inheritance of his father , which nothing but his life kept him from , wrought this means to accomplish his desire : he accused his father of a most filthy unnameable crime , even of committing filt●inesse with a cow ; knowing that if he were convicted therof , the law would cut off his life : & herein he wroght a double villany , in going about not only to take away his life ( which by the law of nature he ought to have preserved ) but also his good name , without respecting that the stain of a father redoundeth to his posterity , and that children commōly do not only inherit the possessions , but also imitate the conditions of their parents : but all these supposes laid aside , together with ▪ all feare of god , he indicted him before the magistrate , of incest , and that upon his own knowledge : insomuch that they brought the poore innocent man to the rack , to the end to make him confesse the crime ; which albeit amidst his tortures he did , as soon as he was out , he denyed again : howbeit his extorted confession stood for evidence , and he was condemned to be burned with fire , as was speedily executed , and constantly endured by him , exclaiming still upon the false accusation of his son , and his own unspotted innocency ; as , by the issue that followed , most cleerely appeared ; for his son not long after fell into a reprobate mind , and hanged himselfe : and the judge that condemned him , with the witnesses that bare record of his forced confession , within one moneth died all , after a most wretched ▪ and miserable sort . and thus it pleased god both to revenge his death , and also to quit his reputation and innocency , from ignominy and discredit in this world . manfred prince of tarentum , bastard son to frederick the second , smothered his father to death with a pillow , because ( as some say ) he would not bestow the kingdome of naples upon him : and not content herewith , he poisoned also the heirs of frederick , to the end he might attain unto the crown , as conrade his elder brother , and his nephew the son of henry the heir , which henry died in prison ; and now onely conradinus remained betwixt him and the kingdome , whom though he assayed to send after his father , yet was his intention frustrate , for the pope thundered out his curses against him , and instigated charles duke of angiers to make war against him : wherein bastard and unnaturall manfred was discomfited and slaine , and cut short of his purpose , for which he had committed so many tragedies . martin luther was wont to report of his own experience this wonderfull history of a locksmith , a yong man , riotous and vicious , who to find fuel for his luxury , was so bewitched that he feared not to slay his own father & mother with a hammer , to the end to gain their mony and possessions : after which cruell deed , he presently went to a shoomaker and bought him new shooes , leaving his old behind him , by the providence of god to be his accusers : for after an houre or two the slain bodies being found by the magistrate , and inquisition made for the murderer , no manner of suspition being had of him , he seeming to take such griefe therat . but the lord that knoweth the secrets of the heart discovered his hypocrisie , and made his owne shooes which hee had left with the shoomaker rise up to beare witnesse against him : for the blood which ran from his fathers wounds besprinckled them so , that thereof grew the suspition , and from thence the examination , and very soon the confession , and last of all his worthy and lawfull execution . from hence we may learne for a generall trueth , that murder , never so secret , will ever by one means or other be discovered ; the lord will not suffer it to goe unpunished , so abominable it is in his sight . another son at basil , in the yeare of our lord god , , bought a quantity of poyson of an apothecary , and ministred it to none but to his own father , accounting him worthiest of so great a benefit : which when it had effected his wish upon him , the crime being detected , in stead of possessing his goods which he aimed at , he possessed a vile and shamefull death ; for he was drawne through the streets , burnt with hot irons , and tormented nine houres in a wheele , till his life forsooke him . as it is repugnant to nature for children to deale thus cruelly with their parents , so it is more against nature for parents to murder their children : insomuch as naturall affection is of greater force in the descent than in the ascent , & the love that parents bear their children , is greater than that which children redound to their parents ; because the childe proceedeth from the father , and not the father from the childe , as part of his fathers essence , and not the father of his : can a man then hate his own flesh , or be a rooter out of that which himselfe planted ? it is rare , yet sometimes it commeth to passe . howbeit as the offence is in an high degree , so it is alwayes punished by some high judgement : as by these examples that follow shall appeare . the ancient ammonites had an idoll called moloch to the which they offered their children in sacrifice : this idoll , ( as the jewes write ) was of a great stature , and hollow within , having seven chambers in his hollownesse , whereof one was to receive meat , another turtle doves , the third a sheep , the fourth a ram , the fifth a calfe , the sixth an oxe , and the seventh a childe : his hands were alwayes extended to receive gifts ; and when a childe was offered , they were made fire hot to burne it to death : none must offer the childe but the father : and to drowne the cries of it , the chemarims ( for so were the priests of that idoll called ) made a noise with bels , cymbals and horns : thus is it written , that king ahab offered his son , yea , and many of the children of israel beside , as the prophet david affirmeth : they offered ( saith he ) their sons and daughters to divels , and shed innocent blood , &c. this is the horrible crime . now marke the judgement concerning the canaanites : the landspued them out for their abominations , achab with his posterity was accur sed , himselfe being slaine by his enemies , and the crowne taken from his posterity , not one being left of his off-spring to pis against the wall , according to the saying of elias : as for the jewes , the prophet david in the same place declareth their punishment , when he saith , that the wrath of the lord was kindled , and he abhorred his inheritance , and gave them into the hands of the heathen , that they that hated them were lords over them . in the yeare of our lord , in a town of hassia called weidenhasten , the twentieth day of november , a cruell mother inspired with satan , shut up all her doores , and began to murder her four children on this manner : shee snatcht up ā sharpe axe , and first set upon her eldest son , being but eight yeares old , searching him out with a candle behinde a hogs-head , where he hid himselfe , and presently ( notwithstanding his pitifull praiers and complaints ) clave his head in two pieces , and chopped off both his armes : next shee killed her daughter of five yeares old , after the same manner : another little boy of three yeares of age ( seeing his mothers madnesse ) hid himselfe ( poore infant ) behinde the gate , whom as soone as the tygre espied , shee drew out by the haire of the head into the floore , and there cut off his head : the yongest lay crying in the cradle but halfe a yeare old , him she ( without all compassion ) pluckt out and murdered in like sort . these murders being finished , the diuell incarnate ( for certaine no womanly nature was left in her ) to take punishment of her selfe for the same , cut her owne throat ; and albeit she survived nine dayes , and confessing her fault , dyed with teares and repentance , yet we see how it pleased god to arme her own hands against her selfe , as the fittest executioners of vengeance . the like tragicall accident we reade to have happened at cutzenborff , a city in silesia , in the yeare , to a woman and her three children ; who having slain them all in her husbands absence , killed her selfe in like manner also to make up the tragedy . concerning stepmothers , it is a world to reade how many horrible murders they have usually practised upon their children in law , to the end to bring the inheritance to their own brood , or at least to revenge some injury supposed to be done unto them : of which , one or two examples i will subnect as a taste out of many hundred , leaving the residue to the judgment and reading of the learned . constantius , the son of heraclius , having raigned emperour but one yeere , was poysoned by his stepmother martina , to the end to install her own son heraclon in the crown : but for this cruell part becomming odious , to the senat , they so much hated to have her or her son raigne over them , that in stead thereof they cut off her tongue and his nose , and so banished them the city . fausta the wife of constantine the great fell in love with constantine her sonne in law , begotten upon a concubine : whom when shee could not perswade unto her lust , she accused unto the emperour , as a solicitor of her chastity ; for which cause he was condemned to die : but after the truth knowne , constantine put her into a hot bath , and suffered her not to come forth , untill the heat had choaked her , revenging upon her head her sonnes death , and her owne unchastity . chap. xiiii . of subject murtherers . seeing then they that take away their neighbours lives doe not escape unpunished , ( as by the former examples it appeareth ) it must needs follow , that if they to whom the sword of justice is committed of god , to represse wrongs , and chastise vices , do give over themselves to cruelties , and to kill and slay those whom they ought in duty to protect and defend , must receive a greater measure of punishment , according to the measure and quality of their offence . such an one was saul the first king of israel ; who albeit he ought to have beene sufficiently instructed out of the law of god in his duty in this behalfe : yet was hee so cruell and bloody-minded , as contrary to all justice , to put to death abimelech the high priest , with fourescore and five other priests , of the family of his father , onely for receiving david into his house : a small , or rather no offence . and yet not satisfied therewith , he vomited out his rage also against the whole city of the priests , and put to the mercilesse sword both man , woman , and child , without sparing any . he slew many of the gibeonites , who though they were reliques of the amorites that first inhabited that land , yet because they were received into league of amity by a solemne oath , and permitted of long continuance to dwell amongst them , should not have beene awarded as enemies , nor handled after so cruell a fashion . thus therefore hee tyrannizing and playing the butcher amongst his own subjects ( for which cause his house was called the house of slaughter ) and practising many other foule enormities , he was at the last overcome of the philistims , and sore wounded : which when he saw , fearing to fall alive into his enemies hands , and not finding any of his owne men that would lay their hands upon him , desperately slew himselfe . the same day three of his sons , and they that followed him of his owne houshould , were all slaine . the philistims the next day finding his dead body dispoyled among the carkasses , beheaded it , and carried the head in triumph to the temple of their god , and hung up the trunke in disgrace in one of their cities , to be seene , lookt upon , and pointed at . and yet for all this was not the fire of gods wrath quenched : for in king davids time there arose a famine that lasted three yeeres , the cause thereof was declared by god to be the murder which saul committed upon the gibeonites : wherefore david delivered sauls seven sons into the gibeonites hands that were left , who put them to the most shamefull death , that is , even to hanging . amongst all the sins of king achab and iezabel , which were many and great , the murder of naboth standeth in the fore front ; for though hee had committed no such crime as might any way deserve death , yet by the subtill and wicked devise of iezabel , foolish and credulous consent of achab , and false accusation of the two suborned witnesses , he was cruelly stoned to death : but his innocent blood was punished first in achab , who not long after the warre which he made with the king of syria , received so deadly a wound , that he dyed thereof , the dogs licking up his blood in the same place where naboths blood was licked , according to the foretelling of elias the prophet . and secondly of iezabel , whom her own servants at the commandement of iehu ( whom god had made executor of his wrath ) threw headlong out of an highwindow unto the ground , so that the wals were dyed with her blood , and the horses trampled her under their feet , and dogs devoured her flesh , till of all her dainty body there remained nothing saving onely her skull , feet , and palme of her hands . ioram sonne of iehosaphat king of judah , being after his fathers death possessed of the crowne and scepter of judah , by and by exalted himselfe in tyranny , and put to death sixe of his owne brethren , all younger than himselfe , with many princes of the realme : for which cause god stirred up the edomites to rebell , the philistines and arabians to make warre against him , who forraged his countrey , sacked and spoiled his cities , and tooke prisoners his wives and children , the youngest onely excepted , who afterwards also was murdered , when he had raigned king but a small space . and lastly , as in doing to death his own brethren , he committed cruelty against his owne bowels , so the lord stroke him with such an incurable disease in his bowels , and so perpetuall ( for it continued two yeares ) that his very entrails issued out with torment , and so he dyed in horrible misery . albeit that in the former booke we have already touched the pride and arrogancy of king alexander the great ; yet we cannot pretermit to speake of him in this place , his example serving to fit for the present subject ; for although as touching the rest of his life he was very well governed in his private actions , as a monarch of his reputation might be , yet in his declining age ( i meane not in yeares , but to deathward ) he grew exceeding cruell , not onely towards strangers , as the cosseis , whom he destroyed to the sucking babe , but also to his houshold and familiar friends : insomuch that being become odious to most , fewest loved him , and divers wrought all meanes possible to make him away , but one especially , whose sonne in law and other neere friends he had put to death , never ceased untill he both ministred a deadly draught unto himselfe , whereby he deprived him of his wicked life , and a fatall stroke to his wives and children after his death , to the accomplishment of his full revenge . phalaris , the tyran of agrigentum , made himselfe famous to posterity by no other meanes than horrible cruelties , exercised upon his subjects , inventing every day new kinds of tortures to scourge and afflict the poore soules withall . in his dominion there was one perillus artificer of his craft , one expert in his occupation , who to flatter and curry favour with him , devised a new torment , a brasen bull of such a strange workmanship , that the voyce of those that were roasted therein , resembled rather the roaring of a bull , then the cry of men . the tyran was well pleased with the invention , but he would needs have the inventor make first triall of his owne worke , as he well deserved , before any other should take taste thereof . but what was the end of this tyran ? the people not able any longer to endure his monstrous and unnaturall cruelties , ran upon him with one consent , with such violence , that they soone brought him to destruction : and as some say , put him into the brasen bull ( which hee provided to roast others ) to bee roasted therein himselfe : deserving it as well for approoving the devise , as perillus did for devising it . edward the second of that name , king of england , at the request and desire of hugh spencer his darling , made warre upon his subjects , and put to death divers of the peeres and lords of the realme , without either right or form of the law , insomuch that queen isabel his wife fled to france with her yong son , for fear of his unbrideled fury , & after a while finding opportunity and means to return again , garded with certain small forces which she had in those countreyes gathered together , she found the whole people discontented with the kings demeanours , and ready to assist her against him : so she besieged him with their succour , and tooke him prisoner , and put him into the tower of london to be kept , till order might be taken for his deposition ; so that shortly after by the estates ( being assembled together ) he was generally and joyntly reputed and pronounced unworthy to be king , for his exceeding cruelties sake which he had committed upon many of his worthy subjects ; and so deposing him , they crowned his young sonne edward ( the third of his name ) king in his roome , he yet living and beholding the same . iohn maria duke of millan may be put into this ranke of murtherers : for his custome was divers times when any citizen offended thim , yea , and somtimes without offence too , to throw them amongst cruell mastives to be torne in pieces and devoured . but as he continued and delighted in this unnaturall kinde of murther , the people one day incensed and stirred up against him , ranne upon him with such rage and violence , that they quickly deprived him of life . and he was so well beloved , that no man ever would or durst bestow a sepulchre upon his dead bones , but suffered his body to lie in the open streets uncovered , save that a certaine harlot threw a few roses upon his wounds , and so covered him . alphonsus the second , king of naples , ferdinands sonne , was in tyranny towards his subjects nothing inferiour to his father : for whether of them imprisoned and put to death more of the nobility and barons of the realme it is hard to say ; but sure it is , that both were too outragious in all manner of cruelty : for which , so soone as charles the eight , king of france departing from rome , made towards naples , the hatred which the people bore him secretly , with the odious remembrance of his fathers cruelty , began openly to shew it selfe by the fruits ; for they did not nor could not dissemble the great desire that every one had of the approach of the frenchmen : which when alphonsus perceived , and seeing his affaires and estate brought unto so narrow a pinch , he also cowardly cast away all courage to resist , and hope to recover so huge a tempest : and he that for a long time had made warre his trade and profession , and had yet all his forces and armies complete and in readinesse , making himselfe banquerupt of all that honour and reputation , which by long experience and deeds of armes he had gotten , resolved to abandon his kingdome , and to resigne the title and authority thereof to his sonne ferdinand , thinking by that meanes to asswage the heat of their hatred , and that so young and innocent a king , who in his owne person had never offended them , might be accepted and beloved of them , and so their affection toward the french rebated and cooled . but this devise seemed to no more purpose than a salve applyed to a sore out of season , when it was growne incureable , or a prop set to a house that is already falne . therefore he tormented with the sting of his owne conscience , and finding in his minde no repose by day , nor rest by night , but a continuall summons and advertisement by fearefull dreames , that the noblemen which hee had put to death , cryed to the people for revenge against him , was surprised with so terrible terrour , that forthwith , without making acquainted with his departure either his brother or his owne sonne , he fled to sicilie , supposing in his journey , that the frenchmen were still at his backe , and starting at every little noyse , as if he feared all the elements had conspired his destruction . philip comineus , that was an eye-witnesse of this journey , reporteth , that every night he would cry , that he heard the frenchmen , and that the very trees and stones echoed france into his eares : and on this manner was his flight to sicilie . king charles in the meane while having by force and bloodshed to terrifie the rest , taken two passages that were before him , the whole realme without any great resistance yeelded it selfe unto his mercy , albeit that the young king had done what he could to withstand him . but at length seeing the neapolitanes ready to rebell , and himselfe in danger to be taken prisoner , he fled from the castle of naples , and with a small company got certaine brigandines , wherein he sayled to the island ischia , thirty miles from naples : saying at his departure this verse out of the psalmes , how vaine are the watchmen and gards of that city which is not garded and watched by the lord ? which he often repeated , and so long as naples was in his view . and thus was cruelty punished both in ferdinand the father , and alphonso the sonne . artaxerxes ochus the eight king of the persians began his raigne with thus many murders : he slew two of his owne brethren first : secondly , euagoras king of cyprus , his partner and associate in the kingdome ; thirdly , he tooke gidon traiterously , and was the cause of forty thousand mens deaths that were slaine and burned therein ; beside many other private murders and outrages which he committed : for which cause the lord in his justice rained downe vengeance upon his head : for bagoas one of his princes ministred such a fatall cup to his stomacke , that it mortified his senses , and deprived him of his unmercifull soule and life , and not onely upon his head , but upon his kingdome and his sonne arsame also , for he was also poysoned by the same bagoas , and his kingdome was translated to darius prince of armenia ; whom when the same bagoas went about to make taste of the same cup , which his predecessors did , he was taken in his owne snare ; for darius understanding his pretence , made him drinke up his owne poyson which he provided for him : and thus murder was revenged with murder , and poyson with poyson , according to the decree of the almighty , who saith , eye for eye , tooth for tooth , &c. in the yeare of the world . morindus a most cruell and bloody minded prince raigned here in england , who for his cruelties sake came to an unhappy and bloody end : for out of the irish seas came forth a monster which destroyed much people : whereof he hearing , would of his valiant courage needs fight with it , and was devoured of it : so that it may truly here be said , that one monster devoured another . there was ( as aelianus reporteth ) a cruell and pernicious tyran , who to the end to prevent all practises of conspiracy and treason ( as tyrans are ever naturally and upon desert timerous ) that might be devised against him , enacted this law among his subjects , that no man should conferre with another , either privately or publikely , upon paine of death : and so indeed he abrogated all civill society : ( for speech , as it was the beginning and birth of fellowship , so it is the very joynt and glue thereof ) but what cared he for society , that respected nothing but his owne safety ? hee was so farre from regarding the common good , that when his subjects , not daring to speake , signified their mindes by signes , he prohibited that also : and that which is yet more , when not daring to speake , or yet make signes , they fell to weeping and lamenting their misery , he came with a band of men even to restraine their teares too : but the multitudes rage being justly incensed , they gave him such a desperat welcome , that neither he nor his followers returned one of them alive . and thus his abominable cruelty came to an end , together with his life ; and that by those meanes ( which is to be observed ) by which he thought to preserve and maintaine them both . childericus , who in the yeare , succeeded in the kingdome of france theodoricke ( that for his negligence and sluggish government was deposed , and made of a king , a frier ) exercised barbarous and inhumane cruelty upon his subjects : for he spared neither noble or ignoble , but mixtly sent them to their graves , without respect of cause or justice . one of the noble sort he caused to be fastened to a stake , and beaten with clubbes , not to death , but to chastisement : which monstrous cruelty so incensed the peoples mind against him , that there wanted no hands to take part with this club-beaten man against the tyran his enemie . wherefore they layed wait for him as he came one day from hunting , and murdered him , together with his wife great with childe , no man either willing or daring to defend him . tymocrates the king , or rather tyran of the cyrenians , will give place to none in this commendation of cruelty : for he afflicted his subjects with many and monstrous calamities , insomuch that he spared not the priests of his gods , which commonly were in reverent regard among the heathen ; as the bloody death of menalippus ( apollo's priest ) did witnesse , whom to the end to marry his faire and beautifull wife aretaphila , he cruelly put to death : how beit , it prospered not with him as he desired : for the good woman not contented with this sacrilegious contract , sought rather meanes to revenge her first husbands death , than to please this new letchers humour : wherefore she assayed by poyson to effect her wish ; and when that prevailed not , she gave a yong daughter she had to leander , the tyrans brother , to wife , who loved her exceedingly ; but with this condition , that he should by some practise or other worke the death and destruction of his brother : which indeed he performed ; for he so bribed one of the groomes of the tyrans chamber , that by his helpe he soone rid wicked tymocrates out of the way by a speedy and deserved death . but to abridge these long discourses , let us looke into all times and ages , and to the histories of all countries and nations , and we shall finde , that tyrans have ever come to one destruction or other . diomedes the thracian king fed his horses with mans flesh as with provender , but was made at last provender for his owne horses himselfe by hercules . calippus the athenian , that slew dion his familiar friend , and deposed dionisius the tyran , and committed many other murders amongst the people , was first banished rheginum , and then living in extreame necessity , slaine by leptines and polysperchon . clephes the second king of the lumbards , for his savage cruelty towards his subjects was slaughtered by one of his friends . damasippus that massacred so many citizens of rome , was cut off by scylla . ecelinus that played the tyran at taurisium , guelding boyes , deflowring maydes , mayming matrons of their dugs , cutting children out of their mothers bellies , and killing patavians at once that were his friends , was cut short in a battell . in a word , if we read and consult histories of all countries and times , we shall find seldome or never any notorious tyran and oppressor of his subjects that came to any good end , but ever some notable judgement or other fell upon them . chap. xv. of those that are both cruell and disloyall . now if it be a thing so unworthy and evill beseeming a prince , as nothing more , to be stayned with the note of cruelty , how much more dishonourable is it , when with cruelty , disloyalty and falshood is coupled ? and when he is not ashamed not onely to play the tyran , but also the traitour , dissembler , and hypocrite ; to the end hee may more freely poure out the ●ome of his rage against those that put confidence in him . this is one of the foulest and vilest blots that can be , wherewith the honour and reputation of a man is not onely stayned , but blasted and blotted out , not ever to be recovered : for what perswasion can one have of such ? or who is so fond as to put affiance in them ? this was one of the notorious vices of king saul , when maligning the prosperity of david , he cunningly promoted him to be generall of his army , and married him to one of his daughters , to this end , that by exposing him to the hazards & perils of warre , he might bring him to speedy destruction ; seeking besides other unlawfull means to put him to death by ▪ but what was the end of this unjust murderer , we have declared in the former chapter . but above all that by treason and deceit made way unto their cruelty , the emperour antonius , surnamed caracalla , was the chiefe ▪ who to revenge himselfe more at full upon the citizens of alexandria in aegypt , feyned as if he would come see their city , built by alexander , and receive an oracle from their god : which when he approached neere unto , the alexandrians prepared to entertain him most honourably : and being entred , he went first to visite their temples where to cast more colours upon his treachery , hee offered many sacrifices , & in the mean while perceiving the people gathered together from all quarters to bid him welcome , finding opportunity fitting his wicked and traiterous enterprise , he gave commandement , that all the young men of the citie should assemble together at one place ; saying , that hee would acquaint them to range themselves in battell after the manner of the macedonians , in honour of king alexander . but whilest they thus assembled together in mirth and bravery , hee making as though he would bring them in array by going up and down amongst them , and holding them in talke , his army enclosed them on all sides : then with drawing himselfe with kis guard , he gave the watch-word , that they should rush upon them ; which was performed with such outrage , that the poor credulous people being surprised at unawares , were all most cruelly massacred . there might you see the most horrible , barbarous , and incredible butchery of men that ever was heard of : for besides those that were actors in this bloody tragedy , there were others that drew the slaine bodies into great ditches , and very often haled in them that were scarce dead , yea and sometimes that were altogether alive ; which was the cause that divers souldiers perished at the same time , when those that having some strength of life left , being haled to the ditch , held so fast by the halers , that divers times both fell in together . the bloud that was shed at this massacre was so much , that the mouth of the river nilus , and the sea shore were died with the streams thereof , that ran downe by smaller rivers into those plain places . furthermore , being desirous to obtain a victory over the parthians , that he might get himselfe fame and reputation thereby , he passed not at what rate he bought it : he sent therefore embassadours with letters and presents to the king of parthia , to demand his daughter in marriage , though he never intended any such thing , and being non-suted at the first with a deniall , yet pursued he his counterfeit purpose with much earnestnes , and with solemne oath protested his singular good affection and love that he bore unto her ; so that in the end the match was condescended unto by all parties , whereof the parthian people were not a little glad , in hope of so durable a peace , which by this marriage was like to be established betwixt them . the king therefore with all his subjects being ready to entertain this new bridegroom , went out with one consent to meet him in the mid-way : their encounter was in a fair plain , where the parthians having sent backe their horses , being unarmed , and prepared , not for a day of battle , but of marriage and disport , gave him the most honourable welcome they could : but the wicked varlet finding opportunity so fit , set his armed souldiers upon the naked multitude , and hewed in pieces the most part of them ; and had not the king with a few followers bestirred him well , he had been served with the like sauce . after which worthy exploit and bloudy stratagem he took his voyage backeward , burning and spoiling the townes and villages as he went , till he arrived at charam , a city in mesopotamia ; where making his abode a while , he had a fancy to walke one day into the fields , and going apart from his company to unburden nature , attended upon by one onely servant , as he was putting downe his breeches , another of his company ran in and strucke him through with his dagger . thus god blessed the world , by taking out of it this wicked tyran , who by treason and treachery had spilt so much innocent bloud . seturus galba , another bird of the same feather , exercised no lesse perfidious cruelty upon the people of three cities in lusitania : for hee assembled them together , in colour of providing for their common affaires : but when hee had gotten them into his hands unarmed and weaponlesse , he took nine thousand of the flower of their youth , and partly committed them to the sword , and partly sold them for bondslaves . the disloyall and treacherous dealing of stilico towards the gothes , how dear it cost him and all italie beside , histories do sufficiently testifie : for it fell out , that the gothes ( under the conduct of allaricus ) entered italie with a puissant and fearfull army , to know the cause why the emperor honorius with-held the pension which ( by vertue of a league , and in recompence of their aid to the empire in time of war ) was due unto them : which by riper judgement and deliberation of the councell was quieted ; and to preserve their countrey from so imminent a tempest , offer was made unto them of the spaniards and french-men , if they could recover them out of the hands of the vandales ; which usurped over them ; so that incontinently they should take their journey over the alpes towards them , and depart their coasts . which offer and gift the gothes accepting , did accordingly fulfill the condition , and passed away , without commiting any riot or any damages in their passages . but as they were upon mount cinis , making toward france , behold stilico , honorius his father in law ( a man of a stirring , stubborne , and rash spirit ) pursueth and chargeth them with battell unawares , and dreaming of nothing lesse : whereat they , being at the instant amazed , quickly gathered their spirits together , and putting themselves in defence , fought it out with such courage and eagernesse , that the traitors army was wholly discomfited , and he himselfe with one of his sonnes , slain . the gothes having gotten this victory , broke off their voyage to france , and turned their course backe again to italie , with purpose to destroy and spoil ; and so they did ; for they laid waste all the countrey of piemont and lumbardy , and elsewhere , and besieged rome it selfe : so that from that time italie never ceased to be scourged and tormented with the gothes for the space of eighteen yeers . moreover , whosoever else have been found to follow the steps of these truce , peace , and promise-breakers ( void of truth and regard of reputation ) alwayes underwent worthy punishment for their unworthy acts , and fell headlong into confusion and ignominy , making themselves subjects worthy to be curst and detested of all men . chap. xvi . of queenes that were murtherers . if these and such like cruelties as we have spoken before , be strange and monstrous for men , what shall we then say of wicked and bloudy women , who ( contrary to the nature of their sex ) addict themselves to all violence and bloudshedding , as cursed iezabel queen of israel did ; of whom sufficient hath been spoken before . athaliah , ahabs daughter , and wife to ioram king of judah , was a bird of the same feather : for she was possessed with such a spirit of fury and rage , that after the death of her son ochosias ( that died without issue ) she put to death all the bloud royall , to wit , the posterity of nathan , solomons brother , to whom by right of succession the inheritance of the crown appertained , to the end that she might install her selfe into the kingly diadem : after this cruell butchery of all the royall male children , except ioas , who ( by gods providence ) was preserved alive , she usurped the crowne and scepter of juda full seven yeeres ; at the end of which date , ioas was exalted to the crowne , and she not onely deposed , but slain by the hands of her guard that attended upon her . semiramis the queen of assyria was a woman of an ambitious spirit , who through her thirst of reigning counterfeited her sex , and attired her selfe like a man to get more authority and reverence to her selfe . she was the destruction of many thousand people , by the unjust war which she stirred up ; besides that , she was a notorious strumpet , and withall a murderer of those that satisfied her lust ; for still as they came from her bed , some lay privily in watch to kill them , lest they should bewray her villany : it is reported , that she was so shamelesse , that she solicited her owne son to commit incest with her ; who in detestation of her filthinesse and cruelty raised a power against her , and conquering her in one great battell , caused her most deservedly to be put to death . brunchild ( whom histories call brunhault ) a queen of france by marriage , but a spaniard by birth , was a woman that bred much mischiefe in her age , and that wrought many horrible and death-deserving crimes : for partly with her subtle devices , and partly with her owne hands , she murdered ten kings of france one after another : she caused her husband to slay his owne brother : she procured the death of her nephew meroveus , whom against all equity and honesty she had secondly espoused for her husband ; for he being hated of his father for that vile incest , and perceiving himselfe in danger of taking , made one of servants thrust him through . after she had committed these and many other foul facts , she went aboutalso to defraud clotairius the son of chilpericke , of the right of the crowne , which pertained unto him , and to thrust in another in his room : whereupon arose great war , in the which as she dealt more boldly and manfully than the condition of her sexe would bear , so she received the due wages of her brave and vertuous deeds for she was taken prisoner , with three of her nephewes , whose throats she saw cut before her face , and after her selfe was set upon a camell , and led through the hoste three dayes together , every man reviling , mocking , reproaching , and despighting her ; and at last by the award and judgement of the princes and captaines of the army she was adjudged to be tied by the hair of her head , one arme and one foot to the tail of a wilde and un●●med horse , and so to be left to his mercy to be drawne miserably to her destruction : which was no sooner executed , but her miserable carkase ( the instrument of so many mischiefes ) was with mens feet spurned , bruised , trampled , and wounded after a most strange fashion : and this was the wofull end of miserable brunchild . edilburga , the daughter of offa king of mercia , in england , who was married to brigthricus king of the west saxons , was a woman so passing all the bounds of humanity , and so given to cruelty and other beastly conditions , that she first poysoned divers of the nobles of the kingdom : and then having practised this wickednesse upon them , she at length poysoned also the king her husband : for which cause flying over into france unto charles the great for fear of punishment among her owne people , when by reason of her beautie it was offered unto her , that she should marry either with the king himselfe or with his son ; because she chose the son before the father , married neither the one nor yet the other , but was thrust into a monastery , where she not forgetting her old trade , playing the harlot with a monke , was expulsed from thence , and ended her life in great penury and misery . about the same time that this edilburga was thus working her feats in england , irene , another most idolatrous and cruell minded woman , being emperesse of the greekes , was as busie for her part at constantinople . this wicked woman , through the meanes of pope adrian , took up the body of constantine emperour of constantinople , her owne husbands father ; and when she had burned the same , she caused the ashes to be cast into the sea , because he disannulled images . afterward reigning with her son constantine the sixth , son to leo the fourth , and being at dissention with him for disallowing the worshipping of images , caused him to be taken and laid in prison : who afterward , through power of friends , being restored to his empire again , at last she caused the same her owne son to be cast in prison , and his eyes to be put out so cruelly , that within short space he died . after this , the said emperesse as it were triumphing in her cruelty and idolatry , caused a councell to be held at nice , where it was decreed , that images should again be restored to the church ▪ but this councell was after repealed by another councell holden at frankford by charles the great : and at length this wicked woman was deposed by nicephorus ( who reigned after ) and was expulsed the empire , and after the example of edilburga above mentioned ( being condignely punished for her wickednesse ) ended her life in much penury and misery . alexius emperour of the greekes dying , left behinde him a wicked and cruell woman , his late wife now widow . this widow being exhorted by the peeres of the empire to a second marriage , and to that end choice being offered unto her of all the nobility , to chuse whom she should best affect , notwithstanding refused all : for she was so linked in familiarity with one of her owne houshold called grifo ( who afterward when he came to be emperour called himselfe emanuel ) that for his love she refused all other matches : with this grifo this wicked woman entereth a secret and bloudy practise : she consulted with him , that he should bring into the court a number of his servants secretly armed ; which comming in at divers times , and by divers wayes , to avoid suspition , she disposed in the house in secret places , to be ready at her call to execute her bloudy designement . this being thus plotted , she called together the peeres of the empire , and demanded of them , if they were content that she should chuse to her husband whom she pleased , and that they would acknowledge him for their emperour whom she should chuse ; when as the noblemen hereunto consented , supposing that she would have chosen one fitting for her estate , she presently saluted this grifo , her old adulterous companion , for her husband and emperour , and commanded them all to swear fealty unto him ; which when as they all utterly refused and disdained , the wicked woman forthwith called the bloudy troop prepared for that purpose , and caused them all to be murdered , not one escaping alive . thus to satisfie her wicked lust , she spared not to spill the bloud of the most part of her nobility after a most savage and cruell manner : and indeed she injoyed her desire , but behold the issue of it : from this time forward the race of constantine ceased to sit in the imperiall throne , and no doubt but gods vengeance also fell upon her and her wicked husband . in the yeer of our lord . gracus the famous king of poland being deceased , the crowne and government descended upon his onely daughter venda , by full consent of the whole realme . this venda being of a proud and stately nature , refused to be joyned in marriage with any ; saying , that she had rather be a prince her selfe , and governed by her owne power , than the wife of the greatest prince in the world. among many that were suiters unto her , there was one ritigerus , a noble and mighty prince of the theutons ; whose suit being not onely denied , but scornefully rejected , and he notwithstanding greatly inflamed with her love , went about to enforce her by strength to his will : but she as valiant as he , raised a great power to withstand his violence : when the matter was ready to come to deciding by blowes , ritigerus his army perceiving the resolution of queen venda , and the danger and losse which was like to arise to them , and that upon so slight an occasion , refused to fight : so that ritigerus being thus forsaken , for griefe and shame slew himselfe : and queen venda returning to cracovia , and there sacrificing to her gods for her good successe ; at last , least her succesfull government should be stained with some disastrous misfortune , and so her pride abated , to prevent this fear , desperately threw her selfe from an high bridge into the river vistula , and there ended her glorious and proud dayes with a shamefull and ignominious death . let every one both great and small learne by these examples to contain themselves within the limits of humanity , and not be so ready and prompt to the shedding of humane bloud , knowing nothing to be more true than this , that he that smiteth with the sword , shall perish with the sword . chap. xvii . of such , as without necessity , upon every light cause , move war. as in surgery , so in a common-wealth we must account war as a last refuge , and as it were a desperate medicine , which without very urgent necessity , when all other meanes of maintaining our estate against the assaults of the enemy fail , ought not to be taken in hand : and indeed the chief scope and marke that all those that lawfully undertake war , ought to propound to themselves , should be nothing else , but the good and quiet of the common-wealth , with the peace and repose of every member thereof . and therefore so ost as any reasonable offers and conditions of peace are propounded , they ought to be accepted , to the end to avoid the masse of evils ( as ruines , bloudsheds , robberies ) which alwayes accompany war as necessary attendants : for whosoever doth not so , but upon every light occasion runneth to armes , and to trie the hazard of battell , they manifest their owne foolish and pernicious rashnesse , and their small conscience in shedding humane bloud . amongst the good kings of judah , iosias for piety and zeal in the service of god , was most renowned : for he purged the realme from all drosse of idolatry , repaired the decayed temple , and restored it to the first glory ; and yet for all this for committing this one crime , he lost his life : for as necho king of aegypt was passing with an army toward the king of babylon in charcamis , beside euphrates , to bid him battell , he would needs encounter him by the way , and interrupt his journey by unprovoked war ; yea , though necho had by embassage assured him not to meddle with him , but intreated onely free passage at his hand : yet would not iosias in any wise listen ( so opinionative and selfe-willed was he ) but gave him battell in the field , without any just cause , save his owne pleasure , which turned to his pain : for he caught so many wounds at that skirmish , that shortly after hee died of them , to the great griefe of the whole people , and the prophet ieremy also , that lamented his death . king iohn of france ( for refusing reasonable conditions of peace at the english mens hands ) was overthrowne by them two miles from poytiers , with a great overthrow : for the englishmen in regard of their owne small number , and the huge multitude of the french to encounter with them , timorously offered up a surrender of all that they had either conquered , taken , or spoiled , since their comming from bourdeaux , and so to be sworne not to bear armes against him for seven yeares , so that they might quietly depart . but the king , that crowed before the conquest , affying too much in the multitude of his forces , stopt his eares to all conditions , not willing to hear of any thing but war , war , even thinking to hew them in pieces , without one escaping : but it fell out otherwise , for the english men intrenching themselves in a place of advantage , and hard of accesse , inclosed with thicke hedges and brambles , disturbed and overthrew with their archers , at the first onset , the french horsemen , and wounded most of their men and horses with multitude of arrowes : it tarried not long ere the footmen also were put to flight on the other side , and the whole army of threescore thousand men , by bare eight thousand english , discomfited : divers great lords were found slain in the field , and divers others with the king himselfe carried prisoners into england : which was a great shake to the whole realme , and the occasion of many tumults and disorders that ensued afterwards . moreover , as it is a rash part to hazard the doubtfull event of battell indiscreetly , and without cause , so it is a point of no lesse folly to thrust ones selfe voluntarily into any action of war without charge , not being particularly called and bound thereunto , or having a body unsufficient and unfit for the same . and this was also one of the warlike points of discipline which the antient romans used ; that none should presume to fight for his countrey , before he had been admitted by some captain by a solemne oath . of all the histories that i ever read , i know none more strange in matter of war , than this which i now go about to recite , of henry of luxenbourg , emperour of germany , who when he heard that his son charles king of bohemia was in the french army , and that philip of valois , king of france , was ready to give battell to the english , albeit he was blinde , and consequently unfit for war , yet would needs take part with the french : and therefore commanded his men at armes to guide him into the place where the field was to be fought , that he might strike one blow . they as foolish as himselfe , not willing to crosse his minde , and fearing to lose him in the prease , tied him faste to the raines of their bridles , being by this meanes so coupled together , as if they meant all to perish together if need were , as indeed they did , for they were overcome in battell , and the next day found all dead , horse and men faste bound together . this accident befell at crecy neer abrevile , in which journey the french king sustained an inestimable damage , for he lost fifteen of his chiefest princes , fourscore ensignes , twelve hundred knights , and about thirty thousand men . in the yeer . the hungarians without any just cause or pretence , made war upon the emperour otto , onely moved with a desire of bringing under their subjection the germane powers ; and the rather at this time , because they supposed the emperours strength of war to be weakened , and his power of men lessened , by those continuall troubles and wars which he had been daily occupied in : notwithstanding otto , as by his former deeds of armes , he deserved the sirname of great , so in this exploit especially , for he conscribed eight legions of men out of franconia , bavaria , and bohemia , and with that small valiant handfull , overturned and destroyed the huge unchristened multitude of his enemies : for albeit the bohemians being placed in the rereward , were as suddenly and unexpectedly assaulted by the enemy , that craftily passed over the river lycus to set upon them behinde , as unhappily put to flight with the losse of the carriages and victuals , which they were set to protect ; yet otto with his other legions renuing the battell , and encouraging his souldiers , gave the enemy such an encounter and repulse , that he put them to flight and slew them with a miserable slaughter : three of their kings he took prisoners , and few of that vaste army escaped with their lives . on the emperours side died many worthy men , among whom conrade the emperours son in law , and burghard duke of suevia were two , beside many other . in this successive battell , it is to be noted above the rest , how religiously the emperour both began and finished it : the day before the fight he enjoyned a faste in his army , and directed his prayers to the almighty , relying more upon the presence of gods helpe , than his owne power : after the conquest gotten , he caused solemne thankes to be given in all churches to god , for the great deliverance . i would our moderne generals and captaines would learne by this example to follow his footsteps , and not to make their prayers quaffings , and their thanksgiving carousings , as they use to do , even as it were purposely to tempt the lord , and to stir up his wrath against them . penda king of middle england , making war upon anna king of east angles , slew him in open field : with which victory being puffed up by pride , he sent defiance to osway king of northumberland also : who hearing of his approach proffered him great gifts , and fair conditions of peace , which when penda obstinately refused , he was slain in battell with thirty of his most noble captaines , although he had thrice the number of people which osway had . and thus the heathen and bloudy pagan ended his cruelty , and paid dear for his too much forwardnesse in war. chap. xviii . of such as please themselves overmuch in seeing cruelties . the romanes were so accustomed by long use of war to behold fightings and bloudshed , that in time of peace also they would make themselves sports and pastimes therewith : for they would compell poor captives and bondslaves either to kill one another by mutuall blowes , or to enter combate with savage and cruell beasts , to be torne in pieces by them . the first ( according to seneca ) that devised and put in practice this unkindely combate of beasts and malefactours , was pompey , who provided an army of eighteen elephants to fight with men , and thought it a notable and commendable spectacle to put men to death after this new and strange fashion . oh how mens mindes are blinded with over much prosperity ! he esteemed himselfe at that time to be higher in dignity than all other , when he thus threw to wilde beasts people of farre countries , and in the presence of the people caused so much bloud to be shed : but not long after himselfe was betrayed by the treachery of the alexandrians , and slain by a bondslave ( a just quittance for murdering so many of that condition : ) thus much of seneca . now it is manifest that this was an ordinary pastime among the romans , albelt it is strange , that any pastime or pleasure could arise by seeing poor creatures interchangeably strike one another to death , and humane bloud to run like water along the streets . it was not then without cause , but by a speciall will of god to revenge cruelty , that the bondslaves ( conducted by spartacus the fencer ) rebelled against their masters in rome , after they had broken through the guards of lentulus his house , and issuing out of capua , gathered together above ten thousand fighting men , and encamped themselves in mount vesuvius ; where being besieged by clod●us glaber , they sallied so rudely and boisterously upon him , that the victory and spoil of their enemies tents remained on their sides : after this they ran over all the land , forraged the countrey , and destroyed many villages and townes , but especially these four , nola , nocera , terrenevae , and metaponte , were by them sacked and spoiled with a strange and bloudy overthrow : after all which , having encountred two consuls , they overcame lentulus on mount appennine , and discomfited gaiu● cassius near modene ▪ all which victories and lucky proceedings did so embolden and puffe up the courage of captain fencer , that he determined to give an alarme to rome , and to lay siege unto it : but the romanes preparing and directing all their forces to withstand their practices , gave him and his crue so sore a repulse , that from rome they were fain to flie to the uttermost parts of italie , and there seeing themselves pent in on all sides , and driven to deep extremity , they gave so desperate an onset on their enemies , that both their captain and they were all slain . and thus the romans made jolly pastime with their fencers and bondslaves , and more ( i thinke at this time ) than they either looked or wished for : for four hundred of them being taken by the bondmen , were enforced to shew them pastime at the same game whereat they had oftentimes made themselves merry at their costs ; and to kill one another , as they had before time caused them to do . how curious and desirous the people of rome was wont to be of beholding these bloudy and mischievous games , cornelius tacitus in the fourth book of his annales declareth at large : where he reporteth , that in the city of the fidenates ( in the twelfth year of the raigne of tiberius ) the people being gathered together to behold the fencers prizes were fifty thousand of them hurt and maimed at one time , by the amphitheatre that fell upon them ; a cruell pastime indeed , and a strange accident , not comming by adventure ( as some suppose ) but by the just vengeance of god , to suppresse such pernitious and uncivill sports . the same story is registred by paulus orosius in his seventh book , with this adjection , that at that time were slain more than twenty thousand persons . i cannot passe over in silence two notable and memorable histories of two lions , recorded by two famous authours , seneca the one , and aulu● gellius the other . the first of whom reporteth , that he saw on the theatre a lion , who seeing a slave that sometimes had been his keeper , throwne among the beasts to be devoured , acknowledged him , and defended him from their teeth , and would not suffer any of them to do him hurt . the second bringeth the testimony of one appianus , that affirmeth himselfe to have seen at rome a lion , who for old acquaintance sake which he had with a condemned servant , fawned upon him , and cleared him in like manner from the fury of the other beasts . the history was this : a certain bondslave too roughly handled by his master , forsook him , and fled away , and in his flight retiring into a desart , and not knowing how to bestow himselfe , took up a cave for his lodging , where he had not long abode , but a mighty lion came halting to his den , with a sore and bloudy leg : the poor slave all forgone at this strange and ugly sight , looked every minute to be devoured , but the lion in another mood came fawningly and softly towards him , as if he would complain unto him of his grief : whereat ( somewhat heartened ) he bethought himselfe to apply some medicine to his would , and to binde up the sore as well as he could ; which he had no sooner done , but the lion made out for his prey , and ere ▪ long returning , brought home to his host and chirurgion certain gobbets of raw flesh , which he halfe roasting upon a rocke by the sun-beames , made his daily sustenance , for the time of his abode there : notwithstanding at length wearied with this old and savage life , and hating to abide long in that estate , he for sook the desart , and put himselfe again to adventure : now it chanced that he was taken by his old master , and carried from aegypt to rome , to the end to be an actor in those beastly tragoedies ; but by chance his old patient the lion ( taken also since his departure , being ready amongst other beasts to play his part ) knew him by and by , and ran unto him , fawning and making much of him : the people wondring at this strange accident , after enquiry made of the cause thereof , gave him the lion , and caused him to lead him in a string through the city for a miracle : for indeed both this and the former deserve no other name . thus god reproveth the savage inhumanity of men , by the example of the wilde and furious beasts at whose teeth poor servants found more favour than at their masters hands . the emperour constamine weighing the indignity of these and such like pastimes , and knowing how far they ought to be banished from the society of men , by a publike edict abolished all such bloudy and monstrous spectacles , in like manner these monomachies and single combates performed in places inclosed for the purpose , wherein one at the least , if not both , must of necessary die , ought to be abrogated in a christian policy , as by the laterane councell it was well enacted , with this penalty , that whosoever should in that manner be slain , his body should be deprived of ecclesiasticall buriall : and truely most commonly it commeth to passe , that they that presume most upon their owne prowesse and strength , and are most forward in offering combat , either lose their lives , or gain discredit , which is more grievous than death . chap. xix . of such as exercise too much rigour and severity . furthermore we must understand , that god doth not only forbid murder and bloudshed , but also all tyranny and oppression ; therein providing for the weak against the strong , the poor against the rich , and bondslaves against their masters : to the end that none might be trode under foot , and oppressed of others , under pain of his indignation . insomuch therefore as the romans used such rigour towards their servants , it came to passe by a just judgement of god , that they being lords over all the world , were three sundry times driven by their servants into great extremities . as first in rome within the wals , at the sametime when they also were troubled with the seditious factions of their tribunes . secondly in sicily , where they horribly laid waste the whole countrey : the cause of which commotion was , because the romans had chained a multitude of slaves together , and in that order sent them to ma●●ur and till the ground : for a certain syrian first assembled two thousand men of them that came next hand , then breaking up the prisons , multiplied his army to fourty thousand , and with them pulled downe castles , rased up townes , and destroyed every where . the third undertaken by a shepherd , who having killed his master , set at liberty all the ●ondmen , and prepared an army of them , wherewith he spoiled cities , townes , castles , and discomfited the armies of servilius and lucullus who were pretors at that time : but at last they were destroyed and rooted out by little and little : and this good service got the romans at their servants hands . as every nation hath his proper vertue and vice ascribed to it , so the spaniards for their part are noted famous for cruelty towards their subjects and vassals , insomuch that ( as experience in many witnesseth ) they are intolerable in that kinde : for which cause they have bor●● the markes of gods justice , for their rigorous and barbarous handling of the poor west indians , whom they have brought to that extremity by putting them to such excessive travels in digging their mines of gold ( as namely in the island hispagnola ) that the most part by sighes and teares wish by death to end their miseries : many ( first killing their children ) have desperately hung themselves on high trees ; some have throwne themselves headlong from steep mountaines , and others cast themselves into the sea to be rid of their troubles ; but the tyrans have never escaped scot-free , but came alwayes to some miserable end or other : for some of them were destroyed by the inhabitants , others slew one another with their owne hands , provoked by insatiable avarice : some have been drowned in the sea , and others starved in the desart ; in fine , few escaped unpunished . bombadilla , one of the governours of hispagnola , after he had swayed there a while , and enriched himselfe by the sweat and charge of the inhabitants , was called home again into spain : whitherward ( according to the commandment received ) as he imbarqued himselfe , shipping with him so much treasure as in value mounted to more than an hundred and fifty thousand duckats , beside many pieces and graines of gold , which he carried to the spanish queen for a present , whereof one weighed three thousand duckats , there arose such a horrible and outragious tempest in the broad sea , and beat so violently against his ships , that four and twenty vessels were shivered in pieces , and drowned at that blow : there perished bombadilla himselfe with most of his captaines , and more than five hundred spaniards , that thought to returne full rich into the country , and became with all their treasures a prey unto the fishes . in the year of our lord . the eight day of september , there chanced in the city guatimala ( which lyeth in the way from nicaragna westward ) a strange and admirable judgement . after the death of alvarado , who subdued this province , and founded the city ; and was but a little before slain in fight , it rained so strangely and vehemently all this whole day and night , that of a sudden so huge a deluge and floud of waters overflowed the earth , streaming from the bottom of the mountains into the lower grounds , with such violence , that stones of incredible bignesse were carried with it ; which tumbling strongly downewards , bruised and burst in pieces whatsoever was in their way . in the mean while there was heard in the air fearfull cries and voices , and a blacke cow was seen running up and downe in the midst of the water , that did much hurt . the first house that was overthrowne by this tempest , was dead alvarado's , wherein his widow ( a very proud woman , that held the government of the whole province in her hand , and had before despited god for her husbands death ) was slain with all her houshold , and in a moment the citie was either drowned or subverted : there perished in this tempest of men and women sixscore persons : but they that at the beginning of the floud ●ted , saved their lives . the morrow after the waters were surceased , one might see the poor spaniards lie along the fields , some maimed in their bodies , other with broken armes or legs , or otherwise miserably wounded . and thus did god revenge the monstrous spanish cruelties exercised upon those poor people , whom instead of in●icing by fair and gentle meanes to the knowledge of the true god and his son christ , they terrified by extraordinary tyranny ( for such is the spanish nature ) making them thinke that christians were the cruellest and most wicked men of the earth . in the year of our lord . happened the horrible sedition and butchery of the croysadoes in hungary : the story is this , there was a generall discontent amongst the people , against the king and chiefest of the realme , because they went not about to conquer those places again from the turke which he held in hungary . thereupon the popes legate published pardons for all those that would crosse themselves to go to war against the turke . whereupon suddenly there gathered together a wonderfull company of thieves and robbers , from every corner of hungary , who together with great multitudes of the common people that were oppressed by the insolency of the nobility ( creating themselves a generall ) committed a most horrible spoil almost over all hungary ; murdering all the gentlemen and bishops they could meet withall : the richest and those which were noblest descended , they empailed alive . this cruell rage continuing , at last the king raised forces against them , and ere long they were defeated in a set battle , by iohn the son of vayvod stephen , who having cut the most of them in pieces , took their leaders , and put them to death by such strange torments as i have horrour to remember : for the generall of this seditious troop , called george , he caused to be stript naked , and a crowne of hot burning iron to be set upon his head ; then some of his veines to be opened , and made lucatius his brother to drinke the bloud which issued out of them . after that , the chiefest of the peasants , who had been kept three dayes without meat , were brought forth , and forced to fall up on the body of george ( yet breathing ) with their teeth , and every one to tear away and eat a piece of it . thus he being torne in pieces , his bowels were pulled out , and cut into morsels , whereof some being boyled , and the rest roasted , the prisoners were constrained to feed on them : which done , all that remained were put to most horrible and languishing deaths . an example of greater cruelty can hardly be found since the world was a world , and therefore no marvell if the lord hath punished the king and realme of hungary , for such strange cruelties , by suffering the cruell turkes to make spoil of them . cruell chastisements are prepared for them that be cruell and inhumane . during the peasants war in germany , in the year . a certain gentleman not content to have massacred a great number even of those which had humbly craved pardon of him , used in all company to glory of his exploits , and to tell what murders and thefts he had committed . but some moneths after he fell sicke , and languished many dayes of an extreme pain in the reines of his back ; through the torment whereof he fell into despair , and ceased not to curse and deny his creatour , who is blessed for ever , untill that both speech and life failed him . neither did the severity of gods justice here stay , but shewed it selfe on his posterity also ; for his eldest son seeking to exalt the prowesse and valour of his father , vaunted much of his fathers exploits in an open assembly at a banquet ; wherewithall a countriman being moved , stabbed him to the heart with his dagger : and some few dayes after the plague fals among the residue of his family , and consumeth all that remaineth . chap. xx. of adulteries . it followeth by the order of our subject now to touch the transgression of the third commandement of the second table ; which is , thou shalt not commit adultery : in which words , as also in many other texts of scripture , adultery is forbidden , and grievous threatnings denounced against all those that defile their bodies with filthy and impure actions , estrange themselves from god , and conjoyne themselves to whores and ribauds . this sin did the israelites commit with the woman of madian , by means whereof they were to follow strange gods , and to fall into gods heavie displeasure , who by a cruell plague destroyed . of them for the same sin . and forasmuch as the madianites ( through the wicked and pernicious counsell of balaam ) did lay this snare for them , and were so villanous and shamelesse , as to prostitute and be bauds to their owne wives ; therefore they were by the expresse commandement of god discomfited , their kings and false prophets , with all their men and women , except onely their unpolluted virgins that had knowne no man , slain : and all their cities and dwellings burned and consumed to ashes . as every one ought to have regard and care to their honesty , so maides especially , whose whole credit and reputation hangeth thereupon ; for they that make no account thereof , but suffer themselves to be polluted with any filthinesse , draw upon them not onely most vile infamy , but also many great miseries : as is proved by the daughter of hippomenes prince of athens , who being a whore , her father shut up in a stable with a wilde horse , giving him no provender , nor other meat to eat , that the horse ( naturally furious enough , but more enraged by famine ) might tear her in pieces , and with her carkase refresh his hunger , as he did . pontus aufidian understanding that his daughter had been betrayed and sold into a lechers hands by a slave of his that was her schoolmaster ; put them both to death . in like manner served pub. atilius , falisque his daughter , that fell into the same infamy . vives reporteth , that in our fathers dayes , two brothers of arragon perceiving their sister ( whom they ever esteemed for honest ) to be with childe , ( hiding their displeasure untill her delivery was past ) came in suddenly , and stabbed her into the belly with their daggers , till they killed her , in the presence of a sage matron that was witnesse to their deed . the same authour saith , that when he was a young man , there were three in the same countrey , that conspired the death of a companion of theirs , that went about to commit this villany , and as they conspired , so they performed it , strangling him to death with a napkin , as he was going to his filthinesse . as for adulterers , examples are infinite both of their wicked lives and miserable ends . in which number many of them may be scored , that making profession of a single life ; and undertaking the vow of chastity , shew themselves monstrous knaves and ribauds , as many of the popes themselves have done . as we reade of iohn the eleventh , bastard son to lando his predecessour , who by meanes of his adulteries with theodora , then governesse of rome , came by degrees to the papacy ; so he passed the blessed time of his holy popeship with this vertuous dame , to whom he served instead of a common horse to satisfie her insatiable and disordinate lust : but the good and holy father was at last taken and castin prison , and there smothered to death with a pillow . benedict the eleventh , di●ing on a time with an abbesse , his familiar , was poysoned with certain figs that he eat . clement the fifth was reported to be a common bawd and a protectour of whores : he went apart into avignion , and there stayed of purpose to do nothing but whore-hunt : he died in great torment of the bloudy flux , plurisie , and grief of the stomacke . in our english chronicles we reade of sir roger mortimer earl of march , in the time of edward the third , who having secret familiarity with isabel , edward the seconds wife , was not onely the cause to stir her up to make war against her husband , but also when he was vanquished by her , and deposed from his crowne , his young son being installed in his throne , caused him most cruelly to be put to death , by thrusting a hot spit into his body , at his fundament . he also procured the earle of kent , the kings uncle , to be arraigned and beheaded at winchester , for that he withstood the queenes and his dealings , and would not suffer them to do what they listed . all these mischiefes sprung out from the filthy root of adultery . but the just judgement of god not permitting such odious crimes to be unpunished nor undetected , it so fell forth at the length , that isabel the old queen was discovered to be with childe by the said mortimer : whereof complaint being made to the king , as also of the killing of king edward his father , and conspiring and procuring the death of the earle of kent the kings uncle , he was arreigned and indicted , and by verdict found guilty , and suffered death accordingly like a traitor , his head being exalted upon london-bridge , for a spectacle for all murderers and adulterers to behold , that they might see and fear the heavy vengeance of god. chap. xxi . of rapes . now if adultery , which with liking and consent of parties is committed , be condemned , how much more grievous and hainous is the offence and more guilty the offendour , when with violence the chastity of any i● , assailed , and enforced ? this was the sin wherewith sichem the son of hemor the levite is marked in holy scripture ; for he ravished dina , iacobs daughter , for which cause simeon and levi revenged the injury done unto their sister upon the head of not onely him and his father , but all the males that were in the city , by putting them to the sword . it was a custome amongst the spartans and messenians during the time , of peace betwixt them , to send yearly to one another certain of their daughters , to celebrate certain feasts and sacrifices that were amongst them : now in continuance of time it chanced that fifty of the lacedemonian virgins being come to those solemne feasts , were pursued by the messenian gallants , to have their pleasures of them : but they joyntly making resistance , and fighting for their honesties , strove so long , not one yeelding themselves a prey into their hands , till they all died : whereupon arose so long and miserable a war , that all the countrey of messena was destroyed thereby . aristoclides a tyran of orchomenus a city of arcadia , fell enamored with a maid of stymphalis : who seeing her father by him slain , because he seemed to stand in his purposes light , fled to the temple of diana , to take sanctuary , neither could once be plucked from the image of the goddesse , untill her life was taken from her but her death so incensed the arcadians , that they fell to armes and sharpely revenged her cruell injury . appius a roman , a man of power and authority in the city , inflamed with the love of a virgine , whose father hight virginius , would needs make her his servant , to the end to abuse her the more freely , and whilest he endeavoured with all his power and policy to accomplish his immoderate lust , her father slew her with his owne hands , more willing to prostitute her to death , than to so soul an opprobry and disgrace : but every man stirred up with the wofulnesse of the event , with one consent pursued , apprehended , and imprisoned the foul lecher ; who fearing the award of a most shamefull death , killed himselfe to prevent a further mischief . in the year of our lord . under the raigne of the emperour rodolph , the sicilians netled and enraged with the horrible whoredomes , adulteries and rapes , which the garrisons that had the government over them committed , not able any longer to endure their insolent and outragious demeanour , entered a secret and common conspiracy upon a time appointed for the purpose , which was on easter sunday , at the shutting in of the evening , to set upon them with one accord , and to murder so many as they could : as they did , for at that instant they massacred so many throughout the whole island , that of all the great multitude there survived not one to bear tidings , or bewail the dead . at naples it chanced in the kings palace , as young king fredericke , ferdinands son , entered the privy chamber of the queen his mother , to salute her and the other ladies of the court , that the prince of bissenio waiting in the outward chamber for his returne , was slain by one of his owne servants , that suddenly gave him with his sword three deadly strokes in the presence of many beholders ; which deed he confessed he had watched three yeares to performe , in regard of an injury done unto his sister , and in her to him , whom he ravished against her will. the spaniards that first took the isle hispaniola , were for their whoredomes and rapes , which they committed upon the wives and virgines , all murdered by the inhabitants . the inhabitants of the province cumana , when they saw the beastly outrage of the spanish nation , that lay along their coasts to fish for pearle , in forcing and ravishing ( without difference ) their women young and old , set upon them upon a sunday morning with all their force , and slew all that ever they found by the sea-coasts westward , till there remained not one alive : and the fury of the rude uncivill people was so great , that they spared not the monkes in their cloysters , but cut their throats as they were mumbling their masses ; burnt up the spanish houses , both religious and private , burst in pieces their bels , drew about their images , hurld downe their crucifixes , and cast them in disgrace and contempt overthwart their streets to be troden upon : nay , they destroyed whatsoever belonged unto them , to their very dogs and hennes , and their owne countrymen that served them in any service , whether religious or other , they spared not , they beat the earth , and cursed it with bitter curses , because it had upholden such wicked and wretched caitises . now the report of this massacre was so fearfull and terrible , that the spaniards which were in cubagna doubted much of their lives also ; and truly not without great cause : for if the indians of the continent had been furnished and provided with sufficient store of barkes , they had passed even into that island , and had served them with the same sauce which their fellowes were served with ; for they wanted not will , but ability to do it . and these are the goodly fruits of their adulteries and rapes , which the spanish nation hath reaped in their new-found land . the great calamity and overthrow which the lacedemonians indured at lectria , wherein their chiefest strength and powers were weakened and consumed , was a manifest punishment of their inordinate lust committed upon two virgins , whom after they had ravished , in that very place they cut in pieces and threw them into a pit : and when their father came to complain him of the villany , they made so light account of his words , that in stead of redresse he found nothing but reproach and derision , so that with grief he slew himselfe upon his daughters sepulchre : but how grievously the lord revenged this injury , histories do sufficiently testifie , and that leuctrian calamity doth bear witnesse . brias a grecian captain being received into a citizens house as a guest , forced his wife by violence to his lust : but when he was asleep , to revenge her wrong , she put out both his eyes ; and afterward complained to the citizens also , who deprived him of his office , and cast him out of their city . macrinus the emperour punished two souldiers that ravished their hostesse on this manner : he shut them up in an oxes bowels with their heads out , and so partly with famishment , and partly with wormes and rottennesse , they consumed to death . rodericus king of the gothes in spain forced an earles daughter to his lust ; for which cause her father brought against him an army of sarasens and moores , and not onely slew him with his son , but also quite extinguished the gothicke kingdom in spain : in this war , and upon this occasion , seven hundred thousand men perished , as histories record , and so a kingdom came to ruine by the perverse lust of one lecher , anno . at the sacking and destruction of thebes by king alexander , a thracian captain which was in the macedonian army took a noble matron prisoner , called timoclea , whom when by no perswasion of promises he could intice to his lust , he constrained by force to yeeld unto it : but this noble minded woman invented a most witty and subtle shift both to rid her selfe out of his hands , and to revenge his injury : she told him , that she knew where a rich treasure lay hid in a deep pit ; whither when with greedinesse of the gold he hastened , and standing upon the brinke , pried and peered into the bottome of it , she thrust him with both her hands into the hole , and tumbled stones after him , that he might never finde meanes to come forth : for which fact she was brought before alexander , to have justice ; who demanding her what she was , she answered , that theagenes , who led the thebane army against the macedonians , was her brother . alexander perceiving the marvellous constancy of the woman , and knowing the cause of her accusation to be unjust , manumitted and set her free with her whole family . when c● . manlius having conquered the gallo-grecians , pitched his army against the tectosages ( people of narbonia towards the pyrene monntaines ) amongst other prisoners , a very fair woman , wife to orgiagous regulus , was in the custody of a centurion , that was both lustfull and covetous : this lecher tempted her first with fair perswasions , and seeing her unwilling , compelled her with violence to yeeld her body , as slave to fortune , so to infamy and dishonour : after which act , somewhat to mitigate the wrong , he gave her promise of release and freedom , upon condition of a certain sum of money ; and to that purpose , sent her servant that was captive with her to her friends to purvey the same : which he bringing , the centurion alone , with the wronged lady met him at a place appointed , and whilest he weighed the money , by her counsell was murdered of her servants : so she escaping , carried to her husband both his money , and threw at his feet the villaines head that had spoiled her of her chastity . andreas king of hungary having undertaken the voyage into syria for the recovery of the holy land , together with many other kings and princes , committed the charge of his kingdom and family to one bannebanius , a wise and faithfull man , who discharged his office as faithfully as he took it willingly upon him . now the queen had a brother called gertrude , that came to visit and comfort his sister in her husbands absence , and by that meanes sojourned with her a long time , even so long , till he fell deadly in love with bannebanius lady , a fair and vertuous woman , and one that was thought worthy to keep company with the queen continually : to whom when he had unfolded his suit , and received such stedfast repulse , that he was without all hope of obtaining his desire , he began to droup and pine , untill the queen his sister perceiving his disease , found this perverse remedy for the cure thereof ; she would often give him opportunity of discourse , by withdrawing her selfe from them being alone , and many times leave them in secret and dangerous places , of purpose that he might have his will of her , but she would never consent unto his lust ; and therefore at last , when he saw no remedy , he constrained her by force , and made her subject to his will against her will : which vile disgracefull indignity when she had suffered , she returned home sad and melancholy , and when her husband would have embraced her , she fled from him , asking him , if he would embrace a whore , and related unto him her whole abuse , desiring him either to rid her from shame by death , or to revenge her wrong , and make knowne unto the world the injury done unto her . there needed no more spurres to pricke him forward for revenge : he posteth to the court , and upbraiding the queen with her ungratefull and abominable treachery , runneth her through with his sword , and taking her heart in his hand , proclaimeth openly , that it was not a deed of inconsideration , but of judgement , in recompence of the losse of his wives chastity : forthwith he flieth towards the king his lord , that now was at constantinople , and declaring to him his fact , and shewing to him his sword besmeared with his wives bloud , submitteth himselfe to his sentence , either of death in rigour , or pardon in compassion : but the good king enquiring the truth of the cause , though grieved with the death of his wife , yet acquit him of the crime , and held him in as much honour and esteem as ever he did ; condemning also his wife as worthy of that which she had endured , for her unwomanlike and traiterous part . a notable example of justice in him , and of punishment in her , that forgetting the law of womanhood and modesty , made her selfe a bawd unto her brothers lust : whose memory as it shall be odious and execrable , so his justice deserveth to be engraven in marble with characters of gold . equal to this king in punishing a rape , was otho the first : for as he passed through italy with an army , a certain woman cast her selfe downe at his feet for justice against a villain that had spoiled her of her chastity ; who deferring the execution of the law till his returne , because his haste was great , the woman asked , who should then put him in minde thereof ? he answered , this church which thou seest shall be a witnesse betwixt me and thee , that i will then revenge thy wrong . now when he had made an end of this warfare , in his returne , as he beheld the church , he called to minde the woman , and caused her be fetched ; who falling downe before him , desired now pardon for him whom before she had accused , seeing he had now made her his wife , and redeemed his injury with sufficient satisfaction : not so i swear ( quoth otho ) your compacting shall not infringe , or colludo the sacred law , but he shall die for his former fault , and so he caused him to be put to death . a notable example for them , that after they have committed filthinesse with a maid , thinke it no sin , but competent amends , if they take her in marriage whom they abused before in fornication . nothing inferiour to these in punishing this sin , was gonzaga duke of ferrara , as by this history following may appear . in the year . a citizen of comun was cast into prison upon an accusation of murder , whom to deliver from the judgement of death , his wife wrought all meanes possible : therefore comming to the captain that held him prisoner , she sued to him for her husbands life ; who upon condition of her yeelding to his lust and payment of two hundred ducats , promised safe deliverance for him ; the poor woman seeing that nothing could redeem her husbands life , but losse and shipwracke of her owne honesty , told her husband : who willed her to yeeld to the captaines desire , and not to pretermit so good an occasion ; wherefore she consented : but after the pleasure past , the traiterous and wicked captain put her husband to death notwithstanding : which injury when she complained to gonzaga duke of ferrara , he caused the captain first to restore backe her two hundred ducats , with an addition of seven hundred crownes , and secondly to marry her to his wife ; and lastly , when he hoped to enjoy her body , to be hanged for his treachery . o noble justice , and comparable to the worthiest deeds of antiquity , and deserving to be held in perpetuall remembrance ! as these before mentioned excelled in punishing this sin , so this fellow following excelled in committing it , and in being punished for it ; his name is novellus cararius , lord of pavie , a man of note and credit in the world for his greatnesse , but of infamy and discredit for his wickednesse . this man after many cruell murders and bloudy practises , which he exercised in every place where he came , fell at last into this notorious and abhominable crime ; for lying at vincentia , he fell in love with a young maid of excellent beauty , but more excellent honesty , an honest citizens daughter , whom he commanded her parents to send unto him , that he might have his pleasure of her : but when they regarding their credit , and she her chastity , more than the tyrans command , refused to come , he took her violently out of their house , and constrained her body to his lust ; and after , to adde cruelty to villany , chopped her into small pieces , and sent them to her parents in a basket for a present : wherewith her poor father astonished ; carried it to the senate , who sent it to venice , desiring them to consider the fact , and to revenge the cruelty . the venetians undertaking their defence , made war upon the tyran , and besieging him in his owne city , took him at last prisoner , and hanged him with his two sons , francis and william . diocles , son of pisistratus , tyran of athens , for ravishing a maid was slain by her brother ; whose death when hippias his brother undertook to revenge , and caused the maidens brother to be racked , that he might discover the other conspiratours , he named all the tyrans friends ( which by commandment being put to death ) the tyran asked , whether there were any more ? none but onely thy selfe ( quoth he ) whom i would wish next to be hanged ; whereby it was perceived how abundantly he had revenged his sisters chastity : by whose notable stomacke all the athenians being put in remembrance of their liberty , expelled their tyran hippias out of their city . mundus , a young gentleman of rome , ravished the chaste matron paulina in this fashion : when he perceived her resolution not to yeeld unto his lust , he perswaded the priests of isis to say , that they were warned by an oracle , how that anubius the god of egypt , desired the company of the said paulina : to whom the chaste matron gave light credence , both because she thought the priests would not lie , and also because it was accounted a great renowne to have to do with a god : and thus by this meanes was paulina abused by mundus in the temple of isis , under the name of anubius . which thing being after disclosed by mundus himselfe , he was thus justly revenged ; the priests were put to death , the temple beaten downe to the ground , the image of isis throwne into tiber , and the young man banished . a principall occasion of the danes first arrivall here in england ( which after conquered the whole land , and exercised among the inhabitants most horrible cruelties and outrages ) was a rape committed by one osbright a deputy king , under the king of the west-saxons in the north part . this osbright upon a time journeying by the way , turned into the house of one of his nobles called bruer , who having a wife of great beauty ( he being from home ) the king after dinner ( allured with her excellent beauty ) took her to a secret chamber , where he forcibly , contrary to her will , ravished her : whereupon she being greatly dismayed and vexed , made her mone to her husband at his returne , of this violence and injury received . the nobleman forthwith studying revenge , first went to the king , and resigned to his hands all such services and possessions which he held of him , and then took shipping and sailed into denmarke , where he had great friends , and had his bringing up : there making his mone to codrinus the king , desired his aid in revenging of the great villany of osbright against him and his wife . codrinus glad to entertain any occasion of quarrell against this land , presently levied an army , and preparing all things for the same , sendeth forth inguar and hubba , two brethren , with a mighty army of danes into england ; who first arriving at holdernesse , burnt up the countrey , and killed without mercy both men , women , and children : then marching towards yorke , encountered with wicked osbright himselfe , where he , with the most part of his army was slain and discomfited : a just reward for his villanous act ; as also one chief cause of the conquest of the whole land by the danes . in the year of our lord . edwine succeeding his uncle eldred , was king of england : this man was so impudent , that in the very day of his coronation he suddenly withdrew himselfe from his lords , and in sight of certain persons ravished his owne kinswoman , the wife of a nobleman of his realme , and afterward slew her husband , that he might have unlawfull use of her beauty : for which act he became so odious to his subjects and nobles , that they joyntly rose against him , and deprived him of his crowne , when he had reigned four yeares . chap. xxii . other examples of gods judgements upon adulterers . amongst all other things , this is especially to be noted , how god ( for a greater punishment of the disordinate lust of men ) strucke them with a new ( yet filthy and stinking ) kinde of disease called the french pox ; though indeed the spaniards were the first that were infected therewith , by the heat which they caught among the women of the new-found lands , and sowed the seeds thereof first in spain , and from thence sprinkled italy therewith , wherethe french men caught it , when charles the eighth their king went against naples . from whence the contagion spread it selfe throughout divers places of europe . barbary was so over-growne with it , that in all their cities the tenth part escaped not untouched , nay almost not a family but was infected . from thence it ran to aegypt , syria , and the graund cair ; and it may near hand truly be said , that there was not a corner of the habitable world , where this not onely new and strange ( for it was never heard of in antient ages ) but terrible and hideous scourge of gods wrath stretched not it selfe . they that were spotted with it , and had it rooted in their bodies , led a languishing life , full of aches and torments , and carried in their visages filthy markes of unclean behaviour , as ulcers , boyles , and such like , that greatly disfigured them . and herein we see the words of saint paul verified , that an adulterer sinneth against his owne body . now for so much as the world is so brutishly carried into this sin , as to none more , the lord therefore hath declared his anger against it in divers sorts , so that divers times he hath punished it in the very act , or not long after , by a strange death . of which , alcibiades , one of the great captaines of athens , may stand for an example ; who being polluted with many great and odious vices , and much given to his pleasures , and subject to all uncleannesse , ended his life in the midst thereof : for as he was in company of a phrygian strumpet ( having flowne thither to the king of phrygia for shelter ) was notwithstanding set upon by certain guards , which the king ( induced by his enemies ) sent to stay him ; but they though in number many , through the conceived opinion of his notable valour , durst not apprehend him at hand , but set fire to the house , standing themselves in armes round about it , to receive him if need were : he seeing the fire , leaped through the midst of it , and so long defended himselfe amongst them all , till strength failed in himselfe , and blowes encreasing upon him , constrained him to give up his life amongst them . pliny telleth of cornelius gallus and q. elerius , two roman knights , that died in the very action of filthinesse . in the irish history we finde recorded a notable judgement of god upon a notorious and cruell lecher , one turgesnis , a norwegian , who having twice invaded ireland , reigned there as king for the space of thirty yeares . this tyran not onely cried havocke and spoil upon the whole countrey , abusing his victory very insolently , but also spared not to abuse virgins and women at his pleasure , to the satisfying of his filthy lust . omalaghlilen king of meth was in some trust with the tyran : his onely daughter turgesnis craved for his concubine ; but he having a ready wit , and watching his opportunity , seemed not onely not to deny his daughter , but to offer him the choice of many other his neeces and cousins , endowed ( as he s●● them forth ) with such singular beauty , as they seemed rather angels than mortall creatures . the tyran as it were ravished , and doting in love with those pecrlesse pieces , could endure no delay , but must needs possesse himselfe of their bodies , and that very speedily : to which omalagblilen condescending , attired his daughter in princelike apparell , and with her sixteen proper young men , beautifull and amiable to behold , in like array , and so being sent unto the king , were presented unto him in his privy chamber , having none about him but a few dissolute youthfull persons : whereupon those disguised young striplings drew forth from under their long womanish garments their skenes , and valiantly bestirring themselves , first stabbed their weapons points through the body of the tyran , and then served all those youthes about him with the like sauce , they making small or no resistance . and thus the abhominable lecher , together with his rabble of filthy pandars , received the due reward of their ugly filthinesse ; and by this means the irish nation was freed from the slavery of a cruell tyran . theodebert , the eldest son of glotharius , died amidst his whores , to whom he was ( though married ) too too much addicted . the like befell one bertrane ferrier at barcelone in spain , according to the report of pontanus . in like manner there was one giachet geneve of saluces , a man that had both wife and children of his owne , of good yeares , well learned , and of good esteem amongst his neighbour citisens , that secretly haunted the company of a young woman ; with whom being coupled one evening in his study , he suddenly died : his wife and children seeing his longtariance , when time required to go to bed , called him , and knocked at his door very hard , but when no answer was made , they broke open the doores that were locked on the inner side , and found him ( to their great grief and dismay ) lying upon the woman starke dead , and her dead also . claudius of asses , counsellour of the parliament of paris , ( a man very evill-affected toward the professours of the gospel ) committed villany with one of his waiting-maids , in the very midst whereof he was taken with an apoplexy , which immediately after made an end of him . not long since , here in our owne countrey , a noblemans servant of good credit and place with his master , having familiarity with another mans wife , as he was about to commit villany with her in a chamber , he fell downe starke dead with his ho●e about his heeles : which being heard ( by reason of the noise his fall made ) of those which were in the lower room , they all ran up hastily , and easily perceived both the villany he went about , and the horrible judgement of god upon him for the same . this happened in northamptonshire , as it was testified by very godly , honest , and sufficient witnesses . another in hertfordshire about barkway , having the company of a harlot in a wood , was also surprised by the judgement of god , and strucke dead as it seemed in the very committall of that filthy act : his name i conceal , as also of the former , that none might thinke themselves disgraced thereby , but all learne to fear the wrath of god , and tremble at his judgements . we reade also of a chirurgeon , who disdaining his honest wife , had abandoned himselfe to a strumpet ; and going on a time to horsebacke , and asked by his wife whither he went , he answered scornefully , to the stewes , going indeed presently to his adulteresse . after a while he returneth to horse , and offering to manage his round , the horse leapes and bounds extraordinarily , and casts this wretched man out of the saddle , in such sort , as one of his feet hung in the bridle . the horse being hot , ran so furiously upon the stones , as he beat out his braines , and never stayed untill he came before the stues , where this miserable man remained dead upon the place . the spaniards in the west-indies going to seek gold near unto the gulfe of uruba , their captain , called horeda , carried away the daughter of the cacique or lord of the place prisoner , and abused her as his concubine : the cacique soon after came to the captain , making shew that he came to redeem his daughter , but being come into his presence , he reproached him with injurious words , and shot a poysoned arrow at him , with an intent to kill him ; but he wounded him onely in the thigh : whereupon the spaniards rushing in suddenly with their swords drawne , slew the cacique , his wife , and all his company . but this villanous captain escaped not the arrow of gods wrath : for he was driven to retire out of that countrey into hispaniola , where he died of his wound within few dayes after in extreme paines : all his company being imbarqued to spain-ward , were driven backe by the winde , and after infinite toiles , some of them were slain by the indians , and the rest died miserably of divers diseases : and this was the fruit of that adultery . in the year . a certain religious man in the towne of clavenne in the grisons countrey , being enamoured with a certain beautifull maid , assayed by all meanes to corrupt her chastity , and to allure her to his will : but when by no meanes he could obtaine his desire , he counterfeited certain apparitions and revelations , abusing the sacred name of god , and of the virgin mary , and so seduced this poor maid to his lust : but his imposture being discovered , he was committed to prison , and notwithstanding his order , was publikely beheaded , and his body burnt . chap. xxiii . shewing that stues ought not to be suffered among christians . by this which hath been spoken it appeareth manifestly , how infamous a thing is it among christians to privilege and allow publique places for adulteries , albeit it is a common thing in the greatest cities of europe ; yea , and in the very bowels of christendom , where no such villany should be tolerated . there is nothing that can cast any colour of excuse upon it , seeing it is expresly contrary to gods ediet in many places : as first , thou shalt not commit adultery : and in lev. . . thou shalt not pollute thy daughter in prostituting her to be a where , lest the land be defiled with wheredom , and filled with wickednesse : and in deut. . . let there be no where of the daughters of israel , neither a where-keeper of the sonnes of israel . this is the decree of god , and the rule which he had given us to square our affections by , and it admitteth no dispensation . but some do object , that those things are tolerated to avoid greater mischiefes : as though the lord were not well advised when he gave forth those commandments , or that mortall men had more discretion than the immortall god. this truely is nothing else but to reject and disannull that which saint paul requireth as a duty of all christians ; namely , that fornication and all uncleannesse should not once be named amongst us , neither filthinesse , foolish talking , or jesting , which are things not comely ; forsomuch as no whoremonger nor unclean person can have any inheritance in the kingdom of god. plate the philosopher , though a panim , and ignorant of the knowledge of the true god , for bad expresly in his common wealth poets and painters to represent or set to the view any unclean and lascivious counterfeit , whereby good manners might be any wayes depraved . aristotle following his masters steps , ordained in his politiques , that all filthy communication should be banished out of his city . how far then were they from giving leave and liberty for filthy and stinking brothel-houses to be erected and maintained ? in this therefore the very heathen are a shame and reproach to those that call themselves christians and catholiques . besides , the goodly reason which they alleage for their upholding of their stues is so far from the truth , that the contrary is ever truer ; namely , that by their odious and dishonest liberty more evill ariseth to the world than otherwise would , insomuch as it setteth open a wide door to all dissolutenesse and whoredomes , and an occasion of lechery and uncleannesse even to those that otherwise would abstain from all such filthy actions . how many young folke are there , as well men as women , that by this meanes give themselves over to loosenesse , and undo themselves utterly ? how many murders are , have been , and still will be committed thereby ? what a disorder , confusion , and ignominy of nature is it , for a father to lie with her with whom his son had been but a little before ? or the son to come after the father ? and such like : but by the just judgement of god it commeth to passe , that that which is thought to be enclosed within the precincts of certain appointed places , spreadeth it selfe at large so far , that oftentimes whole streets and cities are poysoned ; yea , even their houses , who in regard of their place either in the law or policy , ought to stop the stream of such vices : nay , which is more marvell , they that with open mouth vaunt themselves to be gods lieutenants on earth , christs vicars , and successours to his apostles , are so filthy and abhominable , as to suffer publike bauds and whores to be under their noses uncontroled ; and which is more , to enrich their treasures by their traffique . cornelius agrippa saith , that of all the ●e-bauds of his time , pope sextus was most infamous : for he builded a most glorious and stately stues ( if any state or glory can abide in so bad a place ) as well for common adultery , as unnaturall sodomy , to be exercised in . he used ( as heliogabalus was wont to do ) to maintain whole heards of whores , with whom he participated his friends and servants as they stood in need , and by adulteries reared yearly great revenues into his purse . baleus saith , that at this day every whore in rome payes tribute to the pope , a iulle ; which amounted then to twenty thousand ducats by the year at least ; but now the number is so encreased , that it ariseth to fourty thousand . i thinke there is none ignorant , how pope paul the third had by computation five and fourty thousand whores and curtezans , that paid him a monethly tribute for their whoredomes : and thus also this holy father was a protectour and upholder of the stues , and deserved by his villanous behaviour ( for he was one of the lewdest adulterers of that time ) to bear the name of the master and erectour of these filthy places : and herein both he and the rest of that crue have shewed themselves enemies to god , and true antichrists indeed , and have not onely imitated , but far surpassed shamelesse and wicked caligula in all filthy and monstrous dealings . thou shalt not ( saith moses ) bring the hire of a whore into the house of the lord thy god for any vow : by what title then can these honest men exact so great rent from their whorish tenants , seeing it is by the law of god a thing so abhominable ? truly it can no otherwise be but a kinde of art of baudery , as may be gathered out of the law which is in f. deritu nupt . l. palem . qui habet mancipia , &c. the meaning whereof is , that he which for gain prostituteth his slaves to the lust of men , and draweth thereby commodity to himselfe , is a baud : he is also stained with infamy by the law athletas , that partaketh the gain or wages of a whore . how much more then is that law of iustinian to be commended , which commandeth all whores to be banished out of the confines of cities and commonwealths ? it was also a worthy and memorable act of theodosius , when he rooted the stues out of rome ; and of saint lewis king of france , that pulled downe the stues at paris , and chased away , as neer as he could , all loose and whorish women from his dominions . the antient romans permitted no woman to become an open whore , before she had made a formall declaration of her intent before the aediles ; thinking by this meanes to quench their hot lust , because they would be ashamed to make such an open confession . and by a decree of the senate it was enacted , that no woman comming of gentile stocke should be suffered to give her selfe over to this trade , it being a stain and blot to true nobility . chap. xxiiii . of whoredomes committed under colour of marriage . seeing that oftentimes it falleth out , that those which in shew seem most honest , thinke it a thing lawfull to converse together as man and wife by some secret and private contract , without making account of the publike celebration of marriage as necessary , but for some worldly respects , according as their foolish and disordinate affections misperswadeth them , to dispence therewith : it shall not be impertinent as we go , to give warning how unlawfull all such conversation is , and how contrary to good manners , and to the laudable customes of all civill and well governed people . for it is so far from deserving the name of marriage , that on the other side it can be nothing but plain whoredom and fornication : the which name and title tertullian giveth to all secret and privy meeting which have not been allowed of , received , and blessed by the church of god. again , besides the evill examples which is exhibited , there is this mischief moreover , that the children of such a bed cannot be esteemed legitimate , yea god himselfe accurseth such law lesse familiarity , as the mischiefes that arise therefrom do declare , whereof this one example which we alledge shall serve for sufficient proof . in the reigne of lewis the ninth , king of france , and iulius the second , pope of rome , there was a gentleman of naples called antonio bologne , that had been governour of fredericke of arragons house , when he was king of naples , and had the same office under the duchesse of malfi after she was widow ; with whom in protract of time he grew to have such secret and privie acquaintance ( albeit she was a princesse and he her servant ) that he enjoyeed her as his owne wife . and thus they conversed secretly together under the colour of marriage accorded betwixt them , the space of certain yeares , untill she had bore unto him three children : by which meanes their private dealings which they so much desired to smother and keep close , burst out and bewrayed it selfe . the matter being come to her brothers eares , they took it so to the heart , that they could not rest untill they had revenged the vile injury and dishonour which they pretended to have been done to them and their whole house , equally by them both . therefore when they had chased them first from ancona , whither in hope of quietnesse they had fled out of naples , they drave them also out of tuscane : who seeing themselves so hotly pursued on every side , resolved to make towards venice , thinking there to finde some safety : but in the midway she was overtaken , and brought backe to naples , where in short space she miserably ended her life : for her brothers guard strangled her to death , together with her chambermaid , who had served in stead of a baud to them ; and her poor infants which she had by the said bologne . but he by the goodnesse of his horse escaping , took his flight to milan , where he sojourned quietly a long while , untill at the instant pursuit of one of her brothers , the cardinall of arragon , he was slain in the open streets , when he least mistrusted any present danger . and this was a true cardinall like exploit indeed , representing that mildenesse , mercifulnesse , and good nature which is so required of every christian , in traiterously murdering a man so many yeares after the first rancour was conceived , that might well in halfe that space have been digested , in fostering hatred so long in his cruell heart , and waging ruffians and murderers to commit so monstrous an act : wherein albeir the cardinals cruelty was most famous , as also in putting to death the poor infants , yet gods justice bare the sway , that used him as an instrument to punish those who under the vail of secret marriage thought it lawfull for them to commit any villany . and thus god busieth sometime the most wicked about his will , and maketh the rage and fury of the devill himselfe serve for meanes to bring to passe his fearfull judgements . chap. xxv . of unlawfull marriages , and their issues . now to redres all such evils as have before been mentioned , and to avoid all inconveniences in this case , god of his bountifull mercy hath ordained marriage as a remedy to be applied to all such as have not the gift of continency , least they should fall into fornication : which notwithstanding many shamelesse creatures that blush not at their owne filthinesse , but rather rejoyce therein , make no account of . such are they that making marriage one of the sacraments of the church , do neverthelesse despise as a vile and prophane thing ; albeit that the apostle saith , that marriage is honourable among all men , and the bed undefiled ; but whoremongers and adulterers god will judge . but they have it not in that estimation , seeing by authority they are deprived of the use thereof , and not of adultery . that which is honest and laudable is forbidden , and that which is sinfull and unlawfull , allowed of . this ( saith sleiden ) is the custom of the germane bishops , for money to suffer their priests to keep harlots , not exacting any other punishment , saving their purses , to privilege their knaveries . but these reines of liberty were let more loose in certain villages of the cantons of switzers , where it was not onely winked at , but also commanded , that every new priest should have his private whore for his owne tooth ; that he might not intermeddle with other mens . neither was it without reason that iohn le maire said , how under the shew and colour of chastity , priests whoredomes did overflow , being men abandoned to all dissolute and riotous living . now then it were far better to marry than to burne ; yet in such sort to marry , that all giddinesse and inconsideration set aside , every one should matcht himselfe according to his degree and age , with great respect and good advisement had unto them both , to the end to avoid those mischiefes and enormities which oftentimes happen , when either by an over-hardy , foolish , and rash presumption , a man would nestle himselfe in an higher nest than his estate and calling requireth , or by a sensuall and fleshly lust passing the bounds of reason , goeth about to constrain and interrupt the law of nature . the chiefest thing that is required in marriage , is the consent of parties , as well of themselves that are to be joyned together , as of each of their parents ; the contrary whereof is constraint , where either party is forced : as it hapned to those two hundred maids which the benjamites took by force and violence to be their wives . this was a reproach to romulus the first king of rome , when he ravished the sabine virgins that came to see their sports , which was cause of great war betwixt them . moreover besides the mutuall joint of love which ought to be betwixt man and wife , it is necessary that they that marry do marry in the lord , to serve him in greater purity , and with lesse disturbance ; which cannot be if a christian marry an infidell , for the great difficulties and hinderances that usually spring from such a root . therefore it was straitly forbidden the people of god to contract marriages with idolaters ; yea , and the holy patriarchs before any such law was given , had carefully great regard ( in the marriages of their children ) to this thing , as the example of abraham doth sufficiently declare . therefore they that have any manner of government and authority over unmarried folkes , whether they be fathers , morthers , kinsmen , or tutors , ought to have especiall care and regard thereof . yea , christian princes and lords , or rulers of common-wealths , should not in this respect be so supine and negligent in the performance of their offices , as once to permit and suffer this amongst them , which is so directly contrary to the word of god ; but rather by especiall charge forbid it , to the end that both their lawes might be conformable , and in every respect agreeable to the holy ordinance of god ; and that the way might be stopped to those mischiefes which were likely to arise from such evil concluded marriages . for what reason is it that a young maid baptised and brought up in the church of christ , should be given in marriage to a worshipper of images and idols ; and sent to such a countrey where the worship of god is not so much as once thought upon ? is not this to plucke a soul out of the house of god , and thrust it into the house of the devill ? out of heaven , into hell ? than which , what greater apostasie or falling from god can there be ? whereof all they are guilty , that either make up such marriages ; or give their good will or consent to them , or do not hinder the cause and proceedings of them , if any manner of way they can . now that this confusion and mixture of religion in marriages is unpleasant and noysom to god , it manifestly appeareth gen. . where it is said , that because the sonnes of god ( to wit , those whom god had separated for himselfe from the beginning of the world to be his peculiar ones , ) were so evill advised , as to be allured with the beauties of the daughters of men , ( to wit , of those which were not chosen of god to be his people ; and to marry with them , corrupting themselves by this contagious acquaintance of prophane people , with whom they should have had nothing to do ) that therefore god was incensed against them , and resolved simply to revenge the wickednesse of each party without respect . beside , the monstrous fruits of those prophane marriages , do sufficiently declare their odiousnesse in gods sight : for from them arose gyants of strength and stature , exceeding the proportion of men , who by their hugenesse did much wrong and violence in the world , and gained fearfull and terrible names to themselves : but god ( provoked by their oppressions ) drowned their tyrannies in the floud , and made an end of the world for their sakes . in the time of the judges in israel , the israelites were chastised by the hand of god for this same fault ; for they tooke to wives the daughters of the uncircumcised , and gave them their daughters also . in like sort framed they themselves by this meanes to their corrupt manners and superstitions , and to the service of their idolatrous gods : but the lord of heaven raigned downe anger upon their heads , and made them subject to a stranger , the king of mesopotamia , whom they served the space of eight yeares . looke what hapned to king solomon for giving his heart to strange women that were not of the houshold of gods people : he that before was replenished with such admirable wisdome , that he was the wonder of the world , was in his olde age deprived thereof , and besotted with a kinde of dulnesse of understanding , and led aside from the true knowledge of god to serve idols , and to build them altars and chappels for their worship ; and all this to please forsooth his wives humours , whose acquaintance was the chiefe cause of his misery and apostasie . chap. xxiv . touching incestuous marriages . now as it is unlawfull to contract marriages with parties of contrary religion , so it is as unlawfull to marry those that are neare unto us by any degree of kindred or affinity , as it is inhibited not only by the law of god , but also by civill and politique constitutions : whereunto all nations have ever by the sole instinct of nature agreed and accorded , except the aegyptians and persians , whose abhominations were so great , as to take their owne sisters and mothers to be their wives . cambyses king of media and persia , married his owne sister , but it was not long ere he put her to death : a just proofe of an unjust and accursed marriage . many others there were in protract of time , that in their insatiable lusts shewed themselves no lesse unstaied and unbriedled in their lawlesse affections then he : one of which was antigonus king of judea , son of herodes , sirnamed great , who blushed not to marry his sister , the late wife of his deceased brother alexander , by whom she had borne two children : but for this and divers other his good deeds , he lost not only his goods ( which were confiscated ) but was himselfe also banished out of his countrey into a forraine place , from judea to vienna , in france . herod also the tetrarch was so impudent and shamelesse , that he tooke from his brother philip his wife herodias , and espoused her unto himselfe : which shamelesse and incestuous deed iohn baptist reproving in him , told him plainly how unlawfull it was for him to possesse his brothers wise : but the punishment which befell him for this , and many other his sins , we have heard in the former booke , and need not here to be repeated . anton. caracalla tooke to wife his mother in law , allured thereunto by her faire enticements : whose wretched and miserable end hath already been touched in the former booke . the emperour heraclius , after the decease of his first wife , married his owne neece the daughter of his brother : which turned mightily to his undoing ; for besides that , that under his raigne , and as it were by his occasion , the saracens entred the borders of christendome , and spoiled and destroyed his dominions under his nose , to his foule and utter disgrace , he was over and above smitten corporally with so grievous and irksome a disease of dropsie , that he dyed thereof . thus many men run ryot , by assuming to themselves too much liberty , and breake the bounds of civill honesty required in all contracts , and too audaciously set themselves against the commandement of god , which ought to be of such authority with all men , that none ( be they never so great ) should dare to derogate one jot from them , unlesse they meant wholly to oppose themselves as profest enemies to god himselfe , and to turne all the good order of things into confusion . all which notwithstanding , some of the romish popes have presumed to encroach upon gods right , and to disanull by their foolish decrees the lawes of the almighty : as alexander the sixth did , who by his bull approved the incestuous marriage of ferdinand king of naples with his owne aunt his father alphonsus sister by the fathers side : which otherwise ( saith cardinall bembus ) had been against all law and equity , and in no case to be tollerated and borne withall . henry the seventh , king of england , after the death of his eldest son arthur , caused ( by the speciall dispensation of pope iulius ) his next son named henry , to take to wife his brothers widdow called katherine , daughter to ferdinando king of spaine , for the desire he had to have this spanish affinity continued : who succeeding his father in the crowne , after continuance of time , began to advise himselfe , and to consult whether this marriage with his brothers wife were lawfull or no ; and found it by conference both of holy and prophane lawes utterly unlawfull : whereupon he sent certaine bishops to the queene to give her to know , that the popes dispensation was altogether unjust , and of none effect to priviledge such an act : to whom she answered , that it was too late to call in question the popes bull which so long time they had allowed of . the two cardinals that were in commission from the pope to decide the controversie , and to award judgement upon the matter , were once upon point to conclude the decree which the king desired , had not the pope impeached their determination in regard of the emperour charles , nephew to the said queene , whom he was loath to displease : wherefore the king seeing himselfe frustrate of his purpose in this behalfe , sent into divers countries to know the judgement of all the learned divines concerning the matter in controversie , who ( especially those that dwelt not far off ) seemed to allow and approve the divorce : thereupon he resolved ( rejecting his olde wife ) to take him to a new , and to marrie ( as he did ) anne of bulloine one of the queenes maides of honour , a woman of most rare and excellent beauty . now as touching his first marriage with his brothers wife , how unfortunate it was in it owne nature , and how unjustly dispensed withall by the pope , we shall anon see by those heavy , sorrowfull , and troublesome events and issues which immediatly followed in the neck thereof . and first and formest of the evill fare of the cardinall of yorke , with whom the king being highly displeased for that at his instance and request , the pope had opposed himselfe to this marriage , requited him ( and not undeservedly ) on this manner : first he deposed him from the office of the chancellorship : secondly , deprived him of two of his three bishoprickes which he held : and lastly , sent him packing to his owne bouse , as one whom he never purposed more to see : yet afterward being advertised of certaine insolent and threatning speeches which he used against him , he sent againe for him : but he not daring to refuse to come at his call , dyed in the way with meere griefe and despight . the pope gave his definitive sentence against this act , and favoured the cause of the divorced ladie : but what gained he by it , save only that the king , offended with him , rejected him and all his trumpery , retained his yearely tribute levied out of this realm , and converted it to another use : and this was the recompence of his goodly dispensation with an incestuous marriage : wherein although , to speake truly and properly , he lost nothing of his owne , yet it was a deep check and no shallow losse to him and his successors , to be deprived of so goodly a revenue , and so great authority in this realme , as he then was . chap. xxvii . of adulterie . seeing that marriage is so holy an institution and ordinance of god , as it hath been shewed to be ; it followeth by good right that the corruption thereof , namely adultery , whereby the bond of marriage is dissolved , should be forbidden : for the woman that is polluted therewith , despiseth her owne husband , yea and for the most part hateth him , and foisteth in strange seed ( even his enemies brats ) in stead of his owne , not only to be fathered , but also to be brought up and maintained by him , and in time to be made inheritors of his possessions : which thing being once knowne , must needes stir up coales to set anger on fire , and set abroach much mischiefe : and albeit that the poore infants are innocent and guiltlesse of the crime , yet doth the punishment and ignominie thereof redound to them , because they cannot be reputed as legitimate , but are even marked with the black coale of bastardy whilest they live : so grievous is the guilt of this sin , and uneasie to be removed . for this cause the very heathen not only reproved adultery evermore , but also by authority of law prohibited it , and allotted to death the offenders therein . abimelech king of the philistims , a man without circumcision , and therefore without the covenant , knowing by the light of nature ( for hee knew not the law of god ) how sacred and inviolable the knot of marriage ought to be , expresly forbad all his people from doing any injury to isaac in regard of his wife , and from touching her dishonestly upon paine of death . out of the same fountaine sprang the words of queene hecuba in euripides , speaking to menelaus touching helen , when she admonished him to enact this law , that every woman which should betray her husbands credit , and her owne chastity to another man , should die the death . in olde time the aegyptians used to punish adultery on this sort ; the man with a thousand jerkes with a reed , and the woman with cutting off her nose ; but he that forced a free woman to his lust , had his privy members cut off . by the law of iulia , adulterers were without difference adjuged to death , insomuch that iulius antonius , a man of great parentage and reputation among the romanes , whose son was nephew to augustus sister ( as cornelius tacitus reporteth ) was for this crime executed to death . aurelianus the emperour did so hate and detest this vice , that to the end to scare and terrifie his souldiers from the like offence , he punished a souldier which had committed adultery with his hostesse in most severe manner , even by causing him to be tyed by both his feet to two trees bent downe to the earth with force , which being let goe , returning to their course , rent him cruelly in pieces , the one halfe of his body hanging on the one tree , and the other on the other . yea and at this day amongst the very turkes and tartarians , this sin is sharply punished . so that we ought not wonder that the lord should ordaine death for the adulterer . if a man ( saith the law ) lie with another mans wife , if ( i say ) he commit adultery with his neighbours wife , the adulterer and the adulteresse shall die the death . and in another place , if a man be found lying with a woman married to a man , they shall die both twaine ; to wit , the man that lay with the wife , and the wife , that thou maiest put away evill from israel . yea , and before moses time also , it was a custome to burne the adulterers with fire , as it appeareth by the sentence of iuda ( one of the twelve patriarchs ) upon thamar his daughter in law , because he supposed her to have played the whore . beside all this , to the end this sin might not be shuffled up and kept close , there was a meanes given , whereby if a man did but suspect his wife for this sin , though she could by no witnesse or proofe be convinced , her wickednesse notwithstanding most strangely and extraordinarily might be discovered . and it was this : the woman publikely at her husbands suit called in question before the priest , who was to give judgement of her after divers ceremonies and circumstances performed , and bitter curses pronounced by him , her belly would burst , and her thigh would rot , if she were guilty , and she should be a curse amongst the people for her sin ; but if she was free , no evill would come unto her . thus it pleased god to make knowne , that the filthinesse of those that are polluted with this sin , should not be hid . this may more clearely appeare by the example of the levites wife , of whom it is spoken in the , , and . chapters of iudges , who having forsaken her husband to play the whore , certaine moneths after he had againe received her to be his wife , she was given over against her will to the villanous and monstrous lusts of the most wicked and perverse gibeonites , that so abused her for the space of a whole night together , that in the morning she was found dead upon the threshold : which thing turned to a great destruction and overthrow in israel ; for the levite , when he arose , and found his wife newly dead at the dore of his lodging , he cut and dismembred her body into twelve pieces , and sent them into all the countries of israel , to every tribe one , to give them to understand , how vile and monstrous an injurie was done unto him : whereupon the whole nation assembling and consulting together , when they saw how the benjamites ( in whose tribe this monstrous villany was committed ) make no reckoning of seeing punishment executed upon those execrable wretches , they tooke armes against them , and made war upon them ; wherein though at the first conflict they lost to the number of forty thousand men , yet afterward they discomfited and overthrew the benjamites , and slew of them . rasing and burning downe the city gibea ( where the sinne was committed ) with all the rest of the cities of that tribe , in such sort that there remained alive but six hundred persons , that saved their lives by flying into the desart , and there hid themselves foure moneths , untill such time as the israelites taking pitty of them , lest they should utterly be brought to nought , gave them to wife ( to the end to repeople them againe ) foure hundred virgins of the inhabitants of jabes gilead , reserved out of that flaughter of those people , wherein man , woman , and childe , were put to the sword , for not comming forth to take part with their brethren in that late warre . and forasmuch as yet there remained two hundred of them unprovided for , the antients of israel gave them liberty to take by force two hundred of the daughters of their people : which could not be but great injury and vexation unto their parents , to be thus robbed of their daughters , and to see them married at all adventures , without their consent or liking . these were the mischiefes which issued and sprang from that vile and abominable adultery of the wicked gibeonites with the levites wife , whose first voluntary sinne was in like manner also most justly punished by this second rape : and this is no new practise of our most just god , to punish one sinne by another , and sinners in the same kinde wherein they have offended . when king david , after he had overcome the most part of his enemies , and made them tributaries unto him , and injoyed some rest in his kingdome , whilest his men of war pursuing their victory , destroyed the ammonites , and were in besieging rabba their chiefe city , he was so enflamed with the beauty of bathshabe , vriahs wife , that he caused her to bee conveyed to him to lye with her : to which sinne he combined another more grievous ; to wit , when he saw her with childe by him ( to the end to cover his adultery ) he caused her husband to be slaine at the siege , by putting him in the vantgard of the battell at the assault ; and then thinking himselfe cocksure , married bathshabe . but all this while , as it was but vaine allurements , no solid joy that fed his minde , and his sleepe was but of sinne , not of safety , wherein he slumbred : so the lord awakened him right soone by afflictions and crosses , to make him feele the burden of the sinne which he had committed : first therefore the childe ( the fruit of this adultery ) was striken with sicknesse and dyed : next his daughter thamar , absaloms sister , was ravished by ammon one of his owne sonnes : thirdly ammon for his incest was slaine by absalom : and fourthly absalom ( ambitiously aspiring after the kingdome , and conspiring against him ) raised war upon him , and defiled his concubines , and came to a wofull destruction . all which things ( being grievous crosses to k. david ) were inflicted by the just hand of god , to chastise and correct him for his good , not to destroy him in his wickednesse : neither did it want the effect in him , for he was so far from swelling and hardening himselfe in his sin , that contrariwise he cast downe and humbled himselfe , and craved pardon and forgivenesse at the hand of god with all his heart , and true repentance : not like to such as grow obstinate in their sinnes and wickednesse , and make themselves beleeve all things are lawfull for them , although they be never so vile and dishonest . this therefore that we have spoken concerning david , is not to place him among the number of lewd and wicked livers , but to shew by his chastisements ( being a man after gods owne heart ) how odious and displeasant this sin of adultery is to the lord , and what punishment all others are to expect that wallow therein , since he spared not him whom he so much loved and favoured . chap. xxviii . other examples like unto the former . the history of the ravishment of helene , registred by so many worthy and excellent authors , and the great evils that pursued the same , is not to be counted altogether an idle fable , or an invention of pleasure , seeing that it is sure , that upon that occasion great and huge war arose betweene the graecians and the trojanes ; during the which the whole countrey was havocked , many cities and townes destroyed , much blood shed , and thousands of men discomfited ; among whom the ravisher and adulterer himselfe ( to wit paris , the chiefe mover of all those miserable tragedies ) escaped not the edge of the sword ; no nor that famous city troy ( which entertained and maintained the adulterers within her walls ) went unpunished , but at last was taken and destroyed by fire and sword . in which sacking , olde and gray headed king pri●m , with all the remnant of his halfe slaine sonnes , were together murdered , his wife and daughters were taken prisoners , and exposed to the mercy of their enemies : his whole kingdome was entirely spoiled , and his house quite defaced , and well nigh all the trojane nobility extinguished : and as touching the whore , helene her selfe ( whose disloyalty gave consent to the wicked enterprise of forsaking her husbands house , and following a stranger ) she was not exempt from punishment : for as some writers affirm , she was slaine at the sacke : but according to others , she was at that time spared , and entertained againe by menelaus her husband ; but after his death , she was banished in her olde age , and constrained for her last refuge ( being both destitute of reliefe and succour , and forsaken of kinsfolkes and friends ) to flie to rhodes , where at length ( contrary to her hope ) she was put to a shamefull death , even hanging on a tree , which she long time before deserved . the injury and dishonour done to lucrece , the wife of collatinus , by sextus tarquinius , son to superbus the last king of rome , was cause of much trouble and disquietnesse in the city and elsewhere : for first she ( not able to endure the great injurie and indignity which was done unto her , pushed forward with anger and despite ) slew her selfe in the presence of her husband and kinsfolke , notwithstanding all their desires and willingnesse to cleare her from all blame : with whose death the romanes were so stirred and provoked against sextus the sonne , and tarquinius the father , that they rebelled forthwith , and when he should enter the city , shut the gates against him , neither would receive or acknowledge him ever after for their king. whereupon ensued war abroad , and alteration of the state at home● for after that time rome endured no more king to beare rule over them , but in their roome created two consuls to be their governours ; which kinde of government continued to iulius caesars time . thus was tarquinius the father shamefully deposed from his crowne , for the adultery , or rather , rape of his son ; and tarquinius the son slaine by the sabians , for the robberies and murders which by his fathers advice he committed against them ; and he himselfe not long after in the war which by the tuscane succours he renued against rome to recover his lost estate , was discomfited with them , and slaine in the middest of the rout . in the emperour valentinianus time , the first of that name , many women of great account and parentage , were for committing adultery put to death , as testifieth ammianus marcellinus . when europe , after the horrible wasting and great ruines which it suffered by the furious invasion of attila , began to take a little breath and finde some ease , behold a new trouble , more hurtfull and pernitious than the former , came upon it , by meanes of the filthy lechery and lust of the emperour valentinianus , the third of that name , who by reason of his evill bringing up , and government under his mother placidia , being too much subject to his owne voluptuousnesse , and tyed to his owne desires , dishonoured the wife of petronius maximus , a senatour of rome , by forcing her to his pleasure ; an act indeed that cost him his life , and many more beside , and that drew after it the finall destruction of the romane empire , and the horrible besacking and desolation of the city of rome : for the emperour being thus taken and set on fire with the love of this woman , through the excellent beauty wherewith she was endued , endeavoured first to entice her to his lust by faire allurements ; and seeing that the bulwarke of her vertuous chastity would not by this meanes be shaken , but that all his pursute was still in vaine , he tryed a new course , and attempted to get her by deceit and policie ; which to bring about , one day setting himselfe to play with her husband maximus , he won of him his ring , which he no sooner had , but secretly he sent it to his wife in her husbands name , with this commandement , that by that token she should come presently to the court , to doe her duty to the empresse eudoxia : she , seeing her husbands ring , doubted nothing , but came forthwith , as she was commanded ; where , whilest she was entertained by certaine suborned women , whom the emperour had set on , he himselfe commeth in place , and discloseth unto her his whole love , which he said he could no longer represse , but must needes satisfie , if not by faire meanes , at least by force and compulsion , and so he constrained her to his lust . her husband advertised hereof , intended to revenge this injury upon the emperour with his owne hand : but seeing he could not execute his purpose , whilest actius , the captaine generall of valentinianus army lived ( a man greatly reverenced and feared for his mighty and famous exploits , atchieved in the wars against the burgundians , gothes , and attila ) he found meanes by suggesting a false accusation of treason against him ( which made him to be hated and suspected of the emperour ) to worke his death . after that actius was thus traiterously and unworthily slaine , the griefe of infinite numbers of people for him , in regard of his great vertues and good service which he had done to the commonwealth , gave maximus●it ●it occasion to practise the emperours destruction , and that by this meanes : he set on two of actius most faithfull followers , partly by laying before them the unworthy death of their master , and partly by presents and rewards , to kill the emperour ; which they performed as hee was sitting on his seat of judgement in the sight of the whole multitude ; among whom there was not one found that would oppose himselfe to maximus in his defence , save one of his eunuchs , who stepping betwixt to save his life , lost his owne : and the amazement of the whole city with this sudden accident was so great , that maximus having revenged himselfe thus upon the emperour , without much adoe not only seised upon the empire , but also upon the empresse eudoxia , and that against her will , to be his wife ( for his owne dyed but a little before : ) now the empresse , not able to endure so vile an indignity ( being above measure passionate with griefe and desire of revenge ) conspired his destruction on this manner : she sent secretly into africa to solicite and request most instantly gensericus king of the vandales , by prayers mingled with presents , to come to deliver her and the city of rome from the cruell tyranny of maximus , and to revenge the thrice unjust murder of her husband valentinian ; adding moreover , that he was bound to doe no lesse , in consideration of the league of friendship which by oath was confirmed betwixt them . gensericus well pleased with these newes , laid hold upon the offered occasion , which long time hee had more wished than hoped for , and forthwith ( being already tickled with hope of a great and inestimable booty ) rigged his ships and made ready his armie by sea , lanching forth with three hundred thousand men , vandales and moores , and with this huge fleete made straight for rome . maximus meane while mistrusting no such matter , especially from those parts , was sore affrighted at the sudden brute of their comming ; and not yet understanding the full effect of the matter , perceiving the whole citty to bee in dismay , and that not only the common people , but also the nobilitie had for feare forsaken their houses , and fled to the mountaines or forrests for safety : hee i say destitute of succour , tooke himselfe also to his heeles , as his surest refuge ; but all could not serve to rid him from the just vengeance of god prepared for him , for the murders which hee had beene cause of : for certaine senatours of rome , his private and secret foes , finding him alone in the way of his flight , and remembring their olde quarrels , fell upon him suddenly and felled him downe with stones , and after mangled him in pieces , and threw his body into tiber. three dayes after arrived gensericus with all his forces , and entering rome , found it naked of all defence , and left to his owne will and discretion : where ( albeit he professed himselfe to be a christian ) yet he shewed more pride and cruelty , and lesse pitty than either attila or allaricus , two heathen kings : for having given his souldiers the pillage of the city , they not only spoiled all private houses , but also the temples and monasteries in most cruell and riotous manner . all the best and beautifullest things of the city they took away , and carried a huge multitude of people prisoners to affrica , amongst the which was eudoxia the empresse ( with her two daughters eudocia and placidia ) who was the cause of all this calamity ; but her trechery saved not her self nor them from thraldome . and thus was rome sacked and destroyed more than ever it was before ; insomuch , that the romane empire could never after recover it selfe , but decayed every day , and grew worse and worse . these were the calamities which the adultery of valeutinian brought upon himselfe and many others , to his owne destruction , and the utter ruine of the whole empire . childericke king of france , son to merouce , for laying siege to the chastity of many great ladies of his realme , the princes and barons conspired against him , and drove him to flie for his life . eleonor the wife to king lewis of france ( he that first cut through the sea surrowes towards jerusalem , against the turkes and saracens ) would needs couragiously follow her husband in that long and dangerous voyage ; but how ? marrie , whilest he travailed night and day in perill of his life , she lay at antioch bathing her selfe in all delights , and that more licentiously than the reputation or duty of a married woman required : wherefore being had in suspition , and evill reported of for her lewd behaviour , it was thought meet that she should be divorced from the king under pretence of consanguinity , to the end she should not altogether be defamed . the faire daughters of philip the faire king of france escaped not at so good a rate : for the king as soone as he smelt out the haunt of their unchastity , caused them to be apprehended and imprisoned presently : howbeit one of them ( namely , the countesse of poictiers ) her innocency being knowne , was set at liberty , and the other two ( to wit , the queen of navarre , and the wife of iohn de le march ) being found guilty by proofe , were adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment : and the adulterers ( two brethren of the countrey of anjou ) with whom these ladies had often lyen , were first cruelly flaine , and after hanged . charles , son of the aforesaid philip the faire , had to wife the daughter of the earle of artois , that also offended in the like case , and in recompence received this dishonour and ignominie to be divorced , and put in prison , and to see him married to another before her face . in the reigne of charles the sixth there befell a notable and memorable accident , which was this : one iaques le gris , of the countrey of alanson being enamoured with a lady no lesse faire than honourable , the wife of the lord of carouge , came upon a day when he knew her husband to bee from home , to her house ; and faining as if he had some secret message to unfold unto her on her husbands behalfe ( for their familiarity was so great ) entred with her all alone into a most secret chamber , where as soone as he had gotten her , he locked the doore , and throwing himselfe upon her , forced her unto his lust , and afterward saved himselfe by speedy flight . her husband at his returne understanding the injury and wrong which was done him by this vile miscreant , sought first to revenge himselfe by justice , and therefore put his cause to be heard by the parliament of paris ; where being debated , it could not well be decided , because he wanted witnesses to convince the crime , except his owne wives words , which could not be accepted : so that the court , to the end that there might some end be made of their quarrell , ordained a combate betwixt them ; which was forthwith performed : for the two duellists entering the lists , fell presently to strokes , and that so eagerly , that in short space the quarrell was decided : the lord of carouge , husband of the wronged lady , remained conquerour , after he had slaine his enemy that had wronged him so wickedly and disloyally : the vanquished was forthwith delivered to the hangman of paris , who dragged him to mount falcon , and there hanged him . now albeit this forme and custome of deciding controversies hath no ground nor warrant either from humane or divine law ( god having ordained only an oath to end doubts , where proofes and witnesses faile ) yet doubtlesse the lord used this as an instrument to bring the treacherous and cruell adulterer to the deserved punishment and shame , which by deniall he thought to escape . a certaine seneschall of normandy perceiving the vicious and suspitious behaviour of his wife with the steward of his house , watched them so narrowly , that he tooke them in bed together ; he slew the adulterer first , and after his wife for not all her pittifull cryings for mercy , with innumerable teares for this one fault , and holding up in her armes the children which she had borne unto him , no nor her house and parentage , being sister to lewis the eleventh then king , could not withhold him from killing her with her companion : howbeit , king lewis never made shew of anger , or offence for her death . m●ssel●na , the wife of claudius the emperour , was a woman of so notable incontinency , that the would contend with the common harlots in filthy pleasure : at last she fell in love with a faire young gentleman called silius , and to obtaine more commodiously her desire , she caused his wife sillana to be divorced ; and notwithstanding she was wife to the emperour then living , yet she openly married him ; for which cause , after great complaint made to the emperour by the nobles , she was worthily put to death . abusahed king of fez was with six of his children murdered at once by his secretary for his wives sake whom he had abused . and it is not long sithence the two cities dalmendine and delmedine were taken from the king of fez , and brought u●der the portugals dominion , only for the ravishment of a woman , whom the governour violently took from her husband to abuse , and was slain for his labour . chap. xxix . other examples like unto the former . marie of arragon , wife to otho the third , was so unchast and lascious a woman , and withall barren ( for they commonly goe together ) that she could never satisfie her unsatiable lust · she carried about with her continually a young lecher in womans clothes to attend upon her person , with whom she daily committed filthinesse : who being suspected , was in the presence of many , untyred , and found to be a man ; for which villany hee was burnt to death . howbeit the empresse , though pardoned for her fault , returned to her old vomit , and continued her wanton traffique with more than either desired or loved her company : at last she fell in love with the county of mutina , a gallant man in personage , and too honest to be allured with her stale , though he was often solicited by her : wherefore like a tvgre she accused him to the emperour ( for extreame love converts to extreame hatred if it be crossed of offering to ravish her against her will ; for which cause the emperour otho caused him to lose his head : but his wife being privy to the innocency of her husband , traversed his cause , and required justice , that though his life was lost , yet his reputation might bee preserved : and to prove his innocency , she miraculously handled iron red with heat without any hurt ; which when the emperour saw , searching out the cause very narrowly he found out his wives villany , and for her paines caused her to be burned at a stake , but on the earles wife he bestowed great rewards , even foure castles in recompence of her husband , though no reward could countervaile that so great a losse . rodoaldus the eighth king of lumbardy being taken in adultery even in the fact , by the husband of the adulteresse , was slaine without delay . anno . in like sort , iohn malatesta slew his wife and the adulterer together , when he tooke them amidst their embracements . so did one lodowicke , steward of normandy , kill his wife carlotta and her lover iohn lavernus , as they were in bed together . hedion in his chronicle telleth of a doctor of the law that loved his proctors wife , with whom as he acquainted himselfe over familiarly and unhonestly , both at her owne house , when her husband was absent , and at a bath in an olde womans house hard by , the proctor watched their haunt so neere , that he caught them naked together in the bath , and so curried the lecherous doctor with a curry-combe , that he scraped out his eyes , and cut off his privy members ; so that within three dayes after he dyed : his wife he spared , because she was with childe , otherwise she should have tasted the same sauce . another storie like unto this he telleth of a popish priest , that never left to lay siege to the chastity of an honest matron , till she condescending to his desire , brought him into the snare , and caused her husband to geld him . i would to god that all that dishonour their profession by filthy actions might be served after the same manner , that there might be fewer bastards and bauds and common strumpets than there are now adaies , and that since the feare of god is extinguished in their soules , the feare and certainty of sudden judgements might restraine them . wolfius schrenk reported to martin luther , how in vaitland foure murders were committed upon the occasion of one adultery ; for whilest the adulteresse strumpet was banqueting with her lovers , her husband came in with a hunting speare in his hand , and struck him through that sat next unto her , and then her also ; other two in the mean while leapt downe staires with feare and haste , broke their armes and shortly after dyed . a certaine cardinall committed daily adultery with a mans wife , that winked and as it were subscribed unto it : wherefore her brother taking this dishonour to his house in evill part , watched when the lecher had promised to come , but upon occasion came not , and in the darke slew his sister and her husband , supposing it to have been the cardinall : but when he perceived his errour , he fled the countrey for feare of the law : howbeit , before his departure he wrought such meanes , that whom he missed in his purpose of the sword , him he murdered by poyson . this judgement is not only for adulterers , but for wittals also , that yeeld their consents to the dishonouring of their owne wives ; a monstrous kinde of creatures , and degenerate not only from the law of humanity , but of nature also . martin luther hath left recorded in his writings many examples of judgements on this sin , but especially upon clergy men , whose profession as it requireth a more strict kinde of conversation , so their sins and judgements were more notorious , both in their owne natures , and in the eye and opinion of the world , some of which , as it is not amisse to insert in this place , so it is not unnecessary to beleeve them , proceeding from the mouth of so worthy a witnesse . there was ( saith he ) a man of great authority and learning , that forsaking his secular life , betooke himselfe into the colledge of priests ( whether of devotion , or of hope of liberty to sin , let them judge that reade this history ) this new adopted priest fell in love with a masons wife , whom hee so wooed , that he got his pleasure of her ; and what fitter time but when masse was singing did he daily chuse for the performing of his villany ? in this haunt he persisted a long season , till the mason finding him in bed with his wife , did not summon him to law nor penance , but tooke a shorter course and cut his throat . another nobleman in thuringa being taken in adultery , was murthered after this strange fashion by the adulteresses husband ; he bound him hand and foot and cast him into prison ; and to quench his lust , seeing that ceres , that is , gluttony , is the fewell of venus , that is , lust , denied him all manner of sustenance , and the more to augment his paine , set hot dishes of meate before him , that the smell and sight thereof might more provoke his appetite , and the want thereof torment him more . in this torture the wretched lecher abode so long , untill he gnew off the flesh from his owne shoulders , and the eleventh day of his imprisonment ended his life . his punishment was most horrible , and too too severe in respect of the inflicter , yet most just in respect of god , whose custome is to proportion his judgements to the quality of the sin that is committed . luther affirmeth this to have hapned in his childhood , and that both the parties were known unto him by name , which for honor and charity sake he would not discose . there was another nobleman that so delighted in lust , and was so inordinate in his desires , that he shamed not to say , that if his life of pleasure , and passing from harlot to harlot might endure ever , he would not care for heaven or life eternall . what cursed madnesse and impiety is this ? a man to be so forgetfull of his maker and himselfe , that he preferred his whores before his saviour , and his filthy pleasure before the grace of god ? doth it not deserve to be punished with scorpions ? yes verily , as it was indeed ; for the polluted wretch dyed amongst his strumpets , being strucken with a sudden stroke of gods vengeance . in the yeare . a certaine bishop well seen in all learning and eloquence , and especially skilfull in languages , was notwithstanding so filthy in his conversation , that he shamed not to defile his body and name with many adulteries : but at length he was slaine by a cobler , whose wife hee had often corrupted , being taken in bed with her , and so received a due reward of his filthinesse . in the yeare of our lord . kenulphus king of the west saxons in britaine , as he usually haunted the company of a certaine harlot which hee kept at merton , was slaine by one clito the kinsmun of sigebert that was late king. sergus a king of scotland was so foule a drunkard and glutton , and so outragiously given to harlots , that he neglected his owne wife , and drove her to such penury , that she was faine to serve other noble-women for her living ; wherefore she murthered him in his bed , and after slew her selfe also . arichbertus eldest son unto lotharius king of france , dyed even as hee was embracing his whores . in summe to conclude this matter , our english chronicles report , that in the yeare of our lord , there was so great a plenty of corne and fruit in britaine , that the like had not been seene many yeares before : but this was the cause of much idlenesse , gluttony , lechery , and other vices in the land : ( for usually case and prosperity are the nurses of all enormity : ) but the lord requited this their riotous and incontinent life with so great a pestilence and mortality , that the living scantly sufficed to bury the dead . petrarch maketh mention of a certaine cardinall , that though hee was seventy yeares old , yet every night , would have a fresh whore , and to this end had certaine bauds purveyours and providers of his trash : but he dyed a miserable and wretched death . and martin luther reported , that a bishop being a common frequenter of the stewes in hidelberg , came to this mistrable end ; the boards of the chamber whither he used to enter went loosened , that as soone as he came in he slipped through and broke his neck . but above all , that which we finde written in the second booke of fincelius is most strange and wonderfull , of a priest in albenthewer , a towne neare adjoyning to gaunt in flanders , that perswaded a young maid to reject and disobey all her parents godly admonitions , and to become his concubine : when she objected how vile a sin it was , and how contrary to the law of god , he told her , that by the authority of the pope , he could dispence with any wickednesse , were it never so great , and further alledged the discommodities of marriage , and the pleasure that would arise from that kinde of life : in fine , he conquered her vertuous purpose , and made her yeeld unto his filthy lust . but when they had thus pampered their desires together a while , in came the devill , and would needs conclude the play : for as they were banquetting with many such like companions , he tooke her away from the priests side , and notwithstanding her pittifull crying and all their exorcising and conjuring , carried her quite away , telling the priest that very shortly he would , fetch him also , for he was his owne darling . i may not here passe over in silence an irish history , famous both for notorious villany , and excellent in justice ; wherein we may see by the adultery of one filthy fryer occasion given not only of much bloodshed , but of the ruine of a famous city , called rosse , scituate in leinster . this city being first an unwalled towne , was ( to prevent the sudden invasion of the irish ) compassed about with a large and strong wall , by the advice and charges of one rose , a chaste widdow and bountifull gentlewoman : this rose had issue three sons , who being bolstered out by their mothers wealth and their owne traffique , made divers prosperous voyages into far countries : but as one of the three chapmen was employed in his traffique abroad , so the pretty poppet his wise began to play the harlot at home , and that with none but a fat religious cloysterer of the towne : they wallowed so long in this stinking puddle , that suspition began to creepe into mens braines , and from suspition the matter was so apparent , that it grew to plaine proofe : her unfortunate husband was no sooner come home , but notice hereof was blowne in his eares , so that with griefe and anger he grew ( for such is the nature of jealous●e ) almost starke mad ; and not only he , but the whole towne took themselves as extreamely wronged by this shamefull fact : whereupon divers of them conspiring together , agreed ( as being a deed of charity ) to grub away such wilde shrubs from the towne , and so flocking together in the dead of the night to the abbey , wherein this fryet was cloystered ( the monument of which abbey is yet to be seen at rosse on the south side ) they undersparred the gates , and breaking open the doores , stabbed the adulterer , with the rest of the covent , through with their weapons ; where they left them goaring in their blood , and gasping up their ghosts in their couches : a cruell act , i must needs confesse , in the executioners ; who being carried away with private revenge , had no measure in their cruelty ; but yet a just vengeance upon the executed , that harboured and maintained so wretched a person : but secret and deep are the judgements of god , who punisheth one sin with another , and maketh one wicked man a rod to plague another , and after casteth the rod also into the fire : for so did he here ; stirring up the rest of the clergy to be a meanes to punish this cruelty : for when as these three brethren not long after sped themselves into some far countrey to continue their trade , the religious men being informed of their returne homeward , every night did not misse to set a lantorne on the top of a high rock ( which was used to be set upon the hulk tower , a notable marke for pilots , in directing them which way to sterne their ships , and to eschew the danger of the rockes , which are there very plentifull ) and so by this practise these three passengers bearing saile with a good winde , made right upon the lantorne , supposing it had been the hulk tower , and so ere they were aware their ship was dasht upon the rockes , and all the passengers over-whirled in the sea. and thus was adultery punished with cruelty , and cruelty with treason : but see the end ; upon this there grew so great quarrels and discontentments between the townesmen and the religious , the one cursing the other , that the estate of that flourishing towne was turned upside downe , and from abundance of prosperity , quite exchanged to extreame penury . chap. xxx . more examples of the same argument . i cannot passe over in silence a history truly tragicall , touching the death of many men , who by reason of an adultery slew one another in most strange and cruell manner , and indeed so strangely , that ( as far as i ever read or knew ) there was never the like particular deed heard of , wherein god more evidently poured forth the streame of his displeasure , turning the courage and valour of each part into rage and fury , to the end that by their owne meanes he might be revenged on them . in the dukedome of spaleto , which is the way from ancona to rome ( of the antient latines called umbria ) there were three brethren , who kept in their possession three cities of the said dukedome , namely faligno , nocera , and trevio : the eldest of whom , whose sirname was nicholas , as he passed from one town to the other , being at nocera , lodged divers times in the castle in the keepers and captaines house , whom he had there substituted to defend the place with an ordinary band of souldiers . now as he made his abode there a few dayes , he grew to cast a more lascivious eye upon the captaines wife than was meet , and from looking fell to lusting after her ; in such sort , that in short space he got very privy and familiar acquaintance with her , and oftentimes secret and suspitious meetings : which being perceived by her husband , he after watched so narrowly their haunts , that once he spyed them together without being seen of them : neverthelesse , digesting and swallowing up this sorrow with silence , and without giving forth any tokens thereof , he consulted in himselfe to revenge the injury by the death and rasing out , not only of the adulterer , but also of the whole race and fraternity . now when he had hampered this enterprise , and layed forth the plot thereof in his head , he dispatched presently a messenger to the three gentlemen brethren , to invite them against the next day to the hunting of the fairest wilde bore that was this many a day seen in the forrests of nocera . seignior nicholas failed not to come at the time appointed , accompanied with duke camerino , who desired to be one of this jolly crue : they supped in the towne , but lodged in the castle , where being at rest , about midnight the captaine rushed into his chamber with the greatest part of his guard , and there handled seignior nicholas on this manner ; he first cut off his privy members , as being principall in the offence , then thrust him through on both sides with a speare , next pluckt out his heart , and lastly , tore the rest of his body into a thousand pieces . as for the duke camerino , he shut him up in a deep and dark dungeon with all the strangers of his retinue . at day breake another of the brethren called caesar , that lay that night in the town , was sent for to come and speake with his brother , and as soone as he was entered into the court of the castle , seven or eight of the guard bound him and his followers , and carried him into the chamber where his dead brother lay chopt as small as flesh to the pot , and there murdered him also . conrade the third brother , being by reason of a marriage absent from this feast , when he received the report of these pittifull news , gathered together a band of men from all quarters , and with them ( assisted with the friends and allies of the duke camerino then prisoner ) layed siege to the castle , they battered the walls , made a breach , and gave the assault of enterance , and were manfully resisted five houres long , till the defendants being but thirty or forty men at the most , not able to stand any longer in defence , were forced to retire and lay open way of enterance to the enemy : then began a most horrible butchery of men ; for conrade , having woon the fort , first hewed them in pieces that stood in resistance , then finding the captaines father , slew him , and cast him piece-meale to the dogs ; some he tyed to the tailes of wilde horses , to be drawne over hedges , ditches , thornes , and bryers ; others he pinched with hot irons , and so burnt them to death : which when the captaine from the top of the dungeon where he had saved himselfe , beheld , he tooke his wife whom he held there prisoner , and binding her hand and foot , threw her headlong from the top of the tower upon the pavement : which the souldiers perceiving , put fire to the tower , so that he was constrained through heat and smoke ( himselfe , his brother , and his little child ) to sally downe the same way which he had taught his wife a little before to goe , and so all three broke their necks : their carkasses were cast out to bee meat for wolves , as unworthy of humane sepulture . and this was the catastrophe of that wofull tragedy , where by the occasion of one adultery ( so heavy is the curse of god upon that sin ) a number of men came to their ends . in the histories of our time we finde recorded a fearefull story of many murders springing from one adultery , together with the hand of god upon the adulterers themselves ; the story is this : an advocate of grasse in provence , called tolonio , that having the managing of the affaires of the seignior of chabrye , and by that meanes familiar accesse to him and his lady , by this familiarity allured the lady , who was then forty yeares old , and had foure children , to his filthy lust : and being plunged into this gulfe , satan did thrust them headlong into others : for first they practised and performed the massacre of her husband , walking in his warren , by two murderers suborned to that end : and secondly , when her eldest sonne seemed to dislike her wicked behaviour with the advocate , they also wrought his death , by loosing certaine boords in a gallery , where he used ordinarily to walk , so that as soone as he set his foot on these disjoynted boords , he fell downe headlong , and had his braines beaten out . and thirdly , when her younger son shewed his discontent to their brutish conversation , yet nothing misdoubted them to be guilty of the former parricides , these wicked wretches resolved to prevent him also , lest he should interrupt their resolved filthinesse . wherefore they hired a murderer to make him away ; who watching his opportunity , thrust him headlong downe a steep rock , so that he was at the bottome sooner slaine then he felt the murderer . after all this , these two miserable wretches , finding that they were observed by all men , and noted , did practise to marry together : but there was one betwixt them , namely the advocates wife ; wherefore they conspired her death to make up the messe , and indeed the villanous lecher , her husband , lying one night by her , strangled her with a napkin ; and then cryed out with a loud voice for help , pretending that a catarre had suffocated her in her sleep . but for all his cunning , the father of his wife mistrusted her death to be violent , and caused him to be strictly examined upon the same ; who presently by silence bewrayed his guilty conscience , and after without torture confessed both his fact , and all the murders before mentioned : for which he was condemned to be quartered alive in the market place of grasse , where he dwelled , and where his murders were committed . as for that cruell lady his associate , because she could not be found , being fled the countrey , she was condemned by contempt , and executed in picture . but though she escaped the hand of justice among men , yet the hand of god pursued her : for flying to genoa , she was first robbed by a servant of all she had , and after being constrained to serve an olde widdow , and to teach her daughters , being tormented with the sting of her owne conscience , within short space dyed in great misery . in the time of pope stephen the eighth , there was a varlet priest that was chaplaine in the house of a marquesse of italie , who although he was very mishapen and evill favoured , yet was entertained of the lady marquesse his mistresse to her bed , and made her paramour : upon a night as he was going to lie with her according to his wont ( his lord being from home ) behold a dog barked so fiercely , leaping and biting at him , that all the servants of the house being awaked ran thitherward , and finding this gallant in the snare , took him , and for all his bauld crowne stripped him naked , and cut off cleane his privy and adulterous parts : and thus was this lecherous priest served . pope iohn the thirteenth , a man as of wicked conversation in all things ▪ so especially abominable in whoredomes and adultery , which good conditions whilest he pursued , he was one day taken tardy in the plain fields , whither he went to disport himselfe ; for he was found in the act of adultery , and slaine forthwith : and these are the godly fruits of those single life-lovers , to whom the use of marriage is counted unlawfull , and therefore forbidden , but adultery not once prohibited nor disallowed . chap. xxxi . of such as are divorced without cause : by these and such like judgements , it pleaseth god to make knowne unto men how much he desireth to have the estate of marriage maintained and preserved in the integrity , and how much every one ought to take heed how to deprave or corrupt the same : now then to proceed . if it be a sin to take away , ravish , or intice to folly another mans wife , shall we not thinke it an equall sin for a husband to forsake his wife , and cast her off to take another , she having not disanulled and cancelled the bond of marriage by adultery ? yes verily ; for as concerning the permission of divorce to the israelites under the law , our saviour himselfe expoundeth the meaning and intent thereof in the gospell , to be nothing else but a toleration for the hardnesse and stubbornnesse of their hearts , and not a constitution from the beginning ; upon which occasion speaking of marriage , and declaring the right and strength of the same ; he saith , that whosoever putteth away his wife , except it be for adultery , and marrieth another , committeth adultery ; and he that marrieth her that is put away , committeth adultery also . all which notwithstanding the great men of this world let loose themselves to this sin too licentiously , as it appeareth by many examples : as of antiochus theos , son of antiochus soter , king of syria , who to the end to goe with ptolomie philadelphus , king of aegypt , and marrie his daughter bernice , cast off his wife laodicea , that had borne him children , and tooke bernice to be his wife : but ere long he rejected her also , and betrayed her to her enemies ( namely his son callinicus ) who slew her with one of her sons , and all that belonged unto her : and then he tooke againe his old wife , for which cause ptolemie euergetes ( son to philadelphus ) renewed war upon him . herod the tetrarch was so bewitched with the love of herodias his brother philips wife , that , to the end he might enjoy her , he disclaimed his lawfull wife , and sent her home to her father king aretas ; who being touched and netled with this indignity and disgrace , sought to revenge himselfe by armes : and indeed made so hot war upon him , and charged his army so furiously , that it was discomfited by him : after which shamefull losse , he was by the emperour caligula's commandement banished to lions , there to end the residue of his daies . among the romanes marcus antonius was noted for the most dissolute and impudent in this case of divorce , for albeit that in the beginning of his triumvirship he forsooke his first wife to marry octavius his sister , yet hee proceeded further , not content herewith , but must needs forsake her also , to be with cleopatra the queen of aegypt , from whence sprung out many great evils , which at length fell upon his owne head , to his finall ruine and destruction : for when he saw himselfe in such straits , that no meanes could be found to resist octavius , be sheathed with his owne hands his sword into his bowels , when all his servants being requested , refused to performe the same ; and being thus wounded , he fell upon a little bed , intreating those that were present , to make an end of his daies ; but they all fled and left him in the chamber crying and tormenting himselfe , untill such time that he was conveighed to the monument wherein cleopatra was inclosed , that he might die there . cleopatra seeing this pittifull spectacle , all amased let downe chaines and cords from the high window , and with the help of her two maids drew him up into the monument , uniting their forces , and doing what they could to get his poore carkasse , though by a shamefull and undecent manner , for the gate was locked and might not be opened ; and it was a lamentable sight to see his poore body all besmeared with blood , and breathing now his last blast ( for he dyed as soone as he came to the top ) to be drawne up on that cruell fashion . as for cleopatra , who by her flattering allurements ravished the heart of this miserable man , and was cause of his second divorce , shee played her true part also in this wofull tragedy , and as she partaked of the sin , so she did of the punishment : for after she saw her selfe past hope of help , and her sweet-heart dead , she beat her owne breasts , and tormented her selfe so much with sorrow , that her bosome was bruised , and halfe murdered with her blowes , and her body in many places exulcerate with inflamations : she pulled off her haire , rent her face with her nailes , and altogether infrensied with griefe , melancholie , and distresse , was found fresh dead , with her two maids lying at her f●●t : and this was the miserable end of those two , who for enjoying of a few foolish and cursed pleasures together , received in exchange infinite torments and vexations ; and at length , unhappy deaths together in one and the same place : verifying the olde proverbe , for one pleasure a thousand dolours . charles the eighth , king of france , after he had been long time married to the daughter of the king of the romanes , sister to the archduke of austria , was so evill advised as to returne her home againe upon no other occasion but to marrie the dutchesse of britaine , the sole heire to her fathers dukedome : wherein he doubly injured his father in law the romane king ; for he did not only reject his daughter , but also deprived him of his wife the dutchesse of britaine , whom by his substitute ( according to the manner of great princes ) he had first espoused . bembus in his venetian history handling this story , somewhat mollifieth the fault , when he saith that the romane kings daughter was never touched by king charles in the way of marriage all the while she was there , by reason of her unripe and overyoung yeares . after a while , after this new married king had given a hot alarme to all italy , and conquered the realme of naples ; as the venetians were deliberating to take the matter in hand of themselves , and to resist him , maximilian the romane king solicited them in the same , and thrust them forward , as well that he might confederate himselfe with the duke of milan , as that he might revenge the injury touching his repelled daughter : so that by this meanes the french k. was fore troubled at his returne , having to withstand him all the venetian forces , with the most part of the potentates of italie : notwithstanding he broke through them all , after he had put the venetians to the worst : but being returned after this victorious and triumphant voyage , it happened that one day as he led the queen to the castle of amboise , to see some some sport at tenise , he stroke his forehead against the upper door-poste of the gallery , as he went in , that he fell presently to the ground speechlesse , and died incontinently in the place , from whence ( though the filthiest and sluttishest place about the castle ) they removed not his body , but laid it on a bed of straw to the view of the world from two of the clocke in the afternoon till eleven at midnight , and this good successe followed at last his so much desired divorce . chap. xxvii . of those that either cause or authorise unlawfull divorcements . although the commandment of our saviour christ be very plain and manifest , that man should not separate those whom god hath joyned together , yet there are some so void of understanding and judgement , that they make no conscience to dissolve those that by the bond of marriage are united : of which number was sampsons father in law , who took his daughter , first given in marriage to sampson , and gave her to another ; without any other reason , save that he suspected that sampson loved her not . but what got he by it ? marry this ; the philistims provoked against him , consumed him and his daughter with fire , because that by the meanes of his injury sampson had burned their corne , their vineyards and their olive-trees . after the same sort dealt saul with david , when he gave him his daughter michol to wife , and afterward in despight and hatred of him took her away again , and bestowed her upon another : wherein , as in many other things , he shewed himselfe a wicked and prophane man , and was worthily punished therefore , as hath been before declared . hugh spencer , one of king edward of englands chiefest favourites , insomuch that his ear and heart was at his pleasure , was he that first persuaded the king to forsake and repudiate the queen his wife ( daughter to philip the faire , king of france ) upon no other occasion , but onely to satisfie his owne appetite , and the better to follow his delights : and thus by this meanes she was chased out of england , and driven to retire to king charles her brother ; where hoping to finde rest and refuge , she was deceived : for what by the crafts and practises of the english , and what by the popes authority ( who thrust himselfe into this action , as his custom is ) she was constrained to dislodge her selfe , and to change her countrey very speedily : wherefore from thence she went to crave succour of the county of henault , who furnished her with certain forces , and sent her towards england : where being arrived , and finding the people generally at her command , and ready to do her service , she set upon her enemy hugh spencer , took him prisoner , and put him to a shamefull death , as he well deserved : for he was also the causer of the deaths of many of the nobles of the realme : therefore he was drawne through the streets of hereford upon an hurdle , and after his privie members , his heart , and head , were cut off , his four quarters were exalted in four severall places , to the view of the world . now if these be found guilty , that either directly make , or indirectly procure divorcements , shall we accuse them that allow and authorize the same , without lawfull and just occasion ? no verily , no though they be popes that take it upon them : as we reade pope alexander the sixth did , who for the advancement of his haughty desires , to gratifie and flatter , lewis the twelfth , king of france , sent him by his son a dispensation to put away his wife , daughter to king lewis the eleventh , because she was barren and counterfeit , and to recontract anne of bretaigne , the widow of charles the eighth lately deceased . but herein , though barrennesse of the former was pretended , yet the duchie of the later was aimed at , which before this time he could never attain unto . but of what force and vertue this dispensation by right was , or at least ought to be , it is easie to perceive , seeing it is not onely contrary to the words of the gospel , matth. . but also to their owne decrees , secund . part . quest . . hi qui matrimonium : where in is imported , that marriage ought not to be infringed for any default or imperfection , no not of nature . but popes may maim and clip both the word of god and all other writings , and do what soever themselves liketh , be it good or bad . chap. xxxiii . of incestuous persons . although incest be a wicked and abominable sin , and forbidden both by the law of god and man , in so much that the very heathen held it in detestation , yet are there some so inordinately vicious and dissolute , that they blush not once to pollute themselves with this filthinesse , reuben the patriarch was one of this vile crue , that shamed not to defile himselfe with bilha his fathers concubine ; but he was cursed for his labour : for whereas by right of eldership and birth he ought to have had a certain prerogative and authority over his brethren , his excellency shed it selfe like water , and he was surpassed by his brethren both in encrease of progeny and renowne . ammon one of king davids sonnes was so strongly enchanted with the love of his sister thamar , that to the end to fulfill his lust , he traiterously forced her to his will : but absalom her naturall brother ( hunting for opportunity of revenge for this indignity towards his sister ) invited him two yeares after to a banquet with his other brethren , and after the same , caused his men to murder him for a farewell . the same absalom that slew amnon for incest with his sister , committed himselfe incest with his fathers concubines , moved thereto by the wicked counsell of achitophel , that advised him to that infamous deed of defiling his fathers bed : but it was the forerunner of his overthrow , as we have already heard . divers of the roman empetours were so villanous and wretched , as to make no bones of this sin with their owne sisters , as caligula , antonius , and commodus : and some with their mothers , as nero , so much was he given over and transported to all licentiousnesse . plutarch telleth us of one cyanippus , that being overcome with wine , defloured his owne daughter cyane , but he was slain of her for his labour . neither do i thinke it so unnaturall a part for her to kill her father , as in him to commit incest with his owne daughter : for the oracle lessened , or rather approved her fault , when it abhorred and chastened his crime : for when syracusa was grievously infected with the pestilence , it was pronounced by the oracle , that the plague should continue till the wicked person was sacrificed : which dark speech when no man knew , cyane haled her father by the head to the altar ; telling them , that he was that wicked person pointed at by the oracle , and there sacrificed him with her owne hands , killing her selfe also with the same knife , that her innocency might be witnessed even by her bloud . thus it pleased god even among the idolatrous heathen , to execute justice and judgement upon the earth , though by the meanes of the devill himselfe , who is the authour of all such villany . valeria thusculana was in love with her owne father , and under colour of another maid got to lie with him : which as soon as he understood , he slew himselfe in detestation of his owne ignorant abhomination and wickednesse : nay , so monstrous and horrible is this sin , even in the sight of man , that nausimenes ( a woman of athens ) taking her owne son and daughter together , was so amazed and grieved therewith , that she never spake word after that time , but remained dumbe all the rest of her life time : as for the incestors themselves , they lived not , but became murderers of their owne lives . papyrius a roman , got with childe his owne sister canusia : which when their father understood , he sent each of them a sword , wherewith they slew themselves . but above all , the vengeance of god is most apparent in the punishment of heraclius the emperour , who to his notorious wickednesses , heresies , persecutions , and paganisme , he added this villany , to defile carnally his owne sister ; so to his notorious punishments ( the sarasins sword , dropsie , and the ruine of the empire ) the lord added this infamous and cruell judgement , that he could not give passage to his urine , but it would flie into his face , had not a pentise been applied to his belly to beat it downeward . and this last plague was proper to his last sin ; wherein the very member which he had abused , sought revenge of him that had abused it ; for that he had confounded nature , and most wickedly sinned against his owne flesh . agathias writing of the manners of the persians , reporteth , that certain philosophers comming out of aegypt into greece , where they had seen all manner of unnaturall mixtures , found the carkase of a man without sepulchre ; which when in charity they buried , the next day it was found unburied again : and as they went about to bury it the second time , a spirit appeared unto them , and forbad them to do it ; saying , that it was unworthy that honour , seeing that when it lived he had committed incest with his owne mother . a notable story , shewing that the very earth abhorreth this monstrous confusion of nature : the truth whereof let it lie upon the authors credit . most abominable was the incest of artaxerxes king of persia ; for first he tooke to himselfe aspasia his brother cyrus concubine , having overcome him in war ; and afterward gave the same aspasia to his owne son darius to wife ; from whom , after carnall knowledge , he tooke her againe , committing incest upon incest , and that most unnaturally : but mark how the lord punished all this ; first , darius his eldest son was put to death for treason ; then othus ( succeeding in the inheritance ) slew arsame another of his brethren ; and albeit artaxerxes himselfe dyed without note of judgement , yet his seed after him was punished for his offence ; for so miserable a calamity pursued them all , that in the second generation not one was left to sit upon his throne . now to teach us how execrable and monstrous this kinde of sin is , and how much to be abhorred of all men , the example of a bruit beast may stand in stead of a lesson for us ; it being so worthy of remembrance , that i thought meet to make rehearsall of it in this place . it is reported by varro a learned and grave writer ( whom s. augustine often commendeth in his booke de civitate dei ) of a certaine horse which by no meanes could bee brought to cover a mare that was his damme , untill by hiding her head they beguiled his sences : but after when he perceived their guile , and knew his damme being uncovered , he ran so furiously upon the keeper with his teeth , that incontinently he tore him in pieces . truly a miraculous thing , and no doubt divinely caused , to reprove the enormous and too unruly lusts of men . chap. xxxiv . of effeminate persons , sodomites , and other such like monsters . sardanapalus king of assyria was so lascivious and effeminate , that to the end to set forth his beauty , he shamed not to paint his face with ointments , and to attire his body with the habits and ornaments of women , and on that manner to sit and lie continually among whores , and with them to commit all manner of filthinesse and villany : wherefore being thought unworthy to beare rule over men , first arbaces his lieutenant rebelled ; then the medes and baby lonians revolted , and joyntly made war upon him , till they vanquished and put him to flight : and in his flight hee returned to a tower in his palace , which ( moved with griefe and despaire ) he set on fire , and was consumed therein . such like was the impudent lasciviousnesse of two unworthy emperors , commodus and heliogabolus , who laying aside all imperiall gravity , shewed themselves oftentimes publikely in womans attire ; an act as in nature monstrous , so very dishonest and ignominious : but like as these cursed monsters ran too much out of frame in their unbridled lusts and affections , so there wanted not many that hastened and emboldened themselves to conspire their destruction , as unworthy in their judgements to enjoy the benefit of this light : wherefore to one of them poison was ministred , and when that would take no effect , strangling came in the roome thereof , and brought him to his end ▪ the other was slaine in a jakes where he hid himselfe , and his body ( drawne like carrion through the streetes ) found no better sepulchre then the dunghill . touching those abominable wretches of sodome and gomorrah which gave themselves over with all violence , and without all shame and measure , to their infamous lusts , polluting their bodies with unnaturall sins , god sent upon them an unnaturall raine , not of water , but of fire and brimstone , to burne and consume them , that were so hot and fervent in their cursed vices : so that they were quite rooted and raked out of the earth , and their cities and habitations destroyed , yea and the very soile that bore them , made desolate and fruitlesse ; and all this by fire , whose smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace : yea and in signe of a further curse for to be a witnesse and a marke of this terrible judgement , the earth and face of that countrey continueth still parched and withered : and ( as iosephus saith ) whereas before it was a most plentifull and fertile soile , and as it were an earthly paradise , bedecked with five gallant cities ; now it lyeth desart , unhabitable , and barren , yeelding fruit in shew , but such as being touched , turneth to cinders . in a word , the wrath of god is so notoriously and fearefully manifested therein , that when the holy ghost would strike a terrour into the most wicked , he threateneth them with this like punishment , saying : the lord will raine upon each wicked one , fire , snares , and brimstone , for their portion . howbeit this maketh not but that still there are too many such monsters in the world , so mightily is it corrupted and depraved : neither is it any marvell , seeing that divers bishops of rome , that take upon them to be christs vicars , and peters successours , are infected with this filthy contagion : as namely , pope iulius the third , whose custome was to promote none to ecclesiasticall livings save only his buggerers : amongst whom was one innocent , whom this holy father ( contrary to the suffrages of the whole colledge ) would needs make cardinall : nay , the unsatiable and monstrous lust of this beastly and stinking goat was so extraordinary , that he could not abstaine from many cardinals themselves . iohn de la casae , a florentine by birth , and by office archbishop of benevento , and deane of his apostaticall chamber , was his legat and intelligencer in all the venetian seigniories ▪ a man equall , or rather worse then himselfe ; and such a one , as whose memory ought to be accursed of all posterity , for that detestable booke which he composed in commendation and praise of sodomie ; and was so shamelesse , nay rather possessed with some devillish and uncleane spirit , as to divulgate it to the view of the world . here you may see ( poore soules ) the holinesse of those whom you so much reverence , and upon whom you build your beliefe and religion : you see their brave and excellent vertues , and of what esteeme their lawes and ordinances ought to be amongst you . now touching the end that this holy father made , it is declared in the former booke among the ranke of atheists , where we placed him . and albeit that he and such like villaines please their owne humours with their abominations , and approve and cleare themselves therein , yet are they rewarded by death , not only by the law of god , but also by the law of iulia. when charlemaigne reigned in france , there happened a most notable judgement of god upon the monkes of s. martin in tours , for their disordinate lusts : they were men whose food was too much and dainty , whose case was too easie , and whose pleasures were too immoderate , being altogether addicted to pastimes and merriments : in their apparell they went clad in silke like great lords ; and ( as nichol. gill. in his first volume of french chronicles saith ) their shooes were gilt over with gold , so great was the super fluity of their riches and pride : in summe , their whole life was luxurious and infamous : for which cause there came forth a destroying angel from the lord ( by the report of budes the abbot of clugnie ) and slew them all in one night , as the first born of aegypt were slaine , save one only person that was preserved , as lot in sodome was preserved . this strange accident moved charlemaigne to appoint a brotherhood of canons to be in their roome , though little better , and as little profitable to their commonwealth as the former . it is not for nothing that the law of god forbiddeth to lie with a beast , and denounceth death against them that commit this foule sin : for there have been such monsters in the world at some times , as we reade in calius and volaterranus , of one crathes a shepheard , that accompanied carnally with a shee goat ; but the buck finding him sleeping , offended and provoked with this strange action , ran at him so furiously with his hornes , that he left him dead upon the ground . god that opened an asses mouth to reprove the madnesse of the false prophet balaam , and sent lions to kill the strange inhabitants of samaria , employed also this buck about his service in executing just vengeance upon a wicked varlet . chap. xxxv . of the wonderfull evill that ariseth from this greedinesse of lust . it is to good reason , that scripture forbids us to abstain from the lust of the flesh and the eyes , which is of the world and the corruption of mans own nature ; forsomuch as by it we are drawn to evill , it being as it were a corrupt root which sendeth forth most bitter , sowre , and rotten fruit and this hapneth not only when the goods & riches of the world are in quest , but also when a man hunteth after dishonest and unchaste delights : this concupiscence is it that bringeth forth whoredomes , adulteries , and many other such sinnes , whereout spring forth oftentimes flouds of mischiefes , and that divers times by the selfe-will and inordinate desire of private and particular persons : what did the lawlesse lust of potiphars wife bring upon ioseph ? was not his life indangered , and his body kept in close prison , where he cooled his feet two yeares or more ? we have a most notable example of the miserable end of a certain woman , with the sacking and destruction of a whole city , and all caused by her intemperance and unbridled lust . about the time that the emperour phocas was slain by priscus , one gysulphus ( governour and chieftain of a countrey in lumbardy ) going out in defence of his countrey against the bavarians ( which were certaine reliques of the hunnes ) gave them battell , and lost the field and his life withall : now the conquerours ( pursuing their victory ) laid siege to the chief city of his province , where romilda his wife made her abode ; who viewing one day from the wals the young and fair king , with yellow curled lockes galloping about the city , fell presently so extreamly in love with him , that her minde ran of nothing but satisfying her greedy and new conceived lust : wherefore ( burying in oblivion the love of her late husband , with her young infants yet living , and her countrey , and preferring her owne lust before them all ) she sent secretly unto him this message , that if he would promise to marry her , she would deliver up the city into his hands : he , well pleased with this gentle offer ( through a desire of obtaining the city , which without great bloudshed and losse of men he could not otherwise compasse ) accepted of it , and was received upon this condition , within the wals : and lest he should seeme too perfidious , he performed his promise of marriage , and made her his wife for that one night ; but soone after ( in scorne and disdaine ) he gave her up to twelve of his strongest lechers , to glut her unquenchable fire : and finally nailed her on a gibbet , for a finall reward of her tre●cherous and boundlesse lust . marke well the misery whereinto this wretched woman threw her selfe , and not only her selfe , but a whole city also , by her boiling concupiscence , which so dazled her understanding , that she could not consider how undecent it was , dishonest , and inconvenient , for a woman to offer her selfe , nay to solicite a man that was an enemie , a stranger , and one that she had never seen before , to her bed , and that to the utter undoing of her selfe and all hers . but even thus , many more ( whose hearts are passionate with love ) are blindfolded after the same sort ( like as poeticall cupid is fained to be ) that not knowing what they take in hand , they fall headlong into destruction ere they be aware . let us then be here advertised to pray unto god that he would purifie our drossie hearts , and divert our wandring eyes from beholding vanity , to be seduced thereby . chap. xxxvi . of unlawfull gestures , idlenesse , gluttony , drunkennesse , dancing , and other such like dissolutenesse . like as if we would carry our selves chastly and uprightly before god , it behoveth us to avoid all filthinesse and adultery , so we must abstain from uncivill and dishonest gestures , which are ( as it were ) badges of concupiscence , and coales to set lust on fire , and instruments to injure others withall . from hence it was , that pompey caused one of his souldiers eyes to be put out in spaine , for thrusting his hand under a womans garment that was a spaniard : and for the same or like offence did sertorius command a footman of his band to be cut in pieces . o that we had in these daies such minded captaines , that would sharply represse the wrongs and ravishments which are so common and usuall amongst men of war at this day , and so uncontrolled ! they would not then doubtlesse be so rise and common as in these daies they are . kissing is no lesse to be eschewed than the former , if it be not betwixt those that are tyed together by some bond of kindred or affinity , as it was by antient custome of the medes and persians , and romanes also ; according to the report of plutarch and seneca : and that which is more , tiberius caesar forbad the often and daily practise thereof in that kinde , as a thing not to be freqented , but rather utterly abhorred , though it be amongst kinsfolkes themselves . it was esteemed an indignity among the graecians , to kisse any maid that was not in blood or assinity allyed unto them ; as it manifestly appeareth by the earnest suit and request of the wife of pisistratus the tyran of athens , to put to death a young man for kissing her daughter in the streets , as he met her , although it was nothing but love that moved him thereto . saint augustine also affirmeth , that he which wantonly kisseth a woman that is not his wife , deserveth the whip . it is true , that the holy scripture often mentioneth kissing , but either betwixt father and childe , or brethren or kinsfolkes , or at least in a manner of salutation betwixt one another of acquaintance , according to the custome of the people of god ▪ and sometimes also it is mentioned as a token of honour and reverence , which the subject performeth to his superiour in this action . in the former ages christians used to kisse also ; but so , that it was ever betwixt parties of acquaintance ; and in such sort , that by this manner of greeting they testified to each other their true and sincere charity , peace , and union of heart and soule in the lord. such chearings and loving embracings were pure and holy , not lascivious and wanton , like the kisses of prophane and leacherous wretches and strumpets , whereof solomon maketh mention . furthermore , every man ought to shun all meanes and occasions which may induce or entice them to uncleanenesse ; and amongst the rest especially idlenesse , which cannot chuse but be as it were a wide doore and passage for many vices to enter by , as by experience we see in those that occupy themselves about no good nor profitable exercises , but mispend their time in trifling and doing nothing , and their wits either upon vaine and foolish conceit to the hurt of others ; or upon lascivious and unchaste thoughts , to their owne overthrow ; whereas on the contrary , to them that are well employed either in body or minde , no such thing betideth ; wherefore wee ought to be here advertised every one of us to apply our selves to some honest and seemly trade , answerable to our divers and severall estates and conditions , and not to suffer our selves to be overgrowne with idlenesse , lest thereby we fall into mischiefe ; for whom the adversary ( that malicious and wicked one ) findeth in that case , he knowes well how to fit them to his purpose , and to set them about filthy and pernitious services . next to idlenesse , the too much pampering the body with dainty and much food is to be eschewed : for like as a fat and well fed horse winceth and kicketh against his rider , so the pampered flesh rebelleth against god and a mans owne selfe . this fulnesse of bread , and abundance of ●●shly delights , was the cause of the destruction of sodome and gomorrah : and therefore our saviour to good purpose warneth us , to take heed to our selves , that we be not oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse : and the apostle , to take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof , but to walke honestly , not being given to gluttony and drunkennesse , chambering , and wantonnesse : and in another place , not to be drunke with wine , wherein is excesse : for besides the losse of time and mispence of goods , the grievous diseases and pangs of the body , and dulling and besotting of the wit , which spring from intemperance , many other great evils depend and wait thereon ; as whoredomes , adulteries , uncleannesses , quarrels , debates , murders , with many other such like disorders and mischiefes . noah , that holy patriarch , by drinking too much wine , not only discovered his owne shame , but also was the occasion of that cruell curse which the lord sent upon the posterity of cham , which even to this day lyeth heavy upon them . lot , though he hated the sin of sodome , and escaped the punishment of sodome , yet being overcome with the wine of the mountaines , he committed incest with his owne daughters , and made a new sodome of his owne family . balthasar , rioting and revelling amongst his pots , had the end both of life and kingdome denounced against him , by a bodilesse hand-writing upon the wall , the lords decree . whilest holofernes besotted his sences with excesse of wine and good cheare , iudith found meanes to cut off his head . the emperours septimius severus , and iovinianus , dyed with eating and drinking too much . likewise a certaine african called donitius , overcharged his stomacke with so much food at supper , that he dyed therewith . gregory of tours reporteth of childericke a saxon , that glutted himselfe so full of meat and drink over night , that in the morning he was found choked in his bed . in our memory there was a priest in rovergne , neare milan , that ( dining with a rich farmer for his yeares dinner ) cheared himselfe so well , and filled his belly so full , that it burst in two , and he dyed suddenly . alexander the great having invited many of his favourites and captaines to supper , propounded a crowne in reward to him that should drinke most : now the greatest drinker swallowed up foure steanes of wine , and woon the prize , being in value worth six hundred crownes ; but lost his life ( a jewell of greater worth ) for he survived not three daies after the vile excesse : besides , the rest that strove with him in this goodly conflict of carousing , one and forty of them dyed to beare him company . the same alexander was himselfe subject to wine , and so distempered divers times therewith , that he often slew his friends at the table in his drunkennesse , whom in sobriety he loved dearest . plutarch telleth us of armitus and ciranippus , two syracusians , that being drunk with wine , committed incest with their owne daughters . cleomenes , king of lacedemonia , being disposed to carouse after the manner of the scythians , dranke so much , that he became , and continued ever after , sencelesse . anacreon the poet , a grand consumer of wine , and a notable drunkard , was choaked with the huske of a grape . the monstrous and riotous excesses of divers romane emperours ( as tiberius by name , who was a companion of all drunkards ) is strange to be heard , and almost incredible to be beleeved : he loved wine so well , that in stead of tiberius they called him biberius , and in stead of claudius , caldus , and in stead of nero , mero ; noting by those nicknames , how great a drunkard he was . the earle of aspremont ( after he had by infinite excesse exhausted all his substance ) being upon a day at s. michael , dranke so excessively , that he dyed therewith . cyrillus a citizen of hippon , had an ungracious son , who leading a riotous and luxurious life , in the middest of his drunkennesse killed his owne mother great with childe , and his father , that sought to restraine his sury , and would have ravished his sister , had she not escaped from him with many wounds . bonosus the emperour is reported to have been such a notorious drunkard , that he was said to be borne not to live , but to drinke : if any embassadours came unto him , he would make them drunke , to the end to reveale their secrets : he ended his life with misery , even by hanging , with this epitaph , that a tun , not a man , was hanged in that place . philostrates , being in the bathes at sinuessa , devoured so much wine , that he fell downe the staires , and almost broke his neck with the fall . zeno , the emperour of the east , was so notoriously given to excesse of meates and drinkes , that his sences being benummed , he would often lie as one that was dead : wherefore being become odious to all men by his beastly qualities , his wife ariadne fell also in detestation of him , and one day as he lay sencelesse , she transported him into a tombe , and throwing a great stone upon it , pined him to death , not suffering any to remove the stone , or to yeeld him any succour ; and this was a just reward of his drunkennesse . pope paulus the second , beside the exceeding pompe of apparell which he used , he was also very carefull for his throat : for ( as platina writeth of him ) he delighted in all kinde of exquisite dishes , and delicate wine , and that in superfluity : by which immoderate and continuall surfeiting he fell into a grievous apoplexy , which quickly made an end of his life . it is reported of him , that he eat the day before he dyed two great melons , and that in a very good appetite ; when as the next night the lord struck him with his heavy judgement . alexander the son of basilius , and brother of leo the emperour , did so wallow and drowne himselfe in the gulfe of pleasure and intemperance , that one day , after he had stuffed himselfe too full of meat , as he got upon his horse , he burst a veine within his body , whereat upwards and downewards issued such abundance of blood , that his life and soule issued forth withall . the moderne examples of gods fearefull judgements upon drunkards , not only in other countries , but even in this nation of ours , are many and terrible : all which if i should stand to report , it would be matter for a whole booke . our reverend judges in their severall circuits doe finde by experience , that few murthers and manslaughters are committed , which are not from this root of drunkennesse : for when mens braines are heat with wine and strong drinke , then their tongues are let loose to opprobrious speeches , and thence proceed both sudden quarrels , and deliberate challenges , wherewith thousands are brought to their untimely ends : besides , the lord punisheth the drunkard many waies ; first , in his soule , with impenitency and hardnesse of heart : which commonly followeth this vice : for as saint augustine saith , as by too much raine the earth is resolved into durt , and made unfit for tillage ; so by excessive drinking , our bodies are altogether unfitted for ●he spirituall tillage , and so can bring forth no good fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse ; but rather like biggest and marishes ; are fit to b●●ed nothing but serpents , frog● , and vershine , that is , all manner of abominable sins and leathsome wickednesse . secondly in his body , with deformednesse of feature ; filthy diseases , and unseasonable death : for excessive drinking breedeth crudities , rheumes , imposthumes , gouts , consumptions , apoplexies , and such like ; whereof men perish before they are come to the halfe of their naturall yeares : and this is one principall cause why men are now so short lived in respect of that they have ●●en heretofore . thirdly , in his estate , for commonly poverty , yea penury followeth this vice at the heeles ; as solomon teacheth . p●ov . . . and lastly , with sudden death and destruction , even in the middest of their drunken fits , as wofull experience doth make manifest every day , and almost in every corner of this land . within these few yeares , of mine owne knowledge , three not far from huntington being overcome with drinke , perished by drowning ; when being not able to rule their horses , they were carried by them into the maine streame , from whence they never came out alive againe , but left behinde them visible markes of gods justice , for the terrour and example of others ; and yet what sin is more commonly used and lesse feared than this . concerning dancing ( the usuall dependants of feasts and good cheare ) there is none of sound judgement that know not , that they are baits and allurements to uncleanenesse , and as it were instruments of bawdrie : by reason whereof they were alwaies condemned among men of honour and reputation , whether romanes or greekes , and left for vile and base minded men to use . and this may appeare by the reproach that demosthenes the orator gave to philip of macedony and his courtiers , in an oration to the athenians , wherein he termed them common dancers , and such as shamed not as soone as they had glutted their bellies with meate , and their heads with wine , to fall scurrilously a dancing . as for the honourable dames of rome , truly we shall never reade that any of them accustomed themselves to dance , according to the report of salust touching sempronia , whom he judged to be too fine a dancer and singer to be honourable withall : as if these two could no more agree then fire and water . cicero in his apologie of muraena rehearseth an objection of cato against his client , wherein he challenged him for dancing in asia ; which he maketh a matter of so great reproach , that not daring to maintain or excuse the fact , he flatly denyeth it ; saying , that no sober and discreet man ever would commit that fault , unlesse his sence and reason was bereft him . plutarch also setting forth the vertues of women , putteth in this among the rest , that she ought to be no dancer : and speaking in another place to all others as well as women , biddeth them to repulse even their friends , if they should lead and entice them to that exercise . besides , all the ancient doctors of the church have utterly condemned them as unlawfull : thou learnest to sing prophane and idle songs ( saith basil ) and forgettest the godly psalmes and hymnes which were enact ●ught thee ▪ thou caperest and leapest with thy feet in dances ( unwise , as thou art ) when a● thou shouldest rather bend thy knees in prayer to the almighty but what gaine 〈◊〉 got thereby 〈◊〉 marry this , that virgins returne robbed of their virginities and married wives of their tr●th to their husbands : both , and all , lesse chaste than they went ; and more dishonest than they should , if not in act , which peradventure may be , yet stainedin thought , which cannot be eschewed . heare ( saith chrysost. ) you maids and wives , which are not ashamed to dance and trip it at others marriages , and to pollute your se●es ; wheresoever a lascivious dance is danced , there the devill beareth the other part , and is the author of it . it is better ( saith ambrose ) to dig and delve upon holy daies than to dance . and in another place writing to his sister , he saith , that he ●eed not care for dissolute behaviours and songs which are used as marriages to make him merry withall ; for when banquets are concluded with dances , then is chastity in an evill case and in great danger to suffer shipwracke by those suspitious allurements . besides this , dancing hath been absolutely forbidden by consent of the whole church of christ before time , under paine of excommunication ; as it may appeare by the constantinopolitan councell under iustinian the emperour : what answer can they make then to this , that are christians , and allow of these forbidden sports ? is it the denying of a mans selfe ? the spirituall regeneration ? the putting off the old man touching our conversation in this life ? and if all adultery and uncleanenesse , all filthinesse and foolish talking , jesting and such like , ought not once to be named amongst us , because they are things not comely : if i say it be not lawfull to jeast or speake the least lascivious word that is , how shall it be lawfull to doe an action with the motion and consent of the whole body , which representeth nothing else but folly , vanity , and lasciviousnesse ? and this is for them that demand where dancing is forbidden in the scripture ; which i touch as it were by the way , and doe but point at , not minding to frame any long discourse thereof , seeing there is a particular treatise touching the same matter , which he may reade that desireth to know any more touching it . now let us see what goodly fruits and commodities have risen therefrom . the daughters of the children of israel being dancing in silo upon a festivall day , after the manner of the uncircumcised idolaters , were ravished by the benjamites for to be their wives , and that mixtly without regard of one or other , were they of never so high or base condition . at the feast which herod the tetrarch made to the princes and captaines and nobles of galilee , the daughter of herodias pleased him and his company so well with her dancing , that to gratifie this filthy strumpet the incestuous tyran caused iohn baptist to be beheaded . lodowicke , archbishop of magdeburge , celebrating a solemne feast at a towne called calven , invited many of the worthy citizens to make merry with him : the place for their joyalty was the great hall wherein judiciall causes were appointed to be discussed . here after the banquet ended they fell a dancing , men and women mixtly together , such a ridiculous roundelay , and such a multitude , that what with the weight of their bodies , or rather the indignation of god against them for this scurrilous and immodest behaviour , the beames of the house began to crack and threaten a certain ruine ; whereat the archbishop affrighted , caught hold by a faire dame , and began first to goe downe the staires ; but the steps afore loosened , as soone as he trode upon them , tumbled downe , and he and his consort headlong withall , and were crushed in pieces . and thus he that was principall of the feast and sport , was made an example to all the rest , of the lords vengeance ▪ because he dishonoured his calling and profession by such lewd and light behaviour : and this was one goodly effect of dauncing . another we reade of in the chronicles of the same city to this effect , in a village called ossemer , adjoyning to stendell : as the popish priest played the minstrell to his parishioners that danced the morris before him , and rejoyced in their merry may-games , a tempest arose , and a thunderbolt struck off his night hand , together with the harpe which he played on , and consumed about twenty foure men and women of the company : a just punishment of so prophane a priest , who in stead of dehorting them ( as his duty bound him ) from that lascivious custome , played the chiefe part in their madnesse , and was an inticer of them unto it . moreover , in many places , by dances grievous and spitefull quarrels have been stirred up , and many murders executed , the examples whereof are so evident and notorious , that it is not needfull now to stand upon them : to conclude therefore this point with the saying of lodovicus vives , there is not a greater vanity in the world than dancing ; for ( saith he ) i heard of certain men of asia , that comming into spaine , when they first saw the spaniards dance , were so sore affrighted , that they ran away for feare , supposing them to have been either possessed with some spirit , or out of their wits at least : and truly i thinke if a man had never seen a woman dance before , he could hardly be of another judgement , there being nothing that resembleth frenzie and lunacy more than the strange shakings and motions of the body at the noise of a beaten sheep-skin : verily it is a pastime to mark the grave behaviour , the measurable march , the pomp and ostentation of women dancers , and the great care they have to performe wisely so foolish an action ▪ it is very likely that all their wit at that time is distilled from their head into their feet , for there it is more requisite and needfull than in their braine . thus much saith lodovicus vives . now touching mummeries and maskes , i place them in the same ranke with the other ; for somuch as they are derived from the same fountaine , and communicate the same nature , and produce the same effects , and oftentimes are so pernicious , that divers honourable women have been ravished and conveyed away by their meanes : nay , and some masquers have been well chastised in their owne vices : as it happened in the raigne of charles the sixth , to six that masqued it to a marriage at the hostle of s. pauls in paris , being attired like wilde horses , covered with loose flax , dangling down like haire , all beda●bed with grease for the fitter hanging thereof , and fast bound one to another , and in this guise entered the hall , dancing with torches before them : but behold suddenly their play turned to a tragedy ; for a spar●● of one of their torches fell into the greasie flax of his neighbour , and set it immediatly on fire , so that in the turning of an hand they were all on ●lame then gave they out a most horrible ou●●ry : one of them threw himself headlong into a tub of water provided to ●ince their drinking cups and goblets , and upon that occasion standing not far off : two were burnt to death , without stirring once from the place : the bastard foix and the earle of jouy escaped indeed present death ; but being conveyed to their lodgings , they survived not two daies : the king himselfe being one of the s●● , was saved by the dutchesse of berry , that covering him with her loose and tide garments 〈◊〉 the fire before it could seise upon his flesh . froyssard the reporter of this tragedy , ●aith ▪ that the next morrow every man could say , tha● this 〈◊〉 wonderfull signe and advertisement sent by god to the king to warne him to renounce all such fond and foolish devices which he delighted too much in , and more then it became a king of france to doe : and this was the event of that gallant masque . it resteth now that we speak somewhat of playes and comedies , and such like toyes and may-games , which have no other use in the world but to deprave and corrupt good manners , and to open a doore to all uncleanenesse : the eares of yong folke are there polluted with many filthy and dishonest speeches , their eyes are there infected with lascivious and unchaste gestures and countenances , and their wits are there stained and embrued with so pernitious liquor , that ( except gods good grace ) they will ever savour of it : the holy and sacred scripture ordained to a holy and sacred use , is oftentimes by these filthy swine prophaned , to please and to delight their audience : in few words , there is nothing else to be found among them , but nourishment to our sences of foolish and vaine delights . for this cause many of the sager romanes , as nasica and divers other censors , hindred the building of the theatres in rome , for an opinion they had , that their sports and pastimes which were exercised therein , served to no other purpose but to make the people idle , effeminate , and voluptuous : and besides , the masters , guiders , and actors of playes were alwayes debarred as men infamous , from bearing any publike office or dignity in the common-wealth . tiberius caesar himselfe , though of most corrupt and rotten manners and conversation , yet in open senate complained and found fault with the immodesty of stage-players , and banished them at that same time out of italie . when domitian was censor , he put out of the senate a citizen of rome , because he was too much addicted to the imitation of the fashions of players and dancers . and plutarch saith , that we ought to shun all such spectacles . if then such pastimes were by the judgements of the romanes noted with infamy , shall we have their equals in follies in better account ? basil calleth such sports and pastimes , the work-house , forge , and common shop of all wickednesse : and therefore chrysostome prayeth and admonisheth the faithfull of his time to abstaine from frequenting such places . s. augustine also for biddeth to bestow our money upon tumblers , juglers , and players , and such like . beside , by the constantinopolitan councell under iustinian , it was inhibited to be once present at such sports , under the paine of excommunication : and that the ancient christians did by common consent not only condemne , but also utterly abstaine from such pastimes , it may appeare by the testimony of tertullian writing to the gentiles to this effect : we renounce and send back ( faith he ) sports and playes unto you , as to the head and fountaine from whence they were first derived : we make no reckoning of th●se things which we know were drawne from superstition : we love not 〈◊〉 be h●ld the folly of turning with chariots , nor the unchastity of the theatre , nor the cruelty of sword playing , nor the vanity of leaping , ●r●stling and dancing : but take pleasure in exercises of better report , and lesse h●r● . moreover , how odious and irksome in the sight of the lord such spectacles are , and what power and sway the devill beareth therein , they 〈◊〉 of god upon a christian woman ( reported by , tertullian ) may sufficiently instruct us . there was a woman ( saith he ) that went to the 〈◊〉 to see a play , and returned home possessed with an uncleane spirit : who being rebuked in a conjuration for daring to assault one of the ●aith , that professed christ ; answered , that he had done well , because he found her upon his owne ground . the same author reporteth another example as strange , of a woman also that went to see a tragedie acted , to whom the night following appeared in a dreame the picture of a sheete ( a presage of death ) casting in her teeth that which she had done ; and five daies after , death himselfe seised upon her . as touching wanton songs , and unchaste and ribald bookes ( that i may be ( briefe ) i will content my selfe only with that which is alleadged by lodovicus vives concerning that matter . the magistrate ( saith he ) ought to banish out of his dominion all unhonest songs and poems , and not to suffer novelties to be published day by day in rimes and ballads , as they are : as if a man should heare in a city nothing but foolish and scurrilous ditties , such as would make even the ●onger sort that are well brought up to blash , and stir up the indignation of men of honour and gravity : this ought magistrates to prevent , and to discharge the people from reading amadis , tristram , launcelot due lake , melusine , poggius scurrillities , and boccace novelties ; with a thousand more such like toyes : and thus much out of vives . chap. xxxvii . of theeves and robbers . it followes that we speake in the next place of such as by their greedy covetousnesse and unquenchable desire of lucre , transgresse the fourth commandement of the second table ; to wit , thou shalt not steale : wherein not only simply theft , but also sacriledge is condemned : and first of sacriledge . into this sin fell wretched aehan in the time of ioshua , when in the sack of jericho he seeing a babylonish garment , with certaine gold and silver , covered it and stole it away , and hid it in his tent , contrary to the commandement of the lord : for which cause the lord was offended with his whole people , as if they all had been accessary to the crime , and en●eebled them so before their enemies , that they were beaten downe at hay , and shamefully put to flight : neither was his anger appeased , untill that the offendant being divinely and miraculously descryed , was stoned to death and burnt with his children and all his substance . but to come unto prophane stories , let us begin with heliodorus , treasurer of seleuchus king of asia ; who by the kings commandement and suggestion of one simon governour of the temple , came to take away the gold and silver which was kept in the treasury of the temple , and to transport it unto the kings treasury ; whereat the whole city of jerusalem put on sackeloth , and poured out prayers unto the lord : so that when heliodorus was present in the temple with his soldiers ready to seise upon the treasure , the lord of all spirits and power shewed so great a vision , that he fell suddenly into extreame feare and trembling : for there appeared unto him an horse with a terrible man sitting upon him , most richly barbed , which came fiercely and smote at him with his forefeet : moreover , there appeared two yong men , notable in strength , excellent in beauty , and comely in apparell , which stood by him on either side , and scourged him with many stripes : so that heliodorus that came in with so great a company of souldiers and attendants , was strucken dumbe , and carried out in a litter upon mens shoulders ; for his strength was so abated , that he could not help himselfe , but lay destitute of all hope of recovery , so heavy was the hand of god upon him , untill by the prayers of onias the high priest he was restored ; then loe he confessed , that he which dwelt in heaven had his eye on that place , and defended it from all those that came to hurt and spoile it . another of this crue was in crassus the romane ; who entering jerusalem , robbed the temple of two thousand talents of silver and gold , beside the rich ornaments , which amounted in worth to eight thousand talents , and a beame of beaten gold containing three hundred pound in weight : for which sacriledge , the vengeance of god so pursued him , that within a while after he was overcome by the parthians , and together with his son slain , his evill gotten goods being dispersed , and the skull of his head being made a ladle to melt gold in , that it might be glutted with that being dead , which alive it could be never satisfied with . herod following the steps of hircanus his predecessor , that tooke out of the sepulchre of king david three thousand talents of money , thinking to finde the like treasure , broke up the sepulchre in the night , and found no money , but rich ornaments of gold , which he tooke away with him ; howbeit to his cost : for two of his servants perished in the vault , by a divine fire , as it is reported , and he himselfe had small successe in his worldly affaires ever after . iulian the apostata robbed the church of the revenues thereof , and took away all benevolences and contributions to schooles of learning , to the end the children might not be instructed in the liberall arts , nor in any other good literature . he exaggerated also his sacriledge with scornfull jeasts ; saying , that he did further their salvation by making them poore ; seeing it was written in their owne bibles , blessed are the poore , for theirs is the kingdome of heaven : but how this sacrilegious theefe was punished , is already declared in the former booke . leo groponymus took out of the temple of constantinople an excellent crowne of gold beset with precious stones ; which mauritius had dedicated to the lord ; but as soon as he had set it on his head , a cruell fever seised upon him , that he dyed very shortly . the punishment of the sacriledge of queen vrraca in spaine was most wonderfull and speedy ▪ for when in her war against her son alphonsus shee wanted money , she robbed the church dedicated to s. isidore , and tooke with her owne hands the treasures up , which her souldiers refused to do : but ere she departed out of the church vengeance overtooke her , and strooke her dead in the place . moreover , the lord so hateth this irreligious sin , that he permitteth the devill to exercise his cruelty upon the spoilers of prophane and idolatrous temples , as he did upon dyonisius the tyran of syracusa ; who after many robberies of holy things , and spoiling the churches , dyed suddenly with extreame joy , as authors report . he spoiled the temple of proserpina at locris , and shaved off the golden beard of aesculapius at epidamnum ; saying , it was an unseemly thing for apollo to be beardlesse and his son bearded : he deprived iupiter olympus of his golden ra●ment , and gave him a woollen coat instead thereof ; saying it was too heavy for him in the summer , and too cold in winter , and this was more convenient for both seasons . the pretext of all his sacriledge was this , that seeing the gods were good , why should not he be partaker of their goodnesse . such another was cambyses king of persia , who sent fifty thousand men to rob and destroy the temple of iupiter ammon ; but in their journey so mighty a tempest arose , that they were overwhelmed with the sand , not one of them remaining to carry newes of their successe . brennus was constrained to slay himselfe , for enterprising to rob the temple of apollo at delphos : philomelus , onomarchus , and phayllus , went about the same practise , and indeed robbed the temple of all the treasures therein ; but one of them was burned , another drowned , and the third broke his neck : to conclude , the athenians put to death a yong childe , for taking but a golden plate out of diana's temple ; but first they offered him other jewels and trinkets , which when he despised in respect of the plate , they rigorously punished him as guilty of sacriledge . cardinall wolsey being determined to erect two new colledges , one at oxford , and the other at ipswich , obtained licence and authority of pope clement the seventh , to suppresse about the number of forty monasteries , to furnish and set forward the building of his said colledge : which irreligious sacriledge ( i call it sacriledge both because he was perswaded in conscience that those goods belonged to the church , and so to him it was sacriledge : as also for that he did it in pride of his heart ) was furthered by five persons , who were the chiefe instruments of the dissolution of daintry monastery , because the prior and covent would not grant them certaine lands in farme at their owne price . but what punishment ensued upon them at gods hand the world was witnesse of : for of these five persons , two fell at discord amongst themselves , and the one slew the other , for the which the survivor was hanged ; the third drowned himselfe in a well ; the fourth , being then worth two hundred pounds , within three yeares became so poore that he begged untill his dying day ; and the fifth ( called doctor allen ) was cruelly maimed in ireland ▪ the cardinall himselfe falling into the kings displeasure , was deposed from his bishoprick , and dyed miserably : the colledges which he meant to have made so glorious a building , came never to any good effect , the one at ipswich being cleane defaced , the other at oxford unfinished . and thus much of sacriledge : now let us come and see the punishment of simple theft , the principall cause whereof is covetousnesse ; which is so unruly an evill , and so deep rooted in the heart of man , that ever yet it hath used to encroach upon the goods of others , and to keep possession of that which was none of its owne ; breaking all the bonds of humanity , equity , and right , without being contained in any measure or meane ; whereof wee have a most notable example in the old world before the flood , which ( by moses report ) overflowed with iniquity and extortion , the mighty ones oppressed the weak , the greater trode under foot the lesse , and the rich devoured the poore . when the lord saw the generall deluge of sin and disorder thus universally spread ( which indeed was a signe of great defection and contempt of him ) he like a just judge that could not endure these monstrous iniquities , sent a deluge of waters amongst them , by opening the windowes of heaven , and breaking up the fountaines of the great deepes , and giving passage to the waters both by heaven and earth , so that it raigned forty daies , and forty nights without ceasing , and the waters prevailed upon the earth , and overcovered the high mountaines by fifteen cubites , the earth being reduced into the same estate which it had in the beginning before the waters were tooke away from the face thereof : verily it was a most hideous and sad spectacle , to see first the vallies , then the hils , and last the highest mountaines so overflowne with water , that no shew or appearance of them might be perceived ; it was a dreadfull sight to behold whole houses , tossed to and fro up and downe in the waves , and at last to be shivered in pieces : there was not a city nor village that perished not in the deep , not a tree nor tower so high that could overpeere the waters : as they increased more and more in abundance , so feare , horrour , and despaire of safety encreased in the heart of every living soule . and on this fashion did god punish those wicked rebels , not at one blow , but by little and little increasing their paine , that as they had a long time abused his patience , and made no reckoning of amendment , so the punishment of their sin might be long and tedious . now in this extremity one could not help another , nor one envy another , but all were concluded under the same destruction , all surprised , assieged , and environed alike , as well he that roved in the fields , as he that stayed in the houses , he that climbed up into the mountaines , as he that abode in the vallies , the mercilesse waters spared none : it was to no purpose that some ascended their high houses , some climbed upon trees , and some scaled the rockes , neither one nor other found any refuge or safety in any place , the rich were not saved by their riches , nor the strong by the pith of their strength , but all perished and were drowned together , except noah and his family : which punishment was correspondent unto the worlds iniquity , for as the earth was corrupted and polluted with abundance of sin , so god sent abundance of water to purge and cleanse away the filthinesse thereof , as at the latter day hee will send fire to purifie and refine heaven and earth from their dregs , and restore them to their first and purest estate . and thus god revenged the extortion and cruelty of that age . but yet for all this , those sins were not then so defaced and rooted up , but that they be burnished againe and growne in time to as big a bulke : for even at this day the greatest part of the world is given to practise fraud and deceit , and by unlawfull meanes to incroach upon others goods : which subtilties though they desire never so to disguise and cloke , yet will they ever be condemned and reputed kindes of theft before god : now as some are of greater power & authority than others in the world , so answerable to themselves is the quality of their sins , and by consequence the punishment : the greater of power , the greater theeves , and the greater judgment ; for if a poore man that through poverty and necessity cutteth a purse or stealeth any other trifle , be culpable , how much more culpable shall he that is rich be , that usurpeth the goods of his neighbour ? draco the lawgiver of athens , appointed death to be the punishment of sheft : solon mitigated that rigour , and punished it with double restitution : the locrians put out his eyes that had stolne ought from his neighbour : the hetrurians stoned them to death : the scythians abhorred them more than all creatures , because they had a community of all things except their cups the vatoeiane used such severity towards this kinde of men , that as 〈…〉 taken a handfull of 〈◊〉 he was sure to die for it . 〈…〉 being censor , 〈◊〉 demeed his owne son buteo to death , being apprehended for theft . tiberius the emperour punished a souldier after the time 〈◊〉 for stealing i●●eaco●ke in summe , there was no commonwealth 〈…〉 was not highly detested , and sharply 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 where it w●s permitted and tollerated , 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 yet as 〈…〉 a just dead of tamberlaine that mighty 〈◊〉 and conquerour of asia , when a poore woman complained 〈…〉 of his souldiers , that had taken from her a little milke and a 〈…〉 the caused the souldiers belly to be ripped to see that her 〈◊〉 had falsely accused him on no , and finding the milke in his stomacke ; adjudged him worthy of that punishment , for stealing from poore ●● woman . when theophilus raigned emperour in the east there was a certaine souldier possessed of a very gallant and brave horse which his captaine by all mea●es possible sought to get from him ▪ but he would not in any case 〈…〉 he put him forth of pay , and tooke his horse , from him by force , and sent him for a present to the emperour theophilus : now it chanced that this poore souldier was slaine in the battell for want of his horse , and his wife and children lest destitute of succour , insomuch that through necessity she was constrained to flie to constant inople , and to complaine to the emperour of the injury done unto her husband ; with this resolution entring the city , she met the emperour riding upon her husbands horse , and catching the horse bridle , challenged him not on●y for stealing the horse , but also being the cause of her husbands death . the emperour wondring at the woman boldnesse , examined her more narrowly ▪ and found out the whole practise of that wicked captaine whom he banished presently , his empire , and bestowed his possession in recommence upon the distressed widdow . ibicus the poet being set upon by theeves , when he saw that they would not only spoile him of his money but of 〈◊〉 he also cryed for help and revenge to the cranes that flew over his head a while after ●● these murdering 〈…〉 together in the market place , the same cranes appearing unto 〈…〉 they whispered one another in the care , and said , ●onder 〈…〉 which though secretly spoken , yet was overhe●rd 〈…〉 they being examined and found guilty , were put to death for their 〈◊〉 . the like story martin luther reporteth touching a traveller ; only 〈…〉 in this that as cranes detected the former : so crowes laid open the latter . in the yeare ● ▪ when as all saxony was so infested with theeyes that no man could travell safely in the countrey the princes calling a councell , for downe this order . that not only the theeves themselves should be severely punished ▪ but all that did protect , or harbour any of them ; which 〈…〉 as theodoricke country of we●ingr●de impugned , the body of 〈◊〉 councell sent for him , and adjudged him to a most cruell and shamefull 〈◊〉 . in the yeare ▪ henry duke of luneburg a most just and severe prince , went about to purge his countrey from all thefts and robberies ▪ insomuch that the least offence committed in that kinde he suffered not to go unpunished : now it hapned as the duke went towards lun●burge , he sene before him one of his chiefest officers to provide necessaries against his comming : who riding without a cloak , the weather being cold , 〈◊〉 a ploughman to lend him his cloak till his returne : which when the clowne refused to do , he took it without leave , but it cost him his life for ●● , for the ploughman awaited the dukes comming and directed his complaint unto him on this manner : what availeth i● ( o● most noble prince● to seek to suppres the courage of thieves and spoilers , when as thy chiefest officers dare commit such things uncontrolled , a● the lieutenant of 〈◊〉 but now taken from me my cloak ? the duke hearing this complaint , and considering the cause , dissembled his counsell 〈◊〉 his returne 〈◊〉 from luneburge unto the same place , where calling for his lieutenant , and rating him for his injury , he commanded him to be hunged upon a tree . a wonderfull severity in justice , and worthy to be commended : for what hope is it to root out small and pity thieves , if we suffer grand thieves to go uncorrected ? there is another kinde of these practised of them that be in authority , who under the title of confiscation assume unto themselves stollen goods , and so much the re●dilier , by now much the value of the things amounteth to more worth : an action altogether unjust , and contrary to both divine and humane lawes , which ordain to restore unto every man his owne : and truly he that in stead of restitution withholdeth the goods of his neighbour in this manner , differeth no more from a 〈◊〉 than that the one stealeth boldly without fear , the other ●n●orously and with great danger : and what greater corruption of justice can there be than this ? for who would follow the law upon a thiefe , when he knoweth he shall rather run into further charge , than recover any of his old losse ? beside this , it hapneth that poor small theeves are often drawne to the whip , or driven to banishment , of sent to the gallowes , when rich grand theeves lie at their case , and escape uncontrolled , albeit the quality of their 〈◊〉 be far unequall : according to the poet : the simple dove by law is censured , when ravenou● 〈◊〉 escape unpunished . the world was ever yet full of such ravenou● ra●ens ; so nimble in pilling others goods , and so greedy of their owne gain , that the poor people in stead of being maintained and preserved in the peaceable enjoying of their portions , are gnawne to the very bone● amongst them : for which cause homer in the person of agamemnon calleth them devourers of men . likewise also the prophet david in the 〈◊〉 psalme calleth them eaters of his people : and yet want they not flatterers and 〈◊〉 friends ( canker wormes of a common-wealth ) that urge them forwards , and devise daily new kinde of exactions , like horse-lead●es to suckt out the very bloud of mens purses : shewing so much the more wit and deceit therein , by how much the more they hope to gain a great part 〈◊〉 of unto their selves : being like hunger-starved harpeis , that will never be fortified , but still match and catch all that commeth near their 〈◊〉 : and these are they that do good to no man , but hurt to all ; of whom the merchant findeth himselfe agrieved , the artificer trodden under foot , the poor labourer oppressed , and generally all men endammaged . chap. xxxviii . of the excessive burdenings of the comminalty . as it is a just and approved thing before god , to do honour and reverence to kings and princes , and to be subject under them in all obedience ; so it is a reasonable and allowable duty to pay such tributes and subsidies ( whereby their great charges and honourable estate may be maintained ) as by right or equity are due unto them : and this is also commanded by our saviour christ in expresse words , when he saith , give unto caesar that which is caesars . and by the apostle paul more expresly , pay tributes , render unto all men their due : tribute to whom tribute belongeth , and custom to whom custom : marke how he saith , give unto all men their due : and therein observe , that kings and princes ought of their good and just disposition to be content with their due , and not seek to load and overcharge their subjects with unnecessary exactions , but to desire to see them rather rich and wealthy , than poor and needy ; for thereby commeth no profit unto themselves . further it is most unlawfull for them to exact that above measure upon their commons , which being in mediocrity is not condemned : i say it is unlawfull both by the law of god and man ( the law of god and man is tearmed all that which both god and man allow and agree upon , and which a man with a safe conscience may put in practise : ) for the former we can have no other schoolmaster nor instruction , save the holy scripture , wherein god hath manifested his will unto us concerning this very matter ; as in deuteronomy the eighteenth , speaking of the office and duty of a king , he forbiddeth them to be hoorders up of gold and siluer , and espousers of many wives , and lovers of pride : signifying thereby , that they ought to contain themselves within the bounds of modesty and temperance , and not give the raines to their owne affections , nor heape up great treasures to their peoples detriment , nor to delight in war , nor to be too much subject to their owne pleasures : all which things are meanes of unmeasurable expence : so that if it be not allowable to muster together multitudes of goods , for the danger and mischief that ensueth thereof , as it appeareth out of this place ; then surely it is much lesse lawfull to levy excessive taxes of the people ; for the one of these cannot be without the other : and thus for the law of god it is clear , that by it authority is not committed unto them , to surcharge , and as it were trample downe their poor subjects , by unmeasurable and unsupportable impositions . as for that which the prophet samuel in the name of god giveth notice to the israelites of , touching the right of a king ; wherein he seemeth to allow him the disposition of the goods and persons of his subjects : i answer first , that god being an immoveable truth , cannot contradict himselfe by commanding and forbidding the same thing ; and secondly , that the word of the text in the originall signifieth nothing else but a custome or fashion , as it appeareth by the sam. . . besides , the speech that the prophet useth , importeth not a commandment , but an advertisement of the subjection , whereunto the people were about to thrust themselves , by desiring a king after the manner of other nations , whose customes amongst them was to exercise authority and dominion as well over their goods as their persons : for which cause god would have them forewarned , that they might know how vile a yoak they put their owneneckes under , and what grievous and troublesome servitude they undertook , from the which they could no wayes be delivered , no though they de●●●ed it with teares . furthermore , that a king in israel had no power ( in right and eq●ity ) to take away the possessions of any of his subjects , and appropriate it to himselfe , it appeareth by naboaths refusall no king achab , to give him his vineyard , though he requested it ( as it may seem ) upon very reasonable conditions , either for his money , or for exchange , so that a man would thinke he ought not to have denied him : howbeit his desire being thus crossed , he could not mend himselfe by his authority , but fell to vexe and grieve himselfe , and to champe upon his owne bit , untill by the wicked and detestable complot of iezable , poor naboath was falsely accused , unjustly condemned , and cruelly murdered ; and then he put in possession of his vineyard : which murder ( doubtlesse ) she would never have attempted , nor yet naboath ever have refused to yeeld his vineyard , if by any pretence of law they could have laid claim unto it : but naboath knowing that it was contrary to gods ordinance , for him to part with his patrimony ( which he ought most carefully to preserve ) would not consent to sell over his vineyard , neither for love nor money , nor other recompence : and herein he did but his duty , approved by the holy scripture . now how odious a thing before god the oppression of poor people is , it is manifest by his owne words in the prophesie of ezechiel , where he saith , let it suffice , o princes of israel , learn off cruelty and oppression , and execute judgement and justice : take away your exactions from my people , and cease to thrust them from their goods and heritages . now concerning the law of man , which all men agree unto , because it is grounded upon reason and equity , we finde no permission given to kings to use the goods of other men at their pleasures ; for that was far from equity : neither was there any such liberty bestowed upon them , by those that first in the beginning exalted them to that degree of dignity : but rather ( as divers worthy authours avouch ) their owne vertues and good behaviour which woon them credit amongst the better sort , installed them first unto that honour . and truely there is nothing more rightfull and justin mans society , than that every one should possesse and enjoy that which is his owne in peace and quietnesse , without disturbance or violence ; in which respect also , rules of justice are established , called lawes , which no good kings will ever seek to stand against . they are indeed lords of the earth , a● some say , and truly ; but so , that their lordships stretch no further than right , and passe not the rule of equity : and notwithstanding , the propriety of goods and possessions remaineth untouched . to kings ( saith so●●ca ) pertaineth the soveraignty over all things , but to private men the propriety . tiberius caesar being solicited by the governours of the provinces , to lay heavier tributes , and levy larger subsidies from his people , made ( though a painim ) this notable answer , that a good shepherd ought to shear his sheep , not to flea them . saint lewis , that good king , amongst all his other wife and vertuous exhortations which he gave to his son before his death , this was none of the least nor last ; that he should never crave any taxe or subsidie of his subjects , but upon urgent necessity , and very just cause ; and that if he did otherwise , he should not be reputed for a king , but for a tyran . chap. xxxix . of those that have used too much cruelty to wards their subjects in taxes and exactions . it is clear then by these foresaid assumptions , that a king may not impose upon his subjects unmeasurable taxes and subsidies , least he make himselfe guilty of extortion , the root and fountain many times of many great mischiefes and inconveniences , and in very deed from whence oftner changes , seditions , and ruines of common-wealths have proceeded , than from any other cause beside . what hapned to roboam king of israel , for shewing himselfe too rigorous on this behalfe to his subjects , but the defection of the greater part of his kingdom from him ; for being come to the crowne after the death of his father solomon , when the people came and made a supplication to him , to be eased from his fathers burdens , he ( despising the counsell of his sage and antient . counsellours , and following the giddy advice of his young companions ) gave them a most sharpe and sowre reply ; saying , that if his father had laid an heavy yoak upon them , he would encrease it ; and if he had chastised them with rods , he would correct them with scourges ; which when they of israel heard , they revolted from him ( all save the two tribes of iuda and benjamin ) and stoned to death his collectours , and chose them another king to rule over them . thus roboam was deprived often parts of his kingdom thorow his owne unadvised tyranny , and fled all amazed unto jerusalem , where he lived all his dayes without recovery of the same . achaeus king of lydia was hanged up against a hill , and his head throwne into a river running by , because of the great subsidies which he exacted of his people . dionysius , the first of that name , a notorious and renowned tyran , not onely in regard of his exceeding cruelty , but also of his unjust rackings and exactions , was so violent in that practise of doing wrong , that alboit he well knew the griefes and vexations of the people , that ceased not to complain and lament their case continually , yet he diminished not their burdens , but multiplied them more and more , and sucked and gnew out all that ever he could , untill he left them naked , empty , and despoiled : to conclude , this grand theefe , that durst not trust his wife nor owne daughters , after he had been discomfited by the carthaginians , was slain by his servants . of the roman emperours that most vexed the commonalty with tribures and taxes , these three were chief , caligula , nero , and caracalla ; of whom this latter did most pill and pull the people , and would often say , that the gold and silver of the kingdom pertained in right to none but him . being reproved of his mother at a time , for his immoderate and excessive expences ; saying , that there was almost not so much more treasure left as he had already spent ; he made her this answer , that she should take no care for that ; for as long as his hand was able to wield his sword ( which he held naked before her ) he would not want money . this is the sword which many now adayes ( after the example of caracalla ) have taken up , to cut out ( by force and violence ) a way to their owne wils , and to cut the throat of equity and justice , and to compell the poor people to forgo their goods , and surrender them into their hands : now how odious and hatefull these three were made unto the people by their owne wicked demeanours , their miserable ends do sufficiently testify ; which wee have already before ment ioned , and mean afterward more at large to speak of . the emperour constance , son to constantine , whose father was heraclius , comming at a time out of greece into rome , abode there but five dayes ; but in that short space committed so much outrage in ransacking the temples and other publike places , and carrying away so many rich ornaments and pictures ( whereof those places then abounded ) that in mans remembrance no forreigne barbarous enemy , having taken the city by force of war , ever went away with the like spoil : besides , he did so oppresse the allies and tributaries of the empire ( and chiefly the sicilians ) with taxes and imposts , that many of them were constrained to sell their children for money to satisfie his extortion : and by this meanes he scraped together an infinite masse of rapines and evill gotten goods ; but enjoyed the sweet of them not very long ; for very soon after he was murdered by his owne men of wat , in his returne out of sicily and all that spoil which he had unjustly surprised , was suddenly taken and transported into africa by the sarasens , that then inhabited the city panorme . lewis the eleventh , king of france , after he had overcharged his subjects with too grievous burdens of payments and taxes , fell into such a timorous conceit and fear of death , as never any man did the like ; he attempted all meanes of avoiding or delaying the same ; as first , during his sicknesse , he gave his physitian monethly ten thousand crownes , by that meanes to creep into his favour : wherein he , being in all other things a very niggard and pinch-penny , shewed himself on the other side more than prodigall : next he sent into calabria for an hermit , reported to be an holy and devout man , to whom at his arrivall , he performed so much duty and reverence , as was wonderfull and unseemly : for he threw himselfe on his knees , and besought him to prolong his decaying life , as if he had been a god , and not a man : but all that he could do was to no purpose ; no nor the reliques which pope sextus sent him to busie himselfe withall , nor the holy viall of the rheimes which was brought him , could prorogue this life of his , nor priviledge him from dying a discontent and unwilling death : he suspected the most part of his nearest attendants , and would not suffer them to approach unto him in his sicknesse : after he had thus prolonged the time in hope , and yet still languished in extream distresse of his disease , it was at length told him in all speed , that he should not set his minde any longer upon those vain hopes , nor upon that holy man , for his time was come , and he must needs die . and thus he that during his raigne shewed himselfe rough and cruell to his subjects , by too many and heavy impositions , was himselfe in his latter end thus roughly and hardly dealt withall . christierne the eleventh , king of denmarke , norway ; and suecia , after the death of king iohn his father , reigned , the year of our lord . and was too intolerable in imposing burdens and taxes upon his subjects ; for which cause the suecians revolted from his government : whom though after many battels and sieges he conquered , and placed amongst them his garisons to keep them in awe , yet ceased they not to rebell against him , and that by the instigation of a mean gentleman , who very quickly got fo●ting into the kingdom , and possessed himselfe of the crowne and government . now christierne having lost this province , and being also in disdain and hatred of his owne countrey , and fearing least this inward heat of spight should grow to some flame of danger to his life , seeing that the inhabitants of lubecke conspiring with his uncle fredericke , began to take armes against him , he fled away , with his wife ( sister to the emperour charles the fifth ) and his young children , to zealand , a province of the emperours , after he had reigned nine yeares : after which the estates of the realme ( aided by them of lubecke ) assembling together , exalted his uncle fredericke , prince of holsatia ( though old and antient ) to the crowne ; and publishing certain writings , addressed them to the emperour and the princes of his empire , to render a reason of their proceeding , and to make knowne unto them upon how good considerations they had deposed and banished christierne , for the tyranny which hee exercised among them . ten yeares after this he got together a new army by sea , in hope to recover his losses , but contrary to his hope he was taken prisoner , and in captivity miserably ended his dayes . henry king of suecia was chased from his scepter for enterprising to burden his commons with new contributions : those that were devisers of new taxes and tributes , for the most part ever lost their lives in their labours : for proof whereof , let the example of parchenus or porchetes serve ; who for giving counsell to king theodebert touching the raising of new subsidies , was stoned to death by the multitude , in the city trieves . likewise was george presquon cruelly put to death by the people , for perswading and setting forward henry of suecia , to the vexation and exaction of his subjects . chap. xl. more examples of the same subject . aistulphus the nineteenth king of lumbardy , was not onely a most cruell tyran , but also a grievous oppressour of his subjects with taxes and exactions ; for he imposed this upon every one of them , to pay yearly a noble for their heads : against this man pope stephen provoked king pepin of france , who comming with an army drove the tyran into tycinum , and constrained him to yeeld to partiall conditions of peace . howbeit pepin was no sooner gone , but he returned to his old byas ; wherefore the second time he came and drove him to as great extreamity ; insomuch as another peace was concluded : after the accomplishment whereof , perverse aistulph still vexing his subjects , was plagued by god with an apoplexy , and so died . iustinian the emperour , as he was profuse and excessive in spending , so was he immoderate and insatiable in gathering together riches , for he exercised his wit in devising new tributes and payments , and rejoyced his heart in nothing more ; for which causes there arose a grievous sedition at constantinople against him ; wherein not onely the excellent and famous monuments of the empire were burned , but also forty thousand men slain ; and this was no small punishment for his oppression . at paris there is to be seene in the corne market , a certaine monument hard at the mouth of the common sinke , which conveyeth away all the filth out of the city ; the occasion whereof is reported to be this : a certaine courtier seeing the king sad and melancholly for want of treasure , counselled him to exact of every countriman that brought ware into the city but one penny , and that but for two yeares together : which when the king put in practise , and found the exceeding commodity thereof , he not onely continued that tax , but also invented divers others , to the great dammage of the common-wealth , and enriching of his owne treasurie . wherefore he that put it first into his head , when hee saw that he had not so much authority in dissuading , as he had in persuading it , to take punishment of himselfe for that inconsiderate deed ; and to warne others from attempting the like , he commanded by his testament , that his body should be buried in that common sinke , to be an example of exaction and the filthinesse thereof . barnabe , vicount of milan , by the report of paulus iovius , was an unconscionable oppressor of his subjects and tenants : for he did not onely extort of them continuall imposts and payments , but enjoyned them to keepe every one a dogge : which if they came to any mishap , or were either too fat or too leane , the keeper was sure to be beaten , or at least some fine to be set on his head . this tyran was taken by iohn galeacius , and after seven moneths imprisonment poysoned to death . archigallo , brother to gorbonianus in nature , though unlike in conditions ( for he was a good prince , whereas this was a tyran ) was crowned king of britaine in the yeare of the world : we may well place him in the ranke , of oppressours ; for he deposed the noblemen , and exalted the ignoble , he extorted from men their goods , to enrich his treasure ; for which cause the estates of the realme deprived him of his royall dignity , and placed his younger brother elydurus in his room , after he had raigned five yeares . hardiknitus king of denmarke , after the death of harold was ordained king of england , in the year of our lord . this king as he was somewhat cruell ( for he caused the body of harold to be taken up out of the sepulclire , and smiting off his head , to be cast out into the river thames , because he had injured his mother emma when he was alive ; ) so he was burdensom to his subjects in tributes and exaction : for which cause growing into hatred with god and his subjects , he was strucken with sudden death , not without suspition of poysoning , after he had raigned three yeares . william rufus , second son of william the conquerour , succeeded his father , as in the kingdom of england , so in disposition of nature : for they were both cruell , inconstant , and covetous , aud burdened their people with unreasonable taxes ; insomuch , that what by the murraine of men by postilence , and oppressions of them by exactions , the tillage of the earth was put off for one year , being the year , whereby ensued great scarcity the year following throughout all the land : but for the oppression william was justly punished by sudden death , when being at his disport of hunting he was wounded with an arrow glauncing from the bow of tyrill a french knight , and so his tyranny and life ended together . and here is further to be noted , that the place where this king was slain , was called new forest ; in which same place richard , the cousin germane of king william , son to duke robert his brother , was likewise slain . this new forest was made by william the conquerour their father , who plucked downe and depopulated divers townes and churches the compasse of . miles about , to make this a forest for wilde beasts : a most beastly sin , yea a bloudy crying sin , too too much practised in these dayes , and that by great persons , that make no conscience to turne townes into pastures , and men into sheep : but let all them behold the just vengeance of god upon this kings posterity : for when then either cannot or will not revenge , then god revengeth either in them or their posterity . in the year . the commons of guyenne , santonge , and augoulemois fell into a great rebellion , by reason of the extortions of the customers and farmours of salt : the rebels in a few weekes grew to the number of fourty thousand men , armed with clubs and staves ; who joyning with the islanders , by a generall consent ran upon the officers of the custome , and with extreme sury put to sword all that they could take , notwithstanding the king of navarre sought by all meanes to appease them . about the same time the commons of gascoigne rose in divers places , upon the same causes , and notwithstanding all that the lord of monneins , the kings lieutenant , and all other officers could do , they made a great spoil of many honourable houses , and massacre of much people : insomuch , that the lord of moneins himselfe was slain by them , whilest he was making an oration to them to pacifie their rage : but at length these rebels were suppressed by francis of lorraine , earle of aumale , and anne of mommorancye , high constable of france , and the chief king-leaders and captaines of them executed according to their deserts . la vergne was drawne in pieces by four horses : l'estonnac , and the two brothers of saulx , had their heads cut off : tallemoigne and galefer● , the two colonels of the commons , were broken upon the wheele , being first crowned with a crowne of burning iron , as a punishment of the soveraignty which they had usurped . thus the lord punished both the one and the other , and the one by the other ; the exactors for their oppression , and the tumultuous commons for their rebellion . neither doth the lord thus punish oppressours themselves , but also they that either countenance , or having authority , do not punish the same ; as it appeareth by this example following . in the year of our lord . there lived one corrannus a king of scots ; who though he governed the people in peace and quietnesse a long space , and was indeed a good prince , yet because his chancellour tomset used extortion and exaction amongst his subjects , and he being advertised thereof , did not punish him , he was slain traiterously by his owne subjects . it is not unworthy to be noted , how edward the third , king of england , prospered a long while in the warres against france , and got many worthy and wonderfull victories : but when prince edward , son unto the aforesaid edward , after conditions of peace concluded , began to set taxes and impositions upon the country of aquitain , then did king edwards part begin to incline , and the successe of war , which the space of fourty yeares never forsook him , now frowned upon him ; so that he quickly lost all those lands which by composition of peace were granted unto him . chap. xli . of such as by force of armes have either taken away , or would have taken away , the goods and lands of other men . now if they that oppresse their subjects , and devour them in this manner be found guilty , then must they needs be much more , that are carried with the wings of their owne hungry ambitious desire to invade their lands and seigniories , attended on with an infinite retinue of pillages , sackings , ruines of cities and people ; which are alwayes necessary companions of furious unmercifull war. there are no flouds so broad , nor mountaines so steep , nor rokces so rough and dangerous , nor sea so long and furious , that can restrain the rash and headstrong desire of such greedy minded sacres : so that if their body might be proportioned to the square and greatnesse of their mindes , with the one hand they would reach the east , and with the other hand the west ( as it is said of alexander : ) howbeit hereof they boast and glory no lesse than they that took delight to be sirnamed city-spoilers : others burners of cities ; some conquerours , and many eagles and faulcons , seeking as it were fame by infamy ; and by vice , eternity . but to these men it often commeth to passe , that even then when they thinke to advance their dominion , and to stretch their bounds and frontiers furthest , they are driven to recoil , for fear of being dispossessed themselves of their owne lands and inheritances : and even as they dealt , with others rigorously and by strength of weapons , so shall they be themselves rehandled and dealt withall after the same measure ; according to the word of the prophet denounced against such as they : cursed be th●● that spoilest and dealest unfaithfully ; when thou hast made an end of spoiling others , th●● th● selfe shalt be spoiled ; and when thou hast done dealing traiterously , then treason shall begin to be practised against thee . and this curse most commonly never faileth to seise upon these great theeves and robbers , or at least upon their children and successours ; as by particular examples we shall see , after we have first spoken of adonias , who not content with his owne estate of being a kings son , which god had allotted him , went about to 〈◊〉 the crowne and kingdome from his brother solomon , to whom by right it appertained ( for god had manifested the same by the mouth of his father david ) but both he and his assistants , for their overbold and rash enterprise , were iustly by solomon punished with death . crassus king of lydia was the first that made war against ephesus , and that subdued the greekes of asia : to wit , the phrygians , mysians . chalybeans , paphlagonians , thracians , bythinians , ionians , dorians , aeolians , and pamphilians , and made them all tributeries unto him : by meanes whereof he being growne exceeding rich and puissant , by the detriment and undoing of so many people , vanted and gloried in his greatnesse and power , and even then thought himselfe the happiest man in the world , when most misery and adversity , grief and distresse of his estate and wholehouse , approuched nearest : for first and formost one of his sonnes that was dear unto him , was by oversight slain at the chase of a wilde bore : next himselfe having commenced war with cyrus , was overcome in battell , and besieged in sardis the chief city of his kingdom , and at last taken and carried captive to cyrus , despoiled of all his late glory and dominion . and thus crassus ( as saith plutarch after herodotus ) bore the punishment of the offence of his great grandfather gigas : who being but one of king ca●daules attendants , slew his master , and usurped the crowne at the provokement of the queen his mistresse , whom he also took to be his wife : and thus this kingdom decayed by the same meanes by which it first encreased . polycrat●s the tyran was one that by violence and tyrannous meanes grew from a base condition to an high estate : for being but one of the vulgar sort in the city samos , he with the assistance of fifteen armed men seised upon the whole city , and made himselfe lord of it : which dividing into three parts , he bestowed two of them upon his two brethren , but not for perpetuity ; for ere long the third part of his usurpation cost the elder of them the best part of his life , and the younger his liberty , for he chased him away , that he might be sole possessour of the whole island . after this , he invaded many other islands , besides many cities in the same land : he raised the lacedemonians from the fiege of samos , which they had begirt : and when he saw that all things fell out so well to his owne wish , that nothing could be more , fearing so great prosperity could not but carry in the ●ail some terrible sting of adversity and mischance , attempted by voluntary losse of something of value to prevent the mischief which he feared to ensue : and this by the advice of his dear friend and allie ( the king of aegypt ) therefore he threw a ring which he had of great price into the sea , to the end to delude fortune ( as he thought ) thereby : ●ut the ring was after found in a fishes belly , and offered as a present unto him : and this was an evident presage of some inevitable this for tune that waited for him : neither did it prove vain and frivolous ; for he was hanged upon a gibbet of sardis , by the commandment of orates the governour of the city ; who under pretence of friendship , and colour of rendring his treasure into his hands , and bestowing upon him a great part thereof , promising also to passe the rest of his dayes under his wing , for fear of the rage of cambyses , drew him to come privately to speak with him , and so easily wrought his will upon him . aristodemus got into his hands the government of c●ma , after he had made away the principall of the city : and to keep it the better being obt●ined , he first worme the vulgars hearts by presents , then banished out of the city their children whom he had put to death , and entertained the rest of the youth with such variety of pleasures and delights , that by those devices he kept himselfe in his tyrannous estate many yeares : but as soon as the children of those slain citizens were growne to ripe yeares of strength and discretion , being desirous to revenge their fathers deaths , they set upon him in the night , so at unawares , that they put him and all his family to the slaughter . timophanes usurped a principality , power , and rule in corinth a free city , and became so odious thereby to the whole people , yea and to his owne brother tymoleon also , that laying aside all respect of nature , he slew him with his owne hands , preferring the liberty of his countrey before any unity or bond of bloud . when the cities of greece ( saith orosius ) would needs through too greedy a desire and ambition of reigne ▪ get every one the mastery and soveraignty of the rest , they all together made shipwracke of their owne liberties by encroaching upon others : as for instance , the lacedemonians , how hurtfull and incommodious the desire of bringing their neighbour adjoyning cities under their dominion was unto them , the sundry discomfitures and distresses within the time of that war , undertaken upon that onely cause , befell them , bear sufficient record . servius tullus , the son to a bondman , addicted himselfe so much to the exploits of war , that by prowesse he got so great credit and reputation among the romans , that he was thought ●it to be son in law of king tarquinius , by marrying one of his daughters ; after whose death he usurped the crowne , under colour of the protectorship of the kings ●oo young sonnes ; who when they came to age and bignesse , married the daughters of their brother in law tullus ; by whose exhortation and continuall provokement the elder of them , which was called tarquinius , conspired against his father in law , and practised to make himselfe king , and to recover his rightfull inheritance , and that by this meanes : he watched his opportunity when the greatest part of the people were out of the city about gathering their fruit in the fields , and then placing his companions in readinesse , to serve his turne if need should be , he marched to the palace in the royall robes , garded with a company of his comederates ; and having called a senate , as he began to complain him of the treachery and impudency of tullus , behold , tullus himselfe came in and would have run violently upon him ; but tarquinius catching him about the middle , threw him headlong downe the staires , and presently sent certaine of his guard to make an end of the murder which he had begun . but herein the cruelty of tullia was most monstrous ; that not onely first moved her husband to this bloudy practice , but also made her coach to be driven over the body of her father , which lay bleeding in the midst of the street , scarce dead . manlius , after hee had maintained the fortresse of rome against the gaules , glorying in that action , and envying the good hap and prosperity of camillus , went about to make himselfe king , under pretence of restoring the people to their antient entire libertie : but his practise being discovered , hee was accused , found guilty , and by the consent of the multitude adjudged to be throwne headlong downe from the top of the same fortresse , to the end that the same place which gave him great glorie , might be a witnesse and a memoriall of his shame and last confusion : for all his valiant deeds before done were not of so much force with the people , to excuse his fault or save his life , as this one crime was of weight to bring him to his death . in former times there lived in carthage one hanno , who because he had more riches than all the common-wealth beside , began to aspire to the domination of the citie : which the better to accomplish , hee devised to make shew of marrying his onely daughter , to the end that at the marriage feast hee might poison the chiefest men of credit and power of the city whom he knew could or would not any wayes withstand or countermand his purpose : but when this devise tooke no effect , by reason of the discovery thereof by certaine of his servants , hee sought another meanes to effect his will : hee got together a huge number of bondslaves and servants , which should at a sudden put him in possession of the city but being prevented herein also by the citizens , he seised upon a castle with a thousand men of base regard , even servants for the most part ; whither thinking to draw the africans and king of the moores to his succour , he was taken and first whipped , next had his eyes thrust out , and then his armes and legs broken in pieces , and so was executed to death before all the people : his carkasse being thus mangled with blowes , was hanged upon a gallowes , and all his kindred and children put to death , that there might not one remaine of his straine , either to enterprise the like deed , or to revenge his death . that great and fearefull warrior iulius caesar , one of the most hardie and valiant pieces of flesh that ever was , after hee had performed so many notable exploits , overcome all his enemies , and brought all high and haughtie purposes to their desired effect , being prickt forward with the spurre of ambition and a high minde , through the meanes and assistance of the mighty forces of the common-wealth , which ( contrary to the constitution of the senat ) were left in his hands , hee set footing into the state , and making himselfe master and lord of the whole romane empire , usurped a soveraigntie over them : but as he attained to his dignitie by force and violence , so he enjoyed it not long , neither gained any great benefit by it , except the losse of his life may be counted a benefit , which shortly after in the open senat was bereft him : for the conspirers thereof , as soone as hee was set downe in his seat , compassing him about , so vehemently overcharged him on all sides , that notwithstanding all the resistance hee could make for his defence , tossing amongst them , and shifting himselfe up and downe , he was overthrowne on the earth , and abode for dead , through the number of blowes that were given him , even three and twenty wounds . the monarchie of assyria was at one instant extinguished in sardana palus ; and of babylon in balthasar , arbaces being the worker of the first , and darius king of persia , of the later ; both of them receiving the wages , not of their wickednesse , but also of their predecessors , and great grandfathers cruelty and oppressions , by whom many people and nations had been destroyed . moreover , as the babylonian empire was overthrowne by darius of persia , so was his persian kingdome ( in darius the last king of that countrey his time , this mans successor ) overturned by alexander . again , the great dominion of alexander ( who survived not long after ) was not continued to any of his by inheritance , but divided like a prey amongst his greatest captaines , and from them the most part of it in short time descended to the romanes ; who spreading their wings , and stretching their greedie tallons farre and neere , for a while ravened and preyed over all the world , and enriched and bedecked themselves with the spoyles of many nations ; and therefore it was necessary that they also should be made a prey , and that the farre fetcht goths and vandales should come upon them , as upon the bodie of a great whale that suffers shipwreck upon the sea shore : since which time the romane empire went to decay , and grew every day weaker than other ; yea , and many princes setting themselves against and above it , have robbed it of the realmes and provinces which it robbed others of before . and thus wee may see how all things run as it were in a circle , and how great the uncertainetie of this world is , seeing that the mightiest are subject to so many and great changes : for if there be any thing under the sun that may carry any shew of stability or continuance , surely it is a monarchie or common-wealth , grounded upon the unitie and consent of all people , maintained by the authoritie of the greatest and most mightie , and underpropped with the shores of much strength and wealth , as the romane empire was ; and yet for all that , there was never any , though never so well reared and furnished , and deepe rooted , which at the length hath not bin demolished , ransacked , and pulled up by some notable and strange calamitie . and this is that which the spirit of god would give us to knowe , by the vision of that great image , represented to nabuchadnezzar in a dreame , according to daniels interpretation thereof ; to wit , that the foure great and puissant monarchies of the world should at last be ruined and dispersed , like the chaffe before the winde , till they were consumed and brought to nothing , albeit they were glorious and excellent as gold and silver , or strong and mightie as brasse and iron . how much more foolish and evill advised are they then , that for a certaine apparant splendour and shew of worldly honour ( which is as fraile as any rose , as variable as the winde , as light and vaine as a shadow or smoke , as unassured as a rotten planke ) have the eyes of their minde so dazeled , and their wits so bewitched , and all their affections so transported , as to mingle heaven and earth together , to dash the east against the west , to stirre up discord and dissention betwixt man and man , and to shed so many thousand mens bloud , and all for a paltrie desire of reigne , though to their owne finall ruine and destruction . and thus it came to passe in the time of the emperor otho to a duke of venice , called peter caudian , who ( not content with his dukedome ) went about to usurpe a tyrannicall rule over the whole seigniorie , and that by pride and threats , desiring rather to make himselfe terrible to the people by those bad meanes , than amiable and beloved by any meanes whatsoever ; and thus daily hee grew as in age so in insolencie : he placed a garrison of men about his palace , and so fortifying himselfe , presently he shewed himselfe in his colours , namely a cruell tyran : which when the multitude perceived , and remembred withall their libertie , which they were like to lose , they tooke up armes forthwith , in purpose to beat downe his haughtie minde : therefore they first set on fire his house , and caused him to forsake his fortresse , and to betake himselfe to his shifts : but when by reason of the stopping of the passages he could not escape , they tooke him and his young sonne also which was with him , and put them to a most cruell and sudden death , and cast their carkasses to be devoured of dogs . in the empire of maximilian , lewis sforce , a prince of an inconstant and turbulent spirit , ambitious , and one that made no account of his promises nor faith , tooke upon him the governement of milan , after the death of his brother galeaz , duke of milan , who was traiterously slaine : in which action the first wrong which hee did was to his brothers widow , whom hee deposed ; the second to his young nephew , his brother galeaz son , whom he so brought up as if he never meant he should come to honour or goodnesse ; for he suffered him not to be trained up either in learning or armes , but let him runne into all possible occasions that might corrupt and spoyle his tender age . thus hee enjoyed the principalitie thirteene yeares , all the while under his nephewes reigne ; to whom when alphonsus king of naples had given in mariage one of his daughters , and perceived what small reckoning his uncle made of restoring him his dukedome ; after he had often and instantly intreated him without prevailing , at length he fell to threaten him with warre : he fearing to have the worse , and to lose so great a dignitie , wrought so by his owne shifts and devices , together with the helping hand of pope alexander , that hee put in the head of charles the eighth of france to go and conquer naples , for the hatred which his heart possessed against alphonsus ; supposing by this meanes the better to accomplish his affaires to his owne desire . the king of france was no sooner entred italie , but lewis sforce ministred an italian posset to his young nephew iohn galeaz , that hee immediatly died upon it , and then he proclamed himselfe prince of the duchie , by the aid of the principall of the councell , whom he had woon to referre that honour unto him , by deposing the young sonne of iohn galeaz , beeing then but five yeares old : but he declared presently his inconstant and perfidious nature , in breaking promise with the king of france , whome he had induced with so many faire speeches to undertake that voyage , and entering a new league with the venetians both against him and the pope , although ere long he served them with the same measure : but lewis the twelfth , succeeding in the crowne of france , could not brooke this injurie done to his predecessor , but pretending a title to the duchie of milan , he dispatched an armie thitherward , that bestirred it selfe so well , that in short space they brought under their subjection all the cities and townes neere adjoyning : which the citizens perceiving , began to rebell against their duke , and killed his treasurer : whereupon he ( being not able to make his part good with the french abroad , nor daring to put any confidence in his owne at home ) left his castle to the charge and custodie of a captaine , and fled himselfe with his children to almaine , towards the emperour maximilians court , hoping to finde succour at his hand , as indeed he did : for he returned to milan with five hundred burgundians , and eight thousand switzers , and was received againe into the citie . being thus refortified with these and other more troupes that came unto him , he encamped before navarre , and by composition got the city into his hands from the frenchmen . the french king in the meane while sent a new supplie of men into the duchie , amongst whom were many switzers , who so dealt with their countrimen that were on the dukes side , that they brought them also to favour the king of france , and to forsake the duke : which when he understood , hee presently departed the citie , and posting to the campe , hardened his souldiers , desiring them to play the men , and not to shrinke , for he meant to give battell without delay : but the captains made answer , that they might not fight against their owne nation , without especiall leave from their lords . now in the meane while , whilest these things were in doing , they tooke order , that the frenchmen should approach to navarre , and intercept all the passages , that the duke might not escape : he therefore laid aside his horse , and marched on foot in the squadron of switzers , now joyned to the french , in attire and armour like a switzer , thinking by this tricke to save his life : but all his counterfeiting could not save him from being taken , and from lying ten yeares prisoner in the tower of loches , where he also died : and so all his high and ambitious thoughts ( which scarcely italie could containe ) were pend up in a strait and narrow roome . with the like turbulent and furious spirit of ambition have many roman bishops been inspired , who what by their jugling trickes , cousenages , and subtill devises , and what by force , have prospered so well , that of simple bishops ( which they were wont to be ) they are growne temporall lords , and as it were monarchs ; having in their possessions lands , cities , castles , fortresses , havens , garrisons , and guards , after the manner of kings ; nay they have exalted themselves above kings ( so intollerable is their impudence ) and made them subject to their wils ; and yet they call themselves the apostles pedigree , whom christ forbad all such domination . but what of that ? it pertaineth not to them to succeed in vertue , but in authoritie the apostles : for if that charge had concerned them , then pope lucius the second would never have beene so shamelesse , as to request in right of his popeship the soveraigntie over rome as hee did : neither when it was denyed him , to have gone about to usurpe it by force , and to bring his minde about to have layed siege to the senat house with armed men , to the end that either by banishing or murdering the senatours then assembled together , he might invest himselfe with the kingly dignitie : but what got he by it ? marry this , the people being in an uprore in the citie , upon the sight of this holy fathers proud attempt , tooke themselves to armes , and ran with such violence upon master pope , that they forthwith stoned his holinesse to death ; but not like stephen the martyr for the profession of christ iesus , but like a vile and seditious theefe for seeking the common-wealths overthrow . pope adrian the fourteenth , a monkes sonne , succeeding lucius both in the papacie , and also in ambition , tooke in hand his omitted enterprises ; for he excommunicated the romanes , untill they had banished arnold a bishop , that gave them counsell to retaine the power of electing their magistrate , and governing their citie in their hands ( a thing repugnant to his intent ) and after hee had degraded the consuls , to make his part the stronger , he caused the emperour fredericke to come with an armie to the citie ; whom notwithstanding hee handled but basely for his paines : for hee did not onely checke him openly for standing on his feet , and holding the stirrop of his horse with his left hand , but also denied him the crowne of the empire , except hee would restore to him poville , which ( he said ) pertained unto him : how beit he got the crowne notwithstanding , and before his returne from rome into germanie , more than a thousand citizens that would not yeeld nor subscribe unto the popes will , were slaine . after frederickes departure , the pope seeing himselfe destitute of his further aid , first excommunicated the king of sicilie , that in right of inheritance possessed the foresaid poville : but when this served him to small purpose , he practised with emanuel the emperour of greece to set upon him ; which thing turned to his finall confusion . after this ( through his intollerable pride ) hee fell out with fredericke the emperour , and to revenge himselfe upon him , discharged his subjects from their fealtie to him , and him from his authoritie over them . now marke his end : as he walked one day towards aviane , a flie got in at his mouth and downe his throat so farre , that it stopped the conduit of his breath , so that for all that his physitions could do , hee was choked therewith . and thus he that sought by all the meanes he could to make himselfe greater than he ought to be , and to get the masterie of every thing at his owne will and pleasure , and to take away other mens rights by force , was cut short and rebated by a small and base creature , and constrained to leave this life , which he was most unworthy of . hither may be referred that which befell the emperour albert , duke of austria , and one of his lievtenants in switzerland , for going about to usurpe and appropriat certaine lands and dominions to him , which belonged not unto him . this emperour had many children whom he desired to leave rich and mighty , and therefore by all meanes possible he endeavoured to augment his living , even by getting from other men whatsoever he could ; and amongst all the rest , this was one especiall practise , wherein he laboured tooth and nayle to alienate from the empire the land of the switzers , and to leave it for an everlasting inheritance to his heires : which although the switzers would in no case condiscend nor agree unto , but contrariwise sued earnestly unto his majesty for the maintenance of their antient liberties and priviledges which were confirmed unto them by the former emperors , and that they might not be distracted from the empire ; yet notwithstanding were constrained to undergo for a season the yoke of most grievous tyranny and servitude imposed by force upon them : and thus the poore communaltie indured many mischiefes , and many grievous and cruell extortions and indignities at the hands of the emperours officers , whilest they lived in this wretched and miserable estate . amongst the rest there was one called grislier that began to erect a strong fort of defence upon a little hill neere unto altorfe , to keepe the countrey in greater awe and subjection ; and desiring to descrie his friends from his foes , he invented this devise : he put a hat upon the end of a long pole , and placed it in the field before altorfe , where were great multitudes of people , with this commandement , that everie one that came by should do but dieth ere he awaketh ; so mony taken in usurie , delighteth and contenteth at the first , but it infecteth all his possessions , and sucketh out the marrow of them ere it be long : seeing then it is abhominable both by the law of god and nature , let us shun it as a toad , and flie from it as a cockatrice : but when these persuasions will not serve , let them turne their eyes to these examples following , wherein they shall see the manifest indignation of god upon it . in the bishopricke of collen a notable famous usurer lying upon his death-bed ready to die , moved up and downe his chaps and his lips , as if he had bin eating something in his mouth ; and beeing demanded what hee eat , hee answered , his money , and that the divell thrust it in his mouth perforce , so that hee could neither will nor chuse but devour it : in which miserable temptation he died without any shew of repentance . the same author telleth of another usurer , that a little before his death called for his bags of gold and silver , and offered them all to his soule , upon condition it would not forsake him : but if he would have given all the world , it could not ransome him from death : wherefore when he saw there was no remedie but hee must needs die , hee commended his soule to the divell , to be carried into everlasting torments : which words when hee had uttered hee gave up the ghost . another usurer being ready to die , made this his last will and testament : my soule ( quoth he ) i bequeath to the divell who is owner of it , my wife likewise to the divell who induced me to this ungodly trade of life , and my deacon to the divell for soothing me up , and not reproving me for my faults ; and in this desperate persuasion he died incontinently . usury consisteth not only in lending and borowing , but buying and selling also , and all unjust and crafty bargaining , yea and it is a kinde of usurie to detain through too much covetousnesse those commodities from the people which concerne the publike good , and to hoord them up for their private gain , til some scarcitie orwant arise ; and this also hath evermore beene most sharpely punished , as by these examples may appeare . about the yeare . at what time a great famine and dearth of bread afflicted the world , there was in saxonie a countrey peasant , that having carried his corne to the market , and sold it cheaper than he looked for , as he returned homewards he fell into most heavy dumpes and dolours of minde with griefe that the price of graine was abated : and when his servants sang merrily for joy of that blessed cheapnesse , he rebuked them most sharpely and cruelly , yea and was so much the more tormented and troubled in minde , by how much he more he saw any poore soule thankfull unto god for it : but marke how god gave him over to a reprobate and desperate sence : whilest his servants rode before , hee hung himselfe at the cart taile , being past recoverie of life ere any man looked backe or perceived him . a notable example for our english cormorants , who joyne barne to barne , and heape to heape , and will not sell nor give a handful of their superfluitie to the poore , when it beareth a low price , but preserve it till scarcity and want come , and then they sell it at their owne rate ; let them feare by this , lest the lord deale so or worse with them . another covetous wretch , when he could not sel his cornesodear as hee desired , said the mise should eat it rather than he would lessen one jot of the price thereof : which words were no sooner spoken , but vengeance tooke them : for all the mise in the countrey flocked to his barnes and fieldes , so that they left him neither standing nor lying corne , but devoured all . this story was written to martin luther : upon occasion whereof he inveying mightily against this cruell usurie of husbandmen , told of three misers that in one yeare hung themselves , because graine bore a lower price than they looked for : adding moreover , that all such cruell and muddy extortioners deserved no better a doome , for their unimercifull oppression . another rich farmer , whose barnes were full of graine , and his stacks untouched , was so covetous withall , that in hope of some dearth and deerenesse of corne , he would not diminish one heape , but hoorded up dayly more and more , and wished for a scarcity upon the earth , to the end hee might enrich his coffers by other mens necessities . this cruell churle rejoyced so much in his aboundance , that everie day he would go into his barnes , and feed his eyes with his superfluitie : now it fell out as the lord would , that having supped and drunke very largely , upon a night as hee went , according to his custome , to view his riches , with a candle in his hand , behold the wine , or rather the justice of god , overcame his sences , so that he fell downe suddenly into the mow , and by his fall set on fire the corne , being dry and easie to be incensed , in such sort that in a moment all that which he had scraped together and preserved so charily , and delighted in so unreasonably , was consumed and brought to ashes , and scarce he himselfe escaped with his life . another in misnia , in the yeare , having great store of corne hoordedup , refused to succor the necessitie of his poore & halfe famished neighbours : for which cause the lord punished him with a strange and unusuall judgement , for the corne which he so much cherished , assumed life , and became feathered fowles , flying out of his barnes in such abundance , that the world was astonished thereat , and his barnes left emptie of all provision , in most wonderfull and miraculous manner . no lesse strange was that which happened in a towne of france called stenchansen , to the governour of the towne , who being requested by one of his poore subjects to sell him some corne for his money , when there was none to be gotten elsewhere ; answered , hee could spare none , by reason he had scarce enough for his owne hogs : which hoggish disposition the lord requited in it owne kinde ; for his wife at the next litter brought forth seven pigs at one birth to increase the number of his hogs : that as he had preferred filthie and ougly creatures before his poore brethren , in whom the image of god in some sort shined forth , so he might have of his owne getting more of that kinde to make much of , since hee loved them so well . equall to all the former both in cruelty touching the person , and miracle touching the judgement , was that which is reported by the same authour , to have happened to a rich couetous woman in marchia , who in an extreame dearth of victuals , denyed not onely to relieve a poore man whose children were ready to starve with famine , but also to sell him but one bushell of corne , when he wanted but a penny of her price : for the poore wretch making great shift to borrow that penny , returned to her againe , and desired her he might have the corn : but as he payed her the mony , the penny fell upon the ground by the providence of god , which as she stretched out obeisance , and vaile bonnet to the hat , and in every respect shew themselves as dutifull unto it , as to his owne person , imagining that his greatest enemies could not endure nor finde in their hearts to do it , and therefore upon this occasion he might apprehend them , and discover all their close practises , and conspiracies , which they might brew against him : now there was one , a stout hearted man , that passing everie day up and downe that wayes , could in no wise be brought to reverence the dignitie of the worthy hat , ( so unreasonable a thing it seemed in his eyes ) whereupon being taken , the tyran commanded him ( for punishment of his open contempt ) to shoot at an apple laid upon the crowne of the head of his dearest childe , and if he mist the apple , to be put to death : the poore man after many excuses , and allegations , and entreaties that he might not hazard his childes life in that sort , was notwithstanding enforced to shoot , and shooting , god so directed his shaft , that the apple was hit , and the childe untoucht ; and yet for all this , he adjudged him to perpetuall prison : out of which he miraculously escaping , watched the tyrans approach in so fit a place , that with the shaft that should have beene the death of his sonne , he strooke him to the heart ; whose unluckie end , was a luckie beginning of the switzers deliverance from the bondage of tyrans , and of the recovery of their antient freedome , which ever after they wisely and constantly maintained . the emperour albert , purposing to be revenged upon them for his injury , as also for slaying many more of his men , and breaking downe his castles of defence which he had caused to be builded in their countrey , determined to mak war upon them ; but he was slaine ere he could bring it hat determination to effect by one of his owne nephews , from whom ( being his overseer and gardant for bringing up ) he withheld his patrimonie against all equity ; neither by prayers or entreatie could be perswaded to restore it . these things ( according to nic. gils report in his first volume of the chronicles of france ) happened about the reigne of saint lewis . hither may be referred the history of richard the first , king of england , called richard coeur de lyon : though not so much a fruite of ambition in him , as of filthie covetousnesse . this king , when as widomarus lord of linionice in little britaine having found a great substance of treasure in the ground , sent him a great part thereof , as chiefe lord and prince of the countrey , refused it ; saying , that he would either have all or none ; but the finder would not condiscend to that : whereupon the king layed siege to a castle of his called galuz , thinking the treasure to lye there : but as he with the duke of brabant went about viewing the castle , a souldier within stroke him with an arrow in the arme , the yron whereof festering in the wound , caused that the king within nine daies after died : and so because he was not content with the halfe of the treasure that another man found , lost all his owne treasure that he had , together with his life the chiefest treasure of all . chap. xlii . of vsurers , and their theft . if open larcenies and violent robberies and extortions are forbidden by the law of god , as we have seene they are , then it is no doubt but that all deceit and unjust dealings and bargains used to the dammage of others are also condemned by the same law ; and namely usurie , when a man exacteth such unmeasurable gaine for either his mony or other thing which hee lendeth , that the poore borrower is so greatly indammaged , that in stead of benefitting and providing for his affaires , which he aimed at , he hitteth his further losse and finall overthrow . this sinne is expressely prohibited in leviticus , , deuteronomy , and psalme , ; where the committants thereof are held guilty before gods judgement seat , of iniquitie and injustice : and against them it is that the prophet ezechiel denounceth this threatening : that he which oppresseth or vexeth the poore and afflicted , he which robbeth or giveth to usurie , and receiveth the encrease into their bags , shall die the death , and his bloud shall bee upon his pate . neither truely doth the justice of god sleepe in this respect , but taketh vengeance upon all such , and punisheth them after one sort or other , either in body or goods , as it pleaseth him : i my selfe knew a grand usurer in the countrey of vallay that having scraped together great masses of gold and silver by these unlawfull meanes , was in one night robbed of fifteene hundred crownes by theeves that broke into his house . i remember also another usurer dwelling in a town called argental , nigh unto anovay under the jurisdiction of tholosse in high vivaria , who being in hay time in a meadowe , was stung in the foot by a serpent , or some other venomous beast , that he died thereof : an answerable punishment for his often stinging and biting many poore people with his cruell and unmercifull usurie . nay it is so contrarie to equitie and reason , that all nations led by the instinct of nature , have alwayes abhorred and condemned it ; insomuch that the conditions of theeves hath bin more easie and tollerable than usurers ; for theft was wont to be punished but with double restitution , but usurie with quadruple : and to speake truely , these rich and gallant usurers do more rob the common people and purloine from them , than all the publike theeves that are made publike examples of justice in the world . it is to be wished that some would examine usurers bookes , and make a bond-fire of their obligations , as that lacedemonian did when agesilaus reported that hee never saw a ●leerer fire : or that some lucullus would deliver europe from that contagion , as the romane did asia in his time . licurgus banished this canker worme out of his sparta : amasis punished it severely in his aegypt : cato exiled it out of sicilie ; and solo condemned it in athens ; how much more should it he held in detestation among christians ? s. chrysostome compareth it fitly to the biting of an aspe ; as he that is stung with an aspe , falleth asleepe as it were with delectation , her hand to reach , it miraculously turned into a serpent , and bit her so fast , that by no meanes it could be loosened from her arme , untill it had brought her to a woefull and miserable end . sergius galba , before hee came to be emperor ( being president of africa under claudius , when as through penurie of victuals , corne , and other food was very sparingly shared out and divided amongst the armie ) punished a certaine souldier that sould a bushell of wheat to one of his fellows for an hundred pence , in ●ope to obtaine a new share himselfe , in this manner , he cōmanded the quaestor or treasurer to give him no more sustenance , since hee preferred lucre before the necessity of his owne body and his friends welfare ; neither suffered he any man else to sell him any ; so that hee perished with famine , and became a miserable example to all the army , of the fruits of that foule droupsie covetousnesse . and thus wee see how the lord rained downe vengeance upon all covetous usurers and oppressors , plaguing some on this fashion , and some on that ; and never passing any , but either in this life some notable judgement overtakes them , either in themselves or their off-springs ( for it is notoriously knowne that usurers children , though left rich , yet the first or second generation became alwayes beggers ) or in the life to come they are thrown into the pit of perdition , from whence there is no redemption nor deliverance . chap. xliii . of dicers and card-players , and their theft . if any recreation be allowed us , as no doubt there is , yet surely it is not such as whereby we should worke the damage and hurt of one another , as when by gaming we draw away another mans mony with his great losse , and this is one kinde of theft , to usurpe any mans goods by unlawfull meanes : wherefore no such sports ought to finde any place amongst christians , especially those wherein any kinde of lot or hazard is used , by the which the good blessings of god are , contrary to their true and naturall use , exposed to chance and fortune , as they tearme it : for which cause saint augustine is of this opinion concerning them : that the gaine which ariseth to any party in play , should be bestowedupon the poor , to the end that both the gamesters , as well the winner as the loser might be equally punished , the one by not carrying the stake being won , the other by being frustrated of all his hope of winning . players at dice , both by the elibertine & constantinopolitan councell under iustinian , were punished with excommunication : and by a new constitution of the said emperour it was enacted , that no man should use dice-play either in private or publique , no nor approve the same by their presence , under paine of punishment : and bishops were there appointed to be overseers in this behalfe , to espie if any default was made . a horace an heathen poet avouched the unlawfulnesse of this thing even in his time , when he saith that dice-playing was forbidden by their law . lewis the eighth , king of france , renouned for his good conditions and rare vertues ; amongst all the excellent laws which he made , this was one , that all sports should be banished the common-wealth , except shooting ( whether with long bow or crosse bow ) and that no cards nor dice should be either made or sold by any ; to the end that all occasion of gaming might bee taken away . surely it would be very profitable and expedient for the weale-publique , that this ordinance might stand in use at this day , and that all merchants and mercers whatsoever , especially those that follow the reformation of religion , might forbeare the sale of all such paltry wares : for the fault in selling such trash is no lesse than the abuse of them in playing at them , for so much as they upon greedinesse of so small a gaine , put as it were a sword into a mad mans hand , by ministring to them the instruments not onely of their sports , but also of those mischiefes that ensue the same . there a man may heare curses as rife as words , bannings , swearings , and blasphemies , banded up and downe ; there men fret themselves to death , and consume whole nights in darke and divelish pastimes ; some lose their horses , others their cloakes , a third sort all that ever they are worth , to the undoing of their houses , wives , and children ; and some again from braulings fall to buffetings , from buffets to bloudshedding , from bloudshedding to hanging : and these are the fruits of those gallant sports . but this you shall see more plainely by a few particular examples . in a towne of campania a certaine iew playing at dice with a christian , lost a great summe of money unto him ; with which great losse being enraged , and almost beside himselfe , as commonly men in that case are affected , hee belched out most bitter curses against christ iesus , and his mother the blessed virgin , in the midst whereof the lord deprived him of his life and sense ; and strooke him dead in the place : as for his companion the christian , indeed he escaped sudden death , howbeit he was robbed of his wit and understanding , and survived not verie long after : to teach us not onely what a grievous sinne it is to blaspheme god , and to accompanie such wretches , and not to shun , or at least reprove their outrage ; but also what monstrous effects proceed from such kinde of ungodly sports , and how grievously the lord punisheth them , first by giving them over to blasphemy , secondly to death , and thirdly and lastly to eternall and irrevocable damnation : let our english gamesters consider this example , and if it will not terrifie them from their sports , then let them looke to this that followeth , which if their hearts be not as hard as adamant , will mollifie and perswade them . in the yeare . neere to belissana a citie in helvetia , there were three prophane wretches that played at dice upon the lords day without the wals of the citie , one of which called vlrich schraelerus having lost much mony , and offended god with many cursed speeches , at last presaging to himselfe good lucke , he burst forth into these tearmes , if fortune deceive me now , i will thrust my dagger into the verie body of god as farre as i can : now fortune failed him as before , wherefore forthwith he drew his dagger , and taking it by the point , threw it against heaven with all his strength : behold , the dagger vanished away , and five drops of bloud distilled upon the table before them , and without all delay the divell came in place , and carried away the blasphemous wretch with such force and noyse , that the whole city was amased and astonished thereat : the other two ( halfe beside themselves with feare ) strove to wipe away the drops of bloud out of the table , but the more they wiped it , the more clearly it appeared ; the rumor of this accident flew into the citie , and caused the people to flocke thicke and threefold unto the place , where they found the other two gamesters washing the boord ; whom ( by the decree of the senate ) they bound with chaines , and carried towards the prison ; but as they passed with them through a gate of the citie , one of them was stroken suddenly dead in the midst of them , with such a number of lice and wormes creeping out of him , that it was both wonderfull and lothsome to behold : the third they themselves ( without any further inquisition or triall ) to avert the indignation which seemed to hang over their heads , put incontinently to death ; the table they tooke and preserved it for a monument , to witnesse unto posterity , both how an accursed pastime dicing is , and also what great inconveniencies and mischiefes grow thereby . but that we may see yet more the vanitie and mischievous working of this sport , i will report one storie more out of the same authour , though not equall to the former in strangenesse and height of sinne , yet as tragicall , and no lesse pitifull . in the yeare , there lived in alsatia one adam steckman , one that got his living by tximming , pruning , and dressing vines ; this man having received his wages , fell to dice , and lost all that he had gotten ; insomuch that he had not wherewith to nourish his family , so that he fell into such a griefe of minde , and withall into such paines of the head , that he grew almost desperate withall : one day his wife being busie abroad , left the care of her children unto him ; but he tooke such great care of them that he cut all their throats , even three of them , whereof one lay in the cradle , and lastly would have hanged himselfe , had not his wife come in the meane while , who beholding this pitifull tragedie , gave a great outcrie , and fell downe dead ; whereupon the neighbours running in , were eye witnesses of this wofull spectacle : as for him , by law he was judged to a most severe and cruell punishment : and all these pitifull events arose from that cursed root of dice-play . we ought therefore to learne by all these things that have beene already spoken , to abstaine not onely from this cursed pastime , but also from extortion , robberies , deceit , guile , and other such naughty practices that tend to the hurt and detriment of one another ; and in place thereof to procure the good and welfare of each one in all kindenesse and equity , following the apostles counsell , where he sayeth , let them that stole steale no more , but rather travell by labouring with his hands in that which is good , that he may have wherewith to succor the necessitie of others . for it is not enough not to do evill to our neighbor , but we are tyed to do him good , or at least to endeavour to do it . chap. xliv . of such as have beene notorious in all kinde of sinne . by these fore placed examples we have seene how heavie the judgements of god have beene upon those that through the untamednesse of their owne lusts and affections , would not submit themselves under the holy and mighty will of god , but have countermanded his commandements , and withstood his precepts , some after one sort , and some after another : now because there have bin some so wicked and wretched , that being wholy corrupted and depraved , they have over flowed with all manner of sinne and iniquity , and as it were maugred god with the multitude and hainousnesse of their offences ; we must therefore spend sometime also in setting forth their lives and ends , as of the most vile and monstrous kinde of people that ever were . in this ranke we may place the antient inhabitants of the land of canaan ; an irreligious people , void of all feare and dread of god , and consequently given over to all abhominabl wickednesse , as to conjurings , witchcrafts , and unnameable adulteries : for which causes the lord abhorring and hating them , did also bring them to a most strange destruction ; for first and formost jericho ( the frontier citie of their countrey ) being assaulted by the israelites , for hindering their progresse into the country ; were all discomfited , not so much by iosuah his sword , as by the huge stones which dropped from heaven upon their heads : and lest the night overtaking them should breake off the finall and full destruction of this cursed people , the day was miraculously prolonged , and the sunne made to rest himselfe in the middest of heaven for the space of a whole day : and so these five kings hiding themselves in a cave , were brought out , and their neckes made a footstoole to the captains of israell , and were hanged on five trees . the tyran pertander usurped the government over corinth after hee had slaine the principall of the city : he put to death his owne wife , to the end to content and please his concubine ; nay and was so execrable , as to lye with his owne mother : he banished his naturall sonne , and caused many children of his subjects to be gelded : finally fearing some miserable and monstrous end , and want of sepulchre , in conscience of his misdeeds , he gave in charge to two strong and hardy souldiers , that they should ga●d a certain appointed place , and not faile to kill the first that came in their way , and to bury his body being slaine : now the first that met them was himselfe , who offered himselfe unto them without speaking any word , and was soone dispatched and buried according to his commandement ▪ but these two were encountered with foure other , whom he also had appointed to do the same to them which they had done to them . in this ranke deservably we may place the second dionysius his sonne , that for his cruelties and extortions was slaine by his owne subjects : who though at the first made shew of a better and milder nature than his father was of , yet after he was installed in his kingdom , and growne strong , his wicked nature shewd forth it selfe ; for first he rid out of the way his owne brethren , then his neerest kindred , and lastly , all other that but any way displeased him ; using his sword not to the cutting downe of vice , as it ought , but to the cutting the throats of his innocent and guiltlesse subjects : with which tyrannie the people being incensed , began to mutinie , and from mutinies fell to open rebellion , persecuting him so , that he was compelled to flie and take harbour in greece : where notwithstanding hee ceased not his accustomed manners , but continued still freshly , committing robberies , and doing all manner of injuries and outrages , in wronging men ; and forcing both women and maids to his filthie lusts : untill hee was brought to so low and so base an ebbe of estate , that of a king being become a beggar and a vagabond , hee was glad to teach children at corinth to get his poore living , and so died in miserie . clearchus , another tyran , after hee had put to death the most part of the nobles , and chiefe men of account in the citie of heraclea , usurped a tyrannous authoritie over the rest : amongst many of whose monstrous enormities this was one , that hee constrained the widowes of those whom hee had slaine , against their wils to marry those of his followers whom hee allotted them to ; insomuch that many of them with griefe and anger slew themselves : now there were two men of stouter courage than the rest , who pittying the miserable condition of the whole citie , undertooke to deliver the same out of his cruell hands : comming therefore accompanied with fiftie other of the same minde and resolution , as though they would debate a privat quarrell before his presence , as soone as convenience served , they diverted their swords from themselves into the tyrans bosome , and hewed him in pieces in the very midst of his guard . agathocles , king , or rather tyran of sicilie , from a porters sonne , growing to be a man of warre , tooke upon him the government of the countrey , and usurped the crowne , contrary to the consent of his people : hee was one given to all manner of filthie and uncleane pollutions , in whom treacherie , crueltie , and generally all kinde of vice reigned , and therefore was worthily plagued by god ; first by a murder of his youngest sonne , committed by his eldest sonnes son , that aspired unto the crowne , and thought that he might be an obstacle in his way for obtaining his purpose : and lastly , having sent his wife and children into aegypt for safety , by his owne miserable and languishing death which shortly after ensued . romulus the first king of rome was ( as florus testifieth ) transported by a devill out of this earth into some habitation of his owne , for the monstrous superstitions , conjurings , thefts , ravishments , and murders , which during his pompe hee committed ; and moreover ( he saith ) that plutarch , the most credible and learned writer amongst historiographers , both greek and latin , that ever writ , avoucheth the same for true ; that hee was carried away one day by a spirit in a mighty tempest of thunder and lightening , before the view of the whole multitude , to their great astonishment , insomuch that they fled at the sight thereof . what shall wee say of silla , that monster in cruelty , that most odious and execrable tyran that ever was , by whom all civile order and humane policie was utterly defaced , and all vice and confusion in stead thereof set up ? did hee not procure the death of six thousand men at one clap , at the discomfiture of marius ? and having promised to save the lives of three thousand that appealed unto his mercy , did he not cause them to be assembled within a parke , and there to have their throats cut , whilest hee made an oration to the senate ? it was hee that filled the channels of the streets of rome , and other cities in italie , with bloud and slaughters innumerable : and that neither spared altar , temple , or other priviledged place or house whatsoever , from the pollution and distainment of innocent bloud : husbands were staine in their wives armes , infants in their mothers bosomes , and infinite multitudes of men murdered for their riches : for if any were either rich , or owners of faire houses , or pleasant gardens , they were sure to die : besides , if there were any private quarrell or grudge betwixt any citizen , and some of his crew , he suffered his side to revenge themselves after their owne lusts , so that for private mislike and enmity many hundreds lost their lives ; he that saved an outlaw or proscribed person in his house , ( of which there were too many of the best sort in his time ) or gave him entertainment under his roofe , whether he were his brother , sonne , or parent whatsoever , was himselfe for recompence of his curtesie and humanitie , proscribed and sould , and condemned to death : and he that killed one of them that was proscribed , had for reward two talents ( the wages of his murder ) amounting in value to twelve hundred crownes , whether it was a bondslave that slew his master , or a sonne that murdered his father : comming to preneste , hee began to proceed in a kinde of justiciall forme amongst the citizens , and as it were by law and equitie to practise wrong and injurie : but ere long , either being weary of such slow proceedings , or not at leisure to prosecure the same any further , he caused to meet together in one assemblie two thousand of them , whom hee committed all to the massacre without any manner of compassion : as hee was sitting one day in the middest of his pallace in rome , a souldier to whom he had granted the proscription of his dead brother , as if he had beene alive ( whom he himselfe before the civile warre had slaine ) presented him in lieu of thanks for the great good turne the head of one marcus marius of the adverse faction , before the whole citie , with his hands all imbrued in bloud , which hee also washed in the holy water sta●ke 〈◊〉 apolloes temple , being near unto that place ; and all this being commended and countenanced by silla : hee decreed a generall disanulment and abrogation of all titles and rights that were passed before his time , to the end to have the more liberty both to put to death whom he pleased , and to confiscate mens goods , and also to unpeople and repeople cities , sack , pulldowne , and build , and to depose & make kings at his pleasure : the goods which he had thus seised , he shamed not to sell with his owne hands ; sitting in his tribunall sear , giving oftentimes a faire woman a whole countrey , or the revenues of a citie for her beauty , and to players , jesters , juglers , minstr●●s , and other wicked effranchised slaves , great and unnecessary rewards : yea , and to divers married women also , whom ( pleasing his eye ) he deprived their husbands of perforce , and espoused them to himselfe , maugre their wils : being desirous to ally himselfe with pompey , hee commanded him to cast off his lawfull wife , and taking from magnus g●abri● his wife aemilia , made him marry her , though already great with childe by her former husband ; but she died in travell in his house . in seasts and banket●ings he was too immoderate , for it was his continuall and daily practise : the wine that hee dranke usually was fortie yeares old , and the company that hee delighted to keepe was compact of ministriss , tumblers , players , singers , and such like rascals , and with these he would spend whole dayes in drinking , carousing , dauncing , and all dissolutenesse . now this disinordinate life of his did so augment a disease which was growne in his body , to wit an imposthume ; that in time it corrupted his flesh , and turned it into lice ; in such sort , that though hee had those that continually followed him to sweepe them off , and to louze him night and day , yet the encrease was still so plentifull , that all would not serve to cleare him for a moment : insomuch , that not his apparell , though never so new and changeable ; nor his linnen , though never so fresh , nor his bath , nor his laver , no nor his meat and drinke could be kept unpolluted from the fluxe of this filthy vermine , it issued in such abundance : oftentimes in a day hee would wash himselfe in a bath , but to no great purpose ; for his shame increased the more . the day before he dyed he sent for one granius , who attending his death , delayed to pay that which hee ought to the common-wealth ; and being come in his presence , hee commanded him to be strangled to death before his face : but with straining himselfe in crying after his execution , his imposthume burst , and vomited out such streames of bloud , that his strength failed him withall ; and passing that night in great distresse , the next day made up his wicked and miserable end . after that caligula began to addict himselfe to impiety and contempt of god , presently being not curbed with any feare nor shame , he became most dissolute in all kinde of wickednesse ; for at one time he caused to be slaine a great number of people for calling him young augustus , as if it had beene an injury to his person to be so intituled : and to say briefly of all his murders , there were so many of his kindred , friends , senators , and citizens , made away by his meanes , that it would be too long and tedious here to recite : wherefore seeing that hee was generally hated of the people for his misdeeds , hee wished that they all had but one head , to the end ( as it might seeme ) that at one blow hee might dispatch them all . in sumptuousnesse and costlinesse of dishes and banquets , he neither found nor left his equall , for he would sup up most pretious stones melted by art , and swallow down treasures into his belly : his banquets were often served with golden loaves and golden meats : in giving rewards hee was sometime too too prodigall , for he would cast great summes of money amongst the people certain dayes together , untill his bags were drawne drie , and then new strange shifts must be practised to fill them up againe : his subjects he over charged with many new-found and unjust taxes , exacting of them a tribute even for their meat : if there were any money controversies to be decided , the fourth part of the same was his share , which way soever the matter enclined : the eight penny of every porters gaine throughout the citie ( which with travell they earned ) hee tooke into his purse : yea , and that which is more filthy and dishonest , the very whores and common strumpets payed him a yearely revenue for their bauderies ; which act , though most villanous and slandrous , yet is made a samplar to some of our holy popes to imitate , and indeed hath of many beene put in practise : but to our purpose ; whereas before his prodigality was so great as to scatter money like seed amidst the people ; now his niggardlinesse grew on the other side so miserable , that hee would have the people upon the first day of the yeare , every one to give him a new-yeares-gift , he himselfe standing at the doore of his house like a beggar , receiving the peoples almes . moreover , of all that ever gave their lusts the bridle to abuse other mens wives , hee was most impudent and notorious ; for divers times he used to feast many faire ladies and their husbands , and after his good cheare ended , to overview them severally a part , as merchants doe their wares ; and to take her that pleased his fancie best into some secret place , to abuse at his pleasure : neither after the deed done to be ashamed to glory and vaunt himselfe in his wicked and filthy act . he committed incest with his owne sisters , forcing them to his lust , and by one of them had a daughter borne , whom ( saith eutropius ) his abhominable concupiscence abused also in most filthy and preposterous manner : at length many conspired his destruction , but especially one of the tribunes , which office we may after the custome of our french nation rightly terme the marshalship , and the officer one of our foure marshals , as budeus saith ) who shewed himselfe more eagerly affected in the cause than the rest , pursued this enterprise in more speedy and desperate manner : for as the tyrant returned from the theater by a by-way to his pallace ( the third day of the feast , which he celebrated in honour of iulius caesar ) the tribune presented himselfe , as if in regard of his office , to import some matter of importance unto him : and having received a currish word or two at his hands ( as his custome was ) he gave him such a stroke betweene the head and the shoulders , that what with it and the blowes of his complices , that going for the same intent , rushed upon him , he was ●laine amongst them , no man stirring a foot to deliver him out of their hands , though many looked on , and might have aided him if they would : he was no sooner slaine , but his wife incontinently was sent after , and his daughter also that was crushed to death against a wall ; and thus came his wretched selfe , with his filthie progenie , to a wretched and miserable end . nero shewed himselfe not onely an enemy to god in persecuting his church , but also a perverter and disturber of humane nature , in embruing his hands in the bloud of his owne mother and grandmother , whom he caused to be put to death , and in killing his owne wife and sister , and infinite numbers of all kinde of people : beside , in adulteries he was so monstrous , that it is better to conceale them from modest eares , than to stirre up the puddle of so stinking and noysome a dunghill : for which his villanies the senate condemned him to a shamefull and most ignominious death , and his armies and forces forsooke him : which when hee understood , he betooke him to flight , and hid himselfe in an out way amongst thornes and bushes , which with great paine having past through , being weary of his life , hee threw himselfe downe into a pit foure foot deepe ; and when he could get none of his men to lay their hands upon him , he desperately and miserably slew himselfe . vitellius , for the murders and other outragious misdeeds which he committed , was taken in his shirt , and drawne through the streets with a halter about his necke , and his hands bound behinde him , and the point of a dagger under his chin ; the people casting durt and dung upon him in detestation , and calling him make-bate and seditious villain , with other opprobrious reproches : and at last being massacred with many blowes , was drawne with a hooke into tyber , like a carrion . domitian was a cruell enemy of the christians ▪ hee rejected his owne wife to take a new , and being covertly reproved by helvidius for the same , in a play of the divorce of paris and enon , which he presented unto him , he put him to death for his labour . many worthy senatours and chiefe men , and such as had borne the office of the consull , without just cause given of reprehension , were murdered by him : hee spared not his owne bloud and nearest allies , no nor his owne brother titus , but what with poyson and sword , destroyed them all to confusion . but in the end , when hee saw that the world hated him for his outragious cruelties , he consulted with the astrologians and conjurers , what death did waite for him ; one of the which amongst the rest told him that hee should be slaine , and that very shortly : wherewithall being sore troubled , hee first caused him that had prognosticated this evill unto him , to be slaine : then he compassed himselfe with a strong guard , and to the end to see them that should come neare , hee made his gallery walls where hee walked , of such a kinde of glistring and shining stone , that he might see in them all about him , both behinde and before . when the day and houre which was fore-calculated for his death was come , one of the conspirators came in with his left arme in a scarfe , as if he had beene sore hurt ; feigning that he would bewray the whole treason which hee so much feared ; and being entred his chamber , he presented him with a long discourse in writing , touching the matter and manner of the conspiracie : and when in reading the same , he saw him most astonished ; then he tooke occasion to strike him suddenly into the belly with his dagger , his owne servants making up the murther , when they saw him goe about to resist . and thus by all his wisedome and providence he could not rid himselfe from being surprised , nor hinder the execution of gods just fore-appointed judgement . and these were the ends of those wicked emperours , who in regard of their vile lives , were rather monsters than men ; and not onely they whom we have named , but many moe also , as antonius , caracalla , heliogabalus , and other like may bee worthily placed in this ranke . but of all , heliogabalus is most famous : of whom is recorded in histories , that hee was so prodigious in all gluttonie , filthinesse , and ribauldrie , that the like i thinke was never heard of , except those monsters that went before ; and yet i suppose he surpassed them too . such was the exceeding and luxurious pompe of this beast-like emperour , that in his lampes hee used baulme , and filled his fish-ponds with rose-water : the garments which he wore were all of the finest gold and most costly silkes : his shooes glistered with precious stones , curiously engraven : he was never two dayes served with one kinde of meat , nor wore one garment twice ; and so likewise for his fleshly wickednesse , he varyed it every time : some dayes hee was served at meales with the braines of ostriches , and a strange fowle called a phylocapterie , another day with the tongues of popingayes , and other sweet singing birds , being nigh to the sea ; hee never used fish in places farre distant from the sea : all his house was served with most delicate fish : at one supper his table was furnished with seven thousand fishes , and five thousand fowles : at his remoovals in his progresse , there followed him commonly six hundred chariots : he used to sacrifice with young children , and preferred to the best advancements in the common-wealth most light persons ; as bawdes , minstrels , players , and such like : in one word , hee was an enemy to all honesty and good order . and when he was fore-told by his sorcerers and astronomers , that he should die a violent death , he provided ropes of silke to hang himselfe , swords of gold to kill himselfe , and strong poysons in jacinths and emerauds to poyson himselfe , if needs hee should thereto be forced : moreover , hee made an high tower , having the boorded floore covered with gold plate , and broidered with pretious stones , from the which tower he might throw himselfe downe , if hee were pursued of his enemies . but notwithstanding all this provision , ( gods vengeance not permitting him to die as hee would ) hee was slaine of the souldiers , drawne through the citie , and cast into tiber , after hee had raigned two yeares and eight moneths . tigellinus , one of the captaines of neroes guard , and a chiefe procurer and setter forward of his tyranny , was the cause of the death of many great personages in rome : and being enriched by their spoyle and other such like robberies , after the death of nero ( whom in his extremity hee forsooke ) plunged himselfe , and wallowed in all manner of licentious and disordinate delights . now though hee was worthy of a thousand deaths for his cruelties towards many good citizens , yet by the meanes of one iunius , the emperour galba his chiefe minion , whose favour hee had by great summes of money bought and obtained ( for hee gave unto his daughter at one time five and twenty thousand crownes , and to himselfe at another time a carknet worth fifteen thousand crownes for a present ) he was spared and kept in safety : but as soon as otho was installed in the empire , his downfall and destruction began presently to follow : for otho , to the end to gratifie the romans , sent to apprehend him , who was then in his houses of pleasure in the field , banquetting and sporting with his harlots , and using all manner of riot , albeit by reason of a deadly disease which was upon him , hee was even at deaths doore . when hee saw himselfe thus taken , and that no meanes of escape was left , ( no not by the vessels which he had prepared at the sea shore for purpose , if need were , to convey him away ) and that hee which had commission to take him , would give him no advantage of escaping , though he offered him great rewards for the same , he entreated onely leisure to shave his beard before he went ; which being granted , he tooke a rasor , and in stead of shaving , cut his owne throat . chap. xlv . more examples of the same argument . hieronymus , a true tyran of sicily , enured and fashioned to all pride , and of most corrupt and rotten manners , began right after the death of his father hiero , ( that left him a peaceable and quiet kingdom ) to shew ●orth his arrogance ; for he quickly made himselfe fearfull to his subjects , both by his stately and proud manner of speech , as also by the hardnesse of accesse unto him , together with a kinde of disdainfull contempt of all men : but most of all did the inward pride of his heart appeare when hee had gotten a guard about his body ; for then he ceased not to bait , bite , and devoure , and to exercise all kinde of cruelty against every man , and all kind of ryot and excesse of filthinesse against himselfe : so that he became so odious and contemptible to his subjects , that they conspired against him , to deprive him both of his life and kingdome : which conspiracy though it came to light , yet for all that wanted not his due effect : for after hee had ( through listning to false reports ) put to death unjustly his truest and dearest friends , and those that would indeed have helped him in his necessity , both with good advice and other succour , he was surprised as he walked in a narrow and strait way , and there cruelly murthered . now there was one andronodorus his brother in law , that aspired to the crowne , had corrupted his manners , and thrust him forward to all these misdemeanours , to the end by those practises he might make him odious to his people , that by that meanes he might obtaine his owne purpose , as indeed he did : for after his death he seised upon the scepter , though with no long enjoyance ; for through the troubles and commotions which were raised in the countrey by his meanes , both hee , his wife , and whole race , together with the whole progenie of hieronymus , whether innocent or guilty , were all utterly rooted out and defaced . andronicus was one of the most wickedest men that lived on the earth in his time ; for he excelled in all kinde of evill : in ambition , boldnesse in doing mischiefe , cruelty , whoredome , adulterie , and incest also to make up the whole number : besides , he was so treacherous and disloyall , that hee traiterously slew the sonne and heire of the emperour emanuel , shutting him in a sacke , and so throwing him into the sea ; after which , by violence he tooke possession of the empire of constantinople , and like a strong theefe seised upon that which was none of his owne ; but as soone as he had gotten his desire , then began his lusts to rage and rave , then he fell to whoreing and forcing women and maids to his lust , whom after he had once robbed of their chastities , he gave over to his bands and ruffians to abuse ; and that which is more than all this , he ravished one of his owne sisters , and committed incest with her : moreover , to maintaine and uphold his tyrannous estate , he slew most of the nobility , and all else that bore any shew of honesty or credit with them , and lived altogether by wrongs and extortions : wherefore his subjects ( provoked with these multitudes of evils which reigned in him , and not able to endure any longer his vile outrages and indignities ) rebelled against him and besieged him , got him into their mercilesse hands , and handled him on this fashion following : first they degraded him and spoyled him of his imperiall ornaments , then they pulled out one of his eyes , and set him upon an asse backward , with the tayle in his hand in stead of a scepter , and a rope about his necke in stead of a crowne ; and in this order and attyre they led him through all constantinople , the people shouting and reviling him on all sides , some throwing durt , others spittle , divers dung , and the women their pispots at his head : after all which banquetting dishes , he was transported to the gallowes , and there hanged , to make an end of all . charles king of navarre , whose mother iean was daughter to lewis lutton king of france , was another that oppressed his subjects with cruelty and rough dealing : for he imposed upon them grievous taxes and tributes , and when many of the chiefest of his common-wealth came to make knowne unto him the poverty of his people , and that they were not able to endure any more such burthens , he caused them all to be put to death for their boldnesse : he was the kindler of many great mischiefes in france , and of the fire wherewith divers places of strength , and castles of defence were burned to ashes : he counselled the count of foix his sonne to poyson his father , and not onely so , but gave him also the poyson with his owne hands , wherewith to do the deed : moreover , above all this , lechery and adultery swayed his powers , even in his old age ; for at threescore yeares of age , he had a whore in a corner , whose company he dayly hanted ; and so much , that she at length gave him his deaths wound ; for returning from her company one day ( as his use was ) and entring into his chamber , he went to bed all quaking and halfe frozen with cold , neither could he by any meanes recover his heat , untill by art they sought to supply nature , and blew upon him with brasen bellowes aquavitae and hot blasts of ayre ; but withall , the fire unregarded flew betwixt the sheets , and inflamed the drie linnen together with the aquavitae , so suddenly , that ere any help could be made , his late quivering bones were now halfe burned to death . it is true that he lived fifteene daies after this , but in so great griefe and torment , without sence of any helpe or assuagement by physicke or surgery , that at the end thereof he died miserably : and so , as during his life his affection over burnt in lust , and his minde was alwayes hot , upon mischiefe and covetousnesse , so his dayes were finished with heat and cruell burning . lugtake , king of scots , succeeding his father galdus in the kingdome , was so odious and mischievous a tyran , that every man hated him no lesse for his vices , than they loved his father for his vertues : he slew many rich and noble-men for no other cause , but to enrich his treasury with their goods : he committed the government of the realme to most unjust and covetous persons , and with their company was most delighted : he shamed not to defloure his owne aunts , sisters , and daughters , and to scorne his wise and grave counsellors , calling them old doting fooles : all which monstrous villanies ( with a thousand more ) so incensed his nobles against him , that they slew him after he had raigned three yeares : but as the proverbe goeth , seldome commeth a better ; another or worse tyran succeeded in his kingdome ; namely mogallus , cousin germane to lugtake , a man notoriously infected with all manner of vices : for albeit in the beginning of his reigne hee gave himselfe to follow the wisedome and manners of his unkle galdus ; yet in his age his corrupt nature burst forth abundantly , but chiefly in avarice , lechery , and cruelty : this was he that licensed theeves and robbers to take the goods of their neighbours without punishment , and that first ordained the goods of condemned persons to be confiscate to the kings use , without respect either of wives , children , or creditors ; for which crimes he was also slaine by his nobles . besides these , there was another king of the scots , called atherto , in the yeare of our lord . who shewed himselfe also in like manner a most abhominable wretch : for he so wallowed in all manner of uncleane and effeminate lusts , that he was not ashamed to goe in the sight of the people playing upon a flute , rejoycing more to be accounted a good fidler , than a good prince ; from which vices he fell at last to the deflouring and ravishing of maids and women , insomuch as the daughters of his nobles could not be safe from his insatiable and intollerable lust : wherefore being pursued by them , when hee saw no meanes to escape , hee desperately slew himselfe . the great outrages which the spaniards have committed in the west indies , are apparant testimonies of their impiety , injustice , cruelty , insatiable covetousnesse , and luxury ; and the judgement wherewith god hath hunted them up and downe both by sea and land , ( as late and fresh histories doe testifie ) are manifest witnesses of his heavy anger and displeasure against them : amongst all which , i will here insert none but that which is most notorious and worthy memory , as the wretched accident of pamphilius novares , and his company : this man with six hundred spaniards making for the coast of florida , to seeke the gold of the river of palme-trees , were so turmoyled with vehement windes and tempests , that they could not keepe their vessels from dashing against the shore , so that their ships did all split in sunder , and they for the most part were drowned , save a few that escaped to land , yet escaped not danger ; for they ranne roving up and downe this savage countrey so long , till they fell into such extreame poverty and famine , that for want of victuals twelve of them devoured one another ; and of the whole six hundred that went forth , there never yet returned above ten , all the rest being either drowned or pined to death . francis pizarre , a man of base parentage , for in his youth he was but a hogheard , and of worse qualities and education , for he knew not so much as the first elements of learning , giving himselfe to the west indian wars , grew to some credit in bearing office , but withall shewed himselfe very disloyall , treacherous , and bloudy-minded , in committing many odious and monstrous cruelties : entring peru with an army of souldiers , to the end , to conquer new lands and dominions , and to glut his unsatiable covetousnesse with a new surfet of riches ( after the true spanish custome ) he committed many bloudy and trayterous acts , and exercised more than barbarous cruelty : for first under pretence of friendship feyning to parle with artabaliba , king of cusco ; the poore king comming with five and twenty thousand of unarmed men , in ostentation of his greatnesse , not in purpose to resist , he welcommed him and his men so nimbly with swords and curtleaxes , that they had all soon their throats cut by a most horrible slaughter , and the king himselfe was taken and put in chaines : yea , and the citie after this massacre of men abroad , felt soone the insolencies of these brave warriours within : in fine , though pizarre promised artabaliba to save his life , in regard of a ransome , amounting to more than two millions of gold ; yet after the receit thereof he traiterously caused him to be hanged , contrary to both his oath , and all equity and reason : but this cruell perfidie of his went not long without punishment ; for both hee and all the rest that were any wayes accessarie , or consenting to the death of this king , came to a wretched end : but especially his foure brethren , ferdinand , gonsal , iohn martin of alcantara , and diego of almagro ; who as they were principall in the action , so were they in the punishment : the first that was punished was iohn pizarre , who with many other spaniards was surprised in the city of cusco , and slaine by the men of warre of mangefrem and artabaliba : next after that there arose such a division and heart-burning betwixt the pizarres and almagro , and their partakers , that after they had robbed and wasted and shared out the great and rich countrey of peru , they slew one another by mutuall strokes : and albeit that there was by common consent an agreement accorded betwixt them , for the preserving of their unity and friendship ; yet francis pizarre , envying that almagro should bee governour of cusco , and he not , interrupted all their agreements , by starting from his promises ; and re-kindled the halfe-quenched fire of warre by his owne ambition : for hee presently defied amagro , and sent his brother ferdinand before to bid him battaile ; who so well behaved himselfe , that hee tooke almagro prisoner , and delivered him bound to his brother francis , who caused him to bee strangled in prison secretly , and after to be beheaded in publique . now ferdinand being sent by his brother towards spaine , with a great masse of gold to cleare himselfe of the death of almagro , could not so well justifie the fact , as that all his treasure could save him from the prison ; and what became of him afterwards , knowne it is to god , but not to the world . a while after , the fellowes and friends of almagro , whose goods the pizarrists hath seised upon , tooke counsell with don diego almagro his sonne , to revenge the death of his father ; therefore being in number but twelve , with unsheathed swords , they desperately burst into francis pizarres house , ( then marquesse and governour of peru ) and at the first brunt slew a captaine that guarded the enterance of the hall , and next him martin of alcahtara , and other more , that kept the entrance of the chamber , so that hee fell dead even at his brother the marquesses feet : who albeit his men were all slaine before his eyes , and himselfe left alone amiddest his enemies , yet gave not over to defend himselfe stoutly and manfully , untill all of them setting upon him at once , hee was stabbed into the throat , and so fell dead upon the ground ; and thus finished hee and his complices their wretched dayes , answerable to their cruell deserts : but their murderers ( though they deserved to bee thus dealt withall ) yet for dealing in this sort without authority , were not faultlesse , but received the due wages of their furious madnesse : for don diego himselfe , after he had beene a while governour of peru , had his army overcome and discomfited by the emperours forces , and was betrayed into their hands by his owne lieutenant of cusco , where he thought to have saved himself , and right soone lost his head , with the greatest captains and favourites that hee had , who were also quartered . now of the five brethren wee have heard foure of their destructions , onely one remaineth ( namely gonzalle pizarre ) to bee spoken of ; who being sent for by the conquerours to be their chieftaine and protector against the viceroy , that went about to make them observe the emperours lawes and decrees , touching the liberty of the indian nation , was betrayed and forsaken by the same men that sent for him , and so fell into his enemies hands , that cut off his head : the generall of his army , a covetous and cruell man , that in short space made away above three hundred spaniards , and all as it were with his own hand ; was drawn up and downe at a horse tayle the space of halfe a quarter of an houre , and then hanged upon the gallowes , & quartered in foure parts . the monke of vauvard , called vincent , who with his crosse and porteise had encouraged pizarre and his army against artabaliba , and was for that cause created bishop of peru , when diego came to the governement , fled into the island puna to escape his wrath ; but in seeking to avoyde him , he fell into as great a snare ; for the islanders assaulted him one night , and knockt him to death with staves and clubs , together with forty spaniards of his fellowship , that accompanied him in his flight , and started not from him in his death . and thus the good and holy monke , for medling with , and setting forward the murder of so many poore people , was for his paines and good deeds justly rewarded by the indians of that island . moreover , after and beside all these troubles , seditions , and civil warres of peru , all they that returned from spaine , suffered shipwracke for the most part : for their fleet had scarce attained the midst of their course , when there arose so terrible a tempest , that of eighteen ships , thirteen so perished , that they were never heard of after ; and of the five which remained , two were tumbled backe to the coast of saint dominick , all berent and shivered in pieces ; other three were driven to spaine , whereof one hitting against the bay of portugall , lost many of her men : the admirall her selfe of this fleet perished near unto saint lucar de baramede , with two hundred persons that were within her , and but one onely of them all got safe into the haven of calix , without dammage . here we may see how mightily the hand of god was stretched forth to the revenge of those wicked deeds and villanies which were committed by the spaniards in those quarters . peter loys , bastard son to pope paul the third , was one that practised many horrible villanies , robberies , murthers , adulteries , incest , and sodomitries ; thinking that because his father was pope , therefore no wickednesse was unlawfull for him to commit . he was by the report of all men , one of the most notorious , vilest , and filthiest villaines that ever the world saw : he forced the bishop of faence to his unnaturall lust , so that the poor bishop , with meer anger and grief that he should be so abused , died immediately . being made duke of plaisence and parma , he exercised most cruell tyranny towards many of his subjects ; insomuch , that divers gentlemen that could not brook nor endure his injuries , conceived an inward hate against him , and conspired his death : and for to put in practise the same , they hired certain ruffians and roysters to watch the opportunity of slaying him ; yea , and they themselves oftentimes went apart with these roysters , keeping themselves upon their guards , as if some private and particular quarrels had been in hand . one day as the duke went in his horse-litter out of his castle , with a great retinue , to see certain fortifications which he had prepared , being advertised by his father the pope ( by the helpe of magicke which he practised ) to look diligently to himselfe the tenth day of september : in which notwithstanding he was slain ; for as he returned into his castle , the conspiratours , to the number of thirty six , marched before him , as it were to do him honour , but indeed to do him villany : for as soon as he was entred the castle , they drew up the draw-bridge for fear of his retinue that were without , and comming to him with their naked swords , cast in his teeth his tyranny , and so slew him in his litter , together with a priest , the master of his horse , and five almaignes that were of his guard : his dead body they hung by a chain over the wals , and shaking it to and fro to the view of the people , threw it downe headlong at last into the ditch ; where the multitude to shew their hates , wounded it with daggers , and trampled it under their feet : and so whom they durst not touch in his life , being dead they thus abused : and this befell upon the tenth day of september , in the year of our lord . some of the bishops of rome for their rare and notable vertues , and the glory of their brave deeds , may be honoured with this dignity , to be placed in this worthy ranke ; for their good conditions and behaviours were such , that no tyran , butcher , thief , robber , ruffian , nor any other , ever excelled them in cruelty , robbery , adultery , and such like wickednesse , or deserved more the credit and reputation of this place than they . and hereof we have a manifest example in iohn the thirteenth , who pulling out the eyes of some of his cardinals , cutting out the tongues of others , hewing off the hands , noses , and privy members of others , shewed himselfe a paterne of such cruelty , as the world never saw the like : he was accused before the emperour otho , in a synod , first for incest with two of his own sisters : secondly , for calling the devill to helpe him at dice : thirdly , for promoting young infants to bishoprickes , bribed thereto by certain pieces of gold ; fourthly , for the ravishing of maids and wives , and lying with his fathers concubine : yea , and lastly , for lyingwth his own mother , and many other such monstrous villanies : for which cause he was deposed from the papacy , though re-installed again by the suit and cunning practise of his whores ; by whom as he recovered his triple crown , so he lost shortly after his vicious life , by the meanes of a married whore that betrayed him . pope hildebrand , sirnamed gregory the seventh , was adorned with all these good qualities , namely to be bloudy minded , a poysoner , a murtherer , a conjurer , also a consulter with spirits , and in a word , nothing but a lumpe and masse of wickednesse : he was the stirrer up of many battels against the emperour henry the fourth , and a provoken of his own son to depose and poyson his father , as he did : but this wicked ( i would say holy ) pope , was at last banished his cathedral city , to salernum , where he ended his dayes in misery . pope clement the sixth , of name contrary to his nature , for his inclemency , cruelty and pride towards the emperour lewis of bavaria , was intolerable ; he procured many horrible warres against the empire , and caused the destruction of twenty thousand frenchmen by the king of england , yea and poysoned the good emperour also , so well he wished to him : howbeit ere long himselfe was stifled to death , and that suddenly ▪ not by any practise of man , as it was thought , but by the especiall hand of god , in recompence of all his notable acts . iohn the four and twentieth was deposed by the councell of constance , for these crimes following ; heresie , simony , manslaughter , poysonings , cousenings , adultery , and sodomitry , and was cast into prison ; where remaining three yeares , he falsely made shew of amendment of his wicked life , and therefore was graced with a cardinals hat , but it was not that which he expected ; for which cause with despight and grief he died . it would be too long to run over the discourse of every particular pope of like conditions , and therefore we will content our selves in brief with the legend of pope alexander the sixth , reported by by two authours of credit and renown , and unsuspected ; to wit , guicciardine a florentine gentleman , and bembus a venetian cardinal : this man ( saith guicciardine ) attained to the papacy not by worthinesse of vertues , but by heavinesse of bribes , and multitude of fair promises made to the cardinals for his election , promising large recompence to them that stood on his side ; whereupon many that knew his course of life were filled with astonishment , amongst whom was the king of naples , who hearing of this election , complained to his queen with teares , that there was such a pope created that would be a plague to italy and all christendom : beside , the great vices which swayed in him , of which the same authour speaking , maketh this catalogue and pedegree in his own language , which followeth : costum ( dit il ) escensimi non sincerita , non verita , non fede , non religione ; avaritia insatiabile , ambitione immoderata , crudelta pinque barbara , ●o ardentissima cupidi●● di escalt are in qualunque mode , i figli voli , i qualierano molti : ( that is to say ) he was endued with most filthy conditions , and that neither sincerity , truth , faith , nor religion , was in him , but in stead of them , covetousnesse unquenchable , ambition unmeasurable , more than barbarous cruelty , and a burning desire of promoting his own children ( for he had many ) by what meanes soever . he perswaded king charles the eighth of france to undertake war against naples , and after he had brought him to it , presently he forsook him , and entred a new league with the venetians , and the other princes of italy , to drive him home again . this was he ( saith cardinal bembus ) that set benefices and promotions to sale , that he which would give most might have most ; and that poysoned iohn michel the cardinal of venice at rome , for his gold and treasure which he abounded with : whose insatiable covetousnesse provoked him to the committall of all mischief , to the end he might maintain the forces of his son , who went about to bring the whole lands & dominions of all italy , into his possession● in adulteries he was most filthy and abominable , in tyranny most cruell , and in magick most cunning , and therefore most execrable : supping one night with cardinal adrian , his very familiar friend , in his garden , having fore-appointed his destruction that night by poyson ; through the negligence and oversight of his butler , to whom he had given the exploit in charge , that was deceived by mistaking the bottles , he dranke himselfe the medicine which he had prepared for his good friend the cardinal : and so he died ( saith bembus ) not without an evident marke of gods heavy wrath , in that he which had slain so many princes and rich men to enjoy their treasures , and went now about to murder his host which entertained him with friendship & good chear into his house , was caught in the same snare which he had laid , and destroyed by the same meanes himselfe , which he had destinated for another : being thus dead , the whole city of rome ( saith guicciardine ) ran out with greedinesse and joy to behold his carkasse , not being able to satisfie their eyes with beholding the dead serpent , whose venome of ambition , treachery , cruelty , adultery , and avarice , had impoysoned the whole world . some say , that as he purposed to poyson certain cardinals , he poysoned his own father , that being in their company , chanced to get a share of his drugs : and that he was so abominable to abuse his own sister lucrece in the way of filthinesse . when zemes the brother of bajazet the emperour of the turkes came and surrendred himselfe into his hands , and was admitted into his protection , he being hired with two hundred duckets by bajazet , gave poyson to his new client , even to him to whom hee had before sworne and vowed his friendship : besides , that hee might maintain his tyranny , he demanded and obtained aid of the turke against the king of france , which was a most unchristian and antichristian part : hee caused the tongue and two hands of anthony mancivellus ( a very learned and wise man ) to be cut off , for an excellent oration which he made in reproof of his wicked demeanours and dishonest life . it is written moreover by some , that he was so affectionated to the service of his good lord and master the devil , that he never attempted any thing without his counsell and advice ; who also presented himselfe unto him at his death in the habit of a post , according to the agreement which was betwixt them : and although this wretched antichrist strove against him for life , alledging that his terme was not yet finished ; yet he was enforced to dislodge , and depart into his proper place , where with horrible cries and hideous fearfull groanes he died . thus we see how miserably such wretched and infamous miscreants , and such pernitious and cruell tyrants have ended their wicked lives , their force and power being execrable and odious , and therefore ( as saith seneca ) not able to continue any long time , for that government cannot be firme and stable , where there is no shame nor fear to do evill , nor where equity , justice , faith , and piety , with other vertues , are contemned and trodden under foot : for when cruelty once beginneth to be predominate , it is so insatiable , that it never ceaseth , but groweth every day from worse to worse , by striving to maintain and defend old faults by new , untill the fear and terrour of the poor afflicted and oppressed people , with a continuall source and enterchange of evils which surcharge them , converteth it selfe from sorced patience , to willing fury , and breaketh forth to do vengeance upon the tyrants heads with all violence ; whence ariseth that saying of the satyricall poet to the same sence ; where he saith , few tyrans dye the death that nature sends , but most are brought by slaughter to their ends . chap. xlvi . of calumniation and false witnesse bearing . we have seen heretofore what punishments the lord hath laid upon those that either vex their neigbours in their persons , as in the breakers of the fifth , sixth , and seventh commandments ; or dammage them in their goods , as in the eighth : now let us look unto those that seek to spoil them of their good names , and rob them of their credit by slanderous reproaches , and false and forged calumniatious , and by that meanes go against the ninth commandment , which saith , thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour : in which words is condemned generally all slanders , all false reports , all defamations , and all evill speeches else whatsoever , whereby the good name and credit of a man is blemished , stained , or impoverished ; and this sin was not onely inhibited by the divine law of the almighty , but also by the lawes of nature and nations : for there is no countrey and people so barbarous , with whom these pernitious kinde of creatures are not held in detestation : of tame beasts ( saith diogenes ) a flatterer is worst , and of wilde beasts a backbiter or a slanderer : and not without great reason , for as there is no disease so dangerous as that which is secret , so there is no enemy so pernitious as he which under the colour of friendship biteth and slandereth us behinde our backs : but let us see what judgement the lord hath shewn upon them , to the end the odiousnesse of this vice may more clearly appear . and first to begin with doeg the edomite , who falsly accused achimelech the high-priest unto saul , for giving succour unto david in his necessity and flight : for though he told nothing but that which was true , yet of that truth some he maliciously perverted , and some he kept backe : and falsehood consisteth not onely in plain lying , but also in concealing and misusing the truth : for achimelech indeed asked counsell of the lord for david , and ministred unto him the shew-bread and the sword of goliah , but not with any intent of malice against king saul for he supposed , and david also made him beleeve , that he went about the kings businesse , and that he was in great favour with the king : which last clause the wicked accuser left out , and by that meanes not onely provoked the wrath of saul , against the high-priest , but also when all other refused , became himselfe executioner of his wrath , and murdered achimelech , with all the nation of the priests , and smote nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword , both man , and woman , childe , and suckling , oxe and asse , not leaving any alive ( so beastly was his cruelty ) save abiathar onely , one of the sons of achimelech , that fled to david , and brought him tidings of this bloudy massacre . but did this 〈…〉 spirit of god in the . psalme proclaimeth his judgement : why boastest thou in thy wickednesse thou tyran ? thy 〈…〉 , and is like a sharpe rasor that cutteth deceitfully , &c. but god shall destroy thee for ever , he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle , and root thee out of the land of the living . next to this man we may justly place achab the king of israel , and iesabel his wife , who to the end to get possession of naboths vineyard ( which being his inheritance he would not part from ) suborned by his wives pernitious counsell false accusers , wicked men , to witnesse against naboth , that he had blasphemed god and the king , and by that meanes caused him to be stoned to death : but marke the judgement of god denounced against them both by the mouth of elias , for this wicked fact : hast thou killed ( saith he ) and taken possession ? thus saith the lord , in the place where the dogs licked the bloud of naboth , shall dogs even licke thy bloud also : and as for jesabel , dogs shall eat her by the wall of iesrael : thy house shall be like the house of jeroboam the son of nabat : i will cut off from ahab him that pisseth against the wall , &c. neither was this onely denounced , but executed also ; as we may reade , kin. . . & kin. . , , &c. & kin. . , &c. amaziah the priest of bethel under ieroboam the wicked king of israel , perceiving how the prophet amos prophesied against the idolatry of that place , and of the king , he falsly accused him to ieroboam , to have conspired against him ; also he exhorted him to flie from bethel , because it was the kings chappell , and flie into judah , and prophesie there ; but what said the lord unto him by the prophet ? thy wife shall be an harlot in the city , thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword , and thy land shall be divided by line , and thou shalt die in a polluted land : loe there was the punishment of his false accusation . how notable was the judgement that the lord manifested upon hamon the syrian for his false accusing of the jewes , to be disturbers of the common-wealth , and breakers of the lawes of king ahasuerosh ? did not the lord turne his mischief upon his own head ? the same day that was appointed for their destruction , the lord turned it to the destruction of their enemies , and the same gallowes which he prepared for mordecai was he himselfe hanged upon . the men that falsly accused daniel to king darius , for breaking the kings edict , which was , that none should make any request unto any for thirty dayes space , save onely to the king himselfe , fared no better : for when as they found daniel praying unto god , they presently accused him unto the king ; urging him with the stability which ought to be in the decrees of the kings of media and persia , that ought not to be altered ; in such sort , that king darius ( though against his will ) commanded daniel to be throwne amongst the lions , to be devoured of them ; but when he saw how miraculously the lord preserved him from the teeth of the lions , and thereby perceived his innocency , he caused his envious accusers to be thrown into the lions den , with their wives and children , who were devoured by the lions ere they could fall to the ground . notorious is the example of the two judges that accused susanna , both how she was delivered , and they punished . but let us come to prophane ●istories : apelles that famous painter of ephesus , felt the sting and ●●tternesse o● this venomous vi●er , for he was falsly accused by antiphilus another painter , an envier of his art and excellent workemanship , to have conspired with theodota against king ptolomie , and to have been the cause of the defection of pelusium from him : which accusation he laid against him , to the end that seeing he could not attain to that excellency of art which he had , he might by this false pretence worke his disgrace and overthrow ; as indeed he had effected , had not great persuasions been used , and manifest proofes alledged of apelles innocency and integrity : wherefore ptolomie having made triall of the cause , and found out the false and wrongfull practise , he most justly rewarded apelles with an hundred talents , and antiphilus the accuser with perpetuall servitude : upon which occasion apelles in remembrance of that danger painted out calumniation on this manner ; a woman gayly attired , and dressed with an angry and furious countenance , holding in her left hand a torch , and with her right a young man by the hair of the head , before whom marched an evill favoured sluttish usher , quicke-sighted , and pale-faced , called envy , at her right hand sat a fellow with long eares like king midas to receive tales , and behinde her two waiting maids , ignorance and suspition . and thus the witty painter , to delude his own evill hap , expressed the lively image and nature of that detracting sin . this tricke used maximinus the tyran to deface the doctrine and religion of christ in his time ; for when he saw that violence and torments prevailed not , but that like the palme , the more it was trodden and oppressed , the more it grew , he used this subtilty and craft to undermine it : he published divers bookes full of blasphemy , of a conference betwixt christ and pilate , and caused them to be taught to children in stead of their first elements , that they might no sooner speak than hate and blaspheme christ : moreover , he constrained certain wicked lewd women to avouch that they were christians , and that vile filthinesse was dayly committed by them in their assemblies ; which also he published far and near in writing : howbeit , for all this the lords truth quailed not , but swum as it were against the stream , and encreased in despight of envy : and for these false accusers , they were punished one after another with notable judgements ; for one that was a chiefe doer therein became his owne murderer , and maximinus himselfe was consumed with wormes and rottennesse , as hath beene shewed in the former booke . it was a law among the romans , that if any man had enforced an accusation against another , either wrongfully , unlawfully , or without probability , both his legs should be broken , in recompence of his malice : which custome , as it was laudable and necessary , so was it put in execution at divers times , as namely under the emperour commodus , when a prophane wretch accused apollonius ( a godly and profest christian , and afterward a constant martyr of christ jesus ) before the judges , of certaine grievous crimes , which when he could by no colour or likelyhood of truth convince and prove , they adjudged him to that ignominious punishment to have his legs broken , because he had accused and defamed a man without cause . eustathius bishop of antioch , a man famous for eloquence in speech , and uprightnesse of life , when as hee impugned the heresie of the arrians , was circumvented by them , and deposed from his bishopricke by this meanes : they suborned a naughty strumpet to come in with a childe in her armes , and in an open synod of two hundred and fifty bishops to accuse him of adultery , and to sweare that hee had got that childe of her body : which though he denied constantly , and no just proofe could be brought against him , yet the impudent strumpets oath tooke such place , that by the emperours censure hee was banished from his bishopricke ; howbeit ere long his innocency was knowne , for the said strumpet being deservedly touched with the finger of gods justice in extreame sicknesse , confessed the whole practise , how she was suborned by certaine bishops to slander this holy man , and that yet she was not altogether a lyar , for one eustathius a handy-crafts man got the childe , as shee had sworne , and not eustathius the bishop . the like slander the same hereticks devised against athanasius in a synod convocated by constantine the emperour , at tyrus ; for they suborned a certaine lewd woman to exclaime upon the holy man in the open assembly , for ravishing of her that last night against her will : which slander he shifted off by this devise , he sent timotheus the presbyter of alexandria into the synod in his place , who comming to the woman , asked her before them all , whether she durst say that he had ravished her ; to whom she replyed , yea , i sweare and vow that thou hast done it ( for shee supposed it to have beene athanasius , whom shee never saw ) whereat the whole synod perceived the cavill of the lying arrians , and quitted the innocency of that good man. howbeit these malicious hereticks seeing this practise not to succeed , invented another worse then the former ; for they accused him to have slaine one arsenius , whom they themselves kept secret ; and that hee carried one of his hands about him , wherewith he wrought miracles by enchantment : but arsenius , touched by the spirit of god , stole away from them , and came to athanasius , to the end he should receive no damage by his absence , whom he brought in to the judges , and shewed them both his hands , confounded his accusers with shame of their malice , insomuch as they ranne away for feare , and satisfied the judges both of his integrity , and their envious calumniation : the chiefe broker of all this mischiefe was stephanus bishop of antioch , but he was degraded from his bishopricke , and leontius elected in his roome . in our english chronicles we have recorded a notable history to the like effect of king canutus the dane , who after much trouble , being established in the kingdome of england , caused a parliament to bee held at london ; where ( amongst other things there debated ) it was propounded to the bishops , barons , and lords of that assembly , whether in the composition made betwixt edmond and canutus any speciall remembrance was made for the children or brethren of edmond , touching any partition of any part of the land ? which the english lords , flattering the king , though falsly and against the truth , yea and against their owne consciences , denied to be ; and not onely so , but for the kings pleasure confirmed their false words with a more false oath , that to the uttermost of their powers they would put off the bloud of edmond from all right and interest : by reason of which oath and promise they thought to have purchased with the king great favour ; but by the just retribution of god it chanced farre otherwise : for many of them , or the most part , especially such as canutus perceived to have sworne fealtie before time to edmond and his heires , he mistrusted and disdained ever after : insomuch , that some he exiled , many he beheaded , and divers by gods just judgement died suddenly . in the scottish chronicles we read how hamilton the scot was brought unto his death by the false accusation of a false frier called campbel : who being in the fire ready to be executed , cited and summoned the said frier to appeare before the high god , as generall judge of all men , to answer to the innocency of his death , and whether his accusation were just or not , betwixt that and a certaine day of the next moneth , which he there named . now see the heart and hand of god against a false witnesse , ere that day came the frier died without any remorse of conscience ; and no doubt he gave a sharpe account to almighty god of his malicious and unjust accusation . in the yeare of our lord , henry archbishop of mentz , being complained of to the pope , sent a learned man , a speciall friend of his , to excuse him , named arnold ; one for whom he had much done , and promoted to great livings and promotions : but this honest man in stead of an excuser became an accuser ; for hee bribed the two chiefest cardinals with gold , and obtained of the pope those two to be sent inquisitors about the archbishops case : the which comming into germany , summoned the said henry , and without either law or justice , deposed him from his archbishoprick , and substituted in his place arnold , upon hope of his ecclesiasticall gold : whereupon that vertuous and honourable henry is reported to have spoken thus unto those perverse judges : if i should appeale to the apostolike sea , for this your unjust processe had against me , perhaps i should but lose my labour , and gaine nothing but toyle of body , losse of goods , affliction of minde , and care of heart : wherefore i doe appeale to the lord jesus christ , as to the most highest and just judge , and cite you before his judgement seat , there to answer for this wrong done unto me ; for neither justly , nor godly , but corruptly , and unjustly , have you judged my cause . whereunto they scoffingly said , goe you first , and we will follow . not long after , the said henry dyed : whereof the two cardinals having intelligence , said one to the other jestingly , behold he is gone before , and wee must follow according to our promise . and verily they spoke truer than they were aware ; for within a while after they both dyed in one day : the one sitting upon a jakes to ease himselfe , voyded out all his entrailes into the draught , and miserably ended his life : the other gnawing off the fingers of his hands , and spitting them out of his mouth , ( all deformed in devouring of himselfe ) died . and in like wise not long after the said arnold was slaine in a sedition , and his body for certaine dayes lying stinking above the ground unburied , was open to the spoyle of every raskall and harlot . and this was the horrible end of this false accuser , and those corrupted judges . thus were two cardinals punished for this sinne : and that we may see that the holy father the pope is no better than his cardinals , and that god spareth not him no more than he did them ; let us heare how the lord punished one of that ranke for this crime . it is not unknowne , that pope innocent the fourth condemned the emperour fredericke at the councell at lyons , his cause being unheard , and before hee could come to answer for himselfe : for when the emperour , being summoned to appeare at the councell , made all haste hee could thitherward , and desired to have the day of hearing his cause prorogued , till that he might conveniently travell thither ; the pope refused , and contrary to gods law , to christian doctrine , to the prescript of the law of nature and reason , and to all humanity , without probation of any crime , or pleading any cause , or hearing what might be answered , taking upon him to be both adversary and judge , condemned the emperour being absent . what more wicked sentence was ever pronounced ? what more cruell fact ( considering the person ) might be committed ? but marke what vengeance god tooke upon this wicked judge . the writers of the annals record , that when fredericke the emperour , and conrade his sonne were both dead , the pope gaping for the inheritance of naples and sicilie , and thinking by force to have subdued the same , came to naples with a great hoast of men : where was heard in his court manifestly pronounced this voyce ; veni miser ad judicium dei , thou wretch come to receive thy judgement of god. and the next day the pope was found in his bed dead , all black and blew , as though he had beene beaten with bats . and this was the judgement of god which he came unto . to this pope and these cardinals let us adde an archbishop , and that of canterbury ; to wit , thomas arundel , upon whom the justice of god appeared no lesse manifestly than on the former : for after hee had unjustly given sentence against the lord cobham , he died himselfe before him ; being so striken in his tongue , that he could neither swallow nor speake for a certaine space before the time of his death . hither might be adjoyned the vengeance of god upon justice morgan , who condemned to death the innocent lady iane ; but presently after fell madde , and so dyed , having nothing in his mouth but lady iane , lady iane. in the reigne of king henry the eighth , one richard long , a man of armes in calice , bore false witnesse against master smith , the curate of our lady parish in calice , for eating flesh in lent , which hee never did : but hee escaped not vengeance ; for shortly after he desperately drowned himselfe . a terrible example unto all such as are ready to forsweare themselves on a booke upon malice , or some other cause : a thing in these dayes over rise every where , and almost of most men little or nothing regarded . about the same time one gregory bradway committed the same crime of false accusation against one broke , whom being driven thereunto by feare and constraint , he accused to have robbed the custome-house , wherein hee was a clerke , of foure groats every day ; and to this accusation he subscribed his hand : but for the same presently felt upon him the heavy hand of god ; for being grieved in his consciene for his deed , hee first with a knife enterprised to cut his owne thro●t ; but being not altogether dispatched therewith , the gaoler comming up and preventing his purpose , hee fell forthwith into a furious frenzie ; and in that case lived long time after . hitherto we may adde the example of one william feming , who accused an honest man called iohn cooper , of speaking trayterous words against queene mary , and all because he would not sell him two goodly bullockes which he much desired : for which cause the poore man being arraigned at berry in suffolke , was condemned to death by reason of two false witnesses which the said feming had suborned for that purpose , whose names were white and greenwood ; so this poore man was hanged , drawne , and quartered , and his goods taken from his poore wife and nine children , which are left destitute of all helpe : but as for his false accusers , one of them died most miserably ; for in harvest time being well and lusty , of a sudden his bowels fell out of his body , and so he perished : the other two what ends they came unto , it is not reported ; but sure the lord hath reserved a sufficient punishment for all such as they are . many more be the examples of this sinne , and judgements upon it ; as the pillories at westminster , and daily experience beareth witnesse ; but these that we have alledged shall suffice for this purpose : because this sinne is cousin germane unto perjury , of which you may read more at large in the former booke . it should now follow by course of order , if wee would not pretermit any thing of the law of god , to speak of such as have offended against the tenth commandement , and what punishment hath ensued the same : but forsomuch as all such offences for the most part are included under the former , of which wee have already spoken ; and that there is no adultery , nor fornication , nor theft , nor unjust warre , but it is annexed to , and proceedeth from the affection and the resolution of an evill and disordinate concupiscence , as the effect from the cause : therefore it is not necessary to make any particular recitall of them , more than may well bee collected out of the former examples added hereunto ; that in evill concupiscence and affection of doing evill , which commeth not to act , ( though it be in the sight of god condemned to everlasting torments ) yet it doth not so much incurre and provoke his indignation , that a man should for that onely cause be brought to apparent destruction , and be made an example to others , to whom the sinne is altogether darke and unknowne : therefore we will proceed in our purpose without intermeddling in speciall with this last commandement . chap. xlvii . that kings and princes ought to looke to the execution of iustice , for the punishment of naughty and corrupt manners . no man ought to be ignorant of this , that it is the duty of a prince , not onely to hinder the course of sin from bursting into action , but also to punish the doers of the jame ; making both civill justice to be administred uprightly , and the law of god to be regarded and observed inviolably : for to this end are they ordained of god , that by their meanes every one might live a quiet and peaceable life , in all godlinesse and honesty : to the which end the maintenance and administration of justice being most necessary , they ought not so to discharge themselves of it , as to translate it upon their officers and judges , but also to looke to the execution thereof themselves , as it is most needfull : for if law ( which is the foundation of justice ) be ( as plato saith ) a speechlesse and dumbe magistrate ; who shall give voyce and vigor unto it , if not hee that is in supreame and soveraigne authority ? for which cause the king is commanded in deuteronomy , to have before him alwayes the booke of the law , to the end to doe justice and judgement to every one in the feare of god. and before the creation of the kings in israel , the chiefe captaines and soveraignes amongst them were renowned with no other title nor quality , than of judges . in the time of deborah the prophetesse , though she was a woman , the weaker vessell ; yet because she had the conducting and governing of the people , they came unto her to seeke judgement . it is said of samuel , that he judged israel so long , till being tyred with age , and not able to beare that burden any longer , hee appointed his sonnes for judges in his stead : who when through covetousnesse they perverted justice , and did not execute judgement like their father samuel , they gave occasion to the people to demaund a king , that they might be judged and governed after the manner of other nations : which things sufficiently declared , that in old time the principall charge of kings was personally to administer justice and judgement , and not as now to transferre the care thereof to others . the same we read of king david , of whom it is said , that during his reigne he executed justice and judgement , among his people : and in another place , that men came unto him for judgement , and therefore he disdained not to heare the complaint of the woman of tekoah ; shewing himselfe herein a good prince , and as the angel of god , to heare good and evill : for this cause solomon desired not riches , nor long life of the lord , but a wise and discreet heart to judge his people , and to discerne betwixt good and evill : which request was so agreeable and acceptable to god , that hee granted it unto him ; so that he obtained such an excellent measure of incomparable wisedome , that he was commended and reputed more for it , than for all his great riches and precious treasure beside . there is mention made in the book of the kings of his judiciall throne wherein he used to sit and heare the causes of the people , and execute justice among them ; and albeit he was the most puissant and glorious king of the earth , yet notwithstanding hee scorned not to hear two harlots plead before him about the controversie of a dead infant . ioram king of israel , son of achab , though a man that walked not uprightly before god , but gave himselfe to worke abomination in his sight ; yet he despised not the complaint of the poor affamished woman of samaria , when she demanded justice at his hands , although it was in the time of war when lawes use to be silent , and in the besieging and famishment of the city ; neither did he reject the sunamites request , for the recovery of her house and lands , but caused them to be restored unto her . so that then it is manifest , that those kings which in old time reigned over the people of god , albeit they had in every city judges , yea and in jerusalem also , as it appeareth in the nineteenth chapter of the second book of chronicles ; yet they ceased not for all that to give ear to suits and complaints that were made unto them , and to decide controversies that came to their knowledge : and for this cause it is that wisdom saith , that by her kings reigne , and princes decree justice : whereunto also belongeth that which is said in another place , that a king sitting in the throne of judgement chaseth away all evill with his eyes . moreover , that this was the greatest part of the office and duty of kings in antient times to see the administration of justice , homer the poet may be a sufficient witnesse , when he saith of agamemnon , that the scepter and law was committed to him by god , to do right to every man : answerable to the which , virgil ( describing the queen of carthage ) saith , she sat in judgement in the midst of her people : as if there was nothing more beseeming such a person than such an action . and therefore the poets not without cause feigne iupiter alwayes to have themis ( that is to say , justice ) at his elbow ; signifying thereby , not that whatsoever kings and princes did was just and lawfull , be it never so vile in it own nature ( as that wanton flatterer anaxarchus said to alexander ) but that equity and justice should alwayes accompany them , and never depart from their sides . and hereupon it was that eacus , minos , and radamanthus the first king of graecia , were so renowned of old antiquity , because of their true and upright execution of justice , and therefore were not honoured with any greater title than the name of judges . it is said of king alexander , that although he was continually busied in affaires of war , and of giving battels , yet he would sit personally in judgement to hear criminall causes and matters of importance pleaded ; and that whilest the accuser laid open his accusation , he would stop one ear with his hand , to the end that the other might be kept pure and without prejudice , for the defence and answer of the accused . the roman emperours also were very carefull and diligent in this behalfe : as first iulius caesar , who is recorded to have taken great paines in giving audience to parties , and in dealing justice betwixt them . in like manner augustus caesar is commended for his care and travell in this behalfe : for he would ordinarily sit in judgement upon causes and controversies of his subjects , and that with such great delight and pleasure , that oftentimes night was fain to interrupt his course , before his will was to relinquish it : yea , though he found himselfe evill at case , yet would he not omit to apply himselfe to the division of judgement , or else calling the parties before him to his bed . the emperour claudius , though a man otherwise of a dull and grosse spirit , yet in this respect he discharged the duty of a good prince , for that he would intermeddle with hearing his subjects causes , and do right unto them : he chanced once to make a very pretty and witty end of a suit betwixt a son and his mother , who denying and disclaiming him to be her son , was by the emperour commanded to marry him ; and so lest he should agree to that mischief , was constrained to acknowledge and avow him for her son : and to be short , it was very ordinary and usuall among the emperours , to take knowledge of matters controverted , but especially of criminall and capitall causes ; by meanes whereof the apostle paul , desirous to shun the judgement and lyings in wait of his enemies the jewes , appealed from them to caesar ; which he would never have done , if caesar had not in some sort used to meddle with such affaires ; and for further proof hereof , hither may be added the saying which is reported of nero , in the beginning of his reigne , that when he should signe with his hand a sentence of death against a condemned person , he wished that he could neither write nor reade , to the end to avoid that necessary action . the bold answer of an old woman to the emperour adrian is very worthy to be remembred ; who appealing and complaining to the emperour of some wrong , when he answered that he was not at leasure then to hear her suit , she told him boldly and plainly , that then he ought not to be at leasure to be her emperour : which speech went so near the quicke unto him , that ever after he shewed more facility and courtesie towards all men that had any thing to do with him . the kings of france used also this custome of hearing and deciding their subjects matters , as we reade of charlemaigne the king and emperour , who commanded that he should be made acquainted with all matters of importance , and their issues , throughout his realme . king lewis the first treading the steps of his father charlemaigne , accustomed himselfe three dayes in a week to hear publiquely in his pallace the complaints and grievances of his people , and to right their wrongs and injuries . king lewis , sirnamed the holy , a little before his death gave in charge to his son that should succeed him in the crown , amongst other , this precept , to be carefull to bear a stroke in seeing the distribution of justice , and that it should not be perverted nor depraved . chap. xlviii . of such princes as have made no reckoning of punishing vice , nor regarded the estate of their people . it cannot chuse but be a great confusion in a common-wealth , when justice sleepeth , and when the shamelesse boldnesse of evill doers is not curbed in with any bridle , but runneth it own swinge ; and therefore a consull of rome could say , that it was an evil thing to have a prince , under whom licence and liberty is given to every man to do what him listeth : forsomuch then as this evill proceedeth from the carelesnesse and slothfulnesse of those that hold the sterne of government in their hands , it cannot be but some evill must needs fall upon them for the same : the truth of this may appear in the person of philip of macedony ( whom demosthenes the orator noteth for a treacherous and false dealing prince : ) after that he had subdued almost all greece , not so much by open war , as by subtilty , craft , and surprise , and that being in the top of his glory , he celebrated at one time the marriage of his son alexander , whom he had lately made king of epire , and of one of his daughters , with great pompe and magnificence ; as he was marching with all his train betwixt the two bridegroomes ( his own son and his son in law ) to see the sports and pastimes which were prepared for the solemnity of the marriage , behold suddenly a young macedonian gentleman called pausanias , ran at him , and slew him in the midst of the prease , for not regarding to do him justice , when he complained of an injury done unto him by one of the peeres of the realme . tatius , the fellow king of rome with romulus , for not doing justice in punishing certain of his friends and kinsfolkes that had robbed and murdered certain embassadours which came to rome , and for making their impunity an example for other malefactors by deferring and protracting , and disappointing their punishment , was so watched by the kindred of the slain , that they slew him even as he was sacrificing to his gods , because they could not obtain justice at his hands . what happened to the romans for refusing to deliver an embassadour , who ( contrary to the law of nations comming unto them ) played the part of an enemy to his own countrey , even well nigh the totall overthrow of them and their city : for having by this meanes brought upon themselves the calamity of war , they were at the first discomfited by the gaules ; who pursuing their victory , entred rome , and slew all that came in their way , whether men or women , infants or aged persons , and after many dayes spent in the pillage and spoiling of the houses , at last set fire on all , and utterly destroyed the whole city . childericke king of france is notified for an extreme dullard and blockhead , and such a one as had no care or regard unto his realme , but that lived idlely and slothfully , without intermedling with the affaires of the common-wealth : for he laid all the charge and burden of them upon pepin his lieutenant generall , and therefore was by him justly deposed from his royall dignity , and mewed up in a cloyster of religion to become a monke , because he was unfit for any good purpose : and albeit that this sudden change and mutation was very strange , yet there ensued no trouble nor commotion in the realme thereupon ; so odious was he become to the whole land for his drousie and idle disposition . for the same cause did the princes electors depose venceslaus the emperour from the empire , and established another in his room . king richard of england , among other foul faults which he was guilty of , incurred greatest blame for this , because he suffered many theeves and robbers to rove up and down the land unpunished : for which cause the citizens of london commenced a high suit against him , and compelled him having reigned two and twenty yeares , to lay aside the crown , and resigne it to another , in the presence of all the states , and died prisoner in the tower. moreover , this is no small defect of justice , when men of authority do not onely pardon capitall and detestable crimes , but also grace and favour the doers of them : and this neither ought nor can be done by a soveraigne prince , without overpassing the bounds of his limited power , which can in no wayes dispence with the law of god , whereunto even kings themselves are subject : for as touching the willing and considerate murderer , thou shalt plucke him from my altar ( saith the lord ) that he may die , thy eye shall not spare him , to the end it may goe well with thee : which was put in practise in the death of ioab , who was slaine in the tabernacle of god , holding his hands upon the hornes of the altar : for he is no lesse abhominable before god that justifieth the wicked , than he that condemneth the just : and hereupon that holy king s. lewis , when he had granted pardon to a malefactor , revoked it againe , after better consideration of the matter ; saying , that he would give no pardon , except the case deserved pardon by the law , for it was a worke of charity and pitty to punish an offendor ; and not to punish crimes was as much as to commit them . in the yeare of our lord , egelrede the sonne of edgare and alphred , king of england , was a man of goodly outward shape and visage , but wholly given to idlenesse , and abhorring all princely exercises : besides , he was a lover of ryot and drunkennesse , and used extreame cruelty towards his subjects , having his eares open to all unjust complaints ; in feats of armes of all men most ignorant : so that his cruelty made him odious to his subjects , and his cowardise encouraged strange enemies to invade his kingdome ; by meanes whereof england was sore afflicted with warre , famine and pestilence . in his time ( as a just plague for his negligence in governement ) decayed the noble kingdome of england , and became tributary to the danes : for ever when the danes oppressed him with warre , he would hire them away with summes of money , without making any resistance against them : insomuch , that from ten thousand pounds by the yeare , the tribute arose in short space to fifty thousand : wherefore he devised a new tricke , and sought by treacherie to destroy them , sending secret commissioners to the magistrates throughout the land , that upon a certaine day and houre assigned , the danes should suddenly and joyntly bee murdered : which massacre being performed , turned to be the cause of greater misery : for swaine king of denmarke hearing of the murder of his countrey-men , landed with a strange army in divers parts of this realme , and so cruelly without mercy and pitty spoyled the countrey , and slew the people , that the englishmen were brought to most extreame and unspeakable misery , and egelrede the king driven to flie with his wife and children to richard duke of normandie , leaving the whole kingdome to bee possessed of swaine . edward the second of that name may well be placed in this ranke : for though he was faire and well proportioned of body , yet he was crooked and evill favoured in conditions : for hee was so disposed to lightnesse and vanity , that he refused the company of his lords and men of honour , and haunted amongst villaines and vile persons ; he delighted in drinking and riot , and loved nothing lesse than to keep secret his owne counsailes , though never so important ; so that he let the affaires of his kingdome runne at six and at sevens : to these vices he added the familiarity of certaine evill disposed fellowes , as pierce de gaueston , and hugh the spencers ; whose wanton counfell he following , neglected to order his common-wealth by sadnesse , discretion , and justice : which thing caused first great variance betwixt him and his nobles , so that shortly he became to them most odious , and in the end was deprived of his kingdome : for the scots that were so curbed in his fathers dayes , now playd rex through his negligence , and made many irruptions into his land , killing and discomfiting his men at three sundry battailes : besides , charles of france did him much scath upon his lands in gasconie and guyan ; and at last isabell his owne wife , with the helpe of sir iohn of henault and his henowaies ( to whom the nobles and commons gave their assistance ) tooke him and deprived him of his crowne , installed his young sonne edward in his place , keeping him in prison at bartcley , where not long after he was murdered by sir roger mortimer . chap. xlix . how rare and geason good princes have beene at all times . it appeareth by all these former histories , what a multitude there hath beene of dissolute , proud , cruell , and vicious princes , and of tyrans and oppressors , so that the number of good & vertuous ones seemeth to have been but small in comparison of them : which is also intimated by the tenor of the histories of the kings of juda & israel , of whom ( being in number forty ) but ten onely were found that pleased god in their reignes , and they of juda ; and yet of them ten , one was corrupted in his old age , and fell away to vile iniquities : but of israel there was not one that demeaned not himself evill in his estate , and dealt not unjustly and wickedly before the lord. as for the first emperors , what manner of men they were for the most part , we have already sufficiently declared : wherefore it was not unfitly spoken of him , that jeasting-wise told the emperor claudius , that all the good caesars might be engraven in one little ring , they were so few : so that then a king or prince endued with vertue , bounty , and clemency , and that loveth his subjects , endeth strifes , and kindleth concord , is a speciall note of gods favour , and a gift inestimable ; and that people that hath such a prince for their support and stay , are infinitely blessed ; they lie as it were upon a sunnie banke , and ride in a most safe and quiet haven , whilest others are exposed and laid open to the cruelty of time , and are tossed and turmoyled with the waves of calamitie and oppression ; therefore this may be their song of mirth and rejoycing , whilest other nations sing nothing but welladaies : a sad afflicted soule , all pale with griefe and wrong , being eas'd from sence of dole , doth straitway change his song from moane to mirth , for why his thick and cloudy night , is turn'd to purity of titans glorious light . the raging storme is past , and feare of shipwracke gone , their weary ships at last a calmie shore have won . the pilot safely lies reposed under lee , not fearing frowne of skies , or other miserie . the strong and mighty blasts of furious winds are still , they doe no more cast downe huge firre trees at their will : a pleasant gale succeeds of fruitfull zephyrus , which recreates the seeds of spring voluptuous . pack hence you wicked ones , with all your equipage of murdering champions , envenomed with rage : your horse are tir'd with toyle , and all your strength 's pluckt downe , your swords have caught a foyle by lovely peaces crowne . o blessed glorious peace ( that beautifiest each land , and mak'st all dangers cease , whereof in feare we stand ) distill thy favours pure ( which are immortall things ) on us that lie secure in shadow of thy wings . even those thy holy traine , which still attendance yeeld , let them wax young againe , and flourish in our field : iustice and verity , which ballance right from wrong , let them attend on thee with equity among . then shall the swaines rejoyce under a fig-tree lien , and sing with cheerfull voice untill the suns decline : and all the world shall ring with ecchoes of our praise , which to the lord our king we warble out alwayes . the simple harmlesse lambe no greedy wolfe shall feare , nor kid new wain'd from dam shall stand in awe of beare : but sheepe and wolfe shall make like friends one flocke and fold , a fearelesse childe shall take the rule of tigres old . you flockes of sion hill which through so many feares of warre and crosses , still have sowne your field with teares , take comfort to your hope , strait comes the joyfull houre to reap a fruitfull crop for all your torments soure . but alas it commeth to passe through the sinnes and wickednesse of men , that realmes are oftentimes scarred with the alarmes and assaults of foes , and strangely afflicted with many evils , when as the state of governement is troubled and changed by the iniquities of the people . chap. l. that the greatest and mightiest cities are not exempt from punishment of their iniquities . whereas great and populous cities are as it were the eyes of the earth ( as athens and sparta were said to be of greece ) there is no question but that they are so much the more blameable for glutting and overcharging themselves with sinnes , by how much the more they abound with all manner of temporall goods and commodities , and that at length they tumble into utter ruine and desolation ; for instead of being a patterne and direction unto others , of wisedome and good governement , as they ought ; they are for the most part examples of folly and vanity : for where is more evils and dissolutenesse reigning , than in them ? the principall cause whereof is that greedy worme avarice , which begetteth in all estates much fraud , cousening , and other naughty practises , with many such like children : for through it every man looketh to provide for his owne affaires , and to get any commoditie or ease whatsoever to himselfe , even with all his power ; not caring who be damnified , so he be enriched : the plenty of riches which there aboundeth , instilleth pride and haughtinesse of minde into some , maketh others dissolute and effeminate , and besotteth others with carnall & unhonest pleasures ; from which head spring rivers of evils , as envies , quarrels , dissentions , debates , and murders ; all which things happen to them , that being transported and distracted with the furious contrariety of their disordinate affection , can finde no contentment nor agreement with themselves , but must needs burst out into some outward mischiefes ; hence is that wonderfull pompe and bravery , as well of apparell as other things : hence all gourmandise and drunkennesse are so common , yea and adulteries so much frequented ; wherefore the anger of the almighty must needs bee kindled , to consume them in their sinnes . one of the notablest cities of the world for greatnesse and antiquity was ninive , the capitall and chiefe citie of the assyrian empire : howbeit her greatnesse and power could not so protect her , but that after she had once beene spared by the meanes of the prophet ionas , who fore-told her of her destruction , being returned to her former vomit againe ; to wit , of robberies , extortions , wrongfull dealings , and adulteries , she was wholly and utterly subverted , god having delivered her for a prey into the hands of many of her enemies , that spoiled and pilled her to the quicke ; and lastly , into the hands of the medes , who brought her to a finall and unrecoverable desolation , as it was prophesied by the prophet nahum . babylon was wont to be the seat of that puissant monarchie under nabuchadnezzar , where flourished the famous astrologers , and notable wise men of the world , where the spoyles and riches of many nations and countries were set up as trophies , and kept as the remembrance of their victories ; where also vices reigned , and all manner of excesse and villanie overflowed : for by the report of q. curtius , the citie did so exceed in whoredome and adulteries , that fathers and mothers were not ashamed to be bawdes unto their daughters , no nor husbands to their wives ; a thing most strange and odious : wherefore it could not chuse but in the end bee sacked , and quite destroyed with an extreame ruine and destruction , the signes and apparance whereof yet are seen in the ruine of old wals and ancient buildings that there remaine . amongst sea-bordering cities , and for renowne of merchandise , tyre in former ages was most famous : for thither resorted the merchants of all countries for traffique of palestina , syria , aegypt , persia , and assyria ; they of tarshis brought thither iron , lead , brasse , and silver : the syrians sold their carbuncles , purple , broidered worke , fine linnen , corall , and pearle : the jewes , hony , oyle , treacle , cassia , and calamus : the arabians traffiqued with lambs , muttons , and goats : the sabeans brought merchandise of all exquisite spices and apothecary stuffe , with gold and precious stones ; by meanes whereof it being growne exceeding wealthy , inriched by fraud and deceit , and being lifted up to the height of pride , and plunged in the depth of pleasures , it was at length by the just judgement of god , so sacked and ruinated , that the very memory thereof at this day scarce remaineth . the like judgement fell upon sidon , and upon that rich and renowned citie of corinth , which through the commodiousnesse of the haven , was the most frequented place of the world , for the entercourse of merchants out of asia and europe ; for by reason of her pride and corruption of manners , ( but especially for her despising and abuse of the heavenly graces of gods spirit ) which were sowed and planted in her , she underwent this punishment , to be first finally destroyed , and brought into cinders by the romans ; and then after her re-edification , to be debased into so low and v●le an estate , that that which remaineth is no wise comparable to her former glory . againe , athens the most flourishing and famous citie of greece for her faire buildings , large precincts , and multitude of inhabitants , but especially for her philosophie , by meanes whereof recourse was made from all parts to her , as the fountaine and well-spring of arts , and the schoole and university of the whole world ; whose policie and manner of governement was so much esteemed by the romanes , that they drew from thence their lawes ; but now she lies dead and buried in forgetfulnesse , not carrying any of her former proportion or apparance . carthage that noble citie , mistresse of africa , and paragon to rome , may not brag of any better issue than her fellowes : for though she resisted and made her part good with rome for many yeares , yet at length by means of her owne inward and civile jarres , she was utterly destroyed by them : for the inhabitants , not able to stand any longer in defence , were constrained to yeeld themselves to the mercy of their enemies : the women , to the number of five and twenty thousand marching first forth , and after them the men in number thirty thousand following ; all which poore captives were sold for bond-slaves , a few onely of the principall excepted ; and then fire was put to the citie , which burnt seventeene dayes without ceasing , even till it was cleane consumed . it is true that it was re-edified after this , but which lasted not long , for it was againe brought to destruction ; that at this day there remaineth nothing but old and rotten ruines . and thus fared many other cities , of which may be verified that which was spoken of troy , that fields and corne are where cities were . numantium in spaine being besieged by the romans , after it had borne the brunt of warre and sacking , a long while made many desperate sallies upon their enemies : and lastly , seeing themselves consumed with famine , rather than they would bow their necks to the yoke of servitude , barring their gates , set fire on all : and so burning themselves with their whole city , left the enemy nothing but ashes for his prey and triumph : as the saguntines not long before served anniball . it is a marvellous and strange thing to consider , how that proud citie hath lifted up her head above all others , and usurped a tyrannie over nations , and which lactantius , ierome , and augustine , three learned fathers , entituled babylon : how i say she hath beene humbled for all her pride , and impoverished for all her riches , and made a prey unto many nations . it was sacked and ransacked twice by the visigothes , taken once by the herulians , surprised by the ostrogothes , destroyed and rooted up by the vandales , annoyed by the lumbards , pilled and spoiled by the graecians , and whipped and chastised by many others ; and now 〈◊〉 sodome and gomorrah it is to expect no more punishment , but the last blow of the most mightiest his indignation , to throw it headlong into everlasting and horrible desolation . chap. li. of such punishments which are common to all men in regard of their iniquities . these and such like effects of gods wrath ought to admonish and instruct every man to looke unto himselfe for doing evill , and to abhorre and detest sinne , since it bringeth forth such soure and bitter fruits : for albeit the wayes of the wicked seeme in their owne eyes faire and good , yet it is certaine , that they are full of snares and thornes to entrap and pricke them to the quicke : for after that , being fed with the licorous and deceitfull sweetnesse of their owne lusts , they have sported themselves their fils in their pleasures and wicked affections , then in stead of delights and pastimes , they shall finde nothing but punishment and sadnesse ; their laughter , joy , pompe , magnificence , and glory , shall be turned into torments and dolors , weepings , opprobries , ignominies , confusion , and miserie everlasting : for if god spared not great cities , empires , monarchies , and kings , in their obstinate misdeeds , shall we thinke he will spare little cities , hamlets , and villages , and men of base estate , when by their sinnes they provoke him to anger ? no , it cannot be ; for god is alwayes of one and the same nature , alwayes like unto himselfe : a god executing justice and judgement upon the earth ; a god that loveth not iniquity ; ● with whom the wicked cannot dwell , nor the fooles stand before his presence . it is hee that huteth the workers of unrighteousnesse , and that destroyeth the lyers , and abhorreth all deceitfull , disloyall , perjurous , and murdering persons : as with him there is no exception of persons , so none , of what estate or condition soever , bee they rich or poore , noble or ignoble , gentle , or carter-like , can exempt themselves from his wrath and indignation when it is kindled but a little , if they delight and continue in their sinnes : for as s. paul saith , tribulation and anguish upon the soule of every man that doth evill . now according to the variety and diversity of mens offences , the lord in his most just and admirable judgement , useth diversity of punishments : sometimes correcting them one by one , particular ; otherwhiles altogether in a heap : sometimes by stormes and tempests , both by sea and land ; other times by lightning , haile , and deluge of waters ▪ often by overflowing and breaking out of rivers , and of the sea also : and not seldome by remedilesse and sudden fires , heaven and earth , and all the elements being armed with an invincible force , to take vengeance upon such as are traytors and rebels against god ● sundry times hee scourgeth the world ( as it well deserveth ) with his usuall and accustomed plagues , namely of warre , and famine , and pestilence , which are evident signes of his anger , according to the threats denounced in the law t●●●hing the same : and therefore if at any time hee deferre the punishment of the wicked , it is for no other end , but to expect the fulnesse of their sinne , and to make them more inexcusable , when contrary to his bountifulnesse and long suffering ( which inviteth and calleth them to repentance ) they harden themselves and grow more obstinate in their vices and rebellion , drawing upon their heads the whole heape of wrath , the more grievously to assaile them . and thus the vengeance of god marcheth but a soft pace ( as saith valerius maximus ) to the end to double and aggravate the punishment for the slacknesse thereof . chap. lii . that the greatest punishments are reserved and layed up for the wicked in the world to come . notwithstanding all which hath beene spoken , and howsoever sinners are punished in this life , it is certaine , that the greatest and terriblest punishments are kept in store for them in another world : and albeit that during this transitory pilgrimage , they seeme to themselves oftentimes to live at their ease , and enjoy their pleasures and pastimes to their hearts contentment ; yet doubtlesse it is so , that they are indeed in a continuall prison , and in a dungeon of darkenesse , bound and chained with fetters of their owne sinne , and very often turmoyled and but chered with their owne guilty conscience , overcharged with the multitude of offences , and fore-feeling the approach of hell : and in this case many languish away with feare , care , and terror , being toyled and tyred with uncessant and unsupportable disquietnesse , and tossed and distracted with despaire , untill by death they be brought unto their last irrevokable punishment ; which punishment is not to endure for a time , and then to end , but is eternall and everlastingly inherent both in body and soule : i say in the body , after the resurrection of the dead ; and in soule , after the departure out of this life till all eternity : for it is just and equall , that they which have offended and dishonoured god in their bodies in this life , should be punished also in their bodies in the world to come with endlesse torments : of which torments when mention is made in the holy scripture , they are for our weake capacity sake called gehenna , or a place of torment , utter darkenesse and hell fire , where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth , &c. againe , eternall fire , a poole and pit of fire and brimstone , which is prepared for the devill and his darlings : and how miserable their estate is that fall therein , our saviour christ giveth us to know in the person of the rich glutton , who having bathed himselfe in the pleasures and delights of this world , without once regarding or pittying the poore , was after cast into the torments of hell , and there burneth in quenchlesse flames , without any ceasing or allaying of his griefes : therefore whatsoever punishments the wicked suffer before they die , they are not quitted by them from this other , but must descend into the appointed place to receive the surplus of their payments which is due unto them : for what were it for a notorious and cruell tyran that had committed many foule and wicked deeds , or had most villanously murdered many good men , to have no other punishment but to be slaine , and to endure in the houre of death some extraordinary paine ; could such a punishment ballance with his so many and great offences ? whereas therefore many such wretches suffer punishment in this world , we must thinke that this is but a taste and scantling of those torments and punishments which are prepared and made ready for them in the world to come . and therefore it often commeth to passe , that they passe out of this life most quietly , without the disturbance of any crosse or punishment ; but it is that they might be more strangely tormented in another world . some not considering this point , nor stretching the view of their understanding beyond the aspect of their carnall eyes , have fallen into this foolish opinion , to thinke that there is neither justice nor judgement in heaven , nor respect of equity with the highest : when they see the wicked to flourish in prosperity , and the good and innocent to bee overwhelmed with adversity , yea and many holy men have fallen into this temptation , as iob and david did , who when they considered the condition of the wicked and unjust , how they lived in this world at their hearts ease , compassed about with pleasures and delights , and waxing old in the same , were carried to their sepulchres in peace ; they were somewhat troubled and perplexed within themselves , untill being instructed and resolved by the word of god , they marked their finall end and issue , and the everlasting perdition which was prepared for them , and by no means could be escaped . and thus it commeth to passe ( saith s. augustine ) that many sinnes are punished in this world , that the providence of god might be more apparant ; and many , yea most reserved to be punished in the world to come , that we might know that there is yet judgement behinde . chap. liii . how the afflictions of the godly , and the punishment of the wicked differ . which seeing it is so , it is necessary that the wicked and perverse ones should feele the rigor of gods wrath for the presumption and rebellion wherewith they daily provoke him against them ; and although with those that feare god , and strive to keepe themselves from evill , and take paines to live peaceably and quietly , it oftentimes goeth worse here below than with others , being laid open to millions of injuries , reproches , and cruelties , and as it were sheepe appointed to the slaughter ; whereof some are massacred , some hanged , some headed , some drowned , some burned , or put to some other cruell death ; yet notwithstanding their estate and condition is farre happier than that of the wicked , for somuch as all their sufferings and adversities are blessed and sanctified unto them of god , who turneth them to their advantage , according to the saying of s. paul , that all things worke for the good to them that feare god : for whatsoever tribulation befalleth them , they cannot be separated from the love of god , which he beareth unto them in his welbeloved son christ jesus : be it then that god visiteth them for their faults , ( for there is none that is clear of sin ) it is a fatherly chastisement to bring them to amendment : be it that hee exerciseth them by many afflictions , as hee did iob , it is to prove their faith and patience , to the end they may be better purified like gold in the furnace , and serve for example to others . if it bee for the truth of the gospell that they suffer , then they are blessed , because they are conformed to the image of the sonne of god , that they might also be partakers of his glory , for they that suffer with him , are assured to reign● with him : hence it is , that in the midst of their torments and oppressions , in the midst of fires and fagots flaming about them , being comforted with the consolations of gods spirit , through a sure hope of their happy repose and incorruptible crowne which is prepared for them in the heavens , they rejoyce and are so chearefull : contrariwise the wicked , seeing themselves ensnared in the evils which their owne sinnes brought upon them , gnash their teeth , fret themselves , murmur against god , and blaspheme him , like wretches , to their endlesse perdition . there is therefore great difference betwixt the punishments of each of these , for the one tendeth to honour and life , the other to shame and confusion : and even as it is not the greatnesse of torments that maketh the martyr , but the goodnesse of the cause ; so the infliction of punishment unjustly , neither maketh the party afflicted guilty , nor any whit diminisheth his reputation : whereas the wicked that are justly tormented for their sinnes , are so marked with infamie and dishonour , that the staine thereof can never be wiped out . let every one therefore learne to keepe , himselfe from evill , and to containe himselfe in a kinde of modesty and integrity of life , seeing that by the plagues and scourges wherewith the world is ordinarily afflicted ; gods fierce wrath is clearely revealed from heaven upon all impiety and injustice of men , to consume all those that rebell against him . thinke upon this you inhabitants of the earth , small and great , of what qualitie or condition soever you be . if you be mighty , puissant , and fearefull , know that the lord is greater than you , for he is almighty , all-terrible , and all-fearefull : in what place soever you are , he is alwayes above you , ready to hurle you down and overturne you , to breake , quash , and crush you in peeces as pots of earth : hee is armed with thunder , fire , and a bloudy sword , to destroy , consume , and cut you in pieces : heaven threatneth from above , and the earth which you trample on from below ; shaking under your feet , and being ready to spue you out from her face , or swallow you up in her bowels : in briefe , all the elements and creatures of god looke askew at you in disdaine , and set themselves against you in hatred , if you feare not your creator , your lord and master , of whom you have received your scepters and crownes , and who is able ( when he please ) to bring princes to nothing , and make the rulers of the earth a thing of nought . forsake therefore , if you tender the good , honour , and repose of your selves and yours , the evill and corrupt fashions of the world , and submit your selves in obedience under the scepter of gods law and gospell , fearing the just retribution of vengeance upon all them that doe the contrary : for it is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the lord. and you which honour and reverence god already , be now more quickned and stirred up to his love and obedience , and to a more diligent practising of his will , and following his commandements , to the end to glorifie him by your lives looking for the happie end of your hope reserved in the heavens for you by christ j●sus our lord , to whom 〈…〉 everlasting , amen . a briefe summarie of more examples , annexed to the former by the same author . chap. i. of such as have persecuted the church of christ. zacharias the sonne of barachias , of whom s. mathew speaketh in the three and twentieth chapter ; and saint augustine in the sermon , de tempore , in these words ; zacharie the high-priest , reproving the rebellious people for the neglect of the worship of god , and the sacred lawes , was slaine of the people ; and the detestable band of the jewes dyed the pavement with his bloud , in the ninth yeare of the reigne of ioas king of judah : which cruelty against this good man the whole nation of the jewes payed deare for ; for when a yeare was past , an armie of the syrians came up against ioas , and slew all the princes of the people in judah and hierusalem : and there being but a small number of the syrians , god delivered into their hands the whole multitude of the jewes . rabbi iohosua reporteth , that two hundred and eleven thousand were slaine in the field , and ninetie foure thousand in the citie , for the expiation of the bloud of zacharias , which bloud boyled out of the earth till that day , as it were out of a seething caldron . eg●as patrensis , a prefect of the emperor in achaia , when he had crucified saint andrew , was possessed of sathan , and slaine . incommodous emperour commodus , which was judged by the senate more cruell than domitian , and more impure than nero , had a tragicall end , both for his other vices , and principally for persecuting the church of christ. in the time of constantine , one teredates a great man in armenia , grievously persecuted the church : at which time gregorie the great , famous for miracles , suffered many indignities from him , and at the last was shut up into a darke and muddie pit for the space of fourteene years . but teredates the prince of that nation , felt the horrible vengeance of god upon himselfe , his houshold , and his nobles , for they were all transformed into swine , and lived like swine together , and devoured one another . whether this storie be true or fabulous , let the reader judge : but it is reported by nicephorus , lib. . cap. . in the reigne of constantius , after the antiochian synod , in the which great athanasius was condemned , the easterne cities , and especially antioch , were shaken and quashed with wonderfull earthquakes , in revenge of the injuries done to that good man. neither did constantius the emperour , an assertor and maintainer of the arrian heresie , escape unpunished for his perfidie and impietie . for first his warre-like affaires in the east prospered not : then a little before the end of his life he grievously complained , that he had innovated the faith in his kingdome . at last in those sighings and complaints he parted this life , with a grievous and violent disease . the unkle of iulian the apostata , called also iulianus , at antioch , in the temple prophaned the holy table with pissing upon it . and when eusoius the bishop rebuked him for it , he stroke him with his fist . not long after he was taken with a grievous disease of his bowels putrifying , and miserably died , his excrements comming from him not by their ordinary passages , but by his wicked mouth . under the emperour valence , a wonderfull haile , the stones being as big as a man could hold in his hand , was sent upon constantinople , and slew many , both men and beasts , for that the emperour had banished many famous men that would not communicate with eudoxius the arrian : and for the same reason a great part of germa , a citie of hellespont , was throwne downe by an earthquake ; and in phrygia such a famine succeeded , that the inhabitants were faine to change their habitation , and to ●lee to other places . after the martyrdome of gregory the bishop of spoleta , flacchus the governour , who was author thereof , was strucke with an angel , and vomited out his entrailes at his mouth , and died . under the empire of alexander , mammea agrippitus fifteene yeares old , because he would not sacrifice to their idols , was apprehended at praeneste , whipt with scourges , and hanged up by the heeles , and at last slaine with the sword ; in the middest of whose torments the governour of the citie fell from the tribunall seat dead . bajazet , a most cruell enemy of the christians , was taken by tamerlane the tartarian king , and bound in golden chaines , and carried about by him in an iron cage , latised and shewne unto all , being used for a stirrop unto tamerlane , when he got upon his horse . gensericus the king of the vandales , exercising grievous cruelty against the orthodox christians , he himselfe being an arrian , was possessed of the devill , and died a miserable death , in the yeare . honoricus the second , king of the vandales , having used inexplicable cruelty against the orthodox christians , hanging up honest matrons and virgins naked , burning their bodies with torches , cutting off their dugges and armes , because they would not subscribe to the arrian heresie , was surprised himselfe with the vengeance of god : for his land was turned into barrennesse through an exceeding drought , so that numbers of men , women , and beasts , died with famine ; the pestilence also seised upon them , and he himselfe was stricken with such a disease of his body , that his members rotted off one after another . anastatius dicorus , a grievous persecutor of the church of christ , being admonished in a dreame , that he should perish with thunder , built him an house , wherein he might defend himselfe from that judgement ; but in vaine , for in a great thunder he fled from chamber to chamber , and at last was found dead , blasted with lightning , to the great horror of the beholders . chasroes the king of persia , a grievous enemy to christ and christians , committed horrible outrages against them ; for first he slew at jerusalem ninety thousand men , with zachari● the patriarch of jerusalem , and also raged in like manner in aegypt , lybia , aethiopia , and would grant them no condition of peace , unlesse they would forsake christ , and worship the sunne ; he also put to death with most cruell torments anastatius a godly monke , because he constantly confessed the faith of christ. but god met with him to the full ; for his eldest sonne syroes tooke him prisoner , and handled him in most vile manner ; he hanged an iron weight upon his neck , and imprisoned him in an high tower , which he had built to keepe his treasure ; denying him food , and bidding him eat the gold which he had gathered together ; then he slew all his children before his face , and exposed him to the scoffes and railings of the people , and lastly caused him to be shot to death : and so that great terror of the world , and shedder of christian bloud , breathed out his soule after a miserable manner . regnerus the king of denmarke , abrogating christian religion , and setting up idolatrie in his kingdome anew , the divine vengeance overtooke him : for helles , whom he had cast out of the kingdome , returned upon him with an army of the gaules , and overcomming him in battell , tooke him prisoner , and shut him up in a filthie prison full of serpents , which setting upon him , with their venomous bitings and stings , brought him to a most horrible end . lysius the emperour gave heri●a his daughter , a virgin , because she was a christian , to be trampled under foot of horses ; but he himselfe was s●ain by the byting of one of the same horses . a popish magistrate having condemned a poore protestant to death , before his execution caused his tongue to be cut out , because he should not confesse the truth : in requitall whereof , the next childe that was borne unto him , was borne without a tongue . chap. ii. of perjurie . p●ilip king of macedon , who was a great contemner of all oathes , and held the religion thereof as a vain thing ; for this cause ( as all writers affirme ) the vengeance of god followed him and his posteritie ; for when he had lived scarce forty and sixe yeares , he himselfe was slain , and all his whole house in short time in short time after utterly extinguished ; 〈◊〉 one of his sonnes was slaine by olympias his wife . also another sonne , which he had by cleopatra the 〈◊〉 of a●●alus , ●he tormented to death in a brazen vessell , compassed about with fire . the ●est of his sonnes periffied in like manner , and at last the famous alexander his sonne , after great conquest atchieved by him , in the middle course of his victories periffied miserably , some thinke by poyson . in the countrey of arbernum , there was a certaine wicked man that used ordinarily to for sweare himselfe : but at one time after he had thus sinned , his tongue was tyed up that he could not speake , but began to low like an o●e : yet repenting and grieving for his sinne , he found the bond of his tongue loosed , and a readinesse of speech given unto him againe : whereby we see both the iustice of god in punishing them that sinne in this kinde , and his mercy , in pardoning when they truly repent . at this day we have an example fresh and famous , of a certaine maid that had stolne and pilfered many things away out of her mistresses house ; of which being examined , she forswore them , and wisht that she might rot if she ever touched them , or knew of them : but notwithstanding she was carried to prison , and there presently began so to rot & stink , that they were forced to thrust her out of prison , and to convey her to the hospitall , where she lies in lamentable miserie ; repenting as they say of her foule sinne : the lord be mercifull unto her . chap. iii. of epicures and atheists . barges● , otherwise called elima● , a sore of implety , and a horrible magitian and atheist , oftenly resisting the apostles , paul and barnabas , before sergius paulus the deputy ; was presently stroke with blindnesse by the hand of god : this man saint luke speaketh of , acts . iustin martyr that lived not long after the apostles times , a famous christian , writeth thus to 〈◊〉 the emperour : viz. after the ascention of christ into heaven , certaine men stirred up by the devill , called themselves gods ; of which number was simon the samaritane , borne in a village called gitton . this man in the time of claudius caesar , by the power of the devill , exercising magicall arts , and working great wonders , was esteemed for a god , and a statue erected unto him with this inscription ; simon● deo sancto , to simon the holy god : the samaritans also , with many of other nations worshipped him as a god ; but this atheist meeting with saint peter at rome , had great contentions with him ; and boasting that he would ascend into heaven in the sight of all was 〈◊〉 up into the aire by devils ; but peter commanded the devils in the name of christ to let him goe , and so he fell downe upon the 〈…〉 a pieces . caius caligula emperour of rome , raging against both 〈…〉 jewes , caused himselfe to be worshipped and his images 〈…〉 places : he also dedicated the temple of jerusalem to 〈…〉 ; commanding it to be called the temple of famous iupiter , 〈◊〉 ●o hee styled himselfe ; but to shew that he was but a wretched simple man , he reigned but three years and three moneths , and was stain by pherius a tribut . herod agrippa when he suffered himselfe to be saluted and honoured as a god , was presently smitten with horrible plagues in his bowels , when detesting the voice of his flatterers ; said , i that was called but lately a god , 〈◊〉 in the bonds of death . daphida , a biting and contentious sophister , and hating all religion both heathenish and christian , came to delphos , and in a scoffe asked the oracle of apollo , whether he might finde his horse or no ; when hee had none to finde : the oracle answered , that he should finde a ●orse , but it should be his destruction . at his returne from the oracle , king a●talus his enemy ceased upon him , and set him upon a rocke , the name whereof was a horse ; causing him to be throwne downe headlong , to learne what it is to mocke the gods . chap. iv. of idolatrie . the wonderfull idolatrie of the heathens was so abhominable , that their madnesse would astonish any reasonable man ; not to speake of their iupiter , mars , mercurie , apollo , and the rest ; hesiod doth report that they had thirty thousand gods upon the earth , and some most strange ones . troglodites worshipped snayles ; the syrians pigions ; the romans geese ; because by their squ●aking the capitoll was saved from the gaules ; the a●b●acians a liònesse ; because a lionesse had killed a tyrant of theirs : the delphians a wolfe , the samians a sheepe ; the tenedians a cow with calfe ; the albanians a dragon ; the aegyptians rats and mise , and cats , and a calfe ; wherein the jewes are said to imitate them in the wildernesse . but the idolatrie of the romans was beyond all , for they worshipped not onely the higher gods , as they called , but the basest things that could be named in the world : as the ague , and the gout , the privie ; yea and priapus that filthie idoll of the gardens . now who seeth not but the vengeance of god hath beene poured downe upon all these nations , for their impious idolatrie , having beene delivered up into the hands of the gothes and vandals , turks and tartarians , and make a prey unto them . neither doe the papists come short of these heathens in their idolatrie ; for they turne the blessed saints into idols , and worship them in stead of god : every countrey , and every citie , and every house , hath his protecting saint , which they daily invocate ; yea , they ascribe a certaine god to every member , and for their severall cattell , beside their abhominable idolatrie in worshipping their breaden god : but as god hath taken already in part vengeance upon that idolatrous whore of babylon ; so i doubt not but he will fulfill the full measure of his wrath upon them , in his due time , except they repent . chap. v. of blasphemie . a certaine holy man passing by a wine-taverne , went to prayer ; wherein certaine young men having passed the whole night in drinking and playing , and blaspheming the name of god , he met with a poore man horribly wounded in his body , and asked him of whom he had received those wounds ; the poore man answered , that hee had received them of those young men that were in that taverne : whereupon the good man returned backe , and enquired of them , why they had so wounded the poore man ? the young men astonished answered , that there were none in the taverne with them all that night but themselves ; and presently went out to see the poore man thus wounded , but he was not to be found : whereupon being more amazed , they judged that it was christ whom they had thus wounded with their blasphemies . anno . in the coasts of magnapolis , certaine men abusing the feast of pentecost with much drinking , a certaine woman in their company blasphemed god strangely , and called upon the devils , who presently snatched her away , and carried her aloft into the aire , from whence the ●ell downe dead , the whole company beholding of her . at the coasts of bohemia ; anno . five dr●nken men quaffing together , with horrible blasphemies prophaned the name of god ; and the picture of the devill being painted upon the wall , they caroused healths unto him : to which the devill answered immediately , for the next-morning all five were found dead , their necks being broken , and quashed to places , a● though a wheele had gone over them , bloud running out of their mo●●hes , nostrils , and eares , to the great astonishment of the beholders . not many years since , two men contended together which of them should poure forth most blasphemies against god , but whilest they were exercising this devilish contention , one of them was stricken with madnesse , and so continued till his lives end . in like manner at rome certaine young men agreed together , that hee should have the victory that could sweare most : which wicked strife as soone as they entred into , one of them was deprived of the use of his tongue , another of his reason and understanding , and the rest remained as dead men ; god reserving them alive for repentance . at eslinga in germany , upon saint katharines day , a certaine nobleman having lost much money at play , with horrible execrations and blaphemies , commanded his man to bring him his horse that hee might ride home , in a very darke night ; but his servant dissuaded him from his journey , affirming how dangerous the way was , by reason of the waters and the fennes that lay in the middest : whereat hee began to rage and sweare the more , and goe he would . but he was encountred by the way with an army of infernall souldiers , which beset the nobleman on all sides , and threw him from his horse : now there was in his company a vertuous and valiant gentleman , who set him againe upon his horse , and held him on one side ; whom when the spirits durst not attempt by reason of his innocency , they vanished out of sight ; and they conveyed the nobleman into a monasterie that was hard by , where he lay three dayes and died : such is the end of horrible and fearefull blasphemers . a vintner that accustomed himselfe to blaspheming , swearing , and drunkennesse , and delighting to entertaine such that were like himselfe , to swallow downe his wine ; upon the lords day standing at the dore with a pot in his hand to call in more guests , there came suddenly a violent whirlew inde , and carried him up into the aire in the sight of all men , and he was never seene more . chap. vi. of conjucers , magitians , and witches . iohn faustus , a filthie beast , and a sinke of many devils , led about with him an evill spirit in the likenesse of a dog ; being at wittenberg , when as by the edict of the prince he should have beene taken , he escaped by his magicall delusions ; and after at noremberg being by an extraordinary sweat that came upon him as he was at dinner , certified that hee was beset , payed his host suddenly his shot , and went away : and being scarce escaped out of the walls of the citie , the sergeants and other officers came to apprehend him . but gods vengeance following him , as he came into a village of the dukedome of wittenberg , he sat there in his inne very sad : the host required of him what was the cause of his sadnesse ; he answered , that he would not have him terrified , if he heard a great noise and shaking of the house that night ; which happened according to his presage : for in the morning hee was found dead , with his necke wrung behinde him ; the devill whom he served having carried his soule into hell . this story is set downe by many in other termes ; but philip lonicerus expresseth it in this manner , in his theatre of histories . anno . two witches were taken which went about by tempest , haile , and frost , to destroy all the corne in the countrey ; these women stole away a little infant of one of their neighbours , and cutting it in pieces , put it into a cauldron to be boyled : but by gods providence the mother of the childe came in the meane while , and found the members of her childe thus cut in pieces and boyled . whereupon the two witches were taken , and being examined , answered , that if the boyling had beene finished , such a tempest of ●aine and haile would have followed , that all the fruits of the earth in that countrey should have been destroyed ; but god prevented them by his just judgement , in causing them to be put to death . anno . in a village neare to ihaena in germany , a certaine magitian being instructed by the devill in the composition of divers hearbs , restored many unto their healths . he had daily commerce with that evill spirit , and used his counsell in the curing of diseases : but it happened that there fell a quarrell betwixt him and a neighbour of his a carpenter : who so exasperated him with his taunting words , that in few dayes after he caused the carpenter , by his magicall art , to fall into a grievous disease . the poore carpenter sent for this magitian , and entreated him to helpe him in his need . the magitian feigning an appeased minde , but desiring to revenge the injuries done unto him , gave unto him a potion confected of such venomous hearbs and roots , that being taken , the poore man presently died . whereupon the carpenters wife accused the magitian of murther : the cause is brought to the senate of ihaena , who examining the matter , caused him by torments to confesse the murther , and many other wickednesses , for which he was fastened to a stake and burnt to death . chap. vii . of the prophanation of the sabbath . a certaine nobleman ( prophaning the sabbath usually in hunting ) had a childe by his wife with a head like a dog , and with eares and chaps crying like a hound . stratford upon sluon was , twice on the same day twelve-month ( being the lords day ) almost consumed with fire ; chiefly for prophaning the lords day , and contemning his word in the mouth of his faithfull minister . feverton in devonshire ( whose remembrance makes my heart bleed ) was oftentimes admonished by her godly preachers , that god would bring some heavie judgement on the towne for their horrible prophanation of the lords day , occasioned chiefly by their market on the day following . not long after his death , on the third of aprill , anno dom. . god in lesse than halfe an houre consumed with a sudden and fearfull fire the whole towne , except onely the church , the court-house , and the almes-houses , or a few poore peoples dwellings ; where a man might have seene foure hundred dwelling houses all at once on fire : and above fiftie persons consumed with the flame . and now againe since the former edition of this booke , on the fifth of august last , ( fourteene yeares since the former fire ) the whole towne was againe fired and consumed , except some thirty houses of poore people , with the school-house , and almes-houses ; they are blinde which see not in this the finger of god : god grant them grace when it is next built , to change their market-day , and to remove all occasions of prophaning the lords day . let other townes remember the tower of siloe , luke . . and take warning by their neighbours chastisements : feare gods threatnings , ieremie . . and beleeve gods prophets if they will prospet , chron. . . chap. viii . of drunkennesse . an ale-wise in kesgrave neare to ipswich , who would needs force three serving-men ( that had been drinking in her house , and were taking their leaves ) to stay and drinke the three ou ts first : that is , wit out of the head , money out of the purse , ale out of the barrell : as shee was comming towards them with the pot in her hand , was suddenly taken speechlesse and sickher tongue swolne in her head ; she never recovered speech , but the third day after died . this sir anthony felton the next gentleman and justice , with divers others , eye-witnesses of her in sicknesse , related to me ; whereupon i went to the house with two or three witnesses , and enquired the truth of it . two servants of a brewer in ipswich , drinking for a rumpe of a turkey , strugling in their drinke for it , fell into a scalding caldron backwards ; whereof the one died presently , the other lingringly , and painfully , since my comming to ipswich . a man comming home drunk , would needs goe and swimme in the mill pond ; his wife and servants knowing he could not swimme , dissuaded him , once by intreaty got him out of the water , but in he would needs goe again , and there was drowned . i was at the house to enquire of this , and found it to be true . in barnewell neare to cambridge , one at the signe of the plough , a lusty young man , with two of his neighbours , and one woman in their company , agreed to drinke a barrell of strong beere ; they drunke up the vessell , three of them died within foure and twenty houres , the fourth hardly escaped after great sicknesse . this i have under a justice of peace his hand neare dwelling , besides the common fame . a butcher in haslingfield hearing the minister inveigh against drunkennesse , being at his cups in an ale-house , fell a scoffing at the minister and his sermons . as he was drinking , the drinke , or something in the cup quackned him , and stuck so in his throat , that he could neither get it up not downe , but strangled him presently . at tillingham in dengy hundred in essex , three young men meeting to drinke strong waters , fell by degrees to halfe pintes : one fell downe dead in the roome , and the other , prevented by company comming in , escaped not without much sicknesse . at bungey in norfolke , three comming out of an ale-house in a very darke evening , swore they thought it was not darker in hell it selfe : one of them fell off the bridge into the water , and was drowned ; the second fell off his horse ; the third sleeping on the ground by the river side was frozen to death . this have i often heard , but have no certaine ground for the truth of it . a bay life of hedly upon the lords day being drunke at melford , would needs get upon his mare to ride through the street , affirming ( as the report goes ) that his mare would carry him to the devill : his mare casts him off , and broke his necke . instantly reported by sundry sufficient witnesses . company drinking in an ale-house at harwich in the night over against one master russels , and by him once or twice willed to depart ; at length he came downe and tooke one of them , and made as he would carry him to prison , who drawing his knife , fled from him , and was three dayes after taken out of the sea with the knife in his hand . related to me by master russel himselfe , maior of the town . at tenby in pembroke-shire , a drunkard being exceeding drunke , broke himselfe all to pieces from an high and steep rock , in a most fearefull manner ; and yet the occasion and circumstances of his fall so ridiculous , as i thinke not fit to relate , least in so serious a judgement i should move laughter to the reader . a glasier in chancery lane in london , noted formerly for profession , fell to a common course of drinking ; whereof being oft by his wife and many christian friends admonished , yet presuming much of gods mercy to himselfe , continued therein , till upon a time having surcharged his stomacke with drinke , he fell a vomiting , broke a veine , lay two dayes in extreame paine of body , and distresse of minde , till in the end , recovering a little comfort , died . both these examples were related to me by a gentleman of worth upon his owne knowledge . foure sundry instances of drunkennesse , wallowing , and tumbling in their drinke , slaine by carts ; i forbeare to mention , because such examples are so common and ordinary . a yeomans sonne in northampton-shire being drunke at wellingbrough on a market day , would needs ride his horse in a brayery over the ploughed lands , fell from his horse , and brake his necke . reported to me by a kinsman of his owne . a knight notoriously given to drinke , carrying sometime payles of drinke into the open field to make people drunke withall : being upon a time drinking with company , a woman comes in , delivering him a ring with this poesie , drinke and die ; saying to him , this is for you ; which he tooke and wore : and within a week after came to his end by drinking . reported by sundry , and justified by a minister dwelling within a mile of the place . one of aylesham in norfolke , a notorious drunkard , was drowned in a shallow brooke of water , with his horse by him . two examples have i knowne of children that murdered their owne mothers in drinke ; and one notorious drunkard that attempted to kill his father ; of which being hindered , he fired his barne , and was afterward executed one of these formerly in print . at a taverne in bread-street in london , certaine gentlemen drinking healths to their lords , on whom they had dependance ; one desperate wretch steps to the tables end , layes hold on a pottle pot full of canarie sacke , sweares a deepe oath , what , will none here drinke a health to my noble lord and master ? and so setting the pottle pot to his mouth , drinks it off to the bottome ; but was not able to rise up , or to speake when he had done , but fell into a deepe snoaring sleepe , and being removed , laid aside , and covered by one of the servants in the house , attending the time of his waking , was within the space of two houres irrecoverably dead . witnessed at the time of the printing hereof , by the same servant that stood by him in the act , and helpe to remove him . in dengy hundred neare mauldon , about the beginning of his majesties reigne , there fell out an extraordinary judgement upon five or six that plotted a solemne drinking at one of their houses ; laid in beere for the purpose , drunke healths in a strange manner , and died thereof within a few weekes , some sooner , and some later . witnessed to me by some that was with one of them on his death-bed to demand a debt , and oftentimes spoken of by master heyd●n , late preacher of mauldon , in the hearing of many ? the particular circumstances were exceeding remarkable , but having not sufficient proofe for the particulars , i will not report them . a man in suffolke overtaken with wine , ( though never in all his life before , as he himselfe said , a little before his fall , seeming to bewaile his present condition , and others that knew him so say of him ) yet going downe a paire of staires against the perswasion of a woman ( sitting by him in his chamber ) fell , and was so dangerously hurt , as he died soone after , not being able to speake from the time of his fall to his death . the names of the parties thus punished , i for beare for the kindreds sake yet living . these examples before going , are taken out of the report of that worthy preacher of gods word in ipswich , master samuel ward , in his sermon called a woe to drunkards : to the which i will adde one more of mine owne knowledge lately executed . a young gentleman of good fame , credit , and behaviour , being in july last overtaken by drinke , and riding homeward void of wit and feare , was throwne by his horse , and his braines knocked out with the pummell of his sword . an example more remarkable for two causes : first , because he was not formerly given to that vice ; and secondly , in that a friend of his meeting him by the way , intreated him that he would ride softly , and he would conduct him home ; but he desperately spurring his horse over rough wayes , was thus overthrowne and perished : but i hope god had mercy on his soule . saint augustine in his three and thirtieth sermon ad fratres in eremo , relateth this strange example of one cyril , a cittizen of hippo , a man well esteemed and beloved in the citie : he having one onely sonne , did so cocker him , forbearing either to checke him or correct him ; but loving him ( as that holy father saith ) not onely above all things , but even above god himselfe ; that by his too much liberty and indulgence , his sonne grew wonderfull debaushed , and gave himselfe to filthy drunkennesse . upon a time , being vilely overtaken with drinke , he came home , and tumbled over his mother being great with childe , would have ravished his sister , slew his father , and wounded to death two of his other sisters . o fearefull effect of drunkennesse ! thus god punished the father for his too much love and indulgence of his sonne , and the sonne for his vile impiety . not unlike to this i finde in philip lonicerus , page . a certain man , saith he , that gave himselfe to the studie of godlinesse , was daily assaulted with the temptation of the divell , who perswaded him if hee would bee quiet , to choose one of these three sinnes , either to make himselfe drunke , or to commit adulterie with his neighbours wife , or to kill his neighbour himselfe . the poore man thinking drunkennesse the least sinne , chose that ; but being enraged with wine , he was easily drawn to the committall of the other sinnes ; for being with wine enflamed , with lust he feared not to vitiate his neighbours wife , nor yet to kill her husband , comming in the meane while seeking to be revenged of him : so giving himselfe to drunkennesse , hee wraps himselfe in all other wickednesse . on the eighteenth of august , one thomas wilson labourer , a knowne and common blasphemer of gods name by oathes and curses , and given much to drinking to excesse , upon a slight occasion moved to displeasure against his wife , and not daring to doe much violence unto her , turned it upon himselfe , and with his knife stabbed himselfe , many of his friends and neighbours being present ; and so he died . on the day of may , one iohn bone of ely , ( coachman unto one master ●alu●●● of beenham ) a fellow very vitious , and exceeding in those two evils of prophane swearing and drunkennesse , on the sabbath day in the sermon-time , dranke himselfe drunke ; so that when he was to sit in the coach-box to drive the coach , he fell out thereof under the horses feet , where he was trodden to death , or so hurt at least , that he died shortly . on the six and twentieth of november , one richard borne , servant to iasp●r b●rch gardiner of ely , accustomed to travell upon the lords day , and making no reckoning of the sabbath , seldome or never comming to church on that day , but went onwards to saint i●es market , and so spent the day ; and being drunke , was at length overtaken by the just judgement of god : and going up the streame in his boate , which he had loaden with marketable wares , he fell into the river , and was so drowned . on the third day of august , one thomas alred of godmanchester , in the countie of huntington butcher , an accustomed drunkard , being entreated by a neighbour to unpitch a load of hay , and being at that very time in drinke , letting his pitch-forke slip out of his hand , and stooping to take it up againe , slipped from the cart with his head down-wards , his fork standing 〈◊〉 with the tines , he fell directly upon them , which it once ran into his breast , and stroke his heart so , that he died suddenly . on the sixteenth day of july , one iohn vintner of 〈…〉 gardiner , a knowne drunkard , and one that would prophanely ( especially in his 〈◊〉 ) scoffe at religion , and abuse good men ▪ fell from the top of a 〈…〉 the ground and brake his necke , and so died . these ●ive lust examples were reported unto me , and written with his owne hand , by a worthy minister master goorge nelson , preacher of the word of god in godmanchester . chap. ix . of rebellious and disobedient children to their parents . agathias in his booke of the persian manners , reporteth this storie , that certaine philosophers , going into aegypt , and finding there a promiscuous commixture of fathers and mothers with their daughters and sonnes , and a miserable neglect of children towards their parents ; returned speedily into greece , and in a certaine citie there , finding the dead body of a man wanting buriall , they in compassion committed the same into the earth ; the next day comming the same way againe , they found the same body digged out of the earth : which whilest they went about to bury the second time , a fearefull spectrum appeared unto them , and forbad them to doe it , saying , that he was a man unworthy to be buried , because he had committed incest with his mother , and despised and contemned his father . this narration sheweth , that the very earth doth execrate and abhorre such unnaturall lust and disobedience . la●terbius in his booke of the discipline of children , reports a storie of a certaine young man , who had a father very old , that had bestowed upon him all his substance . this old man , being by the fault of age unmannerly at the table of his sonne , his sonne caused a woodden trough to be made for his father , to eate his meate in like a hogge : which when his sonnes young childe perceived , he asked his father for what use it should serve ; his father answered , that it was for his grandfather to eate his meate in ; and ( what saith the childe ) must i provide the like for you when you are old : whereat his father being astonished threw away the trough , and ever after entertained his old father with greater reverence and obedient respect . chap. x. of murtherers . romulus having marked out with a plough the compasse of the walls of the citie of rome which he was a building , and had forbidden that no man should leape over the same , his brother , rh●mus in scorne leaped over the wall ; which romulus taking in evill part , slew his brother , and reigned alone but at length being hated of the people for his insolencie , he himselfe was slaine by the fathers of the senate at caprea . constantine the great , after he had overcome licinius his partner in the empire , and obtained the sole monarchie , grew both insolent and cruell ; for he first put to death his owne sisters ; next his owne sonne crisp●● which he had by minervea ; then he slew his owne wife fausta in the bathes ; and lastly a number more of his friends . for which cruelty , though hee was a man endued with excellent vertues , yet god strucke him with a filthy leprosie , which continued upon him untill such time that he was converted to the faith of christ , and baptised by pope silvester : after which he proved a most famous protector of the church of christ. perillus that devised the brasen bull for the tyrant phalaris , wherein men being inclosed and scorched with the heat that was under the bull , did im●tate the lowing of an oxe , to the end that there should be no compassion shewed unto them by the king , if they had uttered a humane voyce : but the author thereof was the first that endured the torment thereof ; and after the tyrant phalaris himselfe was constrained to endure the same miserable end . in a famous citie of germany , at a nuptiall festivitie , a certaine virgin was brought by a young man a shoomaker , that made love unto her , to the solemne and usuall dancing : when the maide should returne home , the young man by chance was absent , so that she was conducted home by another ; which when the shoomaker knew , supposing himselfe to be wronged , hee went presently to her fathers house ; and calling out the young student which guided her home , he slew him assoone as he came out of the doores . his father hearing the death of his onely sonne , died within three dayes with griefe , and was buried in the same grave with his sonne : the shoomakers mother died also with griefe ; and the murtherer himselfe falling into desperation , threw himselfe headlong into a running river , and was drowned . anno , a certaine nobleman abounding with wealth , not farre from augusta of the vindiletians , brought up in his house a young blackamore : which villaine when his master was from home , rose up in the night , and slew not onely his lady , but the whole family : excepting one little daughter of the noblemans . the nobleman returning home after two dayes , and finding his gate shut , rode nearer to the walls of the house , wondring . where the blackamore upon the top of the house , with a fearfull countenance , spake unto him these words : o thou cruell man , thou rememberest how unworthily thou beatest me ( not long since ) for no fault , the memory whereof i still retained in my minde , and have revenged this wrong upon thine ; behold here part of the carkasse of thy wife , whom i have slaine , with thy whole family , except this little child which i have reserved ; and will restore it , if thou wilt promise me my life . the father being wonderfully disturbed , promised that which he desired : but the devillish moore answered , i know thou wilt not keepe promise with me , therefore take thy childe unto thee ; and threw her out of the window , where she was quashed in pieces ; and then threw himselfe downe headlong from the top of the house , that hee might avoid the vengeance of his master . this story was related unto philip count nassau , by the secretarie of the count of hanault . chap. xi . of adulterie . anobleman in burgundie , having taken in war a captive , a gentleman that was his prisoner ; the gentlemans wife came to this nobleman to redeeme her husband ; he promised that hee should be set free , if that he might have the use of her bodie : the woman returned to her husband , and told him upon what tearmes he stood . the gentleman said , that she could not shew her love better unto him , than in yeelding to his desire : which being accomplished , the trayterous adulterous nobleman next day cut off the prisoners head , and gave his body to his wife : which horrible fact being complained of by her to the duke of burgundie , he presently sent for the nobleman , and first constrained him to marry her ; but before night he cut off his head , and gave her all his possessions . a like example is reported by the same author of a spanish captaine , who kept in prison a certaine man that had violated the lawes . this man having a beautifull wife , sent her to the captaine to desire his favour and freedome ; which he promised , upon condition that she should yeeld to his lust ; wherewith her husband being acquainted , advised her to yeeld for the saving of his life : the spaniard after he had satisfied his lust upon her , commandeth over and above two hundred duckets to be paid unto him ; which being received , she conceiving a certaine hope of her husbands liberty , the perfidious spaniard brought him forth out of prison unto her , and presently remanded him back againe into prison , and there commanded his head to be cut off . which horrible fact , when the poore lamentable woman complained of to the duke of ferara , called gonsaga , he presently sent for this captaine ; and finding the accusation true , first commanded him to pay back againe the two hundred duckats , with an addition of seaven hundred crownes more ; next hee sent for a priest , and married the woman to the captaine : which being done , when as he hoped to enjoy his new married wife , gonsaga sent him presently to the gallows , and there he ended his miserable dayes . the wife of a certaine duke , being a lascivious woman , wrote two letters ; one to the duke her husband , and another to her lover : but it happened by chance , that her letter written to her lover , was delivered to her husband the duke ; who thereby knowing her wickednesse , came no sooner home , but slew her with his owne hand . anno , a certaine doctor of the law , an advocate in constance , extreamely lusted after the wise of the kings procurator ; which procurator finding the doctor and his wife together in a bath , playing and sporting , and afterward in an old womans house hard by ; he got unto him a sharpe curry-combe , and leaving three at the doore , to watch that no man should come in , he so curryed the doctor , that he pulled out his eyes out of his head , and rent his whole body and members , that he died within three dayes : the like he had done to his wife , but that she was with childe . in the yeare , a certaine priest did so long assault the chastitie of a citizens wife , that she was constrained to declare the same unto her husband ; who forbad him his house , threatning that if ever he came there , he would geld him : but this bold priest came againe when hee imagined an opportunity ; the husband fell upon him , and bound him hand and foot , and performed what he had threatened , so that he went home in a miserable case . in voitland , foure murthers were committed upon the cause of one adulterie : for when the adulterous woman was banquetting with her lovers , her husband came of a sudden into the chamber , and slew first him that sate next his wife ; the other two amazed , ran downe the staires and brake both their shoulders , and died within a short space : then hee slew his adulterous wife . this storie wolsi●s schrencke reported to martin luther , as he himselfe confesseth . in a certaine citie of germany , a gentleman of good note did solicite and seduce to his lust a citizens wife , which her husband comming to the knowledge of , watcht them so narrowly , that he found them in bed together ; and rushing into the chamber , first slew the adulterer himselfe , and then his wife , being crept under a bed , and imploring his mercy till she could confesse her selfe to a priest ; her husband asked her , whether shee were sorry for what she had done ? who answered , that she was grieved for it ; which words were no sooner pronounced , but he thrust her through the heart with his sword , and was for the same adjudged by the citie to have done justly . this story is reported in colloq . of luther . luther doth report , that a man of great name and fame , did so burne with continuall lust , that he blasphemously said , that if that pleasure was perpetuall , he would never desire to have any part in the kingdome of heaven ; so that he might be carried from one stewes to another , and from one harlot unto another . i could adde more examples of this kinde ; but these shall suffice , to shew that god doth not onely punish this horrible sinne in the life to come , but also in this life with fearefull judgements . chap. xii . of theeves and robbers . spiredon , a bishop of a certaine citie in cyprus , was also delighted with keeping of irrationall sheepe ; upon a night certaine theeves entered into his sheepe-fold , with an intent to steale away some of his sheepe : but god protecting the sheepheard and his sheepe , infatuated the theeves , that they could not stirre out of that place till the morning : at what time the bishop comming to view his flock , found them thus bound ; who presently prayed to god for their delivery , and wished them to get their living hereafter by honest labour , and not by stealth ; yet withall gave them a ramme with this pleasant tant : i give you this ramme that you may not seeme to watch it in vaine ; and so set them free . a certaine young man being bitten with a mad dogge , fell presently after into madnesse himselfe ; and was faine to be bound with chaines . the parents of this young man brought their sonne to an abbot called ammon ; entreating him , that by his prayers hee would restore him to his former health ; the holy abbot answered , that they demanded that of him that passed his power : but this i can signifie unto you , that the devill holdeth you all bound in his chaines , by reason of a bull which you stole from a poore widdow ; and untill you restore that bull backe againe to the widdow , your sonne shall never be healed . the parents presently confessed their fault , restored the bull , and presently their sonne was delivered from this grievous disease . a certaine baker merrily talking with his neighbour , bragged , that in that great time of dearth which was then , he gained out of every bushell of wheat above a crowne : which words being related unto the governour of the citie , hee sent for the baker to supper , and examined him about those speeches ; which the baker could not deny : whereupon the governour commanded him presently to put off his upper garments , and to knead so much dowe before him , that hee might finde out the manner of his deceit ; which being done , hee and all his fellow bakers in the towne was cast into prison , to their great disgrace . the same authour reporteth , that at prague in bohemia a jew being dead , his friends desired that he might be buried at ratisbone , forty miles off ; which beca●se it could not bee done without paying of great tribute , they put his carkasse into a hog she●d full of sweet wine , and committed it to a carter to convey to ratisbone . the theevish carters in the way being greedy of the wine , pierced the hogshead , and drinking themselves drunke with the wine , mixed with the stinke of the dead carkasse , most of them died . the same luther reporteth , that at wittenberge three theeves having stolne a silver dish , brought it to a goldsmiths wife to sell ; who desired them to come againe within an houre , and then shee would bargaine with them . in the meane while she related this businesse unto the magistrates ; who sending presently the sergeants to apprehend the theeves , they seeing themselves to be betrayed , resisted with their swords : but notwithstanding one of them was taken and executed , another escaped by flight , and the third being pursued over a bridge , leaped into the river albis , and there was drowned . this example is more remarkable ( saith luther ) because this fellow was a most notorious wicked wretch , and had cut off two fingers of his owne fathers ; at which very instant his father not knowing of it , being asked what was become of his sonne , answered , that he wished hee was drowned in the river albis ; which wish was really performed at that very instant ; for it was the voyce of gods anger out of the mouth of a father . about ailton in huntington-shire , a lewd fellow stole one of his neighbours fat weathers ; and bringing him home bound about his neck , 〈…〉 upon a great stone in the field to ●ase himselfe , where the weather st●●gling , fell over the stone , and pulled the thiefe after him ; and so both striving , one for life , another for liberty , the theefe was found dead in the morning , and the weather alive . chap. xiii . of trecherie . when the two earles of northumberland and westmoreland had rebelled against q. elizabeth , and being defeated in the field , fled into scotland ; the earle of northumberland hid himself in the house of hector of harlawe an armestrange , having confidence in him that he would be true to him : he notwithstanding for money betrayed him to the regent of scotland , from whence the earle was sent into england , condemned of high treason , and beheaded . but it was observed , that this hector , being before a rich man , fell poor of a sudden , and was so hated generally , that he never durst go abroad ; insomuch that the proverbe ( to take hectors cloake ) is continued to this day among them , when they would expresse a man that betrayeth his friend who trusted him . the like example we have of banister who betrayed the duke of buckingham , in the raigne of richard the third . chap. xiv . of the molestation of evill spirits , and their execution of gods iudgements upon men . almighty god sometimes doth execute his judgements himselfe , as he did upon pharaoh in the red sea , and upon sodome and gomorrah ; sometimes hee useth the creatures as instruments , as frogs and lice , &c. to plague pharaoh and the aegyptians : sometimes hee imployeth the good angels to that purpose , as an angell to destroy the armie of zenacherib before jerusalem : but most ordinarily , he useth the ministery of evill angels , who being forward enough of their owne malice , he giveth more strength unto by his command , to execute vengeance upon wicked men . thus sathan under the shape of a serpent , beguiled our first parents adam and eve , and promised them great good , in the stead of punishments , which god had threatned unto them , gen. . the same sathan vexed king saul , reg. . this sathan rose against israell , and stirred up david to number the people ; whereat god being offended , strooke israell with a grievous peltilence , chronic. . it was sathan that got leave of god , that hee might torture iob with loathsome botches and boyles , iob . it was sathan that slew seaven husbands , to whom sarah the daughter of raguel had married : tobit . it was sathan that entred into iudas iscariots heart , and moved him to betray christ , and hang himselfe , iohn . acts . it was sathan that instigated ananias and saphira to lye to the holy ghost , whereupon they both died suddenly , acts . lastly , it was sathan that si●ted peter , and buffered paul. but to leave the holy scripture ; philip melancthon reporteth , that he heard of two men credible and faith-worthy , that a certain bottonian young woman , two yeares after her death , returned againe to humane shape , and went up and downe in the house , and sate at meate with them , but eate little . this young seeming woman , being at a time amongst other virgines , a certaine magitian came in , skilfull in diabolicall arts ; who said to the beholders , this woman is but a dead carkasse , carried about by the devill ; and presently he tooke from under her right arme-hole , the charme ; which hee had no sooner done , but she fell downe a dead filthie carkasse . martin luther reporteth the like of a woman at erford in germany , who being animated by the devill , accompanied a young student that was in love with her , and went up and downe divers yeares : but at last , the devill being cast out by the prayers of the church , she returned to a dead and filthie carkasse . the same luther in his colloquies telleth us , how sathan oftentimes stealeth away young children of women lying in child-bed , and supposteth others of their owne begetting in their stead in the shapes of incubus and suco●bus ; one such childe luther reporteth of his owne knowledge at halbersted ; which being carried by the parents to the temple of the virgine mary to be cured , the devill asked the childe ( being in a basket upon the river ) whither it was going ? the young infant answered , that hee was going to the virgin mary : whereupon the father threw the basket and the childe into the river : the like hee reporteth of another at pessovia , which representing in all lineaments a humane shape , it was nothing else but a meere elusion of the devill : this childe , saith he , delighted in nothing but in stuffing it selfe with food , and egesting the same in a filthy manner , but was discovered , and disrobed , and cast out by the prayers of the church . at babylon in the temple of apollo , a souldier breaking open a golden chest , there flew out such a pestilent spirit , that infected the whole world with the plague : thus aventine , lib. . cap. . bruno the bishop of herbipolis , accompanying the emperour through an arme of the sea , heard this voyce sounding in his eares ; ho , ho , thou bishop , i am thy malus genius , and whithersoever thou goest thou art mine ; at this time i have no power to hurt thee , but thou shalt see me shortly againe ; and so it came to passe : for not long after , being in a roome with divers others , part of the roofe fell downe , and flew this wicked bishop alone , all the rest remaining safe and sound . vrbanus regius in a sermon at wittenberge , anno , concerning good and bad angels , relateth a storie of a certaine young maide possessed by the devill ; for whom when prayers were made in the church , he seemed to be quiet for the time , as if he were departed out of her , watching an opportunity to do her further mischiefe , as he did indeed ; for , when as lesse care was taken of her , supposing her to be found , shee going to wash her hands at the brinke of a river running by , the devill tumbled her headlong in , and drowned her in a fearefull manner . platina , nauclerus , and other historiographers write of pope bennet the ninth , who died in the yeare , that hee appeared ( or the devill for him ) in a prodigious and bestiall forme , like a beare in his body , and in his head and tayle , like an asse : and when he was asked by some , why he shewed himselfe in so ougly a shape , answered , that this shape was imposed upon him for his wicked and bestiall behaviour when he was alive . in the hill countries of bohemia , there used to appeare an evill spirit in the habit and shape of a monk , whom the countrie people called rubezall : this devillish monke used to joyne himselfe unto travellers over those hils , and to bid them be of good courage , for hee would lead them the right way thorow the woods : but when as he had purposely led them out of the way , so that they could not tell which way to turne themselves , he would leap● into a tree and laugh at them , with such a loud noyse , that the whole wood would ring of him : this was a morrie devill , such as our robin-goodfellow is said to be ; but yet in his mirth hee alwayes affected mischiefe . theat . hist. pag. . chunibert king of lumbardie , consulted with one of his trusty counsellours , about putting to death his two brothers , aldo and grauso . whilest they were thus consulting in a by-window , there sate a great flie by them ; one of the feet whereof , the king with his knife which he had in his hand cut off ; in the meane while aldo , and grauso , entering into the pallace , met with a man with one of his feet cut off ; who told them the king was purposed to slay them if they passed on : whereupon they returned and hid themselves in the temple of romanus the martyr . the king hearing thereof , was much troubled how his counsell might be revealed , and charged his privie counsellours with infidelity : but the counsellour answered , that hee had not departed from his presence since the matter was contrived , but there sate a flie whose foot they cut off , which no question was the devill ( as it was ) had revealed this secret in the shape of a man. hereupon the king was reconciled to his brethren , and embraced them with love ever after . thus the devill sometimes doth good , but it is with an intent of greater mischiefe : et sinon aliquâ nocuisset mortuus esset ▪ cronica hedion . while certaine mariners were sayling in the sea , a monster was taken by them , in every thing like unto a woman ; which being detained in the ship a good while , one of the mariners fell in love with her , tooke her to his wife , and begot one childe of her : after three yeares they returning to the same place againe where the same monster was taken , this woman-devill leaped into the sea with her childe in her armes ; the childe was drowned , but shee vanished away . thus it is easie for the devill to take upon him the shape of a man or a woman . ex colloquiis lutheri . a certaine nobleman invited martin luther , and other learned men to his house : the nobleman after dinner went out a hunting , where a hare of great bignesse , and a fox of great swiftnesse , offered themselves unto his hounds . the nobleman riding upon a good horse , followed them amaine , but his horse falling downe under him , dyed , and the hare vanished into the aire : this was certainly a diabolicall delusion . luther . the same luther writeth , that certaine noblemen riding a race , they cryed out , let the last bee the devils ; one of the noblemen having a spare horse , hasted forward with the rest of his company ; but his horse that was le●t free , came softly behinde , and was carried up by the devill into the aire . the devill is not to be invited , for he is ready to come uncalled . philip lonicerus in his historicall theatre , reporteth , that in a great plague , one carkasse was seene to devoure it selfe in a grave : which , the people being superstitious , thought it was a presage of the continuance of the pestilence ; whereupon they sent unto wittenberge to luther and other godly ministers , for their advise and counsell : he answered , that it was a delusion of the devill , and if they gave credit thereunto , the sicknesse would increase ; and therefore advised them that despising this delusion of the devill ; they should joyne together in prayer in gods holy temple , to represse the furie and malice of the old serpent ; which by that meanes they obtained . at rotingburge an honest and worthy citizen having a beautifull daughter , to whom many sutors frequented , there came also one in gallant apparrell , and two men attending upon him , to be a sutor unto that beautifull maide : but her father being displeased at his importunitie , invited the godly minister of the town , and some other good men to supper ; where entring into conference of divine matters , this gallant abhorring the same , desired them to talke of some other merry matters ; which they refusing to doe , he shewed himselfe what he was , and with his companions disparished into the aire , leaving a filthy stinke behinde him : thus the devill doth go about to delude both men and women . manlius in col. a certaine man abounding with wealth , invited to supper a company of his neighbours and friends ; who , when they refused to come upon occasions , hee wished that all the devils in hell would come : which wishes were not in vaine , for presently great troopes of devils came unto his house , which hee entertained at the first ; and afterward ( as my authour saith ) perceiving by their fingers and feet to be infernall spirits , he with his wife , trembling , ranne out of the house , leaving a young infant in a cradle , and a foole rocking of it ; both which were preserved alive after the departure of the devils : iob. fincel . the devill also appeared unto a souldier that was given to play , swearing , and drinking ; and having played with him all night , and woon his money , hee told him it was time to depart , and carryed him away with him into the aire , whither god knowes ; for hee never was seene after . in the yeare of our lord , there was at franckford a maide grievously tormented with a paine in her head , and a kinde of frenzie , at the last she came to that passe , that it was manifest that she was possessed with the devill ; for if she touched any thing of any mans , either head , garment , or anything else , she drew money out of it of the usuall coyne of that countrey , and presently put it into her mouth and swallowed it ; but sometimes they caught her hand , and wrung their money from her , and shewed it up and downe as a great wonder : shee also in her fits spake the high dutch tongue perfectly , which she never learned not heard of ; with many other things of great admiration . luther being demanded , what course was to be taken to dispossesse her of this evill spirit ; advised , that shee should duely be brought unto the church to heare sermons , and to bee prayed for publiquely in the congregation ; by which meanes , shortly after shee was delivered from sathan , and restored to her former health : this relation the wise senatours of frankeford caused to bee published in print , anno . certaine learned men in the counsell of basil , went into a wood for recreation sake , friendly to conferre about the controversies of that time : whilest they were there walking , they heard a bird like unto a nightingall singing most sweetly , above any nightingall in the world , and also s●w a bird upon an arme of a tree , not like unto any bird : one of the companie more hearty than the other , said thus unto her ; i abjure thee in the name of the lord iesus christ ; to tell us what thou art ; to whom the bird answered , that she was one of the damned soules , and appointed to stay in that place untill the last day , and then to endure everlasting punishments ; whereupon she flue from the tree , and cried , o perpetuall and infinite 〈◊〉 m●l●ncthon judged this to bee an evill spirit , and so the event prooved : for all that were present at this abjuration fell presently very sicke , and shortly after died . manl. collecta . a certaine panish clerke ( as c●sariu● reporteth ) ex●elled all men in sweetnesse of singing , whom when at a time a godly and holy man heard , he said , this is the voice not of a man , but of the divell ; 〈…〉 he had abjured in the name of christ , the divell departed out of the bodie of the clerke , and the bodie fell downe into a dead carkasse . discip. de tempore . paulus diaconius in his sixteenth booke witnesseth , that in the reigne of anastasius the emperour , there were in alexandria many women and children , possessed of the divell , which being taken with furie , uttered no other voice but like the barking of a dog . in the yeare of our lord , an evill spirit haunted the citie rotuill , sometimes in the shape of an hare , sometimes of a weesell , sometimes of a g●ose , and with a cleere voice threatened that he would fire the citie , which malice of his , though god prevented , yet it strooke great terror into the minds of the people . iob. finc . lib. . in the dukedome of luneberge , a certaine woman possessed of the divel , used to speake in her fits most pure latine and greeke to the great admiration of all that heard her . man. in collect. at fribuge in misnia , a certaine man of great pietie and holinesse , lying sicke and neere unto death , the divell came unto him in the habite of a bishop ( hee being alone ) and exhorted the man to confesse all his sinnes which hee had committed in his life time , and that having pe●ne and inkehorne he would write them downe in order ; but the old man being importuned by him , answered , seeing thou urgest this , write downe first this sentence : the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head : which the divell-bishop no sooner heard but he vanished away , leaving a filthie savour behinde him , and the man died in peace . manl. in collect. iob fincelius in his third booke of miracles , writeth a strange storie of a godly young maide , infested long , and possessed at length by the divell , who in her acted strange things to the admiration of all men : but at length shee was freed from his malicious molestation , by the earnest prayers of godly ministers in the church , the divell flying out of her in the forme of a swarme of flies out of a window . this storie is at large related with many strange circumstances , by philippus lonicerus in his historicall theatre . page a hundred twenty and six . the same author relateth a storie of a maide of excellent beauty , whom the priest of the towne so induced and inveigled by his perswasions ( saying that the pope had pardoned him for all such offences ) that shee became his concubine : now when hee had invited many of his companions to a feast , together with his concubine , the divell entered in amongst the guests , snatching away the young woman , and saying , thou art mine : neither could the priest or any of the companie deliver her out of his hands . and thou also ( sayeth the divell to the priest ) and i meane to fetch thee shortly . martin luther reporteth this storie out of the mouth of doctor gregorius pontanus , how two noblemen falling out in the court of the emperour maximilian , vowed each others death . now the divell taking occasion out of this malicious vow , slew the one of the noblemen in the night with a sword taken out of the others sheath , into the which hee put the same againe all bloudie ; whereupon this nobleman was arraigned of this murther , and had bin condemned , but that it was prooved that he stirred not out of his chamber all that night : and therefore they concluded that it was the malicious fact of sathan . and yet the nobleman because hee intended this murther , though hee acted it not , was condemned by the emperour to perpetuall banishment . and thus much concerning persons infested by the divell . now a word or two for places . saint augustine in his two and twentieth booke de civitate dei , chapter the eighth , reporteth of a certaine gentleman that lived not far from him in affrica , who had his house so infested with evill spirits , that both his servants and his cattell died frequently . this man getting unto him the company of the priests , & offering up the sacrifice of the body and bloud of christ in his house , with servent prayers unto god against these evill spirits , was thereby freed from any further molestation by them , as this holy father writeth . saint gregorie telleth us of the spirit of one paschasius , that haunted the bathes , and was seene by sermanus the bishop of capua , by whose meanes and prayers the place was freed from that ghost , or rather the ghost was freed from that place . greg. lib. . dialog . cap , . gregorie nissen writes also of a certaine bath which was grievously infested by evill spirits , wherein they tooke away the lives of many men . the like whereof is reported by georgius presbyter , of another house thus molested , where the evill spirits would throw stones upon the table while they were at dinner , and filled the house with myce and serpents , so that no man durst dwell therein . the like storie reporteth mataphrastes in the life of saint pautheneus ; and lycas , in the life of the emperor anastasius . pliny in his seventh booke , the twentie seventh epistle , telleth us , that in an house in athens there appeared continually a tall and leane shape of a man drawing chaines after him ; which when it was seene to sinke downe and vanish into a certaine place of the ground , they digged and found the dead body of a man : which being removed , the house was freed from the molestation . what should i speake of the house of eubatis in corinth , written by lucian ? or of pausanias the king of the spartans , whose house was haunted by an evil spirit presently after he had slain his wife cleonice , as plutarch writeth ? or of the evil spirits that haunted the grave of that cruel tyrant caesar caligula ? suet. or of nero that slew his mother agrippina , who was continually after pursued with a spirit in his mothers shape ? or of otto that slew his predecessor galba ; after which he never ceased to be molestred with fearful and terrible visions ? or a number more which i might insert ; but these shal suffice as a taste of a number more that tyraeus the iesuite hath set down in his book de infestis locis . i adde onely two or three , and so an end . alexander of alexandro dwelling in rome , in an house so infamous for strange sights , that no man durst dwell therein , reporteth , that beside the night tumults and horrible and fearefull noyses , there appeared unto him the shape of a map , of a filthie looke , threatening countenance , and blacke and fearfull in bodie , from which the house could by no meanes be set free . cardanus , lib. . c. . de rerum varietate , reporteth the like to haye happened to an house of a certaine nobleman in parma . in which house alwaies before the death of some of the family , an old woman of an hundred yeares old appeared sitting in the chimney corner ▪ in an island neere unto the articke pole , there is an hill out of the which , like mount aetna , there bursteth out continually fire and smoake . there everie night appeareth a companie of evill spirits , representing perfectly the shape of some friends which they know : whom when they go to speake unto , they presently vanish out of their sight . olaus magnus . but enough , enough , of this unsaverie subject : onely let us learne hereby to beware of this ambitious enemie of mankinde , who as saint peter sayeth , goeth about somtime like a lion to devour us : other times like a subtill serpent to molest us , but all with a desire of our destruction . i may be thought too prolix in this argument of gods iudgements ; but considering the fiercenesse of gods wrath against notorious sinners , and the hardnesse of mens hearts to be drawne to repentance , nothing i thinke can be judged too much . but yet to sweeten these soure pills , let me cover them a little with the sugar of gods mercifull protection of his children by his holy angels . chap. xv. the conclusion , concerning the protection of holy angels , over such as feare god. notwithstanding all these judgements upon the wicked , yet god is good unto israel , even to those that are of an upright heart . psalme seventie three , verse the first : for as he executeth his judgements upon the one , so hee defendeth the other , by his mightie providence ; especially by the protection of angels . of which i purpose to give you many examples in this place : and first out of the holy scriptures . two angels came to l●t in sodome , strooke the inhabitants with blindnesse and led lot by the hand out of sodom , readie to be destroyed by fire and brimstone , genesis the nineteenth . when abraham was about to sacrifice his son isaac , an angell held his hand , and forbad him to kill his sonne , promising him from god a blessing for his obedience , genesis . iacob in his returne homeward , was comforted and strengthened against his brother esau by the blessed angels , genesis the two and thirtieth . an angell of the lord when the children of israel came out of aegypt , stood betwixt the campe of the aegyptians and the israelites in a pillar of clouds by day , to protect the israelites against the aegyptians , exodus . balaam when being sent for by balaac king of moab to curse the israelites , an angell with a sword drawne in his hand withstood him in the way , and commanded him to speake nothing but what the lord should put into his mouth . numbers . an angel of the lord apeared unto gedeon , comforted him , and appointed him captain over the people , to deliver israel out of the hand of the madianites , iudges , chapter . an angel of the lord appeared unto manoa and his wife who was barren , promising them a sonne , to be called sampson , that should deliver the israelites out of the hands of the philistims , iudg. . it was an angell in davids time which strooke the israelites with the pestilence , whereof died threescore and ten thousand ; and when david prayed , put his sword up into his sheath , and saved the rest : the second booke of samuel , and twentie fourth chapter . elias the prophet was refreshed with meat and drink , and in the strength thereof hee travelled fourtie dayes and fourtie nights ; even to mount horeb , by the ministerie of an angell , . kings , . many legions of angels environed the prophet elisha , which his servant , at his prayer , ( his eyes being opened ) saw and beheld , and all to defend him from the assyrians that besieged samaria ; . kings , . an angell of the lord slew in the campe of the assyrians in one night an hundred fourscoure and five thousand men ; . kings , . shadrach , meshach , and abednego , being cast into the fierie furnace by nabuchadnezzar , for not worshipping his golden image , were preserved alive and kept from hurt by an angell of the lord , daniel . it was an angell that stopt the mouthes of the lyons , that they could not hurt daniel that was cast into their denne , daniel , . the angel gabriel declared unto zacharias , that his wife should conceive with child , and bring forth iohn the baptist in her old age , luk● . it was the same angell that announced to the virgine mary , that she should bring forth iesus christ our saviour , luke . the same told the shepheards in the field , of christ his nativitie and witnessed his resurrection and ascention into the heavens , mathew marke . acts the first . an angell delivered the apostles out of prison , acts . an angell freed peter from his chaines , acts . and paul and silas , acts . an angell comforted paul upon the sea , and all those that were with him , and delivered them from the tempest , acts twentie seven . all these examples are out of the holy scriptures , which is of infallible truth , and sheweth that to be which is spoken by the prophet david in the foure and thirtieth psalme , that the angell of the lord pitcheth his tents round about them that feare him . now follow examples out of humane writes ; and first to begin with a storie in socrates , lib. . cap. . and sozomen . lib. . cap. . when arcadius was emperour of rome , and saint chrysostome bishop of constantinople , there was gainas , an arrian , and a barbarian by profession , who being powerfull and great , went about to thrust arcadius out of his seat ; but the emperour compounding with him , sent him unto constantinople with a troupe of horse and foot , under the pay of the emperour . this man desired to have a peculiar church for them of his owne sect , for the free exercising of their religion : which being denyed by the emperour , at the perswasion of saint chrysostome , the tyrant raised his forces in the night to spoyle and havocke the citie . but they were resisted the first and second night , by the shew of a great armie of tall and lustie men , and so terrified , that they durst doe nothing . the third night the tyrant himselfe , thinking this to be but a fable , came in his owne person with his whole armie , and found the same resistance : wherewith being terrified , hee fled into tracia ; where hee was slaine most miserably . thus this great citie was protected by the ministery of angels , as hierusalem once was from the tyran zenacherib . in the reigne of pompilius king of poland , as the polonian chronicles doe report , in the first booke , and twelfth chapter , there came two men o● a venerable countenance and habit to the court gate , desiring entrance and entertainment ; but they were repulsed by the porter . then they went to one pyastus , a man of excellent holinesse and charity , who entertained them into his house very lovingly , broached a vessell of sweet wine for their drinke , and killed a fat hogge for their meate , which hee had prepared against the first tonsure of his sonne , according to the custome of that countrey . these men , or rather angels , finding this kinde entertainment , caused the vessell of sweet wine to multiply , so that the more they dranke , the more still remained behinde ; and the hogge also in like manner . at last they wrought means , that pompilius the king being dead , this good man was chosen king in his stead ; and then disparished and were never more seen . nicephorus in his seventeenth booke , chapter thirty five , reporteth a strange storie of a jewish childe . this boy playing among other christian children , was brought into the temple by the priest to care the reliques of the sacrament , as the custome was : who tooke it amongst his followes . which as soone as the jew his father understood , he put him into a fierie oven to be tormented to death : his mother sought him up and downe the citie , not knowing what was done ; and at last , after three dayes , found him alive in the oven : from whence being taken , there was no smell of fire about him . thus god protected by his angell this poore childe . instinian the emperour , after hee knew thereof , caused the boy and his mother to be baptized ; and the father , who refused , he caused to be crucified to death . under the emperour mauritius the citie of antioch was shaken with a terrible earthquake , after this manner : there was a certaine citizen so given to bountifulnesse to the poore , that hee would never suppe nor dine , unlesse hee had one poore man to be with him at his table . upon a certaine evening seeking for such a guest , and finding none , a grave old man met him in the market-place , cloathed in white , with two companions with him , whom hee entreated to suppe with him : but the old man answered him , that he had more need to pray against the destruction of the citie ; and presently shooke his handkerchiefe against one part of the citie , and then against another ; and being hardly entreated , forbore the rest . which hee had no sooner done , but those two parts of the citie , terribly shaken with an earthquake , were throwne to the ground , and thousands of men slain . which this good citizen seeing , trembled exceedingly . to whom the old man in white answered and sayed , by reason of charity to the poore his house and familie were preserved . and presently these three men ( which no question were angels ) vanished out of sight . this storie sigubert in his chron. reporteth , anne . philip melancthon reporteth , that in a certaine village neare unto the citie sygnea , a woman sent her sonne into the wood to fetch home her kine : in the meane while , such a snow fell , that the boy could not returne home againe : his parents the next day ( taking more care for the boy then for the kine ) went out to seeke him ; and within three dayes , found him in the middest of the wood , sitting in a faire place where no snow had fallen : they demanded of him , why he made not haste home : he answered , that he tarryed till it was evening ; being insensible both of the time and of the cold : they asked him againe , whether he had received any food or no ? the boy answered , that a certaine man brought unto him bread and cheese , which hee did eate . thus without doubt the childe was preserved by an angell , and the man that brought him the bread and cheese was an angel of god. tiburtius the governour of areciam , a heathen man , forbad two christian brothers , pergentinus and laurentinus , to preach christ : first , he allured them by flattering speeches ; which when it succeeded not , he caused them to be beaten with clubbes . but the armes of them that beat them were so withered , that they could not strike a stroke : then he went about to starve them in prison , but they were nourished by an angell of god : after , hee commanded them to walke bare-footed upon burning coales , which they did without any sense of hurt : lastly , the image of iupiter being brought unto them to worship , they calling upon the name of jesus , the brazen image resolved into dust : whereupon many of the heathen people forsooke their idols , and turned unto the faith of christ. this story is written by marullus spalatensis , lib. . cap. . in that battell wherein iudas machabeus overcame timotheus , five men appeared in golden armour ; whereof two defended machabeus , and the other three assaulted the enemies ; the second of machabees , chapter the tenth . likewise in the eleventh chapter of the same book , it is declared how two men in goodly armour , and upon white horses , fought for the jewes against their enemies ; as castor and pollux were seene to fight for the romans against the tusculans , at the lake regillum . when the locrians made warre with the crotolians , there was seen two goodly young men upon white horses , fighting for the locrians ; who as soone as the victory was gotten , were never seene more : which victory , at the same instant that it was gotten , was declared at athens . lacedemon , and corinth ; places farre distant from locris and crothon . when attila the king of the hunnes , calling himselfe the scourge of god , had with furious rage destroyed and wasted many cities in italy ; he came at last to rome , purposing also to destroy it : but pope leo the great , by the commandment of valentinian the emperour , came out unto him , and by his prayers and intreaties made him so milde , that presently without doing any hurt he returned into his owne countrey . hereupon , being demanded by his nobles , why he shewed himselfe so obedient to the romane bishop ; he answered , that it was not in honour of the pope , but that he saw another man standing by in priestly garments , threatning him with a naked sword in his hand , unlesse hee would yeeld unto pope leo. this doubtlesse was an angell protecting of the citie of rome from that cruell and mercilesse enemie . we reade in the lives of the fathers , how a certaine religious christian was cast into prison by the souldiers of iulian the apostata , whom when apolonius another godly christian came to visit , the centurion cast him also into prison , to accompany the other , and set souldiers to watch the prison lest they should escape ; but late in the night an angel of god was seene in a most cleare light , and broke open the prison dore : which being seene , the watch fell downe before those holy men , and the centurion that night having his house sore shaken with an earthquake , and some of his servants slaine ; the next morning came and delivered the two holy men out of prison with great trembling and feare . we reade in the lives of the fathers , of one copres a holy man , that disputed with manichee , and when hee could not put him downe in words , it was agreed betweene them , that the tryall of the truth of their religion should be made by fire : whereupon a fire being made in the market-place , copres went into it , and stood a time in it unhurt , being protected by the angell of god ; then the manichee refusing to doe the like , was thrust into the middest of the fire by the people , and was so scortched , that he scarce escaped with his life ; so that the people abhorring his wicked doctrine , thrust him out of the citie ; saying , this seducer burneth alive . baratanes the king of persia made warre upon the romanes ; against whom narsaeus the emperours generall prepared an armie : and when the constantinopolitanes were in great feare , two angels in bythinia charged certaine men that went to constantinople , to tell the citizens that they should give themselves to prayer and fasting , and feare nothing , for they were sent of god to defend the army of the romanes against the persians ; which they did accordingly for the persian army was defeated by narsaeus , and the saracens that came to helpe them in great multitudes , were drowned in the river euphrates . this socrates reporteth , lib. . capitul● . but to come to examples of later memory . melancthon in his explication of the tenth chapter of the prophesie of daniel , relateth a storie of gryneus a famous learned and godly man , who having offended the bishop of vienna , called faba , in a disputation about religion , returned unto his sociates assembled together , whereof melancthon was one : where discoursing of the disputation betweene him and the bishop , i ( saith melancthon ) was called out of the chamber , to speak with a certaine grave man , of a venerable countenance and habit , who told me that we should remove gryneus out of that place presently , for the sergeants were come to apprehend him , and to cast him into prison : whereupon we presently conducted him through the citie , and brought him unto the rivers side , where we had him conveyed over into another jurisdiction : and at our returne to the inne , found that the sergeants had beene there . thus , saith melancthon , we see that this grave old man was an angell of god , that came to protect the good man from his enemies . in the yeare , not farre from sitta in germany , in the time of a great dearth , and famine , a certaine godly matron having two sonnes , and destitute of all manner of sustenance , went with her children to a certaine fountaine hard by , praying unto almighty god , that he would there relieve their hunger by his infinite goodnesse : as she was going , a certaine man met her by the way , and saluteth her kindly , and asked her whither shee was going ; who confessed that she was going to that fountaine there , hoping to be relieved by god , to whom all things are possible ; for if he nourished the children of israell in the desart forty yeares , how is it hard for him to nourish me and my children with a draught of water : and when shee had spoken these words , the man , ( which was doubtlesse an angel of god ) told her , that seeing her faith was so constant , she should returne home , and there should finde six bushels of meale for her and her children . the woman returning , found that true which was promised . in the yeare , a cruell tempest raged in thuringea , beating downe houses , pulling up trees by the roots , and drowned by the violence of the water above forty persons , men and women . in this fearefull inundation of waters , a notable and miraculous example of gods protection by angels shewed it selfe : for there was a woman newly brought to bed of a childe , drowned , but the infant lying in a cradle , was carried with the violence of the water a great way off , and at last the cradle stopping at the bough of an apple-tree , was fastened till the waters decreased , and after divers dayes was found alive . the like example of a childe miraculously preserved in the waters , is described by husan●● in most elegant verses ; the copie whereof you may reade in the historicall theatre of lonicerus , pag. . another childe at friburge in misnia falling into the river , was carried violently a great space , untill it came unto a mill , where it stopped , and was miraculously taken up alive by gods protection , and his holy angels . the like we reade of concerning another childe , miraculously preserved at rotinberge , in the yeare , as lonicerus reporteth . i will adde one more of my owne knowledge , concerning an inf●●t . 〈…〉 towne in cambridge-shire , there was a cra●ie steeple ready to 〈◊〉 , under which a poore man with one childe , had built a little cottage , and lived therein : it chanced that the steeple fell upon that little cottage , the woman being in the towne , and the childe in the house : all men supposed the childe had beene crushed to pi●●es ; but it pleased god , by the protection of his holy angels , that certaine pieces of the bell-free fell crosse over the little cottage , and kept off the sto●●es from hurting of the childe ; which crying was heard , and they removing the stones and rubbidge , found the childe alive . the like happened at huntington ; where saint mar●●s church , having a decayed steeple , the parishioners for 〈◊〉 to repaire it ; who about noone comming downe to ●h●ir 〈◊〉 , left certaine children which were taught by the minister , playing in the body of the church , who had no sooner runne into the chancell to their victuals , but the steeple tumbled downe into the church , beating downe a great part of the church : withall , behold the wonderfull protection of god , if the steeple had fallen upon the lords day , many hundreds had beene slaine ; and if at any other time of the day , the masons and the children had all perished : but blessed be the name of the lord for this safe deliverance . another example was related unto me by men of good credit , upon their owne knowledge ; how a certaine man riding between two woods in a great tempest of thundering and lightening , rode under an oake to shelter himselfe ; but his horse would by no meanes stay under that oake , winching , and kicking , and running away , whether his master would or no : which his master perceiving , went unto another oake hard by , where the horse stayed very quietly : but they had not long staid there , but the first oake with a grievous clap of thunder and lightening was torne all to fitters , and the man and horse in the other place escaped safely : oh the wonderfull protection of god , and that by the ministery of his holy angels ! in the yeare , so great a tempest of raine and waters arose at islebia , that it bare downe houses before it ; it fell most violently upon the house of one barthold bogt , so that it broke downe the fore-part of his house , where lay a childe in a cradle ; which the father , with hazard of his life , brought forth and carried into his adjoyning neighbours house : two other of his children endeavouring also to save , hee tooke in his armes to carry forth of the house , but the rage of the water hindered him , so that they rested upon a beame ; from whence the one of his children was violently taken out of his armes , and he and the other being shaken from the post , were carried into the orchard ; where finding footing , stood up to the neck in water , with the childe in his armes ; and looking about for his other childe , he found it sitting upon a piece of timber , and comming towards him , which hee also tooke into his armes , and got up into a high pile of wood , where he rested all night , none being able to afford him any helpe . the next morning , when the waters were decreased , he came downe to looke for two other of his children which he had left in an upper part of the house , whom hee found fast asleepe ; now he had no sooner taken them from thence , but that part of the house fell downe also : where we may see a visible signe of gods protection by his holy angels , who not onely preserved all the family , but also kept that part of the house from falling , wherein the children lay sleeping , untill they were brought forth . many more examples of this kinde might be added , but these shall suffice to shew gods great providence towards his children ; who as he punisheth the wicked with most severe judgements , so he protecteth those that feare him with extraordinary providence by his holy angels : to shew the truth of that , which the apostle speaketh ; that they are ministring spirits , sent forth to waite upon them who shall be heires of salvation , hebrewes . verse . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e psal. . isay. . rom. . . psal. . . psal. . . deut. . . dial. . de legib. . sam. . herod . li● . plutarch . dan. ● . . di●d . lib. c ▪ . th ▪ ucyd . lib. . lib. . annal. in panegyr . lib. . ti● . . lib. . cod . nicol. gil. vol. ● . chronic. franc. exod. . num . . num. . iudg. . iudg. . iudg . sam . sam. . . king. . king. . . king . . king. . . chron. . est ▪ , & . dan. . ● . macch. & . epima●es . ● . macch. . . macch. . . macch. . . macch. . mat. . this example belongeth also ( in regard of cruelty ) to the sixth commandement . lib. . cap. . . booke of the iewish antiquity , cap. . luke . . this example in regard of divorce , be longeth to the seventh commandement . lib . cap. . ioseph . of the iewish antiquity , l. . c. . euseb. euseb. euseb. eutrop. lib. . tertul , niceph. commandement . calumniation lib. . cap. . tacit. ann. l. . suet. refer this also to the ● . ch . of this booke . suet. eutrop. dion . mandat . . l. ● . c. . spart . euseb. spart . tert. ●d scap. oros. l. . c. . euseb. l. . c. . ecclesiast . hist. pomponim . euseb. l. . c. . in the sermon of the congregatiō of saints euseb. hist. eccles . l. . c . henric. de erford . euseb. l. . c. vopis . eutrop. niceph. ruffin . mandat . . lib. . cap. . euseb. hist. eccles . , & . c. niceph. l. . c. . niceph. . . against the gentiles . lanquet . chro. hieron . in ca● . theod. l. . c. . tripartit . hist. lib. . cap. . nicl . . c. . t●eod . l. . c. . euseb. l. . c. . vincentius , l. . c. . petru● de natalibus . lib. . c. . bergom . lib. ● . lib. . cap. . euseb. lib. . cap. . & ● . philip melan. chron. lib. . ●ebast . franc. chron. pelon . philip mela. chron. lib. . composulus , lib. . cap. . philip mela. chron. lib. . greg. taren . lib. . cap. . paulus diaconus , l. . c. . de gestis long●●ard . evagrius , l. . c. . mandat . . calumniation lib. . c. . paul. diacon . lib. . c. . de gostis long●● . cent . . cap. . anton. l. . c. . paul. diac. l. . helm . c. . sclavon . & cap. . bonfi●us . ioseph of the wars of the iews , l. . c. . . , lib. . cap. . lib. . c. , . lib. . cap. . this example belongs also to the contempt of the word . lib. . cap. . ioh. fincel . l. casp hedi●● , lib. . cap. . nic. trivis . cestrens . flores histor . . fineel . l. . de miracul . history of martyrs , ● . . illirle●● . history of france . ibid. history of martyrs , lib. . ibid. ibid. . booke of martyrs . referre this among apostates , l. ● . c. . s●●iden . l. . . booke of his history . . booke of martyrs . the burning chamber was a court in france , which adjudged the christians to be burned . luther . history of martyrs , part . . acts & monuments . p. . theatrum historicum . refer this also to hypocrisie , lib. . cap. . acts and monuments , pag. . pag. . . cyprian in his sermons , de lapsu multerum . cyprian . cyprian . contempt of word and sacrament . lib. . c. . cyprian . contempt of sacrament . lib. . c. . sleiden . l. . ● . cen●ur . . c. . theatrum historicum . acts and monuments , pag. . acts and monuments , pag. . acts and menuments . king. it is manifest that solomon did repent : first because it is said , that god loved him . secōdlv , because he was a pen man of some part of the scr●ptu●e and th●●dly , becaus● he was a ●ype of christ. chron. . machab. . king. . contempt of gods word , lib. . cap. . king. . chron. . chron. . . chron. . chlon . . chron. . . chron. . chron. . lib. . cap. . idolatry . king. . rom. . rom. . . rom. . . chron. . idolatry . lib. . cap. . heb. . , , , . math. acts . suid. socrat. theod. sozom. a theisme , lib. . cap. . socrat. l. . hist. eccles. c. 〈◊〉 . theod. l. ● . c. . sozom. l. . c. . contempt of the word , lib. . cap. . ●eda eccl. hist. lib. . cap. . persecution , lib. . cap. . persecution , lib. . cap. . acts . . . euseb. eccles. hist. l. . c. . ios. antiq. lib : . c. . & lib. . cap. . act. . euseb. l. . c. . phi. m. chron . euseb. euseb. socrat. nicep . l. . c. . cent. . cap. . socrat. theod. sozom. socr. l. . c. . ruff. l. . c. . iornand . niceph. l. . cap. . paul. diac. in anast. hist. sabel . l. . c. . 〈…〉 , lib. . c. . 〈…〉 lib. . c. . gasp. ●ed . l. . cap. . & . platin● sub . siri●i● , . 〈◊〉 . ●● . 〈…〉 . ● . paul. diac. l. . contempt of the word , l. . c. . athoisme , l. . c. . stow chron. ibid. hypocrisie in regard of hacket , l. . c. . sam. : math. . numb . . ● pet. . . numb . . numb . . king. . avarice , l. . . . enguerran de monstr . & vol. . stow chron. stow chron. lev. . ● . ● . exod. . . deut. . , . sam. . isa. . , . acts . . buchan . rerum . scot. lib. . plut. rom. tacit. lib. . cap. . of the northe●ne people . refer this also l. . c. . chap. . of the foresaid book . olaus magnus . hugo de cluni . vol. . a sweet kisse doubtlesse . contempt of sacraments , lib. . cap. . wierus . naucler . vinc . &c. a not wo●th the nothing . b●nno balleus . bal. iovius in ellgiis virorumillustrium . theat , hist. fulgos. l. . c. . gen. . gen. . dan. . chap. . , , , &c. acts . iewish antiquities , l. . c. . euseb. l. . c. . phil. in chron. cen● . . l. . c. . oros. lib. . just. lib. . iust. lib. . curt. lib. . gros. l. . c. . dion . mal. l. . antiq. roman . diod. lib. . aenead . . agath . lib. . ●el . gothu . thess. . . sabel . aenead . . lib. . john le maire de besges . nich. gyles , of the chronicles of france . sabel . aenead . . lib. . tertullian apolog. acts . . cic. of the nature of the gods , lib. . diodor. . vide li. . c. . lucian , porp●yry , ●ulian , &c. bale . iohn ▪ . vide lib. . cap. . heresie . t●m . . lib. . discipulus de temp . s●rm . . aelianus de var. bist . l. . theatr. histor . theatr. histor . theatr. histor . marl●w . iohn . chap. . . exod. . numb . . chron . kings . kings . u idel . . c. kings . epiphan . john bishop of ierusalem . paul. diacon . lib. . cap. . lactant. lib. . institut . ca. . cent. . cap. . cent. . cap. . theodor. lib : . cap. . & . nicephorus lib. . c. . isay . . levit . numb . numb . . chron. . sam. : chron. . diod. l. . c. . cic. offic . lib. . psal. . iosh . platina . enguerran de monstrelet . sam. . marc. . kings . chron. . plutarch . livie . liv. decad. . lib. . iustine . bonfinus . it is so called by the french men , but more commonly , the straits of castile . in areadicis . de confessoribus . liv. lib. : melanct. chr. lib. comp●fulgos . lib. . c. . chron. carion . the rocke is christ. cor. . euseb. li. . c. . calumniation lib. . cap. . chron er●esti , brotanff . theatr. histor . joh. le gall. vol. of his table-talk . stow. chron. stow chron. levit. . cod. lib. . tit . . nich. gil. vol. of french chronicles . * lord of ienville . king. . king . mach. . iudeth . . kings . theod. lib. . cap. , & . contempt of holy things . lib. . cap. , . theatr. hist. vide l. . c. . ●ares . phil. chron. ab. vrusperg . fincelius de miraculis . li. . anthonio de torquemeda . acts and monuments of the church . paul diacon . in the history of anastatius . sabel . aenead . . lib. . anton. panor . of the acts of alphonsus . aeneas silvius of the acts of alphonsus . luther upon the' . chap. of the ep. to the corinth . wirius book chap. . of the delusion of spirits . iohn wierus . in coll. luth. homil. . in hist. passionis . discipulus de tempore sermon . . perjury . lib. . cap. . job . fincelius , lib. . de mirac . albert. kirant . chron. sax. l. . cyriac. spangenb . in ●legan●ijs veter is adami . theatr. hist. luther : iob. fincelius . theatr. histor antonio de torquemeda . theatr. hist. let not the strangenes of this example discredit the truth thereof , seeing we read how lots wife was turned into a pillar of salt , gen. . and corah with his company swallowed of the earth , numer . . which are stranger than this . acts and monuments . pag. . acts and monuments . pag. . cor. . , . psal. . , . exod. . . deut. . . & . . apoc. . . proverb . ; exod. . hosea . , . deu. . a king. . . chron , . , . heb. . . . heb. . . matth. . . tertul. apol. cap. . sueton. tacitus . revel . . . beda li. . ca. . acts and monuments , pag. . acts and monuments . pag. . nich. heming . mart. ●ydius , celebrat . deut . excels . georst . le feure , lib. . annal. misniae . acts and monuments . pag. . socrat. lib. . cap. . op●at . meltuit . lib contra paren●anum . cent. . cap. . vide lib. . cap. . jeseph . antiq : liba . cap. . luther in coloq●ijs . philip. melan. sozomen lib. . cap. ● . vide lib. . cap. . p●●lip . melanct . in collectane● manlij . acts and monuments , pag. . num. . cod li. . ●i . 〈◊〉 . . discipulus de tempore . ●er . . theatr. hist. iob fincel . l. . de mi●ac . cent. . cap. . eccles. hist. cent. . ib. concil . paris . lib. . cap. . notes for div a -e gen . num. . deut. . sam. . sam. . sam. . king. . . greg. of tours fourth booke . philip comineus in the reigne of lewis the twelfth . cap. enguerr . de monstr . vol. . alex. ab alex. general . dier . lib. . cap. . philip. melanc lib . chron. in collectan . manlius in collectan . fides sit apud authorem . thearr . hist , guiliel . lugdi . discipulus de ●emp . george lanterde disciplina liberorum . theat . hist. mandat . . cursing . li. . cap. . kin. . sam. . . contempt of holy things . lib. . cap. . a kin. . . lib. . cap. . de institut : christ. ●ami . cyriac. spang . iob. fincelius , lib. de myrac . rom. . pet. . mat. . exod. . num. . sam. . mandat . . cursers , lib. . cap. . king. . sam. . liv. lib. . liv. lib. . tit. liv. thucyd , lib. ● aelian . lib. . eras. in apoph . lib. . albert. crantz tit. livius . cic. offic . lib. . albert. crantz leunclanias annales of turky . camerarius historicall meditat . cap. . otto frisingensis de rebus freder . pri● . lib. . cap. . bonfinus , lib. . decad. . lanquet . chro. lanquet . lanquet . stow. lanquet . valerius maximus . alex. ab alex. valerius max. lib. . cap. . lib. . cap. . phi. agesilaus . all this whole chapter , in regard of murther , belongeth to the commandement . . king. . king. . . king. . . king. . aelian . lib. . philip melanst cbro . lib. . chro. sigebert . philip melanct chron. aventin . lib. . ingratitude punished . aventin . lib. . notable ingratitude punished . ritius lib. . de regib . hispan . lanquet . stow. nich. gil. vol. the same author . vol . cap. . cap. . cap. . nic. gil. vol. . froiss . v. . c. . cap. . cap. . nic. gil. vol. . froiss vol. . cap. . sleid. lib. . stow chron. stow chron. exod. . gen. . exod. . deut. . num. . herod . lib. . gen. . iudg. . sam. . treason , lib. . cap. . & . treason ; lib. . cap. . . sam. . . king. . herod . lib. . oros. lib. . herod . lib. . diodor. lib. . iustine . plutarch . salusti oras . sabel . treason , lib. . cap. . plutarch . ●lor . lib. . plutarch . treason , lib. . cap. . & . plutarch . eutrop. procopius . iornand . greg. de tours . greg. of tours , lib. . hist. referre this properly to lib. . cap. . niceph. l. . . munst. cosmog . mandat . . cursing . l. . cyp . . munster cosmographle . mandat . . avarice and unmercifulnes hieron . marius . baleus . murdering popes . euguerran de monstr . vol. . enguerran de monstr . vol. . treason , lib. . cap. . f●ois . lib. . hist. munst. cosm. phi. melan. lib. treason , lib. . cap. . chron. pol. lib. . cap. . treason , lib. . cap. . ioseph . antiq . iudaic. li. . c. prophanation of holy things , lib. . cap. . treason , lib. . cap. . greg. of tours , lib. . cap. . this example belongeth also to the . chap casp. hed. li. . cap. . martian . s●o●u● . hermanus contract us . casp. hed. li. ● . cap. . historie of france , charles the ninth . the same historie . the same historie . sleid. lib. . lanquet . chro. acts and monuments . ranulphus . gen. . gen. ex historia iornlens . plutarch . sole●ria anim● . the same . blondus . blondus . luther . plutarch . pasquier , recerche● ▪ lib. . c. . pasquier , recerches , lib. . c. . acts . . ranzovius . phi. lonicer . theat . hist. fides sit apud authorem . though strange , yet not incredible , since god can as well turne calves heads into mens , as a rod into a serpent , or water into blood . lonicer . aug. de civit . lib. . cap. . sam. . . sam. . , . sam. . . king. . , , . sam. , . sam. . , . mac. . , . acts . euseb. iosephus de bell . iud. lib. . c. . . iosephus fulgol . lib. . c. . fulgos. lib. . cap. . liv. lib. . fulgos. l. . c. . fulgos. fulgos. philip. melan. chron. . livit. euseb. ammianus marcellinus . suet. exod. . diodor. sic. greg. of tours , lib . ioseph . antiq . corn. tacit lib. . sueton. cap . munst. cosmog . lib. . philip. melan. chron. lib. . ● munst. cosmog . lib. . casp. hedian . lib. ● . cap. . theat . hist. mandat . . calumniation lib. . cap. philip. melan. chron. lib. . no better fruit to be expected of any bastard imp . luther . casp. hed. . part . chron. psal. . , . verse . iob fincelius , lib. . de mirac . theat . hist. zonor as com . . zonor as . annl. sex. aur. sam. . sam. . kings . kings . chron. . iustin● . orose . cic , off. . enguerran de monstr . vol. . paul. iovius . sabell . guicciar . li. . philip. de com. bemb . histor. vent . lib. . herodot . exod. . . stow. aelianus . michael . ric. lib. . de regibus franc. l. . c. . plut. in dion . phil. melanct. lib. . valemar . sabel . l. . c. . sam. . herodian . treason , lib . cap iornand . paul. demil . treason , lib. cap. . kings . sabellic . aimon . nic. gil. vol. . malmesbur . acts and monuments . sabel . lib. . decad. . herbutus . hist. polon . lib. . cap. . cic. off. lib. . chron. . froiss . vol. . nic. g●l . . froiss . vol. . cap ▪ . theatr. histor. lanq. chron. seneca . flor. oros. l. . c. . corn. tacit. annal. l. . senec. l. . de benefic . aul. gel. n●ct . a. tic . l. . c. . benzon . milan . of the new world . the same authour . ioach. curcu● in his annales of silesia . lud , vives . petr. pramonst . bal. go● . titus . vius . nic. gil. vol. . ●emb . lib. . bist . venet. benzon . milan . of the new-found land. the same authour . phil. melanct. lib. . pausan. lib. . iohan. magnus . plut. in vita alexand. sabel . lib. c. . liv. l. b. chronica hun●ariae . albert , crantz . lib. . theat . hist. theat . hist. lanquet . lanq. ●●ron . 〈◊〉 historia iornalo●●i . lanquet . paul. iovius . bembus . guicciardine . cor. . . sabell . plin. lib. . holinshed . mich. rit . neap. lib. de obedi . fulgos. lib. . cap. . benzo . gomar● . hist. iud. lib. . cap. . stumpsius . lib. . bist . of swisse . ephes. . dial. . lib. . cap. . deut. . s●cr . l . c. . ecclesiast . hist. lib. de pud . corn. tacit. lib. . lib. . judg. . exod. . . deut. . . judges . kings . joseph . antiq . lib. . cap. . the same , l●b . . cap. . sleid. lib. . gen. . diedor . lib. . annal. levit. . . deut. . . gen. . num. . rape , l. . c. . one sin punished with another . sam. . sam. . sam. . sam. . herod . l● . . thucyd. ant. vols . upon ovidi epist. of hermione to orestes . tit. livius . rape , l. . c. . plutarch . li. . procop. rape , li. . cap. . mandat . . lib. . cap. . treason , lib. . cap. . paulus aemil. nic. gil. paulus aemil. fulgos. li. . c. . froiss . vol. . cap. . frois . vol. . cap. . rape , lib. . cap. . fulgos li. . c. . lanq. chron. paul. iovius , tom. . lib. . sleid. lib. . munst. cosmog lib. . casp. hed. mist. ecclesiast . chron. philip. melanct lib. . casp. hed. part . . theatr. histor . luther in epist . consolat ad lucum cranach . luther . luther . mandat . . atheisme , lib. . cap. . lanquet . chr. the same . petrarch . iob fincel . lib. . holinshed . luth. prand . lib. . cap. . luth. prand . lib. . cap. . matt. . joseph . of the jewish antiquity , lib. . cap. . . plutarch . philip. de com . bembus . phil. de com. surs●vil . matth. . judges . sam. . frois . vol. . guicciar . l. . gen. . gen. . sam. . rape . lib. . cap. . sam. . suct . lamprid. oros. l. . c. . plutarch . valerius . zodar . lib. . paul. diac. l. agathias . herodot . lib. . varro . lib. . de rerustica , cop . . frog . lib. . cic. lib. . tusc. quest . lamprid. gen. . psal. . . levit. . nic. gil. vol. . levit. . exod. . levit. . deut. . john . iames . gen. . sabel . sabel . suet. valer. li. . c. . de civitat . dei lib. . cap. . gen. . . sam. . . sam. . iust. apolog. . tertull. prov. . . ey●ch . . ●● . luke . . rom. . . ephes. . gen. . gen. . dan. . judith . . euseb. plutarch . incest , lib. . cap. . aug. tom . . ver. . parricid . li. . cap. . flavius vopis . martid . li. . platina . philip. melanct . lib. . aug. de vitand . ebriet . ser. . muraena . orig. lib. i. contr . ce●s . can. . & . ephes. . . judg. ● . mark. . chron. magdeburg . lodovicus vives . vol. cap. ● . tertul. oros. tacit. lib. . fulgos. d●●●riositate . homil. . homil. . in . cap. gen. can. . apolog. tertull. de spect . lib. of instruction of a christian woman . joshua . iosephus . iosephus . zonar . camposul . lib. . iosephus l. . zonar . annal. lib. a. cap. . zonar as . fulgos. l. . c. a. sabel . l. . c. . herod . lib. . fulg. lib. . c. . stow. chron. tbeatr . histor . zonar . annal. luther . albert. crantz . lib. . cap. . crantz . lib. . cap. . dat veniam cervis , vexat censura columbas . mat. . . rom. ● . . kings . numb . . . chap. . . cic. lib. . de legibus . aug. de civit. dei , lib. . ca. . lib. . c. . & . de beneficiis . nic. gil. kings . plutarch . de reg. frog . lib. . dion . & xiph. ●ulg . lib. . c. . nic. gil. vol. platina invita zacharia . phil. melanct. lib. . zonar . lib. . eras. in lingua tom. . virerum illustrium . lanquet . the same . the same . annales of france , henry . lanquet . in this whole chapter note the nature of ambition , and the frui●● thereof . kings . treason , lib. . cap. . herod . herod . dlonis . halic . lib. . plutarch . lib. . cap. . oros. l. . c. . titus livius . parricide , lib. . cap. . oros. lib. . cap. . plutarch . suet. eutrop. sabell . bembus , lib. . of the venetian historie . guicciard . li. guicciard . lib. . marke . luke . bal. sabel . bal. discipul . de tempore . iohanaes anglut . luther . d. pomeranus . ioh. fincel li. . the same author . fides fit apud authorem . the same . nic. gil. vol. . ex bibliotbeca cariensi , &c. levit. . deut. . . psal. . . eze. . . de officio princip . lib. . ca. alex. ab alex. lib. cap. . chrysost. in mat. cap. . fulgos. lib. . cap. . epist. . ad maced . can. . can. . cod. li. . tit . a od. . l. . ludere doctior seu graeco jubeas trocho , seu malis vetital●gibus alea. discip● . de tempor . ser. . blasphemie , lib. . cap. . iob. fincell . andreas muscabus in diabol . blasphemiae . mandat . . breach of saboth , li. . . . mandat . . blasphemie , lib. . cap. . iob fincel . l. ephes. . . these examples of this chapter may be referred to all the commandements for the most part . sabell . sabell . sabell . sabell . florus . plutarch . plutarch . dion . sueton. sueton. sueton. sueton. tit. liv. frois . vol. . cap. . nich. gilles . lanquet . the fame . benzon . mil. benzon . sleid. lib. . ball. benno . ball. benno . ball. guicciard . l. . bembus . guicciard . lib. . venetian . hist. lib. . in his book of the clemencie of a prince . ad generum cereris sine caede & sanguine pauc● , descendunt reges & s●cca morte tyranni . sam. . . psal. ●● . . . ● . king. . amo● . . ester . . dan. . theat . hist. vide l. . c. . example of nero. euseb. l. . c. . nicep . l. . c. . eus. l. . cap. . nicep . l. . c. . nicep . l. . c. . philip melanct. chron. lib. . nicep . l. . c. . acts and monuments . acts and monuments , pag. . acts and monuments . acts and monuments , pag. . deut. . . . judg. . sam. . . chron. . sam. . sam. . king . king. . king. . prov. . . proc. . . plutarch . sueton. fulgos. lib . cap. . alm● . plutarch . titus livius . plutarch . paulus aemil. paulus aemil. exod. . deut. . king. . prov. . nich. gilles . stow chron. phil. com. esay . lib. . of the acts of alexander . oros. lib. . paul. jovius , com. . lib. . sabell . thucyd. contempt of the word . lib. . cap. . eutrop. oros. lib. . oros. eutrop. eutrop. nunc seges est ubi tr●ia fuit . titue livius . rome hee meaneth . prov. . jerem. . psal. . rom. . . luke . job . . & psal. . epist. . rom. . . esay . heb. . . notes for div a -e phil. lonicer . zozom . lib. . cap. . cent. . cap. . phil. lonicer . fascic . temp. phil. lonicer . cent. . cap. . chr. phil. lib. . sigeb . in chro. chro. phil. l. . zonar . lib. . paul ▪ diaconus lib. . de reb . romanis . crantz . lib. . cap. . offic. ravisi . pausan. in arc. greg. turon . chron. philip. euseb. l. . c. . sueton. euseb. l. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. . cap. . discip. de tem. iob. fincel . iob. fincel . lib. lonicer . lonicer . lonicer . theat . hist. author phil. lonicer . god's soveraignty displayed from job . . : behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, a discourse shewing, that god doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of london, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that god aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by william gearing ... gearing, william. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) god's soveraignty displayed from job . . : behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, a discourse shewing, that god doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of london, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that god aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by william gearing ... gearing, william. gearing, william. no abiding city in a perishing world. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by r.i. for thomas parkhurst ..., london : . includes bibliographical references. added t.p. on p. [ ]: no abiding city in a perishing world. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. london (england) -- fire, . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion god's soveraignty displayed . from job . . behold he taketh away , who can hinder him ? &c. or , a discourse shewing , that god doth , and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth , as to the matter what , the place where , the time when , the means and manner how ; and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole , to the distressed citizens of london , whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal ; the ends that god aims at in it , with directions how to behave themselves under their losses . by william gearing minister of the word . london , printed by r. i. for thomas parkhurst at the golden bible on london bridge . . to the right vvorshipfull sr. john pelham of laughton , sr. john fagge of wiston , in the county of sussex , baronets : to herbert morley of glyne , in the same county : to john gell of hopton , in the county of darby , and to gervaise pigot of thrumpton in the county of nottingham , esquires . from that dreadful fire that consumed a great part of the city of london , about the beginning of september last , i may take occasion to shew , that the greatest chances , alterations , and most notable changes have commonly hapned in the month of september ; bodinus hath collected many remarkable instances to this purpose . great earth-quakes wherewith oftentimes great cities and whole countries have been destroyed , have happened in the month of september : such was that earth-quake at constantinople , wherein thirteen thousand men were lost in the year in the month of september : in the same month of september , wherein the battel was fought at actium , ten thousand men perished in the land of palestine , with an earthquake . the victory of augustus also , against antonius in the battel of actium , was by him obtained on the second of september , by which victory the empire both of the east and west , fell into the power of augustus , himself alone . the third day of the same month the macedonian empire which had so long flourished , was by paulus aemilius changed from a great kingdom into divers popular estates : the king persius being by him overcome and taken prisoner : sultan soliman on the like day took buda the chief city of hungaria , with the greatest part of that kingdome . the same day and month rhoderick king of spain , was by the moors overcome , and driven out of his kingdom , which wrought a strange alteration in the state of that monarchy . on the same day of the month revolving , lewis the twelfth the french king took the city of milan , with lewis sphortia duke thereof , whom he deprived of his estate . on the like day the emperour charles the fifth passed over into affrica , and invaded the kingdome of algiers . on the same third day of september , in the year . dyed o. cromwel : on that very day of the month , wherein hee had gotten two notable victories , the one at dunbar in scotland , . the other at worcester , anno . on the fourth day of september dyed sultan solyman before sigeth , which being one of the strongest holds of christendome , was by the turks taken the seventh day after , the city of jerusalem was taken about this time of the month of september by the romans , as xiphilinus declareth . on the ninth day of september , alexander the great at arbela overthrew darius king of persia , with his army of four hundred thousand men , and so joyned the kingdome of persia unto his own . on the same day in the year . james king of scots , was by the englishmen slain , and his army overthrown . on the tenth of september , john duke of burgundy was slain by the commandment of charles the seventh , whence arose great wars throughout all france . on the like day and month was peter louys the tyrant of placenzza slain by the conspiratours . on the eleventh of september the paleology the greek emperors tooke the imperial city of constantinople , and drave out thence the earls of flanders , who had there possessed the empire years . on the fourteenth day of september , the switzers were with a great slaughter overthrown by the french in the expedition of merignan ; which self-same day also the turk's great army besieged vienna the metropolitical city of austria . on the seventeenth day , the french army was overthrown at poictiers , and king john himself taken prisoner by the english . on the same day of the month a. d. the christian fleet with a great slaughter overthrew the turk's great fleet in the battel of lepanto . on the same day of the same month charles the ninth , king of france , was by his subjects assailed near unto meaux , where by speedy flight , and the help of the switzers , hee hardly with life escaped the hands of the conspiratours . a. d. . on the which self-same day , month and year , henry king of sweden was by his rebellious subjects dispoiled of his estate , and cast into prison . on the eighteenth day of september bulloign was surrendred to the english . vpon the like day of the month , bajazet at nicopolis overthrew a great army of the christians , of three hundred thousand men . and on the same day saladine took the city of jerusalem , on which pompey had before taken it . on the twentieth day of september , was that sharpe sight at newbury , in that late unhappy war in england . a. d. . on the four and twentieth day of september , constantine the great in a bloody battel , overcame maxentius the emperour . a. d. . and so became a great monarch , which wrought a notable change , almost throughout the whole world ; from thenceforth he commanded the year to bee begun in september , and to the greek feasts unto that day is added , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in this month pope boniface th . a. d. . was taken prisoner , and deprived of his papal dignity . on the third day of the same month , a. d. . such a tempest of rain and thunder hapned at lucern , as that a greater ( as was reported ) was never seen ; on which self-same month & day , the town-hall of maidenburg in germany , with the citizens dancing therein , were altogether with lightning consumed . about the beginning of this month a. d. . such an horrible fire brake forth in constantinople by the water-side , which raged with that fury for four daies together , that it consumed the greatest part of the city , and such was the force thereof , that as evagrius saith , the strongest houses were but like so much dried stubble before it . and how hath the lord sent a dreadful fire upon london , and it hath consumed the lofty buildings and palaces thereof in september last ? we read also , that many of the greatest princes and monarchs of the world , to have dyed in this very month of september ; viz. augustus , tiberius ▪ vespasian , titus , domitian , aurelianus , theodosius the great , valentinian , gratian , basilius , constantine the fifth , leo the th . rodolph , frederick the th . charles the th . all roman or greek emperors . and of the french kings , pepin , lewis the younger , philip the d. charles the th . sirnamed the wife , and lewis his kinsman , king of hungary , and polland , with many other most noble and famous monarchs . and it is remarkable , that lothair and charles the bald , the one the k. of france , and the other the german emperor , ( and both of them the sons of lewis the devout emperor ) both died the th . of september , the first of them in the year , . and the other a. d. . so charles . and sultan solyman , two of the greatest emperours that were these many ages , were both born in one year , and so both also dyed in one month , viz. in september . now though some have thought all these great and marvellous effects , to have been wrought by the conjunction of the superiour planets , or look below god to secondary causes ; yet let us look above all these , to god himself , who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will , eph. . . right worshipful , to you i dedicate these ensuing meditations , as a publick testimonial of those respects you have manifested to me , let me beseech you to look diligently to your selves , because the lord hath set you on higher ground than many others ; it is more for persons in your places and stations to win the city of god , being ships of greater burden , and in the main ocean , than for small vessels that are not so much at the mercy of the stormes , because by sailing along the coast , they may come quietly to the haven . in the midst of your worldly affairs ; labour ye to be like the fresh rivers , that preserve their own sweetness in the salt-sea . thus recommending you to the rich grace of god , i humbly take my leave , and remain , yours in all gospel-services to bee commanded , w. gearing . cransden in sussex . march. . . god's soveraignty displayed . job . . behold , he taketh away , who can hinder him ? who will say unto him , what dost thou ? chap. i. for the author of this book , whether it were moses , as the jewish rabbins think , or job himself , it mattereth not ; we being assured that the pen-man thereof ( as of all holy scriptures ) was inspired from above , and it came not by private motion , but the author thereof spake and wrote as he was moved by the holy ghost ; as s. peter tells us , pet. . , . yea , all the authors of the scriptures being as justin martyr testifies , like lutes ready strung , though not sounding till they were struck by the finger of god : it is of no great consequence who wrote it , as what is written in it . hierom who ( as lyra testifieth ) twice translated it , once out of greek into latin , and out of hebrew also into latin , saith , that it was for the most part written in hebrew hexameter verse : all do number it among the poetical books : it may seem a tragedy in regard of those many miseries that job endured , but at length it turned to a comedy , by the happy issue and blessed deliverance that god giveth to him . in the words of my text job acknowledgeth the soveraignty , power , and righteousness of god in all his dealings with , and dispensations toward men . the word [ behold ] is a note of attention , like the sounding of a trumpet before a proclamation , or the ringing out of a great bell before a sermon , and it signifies some matter of worth , of admiration and observation . in the matter it self ye may observe gods dispensations toward men : gods dispensation is expressed in the original in one word , he taketh away . one expositor saith , he snatcheth away suddenly , of which kind of dispensation , job himself had great and sad experience , four persons one after another being sad messengers of four sad and sudden strokes , job . then their condition and carriage under gods dispensation is to be observed , wherein two things are to be noted . . it cannot be resisted : whatsoever he pleaseth , he taketh away ; who can hinder him , or cause him to restore ? none can rescue , or recover out of his hand . . it ought not to be controuled : who will say unto him , what dost thou ? who may in thought or word question or call him to account for any of his dispensations ? chap. ii. obser . that the lord doth , and may take from his creatures what he pleaseth . the point hath two branches . . de facto . . de jure . that the lord doth often take away many things from his creatures ; and that of right he may do it . that the lord doth take away from men what he pleaseth , there are great examples in scripture : this is to be considered in respect of . the matter , what . . the place , where . . the time , when . . the means and manner , how . sect . i. in respect of the matter or things he takes away . . he takes away health and strength , and that many times from his dearest children . we read kin. . . that good hezekiah was sick even unto death : and joh. . ▪ the sisters of lazarus sent to christ , saying ; lord , he whom thou lovest is sick . the efficient cause of all diseases is god himself . i will appoint over you terrour , consumption , and the burning ague , &c. levit. . . i will appoint them as so many tyrants and lords over you , who shall vex you with all manner of vexation ; and i will appoint them over you as so many judges , who shall punish you for all your disobediences ; and i will appoint them over you is so many executioners , who shall execute the fierceness of my wrath upon you : they shall be over your heads , over your hearts , over your bodies ; they shall fall upon you when i will , and as often as i please ; they shall go to this person or that place , whither i shall direct and send them ; go whether you will , yet still they shall be over you ; you shall not escape them ; when i bid them to fall upon you . i will set them over you as so many task-masters with cudgels in their hands over their slaves ; they shall be watching over you to do you mischief ; you are not afraid of my threatnings , nor do you tremble at my word of precept ; therefore i will appoint terrour over you , i will appoint terrifying diseases to come upon you ; yea , your own fancies shall terrifie you : do we not see how mens fancies and imaginations are set over them in every place to affright them at this day ? how doth god sometimes set conscience over men to terrifie them , sometimes their sins , sometimes his judgements ; yea , god makes every rumor to affright them , and nothing can allay those terrours ; every man they meet , every bush they see , every sickness that is neer them , doth terrifie them ; fear is from god. — i will , saith he , set the consumption over you , a consumption which shall consume the flesh of men , and make them to pine away from day to day , waxing more and more feeble ▪ so that all the means they shall use , shall be of no value for their recovery ; god hath appointed it over them , there is no escaping : there is no remedy against evils which god appointeth over a people : so the shaking ague makes the strong-bodied , and the stout-hearted men to tremble : so likewise the fever is of gods appointment , which wasteth the spirits , dries up the radical humor , and puts men into a scorching flame . the like is threatned , deut. . . the lord shall smite thee with a consumption , and with a fever , and with an inflammation , and with an extreme burning : and ver . . the lord will smite thee with the botch of egypt , and with the emerods , and with the scab , and with the itch ▪ whereof thou canst not be healed . ver. . the lord shall smite thee with madness , and blindness , and astonishment of heart . ver. . the lord will make thy plagues wonderful , and the plagues of thy seed great plagues , and of long continuance , and sore sicknesses , and of long continuance . ver. . moreover , he will bring upon thee all the diseases of egypt , which thou wast afraid of , and they shall cleave unto thee : also every sickness , and every plague , which is not written in this book , will the lord bring upon thee . thus you see , every disease in the world is the stroke of god. men may attribute it , as pagans do to ill luck , you may attribute it to the unseasonableness of the weather , to extremity of heat or cold , to drought or moisture , to the illness of the seasons : all these are of god ; it is he that changeth times and seasons , it is he that maketh the constellations of the heavens to meet in such and such conjunctions , it is he that causeth a distemper in the air ; it is not the unseasonableness of the year , the illness of diet , that can bring diseases upon the body , unless god appoints them over a sinful people : yea , sometimes god imployeth angels to execute his wrath upon mens bodies , he permits the angels to infest the air , and so plagues and pestilential diseases are over a people ; it is the lord that sends forth these destroying angels ; sometimes he suffereth the devil to smite men , as he did permit him to smite the body of job with sores : whom or whatsoever you may look upon as the causes of diseases , they are of gods appointment ; it is he that taketh away the health and strength of any person or people . sect . ii. he takes away life , psa . . . thou turnest man to destruction , and sayest , return ye children of adam to the dust : dust ye are , and to dust ye shall return . when the living god saith return , there is no nay : in his hand is our life and breath , and all our wayes , dan. . . the chaldee paraphrast renders my text thus : si rapuerit hominem è mundo . if he shall snatch man away out of the world . so s. august . if he will stop thy breath , and deliver thee up to death , who can hinder him ? as if job should have said thus : he hath taken away my children , my cattel , my substance , my health , my strength , and all my outward comforts , and if he now come and take away my life too , i cannot hinder him . god threatned the old world , gen. . , . i will destroy man from the face of the earth . the original word signifies ( as pareus observeth upon the place ) i will steep him as a man steepeth a piece of earth in water , till it turn to dirt ; man is but clay , a speaking piece of clay , and is apt to forget his maker , and the matter whereof he is made ; none but god can reduce man to his first principles , and original matter whereof he was made : there is no dust so high , but the great god is able to give it a steeping . in the city of jerusalem , during the time of the siege by the romans , there died and were killed eleven hundred thousand , and there were taken by the romans ninety and seven thousand ; at which time there were slain in all judea in several places , to the number of twelve hundred and forty thousand jews , besides an innumerable multitude who perished with famine , exile , and other miseries . in the second carthaginian war , in italy , spain and cicily , in seventeen years , fifteen hundred thousand men were consumed . the civil war of caesar and pompey swallowed down three hundred thousand ▪ pompey the great wrote it upon the temple of minerva , that he had scattered , chased and killed , twenty hundred eighty and three thousand men ; and one cains caesar gloried in it , that eleven hundred ninety and two thousand men were killed by him in the wars . king mithridates , by one letter , caused eighty thousand roman citizens to be slain , who were dispersed through asia for traffique . in judea , in the time of king david , one pestilence in a very short time swept away seventy thousand men . under gallus and volusianus emperours , a plague arose from ethiopia , and invaded the roman provinces , and emptied them for fifteen years together , and sent an innumerable company of mortals to their graves . in the time of justinian the emperours , in the city of constantinople , and the places adjoyning , the pestilence raged so much , that every daylit dispatched five thousand , and some daies ten thousand to their long home . in numidia eight hundred thousand persons died of the plague ; in the sea-towns of africa , two hundred thousand . in greece , anno christi , ▪ there was such a pestilence , that the living were scarce able to bury the dead . in athens the pestilence raged for twelve years together . when italy was wasted by the gothes , in picene only , fifty thousand persons were starved with hunger . at fidenae under tiberius the emperour , by the fall of the amphitheatre there perished the number of twenty thousand spectators . how many thousands were swept away the last year in the great city of this our land by the pestilence , and yet in many other cities , towns and villages of this kingdome , the plague devoureth at noon-day ; the plague cries with a loud voice still to us , death is neer , death is in your streets , death is creeping in at your houses , and entring in at your windows . now whosoever , or whatsoever be the instrument of death , it is god only that takes away the lives of men at his pleasure . see now that i , even i am he , and there is no god with me ; i kill , and i make alive , deut. . . sect . iii. he takes away the spirits and courage of men ; that albeit they have opportunities put into their hands of doing this or that , yet their hearts shall fail them , and they shall not be able to effect it . he is said to cut off the spirits of princes , psa . . ult . princes are usually men of the stoutest spirits , but god sometimes cuts off the spirit of princes . when belshazzar , that babylonish monarch , was in the midst of his jollity , drinking wine with a thousand of his princes , in the vessels of gold which his father brought from the temple of jerusalem , he suddenly saw a hand-writing upon the wall , at which sight the king was amazed , so that his countenance was changed , and the joynts of his loyns were loosed , and his knees smote one against the other : what was the cause of this so great affrightment ? he saw a hand ; what hand ? the hand of a man. what could one hand of a man , saith one , terrifie so mighty a monarch ? had he seen the paws of a lion , of a bear or dragon , there had been some cause of terrour ; but need such a puissant prince fear the hand of a man so much , at whose beck and command an hundred troops of armed horse would presently fly to his assistance ? what dreadful weapon could that one hand wield or mannage ? none but a pen , with which it wrote : no other man would , much less a king , be afraid of a writing pen. had he beheld the three darts of joab , or the fiery sword of the flaming cherub brandished directly against him , he had then had some argument of astonishment . but one hand , one pen , one piece of writing which he understood not , this was that which daunteth him . sometimes the imagination that this or that evil will befall them , doth so disturb them , that they are presently over-whelmed with fear . there are more things which affright us , than there be which oppress us : some things do torment us more than they ought , some things do afflict us before they ought , some do disturb us which ought not : we often give place to our imaginations , and do not give a check to those things which lead us into fears , but feeding our fears by our fancy , we turn our backs and fly , and many times fly when none pursueth . i have read of certain souldiers , who being amazed at a little dust raised up by a flock of sheep , turned their backs , as if the enemy had been at their heels . the french history tells us , that the men of burgundy were so affrighted at the apprehension of the approach of their enemies , that they thought long thistles to be men with lances . we read that in the daies of ahaz , king of judah , that rezin the king of syria , and pekah the son of remaliah , king of israel , went up to jerusalem to war against it , but could not prevail against it ; and it was told the house of david , that syria was confederate with ephraim ; hereupon the heart of ahaz was moved , and the heart of his people , as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind , isa . . , . this kind of fear fills the heart with all confusion , leaving a man without memory , judgement , or will to encounter any danger that threatens his ruine , it dis-spirits a man , and enfeebleth his spirits ; that whereas fear is a spur to generous spirits to strengthen them , stirring them up to the use of the most effectual means to avoid the danger , it doth so deject the faint-hearted and fearful man , as he remaineth like a meer block or stone , uncapable at all of any action . there is a slavish fear , when the dread of evil drives us to desperateness in evil , and forceth us to fly from the presence of god. this is the worst plague of all other , no terrour is like inward terrours arising from a guilty conscience . the conscience of sin is the mother of fear , saith chrysostome ; sin is horrours fuel . this was the ground of cains fear ; the accusation of a guilty conscience followed him where-ever he went , he knowing that blood required blood ; feared lest every one that met him would kill him , gen. . . such a fear surprized caligula the roman emperour , of whom it is written , that when it thundered , he would get into a vault he had under the earth , to hide himself from the wrath of god : such was the fear of some whom aulus gellius speaks of , who thought there was a plurality of gods , and they divers in quality ; so some good , some bad ; some good to whom they sacrificed , and prayed to help them , and some bad also , whom they desired to please , that they might not hurt them . sin makes in man an assizes , where the soul standeth arraigned and condemned before a terrible judge : the heathen said , that the greatest terrour was earthquakes , thunderbolts , burnings , deluges , the earth gaping ; but what is all this to a trembling heart , to the thunderbolts of gods judgements , to the burning lake , to the inundations of the waters of bitterness , to the yawning of the gulf of hell ; this and worse is the condition of that man whose heart is the habitation of terrour : such a man is magor missabib , he is compassed about with terrour on every side , yea he is a terrour to himself ; he feels a deadly arrow wounding him to the very heart , there is both a fire burning , and a knife sticking in his tender heart . sect . iv. he takes away beauty from man : beauty is but momentaneum corporis accidens : if the body fall to ruine , the accident cannot stand . among all the qualities that flee away with the body of man , there is none more swift than beauty . when thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity , thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth , psa . . . david complained , that when gods hand lay heavy upon him , his moisture was turned into the drought of summer , psa . . . the radical moisture , or chiefest sap of his body was dried up , wasted and worn away , so as he was even brought to deaths door , and become little better than an anatomy , or bag-full of bones . the radical moisture is an airy and oily substance dispersed through the body , whereby the life and vigor of the body is fostered , which being spent , death ensueth : and solomon tells us , that a sorrowful spirit drieth the bones , prov. . . the gathering together of much blood about the heart , extinguisheth the good spirits , or at least dulleth them , and that humor having seized on the heart , it cannot well digest the blood and spirits , which ought to be diffused through the whole body , but turneth them into melancholly , the which humor being dry and cold , drieth up the whole body , and consumeth the beauty thereof , for cold extinguisheth heat , and driness moisture , which two qualities do principally concern the life of man. the passion of fear hath likewise wrought strange effects upon some mens bodies : i have read of some to whom the sentence of death hath been brought in the evening , whose hair hath turned white before the next morning . beauty is but skin-deep , a very slender vail , a painted flower that soon withereth ; although thy hair doth now flourish , thy flesh doth shine like ivory ▪ though thy rofial face be beautified with the twinkling gems of thy rolling eyes ; though the health of thy body doth now minister ability ; though youthful age doth promise space of longer life ; though reason springeth , and the bodily senses are nimble and vigorous ; though the sight be quick , the hearing ready , the going right and strait , the face and countenance most pleasant and delectable , yet a violent fever will debilitate thy body , and a few fits of a quartan ague turn thy beauty into swarthy deformity ; old age , and the space of a few years , will shew the slightness of it , and death will utterly consume it . if vain creatures , that like narcissus , dote upon their faces , did think how soon , and how many wayes god could blast and take away their beauty , they would not spend so many precious hours at the glass in trimming this outward sheath , which might have been much better spent about the adorning of the precious soul . sect . v. he takes away wealth and riches from men : it is the lord that giveth wealth , and it is in his power also to take it away . seneca said , that fortune is a glass ; which oftentimes is the sooner broken , the more that it shineth : and the psalmist saith , i have seen the wicked spreading himself like a green bay-tree , yet he passed-away , and loe he was not ; yea , i sought him , but he could not be found , psa . . , . as job acknowledgeth that god had given , so likewise that god had taken . one might have said to him , o job thou seemest to be mistaken , for this large patrimony thou hast now lost , thou hadst from thy parents , thou gottest it together by thy own proper industry ; these flocks and droves of cattle thou hast obtained by thy own wit : but job saith , i am not mistaken ; for neither my parents , nor my own labour , nor yet my own ingenuity , but the lord gave me all these things , all which therefore by right and equity he hath taken away , because he gave them . but it may be objected , did god take them away ? is it not injurious to god to say so ? for the chaldeans and sabeans drove away all his cattle ; or if you will behold the original of all this mischief , satan bereaved him of all , for he procured the fire , he raised the winds , he instigated those robbers and free-booters , he threw down the house , and in very deed he did all these things ; and therefore satan took all away : but job holdeth his former sentence , and repeateth it ; the lord hath taken away , even the same lord who gave me these blessings , he hath taken away ; not the sabeans , not the chaldeans , not satan , but the lord hath taken away , and that rightly too , for he gave them all unto me ; for except the lord had given this license to satan , neither he nor any other of his instruments could so much as have stoln a fleece , nor a lock of wooll from me . the son of syrach saith , that good and evil , life and death , poverty and riches , are from the lord ; and saith he further , in the day of good , remember the day of evil ; when thou hast enough , remember the time of hunger ; and when thou art rich , think , upon poverty and need : from morning until the evening the time is changed , and all such things are soon done before the lord : art thou a lord , and of great power , thou mayst be brought to serve ? art thou rich and wealthy , thou mayst be brought to beggery and penury ? dost thou now swim in wealth , and is thy substance encreased ? one hour , yea a few moments , may deprive thee of all thy goods ; and when thy wealth shall take its uncontrolled wings , and fly away from thee , then thou shalt be driven to say , i knew , what was but for my use , was not my own ; the lord gave it , and he also took it away . sect . vi. the lord taketh away honours from men : he powreth contempt upon princes , saith the psalmist , psa . . . man being in honour abideth not , he is like the beasts that perish : sim lis pecoribus morticinis , like beasts that die of the murrain , saith tremelluns , and so become useless , and fit for nothing . this seemeth not unaptly to be figured in dan. . where king nebuchadnezzar saw an image , whose head was of gold , whose arms and breasts were of silver , the belly of brass , the feet of iron and clay : and there was a stone cut out of the mountains without hands , which struck the image on the feet , and brake it in pieces , and brought it into dust . figuratively by this high image , you may understand the high and mighty man of the world , whose golden head doth signifie the nobility of his blood , the height of his birth , and his high honour and advancement in the world ; his breast and arms of silver , signifieth the quantity of his money , in the getting whereof the rich man useth his heart , hand and arms ; the belly of brass , denoteth his fame or report sounding abroad , for brass doth lend a great noise or sound ; by the legs of iron , his strength and power is figured ; and by the feet of clay or earth , is noted his mortality : the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands , may denote the death of man , which the hand of the lord hath not made , saith the author to the book of wisdome , neither doth he delight in the destruction of any , but our first parents came thereunto by their own demerits ; wherefore this stone strikeing the feet of the image , doth suddenly and unexpectedly bring the high and mighty into dust , as well as others , neither is there any one that can resist his fury ; and such , so great , and so uncertain is his violence in the manner , in the place , and in the time , that mans honour , force , or policy , cannot any way suffice to provide defence against him . of gods taking away honour from men , we have a notable instance in proud haman , who grew insolent by the kings favour , cruel , stately and lofty in his gate , as if he would have reached the very stars : all the kings servants bowed their knees to haman , and worshipped him , for so the king had commanded . now haman was as a cock upon his own dunghill , and would also be worshipped of mordecai as well as others , this mordecai could not brook ; some think he could not do it , because haman had the form of some idol-gods wrought on his garments in needle-work ; others think this worship did contain something of divine worship in it , a worship not to be given to man , therefore mordecai refused to perform it , lest he should have given gods honour to a man. now behold on a sudden a wonderful alteration , while haman was next to the king , and bragged of his honours and riches , his noble family , his children , his benevolent fortune , the kings favour , and the like , while he had the command of an hundred twenty and seven provinces , he is adjudged by the king to the gallows , while mordecai that was condemned to the halter , was all of a sudden cloathed with the kings robes , set upon the kings horse , adorned with the kings crown upon his head , led through all the chief places of the city , haman being as it were his lacquey to attend him , crying , so shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour . see what a change is here ; mordecai but even now appointed to the gallows , is now next to the throne , and haman who was so highly advanced , is now hanged upon the gibbet he had provided for mordecai . sect . vii . he takes away liberty : at rome m. cato , the pattern of a wise and prudent man , a lively embleme of virtue , was haled , thrust down , spit upon , stript both of his senatorship and pretorship , cast into prison , and compelled , as socrates , there to die . king jehoiakin is bound in fetters , and carried away prisoner to babylon : manasseh is bound in chains , and zedekiah is bound with fetters of brass , and carried to babylon , kings . , . how was that of the psalmist fulfilled in them ? he shall bind their kings in chains , and their nobles in fetters of iron , psa . . . sapor king of persia took valentinian the emperour , and led him as a foot-block for himself to step upon , when he moved into his saddle : thus tamerlane served bajazet the turkish king. this hath been the lot of some of gods dear servants . joseph is sold for a slave , and put into prison in the land of egypt : when micaiah did prophesie , and pleased not king ahab , the wicked king commanded , that he should be put in the prison-house , and fed with the bread and water of affliction . john baptist was shut up in close prison by herod : paul and silas were cast into prison , act. . . and thrust by the jaylor into the inner prison , and their feet made fast in the stocks . the apostles were put into the common prison , act. . . peter was imprisoned by herod the king , and delivered to four quaternions of souldiers to keep him , act. . . but no evil shall befall those whom god possesseth wheresoever they are : what! though joseph be in prison , yet the keepers of the prison shall see that the lord is with him , he shall there speedily find his liberty ; the very obscurities of the dungeon will furnish him with light enough to discern what will happen ; and those that have been the contrivers of his ruine , shall be the causers of his happiness : god followed joseph into the pit , into egypt , and into the very prison , he is ever present with those who love and serve him faithfully . are they falsly accused , and thrown into prison ? e carcere veniet judex judicaturus judices . out of the prison shall come a judge that shall judge their judges , and those that falsly accuse and condemn them . oh how sweet is the yoak when god fastens us to it ? how pleasing is chains when god is with us , and sets our souls at liberty ? john baptist being in prison , was careful to promote the glory of christ , and to have it known that he was the true messiah , that he was also mindful of the salvation of his disciples , and was careful to have their faith confirmed in this article which was fundamental , and necessary to salvation . this burning and shining light could not be kept from shining abroad by the thick walls of the prison ; and though he was bound perhaps , yet the word of god in his mouth , zeal for gods glory , and love to his brethren , was not bound : so we find s. paul in prison , instructed and confirmed the saints by letters : it is a great honor to bear chains and fetters for christ , this is the golden end of the cross of christ : no man can be miserable there , where christ is the keeper of the prison , and lord of the keys . sect . viii . god takes away children , and dear relations : when job's cattle , servants , and substance were taken away , the lord suffereth the devil to bereave him of his children also : we are to know , that all that die for sin , do not die in sin ; this under-garden is gods own , and all that groweth in it , the flowers , trees , and fruits be his own ; if some be but summer apples , he may pluck them off before others : when god takes away our children , they are not gone away , but sent before ; and we should not think them to be lost to us who are found to christ : god many times takes away our children , lest wickedness should alter their understanding , or deceit beguile their minds ; though they were soon dead , yet fulfilled they much time ; and they may justly say , mors nobis lucrum , death to us is great gain , in that both they escaped this worlds miseries , and were quickly put into the possession of eternal felicity ; if they have cast their flower , their bloom is fallen into christs lap , and as they were lent a while to time , so now they are given to eternity ; and whereas others are fain to pass thorow even a vast ocean of troubles , they by a short cut , and a little bridg , have gained to arrive in the land of the living by the conduct of death . methinks i hear even christ from heaven more earnestly rebuking those that would not suffer little children to come unto him of their own accord ( concerning whom he hath said , of such is the kingdome of god ) than he did those that rebuked those that brought them . and these little ones ( who when they came into the world , might as well have laughed as wept , having equal possibility to both ) yet they wept as soon as they were born the prophets of their own calamity , for their tears are witnesses of their misery , as yet they spake not , yet they prophesied : what did they prophesie ? that they should come into the world with pain and fear ; being now past out of the world , to cry loud unto their parents and friends that do mourn for their absence , speaking not in the language of canaan , but of the heavenly jerusalem ; if you did love us , you would rejoyce , because we go to our father ; and weep not for us , but weep for your selves ; and in your weeping for us ( as you cannot chuse but you will ) mourn not as men without hope , we have that you hope for : our angels , which behold the face of our heavenly father , have now performed one of their offices for us , to carry our souls out of our nurses laps into abrahams bosome , and in time will execute the second , when he shall send them that can best command them , to gather his elect from the four winds , and from the one end of the heaven to the other ; then our bones shall be raised out of the beds where ye have laid them , and shall be coupled with their sinews , compassed with their flesh , covered with their skin , and crowned with immortality : this we have in hope , and not in hand ; but we have received the earnest thereof in our souls , that are already in the joyes of our saviour , and wait for the other at the appointed time , which cannot be long . i have read of l. paulus aemilius , who having lost his two only sons , all the hope of his house ; the one a little before , the other presently after his triumph , told the people of rome ( who were sorry in his behalf ) that he was glad in theirs , in that the calamity which had befallen him , might excuse them . now o ye that have lost all your children , if your seely scape-goats have carried the penalty of your family with them , and excused the hoped-for posterity of your other relations , let them glorifie god on their behalf , and say you with aemilius , i am glad that god hath given just occasion for you to lament for me , rather than for me to bemoan you . sect . ix . god sometimes takes away churches , and the light of the gospel , and ordinances from a people and nation ; and wheresoever it to happeneth , the lord is the author of this sad change : in the second and third chapter of the revelations , christ directeth divers epistles to several famous churches , and he threatneth the most famous church , viz. the church of ephesus , rev. . . remember from whence thou are fallen , and repent , and do thy first works , or else i will come unto thee quickly , and will remove thy candlestick out of its place , except thou repent . by the candlestick is meant the church planted in that place , viz. the visible church in ephesus , joyned together in the profession of the gospel , and the enjoyment of ordinances , as a candle put into a candlestick : those whom god formeth into a visible church ( who of themselves were sometimes darkness , as a candlestick without a candle ) and sets up the light of the gospel among them , as men light a candle , and put it into a candlestick : so when god will unchurch , he threatens to take away the candlestick , to take away church-priviledges and ordinances ; it is gods work to do this , i will take away , or remove the candlestick ; and the state of this church makes it evident , that it is not in the power of men or devils to unchurch a people , or remove the candlestick , but when the lord pleaseth . ephesus was planted in a rich and fruitful soil , it was a flourishing church , and stood firm under the roman persecution ; this church out-stood the fury of all the heathen tyrants , albeit that lasted three hundred years ; and about one hundred and thirty years after ( viz. anno christi , . ) the emperour theodosius ii. assembled a famous council at ephesus , to assert the truth of christ , and to condemn the dangerous heresie of nestorius , patriarch of constantinople , which was in dividing the natures of christ , making one christ man , and another christ god , as if they had been two persons : i mention this , to shew that it is not in the power of any to take away the ordinances of the gospel , and church-priviledges , from any place or people , but when the lord pleaseth : there are these three things to be taken into consideration . . consider the condition of this and other churches in the time of the ten roman persecutions , and the condition of the same churches afterward in latter times , when they lost their glory : under the roman persecution these churches were in great measure pure in doctrine , and holy in conversation ; and when was the rage of the devil and his instruments more against them than when they were purest ? and had they been able , satan and his instruments would then have utterly destroyed them : but in after-times they grew loose and corrupt , and then they fell by the world , when they were most suitable to the world , and most corrupted in the world . . compare the enemies of this and other churches against whose attempts they were upheld , with those enemies by whose hands they fell : they were preserved against the power of the roman empire for three hundred years , and they fell by the hand of sarazens and arabians , the vassals of that base impostor and false prophet mahomet : now what comparison between the fallacies and impostures of this false prophet , and the power of the roman empire , to overthrow a church , and yet they were upheld against all the power of the roman tyranny , and fell by the hands of desperate arabians , sarazens , and barbarous people , . this church of ephesus , with many other churches of the christians , while they held fast the profession of the faith of christ , yielded their bodies to the roman emperours as to their lords during those ten famous persecutions , and could not be destroyed ; but afterwards , though they took up arms for their lives , to defend themselves , yet they fell by the hands of barbarous arabians and sarazens ; a clear demonstration , that it is not in the power of men or devils to devest men of church-priviledges , and holy ordinances , when they please ; therefore when such are taken away , it is the lord that takes away the candlestick out of its place , being provoked thereunto by the sins of men , and especially by the unfruitfulness of a people under the gospel . i will give another instance , viz. in the church of israel . . in the case of shiloh , jos . . . we read , that the whole congregation of the children of israel , assembled at shiloh , and set up the tabernacle of the congregration there , and the land was subdued before them . the tabernacle had been in a wandring posture for forty years together , all the time they were in the wilderness , at length it is fixed in shiloh , being the first resting place of the ark of gods presence . now you may see sam. chap. . that god gave the philistines a great victory against israel , and the ark of god was taken by them , and shiloh was devested of this great blessing : the psalmist saith , they provoked him to anger , and moved him to jealousie with their graven images ; when god heard this , he was wroth , and greatly abhorred israel , so that he forsook the tabernacle of shiloh , the tent which he placed among men , psa . . , . and in jer. . go ye now to my place which was in shiloh , where i set my name at the first , and see what i did to it for the wickedness of my people israel . . consider the case of temple in jerusalem , and the nation of the jews before christs coming ; see how god threatens them : i will do to this house which is called by my name , wherein you trust , and unto the place which i gave to you , and to your fathers , as i have done to shiloh , jer. . . though the babylonians and chaldeans were the instruments of its ruine , yet god is said to do it : thus saith the lord , i will give this city into the hands of the chaldeans , and into the hands of nebuchadnezzar king of babylon , and he shall take it , jer. . . god gave him the city and temple ; he did but take what god gave into his hand , and the greatest conquerors do no more , they take but what the lord giveth them . consider we likewise the condition of the temple in jerusalem , and of the nation of the jews after christs coming into the flesh . we read luk. . . christ spake to the people this parable ; a certain man planted a vineyard , and let it forth to husbandmen , and went into a far country for a long time ; and at a season he sent a servant to the husbandmen , that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard ; but the husbandmen beat him , and sent him away empty ; and again he sent another servant , and they beat him also , and entreated him shamefully , and sent him away empty ; and again he sent the third , and they wounded him also , and cast him out . then said the lord of the vineyard , what shall i do ? i will send my beloved son ; it may be they will reverence him when they see him : but when the husbandmen saw him , they reasoned among themselves , saying ; this is the heir ; come let us kill him , that the inheritance may be ours : so they cast him out of the vineyard , and killed him ; what therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to these husbandmen ? he will come and destroy these husbandmen , and shall give the vineyard to others . now it is said , ver. . that the chief priests and scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him , for they perceived he had spoken this parable against them . the sense is this : god planted his church in the land of canaan , he brought it out of egypt , and removed and transplanted it out of a dry and barren soil , and set it in a fat and fruitful place , viz. the land of canaan , a land flowing with milk and honey , he gave them his word and ordinances , sent his prophets among them , rising early and sending them , and called upon them to bring forth fruit ; but instead thereof , they persecuted his prophets , slew divers of them , and at last slew his own son . now here is destruction threatned , and who shall do it ? the lord of the vineyard shall do it ; he shall come and destroy these husbandmen , and let out the vineyard to others : so that albeit the romans were the instruments of this dreadful execution , yet the lord of the vineyard did it . josephus tells us , that titus was very unwilling to destroy the temple in jerusalem , that he laboured to quench the flame after it was set on fire , and suffered some prejudice in his war about it ; it was done divino quodam impetu , by a certain divine stroke , as the same author observeth . but joseph being a jew , was ignorant of the main cause , sc . their rejecting and murdering the son of god. now of all judgements , this is the most sad and woful , when god removeth the candlestick out of its place , and unchurcheth a nation , and taketh away church-priviledges , and the use of his ordinances ; oh that we were deeply sensible , how we have provoked the lord by our sins to deal with us in this kind , to unchurch us , and leave us in the dark , as a people that shall no longer be owned by the lord for a people : if the lord doth continue these priviledges among us , we have cause much to admire his patience , and to magnifie his mercy . you see the people were very much affected with what christ spake , when he told them the parable fore-mentioned , and that the lord of the vineyard would come , and give the vineyard to others . when they heard it , they said , god forbid , ver . . sect . x. god takes away peace sometimes from a people , and settlement from states and nations : in all these publick changes we must eye god as the cause of causes ; whatsoever the instruments be , whether good or evil , few or many , whether they act by fraud or force , it is god doth all in all , and they do nothing but what god permits them , and worketh by them . commonly the instruments of publick changes are very evil , and the way they take is evil . the four monarchies presented to daniel in a vision , are represented like four cruel beasts . the chaldean in the likeness of a lion , the persian in the shape of a bear , the grecian , or macedonian , in the likeness of a leopard , and the roman by a strange . monster , with iron teeth , intimating that great conquerours , that make great changes , are most commonly like wilde and savage beasts . all those savage beasts fore-mentioned , fastened their claws upon the church of christ . . the assyri● or babylonian came like a lion roaring after his prey . in the daies of pekah king of israel came tiglath-pilneser , king of assyria , and took ijon , and abel-beth-maacha , and janoah , and kedesh , and hazor , and gilead , and galilee , and all the land of naphtali , and carried them captive to assyria , kings . . and in the ninth year of hoshea king of israel , shalmaneser king of assyria came up thorowout all the land , and went up to samaria ; and besieged it three years : in the ninth year of hoshea , he took samaria ; and carried israel away unto assyria , and transplanted the ten tribes , placing them in halath , and in habor , by the river of gozan , and in the cities of the medes . now the assyrian was gods instrument to remove israel out of their own land , yet it is said the lord did it , reg. . . the lord was very angry with israel , and removed them out of his sight ; there was none left but the tribe of judah only : also judah kept not the commandments of the lord their god , &c. this beast also invaded judah also in the time of sennacherib , and cruelly threatned jerusalem , where the temple of god , the special place of his worship was ; and in the time of nebuchadnezzar , this beast besieged jerusalem , and took it , and burnt the house of the lord , and the kings house , and all the houses of jerusalem , and every great mans house burnt he with fire , and carried multitudes of the people to babylon , and held them in bondage seventy years . now see what god saith of this cruel beast ▪ isai . . , . o assyrian [ or woe to the assyrian , as some read it ] the rod of mine anger , and the staff in their hand is mine indignation ; i will send him against an hypocritical nation , and against the people of my wrath will i give him a charge to take the spoil , and to take the prey , and to tread them down like the mire of the streets . what doth god make of this great conquerour , the assyrian emperour , that prevailed over his own people , and many others , but as the rod of gods anger , and one that could do no more than a rod or staff without a hand ; if the lord had not mannaged it , this staff could have done nothing ; the lord makes use of instruments as a staff , and soon sets them behind the door ; and this appeared by the great slaughter that god made in the host of this proud assyrian ; for in one night an angel of the lord smote in the camp of the assyrians , an hundred fourscore and five thousand ; and sennacherib himself was slain by his own sons , isa . . , . . the persian monarchy represented by the bear , though by the hand of god this beast was so muzzled , as not utterly to destroy the people of god , and so over-ruled by the lord , as to give opportunity to the people of god to return and build the temple , and repair the city of jerusalem , yet were they afterward persecuted by the court of persia , and brought in danger by the pride of haman , abusing his favour with ahasuerus the persian monarch . . the macedonian represented by a leopard , came with his flying wings to destroy the church of god in judah : afterward it was most grievously afflicted by two limbs of this beast , viz. that of the south , and that of the north , especially that of the north ; sc . antiochus epiphanes , whose cruelties are notably set forth in the first book of the macchabees . . the fourth beast , viz. the roman monarchy , is worse than all the three former beasts ; and that vision of daniel fore-mentioned , is suited to that of s. john in rev. . , . and i stood upon the sand of the sea , and saw a beast rise up out of the sea , having seven heads , and ten horns , and upon his horns ten crowns , and upon his heads the name of blasphemy ; and the beast which i saw , was like unto a leopard , and his feet were as the feet of a bear , and his mouth as the mouth of a lion , and the dragon gave him his power , and his seat , and great authority . the reason why daniel did not liken the fourth to any beast , as the former three were , is because it was a monster compounded of the cruelties of the several beasts , sc . of a lion , bear , and leopard , this beast was like them all . now this beast was some hundreds of years before it came to its full growth , and being distant from judah , the church of god felt nothing of its fury till the age before christ came in the flesh . the first time that this beast put forth his paws against the church , was about sixty one years before the birth of christ , when pompey , the roman general , taking advantage of the contentions of the two brethren ( hircanus and aristobulus , of the race of the macchabees ) about the priesthood and principality , took from them the city and temple of jerusalem , and made them tributary to the romans : whereupon , he and others with him , presumed to enter into the temple , and saw such things that was not lawful for them to see ; after which violence and presumption , it is noted of pompey , that was very victorious before , above any one roman , that he was very unhappy in his wars afterward , and being vanquished by julius caesar , fled into egypt for refuge , and there was murdered where he looked for succour . crassus committed horrid sacriledge , he robbed the temple in jerusalem of ten thousand talents ( that is , two hundred thousand pounds of our money ) and afterwards being overthrown of the parthians , had molten gold powred down his throat to satisfie his greedy appetite . one notable mischief the romans did to the people of god , was the placing of that cruel herod in the throne , who was made king by the favour of augustus and mark anthony ; he was a vassal to the romans , though a cruel tyrant to the people of god : and now the scepter was departed from judah , and the law-giver from under his feet ; this herod slew the sanedrin and grand council of the land , and murdered the infants at bethlehem , from two years old and under , out of a desire to murder christ in his infancy . this fourth beast murdered the prince of life , and lord of glory , pilate the roman judge condemning him , and the roman souldiers putting it in execution : and the jews , who formerly had suffered by this fourth beast , as the church of christ , and now joyning with this beast against christ , they became the most malignant persecutors of christ and his church , stirring up the roman magistrates in several provinces and cities to persecute the apostles of christ , and the sincere professors of the truth ; and remaining in their rebellion and enmity against christ , they were unchurched ; and the kingdome of the gospel being translated from them to the gentiles , the wrath of god came upon them to the uttermost ; eleven hundred thousand of them were slain by the sword , famine and pestilence , at the siege , by vespasian and titus his son , and the residue sold for slaves , and afterwards five hundred thousand of them ruinated by adrian the emperour . and because the soveraign power was now setled in the emperours , that i may speak further of the fury of this beast against the saints of the most high , i think fit to the two former descriptions in daniel , and that in revel . . to add another out of revel . . . where s. john saith , i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , having seven heads , and ten horns . this is explained , ver . . the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth . ver. . and there are seven kings , five are fallen , and one is , and the other is not yet come , and when he cometh , he must continue a short space . ver. . and the beast that was , and is not , even he is the eighth , and is of the seven , and goeth into perdition . ver. . and the ten horns which thou sawest , are ten kings , which have received no kingdome as yet , &c. these shall hate the whore , and make her desolate and naked , and shall eat her flesh , and burn her with fire . ver. . and ver . . the woman which thou sawest , is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth . the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sate : this woman is that great city of rome built upon seven hills , viz. mons palatinus , capitolinus , caelius , quirinalis , aventinus , viminalis , esquilinus . they also signifie seven kings , or seven sorts of supreme magistrates , by which the city and empire hath been , and is governed . supreme magistrates in scripture are called kings , when israel was formed into a commonwealth , they had moses set over them , deut. . , . moses commanded us a law , &c. and he was king in jesurun , when the heads of the people , and the tribes of israel were gathered together . so the dukes of the sons of esau are called kings , gen. . . these are the kings that reigned in the land of edom , before there reigned any king over the children of israel ; that is , before israel was delivered out of bondage , and was formed into a commonwealth , and had moses set over them as supreme ruler under god. now rome is famous for these seven heads , or seven sorts of governours , i. kings , ii. consuls , iii. tribunes of the souldiers , iv. decem-viri , v. dictators , vi. emperours , vii . popes . tacitus noteth , that among other things , rome hath this honour , to have kings for its vassals . and s. john speaking of these seven sorts of magistrates , that did successively rule in rome , he saith , five are fallen ; that is , when this vision was presented to john , and the revelation written by him , viz. five of those seven supreme magistrates were fallen ; kings , consuls , tribunes , decem-viri , dictators : for although there were consuls many hundred years after , yet they were no longer heads , as formerly , though they had the same name , yet they came short of the former consuls in power and dignity . — then saint john saith , one is ; — that is , the heathen emperours were then in being ; these were then regnant , and had the place of heads in the empire : these began to head the beast ( as the sixth head ) about forty years before the birth of christ , and continued three hundred years after christs birth ; i understand it of the heathen emperours only , not the christian . — saint john addeth , and the other is not yet come , viz. the popes , they were not then come when john wrote . after the heathen emperours were taken away , rome was left vacant for the pope ; and although the christian emperours had some power , yet they did not reside at rome , but continued for a long time at constantinople , or ravenna ; and after the power of the christian emperour was broken by the barbarians , the pope got rome , and setled himself there , and so becometh the seventh head of the fourth beast . now the sixth and seventh head of this beast , one that was then in being , and one that was not then come , were the grand enemies of the church of christ . . the sixth head , the roman emperours , they raised many bloody persecutions against the church of christ , and though god restrained some of them , and gave his church a breathing , yet many of them tortured their own brains to devise cruel torments wherewith to torture the christians , as nero , tiberius , domitian , trajan , antoninus , decius , maximinus , dioclesian , &c. under whom many thousand martyrs sealed the truth of christ with their blood : such was the favour of god to this realm , that they escaped all , except the last persecution , which was under dioclesian : and alban was the first that suffered martyrdome in this land for the gospel of christ . but the pope , the seventh and last head , hath been more mischievous , and continued longer than all the rest : take his first rise , from the time the heathen emperours were cut off , and the pope hath continued years , or thereabout ; and rome was builded about a thousand and sixty years before the pope arose ; so that this head hath continued neer three hundred years longer than all the other six , which may give us hopes his time is now almost expired , and since the church hath been vexed by him for so many ages , it is not so much to be admired he should fall speedily , as that he hath stood so long . the pope was born about the time of constantine the great , and came not to his full stature till about the year six hundred , or somewhat after , then boniface iii. made by phocas , universal pastor of all the churches of the world , appeared with his ecce duo gladii hic : behold here the two swords , challenging imperial and papal dignity . the mischief done to the church by this seventh head , hath been partly by fraud , partly by open violence ; partly by bringing in corruptions in matter of doctrine , ( popery is not a single heresie , like that of apollinaris , or arrius , but a heap and sink , or common sewer , in which there is a confluence of heresies and corrupt doctrines meeting together ) and partly by rage and cruelties ; witness their cruelties to the albigenses , and waldenses . about the latter end of the reign of king henry the second , king of england , pope alexander iii. held a council at the lateran church in rome , where they consulted about the extirpation of the albigenses . they were a people that did not acknowledge the pope , prayed to none but to god alone , had no images , went not to mass , denied purgatory , and read the holy scriptures . the pope therefore gave the same graces to them that should spill the blood of these poor christians , as to them that crossed themselves to go to the holy sepulchre , and fight against the sarazens : hereupon dominick , the author of the order of dominicans , put above two hundred thousand of them to death : this was done in the time of john , king of england , and by the instigation of pope innocent the iii. and of the albigenses and waldenses , pope julius the ii. was the cause of the death of two hundred thousand . now whosoever be the instruments of great trouble to the church , or changes in the world , it is the hand of the lord that doth it ; we have no cause to repine and murmure at such and such , but have just cause to blame our selves for it ; others have not dealt so ill with us , as we have dealt with god ; therefore when god takes away peace , and sends trouble , takes away the fruits of the earth , and sends famine , takes away health , and sends epidemical diseases , in all these we are to eye god ; remember that the judgments of god are a great deep , and like the great mountains ; if we do not thorowly search the reason of it , let us confess our understandings are too short to reach to the bottom of it , let us not accuse god of injustice , but confess with job ; lo , he goeth by me , and i see him not ; his wayes are unsearchable , and past finding out . chap. iii. ii. god takes away what he pleaseth , in respect of the place where : so jobs children were taken from him when they were feasting in their elder brothers house , a place seemingly of great security . naomi lost her husband and her two sons in a strange land ; when she sojourned in moab , she was left a childless widow in a strange country , therefore , saith she , call me not naomi , but marah , for i went out full , but the lord hath brought me home again empty , ruth . . so jacob had his beloved rachel taken away from him on a journey , as they were travelling in the way . iii. in respect of the time when ; nebuchadnezzar lost the use of his reason , when he was in the height of his glory , walking in his stately palace of babel , dan. . . being puffed up with pride : is not this great babylon that i have built by the might of my power , and for the honour of my majesty ; and while the word was yet in his mouth , a voice came from heaven , saying , to thee it is spoken , the kingdome is departed from thee , and the same hour was it fulfilled upon him . so the rich man in the gospel had his soul taken from him , even then when he promised himself many years enjoyment of his wealth . iv. the lord taketh away by what means and instruments , and in what manner he pleaseth : job's oxen and asses were taken away by the sabeans , his camels by the chaldeans , his sheep burnt by fire from heaven , his children slain by the fall of an house , yet in conclusion job doth not say , the lord hath given , and the chaldeans and sabeans have taken , but the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken : now god is said to take away , when instruments do take away ; it is seldome that god dealeth with a people immediately , but in these outward providences he stirreth up instruments to do what is done ; but that which instruments do , the lord is said to do , isai . . . who gave jacob to the spoiler , and israel to the robber , did not i the lord ? men robbed and spoiled them , yet it was the lords act to send these spoilers upon them ; the act is from the lord , though the wickedness of the act be from the evil instruments . there are many wayes that god useth to take men away ; some die with the pestilence , and such like contagious diseases ; some die by the sword ; one is consumed with famine , another is killed with thirst ; some are choaked in waters , others consumed by fire ; some are torn with the teeth of beasts , others are taken away by poyson , and so by many means the miserable life of man is finished . chap. iv. sheweth the reasons why god taketh away from us what he pleaseth . sect . i. the reasons why god taketh away from his poor creatures what he pleaseth , are these . reas . . because of that right and property that god hath to , and in all his creatures ; they are his creatures , whatsoever they have he gave them , therefore he doth with his own as he pleaseth : gods own people did not consider this , therefore the lord threatens the church to take away what he had given her , hos . . , . she did not know that i gave her corn , and wine , and oyl , and multiplied her silver and gold , therefore i will return and take away [ my ] corn in the time thereof , and recover [ my ] wooll , and [ my ] flax given to cover her nakedness : though man be the possessor , yet god is the chief lord ; we are but stewards , god is the owner , as david acknowledgeth . all things come of thee , and of thine own have we given thee , chron. . . god hath given us only the use of such things he hath committed to us for a time , not the propriety . a steward cannot say , this house is mine , these farms are mine , these are my tenements , this is my land , these are my cattle , this is my treasure , for they are his lords : he only hath the care of them , not the propriety in them : so every particular man ( whatsoever he enjoyeth ) he hath but the use of it , not the propriety . god is the lord of heaven and earth , he stileth himself the possessor of heaven and earth ; all these things are his , he hath jus ad omnia , jus in omnibus ; a right to all things , a right in all things : therefore he calleth all the creatures his servants , kings and emperours are his servants : my servant nebuchadnezzar : and all the kingdomes of the world are gods ; god calleth all things his : as jacob said concerning joseph's sons , ephraim is mine , and manasseh is mine ; as reuben and simeon , they shall be mine , gen. . . so god calleth all things his which we do possess . these houses are mine , these riches are mine , these lands are mine , these children and servants are all mine ; the sea is his , and he made it , and all the fishes therein are his ; the earth is the lords , and all the fulness thereof , psa . . . and psa . . , . god challengeth all the creatures to be his ; every beast of the forrest is mine , and the cattle upon a thousand hills are mine : i know all the fouls of the mountains , and the wild beasts of the field are mine : the rich treasures within the bowels of the earth , the rich mines of gold and silver are his , the precious pearls are his , yea all the inhabitants of the world are his : and all men at the best are but domini usu fructuarii ( as the civilians term is ) such as have the use and benefit , but not the right and property in the things they possess . god hath let out the world to the sons of men , as solomon did his vineyard at baal-hamon , cant. . , . unto certain keepers . solomon was to have a thousand pieces of silver , and those that kept the fruit thereof two hundred : god will have the honour of property and possession , we the fruit of his vineyard : therefore it was a presumptuous usurpation of foolish nabal , sam. . . shall i take my bread , and my water , and my flesh , that i have killed for my shearers ? he speaks like a covetous , usurper , as if all these were his own , and not gods , as if he had both the propriety and use of them . there are two things that demonstrate that god hath the right and property of what we do enjoy . . because there is but one lord of all things in the world : god is the wise creator of all things , and he will be the lord of all his creatures : he will preserve the propriety of things to himself , although he giveth the useful fruition of his creatures to man. there are two reasons why god made man master of all the creatures ; one is , ut cum mundus refertus sit , intelligeret , quod locum in coelis , & non in terris quaereret : that seeing all necessaries are provided for him on earth , he should not seek after a place upon earth to settle himself in , but a mansion in heaven . another reason is , to shew , that seeing all things were made before him , that the creatures were the lords , and not his ; that he was brought to this great house of the world to be gods steward , tenant , or servant ; therefore god enjoyned adam to labour presently , even in paradise he was to dress the garden : adam in his state of innocence , when he enjoyed the whole world , yet he was not dominus terrae , the lord of the earth ; the earth was the lords , and the fulness thereof : adam was but as the french-men call a titular lord , dominus sine terrâ . . because god will have all men to be dependent upon him ; if men had their riches or honours from themselves , they would stand upon their own bottom , they would even dare with impudence to stand out and contest with god : who is the lord , saith proud pharaoh ? thus every one would be ready to say , who is the lord that i should serve him ? but when men shall know , that what they have , they have from god , they will depend upon him as a steward dependeth upon his master ; you see the unjust steward , luke . was undone , when his master turn'd him out of his service . sect . ii. god many times takes away from us what he pleaseth ▪ to manifest his power and soveraignty over us ; god will have us to see that he is the commander of all men , and that we are under his command , and he may do with us , or take from us according to his pleasure , and he is not bound to give us a reason of his actions . we are many times as blind as the disciples of christ ( and blinder too ) when they moved the question about the cause of the natural blindness of the man in the gospel , whether that man had sinned , or his parents , that he was born so , joh. . . our saviour answered , neither of both , but that the works of god might be manifest in him . what do i hear ( saith s. augustine ) neither he nor his parents ? if there be no man without sin , then doubtless not his parents ; and was not he himself born in original sin ? or is it credible that in his life time he had added no actual offences to it ? and though his eyes were shut , did not concupiscence wake within him ? how many mischiefs do some wicked blind men commit , yea from what evil almost do they abstain ? his eyes were closed indeed , but an evil mind can keep centinel well enough within it self . he knew how to think upon , and perhaps to lust after something , which being blind he could not put in execution , but be judged in heart by the searcher of the heart . doubtless then both had sinned ; but their sin was not the cause why he was born blind ; what then ? ut manifestent●r opera dei , that the works of god might be manifested . thus far augustine upon the same place . he saith , opera dei , the works of god ( saith calvin ) because as his work of judgement had been seen in his blindness ( which was opus solitudinis , a work of solitude ) so his mercy might appear in his recovery ( which was opus reparationis , a work of reparation . ) itaque oum latent afflictionum causae , cohibenda est curiositas , ne & deo faciasimus . therefore ( saith he ) when the causes of afflictions are not manifest , curiosity is to be restrained , lest we both do injury to god , and become cruel toward our brethren . this was manifest in job , a work of power in taking away all his children , and a work of his clemency in restoring him so many again , and in suffering him to live to see the fourth generation of them , and afterward to die old and full of daies , for god is able even out of stones to raise up children to abraham , to job , to every true believer . when god takes from us those things which he formerly gave us , as our habitations , food , rayment , health , wealth ; if any man being thus emptied ; complain of gods dealing with him , cannot god reply justly to him , i owe you nothing ? what i gave formerly , impute it to my meer love : my gifts are free , i take them now away , that you may know whence you had them , not that i am any wayes obliged to you : hitherto i have shewed my liberality and bounty toward you : if i now please to continue so no longer toward you , what law have you to recover upon me ? may i not do with mine as i please ? friend , i do thee no wrong , take what is thine and depart . s. augustine explaining gods equity , saith thus : god takes away from us sometimes things necessary , and so fretteth us , that we may know him our father and lord , not only pleasing , but sometimes likewise squeezing us . and who dareth or can object the least injury done unto him ? and if god take away necessaries from us , yet we cannot accuse god of injury ; if he taketh them from us , even for his own honour and majesty , and to shew his power and authority over us : let us then cease complaining , we are his subjects , and must be his clients . sect . iii. it may be god in taking away our health , wealth , honour , houses , possessions from us , intendeth to bestow better things upon us , and then we are no losers but great gainers , if god take away our goods , and give us more grace , if he take from us things necessary for our bodies , and gives us things absolutely necessary to salvation , as pardon of sin , peace of conscience , assurance of his love and favour , what have we lost thereby ? it is too low to say ( saith one ) these are equivalent to temporals ; they are transcendently more excellent than all temporal goods ; the whole world is nothing to the grace and favour of god , and to pardon of sin : if wealth were as necessary as grace , every childe of god should have it ; therefore godly men have great cause of contentment , if god for reasons best known to himself , doth either deny them , or take from them the things of this life . that christian is not poor , that is rich in grace ; that man is not miserable that hath christ for his portion ; though he hath no house to put his head in , yet he hath a mansion in heaven provided for him , though he hath no food for his body , yet he hath meat to eat which the world knows not of , he hath manna for his soul , though he hath no rayment for his body , yet he hath glorious robes for his soul . what kind of injury is that to take from one a thread-bare out-worn coat , and to give him a new one that is far better ? it is an excellent change to lose temporals , and get spirituals and eternals . we many times think that a great estate is best for us , but god our heavenly father both knoweth what we need , and what is best for us ; were we to be our own carvers , as to our worldly estates and outward comforts , we should do as the young prophet , who being sent to gather herbs , gathered poysonous weeds instead of wholesome herbs : therefore in all gods dispensations toward us , 't is good to submit to the wisdome of god , who could make all his children rich and great in the world , but doth not , because in his wisdome he thinks a meaner portion of the things of this life to be better for them than a greater : to have lectum stramineum , & cibum gramineum , straw for our beds , and herbs for our food , may be better for us , than with the rich epicure , to be cloathed in fine linnen , and to fare deliciously every day . in fine , every christian shall conclude , that estate god allotted me , was best for me , and the poor christian shall say , as luther did , it was better for me that i was a poor clown , and a christian , than if i had been great alexander , and an infidel . sect . iv. behold another cause of gods taking away from us : some there were that told christ of certain galileans , whose blood pilate had mingled with their sacrifices ( an argument of gods sore displeasure in the eye of man , to be surprized with death , ( and that a bloody one ) even in the act of gods service : ) but jesus answered ; suppose ye these galileans were greater sinners than all the other , because they suffered such things ? i tell you nay , but except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish , luk. . , . and he confirmeth it by another parallel to it , of the men upon whom the tower of siloam fell ; here you see punishment for other mens instruction and example , ut aliorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that other mens scourges should be our warnings : let every one consider , saith cyprian , not what another hath suffered , but what even he himself deserveth to suffer . in this we may say as he doth plectuntur interim quidam , quò caeteri corrigantur . some are suddenly punished , to the end that others may be amended . it is a common disease among men , saith calvin , to be severe censors of others , when we see the scourge of god upon them , and to flatter themselves if they escape unpunished ; whereas thus they ought to consider : first , that they ought to behold their own sin , and to examine whether they have not deserved the like punishment : secondly , in that the lord in his mercy spareth them , and chasteneth others before their faces , to magnifie his name in their own behalf , and to betake themselves unto speedy repentance . caecus ergo & pravus arbiter est , qui hominum peccata ex paenis praesentibus astimat : therefore he is a blinde and perverse judge , who taxeth mens sins from their present punishments : neque enim ut quisque deterior est , ita primus ad paenam trahitur ; for every one that is worse than others , is not therefore drawn first to punishment ; sed cum paucos ex multis puniendos deus eligit , in eorum personâ relinquis denunciat , se fore ultorem , ut omnes turreantur . but when god singleth a few out of many to be punished , he threateneth , that he will be an avenger to the rest , that all may be terrified . for your part , o thou distressed city of london , say thou therefore with the prophet ; rejoyce not over me o enemy ; for thought i have fallen , i shall rise again , though i now sit in darkness , the lord shall be a light unto me , i will patiently bear the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him , mich. . , . and if any insult too much , or censure too hard of your calamity , and glory in their own prosperity , let christ give them their answer ; unless they repent , they shall all likewise perish . sect . v. god in taking away outward comforts from us , doth thereby teach us to know how to want , as well as to abound . i know both how to be abased , and i know how to abound ; every where , and in all things , i am instructed both to be full , and to be hungry , both to abound ▪ and to suffer need , phil. . . although some of these outward things are in some degree necessary for this present life , yet our heavenly father knoweth how far forth they are necessary , and how much is necessary for us , or else gives us content in himself immediately without them : yet these things are not so needful as they are commonly supposed to be : it is wonderful to consider what sweet joy and content many a childe of god hath had ; when they have been stript of these things ; and the reason is , because when the people of god do want these things , they do more fully apply themselves to god ; when a christian is stript of these , and hath none of these things to rest upon , then the affections of the soul are like water running one way in one channel : whatsoever s. pauls outward condition was , he could find enough in christ to be content ; in particular , he knew how to be abased , sweetly satisfying himself in this , that he was an adopted son of god , and he knew how to be hungry , because he had bread and meat to feed on that the world knew not of , and could feast himself with marrow and fatness at that time , when carnal eyes thought him ready to perish for hunger : he knew also how to suffer want , contenting himself with that abundance that is found in christ : many evil men have been forced to suffer need , but were never instructed to it as paul was ; they never learnt to relieve themselves in their wants out of the fulness of christ , as the saints do , who ( be their wants never so great ) do find enough in christ to satisfie them all . again , the lord doth immediately fill and satisfie the soul with himself , when it lies under many outward wants , and replenisheth them with abundance of joy , when they are under many occasions of sadness and sorrow . so saith the apostle , cor. . . as sorrowful , yet alwayes rejoycing ; as poor , yet making many rich ; as having nothing , yet possessing all things : he was filled with the joy of the holy ghost at the same time when he had many outward occasions of sorrow : as poor in respect of worldly enjoyments , yet being able to enrich others in god ; as having nothing ( nothing of the world ) yet possessing all things in god. thus doth the lord glorifie the all-sufficiency of his grace , in giving in himself plentifully to his poor people , when they are under many outward straits and wants . moreover , there are many things which we fondly perswade our selves we can in no wise want , while we possess them ; but when they are taken from us , god teacheth us how to live without them . one that was formerly rich , and fared delicately , having by the providence of god , lost all , being brought to a hard pinch , is glad of a mess of pottage to his dinner , and to go to bed supperless ; he is then taught to be content with his mean estate , and to say , i had not thought i could have lived so sparingly . drexelius tells us of a prodigal knight , who having buried all his substance in banquets and belly-cheer , and for want of an horse , being forced to go on foot , in this ebbe praised god , and said ; i thank god , who hath set me on my own legs again ; i had not thought before this , that i was so good a footman : so god dealeth with many men , he reduceth them to a mediocrity and temperance , by a wholsome penurious indigence . many while they abound in all outward comforts , are apt to say , one thus ; i must have so many dishes at my table , i cannot not keep house without such an annual income ; i cannot endure hunger or scarcity : another saith , i cannot want sleep , nor endure watching ; i must have such conveniencies and accommodations : but now when god takes away these outward comforts from us , takes away our dainty dishes , our associates , our sleep , and turneth our wine into water , and turneth us out of house and home , then god instructeth us how to want , how to suffer need , how to fast and watch , and live under decks , or lie upon the ground , or in a prison , or to live in banishment , and then we need not care where or in what condition we be , if the lord be with us . chap. v. now let us prove the point de jure , as well as de facto , that the lord may take from us what he pleaseth . i. he may do it without crossing his justice : the lord is righteous in all his wayes , and holy in all his works , psa . . . clouds and darkness are round about him ; righteousness and judgement , are the habitation of his throne , psa . . . or , as it may be translated , are the foundation of his throne : his seat of judgement is composed of , and founded in righteousness ; whatsoever he takes away from us , he acteth by rule , his throne is upon judgement and righteousness ; god is infinitely righteous , it is impossible for god to do iniquity ; how unjust soever his wayes seem to us to be , yet they are most just ; he is the supreme lord of all his creatures , and may do with them what he pleaseth , as the potter with the clay : all acts that god doth , are acts of his will , and whatsoever he willeth , is exceeding just . this is a received axiome among divines : voluntas dei est summa perfectissima , & infallibilis regula divinae justitiae , & deus sibi ipsi lex est . the will of god is the chiefest , the most perfect and infallible rule of divine justice , and god is a law to himself ; no losses , no crosses that befall us , but do proceed from him who is most just and righteous ; therefore we must not murmure at god , when he takes our goods or houses from us , as if he dealt unrighteously with us ; but if we ponder with our selves what we have deserved , we may behold abundance of mercy toward us under our greatest losses , and his sharpest corrections . peradventure , thou art in some great pain in some part or member of thy body , but tell me , dost thou not deserve to burn in hell , and to feel the scorching pains of the damned ? if such an easie disease doth so torment thee here , think then with thy self how thou couldst lie in everlasting torments ? if the pain of one worm-eaten tooth doth so fearfully vex thee day and night , that it almost driveth thee to madness , think then that thou deservest to be tormented for ever with that fearful worm of conscience ? thou canst not brook the sight of such a person , nor endure the company of such a man who hath done thee wrong ; but tell me then how thou wouldest be able to endure the company of all the damned , yet even this also thou dost deserve : thy sharpest sufferings here are sweet ▪ if compared with hell torments : perhaps thy house is burnt , thy goods are consumed by the flame , thou hast lost thy husband , thy wife , thy children , thy friends , thy estate : but tell me , dost thou not deserve it , and much more , even to lose thy god , thy saviour , thy soul , thy treasure in heaven , everlasting glory and blessedness ? therefore under all thy losses and sufferings ; let god have the glory of his justice , and say with mauritius the emperour , justus es domine , & justasunt judicia tua . righteous art thou o lord , and just are all thy judgements : or as daniel , to thee , o lord , belongeth righteousnes●● but unto us confusion of face : say thou , i am unrighteous , thou art righteous ; i am a sinner , thou art just . ii. god may take from his creatures what he pleaseth , without crossing his goodness or mercy : his mercy is free , it is not due to any , he hath mercy on whom he will , therefore he may take away what he will from any : it is a mercy that god hath left any good thing in the possession of sinful man , who might have stript us of all ; and when he doth a little consume us , it is his mercies that we are not utterly consumed . s. augustine well weigheth the words of s. james : behold we count them blessed which endure . ye have heard of the patience of job , and have known what end the lord made . they should not therefore , saith he , suffer the loss of their goods , in hope to receive their goods again , as job did ; for his wounds and rottenness made him whole , and all those things which he had lost were doubly restored to him . that therefore we should not , when we suffer temporal losses , expect or look for such a remuneration , he saith not , ye have heard of the patience and end of job , but he saith , ye have heard of the patience of job , and have seen what end the lord made ; as if he had said , endure the greatest losses as job ; but for this your enduring do not expect the restitution which job had of temporal goods , but rather of a more enduring substance laid up in heaven for you . iii. god may take away what he pleaseth from us , without crossing his truth and faithfulness : for . gods promises by which he engageth to us in these outward things , are conditional ; and what man living is able to say , that he doth so exactly perform his conditions , that god cannot take any thing from him without breach of promise ? who among us hath performed the conditions of the promises ? your in quities have withheld good things from you , saith the prophet : so i may say , your iniquities have taken good things from you : we have either failed in our duty , or we have been unthankful for what we received from god , or we were not wise stewards of gods blessings , or we waxed proud and wanton , and forgat god the giver of our blessings , therefore god hath turn'd us out of all , or the greatest part of those good things he gave us , as a chastisement of our sins , and negligence in our duties : could we make good the condition of the promises , we should still find god making good all the promises of this life to us : assuredly , saith calvin , if we were fit and meet to receive gods benefits , he would open his hand , and deal more liberally with us : therefore when god takes away your goods , your wealth and substance , search and try your wayes , and you will find your iniquities to be the cause , and then you will see little ground to blame god for unfaithfulness in his promises : for albeit abundance of outward things be promised to the godly , yet if we are deficient in our duty , he may either with-hold or take away those good things promised ; for these things are promised upon condition of our hearkening diligently to the voice of the lord our god , to observe and do all his commandments , deut. . , . . god may take what he will from the wicked , without crossing his truth , because they have no interest in christ and his promises ; the promises are all yea and amen in christ , but the wicked can claim no interest in the promises , because they have no interest in christ ; and if god leave them any good thing , it is more than he promised them ; if he take away their children , and leave them health , it is more than he promised them ; if he takes away health and wealth , and give them only their lives , if he cast them not into hell it self , it is more than he promised them . iv. when god takes away health , wealth , goods , liberties , outward comforts , from his own people , he hath made up all their losses afore-hand ; he hath given himself , an infinite god , to be their portion ; nay , he that takes these outward things from them , will give them a kingdome , and that will make up all their losses , and therefore he may take away all other things . see how god speaks to abraham , gen. . . fear not abraham , i am thy shield , and thy exceeding great reward . had abraham left his native country , his kindred , all save one lot , and was he also gone from him to dwell in sodome ? was abraham now as one alone among strangers , among idolaters and atheists , and those the most execrable in the world , the very brood of cham , the father of canaan , a people devoted to destruction , having four hundred years given them to fill up the measure of their sins , and yet hath abraham no cause to fear ? no saith the lord to him , fear not abraham : the majesty of god is pleased to stoop so low , as in love to give a reason hereof to abraham , and one , that abraham must needs say , was very sufficient : i am thy shield , and thy exceeding great reward : which is more full , than if god had said , i will shield thee , and reward thee , though that had been enough ; but god promiseth himself as a shield to him , and so assureth him of an infinite protection ; yea , he giveth himself as a reward to him , an exceeding great reward . what cause then hath abraham to fear ? fear no dangers , nor enemies , for i am thy shield ; fear no wants , nor losses , for i my self am thy reward . are any dangers so great , any enemies so strong , that i cannot shield thee against them ? who am ready to cover thee with my wings , and defend thee against all the wicked of the world , and against all the legions of hell ? canst thou be undone by any losses , or be sunk by any wants , when i my self am thy exceeding great reward ? hast thou the possessor of heaven and earth in thy possession ? and hast thou cause to fear any wants ? if the earth cannot supply thee , heaven shall ; if neither heaven nor earth can , yet i will , who am the lord of heaven and earth , i my self am thy exceeding great reward , so gen. ▪ , . i wil establish my covenant between me & thee , & thy seed after thee in their generations , for an everlasting covenant to be a god to thee , and unto thy seed after thee . he doth not say , only to be a helper to thee , or a friend to thee , but to be a god to thee ; i will give myself to thee ; as i am essentially god , so i will be a god to thee , thou shalt have me for thy own ; those that are in covenant with god , they are in possession of an infinite good , and they have him in everlasting possession . chap. vi. vse this may serve to discover to us the extreme folly of those whose chiefest care and greatest labour is about the getting worldly goods that may soon be taken from them ; their shops , their trading , their wares , their plate , their jewels , their money , their corn and wine , and oyl , their houses , lands and possessions , their wealth and substance are in their thoughts , and god is seldome or not at all in all their thoughts ; heaven is not in their desires , and grace , which is the riches of heaven , is nothing lookt after ; these things are the least of their thoughts and endeavours : when they are to leave the world , then is their time to think of god , and to take care for grace , and for their immortal souls ; when they are dying , then is their time to study how they may become godly : while they are strong and healthy , and fit for labour , their main care and labour is for the meat that perisheth , and to try who can outstrip one another in worldly riches , although god can soon clap a pair of wings to them , and make them to flee away from them . these things are the summum bonum , the chiefest good , the very god of the world , the paradise , the all in all of this world , the great diana that all the world magnifies ; they think it better to be out of the world than to have no riches , esteeming them the only miserable men that are poor and needy : jeroboams golden calves are still the worldlings god , the world is of jeroboams religion to this day ; no lusts are more unsatiable than worldly lusts , they are green and vigorous even in old age , the love of the world is a sin that never waxeth old ; when men should think most on the world to come , yet then are old earth-worms too mindful of this present evil world . o what unspeakable folly is this , so eagerly to thirst after and pursue such perishing vanities , which may soon be taken from us , and which only serve us while we are in this world ; for if once our soul be taken from us , then whose shall all these things be ? while the rich glutton lived in the world , he fared deliciously every day , and wore purple and fine linnen every day ; but when he died , he left all these things behind him : death turned him out of the comforts and possession of these things . he that drank wine in bowls , is now drinking of the cup of gods wrath in hell : he that had all things to the full , doth now want a drop of water to cool his flaming tongue ; he that was cloathed with purple and fine linnen every day , is now bound with chains of darkness , and cloathed with woe , curses , and unspeakable wrath : he that maintained hawks and hounds for his delight and pleasure , is now howling and roaring with cursed fiends and damned hell-hounds . thus he that had the worlds goods only , while he was in the world , he hath nothing in hell to enjoy but gods wrath , that is his everlasting portion . so again , rich abraham and job , that had this worlds goods , have now no need of them in heaven ; there is no need of the sun by day , nor of the moon by night , for the lord god is the light thereof . what a folly is it in men therefore to labour so eagerly after this worlds goods , and to set their minds upon them , and to neglect the good of their immortal souls ; to love riches more than grace , and love dross and dung more than christ , when as christ and grace will bee their comfort in this world at death , and in the world to come when this worlds goods shall be taken from them ; though your houses and goods be burnt and consumed to ashes , yet grace is a good that fire will not burn , nor water drown . justly did our saviour call the rich man in the gospel , fool ( and in him all such fools ) that had more care for this world than for heaven . who ever seeks the world for their bed , shall at best find it but short , and ill made , and a stone and thorns under their sides to keep them waking , rather than a soft pillow to sleep upon . o that it were written upon the bags , upon the doors , upon the chests , tables , counting-houses of worldlings , which holy job said , naked came i forth of my mothers womb , and naked shall i return ; i must appear before god not in the worlds goods , but in the sins which i have done in this world : it pitieth me many times to see the industrious bees to take such great pains all the summer to get a little honey for the winter ; they go abroad daily from flower to flower to suck honey , and carry it to their hives , and are burnt in their hives perhaps before winter cometh , and others take the honey . thus worldlings toil , and spend their lives and strength for the goods of this world , and think in their old age to take their ease , and give up themselves to a devout solitude ; but before that , it may be god takes away their goods by fire or water , or suffereth thieves and robbers to break in upon them , and take away all their wealth and riches from them ; or it may be death cometh , and exerciseth dominion over them , and turneth them into hell , and there they burn , and others enjoy their goods upon earth . will ye then spend most of your care , thoughts , strength , and time , for the things of this world , and have no care and thoughts for grace and heaven ? will ye like martha , cumber your selves about many things that may quickly be taken from you , and neglect the one thing necessary that shall never be taken away from you , if once you have it ? luke . . this worlds goods will do you good no longer than you live in this world , but godliness will make you happy , and the fruit of it will remain with you , when the goods and the world it self shall have an utter end : leave then this worlds goods to the children of this worlds , whose names are written in the earth , they are the only portion of worldly men : so abraham said to dives ; son remember , thou in thy life time hadst thy good things . god gives unto esau's the fatness of the earth , but denies them the dew of heaven . indeed , god sometimes promiscuously scatters these outward things upon the godly and the wicked ; he gives the wicked some share of his goodness , yet it is worth your observing , that isaac would not vouchsafe to call esau's portion a blessing , yet he gives him the fatness of the earth ; the worlds goods are the influences of gods providence , not of his love ; only the riches of his grace is the influence of his love and favour . ah! what pity it is to see how satan layes upon many men a burden of cares above a load , and makes a pack-horse of their souls , when they are wholly set upon the world ; we owe the devil no such service ; it were wisdome then to throw off that heavy load into a mire , and to cast all our cares upon the lord : oh never seek warm fire under cold ice ; this world is not a field where true happiness groweth . chap. vii . the work which now remains to use be done , is the application of this to the distressed citizens of london in special , many of whom have had their goods and houses taken away and consumed to ashes by that late sad and raging fire that hapned among them . . i beseech you enquire into the procuring cause , and that you will find to be sin : if sin be in the city , and in the house , vengeance may quickly be seen at the door , and at the gate ; sooner or later god will visit iniquities , sin shall never go unpunished . this was davids resolution when god took away his subjects , behold it is i that have done wickedly , but those sheep what have they done ? sam. . . this was hezekiah's confession for his own life . i have cut off like a weaver my life , isai . . . thus did that godly widow of zareptha acknowledge at the death of her son. what have i to do with thee o man of god , art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance , and to slay my son ? kings . . she verily thought that either some of her former sins , or else the not using of so holy a man according to his place , was the cause of this present punishment : a harsh string to be touched , but will be tuneable enough in the ears of the childe of god , that is already touched with the feeling of sin , whose heart is still rather in the house of mourning , than in the house of mirth : it is the unison of gods people , we have sinned , and dealt wickedly . our saviour prophesied , mat. . . that iniquity shall abound , &c. and do not the times wherein we live tell us , that iniquity doth abound ? it hath abounded , and doth abound exceedingly among us in all our country towns and villages ; but i had almost said , it cannot abound more than it hath among you in london . i wish i could draw a veil over the sins of these times , and cover the iniquities of the city and country , as constantine did over the errours of learned men in his daies . but the sins of our times , and the iniquities of your city cannot be hid , they are too publick , too common among us : see whether all manner of sins do not abound among you ? the iniquities of the head , the iniquities of the heart , iniquities of the tongue , iniquities of the life , do abound in the midst of you : have not the streams of all iniquities fallen into your city , as all waters and rivers run into the sea ? there are some particular sins for which god threatens to poure down fiery showres of wrath and indignation upon a people . . the first i shall set before you is sabbath-breaking , the profanation of the lords day , jer. . . see how god threatens the city of jerusalem for this sin . but if you will not hearken to me , to hallow the sabbath day , and not to bear a burden , even entering in at the gates of jerusalem on the sabbath day ; then will i kindle a fire in the gates thereof , and it shall devoure the palaces of jerusalem , and it shall not be quenched . examine now whether there were not many among you that neglected and despised the publick worship of god ; and others , that as soon as they came out of the house of god , laid aside all thought of the word preached to them , either spending the rest of the day in the alehouse , or in some idle recreations ; yea , many suffering their children and servants in the close of the publick worship , to turn gods ordinances , sc . prayer , singing of psalmes , hearing the word , into shouting and clamors , idle sports , and foolish loud laughter , and that in such a rude manner , as if they would profess themselves open despisers of god and of his ordinances : is this to bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the lord ? is this to do like abraham , to command your children & servants to keep the way of the lord ? is it a wonder to see gods judgments upon your city , to see the plague raging among you , & destruction wasting at noon-day , poverty encreasing , and a fire kindled in your gates , and devouring the stately houses and palaces thereof ? sect . ii. a second sin , is a general contempt and rejection of the gospel , and a despising of his faithful messengers . we read , mat. . , . that our saviour prophecieth of the destruction of the temple of jerusalem , for killing , and crucifying , and stoning some of gods prophets , for scourging others in their synagogues , and persecuting them from city to city ; therefore , saith he , behold your house is left unto you desolate . his disciples were troubled to hear that so goodly a structure should be made a ruinous heap : wherefore they shewed him the goodly buildings of the temple , wishing him but to look on them , vainly imagining , that he could not but admire the stateliness of the house , and sumptuousness of the buildings , and would call in his threatning , and prevent the desolation of it : but christ , who regardeth not the magnificence of buildings , or persons , but will stain the pride and glory of man ; was so far from revoking his threatning , as he doth assure them by an oath , that the stately temple so much admired for its curiousness , so strongly seated and enriched , should not only be left desolate , but should be totally demolished : verily i say unto you , there shall not be left here one stone upon another , that shall not be thrown down , mat. . . this was for their contempt of the word , and their cruelty toward the prophets . this sin god hath alwayes avenged , and will avenge with the forest destruction ; the temple in jerusalem was afterward burnt and utterly overthrown by the romans : no flame is more fierce than when oyl , wine , or sugar are fired : if you will know when the sins of a people are at the full , and ripe for the sickle of destruction , it is when the gospel is rejected , and his messengers despised , and misused . they mocked the messengers of god , and despised his words , and misused his prophets , until the wrath of the lord arose against his people , till there was no remedy : therefore he brought upon them the king of the caldees , who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary , and had no compassion upon young man or maiden , old men , or him that stooped for age , he gave them all into his hand : and all the vessels of the house of god , great and small , and the treasures of the house of the lord , and the treasures of the king and of his princes , all these brought he to babylon : and they burnt the house of god , and brake down the wall of jerusalem , and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire , and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof , chron , . , , . whether you are guilty of this sin , you best know . sect . iii. a third sin is the sin of oppression : when men grinde the faces of their needy brethren , and make the necessities of others their advantages to oppress them the more : how can the love of god dwell in such hearts ? i may say to such , you rob the poor because they are poor , and grieve their sad hearts rather than relieve them ▪ dealing with them ( as the jews did with our saviour ) in their extreme sufferings , give them gall and wormwood to drink , instead of waters of comfort : their own poverty ( like solomon ) chastiseth them with whips , and your oppression ( like rehoboam ) whips them with scorpions ; and as he told the oppressed people , that his finger should be heavier than his fathers loins ; it is most true of your oppression , it is far more tyranny than their wants : whereas you should pour oyl into their hearts , you pour in vinegar to aggravate their calamities ; whereas you should shew mercy to them in misery , you shew all cruelty to the miserable ; your bounty should relieve them , your cruelty draws more from them . oppression is like unto a grindstone , yea , it is as a milstone hung about the necks of the needy , and sinks them deeper and deeper into want and misery : the poor are the grapes , and you are the wine-pressers squeezing out the blood of the poor : it is a notable phrase of solomon , prov. . . the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel : it is in the hebrew , the bowels of the wicked are cruel : the tender mercies ] that is , when men seem to shew mercy to their needy brother , their words and actions carry fair shews of compassion , as lending money to them in their necessity , yet there is much cruelty in those mercies in the event ensuing thereupon : how often do oppressors fetch home their money lent to needy brothers with a vengeance , and unconscionable exactions ? how often do they take the garments which should cover the nakedness of their needy brethren for a pledge ? aad instead of cloathing the naked , they expose them to nakedness , exod. . , . god threatens , if thou afflict any stranger , widow , or fatherless childe , and they cry at all unto me , i will surely hear their cry : oppression is a crying sin , it cries for vengeance ; yea , gods anger will burn against such merciless men ; and my wrath , saith he , shall wax hot ] and i will kill you with the sword . ] god threatens to meet with the oppressor by one judgement or other : and god will make your wives and children to be in the same extremity , that your needy brethren are . the stone shall cry out of the wall , and the beam out of the timber shall answer it , habak . . . suppose the poor and needy whom you oppress , do not cry against you , yet these dumb inanimate creatures will cry out against your oppressions for vengeance upon you . amos . . forasmuch as your treading is upon the poor , and ye take from him burdens of wheat ; ye have built houses of hewn stone , but ye shall not dwell in them : god threatens to take away the habitations of such as oppress the poor and needy . sect . iv. a fourth sin i will set before you , is incorrigibleness under former judgements : god sent the plague to the great city of this land the last year , which swept away many thousands of the inhabitants , week after week , for a great while together ; and even to this day the plague rageth in many towns , cities , and other places in this land : but my brethren , who is the better after this sore visitation ? did not sins of all sorts and kinds abound in the great city , before god consumed great part of it with fire ? oh what wicked and profane practises hath over-spread it since the late devouring plague , like the sluggards field that solomon speaks of , that was all over-spread with thorns and thistles ; and not only so , but persons of all ranks and conditions , and estates ( it is to be feared ) have been actors , factors , and abettors of sin ; most men have run into sin with more greediness than before . as noahs flood covered hills , dales , mountains , vallies , so the flood of ungodliness hath covered high and low , rich and poor . though god justly punished us , yet in the time of his just wrath he remembred to shew mercy , habak . . . the mercies of god are over all his works , even over his penal judiciary works , psa . . his mercy is most conspicuous in times of judgement ; to command deliverance when we are in the mouth of danger , in the den of lions , in the burning furnace , is mercy indeed : to save a people being in the very jaws of death , is mercy indeed : it is the lords mercies you were not utterly consumed , the sword would have consumed , the plague would have devoured all ; these judgements like fire and water , are merciless ; had not god interposed his own mercy , you had been utterly consumed ; if mercy had not rebuked his judgements , they had swallowed you up quick , you can no more resist an overflowing judgement , than a level of sand can withstand the inundation of the sea. the lord gave you a respite after the last years wasting plague , he moderated his wrath , and did not make a full end of you ; the lord would make tryal , whether you would act according to your resolutions , vows and promises made in the day of your distress . when the plague of frogs was upon pharaoh ; when the frogs were crawling on his bed , on his table , in his chamber , when he heard frogs every where croaking , and saw all egypt to be filled with them , then he sent for moses and aaron , and begs them to pray for him : entreat ye the lord to remove the frogs ; and then he promised to let israel go , and they should serve the lord : moses prayed , and god removed that plague ; then he put pharaoh upon the tryal whether he would be as good as his promise , but then he hardened his heart again , and would not let them go : by this god made a discovery of the grand hypocrisie of his heart ; hath it not been so among many of you , in the time of your sickness , in the day of your calamity , when you supposed your selves to be very neer to death , did you not then promise to let your sins go ? god was pleased to give you a respite , to set you at liberty , and have not many of you again hardened your hearts , and refused to let your sins go ? therefore you may think god hath now suffered this late fire that was kindled among you , to devoure your habitations : certainly , it were better to have no respite given at all , than to have it , and abuse it : it were better to be taken away by the first judgement , than to have a respite between judgement and judgement , if you repent not ; for now ye become greater sinners , and you treasure up for yourselves more wrath ; the more respites you have given you , and you abuse them , the greater will your condemnation be : to such the lord saith , why should ye be stricken any more ? ye will revolt more and more , isai . . . they were never the better for all the stroaks of god upon them , but encreased their revolts ; now see what judgement follows hereupon , ver. . your country is desolate , your cities are burnt with fire , and your land strangers devoure it in your presence . scultetus on this place saith , it is theologica pictura germaniae , a divine picture of germany ; i may say it is theologica pictura londini , nec-non totius angliae ; it is a theological description of london , yea of all england , i mean of the wicked in city and country , isai . . . let favour he shewed to the wicked ] i. e. let a respite be given him from destruction , yet will he not learn righteousness , but return to their former wickedness ; see how god threatens them . ver. . the fire of thine enemies shall devoure them . though thou bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among wheat , yet his folly will not depart from him , prov. . . though god doth pound them even to powder , following them with stroak upon stroak , yet their folly remaineth with them . sect . v. whoredome is a sin also which god threatens to punish with fire . sodom and gomorrha burned with lust , and god overthrew and consumed them with fire and brimstone from heaven . o how many have been guilty of this sin in city and country ? how many are there who have eyes full of adultery ? pet. . . how do multitudes of men make lusting after a woman the end of their looking upon them ? they look in order to their lusts , making no other use of their eyes than a man doth of a burning glass , meerly to set their own hearts on fire of unclean lusting : yea many continue looking , till their hearts be enflamed with lust after women ; pulchris vultibus oculos affigunt , they nail their eyes , and fasten them to beautiful faces , as chrysostome speaks , delighting to feed their eyes with the sight of women , and seeking after beautiful faces to feed their eyes with them , and as the same father saith , not so much that they would commit corporal uncleanness with them , but only that they may lust after them . as often as a man looketh on a woman with a fixed eye , or a glancing eye , it mattereth not much ; if it be accompanied with a lustful motion , this is adultery before god ; how many such adulterers are there every where ? and as with the eye , so there are many that commit adultery in the heart , as by unchaste imaginations , and unclean fancies , and by lodging unchaste thoughts in their hearts , and giving entertainment to them : how many are there , whose hearts do long , lodge , dwell , and insist upon unclean things ? which is abominable heart-adultery in the sight of god , inwardly wishing to have their lusts and desires satisfied , with an actual commission of carnal uncleanness with those persons they lust after ? yea , many take great delight in such wanton and unchaste fancies and contemplations ; this is an high degree of adultery in the heart . i know it is a question whether every such thought and motion of the heart be a sin , as long as a man doth not consent unto them . papists will not acknowledge them to be sins till they are accompanied with delight and consent ; but paul determineth the question , rom. . who there tells us , tha● such motions are sins , whether consented to , or not , delighted in , or hated paul did not consent to them , yea pau● hated them , yet he acknowledged then to bee sins ; whatsoever is a transgression of the law , is a sin ; now to covet , or lust , is forbidden by the law , whether a man consents to it , or not consents to it , hateth or delighteth in it , yet because he coveteth , he sinneth ; to consent to them is a higher degree of sinfulness ; the fuller consent men give , the more hainous sins are ; the more men delight in such lustings , it is an higher degree of sinning against god. hence you see the reason why our saviour doth so much condemn the filthiness and uncleanness of the heart , mat. , . heart-adultery is minoris infamiae , of less infamy , because it is secret , and unknown to any man ; but it is majoris culpae , a greater fault ; the reasons are these . . because heart-adultery argues atheism and contempt of gods presence more than the outward act ; thou actest that in the sight of god , which thou wouldest not act before a poor sinful man. moreover , . heart-adultery is more directly against a mans own soul than other sins : here a man makes his own soul the adulterer , and the adulteress , the bed , and the brothel-house , the incubus and succuba , the agent and patient , the whore and the whoremonger . . adultery in the heart is far more frequently committed in the heart , than the outward act is or can be ; opportunity can never fail the adulterer in his heart , he can have an opportunity when he will : the heart-adulterer can never want an adulterous subject , he can frame one in his mind , and can with delight commit folly with his own imaginary strumpet ; he can do it in every place and company , yea , though a thousand eyes be upon him ; and when he wanteth strength and ability of body , yet then his will and fancy is strong to act this wickedness ; sick men , old men , can then commit mental uncleanness with greediness ; yea , many there are that come into our publick congregations , chiefly to look after and look upon beautiful faces , and when they are outwardly conversant in the worship of god , when they are hearing the word , their eyes and heart may then be full of adultery . what cause have we all to bewail the woful pollutions of our hearts ? who can say my heart is clean ? now for corporal uncleanness , never was this sin thought to be more frequently committed in the great city of this land , than it hath been within these few years past . the lord might now take up the same complaint against many wanton gallants , as he did by the prophet jeremiah of old . when i had fed them to the full , they then committed adultery , and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses . they were as fed horses in the morning , every one neighed after his neighbours wife : shall i not visit for these things , saith the lord ? shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this ? jer. . , , . the lord chargeth the people of jerusalem , that they had committed fornication with the egyptians , and with the assyrians , and multiplied their fornication in the land of canaan unto chaldea , and yet they were not satisfied therewith , ezek. . , , . therefore the lord threatens to give them up into the hands of those that should strip them of their cloaths , and take away their fair jewels , and leave them naked and bare , ver . . and ver . . saith he , they shall burn thine houses with fire , and execute judgements upon thee in the sight of many women ; and i will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot , and thou also shalt give no hire any more . it had been well if london had not been too true a comment upon this text , both in the sin , and in the punishment . sect . vi. a sixth sin is the sin of drunkenness and intemperance . how many might have been seen in every corner of the great city , who drank daily till they could drink no more ? who rose up early in the morning to follow strong drink , and continued until night , till the wine enflamed them , whose frequent walks were from their own beds and houses to the alehouse , and from the alehouse to the tavern , whence ( being not able to stand by themselves ) they were led or carried to their beds again , reelling to and fro , staggering , and being at their wits end ; and so they who had something of men in them when they arose in the morning , were ( when they came to lie down at night ) turn'd into beasts , their understandings being departed from them , and themselves at their wits end ? as the old world was swallowed up with the flood , so are many mens bodies and souls with liquor : as those waters prevailed exceedingly , so that all the high hills and mountains were covered , and every man ( as well as beast ) that was not in the ark , died ; so doth the deluge and flood of drink prevail upon drunkards , not only their bellies , but their brains are covered , not only the valleys of their sensitive powers , but also the mountains and high hills of their rational faculties are over-topt ; their reason and understandings are drowned , and all their wisdome is swallowed up : every thing of a drunkard dies in him ( every thing of a man ) and for the present he gives up the ghost ; nor is there any resurrection or reviving till the next morning , when these strong waters are asswaged , and these floods decayed and dried up : sad it is to think how this deluge of excess in drink hath drowned the face of city and country , and risen many cubits above the highest mountains of religion and wholesome laws . oh what swarms of drunkards might be seen in some great town or city in one day ? go but to some great fair or market , and you may see drunkards lye in ditches , or upon the high-way at the towns end where a fair is kept , as if some field had been fought ; here lies one , there lies another , even like unto men that are slain in the field , and are stark dead . i have read , that there was a street in rome , called vicus sobrius , because there was never a drinking house in it : but where should a man have found such a street in the great city , or in any other populous town or city in england ? multitudes there are who take a pleasure in drinking , till their bellies and throats can hold no more , yea , many there are , who by accustoming themselves to frequent acts of immoderate drinking , have gotten an habit of being able to drink excessively , without being distempered by it , notwithstanding that woe that is denounced against them that are mighty to drink wine , and strong to pour in strong drink ; that is , woe unto them that by repeated acts of drunkenness , have made themselves like brewers horses , able to bear away a greater quantity of drink than other sober healthy persons are , or themselves at first were . it is a sign of destruction and desolation approaching upon a people , when they are not ashamed of such a swinish sin , but drink and stagger , and reel to and fro in the face of the sun : o fearful condition of those that are not ashamed to go on in drunkenness , which is one of the most shameful sins , and most contrary to the light of reason . certainly god hath his times of visitation for this , as well as for other sins , and then the drunkard shall be cast down , and shall bee able to stand no longer . sect . vii . a seventh sin i shall set before you , is the sin of pride ; especially pride of apparel ; and to what height of pride in this kinde were people grown every where , especially in the great city of this land , who knoweth not ? it is a note of levity and vanity of minde , to be still devising and following new fangled fashions ; it makes the world beleeve the moon to be our mistress , and predominant planet , and then it will plainly appear , we are no better than lunaticks : it is a great reproach to the english nation , to follow all new devised fashions , and especially to bee the frenchmens apes , who are generally haters of our nation : therefore in forreign parts they paint an english man naked , with a piece of cloath under his arm , and with a pair of shears in his hand , seeking a taylor to finde him out a new fashion . the use of apparel is , . for necessity , to cover our nakednesse . . for ornament and comlinesse . . for distinction of age , of sexe , of quality ; for great personages may , and should wear rich apparel , so it be grave , sober , and seemly : but now people of all ranks almost are grown to an excess in this kind , and the servant can hardly be distinguished by his apparel from his master , nor gill from a gentlewoman . apparel sheweth what most people are that wear it , it uncovers their hearts to the world , you may know whether people are chaste or wanton , proud or grave , sober or fantastical by the apparel they wear . is not he condemned for a very fool that takes more care to be comly , proud , and rich in apparel , than to he healthy ? is not he a fool to be laught at , that will brag of a clean band , and hath a foul dirty face , and will not wash it ? strange it is to see the folly of men , whose special care is to adorn their bodies with costly apparel that they might appear comely and glorious in the sight of men , but regard not how ugly , how deformed , how polluted and abominable their souls are in the sight of god. as god complained of the jews , is it time for you to dwell in your seiled houses , and this house lye waste ? hag. . . so god may complain , is it time for the daughtets of england , for the daughters of london to be haughty , and walk with stretched out necks , and wanton eyes , walking and mincing as they go ? when the lord is pouring out his fury , like fire upon them , and marring the pride of england , and the great pride of london , as sometime he threatned to mar the pride of judah , and the great pride of jerusalem , jer. . . ah! how do many people spend more precious time in dressing their bodies , than in trimming their souls ; and delight more to see their faces in a glass , than to view their hearts in the glass of the word ! oh what will become of their souls , when god shall strip them of their gaudy cloathes , and pampered bodies ! what confusion will fall on them , when their souls shall appear naked before the lord ! then they will cry out ; the joy of our heart is ceased , our daunce is turned into mourning ; the crown is fallen from our head , wo unto us that we have sinned . our crown of honour , our crown of pleasure , our crown of pride is fallen from our heads , wo unto us that we have sinned , and walked in pride . pride is the usher of ruine ; pride goes before destruction , prov. . . one asked an heathen philosopher , what god was doing ? hee answered , totam ejus occupationem esse in elevatione humiliū , in dejectione superborum ; it is gods whole business to exalt the humble , and to abase and cast down the proud . behold the day cometh , that shall burn like an tven , and all the proud , &c. shall bee as stubble . mal. . . though now they are like iron and steel , yet then they shall bee like stubble before the fire of his devouring wrath . chap. viii . having discovered those capital sins for which we have just cause to think god hath been pouring out his anger against city & country ; let me now in the next place exhort you to mourn bitterly , for these and for all your sins : it is not enough that you mourn for the loss of a husband , of a wife , of a childe , of your goods , of your estate , of your houses ; this sorrow is that which the apostle calls worldly sorrow , cor. . and it is so far from working comfort in the end , that it worketh death ; not only death temporal , but also death eternal : if this sort of men weep their eyes out , and their hearts out , for these carnal things , yet shall they no more partake of divine joy , than the tormented glutton doth of heavenly comfort . david's mourning for his son absolom was carnal , and did no way tend to his true comfort ; joab did justly blame him for his bellowing and howling for the death of absolom . this mourning may be found in pharoah ; such was esau's mourning for the loss of his fathers blessing . the prophet hosea tells us , that wicked men will howl upon their beds , for corn and wine , for the want or loss of temporal goods , hos . . . they can lament for these things , but cannot lament for their sins , or lament after god ; the loss of god and of christ , is not such a matter of mourning to them . neither is it available , to mourn meerly for the judgements of god inflicted upon us : oh how did cain mourn , when the wrath of god was upon him . so did pharoah under judgements ; and ahab humbled himself greatly ; so do the damned mourn to eternity in hell : the wicked mourn , not because they have sinned , but because they are punished : god no more regardeth the howling of sinners under judgement , than we regard the howlings of dogs when they are beaten . neither is all sorrow for sin , godly sorrow , yet this is an high degree of mourning . pharoah lamented his wickedness , i have sinned ; judas also lamented his grievous sin , i have sinned in betraying innocent blood , mat. . and now he mourneth in hell for his sin : and we have some examples of men , who sin and mourn , and then sin afresh , and mourn afresh , crying out , o my pride , o my drunkenness , o my swearing , o my uncleanness ! that the beholding their bitter mourning , would make a tender heart to mourn with them ; many such there are that mourn on earth for a fit , and mourn in hell for ever . prov. . , , . death-bed lamentation and mourning for sin , is not alwaies repenting mourning . neither are all that mourn under dreadful apprehensions of gods anger against them , and terrours upon them arising from their sense of sin , and apprehension of gods wrath , true mourners ; yet this like the former , is an high degree of mourning , yet below holy mourning ; such a mourner was cain ; the load of terrours upon his heart , pressed forth all his tears and complaints . there are such examples still of men , who in their fears of death and judgement , and agonies of conscience , do weep , confess their sins , resolve to forsake sin , and yet when they have ease , do sin again , and they are again as prophane , as irreligious as they were before , nay , they become more hardned in sin , and opposite to god and godliness than they were before . neither do all who mourn after grace and pardon , truly mourn ; yet this is one of the neerest degrees to spiritual mourning that is found in hypocrites . an unregenerate man may feel such a load of guilt upon his conscience , as that he may mourn after grace and pardon , yet not be comforted : as there is a temporary sorrow for sin , so there is in th●m a temporary desire after ease and deliverance from it . but all such as mourn in bitterness of spirit under their spiritual wants : mr. cartwright gives this as a reason , why in the beatitudes our saviour addeth mourning next to poverty of spirit , because the want of grace and gods favour is such a lamentation , that nothing quieteth them so long as they are without it . and though god by the hand of his bounty , give them all outward things liberally , as health , strength , riches , friends , yet still they mourn over their spiritual wants ; these are the true mourners , that complain for the want of spiritual riches . what is this worlds goods , if i have not the grace and favour of god ? as moses said , what is the presence of an angel , if we have not the presence of god with us ? so what is any thing ? what are all things ? if i have not gods favour , i am undone for ever . again , such as mourn bitterly for sin , they truly mourn . lam. . . wo to us , for we have sinned . woe is the time that ever i sinned against god ; wo is me that ever i did curse , swear , and blaspheme the holy name of god ; wo that ever i was drunk ; wo that ever i sinned against the lord : such a mourning was that of st. peter , he went forth and wept bitterly : wo is me that ever i did deny my lord and master . such a mourner was mary magdalen , who washed the feet of christ with her tears , and wiped them with the hair of her head : so david made his bed to swim , and watered his couch with tears , psal . . . again , such as mourn for sin , not only because it doth terrifie the conscience , but because it doth pollute and defile the soul ; who mourn for sin , not only because it is a soul-damning evil , but because it is a god-dishonouring evil , these are true mourners . thus david mourned , against thee , against thee have i offended , psal . . . this was that which troubled his spirit , that he should off●nd a gracious god , a loving father , and dishonour his holy majesty , and violate the holy law of god. moreover , such as mourn for sin , and repent for sin , that bewail and forsake sin ; these men are sorry after a godly manner , cor. . . for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation , never to be repented of . these holy tears are very acceptable unto god , when our sins are put into the morter of our hearts , and there pounded with the pestel of compunction , and so brought into dust , and moistened with the waters of our tears , then is there made thereof a sweet smelling oyntment and sacrifice unto god , as one well noteth . the angels in heaven do rejoyce over one sinner that repenteth , luk. . they much rejoyce to follow such a sinner , carrying the tears , of godly compunction in his eyes , and of godly sorrow in his heart : which is not unaptly figured , luk. . where the disciples of christ went after the man which carried the vessel of water , and in that house prepared the passeover of the lord : so in a spiritual sense ; the man carrying this vessel of water , is the penitent sinner , whose heart and eyes are full of tears of godly sorrow , whom the angels following , do enter the house of his soul , and there do prepare an holy banquet for the lord ; for which cause st. bernard saith , the tears of holy penitents , are the sweet wine of angels ; because in them is the savour of life , the taste of christ , the smack of pardon , the health of the returned , the joy of reconciliation , and the sweetness of conscience . bonaventure saith , this is one reason why god made paradise , that our first parents might hate and detest sin the more hainously and eagerly , which had cast them out of so pleasant an habitation : god would therefore that adam should feel what hee had lost by his sin , that he might seek to regain another paradise by repentance , that he who had lost paradise on earth , should more earnestly seek after that heavenly jerusalem : so my brethren , you that have been lately driven out of your houses , by that lamentable conflagration ; god thereby sheweth you , that he would have you to hate and detest sin the more vehemently , which hath cast you out of your pleasant habitations ; god would have you to feel what you have lost by your sins , that ye may seek to regain better mansions by repentance ; that you who have lost your houses on earth , may more earnestly seek after a building of god , an house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . chap. ix . sect . i. look to the ends that god aims at , in taking away this or that from you : his ends in it are diverse . . one end is to teach you , that there is nothing in any man , nor of any man that you can safely trust unto : man hath nothing in him that he may rely upon ; his best abilities will fail him in time of his greatest need . . for bodily strength , take the example of sampson , judg. . , . when he had dealt treacherously with god , in discovering to an harlot the strength he had received as a nazarite , he awaked out of sleep , and said , i will go out as at other times , but the text saith , he wist not that god was departed from him : then the philistines took him , and bound him , and put out his eyes , and made him to grinde in a mill : his strength now failed him , when he had need to make use of it , now he found he had no strength of his own to trust to , and was left wholly to the will of his enemies : if the lord leave a man to himself , his strength will soon fail him , whatsoever his strength and abilities bee . — so it is in multitudes of men , and combinations of men : who more vigorous than david and his men of war ; yet when he would have the people numbred , to see the number and multitudes of his people , the lord in three daies space cut off seventy thousand men by the pestilence , to shew him the vanity of trusting in numbers of men . there is no king saved by the multitude of an host ; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength ; an horse is a vain thing for safety , neither shall he deliver any by his great strength , psal . , , . . the abilities of the soul , whether natural or moral abilities , are not to be trusted to , eccles . . . thus saith solomon , i returned , and saw under the sun , that the race is not to the swift , nor the battle to the strong , nor bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of understanding , nor yet favour to men of skill , but time and chance hapeneth to them all . . time : notwithstanding all their skill and cunning , unless god go along with them , they cannot bring their enterprizes to pass , be they never so wise and skilful ; unless god go along with rhem , they cannot take the fittest time to accomplish their ends and desires . and on the other side , time happeneth to them , that is , such a time happeneth to them , that casteth them into such straits and exigences , that all their wit and skill , and understanding cannot help them . some think they have so much wit , and so much forecast , so much understanding , skill , and foresight , as that they can shift and provide for themselves in the worst of times , as it is said of cato , hee was suae fortunae faber , let him live in any time or common-wealth , he would make shift for one : but solomon here tells us , that favour shall not be to men of skill , notwithstanding all their wit and understanding , they shal not be able to get the favour of those they do desire : and notwithstanding all their understanding , though they think they shall lay up wealth and riches to sustain them in a time of trouble , yet riches shall not be to men of understanding , neither shall they have bread to eat in a time of famine , thus time happeneth to them all . . chance also hapneth to them : no chance hapeneth to god , for he ordereth all things by his providence ; no contingency hapneth to him ; but many chances and occurrences happen to men beside their expectation ; many things happen to them above and below their expectation , contrary to their own wills , to their own waies and means , to their own ends , to their own thoughts ▪ projects and designs . achitophel relied much upon his wit , and gave evil counsel to absalom , sam. . , . for thus he said unto him ; let me chuse out twelve thousand men , and i will arise and pursue after david this night , and i will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed , and will make him afraid , and all the people that are with him shall flee , and i will smite the king only , and i will bring back all the people to thee ; and the man whom thou seekest , is as if all returned , so all the people shall be in peace ; and the saying pleased absalom well , and all the elders of israel . this plot was fairly laid , but chance hapned to him ; now hushai forsook david , and fled to absalom on purpose to defeat the counsel of achitophel ; and a strange chance it was that absalom should admit him to be of his privy council ; and yet more strange ! that he should ask his advice after achitophel's , whose counsel in those daies , was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of god , and that he , and all the men of war should prefer hushai's advice better than achitophel's ; thus chance hapned to this grand polititian ; that he immediately withdrew himself from the court. when he saw that his counsel was not followed , he sadled his asse , and arose & got home to his house , unto his city , put his houshold in order , and hanged himself . but none of these came as a chance to god , no contingency in this was to him ; for v. . the lord had appointed ( or commanded , as in the margin ) to defeat , and bring to naught the good counsel of achitophel , that he might bring evil upon absalom . . for courage and valour that neither is to be trusted to : bee a man never so stout hearted , let him have the heart of a lion , yet courage may fail the most valiant , when they have occasion to make most use thereof . who more valiant than joshuah and his army ; yet the little town of the men of ai smote the israelites , and the hearts of the men of war melted away like water , josh . . . their natural valour , proved then but a meer vapour ; for the lord withdrew himself from them , because of the accursed thing that was in the camp of israel , sam. . chap. we read a strange story of jonathan the son of saul , that hee with one man , his armour-bearer , assaulteth a whole garrison of the philistines , killeth many of them , scattereth and pursueth them , and raiseth a great fear upon them ; and there was trembling in the host , in the field , and among all the people ; the garrison , the spoilers they also trembled , and the earth quaked , so it was a very great trembling , and the watch-men of saul in gibeah of benjamin looked , and behold the multitude melted away , and they went on beating down one another . vers . , . yet this valour of jonathan was not to bee trusted to : for wee read , sam. . chap. that saul gathered a great army together , to fight against the philistines , and chap. . when the philistines fought against israel , the men of israel fled from before the philistines , and the philistines followed hard upon saul and upon his sons , and jonathan with the rest of the army , fled away from the face of the philistines , and the philistines slew jonathan , abinadab , and malchishua , sauls sons , in mount gilboa . the reason why none of these things are to be trusted to , is because god is the only fountain of all those excellencies and good things , whether of body or minde , that are upon any men upon earth ; and therefore as the greatest , streams that run with the fullest current and carry the biggest vessels , if they be not continually relieved with a constant spring , they would soon fail , & leave their channel dry : so men of the greatest natural or moral endowments , unless they are relieved by a constant influence from heaven , from the fountain of life , they will soon wither and decay . ii. then much less is there any trusting to sin , or any sinful course . trust not in oppression . psal . . . do not study how by defrauding and circumventing others , you may enrich your selves , and work out your own ends , by base and wicked oppression : if a man would undertake some dangerous enterprize to the hazarding of his life , upon promise of some reward from another man , it sheweth he did relie much upon that man ; else hee would never make so dangerous an adventure upon such a mans woid : many men relie upon sins ; they promise fair , pleasure , profit , and hereupon they hazard their souls upon uncertainties : if thou trustest in any sin , thou wilt be exceeding vain , because sin is the greatest deceiver in the world : sin is deceitful all over , root and branch ; the inward lusts are deceitful , and all the issues , succours , roots and branches , that proceed from it , are deceitful . iii. god would have us also to understand , that there is no trusting to riches : riches are called deceitful riches , mat. . . they promise , or seem to promise much more than they perform ; they are therefore compared to thorns , by our saviour : many are taken with the green leaves , but are never sensible of the thorns that grow under them ; they bring many troubles to those that have them , and lay many loads upon their backs , and prove snares to their souls , leaving them under great discontent , and hindering the souls of many men , in the pursuit of eternal happiness . and many times they are deceived in the very thing it self , as to the ends themselves most aim at : prov. . . the way of the wicked seduceth them . v. . the slothful man rosteth not what he took in hunting . as hunters many times lose their prey ; sometimes the dogs eat it ; sometimes others catch it out of their hands . achan hunted after the wedge of gold , but lost his life by it ; and saul got fat cattle , but lost his kingdome by it . many a wicked man gets much wealth and riches , but never reap that comfort by them as they expect : neither do they get the blessing of god to sweeten those outward comforts to them , though they have them : and in the mean time perhaps their conscience woundeth them , and although they feed upon the sweet of gods creatures , yet they become as gravel in their bowels , like the book which st. john did eat , which was in his mouth as honey for sweetness , but bitter in his belly , rev. . . the remembrance how many men came by their wealth and riches , proveth very woful and bitter to them . finally , there is no creature to bee trusted to ; not friends : nor relations , nor great mens favours . surely men of low degree are vanity , and men of high degree are a lie , psal . . . the furest friend thou hast in the world , is not sure of himself , therefore thou canst not promise thy self , he will be sure to thee . sect . ii. a second and god aims at , is to learn you , that when men take too much delight in their outward comforts and enjoyments , it is his usual course to deprive them of what they esteemed most dear and precious . i have read of justus lipsius , a most learned man , who had a most choice library , and such a one as contained the primest authours ; for out of all parts of the world , what rare book soever could be purchased , either by price , or by entreaty , he had it in this his treasury ; so that his library was esteemed the most famous for books of all sorts ; nor had lipsius so great a delight in any thing in the world , as in being in this his rich study ; so that i may say , lipsius had even buried his soul here ; but behold a lamentable change ; what he had been , in so many years , with so great care gathering together , all , even all , was by one furious fire suddenly consumed ; what grief must this be to lipsius , at once thus to lose all these his precious delights and jewels ? the like hapned to john comenius , that master of learning , in this present age ; the story whereof he gives us in this manner ; in the year . ( saith he ) the king of sweden brought in armies into poland , the event whereof was very unhappy to the gospel-professours ; especially to lesua , the chief city of refuge of the bohemian and silesian exiles , which although the very nobility of the kingdome , delivered up with other royal cities in the greater poland , ( as posnonia , calissia , wschowia ) into the hands of the swedes ; yet the polonians being afterwards stirred up , and again prevailing , there seemed a good occasion and colour for the utter overthrowing of lesna , the late odious nest of the hereticks , as they termed it ; which was done at the latter end of april by the permission of god , in the year . where , as others suffered the loss of all their goods , so did i also in like manner . indeed i would have timely conveyed away my self , either for fear of some such tragical issue , or of a war of a longer continuance , and therewith of the hinderance of my studies amongst the noises of arms. and both the admonitions sent privily by drabicius , as also the exhortations of friends to hasten away from that strange country out of those flames , with invitations to come unto them , did spur me up . but i could not get a discharge from my people , nor would i leave my flock with scandal , it being verily an evil example , as they said ; until being oppressed on a suddain , and carrying away my life only for a prey , we were deprived of all ; for a foregoing rumour ( only for two hours ) of the enemies approaching to destroy us with an universal slaughter , raising a pannick fear , put the whole city ( the armed with the unarmed ) to flight ; and the enemy being not able to pour out his fury upon the citizens , he poured it out upon the city ; all the streets of the city ( after a light plundering of the principal houses ) being set on fire , and so burning for three daies together , that of a thousand six hundred house , four churches &c. nothing , truely nothing was left but ashes and rubbish . in which terrible fire , my little house also , with all my houshold stuff , was destroyed ; my library also , with my manuscripts , philosophical , and philological ( chiefly those which appertained to the garnishing of our own country language ; ) and my theological manuscripts , of more than forty years study , were consumed . even thus doth god many times deal with his chiefest favourites , hee either depriveth them of what they esteem most dear and precious to them ; or else denieth what they most eagerly pursue . i will also give an instance of another kinde ; the lord giveth to parents perhaps a beautiful , docil , ingenious , and towardly childe , which for his pregnant wit , carrieth away the bell from all his school-fellows ; but upon a suddain death croppeth off this rose-bud , and the hopeful youth dieth in the prime and flower of expectation ; oh now how excessively do his parents weep and lament ? and it may be conceived , they inwardly think , what they blush to speak ; as , why did god give us such a son as this , since he was determined to snatch him away so soon from us ? had we not affliction enough before , but must this heap of misery bee added to all the rest ? but god takes away such comforts as these , and he will have us to subscribe , it ought to be so , and for that cause god takes away our dearest relations and best comforts sometimes from us , that we may see our errour , in placing too much of our love upon these things , and give god the very yolk of our hearts , sect . iii. a third end god aims at , is to reduce wanderers , and to spur them home again unto himself , that move slowly towards him . wee may learn wisdome from the very brute beasts ; these if they be put into a coach , chariot , or cart , and be lashed with whips , or pricked with goads , they are sensible it is for their exorbitancy , or because they move too slowly ; wherefore they come presently into the way again , and make more haste and speed in their journey . certainly when god brings great losses and crosses upon us , he would have us thereby to begin to ruminate and think with our selves , verily , i have wandered and gone out of the way of the lord , behold this fire that hath consumed my goods , calleth me to return again ; oh whether should i have run , if the lord had let me alone ? but suppose that i did go the right way , yet sure i did but creep as a snail in it ? these losses do read lectures to me of a neglected duty ; therefore i now resolve to put on a little faster . absalom had by his servants often desired joab , the captain of the host , to come unto him , but hee came not , sam. . . but what absalom ? therefore he said to his servants , see joabs field is near mine , and he hath barley there ; go and set it on fire ; and absaloms servants set the field on fire ; then joab arose , and came to absalom , unto his house : in like manner the lord dealeth sometimes with us ; the lord sends out his messengers from time to time , declaring that it is gods will and pleasure that we should come unto him , but in the time of our ease , of our health , of our prosperity , we refuse to come unto him , but when god fireth us out of our nests , burneth up our corn , consumeth our goods , our substance , then we begin to be more gentle and tractable , and presently think of returning to him , from whom we have gone astray . certainly hawks will not come to the lure until they be empty ; eusebius emissenus said of the prodigal , luk. . that hunger brought him home , whom saturity and fulness , had driven away from his fathers house . it is reported of wenceslaus king of bohemia , when as his army was routed , and all his forces dispersed , and himself was taken prisoner , being asked how he did , and what courage he had now ; he answered , never better : for while he was so invironed with his strong army , he very seldome thought on god , but now being stript of all these fading helps , he placed all his trust and hope in god , who would heartily embrace those that came unto him , and never forsake those that trusted in him . sect . iv. a fourth end god aims at , in taking away these things from us , is to have us to be instructed in this , that mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth , luk. . . by life two things are understood , . that a mans happiness doth not consist in the abundance of the things he doth enjoy ; only christ , and a right to , & assurance of heaven , that is a mans happiness in this life , and the fruition of christ and heaven hereafter , is the eternal happiness of a man : lazarus was an happy man , though he had nothing , and dives a miserable man , though he had abundance . earthly-minded persons seek for satisfaction from earthly things ; therefore there be many that say , who will shew us any good ? ( . ) such a satisfying good , as may make our souls happy ; they look downward , and think to find this happiness in outward things . but david opposeth his resolved choice to their vain wandring desire ; lord , lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me ; as if he had said , i know where to have enough , lord let me enjoy thee , and have the light of thy countenance shineing upon me , and i am satisfied : then he speaks of his former experience , that formerly he had found satisfaction from god. thou hast put gladness in my heart , more than in the time that their corn and their wine encreased , psal . , . as if he had said , the fullest barns and wine-cellars cannot yeeld that content to an earthly heart , that my soul hath formerly found in thee ; when they are as full as they can hold , yet their immortal soul is not satisfied ; but i by enjoying thee am fully satisfied : then david compareth the satisfaction he had found in god , not only with the abundance of these things , but with the encrease of them ; for it is the encrease of outward things that is apt to win the heart : a lesser estate encreasing doth more win the hearts of natural men , than a greater estate not encreasing : but david found more content in god , than worldlings did , not only in the abundance , but also in the encrease of corn and wine . lastly , saith he , thou hast put gladness into my heart . ] thou hast infused it into my soul : it is god that sheddeth sweet consolation into the spirit of a man ; he doth not only give matter of joy , and ground of comfort to a believer , but giveth , as it were , the very affection of it to the soul . as for earthly things , they put not comfort into our hearts , if a man will have any good from them , he must extract and draw it out ; and when the heart and the world do close most , yet it then falls short of satisfaction ; but god doth put gladness into the heart , and he can satisfie it . . by life is meant likewise , that although a man had never so many possessions , had an house full of gold and silver , yet all his wealth cannot prolong his daies , nor adde a minute to his life ; as if our saviour should reason thus ; i wonder to see men take such great pains for the things of this life , to toil and labour in a restless manner : if every pound they got and had , would adde a day or year more to their lives , there were some reason why men should thus toil for riches : but can a rich man redeem his life from death with thousands of gold and silver for a day ? would not a rich man that feareth death and hell , give a world ( if he had it ) that he might not die and be damned , and yet ten thousands of worlds cannot redeem a mans soul from death and hell ; therefore why are men so greedy after these things that cannot make their lives any longer ? let us take a view of the parable which our saviour spake upon this very occasion of a rich farmer , wherein several things are to be observed . . his trade was very gainful , intimated by his ground , which brought forth plentifully , the world was coming on upon him apace . . he had heaped together abundance of riches , he had so much , he could not tell where to lay them . . see what he resolved upon , viz. to follow his pleasures and contentments without all controul ; as the proverb is , what is a gentleman more than his pleasure ? he would take his pleasure as well as the best man in his country ; he would play the glutton , and hunt , and hawk , and whore , and drink , and swear , and swagger , and let him see what man would dare controll him , he would make the town and country too hot for him . thus saith he to himself ; soul , thou hast riches enough . ] and that not for a day , or a moneth , or a year , but for many years : go take thy pleasure , eat , drink , and be merry ; thy abundance of riches will maintain thee in it ; here you see the prosperity of a rich covetous fool . mark now the end and conclusion of him ; behold the lamentable tragedy of an earth-worm ; behold what god saith unto him , thou fool . ] he was but a fool for his labour ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insipiens , an unwise man , so the word signifies ; one that lived by sense like a bruit , not forecasting for the future . this night they shall take away thy soul . ] mark the words , this night . ] thou hast to day promised thy self long life , mirth and pleasure ; thou art deceived , thy riches shall not lengthen thy life , for this night thou shalt die , they ( i. e. the devils ) shall come and take away my soul . ] and thou that didst dream of many years pleasure , shalt burn in hell to eternity . salvian hath a good meditation on this place : with his goods he prepareth happiness for others , misery for himself , mirth for others , tears for himself , a short pleasure for others , everlasting fire for himself . his heirs that enjoyed his riches , did game , eat , drink , and were merry , and this poor covetous wretch was howling and roaring , weeping and wailing in hell . now see our saviours use of this parable : so is he that layeth up treasure for himself , and is not rich toward god : that is , so is every covetous wretch , that laboureth more for temporal riches , than for grace and godliness , such a one is a fool , though he gets abundance of riches ; such a one will god cross in his plots and purposes , and when he thinks to enjoy his pleasures , then god will cut him off , and throw him into hell , his children after him shall spend his wealth , he shall be tormented in hell , when they are merry and jovial upon earth . sect . v. a fifth end is , that thereby we may learn to mortifie our selves : clemens alexandrinus spake to the purpose : the vine turneth wild , and degenerateth , unless it be pruned : man proveth exorbitant except he be scourged : for as the luxuriancy of the vine-tree runneth out into wilde branches , except it be cut and curbed , and bringeth forth but a few grapes , and those bitter ones ; but when it hath endured the pruning knife , it produceth soft , thick clustered , and sweet grapes : scarce is it otherwise with man , for unless he be daily purged by losses , crosses , sorrows , he runneth out into lewd courses , as the vine into leaves , and is hardly reduced to a due conformity to the will of god : but when the hooked sickle of calamity biteth him , then he bringeth forth the fruits of repentance and mortification . our corrupt appetite alwayes lusteth after forbidden fruit , and is by an unbridled itching , carried headlong into dangerous precipices ; here the most wise god represseth the hasty course of this unbridled kicker , while he meeteth him with losses , crosses , and calamitous incumbrances , and so this wilde colt is tamed . now because we are as fearful to meddle with mortification , as the dog is to drink of nilus , therefore our most gracious god doth exercise us with losses and fiery tryals , that by them we may be the more ready to mortifie our corruptions . the scripture sets it forth by a full expression , viz. the crucifying our lusts and the affections thereof , gal. . . in allusion to christs crucifying : observe the manner of his death , his hands and feet were nailed to the cross , the souldiers thrust their spears into his side , it was neer the heart of christ : thus must we do with our sins , we must run the spear into the very heart of sin , and we must nail the hands and feet of our lusts : nail the hands ( ) the outward acts of sin , and nail the feet , that so we might not walk any more in the lusts of our flesh , as we have formerly done ; that look as job after his manifold losses and sore tryals , said , lord i have sinned , i will do so no more : so do thou say , lord i have a proud heart , i have walked within my house in pride and loftiness , i have boasted of my great wealth and substance , i will do so no more : lord i have bad an unclean heart , full of filthy thoughts and affections , i will be so no more ; here is a mortified man. if you would have your losses and crosses sanctified , consider with your selves whether your earthly members be mortified , or do you walk still in the vanity of your minds ? do you still keep up your former conversation ? are your lusts your centurions still ? do you obey them ? if so , then have your losses done you no good at all ; this is the end that god aims at in sending these visitors to you , to clip your wings , that you be not as birds that flee away from their masters . let these therefore excite you to do with your body of sin , as they were to do with the house that was over-spread with leprosie ; they were to rase it down to the ground , and carry all the rubbish without the city ; so do you rase down that body of corruption , and put away your lusts , that abominable rubbish of sin from among you . sect . vi. a sixt end is , that you may bee the better fitted to compassionate others in the like condition : it may be many of you , when you were full , and knew the want of nothing , and had all things about you according to your hearts desire , you were then so blinded with your own self-love , with your pleasures and inordinate lusts , and desires of your own ease and profits , that the distressed saints might starve and sigh and mourn , and yet you consider'd it not ; whether others did dance for joy , or mourn for grief of heart , it was all one to you ; so long as you could hear the melodious noise of the viol , and drink wine in bowls , you regarded not the afflictions of joseph ; so long as you had your backs clothed with rich apparrel , and your bellies filled with variety of dainties , and could dwell in your stately edifices , and warm ceiled houses , you never thought upon the hunger and cold of the poor and needy , and the miseries of those that scarce have a hole to put their heads in ; you were often acquainted with the pinching wants of your miserable brethren , yet perhaps your hearts were nothing affected with pitty and compassion toward them ; you had hearts of stone , who could hear the cries of the oppressed , and look upon the pale-wrinckled faces of famished persons , and hear them sighing and bemoaning their extremities and yet your bowels yearned not over such ; how many nabals are there that could see david in hunger , and yet their hearts dead within them ? cursed edomites , who could behold the ruine of zion , and mourn not over it ? how many were there among you , that had abundance of this worlds goods , and yet were niggardly in releiving and refreshing the bellies of the poor : as for themselves , they felt no hunger , but had their full tables every day , yet suffered they poor lazarus to go away without crumbs ; they had changes of apparel , and some of them lay by till they were moth-eaten , yet suffered they christ in his members to go naked : cursed chams , that would not cover their brothers nakedness . how many among you , had abundance of all things , and yet gave poor pittances , god knoweth , and that with murmuring and repining hearts ? parting with their alms , as narrow-mouth'd pots do with liquor , with much bubling , who like grapes , yield no liquor unless they be pressed . oh how dwelleth the love of god in such , saith the apostle ? what a sun in the heavens , and not light ? what a fixed star , and not shine ? what fire , and not give heat ? these are strange things in nature . so i may say , what love to christ , and no compassion to his members , no relief , no bounty ? it is as strange as to see the sun full of darkness ; certainly the love of god dwelleth not in such flinty hearts . therefore doth the lord take away our houses , our goods , our dearest outward comforts sometimes , for this end , that we may have a fellow-feeling of others miseries . they are usually the most pittiful to others , who have suffered great losses and miseries themselves . he that hath been pinched with poverty , will easily be brought to pitty those that are poor and needy : he that hath been sick and weak , will be ready to commiserate those that are visited ; he that hath lost all his goods , been tossed from post to pillar , and stripped out of all his estate , will presently relent at others grieved in the same kinde . being diversly afflicted and distressed , we learn with that tyrian queen to say , non ignara mali , miseris succurrere disco the sense of evils makes me to bemone , and succour them who under suffrings groan . you may plainly see there was such bowels of compassions in the saints in scripture . what is the whole book of lamentations , but a large commentary , or description of jeremiah's compassion toward jerusalem ? though god had provided well for the particular comfort of him , yet jerusalems miseries did embitter his comforts , and turned all his wine into water . how tenderly affected was job , with every particular mans distress ? when the ear heard me , then it blessed me ; and when the eye saw me , then it gave witness to me ; because i delivered the poor that cried , and the fatherless , and him that had none to help him . the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me , and i caused the widdows heart to sing for joy . i was eyes to the blind , and feet was i to the lame , i was a father to the poor , &c. job . , , , , . this the apostle calls a refreshing of the bowels of the saints ; which is a metaphor taken from such , as being almost faint with a great heat , do finde some shady place to cool them ; such is relief to our needy brethren . till we have been in misery and necessity our selves , we shall scarce afford our distressed brethren , any more than lip-compassion : alas poor man ! he is in great wants , he is in a miserable condition , it grieveth me to see him , this is all ; this is that which the apostle james taxeth , jam. . . . if a brother or sister be naked , and destitute of daily food : and one of you say unto them , depart in peace , be you warmed and filled , notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body , what doth it profit him ? your lip-love , and your lip-compassion , is no comfort at all to him ; christ will throw such compassionate hypocrites into hell : where there is no relief from the hand , there is no pitty nor compassion in the heart ; a niggardly hand is the index of an iron heart : this compassion is no other than painted fire to a cold hand ; it is true what a very reverend man said ; miseratio divitum sine benignitate , est illusio miserorum . rich mens pitty without bounty , is a mocking of the poor in their distresses . sect . vii . another end that god aims at , in taking these outward things from you , is that himself may bee your portion ; he is the portion of his people . thou art my portion o lord , psal . . . the prophet calleth god , the portion of jacob , jerem. . . the vine is the drunkards portion ; mammon is the covetous mans portion ; pleasure is the voluptuous mans portion ; gods wrath is the wicked mans portion , upon the wicked he shall rain snares , fire and brimstone , and an horrible tempest , this shall bee the portion of their cup , psal . . . outward sorrows , inward graces , and god himself , are the godly mans portion , and the kingdome of heaven is his inheritance . true it is ! some of gods people have these outward things also , but they have them not as their portion ; and many times he takes them from those that have them , that they may make god their only portion , therefore david saith , the lord is the portion of mine inheritance , and of my cup , psal . . . the meaning is , the lord is to me instead of house and land , of meat and drink , and all necessaries for this present life . as the apostle saith , heb. . . because god could swear by no greater , therefore he sware by himself : so it may be said in this case , because god could give no greater portion to people , therefore he gives himself unto them . and when they are stript of other things , yet even then they have god to live upon . wherefore did god keep israel forty years in the wilderness , and made them to hunger and thirst , and fed them with mannah , which neither they nor their fathers did know ? was it not to this end , that he might make them know , that man did not live by bread only , but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the lord , doth man live , deut. . what doth a great rich heir live upon , but this portion ? hee may have many other conveniencies , but hee chiefly makes account of his portion for his livelyhood . god is an all-sufficient portion ; whosoever hath him for his portion , hath enough ; there is enough in him to supply all our wants : the creatures at best , can but supply this or that particular want ; but my god , saith the apostle , shall supply all your wants . all other portions are defective , but this sufficeth all : some things give health , but not comfort ; some things give comfort , but not honour ; some things give honour , but not satiety . still the shooe wrings in one place or other , there is something or other wanting to us : but god is an all-sufficient portion to the soul ; he is health to the sick , wealth to the poor , honour to the despised , an habitation to the distressed ; he is all that we need or can desire , yea , he gives abundantly more than we are able to ask or think . god is of all other , the most transcendent portion , for communicating , for security , for certainty : wee may bee robbed of our other portions , or they may be lessened , diminished , burnt , spent , consumed ; but here is an abiding portion ; god is my portion for ever , saith asaph , psal . . . hee is an everlasting portion . this god is our god for ever and ever , he will be our guide even unto death , psal . . . god is a most sure and certain portion , and many times when gods children have least of the things of this world , he giveth most of himself to them , in whom is every good and perfect gift , and all things richly to enjoy . aaron had no lot among his brethren , but god saith to him , i am thy part , and thine inheritance among the children of israel , num. . . so it is with all gods children when they are stript of all , then god is their portion , and their inheritance : hence a beleever may conclude , the lord is my portion , therefore i shall not want ; surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the daies of my life : hee that hath the sun , can never want light ; he that hath a fountain , can never want water ; and he that hath the most high god , the possessour of all things , can never want any thing that is good for him : it is an infinite advantage to bee heir of all that god hath to give , both in heaven and in earth : well may hee say , when i have nothing , yet i want nothing , because i have god who is all things to me : the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places , yea , i have a goodly heritage , psal . . . chap. x. if god doth & may take away from us what he pleaseth , then under your great losses learn to acknowledge god the author of all the evil and afflictions that have come upon you ; perhaps you are ready to cry out on this or that instrument , this or that thing . when peter drew his sword in the defence of christ at the mount of olives , and struck off the ear of malchus , the lord presently said unto him ; put up thy sword into thy sheath : shall i not drink of the cup which my father hath given me ? joh. . . might not one say , lord why sayest thou , thy father put this cup into thine hand ? this cup , did not judas iscariot thy disciple , did not annas and caiaphas , did not herod and pilate mingle it ? did not those five apothecaries compound and make up this very wormwood , this meer aloes , this bitter gall ? why then sayest thou , the cup which my father hath given me ? this cup was the cup of his sufferings , which god put into his hand , ut pater , non ut judex ; as a father , not as a judge , saith rupertus ; amore non irâ , voluntate , non necessitate , gratiâ non vindictâ ; it was of love , not of wrath , it was voluntary , not of necessity , it was of grace , not of vengeance , that this cup was given to him : this cup , saith christ , cometh to me from a most loving hand , is it not fit that i should drink it ? the father drinketh to me ; and though there be many things which commend this cup , as the restoring and redemption of the world , the enlargement and augmentation of the kingdome of heaven , yet above all these my fathers hand doth most of all commend this cup unto me : it is indeed a most bitter cup , but my drinking it will be profitable to many people ; therefore because my father gives me this cup to drink , i will drink it . as my father gave me commandment , so i do , joh. . . and saith he , luk. . . ought not christ to have suffered these things ? we are apt under our losses to cry out , such a one hath done me a mischief , the devil set such a one on to fire my house , to consume my goods , satan himself hath thrown down his thunderbolt upon me : oh such complaints are foolish ; as it pleased the lord , so things have been , are , and shall be done ; nay , so they are best done ; not so much as one hair of thy head falleth to the ground , but god foreseeth and willeth the same : what hurt is it if fire consume thy house , if god himself be thy habitation ? what evil is it though an enemy tear thy body to pieces , when as thy god numbreth thy hairs ? whosoever was the apothecary to mingle the cup , yet drink it off if thy father put it into thy hand . the prophet micah saith , that evil came from the lord to the gate of jerusalem , mic. . . behold against this family do i devise an evil , from which ye shall not remove your necks , mic. . . shall there be evil in a city , and the lord hath not done it ? all losses , crosses , all evils of punishment do come from god , and from his divine will. god is not the author of any sin , but he is the author of all punishment for sin , nor are we hurt by him , but only corrected for our amendment , saith origen . remember this word , saith s. august . the lord hath given , the lord hath taken away , as it pleased the lord , so come things to pass . they were unjust who sate by job on the dunghill , yet he was scourged and received ; they were spared to future punishment ; god reserveth all to his own judgement : good men labour , and are punished as sons ; the wicked rejoyce , and are punished with condemnation : that which afflicteth us , shall exercise us , not hurt us . chap. xi . if god hath taken all away from you , then content your selves with gods promises ; if thou hast an interest in the promises , thou hast enough : answer all wicked worldlings as esau did jacob , i have enough , i have enough my brother ; so say thou , i have a heavenly mansion in the promise , which is more worth than my earthly house which is consumed ; i have heaven in the promise , which is more worth than a thousand worlds in present possession : eternal glory is better than fading honour , eternal delights are better than momentany pleasures , eternal habitations are better than our clay-tabernacles ; what if i have lost my goods , in heaven there is a more enduring substance , worth more than all present enjoyments ? what if the world be a wilderness , so long as i have canaan in the promise ? and thither i am going . oh how good is it for christians to store up promises afore-hand , and to let the word of god dwell richly in our hearts , especially the promises , which are the quintessence of the word : we use to say of a rich man , he is worth god knows what ; this may we say truly of him who is rich in promises , we are subject to variety of estates and conditions here ; no mans mountain is so strong , but it may be removed . now as the astronomers say , there is no herb growing on the earth , but hath its star in heaven from which it receiveth sweet influences ; so there is no estate or condition , wherein a christian possibly may be in this life , but there is a promise to it in the holy word of god , from which he may receive sweet influences by faith . and considering that all promises are yea and amen in christ ; under all your losses and afflictions labour wisely to apply them , depend on christ in them ; he will faithfully perform all and every promise in due time to thee , for faithful is the promiser : urge him with his promises , produce to him his hand and seal , lord thou hast promised this or that good thing , oh make it good , be it to thy servant according to thy word : that soul may walk on thorns , on tempestuous seas , whose feet are shod with the promises ; he may walk in the very valley of the shadow of death , who hath the staff of a promise in his hand : he may fear no ill , but expect all grace , glory , and every good thing , who hath a promise from christ . chap. xii . study to behave your selves christian-like under all your losses : endure them patiently , thankfully , chearfully , with submission to the will of god. sect . i. learn to bear them patiently , what the apostle saith of the distressed hebrews after the spoiling of their goods , ye have need of patience , heb. . so may i say to you that have sustained the loss of your houses , goods and possessions , ye have great need of patience . as souldiers have need of good boots or shooes to save their feet and legs from being hurt with gravel stones , thorn-bushes , sticks , or other impediments that may either lie or be hurled in their way : so a christian-souldier being armed , and having his feet shod with patience , may by help thereof pass the pikes , and go thorow all losses , crosses , and calamities , that may betide or befall him in the warfare of this world . in patience possess ye your souls , saith our saviour , luk. . . as faith gives us possession of christ , so patience gives us the possession of our selves . an impatient man is so far from possessing himself , that he loseth himself , and tearing himself in his passion , throws all reason out of door , whereupon follows a great loss ; the dominion of the mind is not attained but by patience , the soul is not possessed by your deep counsels , nor by your prudence , nor by your wealth , but by your patience . impatience exposeth a man to the greatest hazards and dangers : if the waggoner hath not reason enough to guide the waggon , saith augustine , but suffereth the horses to have their heads , they will draw both him and it into destruction : the impatient man is void of reason , and so exposeth himself to ruine , he createth a constant trouble to himself , his life is a burden to him , and he enjoyes the possession of nothing with comfort , that hath not the possession of his own soul : when people are impatient under every petty loss or small cross , the lord in just judgement lets greater crosses to befall them to disquiet those that have impatient spirits ; and let them expect it , they must look for trouble and vexation all their daies , that give way to this evil of impatience . god in his providence hath thrown you out of possession of your houses ; what a sad thing were it for you to be thrown out of the possession of your selves by impatience ? impatience , saith one , is the daughter of satan , and the parent of folly and madness . an impatient man for the loss of a peny will throw away his purse , and if he hath lost but an handful of corn , he is ready to fire the whole field . i have read of a noble man that was lord chamberlain to the emperour rodolphus the second , that bringing some water for the emperour to wash his face in a vessel of chrystal covered , by his default and negligence the cover fell off and was broken ; whereupon the emperour in a great rage took and threw the vessel likewise to the ground , uttering these words ; let the devil take the horse , since he hath got the saddle : so by one impatient act he cast away four hundred crowns , for at so much the chrystal was valued . thus a light and lesser evil is oftentimes doubled with a greater , and small losses through impatience do become great and extraordinary damages . patience sweetens every loss , and takes away the weight and burden of afflictions : patience to the soul is as the lid to the eye ; for as the lid being shut , saves it from many things that would annoy it ; so patience coming between the soul and that which it suffereth , is a great safe-guard thereunto : patience is a sovereign remedy against all losses and crosses , it cureth all ; it keeps the heart from envy , the tongue from murmuring , the hand from revenge , it overcometh our enemies without weapons , it makes a man a living martyr without fire or sword ; suppose a man be brought very low in his outward estate , yet if he be patient , he feels the want of nothing ; it is all one not to have the world , and not to need it ; he that doth not want , hath enough , patience gives contentment in the midst of want , and then a man may be said to abound ; it is all one to be without losses and crosses , and patiently to bear them : no affliction , no loss can be heavy to the patient soul , for patience wheresoever it is , it beareth all . sect . ii. study to bear your losses thankfully ; in everything give thanks , saith the apostle , for this is the will of god in christ jesus concerning you , thes . . . hear how excellently chrysostome speaks to this purpose ; this , saith he , is the very will of god , to give thanks alwayes ; this argueth a soul rightly instructed . hast thou suffered any evil , if thou wilt , it is no evil , give thanks to god , and then thou hast turned the evil into good ; say thou also as job , when hee had lost all , the lord hath given , the lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the lord ; and what evil hast thou suffered ? what is it , a disease ? this is no strange thing to us , seeing our bodies are mortal and naturally born to suffer . what! dost thou want money ? this may bee gotten here , and lost here . art thou slandered and disgraced with calumnies by enemies ? thou dost not so much suffer injury herein , as they who are the authors ; for he who beareth the evil , is not the transgressor , but he that doth it ; whatsoever evils or losses therefore do oppress thee , give thou thanks , and thou hast changed the nature of them : let us not therefore ( as that father adviseth us ) fret , and vex , and fume . job then did more deeply wound the devil , when being stript out of all , hee gave thanks to god , than if hee had distributed all to the poor and needy ; for it is much more to be stript of all , and yet to bear it patiently , generously , and thankfully , than for a rich man to give alms ; as it here happened to righteous job . but hath fire suddenly taken hold upon thy house , destroyed thy house , and consumed thy whole substance ? remember the sufferings of job ; give thanks to god , who could , though hee did not , have hindered that mischance , and thou shalt bee sure to receive as equal a reward , as if thou hadst put all into the bosome of the indigent . this he repeateth over again , and saith , thy reward being thankful , is equal to his , who gave all he had to the poor . chrysostome speaks further to this purpose , to them that are apt to be dejected at their poor and low estate in the world . it is fit , saith hee , that not only rich men , but even such as are cast down with poverty , should give thanks to god ; not only the healthy , but as well the sick also ; not only such as are in prosperity , but also such as live in adversity , it becometh the saints to bee thankful ; it is no such wonder , if men who live in the affluence and abundance of wealth , be thankful ; but when our poor ship is weather-beaten with storms , and driven with tempests , then is the time for the trial of our patience , long-suffering , and thanks-giving : hereby job got the crown , and stopped the mouth of the raging adversary , plainly shewing that hee gave thanks to god , not only for the vastness of his wealth , but likewise for the great love which he bare to god , even for his affliction . to give thanks in adverse and cross affairs , argues a minde truly grateful and wise : when thou givest thanks for blessings which thou hast received , thou payest thy debt to god ; but when thou givest thanks to him for evils , then thou makest god thy debtor : in the first thou art the debtor , but in the latter thou makest thy creditour to become thy debtor . as therefore we respect and love our physician , not only when he giveth us restoratives , but likewise when he sendeth us corrosives ; not only when hee feedeth , but when hee pincheth us ; not only when hee giveth us liberty to walk abroad , but also when hee maketh us close prisoners within ; not only for annointing , but also for launcing us ; for though the things which be done are contrary , yet the end of both is for our good , viz. for restoring us to health ; so must wee for all things praise and magnifie god , and that the more , because the physician is a man , and may miss of his end and aym ; but god cannot , because of his infinite wisdome and knowledge : therefore also we must give thanks to god , not only when he giveth us our hearts desire , but also when our petitions seem not to bee regarded ; for when god denieth any thing to his children , he is no less a father to them , than when hee granteth their requests ; for wee know not what is conducing to our good , so then whether we be masters of our desires and wishes , or whether wee miss of them , yet must wee give thanks . thus chrysostome . to this purpose , thomas de kempis speaks excellently , in his book of the imitation of christ . i give thee hearty thanks o lord my god , that thou hast not spared my faults , but hast visited me with thy stripes for them ; inflicting griefs and sending sorrows within & without ; thy correction shall instruct me , and thy rod shall tutor me unto salvation . gregory speaks sweetly to this very purpose . who can be unthankful even for blows , when as he went not out of the world without stripes , who came into , and lived in it without faults ? therefore he is of a right judgement , who not only praiseth god in prosperity , but also who blesseth his name even for calamities : if thou shalt by thanksgiving in adversity gain gods peace with thee , things which were lost , shall be restored with multiplication , and moreover eternal joys for the time of thy sorrow shall be surely added . thanks must bee given to a father for his scourges and severest discipline ; for the blows of a father , are better than the kisses of an enemy . sect . iii. labour to bear your losses chearfully : st. august . speaking of the great joy and courage which the christian martyrs had in the midst of their losses and sufferings , hath this expression ; doing and suffering such things , they rejoyced and shewed themselves glad : it was a pleasure to them to obey all his commands , who had suffered more for them ; their inexplicable reward set their hearts on fire . the hebrews took with joy the spoyling of their goods , knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and enduring substance , heb. . . the lords corrections to his children are very comfortable ; god's rod , like aaron's , is a blooming rod , st. james implies no less , even in the first exhortation , which he giveth to the churches of christ ; for even immediately after the inscription of his epistle , he saith , count it all joy , my brethren , when , you fall into divers temptations , or tribulations , jam. . . joy is to bee found in the sharpest trials wherewith god doth exercise his children . true it is ! no grievous loss or affliction in it self ( if a man turn his thoughts upon it , and upon the smart of it ) is comfortable ; for it is an evil , and depriveth us of some good ; but the right consideration of the author of it , of his great love toward us ; of the minde with which , and the end for which he laies it on us , may make it very comfortable to us . as when a man hath a very dangerous wound in any part of his body , and a searching , drawing plaister , if applied unto it , to get out the corrupt blood , that may be made for the cure of the wound ; there can be no comfort in the plaister , as it smarteth , yet comfort in it , as it giveth hope of a perfect cure : so in this respect , there being many sores in our souls , and much corruption in them , these afflictions are like searching and drawing plaisters , and are not joyous in respect of the smart , but in respect of the hope they give us that we shall be healed by them ; yea , in regard of the beginning of healing , which we feel by them when they are upon us , for even then shall a christian begin to feel a vent given to the putrifying sores of his heart , and the lusts and corruptions of the same , beginning to languish , which yeeldeth some degree of present comfort ; but moreover , the lords rod is joyous in regard of the future issue ; and howsoever it may smart as to present sense , nevertheless afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who are exercised thereby , heb. . . so david , after his afflictions were over , found it was good for him that he was afflicted : was it not good for david , that his shepherds crook was changed for a scepter , that his mean hood was turned to an imperial crown , that he was advanced from the sheepfold to a majestick throne , that from wearing shepherds weeds , he was brought to be cloathed in purple ? these things were good , and david was no way unmindful of those large benefits . he took it for a singular great favour that god took him from the sheepfold , from following the ewes great with young , and brought him to feed jacob his people , and israel his inheritance ; but yet he esteemed it a far greater favour that god had humbled him in the state of royalty , as he was when he fled from absalom his son : therefore david reckoneth this among the choicest blessings , and saith ; it is good for me that i have been afflicted ; this i esteem more precious than if thou hadst given me thousands of gold and silver . why was this so good for david ? that i might learn thy statutes . hitherto i have been altogether unacquainted with the language of that heavenly court , i was a stranger to thy divine law , but i am become a great proficient in that school , where none are good scholars but such as are humbled by the rod of correction . great losses and crosses do put into our hands the torch of wisdome , and great tribulations do make us truly wise , and though they seem to be very unpleasant , and are many times very unwelcome , yet they are lectures of holy discipline , and therefore we ought to bear them cheerfully . sect . iv. labour to bear your losses with submission to the will of god : many heathens from a stoical apathy , from vain-glory , and a vain affectation of praise , from pride and stoutness of stomack , have endured the severest torments , and suffered the loss of all things with great undauntedness of spirit , and meerly upon certain carnal grounds , and for sinister ends . as . that impatience is no part of manhood , but meer childishness of spirit . . that impatience may much aggravate , but cannot ease us of our troubles , or remove them . . because others suffer with them , it is the common lot of mankind to suffer . . because there is an inevitable necessity that they must be born ; feras non culpes , quod vitari non potest ; that must be borne that cannot be avoided , saith seneca . . because they cannot last alwayes , therefore they will endure them . but as august saith well , there is no true virtue where there is no true religion ; they are not right , unless they be fruits of the spirit . true religion teacheth us to bear losses , and endure afflictions out of love to god , and in obedience to gods command , and with submission to his will. there are some who are possessed with a spirit of obstinacy , that they disdain to bow under the yoke , and ( though the rod smart never so much ) to testifie any submission or remorse . pharaoh was such a one ; how terribly did god lash him with a ten-stringed whip , yet still he hardens his heart against him , and relenteth no more than if he had struck upon the side of a rock : and ahaz was such a one , he is branded and stigmatized for it , chron. . . god for his wickedness had delivered him up into the hands of his enemies , and they held him in captivity and thraldome ▪ yet in the time of his distress he did more trespass against the lord ; this is that king ahaz . now the ground of true patience is the will and pleasure of god. the orator in his definition of patience , made it to be a voluntary and constant suffering , honestatis & utilitatis causâ , for credit or for profit sake : but it is not credit or profit that we must aim at in the bearing afflictions , but we must have an eye to god in it , and it must be for his sake altogether , whatever we do , or whatever we suffer . now consider , it is his will to lay these tryals upon you , it is his pleasure you should be exercised with them , this must teach you to bear them quietly , and not to murmure against him , but to hold your peace and be silent . i was dumb , saith david , and opened not my mouth , because thou didst it . let others make a virtue of necessity ▪ quia necessitas sio cogit , because necessity so constrains them , they must do thus , and they cannot do otherwise ; let them yeeld because of this : consider thou what the pleasure and will of god is , quia deus sic jubet , because god seeth it good for you , and so appointeth it ; submit thou therefore to his will without murmuring . i have read of sir thomas more , being returned from his embassie beyond the seas , and being far from his own house , with king henry the viii . that in the moneth of august , part of his dwelling house , and all his barns ( being then full of corn ) were burnt up and consumed by a sudden fire ; his lady certifying him of this sad mishap ; he answereth her letter in this manner . madam , all health wished to you ; i do understand that all our barns and corn , with some of our neighbours likewise , are wasted by a fire : an heavy and lamentable loss ( but only that it was gods will ) of such abundance of wealth : but because it so seemed good to god , we must not only patiently , but also willingly bear and submit to the hand of god so stretched out upon us ; god gave whatsoever we lost , and seeing it hath so pleased him to take away what he gave , his divine will be done : never let us repine at this , but let us take it in good part ; we are bound to be thankful as well in adversity as in prosperity , and if we cast up our accounts well , this which we esteem so great a loss , is rather a great gain ; for what is necessary and conducing to our salvation , is better known to god than to us . i entreat you therefore to take a good heart , and to give thanks to god for all these things which he hath pleased to take away , as well as for all his blessings which he hath bestowed on us , and to praise him for that which is left : it is an easie matter with god , if he please , to augment what is left : but if he shall see good to take away more , even as it shall please him , so let it be : i pray thee be joyful in the lord with my children , and all our family ; all these things , and all we , are in the hands of the lord ; let us therefore wholly depend upon his good will , and so no losses shall ever hurt us . oh how good is it under all losses to conform our wills to the will of god! how willingly did david submit to the will of god , when he fled from his rebellious son absalom , and commanded the priests and the ark to return into the city , and told them , that if he should find favour in the eyes of the lord , he would bring him back again , and shew him both it and his habitation ; but if he say , i have no delight in thee , behold here i am , let him do to me , as seemeth good in his eyes , sam. . , . behold here david in a most sudden and hasty flight , in extreme straits , in deep distress , the whole kingdome being even lost in appearance , then did david submit himself wholly to his dispose ; he submits to the authority , soveraignty , and dominion that god hath over him . there is not any sacrifice more grateful to god , than under any losses or crosses to yeeld consent to the good will and pleasure of god. s. augustine speaks excellently to this purpose ; doth the gold shine in the furnace of the goldsmith ? it will shine and shew its lustre in a ring , in a chain or bracelet ; let it yet suffer the crucible , that it may come out purged from its dross to the publick view . there is the furnace wherein is dross and gold , and fire , at which the goldsmith bloweth ; in this furnace the dross is consumed , the gold refined ; the one is turned to ashes , the other is cleared from all filth : the world is the furnace , the wicked are the dross , the righteous are the gold , tribulation is the fire , and god is the goldsmith ; i do therefore what the goldsmith will have me ; where he putteth me i endure , i am commanded to bear , he knoweth best how to purge : though the dross burn to heat me and consume me , yet it wasteth it self , and i am purged from silth , because my soul waiteth upon god. it is meet therefore we should beg this at the hands of god , as once that devout man did . behold , o my loving father , i am in thy hands , i bow to the rod of thy correction , i kiss it ; strike my back and my stiff neck , that i may bend my crookedness to thy right and strait will ; give me above all things to enquire after the good pleasure of thy good will. chap. xiii . set before you the low and mean estate into which christ was brought , that was much better than your selves . you complain your houses are burnt , your habitations are consumed : are you in a worse condition than christ was ? did not he say while he was upon earth , the birds of the ayr have nests , and the foxes have holes , but the son of man hath not where to lay his head ? mat. . . so then you are in no worse condition than jesus christ himself was ; he that was heir of both worlds had not an house of his own to put his head in ; your head , your lord , your master did drink of the same cup that you drink of : are you poor , hungry , naked , harbourless , so was christ ? mark what our saviour speaks , mat. . , . the disciple is not above his master , nor the servant above his lord : it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master , and the servant as his lord. if you be christs disciples or servants , you must not look to be above him ; it were unreasonable that the servant should be in a better condition than his lord is , it is enough if he be equal with his lord , it is honor enough that the servant fareth no worse than his master . christ thereby sheweth what measure they must expect in case they will be his disciples : are you rich , expect to be poor for my sake ? have you houses and lands , expect to forsake all these , if i require it ? this is the motto of christs disciples ; domine reliquimus omnia , & te sequuti sumus . lord , we have left all and followed thee . christ deals plainly with his people , and tells them , in the world ye shall be poor ye shall have tribulation , ye shall endure the loss of all things . our saviour requireth of all that will be his disciples , that they do not set their affections on earthly things , that they should set their affections on heaven , christ and he alone must dwell in us : moreover , he requireth of his people , that quoad praeparationem animi & affectum , in respect of the preparation of the heart and the affection , they be alwaies ready cordially to part with houses , lands , and livings ; to forsake all persons and things which are near and dear to them , for his sake , and for the gospel-sake . yea , christ doth sometimes put some of his people upon the actual abdication of all their worldly goods , and to become as poor as job , as lazarus , for his sake , yea , to rejoyce they have houses , riches , goods , lands to lose for christ : such undoings are their makings ; such losings are savings ; this poverty is riches ; he loseth nothing who gaineth christ by losing all the world . christ's discipleas did actually forsake all things and persons , to follow him . did you often think of the poverty and low estate of christ , while he was in the world , your hearts would bee quiet under your losses . bee not too much dejected at your removal from your habitations ; the whole earth is your fathers ground , the lords lower house ; while you are lodged here , you have no assurance to lye ever in one chamber , but must bee content to remove from place of the lords nether house , to another , resting in hope , that when you come to the lords upper city , jerusalem , that is above , you shall remove no more , because then you shall be at home : and for the present remove to what house or place you will , if the most high god , the possessor of heaven and earth be with you , you are still at home , and your lodging is ever taken up before night , so long as he , who is the keeper of israel , is your home and habitation : in this dwelling house are many spacious rooms , and pleasant lights ; oh lay down your heads , by faith , in the bosome of christ , till this bee done , you shall never sleep soundly , nor rest in a quiet and settled habitation , finis . no abiding city in a perishing world ; but heaven only the continuing city , which we must diligently seek . set for in a discourse on hebrews . . for here we have no continuing city , but we seek one to come . or , meditations occasioned by the late , sad , and lamentable fire , in the city of london . published by william gearing minister of the word . isaiah . . glorifie ye the lord in the fires , &c. quicquid in mundo , aut praesens & hoc instabile ; aut praeteritum , & hoc jam nihil ; aut futurum , & hoc incertum . august . london , printed , by r. i. for thomas parkhurst , at the golden bible on london-bridge . . no abiding city in a perishing vvorld . heb. . . for here we have no continuing city , but we seek one to come . chap. i. the particle [ for ] invites me to look back upon the verses foregoing . the apostle tells us , ver . . that jesus , that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood , suffered without the gate : then he exhorteth . ver . . let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp , bearing his reproach . christ was figured by the sacrifices under the law ; as the beasts were burnt without the camp , so christ suffered without the gate , being cast out of the world as an accursed thing : if christ suffered without the gate , how should the saints be content to go out of the world , and bear the reproach the world casteth upon them , knowing that they shall be graciously received , not only into the camp of christ , but into his royal court ; the world shall not cast so much scorn upon them , as christ will shew them love and favour : it is better to be out of the camp with christ , than without christ , at the worlds head quarters . moses chose to forsake all rather than not to follow christ : so let us willingly bear the reproach of christ , and know that he will willingly receive all those that for his sake are content to bear the reproach that the world casteth upon them . this exhortation of the apostle is directed . to the jews ; to bid an eternal farewel to all the levitical ceremonies and ordinances , and to go to christ who suffered without the gate : his suffering there was to put an end to temple-worship in jerusalem . calvin thus paraphraseth it ; think not that god will now be pleased with this typical worship ; but now he expecteth that you should go to christ , and suffer injuries , banishment , and all manner of persecutions for his sake . . to christians : to bid an adieu to the customes , to the fashions , to the courses , to the lusts of this world , and to resolve to go forth to christ , and follow him , notwithstanding the vile reproaches , cruel mockings , that ever did , and ever shall fall upon all , both hebrews and christians , who sincerely follow and cleave to christ : for the ceremonious jews did reproach such as did shake off the yoke of mosaical rites , and observe the evangelical ordinances of christ : and the wicked among christians do to this very day load such with reproaches , who cast off the yoke of worldly lusts and practises , and walk as becometh the gospel of christ : now he that will go forth to christ , must resolve to bear his reproaches ; which are better than all the magnificent titles of honour , the vast treasures of wealth the world can give ; and though they render us ignominious before the world , yet they render us as honorable before god. my text is a reason of the apostles exhortation , or a strong motive to encourage us to go forth to christ bearing his reproach ; for , or because , we have here no continuing city , but we seek one to come : wherefore slight the reproaches of the world ( as travellers do the barking of dogs ) in your journey to the city of glory . it is a probable conjecture made by some , as estius observeth , that s. paul speaks prophetically of the destruction of the city of jerusalem , which was then at hand , and that in a short time neither that city nor the country about it , would be an abiding place for them , but driven from thence they should be , and be forced to wander up and down , and therefore they were to look for no other abiding place but heaven . chap. ii. in the words of my text you have a position , and an opposition , or a position , and a conclusion . . the position is ; here we have no continuing city . . the opposition or conclusion is , but [ or therefore ] we seek one to come : for the present we have no abiding city , but there is an abiding city to come which we seek . this earthly jerusalem is no abiding city for you hebrews : this world is no abiding city for you christians . but jerusalem that is above , the heavenly city , the city of the king of kings , that is an abiding city , that let us diligently seek after . this world is to believers , as the wilderness was to the israelites , they were pilgrims in it : so are believers in the world , strangers and pilgrims ; they abode not long in the wilderness , but passed through it to canaan , there they made their abode : so this world is not a place for believers to abide in , but must pass thorow it to an heavenly canaan , that is an abiding country , an abiding city , and there all believers shall abide to eternity . the general point of instruction to be drawn from hence is ; that the consideration that there is no abiding place in this world , should forcibly move us to seek out for heaven . this was that which moved abraham , isaac and jacob , those renowned candidates of eternity , to be as pilgrims in the world , wandring from place to place , now sojourning here , then sojourning there , but abode no where ; and wheresoever they went , they dwelt not in palaces or fortresses strongly built , but in tabernacles , which they could pitch down , and take up , and carry them whether they pleased : and so they used to do , to mind them that there was no abiding for them here , but they must look after a city , wherein they should abide for ever . heb. . , , , . by faith abraham sojourned in the land of promise , as in a strange country , dwelling in tabernacles with isaac and jacob , the heirs with him of the same promise : for he looked for a city which hath foundations , whose builder and maker is god. they confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ; for they that say such things , declare plainly that they seek a country . but now they desire a better country ( than that from whence they came out ) that is , an heavenly . here ye have a full proof of the point ; the holy ghost calling believers sojourners , pilgrims , strangers , what is it but to convince them , that there is no abiding for them in this world ? this world is not their country , their city , their home , their habitation ; here they are not to place their hopes , to set their affections , to seek a lasting happiness ; but heaven is their city , their country , their home , their habitation : there all our hopes should be placed , thither should all our desires aspire , there we are to seek everlasting happiness , there we shall be sure to find it , and to abide in the possession of it to eternity . chap. iii. for the better prosecution of this point , i shall draw from it two propositions , and make use of them . prop. . that here is no abiding city . i need not seek proof for this , for there is none of us , but his experience evidenceth it . . take city here , for our houses we dwell in ; they are no abiding places for us : death turneth every man out of his own doors , and carrieth him from his house to the grave ; it turneth princes out of their stately palaces , and great men out of their strong-built houses and castles , and poor men out of their cottages . the poor mans cottage , the rich mans house , and the princes palace , are of no continuance ; how many stately houses , edifices , and castles have we seen in our daies to be made ruinous heaps , and consumed to ashes ? your continual repairing them sheweth them to be of no long continuance . . take city , for the towns and cities wherein we inhabit with others , they are no continuing places for us to abide in for ever : see we not , how one generation passeth , and another cometh ? and the generation that is coming is going : and though the stages stand a while when the actors are gone off , yet at length the stages are taken down . what is now become of jerusalem , of athens , of corinth , and of those famous cities of asia ? how many famous towns and cities are become ruinous heaps ? jam seges est ubi troja fuit . behold there now is good corn-land , where once the city troy did stand . the like may be said of many towns and cities in the world . cato the censor boasted that he had taken more towns and cities in spain , than he had been daies in it ; plutarch saith he took four hundred . sempronius gracchus , destroyed in spain three hundred more , as polybius relateth . pliny saith , that coneys destroyed a great city in spain , and that moles destroyed another in macedonia : many have been destroyed by fire , many by inundations of water , and others have been swallowed up by earthquakes : here we have no abiding city . we read , gen. . . that the lord rained upon sodom and gomorrah brimstone and fire from the lord out of heaven , and he overthrew those cities , and all the plain , and all the inhabitants of those cities , and that which grew upon the ground . josephus saith , that five cities perished : and we read of five cities of that region named , gen. . . viz. sodom , gomorrha , admah , sebojim , and bela , which is zoar. moses , besides the two principal cities , mentioneth the place of their scituation , but admah and sebojim were destroyed by fire as well as sodom and gomorrah , deut. . . these the lord overthrew in his anger and fury : as for zoar , theodoret , lyra , and others , think it was preserved upon the request of lot , but that after lot went out of it , it was utterly over hrown . but this cannot be made evident from scripture , that this fifth city was either overthrown together with the rest ; or a little afterward ; but the contrary rather appeareth from the speech of the lord to lot , gen. . . he said unto him , see , i have accepted thee concerning this thing , that i will not overthrow this city , for the which thou hast spoken . and mention is made of it , isa . . . where it is said , that the moabites being overcome by the assyrian , should flye unto zoar , babylon , and nineveh ; those great cities , are long since utterly laid waste . . take city , for the countries wherein we live ; they shall not abide , neither shall any man continue in them for ever : fruitful canaan is now become a barren wilderness : how hath the country cast out all her inhabitants ? kingdomes , countries , nations , common-wealths , have their deaths and burials , as well as the inhabitants of them . . take city , for the world it self , and this is no continuing place . though it hath continued a most six thousand years , yet pet. . . the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night , in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , and the works that are therin shall be burnt up . here you have a full description of the worlds destruction : it is above all humane determination , whether this fire shall be a fire of utter abolition of the world , or a fire of purgation to refine it : when these things come to pass , then heaven and hell will divide the whole world between them . chap. iv. sect . i. quest . how is it that nothing here is of continuance ? resp . . the very law of their creation subjecteth the world , and all creatures therein , to dissolution and corruption : every creature , qua creature , is corruptible ; look but upon their composition , the materials , the principles are corruptible ; and there is a contrariety and opposition between them : how can creatures stand and continue which are divided within themselves ? look upon the things we are most apt to dote upon ; our cities , houses , are they not made of dissoluble materials ? though some continue for many generations , yet either water , fire , or war , or if none of these , their age consumeth them . we see how among men , some dye of old age ; so age ruineth cities , towns , and all other things : the heavens , which of all creatures are the most durable , yet saith the psalmist , they shall wax old like a garment , psa . . . which text is enough to confute the philosophical opinion , that maintaineth the heavens to be made of incorruptible matter . . mans rebellion against his lord and creator , hath put the whole creation in subjection to great vanity and corruptibility , rom. . , . the creature was made subject to vanity , not willingly , but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope . by the creature there , is meant , the heavens and the earth , with all the creatures in them , angels excepted , who are only spectators of this vanity , not vassals to it , as all other creatures are . by vanity ] we are to understand a state of imperfection , opposite to their created condition and perfection ; they have lost much of their primitive excellency and perfection . and they are made subject to vanity , which denoteth , that they are unavoidably in a state of vanity ; they cannot help themselves . but yet not willingly . ] here the apostle continueth his prosopopeia , attributing will to inanimate and sensitive creatures , which have no will at all : it sheweth , that this vanity that is upon the creature , is against the natural inclination of the creature . creatures by natural instinct do abhor corruption : all creatures are strongly carried with a desire of self-preservation , to preserve their own perfections . moreover , it noteth , that all the vanity in the creature is not from it self , but it is meerly adventitious ; mans rebellion , and gods curse , is the cause of all their vanity : as death passed on all men , because all had sinned , so vanity and corruption hath passed upon the whole creation , because man hath sinned . — but by reason of him who hath subjected the same . ] these words clearly shew , how and by whom this yoke of vanity came to be laid on the creatures ; not by themselves , but by him who hath subjected the same , viz. god ; who being provoked by the sin of adam , layes this bondage of vanity on the creature , as part of the penalty of mans disobedience . cameron passionately contendeth , that it must be meant of man , not of god ; because the apostle doth not mention the name of god ; but the following words sufficiently confute him , and evince , it is god who subjecteth the creature to vanity ; because though he hath powred forth vanity on them , yet he hath left in them a hope of restitution . and to reconcile cameron with other interpreters , this distinction may be used : man is the procuring and deserving cause of the creatures subjection unto vanity ; and god is the efficient or imposing cause of this subjection unto vanity . all creatures in their own being were by nature corruptible , but our sin makes them two-fold more the children of vanity and corruptibility : mans sin and gods curse on the creature for sin , hasteneth the creatures to their dissolution . as the house of the leper was in it self not unclean , but the walls thereof being once infected with leprosie , it was the sooner pulled down . sect . ii. i know it is a dispute among divines , whether there be a decay of nature in all creatures : some strongly affirm , that yet there is no decay , but they are as vigorous now as they were in their first creation . others ( and i think more truly ) affirm , a decay in nature , both in the heavens and the earth ; the sun and the heavens have not those vigorous influences as formerly . what meaneth the curse upon the earth ; ( thorns and bryars shall it bring forth ) but a decay of its nature ? what is meant by vanity and corruption under which it groaneth , but their natural decay ? why are not the lives of men of that duration ▪ as formerly ? one reason given is , because the fruits of the earth are not so nourishable and healthful as before the flood ? a general deluge brought saltness and barrenness upon the earth : so that now there is a gradual privation of the creatures of their original beauty , goodness , pleasantness , sweetness , which they received from god in their creation , by which privation they are rendered unable to perfect the particular uses for which they were created . the sun , moon and stars , though still they remain excellent creatures , yet it is supposed by sundry divines , they have lost much of their primitive splendour , and that they shine not so bright as at their first creation : the moon hath her spots ; it is disputable , whether she had them from the beginning : some stars ( though great bodies ) yet are scarce perceptible by the eye : the ayr , the waters , have lost much of their sweetness , pleasantness and clarity ; the earth hath lost much of her beauty ; the herbs , plants , fruits , trees , have lost much of their virtue ; all the living creatures have lost much of their created goodness . all men see with what art , toyl and labour , the husbandman provokes the earth to its present fruitfulness , seeing the whole earth was naturally propense to bring forth fruits of all kinds in great abundance ▪ but for our sakes it is subject to much barrenness ; all the heaths and wilder wasts in the world , are marks of this curse of vanity on the earth : had not the soul of man become a wilderness in respect of grace and holiness , there had been no wilderness in the earth in respect of barrenness . all mans labour and sweat to make the earth bring forth , is a part of mans punishment also : had not man sinned ( though adam in innocence should have laboured ) yet it should have been without sorrow , sweat , and wearisomness : men may thank their own sin for every drop of sweat that trickleth down their face , and for every miscarrying of the earth . sect . iii. moreover , it consisteth in a positive malignity , which through sin and the curse of god is now cast upon the whole creation ; the sun it self worketh deliquia , eclipses , it suffereth , it worketh a contrary evil to the good for which it was created : the heat thereof scorcheth the earth , and maketh it to become iron under our feet , whose light and heat was created to comfort and cherish the earth , it now scorcheth the creatures , yea man himself : the ethiopians are so scorched with it , that for anger they shoot arrows against the sun. — the moon , besides her eclipses and changes , doth also emit sad influences on the creatures below , witness the lunatick , the paralitick ; the moon causeth many humors in the body to stir : you read in the book of job of the sweet influences of pleiades , but these also do sometimes send out their maligne influences : the ayr is oftentimes very contagious and pestilential , as we have seen by sad experience of late ; and yet is manifest in many towns and cities , and other lesser places of this kingdome at this day : now the ayr scorcheth , then it cooleth ; now it is calm , then boisterous : the earth bringeth forth bryars and thorns , and unwholesome weeds , instead of wholesome fruit . in all living creatures , you shall see how sin hath put into them an hatred , and antipathy , and opposition , the one seeking to destroy each other ▪ the curse of vanity hath put the whole creation out of order : hence are all those mutations , alterations , corruptions , and destructions among the creatures , and of the creatures . quest . here it may be demanded , why doth god inflict this punishment of vanity and corruption on the creature for mans sin , without any fault in the creature ? resp . . it is no injury to the creature at all . chrysostome saith well , ratio aequi & iniqui non ad creaturas inanimatas transferenda est . the consideration of right and wrong , justice and injustice , is not to be transferred to the creatures void of life , but only to the rational , who were subjects capable of both . . because the creatures were made for man ; therefore if man rebelled against his soveraign lord , they shall suffer for man also . chrysostome saith , si propter me factae sint , nihil admittitur injustitiae , si propter me patiantur : if they were made for my use and service , there is no injustice if they suffer for me to my shame and vexation ; and the reason is , because seeing they were made for the use and service of man , therefore the change to the worse , which is now come upon them , is not their punishment , but a part of the punishment of man. chap. v. r. . a third reason why we have no abiding city here , nor any thing of long continuance , is taken partly from the love of god to his people , and partly from his wrath to the wicked . the wicked shall not have a continuance here , and nothing durable , because god will put an end to sin and sinners , and clear the world of sin and sinners , wherefore he will dissolve all these things . as long as wicked men live they will continue in sin ; should a wicked man live a thousand years , so long would he live in sin ; a drunkard would continue in his drunkenness , a swearer in his swearing , so long as there is any continuance of his city . oh to what an height of wickedness would men arrive , if they and their cities were of long continuance on the earth ; they forget god already , and should god lengthen out their time to continue for ever , or for some thousands of years , they would be ready to think themselves were gods , and not dying men : therefore the lord doth not suffer sinners nor their cities to be of long continuance ; and many times he cuts off notorious sinners in the midst of their daies : bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their daies ; god ruineth their cities and habitations , they moulder away , and are not of long continuance . it is likewise in love to the godly , that neither they nor their cities shall be of long continuance here , because god will quickly put an end to their sufferings , their reproaches , their persecutions , their calamities , and deliver them from the body of death which makes them miserable , and will ere long take them up to their desired and expected happiness , laid up in heaven for them . in a word ; god will have no long lasting worldly city , or other worldly thing , that the miseries of his children may be short , and their happiness may be of eternal duration ; and that the joy and prosperity of the wicked may be short , and their sorrow and torment may be eternal . chap. vi. sect . i. if here we have no continuing city ; vse then be exhorted in the first place , not to fix the eyes of your souls upon these transitory things . wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? prov. . . for riches make themselves wings , and flee away toward heaven . all flesh is grass , and all the glory of man is but as the flower of the field ; the grass withereth , the flower fadeth . pet. . . all flesh is as grass ; it is but as the earths summers garment , put off before winter cometh ; and all the glory of man ( or whatsoever man is apt most to glory in ) is but as the flower of the field , a fading ornament , that within a day or two withereth and cometh to nothing : we look not at the things which are seen , but at the things which are not seen , for the things which are seen are temporal , but the things which are not seen are eternal , saith s. paul , cor ▪ . . we are not restrained from the seeing of these things ; for the senses were made for use , and their use is to be applied to their several objects ; the words there used by the apostle are [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] we look not at the things that are seen as at a mark : the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a mark , and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to look at things as at a mark . now when a man aimeth at a mark , he seeth many things between his eye and the mark , but he slightly looks upon them , but he looketh fully upon the mark ; his eye staieth at , and is fixed upon the mark : now the mark that the apostle professed hee looked at , was jesus christ , phil . . i forget that which is behinde , i press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of god in christ jesus . i conceive he alludeth to those games and acts of hostility used among the greeks , where there was first , a mark , secondly , a price ; a mark which they look'd at , a price which they aimed at , in their exercises of shooting , wrestling , running on foot , or on horse-back , &c. so the apostle , he had his mark that he aimed at , that was the lord jesus christ , that hee might know him , and be found in him , and be made conformable to him : and the price that he ran for , was the high calling of god in christ jesus , the crown of eternal life and glory , that high price to which christians are called of god in christ jesus . now on the contrary , the apostle sheweth , that these visible and temporal things were not the mark that he aimed at , that was but a poor low thing , in comparison of eternal glory . do not therefore make these transitory things , your mark and scope , make them not the scope of your intentions ; you cannot level at them ; they are transient , and will soon have an end . i know no such beauty in the face of this fading world , so as to draw the eyes of our souls to fix upon it ; the house of this world is a smoaky house , and it bloweth upon our eyes ; oh then let us pluck up the stakes of our tent , and take our tent upon our back , and repair to our best home , for here we have no continuing city . sect . ii. take heed you do not entertain too high thoughts of these perishing things , let us learn to esteem them as wise solomon did , vanity of vanities , eccles . . . as he found them by experience , which cost him dear . i conceive that the lord by his wise counsel , left him to plunge himself into sensual delights , having such a large understanding , to contrive what was in the creature to the uttermost , that he might teach the church the nature of them , to the end of the world from his own experience . now , saith he , eccles . . . what can a man do that cometh after the king ? is it not a madness for any man to think to finde more satisfaction in them than king solomon did ? if any man hath higher thoughts of these things , it is not because he seeth more into them than solomon did , but because he dotes so much upon them , so as to be besotted with them . judge not according to appearance , saith our saviour , joh. . . he that will judge of these fading things by their outsides , may well expect to be deceived ; but the immortal soul of man being of an intellectual nature , and having an understanding faculty , being far above sense , should look more inwardly into them , and see what they are all in comparison to the true happiness of the soul of man ; they bring not the soul one step the neerer to true happiness : now it is as impossible for the outward man to be happy , while the inner man is miserable , as for the outer part of the body to be in health , while the heart is sick unto death . let us therefore value these transitory things at a low rate , esteeming them as vain things that cannot profit , sam. . . as nothing , less than nothing , and vanity it self , isai . . . oh let us compare our inch of time with vast eternity , and the esteem that we have of this now flourishing and green world , with the esteem we shall have of it , when worms and corruption shall make their houses in our eye-holes , and our flesh and body shall be consumed ( then our light of this worlds vanity shall be more clear than now it is ) then shall we see , that though the world makes men believe , that whatsoever things it offereth them it is of good substance , and may well suffice to satisfie our hungry appetites yet when tryal is made , there is nothing to be found but winde and vanity , and that they that feed upon these husks , feed upon nothing but the winde , as the prophet speaks of ephraim , hos . . . wouldest thou not take him for a fool , that when he is hungry , would open his mouth , and gape , and take in the ayr to satisfie his hunger withall ? thy folly , o man is nothing less , if thou thinkest to satisfie the appetite of thy soul with the wind of things visible and temporal , neglecting things eternal . such a fool was that rich man , luk. . , . ( for so the holy ghost calls him ) wherein did he play the fool , but in suffering his thoughts wholly to run after outward perishing things ? therefore he thus complaineth ; i want room to lay up my fruits ; but never thinketh what room there is for him in heaven ; be cries out : what shall become of my goods ? but never thinketh , oh what shall become of my poor soul ? then he cometh to this resolution ; i will build my barns to lay up my fruits in . ] but no such thought as this , i will lay up for my self treasure in heaven , and labour to have a mansion in heaven for my immortal soul : thou hast goods laid up for many years in store . ] but no such thought as this ; thou knowest not whether thou shalt enjoy them one day more ; for thy soul may be taken away before one night be at an end : soul , take thine ease , eat , drink , and be merry ; but no such thought as this : soul , what ease shall i find in eternal torments ? what if my present mirth and jollity should deprive me of that fulness of joy that is in the presence of god , and those pleasures that are for evermore , and end in howling , and weeping , and gnashing of teeth ? sect . iii. set not your hearts upon these unstable things : o yee sons of men , how long will ye love vanity ? psal . . . all the goods of mortals are mortal ; whatsoever it is that you entitle your selves lords of , it is with you but for a time , it is not yours to continue with you ; there is nothing firm , eternal , and incorruptible , that weak and corruptible men do possess ; it will as necessarily perish , as we must necessarily lose it ; and this if we well understand , is a great solace , to lose that indifferently , which must perish necessarily ; the only help therefore that wee shall finde against these losses , is not to love them too dearly , because in a short time they must bee lost : lift up your soul above humane felicities , cast it not away for those things that are below , and without it self . the soul of man cometh of a more noble and divine stock , than to be enamoured with fading and perishing things : o what vanity is it so much to dote upon these shadows ? how fondly do we love them while we have them ? and how passionately do we lament their loss ? we part with many things in grief ; because we loved them in chief . o the unhappiness of mankind , saith s. augustine ; the world is bitter , and yet we love it : if it were sweet indeed , how should we then dote upon it ? it is very troublesome , yet we love it ; how should we affect it , if it were altogether quiet and peaceable ? how eagerly then should we gather the flowers of it , since we so greedily catch up the thorns ? now if , as chrysostome speaks , notwithstanding all the evils which compass us about in this world , we desire to live long in it , when , oh when ( were it free from all disturbances ) should we seek for any thing else ? we are so bewitched with these vanities , that we prefer our pilgrimage before our country ; and hence it is , that god either imbitters our cups , and mingleth our pleasures with vexations , lest we should mistake wormwood and vinegar for true nectar ; or else he takes away these outward comforts from us , that we may see our folly in placing so much of our affections upon things that were of no continuance : ah! how much do we smell of the smoak of this lower house of the earth , because our heart and thoughts are here ? and how unwilling are we to go out of it , albeit we are in danger of being suffocated with the smoak of it ? it is a great folly so eagerly to love fading and unstable things : gregory speaks well to this purpose ; we never forego any thing willingly , but what we possess inaffectionately ; and speaking of job , he saith , he parted with all with a willing mind , which he possessed without inordinate delight . you now see the best of this world to be but a moth-eaten thred-bare coat ; resolve now to lay it aside , being old and full of holes , and look after that house above , not made with hands , eternal in the heavens : set not your heart upon the world , since god hath not made it your portion , and your inheritance . what misery of miseries is it for the immortal soul of man to be enslaved to the world , which is but an heap of fuel kept in store , reserved unto fire against the day of judgement , and perdition of ungodly men , especially now in this age of the world when it is ready for the fire ? but in that day , when the perdition of the ungodly shall be , then shall the world be destroyed , the world and all its fond lovers shall perish together in one day : how shall this make for the glory of gods justice , who shall bring destruction upon them that love the world above himself , on that day wherein the world it self shall be destroyed ? let us therefore endeavour daily to curb and restrain this exorbitancy of affection ; as king tarquinius walking in his garden , whipped off the tops and heads of the tallest flowers with his staff ; so must we cut off these rising affections , as soon as they begin to peep forth , and put up head in our hearts ; this world which god will not have to be yours , o christians , is but the dross and scum of gods creation , the portion of the lords poor hired servants , the moveables , not the heritage of the sons of zion : it is but an offal or hard bone , cast to the dogs that are thrust out from the new jerusalem , upon which they rather break their teeth , than satisfie their appetite : keep your love and your hope in heaven ; it is not good your love and your lord should be in two sundry countryes , as one excellently speaketh ; he is semper idem , alwayes the same , yesterday , to day , and for ever : keep at a distance from the walls of this pest-house , even the pollutions of this defiling and fading world . sect . iv. do not muse too much upon these transitory things ; do not let your thoughts dwell too much upon them ; do not mind the things that are beneath ; do not think often , nor think seriously of them , so as to say , it is good for us to be here , let us here build tabernacles ; as they are transitory in their own nature , so they must be lookt upon in transitu : as a traveller in a journey , may see many fine towns , and stately edifices with his eye , but he mindeth his way , he will not stay his horse to take a view of them : so he that hath heaven in his thoughts , and will seek after a city that is to come , must not suffer these fading things to stay him in his course heaven-ward : it is the vanity of our spirits that enclineth us to muse upon these transitory things ; and on the other side , the more we dwell upon them in our thoughts , the more light and vain our spirits are ; the more you muse upon them , the more you will be ensnared by them . what is a soul the poorer to want the lusts and perishing vanities of this present evil world ? certainly we have no cause to weep at the want of such toyes as these ; we have nothing to do in this prison except to take meat , drink and house-room in it for a time only : this world is not yours ; let not your heaven be made of such poor mettal as mire and clay . oh where are those heavenly-minded souls , that have nothing but their bodies of earth walking up & down upon the superficies of it , whose souls , and the powers of them , are up in heaven ? oh mens souls have no wings , and therefore they keep their nest , and fly not to that upper region . could we be deaf and dead to this worlds charms , we might deride at the folly of those who are wooing this world for their match , and scorn to court such a withered princess , or buy this worlds kindness with a bow of our knees : alas ! it is little the world can take from us , and it is not much that it can give us ; but the worst of christ is better than the worlds best things ; his chaff is better than the worlds corn. oh let your thoughts dwell much upon that blessedness that abideth you in the other world , and upon that continuing city that is to come . sect . v. labour not much for these transitory things : labour not for the meat that perisheth , joh. . . our saviour therein teacheth us , to look upon all things here below whatsoever , but as meat that goes into the belly , and is cast out of the draught to the dunghill , and exhorts us to labour after that meat that shall endure to eternal life : do not then toil and moil for such uncertainties ; all earthly things are very mutable , they are like a land-flood which faileth in a time of drought , when we have most need of water : s. peter tells us , the end of all things is at hand . it is true in a two-fold sense . . in a relative sense , in relation to every particular , person , and his interest in them ; in relation to thee and me , and every one of us ; when our end cometh , then the end of all things is come unto us : when thy life endeth , then the world , and all the things of the world do end to thee ; it is as much to thee as if all the world were at an end . . it is true in an absolute sense , pet. . . the day of the lord cometh as a thief in the night , in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise , and the elements shall melt with fervent heat , the earth also , and the works that are therein , shall be burnt up : so that all these visible things are temporal , and shall have an end . now these visible things are of two sorts ; either first , the substances , or subjects : or secondly , the accidents ; though in a proper sense , the accidents are visible , and the substances cannot be discerned but by their accidents . you see not the substance of the world , but the colour , the form and figure of it , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and even this also is temporal , and the fashion of it passeth away , cor. . . all visible things , though never so pleasing to us , as health , wealth , honours , pleasures , riches , beauty , strength , all the outward and natural perfections that are in any creatures , are not abiding , they are temporal only , though never so pleasant to us . on the other side , all miseries , deformities , pains , sicknesses , shall all be abolished ; the substance ( that is , the foundation ) being taken away , the accidents that cleaves to them ( whether ornaments or blemishes ) must needs vanish with them . when a goodly palace is on fire , the beauty of it , the painting , the engraving , the carved work , and also the decayes and ruines of it , will be abolished with it : so the substance of these things being destroyed , all the materials ( whether beautiful or uncomely ) shall be destroyed together . as the iron naturally hath its rust to consume it , and each tree its worm and rottenness , so all living creatures , all cities , kingdomes , have their internal causes of decay : consider things above or below , all trades or liberal sciences , they all ever had , and ever shall have their perishings ; and as the rivers by a continual course do empty themselves into the ocean , so all worldly things do slide into the channel of destruction , as to their mark they aim at : therefore labour not after these perishing things . sect . vi. do not expect much from these unstable things ; do not build your hopes upon them ; such hopes are but cobweb hopes , as bildad speaks , job . , , . such a man may lean upon his house , but both he and his house will fall together ; he may hold it fast , but his hope will deceive him : every thing under the cope of heaven is but ill ground , and an ill foundation , every thing except god wanteth a bottom ; and cannot stand alone of it self , and therefore can give no support to any one that shall rest or lean upon it . oh how many are there in the world whose hearts would die within them , were these temporal things taken from them ? take away these temporal things from those that have made them their confidence , and they have nothing else to rest upon . all these visible things have miscarrying wombs and dry breasts , that will deceive those that look for much from them : the world still makes many fair promises of much good to us , and of long continuance with us , but in performances proveth contrary ; it promiseth joy , but cometh accompanied with sorrow , and when we have most need of its help , it will be farthest from us : grapes never grew out of these thorns , nor figs out of these thistles : it is not good to trust to lying vanities , which ever deceive those that trust unto them ; and god often strips us of these uncertain things , these fading helps , and weak-hearted runawayes , that we might place all our hope and trust in him , who never leaveth nor forsaketh them that trust in him . chap. vii . i come now to handle the second proposition , which is this . prop. . that heaven is a continuing city . in the prosecution of this point , i will shew you first how it is a city , then how it is a continuing city : that it is a city , will appear by these demonstrations . . in a city there be divers streets , divers houses in those streets , wherein some are bigger , some are lesser ; a city is large and spacious ; so our saviour saith , in my fathers house ( the city of the great king ) are many mansions , joh. . . it is a most magnificent city , no greatness in the world can be compared with the greatness of it ; it is the royal palace of the great god , who inhabiteth eternity , whom the heaven and the heaven of heavens are not able to contain , there he vouchsafeth to dwell , and in a most glorious manner to communicate himself to his angels , and his saints . . heaven is populous as a city : if you desire to know the number of the inhabitants of this city , s. john will tell you , revel . . . that he saw in spirit such a great company of blessed saints ( that no man was able to reckon them ) gathered together of all kinds of nations , people and tongues , which stood before the throne of almighty god , and of the lamb , apparrelled in white garments , and with triumphant palms in their hands , singing praise unto almighty god. hereunto doth that of the prophet daniel agree , dan. . . thousand thousands ministred unto him , and ten thousand-times ten thousand , stood before him . . it is full of glorious riches as a city : it is said of tyre , that the merchants thereof were princes ; so all the inhabitants of this city are noble personages , there is no one among them of base lineage or extraction , forasmuch as they be all the sons and daughters of the lord god almighty , and instated into a rich and glorious inheritance . . it is a city compact , and at unity within it self : we must not think that the greatness of the number of these citizens causeth any disorder among them ; for there the multitude is no cause of confusion , but of greater order ; there must needs be good agreement , there being none but god and good company there ; there is no matter of discontent or discord among the citizens ; for these commonly arise about partition and division either of honors or offices ; here is ambition : or else of goods or possessions ; here is covetousness : now neither of these shall ever come there ; for heavens happy excess shall not be diminished , nor any whit impaired by reason of the multitude of sharers in it ; for as s. august . tells us , the glory of heaven shall be , tanta singulis , quanta omnibus , such to every one in particular , as it shall be to all in common ; and although there shall be dispar gloria singulorum , yet there shall be communis laetitia omnium ; they all live so lovingly together , that they are all as it were one heart , and one soul . all the citizens of heaven live so harmoniously and peaceably together , that the very city it self is called jerusalem , the vision of peace . although all the saints shall be like christ in glory , yet one saint will exceed another in glory . god will cloathe all his children alike , yet their garments shall be made proportionable to their stature ; all the saints shall be vessels of mercy , yet one saint shall be a larger and a more capacious vessel than another . christ in his answer to that curious request of zebedees wife , mat. . . granting that some shall sit at his right hand , and others at his left in his kingdome , implieth , that there shall be degrees of glory , to some more , to others less ; they all shall have the same glory and happiness , ratione objecti faelicitat is & gloria non ratione participationis : in regard of the object of happiness ( god in christ is the object of happiness ) they shall all enjoy god ; but in regard of the participation of the object , one may and shall see him more clearly than another . in my fathers house are many mansions , saith our saviour . patris domus , the fathers house is put for one and the same object of glory : pluralitas mansionum ; there be many mansions , that sheweth there are divers degrees of glory , saith aquinas . this is his comparison ; there is but one center unto which all things tend , but some bodies are neerer than other bodies ; so god in christ is the center of all our happiness ( seneca calleth god , animae centrum , the center of the soul. ) but one saint tendeth more neer to god than another ; one shall partake more of glory than another , yet notwithstanding they shall be all full of glory and happiness , as christ is ; christ will give to every saint his measure of glory . danaeus saith well ; the saints in heaven shall want envy ; one saint shall not envy another saints greater measure of glory , because they shall be all full of glory ; and there shall be no want of whatsoever pertaineth to make a creature happy : every saint shall have and enjoy such fulness of happiness , that nec plus quaeret quam habebit , nec minus habere se dolebit , quam habet : he that hath the least measure of glory shall seek for no more , nor grieve that he hath so little . . the end of building cities was , that people might be free from the fear of their enemies abroad , and live quietly among themselves at home : now this heavenly city is too high for any adversary to approach to , and therefore free from being assaulted with any forreign enemy : there is no enemy can shoot an arrow into this city , nor scale the walls , nor incamp against it , nor make any battery in it , nor set it on fire , nor so much as draw a line about it ; great is their peace , and nothing shall offend them . . it is a city in respect of its government : a city is a corporation of men enjoying the same priviledges , living under the same government . heaven is a city , saith st. august . whereof the holy angels and saints are the citizens , the eternal father the temple , the son the brightness , the holy ghost the love : how can it be ill in that city where god himself is the governour , his will and pleasure the law , and none but the good angels and saints the inhabitants thereof ? in this city god manifesteth himself gloriously , and ruleth immediately , not by outward compulsion , but by taking full possession of the soul and body of every saint and citizen ; they esteeming it to be their glory and happiness to be subject to him fully , he ruling in love , and they obeying in love ; he governing them as a father , and they yeelding filial subjection to him . chap. viii . now this city hath a high priviledge above all other cities , it is a continuing city . the apostle gives the reason why it is a continuing city , because it is a city which hath foundations , whose builder and maker is god , heb. . . . it hath foundations in the plural number ; it hath many foundations , firm and immoveable , foundations that cannot be shaken . . it is built upon the foundation of gods eternal good will and pleasure to his people . . it is builded upon the foundation of gods election to eternal glory . . it is built upon the foundation of christs eternal merits and purchase . . it is built upon the foundation of gods everlasting covenant of grace . . it is built upon the foundation of gods great and faithful promises : oh what a continuing city is heaven , that is founded upon such strong immoveable rocks and mountains of love . ii. it is said , whose builder and maker is god. ] all other cities are builded by mortal , corruptible , dying men : but this city is made and builded by the eternal and immortal god , who will uphold it by the word of his power for ever and ever ; it is the place where he will dwell , where he will govern for ever . the psalmist tells us , god by his excellent wisdome made the heavens , psa . . . there is no tongue able to express the workmanship of that curious building : for if that work that appeareth outwardly to our mortal eyes be so goodly and glorious , what is there to be supposed of all the rest , that is there reserved for the sight of immortal eyes ? and if certain works of mortal men are made here so beautiful and sightly , that they do even amaze the spectators ; what a work then must that be , that hath been wrought by the immediate hand of god himself , in that magnificent house , that royal palace , that city of joy and comfort , which he hath built for the glory of his chosen ones ? this city therefore shall continue for ever , and they that are once in possession thereof , shall never be cast out of those mansions , which god hath appointed them in this heavenly city . chap. ix . use . vse these things being so , let us not think our selves cosmopolitae , citizens of the world , as the heathen phylosophers did , but our anopolitae , burgesses of heaven , as all the faithful have done , and carry our selves as s. paul professeth of himself , and all his fellow-believers , saying , our conversation is in heaven . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , our city-like conversation . phil. . . we carry our selves as the free denizons and inhabitants of heaven ; so beza renders it . in a word ; as english merchants or citizens of london , travelling in france , spain , italy , venice , have their hearts and minds at home with their wives and children , where their friends and freedomes be ; so should we from these and the like examples , learn to have heavenly minds in our earthly mansions , and to fix our hearts and hopes upon our heavenly city , even while we be finishing our earthly pilgrimage : the hopes of this happiness sweetens our present discontents ; and there is not any holy pilgrim on earth , who takes not courage , when he thinketh that after his tedious pilgrimage , he shall enjoy an endless felicity in that heavenly city . what was a station in the wilderness among sands , and fiery serpents , to a settled abode in canaan ? what is an inne upon earth , to a mans own home in the city of the great king ? how should every one of us hasten to this city , travelling thither with all his might , and longing to be there ? labour with a spiritual eye to take an exact view of this heavenly city , and of the beautiful order that is therein ; walk about this celestial sion daily in thy contemplations , go round about her , tell the towers thereof , walk thorow all the streets and wayes therein , consider well the beauty and glory of this city , the nobleness and worthiness of the inhabitants thereof ; salute this sweet and pleasant country , the land of immortality , the glory of all lands , the haven of security , the house of eternity , the garden of never-fading flowers , the store-house of all treasures , the crown of the blessed . ah dear city ! for thee have i sighed , after thee have i thirsted for a long time , for thee have i often wept and mourned , in thee have i a treasure more worth than the whole world , which all the world is not able to deprive me of . i have long fate weeping by the waters of babylon , my harp hangs upon the willows , and is now silent ; my mind now is all upon that heavenly city ; lord i am greatly desirous to be with thee : thy court and house , o lord , is safe enough , and large enough , out of which all griefs and sorrows , all pains and dolours are banished , where there is no place for fears and terrours , for diseases or death , but all is full of joy and pleasure . happy are they who have passed their hard and wearisome time of apprenticeship , and are now freemen and citizens in that joyful high and continuing city , the new jerusalem ! chap. x. use . the second use that i shall make of use this point , is that of the apostle in my text ; seeing heaven is a continuing city , let us therefore seek this city that is to come . you see by experience , that we are not to abide for ever in this world ; neither are men , nor any creature of long continuance ; your health , your strength , your life , your estate , your houses , your lands , your city , your country , are of no duration ; your pains , your aches , your weaknesses , your sicknesses , your funerals frequently before your eyes , do preach that we are not to continue here . oh then make it your work , your care , your business , your one thing necessary to seek after the heavenly city : will ye have everlasting life ? then seek after this city : will ye have happiness that shall continue for ever ? then seek heaven : will ye have pleasures , riches , honours , mansions , that shall continue for ever , then seek this continuing city that is to come . sect . i. now seek after this heavenly city . . it supposeth a sense and apprehension that we have lost heaven : we were driven out of heaven , when we were driven out of paradise ; losing communion with god we lost heaven : sin hath made a wide gulf between every son of adam and heaven : now till men are under conviction of this loss , they will never seek after heaven . when the woman in the parable was convinced of the loss of her groat , she made earnest and diligent search after it . the psalmist tells us plainly , that men seek not god , because they understand not , they do not understand they have lost him , psal . . . many a poor creature never cometh to the knowledge of their loss of heaven , till they have lost both heaven and their souls for ever ; and their first entrance into hell , is the first tidings of their loss of heaven . . it implieth a trouble of mind for the loss of heaven : it is the fear of hell that puts men upon the diligent seeking after heaven ; if men were not troubled for the loss of any thing , they would never seek after it : let it go , say they , we care not for it : if a man be not troubled for the loss of a friends favour , he will never seek to regain it : this is one reason why so few seek heaven , because few are troubled at the loss of it . oh where is the man that signeth and crieth out , woe is me , i am undone , for i have lost heaven , and am in danger of hell ▪ i can lay no claim to heaven , but hell layes claim to me ▪ where is the man that is troubled in spirit , that he is without god , without christ , without hope ? therefore it is that this heavenly city is so little sought after : it is only the troubled spirit that is an heaven-seeking soul . . it supposeth a knowledge of the worth and necessity of the thing we seek for : no man will seek for a thing of no value ; let it go , will men say , such a thing is not worth a seeking after , we can do well enough without it ; but when men are once convinced of the worth and necessity of a thing , which they cannot be without , they will earnestly seek after it : now if there be any thing worth seeking for , it is this heavenly city : who can be without heaven ? is there any thing more precious than god ? is there any possibility for our souls to be happy without enjoying god ? is not eternal life of unspeakable worth ? what more precious in this world than life ? is not life eternal in heaven most precious ? o who can suffer the pains of eternal death ? that man will never be perswaded to seek heaven , who never thinks it worth the having and enjoying . . it implies vehement desires of heaven : what a man desireth not , that he seeks not : earnest longings will put us upon seeking for every thing : in other things desires are not seekings ; but in spiritual things , earnest desires of god and heaven , are seekings of god and heaven : for , what are heavenly desires , but the reachings of the soul after heaven , pursuings after god ? o god , thou art my god , early will i seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee ; my flesh longeth for thee ; my soul followeth hard after thee , psa . . . . sect . ii. in the second place i will shew you , wherein this seeking doth consist . . it consisteth in an earnest enquiry after the way to heaven . isai . . . seek ye the lord while he may be found ; the word in the original signifies , quaerere interrogatione & verbis , to seek by words and interrogation ; as a wandring traveller will be enquiring of all he meeteth the way to such a city : so they who seek after this city that is to come , they will be very enquisitive about the way to heaven , very desirous to be directed in the right way . how did divers persons come to christ , good master , what shall i do to inherit eternal life ? what shall i do to be saved ? o that my feet were directed into the wayes of thy testimonies , saith david : the greatest fear of holy men , is , lest they should be out of the way ; therefore none more scrupulous and less confident than they ; none fuller of holy doubts than they , and more frequently putting forth holy questions . usually men are very confident that they are in the right way to heaven , therefore they never seek out after it : it vexeth them very much , when they are put to the question ; are ye sure that ye are in the right way to heaven ? i know not any thing in all the world , wherein the generality of men are more contentedly cheated , than about their state of grace , and their title to heaven , few there be who have a care to buy gold tryed in the fire . . it consisteth in a diligent and industrious application of our selves to the use of all appointed means leading and directing us to this heavenly city : he that diligently prayeth , diligently seeketh heaven : he that diligently heareth the word , diligently seeketh heaven ▪ hence in the new testament the gospel is often called the kingdome of heaven , and seeking god is frequently put for the worshipping of god : gods ordinances are a jacobs ladder , the top whereof reacheth to heaven , though the foot thereof be on earth ; for by it we scale heaven : the ministery of the word are a light and a lanthorn to our steps , to guide our feet in the way to heaven : god hath set up the ministery as way-marks to direct travellers in the right way ; those that neglect gods faithful ministers , do neglect the seeking heaven . take this rule or caution ; when you come to gods ordinances , make heaven and salvation , and seeking god the end of your coming to them , psa . . , . my soul thirsteth for god , for the living god , when shall i come before god. i. e. to enjoy god in his ordinances ; seek not so much the enjoyment of ordinances , as of god in them . . it implies an application of our selves to an holy and heavenly conversation : an holy life is the strait way which leadeth to heaven ; heaven is the reward of an holy and heavenly conversation ; it is not every foul dog with his soul feet that shall tread upon the pure pavement of the new jerusalem : he that doth not seek holiness , doth not seek heaven ; heaven is to be sought for in an heavenly manner ; heaven is a city hard to be won , the righteous wil scarcely be saved ; hell is prepared for unholy persons , forus canes , without ate dogs . . it consisteth in a constant use of all means , all holy duties , without fainting or desisting , until you have found a title , and obtained a claim to heaven . the woman in the parable did not desist from seeking , till she had found her groat ; and the spouse in the canticles never gave over seeking christ , till she had found him whom her soul loved : he that is slothful in seeking , may never find heaven . . it consisteth in an early and timely seeking ; begin to day while it is called to day : the greatest part of the world do but play with religion , they think it an easie thing to be a christian , and that to seek god and heaven is at the next door , and that they will be found at any time : no , no ; the foolish virgins lost heaven by seeking it too late : many do eternally lose heaven by delay of seeking . i make no doubt , but all do desire heaven , nor do i make any question but all or most of us do purpose to set some time apart to seek heaven : why then not presently ? who knoweth what a day may bring forth ? who knows how soon death may arrest him ? heaven is not easily found , it is not gotten with a few words or faint wishes . sect . iii. consider , i beseech you , your continuance here is but short : by what elegant comparisons doth the scripture set forth the shortness of mans life : it is but a vapour , saith s. james ; it is but a dream , it is but the shadow of a dream , said an heathen : it is as grass , or as a flower ; it is as a tale , as a thought , as a bubble , it is but a race , but as a weavers shuttle ▪ but for a little moment , all which things are of a very short continuance . have we not need then to day , while it is called to day , without delay to seek heaven , and life which continueth for evermore ? but the misery of man is great upon him , because we flatter our selves with a kind of immortality : none so sick and weakly , but hopeth for a recovery , none so aged , but thinketh he shall live a while longer . . how long you shall continue here is uncertain ; who knoweth when and how soon he shall depart hence ? it may be to morrow , it may be this night , or this hour , who can tell ? we do not 〈◊〉 ●ither the day nor the hour when death will come , therefore seek heaven . we have need to make haste ; the time present is yours only , the time to come is uncertain , the time past is irrecoverably gone : who can tell what to morrow will bring forth ? peradventure death and damnation . — the present time is thine only , this hour , this sermon , this opportunity , this call from heaven , this very exhortation to seek heaven presently . . or suppose our continuance upon earth to be long , even as long as methusaleh continued ; suppose thou hadst the reign of time in thy hands , and couldst slack the pace of time at thy pleasure , yet there were no continuance for thee alwayes here , but die you must , and die you shall : but certainly you have not time at your command ; you cannot command the sun of time to stand still one moment , nor to go back fifteen degrees ; time is irrecoverable if it be lost : lost money may be recovered , but occasions neglected are irrecoverable , and will never return again . . consider that properly we have no continuance here , because our lives do not stand at a stay , but like 〈◊〉 we are continually going to our graves , as fast as the wings of time can carry us : no motion more swift than that of the sun ; our lives do run away as swift as the sun it self . the sun ( that is the measurer of time ) once stood still in joshua's daies , and returned ten degrees in hezekiah's sickness , yet time it self ever past forward , and did never stand with the suns standing , nor return with his returning . . consider what is the reward of our neglect of seeking heaven ; even an eternal abode in hell ? for as heaven is a continuing city , so hell is a continuing fiery dungeon ; these flames are of eternal continuance ; these chains of darkness are everlasting chains ; there is the worm that never dies , the fire that never goes out ; there is everlasting destruction . isai . . . tophet is ordained of old . ] hell is as old as sin ; god made hell , as soon as the creature became sinful : he hath made it deep and large ] here is the vastness of this prison : it is large enough to hold all wicked men and angels : it is deep , there is the impossibility of escaping , of getting out of it ; it is so deep , that it hath no bottom , therefore it is called the bottomless pit : the pile thereof is fire and much wood ; there is the super-abundance of punishment , and the extremity of torment ; and the breath of the lord , like a river of brimstone doth kindle it . here is the eternity of torment , while god breathes , the fire of hell shall burn . now if you will escape hell , seek heaven while you may find it : we are all hastening to a continuing city , or to a continuing prison , to an everlasting heaven , or an everlasting hell : this glorious city , and that burning prison , will shortly divide the whole world of men and women between them : beware of too earnest seeking riches , they have wings , and will flee away from you ; seek not houses and lands , for they will not abide for ever ; let not your inward thought be , that your houses shall continue for ever , and your dwelling places to all generations : go to christ , walk in heavens way , get an entrance into that everlasting kingdome , for that and that only is the continuing city . now my brethren , up and be doing ; seek ye first the kingdome of god , seek heaven first of all ; it is worth finding , worth enjoying , it will make amends for all your toil and labour ; heavenly seeking is a comfortable kind of life , there is no comfort like that which is to be found in seeking heaven : what comfort will it yeeld to a christian in the hour of death , who can say , i have sought , and i have found heaven ? and what horrour will it be to a dying sinner that hath neglected to seek after heaven , when he shall cry out , o i have lost heaven , because i neglected to seek after it , i might have found it , had i sought it : oh what a fool was i , so willingly to deprive my self of this endless glory for a few stinking lusts , and perishing vanities ! oh what a mad man was i to bereave my self of a room in this city of pearl , for a few carnal and momentany delights ! oh what bedlams are they , and beasts in humane shape , who for a little transitory trash , do shut themselves out of these everlasting habitations ! what intollerable sots and sensless wretches are all such who wilfully bar themselves out of this palace of everlasting pleasure , for the short fruition of worldly trifles ? therefore as the rabbin said to his scholars , so say i to you ; tempus breve , opus multum , operarii pigri , pater familias urget . we have a great work in hand , viz. our salvation , we have a short time to do that great work in , viz. this present life ; we are slow workers in the work , and god earnestly calls upon us to give all diligence to work out our salvation : all that is here is condemned to die , and to pass away like a snow-ball before a summer-sun ; labour to wean your hearts from the breasts of this fading world , and do not make it your patrimony , carry your selves like the heirs of heaven , let the moveables go , and fasten your hold upon that immortal , incorruptible heritage that fadeth not away : consider well that our great master , eternity , and judgement , and the last reckoning will be upon us after a few moments , and there will shortly be a proclamation by one standing in the clouds , that time shall be no more ; this worlds span-length of time is now drawn to less than half an inch , and even to the point of the evening of the day of this old and grey-haired world , then a sight of him that is invisible will obscure and darken all the glory of this world : oh mend your pace , and go on more swiftly towards your heavenly city ; you have need to make haste , because the inch of your life that remaineth will quickly slip away . finis . books to be sold by thomas parkhurst , at the golden bible on london-bridg . these six treatises next following , were written by mr. george swinnock . the christian mans calling ; or , a treatise of making religion ones business , in religious duties , natural actions , his particular vocation , his family directions , and his own recreation ; to be read in families for their instruction and edification . the first part. likewise a second part ; wherein christians are directed to perform their duties , as husbands and wives , parents and children , masters and servants , in the conditions of prosperity and adversity . the third and last part of the christian mans calling ; wherein the christian is directed how to make religion his business , in his dealings with all men , in the choice of his companions , in his carriage in good company , in bad company , in solitariness , or when he is alone , on a week-day , from morning to night , in visiting the sick , on a dying-bed ; as also the means how a christian may do this , and some motives to it . the door of salvation opened , by the key of regeneration , heaven and hell epitomized ; and the true christian characterized . the fading of the flesh , and the flourishing of faith : or , one cast for eternity , with the only way to throw it well ; all these by george swinnock , m. a. a wedding ring fit for the finger ; together with the non such professor ; by w. secker . joh. am. comenii schola , ludus seu encuclopaedia viva , i. e. januae linguarum praxis comica . the godly mans ark , in five sermons ; with mrs. moors evidences for heaven ; by ed. calamy . a practical discourse of prayer , wherein is handled the nature and duty of prayer ; by t. cobbet . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e bodin . de rep●●● lib. evangr . lib. . ca. . notes for div a -e justin martyr . hierom. lyra. targ in job . pareus in gen. . joseph . de bello judaico . drexel . school of patience . plura sunt quae terrent , quam quae premunt . conscientia peccati est mater formidinis . chrysost . suetonius . aul. gell. noct. attic. ainsworth in psa . . wright de passionib . seneca . ecclus . . . tremel . in psa . . by gold , silver , brass and iron , are meant the assyrian , the persian , the grecian , and the roman empires , who should rule the world till christ , here called the stone , doth come himself to destroy the last of these monarchies . esther . . mark . . plorabant nascentes , prophetae suae calamitatis : lachrymae enim testes sunt miseriae ; nondum loquebantur , & jam prophetabant . quid prophetabant ? in labore se venturos , vel timore , &c. aug. de verb. apost . serm. . mat. . . valer. maxim. lib. . cap. . joseph de bello judaico . dan. . , reg. . . plutarchus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi septicollem vocat . septem una sibi muro circundedit arces . servius in vi aen. haliemus instrumenta servilia etiam reges . tacit . du moulin respons . ad cardin. du perron . noverat cogitare ut forté concupiscere aliquid , quod caecus non possit implere , sed in corde judicari á cordis perscrutatore . aug. tract . in joan. . calvin super joh. . . mat. . . byrdals profit of godliness . unusquisque consideret , non quod alius passus sit , sed quid patiet ipse mereatur , cyprian . de lapsis sect. . calvin harmon . sup . hunc locum . august . certè si beneficiorum dei essemus capaces , liberaliùs nobiscum ageret deus . calvin . job . . opposita juxta se posita clariùs elucescunt . scultet . in jes . . . chrysost . in mat. . . lam. . cartwr . harmon . evangel . savanarol . meditat . in psal . . lachrymae sanctorum , vinū angelorū . bern. bonavent . meditat. cor. . comenius in vit . drabic . c. . euseb . emissen . serm . . de prodigo . bonis suis aliis praeparat beatitudinem , sibi miseriam , aliis gaudia , sibi lachrymas , aliis voluptatem brevem , sibi ignem perpetuum . salvian . clem. alexandr . padag . virgil. aeneid . . rupertus . amos . origen . homil. . in numer . august . in psa . . chrysost . tom . homil . . idem in c. . ad rom. homil . . idem in psal . . idem in gen. . homil. thom. de kempis de imitat . christi , l. . c. . gregor . pastor . part . admonir . . aug. serm. . de sanctis . ferre decet patienter onus , quod ferre necesse est . qui jacet invitus , durius ille jacet . seneca . psa . . august . in psal . . tho. de kempis . de imitat christi , lib. . ca. . psal . . notes for div a -e calvin ad loc . estius exposit . in loc . observ . plutarch . polyb. histor . joseph . de bello judaico , lib. . walther . harmon . biblic . in gen. cameron praelect . chrysost . august . tom. . serm. de temp. chrysost . ad pop. antioch . homil. . gregor . moral . lib. . ca. . per. . . pet. . . lips . lib. . de constant . ca. . aquinas . seneca . carent omni invidia , & ●arent omni rerum ad beatitudinem necessariarum indigentia . danae ● . coeli conditor est deus , quoad formam naturae , & artifex ejus quoad formam gloria . gorran in heb. vid. perrer . in gene●in . & polan . syntagm . p. . nos ut municipes coelorum gerimus . beza in phil. . . qui quarit , vult scire , aut obtinere . lamb. in plaut . mot. . psa . . ▪ the soveraign efficacy of divine providence ... as delivered in a sermon preached in cambridge on sept. , , being the day of artillery election there, by mr. urian oakes... oakes, urian, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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[ ], p. printed for samuel sewall, [boston in new-england : . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. sermons, american -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the soveraig● efficacy of divine providence ; over-ruling and omnipotently disposing and ordering all humane counsels a●d affairs , asserted , demonstrated and improved , in a discovrse evincing , that ( not any arm of flesh , but ) the right hand of the most high is it , that swayeth the vniversal scepter of this lower world's gover●●ent . oft wheeling about the prudentest management of the profoundest plotts , of the greatest on earth ; un●o such , issues and events , as are amazingly contrary to all humane prob●●●lities , and cross to the confident expectation of lookers on . as delivered in a sermon preached in cambridge , on sept. . . being the day of artillery election there . by mr. vrian oakes , the late ( and still to be lamented ) reverend pastor of the church of christ in cambridge : and learned president of harvard colledge . psal. . . the lord sitteth upon the flood : yea the lord ●●●teth king for ever . isai. . , . fear not thou worm of iacob . i will help thee , saith the lord , and thy redeemer . thou shalt thresh the mountains . rom. . . for of him , and through him , and to him , are all things , to whom be glory for ever . amen . boston in new-england : printed for sa 〈…〉 wall . to the reader christian reader , what thou art here presented with , is a part of the pious , & profitable labours of that faithful embassador of christ mr. urian oakes : who having served his generation by the will of god , in the gospel of his son ; and being willing to exchange this for a better world ; did in his passage hence , let fall , & ( as somtime elijah his mantle ) leave behind him this , with other useful fruits of his well-studied , & elaborate meditations : by which , and an amiable , exemplary , instructive , well-ordered , christian conversation , he being dead , yet speaketh . it will be a sin , & shame to such as knew , & had opportunity to enjoy him , to forget how great a price we had in our hands , while for a few years , we were permitted by him , who walking amidst the golden candlesticks , holds the stars in his right hand , to have the heat , & help of so burning , & shinning a light : alike blameworthy shall we be , and guilty of a greatly-provoking evil , if we mind not how much we have lost , & are tremendously weakened by the fall of so principal a pillar ; and what cause we have to lament , that by an immature , & ( as to us ) a too too early death , & dissolution , so bright-shining a star is now no more visible ; being removed & taken up to shine in a higher orb. it is doubtless a sad omen , & presage of a near approaching night of blackness , & darkness , when our heavenly father calls to put his children to bed . the removing & taking away of shepherds , & principal men from a people , what is it , but a casting down their pillars , a plucking up their stakes , a bereaving them of their chariots & hors-men , & leaving them without their defence & strength . let not an unaffected , senseless stupidity under that late dreadful dispensation , of a provoked god , give occasion to take up against us that sad complaint is. . . the righteo●s perisheth , and no m●n layeth it to heart : and merciful men ( or men of godliness ) are taken away , none considering&c . surely , from the going away of such , survivers may conclude that evil is coming . let noah be sh●t into the ark ; lot removed ; and zealous tender hearted josiah laid to sleep in his bed of dist : and the appointed executioners of god's direful displeasure , elements & enemies , shall immediatly set upon & assault to their confusion , a people ripe for ruine . oh that we were wise to lay to heart & consider ! the eminent worth , & rare accomplishments of the ( now blessed ) author , none but such as knew him not , or envied him , can , or will deny . the rare beauties , & sweets of nature , learning , and grace which the great god had endowed , & adorned him with , were such , & so attractive , that nothing but unacquaintance disingenuity , & prejudice could secure from being captivated , and held fast in the pleasant bonds of love , & delight . had all the art , and grace he was filled , & furnished with , been tunned up into an ill-sented cask , tainted with haughtiness , peevishness , & vanity ; their flavour , and delightful sweetness would have been lost in a nauseous unpleasancy . what he was to my self , i cannot without renewing my grief , express ; onely i shall say , he was ( what is rare , & hard to be found in this lower world ) a delightful , loving , profitable , fast & faithful friend : being gone , i cannot forbear following with david's elegie , & complaint for his beloved jonathan ; i am distressed for thee my dear brother , very pleasant hast thou been unto me : but , the lord liveth , & blessed be my rock ; and let the god of my salvation be exalted . amen . the designe of this sermon , as left by the author written with his own hand , now published in print , is to vindicate the glory of the blessed god in his all-ruling , wonder-working providence as soveraignly disposing the issues ▪ & events of all humane counsels , & affairs . the most high doth 〈…〉 , ( as to his declarative glory ) even from his dearest & bes● servants : for they be clogged , & cumbered with the 〈…〉 me remain●●ers of ignorance , atheisme , unbelief , carnal reason , &c. while we are too intent in gazing upon the living creatures , and the dreadful wheels , ( which by their swift , and whirling motion do oft raise a cloud of dust ) we soon lose the sight of him who sits above upon the throne , overruling , and working all things according to the counsel of his own will. we are apt to be too fearful , and distrustful in our entrance upon ; and too forgetful of god in the issues of great and doubtful affairs ; quicker of sight to discover an host of aramites , than to discern an army of angels , like him kings , . , , . and more ready to give too much to creatures , than to ascribe unto god his due judg. . - . prevention of , and help against evils , so prejudicial to our selves and dishonourable to god , was the aim of the author in this ensuing seasonable , and serious discourse ; worthy to be perused by all unto whose hands it may come : the face of affaires , in the times now passing over our heads , is such , and so agreeable to what trvth himselfe foretold luke , . , . as proves it ( beyond dispute ) needful to be perused , prayed over , and improved , unto a securing to our selves comfort ; and to the blessed god his ever due glory . that it may be so , is the unfeigned wish of him who is thine in the lord iesus iohn sherman . ecclesiastes , ix . xi . i returned , and saw under the sun , that the race is not to the swift , nor the battel to the strong , neither yet bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of vnderstanding , nor yet favour to men of skill ; but time , & chance happeneth to them all . this book of ecclesiastes is generally , and probably conceived to be a penitential discource of solomon , in his old age , for the satisfaction of the church and people of god concerning his own repentance ; and for their instruction & direction , how to enjoy the best good of the things of this world , and yet not to make them their best good , but estimate them as vanity in this respect , and to steer 〈◊〉 direct course towards that which is the last end of man , the glory of god & fruiton of him , in the way of fearing god , and keeping his commandments . as david after his great fall penned his penitential psalm ( the . psalm ) so it is rationally conjectured that solomon , his son , being at last throughly awakened out of his sensuality , security , and idolatrous courses , or connivences and tolerations , by those great adversaries , hadad , rezon , and ieroboam ( of whom you read king. . . &c. ) that god stirred up against him , penned this book of ecclesiastes , and left it ( according to the counsell of god ) for a standing monument of his publick confession of , and hearty repentance for all his errors , and miscarriages . the general scope of this book , is to shew us wherein the chief good of man doth consist ; which was the great inquiry of t●e philosophers of old ; about which they had endless opinions and discourses , and could never hit the mark , nor arrive at thorough satisfaction , because they wanted the light , and direction of the word , and spirit of god. solomon plainly tells us , that the happiness of man consists in the fear , & favour , and fruition of god : and not in the enjoyment of the honours , profits , or pleasures of this world ; or any good thing under the sun. and because man , having by the fall lost god , is turned away to the creature ; & as it is originally inlaid in his nature to desire happiness , so it is the ben● and inclination of his corrupt nature to pursue it and seek for it in the creature , and good things of this life : therefore he is very large & elaborate in discoursing the vanity of all these things , and their insufficiency to make a man blessed , or to make any real contribution towards the essential happiness of man , being never made to be the chief good of man , nor proportioned and suited to the condition of the soul of man , & being made subject to vanity , the greatest vanity ! as they were made for man and put into his covenant , and so fell with him under the curse , upon his apostasy from god. the large experience this wise man had of created things , the many proofs and experiments , and curious critical enquiries he had made into the nature , and use of sublunary , or subsolary enjoyments , together with the infallible conduct of the spirit of god , advantaged him to discourse feelingly , and accurately , as well as largely from point to point concerning the huge vanity of all things under the sun. a great part of the book is spent on this subject . among other vanities that fall under his observation , this was one and none of the least , that men of greatest sufficiency in any course , or kind , meet with many unexpected disappointments in their undertakings . this he declareth in the words of my text. concerning the settling the connexion of these words , expositors are not at perfect agreement among themselves . some apprehend this to be an argument of the epicureans , whereby they would demonstrate that all things in the world are rolled up and down , tumbled and toss'd about by meer chance , and fall out as it may happen , uncertainly and fortuitously : because the race is not to the swift , nor the battel to the strong &c. but the ablest men are often cross'd in their designs , and defeated of their ends and hopes by these & those intervening accidents . hence they deny the wise , overruling , all-disposing providence of god ; and make i know not what imaginary blind fortune the praedominant deity in the world. but there seems to be no necessity of fixing upon such an exposition and accomodation of the words ; considering that they may well admit of a better , and more savoury construction . others think that solomon hath respect here to what he had discoursed before , concerning the unsearchable & uncontrollable providence of god , chap. , , . & chap. . , . and whereas he had said there , that the righteous , and the wise & their works are in the hand of god ; he now shews the truth of that assertion by an induction of particulars . others conceive it is a correction of that precept v. , , . of this chapter , concerning the leading a pleasant , & merry life in the free , and comfortable use of outward blessings ; which is here cautioned , and corrected by this consideration , that there is a great uncertainty of events , nor do things alwayes succeed according to a rational expectation : which renders it apparent that no man is secure of the perpetuity of his earthly felicity , or assured of the enjoyment of these comforts , and of an even course of prosperity , without many troublesome rubbs , and disappointments . others judge he hath respect to the words immediately preceding v. . where he adviseth us to do what we have to do , with all our might , whilest life , and working time continues . vid. voet. select disput. theol. par. . p. . and lest any one should therefore presume upon a necessity that all things should succeed unto him according to his abilities , and endeavours , he subjoins this seasonable admonition , that we should not trust to our own sufficiency , and industry in the management of any business , to which there is no sure ●ntail of success ; but depend upon , and attribute all to the gracious concurrence , free favour , and blessing of god. but what ever may be conjectured about the connexion of the words ; evident it is , that solomon here acquaints us with a great vanity under the sun , which he had before intimated , when he said , all things are alike to all , & there is one event to the righteous , & to the wicked , the good and the bad , and here amplifies , and adds , that swift , and slow ; strong , and we●k wise , and foolish have many times like success ; and men of the greatest sufficiency , as well as others , are often disappointed . this solomon returned and saw under the sun , that is , when he took a view of the frame , and posture , and condition of humane affairs , among other vanities which he turned his eyes upon , this was one over and above the rest , a most unexpected vanity , which he considered over and over , that events do not alwayes answer the abilities , and endeavours of men , and succeed according to their expectations . the vanity which solomon discovered , and considered , and here acquaints us with , is , that it is not in the power of the ablest men , or best accomplished for action , to effect their designs , or praestare eventum , secure , and warrant the event & success of their undertakings : and this is , . argued , & proved by the induction of five instances in particular , to which many more may by parity of reason be added . the race is not to the swift . it is not in the power of the swiftest footman alwayes to evade danger , or win the prize by running . nor is the battel to the strong . the victory is not determined , or the decision of the warre made alwayes on the side of the strongest and valiantest men . nor yet bread to the wise. many wise men are not able to get their bread , or livelihood in the world. nor riches to men of vnderstanding . many understanding men have not any success in their endeavours to gath●● r●ches and get estates . nor favour to men of skill . many times the most skillful artists , and artificers , and the best accomplished persons find little favour and acceptation among men , how deserving , and ingenious soever they be . . illustrated by the antithesis of a different , and the true cause of the determination of successes and events , signified in those words , but time and chance happeneth to them all . by which we are not to understand that the determination of events is reduc●d and referred to meer chance & fortune , as the epicurean philosophers imagined : but that the counsel and providence of god disposes and orders out all successes , or frustrations of second causes , casting in sometimes such unexpected impediments and obstructions , as defeat the labours and hopes of men of greatest sufficiency ; which though they seem wholly casual and fortuitous emergencies ( and are so indeed unto men themselves ) yet they are governed by the secret counsel and effectual providence of god. the summe is , that no man , how accomplish'd soever , is master of events , or absolute determiner of the issues of his own actings and endeavours : but the soveraign counsel and the providence of god orders time and chance to be an effectual furtherance , or hindrance of the designs of all men , as seems good in his sight . the observation is doct. that the successes and events of vndertakings and affairs are not determined infallibly by the greatest sufficiency of men , or second causes ; but by the counsel and providence of god ordering and governing time and chance according to his own good pleasure . i have endeavoured to comprize and grasp the substance of solomon's intendment , in this doct●nal conclusion : and shall explicate and demonstrate the truth of it ( as god shall help ) in the following propositions . prop. . second causes may have a sufficiency in their kind , to produce these and those effects : an liability , a congruous disposition , or an aptness , yea a kind of sufficiency in order to the putting forth this and that act , and the giving existence to these and those effects : not indeed an absolute and universal sufficiency ( which can be affirmed of none but him that is all sufficient and omnipotent ) but a limited sufficiency , or a sufficiency in their kind , and order : the sun , to shine ; the fire , to burn that which is combustible ; the rational creature to act or effect this or that in a way of counsel , and with freedom of will ; the swift , to run ; the strong and valiant , and well-instructed souldier , to fight well ; the wise man , to get his bread to gather riches , to gain acceptance among those with whom he hath to do . this is no more than to say , that created agents and second causes , may have the active power and virtue of causes , all that is requisite on their parts in orde●● to the production of their peculiar and appropriate effects , all that sufficiency that dependent beings , and second causes are capable of . and indeed it belongs to the infinite wisdom and goodness of god to furnish his creatures with sufficient ability for the opperations and effects he hath made them for : and so he did at first , when he made every thing good in its kind ; and whatever defect there is now in this respect , it is the fruit & punishment of sin. though god is able to give being to things in an immediate way , yet it is his pleasure in the course of his providence to use means , and to produce many things by the mediation and agency of second causes , and so gives causal virtue and ability to these and those things in order to the producing of such and such effects . it is a good observation , that the lord is pleased , not through any defect of power in himself but out of the abundance of his goodness to communic●te causal power and virtue to his creatures , & to honour them with that dignity that they may be his instruments , by which he will produce these and those effects : whereby he takes them , as it were , into partnership & fellowship with himself in the way of his providential efficiency , that they may be vnder-workers to , yea co-workers with himself . hence he gives them an aptitude and sufficiency in their kind in order to their respective operations and effects : though some have a greater aptitude & sufficiency than others . but without some degree of such suffici●●cy , nothing can deserve the name of a cause ; the very essence whereof consists in its power , virtue & ability to produce an effect . a cause cannot be a cause without an active power , or sufficiency to give being to this or that effect . prop. . the successes , and events of affairs and vndertakings do ordinarily depend in some respects upon the sufficiency of second causes . i do not say in the observation ; nor is it the meaning of solomon , that successes and events of affairs and undertakings do not depend at all in an ordinary course , on the sufficiency of second causes . for this were to deny and destroy their causality , and to make nothing of their efficiency . second causes have their peculiar influence into their effects , and contribute something to their existence : and to assert the contrary , were to say that causes are no causes , and to speak a flat contrad●ction . this would be to suppose that the lord hath set up an order and course in nature , in vain ; and given to second causes a sufficiency in their kind , for action , to no purpose ; and to deny the ordinary providence of god , which is that whereby the lord observes the order which he hath set , and that course of nature which is originally of his own appointment , whereby one thing depends upon , and receives being from another . though the lord is pleased sometimes upon great and important occasions , to leave the ordinary road of providence , and act beyond and above the usual , stated course of things ; and not to concurre with , and shine upon the endeavours of created agents , so as to crown them with that success which according to an ordinary course of providence , might be rationally expected ; yet it is not to be imagined that he should ordinarily dispence with the course , and methods of his ordinary providence : for why then should it be called ordinary ? god who is the lord of hosts , the great leader commander & ruler of nature , not only permits , but also effectually commands and causes his whole militia , ordinarily , to move and act according to their natures and natural properties respectively , without countermanding them , or turning them out of their way . for ( as i remember one argues ) he will not shew such a dislike to his own workmanship , as ordinarily to cross the order , and alter the course he hath set in the world. therefore the meaning of the text is not , that swiftness conduces nothing to the winning of the race , or strength , to the winning of the battel ; or wisdom & vnderstanding , to the getting of bread and riches ; or prudence , art , or skill , to the getting of the favour and good will of princes , or people : nor , that the race is never to the swift , or the battel never to the strong ; no nor yet , that the race is not more frequently to the swift , and the battel usually to the strong , &c. for the lord doth most ordinarily award success unto causes of greatest sufficiency , rather than disappointment & defeatment . otherwise , it would be a very heartless , if not a foolish thing ( in the eye of reason ) to use means , or to think to get the race by swiftness , or bread by labour and diligence , or favour by dexterous & prudent behaviour ; or learning , by study and industry ; or to win the battel by good conduct , and courage , and numbers of men . yea then wisdom would not be better than folly ▪ nor strength more desirable than weakness ; nor diligence more beneficial & available than idleness , and sitting still . this therefore is evident , that the issues and events of undertakings do in some respect , ordinarily , depend upon the sufficiency of second causes ; insomuch as the greatest probability of success ( according to an ordinary providence , and in the eye of reason ) is ordinarily on the side of causes that are most sufficient in their kind of efficiency . prop. . second causes , though of greatest sufficiency in their kind , have not the certain determination of successes & events in their own hands : but may be frustrated & disappointed . though the successes and events of undertakings ordinarily depend upon the sufficiency of second causes ; yet they are not infallibly determined thereby . created agents have not events in their own hands , but may be disappointed : they cannot warrant the events of their undertakings , or success of their counsels and endeavours , but may be defeated of their hopes and expectations . thus no man hath the absolute command of the issue & success of his own undertakings . he may be sure of this or that event , if the lord promise it to him , or reveal it to be his pleasure to give such success to such endeavours : but he cannot be secured of it from , or by any sufficiency of his own . he may , as a wise man , foresee & say , what in an ordinary course of providence is rationally to be expected ; but cannot warrant the success of his undertakings , or carv out what event he pleases , to himself . his prudence , and providence , and diligence , and sufficiency for action , cannot assure him of the event , or determin the success on his side . and there is that demonstration of it , that created agents of the the greatest sufficiency , are sometimes disappointed . two things i would say here , . agents of greatest sufficiency are subject to disappointment , as well ( i do not say , as much , or as ordinarily and often , but as well ) as agents of less sufficiency . the ablest men in any kind may miss of the success they expect , as well as weaker men . that men of great sufficiency in this or that way , may be defeated of their ends and hopes , solomon from his own experience , assures us , in the text : and who is it that upon his own observation cannot set his seal to what he asserts ? he gives five instances . . the race is not to the swift : not profitable , or successful to him always ; but sometimes pernicious , & destructive . many agood runner runs himself into mischief and ruine . thus asabel , that is said to be as light of foot as a wild roe , ran after abner so fast , that he lost his life in that overhasty pursuit sam. . - . there are times when men that are swift would run from danger , and cannot : they have neither power to run , nor success in attempting it , ier. , . sometimes the flight perisheth from the swift , and he that is swift of foot , or that rideth the horse , though it be at full speed , cannot deliver himself , amos . , . it is not absolutely in the power of the swiftest man to escape danger , or win the prize by running . . the battel is not to the strong . there is in bello alea , the chance of warre , as they use to speak . there is , as it were , a kind of lottery , a great uncertainty in warre . great armies are sometimes defeated by small and inconsiderable forces ; the great host of midian , by gideon's three hundred men ; the garrison of the philistines by ionathan , and his armour-bearer . this hath been often observed in the world. sometimes strong and valiant men are overthrown by those that are in strength farre inferiour to them ; great goliah , by little david . well might david say , as psal. . , . there is no king saved by the multitude of an host : a mighty man is not delivered by much strength . an horse is a vain thing for safety : neither shall he deliver any by his great strength . there are times , when the mighty ones are beaten down , jer. . . & the mighty cannot deliver himself , or the strong strengthen himself ; but the couragious among the mighty is put to flight , amos . , . sometimes the strong melt like water at approaching danger , and the stouthearted are spoiled and sleep their sleep , and the men of might cannot find their hands , to make the least defence , or resistance , psal. . . . bread is not to the wise. wise men are not able to get their livelihood , but have much adoe to make a shift to get a bare subsistence in the world ; and , it may be , are forc'd to beg for it , or be beholding to the charity of others . there have been strange instances of very wise , and worthy persons , that have been reduced to such a condition . some of you know the famous story , date obolum , or ( as others have it ) panem belisario . david was put to beg his bread of nabal , . sam. . & paul was often in hunger and thirst , cor. . . . riches are not to men of vnderstanding . sometimes indeed , wise men get estates and gather riches ; and one would think they should be best accomplish'd for it : and yet it so falls out , that some understanding m●n cannot thrive in the world and grow rich , notwithstanding all their endeavours . so it is , that many men of great understanding and rational forecastings and contrivances to gather wealth , though they lay out their parts and their hearts this way , and would be rich , yet they cannot ; but are strangely defeated . you read of the poor wise man , eccles. . . many men of great understandings are too wise , and of too great spirits to labour after wealth ; or if they do , their designs are unsuccessful . . favour is not to men of skill . many very wise , and knowing , & skillfull men , and experienced in affairs , and prudent also in their deportment , yet cannot get , or keep the favour of princes or people . some expositors on the place , instance in ioseph , that was envied , and hated , and sold by his brethren , & also lost the favour of potiphar ( though he managed the affairs of his house prudently and prosperously , and deserved well at his hands ) and was cast into prison by him . david , that was hated and persecuted by saul ; daniel , that was cast into the lions den , though an excellent spirit was found in him , and great prudence and faithfulness in managing the affairs of the empire ; and before that , though he had been in great favour and esteem in nebuchadnezzar's time , yet afterwards in the reign of belshazzar , he lived obscure , and as it were buried at court , as mr. cartwright gathers from dan. . , , . many wise , and learned , and ingenious men cannot get the favour of men , or keep it , when they have . the poor wise man delivered the city , and yet no man remembred that same poor man , eccl. . . belisarius ( wh●m i mentioned before ) was a most prudent , experienced , faithful general under the emperour iustinian , that had won him many battels , reduced many cities & countryes to his obedience and approved himself for a most loyal , and worthy subj●ct , & yet after all his services , even in that emp●●●●'s ti●● was through envy , falsely accused , for ought appears by the story , had his eyes put out , and was forced to stand daily in the temple of sophia , where he held out his wooden dish , begging his bread , and useing those words , give a little bread to belisarius , whom his virtue & valour hath raised ; and envy depressed , & cast down again . other scripture testimonies and instances , besides those in the text , might be produced , if it were needful . but every observing man's experience may furnish him with demonstrations of this truth , that agents of greatest sufficiency among men are subject to disappointments , as well as those of less sufficiency . again , . agents of little , or no sufficiency , succeed sometimes in their undertakings ; when those of greater sufficiency , miscarry & meet with disappointment . there is many times one event to both as solomon speaks eccl. . . when the ablest agents are frustrated , as well as the weakest : and there is sometimes a better event to weaker agents , & instruments ; they prosper in their way , when abler men are disappointed . the race is sometimes to the slow , and the swift lose the prize . the battel is sometimes to the weak ; and the strong are put to flight : as we have many instances both in scripture and common history . weak and simple people have bread enough sometimes , when wise men are in want of their daily bread . nobal had good store , when david was hard put to it . men of shallow heads grow rich and get great estates , when men of understanding can thrive at no hand . solomon tells us of the poor wise man ; and our saviour in that parable , luk. . , . tells us of a rich fool. it is ordinarily seen in the world , that the thriving men in estates , are none of the most understanding & judicious . many a man hath this world-craft , that yet is a man of no deep or solid understanding . so , many weak , worthless , ignorant , empty persons find favour with princes and people : when men of skill , & learning , & great worth are neglected and despised . this is an evil under the sun , & an error that proceeds from the ruler , a great miscarriage in government , that folly is set in great dignity ( fools are favoured and advanced ) and the rich , i. e. men of rich endowments for wisdom and piety , sit in low places , i. e. are depressed and discountenanced : servants are upon horses , men of poor servile spirits and conditions , are set up and honoured , and princes , i. e. men of great worth , walking as servants upon the earth . eccl. . , , . so that it appeares plainly , that success doth not alwayes wait upon the counsels and actions of persons of great sufficiency ; but they may suffer disappointment , when others are prosperous : which demonstrates that the issues and events of undertakings and affairs are not determined infallibly by the qualifications & accomplishments of created agents , and second causes . prop. . the defeat & disappointment of agents of great sufficiency in their kind , is from the hapning of time & chance unto them . some read it ( and the original will bear it ) because , or for time and chance happeneth to them all . for explication . . by time , understand not barely the duration , or space of time , which hath no such determining influence into humane affairs . but time so & so circumstanced . time is sometimes as much as a special season or opportunity , when there is a concurrence of helps , means , and advantages for the furthering the designs and undertakings of men . by time sometimes , we are to understand such a nick , or iuncture of time , wherein there is a coincidence of difficulties , disadvantages , & hindrances to the effecting of any business . and this seems the meaning of solomon in the text. an adverse or evil time , ec. . . sometimes the times favour the enterprizes of men , sometimes they frown upon them . at one time , wise and good men stand up for the defence of their country and liberties thereof , and prosper in it ; the times favour them , there is a concurrence of all manner of furtherances and advantages : at another time , they may endeavour it , and the times frown upon them , the spirit and humour of the people is degenerated ; and they swim against the stream , & are lost in the attempt . and we say , such a man was worthy of better times , had been a brave man , if he had lived in be●ter times , his worth had been more known and prized , and he would have had better success . so when the time of judgment upon a people , is come , then wrath ariseth against them without remedy ; and then the strong man may fight for the defence of such a country ; and the wise man endeavour to deliver the city : but all in vain ; they shall miscarry in the undertaking . aben ezra ( as mercer tells us ) referres this to the conjunctions , and aspects of the starres , by which he apprehended these inferiour things were governed . we are sure there are certain periods , and revolutions of time , respecting the prosperity , or adversity of nations , countries , cities , churches , families , persons . as time is set to all the successes , so to all the defeats and disappointments of men ; and when this time comes , no sufficiency of man can withstand disappointments . . by chance , understand contingent and casual events . many things fall out between the cup , and the lip ; or otherwise than expect or imagine , or can possibly foresee . some event chops in , and interposeth unexpectedly , to cross a man's designs , & defeat his hopes & rational expectations . when saul and his men were compassing david and his men , and ready to take them , then comes a messenger to saul , saying , haste & come : for the philistines have invaded the land. sam. . . when haman had plotted the ruine of the iews , and brought his design near to an issue , then the king cannot sleep but calls for the book of the records of the chronicles , and they read to h●m of the good service of mordecai , in discovering the treason that was plotted against his person ; and one thing falls in after another , to defeat haman's cruel design , and ruine the whole fabrick of his strong built , and almost perfected contrivance in this sence time and chance happens to men of greatest sufficiency , which they cannot either foresee , ( eccl . . ) or prevent , or help themselves against them when they come upon them : and hereby their counsels , and undertakings are defeated and ruined sometimes . prop. . time and chance which happens to men in the way of their vndertakings , is effectually ordered & governed by the lord. god is the lord of time , and orderer , and governour of all contingences . time and chance that further or hinder the designs of men , are under the rule and management of the lord. his counsel sets the times , appoints the chances ; his providence dispenses the times , and frames the chances , that befall men . the lord hath in his own power the dispensation of times , eph. . . the times and seasons he hath put in his own power , act. . . he hath such a dominion over the times , that he changeth times and seasons , according to his own pleasure . dan. . . my times ( saith david , ps. . . are in thy hands . he means the state and condition of his times ; his prosperities , and adversities ; his successes , and disappointments ; and universally , whatever should befall him in the times that should pass over him. moreover , all the chances that happen to men , as the scripture but now mentioned shews , are in the hand of god. my times i.e. the chances of my times . no contingency , or emergency , or accident so casual , but it is ordered & governed by the lord. the arrow that was shot at a venture , and smote ahab throw the joints of his h●rness , was directed at him by the hand of god. so in that case of man-slaughter , and killing a man casually , as if a man be hewing wood , and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe , to cut down a tree , and the head slippeth from the helve , and lighteth upon his neighbour , that he die , deut. . god is said in that case , to deliver that man that is slain , into his hand , exod. . . god ordereth that sad event . all casualties in the world , are gu●ded by the steady hand 〈◊〉 the great god. thou ( saith david , ps. . . ) maintainest ●y lot. the lord makes and disposes the lot , or chance of every man , whatever it is . he hath appointed all times and chances in his eternal counsel ; and in time executes accordingly , in the course of his providence . prop. . the great god hath the absolute and infallible determination of the successes and events of all the operations & vndertakings of created agents & second causes , in his own power . his counsel and soveraign will appoints what they shall be , and his providence ( which is not determined by any second cause : but is the determiner of them all ) executes accordingly . and it must needs be so , if you consider these two particulars , . god is the absolute first cause , and supream lord of all . of him , and to him , and through him are all things , rom. . . he that understands any thing of god indeed , knows this to be a truth . here we might be large ; as they that are acquainted with the doctrine of creation and providence , in conservation and gubernation of all things , will readily apprehend : for here we might shew you , . that god is the absolute first cause of all the causal power and virtue that is in creatures . he gives them power to act , furnisheth them with a sufficiency for their operations . he gives swiftness to the runner ; skill , and strength , and courage , to the souldier . . that he supports , and continues the active power of the creature . he continues swiftness , wisdom , strength , courage , as he pleaseth . if he withdraw , all is gone . the swift is lame , or slow-footed , the strong is weak & timorous , the wise is foolish and besotted , the man of skill , is a meer bungler at any thing . . that he doth by a previous influx excite and stirre up , and actuate the active power of the creature , and set all the wheels agoing . for the most operative , active created virtue , is not a pure act : but hath some potentiality mixed with it ; and therefore cannot put forth it self into action , unless it be set agoing by the first cause . and the creature cannot be the absolute first cause of any physical action . in him we live , and move , act. . again . . that he determines and applyes second causes to the objects of their actions . when they stand , as it were , in bivio , as it is said of nebuchadnezzar , when he was marching with his army he stood at the parting of the way , at the head of the two wayes , to use divination , as doubting which way he had b●st to march ; whether to ierusalem , or some other way , ezek. . , . then the lord easts the scale and the lot , & determines them this way , and not another . he doth not only stir up second causes to act at large , and set them agoing , and leave it to their own inclination , whither they shall go , & what they shall do : but he leads them forth , and determines them to this , or that object . . that he cooperates , and workes jointly with second causes , in producing their effects . as he predetermins second causes , so he concurres with them in their operations . and this pradetermination , and concurse is so necessary ; that there can be no real effect produced by the creature without it . and it is a truth also , that when god improves second causes for the production of any effect , he so concurres with them , that he doth withall most immediately , intimously , and without dependence upon these causes by which he acts , produce the entity , or esse of the effect . if this be considered , it will appear that created agents , are as it were , god's instruments , that act as they are acted by him ; and cannot move of themselves . the busy , bustling , proud assyrian was so , is . . . that all the ataxy , disorder , irregularity , moral evil that is found in the actions of rational agents , is by his permission . if it were not the pleasure of god to permit it , no sin should be in the world , nor in the actions of men. though there is no legal permission , or allowance of it ; ( for the law of god forbids it ) yet there is a providential permission of it . god could have kept it out of his world. . that he limits and sets bounds to the actions of second causes : what they shall do , and how farre they shall proceed in this or that way . he set bounds to satan , when he had commission to afflict iob. he limits , and restrains the eruptions of the wrath & rage of the churches adversaries , ps. . . he sets bounds to the sinfull actions of men : he regulates and governs all the actions of second causes , as to time , place , degrees , and all manner of circumstances . he is not the author : but he is the ord●rer of sin it self . that he serves himself , and his own ends of all second causes . he makes them all in all their operations subservient to his own designs : and that not only natural , but rational agents , that act by counsel . and not only such of them as are his professed willing servants . many serve god's ends beside their intentions , and against their wills . i will do this and that saith god , by the assyrian , howbeit he meaneth not so , is. . , . wicked men and devils do god's will against their own will , and beside their intentions . ye thougt evil against me ( saith ioseph to his brethren ) but god meant it for good &c. gen. . . god elicites what good he pleases out of the actions of his creatures . whatever this or that agent proposeth to himself , yet god alwayes attaineth his ends. he serves himself of the very sins of his creatures , and brings good out of them . he makes that which is not bonum honestum , to be bonum conducibile : and though sin is not good ; yet , as god orders the matter , it is good , in order to many holy ends , that sin should be in the world , as austin observes . . that he useth means in themselves unfit , and improves agents of themselves insufficient , to bring about his own purposes & produce marveilous effects . yea , and it is as easy with him to do any thing by weak and insufficient , as by the ablest & most accomplished instruments . there is no restraint to the lord to save by many , or by few . sam. . . it is nothing with him to help , whether with many , or with them that have no power . chron. . . despicable instruments , sometimes , do great things in his hand . . that he renders the aptest means ineff●ctual , and the vndertakings of the most sufficient agents unsuccessful , when he pleases . he hath a negative voice upon all the counsels and endeavours , and active power of the creature . he can stop the sun in its course , and cause it to withdraw its shining ; he can give check to the fire , that it shall not burn ; & to the hungry lions , that they shall not devour : and he can order it so , that the men of might shall sleep their sleep , and not find their hands . he can break the ranks of the most orderly souldiers , take away courage from the stoutest hearts , send a pannick fear into a mighty host , and defeat the counsels of the wisest leaders and conducters . he can blow upon , and blast the likeliest undertakings of the ablest men. in a word : the lord being the absolute first cause , and supream governour of all his creatures , and all their actions ; though he hath set an order among his creatures , this shall be the cause of that effect , &c. yet he himself is not tied to that order ; but interrupts the course of it , when he pleases . the lord reserves a liberty to himself to interpose , and to umpire matters of success and event , contrary to the law and common rule of second causes . and though he ordinarily concurreth with second causes according to the law given and order set ; yet sometimes there is in his providence a variation and digression . though he hath given creatures power to act ; and man , to act as a cause by counsel , and hath furnished him with active abilities ; yet he hath not made any creature master of events ; but reserves the disposal of issues , and events to himself . herein the absolute soveraignty and dominion of god appears . . otherwise , the lord might possibly suffer real disappointment , and be defeated of his ends in some instances . he might be cross'd in his designs , if any of his creatures could doe what they will , without absolute dependence upon him. he could not be sure of his ends , & what he designs in the world , if he had not command of all events that may further or hinder them . if there were any active power in creatures that he cannot controll ; or any one event that is out of his reach , and absolutely in the creature 's power . exempted from his providential command , it would be possible tha● he might be defeated of his ends , and so far unhappy , as to his voluntary happiness , which results from his having his 〈…〉 in the world , and compassing all his ends in the works of creation and providence . god hath made all things , ●●eth all things , and manageth all things according to the counsel of his will , in away of subserviency to himself , and his own occasions : which he could not do universally and mi●●str●bly if he had not the absolute and infallible determination of all events in his own hand . but his counsel shall stand , and he will do all his pleasure : is. . . thus much for the explication , and confirmation of the doctrine . use i. of instruction , in these particulars . . we see what a poor dependent , nothing-creature proud man is : depending absolutely upon god for his being , actions , and the success of them . men of greatest sufficiency cannot get their own bread , or bring any thing to effect in their own strength . let their abilities be what they will ( swiftness , for the race ; strength , for the battel ; wisdom , for getting their bread , &c. ) yet they shall stand them in no stead without the concurrence and blessing of god. man saith , he will do this and that : but he must ask god leave first . he saith , to day or to morrow i will go to such a place , and buy and sell , & get gain ; whereas he knows not what shall be : but it shall certainly be as the lord will. the way of man is not in himself , it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps , nor perform any thing that he purposeth , without divine concurrence , or permission . he hath not the success of any of his actions in his own power ; nor doth he know that any thing he doth shall prosper . one would wonder poor dependent man should be so proud ! any little thing lifts him up . when the souldier on such occasions as these , is in his bravery , in his military garb drest up for the purpose , with his buffe coat , his scarfe , his rich belt , his arms , a good horse under him , o what a goodly creature is he in his own eyes ! and what wonders can he do in his own conceit ! and yet he hath as absolute need of god's assistance , if he go forth to battel , as any naked , unarmed man he cannot move a step , or fetch his next breath , or bring his hand to his mouth , or leap over a straw , or do any thing , without help from god , in whose hand his breath is , and whose are all his wayes dan. . . it 's strange to see how the hearts of men are lifted up with nothing ! o cease ye from man : for wherein is he to be accounted of ? . we see that there is , and there is not chance in the world. chance there is , in respect of second causes : ( so some things fall out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our saviour speaks luk. . . ) but no chance as to the first cause . that piece of atheism , and heathenism ascribing things to fortune and chance , is hardly rooted out of the minds of men , that are or should be better instructed and informed . the philistines when they were plagued , could not tell whether god had done it , or a meer chance happened to them , sam. . . they understood not , that what was a chance to them , was ordered by the providence of god. truth is , chance is something that falls out beside the scope , intention , and foresight of man , the reason and cause whereof may be hid from him ; and so it excludes the counsel of men ; but it doth not exclude the counsel and providence of god ; but is ordered and governed thereby . and it is so farre from being chance to god , that there is as much ( if not more ) of the wisdom , and will , and power of god appearing in matters of chance and contingency , as in any other events . . we see here something of the power , and greatness , and glory of god appearing in his efficiency , whereby he works all in all . as he is himself independent , so all things have an absolute dependence on him. he gives success , or causeth disappointment , as he pleaseth . so that men are wholly beholden to him for all the good they enjoy : for victory , for bread , for riches , for favour and acceptance , for all . nothing comes to pass without his permission , if it be moral evil ; without his concurse and cooperation , yea , predetermination , if it be moral or physical good , or penal evil. in him we live and move , and have our being . the counsels of the ablest statesmen , how rational soever , shall not prosper without him : ministers , how sufficient soever , pious , learned , industrious , zealous , shall convert no man , edify no man , comfort & establish no man , without him. cor. . , . though scholars study hard , they shall make no proficiency without the blessing of god. the merchant may trade , and project rationally , and yet shall not grow rich upon it , unless god give him success . it is god that maketh zebulun rejoice in his going out , and issachar in his tents : that crowns the labours of seamen , merchants , and husbandmen with success . except the lord build the house , &c. ps. . . training days , artillery days , thò of great use , ahd very necessary ; yet are all in vain , unless the lordbless . he must instruct , and teach , and accomplish you ; otherwise the help of your expert officers , and your own endeavours to learn war , will signify nothing . and when valiant souldiers come to fight ; whatever skill , an strength , and courage , and conduct , and advantages they have ; yet they will be worsted , if the lord do not give success . we should learn hence to admire the power and greatness of god. it is a lamentable thing , that he that doth all , is thought to do nothing ! he can work without means , by insufficient means ; & blast the ablest instruments : and yet is little minded in the world. god gives forth a challenge to idols , do good , if you can , or do evil . isai. . . it is god's prerogative to do good or evil , i. e. not the evil of sin ( which argues defect and impotency ; and comes not within the compass of omnipotency to do it ) but of punishment . god only can give good , or award bad success ; and reward ▪ or correct and punish his creatures that way . who is he that saith ( what man or angel ? ) & it cometh to pass , when the lord commandeth it not ? lam. . . o see , and adore the greatness of god in this respect ! he works all in all . vse ii. a word of terrour to the enemies of god , even all impenitent & vnbelieving sinners . wo unto the wicked , it shall be ill with him : for the reward of his hands shall be given him . isai. . . their persons , and works , and ways are in the hand of god. that god whom they despise , disobey , & rebell against , disposeth of them , and all their times and chances ; and who ever hardened himself against him , and prospered ? job . . . let me tell you briefly , that either . you shall be vnprosperous men , that nothing shall succeed well with you , as it is said of coniah , write this man childless , or bereaved ( of posterity , lands , and goods ) a man that shall not prosper in his days jer. . . or , . you shall prosper to your hurt . the successes you have , shall undo you . a godly man may be unsuccessful in the management of his affairs ; but then his ill success succeeds well to him ; humbles him , weans him from the world , does him good : his soul prospers by means of his unprosperousness : but your successes and prosperities make you proud , insolent , bold to sin , hardhearted , atheistical , and more rebellious against god ; and further your eternal ruine , iob. . - . because they have no changes ( but a constant , even , uninterrupted course of prosperity ) therefore they fear not god ps. . . or , you shall prosper , not for your own sake ; but for the good of others , iob . , . prov. . . and 〈◊〉 . the final issue of all your ways and actions , and the concluding event that will befall you , if you persevere in a course of rebellion against god , will be most dreadful . in this life , one event may happen to the righteous , and the wicked , eccl. . . but the last general great event that shall befall them , shall be very different : for the event shall be , that the righteous shall be saved and the wicked damned . this shall be the portion of the cup of impenitent wicked men , and the event that shall be ordered out unto them by the lord , that they shall be cast , both soul and body , into hell. he that determins all events , will at last put a sad issue to the prosperity of his enemies . they must needs be very unfortunate , & unhappy men at last , that persevere in rebellion against him that governs time and chance according to his pleasure . vse iii. a word of singular incouragement to the dear people of god , that have an interest in god through iesus christ , & walk with him according to the tenour of the covenant of grace . all your times , and chances , and changes are in god's hands ; and all that befalls you , is under his management , and of his ordering , and disposal . then , say to the righteous , it shall be well with him : for he shall eat the fruit of his doings . isa. . . god will give you the fruit , the benefit , the success , the good event of all your gracious counsels , and undertakings . he that hath the master and ruler of events on his side ; must certainly do well . though you are weak , and insufficient , in your selves , to do duty , to walk with god in your course , to resist temptations : yet the race is not to the swift , nor battel to the strong : god can , and will prosper your sincere endeavours , and give in suitable supplies of strength and grace , is. . , , . and though you have many enemies ; sin , satan , world , and may meet with much opposition ; yet god that hath all issues and events in his hand , being on your side , nothing shall do you real hurt , rom. . . you need not fear what men , or devils can do against you , seeing god that manages the active power of the creature , is for you . they have no power , but what god gives and hands as he will , ioh. . , ● . & he will not suffer them to do you real hurt . nothing shal separate you from the love of god in christ , rom. . - . nay , all adverse powers , though of greatest sufficiency to doe you hurt , and bent upon it ; shall do you good , whether they will or no , rom. . . and you shall be sure to conquer at last and have good success . indeed you may at present have many particular designs and undertakings , and be frustrated and suffer disappointment therein : but then , it is good for you to be afflicted , crossed , disappointed ; and unsuccessfulness is really best for you , & most conducive to the prosperity of your souls ; & you shall be sure of good success , so far as infinite wisdom sees it to be good for you . and then however your particular designs and undertakings may be defeated ; yet you have a general grand design , that is paramount & predominant ; which is the everlasting enjoyment of god : and if you reach that , you are well enough , and as happy as you would be : and the lord , who is the lord of time , and disposer of events , and governour of his creatures to their ends , will not suffer you to be disappointed herein . you shall infallibly glorify god and enjoy him for ever . this is matter of comfort to the people of god in the worst times ; when it is with them as with iacob , when he said , all these things are against me , gen. . . when none on their side , refuge fails , and no means appearing for them . and indeed the people of god in this country have had great experience of this . what deliverances hath god commanded ! when few , and weak , and low , and exposed to the rage of enemies , god said , touch not my anointed , & do my prophets no harm . the salvations of new-england have been most apparently by the lord 's governing time , and chance . this or that chance or occurrent hath faln in in the very nick of time to prevent ruine . it hath not been from the sufficiency of the instruments of our salvation ; but from the all-sufficiency of god , and his overruling events wonderfully therefore let all that fear god , comfort themselves with this consideration . and that you may take down , & be refreshed with this cordial , consider two things . . that events are not to be judged or concluded of beforehand , from the aspects of second causes . as astrologers conclude this or that shall happen , because of this or that aspect , the conjunction or opposition of planets , and positure of the stars & heavenly houses : so do politicians from the prospect they take of the combinations and confederacies , and various aspects of second causes . hence also god's people are discouraged , when they see the world combine , and enter into leagues & confederacies against the church ; now they conclude they shall be a prey to their teeth , and swallowed up . and enemies are ready to insult over the curch , and to say as pharaoh , i will pursue , i will overtake , i will divide the spoil , &c. exod. . . but this is a wrong way of judging , because time and chance happens , & god may turn all a quite other way . it was a good observation of mr. caryl , when wicked men are nearest their hopes , godly men are furthest from their fears ; because then usually god defeats them ; and their insolence , & confidence engage him to do it . . that the determination of all events , is in the hand of god in christ , or of the lord iesus christ. the mediator is at god's right hand , and hath all power in heaven , and earth committed to him ; all judgment , and the command and government of all events . he governs time and chance . god is in christ providentially ruling all events ; prospeting , or blasting all affairs , as he will. it is the man upon the throne above the firmament , that gives out his orders , according to which the living-creatures ( or angels ) move the wheels of providence , as you may see in that excellent scheme of providence , which is drawn in the first chapter of ezechiel . and it 's well for believers , that themselves , and their works are in the hand of christ , and that all events in the world are determined by him. thàt christ , whose person you love , whose ordinances you love ; whose truth you love ▪ whose commands you love ; whose members you love ; whose appearing you love : that christ , that loveth you a thousand times more than you can love him , and loved you above his own life , and will love you to eternity , that blessed lord jesus christ hath the managing of all affairs , and of all your concerns and undertakings in his own hands . and therefore we may conclude that he will do all in favour of his members , & it shall be well with them that fear god. eccl . . vse iv. of exortation , in sundry particulars . . labour to maintain an humble sense of your own insufficiency to accomplish any thing , even in that kind wherein you seem to be most sufficient & best accomplished . let worthy magistrates in consultations for publick good ; ministers , in their ministerial way ; scholars , in their way , and souldiers , in their military capacity , walk humbly with god. truly god hath poured contempt upon our military men , our artillery men , and good souldiers , new-england hath gloried in these things , indeed , men of martial spirits and skill , ought to be encouraged : these trainings and exercises are very commendable , & by all means to be supported and countenanced : and it is pi●y that as in other things , so in this , the good old spirit is so much gone : these are not times wherein the nations beat their swords into plough-shares , and their spears into pruning-hooks . war , in some cases is lawful , and at sometimes necessary ; and sure then , learning of war is so also . but i fear we have trusted too much in sword and bow , and gloried in our numbers ; in our arms and ammunition : in our trainings , in our expert souldiers : and the lord hath shewn us , that all these things are nothing without his blessing : and that unless the lord watch the town , keep the garrison'd house , fight the battel , all is in vain . we have seen that a despised & despicable enemy , that is not acquainted with books of military discipline , that observe no regular order , that understand not the souldier's postures , and motions , and f●●ings , and forms of battel ; that fight in a base , cowardly , contemptible way , have been able to rout , and put to flight , and destroy our valiant and good souldiers . and i must confess , that which determined my thoughts to this text , was this very consideration . i know not whether my discourse upon it may seem so well levelled at the occasions of this day : but i know it is very proper for the times that have passed over us , and the dispensations thereof . and i hope the gentlemen-souldiers present will not blame any of us , if we cannot look upon their trainings , and artillery-exercises with such an eye as formerly before the warre : nay they are to blame themselves , if they do not look upon them with another eye themselves , considering how god hath humbled us in that respect . whether my discourse be pertinent to the day or no , yet sure i am , it is a lesson god hath been teaching of us by many sad defeats & overthrows by a despicable enemy , that the battel is not to the strong , or expert , or valiant ; nor success always answerable to the sufficiency of instruments ; but determined by the lord , ordering time , & chance according to his pleasure . plain it is , that the lord hath spoken this over & over in his providence , and it is very proper for the dispensers of the word to speak it after him , & inculcate the same humbling lesson . nothing 's more apparent , than that god's design at this day , is to humble magistrates , our worthy patriots , to humble ministers , churches , expert and valiant military-men , merchants , and husbandmen , all sorts of men amongst us . who sees not that god's design is to humble proud new-england ? therefore admit i beseech you , an humbling discourse in an humbling time and suffer this word of exortation , the drift whereof is , not to discourage from the use of means , or take off your edge from military exercises ; but to press you to get & keep a due sense of your own insufficiency in your several capacities , to do any exploits , or accomplish any good purposes of your selves . and may there not be need of an humbling word on such days as these , when there are such solemnities , and the hearts of poor men are ready to swell , and heave & be puffed up strangely , with great apprehensions of themselves ? well , be sensible of your insufficiency to effect any thing , whatever your wisdom and strength be : that you cannot of your selves , win the race , or battel ; get bread , or wealth , deut. . , . build the house , or keep the city , psal. . , . truly we had need be put in mind that we are but weak , sorry men , that cannot make our own fortune ; but must take what god orders out to us . . depend absolutely upon god for all the issues and successes of your affairs & undertakings . for you see the determinaton of them is in his hands . though wicked men would shame the counsel of the poor people of god ( deriding their course in this respect ) because they have made god their refuge ( as ps. . . ) yet be not you ashamed of your dependence upon god , nor either jeered , or affrighted and discouraged out of it . it makes for the glory of god , as well as your comfort , when you depend upon him. therefore , . make sure that all your counsels and vndertakings be lawful and good. otherwise you cannot duly depend upon him , and expect his gracious concurrence . indeed god may shine upon the counsels , and way of the wicked , in respect of outward prosperity : and so he may give you success in wrath , & for your greater hurt , when your undertakings are sinful : but you have no promise of his gracious concurrence in that case , to ground faith upon . ( . ) do what your hand finds to do , with all your might . as in the verse before the text. be not slothful , or neglective of duty , because of the uncertainty of events . though you have not the issue in your own power , yet you are to do your utmost towards the compassing of your lawful designs . do your duty , or you cannot expect god's blessing , and his determining events on your side . great complaints there have been from time to time of the neglect of these military exercises , even by those that have freely listed , & solemnly engaged themselves to attend them ; and that such days are spent away unprofitably , little done to any purpose ; as if they were days to meet on , to smoke , and carouse , and swagger , and dishonour god with the greater bravery & solemnity . o make a business of it , and not a play. and in all your lawful undertakings , be serious & diligent . uncertaintie of events should not hinder from duty and diligence . eccl. . . . renounce all confidence in creatures , or created sufficiency . i will not trust in my bow ( saith the psalmist ) nor shall my sword save me , psal . do not trust in great men ( they are a lye , psal. . . ) good men , any men , they are v●nity . do not make flesh your arm , nor lay too much weight upon the ability of any instruments . do not bear too much upon the sufficiency of ministers to instruct , convince , convert , comfort and edifie : for paul himself was nothing , cor. . , - cor. . . do not say , wisdom and strength are for the war ( as isai. . . and therein we will trust : for events do not always fall out accordingly . let not the strong man glory in his strength , nor the wise man , in his wisdom , nor rich man , in his riches ; but in the lord , ier. . , . do not trust in your own wit , art , strength , courage , military accomplishments , provisions for war , advantages , or any sufficiencie you have . do not trust in any qualifications you have , natural or acquired , civil or spiritual . do not trust to the sufficiencie of received habitual grace . when god said to paul , my grace is sufficient for thee : he doth not mean habitual grace only ; but actual , effiicacious , assisting grace that the lord was pleased to afford him , the epichoregia pneùmatos , additional supplies of the spirit , and increated , as well as created grace , which paul was to trust to , and so might glorie in his infirmities , and depend upon the power of god that rested on him , cor. . , . do not trust to your previous dispositions and preparations , for any duty . it is not in him that wills , or runs . take heed of self-fullness , and a spirit of independenci in this respect . self-confidence , and creature-confidence are inconsistent with a due dependence upon god. . beg good successes , & issues of your vndertakings of god , in the name of iesus christ. it is one of the characters of a good souldier , act. . . and i am sure it is of a good man , to be a man of prayer . it were well if all our artillery and military gentlemen were men of this character . it is well if none of you have come forth to day without solemn prayer to god for his blessing on the occasions and services of this day . some read those words isai. . thou saist , surely lip-labour is counsel & strength sufficient for the warre : as if rabshakeh flouted good hezekiah for his confidence in god , and for saying that prayer ( which he scoffingly calls words of lips , or lip-labour ) would be in stead of the best policy , and courage , and preparations for warre . but if this reading be somewhat forced , yet sure it is , that allthough prayer to god must not exclude the use of other means ( for how can a man pray in faith , that doth not also use all due means in his power ? ) to get the victorie , and win the day . therefore when you come to these exercises , beg military skill of god : and when called forth to real service , beg success of him. so in other cases , prayer is one of the best expedients . our saviour hath instructed us to pray for our daily bread. scholars should beg a blessing on their studies . bene orâsse est bene studuisse . so for favour & acceptance among men ▪ beg so much as may put you into a better capacity to do the work of your place , and serve your generation . when paul was to carry a liberal contribution to the poor saints at ierusalem ( which was like enough to be very welcome ) he begs the romans to strive together with him in prayer , that his service might be accepted of the saints , rom. . , . pray threefore in the name of christ , for the good success of all your lawful undertakings . therein you will express your dependence on god. . cast all the care of events & issues of your affairs & vndertakings , on the lord. use all the good means in your hand , and then leave events quietly with god , on whom all the issues of things depend . commit your way to the lord , and roll it off thy self upon him. psal. . . look to him to direct thy paths to a good issue . prov. . . when you have done your duty in the use of means to compass your lawful designs , and recommended all to god by prayer , then trouble your selves no further ; but cast your burden upon the lord , psal. . . pet. . . take that counsel , phil. . . it is our work to take care our dutie be done , and the lord's work to take the care of events . it was a brave speech of that gallant souldier , though none of the best men , ioab i mean , when he had set his men in battel aray , and used all the skill & policie he could , be of good courage , and let us play the men , for our people , and for the cities of our god : and the lord do that which seemeth him good . sam. . . we must not govern the world. nor encroach upon god's prerogative ( which is to dispose of events ) by taking the care of them upon our selves . be poor and weak in your own eyes , and commit your selves & concernments to him. . when you have thus done , then believe stedfastly that the lord will give you a goud issue of your vndertakings . though not that which you may desire ; yet that which is best for you . when you have greatest sense of your own insufficiencie , and the weakness of means ; yet believe this , and depend upon him for it according to his promise , with whom it is all one to save by many , or few ; weak , or strong , to convert and edifie by weak , or able ministers ; to feed his children , and make them look fair and fat , with pulse and mean fare , as well as with royal dainties . this depending upon god , excludeth presumption on one hand ; despair and discouragement on the other . and he that in the sense of his own insufficiencie , trusts in the power and grace of god , may say as paul , when i am weak , then am i strong . cor. . . oh then ! let us depend upon god , with whom are the issues of all affairs . let our honourable rulers depend upon him , in the management of publick affairs : let ministers depend on god , without whom they cannot instruct the ignorant enlighten the dark , convince the obstinate , awaken the secure sinners , convert and bring any souls to christ , gather israel , edify and build up the faithful in the knowledg & faith of gospel mysteries , and in the graces and consolations of the spirit . let merchants depend on god for prosperous voyages , and good success in their trade and commerce : let husbandmen depend upon god for their bread & livelihood more than upon their own labours , and the fruitfulness of the ground . god instructs the husbandman . isai. . . and blesseth his labours , and can soon blast them , as the experience of many years hath sadly taught us . let scholars depend upon god for learning , more than upon their books , or tutors , or parts and industrie , or any other advantages . let military men learn to depend upon god. the lord is a man of warr. exod. . . he gives military skill , and other accomplishments , and successes also in their services and hazardous undertakings . let us all learn this lesson , to depend upon the lord , that orders out all successes & events according to his pleasure . . duely acknowledge god in all successes & events ; and in all frustrations , & disappointments . first , acknowledge god in all good successes and events , so as to be thankful to him for them . whatever your own sufficiencie may be , yet acknowledge god thankfully , as if you had been wholly insufficient : for your sufficiencie is of god , and he could have disappointed notwithstanding . the ground of our unthankfulness for all good issues and events of affairs and undertakings , is , because we do not see the good hand of god dispensing all to us . we make too little of god , and too much of our selves ; either by thinking we deserve better than god hath done for us ( hence a proud heart is never thankful to god or man ) or by thinking we have done all , or more than we have done , toward the getting of this or that mercy . we put our selves too much in the place of god ; as if it were in our power to make our endeavours successful , and to give a good effect and issue to them , according to our desire . we get up into god's throne , and usurp upon his prerogative , and assume that which is p●●●liar to him , when we presume we can bring any thing to pass , or do any thing successfully in our own strength . if we make our selves the only and absolute first causes of our good success ; no marvel we make our selves the last end also , and deny god the glorie . o do not ascribe good success to your own wit , and parts , and policy , and industrie , and say , my nimbleness hath won the race ; my conduct and courage hath won the battel ; my wisom hath gotten me this bread ; my understanding hath heaped up this wealth ; my dexteritie , and skill , and complaisance , and agreeable conversation hath procured me the favour of rulers or people ; my parts or study hath given me this learning . say not with the vapouring assyrian , by the srength of my hand i have done it , and by my wisdom : for i am prudent . isa. . . let not this be so much as the secret languge of your hearts . say not , as nebuchadnezzar , this is great babylon , which i have built , and so derogate from god that works all in all ; lest he turn you a grazing , as he did him , with the beasts of the field , and teach you better manners by some severe correction . do not sacrifice to your own nets , and burn incense to your drags ; as if by them your portion were fat , and meat plenteous ( hab. . . ) but ascribe all to god. there is that deep wickedness in the hearts of men , that if they get any thing by any fraud , and crafty fetches , and overreaching of their brethren , in a sinful way , they will be too readie to attribute that to the providence and blessing of god , and say , it was god's providence that cast it in upon them ; when they have been craftily and sinfully designing it , and bringing it about : but when they have gotten any thing honestly , by their wisdom and prudence , and industrie , they are too ready to forget providence , and ascribe all to themselves . see the evil of this , and remember that no people in the world have greater cause of thankfulness than we have to god , who hath governed time and chance on our behalf marvellously . o bless him for good success , not only when you cannot but acknowledge your own insufficiency ; but also whe●●ou have apprehensions of the greatest sufficiency of second causes . and blessed for ever be the lord , who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants , psal. . . secondly , acknowledge god also in all your frustrations and disappointments , so as to resent his disposals and dispensations towards you in a gracious manner . we have met with manie disappointments in the l●te warre , and in other respects . we should see god in all . when he blasts our corn , defeats our souldiers , frowns upon our merchants , and we are disappointed ; now acknowledge the hand of god , ordering time , and chance according to his good pleasure . justifie god in all , and bear such frustrations patientlie . when you have done your dutie , be quiet , though the event doth not answer your endeavours , and hopes . take heed of quarrelling at god's disappointments . do you know vvhom you have to do with ? i was dumb , i opened not my mouth ; because thou didst it . psal. ● . . if we look at faultie instruments , or at meer chance onely , we shall be apt to murmur . it is the observation of one , that the reason why men are more apt to fly out into cursings and blasphemies for their bad luck ( as they call it ) in those vnlawful games of cards , and dice , than in other exercises , that are governed by art and skill , ariseth partly from the very nature of those games : because when they have tried their lot or chance over and over , and their expectation is deceived , they think that that power that governs the lot or chance , is adverse to them . they cannot blame their own art or skill , when no art can infallibly determine the event ; but curse their bad fortune . and if we look at disappointments , as our bad fortune and chance onely , looking no further , we shall be apt to fret and quarrel : but if we do indeed see god ordering our lot for us , it may and ought to silence us . when magistrates have done their duty , according to the law of god , and of the country , and endeavoured faithfully to give check & stop to the inundation of profaneness and heresy ; and yet the bad genius of the times , and degenerous humour of the people , and this or that emergency happens , that frustrates the success of their counsels and endeavours ; truly they may sit down and mourn indeed ; but yet humbly submit to the all disposing providence of god. when ministers have laboured faithfully , and yet israel is not gathered , and their labours seem to be in vain , not successful in converting sinners ; they may weep in secret indeed ; but yet patiently bear the unsuccessfulnes of their ministry from the hand of god. when souldiers have shewed themselves valiant , and faithful , and done what they can ; and yet are worsted : they must acknowledge god's hand in it , and that the battel is the lord's . sam. . . who governeth the warre , and determins the victory on what side he pleaseth . all men have briars and thorns springing up in the way of their callings , as well as husbandmen ; and meet with difficulties and crosses there in . get the spirit david had sam. . , . and so acknowledge god in every thing , as to submit humbly to his disposals , even when they are adverse , and cross to your desies and ●xpectations . thirdly , be always prepared for disappointments . do not promise your selves success from the sufficiency of second causes : god may determine otherwise . we should be forewarned and forearmed , that we may not xenìzesthai ( pet. . . ) strange at it when it comes to pass , or be dejected and discouraged . events are not in the creatures power . the lord sometimes disappoints men of greatest sufficiency , over-rules and controlls their counsels and endeavours , and blasts them strangely . time and chance happens to them . if adam had stood ; though he would not have had the determination of events & successes in his own hand ▪ yet god would have determined them for him according to his hearts-desire : and he should never have been disappointed . but since the fall , as no man hath power to determine events ( which is god's prerogative ) so it is just with god that every man should meet with crosses and disappointments ; and this is the fruit of the curse , under which all natural menly : and as for the people of god ; though they are delivered from the curse of the law , in the formality of it ; so that nothing befalls them as a curse , how cross soever it be : yet they are not yet absolutely delivered from the matter of the curse , as appears by the afflictions they meet with , and death it self . and indeed it makes sometimes for the glory of god , to disappoint men of greatest abilities . when men do not see and own god ; but attribute success to the sufficiency of instruments , it 's time for god to maintain his own right ( as dr. preston speaks ) and shew that he gives , or denies success , according to his own good pleasure . god is much seen in controlling the ablest agents , & blasting their enterprizes ; yea more , many times , than in backing them , & blessing their endeavours in an ordinary course of providence . herein the wisdom of god is much seen . it is best , sometimetimes , it should be so , with respect to god's int'rest and glory . his power also appears in giving check to the ablest instruments , and turning all their designs another way than they intended . his mercy also to his people , is seen herein ; for it is best for them , in some cases , to be defeated and disappointed . his iustice also appears herein , in his correcting and punishing the self-confident , sinful creature with unexpected disappointments . so that it is our wisdom , tolook for changes and chances , some occurrents and emergencies that may blast our undertakings , that faith and prayer may be kept a going , and lest if such frustrations befall us unexpectedly , we either fly out against god , or faint and sink in discouragements . at the first going out of our forces , in the beginning of the warre , what great apprehensions were there of speedy success and ending of the warre ; that it was but going and appearing , and the enemy would be faced down : as if the first news from our souldiers should be , venimus , vidimus , vicimus . and several times after , great probability of concluding that unhappy war ; and yet all disappointed , contrary to expectation . vvhen there is therefore greatest probability of success , yet remember there may be disappointment ; and provide for it , that you may not be surprised thereby . this may be good counsel to men of projecting heads , that are wont to be very confident that they see their way farre before them : but they do not know what time and chance may happen : this may check the confidence of man , and teach us not to promise our selves great things , or build upon this or that event or enjoyment for time to come . labour to be prepared and provided for disappointments . fourthly , fear god , and keep his commandments . this is the conclusion of the whole matter ( faith solomon , eccl. . . ) the conclusion of the book , and may be very well drawn from the words of my text in special , and shall be the conclusion of my discourse upon it , fear god , and keep his commandments . oh! fear god , that is the lord of time , and governour of chance , and dispenser of all events and issues ; and be sure to please him in a course of evangelical obedience . god hath the care of events , and we must leave that to him : but our care must be to do our duty . and to fear god , and keep his commands , in the whole duty of man. vvho would not fear thee , o king of nations ? ier. . . the lord governs nations and kingdoms , all the affairs and enterprizes of the sons of men : all their lives , and souls , and estates , and vvays are in his hand : and he can dispose of them , not onely for present , but for eternity , as he pleases . all the events that be fall them , are ordered and governed by him. therefore be in the fear of the lord all the day long , and walk worthy of the lord unto all well-pleasing . if your ways please god , your enemies shall be at peace with you , or do you no hurt , if they would ; but good , whether they will or no. obedience is the best way to prosperity . deut. . . the lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants , psal. . . this was god's promise to ioshuah , josh. . . while you are with god , god will be with you . chron. . . and then you shall have things prosper under your hands , as gen. . . every thing shall befriend you . whilst solomon trode in the steps of his father , and walked in the law of god ; and neither practised idolatry , nor gave any countenance , or allowance , or toleration thereunto , there was no adversary , nor evil occurrent , or chance : for it is the same word with that in my text : king. . . when he forsook the law of god , the lord stirred up many adversaries against him . while he was with god , his affairs prospered , and were attended with good success and a blessing . so it was with reforming hezekiah , king. . , , . chron. . , . he trusted in the lord god of israel , so that after him was none like him among all the kings of iudah , nor any that were before him : for he clave to the lord , and departed not from following him ; but kept his commandments which the lord commanded moses . and the lord was with him , and he prospered whithersoever he went forth : &c. otherwise , how should men expect to prosper ? chron. . . — why transgress ye the commandments of the lord , that ye cannot prosper ? because ye have forsaken the lord , he hath also forsaken you . we find generally that when rulers and people walked in god's law , and kept in with him , their affairs prospered marvellously : when they departed from god , nothing prospered with them ; unless it were to their hardening , and ruine . and the lord keeps the same tenour of dispensations ( for the substance ) unto this day . oh therefore ! let us all account it our best policy , as it is our duty , to please god , that hath the absolute disposal of us , and all our affairs . and let it be the care of our military men , that they do not make days of training , and preparation for warre and real service , days of provocation to god. please god , if you would engage him on your side , to govern time and chance to your advantage . take heed of making god your enemy in the days of your peace and of such solemnities , by spending them away idly and unprofitably , by any unworthy behaviour ; by intemperance , by excessive drinking ( a sin grown too much in fashion with the generation that is risen-up ; i wish i might not say , with many loose church-members ) by idle , rotten , unsavoury communication , or by any other way of debauchery , and provocation : so as to disarm your selves , to make you naked , to lay you open to the stroke of divine vengeance , and to render you unprosperous and unhappie men in all your undertakings . it is a shame and a grief to think how such days as these are many times spent to the dishonour of god , and the unspeakable prejudice of the souls of men ; as well as other daies of solemnitie on other accounts . i beseech you , look to your selves , and do not make warre upon god this day , nor run upon the thick bosses of his bucklers , job . . , . do not dishonour and displease christ , that is god the father's viceroy in the world , and governs all affairs . if you cross him , and ( to speak after the manner of men ) disappoint him of his expectations concerning you ( as the lord hath great expectations of such a people , so circumstanced ) he will have his time to meet with you , and to cross you in your designs , and to give you shame , and disappointment . i delight not in any pedantick , insipid , trifling allusions , below the gravity of a sermon : but i cannot better express what i would , than in your own ordinary phrases , you gentlmen of the artillery , and militia , face to your leader ; or in the apostle's words , look unto iesus , heb. . . and follow your leader , your commander in chief , the captain of the host of the lord , iosh. . . the lord jesus christ , in holiness of conversation . he was no glutton , no wine-bibber , no loose and vain companion of sinners ; though blasphemously charged with it by his malignant enemies . he was the greatest e x a m p l e that ever was , or will be in the world , of sobriety , of gravity , of seriousness and diligence in his work , of prudent and prosperous management of his affairs ( isa. . . ) of savoury , gracious communication , and holy conversation . learn of him , and follow his example , and you shall be prosperous men indeed : yea , let us all take this counsel and course . new england hath enemies enough on earth , and in hell : wo to us if we make god in heaven our enemy also . the lord help us to fear him , & keep his commandments , and then we need not be afraid of evil tidings , or solicitous about events and issues of things : for all the paths of the lord shall be mercy and truth to us , and goodness and mercy shall follow us all our days : and this we know , that it shall be well with them that fear god. finis . advertisement . there is now in the press a treatise entituled covenant-keeping , the way to blessedness , being several sermons preached from psal. ciii . xvii , xviii . by the reverend mr. samuel willard . divine conduct, or, the mysterie of providence wherein the being and efficacy of providence is asserted and vindicated : the methods of providence as it passes through the several stages of our lives opened : and the proper course of improving all providences / directed in a treatise upon psalm ver by john flavell ... flavel, john, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) divine conduct, or, the mysterie of providence wherein the being and efficacy of providence is asserted and vindicated : the methods of providence as it passes through the several stages of our lives opened : and the proper course of improving all providences / directed in a treatise upon psalm ver by john flavell ... flavel, john, ?- . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by r.w. for francis tyton ..., london : mdclxxviii [ ] errata on p. [ ] at end. includes index. imperfect: pages stained and cropped. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - rina kor sampled and proofread - aptara rekeyed and resubmitted - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion divine conduct : or , the mysterie of providence . wherein the being and efficacy of providence is asserted , and vindicated : the methods of providence as it passes through the several stages of our lives opened ; and the proper course of improving all providences directed , in a treatise upon psalm . ver. . by john flavell , preacher of the gospel . totam dei providentiam omnia tandem dirigere ad gloriam suam , & ad electorum salutem ; ac tum quiescere spiritum dei , cùm videt impios damnari , ac electos servari ; ex qua utraque re deus glorificetur . hieron-zanchii miscell . tom. . pag. . psal. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum . london : printed by r. w. for francis tyton at the three daggers in fleetstreet . mdclxxviii . to the right honourable william earl of bedford , lord russell of thorne●●ugh , and knight of the most noble order of the garter . my lord , it was a weighy , and savoury speech , which a pious pen once saved from your lordship's lips , viz. that you accounted the prayers of gods ministers and people , the best walls about your house . he that so accounts , doubtless understands , that prayer engageth providence , isa. . . and providence so engaged , is the surest munition , job . . many great men enclose their dwellings with an high wall , but the foundation ( as the wisest of men observes ) is laid in their own conceits , prov. . . yea , in sin , and crying sin too , hab. . . of such walls we may say , as the oracle to phocas , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . if the building emulate the skies , yet sin being in the bottom , all will totter . 't is a fond vanity , to think of ensuring a destiny that can controll the stars , and endure the assaults of fortune , ( as they love to speak ) whilst providence is not engaged for them , no not so much as by a bare acknowledgement . my lord , it is not the vast bulk of an estate , nor the best humane security in the world , but the vigilant care of divine providence , that guards both it , and its owners from the stroke of ruine . 't is the fear of god within us , and the providence of god round about us , which make the firm and solid basis of all sanctified and durable prosperity . it is beyond all debate , that there is a providence of god alwayes enfolding those in everlasting arms , that bear his image . the impress of that image upon you , and the embraces of those arms about you , will advance you higher , and secure you better , than your noble birth or estate could ever do . my lord , providence hath molded you , è meljori luto , made you both the offspring and head of an illustrious family , planted you in a rich and pleasant soyl , caused many noble branches to spring from you , drawn your life even unto old age , through the delights and honours of this world . and now that you have tried all those things that make the fairest pretensions to happiness ; what have you found in all these painted beauties , and false glozing excellencies which have successively courted you ? which of them all can you pronounce self-desirable ? which can you call objectum par amori ? what is it to have the flesh indulged , sense gratified , fancy tickled ? what have you found in meats and drinks , in stately houses and pleasant gardens ; in gold and silver , in honour and applause to match the appetite of your nobler soul ? surely ( my lord ) to turn from them all with a generous disdain , as one that knows where to find better entertainment ; is much more noble , than wholly to immerse , and lose our spirits in those sensual fuitions , as many do , alas , too many in our dayes ! we are fallen into the dregs of time , sensuality runs every where into atheism . providentja peperit liv●●jas , sed filja devoravit matrem . the largesses of providence have so blinded , and perfectly stupified the minds of some , that they neither own a providence , nor a god , who do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as plutarch both wittily and judiciously reply'd upon colotes the epicurean . but blessed be god , there is a sincere part , both of the nobles and commons of england , which this gangrene hath not yet touched , and ihope , never shall . my lord , it is both your honour and interest , to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the entire and devoted servant of providence . it was once the wish of a good man , optarem id me esse deo , quod est mihimanus mea . this is the most noble and divine life that can be , to live and act in this world upon eternal designs . to look upon our selves and what we have , as things devoted to god ; not to be content that providence should serve it self of us , ( for so it doth even of those things which understand nothing of it ) but to study wherein we may serve providence , and be instrumental in its hand for the good of many ; this is to be truly honourable ; quo magis quis deo vivit , eo evadit nobiljor , clarjor , divinjor . how much god hath honoured you in this respect , the world will understand better , when your lordship shall be gathered to your fathers , and sleep in the dust , then he that praiseth , cannot be suspected of flattery ; nor he that is praised , be moved with vain glory : but the approbation of god , is infinitely better than the most glorious name among men , before , or after death . and as it is most honourable to serve , so you will find it most comfortable to observe the wayes of god in his providence . to compose our selves to think of the conduct of providence through all the stages of life we have hitherto passed . to note the results of its profound wisdom , the effects of its tender care , the distinguishing fruits of its special bounty : to mark how providences have gone along step by step with the promises , and both with us , till they have now brought us near to our everlasting rest , oh how delectable ! how transporting are such meditations as these ! my lord , it is the design of this manual , to assert the being and efficacy of providence against the atheism of the times ; and to display the wisdom and care of the providence of god in all the concerns of that people who are really his . 't is probable , if your lordship will stoop to such a vulgar composure , somewhat may occurr of a grateful relish to your pious mind . i confess , it is not accommodated , either in exactness of method , or elegancy of style , to gratifie the curious ; nor yet is it destitute of what may please and profit the truly gracious . should i here recite the pleasures and advantages resulting from an humble and heedful eying of the methods of providence , it would look more like a book in an epistle , than an epistle in a book . one taste of spiritual sense will satisfie you better , than all the accurate descriptions and high encomjums that the most elegant pen can bestow upon it . my lord , it is not that eminent station that some persons retain ( in civil respects ) above the vulgar , that will enable them to penetrate the mysteries , and relish the sweetness of providence better than others ; ( for doubtless many that live immediately upon providence for daily bread , do thereby gain a nearer acquaintance with it , than those , whose outward enjoyments flow to them in a more plentiful and stated course ) but those that excel in grace and experience , those that walk and converse with god in all his dispensations towards them ; these are the persons who are most fully and immediately capable of these high pleasures of the christian life . the daily flow and increase whereof in your lordships noble person and family , is the hearty desire of from my study at dartmouth , aug. . . your lordships most humble servant , john flavell . to the ingenuous readers , those especially that are the heedful observers of the wayes of providence . reader , there are two wayes whereby the blessed god condescends to manifest himself to men , his word , and his works . of the written word we must say , no words like these were ever written since the beginning of time , which can ( as one speaks ) take life and root in the soul , yea , doth it as really as the seed doth in the ground : and are fitted to be engraffed and naturalized there , so as no coalition in nature can be more real than this , james . . this is the most transcendent and glorious medjum of manifestation ; god hath magnifjed his word above all his name , psal. . . however , the manifestations of god by his works , whether of creatjon or providence have their value , and glory : but the prime glory and excellency of his providentjal works consists in this , that they are the very fulfillings and real accomplishments of his written word . by a wise and heedful attendance hereunto , we might learn that excellent art , which is ( not unfitly ) called by some scjentja architectonica , an art to clear the mysterious occurrences of providence , by reducing them to the written word , and there lodge them as effects in their proper causes . and doubtless , this is one of the rarest essayes men could pursue against atheism , to shew , not only how providences concurr in a most obvious tendency to confirm this great conclusion , thy word is truth ; but how it sometimes extorts also the confession of a god , and the truth of his word , from those very tongues which have boldly denyed it . aeschyles the persjan relating their discomf●ture by the grecjan army , makes this not able observation , when the grecjan forces hotly pursued us , ( saith he ) and we must needs venture over the great water strymon , then frozen ; but beginning to thaw ; when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it , with mine eyes i then saw many of those gallants whom i had heard before so boldly maintain , there was no god , every one upon their knees , with eyes and hands lifted up , begging hard for help and mercy , and entreating that the ice might hold till they got over . many thousand seals hath providence forced the very enemies of god to set to his truths , which greatly tends to our confirmation therein ; but especially , to see how the word and providences of god do enlighten each other ; and how the scriptures contain all those events , both great and small , which are disposed by providence in their seasons : and how not only the promises of the word , are in the general faithfully fulfilled to the church in all her exigences and distresses ; but in particular to every member of it ; they being all furnished by providence with multitudes of experiences to this use and end . o how useful are such observations ! and as the profit and use , so the delight and pleasure resulting from the observations of providence , is exceeding great . it will doubtless be a part of our entertainment in heaven , to view with transporting delight , how the designs and methods were laid to bring us thither : and what will be a part of our blessedness in heaven , may well be allowed to have a prime ingrediency into our heaven upon earth ▪ to search for pleasure among the due observations of providence , is to search for water in the ocean : for providence doth not only , ultimately design to bring you to heaven , but ( as intermediate thereunto ) to bring ( by this means ) much of heaven into your souls in the way thither . how great a pleasure is it to discern how the most wise god is providentially steering all to the port of his own praise , and his peoples happiness , whilst the whole world is busily employed in managing the sails , and tugging at the oars , with a quite opposite design and purpose ? to see how they promote his design by opposing it , and fulfil his will by resisting it , enlarge his church by scattering it , and make their rest to come the more sweet to their souls , by makeing their condition so restless in the world . this is pleasant to observe in general : but to record and note its particular designs upon our selves ; with what profound wisdom , infinite tenderness , and incessant vigilancy it hath managed all that concerns us from first to last , is ravishing and transporting . o what an history might we compile of our own experiences , whilst with a melting heart me trace the footsteps of providence all along the way it hath led us to this day ; and set our remarques upon its more eminent performances for us , in the several stages of our life ! here it prevented , and there it delivered : here it directed , and there it corrected . in this it grjeved , and in that it reljeved . here was the poison , and there the antidote . this providence raised a dismal cloud , and that dispelled it again . this straitned , and that enlarged . here a want , and there a supply . this relation withered , and that springing up in its room . words cannot express the high delights and gratifications , a gracious heart may ●ind in such employment as this . o what a world of rarities are to be found in providence ! the blind heedless world makes nothing of them : they cannot find one sweet bit , where a gracious soul would make a rich feast . plutarch relates very exactly , how timoleon was miraculously delivered from the conspiracy of two murderers , by their meeting in the very nick of time a certain person , who to revenge the death of his father , killed one of them , just as they were ready to give timoleon the fatal blow , though he knew nothing of the business , and so timoleon escaped the danger . and what did this wonderful work of providence think you , yield the relator ? why , though he were one of the most learned and ingenious among the heathen sages ; yet all he made of it , was only this , the spectators ( saith he ) wondered greatly at the artifice and contrivance which fortune uses . this is all he could see in it . had a spiritual and wise christian had the dissecting and anatomizing of such a work of providence , what glory would it have yielded to god! what comfort and encouragement to the soul ! the bee makes a sweeter meal upon one single flower , than the ox doth upon the whole meadow , where thousands of them grow . o reader , if thy heart be spiritual and well stockt with experience , if thou hast recorded the wayes of providence towards thee , and wilt but allow thy self time to reflect upon them ; what a life of pleasure maist thou live ! what an heaven upon earth doth this way lead thee into ! i will not here tell thee , what i have met in this path , lest it should seem to savour of too much vanity ; non est religjo ubi omnja patent . there are some delights and enjoyments in the christian life , which are and must be enclosed . but try it thy self , taste and see , and thou wilt need no other inducement ; thine own experi●nce will be the most powerful oratory to perswade thee to the study and search of providence . histories are usually read with delight : when once the fancy is catcht , a man knows not how to disengage himself from it . i am greatly mistaken , if the history of our own lives , if it were well drawn up , and distinctly perused , would not be the pleasantest history that ever we read in our lives . the ensuing treatise is an essay to that purpose , in which thou wilt find some remarques set upon providence , in its passage through the several stages of our life . but reader , thou only art able to compile the history of providence for thy self , because the memorjals that furnish it , are only in thine own hands . however , here thou maist find a pattern , and general rules to direct thee in that great and difficult work , which is the very end , and design of this manual . i have not had much regard to the dress , and ornament in which this discourse is to go abroad , for i am debtor both to the strong and weak , the wise and foolish : and in all my observation i have not found , that ever god hath made much use of laboured periods , rhetorical flowers , and elegancies to improve the power of religion in the world : yea , i have observed , how providence hath sometimes rebuked good men , when upon other subjects they have too much affected those pedantick fooleries in withdrawing from them its usual aids , and exposing them to shame ; and much more may it do so , when it self is the subject . reader , if thy stomach be nice and squeasie , and nothing will relish with thee , but what is spruce and elegant , there are store of such composures in the world , upon which thou maist even surfeit thy curious fancy : mean time there will be found some that will bless god for what thou despisest , and make many a sweet meal upon what thou loathest . i will add no more , but my hearty prayers that providence will direct this treatise to such hands , in such seasons , and so bless and prosper its design , that god may have glory , thou maist have benefit , and my self comfort in the success thereof , who am thine and the churches servant in the hand of providence , iohn flavell . divine conduct , or the mysterie of providence : opened in a treatise upon psal. . . i will cry unto god most high , unto god that performeth all things for me . the greatness of god is a glorious , and uns●archable mysterie . the lord most high is terrible ; he is a great king over all the earth , psal. . . the condescesinon of the most high god to men is also a profound mysterie . though the lord be high , yet hath he respect unto the lowly , psal. . . but when both these meet together ( as they do in this scripture ) they make up a matchless mysterie . here we find the most high god performing all things for a poor distressed creature . it is the great support and solace of the saints in all the distresses that befall them here , that there is a wise spirit sitting in all the wheels of motion , and governing the most excentrical creatures and their most pernicious designs to blessed and happy issues . and indeed it were not worth while to live in a world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devoid of god and providence . how deeply we are concerned in this matter , will appear by that great instance , which this psalm presents us with . it was composed ( as the title notes ) by david prayer-wise , when he hid himself from saul in the cave : and is inscribed with a double title , al-taschith michtam of david . altaschith refers to the scope , and michtam to the dignity of the subject matter . the former signifies destroy not , or let there be no slaughter , and may either refer to saul , concerning whom he gave charge to his servants not to destroy him ; or rather , it hath reference to god , to whom in this great exigence he poured out his soul in this pathetical ejaculation , al-taschith destroy not . the later title michtam signi●ies a golden ornament , and so is suited to the choice and excellent matter of the psalm , which much more deserves such a title , than pythagoras his golden verses did . three things are remarkable in the former part of the psalm . viz. ( ) his extream danger . ( ) his earnest address to god in that extremity . ( ) the arguments he pleads with god in that address . his extream danger , expressed both in the title , and body of the psalm . the title tells us , this psalm was composed by him when he hid himself from saul in the cave . this cave was in the wilderness of engedi among the broken rocks where the wild goats inhabited , an obscure and desolate hole ; yet even thither the envy of saul pursued him , i sam. . , . and now he that had been so long hunted as a partridge upon the mountains , seems to be enclosed in the net ; for the place was begirt with his enemies , and having in this place no out-let another way , and saul himself entring into the mouth of this cave , in the sides and creeks whereof he and his men lay hid , and saw him ; judge to how great an extremity , and to what a desperate state things were now brought : well might he say , as it is ver . . my soul is among lyons , and i lye even among them that are set on fire . what hope now remained ? what but immediate destruction could be expected ? yet this frights him not out of his ●aith and duty , but betwixt the jaws of death he prays , and earnestly addresses himself to god for mercy , v. . be merciful to me , o god , be merciful unto me . this excellent psalm was composed by him , when there was enough to discompose the best man in the world . the repetition notes both the extremity of the danger , and the ardency of the supplicant . mercy , mercy ! nothing but mercy , and that exerting it self in an extraordinay way , can now save him from ●ine ▪ the arguments he pleads for obtaining mercy in this distress , are very considerable . ( . ) he pleads his reliance upon god , as an argument to move mercy . be merciful to me , o god , be merciful unto me , for my soul trusteth in thee ; yea in the shadow of thy wings will i make my refuge , until these calamitjes be overpast , v. . this his trust and dependance on god , though it be not argumentative in respect of the dignity of the act ; yet it is so in respect , both of the nature of the object , a compassionate god , who will not expose any that take shelter under his wings ; and in respect of the promise , whereby protection is assured to them that fly to him for sanctuary , isa. . . thou wilt keep him in perfect peace , whose mind is stayed on thee , because he trusteth in thee . thus he encourages himself from the consideration of that god , to whom he betakes himself . ( . ) he pleads former experiences of his help in past distresses , as an argument encouraging hope under the present strait , ver . . i will cry unto god most high , unto god that performeth all things for me . in which words i shall consider two things , . the duty resolved upon , . the encouragement to that resolution . the duty resolved upon ; i will cry unto god. crying unto god , is an expression that doth not only denote prayer , but intense and fervent prayer . to cry , is to pray in an holy passion ; and such are usually speeding prayers , psalm . . and heb. . . the encouragements to this resolution , and these are twofold . . objective , taken from the soveraignty of god. and . subjective , taken from the experience he had of his providence . the soveraignty of god , i will cry unto god most high. upon this he acts his faith in extremity of danger . saul is high , but god the most high ; and without his permission , he is assured saul cannot touch him . he had no● to help ; and if he had , he knew god must first help the helpers , or they cannot help him . he had no means of defence or escape before him , but the most high is not limited by means . this is a singular prop to faith , psal. . . the experience of his providence hitherto : unto god that performeth all things for me . the word which we trad●●ate [ performeth ] comes from a root , that signifies both to perfect , and to desis● or cease . for when a business is performed and perfected , the agent then ceases and ●●sists from working : he puts to the last hand , when he finishe● the work . to such an happy issue the lord hath brought all his doubtful and difficult matters before ; and this gives him encouragement , that he will still 〈◊〉 gracious , and perfect that which concerneth him now , as he speaks , psal. . . the lord will perfect that which concerneth me . the sep●uagint renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who profiteth , or benefiteth me . and it is a certain truth , that all the results and issues of providence are profitable and beneficial to the saints . but the supplement in our translation well receives the importance of the place , who performeth all things . and it involves the most strict and proper notion of providence , which is nothing else but the performance of god's gracious purposes , and promises to his people . and therefore vatablus and muis supply and fill up the room which the conciseness of the original leaves , with quae promisit , i will cry unto god most high , unto god that performeth the things which he hath promised . payment is the performance of promises . grace makes the promise , and providence the payment . piscator fills it with benignitatem & misericordjam suam , unto god that performeth his kindness and mercy . but still it supposes the mercy performed , to be contained in the promise . mercy is sweet in the promise , and much more so in the providentjal performance of it to us . castaljo's supplement comes nearer to ours , rerum mearum transactorem , i will cry unto god most high , unto god the transactor of my affairs . but our english , making out the sense by an universal particle , is most fully agreeable to the scope of the text. for it cannot but be a great encouragement to his faith , that god had transacted all things , or performed all things for him ; this providence that never failed him in any of the straits that ever he met with ( and his life was a life of many straits ) he might well hope it would not now fail him , though this were an extraordinary and matchless one . bring we then our thoughts a little closer to this scripture , and it will give us a fair and lovely prospect of providence in its . universal . effectual . beneficial . encouraging influence upon the affairs and concerns of the saints . the expression imports the vniversal interest and influence of providence in and upon all the concerns and interests of the saints . it hath not only its hand in this or that , but in all that concerns them . it hath its eye upon every thing that relates to them throughout their lives , from first to last . not only great , and more important , but the most minute and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by it . it touches all things that touch us , whether more nearly or remotely . it displaies the efficacy of providentjal influences . providence doth not only undertake , but [ performeth ] and perfects what concerns us . it goes through with its designs , and accomplisheth what it begins . no difficulty so clogs it , no cross accident falls in its way , but it carries its design through it . its motions are irresistible and uncontrollable , he performs it for us . and ( which is sweet to consider ) all its products and issues are exceeding beneficjal to the saints . it performs all things [ for them ] . 't is true , we often prejudge its works , and unjustly censure its designs , and under many of our straits and troubles we say , all these things are against us : but indeed providence neither doth , nor can do any ●hing that is really against the true interest and go●d of the saints . for what are the works of providence , but the execution of god's decree , and the fulfilling of his word ? and there can be no more in providence , than is in them . now there is nothing but good to the saints in god's purposes and promises ; and therefore , whatever providence doth in their concernments , it must be ( as the text speaks ) the performance of all things for them . and if so , how chearing , supporting , and encouraging must the consideration of these things be in a day of distress and trouble ? what life and hope will it inspire our hearts and prayers withal , when great pressures lie upon us ? it had such a chearing influence upon the psalmist at this time , when the state of his affairs was to the eye of sense and reason forlorn , and desperate : there was now but an hairs breadth ( as we say ) betwixt him and ruine . a potent , e●●aged , and implacable enemy had driven him into the hole of a rock , and was come after him into that hole , yet now whilst his soul is among lyons , whilest he lies in a cranny of the rock , expecting every moment to be drawn out to death , the reflections he had upon the gracious performances of the most high for him , from the beginning to that moment , support his soul , and inspire hope and life into his prayers , i will cry unto god most high , unto god that performeth all things for me . the amount of all you have in this doctrinal conclusion . doct. that it is the duty of the saints , especjally in times of straits , to reflect upon the performances of providence for them in all the states , and through all the stages of their lives . the church in all the works of mercy , owns ●he ●and of god , isa. . . lord , thou hast wrought all our works in ( or for ) us . and still it hath been the pious , and constant practice of the saints in all generations , to preserve the memory of the more famous , and remarkable providences that have befallen them in their times , as a precious treasure . if thou be a christjan indeed , i know thou hast , if not in thy book , yet certainly in thy heart a great many precjous favours upon record ; the very remembrance and rehearsal of them is sweet : how much more sweet was the actual enjoyment ? baxter's saints rest , p. . thus moses by divine direction wrote a memorial of that victory obtained over amalek as the fruit and return of prayer , and built there an altar with this inscription jehovah nissi , the lord my banner , exod. . , . thus mordecai and hester took all care to perpetuate the memory of that signal deliverance from the plot of haman , by ordaining the feast of purim , as an anniversary throughout every generatjon , every family , every province , and every ci●y , that those days of purim should not fail from among the jews , nor the memorjal of them perish from their seed , esth. . . for this end you find psalms indited , to bring to remembrance , psal. . the title . parents giving suitable names to their children , that every time they looked upon them , they might refresh the memory of gods mercies , sam. . . the very places where eminent providences have appeared , new named , upon no other design , but to perpet●ate the memorial of those sweet providences which so refreshed them there : thence bethel took its name , gen. . . and that well of water where hagar was seasonably refreshed by the angel in her distress , beer-la-hai-roi , the well of him that liveth and looketh on me , gen. . . yea , the saints have given , and god hath assumed to himself new titles upon this very score and account ; abraham's jehovah jirch , and gideon's jehovah shallum were ascribed to him upon this reason . and sometimes you find the lord stiles himself , the god that brought abraham from vr of the chalde●s : then the lord lord that brought them out of egypt : then the lord that gathered them out of the north countrey : still minding them of the gracious providences which in all those places he had wrought for them . now there is a twofold reflection upon the providentjal works of god. one entire and full , in the whole complex and perfect frame thereof . this blessed sight is reserved for the perfect state . it is in that mount of god , where we shall see both the wilderness and canaan : the glorious kingdom into which we are come , and the way through which we were led into it . there the saints shall have a ravishing view of that beautiful frame , and every part shall be distinctly discerned , as it had its particular use , and as it was connected with the other parts , and how effectually and orderly they all wrought to bring about that blessed design of their salvation , according to the promise , rom. . . and we know that all things work together for good to them that love god , &c. for it is certain , no ship at sea keeps more exactly by the compass which directs its course , than providence doth by that promise , which is its cynosura and pole-star . the other partial and imperfect in the way to glory , where we only view it in its single acts , or at most , in some branches and more observable course of actions . betwixt these two is the same difference , as betwixt the sight of the dis-jointed wheels and scattered pins of a watch , and the sight of the whole united in one frame , and working in one orderly motion : or , betwixt an ignorant spectators viewing some more observable vessel or joint of a dissected body ; and the accurate anatomist's discerning the course of all the veins and arteries of the body , as he follows the several branches of them through the whole , and plainly sees the proper places , figure , and use of each , with their mutual respect to one another . o how ravishing and delectable a sight is that ! to behold at one view the whole design of providence , and the proper place , and use of every single act , which we could not understand in this world : for what christ said to peter , john . . is as applicable to some providences in which we are now concerned , as it was to that particular action ; what i do thou knowest not now , but hereafter thou shalt know it . all the dark intricate puzling providences at which we were sometimes so stumbled , and sometimes amazed , which we could neither reconcile with the promise , nor with each other ; nay , which we so unjustly censured and bitterly bewailed , as if they had fallen out quite cross to our happiness : we shall than see to be unto us , as the difficult passage through the wilderness was unto israel , the right way to a city of habitatjon , psalm . . and yet though our present views and reflections upon providence be so short and imperfect in comparison of that in heaven , yet such as it is under all its present disadvantages , it hath so much excellency and sweetness in it , that i may call it a little heaven , or as jacob called his bethel , the gate of heaven . 't is certainly an high-way of walkking with god in this world , and as sweet communion may a soul enjoy with him in his providences , as in any of his ordinances . how often have the hearts of its observers been melted into tears of joy , at the beholding of its wise and unexpected productions ! how often hath it convinced them , upon a sober recollection of the events of their lives , that if the lord had left them to their own counsels , they had as often been their own tormenters , if not executioners ? into what , and how many fatal mischiefs had they precipitated themselves , if providence had been as short sighted as they ? they have given it their hearty thanks , for considering their interest more than their importunity , and not suffering them to perish by their own desires . the benefits of adverting the works of providence , are manifold and unspeakable ; as in its place we shall shew you . but not to entangle the thread of the discourse , i shall cast it into this method . first , i shall prove , that the concernments of the saints in this world , are certainly conducted by the wisdom and care of special providence . secondly , i will shew you , in what particular concernments of theirs this providential care is evidently discovered . thirdly , that it is the duty of saints to advert , and heedfully observe these performances of providence for them in all their concernments . fourthly , in what manner this duty is to be performed by them . fifthly , what singular benefits result to them from such observations . and then apply the whole in such uses , as offer themselves from the point . the first general head. first , i shall undertake the proof and defence of this great truth , that the affairs of the saints in this world are certainly conducted by the wisdom and care of specjal providence . and herein i address my self with cheerfulness , to perform ( as i am able ) a service for that providence , which hath throughout my life performed all things for me , as the text speaks . there is a twofold consideration of providence according to its twofold object , and manner of dispensation ; the one is general , exercised about all creatures , rational and irrational , animate and inanimate ; the other specjal and peculiar . christ hath an universal empire over all things , ephes. . . the head of the whole world , by way of dominjon ; but an head to the church , by way of unjon and specjal influence , john . . the savjour of all men , but especjally of them that beljeve , tim. . . the church is his specjal care and charge ; he rules the world for its good , as an head consulting the welfare of the body . heathens generally denied providence , and no wonder , since they denied a god : for the same arguments that prove one , will prove the other . aristotle the prince of heathen philosophers , could not by the utmost search of reason , find out the worlds original , and therefore concludes , it was from eternity . the epicureans did in a sort acknowledge a god , but yet denied a providence , and wholly excluded him from any interest or concern in the affairs of the world , as being inconsistent with the felicity and tranquillity of the divine being to be diverted and cumbered with the care and labour of government . this assertion is so repugnant to reason , that it is a wonder themselves blush● not at its absurdity ; but i guess at the design , and one of them speaks it out in broad language . itaque imposuistis cervicibus nostris sempiternum dominum , quem djes & noctes timeremus . quis enim non timeat omnja providentem , & cogitantem , & animadvertentem , & omnja ad se pertinere putantem , curjosum & plenum negotii deum ? vell. apud cicer. de natura deorum . they foresaw , that the concession of a providence , would impose an eternal yoak upon their necks , by making them accountable for all they did to an higher tribunal : and that they must necessarily pass the time of their sojourning here in fear , whilst all their thoughts , words and wayes were strictly noted and recorded , in order to an account by an all-seeing and righteous god : and therefore laboured to perswade themselves that was not , which they had no mind should be . but these atheistical and foolish conceits fall flat before the undeniable evidence of this so great and clear a truth . now , my business here , is not so much to deal with professed atheists , who deny the existence of god ; and consequently deride all evidences brought from scripture , of the extraordinary events , that fall out in favour of that people that are called his : but rather to convince those , that professedly own all this ; yet never having tasted religion by experience , suspect at least , that all these things which we call specjal providences to the saints , are but natural events , or meer contingencjes : and thus whilst they profess to own a god , and a providence , ( which profession is but the effect of their education ) they do in the mean time live like atheists ; and both think and act , as if there were no such things : and really i doubt , this is the case of the far greatest part of the men of this generation . but if it were indeed so , that the affairs of the world in general , and more especially those of the saints , were not conducted by divine providence , but ( as they would perswade us ) by the steady course of natural causes : beside which , if at any time we observe any event to fall out , it 's meerly casual and contingent , or that which proceeds from some hidden and secret cause in nature : if this indeed were so , let them that are tempted to believe it , rationally satisfie the following demands . first demand . how comes it to pass , that so many signal mercies and deliverances have befallen the people of god , above the power , and against the course of natural causes : to make way for which , there hath been a sensible suspension and stop put to the course of nature ? it is most evident , that no natural effect can exceed the power of its natural cause . nothing can give to another , more than it hath in it self . and it is as clear , that whatsoever acts naturally , acts necessarily : fire burns adultimum sui posse to the uttermost of its power : waters overflow , and drown all that they can . lions and other rapacious and cruel ●easts , especially when hungry , tear and devour their prey : and for arbitrary and rational agents , they also act according to the principles and laws of their natures . a wicked man when his heart is fully set in him , and his will stands in a full bent of resolution , will certainly ( if he have power in his hand , and opportunity to execute his conceived mischief ) give it vent , and perpetrate the wicked devices of his heart : for having once conceived mischief , and travailing in pain with it ( according to the course of nature ) he must bring it forth , as it is psal. . . but if any of these inanimate , brutal , or rational agents , when there is no natural obstacle or remora , have their power suspended , and that when the effect is near the birth , and the design at the very article of execution , so that though they would , yet cannot hurt ; to what think you is this to be assigned and referred ? yet so it hath often been seen , where gods interest hath been immediately concerned in the danger and evil of the event . the sea divided it self in its own channel , and made a wall of water , on each side , to give gods distressed israel a safe passage , and that not in a calm , but when the waves thereof roared ; * as it is isa. . . the fire when blown up to the most intense and vehement flame , had no power to singe one hair of gods faithful witnesses , when at the same instant it had power to destroy their intended executjoners at a greater distance , dan. . . yea , we find it hath some time been sufficient to consume , but not to torment the body ; as in that known instance of blessed bayncha● , who told his enemies , the flames were to him as a bed of roses . the hungry lions put off their natural fierceness , and became gentle and harmless , when danjel was cast among them for a prey . the like account the church s●ory gives us of polycarpe , and djonysjus areopagi●a , whom the fire would not touch , but stood a●ter the manner of a ship-man's fail filled with the wind about them . are these things according to the course and law of nature ? to what secret natural cause , can they be ascribed ? in like manner , we find the vilest , and ●iercest of wicked men , have been withheld by an invisible hand of restraint from injuring the lords people . by what secret cause in nature , was jeroboam's hand dried up , and made inflexible at the same instant it was stretched out against the man of god ? . king. . . no wild beasts rend and devour their prey more greedily , than wicked men would destroy the people of god that dwell among them , were it not for this providential restraint upon them . so the psalmist expresses his case in the words following my text , my soul is among lyons , and i lye among them that are set on fire . the disciples were sent forth as sheep into the midst of wolves , mat. . . it will not avail in this case to object , those miraculous events depend only upon scripture testimony , which the atheist is not concluded by : for beside all that may be alledged for the authority of that testimony ( which is needless to produce to men that own it ) what is it less that every eye sees , or may see at this day ? do we not behold a weak defenceless handful of men , wonderfully , and ( except this way ) unaccountably preserved from ruine in the midst of potent , enraged and truculent enemies , that fain would , but cannot destroy them ; when as yet , no natural impediment can be assigned why they cannot ? and if this pose us , what shall we say , when we see events produced in the world for the good of gods chosen , by those very hands and means , which were intentionally imployed for their ruine ? these things are as much beside the intentions of their enemies , as they are above their own expectations ; yet such things are no rarities in the world . was not the envy of joseph's brethren , the cursed plot of haman , the decree procured by the ●nvy of the princes against danjel , with many more of the like nature , all turned by a secret and strange hand of providence , to their greater advancement and benefit : their enemies lifted them up to all that honour and preferment they had . second demand . how is it ( if the saints concerns are not ordered by a special divine providence ) that natural causes unite and assocjate themselves for their reljef and benefit in so strange a manner as they are found to do ? it is undeniably evident , that there are marvellous coincidencies of providence , confederating and agreeing as it were , to meet and unite themselves to bring about the good of gods chosen . there is a like face of things shewing it self in divers places at that time , when any work for the good of the church is come upon the stage of the world . as when the messjah the capital mercy came to the temple , then simeo● and anna were brought thither by providence , as witnesses to it . so in reformation work , when the images were pulled down in holland , one and the same spirit of zeal possessed them in every city and town , that the work was done in a night . he that heedfully reads the history of joseph's advancement to be the lord of egypt , may number in that story twelve remarkable acts or steps of providence , by which he ascended to that honour and authority : if but one of them had failed , in all likelihood the event had done so too : but every one sell in its order , exactly keeping its own time and place . so in the churches deliverance ●rom the plot of haman , we find no less than seven acts of providence concurring strangely to produce it , as if they had all met by appointment and consent , to break that snare for them : one thing so aptly suiting with , and making way for another , that every heedful observer must needs conclude , this cannot be the effect of casualty , but wise counsel . even as in viewing the accurate structure of the body of a man , the ●igure , position , and mutual respects of the several members and vessels hath convinced some , ( and is sufficient to convince all ) that it was the effect of divine wisdom and power : in like manner , if the admirable adaptation of the means and instruments employed for mercy to the people of god be heedfully considered , who can but conf●ss , that as there are tools of all sorts and sizes in the shop of providence ; so there is a most skilful hand that uses them , and that they could no more produce such effects of themselves , than the ax , saw , or chisell can cut or carve a rude logg into a beautiful figure , without the hand of a s●ilful artificer ? we find by manifold instances , that there certainly are strong combinations , and predispositions of persons and things , to bring about some issue and design for the benefit of the church , which themselves never thought of : they hold no intelligence , communicate not their counsels to each other , yet meet together , and work together as if they did : which is , as if ten men should all meet together at one place , and in one hour , about one and the same business , and that without any fore-appointment betwixt themselves ; can any question , but such a meeting of means and instruments is certainly , though secretly over-ruled by some wise invisible agent ? third demand . if the concerns of gods people be not governed by special providence , whence is it , that the most apt and powerful means imployed to destroy them are rendered ineffectual , and weak contemptible means imployed for their defence and comfort , crowned with success ? this could never be , if things were wholly swayed by the course of nature . if we judge by that rule , we must conclude , the more apt and powerful the means are , the more successful and prosperous they must needs be ; and where they are inept , weak , and contemptible , nothing can be expected from them : thus reason layes it according to the rules of nature ; but providence crosses its hands , as jacob did in blessing the sons of joseph , and orders quite contrary issues and events . such was the mighty power and deep policy used by pharaoh to destroy gods israel , that to the eye of reason , it was as impossible to survive it , as for crackling thorns to abide unconsumed amidst devouring flames ; by which emblem , their miraculous preservation is expressed , exod. . . the bush was all in a flame , but no consumption of it . the heathen roman emperours , who made th● world tremble , and subdued the nations under them , have employed all their power and policy against the poor , naked , defenceless church , to ruine it ; yet could not accomplish it , rev. . , . o the seas of blood that heathen rome shed in the ten persecutions ! yet the church lives , and when the dragon gave his power to th● beast , rev. . . ( i. e. ) the state of rome became antichristian , o what slaughters have been made by the beast in all his dominions ; so that the holy ghost represents him , as drunken with the blood of the saints , rev. . . and yet all will not do : the gates ( i. e. ) the powers and policies of hell cannot prevail against it . how manifest is the care and power of providence herein ? had half that power been imployed against any other people , it had certainly swallowed them up immediately , or in the hundredth part of the time wo●● them out . how soon was the persjan monarchy swallowed up by the grecjan , and that again by the roman ? djoclesjan and maximin in the height of their persecution ●ound themselves so baffled by providence , that they both resigned the government , and lived as private men . but in this wonderful preservation god makes good that promise , jer. . . though i make a full end of all natjons , yet will i not make a full end of thee : and that in isa. . . no weapon formed against thee shall prosper . on the contrary , how successful have weak and contemptible means been made for the good of the church ? thus in the first planting of christianity in the world , by what weak and improbable instruments was it done ? christ did not chuse the eloquent orators , or men of authority in the courts of kings and emperours , but twelve poor mechanicks , and fisher-men ; and these not sent together in a troop , but some to take one countrey to conquer it , and some another : the most ridiculous course ( in appearance ) for such a design as could be imagined ; and yet in how short a time was the gospel spread , and the churches planted by them in the several kingdoms of the world ? this the psalmist ●oresaw by the spirit of prophecy , when he said , out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength , to still the enemy , and the avenger , psal. . . at the sound of rams horns jericho is delivered into the hands of israel : see josh. . . by three hundred men with their pitchers and lamps , the huge host of midjan is discomsited , judges . . the protestants besieged in bezjers in france are delivered by a drunken drummer , who going to his quarters at midnight , rang the alarm-bell of the town , not knowing what he did ; and just then were their enemies making their assault . and as weak and improbable means have been blessed with success to the church in general , so to the preservation of its particular members also . a spider by weaving her web over the mouth of an oven , shall hide a servant of christ , du moulin from his enemies , who took refuge there in that bloody parisjan massacre . a hen shall sustain another many dayes at the same time , by lodging her egg every day , in the place where he had hid himself from the cut-throats . examples might be easily multiplied in the case ; but the truth is too plain and obvious to the observation of all ages to need them . and can we but acknowledge a divine and special providence over-ruling these matters , when we see the most apt and potent means for the churches ruine frustrated , and the most silly and contemptible means succeeded and prospered for its good ? fourth demand . if all things be governed by the course of nature , and force of natural causes , how then comes it to pass , that men are turned ( like a bowle by a rub ) out of the way of evil , unto which they were driving on with full speed ? good men have been engaged in the way to their own ruine , and knew it not ; but providence hath met them in the way and preserved them by strange diversions , the meaning of which they understood not , till the event discovered it . paul lay bound at caesarca , the high prjest and chief of the jews request festu● , that he might be brought bound to jerusalem , having laid wait in the way to kill him ; but festus ( though ignorant of the plot ) utterly refuses it , but chu●es rather to go with them to caesarea , and judge him there : by this rub , their bloody design is frustrated , acts . , . possido●●●● in the li●e of augustine , tells us , that the good father going to teach the people of a certain town , took a guid● with him , to shew him th● way ; the guide mistook the usual road , and ignora●tly foll into a by-path , by which means he escaped 〈◊〉 by the hands of the bloody donatists , who knowing his intention way-laid him to kill him in the road . and as memorable and wonder●ul are those rubs and diversions wicked men have met with in the way of perpetrating the evils conceived and intended in their own hearts . laban and esa came against jacob with mischievous purposes ; but no sooner are they come nigh him , but the shackles of restraint are immediately clapt upon them both , so that their hands cannot perform their enterprizes . balaam runs greedily for reward to curse isra●l ; but meets with an unexpected check at his very out-set , and though that stopt him not , but he essay'd every way to do them mischief , yet he still finds himself ●etter'd by an effectual bond of restraint , that he can no way shake off , numb . . , . saul the high-priest's blood-hound , breaths out threatnings against the church , and goes with a bloody commission towards damas●us , to hale the poor ●lock of christ to the slaughter ; but when he comes nigh the place , he meets an unexpected stop in the way , by which the mischief is not only diverted , but himself converted to christ , acts . , , , . who can but see the singer of god in these things ? fifth demand . if there be not an over-ruling providence ordering all things for the good of gods people , how comes it to pass , that the good and evil which is done to them in this world , is accordingly repaid into the bosoms of them that are instrumental therein ? . how clear is it to every mans observation , that the kindnesses and benefits any have done to the lords people , have been rewarded with full measure into their bosoms ? the egyptjan midwives res●sed to obey pharaoh's inhumane command , and saved the male children of israel : for this the lord dealt well with them , and built them houses , exod. . . the shunamite was hospitable , and careful for elisha , and god recompenced it with the desirable enjoyment of a son , kings . . . rahab hid the spies , and was exempted from the common destruction , for it heb. . . publjus the chief man of the island melita , courteously received and lodged paul after his shipwrack : the lord speedily repaid him for that kindness , and healed his father , who lay sick at that time of a bloody flux and fever , acts . , . — in like manner , we find the evils done to gods people have been repaid , by a just retribution to their enemies . pharaoh and the egyptjans were cruel enemies to gods israel , and designed the ruine of their poor innocent babes ; and god repaid it , in smiting all the first-born of egypt in one night , exod. . . haman erected a gallows fifty cubits high for good mordecai , and god so ordered it , that himself and his ten sons were hanged on it . and indeed it was but meet , that he should eat the fruit of that tree which himself had planted , esther . . ahitophel plots against david , and gives counsel like an oracle , how to procure his fall ; and that very counsel , like a surcharged gun , recoils upon himself , and procures his ruine : for seeing his good counsel rejected , ( good politically , not morally , ) it was now easie for him to guess at the issue , and so at his own fate , sam. . . charles the ninth most inhumanely made the very canals of paris to stream with protestant blood , and soon after he died miserably , his blood streaming from all parts of his body . stephen gardiner , that burnt so many of gods dear servants to ashes , was himself so scorched up by a terrible inflammation , that his very tongue was black and hung out of his mouth , and in dreadful torments ended his wretched dayes . maximinus that cruel emperour , who set forth his proclamatjon engraven in brass , for the utter abolishing of the christian religion , was speedily smitten like herod , with a dreadful judgement , swarms of lice preying upon his entrails , and causing such a stench , that his physicjans could not endure to come nigh him , and for refusing it were slain . hundreds of like instances might easily be produced , to confirm this observation . and who can but see by these things , that verily there is a god that judgeth in the earth ? yea , so exact have been the retributjons of providence to the enemies of the church , that not only the same persons , but the same members that have been the instruments of mischjef , have been made the subjects of wrath . the same arm which jeroboam stretched out to smite the prophet , god smites . the emperour aureljan when he was ready to subscribe the edict for the persecution of the christjans , was suddenly crampt in his knuckles , that he could not write . mr. greenhill in his exposition upon ezek. . . tells his auditory , that there was one then present in the congregation , who was an eye-witness of a woman scossing at another for purity and holy walking , who had her tongue stricken immediately w●th the palsie , and died thereof within two dayes . henry the second of france in a great rage against a protestant counsellor , committed him to the hands of one of his nobles to be imprisoned , and that with these words , that he would see him burned with his own eyes : but mark the righteous providence of god , within a ●ew dayes after , the same noble man , with a lance put into his hands by the king , did at a tilting match run the said king into one of his eyes , whereof he dyed . yea , providence hath made the very place of sinning , the place of punishment , king. . . in the place where dogs licked the blood of naboth , shall dogs lick , thy blood : and it was exactly fulfilled , kings . . thus tophet is made a burying place for the jews , till there was no room to bury ; and that was the place where they had offered up their sons to molech , jer. . , . the story of nightingale is generally known which mr. fox relates , how he f●ll out of the pulpit and brake his neck , whilst he was abusing that scripture , john . . and thus the scriptures are made good by providence , whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein , and he that rolleth a stone , it shall return upon him , prov. . . and matth. . . with what measure you mete , it shall be measured to you again . if any shall yet say , these things may fall out casually : that many thousands of the churches enemies have dyed in peace , and their end been like other men . we answer with augustine , if no sin were punished here , no providence would be believed ; and if every sin should be punished here , no judgement would be expected . but , that none may think these events to be meerly casual and accidental , we yet further demand . sixth demand . if these things be meerly casual , how is it that they square and agree so exactly with the scriptures in all particulars ? we read , amos . : can two walk together except they be agreed ? if two men travel in one road , it 's like they are agreed to go to the same place . providences and scriptures go all one way : and if they seem at any time to go diverse or contrary waies ; be sure , they will meet at the journeys ●nd . there is an agreement betwixt them so to do . doth god miraculously suspend the power of natural causes , as in the first demand was opened ? why , this is no accidental thing , but what harmonizeth with the word , isa. . . . when thou passest through the waters , i will be with thee , and through the rivers , they shall not overflow thee . when thou walkest through the fire , thou shalt not be burnt , neither shall the shame kindle upon thee . do natural causes unite and associate themselves for the good of gods people ? why , this is no more than what is contained in the promises , and is but the ●ul●illing of that scripture , cor. . . all is yours , for ye are christs ; ( i. e. ) the use , benefit and service of all the creatures is for you , as your need shall require . are the most apt and powerful means employed for their ruine frustrated ? who can but see the scriptures fulfilled in , and expounded by such providences ? see isa. . , , . and . , , . expounded by kings . . & seq . see you at any time a rub of providence diverting the course of good men from falling into evil , or wicked men from committing evil ; how loudly do such providences proclaim the truth and certainty of the scriptures , which tell us , that the way of man is not in himself , neither is it in him that walks to direct his steps , jer. . . and that in prov. . . a mans heart deviseth his way , but the lord directeth his steps . do you see adequate retributions made to those that injure or befriend the people of god ? why , when you see all the kindness and love they have shown the saints returned with an overplus into their bosoms ; how is it possible , but you must see the accomplishment of these scriptures in such providences ? isa. . . cor. . . the liberal soul deviseth liberal things , and by liberal things he shall stand . and when you see the evils men have done , or intended to do to the lords people , recoiling upon themselves ; he is perfectly blind , that sees not the harmony such providences bear with these scriptures , psal. . , . psal. . , , . psal. . . o what exact proportions do providences and scriptures hold ! little do men take notice of it . why did cyru● contrary to all rules of state policy freely dismiss the captives , but to fulfil that scripture , isa. . . so that it was well observed by one , that as god hath stretcht out the expansum or firmament over the natural ; so he hath stretcht out his word over the rational world. and as the creatures on earth are influenced by those heavenly bodies , so are all creatures in the world influenced by the word , and do in●allibly fulfil it , when they design to cross it . seventh demand . if these things be contingent , how is it that they fall out in such remarkable nicks and junctures of time , which makes them so greatly observable to all that consider them ? we find a multitude of providences so timed to a minute , that had they fallen out never so little sooner or later , they had signified but little what now they do . certainly , it cannot be casualty , but counsel , that so exactly nicks the opportunity . contingen●●● ▪ keep to no rules . how remarkable to this purpose , was the tidings brought to saul , that the philistines had invaded the land ? sam. . . just as he was ready to grasp the prey . the angel calls to abraham , and shews him another sacrifice , just when his hand was giving the ●atal stroke to isaac , gen. . , . a well of water is discovered to hagar , just when she had le●t the child , as not able to see its death , gen. . , . rabshak●h meets with a blasting providence , hears a rumour that frustrated his design , just when ready to give the shock against jerusalem , isa. . , . so when haman's plot against the jews was ripe , and all things ready for execution ; on that night could not the king sleep , esth. . . when the horns are ready to gore judah , immediately carpenters are prepared to ●ray them away , zech. . , , , . how remarkable was the relief of rochell by a shoal of fish that came into the harbour , when they were ready to perish with famine , such as they never observed before , nor after that time . mr. dod could not go to bed one night , but hath a strong impulse to visit , ( though unseasonably ) a neighbour gentleman , and just as he came , he meets him at his door , with an halter in his pocket , just going to hang himself . dr. tate and his wife in the irish rebelljon , flying through the woods with a sucking-child , which was just ready to expire ; the mother going to rest it upon a rock , puts her hand upon a bottle of warm milk , by which it was preserved . a good woman ( from whose mouth i received it ) being driven to a great extremity , all supplies failing , was exceedingly plunged into unbelieving doubts and fears , not seeing whence supplies should come ; when lo ! in the nick of time , turning some things in a chest , unexpectedly lights upon a piece of gold , which supplied her present wants , till god opened another door of supply . if these things fall out casually , how is it , they observe the very nick of time so exactly ? as that it is become proverbial in scripture , gen. . . in the mount of the lord it shall be seen . eighth demand . lastly , were these things casual and contingent , how can it be , that they should fall out so immediately upon , and consonantly to the prayers of the saints ? so that in many providences , they are able to discern a very clear answer to their prayers , and are sure they have the petitions they asked of him , john . . thus when the sea divided it self , just upon israels cry to heaven , exod. . . when so signal a victory is given to asa , immediately upon that pathetical cry to heaven , help us o lord our god , chron. . , . when ahitophel shall go and hang himself , just upon that prayer of distressed david , sam. . . when haman shall fall and his plot be broken , just upon the fast kept by mordecai and hester , esth. . . our own speed , in his history of britain , tells us , that richard the first besieged a castle with his army , they offered to surrender , if he would save their lives ; he refuses , and threatens to hang them all : upon this an arbalaster charged his bow with a square arrow , making first his prayer to god , that he would direct the shot , and deliver the innocent from oppression ; it struck the king himself , whereof he dyed , and they were delivered . abraham's servant prayed for success ; and see how it was answered , gen. . . peter was cast into prison , and prayer was made for him by the church , and see the event , acts . , , , . i could easily add to these , the wonderful examples of the return of prayers which was observed in luther , and dr. winter in ireland , and many more ; but i judge it needless , because most christians have a stock of experience of their own , and are well assured , that many of the providences that befal them are , and can be no other than the return of their prayers . and now who can be dissatisfied in this point , that wisely considers these things ? must we not conclude as it is , job . . he withdraweth not his eye from the righteous : and as chron. . . the eyes of the lord run to and fro through the whole earth , to shew himself strong in tho behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him . his providences proclaim him to be a god hearing prayers . the second general head. having proved , that the concernments of the saints in this world , are certainly conducted by the wisdom and care of special providence ; my next work is to shew you , in what affairs and concerns of theirs , the providence of god doth more especjally appear ; or what are the most remarkable performances of providence for them in this world . and here i am not led directly by my text , to speak of the most internal and spiritual performances of providence , immediately relating to the souls of his people ; though they all relate to their souls mediately and eventually ; but of the more visible and external performances of providence for them : and it is not to be supposed , i should touch all these neither ; they are more than the sands ; but that which i aim at , is to discourse to you some more special and more observable performances of providence for you . and we shall begin at the beginning . the first performance of providence . i. and first , let us consider , how well providence hath performed the first work that ever it did for us , in our formatjon and protectjon in the womb . certainly , this is a very glorious and admirable performance ; it 's that the psalmist admires , psal. . . my substance was not hid from thee , when i was made in secret , and curjously wrought in the lower parts of the earth . the womb is so called upon this account , because as curious artists , when they have some choice piece in hand , perfect it in private , and then bring it into the light for all to gaze at ; so it was here . and there are two things admirable in this performance of providence for us . the rare structure and excellent composition of the body ; i am wonderfully made ; that word ru●hampti — is very full . the vulgar renders it , painted as with a needle , ( i. e. ) richly embroidered with nerves and veins . oh the curious workmanship that is in that one part the eye ! how hath it forced some to acknowledge a god upon the examination of it ! providence , when it went about this work , had its model or pattern before it , according to which it molded every part , as it is , ver. . in thy book were all my members written . hast thou an integral perfection and sulness of members ? it is because he wrote them all in his book , or limned out thy body , according to that exact model which he drew of thee in his own gracious purpose , before thou hadst a being : had an eye , an ear , a hand , a foot been wanting in the platform , thou hadst now been sadly sensible of the defect : this world had been but a dungeon to thee , without those windows : thou hadst lived , as many do , an object of pity to others : if thou have low thoughts of this mercy , ask the blind , the deaf , the lame and the dumb , the value and worth of those mercies , and they will tell thee . there is a world of cost bestowed upon thy very body . thou mightest have been cast into another mould , and created a worm or a toad . i remember luther tells us of two cardinals , riding in great pomp to the council of constance , and by the way they heard a man in the fields bitterly weeping and wailing : when they came to him , they found him intently viewing an ugly toad ; and asking him , why he wept so bitterly , he told them , his heart was melted with this consideration , that god had not made him such a loathsome and deformed creature ; hoc est quod amarè fleo , said he : whereupon one of them cryes out , well said the father , surgunt indocti , & rapjent coelum , the unlearned will rise and take heaven , and we with all our learning shall be cast into hell. no part of the common lump was so figured and polisht as man is . galen gave epicurus an hundred years time to imagine a more commodious scituation , configuration , or composition of any one member of a humane body . and if all the angels had studied to this day , they could not have cast the body of man into a more curious mould . and yet all this is but the enamelling of the case , or polishing the casket wherein the rare jewel lies . providence hath not only built the house , but brought the inhabitant ( i mean the soul ) into the possession of it . a glorious piece it is , that bears the very image of god upon it , being all in all , and all in every part . how noble are its faculties and affections ? how nimble , various and indesatigable are its motions ? how comprehensive is its capacity ? it 's a companion for angels , nay , capable o● espousals to christ , and eternal communion with god. it 's the wonder of earth , and the envy of hell. suppose now ( and why should you not suppose , what you so frequently b●hold in the world ? ) that providence had so permitted and ordered it , that thy soul had entered into thy body with one or two of its faculties wounded and defective : suppose its vnderstanding had been crackt ; what a miserable life hadst thou lived in this world ? neither capable of service nor comfort . and truly , when i have considered those works of providence , in bringing into the world in all countreys and ages some such spectacles of pity ; some deprived of the use of reason , and differing from beasts , in little more than shape and ●igure ; and others , though sound in their understandings , yet deformed or defective in their bodies , monstrous , mishapen and loathsome creatures ; i can resolve the design of this providence , into nothing beside a demonstration of his soveraign power ; except they be designed as soils , to set off the beauty of other rare and exquisite pieces , and intended to stand before your eyes , as monitors of gods mercy to you , that your hearts ( as oft as you beheld them ) might be m●lted into thankfulness for distinguishing favour to you . look then ( but not proudly ) upon thy outside and inside , see and admire what providence hath done for thee , and how well it hath performed the first service that ever it did for thee in this world . and yet , this was not all it did for thee , before thou sawest this world . it preserved thee , as well as formed thee in the womb : else thou hadst been as those embryo's job speaks of , job . , . that never saw the light . abortives go for nothing in the world , and there are multitudes of them , some that never had a reasonable soul breathed into them ; but only the rudiments , and rough draught of a body : these come not into the account of men , but perish as the beast doth . others that dye in , or shortly after they come out of the womb : and though their life was but for a moment ; yet that moment entails an eternity upon them : and had this been your case , as it is the case of millions , then ( supposing your salvation ) yet had you been utterly unserviceable to god in the world : none had been the better for you , nor you the better for any in the world . you had been utterly uncapable of all that good which throughout your life you have either done to others , or received from others . and if we consider the nature of that obscure life we lived in tho womb ; how small an accident ( had it been permitted by providence ) had extinguished our life , like a bird in the shell ? we cannot therefore but admire the tender care of providence over us , and say with the psalmist , psal. . . thou hast covered me in my mothers womb : and not only so , but as it is , psal. . . thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb . he preserved thee there to the fulness of time , and when that time was come , brought thee safely through manifold hazards , into that place in the world which he from eternity espied for thee . which leads us to the second performance . the second performance of providence . ii. the second great performance of providence , for the people of god , respects the place , and time in which it ordered their nativity to fall . and truly , this is no small concernment to every one of us , but of vast consequence , either to our good or evil , though it be little minded by most men . i am perswaded , the thoughts of ●ew christians penetrate deep enough into this providence , but slide too slightly and supersicially over an abysse of much mercy , rich and mani●old mercy wrapt up in this gracious performance of providence for them . ah friends ! can you think it an indifferent thing , into what part of the world the womb of nature had cast you out ? is there no odds , upon what spot of the creation , or in what age of the world your lot had fallen ? it may be you have not seriously bethought your selves about this matter . and because this point is so seldom toucht , i will therefore dive a little more particularly and distinctly into it , and endeavour to warm your affections with a representation of the many and rich benefits you owe to this one performance of providence for you . and we will consider it under a double respect or relation , as it respects your present comfort in this world , and as it relates to your eternal happiness in the world to come . this performance of providence for you , doth very much concern your present comfort in this world . all the rooms in this great house are not alike pleasant and commodious for the inhabitants of it . you read psal. . . of the dark places of the earth , which are full of the habitatjonr of cruelty : and many such dismal places are found in the habitable earth . what a vast tract of the world lies as a waste wilderness ? suppose your mothers had brought you forth in america , among the salvage indjans , who herd together as brute beasts ; are scorched with heat , and starved with cold ; being naked , destitute and defenceless . how poor , miserable and unprovided of earthly comforts and accommodations , are many millions of the inhabitants of this world ? what mercies do you enjoy in respect of the amaenity , fertility , temperature and civility of the place of your habitation ? what is it but a garden inclosed out of a wilderness ? i may without partiality or vanity say , god hath ( even upon temporal accounts ) provided you with one of the healthfullest , pleasantest , and in all respects , the best furnished room in all the great house of this world . hear what our own chronicler saith of it , it is the fortunate island , the paradise of pleasure , the garden of god ; whose valleys are like eden , whose hills are as lebanon , whose springs are as pisgah , whose rivers are as jordan , whose wall is the ocean , and whose defence is the lord jehovah . you are here provided of necessary and comfortable accommodations for your bodies , that a great part of the world are unacquainted with . it is not with the poorest among us , as it is said to be with the poor russjans , whose poverty pinches and bites with such sharp teeth , that their poo● cry at the doors , give me and cut me , give me and kill me . say not , the barbarous nations in this excel you ; that they possess the mines of silver and gold , which it may be you think enough to salve all other inconveniences of life . alas poor creatures ! better had it been for them , if their countrey had brought forth bryers and thorns instead of gold , silver , and precjous stones ; for this hath been the occasion of ruining all their other comforts in this world : this hath invited their cruel avaritious enemies among them , under whose servitude they groan , and dye without mercy : and thousands of them have chosen death rather than life , on the terms they enjoyed it . and why might not your lot have fallen there as well as where it is ? are not they made of the same clay , and endowed with as good a nature as your selves ? o what a distinction hath divine mercy made , where nature made none ! consider ungrateful man , thou mightest have fallen into some of those regions , where a tainted air frequently cloyes the jaws of death , where the inhabitants differ very little from the beasts in the manner of their living : but god hath provided for thee , and given the poorest among us far better accommodations of life , than the greatest among them are ordinarily provided with . o what hath providence done for you ? but all that i have said is very inconsiderable , in compa●ison with the spiritual mercjes , and advantages you here enjoy for your souls . oh , this is such an advantageous cast of providence for you , as obliges you to a thankful acknowledgement of it , to all eternity . for let us here make but a few suppositions in the case before us , and the glory of providence will shine like a sun-beam full in your faces . ( . ) suppose it had been your lot to have fallen in any of those vast continents possessed by pagans and heathens at this day , who bow down to the stock of a tree , and worship the host of heaven . this is the case of millions , and millions of millions : for pagan idola●●rs ( as that searching scholar mr. bri●●wood informs us ) do not only fill the circumference of nine hundred miles in europe , but almost the one half of africa , more than the half of asja , and almost the whole of america . oh how deplorable had thy case been , if a pagan idolatress had brought thee forth , and idolatry had been suckt in with thy mothers milk ! then in all probability , thou hadst been at this day worshipping devils , and posting with full speed in the direct road to damnation : for these are the people of gods wrath , jer. . . pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know the● not , and upon the familjes that call not upon thy name . how dreadful is that imprecation against them ? ●sal . . . which takes hold of them and all that 's theirs , confounded be all they that serve graven images , that boast themselves of idols . ( . ) or suppose your lot had fallen among mahometans , who next to pagans spread over the greatest tract of the earth : for though arabja bred that unclean bird , yet it was not that cage , that could long contain him ; for , not only the arabjans , but the persjans , turks and tartars , do all bow down their backs under that grand impostor . this poison hath dispersed it self through the veins of asja , over a great part of africk , even the circumference of seven thousand miles , and stops not there , but hath tainted a considerable part of europe also . had your lot fallen here , o what unhappy men and women had you been , notwithstanding the natural amenity and pleasantness of your native soil ? you had then adored a grand impostor , and dyed in a fools paradise . instead of gods lively oracles , you had been ( as they now are ) deceived to your eternal ruine with such fond , mad and wild dreams , as whoso considers would think , the authors had more need of manacles and fetters , than arguments or sober answers . ( . ) or if neither of these had been your lot , but you had been emptied by the womb of nature into this little spot of the earth which is christjanized by profession , but nevertheless for the most part over-run by popish idolatry , and antichristjan delusions ; what unhappy men and women had you been , had you suckt a popish breast ? for this people are to be the subjects of the vjals of gods wrath to be poured out successively upon them , as you may read rev. . and the scriptures in round and plain language tell us , what their fate must be , thess. . , . and for this cause god shall send them strong delusjon , that they should beljeve a lye , that they all migh● be damned who beljeved not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness . nay , you might have fallen into the same land in which your habitation now is , and yet have had no advantage by it as to salvation , if he that chose the bounds of your habitations , had not also graciously determined the times for you , acts . . for ▪ ( . ) suppose your lot had fallen where it is during the pagan state of england , who for many hundred years were gross and vile idolaters . thick darkness over-spread the people of this island , and as in other countreys , the devil was worshipped , and his lying oracles zealously attended upon . the shaking of the top of jupiter's oak in dodona , the caldron smitten with the rod in the hand of jupiter's image , the lawrell and fountain in daphne : these were the ordinances on which the poor deluded wretches waited . so in this nation they worshipped idols also : the sun and moon were adored for gods , with many other abominable idols which our ancestors worshipped , and whose memorials are not to this day quite obliterated among us . ( . ) or suppose our lot had fallen in those later miserable dayes , in which queen mary sent so many hundreds to heaven in a fiery chariot ▪ and the poor protestants sk●lked up and down in holes and woods , to preserve them from popish inquisitors , who like blood-hounds , hunted up and down through all the cities , towns and villages of the nat●on , to seek out the poor sheep of christ for a prey . but such hath the special care of providence towards us been , that our turn to be brought upon the stage of this world was graciously reserved for better dayes : so that if we had had our own option , we could not have chosen for our selves , as providence hath . we are not only furnished with the best room in this great ho●se ; but before we were put into it , it was swept with the beesom of national reformation , from idolatry , yea , and washed by the blood of martyrs from popish filthiness ; and adorned with gospel lights , shining in as great lustre in our dayes , as ever they did since the apostles dayes . you might have been born in england for many ages , and not have found a christjan in it : yea , and since christjanity was here owned , and not have met a protestant in it . oh what an obligation hath providence laid you under , by such a merciful performance as this for you ? if you say , all this indeed is true ; but what is this to eternal salvation ? do not multitudes that enjoy these priviledges , eternally perish notwithstanding them ? yea , and perish with an aggravation of sin and misery beyond other sinners ? true , they do so ; and it is of very sad consideration that it should be so ; but yet we cannot deny this to be a very choice and singular mercy , to be born in such a land , and at such a time. for let us consider what helps for salvation men here enjoy , beyond what they could enjoy , had their lot fallen according to the fore-mentioned suppositions . ( . ) here we enjoy the ordinary means of salvation , which elsewhere men are denyed and cut off from . so that if any among the heathens be saved and brought to christ , it must be in some miraculous or extraordinary way : for , how shall th●y beljeve in him of whom they have not heard ▪ and how shall they hear without a preacher ? rom. . . alas ! were there a desire awakened in any of their hearts after a gospel discovery of salvation , ( which ordinarily is not , nor can be rationally supposed ) yet , poor creatures , they might travel from sea to sea , to hear th● word , and n●t find it : whereas you can hardly miss the opportunities of hearing the gospel : sermons meet you frequently , so that you can scarcely shun or avoid the ordinances and instruments of your salvation . and is this nothing ? christ even forces himself upon us . ( . ) here , in this age of the world , the common prejudices against christianity are removed , by the advantage it hath of a publick profession among the people ▪ and protection by the laws of the countrey . whereas , were your habitation among jews ▪ mahometans , or heathen idolaters ▪ you would find christ and christjanity the common odjum of the countrey ▪ every one defying and deriding both name and thing ; and such your selves likely had been , if your birth and education had been among them . for you may observe , that whatever is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traditionally delivered down from father to son , every one is fond of , and zealous in its defence . the jews , heathens and mah●metans are at this day so tenacious of their errors , that with spitting , hissing , and clapping of hands , and all other signs of indignation and abhorrence they chase away all others from among them . is it not then a special mercy to you to be cast into such a countrey and age , where ( as a learned divine observes ) the true religion hath the same advantages over every false one , as in other countreys they have over it ? here you have the presence of precious means , and the absence of soul-destroying prejudices , two signal mercies . ( . ) here , in this age of the world , christianity bespeaks you assoon as you are capable of any sense , or impressions o● religion upon you ; and so by an happy anticipatjon , blocks up the passages , by which a false religion would 〈◊〉 certainly enter . here you ●uck in the first notions and principles of christianity , even with the mothers milk : and certainly , such a prepossession is a choice advantage . quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem testa di● . train up a child in the way he should go , and when he is old ●e will not depart from it ▪ prov. . . ( . ) here you have , or may have the help and assistance of christians to direct your way , resolve your doubts , support your burthens , and help you through those difficulties that attend the new birth . alas ! if a poor soul had any beginnings or saint workings and stirrings after christ and true religion in many other countreys , the hand of every man would presently be against him , and none would be found to relieve , assist or encourage , as you may see in that example of gal●acjus ; the nearest relations would , in that case , prove the greatest enemies , the countrey would quickly hoot at him as a monster , and cry away with the heretick to the prison or stake . whether these eventually prove blessings to your souls or no , certain i am , that in themselves they are singular mercies , and helps to salvation , that are denyed to millions besides you . so that if plato when he was near his death , could bless god for three things , viz. that he was a man , and not a beast : that he was born in greece ; and brought up in the time of socrates : much more cause have you to admire providence , that you are men , and not beasts ; that you were born in england , and brought up in gospel dayes here . this is a land the lord hath espjed for you , as the expression is , ezek. . . and concerning it , you have abundant cause to say , as in another case the psalmist doth , psal. . . the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places , and i have a goodly heritage . the third performance of providence . iii. the next observable performance of providence , which must be heedfully adverted and weighed , is the designatjon of the stock and family out of which we should spring and rise . and truly , this is of special consideration , both as to our temporal and eternal good ; for whether the families in which we grew up , were great or small in israel ; whether our parents were of the higher or lower class , and rank among men : yet if they were such as feared god and wrought righteousness , if they took any care to educate you religiously , and trained you up in the nurture and admonitjon of the lord , you are bound to reckon it among your chief mercies , that you sprung from the loins of such parents : for from this spring a double stream of mercy rises to you . ( . ) temporal and external mercies to your outward man. you cannot but know , that as godliness entails a blessing , so wickedness and unrighteousness a curse upon posterity . an instance of the former you have in gen. . , . on the contrary , you have the threatning , zech. . . and both together , prov. . . the curse of the lord is in the house of the wicked , but he blesseth the habitatjon of the just . true it is , that both these imply the childrens treading in the steps of their parents , according to ezek. . but how frequently is it seen , that wicked men breed their children vainly and wickedly ; so that as it 's said of abijam , kings . . he walked in all the sins of his father , which he had done before him ; and so the curse is entail'd from generation to generation . to escape this curse , is a choice providence . ( . ) but especially take notice , what a stream of spiritual blessings and mercies , ●lows from this providence to the inner man. o it 's no common mercy , to descend from pious parents ▪ some of us do not only owe our natural life to them , as instruments of our beings , but our spiritual and eternal life also . it was no small mercy to timothy , to be descended from such progenitors , t●m . . . nor to . augustine , that he had such a mother as monica , who planted in his mind the precepts of life with her words , watered them with her tears , and nourished them with her example . we will a little more particularly inspect this mercy , and in so doing , we shall find manifold mercies contained in it . ( . ) what a mercy was it to us , to have parents that prayed for us before they had us , as well as in our infancy , when we could not pray for our selves ? thus did abraham , gen. . . and hannah , sam. . , . and some here likely are the fruits and returns of their parents prayers . this was that holy course they continued all their dayes for you , carrying all your concerns , especially your eternal ones before the lord with their own ; and pouring out their souls to god so affectionately for you , when their eye-strings and heart-strings were breaking . oh put a value upon such mercies ; for they are precious . it 's a greater mercy , to descend from praying parents , than from the loyns of nobles . see job's pious practice , job . . ( . ) what a special mercy was it to us , to have the excrescencies of corruption nipt in the bud by their pious and careful discipline ? we now understand , what a critical and dangerous season youth is , the wonderful proclivity of that age to every thing that is evil . why else are they called youthful lusts ? tim. . . when david asketh , wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way ? it's plainly enough implyed in the very question , that the way he takes lieth through the pollutions of the world in his youth , psal. . . when you find a david praying , that god would not remember the sins of his youth , psal. . . and a job bitterly complaining , that god made him to possess the sins of his youth , job . . sure , you cannot but reflect , with a very thankful heart , upon those happy means , by which the corruption of your nature was happily prevented , or restrained in your youth . ( . ) and how great a mercy was it , that we had parents , who carefully instilled the good knowledge of god into our souls in our tender years ? how careful was abraham of this duty ? gen. . . and david ? chron. . . we have some of us had parents , who might say to us , as the apostle , gal. . . my little children , of whom i travail again in birth till christ be formed in you . as they longed for us before they had us , and rejoyced in us when they had us ; so they could not endure to think , that when they could have us no more , the devil should . as they thought no pains , care or cost too much for our bodies to feed them , cloath and heal them ; so did they think no prayers , counsels or tears , too much for our souls , that they might be saved . they knew a parting time would come betwixt them and us , and did strive to make it as easie and comfortable to them as they could , by leaving us in christ , and within the blessed bond of his covenant . they were not glad , that we had health , and indifferent whether we had grace . they as sensibly felt the miseries of our souls as of our bodies ; and nothing was more desirable to them , than that they might say in the great day , lord , here am i , and the children which thou hast given me . ( . ) and was it not a special favour to us , to have parents that went before us as patterns of holiness , and beat the path to heaven for us by their examples ? who could say to us , as phil. . . what things ye have heard and seen in me , that do ; and as cor. . . be ye followers of us , as we are of christ. the parents life is the childs copy . o 't is no common mercy , to have a fair copy set before us , especially in the moulding age : we saw what they did , as well as heard what they said . it was abraham's commendation , that he commanded his children , and his houshold after him , to keep the way of the lord. and such mercies some of us have had also . ah my friends , let me beg you , that you will set special remarques upon this providence , which so graciously wrought for you : and that your hearts may be more throughly warmed in the sense of it , compare your condition with others , and seriously bethink your selves , ( . ) how many children there be among us , that are drawn headlong to hell by their cruel and ungodly parents , who teach them to curse and swear assoon as they can speak ? many families there are , wherein little other language is heard , but what is the dialect of hell. these , like the old logs and small spray , are preparing for the fire of hell , where they must burn together . of such children , that scripture , psal. . . will one day be verified , except they repent , they shall go to the generatjon of their fathers , where they shall not see light . ( . ) and how many families are there , though not so prophane , who yet breed up their children vainly and sensually , as job . , &c. take no care what becomes of their souls , so they can but provide for their bodies ? if they can but teach them to carry their bodies , no matter if the devil act their souls : if they can but leave them lands or moneys , they think they have very fully discharged their duties . o what will the language be , wherewith such parents and children shall great each other at the judgement seat , and in hell for ever ? ( . ) and how many be there , who are more sober , and yet hate the least appearances of godliness in their children ? who instead of cherishing , do all that they can to break bruised reeds , and quench smoaking ●lax , to stifle and strangle the first appearances , and offers they make towards christ ? who had rather accompany them to their graves , than to christ , doing all that in them lyes , herod like , to kill christ in the cradle ? ah sirs , ye little know , what a mercy ye do or have enjoyed in godly parents , and what a good lot providence cast for you in this concernment of your bodies and souls . if any shall say , this was not their case , they had little help heaven-ward from their parents : to such i shall only reply three things . ( . ) if you had little furtherance , yet own it as a special providence , that you had no hinderance ; or , if you had opposition , yet ( . ) admire the grace of god , in plucking you out by a wonderful distinguishing hand of mercy from among them , and keeping alive the languishing sparks of grace amidst the floods of opposition . ( . ) and learn from hence , if god give you a posterity of your own , to be so much the more strict and careful of relational duties , by how much you have sensibly felt the want of it in your selves ▪ but seeing such a train of blessings , both as to this life , and that to come , follow upon an holy education of children ; i will not dismiss the point , till i have discharged my duty , in exhorting parents and children to their duties . and first for you that are parents , or to whom the education of children is committed , i beseech you mind , how concerning a duty lies on you : and that i may effectually press it , consider , ( . ) how near the relation is betwixt you and your children , and therefore how much you are concerned in their happiness or misery . consider but the scripture account of the dearness of such relations , expressed ( . ) by longings for them , as gen. . . gen. . . and ( . ) by our joy when we have them , as christ expresses it , john. . . ( . ) the high value set on them , gen. . . ( . ) the sympathie with them in all their troubles , mark . . and ( . ) by our sorrow at parting , gen. . . now shall all this be to no purpose ? for to what purpose do we desire them before we have them , rejoice in them when we have them , value them so highly , sympathize with them so tenderly , grieve for their death so excessively ; if in the mean time no care be taken what shall become of them to eternity ? ( . ) how god hath charged you with their souls , as well as bodies : and this appears by two sorts of precepts . ( . ) precepts directly laid upon you , deut. . , . and eph. . . ( . ) by precepts laid on them to obey you , eph. . . which plainly implies your duty , as well as expresses theirs . ( . ) what shall comfort you at the parting time , if they dye through your neglect in a christless condition ? oh this is the cutting consideration , my child is in hell , and i did nothing to prevent it ; i helped him thither . duty discharged , is the only root of comfort in that day . ( . ) if you neglect to instruct them in the way of holiness , will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness ? no , no , if you will not teach them to pray , he will to curse , swear and lye . if ground be uncultivated , weeds will spring . ( . ) if the season of their youth be neglected , how little probability is there of any good fruit afterwards ? that is the moulding age , prov. . . how few are converted in old age ? a twig is brought to any form , but grown limbs will not bow . ( . ) you are instrumental causes of all their spiritual misery ; and that ( . ) by generatjon , ( . ) imitatjon , they lye spiritually dead of the plague which you brought home among them , psal. . . behold , i was shapen in iniquity , and in sin did my mother conceive ( or warm ) me . ( . ) there 's none in the world so likely as you ▪ to be instruments of their eternal good . you have peculiar advantages that none other hath ; as ( . ) the interest you have in their affections . ( . ) your opportunities to instil the knowledge of christ into them , being daily with them , deut. . . ( . ) your knowledge of their tempers : if therefore you neglect , who shall help them ? ( . ) the consideration of the great day , sho●●d move your bowels of pity for them . o remember that text , rev. . , &c. i saw the dead small and great stand before god. what a sad thing will it be , to see your dear children at christs left hand ? o friends , do your utmost to prevent this misery . knowing the terrors of the lord , we perswade men . and you children , especially you that sprang from religious parents , i beseech you , obey their counsels ; and tread in the steps of their pious examples . to press this , i offer these consideration . ( . ) your disobedience to them , is a resisting of gods authority , ephes. . . children , obey your parents in the lord : there 's the command : your rebellion therefore runs higher than you think . it is not man , but god that you disobey ; and for your disobedience god will punish you . it may be , their tenderness will not suffer them , or you are grown beyond their correction : all they can do , is to complain to god ; and if so , he will handle you more severely than they could do . ( . ) your sin is greater than the sin of young heathens and infidels ; and so will your account be also . o better ( if a wicked child ) that thou hadst been the off-spring of salvage indjans , nay , of beasts , than of such parents . so many counsels disobeyed , hopes and prayers frustrated , will turn to sad aggravations . ( . ) it 's usual with god , to retaliate mens disobedience to their parents in kind : commonly our own children shall pay us home for it . i have read in a grave author , of a wicked wretch that drag'd his father along the house : the father begg'd him , not to draw him beyond such a place : for , said he , i drag'd my father no farther . o the sad , but just retributions of god! and for you , in whose hearts grace hath been planted by the blessing of education , i beseech you to admire gods goodness to you in this providence . oh what an happy lot hath god cast for you ! how few children are partakers of your mercies ? see that you honour such parents ; the tie is double upon you so to do . be you the joy of their hearts , and comfort of their lives , if living : if not , yet still remember the mercy while you live , and tread in their pious path ; that you and they may both rejoice together in the great day , and bless god for each other to all eternity . the fourth performance of providence . iv. the next remarkable performance of providence for the people of god in which i will instance , shall be with respect to its ordering the occasions , instruments and means of their conversion . in nothing doth providence shine forth more gloriously in this world , than it doth in this performance for the people of god. how curiously soever its hand had moulded your bodies , how tenderly soever it had preserved them , and how bountifully soever it had provided for them ; if it had hot also ordered some means or other for your conversion , all the former favours and benefits it had done for you , had signified little . this , o this is the most excellent benefit you ever received from its hand . you are more beholden to it for this , than for all your other mercies . and in opening this performance of providence , i cannot but think your hearts must be deeply affected . this is a subject which every gracious heart loves to steep its thoughts in . it 's certainly the sweetest history that ever they repeated : they love to think and talk of it . the places where , and instruments by whom this work was wrought , are exceedingly endeared to them for the works sake : yea , endeared to that degree , that for many years after their hearts have melted , when they have but passed occasionally by those places , or but seen the faces of those persons , that were used as instruments in the hand of providence for their good . as no doubt , but * jacob's beth-el was ever after that night sweet to his thoughts : so other saints have had their bethels as well as he . o blessed places , times and instrurments ! o the deep , the sweet impressions , never to be razed out of the memory or heart , that this providence hath made upon those on whom it wrought this blessed effect at years of discretion , and in a more sensible way ! but lest any poor soul should be discouraged under the display of this providence , because he cannot remember the time , place , instruments and manner wherein , and by which conversion-work was wrought ; i will therefore premise this necessary distinction , to prevent injury to some , whilst i design benefit to others . conversion , as to the subjects of it , may be considered two wayes ; either as it is more sensibly wrought in persons of riper years , who in their youthful daies were more prophane and vile ; or upon persons in their tender years , into whose hearts grace was more insensibly , and undiscernably instilled by gods blessing upon pious education . in the former sort , the distinct acts of the spirit , as illuminating , convincing , humbling , drawing them to christ , and sealing them are more evident and discernable : in the latter , more obscure and confused ; they can remember , that god gave them an esteem and liking of godly persons , care of duty , and conscience of sin ; but as to the time , place , instruments and manner of the work , they can give but a slender account of them : however , if the work be savingly wrought in them , there is no reason they should be troubled , because the circumstances of it are not so evident to them , as they are to others . let the substance and reality of the work appear , and there is no reason to afflict your selves , because of the inevidence of such circumstances . but yet where the circumstances as well as substance are clear to a man : when we can call to remembrance , the time when , the place where , the instrument by whom that work was wrought , it must needs be exceeding sweet : and they cannot but yield a fresh delight to the soul every time they are reflected upon . there are many of the following occasions , which it may be , we took for straglers when they first befell us : but they proved scouts sent out from the main body of providence , which they make way for . now there be divers things in those providences , that are versant about this work , which are exceeding sweet , and taking ; as namely , the wonderful strangeness and unaccountableness of this work of providence , in casting us into the way , and ordering the occasions , yea , the minu●est circumstances about this work . thus you find in acts . , , , , , &c. the eunuch at that very instant when he was reading the prophet esay , hath an interpreter , one among a thousand , that joins his charjot , just as his mind was by a fit occasion prepared to receive the first light of the knowledge of christ. and how strange was that change ( how far soever it went ) upon naaman the syrjan ? recorded kings . , , , . that the syrjans in their incursion should bring away this girl , ( likely her beauty was the inducement , ) and shel must be presented to naaman's wife , and relate to her the power of god that accompanied the prophet ; though you find in that particular case there had never been an instance given before , luke . . doubtless , the whole of this affair was guided by the signal direction of providence . so for the conversion of the samaritans , it's observed john . . christ must needs go that way , ( i. e. ) it lay just in the road betwixt judea and galilee , and at the sixth hour ( i. e. ) high noon , he rests himself upon jacob's well , still seeming to have no other design , but his own refreshment , by sitting and drinking there : but o what a train of blessed providences follow this , which seemed but an accidental thing ! first the woman of samarja , and then many more in that city are brought to believe in christ , as you find verse . and . it is noted by melchjor adams in the life of junjus , how very an atheist he was grown in his younger years ; but in order to his conversion to god , first , a wonderful preservation of his life in a publick tumult at lyons in france must make way , which forces from him the acknowlegement of a deity . then his father sends for him home , and with much gentleness perswades him to read the scriptures ; he lights upon the first of john , and with it he sensibly feels a divine supernatural majesty and power seizing his soul , which brought him over by a compleat conversion to jesus christ. thus , as the woman of tekoa told david , doth god devise means to bring back his banished . lavater tells us , that many spanish souldiers , going into the wars of germany , were there converted to christ , by falling into the citjes and towns , where godly ministers and christians were . mr. robert bolton , though an excellent scholar , yet in his younger years he was a very irreligious person , and a jeerer of holy men ; but being cast into the company of godly mr. peacock , was by him brought to repentance , and proved a famous instrument in the church of christ. a scrap of paper accidentally coming to view , hath been used as an occasion of conversion . this was the case of a minister of wales , who had two livings , but took little care of either . he being at a fair , bought something at a pedlers standing , and rent off a leaf of mr. perkin's catechism to wrapt it in , and reading a line or two in it , god set it home , so as it did the work . the marriage of a godly man into a carnal family , hath been ordered by providence , for the conversion and salvation of many therein . thus we read , in the life of that renowned english worthy mr. john bruen , that in his second match it was agreed , that he should have one years diet in his mother-in-laws house : during his abode there that year ( saith mr. clark ) the lord was pleased by his means , graciously to work upon her soul , as also upon his wises sister , and half sister , their brothers mr. willjam and thomas fox , with one or two of the servants in that family . the reading of a good book , hath been the means of bringing others to christ. and thus we find many of the german divines converted , by reading luther's books : yea , and what is more strange , mr. sleyden in his commentary tells us , that vergerjus , though he were present an eye and ear-witness to that doleful case of spira , which one would think should move a stone , yet still continued so firm to the popes interest , that when he fell into some suspicion among the cardinals , he resolved to purge himself , by writing a book against the german apostates : but whilst he read the protestant books , out of no other design , but to con●ute them ; whilst he is weighing the arguments , is himself convinced and brought to christ. he finding himself thus overcome by the truth , imparts his conviction to his brother , a zealous papist also : this brother deplores the misery of his case , and seeks to reclaim him ; but vergerjus entreating him to weigh well the protestant arguments , he also yields ; and so both immediately betook themselves to preach justification by the free grace of god through the blood of christ. yea , not only the reading of a book , or hearing a minister , but ( which is most remarkable ) the very mistake or forgetfulness of a minister , hath been improv'd by providence for this end and purpose . augustine once preaching to his congregation , forgot the argument which first he propos'd , and fell upon the error of the manichees beside his first intention : by which discourse , he converted one firmus his auditor ; who fell down at his feet weeping , and confessing he had lived a manichee many years . another i knew , who going to preach , took up another bible than that he design'd , in which , not only missing his no●es , but the chapter also in which his text lay , was put to some loss thereby : but after a short pause , he resolv'd to speak to any other scripture that might be presented to him , and accordingly read that text , pet. . . the lord is not slack concerning his promise , &c. and though he had nothing prepar'd ; yet the lord helpt him to speak both methodically and pertinently from it : by which discourse , a gracious change was wrought upon one in the congregation , who hath since given good evidence of a sound conversion , and acknowledged this sermon to be the first and only means thereof . the accompanying of others in a neighbourly civil visit , hath been over-rul'd to the same end . thus many of the jews accompanied mary unto bethany , ( designing only to manifest their civil respect ) but there they met christ , saw the things which he did , and believed on him , john . . mr. firmin in his real christjan , pag. , . tells us of one , who had liv'd many years in a town where christ had been as clearly , and as long preached , as in any town in england . this man when he was about seventy six years of age , went to visit a sick neighbour . a christian friend of mine ( saith mine author ) came to see him also , and finding this old man there ; whom he judged , to be one that lived upon his own stock : civility , good works , &c. he purposely fell into that discourse , to shew how many persons lived upon their duties , but never came to christ. the old man sitting by the bed side , heard him ; and god was pleased to convince him , that he was such a person , who had lived upon himself without christ to that day ; and would say afterwards , had i dyed before threescore and sixteen , i had perisht , for i knew not christ. the committing of a godly man to prison , hath been the method of providence , to save the soul of a poor keeper . so paul , acts . . was made a prisoner , to make his keeper a spiritual free-man . the like success had dr. barnes in queen mary's dayes , who afterwards celebrated the lords supper in prison with his converted keeper . the scattering of ministers and christjans by persecution from citjes and towns , into the ignorant and barbarous parts of the countrey , hath been the way of providence , to find out , and bring home some lost sheep that were found there , to jesus christ , acts . . . the like signal event hath since followed upon the like scattering of godly ministers , whereof are many 〈…〉 a. servant running away from his master , ( likely upon no other design but to live an idle life ) yet falling into such places and companies , as providence ordered ( in a design to him unknown ) hath thereby been brought to be the servant of christ. this was the very case of onesimus , who run away from his master philemon , to rome ; where by a strange providence ( possibly a meer curiosity to see the prisoners ) he there falls into paul's hands , who begat him to christ in his bonds , philemon , ver. , , , , , , . going to hear a sermon in jest , hath proved some mens conversion in earnest . the above named mr. firmin in the fore-cited book , tells us of anotorious drunkard , whom the drunkards called father , that one day would needs go to hear what wilson said , out of no other design it seems , but to scoff at that holy man : but in the prayer before sermon , his heart began to thaw ; and when he read his text , which was john . . sin no more , lest a worse thing come unto thee : he could not contain ; and in that sermon the lord changed his heart , though so bitter an enemy , that the minister on lecture-dayes was afraid to go to church before his shopdoor . lo , these are parts of his wayes , but how small a portjon is known of him ? the dropping of some grave and weighty word accidentally in the presence of vain carnal persons , the death of an husband , wife or child , a fit of sickness , with a thousand other such like occasions , have been thus improved by providence to the conversion of souls . and no less remarkable and wonderful are the designs of providence in ordering the removes , and governing the motjons of ministers , from place to place in order unto the conversion of souls . thus oftentimes it carries them to places where they intended not to go ; god having ( unknown to them ) some elect vessels there , who must be called by the gospel . thus paul and timothy ( a sweet and lovely pair ) when they were travelling through phrygja and galatja , were forbid to preach the word in asja , to which probably their minds inclined , acts . . and when they essayed to go into bythinja , the spirit suffered them not , ver. . but a man of macedonja ( i. e. an angel in the shape or habit of a man of that countrey ) appeared to paul in a vision , and prayed him , saying , come over into macedonia , and help us , ver. . and there did god open the heart of lydja . i knew a pious minister now with god , who falling in his study upon a very rouzing subject , intended for his own congregation , was strongly moved , when he had finished it , to go to a rude , vile , prophane people , about five miles off , and first preach it to them ; after many wrestlings with himself , not being willing to quench any motion that might be supposed to come from the spirit of god , he obeyed , and went to this people , who had then no minister of their own , and few durst come among them . and there did the lord , beyond all expectation , open a door , and several prophane ones received christ in that place , and engaged this minister to a weekly lecture among them , in which many souls were won to 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 ●ame holy man , at another time , being 〈◊〉 a journey , passed by a company of vain persons , who were wrestling upon a green near the road : and just as he came against the place , one of them had thrown his antagonist , and stood triumphing in his strength and activity . this good man rode up to them , and turning his speech to this person ; told him , friend , i see you are a strong man ; but yet let not the strong man glory in his strength : you must know , that you are not to wrestle with flesh and blood , but with principalities and powers , and spiritual wickednes●es : how sad will it be , that satan should at last trip up the heels of your hope , and give you an eternal overthrow ? and after about a quarter of an hours serious discourse upon this subject , he left them , and went on his journey ; but this discourse made such an imperssion , that the person had no rest , till he opened his trouble to a godly minister , who wisely following the work upon his soul , saw at last the blessed issue thereof in the gracious change of the person , whereof he afterwards gave the minister a joyful account . o how unsearchable are the methods of providence in this matter ? nay , what is yet more wonderful , the providence of god hath sometimes ordered the very malice of satan , and wickedness of men , as an occasion of eternal good to their souls . a very memorable example whereof ▪ i shall here give the reader , faithfully re●●●ing what not many years past ●ell out in my own observation in this place , to the astonishment of many spectators . in the year . there came into this port a ship of poole , in her return from virgini● ; in which ship was one of that place , a lusty young man of twenty three years of age , who was chirurgeon in the ship. this person in the voyage fell into a deep melancholy , which the devil greatly improved to serve his own design for the ruine of this poor man ; however , it pleased the lord to restrain him from any attempts upon his own life , until he arrived here . but shortly after his arrival , upon the lords day early in the morning ( being in bed with his brother ) he took a knife prepared for that purpose , and cut his own throat , and withal leapt out of the bed , and though the wound was deep and large , yet thinking it might not soon enough dispatch his wretched life , desperately thrust it into his st . mach , and so lay wallowing in his own blood , till his brother awaking , made a cry for help : hereupon a physicjan and a chirurgeon coming in , found the wound in his throat mortal ; and all they could do at present , was only to stitch it and apply a plaister , with design , rather to enable him to speak for a little while , than with any expectation of cure ; for before that , he breathed through the wound , and his voice was inarticulate . in this condition i found him that morning , and apprehending him to be within a few minutes of eterity , i laboured to work upon his heart the sense of his condition , telling him , i had but little him to do any thing for him , and therefore desired him to let me know , what his own apprehensions of his present condition were : he told me , he hoped in god for eternal life ; i replyed , that i feared his hopes were ungrounded , for that the scripture tells us , no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him , but this was self-murther , the grossest of all murthers : and insisting upon the aggravation and heinousness of the fact , i perceived his vain confidence began to fall , and some meltings of heart appeared in him . he then began to lament with many tears his sin and misery , and asked me , if there might yet be hope for one that had destroyed himself , and shed his own blood . i replyed , the sin indeed is great , but not unpardonable ; and if the lord gave him repentancae unto life , and ●aith to apply jesus christ , it should be certainly pardoned to him : and finding him unacquainted with these things , i opened to him the nature and necessity of faith and repentance , which he greedily suckt in , and with great vehemency cryed to god , that he would work them upon his soul , and intreated me also to pray with him and for him , that it might be so . i prayed with him , and the lord thawed his heart exceedingly in that duty : loth he was to part with me ; but the duties of the day necessitating me to leave him , i briefly summed up what was most necessary in my parting counsel to him , and took my leave , never expecting to see him more in this world . but beyond my own and all mens expectation , he continued all that day , and panted most ardently after jesus christ : no discourses pleased him , but christ and faith ; and in this frame i found him in the evening . he rejoiced greatly to see me again , and entreated me to continue my discourses upon these subjects ; and after all told me , sir , the lord hath given me repentance for this sin ▪ yea , and for every other sin . i see the evil of sin now , so as i never saw it before . o i loath my self : i am a vile creature in my own eyes . i do also believe ; lord help my unbeljef . i am heartily willing to take christ upon his own terms . one thing only troubles me , i doubt this bloody sin will not be pardoned . will jesus christ ( said he ) apply his blood to me , that have shed my own blood ? i told him , christ shed his blood even for them that with wicked hands had shed the blood of christ ; and that was a sin of deeper guilt than his . well , ( said he ) i will cast my self upon christ ; let him do by me what he will. and so i parted with him that night . next morning the wounds were to be opened ; and then , the opinion of the chirurgeons was , he would immediately expire . accordingly , at his desire , i came that morning and found him in a most serious frame . i prayed with him , and then the wound in his stomach was opened , but by this time the ventricle it self was swoln out of the orifice of the wound , and lay like a livid discoloured tripe upon his body , and was also cut through ; so that all concluded , it was impossible for him to live ; however they stitcht the wound in the stomach , enlarged th● orifice , and somented it , and wrought it again into his body , and so stitching up the skin , left him to the dispose of providence . but so it was , that both the deep wound in his throat , and this in his stomach healed : and the more dangerous wound sin had made upon his soul , was , i trust , effectually healed also . i spent many hours with him in that sickness ; and after his return home , received this account from mr. samuel hardy , a minister in that town . part whereof i shall transcribe . dear sir , i was much troubled at the sad providence in your town ; but did much rejoice , that he fell into such hands for his body and soul. you have taken much pains with him , and i hope to good purpose . i think , if ever a great and through work were done such a way , it is now ; and if never the like , i am perswaded now it is . never grow weary of such good works . one such instance is ( methinks ) enough to make you to abound in the work of the lord all your dayes , &c. o how unsearchable are the wayes of providence , in leading men to christ ! let none be encouraged by this to sin , that grace may abound . these are rare and singular instances of the mercy of god , and such as no presumptuous sinner can expect to find . it 's only recited here , to the honour of providence , which works for the recovery of sinners in wayes that we understand not . o what a fetch hath providence beyond our understandings ! and as it orders very strange occasions to awaken and rouse souls at first , so it works no less wonderfully in carrying on the work to perfection ; and this it doth two wayes . ( . ) by quickning and reviving dying convictions and troubles for sin . souls after their first awakening , are apt to lose the sense and impression of their first troubles for sin ; but providence is vigilant to prevent it ; and doth effectually prevent it sometimes , by directing the minister to some discourse or passage , that shall fall as pat , as if the case of such a person had been studied by him , and designedly spoken to . how often have i found this in the cases of many souls , who have professed they have stood amazed , to hear the very thoughts of their hearts discovered by the preacher , who knew nothing of them ! sometimes by directing them to some proper rousing scripture , that suites their present case . and sometimes by suffering them to fall into some new sin , which shall awaken all their former troubles again , and put a new efficacy and activity into the conscience . the world is full of instances in all these cases , and because most christians have experience of these things in themselves , it will be needless to recite them here . search but a few years back , and you may remember , that according to this account ( at least , in some particulars ) providence ordered the matter with you . have you not found some rod or other prepared by providence , to rouze you out of your security ? why , this is so common a thing with christians , that they many times presage an affliction coming from the frames they find their own hearts in . ( . ) it gives also great assistance to the work of the spirit upon the soul , by ordering , supporting , relieving and cheering means , to prop up and comfort the soul , when it is over-burthened , and ready to sink in the deeps of troubles . i remember mr. bolton gives us one instance , which fits both these cases , the reviving of convictjons , and seasonable supports in the deeps of troubles . and it is of a person that by convictions had been fetcht off from his wicked companions , and entered into a reformed course of life ; but after this , through the inticement of his old companions , the subtilty of satan , and corruption of his own heart , did again relapse into the wayes of sin . then was providentially brought to his view that scripture , prov. . , , , &c. this renewed his trouble ; yea , aggravated it to a greater height than ever ; insomuch that he could scarcely think ( as it seems by the relation ) his sin could be pardoned . but in this plunge , that text luke . . was presented to him , which sweetly setled him in a sure and glorious peace . nor can we here forget that miraculous work of providence , in a time of great extremity , which was wrought for that good gentlewoman mrs. honeywood , ( and is somewhere mentioned by the same author ) who under a deep and sad desertion , refused and put off all comfort , seeming to despair utterly of the grace and mercy of god. a worthy minister being one day with her , and reasoning against her desperate conclusions , she took a venice-glass from the table , and said , sir , i am as sure to be damned , as this glass is to be broken ; and therewith threw it forcibly to the ground ; but to the astonishment of both ▪ the glass remained whole and sound , which the minister taking up with admiration , rebuked her presumption , and shewed her what a wonder providence had wrought for her satisfaction , and it greatly altered the temper of her mind . o how unsearchable are his wayes ! and his paths past finding out ! lo , these are part of his wayes ; but how small a portion do we know of him ? and now suffer me to expostulate a little with thy soul reader , hast thou been duly sensible of thy obligation to providence , for this inestimable favour ? o what hath it done for thee ! there are divers kinds of mercies conveyed to men by the hand of providence , but none like this : in all the treasury of its benefits , none is found like this . did it cast thee into the way of conversion , and order the means and occasions of it for thee , when thou little thoughtest of any such thing ? how dear and sweet , should the remembrance of it be to thy soul ! methinks it should astonish and melt you every time you reflect upon it . such mercies should never grow stale , or look like common things to you : for do but seriously consider the following particulars . how surprizing the mercy was , which it performed for you in that day . providence had a design upon you , for your eternal good , which you understood not . the time of mercy was now fully come ; the decree was now ready to bring forth that mercy , with which it had gone big from eternity , and its gracious design must be executed by the hand of providence , so far as concerned the external means and instruments : and how aptly did it cause all things to fall in with that design , though you knew not the meaning of it ? look over all the before mentioned examples , and you shall see the blessed work of conversion begun upon those souls , when they minded it no more , than saul did a kingdom , that morning he went out to seek his fathers asses , sam . , . providence might truly have said to you in that day , as christ said to peter , john . . what i do thou knowest not now , but hereafter thou shalt know it . gods thoughts are not as our thoughts ; but as the heavens are higher than the earth , so are his thoughts higher than ours , and his wayes than our wayes . little did zacheus think , when he climbed up into the sycamore-tree , to see christ as he passed that way , what a design of mercy christ had upon him , who took thence the occasion of becoming both his guest and savjour , luke . , , , . and as little did some of you think , what the aim of providence was , when you went ( some out of custom , others out of curiosity , if not worse ends ) to hear such a sermon . o how stupendious are the wayes of god! what a distinguishing and seasonable mercy was usher'd in by providence in that day . it brought you to the means of salvation in a good hour . at that very nick of time , when the angel troubled the waters , you were brought to the pool ; to allude to that , john . . now the accepted day was come , the spirit was in the ordinance , or providence that converted you , and you were set in the way of it . it may be , you had heard many hundred sermons before , but nothing would stick till now , because the hour was not come . the lord did , as it were , call in the word for such a man , such a woman ; and providence said , lord , here he is , i have brought him before thee . there were many others under that sermon , that received no such mercy . you your selves had heard many before , but not to that advantage , as it is said , luke . . there were many lepers in israel in the days of elizeus , but to none of them was the prophet sent , save unto naaman the syrjan . so there were many poor unconverted souls beside you under the word that day , and it may be , to none of them was salvation sent that day , but to you . o blessed providence , that set you in the way of mercy at that time ! what a weighty and important mercy was providentially directed to your souls that day . there are mercies of all sizes and kinds in the hands of providence to dispense to the sons of men : its left hand is full of blessings , as well as its right . it hath health and riches , honours and pleasures , as well as christ and salvation to dispense . the world is full of its left hand favours ; but the blessings of its right hand are invaluably precious , and few there be that receive them . it doth thousands of kind offices for men ; but among them all , this is the chiefest , to lead and direct them to christ. for consider , ( . ) of all mercies , this comes through most and greatest difficulties , eph. . , . ( . ) this is a spiritual mercy , excelling in dignity of nature all others , more than gold excels the dirt under your feet , rev. . . one such gift , is worth thousands of other mercies . ( . ) this is a mercy immediately slowing out of the fountain of gods electing love , a mercy never dropt into any , but an elect vessel , thess. . , . ( . ) this is a mercy , that infallibly secures calvation ; for as we may argue from conversion to election , looking back , so from conversion to salvation , looking forward , heb. . . ( . ) lastly , this is an eternal mercy , that which will stick by you , when father , mother , wife , children , estate , honours , health and life shall fail thee , john . . o therefore set a special mark upon that providence , that set you in the way of this mercy . it hath performed that for thee , which all the ministers on earth , and angels in heaven could never have performed . this is a mercy , that puts weight and value into the smallest circumstance that relates to it . the fifth performance of providence . v. thus you hear , how instrumental providence hath been , in ordering the means and occasions of the greatest mercies for your souls . let us now take into consideration , another excellent performance of providence respecting the good of your bodies and souls too , in respect of that imployment and calling it hath ordered for you in this world ; for it hath not only an eye upon your well being in the world to come , but upon your well being in this world also ; and that very much depends upon the station and vocation to which it calls you . now the providence of god with respect to our civil callings , may be displayed very takingly in the following particulars . in directing you to a calling in your youth , and not suffering you to live an idle , useless and sinful life , as many do , who are but burthens to the earth , fruges consumere nati , the wens of the body politick , serving only to disfigure and drein it , to eat what others earn . sin brought in sweat , gen. . . but now , not to sweat increaseth sin , thess. . . he that lives idly , cannot live honestly ; as is plainly enough intimated , thess. . , . but when god puts men into a lawful calling , wherein the labours of their hands or heads is sufficient for them , it is a very valuable mercy : for thereby they eat their own bread , thess. . . many a sad temptation is happily prevented ; and they are ordinarily furnished by it , for works of mercy to others , and surely it is more blessed to give , than to receive . in ordering you to such callings and imployments in the world , as are , not only lawful in themselves , but most suitable to you . there be many persons imployed in sinful trades and arts , meerly to furnish other mens lusts : they do not only sin in their imployments ; but their very imployments are sinful : they trade for hell , and are factors for the devil . demetrjus and the crafts-men at ephesus , got their estates by makeing shrines for djana , acts . , . ( i. e. ) little cases , or boxes with folding leaves , within which the image of that idol sate enshrined . these were carried about by the people in procession , in honour of their idol . and at this day , how many wicked arts and imployments are there invented , ( and multitudes of persons maintained by them ) meerly to gratifie the pride and wantonness of a debauched age ? now to have an honest lawful imployment , wherein you do not dishonour god in benefiting your selves , is no small mercy . but if it be not only lawful in it self , but suited to your genjus and strength , there is a double mercy in it . some poor creatures are engaged in callings , that eat up their time and strength , and make their lives very uncomfortable to them : they have not only spending and wasting imployments in the world ; but such as allow them little or no time for their general calling : and yet all this doth but keep them and theirs alive . oh therefore , if god have ●itted you with an honest imployment , wherein you have iess toil than others , and more time for heavenly exercises , ascribe this benefit to the special care of providence for you . in setling you in such an imployment and calling in the world , as possibly neither your selves nor parents could ever expect you should arrive to . there are among us such persons , as on this account are signally obliged to divine providence . god hath put them into such a way , as neither they nor their parents ever projected . for , look as the flower-de-luce in the campass , turns now this way , then that way , and never ceases moving , till it settle to the north point ; just so it is in our setlement in the world . a child is now designed for this , then for that , but at last setles in that way of imployment which providence designed him to . how strangely are things wheeled about by providence ! not what we , or our parents , but what god designed shall take place . amos was very meanly employed at first , but god designed him for a more honourable and comfortable calling , amos . , . david followed the ewes , and likely never raised his thoughts to higher things in the dayes of his youth ; but god made him the royal shepherd of a better flock , psalm . , . peter and andrew were imployed as fisher-men , but christ calls them from that to an higher calling , matth. . , . to be fishers of men . pareus when h● was fourteen years old , was by the instigation of his step-mother , placed with an apothecary ; but providence so wrought , that he was taken off from that , and sitted for the ministry ; wherein he became a fruitful and eminent instrument to the church . james andreas was by reason of his fathers inability to keep him at school , designed for a carpenter ; but was afterwards by the perswasion of friends , and assistance of the church-stock sent to stutgard , and thence to the university , and so arrived to a very eminent station of service to the chruch . a master builder oecolampadjus was by his father designed for a merchant ; but his mother by earnest entreaties , prevailed to keep him at school : and this man was a blessed instrument in the reformation of religion , i might easily cite multitudes of such instances ; but a taste may suffice . in securing your estates from ruine , job . . hast thou not made an hedge about him , and all that he hath ? this is the enclosure of providence , which secures to us , what by its favour we acquire in the way of honest industry . in making your calling sufficient for you . it was the prayer of moses f●r the tribe of judah , exod. . . let his hands be sufficjent for him : and it is no small mercy , if yours be so to you . some there be that have work , but not strength to go through with it ; others have strength , but no imployment for it . some have hands , and work for them ; but it 's not sufficient for them and theirs . if god bless your labours , so as to give you and yours necessary supports , and comfort in the world by it , it 's a choice providence , and with all thankfulness to be acknowledged . object . . if any that fear god shall complain , that although they have a calling , yet it is an hard and laborious one , which takes up too much of their time , which they would gladly imploy in other , and better work . i answer , ( . ) it 's like , wisdom of providence foresaw this to be the most suitable and proper imployment for you ; and if you had more ease and rest , you might have more temptations than now you have : the strength and time which is now taken up in your daily labours , wherein you serve god , might otherwayes have been spent upon such lusts wherein you might have served the devil . ( . ) hereby it may be , your health is the better preserved , and natural refreshments made the sweeter to you , eccle● . . . the sleep of a labouring man is sweet to him , whether he eat little or much : but the abundance of the rich , will not suffer him to sleep . ( . ) and as to the service of god , if your hearts be spiritual , you may enjoy much communion with god in your very imployments , and you have some intervals and respits for that purpose . have you not more spare hours , than you imploy to that end ? object . bvt all my labours will scarcely suffice , to procure me and mine the necessaries of life . i am kept short and low to what others are ; and this is a sad affliction . though the wisdom of providence hath ordered you a lower , and poorer condition than others , yet ( . ) consider how many there be that are lower than you in the world : you have but little of the world ; yet others have less . read the description of those persons , job . , &c. ( . ) if god have given you but a small portion of the world ; yet if you be godly , he hath promised never to forsake you , heb. . ( . ) providence hath ordered that condition for you , which is really best for your eternal good . if you had more of the world than you have , your heads and hearts might not be able to manage it to your advantage . a small boat must have but a narrow sail. you have not wanted hitherto the necessaries of life , and are commanded , having food and rayment ( though none of the finest ) to be therewith content . a little that a righteous man hath , is better than the riches of many wicked , psal. . . better in the acquisitjon , sweeter in the fruitjon , and more comfortable in the account . well then , if providence hath so disposed of you all , that you can eat your own bread , and so advantagiously directed some of you to imployments , that afford not only necessaries for your selves and families , but an overplus for works of mercy to others , and all this brought about for you in a way you did not project ; let god be owned , and honoured in this providence . will you not henceforth call him , my father , the guide of my youth ? as it is jer. . . surely , it was the lord that guided you to setle as you did in those dayes of your youth : you reap at this day , and may to your last day , the fruits of those early providences in your youth . now see that you walk answerably to the obligations of providence in this particular ; and see to it in the fear of god , that you abuse not any of those things to his dishonour , which he hath wrought for your comfort . to prevent which , i will here drop a few needful cautions , and shut up this particular . be not slothful and idle in your vocatjons . it 's said , augustus built an apragapolis , a city void of business ; but i am sure god never erected any city , town or family to that end . the command to adam , gen. . . no doubts reaches all his posterity : and gospel-commands back and second it upon christians , rom. . . and thess. . . if you be negligent , you cannot be innocent . and yet , be not so intent upon your particular callings , as to make them interfere with your general calling . beware you lose not your god in the crowd and hurry of earthly business . mind that solemn warning , tim. . . but they that will be rich fall into temptatjon , and a snare , and into many foolish and hurtful lusts , which drown men in destructjon and perditjon . the inhabitants of o enoc , a dry island near athens , bestowed much labour to draw in a river to water it , and make it fruitful ; but when the sluces were opened , the waters slowed so abundantly , that it overflowed the island , and drowned the inhabitants . the application is obvious . it was an excellent saying of seneca , rebus non me trado , sed commodo . i don't give , but lend my self to business . remember alwayes , the success of your callings and earthly imployments is by divine blessing , not humane diligence alone , deut. . . thou shalt remember the lord they god ; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth . the devil himself was so far orthodox , as to acknowledge it , job . , hast not thou made an hedge about him , and about his house , and about all that he hath on every side ? thou hast blessed the work of his hand , &c. recommend therefore your affairs to god by prayer , according to psal. . , . delight thy self also in the lord , and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart . commit thy way unto the lord ; trust also in him , and he shall bring it to pass . and touch not with that which you cannot recommend to god by prayer for a blessing . be well satisfied in that station and imployment in which providence hath placed you , and do not so much as wish your selves in another , cor. . . let every man abide in the same calling , wherein he was called . providence is wiser than you , and you may be confident hath suited all things better to your eternal good , than you could do , had you been left to your own option , the sixth performance of providence . vi. thus you see , the care providence hath had over you in your youth , in respect of that civil imployment to which it guided us in those dayes . we will in the next place consider it as our guide , and the orderer of our relatjons for us . that providence hath a special hand in this matter , is evident both from scripture assertions , and the acknowledgements of holy men , who in that great concernment of their lives , have still owned , and acknowledged the directing hand of providence . take an instance of both . the scripture plainly asserts the dominion of providence over this affair in prov. . . a prudent wife is from the lord : and prov. . . who 's . findeth a wife , findeth a good thing , and obtaineth favour of the lord. so for children , see psal. . . lo , children are an heritage of the lord ; and the fruit of the womb is his reward . and it hath ever been the practice of holy men , to seek the lord for direction and counsel , when they have been upon the change of their condition . no doubt but abraham's encouragement in that case was the fruit of prayer , gen. . . his pious servant also , who was imployed in that affair , did both earnestly seek counsel of god , gen , . . and thankfully acknowledge his gracious providence in guiding it , ver. , . the same we may observe in children , the fruit of marriage , sam. . . luke . , . now the providence of god may be divers wayes displayed for the engaging of our hearts in love to the god of our mercies . ( . ) there is very much of providence seen in appointing the parties each for other . in this , the lord goes oftentimes beyond our thoughts and projections ; yea , and oftentimes crosses mens desires and designs to their great advantage . not what they fancy ; but what his infinite wisdom judges best , and most beneficial for them takes place . hence it is , that probabilities are so often dashed ; and things remote and utterly improbable are brought about , in very strange and unaccountable methods of providence . ( . ) there is much of providence seen in the harmony and agreeableness of tempers and dispositions ; from whence a very great part of the tranquillity and comforts of our lives results : or at least , though natural tempers and educations did not so much harmonize before , yet they do so after they come under the ordinance of god , gen. . . they two shall be one flesh , not one only in respect of gods institutjon , but one in respect of love and affectjon , that those who so lately were meer strangers to each other , are now endeared to a degree beyond the nearest relations in blood . vbi supra , for this cause shall a man leave father and mother , and shall cleave to his wife , and they two shall be one flesh . ( . ) but especially , providence is remarkable , in making one instrumental to the eternal good of the other , i cor. . . how knowest thou , o wife , but thou maist save thy husband ? or how knowest thou , o man , whether thou shalt save thy wife ? hence is that grave exhortation to the wives of unbelieving husbands , pet. . . to win them by their conversation , which should be to them in stead of an ordinance . or if both be gracious , then what singular assistance and mutual help is hereby gained to the furtherance of their eternal good ? whilst they live together as heirs of the grace of life , i pet. . . o blessed providence ! that directed such into so intimate relation on earth , who shall inherit together the common salvatjon in heaven ! ( . ) how much of providence is seen in children the fruit of marrjage ? to have any posterity in the earth , and not be left altogether as a dry tree : to have comfort and joy in them , is a special providence , importing a special mercy to us . to have the breaches made upon our families repaired , is a providence to be owned with a thankful heart . when god shall say to a man , as he speaks in another case to the church , isa. . . the children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other , shall say again in thine ears , the place is too strait for me , &c and these providences will appear more affectingly sweet and lovely to you , if you but compare its allotments to you , with what it hath allotted to many others in the world . for do but look abroad , and you shall find , ( . ) multitudes unequally yoked , to the imbittering of their lives , whose relations are clogs and hinderances both in temporals and spirituals . yea , we find an account in scripture of gracious persons , a great part of whose comfort in this world hath been split upon this rock . abigail was a discreet and vertuous w●man , but very unsuitably matched to a churlish nabal ; see sam. . . what a temptation to the neglect of a known duty , prevail'd upon the renowned moses , by the means of zipporah his wife ? exod. . , . david had his scoffing michal , sam. . . and patient job no small addition to all his other afflictions , from the wife of his bosom , who should have been a support to him in the day of his trouble , job . . no doubt , but god sanctifies such rods to his peoples good . if socrates knew how to improve his affliction in his zantippe , to the increase of his patience ; much more will they who converse with god under all providences , whether sweet or bitter . nevertheless this must be acknowledged to be a sad stroke upon any person , and such as maims them upon the working hand , by unfitting them for duty , pet. . . and cuts off much of the comfort of life also . ( . ) how many are there , who never enjoy the comfortable fruits of marriage ? but are denyed the sight , at least , the enjoyment of children , jer. . . thus saith the lord , write this man childless , &c. or if they have children , yet cannot enjoy them , hosea . . though they bring up children , yet will i bereave them , that there shall not be a man left ; who only bear for the grave , and have their expectations raised for a greater affliction to themselves . ( . ) and it is no rare or unusual thing to see children and near relations the greatest instruments of affliction to their parents and friends : so that after all their other sorrows and troubles in the world , nearest relations bring up the rear of sorrows ( as one speaks ) and prove greater griefs than any other . o how many parents have complained with the tree in the fable , that their very hearts have been rived asunder with those wedges that were cut out of their own bodies ? what a grief was esau to isaac and rabecka ? gen. . , . what a scourge were absalom and amnon to david ? well then , if god have set the solitary in familjes , as it is psal. . . built an house for the desolate , given you comfortable relations , which are springs of daily comfort and refreshment to you , you are upon many accounts engaged to walk answerably to these gracious providences . and that you may understand wherein that decorum and agreeable comportment with these providences consists , take up the sense of your duty in these brief hints . ( . ) ascribe to god the glory of all those providential works which yield you comfort . you see a wise , directing , governing providence , which hath disposed and ordered all things beyond your own projections and designs . the way of man is not in himself , nor is it in him that walketh to direct his own steps , jer. . . not what you projected , but what an higher counsel than yours determined , is come to pass . good jacob when god had made him the father of a family , admired god in the mercy , gen. . . with my staff ( said he ) i passed over this jordan , and now i am become two bands . and how doth this mercy humble and melt him ? i am not worthy of the least of all the mercjes , and of all the 〈◊〉 , which thou hast shewed unto thy servant . be exact in discharging the duties of those relations which so gracious a providence hath led you into . abuse not the effects of so much mercy and love to you . the lord expects praise , where ever you have comfort . this aggravated david's sin , that he should dare to abuse so great love and mercy , as god had shewn him in his family relations , . sam. . , , . improve relations to the end providence designed them . walk together as co-heirs of the grace of life : study to be mutual blessings to each other : so walk in your relations , that the parting day may be sweet . death will shortly break up the family ; and then nothing but the sense of duty discharged , or the neglects pardoned , will give comfort . the seventh performance of providence . vii . you have heard how well providence hath performed its part of you , in planting you into families , who once were solitary . now let us in the next place view another gracious performance of providence for us , in making provisjon from time to time for us and our familjes . i the rather put these providences together in this place , because i find the scripture doth so , psalm . . he setteth the poor on high from afflictjon , and maketh him familjes like a flock . you know the promises god hath made to his people , psal. . . the young ljons shall lack , and suffer hunger ; but they that seek the lord , shall not want any good thing . and have you not also seen the constant performance of it ? cannot you give the same answer , if the same question were propounded to you that the disciples did , luke . . since i sent you forth , lacked ye any thing ? and they said , nothing . can ye not with jacob , call him , the god that fed you all your life long ? gen. . . surely he hath given bread to them that fear him , and been ever mindful of his covenant , psal. . . to display this providence , we will consider it in the following particulars . ( . ) the assiduity and constancy of the care of providence for the saints , lam. . . his mercjes are new every morning . it is not the supply of one or two pressing needs , but all your wants , as they grow from day to day through all your dayes , gen. . . the god that fed me all my life long . the care of providence runs parallel with the line of life . see isa. . , . hearken unto me , o house of jacob , and all the remnant of the house of israel , which are born by me from the belly , which are carryed from the womb : and even to your old age i am he , and even to hoar hairs will i carry . you : i have made , and i will bear , even i will carry , and will deliver you . so that as god bid israel , micah . . to remember from shittim● unto gilgal , that they might know the faithfulness of the lord ; so would i perswade thee , reader , to record the wayes of providence , from first to last , throughout thy whole course of this day , that thou maist see what a god he hath been to thee . ( . ) the seasonableness , and opportuneness of its provisions for them : for so runs the promise , isa. . . when the poor and needy seek water , and there is none , and their tongue faileth for thirst , i the lord will hear them , i the god of israel will not forsake them ; and so hath the performance of it been . and this hath been made good to distressed saints sometimes in a more ordinary way , god secretly blessing a little , and making it sufficient for us and ours : job tells us of the secret of god upon his tabernacle , job . . ( i. e. ) his secret blessing is in their tabernacles ; by reason whereof it is that they subsist ; but it is in an unaccountable way that they do so . and sometimes in an extraordinary way it breaks forth for their supply . so you find in kings . , , , , , . the cruse and barrel sail not . mr. samuel clarke , in the life of that painful and humble servant of christ mr. john fox , records a memorable instance of providence , and it is this , that towards the end of king henry the eighth his reign he went to london , where he quickly spent that little his friends had given him , or he had acquired by his own diligence , and began to be in great want . as one day he sate in paul's church , spent with long fasting ▪ his countenance thin , and his eyes hollow , aft●● the ghastful manner of dying men , every one shunning a spectacle of so much horror : there came one to him , whom he had never seen before , and thrust an untold summ of money into his hand , bidding him , be of good cheer , and accept that small gift in good part from his countrey-man ; and that he should make much of himself , for that within a few dayes new hopes were at hand , and a more certain condition of livelihood . three dayes after the dutchess of richmond sent for him to live in her house , and be tutor to the earl of surrey's children , then under her care . mr. isaac ambrose a worthy divine , whose labours have made him acceptable to his generatjon , in his epistle to the earl of bedford prefixed to his last things , gives a pregnant instance in his own case ; his words are these ; for mine own part , ( saith he ) however the lord hath seen cause to give me but a poor pittance of outward things , for which i bless his name ; yet in the income thereof , i have many times observed so much of his peculiar providence , that thereby they have been very much sweetned , and my heart hath been raised to admire his grace . when of late under an hard dispensation ( which i judge not meet to mention ) wherein i suffered conscientiously ) all streams of wonted supplyes being stopt , the waters of relief for my self and family did run low ▪ i went to bed with some staggerings and doubtings of the fountains letting out it self for our refreshing ; but e're i did awake in the morning , a letter was brought to my bed side , which was signed by a choice friend mr. anthony ash , which reported some unexpected breakings out of gods goodness for my comfort . these are some of his lines — your god who hath given you an heart thankfully to record your experiences of his goodness , doth renew experiences for your encouragement . now i shall report one , which will raise your spirit toward the god of your mercies . whereupon he sweetly concludes , one morsel of gods provision , especially when it comes in unexpected and upon prayer , when wants are most , will be more sweet to a spirituall relish , than all former enjoyments were . ( . ) the wisdom of providence in our provisions . and this is discovered in two things : ( . ) in proportioning the quantity , not satisfying our extravagent wishes , but answering our real needs ; consulting our wants , not our wantonness , phil. . . my god shall supply all your wants ; and this hath exactly suited the wishes of the best and wisest men , who desired no more at its hand . so. jacob , gen. . . and agur , prov. . , . wise providence considers our condition as pilgrims and strangers , and so allots the vjaticum provision , that is needful for our passage home . it knows the mischievous influence of fulness and redundancy upon most men , though sanctified ; and how apt it is to make them remiss , and forgetful of god , deut. . . that their hearts , like the moon , suffers an eclipse when it is at the full ; and so ●a●ts and orders all to their best advantage ( . ) it s wisdom is much discovered in the manner of dispensing our portion to us . it many times suffers our wants to pinch hard , and many scars to arise , out of design to magnifie the care and love of god in the supply , deut. . . providence so orders the case , that faith and prayer coming betwixt our wants and supplies , the goodness of god may be the more magnified in our eyes thereby . and now let me beg you to consider the good hand of providence , that hath provided for , and suitably supplyed you and yours all your dayes , and never failed you hitherto : and labour to walk suitably to your experiences of such mercies . in order whereunto , let me press a few suitable cautions upon you . beware , that you forget not the care and kindness of providence which your eyes have seen in so many fruits and experiences thereof . it was gods charge against israel , psal. . . that they soon forgat his wondrous works . a bad heart and a slippery memory , deprive men of the comfort of many mercies , and defraud god of the glory due for them . do not distrust providence in future exigencies . thus they did , psal. . . behold , he smote the rock , that the waters gushed out , and the streams overflowed : can he give bread also ? can he provide flesh for his people ? how unreasonable and absurd are these queries of unbelief , especially after their eyes had seen the power of god in such extraordinary effects ? do not murmur and regret under new straits . this is a vile temper ; and yet how incident to us , when wants press hard upon us ! ah! did we but rightly understand what the demerit of sin is , we would rather admire the bounty of god , than complain of the strait-handedness of providence . and if we did but consider , that there lyes upon god no obligation of justice or gratitude to reward any of our duties , it would cure our murmurs , gen. . . do not shew the least discontent at the lot and portion providence carves out to you . o that you would be well pleased and satisfied with all its appointments . say as psal. . . the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places ; yea , i have a goodly heritage . surely that is best for you , which providence hath appointed , and one day you your selves will judge it so to be . do not neglect prayer when straits befall you . you see it's providence dispenses all , you live upon it ; therefore apply your selves to god in the times of need . this is evidently included in the promise , isa. . . as well as expressed in the command , phil. . . remember god , and he will not forget you . do not distract your hearts with sinful cares , matth. . , . consider the fowls of the air , ( saith christ ) not the fowls at the door , that are daily fed by hand ; but those of the air , that know not where to have the next meal ; and yet god provides for them . remember your relation to christ , and his engagements by promise to you , and by these things work your hearts to satisfaction and content with all the allotments of providence . the eighth performance of providence . viii . the next great advantage and mercy the saints receive from the hand of providence , is in their preservatjon from the snares , and temptatjons of sin , by its preventing care over them . that providence wards off many a deadly stroke of temptation , and puts by many a mortal thrust which satan makes at our souls , is a truth as manifest as the light that shineth . this is included in that promise , cor. . . god will with the temptatjon make a way to escape , that ye may be able to bear it . providence gives an out-let for the souls escape , when it is shut up into the dangerous straits of temptation . there are two eminent wayes whereby the force and efficacacy of temptation is broken in believers . one is by the operation of internal grace , gal. . . the spirit lusteth against the flesh ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ( i. e. ) sanctification gives sin a miscarrying womb after it hath conceived in the soul. the other way , is by the external working of providence ; and of this i am here engaged to speak . the providence of god is the great obex and hinderance to a world of sin , which else would break forth like an overflowing flood from our corrupt natures . it prevents abundance of sin , which else wicked men would commit , gen. . . the sodomites were greedily pursuing their lusts : god providentially hinders it , by smiting them blind . jeroboam intends to smite the prophet ; providence interpos'd , and wither'd his arm , kings . . thus you see , when wicked men have contrived , and are ready to execute their wickedness , providence claps on its manacles , that their hands cannot perform their enterprises , as it is job . . and so much corruption there remains in good men , that they would certainly plunge themselves under much more guilt than they do , if providence did not take greater care of them than they do of themselves : for though they make conscience of keeping themselves , and daily watch their hearts and wayes , yet such is the deceitfulness of sin , that if providence did not lay blocks in their way , it would ( more frequently than it doth ) entangle and defile them . and this it doth divers wayes . ( . ) sometimes by stirring up others to interpose with seasonable counsels , which effectually disswade them from prosecuting an evil design . thus abigail meets david in the nick of time , and disswades him from his evil purpose , sam. . . and i find it recorded ( as on another account was noted before ) of that holy man mr. dod , that being late at night in his study , he was strongly moved ( though at an unseasonable hour ) to visit a gentleman of his acquaintance ; and not knowing what might be the design of providence therein , he obeyed , and went ; when he came to the house , after a ●ew knocks at the door , the gentleman himself came to him , and askt him , whether he had any business to him : mr. dod answered , no : but that he could not be quiet till he had seen him . o sir , ( reply'd the gentleman , ) you are sent of god at this hour , for just now ( and with that , takes the halter out of his pokcet , ) i was going to destroy my self . and thus was the mischief prevented . ( . ) sometimes by hindering the means and instruments , whereby the evil it self is prevented . thus , when good jehosaphat had joyned himself with that wicked king ahazjah , to build ships at ezjon-gaber to go to tarshish , god prevents the design , by breaking the ships with a storm , as you read , chron. . , , . we find also in the life of mr. bolton , written by mr. bagshaw , that whilst he was in oxford , he had familiar acquaintance with mr. anderton , a good scholar , but a strong papist , who knowing mr. bolton's good parts , and perceiving that he was in some outward wants , took this advantage , and used many arguments to perswade him to be reconciled to the church of rome , and to go over with him to the english seminary , assuring him he should be furnished with all necessaries , and have gold enough . mr. bolton being at that time , poor in mind and purse , accepted the motion , and a day and place was appointed in lancashire , where they should meet and take shipping and be gone : but mr. anderton came not , and so he escaped the share . ( . ) sometimes by laying some strong affliction upon the body , to prevent a worse evil . and this is the meaning of hosea . . i will hedge up her way with thorns . thus basil was a long time exercised with a violent head-ach , which ( as he observed ) was used by providence to prevent lust. paul had a thorn in the flesh , a messenger of satan sent to busset him : and this affliction , whatever it was , was ordained to prevent pride in him , cor. . . ( . ) sometimes sin is prevented in the saints , by the better information of their minds at the sacred oracles of god. thus , when sinful motions began to rise in david's mind , from the prosperity of the wicked , and his own afflicted state , and grew to that height , that he began to think , all he had done in the way of religion , was little better than lost labour ; he is set right again , and the temptation dissolved , by going into the sanctuary , where god shewed him how to take new measures of persons and things ; to judge them by their ends and issues , not their present appearances , psal. . , , . ( . ) and sometimes the providence of god prevents the sins of his people , by removing them out of the way of temptations by death . in which sense we may understand that text , isa. . . the righteous is taken away from the evil to come ; the evil of sin as well as sufferings . when the lord sees his people low spirited , and not able to grapple with strong tryals and temptations which are drawing on , it is with respect to them a merciful providence , to be disbanded by death , and set out of harms way . now consider , and admire the providence of god , o ye saints , who hath had more care of your souls , than ever ye had of them . had not the providence of god thus wrought for you in a way of prevention , it may be you had this day been so many magor missabibs . how was the heart of david melted under that preventing providence fore-mentioned in sam. . . he blesses the lord , the instrument , and the counsel by which his soul was preserved from sin . do but seriously bethink your selves of a few particulars about this case . as , ( . ) how your corrupt natures have often impetuously hurried you on towards sin , so that all the inherent grace you had , could not withstand its force , if providence had not prevented it in some such method as you have heard , jam. . . every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts , and enticed . you found your selves but feathers in the wind of temptation . ( . ) how near you have been brought to the brink of sin , and yet saved by a merciful hand of providence . may you not say with him in prov. . . i was almost in the midst of all evil : or as psal. . . my feet were almost gone , my steps had well nigh slidden . o merciful providence ! that stept in so opportunely to your relief . ( . ) how many have been suffered to fall by the hand of temptations to the reproach of religion , and wounding of their own consciences , to that degree , that they have never recovered former peace again ; but lived in the world devoid of comfort to their dying day ? ( . ) how woful your case had been , if the lord had not mercifully saved you from many thousand temptations , that have assaulted you ? i tell you , you cannot estimate the mercies you possess by means of such providences . are your names sweet , and your consciences peaceful , two mercies as dear to you as your two eyes ? why surely , you owe them , if not wholly , yet in great measure , to the aids and assistances providence hath given you all along the way you have passed through the dangerous tempting world to this day . walk therefore suitably to this obligation of providence also : and see , ( . ) that you thankfully own it . don't impute your escapes from sin to accidents , or to your own watchfulness or wisdom . ( . ) see that you tempt not providence on the other hand , by an irregular relyance upon its care over you , without taking all due care of your selves . keep your selves in the love of god , jude . keep your hearts with all diligence , prov. . . though providence keep you , yet it is in the way of your duty . the ninth performance of providence . ix . thus you see what care providence hath had over your souls , in preventing the spiritual dangers and miserjes that else would have befallen you in the way of temptatjons : in the next place i will shew you , that it hath been no less careful for your bodjes , and with how great tenderness it hath carrjed them in its arms through innumerable hazards ▪ and dangers also . he is called the keeper of israel that never slumbereth nor sleepeth , psal. . . the preserve of men , job . . . to display the glory of this providence before you , let us take into consideration , the perils into which the best of men sometimes fall , and the way and means by which providence preserves them in those dangers . there are manifold hazards into which we are often cast in this world. the apostle paul gives us a general account of his dangers , in cor. . . and how great a wonder is it , that our life hath not been extinguished in some of those dangers we have been in ? for , ( . ) have not some of us fallen , and that often into very dangerous sicknesses and diseases , in which we have approached to the very brink of the grave ? and have or might have said with hezekjah , isa. . . i said in the cutting off of my dayes , i shall go to the gates of the grave : i am deprived of the residue of my years . have we not often had the sentence of death in our selves ? and our bodies at that time been like a leaky ship in a storm ( as one aptly resembles it ) that hath taken in water on every side , till it was ready to sink ? yet hath god preserved , careened , and lanched us out again as well as ever . oh what a wonder is it , that such a crazy body should be preserved for so many years , and survive so many dangers ! surely , it is not more admirable to see a venice-glass pass from hand to hand in continual use for forty or fifty years , and still to remain whole , notwithstanding many knocks and falls it hath had . if you enjoy health or recover out of sicknesses , it is because he puts none of these diseases upon thee , or because he is the lord thy physicjan , exod. . . ( . ) and how many deadly dangers hath his hand rescued some of you from , in those years of confusion and publick calamity , when the sword was bathed in blood , and made horrid slaughter , when it may be , your lives were often given you for a prey ? this david put a special remarque upon , psal. . . o god the lord , the strength of my salvatjon ; thou hast covered my head in the day of battel . beza being in france in the first civil war , and there tossed up and down for two and twenty months , recorded six hundred deliverances from dangers in that space , for which he solemnly gave god thanks in his last testament . if the sword destroyed you not , it was because god did not give it a commission so to do . ( . ) many of you have seen wonders of salvation upon the deeps , where the hand of god hath been signally stretched forth for your rescue and deliverance . this is elegantly expressed in psal● . , ▪ , , . ( which i have * elsewhere opened at large ) concerning which , you may say in a proper sense , what the psalmist doth metaphorically , psal. . . & . if it had not been the lord who was on our side , then the waters had overwhelmed us , the stream had gone over our soul. to see men that have spent so many years upon the seas , ( where your lives have continually hanged in suspense before you ) attain to your years , when you could neither be reckon'd among the living nor the dead ( as seamen are not ) oh , what cause have you to adore your great preserver ! many thousands of your companions are gone down , and you yet here to praose the lord among the living . you have bordered nearer to eternity all you● dayes than others , and often been in eminent perils upon the seas , surely such , and so many salvations call aloud upon you for most thankful acknowledgements . ( . ) to conclude , how innumerable hazards and accidents , ( the least of which hath cut off others ) hath god carried us all through ! i think i may safely say , your privative and positive mercies of this kind are more in number than the hairs of your heads . many thousands of these dangers we never saw , nor were made particularly sensible of ; but though we saw them not , our god did , and brought us out of danger , before he brought us into fear . some have been evident to us , and those so remarkable , that we cannot think , or speak of them to this day , but our souls are freshly affected with those mercies . it is recorded of our famous jewell , that about the beginning of queen mary's reign , the inquisition taking hold of him in oxford , he fled to london by night ; but providentially losing the road , he escaped the inquisitors who pursued him : however , he fell that night into another eminent hazard of life , for wandering up and down in the snow , he fainted , and lay starving in the way , panting and labouring for life , at which time mr. latimer's servant found and saved him . it were easie to multiply examples in this kind , histories abounding with them ; but i think there are few of us , but are furnisht out of our own experience abundantly ; so that i shall rather chuse to press home the sense of these providences upon you , in order to a suitable return to the god of your mercies for them , than add more instances of this kind . to this purpose , i desire you seriously to weigh the following particulars . ( . ) consider what you owe to providence for your protection , by which your life hath been protracted unto this day , with the usefulness and comfort thereof . look abroad in the world , and you may daily see some in every place , who are objects of pity , bereaved by sad accidents of all the comforts of life , whilst in the mean time providence hath tenderly preserved you , keeping all your bones , so that not one of them is broken , psal. . . is not the elegant and comely structure of thy body spoiled , thy members d●storted , or made so many seats of torment , the usefulness of any part deprived ? why , this is because providence never quitted its hand of thee since thou camest out of the womb , but with a watchful eye and tender hand hath guarded thee in every place , and kept thee as its charge . ( . ) consider , how every member which hath been so tenderly kept , hath nevertheless been an instrument of sin against the lord ; and that , not only in the dayes of your unregeneracy , when ye yjelded your members as instruments of unrighteous●ess unto sin , ( as the apostle speaks in rom. . . ) but even since you gave them up in covenant unto the lord , as dedicated instruments to his service : and yet how tender hath providence been over them ! you have often provoked him to afflict you in every part , and lay penal evil upon every member that hath been instrumental in moral evil ; but o how great have his compassions been towards you , and his patience admirable ! ( . ) consider , what is the aim of providence in all the tender care it hath manifested for you ; why doth it protect you so assiduously , and suffer no evil to befall you ? is it not that you should imploy your bodies for god , and cheerfully apply your selves to that service he hath called you to ? doubtless , this is the end and level of these mercies ; for else to what purpose are they afforded you ? your bodies are a part of christs purchase , as well as your souls , cor. . . they are committed to the charge and tutelage of angels , heb. . . who have performed many services for them . they are dedicated by your selves to the lord , and that upon the highest account , rom. . . they have already been the subjects of manifold mercies in this world , psal. . . and shall partake of singula● glory and happiness in the world to come , phil. . . and shall they not then be employed , yea , cheerfully worn out in his service ? how reasonable is it they should be so ? why are they so tenderly preserved by god , if they must not be used for god ? the tenth performance of providence . x. you have heard many and great things performe● for you by divine providence , in the former particulars ; but there is an eminent favour it bestows on the saints , which hath not yet been considered , and indeed is too little minded by us , and that is , the aid and assistance it gives the people of god in the great work of mortificatjon . mortification of our sinful affections and passions , is the one half of our sanctification , rom. . . dead indeed unto sin , but alive unto god. it 's the great evidence of our interest in christ. see gal. . . rom. . , , , , . it 's our safety in the hour of temptation . the corruptions in the world are through lust , pet. . . our instrumental fitness for service , depends much upon it , tim. . . john . . how great a service to our souls therefore must that be , by which this blessed work is carried on upon them ? now there are two means or instruments imployed in this work . the spirit , who effects it internally , rom. . . and providence , which assists it externally . the spirit indeed is the principal agent , upon whose operation , the success of this work depends ; and all the providences in the world can never effect it without him . but these are secondary and subordinate means , which by the blessing of the spirit upon them , have a great stroke in the work . how they are so serviceable to this end and purpose , i shall open in the following account . ( . ) more generally . the most wise god orders the dispensations of providence in a blessed subordination to the work of his spirit . there is a sweet harmony betwixt them in their distinct workings . they all meet in that one blessed issue which god hath by the counsel of his will directed them to , eph. . . rom. . . hence it is , that the spirit is said to be in , and order the motions of the wheels of providence , ezek. . . and so they move together by consent . now , one great part of the spirit 's internal work , being to destroy sin in the people of god ; see how conformable to his design external providences are steer'd and order'd in the following particulars . ( . ) there is in all the regenerate a strong propension and inclination to sin , and in that lyes a principal part of the power of sin . of this paul sadly complains , rom. . . but i see another law in my members ▪ warring against the law of my mind , and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin , which is in my members : and every believer daily ●inds it to his grief . o 't is hard , 't is hard to forbear those things that grieve god. god hath made an hedge about us , and fenced us against sin by his laws ; but there is a proneness in nature to break over the hedge , and that against the very reluctations of the spirit of god in us . now , see in this case , the concurrence and assistance of providence , for the prevention of sin ; look , as the spirit internally resists those sinful inclinations , so providence externally layes barrs and blocks in our way to hinder and prevent sin : and this is the meaning of those places lately cited , hosea . . & cor. . . so job . , , . there is many a bodily distemper inflicted on this very score , to be a clog to prevent sin : oh bear them patiently upon this consideration . basil was ●orely grieved with an inveterate head-ach , he earnestly prayes , it might be removed ; god removed it : but no sooner was he freed of this clog , but he felt the inordinate motions of lust ; which made him pray for his head-ach again . so it might be with many of us , if our clogs were off . a question may be moved here , whether it be the genjus and property of a gracjous spirit , to forbear sin , because of the rod of afflictjon ? they have surely higher motives and nobler principles than these . this is the temper of a carnal and slavish spirit . indeed it is so , when this is the sole or principal restraint from sin : when a man abhorrs not sin , because of the intrinsick ●ilth , but only because of the troublesome consequents and effects . but this is vastly different from the case of the saints under sanctified afflictions ; for as they have high●r motives and nobler principles , so they have lower and more sensible ones too ; and these are , in their kind and place , very useful to them . ( . ) besides , you must know , that afflictions work in another way upon gracious hearts to restrain them from sin , or warn them against sin , th●n they do upon others . it is not so much the smart of the rod which they feel , as the tokens of gods displeasure , which affrights and scares them , job . . thous renewest thy witnesses against me , &c. and this is that which principally affects them . see psal. . . o lord , rebuke me not in thine anger , neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure : and jer. . . o lord , correct me , but with judgement , not in thine anger , lest thou bring me to nothing : and surely this is no low and common argument . ( . ) notwithstanding this double sence of gods command , and preventive afflictions , yet sin is too hard for the best of men : their corruptions carry them through all to sin . and when it is so , not only doth the spirit work internally , but providence also works externally in order to their reductjon . the wayes of sin are not only made bitter unto them , by the remorse of conscience , but by those afflictive rods upon the outward man , with which god also follows it ; and in both these respects , i find that place expounded , eccles. . . whoso breaketh an hedge , a serpent shall bite him . if , as some expound it , the hedge be the law of god , then the serpent is the remorse of conscience , and the sharp teeth of afflictjon , which he shall quickly feel , if he be one that belongs to god. the design and aim of these afflictive providences , is to purge and cleanse them from that pollution into which temptations have plunged them , isa. . . by this shall the iniquity of jacob be purged , and this is all the fruit , to take away his sin . to the same purpose is that place , psal. . . before i was afflicted i went astray , but now have i kept thy word . these afflictions have the same use and end to our souls , that frosty weather hath upon those clothes that are laid a bleaching ; they alter the hue , and make it whiter , which seems to be the allusion in those words , dan. . . and some of them of understanding shall fall to try them , and to purge , and to make them white . and here it may be querjed , upon what account afflictions are said to purge away the iniquities of the saints . is it not unwarrantable , and very dishonourable to christ , to attribute that to affliction , which is the peculiar honour of his blood ? it is confessed , that the blood of christ is the only lavatory , or fountain opened for sin , and that no afflictions how many , or strong , or continual soever they be , can in themselves purge away the pollution of sin , as we see in wicked men , who are afflicted and afflicted , and again afflicted ; and yet , nevertheless sinful : and the torments of hell , how extream , universal and continual soever they are , yet shall never fetch out the stain of one sin . but yet , this hinders not , but that a sancti●ied affliction , may in the efficacy and vertue of christs blood , produce such blessed effects upon the soul. though a cross without a christ , never did any man good , yet thousands have been beholden to the cross , as it hath wrought in the vertue of his death for their good . and this is the case of those souls that this discourse is concerned about . ( . ) we find the best hearts , if god bestow any comfortable enjoyment upon them , too ap● to be over-heated in their affections towards it ▪ and to be too much taken up with these outward comforts . this also sheweth the great power and strength of corruption in the people of god , and must by some means or other be morti●ied in them . this was the case of hezekjah , his heart was too much affected with his treasures ; so that he could not hide a vain-glorious temper , as you find isa. . . and so good david , psal. . . he thought his mountain , ( i.e. his kingdom , and the splendour and glory of his present state ) had stood so fast , that it should never be moved . the same good man , how did he let out his heart and affections upon his beautiful son absalom ? as appears by the doleful lamentation he made at his death , prizing him above his own life , which was a thousand times more worth than he . so jonah , when god raised up a gourd for him to shelter him from the sun , how excessively was he taken with it , and was exceedingly glad of it ? but will god suffer things to lye thus ? shall the creature pu●●oin , and draw away our affections from him ? no , this is our corruption , and god will purge it . and to this end he sends forth providence to smite those creatures , on which our affections are either inordinately or excessively let out , or else to turn them into rods , and smite us by them . ●s hezekjah too much pu●●ed up with his full exchequer ? why , those very babylonjans to whom he boasted of it , shall empty it , and make a prey of it , isa. . . is david hugging himself in a fond conceit of the stability of his earthly splendor ? lo , how soon god beclouds all , psal. . . is absalom doted on , and crept too far into his good fathers heart ? this shall be the son of his sorrow , that shall seek after his fathers life . is jonah so transported with his gourd ? god will prepare a worm to smite it , jonah . , . how many husbands , wives and children hath providence smitten upon this very account ? it might have spared them longer , if they had been loved more regularly , and moderately . this hath blasted many an estate , and hopeful project ; and it is a merciful dispensation for our good . ( . ) the strength of our unmortified corruption shews it self in our pride , and the swelling vanity of our hearts when we have a name and esteem among men ; when we are applauded and honoured , when we are admired for any gift or excellency that is in us , this draws forth the pride of the heart , and shews the vanity that is in it . so you read , prov. . . as the ●ining pot for silver , and the ●urnace for ▪ gold , so is a man to his praise : ( i.e. ) as the ●ornace will discover what dross is in the metal when it is melted , so will praise and commendations , discover what pride is in the heart of him that receives them . this made a good man say , he that praises me , wounds me . and which is more strange , this corruption may be felt in the heart , even when the last breath is ready to expire . it was the saying of one of the german divines , when those about him recounted for his encouragement the many services he had done for god , auferte ignem ( saith he ) adhuc enim paleas habeo . take away the sire , for there is still the chaff of pride in me . to crucifie this corruption providence takes off the bridle of restraint from ungodly men , and sometimes permits them to traduce the names of gods servants , as shimei did david's . yea , they shall fall into disesteem among their friends , as paul did among the corinthjans ; and all this to keep down the swelling of their spirits at the sense of those excellencies that are in them : the design of these providences being nothing else , but to hide pride from man. yea , it deserves a special remarque , that when some good men have been engaged in a publick and eminent work , and have therein , it may be , too much sought their own applause , god hath withheld usual assistance at such times from them , and caused them to salter so in their work , that they have come off with shame and pity at such times , how ready and presential soever they have been at other times . it were easie to give divers remarkable examples to confirm this observation . but i pass on . ( . ) the corruption of the heart shews it self , in raising up great expectations to our selves from the creature , and projecting abundance of felicity and contentment from some promising and hopeful enjoyments we have in the world . this we find to have been the case of holy job in the dayes of his prosperity , job . . then i said , i shall dye in my nest , i shall multiply my dayes as the sand . but how soon were all these expecta●ions dasht by a gloomy providence , that benighted him in the noon-tide of his prosperity : and all this for his good , to take off his heart more fully from creature expectations . we often find , the best men to over-reckon themselves in worldly things , and over-act their confidences about them . they that have great and well-grounded expectations from heaven , may have too great and ungrounded expectations from the earth . but when it is so , it 's very usual for providence to undermine their earthly hopes , and convince them by experience how vain they are . thus haggai . . the peoples hearts were intently set upon prosperous providences , full harvests , and great increase ; whilst in the mean while no regard was had to the worship of god , and the things of his house ; therefore providence blasts their hopes , and brings them to little . ( . ) corruption discovers it self in dependance upon creature comforts , and sensible props . oh how apt are the best men , to lean upon these things , and stay themselves upon them ! thus did israel stay themselves upon egypt , as a feeble man would lean upon his staff ; but god suffered it both to fail them , and wound them , ezek. . , , . so for single persons , how apt are they to depend upon their sensible supports ? thus we lean on our relations , and the inward thoughts of our hearts are , that they shall be to us so many springs of comfort to refresh us throughout our lives ; but god will shew us by his providence our mistake and error in these things . thus an husband is smitten , to draw the soul of a wife nearer to god in dependence upon him , tim. . . so for children , we are apt to say of this or that child , as lamech of noah , gen. . . this same shall comfort us ; but the wind passes over these slowers and they are withered , to teach us , that our happiness is not bound up in these enjoyments . so for our estates , when the world smiles upon us , and we have got a warm nest , how do we prophesie of rest and peace in those acquisitions , minding , with good baruch , great things for our selves ; but providence by a particular or general calamity over-turns our projects , as jer. . , . and all this to reduce our hearts from the creature , to god our only rest . ( . ) corruption discovers its strength in good men , by their adherence to things below , and lothness to go hence . this often proceeds from the engaging enjoyments and pleasant fruitions we have here below . providence morti●ies this inclination in the saints , ( . ) by killing those ensnaring comforts before-hand , making all or most of our pleasant things to dye before us . ( . ) by imbittering this world to us , by the troubles of it , ( . ) by making life undesirable , through the pains and infirmities we feel in the body , and so loosing our root , in order to our more easie fall by the fatal stroke . and thus i have finished the second general head ; but before i pass from this , i cannot but make a pause , and desire you with me , to stand in an holy amazement , and wonder at the dealings of god with such poor worms as we are ! surely god deals familiarly with men ! his condescensions to his own clay are astonishing ! all that i shall note at present about it , shall be under these three heads , wherein i find the matter of my present meditations summed up by the psalmist , psal. . . lord what is man , that thou t●kest knowledge of him ? or the son of man , that thou makest account of him ? and in this scripture you have represented , the immense and transcendent goodness of god , who is infinitely above us and all our thoughts , job . , , . canst thou by searching , find out god ? canst thou find out the almighty unto perfection ? it is as high as heaven ; what canst thou do ? deeper than hell ; what canst thou know ? the measure thereof is longer than the earth , and broader than the sea. chron. . . the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him . exod. . . he is glorious in holiness , fearful in praises , doing wonders . when the scripture speaks of him comparatively , see how it expresses his greatness , isa. . , , . behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket , and are counted as the small dust of the balance : behold he taketh up the isles as a very little thing . and lebanon is not sufficient to burn , nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering . all nations before him are as nothing , and they are accounted to him less than nothing and vanity . when the holjest men have addrest themselves to him , see with what humility and deep adoratjon they have spoken of him and to him ! isa. . . wo is me for i am undone , because i am a man of unclean lips , and i dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips ; for mine eyes have seen the king the lord of hosts . nay , what aspects the very angels of heaven have of that glorjous majesty , you may see , ver. , . each one had six wings , with twain ●e covered his face , and with twain he covered his feet , and with twain be did fly . and one cryed unto another , and said , holy , holy , holy is the lord of hosts ; the whole earth is full of his glory . the baseness , vileness and utter unworthiness of man , yea , the holiest and best of men before god , psal. . . verily every man , at his best estate , is altogether vanity . every man , take where you will : and every man in his best estate , or standing in his freshest glory , is , not only vanity , but altogether vanity . col adam col hebel , every man ●s every vanity . for do but consider the best of men in their extractjon , in their constitutjon , and in their outward conditjon . ( . ) in their extractjon , eph. . . by nature children of wrath even as others . the blood that ●uns in our veins , is as much tainted as theirs in hell. ( . ) consider them in their constitutjon and ●atural temper , and it is no better , yea , in many a worse temper than in reprobates : and though grace depose sin in them from the throne ; yet ▪ oh what offensive and god provoking corruptions daily break out of the best hearts ! ( . ) consider them in their outward conditjon , ●nd they are inferiour ( for the most part ) to ●thers , cor. . , , , &c. and matth. . . i thank thee o father ( saith christ ) that ●ou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent , ●nd hast revealed them unto babes . and now let us consider and admire , that ever his great and blessed god should be so much ●●ncerned as you have heard he is in all his pro●●dences about such vile despicable worms as ●●e are ! he needs us not , but is perfectly blessed ●nd happy in himself without us . we can add ●othing to him , job . . . can a man be profitable god ? no , the holiest of men add nothing to him ; yet , see how great account he makes of us . for , doth not his eternal electing love bespeak the dear account he made of us , eph. . , . how ancient , how free , and how astonishing is this act of grace ! this is that design which all providences are in pursuit of , and will not rest till they have executed . doth not the gift of his only son out of his bosome speak this truth , that god makes great account of this vile thing man ? never was man so magnified before . if david could say , psal. . ● . when i consider the heavens the work of thy hands , the moon and stars which thou hast ordained , lord , what is man ? how much more may we say ? when we consider thy son , that lay in thy bosome , his infinite excellency , and unspeakable dearness to thee ; lord , what is man , that such a christ should be delivered to death for him ! for him , and not for fallen angels ! heb. . . for him when in a state of enmity with god! rom. . . doth not the assiduity of his providential care for us , speak his esteem of us ? isa. . . 〈◊〉 any hurt it , i will keep it night and day . h● withdraweth not his eye from the righteous , job ▪ . . no , not a moment all their dayes ; for did he so , a thousand mischiefs in that moment woul● rush in upon him , and ruine him . doth not the tenderness of his providenc● speak his esteem of us ? isa. . . as one whom his mother comforteth , so will i comfort you . he comforts his ( viz. by refreshing providences ) a● an indulgent mother her tender child . so isa ▪ . . as birds flying , viz. to their nests , when their young are in danger , so he defends his . no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tenderness in the creature can shadow forth the tender bowels of the creator . doth not the variety of the fruits of his providence speak it ? lam. . . our mercjes are new every morning . see psal. . . it is a fountain from which do stream forth spiritual and temporal , ordinary and extraordinary , publick and personal mercies , mercies without number . doth not the ministration of angels in the providential kingdom speak it ? heb. . ult . are they not all ministring spirits sent forth , &c. doth not the providence , which this day calls us to celebrate the memory of , bespeak the great account god hath for his people ? o if not so , why had we not been given up as a prey to their teeth ! see psal. . if the lord had not been on our side , then wicked men , there compar'd to fire , water , wild beasts , had devoured us . o blessed be god for that teeming providence that hath already brought forth more than seventy years liberty and peace to the church of god. i shall move in behalf of this providence , that you would do by it , as the jows by their purim , esth. . , . and the rather , because we seem now to be as near danger by the same enemy as ever since that time : and if such a mercy as this be forgotten , god may say as judges . . i will deliver you no more . the third general head. having proved the concernments of the people of god to be conducted by the care of special providence , and given instances in the ten last named heads , what influence providence hath upon those interests and concerns of theirs among the rest ; we come in the next place , to prove it to be the duty of the people of god , to reflect upon these performances of providence for them , at all times ; but especially in times of straits and troubles . this i will evidence to be your unquestionable duty , by the following particulars . this is our duty , because god hath expresly commanded it , and called his people to make the most serious reflections , and animadversions upon his works , whether of mercy or judgement . so when that dreadfullest of all judgements was executed upon his professing people for their apostasie from god , and god had removed the symbols of his presence from among them , the rest are bid to go , ( i.e. ) by their meditations , ( to send at least their thoughts ) to shiloh , and see what god did to it , jer. . . so for mercies , god calls us to consider and review them , micah . . remember o my people from shittim unto gilgal , that ye may know the faithfulness of the lord : q. d. if you reflect not upon that signal providence , my faithfulness will be covered , and your unfaithfulness discovered . so for gods works of providence about the creatures , we are called to consider them , that we may prop up our faith by those considerations for our own supplies , matth. . . consider the fowls and lillies . it 's plain , that this is our duty , because the neglect of it is every where in scripture condemned as a sin . to be of an heedless inobservant temper is very displeasing to god ; and so much appears by that scripture , isa. . . lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see . nay , it is a sin , which god threatens and denounces woe against in his word , psal. . , . and isa. . , . yea , god not only threatens , but smites men with visible judgements for this sin , job . , . and for this end and purpose it is , that the holy ghost hath affixed those notes of attention to the narratives of the works of providence in scripture : all which do invite and call men to a due and deep observation of them . so in that great and celebrated work of providence , in delivering israel out of egyptjan bondage , you find a note of attentjon twice affixed to it , exod. . , . so when that daring enemy rabsheka ( that put hezekjah and all the people into such a consternation ) was defeated by providence , there is a note of attentjon prefixt to that providence , kings . ● . behold , i will send a blast upon him , &c. so when god glorifies his wisdom and power , in delivering his people from their enemies , and ensnaring them in the works of their own hands , a double note of attentjon is affixed to that double work of providence , psal. . . higgajon s●lah . so at the opening of every seal which contains a remarkable series or branch of providence , how particularly is attention commanded to every one of them , rev. . , , , , , , . come and see , come and see . all these are very useless and super●luous additions in scripture , if no such duty lyes upon us . see psal. . . without due observation of the work of providence , no praise can be rendered to god for any of them . praise and thanksgiving for mercies depend upon this act of observation of them , and cannot be performed without it . psalm . is spont in narratives of gods providential care of men . to his people in straits , ver. , , . to prisoners in their bonds , ver. , , . to men that lye languishing upon beds of sickness , ver. , , . to seamen upon the stormy ocean ▪ ver. , &c. to men in times of famine , ver. . to ver. . yea , his providence is displayed in all those changes that fall out in the world , de●asing the high , and exalting the low , ver. , . and at every paragraph men are still called upon to praise god for each of these providences : but ver. ult . shews you what a necessary ingredient to that duty , observation is . whos● it wi●e , and will observe these things ; even they shall understand● the loving kindness of the lord. so that of necessity , god must be defrauded● of his praise , if this duty be neglected . without this , we lose the usefulness and be●ne●it of all the works of god for us or others , which would be an unspeakable loss indeed to us . this is the food ▪ our ●aith lives upon in dayes of distress , psal. . . thou ●rakest the heads of levjathan in pjeces , and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness ; ( i.e. ) food to their ●aith . from providences past , saints use to argue to fresh and new ones to come . so david , sam. . . the lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lyon , and out of the paw of the bear , he will deliver me out of the hand of this philistin . so paul , cor. . . who hath delivered , and in whom also we trust , that he will yet deliver . if these be forgotten o● not considered , the hands of ●aith hang down . see matth. . . how is it that ye do not remember ▪ neither consider ? this is a topick from which the saints have used to draw their arguments in prayer for new mercies . as moses , numb . . . when he prayes for continued or new pardon● for the people , he argues from what was past , as thou hast forgiven them from egypt until now . so the church , isa. . , . argues for new providences upon the same ground moses pleaded for new pardons . it is a vile slighting of god ▪ not to observe what of himself he manifests in his providences . for in all providences , especially in some , he comes nigh to us . he doth so in his judgements , mal. . . i will come nigh to you in judgement . he comes nigh in mercies also , psal. . . the lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him , &c. yea , he is said to visit us by his providence when he corrects , hosea . . and when he saves and delivers , psal. . . these visitations of god preserve our spirits , job . . . and it is a wonderful condescension in the great god to visit us so o●ten , job . . every morning , and every moment . but not to take notice of it , is a vile and bruitish contempt of god , i●a . . . zeph. . . you would not do so by a man for whom you have any respect . it 's the character of the wicked , not to regard gods favours , isa. . . or frowns , jer. . . in a word ▪ men can never order their addresses to god in prayer , suitable to their conditions , without due observatjon of his providences . your prayers are to be suitable to your conditions : sometimes we are called to praise , sometimes to humiliation . in the way of his judgements you are to wait for him , isa. . . to prepare to meet him , zeph. . , . amos . . now your business is , to turn away his anger which you see approaching . and sometimes you are called to praise him for mercies received , isa. . , . but then you must first observe them . thus you find the matter of david's psalms still varied , according to the providences that befell him : but an inobservant heedless spirit can never do it . and thus you have the grounds of the duty briefly represented ; we pass on to the fourth general head. let us next ( according to our method proposed ) proceed to shew , in what manner we are to reflect upon the performances of providence for us . and certainly , it is not every slight and transient glance , nor every cold , historical , unaffecting rehearsal , or recognition of his providences towards you , that will pass with god , for a discharge of this great duty . no , no , it is another manner of business than the most of men understand it to be . o that we were but acquainted with this heavenly spiritual exercise ! how sweet would it make our lives ! how light would it make our burdens ! ah sirs ! you live estranged from the pleasure of the christian life , while you live in the ignorance or neglect of this duty . now to lead you up to this heavenly , sweet and profitable exercise , i will beg your attention to the following directions . the first direction . labour to get as full and through recognitjons of the providences of god about you from first to last , as you are able . o sill your hearts with the thoughts of him and his wayes . if a single act of providence be so ravishing and transporting , what would many such be , if they were presented together to the view of the soul ? if one star be so beautiful to behold , what is a constellatjon ? let your reflections therefore upon the acts and workings of providence for you , be full extensively and intensively . ( . ) let them be as extensively full as may be ▪ search backward into all the performances of providence throughout your lives . so did asaph in psal. . , . i will remember the works of the lord : surely i will remember thy wonders of old : i will meditate of all thy works , and talk of thy doings . he laboured to recover and revive the ancient providences of god , mercies many years past , and suck a fresh sweetness out of them by new reviews of them . ah sirs , let me tell you , there is not such a pleasant history for you to read in all the world , as the history of your own lives , if you would but sit down , and record to your selves from the beginning hitherto , what god hath been to you , and done for you ; what signal manifestations , and out-breakings of his mercy , faithfulness and love , there have been in all the conditions you have past through : if your hearts do not melt before you have gone half through that history , they are hard hearts indeed . my father , the guide of my youth . ( . ) let them be as intensively full as may be . let not your thoughts swim like feathers upon the surface of the waters , but sink like lead to the bottom . the works of the lord are great , sought out of them that have pleasur● therein , psal. . . not that i think it feasible to sound the depth of providence by our short line , psal. . . thy way is in the sea , and thy path in the great waters , and thy footsteps are not known ; but it 's our duty to dive as far as we can ; and to admire the depth , when we cannot touch the bottom . it is in our viewing providences , as it was with elijah's servant , when he looked out for rain , kings . . he went out once and viewed the heavens , and saw nothing ; but the● prophet bids him go again and again , ●and look upon the face of heaven seven times ; and when he had done so , what now , saith the prophet ? o now , saith he , i see a cloud rising like a mans hand ; and then , keeping his eye upon it intent , he sees the whole face of heaven covered with clouds . so you may look upon some providences once and again , and see little or nothing in them ; but look seven times , ( i. e. ) meditate often upon it , and you shall see its increasing glory , like that increasing cloud . there are divers things to be distinctly pondered , and valued in one single providence , before you can judge the amount and worth of it : as ( . ) the seasonableness of mercy may give it a very great value . when it shall be timed so opportunely , and ●all out in such a nick , as may make it a thousand fold more considerable to you than the same mercy would have been at another time . thus when our wants are suffered to grow to an extremity , and all visible hopes ●ail , then to have relief given in , wonderfully enhances the price of such a mercy , isa. . , . ( . ) the peculjar care and kindness of providence to us , is a consideration which exceedingly heightens the mercy in it self , and endears it to us . so , when in general calamities upon the world , w● are exempted by the favour of providence , covered under its wings ; when god shall call to us in evil dayes , come my people , enter thou into thy chambers , as it is in isa. . , . when such promises shall be fulfilled to us in times of want and famine , as psal. . , . when others are abandoned and exposed to misery , who have every way as much , it may be much more visible security against it ; and yet they delivered up , and we saved : oh , how endearing are such providences ! psal. . , . ( . ) the introductiveness of a providence , is of special regard and consideration , and by no means to be neglected by us . there are leading providences , which how slight and trivial soever they may seem in themselves , yet in this respect justly challenge the first rank among providential favours to us ; because they usher in a multitude of other mercies , and draw a blessed train of happy consequences after them . such a providence was that of jesse's sending david with provisions to his brethren that lay encamped in the army , sam. . . and thus every christian may furnish himself out of his own stock of experience , if he will but reflect , and consider , the place where he is , the relations that he hath , and the way by which he was led into them . ( . ) the instruments imployed by providence for you , are of special consideration . and the finger of god is clearly seen by us when we pursue ●hat meditation . for , sometimes great mercies shall be conveyed to us by very improbable means , and more probable ones laid aside . a stranger shall be stirred up to do that for you , which your near relations in nature had no power or will to do for you . jonathan , a meer stranger to david , clave closer to him , and was more friendly and useful to him , than his own brethren , who despised and slighted him . ministers have found more kindness and respect from strangers , than their own people that are more obliged to them , mark . . a prophet ( saith christ ) is not without honour , save in his own countrey , and among his own kin , and in his own house . sometimes by the hands of enemjes , as well as strangers , rev. . . the earth helped the woman . god hath bowed the hearts of many wicked men , to shew great kindness to his people , acts . . sometimes god makes use of instruments for good to his people , who designed nothing but evil and mischief to them . thus joseph's brethren were instrumental to his advancement , in that very thing , wherein they designed his ruine , gen. . . ( . ) the design and scope of providence must not e●●ape our through consideration , what the aim and level of providence is . and truly this , of all others , is the most warming and melting consideration . you have the general account of the aim of all providences , in rom. . . and we know that all things work together for good , to them that love god. a thousand friendly hands are at work for them , to promote and bring about their happiness . o , this is enough to sweeten the bitterest providence to us , that we know it shall turn to our salvation , phil. . . ( . ) the respect and relatjon providence bears to our prayers , is of singular consideration , and a most taking and sweet meditation . prayer honours providence , and providence honours prayer . great notice is taken of this in scripture , gen. . . dan. . . acts . . you have had the very petitjons you asked of him . providences have born the very signatures of your prayers upon them . o how affectingly sweet are such mercies ! the second direction . in all your observations of providence , have a special respect to that word of god , which is fulfilled and made good to you thereby . this is a clear truth , that all providences have relation to the written word . thus solomon in his prayer , acknowledges , that the promises and providences of god went along step by step with his father david all his dayes ; and that his hand ( put there for his providence ) had fulfilled whatever his mouth had spoken , ● kings . . so joshuah in like manner acknowledges , that not one good thing had failed , of all the good things which the lord had spoken , jos. . . he had carefully observed what relation the works of god had to his word . he compared them together , and found an exact harmony . and so may you too , if you will compare them as he did . this i shall the more insist upon , because it is by some interpreters supposed to be the very scope of the text. for ( as was noted in the explication ) they supply and fill the sense with quae promisit , the things which he hath promised ; and so read the text thus , i will cry unto god most high , to god who performeth the things he hath promised , for me . now though i see no reason to limit the sense so narrowly , yet it cannot be denyed , but this is an especial part of its intendment . let us therefore in all our reviews of providence , consider , what word of god , whether it be of threatning , caution , counsel , or promise is at any time made good to us by his providences . and hereby a twofold excellent advantage will result to us . ( . ) this will greatly confirm to us the truth of the scripture , when we shall see its truth so manifest in the events . certainly had scripture no other seal or attestation , this alone would be an unanswerable argument of its divinity . when men shall find in all ages the works of god wrought so exactly according to this model , that we may say , as we have read or heard , so have we seen . o how great a con●irmation is here before our eyes ! ( . ) this will abundantly direct and instruct us in our present duties under all providences . we shall know hereby what we have to do , and how to carry our selves under all changes of conditions . you can learn the voice and ●rrand of the rod only from the word , psal. . . the word interprets the works of god. providences in themselves , are not a perfect guide . they often puzzle and entangle our thoughts ; but bring them to the word , and your duty will be quickly manifested , as psal. . , . vntil i went into the sanctuary , then i understood their end : and , not only their end ; but his own duty , to be quiet in an afflicted condition , and not envy their prosperity . well then , bring those providences you have past through , or are now under , to the word ; and you will find your selves surrounded with a marvellous light ; and see the verification of the scriptures in them . i shall therefore here appeal to your consciences , whether you have not found these events of providence falling out agreeably in all respects with the word . the word tells you , that it is your wisdom and interest , to keep close to its rules , and the duties it prescribes , that the way of holiness and obedience , is the wisest way , deut. . , . this is your wisdom . now , let the events of providence speak , whether this be true or not . certainly it will appear to be so , whether we respect our present comfort , or future happiness , both which we may see daily exposed by departure from duty , and secured by keeping close to it . let the question be asked of the drunkard , adulterer , or prophane swearer , when by sin they have ruined body , soul , estate and name , whether it be their wisdom to walk in those forbidden paths after their own lusts ? whether they had not better consulted their own interest and comfort , in keeping within the bounds and limits of gods commands ? and they cannot but confess , that this their way is their folly . what fruit ( saith the apostle ) had ye in those things , whereof you are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is death , rom. . . doth not the providence of god verifie upon them those threatnings that are written , in the experience of all ages ? prov. . . prov. . . prov. . . job . . prov. . . all which woes and miseries they escape , that walk in gods statutes . look upon the ruined estates and bodies you may every where see , and behold the truth of the scriptures evidently made good in those sad providences . the word tells you , that your departure from the way of integrity and simplicity , to make use of sinful policies , shall never profit you , sam. . . prov. . . let the events of providence speak to this also ; ask your own experience , and you shall have a full confirmation of this truth . did you ever leave the way of simplicity and integrity , and use sinful shifts , to bring about your own designs , and prosper in that way ? certainly god hath cursed all the wayes of sin ; and whoever finds them to thrive with them , his people shall not . israel would not rely upon the lord , but trust in the shadow of egypt ; and what advantage had they by this sinful policy ? see isa. . , , , , . david used a great deal of sinful policy to cover his wicked fact ; but did it prosper ? see sam. . . it is an excellent note of livy , consilja callida , primâ specje l●ta , tractata dura , eventu tristja . sinful policies in their first appearances , are pleasant and promising , in their management difficult , in their event sad . some by sinful wayes have gotten wealth ; but that scripture hath been verified in their experience , prov. . . treasures of wickedness profit nothing . either god hath blown upon it by a secret curse , that it hath done them no good , or given them such disquietness in their consciences , that they have been forced to vomit it up , e're they could find peace , job . , , . that which david gave in charge to solomon , hath been found experimentally true by thousands , chron. . , . that the true way to prosperity , is to keep close to the rule of the word . and that the true reason why men cannot prosper , is their forsaking that rule , chron. . . it 's true , if god have a purpose to destroy a man , he may for a time suffer him to succeed and prosper in his sin , for his greater hardening , job . . but it is not so with those whom the lord loves ; their sinful shi●ts shall never thrive with them . the world prohibits your trust and con●idenc● in the creature , even the greatest and most powerful among creatures , psal. . . it tells us , that 't is better to trust in the lord , than in th●m , psal. . . it forbids our con●idence in those creatures that are most nearly ally'd , and related in the bonds of nature to us , micah . . it curseth the man that gives that relyance to the creature , which is due to god , jer. . . consult the events of providence in this case , and see , whether the word be not verified therein ? did you ever lean upon an egyptjan reed , and it did not break under you , and pierce as well as deceive you ? o how often hath this been evident in our experience ! whatsoever we have over-loved , idolized , and leaned upon , god hath from time to time broken it , and made us to see the vanity of it ; so that we find , the readiest course to be rid of our comforts , is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon them ▪ for our god is a jealous god , and will not part with his glory to another . the world is full of examples of persons deprived of their comforts , husbands , wives , children , estates , &c. upon this account , and by this means . if jonah be over-joyed in his gourd , a worm is presently prepared to smite it . hence it is , that so many graves are opened for the burying of our idols out of our sight . if david say , my mountain shall stand strong , i shall not be moved ; the next news he shall hear , is of darkness and trouble , psal. . , . o how true and faithful do we find these sayings of god to be ! who cannot put to his seal , and say , thy words are truth ? the word assures us , that sin is the cause and inlet of affliction and sorrow , and that there is an inseparable connection betwixt them , numb . . . be sure your sin will find you out : ( i. e. ) the sad effects and afflictions that follow it shall ●ind you out . so psal. . , , . if his sons forsake my law , i will visit their iniquitjes with rods . enquire now at the mouth of providence , whether this be indeed so , according to the reports of the word . ask but your own experiences , and you shall find , that just so providence hath ordered it all along your way . when did you grow into a secure , vain , carnal frame , but you found some rouzing , startling providence sent to awaken you ? when did you wound your consciences with guilt , and god did not wound you for it , in some or other of your beloved enjoyments ? nay , so ordinary is this with god , that from the observations of their own frames and wayes , many christians have fore-boded and pre●aged troubles at hand . i do not say , that god never afflicts his people , but for their sin ; for he may do it for their tryal , pet. . . nor do i say , that god follows every sin with a rod ; for who then should stand before him ? psal. . . but this i say , that it's gods usual way , to visit the sins of his people with rods of affliction , and this in mercy to their souls . upon this account it was , that the rod of god was upon david in a long succession of troubles upon his kingdom and family , after that great prevarication of his , sam. . . and if we would carefully search out the seeds and principles of those miseries under which we or ours do groan ; we should find them to be our own turnings aside from the lord , according to that jer. . . and jer. . . have not all these cautions , and threatnings of the word been exactly fulfilled by providence in your own experience ? who can but see the infallible truth of god in all that he hath threatned ! and no less evident is the truth of the promises to all that will observe how providence makes them good every day to us ; for consider , how great security god hath given to his people in the promises , that no man shall lose any thing by self-denyal for his sake . he hath told us , mark . , . verily , i say unto you , there is no man that hath left house , or brethren , or sisters , or father , or mother , or wife , or children , or lands for my sake , and the gospels ; but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time , houses , and brethren and sisters , and mothers , and children , and lands with persecutions , and in the world to come eternal life . though that vile apostate juljan derided this promise , yet thousands and ten thousands have experienced it , and do at this day stand ready to set their seal to it . god hath made it good to his people , not only in spirituals ; inward joy , and peace ; but even in temporals also : instead of natural relations who took care for them before , hundreds of christjans shall stand ready to assist and help them : so that though they have left all for christ , yet they may say with the apostle , cor. . . as having nothing , and yet possessing all things . o the admirable care and tenderness of providence over those that for conscience sake have lest all , and cast themselves upon its immediate care ! are there not at this day to be found many so provided for , even to the envy of their enemies , and their own admiration ? who sees not the faithfulness of god in the promises , that hath but an heart to trust god in them ! the word of promise assures us , that whatever wants or straits the saints ●all into , their god will never leave them , nor forsake them , heb. . . that he will be with them in trouble , psal. . . consult the various providences of your life in this point , and i doubt not , but you will find the truth of these promises as often confirmed , as you have been in trouble . ask your own hearts , where , or when was it that your god forsook you , and left you to sink and perish under your burdens ? i doubt not , but most of you have been at one time or other plunged in difficulties , difficulties out of which you could see no way of escape by the eye of reason ; yea , such , as it may be , staggered your faith in the promise , as david's was , sam. . . when he said , i shall one day perish by the hand of saul . all men are lyars , ( even samuel himself ) and yet notwithstanding all , we see him emerge out of that sea of trouble , and the promises made good in every tittle to him . the like doubtless you may observe in your own cases . ask your own souls the question , and they will satisfie it . did god abandon and cast you off in the day of your straits ? certainly you must belye your own experience , if you should say so . 't is true , there have been some plunges and difficulties you have met with , wherein ( . ) you could see no way of escape , but concluded you must perish in them . ( . ) difficulties that have staggered your faith in the promises , and made you doubt , whether the fountain of all-sufficiency would let out it self for your relief . ( . ) yea , such difficulties as have provoked you to murmuring and impatience , and thereby provoked the lord to forsake you in your straits ; but yet you see he did not . he hath either ( . ) strengthened your back to bear , or ( . ) lightened your burden , or ( . ) opened an unexpected door of escape , according to that promise , cor. . . so that the evil which you feared , came not upon you . you read , that the word of god is the only support and relief to a gracious soul in the dark day of affliction , psal. . , . — sam. . . that for this very purpose it was written , rom. . . no rules of moral prudence , no sensual remedies can perform that for us , which the word can do . and is not this a sealed truth , attested by a thousand of undenyable experiences ? hence have the saints fetcht their cordjals , when fainting under the rod. one word of god can do more , than ten thousand words of men to relieve a distressed soul. if providence have at any time directed you to such promises , as either assure you that the lord will be with you in trouble , psal. . . or that encourage you from inward peace , to bear cheerfully outward burdens , john . . or satisfie you of gods tenderness and moderation in his dealings with you , isa. . . or that you shall reap blessed fruits from them , rom. . . or that clear up your interest in god , and his love under your afflictions , sam. . . oh , what sensible ease and relief ensues ! how light is your burden , compared with what it was before ! the word tells us , that there is no such way to improve our estates , as to lay them out with a cheerful liberality for god ; and that our withholding our hands , when god and duty calls to distribute , will not be for our advantage . see prov. . . isa. . . prov. . . prov. . . consult providence now , and you shall find it in all respects according to the report of the word . o how true is the scripture testimony herein ! there are many thousand witnesses now living , that can set their seals to both parts of this proposition . what men save ( as they count saving ) with one hand , providence scatters by another hand : and what they scatter abroad with a liberal hand and single eye for god , is surely repay'd to them or theirs . never did any man lose by distributing for god. he that lends to the poor foeneratur domino , as some expound that text , puts his money to interest to the lord. some have observed how providence hath doubled all they have laid out for god , in wayes unexpected to them . the word assures us , that the best expedient for a man to settle his own interest in the consciences and affections of men , is to direct his wayes , so as to please the lord , prov. . . and doth not providence confirm it ? this the three jews found by experience , dan. . , . and so did danjel , chap. . v. , , . this kept up john's reputation in the conscience of herod , mark . . so it fell out , when constantjus made that exploratory decree ; those that were conscientious were preferred , and those that changed their religion , expelled . never did any man lose at last by his fidelity . the written word tells us , that the best expedient to inward peace and tranquillity of mind under puzzling and distracting troubles , is to commit our selves and our case to the lord ; so you read , psal. . , , . and prov. . . and as you have read in the word , so you have found it in your own experience . oh , what a burden is off your shoulders , when you have resigned the case to god● then doth providence issue your affairs comfortably for you . the difficulty is soon over , when the heart is brought to this . thus you see , how scriptures are fulfilled by providence in these few instances i have given of it . compare them in all other cases , and you shall find the same : for all the lines of providence lead from the scripture , and return thither again , and do most visibly begin and end there . the fourth direction . in all your reviews and observations of providence , be sure that you ●ye god as the author or orderer of them all , prov. . . in all the comfortable providences of your lives , ●ye god as the author or donor of them . remember he is the father of mercjes , that begets every mercy for you , cor. . . the god of all comfort , without whose order no mercy or comfort can come to your hands . and think it not enough thus to acknowledge him in a general way ; but when you receive mercies , take special notice of the following particulars . ( . ) eye the care of god for you , pet. . . he careth for you . your father knows you have need of these things , matth. . . it is but to acquaint him what you want , and your wants are supplyed , phil. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , torture not your selves about it : you have a father that cares for you . ( . ) eye the wisdom of god , in the way of dispensing his mercies to you , how suitably they are ordered to your condition , and how seasonably . when one comfort is cut off and removed , another is raised up in its room . thus isaac was comforted in rebecka after his mothers dea●h , gen. . . ( . ) eye the free grace of god in them , yea , see riches of grace in every bequest of comfort to so vile and unworthy creatures as you are . see your selves over-topt by the least of all your mercies , gen. . . i am not worthy of the least , said jacob. ( . ) eye the condescension of god , to your requests for those mercies , psal. . . this is the sweetest bit in any enjoyment , in which a man can sensibly relish the return and answer of his prayers , and greatly inflames the souls love to god , psal. . . ( . ) eye the design and end of god in all your comforts . know that it is not sent to satisfie the cravings of your sensual appetite , but to quicken and enable you for a more cheerful discharge of your duty , deut. . . ( . ) eye the way and method in which your mercies are conveyed to you . they all slow to you through the blood of christ and covenant of grace , cor. . , . mercies derive their sweetness from the channel through which they run to us . ( . ) eye the distinguishing goodness of god , in all the comfortable enjoyments of your lives . how many thousand better than you , are denyed those comforts ? see heb. . . ( . ) eye them all as comforts appointed to refresh you in your way to far better and greater mercies than themselves . the best mercies are still reserved till last , and all these are introductive to better . in all the sad and afflictive providences that befall you , eye god as the author and orderer of them also . so he represents himself to us , jer. . . behold , i create evil , and devise a device against you . and amos . . is there evil in the city , and the lord hath not done it ? more particularly , set before you the soveraignty of god. eye him as a being infinitely superiour to you , at whose pleasure , you , and all you have is , psal. . . which is the most conclusive reason and argument of submission , psal. . . for if we , and all we have , proceeded from his will , how equal is it , that we be resigned up to it ? it is not many years agone since we were not , and when it pleased him to bring us upon the stage of action , we had no liberty of indenting with him , on what ●erms we would come into the world ; or refuse to be , except we might have our being on such terms as we desired . his soveraignty is gloriously displayed in his eternal decrees and temporal providences . he might have put you into what rank of creatures he pleased . he might have made you the most despicable creatures , worms or toads : or , if men , the most vile , abject and miserable among men : and when you had run through all the miseries of this life , have damned you to eternity , made you miserable for ever , and all this without any wrong to you . and shall not this quiet us under the common afflictions of this life ? set the grace and goodness of god before you in all afflictive providences . o see him passing by you in the cloudy and dark day , proclaiming his name , the lord , the lord merciful and gracjous . there are two sorts of mercies that are seldom eclipsed by the darkest affliction that befalls the saints in their temporal concerns , sc. sparing mercy in this world , and saving mercy in that to come . it is not so bad now as it might , and we deserved it should be , and it will be better herea●t●r . this the church observed , and reasoned her self quiet from it , lam. . . hath he taken some ? he might have taken all . are we afflicted ? it's mercy we are not destroyed . oh if we consider what temporal mercies are yet spared , and what spiritual mercies are bestowed , and yet continued to us , we shall find cause to admire mercy , rather than complain of severity . eye the wisdom of god in all your afflictions , behold it in the choice of the kind of your affliction , this , and not another : the time , now and not at another season : the degree , in this measure only , and not in a greater : the supports afforded you under it , not le●t altogether helpless : the issue to which it 's over ruled , it 's made to your good , not ruine . look upon all these , and then ask thy heart that question god askt jonah , dost thou well to be angry ? surely , when you consider all , what need you had of these rods , that your corruptions will require all this , it may be much more to mortifie them ; that without the perishing of these things , you might have perished for ever ; you will see great reasons to be quiet and well satisfied under the hand of god. set the faithfulness of the lord before you under the saddest providences . so did david , psal. . . this is according to his covenant faithfulness , psal. . . hence it is , that the lord will not withhold a rod when need requires it , . pet. . . nor will he forsake his people under the rod , when he in●licts it , cor. . . oh what quietness will this breed ! i see my god will not lose my heart , if a rod can prevent it ; he had rather hear me groan here , than howl hereafter : his love is judicious , not fond : he consults my good , rather than my ease . eye the all-sufficjency of god in the day of affliction . see enough in him still , whatever be gone . here is the fountain still as full as ever , though this or that pipe be cut off , which was wont to convey somewhat of it to me . o christians , can't you make up any loss this way ? can't you see more in god , than in any or all the creature comforts you have lost ? with what eyes then do you look upon god ? lastly , eye the immutability of god. look on him as the rock of ages , james . . the father of lights , with whom is no varjableness , nor shadow of turning . eye jesus christ , as the same yesterday , to day and for ever . oh how quietly will you then behave your selves under the changes of providence ? it may be , two or three dayes have made a sad change in your condition : the death of a dear relation hath turned all things upside down : that place is empty where lately they were , as it is , job . . his place shall know him no more : well , but god is what he was , and where he was : time shall make no change upon him , as it is in isa. . , , . the grass withereth , the flower sadeth ; but the word of the lord abideth for ever . o how composing are those views of god to our spirits under dark provi● the fifth direction . lastly , work up your hearts to those frames , and exercise those affectjons which the several providences of god that are versant about you call for , eccles. . . suit your selves to answer the design and end of god in all providences . as there are various affections planted in your souls , so are there several graces planted in those affections , and several providences appointed to draw forth , and exercise these graces . when the providences of god are sad , and afflictive either upon the church in general , or your families and persons in particular , then it is seasonable for you to exercise godly sorrow and humility of spirit : for in that day , and by those providences god doth call to it , isa. . . micah . . now , sensitive pleasure and natural joy , is out of season , ezek. . . should we then make mirth ? if there be either ( . ) a silial spirit in us , we cannot be light and vain , when our father is angry ; or ( . ) if any real sense of the evil of sin which provokes gods anger , we must be heavy hearted when god is smiting for it ; or ( . ) if any sense and compassion for the miseries that sin brings upon the world , it will make us to say with david , psal. . . i beheld the transgressors and was grjeved . 't is sad to consider the miseries t●at they pull down upon themselves in this ●orld and that to come . ( . ) if there be any care in us to prevent utter ruine , and stop god in the way of his anger , we know this is the means to do it , amos . . how sad and dismal soever the face of providence be , yet still maintain spiritual joy and comfort in god under all . though there be no herd in the stall ( said habakuck , chap. . . ) yet will i rejoyce in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation . there are two sorts of comforts , natural and sensitive , divine and spiritual . there is a time when it becomes christjans to exercise both ; so hest. . . and there is a time when the former is to be suspended and laid by , psal. . . but there is no season , wherein spiritual joy and comfort in god is unseasonable , as appears by those scriptures , thess. . . phil. . . this spiritual joy or comfort , is nothing else but the cheeriness of our heart in god , and the sense of our interest in him , and in his promises . and it 's sure , that no providence can render this unseasonable to a christian. let us suppose the most afflicted and calamitous state a christian can be incident to , yet , ( . ) why should sad providences make him lay by his comforts in god ? when as those are but for a moment , but these eternal , cor. . . ( . ) why should we lay by our joy in god , upon the account of sad providences without , when at the very worst and lowest ebb , the saints have infinitely more cause to rejoyce , than to be cast down ? there 's more in one of their mercies to comfort them , than in all their troubles to deject them . all your losses are but as the loss of a farthing to a prince , rom. . . ( . ) why should they be sad , as long as their god is with them in all their troubles ? as christ said , matth. . . can the children of the bridegroom be sad , whilest the bridegroom is with them ? so say i , can the soul be sad , whilest god is with it ? oh methinks , that one promise , psal. . . i will be with him in trouble , should bear you up under all burdens . let them be cast down , that have no god in trouble to turn to . ( . ) why should they be sad , as long as no outward dispensation of providence , ( be it never so sad ) can be interpreted as a mark or sign of gods hatred or anger , eccl. . , . there is one event to the righteous and wicked . indeed , if it were a signification of the lords wrath against a man , it would justifie our dejection ; but this cannot be so : his heart is full of love , whilest the face of providence is full of frowns . ( . ) why should we be cast down under sad providences , whilst we have so great security , that even by the hands of these providences god will do us good , and all these things shall turn to our salvatjon ? rom. . . by these god is but killing your lusts , weaning your hearts from a vain world , preventing temptations , and exciting your desires after heaven ; this is all the hurt they shall do you , and shall that sadden us ? ( . ) why should we lay by our joy in god , when as the change of our condition is so nigh ? it 's but a little while , and sorrows shall flee away : you shall never suffer more : god will wipe away all tears , revel . . . well then , you see there 's no reason upon the account of providence , to give up your joy and comfort in god. but if you will maintain it under all providences , then be careful ( . ) to clear up your interest in , and title to god. faith may be separated from comfort , but assurance cannot . ( . ) mortifie your inordinate affections to earthly things . this makes providences that deprive and cross us so heavy . mortifie your opinion and affection , and you sensibly lighten your affliction . it is strong affection that makes strong affliction . ( . ) dwell much upon the meditation of the lords near approach ; and then all these things will seem but trifles to you . let your moderation be known unto all men , the lord is at hand . exercise heavenly mindedness , and keep your hearts upon things eternal , under all the providences with which the lord exercises you in this world , gen. . . noah walked with god , yet met with as sad providences in his day , as any man that ever lived since his time . but alas ! we find most providences , rather stops , than steps in our walk with god. if we be under comfortable providences , how sensual , wanton and worldly do our hearts grow ! and if sad providences befall us , how dedolent or distracted are we ! and this comes to pass partly through the narrowness , but mostly , through the deceitfulness of our spirits . our hearts are narrow , and know not how to manage two businesses of such different natures , as earthly and heavenly matters are without detriment to one . pectora nostra duas curas non admittunt . but certainly such a frame of spirit is attainable that will enable us to keep on in an even and steddy course with god , whatever befall us . others have attained it , and why not we ? prosperous providences are for the most part a dangerous state to the soul. the moon never suffers an eclipse , but at full ; yet i●hosaphat's grace suffered no eclipse from the fulness of his outward condition , who had riches in abundance , and his heart was lifted up in the way of gods commandments , chron. . , . david ●s life was as full of cares , turmoils and incumbrances , as most men we read of ; yet how spiritual the temper of his heart was , that excellent book of psalms , ( which was mostly composed amidst those distractions ) will acquaint us . the apostles were cast into as great necessities , and suffered as hard things , as ever men did ; yet how raised and heavenly their spirits were amidst all , who sees not ? and certainly , if it were not possible to maintain heavenly-mindedness in such a state and posture of affairs , god would never exercise any of his people with such providences : he would never give you so much of the world to lose your hearts in the love of it , or so little to distract you with the cares of it . if therefore we were more deeply sanctified , and the tendencies of our hearts heaven-ward more ardent and vigorous ; if we were more mortified to earthly things , and could not but keep our due distance from them ; our outward conditions would not at this rate draw forth and exercise our inward corruptions , nor would we hazard the loss of so sweet an enjoyment as our fellowship with god is , for the sake of any concernment our bodies have on earth . under all providences maintain a contented heart with what the lord allots you , be it more or less of the things of this world . this grace must run parallel with all providences . learn how to be full , and how to suffer want , and in every state to be content , phil. . . in this duty all men are concerned at all times , and in every state , not only the people of god , but even the unregenerate also . i will therefore address some considerations proper to both . and first to the unregenerate , to stop their mouths from repining , and charging god ●oolishly , when providence crosses them . let them seriously consider these four things . ( . ) that hell and eternal damnation are the portion of their cup , according to the tenour of law , and gospel threatnings . whatsoever therefore is short of this is to be admired as the fruit of gods stupendious patience , and forbearance towards them . ah poor souls ! know you not , that you are men and women condemned to wrath by the plain sentence of the law ? mark . . john . . thess. . , . and if so , ●ure there are other matters to exercise your thoughts , desires , fears and cares about than these . alas ! if you cannot bear a frown of providence , a light cross in these things , how will you bear the everlasting burnings ! a man that is to lose his head to morrow , is not very solicitous what bed he lyes on , or how his table is ●urnisht the night before . ( . ) consider , though you be condemned persons , and have no promise to entitle you to any mercy ; yet there are very many mercies in your possession at this day . be your condition as afflictive as it will , is life nothing ? especially considering whither you must sink , when that thread is cut . are the necessary supports of life nothing ? doth not providence minister to you these things , though you daily disoblige it , and provoke god to send you to your own place ? but , above all , is the gospel and precious means of salvation nothing , by which you yet are in a capacity of escaping the damnation of hell ? o what would the damned say , if they were but put into your condition once more ? what , and yet fret against god , because every thing else suits not your desires ? ( . ) consider , that if ever you be rescued out of that miserable condition you are in , such cross providences , as these you complain of , are the most probable means to do it . alas ! prosperity and success is not the way to save , but destroy you , prov. . . you must be bound in fetters , and holden in cords of affliction , if ever your ear be opened to instruction , job . , , . wo to you , if you go on smoothly in the way in which you are , and meet with no crosses . ( . ) lastly , consider , all your troubles under which you complain , are pulled down upon your heads by your own sins . you turn gods mercies into sin , and then fret against god , because he turns your sins into sorrow . your wayes and doings procure these things to you . lay your hand therefore upon your mouth and say , why doth the living man complain , a man for the punishment of his sin , lam. . . but i must turn to the lords people , who have least pretences of all men to be dissatisfied with any of gods providences , and yet are but too frequently sound in that temper . and to them i shall offer the following considerations . ( . ) consider your spiritual mercjes and priviledges with which the lord jesus hath invested you , and repine at your lot of providence if you can . one of these mercies alone , hath enough in it to sweeten all your troubles in this world . when the apostle considered them , his heart was overwhelmed with astonishment ; so that he could not forbear in the midst of all his outward troubles to cry out , blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ , who hath abounded to us in all spiritual blessings , &c. eph. . . oh , who that sees such an inheritance setled upon him in christ , can ever open his mouth more to repine at his lot of providence ! ( . ) consider your sins , and that will make you contented with your lot. yea , consider two things in sin . ( . ) what it deserves from god , and ( . ) what it requires to mortifie and purge it in you . it deserves from god eternal ruine : the merit of hell is in the least vain thought . every sin forfeits all the mercies you have ; and if so , rather wonder your mercies are so many , than that you have no more . besides , you cannot doubt , but your corruptions require all the crosses , wants and troubles that are upon you , and it may be , a great deal more , to mortifie and subdue them . don't you find , after all the rods that have been upon you , a proud heart still , a vain and earthly heart still ? oh how many bitter potions are but necessary to purge out this tough malignant l●umour ! ( . ) consider how near you are to the change of your conditjon : have but a little patience , and all will be as well with you as your hearts can desire . it is no small comfort to the saints , that this world is the worst place that ever they shall be in : things will better every day with them . if the traveller have spent all his money , yet it doth not much trouble him , if he know himself within a few miles of his own home . if there be no candles in the house , we do not much matter it , if we are sure it 's almost break of day ; for then there will be no use for them . this is your case ; your salvatjon is nearer than when you beljeved , rom. . . i have done with the directive part of this discourse ; but before i pass to this fifth head , i judge it necessary to leave a few cautions to prevent the abuse of providence , and your miscarriages in your behaviour towards it . and first caution . if providence delay the performance of any mercy to you , that you have long waited and prayed for● yet see , that you despond not ; nor grow weary of wait●ing upon god for that reason . it pleases the lord oftentimes to try , and exercise his people thi● way , and make them cry , how long lord , ho● long ? psal. . , . these delayes both upon spiritual and tempo●ral accounts are frequent , and when they befa●●us , we are too apt to interpret them as denyals and fall into a sinful despondency of mind , though● there be no cause at all for it , psal. . . lam. . . . it is not alwayes that the returns of prayer are dispatcht to us in the same hour they are asked of god ; yet sometimes it falls out so , isa. . . dan. . . but though the lord means to perform to us the mercies we desire ▪ yet he will ordinarily exercise our patience to wait for them ; and that for these reasons . ( . ) because our time is not the proper season for us to receive our mercies in . now the season of mercy is a very great circumstance that adds much to the value of it . god judges not as we do ; we are all in haste , and will have it now , numb . . . but he is a god of judgement , and blessed are they that wait for him , isa. . . ( . ) afflictive providences have not accomplished that design upon our hearts they were sent for , when we are so earnest and impatient for a change of them ; and till then the rod must not be taken off , isa. . . ( . ) the more prayers and searchings of heart come between our wants and supplies , our afflictions and reliefs , the sweeter are our reliefs and supplies thereby made to us , isa. . . this is our god , we have waited for him , and he will save us : this is the lord , we have waited for him , we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvatjon . this recompenses the delay , and payes us for all the expences of our patience . but though there be such weighty reasons for the stop and delay of refreshing comfortable providences ; yet we cannot bear it , our hands hang down and we faint , psal. . . i am weary of my crying , my throat is dry , mine eyes fail while i wait for my god. for alas ! we judge by sense and appearance , and consider not , that gods heart may be towards us ▪ whilst the hand of his providence seems to be against us . if things continue at one rate with us , we think our prayers are lost , and our hopes perished from the lord : much more when things grow worse and worse , and our darkness and trouble encreases , as usually it doth just before the break of day and change of our condition , then we conclude , god is angry with our prayers . see gideon's reply , judges . . this even staggered a moses's faith , exod. . , . o what groundless jealousies and suspicions of god are found at such times in the hearts of his own children ! job . , . psal. . , , . but this is our great evil , and to prevent it in future tryals , i will offer a few proper considerations in the case . the delay of your mercies , is really for your advantage . you read isa. . . the lord waits that he may be gracjous . what is that ? why , it 's nothing else but the time of his preparation of mercies for you , and your hearts for mercy , that so you may have it with the greatest advantage of comfort . the foolish child would pluck the apple while it 's green ; but when it 's ripe , it drops of its own accord , and is more pleasant and wholsome . it 's a greater mercy , to have an heart willing to refer all to god , and be at his dispose ; than to enjoy presently the mercy we are most eager and impatient for . in that god pleases you , in this you please god. a mercy may be given yo● as the fruit of common providence ; but such a temper of heart is the fruit of special grace ▪ so much as the glorifying of god is better than the content and pleasure of the creature , so much is such a frame better , than such a fruition . expected mercies are never nearer , than when the hearts and hopes of gods people are lowest . thus in their deliverance out of egypt , and babylon , ezek. . . so we have sound it in our own personal concerns : at evening time it shall be light , zach. . . when we look for increasing darkness , light ▪ arises . our unfitness for mercy , is the reason why they are delayed so long . we put the blocks into the way of mercy , and then repine , that they make no more haste to us , isa. . , . the lords hand is not shortned , but our iniquitjes have separated betwixt him and us . consider , the mercies you wait for , are the fruits of pure grace , you deserve them not , nor can claim them upon any title of desert ; and therefore have reason to wait for them in a patient and thankful frame . consider , how many milljons of men as good as you by nature , are cut off from all hope and expectation of mercy for ever , and there remains to them nothing but a fearful expectatjon of wrath . this might have been your case ; and therefore be not of an impatient spirit under the expectations of mercy . second caution . pry not too curiously into the secrets of providence , nor suffer your shallow reason arrogantly to judge and censure its designs . there be hard texts in the works , as well as in the word of god. it becomes us modestly and humbly to reverence , but not to dogmatize too boldly and positively upon them : a man may easily get a strain by over-reaching . when i thought to know this ( saith asaph ) it was too wonder ful for me . i thought to know this , there was the arrogant attempt of reason , there he pryed into the arcana of providence ; but it was too wonderful for me , it was labor i●utilis , as calvin expounds it . he pryed so far into that puzzling mysterie of the afflictjons of the righteous , and prosperity of the wicked , till it begat envy towards them , and despondency in himself , psal. . v. . . and this was all he got by summoning providence to the bar of reason . holy job was guilty of this evil , and ingenuously ashamed of it , job . . i know , there is nothing in the word or in the works of god , that is repugnant to sound reason : but there are some things in both , which are opposite to carnal reason ; as well as above right reason ; and therefore our reason never shews it self more unreasonable , than in summoning those things to its bar , which transeend its sphere and capacity . manifold are the mischiefs which ensue upon this practice . by this we are drawn into an unworthy suspicion and distruct of the faithfulness of god in the promises . sarah laught at the tydings of the son of promise , because reason contradicted , and told her , it was natu●ally impossible , gen. . , . hence comes despondency of mind , and saintness of heart under afflictive providences ; reason can discern no good fruits in them , nor deliverance from them , and so our hands hang down in a sinful discouragement , saying , all these things are against us , sam. . . hence flow temptations to deliver our selves by indirect and sinful mediums , isa. . , . when our own reason fills us with a distruct of providence , it naturally prompts us to sinful shifts , and there leaves us entangled in the snares of our own making . beware therefore you lean not too much to your own reasons and understandings . nothing is more plausible , nothing more dangerous . in other matters it is appointed the arbiter and judge , we make it so here , and therefore we are so di●●ident and distrustful notwithstanding the fullest security of the promises , whilest our reason stands by unsatisfied . the fifth head. having given direction for the due management of this great and important duty , what remains , but that we now set our hearts to it , and make it the constant work of every day throughout our lives ? o what peace , what pleasure , what stability , what holy courage and confidence would result from such an observation of providence as hath been directed to ! but alas ! we may say with reference to the voices of divine providence , as it is job . . god speaketh once , yea twice , yet man perceiveth it not . many a time providence hath spoken instructjon in duty , convictjon for iniquity , encouragement under despondency ; but we regard it not . how greatly are we all wanting to our duty , and comfort by this neglect ! it will be but needful therefore to spread before you , the loveliness and excellency of walking with god in a due and daily observation of his providences , that our souls may be fully engaged to it . first motive . and first , let me offer this , as a moving argument to all gracious souls ; that by this means you may maintain sweet and sensible communjon with god from day to day . and what is there desirable in this world , in comparison therewith ! thou lord hast made me glad through thy works : i will trjumph in the works of thy hands , psal. ● . . your hearts may be as sweetly and sensibly refresht by the works of gods hands , as by the words of his mouth . psal. . per totum is spent in the consideration of the works of providence , which so filled the psalmist's heart , that , by way of ejaculation , he expresses the effect of it , ver. . my meditatjon of him shall be sweet . communion with god properly and strictly taken , consists in two things ; viz. gods manifestation of himself to the soul , and the souls answerable returns to god. this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship we have here with god. now god manifests himself to his people by providences as well as ordinances ; neither is there any grace in a sanctified soul hid from the gracious influences of his providential manifestations . sometimes the lord manifests his displeasure and anger against the sins of his people in correcting and rebuking providences . his rods have a chiding voice , micah . . hear the rod and who hath appointed it . this discovery of gods anger kindly melts and thaws a gracious soul , and produces a double sweet effect upon it , namely , repentance for sins past , and due cautjon against future sins . ( . ) it thaws and melts the heart for sins committed . thus david's heart was melted for his sin , when the hand of god was heavy upon him in affliction , psal. . , . thus the captive church , upon whom fell the saddest and most dismal providence that ever befell any of gods people in any age of the world ; see how their hearts are broken for sin under this severe rebuke , lam. . , , . and then , ( . for caution against sin for the time to come ; it 's plain , that the rebukes of providence leave that effect also upon gracious hearts , ezra . , . psal. . . sometimes he cheers and comforts the hearts of his people with smiling and reviving providences , both publick and personal . there are times of lifting up as well as casting down by the hand of providence . the scene changes , the aspects of providence are very cheerful and encouraging ▪ their winter seems to be over : they put off their garments of mourning ; and then , ah , what sweet returns are made to heaven by gracious souls ! doth god lift them up by prosperity ? they also will lift up their god by praises . see psal. . title , and v. , , . so moses and the people with him , exod. . when god had delivered them from pharaoh , how do they exalt him in a song of thanksgiving , which for the elegancy and spirituality of it , is made an emblem of the doxologies given to god in glory by the saints ! rev. . . upon the whole , whatever effects our communion with god in any of his ordinances doth use to produce upon our hearts , the same we may observe to follow our conversing with him in his providences . for , it is usually found in the experience of all the saints , that in what ordinance or duty soever they ●ave any sensible communion with god , it naturally produces in their spirits a deep abasement and humiliation from the sense of divine condescensions to such vile poor worms as we are . thus abraham , gen. . . i am but dust and ashes . the same effect follows our converse with god in his providences . thus when god had in the way of his providence prospered jacob , how doth he lay himself at the feet of god , as a man overwhelmed with the sense of mercy ! see gen. . , . and jacob said , i am not worthy of the least of all thy mercjes , and of all the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant ; for with my staff i passed over this jordan , and now am become two bands . thus also it was with david , sam. . . who am i , and what is my fathers house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ! and i doubt not , but some of you have found the like frame of heart upon you , that these holy men here expressed . can you not remember when god lifted you up by providence , how you cast down your selves before him , and have been viler in your own eyes than ever ! why , thus do all gracious hearts ; what am i , that the lord should do thus and thus for me ! o that ever so great and holy a god should thus be concerned for so vile and sinful a worm ! ( . ) doth communion with god in ordinances , melt the heart into love to god ? cant. . , , . why , so doth the observation of his providences also . never did any man convers● with gods works of providenc● aright , but f●●nd his heart at some times melted into love to the god of his mercies , psal. . . compared with the title . when god had delivered him from the hand of saul , and all his enemies , he said , i will love thee o lord my strength . every man loves the mercies of god , but a saint loves the god of his mercies . the mercies of god , as they are the fewel of a wicked mans lusts , so they are fewel to maintain a good mans love to god ; not that their love to god is grounded upon these external benefits , not thine , but thee , o lord , is the motto of a gracious soul ; but yet these things serve to blow up the flame of love to god in their hearts , and they find it so . doth communion with god set the keenest edge upon the soul against sin ? you see it doth : and have a pregnant instance of it in moses , when he had been with god in the mount for forty dayes , and had there enjoyed communion with him ; when he came down and saw the calf the people had made ; see what an holy paroxysm of zeal and anger it cast his soul into , exod. . , . why , the same effect you may discern to follow the saints converse with god in his providences . what was that which pierced the heart of david with such a deep sense of the evil of his sin , which is so abundantly manifested in psalm . throughout ? why , if you look into the title you shall find , it was the effect of what nathan had laid before him : and if you consult sam. . , , , . you shall find , it was the goodness of god manifested to him in the several endearing providences of his life , which in this he had so evilly requited the lord for , that broke his heart to pieces in the sense of it : and i doubt not , but some of us have some times found the like effects , by comparing gods wayes and our own together . doth communion with the lord enlarge the heart for obedience and service ? surely it is as oyl to the wheels , that makes them run of freely and nimbly their course . thus when isajah had obtained a special manifestation of god , and the lord askt , whom shall i send ? he presents a ready soul for the employment , isa. . . here am i , lord , send me . why , the very same effect follows sanctified providences , as you may see in jehosaphat , chron. . , . and in david , psal. . . o when a soul considers what god hath done for him , he cannot chuse but say , what shall i return ? how shall i answer these engagements ? and thus you see , what sweet communion a soul may have with god in the way of his providences . o that you would thus walk with him ! how much of heaven might be found on earth this way ! and certainly , it will never repent the lord he hath done you good , when his mercies produce such effects upon your hearts : he will say of every savour thus improved , it was well bestowed , and will rejoyce over you to do you good for ever . second motive . a great part of the pleasure and delight of the christjan life is made out of the observatjons of providence . it is said , psal. . . the works of the lord are great , sought out of all them that have pleasure therein : ( i. e. ) the study of providence is so sweet and pleasant , that it invites and allures the soul to search and dive into it . how pleasant is it to a well tempered soul to behold and observe , ( . ) the sweet harmony and consent of divine attributes in the issues of providence ! they may seem sometimes to jarr and clash , to part with each other , and go contrary wayes : but they only seem so to do ; for in the winding up , they alwayes meet and embrace each other , psal. . . mercy and truth have met together : righteousness and peace have kissed each other . it is spoken with an immediate reference to that signal providence of israels deliverance out of the babylonish captivity , and the sweet effect thereof : wherein the truth and righteousness of god in the promises , did as it were kiss and embrace the mercy and peace that was contained in the performance of them , after they had seemed for seventy years to be at a great distance from each other . for it is an allusion to the usual demonstrations of joy and gladness , that two dear friends are wont to give and receive , after a long absence and separation from each other : they no sooner meet , but they smile , embrace and kiss each other . even thus it is here . the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be , ( and by some is ) rendered , have met us , and that also is true ; for when ever these blessed promises and performances meet and kiss each other , they are also joyfully embraced and killed by believing souls . there is , i doubt not , a mediate reference of this scripture to the messjah also , and our redemption by him : in him it is that these divine attributes which before seemed to clash and contradict one another in the business of our salvation , have a sweet agreement and accomplishment . truth and righteousness do in him meet with mercy and peace in a blessed agreement . what a lovely sight is this ! and how pleasant to behold ! o if with habbakuk , chap. . v. . we would but stand upon our watch-tower to take due observations of providence ; what rare prospects might we have ! i●uther understands it of the word of god , q. d. i will look into the word , and observe there how god accomplisheth all things , and brings them to pass , and how his works are the fulfilling of his word . others ( as calvin ) understand it of a mans own retiring thoughts and meditations , wherein a man carefully observes what purposes and designs god hath upon the world in general , or upon himself in particular , and how the truth and righteousness of god in the word work themselves through all difficulties and impediments , and meet in the mercy , peace and happiness of the saints at last . every believer ( take it in which sense you will , ) hath his watch-tower as well as h●bb●kuk : and give me leave to say , it 's an angelical employment to stand upon it , and behold the consent of gods attributes , the accomplishment of his ends , and our own happiness in the works of providence . for this is the very joy of the angels and saints in heaven , to see gods ends wrought out , and his attributes glorified in the mercy and peace of the church , rev. . , , . & . ( . ) and as it 's a pleasant sight to see the harmony of gods attributes , so it is exceeding pleasant to behold the resurrection of our own prayers and hopes as from the dead . why , this you may often see , if you will duly observe the works of providence towards you . we hope and pray for such and such mercies to the church , or to our selves ; but god delayes the accomplishment of our hopes , suspends the answer of our prayers , and seems to speak to us , as hab. . . for the visjon is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speak and not lye : though it tarry , wait for it , because it will surely come , it will not tarry : but we have no patience to wait the time of the promise , our hopes languish and dye in the interim ; and we say with the despondent church , lam. . . our hope is perished from the lord ; but oh , how sweet and comfortable is it , to see these prayers fulfilled , after we have given up all expectation of them ! may we not say of them , as the scripture speaks of the restoration of the jews , it is even life from the dead . this was david's case , psal. . . he gave up his hopes and prayers for lost , yet lived to see the comfortable and unexpected returns of them . and this was the case of job , chap. . . he had given up all expectation of better dayes , and yet this man lived to see a resurrection of all his lost comforts with an advantage . think how that change and unexpected turn of providence affected his soul : it is with our hopes and prayers as with our alms , cast thy bread on the waters , for thou shalt find it after many dayes , eccles. . . or as it was with jacob , who had given ov●r all hopes of ever seeing his beloved joseph again , but when a strange and unexpected providence had restored that hopeless mercy to him again , oh how ravishing and transporting was it ? gen. . , . ( . ) what a transporting pleasure is it , to behold great blessings and advantages to us wrought by providence , out of those very things that seemed to threaten our ruine or misery ? and yet by due observing the wayes of providence , you may to your singular comfort find it so . little did joseph think his transportation into egypt , had been in order to his advancement there ; yet he lived with joy to see it , and with a thankful heart to acknowledge it , gen. . . wait and observe , and you shall assuredly find that promise , rom. . . working out its way through all providences . how many times have you been made to say as david , psal. . . it is good for me that i have been afflicted . o what a difference have we seen betwixt our afflictions at our first meeting with them , and our parting from them ! we have entertained them with sighs and tears , but parted from them with joy , blessing god for them , as the happy instruments of our good . thus our fears and sorrows are turned into praises and songs of thanksgiving . ( . ) what unspeakable comfort is it for a poor soul , that sees nothing but sin and vileness in it self , at the same time to see what an high esteem and value the great god hath for him ! this may be discerned by a due attendance to providence , for there a man sees goodness and mercy following him through all his dayes , as it is psal. . . other men prosecute good , and it flyes from them , they can never overtake it ; but goodness and mercy follow the people of god , and they cannot avoid or escape it : it gives them chase day by day , and finds them out ; even when they sometimes put themselves by sin out of the way of it . in all the providences that befall them , goodness and mercy pursues them . o with what a mel●ing heart do they sometimes reflect upon these things ! and will not the goodness of god be discouraged from following me , notwithstanding all my vile a●●ronts and abuses of it in former mercjes ? lord , what am i , that mercy should thus pursue me , when vengeance and wrath pursue others as good by nature as i am ? it certainly argues the great esteem god hath of a man , when he thus follows him with sanctified providences ( whether they be comforts or crosses ) for his good . and so much is plain , from job . . lord what is man , that thou shouldst visit him every morning , and try him every moment ? certainly , gods people are his treasure , and by this it appears that they are so , that he withdraws not his eye from them , job . . i say not , that gods favour and respect to a man , may be concluded singly from his providences ; but sanctified providences may very much clear it to us : and when it doth so , it cannot but be matter of exceeding great joy . ( . ) to conclude , what is there in all this world , that can give a soul such joy and comfort , as to find himself by every thing set on and farthered in his way to heaven ! and yet this may be discerned , by an heedful attendance to the effects and issues of providences . how cross soever the winds and tides of providence at any time seem to us , yet nothing is more certain , than that they all conspire to hasten sanctified souls to god , and sit them for glory . st. paul knew , that both his bonds and the afflictions added to them should turn to , or ( as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports ) finally issue in his salvation , phil. . . not that in themselves they serve to any such purpose ; but as they are over-ruled and determined to such an end , through prayer , and the supply of the spirit of jesus christ. when prayer the external , and the spirit the internal means are joyned with them ; then afflictions themselves become excellent means to promote salvation . and have we not with joy observed , how those very things , that sense and reason tell us are opposite to our happiness , have been the most blessed instruments to promote it ? how hath god blessed crosses to mortifie corruptjon , wants to kill our wantonness , disappointments to wean us from the world ! o we little think , how comfortable those things will be in the review , which are so burdensome to present sense ▪ the third motive in the next place , i beseech you consider , what an effectual means the due observation of providence will be to over-power and suppress the natural atheism that is in your hearts . there is a natural seed of atheism in the best hearts , and this is very much nourished , by passing a rash and false judgement upon the works of providence . when we see wicked ones to prosper in the world , and godly men crushed and destroyed in the way of righteousness and integrity ; it may tempt us to think , there is no advantage by religion , and all our self-denyal and holiness , to be little better than lost labour . thus stood the case with good as●ph , psal. . , . b●hold , these are the ungodly that prosper in the world , they increase in riches : and what doth the flesh in●er from thence ? why no less than the unprofitableness of the wayes of holiness , verily i have cleansed my heart in vain , and washed my hands in innocency . this irreligious inference carnal reason was ready to draw from the dispensations of outward prosperity to wicked men ; but now if we would he●dfully observe , either the signal retributions of providence to many of them in this world , or to all of them in the world to come ; o what a full confirmation is this to our faith ! psal. . . the lord is known by the judgements that he executeth . the fifty eighth psalm contains the characters of the most prodigious sinners , whose wickedness is aggravated , by the deliberation with which it 's committed , v. . by their habit and custom in it , v. . by their incorrigibleness and persistence in it , v. , . and the providence of god is there invited to destroy their power , v. . and that either by a gradual and insensible consumption of them , v. , . or , by a suddain and unexpected stroke , v. . and what shall the effects of such providences be to the righteous ? why , it shall be matter of joy , v. . and great confirmation to their faith in god , v. . verily there is a god that judgeth in the earth . and on the contrary , how convincingly clear are those providences , that demonstrate the being , wisdom , power , love and faithfulness of god , in the supporting , preserving and delivering of the righteous , in all their dangers , fears and difficulties ? in these things the lord shews himself to his people , psal. . . yea , he shews himself to spiritual eyes in these providences , as clearly , as the sun manifest● himself by his own beams of light , hab. . , . his brightness was as the light , and he had borns coming out of his hands , and there was the hiding of his power . it 's spoken of the lords going forth for his people in their deliverance from their enemies : and then he had horns or rayes and beams of power and mercy coming out of his hands ; by his hands , are meant his providential administrations and dispensations , and the horns that came out of them , are nothing else but the glorious display of his attributes in those providences . how did god make himself known to his people in that signal deliverance of them out of egypt ? see exod. . . then he was known to them by his name jehovah , in giving being by his providences to the mercies promised . thus when christ shall give his people the last and greatest deliverance from antichrist , he shall shew himself to his people in a vesture dipt in blood , and his name shall be called , the word of god , rev. . . his name was the word of god before ; but then he was the word revealing and discovering the promises and truths of god ; now accomplishing and fulfilling them . that his name is near , his wonderful works declare , psal. . . but more particularly , let us bring it home to our own experience . it may be , we find our selves sometimes assaulted with atheistical thoughts : we are tempted to think god hath left all things below to the course and sway of nature , that our prayers reach him not , as it is lam. . . that he regards not what evils befall us . but , tell me saints , have you not enough at hand to stop the mouths of all such temptations ? o do but reflect upon your own experiences , and solemnly ask your own hearts , ( . ) have you never seen the all-sufficient god in the provisions he hath made for you and yours , throughout all the way that you have gone ! who was it that supplyed to you whatever was needful in all your straits ? was it not the lord ? 't is he that hath given bread to them that fear him , and hath been ever mindful of his covenant , psal. . . o do but consider the constancy , seasonableness , and at sometimes the extraordinariness of these provisions , and how they have been given in upon prayer , and shut your eyes if you can , against the convincing evidence of that great truth , job . . he withdraweth not his eye from the righteous . ( . ) have you not plainly discerned the care of god in your preservations from so many and great dangers as you have escaped and been carried through hitherto ? how is it , that you have over-lived so many mortal dangers , sicknesses , accidents , designs of enemies to ruine you ? it is i presume , beyond question with you , that the very finger of god hath been in these things , and that it is by his care alone , you have been preserved . when god had so signally delivered david from a dangerous disease and the plots of enemies against him , by this ( saith he ) i know thou favourest me , because mine enemy doth not trjumph over me , psal. . . he gathered from those gracious protections , the care god had over him . ( . ) have you not plainly discerned the hand of god , in the returns and accomplishments of your prayers ? nothing can be more evident than this , to men of observation , psal. . , , . i sought the lord , and he heard me , and delivered me from all my fears . they looked unto him and were lightned , and their faces were not ashamed . this poor man cryed , and the lord heard him , and saved him out of all his troubles . parallel to this , runs the experience of thousands and ten thousands of christians this day ; they know they have the petitions they asked of him . the mercy carries the very impress and stamp of the duty upon it . so that we can say , this is the mercy , the very mercy i have so often sought god about . o how satisfying , and convincing are these things ! ( . ) have you not evidently discerned the lords hand , in the guiding and directing of your paths , to your unforeseen advantage ? things that you never projected for your selves , have been brought about beyond all your thoughts . many such things are with god ; and which of all the saints hath not ●ound that word jer. . . verified by clear and undeniable experience ? the way of man is not in himself . i presume , if you will but look over the mercies you possess thi● day , you will find three to one , it may be ten to one thus wrought by the lord for you . and how satisfying beyond all arguments in the world are these experiences , that there is a god to whom his people are exceeding dear , a god that performeth all things for them ! ( . ) is it not fully convictive , that there is a god who takes care of you , in as much as you have found in all the temptations and difficulties of your lives his promises still fulfilled , and faithfully performed in all those conditions ? i appeal to your selves , if you have not seen that promise made good , psal. . . i will be with him in trouble ; and that cor. . . god is faithful , who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able : but will with the temptatjon also make a way to escape , that ye may be able to bear it . have not these been as clearly made out by providence before your eyes , as the sun at noon day ? what room then is left for atheistical suggestions in your breasts ? the fourth motive . the recording and recognizing of the performances of providence , will be a singular support to faith in future exigencjes . this excellent use of it lyes full in the very eye of the text. there never befell david in all his troubles , a greater strait and distress than this ; and doubtless his faith had staggered , had not the considerations of former providence come in to its relief . from this topick faith argues , and that very strongly and conclusively . so did david's faith in many exigencies : when he was to encounter the champjon of the philistins , it was from former providence that he encouraged himself , sam. . . and the apostle paul improves his experiences to the same purpose ; cor. . , . indeed the whole scripture is full of it : what christian understands not the exceeding usefulness of those experiences he hath had to relieve and enliven ? but i shall not satisfie my self with the common assertion , than which nothing is more tritc in the lips of professors : but will labour to shew you , wherein the great usefulness of our recorded experiences , for encouraging faith labouring under difficulties , consists . to this purpose , i shall desire the reader to ponder seriously these following particulars . how much advantage those things have upon our souls , which we have already felt and tasted , beyond those which were never relished by any former experience ? what is experience ? but the bringing down of the objects of faith to the dijudication and test of spiritual sense ? now when any thing hath been once tasted , felt and judged by a former experience , it is much more easily believed and received when it occurrs again . it 's much easier for faith to travel in a path that is well known to it , having formerly trod it , than to beat out a new one which it never trod , nor can see one step before it . hence it is , though there be a difficulty in all the acts of faith , yet scarce in any like the first adventure it makes upon christ ; and the reason lyes here , because in the subsequent acts it hath all its former experiences to aid and encourage it ; but in the first adventure it hath none at all of its own , it takes a path which it never knew before . to trust god without any tryal or experience , is a more noble act of faith ; but to trust him after we have often tryed him , is known to be more easie . o'tis no small advantage to a soul in a new plunge and distress , to be able to say , this is not the first time i have been in these deeps , and yet emerged out of them ! hence it was , that christ rub'd up his disciples memories with what providence had formerly wrought for them in a day of straits , matth. . , , , . o ye of little faith , why reason ye among your selves , because ye have brought no bread ? do ye not yet understand , neither remember ? q. d. were yo never under any strait for bread before now ? is this the first difficulty that ever your faith combated with ? no , no , you have felt straits , and experienced the power and care of god in supplying them , before now ; and therefore i cannot but call you men of little faith ; for a very ordinary and small measure of faith , assisted with so much experience as you have had , would enable you to trust god. there is as much difference betwixt believing before , and after experience , as there is betwixt swimming with bladders , and our first venture into the deep waters without them . what a singular encouragement to faith do former experiences yield it , by answering all the pleas and objections of unbelief drawn from the object of faith ? now there be two things that unbelief stumbles at in god : one is his power , the other his willingness to help . ( . ) unbelief objects the impossibility of relief in deep distresses , psal. . . can god furnish a table in the wilderness ? can be give bread also ? can be provide flesh for his people ? o vile and unworthy thoughts of god! proceeding from our measuring the immense and boundless power of god , by our own line and measure : because we see not which way relief should come , we conclude , none is to be expected . but all these reasonings of unbelief are vanquisht by a serious reflection upon our own experiences : god hath helped , therefore he can , isa. . . his hand is not shortned : ( i. e. ) he hath as much power and ability as formerly . ( . ) unbelief objects against the will of god , and questions , whether he will now be gracious , though he hath formerly been so . but after so many experiences of his readiness to help , what room for doubting remains ? thus paul reasoned from the experience of what he had done , to what he would do , cor. . . and so did david , sam. . . indeed if a man had never experienced the goodness of god to him , it were not so heinous a sin to question his willingness to do him good ; but what place is left after such frequent tryals ? it gives great encouragement to faith , as it answers the objections of unbelief drawn from the subject . now these objections are of two sorts also . ( . ) such as are drawn from our great unworthiness . how ( saith unbelief ) can so sinful and vile a creature expect , that ever god should do this or that for me ? 't is true , we find he did great things for abraham , isaac , jacob , moses &c. but these were men of eminent holiness , men that obeyed god , and denyed themselves for him , and lived more in a day to his glory , than ever i did all my dayes . well , but what signifies all this to a soul , that under all its sensible vileness and unworthiness hath tasted the goodness of god as well as they ? as unworthy as i am , god hath been good to me notwithstanding : his mercy appeared first to me , when i was worse than i am now , both in conditjon and dispositjon ; and therefore i will still expect the continuance of his goodness to me , though i deserve it not . if when we were enemjes we were reconciled to god by the death of his son , how much more being reconciled , we shall be saved by his life ? rom. . . ( . ) such as are drawn from the extremity of our present condition , if troubles or dangers grow to an height , and we see nothing but ruine and misery in the eye of reason before us ; now umbelief becomes importune and trouble●ome to the soul ; now where are thy prayers , ●hy hopes , yea , where is now thy god ? but all this is easily put by and avoided , by ●onsulting our experiences in former cases . this is not the first time i have been in these straits , ●or the first time i have had the same doubts and despondencies ; and yet , god hath carried me ●hrough all , psal. . , , , &c. this is it that suffers not a christian to unravel all his hopes in an hour of temptation . o how useful are these ●hings to the people of god! the fifth motive . the recognition of former providences will minister to your souls continual matter of praise and thanksgiving , which is the very employment of the angels in heaven , and the sweetest part of our lives on earth . see psal. . , . if god will prepare mercy and truth for david , he will prepare praises for ●is god , and that daily . so psal. . . by thee have i been holden up from the womb , thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels ; ( there mercies from the beginning are recognized . ) my praise shall be continually of thee : there the natural result of those recognitions is expressed . there be five things belonging to the praise of god , and all of them have relation to his providences exercised about us . ( . ) a careful observation of the mercles we receive from him , isa. . , , , . this is fundamental to all praise : god cannot ●e glorified for the mercies we never noted . ( . ) a faithful remembrance of the favour ▪ received , psal. . . bless the lord , o my soul ▪ and forget not all his benefits . hence the lord brands the ingratitude of his people , psal. . . they soon forgat his works . ( . ) a due appreciation and valuation of every providence that doth us good , sam. . . that providence that fed them in the wilderness with manna , was a most remarkable providence to them ; but they not valuing it at its worth , god had not that praise for it which he expected , numb . . . ( . ) the excitation of all the faculties and powers of the soul in the acknowledgement o● these mercies to us . thus david , psal. . ● bless the lord , o my soul ; and all that is within m● bless his holy name . soul-praise is the very sou● of praise : this is the fat and marrow of that thank-offering . ( . ) a suitable retribution for the mercies received . this david was careful about , psal. . . and the lord taxes good hezekjah for the neglect of it , chron. . , . this consists in a full and hearty resignation of all to him , that we have received by providence from him : and in our willingness actually to part with all for him , when he shall remand it . thus you see , how all the ingredients to praise , have respect to providences . but more particularly i will shew you , that as all the ingredients of praise have respect to providence , so all the motives and arguments obliging and engaging souls to praise , are found therein also . to this end consider , how the mercy and goodness of god is exhibited by providence , to excite our thankfulness . ( . ) that the goodness and mercy of god is let out upon his people in his providences about them : and this is the very root of praise . it is not so much the possession that providence gives us of such or such comforts , as the goodness and kindness of god in the dispensing of them , that engages a gracious soul to praise , psal. . . because thy loving kindness is better than life , my lips shall praise thee . to give , maintain and preserve our life , are choice acts of providences : but to do all this in a way of grace and loving-kindness , this is far better than the gifts themselves : life is but the shadow of death without it : this is the mercy that crowns all other mercies , psal. . . it 's this a sanctified soul desires god would manifest in every providence about him , psal. . . and what is our praising of god else , but our shewing forth that loving-kindness , which he sheweth us in his providences ? psal. . , . ( . ) as the loving-kindness of god manifested in providences , is a motive to praise ; so the free and undeserved savours of god , dispensed by the hand of providence , oblige the soul to praise . this was the consideration that melted david's heart into a thankful praising frame , even the consideration of the free and undeserved favours cast in upon him by providence , sam. . . what am i ? o lord god : and what is my fathers house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ? ( i. e. ) raised me by providence from a mean condition to all this dignity : from following the ewes , to feed jacob his people , psal. . , . o this is it that engages thankfulness , gen. . . ( . ) as the freeness of mercies dispensed by providence , engageth praise ; so the multitudes of mercies heaped this way upon us , strongly oblige the soul to thankfulness . thus david comes before the lord encompassed with a multitude of mercies to praise him , psal. . . we have our loads of mercies , and that every day , psalm . . o what a rich heap will the mercies of one day make , being laid together ! ( . ) as the multitudes of mercies dispensed by providence , oblige to praise ; so the tenderness of gods mercy manifested in his providence , leaves the soul under a strong obligation to thankfulness . we see what tender resentments the lord hath of all our wants , straits and burdens , psalm . . like as a father pitjeth his children , so the lord pitjeth them that fear him . he is full of bowels , as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in james . . signifies . yea , there are not only bowels of compassion in our god , but the tenderness of bowels , like those of a mother to her sucking child , isa. . . he feels all our pains as if the apple of his eye were touched , zech. . . and all this is discovered to his people in the way of his providences with them , psal. . , , . o who of all the children of god hath not often found this in his providences ? and who can see it , and not be filled with thankfulness ? all these are so many bands clapt by providence upon the soul , to oblige it to a li●e of praise . hence it is , that the prayers of the saints are so full of thanksgivings upon these accounts : 't is sweet to recount them to the lord in prayer : to lye at this feet in an holy astonishment at his gracious condescensions to poor worms . the sixth motive . the due observatjon of providence will endear jesus christ every day more and more to your souls . christ is the channel of grace and mercy : through him are all the d●cursus & recursus gratiarum , all the streams of mercy that ●low from god to us , and all the returns of praise from us to god , cor. . , . all things are ours upon no other title , but our being his . now there be six things in providence , that are exceedingly endearing of the lord jesus christ to his people : and these are the most sweet and delicious parts of all our enjoyments . the purchase of all those mercies which providences convey to us , is by his own blood : for not only spiritual and eternal mercies , but even all our temporal ones , are the acquisition of his blood . look , as sin forfeited all , so christ restored all these mercies again to us by his death . sin had so shut up the womb of mercy , that had not christ made an attonement by his death , it could never have brought forth one mercy to all eternity for us . it is with him that god freely gives us all things , rom. . . heaven it self , and all things needful to bring us thither , among which , is principally included the tutelage and aid of divine providence : so that whatever good we receive from the hand of providence , we must put it upon the score of christs blood ; and when we receive it , we may say , 't is the price of blood : 't is a mercy rising up out of the death of christ : it cost him dear , though it come to me freely : it 's sweet in the possessjon , but costly in the acquisitjon . now this is a most endearing consideration : did christ dye , that these mercies might live ? did he pay his invaluable blood to purchase these comforts , that i possess ? o what transcendent , matchless love , was the love of christ ! you have known parents that have laid out all their stock of money to purchase estates for their children ; but when did you hear of any that spent the whole stock and treasure of their blood , to make a purchase for them ? if the life of christ had not been so afflictive and sad to him , ours could not have been so sweet and comfortable to us : 't is through his poverty we are enriched , cor. . . these sweet mercies that are born of providence every day , are the fruits of the travel of his soul. the sanctification of all , is by our union with christ : 't is by vertue of our union with his person , that we enjoy the sanctified gifts and blessings of providence . all these are mercies additional to that great mercy christ , matth. . . they are given with him , as in rom. . . this is the tenure by which we hold them , cor. . , , . look , what we lost in adam , is restored again with advantage in christ : immediately upon the fall , that curse , gen. . . seized upon all the miserable posterity of adam , and upon all their comforts , outward as well as inward ; and this still lyes heavy upon them : all that providence doth for them that are christless , is but to feed so many poor condemned wretches , till the sentence they are under , be executed upon them : it is indeed bountiful and open-handed to many of them ; and fills them with earthly comforts ; but not one special sanctified mercy is to be found among all their enjoyments : these gifts of providence do but deceive , defile and destroy them through their own corruptions , and for want of union with christ , prov. . . the prosperity of fools shall destroy them . but when a man is once in christ , then all providences are sanctified and sweet , tit. . . vnto the pure , all things are pure . a little that a righteous man hath , is better than the treasures of many wicked , psal. . . now christ becomes an head of influence , as well as of dominjon ; and in all things he consults the good of his own members , eph. . . the dispensation of all our comforts and mercies , is by his direction and appointment . it 's true , the angels are employed in the kingdom of providence , they move the wheels , ( i. e. ) are instrumental in all the revolutions in this lower world ; but still they receive directions and orders from christ , as you may see in that admirable scheme of providences , ezek. . , , &c. now what an endearing meditation is this ! what ever creature be instrumental for any good to you , it 's your lord jesus christ that gave the orders and commands to that creature to do it ; and without it they could have done nothing for you : it 's your head in heaven that consults your peace and comfort on earth : these be the fruits of his care for you . so in the prevention and restraints of evil ; 't is he that bridles in the wrath of devils and men ; he holds the reins in his own hands , rev. . . 't was the care of christ over his poor sheep at damascus , that stopt the raging adversary who was upon the way , designing to destroy them , acts. . the continuatjon of all your mercies and comforts , outward as well as inward , is the fruit of his intercession in heaven for you . for look , as the offering up of the lamb of god a sacrifice for sin , opened the door of mercy at first ; so his appearing before god as a lamb that had been slain , still keeps that door of mercy open , rev. . . heb. . . by this his intercession , our peace and comforts are prolonged to us , zech. . , . every sin we commit , would put and end to the mercies we possess , were it not for that caution which is put in for us by it , ●ohn . , . ' if any man sin , we have an a●vocate with the father , jesus christ the righteous : and he is the propitjatjon for our sins , &c. this stops all pleas , and procures new pardons for new sins . hence it is he saves to the uttermost , to the last compleating act , heb. . . new sins do not irritate our former pardons , nor cut off our priviledges setled upon us in christ. the returns and answers of all your prayers and cryes to heaven for the removing of your afflictions , or supply of your wants , are all procured and obtained for you by jesus christ. he is the master of your requests ; and were it not that god had respect to him , he would never regard your cryes to him , nor return any answer of peace to you , how great soever your distresses should be , rev. . , . 't is his name that gives our prayers their acceptance , john . . because the father can deny him nothing , therefore your prayers are not denyed . doth god condescend to hear you in the day of trouble ? doth he convince you by your own experience , that your prayers have power with god , and do prevail ? o see how much you owe to your dear lord jesus christ , for this high and glorious priviledge ! the covenant of grace , in which all your comfortable enjoyments are comprized , and by which they are secured , sanctified , and sweetned to you , is made in christ , and ratified by him betwixt god and you . your mercies are all comprized in this covenant , even your daily bread , psalm . . as well as your justification , and other spiritual mercies . 't is your covenant interest , that secures to you what ever it comprizes , isa. . . hence they are called the sure mercies of david . nay , this is it that sanctifies them , and gives them 〈◊〉 nature of special and peculiar mercies . one 〈◊〉 mercy is worth a thousand common mercies . and being sanctified and special mercies , they must needs be exceeding sweet beyond all other mercies . on these accounts it was ▪ that david so rejoiced in his covenant i●teres● , though laden with many afflictions , ● sam. . . but now all this hangs entirely upon christ. the new testament is in his bloo● , cor. . ● . and whatever mercies you reap from that covenant , you must thank the lord jesus christ for them . put all this together , and then think how such considerations will endear christ to your souls ! the seventh motive . the due observations of providence have a marvellous efficacy to melt the heart , and make it thaw and relent ingenuously before the lord. how can a sanctified heart do less , than melt into tears , whilst it either considers the dealings of god from time to time with it : or compares the mercies received , with the sins committed ; or the different administrations of providence towards it self and others ! let a man but set himself to think deliberately and closely of the wayes of providence towards him , let him but follow the tract 〈◊〉 ●rovidence , as it hath led him all along the way that he hath gone , and if there be any principle of gracious tenderness in him , he shall meet with variety of occasions to excite and draw it forth . reader , go back with thy serious thoughts ( . ) to the beginning of the wayes of god with thee , the mercies that brake out early in thy youth , even the first born mercies from the womb of providence ; and thou wilt say , what need i go farther ? here is enough , not only to moves , but overwhelm my heart . may i not from this time cry unto thee , my father , thou art the guide of my youth , jer. . . what a critical time is the time of youth ? it's the moulding age ; and ( ordinarily ) according to the course of those leading providences , after providences do steer their course . what levity , rashness , ignorance and strong propensions to sin and ruine accompanied that age ? how many being then left to the sway of their own lusts , run themselves into those sins and miseries , which they never recover themselves from to their dying day ? these , like the errors of the first concoction , are rarely rectified afterwards . did the lord guide thee by his providence , when but a child ? did he then preserve thee from those follies and miscarriages , which blast the very blossom , and nip the bud , so that no good fruit is to be expected afterwards ? did he then cast thee into such families , or among such company and acquaintance , as moulded and formed thy spirit to a better temper ? did he then direct thee into that way of employment , wherein thou hast seen so large a train of happy consequents ever since following thee ? and wilt thou not from henceforth say , my father , my father , thou art the guide of my youth ? or ( . ) let us but bring out thoughts close to the providences of after times , and consider how the several changes and removes of our lives have been ordered for us : things we never foresaw nor designed ( but much better for us , than what we did design ) have been all along ordered for us . the way of man is not in himself . gods thoughts have not been our thoughts , nor his wayes our wayes . among the eminent mercies of thy life , reader , how many of them have been meer surprizals to thee ? thy own projects have been thrust aside , to make way for better things designed by providence for thee . nay , ( . ) do but observe the springs and autumns of providence , in what order they have flourished and faded with thee , and thou wilt find thy self over-powered with the sense of divine wisdom and goodness : when necessity required , such a friend was stirred up to help thee , such a place opened to receive thee , such a relation raised up or continued to refresh thee : and no sooner doth providence deprive thee of any of them , but either thy need of them ceases , or some other way is opened to thee . o the depth of gods wisdom and goodness ! o the matchless tenderness of god to his people ! ( . ) compare the dealings of providence with you and others , yea , with others that sprang up with you in the same generation , it may be , in the same families , and from the same parents , it may be in families greater and more flourishing in the world then yours , and see the difference , upon many great accounts , it hath made betwixt you and them . i knew a christjan , who after many years separation , was visited by his own brother , the very sight of whom , wrought upon him , much as the sight of benjamin did upon joseph , so that he could not refrain to fall upon his neck , and weep for joy ; but after a ●ew hours spent together , finding the spirit of his brother , not only estranged ●rom all that 's spiritual and serious , but also very vain and prophane , he hastened to his chamber , shut the door upon him , threw himself down at the feet of god , and with flowing eyes , and a melting heart , admired the distinguishing grace of god , saying , was not esau jacob's brother ? o grace , grace , astonishing grace ! ( . ) compare the carriage of providence towards you , with your own carriage towards the lord ; and it must needs melt your hearts to find so much mercy bestowed , where so much sin hath been committed . what place did you ever live in , where you cannot remember great provocations committed , and manifold mercies notwithstanding that , received ? o with how many notwithstandings and neverthelesses , hath the lord done you good in every place ! what relation hath not been abused by sin ; and yet both raised up and continued by providence for your comfort ? in every place god that left the marks of his goodness , and you the remembrances of your sinfulness : give your selves but leave to think of these things , and it 's strange if your hearts relent not at the remembrance of them . ( . ) or lastly , do but compare your dangers with your fears , and both with the strange out-letts and doors of escape providence hath opened , and it cannot do less than over power you with a full sense of divine care and goodness . there have been dark clouds seen to rise over you , judgement even at your door , sometimes threating your life , sometimes your liberty , sometimes your estates , and sometimes your dearest relations , in whom it may be , your life was bound up ; remember in that day , what faintness of spirit seized you , what charges of guilt stirring up fears of the issue within you : you turned to the lord in that distress , and hath he not made a way to escape , and delivered you from all your fears ? psal. . . oh is your life such a continued throng , such a distracted hurry , that there is no room to be found with christians to sit alone , and think on these things , and press these marvellous discoveries of god in his providences upon their own hearts ? surely , might these things but lye upon our hearts , talk with our thoughts by day , and lodge with us at night ; they would even force their passage down to our very reins . the eighth motive . dve observation of providence will both beget and secure inward tranquillity in your minds amidst the viciss●udes and revolutions of things in this unstable vain world . psal . . i will both lay me down in peace , and sleep , for the lord only maketh me dwell in safety . he resolves the sinful fears of events shall not rob him of his inward quiet , nor torture his thoughts with anxious presages : he will commit all his concerns into that faithful fatherly hand that had hitherto wrought all things for him , and he means not to lose the comfort of one nights rest , nor bring the evil of to morrow upon the day , but knowing in whose hand he was , wisely enjoyes the sweet felicity of a resigned will. now this tranquillity of our minds is as much begotten and preserved by a due consideration of providence , as by any thing whatsoever . hence it was , that our lord jesus christ , when he would cure the disciples anxious and distracting sollicitudes about a livelihood , bids them consider the care providence hath over the birds of the air , and the lillies of the field , how it feeds the one , and clothes the other without any anxious care of theirs ; and would have them well consider those providences , and reason themselves into a calm and sweet composure of spirit from those considerations , mat. . , , , , . two things destroy the peace and tranquillity of our lives , our bewailing past disappointments , or fearing future ones . but would we once learn prevision and provision to be divine prerogatives , and take notice how often providence baffles those that pretend to it , causing the good they foresaw ( according to their conjectures ) coming to their hand , yet to balk them and ●lee from them : and the evil they thought themselves sufficiently secured from , to invade them . i say , would we consider how providence daily baffles these pretensions of men , and asserts its own dominion , it would greatly conduce to the tranquillity of our lives . this is a great truth , that there is no face of adversity of formidable , but being viewed from this station , would become amicable . now there be several things in the consideration of providence , that naturally and kindly compose the mind of a christian to peace , and bring it to a sweet rest , whilst events hang in a doubtful suspense . as first , the supremacy of providence , and its uncontroulable power in working . this is often seen in the good that it brings us in a way that 's above the thoughts and cares of our minds , or labour of our hands . i had not thought ( said jacob ) to have seen thy face ; and lo , god hath shewed me thy seed also , gen. . . there is a frequent coincidency of providences in a way of surprizal , which from no appearance , or the remotest tendency of outward causes could be foreseen , but rather falls visibly cross to the present scheme , and posture of our affairs . nothing tends to convince us of the vanity and folly of our own sollicitudes and projections , more than this doth . the profound wisdom of providence in all that it performeth for the people of god. the wheels are full of eyes , ezek. . . ( i.e. ) there is an intelligent and wise spirit that sits upon , and governs the affairs of this world . this wisdom shines out to us in the unexpected , yea , contrary events of things . how o●ten have we been courting some beautiful appearance that invited our senses , and with trembling shun'd the formidable face of other things , when notwithstanding the issues of providence have convinced us , that our danger lay in what we cou●ted , and our good in what we so studiously declined ? this also is a sweet principle of peace and quiet to the christians mind , that he knows not , but his good may be imported in what seemed to threaten his ruine . many were the distresses and straits of israel in the wilderness , but all was to humble them , that he might do them good in the latter end , deut. . . sad and dismal was the face of that providence that sent them out of their own land , into the land of the chaldeans ; yet even this was a project to do them good , jer. . . how often have we retracted our rash and headlong censures of things upon experience of this truth ! and been taught to bless our afflictions and disappointments in the name of the lord. many a time have we kissed those troubles at parting , which we met with trembling . and what can promote peace under doubtful providences more effectually than this ? the experiences we have had throughout our lives of the faithfulness and constancy of providence , are of excellent use to allay and quiet our hearts in any trouble that befalls us . hitherto god hath helped , sam. . . we never found him wanting to us in any case hitherto : this ●s not the first : strait we have been in : the first time that our hearts and hopes have been low . surely , he is the same god now as heretofore , his hand is not shortned , neither doth his faithfulness ●ail . o recount in how great extremities former experience hath taught you not to despair ! the conjectures christians may make of the way of providence towards them , from what its former methods have been towards them , is exceeding quieting and comfortable . it 's usual with christians , to compare times with times , and to guess at the issue of one providence by another . the saints do know what course providence usually holds , and accordingly with great probability collect what they may expect from what in like cases they have formerly observed . christian , examine thine own heart , and its former observations , and thou wilt find , as psal. . , , . that it's usually the way of god to prepare some smart rods to correct thee , when either thy heart hath secretly revolted from god , and is grown vain , careless and sensual , or when thy steps have declined , and thou hast turned aside to the commission of iniquity . and then when those rods have been sanctified to humble , reduce and purge thy heart , it 's usually observed , that those sad providences are then upon the change , and then the lord changes the voice of his providence towards thee , jer. . , . go , and proclaim these words towards the north , and say , return thou backsliding israel , saith the lord , and i will not cause mine anger to fall upon you , for i am merciful , saith the lord , and i will not keep anger for ever . only acknowledge thine iniquity , &c. if therefore i find the blessed effects of the rod upon me , that it hath done its work , to break the hard heart , and pull down the proud heart , and awaken the drowsie heart , and quicken the slothful , negligent , lazy heart ; now with great probability i may conjecture , a more comfortable aspect of providence will quickly appear , the refreshing and reviving time is nigh . it is usual with christians , to argue themselves into fresh reviving hopes , when the state of things is most forlorn , by comparing the providences of god one with another . ( . ) it is a mighty composing meditation , when we compare the providences of god towards the inanimate and irrational creatures , with his providences towards us . doth he take care for the very fowls of the air , for whom no man provides , as well as those at the door which we daily feed ? doth he so clothe the very grass of the field ? hear the young ravens , when they cry for meat ? and can it be supposed , he should forget his own people , that are of much more value than these ? ( . ) or if we compare the bounty and care that providence hath expressed to the enemies of god , how it feeds and clothes and protects them , even whilst they are fighting against him with his own mercies ; it cannot but quiet and satisfie us , that surely he will not be wanting to that people upon whom he hath set his love , to whom he hath given his son , and for whom he hath designed heaven it self . ( . ) or lastly , it must needs quiet us , when we consider , what the lord did for us in the way of his providence , when we our selves were in the state of nature , and enmity against god. did he not then look after us , when we knew him not ? provided for us , when we owned him not in any of his mercies ? bestowed thousands of mercies upon us , when we had no title to christ or any one promise ? and will he now do less for us , since we are reconciled and become his children ? surely , such considerations as these , cannot : but fill the soul with peace , and preserve the tranquillity of it under the most distracting providences . the ninth motive . dve observations of the wayes of god in his providences towards us , have an excellent usefulness and aptitude to advance and improve holiness in our hearts and lives . for , the holiness of god is manifested to us in all his works of providence , psal. . . the lord is righteous in all his ways , and holy in all his works . the instruments used by providence may be very sinful & wicked , they may aim at base ends , & make use of wicked mediums to attain them ; but it 's certain gods designs are most pure , and all his workings are so too . though he permits , limits , orders and over-rules many unholy persons and actions ; yet in all he works like himself ; and his holiness is no more defiled and stained by their impurity ; than the sun-beams are by the noisome exhalations of a dunghill , deut. . . he is the rock , his work is perfect ; for all his wayes are judgement , a god of truth , and without iniquity : just and right is he . so that in all his providences he sets before us a perfect pattern of holiness , that we might be holy in all our wayes , as our father is in all his wayes . but this is not all . his providences if duely observed , promote holiness , by stopping up our way to sin . oh if men would but note the designs of god in his preventive providences , how useful would it be to keep them upright and holy in their wayes ? for why is it , that the lord so often hedges up our way with thorns , as it is hosea . . but that we should not ●ind our paths to sin ? why doth he clogg us , but to prevent our straying from him ? cor. . . lest i should be exalted above measure , there was given me a thorn in the slesh , a messenger of satan to buffet me . o 't is good to attend to these works of god , and study the meaning of them . sometimes providence crosseth a hopeful thriving project to advance our estate , and frustrates all our labours and cares ; why is this ? but to hide pride from man. shouldst thou prosper in the world , that prosperity might be thy snare , and make thee a proud , sensual , vain ●oul ; the lord jesus sees this , and therefore withdraws the food and fuel from thy corruptions . it may be thou hast a crazy , diseased , weak body ; thou labourest under often infirmities : in this , the wisdom and care of god over thy soul is manifested ; for wert thou not so clogged , how probable is it , that much more guilt might be contracted ? your poverty doth but clog your pride ; reproaches clog your ambition : want prevents wantonness : sickness of body conduces to the prevention of many inward gripes of conscience , and groans under guilt . the providences of god may be observed to conduce to our holiness , not only by preventing sin , that we may not ●all into it ; but also by purging our sins when we are fallen into them , isa. . . by this therefore shall the iniquity of jacob be purged ; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin . so dan. . , , . they are of the same use that fire and water are for purging and cleansing ; not that they can purge us from sin in their own vertue and power , for if so , those that have most afflictions would have most grace also ; but it is in the vertue of christ's blood , and god's blessing upon afflictive providences , that they purge us from sin . a cross without a crist never did any man good . now in god's afflictive providences for sin there are many things that tend to the purging of it . for ( . ) such rebukes of providence discover the displeasure of god against us : the lord frowns upon us in those providences . our father is angry , and these are the tokens of it ; and nothing works more to the melting of a gracious hear● than this . must not the heart of a child melt and break whil'st the father is angry . o this is more bitter to our spirits than all the smart and anguish of the affliction can be to our flesh . see psal. . , , . o lord rebuke me not in thy wrath ; neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure : for thine arrows stick fast in me ; and thine band presseth me sore . there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger : neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin . ( . ) by these rebukes of sin , the evil of sin is discovered more sensibly to us , and we are made to see more clearly the evil of it in these glasses of affliction which providence at such times sets before us , than formerly we ever saw . jer. . . thine own wickedness shall correct thee ; and thy backslidings shall reprove thee , know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter , that thou hast forsaken the lord thy god , and that my fear is not in thee , saith the lord of hosts . o the gall and wormwood that we taste in it under god's rebukes for it ! ( . ) providence blasts and frustrates all sinful projects to the people of god : whoever thrives in them , they shall not . isa. . , , , , . and this also convinces them of the folly that is in sin , and makes them cleave to the way of simplicity and integrity . holiness is promoted in the soul by cautioning and warning the soul against sin for time to come . job . ▪ i have born chastisement , i will not offend any more . o happy providences , how smart soever , that make the soul for ever a●raid of sin ! surely such rods are well bestow'd . this gives god his end : and if ever we sorrowed after a godly sort , in the day of our troubles it will work this carefulness . cor. . . behold this self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort , what carefulness it wrought in you , &c. o if ever a man have been under a sanctified rod which hath shewed him the evil of sin , and kindly humbled him for it ; and a temptation should again sollicite him to the same evil : why thinks he , what a madness is it for me to buy repentance at so dear a rate ? have i not smarted enough already ? you may as well ask me , whether i will run again into the ●ire , after i have been already scorcht in it ? to conclude , providences do greatly improve and promote holiness by drawing the soul into the presence of god , and giving it the opportunity and occasion of much communion with him . comfortable providences will do this , they will melt a man's heart in love to the god of his mercies , and so pain his bowels that he shall not be quiet till he have found a place to pour out his soul in thankfulness to the lord. sam. . . afflictive providences will drive us to the feet : of god , and there make us to judge and condemn our selves . and all this hath an excellent use to destroy sin , and promote holiness in the soul. the tenth motive . lastly , the consideratjon and study of providence will be of singular use to us in a dying hour . hereby we treasure up that which will singularly sweeten our death to us , and greatly assist our faith in the last encounter . you find when jacob dyed , what reflections he had upon the dealings of god with him in the various providences of his life . see gen. . . , , , . in like manner you ●ind joshua recording the providences of god when at the brink of the grave : they were the subject of his dying discourse . josh. . and i cannot but think it a sweet close to the life of any christian : it must needs sweeten a death-bed to recount there the several remarkable passages of god's care and love to us from our beginning to that day : to reflect upon the mercies that went along with us all the way , when we are come to the end of it . o christians , treasure up these instances for such a time as that is ; that you may go out of the world blessing god for all the goodness and truth he hath performed to you all your life long . now the meditations of these things must needs be of great use in that day , if you consider the following particulars . the time of death is the time when souls are usually most violently assaulted by satan with horrid temptations and black suggestions . we may say of that ●igurative , as it 's said of ▪ the natural serpent , nunquam nisi morjens , producitur in longum , he never exerts his utmost rage till the last encounter ; and then his great design is to perswade the saints , that god loves them not , hath no care nor regard for them , nor their cryes ; though they pray for ease and cry for sparing mercy , they see none comes . he handles them with as much roughness and severity as other men ; yea , many of the vilest and most dissolute wretches endure less torments , and are more gently handled than they . psal. . . there are no bands in their death , when as thou must go through a long lane of sickness to the grave , and endure many deaths in one . but what credit can these plausible tales of satan obtain with a christian who hath been treasuring up all his life long the memorjals of god's tender regard both to his wants and prayers , and that hath care●ully remarked the evident returns of his prayers , and gracious condescensions of god to him ●rom his beginning to that moment ? in this case his saith is mightily assisted by thousands of experiences which back and encourage it , and will not suffer the soul to give up so easily a truth which he hath so often sensibly felt and tasted . i am sure ( saith he ) god hath had a tender fatherly care of me ever since i became his : he never failed me yet in any former strait ; and i cannot believe he will do so now . i know his love is like himself , unchangeable . job . . . having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end : for this god is our god for ever and ever , he will be our guide even unto death . psal. . . did he love me in my youth , and will he cast me off in my decrepit age ? o god , ( saith the psalmist ) thou hast taught me from my youth , and hitherto have i declared thy wondrous works , now also when i am old and gray headed , o god , forsake me not , psal. . , . at death the saints are engaged in the last , and one of the most eminent works of faith , even the committing themselves into the hands of god , when we are lanching forth into that vast eternity , and entring into that new state which will make so great a change upon us in a moment . in this christ sets us a pattern , luke . . father into thy hands i commend my spirit ; and having said thus he gave up the ghost . so stephen at his death , lord jesus , receive my spirit , and immediately fell asleep , act. . . there be two signal and remarkable acts of faith , both exceedingly difficult , viz. its first act , and its last . the first is a great venture that it makes of it self upon christ : and the last is a great venture too , to cast it self into the ocean of eternity upon the credit of a promise . but yet i know the first adventure of the soul upon christ is much more difficult than the last adventure upon death ; and that which makes it so is in great measure , the manifold recorded experiences that the soul hath been gathering up from the day of its espousals to christ unto its dying which is ( in a sense ) its marriage day . oh with what encouragement may a soul throw himself into the arms of that god with whom he hath so long conversed and walked in this world ! whose visits have been sweet and frequent , with whom the soul hath contracted so intimate acquaintance in this world ; whom it hath committed all its affairs to formerly , and still ●ound him a faithful god ; and now hath no reason to doubt , but it shall find him so in this last distress and exigence also . at death the people of god receive the last mercies that ever they shall receive in this world by the hand of providence , and are immediately to make up their accounts with god ●or all the mercies that ever they received from his hand . what can be more suitable therefore to a dying person , than to recount with himself the mercies of his whole life , the manifold receipts of favour for which he is to reckon with god speedily : and how shall this be done without a due and serious observation and recording of them now ? i know there are thousands of mercies forgotten by the best of christians : a memory of brass cannot contain them : and i know also that jesus christ must make up the account for us , or it will never pass with god ; yet it is our duty to keep the accounts of our own mercies , and how they have been improv'd by us , for we are stewards , and then are to give an account of our stewardship . at death we owe an account also to men , and stand obliged ( if there be opportunity for it ) to make known to them that survive us what we have seen and found of god in this world , that we may leave a testimony for god with men , and bring up a good report upon his ways . thus dying jacob when joseph was come to take his last farewell of him in this world , strengthened himself and sate upon the bed , and related to him the eminent appearances of god to him , and the places where , gen. . , . as also an account of his afflictions , verse . so joshua in his last speech to the people makes it his business to vindicate and clear the truth of the promises , by recounting to them how the providence of god had fulfill'd the same to a tittle in his day . josh. . . and behold ( saith he ) this day i am going the way of all the earth , and ye know in all your hearts , and in all your souls , that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the lord your god spake concerning you ; all are come to pass unto you , and not one thing hath failed thereof . and certainly 't is of great importance to the world , to understand the judgements , and hear of the experiences of dying men . they of all men are presumed to be most wise and most serious : besides , this is the last opportunity that ever we shall have in this world to speak for god. o then what a sweet thing would it be to close up our lives with an honourable account of the ways of god! to go out of the world blessing him for all the mercies and truth which he hath here performed to us ! how would this encourage weak christians , and convince the atheistical world , that verily there is a reality and an excellency in the ways and people of god! at death we begin the angelical life of praise and thanksgiving . we then enter upon that everlasting sweet employment ; and as i doubt not but the providences in which we were concerned in this world will be a part of that song which we shall sing in heaven , so certainly it will become us to tune our hearts and tongues for it whil'st we are here , and especially when we are ready to enter upon that blessed state . o therefore let it be your daily meditation and study what god hath been to you , and done for you , from the beginning of his way hitherto . and thus i have spread before you some encouragements to this blessed work . oh that you would be perswaded to this lovely and every way bene●icial practice . this i dare presume to say , that whoever finds a careful and a thankful heart to record and treasure up the daily experiences of god's mercy to him , shall never want new mercies to record to his dying day . it was said of claudjan that he wanted matter suitable to the excellency of his parts ; but where is the head or heart that is suitable to this matter ? who can utter the mighty works of the lord ? who can shew forth all his praise ? psal. . . thus i have through the aid of providence dispatched the main design i aimed at in the choice of this subject . all that remains will now be speedily finished in some few corollaries to be brie●ly noted upon the whole , and three or four practical cases to be stated . you have heard how providence per●ormeth all things for you ▪ learn thence , first corollary . that god is therefore to be owned by you in all that befalls you in this world , whether it be in ● way of success and comfort , or of trouble and afflictjon . o 't is your duty to observe his hand and disposal : when god gives you comforts , 't is your great evil not to observe his hand in them . hence was that charge against israel , ●os . . . she did not know that i gave her corn and wine and oil , and multipljed her silver and gold ( i. e. ) she did not actually and affectionately consider my care over her and goodness to her , in these mercies . and so for afflictions , 't is a great wickedness , when god's hand is listed up not to see it . isa. . . the ox knows his owner , and the ass his masters crib , isa. . . the most dull and stupid creatures know their benefactors . o look to the hand of god in all ; and know , that neither your comforts nor afflictions do arise out of the dust , or spring up out of the ground . second corollary . if god perform all things for you , how great is his condescensjon to and care over his people ! what is man ( saith job , chap. . v. , . ) that thou shouldst magnifje him , and set thine heart upon him ? and that thou shouldst visit him every morning , and try him every moment ? such is his tender care over you that he withdraws not his eye from you . see job . . lest any hurt you , he himself will guard and keep you day and night . isa. . . should he withdraw his eye or hand one moment from you , that moment would be your ruine . ten thousand evils watch but for such an opportunity , to rush in upon you , and destroy you and all your com●orts . you , are too dear to him to be trusted in any hand but his own . deut. . . all his saints are in thy hand . third corollary . learn hence how you are obliged to perform all dutjes and services for god , who performeth all things for you . it was the wish of a good man , optarem id me esse deo , quod est mihi manus mea , oh that i could be to god what my hand is to me , viz. a serviceable useful instrument . shall god do all things for you , and will you do nothing for god ? is providence every moment at work for you , and will you be idle ? to what purpose then is all that god hath done for you ? is it not the aim and design of all , to make you a fruitful people ? if god plant , and fence , and water you by providence , sure he looks you should bring forth fruit . isa. . , , , . o that in return for all the benefits of providence , you would say to god , as grateful elisha said to the shunamite , behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care , what is to be done for thee ? kings . . and with david , psal. . . what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits towards me ! he is ever doing you good ; be you always abounding in his work . his providence stands by you in your greatest distresses and dangers ; don't you flinch from god when his service and your duty is compassed about with difficulties . o be active for that god who is acting every moment for you . fourth corollary . doth god perform all things for his people ? do not distrust him then as often as new or great difficultjes arise . why should you think he that hath done so many things for you , will now do no more ? surely , the lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save , nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear ; if any thing put a stop to his mercy , 't is your iniquities , your distrust and infidelity . isa. . . how long will it be ere you beljeve him ? if a thousand and ten thousand of tryals and experiences of his tender care , faithfulness and love will cure this distemper in you , you have them at hand to do it . if the frequent confutations of this your distrust by the unexpected breakings out of mercy for you under like discouragements will cure it , look back and you may see them . certainly you have been often forced by providence with shame and repentance to retract your rash censures of his care ; and yet will you fall into the same distemper again ? oh that you would once learn this great truth , that no man ever wanted that mercy , which he wanted not an heart to trust and wait quietly upon god for . you never yet sought god in vain , except when you sought him vainly . the fi●th corollary . doth god perform all things for you ? then seek god for all by prayer , and never undertake any design without him : certainly , if he do not perform it for you , you can never have what you desire and labour ●or : and though he have designed to perform this or that mercy for you , yet for these things he will be enquired of that he may do it for you : ezek. . . i reckon that business as good as done , that mercy as good as if it were in hand , that trouble as good as over , for the doing , enjoying , or removing whereof we have engaged god by prayer . 't is our ●olly to engage this instrument and that for us , to attempt this way and that to compass our design , and all the while forget him upon whose pleasure all instruments and means entirely depend . that which begins not with prayer , seldom winds up with comfort . the way of man is not in himself ; if it were , prayer might then be reckon'd lost labour . o let him that performs all , be owned and acknowledged in all . the sixth corollary . lastly , if god perform all things for us , then it is our great interest and concernment in all things to study to please him , upon whom we depend for all things . it is a grave and weighty observation of chrysostome . nothing ( saith he ) should be grievous and bitter to a christian , but to provoke the displeasure of god. avoid that , and no affliction or trouble whatever can cast down such a prudent soul ; but even as a spark is easily extinguish'd in the sea , so will the favour of god extinguish those troubles . it is with such a soul ( saith he ) as it is with the heavens ; we think the heavens suffer when they are over-spread with clouds , and the sun suffers when it is eclipsed ; but there is no such thing , they suffer not when they seem to suffer . tranquillus deus , tranquillat omnja . every thing is well , and shall be well , when all is well betwixt us and god. the great consolation of the saints lyes in this , that all that concerns them is in the hands of their father . pene desperassem nisi christus esset caput ecclesjae . i had utterly despair'd ( said luther ) had not christ been head of the church . when he that performs all things is our god , even our god that delights in our prosperity , that rejoyces over us to do us good , what ample security is here in the greatest confusions and dangers ? when one told bouromeus that there were some that laid wait for his life , his answer was , an deus est in mundo pro nihilo ? what , is god in the world for nothing ? and as notable was the reply of silentjarjus in a like case , si deus mei curam non habet , quid vivo ? if god take no care of me , how do i live , how have i subsisted hitherto ? though it seems a romance to many ( saith a late grave author ) yet we must either quit the scripture , or give credit to this , that the most infallible rules for one to raise his fortune and ensure a destiny that can controul the stars , are given forth there ( viz. in the scriptures ) where that evidently is found , sapiens dominabitur astris , & quomodo unusquisque faber potest esse fortunae suae . a good man may even be his own carver . o that we would but steer our course according to those rare politicks of the bible , those divine maxims of wisdom . fear nothing but sin . study nothing so much as how to please god. warp not from your integrity under any temptation . trust god in the way of your duty . these are sure rules to secure your selves and your interest in all the vicissitudes of this life . my last work will be to state three or four practical cases about this subject , and so i shall shut up this discourse of providence . first case . how may a christian discover the will of god and his own duty under dark and doubtful providences ? in order to the clearing of this case , we are to consider , what is meant by the will of god ; what by those doubtful providences , that make the discovery of his will difficult , and what rules are to be observed for the clearing up of gods will to our selves under such difficult and puzzling providences . as to the will of god , it falls under a twofold consideration , of his secret and revealed will ; this distinction is found in that scripture , deut. . . the secret things belong unto the lord our god , but those things which are revealed belong unto us , &c. the first is the rule of his own actions ; the later of ours : and this only is concerned in the quere . this revealed will of god is either manifested to us in his word , or in his works . the former is his commanding will , the later his effecting or permitting will ; the one versant about good , the other about evil . in these wayes god manifests his will to men , but yet with great variety and difference , both as to the things revealed , the persons to whom he reveals them , and the degrees of clearness in which they are revealed . ( . ) as to the things revealed , there is great differenc● : for the great and necessary duties of religion are revealed to us in the word , with greatest perspicuity and evidence . about these there can be no hesitation ; but things of a lower nature and lesser concern are left more obscure . ( . ) as to the persons to whom god reveals his will , there is great difference ; some are strong men , others babes , cor. . . some have senses exercised , others are of weak and dull understanding ; and we know every thing is received according to the ability and measure of the person receiving it . hence it is , that one mans way is very plain before him , he knows what he ought to do : the other is ever and anon at a loss , bivious and uncertain what to do . ( . ) the manner of gods revealing his will to men is also very different . some have had special , personal , and peculiar discoveries of it made to them . so had samuel about the choice of the person whom he should anoint king , sam. . . and so had david , sam. . , , , , , . where you find upon his enquiry of god ( likely by the vrim and thummim ) god told him what was his duty as to that expedition , and what would be the event of it . but now , all are tyed up to the ordinary standing rule of the written word , and must not expect any such extraordinary revelations from god. the way we now have to know the will of god concerning us in difficult cases , is to search and study the scriptures , and where we find no particular rule to guide us in this or that particular case , there we are to apply general rules , and govern our selves according to the analogy and proportion they bear towards each other . but now it often falls out , that in such doubtful cases we are entangled in our own thoughts , and put to a loss what course to take . we pray with david . that god would make his way plain before us , psal. . . afraid we are of displeasing god , and yet doubtful we may do so ; whether we resolve this way , or that . and this comes to pass not only through the difficulty of the case , but from our own ignorance and inadvertency ; and very frequently from those providences that lye before us , wherein god seems to hint his mind to us , this way or that , and whether we may safely guide our selves by those intimations of providence , is doubtful to us . that god doth give men secret hints and intimations of his will by his providence , cannot be doubted ; but yet providences in themselves , are no stable rule of duty , nor sufficient discovery of the will of god. we may say of them , as it is , job . , . behold , i go forward , but he is not there : and backward , but i cannot perceive him : an the left hand where he doth work , but i cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand , that i cannot see him . if providence in it self be allowed to be a su●●icient discovery of gods will to us , then we shall be forced often times to justifie and condemn the same cause or person , forasmuch as there is one event happens to all , and as it falls out to the good , so to the wicked , eccles. . . beside , if providence alone were the rule to judge any action or design by ; then a wicked undertakement would cease to be so , if it should succeed well ; but sin is sin still , and duty is duty still , what ever the events and issues of either be . the safest way therefore to make use of providence in such cases is , to consider them as they follow the commands or promises of the word , and not singly and separately in themselves . if you search the scriptures with an indifferent and unbyassed spirit , in a doubtful case , pray for counsel and direction from the lord , attend to the dictates of conscience . and when you have done all , shall find the providences of god falling out agreeably to the dictates of your own conscience , and the best light you can find in the word , you may in such cases make use of it as an encouragement to you , in the way of your duty : but the most signal demonstrations of providence are not to be accepted against a scripture rule ; no smiles or successes of providences may in this case encourage us to proceed ; and on the other side , no frowns or discouragements of providence should dishearten us in the way of our duty , how many soever we should encounter therein . holy job could not find the meaning of god in his works , yet would he not go back from the commandments of his lips , job . . the like resolution you ●ind in david , to proceed in his duty , and cleave to the word , how many stumbling blocks soever providence should permit to be laid in his way . i am become ( saith he ) like a bottle in the smoke ( not only blackt , but withered up by troubles ) yet do i not forget thy statutes , psal. . . and again ver. . they had almost consumed me upon earth : but i forsook not thy precepts . paul by the direction of the spirit was engaged to go to jerusalem , acts . . after a clear revelation of the mind of god to him in that matter , how many difficult and discouraging providences be●ell him in his way ? the disciples at tyre said to him by the spirit ( though in that they ●ollowed their own spirits ) that he should not go to jerusalem , acts . . then at cesarea he met agabus a prophet , who told him what should be●all him when he came thither , chap. . , . all this will not disswade him . and after all this , how passionately do the brethren beseech him to decline that journey ? ver. , . yet knowing his rule , and resolving to be faithful to it , he puts by all and proceeds in his journey . well then , providence in concurrence with the word may give some encouragement to us in our way ; but no testimony of providence is to be accepted against the word . if scripture and conscience tell you , such a way is sinful , you may not venture upon it , how many opportunities and encouragements soever providence may suffer to offer themselves to you , for they are only permitted for your tryal , not your encouragement : take this therefore for a sure rule , that no providence can legitimate , or justifie any moral evil . nor will it be a plea before god for any man to say , the providence of god gave me encouragement to do it , though the word gave me none . if there●ore in doubtful cases , you would discover gods will , govern your selves in your search after it by these rules . get the true fear of god upon your hearts , be really afraid of offending him , god will not hide his mind from such a ●oul , psal. . . the secret of the lord is with them that fear him , and he will shew them his covenant . study the word more , and the concerns and interests of the world less . the word is a light to your feet , psal. . . ( i. e. ) it hath a discovering and directive usefulness as to all duties to be done , and dangers to be avoided : it is the great oracle at which you are to enquire : treasure up its rules in your hearts , and you will walk safely , psal. . . thy word have i hid in my heart that i might not sin against thee . reduce what you know into practice , and you shall know what is your duty to practise , joh. . . if any man do his will he shall know of the doctrine . psal. . . a good understanding have all they that do thereafter . pray for illumination and direction in the way that you should go ; beg the lord to guide you in straits , and that he would not suffer you to fall into sin . this was the holy practice of ezra , chap. . . then i proclaimed a fast there at the river ahava , that we might afflict our selves before our god , to seek of him a right way for us , and for our little ones , and for all our substance . and this being done , ●ollow providence so far as it agrees with the word , and no farther . there is no use to be made of providence against the word , but in subserviency to it . and there are two excellent uses of providence in subserviency to the word . ( . ) providences as they follow promises and prayer are evidences of god's faithfulness in their accomplishment . when david languished under a disease , and his enemies began to triumph in the hopes of his downfall ; he prays , psal. . . that god would be merciful to him , and raise him up ; and by that , he saith , he knew the lord favoured him , because his enemy did not triumph over him , ver . . this providence he looked upon as a token for good , as elsewhere he calls it , psal. . . and ( . ) providences give us loud calls to those duties which the command lays upon us , and tell us when we are actually and presently under the obligation of the commands as to the performance of them . thus when sad providences befall the church or our selves , they call us to humiliation ; and let us know that then the command upon us to humble our selves at the feet of god is in force upon us , micah . . the lords voice cryeth to the city , and the man of wisdom shall see thy name , hear the rod , and who hath appointed it . the rod hath a voice ; and what doth it speak ? why now is the time to humble your selves under the mighty hand of god. this is the day of trouble in which god hath bid you to call upon him . and ● contra , when comfortable providences refresh us , it now informs us , this is the time to rejoyce in god according to the rule , eccles. . . in the day of prosperi●y be joyful . these precepts bind always , but not to always . it 's our duty therefore and our wisdom to distinguish seasons , and know the proper duties of every season : and providence is an index that points them out to us . thus of the first case . the second case . how may a christian be supported in waiting upon god whil'st providence delays the performance of the mercies to him for which he hath long pray'd and waited ? two things are supposed in this case . ( . ) that providence may linger and delay the performance of those mercies to us that we have long waited and prayed for . ( . ) that during that delay and suspension , our hearts and hopes may be very low , and ready to fail . providence may long delay the performance of those mercies we have prayed and waited upon god for . for the right understanding of this , know that there is a two-fold term or season fixed for the performance of mercy to us . one by the lord our god , in whose hand times and seasons are , acts . . another by our selves , who raise up our own expectations of mercies sometimes meerly through the eagerness of our desires after them , and sometimes upon uncertain conjectural grounds and appearances of encouragement that lye before us . now nothing can be more precise , certain and punctual , than is the performance of mercy at the time and season which god hath appointed , how long soever it be , or how many obstacles soever lye in the way of it . there was a time prefixed by god himself for the performance of that promise of israel's deliverance out of egypt ; and it 's said , exod. . . at the end of the four hundred and thirty years , even the self same day it came to pass , that all the host of the lord went out of the land of egypt . compare this with acts . . and there you have the ground and reason why their deliverance was not , nor could be delayed one day longer , because the time of the promise was now come . promises like a pregnant woman must accomplish their appointed months , and when they have so done , providence will midwife the mercies they go big withal into the world , and not one of them shall miscarry . but for the seasons which are of our own ●ixing and appointment , as god is not tyed to them , so his providences are not governed by them : and hence are our disappointments . we looked for peace , but no good came ; for a time of health , and behold trouble , jer. . . and hereupon is it that we fret at the delays of providence , and suspect the faithfulness of god in their performance . but his thoughts are not our thoughts , isa. . . the lord is not slack concerning his promise as men count slackness , pet. . . it is slackness if you reckon by our own rule and measure , but it is not so , if you reckon and count it by god's . the lord doth not compute and reckon his seasons of working by our arithmetick , you have both these rules compared , and the ground of our mistake detected in that scripture , hab. . . the visjon is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speak , and not lye : though it tarry , wait for it , because it will surely come , it will not tarry . god appoints the time : when that appointed time is come , the expected mercies will not fail : but in the mean time , though it tarry ( saith the prophet ) wait for it , for it will not tarry . tarry , and not tarry , how shall this be reconciled ? the meaning is , it may tarry much beyond your expectatjon , but not a moment beyond god's appointment . during this delay of providence , the hearts and hopes of the people of god may be very low , and much discouraged . this is too plain from what the scriptures have recorded of others , and every one of us may find in our own experiences . we have an instance of this in isa. . , . in the . verse you have god's faithful promise , that he will comfort his people , and have mercy upon his afflicted . enough one would think to raise and comfort their hearts . but the mercy promised was long in coming , they waited from year to year , and still the burthen pressed them , and was not removed . and therefore ver . . zjon said , the lord hath forsaken me and my lord hath forgotten me , q. d. it 's in vain to look for such a mercy , god hath no regard to us , we are out of his heart and mind , he neither cares for us nor minds what becomes of us . so it was with david , after god had made him such a promise , and in the time thereof so faithfully performed it , that never was mercy better secured to any man ; for they are call'd , the sure mercjes of david , isa. . . yet providence delayed the accomplishment of them so long , and suffered such difficulties to intervene , that he even despaires to see the accomplishment of them , but even concludes god had forgotten him too , psal. . . how long wilt thou forget me , o lord , for ever ? and what he speaks here by way of questjon , he elsewhere turns into a positive conclusjon , psal. . . all men are lyars , i shall one day perish by the hand of saul . and the causes of these despondencies , and sinkings of heart are partly from our selves , and partly form satan . if we duly examine our own hearts about it , we shall find that these sinkings of heart are the immediate effects of unbelief . we do not depend and rely upon the word with that full trust and confidence that is due to the infallible word of a faithful and unchangeable god. you may see the ground of this faintness in that scripture , psal. . . i had fainted unless i had beljeved . faith is the only cordial that relieves the heart against these faintings and despondencies . where this is wanting , or is weak , no wonder our hearts sink at this rate , when discouragements are before us . our judging and measuring things by the rules of sense , this is a great cause of our discouragements . we conclude , according to the appearances of things will be their issues . if abraham had done so , in that great tryal of his faith , he had certainly lost his footing ; but against hope , ( i. e. ) against natural probability , he beljeved in hope , giving glory to god , rom. . . if paul had done so , he had fainted under his tryals , . cor. . , , we faint not ( saith he ) whil'st we look not at the things that are seen , q. d. that which keeps up our spirits , is our looking off from things present and visible , and measuring all by another rule , viz. the power and fidelity of god ●irmly engaged in the promises . in all these things satan manages a design upon us . hence he takes occasions to suggest hard thoughts of god , and to beat off our souls from all confidence in him , and expectations form him . he is the great make-bate betwixt god and the saints . he reports the difficulties and fears that are in our way with advantage , and labours to weaken our hands , and discourage our hearts in waiting upon god. and these suggestions gain the more credit with us , because they are confirm'd and attested by sense and feeling . but here is a desperate design carrying on under very plausible pretences against our souls . it concerns us to be watchful now , and maintain our faith and hope in god. now blessed is he that can resign all to god , and quietly wait for his salvation . to assist the soul in this difficulty , i shall offer some farther help beside what hath been formerly given under the first cautjon , pag. . in the following considerations . first consideration . though providence do not yet perform the mercies you wait for , yet you have no ground to entertain hard thoughts of god ; for it 's possible god never gave you any ground for your expectation of these things from him . it may be you have no promise to bottome your hope upon ; and if so , why shall god be suspected and dishonoured by you in a case wherein his truth and faithfulness was never engaged to you ? if we are crossed in our outward concernments , and see our expectations of prosperity dashed ; if we see such or such an outward comfort removed , from which we promised our selves much ; why must god be accused for this ? these thing you promised yourselves : but where did god promise you prosperity , and the continuance of those com●ortable things to you ? produce his promise , and shew wherein he hath broken it . it is not enough for you to say , there are general promises in the scripture , that god will withhold no good thing , and these are good things which providence withholds form you ; for that promise , psal. . . hath its limitations , it is expresly limited to such as walk uprightly ; and it concerns you to examine whether you have done so , before you quarrel with providence for non-performance of it . ah friend , search thine own heart , reflect upon thine own ways ; seest thou not so many ●laws in thine integrity , so many turnings aside from god , both in heart and life , that may justice god , not only in withholding what thou lookest for , but in removing all that thou enjoyest ? and besides this limitation as to the object , it 's limited ( as all other promises relating to externals are ) in the matter or things premised by the wisdome and will of god , which is the only rule by which they are measured out to men in this world , ( i.e. ) such mercies in such proportions as he sees needful and most conducible to your good ; and these given out in such times and seasons as are of his own-appointment , not yours . god never came under an absolute unlimited ●ye for outward comforts to any of us ; and if we be disappointed , we can blame none but our selves . who bid us expect rest , ease , delight , and things of this kind in this world ? he hath never told us , we shall be rich , healthy and at ease in our habitations ; but on the contrary , he hath often told us , we must expect troubles in the world , john . . and that through many tribulatjons we must enter into his kingdom , acts . . all that he stands bound to us by promise for , is to be with us in trouble , psal. . . to supply our real and absolute needs , isa. . . when the poor and needy seek water , and there is none , and their tongue faileth for thirst , i the lord will hear them , i the god of israel will not forsake them ; and to sanctifie all thes● providences to our good at last , rom. . . all things shall work together for good to them that love god. and as to all these things not one tittle ever did , or shall fail . second consideration . but it you say you have long waited upon god for spiritual mercies to your souls according to the promise , and still those mercies are deferred , and your eyes fail whilst you look for them ; i would desire you seriously to consider of what kind those spiritual mercies are , for which you have so long waited upon god. spiritual mercies are of two sorts ; such as belong to the essence , the very being of the new creature , without which it must fail : or to it s well being , and the comfort of the inner man ; without which you cannot live so cheerfully as you would . the mercies of the former kind are absolutely necessary , and therefore put into absolute promises , as you see , jer. . . and i will make an everlasting covenant with them , that i will not turn away from them to do them good , but i will put my fear in their hearts , that they shall not depart from me . but for the rest they are dispensed to us in such measures , and at such seasons as the lord sees fit , and many of his own people live for a long time without them . the donation and continuation of the spirit , to quicken , sanctifie and unite us with christ is necessary , but his joyes and comforts are not so . a child of light may walk in darkness , isa. . . he lives by faith , and not by feeling . third consideration . you complain , providence delayes to perform to you the mercies you have prayed and waited for ; but have you right ends in your desires after these mercies ? it may be that 's the cause , you ask and receive not , james . . the want of a good aim , is the reason why we want good success in our prayers . it may be we pray for prosperity , and our end is to please the flesh ; we look no higher than the pleasure and accommodation of the flesh ; we beg and wait for deliverance from such a trouble and affliction , not that we might be the more expedite and prepared for obedience , but freed of what is grievous to us , and destroyes our pleasure in the world . certainly if it be so , you have more need to judge and condemn your selves , than to censure and suspect the care of god. fourth consideration . you wait for good , and it comes not ; but is your will brought to a due submission to the will of god about it ? certainly god will have you come to this before you enjoy your desires . enjoyment of your desires is the thing that will please you , but resignation of your wills , is that which is pleasing to god : if your hearts cannot come to this , mercies cannot come to you . david was made to wait long for the mercy promised him , yea , and to be content without it before he enjoyed it , psal. . he was brought to be as a weaned child , and so must you . fifth consideration . your betters have waited long upon god for mercy , and why should not you ? david waited till his eyes failed , psal. . the church waited for him in the way of his judgements , isa. . . are you better than all the saints that are gone before you ? is god more obliged to you than to all his people ? they have quietly waited , and why should not you ? sixth consideration . will you lose any thing by patient waiting upon god for mercies ? certainly , not at all : yea , it will turn to a double advantage to you to continue in a quiet submissive waiting posture upon god. for , ( . ) though you do not yet enjoy the good you wait for , yet all this while you are exercising your grace ; and it 's more excellent to act grace , than to enjoy comfort . all this while the lord is training you up in the exercise of faith and patience , and bending your wills in submission to himself ; and what do you lose by that ? yea , and ( . ) when ever the desired mercy comes , it will be so much the sweeter to you : for , look how much faith and prayer hath been employed to produce it , how many wrestlings you have had with god for it , so many more degrees of sweetness you will ●ind in it , when it comes . o therefore , ●aint not , how long soever god delay you . seventh consideration . are not those mercies you expect from god worth the waiting for ? if not , it is your folly to be troubled for the want of them : if they be , why don't you continue waiting ? is it not all that god expects from you for the mercies he bestows upon you , that you wait upon him for them ? you know you have not deserved the least of them at his hands . you expect them not as a recompence , but a free favour , and if so , then certainly the least you can do , is to wait upon his pleasure for them . eighth consideration . consider how many promises are made in the word to waiting souls . one scripture calls them blessed that wait for him , isa. . . another tells us , none that wait for him shall be ashamed , psal. . . ( i.e. ) they shall not be finally disappointed , but at last be partakers of their hopes . a third scripture tells us , they that wait upon the lord , shall renew their strength , isa. . . a promise you had need make much use of in such a fainting time , with many more of like nature ; and shall we faint at this rate in the midst of so many cordials as are prepared to revive us in these promises ? ninth consideration . how long hath god waited upon you when you will comply with his commands , come up to your engagements and promises ? you have made god wait long for your reformation and obedience ; and therefore have no reason to think it much , if god make you wait long for your consolation . we have our how longs , and hath not god his ? we cry , psal. . . but thou o lord , how long ? psal. . , . how long wilt thou forget me , o lord , for ever ? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me ? how long shall i take counsel in my soul , having sorrow in my heart daily ? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me ? ●ut surely we should not think these things long , when we consider , how long the lord hath exercised his patience about us . we have made him say , how long , how long ? our unbeljef hath made him cry , how long will it be ere they beljeve me ? numb . . . our corrupt hearts have made him cry , how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee ? jer. . . our impure natures and wayes have made him cry , how long will it be ere they attain to innocency ? hosea . . if god wait upon you with so much patience for your duties , well may you wait upon him for his mercies . tenth consideration . this impatience and infidelity of yours , exprest in your weariness to wait any longer , as it is a great evil in it self , so very probably it is that evil which obstructs the way of your expected mercies : you might have your mercies soo●er , if your spirits were quieter and more submissive . and thus of the second case . the third case . how may a christian discern when a providence is sanctified , and comes from the love of god to him ? there are two sorts or kinds of providences versant about men in this world , the issues and events of which are vastly different , yea , contrary to each other . to some all providences are over-ruled and ordered for good , according to that blessed promise , rom. . . not only things that are good in themselves , as ordinances , graces , duties and mercies ; but things that are evil in themselves , as temptations , afflictions , and even their sins and corruptions shall turn in the issue to their advantage and benefit . 〈◊〉 though sin be so intrinsecally and formally evil in its own nature , that in it self it be not capable of sanctification ; yet out of this worst of evils god can work good to his people ; and though he never make sin the instrument of good ; yet his providence may make it the occasjon of good to his people ; so that spiritual benefits may by the wise over-ruling of providence be occasioned to the people of god by it . and so for afflictions of all kinds , the greatest and sorest of them ; they do work in the influence of providence a great deal of good to the saints , and that not only as the occasions , but as the instruments and means of it , isa. . . by this shall the iniquity of jacob be purged , ( i. e. ) by the instrumentality of this sanctified affliction . to others nothing is sanctified either as an instrument or occasion of any spiritual good ; but as the worst things are ordered to the benefit of the saints , so the best things wicked men enjoy do them no good . their prayers are turned into sin , psal. . . the ordinances are the savour of death , cor. . . the grace of god turned into wantonness , jude v. . christ himself a rock of offence , pe. . . their table a snare , psal. . . their prosperity their ruine , prov. . . as persons are , so things work for good or evil . tit. . . to the pure all things are pure , but to them that are defiled and unbeljeving is nothing pure . seeing therefore the events of providence fall out so opposite to each other upon the godly , and ungodly ; every thing farthering the eternal good of the one , and the ruine of the other ; it cannot but be acknowledged a most important case in which every soul is deeply concern'd , whether the providences under which he is , be sanctified to him or no ? for the clearing of which i shall premise two necessary considerations , and then subjoyn the rules which will be useful for the determination of the question . and first , let it be considered , that we cannot know from the matter of the things before us , whether they be sanctified or unsanctified to us ; for so consider'd , all things come alike to all ; and no man knoweth either love or hatred by all the things that are before him . eccles. . , . we cannot understand ▪ the mind and heart of god , by the things he dispenseth with his hand . if prosperous providences befall us , we cannot say , herein is a sure sign that god loves me ; for who have more of those providences than the people of his wrath ? psal. . . they have more than their hearts can wish . sure that must be a weak evidence for heaven , which accompanies so great a part of the world to hell. by these things we may testifie our love to god ; but from ten thousand such enjoyments we cannot get any solid assurance of his love to us . and from adverse afflictive providences we cannot know his hatred . if afflictions , great afflictions , many afflictions , long continued afflictions should set a brand , or fix a character of gods hatred upon the persons on whom they ●all ; where then shall we find gods people in the world ? we must then seek out the proud vain sensual wantons of the world , who spend their days in pleasure , and say these are the men whom god loves ▪ outward things are promiscuously dispensed , and no man's spiritual estate is discernable by the view of his temporal . when god draws the sword , it may cut off the righteous as well as the wicked , ezek. . . though the providences of god materjally considered afford no evidence of gods love to us , yet the manner in which they befall us , and the effects and fruits they produce in us , do distinguish them very manifestly ; and by them we may discern whether they be sanctified providences , and fruits of the love of god , or no. but yet these effects and fruits of providences by which we discern their nature , do not always presently appear ; but time must be allowed for the souls exercise under them . as it is heb. . . now no affliction for the present seemeth joyous , but grjevous : nevertheless afterwards it yjeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby . the benefit of a providence is discern'd as that of a medicine is , for the present it gripes , and makes the stomach sick and loathing ; but afterwards we find the benefit of it in our recovery of health and chearfulness . now the providences of god being some of them comfortable , and others sad and grievous to nature , and the way to discern the sanctification and blessing of them , being by the manner in which they come and their operations upon our spirits ; i shall consider the case as it respects both sorts of providences , and shew you what effects of our troubles or comforts will speak them to be sanctified and blessed to us . and first for sad and afflictive providences in what kind or degree soever they befall us , we may warrantably conclude , they are blessings to us , and come from the love of god , when they come in a proper season , when we have need of them , either to prevent some sin we are falling into , or recover us out of a remiss , ●upine , and careless frame of spirit into which we are already fallen , pet. . . if need be , ye are in heaviness . certainly , it is a good sign that god designs your good by those troubles which are so fitted and wisely order'd to ni●k the opportunity . if you see the husbandman lopping a tree in the proper season , it argues he aims at the fruitfulness and flourishing of it ; but to do the same thing at midsummer speaks no regard to it , yea , his design to destroy it . when they are fitted both for quality and degree to work properly upon our most predominant corruptions , then they look like sanctified strokes . the wisdom of god is much seen in the choice of his rods . it is not any kind of trouble that will work upon and purge every sin ; but when god chuses for us such afflictions as like physick are appropriated to the disease the soul labours under ; this speaks divine care and love . thus we may observe , it 's usual with god to smite us in those very comforts which stole away too much of the love and delight of our souls from god : to cross us in those things from which we raised up too great expectatio●s of comfort . these providences speak the jealousie of god over us , and his care to prevent far worse evils by these sad but needful strokes . and so for the degrees of our troubles , sanctified strokes are ordinarily fitted by the wisdome of god to the strength and ability of our inherent grace , isa. . . in measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it : he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind . it is an allusjon to a physicjan who exactly weighs and measures all the ingredients which he mingles in a potion for his sick patient ; that it may be proportionate to his strength and no more : and so much the next words intimate , by this therefore shall the iniquity of jacob be purged . it is a good sign our troubles are sancti●ied to us , when they turn our hearts against sin , and not against god. there be few great afflictions which befall men , but they make them quarrelsome and discontented . wicked men quarrel with god , and are filled with discontent against him . so the scripture describes them , rev. . . they were scorched with great heat , and blasphemed the name of god , which hath power over these plagues . but godly men to whom afflictions are sanctified , they justifie god , and fall out with sin , they condemn themselves and give glory to god , dan. . . o lord , righteousness belongeth unto thee , but unto us confusjon of faces , &c. and lam. . . ●wherefore doth a living man complain , a man for the punishment of his sins ? happy afflictions which make the soul fall out and quarrel only with sin . it is a sure sign afflicting providences are sanctified when they purge the heart from sin , and leave both heart and life more pure , heavenly , mortified , and humble than they found them . sanctified afflictions are cleansers , they pull down the pride , refine the earthliness , and purge out the vanity of the spirit . so you read , dan. . . it purifies and makes their souls white : hence it 's compar'd to a furnace which separates the dross from the pure metal , isa. . . behold i have refined thee , but not with silver : i have chosen thee in the furnace of afflictjon . but for wicked men , let them be never so long in the furnace , they lose no dross , ezek. . . how many christians can bear witness to this truth ! after some sharp affliction hath been upon them , how is the earthliness of their hearts purged ! they see no beauty , taste no more relish in the world than in the white of an egg. oh how serious , humble , and heavenly are they , till the impressions made upon them by afflictions be worn off , and their deceitful lusts have again entangled them ! and this is the reason ▪ why we are so often under the discipline of the rod. let a christian ( saith a late writer ) be but two or three years without an affliction , and he is almost good for nothing : he cannot pray , nor meditate , nor discourse at that rate he was wont to do : but when a new affliction comes , now he can find his tongue , and come to his knees again , and live at another rate . it is a good sign afflictive providences are sanctified to us , when we draw near to god under them and turn to him that smites us . a wicked man under affliction revolts more and more , isa. . . turns not to him that smites him , isa. . . but grows worse than before ; formality is turned into stupidity and dedolency . but if god afflict his own people with a sanctified rod , it awakens them to a more earnest seeking of god : it makes them pray more frequently , spiritually and fervently than ever . when paul was buffeted by satan , he besought the lord thrice , cor. . . we may conclude our afflictions to be san●tified , and to come from the love of god to us , when they do not alienate our hearts from god , but inflame our love to him . this is a sure rule , whatever ends in the increase of our love to god , proceeds from the love of god to us . a wicked man finds his heart rising against god when he smites him ; but a gracious heart cleaves the closer to him : he can love , as well as justifie an afflicting god. all this is come upon us : yet have we not forgotten thee , neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant ▪ our heart is not turned back , neither have our steps declined from thy way : though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons , and covered us with the shadow of death , psal. . , , . here you have a true account of the temper and frame of a gracious soul under greatest afflictions . to be broken in the place of dragons and covered with the shadow of death imports the most dismal state of affliction : yet even then a gracious heart turns not back ( i. e. ) doth not for all this abate one drachm of love to god : god is as good and dear to him in afflictions as ever . lastly , we may call our afflictions sanctified when divine teachings accompany them to our souls , psal. . . blessed is the man whom thou chastenest , o lord , and teachest him out of thy law . sanctified afflictions are eye-salve , they teach us sensibly and effectually when the spirit accompanies them ; the evil of sin , the vanity of the creature , the necessity of securing things that cannot be shaken . never doth a christian take a truer measure both of his corruptions and graces , than under the rod. now a man sees that ●ilthiness that hath been long contracting in prosperity , what interest the creature hath in the heart , how little faith , patience , resignation , and self-denyal we can find , when god calls us to the exercise of them . o 't is a blessed sign , that trouble is sanctified , that makes a man thus turn in upon his own heart , search it , and humble himself before the lord for the evils of it ! in the next place let us take into consideration the other branch of providences which are comfortable and pleasant . sometimes it smiles upon us in successes , prosperity , and the gratification of the desires of our hearts . here the question will be how the sanctification o● these providences may be discovered to us ? for resolution in this matter , i shall for clearness sake lay down two sorts of rules ; one negative , the other positive . first negative . it is a sign , that comfort is not sanctified to us , which comes not ( ordinarily ) in the way of prayer . the wicked boasteth of hi● hearts desire , and blesseth the covetous whom the lord abhorreth . the wicked through the pride of his countenance will 〈◊〉 s●●k after god ; god is not in all his thoughts , psal. . , . here you see providence may give men their hearts desire , and yet they never once open their desires to god in prayer about it . but then those gifts of providence are only such as are bestowed on the worst of men , and are not the fruits of love . whatever success , prosperity or comfort men acquire by sinful medjums , and indirect courses , are not sanctified mercies to them . this is not the method in which those mercies are bestowed . better is a little with righteousness , than great revenews without right , prov. . . better upon this account , that it comes in gods way , and with his blessing , which never follows the way of sin . god hath cursed the wayes of sin , and no blessing can follow them . whatever prosperity and success makes men forget god , and cast off the care of duty , is not sanctifjed to them . it is unsanctifjed prosperity which lulls men asleep into a deep oblivjon of god , deut. . , , , . he made him ride on the high places of the earth , that he might eat the increase of the fields ; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock , and oyl out of the flinty rock , butter of kine , and milk of sheep , with fat of lambs , and rams of the breed of bashan , and goats , with the fat of kidneys of wheat , and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape ; but iesurun waxed fat and kicked ; thou art waxed fat , thou art grown thick , thou art covered with fatness : then he forsook god which made him , and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation . of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful , and hast forgotten god that formed thee . rarè fumant foelicibus arae . when prosperity is abused to sensuality , and meerly serves as fuell to maintains fleshly lusts , it is not sanctifjed . see job . , , . they send forth their little ones like a flock , and their children dance . they take the timbrell and harp , and rejoyce at the sound of the organ . they spend their dayes in wealth , and in a moment go down to the grave . it 's a sign that prosperity is not sanctifjed to men , when it swells the heart with pride and self-conceitedness , dan. . , . at the end of twelve moneths he walked in the palace of the kingdom of babylon . the king spake and said , is not this great babylon that i have built for the house of the kingdom , by the might of my power , and for the honour of my majesty ? that success is not sanctified to men , which takes them off from their duty , and makes them wholly negligent , or very much indisposed to it , jer. . . o generatjon , see the word of the lord ; have i been a wilderness unto israel ? a land of darkness ? wherefore say my people , we are lords , we will come no more unto thee ? nor can we think that prosperity sanctifjed , which wholly swallows up the souls of men in their own enjoyments , and makes them regardless of publick miserjes or sins , amos . , , . they lye upon beds of ivory , and stretch themselves upon their couches , and eat the lambs out of the flock , and the calves out of the midst of the stall . they chant to the sound of the viol , and invent to themselves instruments of musick like david . they drink wine in bowls , and anoint themselves with the chief ointments ; but they are not grieved for the afflictions of ioseph . but then positively . those mercies and comforts are undoubtedly sanctified to men , which humble their souls kindly before god in the sense of their own vileness and unworthiness of them , gen. . . and jacob said , i am not worthy of the least of all the mercjes , &c. sanctified mercies are commonly turned into cautions against sin , ezra . . they are so many bands of restraint upon the soul that hath them , to make them shun sin . they will engage a mans heart in love to the god of his mercies , psal. . . compared with the title . they never satisfie a man as his portion , nor will the soul accept all the prosperity in the world upon that score , heb. . . esteeming the reproach , of christ greater riches than the treasures in egypt : for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward . nor do they make men regardless of publick sins or miseries , nehem. . , , . compared with acts . . it 's a sure sign that mercjes are sanctifjed , when they make the soul more expedite and enlarged for god in duty , chron. . , . therefore the lord stablished the kingdom in his hand , and all iudah brought to iehoshaphat presents , and he had riches and honour in abundance . and his heart was lift up in the wayes of the lord , &c. to conclude , that which is obtained by prayer , and returned to god again in due praise carries its own testimonials with it , that it came from the love of god , and is a sanctified mercy to the soul. and so much of this third case . the fourth case . how may we attain unto an evenness and steddiness of spirit under the changes , and contrary aspects of providence upon us ? three things are supposed in this case . . that providence hath various and contrary aspects upon the people of god. . that it is a common thing with them , to experience great disorders of spirit under those changes of providence . . that these disorders may be ( at least in a great measure ) prevented , by the due use and application of those rules and helps that god hath given us in such cases . that providence hath various , yea , contrary aspects upon the people of god , is a case so plain , that it needs no more than the mentioning , to let it in to all our understandings . which of all the people of god have not felt this truth ? providence rings the changes all the world over . he encreaseth the natjons , and destroyeth them ; he enlargeth the natjons , and straitneth them again , job . . the same it doth with persons , psal. . . thou hast lifted me up , and cast me down . see what a sad alteration providence made upon the church , lam. . , . how doth the city sit solitary that was full of people ! how is she become as a widow ! she that was great among the natjons , and princess among the provinces , how is she become tributary ! is it nothing to you , all ye that pass by ? behold and see , if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow , which is done unto me , wherewith the lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fjerce anger . and how great an instance was joh of this truth , job . per tot . and . compared ? how many thousands have complained with naomi , whose condition hath been so strangely altered , that others have said as the people of bethlehem did of her , is this naomi ? ruth . , , . these vicissitudes of providence commonly cause great disorders of spirit in the best men . look as intense heat and cold try the strength and soundness of the constitution of our bodies , so the alteratjons made by providence upon our conditions , try the strength of our graces ; and too often discover the weakness and corruption of holy men . hezekjah was a good man ; but yet his weakness and corruption was bewrayed by the alterations providence made upon his conditions . when sickness and pains summoned him to the grave , what bitter complaints and despondencies are recorded ? in isa. . per tot . and when providence lifted him up again into a prosperous condition , what ostentation and vain glory did he discover ? isa. . . david had more than a common stock of inherent grace , yet not enough to keep him in an equal temper of spirit under great alterations , psal. . , . in my prosperity i said i shall never be moved ; thou hidest thy face and i was troubled . it is not every man can say with paul , i know both how to be abased , and i know how to abound every where , and in all things i am instructed both to be full , and to be hungry , both to abound and to suffer need , phil. . . he is truly rich in grace , whose riches or poverty neither hinders the acting , nor impoverisheth the stock of his graces . though the best men be subject to such disorders of heart under the changes of providence ; yet these disorders may in a great measure be prevented by the due application of such rules and helps , as god hath given us in such cases . now , these helps are suited to a threefold aspect of providence upon us : viz. . comfortable , . calamitous , . doubtful . to all which i shall speak particularly and briefly . quest. . how may we attain to an evenness and steddiness of heart under the comfortable aspects of providence upon us ? under providences of this kind , the great danger is , lest the heart be lifted up with pride and vanity , and fall into a drowsie and remiss temper . to prevent this , we had need urge humbling and awakening considerations upon our own hearts ; such are these that follow . first consideration . these gifts of providence are common to the worst of men , and are no special distinguishing fruits of gods love . the vilest of men have been filled even to satiety with these things , psal. . . their eyes stand out with fatness : they have more than heart could wish . second consideration . think how unstable and changeable all these things are . what you glory in to day , may be none of yours to morrow , prov. . . riches make themselves wings , and flee away as an eagle towards heaven . as the wings of a fowl grow out of the substance of its body , so the cause of the creatures transitoriness is in it self : it 's subjected to vanity , and that vanity , like wings , carries it away : they are but fading flowers , james , . . third consideration . the change of providences is never nearer to the people of god , than when their hearts are lifted up , or grown secure by prosperity . doth hezekjah glory in his treasures ? the next news he hears , is of an impoverishing providence at hand , isa. . , , , , , . others may be left to perish in unsanctified prosperity , but you shall not . fourth consideration . this is a great discovery of the carnality and corruption that is in thy heart : it argues an heart little set upon god , little mortified to the world , little acquainted with the vanity and ensnaring nature of these things . o you know not what hearts you have , till such providences try them . and is not such a discovery matter of deep humiliation ? fifth consideration . was it not better with you in a low condition , than it is now ? reflect , and compare state with state , and time with time . how is the frame of your hearts altered with the alteration of your condition ? so god complains of israel , hosea . , . i did know thee in the wilderness , the land of drought ; according to their pasture , so were they filled : they were filled , and their heart was exalted , therefore have they forgotten me saith the lord : q. d. you and i were better acquainted formerly when you were in a low condition ; prosperity hath estranged you , and altered the case . how sad is it , that gods mercies should be the occasion of our estrangement from him ? quest. . upon the other side , it 's worth considering how our hearts may be establisht and kept steddy under ca●amitous and adverse providences . here we are in equal danger of the other extream , viz. despondency and sinking under the frowns and strokes of cross providences . now to support and establish the heart in this case , take three helps . first consideration . first , consider , that afflictive providences are of great use to the people of god , they cannot live without them . the earth doth not more need chastening frosts , and mellowing snows , than our hearts do nipping providences . let the best christian be but a few years without them , and he will be sensible of the need of them ; he will find a sad remissjon and declining upon all his graces . second consideration . no stroke of calamity upon the people of god , can separate them from christ , rom. . . who shall separate us from the love of christ ? shall tribulatjon ? there was a time when job could call nothing in this world but trouble his own : he could not say , my estate , my honour , my health , my children ; for all these were gone ; yet then he could say , my redeemer , job . . well then , there is no cause to sink whilst interest in christ remains sure to us . third consideration . all your calamities will have an end shortly . the longest day of the saints troubles hath an end ; and then , no more troubles for ever . the troubles of the wicked will be to eternity ; but you shall suffer but a while , pet. . . if a thousand troubles be appointed for you , they will come to one at last , and after that no more : yea , and though our troubles be but for a moment , yet they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory . let that support your hearts under all your sufferings . quest. . lastly , let us consider , what may be useful to support and quiet our hearts under doubtful providences , when our dear concernments hang in a doubtful suspence before us , and we know not which way the providence of god will cast and determine them . now the best hearts are apt to grow solicitous and pensive , distracted with thoughtfulness about the event and issue . to relieve and settle us in this case , the following considerations are very useful . first consideration . first , let us consider the vanity and inutility of such a solicitude , matth. . . which of you ( saith our lord ) by taking thought can add one cubit ? we may break our peace , and waste our spirits , but not alter the case . we cannot turn god out of his way , job . . he is in one mind . we may by strugling against god increase , but not avoid or lighten our troubles . second consideration . how often do we afflict and torment our selves by our own unquiet thoughts , when there is no real cause or ground for so doing ? isa. . . — and hast feared continually every day , because of the fury of the oppressor , as if he were ready to destroy , and where is the fury of the oppressor ? o what abundance of disquiet and trouble might we prevent , by waiting quietly till we see the issues of providence , and not bringing as we do the evils of the morrow upon the day ? third consideration . how great a ground of quietness is it that the whole dispose and management of all our affairs and concerns is in the hand of our own god and father ? no creature can touch us without his commission or permission . i know ( saith christ ) thou couldst have no power against me , except it were given thee from above , john . . neither men nor devils can act any thing without gods leave ; and be sure he will sign no order to your prejudice . fourth consideration . how great satisfaction must it be to all that believe the divine authority of the scripture , that the faith●ulness of god stands engaged for every line and syllable found therein ? and how many blessed lines in the bible may we mark , that respect even our outward concerns , and the happy issue of them all ? upon these two grounds , viz. that our outward concerns with their steddy direction to a blessed end is ●ound in the word ; and this word being of divine authority , the faithfulness and honour of god stands good for every title that is found there . i say these are grounds of such stability , that our minds may repose with greatest security and confidence upon them even in the cloudiest day of trouble . not only your eternal salvation , but your temporal interests are there secured . be quieted therefore in the confidence of a blessed issue . fifth consideration . how great and sure an expedient have the saints ever found it to their own peace , to commit all doubtful issues of providence to the lord , and devolve all their cares upon him , prov. . . commit thy works unto the lord , and thy thoughts shall be established . by works he means any doubtful , intricate , perplexing business ▪ about which our thoughts are rackt and tortur'd . roll all these upon the lord by faith , leave them with him , and the present immediate benefit you shall have by it ( besides the comfort in the last issue ) shall be tranquillity and peace in your thoughts . and who is there of any standing or experience in religion that hath not found it so ? the fifth case . how may a christian work his heart into a resigning frame unto the will of god ; when sad providences approach him , and presage great troubles and afflictions coming on towards him ? for the right stating and resolving of this important case , it will be needful to shew ( . ) what is not included and intended in the question . ( . ) what it doth suppose and include in it , and lastly , what helps and directions are necessary for the due performance of this great and difficult duty . first , negatively . as to the first , it must be premised that the question doth not suppose the heart or will of a christian to be at his own command and dispose in this matter : we cannot resign it , and subject it to the will of god whenever we desire so to do : the duty indeed is ours , but the power by which alone we perform it is gods : we act as we are acted by the spirit . it is with our hearts ▪ as with me●eors hanging in the air ▪ by the influence of the sun ; while that continues they abide above , but when it fails they fall to the earth : we can do this , and all things else be they never so difficult , through christ that strengthens us , phil. . . but without him we can do nothing , john . . he doth not say , without me ye can do but little , or without me ye can do nothing but with great difficulty , or without me ye can do nothing perfectly ; but without me ye can do nothing at all . and every christian hath a witness in his own breast to attest this truth : for there are cases frequently occurring in the methods of providence , in which notwithstanding all their prayers and desires , all their reasonings and strivings , they cannot quiet their hearts fully in the dispose ; and will of god ; but on the contrary do find all their endeavours in this matter , to be but as the rolling of a returning stone against the hill : till god say to the heart be still , and to the will give up , nothing can be done . secondly , affirmatively . next , let us consider what this case doth suppose , and include in it , and we shall find that it supposeth the people of god to have a foresight of troubles and distresses approaching and drawing near to them : i confess 't is not always so , for many of our afflictions , as well as comforts , come by way of surprizals upon us : but oft times we have forewarnings of trouble● both publick and personal , before we feel them : as the weather may be discerned by the ●ace of the sky , when we see a morning sky red and lowring , this is a natural sign of a foul and rainy day , matth. . . and there are as certain signs of the times , whereby we may discern when trouble is near , even at the door : and these forewarnings are given by the lord to awaken us to our duties , by which they may either be prevented , zeph. . , . or sanctified and sweetned to us when they come . these signs and notices of approaching troubles are gathered partly from the observatjon and collation of parallel scripture cases and examples , god generally holding one tenour and steddy course in the administrations of his providences in all ages , cor. . . partly from the reflectjons christians make upon the frames and tempers of their own hearts , which greatly need awakening , humbling and purging providences . for let a christian be but a few years or months without a rod , and how formal , earthly , dead and vain , will his heart grow ? and such a temper presages affliction to them that are beloved of the lord , as really as the giving or sweating of the stones doth rain . lastly , the ordering and disposing of the next causes into a posture and preparation for our trouble , plainly premonisheth us that trouble is at the door . thus when the symptoms of sickness begin to appear upon our own bodies , the wi●e of our bosome , or our children that are as our own souls , providence herein awakens our expectations of death and doleful separations : so when enemies combine together and plot the ruine of our liberties , estates , or lives , and god seemeth to loose the bridle of restraint upon their necks , now we cannot but be alarmed with the near approach of troubles , especially when at the same time our conscience shall reflect upon the abuse and non-improvement of these our threatned comforts . the case before us supposeth , that these premonitions and fore-runners of affliction , do usually very much disturb the order and break the peace of our souls , they put the mind under great discomposure , the thoughts under much distraction , and the affections into tumults and rebellion . ah how unwilling are we to surrender to the lord the loan which he lent us ! to be disquieted by troubles when at ease in our enjoyments ! how unwelcome are the messengers of affliction to the best men ! we are ready to say to them as the widow to elijah , what have i to do with thee , o man ( o messenger ) of god , art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance , and to slay my son ? king. . . and this ariseth partly from the remains of corruption in the best souls , for though every sanctified person is come by his own consent into the kingdom , and under the government and scepter of christ , and every thought of his heart de jure , and of right must be subjected to him , cor. . . yet de facto the conquest and power of grace is but incompleat and in part , and natural corruption like jerob●am with his vain men riseth up against it , and ●auseth many mutinies in the soul , whil'st grace like young abijah is weak handed , and cannot resist them . and partly from the advantage satan makes upon the season to irritate and assist our corrupt●ons : he knows that which is already in motion , is the more easily moved . in this confusion and hurry of thoughts he undiscernedly shuffles in his temptations . sometimes aggravating the evils which we fear with all the sinking and overwhelming circumstances imaginable . sometimes divining and fore-casting such events and evils , as ( haply ) never fall out . sometimes repining at the disposes of god as more severe to us than others . and sometimes reflecting with very unbelieving and unworthy thoughts upon the promises of god , and his faithfulness in them , by all which the affliction is made to sink deep into the soul before it actually comes . the thoughts are so disordered , that duty cannot be duly performed . and the soul is really weakned , and disabled to bear its tryal when it comes indeed : just as if a man should be kept waking and restless all the night with the thoughts of his hard journey which he must travel to morrow , and so when to morrow is come , he faints for want of rest , mid-way his journey . it is here supposed to be the christians great duty , under the apprehensions of approaching troubles to resign his will to gods , and quietly commit the events and issues of all to him , whatever they may prove . thus did david in the like case and circumstances , sam. . , . and the king said unto zadock , carry back the ark of god into the city . if i shall find favour in the eyes of the lord , he will bring me back again , and shew me both it and his habitatjon : but if he shall thus say , i have no delight in thee , behold here am i , let him do to me as seemeth good to him . o lovely and truly christian temper ! q. d. go zadock , return with the ark to its place , though i have not the symbol , yet i hope i shall have the real presence of god with me in this sad journey : how he will dispose the events of this sad and doubtful providence i know not : either i shall return again to jerusalem , or i shall not : if i do , then i shall see it again , and enjoy the lord in his ordinances there . if i do not , then i shall go to that place where there is no need or use of those things . and either way it will be well for me , i am content to refer all to the divine pleasure , and commit the issue , be it whatever it will be , to the lord. and till our hearts come to the like resolve , we can have no peace within . commit thy works unto the lord , and thy thoughts shall be established , prov. . . by works he means not only every enterprize and business we undertake , but every puzzling , intricate , and doubtful event we fear . these being once committed by an act of faith , and our wills resigned unto his , besides the comfort we shall have in the issue , we shall have the present advantage of a well composed , and peaceful spirit . but this resignation is the difficulty ; no doubt of peace , could we once bring our hearts to that . and therefore i shall here subjoyn such helps and directions , as may through gods blessing , in the faithful use of them , assist and facilitate this great and difficult work . first help . and first , labour to work into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the infinite wisdom of god , and your own folly and ignorance . this will make resignation easie to you : whatsoever the lord doth is by counsel , eph. . . his understanding is infinite , psal. . . his thoughts are very deep , psal. . . but as for man , yea the wisest among men , how little doth his understanding penetrate the works and designs of providence ? and how oft are we forced to retract our rash opinions , and confess our mistakes ? acknowledging that if providence had not seen with better eyes than ours , and looked farther than we did , we had precipitated our selves into a thousand mischiefs , which by its wisdom and care we have escaped . it 's well for us that the seven eyes of providence are ever awake , and looking out for our good . now if one creature can and ought to be guided and governed by another that is more wise and skilful than himself , as the cljent by his learned counsel , the patjent by his skilful physicjan , much more should every creature give up his weak reason , and shallow understanding to the infinite wisdom of the omniscient god. it 's nothing but our pride and arrogance over-valuing our own understandings that makes resignation so hard . carnal reason seems to it self a wise disputant about the concerns of the flesh , but how often hath providence baffled it ? the more humility , the more resignation . how few of our mercies and comforts have been foreseen by us ? our own projects have come to nothing , and that which we never thought on , or contrived hath taken place ; not our choice of the ground , or skill in weighing and delivering the bowl , but some unforeseen providence , like a rub in the green was that which made the cast . second help . deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your own thoughts about the issues of doubtful providences . ( . ) there is much sin in so doing : for , all our anxious and solicitous emotions , what are they other than the immediate issues and fruits of pride and unbelief ? there is not a greater discovery of pride in the world , than in the contests of our wills with the will of god. it 's a presumptuous invading of gods prerogative , to dictate to his providence , and prescribe to his wisdom . ( . ) there is a great deal of vanity in it : all the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair white or black : all our discontents will not prevail with god to call back ( or as the word may be rendered ) make void his word , isa. . . he is in one mind , job . . the thoughts of his mind are from everlasting , psal. . . third help . set before you those ch●ice scripture patterns of s●bmission to the lords will in as deep , yea , much deeper points of self-denyal than this before you , and shame your selves out of this quarrelling temper with providence . you know what a close tryal that providence was to abraham , that called him from his native countrey and fathers house , to go he knew not whither ; and yet it 's said in isa. . . he came to gods foot , as readily obeying his call , as a servant when his master knocks for him with his foot . paul's voyage to jerusalem , had a dismal aspect upon himself , he could expect nothing but bonds and prisons , as he tells us , acts . . and a great tryal it was to the saints , who could not tell how to give up such a minister , yet he resigns up his will to gods , acts . . and so do they , acts . . the will of the lord be done . but far beyond these , and all other patterns , what an example hath our dear lord jesus set before us in the deepest point of self-denyal that ever was in the world . when the father gave the cup of sufferings into his hands in the garden , mark . . a cup of wrath , the wrath of the great and terrible god , and that without mixture : the very taste whereof , put nature into an agony and astonishment , a sore amazement , a bloody sweat ; and forced from him that vehement and sad cry , father , if it be possible , let this cup pass ; yet still with submission , nevertheless not my will , but thine be done . o blessed pattern of obedience , and resignation to the pleasure of god! what is your case to this ? fourth help . study the singular benefits and advantages of a will resigned up , and melted into the will of god. ( . ) such a spirit hath a continual sabbath within it self : the thoughts are established , prov. . . and truly , till a man come to this , he doth but too much resemble the devil , who is a restless spirit , secking rest , but finding none . it was an excellent expression of luther , to one that was much perplexed in his spirit about the doubtful events of some affairs of his that were then depending : dominus tua omnja facjat , & tu nihil facjas , sed sis sabbatum christi : ( i. e. ) the lord shall do all for thee , and thou shalt do nothing , but be the sabbath of christ. it is by this means that the lord gives his beloved sleep , psal. . . he means not the sleep of the body , but of the spirit . fideles ( saith one upon that place ) etsi vitam agant laborjosam , composiris tamen & tranquillis animis in fidei silentjo se continent , ac si dormirent : ( i. e. ) though believers live in the midst of many troubles here , yet with quiet and composed minds they keep themselves in the silence of faith , as though they were asleep . ( . ) besides , it fits a mans spirit for communion with god in all his afflictions , and this alleviates and sweetens them beyond any thing in the world . ( . ) and surely a man is never nearer the mercy he desires , or the deliverance he expects , ( as one truly observes ) than when his soul is brought into a submissive temper . david was never nearer the kingdom , than when he became as a weaned child . fifth help . lastly , think how repugnant an unsubmissive temper is both to your prayers and professions . you pray that the will of god may be done on earth as it is in heaven , and yet when it seems to cross your wills or interests , you struggle and fret against it . you profess to have committed your souls to his keeping , and to leave your eternal concerns in his hands ; and yet cannot commit things infinitely less valuable unto him . how contradictory are these things ! your profession as christians , speaks you to be led by the spirit , but this practice speaks you to follow the perverse counsels of your own spirits . o then regret no more , dispute no more , but lye down meekly at your fathers feet , and say in all cases and at all times , the will of the lord be done . and thus i have through the aid of providence , performed what i designed to speak from this scripture . i acknowledge , my performances have been accompanied with much weakness , yet have endeavoured to speak of providence the things that are right . blessed be the lord , who hath thus far assisted and protected me in this work . how providence will dispose of my life , liberty and labours for time to come , i know not , but i cheerfully commit all to him , who hath hitherto performed all things for me . finis . postscript . in consideration of the great and mani●old advantages resulting from an humble and heedful observation of providence , i can not but judge it the concernment of christians that have time and ability for such a work , to keep written memorials , or journals of providences by them ; for their own and others use and benefit . for want of collecting and communicating such observations , not only our selves , bu● the church of god is damnified and impoverished . some say , the art of medicine was thus acquired and perfected : when any one had met with some rare physical herb , and accidentally discovered the vertues of it , he would post it up in some publick place ; and so the physi●jan attained his skill , by a collection of those posted experiments and receipts . i am not for posting up all that a christian knows or meets with in his experience , for ( as i have said before ) non est religjo , ubi omnja pa●ent . religion doth not lay all open ; but yet there is a prudent , humble and seasonable communication of our experiences and observations of providence , which is exceeding beneficial both to our selves and our brethren . if christians in reading the scriptures , would judiciously collect and record the providences they shall meet with there , and ( if destitute of other helps ) but add those that have fallen out in their own time and experience ; o what a precious treasure would these make ? how would it antidote their souls against the spreading atheism of these dayes , and satisfie them , beyond what many other arguments can do , that the lord he is god , the lord he is god. whilst this work was under my hand , i was both delighted and assisted by a pious and useful essay of an unknown author , who hath to very good purpose improved many scriptural passages of providence , which seem to lye out of the road of common observation : some passages i have noted out of it , which have been sweet to me . and o that christians would every where set themselves to such work ! providence carries our lives , liberties and concernments in its hand every moment . your bread is in its cupboard , your money in its purse , your safety in its enfolding arms ; and sure it is the least part of what you owe , to record the favours you receive at its hands . more parti●ularly , ( . ) trust not your slippery memories with such a multitude of remarkable passages of providence as you have , and shall meet with in your way to heaven . it 's true , things that greatly affect us , are not easily forgotten by us ; and yet , how ordinary is it for new impressions to ra●e out former ones ? it was a saying of that worthy man dr. h●rris , my memory ( said he ) never failed me in all my life ; for indeed , i durst never trust it . written memorials secure us against that hazard ; and besides , makes them useful to others when we are gone . so that you carry not away all your treasure to heaven with you , but leave these choice legacies to your surviving friends . certainly it were not so great a loss , to lose your silver , your goods and chattels , as it is to lose your experien●es which god hath this way given you in this world . ( . ) take heed of clasping up those rich treasures in a book , and thinking it enough to have noted them there : but have frequent recourse to them , as oft as new wants , ●ears or difficulties arise , and assault you . now , it 's seasonable to consider and re●lect , was i never so distress●● before ? is this the first plunge that ever befell me ? let me consider the dayes of old , the years of a●cjent times , as asaph did , psal. . . ( . ) lastly , beware of slighting former straits and d●ngers in comparison with present ●nes . that which is next us , alwayes appears greatest to us : and as time removes us farther and farther from our former mercies or dangers , so they lessen in our eyes , just as the land from which they sail , doth to sea-men . know that your dangers have been as great , and your fears no less formerly than now . make it as much your business , to preserve the sense and value , as the memory of former providences , and the fruit will be sweet to you . finis . the table . a. abuse of scripture punished by providence , pag. abuse of providence cautioned , , afflictjons preventive of sin , afflictjons restraints from sin , afflictjons how they purge corruption , adherence to creatures checked , affectjons must suit providence , afflictive providences when sancti●ied , ● ambrose his providential relief , ● andreas how called to the ministry , anticipatjons by religion advantageous , assiduity of providential care , aspects of providence contrary , assocjatjon of natural causes , , atheism checked by providence , augustin's strange deliverance , augustin's converting a manichee , b. barbarous nations their sad state , , bible providentially mistaken , body its elegant structure , , bol●on's conversion , brethren their different tempers , ● bruens happy marriage , c. callings ordered by providence , , ● callings sinful in themselves , ● callings poor , some mens advantage , cautjons about civil callings , , care of god to be eyed in providence , christ hath his hand six wayes in providence , children setled providentially in callings , childrens duties pressed , , communjon with god in providences . rules for it , and the sweetness of it , committing to god quieting to us , complaints of painful callings answered , comparing providences how melting , condescensjons of god admirable , , , conversjon two wayes , , conversjon endears places and instruments , conversjon how great a mercy , , content under all providences , crying to god what it imports , craft sinful providentially defeated , curjosity in prying into providence , , d. dangers in extremity , dangers of death providentially prevented , dependance on creatures checked by providence , delayes of providence relieved , , delayes sink our hearts , , devil busie with dying christians , djana's shrines what they were , distrust not god in new difficulties , dod's strange impulse , duty to advert providence , dying hour sweetned by providence , e. eavenness of spirit how attained , embryoes their condition , encouragements to wait on god , , englands encomium , ▪ , epicureans why they denyed providence , expectatjon from creatures dashed , , eye how guarded by nature , f. facultjes sound a choice providence , ● faithfulness of god eyed in providence , ● faith two signal acts of it , familjes providentially assigned us , foresight of troubles how taken , ● fox his wonderful relief , ● g. god leaves not his in straits , ● god to be owned in all providences , ● good mens affections over-heated , ● greatness of god discovered , ● h. harmony of conjugal affections providential , ● harmony of gods attributes , ● heavenly-mindedness in all providences , ● heart how melted by providence , , ● heart ballanced under prosperity , ● heart cheered under sad providences , ● heart quieted in doubtful providences , ● heart not under our command , ● henry the second punished by providence , ● holiness improved by eying providence , ● i. idjots the design of providence in them , , ● idle life a sinful life , ● jewel's strange preservation , ● ●nterpositjons of providence seasonable , ●nobservance of providence sinful , ●ntroductive providences remarkable , ●nstruments of providence to be noted , ●mmutability of god in changeable providences , ●oy in god under all providences , ●nterest how best secured , ●unjus his conversion how effected , k. keepers converted by their prisoners , l. liberality the best frugality , m. marrjages the appointments of providence , ministers removes ordered by providence , , ● mortificatjon promoted by providence , , n. natural causes suspended by providence , , naaman's change how effected , nativity its place providentially ordered , , neighbourly visits improved by providence , notes of attention why affixt to providence , o. objectjons of vnbelief solv'd by providence , observatjons of providence matter of praise , observatjons of providence endear christ , o●colampadjus designed for a merchant , obligatjons to duty from providence , p. parents godly what a mercy , , papists their doom , , parents advantages opened , parents suffering from children , pareus designed for an apothecary , ● pleasures of a christian in providence , ● places of sinning places of suffering , ● pleasing god our interest , ● persecutors baffled by providence , , ● pride check'd by providence , , ● prayer must preface business , ● prayer furnished by providence , ● prosperity when sanctified , ● prosperity when unsanctified , ● providence working good out of evil , ● providence pursues the saints , ● providence stops the way to sin , ● providence must follow scripture , ● providence nicks the opportunity , , ● providence consonant to prayer , ● providence breaks aegyptjan reeds , ● providence fails none that trust it , , ● provisjon for us and ours , what a providence , ● q. qujeting considerations under sad providences , ● qujeting arguments drawn from providence , ● r. recognitjons of providence supports to faith , ● recognitjons of providence must be full , ● records to be kept of providences , , ● relatjonal duties pressed , , ● rebukes of providence how useful , , ● reljance on god pleadable in prayer , relatjons ordered by providence , , ● resurrectjon of prayers pleasant to observe , ● retributjons of providence very signal , , ● resignatjon to god our duty , ● resignatjon facilitated five wayes , , ● rochel providentially relieved , ● ●les to discover the will of god , , s. samaritans conversion how wrought , , satans malice over-ruled by providence , , ●nctificatjon of providence how discerned , ●offing at purity punished by providence , ●ope of providence very considerable , ●●asonable provisions of providence , , ●●amens admirable preservation , ●elf-denyal no damage , ●shepherds pious observation of providence , ●panish souldiers how converted , ●ul its excellent nature , ●eason set for mercy twofold , , ●●rings and autumns of providence , , ●●rvant's running from his master improved , ●piritual mercies of two sorts , t. tartars and turks their sad state , dr. tates strange experience of providence , ●emptatjons prevented by providence , temptatjons narrowly escaped , , tenderness of providence to the saints , thanksgiving includes five things in it , tranquillity promoted by eying providence , trusting god before tryal noble faith , v. value of providence in diverse things , venice-glass how used by providence , vergerjus his strange conversion , vjews of providence twofold , , , vileness of man discovered , vicissitudes of providence disorder thoughts , unequal marriages what a misery , , ungodly parents their sin and misery , , unwillingness of good men to surrender their comforts at th● call of providence , ● w. wales a strange conversion there , ● wars , how providence preserves in them , ● waiting on god prest by ten arguments , ● weak means succeeded by providence , ● will of god how distinguished , ● will of god how revealed , ● all winds serve providence , ● wicked men how quieted under crosses , ● wisdom of god to be eyed in providence , ● word of god the best support in trouble , ● word of god fulfilled by providence , , ● wisdom of providential appointments , ● y. youth , providences then received greatly to be a● mired , ● errata . reader , the commendable care of the printer hath lest but little correcting work for thy pen , what is , may be thus ●●ickly rectified : in the title page read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : p. . l. . r. great●●ss : p. . l. . blot out made : p. . l. . r. bride●amber : ibid. l. . for anger , r. enmity : p. : l. . ●ot out not . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e mr. isaa● ambrose epist. to his vltima . notes for div a -e ●schiles ●ragoed . notes for div a -e itaschith 〈◊〉 perdas , 〈◊〉 . vel 〈◊〉 saulem ; ●ressit ●im suos ●vid qui ●●citabant ●●sum ut ●ulem ●rderet ▪ vel 〈◊〉 me ●●●eus . gei●● in loc . ●ichtam ● 〈◊〉 aureum vel aureolum earmen ● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( i. e. ) aurum optimum ; 〈◊〉 psalmus hic precjosus est instar auri . bu. gensis . c●m aut● locum in quo lateb 〈◊〉 esse ab 〈◊〉 ercitu s● lis vide● nec jam ullum 〈…〉 , quo● antease●per in si●libus perculis ferat : n● q●oque a d●um co●git . m●rus in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfecit , desecit , destit , pagnin . buxtor when the ●ecords of eternity shall be exposed to view , all the counsels and results of that profound wisdom looked into ; how will it transport ? when it shall be discerned , loe , thus were the designs ●aid : here were the apt junctures and admirable dependencies of things , which when acted upon the stage of time , seem'd so perplex● and intrica●e , ●owes blessedness , p. . ●ther was 〈◊〉 to ●escribe god , 〈◊〉 at last 〈◊〉 , risit 〈◊〉 dubiè 〈◊〉 sapi●iam do●us , & 〈◊〉 , deus 〈◊〉 , non ●uax . ●ow ●d was ●phyry 〈◊〉 to it , ●en in●● of ●etter , 〈◊〉 pretence must serve the turn , that moses taking the advantage of a 〈◊〉 water unknown to the egyptjans , passed over the people thereat : as moses a stranger , were better acquainted there , than the egyptjan 〈◊〉 . acts an● m●n . vo● p. . act. & mon. vol. p. . act. & mon. vol. p. . possid . in vit . aug. cap. . gen. . . si ab exor dio mundi ad nostra● usq●e memoriam percurramus historias , insignia divine ultionis in peccatores occurrent in●dicia . alstedii nat. theol. p. . euseb. l. cap. . ●bject . 〈◊〉 contingentia rerum 〈…〉 estè causis proximis , secundis , & particularibus , non è causa prima , & universali , respectu cujus nihil contingens est , sed omnia necessaria , necessitat● immut abilitatis non causae . wendelin . theol. p. . providential performance in our for●mation and prot●●ction in the wom●● me●aphor● ab acupictoribus 〈◊〉 ope●● 〈◊〉 . om●ia 〈◊〉 est dominus pondere , numero , mensur● ▪ ●●ther in ●rtjum ●●●cept . ●here are ●me ●embers ●●at are ●●tical , as 〈◊〉 liver , ●●are and ●rain , in ●●ese are ●laced the ●atural , ●●tal and ●●nimal ●●irits ; ●●ese spi●●ts are ●●rried by 〈◊〉 veins , ●rteries 〈◊〉 nerves . ●he veins carry the natural spirits from the liver , the arteries the vi●l spirits from the heart , the nerves the animal spirits from the ●rain : other members are officjal , as the hands and feet : the superi●●r doth rule the inferiour , and the inferiour support the superiour ▪ 〈◊〉 wisdom hast thou made them all . provide●tial performanc● with re●spect to the tim● and plac● of our nativity speed's chron. ●●jerwoods enquirjes , ●hap . . p. , ●ide ver●igan ' s british antiqui●i●s . object . sol. mr. pink● providen●ial performances with respect to ●he stock ●nd family out of which we ●prang . object . sol. providential performances about ou● conversion to god. gen. . . melch. adams vit theol. par . p. . see firmin ' s 〈◊〉 christia● p. . ●l●yden ' s ●omment . ● . . 〈…〉 cap. . providential performances with respect to our civil calling . object . sol. ●bject . . 〈…〉 . . cautio● . cautio● ● . caution ● . caution providential performances with respect to ● our civil● relations . mr. t. c. in his isa●gog● providen●ial provi●ion for us ●nd ours . 〈…〉 , vol. ● . . ●roviden●●al per●●rmances 〈◊〉 our ●reserva●●on from 〈◊〉 power 〈◊〉 tem●tation . some afflictions are 〈◊〉 punishments , others are 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chastisements , and these are both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , tryals of grace , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , preservatives from sin . providen●ial pre●entions of bodily ●angers . psal. . . thou keep●st me as ●he apple ●f thine eye . the eye ●ath five tunicks 〈◊〉 guard it ●gainst danger . ( . ) ara●i●a tunica , ●ike a spiders web . ( . ) retiformis , like a net . ( . ) uvea , like a ber●●y . ( . ) cornea , like an horn . ( . ) adnata tunica , the cover or lid of the eye ; here is guard upon guard , resembling the various wayes providence hath to secure us from ruine . see job . , , , . & . mr. t. goo●win in his aggravation of sin against mercy , p. . the eye is but a small part of the body , yet physicians reckon no less than thirty diseases incident to it . nascuntur in ●o leucoma , glaucoma , lippitudo , xerophthalmja , sicus , lithjasis , epiphora & trignita id genus vitja . * see my seaman ' s companion , p. . clark's lives , p. . the learned alsted sets himself to enumerate the manifold hazards through which the life of man is carrjed in the hand of providence , in theol. catechet . p. , , &c. and pjously concludes in these words , denique , qu●d ab innumeris malis , quae ab omnibus creaturis omni tempore tibi impendent , mirabiliter libera●is ; in his omnibus inquam , quae s●imus ●rebro evenire solita , ac proinde it a se habent , ut nobis quoque possint evenire , solam dei providentiam debes suspicere & praedicare . ●●●viden●●● assi●●ces in 〈◊〉 work 〈◊〉 mortifi●●●●on 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . preached novemb. v. ☞ s●mma haec est , 〈◊〉 omnia 〈◊〉 supp●dit●●● à 〈◊〉 omnibus 〈◊〉 vitae humanae o●● nibus no● o●●iciier in ●ala● tatibus ● erigere 〈◊〉 sideratio● providentis ti● divi●● alsted . theol. ● techet . p. ● . ●●ptura ●●suit hîc ●●●ositat ●●●ae re●laque●●● , quae ●●ingere ●●nili . neque 〈◊〉 ; cui 〈◊〉 con●●tum in ju●●um vo●● : hinc ●●quòd ●●cia dei ●●●ntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne se ●●●ra fa●●t non summo ●●culo in 〈◊〉 ●●do mens ●●●ana . mero●●● prae●● . p. occurrunt nobis , syriac . deligentè● perpendamusres praeteritas , t●m praesentes ; ut ad futur●●●rati , & ac●ineti simus : 〈◊〉 argumentare solet à praeterito , ad praesens● & ab ●●roqu● ad ●uturum . alsted . bona gr●tiae , & gloriae , ac pr●omnibus divinae tu●telae opis , ac providentiae su●scutum . poli synopsis i● loc . 〈…〉 god would no●●ub so hard , if 〈◊〉 were not to fetch ou● the dirt that is ingrai●●●d in our natures : 〈◊〉 loves purity so well , he had rath●● see a hol● than a sp●● in his childs ga●●ment . g●●●nalls ch●●●stian ar●mour , p. . p. ▪ ●onsilia & ●reces non 〈◊〉 fine adhi●eri , ut dei , 〈◊〉 h a ec quasi ●mpedimen● , muten●r decreta 〈◊〉 destin● 〈◊〉 provi●nti●e . e cur●s in●ibe●ur : sed 〈◊〉 obsequi●i divin●e 〈…〉 , & ●●suetum ●viden●● ordi●● obser●●do , con●●ntia ●nquill●● , & spe 〈◊〉 im●●atur . ●ende● theol. ● . chrys. hom● in cor. ●●thor of 〈◊〉 fulfil●●●g of ●●ripture . ●●ar . pag. ● . ●ad the ●●cure ●sxts● provi●●nce ●●th the ●●mment 〈◊〉 the ●●rd , and 〈◊〉 cannot ●ake a ●se inter●●●etation 〈◊〉 them . prae●cepta a●●irmativa obligant semper , non ad semper . consid. 〈◊〉 consid. . consid. . consid. . consid. . consid. . consi●● . consid ▪ consid. . con● . ☜ quest. . ● . consid. ● . consid. ● . consid. . consid. . consid. quest. . . consid. . consid. . consid ▪ quest. ● ● . consid. ● . consid. ● . consid. . consi● ▪ . consid ▪ 〈…〉 notes for div a -e 〈…〉 the ballance of the sanctuarie shewing hovv vve must behaue our selues when wee see and behold the people of god in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies. written by william teelinck, minister of the word of god at midlebrough in zealand. teellinck, willem, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the ballance of the sanctuarie shewing hovv vve must behaue our selues when wee see and behold the people of god in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies. written by william teelinck, minister of the word of god at midlebrough in zealand. teellinck, willem, - . gataker, thomas, - . harmar, christopher, attributed name. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by i[ohn] d[awson] for william sheffard, and are to be sold [in the shops of nathaniel newbery] at the signe of the starre vnder st peters. church in corne-hill, and in popes-head alley, london : . editor's preface signed: tho: gataker. dutch original not traced. possibly translated by christopher harmar. printer's and bookseller's names from stc and addendum. running title reads: the ballance of the sanctuary. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. lacks o . pages - from the folger shakespeare library copy filmed at end. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and 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did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the ballance of the sanctvarie , shewing hovv vve mvst behave ovr selves when wee see and behold the people of god in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies . written by william teelinck , minister of the word of god at midlebrovgh in zealand . ieremy . . who is the wise man that may vnderstand this , and who is he to whom the mouth of the lord hath spoken , that hee may declare for what the land perisheth , and is brent vp like a wildernesse , that no man passeth through . london printed by i. d. for william sheffard , and are to be sold at the signe of the starre vnder s t peters ▪ church in corne-hill , and in popes-head alley . . ❧ to the christian reader . good reader , as well the worth of this worke , as the respect that i deseruedly beare to the author thereof , both for his singular pietie , and other good parts , hath encouraged mee to commend it to thy careful view , as that whereby thou maist reape no small spirituall profit , if the fault be not thine owne . the doctrine contained in it is both sound and seasonable , being ( as any judicious eye will easily discerne ) exceedingly wel fitted to the present times . and a a word , saith salomon , spoken in due time , is as apples of gold , with pictures of siluer ; both precious and pleasant ▪ true it is , that some truth indeede is neuer out of season ; though more seasonable at some times then at other . but yet as true it is , that b some truth also is at some times altogither unseasonable ▪ to propound gods mercy to an obstinate sinner , or to aggravate his wrath to a poore dejected penitent , were with those false prophets , ( who deliuered yet nothing , it may be , but truth mis-applied and mis-placed ) c to make sad the heart of the humbled , whom god would haue cheared , and to strengthen the hand of the wicked , who ought rather to haue beene humbled ; to slay the soules of such as should not die , and to giue life to such as should not liue . d matter of mirth and delight , though e good and honest otherwise , yet is as fish or flesh out of season , neither wholesome nor wel-relished , when god calleth for mourning by judgements either incumbent or imminent . as also on the other side , f mourning is no lesse unsauoury , because unseasonable , when it pleaseth god to giue just occasion of mirth . g the children of the bride-chamber , saith our sauiour , ca●●●t fast so long as the bride-groome is with them : but the time shall come when the bride-groome shall be taken away from them , and then in those dayes shall they fast . h each thing therefore is mostpoo pleasant and most profitable , when it commeth in his due season and good things doe then most good , when they are seasonably administred now if wee shall but slightly cast our eyes on the ruefull and lamentable face of gods church in most parts at this present , wee may soone see how seasonably this discourse commeth abroad . wherein the author thereof very learnedly and religiously enstructeth us , how to judge aright of gods iudgements either on our selues or others , how to be affected with them , and what use to make of them ▪ ministring comfort unto , and confirming the hearts of the afflicted and distressed ; urging to compassion with them , and commiseration of them , those that be yet free ; and endeuouring by a due consideration of i gods handy-worke in all those events that befall both , eyther for good or euil , to bring benefit unto both , as k being prouoked to a greater measure of sincere thankfulnesse by the one , and pressed to a more serious renewing of their repentance , and reformation of life and courses by the other . but i feare to doe thee wrong , by detaining thee too long , from that which thou shalt here finde far more fully and ●ffectually discussed and discoursed o● , then i can easily relate unto thee . much race , onely i doubt , the treatise may haue lost by change of its owne natiue weede . few translations haue the happinesse to match their originals . and each language hath its peculiar formes and phrases , which in other tongues can hardly be so fitly or so pregnantly expressed . but what may this way be wanting , the matter ( as i hope it is ) faithfully expressed may sufficiently countervaile . which respecting , i shall entreate thee to pardon and passe by the defects that may be in the translation ( wherein what work-mans hand was used i know not ) and so to reade this religious worke intended for thy good , that thou maist not misse of the benefit by the author therein intended . which the lord grant both to thee and to all others that shall meete with it for his mercies sake , amen . thine in christ iesus , tho : gataker . the contents of the seuerall chapters handled in this treatise . chapter . an introduction to the discourse of the ` doctrine handled in the treatise . page . chapter . that the outward and externall events of this life happen and fall out almost , and in a manner alike both vnto the godly and vngodly . page . chapter . that gods proceedings with and towards the children of men , cannot by man be comprehended . page . chapter . why god so ordereth his workes , as we thinke , here in this world , that in a manner they follow of necessitie , and ruleth in such sort , that it is commonly & ordinarily found , that man by his owne wisdome or power , can neither adde thereunto , nor diminish any thing from them . page . chapter . that notwithstanding , that gods workes done and wrought among the children of men are so wonderfull , and vncomprehensible , yet we may learne and finde out many speciall things , and reape much benefit , by his said workes so wrought and done among them . page . chapter . shewing diuers seuerall things , which the lord hath opened vnto vs in his word , touching his good pleasure and dealings with the children of men here on earth , necessary to put out of our mindes all doubts concerning the workes of god , and to strengthen them in the contrary effects . page . chapter . that there is no cause at all , why men should make any doubt or question , when they see many vngodly men here prosper in the world , and diuers godly men liue in pouertie and aduersitie . page . chapter . that there is no cause why men should be so much abashed , when they shall consider how the enemies of gods people , when they incounter in battaile with the people of god , and haue the vpper hand , and ouerthrow them . page . chapter . further iustification of the aforesaid doctrine , which the lord sheweth vs out of his word , touching his proceedings with the children of men , against the people of god in our age. page . chapter . that without contradiction it appeareth by the aforesayd order of the workes of god , done among the children of men , that there shall be an after-reckoning made , with all the children of men in the world to come . page . chapter . that not all outward prosperitie is asigne , that the lord loueth that man to whom he sendeth the same . page . chapter . that all worldly crosses and tribulations are not a shew or signe that god will refuse that man to whom hee sendeth them . page . chapter . that we cannot measure the state of men , in regard of god , by wealth or pouertie , by prosperitie or aduersitie , that befalleth them in this world . page . chapter . that by all that hath beene said and shewed before , wee must learne to liue in the true feare of god , and sincere holinesse , and more and more practise the same . page . chapter . how we may profit by all the workes of god which he doth vnto vs , and other men in this world . page . chapter . of the distinct knowledge of these things which god in his word ( touching the gouernment of this world ) hath manifested vnto vs , being very fit and necessary for the drawing of spirituall profit from the workes of god wrought here among men . page . chapter . of the diligent obseruation of all gods workes , among the children of men , needfull for the drawing of spirituall profit out of gods workes among vs. page . chapter . how we must compare that which god doth in this world , with that which he hath set downe in his word , that we may draw some good fruit from the workes of god for our comfort . page . chapter . of the seuer all fruites that spring from the searching into and finding out of gods truth , and certaintie declared vnto vs , in his word , and in his workes . page . chapter . the conclusion of all , wherein is shewed , that wee must onely refer our selues vnto god , and not forsake a good cause , because it seemeth not to goe forward as wee wish it should . page . the ballance of the sanctvary , shewing how wee mvst behave ovr selves when we see and behold the people of god in miserie and oppression vnder the tyranny of their enemies . chap. . an introduction to the discourse of the doctrine handled in the treatise . many men beholding the prosperity of the vngodly , and the enemies of the gospell , and perceiuing with what violence and crueltie , they oppresse those that fight for and striue to defend the truth , are thereby more hardned , and become crueller , euen in the highest degree . and some of them thereupon take occasion , with the foole , to say in their hearts , there is no god , psal . . . making account that those who most trust and relie vpon god , are least regarded of god : others take occasion to murmur against god , because he ruleth not , neither directeth things here on earth , according to their wills and desires , and with the israelites , say in their hearts ; the way of the lord is not equall , ezech. . . and others there are who begin thereupon to suspect and call in question , the truth of gods word , yea , to forsake it , to reiect it , and to cleaue vnto lies ; saying with gedeon , though in another sence , if the lord be with vs , why then is all this befallen vs , iudg. . . therein doing , and yet they will be esteemed christians , like certaine blind indians whereof we read , who when at any time they are ouerthrowne and destroyed by their enemies , are wont to pray vnto and call vpon the sunne for pardon and forgiuenesse , and to acknowledge the cause of their proceedings to be vniust . and all this hapneth vnto these blind men by the iust iudgement of god , because they refuse to take paynes , and to spend some time to read and looke into gods booke , which he himselfe hath made , touching the proceedings and course that he hath determined to vse & hold with the children of men here on earth . for if they had done so , they should soone see and know , that there is not any thing done here in the world , nor that happneth vnto the people of god , which god himselfe hath not foreshewed should come to passe , and which with his owne hand long before he set downe in the seuerall register of those things that are to fall out in the world , that when they come to passe , wee might know and vnderstand that he had foretold it vnto vs , deut. . . iere. . . therefore in all such accidents and occasions we must with the psalmist goe into the sanctuary of god , psal . . . that in the true ballance of the sanctuary , which is gods word , diligently pondering and examining all the tribulations , troubles , and miseries that happen to gods people , wee may truely iudge and aright conceiue therof , and so we may continue sincere and without offence till the day of christ , phillip . . . for it is written , great peace haue they which loue thy law , and nothing shall offend them , psal . . . and this in the treatise following , wee will endeuour so to declare , that whosoeuer he bee that readeth and marketh the same with a true and vpright heart , he may surely & effectually find that to be true which the prophet witnesseth , where he sayth , that the wayes of the lord are right , and the iust shall walke in them , but the transgressors shall fall therein , hos . . . chap. ii. that the outward and externall euents of this life happen and fall out almost , and in a manner alike both vnto the godly and vngodly . salomon sayth , all things come alike to all , there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked , to the good and to the cleane , and to the vncleane , to him that sacrificeth , and to him that sacrificeth not , as is the good so is the sinner , and he that sweareth , as he that feareth an oath , eccl. . . and to the same end where the scripture in one place sayth , many sorrowes shall be to the wicked , psal . . . in another place it sayth , many are the afflictions of the righteous , psal . . . this iob alledged to his friends , who therewith concluded vpon and by the miseries and troubles that had hapned vnto him , that he was hated of god ; arguing that wee cannot truely iudge of the good will and fauour of god towards men here on earth , nor yet of their state in regard of god , by that which hapneth vnto them in this transitorie world , because that the lord as elihu acknowledgeth , giueth no account of any of his matters , iob . . and dealeth most wonderfully with the children of men , sometime in one manner , sometime in another , obseruing no certaine methode : and yet doth all thinges righteously ; yet as it is testified vnto vs that it fareth with the righteous euen as with the wicked , and with the sinner as the godly man : so it is not to bee vnderstood , as if euery godly , and euery vngodly man should haue alwaies one and the same portion and state of weale and woe heere in this world ; for that many godly men heere on earth are subiect to great afflictions , and many godlesse men liue in abundance of pleasures ; and so on the contrarie : but the meaning thereof is this , that weale and woe shall not onely bee incident to the wicked crew , or vnto the little number of the godly , but that prosperitie and aduersitie , may both of them be fonnd to happen , and to be giuen , both vnto the vngodly wheresoeuer they bee , and the like againe to the righteous , wheresoeuer they remaine : which both the word of god , and experience teacheth vs to bee true : for in the word of god , doe wee not finde a righteous abraham , and an vngodly nabal , and both of them were rich ; a righteous lazarus , and an vngodly sort of men , iob . . . . . that were poore , yea beggars . againe , are wee not taught this by experience ? goe into the tents of sem , looke into the houses of the righteous ; there you shall finde some in prosperitie , and some in aduersitie : one house rich , another miserable . goe into the tents of kedar , looke into the houses of the vngodly , and you shall finde them in the like manner . all these things the lord doth according to his free will and mightie power , and dealeth with the children of men , according to the absolute , vnlimitted , and soueraigne pleasure of his will. chap. iii. that gods proceedings with and towards the children of men , cannot by man be comprehended . thus then it appeareth , that the wayes of god are vnsearchable . for who can iudge of and imagine the reason , or cause why god sendeth trouble , aduersitie , pouertie , and miserie vnto one righteous man , that feareth god , shunneth euill , and liueth as vprightly as any other of his estate and degree can or may doe ; and on the contrary exalteth and raiseth another righteous man to great wealth that is not altogether such a one in all degrees as the former ? on the other side , who can enter into gods counsell , to know why god sendeth great trouble and misery to one vngodly man that is not wickeder then his neighbour : and on the contrary , giueth another vngodly person , that in no sort is any thing better then the other ; great wealth , happy state on earth , and all prosperitie ? nor are we to wonder , when we shall behold that which oftentimes wee see to happen here vpon earth : that on the one side , a righteous man that is zealous of gods honour , fighteth for the defence of gods cause , and seeketh to aduance and further the same , is many times so much crost and ouerth warted in his proceedings , that it seemeth that both heauen and earth are bent against him , and is in such perplexitie , that he knowes not which way to winde or turne himselfe , as dauid was when the towne of ziglag was spoyled , and his owne people conspired against him , . sam. . . on the other side , that an vngodly man , that indureth no manner of aduersitie , is an vtter enemy vnto god , and seeketh by all the meanes that the can , vtterly to extirpate and roote out the memorie of his most holy name out of the earth , and yet is oftentimes so much holpen and seconded in his wickednes , that heauen and earth and all things therein seeme to hold with him , and hee bringeth his affaires vnto so happie and prosperous an end , that he is a terrour and feare to the miserable and small troopes of the righteous . who can tell or finde out the true ground of these wayes of god ? see we not that god many times calleth a righteous man out of this world in the flower of his youth , concerning whom in all mens iudgements it had better , and it might haue beene wished , that hee might still haue continued , and liued longer here on earth , being one that did so much good in his owne house , in the place wherein he dwelt , and in his calling wherein hee liued : and on the contrary , suffereth an vngodly man to liue long and many yeares here in the world , being an vnprofitable member , that fareth like a roaring lion and a rauening beare among his housh●●d , spending and consuming all that hee hath or can come by , wronging his wife and children , defiling the place where hee liueth with scandalous and wicked actions , and which is more , leading many others with him into destruction , and by his long life withholding and keeping others out of some necessarie places of seruice , who , were they imployed in the same would doe much good : who can declare or truly imagine the ground of this proceeding ? doth it not oftentimes fall out , that an vngodly man is stricken with an apoplexie while hee is busie about his wicked actions in some one kind or other ? and also that a righteous person is stricken by the hand of god , while hee laboureth about the furtherance and aduancement of gods glory and is onely carefull thereof ? that the lord striketh an vngodly arrius , causing his bowels to burst , and his guts to fall out of his belly , as hee sitteth vpon the stoole to ease himselfe , and so dieth ; and that the same god bringeth a righteous man his aduersary to the like death : who would not be abasht thereat , to consider of such incomprehensible wayes and workes of god ? and when men shall obserue and weigh with themselues , in what manner of opposite condition , they see and behold both the godly and vngodly , they must needes , and cannot chuse , but acknowledge and confesse that the lord worketh most wonderfully and vnsearchably therein . there are two godly men of one state and qualitie , that both liue in great prosperitie and wealth , and two other godly men , that both liue in great trouble , penurie , and miserie : also there are two vngodly men of one calling and condition , that both liue in great wealth and worldly happinesse ; and two other vnrighteous men , that are vnhappy and indure great misery . and there are two godly men of one calling , whereof the one prospereth in all his affayres , the other is crost and troubled . there are two vngodly men of one condition , whereof the one is crost in his affayres , the other prospereth . there is a godly and an vngodly man , who although they be both of one calling in worldly affayres ; but yet differ much in their liues and conuersations touching gods seruice , that both liue in great prosperitie : and there is a godly and an vngodly man , of one condition for worldly matters , that both are crost and indure much trouble and aduersitie . there is a godly & an vngodly man , of one state and condition , whereof the godly man hath prosperitie , and the vngodly man aduersitie : and againe , there is an other godly man and an vngodly man of one calling in the world , whereof the godly man hath much aduersitie and many crosses , and the vngodly man great prosperitie . what profoundnesse of gods workes are these ? what wonderfull wayes of god are these ? many men passe these things sleightly ouer ; but those that haue vnderstanding , and know the word of god , marking and beholding these things daily to come to passe in the world , thereby note how wonderfully the lord worketh in things that happen vnto the children of men . who can enter into the depth of these waies of the lord ? who can tell the reason thereof ? in all respects then , the workes of god are wonderfull to the children of men , and wholly vnsearchable . he hath his wayes in the seas , psalm . . . and his footsteps are not knowne , and his waies past finding out : there is no wisedome nor vnderstanding , nor counsell against the lord , prou. . . our goodnesse extendeth not to him , psalm . . . neither can our wickednesse hurt him , iob. . . . . therefore it fareth so with the workes of god , that whatsoeuer god doth , it shall bee for euer , nothing can be put to it , nor any thing taken from it , eccles . . ; in such manner as experience teacheth , that although those that are most diligent and carefull in their affayres , goe forward therewith , yet many times , euen the most diligent and carefull men faile and are crost in their proceedings : so that we may well say with salomon ; i returned and saw vnder the sunne , that the race is not to the swift , nor the battaile to the strong , neither yet bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of vnderstanding , nor yet fauour to men of skill ; but time and chance happeneth to them all , eccles . . . and therefore consider wee the time and the chance , which god the lord hath onely reserued to himselfe , acts . . so that it dependeth wholly on him . ⸪ chap. iiii. why god so ordereth his workes , as wee thinke , here in this world that in a manner they follow of necessitie , and ruleth in such sort , that it is commonly and ordinarily found , that man by his owne wisedome or power , can deither adde thereunto , nor diminish any thing from them . salomon expresly setteth downe vnto vs , that god so ordereth his workes and heauenly prouidence , to the end that men should feare him . whatsoeuer god doth , it shall be for euer , nothing can be put to it , nor any thing taken from it , and god doth it that men should feare him , eccles . . . that is , that men should not forsake him nor dispise his workes , neither yet cleaue vnto , nor depend vpon any man , but onely vpon god ; that the wise man may not glory in his wisedome , nor the mightie man in his strength , nor the rich man in his riches ; but that hee that glorieth , glorie in this , that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth that god is the lord , which exerciseth louing kindnesse , iudgement , and righteousnesse on earth , ieremie . . . by that which before hath been said , touching the admirable and strange workes of god , wrought and brought to passe among the children of men : we are taught , first , not to trust vpon ▪ or vnto our owne wisedome , diligence , beautie , strength , friends ; riches , nor any other terrestriall thing whatsoeuer it may bee , which yet are many times esteemed to bee fit and necessarie for the bringing of worldly matters to passe , and to further our proiects : but onely to feare the lord our god , and to remember that hee holdeth a greater hand ouer vs , then all those things doe , eccles . . . secondly , before and aboue all things to attend to his good will and pleasure , touching the euent thereof , as much as in vs lieth , and as much as possibly we may , in all the meanes and wayes which god setteth before vs , and which he will haue the children of men to vse , and whereby also he commonly vseth to prosper their actions , and to blesse them . and herein wee must the rather be specially carefull , for that the peruerse children of men , who by nature are wickedly bent , vse to draw another conclusion from this point of doctrine , that all things do in such manner depend on god , for they conclude not from therice , that therefore aboue all things they must onely depend vpon the lord their god ; but on the contrary , that they need not therefore refraine from euill doing , but that they may still follow after their owne lusts , and take their pleasures as long as they can : they take likewise further occasion thereby , to walke most carelesly and dissolutely here on earth , with more greedinesse to commit sinne and wickednesse , and desperately to enter into all kind of mischiefe ; reasoning thus with themselues , and saying , how can i helpe it , seeing all dependeth vpon god ? my resolution is therefore to lay hold on the time , and to take my pleasure while i may . whereas on the contrary , they ought rather to learne much more to feare the lord , and call to mind and say , that , seeing all dependeth on god , hew much ought i to feare that god who onely can do good or euill vnto me . yea , so would they both thinke and doe , if they beleeued , that this wonderfull god , is also a good god. but doing other-wayes they shew thereby , that they sollow the nature and steps of the deuill that expecteth no good from the hands of god. this conceite of the vngodly must bee cleane banished from vs ; and we must remember that all things depend vpon god , and therefore so vse the meanes , that before & aboue all things wee seeke and labor to haue god on our side in euery thing that we doe . we must also feare him in such manner , that we must hold and esteeme all that god doth to be good , right , and well done , although we cannot see nor perceiue the cause or the reason of his actions . a childe seeth his father doe many things in the house whereof hee cannot conceiue the reason , and yet neuerthelesse he reapeth benefit , and fareth the better thereby ; so must we also 〈◊〉 and often times thinke with our selues , tha● gods thoughts are not our thoughts , nor our wayes hi● w●●es ; for as the heauens are higher then the earth ▪ so his wayes are higher then ours , and his thoughts then our thoughts , esa . . . . and consequently , that although gods wayes vnto fleshly men seeme not to be right ; yet we must not with the israelites say , the way of the lord is not equall , ezech. . . nay , although god suffer the vngodly to liue in great wealth , prosperitie , and pleasure , here in this world , and on the contrary maketh the godly to turne his backe vpon the enemie , letting them that hate them spoyle them , giuing them like sheepe appoynted for meate , and scattereth them among the heathen , selleth them for nothing , and doth not increase his wealth by their price , maketh them a reproch to their neighbours , a scorne & a derision to them that are about them , maketh them a by-word among the heathen , a shaking of the head among the people , so that their confusion is continually before them , and the shame of their faces doth couer them , for the voices of those that reproch and blaspheme them , by reason of the enemie and reuenger , psal . . . &c. yet we must thinke well of the wayes of god , & must not murmur against him , nor say , that hee hath wrought iniquitie , iob . . neither must we by any meanes thinke or conceiue , that god should doe wickednesse , or that he should commit iniquitie , iob . . or that the iudge of all the earth should not iudge right , gen. . . or that the wise god that giueth the labourer wisedome to plow his land , thereby to reape a good haruest thereof , should himselfe vse no wisedome in the framing of his children , to make them fruitfull , esa . . . . but on the contrary , although wee cannot conceiue the depth of the wonderfull wayes of god towards the sonnes of men , yet we must hold this for a generall rule , that all the workes of god are done in truth and righteousnesse , psal . ● . . and that our god is the rocke , his worke is perfect ; that all his wayes are iudgement ; a god of truth , and without iniquitie , iust and right he is ; and that they haue corrupted themselues , and it is a blot to them that they are not his children , but are a peruerse and crooked generation , that turne away from him for any cause whatsoeuer , a foolish and vnwise , deut. . . . and therefore when any such difficulties enter into our mindes , if we will conceiue aright thereof , we must not forget the lord , nor deale falsely in his couenant , we must not turne our harts from him , nor our stepps from his wayes , psal . . . . and in all these actions and proceedings how strange and wonderfull soeuer they seeme vnto vs , we must be dumb and not open our mouth , because it is god that doth it , psal . . . chap. v. that notwithstanding , that gods workes done and wrought among the children of men are so wonderfull , and vncomprehensible , yet we may learne and find out many speciall things , & reape much benefit , by his said works so wrought and done among them . as it is a most godly and holy thing , and very commendable , for men in all accidents that happen here on earth among the children of men , to note the finger of god to bee therein , and to ascribe the same to gods powerfull prouidence ; so we must not slightly refuse or neglect , to consider what god the lord in his wonderfull wisedome hath secretly purposed and intended by this or that course , crosse , or calamitie , that hee bringeth in sundrie wise vpon his chosen people , seeing experience teacheth vs , that the seuerall things that happen vnto vs during our liues many times produce strange , and far other effects , then men expect from them . it seemed that our case once would haue gone but hardly , and would haue beene but sorily supported or countenanced , when as long since , hee on whom wee then much relied , and vnder whose protection wee hoped to rest quietly , by a wicked blow was taken from vs ; and yet neuerthelesse , since that time it hath gone with vs better and better . we were likewise once perswaded , that when such or such of our friends should grow stronger , that our affaires would then haue better successe , and goe more prosperously forward , and yet secretly it fell out otherwise . this might moue some men to conceiue and say , that seeing it is so with the workes of god that are wrought among the children of men , that his wayes and his proceedings are so strange and vnsearchable , how can we then out of gods workes learne any certaine or speciall thing , touching and concerning our owne states , and our duties towardes god in his workes , whereunto notwithstanding , we are so earnestly , and oftentimes exhorted , and incited in the holy scriptures , psal . . . . esa . . . . hos . . psal . . especially , seeing it falleth alike with the godly and vngodly man , in all their worldly proceedings , wherein oftentimes so vnexpected things happen and fall out , how can we take occasion thereby to prayse and glorifie the lord , or to humble our selues before him , in regard of his extraordinary works , as if he had done some speciall thing for vs , when as we fare no better then other men commonly do , and it is yet vncertaine what will further proceed thereof ? i answere , although instantly by gods ordinary or extraordinary workes wee cannot conceiue gods fauour and affection towardes men , nor mans state in regard of god , thereby to take occasion , specially , for the same to prayse the lord our god , and to seeke after him ; notwithstanding when we once well know & perceiue mans state in regard of god , and our owne or any other mens speciall state in that kind , wee may by the ordinary workes of god here done amongst men , learne and conceiue many good things ; as for example , when we know a man to be one that truely feareth god , and yet see that notwithstanding many crosses and troubles befall him , and happen to him in this life , we may thereby learne , that god the righteous iudge of all the world , findeth cause & matter enough , when it pleaseth him , to try the best men that liue here on earth , by laying great tribulations vpon them , and by many miseries to proue their patience , iob whereby also we are further admonished , that although we are commanded to liue holily , and as much as in vs lyeth to seeke to doe the same , yet that we must not perswade our selues , that all things therefore here on earth shall fall out well & prosperously with vs according to our desires ; but rather must make our account that neuerthelesse many tribulations and crosses may fall vpon vs here in this world , and thereupon prepare and arme our selues patiently to endure them . but that we may the better perceiue and vnderstand how to reape much profit by gods workes done among the children of men , we must know that although they are things that are vnsearchable by men , to conceiue why god dealeth so diuersly with one vngodly man , in respect of another vngodly man , that is like vnto him , that the one fareth cleane contrary to the other , as for example , giuing the one vngodly man much wealth and prosperitie , and laying much aduersitie , and many plagues vpon the other , as also why god imposeth as much , and the very same on a righteous man , that he doth on an vngodly man , and maketh no difference in outward shew betweene them therein , giuing both the one and the other , eyther wealth or pouertie at his good will and pleasure , yet we may by the word of god find out and know , why god doth so vnto them , or to any other man that is godly or vngodly ; for the lord our god , that is a wise god , hath opened many things vnto vs in his word , concerning his will & dealings with the children of men , which if we marke and well consider the same , wee shall learne many things touching the ordinary workings of god among men ; whereof in the next chapter i will make a further declaration out of the same word . chap. vi. shewing diuers seuerall things , which the lord hath opened vnto vs in his word , touching his good pleasure and dealings with the children of men here on earth , necessary to put out of our mindes all doubts concerning the workes of god , and to strengthen them in the contrary effects . first , and before all other things , god in his word openeth vnto vs , that he loueth men freely as they are men , titus . . which he witnesseth , that he doth by being the sauiour of all men , tym. . . therefore also the psalmist witnesseth , that god preserueth both man and beast , psal . . . and iesus christ himselfe sayth , that god maketh his sunne to rise on the euill , and on the good , and sendeth rayne on the iust and on the vniust , math. . . when wee see therefore that the wrath of god is reuealed from heauen , against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men , rom. . . we may thereupon certainely conclude , that there is something wanting in men , and that for many causes man deserueth punishment for sin , which god disliketh , rom. . . and thereby we may further learne , that sinne is the mother of all miseries , and that there is nothing in the world which we should with more care & caution , hate , shun , and abhor , then sinne , as the onely thing that moueth our creator to dislike of vs , and maketh all vs that are his creatures abhominable in his sight . secondly , god in his word sheweth vs , that he hath a care of those that feare him , and of such as are godly ; and seeketh to do them good , but how any of vs are made godly and righteous , all of vs by nature being wicked and lost sheepe , rom. . . ephes . . . is not at this time to be spoken of ; and on the contrarie , that he hateth the vngodly , and powreth out his wrath and indignation vpon them . the eyes of the lord are vpon the righteous , and his eares are open to their cry ; the face of the lord is against them that doe euill , to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth , psal . . . . which he sayth he will do when he thinketh good , when the dayes of visitation , and of recompence are come , hos . . . exod. . . then he will wretchedly destroy those wicked men , mat. . . and on the contrary , when the righteous call , the lord heareth and deliuereth them out of all their trouble , psal . . . thereby vnderstanding , that hee deliuereth them , by taking them like a wise workeman , out of the furnace of aduersitie , when they are sufficiently purified and clensed ; that is , in the time of need , heb. . . from whence it followeth without contradiction , in regard that god is so diuersely affected towards the godly and vngodly man , that in that respect , when he sendeth one and the like prosperitie and aduersitie , both on the godly and vngodly , hee doth it not for one selfe same intent , nor to one end . that which god himselfe witnesseth vnto vs , on the one side , that whatsoeuer tribulation or misery hee sendeth to the godly man , it is for his good and great benefit , yea euen the crosses themselues are so ; for god inlighteneth their darkenesse , psalm . . ▪ and so it falleth out , that all things worke for the best to them that loue god , rom. . . so that the troubles of the godly , are vnto them as an entrie into life euerlasting , an earnest penny , and as it were the first fruites of heauenly ioyes , psal . . . as also the crosses of the godly , are vnto them as a precious medicine to heale their soules , and a true meanes to prepare the way for them to enter into the kingdome of heauen , acts . . and in this manner all things are a blessing to the godly ; for godlinesse is profitable vnto all things , hauing the promises of this life that now is , and of that which is to come , . tim. . . on the other side , whatsoeuer the vngodly indure , it is altogether a curse vnto them , for god carseth their blessings , matt. . . so that whether it bee prosperitie or aduersitie , it happeneth vnto them , it falleth out amisse with them : for all things are vncleane vnto them ; because their mindes and consciences are vncleane , tit. . deut. . . the aduersity then of the vngodly is a feeling of , & a preparatiue to euerlasting condemnation , an earnest penny , and the first fruits of the paines of hell , iud. . . and their prosperitie is like a poysoned drinke vnto them , for by their wickednes , the more they abuse their prosperitie , the more they spoyle their owne soules , and so it become a powerfull meanes to carrie them vnto hell , and to the kingdome of darkenesse , apcc. . . this god openeth vnto vs plainly in his word , whereby wee may openly learne and vnderstand that the state of the vngodly , whether it bee aduersitie or prosperitie , is altogether miserable ; and on the contrarie , that the aduersitie or prosperitie of the godly , is a happines vnto them . for it is most certain , that if the vngodly man doth not in time repent and amend his life , at the last hee shall bee sure of after condemnation , and the godly man of euerlasting ioy and felicitie , as wee haue a manifest example thereof in the state of the rich man , and of poore lazarus , luk. . . and who seeth not , that the rich man for all his wealth and worldly prosperitie , was an accursed wretch , and that poore lazarus in his greatest miserie was happie and blessed ? what man is hee , that would not rather choose , looking into the end of them both , to liue in this world in the state of poore lazarus , then in that of the rich glutton ? so you see , that from these different affections of god , both vnto the godly and the vngodly , which hee hath shewed vnto vs in his word , and by their last ends which thereupon ensue , the grounds of the hope and comfort that the godly haue and receiue in the midst of their aduersitie and troubles : and the grounds of the feares and miseries , which the vngodly are like to fall vnto , whiles they possesse worldly prosperity and pleasure . but hearken yet further , what the lord himselfe saith vnto his seruants and messengers touching them both : say vnto the righteous that it shall bee well with him , for they shall eate the fruite of their doings : woe vnto the wicked it shall bee ill with him , for the reward of his handes shall be giuen him , esa . . . . now if wee consider this well , and take good heed , and earnestly marke the end , both of the godly and of the vngodly , we shall be throughly perswaded , from the doubtfull conceite that wee haue in our mindes , touching the workes of god done here vpon earth among men , when we oftentimes behold and see the vngodly to prosper so much in this world , and the godly liue in pouertie and aduersitie , which for that it is a matter of great importance , in the next chapter i will more at large open the same vnto you . chap. vii . that there is no cause at all , why men should make any doubt or question , when they see many vngodly men here prosper in the world , and diuers godly men liue in pouertie and aduersitie . there are two special reasons , that moue men to become carelesse and licentious here in the world , when they see and behold how it fareth , both with the godly and vngodly in this world . the first is , that many times they see , that those that feare god are in great miserie and calamitie , and the vngodly prosper and abound in wealth . this many men cannot brooke , while they are perswaded , that it standeth not with the great maiestie of the god-head , and the iustice of god to deale in such manner ; and the reason is , because they looke vpon nothing but the outward shew , and consider not the end for which god doth it ; for if in the lest degree they did but thinke and remember , that god meaneth well to the godly , and that their oppressions are wholesome medicines for their soules , the better to prepare them for the life to come : and on the contrarie , that the prosperitie of the vngodly is like the quale● to the children of israel , that died while they were in their mouthes , then they would presently see and perceiue that they haue no cause to doubt of , or to misconster and stumble at the workes of god. for to speake the truth , who is he that will longer stumble at , or thinke it strange to see , that god loseth and slacketh the bridle to the children of the world , but tu●●reth , holdeth in , restraineth instantly , and suffereth not his children to haue their wills , when hee remembreth that the lord doth it to his children , to the end that they may become the more spirituall and better prepared for the kingdome of heauen : doe wee not the like in matters of lesse importance , continually in our houses to our children , wee suffer our dogs that we● breed in our houses , to runne at libertie loose and vntied , and haue no regard what they doe , nor how it fareth with them , but is it not our manner to looke narrowly to our children , to keepe them short , to teach and instruct them ; and why doe we so , but onely to bring them vp to all vertuous actions , and for their better preferment . so that it is to a speciall end , that wee haue so great a care of our children , which in no wise wee doe intend to our dogges , but let them runne where they list . the word of god therefore aduiseth vs , to cast off all doubts and feares touching the workes of god , and to rid vs thereof , willeth vs not to looke onely vpon the outward end of the children of men , and to consider of nothing else , but the course of this present world , euen as the state of the rich glutton , and of poore lazarus , is set downe and declared vnto vs by iesus christ himselfe , luk. . so the apostle saint paul warneth vs , saying ; remember those that haue the rule ouer you , who haue spoken vnto you the word of god , whose faith follow , considering the end of their conuersation , heb. . . and to the same end saint iames sayth , behold wee count them happy which indure ; you haue heard of the patience of iob , and haue seene the end of the lord ; for the lord is very pittifull , and of tender mercy , iames . . touching the prosperity of the vngodly , who would be grieued thereat , when wee marke and thinke vpon their endes ; they stand vpon slipperie ground and soone fall downe : and then comes in the hard and heauie reckonings which they must make at the latter day , see the . psalme ; what is hee that grudgeth at the good that men doe to those that are condemned to die , or at the friendship that is shewed vnto them by some , when they are led to execution to be broken on wheeles ? or who would not chuse to passe thorough a troublesome and durtie way , to inioy a great inheritance , then thorough a faire and pleasant way to goe to execution ? doe not many honest housholders , dislike of swaggering companions , that dayly and hourely haunt the best innes and tauernes in the citie , and consume their wealth in banket after banket , as long as their credits last ? and doe they not thinke them men of little wisedome or consideration ? and is it not found to bee so when they make vp their reckonings at home in their houses ? so it stands with the prosperitie of the vngodly many times here in this world , they haue great wealth and abundance : but they spend vpon their owne stockes , and a hard reckoning followeth after it : whereas on the contrary godly men , that in this world are kept short and spend vpon their fathers purse , whether it be superfluously or otherwise , as their father thinkes it good , haue no feare of an after reckoning , all is freely forgiuen them : thus their ends differ much one from another . this when the psalmist considered , although before touching this point of the workes of god , how the vngodly prosper , and the godly liue poore and miserably , hee was somewhat troubled , and muttred thereat , yet at last hee was perswaded , as hee himselfe witnesseth , saying ; when i thought to know this it was too painefull for mee , vntill i went into the sanctuary of god , then vnderstood i their end , psalm . . . . chap. viii . that there is no cause why men should bee so much abashed , when they shall consider how the enemies of gods people , when they incounter in battaile with the people of god , and haue the vpper hand and ouerthrow them . yet this is not all , that which causeth greatest dislike in the hearts of many men , touching the workes of god done among the sonnes of men ; the chiefest reason consisteth herein , that men oftentimes see and behold , that not onely many vngodly men liue in great prosperitie , and many righteous men in great miserie , but that men see and obserue that the vngodly oftentimes oppresse the godly , and that when gods people and their enemies , encounter in battaile and fight together , many times their enemies haue the victorie and ouercome them . this is the point that produceth greatest difficultie , and many men cannot be resolued , how it should come to passe that the seruantes of the most high god , that haue his cause in hand , that are iealous of his glory , and fight for his truth , should be ouercome by those that are gods enemies , that gods cause should turne the backe , and falshood and deceit haue the vpper hand ; this by many men cannot be conceiued nor considered as it should bee , for that as things are brought to passe , they see nothing but contrary effects . the vngodly are hardened in their vngodlinesse , and the godly weepe and mourne , all thinges are worse and worse , and the name of the lord by this meanes slandred , and euill spoken of , and his truth blamed . i answer , we must needes confesse and acknowledge , that these are most profound wayes of god , but the lord also in his holy word hath giuen vs to vnderstand , what the meaning is of these his most wonderfull workes , and telleth vs that he hath reason so to doe , both in respect of the godly , and the vngodly , and of his people , and their enemies ; and first giueth vs to vnderstand , that in these occurrents hee is patient , and long suffering , luk. . . that he is not so hastie as wee are , psal . . . hee can indure that his cause , and his peoples cause should sometime bee hindred , and that the vngodly should domineire , as if baal or as●aroth , and not the god of israel ruled and gouerned the world , and teacheth vs further that he suffereth it so to bee , thereby the more to aduance his honour , when hee once begins so to rise vp , that his enemies are driuen backe , and that he lifteth vp againe the heads of his people , which before were deiected and cast downe . thus he witnesseth , that for the same cause he suffereth his people of israell to be humbled , that afterward he might aduance them , and that so all the world might see that it was neither their policie , wisedome , nor power , but his blessings that had releiued , and raysed them vp , deut , . . here what the lord to this end sayth by the prophet ; the earth mourneth and languisheth , lebanon is ashamed and hewen downe , sharon is like a wildernesse , and basan and carmell shake off their fruits ; now will i rise sayth the lord , seeing my people are so much confounded , and euery man thinketh , that they are wholy ouerthrowne , now will i be exalted , now will i lift vp my selfe , esa . . . . i haue a long time houlden my peace , sayth he , i haue beene still and refrayned my selfe , now will i cry like a trauelling woman , i will destroy and deuoure at once , esa . . . the enemies of my people . this is gods purpose when he suffereth his people for a time to be ouer-run and mastred by their enemies : which if we consider well , we will no longer bee abashed thereat , nor stumble at gods workes , though things goe neuer so crosse for a time with gods owne people , and that the enemies of the gospell thereby seeme to growe strong . when we reade of the prosperitie of hammon the cruell and sworne enemy of gods people , and vnderstand that he proceeded so farre , that all the people of israell were iudged to die , and that hee being their greatest and bitterest enemie , had the execution thereof committed to him , would not men therby conclude , looking vpon the outward vntoward proceedings , that the lord had abandoned and forsaken his people of israell ; yet we know in the end , that the higher that hammon the enemie of gods people did clime , the neerer the destruction of the children of israell seemed to be , and the more the enemies of gods people being disappointed of their purposes were confounded , the more honor the lord did then reap vnto himselfe , by the deliuerance of his people . so wonderfull is god the lord in his workes : wherby it appeareth , that euen then when he suffereth the cause of his people in a manner to fall vnto the ground , he still houldeth the rudder in his hand , and hath an eye on them , and a care that they shall not altogether be ouerthrowne . and so all the mis-vnderstanding , wrong iudging , mis-construing & stumblings at gods workes consists herein , that we onely looke vpon exterior things , and neuer remember to goe into the sanctuary of god , to looke into the end of his wayes , and what his secret meaning is therein . marke what i say . queene ester that was a great friend to the people of god , and sought what meanes she could to deliuer the people of israell from that danger , and to bring hammon to confusion , what course did shee take . shee inuited the king and hammon with him to be her guests , shee receiued and intertained him friendly , and hammon could perceiue no other but that he was very welcome to the queene , and boasted thereof to his friends ; and yet that was not enough , hester bad him to be her guest the second time , and shewed him a fayre countenance from time to time . now what might the iewes that knew not queene hesters meaning , haue conceiued and iudged hereof ? might not they haue thought , that hester also consented with hammon to helpe to root out and confound the iewes ? but the meaning was cleane contrary : shee sought to bring hammon to confusion , and to deliuer the iewes from death ; the issue thereof sheweth it plainely , hest . . . thus the lord our god many times worketh with the enemies of his people , hee seemeth for a while to draw them on , and to leaue his owne people , to make them the more confounded and ashamed , when vnexpectedly hee ouerthroweth them , and deliuereth his people from them . touching these wayes of god therefore wee must attend gods pleasure , and in the meane time patiently expect his leisure . and this god declareth vnto vs in his word touching his strange workings aforesayd , which to men seeme so offensiue , yea , which is more , our good god sheweth vs yet more speciall and waightier causes , wherefore at sometimes he suffereth his owne people to be oppressed by their enemies , and letteth them fall into great miseries and troubles , whereof some conceiue , the enemies of gods people , others gods people themselues . touching his owne people , somtimes he suffereth them to fall into the hands of their enemies , and by that meanes ladeth them with a heauie yoake ; because they did not endeuour themselues wisely , and as it became them , to beare his fatherly yoake on their necks . heare what the lord to that end sayth to his people : because that thou seruest not the lord thy god with ioyfulnesse , and with gladnesse of heart , for the aboundance of all things ; therefore shalt thou serue thine enemies , which the lord shall send against thee , in hunger , and in thirst , and in nakednesse , and in want of all things , and he shall put a yoake of iron vpon thy necke , and all this the lord doth , as hee himselfe also witnesseth , that his people might know what difference there is betweene seruing of him , and seruing the kingdomes of his enemies , chro. . . therefore for that his people by the subtiltie of sathan , the temptations of the world , imbecilitie and carelesnesse sometimes esteeme not of the sweete yoake of christ , and calme running water of shilo as they should doe , the lord layeth a heauie yoake vpon them , and bringeth them into deepe , and many waters of oppression ; wherein what strange thing doth the lord ? what doth he i say , that should moue men in any manner to dislike ? when we vse to do the same ( and thinke and perswade our selues that we doe wisely ) with our owne children ; that sometimes wee put to hard schoole-maisters , and cruell teachers for a tyme , that they might learne and know how easie a yoake they beare on their shoulders in their fathers houses , which yet when we doe , it is out of meere loue , and for the good and profit of our children . on the other side , touching the enemies of gods people , although then they seeme specially to bee happie and blessed , when in that manner they get the vpper hand of gods people , and deuoure them like bread ; yet the truth is , that no greater plague can happen vnto them , then when they are permitted to oppresse and wrong the people of god , and to wash their hands in their bloud ; which the lord in his great wrath sometimes permitteth to be done , when hee determineth to suffer them to fill vp the measure of their wickednesse , and to hasten their iudgement , and vtter destruction . euen then when they ouercome and spoyle the people of god , and lead them captiues away with them as a prey , they doe nothing els but in a manner heap vp a great deale of wood , stubble , and straw , with coles of fire vnder them , which at the last burnes them all vp . for so the lord himselfe witnesseth , saying ; in that day will i make the wildernesse of iudah like a harth of fire among the wood , and like a torch of fire in a bundle of straw , zach. . . and againe , and in that day will i make ierusalem a burthensom stone for all people ; all that burthen themselues with it shall bee cut in peeces , though all the people of the earth bee gathered together against it , zach. . . hearken what the lord in this respect againe and againe commaundeth , and oftentimes willeth his prophets to shew to the world : thou son of man sayth he , prophesie to the mountaines of israell , and say ; ye mountaines of israell , heare the word of the lord ; thus sayth the lord ; because the enemie had sayd against you , aha , euen the auncient high places are ours in possession , therefore prophesie and say ; thus sayth the lord god ; because they haue made you desolate , and swallowed you vp on euery side , that you might be a possession vnto the residue of the heathen , and yee are taken vp in the lips of talkers , and are an infamie of the people , therefore yee mountaines of israell , heare the word of the lord god ; thus sayth the lord god to the mountaines , and to the hills , to the riuers , and to the valleyes , to the desolate wasts , and to the citties that are forsaken , which are become a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen , that are round about . therefore thus sayth the lord , surely in the zeale of my ielousie i haue spoken against the residue of the heathen , and against all idumea , which haue appoynted my land into their possessions , with the ioy of all their heart , with dispitefull minds , to cast it out for a prey , prophesie therefore concerning the land of israell , and say vnto the mountaines , and to the hils , and to the riuers , and to the valleyes ; thus sayth the lord god , behold i haue spoken in my ielousie , and in my fury , because you haue borne the shame of the heathen , therefore thus sayth the lord god , i haue lifted vp mine hand , surely the heathen that are about you they shall beare their shame . but yee o mountaines of israell , you shall shoot forth your branches , and yeeld your fruit to my people of israell , for they are at hand to come , ezech. . . . . . . . . . and for that the lord intendeth to deale in this manner with his owne people , and with their enemies when they ouercome and oppresse them ; he pronounceth a woe vnto assyria , by the prophet esay ; & that for this cause , because they were to ouer-run and oppresse the people of israell for a tyme , like durt in the streete ; saying , o assyrians the rod of mine anger , and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation . i will send him against an hypocriticall nation , and against the people of my wrath , ( where hee vnderstandeth his owne people , that because of their sinnes had a long tyme sore offended him ) i will giue him a charge to take the spoyle , and to take the prey , and to tread them downe like the mire in the streets , esa : . . . to this end also the lord witnesseth , that hee delayed to take reuenge for the bloud of his children , vntill more of them were slaine for his truth sake , that at one time he might visite the enemies of his truth in their owne houses & make a iust reckoning with them , apo. . . . wherby it is manifestly to be seene , that the lord suffereth the enemies of the truth somtimes to haue the vpper hand , because that alreadie by reason of their great sinnes and offences committed against him , they haue in such manner offended him , that in his wrath he thinketh it fit to slacke the bridle vnto them , and to suffer them to proceed from bad actions to worse , for their heauier iudgement and condemnation . this also must be vnderstood and conceiued in matters of lesse moment , wherein the children of the world without reason and lawfull ground , get the vpper hand ouer the children of god , as when they meete together in battaile in the field , or in any towne , or in prayer , or at a marriage , or such like , and there are slaine , murthered or spoyled , & in all other such like occurrents . and thus the lord findeth occasion both in regard of his owne people , and of their enemies , now and then to make his people the foote and not the head , that he suffreth them to lie vnder feete , and the enemies of the truth to tread vpon them ; which whosoeuer well waigheth and considereth with an vnderstanding heart , hee shall soone perceiue & see , that there is no cause of doubt to be made , or scandall to be found in these workes of the lord. chap. ix . further iustification of the aforesaid doctrine , which the lord sheweth vs out of his word , touching his proceedings with the children of men , against the people of god in our age . that wee may further iustifie this poynt touching gods proceeding with his people , and their enemies , and discusse the difficulties and troubles which in these times are in diuers places brought vpon gods people by their enemies , we must after the like manner , with due respect speak generally , both of the proceedings of the people of god , and of their enemies . that the light of the gospell hath long tyme shone most clearly in this age , as those that know any thing as they ought to doe , can tell ; and that the same hath beene sleightly regarded , both by friendes and foes , all those plainely see it , that haue receiued any light at all from the lord our god. many both great and small , both mightie potentates and meane men , long since and oftentimes , with all their mights , haue strouen against the same , and sought vtterly to dam and smother it vp , by all the meanes they could ; esteeming that to be a false light , which is only able to lead and guide them to the way of saluation . others , that in some sort had a liking thereunto , haue made no great account nor estimation thereof , but haue suffered it in such sort to shine , and so serued their turnes therewith , that they were content to liue where it was , and sometimes to come where it shoane , without making any reckoning to accept , or , to make profession thereof . and amongst those that proceeded so farre , that they haue accepted thereof as a rule of their faith , and an order of liuing well ; there are many found that haue no care orderly , and as they ought to doe , to walke in the light thereof : so that on this side also many lamentable offences haue beene ministred , and doubts beene raised to cause controuersies and errours . this the lord god , the father of lights hath seene and beheld from the highest heauens , the place of his holy habitation ; and it grieued him much to see and perceiue , such great vnthankfulnesse and ingratitude for so excellent a gift , then the which ( next vnto saluation it selfe ) no better hath beene giuen by god vnto the children of men : for which cause hee hath suffered the vnthankefull world , and that would not accept the loue of the truth , to fall into strong delusions and great doubts , whereby they tooke occasion , to cleaue vnto and beleeue lies . so that in this our age , wee haue seene in the reformed countries of the world , many great and very dangerous disputations to arise , and controuersies to grow touching religion : whereby many men , that looke no further then vpon the outward shew and face thereof , were so much amazed and abashed thereat , that they began more and more to dislike it , and to leaue it : these are deepe wayes of god , which therefore ought to haue mooued all christian hearts to search into the intent and meaning of god ; and withall to take occasion to shake off the aforesaid vnsauoury ingratitude , and to bend their mindes vnto a more wholesome course of obedience . but this hath beene practised by very few , and at this day is yet too much neglected . for which cause the wrath of god hath beene more and more kindled , and his out stretched arme hath not holden backe ; but in his anger he is gone foorth , and hath suffered the vngodly world that hardeneth it selfe , to fall into more hardnesse and delusion ; as euery man knoweth how much the blind world now hardneth and imboldneth it selfe , each one in his errours , vpon occasion of the present troubles that daily happen to the people of god in these dayes : for the enemies of the gospel , thereby take occasion to thinke and perswade themselues , that they haue done great and good seruices vnto god and yet doe , when they persecute and seeke to roote out the protectours and professours of the truth , and those that haue halted betweene both , thinke themselues happie that they ( as many others ) haue not throwen their lot into the lap of those whose chance they thought might alter and change . thus the lord as he hath threatned , letteth it raigne snares , fire , and brimstone , and a horrible tempest vpon the vngodly , psal . . . wherein they shal be taken & spoyle themselues . for in all these things , those wretched men doe not once remember , that when to fulfill their owne pleasures they doe so , they iudge vniustly of gods truth , and thereby offend against the generation of his children , psalm . . . how oftentimes was israel troubled and vexed with contentions and warres amongst themselues , yea and ouer-runne also by the philistines and other enemies ? whereas notwithstanding , the israelites were the onely people of god , and onely had the light of saluation among them : what inuasions and incursions haue the cruell heathen diuers times made vpon the christians ? and yet wee know that the christians , and not the heathens haue the truth on their side . but these things the lord sometimes suffereth , to fall vpon and come against his owne people , to cleanse them , to try their faiths , & to the end that those that remaine obstinate might haue that which they haue deserued . . corinth . . . matth. . . and thus it falleth out that such miserable men , that glorie and take most delight , to behold the troubles & persecutions of gods people , that boast off and perseuer in their enmitie and peruerse proceedings , are those certainely that are most plagued thereby ; for that by such meanes they are hardened in their errors and delusions , which lead them into perdition . can greater plagues then these bee any wayes bee thought on ? and all this also is iust and righteous with god , that those that receiued not the loue of the truth , that they might be saued , might fall into strong delusions and beleeue lies , . thes . . . . and that those that are the causes of reuolting and doubts raised , and sometimes strongly mainetaine them , should haue the same measure mett vnto them , and thereby fall into perdition . thus it fares with them ( by the wonderfull prouidence of god ) as the psalmist saith ; as they loued cursing ( for they delighted in errour ) so let it come vnto them , psalm . . . besides all the curses that yet hang ouer their heads , for the oppression , shame , disgrace , and wrongs by them done vnto the children of god in their troubles and aduersities : for it is most true and certaine , that although the lord god suffer his people for a while to bee oppressed by their enemies , when he hath once finished all his workes vpon mount sion , and sufficiently punished his people , he will goe to visite their enemies in their owne houses , and cast the rodde of his anger into the fire , esa . . . behold how excellently the psalmist setteth this forth , saying , when god heard this ( that is , that his children many times rebelled against him , ) hee was wrath and greatly abhorred israel ; so that he forsooke the tabernacle of shiloh , the tent that he had placed among men , and deliuered his strength into captiuitie , and his glory into the enemies hand , he gaue his people ouer also vnto the sword , and was wrath with his inheritance . the fire consumed their young men , and their maidens was not giuen to marriage , their priests fell by the sword , and their widdowes made no lamentation . thus farre it went on gods enemies side , as we read , . sam. . but marke what followeth : then the lord awaked as one out of sleepe , and like a mightie man that shooteth by reason of wine : and he smote the enemies in the hinder parts , hee put them to a perpetuall reproch , psalme . . . . . . . . . which also wee read in the first of samuel the fifth , this is the heritage of the seruants of the lord , and their righteousnesse is of mee , sayth the lord , esa . . . that the lord god in his time shall recompence tribulation to those that trouble them , and giue rest to those that are troubled , . thess . . . euen in the time of need , heb. ▪ . and thus it appeareth alwayes , that although the lord seemeth to haue forsaken his people for a while , and to hold with their enemies , yet in truth , and certaintie this standes firmely , that god will not cast away righteous man , neither will hee helpe the euill doers , iob . . how much soeuer he seemeth to stand against his owne people , and to strengthen the hand of the vngodly . these are the wonderfull wayes of our god and this is the certaintie of his workes done among the children of men , which mooued the psalmist , that had a spirituall eie in some measure , to looke into the waies of god , and to set downe the truth thereof , to breake out into this speech and say ; o lord how great are thy workes , and thy thoughts are verie deepe , a brutish man knoweth not , neither doth a foole vnderstand this , psalm . . . . thus wee may see , that although the workes of god , done among the children of men , for the most part are hidden from vs , and incomprehensible , yet that which our good god hath openly made knowne vnto vs in his word , instructeth and inableth vs with speciall profit , fruit , and comfort , to marke and looke into the workes of god. it remaineth then , that wee set downe and further speake of certaine notable fruits that grow out of that which wee haue before set downe ; which wee will doe in the chapter following . ( ⸪ ) chap. x. that without contradiction it appeareth by the aforesaia order of the workes of god , done among the children of men , that there shall bee an after reckoning made , with all the children of men in the world to come . seeing , that it is euidently knowne , that god the lord is a righteous iudge ; for the workes of man shall bee rendred vnto him , and he will cause euery man to finde according to his wayes , iob . . and that it is alwayes found , that the lord in this world maketh no euen reckoning with the children of men , when hee suffereth a godly man all his life time to liue in great trouble and aduersitie , and to dye therein ; and sendeth great riches and ioy to an vngodly man all his life long ; and they haue no crosses , but their strength is firme , psal . . . and psal ▪ . . and also by experience in the common course of the world , it is found that many of the deare children of god , are persecuted and euilly dealt withall , onely because they take gods cause in hand , are iealous of god honour , seeke the spreading abroad of the gospel , and the prosperitie of his people , and that it oftentimes fareth so with them , that they are oppressed and lose their liues : therefore , as it happeneth also to many other martyrs of god , and faithfull witnesses of his truth , apoc. . . wee must of necessitie therefore hence conclude , that god for certaine will make an after reckoning in the world to come , for it can by no meanes stand with the righteousnesse and goodnesse of our god , that hee should indure or suffer his owne children , and his faithfull seruants , who for the fulfilling of his will , did not refuse to yeeld their liues into the enemies handes and to dye , and that for his cause were shamefully handled , cursed , abased , and slaine , should not be reuenged , luke . . . apocal. . . . . could a iust and an vpright prince endure that his trustie seruants and officers , should be assayled , persecuted , and slaine by his subiects , because they seeke to mainetaine and vphold his lawfull commandements , and to see them executed , without taking their causes in hand , reuenging their blood , and punishing the offendours as they had deserued ? much lesse , will the lord suffer the hard dealing with , and handling of his children that are slaine and murthered in this world , to goe vnreuenged . therefore , if there were no other reasons then that onely , for which god should make a common reckoning with the children of men at the latter day , yet were this cause enough for it . so the apostle setteth downe the necessitie of the last day of iudgement , to consist vpon this ; that the godly are here oftentimes so cruelly oppressed by the vngodly , and saith to the thessalonians , that it is a manifest token of the righteous iudgement of god , that yee may be counted worthie of the kingdome of god , for which yee also suffer , seeing it is a righteous thing with god , to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you , and to you who are troubled , rest with vs , when the lord iesus shall bee reuealed from heauen with his mightie angells , thess . . . . . then also it shall be made manifest , though it bee neuer so much forgotten here in the world , and how little regard or knowledg soeuer seemes to be taken of the godly , and those that are righteous , that god harkened , and heard it , and a booke of remembrance was layd before him , for them that feared the lord , and thought vpon his name , and accordingly it shall then also be knowne , what difference there is betweene the righteous and the wicked , betweene him that serueth the lord , and him that serueth him not , mala. . . . . herewith the godly also must comfort themselues , as the prophet also witnesseth ; and take heede , that they partake not with the vngodly , of whom salomon sayth , because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily , therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill , eccl : . . but they must rather , seeing god here in this world permitteth things to passe in such manner , bee thereby more certainely assured , that hereafter there shall come a great day of judgement , wherein all things shall be made right , and set straight , and euery one shall be rewarded according as hee hath done , whether it be good or euill , act. . . and cor. . . and accordingly the more crossely and confusedly we see things done and executed here in this world , the more must wee learne to make reckoning of the great day of iudgement , make full account thereof , and prepare our selues for it , holding for certaine , as salomon also in the aforesaid place witnesseth , that though a sinner doe euill an hundred tymes , and his dayes be prolonged , yet surely i know , it shall be well ( not with the vngodly , but ) with them that feare god , which feare before him , eccl. . . this therefore should moue all the godly to long for the last day , & the comming of the lord , when we shall not onely be reuenged for all their hard speeches which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him , iude : and all instruments that are formed against vs shall not prosper , esa . . . but besides that all the partes and pieces of that great worke of the prouidence of god ouer the things of this world , that here are so confusedly cast together vpon a heape , shall be seene to be laid very orderly , by the wise and powerfull hand of our god , and from them wee shall see a most notable peece of worke to bee framed and brought forth , wherein the vngodly with their wicked workes , shall serue as shadowes , eccl : . . to set more beautie and luster vpon the great glory of the children of god , who shall then glister like the sunne . mat. . . as also the godly are to expect the same for this cause , that howsoeuer they cannot here conceiue why this or that thing comes so to passe , yet they may assure themselues , when the lord shall come to iudgement , to make all straight , and to bee glorified in his saints , thess . . . hee will then bring forth so glorious a peice of worke , and shew it vnto vs , that wee shall alwayes reioyce therein , and prayse and glorifie our god for the same world without end . chap. xi . that not all outward prosperitie is a signe , that the lord loueth that man to whom he sendeth the same . sith by all that which is said before it manifestly appeareth , that god many times sendeth great wealth and prosperitie to the vngodly , it is euident and not to be contradicted , that not all wealth & prosperitie is a signe or token that god fauoureth that man to whom he giueth it , for the lord our wonderfull god giueth in his wrath and anger to some men that which they wish and desire ; as he gaue quailes to the children of israell at their desire , but they dyed while they were eating of them , numb . . many a man hath earnestly desired , and also obtained that which in the end was his ouerthrow . so that it is most certaine , that the wealth and prosperitie of the vngodly is nothing else , but as it were a pasturing of beastes for the day of slaughter . this god taught ieremie , when touching the prosperitie of the vngodly hee looked into and searched the wayes of god ; righteous art thou o lord , when i plead with thee , yet let me talke with thee of thy iudgements . wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper ? wherefore are all they happie that deale very trecherously ? thou hast planted them , yea , they haue taken roote , they grow , yea , they bring forth fruit , thou art neere in their mouth , and farre from their reines . but thou o lord knowest me , thou hast seene me and tryed mine heart towardes thee . put them out like sheepe for the slaughter , and prepare them for the day of slaughter , iere. . . . . this is the cause why those that prosper in this world reioyce , though they are vngodly , they glory in themselues because all things goe well with them , and are perswaded , that it shall alwaies be so with them , yea , and that god fauoureth and liketh them , which notwithstanding is not so . the lord often times in this life giueth great wealth and prosperitie , and whatsoeuer they wish or desire , vnto those , to whom after this life he will giue hell and vtter damnation for their reward : gods wayes in these thinges are not like the wayes of men : to those that men hate and cannot abide , they wish no good , no not so much as may continue the twinckling of an eye . but it is not so with our god , hee endureth the vessels of wrath with great patience , & beares long with the vngodly , to see if they will once repent and turne from their wicked waies , and feare that good god , from whom they haue receiued so many good things , which if they doe not , but ●●●ll continue in their wickednes , then vndoubtedly , such is the case of the vngodly , that the more wealth and prosperitie they haue in this world , the more hated and accursed of god they are . for this is most certaine , that there can come no greater plague in the world then this to the children of men , when doing euill it falleth out well , as they imagine with them : for thereby they imbolden themselues in their wicked wayes , and take such a course that they shun no wickednesse , and then that draweth more vnto them , which the psalmist sayth , when the wicked spring like the grasse , and when all the workers of iniquitie flourish , it is that they shall be destroyed for euer , psal . . . therefore the prophet cryeth out against the children of this world , in this manner ; saying , o that they were wise , that they vnderstood this , that they would consider their latter end , deut. . . reioyce not then , you children of the world , because you flourish and prosper here , for behold and see that it standeth thus with you , as long as you feare not the lord , for you can finde nothing to make for you out of any place in the word of god , but that gods intent and meaning is , to feed you in this fatt pasture for the day of slaughter , ier. . . and that in this world hee will bring that vpon you which you deserue ; as it hapned to absolon , hammon , and others . this is most certaine , you stand vpon slipperie ground , and god that iudgeth you is strong , and in the twinckling of an eye can throw you downe . god , i say , whom you feare not ( and therefore is against you ) comes to iudgement as a theefe in the night . therefore looke before hand , that you stand vpon your gard ; turne speedily vnto him , and repent , least with the couetous rich man , for a short and transicorie worldly life you bee soone carried away from hence into euerlasting paine and damnation . chap. xii . that all worldly crosses and tribulations are not a shew or signe that god will refuse that man to whom he sendeth them . seeing that by the reasons and proofes aforesaid it is cleare and euident , that god also suffereth crosses and tribulations , to fall vpon the most godly men that are here in this world , it appeareth thereby also without contradiction , that all tribulations and troubles are not a crosse of god , neither an argument , that god will ouerthrow , and at once consume vs , when he layeth tribulations vpon vs ; but on the contrary , god sometimes suffereth his owne louing and dearest children , whom he liketh well , and approueth of , to fall into great miseries and calamities sometimes . so wonderfull is god in his workes to mankind ; those that he loueth , and most certainely determineth to giue vnto them the kingdome of heauen , and euerlasting ioy , yet them giueth hee oft into their enemies hands , ier. . . for so hee witnesseth vnto vs in his word . and he is wont to chasten as many as he loueth , apo : . . for whom the lordloueth hee chasteneth , and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth , heb . . yea , because hee loueth them , and because hee liketh them , therefore he instructeth and chastneth them the more : hearken what he sayth to that purpose to the children of israell , his darlings ; you onely haue i knowne of all the families of the earth , therefore i will punish you for all your iniquities , amos . . he will come to visite you at home , to make you better , that you may not perish with the wicked world , cor. . . this might abashe those that are so plagued , and yet are happie , who otherwise in their weaknesse many times when crosses fall vpon them are wont to say as sion sayd in her griefe , the lord hath for saken me , and my god hath forgotten me , esa . . . but what sayth gods answer ? can a woman forget her sucking child , that she should not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe ? though they may forget , yet will i not forget thee . behold , i haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands ; thy walles are continually before me , thy children shall make hast , thy destroyers , and they that make thee wast shall goe forth of thee . i i ft vp thy eyes round about , and behold , all these gather themselues together , and come to thee , as i liue sayth the lord , thou shalt surely cloth thee with them all as with a raiment , and bi●● them on thee as a bride doth ; for thy wast and thy desolate places , and the land of thy destruction shall euen now be too narrow , by reason of the inhabitants , and they that swallowed thee vp shall be far away , esa . . . . . . therefore all you godly people , that are in any trouble or aduersitie , remember this , and perswade your selues hereof , that gods heart , gods loue , and gods fauour is not with-drawne from you , although it appeareth , that your outward state is changed ; the lord loueth you now as well as he did when you were in your greatest prosperitie . god loued dauid as well when hee was in trouble , and hunted vp and downe like a hound , as he did , when he sat vpon his princely throne . yea , gods fatherly heart ( if i may so speake with reuerence ) is then more friendly vnto you , when your state is most crosse and feeble-some , as wee see that a louing mother is much more mooued to pittie and compassion , to seeke reliefe for her childe , when it is sicke then when it is whole and sound . this did iob beleeue , and therewith comforted himselfe , and boldly sayd vnto god , that then shewed so strange a countenance towardes him ( as ioseph did seeme to shew a strange countenance towardes his brethren , as if hee would haue punished them , and yet meant it not , gen : . . ) and these things hast thou hid in thine heart , i know that this is with thee , iob . . and therefore concludeth , and sayth ; though he slay mee , yet will i trust in him , iob . . so the lord also himselfe witnesseth , that hee doth not willingly suffer his people to fall into any trouble , but is moued thereunto , that he may doe them good at the latter end , deut. . . vpon this ground did dauid also comfort himselfe in all his troubles , and said to his afflicted soule ; why art thou cast downe , o my soule ? and why art thou disquieted within mee ? hope thou in god : for i shall yet prayse him , who is the health of my countenance , and my god , psa . . . yea , at the last it shall for certaine goe well with the godly ; and to that end heare what the psalmist saith , marke the perfect and behold the vpright : for the end of that man is peace . but the transgressours shall bee destroyed together ; the end of the wicked shall bee cut off . but the saluation of the righteous is of the lord ; hee is their strength in the time of trouble . and the lord shall helpe them and deliuer them ; he shall deliuer them from the wicked , and saue them , because they trust in him , psalme . . . . . and although the godly here in this world endure tribulation and anguish with lazarus , yet they shall receiue the more comfort , luke . . all teares shall be then wipt away from their eyes , apoc. . . and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads , they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse , and sorrow and sighing shall flee away esay . . and . . therefore , let the godly comfort themselues with these words , in all their sorrowes and troubles . ( ⸪ ) chap. xiii . that wee cannot measure the state of men , in regard of god , by wealth or pouertie , by prosperitie , or aduersitie , that befalleth them in this world . by all that hath beene said and shewed before , it plainely appeareth , that in this world it fareth ( for the most part ) alike , both with the godly and vngodly : from whence it followeth vndoubtedly , and cannot be denied ; that we cannot measure the state of men , in regard of god , by that which happeneth vnto them here on earth . iobs friends may imagine , because hee was so sore plagued , that certainely hee was a very wicked man , and hated of god. and men by nature are much addicted by outward appearance , to iudge of the state of a man in regard of god , looke touching this , acts . . . . luk. . . . deut. . . . and marke wee how contrarily the blind idolaters being of this opinion , iudged of their state to god-ward in ieremies dayes . but we will certainely ( say they ) doe whatsoeuer thing goeth foorth out of our owne mouthes , to burne incense to the queene of heauen , and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as wee haue done , wee and our fathers , our kings and our princes , in the cities of iuda , and in the streets of ierusalem : for then we had plentie of victuals , and were well , and saw no euill : but since we 〈…〉 off to burne incense to the queene of heauen , and 〈…〉 drinke offerings out vnto her , wee haue wanted all things , and haue beene consumed by the sword , and by famine , ier. . . . but christians must neither doe nor thinke so , else they shall often by occasion of such actions , m●ke the heartes of the righteous sad , whom the lord hath not made sad , and strengthen the handes of the wicked , ezechiel . . since that wee haue now sufficiently shewed , that the lord oftentimes in his anger sendeth men prosperitie , and in his fauour aduersitie . must we , may some say , make no account at all of that which happeneth vnto the children of men here in this world be it prosperitie or aduersitie , but passe it ouer as it is , i answer ; no , we must haue a due respect and regard to that which befalleth men , and marke what prosperitie or aduersitie happeneth vnto them , and how it fareth both with them and vs ; yet not to this end , by the exteriour accurrents of this life , to iudge what the state of man is towards god : but on the contrary , by the aduersitie or prosperitie of men , to know what we are to conceiue of the worke of god wrought amongst men , and by the knowledge of the seuerall accidents of prosperitie or aduersitie , that happen vnto the children of men , in what manner soeuer they bee laid vpon them , or receiued by them , learne to know gods affection , intent , purpose , and speciall marke whereat he aymeth in sending prosperitie or aduersitie : as for example , some great crosse and tribulation befalleth a godly man , by which yet wee must not iudge that he himselfe , or his cause is bad , but that the same trouble which happeneth vnto him , is sent for a further triall and purging of him . . pet. . . . tribulation also falleth vpon an vngodly man , that therein hardeneth his heart towards gods punishments : herevpon wee must conclude , that the trouble that falleth vpon such a man ( as farre as we can iudge ) is as it were a consuming fire , and smoke of the eternall fire , . sam. . . and chapter . againe , some godly man hath much ioy and prosperitie ; this when we behold , we must conceiue that it is a blessing that god bestoweth vpon him , to incourage him the more to goe forward in the way of godlinesse , psalme . and some other man that is vngodly , hath great wealth and much pleasure , and yet hee is rather worse and more wicked then he was before , deut. . . wherevpon we may conclude , that his prosperity ( as farre as we can coniecture ) is a meanes of fatting him for the day of slaughter , ier. . . in like manner , when the people of god sometimes forget themselues , touching their proceedings in their good course of religion ; by meanes whereof , many times they doe not follow the same so earnestly as they should , and is conuenient to be done , and that as they march in battaile against their enemies , they are not warie , according to the counsell of the lord , to keepe themselues from euery wicked thing , deut. . . it happeneth that god , who is more specially iealous ouer his people , and is wont to visit their offences home in their houses , amos . . for that cause , many times suffereth them to be ouerthrowne in a cause which otherwise is good ; as it happened twise to the children of israel , fighting against the beniamites , iudg. . now when any such thing happeneth , the people of god vpon that occasion must not doubt of , or call their religion into question , but they must looke into their own proceedings in that action touching the defence of their religion in a good cause , and thereby take occasion to inquire , what thing either in generall or particular , hath beene done among them in their proceedings , that might displease god ; in regard whereof hee hath so crost them , and hauing found it out , humble themselues before god , and amend their faults . and if in that case , they cannot finde any thing , which they may conceiue to be the cause of their ouerthrow , then they must ascribe the same vnto gods wonderfull prouidence , which is not to bee comprehended by vs , but must by euery man , with all humilitie and submission bee accepted and well thought of , iob . . . iob . thus the word of god teacheth vs , how to iudge of those tribulations and that prosperitie that befalleth the sonnes of men , which if some worldly wise men would looke well into , they would not so vnaduisedly scoffe at the actions of gods children ; who , when they haue had a glorious victorie ouer their enemies , therevpon conclude , not that their cause was good ( which the other in their wrong iudgement doubt of ) but that god hath graciously holpen them in their good cause ; and hauing receiued any ouerthrow , thence conclude ; that the lord for their sinnes , thereby humbleth them , and that by such hard blowes he would awake and rouze them vp : not to make them imagine that their good cause is bad , but to mooue them to amend their sinfull liues , that they may not thereby hinder their good cause , and to cause them in all occurrents to depend vpon the truth , and when they prosper , to giue god the lord the honour and glory , and when they are ouerthrowne and punished , to ascribe the fault thereof to themselues : this , i say , no worldling would scoffe at , as they vnaduisedly doe , if they had learned this infallible truth of god. which neuerthelesse is true , that is , that by the knowledge of the seuerall chances , that happen vnto the children of men , wee must measure the meaning and intent of god , in sending prosperitie and aduersitie vnto men : for it is true , that gods children , as wee finde in the holy word of god , alwayes praised the lord , when they had the victorie ouer their enemies , as dauid saith ; lord , i know that thou louest mee , in that thou hast not deliuered me into the handes of mine enemies ; nor giuen them occasion to triumph ouer me . psal . . . and againe , humbled themselues for their sins , when they were ouerthrowne , lament . . . not once in regard thereof making any doubt of their religion , or imagining that idolatry had iustly gotten the vpper hand , against the true seruice of god. besides this , we must further know , that the thinges of this world haue not their issue and effect , alwayes according to their owne nature and properties , but as the lord ( who ruleth them all ) pleaseth to order them . by meanes whereof it falleth out , that aduersitie ( which of it selfe is hurtfull ) yet procureth great good to the godly , and that prosperitie ( which of it selfe is pleasing ) doth yet bring great hurt to the vngodly . and hereby it commeth to passe , that all things worke together for the good of them that feare god , rom. . . and on the other side , that all things worke together for the worst to them that hate god ; in regard that their mindes and consciences also are vncleane and accursed , tit. . . let an vngodly man be aduanced , and set aboue all his other neighbours ; he will become proud and insolent , and ouer-throw himselfe thereby ▪ againe , let a godly man haue any tribulation befall him ; hee will humble himselfe and become better thereby ; and so to the pure all things are pure , but vnto them that are defiled , nothing is pure , or profitable , tit. . . and this proceedeth from hence , that the godly on the one side , are a godly plant , and a heauenly branch , hauing so great and admirable a power in it , that the man that is godly is so framed by gods grace , that whatsoeuer hapneth vnto him , or is layd vpon him , how troublesome , aduerse , hurtfull , or mischieuous soeuer it be of it selfe by nature , is turned to the best vnto him , and to his good and prosperitie ; for , godlinesse is profitable to all things , hauing promises of the life that now is , and of that which is to come , . tim. . . and on the other side , the vngodly being a plant of he deuill , and a branch of hell , hath so venimous a stalke , and so poysonfull a nature , that the man who is rooted therein , and will not be brought to leaue and abandon it , but still keepeth it by him , it is certaine , that whatsoeuer happeneth vnto him , how good , profitable , and beneficiall soeuer it be by nature it turneth to his hurt and destruction , in such manner , that euen the pleasing and sweet sauour thereof , is contrary vnto him , and is with him the sauour of death vnto death . and whereas the godly , sauour life euerlasting in christ , and eternall saluation : the vngodly sauour nothing but death in christ , and euerlasting condemnation , . cor. . hence it euidently appeareth , that by outward things which happen vnto men , wee must not by any meanes measure , nor iudge their state to god-ward at the first dash ; but on the contrary by their state to god-wardes iudge , what we are to conceiue of the outward thinges that happen vnto , and fall vpon them . by this that hath beene said , may many men learne to reforme their erronious opinions : and not those only of whom we spake in the eleuenth chapter , who are wont to take occasion by their outward prosperitie , to boast themselues of their actions , and are perswaded that both they and their actions please god well , because outwardly they haue wealth and prosperitie , whereas they should not iudge their state in regard of god , by their outward prosperitie , but their prosperitie by their state . but others also , that are perswaded and imagine that all men , when soeuer any trouble or aduersitie falleth on them , and that they are many wayes molested , as stricken sicke on their beds , or troubled by their enemies , are wont thereupon to flatter , and sooth vp themselues , and to grow thereby into some good perswasion , that hereafter they shall fare the better for the same , because they haue endured so much here in this world , and that it be certainely concluded thence , that they are gods children , & that god loueth them well , because they are troubled , and much tribulation here befall them . but this is no certaine token that god liketh well of vs , because he sendeth vs trouble and aduersitie , for hee doth the same to the vngodly , as wee haue alreadie declared . and therefore wee must not by outward things , which happen vnto men , either our selues or others , iudge or censure our owne or their state to god-ward ; but on the contrary , by our state to god-ward , we must iudge the state of such outward things , whether they bee sent vnto vs as signes of gods grace , or of his wrath . it behooueth all those then whom god suffereth to fall into any tribulation , or misery , to be certainely perswaded , that by the same ( as the godly vse to doe ) they ought to become better and better , and to be purged and cleansed , that doing so they may bee certainely perswaded in their consciences , that they are punished by god in loue . to which purpose our heartie wish and prayer vnto god is , that all those that beare the name of gods people , would take occasion by the visitation which the lord god sendeth vpon his people in these our dayes , to weigh well , and consider seriously their owne present estate , and to looke diligently into themselues , that they might find out their owne sinnes and misdeedes , for it is most certaine , that no man can haue any true comfort from the ground of gods word in any tribulation , that falleth vpon the people of god , but he who findeth himselfe to be thereby so affected , that he doth not onely grieue for the common misery of ierusalem , but is also stirred vp to amend his owne life in whatsoeuer he findes amisse in himselfe , for so it is written , that we shall then know , & be certainely perswaded , that god punisheth vs out of his loue , when by the punishments of god we become better , and more zealous towardes him . as many as i loue i rebuke and chasten , be zealous therefore and repent , apoc : . . and this we must bee so much the more perswaded of , for that although the lord vseth so to deale with his people , that he sendeth them some reliefe , and in part easeth them of their troubles , when they are fallne into them , and in them call vpon him ; yet that his arme is still stretched forth , and his wrath is not asswaged , vntill his people put away from them , and cleane cast off that which displeaseth and disliketh him , and for which hee doth visite them . which with all our hearts wee wish might by euery one bee well and earnestly thought vpon . it is not to be doubted , but that all the troubles which in our tymes haue fallne vpon the people of god , haue had their beginning from hence , that we haue not so thankefully ( as we ought to haue done ) receiued the holy gospell , and the truth of gods word . for we haue many tymes begun to neglect the light of gods truth , which hath grieued the lord , and for the same he hath visited vs at home , which wee haue also in part begun to obserue and acknowledge , and haue thereupon made a shew as if wee would amend and reforme it , and haue humbled our selues before god with fasting & prayer , making diuers faire shews and promises , as if we meant to become better and better , and to earry our selues with more obedient hearts towardes god then formerly we had done . whereupon the lord our god , who is good and long-suffring towards vs , hath againe begun to blesse vs , done great things for vs , and according to our hearts desire filled vs with great hope and expectation , that he would more and more lift vp our heads , and giue vs many good things . but in all these things wee doe not once remember , or thinke on our promises and vowes that we made so solemnely vnto him , both in the beginning of our troubles , and now also in these latter dayes , while we were in trouble and necessitie , psal . . . for what i pray you hath since that time beene amended ? who hath since begun to be more zealous for the honour of god ? who hath begun to put forth his hand for reformation of the notable abuses that are common amongst vs , which euery man noteth , which euery man complaineth of , which euery man disliketh , and yet no man amendeth ? and yet wee made promise and vowed vnto god euery man for his particular , to looke vnto it . now while the dayes of our fasting and humiliation lasted , and brought such solemne power and promises with them , by meanes of those promises and vowes , for a tyme we procured the threatning hand of god to hold vp , and a beginning of such great matters appeared . but since that wee haue not performed those promises made vnto god , neyther haue come any thing neere vnto the performance of them , as at this day it appeareth , what wonder is it now , when wee are not true of our word ; when we suffer all things to run at six and seuens , and as they will , and doe not as we should , begin to pay our vowes and promises vnto the most high god , and euery man to amend that which is amisse with him , from the particular house-houlder , and so vpward to those of highest degree : what wonder , i say , now is it , that god hath begun to lift vp his threatning hand againe , and that he suffereth vs to fayle of that we hoped and expected , and sends vnto vs hard messages , that may againe warne vs in gods name to pay our vowes , and keepe our promises with god , or that els he will execute his iudgment vpon vs , & thrust vs out of all that we haue , as one that is our creditor , and with long patience hath borne with vs , whom we haue still payd with faire words , but haue not once beene moued in our hearts to find the meanes to keepe our promises , and to moue ●●m to mercies , whereon notwithstanding our sa●etie , & well-fare specially consisteth , yea , wholy dependeth ? therefore once againe i say and wish with all my heart , that this may be well & carefully lookt into , for it stands vs vpon and importeth vs much . and if that we shall be serious and earnest therein , then all the aforesaid prosperities of the children of god will powerfully ouer-shadow vs ; and we shall alwayes finde that the lord is with vs , and that it is all in vaine for our enemies to seeke to destroy vs ; for , if the lord be with vs , who can hurt or harme vs ? rom. . . psal . . , . chap. xiiii . that by all that hath beene sayd and shewed before , we must learne to liue in the true feare of god , and sincere holinesse , and more and more practise the same . seeing the case then so standeth , as most euidently appeareth , that whatsoeuer men doe , whether they liue holily and godlily , or wickedly , and irreligiously , yet it auaileth them nothing in this respect , to wit , that they cannot thereby wholy free and deliuer themselues from all troubles and aduersities of this life , nor yet bereaue themselues vtterly of all outward wealth and prosperitie , but that the same things may happen vnto them whither they liue godly or wickedly , & that also it further standeth so with men that if they liue godly both their prosperitie and aduersitie are blessings vnto them , and on the contrary , that if they liue wickedly , as well their prosperitie as their aduersitie is a curse vnto them ; and that to either of them in so high a measure and degree , that the prosperitie and aduersitie of the godly are either of them a furtherance vnto them to euerlasting saluation , and as it were , a pawne , that hereafter both here and for euer it shall goe well with them psal . . phillip . . . thess . . . . whereas vnto the vngodly , both their prosperitie and aduersitie are a meanes to further their eternall damnation , and as it were , a pawne and assurance vnto them , that hereafter both here and eternally it shall goe euilly , and hard with them , leuit. . luke . . apoc. . . we must learne therefore , and be admonished hereby , if we haue not made a couenant with hell , and giuen our selues ouer to the deuill , to forsake and abandon wickednesse , which is so much accursed , and so damnable ; and on the contrary to cleaue vnto godlinesse , which is so happie , and so much blessed ; and in this regard should we in this manner argue and reason with our selues ; i know very well that a godly course of life and conuersation , is much better then a loose vngodly , and wicked course , as yet i haue so much feare of god in me , and if i can in any sort effect that which i desire by good and honest meanes , i rather desire so to liue , then to follow lewd , wicked , and vngodly courses , and to vse wicked , wrong , and euill practises to obtaine onely some profite , pleasure , credit , furtherance , and benefit , which thereby i hope to get . but now i am taught , that in respect of the outward things of this life , it fareth almost alike both with the godly & vngodly , therefore i may much better attaine vnto an vpright life by the way of godlinesse , then by the way of vngodlinesse . and withall , if i consider it well , i cannot but remember , that to the godly , both prosperitie and aduersitie are blessings ; and on the contrary , that to the vngodly , both prosperitie and aduersitie are curses , for that there is an after-reckoning to bee made in the world to come , wherein euery one shall bee rewarded according to that which he hath done , whether it be good or euill , and after that followeth the eternall iudgement , whereby the vngodly are disposed of , and presently sent downe to the bottome of hell , where there is weeping , and wailing , and gnashing of teeth , world without end ; and on the contrary , the godly are taken vp into heauen , where all joy aboundeth , and happie life eternall is obtained for them by our sauiour iesus christ . and if in any wise i should doubt of these things to come , yet the same are of so great waight and consequence , that it behooueth euery man earnestly to thinke on them , and to haue a care to make sure worke thereof , seeing that wisedome teacheth vs , not to prepare onely for difficult inconueniences , which wee know certainely will come , but to bee carefull also to preuent such as may come vpon vs ▪ and the rather cause to seeke to attaine vnto these outward things that i desire by godly meanes , for that by following godlines in true faith , without feare of any aduersitie , my meate will not be lesse sauory , nor my sleepe lesse sweete , yea , all my actions will thereby bring and procure more fruit and comfort vnto mee ; and how much more , since that then i shall liue without feare of death and hell , and in an assured hope of heauen , and eternall saluation ? in regard hereof therefore i am fully determined to leaue and aband on all vngodlinesse , and to follow godlinesse , and to deny my selfe , and to giue my mind wholly to serue the lord my god , and no longer to fullfill the desires of the flesh , whereon so many miseries do depend , but to follow the will of god , ( which onely is good ) during my mortall dayes , that hereafter i may alwaies liue eternally in heauen . in this manner , or the like by thinking vpon the things before declared , should we set our harts vpon the way of godlinesse and the feare of god , & so cast our lot into the lap of the godly , knowing that without doubt it shall goe well with such men . and to the end that wee may bee enduced and enabled the more diligently to follow godlinesse , by meanes of gods workes done here vnto vs and others , which he bringeth to passe in this world , wee will endeuour further to declare and show how , and in what manner wee must prepare our selues , to know , learne , and reape some good out of gods workes , for the furtherance of the feare of god and godlinesse in vs , and what speciall fruits we may reape thereby . chap. xv. how wee may profit by all the workes of god which hee doth vnto vs , and other men in this world . that we may reape good and conuenient fruit here on earth , by the workes of god done among men , wee must by that which happeneth vnto vs , as also to others , yea and out of all things that are done in the world , and which are known vnto vs ; diligently consider , and be thereof thoroughly perswaded , how true euery word and sillable of gods holy word is , how firmely and certainely it is fulfilled , and how constantly and peremptorily that daily proceedeth and falleth out in this world , which he saith in his word , that hee will bring to passe : that in all things , and at all times we may say with the church of god ; as we haue heard , so haue wee seene in the citie of the lord of hosts , in the citie of our god , god will establish it for euer , selah , psalm . . . and with salomon speaking to the lord ; that which thou hast promised to him , and spakest with thy mouth to thy seruant dauid , my father , and hast fulfilled it with thy hand , as it is this day , . chron. . . and to the end that this may bee thus effected to our comfort and benefit , we must indeuour our selues in the whole course of our liues , narrowly and earnestly to marke and consider whatsoeuer falleth out , of any weightie consideration , that we here see done , or suffer in this life , be it temporall , or spirituall , and whatsoeuer is against vs that is done in the world , and commeth to our knowledge , and compare them with that which god hath made manifest in his word , and protested that he 〈…〉 , bring to passe , or effect ; and accordingly n●t● and consider seriously and vndoubtedly , that what soeuer god hath foreshewed in his word , hee daily bringeth to passe in his workes . to this purpose , god hath giuen vs a liuing soule , and hath taught vs more then the beasts of the earth , and made vs wiser then the fowles of heauen , iob . . to this end hee hath set vs vpon the stage of the world , that wee might plainely see and marke ( for our comfort and consolation ) the waies of the children of men here vpon earth , together with the seuerall euents , that proceed and spring from thence by gods heauenly prouidence . vnreasonable beasts that liue here among vs , as dogs and catts , see what is done in the world , and see it with as cleere eyes , and many times better and plainlier then men doe . if man then doe not endeauour himselfe ( with the inward eyes of his vnderstanding ) not onely to see and marke what is done , or what passeth in the world , but which is more , to marke the finger of god to bee therein , and thereby to learne the truth and constancy of god , such a man differeth not much from a beast or an vnreasonable creature , psal . . . psal . - . in regarde of spirituall life , whereon the difference betweene the one and the other wholy dependeth , yea hee is therein , worse then an vnreasonable beast , for heauie plagues hang ouer the heads of such carelesse and brutish persons as haue no regarde vnto the workes of the lord. heare what the psalmist sayth ; because they regard not the workes of the lord nor the operation of his handes : hee shall destroy them and not build them vp : psal . . . which in truth is a most fearefull threatning and sheweth that god esteemeth and holdeth such carelesse men to bee most wicked : to which purpose also salomon sayth : wicked men regard not that which is right , but those that feare the lord marke all things : pro. . . for this cause wee are often times warned and aduised to this diligent marking in holy scripture , seeke you out of the booke of the lord and reade , noe of these shall fayle , none shall misse her mate , for his mouth it hath commaunded , and his spirit it hath gathered them together : esay . . iosu . . . this also iobs friendes and iob himselfe also marked diligently , in the whole course of their liues , as in the whole booke of iob it is sufficiently declared ; and all the misvnderstanding that they had among themselues , touching gods workes partly consisted heerein , that they vnderstoode not the word of god so plainely as wee doe , and partly also by reason of the extraordinary strange and vnaccustomed dealing of god with iob , which hee as then for a time layd vpon him , for a warning comfort and strengthening of all his people as long as the world should endure , as also to that end he causeth it to bee written , ier. . . now from hence also it further appeareth , that to the end wee may truely to our comfort , and with some fruite consider of all the workes of ▪ god wrought among the children of men , there are . thinges specially , and very necessarily to bee obserued . first , some distinct knowledge of gods proceedings manifested vnto vs in the holy scriptures . secondly , a diligent marking of all gods workes , wrought heere among the children of men . thirdly a comparing of that which he doth in this world , with that which hee witnesseth in his word . fourthly a constant noting of the seuerall fruites , that springe from the finding out of the truth of god opened vnto vs in his word and works . and of all these . in the chapters ensuing , wee will speake some what more at large . chap. xvi . of the distinct knowledge of these things which god in his word ( touching the gouernement of this world ) hath manifested vnto vs , being very fit and necessarie for the drawing of spirituall profitt from workes of god wrought heere among men . that the certaine knowledge of the will of god opened vnto vs in the holy scriptures touching the gouernment of the world , is necessarily to be had , that wee may reape profit by the works of god done among the children of men , it is manifest , for how can any man else knowe and vnderstande whether that which happeneth in the world , agreeth with that which god hath written in his word ? since it must needs be that if a man doe not vse to reade gods word , nor know what god therein setteth downe vnto vs , they must of force erre when they take ▪ vpon them to iudge of gods workes , and to them it may be sayd , as christ sayd to the saduces , you erre not knowing the scriptures , mat. . . for this cause as many learned men , that are well read in the letter of the holy scriptures , yet many times can not well iudge of the actions and proceedings of men , because they haue not vsed to compare that which god hath spoken in his worde , with that which dayly by his hand hee bringeth to passe in the gouernmēt of the world , so it is certaine that those that are not accustomed to reade & peruse the holy scriptures , and therefore know them not , can not with any spirituall vnderstanding or profit , marke gods works here on earth among the sonnes of men . it is necessary therefore for euery one , that wil discharge and vnburthen his conscience therein , to be conuersant in the holy scriptures . and it is a most notorious in gratitude , vnthankefulnes , and a damnable carelesse slouth , among great & smale , young and old , that seeing god our great god ( the maker of the whole world ) that setteth vp and puileth downe kinges . dan. . . hath vouchsafed as it were with his owne hande to write a booke for vs , touching the order that hee doth , and will hold and obserue in the gouerning of this worlde , that thereby wee might certainely and sufficiently knowe his meaning and order our wayes , and by the light of the same booke , might be holpen well and wisely to iudge of all gods workes touching the gouernment of the world for our comfort and consolation , rom. . . that wee miserable poore and wicked children of men , that many times are so curious to search into and to read the histories and iournals of mortall mens actions , that scarce haue trauelled through any small parte of the world , and that would esteeme it a great honor and fauour , and would with all thankefullnes embrace and run after it , if wee might be permitted to enter into the studie of a great potentate of this worlde , to reade arcana imperij the order that hee holdeth in his gouernement , that yet i say , we poore simple wretches are found to be so slow and carelesse of the looking into gods booke , whereas notwithstanding the same booke so highly , both in generall and perticular specially concerneth vs , being that which setteth downe vnto vs , the state of our euerlasting saluation , or condemnation , and how wee must heere on earth behaue our selues vnder the gouernement of our god , that heereafter in the worlde to come , wee may alwayes and for euerliue with him in heauen , iohn . . this in truth is an vnreasonable ingratitude , and a most woefull and damnable contempt . therefore if hitherto we haue beene slow and carelesse of making diligent search into the bible , which is the booke that god himselfe , that made vs all , hath made ; let vs with all speede amend that fault all of vs ▪ euen from the highest to the lowest . for kings and princes themselues , how great soeuer their affayres here in this world are , must not neglect this booke of god the king of kings , to reade it diligently all the dayes of their liues , as in gods behalfe , in his owne booke it is expressely commanded , deut. . . . now concerning the spirituall order of gods workes wrought among the children of men , as is opened and manifested vnto vs in gods word , by diligent search it must be more and more learned and found out ▪ and to that end the exposition made in the whole discourse of this treatise , will be helpfull , and giue men some light how they from henceforth may iudge and discerne of the order of gods workes , wrought among the children of men , and be more and more comforted therein . ⸪ chap. xvii . of the diligent obseruation of all gods workes , among the children of men , needfull for the drawing of spirituall profit out of gods workes among vs. the second thing that is needfull and requisite hereunto , that out of gods works done among the children of men , we may more & more learne the feare of god and godlinesse , is that we should narrowly marke & consider of all such his works . if any man though well seene and learned in that which god himselfe witnesseth vnto vs in his word , that he intendeth to doe among the children of men touching the gouerning of the world , should withdraw himselfe , like an hermite into some solitary place of this world , where hee ●ould see no man , nor haue the company of any , or should shut himselfe vp whole dayes , weekes , and moneths in his studie , still poaring vpon his books , or if he were so continually taken vp with the cares of this world , that with blind eyes hee should looke into that which is done and hapneth in the world among the sonnes of men , such a man notwithstanding all the knowledge that he could haue of gods word , could draw no fruit , nor comfort , out of the workes of god done among the children of men . it is necessary therefore , for men narrowly to marke what is done , and hapneth in the place where they dwell and abide , as namely , how it fareth with the good and the bad , as well in generall as in particular , when they are sound in the way of righteousnesse or wickednesse , as they are in prosperitie or aduersitie , how both the one and the other behaue themselues therein , and how they liue , what they doe , what their vprising , going forth , and proceedings are ; all this men must warily and narrowly note , in the places where they liue ; as also , the condition , conuersation , employments , blessings , punishments , sicknesses , diseases , death and ends of the children of men , and consider thereof ; for there is no working , no proceeding , nor any thing that is done in this life touching prosperity or aduersity , from the which a christian man , like a bee , may not draw some good fruit . that man therefore that hath any iudgement , must note and marke all things in such manner , that from day to day hee may bee more and more instructed , and become wiser : and to that end the psalmist sayth , that it is a wise mans worke to make all these things , that he may vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the lord , psal . . . and salomon sheweth vs that it was his practise to consider all things , euen vnto the field of the slothfull , and to that end sayth ; i went by the field of the slothfull , and by the vineyard of the man voyde of vnderstanding , and loe , it was all growne ouer with thornes , and nettles had couered the face thereof ; and the stone wall thereof was broken downe : then i saw and considered it well , i looked vpon it , and receiued instruction , pro. . . . . but especially , it concerneth a christian , narrowly to note and marke gods proceedings , and dealings with and concerning himselfe , and how it fareth with him in the course of his life , whether hee followeth gods will and commandements , or is carelesse thereof . and we must euery one of vs particularly consider , how ioyfull and good a thing it is , to behold a childe of god haunt gods house , to be released and freed from the dulnesse of his peruerse nature , and from the gouernment of sinne and sathan , to be shrowded vnder gods wings , and to haue him for his protection and defence , and how gratiously he then dealeth with vs when we so doe , preserueth vs from a thousand burdens of heauie and grieuous sinnes , whereunto otherwise we were wholly addicted , and would easily haue fallen into , how comfortably he maketh vs to grow vp and encrease in knowledge and grace for the more assurance of his fauour towardes vs , and of our eternall saluation . and wee must yet narrowly and specially marke and consider on the one side , what blessing , what comfort , and what peace wee haue found for our soules in all occurrents of prosperitie or aduersitie , as long as wee serued god , and that our hearts were not turned backe , neither did our stepps decline from his way , psal . . . ier. . . and on the other side , into what troubles , griefes , perplexities , disquietnesse of conscience , distrust , and feares we haue fallen , when by any temptations , we fell from the lord our god , and how after our fall when wee truely considered the same , and humbled our selues before the lord our god , and againe turned vnto him with true repentance , with all our hearts , and a true desire to serue him , we were againe by him receiued into grace , and restored into our former blessed , and comfortable state , as the same is at large notably set downe vnto vs in the story of the prodigall child . thus euery one of vs must particularly enter into the closet of his owne conscience , and well & narrowly marke in what proceedings we haue beene best furthered and thrust forward to a spirituall life , which is the speciall marke that wee should ayme at , and what comfort we haue thereby receiued and therein found for our soules , that we may with the church of god say , when wee haue forsaken our god and gone astray , i will goe and returne to my first husband againe : for then it was better with me then now , hos . . . chap. xviii . how we must compare that which god doth in this world with that which hee hath set downe in his word , that we may draw some good fruit from the workes of god for our comfort the third thing that is needfull hereunto , that out of the workes of god done among the children of men , we may know the truth of god set downe in his word for our comfort and consolation is , that we collect and gather together whatsoeuer by diligent searching into the word of god ; and narrowly marking of gods workes , touching gods proceedings and dealings with the sonnes of men , we haue learned , that by comparing spirituall things with spirituall things , by meanes thereof we may duely and clearely begin to perceiue and vnderstand the truth and certaintie of gods word , and how that heauen and earth shall sooner passe away then one tittle of gods word shall fayle ; so that we may be able to say being holpen by the aforesaid obseruation . that this was done in england , this in france , this in germany , this in our countrie , in our towne , in our village , in our house , according to that which the lord witnesseth in this or that place of his booke , that it should fall out so and in such manner , although in mens opinions it was otherwise expected to be done . now further , that wee may bring these things the better about , and thereby to reape that profit and fruit , which we desire to doe by these thinges that are done and happen here in this world , we must specially adde these two thinges thereunto . first , and before all that we accustome our selues in all things that happen to fall out , and come to our knowledge , to note the finger of our god to be therein , and withall hold this for certaine , and most true , that as in all things that we see and behold men to doe , not the body of man worketh onely , but the soule especially which we see not , so that likewise the lord our god , which gouerneth all things by his mightie word , hath his finger secretly in all things that are done , much more then ioab had his hand in the businesse of the woman of tekoa , sam. . though in an holy manner , and that altogether incomprehensible , whereby he alwayes worketh well , and produceth much good , euen by meanes of the wickedst instruments in the world , by vngodly assur , that is , the rod of his anger , and by the deuill himselfe , whom hee vseth often times to plague his people by , esa . . . . and chron. . . so that we must endeuour to bring our selues to see the working of gods finger to be alwayes in euery thing that is done in the world , and to thinke and perswade our selues , that it is the lord our god that hath done this , thus and in this manner , either by furthering , or by hindring the same in this or that manner , and causing or suffering it to fall out the one way or the other . and accordingly whatsoeuer hapneth to crosse the proceedings of gods children , learne alwayes to say vnto our soules , behold , this our god hath done , or permitted to be done . this the vngodly vse not to doe : they doe not once marke the finger of god in any thing that hapneth vnto the children of men ; but their manner is , to ascribe it to the lowest and nearest causes , and to depend wholy thereupon , looking no higher , nor further then the gates of the towne wherein they dwell , vnlesse it be a thing that is vnaccustomed , and such as doth not vsually fall out ; and then it may be they will suppose , that it proceedeth from god , as the sorcerers of egypt , marked the finger of god to be in the lice that moses brought vpon the egyptians , because they could conceiue no naturall cause whereby it might be effected , exod. . . . . but such as are godly and know gods word , note the finger of god in all things , as that which is most necessary to bee considered , they thereby may obserue the workes of god , to fall out according to his word , and may draw and reape conuenient fruits from the same . secondly , that we accustome our selues when any thing worth the noting falleth out in the course of our liues , that is , against our selues , or others , whether they bee particular persons , or whole nations , to quicken our witts thereby , and to stirre vp our memories , to call to mind and remember , whether there be no one place of scripture , that witnesseth something touching the same , whereby it is foretold , or whereunto it may be likened : as for example , we see a man run vp and downe about his worldly affayres vpon the sabboth day , and when he hath done , we see all that he did was in vaine ; heare should we remember , what is sayd vnto vs , exod. . . to wit , and it came to passe that there went some of the people on the sabboth day ( which was the rest of the lord ) for to gather manna , and they found none . this was the practise of christs disciples , and god gaue them vnderstanding thereby : see ioh. . . . . and ioh. . . now to finde conuenient places of scripture , touching these thinges that may bee compared with that that hapneth in the world , wee must in that that is done diligently consider what the speciall causes were why those things fell out and came so to passe as they did , as namely , why such and such things hapned so well or so ill ; and wherein they finde themselues to haue a part in the gracious promises of the lord , and the lord hath promised such good to come to them , as they then finde , or wherein they feele and know themselues culpable of the threatnings of god , whereby things haue so happened vnto them as they haue fallen out . and if we can finde no certaine speciall cause thereof , but the contrary rather , then we must , as in iobs case , ascribe the event to the mighty power of god , and accordingly behaue our selues therein . chap. xix . of the seuerall fruites that spring from the searching into and finding out of gods truth , and certaintie declared vnto vs , in his word , and in his workes . the fourth and the last of the foure necessary points required hereunto , that by the workes of god done among the sonnes of men , we may be enduced to lay more hold vpon the feare of god , and godlinesse is , that wee diligently note and consider the seuerall fruites that are hereby reaped , and which by finding out gods truth , and the certaintie thereof , are declared vnto vs in his word , which must be earnestly and well considered of , because this is the ende , scope , and speciall marke whereunto all tendeth , that hath formerly beene deliuered . now the fruites that spring from the aforesaid considerations are notable , both many and great , whereof some ( that we may orderly place them in certaine ranckes ) concerne the holy scriptures themselues ; by the light whereof wee may bee able to proue and to iustifie all the aforesayd arguments and declarations , other some concerne gods workes , and a third sort our obedience , which wee are to yeelde and shew vnto the word of god and the holy scriptures . touching the first sort of fruites concerning the holy scriptures they are three . for in the first place , wee learne out of the aforesayde considerations , the truth of the holy scriptures , that the same is most certaine and immutable , and that it shall neuer faile in any one tittle thereof , therein contained . and heereby are wee confirmed and assured in our consciences , as by experience we find , that what soeuer the lord hath spoken , by his owne mouth in his worde , that with his hand hee effecteth and bringeth the same to passe in gouerning of the worlde . now this is a most notable fruit ; for vntill such time as that wee doe dewly and truly marke how true gods word is , and how truely god performeth & bringeth that to passe continually in the gouerning of the world , which in his word hee hath promised and threatned to doe , wee shall neuer esteeme of feare , nor submit our selues vnto gods worde , and on the contrary , when by our owne dilligent obseruation , wee find out and are perswaded of the truth and certaintie of gods worde , wee are thereby at all times led and induced to the loue of gods word , and incouraged to beleeue it , and to esteeme well thereof , iohn . . it is sayd that the worde of god , is quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword . heb. . now no man doth easily beleeue this , but hee that by feare of the word of god is moued therunto in his heart , acts . . and . cor. . . . and he that is so affected , doubteth no more thereof , then hee doth that the sunne is bright and cleare ; and he that hath this feeling of the worde , working in his soule , hath vndoubtedly already made a good entrance into the way to gods kingdome , for this is most certaine and sure , that all the sinnes and misdemeanours which those men commit that withstand the written worde which is the liuely truth of god , proceede from this , that they do not beleeue that the same word is so true and certaine as it is . the second fruit is , that wee learne by the aforesayd declarations , the abundant largenesse and copiousnes of the holy scriptures , psal . . . it is not to be spoken ( if wee woulde apply our minds earnestly and as wee ought to find out places in the scriptures , that may bee applyed to those things that happen and are done in this world ) what a rich mine of gold wee should find the scriptures to bee , and should hardly , after we had once conuersed therein , fayle of some one fitt place or other therein that might bee applyed to all the thinges that while wee liue we should haue neede of , or are to be done by vs , . tim. . . which if the papists had done , they would soone haue perceaued and knowne that there was no neede nor necessitie , to finde out and invent many new lawes and rules for the ordering of mens liues , thereby to bring men to saluation , as they haue done , whereby the holy scriptures are by them brought into contempt , and in a manner abandoned and thrust wholy out of vse . the third is , that we are by the aforesaid considerations holpen and better furthered in the vnderstanding of the holy scriptures . it is not to be expressed nor spoken how the earnest and serious marking of gods proceedings with the children of men , and with our owne soules , giueth a singular great light to the true vnderstanding of many places of holy scriptures , whereof otherwise , those that haue no experience nor knowledge of things touching and concerning a spirituall life , can neuer conceiue any thing , as may appeare in many places of the psalmes , which otherwise cannot so well bee conceiued how they hang and depend one vpon another ; we can truely witnesse , that sometimes from the mouthes of simple plaine men , wee haue receiued a verie fit and conuenient sence and interpretation of some places , which otherwise were very intricare , which they by their owne obseruations haue learned and found out , to be so and in such manner vnderstood : and it falleth out often times that vpon occasion of that which we haue heard & seene to happen among men , we were aduertised , and haue beene taught the meaning of diuers places of scriptures , which touched vpon such occasions , and whereof before we could not finde out the true meaning . this is expressely taught in the proceedings of christs disciples , of whom it is sayd , that notwithstanding that christ spake plainely of his death & resurrection , yet that they could not vnderstand it , nor diue into the depth thereof , luk. . . . but that afterwardes by obseruing the event of things , they vnderstood it , ioh. . . and thus a godly heart that is wont to looke into gods workes , becommeth an interpretor to it selfe of many places of holy scriptures . touching the second sort of benefits concerning gods workes , we reape hence this speciall fruite , in that we learne by the declaration aforesayd , not to become so peruerse , nor resolute concerning many things & actions that are done and happen in the world , whereas many simple men , that haue not busied their braynes about looking into the word of god , nor in marking of the course of gods workes , become obstinate thereby , and grow carelesse and slacke to regard the spirituall life , in regard of the prosperitie of the vngodly , and the aduersitie of the godly , which at the first they could not vnderstand , nor conceiue ; and therefore gaue a wrong interpretation of them , because they entred not into the sanctuary of the lord , which now is his worde , for when wee wholy relie vpon the word of god in all worldly accidents , wee attayne vnto the right vnderstanding of things that belong vnto god , and are not thereby hardened , but rather instructed and made better ; psal . . . . psal . . iob. . . . touching the third sorte of fruits concerning the manner of our obedience , which according vnto the word of god , wee owe vnto him , there are three fruites . in the first place wee are by the aforesayd declaration , instructed to discerne our owne and other mens ouersights , and are therby aduertised both how sinne on the one side , by carelesnesse of liuing , the pleasures of the worlde and all maner of wicked actions doth oftentimes procure diuers inconueniences and perplexeties , vnto those that are adicted thereunto , and in all occurrents , makes their prosperitie a cursed vnto them , which putteth vs in great feare & doubt to enter into that way , that is so full of danger & so troublesome as that we our selues by our own experience can say vnto our soules ; oh my soule enter not into this way , i haue seene many fall therein i my selfe haue often beene hardly besied therein , and so long as wee will goe into this way , our prosperitie will become a curse vnto vs , and be a meanes to ouerthrow vs , and if wee can say thus much by our owne experience to our soules , it will be a powfull meanes to diuert vs from the way of the vngodly , and againe on the other side , when by the aforesayd declaration , wee finde and see that the feare of god , constancie , righteousnesse , good workes and godlinesse , for certaine haue the promises of this life and the life to come , yea and that those that are indued therewith , haue great peace of conscience , and are preserued from many mischances whereinto wickednesse and sinne draw men , and that in all dangers and perplexities they are comforted and imboldened , we can not but be therby strongly prouoked and effectually drawne to the practise of godlines , so that we can say vnto our soules , surely this is a good way , it hath beene prosperous vnto the end , to all those that followed it , and all those that enter into it shall endure vnto the end : heb. . . and if any aduersitie or tribulation happeneth vnto vs , yet wee shall bee of good comfort and imboldned : for god will then be with vs , his rod and his staffe shall comfort vs , psal . . . the second is , that wee are also by the aforesayd considerations made very prouident , learned , and wise , for that by those thinges that are past , and which wee haue well considered of and beheld how they were done , we learne to know and find out what will follow vpon , and proceed from such & such the like actions , and what good or euill we are to expect , if we doe such and such things , and so we obtaine the gift of approbation , phil. . . and become wise as the children of israell were ( to counsell our selues and others what at other times is best to bee done , or not to be done . . chro. . . as for example , wee haue in former times found that vppon masse dayes and other papisticall feast dayes , much hurt hath beene done , by drunkennesse , fighting , quarelling , and other mildemeanors , which for the time to come we thereby learne to be warie of , and are warned to shunne them vpon other masse dayes , and to withdraw our selues and others from them , wee are also taught , that the healths which are drunke in signe o● loue , haue caused much trouble at feasts and banquets , and induced great inconueniences , and therefore we learne to shunne them , and as horne beasts , to banish them out of our feasts , exod. . . . . and thus by meanes of the aforesaid declarations ( gods grace helping vs ) we learne how to guide and carrie ourselues in these wicked and dangerous dayes , that are so full of inducements , stopps , stumbling blockes , and offences , holily and safely into the way of peace , and therby daily fit and further ourselues in our iourney towardes gods kingdome in heauen , the place that we aspire vnto . the third is , that we are likewise by the aforesaid considerations made alwayes prompt and readie in all the things aforesaid , and in all other things that belong to a spirituall life , and the seruice of the most high god , to direct our selues , & to goe forward therein with all boldnesse , confidence , and spirituall strength . for touching boldnesse , and courage , when by experience with dauid we haue found , that gods word and workes agree so well together , strengthen so much one the other , and keepe so friendly and fast the one to the other , we are not affraid to speake thereof before kings and princes when neede requireth , psal . . . yea , then with all boldnesse we will vphold , defend , and aduance gods cause , being well assured , that maintaining the same wee shall not be ashamed thereby . secondly , we shall also doe it with confidence of heart , not as those that heare of it onely by report , but that by our owne experience and good knowledge speake and further that which we doe . the apostle witnesseth , that being confident in the feare of the lord , hee moued many to the like confidence , cor. . . and it is strange to consider , how certainly they haue spoken of heauen , of hell , of the comfort of the holy ghost , of guiltinesse of conscience , of the joy of the godly , and of the hellish liues of the vngodly , that haue noted and marked such things , and haue found them true by experience in themselues , or in others : lastly , wee shall also doe all this with strength , and that not in this regard onely , because doing it with boldnesse and confidence , we shall thereby the more forciblie worke vpon mens mindes ; but further also in that being holpen by the aforesaid experience , we shal be able the more fitly to apply the places of holy scripture to the vnderstanding of those wee shall haue occasion to deale with , whereby they may the better perceiue and know , that god speaketh by vs , and may thereby be moued to fall downe on their knees , and honor god , cor. . . . chap. xx. the conclusion of all , wherein is shewed , that we must onely refer our selues vnto god , and not forsake a good cause , because it seemeth , not to goe forward as we wish it should . by all that hath formerly beene sayd , we may also learne to be contented with that condition , state , and manner of life , whether it be prosperous or not prosperous ( or whatsoeuer it be ) that the lord shall be pleased to allot vnto vs , and to expect a good end and issue thereof . for by that which we haue before shewed , wee may plainely see and perceiue that wee are not wise enough to rule and gouerne our selues , that wee haue not earnestly sought the same , but refused it , which we now wish that wee had obtained , yea , that often times with might and maine wee haue sought to put that from vs which afterward wee haue found to be very needfull and necessary for vs , and might haue done vs much good , and that the lord our god hath alwayes much better directed our cause , then we could either deuise , or had power to conceiue , yea , and that in our greatest troubles a blessing hath beene cast thereupon , and that wee haue beene so carelesse and heedles thereof , that it was our owne faults that wee perceiued it no sooner , but rather that our hearts for a tyme haue in a manner beene ouercome with griefe and heauinesse . againe , thus may we be also comforted in all tribulations , and aduersities , when by our owne experience our soules are able to set before themselues the gracious care which our lord god hath alwayes had of those that are his people , in all their necessities , and although matters seeme to be prolonged , and our deliuerance to bee delayed , yet we must not doubt thereof , for we haue learned by the former considerations , that the lord is wont oftentimes to goe round about , and to fetch matters a farre off , in the comforting and helping of his people , that so hee may haue the more honour , and may minister more cause of comfort to his children , when vnexpectedly hee helpeth them , and by one meanes or other vnlooked for , procureth their deliuerance , as it euidently appeared in the children of israels cause in hammons tyme , as also in iosephs , dauids , and others causes , whom he intended to exalt ; and yet daily in many accidents that befall gods children in this age , yea , and in our owne affayres , for how often haue wee also before this tyme beene layd in the mire to the very knees and ell-bowes , and trod vnder feete by proud persons , and yet at the last hath the lord lifted vp our heads , and hath made vs a free people , as at this day it appeareth ; so that in this respect when it seemeth to goe against vs , wee may speake of the lord our god , vnto our soules , as naomi said to ruth of boaz , sit still my daughter vntill thou know how the matter will fall out , for the lord will not be at rest vntill he haue brought it to a good end , ruth . . and we must learne with all patience and quietnesse of minde to commend all our affayres to god , as we see that the lord iesus christ did , who in the greatest dangers , and those that seemed to be most preiudiciall to gods cause , was still and quiet , and committed the matter vnto god , that iudgeth righteously , as when he was tolde that herod the king had cut of the head of iohn his forerunner , a cruell deed , and such a one as seemeed to be very preiudiciall to gods cause , he put it vp peaceably , suffered it to goe on , tooke care for himselfe and his disciples , and the better to secure them , & to get out of cruell herods handes , went apart into another place , but proceeded still in his vocation , and the worke which his heauenly father had appoynted him to doe . and thus beeing holpen by the consideration aforesayde , and the experience which thereby wee haue reaped , to the comfort and consolation of our heartes in all troubles and oppressions , wee may alwayes bee assured of this , that all the troubles that be fall the children of god , is vnto them as the trouble of ioseph , as the holy scripture calleth it , that is , such manner of trouble as whereby great ioy prosperitie and great promotion is layd vp in store for them . for wee knowe all right well , that all the miseries and troubles that fell vpon ioseph , all the misfortunes and tribulations that for a time hapned vnto him , the hatred of his brethren against him , their selling of him , his bondage , his false accusation , of adultery by potiphers wife imposed on him , and his wrongfull imprisonment that followed there upon , that all these things did altogether worke for and procure iosephs good , rom. . . and did altogether strengthen him , and was a great furtherance of his promotion and aduancement , as wee may reade in gen. . . . . and of the like nature are all the troubles and mis ▪ fortunes , which gods people and his church indure for a time , which in the end therefore shall turne to their good , and are nothing meane while , but as a preparatiue to their future aduancement . and therefore are the troubles of gods church and children , their cruell persecutions , their great ouerthrowes , the death of martyrs , and what soeuer else seemeth most of all to crosse them , by the prophet termed in a speciall manner the troubles of ioseph , amos . . this wee must seriously thinke vpon , and with long suffering and patience bend our selues and abide , and in all our aduersities assure our selues , that when the lord hath done all his workes vpon mount sion and among his people , hee will then rise vp , and lift vp his peoples heads againe , in the fit time of their neede , as he did with ioseph when the time of his aduancemēt was come , and strike their enemies in the hinder partes , and lay a perpetuall shame vpon them : furthermore this may teach and instruct vs , that what troubles soeuer fall vpon the people of god , we must not doubt of their good cause and religion , nor abandon a good matter , and withdraw our handes from it , because it proceedeth not well at the first , but remembring that the lord our lord hath not eyes of flesh , nor seeth as men doe , iob . . wee must thereupon conclude , that the lord suffereth such troubles to fall vppon vs ▪ thereby to proue vs , and to see whether wee will cleaue vnto him , and holde with his people , not onely when they are in wealth and prosperitie , but then also when they are in trouble and aduersitie , and withall part with and impart to them of our meanes , as much as conueniently we may , for the easing and helping of the poore oppressed saints and seruants of god : and such as haue no meanes to doe it , must earnestly endeuour by their prayers vnto god , beseeching him to ayde his people , and to fight for them , when they are in distresse , praying in the spirit , as gods people doe , when they haue no other meanes , and saying to the lord with them ▪ remember this , that the enemies haue reproched thee o lord , and that the foolish people haue blasphemed thy name . o deliuer not the soule of thy turtle doue , vnto the multitude of the wicked , forget not the congregation of thy poore for euer , haue respect to the couenant , for the darke places of the earth are full of the inhabitations of crueltie . o let not the oppressed returne ashamed ; let the poore and needie prayse thy name ; arise o god , plead thy owne cause , remember how the foolish man reprocheth thee daily ; forget not the voyce of thy enemies ; the tumult of those that rise vp against thee encreaseth continually , psal . . . . . . . . but those that haue better meanes must employ all their meanes to that end , as those godly princes obediah and nehemiah ; and as all the iudges of israell did , who tooke the cause of gods people in hand when it was in greatest distresse , and by gods blessing brought it to a happie ende , to their owne prayse , and the peoples comfort : for which their names also shall be blessed to the worldes ende . whereas on the contrary , a fearefull threatning is denounced against edom , israels brother , euen that he should bee rooted out , for his violence against his brother iacob . and obserue i pray you what this his violence was , at such tyme , sayth the lord , as thou stoodest on the other side , in the day that the strangers carried away captiue his forces ; and forreners entred into his gates , and cast bolts vpon ierusalem , euen thou wast as one of them . and let euery man marke this last sentence concerning the manner of his ruine and rooting out , and thinke well thereupon ; therefore shall shame couer thee , and thou shalt bee cut off for euer , obadiah , verses . and . and no marvell : for meros was curst , not because it holpe the enemies of god , but onely because it did not ayde gods people ; curse yee meros , sayth the angell of the lord ; curse yee bitterly the enhabitants thereof , because they came not to the helpe of the lord , to the helpe of the lord against the mightie , iudges the . chapter ▪ and the . verse . ruben also th● eldest of the children of iacob , from whom most helpe was expected , was gently admonished , and that for with-drawing himselfe ; saying , why abodest thou among the sheepe-foulds , to heare the bleatings of the flockes , for the divisions of rvben there were great thoughts of heart , iudges the . chapter , and verse . to conclude , let all godly hearted men therefore in the neede and necessitie of gods people , thinke seriously vpon the commaundement of the lord , which hee giueth when his people are in trouble ; saying , the inhabitants of the land of teman brought water to him that was thirstie ; they prevented with bread him that fled . for they fled from the sword , from the drawne sword , and from the bent bow , and from the grieuousnesse of warre , esay . . . and hauing ripely waighed and considered all thinges , follow moses the prince of israell ; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of god , then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season : esteeming the reproch of christ greater riches then the treasures of egypt , hebr. . . . yea , this will all those doe that haue the eye of fayth with moses ; for he had respect vnto the recompence of the reward , which by grace is prepared for all those , that following gods counsell , come to helpe his people in their neede , and rightly judge of their afflictions ; for so it is written , blessed is hee that considereth the poore , the lord will deliuer him in the time of trouble . psal . . . ⸪ finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a pro. . . b falsum ni●●● dicere licet , at veri aliquid tacere aliquando est utile . aug. ad gal. c. . & de bon● persever . ▪ . & in psal . . & ambr . epist . . ex ●●● . . . c ezech. . , . d esa. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sophocl . mu●ca in luctu intempestiva narratio . sirac . . et sophod . oedip . tyra . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud . plut. de ethic . vi●● . & sympos . 〈◊〉 . l. . c. . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greg. naz. ad eunom . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 menand . bonum malum ●it tempore haud datum ●● , eras● tempestiva aliqua volupta , nisit , nocet . h. st●ph . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . isocr . ad d●mon . et data non apto tempore vina nocem . ovid. remed . l. . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . greg. naz. 〈◊〉 l●m . l. . nehem . . luk. . . g mat. . . ma● . . . . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pind. pyth. ode . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . man. pal●●ol . ad fil praecept . . i lament . . , . esa . . . amos . . sam. . . and . . iud. . , . and . . king . , . k et magis placandus deus est in adversis , & minus laedendus in secundis : placari quippe debe● cum irascitur ; laedi non debet cum placatur . adversa enim nobis per iracundiam dei veniunt , secunda per gratiam sal●ian . de provid . l. . a discourse concerning divine providence, in relation to national judgments smith, thomas, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative 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[ ], p. printed for randal taylor ..., london : . errata: p. . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse concerning divine providence , in relation to national judgments london , printed for randal taylor , near stationers-hall . m dc xciii . a discourse concerning divine providence , in relation to national judgments . notwithstanding that it is most consonant to reason to believe , that he who made the world doth govern it , and that all things are subject to the laws of providence , and that the order and course of nature , ( whereby things act regularly , and make up that beauty and harmony , and proportion , which is visible throughout the world ) is not the effect of chance , but of contrivance and design , and owes its original to the divine will , regulated by an infinite wisdom ; yet such is the pride of some , who yet cannot but be conscious of their own defects , and how little they are able to do either of themselves apart , or in conjunction with others , in comparison of what they see done both in heaven and upon earth , as that they will scarce acknowledge god to be supreme , but set up for themselves as absolute , and think to reverse his decrees by their wit and policies , attributing the success of their counsels to the strength of their parts and wisdom , and never referring their defeats and disappointment to his over-ruling power , but to some cross-accident , which they should have provided against ; and then * they cry out upon the extreme malignity and spightfulness of fortune , as they speak , when all their wicked , and devilish policies have been blasted , and proved to be nothing but elaborate folly . besides , they will have all the great revolutions that are brought upon the world , to be the results of meer nature , which they set up as a distinct principle from providence , that is , that they flow from a series of natural causes linkt and tyed together , and that such a kind of combination necessarily produceth such effects , and that all those astonishing acts of providence , which we by a general name call judgments , are natural , and consequently in a manner fatal and periodical . what is this , but to leave the world to it self , and to exclude god from having any thing to do in the government of it , and in effect to rob him of the glory and perfections of his godhead ? but i know not , whether the folly or impiety of this opinion be the greater , not to acknowledge a divine hand in those events , which are confessedly extraordinary . let us lift up our eyes to the heavens , and contemplate the number of the stars , their greatness , their inexhausted light , their regular and uninterrupted motion and order ; and let us fancy , if we can , that they made themselves , or that such glorious bodies resulted from the fortuitous concourse of little particles , floating up and down , in an infinite space , according to the idle and precarious hypothesis of epicurus : let us turn our eyes downwards and look into our selves , and reflect upon the faculties of our mind ; upon the power and command , which we have over our selves and our actions ; upon the law imprinted upon our nature ; upon those notions of good and evil , that grow up with us , and which we can never throw off ; and upon the dictates and judgment of conscience ; and this will shew us , that we are fit subjects , and capable of a law. after this , let us proceed to consider the original of our being , the prerogative which reason gives us above other creatures , and the obligations lying upon us as we are men ; and this will prove to us , that we are not only capable of , but actually under a law ; that we are accountable for the actions of our lives to a supreme power , and that every violation of the divine law , the eternal and unchangeable law of righteousness , which god has revealed and manifested , not only in the scriptures , but in our very nature , is justly punishable by him . this being once granted , we shall be soon made to confess , except we will do violence to our reason , that god shows his anger against sin by the judgments , which he brings upon the world , and that nothing of this nature doth come to pass , or can come to pass , without his order and appointment , and but for some cause . the prophet amos chap. iii. verse . lays it down by way of question and appeal to the reason and conscience and understanding of all mankind , shall there be evil in a city , and the lord hath not done it ? which according to the known laws and methods of arguing , amounts to this universal negative proposition , that there neither is , nor can be any judgment in a city or kingdom , whereof god is not the author . now in the first place , in order to vindicate the honour of the divine providence , i lay down the following proposition as infallibly certain , that no evil of punishment which is brought upon the world , happens by chance ; and particularly , that those judgments , which seem to derive from natural causes , are the effects of his justice and governing power : which i thus briefly prove . that god doth concern himself with the transactions of men , and either doth or will punish them sooner or later , according to their misbehaviour and demerit , hath been the belief of the very heathen : notwithstanding the corruption and degeneracy of their manners , notwithstanding that vast number of false opinions , which they had taken up according to their fancy , and which made way for others of a fatal consequence , to the great shame and discredit of their reason , and notwithstanding all those brutish customs , and violations of the laws of humanity which they had brought into practice the impressions of this fundamental truth of nature were made so deep upon their minds , that they could not totally efface them . in a time of common calamity , for instance , when they were distrest by an invading enemy , or when a plague had diffused its venom over their country , or in case of any violent inundation , or famine , or earthquake , they acknowledged , that this was the punishment and demerit of their sin ; that their gods were angry with them ; and that the way to get these judgments removed was to appease their anger : whereupon they erected altars , and heaped up sacrifices upon them : some devoted themselves to death , and others were offered up alive , they thinking to gain the favour of their deities by such kind of barbarous and bloody rites . 't is certain , that they had corrupted this truth horribly by their superstitions and impieties : but the foundation and ground was , that there was a vindicative justice , a nemesis , which proportioned our punishments according to the measures and degrees of guilt . now i demand , . if all things come to pass of themselves , without being guided and directed by an invisible hand , how came the belief of the contrary so universal ? it is a blemish to our reason to imagine , that by the constitution of humane nature false principles should be infused into our minds , and that we should be fatally inclined to error ; or that all the world should mistake in the belief of this great truth , that there is an all-wise providence , except a very few , whose interest it is to wish there were none , that they might live as they list , according to their corrupt inclinations , without the least molestation or disturbance . and yet these very men , who deny a providence , cannot but acknowledge and confess , that it is agreeable to reason , yea and necessary to the well-being of the world , that there should be such an over-ruling power , regulated and directed by the highest wisdom . for if in a private family there could be no peace nor safety without rules and orders to be observed by every one in their respective qualities ; if in a kingdom confusions could not possibly be avoided without laws , they being the ligaments of the body politick , that tie the members of it together , whereby they perform the several offices of civil life , in an orderly conjunction : much more would the world , which consists of such a variety of parts , fail and decay , if the creator had not set them a law which they are not to transgress , and if they were not restrained and kept in from preying one upon another , and if an omnipotent and all-wise god had not the whole ordering and disposal of them . . how came things to be endowed with those qualities , which produce such strange and admirable effects , as we daily see and hear of ? 't is a vain attempt to go about to explain and solve the appearances of nature by the mechanichal philosophy , how witty , and subtile , and refined soever , without believing god , not only to have created matter , and put this matter into motion , but to determine and modify the several motions of it : and tho some effects flow necessarily from their causes according to the established laws of mechanism , yet this was wholly according to the will and contrivance of the first causes : nor can they display this vertue without the divine concourse , all second causes in their several motions needing the continuation of the divine power and influence , in order to their operations , as well as to their subsistence . all things then are at the disposal of god , who makes use of them , as it pleaseth him , and the vertue , which they have , derives from him . even men are the instruments of his will , and that without any restraint of , or prejudice to their natural or moral liberty . he brings about the purposes of his providence , by actions which they design to other ends , nay sometimes by their sinful passions , and the exhorbitances of their temper . nebuchadnezzar a neighbour heathen prince made war upon the jews , gods own people , either to satisfy his thirst of fame and glory , or to enlarge his dominion , or it may be upon some pretended affront or injury done him , or the like : and yet god calls him his servant , jerem . xliii . . because by him he punished that people for their sins : and it was upon this account , that attilas , such another instrument in the hand of god , as was oliver cromwel , when with his barbarous troops he broke into christendom , as if he had received a commission from heaven to execute gods wrath upon the christians of that age for their luxurious and unchristian lives , had the title of flagellum dei. none can deny civil war to be a grievous judgment to a nation , notwithstanding all the plausible pretensions of cunning and designing men to draw the people into their party , and to take up arms in defence of religion and property , both which suffer infinitely more by a rebellion than by a persecution , if any such had followed according to their fears and jealousies ; whether well grounded , or ill grounded , it matters not , yet in every such war god gives commission to the sword , and says , sword go through the land , ez. xiv . . much more may god make use of all other parts of the visible creation , which have no principle of liberty within them . thus fire and hail , snow and vapour , and stormy wind , are said , to fulfil his word , psalm cxlviii . . and thus god did in the plagues of egypt : and tho judgments be not always so quick and immediate , but oftentimes advance slowly and by degrees : yet this doth not hinder , but that they are judgments still ; such for instance are infectious air , malignant diseases , blasting and mildew , drought and barrenness of ground . deut. xxviii . we must then look beyond natural causes , even to the god of nature , who orders and directs them to their several ends , and over-rules them and oftentimes carries them beyond their usual power , according as it seems good to his divine wisdom , and the ends of providence . in a pestilence we must not look at the evil influences of the air , but at the evil influences of sin , for the infection comes first thence . god might continue the same temper to the air , if he pleased , that it might be for ever healthful ; but he suffers those alterations to be made in it by degrees , and warns a nation by such slow approaches of his future intentions . so that notwithstanding we could trace the natural and immediate causes of it , yet because they cannot act but by vertue of his influence , and he makes use of the order and course of things , as it best pleaseth him ; the beginning and progress and decrease of a plague is to be ascribed to his will and pleasure , as much as that which we read of , sam. xxiv . . when the angel of the lord stretched out his hand upon jerusalem to destroy it , the lord repented him of the evil , and said to the angel , who destroyed the people , it is enough , stay now thine hand . and as the angel , so what is called nature , is the instrument of god ; and therefore god is pleased to ascribe to himself the ordinary works of it . one would judge it necessary from the constitution of the world , that there be refreshing showers and dews , to water and moisten the dry and parched ground , whose fruitfulness would otherwise fail and decay ; yet this in the judgment of saint paul , was enough to convince the heathen , that there is a god , as he tells the people of lycaonia . acts xiv . . he left not himself without witness , in that he did good , and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons , filling our hearts with food and gladness . to this * tertullian does elegantly allude , deum in aperto constitutum & vel ex ipsis coelestibus bonis comprehensibilem ignorari non licet . and indeed if we do but consider the ordinary works of nature which we do not value by reason of their commonness , and therefore pass over slightly , we shall find so much wisdom in their contrivance , that we must of necessity have recourse to an infinite author . if then a fruitful summer , if a plentiful and seasonable harvest and vintage be a sufficient attestation of providence ; can we think , that judgments , tho brought about by natural causes , are not the effects of the divine anger and displeasure ? cannot a sparrow fall to the ground without the will of god ? st. matth. x. . and shall there be any kind of judgment in the world without his ordering and appointment ? it being then to be believed and acknowledged , that all judgments , even such as flow from natural causes , are the designs and effects of providence , i will enquire . into the reasons and ends of providence in in such severe dispensations . what desolations are brought upon the world , it is visible every where : there is no age , which does not furnish us with examples enough , to what great heights judgments have advanced from small beginnings ; how thousands have fallen by the plague , or have perish'd in the merciless ocean by tempests and hurricanes ; or have been buried under ruines by earthquakes ; and with what cruelty the sword hath raged without any distinction of sex , or age , or quality . every one is sensible of the miseries of humane life in common ; and complaints are frequent and too bold ; so obnoxious are we to the assaults of a disease , to the violence of enemies , and to the raging fury of the elements , when let loose , that death oftentimes becomes unavoidable . some indeed have excluded providence from having any thing to do with the government of the world , because of these seeming perplexities , which they suppose cannot proceed from a divine administration . hence they very presumptuously and foolishly ask , why are men , the only creatures , who seem fit to enjoy the blessings of life , put into continual frights and fears ? why surrounded perpetually with dangers ? why so distressed and forsaken , without being able to defend themselves ? but these are the ravings of an impatient and cloudy mind , which will not consider things , but suffers reason to be overwhelmed by passion : they are besides oftentimes the product of wretched and irrational principles ; such as these , that a man is under no law and so not accountable to any supreme being ; that happiness is to be plac'd in this world only , and in the gratifications of the animal life ; that it is an injury for god to deprive him of it , and that it is not forfeitable by sin ; that there is no such thing as justice to exact the punishment of guilt ; that god is content to enjoy himself in the heavens , without ever so much as casting a glance of his omniscient eye upon earth ; and that he neither regards the services of his votaries , nor the impieties and profanation , and sacrileges of atheists , and libertines , and such like bold sinners , who defy his justice , but sits there unconcernedly without any resentment either way ; as one of the number daringly asserts . nec bene pro meritis capitur , nec tangitur ira . lucret. which is in effect and consequent to deny , that there is a god ; and that men are men that is , that they act freely , or that they deserve either reward or punishment for their acting well or ill . but tho this brutish opinion was exploded by the soberer part of the heathen world , yet the difficulty remain'd among several , who were forced , from the observation of those strange events which they beheld , to confess an over-ruling providence , which brought them about , even above the hopes , and contrary to the expectations of men . this they saw and acknowledged , but they corrupted and perverted the belief of it , with a mixture of horrid and impious fancies . they thought , that god took delight in the miseries of men , and that this proceeded from an envious nature in the deity , as if all affected and troubled at the prosperities and successes of mankind : and that therefore he would not permit them to be long happy , but continually brought upon them some calamity or other , to take off their minds from the considerations of peace and joy , and to divide and distract them with cares and fears , as if he could not be happy while they were so . thus florus says , that a stop was put to the advance and progress of the roman arms , sive invidia deorum , sive fato , at the time when the galli senones under brennus invaded their city , and disturbed their growing empire : and that afterward when they had conquered almost the whole world , ( for so they proudly and vauntingly worded it , orbem cum totum victor romanus habebat ) . and were ready to enjoy the benefit of their conquests in security and peace , after the hardships and fatigues of their long continued wars , and when their empire seemed to be so fully united in it self , and grown so great and powerful , as not to be shaken or molested by any forreign power , invidens fortuna principi gentium populo ipsum illum in exitium suum armavit , fortune envying the romans this glory and happiness , armed them against themselves by raising and fomenting a civil war , occasioned by the private passions of caesar and pompey : which caused that proverbial saying , so frequent in the mouths of the common soldiers and ordinary sort of people , socer generque perdidistis omnia . such ill representations they made of god almighty , cloathing him with the infirmities of a base passion , which usually dwell in ignoble and low spirited persons , and ascribing the effects of his justice and governing power to disorder , and trouble of mind , to envy and ill nature . whereas right reason should have taught them , that all imaginable happiness as well as perfection is essentially included in the idea of god , who cannot possibly be subject to envy , which is a troublesom and vexatious passion ▪ and that the only motive of his framing the world was his goodness . thou g god , lovest all the things that are , and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made : for never would'st thou have made any thing if thou hadst hated it , and how could any thing have endured , if it had not been thy will , or have been preserved , if not called by thee ? wisd. xi . , . we must therefore assign other reasons of gods proceeding so severely with men , which will fully vindicate his providence from such an unjust and impious imputation . . the first is to humble us under his mighty hand , and to make us acknowledge his power and soveraignty . for what can seem more unjust and unnatural , than that men who owe their being to the goodness of god , and live upon his bounty , should yet be unmindful of him , that vile dust and ashes should lift up himself against his maker , and should enjoy the blessings of his providence , and yet not acknowledge that they are blessings , that is , the effects of his care and love to mankind ? yet so it is : pride puffs men up with swelling thoughts of vanity , as if all they enjoyed were justly due to them : it makes them think too well of themselves , as if they had no need of a support , or as if it were a diminution of their greatness to live in subordination to a higher power . and from this pride proceeds carelesness and forgetfulness of god , as if serious and frequent reflections and thoughts of him put them too much in mind of their duty and obligation toward him , and of the vileness and meanness of their own condition without him . thus they flatter themselves with dreams of folly , and are so taken up with thoughts of themselves , that they have no leisure to think of god ; and especially in a course of uninterrupted happiness and prosperity , the soul is as it were weakened , and lost , and dissolved in ease and softness ; and the rational faculties are depressed and deprived of their directive power ; and the gratification of a lust is set up in competition with the service of god , and oftentimes preferred before it , and the pleasures of sense prevail ; and when we are full , we are apt to forget and deny god. deut. viii . . . prov. xxx . . it is but necessary then that men be taught the true and just knowledge of themselves ; which is done most effectually by judgments . this shews , how they depend necessarily upon god , and how unable they are to stand before an almighty power ; by this they are sensible , that his anger can consume them in a moment , and that his power can crush them into pieces . thou , even thou art to be feared , and who may stand in thy sight , when thou art angry ? psalm lxxvi . let us deny , now if we dare ( but certainly our fears and our convictions will not permit us to deny ) gods power over us , when we either hear on see so many thousands falling before us , and when we see the whole creation at his command , and doing his will. an apprehension and sense of distress and danger will bring us upon our knees , and will throughly convince us of our folly , to forget , much more to oppose and defy god ; and will force us with trembling and amazement to acknowledge his almightiness and power , by the judgments which he brings upon the world. . if we look about us , and observe the horrid violations of the laws of god and religion , we shall soon justifie god in his proceeding so severely with us : for by this he shews his anger against sin , and how jealous he is of his honour . it is most certain , that this life is for the trial of our faith and obedience : and that hereafter every one shall be rewarded according to his works ; and that tho god be provoked every day , yet his patience and goodness seem to lay restraints as it were upon his justice , from breaking out upon the sinner . for if god should punish as often as men sin , and should proceed according to the rigour of his justice , all mankind would sink under the weight of his heavy hand . if thou , lord , wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss , o lord , who may abide it ? psalm cxxx . . and we see what ill use is made of gods forbearance and long-suffering , how some interpret this in their own favour , and how others harden themselves in wickedness , and sin the more boldly . because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily , therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil . eccles. viii . . but to rectifie all misapprehensions , that they may not pass into general opinions , and to shew that he will not forbear always , he doth often manifest and signalize his justice , even in this life , and loudly proclaim from heaven his anger against the unrighteousness of men , and especially by national judgments , in such cases as these : when religion is scorned and derided as an argument of a pusillanimous mind , or as an effect of superstition , or else is made use of as a cloak to cover maliciousness , revenge , and ambition ; when virtue and modesty are accounted parts of ill breeding ; and when wickedness appears bold and impudent in the day-light ; when luxury , and effeminacy , and a dissolution of manners have overspread a people ; when no regard is had to the sacred tyes and religion of repeated oaths and sacraments , and to the most solemn obligations of natural and civil right and justice : when the public worship of god is slighted , and no check given to atheism and profaneness ; when men live as if there were no god , or which is worse , cared not for him ; when blasphemies against god , and christ , and the mysteries of our holy religion are tolerated , and go unpunished ; when such kind of impieties , all or some , more or less , become common , and prevail in a nation , ruine cannot be afar off . it is time for thee , lord , to work , for they have made void thy law . psalm cxix . . we may safely and allowably pretend to foretel , that vengeance hangs over the heads of such a people , unless a general repentance and reformation intervene , and avert the impending evil . and tho no prophets are now extraordinarily commissioned from heaven to prophecy against a nation , and t● particularize the judgment , which god will inflict , except they amend ; yet we may be as sure of it , that so it will be , and we have as much reason to expect it , as if there were : because god has revealed his mind and will in his holy word , and signified his intentions sufficiently , that thus and thus he will proceed with an obstinate and incorrigible people . . judgments serve for examples and warning to others punishment is so essential to government , that without this it would soon be dissolved , and confusion and all manner of disorder would break in upon the world ; it would be scarce possible to live with any kind of security . it is fear which keeps men in , and lays restraints upon their passions , which otherwise would break out in fury and madness : and what the sad and dismal consequences of the passions are , when once let loose , is easie to imagine ; and of which we may frame some tolerable kind of idea from the murders , the sacrilegious rapines , the villanies , the desolations , caused by a brutish rabble . so that punishment becomes necessary , not only that the criminal may make some satisfaction for the breach of law , but for security of the publick peace ; that others , if the crime be capital especially , seeing his shameful and untimely end , may be deterred from following his bad example . which consideration is enough to vindicate the severity of the laws upon the worser sort of malefactors ; not as if any delight were designed to be taken by heightning or prolonging the misery of any one , be his crime never so heinous , but only in terrorem , to affright those who survive from attempting the like wickedness ; and to assure them withal , what they are to expect , if they do so . this very method god almighty is pleased to make use of in the government of the world . his laws are established with sanctions of rewards and punishments , according as we either observe or disobey them . none can pretend ignorance , or complain of a surprize , that they are punished before they knew the danger of the sin. for every judgment is a plain denunciation and threatning from heaven , that if we equal others in their sin , we may be made equal to them in their punishment . it is true , god takes his own time to punish : he doth oftentimes forbear upon most gracious and wise designs : he doth often let the sinner go on in his sins , because the sinner is in his power , and cannot escape him : and the like is to be said of a sinful nation ; but then this is only a reprieve and respite ; no revocation of the sentence , which is gone out against it ; and it is the highest provocation of justice to take no warning ; it is an unpardonable stupidity , and the direct and ready way to ruine . whatever judgments are inflicted in this world , concern others , as well as those on whom they are inflicted . these things are our examples , as saint paul does most rationally conclude from the overthrow of the israelites in the wilderness , cor. x. . to the intent , that we should not lust after evil things , as they also lusted . now let us consider , what is it that has ruined so many famous monarchies , but luxury , and pride , and base perfidiousness , and irreligion ; how many glorious cities have been demolished and destroyed by war , fire , and earthquakes ; whose ruines will be eternal monuments of their sin , and of the divine vengeance . all history abounds with examples and above all the sacred , which serves not only to inform us of past events , but for direction and warning of what will be ; they are the standing registers of gods proceedings with men : the prophesies against jerusalem , against babylon , against nineve , in the general are in force still , making allowances for the variety of circumstances , as to those times and these , as if they were directed to christendom , and the nations out of it , and their capital cities . they are written for our admonition , upon whom the ends of the earth are come . look about and see , what desolations are brought upon the earth ; go and enquire of the ages past , and consider , how god has dealt with them in his anger , how he hath made their own wickedness to correct them : as the prophet speaks , jerem. ii . . how he has given up , some to the violence and fury of an enraged foreign enemy ; others to the more raging furies of a civil war , how he has sent pestilential diseases and other plagues among them , and the like . by which examples god doth forewarn all other nations , as well as the people of the same in different times , of the certain and woful , and unavoidable consequence of sin persisted in , and unrepented of . the belief of this truth , that the judgments which are in the world are the effects of gods displeasure , is necessary in order to our receiving benefit , and making that right use of them to which they are designed . for so long as providence is denied , and the justice and power of god called in question , and the threatnings of scripture disbelieved , and lookt upon as bruta sulmina , empty sound and noise , and only natural causes supposed to be concerned in the dismal judgments , which have been , and are in the world , without the superintendency of the first and supream cause , and that all things come to pass either by chance , as causes , which have no dependence one upon another , happen to be joyned , or by a fatal necessity ; it is a very easy consequence , that men of this perswasion should continue in the same ill course of life and be never a whit the better for the most astonishing calamities . fear indeed is usually wrought in the minds of the stoutest and most resolute by judgments . psal. lvii . . thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven ; the earth feared , and was still . but this may flow only from a principle of self-preservation . the most hardy and bold , the wits and the hobbists , les be aux et les forts esprits , for all their sophistry and artificial evasions , and for all their principles of fate and praedestination , have an abhorrence of sudden death ; nor indeed can they think of any kind of death with any patience , whose hopes are only confined to the animal life : it may also oftentimes be , and for the most part is , only a kind of present horror , a being troubled at the danger , lest it may involve them , as well as others ; and a meer effect of surprize and astonishment : like the emperour caligula , who was afraid , and crept under his bed , when it thundered , but as mad and as dissolute as ever , as soon as the noise was over . but certainly all sober and serious people will make a better use of the judgments of god , and in such cases conduct and govern themselves and their behaviour by true measures of wisdom and piety , and especially by these two following rules . . that we look up to god in all times of publick distress and calamity . for will it not be a foolish obstinacy beyond all aggravation to complain of the stroke and smart , and not see the inflicting hand , which is so visibly lifted up ? no one certainly can be so slight an observer of the age , wherein he lives , as not to see enough to convince him , that there is a god , who judgeth in the earth , and that he brings about those revolutions , which are in the world . psalm lxiv. . all men that see it , shall say , this hath god done , they shall perceive that it is his work . but tho we are to observe , and admire , and adore providence , we must not presume to justifie any evil action by it , as if success of it self were a sufficient proof , encouragement and approbation of it . for we cannot but remember , how this was the common theme and topick in the late times , i mean before the year , of popular discourses both from the pulpit and the press , to justifie the cursed rebellion of forty one , that the god of hosts fought for his saints and servants at marston-more , and gave them victory over his and their enemies , that is , their rightful soveraign , to whom they had often sworn allegiance ; and his faithful subjects : and appeared most gloriously on their side at naseby , and the like : and bradshaw in his speech , just before his pronouncing the sentence of death upon the blessed king charles the first , in which he most wickedly misapplies law , and the history of the tumultuous times of k. edward the second , and k. richard the second , together with foreign examples of the like villany , as if they had been just and authentick proofs of what they were then acting , appeals to providence , and saith , that god had dealt gloriously and miraculously for them . providence cannot , without an imputation upon the righteous government of god , be supposed , much more made use of , as a plea or argument , to justifie that , which religion and the divine law severely prohibit : tho judgments , by what means or instruments soever brought about , are full proof of gods anger and displeasure against sin . in every judgment god doth as it were thunder out of heaven , and we must be more than deaf , that is , affectedly stupid , if we will not hear and take notice . micah vi . . the lords voice cryeth unto the city , and the man of wisdom shall see thy name : hear ye the rod , and who hath appointed it . . that we reflect upon our sins , which are the meritorious cause of gods dealing thus severely with us . in general , may we not justly fear , that the lord hath a controversie with england , for the crying sins of it ; because there is no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of god in the land : by swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth blood ? hoseah iv . , . and have we not reason also to fear , that the following menace will be fully executed upon us . v. . therefore shall the land mourn , and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish ? but without descending to a minute consideration of the publick sins , wherewith almost the whole nation in general stands charged , let us , as we are private persons , reflect upon our necessary dependance on god , that all we have we derive from his goodness , and that we cannot subsist one moment without his providence , which continues our being to us ; and further consider , that notwithstanding those obligations to serve and obey him , which our being in the world , and our being of such an order of creatures , and our daily preservation lay upon us , we daily provoke god to anger : and if so , when ever we feel the smart of our sins , we cannot but bow down our heads humbly before him , and adore his justice , which yet punisheth us less than we have deserved . righteous art thou o lord , and true are thy judgments . psal. cxix , . he doth not afflict willingly the children of men . lam. iii. . but we our selves pull down these judgments upon our heads ; we will not let god as it were be at rest ; we provoke him to wrath and indignation against us , by our ingratitude , and disobedience , and by an obstinate continuance in sin . whenever therefore his hand is lifted up , and before it be lifted up , let us endeavour to atone his wrath by a hearty and speedy repentance : let us prostrate our selves before him , and deprecate his anger , that we be not consumed by the means of his heavy hand : and then we may be assured , that he will return to us in mercy , and will either avert or remove his judgments from us , and will heal us , and our land , and the breaches of it , tho it shaketh , and is ready to fall into pieces . finis . errata . page . line . all mankind . p. . l. . for hast r. had . p. . l. . for our r. out . p. . l. . first cause . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * matchiavel in his prince , speaking of the ill success of the counsels , designs , and enterprizes of caesar borgia , nac que da una straordinaria & estrema malignita di fortuna . cap. vii . * de paenitentia ex edit . rigaltii page ● ; specialiter quaedam pronunciata generaliter sapiunt . cum deus israelitas admonet disciplinae vel objurgat , utique adomnes habet : cum aegypto & aethiopiae exitium comminatur , in omnem gentem peccatricem praejudicat . tertull . de spectaculis ex edit . rigalt . p. . a discourse concerning the divine providence by william sherlock ... sherlock, william, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse concerning the divine providence by william sherlock ... sherlock, william, ?- . [ ], p. printed for william rogers ..., london : . reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng providence and government of god -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse concerning the divine providence . by william sherlock , d. d. dean of st. paul's , master of the temple , and chaplain in ordinary to their majesties . imprimatur , maii . . carolus alston , r. p. d. hen. episc. lond. à sacris . london : printed for william rogers , at the sun over-against st. dunstan's church in fleet street . mdcxciv . to the queen's most excellent majesty . may it please your majesty , to accept this treatise , which , did the composition answer the subject , would recommend it self to the perusal of princes , who are the peculiar care , and the great ministers of providence . for it is this good providence which is the security of the royal throne , and the most perfect patern of a just , and equal government , without contempt of the meanest , or partiality to the greatest . that experience your majesty has had of a kind and watchful providence , and that constant dependence the most potent monarchs have on the divine protection , especially in the great shakings and convulsions of the world , i hope may excuse this dedication , as neither improper nor unseasonable . and may the same good providence , which has advanced your majesties to the throne , and so signally preserved the king from the greatest dangers , still preserve your sacred persons , establish your throne , and deliver you from all your enemies . which is the hearty and daily prayer of , your majesties , most humble , most obedient , and most dutiful subject and servant , william sherlock . the contents . the introduction , page chap. . the necessary connexion between the belief of a god , and of a providence , the world can be no more governed than made by chance , ibid. an infinite and eternal mind , which sees and knows all things , must govern the word , he who made the world , cannot be unconcerned for his creatures , no philosophers , except the epicureans , who acknowledged a deity , denied a providence , the same arguments , which prove the being of a god , prove a providence , the strength of atheism consists in contradicting the vniversal reason of mankind , chap. . the general notion of providence , and particularly concerning a preserving providence , the nature of preservation , as distinguisht from a governing providence , ibid. the first act of preservation in upholding and preserving the being and natures of all things , the second act of preservation ; god's co-operation and concourse with creatures in all their actions , some difficulties of providence answered ; as god's concourse with creatures in sinful actions , concerning the eternity of punishments , some practical inferences , chap. . concerning god's governing providence , god's government of causes , and of events , god's government of natural causes , and wherein it consists , ib. god's government of accidental causes , or what we call chance and accident , god's government of moral causes , or free agents , . the difference between god's government of men considered as reasonable creatures , and as instruments of providence , concerning god's government of mens minds , their wills and passions , page concerning god's government of mens actions , god's government of good and bad men , more particularly considered , god's government of events , what is meant by events in this question , wherein god's government of events consists , concerning gods permission , ibid the difference between god's government of all events , and necessity and fate , that the exercise of a particular providence consists in the government of all events , chap. . concerning the sovereignty of providence , concerning god's absolute power , that true absolute power can do no wrong , explained at large , ib. the vnsearchable wisdom of providence , infinite wisdom can do no wrong , that the wisdom of providence must be as unaccountable , as the wisdom of the creation , that the wise government of the word , requires secret and hidden methods of providence , that we are ignorant of a great many things , without the knowledg of which , it is impossible to understand the reasons of providence , in what cases the vnsearchable wisdom of god , is a reasonable answer to the difficulties of providence , chap. . the iustice and righteousness of providence , that the iustice of providence does not consist in hindring all acts of injustice and violence , god may do that very justly , which men cannot do without great injustie , what the nature and exercise of god's iustice requires , what acts of iustice the present government of this world requires , page the account the scripture gives us of god's iustice and righteousness , chap. . the holiness of providence , what the holiness of government requires , ib. what the holiness of god's providence does not require of him , god is not the cause and author of sin , the divine prescience does not destroy the liberty of human actions , god decrees no mens sins , some texts of scripture considered , which seem to make god the author of sin , concerning god's hardning pharaoh's heart , ib. some other texts considered , which seem to charge god with the sins of men . chap. . the goodness of providence , mistakes concerning the nature of god's goodness , the difference between absolute goodness and iustice , and the goodness and iustice of discipline , that god exercises all acts of goodness , which a state of trial and discipline will admit , another mistake concerning the nature of good and evil ; and what good and evil is in a state of discipline , another mistake about the nature of government ; and what goodness is required in the government of the world , two objections against the goodness of providence answered . . from the many miseries which are in the world , a second objection is , god's partial and unequal care of his creatures , chap. . the wisdom of providence , the wisdom of providence considered in some great events recorded in scripture , the destruction of the world by noah's flood , page concerning the confusion of languages , and the dispersion of mankind over all the earth , god's chusing abraham and his posterity , for his peculiar people , concerning the removal of jacob and his family into egypt , the oppression of israel in egypt , the miracles wrought by moses in egypt , god's delivering the law from mount sinai , all that came out of egypt , excepting joshua and caleb , died in the wilderness , the frequent relapses of israel into idolatry , concerning the captivities and dispersions of israel , especially their captivity in babylon , in what sense christ came in the fulness of time , the destruction of jerusalem by the romans , the wisdom of providence in some more common and ordinary events , that god rewards or punishes men in their posterity , god's punishing sin with sin , god's disappointing both our hopes and fears , god's deferring the deliverance of good men , and the punishment of the wicked , to the utmost extremity , concerning sudden changes and revolutions , the wise mixture of mercy and iudgment , chap. . the duties we owe to providence , a particular acknowledgment of providence in all events , ibid. submission to the providential will of god , concerning submission to god under afflictions and sufferings , submission to the will of god with respect to our several states and conditions of life , concerning hope and trust in the divine providence , concerning the duties of prayer and thanksgiving , a discourse of the divine providence . the introduction . my chief design in this following treatise , is , so to explain the nature of providence , as to reconcile men to the belief of it ; and to possess them with a religious awe and reverence of the supreme and absolute lord of the world. for it is very evident , that the mistakes about the nature of providence , are the principal objections against it ; which tempt some men to deny a providence , or so weaken the sense of it in others , that they are very little the better for believing it . that a divine providence does govern the world , i have proved largely enough for my present design , in the discourse concerning a future iudgment ; which i refer my reader to : but that this work might not seem to want a foundation , i have not wholly omitted the proof of a providence , but have at least said enough to convince those of a providence , who believe , that there is a god ; which must be supposed in a discourse of providence . the whole is divided into nine chapters . i. the necessary connection between the belief of a god , and of a providence . ii. the general notion of providence ; and particularly concerning a preserving providence . iii. concerning god's governing providence . iv. the soveraignty of providence . v. the justice of providence . vi. the holiness of providence . vii . the goodness of providence . viii . the wisdom of providence . ix . the duties we owe to providence . the explication of these things will not only answer many difficulties in providence , but will give us a clearer notion of the divine attributes , and of some of the principal duties of religion . chap. i. the necessary connection between the belief of a god , and of a providence . instead of other arguments to prove a providence , i shall at present insist only on this , that the belief of a god infers a providence : that if we believe there is a god who made the world , we must believe that the same god who made the world , does govern it too . . for first , it is as absurd and unreasonable to think , that the world is governed by chance ; as to think , that it was made by chance ; for chance can no more govern , than it can make the world. one principal act of providence is to uphold all things in being , to preserve their natures , powers , operations ; to make this lower world again every year by new productions : for nature seems to decay , and dye , and revive again , in almost as wonderful a manner , and as unintelligible to us , as it was first made . now tho it is very absurd to say , that chance which acts by no rule , nor with any counsel or design , can make a world , which has all the marks and characters of an admirable wisdom in its contrivance ; yet it seems more absurd to say , that chance can preserve , that it can uphold the things it has made , that it can repair the decays of nature , nay , restore it when it seems lost : that it can not only do the same thing twice , but repeat it infinitely in new productions : that chance can give laws to nature , and impose a necessity on it to act regularly and uniformly ; that is , that chance should put an end to chance , and introduce necessity and fate . were there not a wise and powerful providence , it is ten thousand times more likely , that chance should unmake and dissolve the world , than that it should at first make it ; for a world that came together by chance , and has nothing to keep it together but the chance that made it , which is as uncertain and mutable as chance is , will quickly unmake it self . should the sun but change his place , come nearer this earth , or remove farther from it , there were an end of this lower world ▪ and if it were placed there by chance , it is wonderful , that in so many ages , some new unlucky chance has not removed it . and therefore the psalmist attributes not only the creation but the preservation of all things to god. praise him sun and moon , praise him ye stars of light : praise him all ye heavens , and ye waters that are above the heavens : let them praise the name of the lord , for he spake the word , and they were made ; he commanded , and they were created : he hath made them fast for ever ; he hath given them a law , which shall not be broken , . psal. , , , . dly . the same wisdom and power which made the world , must govern it too : it is only a creating power that can preserve : that which owes its very being to power , must depend upon the power that made it , for it can have no principle of self-subsistence independent on its cause : it is only creating wisdom , that perfectly understands the natures of all things , that sees all the springs of motion , that can correct the errors of nature , that can suspend or direct the influences of natural causes , that can govern hearts , change mens purposes , inspire wisdom and counsel , restrain or let loose their passions . it is only an infinite mind that can take care of all the world ; that can allot every creature its portion ; that can adjust the interests of states and kingdoms ; that can bring good out of evil , and order out of confusion . in a word , the government of the world requires such wisdom and such power , as no being has but he who made it ; and therefore if the world be governed , it must be governed by the maker of it . dly . if there be any such being as we call god , a pure , infinite , eternal mind , it is a demonstration , that he must govern the world . those who deny a providence , will not allow , that god sees or takes notice of what is done here below . the epicureans , tho in civility and compliment to the superstition of mankind , rather than from a real belief and sense of a deity , they did own a god , nay , a great many gods , such as they were , yet never allowed their gods to know any thing of our affairs , which would have disturbed their profound ease and rest , the sole happiness of the lazy , unactive , epicurean deities ; and this secured them from the fear of their gods , who lived at a great distance from them , and knew nothing concerning them . and in the same manner this is represented in scripture , that wicked men would not believe that god saw , or heard , or took any notice of what they did ; . psalm . they encourage themselves in an evil matter , they commune of laying snares secretly ; they say , who shall see them . . psalm . he hath said in his heart , god hath forgotten , he hideth his face , he will never see it . . psalm , , , . yet they say , the lord shall not see , neither shall the god of iacob regard it . vnderstand ye brutish among the people , and ye fools when will ye be wise ? he that planted the ear , shall he not hear ? and he that formed the eye , shall he not see ? he that chastiseth the heathen , shall not he correct ? and he that teacheth man knowledg , shall not he know ? the lord knoweth the thoughts of man , that they are vanity . so that these men took it for granted , that if god did see , and hear , and know what was done in the world , he would reward men accordingly . and therefore the providence of god is described in scripture by his seeing and observing the actions of men . . job . doth not he see my ways , and count all my steps ? . psal. , . behold the eye of the lord is upon them that fear him , upon them that hope in his mercy ; that is , to protect them , and to do good to them ; as it follows , to deliver their soul from death , and to keep them alive in famine . and therefore when good men pray for help and succour , they only beg god to see and take notice of their condition ; . lam. . see , o lord , and consider , for i am become vile . . isa. . behold , see , we beseech thee , we are all thy people . thus in hezekiah 's prayer , incline thine ear , o lord , and hear , open thine eyes , o lord , and see , and hear all the words of senacherib , which hath sent to reproach the living god : and therefore god's seeing , is made an argument that he will reward or punish , . psalm . thou hast seen it , for thou beholdest mischief and spite , to requite it with thy hand . and indeed it is not to be imagined , that a holy and just god , who sees and observes all the good and evil that is done in the world , should not reward the good , and punish the wicked ; for there is no other holy and just being in the world , that has authority to reward and punish , but would certainly do it . and if the proof of a divine providence be resolved into god's knowing what is done in the world , the dispute will be soon ended ; for those who believe that there is a god , and that he is an infinite , omnipresent mind , cannot doubt whether he sees and knows all things . as the psalmist elegantly expresses it , . psalm . — . o lord , thou hast searched me and known me . thou knowest my down-sitting , and my uprising , thou understandest my thought afar off ? thou compassest my path , and my lying down , and art acquainted with all my ways . for there is not a word in my tongue , but lo , o lord , thou knowest it altogether . thou hast beset me hehind and before , and laid thine hand upon me . such knowledge is too wonderful for me , it is too high , i cannot attain unto it . whither shall i go from thy spirit , or whither shall i flee from thy presence ? if i ascend up into heaven , thou art there , if i make my bed in hell , behold thou art there . if i take the wings of the morning , and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea , even there shall thy hand lead me , and thy right hand shall hold me : if i say , surely the darkness shall cover me , even the night shall be light about me ; yea , the darkness hideth not from thee , but the night shineth as the day ; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee ; for thou hast possessed my reins , thou hast covered me in my mother's womb . how is it possible , that an omnipresent mind should be ignorant of any thing , or that the maker of the world should not be present with all his creature , or that being present , and seeing all their actions , he should be an idle and unconcerned spectator ? thly , for i think in the next place , it is past all dispute , that he who made the world cannot be unconcerned for his creatures . he hath implanted in most creatures a natural care of their offspring ; and it is made an argument of want of understanding in the ostrich , that she leaveth her eggs in the earth , and warmeth them in the dust , and forgetteth that the foot may crush them , or that the wild best may break them . she is hardened against her young ones , as if they were not hers : her labour is in vain without fear , because god hath deprived her of wisdom , neither hath he imparted to her understanding , . job , , . and can we think then , that an infinitely wise being , should be as unconcerned for the world , as the ostrich is for her eggs ? it is certain the maker of the world is no sluggish unactive being ; for to make a world is a work of infinite wisdom and counsel , of divine art and power ; and not only to give being to that which was not , is it self an act of excellent goodness , but there are so many legible characters of a divine bounty and goodness stamped upon all the works of nature , that we must conclude , the world was made by an infinitely good being ; and it is impossible that a wise and good being , who is a pure act , and perfect life , can cast off the care of his creatures . besides the laws of god and men , natural affection will not suffer men to forget their children ; and though god has no superior , his own nature is a law to himself . this is sufficient to shew , how necessarily the belief of a god infers a providence , and therefore no philosophers , excepting epicurus , and his sect , who acknowledged a deity , ever denied a providence ; and tully tells us , that he retained the name of a god , but destroyed his being . the stoick in tully concludes a providence from the acknowledgment of a god : and therefore tells us , that providence signifies the providence of god : and those philosophers made no scruple of calling god providence and fate , and the power of an eternal and perpetual law. for indeed mankind had no other notion of a god , than that he is an excellent and perfect being , who made , and who governs the world. this is the notion which the philosophers , who acknowledg'd a deity , defended against epicurus , and other atheists ; this is the notion of a god , which atheists oppose , the god whom they fear , an eternal lord , who observes , and takes notice of every thing , and thinks himself concerned in all the affairs of the world. and therefore the dispute , whether there be a god or no , principally resolves it self into this , whether this world , and all things in it , is made and governed by wisdom and counsel , or by chance , and a blind material necessity and fate : which proves , that the very notion of god includes a providence , or else either to prove or to overthrow the doctrine of providence , would neither prove , nor overthrow the being of a god. this , i am sure , is very plain , that the same arguments which prove the being of a god , prove a providence : if the beauty , variery , usefulness , and wise contrivance of the works of nature , prove that the world was at first made by a wise and powerful being ; the continuance and preservation of all things , the regular motions of the heavens , the uniform productions of nature , prove the world is upheld , directed and governed by the same omnipotent wisdom and counsel . as st. paul tells us , the invisible things of god from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal power and godhead , rom. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his dominion and soveraignty , or his governing providence ; this visible world does not only prove an eternal power which made it , but a soveraign lord , who administers all the affairs of it . and . acts . he proves the being of god from his providence ; nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good , and gave us rain from heaven , and fruitful seasons , filling our hearts with food and gladness . and . acts . he proves , that god governs the world , and takes care of all the creatures that are in it , because he made it ; for in him we live , move , and have our being , as certain of your own poets have said ; for we are also his off-spring : which is very improperly alledged by st. paul , if we may be the off-spring of god , and yet not live , and move , and have our being in him ; that is , if god's making the world does not necessarily prove his constant care and governmet of it . but the apostle knew in those days , that no man , who confessed that god made the world , questioned his providence , and therefore makes no scruple to prove , that we live and subsist in god , because he made us . this is a noble argument to prove both the being and providence of god ( which cannot be separated ) from the works of nature , and the wise government of the world ; it would give us a very delightful entertainment , to view all the curiosities and suprizing wonders of nature ; with what beauty , art and contrivance , particular creatures are made , and how the several parts of this great machine are fitted to each other , and make a regular and uniform world ; how all particular creatures are fitted to the use and purposes of their several natures , and yet are made serviceable to one another , and have as mutual a connexion and dependance , as the wheels of a clock . what an equal and steady hand governs the world , when its motions seem most excentrick and exorbitant , and brings good out of evil , and order out of confusion , when things are so perplext , that it is impossible for any one , but a god , to disentangle them . there is no need of the subtilty of reason and argument in this cause , would but men attentively study the works of god , and dwell in the contemplation of nature and providence ; for god is as visible in his works , as the sun is by its light ; when all the wonders of nature are unfolded , and exposed particularly to our view , it so over-powers the mind with such infinite varieties of that most divine art and wisdom , that modest men are ashamed to ascribe such things to a blind chance , which has no design or counsel . indeed to say , that a world full of infinite marks and characters of the most admirable art , a world so made , that no art could make it better , was not made by a wise mind , but by chance , by a fortuitous concourse of atoms , which without any design , after infinite fruitless trials , happened into this exact , useful , beautiful order , that now they are in , know when they are well , and in despight of chance move as constantly , regularly , artificially , in all new productions , as the divinest and most uniform wisdom could direct : i say , to affirm this , is to put an end to all disputes , by leaving no principles of reason and argumentation to dispute with . an atheist is the most vain pretender to reason in the world : the whole strength of atheism consists in contradicting the universal reason of mankind . they have no principles , nor can have any , and therefore they can never reason , but only confidently deny or affirm . they can assign no principles of reason , which the rest of mankind allow to be principles , from whence they can prove that there is no god , and no providence ; but they only reject those principles , which all other men agree in , and from whence it must necessarily follow , that there is a god and a providence . it will be of great use briefly to explain this , which will teach you to reject atheism and atheists , without troubling your selves to dispute with them ; for they have no common principles with the rest of mankind to reason upon , nor indeed any principles of reason at all . a few words will suffice for this purpose . mankind , who have been used to thinking and reasoning , have universally agreed , that there must be something that had no beginning , and no cause ; for nothing can produce nothing ; that had there ever been a time , when there was nothing , there never could have been any thing , unless there can be an effect without a cause , which is too absurd for atheists themselves to say in express words , who do not boggle much at absurdities ; and therefore they make their atoms , and their vacuum , to be eternal . it is agreed also , that whatever had a beginning , had a cause ; and the most easy and natural progress of human understandings is to reason from one cause to another , till we ascend to , and center in , a first cause . for it is as easy and natural to believe one first eternal cause , as to believe an eternal being ; but though it is natural to believe something eternal , it is as unnatural to believe all things to be so ; we have no notion of all things being eternal , though we have of an eternal cause ; for the very reason why we are forced to confess something eternal , is , because there must be an eternal cause of all other things ; that is , because all things are not eternal : but if any thing , which has not an eternal and unchangeable nature , but is capable of being made and unmade , changed and altered , as all the things of this world are , might be without a cause , then every thing may be without a cause ; and if the eternity of all things be a natural notion , it cannot be a natural notion that there is a first cause . for that very notion supposes , that something had a beginning , and was originally made , when it was not before , and therefore , that all things are not eternal . for to be made in this axiom , primarily relates to the being of things , and is so understood by all men : and how can such a notion of the making and giving being to any thing , be natural , if it be a natural notion , that all things are eternal , and that nothing was made ? hence it is , that seen and visible effects , which have no visible cause adequate to the producing such effects , are allowed by all mankind to be a sufficient proof of some invisible cause , as st. paul tells us ; and he spoke the language of human nature in it ; that the invisible things of god from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , . rom. . for if that which is made , must have a cause , if there be no visible cause , there must be an invisible maker : and therefore this world , which has no visible , must have an invisible cause . and as it is natural to the reason of mankind to conclude the cause from the effect , so is it to learn the nature of the cause from the nature of the effect ; for whatever is in the effect , must be either specifically or virtually in the cause ; for whatever is in the effect , which is not in the cause , that has no cause , for nothing can be a cause of that , which it is not it self . and therefore whatever has life and understanding , must be made by a living and understanding cause ; whatever has art and skill , and wise contrivance in its frame , as every worm and fly has , must have a wise designing cause for its maker : and then it is certain , that this whole world was not made by chance , or the fortuitous concourse of atoms , but by an infinitely wise mind . this way of reasoning is easy and natural to our minds ; all men understand it , all men feel it : atheists themselves allow of this kind of proof in all other cases , excepting the proof of a god or a providence ; and therefore it is no absurd , foolish way of reasoning , for then it must not be allowed of in any case ; and they have no reason to reject it in this case , but that they are resolved not to believe a god and a providence . and yet this way of reasoning from effects to causes , must be good in all cases , or in none : for the principle is universal , that nothing can be made without a cause , and if any thing can be made made without a cause , this principle is false , and can prove nothing . and i challenge the wisest and subtilest atheist of them all , to prove from any principle of reason , that the most beautiful and regular house that ever he saw , which he did not see built ( for that is a proof from sense , not from reason ) was built by men , and is a work of art , and that it did not either grow out of the earth , nor was made by the accidental meeting of the several materials , which without knowledge , art , or design , fell into a regular and uniform building . had these men never seen a house built , i would desire to know , how they would prove , that it is a work of art , built by a skilful workman , and not made by chance ; and by what medium soever they will prove this , i will undertake to prove , that god made the world , though we did not see him make it . but the present enquiry is only this , whether this be human reason , the natural reason of human minds ? if it be , then men , who will be contented to reason like men , must acknowledge and assent to this argument from effects to causes , which unavoidably proves a god and a providence ; and this is all i desire to be granted , that those who will follow the notices and principles of human reason , must believe that god made and governs the world ; for i know not how to reason beyond human reason ; those who do , may please themselves with it . those who have found out a reason , which contradicts the natural principles of reason , must reason by themselves , for mankind cannot reason with them . but let us consider how atheists reason , when they have laid aside this principle of reason , from effects to causes . they tell us , that a most artificial world may be made without art , or any wise maker , by blind chance , without any designing efficient cause : that life , and sense , and reason , may result from dead , stupid , sensless atoms ; well! we hear this , and bear it as patiently as we can ; but how do they prove this ; why , they say , it may be , and they can go no farther : but how do they know , this may be ? have they any such notion in their minds ? have they any natural sensation that answers these words ? does nature teach them , that any thing can be without a cause adequate to the effect ? that any thing can be wisely made without a wise cause ? that one contrary can produce the other ? that sensless , stupid matter can produce life , sensation and understanding ? can they then tell me , what it is that can't be ? i desire to know by what rule they judge , what may be , and what can't be : and if they can find any can't be more absurd and contradictious than their may be , i will renounce sense and reason for ever : if nothing can be without a cause , according to the reason of mankind , this can't be , and therefore all that their may be 's can signify , is this , that if the reason of mankind deceive us , such things may be , as the most unquestionable principles of reason tells us can't be . and this is the glorious triumph of atheistical reason , it can get no farther than a may be , and such a may be as is absolutely impossible , if the reason of mankind be true . set aside the relation between causes and effects , and all the arguments from causes to effects , and from effects to causes , and there is an end of all knowledge ; and set aside all those first principles and maxims of reason , which all men assent to at the first proposal , the truth of which they see and feel , and there is an end of all reason : for there can be no reasoning without the acknowledgment of some first principles , which the mind has a clear , distinct , and vigorous perception of : and if men will distrust their own minds in such things as they have an easy , natural perception of , and prefer some arbitrary notions , which seem absurd contradictions , and impossible to the rest of mankind , and which they can have no idea of beyond the sound of words ; they may be atheists , if they please , at the expence of their reason and understanding ; that is , they may be atheists , if they will not judge and reason like men : but if we are as certain of the being of a god , and of a providence , as we are , that nothing can be without a cause , we have all the certainty that human nature is capable of . chap. ii. the general notion of providence , and particularly concerning a preserving providence . having proved as largely as my present design required , that the same god who made the world , is the supream lord and governour of it . i proceed to consider the nature of providence . the general notion of providence is god's care of all the creatures he has made , which must consist in preserving and upholding their beings and natures , and in such acts of government , as the good order of the world , and the happiness of mankind require ; which divides providence into preservation and government , which must be carefully distinguished in order to answer some great difficulties in providence . i begin with preserving providence , which commences from the first instant of the creation ; for as soon as creatures are made , they need a divine power to preserve them . for this is the strict notion of preservation , as distinguished from a governing providence , that god upholds all things in being from falling back into their first nothing , and preserves their natural vertues , powers and faculties , and enables them to act , and to attain the ends of their several natures : which distinguishes this preserving providence from those many acts of preservation which belong to government : such as preserving the lives of men from unseen accidents , and visible dangers , nay of beasts and of birds too , as our saviour assures us , that not a sparrow falls to the ground without our father ; in which sense the psalmist tells us , that god preserves both man and beasts , supplies them with food , and all other things necessary to life , and preserves their lives from violence or accident , as long as he sees fit . this preservation as distinguish'd from government , st. paul expresly teaches . acts . for in him we live , and move , and have our being . we were not only made by him , but we live , and move , and have our being in him ; as the apostle to the hebrews tells us of christ , that he upholds all things by the word of his power , . hebr. . the schools have divided this into two distinct acts. . god's upholding and preserving the being and natures of all things . . his co-operating with all creatures , and by a perpetual influx and concourse actuating their natural powers to perform their natural actions ; that is , that we have our being in him , that we live , and move , and act in him , or by a new influx of power from him . as for the first , the preservation of all things in being , besides those texts of scripture , which expresly attribute this to god , the schools urge several arguments for the proof of it , which i think may be resolved into this one ; that whatever does not necessarily exist by the internal principles of its own nature , must depend on its cause , not only for its being , but for its continuance and preservation . for there is no medium between necessary existence , and dependance on its cause . the very notion of a creature does not only include in it , its being made , but its dependance on its maker for its continuance in being : for whatever does not necessarily exist , must not only be made at first , but must be upheld and preserved in being ; for it can no more preserve , than it can make it self : it was nothing once , and what was once nothing , may be nothing again , and therefore cannot subsist of it self , but in dependance on its maker . it is not with the being and natures of things , as it is with the works of art , which though they cannot make themselves , yet when they are made , can subsist without the artist that made them . as a house cannot build it self , but when it is built , it continues of it self , as long as the materials and workmanship last , when the workman has left it ; for the workman does not give being to the materials , but only to the form , which subsists in the matter , and that in its first cause : but whatever receives its being from another , as all creatures do , has nothing to support its being , but the cause that made it . this is so certain , that i should make no scruple to say , that god can no more make an independent creature , which can subsist without him , than he can make an eternal creature , which shall have no beginning ; which is not want of power in god , but a repugnancy and contradiction in the nature of creatures . that which once was not , can never be so made as to have no beginning ; that which has not a necessary existence , as nothing has , which once was not , cannot be made to exist necessarily , without dependance on its cause , because necessary existence is not in its nature , for then it would always have been . suarez has another argument to prove the dependence of creatures on the perpetual influx of power from the first cause , which possibly some may think only a school-subtily , but seems to me to have great weight in it ; and it proceeds upon this supposition , ( which all men must grant ) that if god made the world out of nothing , he could annihilate all things , and reduce them into nothing again , if he so pleased : now he says , that annihilation is not an act of power , for all positive acts of power must have some real and positive effect ; whereas to annihilate is to make nothing , and therefore to do nothing : now if to annihilate be no act of power , then it can be nothing else , but a withdrawing that power , which supported all things in being ; and that proves , that all things are upheld in being by the divine power , if they cannot subsist , but fall into nothing again , when that upholding and preserving power is withdrawn . this is a very sensible argument , if we distinguish between what we call destroying , and annihilating , which is apt to confound us in this matter . to destroy , is only to change the present form and compages of things , while the matter and substance continues the same ; thus god destroyed the old world by water , and will destroy this world by fire again ; which is like pulling down a house , without destroying the materials ; and this is an act of power , and has a positive effect ; but to annihilate , is to reduce something to nothing , which is to do nothing , and therefore is no act of power , but only a cessation of power . and if not to uphold , is to annihilate , then all things subsist , as well as are made , by the power of god. i shall only add , that god cannot make a creature independent on himself , without bestowing on it a self-subsisting nature , or necessary existence ; for whatever does not necessarily exist by the internal principles of its nature , must depend on something else to uphold it in being . now besides , what i observed before , that whatever necessarily exists , can't be made , but must be eternal . for that which exists necessarily , must always exist , without a cause , and without a beginning ; for nothing can begin to have a necessarily self-subsisting nature . i now add , that whatever necessarily is , can't be changed , destroyed , annihilated ; for whatever necessarily is , necessarily is what it is ; which proves , that if god can annihilate whatever he has made , then all things subsist by the will , and pleasure , and power of god , not by the internal principles of their natures ; for whatever necessarily exists , can never be annihilated , for that is a contradiction . how god upholds all things in being , we no more know , than how at first he made all things , when there was nothing ; and therefore it is a vain inquiry of the schools , which no man can resolve , and which serves no end in religion , whether creation and preservation be the same , or two different acts ? whether preservation be a continued creation ? or whether they be two distinct and different acts of power , to make , and to preserve ? for how can any man know this , who neither knows , how god creates , nor how he preserves . thus much is certain , that to create , is to give being to that which was not before ; to preserve , is to continue that in being which was made before ; and when any thing is once created , it can never be new created , till it fall into nothing again ; for to create , is to make out of nothing , not to make a thing which already is ; but by what acts of power either of these is done , we cannot tell , nor are we concerned to know ; for what way soever this is done , we equally depend on god , we live and subsist in him . but there is one thing fit to be observed , that this act of preservation , which consists in upholding all things in being , is fixt by a perpetual and unchangeable decree : that though god will dissolve this present frame of things , and it may be , cast the world into a new mould , yet nothing that is made , neither matter , nor spirit , shall be annihilated , or reduced into nothing again . this i think we may safely conclude from the promises and threatnings of eternal rewards and punishments , which supposes , that both good and bad men shall live for ever , the one to be happy , the other to be miserable to eternity ; and then we may reasonably conclude , that the world , whatever changes it may suffer , will continue as long the inhabitants of it do . this is the first act of what we call preserving providence , to uphold all things in being , in distinction , as i observed before , from those several acts of preservation , which concern a governing providence . a second act of preserving providence , is what the schools call , god's co-operation and concourse with creatures in all their actions , that we not only live , and have our being , but that we move in god ; that whatever we do , we do by a natural power received from god ; and this is as certain , as that we have our being in him ; for if we live , we must move in him . but then whether god's co operation and concourse be a different act from his preserving the natural vertues and powers of action , is a nicer and more intricate speculation , and neither the thing , nor the reason of it , is easy to be conceived . natural powers are internal principles of action , when a creature acts from an inward principle of nature ; but if these natural powers , while they are preserved in their full force and vigour by god , can do nothing themselves , without a new extrinsick , determining motion from god , then they seem to be no natural powers , for they cannot act by nature , if this be true ; the fire don't burn by nature , for though god preserves its nature , it cannot burn without some new co-operating power , which is not in its nature . a man don't reason and judge , chuse and refuse by nature ; for though god preserve his natural powers and faculties of understanding and will , yet he can neither understand nor will , unless he be moved , acted , determined by god : this seems to make the whole world a meer apparition , and empty scene , which has nothing real . whatever we see done in the world , is not done by creatures , who seem to do it ; for they are only acted like machines , not from the internal principles and powers of nature , but from external motion : but god does every thing himself by an immediate power , even all the contradictions and contrarieties we see in the world. this is a very great difficulty , which i will not undertake to determine one way or other ; but thus much , i think , we may safely say , that if we will attribute any thing to creatures , if we will allow , that they ever act from a principle of nature , we must confess , that god co-operates only to the natural power of action , that is , that he only enables them to act according to their natures , without changing , influencing , determining their natures , otherwise than these natural powers would naturally act . for this is all that is necessary to action , when god has created the natural powers ; and this is all the co-operation that can belong to god , as the maker and preserver of all things . whatever is more than this , as i acknowledge there is a great deal more that god does , it belongs to a governing , not to a preserving providence : god does a great deal more , than merely co-operate with our natural powers to perform natural actions , but this he does as a governour , not merely as a preserver : the not distinguishing of which has occasioned great mistakes in the doctrine of providence ; as to show this briefly . god has endowed all creatures with such natural powers and vertues , as may answer the end for which they were made . he has made the sun to shine , to enlighten and refresh the world ; the fire to burn , the earth to bring forth all sorts of herbs , and grass , and corn , and fruit , the vapours to ascend out of the earth to purge and fan the air with winds , and to fall down again in fruitful showers ; every herb and flower and tree has its peculiar seeds to propagate its kind , as all living creatures have . now as it had been to little purpose for god to have made a world without upholding it in being , for creatures can no more preserve , than they can make themselves ; so it had been to as little purpose , to have endowed all creatures with such vertues and powers , as belong to their several natures , without such a natural co-operation , whatever that be , as shall enable their natural powers to act , and to attain the ends of their natures ; and therefore god established this natural concourse and co-operation to actuate all the powers of nature , by a perpetual law , which is that blessing god bestowed upon all creatures at the time of the creation . for though this blessing , to encrease , and multiply , and to replenish the sea , and air , and earth , which preserves and invigorates the powers of nature , be expressed only of living creatures , the fish , and fowls , and beasts , and men , yet it equally belongs to the whole creation , as will be easily granted ; and makes nature regular and constant in all its motions and productions . but there are other acts belong to god's government even of the material world , as i shall shew you more hereafter . as to direct the vertues and influences of nature , or to suspend and restrain them : to make the earth fruitful or barren , the air wholsome or pestilential , to withhold the dews and showers of heaven , or to give the former and latter rain in its season , to cause it to rain upon one city , and not upon another , and so to temper the influences of nature , as to punish the wickedness , or to reward the obedience of mankind ; these are acts of government , and of a quite different kind from actuating the powers of nature to attain their ends , and to do what they were made for . thus to consider the rational world ; god has endowed man with the natural faculties of understanding and will , to judge , and to chuse for himself ; and he preserves these faculties , and gives them a natural power to act , to understand , and will : but this natural co-operation of god can extend no farther than to the natural power of acting , not to any specifical acts ; it does not improve any man's understanding , nor incline his judgment , nor determine his choice ; it makes no alteration in the powers of nature , but only enables them to act according to their natures ; it is only like winding up a clock , which puts it into motion , but gives no new preternatural motions to it , but leaves its motions to be guided by its own springs and wheels whatever this co-operation of god be , which is thought necessary to actuate our natural faculties , it gives no new byas to us , but leaves us perfectly in a state of nature , and only enables us to do that , which we should do of our selves without any such co-operation of god , could we act without it . but in the government of mankind god exercises a very different power over the minds of men . he changes the hearts and counsels of men , imprints new thoughts upon their minds , claps a new byas upon their wills and affections ; the hearts of princes are in his hands , and he turneth them as rivers of waters . he renews and sanctifies good men by his spirit ; enlightens their understandings , changes their wills , inspires them with divine affections : he gives up bad men to the impostures of wicked spirits , to their own affected ignorance , blindness , inconsideration , to the obstinacy and perverseness of their own wills , and to the empire of their lusts. every one must perceive , that this is a very different thing from god's co-operating with our natural faculties to will , and to understand ; for that makes no change in our natural understandings and wills , but only enables them to act ; but this improves , and heightens , and regulates our faculties ; enlarges our knowledge , and rectifies our choice , and directs and governs our passions ; and yet these things have not been well distinguished , which has very much obscured and perplexed the doctrines both of providence and grace , as i shall now shew you . for having thus briefly explained the difference between a preserving and governing providence , that this may not be thought a more subtil than useful speculation , it will be necessary to shew you , of what great use this is to answer some of the greatest difficulties in the doctrine of providence . now as the foundation of all , i shall ask but one thing , which every man must grant ; that it becomes god to preserve the creatures which he has made , to uphold them in being , and to actuate their natural powers , as far as is necessary to enable creatures to perform those natural actions , which their natures are fitted and made for . if it became the wisdom and goodness of god to make creatures with such powers and faculties of acting , it becomes him also to preserve their beings , and natures , and powers of action . to make , is to give a being and nature to that which was nothing ; to preserve , is only to continue its being , and to enable it to act according to its nature ; and therefore we must either approve or disapprove of both alike . let us then lay down this as an acknowledged principle , that we must not quarrel with the providence of god , for any thing which is a mere act of preservation , not an act of government . for to uphold the being , and nature , and operations of all things , is no fault , whatever evil consequences may attend it ; and therefore those who have a mind to quarrel at providence , must find some fault , if they can , in god's government of creatures , not in the acts of preservation ; and this easily answers some of the most difficult objections against providence . as for instance . since no creature can move , or act , or do any thing , without the concourse and co-operation of god , some are wonderfully puzled to give an account , why god should co-operate with any creature in sinful actions . why god should actuate mens understandings and wills , and their other natural powers and faculties , when he certainly knows , that if he enables them to act , they will act wickedly ; they will chuse that which is wicked , and will execute their wicked designs : that if they have the exercise of their natural powers , they will defile themselves with adultery , and drunkenness , and theft , or murther , and all manner of wickedness : and how can a holy god co-operate in all the wickedness which is committed ? when men do wickedly by the power and co-operation of god , without which they can do nothing , how does the sin come to be the man's , when the action is god's , as done by his immediate power ? i shall not trouble you with other answers , which are commonly given to this difficulty ; for what i have now discoursed , gives a plain and easy solution to it : for all this , however it be represented , comes to no more , than god's preserving the natures of creatures , and actuating their natural powers to perform the offices of nature ; and if this be such a fault , as intitles god to all the wickedness they commit , the original fault is in making such creatures ; for if it were no fault to make them , it can be no fault to preserve their natures . does it become the wisdom of god to make creatures , who must act dependently on himself , and to deny them the natural powers of acting , which is to unmake them again ? and if this does not become the wisdom of god , then it can be no fault in god to co-operate with the natural powers of men , even in their sinful actions ; nor any more intitle god to their sins , than his making creatures with such natural powers : for to preserve their natures , and to actuate their natural powers , is no more a cause of their sin , than to make such natures , and such natural powers . to represent this as plainly as i can , let us suppose that god had created man with a natural power to act without needing such a perpetual concourse and co-operation to enable him to act , would this charge god with the sins of men , because they act , even when they sin , by a power derived from him in their first creation ? if this makes god the author of sin , then god can't make a creature , who is capable of sinning by the abuse of its natural powers , without being the author of sin , which is too absurd for any thinking man to say : and yet if it does not , how does god's perpetual concourse and co-operation with creatures to enable them to act , and to exert their natural powers , make god the author of sin ? for this is no more than a natural power to act , and it makes no difference , whether this natural power be given once for all , as an inherent power in creatures , or be supplied every minute ; for both ways the power is the same , and equally derived from god : and if the natural power of acting charges god with mens sins , the charge lies equally against a creating and co-operating power ; if it does not , god is no more chargeable with sin for co-operating with mens natural powers in every action , than he would be , for creating such natural powers as could act of themselves . god's government of the world must be fitted to the natures of the creatures which he has made , without denying them the natural powers of action ; and therefore while he co-operates with creatures only to act according to the liberty of their own natures , this is no fault in this government , nor contributes any thing more to the sins of creatures , than preserving their natures , which as much becomes god , as it did to make them . thus some think it a great blemish to providence , that adulterous mixtures prove fruitful , when encrease and multiply is an established decree from the first creation ; and the setled course and order of nature must not be reversed by the sins of men : they may as well object against providence , that a man who steals his neighbour's grain , and sows it in his own land , should have a plentiful crop the next year from his stolen seed . and whatever opinion men have concerning the origination of the soul , whether it be propagated ex traduce , or did praeexist , or be immediately created by god , and infused into prepared matter , it makes no difference in the case ; for when the order of nature is setled , and the blessing pronounced and established by the divine decree , it does not unbecome god to preserve the powers of nature to produce their natural effects ; i am sure , there want not wise reasons in god's government of the world , why it should be so , to restrain some mens lusts , and to shame and punish others . nay , i believe , whoever considers this matter well , will acknowledge , that it goes a great way in answering the greatest difficulty of all , viz. the eternal punishments of wicked men in the next world. the objection is not against god's punishing wicked men in the next world ; for no body pretends , that this is unjust for god to punish the wicked , whether in this world , or in the next . nor is the objection against the nature of these punishments ; for indeed we do not distinctly know what they are , no more than we know what the happiness of heaven is . those descriptions our saviour gives of them , of lakes of fire and brimstome , blackness of darkness , the worm that never dieth , and the fire that never goeth out , prove that they are very great , because these descriptions are intended to present to us very frightful and terrible images of the miseries of the damned : but this is not the complaint neither ; for it is confessed , that wicked men deserve to be very miserable . but the objection is against that vast disproportion between time and eternity ; how it is reconcilable with the divine justice to punish temporal sins with eternal miseries ; that when men can sin but for a very few years , they must suffer for it for ever ? now the difficulty of this seems in part to be owing to a mistating the case : there is no proportion indeed between time and eternity ; and it is therefore difficult to conceive , that every momentary sin should in its own nature deserve eternal punishments ; but there is no difficulty to conceive , that an immortal sinner may by some short and momentary sins sink himself into an irrecoverable state of misery , and then he must be miserable as long as he continues to be ; and if he can never die , he must be always miserable , and may be so , without any injustice in god. we do not here consider the proportion between the continuance of the sin and the punishment , between a short transient act , and eternal punishments ; for it is not the sin , but the sinner , that is punished for his sin ; and therefore we must not ask , how long punishment a short sin deserves ? but , how long the sinner deserves to be punished ? and the answer to that is easy , as long as he is a sinner : and therefore an immortal sinner , who can never die , and will never cease to be wicked , ( which is the hopeless and irrecoverable state of devils and damned spirits ) must always be miserable ; and it is just it should be so , if it be just to punish sinners ; and there is nothing to quarrel with god for , as to the eternity of punishments , unless it be , that he does not annihilate immortal spirits , when they are become incurably wicked and miserable . the justice of god is only concerned to punish sinners ; that their punishents are eternal , is a necessary consequence of their immortality ; and this can't be charged on god , unless it be a fault to make immortal creatures , and to preserve and uphold immortal creatures in being ; or to punish sinners while they deserve punishment , that is , while they are sinners . it may give some light to this matter , to remove the scene into this world : we see the punishment of sin in this world bears no proportion to the time of committing it , but to the lasting effects of the sin . one short single act of lust may not only leave a lasting reproach on mens names , but destroy the health and ease of their bodies , and the pleasure of their lives , for their ever in this world ; and had man continued immortal after the fall , these miserable effects must have continued for ever , and then there had been a visible eternal punishment for a very short transient sin , and yet no man would have blamed the justice of god for it ; which shews , that a sin , which is quickly committed , may be eternally punished , and that very justly too , when the effects of it are incurable , and the person immortal : and thus it is in a great many other cases in this world , where the effects of sin last as long as the men last ; and if this be the case of the other world , and of the miseries and punishments of the damned , as we certainly know in a great measure it is , that their punishments are the natural effects and consequents of their sins , there can be no objection against the eternity of their punishments , but that god does not annihilate them : and how hard soever any man may think it to be , that a sinner should be eternally miserable , i believe no man will venture to say , that god ought in justice to annihilate creatures whom he has made immortal , when by their own fault they must be eternally miserable , if they live for ever . to preserve and uphold creatures in being , is , in it self considered , what becomes the wise maker of all things ; and i am sure there can be no reason given , to prove , that god ought to annihilate sinners , to prevent their being miserable for ever , but what will much more prove , that god ought to have withdrawn his natural concourse from his creatures , or to have annihilated them , to prevent their sinning ; or , which is the last result of all , as i have already observed , and the only fault , if there be one , that he ought not to have made an immortal creature , who could sin , and be miserable for ever . i shall conclude this whole argument with some few inferences . . if creatures must be preserved , as well as made by god , then the present continuance and preservation of all things , is a visible argument of the being of god. some men will not believe that god made the world , because they did not see him make it ; but they see a world preserved , when there is no one thing in the world more able to preserve , than to make it self ; and who then is it that preserves this world , and all things in it ? this must be a work of reason and wisdom , as well as power ; and the only reasonable creature in this visible world , is man ; and man cannot preserve himself , and knows that he can preserve nothing else ; and therefore the preservation of all things must be owing to some invisible cause , whom we call god. . if we live , and move , and have our being in god , we are entirely his , and owe all homage and obedience to him ; for he did not only make us , but we have our constant dependance on him , we live and subsist in him . had he only made us at first , that had given him a title to us for ever ; but could we have lived without him , when he had made us , tho it had not been a less fault , yet it had been less foolish and absurd , to have lived without any notice or regard of him ; as some ungrateful persons deal by their friends and patrons , when they have set them up in the world , and enabled them to live by themselves : but to forget that god in whom we live , who preserves and upholds us in being every moment , is to affront a present benefactor , if we value being ; and tho we cannot tempt god by this to let us fall into nothing , yet we shall make it just for him to punish us , to preserve us in being , to feel the weight of his wrath and vengeance , which is infinitely worse , for happy had it been for such a man , that he had never been born . . for if he not only made but upholds and preserves us in being , he must be our sovereign lord and governor ; for no other has any original and absolute interest in us ; we are in his hands , and none can take us out of them , nor touch us , but by his order . to give being and to preserve it , is the foundation of all other acts of government , no other being has a right to govern , no other power can govern . he alone can give laws , can reward or punish , can govern nature , can direct , over-rule , controul all other powers , for all things are in his hands , and therefore he commands them all . . and this may convince us , how irresistible the divine power is ; for all the power of creatures is derived from him , and depends on him , as light does on the sun , and therefore they can have no power against him ; and what distraction then is it , to provoke that almighty god , whom we cannot resist ? humble thy self , sinner , before thy maker , thy preserver , and thy judge ; obey his will , to whose power thou must submit ; let him be thy fear and thy dread ; thy only fear , for thou needest fear none else ; all power is his , none can resist him , none can act without him ; he sets bounds to the raging of the sea , to the fury of princes , to the madness of the people : thou art safe in his hands , safe in obedience to his will , but thou canst never escape him , never flie from him , never defend thy self against him , for thou livest in him . . this also proves that god must see and know all our actions , for we live and move in him . he is always present with us , privy to our most secret thoughts and counsels , observes all our wandrings , sees us in all our retirements : there is no darkness , nor shadow of death , where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves . this the scripture in express words teaches , and the reason of the thing speaks it ; for if we cannot think , nor move , nor subsist without god , he must be always intimately present with us ; which should possess us with a constant awe and reverence of his pure and all seeing eye . chap. iii. concerning god's governing providence . next to preservation , as that signifies god's upholding all things in being , and preserving and actuating their natural powers , we must consider god's government of the world ; for god is the supreme and sovereign lord of the world , who doth whatsoever pleaseth him both in heaven and in earth ; and therefore the absolute government of all things must be in his hands , or else something might be done , which he would not have done . this all men grant in general words , who own a providence ; but when they come to particulars , there are so many excepted cases which they will hardly allow god to have any thing to do in , that they seem to mean little more by god's government , than a general inspection of human affairs , his looking on to see the world govern it self ; for three parts of four of all that is done in the world , they resolve into bare permission , as distinguish'd from an ordering and disposing providence ; and then it can signifie no more , than that god does not hinder it ; and if this be all , god governs the world in such cases no more than men do : the only difference is , that god can hinder when he don 't , but men don't hinder , because they can't ; but still merely not to hinder , does not signifie to govern . but rightly to understand this matter , the best way is , to consider how the scripture represents it ; and because there are great variety of acts in the government of the world , of a very different consideration , i shall distinctly enquire into god's government of causes , and his government of events . . god's government of causes ; and we must consider three sorts of causes , and what the scripture attributes to god with respect to each . . natural causes . dly . accidental causes , or what we call chance , and accident , and fortune . dly . moral causes , and free agents , or the government of mankind . . natural causes , or god's government of the natural world , of the heavens , and earth , and seas , and air , and all things in them , which move and act by a necessity of nature , not by choice . now the scripture does not only attribute to god all the vertues and powers of nature , which belongs to creation , and to a preserving providence , but the direction and government of all their natural influences , to do what god has a mind should be done . god does in some measure govern the moral by the natural world ; he rewards or punishes men by a wholsome or pestilential air , by fruitful or barren seasons ; he hinders or promotes their designs , by winds and weather , by a forward or a backward spring , and makes nature give laws to men , and set bounds to their passions and intriegues ; to overthrow the most powerful fleets and armies ; to defeat the wisest counsels , and to arbitrate the differences of princes , and the fate of men and kingdoms : and if god govern men by nature , he must govern nature too , for necessary causes cannot be fitted to the government of free agents , without the direction and management of a divine providence , which guides , exerts , or suspends the influences of nature , with as great freedom as men act . men do not always deserve well or ill ; and if the kind or malign influences of nature must be tempered to mens deserts , to punish them when they do ill , and to reward them when they do well , natural causes , which of themselves act necessarily without wisdom or counsel , must be guided by a wise hand . thus reason tells us it must be , if god govern the world , and god challenges to himself this absolute and sovereign empire over nature : god has bestowed different vertues and powers on natural causes , and in ordinary cases makes use of the powers of nature , and neither acts without them , nor against the laws of nature ; which makes some unthinking men resolve all into nature , without a god or a providence ; because , excepting the case of miracles , which they are not willing to believe , they see every thing else done by the powers of nature ; and if it were not so , god had made a world , and made nature to no purpose , to do every thing himself , by an immediate power , without making use of the powers of nature : but the ordinary government of nature does not signifie to act without it , or to over-rule its powers , but to steer and guide its motions , to serve the wise ends of his providence in the government of mankind . for as god does not usually act without nature , nor against its laws , so neither does nature act by steady and uniform motions , without the direction of god : but while every thing in the material world acts necessarily , and exerts its natural powers , god can temper , suspend , direct its influences , without reversing the laws of nature . as for instance ; fire and water , wind and rain , thunder and lightning , have their natutral vertues and powers , and natural causes ; and god produces such effects as they are made to produce by their natural powers ; he warms us with fire ; invigorates the earth by the benign influences of the sun and moon , and other stars and planets ; refreshes and moistens it with springs and fountains , and rain from heaven ; fans the air with winds , and purges it with thunders and lightnings , and the like ; but then , when and where the rains shall fall , and the winds shall blow , in what measure and proportion , times and seasons , natural causes shall give or withhold their influences , this god keeps in his own power , and can govern , without altering the standing laws of nature ; and this is his government of natural causes in order to reward or punish men as they shall deserve . thus god reasons with iob concerning his power and providence , . job , , &c. canst thou bind the sweet influences of the pleiades , or loose the bands of orion ? canst thou bring forth mazzaroth in his season , or canst thou guide arcturus with his sons ? knowest thou the ordinances of heaven , or canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth ? canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds , that abundance of waters may cover thee ? canst thou send lightnings , that they may go , and say unto thee , here we are ? this is above human power , but belongs to the government and providence of god : fire and hail , snow and vapour , and stormy winds , fulfil his word , . psal. . sometimes god restrains the influences of nature , shuts up heaven , that it shall not rain , chr. . . at other times he calls to the clouds , that abundance of water may cover the earth . he gives the former and the latter rain in its season , and preserveth to us the appointed weeks of harvest , . jer. as he promised to israel , deut , . i will give you the rain of your land in his due season , the first rain and the latter rain , that thou mayst gather in thy corn , and thy wine , and thy oyl ; and i will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle , that thou mayst eat and be full . he prescribes in what proportions it shall rain , . joel , . be glad ye children of sion , and rejoyce in the lord your god ; for he hath given you the former rain moderately , and he will cause to come down for you the former rain , and the latter rain in the first month . nay , god appoints on what place it shall rain . . ezek. . and i will make thee , and the places round about my hill , a blessing ; and i will cause the shower to come down in his season , there shall be showers of blessing . . amos , . and also i have withholden the rain from you , when there were yet three months to the harvest ; and i caused it to rain upon one city , and caused it not to rain upon another city : one piece was rained upon , and the piece whereupon it rained not , withered : so two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water , but they were not satisfied . it is impossible to give any tolerable account of such texts as these , without confessing . that god keeps the direction and government of all natural causes in his own hands ; for particular effects , and all the changes of nature can never be attributed to god , unless the divine wisdom and counsel determines natural causes to the producing such particular effects . great part of the happiness or miseries of this life is owing to the good or bad influences of natural causes , that if god take care of mankind , he must govern nature ; and when he promises health and plenty , or threatens pestilence and famine , how can he make good either , if he have not reserved to himself a soveraign power over nature . the sum is this , that all natural causes are under the immediate and absolute government of providence ; that god keeps the springs of nature in his own hand , and turns them as he pleases . for meer matter , though it be endowed with all natural vertues and powers , which necessarily produce their natural effects , yet it having no wisdom and counsel of its own , cannot serve the ends of a free agent , without being guided by a wise hand ; and we see in a thousand instances what an empire human art has over nature , not by changing the nature of things , which human art can never do , but by such a skilful application of causes , as will produce such effects , as unguided , and if i may so speak , untaught nature could never have produced ; and if god have subjected material nature to human art , surely he has not exempted it from his own guidance and power . this shews how necessary it is , that god by an immediate providence should govern nature ; for natural causes are excellent instruments , but to make them useful , they must be directed by a skilful hand ; and those various changes which are in nature , especially in this sublunary world , ( which we are most acquainted with ) without any certain and periodical returns , prove , that it is not all mechanism ; for mechanical motions are fixt and certain , and either always the same , or regular or uniform in their changes . it is of great use to us to understand this , which teaches us , what we may expect from god , and what we must attribute to him in the government of nature : we must not expect in ordinary cases , that god should reverse the laws of nature for us ; that if we leap into the fire , it shall not burn us ; or into the water , it shall not drown us ; and by the same reason , the providence of god is not concerned to preserve us , when we destroy our selves by intemperance and lust ; for god does not work miracles to deliver men from the evil effects of their own wickedness and folly : but all the kind influences of heaven which supply our wants , and fill our hearts with food and gladness , are owing to that good providence which commands nature to yield her encrease ; and those disorders of nature which afflict the world with famines , and pestilence , and earthquakes , are the effects of god's anger and displeasure , and are ordered by him for the punishment of a wicked world . we must all believe this , or confess that we mock god , when we bless him for a healthful air , and fruitful seasons , or deprecate his anger , when we see the visible tokens of his vengeance , in the disorders of nature : for did not god immediately interpose in the government of nature , there would be no reason to beg his favour , or to deprecate his anger upon these accounts . dly . let us consider god's government of accidental causes , or what we call chance and accident , which has a large empire over human affairs ; not that chance and accident can do any thing properly speaking ; for whatever is done , has some proper and natural causes which does it ; but what we call accidental causes , is rather such an accidental concurrence of different causes , as produces unexpected and undesigned effects ; as when one man by accident loses a purse of gold , and another man walking in the fields without any such expectation , by as great an accident finds it . and how much of the good or evil that happens to us in this world , is owing to such undesigned , surprizing , accidental events , every man must know , who has made any observations on his own , or other mens lives and fortunes . the wise man observed this long since , . eccl. . i returned and saw under the sun , that the race is not to the swift , nor the battel to the strong , neither yet bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of understanding , nor yet favour to men of skill ; but time and chance happeneth to them all . some unusual and casual events change the fortunes of men , and disappoint the most proper and natural means of success : what should conquer in a race but swiftness ; or win the battel but strength ? what should supply mens wants , and increase riches , but wisdom and understanding in human affairs ? what more likely way to gain the favour of princes and people , than a dextrous and skilful application and address ? and yet the preacher observed in his days , and the observation holds good still , that it is not always thus : time and chance , some favourable junctures , and unseen accidents , are more powerfull than all human strength , or art , or skill . now what an ill state were mankind in , did not a wise and merciful hand govern what we call chance and fortune ? how can god govern the world , or dispose of mens lives and fortunes without governing chance , all unseen , unknown and surprizing events , which disappoint the counsels of the wise , and in a moment unavoidably change the whole scene of human affairs ? upon what little unexpected things do the fortunes of men , of families , of whole kingdoms turn ? and unless these little unexpected things are governed by god , some of the greatest changes in the world are exempted from his care and providence . this is reason enough to believe , that if god governs the world , he governs chance and fortune ; that the most unexpected events , how casual soever they appear to us , are foreseen , and ordered by god. such events as these are the properest objects of god's care and government ; because they are very great instruments of providence ; many times the greatest things are done by them , and they are the most visible demonstration of a superiour wisdom and power which governs the world : by these means god disappoints the wisdom of the wise , and defeats the power of the mighty ; frustrateth the tokens of the liars , and maketh diviners mad ; turneth wise men backward , and maketh their knowledge foolish , . isai. . did strength and wisdom always prevail , as in a great measure they would , were it not for such unseen disappointments , mankind would take less notice of providence , and would have less reason to do it , since they would be the more absolute masters of their own fortunes ; a powerful combination of sinners , managed by some crafty politicians would govern the world : but the uncertain turnings and changes of fortune keep mankind in awe , make the most prosperous and powerful sinners fear an unseen vengeance , and give security to good men against unseen evils , which cannot befall them without the order and appointment of god. that there are a great many accidental and casual events , which happen to us all , and which are of great consequence to the happiness or miseries of our lives , all men see and feel ; that we cannot defend our selves from such unseen events , which we know nothing of , till we feel them , is as manifest , as that there are such events ; and what so properly belongs to the divine care , as that which we our selves can take no care of ? the heathens made fortune a goddess , and attributed the government of all things to her , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they only signified , the government of providence in all casual and fortuitous events ; and if providence governs any thing , it must govern chance , which governs almost all things else , and which none but god can govern . as far as human prudence and foresight reaches , god expects we should take care of our selves ; and if we will not , he suffers us to reap the fruits of our own folly ; but when we cannot take care of our selves , we have reason to expect and hope , that god will take care of us ; in other cases , human prudence and industry must concur with the divine providence ; in matters of chance and accident , providence must act alone , and do all it self , for we know nothing of it ; so that all the arguments for providence do most strongly conclude for god's government of all casual events . and the scripture does as expresly attribute all such events to god , as any other acts of providence and government . in the law of moses , when a man killed his neighbour by accident , god is said to deliver him into his hands ; . exod. , . he that smiteth a man , so that he die , shall be surely put to death . and if a man lie not in wait , but god deliver him into his hands , then i will appoint thee a place , whither he shall flee : where god's delivering him into his hands , is opposed to him that smiteth a man ▪ so that he die ; and to him that comes presumptuously upon his neighbour to slay him , . verse , and therefore signifies one who kills his neighbour by meer accident : as it is explained in . deut. , . and this is the case of the slayer that shall flee thither , i. e. to the city of refuge : whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly , whom he hated not in time past : as when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood , and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree , and the head slippeth from the helve , and lighteth upon his neighbour , that he die , he shall flee unto one of these cities , and live . what can be more accidental than this ? and yet we are assured , that this is appointed by the divine providence , that god delivers the man who is killed , into the hands of him that killed him . is any thing more casual than a lot ? and yet solomon tells us , the lot is cast into the lap , but the whole disposing thereof is of the lord , . prov. . which is not confined to the case of lots , but to signify to us , that nothing is so casual and uncertain , as to be exempted from the disposal of providence . for what seems accidental to us , is not chance , but providence ; is ordered and appointed by god to bring to pass what his own wisdom and counsel has decreed : as is very evident from some remarkable instances of providence which are recorded in scripture . by how many seeming accidents and casual events was ioseph advanced to pharoah's throne ? his dreams , whereby god foretold his advancement , made his brethren envious at him , and watch some convenient opportunity to get rid of him , and so confute his dreams : iacob sends ioseph to visit his brethren in the fields , where they were keeping their sheep ; this gave them an opportunity to execute their revenge , and at first they intended to murther him ; but the ishmaelites accidentally passing by , they sold ioseph to them , and they carried him into egypt , and sold him to potiphar . potiphar's wife tempts him to uncleanness , and being denied by ioseph , she accuses him to his lord , who cast him into the king's prison : whilst he was there , the king's butler and baker were cast into the same prison , and dreamed their several dreams , which ioseph expounded to them , and the event verified his interpretation . the butler , who was restored to his office , forgat ioseph , till two years after , pharaoh dreamed a dream , which none of the wise-men could interpret , and then ioseph was sent for , and advanced to the highest place of dignity and power next to pharaoh : the years of famine brought ioseph's brethren into egypt to buy corn , where they bowed before him , according to his dream ; this occasioned the removal of iacob and his whole family into egypt , where ioseph placed them in the land of goshen , by which means god fulfilled what he had told abraham ; know of a surety , that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs , and shall serve them , and they shall afflict them four hundred years , . genes . ▪ how casual does all this appear to us ? but no man will think that prophesies are fulfilled by chance , and therefore we must confess , that what seems chance to us , was appointed by god. thus god intended to deliver israel out of egypt by the hands of moses : moses was born at a time , when the king of egypt had commanded , that every son that was born to the israelites should be cast into the river . his mother hid him three months , and being not able to conceal him any longer , exposed him in an ark of bulrushes among the flags by the river-side : pharaoh's daughter came down to wash her self in the river , and finds the ark with the child in it ; puts him to his own mother to nurse , whereby he came to know his own kindred and relations , and to be instructed in the knowledge and worship of the god of israel . afterwards pharaoh's daughter takes him home , and breeds him up as her own son , whereby he was instructed in all the learning of egypt , and in all the policies of pharaoh's court , which qualified him for government : when he was forty years old , he had lived long enough in pharaoh's court , and god thought fit to remove him into better company , and to accustom him to a more severe life ; and this was done by as strange an accident . he slew an egyptian in defence of an oppressed iew , and was betrayed by his own brethren , and forced to flie from pharaoh to save his own life ; till the time was come for the deliverance of israel , and then god sent him back into egypt to bring his people out from thence with signs and wonders and a mighty hand . thus god had foretold ahab by the prophet micaiah , that if he went up against ramoth-gilead , he should perish there , and this was accomplished by a very great chance : for a certain man drew a bow at a venture , and smote the king between the joynts of the harness , of which he died . kings . . the blood which came from his wound ran into the chariot , and one washed the chariot in the pool of samaria , and the dogs licked up his blood ; which was a very casual thing , and little thought of by him who did it , and yet fulfilled god's threatning against ahab : in the place where dogs licked the blood of naboth , shall dogs lick thy blood , even thine , . ch . . v. i shall add but one example more of this nature , and it is a very remarkable one ; god's deliverance of the iews in the days of esther , from the wicked conspiracy of haman : this haman being advanced to great power and authority by king ahasuerus , took great offence at mordecai the iew , who refused to reverence him as others did ; and for his sake obtained a decree from the king , to destroy all the iews in the provinces of his dominions : mordecai sends to queen esther to go to the king , and to petition him about this matter : this was a very hazardous attempt , it being death by the law for any person , man , or woman , to go to the king without being called , unless the king held out his golden scepter to them : but the queen at last , after three days fasting , ventured her own life to save her people , and obtained favour in the king's sight , who held out the golden scepter to her : all that she requested at that time , was , that the king and haman would come to the banquet which she had prepared ; and being then asked , what her petition was ? with an assurance that it should be granted ; she begged , that the king and haman would come the next day also to her banquet , and then she would declare it : haman was much exalted with the king's favour , and that queen esther had admitted none to the banquet with the king , but himself ; but still mordecai , who refused to bow before him , was a great grievance ; and by the advice of his friends , he built a gallows fifty cubits high , and resolved that night to beg of the king , that mordecai might be hanged on it ; and had he come in time , his petition had been certainly granted ; but it so happened , that that very night the king could not sleep , and he called for the book of the records of the chronicles , and there they found written , that mordecai had discovered the treason of two of the king's chamberlains against him ; and finding upon enquiry , that he had never been rewarded for it , he resolved to do him honour , and made haman , who was at the door to beg that mordecai might be hanged , his minister in doing him honour : this prepared the king to grant queen esther's request , and hanged haman upon the gallows he had built for mordecai , and preserved the iews from that destruction he had designed against them . and thus it is almost in all the remarkable passages of providence ; there is so much appearance of chance and accident , which has the greatest stroke in some wonderful events , as may satisfie considering men , that the world is governed by a divine wisdom and counsel , and an invisible power , and that the immediate and visible causes have always the least hand in it . for can we think otherwise , when we see as many visible marks of wisdom , and goodness , and justice , in what we call chance , as in any other acts of providence ? nay , when the wisdom of providence is principally seen in the government of fortuitous events ? when we see a world wisely made , tho we did not see it made , yet we conclude , that it was not made by chance , but by a wise being ; and by the same reason , when we see accidental events , nay , a long incoherent series of accidents , concur to the producing the most admirable effects , we ought to conclude , that there is a wise invisible hand which governs chance , which of it self can do nothing wisely . when the lives and fortunes of men , the fate of kingdoms and empires , the successes of war , the changes of government , are so often determined and brought about by the most visible accidents ; when chance defeats the wisest counsels , and the greatest power ; when good men are rewarded , and the church of god preserved by appearing chances ; when bad men are punished by chance , and the very chance whereby they are punished , carries the marks of their sins upon it , for which they are punished ; i say , can any man in such cases , think that all this is mere chance ? when , how accidental soever the means are , or appear to be , whereby such things are done , there is no appearance at all of chance in the event ; but the changes and revolutions , the rewards and punishments of chance , are all as wisely done , as if there had been nothing of chance and accident in it . this is the great security of our lives , amidst all the uncertainties of fortune , that chance it self can't hurt us , without a divine commission : this is a sure foundation of faith , and hope , and trust in god , how calamitous and desperate soever our external condition seems to be , that god never wants means to help ; that he has a thousand unseen ways , a whole army of accidents and unexpected events at command , to disappoint such designs , which no visible art or power can disappoint , and to save those whom no visible power can save . this is an undeniable reason for a perpetual awe and reverence of god , and an entire submission to him , and a devout acknowledgment of him in all our ways , that we have no security but in his providence and protection ; for whatever provision we can make against foreseen and foreknown evils , we can never provide against chance ; that is wholly in god's hands , and no human wit or strength can withstand it ; which may abate the pride and self-confidence of men , and teach the rich , and great , and mighty , a religious veneration of god , who can with so much ease pull down the mighty from their seat , and advance those of low degree . dly . the next thing to be explained , is god's government of moral causes or free agents , that is , the government of men , considered as the instruments of providence which god makes use of for the accomplishment of his own wise counsels . most of the good or evil which happens to us in this world , is done by men ; if god rewards , or if he punishes us , usually men are his ministers in both , to execute his vengeance , or to dispence his blessings ; and therefore god must have as absolute a government over mankind , of all their thoughts , and passions , and counsels , and actions , as he has of the powers and influences of natural causes , or else he cannot reward and punish when and as he pleases . if men could hurt those whom god would bless and reward , or could do good to those whom god would punish , both good and bad men might be happy or miserable in this world , whether god would or not ; our fortunes would depend upon the numbers and power of our friends or enemies , upon the good or bad humours and inclinations of those among whom we live , and providence could not help us . now this is the great difficulty , how god can exercise such an absolute government over mankind , who are free agents , without destroying the liberty and freedom of their choice , which would destroy the nature of vertue and vice , of rewards and punishments : the necessity of allowing this , if we will acknowledge a providence , and the plain testimonies and examples of this absolute and uncontroulable government , which we find in scripture , have made some men deny the liberty of human actions , and represent mankind to be as mere machines , as a watch or clock , which move as they are moved : and then they know not how to bring religion , and the moral differences of good and evil , and the natural justice of rewards and punishments , into their scheme ; for nothing of all this can be reconciled with absolute necessity and fate . others , to avoid these difficulties , are afraid of attributing too much to providence , or have such confused and perplex'd notions about it , that there are few cases wherein they can securely depend on god. but i think this difficulty will be easily removed , if we distinguish between god's government of men , as reasonable creatures , and free agents , and his government of them as the instruments of providence ; the first considers them in their own private and natural capacity , the second in relation to the rest of mankind ; which makes a great difference in the reason , and in the acts of government . man considered in his own nature , is a reasonable creature and free agent , and therefore the proper government of man , consists in giving him laws , that he may know the difference between good and evil , what he ought to chuse , and what to refuse , and in annexing such rewards and punishments to the observation or to the breach of these laws , as may reasonably invite him to obedience , and deter him from sin ; and as this degenerate state requires , in laying such external restraints on him , and affording him such internal assistances of grace , as the divine wisdom sees proportioned to the weakness and corruption of human nature : and when this is done , it becomes god to leave him to his own choice , and to reward or punish him as he deserves ; for a forced vertue deserves no reward , and a necessity of sinning will reasonably excuse from punishment . the nature of a reasonable creature , of vertue and vice , of rewards and punishments , represent it as very becoming the wisdom and justice of god , to leave every man to the freedom of his own choice , to do good or evil , to deserve rewards or punishments , as far as he himself is only concerned in it . but when we consider man in society , the case is altered ; for when the good or evil of their actions extend beyond themselves , to do good or hurt to other men , the providence of god becomes concerned either to hinder , or to permit and order it , as may best serve the wise ends of government , as those other men who are like to be the better or the worse for it , have deserved well or ill of god. tho god has made man a free agent , yet we must not think that he has made such a creature as he himself can't govern : no man doubts , but that god can when he pleases , by an irresistible power , turn mens hearts , and chain up their passions , and alter their counsels ; the only question is , when it is fit for god to do this : and no man can question the fitness of it , when the good government of the world requires it . god makes no man good or bad , vertuous or vicious , by a perpetual and irresistible force ; for this contradicts the nature of vertue and vice , which requires a freedom and liberty of choice ; but god may by a secret and irresistible influence upon mens minds , even force them to do that good , which they have no inclination to do , and restrain them from doing that evil , which otherwise they would have done , which does not make them good men , but makes them the instruments of providence in doing good to men ; and god who is the soveraign lord of all creatures , may , when he sees fit , press those men , if i may so speak , to his service , who would not do good upon choice . this shows the difference between the government of grace , and providence ; the first has relation to vertue and vice , to make men good , to change their natures and sinful inclinations into habits of vertue ; and therefore admits of no greater force than what is consistent with the freedom of choice , and the nature of virtue and vice : but the government of providence respects the external happiness or misery , rewards or punishments of men or nations ; and to this purpose god may use what instruments he pleases , and exercise such authority over nature or men , as is necessary to accomplish his own wise counsels of mercy or judgment . and it was necessary to premise this distinction , because the confounding these two , has occasioned great difficulties and mistakes both in the doctrine of grace and providence . let us then now more particularly consider , how god governs mankind , so as to make them the instruments and ministers of his providence in the world . the methods of the divine wisdom are infinite and unsearchable , and we must not expectfully to comprehend all the secrets and mysteries of god's government , but something we may know of this , enough to teach us to reverence god , and to trust in him , and to vindicate his providence from the cavils of ignorance and infidelity ; which is as much as is useful for us to know : and i shall reduce what i have to say , to two general heads : . the government of mens minds , of their wills , their passions , and counsels . . the government of their actions . . god's government of the minds of men , their wills , and passions , and counsels ; for these are the great springs of action ; and as free a principle as the mind of man is , it is not ungovernable ; it may be governed , and that without an omnipotent power , against its own byas , and without changing its inclinations : and what may be done , certainly god can do ; and when it is necessary to the ends of providence , we may conclude he will do it . let a man be never so much bent upon any project , yet hope or fear , some present great advantage , or great inconvenience , the powerful intercession of friends , a sudden change of circumstances , the improbability of success , the irreparable mischief of a defeat , and a thousand other considerations , will divert him from it ; and how easie is it for god to imprint such thoughts upon mens minds with an irresistible vigor and brightness ; that it shall be no more in their power to do what they had a mind to , than to resist all the charms of riches and honours , than to leap into the fire , and to chuse misery and ruin. that thus it is , the scripture assures us ; . prov. . the king's heart is in the hand of the lord , as the rivers of waters , he turneth it whither soever he will : and if the king's heart be in the hand of the lord , we cannot doubt but he hath all other mens hearts in his hand also , and can turn and change them as he pleases . thus the wise man tells us , a man's heart deviseth his ways , but the lord directeth his steps , . prov. . men consult and advise what to do , but after all , god steers and directs them which way he pleases ; for tho there are many devices in a man's heart , nevertheless the counsel of the lord that shall stand , . prov. . which made the wise man conclude , mans goings are of the lord , how then shall a man understand his own ways ? . prov. . that is , god has such an absolute government of the hearts and actions of men , when his providence is concerned in the event , that no man can certainly know what he himself shall chuse and do ; for god can . in an instant alter his mind , and make him steer a very different course from what he intended : as the prophet ieremiah assures us ; i know that the way of man is not in himself , it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps , . jer . and solomon tells us something more strange than this ; the preparation of the heart in man , and the answer of the tongue , is of the lord. . prov. . or as the hebrew seems to signifie , the preparation of the heart is from man ; a man premeditates and resolves what he will say ; but notwithstanding that , the answer of the tongue is of the lord. when he comes to speak , he shall say nothing but what god pleases : which sayings must not be expounded to an universal sense , that it is always thus ; but that thus it is , whenever god sees fit to interpose , which he does as often as he has any wise end to serve by it . thus we are told , that when a mans ways please the lord , he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him . . prov. . and it is a very remarkable promise god makes to the children of israel , that when all their males should come three times every year to worship god at ierusalem , by which means their country was left without defence , exposed to the rapine of their enemies , who dwelt round about them , that no man should desire their land , when they go up to appear before the lord. . exod. . we have many examples of this in scripture , and some of those many ways whereby god does it . when abraham sojourned in gerar , he said of sarah his wife , that she was his sister , and abimelech the king of gerar sent and took her : but god reproved abimelech in a dream , and tells him , that he had withheld him from sinning , and not suffered him to touch her . . genes . . &c. thus when iacob fled from laban with his wives and children , and laban pursued him , god appeared to laban in a dream , and commanded him that he should not speak to iacob either good or hurt . . genes . . such appearances were very common in that age , though they seem very extraordinary to us ; but god does the same thing still by strong and lively impressions upon our minds ; by suggesting and fixing such thoughts in us , as excite or calm our passions , as encourage us to bold and great attempts , or check us in our career by frightful imaginations , and unaccountable fears and terrors , or by such other arguments as are apt to change our purposes and counsels . sometimes god does this by a concurrence of external causes , which at other times would not have been effectual ; but shall certainly have their effect when god inforces the impression . thus god in a moment turned the heart of esau , when he came out in great rage against his brother iacob . it was an old hatred he had conceived against him for the loss of his birthright and of his blessing ; and he had for many years confirmed himself in a resolution to cut him off , the first opportunity he had to do it : and could it be expected , that the present which iacob sent him , which he could have taken , if he had pleased , without receiving it as a gift ; and that the submission of iacob , when he was in his power , should all on a sudden make him forget all that was past , and the very business he came for , and turn his bloody designs into the kindest embraces ? no! this was god's work , the effect of that blessing which the angel gave to iacob , after a whole nights wrestling with him in peniel , . and . genes . and when god pleases , the weakest means shall change the most sullen and obstinate resolutions . of the same nature with this is the story of david and abigail : nabal had highly provoked david by the churlish answer which he sent him , and david was resolved to take a very severe revenge on nabal and his house ; but god sent abigail to pacifie him , who by her presence , and dutiful and submissive behaviour and wise counsels , diverted him from those bloody resolutions he had taken , as david himself acknowledges : blessed be the lord god of israel , which sent thee this day to meet me , and blessed be thy advice , and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood , and from avenging my self with my own hand , sam. . , . saul pursued david in the wilderness to take away his life , and god delivered him twice into david's hands ; and the kindness david shewed him in not killing him when he was in his power , did at last turn the heart of saul , that he pursued him no more . sam. . . ch . thus god confounded the good counsel of ahitophel by the advice of hushai , which absolom chose to follow ; and the text tells us this was from god , who had purposed to defeat the good counsel of ahitophel , to the intent that he might bring evil upon absolom . sam. . . such an absolute empire has god over the minds of men , that he can turn them as he pleases , can lead them into new thoughts and counsels with as great ease , as the waters of a river may be drawn into a new channel prepared for them . dly . when god does not think fit to change and alter mens wills and passions , he can govern their actions , and serve the ends of his providence by them . when god suffers them to pursue their own counsels , and to do what they themselves like best ; he does that by their hands , which they little expected or intended . the same action may serve very different ends ; and therefore god and men may have very different intentions in it ; and what is ill done by men , and for a very ill end , may be ordered by god for wise and good purposes : nay , the ill ends which men designed , may be disappointed ; and the good , which god intended by it , have its effect : and this is as absolute a government over mens actions , as the ends of providence require , when whatever men do , if they intend one thing , and god another , the counsel of god shall stand , and what they intended shall have no effect any farther than as it is subservient to the divine counsels ; as to give some plain examples of it . ioseph's brethren being offended at his dreams and at the peculiar kindness which their father iacob shewed him , resolved to get rid of him ; but god intended to send him into egypt , to advance him to pharaoh's throne , and to transplant iacob and his family thither ; and therefore god would not suffer them to slay him as they at first intended , but he suffered them to sell him to the ishmaelites , who carried him into egppt : which disappointed what they aimed at in it , never to see or hear more of him ; but accomplished the decrees and counsels of god. another example we have in the king of assyria , who came against ierusalem with a powerful army with an intention to destroy it , but god intended no more than to correct them for their sins ; this god suffered him to do , but he could do no more . o assyrian , the rod of mine anger , and the staff in their hand is mine indignation : i will send him against a hypocritical nation ; and against the people of my wrath will i give him a charge to take the spoil , and to take the prey , and to tread them down like the mire in the street . thus far god gave him commission ; that is , thus far god intended to suffer his rage and pride to proceed ; but this was the least of his intention : howbeit he thinketh not so , but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations , not a few : but in this god disappointed him . wherefore it shall come to pass , that when the lord hath performed his whole work upon mount zion and on ierusalem , i will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of assyria , and the glory of his proud looks . . isai. , , , . a great many examples might be given of this nature , but these are sufficient to show what different intentions god and men have in the same actions ; and how easily god can defeat what men intend , and accomplish by them his own wise counsels , which they never thought of . when god has no particular ends of providence to serve by the lusts and passions , and evil designs of men , he commonly disappoints them ; that when they intend evil , and imagine a mischievous device , they are not able to perform it , . psal. . or he turns the evil upon their own heads ; the heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made , in the net which they hid , is their own foot taken ; the lord is known by the judgment which he executeth ; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands , psal. ▪ . or he doubly disappoints their malice , not only by defeating the evil they intended , but by turning it to the great advantage of those it was intended against ; which was visible in the case of haman , whose malice against mordecai , and all the iews for his sake , did not only prove his own ruin , but the great advancement of mordecai , and the glory and triumph of the iewish nation . having thus briefly shewn , what government god has both of the hearts and the actions of men , how easily he can alter their counsels , and manage their passions , make them do what good they never intended , and disappoint the evil which they did intend , or turn it into good ; this is a sufficient demonstration , how absolute the divine providence is ; for he who has such an absolute government of nature , of what we call chance and fortune , and of the wills and actions of men , can do whatsoever pleaseth him . but that we may have the clearer and more distinct apprehension of god's government of mankind , to make them the instruments of his providence , i shall more particularly , but very briefly , state this matter , both with respect to good and to bad men . . as for good men , there is no difficulty in their case ; for they are the ministers of a good and beneficent providence ; they do good out of temper and inclination , and a habit and principle of vertue , and out of reverence to the divine laws ; and are ready to obey every extraordinary impression to excite and determine them to such particular good offices as god thinks fit to employ them in : and this is nothing but what is very honourable for god , and what becomes good men ; for to do good is the glory of human nature , as well as of the divine providence ; and good men will observe the laws of vertue in doing good ; and while good is done by honest and vertuous means , there can be no objection against providence . dly . but as bad men are most difficulty governed , so the greatest difficulty is in vindicating providence in making use of the ministries of bad men ; for it is commonly thought a great blemish to providence , when glorious and admirable designs are brought to pass by the sins of men . now the foundation of this objection is a great mistake , as if god could not serve his own providence by the sins of men , without being the cause of mens sins ; for there is no colour nor reasonable pretence of an objection against god's making the sins of men serve wise and good ends , if he can do this without having any hand in mens sins . it is the great glory of providence , to bring good out of evil ; and while all the events of providence are just , and righteous , and holy , and wise , and such as become a god , it is much more admirable to consider , that all this should be , while there is so much wickedness and disorder in the world . the true state of this matter in short is this : god never suggests any evil designs to men ; that is owing to their own wicked hearts , or to the temptations of other wicked men , or of wicked spirits ; but when men have formed any wicked designs , he sometimes , as you have heard , changes their purposes , or deters them from putting them in execution ; and when he suffers them to proceed to action , he either shamefully disappoints them , or serves some wise and good end , by what they wickedly do : and if providence consists in the care and government of mankind , how can god govern mankind better , than to permit bad men to do no more hurt , than what he can turn to good . god does not govern the world by an immediate and miraculous power , but governs men by men , and makes them help and defend , reward and punish one another ; and therefore there is no other ordinary way of punishing bad men ( excepting the civil sword , which reaches but a few criminals ) but to punish them by the wickedness of other bad men ; and what can more become the wisdom and justice of providence , than to make bad men the ministers and executioners of a divine vengeance upon each other , which is one great end god serves by the sins of men . i 'm sure it is for the great good of the world , that god has the government of bad men , that they cannot do so much hurt as they would , and that the mischief god permits them to do , is directed to fall on such persons as either want correction , or deserve punishment . for this is another thing very observable in god's government both of the good and bad actions of men , that as in the government of natural causes god directs where , and when , and in what proportion nature shall exert its influences ; that it shall rain upon one city , and not upon another ; so god does not only excite men to do good , but directs and determines them where to do it ; chuses out such persons as they shall do good to , and appoints what good they shall do , and in what measures and proportions they shall do it : and he not only sets bounds to the lusts and passions of bad men , but when he sees fit to permit their wickedness , he directs where the hurt and mischief of it shall light : we need no other proof of this , but the very notion of providence , which is , god's care of his creatures ; for that requires a particular application of the good or evil which men do , to such particular persons as god thinks fit to do good to , or to afflict and punish ; which is the most material and most necessary exercise both of the wisdom , and justice , and goodness of providence . for if god suffered men to do good or evil at random , without directing them to fit and proper objects , the fortunes of particular men would depend upon as great a chance , as the mutable lusts , and passions , and fancies of men . the only use i shall make of this at present , is to convince you how perfectly we are in god's hands , and how secure we are in his protection ; what little reason we have to be afraid of men , whatever their power , how furious soever their passions are ; how vain it is to trust in men , and to depend on their favour ; for they can neither do good nor hurt , but as they are directed by god ; and therefore he alone must be the supreme object of our fear and trust : if god be for us , who can be against us ? if we make him our enemy , who can save us out of his hands ? so that we have but one thing to take care of , and we are safe : let us make god our friend , and he will raise us up friends , and patrons , and protectors ; will deliver us out of the hands of our enemies , or make our enemies to be at peace with us . secondly , having thus explained god's government of causes , let us now consider his government of events : and i think it will be easily granted me , that if all those causes by which all events are brought to pass , are governed by god , god must also have the absolute government of all events in his own hands . but yet the government of causes and of events , are of a very different consideration ; and to represent this as plainly and familiarly as i can , i shall . shew you , what i mean by events , when i attribute the government of all events to god. . wherein god's government of events consists . . the difference between god's absolute government of all events , and necessity and fate . . that the exercise of a particular providence consists in the government of all events . . what i mean by events : now every thing that is done , may in a large sense be called an event , and is in some degree or other , under the government of providence , as all the actions of men are ; but when i speak of god's government of events , i mean only such events as are in scripture called god's doings , as being ordered and appointed by him ; that is to say , all the good or evil which happens to private men , or to kingdoms and nations in this world . every thing that is done , is not god's doing ; for there is a great deal of evil every day committed , which god does not order and appoint to be done , but has expresly forbid the doing of it ; but there is no good or evil which happens to any man , or to any society of men , but what god orders and appoints for them ; and this is god's government of all events . this is the proper exercise of providence , to allot all men their fortunes and conditions in the world , to dispense rewards and punishments , to take care that no man shall receive either good or evil , but from the hand , and by the appointment of god ; this is the subject of all the disputes about the justice , and goodness , and wisdom of providence ; and all the objections against providence , necessarily suppose that thus it is , or thus it ought to be , if god governs the world : for unless providence be concerned to take care that no men be happy or miserable , but as they deserve , which cannot be without the absolute government of all events , the prosperity of bad men , and the sufferings of the good , the many miseries that are in the world , and the uncertain changes and turnings of fortune , can be no objection against providence : and indeed , were not this the case , providence would be so insignificant a name , that it would not be worth the while to dispute for or against it ; for a providence which neither can do us good nor hurt , or which cannot always and in all cases do it , is worth nothing , or worth no more than it can do good or hurt . and therefore all the good or evil , which does or can befal men or kingdoms , is in scripture attributed to providence , and promised or threatned by god , as men shall deserve either ; such as length of days , or a sudden and untimely death ; health , or sickness ; honour , or disgrace ; riches , or poverty ; plenty , or famine ; war , or peace ; the changing times and seasons ; the removing kings , and setting up kings ; and with respect to all such events as these , whatever the immediate causes of them be , god is said to do whatsoever pleaseth him . dly . but we shall better understand this , by enquiring into the nature of god's government . now god's government of events consists in ordering and appointing whatever good or evil shall befal men ; for according to the scripture , we must attribute such a government to god , as makes all these events his will and doing ; and nothing can be his will and doing , but what he wills and orders . some men think it enough to say , that god permits every thing that is done , but will by no means allow that god wills , and orders , and appoints it , which they are afraid will charge the divine providence with all the evil that is done in the world ; and truly so it would , did god order and appoint the evil to be done ; but tho god orders and appoints what evils every man shall suffer , he orders and appoints no man to do the evil ; he only permits some men to do mischief , and appoints who shall suffer by it , which is the short resolution of this case . to attribute the evils which some men suffer from other mens sins , merely to gods permission , is to destroy the government of providence , for bare permission is not government ; and those evils which god permits , but does not order , cannot be called his will and doing ; and if this be the case of all the evils we suffer from other mens sins , most of the evils which men suffer , befal them without god's will and appointment ; and yet to attribute all the evil which men do , to god's order and appointment , is to destroy the holiness of providence ; and therefore we must necessarily distinguish between the evils men do , and the evils they suffer ; the first god permits and directs , the second he orders and appoints . how god governs men hearts and actions , i have already explained ; and this is the place to consider god's permission of evil ; for permission relates to actions . mens own wicked hearts conceive and form wicked designs , and they execute them by god's permission , but no man suffers by them , but by god's appointment : god's care of his creatures requires that no man should suffer any thing , but what god orders for him ; and if such sufferings be just and righteous , how wicked soever the causes be , it is no reproach to providence to order and appoint them . suppose a man have forfeited his life , or estate , or reputation to providence , or tho he have made no criminal forfeiture of it , yet god sees fit for other wise reasons to remove him out of the world , or to reduce him to poverty and contempt ; is it any fault in providence to deliver such a man into the hands of murderers , oppressors , slanderers , who are very forward to execute such decrees , when providence takes off the restraint , and sets them at liberty to follow their own lusts ? and when there are so many that deserve or need these or such kind of punishments or corrections , and such vast numbers of bad men , who are ready every day to commit such outrages , did not god restrain them , is it not very visible how easily god can order and appoint such sufferings for men , without ordering or appointing any man's sins ? it requires no more than to bring those whom god appoints for suffering , into the reach of such men , and to put them into their power , and their own malice and wickedness will do the rest : it is like exposing condemn'd malefactors to wild beasts , whose nature and inclination is to devour ; and if god chains up bad men , as we do wild beasts , that they cannot touch any one but whom god delivers up to them , and lets them loose only to execute his own just and righteous judgment , can any thing be more honourable to providence , or a greater security to mankind ? to form an idea of this in our minds , let us suppose this to be the case of an earthly prince , that he perfectly understood all the deserts , and all the inclinations of his subjects , and had such an invisible and insensible authority over them , that without giving them any directions , or letting them know any thing of his intentions , or offering any violence to their own inclinations , he could determine them to do that hurt which they had a mind to do , to those , and to those only , whom he intended to punish ; and to do the good they are desirous to do , to those , and to those only , whom he intends to reward ; in case such a prince took care that no man should suffer more from the wickedness of others , than what he deserved , and the reasons of government required , would any man charge such a prince with all the wickedness that is committed in his kingdom , only because he so wisely orders it , that some bad men shall execute his vengeance upon other bad men , and serve instead of judge , and jury , and executioners ? nay , would not every man say , that this is the most perfect and absolute form of government in the world ? earthly princes indeed cannot do this , but this is the government of god , who accomplishes his own wise counsels by the ministries of men. and this may satisfie us in what sense all the good and all the evil that happens either to private men , or to kingdoms and nations , is said to be god's will , and god's doing , and what pleaseth him ; because no man or nation is rewarded or punished , but by god's order and appointment : that as many good men as there are in the world , who are ready to do good to all they can ; and as many bad men as there are , who are ready to do all the mischief they can ; none of them can do either good or hurt to any , but to those whom god has appointed for either ; which makes god the absolute lord and sovereign of the world ; since whatever men intend , all mens fortunes and conditions depend upon his will. and since god absolutely orders and appoints nothing but the event , if the event be holy , just , and good , that is , if men be rewarded and punished according to their works , as far as the justice and goodness of providence is concerned in this world , there can be no reasonable objection against providence ; for by what wicked means soever men be rewarded or punished , if the reward or punishment by holy , just , and good , this vindicates the holiness , and justice , and goodness of providence ; of which more hereafter . let mens wickedness be to themselves , for that is their own ; but that the wickedness of men is over-ruled by an invisible hand , to accomplish wise and just decrees , that is the glory of providence . and this suggests another evident reason , why all the good or evil that befals men , is called god's will , and god's doings , because in a strict and proper sense , it is not man's will , nor man's doings . what is done , is either what those who did it , never intended to do ; or else serves such ends , and is ordered by god for such ends , as those who did it , never thought of ; which proves men to be only instruments , but god the supreme disposer of all events . if we must attribute all things that are done , either to god or men , then what is not done by men , must be done by god ; and men can't be properly said to do what they never intended ; and therefore whatever is either beyond or contrary to what men intended , must either be attributed to chance , or to a divine providence . i observed before , what different intentions god and men have in the same actions ; what is intended by men , is their doing ; what is intended by god , is his doing , and wholly his doing , when what god intended was not intended by men . for this reason ioseph tells his brethren , that it was not they , but god , that sent him into egypt , . gen. , , , , . for they thought nothing of sending him into egypt ; but this was what god intended , when he permitted them to sell him to the ishmaelites : this was their sin , as he adds , . gen. . but as for you , ye thought evil against me ; but the good that was done , was wholly god's doings ; but god meant it unto good . and thus it is in other cases ; which shows us what the scripture calls god's doings . the punishment of sinners , and those evils he brings on them , is god's doings , but not the sins whereby they are punished : the punishment of david's adultery by the incest of absalom , was god's doing , but not absalom's incest : the sending ioseph into egypt , and advancing him into pharaoh's throne , was god's doing ; but not the sin of his brethren in selling him for a slave : and thus it is throughout the scripture ; nothing is called god's will , or god's doing , which has any moral evil in it ; all wicked actions are mens own will and own doings , which god permits for wise ends , but never orders or appoints ; but the good or evil which is done by mens sins , that is god's doing : and i hope by this time you all know how to distinguish between god's government of mens actions , and his government of events ; and then we may safely attribute all events to god's order and appointment , without danger of charging god with the sins of men , whereby such events are brought to pass . dly . let us now consider , what difference there is between god's absolute government of all events , and necessity and fate ; for many men are very apt to confound these two : if no good or evil befals any men , but what god orders and appoints for them , this they think sounds like fate and destiny ; that every man's fortune is writ upon his forehead ; and that it is impossible for any man , by all his care , and industry , and prudence , to make his condition better than what god has decreed it to be in the irreversible rolls of fate : and yet an unrelenting , immutable fate , is so irreconcilable with the liberty of human actions , with the nature of good and evil , of rewards and punishments , that if we admit of it , there is an end of all religion , of all vertuous endeavours , of all great and generous attempts : it is to no purpose to pray to god , or to trust in him , or to resist temptations , or to be diligent in our business , or prudent and circumspect in our actions ; for what will be , will be : or if any means be to be used , that is no matter of our choice or care , but we shall do it as necessarily and mechanically as a watch moves , and points to the hour of the day ; for fate has by the same necessity determined the means and the end , and we can do no more nor less than fate has determined . i shall not now trouble you with an account of the various opinions of the ancient philosophers about fate , none of whom ever dreamt of such a terrible fate as some christians have fancied , which reaches not only to this world , but to all eternity : what i have already discoursed , is sufficient to vindicate the doctrine of providence from the least imputation of necessity and fate . for . though god over-rules the actions of men , to do what he himself thinks fit to be done , yet he lays no necessity upon human actions : men will and chuse freely , pursue their own interests and inclinations , just as they would do if there were no providence to govern them ; and while men act freely , it is certain there can be no absolute fate . god indeed , as you have already heard , sometimes hinders them from executing their wicked purposes , and permits them to do no more hurt than what he can direct to wise ends ; but no man is wicked , or does wickedly , by necessity and fate . tho he may be restrained from doing so much wickedness as he would , yet all the wickedness he commits , is his own free choice , even when it serves such ends as he never thought of ; and therefore he is and acts like a free agent , notwithstanding the government of providence . dly . tho god determines all events , all the good and evil that shall happen to men or nations , yet it is no more nor no other than what they themselves have deserved ; and therefore they are under no other fate than what they themselves bring upon themselves by the good or bad use of their own liberty : that is , they are under no other fate than to be rewarded when they do well , and to be punished when they do ill ; but this is the justice of providence , not the necessity of fate . those who do ill , and deserve ill , and suffer ill , might have done well , and have made themselves the favourites of providence ; and therefore are under no greater necessity of suffering ill , than they were of doing ill . the reason why god keeps all events in his own hands , is not because he has absolutely determined the fates of all men , but that he may govern the world wisely and justly , and reward and punish men according to their deserts , as far as the reasons of providence require in this world . now while the liberty of human actions is secured , and the events of providence are not the execution of fatal , absolute , and unconditional decrees , but acts of government in the wise administration of justice , and dispensing rewards and punishments , how absolute soever god's govenment be of all events , it is not necessity and fate , but a wise , and just , and absolute government . this indeed is what some of the wisest heathens called fate , and all that they meant by the name of fate , that god had fixed it by an irreversible decree , that good men should be rewarded , and the wicked punished ; and thus far we must all allow fate ; and providence is only the minister and executioner of these fatal decrees ; and to that end , god keeps the government of all events in his own hands . now whether we say , that god determines what good or evil shall befal men , at the very time when they deserve it ; or , that foreseeing what good or evil they will do , and what they will deserve , did beforehand determine what good or evil should befal them according to their deserts , this makes no alteration at all in the state of the question ; for if all the good or evil that befalls men , have respect to their deserts , this is not fate , but a just and righteous judgment . in a word ; god's government of all events is indeed so absolute and uncontroulable , that no good or evil can befal any man , but what god pleases , what he orders and appoints for him ; and this is necessary to the good government of the world , and the care of all his creatures ; but then god orders no good or evil to befal any men , but what they deserve , and what the wise ends of his providence require ; and this is not fate , but a wise and just government of the world. . that the exercise of a particular providence consists in the government of all events . i have often wondred at those philosophers who acknowledg'd a providence , but would not acknowledge god's particular care of all his creatures . some confined his providence to the heavens , but would not extend it to this lower world ; and yet this world needs a providence as much , and a great deal more , as being a scene of change and corruption , of furious lusts and passions , which need the restraints and government of providence : no creatures need god's care more than the inhabitants of this earth ; and if he take care of any of his creatures , one would think he should take most care of them who need it most . others , who would allow , that the providence of god reached this lower world , yet confined god's care to the several kinds and species of beings , but would not extend it to every individual ; as if god took care of logical terms , of genus and species , but took no care of his own creatures , which are all individuals ; or as if god could take care of all his creatures , without taking care of any particular creature ; i.e. that he could take care of all his creatures , without taking care of any one of them . thus they would allow god to take care of the great affairs of kingdoms and commonwealths , but to have no regard to particular men or families , unless they made a great figure in the world ; as if kingdoms and commonwealths were not made up of particular men , and particular families ; or that god could take care of the whole , without taking care of every part ; or as if there were any other reason for taking care of the whole , but to take care of those particulars who make the whole . to talk of a general providence , without god's care and government of every particular creature , is manifestly unreasonable and absurd ; for whatever reasons oblige us to own a providence , oblige us to own a particular providence . if creation be a reason why god should preserve and take care of what he has made , this is a reason why he should take care of every creature , because there is no creature but what he made ; and if the whole world consists of particulars , it must be taken care of in the care of particulars ; for if all particulars perish , as they may do if no care be taken to preserve them , the whole must perish . and there is the same reason for the government of mankind ; for the whole is governed in the government of the parts ; and mankind can't be well governed , without the wise government of every particular man. i 'm sure that the objections against a particular providence are very foolish . some think it too much trouble to god to take care of every particular ; as if it were more trouble to him to take care of them , than it was to make them ; or as if god had made more creatures than he could take care of ; as if an infinite mind , and omnipotent power , were as much disturbed and tired with various and perpetual cares , as we are . others think it below the greatness and majesty of god , to take cognizance of every mean and contemptible creature , or of every private man ; as if it were more below god to take care of such creatures , than it is to make them ; as if numbers made creatures considerable to god ; that tho one man is below god's care , yet a kingdom is worthy of his care and notice ; when the whole world to god is but as the drop of the bucket , and the small dust of the balance . now it is certain there can be no particular providence , without god's government of all events ; for if any good or evil happens to any man without god's order and appointment , that is not providence , whatever other name you will give it : so that if god does take a particular care of all his creatures , this is a demonstration that he has the absolute government of all events , for without it he cannot take care of them ; and if god have the government of all events , as the scripture assures us he has , this confirms us in the belief of a particular providence ; for if all the good or evil that happens to every particular man is appointed by god , that is proof enough that god takes care of every particular man. god's government of all particular events , and his care of all individuals , include each other in their very natures : the care of particular creatures consists in the government of all particular events ; and the government of all events , is the exercise of a particular providence ; as our saviour represents it . matth. , , . are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father . but the very hairs of your head are all numbred . fear ye not therefore , ye are of more value than many sparrows . where god's particular providence over all his creatures is expressed by his particular care of all events ; which extends even to the life of a sparrow , and to the hairs of our heads . thus much is certain , that without this belief , that god takes a particular care of all his creatures , in the government of all events that can happen to them ; there is no reason or pretence for most of the particular duties of religious worship . for most of the acts of worship consider god , not merely as an universal cause , ( could we form any notion of a general providence without any care of particular creatures , or particular events ) but as our particular patron , protector , and preserver . to fear god , and to stand in awe of his justice ; to trust and depend on him in all conditions ; to submit patiently to his will under all afflictions ; to pray to him for the supply of our wants , for the relief of our sufferings , for protection and defence ; to love and praise him for the blessings we enjoy , for peace , and plenty , and health , for friends and benefactors , and all prosperous successes : i say , these are not the acts of reasonable men , unless we believe that god has the supreme disposal of all events , and takes a particular care of us . for if any good or evil can befal us without god's particular order and appointment , we have no reason to trust in god who does not always take care of us ; we have no reason to bear our sufferings patiently at god's hand , and in submission to his will ; for we know not whether our sufferings be god's will or not ; we have no reason to love and praise god for every blessing and deliverance we receive , because we know not whether it came from god ; and it is to no purpose to pray to god for particular blessings , if he does not concern himself in particular events : but if we believe that god takes a particular care of us all , and that no good or evil happens to us but as he pleases ; all these acts or religious worship are both reasonable , necessary , and just. but of this more hereafter . chap. iv. concerning the sovereignty of providence . having in the former chapter shewn , that the government of the divine providence consists in over-ruling and disposing all events : for the better understanding of this , and to prevent a great many ignorant objections against it , besides what i have already said , it will be necessary more particularly to explain the nature and essential characters and properties of god's governing providence . and i shall begin with . the sovereignty of providence . for god being the sovereign lord of the world , must govern with a sovereign will , for a sovereign lord , is a sovereign and absolute governor . for which reason the scripture so often resolves all things into the sole will and pleasure of god ; and in many cases will allow us to seek for no other cause . he doth according to his will in the army of heaven , and among the inhabitants of the earth . whatever the lord pleased , that did he in heaven and in earth , in the seas , and all deep places . that the will of god is sovereign , and absolute , and unaccountable ; needs no other proof , but that his power is absolute , and his wisdom unsearchable ; for absolute power , makes an absolute will. he who has power to do whatever he will , can do whatever he will ; and that is the definition of a severeign and absolute will. and thus the scripture resolves the sovereignty of god into power : that none can stay his hand , or say unto him , what dost thou ? he is wise in heart , and mighty in strength : who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered ? and indeed a power which is supreme and absolute , which can do all things , and which has no greater power above it , none equal to it , has a right to sovereignty . for absolute power must be the maker of all things , and that must give an absolute right to all things ; and that gives a right to absolute government , if there be any such thing as a natural right to government ; for if god have a natural right to govern his creatures , he must have a right to absolute government ; because the right he has in his creatures is absolute and uncontroulable . no creature has such an absolute power , and therefore no creature has such a sovereign and absolute will neither : for how powerful soever any man is , god is more powerful than he , and can call him to an account ; and no power , no will which can be checked , and controul'd , and called to an account , is perfectly absolute . and as absolute power makes the divine providence absolute and unaccountable , so does perfect and unerring wisdom ; but for a very different reason : absolute power has no superior power to give laws to it , and to call it to an account : perfect and unerring wisdom , has no superior wisdom to take an account , or to judge of its actions ; nothing can judge of wisdom , but wisdom ; and an inferior cannot comprehend a superior wisdom ; especially when there is such a vast disproportion as there is between a finite and an infinite understanding ; which must of necessity in a thousand instances make the judgments of god unsearchable , and his ways past finding out : it neither becomes the infinite wisdom of god in all cases to give an account of his actions , nor the modesty of creatures to demand it ; as elihu tells iob , why dost thou strive against him ? for he giveth not account of any of his matters . . job . but both these are thought very grievous by some men . they are terribly afraid of an absolute power which can do what it pleases , and justify whatever it does by an absolute and unaccountable will. others are very uneasie that god does any thing without giving them the reasons why he does it ; and to be revenged of providence , they will allow nothing to be wisely and justly done , which they can't comprehend : every event which they can't account for , they make an objection against providence ; and thus they may easily object themselves into atheism or infidelity ; for they can never want such objections , while infinite and unsearchable wisdom governs the world. here then i shall lay the foundation of all , in justifying the sovereignty of providence , which will justifie every thing else : and i shall distinctly consider god's sovereign and absolute power , and his unsearchable and unaccountable wisdom . . absolute power ; and the very naming absolute power puts an end to the dispute about the extent of god's dominion over his creatures : for absolute power has no limits , and can have none ; and therefore absolute dominion extends to all that absolute power can do . this is what mankind are afraid of , who judge of god's absolute power by the arbitrary and tyrannical government of some absolute monarchs : but true absolute power can do no wrong , cannot injure and oppress its creatures ; but will do good and judge righteously , defend the innocent , and punish the wicked . if i can make it appear , that this is the essential character of absolute power , it will make us infinitely secure in the divine providence ; for all men must grant that the power of god is absolute ; and if this absolute power governs the world , the world must be very well and justly governed , if absolute power can do nothing but what is just and good. now this is the natural notion which all mankind have of supreme and absolute power , which is the supreme and natural lord and judge of the world. thus abraham reasoned with god , and therein spake the sense of mankind ; shall not the judge of all the earth do right ? . genes . . if absolute power could do wrong , there were no certain redress of those wrongs and injuries , which inferior powers do ; for the last appeal must be to the greatest and most absolute power ; and if that will not certainly rectify the injuries of inferior powers , but instead of that may do wrong it self , we cannot certainly promise our selves ever to have right done us . this shews how necessary it is , that absolute will and power should be absolute rectitude and justice , if there be any such thing as justice in nature . for absolute power is by nature the last and supreme judge ; and the natural judge of right and wrong , must be natural justice and rectitude ; or else natural justice is a mere speculative notion , which can never be reduced to practice . for there never can be exact and perfect justice in the world , unless there be a judge who is exact and perfect justice : and if absolute will and power be not that judge , there can be none ; for absolute power , if it be not absolutely and perfectly just , can do wrong , whoever else judges right . but besides this , it is demonstrable à priori , that absolute power , must be absolute rectitude and justice . . because all infinite perfections , how different soever they are in our conceptions of them , are but one infinite being , which is absolutely perfect ; and therefore in a being absolutely perfect , one absolute perfection can never be divided or separated from any other absolute perfection ; and therefore absolute power can never be separated from absolute justice : for to say any being is absolutely perfect , ( which is the most natural notion of god ) and yet that it wants any absolute perfection , is a contradiction : absolute will and absolute government , is the most perfect will and most perfect government ; and that is the most perfect justice and goodness , if justice and goodness be any perfections . we must not judge of the absolute will and absolute government of god , by what we call absolute power in men ; which is the foundation of all the mistakes about god's government : we find men apt to abuse their power , the more absolute it is , into tyranny and oppression ; and this makes some afraid , that god's absolute will and power may use his creatures very hardly also ; but the case is very different , as different as the absolute power of men is from the absolute power of god. what we call absolute power in men , is not absolute power ; that is , it is not perfect power , it is not a power which can do all things , for there are infinite things , which the most absolute prince has not power to do ; and that is not absolute perfect power , which can't do all things . absolute government among men , signifies only an uncontroulable liberty to do all that it will and can do : a will which is under no human restraints , which may will whatever it pleases , and do whatever it wills , as far as it can , but has not power to do all that it would . now such an absolute will as this , which has not all power , may be very wild and extravagant , and far from willing always what is right and just ; for such a will as this is no perfection ; and therefore as it is separated from a truly absolute power , so it may be separated from rectitude and justice . nay , such a will is not truly absolute , no more than its power ; because there is a will , as there is a power , above it ; and no will is absolute , which has a superior will to controul it , and to give laws to it ; and yet god is higher than the highest , to whose sovereign will the most absolute princes are accountable , and therefore are not absolute themselves . now reason tells us , that a will which has a superior will and law , is not it self unerring rectitude and justice , and therefore may deviate from what is right and just , as experience tells us such absolute wills very often do ; and when the will can chuse wrong , the power , which is the minister of such an erring will , must do wrong also . but now reason tells us , that the supreme will must be the supreme law , that is , perfect and absolute justice , and therefore can no more will any thing that is unjust , than justice it self can be unjust ; and if this absolute and soveraign will be absolute power , absolute power must be perfectly just and good , as being inseparable from perfect justice : and therefore the absolute power of god can no more do any wrong , than his absolute will can chuse it . . nay , if we do but consider the nature of truly absolute power , which can do whatever it will , this alone may satisfy us , that god , who is this supreme powerful being , can neither will nor do any wrong : for if we consider things well , we shall plainly see , that tho some degree of power is required to enable men to do wrong , yet it is always want of power which tempts them to do wrong . there are two visible causes of all the injustice that is committed in the world , and both of them are the effects of weakness . . that men want power to do what they have a mind to do , without doing some wrong or injury to others . . that men are overpowered by their own passions , to do what they know they ought not to do , and which they would not do , had they the perfect government of themselves . as for the first , is there any man in the world , who is not a perfect bruit , who does not wish that it were lawful for him to do what he has a mind to , and that he might have what he desires to have , without offering violence or injury to any body ? would not a thief much rather chuse to find a treasure , than to take a purse upon the road ? would not an ambitious and aspiring monarch rather chuse , that all princes should resign their crowns to him , and all nations become his subjects , than to be forced to win their crowns by his sword , and to make bloody conquests with the lamentable ravage and spoils of flourishing countries ? do not men intend to supply some real or imaginary want in all the injuries they do ? and does not this suppose weakness and want of power , to want any thing else ? for is it possible for absolute power to want ? so impossible is it for absolute power to do any injury . he who is the sole lord and proprietor of the world , ( as he is and must be whose power is supreme and absolute ) , he whos 's all creatures are , and whose wisdom and power can accomplish whatever he would have done , without doing the least injustice , can never be tempted to injure his own creatures , nor can ever want any thing which should tempt him to do an injury ; and therefore absolute power must be absolute justice . dly . all the injuries that are done , are owing to the lusts and passions of men , which are the weaknesses even of human nature , when they are not under the government of reason . no man does any injury , but to gratifie some lust or passion ; and that is a weak and impotent mind , where passion reigns . reason is the strength and vigor of the mind , and a man who lives by reason , never does any injury , but through mistake , which is the weakness of reason . but now absolute power is not an external adventitious thing , but is a powerful nature , and a powerful nature is all power , and there can be no place for the rule and empire of passion ; and if it be one passion or other which always does the injury , absolute power , which is void of passion , can do none . excepting a divine love , ( which is the true image of the divine nature , and never does any injury , and ought not to be reckoned among the passions ) , all our other pasons are the effects of weakness , and are arguments of a weak , limited , and confined nature . desire and hope prove that we want something which we cannot certainly bestow upon our selves ; fear is a sense of danger , which argues want of power to defend our selves : anger and revenge is a resentment of some injuries we have received , and that argues want of power , to suffer injuries : hatred and malice are but greater degrees of anger and revenge ; and the greater they are , the greater sense they argue of fear and danger , of injuries either expected , or received . these are the passions which do all the mischief that is done in the world ; and it is demonstrable , that absolute power is not capable of these injurious passions , can neither desire , nor hope , nor fear , can suffer no wants nor injuries , nor have any sense or resentment of them ; and therefore there is no danger it should do any injury ; it is acted by calm and steady wisdom , which is unerring justice too , which never did and never can do any injury . it is true , some of these passions are in scripture attributed to god , such as anger , fury , hatred , revenge ; for the scripture speaks of god after the manner of men ; but then all that this signifies is , that god will be as severe in his judgments , as anger and revenge is , tho it is not passion in god , but a wise , and cool , and equal justice , which punishes ; which may be as severe as anger and revenge , but never partial or unjust . ( . ) nay , we may observe , that power it self is a great and generous principle , and inspires men with great and noble thoughts . those whose power secures them from receiving any hurt , are never tempted to do any : power , which is cruel , insolent , mischievous , is always conscious of its own weakness and danger ; for it is commonly weakness and fear , which makes men cruel ; but a power which knows it self out of danger , out of the reach of envy and ill-will , is always a very generous adversary , never insults over a prostrate enemy ; for such great power makes all its enemies the objects of pity or scorn , and then they cease to be the objects of revenge . and if power , that little power which men have , gives them such a greatness of mind as sets them above affronts , and resentments , and sense of injuries ; if this be so natural to power , that it is always expected from men in power , that they should have a greatness and generosity of mind proportioned to their power ; that it is a reproach to them when it is not so , and makes them despised , and scorned , and hated , with all their power ; what then may we expect from the perfect and absolute power of god ? we may fear his justice , but have no reason to fear his power ; justice will punish sinners , but his power will never oppress ; for that is below his power , that is too mean and base a thing for perfect and absolute power to do : it is thought a reproach for a great and powerful man to oppress , much less then will the all-powerful god do so . ( . ) for to observe but one thing more , it is the glory of power to do good , not to do hurt , and if this be the natural glory of power , it is its natural perfection too , and the most natural exercise of it ; and therefore it is that which perfect power will do . it s nature is to do good , but never to do hurt ; that if to punish were not to do good , perfect and absolute power could not punish . if we rightly consider things , we must confess , that it is a much greater power to do good , than to do hurt ; to save , than to destroy ; to make so excellent a creature as man is , and to maintain and preserve him in being , than to kill him : in most cases it requires very little power to do hurt ; every man , how weak and inconsiderable soever he is , has a great deal of power to do hurt ; but there are very few who can do much good ; and therefore it is plain , that to do good is the greater power , and therefore to do good , must be essential to the greatest power . it is certain , that to do good is the most glorious power , because good is in it self a beautiful , lovely , and glorious thing , but evil is very inglorious . all creatures love to receive good , they feel it , they rejoice in it , they adore and praise their maker and great benefactor , they live in him , they depend on him , they fly to him to supply their wants , they take refuge and sanctuary in his power , and think themselves safe under his wings . and can there possibly be a more lovely idea and representation of power than this ? a power , which makes a world , and all the creatures in it ; which contrives their natures with all variety of art and wisdom , and with very different capacities of happiness , according to the different excellencies and perfections of their natures , and provides for them all with a bounteous hand ; this is great and excellent power indeed , which gives being , and preserves it , and provides daily for such infinite numbers and variety of creatures as are in the world ; this is the lovely and charming idea of a god ; but an arbitrary , lawless power , which tyranizeth over creatures , which can do what mischief it pleases , and delights to do it , is a very terrible thing indeed , but not glorious ; it is what all creatures must fear , and hate , and fly from , not praise and adore . so that if we will allow the most perfect and absolute power to be the most glorious , as we must do if we acknowledge power to be glorious , then the most absolute power must be the most kind and beneficent thing in the world ; for this is the glory of power , to do good . thus we see in what sense absolute will and power can do no wrong , because the will and power of god , which is the only absolute will and power , is absolute rectitude and justice , and absolute goodness too . absolute power can do no wrong , because it can never will nor chuse to do any wrong ; not because power can make that just and right , which without such absolute power would have been wrong ; for no power can make right to be wrong , nor wrong to be right . good and evil , just and unjust , are of an eternal and unchangeable nature , not made so by power , but in their notion antecedent to power , and the natural rule and measure of it . the will of god is eternal justice and goodness , and therefore his will is the eternal rule of justice and goodness ; and therefore in propriety of speech , when we speak of god we can neither say that god wills any thing because it is just and good , or that it is just and good because god wills it , both which imply a distinction between the will of god , and justice and goodness , which in the divine nature are the same ; but since the imperfection of our understandings cannot admit one simple notion and idea of an infinite mind , but must apprehend every thing by distinct conceptions in god , as we do in creatures ; it is more agreeable to the nature of things , to make good and evil antecedent to the will of god , and the rule of his will and choice , because this asserts the eternal and unchangeable nature of good and evil , and the inflexible justice and holiness of the divine will , that god never can will any thing but what is just and good , and never wills any thing for any other reason , but because it is just and good : whereas to make justice and goodness to depend wholly upon the will of god , that therefore any thing is just and good because god wills it , supposes that justice and goodness has no stable nature of its own , but may at any time change its nature with the will of god ; and it is impossible to prove , that the will of god can't change as the wills of men do , if it have no eternal and unchangeable rule , or be not eternal and unchangeable justice and goodness it self . when we speak of god after the manner of men , our words must be expounded to the same sense , excepting metaphorical and figurative expressions , as when they are used of men : now we all know what a vast difference there is between these two expressions , when used of men . such a man always wills and chuses what is good and just ; and he makes every thing good and just by willing it ; the first supposes a certain and invariable rule of good and evil , the second resolves the nature of good and just into arbitrary will and pleasure . and it is the very same case , when we speak of god's power , which is nothing else but the execution of his will. god's absolute power can do nothing but what is just and good ; but we must not therefore say , that absolute power makes every thing it does , just and good ; as if power were not regulated by justice and goodness , but were the rule of it . there is great reason curiously to distinguish in this matter , because there are a sort of christians who attribute such things to god , as are irreconcilable with all the notions we have of justice and goodness , and think to silence all objections , and to justify all , by the sovereign dominion and absolute power of god , which can do no wrong ; but if it be a wrong to creatures to be eternally miserable for no other reason but the will and pleasure of god , i cannot but think the absolute decrees of reprobation to be very unjust , and the execution of such decrees to be doing wrong , how absolute soever the power be that does it . and i confess i cannot but wonder , that men who make the glory of god the end of all his actions , ( as certainly it is , when rightly understood ) should attribute such things to god as all the rest of mankind think very inglorious . that when the truest and greatest glory of absolute power , as you have already heard , is to do the greatest good , they should think it sufficient to justifie such actions as they have no other way to prove good and just , merely by absolute power . the glory of absolute power is to do what all the world acknowledges to be good and just ; and therefore absolute power cannot prove those actions to be good and just , nor make it self glorious , by doing such actions as mankind think very infamous and unjust . let us then lay down this as the foundation of all , that how unaccountable soever sovereign and absolute will and power is , it neither can nor will do any wrong ; for it is nothing else but absolute and sovereign justice and goodness . we have no reason to be afraid of the absolute power of god , no more than we have to be afraid of his absolute goodness . absolute power is the only security we have against suffering wrong ; for it will do no wrong it self , but will rectify all the wrongs which are done by inferior powers , which none but a sovereign and absolute power can do . the firm belief of this will give great relief and satisfaction to our minds , under all the unaccountable passages of providence ; for tho absolute power be always just and good , yet its ways are sometimes past finding out . secondly , let us now consider , how unsearchable the wisdom of providence is , which doth great things past finding out , yea , and wonders without number , . job . which may satisfy us , how impossible it is for such ignorant creatures as we are , to comprehend all the wise reasons of providence ; and how impious it is , to reproach and censure what we do not and cannot understand . we all know the history of iob , and the dispute betwixt him and his three friends . god exercised iob with very severe and amazing sufferings , for the trial of his vertue ; his friends conclude from his great sufferings , that tho his life were visibly very innocent and vertuous , yet he had been a secret hypocrite , because god did not use to punish good men , but only the wicked in such a manner . on the other hand , iob justifies his own innocence , and asserts more truly , that bad men were many times very prosperous , and good men great sufferers in this world : he complains very tragically of his sufferings , and that he could not understand the reason why god dealt thus with him ; and this seems to be iob's fault , that he insisted too much on his own justification , and instead of vindicating the divine providence , seems to accuse god of a causeless and unaccountable severity ; for which elihu so severely reproved him . at last , god answers iob himself , as he had often desired he would ; but instead of a particular justification of his providence , or of giving iob the reasons for which he had thus afflicted him , he gives him some sensible proofs of his own great and admirable wisdom and power in the works of nature , which iob was so far from being able to imitate , that he could not understand how they were done : the force of which argument is this , that so weak and ignorant a creature as man is , ought not to censure the divine providence , how mysterious and unaccountable soever it be ; when the very works of nature convince us , that god is infinitely wiser and more powerful than we are : this should teach us great modesty and humility , to adore the divine judgments , not to censure what we cannot understand ; for the power and wisdom of god can do great and excellent things , above our understandings . vain man would be wise , tho man be born like a wild asses colt . they are impatient to think , that god should do any thing which they cannot understand , and yet there is not any one thing in nature , which they do understand : and if we cannot understand the mysteries of nature , why should we expect to understand all the unsearchable depths and mysteries of providence ? if the wisdom of god be unsearchable , why should we not allow his wisdom in governing the world , to be as unsearchable as his wisdom in making it ? for an incomprehensible wisdom will do incomprehensible things , whatever it employs its self about ; and when we know , that if the world be governed at all , it is governed by an infinite and incomprehensible wisdom , there is no reason to wonder that there are many events of providence which we cannot fathom , and much less reason to deny a providence , because we cannot comprehend the reasons of all events . but this is a matter of such vast consequence , to silence the sceptical humour of the age , and to shame those trifling and ridiculous pretences to wit and philosophy , in censuring the wisdom and justice of providence , that it deserves a more particular discourse : for could we make men confess , what all modest considering men must blush to deny , that the wisdom of god is unsearchable , this would put an end to all the disputes about providence , and teach us humbly to adore and reverence that wisdom , which we cannot comprehend . and to prepare my way to give such full satisfaction in this matter , as you may securely acquiesce in , without disputing the reasons of providence , or being tempted to deny a providence , when you meet with any difficulties too hard for you , i shall show you how impossible it is that is should be otherwise , both from the infinite wisdom of god , and our own great ignorance of things , which makes the providence of god in many cases so much above our understandings , that we are not capable of such knowledge . and . i shall show you , what reason we have securely to acquiesce in the unsearchable wisdom of providence , and to trust god beyond our own knowledge , because we are certain that infinite wisdom can never err , or mistake , or do wrong . . that the wisdom of providence must be as unsearchable and unaccountable to us , as the wisdom of the creation . . that the wise government of the world requires secret and hidden methods of providence ; and therefore at least in this present state we ought not to expect or desire a particular account or reason of all events . . that our ignorance of other matters , the knowledge of which is absolutely necessary to understand the reasons of providence , makes us utterly uncapable of such knowledge in this state . . i shall enquire in what cases this is a reasonable answer to all difficulties , that the judgments of god are unsearchable , and his ways past finding out . . that infinite wisdom , how unsearchable and unaccountable soever its ways are , can do no wrong . as i observed before , that god's absolute power is absolute rectitude and justice ; so all men must grant , that infinite and perfect wisdom is always in the right ; for to be in the wrong is ignorance and mistake . if infinite wisdom will always judge , and chuse , and act wisely , it is then impossible that infinite wisdom should ever do wrong ; for to do wrong , is either not to judge , or not to chuse wisely . in scripture all kind of wickedness is called folly , and sinners fools , and to learn wisdom is prescribed as the only remedy against vice ; the fear of the lord that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil , that is understanding : and the reason and nature of things proves it must be so ; for all men who do wickedly , must either mistake their rule , or mistake their interest ; must either call vice vertue , and vertue vice , or think to make themselves happy by being wicked ; which is a stupid ignorance of the nature and the natural effects and consequences of things . now if all wickedness be ignorance and folly , infinite and perfect wisdom must be perfect rectitude , justice , and goodness ; it can never do any wrong , because it can never be ignorant of what is right . and what greater security can creatures possibly have , that in the last issue of things they shall suffer no wrong , than to know that they are under the care and government of infinite wisdom , that can do no wrong ? infinite wisdom indeed is incomprehensible to a finite mind , the methods of it may seem intricate and perplext to us , full of mystery and surprizing events ; and thus it must be , while infinite wisdom governs the world , which is so much above the reach of our most improved and elevated thoughts : but would not any wise man rather chuse to be governed by such a perfect and excellent wisdom , as can never mistake , tho it vastly exceeds his understanding , than to be governed by a being no wiser , or not much wiser than himself , all whose counsels he can fathom ; and see to the end of ? the more perfect and excellent the wisdom is , the less we can understand it , but the more safe we are under its conduct : so absurd is it to complain that we cannot understand all the depths and secrets of providence , that we may as reasonably complain , that an excellent and incomprehensible wisdom takes care of the world , and of all the creatures that are in it . while we know our selves safe in the hands of infinite wisdom , let us be contented that god should do such things as we cannot understand the reasons of : are we ever the less perfect and happy creatures , because we know not how god made us , how he formed and fashioned us in the womb , and breathed into us the breath of life ? and what hurt is it to us , if god preserve and govern the world , and take care of all the creatures in it , by as unknown and incomprehensible a wisdom , as that which at first gave being to us ? we find our selves wisely made , tho we know not how god made us ; and in the conclusion of all , we shall find and feel our selves very happy , if we follow god , and adhere to him , tho we may not understand the reasons of all intermediate events , nor the several steps and advances of providence to make us happy . it is great pride , and as contemptible folly , to think , that if there be a god who is infinitely wise , he should not be able to do things above our understanding , and to do them very wisely too , tho we do not understand them : let men value their understandings never so highly , and think scorn that any thing should be above their knowledg , yet it is certain , that there are ten thousand things both in the works of nature and providence , which no man fully understands , and yet which bear the marks and signatures of a most divine and admirable art and wisdom ; and since whether we will or no we must confess our own ignorance , why should we not be as well contented to allow that god can do such things as are above our understanding , as that there should be such things done , we know not how , nor by whom ? is it not a greater reproach to our understandings , that blind chance should do such things as all our wit and philosophy cannot comprehend , than to attribute such events to the art and government of infinite wisdom ? which is most reasonable , to attribute such works as are above our understandings , to the infinite wisdom of god ; or to deny that they had any wise cause , because we cannot find out the causes of them , tho we can discern such wisdom in them , as no human art or wisdom can imitate ? indeed the passion of admiration , which is implanted in all men , if it be not utterly vain , is a plain natural indication , that there is something above our natural understandings , which we must admire , but cannot comprehend ; for the proper object of admiration is art and wisdom , a wisdom vastly greater than our own ; and therefore if this natural passion have a natural object , it is certain there is a wisdom greater than our own , which no human understanding can comprehend ; such a wisdom as doth great and wondrous things , and things past finding out . the sum is this ; infinite wisdom is and must be unacconntable ; her ways are unsearchable and past finding out , and therefore we must be contented in many cases , to be ignorant of the reasons of providence ; and we have great reason to be so since we are so secure that infinite wisdom will always act wisely , and consult the general good of the world , and the happiness of particular creatures , tho by methods secret and incomprehensible to us : which teaches us not to deny or censure providence , when we do not understand the reasons of it ; but in an entire belief of the wisdom of god , quietly to submit to all events , and to adore and reverence his judgments with an implicite faith. . the better to satisfy us in a profound veneration of the wisdom of providence , even with respect to the most unaccountable passages of it , we must consider , that it is impossible we should be able to comprehend it : that we cannot know more of god's governing the world , than we do of his making it : that the unsearchable wisdom of god's works , makes the wisdom of providence unsearchable also . this is supposed in god's answer to iob , when to make him sensible how little he understood of the wise ends and designs of providence , he convinced him how ignorant he was of the works of nature , , , , . chapters . who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge ? gird up now thy loins like a man , for i will demand of thee , and answer thou me : where wast thou when i laid the foundations of the earth ? declare if thou hast understanding , who hath laid the measure thereof , if thou knowest ? or who hath stretched the line upon it ? whereupon are the foundations thereof fastned ? or who hath laid the corner stone thereof ? who shut up the sea with doors , when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb ? hast thou commanded the morning since thy days , and caused the day-spring to know his place ? where is the way where light dwelleth ? and as for darkness , where is the plaee thereof ? hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow ? or hast thou known the treasures of the hail ? hath the rain a father ? and who hath begotten the drops of the dew ? out of whose womb came the ice ? and the hoary frost of heaven , who hath gendred it ? by these and such like questions , expressed in unimitable words , god convinces iob how ignorant he was of the most common and familiar works of nature ; which made it great presumption in so ignorant a creature , to censure the wisdom of providence . and the force of the argument does not only consist in this , that the very works of nature convince us , that god is infinitely wiser than we are , and can do great and excellent things which are above our understanding , and therefore that we never ought to censure any thing that god does , because he is so much wiser than we are , that we are not competent judges of what he does , which is an unanswerable argument to teach us the most profound reverence and the most absolute resignation of our selves to god : but the force of this argument reaches farther , that our ignorance of the works of nature is both the cause and the proof of our great ignorance of the works of providence . for no being can know how to govern a world , who does not know how to make it ; and he who does not know , how to govern the world himself , is a very unfit judge of the wisdom of providence , for he can never know when the world is well and wisely governed , because he does not know what belongs to the government of the world . the wise government of all creatures must be proportioned to their natures ; and therefore without understanding the philosophy of nature , the springs of motion , the mutual dependance of causes and effects , what end things are made for , and what uses they serve , we can never know what is fit to be done , nor what can be done , or by what means it is to be done ; and then can never tell when any thing is done as it should be : we know not what the rules , nor what the ends of god's government are , which makes it impossible to judge of the wisdom of government : without understanding the natures of things , we must of necessity make as wild conjectures about providence , as a blind man does of light and colours . as for instance ; how is it possible to talk a wise word about god's government of mankind , in what manner , and by what means he turns their hearts , directs and influences their counsels , suggests thoughts to them , and foresees their thoughts , and how they will determine themselves ; when we know so little of the make and frame of our own minds , where the spring of thoughts is , and how we connect propositions , and draw consequences ; what the power of the will is , how we determine our selves in indifferent matters , where the balance is equal ? for tho we feel all these powers in our selves , yet we know not whence they are , nor how they act . and yet how many intricate questions are there , relating to the disputes of providence , which are wholly owing to such nice philosophical speculations , which we know nothing of , and yet which some men perplex themselves with , and undertake very gravely to determine . such are the disputes about necessity and fate , prescience and predetermination , and the liberty of human actions ; which as they are differently determined , make very different and contrary hypotheses of providence ; and either charge god with the sins of men , or acquit him from any partnership in wickedness . for all these questions at last resolve themselves into this , how the mind of man acts and determines it self ? whether it be determined from abroad , from a necessary train and series of fatal events , or from the decrees and predetermination or foreknowledg of god ? or whether it be a self-moving being , and determines it self from the principles of its own nature , and its own free choice ? now unless we understood the philosophy , or the natural frame and composition of our own minds , it is impossible to say any thing to the purpose in this cause , any farther than our own sense and feeling goes , and that is on the side of liberty ; for unless we are strangely imposed on , we feel our selves free . but this may satisfy us , that as to all the difficulties of providence , which can be no other way resolved , but by a knowledge of nature , we must of necessity be as ignorant of them , as we are of the nature of things ; and therefore our confessed ignorance of nature , is a good argument in all such cases , to make us very modest in censuring providence . we know enough both of the works of nature , and of the works of providence , to serve all the wise ends and purposes of living ; which is all that is useful for us to know , and all that god intended we should know ; but the reasons and causes of things , belong only to that wisdom which can make and govern a world . we know as much of providence as we do of nature ; and would men set bounds to their enquiries here , which is as far as human understandings can reach , we should hear very few objections against providence . our ignorance of nature , and natural causes , and the natural springs of motion , how things were made , and how they act , and for what ends they were made , which in many cases we do but very imperfectly guess at , is a plain demonstration , that we never ought to admit any difficulties in nature as a sufficient objection against the being or the providence of god , in bar to all the moral evidence and assurance we have of both . we have all the moral evidence we can have for any thing , that god governs the world by a wise , and holy , and free providence ; that he is not the author of sin ; that our wills , at least as far as vertue and vice is concerned , are under no foreign force and constraint , but chuse , and refuse , and determine themselves with a natural liberty : i say , we have undeniable evidence of this , from the wisdom , justice , and holiness of the divine nature , from the difference between vertue and vice , and the nature of rewards and punishments ; these things are plain , and such as we can understand , and such as we cannot deny with any fair appearance of reason ; but now all the arguments against providence , and for necessity and fate , are mere philosophical speculations , which men vainly pretend to , when it is demonstrable they can know nothing of them . as for instance ; some tell us , that it is not a wise and free providence that governs the world , but that all things come to pass by a necessary chain of causes , which fatally determine the will to chuse and act , as these causes move it . now whether there be such a necessary chain of causes or not , it is certain no man can know it , who does not as perfectly understand this great machine of the world , and all its motions , as an artist does all the wheels in a watch or clock : nor can any man know how such a chain of causes should move and determine the mind of man , without understanding the philosophy of human souls , how the will is moved , how it is determined , or determines it self ; whether by the constitution of its nature it always necessarily chuses what it chuses , or might have not chose , or have chosen any thing else : now whatever other men may do , i 'm sure i know nothing of the philosophy of these matters , and therefore they don't concern me . others make god himself to be nothing else but necessity and fate , who by eternal and irreversible decrees , as necessary and essential to him as his own being , has determined whatever shall come to pass ; but no man can pretend to know this , without an immediate vision , if i may so speak , of the naked essence of god : his attributes and moral perfections give us no notice of such fatal decrees ; his wisdom , holiness , justice , goodness , contain nothing of fate and necessity ; and those who can see the very essence of god to be fate , must be able to contemplate his pure essence , and to know god after another manner than he ever yet manifested himself to creatures , or it may be , than it is possible for god to show himself to creatures . others conclude the fatal necessity of all events , from god's prescience : for they say , that god can foreknow things only in his own decrees ; and therefore if god foreknows all things , all things are decreed ; or however , what god foreknows will come to pass , will certainly and necessarily come to pass , and therefore all events are certain and necessary , if they are all foreknown by god. but these are conclusions which no man can be certain of , without pretending perfectly to understand the nature of prescience , or how god foreknows things to come ; for if god can foreknow what he has not decreed , and can foreknow what does not come to pass necessarily , then the prescience of god does not infer a fatality of all events : and yet this may be , for ought we know , unless we perfectly understand the nature of prescience , and how god foreknows things to come , and then we may foreknow things our selves . the like may be said of god's concourse with his creatures in all their actions , from whence they conclude , that the will of man in all its elections is determined by god , without whose concourse it cannot act , nor determine it self . these are all nice philosophical speculations , which creatures who are so ignorant of the natures of things , can know nothing of ; and therefore they are not fit to be made arguments for or against any thing . the sum is this ; that since we must confess our selves so very ignorant of the works of nature , without the knowledg of which in ten thousand instances , it is impossible to understand the wisdom of providence , it is unreasonable and absured for us to demand an account of god's providences ; but we ought to be satisfied , to leave god to govern the world with the same sovereign and unaccountable wisdom , which at first gave being to all things . thirdly , that the wise government of the world requires secret and hidden methods of providence ; and therefore at least in this state we ought not to expect or desire a particular account or reason of all events . the wise-man tells us , it is the glory of god to conceal a thing , . prov. . it is the glory of the divine nature , that it is incomprehensible by us ; and it is the glory of the divine providence to be unsearchable ; and therefore many of the ancient philosophers and poets forbid too curious an enquiry into the nature or providence of god ; and sophronius gives a wise reason for it , because we are all born of mortal parents , and therefore the perfect knowledge of an infinite immortal being , must be above us : which is much the same reason that zophar gives , vain man would be wise , tho man be born like a wild asses colt , . job . this is a knowledge too great for our birth , if our natural capacities bear proportion to it ; for god must be a very little being himself , could he be comprehended by such mean creatures . but that which i at present intend , is only to shew you , that the wise government of the world requires , that the divine counses , that the events and reasons of providence should in a great measure be concealed from us ; and i hope that is a satisfactory reason , why god should conceal them , if he can't so wisely govern the world without it . i would desire those persons who are so apt to quarrel at providence , and to take it so very ill , that god does any thing which they don 't presently understand , to sit down and agree among themselves , how they would have god govern the world ? what it is that they would be pleased with ? but let them consider well of it before-hand , that upon second thoughts they don 't find more reason to quarrel at their own ways and methods of governing the world , than they now have to quarrel with providence ; or that the rest of mankind do not find more reason to quarrel with them , than they have now to quarrel with god. as to give an instance or two of this , by way of essay . some seem to be very much discontented at the uneveness and uncertainty of all events ; that all things are in a perpetual flux and motion ; that no man knoweth what a day or an hour will bring forth : the instability of fortune , which gives and takes away , and every day shews a new face , and opens new and surprizing scenes , has been an old complaint . well then : would they have this rectified ? would they have all the events of providence as constant , and regular , and unchangeable , as the motions of the heavens , as the returns of day and night , of winter and summer ? and when they see all things happen thus evenly and regularly , will they then promise to believe a providence ? i mightily suspect that they will be farther from believing a providence then , than they are now . we see that the regular motions of the heavens , and the uniform productions of nature , which so seldom vary , that it is thought portentous and ominous if they do , cannot convince them , that god governs the heavens and the earth , and all the works of nature , as far as all their vertues and powers move and act uniformly , by constant and unerring laws : and if the regular uniformity of nature is not thought by these men a sufficient proof of a providence , i doubt a constant and uniform round of all events would be thought much less so . those who now resolve all the uncertain changes and revolutions that happen , into necessity and fate , would have more reason to do so , did providence always shew the same face and appearances , as the heavens do . but can they tell what kind of uniformity and stability of providence it is , would please them ? would they have all mens fortunes equal ? that there should be no distinction between rich and poor , high and low , princes and subjects , the honourable and the vile ? i believe few of them would like such a levelling providence , which , as the state of mankind now is , would destroy the good government of the world , and most of the pleasures and conveniences of life ; and yet without this , the providence of god is not so uniform towards men , as it is towards beasts ; and those who fare worse than others of the same nature with them , will still complain . if then providence must not deal alike by all men , do they mean by the uniformity and stability of providence , that mens fortunes , whatever they are , shall always be the same ? that the rich and prosperous shall always be rich and prosperous , and the poor always poor , and beggars , and slaves ? unless these objectors be all rich and happy , i doubt they will never agree to this ; for the poor and miserable must needs think it hard usage to be always poor , without room for better hopes . but such a stability of providence as this , would destroy the wise and just government of the world ; for how should god restrain and punish wickedness , and reward and encourage vertue , if the rich must always be rich , and the poor always poor ? nay , how can the providence of god do this , without making men vertuous and vicious too , by necessity and fate ? when wantonness and prodigality , idleness and folly , will spend or lose an estate ; and frugality , prudence and diligence will get one . and when all men in this world must not be equal , does it not more become the wisdom and justice of providence , that mens own vertues and vices shall in a great measure make the distinction , and carve out their own fortunes for them ? so that when men complain of the uncertainty and instability of fortune , as they call it , they complain of they know not what ; and were it put to their own choice what to have in the room of it , they would not know how to mend the matter . the wise government of free agents , who so often change themselves , requires very frequent , sudden , surprizing turns of providence , the reasons of which must of necessity be as invisible to us , as the thoughts of mens hearts , and their most secret intrigues and counsels ; till we can make men all move alike , as regularly and uniformly as the heavenly bodies do , it is an absurd and unreasonable complaint , that providence does not act regularly , and that the events of providence are not always the same . another great complaint against providence is , that good men are not always rewarded , nor bad men punished according to their deserts : that many bad men are prosperous in this world , and some good men great sufferers : that all things come alike to all ; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked , to the good and to the clean , and to the unclean ; to him that sacrificeth , and to him that sacrificeth not ; as is the good , so is the sinner ; and he that sweareth , as he that feareth an oath , . eccl. . this makes the events of providence very sudden , mysterious , and unaccountable ; that no man knows what course to take , to make his life easy and prosperous ; for whether he be good or wicked , he may be happy or miserable , as it happens . as for the objection it self , i shall consider it more hereafter ; but at present i will only ask these objectors , whether to remove these difficulties and uncertainties of providence , and that they may the better understand the reasons of all events , they do in good earnest desire , that god would reduce this matter to a certainty , by punishing all bad men , and rewarding all good men in this world , according to their deserts ? if they do , i must tell them , as christ told the two brethren , who desired that they might sit one on his right hand , and the other on his left , in his kingdom , ye ask ye know not what : they ask the most dangerous thing that could possibly befal mankind ; and what they ask , would be ten thousand times a greater objection against providence , than what they complain of . should every sinner be punished in this world according to his deserts , what man is there so just and innocent as to escape the divine vengeance ? if thou , lord , shouldest mark iniquity , o lord , who shall stand ! . psal. . were every sinner punished as he deserves , i doubt there would be no good man left to be rewarded ; for where is the man that doth good , and sinneth not ? what room does this leave for patience and forbearance , for the repentance of sinners , for god's pardoning-grace and mercy ; and what a terrible providence is this ? how contrary to all the notions we have of god , and his kind and gracious government of his creatures ? i grant god may exercise great patience and long-suffering towards sinners ; he may forgive the sins of true penitents , and yet punish sinners , and reward good men even in this world ; these things are very reconcilable in god's government of the world , for thus he does govern the world ; but they are very irreconcilable with such a providence and government as these men desire , which requires a present and visible punishment of every sin , as soon as committed ; and as present and visible a reward of every good action : for unless these punishments and rewards are present , all the time they are delayed , bad men may be prosperous , and good men afflicted ; which is their very objection against providence ; which can never be removed , but by speedy and visible executions , which leave no place for the patience and forgiveness of god , or for the repentance of sinners : and is it not much more desirable , for ever to be ignorant of the reasons of providence , than to have such proofs and demonstrations of providence as this ? let me desire these unthinking cavillers at providence , to review their objection over again , and consider what is the meaning of every word in it , and how upon second thoughts they like it themselves . that they may have a plain and certain reason of god's judgments , they desire that no man may suffer any external calamity , but only for sin ; and that every sinner may be punish'd in this world according to his deserts ; and then they will believe , that there is a providence that governs the world ; tho it is better for the world that they should continue infidels , than be thus convinced . well then , who in the first place are these sinners whom they would have punished ? do they mean every one who does a wicked action ; or every impenitent and incorrigible sinner ? if every one who at any time does any wicked action , must be punished for it , then it is plain that no man can escape ; then there is no place for repentance or forgiveness , but a speedy vengeance must pursue the sinner ; and god knows , we are all sinners , and must all be punished ; and if this removes one objection against providence , i 'm sure it will very much encrease another , from the many evils and miseries that are in the world , which will be many more , and much greater , if every sin must receive its just punishment . if they mean only , that impenitent and incorrigible sinners must be punished , then they must allow , that god may spare a sinner a great while , and then very great sinners may be prosperous a great while , and if they repent at last , may finally escape the judgments of god ; and then the prosperity of sinners can never be an argument against providence , unless they can prescribe to god , just how long and no longer , he may justly spare sinners . it is an easy matter to complain of any thing , and to start difficulties and objections , but it is impossible for the wit of man to reduce providence to such a certainty as these men desire : tho god govern the world by never such fixed and steady laws , we can never see it in external events , so as to be able to assign a reason of all that good and evil which happens to particular men . for would they have god reward every good man , and punish every wicked man , or reward and punish every man for the good and evil that he does ? there is a great mixture of good or bad in most men , that for different reasons they may deserve both rewards and punishments ; and tho god knows when it is fit to reward or punish such men , yet it is impossible we should ; and therefore whether they be rewarded or punished , we can give no account of it . there is also a great mixture of good and bad in most actions ; some very bad actions may not deserve punishment , as being the effect of ignorance , or surprize , or such invincible temptations , as human nature , without an extraordinary measure of grace , cannot conquer ; and there are a great many good actions which deserve no reward , as being done by chance , besides the intention of the doer , or done from a very bad principle , or for very bad ends : now we only see the good or evil that is in the action , and human laws can punish or reward nothing but what is seen ; but i suppose you will not say that god ought to regard nothing else but the material and visible action ; and then it may be very wise and just in god , neither to punish men for very bad actions , nor to reward them for very good actions ; and this is another uncertainty of events , which men ignorantly complain of . thus some men are guilty of a great many secret sins , or do a great many good actions , which no man knows of , but only god and their own consciences ; and when god visibly rewards or punishes men for the secret good or evil they have done , the reasons of such rewards or punishments must be unknown to us , because the good or evil for which they are rewarded or punished , is unknown . all these things make the reasons and events of providence very uncertain and unaccountable to us ; and yet we see there may be very wise reasons for them , which we cannot understand , and which no man in his wits would desire should be understood . for would you desire that every sin you commit should be immediately punished , without any time to repent , without any hope of mercy ? would you have god reward and punish as human laws do , to consider only what is done , without making any allowances for ignorance and surprize , or without taking any notice of the principles or ends of our actions ? would you have a casement into every man's breast , or have all their secret sins or vertues written upon their foreheads , that every man may be as perfectly known to all the world , as he is to himself ? if you do not desire this , you must be contented to be ignorant of the reasons of providence , of those good and evil events which happen to men ; why god punishes one man , and spares or rewards another ; why he does not punish those whom we judge to deserve punishment , nor reward those whom we think worthy of a reward . god has wise reasons for all this , but we cannot understand them ; and it is happy for us all that they are not understood . this shews how absurd it is for us to demand a reason , and to complain , that we cannot give a reason of all the events of providence : and i shall only observe this by the way , that if men would in other cases take the same course that i have done in this , they would quickly perceive how vain and senseless all their objections against providence are : that is , whatever they object against providence , let them turn the other side of it , and try whether that would be better : let them consider how they would have what they call the defects and blemishes of providence , rectified ; and whether it would be more for the wise and happy government of the world , if it were so . i dare challenge the greatest pretenders to wit and reason , to give any one instance of this nature , to name any one thing which they quarrel at , which they know how to mend : and if the world be so wisely ordered already , that those who complain most , can't tell how any thing could be better done , it is ridiculous and impudent to find fault ; which are no hard words in such a cause as this . but this is not all i intend , merely to shew , that this is an unreasonable objection against providence , that the events of it are many times very uncertain , hidden , and mysterious , and such as we cannot give the particular reasons of ; but likewise to satisfy you , that the wise government of mankind requires it should be so ; and to represent to you , the great and excellent advantages of it . now i suppose you will all grant , that what is most for the glory of god , for the advancement of true piety , and the restraints of wickedness , is the wisest way of governing the world. and if you will grant this , i doubt not but i shall presently satisfy you , that the wise government of the world requires secret and hidden methods of providence , such uncertain and surprizing events , as at least we can give no account of , till it comes to its last and concluding issue . . for what is there that excites in us a greater admiration of god , than to see great and glorious things brought to pass by a long and winding labyrinth of surprizing and perplex'd events , which we know nothing of , nor whither they tend , till we see where they end ? mankind never greatly admire what is plain and obvious , and every man's thought , because there is nothing in it which shews any extraordinary contrivance : but when unexpected events are brought to pass by unsuspected means , and yet designed and directed by a steady and unerring counsel ; when great things are done by such means , as have no natural causality to produce such effects , and therefore can give no notice nor the least suspicion of what is a-doing ; when our very fears are turned into triumphs , and that which seemed to threaten us with some great evils , is made the instrument of some great and surprizing blessings ; when bad men are ensnared in their own counsels , and fall into the pit which they have digged for others ; when god turns their curses into blessings , and saves good men by the ministry of those who intended their ruin : these , i say , and such like events , of which there are numerous instances both in sacred and prophane story , and which our own observation may furnish us with fresh examples of , justly give us great and admiring thoughts of the divine wisdom ; a wisdom which is to be reverenced and feared , as well as praised ; for who would not fear that god , who is wise in heart , as well as mighty in strength ? who hath resisted his will , and prospered ? dly . the uncertain events of providence , that good and evil is promiscuously dispenced ; that god does not always visibly reward the good , nor punish the wicked , tho he signally rewards some good men , and as remarkably punishes some wicked men is the wisest method of governing mankind . that some good men are visibly rewarded in this world , is a just encouragement to good men to expect the protection and the blessing of god in doing good : that some bad men are made examples of a just and terrible vengeance , is a warning to all bad men to reverence the judgments of god , and to stand in awe of him ; and that some bad men are spared , nay , are externally happy , is a good reason for men to repent , and to hope for pardon and forgiveness from so patient and merciful a god. the essential difference between good and evil , the hopes and fears of natural conscience , the promises and threatnings of scripture , and the scripture-examples of those miraculous deliverances which god has wrought for his people , and the miraculous destruction he has brought upon their enemies , are a plain proof , that even the external prosperity of good men , is a mark of god's favour to them ; and the external sufferings and calamities of bad men , the effects of his anger and vengeance : and then , tho all good men are not so visibly rewarded in this world , nor all bad men punished , yet since no good men are excepted from god's promises , nor any bad men from his threatnings , the rewards of some good men is a reason for all good men to hope ; and the judgments executed upon some bad men , is a reason for all bad men to fear . and this is better accommodated to the nature of man , who is a free agent , than if god should visibly punish all bad men , and reward all good men in this world , because it offers less force and violence to men , and leaves them more to the government of their own free choice . should god make such a visible difference between all good and bad men in this world , that all good men should be prosperous and happy , and all bad men miserable , there would be no more choice left to men , whether they would be good or bad ; than , whether they would spend their lives in health or sickness , in riches or poverty , in honour or disgrace ; but where the event is not certain , there is room left for wise consideration , for hopes and fears , which are the natural springs of a free choice . and besides this ; that all good men are not rewarded , nor all bad men punished in this world , gives us a truer understanding of the nature of present things , and reasonable expectations of greater rewards and punishments hereafter . we should be too apt to think , that the enjoyments of this life were the best and greatest things , and the peculiar marks of god's favour , did none but good men share in them ; and were they the portion of all good men , we should grow very fond of this world , and little think of another , or of exercising such divine vertues as are fitted to that state : nay , we should want the best moral argument for another life , that all good men are not rewarded , nor all bad men punished in this world , which gives a reasonable expectation of another life . but when we see bad men prosperous , as well as the good , and good men suffer as hard things as any bad men do ; this convinces us , that neither the blessings nor the sufferings of this life are the final rewards or punishments of good or bad men : that god has greater blessings reserved for good men , and greater miseries for the wicked ; which is a greater incitement to a divine and heavenly vertue , and a greater restraint to wickedness , than any present rewards or punishments can be . so that this uncertainty of events which some men complain of , and which we can seldom give a reasonable account of , when we come to particular cases and particular persons , is so far from being a defect in providence , that it is the wisest method of governing mankind , both considered as a free agent , and as an immortal creature , who must live in another world , when he removes out of this . dly . this uncertainty of all events , is the trial and exercise of many admirable graces and vertues , which there would be no place for , with respect to this world , were the events and reasons of providence known and certain : such as faith , and hope , and trust , and dependance on god , which there would be little use of in this world , were all good men immediately rewarded ; for they all respect absent , unseen , unknown events . difficulties and sufferings , which in scripture are called temptations , are the trials of vertue : when we serve god without any prospect of a present reward ; and trust in him , and depend on him , when we are forsaken of all other hopes ; when we say with iob , tho he slay me , yet will i trust in him ; or with the prophet habakkuk , . , . altho the fig-tree shall not blossom , neither shall fruit be in the vines , the labour of the olive shall fail , and the field shall yield no meat , the flock shall be cut off from the fold , and there shall be no herd in the stalls , yet i will rejoice in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation . and yet if we knew in all cases the particular reasons of providence , and what the end and conclusion of them would be , they would be no trials of our faith , and submission to god : the faith and patience of iob was wonderful , but the greatest difficulty in all he suffered was , that he could not possibly understand what god meant and intended , in bringing all those calamities on him ; but had he known , that this was only a trial of his patience and vertue , and that god would reward these sufferings with a very long and prosperous life , with a new increase of children , and new additions of riches and honour , this had been no difficulty , no trial , any more than the smart of his present sufferings ; but iob knew nothing of all this , and therefore did great glory to god , and made himself an admirable example of faith and patience to the world ; and god made him as great an example of the rewards of faith and patience . were the events of providence as constant , regular , and certain , and the reasons of all events as known and visible as some men would have them , and complain that they are not , there would be no exercise of some of the greatest vertues of the christian life , which do most honour to god , and are the greatest ornaments and perfections of human nature : which evidently proves , that the uncertainty and obscurity of the events of providence , that we know not what shall be , nor in many cases the reasons of what we see , is necessary to the wise government of mankind , and therefore is no defect , but the beauty and perfection of providence . fourthly , we are necessarily ignorant of a great many things , without the knowledge of which it is impossible for us to understand the reasons of providence ; and therefore we ought no more to complain that we are ignorant of the reasons of providence , than we do of our ignorance of other matters , without the knowledge of which the reasons of providence cannot be known ; as to name some few of them : . we are very ignorant of men , as i observed before : we know not their hearts , and thoughts , and counsels , we see little of their private conversation , we cannot look into their closets and secret retirements ; and unless we knew better what men are , it is impossible we should understand the reasons of god's providence towards them . now tho as to external appearances , there is some truth in this objection , that bad men are oftentimes very prosperous , and good men afflicted in this world ; yet i doubt not but when this objection is applied to the prosperity or affliction of particular men , where it is once applied right , it is a hundred times applied wrong ; especially as to the sufferings of good men : for we very often take those for good men , who are not so , and who many times pluck off their disguise themselves , and convince the world , that they are not so ; and yet if any misfortune or adversity befal such men before they are known , we are apt to wonder that god should afflict such good men as they are , and think it a great difficulty in providence ; when they themselves know that they deserve all that they suffer , and a great deal more . nay , i believe there is not a good man in the world , who knows himself , and impartially observes his own thoughts , and passions , and actions , but knows a reason why god at any time afflicts him ; knows how he has deserved it , and how he wants it , and can justify the greatest severities of providence towards himself : i am sure , all the good men in scripture do so , excepting iob ; they frequently confess and bewail their sins , and acknowledge the justice and mercy of god in what they suffer ; and as for iob , all that he insists on , is to justify his own uprightness and integrity , that he was no secret hypocrite , as his friends uncharitably accused him ; that he knew nothing so bad of himself , as to deserve such amazing sufferings as god had brought on him : and indeed , iob's case was very peculiar ; and it appeared in the conclusion , that god did not punish him for some unknown wickedness , but to exercise his faith and patience , and to make him a glorious and triumphant example of a firm adherence to god under the severest trials . now when there is no good man in the world , who upon his own account can charge god with afflicting him beyond what his sins deserve , or the state of his soul requires , we have reason to think , that there is very little truth in this objection ; that did we know other good men as well as we know our selves , we should as well understand the reason why god afflicts them , as why he afflicts us ; and if there be a wise and just reason for the sufferings of good men , whatever their sufferings are , they can be no objection against providence . and it is very often seen , that some men are thought wicked , as wrongfully and ignorantly as others are thought good : it is a very little matter that will give men a bad character in a censorious world ; a different opinion in religion , or some external modes of worship ; nay , different interests , and state-factions ; nay , some private quarrels and animosities , will make some men paint each other as black as hell can make them , and then quarrel with heaven if it does not revenge their quarrels , and execute that vengeance which they doom each other to . and as for others , who with more reason are thought bad men , as guilty of known immoralities , yet they may have a great deal of good in them , many generous qualities and social vertues , which may make them very useful men in a commonwealth ; and they may do so much good , as in the opinion of mankind may deserve some temporal rewards , as may deserve publick trusts and publick honours ; and it is very hard to reproach providence with the prosperity of such men , which we our selves think well bestowed , notwithstanding their other vices : and other bad men may have some secret and latent principles of vertue , which deserve to be cherished ; and when this is , god alone knows ; but if we knew it , we should have no reason to quarrel with the kindness and patience of god to such men , which is intended to lead them to repentance . and as for profligate sinners who are at open defiance with god , it is seldom seen but that some remarkable vengeance at one time or other overtakes them , and vindicates the justice of providence in their confusion . so easy were it to justify the providence of god , both towards good and bad men , did we sufficiently know men . and our ignorance of men makes it a very foolish and absurd objection ; for if instead of answering it , we should deny the truth of the objection , they have no way to prove it . should we assert , that all good men are rewarded , and all bad men punished , who deserve to be rewarded or punished in this world , they have no way to disprove this , but by plain matter of fact ; by shewing some good men afflicted , who deserve a reward , and some bad men prosperous , who deserve to be punished : now this they can never do , without pretending to know what is in man , to see their inside , to be acquainted with all their secrets ; in a word , to know men as god knows them : for tho some men are afflicted , whom we think good men , and it may be are so , and some bad men are prosperous , yet there may be such a mixture of evil and good in these good and bad men , which we cannot see , as may make it very wise and just in god to afflict these good men , and to prosper the wicked ; and since we cannot possibly know these things , it becomes us to be very modest in censuring providence . dly . we are in most cases very ignorant also of the counsels and designs of providence : we seldom know in any measure , what god is a doing in the world ; and then it is impossible for us to understand the admirable wisdom of all those intermediate events , which tend to unknown ends . in the best-contrived plot there will always be some scenes full of nothing but mystery and confusion , till the end explains them , and then we admire the skill and art of the poet. now the great obscurities and difficulties of providence are in such intermediate events , before we know what god intends by them . as to give an instance or two of it . had we heard no more of ioseph , but that he was sold by his brethren into egypt , and there falsly accused by a wanton mistress , and cast into prison , we should have thought that god had dealt very hardly with him ; but when we understand that all this was the way to pharaoh's throne , there is no man but would be contented to be a ioseph . thus the story of iob's afflictions strikes terror and astonishment into all that hear them : iob himself knew not what account to give of his sufferings , and his friends gave a very bad one , by falsly and uncharitably accusing iob of some unknown wickedness , to vindicate god's severity towards him ; and we should have been as much puzzl'd with it to this day , had we not been acquainted with the reason of iob's sufferings , and with that long and great prosperity wherewith god rewarded his faith and patience ; and now no man thinks the sufferings of iob any difficulty in providence , much less any objection against it . thus it is with reference to single men ; when we see only a scene or two of their lives , we may meet with such prosperous or adverse events , as we cannot account for ; but could we see from the beginning to the end , in most cases the divine providence would justify it self . but then the hidden and mysterious designs of providence relating to churches and kingdoms , which comprehend so many great and wonderful revolutions ; the translations of empires ; the removing the gospel from one countrey , and planting churches in others , where there were none before ; the increase and flourishing state of religion in one age , and its great declension and almost total eclypse in another ; those surprizing changes which may be observed in the genius , tempers , and inclinations of princes and people in several ages ; the unaccountable beginnings of war , and the as unaccountable successes , and unaccountable end of it ; the long prosperity of persecuting tyrants , and their sudden fall ; these , and such like events , must needs be very obscure and unknown to us , who know not what god aims at in all this , nor what designs he is carrying on . the designs of providence many times reach from one age to another , nay , do not come to perfection in many ages , and yet have all a mutual dependance and relation to each other , and are subservient to some last great end. the prophesies of daniel , and the revelations of st. iohn , as mysterious books as they are , and as difficult as it is to apply the several parts of them to their particular events ; yet thus much is plain in them , that there is a long series and chain of events , which reach from age to age , with infinite turnings and variety of wisdom , directed by a steady and unerring counsel , to some unknown , but glorious conclusion . and when the divine counsels are so deep and mysterious , and so far out of our sight ; when we see so little a part of what god does , and know not what end god aims at in it , how impossible is it , that we should understand the reason of particular events ? had we a certain and particular history of what god has already done , and could we certainly understand the prophesies of what is still to be done in every age , and in all succeeding ages ; that we could have one view of providence from the beginning to the end , we should be more competent judges of the wisdom , beauty , and justice of providence ; but when our accounts of what is past are so imperfect and uncertain , and our knowledge of what is to come much more imperfect than of what is past ; when we know so little of our own age , of our own countrey , of our own neighbourhood , it is as impossible to understand the reasons of providence , as it is to understand the wise contrivance and design of a comedy , by reading one act , or it may be but one scene of that act. this is certain , that we can never understand the reasons of providence , without understanding the counsels of god , and for what end every thing is designed ; for every thing is well or ill contrived , as it serves the end for which it is intended ; and therefore we may as reasonably pretend to understand all the secret counsels of god , as all the reasons of providence : this very reason st. paul gives , why the providence of god is so unsearchable , . rom. , . o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god ; how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! for who hath known the mind of the lord , or who hath been his counsellor ? dly . we are very ignorant also of the state of the other world , and while we are so , it is impossible we should be able thoroughly to comprehend the reason of god's providence in this world . it is a vain thing to talk of providence , without taking the other world into the account . were there no other life after this , it were not worth the while to dispute , whether there be a providence , or not ; for whether there be or be not a providence , things are as they are ; and if death put an end to us , it is of no great consequence which is truest . the only reason why some men so zealously dispute against a providence , is because they are unwilling to believe that there is a god , or another world ; and the reason why we so zealously contend for a providence , is to support our selves against all cross events , with the care and protection of a wise and good god at present , and with the hopes of a more blessed and happy life hereafter . so that in truth this dispute is not so much intended against providence , as against the being of god , and another life ; and therefore both these must be taken into the account , when they make their objections against providence , or all their arguments signify nothing : as for instance , it is not enough for them to say , and to prove too , that there are such difficulties in providence ( for the difficulties of providence are their great objection ) as no man can give a reasonable account of ; but that there are such difficulties as infinite wisdom it self cannot account for ; for tho there may be many difficulties which we cannot particularly answer ( as all wise men acknowledge that there are ) , yet unless they can positively prove , that infinite wisdom it self cannot answer these difficulties , the world may still be governed by an infinitely wise being ; and it is demonstrable , that they can never prove this ; for nothing less than infinite wisdom , can tell what infinite wisdom knows , and what difficulties it can answer : which shews how vain all these arguments against providence are , which at last resolve themselves into the ignorance of human understandings : that there is no providence , because we see such things done in the world , which , for ought we know , infinite wisdom can give very wise reasons for , but we can't . thus to come to the business in hand : it is not enough to prove , that there are such difficulties in providence , as we can give no account of , if there be no other life after this : but they must positively prove , that there are such difficulties as the next world can give no account of . all men must acknowledge this to be very reasonable ; for if there be another life after this , it is evident , that the reasons of providence must in many cases be wholly fetched from the other world . if we must live in another world when we remove out of this , then this life is but one short scene of providence , and the government of mankind in this world , is chiefly in order to the next ; and then the reasons of god's government also must relate to the next world : and if we must judge of the providence of god by its relation to the next world , it will give a general answer to all the difficulties of providence , and give us a satisfactory reason why we must not expect to understand all the particular passages of providence in this world . the general answer is this , that all the seeming irregularities of providence in this world , will be rectified in the next ; and when we see this done , we shall then see the wisdom of what we now call the irregular and eccentrick motions of providence . it is certain this may be so , and no man can prove it can't be so ; and if we had no other evidence for it , the reason and nature of things , upon the supposition of the other world , makes it highly probable that it will be so . all men who believe another world , believe also that good men shall be greatly rewarded , and the wicked punished in the next life ; and we christians are assured that it shall be so , by the express revelations of scripture ; that good men shall be eternally rewarded in heaven , and bad men eternally punished in hell-fire : and it is wonderful to me , that any christians who profess to believe this , should puzzle themselves about the difficulties of providence ; for what difficulties are there , which eternal happiness and eternal miseries will not answer ? the great prosperity of bad men , especially when they openly defy god and religion , and oppress all within their power , and persecute the true disciples of christ , and do all the mischief they can in the world ; and the poverty and disgrace , persecutions and sufferings of good men , are thought great difficulties in providence ; but could these objectors but look into the next world , and see dives tormented in flames , and hear him beg only for a drop of water to cool his tongue ; could they see lazarus in abraham's bosom , no longer begging an alms , but entertain'd with all the delights of paradise : could they see the punishments of tyrants , persecutors , and oppressors , and the glorious crowns of martyrs , would they then any longer complain of providence ? would they think god too kind to bad men , or too hard and severe to the good ? if the final rewards and punishments of good and bad men are reserved for the next world , there is no difficulty at all in the prosperity of some bad men , and the afflictions of the good in this world ; for they are not intended so much for rewards and punishments , as for methods of discipline and government ; that the justice of god is not so much concerned in it , as the wisdom of providence ; which we who know not what belongs to the government of the world , are very unfit judges of . this leaves room for god , as his own infinite wisdom shall direct , to exercise great patience and long-suffering towards bad men , to make them the ministers and executioners of his vengeance upon a wicked world , or to lead them to repentance ; and to correct the sins and follies of good men , to rectify the temper of their minds , to govern their passions , to exercise and improve their graces and vertues ; in a word , to make bad men good , and to make good men better : and to serve the wise ends of his government and providence by both . so that the belief of another world , gives a general answer to all the difficulties of providence ; and it does not become a christian to call any thing a difficulty in providence , which the other world will answer . that there are such difficulties as we can give no account of without another life , we all acknowledge , and know that it must be so ; for if this life have a relation to the next , the reasons of providence in many cases must of necessity be fetched from the next world ; and therefore when an atheist disputes with a christian against providence , if he will say any thing to the purpose , he must dispute against providence , upon the supposition of another life , and prove that the eternal rewards and punishments of the next world , cannot vindicate the wisdom and justice of providence in this . this is the true state of the controversy ; and bring them to this issue , and they will find little to say , which will give any trouble to a wise man to answer . but after all , we must confess , that we know so little of the other world , that it is impossible for us to give a particular reason of every passage of providence , which relates to the next world . i say , which relate to the next world , which are the greatest difficulties of all to good men . the belief of another life will answer all the difficulties of providence which concern this life ; but those difficulties which concern the state of the other world , it cannot answer ; but then there is a plain reason why we cannot answer such difficulties , viz. because we do not know enough of the state of the other world , to say any thing to them ; and therefore we ought not to trouble our selves about them here , but to stay till we come into the next world ; and then it is very probable they will be no difficulties . i shall instance in one very great one , and that is the state of religion in this world ; which is no objection against providence with respect to this life , but the whole difficulty of it relates to the next life . that since all men have immortal souls , and must be happy or miserable for ever , god should for so many ages suffer the whole world , excepting the iews , to live in ignorance , and in pagan idolatry and superstition : that christ came so late into the world to reveal the true god , and to publish the gospel to them ; and that so great a part of the world still are pagans and mahometans ; nay , that so little a part of the christian world retain the true faith and worship of christ : this is ten thousand times a greater difficulty than any present evils and calamities , because the consequences of it reach to eternity . but then the whole difficulty is no more than this , that we know not what the condition of such men is in the other world , who lived in invincible ignorance of the true god , and of our saviour jesus christ in this . this we confess we do not know , but believe so well of god , that we are verily perswaded , could we see what their state is in the other world , we should see no reason to quarrel with the justice or goodness of god upon their account . and have we any reason then to quarrel with god , only because we know not how he deals with the ignorant heathens in the next world ? if we knew how god dealt with these men , and knew that he dealt hardly by them , as far as we could judge , this would be a difficulty ; but what difficulty is there in knowing nothing of the matter ? for if we know nothing of it , we ought to say and judg nothing of it neither . men must be very much inclined to quarrel with god , who will raise objections from what they confess they know nothing of ; and yet i cannot guess how they should know any thing of the state of ignorant heathens in the next world , since the scripture says nothing of it ; and yet this can be known only by revelation , for we cannot look into the other world . the plain truth of the case is this : some men , without any authority of scripture , confidently affirm , that ignorant heathens shall suffer the same condemnation which christ has threatned aginst wilful infidels , and wicked christians ; and then it may well be thought a great difficulty , that god should as severely punish men for not knowing christ , when he was never preached to them , and they had no other possible way of knowing him , as he will punish those who have had the gospel of christ preached to them , but refused to believe in him , or have professed the faith of christ , but lived very wickedly . this , i confess , is a great difficulty , but it is a difficulty of their own making ; and i should think it much more safe for our selves , and much more honourable for god , to confess our ignorance of such matters as we have no possible way to know , and to refer all such unknown cases to the wisdom , justice , and goodness of god , than to pretend to know what we cannot know , and from thence to raise such objections as we cannot answer . whatever difficulties immediately relate to the state of the other world , we must be contented should remain difficulties till we go thither ; for we know so little in particular about the other world , that it is impossible we should be able either to satisfy our selves or others in such matters ; but these are not properly difficulties in providence ; for they do not so much concern the government of this world , as of the next . thus i have at large shewn , not only , that the absolute power of god makes him unaccountable , as the sovereign lord of the world ; but , that his infinite wisdom is above the comprehension of our narrow understandings ; he is not bound to give any account of all the wise designs of his providence , and we are not capable of receiving it . this indeed is so plain at the first hearing , to all men who believe god to be infinitely wise , and are sensible of their own ignorance , that i should have been ashamed to have insisted so long on it , did not all men know , who know any thing of this dispute , that most of the objections against providence , are owing wholly to this cause , that men will not allow god to do what they cannot understand : and the best way i could take to teach these men more modesty in censuring providence , was to shew them particularly , that if god govern the world wisely , there are a thousand things which they must of necessity be ignorant of , and then it can be no objection against the wisdom , justice , and goodness of god in governing the world , that they cannot in many cases give a satisfactory account of the particular reasons of providence . fifthly , let us now enquire in what cases this is a reasonable answer to all the difficulties of providence , that god giveth no account of his matters ; that the judgments of god are unsearchable , and his ways past finding out . and there is great reason for this enquiry , that no man may presume to attribute any thing to god , which can never be reconciled with the common notions of good and evil , just and unjust , upon this pretence , that the ways and judgments of god are unsearchable and unaccountable , and that we ought not to demand a reason of them . that there are such men in the world , is sufficiently known to those who understand any thing of some modern controversies in religion . i need instance at present only in the doctrine of eternal and absolute election and reprobation , on which a great many other such like unaccountable doctrines depend : that god created the far greatest part of mankind on purpose to make them eternally miserable ; or at least , as others state it , that he order'd and decreed , or which is the same thing , effectually permitted the sin and fall of adam , that he might glorify his mercy in chusing some few out of the corrupted mass of mankind to be vessels of glory , and to glorify his justice in the eternal punishment of all others , even of reprobated infants , as involved in the guilt of adam's sin . now thus far , i confess , they are in the right , that these are very unaccountable doctrines ; for to make creatures on purpose to make them miserable , is contrary to all the notions we have of just and good. but tho we readily confess , that the ways and judgments of god are unsearchable , yet men must not think upon this pretence to attribute what they please to god , how absurd , unreasonable , unjust , soever it be , and then shelter themselves against all objections , by resolving all into the unaccountable will and pleasure of god ; for god has no such unaccountable will as this is , to do such things as manifestly contradict all the notions which mankind have of good and evil . we find in scripture , that god abhors all such imputations as these , as infinitely injurious to him ; and appeals to the common notions of what is just and equal , to justify the general rules of his providence . the whole th . chapter of ezekiel , is a plain proof of this ; where god complains of that proverb , as reflecting upon the justice and equity of his providence ; the fathers have eaten sowre grapes ▪ and the childrens teeth are set on edge : that is , that the children are punished for the sins of their fathers . how unreasonable an imputation this is , god proves from that equal right which he hath in parents and children , which will not admit of such partiality : behold , all souls are mine ; as the soul of the father , so also the soul of the son is mine ; the soul that sinneth , it shall dye : and declares this to be the general rule of his providence , that a good man who does what is just and right , shall surely live ; that if he beget a wicked son , his son shall surely dye ; and if this wicked son beget a just and righteous son , he shall live : the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father , neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son ; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him , and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him . that if the wicked man turn from his wickedness , he shall live , and if the righteous man turn from his righteousness , he shall dye ; and appeals to them to judge , whether this be not equal : yet ye say , the way of the lord is not equal ; hear now , o house of israel , are not my ways equal ? are not your ways unequal ? this plainly proves , that all the administrations of providence are very just and equal ; and that to attribute any thing to god which contradicts the common notions of justice and righteousness , is a very great reproach to him , and is thought so by god himself : and therefore when the prophet ieremiah complained of the prosperity of bad men , as a great difficulty in providence , he lays this down in the first place as an unshaken principle , that god is very just and righteous : righteous art thou , o lord , when i plead with thee , yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments ; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper ? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously ? . jer. . this very complaint , that there are great difficulties in providence ; that the ways and judgments of god are unsearchable , and past finding out ; is a plain proof , that all mankind expect from god , that he should govern the world with great justice and equity ; for otherwise , ( tho such a providence it self would be a great difficulty ) there could be no difficulties in providence , if god were not by the holiness and justice of his own nature obliged to observe the eternal and immutable laws of justice and righteousness in governing the world : for upon this supposition , what could the unaccountable difficulties of providence be ? is it that we observe such events as we know not how to reconcile with the common rules of justice ? and what then ? this is no difficulty , nor unaccountable , if god observes no rules of justice in his government ; if he act by such an unaccountable will as has no law or rule ; by such a will as regards not what we call right and just , but makes every thing just it wills . the difficulty and unsearchableness of providence , consists not in the rules of providence , but in the events ; not in reconciling the rules of providence to the common notions of justice and righteousness , but in reconciling some events to the acknowledged justice and righteousness of god's government . this is the atheists objection against god's governing the world , because they think that the world is not justly and wisely governed ; and tho we can vindicate the providence of god , notwithstanding a great many difficult and unaccountable events which the atheists object , yet we can never vindicate the providence of god against unjust and arbitrary rules of government , which the reason of all mankind conclude to be arbitrary and unjust : as for instance : tho we see good men afflicted , and wicked men prosperous , and it may be can give no particular account why this good man is afflicted , and such a wicked man prosperous , yet we can vindicate the wisdom and justice of providence notwithstanding this ; and the unsearchable wisdom of god , is a good answer to it : but should any man turn this into a rule of providence , that by the sovereign and unaccountable will of god some good men shall be finally miserable , and some bad men shall be finally happy , this we can never vindicate , because it contradicts the common notions of justice and righteousness : and tho we cannot always judge of the righteousness and justice of a particular event , yet we can judge of the rules and abstracted notions of justice and righteousness . thus god had often threatned the iews , that he would visit on them not only their own sins , but the iniquities of their fathers ; which in some cases may be very wise and just ; of which more hereafter ; but when by an ignorant or spiteful mistake , they turned this into an unjust proverb , which all men acknowledged to be unjust , god declared his abhorrence of it ; what mean ye , that ye use this proverb concerning the land of israel , saying , the fathers have eaten sowre grapes , and the childrens teeth are set on edge ? as if children who had never eaten sowre grapes themselves , should have their teeth set on edge by their fathers eating them ; that is , that those who had not deserved to be punished for their own sins , should yet be punished for their fathers sins : this appears manifestly unjust , and god himself rejects it , as a reproach to his providence : and how difficult soever some passages of providence may be , we must own no rules of providence which are manifestly unjust . thus it is too certain , that much the greatest part of mankind will be finally miserable ; and this is very reconcilable to the justice of god , if the greatest part of mankind are very wicked , and deserve to be miserable : but to say , that god created the greatest part of mankind , nay , that he created any one man under the absolute decree of reprobation ; that he made them to make them miserable , can never be justified by the unaccountable will and pleasure of god , because it is notoriously unjust , if mankind are competent judges of what is just and unjust . the sum is this : that the providence of god is unsearchable , incomprehensible , unaccountable , is no reason to attribute any thing to god , which when reduced into abstracted notions and general rules of action , is notoriously unjust ; but the true use of it is to reverence the judgments of god , and not to charge any particular events of providence with injustice , merely because we do not understand the reasons of them . the general notions and rules of justice are not unaccountable things , for we understand very well what they are ; for justice is the same thing in god and men ; but the unsearchable wisdom of god can do a great many things wisely and justly , which our narrow minds cannot comprehend the wisdom and justice of . now this makes infinite wisdom a sufficient reason why we should acquiesce in the wisdom and justice of providence , notwithstanding such events as we cannot understand the reasons of : but an unaccountable will , which acts by no rules of justice , as far as we can understand what justice means , can give no reasonable satisfaction to any man ; for it is no reason to be satisfied with providence , that god does such things by a sovereign and arbitrary will , as the reason of mankind condemns as unjust ; for this does not answer our complaints , but justifies them . this is all the atheist endeavours to prove , and all that he desires should be granted him , to confute the belief of a god and a providence . that god does such things as we can give no satisfactory account of , does him little service , because the unsearchable wisdom of god answers such difficulties ; but if we will grant him , that god acts by such rules , as all men who judge impartially , according to the natural notions and the natural sense which we have of justice , must think unjust ; this is what he would have ; and he will give us leave to talk as much as we please , of the arbitrary and sovereign will of god , but he will believe no such god ; for this is not the natural notion of a god , to be arbitrary , but to be good and just : and to say that god is good and just , but not good and just as men understand goodness and justice , is to say that we have no natural notion of the goodness and justice of god , and then we can have no natural notion of a god : for if the natural notion of a god is , that he is just and good ; it seems hard to think , that we should have a natural notion of a good and just god , without having any natural notion what his justice and goodness is ; but instead of that , should have such natural notions of justice and goodness , as ( if we believe what some men say of god ) can never be reconciled with his being just and good. this then must be laid down as a standing rule , that we must never attribute any thing to god , which contradicts the natural notions which we have of justice and goodness ▪ under a pretence , that god is unaccountable , and his ways and judgments unsearchable ; for it is not the will of god , which is always directed by goodness and justice , that is unaccountable , but his wisdom ; not the standing rules of his providence , which are nothing else but perfect and unerring justice and goodness , but the application of particular events to these rules : and having premised this by way of caution , i come now more particularly to consider in what cases this is a reasonable answer to all the difficulties of providence . . now in the first place i observe in general , that the unsearchableness of the divine wisdom in governing the world , is a reasonable answer to all difficulties which have no intrinsick or essential evil in them . whatever we see done in the world , if it be possible to imagine any cases or circumstances wherein such a thing may be wisely and justly done , we have reason to believe that the infinite wisdom of god had wise and just reasons for doing it , tho we know not what they are . for is it not great perverseness to charge god with doing such things unjustly , as it is possible might be done for wise and just reasons ? and yet i challenge all the atheists in the world , to name me any one thing which ever god did , that could not possibly , in no cases or circumstances whatsoever , be wisely and justly done . the difficulties of providence do not consist merely in external events ; for all external events may be good or evil , just or unjust , with respect to their different circumstances of time , or place , or person , and the like : and therefore when we see any thing happen , which as far as we apprehend the case , seems a difficulty in providence , if altering the case would answer the difficulty , it is only supposing that god sees the case to be otherwise than we apprehend it to be , and the difficulty vanishes : and is not this very easy and natural to suppose , that god may know the case better than we do ? and is it not much more reasonable to suppose , that we mistake the case ; than to charge the divine providence with doing any thing hard or unjust ? but to make you sensible of this , i shall explain it a little more particularly . most of the objections against providence , relate to the good or evil that happens to private men , or to publick societies , to kingdoms and common-wealths ; such as the length or shortness of our lives , health or sickness , poverty or riches , honour or disgrace , famine , sword , and pestilence ; or the contrary blessings of plenty , peace , and a wholsome air ; the changes and revolutions of states and empires ; the removing kings , and setting up kings : now what of all this is there , that god can never wisely and justly do ? may not god have very wise and just reasons for lengthening some mens lives , and for shortening others ? for making men rich or poor , honourable or vile ? for translating kingdoms and empires ? for sending peace or war , plenty or famine ? and if all these things can be wisely and justly done , how can the doing of any of these things be an objection against providence ? yes , you 'l say , such good or evil events may be wrong applied to persons who do not deserve them , and then they become unjust ; and so you apprehend they many times are ; and this is the difficulty of providence : but now if there be no iniquity in the events themselves , when there are wise and just reasons for them , why should we not rather conclude , that there are wise reasons for them , when they are ordered and appointed by god ? are not the natural notions we have of the divine justice , a sufficient reason to believe , that god never does any thing but what is just ? and is not his unsearchable wisdom , which sees such things as we cannot see , a sufficient reason to confess , that god may have wise and just reasons for what he does , tho we know them not ? this is enough to satisfy all the friends of providence , and to silence its enemies : for if all those events which they think hard or unjust , may be very wise and just , as the natural justice of god is reason to believe they are , and as the unsearchable wisdom of god proves they may be , tho we do not see the wisdom and justice of them ; then it is certain , that what may be wise and just , can be no argument against the wisdom and justice of providence : and when we have so many reasons to believe a providence , such a may be is a reasonable answer to all such difficulties as are themselves no more than may bees . dly . the unsearchable wisdom of god is a reasonable satisfaction , as to all prerogative acts which we must seek for no other reason of , but the good will and pleasure of god ; i call those prerogative acts , which are the exercise of a free and sovereign will , within the bounds of just and good. the divine nature , as infinite as it is , confines it self within the bounds of justice and goodness ; and the prerogative of god , as the absolute and sovereign lord , cannot transgress these bounds : but there are a great many acts of sovereignty relating to the free exercise of justice and goodness , which are under the necessary direction of no law , but are only the free and unaccountable choice of a sovereign will : as in scripture god is sometimes said to do such things according to his will , according to the good pleasure of his will , according to his good pleasure ; which always relates to such prerogative acts , and signifies to us , that we must seek no farther for the reasons of such things , than the sovereign will of god ; as a sovereign prince , while he keeps within the legal exercise of his prerogative , needs give no other account of it , but that it is his will and pleasure . but there are some men , who will not be so civil to god , as they are to a sovereign prince , to take his sole will and good pleasure , for a satisfactory reason of any thing ; but quarrel about these prerogative acts , and ask a great many foolish questions , and make a great many impertinent objections , even against the exercise of a free and sovereign goodness . now in truth this is to deny god the rights of a sovereign , to demand a reason of him beyond his own will , for the acts of pure sovereignty : but yet i will grant these men , that tho in all such cases we must ask no other reason , but the mere will of god , yet god never does any thing for mere will and pleasure , in the sense that some men do , but has always wise and hidden reasons , which we cannot comprehend : and tho they will not allow the unsearchable wisdom of god a just satisfaction to other objections , yet methinks where they ought to demand no other reason but the will of god , it should abundantly satisfy them to know , that tho this will of god is sovereign and unaccountable , it is always guided by infinite and infallible wisdom . that you may the better understand this , i shall give you some instances of it , in the prerogative acts of goodness and justice . goodness indeed is essential to the notion of a god , but yet there are some sovereign acts of goodness which no creature could challenge from god , which god might not have done , and yet have been very good ; and why god exercises such free and prerogative acts of goodness , must be resolved wholly into the good pleasure of his own will. this is the account the scripture gives us , of that mysterious goodness , in the redemption of the world by our lord jesus christ ; which is therefore every where in scripture called grace , and free grace , and the love of god , and the will of god ; as christ tells us , that he came not to do his own will , but the will of him that sent him . and the whole oeconomy of our redemption , is called the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will : and thus is every part of our redemption ; as our new-birth ; of his own will he hath begotten us : the gifts of the holy ghost were bestowed upon the apostles according to his own will. god worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure : all which signifies no more but this , that these are such prerogative acts of goodness , as we must seek for no other reason of , but the sovereign will and good pleasure of god. now in such sovereign acts of goodness as these , the time , and manner , and other circumstances , and the rules and methods of administration , are all perfectly free and voluntary , where god has not bound up himself by covenant and promise ; and therefore we must satisfy our selves , that god has very wise reasons for what he does , but must not critically examine , whether every thing be done in the best manner that we can think on ; which would put an end to a great many foolish enquiries , with which men perplex themselves , and disparage the mysteries of our salvation : as , why god sent christ into the world , for the salvation of mankind ? whether there was no other possible way to save sinners ; or whether this were absolutely the best ? why god sent christ so late into the world , in the last days , when it grew near its end , and so many generations of men had perished in ignorance and wickedness , before his appearance ? why so great a part of the world to this day have never heard of christ ? and a great many other such like questions as these : to all which it is sufficient to reply , that our redemption by christ is an act of sovereign grace , and therefore we must enquire no farther than the will of god. had god never sent christ into the world , nor preached the gospel to any one nation , we should have had no reason to complain ; for he did not owe such a saviour to sinners ; and therefore we have less reason to complain of the time of his coming into the world , and that his gospel is not universally received by mankind . sovereign grace is free and unaccountable , and we need not doubt but that such stupendious goodness is administred by as unsearchable wisdom ; and it is reasonable for us to acquiesce in the belief of god's unerring wisdom , especially in such cases where we have no right to enquire beyond his will. when we receive all from god without his owing us any thing , it is a good answer st. paul gives , who hath first given unto him , and it shall be recompensed to him again ; for of him , and through him , and to him , are all things ; to whom be glory for ever . amen . thus the divine justice requires , that god should punish obstinate and incorrigible sinners ; but then he executes justice with a free and sovereign authority ; that is , he is not confined to time , and place , and manner of punishing sinners , as the inferior ministers of justice are ; but when men have made themselves vessels of wrath fitted for destruction , then god may punish sooner or later , publickly or privately , and in what manner he pleases , without giving any other reason for it , but his own will. god has more reasons of punishing sinners in this world , than merely to take vengeance of their sins ; and therefore he punishes them in such a manner as may best serve the ends of his providence , as may most advance his own name and glory , and do most good in the world . thus god tells pharaoh , for this cause have i raised thee up ; that is , either advanced thee to the throne , or preserved thy life thus long in the midst of all the plagues i have brought upon thy land , for to shew in thee my power , and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth ; that is , to take such a remarkable vengeance on thee , as may make all the earth confess my glory . would men but allow god the authority of a sovereign , who can spare , and reprieve , nay , pardon in this world , without the imputation of injustice , it would answer all the cavilling objections against providence , which relate to the punishments of bad men . god might then be allowed to execute speedy vengeance upon some sinners , and to delay the punishment of others , and to suffer them to be prosperous for a great while , without giving any other reason for it , than his own will and pleasure . god hath always wise reasons for these things , tho we do not always know them ; but if the sovereignty of god will justify all this , without any other reason , much more ought we to be satisfied with what god does , when we know that he executes judgment , and restrains and punishes wickedness , and governs bad men , with unsearchable wisdom . dly . that the ways of god are unsearchable , is a reasonable answer to all difficulties which concern such matters as we must confess to be above our understanding : i have already given you a great many instances of this nature , which i need not repeat ; and indeed he must be a very ignorant man , who is not sensible that there is a knowledge which is too wonderful for him , which the light of nature cannot discover , and which god has not thought fit to reveal : and is it not reasonable in all such cases to say , that the ways and judgments of god are above our knowledge ; and to be contented to be ignorant of what we cannot know ? this i am sure is the only remedy that is left us , and the only way to rid our minds of such perplexing difficulties , as are owing to our own unavoidable ignorance of things . this is sufficient to shew you , that the providence of god , not only as our absolute lord , but as the infinitely wise governor of the world , is and must be unaccountable ; and that this is a very reasonable answer to the difficulties of providence ; and the true use of all is , not to strive with god , not to quarrel at his providence , but to reverence his unsearchable judgments ; to bear whatever he lays on us , with patience and submission , and to compose our minds to a firm trust and dependance on him , in the most cross and threatning events . it is thought a great piece of wit , to be able to start some new objections against providence , and to find a great many faults in god's government of the world : but besides the great irreverence to god , did such men believe a god , it is a certain proof of the most despicable ignorance , that they are ignorant to such a degree , as not to know they are ignorant ; for if they did , they would not dare to judge and censure infinite wisdom . chap. v. the justice and righteousness of providence . the next enquiry is , concerning the justice of the divine providence . justice and righteousness is essential to the notion of a god ; and therefore if god govern the world , he must govern it righteously ; and this is the great and formidable objection against providence , that the world is not governed with justice and righteousness : and could this be evidently and convincingly proved , i would allow the conclusion , that then god does not govern the world . but i challenge any man who understands what the justice of god's government is , to charge the divine providence with any one plain and notorious act of injustice ; for the truth is , the ground of all these objections , is an ignorance of the nature of god's government , and of the justice of providence ; and when this is truly stated , all such objections will need no answer . justice is commonly divided into commutative and distributive justice ; the first respects mens rights and properties ; the second their deserts ; the first consists in giving every man what is his own by some natural or acquired rights ; the second consists in rewarding or punishing men , as the nature and quality of their actions deserve . and upon both these accounts some men impeach the divine providence . . because it is too manifest , that there is a great deal of injustice done in the world ; that a great many men are deprived of their rights and properties by fraud , injustice , or open violence ; and therefore the world is not justly and righteously governed ; which they think in the last issue must reflect upon the justice and righteousness of providence ; if god be the supreme and sovereign lord of the world . dly . that rewards and punishments are not justly and equally distributed ; that some bad men are greatly rewarded , and some good men greatly punished ; which is not reconcilable with the distributive justice of providenc . now the plainest and shortest way of answering these and all such like objections , is to consider , wherein the justice of providence consists , and what justice requires of god in the government of this lower world : for if god may govern the world very righteously , without doing what some men think justice requires him to do , and without hindring what they think justice requires him to hinder , this is a sufficient vindication of the justice of providence , whatever other objections they may make against it : and i shall state this as plainly and briefly as i can . . first then , i suppose i may take it for granted , that the justice of providence does not consist in hindring all acts of injustice and violence . there may be great violence and injustice committed in the world , and yet god may govern the world with great righteousness : which is no more than to say , that men may be very wicked and unjust , and yet god be very just. as for god's permitting so much evil to be committed , that is a greater objection against the holiness than against the justice of providence , and shall be particularly considered under that head ; but the justice of providence does not consist in hindring men from sinning , but in punishing them when they do . were it unjust in god to suffer men to do any injustice , it would be but a very imperfect kind of justice to punish them for it ; for upon this supposition , the justice of punishing sin would be founded in the injustice of permitting it ; and god must be first unjust in permitting injustice , before he can be just in punishing it . which shews how absurd it would be , to charge the providence of god with injustice , because there are so many unjust men , who do many unjust things . . for god may do that very justly , which men cannot do without great injustice ; and therefore men may be very unjust , and god very just : as for instance ; god may very justly take away any man's estate , when no man can do it without injustce ; and the case is the same with respect to honour , and power , and life it self ; for god is the supreme lord and proprietor of the world ; we are all his , and all that we have is his : we may have a right to our lives and liberties , estates , honours , and power , against all human claims ; but we have no right against god : he may give riches , and honours , and power , to whom he pleases , and take them away again when he sees fit , without being chargeable with any injustice ; for what he gives , and what he takes away , is his own ; and may not he do what he will with his own ? there can be no commutative iustice in a strict and proper sense , where there is no right but on one side ; for he who has no right , can suffer no wrong ; and he in whom the whole right is , can do no wrong in giving or taking away what is his own : and therefore legal rights and properties , which are the foundation of commutative justice , can be no objection against providence , for no creature has any legal property against god. the justice of providence does not relate to the rights of creatures , but to the moral and eternal reasons of things ; it does not consist in defending every man in his legal rights , which is the justice of human governments , but in rewarding or punishing men according as they deserve , or as may best serve the wise ends of god's government in this world . there seems to me to be no occasion for that dispute de iure dei in creaturas , what right god has in creatures ; for there is no doubt but god has an absolute , unlimited , uncontroulable right in all his creatures ; they and all they have are his , and at his absolute disposal ; tho it does not hence follow , that god may without any injustice make creatures on purpose to make them miserable : for tho creatures have no natural rights against god , yet the justice and goodness of the divine nature gives them a moral right to such usage as they shall deserve : as for instance , that an innocent creature should not be miserable , and that those who deserve well , should not be ill used . but these moral rights concern distributive justice , and result from the goodness and justice of the divine nature and government , not from the natural rights of creatures . we are absolutely at the will and disposal of god , as slaves and vassals are at the will of their lord ; but our security is , that god can will nothing but what is wise , and just , and good . dly . from hence it evidently follows , that in our disputes about the justice of providence , we must confine our enquiries to distributive justice ; that is , we must not barely consider what men have , or what they lose , or what they suffer , nor what the immediate and visible causes of all this are , whether just or unjust ; but we must consider what proportion there is between their condition , and their moral deserts ; or whether they enjoy or suffer any thing which will not serve the wise and just ends of god's government . if men are put into such a condition , as they have neither deserved , nor can make any good use of , or which does not make them instruments of the divine providence to serve some wise and good ends , by what means soever they come into such a condition , it reflects upon the wisdom and justice of god , who has the supreme disposal of all events , and by a sovereign authority allots all men their several portions and stations in the world : but let mens condition be what it will , whether they be rich or poor , happy or miserable , advanced or ruined by injustice , oppression , and violence , if this be what they deserved , what they are fit for , what the wise government of the world requires , it can be no blemish to providence , which directs and governs all things with wisdom and justice . so that it is no objection against the justice of providence , to say , that there are a great many miserable people in the world , and a great deal of injustice daily committed in it ; unless you can prove , that any of these miserable people ought not for wise and just reasons to suffer such miseries ; or that any suffer by injustice what they ought not to suffer : for if notwithstanding all the miseries that are in the world , and all the wickedness that is committed in it , no man suffers any thing but what he deserves , or what god may wisely and justly inflict on him , this abundantly vindicates the wisdom and justice of providence . thly . but for the better understanding of this , we must consider more particularly the nature of god's justice , and what acts of justice the government of this world requires ; and how it differs from the justice of human governments ; the confounding of which , has occasioned most of the objections against the justice of providence . . to consider the nature and exercise of god's justice : for tho the general notion of justice be the same , whether we speak of the justice of god or men ; yet the particular acts of justice vary , as they do even among men , according as their rights and authority differ . justice signifies to give to every man what is his own , and to take nothing from any man , but what is our own ; to serve our selves of other men , and to reward or punish them , as their actions deserve , and as our authority will justify . so that the particular expressions of justice and righteousness , as exercised by different persons , differ as much as the circumstances of mens fortune and conditions , relations , authority , and power , differ : for when two men do the same thing , it may be done very justly by one , and very unjustly by the other , because one may have a right and authority to do it , and the other have none ; as a prince or judge may very justly execute a criminal , and confiscate his estate , which a private man cannot justly do . now if the difference between a private man and a magistrate , between a prince and a subject , makes such a vast difference in the particular acts and exercise of justice and righteousness , as they respect such different states , that vast disproportion which is between god and creatures , must make a much greater difference ; that tho the general notion of justice and righteousness is the same both with respect to god and men ; yet god may do that very justly , which men cannot justly do ; as a prince may exercise some acts of justice , which a private man must not do . i shall at present only instance in god's absolute dominion and sovereignty , and shew you in some plain cases , what a vast difference this makes between the justice of god , and the justice of men. now god's absolute dominion gives him right and authority to do whatever is consistent with wisdom and goodness : for absolute dominion is absolute authority , and absolute authority makes every thing just , which is wise and good . a limited authority has a rule , and must not do what is wise and good , against its rule of right : no man must take away that which is anothers , and which he has no authority to take away , whatever wise and good ends he can serve by it . tho it were never so apparent , that it would be a great kindness to the man himself , to take away great part of his estate , which he uses ill to oppress his neighbours , and to make himself a beast ; tho he does not deserve the estate he has , nay , deserves to lose it ; tho we could bestow it upon men who deserve and would use it better , or could employ it to excellent uses , for the service of god , and of his church , or for the relief of the poor : all these wise and good purposes , would justify no man who invades another's rights without a just authority : but had any prince such an absolute authority over the estates of all his subjects , that he could give or take them away as he pleased , then such reasons as these would justify the exercise of such a sovereign will and power in transferring estates and properties , and all men would allow it to be very just and righteous . now this is the case with respect to god , as i observed before ; for he is the sole lord and proprietor of the world ; and therefore no other bounds can be set to the just exercise of his authority , but to do what is wise and good : he may give or take away any man's estate , or honour , or power , whenever he can serve any wise , or just , or good ends by it ; for they are all but several trusts ; we are but god's stewards , and must give an account of our stewardship : and if we do not use our riches and honours well , or when he has no longer any use of us , he has as absolute authority to lay us aside , as a lord has to change his steward , when he pleases . thus god is the absolute lord of all men : we are all his creatures , and are in his hands , as clay in the hands of a potter ; and therefore he may deal with us as he pleases , and may serve the ends of his own glory and providence of us , as far as his own wisdom and goodness will direct . thus for instance ; we think it very unjust in human governments to punish a vertuous and innocent man , to strip him of his estate or honours , to afflict his body , to expose him to publick scorn , and confine him to a noisom prison , and at last to take away his life with exquisite pains and torments : but the sovereign authority of god extends to all this , when he can serve his own glory , and the wise ends of his grace and providence by it , without doing any real injury to his creatures . the wisdom of god requires , that there should be very great and excellent reasons for doing this ; and the goodness of god requires , that such good men should be greatly supported under their sufferings , and greatly rewarded for them ; but then the sovereignty of god gives him authority to use the services of his creatures , in doing or suffering his will. this was the case of iob , whom god exercised with great sufferings , to make him an eminent example of faith and patience ; but we know what was the end of iob , and how greatly god rewarded his sufferings ; tho iob himself , while he was under these sufferings , knew not what other account to give of them , but to resolve all into the sovereign will and pleasure of god. the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , and blessed be the name of the lord. and , shall we receive good at the hands of god , and shall we not receive evil ? which indeed is answer enough to all such cases , while we have an implicate faith in the wisdom and goodness of providence . thus god dealt with ioseph , made him the instrument of transplanting his father and all his family into egypt ; and rewarded his sufferings , by advancing him to pharaoh's throne . nay , thus god dealt with christ himself , who , as man , was perfect and innocent , who did no evil , neither was any guile found in his mouth ; who went about doing good , and was obedient to his father's will in all things ; and yet him god delivered into the hands of sinners , to suffer an ignominious and painful death , for the redemption of the world . and the sovereignty of god will justify the greatest sufferings of the most innocent men , when they serve such admirable ends , and are so greatly rewarded . and thus god has dealt with some of the best men that ever lived in the world : witness the sufferings of prophets , and of other good men under the old testament , and of the apostles and martyrs of christ , who have trod in the steps of their lord , who have suffered with him , that they might be glorified together . i know not what the sovereignty of god signifies , if he may not serve the wise ends of his grace and providence , even by the sufferings of his creatures , when such sufferings , how uneasy and grievous soever they are at present , shall turn to their much greater good ; when they shall be so greatly rewarded , that good men themselves shall think the reward an abundant recompence for their sufferings , and glory in those very sufferings which will have so great a reward . thus let us consider god as the supreme and absolute judge of the world : now a sovereign and absolute judge must do that which is just , but he is tied up by no rules or formalities of law , as inferior ministers of justice are ; if he reward the good , and punish the wicked , he may do it at what time and in what manner he pleases : he is under no rule but his own sovereign will and wisdom . when men have deserved punishment , he may spare them as long , or execute vengeance on them as soon as he sees fit ; for he is the absolute judge of time , and place , and other circumstances of executing judgment . this prerogative all sovereign princes challenge ; and it is indeed an inseparable right of sovereignty . so that it is no reasonable objection against the justice of providence , that god does not immediately reward all great and vertuous actions , nor immediately punish wickedness , for a sovereign justice is under no obligation to do this : all that we can expect from the divine justice is , that good men shall be rewarded , and the wicked punished ; and that whenever god does reward or punish , good men shall have no reason to complain , that their reward was delayed ; nor bad men to glory in the long delays of punishment ; but the greatness of the rewards or punishments shall recompence for all delays ; for then god is just in rewarding good men , and punishing the wicked , how long soever he delay either . sovereign justice is not confined to time ; and when the sufferings of good men , who deserve a reward , and the prosperity of bad men who deserve punishment , and the delays of both are taken into the account , god is very just and righteous , how long soever he delay to reward or punish . from what i have now discoursed concerning the sovereignty of the divine justice , you may easily observe , that all the objections against the justice of providence , have no other foundation , but our ignorance of the nature of god's justice ; we measure the justice of providence by the rules of justice among men , without considering that god is the sovereign lord of the world , and therefore has a right and authority superior to men , and therefore a superior justice too . it is unjust for men to deprive one another of their just and legal lights , and therefore they think this a reflection on the justice of providence too , when men suffer wrongfully ; but no man has any right against god , who is the sole proprietor of the world ; and therefore he may give , and he may take away , he may set up and pull down , and do whatsoever pleaseth him , both in heaven and in earth . it is unjust for men to afflict and oppress the innocent and vertuous , or to encourage and prosper the wicked ; and therefore they complain against providence too , when good men suffer , and the wicked are prosperous ; but god has an absolute right to the services of all his creatures , both of good and bad men ; and if he can serve the wise ends of his grace and providence , by the sufferings of good men , or by the prosperity of the wicked ; and when he has no farther use of their services , rewards or punishes them according as they deserve ; the sovereignty of god will justify the present sufferings of good men , and prosperity of the wicked ; and their final rewards and punishments will vindicate his justice . dly . but for a fuller vindication of the justice of providence , we must consider the nature of god's government of this lower world , and what acts of justice the present government of the world requires . the justice of government must be proportioned to the nature and ends of government ; for all acts of justice are not proper at all times ▪ and it is no reproach to the justice of providence , if god do not exercise such acts of justice as are not proper for the present state of the world ; for justice is rectitude ; and what is not right and fit in such a state of things , is not just . the great objection against the justice of providence is , that all good men are not rewarded , nor all bad men punished according to their deserts in this world : but this is no objection against the divine justice , to those who believe that there is another world , where all good men shall be rewarded , and all wicked men punished ; for if all good and bad men shall be finally rewarded and punished according to their works , this is a sufficient vindication of the justice of god. and as for the justice of providence , tho every good man is not rewarded , nor every bad man punished in this world , this is no reasonable objection , if the state of this world will not admit of such a strict and exact justice . now not to take notice at present of what is commonly said upon this occasion , and what i have formerly discoursed more largely , that this world is not the place of judgment , but a state of trial , probation , and discipline ; where good men many times suffer , not so much in punishment of their sins , as to exercise their faith and patience , and to brighten their vertues , and to prepare them for greater rewards ; and bad men are prosperons , to lead them to repentance , or to make them instruments of the divine providence , in chastising the wickedness of other men , or the more remarkable examples of the divine justice and vengeance in their final ruin . i say , not to take notice of these things now , i shall only observe , that the justice of providence is nothing else but the justice of government , which in the nature of the thing must be distinguished from the justice of the final judgment . now to govern the world , does not signify to destroy it , but to uphold and preserve it , and to continue a succession of men in it , and to keep it in as good order , as the present state of things will admit . the providence of god , is that provident care which he takes of all his creatures , while he thinks fit to preserve this present frame of the world ; but to destroy the world , is not properly an act of providence , but of judgment ; and yet if we consider the corrupt and degenerate state of the world , did the justice of providence require god to punish all bad men according to their deserts , he must destroy far the greatest part of mankind in every age. this earth would soon be little better than a desolate wilderness , if none but good men were suffered to live in it : but this kind of justice god has renounced ever since the universal deluge . he then indeed exercised such a terrible justice and vengeance , as some men think can be the only proof of a providence ; he destroyed the whole world by water , excepting noah and his sons , whom he preserved in the ark ; but he promised that he would never do so again , notwithstanding the great wickedness of mankind . the lord said in his heart , i will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake ; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth : neither will i again smite any more every living thing , as i have done . while the earth remaineth , seed-time , and harvest , and cold , and heat , and summer , and winter , and day , and night , shall not cease , . gen. , . so that god will no more destroy the world , nor all the wicked inhabitants of it , till the day of judgment ; and then it is certain all wicked men cannot be punished according to their deserts in this world . the justice of providence then does not consist in rooting all bad men out of the world , or in making them all miserable in it , or in rewarding all good men with temporal felicity ; which considering the present state of the world , cannot be done without constant miracles , and the visible interposition of a divine power ; for when bad men are so much the greater numbers , they will have the greatest share and interest in this world : but the care of providence is to govern bad men , and to protect the good ; to restrain and govern the lusts and passions of bad men , to make them the instruments and executioners of his just vengeance on one another ; and to make some of them in every age notorious examples of his justice , to keep the world in awe , and to awaken in them a due sense and reverence of the divine power ; and to correct and chastise the miscarriages of good men , and to exercise their graces and vertues . the justice of providence consists in this , not that all good men shall be prosperous in this world , and all bad men miserable ; but that notwithstanding all the wickedness that is in the world , the world is kept in tolerable order , and is a tolerable place to live in ; and that bad men are as often punished , and good men as often rewarded , as the government of this world requires ; that no man suffers any thing but what he deserves , and what god sees good for him , if he will make a wise use of it ; and that how prosperous soever bad men are , there are few of them go out of the world , without some marks and tokens of a divine vengeance , tho not always so remarkable , as to be observed by the world . the sum is this ; god is very just in his government of the world ; but the government of the world does not require the same acts of justice that the final judgment of mankind does : and if we do but consider the nature of the divine justice , which is the justice of a sovereign and absolute lord , and the difference between the justice of providence , and of the final judgment , that is , between god's governing and judging the world , we shall easily answer all the objections against the justice of providence . this i take to be a full and true account of the justice of providence , and to agree very exactly with the actual administration of providence : for it is manifest , that all good men are not rewarded , nor all wicked men punished in this world ; that a righteous cause is sometimes oppressed ; and that oppression and injustice is very often prosperous ; which must needs appear a great difficulty to those who make no difference between the justice of god and men ; who think that the justice of providence is as much concerned to defend all mens rights and properties , as the justice of a prince is . this makes them quarrel against providence , when they are hardly and unjustly used by men , and so blinds their minds , that they see not the true reasons why god afflicts them , and neither reverence his judgments , nor make a wise use of them . the reasons of this seem very plain ; the only question is , how it agrees with that account which the scripture gives us of god's justice and righteousness ? for the righteousness of god is represented in scripture , by loving righteousness , and favouring a righteous cause . thus . psalm . the righteous lord loveth righteousness , and his countenance doth behold the upright . and the psalmist very often encourages himself to expect the divine favour and protection , from his own innocence and integrity , and the righteousness of his cause : . psal. . let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully , rejoice over me ; neither let them wink with the eye , that hate me without a cause . stir up thy self , and awake to my judgment , even to my cause , my god , and my lord. iudge me , o god , according to thy righteousness , and let them not rejoice over me . let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together , that rejoice at my hurt . let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour , that magnify themselves against me . let them shout for joy , and be glad , that favour my righteous cause ; yea , let them say continually , let the lord be magnified , which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant . , , , . v. the lord shall judge the people : iudge me , o lord , according to my righteousness , and according to mine integrity that is in me . oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end , but establish the just ; for the righteous lord trieth the heart and reins . god judgeth the righteous , and god is angry with the wicked every day . if he turn not , he will whet his sword ; he hath bent his bow , and made it ready : and concludes , i will praise the lord according to his righteousness , and will sing praises to the name of the lord most high ; . psal. , &c. where the righteousness of the lord , for which the psalmist praises him , is his judging and defending a righteous cause . thus in . psalm , , . he shall judge the world in righteousness , he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness . the lord also will be a refuge to the oppressed , a refuge in time of trouble . and they that know thy name . will put their trust in thee ; for thou , lord , hast not forsaken them that seek thee . it were easy to multiply texts to this purpose , where god is expresly declared to be an irreconcilable enemy to all injustice and violence , the protector of the widow , the fatherless , and oppressed , and of all just and righteons men : but those conclude a great deal too much , who would prove from such texts as these , that no righteous man , nor righteous cause , shall ever be oppressed : that good men shall always be prosperous , and the wicked always miserable ; for it is evident , that this was not the state of the world when these psalms were penned ; and therefore this could not possibly be the meaning of them . how many complaints does the psalmist make against his enemies , those who were wrongfully his enemies ? . psalm . that his enemies were lively and strong ; and they that hated him wrongfully were multiplied , . psalm . how passionately does he pray for protection against his enemies ? how long wilt thou forget me , o lord , for ever ? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me ? how long shall i take counsel in my soul , having sorrow in my heart daily ? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me ? . psalm , . the th . psalm is a plain proof , that wicked men were very prosperous in those days , tho they are threatned with final destruction . and to the same purpose the d . psalm gives us a large description of the prosperity and pride of bad men , many of whom spend their lives , and end their days prosperously : i was envious at the foolish , when i saw the prosperity of the wicked : for there are no bands in their death , but their strength is firm . they are not in trouble as other men , neither are they plagued as other men . — behold these are the ungodly , who prosper in the world , they encrease in riches . the prosperity of bad men , and the miseries and afflictions of the good , were in those days a great difficulty in providence , and were so to the psalmist himself ; and therefore it is certain , that whatever he says of the righteousness of god , and his care of righteous men , and his abhorrence of all wickedness and injustice , cannot signify , that god will always defend men in their just rights ; that he will always prosper a righteous cause , and righteous men , for this was against plain matter of fact ; and we cannot suppose the psalmist so inconsistent with himself , as in the same breath to compalin that wicked men were prosperous , and good men afflicted ; and to affirm , that the just and righteous judge of the world would always punish unjust oppressors , and protect the innocent : nay , indeed the very nature of the thing proves the contrary ; for there can be no unjust oppressors , if no body can be oppressed in their just rights ; and therefore it is certain the divine providence does at least for a time suffer some men to be very prosperous in their oppressions , and does not always defend a just and innocent cause ; for if he did , there could be no innocent oppressed man to be relieved , nor any oppressor to be punished . and if it be consistent with the justice and righteousness of providence to permit such things for some time , we must conclude , that it is at the discretion of providence , how long good men shall be oppressed , and the oppressor go unpunished . the plain account then of this matter , as it is represented in scripture , is this : . that as god is infinitely just and righteous himself , so he loves justice and righteousness among men ; he loves righteousness and righteous men , and hates all injustice , violence and injuries ; for the righteous lord must love righteousness , and hate iniquity : and therefore , though the divine justice is superior to all human rights , and his authority absolute and sovereign , to dispose of all his creatures , and of all they have , as his own wisdom directs , yet men cannot invade each other's rights without injustice ; and when rights and properties are setled by human laws , it is the rule of righteousness to us , to give to every man that which is his own ; and it is the justice of government to punish those who invade another's rights ; and this is that justice which the righteous lord loves in men , and the violation of which he hates . so that the justice of the divine nature makes god love righteousness and justice , and hate all injustice and oppression ; and the justice of providence requires that god should punish injustice and violence , and protect the just and innocent , as far as the nature and ends of god's government of the world requires ; and this the scripture everywhere declares , that god will do : that he is angry with the wicked every day ; that he is a refuge and sanctuary , and strong tower and rock of defence to just and righteous men . not that every particular bad man , who does unjust things , shall be immediately punished for his unjustice ; nor that every man , who has a just and righteous cause , shall be protected from the violence and injustice of the wicked ; for the experience of all the world proves , that this never was done , and therefore this cannot be the meaning of the promises and threatnings of scripture : but there is enough meant by it to vindicate the justice of providence in this world , to be a support to good men , and a terror to the wicked . . for first , it signifies , that in the ordinary course of providence , where there is nothing but the justice or injustice of the cause to be considered , god will favour a just and righteous cause . there may be other wise reasons , why god may suffer a just cause to be oppressed , and injustice to be prosperous ; and we ought to believe , that there are always wise reasons for it , when god does suffer this , because we certainly know , that god is no favourer of injustice : but he who has a just cause , may for other reasons deserve to be punished , and then god may justly punish him by unjust oppressors ; and thus injustice may be prosperous , and justice oppressed ; but where the other sins and demerits of the man do not forfeit god's protection of a just cause , the divine providence will make a visible distinction between just and unjust . dly , and therefore no man can promise himself the divine protection , but only when his cause is just and right . which is the reason , why the psalmist , as you have already heard , so often pleads his own innocence and integrity , and the righteousness of his cause , to move god to save and defend him . for god has promised his protection upon no other terms ; and whenever injustice prospers , it is not in favour to the unjust man , or his unjust cause , but in punishment to others , whom god thinks fit to correct and chastise by such injustice . tho wickedness may prosper for a while , there is no way to obtain the divine favour and protection , but by doing good ; for a righteous god can have no favour for an unjust cause ; and therefore if we believe that god governs the world , we must expect his protection only in the ways of righteousness , and this will give us a secure hope and dependance on god , that we shall not be ashamed , while we have respect unto all his commandments . dly , and for the same reason , though injustice may prosper for a time , no unjust man can be secure from a divine vengeance ; god does not always punish bad men as soon as they deserve it ; but sometimes he does , and he is always angry with them , and therefore they are always in danger . god is angry with the wicked every day ; if he turn not , he will whet his sword , he hath bent his bow , and made it ready , he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death , he hath ordain'd his arrows against the persecutors , . psalm , , . thly , and therefore though every particular good man be not rewarded , nor every bad man punish'd in this world , yet the divine providence furnishes us with numerous examples of justice , both in the protection and defence of good men , and in the punishment of the wicked . this is so notoriously known , that no man can deny it , that besides the ordinary miseries and calamities of sinners , which are the natural and necessary effects and rewards of their sins , and make them the scorn , and the pity of mankind , god does very often execute very remarkable judgments upon remarkable sinners , which bear the evident tokens and characters of a divine vengeance on them , and does appear as wonderfully for the preservation of just and good men in a righteous cause . both sacred and prophane story , and our own observation may furnish us with many examples of both kinds , which are sufficient to vindicate the justice of providence , and the truth of those promises and threatnings which are made in scripture . dly , the better to understand that account the scripture gives us of the justice of providence , i observe , that the protection and defence of providence is never promised in scripture merely to a just and righteous cause , but only to just , and righteous , and good men . this is not commonly observed ; and yet as soon as it is named , it is so evident , that it needs no proof ; and the consequence of it is very considerable . we cannot indeed separate a just and righteous man from a righteous cause ; for as far as he is engaged in an unjust cause , he is an unjust man : but if the divine protection be promised to the righteous man , not to the righteous cause , then a righteous cause may be oppressed , when the man has no right to god's protection , without any impeachment either of the righteousness or justice of god : which shews the difference , as i observed before , between the justice of providence , and the justice of human governments . the justice of human governments considers mens rights , the justice of providence considers their moral deserts . human justice defends bad men in their just rights , the divine justice , which is supreme and absolute , has no regard to human rights , when the men deserve to be punished . for god challenges to himself such an absolute right and propriety in all things , as to give or take them away when he pleases . and therefore he threatens israel by the prophet hosea , that since they had served baal with the corn , and wine , and oyl , and silver , and gold , which he gave them , therefore will i return and take away my corn in the time thereof , and my wine in the season thereof , and will recover my wool , and my flax , given to cover her nakedness , . hos. , . the . levit. contains the promises and threatnings to israel ; and the condition of both is , their keeping or transgressing his laws , and statutes , and commandments ; if they observed his laws , he would bestow all good things on them ; if they transgressed his laws , he would take them all away , without any regard to their rights or properties . among other judgments , he threatens them to deliver them into the hands of their enemies , who should oppress them in their own land , or carry them captive into strange countries . this destroy'd all their rights and properties at once ; and yet i suppose no man will say , that the philistins , or moabites , or aramites , had any right to invade canaan , and to bring israel under their yoke : and nebuchadnezzar had no better right than they , when he destroyed the temple and city of ierusalem , and carried the iews captive to babylon ; but god was very just and righteous in this , though he did not defend them in their just rights , because they had deserved such punishments . and thus throughout the book of psalms , the protection of the divine providence is promised only to good and righteous men , to those who love god , who fear , and reverence , and worship , and put their trust in him ; that if men be not thus qualified , whatever their cause is , they have no right to the protection of providence . and this is the justice of providence , not to secure human rights , but to protect and defend good men , and to punish the wicked . dly , we may observe also in scripture , that notwithstanding the justice of providence , and god's love to righteousness , and to righteous men , he still by a sovereign authority reserves to himself a liberty to correct and chastise good men , and to exercise their graces and vertues , and to serve the ends of his own glory by their sufferings . we must distinguish between acts of discipline and justice , which have very different ends and measures , as the correction of a child differs from the execution of a malefactor . for whom the lord loveth , he chasteneth ; and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth . he corrects us for our profit , that we may be partakers of his holiness , . heb. , , . very good men may fall into such great sins , as may deserve a severe correction , not only to give them a greater abhorrence of their sins , and make them more watchful for the future , but to be an example to others ; and in such cases repentance it self , though it will obtain their pardon , will not excuse them from temporal punishments , as we see in the example of david , when he had been guilty of adultery and murther ; upon his repentance god declared his pardon by the prophet nathan , but would not remit his punishment , which was not so much an act of justice and vengeance , as of necessary discipline . and these are generally the many afflictions of the righteous , out of which the psalmist tells us , god will at last deliver them ; whereas the punishments of the wicked , when god , after a long patience , awakes to judgment , are usually for their final ruin and destruction . thus good men may have many secret failings and miscarriages , known to none but god and themselves , which may deserve severe corrections ; which sometimes are made an argument against the justice of providence , when the correction is visible , but the causes for which they are corrected , unknown . other good men suffer for the trial of their faith , which is more precious than of gold which perisheth ; and are trained up by great severities to heroical degrees of vertue . all this is very reconcilable with god's love of righteousness , and righteous men , for it is the effect of this love : and thus good men for a time may visibly suffer as much as the wicked , which occasions such complaints , that all things fall alike to all ; but such corrections as these are not properly acts of justice , but of discipline ; not so much for the punishment of good men , as to make them better ; not the effects of anger , but of love. thly , we may observe in scripture also , that god exercises a sovereign authority in exercising his judgments upon wicked men . he does not always punish them as soon as they deserve punishment , but sometimes waits patiently for their return ; sometimes uses them as the instruments of his justice to punish other bad men , or to correct the miscarriages , and to exercise the graces and vertues of good men ; and when he has finished what he had to do by them , reserves them for a more publick and glorious execution , to be the triumphs of his just vengeance , and standing examples to the world , which we know was the case of pharaoh , and the king of assyria , of antiochus , and some great persecutors of the christian faith. thus have i shewn you , wherein the justice of providence consists , both from the nature of the divine justice , and the ends of god's government in this world , and from the account the scripture gives us of it ; which will enable us to answer all the objections against the justice of providence . i shall observe but one thing more , that it is evident from this discourse , that we must not judge of the goodness of any cause by external and visible success ; much less make the oppression of a just cause any argument against the justice of providence . for justice does not oblige god always to favour a just cause , when those who have a just cause deserve to be punished . god may justly punish bad men by unjust oppressors , for he is the sovereign lord of the world , and can dispose of his creatures as his own absolute authority , and unsearchable wisdom shall direct . chap. vi. the holiness of providence . the next enquiry is concerning the holiness of providence . for god is a holy being , as holiness is opposed to all impurity and wickedness ; and such as god's nature is , such his government must be ; and therefore the psalmist , . psalm . assures us , that the lord is not only righteous in all his ways ; which signifies the justice of providence , which i have already discoursed of ; but he is holy in all his works , as he tells us more at large , . psal. , , , for thou art not a god that hath pleasure in wickedness , neither shall evil dwell with thee : the foolish shall not stand in thy sight ; thou hatest all workers of iniquity : thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing ; the lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. and yet there want not objections , and such as some men think inexplicable difficulties , against the holiness of providence . and therefore my design at present is to set this in as clear a light as i can ; and to that end i shall enquire . what the holiness of god requires of him in the government of the world . . what it does not require of him . and . what is inconsistent and irreconcilable with the holiness of providence . and if god governs the world , as his essential holiness requires , that he should govern it ; if what men ignorantly object against providence be no just impeachment of his holiness ; and if nothing be justly chargeable on providence , which is inconsistent and irreconcilable with the holiness of the divine nature ; i suppose i need then add no more to vindicate the holiness of providence . . now as for the first , the case seems very plain , that the holiness of a governour , in the government of reasonable creatures and free agents , can require no more of him , than to command every thing that is holy , and to forbid all kinds and degrees of wickedness , and to encourage the practice of vertue , and to discourage all wicked practices , as much as the wisdom of government , and the freedom of human actions will allow . that god does all this , wherein the holiness of government consists , i know no man that denies : as wicked as mankind is , it is not for want of holy , and just , and good laws ; the law of the lord is an undefiled law , converting the soul ; the testimony of the lord is sure , and giveth wisdom unto the simple : the statutes of the lord are right , and rejoyce the heart ; the commandment of the lord is pure , and giveth light unto the eyes . the fear of the lord is clean and endureth for ever ; the judgments of the lord are true , and righteous altogether . . psal. , , . the great complaint is , that the laws of god are too holy for the corrupt state of this world , and most men think to excuse their wickedness by the degeneracy of human nature , and the too great purity and perfection of the divine laws , which they have no ability to perform . now the holiness of god's laws are an undeniable argument of the holiness of his providence and government , whether we consider these laws as a copy of his nature , or a declaration of his will ; much more if we consider them both as his nature , and his will , as all moral laws , which have an eternal and necessary goodness in them are ; for the divine nature and will , must be the rule and measure of his providence and government , unless he govern the world contrary to his own nature and will. nay , laws themselves are not only the rule of obdience to subjects , but of government to the prince ; and it is universally acknowledged to be as great a miscarriage in a prince , not to govern by his own laws , as it is in subjects not to obey them . princes may be guilty of such miscarriages , but god can't ; and therefore the laws he gives to us , are the rules of his own providence ; and then the holiness of his laws prove , that his government and providence must be very holy. and indeed we have very visible and sensible proofs of this in that care he takes to encourage the practice of vertue , and to discourage wickedness . this he has done by those great promises which he has made to the observation of his laws , and by those terrible threatnings which he has denounc'd against the breach of them , both in this world and in the world to come : but this is not what i mean , for men can despise both promises and threatnings if they do not see the execution of them ; and the promises and threatnings of the other world , which are much the most considerable , are out of sight , and do not so much affect bad men ; and that which is most proper for us to consider here , is how the external administrations of providence encourage vertue , and discourage wickedness and vice. now those who believe that all the miseries that are in the world are the effects or rewards of sin , as all men must do , who believe the scripture ; nay as all men must do , who believe that a just and good god governs the world , must confess that the divine providence has done abundantly enough to discourage wickedness : for it is visible enough how many miserie 's there are in the world : so many , and so great , as are commonly thought a reproach to providence ; but if they be the just recompence of sin , they are only an argument of the justice and holiness of providence . if we believe the scripture , mortality and death , and consequently all those infirmities and decays of nature , all those pains and sicknesses and diseases , which are not the effect of our own sins , or which we do not inherit from our more immediate parents , as an entail of their sins , are owing to the sin of adam which brought death upon himself and all his posterity ; and such a curse upon the earth , as has entail'd labour and sorrow on us . as for many other miseries and calamities of life , they are visibly owing to our own , or to other mens sins ; such as want and poverty , infamy and reproach , seditions and tumults , violent changes and revolutions of government , and all the miseries and desolations of war. take a survey in your thoughts of all the several sorts of miseries , which are in the world , and tell me what place they could find here , by what possible means they could enter into the world , were sin banished out of it ? what miseries could disturb human life , were all men just , and honest , and charitable , did they love one another as themselves ? perfect vertue is not only an innocent and harmless , but a very beneficial thing ; it does no hurt , but all the good it can , both to it self and others ; and when there is nothing to hurt us , neither within , nor without , we can suffer no hurt . and is not this a sufficient proof of the holiness of providence , that god has so ordered the nature of things , and the circumstances of our life in this world , that if men will be wicked , they shall be miserable ? can any thing in this world more discourage men from sin , or make them more zealous to reform themselves and the rest of mankind , than so many daily and sensible proofs , that there is no expectation of a secure state of rest and happiness , while either they themselves , or other men , with whom they must of necessity converse , or have something to do , are wicked . for you must remember , that i am not now a vindicating the justice , but the holiness of providence ; and therefore it is no objection against what i have now said , that many times vertuous and innocent men suffer very greatly by the violence and injustice of the wicked : tho this may be an objection against the justice of providence , which i have already accounted for , yet it is no objection against the holiness of providence , but a great justification of it ; for the more effectual care god has taken to give all mankind an abhorrence of all wickedness both in themselves and others , the more undeniable proof it is , of the holiness of god's government ; and this is more effectually done by the evils which we suffer from other mens wickedness , than from our own . men who are very favourable to their own vices when they feel the pleasures and advantages of them , learn to hate , to condemn , to punish them , by feeling what they suffer from other mens sins : when they lose their own estates by injustice and violence , or their good names by reproaches and defamations , or are injur'd in the chastity of their wives and daughters by other mens lusts ; this gives them a truer sense of the evil of injustice , defamation , and lust , and makes them condemn these vices in themselves , how well soever they love them . this is the foundation of human government , which keeps mankind in order , and lays great restraints upon mens lusts ; for did not all mankind suffer by one another's sins , i doubt neither good nor bad men would be so zealously concerned to punish and suppress vice ; and therefore the divine providence could not have taken a more effectual course to discourage wickedness , than to make all mankind sensible of the evil of sin , by making them all at one time or other feel the evil of sin , in what they suffer by their own or other mens sins . for were all men convinced ( and it is strange that their own sense and feeling will not convince them ) , that all the evils and miseries of life are owing to sin , and that it is impossible to be happy without reforming themselves and others as far as they can , what more powerful argument could providence offer to us to reform the world ? there are another sort of calamities , and very terrible ones too , which those who believe a providence , can attribute to nothing else but the just judgment and vengeance of god upon a wicked world : such as plague , and pestilence , and famine , deluges , and earthquakes , which destroy cities and countries ; and more ordinary accidents , when they act in such an extraordinary manner , as if they were directed and guided by an unseen hand . a great many such instances are recorded in scripture , and expresly ascribed to the judgment of god : god has threatned such judgments in scripture , and therefore when we see them executed , we must conclude , that they are inflicted by god , as the just punishment of sin. nay , those very evils and miseries which we suffer by other mens sins , are in scripture attributed to god , who has the supreme disposal of all events . for , as i observed before , it is not sufficient proof , that these judgments are not ordered by god , that we can find some immediate causes for them ; that some of them are owing to natural causes , others to men , others to some surprizing and unusual , or , it may be , usual accidents ; for whoever believes a divine providence , does not therefore believe that god does every thing immediately by his own power , without the ministry of any second causes , either natural , or free agents , or what we call accidents ; but he is only obliged to believe , that god governs all second causes to produce such effects as he sees fit ; that all nature moves at god's command ; that fire and hail , snow and vapours , wind and storm , fulfil his word , . psal. . v. that both good and bad men are under his government , and the ministers of his providence ; and that what seems perfect chance to us , is directed by his wisdom and counsel ; and then whatever evils we suffer , and whatever the immediate causes of them be , we must ascribe them all to god ; especially when the same kind of judgments , which had the same kind of immediate causes , are attributed to god in scripture , it is reason enough for us , whenever such judgments befal us , to ascribe them to the providence of god. but i need not dispute here , whether all those evils and calamities which befal sinners , are ordered and appointed by god ; for till they can prove à priori , by direct and positive arguments , that there is no god nor a providence , ( which none of our modern atheists pretend to do ) while they dispute only by way of objection , they must prove , that things are not so ordered as they ought to have been ordered , did god govern the world ; and if we can prove that they are , their objection is answered . now with respect to my present argument , to vindicate the holiness of providence , it is plain beyond all contradiction , that things are so ordered for the discouragement of wickedness , and the encouragement of vertue , as if they had been so ordered on purpose by the greatest wisdom , and the most perfect holiness ; and therefore we have reason to believe , that they were so ordered by a wise and a holy providence . as far then as to command and encourage all holiness and vertue , and to forbid and discourage all wickedness and vice , is a proof of the holiness of providence , i hope i have sufficiently cleared this point ; and i must desire you to observe , that these are direct and positive proofs , such as every man may understand , and cannot avoid the evidence of , and therefore are not to be shaken by every difficulty objected against them : for our knowledg is so imperfect , that there is nothing almost which we so certainly know , but is liable to such objections as we cannot easily and satisfactorily answer ; but one plain positive proof is a better reason to believe any thing , than a hundred objections against it , are not to believe it ; because since it is confessed on all hands , that our knowledg is very imperfect , it is no reason to disbelieve what we do know , and what we are as certain of , as we can be of any thing , because there are some things relating to the same subject , which we do not know ; and therefore unless the objection be as positive and evident as the proof is ( and i am sure , there are no such objections against the holiness of providence ) we may very reasonably acknowledge that there are some difficulties which we do not understand , and yet may very reasonably believe on as we did . dly . let us now consider , what the holiness of god's providence and government does not require of him : and i shall name but one thing which some men make a great objection against providence , viz. that there is so much sin and wickedness daily committed in the world. now if the being of sin in the world , or if the wickedness of men , were irreconcilable with the holiness of providence , this were an unanswerable objection against it ; for it cannot be denied , but that mankind are very wicked . but what consequence is there in this , that god can't be holy , nor his providence holy , because men are wicked ? we may as well prove that there is no god , because there is a devil . such conceits as these tempted some ancient hereticks , to assert two principles , a good and a bad god , because they thought , that if there were but one god , and he very good , there could be no such thing as evil in the world. but would any man think this a good argument against the holiness of a prince and his government , that he has many wicked subjects ? and how then do the sins of men come to be an argument against the holiness of providence ? to state this in a few words ; when we speak of god's permitting sin , we either mean the internal , or the external acts of sin. . the internal act of sin ; which is nothing else but the choice of the will : when men chuse that which is wicked , and fully resolve and purpose , as they have opportunity , to do it . this is the sin , this makes us guilty before god , who knows our hearts , though human laws can take no cognizance of it ; as our saviour tells us , he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her , hath committed adultery with her already in his heart . he who intends , and resolves it , and wants nothing but an opportunity to commit adultery , is an adulterer . if god then must not permit sin , he must not suffer men to will and to chuse any thing that is wicked , for this is the sin ; herein the immorality of the act consists . consider then what the meaning of this is , that god must not leave men to the liberty of their own choice , but must always over-rule their minds by an irresistible power to chuse that which is good , and to refuse the evil . but will any one say , that this is to govern men like men ? is this the natural government of free agents , to take away their liberty , and freedom of choice ? does government signify destroying the nature of those creatures which are to be governed ? does this become god , to make a free agent , and to govern him by necessity and force ? this , i confess , is a certain way to keep sin out of the world , but it thrusts holiness out of the world too ; for where there is no liberty of choice , there can be neither moral good , nor evil ; and this would be a more reasonable objection against the holiness of providence , that it banishes holiness out of the world . i grant , that god governs the minds of men as well as their external actions ; directs and influences their counsels , suggests wise thoughts to them , excites good men to great and vertuous actions , and lays invisible restraints upon the lusts and passions of bad men ; turns their hearts , changes their counsels , and diverts them from ill-laid designs , especially when they have no external restraints on them , and the pursuing such counsels would be very hurtful to the world , or to the church of god ; nay , i deny not , but in such cases god may by an irresistible power and influence govern the minds of men , not to make them good , but to make them the instruments of providence in doing such good , as they have no inclination to do ; and to chain up their passions , that they may not do that hurt which they intended to do ; as i have shewn at large above . and i see nothing in this , which unbecomes the wise and soveraign lord of the world ; sometimes by an immediate power to govern the minds , as well as the bodies of men , that they shall no more be able to will and chuse , than they are to do , what they themselves please . for though god has made man a reasonable creature , and free agent , he has not wholly put him out of his own power , but that when he sees fit , he can lay invisible restraints upon him , or clap a counter byass upon his mind , which shall lead him contrary to the natural tendency of his own will and lusts : thus it is in the natural world ; though god has endowed all creatures with natural vertues and qualities , and in the ordinary course of his providence suffers them to produce their natural effects , yet he has reserved to himself a sovereign authority over nature , to reverse its laws , or suspend its influences by an immediate and supernatural power ; and i see no reason , why god may not do this in the moral , as well as in the natural world , when the good government of the world requires it . but though god may thus sometimes by a supernatural power influence the minds of men , and chain up their lusts and passions , yet this is not the natural government of mankind , consider'd as free agents ; and it would no more become god always to over-rule mens wills in this manner , than it would always to over-power nature , and to govern the natural world , not by its natural vertues and powers , but by constant miracles . and if the ordinary and natural government of mankind , considered as reasonable and free agents , requires that god should leave men to the liberty and freedom of their own choice , which is the only thing that can be judged , and that is capable of rewards and punishments ; then it is no reasonable objection against the holiness of providence , that god permits men to chuse wickedly , that he does not always by an irresistible and sovereign power hinder the internal acts of sin. especially when we consider , that god gives men all those internal assistances of his grace , and lays all those internal restraints upon their lusts and passions , which are consistent with the liberty of human actions . though we know not in what manner the holy spirit works upon the minds of men , yet this we know , if we believe the gospel of our saviour , that god worketh in us both to will , and to do , of his own good pleasure : that he gives his holy spirit to those who ask him , to be a principle of a spiritual life in them : and bad men themselves , if they will but confess what they feel , must tell you , what strugglings they find in their own minds , before they can yield to the temptations of sin : how in some cases , especially at their first entrance upon a sinful course of life , natural modesty , in others natural pity and compassion , in others a natural greatness and generosity of mind , gives check to them ; how at first they blush at the thoughts of any wickedness , and are reproached by their own consciences for it ; how they tremble at the thoughts of a future judgment , or some present vengeance to overtake them ; and can never sin securely , till they have laughed away the thoughts of god , and of another world . such care god has taken to make sin uneasy to the minds of men , and to reconcile them to the love of vertue ; and if after all , they will be wicked ( as free agents may be , if they will ) this can be no blemish to the holiness of providence ; because it is no fault of providence to leave free agents to the freedom of their own choice . dly , as for the external acts of sin , it must be confessed , that god permits a great deal of wickedness to be actually committed ; such as thefts , murders , adulteries , perjuries , and the like . now this requires a different consideration ; for in human governments , this is thought a great miscarriage , to suffer any wickedness to be actually committed , which we can hinder the commission of . no man would be thought innocent , much less a prince , who should see a man murthered , a virgin deflowered , a robbery , or any other villanies committed , without interposing to hinder the commission of such wickedness , when it was in his power to do it ; and how then can we vindicate the holiness of providence , which sees and observes , and could easily hinder the commission of such wickedness , as it daily permits ? now rightly to understand this matter , we must consider , . that god cannot always by an immediate power hinder the actual commission of sin , without a perpetual violation of the order of nature , and therefore this does not properly belong to an ordinary providence , which is the government of all creatures according to their natures . we know indeed , that when ieroboam in great anger stretched out his hand against the prophet , who cried against the altar at bethel , his hand immediatly dried up , so that he could not pull it in again ; kings . . and that when vzziah would have usurped the priests office to burn incense , he was immediatly smitten with leprosy , chron. . . and there is no other way but this , for god by an immediate power to hinder the actual commission of sin , to take away mens lives , or their natural powers of acting , which may be of great use sometimes , when god sees fit to work miracles , but ought to be as rare as miracles are ; for such a way as this of hindring sin would quickly put an end to the world , or to the commerce and conversation of it , and is properly to judge the world , not to govern it . dly , and therefore though god does take care to prevent a great deal of wickedness , which men intend and resolve to commit , and watch for opportunities of committing ; yet he does it not by an immediate supernatural power , but in human ways ; and for this reason commands us , not only to do no wickedness our selves , but by our advice , and counsels , and reproofs , authority and power , to hinder other men from doing wickedly ; and this is one way whereby god hinders the actual commission of many sins , by obliging us to hinder the commission of them as much as we can : which shews , how men are obliged to hinder the commission of those sins , which god is not obliged by an immediate and supernatural power to hinder . dly , to be sure , for god to permit the actual commission of sin , can be no greater blemish to the holiness of providence , than to permit men to conceive sin in their hearts ; for therein the moral evil consists , when the will chuses and consents to it : the external action may be a natural , political , or oeconomical evil , but the moral evil is in the will and choice . and therefore the permitting or hindring the external commission of sin , does not so properly concern the holiness , as the justice and goodness of providence ; for to hinder the actual commission of sin , does not prevent the guilt of sin , for the man has the guilt of those sins , which he would , but could not commit ; but it hinders that mischief which the actual commission of sin would have done to other men by murthering their persons , or defiling their wives , or robbing them of their estates and good names . thly . and therefore there may be wise reasons for god to permit the external commission of many sins , as acts of judgment and vengeance on other sinners , or as acts of correction and discipline on good men . for since god very rarely punishes bad men , or corrects good men by an immediate power ; and yet punishments or corrections are the proper exercise of providence ; it cannot unbecome god to make the sins of some , the corrections and punishment of others ; that it is so , is so visible , that i need not prove it : for few men suffer any great evils , but from other mens sins : and if god take care as most certainly he does , to direct the evil which mens sins do , to light upon those who deserve to suffer by them ; it is a mighty vindication of the wisdom and justice of providence , and a sufficient reason why god should permit the external commission of sin. thly . especially considering how many wise and good ends god can serve by permitting sin ; as to render sin it self infamous and hateful by the great mischief it does in the world ; to expose the sinner himself to shame and punishment ; which both deters other men from sin , and contributes very much to reform the sinner : nay , many times god brings about great and excellent designs by the sins of men , both for the advancement of his own glory , and the good of mankind , of which many instances may be given , were it needful ; which is no excuse for mens sins , nor any reason why god should order and over-rule men by his providence to commit such sins , but is a very justifiable reason , why god should permit the actual commission of sin , when he can bring good out of evil , and serve the wise ends of his providence by it . thly . and therefore lastly , god does hinder the actual commission of sin , as often as he sees fit to hinder the evil and mischief , which such sins will do , as i have already observed ; sometimes he very remarkably disappoints wicked designs from taking effect , as it was in the case of haman and mordecai , when the iews were devoted to destruction : and we have as many instances of this nature , as we have discoveries of plots and treasons against the lives of princes , and the peace of church and state ; or private designs against the lives and fortunes of private men ; and how much unknown wickedness the divine providence every day prevents , we cannot tell ; but all the wickedness mankind would commit , but can't , must be attributed to the restraints and prevention of providence ; and then i doubt not but every bad man can give a great many instances of such disappointments which he himself has met with ; that as much evil as there is committed in the world , yet considering the great wickedness and degeneracy of mankind , we have reason to believe , that god hinders a hundred times more than he permits : and considering the wisdom and justice of providence , it becomes us to think , that god never permits the actual commission of any sin , but he orders it for some wise and good ends . and this i hope is sufficient to vindicate the holiness of providence , notwithstanding so much wickedness , as is daily committed . dly . the divine providence is not justly chargeable with any thing , that is utterly inconsistent and irreconcilable with the holiness of government . now since the permission of sin is very reconcilable with the holiness of providence , there can be no other reasonable objection against it , unless we could prove by plain and undeniable evidence , that god is the cause and author of sin ; and this indeed would prove , that god does not govern the world with holiness , if he had any proper efficiency in the sins of men : that is , did god tempt men to sin , or by any secret influences and impulses incline , and even compel them to sin. but the least thought and imagination of this is a very great blasphemy , and the greater and more unpardonable blasphemy , because there is no temptation to suspect any such thing of god. there is no way of knowing this , but either by our own sense and experience , or by reason , or by revelation . as for our own sense and experience , this can prove nothing : for no man finds any other force or impulse , but from his own lusts and sinful inclinations ; every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed . . iames . those who charge god with inclining mens hearts to wickedness , yet confess , that this is done by such secret influences , as no man can distinguish from the workings of his own mind ; which is plainly to confess , that they cannot tell by their own sense and feeling , that they are thus moved and inclined by god ; but only charge their sins on god to excuse themselves . every man feels what it is that tempts him , his love of riches , of pleasures , or honours ; and that the temptation and impulse is weaker or stronger , in proportion to his fondness and passion for these tempting objects ; but yet he feels himself at liberty to chuse and determine himself , and finds a principle within him , which resists and opposes his compliance with the temptation , as contrary to the will and law of god , and the dictates of right reason , and that for which god will punish him . and is there any reason for men to charge their sins upon god , when the only thing that gives check to them , and makes sin uneasy , is the conviction of their own consciences ; that it is what god has forbid , and what he will punish . this i think is no evidence of god's tempting and inclining men to sin , that he has imprinted on our minds such a natural sense of his abhorrence of all evil , and such a natural awe and dread of his justice that while we preserve this sense strong and vigorous , no temptation can fasten on us . if we appeal to reason , the reason of all mankind proves , that god does not , and cannot , tempt , incline , and over-rule men to chuse or to act any wickedness ; for this is a direct contradiction to the holiness and purity of his nature , and the justice of his providence . all mankind believe god to be perfect holiness , which is essential to the very notion of a god ; and reason tells us , that such a pure and holy being cannot be the author of sin ; nor were it possible to vindicate the justice of providence in the punishment of sin , did men sin by divine impulses , or by necessity and fate . and the scripture teaches this in express words , let no man say , when he is tempted , i am tempted of god : for god cannot be tempted with evil , neither tempteth he any man , . james . and all the laws , and promises , and threatnings , exhortations , reproofs , and passionate expostulations , which we meet with in scripture , if they mean any thing sincere , do necessarily suppose , that men sin freely ; and that god is so far from inclining and tempting men to sin , that he does all that becomes a wise and holy being to restrain and deter them from it . now when we have such direct and positive proofs , that god is not , and cannot be , the author of sin ; it is certain , that we can have no direct and positive proof that he is , nor is any such proof pretended ; and then some remote and uncertain consequences , which are owing to our ignorance , or confused and imperfect notions of things , or to some obscure expressions of scripture , are not , and ought not to be thought sufficient to disprove a direct and positive evidence ; no more than the difficulties about the nature of motion , are a just reason to deny that there is any motion , when we daily see and feel our selves and the whole world move . and yet such kind of difficulties as these , is all that is pretended to charge the providence of god with the sins of men ; the most material of which i intend at this time to examine . . one , and that the most plausible pretence to destroy the liberty of human actions , and to charge the sins of men upon god , is his praescience and foreknowledge of all future events . that god does foreknow things to come , is generally acknowledged by heathens , jews and christians ; and prophesy is a plain demonstration of it ; for he that can foretell things to come , must fore-know them . now from hence they thus argue , what is certainly fore-known , must certainly be ; and what is thus certain , is necessary : and therefore if all future events are certain , as being certainly foreknown ; then all things , even all the sins of men , are owing to necessity and fate : and then god , who is the author of this necessity and fate , must be the cause and author of mens sins too . now in answer to this i readily grant , that nothing can be certainly fore-known , but what will certainly be ; but then i deny , that nothing will certainly be , but what has a necessary cause . for we see ten thousand effects of free or contingent causes , which certainly are , though they might never have been ; for whatever is , certainly is ; and whatever certainly is now , was certainly , though not necessarily , future a thousand years ago . that man understands very little , who knows not the difference between the necessity , and the certainty of an event . no event is necessary , but that which has a necessary cause , as the rising and sitting of the sun ; but every event is certain , which will certainly be , though it be produced by a cause which acts freely ; and might do otherwise , if it pleased , as all the free actions of men are ; some of which , though done with the greatest freedom , may be as certain , and as certainly known , as the rising of the sun. now if that which is done freely , may be certain ; and that which is certain , may be certainly known ; then the certainty of god's fore-knowledge only proves the certainty , but not the necessity of the event : and then god may fore-know all events , and yet lay no necessity on mankind to do any thing that is wicked . in the nature of the thing , fore-knowledge lays no greater necessity upon that which is fore-known , than knowledge does upon that which is known ; for fore-knowledge is nothing but knowledge ; and knowledge is not the cause of the thing which is known , much less the necessary cause of it . we certainly know at what time the sun will rise and sit every day in the year , but our knowledge is not the cause of the sun 's rising or sitting : nay , in many cases , in proportion to our knowledg of men , we may with great certainty foretel what they will do , and how they will behave themselves in such or such circumstances ; and did we perfectly know them , we should rarely , if ever mistake ; for though men act freely , they do not act arbitrarily , but there is always some byass upon their minds , which inclines and draws them ; and the more confirmed habits men have of vertue or vice , the more certainly and steadily they act , and the more certainly we may know them , without making them either vertuous or vicious . now could we certainly know what all men would do , before they do it , yet it is evident , that this would neither make , nor prove them to be necessary agents . and therefore , though the perfection of the divine knowledge is such , as to know our thoughts afar off , before we think them , yet this does not make us think such thoughts , nor do such actions . how god can foreknow things to come , even such events as depend upon the most free and contingent causes , we cannot tell ; but it is not incredible that infinite knowledge should do this , when wise men , whose knowledge is so very imperfect , can with such great probability , almost to the degree of certainty , foresee many events , which depend also upon free and contingent causes : and if we will allow , that god's praescience is owing to the perfection of his knowledge , then it is certain , that it neither makes , nor proves any fatal necessity of events . if we say indeed , as some men do , that god foreknows all things , because he has absolutely decreed whatever shall come to pass , this i grant does infer a fatal necessity ; and yet in this case , it is not god's fore-knowledge , but his decree , which creates the necessity : all things , upon this supposition , are necessary , not because god foreknows them , but because by his unalterable decrees he has made them necessary ; he foreknows , because they are necessary , but does not make them necessary by foreknowing them ; but if this were the truth of the case , god's praescience , considered only as fore-knowing , would be no greater perfection of knowledge , than men have , who can certainly fore-know what they certainly intend to do , and it seems god can do no more . but thus much we learn from these mens confession , that foreknowledge , in its own nature , lays no necessity upon human actions ; that if god can fore-know , what he has not absolutely and peremptorily decreed , how certain soever such events may be , his fore-knowledge does not make them necessary . and therefore we cannot prove the necessity of all events from god's fore-knowledge , till we have first proved , that god can foreknow nothing but what is necessary : that is in truth , that there is no such perfection as praescience belonging to the divine nature ; for to foreknow things in a decree , or only in necessary causes , is no more that perfection of knowledge , which we call praescience , than it is praescience in us , to know what we intend to do to morrow , or that the sun will rise to morrow . but that god's fore-knowledge is not owing to a necessity of the event , and therefore cannot prove any such necessity , is evident from hence , that the scripture , which attributes this fore-knowledge to god , does also assert the liberty of human actions , charges mens sins and final ruin on themselves , sets before them life and death , blessing and cursing , as i observed before : now how difficult soever it may be to reconcile praescience and liberty , it is certain , that necessity and liberty can never be reconciled ; and therefore if men act freely , they do not act necessarily ; and if god does foreknow what men will do , and yet men act freely , then it is certain that god foreknows what men will freely do : that is , that foreknowledge is not owing to the necessity , but to the perfection of knowledge : and this is enough to satisfy all christians , who cannot reason nicely about these matters , that this argument from praescience to prove the necessity of human actions , and consequently to charge mens sins upon god , must be fallacious and deceitful , because the scripture teaches the fore-knowledge of god , and yet charges the guilt of mens sins upon themselves : and if we believe the scripture , we must believe both these ; and then we must confess , that praescience does not destroy liberty . dly , another objection against the holiness of providence , is this ; that god does not only foreknow , but decrees such events , as are brought to pass by the sins of men ; and therefore at least in such cases , he must decree mens sins too . we have a famous example of this in the crucifixion of our saviour : never was there a more wicked action committed , and yet st. peter tells the iews , that this was the effect of god's counsel and decrees . him , being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of god , ye have taken , and by wicked hands have crucified and slain , . acts . but if we consider the words carefully , this very text will answer the objection . for what does st. peter say was done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of god ? did they take him , and by wicked hands crucify and slay him by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of god ? this is not said ; but he was delivered , that is , put into their power , by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of god , and then they took him , and with wicked hands slew him : and then we must observe , that here are two distinct acts of god relating to this event ; the determinate counsel , and the fore-knowledge of god. the will or counsel of god , which he had fore-ordain'd , and praedetermined , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was , that christ should die an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of the world , which was a work of such stupendious wisdom , goodness , holiness and justice , that nothing could more become god , than such counsels and decrees . but then by his infinite praescience and foreknowledge he saw by what means this would be done , if he thought fit to permit it ; viz. by the treachery of iudas , by the malice of the scribes and pharisees , and by the compliance of the roman powers ; and this he determined to permit , and to deliver him up into their hands ; the certain effect of which would be , that they would take him , and with wicked hands crucify him , and slay him . so that though god did decree , that christ should die , yet he did not decree , that judas should betray him , or that the scribes and pharises , and pontius pilate should condemn and crucify him ; but this he foresaw , and this he decreed to permit , and to accomplish his own wise counsels for the salvation of mankind by such wicked instruments ; and there is nothing in all this unworthy of god , or unbecoming the holiness of his providence . and thus it is with reference to all other events , which are decreed by god ; he never decrees any thing but what is holy and good ; and though he many times accomplishes his wise decrees by the wickedness and sins of men , yet he never decrees their sins ; but by his foresight and wonderful wisdom , so disposes and orders things , as to make their sins , which they freely and resolvedly commit , and which nothing but an irresistible power could hinder them from committing , serve the wise and gracious ends of his providence . this is wisdom too wonderful for us ; but thus we know it may be , and thus the scripture assure us it is . dly . another pretence for charging god with the sins of men , is from some obscure expressions of scripture ; which , when expounded to a strict literal sense , as some men expound them , seem to attribute to god some kind of causality and efficiency in the sins of men . but unless we will make the scripture contradict it self , it is certain , that those few texts , which seem to make god the author of sin , are misunderstood : because not only some few particular texts , but all the natural notions we have of god , the very nature and design of religion , and three parts of the bible , either directly , or by necessary consequence , prove the contrary . and supposing then , that we could give no tolerable account of such texts , is it not more reasonable to conclude , that it is only our ignorance of the eastern language and phrase , which makes them obscure and difficult to us , than to expound them to such a sense , as contradicts all the rest of the bible ? but i do not intend this for an answer , or as some will call it an evasion , but shall consider these texts particularly . and the first place relates to god's hardening pharaoh's heart , that he should not let the people of israel go , notwithstanding all the signs and wonders which moses wrought in egypt : . exod. . where god expresly tells moses , that he would harden pharaoh's heart ; and in the story it self , it is several times expressed , that god did harden pharaoh's heart ; and he who hardens the heart , seems to be the efficient cause of all those sins , which such a hard heart commits . now rightly to understand this , which has given so much trouble to divines , there are many things to be considered . hardness of heart is a metaphorical expression , and signifies such a firmness and obstinacy of temper or resolution , as will yield to no motives or perswasions , that will no more receive any impressions , than a hard and impenetrable rock . and therefore to harden the heart , is to give it such a stiffness and obstinacy , as will not yield . but then there are several ways of hardening mens hearts , and some of them very innocent and holy , as well as just ; and before we charge the divine providence upon this account , we must know in what way god hardens : immediately to infuse into mens hearts an unrelenting hardness and obstinacy in a sinful course , is inconsistent with the holiness of providence , and would in the most proper sense make god the author of sin ; but though god says , he would harden pharaoh ; he does not say , that he would infuse hardness into pharaoh's heart . for we may observe , that men who have first hardened themselves , take the most innocent occasions to grow harder ; nay , are hardened by such usage , as would either break or soften other men : and those who treat them in such a manner , as their wicked hearts abuse to harden themselves , may be said to harden them ; as in common speech , we charge those with undoing and hardening their children and servants , who have spoiled them by too much indulgence , or by too great severity ; and this is the account that origen gives of it . and indeed when men are said to harden themselves , as pharaoh is often said to harden his own heart , and yet god is said to harden them ; there can be no other account given of it but this , that men take occasion from what god does ; take occasion , where no occasion was given , to harden themselves , as st. paul observes the iews did from god's patience and long-suffering , . rom ▪ , . or despisest thou the riches of his goodness , and forbearance , and long suffering ; not knowing that the goodness of god leadeth thee to repentance ; i.e. should lead thee to repentance , not harden thee in sin , though it have another effect through thy own wickedness . but after thy hardness and impenitent heart , growest more hard and impenitent by god's forbearance , and treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of god. and thus god hardened pharaoh , or thus pharaoh took occasion to harden himself , from those judgments which ought to have softened him ; and god foreseeing that this would be the effect of it , says , i will harden pharaoh's heart ; not , i will infuse hardness into him , but , i will do such things as i certainly know his hard and wicked heart will improve into new occasions , and new degrees of hardness . for it is no reason either for god or men to forbear doing what wisdom , and justice , and goodness direct to be done , because hardened sinners will harden themselves the more by it . and that this is the truth of the case appears from the whole story . that which hardened pharaoh , and made him so resolved not to part with israel , was the great advantage he made of their service and bondage , which made him impatient to think of sending away a people , which were so useful to him . to conquer this obstinate humour god sends moses to deliver israel with a mighty arm , and out-stretched hand . moses wrought such mighty wonders , and inflicted such miraculous and terrible judgments on egypt , as any one would have thought the most proper means , not to have hardened , but to have broken and subdued the most hardened hearts ; but this had a contrary effect upon a hardened pharaoh , and it is visible what it was that hardened him . some of these signs and wonders were imitated by the magicians , as turning their rods into serpents , and water into blood , and bringing frogs upon the land ; and upon this he hardened his heart ; though the plague of frogs was so grievous , that it made him somewhat relent , and promise to let the people go , and sacrifice unto the lord , if the frogs might be removed ; but then god's goodness in removing this plague hardened him , as it is expresly observed , that when pharaoh saw there was respite , he hardened his heart , . exod. . and thus it was in the succeeding judgments ; while any judgment was upon him , he yielded , and promised fair to let the people go ; that had any one of those judgments continued on him till he had parted with israel , he had certainly sent them away long before ; but when he saw one judgment removed after another , he thought there would be an end of them at last , and it were better to endure a while than to part with israel ; and thus god hardened his heart , and he hardened his own heart ; till the death of all the first-born put him , and his servants , and all the people into such a terrible fright , that they were glad to get rid of israel to save their own lives . and to compleat all , god still hardened pharaoh's heart to pursue after israel , that he might overthrow him and all his host in the red sea : and for that end , god led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the red sea , that pharaoh might say , they are intangled in the land , the wilderness hath shut them in : and it was told the king of egypt , that the people fled : and the heart of pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people ; and they said , why have we done this , that we have let israel go from serving us ? . exod. , , , . the report of their flying , and the apprehension of their being intangled in the wilderness , made pharaoh and his servants quickly forget what they had suffered in egypt , and think of nothing but the loss of the service of israel , which hardened them to a new pursuit , and was ordered by god to that end , that he might be honoured upon pharaoh , and upon all his host. this is the account the scripture gives us of god's hardening pharaoh's heart , which contains nothing that unbecomes a wise and a holy being . for though it can never become a holy god to infuse hardness into mens hearts ; yet when men have hardened themselves , and will abuse all the wise methods of providence to harden themselves , and are now ripe for destruction , it very much becomes a just and righteous god , to exercise them with such providences as he knows will still harden them , till they make themselves such infamous examples of wickedness , as may deserve a more glorious and exemplary vengeance : which is another thing to be considered in the case of pharaoh , and very necessary to the full understanding this difficult case of god's hardening mens hearts . god had peremptorily decreed , not only to deliver israel , but to punish egypt , both king and people for the cruel oppression of israel . and therefore he might without any more solemnity have destroyed pharaoh , his people , and land , and have carried israel out of egypt with a mighty hand : but when they had deserved to be punished and destroyed , and god had resolved to punish them , the manner of their punishment was at the free disposal of the divine wisdom ; and therefore he chose to punish them in such a way , as might make the glory and power of the god of israel known to the world. and this is the very account which god himself gives , why he took such a course with pharaoh , as he foresaw would harden and confirm him in his resolutions of not parting with israel , when he could have forced him at the expence of fewer miracles to have sent them away , if he had so pleased . i will harden pharaoh's heart , and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of egypt . but pharaoh shall not hearken unto you , that i may lay my hand upon egypt , and bring forth mine armies , and my people the children of israel out of the land of egypt by great judgments . and the egyptians shall know that i am the lord , when i stretch forth my hand upon egypt , and bring out the children of israel from among them , . exod. , , . the same thing he tells pharaoh . i will at this time send all my plagues upon thy heart , and upon thy servants , and upon thy people , that thou mayest know , that there is none like me in all the earth . for now i will stretch out my hand , that i may smite thee and thy people with pestilence , and thou shalt be cut off from the earth . and in very deed for this cause have i raised thee up , have all this time preserved thee , and not cut thee off , for to shew in thee my power , and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth , . exod. , , . and this reason god gives why he hardened pharaoh's heart to pursue israel , i will be honoured upon pharaoh and upon all his host , that the egyptians may know , that i am the lord , . exod. . this is diligently to be observed to vindicate the holiness and justice of providence . for though god infuses no hardness into mens hearts , yet if he exercise them with such providences , as he foresees will harden them , and does this with an intention and design to harden them ; this signifies his will to harden them , and such a moral efficiency in using hardening providences , as will as certainly harden them , as if he had infused hardness into them . and this makes little difference , whether god hardens men by external providences , or by an internal operation on their minds ; when he intends such providences to harden them , and knows that they will effectually do it . now i readily grant , that tho god infused no hardness into pharaoh's heart , nor did any thing which unbecomes a holy god to do ; yet he did intend to harden him , and did intend to harden him on purpose to multiply his judgments on egypt , and to destroy him and all his host in the red sea ; for this is so plainly expressed , that we cannot deny it . nay , i readily grant , that the providence of god would be justly chargeable with mens sins , did he without any respect to the merit and desert of the persons , by such insensible methods betray them into sin , with an intention to harden them : for what man is there of such a firm and constant vertue , as to be able to resist all temptations , which a long series of providences , chosen and directed for that purpose by a divine wisdom , could bring him into ? but yet when men have sinned themselves into such a hardened state , as to deserve to be destroyed ; and when god is so far provoked by their sins , as to resolve to destroy them , it becomes the wisdom , and the justice of god , without any impeachment of his holiness , to harden men by external events and appearances ; not in sin , which can never become a holy god , but in such ruinous courses as their own wicked hearts betray them to , and as will bring inevitable ruin on them . and this is the true resolution on this case ; . that god never hardens any men till they have deserved , and he is resolved to destroy them . . that then he does not harden them in sin , but in such ruinous counsels as their own sins betray them to . . that all this is done , not by the natural , or moral efficacy , but by their own wicked abuse of the divine providence . . to compleat all , when god has thus determined to destroy any person , or people , he many times inflicts on them a penal blindness and infatuation , not to see the things which concern their peace . these four particulars contain a full and easy account of this perplext doctrine of god's hardening mens hearts ; and therefore i shall speak distinctly , but briefly to them . . that god never hardens men , till they have deserved , and he is resolved , to destroy them . this must be laid as the foundation of all ; for by what means soever god hardens men , how innocent soever they may appear , if he intends to harden them , not because they deserve , and he has determined to destroy them , but only that they may deserve to be destroyed , and that he may with some fair appearance of justice destroy them ; it would be impossible to satisfy equal and impartial judges of the justice and holiness of providence : but if men have hardened themselves in sin beyond all the ordinary methods of recovery , and have so provoked a good and merciful god , that he gives them over to ruin and destruction ; then by what means soever they are hardened , which are not directly sinful , there can be no just reason to question either the justice , or goodness , or holiness of god , upon this account . for when men have sinned to that degree , as to deserve immediate destruction , and to provoke god to pass a final sentence on them ; god may either immediately destroy them , or keep them in that hardened state , like condemned malefactors reserved in chains , for a more publick and solemn execution . and this is all that is meant by god's hardening men , and this all mankind must allow to be just and holy . this was the case of pharaoh and the egyptians , who had so grievously oppressed israel , that god was resolved to punish them for it : and therefore he sent moses to inflict a great many miraculous judgments on them , not intending thereby to convince pharaoh , who had hardened himself against the power of miracles to convince him , and whom he had resolved to destroy ; but only to lay egypt waste , and to take a signal vengeance upon that cruel persecutor , by overthrowing him and his host in the red sea : and therefore he so ordered the execution of these judgments , that the hardened heart of pharaoh should grow more hardened by them . thus when god had determined to cut off ahab , as his grievous sins had long before deserved , he intended to harden him to go up to ramoth gilead , and fall there ; and for that purpose suffered a lying spirit to enter into his prophets to encourage the king in that fatal expedition ; and as god had foretold , they did prevail against micaiah the prophet of the lord , who plainly told him , that he should fall in it , kings . thus when god was so provoked with the sins of iudah , that he had resolved to deliver them into the hands of the chaldaeans , who should destroy their city and temple , and carry them captive to babylon , he pronounced this hardening sentence on them , go , and tell this people , hear ye indeed , but understand not ; and see ye indeed , but perceive not . make the heart of this people fat , and make their ears heavy , and shut their eyes ; lest they see with their eyes , and hear with their ears , and understand with their hearts , and convert , and be healed . what this means , ye shall hear more hereafter ; all that i observe at present , is , that this sentence was not pronounced against them , till god had resolved to carry them into captivity , and to lay their city and countrey desolate , as the prophet tells us in the next verse . then , said i , lord , how long ? and he answered , until the cities be wasted without inhabitants , and the houses without man , and the land be utterly desolate , . isaiah , , . and this was the state of the iews in our saviour's days , when god had determined the final destruction of the iewish nation , their city , temple and polity , for their great sin in crucifying their messias , as christ tells us , . matth. , , . o ierusalem , ierusalem , thou that killest the prophets , and stonest them that are sent unto thee , how often would i have gathered thy children together , even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings , and ye would not ? behold your house is left unto you desolate . for i say unto you , ye shall not see me henceforth , till ye shall say , blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord , . luke , , , . and when he came near he beheld the city , and wept over it ; saying , if thou hadst known , even thou , in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace , but now they are hid from thine eyes . for the days shall come upon thee , that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee , and compass thee round , and keep thee in on every side ; and shall lay thee even with the ground , and thy children within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another : because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation . now with respect to this final sentence which god had pronounced against them , though he delayed the execution of it for forty years , st. paul applies to them the case of a hardened pharaoh , whom god spared also a great while , as he did them , though he had determined to destroy him by a signal overthrow ; to shew his power , and that his name might be declared throughout all the earth . and there was no reason to quarrel with god , though he delayed to destroy them for some years after he had determined to destroy them , to make them also a more remarkable example of a just vengeance , and more glorious power . what if god willing to shew his wrath , and to make his power known , endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction ? that is , delays for many years the execution of those whom he has decreed to destroy for their great sins , by an irreversible sentence : for such only are the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction , . rom. , . and for the same reason he applies to them the prophesy of isaiah , concerning the judicial blindness and deafness of the iewish nation , when god had determined to deliver them into the hands of the king of babylon , which was a prophesy of them also , and received its full accomplishment in the final destruction of ierusalem by the romans , . acts , . so that it is plain from all these examples , ( and i know no example in all the scripture to the contrary ) that god never hardens men , till he has first determined to punish or to destroy them : and i shall only add ; that this hardening , which is the effect of god's decree to punish , or to destroy , relates only to some temporal evils and calamities which god intends to bring on them , not to the eternal miseries of the next world . god is never said to harden any men , that he may eternally damn them , that is wholly owing to their own hard and impenitent hearts ; but god does sometimes harden men , in order to take a more exemplary vengeance on them in this world , which serves the wise ends of providence , and makes his power and glory known . dly , this will more evidently appear , if we consider , that god is never said to harden any men in sin , but he only hardens and confirms them in such ruinous counsels as will bring that destruction on them , which god has ordained and determined for them . they harden themselves in sin , and make it wise and just for god to punish or destroy them ; and when god resolves to do so , then sometimes he hardens them in such courses as will bring a terrible vengeance on them . i need instance only in the case of pharaoh , which is the most express text we have for god's hardening men . now what did god harden pharaoh in ? did he harden him against believing moses , and those miracles which he wrought in the name , and by the power of the god of israel ? no such matter ; there is no such thing said ; but he hardened him not to let the people go . pharaoh hardened himself against believing moses , and the miracles he wrought , against owning and submitting to the power and sovereign authority of the god of israel ; though when he felt the judgments inflicted on him , they were so uneasy , as to make him relent , and to promise to send israel away : but his great concernment was , how to keep israel , and to get rid of these plagues ; and his firm resolution was never to part with israel , as long as he had any hopes that he might keep them safely . now though it was indeed a very great evil to disbelieve moses , and to disobey god's command , attested and confirmed by miracles ; yet separated from this , it was no moral evil not to part with israel , who had now been the subjects of egypt for above two hundred years and therefore when the dispute was not about believing and obeying god and moses , which pharaoh had no regard to , but only whether he should let israel go to avoid these plagues which he suffered for their sake ; though god did not harden him in his infidelity and disobedience , yet he did harden him against parting with israel ; that is , he hardened him not in sin , for the infidelity and disobedience , which was the only sinfulness of it , was wholly his own ; but he hardened him in the most ruinous counsel he could possibly have taken , which would bring new plagues on egypt , and end in his own final ruin. this was the case of ahab , god did resolve to send him to ramoth gilead to fall there , and suffered a lying spirit to enter into the mouths of his prophets , and to harden him in that expedition , against the prophetick threatnings of micaiah ; that all things considered , it may be said , that god perswaded , and that god hardened ahab to go to ramoth gilead . now suppose this , yet it is not to harden him in sin ; for it was no sin to go to fight against ramoth gilead ; but it was only to harden him in a dangerous attempt , and which god intended should be fatal to him . a great many instances of this nature may be given , where god hardens men in such courses as shall , and are intended by god to prove either a very sore punishment to them , or their utter ruin ; but there is no one instance can be given of gods persuading , or tempting , or hardening men in any thing , which is in its own nature evil . and were this well considered , it would answer and shame a great many ignorant objections against providence . dly , but we must farther observe , that when god does thus harden men in ruinous counsels , on purpose to punish or destroy them , he does nothing which has either any natural or moral efficacy to harden them ; but by their own wickedness they abuse the providence of god to harden themselves . this i have particularly shewn in the case of pharaoh : those signs and wonders which god wrought in egypt , and that undeniable proof that they were sent by god , in that they were inflicted and removed at the word of moses , and the goodness of god in removing one judgment after another at his request , would have convinced and softned other men , but hardened him . st. paul tell us , that the natural end and use of god's patience and long-suffering is to lead us to repentance ; and therefore when it hardens some men in sinful and destructive courses , as we too often see it does , there is no reason to charge this on the patience of god , but on the wickedness of men . god permitted a lying spirit to enter into ahab's prophets to persuade him to go against ramoth-gilead ; and though god might very justly have left him in the hands of those false prophets of his own making and chusing , yet he sends his own prophet micaiah , whom all israel knew to be the lord's prophet , to assure him , that if he went against ramoth-gilead , he should perish there . and therefore god did not deceive ahab , but he deceived himself , by preferring the prophets of baal before the lord's prophet , which was owing to his own wicked idolatrous heart . god never deceives or hardens any men by the external events and appearances of providence , but those , whose own lusts and wicked hearts deceive and harden them . there is always enough , even in those providences , which men abuse to harden themselves , to have reclaimed and softened them , if they would have made a wise use of it . and when men have sinned themselves into such a hardened state as to forfeit the protection of providence ; god may do what is wise , and just , and holy , though he knows , that they will abuse it to their own ruin , and intends to bring ruin on them by it . and it is a glorious vindication of the wisdom , and goodness , and holiness of god , when all the world shall see , that such mens ruin is wholly owing to themselves , to their wicked abuse of all those wise and gracious methods , which would have reclaimed and saved them , if they would have been reclaimed , and saved . thly , to understand the full and comprehensive notion of god's hardening men , we must observe farther , that when god has been so far provoked , as to resolve the final destruction of any person , or people , he many times inflicts on them a judicial blindness and infatuation , which betrays them to such foolish counsels , as must inevitably prove their ruin . that god many times does this , the scripture witnesseth , he leadeth counsellors away spoiled , and maketh the judges fools . he removeth away the speech of the trusty ( in whose counsel men used to confide ) and taketh away the understanding of the aged . he taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth , and causeth them to wander in a wilderness , where there is no way . that is , entangles and perplexes their counsels . they grope in the dark without light , and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man : to reel from one resolution to another , in great uncertainty what to do ; . iob , , , . thus . isaiah , , , . surely the princes of zoan are fools , the counsel of the wise counsellors of pharaoh is become bruitish . how say ye unto pharaoh , i am the son of the wise , the son of ancient kings ? where are they ? where are thy wise men ? and let them tell thee now , and let them know what the lord of host hath purposed upon egypt . the princes of zoan are become fools , the princes of noph are deceived ; they have also seduced egypt , even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof . the lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof , and they have caused egypt to err in every work thereof , as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit . we have a plain example of this in absalom , whom god resolved to punish for his rebellion against david , his king and father ; david had prayed , that god would turn the counsel of ahitophel into foolishness ; and accordingly god so ordered it , as to defeat the good counsel of ahitophel by the advice of hushai . and the reason of it is given ; for the lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of ahitophel , to the intent that the lord might bring evil upon absalom , sam. . . this makes men as hard as they are blind ; they mistake their true interest , flatter themselves with vain hopes , run themselves into the most apparent and inevitable dangers , without seeing them themselves , though every body else sees them : and something of this nature we must own in pharaoh's case : for without such an infatuation , it is impossible to conceive , that he should have persisted so long in his resolution not to part with israel , though it were to the utter ruin and desolation of his countrey ; much less , that he should have pursued them into the red sea , whose fluid walls threatned him with immediate destruction . and this i take to be that blindness which god threatens against iudah , . isaiah , . go and tell this people , hear ye indeed , but understand not ; and see ye indeed , but perceive not . make the heart of this people fat , and make their ears heavy , and shut their eyes ; lest they see with their eyes , and hear with their ears , and understand with their hearts , and convert , and be healed . for here is a double blindness taken notice of in the text ; one which they brought upon themselves , another which god threatens to inflict on them . they did hear , but not understand ; they did see , but not perceive : that is , they stopt their own ears , and shut their own eyes , against all the adomonitions and reproofs of god's prophets : for thus our saviour expounds it , as their own act , and wilful voluntary blindness . . matth. , . and in them is fulfilled the prophesy of isaiah ; ( for a prophesy it was , as it concerned the iews in our saviour's days , though it was a description of the actual deafness and blindness of the iews in the prophet's days ) which saith , by hearing ye shall hear , and shall not understand ; and seeing ye shall see , and shall not perceive . for this peoples heart is waxed gross , and their ears are dull of hearing , and their eyes have they closed , lest at any time they should see with their eyes , and hear with their ears , and understand with their heart , and should be converted , and i should heal them . and thus st. paul represents it , . acts , . this is their sinful blindness and deafness , which is wholly owing to themselves , and for the punishment of which god threatens them with a penal and judicial blindness . for when god commands the prophet to make their heart fat , and their ears heavy , and to shut their eyes , it can signify nothing else but his passping a final decree and sentence of blindness and deafness on them : not such a blindness , as should betray them to , and harden them in sin ; god may leave men in such a state of blindness , when they have wilfully blinded and hardened themselves , but he never inflicts it : but such a blindness , as would betray them into that ruin and destruction whcih god had so justly decreed for them : for this blindness and deafness which was inflicted on them in the prophet's days , was in order to their captivity in babylon , and the destruciton of their city and temple by the chaldaeans ; that in our saviour's days was in order to their final destruction by the romans ; and our saviour tells us what kind of blindness was inflicted on them ; that the things belonging to their peace , which would preserve their nation from being destroyed , were now hid from their eyes , . luke and the story verifies this : for certainly never was there a greater infatuation upon any people , than upon the iews at both times ; who forced both the chaldaeans and romans to destroy them , whether they would or no ; and when they intended no such thing . and many examples there are of such a judicial blindness and infatuation in every age of the world : there are seldom any great and remarkable calamities , which befall any persons , especially nations , but by-standers see , how they undo themselves by their own stupid wilfulness and folly : as has been long since observed . quos perdere vult iupiter , prius dementat . that god first blinds and infatuates those , whom he intends to destroy . and this is what the scripture means by hardening mens hearts , and blinding their eyes , as i hope appears from what i have now discoursed ; and no man has any reason to quarrel either with the justice or holiness of god upon this account . but we have all great reason to take warning by these examples , lest we provoke god so long by our sins , by our own wilful blindness and hardness , that he inflict this judicial blindness on us , that he shut our eyes not to see the things that belong to our peace ; whcih we have so many sad symptoms of already among us , that it is time to take warning . nothing can be more just , than for god to harden those men to their own ruin , who harden themselves against his fear : so to blind those , who will not see , nor regard their duty , as to mistake their interest too . and the only way to prevent such a judicial hardness and infatuation , is to reverence god , to have respect to all his commandments ; in the first place to take care of our duty , and then to commit our ways unto the lord , in a secure dependance on his providence . there are several other texts of scripture alledged to this purpose , to charge god with the sins of men ; but they will receive a shorter answer . as , dly , those texts which ascribe what is done by the sins of men to god's doing . but the answer to this is plain ; for god can and does bring to pass a great many wise and holy designs by the sins of men , without being the author of their sins ; and it is only the event which is attributed to god , not the sin , whereby such events are brought to pass . this will appear at the first view by considering some of these texts . ioseph's brethren sold him to the ishmaelites , who carried him into egypt , where god advanced him to pharaoh's throne . ioseph tells his brethren , that though they sold him , it was god that sent him before them into egypt to preserve their lives : so now it was not you that sent me hither , but god , . gen. , , . ioseph does not say , that it was from god that his brethren sold him ; this was their own act , and all the wickedness of it was their own ; but it was god who sent him into egypt , which his brethren never thought of , nor intended , their only concern being to get rid of him ; and when god did that , which they never intended to do , that may well be said to be god's doings , who permitted their wickedness , and made use of it to accomplish his own wise counsels : as he tells his brethren ; as for you , ye thought evil against me , but god meant it unto good , to bring to pass , as it is this day , to save much people alive , . gen. . when iob was plundered by the sabaeans , and chaldaeans , he attributes it to god. the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , . job . and so must all men say , who believe a providence , that all the good or evil that happens to us in this world , whoever be the immediate instruments of it , is ordered and disposed by god ; but iob does not therefore attribute the wickedness of the sabaeans and the chaldaeans to god : as if god could not govern and over-rule the wickedness of men , and devils , without being the author of their wickdness . when david had committed that great sin , in defiling vriah 's wife , and contriving his murther ; god threatens him by the prophet nathan : i will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house , and i will take thy wives before thine eyes , and give them unto thy neighbour , and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun : for thou didst it secretly , but i will do this thing before all israel , and before the sun , sam. . , . which we know absalom accordingly did by the advice of ahitophel , . chap. , &c. now that god did inflict this punishment upon david , is plain from the text ; but that he either instigated ahitophel to give this counsel , or absolom to take it , is not said : and if god could inflict this punishment on david without having any hand in the sin , it is no reflection on the holiness of providence . all that god expresly says he would do in the case , was to put david's wives into absalom's power ; i will take thy wives before thine eyes , and give them unto thy neighbour ; and then foretells what the effect of this would be , and what he intended to permit for his punishment ; he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun . there was no evil in so ordering the matter , that when david fled , he should leave his wives behind him , which put them into absalom's power ; and then god foresaw what counsel ahitophel would give , and how ready absalom would be to take it , unless he hindered it , which he decreed not to do in punishment of david's adultary . and thus to order the permission for such an end , though it has nothing of the guilt of the sin , yet entitles god to the event , considered as a punishment ; upon which account , god may be said to do this before all israel , and before the sun . thus when shimei cursed david as he fled from ierusalem ; david takes notice of god's hand in it ; and would no suffer abishai to cut him off : let him curse , because the lord hath said unto him , curse david , sam. . . but evey one sees , that this must be a figurative expression , for it is not true in the literal sense ; god never commanded shimei to curse david , nor did david believe in a literal sense that he did ; for then he would not have imputed the guilt of it to him : whereas we know , though he had sworn to shimei at his return , when he came to meet him , that he would not put him to death , yet he left it in his dying charge to solomon , not to hold him guiltless , kings . , . but when david said , the lord hath bidden him curse ; all that he meant by it , or could mean by it , is no more but this , that the sad calamity which the providence of god had brought on him by the rebellion of his son absalom , had given free scope to shimei's old and inveterate hatred of him , and as effectually let loose his reviling tongue , as if god had in express words commanded him to curse david : and therefore he patiently submits to this , as part of his punishment , and a very inconsiderable part , when compared with the rebellion of his son absalom , which gave this confidence to shimei to curse his king. behold my son , which came forth of my bowels , seeketh my life ; how much more now may this benjamite do it ? . v. this is no more than what david elsewhere complains of , that god had made him the song of the drunkards : for bad men will take all the advantages which the providence of god gives them , to reproach and scorn , and persecute the good ; there needs no other command for this , but a fair opportunity to do it . some object god's giving power to satan , first over the goods , and then over the body of iob , excepting his life : and god's permitting a lying spirit to enter into ahab's prophets to persuade him to go up to ramoth-gilead : but wherein the objection lies , i cannot tell ; for , i suppose , they will not say , that god by permitting the devil to hurt , and to deceive , made him a malicious and lying spirit . those are very unreasonable objectors , who will not allow god to make use of the ministry of wicked spirits to wise and good ends , without charging him with their sins too . but god himself tell us , that when a prophet is deceived , he hath deceived him ; now how is it reconcilable with the holiness of his nature or providence to deceive ? . ezek. . and if the prophet be deceived , when he hath spoken a thing , i the lord have deceived that prophet , and i will stretch out my hand upon him , and will destroy him from the midst of my people israel . now to this it is commonly answered , that god permits a lying spirit to possess such prophets , as he did in the case of ahab ; for he only speaks here of the prophets of baal such prophets , as he would cut off for their lying prophesies ; and how does it unbecome god to give up the worshippers of evil spirits , their priests and prophets , to be inspired and deceived by them ? no true worshipper of god was under any temptation to be deceived by them , because they were not the prophets of god ; and god had always his own prophets among them , to warn them against such lying prophesies : nay , it was the fault of these prophets , that they were deceived themselves ; for they did know , that they did not receive their prophesies from the lord , but from the heathen idols , or that they were their own inventions ; and when they chose to worship strange gods , and to consult their oracles , or to divine out of their own hearts , they chose to be deceived ; and therefore god threatens , they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity ; the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him . v. we have a large account of these prophets , and severe judgments denounced against them . . ezek. who are said to prophesy out of their own hearts , and to follow their own spirits , when they had seen nothing ; to see a vain vision , and speak a lying divination ; and sometimes to attribute it to god too , they say , the lord saith it , albeit i have not spoken . now this character the prophet ezekiel gives of these lying prophets , inclines me to a very different sense of these words , which seems plain and easy : not that god deceived them to prophesy lies , but that god deceived them in the event : they deceived themselves into vain visions ; either by giving themselves over to idolatry , which betrayed them to the delusions of wicked spirits , or by heating their imaginations into enthusiastick frensies , and prophesying their own hopes and politick guesses , which is called , prophesying out of their own hearts , and following their own spirits ; and then god deceived all their hopes and expectations , by bringing those evils on them , which they with great assurance and confidence said , should never come . and the words plainly favour this sense : god does not say , if a prophet be deceived to speak a thing , i the lord have deceived him : but if a prophet be deceived , when he hath spoken a thing ; that is , if the event does not answer his prediction ▪ i have deceived him , or confuted his vain lying prophesy : and how would god deceive him ? that immediately follows , i will stretch out my hand upon him , and will destroy him from the midst of my people israel ; and they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity , both prophets and people . this did effectually deceive them , as being a terrible confutation of their prophesies , and what god expresly threatened : because they have seduced my people , saying , peace , and there was no peace , . ezek. , , . this is what god attributes to himself , as his peculiar prerogative and glory , that it is he that frustrateth the tokens of the seers , and maketh diviners mad ; by deceiving them in the events of things , and confuting their prophesies by his judgments . . isaiah . as he expresly threatned against these lying prophets , and diviners , . micah , , . which is a plain comment upon this text. as for what is objected about david's numbering the people , it is hardly worth naming , ● sam. . ● . it is said , the anger of the lord was kindled against israel , and he moved david against them , to say , go , number the people . but in chron. . . it is expresly said , that satan stood up against israel , and provoked david to number israel . from whence we learn in what sense this is attributed to god , when satan was the immediate tempter ; only because god , in anger against israel , suffered satan to tempt david to number them . but that is more considerable , that is objected from st. paul concerning the heathens , whom god delivered up to all manner of wickedness in punishment of their idolatry . they changed the glory of the incorruptible god into an image made like to corruptible man , and to birds ▪ and four-footed beasts , and creeping things ; wherefore god also gave them up to uncleanness , through the lusts of their own hearts , to dishonour their own bodies between themselves — and for this cause god gave them up to vile affections — and even as they did not like to retain god in their knowledge , god gave them over to a reprobate mind , to do those things which are not convenient , being filled with all unrighteousness , fornication , wickedness , covetousness , &c. now is not this a reflection on the holiness of god , that because men are guilty of one sin , he delivers them up to all other sins ? for can a holy god punish sin with sin ? can he who hates all wickedness , contribute any thing to make men more wicked than otherwise they would be ? but in answer to this , we need only consider , what is meant by god's giving them up to all uncleanness , and to a reprobate mind ; which signifies no positive act of god , but only his leaving them in the power and management of those evil spirits whom they idolatrously worshipped : for most of these vices , to which god is said to give them up , were the necessary effects of their idolatry ; were the sacred rites and mysteries of their religious worship ; and if they would worship such gods , they must worship them , as they would be worshipped : and this corrupted the lives and manners of men , and destroy'd all the notions of good and evil , and then they were prepared for any wickedness , which their own vicious inclinations , and the circumstances of their condition and fortune , or those wicked spirits could tempt them to . this very account we find in the book of wisdom , where we have such another catalogue of vices , as the apostle here gives us , charged upon their idolatry , as the natural effects of it . now if men will worship such gods , as delight in uncleanness and impurity , and all manner of wickedness , and who will be worshipped with the most infamous vices , to the utmost reproach and contempt of human nature , there is no avoiding it , but that their religion must corrupt their lives ; they give themselves up to the worship of evil spirits , and god leaves them in their hands ; for who should have the government of them , but the gods they worship ? they reproach the divine nature by vile and sensible representations , and god gives them up to vile affections , to dishonour their own natures : they corrupt the natural notions they have of god , and god gives them up to a reprobate mind , not to distinguish between good and evil. the devil had erected a kingdom of darkness in the world , and god thought fit for some time to permit it , till he sent his own son to destroy the works of the devil ; and those who gave themselves up to idolatry , became his slaves and vassals , for he is the prince of the power of the air , the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience ; and this is god's giving them up to vile affections , his casting them out of his protection , when they had first renounced him , and giving them up to the power of wicked spirits , to whom they had given themselves . so that here is no other objection against the holiness of god , but that there is a devil , who is a very impure spirit , and affects divine honour to be the god of this world ; and that god suffers him to govern those who worship him , and to seduce them into all the wickedness of a diabolical nature : and yet that barbarous tyranny , which the devil exercised over his votaries ; that impure , flagitious worship , which he instituted , and that excess of wickedness , wherewith he corrupted the lives of men , was the most effectual way to convince mankind , what sort of gods they worshipped ; and did make the wiser heathens asham'd of their gods , and of their worship ; and as learning and civility increased , they reformed their worship , and allegoriz'd away their gods , which disposed them for the more ready reception of that holy religion , which the son of god preach'd to the world. wickedness is its own punishment , and many times proves its own cure ; and god could not have inflicted a more just punishment upon the idolatrous world , than to deliver them up to the tyranny of those wicked spirits whom they worshipped ; and there was not a more likely way to convince men of their fatal error , than those inhuman and impious rites of worship , and that excess of wickedness which their idolatry betray'd them to , which was enough to make human nature start and fly back . the like objection is made from the antichristian state ; the appearance of the man of sin , whose coming is after the working of satan , with all power , and signs , and lying wonders , and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish , because they received not the love of the truth , that they might be saved : and for this cause god shall send them strong delusions , that they shold believe a lie : that they all might be damned , who believed not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness , thess. . . , , . now what can be more just than this , for god to suffer the devil to blind those men who will not see ? to deceive those with signs and lying wonders , and all deceivableness of unrighteousness ; who do not love the trath , but have pleasure in unrighteousness ; who endeavour to deceive themselves , and desire to be deceived ? for this is all that is meant , by sending them strong delusions to believe a lie ; that god suffers the man of sin to erect his kingdom after the working of satan , with all power , and signs , and lying wonders . when men are in love with their sins , and therefore do not love the truth , because it discovers and reproves their sins , they are out of the protection of gods grace , and are delivered up to the cheats and impostures of crafty men , or of wicked spirits . this is the rule and method of god's grace ; he forces truth on no man ; but those who love the truth , shall find it . those who cry after knowledge , aud lift up their voice for understanding ; who seek her as silver , and search for her as for hid treasures ; they shall understand the fear of the lord , and find the knowledge of god , . prov. , , , . but if men wilfully shut their own eyes against the light , god suffers the god of this world to blind them ; as st. paul teaches , cor. . , . but if our gospel be hid , it is hid to them that are lost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which belive not , lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ , who is the image of god , should shine unto them . which should make us all afraid of prejudice , and the love of this world , which bar up the mind against truth , and by degrees betray us to a judicial blindness . there are some other texts , which do indeed attribute the supreme disposal of all human actions to god , but without charging his providence with mens sins . . prov. . a mans heart deviseth his ways , but the lord directeth his steps . . . there are many devices in a mans heart , nevertheless the counsel of the lord , that shall stand . . . mans goings are of the lord , how then can a man understand his own ways ? the meaning of which is , that men advise , and deliberate , and choose freely , what they intend to do , but when they come to action , they can do nothing , they can bring nothing to pass , but what god will : god can change their counsels , or can disappoint them when they are ripe for action , or can make what they do , serve quite another end than what they intended . now this only proves what i have already observed , that the issues and events of all things are in god's hands , as they must be , if he governs the world : men may choose what they please , but they shall do only what god sees fit , and what he orders for wise ends . god does not act immediately , but makes use of natural causes , or of the ministries of men , both good and bad men : men choose and act freely , and pursue their own designs and imaginations , and therefore the moral good or evil of the action is their own ; and god does as freely with unsearchable wisdom over-rule all events , which are therefore god's doing as well as mens , being directed by him to serve the wise ends of providence , in rewarding or punishing men or nations as they deserve . thus i have , as briefly as i could , examined most of those texts , which have been thought to attribute to god some kind of causality and efficiency in the sins of men ; and i hope have made it appear , that there is no such thing intended in them ; and for the conclusion of this argument concerning the holiness of providence , i shall only add some few practical inferences by way of application . . not to attribute our own , or other mens sins to god. let no man say , when he is tempted , i am tempted of god ; for god cannot be tempted with evil , neither tempteth he any man. but every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own lust , and enticed , . james , . this is absolutely necessary to be observed ; for without it there is an end of all religion . if god can influence mens minds to wicked purposes and counsels , it is impossible he should hate wickedness , or be so holy as many holy men are , who would no more incline or tempt other men to sin , than they would sin themselves : and who will hate sin , or think that god will love him ever the less for being a sinner , who believes this ? if god want the sins of men to accomplish his own counsels , they must either be very unholy counsels , which cannot be accomplished without the sins of men , or he must be a weak or unskilful being , which is down-right blasphemy ; for a wise and powerful being can do whatever is wise and holy without the sins of men. it is excellent wisdom indeed , when men do and will sin , for god to accomplish his own wise and gracious counsels by their sins ; but to incline , or tempt , or over-rule , or determine men to sin , on purpose to serve himself by their sins , this would be a just impeachment both of his holiness , his wisdom , and his power ; and a god , who is neither holy , wise , nor powerful , would be no very fit object of religious worship . to say that god decrees the sins of men for his own glory , to magnifie his mercy and justice , in saving some few , and in condemning the greatest part of mankind to eternal miseries , is so sensless a representation both of the glory , of the mercy , and of the justice of god , as destroys the very notion of all . for if man be a meer machine , who moves as he is moved , how can he deserve either well or ill ? necessity destroys the very notion of vertue or vice , both which suppose a free choise and election ; and if ther be no vertue nor vice , there can be no rewards nor punishments ; and then there is no place neither for justice nor mercy ; and then god can neither glorify his mercy , nor his justice , in forgiving sins , or in punishing the sinner . how can any man , who believes that he is over-ruled by god to do all the evil he does , ever be a true penitent , or heartily beg god's pardon , or reverence his judgments , or endeavour to do better ? all religion is founded in this persuasion , that god hates every thing that is wicked ; for if there be no essential difference between good and evil , there is no pretence for religion ; and if god makes none , there is none ; and if he can be the author of what is evil , as well as of what is good , he makes no difference between them . dly . the holiness of providence teacheth us never to do any evil to serve providence , under pretext of doing some great good by it , which we think may be acceptable to god. god never needs the sins of men , and can never approve them , whatever good ends they are intended to serve . god indeed does many times bring good out of evil , but he allows no man to do evil , that good may come : this st. paul rejects with the greatest abhorrence , and tells us , that such mens damnation is just , . rom. . for it is the greatest contradiction in the world , to do evil in order to do good ; for how can a man , who can for any reason be persuaded to do evil , be a hearty and zealous lover of goodness ? it is certain , that he who does any evil , does not heartily love that goodness to which the evil he does is opposed ; and he who does not heartily love all goodness , is a hearty lover of none : there is no reconciling good and evil , no more than you can reconcile contradictions ; a good man will love and do that which is good , and an evil man will do that which is evil ; and though the divine wisdom can bring good out of evil , yet evil is not , and cannot be the natural cause of good , no more than darkness can be the cause of light ; and therefore a good design can never justify a bad action : for that bad actions should do good , is contrary to the nature of bad actions ; and whatever men may intend , i 'm sure no man can alter the nature of things , and therefore can never justify himself in doing evil that good may come . it is certain , a wise and holy god requires no such thing of us ; and though he very often brings about great and admirable designs by mens sins , yet no man knows how to do it , nor knows when god will do it ; nor did ever any man , who ventured upon sin in order to do some greater good , ever do the good he intended , though many times he runs himself into more and greater sins than ever he intended . nay , i dare boldly say , that no man ever deliberately ventured upon a known sin to do some greater good by it , but there was always some base worldly interest at the bottom , coloured over with a pretence of doing good , either to deceive the world , or sometimes to deceive their own consciences . the church of rome , among whom there are those who teach and practise this doctrine , are an undeniable example of it , and we have had too many sad examples of it nearer home . this seems to me one reason , why those prophesies which concern future ages , are generally so obscure , that no man knows when , nor how they shall be fulfilled , that no man may be tempted to any sin to serve providence , and to fulfil prophesies . as obscure as these prophesies are , yet we see some heated enthusiasts very forward to venture on any thing to fulfil prophesies , to pull down antichrist , to set up the kingdom of christ , especially when they hope to set up themselves with him : but god conceals times and seasons from us ; and though he many times fulfils prophesies by the sins of men , yet he allows no man to sin to fulfil prophesies . and therefore never lets us know when , nor by what means prohesies shall be fulfilled . let us lay down this as a certain principle , that god needs not our sins ; and that we can never please him by doing evil , whatever the event be : he makes use of the sins of men to serve his providence , but he will punish them for their sins . chap. vii . the goodness of providence . . the next inquiry is concerning the goodness of providence : though methinks it is a more proper subject for our devout meditations , than for our inquiries ; for we need not look far to seek for proofs and demonstrations of the divine goodness . the earth is full of the goodness of the lord : we see , and feel , and taste it every day ; we owe our being , our preservation , and all the comforts of our lives to it . there is not so mean , nor so miserable a creature in this world , but can bear its testimony to the divine goodness : nay , if you would pardon the harshness of the expression , i would venture to say , that the goodness of god is one of the greatest plagues and torments of hell ; i mean , the remembrance of god's goodness , and their wicked and ungrateful abuse of it . this is that worm that never dieth , those sharp reflections men make on their ingratitude and folly , in making themselves miserable by affronting that goodness which would have made them happy . whatever other objections fome wanton and sporting wits make against providence , one would think it impossible that any man who lives in this world , and feels what he enjoys himself , and sees what a bountiful provision is made for all creatures , should question the goodness of providence , by which he lives , moves , and has his being . we should think him an extraordinary benefactor , who did the thousandth part for us of what god does , and should not challenge his goodness , though he did some things which we did not like , or did not understand ; but atheism is founded in ingratitude ; and unless god humour them , as well as do them good , he is no god for them . nay , i cannot but observe here , the perverse , as well as the ungrateful temper of atheists ; when they dispute against the justice of providence , then god is much too good for them ; though he give us examples enow of his severity against sin , yet his patience and long-suffering to some few prosperous sinners , is thought a sufficient argument , that god is not just , or that he does not govern the world : when they dispute against the goodness of providence , then god is not good enough for them : though they see innumerable instances of goodness in the government of the world , yet this is not owing to a good god , but to good fortune , because they think they see some of the careless and irregular strokes of chance and fortune intermixt with it , in the many evils and calamities of life . now it is impossible for god himself to answer these two objections , to the satisfaction of these men ; and that , i think , is a sufficient answer to them both . for should god vindicate his justice to the satisfaction of these men , by punishing in this world every sin that is committed according to its desert , there would be very little room for the exercise of goodness : if every man must suffer as much as he sins , the very best men will be great sufferers , much greater sufferers than any of them now are , tho their sufferings are made another objection against providence ; and there will be as many formidable examples of misery , as there are atheists and profligate sinners , and this would be an unanswerable objection against the goodness of providence ; for how good soever god might be , if he must punish every sin , he has no opportunity to shew his goodness : and on the other hand , should god be as good as these men would have him , that is , that to prove himself good , he should not inflict any evils or calamities on men , whatever their sins or provocations are ; that whereas god planted paradise only for man in innocence , the whole world should be now a paradise , though there is not an innocent man in it ; this would be as unanswerable an objection against the justice of providence : so that these men have taken care always to have an objection against providence ; for according to their notions of justice and goodness , god cannot be both ; which is a certain demonstration , that they mistake the true notion of justice and goodness ; they are both great and excellent vertues ; both are essential to the idea of god ; both are necessary to the good government of the world ; and therefore both of them must be very consistent and reconcilable with each other , both in notion and practise . i have already vindicated the justice of god's providence ; and there is no great difficulty in vindicating his goodness , the objections against which are founded in plain and evident mistakes , and therefore will receive an easy answer . and i shall first consider what the mistakes are , and then particularly answer the objections . . as for the first , the mistakes either relate to the nature of god's goodness , or to the nature of good and evil , or to the goodness of providence and government . . the mistakes concerning god's goodness : and the fundamental mistake is this , that men consider the goodness of god absolutely , without relation to the nature , quality , or desert of the subjects , who are to receive good . they contemplate goodness in its abstracted idea and notion ; and whatever they conceive belongs to the most perfect goodness , that they expect from god in the government of this world ; and if they do not find it , they conclude , that the world is not governed by a good providence . as for instance . it is certainly an act of the most perfect goodness to make all creatures happy ; not to suffer any miseries to enter into the world ; that there be nothing to deface the beauty , or to disturb the harmony of it : no lamentable sights , nor doleful complaints , to move our pity , nor to terrify us with the melancholy presages of our own sufferings , nor to make frightful impressions on us of a severe and inexorable deity . could they see such a world as this , they would thankfully own the divine goodness , and securely rejoyce in it : but this world , wherein we live , gives us a very different prospect ; we see a great many miserable people , and feel a great many miseries our selves , and many times expect and fear a great many more ; and how unlike is this world , to what we should have imagined the world to have been , had we never seen it , but only heard of a world made and governed by infinite and perfect goodness ? indeed all the objections against the goodness of providence do ultimately resolve into this : that the world is not so happy as a good god can make it , and therefore a good providence does not govern the world ; and a plain answer to this will enable any man to answer all the rest . and the answer to this is short and plain ; that infinite and perfect goodness will do all the good which can be wisely done , but not all the good which men may expect from infinite goodness ; for the external exercise of goodness must not bear proportion to the infinite fulness of the divine nature , but to the state , condition , and capacities of creatures ; and therefore we must not measure the goodness of providence merely by external events , which may sometimes be very calamitous ; but by that proportion such events bear to the state and deserts of mankind , or of particular men in this world . the best man in the world does not think himself bound to do all the good he can to every one he meets ; he will make a difference between a child and a servant , between a friend and an enemy , between a good and a bad man , and much more must a good prince and a good magistrate do so ; and much more must god , who is the supream and soveraign lord of the world . we shall better understand this , if we view man in his several states , and observe how the divine goodness suits it self to those different states . the divine goodness made the world , and made man ; and hence we may take our estimate what the goodness of god is , and what it can , and will do , when goodness freely exerts it self , without any external impediment to set bounds to it . and if we believe the history of the creation , the divine goodness displayed it self in a most beautiful and glorious scene ; the new-made world , and the new-created man , were as perfect and happy , as the perfect ideas of their natures in the divine mind . this was the world which god made ; such a happy world , as it became perfect goodness to make ; and hence we learn what the goodness of god is , and what it would always do ; for when the divine goodness made the world , he made it what he would have it be . but man did not continue what god had made him : he sinned , and by sin brought death and misery into the world . and therefore , though we do not now see such a happy state of things , we must not hence conclude , that the world is not governed by perfect goodness , but that a perfect state of ease and happiness in this world does neither become the providence of god , nor is good for sinners ; and we have reason to conclude this , not only because god made innocent man happy , but because he has prepared a much greater happiness for good men in the next world : which shews that the change is not in god , but in men : he made man happy at first , and he will make good men perfectly happy hereafter ; but though he be always the same , as good now as he was when he at first made the world , and as he will be , when he shall reward all good men in the resurrection of the just ; yet the degenerate state of mankind requires such a mixture of good and evil , as we now see , and feel , and complain of in this world . for it is a very different case , to see goodness acting alone , and pursuing its own gracious inclinations , and to see it limited and confined by justice , which must be the case when mankind are sinners . for then goodness cannot do what is absolutely best , but what is best in such cases ; and when goodness and justice are reconcilable , as they are in a probation state , there wisdom must prescribe the temperament . justice requires the punishment of sinners , but goodness is inclined to spare , and wisdom judges when , and in what manner , it is fit to punish , or to spare . an incurable sinner is the object of strict and rigorous justice ; a corrigible sinner is the object both of justice and goodness ; his sin deserves correction and punishment ; but that he is corrigible , makes him the object of patience and discipline : and this we must suppose to be the difference between the case of apostate angels , and of fallen man , and therefore justice immediately seized on those apostate spirits ; but god in infinite goodness promised a saviour to mankind . this makes the present state of mankind in this world to be a state of trial and discipline ; to reclaim and reform sinners by the various methods of grace and providence ; and this changes both the very notion and exercise of god's goodness and justice in this world ; for we must expect no more of either , than what a state of trial and discipline will allow . the not considering this distinction between absolute goodness and justice , and the goodness and justice of discipline , has been the occasion of all those objections which have been made both against the goodness and justice of providence . we must confess , that the world is not so happy , as perfect , and absolute , and unconfined goodness could make it ; nor are all sinners so miserable , as strict and absolute justice could make them ; but this signifies no more , than that heaven and hell are not in this world , as no man ever pretended they were ; and yet strict and rigorous justice , and perfect and absolute goodness , where-ever they are exercised , must make hell and heaven . but this life is a middle-state between both ; and as men behave themselves here , so they shall have their portions , either in heaven or hell ; and therefore the goodness and justice of god in this world , is of a different nature from that goodness or justice which is exercised in heaven or hell , proportioned to the state of discipline and trial in this life . goodness indeed has the predominant government , and justice is only the minister of goodness in this world , as it must be in a state of discipline , when corrections as well as favours are intended for good . to put man into a state of probation and trial , to recover that immortality he had lost , was an act of great goodness ; and whatever severe methods are used to reform sinners , is as great an expression of goodness , as it is to force and to compel them to be happy ; as it is to cut off a hand , or a leg , to preserve life : and if we will but allow this world to be a state of trial and discipline for another world , and wisely consider , not what pure , simple , and absolute goodness , but what the goodness of discipline requires , it will give us an easy answer to all the objections against the goodness of providence . . as first , the goodness of god in a state of discipline will not admit of a compleat and perfect happiness in this world ; for that is no state of discipline . good men themselves , were they as happy in this world as they could wish , would not be very fond of another world , nor learn those mortifying and self-denying vertues which are necessary to prepare them for a spiritual life : and bad men would grow more in love with this world , and sin on without check and controul : the miseries and afflictions of this life wean good men from this world , and lay great restraints upon bad men ; which justifies both the wisdom and goodness of god in those many miseries which mankind suffer . . but yet the goodness of god in a state of discipline requires , that this world should be so tolerable a place , as to make life desirable ; his own glory is concerned in this ; for no man would believe , that the world was made , or is governed by a good god , were there no visible and sensible testimonies of a kind and good providence : but though god cursed the earth for the sin of man , yet he has not defaced the characters of his own wisdom and goodness , but still the invisible things of god from the creation of the world , are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal power and godhead , . rom. . and in the most degenerate state of mankind , god left not himself without a witness , giving them rain from heaven , and fruitful seasons , filling their hearts with food and gladness . what dreadful apprehensions would this give mankind of god , were this world nothing else but a scene of trouble and misery ? what encouragement would this be to sinners to repent and reform ? what hopes could they reasonably conceive of pardon and forgiveness , had they no experience of god's goodness and patience towards sinners ? what place would there be for the exercise of moral or christian vertues , of faith , and hope , and trust in god , of self-denial , and a contempt of this world , were not this world a very tolerably happy place , though a changeable scene ? a state of discipline must neither be a state of perfect happiness , nor misery , but an interchangeable scene of very agreeable pleasures , and tolerable evils , sufficient to exercise the vertues , and to correct the vices of mankind : and this i take the state of this life to be ; so happy , that few men are so miserable , as to be weary of it ; and yet so intermixt with troubles , as to exercise the vertues of good men , and to correct the wicked : and this is what becomes the goodness of god to do for us in a state of discipline . . the goodness of god seems to require , that in such a mixt and changeable scene , there should be some remarkable difference made between the good and the bad ; for the design of providence in a state of trial , is to encourage vertue , and to deter men from sin ; and therefore there ought to be such a visible difference made , as may be sufficient , if men will wisely consider things , to encourage good men , and to restrain the wicked . i do not mean , that all good men should be happy and prosperous , and all bad men miserable , as to their external fortune ; for a state of discipline will not allow this : all good men cannot bear a prosperous fortune , and some bad men may grow better by it , or may be fit instruments of providence ; and such a visible distinction between all good and bad men , belongs to the day of judgment , not to a state of trial , and therefore we see this is not done ; and bad men , who have the least reason to complain of it , make it an objection against providence . but though providence many times seems to make little difference between good and bad men , as to external events , yet god very often takes care to expound his providences , which makes a very visible difference between them . natural conscience is one of god's interpreters of providence , which terrifies bad men with a sense of guilt , when they suffer , and threatens them with a more terrible vengeance , but supports good men under their sufferings with better hopes ; that bad men suffer like malefactors , with rage , and fear , and despair ; good men with patience , and submission , and joyful expectations of a reward . all the promises of scripture are made to good men ; and all the threatnings of it denounced against bad men ; and this expounds providence ; for this assures good men , that all the good they receive , is the effect of god's care and goodness to them ; and that the evils they suffer , are either his fatherly correction , or the trial and exercise of their vertues ; but that the prosperity of bad men is only the effect of god's patience , or to make them instruments of his providence ; and that their sufferings are the punishment of their sins , and the fore-runners of future vengeance , except they repent . and when we know this , it makes a vast difference between the prosperity and the sufferings of good and bad men ; and because this is not always visible in external events , god has taken care to reveal it to us . but god has made this very visible in most of the ordinary calamities of life , which are the natural effects of sin ; of intemperance , luxury , lust , pride , passion , covetousness , idleness and prodigality ; most of those evils which bad men suffer , are owing to such vices , and all these good men escape ; and sometimes their vertues advance them to riches and honours ; and when they don't , yet they make them contented and pleased : but when wickedness makes men great , it commonly makes them a mark for envy , and advances them to tumble them down . nay , though the divine providence does not always make a difference between good and bad men , as to their external fortunes , yet sometimes god makes a very remarkable difference between them : gives such signal demonstrations of his anger against bad men , and of his care and protection of the good , that it forces men to acknowledge ; verily there is a reward for the righteous ; verily he is a god that judgeth in the earth , . psal. . and a few such examples as these ( though both sacred and prophane story furnish us with very many ) are sufficient to make as visible a distinction between the good and the bad , as the providence of god in this world requires . . but yet the goodness of providence , in a state of discipline , will not allow of greater evils and calamities than are necessary to the good government of the world : for this is a state of discipline and government , not of judgment . good men must suffer no more than what will encrease their vertue , not prove a temptation to sin : the rod of the wicked must not always rest on the lot of the righteous , lest he also put forth his hand unto iniquity . the sufferings of bad men , who are in a curable state , must be only proportioned to their cure , unless the evil of the example requires a severer punishment to warn other sinners . as for hardened and incorrigible sinners , the goodness of god is not concerned for them , but he may serve his providence on them as he pleases ; either by making them the ministers of his justice , to execute such a terrible vengeance on the world , as none but such hardened sinners would execute ; or by making them the lasting monuments of his own vengeance , as he did a hardened and incorrigible pharaoh ; for this is for the great good of the world ; and a state of discipline requires such examples . and such sinners are fit to be made examples of : and all such severities as these are very reconcilable with the goodness of god in a state of discipline . . the goodness of god in a state of discipline , not only allows , but requires great patience , long-suffering , and goodness to sinners : for this is necessary to reclaim sinners , to give them time for repentance , and to invite and encourage them to repent by all the arts and methods of goodness , as well as to overawe them by judgments and severities . promises are as necessary to reform sinners as threatnings ; for hope is as powerful a principle as fear ; and love and goodness work more kindly upon ingenuous minds , and melt those , whom judgments cannot bow , nor break . thus a kind parent deals with a prodigal son , tries him with kindness as well as severity ; and thus god deals with sinners . he is good to the evil , and to the good ; and maketh his sun to shine , and his rain to fall upon the just , and upon the unjust : and this is such goodness as is proper only for a state of discipline . . the goodness of god , even in a state of discipline requires , that there should be a great deal more good than evil in the world : for since goodness governs the world , even in this state , the good must be predominant ; that notwithstanding all the evils and calamities there are , it may still be very visible , that the world is governed by a good god. that this is so , i think , i need not prove , for we all see , and feel it . the evils that are in the world bear no proportion at all to the good : there are some few examples of miserable people , but the generality of mankind are very happy ; and even these miserable people have great allays of their miseries ; and if we take an estimate of their whole lives , have a much greater share of good than evil. the judgments of god are sometimes very terrible , but they come but seldom : for a years plague or famine , we enjoy some ages of health and plenty . and the ruins and desolations of war are recompenced and forgot by a more lasting and flourishing peace . but the goodness of god moves in a constant and uniform round , visits all parts and corners of the earth , as the sun does with its light and heat : that considering how little mankind deserves of god in this corrupt and degenerate state ; how highly they provoke him every day , and how constantly and universally he does good to them , instead of complaining of the many evils that are in the world , we have reason to admire the patience and goodness of god to sinners . this i take to be a true account of the nature and exercise of god's goodness , as it respects a state of discipline ; and so it must be considered in the government of this world ; and then all the objections against the goodness of providence vanish of themselves : though this world be not so happy , as perfect and absolute goodness can make it , yet god abounds in all the expressions of goodness , which a state of trial and discipline will allow , which is all that we can reasonably expect , and all that god can wisely do for us in this state. dly . especially if we consider in the next place , what the true notion of good and evil is in a state of discipline ; for this is another occasion of most objections against the goodness of providence ; that men consider human nature absolutely , and appeal to their senses for the notions and differences of good and evil , without any regard to the present state of human nature ; that is , by good and evil , they mean only natural good and evil ; such as pleasure or pain , a state of ease and rest , or of trouble , and labour , and difficulty , riches or poverty , honour or disgrace , and measure the goodness of providence by the natural good or evil that is in the world ; if mankind and particular men be happy and prosperous , then god does good , and they will acknowledge that providence is good ; if they be afflicted , this is very evil , and therefore an objection against the goodness of providence . but does not every man know the difference between the good of the end , and the good of the means ? the end is happiness , which is the good of nature ; and therefore whatever is the happiness , or any part of the happiness of man , is the good of nature ; the good of the end is that which is good to make men happy ; and the more effectual it is to promote our happiness , the greater good it is , tho it may be a great natural evil ; and whatever will hinder or destroy our happiness , is a great evil , though it may be a great natural good. in all such cases things are good or evil with respect to their end , or to their natural or moral consequences : when we are in health , that is good food which is pleasant and wholsome , and will preserve health ; but the same diet may be very hurtful , and fatal , when we are sick . indulgence or severity to children is either good or evil , in proportion to their tempers and inclinations , as it is apt either to corrupt their manners , or to train them up to piety and vertue . and therefore when we speak of discipline and government , which is the true notion of god's providence in this world , we must not consider so much what is naturally good and evil , as what the state of those is , who are the subjects of discipline , and what is good for them in such a state ; for how many natural evils soever there are in the world , the evils of afflictions and judgments , of plague , and famine , and sword , if such severities be good for mankind , it is as great an argument of the goodness of providence to inflict them , as it is for a parent , or a prince , to reclaim and reform his children , or his subjects , by great severities : and an easy and prosperous state , when the wickedness of mankind require severe restraints , is no more an act of kindness and goodness , than the fond indulgence of parents is to disobedient children . so that this takes away the very foundation of this objection against the goodness of providence . the principal objection is , that there are a great many evils and miseries in the world ; we grant it ; but then we say , that god is very good in it , and that these natural evils , tho they are grievous , are not evils to us , because they are , and are intended for our good : we can neither prove , nor disprove the goodness of providence merely by external events , especially with respect to particular men : for prosperity is not always good for us , nor is affliction always for our hurt ; god may make some men prosperous in his anger ; and chastise others in great love and goodness ; and this i take to be the meaning of the wise-man , . eccl. , . no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them . for all things come alike to all ; there is one event to the righteous , and to the wicked ; to the good , and to the clean , and to the unclean ; to him that sacrificeth , and to him that sacrificeth not ; as is the good , so is the sinner ; and he that sweareth , as he that feareth an oath : which does not signify that the divine providence makes no difference between good and bad men ; for god does love good men , and hate the wicked ; and his providence makes a great difference between them ; though this difference is not always visible in external events : for when the same event happens to both , whether it be a natural good or evil , it may be an act of favour to good men , and of judgment to the wicked ; for external prosperity and adversity in a state of discipline , may either be good or evil ; and may be good for one , when at the same time it is evil to another ; and therefore the providence of god may make a difference , when the external event makes none . the wise-man confesses , this is an evil among all things that are done under the sun , that there is one event unto all : bad men , who look no farther than external events , make a very bad use of it ; and conclude that god makes no difference , when they see none made : and thus the heart of the sons of men is full of evil , and madness is in their heart while they live , and after that they go to the dead , . v. but those who consider wisely , see no reason from external events , from such a promiscuous distribution of good and evil , either to deny a providence , or the goodness and justice of providence ; since good and evil in this state are not in the things themselves , but in the end for which they are intended , and which they serve . it is of great consequence rightly to understand this matter , to give us a firm persuasion of the goodness of god , even when he corrects and punishes , and to cure our discontent at the prosperity of the wicked ; and therefore i shall briefly represent to you the state of mankind in this world , and what is good in such a state. man has sinned , and man must die ; but god has in infinite goodness to mankind sent his own son into the world to save sinners , who by death hath destroyed him who had the power of death , that is the devil , and hath brought life and immortality to light by the gospel . this removes the scene of happiness from this world to the next , and makes this present life only a state of probation for eternity : if we obey the laws of our saviour , and imitate his example , he has promised to raise us again , when our dead bodies are putrified in the grave , into immortal life ; but has threatned all the miseries of an eternal death against incorrigible sinners ; so that the greatest good that god or man can do for us in this world , is by all the wise methods of discipline and government , to prepare us for the happiness of the next ; and to preserve us from those eternal miseries , which will be the portion of sinners . tho there are thousands of foolish sinners who never consider this , yet all mankind agree , that that is best for us in this world , which will make us eternally happy in the next ; and that is a very great evil which will betray us to eternal miseries . there are a great many infidels who believe neither a heaven , nor a hell , but yet these very infidels are not so void of common sense , as to deny , supposing there were a heaven , and a hell , that to be the best condition for us in this world , whatever it be upon other accounts , which will carry us to heaven , and keep us out of hell. now if this be the case , there cannot be so great evils in this world , but what may be good for us , and therefore may be an expression of god's goodness to us : for if pain and sickness , poverty and disgrace , wean us from this world , subdue our lusts , make us good men , and qualify us for eternal rewards ; though they are great afflictions , yet they are very good , as the way , though a rough and difficult way , to happiness . that prosperity does oftentimes corrupt mens lives and manners , make them proud , and sensual , regardless of god , and of religion , and so fond of this world , that they never care to think of another ; and that afflictions and adversity has many times a quite contrary effect to make men serious and considerate , to possess them with an awe and reverence of god , to correct and reform bad men , and to exercise the graces and vertues of the good , both the reason of things , and the experience of mankind , may satisfy us ▪ that this is what god designs in those afflictions and sufferings he brings on mankind , the scripture every where assures us ; and the natural conclusion from hence is , that afflictions are not evil , nor any objection against the goodness of providence : if they prove evil to us , it is our own fault , for god designs them for good . as the apostle expresly tells us , that all things work together for good to them that love god : and whom the lord loveth , he chasteneth , and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth ; if ye endure chastening , god dealeth with you as with sons ; for what son is he , whom the father chasteneth not ? but if ye be without chastisement , whereof all are partakers , then are ye bastards , and not sons , . hebr. , , . this then must be our great care , to rectify our notions of good and evil , to withdraw our minds from sense , and not to call every thing good that is pleasant , nor every thing evil that is afflicting ; this distinction the heathen poet long since observed , and gives it as a reason , and a very wise and good reason it is , why we should entirely give up our selves to god , and leave him to chuse our condition for us . nam pro jucundis aptissima quaeque dabunt dii . that though god will not always give us those things which are most pleasant , he will give us what is most profitable for us . and if we judge of good and evil , not by sense , nor by external appearances , but by that spiritual good they do , or are intended to do us , in making us good men here , and happy hereafter ; men may , if they so please , as reasonably quarrel with the great ease and prosperity which so many enjoy , as with the afflictions which others suffer ; for prosperity does oftner corrupt mens manners , and betray them to sin and folly , than afflictions do ; good men themselves can hardly bear a prosperous state , nor resist the temptations and flatteries of ease and pleasure ; whereas afflictions many times reform bad men , and make good men better , as the psalmist himself owns ; it is good for me that i have been afflicted ; for before i was afflicted , i went astray , but since i have learned to keep thy laws . and if both prosperity and adversity may be either for our good or hurt , and when they are so , we cannot always tell , we must leave this to god , and commit our selves to his care and discipline , who knows us better than we know our selves , and knows what is best for us . but this may seem to start a new and more difficult objection ; that if we must not judge of good and evil by external and sensible events , we can have no sensible proofs of the goodness or justice of providence . as we cannot object the external evils and calamities that are in the world against the goodness of providence ; so neither can we prove the goodness of providence from those external and sensible blessings which god bestows upon mankind : so that religion gains nothing by this ; it silences indeed the objections against providence , but it also destroys the proofs of a good and just providence . the answer to this objection will give us a truer notion and understanding of the goodness of providence . for though we cannot know love or hatred merely by external events , yet this does not destroy the natural good or evil of things , nor the justice or goodness of providence , in doing good , or in sending his plagues and judgments on the world. natural good and evil are the instruments and methods of discipline ; good men are encouraged and rewarded in this world by some external and natural blessings , and bad men are restrained and governed by some natural evils ; and the goodness and justice of god in doing good , and in punishing , make these external blessings and punishments the methods of discipline ; which could have no efficacy in them either to encourage good men , or to reform the wicked , but as they are the visible significations of god's favour or displeasure ; and therefore such external blessings and punishments are evident proofs of the goodness and justice of providence , or else they could not be the methods of discipline , nor have any moral efficacy upon mankind . but yet when these acts of goodness or justice are made the methods of discipline , and not intended as the proper rewards or punishments of vertue or vice , they are not always confined to good or bad men , and therefore are not certain and visible marks of god's love or hatred . it is an act of goodness in god to do good to the evil , and to the good : to the good it is a mark of his favour , and an incitement to a more perfect vertue ; to the evil , an expression of his patience , and an invitation to repentance ; but when he is good both to the evil , and to the good , the mere external event can make no difference . the external good may be the same , and god is good to both , and intends good to both , but yet has not equal favour to both . it is an act of justice in god to punish , and to correct sin , and both good and bad men many times feel the same severities ; to correct and chastise the follies , and to quicken and inflame the devotions of good men ; and to over-awe and terrify bad men with the sense of god's anger , and the fears of vengeance : this is to be just , and to be good to both , as great goodness and justice as it is to reform bad men ; and to make good men better , tho the external events of providence in such cases make little distinction between them : we see in all these instances manifest proofs both of the justice and goodness of god , though prosperity is not always a blessing , nor afflictions always evil . they are always indeed in themselves natural goods and evils , and therefore are the proper exercise of a natural goodness and justice ; but with respect to moral ends , to that influence they have upon the direction and government of our lives , what is naturally good , may prove a great evil to us ; and what is naturally evil , may do us the greatest good ; and then we must confess , that the goodness of providence must not be measured merely by the natural good or evil of external events , but by such a mixture and temperament of good and evil , as is best fitted to govern men in this world , and to make them happy in the next . dly . there is another mistake about the nature of government , and what goodness is required in the government of the world. now the universal lord and sovereign of the world must not only take care of particular creatures , but of the good of the whole : and this in some cases may make the greatest and most terrible acts of severity , such as are enough to afright and astonish the world , acts of the greatest goodness and mercy too ; which will vindicate the goodness of providence , when god seems to be most severe , and to have forgot all goodness and compassion . as to explain this in some particular cases . the good government of the world requires the defence and protection of mankind from violent and unjust oppressions ; and the most exemplary vengeance executed upon such private or publick oppressors , is a great act of goodness , and a great deliverance to the oppressed . . psalm , the psalmist exhorts us , to give thanks to the lord , for he is good , for his mercy endureth for ever . and among other expressions of the divine goodness and mercy , he mentions the plagues of egypt , and the deliverance of israel by the overthrow of pharaoh in the red-sea ; to him , that smote egypt in their first-born ; for his mercy endureth for ever . and brought out israel from among them , for his mercy endureth for ever . with a strong hand , and with a stretched-out arm , for his mercy endureth for ever . to him which divided the red-sea into parts , for his mercy , &c. and made israel to pass through the midst of it — but over-threw pharaoh and his host in the red-sea ; for his mercy , &c. to him who smote great kings — and slew famous kings , sihon king of the amorites — and og the king of bashan — and gave their land for an heritage , even for an heritage to israel his servant ; for his mercy endureth for ever . this ought to be well considered , before we object the evils and calamities which befall bad men , against the goodness of providence . for there are few bad men who suffer any remarkable vengeance , but that their sufferings are a great kindness and deliverance to others , and it may be , to the publick , in breaking their power , or taking them out of the world. and in all such cases the psalmist has taught us a very proper hymn ; i will sing of mercy and judgment , unto thee , o lord , will i sing , . psal. . thus the good government of the world requires some great and lasting examples of god's justice and vengeance against sin : and as terrible as such examples are , they are a great publick good to the world. some few such examples as these will serve to warn an age , nay many succeeding ages and generations of men ; which prevents the more frequent executions of vengeance , and justifies the patience and long-suffering of god to sinners . if such examples in any measure reform the world , as god intends they should , it makes this world a much happier place ; for the better men are , the less hurt , and the more good they will do ; and the less evil there is committed in the world , the less mankind will suffer ; and the greater blessings god will bestow on them . and though there be a great deal of wickedness committed in the world after such terrible warnings as these , god may exercise great patience and forbearance towards sinners , without the least blemish to his holiness or justice : for such frightful executions convince the world of god's justice ; and when god has publickly vindicated the honour of his justice , he may try gentler methods , and glorify his mercy and patience towards sinners : and thus god punishes , that he may spare ; is sometimes very terrible in his judgments , to prevent the necessity of striking often , that sinners may have sufficient warning , and that he may be good to sinners , without encouraging them in sin . thus the destruction of the old world by a deluge of water , when they were past being reformed , is a warning to all sinners as long as this world lasts , and is a publick and standing confutation of atheism ; of such scoffers , as say , where is the promise of his coming ? for since the fathers fell asleep , all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation : the constant and regular course of nature , without any supernatural changes and revolutions , tempts men to think that there is no god in the world , who changes times and seasons ; but this st. peter tells us , is visibly confuted by the destruction of the old world ; for this they are willingly ignorant of , that by the word of god the heavens were of old , and the earth standing out of the water , and in the water , whereby the world , that then was , being overflowed with water , perished : and this is reason enough to fear and expect what god has threatned , that this present world shall be burnt by fire . but the heavens and the earth , which are now , by the same word are kept in store , reserved unto fire against the day of judgment , and perdition of ungodly men , peter . , , . such destructions as these can be attributed to no natural causes ; but the same word which made the world , destroyed the old world by water , and will destroy this by fire , which makes it a visible demonstration of the power and justice of god. the destruction of sodom and gomorrah by fire from heaven , is not only a general warning to sinners , but an example of a divine vengeance against all uncleanness , and unnatural lusts. as st. iude tells us : even as sodom and gomorrah , and the cities about them , in like manner , giving themselves over to fornication , and going after strange flesh , are set forth for an example , suffering the vengeance of eternal fire , v. . thus the destruction of ierusalem by the romans , which was attended with the most terrible circumstances that we ever meet with in story , is a lasting confutation of infidelity , and a glorious testimony to christ , and his religion : so that most of the terrible examples of god's vengeance , how terrible soever they were to those who suffered , are acts of great goodness to the world , and therefore belong to the goodness of government ; by some severe executions to protect and defend the innocent , and reclaim other offenders , without the necessity of terrifying the world in every age with such repeated severities . nay we may observe farther , that when the world is grown very corrupt and degenerate , and such sinners , if they be suffered to continue in it , will certainly propagate their atheism , infidelity and lewdness to all posterity ; it is great goodness to all succeeding generations , to cleanse the world of its impure inhabitants by some great destruction ; by sword , or plague , or famine , to lessen the number of sinners , and to possess those who escape , with a greater awe and reverence of god's judgments . nay , to observe but one thing more ; many times these terrible shakings and convulsions of the world are intended by god to open some new and more glorious scene of providence . thus it was in the four empires which preyed upon each other , and were at last swallowed up by the roman powers ; though they made great destructions in the world , yet they carried learning and civility into barbarous countreys , that the general state of the world was much the better for it , and mankind the better disposed to receive the gospel , which then began to be preached by christ , and his apostles . but this is enough to satisfy us , what little reason there is to impeach the goodness of providence , upon account of those many evils which mankind suffer : if we consider what the goodness of god requires of him , and what is good for us in a state of discipline , and what is necessary to the good government of the world , neither our own , nor other mens sufferings , will tempt us to question the goodness of providence . i proceed now particularly to examine those objections which are made against the goodness of providence : which are reduced to these two . . the many miseries which are in the world. god's unequal care of his creatures , or the unequal distribution of good and evil , both as to particular men , and publick societies . what i have already said contains a sufficient answer to all this ; but it will not be amiss for our more abundant satisfaction , to consider some things more largely and particularly . . i shall begin with the many miseries of human life . now this objection relates either to the being of any miseries in the world , or to the number , nature , and quality of them . . as for the first ; some will not allow god to be good , while there are any miseries in the world : for , say they , a good god should not suffer any miseries to enter into the world : this i observed , and answered before ; that the goodness of providence must bear proportion to the nature , qualities , and deserts of creatures ; and since man , who was created innocent and happy , forfeited his original happiness by sin , we must now consider , not what absolute , unconfined goodness would do ; but what becomes a state of discipline ; what is good for sinners , and for a corrupt and degenerate world ; and this will abundantly justify the goodness of providence in all the evils which mankind suffer , as you have already heard . but this will not satisfy some men ; for their great quarrel is , that god made such a creature , as could sin , and be miserable ; that is , that god created angels and men ; that he endowed them with reason and understanding , and a liberty of choice ; for such creatures as can chuse , may chuse wrong . but this is not an objection against the goodness of providence , but against the goodness of the creation ; and if it proves any thing , it proves , that god ought not to have made the world ; for if goodness would not allow him to make a reasonable creature , who might make himself miserable ; wisdom would not allow him to make a world without any reasonable creatures in it . i confess , i am at a great loss to know how they would lay their objection , so as to bear upon the goodness of god , and what they intend by it , when they have done : for let us consider wherein creating goodness consists . does the goodness of a maker require any more of him , than to make all things according to perfect and excellent ideas , and to make them as perfect as their ideas are ? what is it then they find fault with in god's making angels and men ? is not the idea of a reasonable being , and a free agent , the idea of an excellent and happy creature ? are there any greater perfections , than knowledge , and wisdom , and understanding , and liberty of choice ? is there any happiness like the happiness of a reasonable nature ? nay , is there any thing that deserves the name of happiness besides this ? will you call senseless matter , nay , will you call beasts happy ? and is the only idea of a happy nature in the world , a reasonable objection against creating goodness ? if then there be no fault to be found in the idea of a reasonable creature , was there any defect in the workmanship ? did not god make men and angels as perfect as their ideas ? and give them all the happiness which belonged to their natures ? if he did not , this would have been a great fault in their creation ; if he did , creating goodness has done all that belonged to it to do . but i would gladly know whence they have this notion of creating goodness , that it must make no creature which can make it self miserable ? justice is as essential to the notion of a god , as goodness ; and yet it is impossible that justice should belong to the idea of god , if it were irreconcilable with the divine goodness to make such creatures who may deserve well or ill : for justice respects merit , and consists in rewards and punishments ; and if the goodness of god will not suffer him to make a creature , which shall deserve either to be rewarded or punished ; goodness and justice cannot both of them belong to the idea of a god. but what pretence is there for any man to say , that because the devil and his angels fell from their first happy state , therefore god was not good in creating the angelical nature ? or because so many men sin , and make themselves miserable , therefore god is not good in creating man ? when there are so many myriads of blessed angels and saints eternally happy in the vision and fruition of god ; and those who are not so , are miserable only by their own fault . not to have made a happy nature , had been a just blemish to the divine goodness ; to make happy creatures , though they make themselves miserable , is none ; no more than it is to make a free agent , who alone is capable of happiness , and who alone can make himself miserable . none but a reasonable nature is capable of any great happiness ; and to make a reasonable creature without liberty of choice , and consequently without a possibility of sinning , and being miserable , is a contradiction : for what does reason serve for , but to direct our choice ? and indeed all the pleasures of vertue , which are the greatest pleasures of human nature , result from this liberty , that we chuse well , when we might have chose ill ; and if it becomes a good god to make a happy nature , it becomes him to make a reasonable and free agent , though many such creatures may make themselves miserable . but suppose we could not answer this objection , that god has made such creatures , as both could , and do make themselves miserable , what is it they intend by it ? would they prove , that god did not make the world , because he made angels and men , some of whom have made themselves devils ? those who are saints and angels still shall answer this objection , when any man has confidence enough seriously to make it . or would they prove , that god does not govern the world with goodness and justice , because he has made such creatures , as by the good or ill use of their liberty , make themselves the subjects of both ? there is no other answer necessary to that , but only to ask , what place there could be for a governing providence , were there no creatures who could deserve well or ill ? but this is enough in answer to an objection , which no considering man would seriously make : the more considerable objection relates to the many evils and miseries that are in the world ; and the only objection which , if it were true , could have any weight in it , is , that the miseries of this life are so many , so great , and so universal , that they overballance the pleasures and comforts of it ; that a wise man would rather chuse not to be , than to live in this world. and though the generality of mankind are of another mind , and therefore need no answer to this , yet they think they have the scripture on their side . for the wise-man , . eccl. , . tells us ; wherefore i praised the dead , which are already dead , more than the living , which are yet alive : yea better is he than both they , who hath not yet been , who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun . this at first view looks like a very sharp satyr upon human life ; that it is better to die than to live ; and that not to live at all , is better than either : and were this universally true , it were a vain thing to think of vindicating the goodness of providence in the government of this world , which has nothing good or desirable in it . that this is not the meaning of the words , we may certainly conclude from those many promises which are made to good men in this life ; and god would not promise good men what is worth nothing . but the explication of this text will contribute very much to the understanding this whole matter ; and therefore i shall , . shew you , that this is not universally true , nor intended to be so understood by the wise-man , that it is better to die , or not to be , than it is to live . . shew you in what sense the wise-man meant this , viz. with respect to the many miseries and calamities , which some ages of the world , and which some men in all ages are exposed to : and how this also is to be understood . . that this is not universally true , that it is better to die , or not to be born , than it is to live . this , i confess , was taught by some of the ancient philosophers and poets in too general terms ; that the first best thing is not to be born ; and the next , to die quickly ; but no body believed them ; for most men felt it otherwise : that light is sweet , and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the sun , . eccl. . there is a sense indeed , wherein this may be true . if we acknowledge , that this life in its greatest glory and perfection is the most imperfect state that a reasonable soul can live in , as most certainly it is ; then those philosophers who did believe that the souls of men lived and acted before they were born into this world , and were thrust into these bodies in punishment for what they had done amiss in a former state , had reason to say , that the best thing is not to be born ; for upon this supposition , it is best for them to continue in that state of happiness , and not to come into this world ; and if when they die , they return to their original state of happiness , the next best thing for them is , to die quickly ; and it is most probable that this was their secret meaning in it . for if we only consider the advantages and disadvantages of life , in ordinary cases life is very desirable ; so desirable , that it makes death the king of terrors . it would be a great reproach to the wisdom and goodness of providence , were this life so contemptible , or so calamitous a state , that it were more desirable not to be , than to live in this world ; but no man yet ever made life an objection against providence , though we know they do , the miseries and calamities of life . men may make themselves miserable without any reproach to providence ; and most of the miseries that are in the world , are owing to mens own fault or folly ; but had god made life it self so contemptible or miserable a state , as to be worse than not being , this had been an unanswerable objection . i 'm sure we are very ungrateful to almighty god , if we do not acknowledge that bountiful provision which he has made for the happiness of mankind in this world. for what is wanting on god's part to make man as happy as he can be here ? we want no sense which is useful to life , we want no objects to gratify those senses ; and which is very considerable , the most useful , and necessary , and delightful objects , are most common , and such as mankind pretty equally share in . there is not such a mighty difference , as some men imagine , between the poor and the rich : in pomp , and shew , and opinion , there is a great deal , but little as to the true pleasures and satisfactions of life : they enjoy the same earth , and air , and heavens ; hunger and thirst makes the poor man's meat and drink as pleasant and refreshing as all the varieties which cover a rich man's table ; and the labour of a poor man is more healthful , and many times more pleasant too , than the ease and softness of the rich ; to be sure much more easy than the cares and solicitudes , the pride and ambition , discontents , and envyings , and emulations , which commonly attend an exalted fortune . these indeed at best are but mean pleasures , the pleasures of sense , which are the lowest pleasures a reasonable soul is capable of ; but yet they are so entertaining , that the generality of mankind think it worth living to enjoy them , nay most men know little of any other pleasures but these ; and as philosophically as some may despise the body and all it's pleasures in words ; there are but a very few who can live above the body , and all its pleasures , while they live in it . but how mean soever these pleasures be , it is certain they make mankind , notwithstanding all the common allays they meet with , not only patient of living , but desirous to live . and yet there are more noble and divine pleasures which men may enjoy in this world ; such as gratify the nobler faculties of the soul , the pleasures of wisdom and knowledg , of vertue and religion ; to know and worship god , to contemplate the art , and beauty , and perfection of his works ; and to do good to men . these indeed are pleasures that do not make us very fond of this body , nor of this world ; for they do not arise from the body , nor are they confined to this world. we have reason to hope , that when we get loose from these bodies , our intellectual faculties will be vastly improved ; that we shall know god after another manner than we now do ; and discover new and brighter glories , which are concealed from mortal eyes ; but yet the pleasures of knowledge , and wisdom , and religion in this world are very great and ravishing , and therefore we either do , or may enjoy at present such pleasures , as make life very desirable : were there no other , nor happier state after this , yet it were very desirable to come into this world , and live as long as we can here , to enjoy the pleasures and satisfactions which may be enjoyed in this life : and though we know there is a happier life after this , yet there is so much to be enjoyed in this world , as generally makes even good men very well contented to stay here as long as god pleases . dly . but still we must confess , that though men may live very happily in this world , yet there may be such a state of things , as , if we only compare the sensible advantages and disadvantages of life , may make death much more desirable than life . i praised the dead , which are already dead , more than the living , which are yet alive . for the understanding of which we must consider , that this is one of those sayings which must not be strictly and philosophically examined , nor stretched to the utmost sense the words will bear ; it has some truth , and something of figure and rhetorick in it , as many of our common and proverbial speeches have , which must be expounded to a qualified sense . we must observe then , that the design of this whole book of ecclesiastes is not to put us out of conceit with life , but to cure our vain expectations of a compleat and perfect happiness in this world ; to convince us , that there is no such thing to be found in mere external enjoyments , which are nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit . and the end of all this is , not to make us weary of life , but to teach us to moderate our love to present things , and to seek for happiness in the practise of vertue , in the knowledge and love of god , and in the hopes of a better life : for this is the application of all . let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; fear god , and keep his commandments , for this is the whole of man : not only his duty , but his happiness too ; for god shall bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good , or whether it be evil , . eccl. , . among other arguments to prove how vain it is to expect a compleat happiness in this world , the wise-man instances in the many oppressions and sufferings which men are liable to , and which sometimes befall them , which may be so sore and grievous , and make life so uneasy and troublesome , as may tempt men , who only consult their own sensible satisfaction , to prefer death before life : and this seems to be all that the wise-man means , that we may live in such a troublesome and tempestuous state of things , that the mere ▪ external enjoyments of this life , cannot recompence the troubles of it ; for this is all that his design required him to prove , the vanity of all external enjoyments . and if ever the case be such , that a wise-man would chuse rather to leave this world , and to leave all these enjoyments behind him , than to endure the troubles and calamities wherewith they are attended , they are vain indeed . but this does not prove , that a wise-man ought to despise life for the troubles of it ; that he should chuse to run out of the world to be eased of its troubles ; or that a wise-man , notwithstanding all these troubles , cannot make himself easy and happy in it ; and consequently it does not prove , that a wise-man in such cases should prefer death before life , though it may reasonably enough cure his fondness for life , and make him welcome death , whenever god pleases to send it . let us then briefly consider these things . and , . let us take a view of those troubles and disorders which may make a wise-man willing to part with all the external enjoyments and pleasures of life to be rid of the troubles of it , and make him think those men happy , who are escaped out of this world , or are not yet come into it . king solomon the preacher gives us two accounts of this ; the first before , the second immediatly after this text. in the st verse he tells us ; so i returned , and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun , and beheld the tears of such as were oppressed , and they had no comforter ; and on the side of their oppressors there was power , but they had no comforter . and hence he concludes , wherefore i praised the dead , that are already dead , more than the living , who are yet alive . which signifies the publick oppressions either of the supream power , or of subordinate magistrates : the second relates to private factions , envyings , emulations , which many times make life as uneasy as the publick miscarriages of government . again , i considered all travel , and every right work , that for this a man is envied of his neighbour : this is also vanity , and vexation of spirit , v. . these two contain most of those evils in them , which disturb and distract human life ; but i shall not discourse this matter according to rules of art and method , but shall beg leave to give you a short view of such a state of things , as might make a man , who consults only his own ease , very contented to slip out of the world , and to leave foolish mortals to end the scuffle as well as they can . when a kingdom is in a strong convulsion , assaulted by powerful enemies abroad , and divided by busy and restless factions at home ; when men live in perpetual fear and suspence , know not what to call their own , nor how long they shall enjoy it ; when some men think themselves bound in conscience to ruin themselves , their countrey , and their religion ; others will sacrifice their countrey , and consequently themselves too , to private ambitions , resentments , or revenge ; and try their fortune over again in some new changes and revolutions of government . when such publick disputes as these influence all inferior societies , and as sometimes they have done , corrupt publick justice , dissolve the most intimate friendships , make conversation uneasy or dangerous , set every man's sword , or which is almost as fatal , every man's tongue against his brother ; when no man's fame , no man's life is secure ; but a slandering tongue may blast one , and a perjured tongue destroy the other : when zeal and faction make characters of men , disposes of life , of honour , of estates , and religion it self serves for little else but to inspire men with zeal and faction : when we cannot live in the world without seeing , or hearing , or feeling ten thousand villanies that are committed in it , what should make any man fond of life ? why should we not come to good old simeon's nunc dimittis , lord , now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace . such a troublesome state of things in this world must needs make all considering men think of a better , and as glad to get out of this , as a mariner is to recover the haven after a violent storm at sea. thus i say it must be , if we consider only the present advantages or disadvantages of life ; for perpetual fears and cares , strife and contention , oppression , injustice , defamation , &c. destroy the ease and security of life , and the freedom and pleasure of conversation , without which all the other pleasures of life are very tastless . and here i cannot but bewail the folly and distraction of mankind , who are fond of life , and impatiently thirst after happiness , but will not suffer either themselves or others to live , and to be happy . who bite and devour each other , and by their ungoverned passions raise such hurricanes in the world , that there is no ease , or rest , or happiness to be found , but in a grave , or in a charnel-house : where the wicked cease from troubling , and where the weary be at rest , where the prisoners rest together ; they hear not the voice of the oppressor , the small and great are there , and the servant is free from his master , . job , , . did men consider what it is to live , and to be happy , it would convince them , that there is nothing in this world worth purchasing with eternal discontents , envyings , emulations , jealousies , fears , with doing all the mischiefs and injuries we can , and with suffering all the injuries which others can do ; nay , indeed it is wonderful to me , that mens own sense and feeling , if they will not be at the pains to reason the matter , does not convince them of this . to live , is not merely to be , but to be happy ; and to be happy does not signify merely to have , but to enjoy ; and to enjoy , requires an easy , serene , undisturbed mind , which can relish what it has , and extract its true pleasure and satisfaction . the security of life , the easiness and freedom of conversation , when we fear no spies upon our words and actions , no malicious eye , no slandering tongue ; when our lives are spent in the exchange of good offices , in the endearments and caresses of friendship , or at least in mutual civilities and respects ; this is to live , and to be happy . a very little of what is external , will make such a state as this happy , which all the power , and all the riches of the world cannot do ; when to get , or keep it , divides the hearts and the interests of men , ferments their passions , destroys friendships , and all mutual trust and confidence , cantons and crumbles human societies into parties and factions , and animates them with a bitter zeal and rage , to reproach and vilify , supplant and undermine each other ; if this be to be happy , or the way to happiness in this world , it is time to seek for happiness out of it . dly . and yet this is no reason for a wise and good man to despise or abhor life , much less to force his passage out of this world. there is no difficulty in persuading the generality of mankind to live , notwithstanding all the troubles and calamities they meet with . the love of life is natural and strong , and reconciles men to great miseries before they desire that death should ease them . self-murther is so unnatural a sin , that it is now-a-days thought reason enough to prove any man distracted ; we have too many sad examples what a disturbed imagination will do , if that must pass for natural distraction ; but we seldom or never hear , that mere external sufferings , how severe soever , tempt men to kill themselves . the stoicks themselves , whose principle it was to break their prison , when they found themselves uneasy , very rarely put it into practise : nature was too strong for their philosophy ; and though their philosophy allowed them to die when they pleased , nature taught them to live as long as they could ; and we see that they seldom thought themselves miserable enough to die . there is no danger then of frightning men out of this world by the troubles and calamities of it ; that i need not concern my self with such fears ; but yet , without contradicting solomon , to vindicate the providence of god , and to support and encourage good men , i shall briefly shew you , that it is very desirable for a good man to live on , and that a wise and good man may live very happily , notwithstanding all the troubles and difficulties , which he may , and sometimes must encounter in this world. for difficulties are a glorious scene of vertue , and such a vertue as can conquer difficulties , has its rewards , its pleasures and satisfactions even in this life . it is very necessary that good men should live in very bad times , not only to reprieve a wicked world , that god may not utterly destroy it , as he once did in the days of noah , when all flesh had corrupted its ways ; but also to season human conversation , to give check to wickedness , and to revive the practice of vertue by some great and bright examples , and to redress those violences and injuries which are done under the sun , at least to struggle and contend with a corrupt age , which will put some stop to the growing evil , and scatter such seeds of vertue , as will spring up in time . it is an argument of god's care of the world , that antidotes grow in the neighbourhood of poisons ; that the most degenerate ages have some excellent men , who seem to be made on purpose for such a time , to stem the torrent , and to give some ease to the miseries of mankind : and would it become such men , when the world so much needs them , to get out of it , if they could ? to chuse the quiet and silent retirements of woods and deserts , or of the grave , to avoid the trouble of serving god , or doing good to men ? great minds cannot do this ; vertue is made for difficulties , and grows stronger and brighter for such trials ; it lays a mighty obligation on mankind to serve the publick good with labour and danger ; to purchase the ease , and liberty , and security of their countrey , at the price of their own ease , and the utmost hazard of their lives and fortunes ; to oppose a hardened , and laborious , and unwearied vertue against zeal and faction , and not like issachar , to crouch between two burthens , and cry rest is good . and it is a mighty pleasure to a vertuous mind to feel its own strength , to contend with difficulties , as far as vertue and prudence directs , with an unbroken mind ; it is always pleasant to do good , but yet it has the sweeter relish , the dearer we pay for it . this is a pleasure above all the ease and luxury of the world ; it not only sweetens all the troubles of life , but turns them into triumphs ; to endeavour to bear up a sinking world , though he should at last be crush'd in the ruins of it , will make the very ruins he sinks under , an illustrious monument of his vertue : to do all that a wise and good man ought to do , without regard to his own ease , to save a sinking church and state , will make him fall with pleasure , and perpetuate his memory with honour ; for in spight of envy and detraction , vertue will always be honourable in the grave . but i cannot enlarge on these things , and therefore shall give you the result of all i have said in two or three observations . . that though the troubles and calamities , which we often meet with in this world , do not prove life to be a contemptible state , or worse than not being ; yet they do prove life to be a very imperfect state ; that the mere sensible pleasures and advantages of life , together with these great allays , are but vanity , and vexation of spirit . wise men see , that there can be no compleat happiness in this world , and that it is vain to expect it ; for how can this world make us happy , which , though it has its pleasures , has its troubles , and cares , and disappointments too ; is an insecure and mutable state , exposed to chance and accident , to the lusts and passions of men ; is always chequered with prosperous and adverse events , has always a mixture of good and evil , and many times the evil is the prevailing ingredient ? and therefore though the natural love of life , and the many sweets and comforts of it reconcile very miserable people to living , yet a wise man sees no reason to be fond of this state , much less to dream of perfect and lasting happiness in it . dly . the many troubles we are exposed to , plainly prove , that there is no happiness to be had in this world , but in the practice of vertue . it was a vain brag of the stoicks , that vertue alone could make a man happy ; that their wise-man could be perfectly happy in phalaris's bull ; for vertue is not meat , and drink , and clothes , can't cure bodily pain and sickness , nor satisfy the appetites and desires of the body ; and while a wise man lives in a mortal body , he must feel the wants and pains of it ; and to be in want and pain , is not happiness . but yet thus much is certainly true , that nothing can make a man happy in this world without the practise of vertue ; and that when we must encounter with the troubles and difficulties of life , nothing can give us any degree of ease and satisfaction but the practice of vertue . we may meet with such troubles as will sowre all our other enjoyments , and make them unable to bear up our spirits , which sink under their own weight , under the disorders of their own passions : are tormented with fears , with disappointments , with envy , with rage ; and when they cannot bear themselves , can bear nothing else , nor relish their wonted pleasures : but you have already heard , that vertue has its proper pleasures in the greatest difficulties ; inspires us with prudent counsels to disintangle our selves ; animates us with courage and bravery to resist the evil , or to bear it ; sweetens our labours with the satisfaction of great and generous actions for the publick good ; keeps our own passions under government , and triumphs over an adverse fortune , by raising the mind above it . by such helps as these a good man may enjoy some competent measure of ease and satisfaction in the worst condition ; but when such troubles surprise a mind unarmed and unfortified with vertue , unable to resist , and unable to bear , we may then with great truth and reason apply this text to him ; i praised the dead , who are already dead , more than the living , who are yet alive . were the state of this world always easy and prosperous , there would be little need of passive vertues , though vertue in general is always necessary to make men happy ; but all men must be sensible how necessary passive and suffering vertues are for an inconstant , troublesome and suffering state , which is always in some degree the state of this world ; and that will convince those who will consider it , how necessary the practice of vertue is to make men happy . dly . though the troubles of this life are no reason why a good man should hasten his escape out of this world before his time , yet they are a very good reason to make him contented to leave this world , whenever god calls him out of it . for though vertue will sweeten labours and difficulties , yet no man would chuse always to live in a state of war. ease and rest is very pleasant and refreshing after labour ; though a prince be glorious in the field , covered with dust and sweat , and sprinkled with the bloud of his enemies , yet the triumphs of a secure and quiet throne are greater and more desirable . and this makes the grave too in some degree acceptable after the toils and labours of vertue , that there the weary are at rest ; especially since this rest is not a state of insensibility ; for all the labours and difficulties of a vertuous life are infinitely to be preferred before the ease and rest of knowing , and feeling , and being sensible of nothing , which is the rest of a stone , and of things without life , not the rest of a man. but they rest from their labours , and their works follow them ; they rest in a peaceful and secure enjoyment of endless happiness ; they rest from all the labours of vertue , and enjoy its rewards . this is a sufficient justification of providence with respect to the present evils and calamities of life ; for it is what exactly becomes the goodness of providence in this world ; such a mixt state of good and evil , as may wean us from the tempting vanities of this life , and convince us , that there is no perfect happiness to be found here , which is necessary to raise our hearts above this world , and to set our affections upon things above , which is an eternal state of perfect ease and rest : and since religion and vertue is necessary to our future happiness , nothing can be better for us than such a state of things as shall make vertue necessary to our present happiness ; and since we must leave this world , and death is the king of terrors , whatever reconciles us to death , and makes it easy , may be reckoned one of the greatest pleasures and securities of human life . secondly , in answer to this objection against the goodness of providence from those many evils and calamities that are in the world , we must consider , that most of the evils of human life are owing to mens own wickedness and folly , and it is very unreasonable to make those evils an objection against providence , which men wilfully bring upon themselves . thus the wise-man long since stated this question , the foolishness of man perverteth his ways , and his heart fretteth against the lord , . prov. . men make themselves miserable , and then reproach the divine providence with their miseries : and therefore i shall briefly shew you , that mankind undo themselves ; and that the evils which men bring upon themselves , are no reasonable objection against the goodness of providence . . the first is a very proper subject for a satyr against the folly and wickedness of mankind , but needs no proof . if we take a survey of the many miseries of human life , and resolve them into their immediate and natural causes , we shall find , that most men take great care to leave very little for god to do in the punishment of wickedness in this world. there are but two visible causes of all the miseries that are in the world ; either the disorders of nature , or the wickedness of men : by the disorders of nature , i mean unseasonable weather , earthquakes , excessive heat or cold , great droughts , or immoderate rains , thunders , lightnings , storms and tempests , which occasion famines and plagues , great sickness , or a great mortality ; these may very reasonably be attributed to the more immediate hand of god , who directs and governs nature ; but besides that in such cases , the visible corruption of mankind justifies such severities ; how rarely do these happen , and how few suffer by them , in comparison with those many and constant evils which the wickedness of men every day bring upon themselves , and others . for most of the other evils and calamities of life are visibly owing to mens sins . bodily sickness , sharp and painful distempers , which shorten mens lives , or make them miserable , are the common effects of intemperance , luxury , or wantonness ; children inherit the diseases of their parents , and come into the world only to cry and die , or to struggle some few years in the very kingdom and territories of death ; and to languish under those mortal wounds which they received with the first beginnings of life . another great evil is poverty , which many men bring upon themselves by idleness , or prodigality , and some expensive vices : it is not in every man's power by the greatest prudence and industry to make himself rich ; for time and chance happeneth to them all ; but in ordinary cases prudence and industry , joined with a religious regard for god and his providence , will preserve a man from the pressing wants and necessities of poverty . others , who do not make themselves poor by their own sins , are many times reduced to great poverty by the sins of other men ; by injustice , and oppression , and violence ; by the miseries and calamities of war , which brings a thousand evils with it ; which makes many helpless widows and orphans , deprives men of their patrons and benefactors , drives others from their plentiful fortunes , to seek their bread in a strange land ; plunders poor and rich ; lays a flourishing countrey desolate ; puts a stop to trade ; makes provisions dear , and leaves no work for the poor . some others are reduced to poverty more immediately by the providence of god , without their own fault : those who have no other support but their daily labour , are quickly pinched by a long and expensive sickness , or by the infirmities of age , or by the loss of their eyes , or hands , or legs ; others are undone by fire , or shipwrecks , or the various accidents of trade , which the most wary and cautious men cannot escape ; but besides , that there are few of these in comparison with the throngs and crowds of idle , prodigal , self-made poor ; god has made provision for all such cases , that no man shall suffer extreme want , by commanding the rich especially , to supply the want of such poor , who are properly god's poor , or the poor of god's making ; and commanding this under the penalty of their eternal salvation , and the forfeiture of their own estates , if they prove unjust and unfaithful stewards : so that though god makes some men poor , it is the fault of other men if they suffer want . the poverty they suffer is owing to the providence of god ; the wants and miseries they suffer , are owing to the sins , to the uncharitableness of men : for though the world be unequally divided , of which more presently , yet there is enough to supply the wants of all the creatures that are in it ; and god never intended that any of his creatures should want necessaries ; that one man's plenty and abundance should cause another man to starve : and thus it is in most of the other miseries of life ; it is the sin and the folly of mankind which makes them miserable , which is so obvious to every one , who will consider it , that i need not expatiate on every particular . i believe there is no man but will confess , that were all men good and vertuous , this world would be a very happy place ; and if the practice of moral and sociable vertues would make mankind happy , it is no hard matter to guess , what it is that disturbs the peace and happiness of the world. dly . let us now consider , how unreasonable it is to reproach the divine providence with those evils and miseries which mankind bring upon themselves . and laying down this as a principle , that most men make themselves miserable , it is very easy to defend and justify the goodness of providence . for these evils , which men complain of , are not justly chargeable upon providence ; and therefore are un unreasonable objection against providence . god does not bring these evils upon mankind , but men bring them upon themselves . supposing the nature of things , and the nature of man to be , what they now are , and that men lived just as they now do , there must be the same miseries in the world , that there now are , though there were no providence . though god did not interpose in the government of the world , yet intemperance , luxury and lust , would destroy mens health ; sloth , and prodigality , and expensive vices , would make men poor ; pride , ambition and revenge , would make quarrels , raise wars , and bring all the calamities of war upon the world ; if there were no providence , thus it must be ; for excessive eating and drinking will oppress nature ; and those who will take no honest pains to get money , or will spend what they have upon their lusts , must be poor ; and those who will quarrel and fight , must take what follows ; these evils are not owing to providence , because providence does not bring them ; no more than providence makes men wicked : men make themselves wicked , and wickedness makes them miserable ; and we may as well charge the providence of god with all the wickedness of men , as with those miseries which their own wickedness brings upon them . now since most of those evils which are in the world are not justly chargeable upon providence , the goodness of god is very visible in those very evils and calamities which mankind suffer . for , . god has in ordinary cases put it into every man's power to preserve himself from most of the greatest evils and miseries of life , even from all those which men bring upon themselves by their own sins . what could be done more than this for a reasonable creature , to make it his own choice , and to put it into his own power , whether he will be happy or miserable ? god has , not only in his laws , but in the nature of things , set before us life and death , happiness and misery : all men see what the visible and natural punishments of sin are , and have a natural aversion to those evils , and may avoid them if they will ; this is a plain proof , not only of the holiness of providence , as i observed before , in deterring men from sin by those natural evils which attend it , but also of the goodness of providence , by shewing men a plain and natural method , how to avoid the miseries of life , and to make themselves easy and happy . let the most sceptical objector against providence consider with himself , what god could have done more to prevent the miseries of mankind , without changing the nature of man , or the nature of things . to have laid a necessity upon man , that he should never chuse , nor do any thing which will bring these evils on him , had been to change his nature , to destroy the free exercise of his reason , and the liberty of choice ; and yet men cannot live as they do , and escape these miseries , unless all nature be changed . we must have other kind of bodies than we have , or our meat and drink must have other vertues and qualities , to bear the disorders and excesses of intemperance and lust , without feeling the inconveniences of it . fire must not burn , nor water drown , if wine must not inflame , nor a flood of indigested liquors extinguish the vital heat . the whole world must be a paradise , and bring forth fruit of it self , and all things must be possessed in common , or the idle , slothful , prodigal sinners must be poor . our bodies must be invulnerable and immortal , or there must be no instruments of death in the world ; or men , who quarrel , will fight , and kill one another . it is impossible , as the world now is , to separate sin and misery ; but men may avoid misery , if they please : and that is a very good world , and a good god that made such a world , and a good providence ▪ which governs the world , wherein men may make themselves happy , if they will. dly . besides this , the goodness of providence is seen in hindering and preventing a great many more evils and miseries which the sins and lusts of men would bring upon the world , were they not under the restraints and government of providence . no man doubts , but there might be a great deal more evil and misery in the world than there is , nor that many bad men are inclined to do a great deal more hurt than they do ; what is it then after all , that makes the world so tolerable a place ? if this be owing to the providence of god , it is a great argument of his goodness , that he will not suffer foolish sinners to make themselves and others so miserable as they would ; that as many furious phaetons as there are in the world , it is not yet all in flames ; but the moral , as well as the natural world , has its temperate , as well as torrid zones ; and what shall we attribute this to , if we do not attibute it to providence ? to what else can we ascribe our deliverance from those unseen snares which were laid for us , and which we knew nothing of , till we had escaped ; nay , which , it may be , we know nothing of to this day ? how many wicked designs prove abortive ? how many secret plots are discovered , when ripe for execution ? how often does god put a hook into the nostrils of the proudest tyrants , and by some cross accidents , or by weak and contemptible means , breaks their power , and humbles them to the dust ? sacred and profane histories are full of such examples , which can be attributed to nothing else but a divine providence , which sets bounds to the waves of the sea , and to the rage and pride of men . the scripture teaches us to ascribe our deliverance from all the evils we escape , as well as all the good we enjoy , to a divine providence ; and then we must acknowledge , that the divine providence prevents all that evil which bad men would do , but can't ; and who knows how much this is ? who knows how much evil bad men would do , had they no restraint ? that we have much more reason to adore the divine goodness for restraining the lusts and passions of men , which prevents an universal deluge of misery , than complain that he suffers so many miseries to afflict the world. dly . especially if we consider in the next place , that god permits bad men to do no more hurt and mischief , than what he over-rules to wise and good purposes . for god many times serves the wise ends of his providence by the wickedness of men , to punish the wicked , and to chastise the good ; to exercise the graces and vertues of good men , or to give terrible examples of his vengeance on the wicked ; and all this , how severe soever it may be , proves the goodness of providence , because it is for the general good of the world , that bad men should be punished , suppressed , destroyed , and that good men should be made better , and become great and eminent examples of faith and patience . whatever evils and miseries there are in the world , if there be no more than the good government of the world requires ; if no man suffers any more than what he deserves , or than what will do himself good , if he wisely improves it ; or will do others good , if they will either take warning by his sufferings , or imitate his vertues , all this is not only reconcilable with the goodness of providence , but is an eminent instance of it ; for to do good is an expression of goodness , though the ways of doing it may be very severe . this is a sufficient justification of providence , even as to those evils which god himself immediately inflicts upon the world , that he inflicts no more , nor greater evils , than what are for the good government of the world , as i have observed before ; but it is much more so with reference to those evils which men bring upon themselves ; for is it not wonderful goodness in god to defend us from our selves , to qualify the malignity of our own sins , to suffer us to do our selves no more hurt , than what he can turn into great good to us , if we consider our ways , and learn wisdom by the things which we suffer ? so to restrain bad men , that they shall hurt no body but those whom god thinks fit to punish , or to correct , or to exercise with some severities ; and that they shall do no more hurt , nor hurt any longer than the divine wisdom sees useful to these ends ? let us then briefly review this objection and answer ; and setting aside the consideration of god and his providence , let us suppose it to be the case of a father . and , i hope , what we our selves would allow to be a reasonable defence of earthly parents , will be thought a good justification of god and his providence . suppose then a father has several children , whom he providees very bountifully for ; and sends them abroad into the world in such hopeful circumstances , that if they will be frugal , diligent and vertuous , they may live happily , and increase their fortunes : should such children turn prodigals , and waste their estates in rioting and luxury , destroy their health , and suffer all the miseries of sickness and poverty ; would any man blame their good father for this ; and would not such a good man think himself much injured , should he be accused of unkindness and severity to his children , only because after all the kindness he could show them , they have made themselves miserable ? especially if we suppose this kind father to keep such a watchful eye over them , and to take such prudent and effectual care , as not to suffer them utterly to undo themselves , to make their condition hopeless and desperate , but only to let them feel the smart of their own folly , to bring them to more sober thoughts , not to perish under it , till there is no hope left of reclaiming them . what could a kind father do more for prodigals , unless you would have him maintain them in their luxury and lewdness , which a wise and good father can't do ? he brought none of these miseries upon them , and it is kindness to let them smart under them , to prevent their undoing as long as he can ; he turns the miseries they bring upon themselves only into a state of discipline ; he suffers them to injure one another to make them all sensible of their folly ; and those who are past recovery , he makes examples of greater severities to reform the rest : if this would be thought a kind , merciful , and wise conduct in earthly parents , apply it to the providence of god , and you have an answer to most of the miseries of human life . dly . in answer to this objection against the goodness of providence , from the many evils and miseries that are in the world , we may consider further , that as most of these evils are owing to our own , or to other mens sins , so it is we our selves who give the sting to them all : as many external calamities as there are in the world , and as the present state of this world requires there should be in it ; god has made abundant provision for the support of good men under them . it is not always in our power to avoid many of the sufferings and calamities of life , but it is our own fault if we sink under them . natural courage and strength of mind , the powers of reason , and a wise consideration of the nature of things , the belief of a good providence , which takes care of us , and orders all things for our good , and the certain hopes of immortal life , will support good men under their sufferings , and make them light and easy : and if god enable us to bear our sufferings , and to enjoy our selves under them , to possess our souls in patience , and to rejoyce in hope ; though we may suffer , we are not miserable ; and sufferings without misery are no formidable objections against providence ; this is like the bush , that was on fire , but was not burnt , a signal token of the divine presence and favour , and that can be no objection against the goodness of providence . what is merely external , may afflict a good man , but cannot make him miserable ; for no man is miserable , whose mind is easy and chearful , full of great hopes , and supported with divine joys . but the disorders of our passions make us miserable , and make us sink under external sufferings . an immoderate love of this world , pride , ambition , covetousness , anger , hatred , revenge , make every condition uneasy , and any great sufferings intolerable . it is this that makes poverty and disgrace , the loss of estate and honours , the frowns of princes , and the clamours of the people , such unsufferable evils , which a wise and good man cannot only bear , but modestly despise . it is this that terrifies us with the least approach of danger , and distracts us with fear , and care , and solicitude , and with all the imaginary evils , and frightful appearances , which a scared fancy can raise in the dark . especially when guilt makes men afraid , and look upon every misfortune , disappointment , affliction , as a token of the divine vengeance , and a terrible presage of the endless miseries of the next life . external evils and calamities , as far as they are good , can be no objection against the goodness of providence ; and they are good , as far as the providence of god is concerned in them , for they are permitted and ordered by god for wise and good ends ; and if they do not prove good to us , it is our own fault , who will not be made better by them . whatever men suffer , if their sufferings do not make them miserable , this is no just reproach to providence ; for god may be very good to his creatures , whatever they suffer , while they can suffer , and be happy ; not perfectly and compleatly happy , which admits of no sufferings , but such a degree of self-enjoyment , as reconciles external sufferings with inward peace , contentment , patience , hope ; which is the happiness of a suffering state , and a much greater happiness than the most prosperous fortune without it ; and if we be not thus happy under all our sufferings , it is our own fault . thus the wise-man tells us , that it is not so much external sufferings ( which is all that can be charged upon the divine providence ) which makes men miserable , but the inward guilt and disorders of their own minds ; . prov. . the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity , but a wounded spirit who can bear ? and if all that god inflicts on us may be born , our misery is owing to our selves . but i have so particularly discoursed this upon another occasion , that i shall enlarge no farther on it . dly . another objection against the goodness of providence , is god's partial and unequal care of his creatures ; and i confess partiality is a very great objection , both against justice , and an universal goodness , and such the goodness of providence must be . the foundation of the objection is this : that there are very different ranks and conditions of men in the world ; rich and poor , high and low , princes and subjects , and a great many degrees of power , and honour , and riches , and poverty ; and we cannot say , that god deals equally by all these men , whose fortunes are so very unequal : but there is no great difficulty in answering this . for , . the goodness of providence consists in consulting the general good and happiness of mankind , and of particular men in subordination to the good of the whole ; and this fully answers the objection : for though there are too many who are not well satisfied with their own station , and never will be , unless they could be uppermost ; yet i dare appeal to any man of common sense , whether it be not most for the good of mankind , that there should be very different ranks and orders of men in the world. there is not any one thing more necessary to the happiness of the world , than good government ; and yet there could be no government in an equality ; and there is nothing makes such an inequality like an unequal fortune . were all men equally rich and great , there would be neither subjects , nor servants ; for no man will chuse to be a subject or a servant , who has an equal title to be a lord and master . and then no man could be rich and great , which are only comparative terms ; and which is worse than that , no man could be safe . and if an inequality in mens fortunes be as necessary as government , that is a sufficient justification of providence , for humane societies cannot subsist without it . dly . and yet it is a very great mistake to think , that the happiness of men differ as much as their fortunes do ; that a prince is as much happier , as he is greater than his subjects ; for all the world knows , that happiness is not entailed on riches , and power , and secular honours ; as they have their advantages , so they have very troublesome and sowre allays ; and , it may be , upon a true estimate of things , as different a show and appearance as men make in the world , they are pretty equal as to true enjoyments . there is very little difference in eating and drinking , while we have wherewithal to satisfy nature ; for appetite makes every thing delicious ; and the hard labour of a poor man is much more tolerable than gout and stone , and those sharp or languishing diseases , which so commonly attend the softness and luxury of the rich ; and as for opinion and fancy it self , which creates the greatest difference , every rank of men make a scene among themselves , and every man finds something to value himself upon : that it may be , there is nothing wherein all mankind are so equal , as in self-love , and self-flattery , and a value for themselves ; that though there are many men who would change fortunes with others , there are few that would change themselves ; and the difference of fortunes is very inconsiderable , while every man is so well satisfied with himself . dly . this inequality of fortunes is for the great good of all ranks of men , and serves a great many wise ends of providence . it makes some men industrious to provide for themselves and families ; it inspires others with emulation to raise their fortunes ; it gives life and spirit to the world , and makes it a busy scene of action , to keep what they have , and to make new acquisitions ; to excel their equals , and rival those above them ; and though through the folly and wickedness of men , this occasions a great deal of mischief , yet the world would be a very dull place without it , there would be no encouragement , no reward for vertue ; providence it self would have very little to do ; for the visible rewards of vertue , and punishment of wickedness , is in the change of mens fortunes ; when industry , prudence , and vertue , advance men of a low condition to the greatest places of trust and honour , or at least to a plentiful and splendid station ; and prodigality , luxury , and impiety , bring misery , poverty , and contempt , upon rich and noble families ; such revolutions as these are great examples of the wisdom and justice of providence ; and therefore the inequality of mens fortunes is so far from being an objection against providence , that there could be little visible exercise either of the goodness or justice of providence without it . i cannot without some indignation reflect upon the baseness and ingratitude of mankind , who live , and move , and have their being in god ; who know how little they deserve of him , and feel every day how many blessings they receive from him , and yet seem never better pleased , than when they can find , or ignorantly invent , some plausible pretence to reproach his goodness ; the sense of all mankind confutes such objections ; and i should not have thought it worth the while to answer them , were it not a great satisfaction , and of great use , to contemplate the divine goodness even on the darkest side of providence : which will teach us a patient and thankful submission to god under all our sufferings , inable us to bear them , and direct us how to prevent , or remove them ; and give us a more transporting admiration of the divine goodness , when we see it , like the sun , break through the blackest clouds . if the goodness of god conquer the sins , the perverseness of mankind , and shines through all those miseries which foolish sinners every day bring upon themselves ; how good is god , when his goodness flows with an undisturbed , uninterrupted current ! chap. viii . the wisdom of providence . the unsearchableness of the divine wisdom , as i observed above , is a very good reason , why we should not judge or censure such mysterious passages of providence as we cannot comprehend ; but yet it becomes us to take notice of , and to admire that wonderful wisdom which is visible in the government of mankind . we cannot by searching find out god , we cannot find out the almighty to perfection : it is as high as heaven , what canst thou do ? deeper than hell , what canst thou know ? the measure thereof is longer than the earth , and broader than the sea , . job , , . but though we cannot discover all the wisdom of providence , no more than we can the wisdom of the creation , yet we may discover enough to satisfy us , that the world is governed as well as made with infinite wisdom : when we contemplate god , it is like losing our selves in a boundless prospect , where we see a great many glories and beauties , but cannot see to the end of it . we may discover admirable and surprizing wisdom in that little we see of providence , as i have already briefly observed upon several occasions ; but we know so little of what has been done in the world , and by what means it was done , and what ends it served , that it is no wonder if we have as imperfect a view of the wisdom of providence , as we have of the history of the world. but yet whoever diligently applies his mind to the study of providence , will see reason to admire a great many events , which careless observers make objections against providence ; which will be of such great use to confirm us in the belief of a providence , and to give us a profound veneration of the divine wisdom , that i shall venture to make some little essay of this nature , which though i am sensible must fall infinitely short of the dignity of the subject , yet will suggest some very useful thoughts , and shew us the most delightful and profitable way of studying histories , and providence . and to do this in the best manner i can , i shall . consider some great events recorded in scripture , which are as it it were the hinges of providence , whereon the various scenes of providence turned . . i shall take notice of some other visible marks and characters of wisdom in the more common events of providence , especially such as are made objections against providence . . some great events recorded in scripture , which gave a new face of things to the world , and opened new scenes of providence . the state of innocence , wherein man was created , was a state of perfect happiness . there was no death , no sickness , no labour , or sorrow ; but the fall of man made a very great change in this visible creation : man himself became mortal , and was condemned to an industrious and laborious life ; according to that sentence ; cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field : in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread , till thou return unto the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken : for dust thou art , and unto dust thou shalt return , . gen. , , . this was a very severe sentence , which deprived man of immortality , and of the easy and happy life of paradise ; condemned him to labour and sorrow while he lived , and then to return unto dust ; and yet the wisdom as well as justice of providence is very visible in it ; it was not fit that when man had sinned , he should be immortal in this world ; and an industrious and laborious life is the best and happiest state for fallen man , as i have elsewhere shown at large . we know little more than this of the antediluvian world , till we hear of the general corruption of mankind , that the earth was filled with violence , for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth ; insomuch , that it repented the lord that he had made man upon the earth , and it grieved him at his heart , . gen. this was so universal a corruption , that there was but one righteous family left , only noah , and his three sons ; and therefore god resolved to sweep them all away with an universal deluge , excepting that one righteous family , whom he preserved in the ark , which he appointed noah to prepare for that purpose . the justice of this no man can dispute ; for if all flesh corrupt its ways , god may as justly destroy a whole world of sinners , as he can punish , or cut off any one single sinner . but that which i am now concerned for , is to shew the wonderful wisdom of providence in the destruction of the old world by a deluge of water ; and rightly to understand this , we must consider the several circumstances of the story , and what god intended by it . now though that wicked generation of men deserved to be destroyed , yet god did not intend to put a final end to this world , nor to cut off the whole race of all mankind , but to raise a new generation of men from a righteous seed ; and to make the destruction of the old world a standing warning , and a visible lesson of righteousness to the new : and a few observations will satisfy us , that nothing could be more wisely designed for this purpose : . let us consider the wisdom of providence in destroying the old world without the utter destruction of mankind . it was too soon to put a final end to the world which he had so lately made , without reproaching his own wisdom in making it . there had been very little of the wisdom of government yet seen , but one act , and that concluding in all disorder and confusion ; and had god left off here , and put a final end to the race of mankind , it had been but a very ill spectacle to the angelical world , to see a whole species of reasonable beings so soon destroyed . the old serpent , who deceived our first parents , would have gloried in his voctory , that he had utterly spoiled and ruined the best part of this visible creation , and even forced god to destroy the most excellent creature he had made on earth . but god had threatned the serpent , that the seed of the woman should break his head , and therefore the whole posterity of eve must not be destroyed , but a righteous seed must be preserved to new-people the world. but besides this , the destruction of the old world being intended as a warning to the new , it was necessary there should be some living witnesses , both of the destruction and the resurrection of the world , to assure their posterity of what they had seen , and to preserve the memory of it to all generations . of which more presently . dly . the wisdom of god was very visible in delaying so terrible an execution till there was no remedy . to destroy a world carries great horror with it , and makes a frightful representation of god , if it be not qualified with all the most tender and softning circumstances . and i cannot think of any thing that can justify providence in it ( excepting the last judgment , when the divine wisdom thinks fit to put a final end to this world ) but the irrecoverable state of mankind , and the absolute necessity of some new methods of reforming the world. and therefore god delayed the destruction of the old world , till all flesh had corrupted his ways , and there was but one righteous family left , which must be in danger of being corrupted too by the universal wickedness of the age. however , it is certain , that though noah might have preserved his own integrity , and have taught his own family that fear and worship of god , yet he could do no good upon the rest of the world ; he was a preacher of righteousness , but his sermons had no effect : it is generally concluded by the ancients , that he was an hundred years in building the ark , and all this while he gave visible warning to them of the approaching deluge : now when it was impossible by any ordinary means to put a stop to the wickedness of mankind , what remained but to destroy that corrupt and incurable generation , and to preserve righteous noah and his sons , to propagate a new generation of men , and to train them up in the fear and worship of god ? had he delayed a little longer , the whole world might have been corrupt , without one righteous man in it ; and then he must either have maintained or preserved a world of atheists and profligate sinners , or must have destroyed them all : but it more became the divine wisdom , when religion was reduced to one family , to defer vengeance no longer , while he had one righteous family to save , to preserve the race of mankind , and to restore lost piety and vertue to the world. dly . the wisdom of providence in destroying the old world is very visible in the manner of doing it . st . for first it was a miraculous and supernatural destruction , and therefore an undeniable evidence of the power and providence of god. there are no visible causes in nature to do this , and therefore it must be done by a power superior to nature . some men think it sufficient to disparage the mosaical account of the deluge , if they can prove the natural impossibility of it ; and others , who profess to believe the story , think themselves much concerned to give a philosophical account of it , without having recourse to miracles , and a supernatural power , which they say unbecomes philosophers : but if it unbecomes philosophers to believe miracles , i doubt they will think it very much below them to be christians , which no man can be , who does not believe miracles ; and if they will allow of miracles in any case , methinks they should make no scruple to attribute the destruction of the world to a miraculous and supernatural power . the comfort is , the truth of the story does not depend upon any philosophical hypothesis ; we do not believe , that the whole world was drowned , because we can tell by what natural causes it might be drowned , but because moses has recorded it in his writings , who , we know , was divinely inspired : and we know also , that there has been no satisfactory account given yet from the principles of nature and philosophy , how the whole world could be drowned ; at least none that will agree with the mosaical history , either of the creation , or of the deluge ; and it is better to have no account , than such an account as confutes moses , could any such be given ; for this confutes , or at least discredits the story it self , for which we have no authentick authority , when the authority of moses is lost . but indeed it is no service to religion to seek after natural causes for the destruction of the world , any more than it is to resolve the making of the world into natural causes ; for it is great good nature in men to own a god , if they can make and destroy a world without him ; there can be no such thing as natural causes , till the world is made , and every thing endowed with its natural vertues and powers , and united into a regular frame , with a mutual dependance and connexion ; and therefore it is a vain thing to talk of making the world by natural causes , when it is demonstrable , that there can be no natural causes till the world is made : and it is as certain , that nature must move unnaturally , and be put into an universal disorder , before the world can be destroyed ; for while natural causes keep their natural course , they will preserve , not destroy the world ; and therefore the destruction of the world is not owing to natural causes , but to praeternatural disorders ; and what philosophy can give an account of that ? what can put nature into such an universal disorder , but the same divine power which put it into order , and gave laws to it ? and this is what god intended in the destruction of the old world , to give a visible and lasting proof of his being and providence to the new , by such a miraculous deluge , as could be attributed to no other cause , but a divine vengeance . that universal corruption of mankind would persuade us , that the very belief and notion of a god was lost among them ; or if it be hard to conceive how that should be , when the world by computation was not seventeen hundred years old , and lamech , noah's father , lived fifty years with adam himself , that it seems impossible that the tradition of god's creating the world should have been lost in so short a time ; yet at least they could have no sense of god's justice and providence ; they could not believe that god took any notice of their actions , or would execute such a terrible vengeance on them for their sins . we do not read of any one act of judgment which god exercised before the flood ; and it is not improbable , that his sparing cain , when he had killed his brother abel , might encourage them with hopes of impunity , whatever wickedness they committed ; and therefore the divine wisdom saw it necessary to put an end to the old , and to begin the new world with a visible demonstration of his power and justice , to teach men the fear , and reverence , and worship of that god , who not only made the world , but has once destroyed it , and therefore can destroy it again , with all its wicked inhabitants , whenever he pleases . now to make this a lasting proof of god's power and justice , it must be evident beyond all contradiction , that it was god's doing , and therefore it was necessary that god should destroy the world in so miraculous a manner , as could be attributed to no other cause ; for it is the true spirit of atheism and infidelity to attribute nothing to god , which they can ascribe to any visible cause . had all mankind , excepting noah and his sons , been destroyed by plague , or famine , or wild beasts , though such a general destruction would have convinced wise and reasonable men , that the hand , and the vengeance of god was in it ; yet if we may judge of the rest of mankind by the wonderful improvements in wit and philosophy which our modern atheists have made , they would think scorn to attribute plague , or famine , or such like evil accidents to god , though all mankind were destroyed by them . but when they hear of a world drowned , and know not where to find water to drown it , without a miraculous dissolution of nature ; they must either laugh at the story , which men in their wits can't well do , or they must believe a god and a providence . but whatever shift the infidels of our age may make to disbelieve the universal deluge , it must be confessed , that it was a very wise and most effectual means to convince that new generation of men , while the uncorrupted tradition of the deluge was preserved . dly . the wisdom of the divine providence was seen in destroying that wicked generation of men , without destroying the earth . god did not intend to put a final end to the race of mankind , but the earth was to be again inhabited by a new generation ; and a deluge of waters was best fitted to this purpose , which did no hurt to the earth , when it was dried up again , but rather moistened and impregnated it with new seeds and principles of life . there are but two ways we know of to destroy this earth , either by water or fire ; it has already been destroyed by water , and will be destroyed by fire ; and it is enough to satisfy any man , that this is not accident , but a wise design , to consider , that a deluge of water was made use of to purge and reform the world , but fire is reserved for the final destruction of it . whereas , had this order been inverted , as it might have been , had it been mere chance , it is evident that the earth could neither have been preserved from fire , nor utterly destroyed by water , without a perpetual deluge . a deluge of water does not destroy the earth , nor make it uninhabitable after the deluge ceases ; but fire destroys the frame and constitution of it , and melts all into one confused mass ; there is some defence against a deluge , noah and his sons were preserved in the ark , to people the new world ; but there is no defence against flames ; the whole earth , and all the wicked inhabitants of it , must burn together : and this is one wise reason , why god chose to drown the world , not to burn it , because the end of all things was not yet come . dly . there is great variety of wisdom to be observed in god's preserving noah and his sons in the ark from perishing by water . for first , as i observed before , this was very necessary to preserve the race of mankind to new-people the world , which much more became the divine wisdom , than to have created man a-new . when all flesh had corrupted his ways , it became god to try new methods of reforming the world ; for this opens new and surprizing scenes of providence , and displays such a multifarious wisdom in the government of mankind , as is much more wonderful than the creation of a new world would be : but had god destroyed the whole race of men , and created a new man to inhabit the new world , this would have argued some defect in the first creation ; for there can be no pretence for destroying man to make him again , but a design to make him better ; to correct that in a second trial , which experience had discovered to be faulty in the first : but though the wisdom of government will admit of various trials and experiments , the wisdom of creation wont : the government of free agents must be accommodated to their natures , and dispositions , not only to what god made them , but to what they make themselves ; and therefore the methods of government must change , as men change themselves ; but the natures of all things are made only by god , and if there be any fault in them , it is chargeable upon the divine wisdom ; and to make man , and destroy him , and make him again , would argue a great fault somewhere . dly . i observed also before , that to make the destruction of the old world of any use to propagate religion and piety in the new , it was necessary that some inhabitants of the old world should survive the deluge , to be witnesses of that terrible destruction . had no man survived , though god should have created man a-new , that new generation of men could have known nothing of the deluge , but by revelation ; whereas god intended a sensible proof of his power and providence , which mankind wanted . besides that revelation , which we may suppose god made to adam of the creation of the world , and his own sense , that he himself was but just then made , and was the first and the only man upon earth , there are such visible marks of a divine wisdom and power in the frame of the world , as one would think should be sufficient to convince men , that the world was made , and is preserved , and governed by god ; and yet because no man saw the world made , neither reason , nor revelation can persuade some men that god made the world. and is it reasonable then to think , that when there are no remaining signs of a deluge left , the belief of a deluge should for any long time have prevailed in the world without any living witnesses , who saw the deluge , though we should suppose god to have revealed it to new-created man ? no man could see the creation of the world , because the world must be made before man was made to live in it ; but though no man saw the world made , there were some who saw the destruction which the deluge made , which was as visible a proof of the divine power , and a much greater proof of a just and righteous providence . no man who believes that god destroyed the old world with a deluge of water , can doubt whether god made the world , and governs it ; and for this the new world had the testimony of eye-witnesses , which is as sensible a proof of a god , and a providence , as we can possibly have . dly . the preservation of noah and his sons in the ark , was an evident proof , that this deluge was sent by god : god fore-warned noah of it an hundred years before it came , and commanded him to prepare an ark , and gave him directions how to make it . thus much is certain , that noah did know of it before-hand , and prepared an ark , which remained as a visible testimony of the flood to future generations . now there being no natural causes of the flood , there could be no natural prognosticks of it . our saviour himself observes , that there were not the least symptoms of any such thing , till noah entred into the ark ; and therefore noah had no other way of knowing this , but by revelation ; and it was so incredible a thing in it self , that the rest of mankind would not believe him , though he warned them of it , and they saw that he believed it himself , by his preparing an ark for his own safety . and if we believe the account that moses gives of it , that some of all sorts of living creatures , both the beasts of the field , and the fowls of the air , were preserved with noah in the ark ( as we must believe , if we believe the universal deluge , unless we will say , that god new-made all living creatures after the flood ) what account can be given of this , that some of all sorts , in such numbers as god had appointed , and had prepared reception for , should come of their own accord to noah , when he was ready to enter into the ark , had they not been led thither by a divine hand ? thly . the preservation of noah and his sons in the ark did not only prove , that the deluge was sent by god , but was a plain evidence for what reason god sent such a terrible judgment ; viz. to put an end to that wicked generation of men , and to new-people the world with a righteous seed . this reason god gave to noah , and the nature of the thing speaks it . for when all the wicked inhabitants of the world were destroyed , and not one escaped the deluge , but only that one righteous family , which had escaped the corruptions of the age too , and that preserved by the peculiar order and direction of god , this is a visible judgment upon all the wicked of the earth , and makes a visible distinction between good and bad men . when such evils and calamities befall the world , as may be resolved into natural or moral causes , as plagues , and famines , and wars , fires , and earthquakes ; and it may be good and bad men share pretty equally in the publick misfortunes ; atheists and infidels will not allow these evils to be inflicted by god , much less to be the punishment of sin , when they make no visible distinction between the good and the bad ; but the universal deluge was both a supernatural and a distinguishing judgment ; none but god could thus destroy the earth , and none but the wicked were destroyed ; and therefore this is an undiable demonstration of the justice and righteousness of god , that he hates wickedness , and will punish wicked men . there are some other marks of excellent wisdom in the universal deluge , which i shall only name , because , tho they are worth observing , yet they are of less moment as to my present design . as the deluge was to be a lasting proof of a just providence to the new world ; and as you have heard , was upon all accounts admirably fitted to that purpose ; so we may reasonably suppose , that when it came , it convinced that wicked generation of men , and brought them to repentance , which it gave them some time for ; and though it could not save them in this world , who knows , but that a sudden repentance upon such a sudden conviction might obtain mercy for them in the next . noah was a preacher of righteousness ; he had often reproved them for their sins , and threatned them with a deluge , but they would not believe him , though they saw him preparing the ark ; but when they saw the flood come , they knew then the meaning of it , from what noah had often told them ; and this must needs convince them of the terrible justice and vengeance of god : and the gradual increase of the flood gave them some time to repent in , and to beg god's pardon ; and i 'm sure this makes a glorious representation both of the goodness and wisdom of god in the most terrible judgment that ever was executed upon the world , if we had sufficient reason to believe , as there want not some fair appearances of it , that god intended the deluge as well to convince and save all that could be brought to repentance in the old world , as to reform the new. thus since god had determined to destroy that wicked generation of men , and to preserve only noah and his three sons ; to destroy the earth by a deluge , and to shut up noah in the ark , was as great , or a greater mercy to noah , than his preservation was : let us suppose , that instead of drowning the world , god had at once destroyed all mankind by plague , or thunder from heaven , or some other sudden stroke , excepting noah and his sons , who should be eye-witnesses of this terrible execution , and live to see the earth covered with dead bodies , and none left to bury them ; and their cities lie waste and desolate without inhabitants ; who can conceive , what the horror of such a sight would have been ? who would have been contented to live in such a world , to converse only with the images of death , and with noisome carkasses ? but god in great mercy shut up noah in the ark , that he should not see the terror and consternation of sinners when the flood came ; and he washed away all their dead bodies into the caverns of the earth , with all the marks and signs of their old habitations , that when noah came out of the ark , he saw nothing but a new and a beautiful world ; nothing to disturb his imagination , no marks or remains of that terrible vengeance . this indeed destroyed all other living creatures , as well as sinners , excepting those that were in the ark with noah ; but this , i suppose , is no great objection against providence , that the creatures , which were made for man's use , were destroyed with man , since god preserved some of each kind for a new increase ; and yet the wisdom of god was very visible in this ; for had the world been full of beasts , when there were but four men in it , the whole earth would quickly have been possessed by wild and savage creatures , which would have made it a very unsafe habitation for men . to conclude this argument , the sum of it in short is this : when the wickedness of mankind was grown universal and incurable , it became the wisdom of god to put an end to that corrupt state , and to propagate a new race of men from a righteous stock ; and to take the most effectual course to possess them with a lasting belief of his being and providence , and with a religious awe of his justice and power : to this end he destroyed the old world with a deluge of water , and preserved noah and his sons in the ark ; which had all the advantages imaginable to deter men from sin , which brought a deluge upon the old world ; and to encourage the practise of true piety and vertue , which preserved noah from the common ruin. we see in this example , that numbers are no defence against the divine justice , and therefore no security to sinners ; when all flesh had corrupted his ways , god destroyed them all ; nay we see , that the more wickedness prevails in the world , the nearer it is to destruction ; that the great multitude of sinners is so far from being a reasonable temptation and encouragement to sin , that it is a fair warning to considering men , to separate and distinguish themselves from a wicked world by an exemplary vertue , that god may distinguish them also , when he comes to judgment , which an universal corruption of manners shews to be very near ; and it is a dangerous thing to sin with a multitude , when the multitude of sinners will hasten vengeance . here we see , that though sinners may be very secure , they are never safe ; as our saviour observes , it was in the days of noah , they were eating and drinking ; marrying , and giving in marriages , until the day that noah went into the ark , and knew not until the flood came , and took them all away , . matth. , , . god may delay punishment a great while , and seem to take no notice of what is done below , till sinners begin to think , that he is such a one as themselves ; but their judgment all this while neither slumbers , nor sleeps ; there may be the greatest calm , and the serenest days , before the most terrible earthquakes ; and the longer god has kept silence , the more reason have we to expect a severe and surprizing vengeance ; which makes the psalmist's advice in such cases very seasonable : now consider this , ye that forget god , lest i tear you in pieces , and there be none to deliver . and who would be afraid , or be ashamed of noah's singularity , to be good alone , and to be the single example of piety and vertue , that remembers , that he alone with his three sons , were saved from the deluge ? and he that would be a noah in the ark , must be a noah in a wicked world. but this is sufficient to justify the wisdom of providence as to noah's flood , which put an end to the old world ; and now let us take a view of the new. notwithstanding that late terrible example of god's power and justice in the destruction of the old world , that new generation of men began to grow very corrupt ; as god foresaw they would , but resolved to try some new methods , and not to drown the world any more : when noah had offered a burnt-offering to the lord , of every clean beast , and of every clean fowl , after his coming out of the ark , the lord smelled a sweet savour ; and the lord said in his heart , i will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake ; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth : neither will i again smite any more every living thing , as i have done , . gen. , . the first exploit we hear of them , was their building the tower of babel ; which story is so briefly related by moses , that we cannot give a perfect account of the reasons and circumstances of it . the most probable account seems to be this ; that nimrod the son of cush , and grandson of ham , in which line true religion and piety first decayed , affecting an universal empire , to prevent the dispersion of the people , persuaded them to build a magnificent seat for his empire , which should be a center of union for them , at what distance soever they should be forced to remove : that the whole earth should be but one kingdom , and babel the royal palace . had this design succeeded , the whole world would have been but one people , and the universal monarchy in the line of ham , which would quickly have endangered as general a corruption of mankind , as there was before the flood . let us then consider what course god took to prevent this , and the excellent wisdom of it , which we have an account of , . genes . , . that god confounded their language , so that they could not understand one another's speech ; and by this means , scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth , and they left off to build the city . now not to take notice , that this was the most ready way to people the whole earth , even the remotest corners of it , which was for the great good of mankind ; found them work to do , forced them upon the invention of ingenious arts , and by the benefit of trade and commerce , made every country , which was not wanting to it self , a little world , and every part to enjoy all the pleasures and advantages of the whole : i say , besides this , it was the most likely way that could be used at that time , to prevent the universal corruption of mankind . for , . this separated the families of sem and iaphet from the family of ham , where the infection was already begun ; and would have spread apace by the advantage of power and empire . when cain had slain his brother abel , god sent him away out of adam's family , that his presence and example might do no hurt ; and if by the daughters of men in . genes . we understand , as some good expositors do , those who descended of cain ; and by the sons of god , the posterity of seth , in whose family the worship of the true god was preserved , we may observe , that moses dates the general corruption of mankind from the union of these two families ; when the sons of god saw the daughters of men , that they were fair , and took them wives of all which they chose . and had the universal empire been established in the family of ham , and the posterity of sem and iaphet been brought into subjection to them , as they must in a short time have been , what less could have been expected from such a union and government , but another antediluvian corruption of all flesh ? this dispersion then was necessary to prevent a general corruption ; but we see in the example of cain , that a meer local separation is no security , for they may come together again , as the sons of god , and the daughters of men in process of time did . and therefore , dly . the most lasting dispersion and separation is by a confusion of languages , which hinders all intercourse and communication ; at least till there be a remedy found against it by learning each other's language , which was a work of time , and was never likely to be so general , as to be the means of a common intercourse . this effectually divided them at first , and would always keep nations divided , till foreign arms should give new laws , and a new language to a conquered people . dly . i observe farther , that the more divisions of languages were made , and the greater the dispersion was , the greater security was it against a general corruption ; which is a reason not only for separating the family of ham from the families of sem and iaphet , but for separating them from each other , and dividing them into smaller bodies : for the more divisions there are , whatever part were infected , the less could the corruption spread , when there was no communication between them . thly . this also divided mankind into several little independent monarchies , under the government of the heads of their several families ; which kept all mankind under a stricter government , than if the whole world had been one great empire , which would have proved a tyrannical domination , but could have taken little care of the manners of subjects ; especially if the government it self was corrupt , the whole world must be corrupt with it . but when so many distinct societies were formed , this gave them distinct interests , and made their laws and customs , the very humour and genius of the people , so different from each other , as would keep them distinct : and this would necessarily occasion mutual emulations and jealousies to rival their neighbours in riches and power ; and this cannot be done without wise laws , and a strict discipline , and the encouragement of labour and industry , of liberal arts , and all social vertues , and the suppression of such vices , as weaken government , and emasculate mens spirits : this effect we know in a great measure it had , as we learn from the most early accounts of the graecian commonwealths , where we meet with so many excellent laws , and such great examples of frugality , temperance , fortitude , and a generous love of their country , which may in a great measure be attributed to their mutual emulations , which taught them prudence and justice at home and abroad , and forced on them the exercise of many civil and military vertues . it had indeed been more for the peace and quiet of the world , that all mankind had been but one people , and one kingdom , without divided interests and governments ; but such a profound state of ease is apt to loosen the rains of government , and to corrupt mens minds with sloth and luxury ; and therefore is no more fit for a corrupt and degenerate state , than it would have been , that the earth should have brought forth fruit of it self without humane labour and industry . but jealousies and emulations , the necessity of defending themselves against potent neighbours , or the ambition to equal , or to outdo them , restrains publick vices , and is a spur to verture . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . it is true , this is the occasion of many miseries to mankind , of all the calamities and desolations of war , and therefore we must consider , thly . that this is so far from being an objection against providence , while god keeps the sword in his own hand , that it is an admirable instrument of government , and a signal demonstration of the divine wisdom . god had promised , that he would not again any more smite every living thing , as he had done , . genes . . and yet mankind could not be governed without some restraints and punishments ; and it did not become god to punish men and nations , as often as they deserved it , by an immediate hand ; and what then could be more wisely designed , than so to order it , that if men and nations were wicked , they should scourge and punish one another ? by this means god can chastise two wicked nations by each other's swords , without destroying either : he can so lessen their numbers , and exhaust their treasures , and impoverish their countries , as to force them to peace , and to reduce them to a laborious and frugal life , which will cure the wantonness and luxury of plenty and ease . if a nation be grown incurably wicked , he can by this means destroy them , without embroiling the rest of the world ; he can carry them captive into foreign countries , or make them slaves at home , and subject them to the yoke of a conqueror , who shall correct them , and teach them better . in a word , the dispersion of mankind by the confusion of languages , which divided them into distinct societies , kingdoms , and commonweals , opened a new scene of providence , with all the variety of wisdom in the government of the world . the judgment it self was miraculous , and as plain an evidence of the divine power , as the deluge it self ; for to new form a mind , to erace all its old ideas of words and sounds , and to imprint new ones on it in an instant , shews such a superior power over nature , as none but the author of nature has ; and they must have been very stupid , if this did not renew and fix the impression of a divine power and providence . but the dispersion which this confusion of languages occasioned , and the division of mankind into distinct societies , made the exercise of many moral , civil , and military vertues as necessary as their own prosperity and preservation : and if this had not so universal an effect as might have been expected , yet it prevented an universal corruption , and had a good effect in many countries , and by turns in most ; that the world never wanted examples of states and kingdoms which increased and flourished under a prudent and vertuous government , nor of the ruin of flourishing states by idleness , luxury , injustice , oppression , which weakened and divided them at home , and made them an easy prey to their provoked , or to their ambitious neighbours . but though the state of the world , as to some moral vertues , and good order and government , was much bettered by this means , yet mankind generally declined to idolatry ; that the knowledge and worship of the one supream god was in danger of being utterly lost , and the lives of men to be corrupted by the impure and filthy rites and mysteries of their religion . this required a new and more effectual remedy , and brings me to consider a new and wonderful design of the divine wisdom for reforming the world : i mean his chusing abraham and his posterity to be his peculiar people , whom he would govern in so visible a manner , that all the world might know and fear the god of israel . this is a large argument , and full of mysterious wisdom ; but my principal intention at present is to consider it with relation to the rest of mankind , and how wisely it was designed by god to give some check to idolatry , to preserve the worship of the true god , at least in israel , from whence in time it might be restored again , when lost in the rest of the world . it has , i confess , a very strange appearance at first , that god should reject , or at least neglect all the rest of mankind , and chuse but one family out of all the world to place his name among them : is god the god of the iews only , is he not also of the gentiles ? . rom. . this the vainglorious iew imagined , who despised the rest of the world , as reprobated by god ; but the apostle abhors the thoughts of it , yes , of the gentiles also ; and st. peter was at length convinced by a vision , that god was no respecter of persons ; but in every nation , he that feareth him , and worketh righteousness , is accepted with him , . acts , . thus it was from the beginning , though the iews did not think so ; and the apostles themselves at first could not easily be persuaded of it ; and yet how could any man entertain honourable thoughts of god , who could conceive him so partial in his favours , as to confine the peculiar expressions of his love to one nation , without any appearing concernment what became of the rest of mankind ? but if this was , and was intended by god , for the general good of the world , and was admirably fitted to cure idolatry , and to restore the worship of the one supream god , it gives us a new and more glorious prospect of the wisdom of providence . and to represent this as advantagiously as i can , i shall first give you a general view of this admirable design of the divine wisdom , which will enable us the better to understand , and to give a more intelligible and sensible account of the various providences of god towards israel . now we must consider the world at that time as over-run with idolatry , as we may easily conclude , when abraham 's family is charged with it ; as ioshua told the people of israel at shechem ; thus saith the lord god of israel , your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time , even terah the father of abraham , and the father of nachor , and they served other gods , . joshua . now all men must confess , that it became the divine wisdom to restore and preserve the faith and worship of the one supreme god , and to keep it alive in the world , that it might in time , though by slow degrees , prevail over idolatry , and the kingdom of darkness , and reduce mankind to their natural obedience and subjection to god. and since experience had proved , that neither the creation of the world , nor the universal deluge , nor the confusion of languages , could preserve the belief of one supream god , the maker and governour of the world ; but the new world was as universally over-run with polytheism and idolatry , as the old world was with violence ; and that the very dispersion of mankind , and their division into distinct kingdoms and societies , which was a good remedy against some other immoralities , had probably occasioned a multiplicity of gods , while every nation desired a god , as well as a king of their own , to protect and defend them ; i say , this shews what absolute necessity there was , that the divine wisdom should find out some more effectual and lasting means to convince the world of the power and providence of one supream god : what other effectual means god might have chose for this purpose , does not belong to us to inquire ; but it becomes us very much , to contemplate the divine wisdom in hat method which he did take to reclaim the world . now the way god took was this . he chose abraham and his posterity for his peculiar people , whom he governed in as visible a manner , as any temporal prince governs his subjects : he forbad them to own any other god besides himself , and separated them from the rest of the world by peculiar laws and ceremonies of worship , to secure them from the idolatrous practises of their neighbours : he made himself known , and distinguished himself from all other country gods , by the name of the god of israel , the god of abraham , and isaac and iacob ; not that he was only the god of that nation , as other nations had their peculiar gods , but the god of the whole world , though he was known and worshipped only in israel ; and by this name he triumphed over all the heathen gods , and wrought such signs and wonders , as might have convinced all men , if they would have been convinced , that there was no god but the god of israel ; none like him , none that could be compared to him . consider then , what more sensible proof the world could possibly have of one supream god , and of a sovereign providence , than to see a whole nation worshipping this one supream god ; which at least would not suffer them to be wholly ignorant of such a being , but was a just reason to examine their natural notions of a deity , and the pretences of their several gods. especially when they see this nation planted in a particular countrey allotted them by their god ; and the old wicked inhabitants destroyed , and driven out from before them , by such a series of miracles , as were an undeniable evidence of such a divine power , as all the gods of these countries were not able to oppose . and that this nation received their laws both for worship , and polity , and conversation , immediately from god , were govern'd by men appointed by god , and directed in all great affairs by divine oracles and prophets , with such a certainty of event , as never failed : that while they adhered to the worship of this one supream god , they were always prosperous , as he promised they should be ; but when they declined to idolatry , and worshipped the gods of the countries round about them , then they were either oppressed by their enemies at home , or carried captive into foreign countries . this was a visible proof , that there was a god in israel , and such a god as would admit of no other gods , nor allow them to worship any other , but punished them severely whenever they did ; and all their other gods could not help them , nor deliver them out of his hands . this gave sufficient notice to the world of the glory and power of the god israel ; but some will still be apt to ask , why god did not as sensibly manifest himself to all the rest of the world , as he did to israel ? why he had not his oracles and prophets in other nations ? and they may , if they please , as reasonably ask , why he does not immediately inspire every particular man with a supernatural knowledge , and force the belief of his being and providence upon their minds ? or why he did not by a miraculous power convert the old wicked world , but destroyed them all , and preserved only that one righteous family , which had escaped the general corruption ? for much like this was the state of mankind with respect to idolatry , when god called abraham out of vr of the chaldees : there was not one nation left , that worshipped the one supreme god , and him only ; nay , not one family ; for terah , abraham's father , was an idolater , and probably all the rest of the family , excepting abraham ; for tho he be not expresly excepted in the text , yet neither is he necessarily included ; and god's commanding him to leave his countrey , and his kindred , and his father's house , and his ready compliance with this command , is reason to believe that he was the only person in the family who had preserved himself from all idolatrous worship : however , it appears , that he was a man of that extraordinary piety and virtue , and so easily curable if he had been an idolater , that god thought him the fittest person to reveal himself to , and to begin a new reformation of the world. and therefore as in the days of noah god destroyed all that wicked generation of men by the flood , and only preserved noah and his sons to new people the earth , and to instil the seeds and principles of piety and virtue into their posterity ; so the new world being now universally corrupted by idolatry , and god having promised noah never again to destroy every living thing , as he had done , he takes another course , and in a manner creates a new people to be the worshippers of the one supreme god , and in them to make his own glory and power known to the world ; and chose abraham , a man of admirable faith and piety , to be the father of this new people , which should descend from his loins in his old age , not by the mere powers of nature , but by faith in god's promise , . heb. , . the plain state then of the case is this ; when that new generation of men had universally corrupted themselves with idolatry , notwithstanding all the means god had used to possess them with a lasting sense of his being and providence , god gives them up to their wilful blindness , and leaves them to the cheats and impostures of those wicked spirits whom they had made their gods , till he could recover them from this apostacy by such methods as were agreeable to human nature , and became the divine wisdom . the most effectual way to do this , was to establish his worship in some one nation , which should be a visible proof both of the unity of the godhead , and of a divine providence ; and because there was no such nation then in the world , he made a nation on purpose , and allotted them a countrey to dwell in , and signalized them by extraordinary providences , as the worshippers of the one supreme god. this was a kind of a new beginning of the world , which did not put an end to the idolatrous world , as noah's flood put an end to that wicked generation , but yet did propagate a new generation of men in it , who should in time put an end to that universal idolatry , and make a new world of it . and this is a new advance the divine wisdom made towards the recovery of mankind . when adam had sinned , he and his whole posterity became mortal , and were condemned to a laborious life , that in the sweat of their brows they should eat their bread ; which was the best preservative against the temptations of ease , and sloth , and luxury : when notwithstanding this , all flesh had corrupted his ways , god destroyed that wicked generation with an universal deluge , and thereby gave a signal demonstration of his power and justice to the new world : when this new generation of men grew corrupt , god confounded their language , and dispersed them over the face of the whole earth , and formed them into distinct bodies and societies , which prevented a general corruption of manners , taught them civil justice and many moral virtues , which were necessary to the support and defence of human societies ; but when they all declined to idolatry , which would endanger a new and universal corruption of manners , by those impure ceremonies with which wicked spirits would chuse to be worshipped , some new and more effectual means were to be used to cure this evil . the universal deluge , and the confusion of languages , had so abundantly convinced them of a divine power and providence , that there was no such creature as an atheist known among them , till their ridiculous idolatries in worshipping the meanest creatures , and viler men , with ludicrous or abominable rites , tempted some men of wit and thought rather to own no god , than such gods as the heathens worshipped : but tho these extraordinary events were a manifest proof of a divine power and providence , yet it seems they were not thought so express and direct a proof of the unity of the godhead , at least not a sufficient argument against the worship of inferior deities , whom they supposed intrusted with the immediate care of particular countries . and how could god give a more sensible demonstration to the world , that he would not allow the paying divine honours to any but himself , than by raising up a new people , distinguished and separated from all the rest of the world , by the sole worship of the one supreme god , and owned by him for his peculiar people , by as distinguishing providences ; for this not only proves a divine power and providence , but that there is but one god whom we ought to worship . and this may satisfy us , that god is not so partial in his favours , as to prefer one nation before all the rest of mankind ; for they were no nation nor people when god chose them ; for god entred into covenant with abraham and his seed , when there was none but himself ; but when all the rest of the world were idolaters , god promised to multiply abraham's seed into a great nation , and to make them his own peculiar people ; that is , he made a new people and nation , in great kindness to mankind , to preserve the knowledge and worship of the one supreme god , and by degrees to extirpate idolatry out of the world. but besides this , it was one of the peculiar privileges of the iews , that to them were committed the oracles of god ; and it is certain , it was for the great good of the world , that these divine oracles , a system of laws both for religious worship , and civil conversation , should be deposited somewhere ; for their idolatry did every day corrupt the manners of men , and was likely in time to destroy all the natural notions of good and evil ; which made a written law necessary , from whence men might learn their duty whenever they pleased ; and it is evident these laws could be given to no other people but the iews , who alone acknowledged and worshipped the one supreme god : for it is not to be conceived , that god should give laws to idolaters , who did not own and worship him for their god , or that they should receive laws from him . and tho these laws were immediately given only to the iews , because there was no other nation at that time which owned and worshipped the one supreme god , yet as the knowledge and worship of god prevailed in the world , so these laws would be of more universal use ; as we see it is even to this day : nay , even while idolatry prevailed , the writings of moses and the prophets very much reformed the pagan philosophy , gave them better notions of god , and of religious worship , and more divine rules of life , as is visible in the philosophy of pythagoras and plato , who are generally thought to have learnt some of their best notions from their conversation with iewish priests . but yet the question is not , what use the world did make of this ? but , what use they might have made of it ? and whether , as the state of the world then was , any thing could be more wisely designed , than to preserve the knowledge and worship of the one true god , and a system of divine laws , in a nation raised up on purpose to season the world , and to preserve it from an universal apostacy . but god had a more glorious design than all this , in entring into covenant with abraham , and chusing his seed for his peculiar people : he had promised , that the seed of the woman should break the serpents head ; which contains the promise of the messias , who in the fulness of time was to appear in the world , to destroy the works of the devil : and this is the covenant which god made with abraham , that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed . it was not fitting , that the messias and saviour of the world should descend from idolaters ; and that when he came into the world , he should find no worshippers of the one supreme god in it ; and therefore god entred into covenant with abraham , who seems to have been the only man of that age who was free from idolatry , and promises to multiply his seed , and to preserve his name and worship among them ; and that the messias should descend from his loins . and if we consider what necessary preparations were required for the coming of the messias , and for his reception in the world when he should appear , it will satisfy us how wisely this was designed by god. the appearance of the son of god in the world was very surprizing , and it could not be thought that any one who made such pretences , should find credit , unless the world had before-hand been prepared to expect him , and had some infallible marks and characters whereby to know him when he came . and this was the principal end of all the types , and figures , and prophesies of the law , to contain the promises and predictions of the messias , and the characters whereby to know him . the temple it self , and the whole temple-worship , was little more than types and figures of christ , of his incarnation , or living among men in an earthly tabernacle , of his priesthood and sacrifice , his death , and resurrection , and ascension into heaven , there to intercede for us at god's right hand , as the high-priest entred once a year into the holy of holies . now this could not have been done , had not the one supreme god had a temple , and priesthood , and sacrifices on earth , that is , a people peculiarly devoted to his worship and service ; for the temples , and priests , and sacrifices of idols , could not be types of the son of god , who came to confound all the pagan gods , and their idolatrous worship . thus there could have been no prophesies of christ , had there been no prophets of the true god ; and these prophecies would have met with little credit , had they been found in idols temples . so that god's chusing the posterity of abraham for his peculiar people , was not only necessary to preserve the knowledge and worship of the one true god in the world , but also to receive and to convey down to future ages with an unquestionable authority , all the types and prophecies of the messias . this gives us a general view of the divine wisdom , in that covenant god made with abraham and his posterity ; and this will enable us to discover the wonderful wisdom of all the various dispensations of the divine providence towards the iewish nation ; which will be both so useful and entertaining a meditation , that i cannot pass it over without some short remarks . now god having chosen the posterity of abraham to be his peculiar people , on purpose to make them a visible confutation of idolatry , and to establish and propagate the knowledge and worship of the one supreme god in the world , in order to effect this , four things were manifestly necessary . . that it should be visible to all that knew them , that god had chosen israel for his peculiar people . . that it should be as visible , that the god of israel is the one supreme god , the maker and sovereign lord of the whole world. . that the worship of the one supreme god should be preserved entire among them ; or that if they did decline to idolatry , they should be visibly punished for it . . that the fame of this people , and of their god , should by degrees be known over all the earth . now not to take notice of the mystical reasons of god's providences towards israel , which is a very large and nice argument , and not so proper to my present design ; if most of the remarkable providences wherewith they were exercised , did manifestly serve some one or more of these ends , we have a visible reason of them , not only sufficient to justify providence , but to give us a ravishing prospect of the divine wisdom . i shall begin with the removal of iacob and his family into egypt , the occasion of which is well known , but the reason of it is not so well considered . for it may seem strange , that when god had promised abraham to bestow the land of canaan on his posterity for an inheritance , he should remove them out of the land of canaan into egypt , there to continue many years under grievous oppression , before he thought fit to deliver them , and to give them possession of the promised land. but to understand the wise design of this , we must remember , that god was to give a visible demonstration to the world , that he had chosen israel for his peculiar people , and given them the land of canaan for their inheritance ; and it was not so agreeable to this design , that they should increase insensibly in canaan , and by degrees dispossess the old inhabitants ; for there had been nothing singular and remarkable in this ; and therefore they were to be a great nation , before god so publickly and visibly owned them for his people , and visibly bestowed an inheritance on them ; and it was necessary they should have some place to encrease and multiply in , till god thought fit to transplant them into the promised land : for this purpose god chose the land of egypt , and sent ioseph before-hand thither , and advanced him to pharaoh's throne , to prepare a reception for them : and a very quiet and easy retreat they found there for many years , till ioseph was dead , and all the good offices he had done both for king and people forgot , and the prodigious encrease of israel made the kings of egypt jealous of their numbers and power ; and then they began to oppress that people with hard labour and cruel bondage , till the time appointed for their deliverance was come . this oppression of israel may seem a very severe providence ; but there were some very wise ends it served . . to make the people willing to leave egypt , where they suffered such hard bondage ; for whoever observes how ready they were upon all occasions to talk of returning into egypt , how they longed after the onions , and garlick , and flesh-pots of egypt , notwithstanding all the hardships they suffered there , will be apt to think , that had they enjoyed ease and prosperity , all the miracles which moses wrought would no more have persuaded israel to have left egypt , than they could persuade pharaoh to let them go . dly . the advantage pharaoh made of the service of israel , made him obstinately resolve not to part with them ; and his cruel oppression made it very just for god to punish him , and all egypt with him ; and this occasioned all those signs and wonders which god wrought in egypt by the hands of moses , whereby he visibly owned israel for his people , and made his own power and glory known . dly . the great proneness of israel to idolatry , even when god had delivered them out of egypt , is too plain a proof , that they had learnt the egyptian idolatries while they lived there ; the golden calf being , as some learned men , not without reason , conclude , an imitation of the egyptian apis : and this made it very just for god to punish their egyptian idolatry with an egyptian bondage ; especially considering , that this was the most likely way to give check to their idolatry , and to make them hate the egyptian gods like their egyptian task-masters , and to remember the god of their fathers , and his promise and covenant to bestow the land of canaan on them . thly . the oppression of israel in egypt was an effectual means to keep them a distinct and separate people . this was absolutely necessary , when god had chosen them for his peculiar people , that they should be preserved from incorporating with any other people ; and this god took early care of , by placing them by themselves in the land of goshen ; where they grew up into a distinct body from egypt , which made pharaoh so jealous of them , when they began to multiply ; and that made him oppress them , and that oppression preserved the distinction , which a kind and friendly usage might in time have destroyed ; for it is rarely seen that two people can live amicably together in the same countrey , and under the same prince , without mingling and incorporating with each other , till they forget all distinction between nations and families . these are wise reasons why god suffered the hard bondage of israel in egypt ; and those mighty signs and wonders which god wrought in egypt , were the most effectual means both to convince the israelites of god's peculiar care of them , and to convince the world , that israel was god's peculiar people , and that the god of israel was the supream lord and governor of the world. this account god himself gives of it , . exod. , , . wherefore say unto the children of israel , i am the lord , and i will bring you out from under the burthens of the egyptians — and i will take you to me for a people , and i will be to you a god : and ye shall know that i am the lord your god , which bringeth you out from under the burthens of the egyptians . and as for the egyptians , god tells moses , i will harden pharaoh's heart , and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of egypt . but pharaoh shall not hearken unto you , that i may lay my hand upon egypt , and bring forth mine armies , and my people the children of israel , out of the land of egypt by great judgments . and the egyptians shall know that i am the lord , when i stretch forth my hand upon egypt , and bring out the children of israel from among them , . exod. , , . this is the first time we read of such signs and wonders as these ; and probably they are the first miracles of this nature that ever were wrought ; and it becomes us to contemplate the wisdom of providence in it ; for the wisdom of miracles , and the surprize and wonder of them , are two very different things . miracles offer violence to the order of nature , and would be no commendation of the wisdom of providence , should we consider them as causes , not as signs : it would be a reproach to the wisdom of providence to say , that god wrought all those miracles in egypt , because he could not have punished the egyptians , nor have delivered israel without them ; for it would argue a great defect in the ordinary methods of government , if god could not at any time save good men , and punish and destroy the wicked without a miracle . god can do whatever he pleases by the wise direction and government of natural and moral causes , and therefore does not work miracles because he needs them to supply the defects of natural powers , but to bear testimony to his own being and providence , and to give authority to his ministers and prophets ; and we must learn the wisdom of this from the state and condition of the world at that time . mankind at that time were so far from being atheists , that they would worship any thing , the meanest and most contemptible creatures , rather than have no god ; and they were so sensible how much they stood in need of a divine providence , that one god would not serve them , but they wanted as many gods , not only as there were nations , but as they had wants to supply . this was a great corruption of the light of nature , and those notions of one supream god imprinted on our minds , and proclaimed by the whole visible creation ; but yet was so universal and so prevailing , that their wisest philosophers , who had better notions of the deity , were not able to resist the torrent , and durst not openly oppose the worship of those countrey gods , for fear of a popular rage and fury . now when neither the light of nature , nor the works of creation , and of a common providence , could secure the belief and worship of the one supream god ; what remained but for god to make some more sensible manifestation of himself to the world ? and let any man consider , what more effectual way could have been taken to convince men of the divine power and providence , than by miracles , especially such miracles as are for the deliverance and protection of good men , and the punishment and overthrow of the wicked . when the corruption of mankind is such , that they will not learn from nature ; there is no way of teaching them , but by something which is supernatural ; and when the beautiful , and regular , and uniform order of nature will not convince men that there is a god , at least not that there is one supream god , who made , and who governs this world , miracles will. those who will not believe that the world was made , or had any wise and intelligent cause , must confess , that miracles have a cause , because they see them produced ; and that that cause is not nature , because they see them produced without any natural cause , or against the laws of nature ; nor chance and accident , because they are done at the command of a free agent , at the word of a man ; as all the signs and wonders in egypt were wrought at the word of moses , whose word had no natural vertue and efficacy in it to work wonders . and therefore miracles certainly prove , that there is an invisible , intelligent cause , who , if he did not make the world , could have made it , if he had pleased ; for whoever can in any one instance act without , or against nature , can create nature too ; for to do any thing which nature cannot do , is in that particular to make nature ; and he who can make nature in one instance , can do so in all ; and this is a good reason to believe , that the world was made , when we know that there is a cause that can make the world : and that superior power he exercises over nature , proves that he both can , and does govern the world ; for he has the supream and absolute government of nature , who can , when he pleases , give new powers to it , or suspend and reverse its laws . so that miracles are a supernatural proof of a divine power and providence ; and no man who believes that there ever was a true miracle wrought , can be an atheist ; and therefore it is no wonder that atheists are such professed enemies to the belief of miracles ; but it is a great wonder that they can persuade themselves to reject all those authentick relations we have of miracles , both from the law of moses , and from the gospel of christ , which are the most credible histories in the world , [ if we look upon them as no more than histories ] and have obtained the most universal belief . especially this is very unaccountable in those men who pretend to deism , to acknowledge a god who made the world ; for cannot that god who made the world , and made nature , act without , or above , or against nature , when he pleases ? and may it not become the divine wisdom and goodness to do this , when it is necessary for the more abundant conviction of mankind , who are sunk into atheism or idolatry ? when signs and wonders are necessary to awaken men into the sense and belief of god , and his providence , which was the case in the days of moses ; or to give authority to prophets to declare and reveal the will of god to men , which was a reason for miracles as long as god thought fit to make any new and publick revelations of his will ; when it is as reasonable and credible , that god , who can , when he pleases , should some times work miracles ; as it is that he should take care to preserve the knowledge of himself , and his will , and to restore it when it is lost ; or to make such new discoveries of his grace , as the fallen state of mankind requires ; when , i say , the thing it self is so credible , and so worthy of god , what reasonable pretence can there be for rejecting miracles , for which we have the authority of the best attested history in the world ? but atheism was not the disease of that age , which had run into the other extreme of polytheism and idolatry ; and therefore though miracles do prove the being and providence of god , the miracles of moses were principally intended to prove the glory and power of the god of israel ; that the god of israel is the one supream god , and that he had chosen israel for his peculiar people ; and this he did by doing such things as no other god could do ; such as made the egyptian magicians confess , that it was the finger of god ; and what more effectual way could be taken to convince the world of one supream god , than such visible demonstrations of an absolute and soveraign power superior to all ? those who worshipped a plurality of gods , either had no notion of one supream god , whose power ruleth over all ; or if they had , yet they believed that this supream god had committed the care and government of mankind to inferior deities , whom they therefore worshipped with divine honours , as the disposers of their lives and fortunes ; and either paid no worship to the supream god , which was the more general practice ; or worshipped their country-gods together with him , and that with the most frequent , most solemn and pompous worship . now such great and wonderful works as these , which none of their country-gods could do , was an evident proof , that there was a power , and therefore a god above them all , whom all mankind ought to fear and worship . this convinc'd nebuchadnezzar of the power of the god of israel , when he had delivered shadrach , meshach and abed-nego from the fiery furnace ; he made a decree , that every people , nation and langage which spake amiss against the god of shadrach , meshach , and abed-nego , shall be cut in pieces , and their houses shall be made a dunghill , because there is no other god that can deliver after this sort . thus when god had delivered daniel from the lion's den , darius made a decree , that in every dominion of his kingdom men should tremble and fear before the god of daniel : for he is the living god , and stedfast for ever , and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed , and his dominion shall be even unto the end . he delivereth and rescueth , and worketh signs and wonders in heaven , and in earth , who hath delivered daniel from ihe power of the lions . both these kings were convinced by these great and wonderful works , that the god of israel was the supream god ; but nebuchadnezzar's decree only forbids men to blaspheme god , darius seems to command all people to worship him ; for to tremble and fear before him , signifies a religious veneration ; but neither of them appointed any solemn worship to be paid him , much less did they forbid the worship of any other gods. but a little consideration would have carried them farther ; for those mighty works which proved a power superior to all gods , proved a sovereign providence too ; that this supream god had not so committed the government of the world to any ministers , or inferior deities , but that he reserved the supream disposal of all things in his own hands ; as nebuchadnezzar was convinced , that his dominion is an everlasting dominion , and his kingdom is from generation to generation ; and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing ; and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven , and among the inhabitants of the earth , and none can stay his hand , or say unto him , what dost thou ? this cut off all reasonable pretences of paying divine worship to their country-goods ; for if there be a superior power and providence over them , at most they could be only ministers of the divine will , and therefore could have no title to divine honours , no more than ministers of state have to the royal dignity : and it was very reasonable to conclude this , when they saw that this supream god would not suffer israel , whom he had chosen for his peculiar people , to worship any other god besides himself : this was not unknown to the egyptians , but was more manifest in after-ages , when god so severely punished them for their idolatry ; and was made evident to nebuchadnezzar and darius , when god delivered shadrach , meshach , and abednego , out of the fiery furnace , who refused to worship the golden image which he had set up ; and delivered daniel from the power of the lions , when he was cast into the lions den for praying to his god. this shews the strange power of prejudice and custom ; but yet we must confess , that this was wisely designed by god for the cure of polytheism and idolatry . having thus vindicated and explained the wisdom of providence , both with respect to the removal of israel out of the land of canaan into egypt , and the hard bondage they suffered there ; and their deliverance out of egypt with a mighty hand , and out-stretched arm , with signs , and wonders , and miracles ; let us now follow them into the wilderness . god having chose israel for his peculiar people , and delivered them out of egypt ; before he shewed them openly to the world under such a peculiar character , it was necessary first to form their manners ; to take care that they should own him for their god , and behave themselves as it became so glorious a relation : this could not be done in egypt , where they were oppressed by hard bondage ; and therefore god first leads them into the wilderness , remote from the conversation of all other people , and upon all accounts a fit place both to instruct and try them . i do not intend , as i said before , to inquire into the mystical reasons of those various providences with which god exercised them in the wilderness , to which our saviour and his apostles so often refer , and which they apply to the gospel-state ; but shall only consider the wisdom of providence , as to the external and visible conduct of that people , to make them fit to be owned before all the world for his peculiar people . they had lived two hundred years in egypt , and were tinctur'd with the idolatries , and had learnt the corrupt manners of that people , and had all that meanness and stupidity , and perverseness of humour , that a state of servitude and bondage is apt to create ; of which we have too many visible instances in their behaviour towards moses . all this was to be corrected before their entrance into canaan , which will give us the reasons of some very wonderful providences . the first remarkable thing to this purpose to be observed , is god's delivering the law to them with all the most formidable solemnities , in an audible voice from mount sinai : which moses tells them was such a thing as was never known before , since the day that god created man upon the earth : did ever people hear the voice of god speaking out of the midst of the fire , as thou hast heard , and live ? and the use moses makes of it is very natural , to confirm them in the belief and worship of the one supream god. vnto thee it was shewed , that thou mightest know that the lord he is god , there is none else besides him . out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice , that he might instruct thee ; and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire , and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire . — know therefore this day , and consider it in thine heart , that the lord is god in heaven above , and upon the earth beneath ; there is none else . for what can convince men that there is one supream god , if such a terrible appearance as that on mount sinai , and the law delivered in an audible voice from heaven , will not convince them ? numa pretended to receive his laws from the goddess aegeria , as some other lawgivers pretended to do the like , but no man knew any thing of it but themselves ; but here a whole nation heard god speak to them , and saw such an awful appearance upon the mount , as made moses himself fear and tremble . i desire any man to tell me , how god , who is a pure invisible mind , could possibly give a more visible demonstration of his presence and power ? i desire the wittiest and most philosophical atheists , only for experiment sake , to suppose the truth of that relation which moses gives us of this matter ; and that they themselves had been present at mount sinai , had seen the smoke and fire cover the mountain , had heard the thunder and the trumpet , and at last a voice delivering the law with an unimitable terror and majesty , what would they then have thought of this ? or what farther evidence would they have desired , that it was god who spoke to them ? this could be no dream , nor melancholy apparition , or disturbed fancy , for they had timely notice of it three days before , and were commanded to sanctify themselves to meet their god ; and if a whole nation had been imposed on after such fair warning , it had been as great a prodigy and miracle , as the appearance on mount sinai , and would have argued some divine and supernatural infatuation , and that would have proved a god. this then was as visible a demonstration as could be given of the presence , and power , and majesty of god , who rejected all other gods from any share in his worship , and declares himself to be the maker of heaven and earth ; for i 'm sure the wit of man cannot invent a more effectual conviction than this . let us then consider the wisdom of providence in this , both with respect to the israelites , and to the rest of mankind . he that cometh to god , must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him . and therefore when god intended to restore his own worship again in the world , and to make israel a pattern and example of it to the rest of mankind , it was necessary to give them as visible and ocular a demonstration of the power and glory of god , as it was possible for creatures to have . when the whole world was over-run with idolatry , and the israelites themselves so strongly inclined to it , nothing less than such an appearance from mount sinai was likely to establish the faith and worship of the one supreme god ; and we see that this it self could very hardly do it ; for immediately after they had heard god speak to them , while moses was in the mount , they made them a golden calf , and worshipped it ; and as soon as they mingled with any other people , they joined in their idolatrous worship ; a sad example of which we have in their worship of baal . peor , . numb . but this was the highest evidence god could then give them of his power and glory ; and it did in time prevail ; and in them all mankind who know their story , have a visible demonstration of one supreme god. but not to insist on every particular , which would be endless ; it may seem strange , that when god brought israel out of egypt to give them possession of the promised land , he should make them wander in the wilderness forty years , till all that generation of men which came out of egypt were dead , excepting ioshua and caleb . the apostle to the hebrews gives us the general account of this matter , . heb. . to the end ; which resolves it into their idolatry and infidelity . wherefore as the holy ghost saith , to day if ye will hear his voice , harden not your hearts , as in the provocation , in the day of temptation in the wilderness ; when your fathers tempted me , proved me , and saw my works forty years . wherefore i was grieved with that generation , and said , they do alway err in their heart , and they have not known my ways ; so i sware in my wrath , they shall not enter into my rest . which he makes an admonition to christians , take heed , brethren , lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief , in departing from the living god ; that is , in forsaking the true god , and declining to idolatry , as the israelites in the wilderness did . and to whom sware he , that they should not enter into his rest , but to them that believed not ? so we see , that they could not enter in , because of unbelief . the plain state of the case is this ; that generation of men which came out of egypt , and remembred the customs and practices of that people , were so strangely addicted to idolatry , that all the signs and wonders they saw in egypt , in the red-sea , and in the wilderness , could not perfectly cure them ; but whenever they had opportunity , they joined themselves to the heathen gods , ate of their sacrifices , and bowed themselves before them ; that had these men gone into canaan , which was then a land of idolaters , they would certainly have worshipped their gods , instead of destroying them , and have mingled themselves with the people of the land , and have learnt their manners : for they who so often tempted god , and disobeyed moses , while they were in the wilderness , in expectation of the promised land , what would they have done , had they been once possessed of it ? so that to have given that generation of men possession of canaan , would not have answered god's orginal design in chusing israel for his peculiar people ; for in all likelihood they would have proved a nation of idolaters , like the other nations round about them : and therefore god deferred the final accomplishment of his promise , till that generation was all dead , and a new generation sprung up which knew not egypt , nor had conversed with idolatrous nations , but had seen the wonders of god in the wilderness , and had learnt his statutes and judgments , and were sufficiently warned by the example of their fathers , whose carcasses fell in the wilderness , to fear and reverence the lord iehovah , and to make him their trust. this is the very account the scripture gives of it ; and thus accordingly it proved ; for that new generation of men were never charged with idolatry ; but we are expresly told , that israel served the lord all the days of ioshua , and all the days of the elders that overlived ioshua , and which had known all the works of the lord that he had done for israel , . josh. . all this , we see , was designed by god with admirable wisdom , to make his own glory and power known , and to publish his choice of israel for his peculiar people , and to prepare them for himself , and to establish his name and worship among them : and now god had made them fit inhabitants of the land of promise , without any longer delay he gives them the actual possession of it ; and therefore let us now follow them into the land of canaan . the history of the wars of canaan is sufficiently known ; which presents us with new wonders and miracles , not inferior to those which god wrought in egypt , and in the red sea ; for god so visibly fought the battels of israel , that they and all the world might know , that it was he that gave them possession of that good land , and drove out those wicked inhabitants before them ; which declared his glory , and made his power known : and what i have already discoursed concerning the wonders and miracles in egypt , is equally applicable to this , and i need add no more . let us then consider israel in possession of the land of promise : and there are but two things more i shall observe in the iewish history till the coming of our saviour . . their frequent relapses into idolatry , for which they were as frequently and severely punished . . their captivities and dispersions among the nations , whereby god made himself and his laws more universally known in the world . . as for the first , nothing could be more directly contrary to god's original intention , in chusing the posterity of abraham for his peculiar people , than their falling into idolatry ; and yet god foresaw , that this they would do , and threatens to punish them severely when they did ; which is the subject of moses his prophetick song , . deut. and the whole history of the iewish nation may satisfy us , that though god many times spared them when they were guilty of other great sins , yet they never fell into idolatry , but vengeance soon pursued them ; and they were either oppressed by their enemies at home , or carried captive into foreign countries . when ioshua was dead , and all that generation which ioshua led into canaan ; there arose another generation after them that knew not the lord , nor yet the works which he had done for israel : and they soon declined to idolatry , and served baalim ; they forsook the lord , and served baal and ashtaroth , . judges , , , &c. and what follows gives us a summary account of god's dealings with them all the time of the judges . and the anger of the lord was hot against israel , and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them , and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about them : whithersoever they went out , the hand of the lord was against them for evil , as the lord had said , and as the lord had sworn unto them ; and they were greatly distressed . nevertheless the lord raised up iudges , which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them . and yet they would not hearken unto their iudges , but they went a whoring after other gods , and bowed themselves unto them : they turned quickly out of the way that their fathers walked in , obeying the commandments of the lord ; but they did not so . and when the lord raised them up iudges , then the lord was with the iudge , and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies all the days of the iudge . ( for it repented the lord because of their groanings , by reason of them that oppressed them , and vexed them ) . and it came to pass when the iudge was dead , that they returned , and corrupted themselves more than their fathers , in following other gods to serve them , and to bow down unto them ; they ceased not from their own doings , and from their stubborn way . for this reason , as it follows in the text , god resolved not to drive out any from before them of the nations which ioshua left when he died . god had promised to put out those nations by little and little , not consume them at once , lest the beast of the field should increase upon them , . deut . but withal , ioshua assured them , that if they did in any-wise go back , that is , relapse into idolatry , and cleave unto the remnant of those nations , even those which remain among you , which ioshua had not driven out ; know for a certainty that the lord your god will no more drive out any of these nations from before you ; but they shall be snares and traps unto you , and scourges in your sides , and thorns in your eyes , until ye perish from off this good land which the lord your god hath given you , . joshua , . and thus accordingly god dealt with them ; for he left the five lords of the philistines , and all the canaanites , and the sidonians , and the hivites , that dwelt in mount lebanon , from mount baal-hermon , unto the entring in of hamath ; and they were to prove israel by them , to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the lord , which he commanded their fathers by the hand of moses , . judges , — . this was a wise provision god made to correct and punish israel , whenever they should decline to idolatry ; for these idolatrous nations , who still lived among them , or round about them , were not more ready to tempt them to idolatry , than they were to oppress and afflict them , when god thought fit to chastise israel : the whole book of iudges is a manifest proof of this ; and the story is so well known , that i need not insist on particulars : let us then briefly contemplate the wisdom of providence in those severe judgments god executed on israel for their frequent idolatries . god had chosen israel for his peculiar people , to be the worshippers of the one supream god , and a visible confutation of the heathen idolatries ; but their great propensity to idolatry , after all the signs and wonders which god wrought in egypt , and in the red-sea , and in the wilderness , and in giving them possession of the promised land , did threaten the final apostacy of israel , which would have defeated god's wise and gracious design in chusing them for his peculiar people . for had they turned idolaters like the rest of the nations , the worship of the one supream god had been totally lost in the world . to prevent this , god never suffered their idolatries for any long time to escape unpunished ; and if we would understand the true reason of this , we must not consider these judgments merely as the punishment of their idolatries , but as the wise methods of providence to preserve his own worship among them notwithstanding their idolatrous inclinations , and to make his name , and power , and glory , known to the world . the whole world were idolaters ; but god did not punish other nations for their idolatry , as he did israel ; which shews , that the punishment of israel was not merely for the punishment of idolatry , but for the cure of it . for god having chosen israel for his peculiar people , the world was to learn from them , from their examples , and from their rewards and punishments , the knowledge and worship of the one supream god. and could there be a more sensible confutation of idolatry , than to see a nation which had been visibly consecrated to the worship of the one supream god , as visibly punished , whenever they declined to idolatry ? that new generation which sprung up after the days of ioshua , who had not seen god's wonders in egypt and in the wilderness , nor known the wars of canaan , soon forgot the god of their fathers , and wanted some new experiments of god's power and presence among them ; and whenever they declined to idolatry , god took care they should not want them , though they paid very dear for them ; for he delivered them into the hands of their enemies , and brought many evils on them , till they should remember the god of their fathers : this account god himself gives of it , . deut. , . and the lord said unto moses , behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers , and this people will rise up , and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers , whither they go to be amongst them , and will forsake me , and break my covenant which i have made with them . then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day , and i will forsake them , and i will hide my face from them , and they shall be devoured , and many evils and troubles shall befal them , so that they will say in that day , are not these evils come upon us because the lord our god is not amongst us ? this the psalmist tells us was the effect of such judgments , though not always so lasting as it ought to have been . when he slew them , then they sought him , and returned and enquired early after god ; and they remembred that god was their rock , and the high god their redeemer , . psal. , . by these means god made them sensible of his justice and power , and reclaim'd them from their idolatries , and restored his own worship among them ; for they certainly knew by the threatnings of their own law , for what reasons they were thus punish'd ; and indeed their own experience was sufficient to satisfie them in this ; for they no sooner forsook the god of their fathers , and worshipped others gods , but they were oppressed by their enemies ; and when they repented of their idolatries , and returned to god , he raised up saviours and deliverers who vanquished their enemies , and restored them to liberty and peace : especially since those wonderful deliverances which god wrought for them by the hands of their judges , gave that generation of men , which knew not the wars of canaan , new and visible proofs of god's power and presence among them . and we know what effect this discipline had : it did not wholly prevent their idolatries , which they were very prone to , when the memory of such judgments was worn out by a long peace and prosperity ; but then the repetition of such judgments , as they repeated their provocations , joined with the admonitions of their prophets , whom god raised up in several ages , did generally bring them to repentance , and restore the worship of god amongst them ; till at last the ten tribes grew incurable , and were therefore utterly rejected by god , and carried into a perpetual captivity , never to return more into their own land ; and iudah , who would not take warning by the punishment of israel , was carried captive into babylon for seventy years ; which so perfectly cured their idolatry , that we hear no more complaints of that after their return from captivity . and this answered god's design with respect to the rest of the world , as much as if they had never been guilty of idolatry : for notwithstanding their several relapses into idolatry , it was well known that israel was consecrated to the worship of the lord iehovah ; and when the nations round about were witnesses of god's judgments against israel when they forsook the lord their god , and of their happy and prosperous state while they kept his covenant ; it was a convincing proof of the power and justice of the god of israel , especially when they should see the ten tribes utterly rooted out for their idolatry , and iudah carried captive into babylon , and the city and temple of ierusalem destroyed , and the land laid waste and desolate without inhabitants ; the justice and power of god in driving them out of their land , would then be as much taken notice of , as his wonderful providence in delivering them out of egypt , and placing them in that good land , was ; as god himself tells solomon in answer to his prayer at the dedication of the temple : cor. . , , , . but if ye turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments which i have set before you , and shall go and serve other gods and worship them : then will i pluck them up by the roots out of my land which i have given them ; and this house which i have sanctified for my name , will i cast out of my sight , and will make it to be a proverb , and a by-word among all nations : and this house which is high , shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it ; so that he shall say , why hath the lord done thus unto this land , and unto this house ? and it shall be answered , because they forsook the lord god of their fathers , which brought them forth out of the land of egypt , and laid hold on other gods , and worshipped them , and served them ; therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them . for we must observe , that god had as well chose the land of canaan to be the seat of his worship , as israel to be his worshippers ; and the inheritance of the land of canaan was bestowed on them , in vertue of god's covenant to be their god , and they to be his people ; that is , that they should worship no other gods besides him : and the breach of covenant on their part by declining to idolatry , was a forfeiture of their right to the promised land ; and the proper punishment of it was , either oppression at home , which made them servants and strangers in their own land , or captivity in foreign countries ; and this was so publickly known , that when any such evils befel israel , the nations round about were able to give the reason of it , because they forsook the lord god of their fathers . so that the very oppression and captivity of israel , published the supreme power and glory of the god of israel , who is a jealous god , and will admit of no partners in worship ; but when his own people forsake him , and serve strange gods in the land which he had given them , and separated to his own worship , he makes them serve strangers in a land which is not theirs , . jer. . dly . these captivities and dispersions of israel , especially the long captivity of iudah in babylon , served other ends besides the punishment and the cure of their idolatry ; for into what country soever they were carried captive , they carried the knowledg of the god of israel along with them . while they lived at home in their own countrey , and had little commerce with any other people , the very name of israel was known only to their neighbours ; and the god of israel could be known no farther than israel was : but when they were carried captive to babylon , and dispersed through all the provinces of that vast empire ; this spread the knowledge of god too , who by many wonderful providences owned these captives for his people , and made the heathens see and confess his glory and power . but the better to understand this , we must consider that wise preparation god made for it in those great revolutions of states and empires which began about this time . to prevent the general corruption of mankind , as i observed before , god confounded their languages , and thereby separated them from each other , and formed them into several distinct independent societies and kingdoms ; which was an effectual means to prevent the spreading of the infection , and to force them to the practice of a great many moral and political virtues : but when the whole world was corrupted by idolatry , and god saw a proper season to begin a reformation , to make the cure more easy and universal , it was necessary to establish a more general communication among mankind , which is the most effectual means to spread a wholesome as well as a pestilential contagion : and since commerce and traffick was not so general in those days , as it is now , there was no such ready way to do this , as by force of arms , which united a great many kingdoms and nations into one ; which besides all other advantages , conveyed the knowledge of all memorable actions into all parts of the empire . now in the beginning of these great empires ( for tho the assyrian monarchy began long before , yet nebuchadnezzar was the golden head of that image which represented the four monarchies ) god carried iudah captive into babylon , and thereby made himself known to be the supreme and sovereign lord of the world , over all the babylonish empire . the first occasion god took to make himself known in babylon , was nebuchadnezzar's dream , which he had forgot ; and none of the magicians , or astrologers , or sorcerers , of chaldaeans , could shew the king his dream , much less tell him the interpretation of it ; but daniel did both ; which made nebuchadnezzar acknowledge to daniel , of a truth it is , that your god is a god of gods , and a lord of kings , and a revealer of secrets , since thou couldst reveal this secret , . dan. . and this advanced daniel to great authority : for the king made him ruler over the whole province of babylon , and chief of the governors over all the wise men of babylon . and we need not doubt but he used his authority , especially among the wise-men of babylon , who had the greatest influence upon others , to propagate the knowledge of the one supreme god among them . in the reign of the same king , god magnified his power in the preservation of shadrach , meshach , and abednego , from the fiery furnace ; which occasioned a decree that gave great advantage to the iews , and disposed all men to think very honourably of their god ; that every people , nation , and language , which speak any thing amiss against the god of shadrach , meshach , and abed-nego , shall be cut in pieces , and their houses shall be made a dunghil , because there is no other god that can deliver after this sort , . dan. , . and that experience nebuchadnezzar had of the power and justice of god in his own person , extorted from him as devout praises of god , and as orthodox a confession of his faith in him , as any iew could have made , dan. thus in the reign of belshazzar , who with his princes , his wives , and concubines , drank wine out of the golden vessels of the temple , god gave a glorious testimony to himself by a hand-writing on the wall , which as daniel expounded it , and the event that very night confirmed , foretold the immediate overthrow of his empire by the medes and persians : this was a very sudden vengeance for their idolatrous revels , and the profanation of the holy vessels of the temple , as daniel very freely acquainted the king , dan. and tho his advancement by belshazzar , who made him the third ruler in the kingdom , was but of a very short continuance , the king being slain that night ; yet it so recommended him to darius , who began the second monarchy of the medes and persians , that he advanced daniel to the same or greater honour and power , he being made the first of the three presidents who had the government of the hundred and twenty princes whom darius set over the whole kingdom . in the beginning of this new monarchy , god gave a fresh demonstration of his power , in delivering daniel from the lyons den ; for which reason darius made a decree , that in every dominion of his kingdom , men fear and tremble before the god of daniel , . dan. , , . so that by the captivity of iudah , god made himself known over all the babylonian and persian monarchy ; and this disposed cyrus , the seventy years of their captivity being accomplished , to give them liberty to return into their own country , and to publish a decree for the rebuilding the city and temple of ierusalem . but still to preserve the knowledge of god among them , the divine providence so ordered it , that when all had liberty to return , great numbers stayed behind in babylon , where they freely professed and exercised their religion ; which together with the civil dependance of the iewish state on the persian monarchy , preserved a constant correspondence and intercourse between them ; and that preserved the knowledge of the iews , and of their god. the grecian empire , which put an end to the persian , made the god of the iews still more known to the world : alexander the great came to ierusalem , treated the iews with great kindness , consulted the records of their prophets , offered sacrifices to god , and not only confirmed their old , but granted new privileges to them : and thus god became known , not only to the babylonian and persian , but to the grecian monarchy : and when after alexander's death the empire was divided , this caused a new dispersion of the iews , especially into syria and egypt : ptolomy the king of egypt having surprized ierusalem , carried great numbers of them into egypt , and having entertained a kind opinion of them there , employed them in his armies and garisons , and made them citizens of alexandria ; his son ptolomy philadelphus procured the translation of their law into greek , which was a new publication of their religion ; and after this , onias built a temple in egypt in all things like to that of ierusalem , where they worshipped god according to the rites of the jewish law ; that god was now as much known in egypt , as he was in iudaea . and to let pass a great many other things which contributed very much to propagate the knowledge of the god of israel in the world : to compleat all , the power and oppressions of the assyrian monarchs forced the iews to pray the alliance and assistance of the romans , which ended , as such powerfull alliances very often do , in their subjection to the roman powers , who first governed them by kings and tetrarchs , and at last reduced them into a roman province . and thus the iews , and their god , and their religion , became known over all the roman empire . these four successive monarchies , did gradually encrease and spread the knowledge of one supream god over all the world , and thereby prepared the way for the kingdom of the messias , that kingdom which the prophet daniel tells us , the god of heaven would set up , which should never be destroyed , . dan. . for the better to understand this , we must observe , that though the knowledge of god made no publick reformation of the pagan idolatries , yet it greatly disposed men to receive the gospel , when it should be preached to them : it visibly reformed their philosophy , and gave them the notion of one supreme being , as is evident from the poets and philosophers of those ages , though they still worshipped their countrey gods ; it gave them some obscure knowledge of the iewish prophecies concerning the kingdom of the messias , and raised an expectation even among the romans of some great prince who was to rise in the east , as tacitus observes . and though the knowledge of the god of israel did not reform nations , yet we have reason to believe , that it made a great many private converts , who secretly forsook the idolatries of their countries , and worshipped the only true god. it is reasonable to think it should do so ; and we must confess it was wisely designed by god for that purpose , and some few examples of this kind , which we know , may satisfie us , that there were many more . on the famous day of pentecost , when the holy ghost descended on the apostles in a visible appearance of cloven tongues like as of fire , there were at ierusalem great numbers , not only of iews , but of proselytes out of every nation . parthians , and medes , and elamites , and the dwellers in mesopotamia , and in iudaea , and cappadocia , in pontus and asia , phrygia and pamphilia , in egypt , and in the parts of lybia about cyrene , and strangers of rome , iews and proselytes , cretes and arabians , . acts , , . whether these were circumcised or uncircumcised proselites , is not said ; but proselites they were out of all these nations , who came up at the feast to worship at ierusalem ; from whence we learn , that the dispersion of the iews into all nations made great numbers of proselites , who either undertook the observation of the mosaical law by circumcision , and became iews , or at least renounced all the heathen idolatries , and worshipped no other god but the god of israel . the number of these last seems to have been much greater than that of circumcised proselites ; and if we believe some learned men , there is frequent mention made of them in scripture under the names of worshipping greeks , and devout men , and those which feared god. when saint paul preached at thessalonica , there consorted with paul and silas of the devout greeks a great multitude , . acts . the very name of greeks proves them to be gentiles , not iews , who are always distinguished from each other ; and that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , devout or worshipping greeks , proves that they were the worshippers of the god of israel ; for that title is never given in scripture to idolaters , and their frequenting the iewish synagogue sufficiently proves it ; for no gentiles resorted thither , but those who worshipped the god of israel . of this number was lydia , . acts . and cornelius the roman centurion , who was not only a devout man , and one who feared god himself , but all his family were so too , . acts . and the eunuch , . acts . and almost in every place where st. paul preached the gospel , we find great numbers of these worshipping gentiles ; at thessalonica and philippi , as you have seen , at corinth , . acts . at antioch of pisidia , . acts . and we have reason to conclude , that thus it was in other places ; which shews what a great effect the dispersion of the iews into all these countries had in making proselites , some to the iewish religion , but many more to the worship of the god of israel ; which prepared them to receive the gospel when is was preached to them : for they were the worshippers of the true god , and were instructed in the law and the prophets , as appears from their frequenting the iewish synagogues , and therefore were in expectation of the messias , and were capable of understanding the scripture proofs of the christian faith. it is certain the first gentile converts were of this sort of men , who more readily embraced the faith , than the iews themselves ; for they had all the preparations for christianity which the iews had , but none of their prejudices : neither a fondness for their ceremonial worship , nor for the temporal kingdom of the messias . and therefore a very learned man expounds that text , . acts . as many as were ordained to eternal life , believed , of these devout and worshipping gentiles , that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ready disposed and prepared to receive the doctrine of eternal life by christ jesus . and thus we are come to the days of christ , whose appearance in the world was the last and most effectual means god used for the recovery of mankind ; to consider the divine wisdom in the redemption of the world by jesus christ , relates to the wisdom of the christian religion , not of providence , and therefore does not concern my present argument ; but if we take a brief review of what i have said , we may the better understand in what sense christ is said to come in the fulness of time ; for he came as soon as the world was prepared to receive him . for i would desire any man , who complains that the coming of christ was too long delayed , to tell me in what sooner period it had been proper for him to appear ? in every age , as i have already shewn , god took the wisest methods that the condition of mankind would at that time allow to reform the world ; and if christ appeared at such a time , as the divine wisdom saw most fit and proper for his appearance , he appeared as soon as he could , if we will allow god to dispense his grace and favours wisely . that he did so , no man can doubt who believes the wisdom and goodness of god : but my business at present is to give you a fair representation of all those wise advances god made to this last compleating and stupendious act of grace and love. god had promised our first parents immediately upon the fall , that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head ; and by vertue of this promise all truly good men were saved by christ from the beginning of the world : but the more to recommend the love of god in the incarnation and death of our saviour , it seems very congruous to the divine wisdom , that all other methods should be first tried for the reforming of mankind , before the coming of christ ; and that he should come in such a time when the world was best prepared to receive him ; and as little as we understand of the unsearchable counsels of god , it may satisfy us , that upon both these accounts christ appeared in the fulness of time . when all flesh had corrupted his ways , and there was but one righteous family left , the only probable means of restoring piety and vertue to the world , was to destroy all that wicked generation of men , and to preserve that righteous family to new-people the world . when that new generation began to corrupt themselves , god separated them from each other by confounding their languages ; and formed them into distinct societies and kingdoms , which was the most effectual way to stop the infection , and to force on them the practise of many moral and civil vertues . when notwithstanding this , they all declined to idolatry , god chose abraham and his posterity to be his peculiar people , to preserve the faith and worship of the one supream god in the world ; he gave them his laws , committed to them the types and prophecies of the messias , and punished them very severely when they worshipped any other gods ; sent them into captivity , and by various providences scattered them almost over the face of the whole earth , and thereby propagated the knowledge of himself , and of his laws ; and the prophecies of the messias made numerous proselites to the worship of the one supream god , and made ready a people prepared for the lord , and then christ came : and what sooner time you fix on for the appearance of christ , you will find it , either before god had tried all other methods for the reforming the world , or before the world was prepared for the receiving of christ. and having thus , in the best manner i could , represented to you the wonderful wisdom of providence from the beginning of the world to the appearance of christ in the flesh , in some of the most remarkable events which have happened , i shall here break off ; for though the wisdom of providence is not less wonderful in those various events which have happened to the christian church , yet that is so large a subject , and the accounts of many things so imperfect or doubtful , that i shall leave it to men of greater leisure , and better skill and judgment in secular and ecclesiastical story . but , i hope , that imperfect account i have now given , will teach you to reverence , not to censure the wisdom of providence ; for if we , who understand so little of god's ways , can see such excellent wisdom in them , what unsearchable depths and mysteries of wisdom are there which we can't discover ! but yet to compleat the iewish history , as far as the scripture-account goes , it will be necessary to take notice of the final destruction of ierusalem by the romans , which put an end to their state and government , and dispersed them into so many different countries ; for it seems very surprizing , that god should cast off his people , who were in covenant with him , and to whom the promises of the messias were peculiarly made , so soon after the appearance of the messias in the world . and therefore to vindicate both the truth and faithfulness of god's promise to abraham , and the wisdom of his providence in the final overthrow and dispersion of the iewish nation , we must distinguish , as st. paul frequently does , especially in rom. . between the carnal and the spiritual seed of abraham ; the children of the flesh , and the children of the promise : those who descended from abraham by carnal generation , and those who were the children of abraham by faith in christ jesus , . galat. , . the carnal posterity of abraham were chosen by god for his peculiar people , to preserve his own name and worship among them ; and for this purpose they were to be a distinct nation , separated from the rest of the world , and had the land of canaan given them to live in ; and they were to continue so till the coming of the messias , according to iacob's prophesy , the scepter shall not depart from iudah , nor a law-giver from between his feet , until shiloh come , and to him shall the gathering of the people be , . genes . . but the blessings of the messias were promised only to the spiritual seed of abraham , as st. paul proves , . rom. . gal. that is to all those , whether iews or gentiles , who believe in christ jesus ; for christ was the true promised seed , and in christ are all the promises of god , yea and amen ; and therefore nothing but faith in christ can entitle us to the promise of abraham ; as the apostle in these places confirms by several arguments , which i cannot now insist on . now if we thus distinguish between abraham's carnal and spiritual seed , and those promises which belong to abraham's carnal posterity , and those which peculiarly belong to his spiritual seed , there will appear no great difficulty in god's destroying the city and temple of ierusalem , and dispersing the iews into all parts of the earth . god had accomplished what he intended by the carnal posterity of abraham ; that is , he had preserved and propagated the knowledge of the one true god in the world , and prepared men to receive christ , when he should be preached to them ; and now christ was come , the spiritual covenant took place ; which was not confined to abraham's carnal posterity , but extended to all that believed in christ all the world over : so that god had no longer any one nation for his peculiar people , but those only were his peculiar people , whatever nation they were of , who believe in jesus . the iews then considered as abraham's carnal posterity , were god's peculiar people no longer ; nor did god's promise oblige him to preserve them a distinct nation any longer ; and therefore the divine providence might now as justly destroy them as any other nation , if they deserved it ; and certainly the crucifixion of their messias , and their obstinate infidelity did deserve it . and when they had thus justly deserved a final excision , the divine wisdom had admirable ends to serve by it . this gave a glorious testimony to christ and his religion in that terrible vengeance which befel his murtherers which christ himself had so expresly and punctually foretold , that no man , who knew what he had foretold with so many particular circumstances , could be ignorant , why ierusalem was destroyed . the obstinate infidelity of the iews , who blasphemed the name , and persecuted the disciples of christ , did in some degree hinder the progress of the gospel among the gentiles ; but the destruction of ierusalem , and the miraculous preservation of the christians , was so visible a testimony to christianity , and delivered the christian church from such bitter and implacable enemies , that the gospel had a freer passage , and prevailed mightily in the world . and the dispersion of the iews into all countries , as before it spread the knowledge of the one true god , so now it made them unwilling witnesses to christianity , as being the visible triumph of the crucified jesus . in a word , when all mankind were idolaters , god chose the posterity of abraham , and multiplied them into a great nation , to preserve and propagate the knowledge and worship of the one supreme god , and to prepare men to receive the gospel , which would in time extirpate all pagan idolatries . wen christ was come , and the gospel preached to the world , god rejected that nation for their infidelity , and by that means gave a freer passage to the gospel among the gentiles ; and st. paul intimates , that the time will come , when the sincere faith , and exemplary piety of the christian church shall contribute as much to the conversion of the iews , as they formerly did to the conversion of the gentiles ; for this seems to be the sum of the apostle's reasoning , with which i shall conclude this argument . . rom. , &c. for as ye in times past have not believed god , yet now have obtained mercy through their unbelief ; even so have these also now not believed , that through your mercy , they also may obtain mercy ; for god hath concluded them all in unbelief , that he might have mercy upon all . o the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of god! how unsearchable are his judgments , and his ways past finding out ! secondly , let us now consider the wisdom of providence in some more common and ordinary events , especially such as are made objections against providence . i have already upon other occasions taken notice of several things of this nature ; but it will give us a more transporting sense of the divine wisdom , to see as much of it as we can in one view . in general , whoever considers what it is to govern a world , and to take care of all the creatures that are in it , must confess it to be a work of infinite and incomprehensible wisdom . the epicureans for this reason rejected a providence , because they thought it too much trouble for their gods , full of care , solicitude , and distraction , to observe all that is done in the world ; and to over-rule and determine all events , as wisdom , justice , and goodness , should direct ; and indeed nothing less than an infinite mind can do this , which sees all things at one view , judges infallibly at first sight , and orders all things with a powerful thought . but my chief design at present is , to shew you the wisdom of providence in some particular cases , which either are not sufficiently observed , or not rightly understood . some of the great objections against providence are the troublesome and tempestuous state of this world ; the uncertainty of all events ; the fickleness and inconstancy of human affairs ; the promiscuous dispensation of the good and evil things of this life both to good and to bad men : and i have already vindicated , not only the justice and goodness , but the wisdom of god upon these accounts ; by shewing what wise ends god serves by them , and what a wise use we may make of such providences . and therefore the principal thing i shall now insist on , shall be some of those wise methods god uses in rewards and punishments ; wherein the great wisdom of government consists : and i shall briefly mention some few . . that god rewards and punishes men in their posterity : this is so plainly taught in scripture , that it will admit of no dispute ; though some men venture to dispute the justice , at least of one part of it , that god should visit the sins of the fathers upon the children ; which the iews objected against god in that prophane proverb , the fathers have eaten sower grapes , and the childrens teeth are set an edge , . ezek. and by the answer god there makes , we may learn in what sence god threatens to punish the posterity of bad men , and to reward the posterity of good men , for their fathers sakes ; which does not extend to the other world , where every man shall be judged according to his own works , and the soul that sinneth , it shall dye ; and as to this world , where we may allow more to the sovereignty of providence without impeaching the divine justice ; yet god assures us , that a righteous son shall not be punished merely because he had a wicked father ; nor a wicked son be rewarded , merely because he had a righteous father ; for thus much the words must signifie , if they relate to this life , as they certainly do , as well as to a future state. now if neither a righteous son shall suffer for the wickedness of his father , nor a wicked son receive the rewards of his father's vertue ; this can afford no pretence to impeach the justice of providence ; but it gives occasion to inquire in what sence god is said to visit the sins of the fathers upon their children , and to bless and prosper the posterity of good men for their sakes . . as for the first : if god does not punish a righteous son for the sins of his father , then to visit the iniquities of the father upon the children , must be confined only to such children as inherit the vices , and imitate the wickedness of their parents : that is , god has threatened to punish the wicked children of wicked parents . this , you 'll say , has nothing extraordinary in it ; for god has threatned to punish all wicked men , whatever their parents are ; and if they are punished only because they are wicked , how is this to visit the iniquities of their fathers on them ? but the answer of this seems as obvious as the objection ; that the wicked children of wicked parents shall be more certainly , and more severely punished , than other bad men ordinarily are . . as for the certainty of their punishment : we know a great many bad men very often escape the divine vengeance in this world ; for all wicked men are not punished here as their wickedness deserves : the justice of the divine providence , as i have already observed , does not require a sudden and hasty execution : bad men may be prosperous many years , and be severely punished at last ; or may be prosperous all their lives , and go down to their graves in peace , and only answer for their wickedness in the next world : but then god threatens that a more speedy vengeance shall overtake their posterity , if they are wicked ; that god will then remember , that they are the wicked children of wicked parents , and not exercise the same patience and long-suffering to them : and this is in a proper sence to visit the iniquities of their fathers on them ; for though they are punished only for their own sins , yet the iniquities of their fathers are the reason why god punishes them in this world for their sins , and makes them the examples of his justice , while other men as wicked as themselves escape . . as for the severity of their punishments : no man shall be punished more than his own sins deserve ; but yet the wicked children of wicked parents may be , and very often are , punished more severely than other wicked men . god does not punish all bad men alike : for the punishments of this life are more properly acts of discipline , than acts of judgment ; and therefore are not proportioned to the nature of the crime , but to the circumstances and condition of the person , and to the wise ends of government ; and if the wicked children of wicked parents are punished , though for their own sins , yet the more severely for their fathers sake ; this is to bear the iniquity of their fathers . to understand this , we must observe that the scripture takes notice of a certain measure of iniquity , which is filling up from one generation to another , till a last it makes a nation , or family , ripe for destruction ; and although those persons on whom this final vengeance falls , suffer no more than their own personal sins deserved ; yet because the sins of former generations , which they equal or out do , make it time for god utterly to destroy them ; the punishments due to the sins of many ages and generations , are all said to fall upon them . this account our saviour gives of the destruction of ierusalem , . matt. , , , , , , . wo unto you scribes and pharisees , hypocrites ; because ye build the tombs of the prophets , and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous , and say , if we had been in the days of our fathers , we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets . wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves , that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets ; fill ye up then the measure of your fathers sins . — wherefore behold , i send unto you prophets , and wise men , and scribes , and some of them shall ye kill and crucifie , and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues , and persecute them from city to city . that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth , from the blood of abel to the blood of zacharias son of barachias , whom ye slew between the temple and the altar . god may wait with patience upon a wicked nation , or a wicked family , but when they sin on from one generation to another , it all aggravates the account ; and when god sees it time to punish , makes the punishment very severe , or final . dly . the righteous posterity of good men are rewarded also for their fathers sake ; for he sheweth mercy to thousands of them that love him , and keep his commandments . a wicked son may receive a great many temporal blessings from god , for the sake of a righteous father ; for it is evident from scripture , that god shews great favour , and exercises great patience to bad men , for the sake of the good ; but the promise is made only to the righteous seed of good men ; for tho it does not unbecome the divine goodness to shew favour to bad men , especially when it is for the sake of the righteous , which makes it the reward and encouragement of vertue ; yet it does not seem fitting to make any general promise of favour to them , which would be an encouragement of vice. the righteous seed then of good men shall be blessed ; but so shall the righteous seed of wicked men be , and what peculiar priviledge is this to the good ? i answer ; when god promises to bless the righteous posterity of good men , if it contain any thing peculiar , which god has not so expresly promised to other good men , it must signify a more certain and a more lasting prosperity in this world . all good men are not prosperous in this world , nor has god any where promised that they shall be so , no more than all wicked men are visibly punished here ; but as god visits the iniquities of the fathers upon their children , by executing a more speedy vengeance on the wicked children of wicked parents ; so the righteous children of righteous parents shall be more certainly prosperous than other good men ; and the more uninterrupted successions there are of such righteous parents and righteous children , the deeper root they shall take , and be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters , that bringeth forth his fruit in his season ; his leaf also shall not wither , and what soever he doth shall prosper , . psal. . this may suffice for a short representation of this case ; and as it is thus stated , it is manifest , that there is no injustice in it ; let us then consider what wise ends it serves , both with respect to parents and to children , and to the justification of providence . . as to parents : if they have any natural affection to their children , this is a very powerful argument to restrain them from vice , and to excite them to virtue . most of the labour and toil which men undergo , is for the sake of their children , to provide for them while they live , and to leave them in easy and happy circumstances when they dye ; to raise and perpetuate a family , and to secure them , as far as it is possible , from all adverse events . but how successful soever bad men may be in raising an estate , they build upon a sandy foundation , and leave a very perishing inheritance to their children ; especially if they raise an estate by injustice and oppression , by defrauding god and the poor of their portion , which many times makes it moulder away in the hands even of a righteous heir . the more prosperous a wicked man is , the more likely is his posterity to be miserable , if he propagate his vices to them ; for god will at one time or other reckon with wicked families , as well as men ; and that will be a terrible account , when the wickedness of his father shall be remembred before the lord , and the sin of his mother shall not be blotted out , . psal. . and what an encouragement is this to good men , tho they themselves should be unfortunate in the world , to know , that their posterity shall reap the rewards of their virtue ; that if their children should be wicked , there is some reason to hope , that they may be more gently used , and it may be receive many temporal blessings for their sakes ; but if they be righteous , they shall then take root , and flourish in the earth ; that the little which the righteous man hath righteously got , shall prove a better , a more lasting and increasing inheritance , than the riches of many wicked ; and that a liberal charity , which some men think is to defraud their children , shall prove like seed sown in the earth , which repays all with a plentiful harvest . it is certain , were this firmly believed , and well considered , it would lay the greatest obligation in the world , both on bad and good men to take care of the religious and vertuous education of their children : the only way wicked men have to cut off the intail of misery from their families , and to secure their children from that vengeance which their own sins have deserved , is to train them up in piety and vertue ; and the only way good men have to intitle their children to those temporal blessings , wherewith god thinks fit to reward their vertues upon their posterity , which is the best inheritance they can leave them , is to make them good. the wicked children of wicked parents , have their own and their fathers sins to hasten and increase their punishments ; and the righteous children of righteous parents , have their own and their fathers vertues to secure and to augment their rewards . . as for children : what greater obligation than this could be laid on them to avoid the evil examples , and to imitate the vertues of their parents ? the wickedness of their fathers makes it more dangerous for them to be wicked ; for when wickedness is intail'd , the punishment of wickedness is intail'd too ; and the longer judgment has been delayed , the nearer it is , and the more severe it is like to be . the wicked son of a wicked father , cannot promise himself to escape so well as his father did , because his father's sins , which he imitates , calls for a more speedy vengeance on him ; either to put a stop to wickedness , or to root out a wicked family , and to pull down the leprous house : but what an encouragement is it to the children of righteous parents to imitate their vertues , that they may inherit all the blessings of their fathers ? we think it a great advantage for children to inherit the fruits of their parents industry ; but to inherit the rewards of their vertues is much greater : and this none but vertuous children can do . a prodigal son may inherit the estate of an industrious father , but can't keep it ; but a wicked son of a vertuous father forfeits his inheritance . and though some good men meet with very little , or with no reward in this world , nay suffer very severely for their vertue ; this is no discouragement to their children , but gives them reasonoble hopes to expect the more : for an exemplary vertue shall have its reward at one time or other , even in this world ; and if the father had it not , the son , and the son's son through all the line of a vertuous succession shall ; when good men suffer , or miss of the rewards of vertue in this world , they have the greater rewards in heaven , and their children on earth . . to reward good men , and to punish the wicked in their posterity , better answers the wise ends of providence in this world , than the personal rewards and punishments of every particular good and bad man. i have already observed , that there are very wise reasons why some bad men should be prosperous , and some good men afflicted in this world ; and since this world is not the place of judgment , the divine wisdom does not require that every good or bad man should be rewarded according to his works ; but yet the wisdom and justice of providence does require , that vertue should be rewarded , and vice punished , and that in such degrees , and in such a manner , as shall lay all reasonable restraints on the lusts and vices of men , and encourage their vertues . now vertue is rewarded , and vice punished , when it is rewarded or punished , if not in the persons , yet in the posterity of good or bad men ; which leaves room for the tryal of the faith and patience of good men , and for the exercise of god's goodness and patience to sinners , and for the ministries of bad men in the service of providence , and yet very effectually discourages wickedness , and encourages vertue . dly . another instance of the wisdom of providence is , that god very often punishes sin with sin , and many times with sins of the same kind . our daily observation may furnish us with examples enow of it , which are visible and publickly known ; and it may be , there are few sinners but know some which concern themselves , which the rest of the world does not know : thus god punished the murther and adultery of david , with the incest and rebellion of his son absolom ; and thus oppression is often punished with oppression , adultery with adultery , murther with murther , and wicked men are made plagues and scourges to each other . and god thinks it no dishonour to the holiness of his providence to attribute all such retributions to himself ; for god can serve the wise ends of his providence by the sins of men , without contributing to their sins ; and it is certain , there is not a fitter punishment in the world for sinners , than to suffer the evils they do ; that is , to be punished by the very sins which they commit . nothing more sensibly convinces them of a just providence than this ; nothing can give them a more just abhorrence of their sins , than to feel the evils and mischiefs of them ▪ nothing can more awaken and rouse their consciences , than to suffer the evils which they have done . and one would reasonably think , nothing should make them more afraid to do any evil , which they are unwilling to suffer : so that nothing could better serve the wise ends of providence to convince men of a divine nemisis and vengeance , to give them an abhorrence of their sins , and to make them afraid to commit them . . another instance of the wisdom of providence , is in so often disappointing both our hopes and fears . when we are in the greatest expectation of some great good , either we are disappointed in what we expected , or if we have what we wished for , it does not answer our expectations ; we find our selves deceived in our enjoyments , and that it had been better for us if we had been without them . and when we are terrified with the apprehensions of some great evil which is just ready to fall on us , either the evil does not come as we feared , or it proves no evil , but a very great good to us . this is so often every man's case , that i need only appeal to your own observations for the proof of it . now what more effectual way could god take to convince us , that we live in the dark , and know not what is good for our selves ; that we disturb our minds with vain hopes , and with as vain fears ; that it becomes us to leave all to god , and to depend securely on his providence , who over-rules all things with a sovereign will : that this is the only way to be easy and safe ; to chuse nothing for our selves , not to prescribe to providence , but to do our duty , and then quietly expect what god will do . is it possible there should be a happier temper of mind than this ? more honourable for god , or more secure for our selves ? does any thing more become creatures ? is there any more perfect act of religion , than to depend entirely on god , without hopes or fears , in a perfect resignation to his will , with a full assurance of his protection ? and could providence more effectually convince us of this , than to let us see by every days experience , how apt we are to be mistaken , and to chuse ill for our selves ; that our wishes and desires , were they answered , would very often undo us ; and that we are saved and made happy by what we feared ? and why then should we desire , why should we fear any longer ? let us do our duty , and mind our own business , and leave god to take care of the world , and allot our portion in it . thly , we may observe also , that god very often defers the deliverance of good men , and the punishment of the wicked to the utmost extremity . when wicked tyrants and oppressors are at the heighth of their pride and glory , and good men are reduced to a hopeless state , beyond the visible relief of any human power . this was the case of israel in egypt , when god sent moses to deliver them with a mighty hand , and an outstretched arm. this was several times their case in the days of the iudges , when they were oppressed by their enemies , and god raised up saviours and deliverers for them : thus it was in the days of hezekiah , when god in one night destroyed the mighty army of the assyrians : thus it was in queen hester's days , when that wicked haman had conspired the destruction of the iewish nation : and there want not examples of it in christian story : never was there a fiercer persecution of christians , than when god advanced constantine to the throne , and not only restored peace to the christian church , but made christianity the religion of the empire . and if the wisdom of providence consists in giving us wise instructions , i am sure this furnishes us with many . when things are reduced to that extremity , as to be past human relief , it makes it visible to all the world , that it is god's doing . where there is force against force , and counsels against counsels , though providence determines the event , human power and counsels very often monopolize the glory , and leave god out ; but when god does that , which men are so far from being able to do , that they can't think it possible to be done , this awakens a sense of an invisible power , and makes the divine glory and providence known to the world . when god exposes his own church and people to such a suffering state , and threatens them with final ruin , it is a severe summons to repentance , and warns them not to trust in vain words , crying , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord ; for god will purge his own house , and no external relation or priviledges shall secure us from vengeance , if we walk not worthy of that holy vocation wherewith we are called . but such deliverances as these give us great reason never to despair ; they teach us , that no case is desperate , when god will save ; and therefore the less expectation we at any time have of human succors , the more earnestly ought we to implore the divine protection , and learn to live upon faith , and trust in god. when good men are reduced to such extremities , it makes them more fervent and importunate in their prayers , more serious in their repentance , more sensible how much they stand in need of god ; and such surprizing and unexpected deliverances inflame their devotions , make their praises and thanksgivings more hearty and sincere ; which gives great glory to god , and betters their own minds . thly , the sudden revolutions of the world , and the various and unexpected changes of mens fortunes , which is thought one great calamity of human life , is intended by god to instruct us in some necessary and excellent parts of wisdom . some crafty politicians , like mariners , steer their course as the wind blows , and change as it changes . they have no other rule for their actions , but to guess , as well as they can , where their advantage or safety lies ; but providence very often disappoints them in this , by such hasty changes , and short turns , as make them giddy ; and this teaches us to act by rule , not by a politick foresight of events ; our rule can never deceive us ; what is just , and right , and true , is always safe ; but our politicks may , for things may not go as we expect . the various changes of mens fortunes teach us to treat all men with great humanity ; not to be insolent when we are prosperous ; nor to despise our inferiors , for we know not what they , nor we may be , before we die . civility ▪ and modesty of conversation is always safe , but pride and insolence may create us enemies , who may in time , how mean soever they are at present , be able to return our insolence . the divine providence so orders human affairs , as to teach us most of the wisest rules of human life , both for our religious and civil conversation ; and this i take to be a manifest proof of the wisdom of providence . thly , the wisdom of providence is often seen in the wise mixture and temperament of mercy and judgment ; when he corrects , but not destroys ; humbles , but does not cast down ; when he makes us sensible of his displeasure , and gives us just reason to fear , but without despair ; when , as the psalmist speaks , he lifts up , and casts down ; keeps us under the discipline of hopes and fears , and tries our faith and patience , and submission , and both threatens and invites us to repentance , by the interchangeable scenes of prosperous and adverse events . thus the psalmist tells us it is with good men . the steps of a good man are ordered by the lord , and he delighteth in his way ; though he fall , he shall not utterly be cast down , for the lord upholdeth him with his hand , . psal. , . thus . psal , . for the lord will not cast off his people , neither will he forsake his inheritance ; but judgment shall return unto righteousness , and all the upright in heart shall follow it . and he proves this by his own experience . vnless the lord had been my help , my soul had almost dwelt in silence . when i said , my feet slippeth , thy mercy , o lord , held me up , , , verses . an example of this ye have . isaiah . hath he smitten them , that is israel , as he smote those that smote him ? he smote israel , but not as he smote the enemies of israel ; or is he slain , according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him ? in measure when it shooteth forth wilt thou debate with it ? he stayeth his rough wind , in the day of his east wind . this is to sing to god of mercy , and of judgment ; to learn righteousness by the things which we suffer , but still to trust in his help . chap. ix . concerning those duties which we owe to providence . i have now finished what i intended with relation to the nature and justification of providence ; and all that remains is to explain and enforce those duties which we owe to providence . natural religion is founded on the belief of a god , and a providence ; for if there be no god , there is no object of our worship ; if there be no providence , there is no reason for our worship . but a god , that made the world , and takes care of all the creatures that are in it , deserves the praises and adorations of all . a god , who neither made the world , nor governs it , is nothing to us ; we have no relation to him , he has nothing to do with us , nor we with him ; but a god in whom we live , and move , and have our being , is the supream object of our love , and fear , and reverence , and hope and trust , and of all those religious and devout affections , which are due to our maker and soveraign lord. this is so plain , that it is enough to name it ; but the nature and extent of those duties which we owe to providence deserves a more particular consideration . as to instance in some of the chief . . to take notice of the hand of god in every thing that befalls us ; to attribute all the evils we suffer , and all the good things we enjoy , to his soveraign will and appointment : this is the foundation of all the other duties which we owe to providence ; and the general neglect of this makes us defective in all the rest . now if the divine providence has the absolute government of all events , you must confess it your duty to take notice of providence , and to acknowledge god in every thing ; for this is only applying the general doctrine of providence to particular events ; without which particular application the general belief of a providence will and can have no effect upon us . the psalmist complains of those wicked men , who regard not the works of the lord , nor the operation of his hands , . psal. . and a great many such there are , who have a general notion and belief of a providence , but take no notice of what god does , or take no notice of god in what is done . most men are too apt to attribute all events to the immediate and visible causes ; and though at other times they will own a god and a providence , yet as to particular events , take as little notice of god , as if he had nothing to do in it . such a belief of providence as this , is of no use at all in religion ; it neither gives glory to god , nor has any influence upon the government of our lives . but if we will own providence to the true ends and purposes of religion , we must not content our selves with a general belief of god's governing the world , but whatever our state and condition be , or whatever extraordinary good or evil happens to us , we must receive all as from the hand of god. if we are poor , we must own this to be god's will and appointment that we should be poor ; if we be rich , we must consider , that it is god's blessing which maketh rich ; if we lose our estates by injustice and oppression , we must acknowledge , as iob did , the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away : and whatever evils and miseries befall us , we must say with good old eli , it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good . or with david , i was dumb , and opened not my mouth , because it is thy doings . without believing god's government of all events , we deny a particular providence ; and unless at the very time , when any good or evil befals us , we see and acknowledge god's hand in it , we can have no present affecting sense of his providence : all such acts of providence are lost , as far as our taking no notice of them can lose them ; god loses the glory of his goodness , mercy , patience , or justice , and we lose those divine comforts and supports , or those spiritual instructions and admonitions , which a due sense and acknowledgment of providence would have furnished us with . and therefore let us accustom our selves in all events , in the first place to take notice of god , and his providence ; which will teach us how to behave our selves in all circumstances , and how to make the best and wisest use of whatever happens ; and it was necessary to premise this ; for it is in vain to teach men their duty to providence , till they have learnt to attribute all particular events to the providence of god ; and to live under a constant sense and regard of it . dly , when we have thus affected our minds with a just sense of the divine providence in every thing that befalls us , we must in the next place take care to compose our souls to a quiet and humble submission to the sovereign will and pleasure of god in all things . all men confess , that it is our duty to submit to the will of god ; and if all the events of providence are god's doings , and what god does is his will , as the scripture assures us it is , and reason tells us it must be , unless god does any thing against his own will , then we must submit to the providential will of god in all events , as well as to the commanding will of god in obeying his laws . the soveraign authority and dominion of god requires this of us ; for we are his , and he may dispose of our condition and fortune in the world , as he pleases . the absolute power of god makes it both prudent and necessary ; for who hath hardened himself against him , and prospered ; that is , against his providential will ; for that whole dispute is about providence : and the wisdom and goodness of god makes it both reasonable , and our interest , to submit to him ; for all his providences , how severe soever they may appear , are ordered for the good of those who do submit to him . so that it is our duty to submit , because he is our soveraign lord ; whether we will submit or no , we must suffer his will , because we cannot resist his power ; and there is no danger in submitting to god , for he will consult our present and future happiness , and do better for us , than we could chuse for our selves . this is plain enough ; but that which i principally intend , is to consider the nature and various acts of that submission which we owe to providence , or to the providential will of god ; and i shall distinctly inquire , what submission we owe to providence under all the evils , afflictions , and calamities of life , and in those several states , conditions , and relations of life , which the providence of god placeth us in . . what submission we owe to providence under all the sufferings and afflictions which we meet with in this world . i do not mention a happy and prosperous fortune , for it requires no great submission to be prosperous , this is what all men desire and chuse ; but to submit , is to make our own wills , and desires , and fears , and aversions , and natural passions and affections , stoop and yield to the will of god , which there is no occasion for , but in a suffering and afflicted state . now when we suffer such things as are very grievous to flesh and blood , submission to the will of god does not require that we should not feel our sufferings , that we should not be afflicted with them , that we should not complain of them ; for to submit to god is not to put off the sense and passions of human nature ; it does not alter the nature of things , nor our opinions about them : afflictions are afflictions still , and will be felt , and though we must bear them in submission to god , yet we must bear them as afflictions can be born , and as human nature can bear them ; with pain , and grief , and reluctancy , with sighs , and groans , and complaints , with vehement and importunate desires and prayers to god and man to help and deliver us . we have frequent examples of this in scripture : the psalms of david as they abound with all dutifull expressions of reverence and submission to the will of god ; so they are very full of complaints and of the most passionate sense of sufferings represented so as to be felt , in such a strain of moving eloquence , as not art , but afflicted nature teaches . but we have one example above all others , and that is the example of our saviour christ , who suffered with fear and reluctancy , and with earnest prayers to his father , if it be possible , let this cup pass from me . the truth is , the greater our fears , and sorrows , and aversions are , the greater is our submission to god : it may be thought a great weakness of nature to be so much afraid of our sufferings ; but it argues the greater strength of faith , and is a more glorious victory over self , to make our very fears and aversions submit to the divine will ; for the more what we suffer is against our own will , the greater is our submission to the will of god. submission to god does not consist in courage and fortitude of mind to bear sufferings , which men may have without any sense of god ; and which the profoundest reverence for god will not always teach us ; but he submits , who receives the bitter cup and drinks it , though with a trembling heart and hand . this ought to be observed for the comfort of those who have a very devout sense of god , and reverence for his judgments , but betray great weakness of mind , and disorders of passions under their sufferings ; who are very impatient of pain , and have such soft and tender passions , that every affliction galls them , and when they reflect upon these disorders , this creates new and greater troubles to them ; for they conclude , that all this is want of a due submission to the will of god : but religion was never intended to extinguish the sense and affections of nature , to reconcile us to pain , or to make all things indifferent to us ; and while there is any thing that we love , it will be grievous to part with it ; and while there is any thing that we fear , it will be grievous to suffer it . religion will rectify our opinions of things , and cure our fondnesses , and set bounds to our passions ; but when all these flattering , or frightful disguises are removed , which magnified the good or evil that is in things , yet good and evil they are , and will excite in us either troublesome or delightful passions ; and this will exercise our submission to god , to part with what we love , and to suffer what we fear ; and were not this the case , there were no use of submission . to explain this in a few words , let us consider how that man must suffer , who suffers with submission to god ; and that is the submission which we owe to providence . now a man who suffers with submission , must not reproach and censure the divine providence , but think and speak honourably of god , how hardly soever he deals with him ; he may complain of what he suffers both to god and men , but he must not complain of god : this was iob's behaviour ; naked came i out of my mother's womb , and naked shall i return thither : the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , and blessed be the name of the lord : in all this iob sinned not , nor charged god foolishly , i job , . and the prophet david was an example of the like submission ; i was dumb , i opened not my mouth , because thou didst it , . psalm . he submitted silently and patiently as to god's hand , opened not his mouth against god , though he complains of the wickedness of men , and of the severity of his sufferings ; deliver me from all my transgressions , make me not the reproach of the foolish : remove thy stroke away from me ; i am consumed by the blow of thine hand , , . to reproach and revile providence , to fret against god , or as iob's wife advised him , to curse god , to be weary of his government , and impatient to think that we cannot resist , and cast off so uneasy a yoke ; this is directly contrary to submission . such men suffer god's will because they cannot help it ; but they would rebel if they could ; those who are so outragious against what god does , and so impatiently angry with god for doing it , only want power to stay his hand , and to pull him from his throne . submission to god , is the submission of our wills to the will of god : now though no man can absolutely chuse sufferings ; for suffering is a natural evil , and therefore not the object of a free choice ; yet men may chuse suffering against the natural byass and inclination of their own wills in subjection to the will of god : of this our saviour is a great example , who express'd a great aversion against suffering , prayed earnestly , father , if it be possible , let this cup pass from me , nevertheless , not my will , but thy will be done , our own wills will draw back and recoil at suffering ; for no affliction is for the present joyous but grievous ; but yet a will that is subject to god , will deny it self , and chuse that god's will should take place ; and this is our submission to the will of god in suffering ; yet how uneasie soever it be to us , we are so far from complaining against god , that we would not have it otherwise when god sees fit it should be so ; that though we do not , and cannot chuse sufferings , yet we chuse that the will of god should be done , though it be to suffer . another act of submission to god , is when we wait patiently on god , till he think fit to deliver us ; when notwithstanding all we suffer , our hope , and trust , and dependance is still on god. to submit to god , is to submit in faith and hope , to submit as to the corrections and discipline of a father ; for it is impossible for any man to submit without hope , as impossible as it is to be contented with final ruin. when we cast off our hope in god , there is an end of our submission , then we shall come to that desperate conclusion , behold , this evil is of the lord , why should i wait on the lord any longer , kings . . but never was there a greater expression of submission than that of iob , though he slay me , yet will i trust in him : — he also shall be my salvation , for a hypocrite shall not come before him , . job , . this the psalmist has fully express'd . psalm , . i had fainted unless i had believed to see the goodness of the lord in the land of living . wait on the lord , be of good courage , and he shall strengthen thine heart : wait i say on the lord. to hope in the mercy and goodness of god , even when he strikes , to wait patiently till he will be gracious , to make our complaints to him , and to expect our deliverance and salvation only from him ; this is to submit to the will of god , to make his will our will , to attend all the motions of his providence , as patiently and diligently as a servant does the commands of his lord , as it is elegantly represented , . psalm , . vnto thee lift i up mine eyes , o thou that dwellest in the heavens ! behold ! as the eyes of servants look upon the hand of their masters , and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress ; so our eyes wait upon the lord our god , until that he have mercy upon us . this is that submission which we owe to providence , under all the evils and calamities of life ; and if we would make this submission easy and chearful , we must possess our souls with a firm perswasion of the wisdom and goodness of god : we must not look upon him a meer soveraign and arbitrary lord ; for to submit to meer arbitrary will and power , is , and will be , very grievous ; but we must represent god to our minds under a more lovely and charming character , as the universal parent , who has a tender and compassionate regard for all his creatures ; who does not afflict willingly , nor grieve the children of men ; who corrects us for our profit , that we may be partakers of his holiness ; and proportions the severity of his discipline , either to the ends of publick government , or to our spiritual wants : such an idea of providence as this , will reconcile us even to sufferings , when we know they are good for us , and intended for our good : when we know that it is a kind hand which strikes , we shall kiss the rod , and submit to correction with as equal a mind , as we do to the prescription of a physician , how severe the methods of cure are . were our minds thoroughly possessed with this belief , how easy would it make us under some of the most severest trials . nothing indeed can make pain easy , for that is matter of sense ; but a good perswasion of the providence of god , will fortify our minds to bear it ; and that is much the same thing , whether our pains be less , or our minds stronger . but as for other afflictions , which depend very much upon opinion , and afflict us more or less , as we apprehend them , a firm belief of the wisdom and goodness of god , who inflicts them on us , will in a great measure cure the pain and trouble of them . we have , it may be , lost some part of our estates , a dear friend , or near relation ; a child , it may be an only child , but all these are uncertain comforts ; and when the case is doubtful , whether it be good for us , or not ; we ought in all reason to acquiesce in the divine will , and conclude , that is best for us which god does ; because he is infinitely wiser than we are , and more concerned for our happiness , if we will make a wise use of his providence , than we our selves are . nay , this will teach us an implicit faith in god beyond our own prospect of things ; though we can no more guess the reasons of our sufferings , than iob could ; yet while we believe god to be wise and good , we are secure ; a wise god can never mistake , and a good god will consult our happiness , and that is reason enough in the most difficult and perplext cases to submit patiently to providence . secondly , there is a submission also due to the will of god , with respect to the several states , conditions , and relations of life , which the divine providence hath placed us in . we can no more chuse our own state and condition of life , than we can chuse , when and where to be born , what our parents shall be , how they shall educate us , and dispose of us in the world , what success we shall have , what friends , or what enemies we shall meet with , what changes and revolutions we shall see , either in our private fortunes , or in publick affairs . nothing of all this is at our own choice , and therefore whatever our circumstances are , any farther than it is our own fault , they are not imputable to us . now since we cannot chuse our own fortune , nor order events as we please , the only submission we can owe to god in such cases , is humbly to acquiesce in what god does , and faithfully to discharge the duties which belong to that state , and condition , and circumstances of life , which the providence of god has placed us in . this is to submit to the providential will of god , to submit to the disposals of providence ; and to submit to god's disposal , is to act in that sphere and station which providence assigns us , and to comply with the laws of it . and thus the providence of god , though it be not the rule of our actions , yet may change our duty , and must do so , as it changes our condition ; for every condition and relation having peculiar duties belonging to it , our duty must change , as our condition does . the duties of princes and subjects , of magistrates and private men , of a low and mean , and of an exalted and plentiful fortune , of parents and children , of masters and servants , are of a very different nature ; and as these relations change , our duty must change with them ; and when we conform our selves to our condition , we submit to providence , which gives us no new rules of life ; but may impose new duties on us , by putting us into a new state . this ought to be carefully considered , because there are dangerous extreams on both sides . some think the visible appearances of providence are sufficient to alter our duty without changing our state and relations ; that the successes of providence will justify such actions , as neither the laws of god nor men will justify ; and that to serve providence , when a fair opportunity is put into their hands , they may dispence with the most known and unquestionable duties : others have such a just abhorrence of this , which overturns all divine and human laws , that they run into the contrary extream ; and for fear of allowing that providence can change our duty , and alter the nature of good and evil , they will not allow , that providence can so much as change our relations and state of life , and with such a change of our condition , change our duty : for no man can deny , but that if our condition and relations are changed , our duty must change too . to give a plain example of this . when saul pursued david , and god delivered saul into david's hands while he was asleep in the cave ; the men of david said unto him , behold the day of which the lord said unto thee , behold i will deliver thine enemy into thine hand , that thou mayst do to him , as it shall seem good to thee . here is an argument from providence to justify david's killing saul , whom god had so wonderfully delivered into his hands ; but david did not think that providence would justify him against a divine law ; providence gave him an opportunity to kill saul , but the divine law forbad him to take it ; for saul was his king still , and he was his subject . and therefore he said unto his men , the lord forbid that i should do this thing unto my master , the lords anointed , to stretch forth my hand against him , seeing he is the lord 's anointed , sam. . , . the same answer david gave to abishai , when he found saul the second time sleeping in the trench , and abishai said to david , god hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day ; now therefore let me smite him , i pray thee , with the spear , even to the earth at once , and i will not smite him the second time . and david said to abishai , destroy him not ; for who can stretch forth his hand against the lord's anointed , and be guiltless ? sam. . , . providence had not unkinged saul , nor made david king ; that is , it had not altered the relation , and therefore could not absolve him from the duties of his relation , from those duties which a subject owes to his prince , and therefore could not justify the killing him . this shews , that the divine providence can't alter the rules of action , without altering our condition , and relations , and circumstances of life ; and where it does so , it must of necessity change our duty ; for different relations and conditions require different duties : when a man of a servant becomes a master , or of a subject a prince , his duties and obligations must change with his relations , for such relative duties are annexed to relations , and belong to particular persons , only as invested with such relations ; and as the person changes his relations , so the duties he owes , and the duties which are owing to him , must change likewise . it is a vain pretence in this case to set up the laws of god against our submission to providence ; for we do not oppofe the providence of god against his laws . the laws of god prescribe us the rules of our duty in all conditions and circumstances of life ; the providence of god chuses our condition for us , and that directs us what laws we are to observe , what duties we owe , and to whom : so that there is and can be no dispute about the rules of duty ; the duties of all conditions and relations are fixt and certain ; the only dispute that can be , is this , whether , when our condition and relations are changed , they are changed by god ? and whether we must submit to the providence of god in such a change , by what means soever such a change is brought about ? if all the private and publick changes of mens state and condition are directed and governed by god , and are his will and doings , as i have already proved ; if we must submit to providence , we must submit to that state and condition which providence places us in : for there is no other way of submitting to providence . and since we cannot chuse our own fortune , much less govern kingdoms and empires ; since god keeps all these events in his own hands , it would be very hard , if we must not submit to the condition which providence chuses for us ; that when god allots us our condition , it should be unlawful for us to do what our condition requires to be done : for if our present condition and circumstances of life do not determine our duty , it is impossible ever to know what our duty is . but there are some material questions concerning our submission to providence , with respect to our several states and conditions of life , which deserve to be considered . . as first , whether it be consistent with our submission to providence , to endeavour to better our fortune , and to change our state of life . now this there can be no doubt of in general , though i fear many men are to blame in it . submission to providence does not forbid a poor man to enrich himself , when he can do it by honest and prudent arts ; for though god allots every man his portion in the world , yet he has reserved to himself a liberty of changing mens fortunes , as they deserve , and as he sees fit . that it often is so , experience tells us ; we see men rise from low and mean beginnings to great riches , and honour , and power ; and since god has not forbid any man to advance his fortune by honest means , submission to providence does not stake a man down to the low and mean beginnings of life . this is the present reward and encouragement of diligence , prudence , and vertue ; that the diligent hand maketh rich ; that a man who is diligent in his business , shall stand before princes , and shall not stand before mean men . that the merchandise of wisdom is better than the merchandise of silver , and the gain thereof than fine gold : that length of days is in her right hand , and in her left riches and honours . providence gives us many examples of this nature to encourage all mens industry and vertue , which , whether it advance their fortunes or no , will make their lives easy and happy , and better their minds , and make them useful to the world , and a credit to a low fortune ; which may be better for them than to change their station : nay sometimes we see men of a noble and sprightly genius come into the world in such mean circumstances , that they can hardly peep above the horizon ; but by degrees they ascend , and grow brighter , and shine with a meridian luster , as if their obscure beginnings were intended on purpose to inspirit the lower end of the world , and to shew what industry and vertue can do . but though submission to providence does not hinder us from using all honest endeavours to better our fortune ; yet it makes us easy and contented in a low fortune , patient of disappointments , and not envious at the better successes , and greater prosperity of others , especially of those who were our equals . all which signifies no more , than quietly and submissively to suffer god to dispose of our own and of other mens fortunes , as he pleases . we may like some other condition better than our own , but submission to providence will make us easy and contented with what we have ; because it is god's will , and what he orders for us ; and if we believe well of god , we must believe that it is good for us . we may endeavour to increase our estate , and get a little higher in the world ; but if our endeavours want success , we must take it patiently , and wait god's time , and be contented to tarry where we are , if he does not think fit to advance us ; and not repine if he advance others before and above us ; for it is god's will to advance them , and it is not his will to advance us , and he has wise reasons for both , and we ought to acquiesce in his will with an implicit faith . we may endeavour to better our fortune , but we must not force our selves upwards , must not be restless or vehement in our desires ; must use no base or wicked arts to make our selves great . this is not to submit to god , but to carve out our own fortune , without any reverence to the laws , and to the providence of god. nothing will content such men , but to be rich and great , and they will boggle at nothing that will make them so ; god sometimes suffers such men to prosper , but they do not prosper in submission to providence ; but if i may so speak , they commit a rape upon providence ; and providence deals with them accordingly , and makes them the sport of fortune : when they have taken a great leap , it tosses them up , and keeps them hovering a-while in the air , and then flings them down into irrecoverable and unpitied ruin. though no men can advance themselves whether god will or no , because all events are in god's hands ; yet when men advance themselves by sin , the means of their advancement is their own , not the will of god ; but submission to providence requires us quietly and contentedly to keep our station , till god sees fit to advance us , at his own time , and in his own way . dly , what submission is due to god in the changes of our fortune and condition , and that whether it be from low to high , or from high to low . as for the first , there are few men who find any difficulty in submitting to providence , when it advances them to a higher station ; but some few such there are , who love their ease and retirement , and the conversation of their friends , and the security of a private life , before noisy greatness , and the endless fatigues of publick ministries ; who had rather enjoy themselves , and be masters of their own time , and thoughts , and actions , than to be admired and flattered slaves , to be envied by some , to be courted by others , to be servants to all ; to be exposed to censorious tongues , to the frowns of princes , to the emulations of their equals , and to all the changes and vicissitudes of fortune . it is not often that men of this temper are in any great danger of such troublesome honours ; there are enow that snatch at them before they are offered , to secure those who have no mind to have them ; but sometimes this does happen , and then it is matter of duty and conscience for men to sacrifice their own ease and private satisfactions , to the service of god , and of their countrey : and it would be as great a fault obstinately to decline such services , as the providence of god call them to , as it is vanity and ambition to affect them ; for god has a right to the services of all his creatures , and may imploy them in what station he pleases ; then we may certainly conclude , that providence chuses our station for us , when it is what we did not , and would not chuse for our selves . dly , but the greater and more common difficulty is in submitting to the other change , from a high to a low fortune . there are many who suffer such a change as this , though most of them may thank their own lusts and vices for it ; but there are very few who submit to it . i do not only mean , that they do not bear such a change of fortune with that patience and submission , which is due to the divine will , when this change is manifestly owing to providence , and not to their own fault ; but that they will not submit to their condition , that they will not submit to be poor , when the providence of god has made them so . some men , if they meet with misfortunes , will be sure to make their creditors pay for it , and be their own carvers too , and raise an estate out of forced and knavish compositions . others , though they are very poor , will not submit to the state of poverty , will not bring their minds to their condition ; they cannot stoop to the mean and frugal and industrious life of poverty : they have always lived well and easily , and they expect to live still as they have lived , and to be maintained according to their quality , and the figure they have formerly made in the world ; they cannot work , but to beg they are not ashamed , though a truly great mind would prefer the meanest employment before it ; for that is no dishonour to any man , to live by his own industry , when the providence of god has brought him low . all that i have now to say , is only this , that when men are reduced to poverty , submission to providence requires that they should submit to their condition , imitate the humility , and modesty , frugality , and industry of poor men , and not expect to live still , as rich men do ; for charity was never intended for the rich , nor to excuse the industry of the poor . there is indeed great regard to be had to the honour of mens birth and character : those who have any humanity must needs be very tenderly and compassionately affected to see men of great honour reduced to want , or forced to mean and servile employments to supply their wants ; and we owe so much to the modesty of human nature , and to a sense of honour , to be as ready to defend some men from meanness , as others from want ; but yet submission to providence requires all men to comply with their condition , as far as their rank and character , and the rules of decency will permit : that a man has been once rich , is no reason why he should not work , or find out some honest , though mean way of living , when he grows poor . this is certain , those who do not submit to the condition which providence has put them into , and behave themselves as that conditon requires , do not submit to providence ; and therefore if providence make us poor , we must consider not how we lived when we were rich , but how it becomes a poor man to live . dly , there is another very material question , how far we must submit to providence ; but the answer is very plain , we must submit as far as the condition providence puts us into requires our submission . providence creates no new duty , but by putting us into new circumstances ; and what the circumstances we are in make our duty , that is our submission to providence , and we owe no other submission . as for instance ; if a thief breaks open my house , or robs me upon the road , submission to providence does not hinder me from pursuing and taking him , and recovering my own of him , and bringing him to punishment , if i can ; for my being robbed , lays no obligation upon me patiently to lose what is unjustly taken away , if i have any honest way left of recovering it ; nor of suffering such a criminal to escape , if i can bring him to punishment . and thus it is in all the injuries we receive from men ; though we must own the divine providence in whatever we suffer , yet submission to providence requires no more of us , than what the laws of god and men require in such circumstances , and therefore allows us to right our selves , as far as the laws of god , and the laws of men , if they be just and equal , will allow us . but if the providence of god should put us into the hands of our enemies , and make it necessary to contract with them for our lives and liberties , we must humbly submit to providence , which brought us into this necessity , and religiously observe our contracts , how disadvantageous soever they are ; because providence has now altered our condition , and brought us under new obligations . this is the usual way whereby god brings about the great changes and revolutions of the world , by such power as forces a compliance , and translates kingdoms and empires ; and though nothing is more grievous than unjust force , yet nature teaches men to submit , when they cannot resist ; and power will absolve us from all former obligations , unless in such cases as we are expresly commanded by god not to submit to power , though we sacrifice our lives for it ; and i know no such case , but the true worship of god , and the profession of our faith in christ. we may defend our selves against private injuries , as far as law and justice will defend us ; we may resist unjust and usurping powers , as long as we can resist ; but the providence of god which governs the world , makes it lawful to submit , when we cannot resist ; and when by such submissions new kingdoms are erected , and we are become the subjects of new powers , then providence has changed our relations , and made it our duty to submit . thly , there is another inquiry also of great moment , how our submission to providence under all our sufferings and changes of fortune , requires us to behave our selves towards men , who are the causes and instruments of such misfortunes . for if it be the will of god that we should suffer such things , why should we be angry with the men who do them ? why should we punish them ? why should we revenge our selves of them ? when they only execute the divine counsels , and do what god saw fit that we should suffer . does not ioseph thus excuse his brethren for selling him into egypt , that it was god who sent him thither : and does not david for this reason forbear his revenge on shimei , let him curse , for god hath said unto him , curse david ? but the answer to this is short and plain , that god's over-ruling mens wickedness to serve wise and good ends , does not excuse their wickedness , nor excuse them from the just punishments of their wickedness ; the sin is their own , though it be wisely ordered by god for our trial or correction ; but the wise government of god makes no change in the nature of mens actions , nor in their deserts : god himself will punish their wickedness , though he serves wise ends by it , and has commanded men to do so ; for no man sins by the will of god , though no man suffers any thing but by god's will. but yet submission to providence will greatly mitigate our resentments , and calm our passions , and keep them within the bounds of reason and religion . when we consider , that whatever we suffer is appointed for us by god ; that how wicked soever men are , we can suffer nothing by their wickedness , but what god for wise reasons sees fit we should suffer ; this will satisfy us that we are more concerned with god than with men ; that tho men be the rod wherewith we are scourged , it is god that strikes ; and a reverence for the divine judgments will make us take less notice of the instruments of our sufferings . in short , submission to providence leaves us nothing to be angry with men for , but their own wickedness ; that we suffer , tho we suffer by their wickedness , yet it is not so much their doings as god's , who orders these sufferings for us , and without whose order and appointment no man can hurt us ; and therefore we must not be angry with men for our sufferings , but reverence god : whatever their personal hatred , or malice , or revenge be , how much soever they intend or desire to do us hurt , we may securely despise them , as out of their reach , for we are in the hands of god : and if our sufferings are not owing to men , any otherwise than as instruments in god's hands , why should we be angry with men for what we suffer ? why should we revenge our sufferings on them , when we suffer by the will of god ? we may be angry at their wickedness , and at their ill will to us , but humbly submit to our sufferings , as the will of god. now i need not say , how this will calm and temper our passions , because it leaves so little of self in our anger and resentments ; let men be as angry with wickedness as they please , and punish it as it deserves , this is a virtuous anger , and never transports men to excess ; it is self-love which inflames our anger , and sharpens our revenge ; not that such wickedness is committed , but that we are the sufferers by it ; for men are never so angry in another man's cause , as they are in their own , tho the wickedness , the affront , the injury is the same ; but personal injuries and affronts are most provoking ; that is , we love our selves more than we hate wickedness , when our anger is excessive . but now if men have nothing to do with us , nor we with them , as to the case of suffering ; if all this be ordered and appointed by god , here is little room for personal resentments ; for that we suffer by their wickedness , is god's doings , and therefore we have nothing to be angry with them for , but that they are wicked ; and then tho our own sufferings will give us a greater sense and abhorrence of their wickedness , and make us more personally concerned to punish it ; yet our passions will be more gentle and easy , the more we attribute our sufferings to god , and the less to men. secondly , another duty we owe to providence is , an entire trust and dependance on god. the state of a creature is all dependance ; and faith , and hope , and trust , are the virtues of a dependant state , and can in reason have no other object but that being on whom we depend , the great creator and governor of the world , in whom we live , move , and have our being . all other dependancies are vain , because none else can help us ; but god has all events in his hands , he can help us , if he pleases ; and he will help us , if we trust in him . the scripture abounds with exhortations to trust in god , with promises to those who do trust in him , with examples of god's care and protection of those good men , who make him their only hope and trust ; but yet the duty it self needs some explication , and therefore i shall consider the nature of this hope and trust , and what are the various acts of it , or wherein the exercise of it consists . . the nature of this faith , and hope , and trust in the divine providence . what it is to hope , and trust , and depend on god or men , we all know and feel ; but the question is , what it is we must trust god for , and how far we must depend on him ? for must we believe , that god will do every thing for us , which we trust in him to do ? if , suppose , we have a child or a friend dangerously sick , must we firmly believe that god will spare their lives , and restore their health , if we trust in him to do it ? must a merchant confidently expect a safe and advantageous voyage , if he trust in god for it ? has god any where promised to give us whatever we trust in him for ? or does the nature and reason of providence infer any such thing ? and yet what does trust in god signify , if we must not depend on him for those good things which we want , and desire , and trust him for ? what do all the promises made to hope and trust in god signify , if they give us no security that we shall obtain our desires of god ? nay , indeed , how can any man hope and trust in god , when he has no assurance that he shall obtain what he hopes for ? i doubt not but such thoughts as these make most men so distrustful of providence , that tho they talk of trusting in god , they trust in him without hope , or any comfortable expectations , unless they have some more visible assurances to rely on . this makes most mens hopes ebb and flow , as their external circumstances change ; if they are prosperous , and have great numbers of friends , and have their enemies at their feet , then they are full of hope , and can trust securely in god , when they have the means of helping themselves in their own hands , and see no body that can hurt them ; but if their condition be perplext and calamitous , and they see no prospect of human relief , their spirits sink , and as much as they talk of providence , and trusting in god , they find no support in it . to understand this aright , wherein the glory of god , and our own peace and security is so nearly concerned , we must consider , that our faith , and hope , and trust in god , must either rely on the word and promise of god ; or on the general belief and assurance of his care of us , and of the goodness and justice of his providence ; as to trust in men , is either to trust their promise or their friendship . . as for the first , we may and ought securely to rely on the promises of god , as far as they reach , for he who hath promised , is able also to perform . but then we must have a care of expounding temporal promises to a larger sense than god intended , or than providence ordinarily makes good , which calls the truth of god , or his providence , into question , and discourages our faith and trust in god ; when we see events not to answer god's promises , nor our expectations . to state this matter plainly , we must proceed by degrees , and distinguish between the promises made to states and kingdoms , and to private and single men , or rather to men in their private and single capacities . most of the temporal promises under the law of moses , concerned the publick state of the iewish church and nation ; that if they walked in the laws and statutes of god , he would bless them with great plenty and peace , or give them victory over their enemies : that he would have respect unto them , and make them fruitful and multiply them , and establish his covenant with them , . lev. which are publick and national blessings : and tho there is a great difference between the iewish and christian church , with respect to temporal promises , yet there does not seem to be any great difference between a christian nation , and the iewish state. when a nation has embraced christianity , and the church is incorporated into the state , and true religion and vertue is encouraged , and vice suppressed ; such a religious nation has a title to all the national blessings which god promised to the iewish nation , if they observed his laws ; for solomon's observation is universally true , that righteousness exalteth a nation , but sin is the reproach of any people : and excepting what was typical in the iewish state , there is much the same reason for god to protect and bless a religious christian nation ; viz. for the publick encouragement of religion , and for the reward of a national piety and vertue ; and therefore as the christian church inherits all those spiritual blessings which were typified in the iewish church ; so a christian nation succeeds to all those temporal promises which were made to the iewish state , or else all these promises of the law would be of no use to us now . so that these national promises we may securely rely on as to their utmost extent and signification ; and i am satisfied , there cannot be one example given , wherein these promises have failed : god has oftentimes suffered a wicked nation to be prosperous to scourge their wicked neighbours , but he never suffers a truly righteous and religious nation to be oppressed . now the largest and most comprehensive promises in scripture are of this nature , such as concern the publick state of kingdoms and nations ; but even in the most flourishing state of the iewish church the case of particular men was very different ; some bad men were prosperous , and good men afflicted ; and therefore those promises which concern good men in their private and single capacities , must be more cautiously expounded to a more restrained and limited sense , accommodated to the different states and conditions of good men in this world ; and to their different attainments in vertue . as for example . when solomon tells us of wisdom , length of days is in her right hand , and in her left riches and honour , . prov. . will any man expound this to signify , that all wise men , who are truly religious and prudent , shall live till old age , and attain to riches and honours ? did god then intend that there should be no different ranks and degrees of men in the world ? that there should be no poor men as well as rich ? or did he intend that no poor men should be wise ? wisdom indeed will advance a prince to great riches and honour , as solomon tells us his father david instructed him ; he taught me also , and said unto me , let thine heart retain my words , keep my commandments , and live . get wisdom , get understanding : forget her not , neither decline from the words of my mouth . forsake her not , and she shall preserve thee ; love her , and she shall keep thee . wisdom is the principal thing , therefore get wisdom ; and with all thy getting get understanding . exalt her , and she shall promote thee ; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her ; she shall give to thine head an ornament of grace , a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee , . prov. — . this was the best advice that could be given to a young prince to make him rich and great ; for religious wisdom will certainly advance him beyond all the politicks of machiavel ; and if solomon , in imitation of his father david , directs his instructions to his children , and particularly to that son who was to inherit his throne , as he himself seems to intimate , , , . verses , we must not conclude , that because he tells his son , that wisdom will make him a glorious prince , that therefore wisdom will advance all men to riches and honour : wisdom will give a lustre even to poverty it self , and sometimes advances the poor to riches and honours , and encreases the riches and honours of the rich and honourable ; but we must not always expect this , much less pretend a promise for it ; for there always were , and always will be , poor wise men . thus when the wiseman tells us , that the hand of the diligent maketh rich , . prov. . and seest thou a man diligent in his business , he shall stand before kings , he shall not stand before mean men , . prov. . no man can think , that the meaning is , that every diligent man shall be rich ; for there are such mean employments , as can never raise an estate by the greatest industry ; much less can we think , that diligence in such mean employments shall make men known to princes ; or that all diligent men , whatever their employment or profession be , shall serve kings : this is impossible in the nature of the thing , and therefore cannot be the meaning of these promises . and yet such kind of promises as these , signify a great deal for the encouragement of wisdom , and industry , and vertue ; not that every wise , and prudent , and diligent man shall be rich and honourable , but that every man shall find the rewards of religion and vertue proportioned to his capacities and state of life ; and that this is god's way of promoting men , when he advances them in favour , and good-will to them ; and therefore this is the only way wherein we must expect the blessing and protection of god. but then there are some promises which are equally made to all good men , and they are a sure foundation of our hope and trust , if we be truly good men , in all conditions . as that god will never leave them , nor forsake them , . hebr. . that he will always take care of them , as a father takes care of his children . that tho he may not think fit to advance them in the world , yet he will provide food and raiment for them ; as our saviour proves by many arguments , . matth. — . take no thought for your life , what ye shall eat , or what ye shall drink , nor yet for your bodies , what ye shall put on ; is not the life more than meat , and the body than raiment ? and will not that god , who has given us our lives , and our bodies , give us what is absolutely necessary for their support ? behold the fowls of the air , they sow not , neither do they reap , nor gather into barns , yet your heavenly father feedeth them ; are ye not much better than they ? — therefore take no thought , saying , what shall we eat , or what shall we drink , or wherewith shall we be cloathed ? ( for after all these things do the gentiles seek ) for your heavenly father knoweth ye have need of all these things . but seek ye first the kingdom of god , and his righteousness , and all these things shall be added unto you . this is an absolute promise , and gives absolute security to good men ; that if they take care to serve god , god will take care to feed and cloath them , either by blessing their ordinary prudence and industry , or when that fails , by extraordinary providences , by providing for them without their care or labour , as he feeds the fowls of the air , who neither sow , nor reap : and to name but one promise more , which is our security in all conditions ; st. paul assures us , that all things work together for good to them that love god , . rom. . which is such a general security , as is a foundation for an universal hope in god : that though we cannot know in every particular case , what god will do for us , yet we certainly know , that he will order all things for our good . thus far we have the promises of god to trust to ; that god will always take care of us , and in particular , that he will provide food and raiment for us , which is all that he has absolutely promised to good men , and is all that our saviour allows us absolutely to pray for ; give us this day our daily bread : and this , good men , whose faith does not fail , but against all discouragements trust securely in god's provision , may ordinarily expect from god , even in an afflicted and persecuted state , where famine it self is not the persecution ; for i dare not extend this so far as to say , that no good man shall ever die of want ; for some extraordinary cases are always excepted out of the most general and absolute promises relating to this life , and reserved to the government of the divine wisdom . but good men may have food and raiment , and yet be exposed to many inconveniences and sufferings ; and therefore for our farther security we are assured , that all things shall work together for good to them that love god. . and this brings me to consider , what it is to trust in god in particular cases , when we have no particular promises what god will do for us in such cases , but only a general assurance of god's care of us , and of the wisdom , justice and goodness of his providence . we must particularly trust in god for our daily provisions , for our preservation from any present evils which threaten us ; for the success of our undertakings in all the particular actions and concernments of our lives ; but what can such a particular trust mean , or what foundation is there for it , when we have no particular promises , that god will protect or succeed us in such particular cases ? and notwithstanding god's care of us , and the justice and goodness of his providence , he may not answer our expectations in such cases , but may order things quite otherwise than we desire ? now this , i confess , were an unanswerable difficulty , did a particular trust in god signify a firm belief and persuasion , that god will do that particular thing which i rely and depend on him for ; for no man can have any reason to believe this , or in this sense to trust in god without an express promise , or some private revelation : now it is certain , there are no such particular promises , which we can with any reason apply to our selves , contained in scripture ; and private enthusiasms are a dangerous pretence ; the dreams of self-love , and the visions of an heated imagination . i grant , that under the law there were such particular promises , and particular revelations made to good men , which were a sure foundation for a particular faith and trust in god , as to some particular events ; especially as to the events of war ; which were commonly undertaken by god's express command , managed by his direction , with a certain promise of success ; as is evident in the wars of moses , and ioshua , and the iudges ; and in after-ages god did the same thing , either by his oracle of vrim and thummim , or by his prophets . but there is no such thing among us now ; and therefore such a faith and trust in god we cannot have , nor does god expect it from us ; we have nothing to depend on as to the certainty of events , but must trust to that assurance we have of god's care of us , and of the wisdom and goodness of his providence , and therefore must consider what trust and dependence that is which we owe to providence . now to trust providence , is not to trust in god , that he will do that particular thing for us which we desire ; but to trust our selves and all our concernments with god , to do for us in every particular case which we recommend to his care , what he sees best and fittest for us in such cases . the difference between these two is very plain ; and i think every one will confess , that such a general trust and affiance in god is a much more excellent vertue , and does much more honour to the divine nature , than merely to trust his promise , which secures us of the event . to rely on god for the performance of his promise , does honour to his truth and faithfulness ; but to trust god to chuse our condition for us , to do for us either what we desire , or what he likes better ; argues such an entire dependence on god , and an absolute resignation to his will , with a perfect assurance of his wisdom and goodness , that it is impossible a creature can express a greater veneration for the divine perfections . i am sure , we do not think , that any man does us so much honour by taking our word for what we expresly promise to do for him , as that man does , who commits all his concernments with a secure confidence to our disposal , without knowing what we intend to do . but for a more particular explication of this , let us consider , what this trust in god signifies , and what security it gives us . . what this trust in god signifies : since it does not signify an assurance , that god will do what we desire , what is the meaning of it ? now this signifies , . that all the good we hope for , or expect , we expect from god alone ; that we have no other reliances and dependences but only on god : though we justly value the kindness of our friends , and the patronage and protection of princes and powerful favourites , and thank god when he raises up such friends and patrons to us , yet our entire trust and hope is in god : that since we know that all events are in god's hands , we are sure none can help us but by god's appointment , and we desire to be at the disposal of none but god ; and therefore in scripture our trust in god is always opposed to our trust in men , in princes , in human counsels , policy , or strength ; it is better to trust in the lord , than to put confidence in man ; it is better to trust in the lord , than to put confidence in princes , . psalm , now know i , that the lord saveth his anointed , he will hear him from his holy heaven , with the saving strength of his right hand . some trust in chariots , and some in horses , but we will remember the name of the lord our god : they are brought down and fallen , but we are risen and stand upright , . psalm , , . all wise men are greatly satisfied and pleased to see the probable means and instruments of their safety and defence , because god ordinarily works by means ; but good men know that they are but instruments in god's hands , and no wise man puts his trust in the instruments , be they never so good , but in the workman . thus much our trust in god must necessarily signifie , that we have no reliance but only on god , who is the supreme disposer of all things ; that we depend as entirely on him , as if there were no second and intermediate causes , which are to be employed and used , but not to be the final objects of our trust . dly . our trust in god signifies our absolute dependence on the wisdom , power , and goodness of god to take care of us : it is a committing our selves to god , putting our selves absolutely into his hands , with a full persuasion that he will do what we desire , or do what shall be better for us ; that he will answer our requests , or deny them with greater wisdom and goodness than he could grant them . all men must grant that this is a perfect trust in god , and such a trust and dependence as we owe to providence ; for if god govern the world , and take care of all his creatures with infinite wisdom and goodness , does it not become all reasonable creatures to give up themselves securely to the government of providence ? if we believe that infinite wisdom and goodness takes care of us , what need we know any more ? would we desire any thing else , or can we wish for any thing better than what infinite wisdom and goodness can do for us ? or would we have any thing which infinite wisdom and goodness does not think fit to give us ? this indeed does not give us that security which some men desire , that we shall never suffer those particular evils which we fear , and which we see coming upon us ; or that we shall obtain some other blessings which we are passionately fond of ; but it gives us a much better security than this , that we shall have always what is good for us ; which is more than we can promise our selves , should god always grant our own desires . this gives us a most profound rest and peace of mind , delivers us from all careful and solicitous thoughts for times to come , which are many times more terrible than the evils we fear ; it teaches us to do our duty with the best prudence and industry we can , but to leave all events to god's disposal ; to make known our requests to god , and to cast all our care upon him , for he careth for us . it will not make us wholly unconcerned and indifferent whatever happens , because the natures of things are not equal or alike indifferent ; riches and poverty , health or sickness , honour or disgrace , war or peace , plenty or famine , cannot be alike indifferent to any man who has his senses about him ; but it will make us quiet and patient under all events , and help us to bear the most adverse fortune with such an unbroken greatness of mind , as is natural to a firm and stedfast trust and hope in god. this is properly to trust providence , not to trust that god will do every thing for us which we desire , which is to command and govern , or at least to direct providence , not to trust it ; but to live securely under the care and protection of god , without disturbing our selves with unknown and future events , in a confident assurance that we are safe and happy in god's hands . dly . tho our trust in god does not signify an absolute security what god will do for us , yet it is the most certain way to obtain whatever we wisely and reasonably desire of god : when we trust in god , he reserves to himself a liberty to judge whether it be good for us ; but if what we desire be good for us , our trust and dependence on god will engage providence on our side . trust in god refers our causes to him to judge for us , and to do what he sees fit ; and we have god's word and promise for it , that if we do trust in him , he will take care of us , that we shall want nothing that is good , and shall be delivered from all evil ; . psal. , . o how plentiful is thy goodness , which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee , and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee before the sons of men ; thou shalt hide them privily by thy own presence , from the provoking of all men ; thou shalt keep them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues . thus . psal. , . the salvation of the righteous cometh of the lord , who is also their strength in the time of trouble . and the lord shall stand by them and save them , he shall deliver them from the ungodly , and shall save them because they put their trust in him . the whole st . psalm is so plain and full a proof of this , that i need name no more : to trust in god , is called dwelling in the secret place of the most high , or under the defence and protection of the most high ; that is , such a man puts himself under god's protection , and he that does so , shall abide under the shadow of the almighty ; that is , he shall defend thee under his wings , and thou shalt be safe under his feathers ; his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler : and the psalmist particularly reckons up most of the evils which are incident to human life , and promises security against them all ; because thou hast made the lord , which is my refuge , even the most high , thy habitation , there shall no evil befall thee , neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling . this psalm indeed is a prophecy of our saviour , and in the height and latitude of the expressions is applicable only to him , but yet it gives a general security to all who trust in god , of protection from all evil . this no man can promise himself , who does not trust in god ; for how is providence concerned for them who expect nothing from it ? nay , this is a reason why such men should be disappointed and fall into misery , to convince them that god does govern the world , and that no human strength or policy can save them : but trust in god makes us the subjects and the care of providence ; for if god does govern the world , none so much deserve his protection , as those who commit themselves to his care. a good man will not deceive or forsake those who depend on him , much less will a good god. thirdly , another duty we own to providence , is prayer ; to ask of god all those blessings and mercies which we need . the universal practice of all nations who owned a god , and that natural impulse all men find to seek to god in their distress , shews what the sense of nature is ; but yet some of the ancient philosophers were much puzzled how to reconcile prayer with their notions of necessity and fate : and indeed , were providence nothing else but a necessary chain of causes , or fixt and immutable decrees , there would be no great encouragement to pray to god , who upon this supposition cannot help us , no more than he can alter destiny and fate : but if god governs the world with as great liberty and freedom as a wise and good man governs his family , or a prince governs his kingdoms , there is as much reason to pray to god , as to offer up our petitions to our parents , or to our prince ; for if we must receive all from god , what imaginable reason is there , that we should not ask every thing of him . but it will be necessary to discourse this matter more particularly ; for we live in an age wherein men are very apt to reason themselves out of all religion , and to form such notions of god and his providence , as make it needless , nay , absurd , to worship him . the apostle tells us , that he that cometh to god , must believe that he is , and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him , . heb. . no man can be a devout worshipper of god , who does not believe that there is a god to worship , and that this god does take care of mankind , and that he has a peculiar favour for those who worship him ; that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him : for if god neither take any care of us , or take no more care of those who worship him , than of those who do not , there is no just reason can be given , why any man should worship him . but the apostle in this supposes , that to believe there is a god , and that he governs the world , and that we shall be the better for worshipping , is a reasonable foundation for religious worship ; and therefore such notions of god and his providence , as allow no peculiar rewards and benefits to worshippers , are certainly false , how philosophical soever they may appear , and impious too , because they shut all religious worship out of the world . and yet some men can by no means understand for what reason they should pray to god : they comply with the superstitious customs of the countrey , to avoid scandal and publick censure , but think they might as well let it alone , as for any advantage they hope for by their prayers : and i am very much of their mind , that they had as good not be present at prayers , as not to pray ; for no man can pray to any advantage , who despises prayer : it will therefore be highly necessary plainly to state this matter , and to shew you , that the belief of the divine providence lays the strongest obligation on us to pray to god. the scripture-proofs of this are so plain , that they cannot be avoided ; and so well known , that i need not at large repeat them . there is no duty we are more frequently commanded , none we are more earnestly exhorted to , than to pray to god ; we have the examples of all good men for it , and of christ himself , who spent whole nights in prayer ; and we have the encouragement of as express promises as any in scripture , that if we pray to god , he will hear and answer us ; which is all the encouragement we can desire for our prayers . as the psalmist speaks ; o thou that hearest prayers , unto thee shall all flesh come , . psal. . to thee they shall pray , because thou hearest prayers . for thou , lord , art good , and ready to forgive , and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee . in the day of my trouble will i call upon thee , for thou wilt answer me , . psal. , . the lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him , to all that call upon him in truth . he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him ; he also will hear their cry , and will save them , . psal. , . but nothing can be more express than our saviour's promise ; ask , and it shall be given unto you ; seek , and ye shall find ; knock , and it shall be opened unto you : for every one that asketh , receiveth ; and he that seeketh , findeth ; and to him that knocketh , it shall be opened , . matt. , . and what great things are attributed in scripture to the power of prayer ? st. iames assures us , that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much ; and proves it from the example of elias , who was a man subject to like passions as we are , and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain , and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months ; and he prayed again , and the heavens gave rain , and the earth brought forth fruit , . james , . and all those wonders which the apostle to the hebrews attributes to faith , belong to this prayer of faith , . heb. , , . for this reason iacob's name was changed into israel , when he wrestled all night with the angel , and would not let him go , till he had blessed him ; thy name shall be called no more iacob , but israel ; for as a prince hast thou power with god and men , and hast prevailed , . gen. . one would think that this were abundantly sufficient to convince all men of the duty , necessity , and advantages of prayer ; for if god govern the world , and we must expect his blessing and protection only in answer to our prayers ; if he himself makes prayer the necessary condition of our receiving , it is in vain to dispute the philosophy of it , for we must ask , if we will receive . we can receive of none but god , and he has promised to give to none but those who ask ; and therefore tho we may receive many good things without asking , as god does good both to the evil and to the good , yet we can never be secure that we shall receive ; and the good things we do receive without asking , seldom prove blessings to us , and as seldom lasting . but to satisfy these men , if it be possible , in the reasonableness and necessity of this duty , and to give them a true notion of prayer , let us briefly consider their objections against it . and the sum of all is this , that they cannot conceive how our prayers should signify any thing with god , or obtain any blessings for us , which he would not have bestowed on us without our asking . to be good and vertuous , they will allow is necessary to entitle us to the favour and protection of providence ; and there is reason to believe , that god will do good to good men , whether they ask or not ; but they cannot see for what wise ends prayer serves , or how it should be any reason for god to give . does not god know our wants before we ask ? or does he need to be informed by our prayers , what we would have him do for us ? are not our wants , and his own essential goodness , a sufficient motive for him to give ? or does he want to be intreated and importuned ? which would argue a want of goodness . in short , can god be moved and changed by our prayers , to alter his counsels , to do that good for us which otherwise he would not have done , or to divert those evils which he intended to have brought on us ? which represents god as changeable as man , and derogates from the immutability of his nature and counsels . now in answer to this , let us consider in the first place , whether these objections do not prove too much ? that is , whether they do not equally destroy the reasonableness of making any prayers or petitions to men , as well as to god ? there is a great difference indeed upon this account , that good men may be ignorant of our wants , and may need to be informed ; but is this the only reason of asking , to inform men of our wants ? does any good man think himself bound , tho he know our wants , to supply them without our asking ? do we think it any diminution to any man's goodness , that he will not give , unless he be asked ? good men , indeed , do a great many good offices without being asked , and so does a good god ; but in most cases they think it very reasonable to be asked , and that it is pride and stomach not to ask , and that is reason enough not to give . it does not become some men to ask , when it may become others to give ; for it requires some interest , and some pretence to favour and kindness , to have a right to ask ; but all men expect , that those who depend on them , and know that they may have for asking , should ask for what they want : parents expect this from their children , and a prince from his subjects ; and will see their wants , and let them want on , till they think fit to ask : and if wise and good men expect this from their dependants , a wise and good god may as reasonably expect this from his creatures , who have their whole dependance on him : for let any man shew me the difference ; if it be consistent with wisdom and goodness to expect to be asked , why may not a wise and good god expect this , as well as a wise and good man ? thus as changeable as men are in their wills , and counsels , and passions , do we use to charge any man with fickleness and inconstancy , only because he gives when he is ask'd , and will not give when he is not asked ? that is , does it prove any man to be mutable , to change only as a wise and immutable rule requires him to change ? such uniform and regular changes as these , prove an immutability of counsels ; and if this be the standing rule of providence , it argues no more change in god to give when we ask , and not to give when we do not ask , than it is to punish a man when he is wicked , and to reward him when he is good . the passions and affections of human nature are the most fickle and inconstant things ; and when they move mechanically by external and sensible impressions , either against reason , or at least without it , they betray men to that uneveness and uncertainty in all their actions , as disparages both their wisdom and goodness ; for when they do good by such blind impulses , and strong and heady passions , they do good by chance ; and another torrent of different passions may do as much hurt . but yet it is no disparagement to the immutability of wisdom and goodness , to be moved by passions , when reason and not mere sense moves them ; for reason is an even and steddy mover . to say that a man's passions and affections are moved by reason to do that which he never intended to have done without that reason , does not unbecome the wisest and best man in the world ; and therefore to say , that a good man is moved by prayers , and intreaties , and complaints , to pity and compassion , and to do good , contrary to his former intentions and inclinations , is no reproach to him . nor is it any reproach to the divine nature and providence , to say , that god is moved by our prayers and intreaties to do that for us , which otherwise he would not have done ; for it neither unbecomes god nor men to be moved by reason . we live in a critical age , which will not allow us to speak intelligibly of god , because we want words sufficiently to distinguish between the motions and actings of the divine mind , and the passions of creatures . our conceptions of the divine nature are very imperfect , and so must our words necessarily be , and therefore unless you will venture the censure of some men , who conceal their atheism under a religious silence and veneration , and will not allow any thing to be said or thought of god , for fear of thinking and speaking dishonourably of him ; you must not say that god hears or sees , because he has no bodily ears or eyes ; or that there are any such affections in god as love or hatred , joy or sorrow , anger or repentance , pity and compassion , because those sensible commotions which accompany these passions in men , are not incident to the divine nature . but if the scripture be a good rule both of believing and speaking , we may very honourably say that of god , which god says of himself , and believe that all these affections are in god , in such a perfect and excellent manner as becomes an infinite and eternal mind . some men think , that the scripture's attributing love , and joy , and delight , hatred , sorrow , and compassion , to god , is no better reason to ascribe such affections to him , than it is to say , that god has bodily eyes , and ears , and feet , and hands , because the scripture attributes them also to god : but there is a wide difference between these two ; for the scripture has taken sufficient care to inform us , that god is an infinite and unbodied spirit , without shape or figure , and that is reason to believe , that these are only allusive and metaphorical expressions , which represent the powers by the instruments of the action ; seeing by eyes , and hearing by ears ; but these affections , which are attributed to god , are not instruments , but powers , and are as essential to a mind , as wisdom and knowledge . a pure mind must have pure and intellectual affections , which move with greater strength and certainty , though without the disturbance of humane passions . it is impossible to conceive a mind without wisdom and knowledge , or to conceive wisdom and knowledge without an intellectual approbation and abhorrence ; for perfect wisdom must approve and disapprove ; and the several ways of approving or disapproving , constitute the several passions and affections of the soul , and therefore these must be as perfect in god as wisdom is , though as void of sensible passions , as a pure spirit is . now , if god have such affections as these , which may be moved in a manner suitable to the divine perfections , then prayer may move him , and prevail with him to shew mercy and kindness : thus the scripture represents it ; and without such a representation as this , there can be no reason , nor foundation for prayer . not to shew you this in particular , how god has been moved by the intercessions of good men to change his counsels , and to spare those whom he had threatned to destroy , of which we have a famous example in the intercession of moses for israel , when they had made the golden calf , and worshipped it , ▪ exod. , , &c. of which the psalmist tells us , he said he would destroy them , had not moses his chosen stood before him in the breach , to turn away his wrath , lest he should destroy them . . psal. . i say , not to insist on such examples now , i shall only observe , that most of our saviour's arguments and parables , whereby he encourageth our faith in prayer , are resolved into this principle , that god is moved by our prayers in some analogy and proportion as men are ; that whatever effect of our prayers we may reasonably expect from wise , and kind , and good men , that we may more certainly expect from god. our saviour promises , . matth. , , , . ask , and it shall be given unto you : seek , and ye shall find : knock , and it shall be opened unto you . for every one that asketh , receiveth : and he that seeketh , findeth : and to him that knocketh , it shall be opened . this is as full a promise as can be made ; and yet for their greater security , he proves to their own sense and feeling , that it needs must be so : we know and feel what the natural kindness and tenderness of earthly parents is for their children , how ready they are to answer all their reasonable requests , especially when it is for the supply of their necessary wants ; and thus he assures us it is with god , and much more , because there is no comparison between the kindness and tenderness of earthly parents , and the goodness of god. what man is there of you , whom if his son ask bread , will he give him a stone ? or if he ask fish , will he give him a serpent ? if you then being evil , know how to give good gifts unto your children , how much more shall your father which is in heaven , give good things to them that ask him ? thus our saviour represents the power of importunity by the parable of a man , who came to his friends to borrow some bread of him when he was a bed , which was so unseasonable a time , as made it troublesome and uneasy ; but tho meer friendship could not prevail with him to do it , importunity did , . luke . &c. and by the parable of the importunate widow , and the unjust judge , who tho he had no regard to justice , yet was conquered by her importunity , to avenge her of her enemy ; and shall not god avenge his own elect , which cry day and night unto him , tho he bear long with them ? . luke . &c. if importunity will prevail , where neither friendship , nor the love of justice will prevail , how much more will it prevail with a good , and merciful , and righteous god ? indeed most of our saviour's parables proceed upon that likeness and resemblance which is between human passions , and the affections of the divine nature , that we may certainly expect that from god , which we can reasonably expect from wise and good men in the like cases ; what either friendship , or a love of virtue , or natural affections , or interest ; and relation , and private concernment will do , that god will do for us , as is evident in the parables of the lost sheep , and lost groat , and prodigal son , which could have no foundation , were not god in some analogy moved as men are : it is certain our saviour intended we should understand it so , when he makes it the reason of our faith and hope in prayer : and if it be thus , we see the reason and necessity of prayer , and know how to pray to god , so as to prevail ; to pray to god , as we would in the like cases ask of men , with the same importunity , ardour , vehemence , sorrow and contrition , trust and dependence ; for what will prevail with men , will much more prevail with god. and indeed , there are very wise reasons , why god should make prayer the necessary condition of our receiving : as , that his power and providence may be universally owned and acknowledged by mankind ; that we may live in a constant dependence on him , and be sensible , that all we receive is his gift ; to lay restraints upon mens ungoverned lusts and appetites , that they may never expect success without prayer ; and therefore may never dare attempt any thing for which they dare not pray . these are wise reasons , why god should not give , unless we ask ; and therefore if we believe that god governs the world , it is our interest as well as our duty to pray to him ; for we have no title to his protection without it . let us then in all conditions make our humble and hearty prayers and supplications to god , and recommend our selves , and all our concernments to him . i say , in all conditions , because god has the supreme and soveraign disposal of all . there are too many who think , that when all things are prosperous , when they have goods laid up for many years , when they have powerful friends , and their enemies at their feet , that there is no great need then to pray to god , because they do not want him. the psalmist himself was tempted by a prosperous fortune to great security ; in my prosperity , i said , i shall never be moved . but god quickly convinced him , that his security did not consist in external supports , but in the divine favour ; lord , by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong ; thou didst hide thy face , and i was troubled , . psalm , . no man is safe but in god's protection ; there are a thousand unseen accidents , and surprising events , which may disappoint all other hope and confidence ; but they that trust in the lord , shall be as mount zion , which cannot be removed , but abideth for ever : as the mountains are round about ierusalem , so the lord is round about his people , henceforth for ever and ever , . psalm , . others think it to as little purpose to pray , when their condition is desperate and hopeless ; when they can't see how god can save them without a miracle , and miracles they must not hope for . but what is it that god can't do , who has all nature at his command ? we must not indeed expect miracles ; but he who has the absolute government of the natural and moral world , can do what he pleases , without miracles : nothing is impossible to god , and nothing is impossible to him that believes , who prays to god in faith and hope . nay , the example of our saviour teacheth us something more than this ; that tho we were as certain that god would not deliver us from what we fear , as he was that it was appointed for him by god's immutable decree and counsel , to dye upon the cross ; yet it is not in vain to pray as he did , o my father , if it be possible , let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless , not as i will , but as thou wilt . and the apostle to the hebrews tells us , that tho god did not deliver him from death , yet he heard and answered his prayers : who in the days of his flesh , when he had offered up prayers and supplications , with strong crying and tears , unto him that was able to save him from death , and was heard in that he feared , . heb. . that is , tho god did not deliver him from death , he delivered him from his fears , sent an angel to comfort him , and enabled him to endure the pain , and to despise the shame of the cross. and tho god should in like manner afflict us , or we should have great reason to believe he will do so ; yet , if in answer to our prayers and cries he should pull out the sting of afflictions , and sweeten them with divine comforts , and some unexpected allays , and give us courage and patience to bear them , it is equivalent to a deliveranee , and usually better for us than to have been delivered ; for when god inflicts such punishments on us , even when he mercifully hears our prayers and cries , we may be sure that he intends it for some great good to us ; and to reap the benefits of afflictions , without feeling the sting of them , is better than to be delivered from them ; this is to be heard in what we fear . this may satisfy us as to the necessity and obligation of this duty of prayer ; and what great reason and encouragement we have in all conditions to pray to god. but we must remember , that praise and thanksgiving is as essential a part of the divine worship , and as much due to god's care and providence over us , as prayer is . i need not enlarge on this , because all mankind acknowledge it a duty to praise our benefactors , which is only to acknowledg from whom we have received the good things we have : and if god be the giver of all good things to us , can we do less than acknowledge that we receive all from god ? the whole book of psalms is full of examples of this kind ; and there is so little need to prove this to be a duty , that every man who is sensible of any kindness that is done him , can no more avoid thanking his benefactor , than rejoicing in the benefit he has received . it is not only matter of duty , but of necessity to do it , till men have put off human nature , and lost the sensations of it . we must not indeed conceive so meanly of god , as if he were charmed with the praises of his creatures , as some vain men are with popular applause : a wise man is above this ; much more god : a man who knows himself , thinks neither the better nor worse of himself for popular praise , or reproach : praise is due to vertue ; but if it miss of it , the world may suffer by it , not the vertuous man , if he have that command of his passions and resentments , as a wise and good man ought to have . praise is nothing else but the good opinion of other men concerning us ; and reproach their ill opinion ; and if they be mistaken in their opinions , they make us neither better nor worse , unless we make our selves so ; but the world may suffer by it ; for a good man when he is unjustly reproached , tho he may support himself with a sense of his innocence and vertue , yet he loses the pleasure and freedom of conversation , the authority of his example and counsels , and many advantages and opportunities of doing good . to apply this to god : i need not prove , that so glorious and perfect a being is infinitely above our praises ; that we can add nothing to him by our most triumphant hymns and hallelujahs , any otherwise than as he sees it infinitely reasonable and congruous for the happiness of creatures , and a great instrument of providence that they should praise him : god suffers nothing by it , if we refuse to praise him ; but we do , and the world does ; and he has no other satisfaction in it , than to see his creatures do what becomes them , and what will make them happy . all the blessings we receive from god , especially such as concern this life , lose their true taste and relish without praise . to contemplate and adore the divine wisdom and goodness , which encompasses the whole creation , and dispenses his favours with a liberal hand , is a more transporting pleasure than all the enjoyments of the world can give us . here is a noble exercise of love , and joy , and admiration , which are the most delightful passions of the soul , and as far above the pleasures of sense , as a man excels a beast . this makes us feel our selves happy , not only in what we at present have , which , if we look no farther than intermediate causes , is very uncertain ; but in a secure prospect of happiness while we adhere to god. a soul which is ravish'd with the praises of god , and possessed with a lively sense of his goodness , can fear no evil , is out of the reach of solicitous cares ; is contented in every condition as allotted him by god ; nay , is patient under sufferings themselves , which are the corrections or discipline of a kind father : he considers how much good he receives from god , and how far it exceeds all the evils he suffers ; and therefore he has reason to bless god still , as iob did ; for shall we receive good from the hand of god , and shall we not receive evil ? especially when the good we receive , proves the very evils we suffer to be good , because they are inflicted by a good god. all these graces and vertues are owing to the belief of a divine providence , and cannot be had without it ; they belong to that submission to god , and trust in his providence , which i have already explained ; but it is praise and thanksgiving which awakens that vigorous sense of god , which exercises all these vertues , and gives us the ease and satisfaction of them . thus when god loses his praise , we lose the ease and security of our lives : but this is not all ; for the world also in a great measure loses the benefit and advantage of god's government , which as much disappoints the wise designs of providence . not to own our benefactor , is to lose the sense of our dependence , which makes all the goodness of god lost on sinners ; for the goodness of god cannot affect any man , cannot lead him to repentance , can be no reason , nor encouragement to vertue , if it be not owned . this spoils the very blessings , which god bestows on us , which we shall never use to our own happiness , without owning and praising the giver of them . he who remembers that he receives all from god , and is affected with the divine goodness and bounty in giving , will use the good things he receives , according to the mind and intention of the giver ; and this is the only way to enjoy the benefit of the gift . god does not give men riches meerly to look on , or to imprison , or to spend on their lusts ; nor advance them to honours , to make them proud and insolent ; nor give them a large portion of this world to make them forget the next ; he who is thankful to god for all his blessings , cannot do this ; for this is the highest ingratitude to affront and provoke god with the abuse of what he gives ; and he who does thus , loses the blessing , though he has the gift . a covetous man is never the better for his riches , because he cannot use them ; and a voluptuous man is much the worse , because he uses them to his own hurt . when high places and dignities make men proud and insolent , it forfeits the honour of them ; and he who forgets , and by forgetting loses the next world , has a very hard purchase of this . nay , such men do not only disappoint god's goodness to themselves , but frustrate the gracious designs of his providence in making them the instruments and ministers of his goodness to others . for those who take no notice of the divine providence , but are very unthankful to god for what they have , are so far from doing any good , that they generally do great mischief to others , as well as to themselves . those who are sensible that they receive all from god , and are thankful for it , remember that they are but god's stewards ; which is a great honour , but a great trust too , and requires faithfulness ; in thankfulness to god who has so liberally provided for them , they think themselves bound to imitate his goodness , to supply the wants , and undertake the patronage of those who want their help , and in the judgment of prudence and charity deserve it . but an unthankful man has no more regard to his fellow creatures then he has to god ; a covetous man , who will not supply his own wants , to be sure will not relieve the wants of others ; and if a voluptuous man does any kindness , the receivers pay dear for it ; for he makes them the partners or instruments of his lusts . a rich sinner helps to debauch a whole neighbourhood , and a powerful sinner to oppress them ; and the daily experience of the world tells us , what mischief riches , and honour , and power , do in the hands of wicked and unthankful men . this i think may satisfie any considering man in the absolute necessity of praise and thanksgiving , which is not only such an acknowledgment of the divine glory as becomes creatures , but is necessary to our own happiness , to our wise improvement of the blessings of god , and to the good government of the world ; and all men must confess , that this is a wise and just reason for god to recal his gifts , to take away what he had given to unthankful men , and to give them no more , not only because they disown their benefactor , but because they abuse all that he gives them to their own , and to other mens hurt : all that he gives is lost on them ; he loses the praise , and they themselves , and every body else the comfort and advantage of it . and thus i have finished this discourse of providence ; whereby i hope it will appear , that there are great reasons to believe a providence , that the objections against it are ignorant mistakes ; and that nothing tends so much to the ease and comfort , and good government of our lives , as to acknowledge god to be the supreme and sovereign lord of the world. the end . errata . page . line . r. and that . p. . l. . del . made . p. . l. . for or r. and uniform . p. . l. . r. counsels . p. . l. . f. on r. of . p. . l. . f. shold r. should . p. . l. . f. end r. means . p. . l. . r. victory . p. . l. . f. that r. the. l. . f. or r. and. p. . l. . r. undeniable . p. . l. . r. vertue . p. . l. . r. that . p. . l. . r. messias ; l. . r. whatever . p. . l. . f. an r. on . p. . l. . r. foot . p. l. . r. reasonable . p. . l. . r. nemesis . p. . l. . r. how severe soever . l. . dele most . books published by the reverend dr. sherlock , dean of st. paul's , master of the temple , and chaplain in ordinary to their majesties . an answer to a discourse , entituled , papists protesting against protestant popery , second edition , quarto . an answer to the amicable accommodation of the differences between the representer and the answerer , quarto . a sermon preached at the funeral of the reverend dr. calamy , quarto . a vindication of some protestant principles of church-unity and catholick communion , from the charge of agreement with the church of rome , quarto . a preservative against poperty , in two parts , with the vindication , in answer to the cavils of lewis salran , jesuit , quarto . a discourse concerning the nature , unity , and communion of the catholick church , first part , quarto . a sermon preached before the lord-mayor , november th . . quarto . a vindication of the doctrine of the holy and ever-blessed trinity , and the incarnation of the son of god , second edition , quarto . the case of the allegiance due to sovereign powers , stated and resolved , according to scripture , reason , and the principles of the church of england , to . a vindication of the case of allegiance due to sovereign powers , quarto . a sermon preached at whitehall before the queen on the th . of iune , being the fast-day , quarto . a practical discourse concerning death ; in octavo , seventh edition , price s. in twelves , price s. a practical discourse concerning a future judgment . third edition . octav. a sermon preached before the house of commons , ian. . . quarto . a sermon preached before the queen , feb. . . quarto . the charity of lending without usury ; and the true notion of usury briefly stated ; in a sermon before the lord mayor on easter-tuesday , . quarto . a sermon preached at the temple-church , may . . a sermon preached before the queen , iune . . quarto . a sermon preached at the funeral of the reverend dr. meggot , late dean of winchester , decemb. . . an apology for writing against socinians , in defence of the doctrines of the holy trinity and incarnation , in answer to a late earnest and compassionate suit for forbearance to the learned writers of some controversies at present , quarto . a discourse concerning the divine providence , quarto . printed for will. rogers . books lately printed for william rogers . sermons and discourses , in three volumes . octavo . the rule of faith ; or , an answer to the treatise of mr. i. sergeant . octav. a thanksgiving-sermon at lincoln's-inn chappel , . on ezra . , . a sermon preached before the queen , on matth. . . a sermon preached before the king and queen at hampton court , on luke . . a sermon preached before the queen , on matth. . . a sermon preached before the house of commons upon a monthly fast ; on eccles. . . a sermon preached before the lord mayor at bow-church , upon a monthly fast , on ier. . . a sermon preached before the queen , on acts . . a sermon preached before the queen at white-hall upon the monthly fast , septemb. . . on zech. . . a sermon preached before the queen , on psalm . . a thanksgiving sermon before the king and queen at white-hall , octob. . . on ieremiah . , . these ten in quarto . a discourse against transubstantiation , octavo . alone . price d. stitcht . a persuasive to frequent communion in the sacrament of the lord's supper . octavo stitcht d. in twelves , bound , price d. sermons concerning the divinity of our blessed saviour , octavo . a sermon preached before the queen at white-hall , april . . concerning the sacrifice and satisfaction of christ , on heb. . . a sermon concerning the unity of the divine nature and trinity , on tim. . . these all by his grace , john , lord archbishop of canterbury . reflections on two books , the one entituled , the case of allegiance to a king in possession , the other , an answer to dr. sherlock 's case of allegiance to sovereign powers ; in defence of the case of allegiance to a king in possession , on those parts especially wherein the author endeavours to shew his opinion to be agreeable to the laws of this land. quarto . a brief disquisition of the law of nature , according to the principles and methods laid down in the reverend dr. cumberland's ( now lord bishop of peterborough's ) latin treatise on the subject . as also his confutations of mr. hobb's principles put into another method . with the right reverend author's approbation . by i. tyrrell . octavo . serious and seasonable advice to the english soldiers of his majesty's army , in twelves , price d. the exact effigies of his grace , iohn , lord archbishop of canterbury , on a large sheet of paper , curiously engraven by mr. white , from mrs. beal's painting . price d. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e cap. . § . casu , inquis ? itanè verò ? quidquam potest casu esse factum , quod omnes in se habeat numeros veritatis ? quatuor tali jacti casu venereum efficiunt , num etiam centum venereos , si talos ejeceris , casu futuros putas ? — sic enim se profectò res habet , ut nunquam perfectè veritatem casus imitetur . cicero de divinat . l. . immortali aevo summâ cum pace fruatur . semota a nostris rebus , sejunctaque longè . epicurum verbis reliquisse deos , resustulisse , de nat. deor. l , . quo concesso confitendum est eorum consilio mundum administrari , de nat. deor. l. . providentia praecisè dicitur pro providentia deorum . ibid. chrysippus legis perpetuae & aeternae vim , quae quasi dux vitae , & ministra officiorum sit , jovem dicit esse , eandemque fatalem necessitatem . ibid , l , . aliquam excellentem esse & praestantem naturam , quae haec fecisset , moveret , regeret , gubernaret . ibid. imposuitis in cervicibus nostris sempiternum dominum , quem dies & noctes timeremus ; quis enim non timeat omnia providentem , & cogitantem , & animadvertentem , & omnia ad se pertinere putantem , curiosum , & plenum negotii deum . ibid. . matth . . psal. . . dan. . . psal. . . job . . job . v. . v. . v. . v. , . . ezek. . . john . . . . eph. . . james . hebr. . phil. . . rom , . . exod. . chap. . . wisdom , &c. . rom. . see sermon before the queen on that text. chap. . discourse of death , ch . . sect . . discourse of judgm . ch . . sect . . . psal. . v. . . josh. . . gen. . rom. . . exod. , . . exod. . . dan. . . dan. , . . dan. , . deut. , . . . . . dan. . mr. joseph mede 's discourse . on . acts . . job . . prov. , . the glasse of gods providence towards his faithfvll ones held forth in a sermon preached to the two houses of parliament at margarets westminster, aug. , , being an extraordinary day of humiliation : wherein is discovered the great failings that the best are liable unto, upon which god is provoked sometimes to take vengeance : the whole is applyed specially to a more carefull observation of our late covenant, and particularly against the ungodly toleration pleaded for under pretence of liberty of conscience / by herbert palmer ... palmer, herbert, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing p ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) the glasse of gods providence towards his faithfvll ones held forth in a sermon preached to the two houses of parliament at margarets westminster, aug. , , being an extraordinary day of humiliation : wherein is discovered the great failings that the best are liable unto, upon which god is provoked sometimes to take vengeance : the whole is applyed specially to a more carefull observation of our late covenant, and particularly against the ungodly toleration pleaded for under pretence of liberty of conscience / by herbert palmer ... palmer, herbert, - . [ ], p. printed by g.m. for th. vnderhill ..., london : . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng bible. -- o.t. -- psalms xcix, -- sermons. providence and government of god -- sermons. fast-day sermons. a r (wing p ). civilwar no the glasse of gods providence towards his faithfull ones. held forth in a sermon preached to the two houses of parliament, at margarets west palmer, herbert c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - ali jakobson sampled and proofread - ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion die mercurii , . augusti , . ordered by the commons assembled in parliament , that master rous doe give the thankes of this house to master palmer and master hill , for the great paines they tooke in the sermons they preached before both houses on tuesday the . day of august , . being a speciall and peculiar day of humiliation appointed by both houses , and that they be desired to print their sermons , and that none presume to print their sermons , or either of them , but such as shall be authorised under their hand writing . h. elsynge cler. parl. d. com. i doe appoint thomas vnderhill to print my sermon , herbert . palmer . the glasse of gods providence towards his faithfvll ones . held forth in a sermon preached to the two houses of parliament , at margarets westminster , aug. . . being an extraordinary day of humiliation . wherein is discovered the great failings that the best are liable unto ; upon which god is provoked sometimes to take vengeance . the whole is applyed specially to a more carefull observation of our late covenant , and particularly against the ungodly toleration pleaded for under pretence of liberty of conscience . by herbert palmer , b. d. minister of gods word at ashwell in hertford-shire : a member of the assembly of divines . behold , the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth : much more the wicked and the sinner . prov. . . all these things happened to them for ensamples : and are written for our admonition , upon whom the ends of the world are come , cor. . . whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning , that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope . rom. . . london , printed by g. m. for th. vnderhill at the bible in woodstreet . . to the right honovrable the house of peeres and to the honovrable the house of commons assembled in parliament at westminster . the records of holy scripture , whether they concerne the actions of god or men , are not onely stories of things done in that age , but prophesies also of future events in succeeding generations . this god hath been pleased to exemplifie particularly in that word , which divers weekes agoe on a solemne day appointed for extraordinary humiliation he sent to be preached in your eares . while some bodily indispositions hindred me from a speedy obeying the call of tendring it also to your hands and eyes : it seemed good to him , ( who doth all things wisely and faithfully , ) to give instances of his fulfilling both parts of it ; affording some answers of grace , and expressions of pardon and favour in wales and the parts thereabouts ; and yet withall taking some vengeance upon our untowardnesses , by the sad blow given us in the west . i hope that as we shall all learne by it , even more and more , that a god lets none of his words fall to the ground , but whatsoever he speakes to us hath its effect upon us , and b takes hold of us , even whether we take hold of it or no : so we will beleeve also , that the effect of it will never be spent as long as we live , or any of mankind , in as much as all the word of god lives and abides for ever , as both the c prophet and d apostle tell us . and this beliefe will both make all the word profitable to us , and make us happy by the word : the promises and expressions of grace in the word never doing us good , never being fulfilled to us compleatly , but by our beleeving them : and the threatnings or expressions of severity never endangering us , never being fulfilled at all upon us , but when we beleeve them not . we have all need to pray , e lord encrease our faith ! even in relation to terrifying truths , as well as to comforting . and though faith most commonly comes by hearing , yet unquestionable experience telling us , that it is partly encreased by reading also , ( specially of what was once attentively heard ) i cannot doubt , but this paper-remembrance of matters of so grand importance , will be blessed by god , as to some others into whose hands it shall come , so specially to your selves , according to your leasure for making use of it , unto your furtherance and joy of faith . which that it may be continually augmented in you , who have so great businesses to goe through , and so great adversaries to encounter , and all calling for faith in the strength and glorie of it , through iesus christ the author and finisher of our faith , is and shall be the earnest desire and prayer of him , who is for iesvs sake your ever most devoted and humble servant herbert palmer . the glasse of gods providence towards his faithfvll ones . psal. . ver. . thou answeredst them , o lord our god : thou wast a god that forgavest them , though thou tookest vengeance on their inventions . behold an apostrophe to god , in the midst of an exhortation to men ! whatever else we learn from it , this we should improve it to , to make us remember , that we have now to doe with god ; that looking him in the face may awe us , and the consideration that we are now speaking to him , and from him , and of him , may affect our spirits to regard what he doth toward the children of men , for these words are the glasse of gods providence towards men , towards his owne , those that are most faithfull to him . would you know who they are ? see ver. . moses and aaron among his priests , and samuel among those that call upon his name , &c. their faithfulnesse is exprest , not only in their calling upon god , in the next words , they called upon the lord , and he heard them ; but also by their obedience , ver . they kept his testimonies , and the law that he gave them : and then followes gods dealings with them , in the words of the text , thou answeredst them , &c. i will sing of mercy and judgement , unto thee , o lord , will i sing , saith the royall psalmist , psal. . . he doth so here , his song is plainly of mercy and judgement , and that vnto the lord , as he there also expresses it . gods great mercy is set forth towards his servants , in answering and forgiving them ; and with all his judgement : his heavie judgement in taking vengeance on their inventions . behold then the goodnesse and severitie of god , saith the holy apostle , rom. . . so say i , and that not relating to two sorts of persons , as there ; transgressours and beleevers : but both towards men of approved avowed faithfulnesse , even toward one and the same person ; in goodnesse answering , and forgiving ; and yet in some severity taking vengeance also . there are but two maine dispositions in mens minds , that sway our practises and regulate our lives , keeping them within compasse , that is , faith ( or comfort ) and feare , according to the intimation act. . . they walked in the feare of the lord , and in the comfort of the holy ghost . the comfort of the holy ghost , or faith ( which is all one in effect ) on the one side , and feare on the other , doe compasse us in , we walke uprightly and safely in the wayes of our god . and to this purpose are these words we have before us , none being more proper to settle us in faith and comfort ; then these which proclaime god to be a god answering and pardoning , and nothing more fit to strike us with a holy awe and reverence ; with a godly feare , then that to the mention of such graciousnesse is added the remembrance of his taking vengeance also , even upon those who he yet answers and forgives . if therefore it shall please god to set home these words upon our hearts , we shall doe that which the psalmist intended to perswade and work men to , when he first penned them ; we shall fulfill the scope of the whole psalme , and withall answer the scope of our appearing before god this day , and find god himselfe answering it , and our desires and prayers in it , even with gracious pardoning and forgiving , former and present failings in us , all who are or will be faithfull to him . in the . verse the soveraigne authoritie and royall majestie of god governing the world and his church in speciall , cals us ( and all men ) to feare and a holy consternation at his glorie . the lord reignes , let the people tremble : he sits between the cherubims , let the earth be moved . this is enforced , ver. . from his greatnesse and power manifested toward his church ; and his actuall rule over all people ; the lord is great in zion , and he is high above all people . whence we and all men are expresly summoned to praise him and give him glory , ver. . let them praise thy great and terrible name : for it is holy . though his power be never so great , and he never so terrible in his wayes and workes ; yet doe they all challenge praise , because in all he manifells himselfe to be holy , unblameable and beyond all controll . which also the . ver. confirmes , the kings strength also loves judgement , thou dost establish equity ; thou executest judgement and righteousnesse in jacob . he hath all authoritie in his hand as king , and strength sufficient to doe what he pleases , yet he delights to doe right ; and to settle it both by his word and his works ; and doth continually exercise himselfe in doing justice and right among his people particularly . whereupon , it is againe required that honour be given to him above all others , ver. . exalt ye the lord our god , and worship at his footstoole , for he is holy . which with a word or two altered is againe repeated in the last verse of the psalme , ver. . and made as the burden of the song : exalt the lord our god , and worship at his holy hill , for the lord our god is holy . where is given us to understand , that then onely we exalt , or praise , or feare god aright , when we worship according to his will , and in his owne ordinances , set out by the phrases of worshipping at his footstoole ( that is the arke ) and at his holy hill , that is , zion , both according to his appointment , and expresse charge and command . and his holinesse stands upon this , that men should to worship him , if they worship him at all . and of all this we have moses , aaron , and samuel for examples , ver. , . moses and aaron were among his priests , and samuel among them that called upon his name . these were great favourites of his , and eminent in their fidelitie , they called upon the lord , and he answered them . he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar , they kept his testimonies , and the law that he gave them . but yet not so , but they failed sometimes and needed forgivenesse , provoking him to bring judgements upon them . and accordingly he did shew himselfe variously to them ; sometimes in displeasure , but alwayes with mercy . and that is it which our text holds forth apparently to all our eyes , eares , and hearts . tending , with all the rest of the psalmes , to perswade us to feare , and praise , and exalt , and worship our gracious and holy god aright according to his divine pleasure . as we shall see by the more distinct handling of it , unto which now i come . the words of this verse have in them three remarkable particulars . . the behaviour of the men it speakes of , which is partly good , and partly evill . the former verse saith , they kept gods testimonies , and the law that he gave them , this insinuates ( what was also exprest ver. . ) that they used to call upon god , all this was very good , but withall , they did sometimes some things amisse , some inventions , by-paths , or steps awry they had , which as they needed pardon , so they incensed him against them , so much now and then , as he would not let them escape altogether , without taking some vengeance for such untowardnesse . . gods graciousnesse , in a double respect : . in answering them , granting their sutes and supplications ordinarily . . in forgiving them , pardoning their failings and faults evermore ; never dealing with them altogether according to their sinnes , but in the midst of any offence of theirs , or judgement of his , remembring mercy . . his holy justice , notwithstanding , taking vengeance on their inventions : chastening them for some faults sometimes ; and not letting them alwayes goe unpunished , how faithfull soever they were generally , or how gracious soever he was eternally . these are the maine parts of the text , which will afford us so many doctrines clearely and plainly after we have but a little explained the latter clause of taking vengeance on their inventions . which is the only difficulty in the language of the text , and it indeed sounds so strangely at the first hearing , as i may well put this expression among the riddles of the scripture . it is seldome found else-where , ( if at all ) when applyed to the faithfull servants of god , as it is here ; and therefore it is an amazing notion ; and worthy to be considered , for the sense of it , and the reason why it is used . the sense of it is not to be taken in the ordinary rigour of the phrase , as we use it among men , for an act done , either according to the extremity of the desert of a fault , or with a mind possest with malice or hatred against the oftender , or both together . for neither of these will stand with gods affections or actions towards his faithfull ones ; nor with the very words of the text foregoing these . he who forgives , never deales according to extremity of desert of a fault , which deserves destruction ( as all our sins doe in extremity of justice , ) much lesse doth he doe any thing with malice or hatred . forgivenesse and malice are no lesse contradictory then light and darknesse , life and death . whatsoever therefore be meant by taking of vengeance here , it must be understood , with mitigation and mixture of favour ; and this favour eminent , even notwithstanding the vengeance taken , for so speakes the text undeniably , thou answerest and forgavest , though thou tookest vengeance , as forgivenesse did not altogether hinder the vengeance , so the vengeance did not disparage the forgivenesse . the meaning then may be conceived to lye in two things . first , that whatsoever they did feele from his hand it was but according to their deserts , not beyond ; they had first provoked him , before he strooke them , they had offered him some indignity before he afflicted them ; and when they did abuse him , then he did sometimes take some vengeance upon their inventions , or their workes or deeds as the word properly signifies . . this correction , was somewhat smart and severe , both in their own apprehensions that suffered it , and in the eye and observation of any that had notice of it : in so much as if one had not knowne and had assurance of his mercy to them from other grounds , his manner of dealing with them in this particular case would seeme to them to savour altogether of vengeance , and extremity of rigour and displeasure . now the reason , why this is thus exprest , we may conceive to be , purposely to insinuate more effectually , that god lookes upon sinne with an other eye then men doe ; and that even in his owne dearest servants , he sees matter enough of deepe displeasure which he will let men know , and themselves feele now and then in a quickning and awakening manner . terrible words are not without their efficacie , specially when deeds answer them ; the proper reasons and uses of both , we shall see anon . but this language is used to help to make gods deeds more affecting . withall this may well be added to cleare this phrase from all exception , that if we observe the words narrowly , a manifest difference seemes to be even here , in this harsh expression , from that which is elswhere spoken of gods dealings with his enemies , with the wicked . it is not said god tooke vengeance on them , on the persons of his faithfull servants , but on their inventions . he shewed mercy to their persons , ( which the text it selfe expresses ) but yet he shewed displeasure against their sins , he would not spare the offence , and yet it is certaine he spared the offenders . but when the ungodly are spoken of , there vengeance is expressely said to be taken on them , deut. . . i will render vengeance to mine enemies , and vers. . will render vengeance to his adversaries , and will be mercifull to his land , and to his people . so ezek. . . i will lay my vengeance on edom. and in divers other places of the prophets : so in the n. t. thes. . . taking vengeance on them that know not god , &c : in all these the vengeance so falls upon the sinne that the sinners themselves are destroyed with the waight of it ; which never is , when god hath to doe with his owne , how severe soever he seeme to be in the vengeance he doth take : as will further appeare in the prosecution of the doctrines afforded to us in the whole verse , which are plainely three . . that even the faithfull servants of god may so provoke him , as to need his pardon , and even to give him occasion to take vengeance on their practises . . though they doe provoke him , and he doe thereupon take vengeance , yet is he ever a god of grace to them , answering their prayers , and affording them pardon . . though god doth answer the prayers and forgive the sins of his faithfull ones , yet they may so provoke him , as he sometimes takes vengeance on their misdoings . before i come to handle these points in a doctrinall way , it will be very profitable ; first , to handle the text historically , a little to looke after and consider the story of these holy men ; as other scriptures have recorded it ; and see their faithfulnesse with their failings , and gods answers and pardon with his taking vengeance . moses , who is the first man concerned in it , was one whom god honours as much for his faithfulnesse , as any man under the old testament . no man actually forsooke so much for god , nor ventured so much for him , as moses did ; which the apostle excellently summes up , heb. . , , . no man had so hard a taske of it , for so many yeares together , being to deale first with hardhearted pharaoh , and then with stiffenecked israel . and he hath , besides all others , an high eulogy of faithfulnesse in all gods house , heb. . . in all his offices between god and his people , being not only a propet , but the chiefe governour of israel , and stiled a king in jesuran , deut. . . yet even moses had his failings and weaknesses . . when god would imploy him towards pharaoh , we find him making excuses ; so long till the text saith , god was angry , exod. . . . in the same chapter , we find him to have neglected the circumcision of his sonne , the reason is not exprest , ( perhaps it was because he was loath to displease his wife zipporah ; who was a midianite : ) but whatever it was it had like to have cost him his life , god begun to take some vengeance , upon his neglect , ver. . . in the fifth chapter , he doth in a manner expostulate with god in a kind of discontent and distrust , as though god had not done well in sending him to pharaoh , who tooke occasion by that to oppresse israel the more ; and no deliverance likely to come : which yet he had no reason to count strange , if he had well remembred and observed what god had said to him , chapt. . that pharaohs heart would be hardned , and he would not let them goe at the first . but moses had forgotten this , and so complaines , as if god had done him and israel both wrong in it , ver. , . . in numb. . , &c. . . we find another fit of discontent : he cannot endure with patience any longer the frowardnesse of the people , who murmured against him at every turne ; he would be out of his life , and prayes to god even to take his life away , rather then to abide such continuall vexation ; and againe , vers. . he hath a pang of distrust , and can scarce t●ll how to beleeve gods word to be true of such a large provision to be made for the people as god hath told him of : so that god is faine to answer him with his almighty power , is the lords hand waxed ? short thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to passe to thee or not , vers. . these passions and expressions of moses , were not like a faithfull servant of god , but thus the infirmity of a faithfull man discovers it selfe . . once more we find moses faulty ; and that in a further degree then any that hath been yet named : his great failing , and for which god was most highly displeased with him above all other times , is recorded , numb. . the people murmured for water , and god bids moses take the rod and speake to the rock and it should give forth water . moses goes with the rodde , but instead of speaking to the rock , he speakes to the people , and that unadvisedly with his lipps , saith the psalmist , psal. . . and with a provoked spirit , overcome with anger and passion ; and instead of speaki●g to the rock , he strikes the rock , and that twice , vers. . and this god takes so hainously , that he charges him with not sanctifying him before the children of israel , and not beleeving him , and that therefore he should not goe into the promised land . so that here is a three-fold fault noted in moses , in the story ( written by himselfe ) and in the psalme . . some unbeliefe , and distrusting that speaking to the rock would not suffice to fetch water thence , notwithstanding gods word . . some impatience of spirit , against the peoples untoward murmurings , his spirit was provoked by them , more and otherwise then it should have been . . this exprest , by unfitting and unadvised speech , the story saith , he call'd them rebels , and saith , must we fetch you water , &c. which language though they well enough deserved ( and worse ) yet it appeared god was not pleased with it in moses . and so you have the account of his faults , as the scripture registers them . then for aaron , . this we find in him throughout , that what is noted of him , is being a second in evill , an accessary , consenter and actor with others , but never alone in any remarkeable fault . but particularly three speciall failings are recorded of him , . exod. , . there is a very great fault , that at the peoples sollicitation and importunity , he made them an idol , a golden calfe , and joyned with them in the honouring of it : for which god was exceeding angry with him to have destroyed him ; but that moses interceded for him , deut. . . a second is , numb. . where he joynes with his sister miriam , ( who is first named and noted , ver. . ) in murmuring against moses . it was strange that he should speake against his own brother so , whom he saw god had so honoured above him , and who had before ( as was observed but now ) been a meanes to save him from gods wrath by his prayers . and yet by his sister is he drawne away and become a partner with her in this unnaturall mutiny . and for this god is againe angry with him , though he layed then no punishment upon his person , yet aaron confesses himselfe stricken in the leprosie suddenly inflicted for this upon miriam , ver. . and . his third fault was in consenting to moses his distrust ( and passion ) in that . of numb. the charge was given to both together ; and god blames and threatens them both ; and accordingly soone after took vengeance upon aarons offence , and he dies before the end of that chapter , as he did after upon moses his , of which we have divers memorandums afterwards , shewing the more gods displeasure against him for this transgression ; and of this specially , the text we have in hand speakes . this god remembers numb. . , , . and moses afterward speakes of it with sorrow , deut. . . and againe , deut. . , &c. where he tels the people how he made a solemne sute of it , and prayed earnestly to god that he would spare him , and shew him that favour , that he might goe into the land of promise ; and that god would not grant his sute , and forbids him to mention it any more to him , ver. , . and once more moses speakes to israel of it , deut. . , . as shewing how neere it was to him , and how great a judgement he tooke it to be . and so we see gods taking vengeance upon his inventions also , as well as upon aarons , and the text verified of two of those it speakes of . we have a third to looke after , whom we must not forget , and that is samuel , he was the judge of israel by gods appointment , and trained up to be a prophet from his childhood under the wing of god in shiloh , and he was a very faithfull servant of god : yet there is a fault of his insinuated sam. . that when he was growne old , he was partiall towards his children , he made his sons judges over israel , and they walked not in his wayes , but tooke bribes and perverted justice ; and it appeares by the sequele that samuel was too indulgent and favourable to them ; and therefore the people tooke such a discontent , that they would not have his sons nor himselfe neither , rule any more over them , but would needs have a king to rule over them ; and , though this was ill done of the people , to reject samuel himselfe , and specially to aske a king , as appeares by gods words in that chapter , and by his displeasure manifested from heaven , sam. . yet we may read in it gods just vengeance on the misbehaviour of samuels sons , and so of his partialitie toward them , and we may see in both places that it struck samuel very deeply , sam. . . in reference to himselfe , and chap. . . he cannot forbeare mention of his sons , who were wholly laid aside ever after , though himselfe was not altogether . and thus we see all these three faithfull men , moses , aaron , and samuel made examples of justice in some vengeance taken on their inventions and offences notwithstanding gods favour to them . now we must adde a word , how notwithstanding their failings and gods severity , yet he was a god answering and forgiving them . . for moses , he is so famous for gods answering him , that god once doth as it were sue to moses to forbeare praying for israel , as implying that he could not but answer moses , if he did pray : let me alone , that i may consume them , exod. . . and accordingly when moses , for all this , did pray , god did answer , and spare israel upon his request , ver. . and many other times moses his prayers were heard and answered . . moses and aaron together in the universall murmuring and mutiny , numb. . . and aaron specially when after the rebellion of corah , dathan , and abiram , and the horrible judgement of god upon them , the earth swallowing them up alive , and fire from god breaking out and burning up the princes , that stood to be priests , in opposition to aarons calling , and the next day all the congregation murmured and mutined againe against moses and aaron , as if they had been in fault for the death of those outragious sinners : aaron then , at moses his direction , runs to the altar , and fetches fire thence , and puts on incense , and with that runs among the people ; and though the wrath of god were so hot against them , as that while he was hasting to the altar and coming backe againe . were dead of the plague , yet as soone as he comes among them , and as a priest , offers incense ( and so prayers ) for them , suddenly the plague ceases , numb. . , . . for samuel , he was a knowne favourite in the court of heaven , so that the israelites ranne to him , when the philistines came against them , and they put more confidence in his prayers alone for them , sam. . . then in all theirs ; and god then answered him with thunder from heaven against the philistines , ver. . and again after the israelites had rejected him , yet they begge his prayers with great submission and importunity , sam. . . and both he and moses are remembred long after by god , as two of the greatest favourites that ever he had in this kind , when he tels jeremy , he would not heare even them , if they were now alive , jerem. . . though moses and samuel stood before me , yet my mind could not be to this people , cast them out of my sight . if he would have heard any body , it should have been moses and samuel : whom he was wont so constantly to heare and answer . withall we have manifest assurance of his forgiving them , notwithstanding the vengeance he tooke on those faults of theirs , which we even now mentioned , besides all other times . he that remembers that god had a better place to which he removed moses and aaron when he tooke them from the earth ; and an heavenly canaan into which god received them , when he denied them entrance into the earthly canaan ; and that this must needs be that recompence of reward , which moses had an eye to , when he esteemed the reproch of christ , greater riches then the treasures of egypt , heb. . . and that moses is after his death , often owned by god as his servant , as his chosen ; and aaron is named , psal. . . the saint of the lord ; he ( i say ) that remembers these things cannot doubt of gods forgiving them . considering also , how moses appeared in glory ( with elias ) at christs transfiguration , luke . , . and for samuel , he was not quite put from his office of judge , for it is said , sam. . . that he judged israel all the dayes of his life ; and besides god often imployed him as a prophet in most remarkable services ; which proclaime gods graciousnesse to him also , and forgiving him as well as the others . and so you have the story of the text set before you ; and the doctrines observed out of it , confirmed ( each of them ) by this historicall exemplification , of their behaviours and gods dealings . i come now to a more generall handling of them ; and the . of them is this . that even the faithfull servants of god may so provoke him , that they may neede his pardon , and even give him occasion to take vengeance on their inventions and practises . for the further proofe of this , i may say ( as indeed of the other points also , though specially of the middlemost , which holds forth gods answering and pardoning mercy to his faithfull ones ) that there is scarce any record of any of the servants of god , even the most eminent , but there is somewhat or other of this kind noted of them . but for the further evidencing of it , and affecting every one of us with it , ( it being a point of very great concernment and use to us all ) you may take notice but of these generall reasons . . that the very best servants of god have the very same corruption by nature that the worst have . it is all alike in the one sort and in the other . there is no difference naturally betweene the one and the other . that place prov. . . deserves to be remembred for this purpose , as in water face answers to face , so doth the heart of man to man . they then used to view their faces much in water ( as we now doe in glasses , ) and as in water , or in a glasse , the image of the true face represents all the features , lineaments , moles , spots , deformities , that are in the face it selfe , and the one answers the other exactly , what is in one is in the other : so is it with the heart of one man ( naturally ) answering to another . there are the same spots and wrinckles , and blemishes in every heart that is in any one ; and to have a true representation of the evill that is in any one heart , we must looke upon all the evill that is in all other hearts naturally . the apostle , ephes. . , . makes himselfe and the ( now ) christian ephesians , and the unconverted impenitent unbeleevers all alike by nature . . in the best servants of god this corrupted nature is not utterly abolished : the grace which they have received ( and which makes them to differ from other men ) doth not so farre sanctifie them , but that the seeds and roots of sinne , of all sinne doth still remaine in them : a flesh they have , which though crucified with the aff●ctions and lusts in all that are christs , is not quite dead , not altogether mortified , but that lies upon them as a daily and perpetuall dutie to mortifie their earthly members , and to be cutting off of hands and feet and pulling out of eyes ; which yet , contrary to the course of common nature , will be growing againe , or others in the roome of them : there is a continuall danger of rootes of bitternesse ( of any kind ) springing up to trouble and defile even them . the apostle , you know , complaines of his flesh , that he could not do the good he would , and that he did the evill he would not due , and was carried captive unto the law of sinne , and had a body of death which he carried about him , and grones , and cryes out to be delivered from ; and tels the galathians , that the flesh , in them did lust against the spirit , so that they could not doe the things they would . and this corruption , alwayes dwelling even in the best , and too often prevailing , is that which not only ever needs pardon , but oftentimes greatly provokes god to take vengeance upon their misbehaviours . . this corruption may yet be further apprehended by us , by this one observation following . that , as there is scarce any of the servants of god storied of in the word , but with their faithfulness , their failings are enrolled , ( as was intimated before ) paul himselfe not excepted : so , ( which is very remarkeable and deserving most serious consideration , ) that scarce any of them is noted to be eminent for any vertue or grace , but somewhat of the contrary is observed in them , some failing even in that very particular . . noah is owned by god himselfe to be eminently righteous in his generation , gen. . . in a generation that abounded with luxury , eating and drinking and jollity , as our saviour assures us , mat. . . and so noah was a patterne of temperance and sobrietie ; and yet we find even noah once overtaken , and making himselfe drunke with his owne wine . . lot is praised by the spirit of god guiding st peters pen , . pet. . . for a righteous man , preserved safe by gods grace in the midst of filthy sodome ; and yet you know what befell him afterward , when sodome was destroyed and himselfe delivered out of it . . we reade that abraham is called the father , ( the patterne ) of the faithfull : it is said , he staggered not at the promise of god through unbeleefe , but was strong in faith giving glory to god , rom. . . and yet faithfull abraham , twice for feare , denies his wife , and pretends her to be his sister , gen. . and gen. . . . so of moses , one of the men our text speakes of , it is said , that he was meeke above all the men that were on the earth , numb. . . and yet this meeke moses overshootes himselfe by passion , and that which brought the evill upon him , was ( as you have heard ) his spirit being provoked and so he spake unadvisedly with his lipps ▪ and withall he that had shewed so great faith in so many mighty works to be done by him , and difficulties to be passed through , for so many yeares together ; and had so greatly and perpetually honoured god in the sight of israel ; now is challenged of god ( as you saw ) that he did not beleeve him to sanctifie him before the children of israel ; and therefore he should not bring them into the land . . david , who of all the people of god in his time , had been longest in the schoole of affliction and patience , and shewed great proficiencie in it , upon all occasions ; as his psalmes beare witnesse , and the story together : yet when he received a rude repulse from churlish nabal of a kind message and faire request , sam. . he hath so farre his lesson to seeke , that he breakes out into violent passion , and resolves and sweares he will have his bloud , and the bloud of all his family , and marcheth against him to that purpose . thus you see faults breaking out in the servants of god , and even in those things wherein they were famous for fidelity . . so in him who of all others is set forth as the patterne of patience , holy job ; you have heard of the patience of job , saith st james , chapt. . . but we have heard ( and read in his booke ) of his impatience too : and , we would think him a man very impatient , from whom we should heare such language , as he speakes , chap. . and afterward . . and what say you to jonah , one whom god owned and employed to be a prophet ; but first he runnes away and will not goe on gods errand ; whereupon god takes vengeance upon his invention and transgression , in a most terrible manner : he first persecutes him with a tempest and makes him afraid with a storme , and then forces him to be his own accuser and judge , to condemne himselfe to be throwne into the sea , and there he is cast as it were alive into hell ( as his owne phrase is in his prayer , chap. . ) by being swallowed up by the whale , and living in that most noisome stinking prison so long : and yet after his repentance and gods marvellous mercy to him , and imploying him againe in his worke , he breakes out into fearfull distempers againe ; even to justifie his former fact , and he is angry , and he will be angry , and he doth well ( he saith ) to be angry even to the death , with ggds crossing of his mind and expectation . how contrary was all this to the duty of a prophet , to the disposition of a penitent received to mercy , and yet thus it was with him : this is our corruption remaining even in a faithfull mans heart . . looke upon jeremie also , and you shall see a wonderfull example . first , he was indeed very hardly used , jer. . and he saith , he was in derision daily , every one mocked him , ver. . and therefore he is weary of his office and employment , and resolves he will preach no more : then i said , i will not make mention of him , nor speake any more in his name , ver. . a strange distemper to be in a prophet , who had preached so long , but that god cures suddenly , with some kind of vengeance , by making his word as a fire in his bones , that he could not forbeare giving it vent , and then he recovers himselfe and comforts himselfe that god would take his part against his enemies and persecutours ; the lord is with me ( saith he ) as a mighty terrible one , &c. and so he gets so mighty a victory against this temptation , that he sings a song of triumph , and calls others to joyne with him in it , ver. . sing unto the lord ; praise ye the lord , for he hath delivered the soule of the poore from the hand of evill doers : and now you would thinke he were for ever delivered from all impatience . but marke the very immediate next words , cursed be the day wherein i was borne , &c. and , which is worse , cursed be the man that brought word to my father , &c. o strange ! can this be possible , that from a heart so calmed and setled in faith and joy , such a suddaine storme should arise of monstrous and horrid impatience ? but such is man ; such is even the best man , when his corruption is let out , and his ill nature is suffered to discover it selfe . i shall not need to tell you of peters falls . but . i have one example more to set before you , of paul and barnabas together ; two that were as much united together by all manner of religious considerations , as almost any two can be . barnabas tooke paul then named saul newly turned from being a persccutour , when the disciples were afraid of him , acts . and brought him to the apostles , and is his witnesse how he was converted and how he had preached ; and after that he makes a journey as farre as tarsus from antioch to seeke saul , and brings him to antioch , and there they preach together a whole yeare and taught much people ; and after that they were sent together to carry almes to jerusalem : and being returned to antioch , they were sent out together , by the expresse charge of the holy ghost , to preach , and after great and happy successe , they were imployed by the churches to goe up to the councell at hierusalem about the question of circumcision . and now after all this stictnesse of union , being about to goe forth againe to visit the churches , they fall at oddes about a small matter , as one would thinke , whether such an one should goe along with them , or not ; and the contention was so sharpe betweene them , as neither the church , nor any of the brethren could reconcile them at that time ; but they part asunder , and goe one one way and the other another ; and perhaps never saw one another again . this is a very great and a sad proofe , of the great corruption of nature , still in the very best of gods saints , and faithfull ones . . to all which we may adde both the violent and cunning importunity of satan , who makes it a continuall businesse of his , to tempt them to all manner of sins , that if he cannot prevaile in one thing he may in another ; and if he cannot ( as he cannot ) regaine them under his tyranny and dominion , he may yet doe them what mischiefe he can , disturbe the peace of their consciences , dishonour god , and promote his own kingdome , by their ill examples especially . . withall he can and doth very much make use of men , evill men ( and sometimes even of good ) as his instruments , who not seldome doe even take it to taske and make it a maine part of their businesse , to draw the servants of god to sinne , to sinnes of scandall , thereby to promote their own lust by their assistance , or to encourage and beare out themselves in their own evils , by such practices of better men , and sometimes even in very malice to the servants of god , that they may have advantage to reproach them , and the very profession of religion which they make ; and to this purpose they lay snares in their way continually , sometimes offering worldly advantage , otherwhiles threatning worldly inconveniences , and alwayes straining their witts to pursue them with importunities and subtilties , to seduce them . all these laid together , their own corruption , satans suggestions , and mens instigation doe so unhappily verifie our first point , and afford such continuall experiments of it , that i shall need to say no more of it at the present in a doctrinall way . i come to the second . though gods servants doe provoke him , and he doe thereupon take vengeance , yet is he ever a god of grace to them , answering their prayers , and affording them pardon . i shall not illustrate this by examples at this time , further then i have done already , every one of the fore-named instances making it plaine . but i shall give you some reasons of it . first , god uses to answer his servants , because it is one of his titles which he takes to himselfe , and his servants give him the name of , that he is a god hearing prayers ; which is therefore exprest because he would encourage all men , ( much more those that are already his servants ) to come unto him , psal. . . o thou that hearest prayers ! to thee shall all flesh come . so david assures himselfe and his enemies both , that he should find in his own particular . the lord will heare ( that is answer ) when i call upon him , psal. . and psal. . . a demonstration is given of it , in that it is said to god , thou hast heard the desire of the humble , thou preparest their heart , and thou causest thine eare to heare . which is as much as if it had been said , thou bespeakest , and even inditest their petitions ( gods spirit doth so , rom. . , . ) and therefore as thou hast ever done , so unquestionably thou wilt still afford them a gracious answer . . this is the more certaine , because god hath alwayes in his hand a sufficiency of power ( and wisedome , ) to grant their faithfull desires , by over-ruling all things for their good , even notwithstanding all that they have done against him , and so against themselves , or that he hath done against them . this is the great difference between god and men , that men oft times , when others sue to them , find things in so ill a condition , partly through the fault of those that now sue for their favour , and partly through their own rashnesse or severity , that they know not how to help them , nor which way to make them any amends for any thing they have made them to suffer . as the israelites , judg. . would willingly have done more for benjamin , against whom they had been rigorously cruell ; but they knew not how to doe it , they had no power to recompence their own excessive severity , upon the benjimites perverse obstinacy . but it is never so with god . he never powers out so much wrath upon any of his servants ( whatever he doe upon his enemies in conclusion . ) but he hath still in his hand to make them amends . even though he take away their lives : he hath so much good to bestow upon them , as he may still be said to forgive them , he hath a better life for them ; an eternall life , of perfect happinesse . and in the meane time , witnesse joseph and job , and many others of his saints , they are never so low nor so afflicted in this world , but he hath power enough to raise them up againe to comfort and honour . and therefore he doth certainly afford them answer of grace to all their faithfull prayers . . he doth also forgive them without faile ; because he hath received a ransome for them . it is elihu's phrase , job . ▪ deliver his soule ( saith god ) from going downe into the pit ▪ for i have received a ransome . god himselfe hath set forth christ ( provided him , sent him , declared him , ) to be a propiti●●ion through faith in his bloud , to declare his righteousnesse or justice for the remission of sinnes that are past , through the forbearance of god , rom. . . so that god in his taking vengeance upon the offences of his servants , doth it not for the satisfaction of his justice . for christ hath made that satisfaction , he is our surety , heb. . and gave his life a ransome for us , mat. . . and so notwithstanding all the chastisements he layes upon them ( which are for an other end , as we shall see in the next point by and by , ) the chastisement of our peace , by way of satisfaction , was upon him , he hath borne the burden of them all . and by his stripes , ( not our own ) are we healed . therefore how much soever god corrects any of those that are in christ , yet he pardons them . the lord hath chastened me sore , saith the psalmist , psal. . . yet hath he not given me over unto death . holy job goes further , chapt. . . though he kill me ; yet will i trust in him . that must needs carry with it , assurance of forgivenesse , in the most deadly blowed that god can give his servants . and indeed the apostle makes this an argument of gods graciousnesse , and forgiving the iniquities of his servants ; that , when otherwise they would be hardned in their sins which would turne to their destruction , if not remedied , that he corrects them severely , even to death sometimes . so he tells the corinthians who had prophaned the lords supper greatly , for this cause many are weake and sick among you , and many sleepe , that is , are stricken with death , . cor. . . and after followes , ver. . when we are judged , ( even so severely ) we are chastened of the lord ▪ that we should not be condemned with the world . here is undoubted forgivenesse notwithstanding deadly severity . . god therefore forgives , because . he will glorifie himselfe in the repentance of his servants , after their provocations and his taking ve●geance . and ordinarlly he doth this visibly , when he layes any great correction upon his servants , he makes them give publicke and open testimony of their repentance . this is remarkeably insinuated , for the thing it selfe , isa. . where first god is angry with one of his and smites him for the sinne of his covetousnesse , and hides his face from him ; and for a while this doth him no good ; but he goes on frowardly in the way of his own heart : hereupon god , ( in the riches of his grace ) resolves to take an other course with him ; and to manifest such love to him , as should overcome him with kindnesse . i have seen his wayes , and i will heale him , &c. here is forgivenesse and grace for repentance undeniably , notwithstanding all forgoing sinne and judgements . . and indeed if god should not vouchsafe pardon , when his servants have provoked him , he would have none left upon earth to serve him ; if thou lord shouldst marke iniquities , saith the psalmist ( that is , if thou shouldest deale with us without any mercy , according to our iniquities , ) o lord who shall stand ? then followes . but there is forgivenesse with thee , that thou maist be feared , psa. . , . no man could have any heart to serve god , if knowing that he should , through his corruption , oftend in many things , he should have no forgivenesse at all , but only corrections and punishments , and finally death and damnation , for his reward . and this must be the portion of all those at last , that have no forgivenesse . therefore god himselfe gives this reason of his mercy , in the forementioned , isa. . . i will not ( saith he ) contend for over , neither will i be alwayes wroth , for the spirit would faile before me and the soules that i have made . therefore saith david , psal. . . he hath not dealt with us after our sinnes , nor rewarded us according to our iniquities , and vers. . as a father pitties his own children , so hath the lord compassion on them that feare him ; for he knowes our frame , he remembers that we are dust , &c. and therefore , with this the church comforts herselfe in the midst of gods most terrible corrections , lam. . . though he cause griefe yet will he have compassion , according to the multitude of his mercies . . there is one reason more insinuated in the very text , which may not altogether be forgotten , and that is , the covenant , whereby god hath engaged himselfe unto his servants to be their god , thou answeredst them ô lord our god . for god to be our god , is to be a god answering prayers and forgiving sinnes , , psal. . after he had mentioned the covenant between god and his people , vers. . it is said , vers. . call upon me in the time of trouble and i will deliver thee , &c. and for forgivenesse , we know , besides the manifold particular expressions of promises of this kind , the covenant made with abraham , was a covenant of grace in christ , the promised seed , in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed , gal. . . and an everlasting covenant : and both these inferre certainly forgivenesse , to all the faithfull seed of abraham . and so this second point is also in some proportion illustrated and cleared . the third and last followes , namely — . though god doth answer the prayers and forgive the sins of his faithfull ones , yet they may so provoke him , as he sometimes takes vengeance on their inventions , inflict ; very severe punishment , on their misbehaviour . the reasons of this are : . the holinesse of god , which allowes not sin in any one ; but shewes some displeasure against it wherever he finds it , even where he loves the persons , and so pardons for his beloved sons sake , yet he will make them know their sins are odious to him , and they shall feele the smart of it . we should not at all be apprehensive of the holinesse of god , and his detestation of sinne , if he did not take vengeance upon some transgrestions in some persons ; and we find by experience , that we are but little apprehensive of it , when we feele no tokens of his displeasure against us for our sinfull carriages . he therefore in reference to the glory of his holinesse , doth not altogether spare sin , no not in his own . . as the holinesse of god , so his justice calls for it : namely that he should not see his holy and righteous law broken , and give the transgressours no remembrance for it : whether the transgression be more immediately against himselfe the soveraigne lord and law-giver , or against the subjects of his kingdome . if any of his servants so farre forget themselves and him , as to dishonour him by trespassing upon any thing that is his ; or doing any thing that reflects upon his majesty ; it is most just , that they should be so dealt with , as it may appeare to them ( and all men ) that god is not one fit to be abused any way ; and that his infinite goodnesse and mercy ought not to be esteemed an encouragement to any to set light by his authority and soveraignty . againe , if they misbehave themselves one to another , it is most just that god should distribute justice among them so farre , as to discountenance the wrong doer , and make him afraid of doing the like againe , that god should so set them to rights when they are quarrelling one with another , or abusing one another ; as that it may appeare he gave them no such leave ; and that his laws to the contrary were not given in vaine . only in all this , we are to remember , that the justice we are now speaking of , is not the justice of a judge , that lookes barely to the rigour of the law and the desert of the offence ; but the justice of a father ; who though he scourges and corrects his child , even to bloud sometimes , for untowardnesse relating to himselfe , or to any of the family , or even strangers , yet he doth it not to satisfie his own spleene , nor in malice against his child ; but to make him sensible of his fault and carefull to amend , and to shew himselfe in his paternall authority , rightly dispensing favours and corrections according to the behaviours of every one of his children . thus it is with god , and this is so certaine , that it is expressely contained within the covenant of god and a part of it , psa. . , , , &c. if his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements , if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements , then will i visit their transgression with the rodde , and their iniquitie with s●ripes : neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will i not utterly take from him , &c , it is made to all the children of david , that is of christ , whose type david was herein . and though mercy ( the sure mercies of david , as esays phrase is , esay , . . applied by st paul , acts . . ) be infallible and unchangeable to them ; yet doth god , as we see , expressely reserve to himselfe the right of correcting them when they provoke him . . and this is further confirmed , by the need that the very faithfull have of being thus dealt with . now you are in heavinesse ( if need be ) saith st peter , through manifold temptations , ( that is afflictions and corrections ) pet. . . experience shews this but too much ; that our children doe not more need correction in their yonger yeares , then all gods children neede it , now and then all their life . it , the one and the other are and will often be froward and wanton , and proude , and selfe-willed , and quarellsome , and untoward to learne any thing that is good . and god hath ordained and sanctified corrections to be a meanes both to the one sort and to the other , to make them weary of doing amisse , when they shall find that verified to them which god bids his people take notice of jer. . . thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee and thy backslidings shall reproove thee ; know therefore and see , that it is an evill thing and bitter , that thou hast forsaken the lord thy god , and that my feare is not in thee , saith the lord god of hosts . god will make all his servants find and feele and acknowledge this in their degree . and to this speakes the apostle heb. . both for gods intention in corrections and for the successe of them . having compared gods fatherly corrections with our naturall parents dealing with us in our minority , he saith expressely , he doth it for our profit , that we may be partakers of his holinesse , v. . for our profit , i say , and not to satisfy his owne mind , or wreake his owne displeasure upon us , as earthly parents not seldome doe , as he had intimated in the beginning of that verse . and as god meanes no otherwise but thus ; so his intentions doe not faile of a sutable successe in the issue , as is assured us . v. . now no chastisement for the present seemes to be joyous but greevous : neverthelesse afterward it yeelds the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby . finally , god deales thus with his owne faithfull servants , very much in reference to standers by , strangers and even enemyes ; and that in a double respect . to let all the world know that he hath iudgements in store for the wicked , which shall not faile to fall upon their heads with violence , according to those cleare sentences prov. . . behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth , how much more the wicked and the sinner ? and pet. . , . the time is come that judgement must beginne at the house of god , and if it first beginne at us what shall be the end of those that obey not the gospell of god ? and if the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare ? and as our saviour urges from his owne sufferings , luk. . . if these things be done in the greene tree , what shall be done in the dry ? so may we well argue , in our proportion , if god will not endure alwayes provocations from his owne , though he love them so well as to forgive them ever : then doubtlesse . he will never suffer the obstinate impenitents to goe allwayes unpunisht . if he lay stripes on the back of his children for their follies , he will infallibly , ( as the threatning is in expresse ▪ termes psal. . . ) wound the head of his enemies , and the hairy scalpe of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses . whether evill men will learne this from gods correcting his owne , or no : yet by all this it is manifest that it is done partly for that end to teach and warne them . . but withall there is another maine end , why god doth this , oft times within the sight and hearing of evill men ; namely that he may let them see , that they have no reason to blaspheame or reproach the name or religion of god , or speake evill of his wayes ; because of any scandals that any of his servants runne into . for if they can truly and really blame them for any such misbehaviour ; they may also , within a while be able to discerne , ( if they will mind it , and not wilfully shut their eyes against the light of gods providence ) that god is no favourer of sinne in the best of his owne ; and that as they that offend , doe not therein walke according to the principles of their own profession : so no blame can be charged upon god for it , who takes vengeance upon such misbehaviours ; and makes them ashamed of their misdoings , and afraid of doing the like againe . and this is expressely signified to david , after his great scandall , that though god had pardoned him and put away his sinne , that he should not die : yet the threatned corrections should come upon him ; and that particularly the mis-begotten child should be taken away . howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the lord to blashpheme , the child also that is borne to thee shall surely di● , sam. . . this being gods manner in all such cases , is ground enough ( though mens wickednesses will not regard it ) for ever to stop the mouthes of all those that would blaspheme , when any of gods people , are guilty of any scandalous offence . and so we see on all hands reasons for gods severity , as well as for his pardoning mercy : and all the three points are dispatcht , for the doctrinall part of them . i now come to the application of them all three together : but in a threefold distinct use . . of humiliation , . of exhortation , . of consolation . . for humiliation . as the day specially , and extraordinarily calls for it ; and we make speciall profession of it in this present continued meeting : so doe all the three points that have been handled meete to recommend and reinforce it . for . if we have learned and are sensible how corrupted we all are , notwithstanding any grace we have recived from god ; and how prone to offend and provoke him notwithstanding any faithfulnesse we have shewed toward god ; and secondly , if we be apprehensive of gods answering and pardoning mercy , and that we are not yet destroyed , though we have provoked god with many of our inventions ; and doe still expect mercy from him , though we know we shall still offend him in many things ; and thirdly , if we feele withall for the present somewhat more , and feare for the future , gods taking vengeance on our inventions and misbehaviours ; then surely we have all cause to be humbled in each one of these respects severally , and much more of all of them together , and this will be a necessary and profitable foundation for the other two uses which are to follow . we call this day a day of humiliation , god grant it may prove so in his eye and esteeme : but the truth is , i feare our dayes of humiliation , are not reckoned by god to be such ; and that he may put that question to many of us , and pose us with it ; with which he checkes the jewes , zach. . . when you fasted and mourned ( so long and so often as you have done ) did you at all fast unto me ! even unto me ! we come indeed and give attendance upon god outwardly ; and we sit ( and stand , and kneele ) before him , as his people , ( as the prophets phrase is , ezek. . ) but god that searches the hearts , and will be worshipped in spirst and in truth , can tell how untowardly men come , and sees much untowardnesse ( i am afraid ) in very many of us , even in our solemnest humiliations , and saddest expressions of it . and if we our selves may judge by the consideration how men carry themselves immediately before , and immediately after , we have little ground to beleeve , there is any great humiliation in mens hearts when they seeme to be most abased before god . the day before , or even the morning before , who makes so much as any shew by his discourse , that his thoughts are setling toward the humbling of himselfe ? when women dare come hither with their bare breasts , and spotted faces , and garish apparell , is not this as it were to outface god ? and tell him they meane nothing lesse then to be humbled in heart before him ? while people sitting here , before the publike services begin , and in the spaces between , shew pleasantnesse in their looks , and their words savour of nothing but worldly matters ; and as soone as they are gone hence , what ever they have heard or made shew of in publike , their language at home , and all their behaviour , even the same night , and much more next morning , have no tincture of any such thing as affliction of spirit ; what can we beleeve , but that they doe not so much as ( that which the prophet mentions and rejects , isa. . ) afflict themselves for a day , and bow downe their heads like bull-rushes . for with them it is but a few houres , and not a whole day , and when they are over , then they are as jolly againe , and hold their heads as high as they did before , and all their pretended humiliation is gone and forgotten , and not a shaddow of it remaining . beloved if we doe thus , we may please our selves with calling this a day of fast and humiliation , but i am sure there is little humiliation in that soule that behaveth it selfe after this manner . there was a happy and pious exhortation to humiliation set forth some moneths agoe by the authority of the parliament ; i could heartily wish it might be enjoyned to be read every where every fast-day , in the beginning of the day ; and that to this were added a charge , that one of the sermons at least in every congregati●n , might be expresly made to move to humiliation and repentance : for i must needs professe , that i much feare that the greatest part , even in the greatest and best congregations , can scarcely instruct themselves sufficiently in the businesse of such a day , therefore , if when we come to humble our selves , there were not only solemne confession of sinnes by the ministers , but some earnest and vehement exhortation to mourne for the sinnes confessed and to be confest , this might perhaps fasten some better thoughts in the minds of most men , then now , i doubt , doe ever so much as comecrosse their minds . for , though we call the businesse of such a day , prayer and fasting , yet i verily believe , the most of men doe much more mind the sermons and exhortations , then they doe the prayers ; and mens very countenances declare it , and their demeanour to any one that doth but cast his eye upon them : some are plainly gazing up and downe ; and others put themselves into such a posture , as if they be not extraordinarily zealous , must needs dispose them much to fall asleep , they could not doe otherwise ; but if they be attentive at all , they make some shew of it during the sermon : and therefore , if some serious thoughts of humiliation were offered to them in the sermon each day , it might put every ones spirit into a much better frame then now usually they are in . let me therefore endeavour this a little : and , though our mercies have not been so miraculous , as those the text speakes of in answering , yet i am sure our pardons are to be acknowledged very admirable : considering that the sins of every one of us may be found upon a carefull inquiry , to be worse then theirs who are pointed at in the text ; our evill hearts have found out worse inventions , and the vengeance that god hath taken upon those inventions , hath , at least in our conceit , been terrible enough ; all which require us to be greatly humbled for our offences this day . to which purpose , let me chiefly touch upon three things . . some personall sins , that we may be remembred of . . some nationall sins . . how farre any of us may be charged with being guilty of these nationall sins . first , for our personall sins , i would wish all but to remember , generally , our covenant , and enquire about breaches of that ; and particularly , to see whether we are not guilty of such kind of sins as we have noted before in any of the persons whom the text speakes of . when we entred into our solemne nationall covenant , we even in it publikely professed that we had a serious apprehension of our own sins and the sins of the nation calling for gods wrath against us ; and there is mention made of some speciall sins , as that we have not as we ought , valued the inestimable jewell of the gospell , that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof ; that we have not endeavoured to receive christ in our hearts , nor to walke worthy of him in our lives : and we there also undertake many things , which i am afraid we have much forgotten : and i am perswaded that there are many , that never so much as read it over once since they tooke it , so little regard have they of it ; and that they cannot name so much as any one sinne that they have forborne , or one duty that they have performed the more for their covenants sake : and if this be true , have not such great cause to be humbled , and to be afraid least god take vengeance upon their breach of covenant ? and indeed how few of us , if we view our faces but in that glasse of our covenant , can chuse but be ashamed and afraid of our not having been true to it and stedfast in it as we should have been ? but let me instance rather in those kinds of sins , that the worthies in the text were found faulty in , and aske every conscience whether it hath not somewhat to charge upon it selfe , in one or other of those errours ? . we find moses neglectfull of the seale of the covenant for his child , omitting the circumcision of his sonne . i know not why he did so , unlesse it were to please his wife ; ( for he had a zipporah in his bosome , a midianitish wife ; ) but however , he was too blame in it , in not dedicating his child to god , not valuing the seale of his covenant as he should have done . now is there not among us a great deale of guilt in this kind ? the little use that most have made , or doe make of their own being baptised , and being made partakers themselves of that seale of gods covenant , in their childhood , ( which succeeds circumcision under the gospell , ) and carrying themselves never a whit the better towards god for his receiving them as his so long agoe in that sacrament ; is it not unhappily punisht in more then a few , with their calling in question , whether children should be so dedicated to god , and partake of that seale of his covenant ? and so because they have themselves abused gods goodnesse to themselves , they come to deny their own and others children to have any right to that pledge of his goodnesse ; and so make amends for one sin with another . and doe we not see the like in the other sacrament ? because very many even the most have had little regard to prepare themselves for the lords supper , and have come many a time unduely , unworthily without examination of themselves ; and now is it not come to that passe , that great numbers fall off from it altogether , and question , whether they may come with such and such persons ( as they like not , ) and if any thing be there done which they like not of ; and so because they never got any good by coming ( as some have not stuck to confesse , ) they make amends by staying away altogether , and so are wanting still to the honour of christ , and the good of their own soules ; to the augmentation of which that sacrament was ordained ; and to which it is effectuall in all those , that come with faithfull and prepared hearts to it , what ever become of other men . . as we find moses unwilling to venture himselfe upon the wrath of pharaoh , and to undertake a troublesome and difficult worke : so may we not find among us a great deale of guilt in this kind ? how few are there of us , that can afford to venture upon undertakings that are like to provoke the wrath of men , specially great men , against us ? how doe we shrinke , and draw back , and make excuses when we fore-see any difficulty more then ordinary in the imployment ? or who can almost find in his heart to engage himselfe in a taske , whose certainest wages from men is like to be displeasure and rage ? . as we find moses complaining , in a sort , even of god himselfe , that he was by him set about a thanklesse and fruitlesse imployment , and that things were worse now after his setting upon it then before ( though god had forewarned him it would be so at the first , ) and afterward , that he was not able to endure it any longer , and desires to be out of his life : so are not these the vsuall complaints of many of us , in our severall businesses , though gone about at the vndoubted command of god ? doe we not often wish that we had never undertaken them . ( how many speake so of this most necessary defence , which their owne consciences still tell them is the command of god ? ) and frequently cry that things grow every day worse and worse ; and that we are not able to abide it if it continue thus with us but a while longer ? and we would gladly runne any whether , if we knew whether : and sometimes wish we could runne out of the world , so impatient are we of the frowardnesse of the generation , with which god will have us to wrastle : even though his word and all experience proclaime to us , that every worke , and every generation hath its difficulties : and that reproaches have ever attended the most noble enterprizes , and the speciall nature of those we are set about , does oftentimes forewarne of speciall difficulties to be vndergon● , as certainely as foule wayes in the depth of winter . but when these come upon us , doe we not very often expresse a great deale of discontent , and impatience , in our families , and to others , and scarce forbeare repining at gods owne dealings with us , or know how to make a composed prayer to god , so disquieted are our minds with disturbances . . againe as we find moses distrusting god , the rather because the perversenesse of the people provoked his spirit ; so that he discovers passion and some unbeleefe both together , even before the people : which was to the dishonour of god , as god himselfe charges him and aaron both , in the forecited , numb. . yee beleeved me not to sanctify me before the children of israel &c. and so he takes away , which god had not appointed him ; all which together provoked god ●o against him : so doe we not every one of us , more then once in our lives , even in the sight of others , in whose eyes we should be specially carefull to sanctify and glorify god , breake out into some impatiencies ? specially when men deale perversely with us ? ( not to speake of many of our frowardnesses , when our selves only are in fault ) and even visibly manifest vnbeleefe and distrust ? and upon this venture upon actions which god hath not allowed us ? and if we find these things in our selves , ( as very few are able to pleade not guilty , ) we have surely great cause to humble our selves for them this day , and hereafter ; and the rather because of the vengeance we find to our cost , that god takes upon our inventions and practises in this kind . and specially when our sinnes are such , as come into publike view . god bore with moses his impatience and pang of vnbeleefe numb. . when it was only in secret betweene god and moses : but when it came to the notice of israel numb. . then god was pleased even to make so faithfull a servant an example , then which there is scarce a greater in all the booke of god , to make us humble ; and affraid of any miscarriage in the sight of men . and if we would observe it narrowly ; we should find , that though god be not so severe altogether in outward respects now to the generality of his servants , as he was then to some , of whom we have the records in scripture ( for we have the records but of some , and those few , in the scripture that are owned as faithfull ; and but of some failings of theirs ; and now and then of some vengeance taken on those failings ; ) yet seldome doe any of his servants breake out into faults before the eyes of by-standers ; but some kind of vengeance or other , is ( ere long ) taken on those faults , even before the eyes of those that saw their miscarriage : though this the corrupt and carelesse heart of men seldome observes so much as they doe the other . . againe , as aaron severall times is found faulty in yeelding to and complying with others in their practises of untowardnes : so how frequently do we the like ? those that can and do keep themselves upright when they are alone , or in good company , out of temptation ; yet are they not very many times overcome with the importunities of ill companions , ( specially of a multitude ) to comply with them in their ills ? and possibly even to be their agents and instruments to doe very badde acts for them and with them ? but much more , if those that are our neere and deare friends , and specially being themselves godly , prove to be tempters to us any way , and give us ill example ; how seldome doe we stand out against such a shocke ? but we murmurre against our superiours and betters , as they doe ; and we distrust god , and discover our incredulity to others , as they doe before us . and indeed doe we not very often thinke this excuse enough for us ; that the generall sway of people goes thus , and they will have it so and so ? or that such and such thinke or speake so as well as we , and gave us the example before we ventured upon it ? but god by his dealings with aaron for these failings , would humble us for ours in like kind , and make us know , that this will not stand for an excuse with him ; and that if we follow others sollicitations or practises in evill , god at his pleasure may make us lead the way to them in correction , as aaron suffered before moses , for the same fault , wherein moses gave the example , and was ( as it should seeme ) the cheefe in the offence . . finally , as samuel appeares to have been faulty , in putting his sonnes into great offices , and places of iudicatory ; and not so carefull ( as he should ) to punish or remove them , upon complaint of their miscarriages : so are we not much and often too blame in this kind ? how partiall are we to those that are our own ? how doth our affection oft commend them to places of imployment and trust , beyond their abilities or merit ? and afterward , how ill can we endure to have any complaint against them , when yet there is all the reason in the world to complaine ? even when we our selves can be severe enough against such a fault in the abstract , or in one altogether a stranger to us . but how is the case altered if it prove to be a child or a kinsman , a friend or even but a servant ? doe we not often take it very hainously , that men should find any fault with such ? and if we be innocent our selves ( as samuel was in his personall iudicature altogether ) doe we not conceit ( as he seemes to speake somewhat that way , sam. . . ) that our vertue should beare out their vice . but this god will have us know to be a miserable delusion ; and that he will take it the more hainously at their hands that are so badd , when we give them better example ; and at ours too , in fine , if we let them alone ; and doe not improve our vertue to correct their vice : for then their vice in the practise will prove ours in the connivence ; and they and we together may be made to smart for it ; as it was in samuels case ; but specially in elies in the first chapter of that booke . and now let us ( as we were well warned in the morning , ) consider our wayes and humble our selves before god for any of these evils that may be found in us personally , or for any other , for which our consciences use to flye in our faces in any respect : and let gods mercies and corrections both , helpe on our humiliation for them , this day and henceforward . hereunto let us adde in the next place , the consideration of nationall sinnes , and be humbled for them also . and there is a necessity of this also , both in reference to the publike judgements and calamities lying upon the nation ; and our publike fastings and supplications for the nation . otherwise in both , we take gods name in vaine : his providence in the one , his ordinances in the other . we are not rightly affected with gods corrections upon the nation ; nor can we pray , as becomes us for the nation , if we be not humbled for the sinnes of the nation , generally in those manifest particulars which we our selves are not ignorant of ; or of which at least , there is a cry , by such as are concerned in them , or observant of them . these let me set before you in a three-fold consideration . . relating to the better party among us . . to the generality of people in city and country , every where . . to our armies , which maintaine our cause , and the cause of religion , and our lawes and liberties , and all that is deare to us . of the first sort , i am the more occasioned to speake , because our text points at the sinnes even of faithfull men , as we have often said : and therefore we may well think upon the sins , of such as would seeme to be faithfull . and there is yet a further consideration that may move us to lay them sadly to heart , namely , that . however some now adayes preach and proclaime , that it is only for the sinnes of those that are notoriously prophane , drunkards , swearers , &c. and not for sinnes of beleevers and justified persons , that gods judgements are upon the land : yet the word of god makes it evident , that it is otherwise , and that the sinnes of those that are gods people by more speciall profession , ( and sometimes even of his most faithfull servants , as davids numbring the people , and hezekiahs pride and vaine-glory undeniably ) have especiall influence to bring nationall judgements . . and we have very great cause to judge so at this time ; and to be humbled in a speciall manner in that regard . for if we consider that the stroke of gods displeasure lights not only upon our enemies , the enemies of god and his true religion ; nor only upon the prophaner sort of the people of the land , but generally upon all , and in some respects more heavily upon the well-affected party of the kingdome : we must needs acknowledge ( unlesse we will disparage at once , both gods mercy and his justice too ) that not only the enemies and the prophane sort have provoked him with their inventions : but even those that have given up their names to him in a peculiar manner have given him just occasion to take vengeance on their inventions too , and to punish all sorts , one with another , and one by another . it could not else be , that god should so long and so much appeare to be angry with his people that prayes ; to overlook so much so many solemne fasts and seekings of him ; to regard no more such beginnings of reformation as are among us : none therefore can be excused of any of these sorts ; and they that are , or seeme to be best , are most hopefull to take this to heart , and to helpe ( consequently ) to reforme themselves and others too , by being thus put in mind of the evils that even the religious party are guilty of . and here let me begin with this question first , that whereas my reverend brother that spake in the morning , put it to our consciences , that we should not rest in the enquiry , whether we were not better then some others , or only better then what we had been before , but whether we were answerable to the rules of the word ; i would goe a steppe back ; and put it to every conscience , whether people are not worse then they have beene ? even many of those that still professe to retaine some good , and perhaps some greatly zealous of the publike cause . i must needs speake it , though with a great deale of griefe of heart , that to my eye and observation , and of divers very judicious and observant men who complaine much and often of it ; that a number of those that professe gods name very forwardly in some things , are yet growne worse , rather th●n better , in divers others : . that apparell , those fashions , and those garbes of behaviour , that would have been accounted abhominations . or . years agoe , are now taken up without seruple , by those that will goe for religious people : and if pride did testifie to men and womens faces in former times ; it doth much more now ▪ when so many solemne dayes of humiliation kept by them , publikely and privately , hath wrought no amendment , but while many complaine of their being poorer , every one may see them as proud as ever , if not rather more . . those that , some yeares ago , made great conscience of the sabbath , and of family-duties , are now , many of them , come even to question , whether the sabbath be at all to be observed or no ? and though they deny not , that family-devotions are duties , yet they themselves doe little regard that their families should observe them ; and their families scarce seem to have any desire of them . . some that were , by their own confession , so greatly conscientious of secret prayer , as that they could never omit it without an inward check , now doe not make any the le●st shew that they take any time for it day or night : i am afraid i am now in the bosomes of some that heare me this day ; and i wish every conscience to examine themselves , whether in these things they are not grown worse then they were wont to be ? whether ( i say ) though they keep many a solemn fast , not only publikely at home and abroad , yet they doe not pray lesse at home with their families , and lesse in their clossets ? and it is said , that some are growne such enemies to sanctification and duties of holinesse , and so impudent , that they dare professe openly , they thanke god , they can now goe a whole fortnight without prayer and it never troubleth them . is this , think we , the amendment that god lookes for at our hands ? are not here fearefull inventions for him to take vengeance upon ? . is there not much selfe-seeking apparant in all kind of undertakings ? ambitious putting themselves forward , and practises to make themselves rich , by every imployment ? . how many errors , and strange opinions are there to be found even among such as are all pretenders to the way of truth ? ( besides many usurping ministeriall offices , and exercising ministeriall acts without any calling , and not a few without so much as a shew of any competent gifts . ) . is there not extreme censoriousnesse , and a spirit of bitternesse , in very many seeming good , against all those that agree not with them in every one of their opinions , even so far as to throw them off as no christians ; how much soever they evidence of vertue and piety in other respects ? certainly this is not according to the word of christ : nor are these behaviours becomming a people that desire to honour that royall name by which they are called . and therefore these call for speciall humiliation at our hands . in conclusion this i am forced to say , with the great griefe of my soule , that so farre as i am able to judge by all that i see and heare where ever i come , the religion and devotion of a great many even of those who formerly gave better hopes of their being sincere , doth now empty it selfe , into formalities , solemne fasts and speaking for the publike cause , and withall being violent for their own opinions and interests and those that maintaine them with them . but withall this i must needs adde , that the more any of us is convinced , that this is true , the more cause have we , and all that truly feare god to be humbled before him for these generall evils , of the religious part of our nation ; and the more cause to be afraid , that we are not so neare a deliverance , as we sometimes would gladly thinke : but rather to be perswaded that before god will deliver us , he will put us into another frame and temper of spirit , then we are now in , that he will marre our pride , and tame our wildnesse , and curbe us in our pursutes of selfe-respects , quell our scandalous behaviours , and ( as he promises more then once by his prophets ) give us one heart and one way ; all which as yet , after all warnings and shewes of humiliations , and blowes , and favours , we seeme very farre from ; and therefore still it is fit to call us to sad humiliation for these provocations , in the first place . the second consideration of nationall sins , referres to the body of the nation . of whose sins i will not now take upon me to give you a large catalogue . but they generally empty themselves into these three capitall evils : ignorance , covetousnesse and profanenesse . of the first , i confesse i can never thinke seriously , without trembling and scarce with any patience , that no more is done anywhere to dispell that horrid mist of darknesse that covers the faces and hearts of very many thousands in these dayes of light : while in the meane time , they themselves , scorne and hate knowledge , specially because they see they may be let alone in it . for the second , it is apparantly the sinne of the country ; and of the city too , and the generall sin , that at least all men well nigh are accused of and cried out upon for . and apparantly in the most there is too much reason for such a cry . goe but into any place , and what is the great businesse that you find every one almost set upon ? studying how to be a gainer even by others losses , at least to ease himselfe in publike payments and taxations , and lay great loade upon others , specially upon those that are faithfull . if they can but get into an office , have any thing to doe in sequestrations , what is the improvement that is made of it by too many ( alas ▪ ) but to fill their own purses , with extortion , oppression , delaying and perverting justice ; and withall ordinarily to favour malignants , and overburden the best affected and most forward for the publike service ? and above all others , setting themselves to make the faithfull ministers that are among them beare the greatest loade that may be ; if there be any way to eate out the heart of his meanes of subsistance , and even of all his comforts , he shall be sure to find this measure at their hands , his taxations shall be heavier then any other , store of souldiers biletted and quartered in his house ; and withall his tithes and dues withheld and denyed , with pretence one while that they are jewish , another while that they are popish ; any thing that they may weary him out , and that they may either have no minister at all , or only one altogether according to their own lusts . . and this falls into the consideration also of their prophanenesse , which is most notorious every where . formerly , even in the ill times , a conscionable minister in some places could doe somewhat toward the bringing his people to knowledge , who now wholly cast off the yoake , ( because there is no government neither ecclesiasticall nor civill , that they think will at all meddle with them how refractory soever they be , ) and grow more brutish and barbarous , every day then other . and now above all former times , whoredome and adultery , doe fearfully abound and grow impudent ; even incest is to be found in divers places , and no punishment to be found for it . what should i speake of oathes , cursings and blasphemies ? which are notoriously known to be most rise among all sorts , old and young , even children not excepted , that with their first language , have learned this language of hell , and never forget it all their lives long . in a word , what outrage of wickednesse is there that we have not just cause to beleeve to be too ordinary among our people ? in this common lawlessenesse and licentiousnesse of the times , how few are there , that are not altogether unbridled in their lusts , and audacious in their profanenesse ? they that were wont to make great out-cryes against those hungry soules , that went abroad to other churches to seek their spirituall food , when they had not sufficient provision at home ; are now themselves become runners away from their own parishes if there be a faithfull conscionable minister there , that they may goe to one that is malignant , superstitious or scandalous , ( or all this ) or under pretence of going abroad , and taking their liberty , ( as others doe ) they altogether stay at home , as specially they doe upon the fast-dayes , and are not ashamed or afraid to be known to be at work ; or else goe and spend their time in tavernes or alehouses , or other places of lewdnesse ; as it were in contempt of god , and of all his judgements , as well as his ordinances . and this is the wofull account that a generall survey of the generallity of our people can bring in to a conscientious inquirer after their spirituall condition . not but that there is unquestionably a number of faithfull ones , that doe ( as the church expresses , isa. . ) waite for god in the way of his judgements , and are better'd by his chastisements that now lye upon us : but yet the corruption of all sorts is a thing , that we all use to complaine of by fitts , and is so notoriously apparant that we cannot deny with any conscience , but that the evils upon the nation are most righteously inflicted by god , as a just vengeance taken on the manifold evill inventions that provoke him throughout the nation . and this still addes to the necessity of our humiliation before him , and under his mighty hand for these things . . thirdly , we have yet the consideration of our armies to be affected with : the sins of our armies doe in a speciall manner call us to humiliation . and we our selves doe in effect professe and proclaime so much . our assembling together this day , and joyning in prayer and fasting , ( and so in humiliation , at least in pretence ) is specially to obtaine a blessing upon that army which is commanded by his excellency our noble lord generall . this is well . but if we meane to get good by it ; to prevaile with god for them , and in them for our selves , we must lament and be humbled for their sins as well as our own ; and so for the sins of out other armies . observe the records of gods providence in his sacred word , the epitomie of all his providence throughout all ages , and you ever shall find , that where there was no speciall sin in the armies of his people , or in those that sent them forth , there they ever prevailed ; and never were they foiled , but you shall read● either before hand , or shortly after the mention of the defeate , the sinne that so provoked god to take vengeance . therefore as we feare any overthrow , and pray against it , we must acknowledge both our own sins , and theirs who are engaged to fight for us . and if we consider the matter rightly , it is a fearfull thing , that among those , who professe to maintaine the common cause of the nation , there should be such quarrels and dissentions , such emulations and heart-burnings , as if men sought nothing but themselves , their own honours and advantages ; that they that fight for the liberties of the nation , should commit so many outrages , and practice such rapine and spoile , as it is most certaine many of them doe ; and it is said , there is little difference between their plunderings and the enemies , whom all cry out upon as very barbarous : that among those who pretend to have taken armes to defend religion and the gospell , there should be a loud noyse of their swearing , and drunkennesse , and profanenesse , of whoredome , and of doing injury to our own friends , and specially to those that are greatest friends and best affected to the gospell and religion ; as if they were gaged to fight against it , and to eate them up . if these things be so , ( as there is nothing more certaine then that they are too too common in our armies , ) if our armies goe forth and manage the wars ( as there is too evident signes of it , ) with very much carnall confidence in themselves and their strengths and worldly advantages , ( the common fault of us all in a great measure , ) and if there be among them , men that desire and designe , to prolong our troubles , and lengthen out the warre , that they may make the better purchase of their imployments and charges , of which there is but too much cause of suspition : we cannot justly wonder , that our armies prosper no better , we may rather wonder , god hath taken no more vengeance hitherto upon their sinnes and ours together : and we cannot expect that god should goe forth with them any more , except we and they be truly and sadly humbled for their sins and ours , and on all hands there be an endeavour of amendment ; of which more by and by . meane time , i have a word to adde of the third sort of sins which require our present humiliation , namely our own being guilty of others si●s , of the sins of the nation , of which whatsoever we find lying upon us , ought very much to presse us downe , and encrease our humiliation before god , and our feare of his vengeance upon our untowardnesses . and here , truly , i doubt we must all lay our hands upon our hearts , and acknowledge a great deale more guilt , then we use to take notice of : even therefore a great deale of guilt in our selves , both because we use to take so little notice , of much of that nationall guilt that oppresses us ; as also because we are so little affected with godly sorrow , for those evils which we seeme to take some notice of . i know that by fitts we all abound in complaints , of the generall depravation , and overspreading corruption of all sorts and rankes among us ; and that there is much hearing and little practising , much outward humiliation and little reformation , that one knowes not whom to imploy and whom to trust , that all seek their owne and not the things of jesus christ , that there is a great deale of pretence of conscience , and pleading for reformation ; and very little signes of conscience , or of reall intention or desire of any reformation , more then of th●se things that have been or are like to be troublesome to themselves . these and many such like complaints ( with a great deale of more bitternesse , and many sharper accents ) worse to utter often , in discourses one among another ; and specially , when we heare any in newes . when god gives us any blow , we are ready to flye upon some sins that doe most displease us in other men , in the generality perhaps : but how little doe we take notice of any of these things , when we are alone ? when none is with us , but god and our own consciences ? when we are to pray to god for the nation , and that his wrath may be turned away from it ; how seldome then doe we think of these things , and spread them before the lord , with an humble and afflicted spirit , begging of him pardon and healing ? is it not rather true , that in his presence , and before his tribunall , we dare not owne the charging of others with such and such things , about which we sometimes make lowde outcries in the eares of men ? we either dare not avouch the very things to be crimes , in the account of god ; or else know we have no sure ground or warrant to accuse such and such persons or multitudes as guilty of them . againe , even those things that are undeniable faults and notoriously practised , even by the generality , yet how little doe we take them to heart , when we should most ? on such a day as this , when we all solemnely professe our businesse to be humiliation , even for others sins as well as our own ; and when the ministers of god bemoane them in their confessions and prayers , and set out the aggravations of them , how few hearts joyne affectionately with them ? and how little doe we usually tremble at the hearing of them ? even when in the sermons preached on these dayes , ( though seldome sufficiently pointed this way ) we have any catalogue , breefer or larger , of nationall wickednesse set before us , with any exaggerations of the evils of them , and any inferences from hence of the great danger we are in of gods heavy wrath , to abide still upon us , and be multiplied upon us ; how doe our hearts then shrinke from the consenting to the truth of such charges and threatnings ? and we are ready to deny or mince our former complaints , for feare least god should judge us out of our own monthes as a nation worthy to be destroyed . and the cause of all this , is a further evill in our selves , a want of true zeale to endeavour a through reformation , ( though we have all covenanted and sworne it to god ' before his people ) so much as by words . rather when any kind of necessity presses us , be it but the importutunity of a godly christian , or the exhortation of a faithfull minister , to doe something more then we have done towards an effectuall reformation ; we fall to fancying and framing excuses , not for our neglect only , but oftentimes for others evills ; and so make them greatly ours , by our want of care to apply some vigorous remedy to them according to our places , ( i excuse not the most zealous faithfull ministers , much lesse my selfe herein , ) whereby we might suppresse them , and prevent gods vengeance upon them . therefore this againe summons us to reinforce our humiliation , our sorrow and our feare . and i cannot forbeare putting you in mind of that expostulation of the prophet , ezek . ▪ &c. though with variety of instance , and enlargement of the application . the people there flatter'd themselves with a conceit that god intended to give them peace in possessing the land , from whence their brethren were driven , or carried away captives . abraham ( say they ) ver. . was one , and he inherited the land , but we are many , the land is given us for an inheritance . but god answers them with an appeale to their own consciences first , and then with a peremptory threatning of the contrary , ver. , , . you eate with the blood , and lift up your eyes toward your idols and shedde blood , and shall ye possesse the land ? ye stand upon your sword , ye work abomination and ye defile every one his neighbours wife , and shall ye possesse the land ? say thou thus unto them , thus saith the lord god , surely they that are in the waste shall fall by the sword , &c. have not wee too much of such confidence as they expressed ? and yet no lesse cause to feare such an answer from god as that was . you thus and thus misbehave your selves , and shall you have peace ? shall you have setling ? shall you possesse the land ? may we not also much rather admire the patience and long suffering of god towards us all this while , that a complete vengeance hath not beene taken upon our mis-doings as well as upon germanies and irelands ? and even upon some parts of our owne kingdome and nation ? and if we sadly consider how god did not spare those faithfull men , the text points at , did not let faithfull moses and aaron the saints of the lord , live to see the happinesse of his people inheriting the land of promise , may we not upon the remembrance of our greater provocations , tremble least , none of us should be suffered to live to see an end of our troubles ? and the church of god peaceably setled in a holy reformation ? sure we have no reason to expect it , unlesse we live to see ( and helpe to procure ) our own hearts , and lives , and families , and whole party , to be apparantly more faithfull . oh that we could lament for these things this day , and be possest with a holy feare , and amazing trembling ! that we could apply in proportion , that speech of our saviour to our selves , luk. . weepe for your selves and for your children , for if these things be done in the greene tree , what shall be done in the dry ? if moses , aaron and samuel escaped not , but god tooke vengeance on their inventions , notwithstanding his grace in answering and pardoning them , how shall we or our people escape ? let us therefore all lay our hands on our hearts and say at once , the lord is righteous in all that he hath done , or threatens to doe to us , and withall , that it is of the lords mercies that we are note consumed , because his compassions faile not ; as the prophet teaches the church to say in the book of lamentations . and this will prepare us for a wise consideration of what we are farther to doe upon these grounds . to which the second use , namely of exhortation tends , to which now i come . the exhortation proceeds againe upon the grounds of all the three doctrines forementioned , and the humiliation insisted upon in the former use together . for , if we be all so prone to sinne , even though we have some faithfulnesse ; and if god , be so gracious ; and yet so severe toward his faithfull ones ; of all which our own and our nations experience at this day , hath forced us to this dayes outward humiliation , and calls us to be deeply humbled in our inward spirits both this day and hereafter : then certainely we are all to be most earnestly exhorted , to be more watchfull and resolute then ever , to keepe close to god , and to be in all things constantly faithfull with him . some vigilancy and some resolution all the faithfull servants of god have , to keep themselves from those wayes and practises which displease god and would provoke him against them . but they are often wanting in both , and sometimes specially in the one , and sometimes in the other . we are not alwayes so watch full over our selves and mindfull of our duties , as we should be ; and sometimes when we are not ignorant or forgetfull altogether , yet we are transported with sinfull distempers , whereby we offend god and draw downe his judgements . as therefore we are apprehensive of our own sinfull corruptions inclining us to transgresse , and as we love god who hath been ever kind to us , and answered , and even pardoned us many a time , forgiven many a sinfull invention of ours ; and as we dread his severe correction , the vengeance that may light upon our untowardnesse : as we acknowledge our selves to be either in gods debt , or in his danger ( as indeed our text and all experience tells us we are both ) let us ●emember to walke circumspectly , and watchfully over our selves and humbly with god , in his feare , all the day long , and all our lives long : and as our saviour speakes to his disciples , he speakes to us , mark . . . what i say unto you , i say unto all , watch . god hath deserved it at our hands , and he will doe againe : and if we will not regard it , we shall be made weary of the contrary . let me therefore pursue this exhortation unto some speciall applications . in which i may be ( i hope ) a little bolder then might perhaps seeme fit in the former use . if we be wanting but in a degree , exhortation is not only necessary , but the least that can be , in the totall silence whereof , ( besides the sinne of it , ) there is no ground of hopes of amendment . and if we be already forward , we shall yet be the better , if the wise man have any skill in reason or experience , when he faith in the name of wisedome , that is of christ himselfe , give instruction to a wise man , and he will yet be wiser , teach a just man and he will increase in learning , prov. . . let me therefore againe put you in mind of that which undeniably , we ought all to remember this day , namely , our solemne covenant , our nationall covenant , wherein specially we are engaged both to god and to his people , even to three nations , to expresse our faithfulnesse both in generall and in maine particulars ; which doubtlesse it well remembred and effectually applied to our consciences and practises will prove a matter of very great blessing to us , and of prejudice and mischiefe otherwise . you had many excellent remembrances in the morning , give me leave to adde a few more . and as i desired before , that the exhortation to humiliation might be constantly read ( and commented upon , i meane the matter of it ) every fast day ; so let me now make an other humble motion , for the covenant to be also read in the close of every such day . i cannot but againe say , i am much afraid , it hath been little pondered by the most of us since we have taken it . and undoubtedly the great businesse aimed at in every rightly observed fast , is the renewing of a solemne covenant with god , it is a duty altogether indispensible . and unto this covenant we have very great bonds lying upon us to tye us most strictly . we lifted up our hands to god in it , in the day of our calamity , in the time of our feare and trouble , when we were very low . and since that time god hath raised us up very high ; in comparison of our condition then , and afforded us a great deale of helpe , from men , and from himselfe ; and it containes both the generall of all our duties to god and man , and very maine and most necessary particulars , justly and wisely limited . we may then assure our selves , that god will require it , ( in whole and in part ) at all our hands . and we cannot think lesse in reason and religion , then that this is one of the causes why the warre continues , to fulfill the threatning , lev. . , i will send a sward among you , to avenge the quarrell of my covenant ? i doe not forget that the sword was unsheathed and raging among us , before this covenant was entred into . but i must needs beleeve , that the cause why the covenant hath not overcome the sword , is because we have not kept it so faithfully as we should , and that upon this not keeping it me are to charge all the vengeance that we have smarted with , ever since we tooke it , and so it will be fit for us to doe , ever hereafter . let me beseech every one therefore againe and againe to be watchfull and resolu●e in cleaving closer to it hereafter , and to god in it . we all pretend , all our hopes to be in god , and doubttesse we have reason to place them all upon him , and his keeping covenant with us . if we then doe not keepe covenant with him , he will make us know , that it is even a part of his covenant , psal. . & ● . 〈◊〉 scou●ge us and correct us for it . and this may be 〈…〉 if we put him to it , any one of us may be made an example , and even all of us , if we will needs provoke him . let us therefore , ( i humbly pray every one that heares me this day , ) take he●d of that s●a●e mentioned , prov. , . of making inquiry , after we have made so solemne a vow to god ; that is , of setting our wits upon the rack , and our consciences upon the tenterhookes , how we may invent shifts to be loose from the bond of it , in generall or in any particular . let us not seeke evasions to elude the plaine meaning of the words in any phrase , nor the known sense of those that offred it to us , or our own reall meaning ( according to both those ) when we first entred into it . we would not , ( we doe not , i am sure , in any thing that concernes ourselves ) endure this in any other . can we think then that god will endure it in us . we know , each one of us must needs be undone , if others whom we suppose firmely tyed to us ( even by this covenant , in city and country , ) should prove treacherous to us . yet what juster vengeance can there be , then that god should punish our falsenesse to him , ( if we should preve false , ) with other mens treacherousnesse towards us ? let us not then put off the observation of it to others , we our selves being engaged in it as deeply as they ; and specially those that have been authours and promotours of others to take it , are to be mindfull of their own greater obligation to be exemplary in the keeping of it . else that of the apostle , rom. . , &c. will be unhappily applicable to us . thou art therefore inexcusable ô man whosoever thou art that judgest , for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe , for thou that judgest dost the same things . but we know that the judgement of god is according to truth against them that doe such things . and thinkest thou this ô man that judgest them , that doe such things , that thou shalt escape the judgement of god , &c. there are some ( and but some as yet ) against whom there hath been proceedings for refusing to enter into this covenant , and yet they all have pretended conscience for refusing it . certainly they , ( or at least some among them ) will rise up in judgement against us , if we make not the more conscience of keeping it . better it is that thou shouldst not vow , ( saith the kingly preacher , eccles. . . ) then that thou shouldst vow and not pay . let me therfore conclude this generall exhortation with the words of the verse before , ver. . when thou hast vowed a vow to god , deferre not to pay it , for he hath no pleasure in fooles , pay that that thou hast vowed . adding hereunto the latter part of the sixth verse , wherefore should god be angry with thee and destroy the work of thy hands ? in some things delay is an apparant breach of a vow , or covenant , to god or men , in m●st things , it endangers a breach . let us therefore looke what we have done all of us in pursuit of our covenant ? and what we are yet a doing ? what we have neglected ? or delayed ? and be quickned by all this , to reinforce our watchfulnesse and resolution to stick to it and fulfill it to the uttermost hereafter . in particular , let me first begin with the latter part , with that which concernes , the personall reformation , of every one of us . and indeed , unlesse every one doe begin here ( begin at home ) it is to no purpose to thinke ( or talke ) of reforming others . and herein , as we need not , so we must not stay for others , but strive to excell others , ( the only lawfull ambition , and to which our covenant doth in expresse termes tye us , to goe one before another in the example of a reall reformation , ) and to be patternes to others , and lights to direct and excite others to follow us . if we doe not this , none of us knowes , but god may single us out to be examples of vengeance taken on our misdoings in a sudden and terrible manner . and this the sooner and the sorer the more sermons we heare , and the more fasts we keepe , in all which we doe then but adde more danger to our selves , and treasure up more wrath against the day of wrath . what shall god doe with us , if all these things will not amend us ? added to the examples of ( at least ) some others , that are and will be eminently faithfull , whatever we are , or list to be ; and added to our own feares , even testified by this dayes extraordinary humiliation , and our attendance upon it , so many houres ? how ( can we think ) god will or can endure us , if we dishonour him , even but secretly ( if wilfully ) and much more if openly , when he would not endure it at moses , aarons , samuels hands , as our text tels us ? when he broke davids bones , for his misdoings , ( though he loved him more dearely and owned his fidelity most eminently ) as david himselfe tells all the world , psal. . and the more eminent any are for their ranke , abilities , imployments , profession , the worse would their misbehaviours be , because the more noted , and so the more scandalous . and there is nothing that disposes people of meane quality to be atheists , ox live like such , then to see eminent persons breake solemne covenants with god and men : this therefore we may infallibly conclude , god will not faile to take vengeance upon , sooner or later , in whomsoever it be found . . let us remember , that our covenant also reaches to a care of our families , and a reformation of them ( all others under our power and charge both in publike and private , are the words of our covenant ; ) and we make our selves transgressours , if we looke not to them also , as well as to our own persons . and now i am speaking of families , i professe the thought of it makes me tremble , what conceit soever others have of this matter ; and i cannot containe my selfe from falling againe into a sad complaint of it , though but in a word . i thinke there was never much religion in families , in this kingdome , ( though perhaps not more in other places , ) but i am verily perswaded that of many yeares there was never lesse then now . in that little observation that i have been able to make , of late ; i cannot see that which i expected in divers places , but lesse care even of family-devotions , and scarce any care at all of particular instruction or inspection . doe not divers , who seeme very forward themselves for the cause of god among us , harbour those in their houses , whom they know to beare no good will at all to it , but to favour and even pleade for our enemies ; and yet they use no endeavour to put them into a better mind ? but specially how many are there that know their very children and much more their servants , have no savour at all of religion : and yet they cannot find in their hearts to attempt in the least to principle or perswade them better ? is this the fruit of our covenant ? was this the meaning of any in this particular , to promise enough , but intend to performe nothing ? or at least now are they at liberty to doe nothing of what they have so solemnely and sacredly promised and sworne ? i confesse , i see no very great fruits of our covenant in any respect among the most , but of all other things , as little in this matter of family-reformation as any thing ; not to say lesse . but how will god take this at our hands , doe we thinke ? or how did god take it at samuels hands , that he was so partiall to his sons , as hath been noted ? but specially how did god take it at elies hand , though a good man ? you know the story in the beginning of the first book of samuel , what terrible vengeance god threatned and took upon the inventions , the wicked practises of elies sons and his indulgence to them , and yet he gave them a severe and grave admonition , sam. . which is much more then a great many doe , who know ( or heare ) enough of the ills of their families , which yet they overlooke and silence , as if it did not at all concerne them , as if their good or ill were nothing at all to them . but so thought not abraham , the father of all covenanters with god , he not only at gods command brought all his family ( though so numerous as it exceeded . who were able to beare armes , gen. . ) into covenant with god , gen. . but god takes notice of his care and conscience to charge and command them all to keep gods wayes , and promises him and them speciall favour for it , gen. . , . and joshuah the governour of israel , undertakes for all his house , and family , ( what ever israel did or would doe ) that they should serve the lord , josh. . . so we have davids vow for himselfe , and family ( and kingdome also ) psal. . and the story of all the saints and converts in the new testament insinuates a care in them to draw in their housholds with them . zacheus , lidia , the jaylour ( the most unlikely family of all others ) and divers more . this was the very reason why god commanded , that all , ( even the servant 's bought with money ) should be circumcised , as well as the master of the family himselfe , to shew that he would have none neglected in matter of religion , as not belonging to him . and if we will not looke to this , specially have such an engagement upon us ( as david speakes in another case , thy vowes are upon me ô god , psal . . ) god can , and we have cause to expect that he will , as he may most justly , raise up evill unto us out of our own houses , make our servants or even our children plagues and mischiefes to us . as many of our brethren in ireland found from their servants , and many in england find now from their very children . . the same clause of our covenant calls upon those who have the regulating of our armies , to extend their care to reforme them also . i have not wisedome enough to prescribe the particular way how this may be done . but this i may be bold to say , that if we wittingly suffer wickednesse to be in our camps , or garrisons , or quarters , we cannot expect that god should prosper them , anywhere . god himselfe gives the warning , deut. . and he tells amaziah , chron. . that he was not with israel , nor with all the house of ephraim , that was because they were wilfull idolaters , and obstinate in other wickednesses . and certainely if god be not with our armies , anywhere , they were better stay at home . and if their sins fight against him , ( as all allowed sins doe ) there is no reason to thinke he will fight for them . he hath given them diverse blowes at sundry times , and in severall places , scarce any one of our armies hath escaped a blow alwayes : doubtlesse then it was their sins that had a share in provoking that vengeance . if we pray to god to blesse them ( as we doe specially this day ) and fast and humble our selves before god for their sins also as well as our own , and yet doe not labour to reforme them , ( though we know that prayer is vaine that is not seconded with endeavours ) what doe we lesse then even tell god , that we desire his blessing upon them , though they continue still in their wickednesses : and then if they prove cowards or treacherous , or that god give their enemies the upper hand of them , we can thanke or blame none more then our selves . and truly this ( to me ) is one of the great causes , why the people of god that maintaine his cause here and in other nations , have fewer victories , and more frequent overthrows now adayes then they had under the old testament , that we suffer those notorious wickednesses in our armies , that were not suffered then , and that we even make up our armies much of the vilest of men , knowingly and professedly . if it be unpollitick to speake in this manner , i am sure it is ungodly to let manifest wickednesse altogether alone upon any pretence whatsoever ; and much more to imploy such to be gods champions , as we know actually fight for the ' devill and their own lusts , more then they can pretend to doe for god , or his cause . and if they should now conquer for us , what shall we doe with them afterward ? doe we intend to keepe them in order then ? or suffer them to plead that they have merited an exemption from all restraint of their licentiousnesse ? to which they have been so long enured by the length of the warres ( which certainely they will the rather lengthen out , if they still find they may doe what they list without controll ) that it is next to impossible for them to be reclaimed of it . finally if god looke upon their faults , as ours in part , ( while we doe not what we can to amend them ) how shall he blesse them , were it but because punishment is due to us , for such neglect ? and if he take vengeance upon their sins , even as theirs , shall not we be enwrapped in the mischief of in ? . this care is yet further to be enlarged , for the reformation of that prophanenesse and ignorance , that is still to be found in city and country . the land is to be cleansed , before we can expect that the land should be heated . our endeavours cannot as yet reach to all parts of the land : but therefore ▪ we should be the more carefull of those that are under our power . and though we cannot reforme all things so well and throughly in these times of confusion and warre as we may doe hereafter , when we shall obtaine by gods goodnesse a setling ; yet certainly a great deale more may be done then yet is ; and so much as may make ungodlinesse pull in her hornes much , and be ashamed and afraid of those wicked practises , that now outface all controll : if speciall men , were appointed for this , ( as there are for secular businesses , and for matters of money , as is fit and necessary ) too see all good laws and ordinances for the sabbath and fasts , and other matters of reformation put in execution ; and to give encouragement to faithfull ministers ; and that order were taken effectually and impartially with scandalous people ( and malignant opposers of conscientious ministers ) as well as there is , most necessarily , with scandalous ministers ; it would mightily lessen the number and weight of the nations sins , and dispose all places to receive a full and perfect reformation in due time . . againe , look upon your covenant , i beseech you , and doe justice upon delinquents impartially and without respect of persons . in that psalme of confession and prayer , psal. . ( whereof i mentioned the psalmists supplication , which we all must needs wish to have granted us , namely to have the favour to live to see the church happy . ) the first sentence , after the giving praises to god by way of entrance , is , blessed are they that keepe judgement and he that doth righteousnesse at all times , ver. . and then followes , remember me with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people , &c. ver. . and then , that i may see the good of thy chosen , and rejoyce with the gladnesse of thy nation , and be glad with thine inheritance , ver. . none of us can rightly expect to be let live to see the desire of our soules , in the churches felicity , unlesse we be zealous ( all of us in our places ) for the keeping of judgement and doing of righteousnesse at all times . is not this the quarrell of the warre , because delinquents are protected against the hand of justice ? and doe not , the first protestation , and first and second covenant , all expressely and explicitely mention the bringing of offenders to condigne punishment , & c ? why should any thinke , that god will give into our hands , those delinquents that are in armes against the great judicatory of the kingdome ; if justice be not done upon those that are in our hands already ? and so purposed , and practised from time to time ? is it not for this that god hath put the sword of justice into your hands ? according to rom. . . he beares not the sword in vain , for he is the minister of god , a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evill . this is your office , and god and mens expectation of you , and blessed shall you be ( as the psalmist hath told you but now ) if that be verified of you which you have heard both from the psalmist and from the apostle . you know how israels sparing the canaanites , judg. - . cost them full deare : they proved continually thornes in their sides , and prickes in their eyes , snares and temptations to them : as god tels them , that for this he would not deliver their enemies into their hands any more , and that they should prove snares to them , &c. indeed so we find it . the canaanites familiarity corrupted and seduced israel , and then afterward god delivered israel into the canaanites hand to be oppressed by them , judg. . looke we to it , lest it prove so with us . how can we expect , but if such as have done wickedly , opposed all reformation , be let alone without just punishment ; they will help to marre the reformation when it comes to be setled ? and prove corruptors of others , that now seeme to be of a better temper ? and then we may be sure that they will prove scourges to us by gods just judgement in other respects . i take not upon me to tell you what must be done with this or that particular person : but this i say in the generall , that neither religion nor reason will perswade , nor so much as allow , that they who have been notorious enemies , or offenders , should be suffered to have power to doe mischiefe hereafter , where there is no ground of perswasion that their hearts are truly turned from all desire of doing future mischiefe . and in the meane time , this i am most sure of , that while any are under restraint in expectation of a sentence , they ought at least to be kept from notorious provocations of god by riots and other disorders , of which ( they say ) our prisons are full ; and that god is well neere as much dishonoured by them while they are under our custody , as he would be if they were at their owne liberty . if this be so , and that we know it , or may know it , i know no argument that can excuse their sins from being ours in these matters ; nor how we can reply to that which god may most justly say to us , why should i deliver any of your enemies any more into your hands , while you let them act those villanies in your prisons , for which your selves thinke , i should not blesse them in their camps ? . unto this let me adde a word of exhortation in relation to an evill a kinne to the former , namely the disorders and oppressions that are said to be acted by those that you imploy in divers places . there is a great cry of this , how truly and justly i am not able to say . but certainly , it were a most worthy act , that some choise men of unquestionable integritie were appointed to make inquiry and take knowledge of it . there is one that doth without all peradventure , he that is higher then the highest regards , and there be higher then they , saith the wise and kingly preacher , when he speakes of oppression and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province , eccles. . . and god oft saith elsewhere , that he doth and will heare the cry of oppression . now if he doe lo , there is but one of two to answer the cry , and stop the mouth of it . either mans justice or gods . mans justice , that is in your hands mainly . and that is the easiest and the safest way , for you , and even for the oppressours themselves ; for by your doing justice , you may possibly not only right those that have suffered wrong , but perhaps also work so upon those that have done the wrong , as to bring them to repentance , and so ( as i may say ) you save god a labour , and with-hold his hand from taking vengeance , into whose hands it is a fearefull thing to fall , saith the apostle . but we doe as it were force god to take vengeance himselfe , if we will not ; and then we our selves are like to feele the smart of it too , as abettors and accessaries . you know the accent put upon the neglect of eli in this kind sam. . . his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not : and how fearefull the vengeance was that god tooke both of the sons and the fathers faults together . and so samuel payed ( as hath been noted ) for his favour to his bribe-taking and justice-perverting sons , by him put into office . in all these things , our own interest is concerned , as well as gods or his peoples , and therefore , i beseech you , suffer and ( embrace ) the word of exhortation in these things . . and give me leave , i humbly pray , to proceed a little further in a particular or two more specified in our convenant for reformation . one is that we may ever remember that clause in the first article , to endeavour the reformation of religion in the kingdomes of england and ireland in doctrine , worship , discipline and government , according to the word of god , you heard somewhat of this in the morning , but i crave your patience that i may adde a little to it . doubtlesse the word of god is the only rule unto which we are all tyed . he only is the soveraigne law-give● to appoint how he will have his church governed . and so he hath left a sufficient ride in his word for all matters of substance and of necessity , ( though all men doe not see it , and though circumstantials are left to be varied by a humane , though not carnall , prudence ) sufficient , i say , to preserve truth , and piety , and peace in his church , and to expell the contrary , by his blessing . and no authority of man may presume to reject or over-rule in those things . where gods word gives out his will , mans businesse is only to acknowledge , and submit , and call others to doe so too . all mans authoritie is to be employed only to promote gods according to his word . and therefore , i beseech you , let me branch my exhortation from this into three particulars . . doe not in any wise hearken to the suggestions of any that would say , that there is no discipline or government of the church to be found in the word . if any did thinke so , and yet have covenanted , as is before exprest , i doubt they will hardly excuse themselves from having taken gods name in vaine in it . and i conceive not how , if they urge others to covenant in that manner , they doe lesse then cause them to sin , by urging to make gods name in vai● . but however , surely there was a time when the church of god , the church of the n. t. had a government ; and that within it selfe , an ecclesiasticall government , and not meerly civill , from the civill magistrate , for there was none such that professed christianity , till ●oo , yeares after christ . to say , that there was no government in the church ( after the apostles were gone to heaven , and the power of miracles was also ceased ) for so long a time , is to suppose them to be left to an horrible confusion , which is exceedingly dishonourable to christ the lord and king of his church , so much as to imagine . and if there were a government appointed by christ , then certainly the apostles and evangelists recorded it in the word in the n. t. for to imagine it left only to tradition is as contradictory to christs care of his people , as the supposall of a meere anarchy . ( and the very papists themselves ofter to pretend scripture for the popes claime , and dare not sticke wholly to tradition . ) and if it were once in the word , then it is there still doubtlesse , for we have the selfe some word that the first christians had , and then doubtlesse it binds us still , as well as it bound the christians in those first times . unlesse any can shew , that it was to continue but so long , but till there should be christian magistrates , and then to give place , and be no longer in force . and this generall rule give me leave to assert and commend to your most serious considerations and consciences . that whatsoever law of god , or command of his , we find recorded in the law-booke , in either of the volumnes of gods statute , the n. t. or the old , remaines obligatory to us , unlesse we can prove it to be expired , or repealed . so it is with the statute-law of this nation , or of any nation ; what i can prove to be once enacted , i may urge . as still in force , unlesse any one can answer me with a just proofe that it is now out of date , or repealed by a latter law . and so men ( i forewarne them ) shall find one day urged upon them , for all those lawes that stand upon record in gods sacred volumnes , however now many take liberty to reject what they please , without any just ground , that god hath discharged them : and the deniall or neglect of this ( in matter of church-government ) is the rock that we have dashed upon formerly ; and therefore we had need to take the more heed of it for time to come . . but withall this must be added , that it concernes us as well to own what we find in the word of god , to be from god , as to receive it and set it up . it is necessary to hold it out and establish it , as commanded of god , if it appeare clearely to us to be so . else we doe not give god and his word that due honour which it becomes us to give . it is indeed most dangerous to assert mans inventions to be jure divino , or necessary . but it is also dangerous and sinfull to make gods appointments to be bus humane and arbitrary . if in any thing we see not that . god doth certainly require it , we are to forbeare asserting it to be divine . but we must acknowledge it , when we doe see it . if it have the stamp of gods . authoritie upon it , no man may say , we will not owne this as jure divino . god will not be satisfied ( nor men neither ) that the things be done , or established , if his authority be overlooked , and mans only be pretended for it . nothing is pleasing to god , which is not done in obedience to him some way . if therefore he require particular obedience , in this or that particular matter held forth in his word , it will not content him , that we only be taught it , and practise it by the precepts of men . neither will this awe any froward spirit , as gods authority will ; and doth where men are not desperately prophane . and the consciences of the most conscientious will find no satisfaction in it upon those termes . let therefore no man say , that if we once acknowledge it as from god , then it is unalterable ; and we would not have it so . i beseech you , if god will have it to be unalterable , ( as he will if his word tell us so much ) shall we dare to say , we will not have it so ? if god saith , it shall continue , it shall continue , that is the obligatory to us , and all posterities . and god forbid any of us should ever say the contrary ! and our very covenant also in the . article , and in the close of it , hath words enough and emphaticall enough , to bind us for ever , and unalterably to a reformation according to the word of god . i say therefore againe and againe , so much as we see to be according to gods word , and his command , we must owne as such , and not thinke of altering it but by , his consent and according to his word still . . we are therefore by all this charged , to use all possible diligence , and care , and industry to prove and examine all things , and not to put more weight upon any thing ( to be sure ) then god hath put upon it : but then when we , have found out the truth , to hold it fast , and not to sell it againe , or part with it upon any termes . where the voice is doubtfull , whether god speakes or not , or how farre he speakes in this or that , there we have still so much libertie to dispute and debate , not to account it necessary , and where there must be a determination one way in practise , to interpose our prudence and authoritie in a humane manner . but ▪ whatsoever comes to be knowne to be from god , there all must be silent and obedient , lest otherwise the sword , even of rebels , take vengeance upon such our rebellions against god , according to the threatning isai. . . if ye be willing and obedient , you shall eate the good of the land : but if you refuse and rebell , you shall be devoured with the sword , for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it . you that have authority doe expect obedience to . your ordinances and commands ; god therefore much more to his . all your authority is from god , and therefore unquestionably it is all to be imployed for god , and to that end that his commands may take place among all that are under your command . the notion of humane authority in the hand of one , or of a few , as it is acknowledged in the hearts , and so in the outward subjection of many thousands , of a whole nation , is a strange thing , and worthy of deepest consideration ; and which the wisest philosophers and greatest polititians have never been able to give a satisfactory account of upon humane grounds . but those that have learned from the word of god , the meaning of those sentences , by me kings reigne , and princes decrce justice ; by me princes rule , and n●bles , even all the judges of the earth , prov. . , . and , there is no powers but of god , the powers that be are ordained of god , rom. . . may say something of it . namely , that the ground of humane authority , is that god is pleased to print some characters of the image of his majestie in the faces of superiours , and stamp the counter-part of it upon the hearts of the inferiours ▪ whereby it comes to passe that they reverence , even a wom●n , and sometimes an infant in a cradle , as gods deputy and vicegerent among them ; and so all others that have authoritie in their proportion . and if it please god ( as sometimes it doth for the just punishment of abused authoritie ) to blot out that stamp which was upon inferiours hearts ; they presently withdraw all r●spect from such superiours , how high soever they were before , and make no more reckoning of them , then of the most ordinary person among themselves . which therefore should be of marvellous operation upon the spirits of all that have any authoritie , that as they are wholly beholden to god for it , so they would wholly imploy it for god , and particularly to set up , so farre as their authoritie can command , whatsoever command of god they can find in his word , and to set it up as his command , as hath been said . . another thing which i would also recommend from our covenant is in the second article , out of which as my reverend brother singled out the mention of popery and prelacy , so doe i specially of heresie and schisme , taking in whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound doctrine , the power of godlinesse . remember , i beseech you , that we have covenanted with god and men , to extirpate these without respect of persons . and thou , let us but think in our consciences , what we judge to be heresie or schisme . is antinomianisme , at least as it is professed , preached , and maintain'd by some , according as it hath been publikely proved , any thing lesse then heresie ? and however , is it not apparently most contrary to the power of godlinesse ? and is not anabaptisma , at least as , maintain'd by divers , schisme , and contrary to sound doctrine ? what greate● schisme can there be , then to deny both you your selves , and all the land besides to be christians , or that there is any ministery or church among us , because none rightly baptised , by their saying ? and how can these then be tolerated without breach of covenant ? if god were so angry with moses for a single neglect of circumcision , and you your selves beleeve that he hath put baptisme in the roome of it ; and commanded children to be baptised now , as well as to be circumcised then ; will not ( doth not ) not only the neglect , but so outragious a contempt of it , ( as administred to children ) provoke him , even against you , if you connive at such reproach of his ordinancs ? if christ himselfe hath so threatned all those that breake one of the least commandements of the law , and teach men so , as you reade matt. . . will he endure that those should be let alone that preach against the whole law , all , and every one of the commandements , of the morall law , and say , that christians are freed from the mandatory power of it , and that it is no rule for a beleever to walke by , or examine his life by , even that it is of no use at all to a beleever ? will christ , i say , endure these things ? or may we endure them , without his displeasure against our selves ? i know a difference is to be put , when we come to deale with persons tainted with these dangerous opinions . some are to be handled with all compassionate tendernesse , as being scrupuled , through weaknesse and infirmity ; but others , who are not only obstinate , but active to seduce and breed confusion , must be saved with feare , as pulling them out of the fire , and that they may not set others afire also . though still a spirit of meeknesse is requisite , even toward such , in regard to their persons . but the spirit of judgement , and of burning ( that is holy zeale ) promised by god to his people , isai. . . against their endangering doctrines and practises . hearken not then , ( i earnestly exhort every one that intends to have any regard at all to his solemne covenant and oath in this second article ) to those , that offer to plead for tolerations ; which i wonder how any one dare write or speake for ( as they doe ) that have themselves taken the covenant , or know that you have . the arguments that are used in some bookes ( well worthy to be publikely burnt ) plead for popery , judaisme , turcisme , paganisme , and all manner of false religions , under pretence of liberty of conscience . which if they can make good ( or have ) then surely we , and you specially , have need to repent of that solemne covenant and recant it before all the world , to whom you have publisht it . but if not , then surely , even that covenant will enforce you to shew your steadinesse in unpartiall extirpating ( without respect of persons , ) all such most pernicious and pestiferous books and opinions , which if they might once take place among us , would more advance satans kingdome , then any booke hath done that hath been written this . yeeres . surely the extirpation of heresie and schisme , ( besides that popery is abjured by name ) and such an universall toleration , and pretended liberty of conscience , are as diametrically opposite and contradictory one to the other , as light is to darknesse , and strict justice to licentious lawlesnesse . if therefore you be true to your covenant , your hand must needs be against such doctrines and the promoters of them . and those clauses of [ whatsoever shall be found contrary to found doctrine , and the power of godlinesse ] doe lay yet a stricter bond upon you , to make you take great heed how you beare with any opinion or opinionist altogether . though , if any such be found differing from the received opinions and practises , that are neither schismaticall in disturbing the churches peace , nor opposite to sound doctrine , or the power of godlinesse , they may be borne with , notwithstanding the covenant . but i see not how it allowes any more . onely still the wayes of dealing with opinions and opinionists , who are not altogether to be borne , must be sutable to the nature of the opinions , and of those also that hold them , and not in all matters nor to all persons alike ; as was noted before . but against a toleration in generall , even the covenant it selfe , in that very article hath a reason sutable to the text , lest we partake of other mens sins , and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues , saith the covenant ; which in the language of the text , is lest god take vengeance on their inventions , and ours together . it is true that the name of conscience hath an awfull sound unto a conscientious eare . but i pray , judge but in a few instances , whether all pretence of conscience ought to be a sufficient plea for toleration and liberty ? . there be those that say their conscience is against all taking of an oath before a magistrate ? will you allow an vniversall liberty of this ? what then will become of all our legall and judiciall proceedings , which are confined to this way of proofe ; and so it was by god appointed , and hath been by all nations practised . . there be some that pretend liberty of conscience to equivocate in an oath even before a magistrate , and to elude all examinations by mentall reservations , will you grant them this liberty ? or can you , without destraying all bonds of civill converse , and wholly overthrow of all humane judicature ? . if any plead conscience for the lawfulnesse of polygamy ; ( or for divorce for other causes then christ and his apostles mention ; of which a wicked booke is abroad and uncensured ; though deserving to be burnt , whose author hath been so impudent as to set his name to it , and dedicate it to your selves , ) or for liberty to marry incestuously , will you grant a toleration for all this ? . if any say , their conscience allowes them not to contribute to your just and necessary defence , shall they be allowed this liberty ? where then will your armies be paid ? . if others say , their consciences allow not them to beare armes for you , shall they have altogether their liberty ? ( every one that will say so ) how then shall your armies be made up ? . if any goe further , ( as some doe in effect even in print , ) and say their consciences allow not any magistrates at all ; nor . propriety of goods : will you afford them their liberty herein ? what would become then of all your own authority , and of all lawes , and liberties of the kingdome ? or what bounds or limits can there be set to men any way , if this opinion of liberty of conscience , as it is pleaded for , shall be admitted ? object . if any say , these all , or most of them , are belonging to the second table , and the liberty pleaded for , is onely in matters of the first table ? ans. to this i answer , . the arguments , if strong for the one , will be no lesse for the other . the conscience must have regard to the second table as well as the first , and must not be violated nor forced in matters of the second table , no more then of the first . and in all the instances formentioned , it is certaine , some have heretofore , ( if not also now ) pretended conscience about them . also equivocation in an oath , will concerne the . table the third commandement ; and yet i dare say , you will not tolerate that . ans. . are mens matters worthy more regard then gods ? that the pretence of conscience shall claime a liberty in that which concernes gods honour , and not in that which concernes men ? or are not mens souls , both theirs that are first in the errour , and theirs also whom they endevour and endanger the infection of , more to be regarded then any thing that meerly concernes civill matters ? also are not mens souls in greater hazard ( rather then lesse ) in sins against the . table ( idolatries , blasphemies , heresies , &c. ) then in those against the second ? how then shall it be more allowable to give liberty and toleration against the . table , then against the second ? and what idolater , or seduced prophet , might not ( or may not ) plead his conscience ? and yet you know gods sentences of old against such even to extremities , extirpation , deut. . throughout the whole chapter , and elsewhere , and so against other breaches of the first table . the baalites whom elijah caused to be put to death ( according to the law of god ) kings . did certainly thinke in their consciences that baal was a true god , and theirs the true religion . and so , those that caused their children to passe through the fire to molech ( which god expresly commands to be punisht with death , even though they were strangers and sojourners in israel , and not of gods professed people , lev. . . &c . ) did , what they did , out of conscience . and these lawes of god never were repealed as yet , and therefore they will bind all his servants still . his honour requires still the same severity against such kind of offenders . and what can it be lesse then to betray such to damnation , who are tolerated to professe and promote those opinions or practises , that are absolutely destructive unto their owne or others soules . and if it be objected ( as it is ) that no punishment or restraint can work upon men to convert them . ans. it is true , no more can exhortation or preaching , arguments ( in word or writing ) convert men , without gods blessing . but yet they must be used , as meanes appointed by god , ( and sanctified , and accordingly blest when he sees fit ) even to convert men , and so are restraints and punishments too ( proportionable to mens errours and practises , ) appointed of god , and sanctified also , and often , even in experience blest to make men , who before were misled , or perhaps mis-leaders of others , to consider , and hea●ken , and learne , and be willing to embrace , and cleave to the truth . and i doubt not but if we be all carefull in our places , to performe our covenant in this article , we shall find a blessed effect of it in our three kingdomes , as the conclusion of it speakes , that the lord may be one , and his name one in the three kingdomes . . the last particular , i would offer to you at this time , is that for all these things you would get hearts armed with trust in god , and so with courage and zeale for god , and that there may be no cowardly spirits among us . every ruler should be a man of courage , and specially when he hath enemies to encounter . josh. . god and men there ver. , , , . call upon him for it . and so when ever reformation is undertaken , there is speciall need of courage . see the instance of hezekiah : his father had been a most desperate wicked man , and corrupted religion , worse then all that were before him . yet hezekiah made the greatest reformation that had been since solomons time , and lost not a day , after he came to the crowne , for he begun in the first yeere of his reigne , in the first month , and , as it appears by a chron. . v. . the very first day of the month ; and carried all before him . now what was that which made him doe thus ? see kings . v. . he trusted in the lord god of israel , so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of judah , nor any that were before him . this was that which made him not feare the peoples discontent , nor the great ones , nor the priests neither , whom he found universally drencht over head and eares in superstition and idolatry . oh that we , who have much more strength of men , to stand by us , then he had , had but halfe his courage ! or rather , that we would remember , that when many of israel mocked and laughed his messengers to scorne , whom he sent to invite them to the passeover ; yet not only divers others came in and submitted themselves ; but that in judah , the hand of god was to give them one heart to doe the commandement of the king , and of the princes by the word of the lord , a chron. . . and why should not we looke for the like , if we were as zealous for god , and trusted as much in god , as he ? how excellent an example and encouragement doe we again find recorded concerning him in the next chapter , the two last verses ? thus did hezekiah throughout all judah , and wrought that which was good , and right , and truth before the lord his god . and in every worke that he began in the service of the house of god and in the law , and in the commandement , to seeke his god , he did it withall his heart and prospered . happy we , if of us as much may be said for our parts ; for then we shall be sure to have gods part fulfilled to us , and our prosperity assured and establisht fully . this we have confirmed by salomon , while he gives us a pertinent warning of the mischiefs of the contrary cowardise . prov. . . the feare of man brings a snare , but who so puts his trust in the lord shall be safe . while we are afraid of men , this or that person , or such a number , or party , ( how considerable so ever they may be thought . ) it brings a snare , makes us fall into sin , and so into mischiefe . there is no sanctity , nor safety , but in trusting in god . if we would examine our selves impartially , we should find , that whatsoever we have neglected , or doe yet neglect , in the matter of reformation , hath been and is caused very much , by an unworthy feare of men , and want of faith , and trust in god . how often hath it been said , and by how many , that if we should be too severe in parging the armies , we should want souldiers ; if too strict in suppressing the worst opinions or practises , we should loose a considerable party , and not be able to carry on the worke without them . and what is this but want of faith in god ? and in stead thereof to have our spirits ensnared ( enslaved ) with the feare of men ? certainly , if it be not gods will and command that justice should be done , and martiall discipline observed , and disorders and errours supprest , then let us let them alone , and never stand to plead the inconvenience of medling with them . but if it be gods will and command , then i beseech you , let none venture to provoke god , for feare of provoking men . i dare be bold to promise in his name , you shall not want men non h●lpe , if you will be ruled by him , and venture your selves for him . but withall i say , it were better that every . were reduced to an . and every even to a single man , then that out of a feare of loosing a numerous party of souldiers , or others , to take your part , you should endanger the loosing of god , even in any degree . and is it not recorded ( even for our admonition , as is intimated , cor. . , . ) that for one achan not sought out , israels army was overthrowne ? josh. . and god saith , neither , will i be with you any more , except you destroy the accursed from among you , ver. . and did not the . tribes and halfe upon this example arme themselves to have fought against their own brethren , supposing them revolters from god , though they had but even then taken their leave of them , after they had , for many yeares together , ventured their lives to settle them in their possessions ▪ josh. . they urge achans example ; as shewing them , that if they should suffer a sin apparently even in their brethren , god would be angry with them all , ver. . . it is good then to be affraid , but of him of whom we have cause to be affraid , as esay warnes the faithfull in his time , isai. . , . say you not a confederacy to whom this people say a confederacie , neither feare ye their feare , neither be affraid , but sanctifie the lord of hosts himselfe , and let him be your feare , and let him be your dread . and remember withall , how ill god takes it at his servants hand , when they are basely affraid of men , isai. . , . i even i am he that comforteth you , who art thou that thou shouldest be affraid of a man that shall dye , and of the son of man that shall be made as grasse ? and forgettest the lord thy maker ? &c. here is not indeed a multitude named ; but here is man indefinitely , and if there be never so many of them , it is but man still , and so never the more allowable to feare them more then god , and to please them with displeasing of god . if any shall say , but would not god have a multitude forborne , if they be in an errour , or disorder ? i answer , sure god never told those that are in authority so . and , among men , if a multitude appeare in a tumult , although it may after pleade for a mitigation of punishment toward the whole number , except the chiefe ring-leaders ; yet it both makes those that have authority and strength to suppresse , put forth both , the more ▪ speedily and effectually ; and afterward to take the more exact care for the preventing of the like , even for the multitudes sake . and this is most sure , that with god the greater the multitude is of those that provoke him , the greater is his displeasure . and therefore his deputies ought to be more affraid to tolerate a multitude in evill , then a few . . and if at other times a multitude , or a few , might be borne with and let alone , in that which is contrary to gods will , yet certainly not then when gods judgements are abroad in the land . then all should , and then the faithfull will learne righteousnesse , and doe justice in their places , according to gods appointment . it is so with us now , that gods judgements are abroad in our land : oh that we were so wise ; as to learne the right cause , and the right remedy ! let me to this purpose , againe put you in mind of that of the prophet , which you were happily remembred of in the morning , jer. . , , . who is the wise man that may understand this ? and who is he to whom the mouth of the lord hath spoken , that he may declare it ? for what the land perisheth , &c. and the lord saith , because they have forsaken my law which i set before them , and have not obeyed my voice , nor walked therein : but have walked after the imagination of their own heart , &c. sure the meaning of this is not , that every man should be let alone in doing what they lift under pretence of liberty of conscience : for that is neither more nor lesse in plaine words then to leave every man to walk after the imagination of their own heart : much lesse is it , that men should be suffered to cry downe the law of god , ( the law delivered by gods owne voice to all his people , ) as no rule for christians to walk by . if for forsaking it the land perisheth , and for not walking therein : the open and bold-faced opposition against it , must needs aggravare the transgression , and increase the mischiefe . but the prophet meaning is , that god would have an observation made . . that all the misery of the land ( though there were very few so wise as to consider it ) is for sin , for the transgression of gods law , and every one doing too much what they list . and then that in the second place , enquiry should be made for what speciall provocations it is that there are such heavy judgements on the land ? they have walked ( saith god ) after baalim , which their fathers taught them . whether any old superstitions , or any prophane customes and practises , received by tradition from our fathers ; or any other new invented idoll or fancy , any imagination of our own hearts , be the grand evill that provokes god so against us ; as that after all our seekings of him and suings to him , his anger is not turned away , but his hand is stretched out still . to find out this , ( or these , for they may be many , ) were certainly the greatest piece of wisdome one of them in the world , and to be taught it , one of the greatest honours from god that could be , and then to declare it one of the greatest pieces of faithfulnesse to god and his people . oh that you , who are our wise men , the great councell of the kingdome , would specially set your wits a work , and bend your thoughts most serious to search and find this out . and you may call whom you will to your assistance herein . you have called an assembly of divines to consult with in matters of religion , and they attend daily upon the worke you have entrusted them with . if now you should think fit to send to them expressely to make this their worke for the present , to give you the vttermost of advice with all faithfulnesse , what might be the cause or causes , why judgements , and feares , and dangers still continue and multiply rather then decrease : certainly they could not be better imployed for the time : and if god should vouchsafe to shew them the right : nothing could prove more advantagious for the publike good . if they be not wise or faithfull enough , or you should not be satisfied with their advice : you may aske of whom you will besides . and you may , if you please , give every one liberty ( in an humble manner ) for once to tell you , what their apprehension is . but certainly it is a thousand pitties , that among so many wise men , and pious men , as god hath yet reserved in our land , none should be set a worke expressely about this most important and every day more and more most necessary work . and , after all , it belongs to you , whom god hath entrusted with the power to reforme , whatever shall be found to be a cause of our perpetuated mischiefe , to judge impartially of all ; and then sentence and execute according to the will of god a righteous judgement upon all , whether things or persons , without feare or favour . and this is the way , and the only way , to partake of that blessing forenoted to be all our desires , according to psal. . , , . which i again beseech every one to reade over most seriously , and apply to their hearts most faithfully . and to this tends the third and last use of consolation , which you will give me leave to adde a word of , and then i shall commit you and all that hath been spoken to gods blessing . our text in the frame and scope of it tends as much and as fully to comfort and encourage all gods faithfull ones ( as i hope i speake to many such ) even notwithstanding their own failings and his severity upon it , as it doth to warn and exhort them to take heed of such failings , and of provoking him to shew severity . for it tels us absolutely , that being his , though we doe amisse against him , and he deales severely with us , yet still he is a god that answeres , and a god that forgives . our failings not allowed nor persisted in , when we know them , disparage not our faithfulnesse in gods account ; and his judgements , his vengeance on our inventions , how severe soever , disprove not his favour , argue not rejection nor purpose of destruction . though he kill , yet he may pardon and save . and the experience of his providence may assure us , that he will not be henceforth rigorously severe , if we this day renew our faithfulnesse . he is very rarely so , even to a single person . if their visible repentance prevent the exeution of any sentence of his against them . much lesse to a nation , to the body of a people that returne to him . the case of such is never ( can never be ) desperate , when ever they have a heart to look unto him againe after a revolt . let me give you two famous instances in two words . david , after many great experiments of gods marvellous deliverances ; and proofes of his owne faith and trust in god , fals at last into a pang of feare , sam. . and saith in his heart , i shall one day perish by the hand of saul . ver. . and thereupon doth little better then runne away from god , for he runnes out of the land of israel from among the people of god , whither god once sent him when he was abroad , sam. . . ) and flyes into the philistines countrey , the professed and greatest enemies of gods church : and so he goes , as our proverbe is , as it were out of gods blessing into the warme sun . and while he is among them he does not very well , for he is faine to keep up his credit with achish , with much dissimulation , and many fained expressions . hereupon , at last god meets with him , with no small severity ; you may well call it , as the language of the text is , a taking vengeance on his inventions . he is hunted by the envy and jealousie of the philistine-lords , from the court and camp of achish , and when he returnes to his home in that strange land , he finds his city burnt to ashes , his wives carried away , captive , and all his followers likewise undone and robbed of all , and none knew by whom : and unto all this is added the mutiny of all his souldiers , the people spake of stoning him , sam. . . but then he recovers himselfe ; and in that most extreme danger shewes a greater faith then ever before , but david , say the next words , encouraged himselfe in the lord his god . and then immediately you find upon his enquiring of god about pursuing those unknowne enemies ; he receives a most full and gracious answere , and assurance of favour , exemplified by most complete , speedy , and rich victory ( nothing lost of their substance , not any one of all their wives , or children missing , ) and great spoiles , and within a few dayes , he is certified of sauls death , and is made king of judah . so abundant are gods mercies to his faithfull ones , even after their failings , and his displeasure upon them . . and so it was with israel . judg. . they revolting after sundry deliverances , god gives them into the hands of their enemies , the ammonites , & others , who mightily oppresse them . yeeres together . at last they bethinke themselves , and fall to pray to god ; but we reade not ( at the first ) of any further repentance then a bare confession of their sins . and therefore also at the first god gives them a most terrible checke in stead of an answer , upbraiding them with his former favours , and their reiterated rebellions , and concluding with a ( seeming ) absolute refusall to forgive them , or deliver them any more , and sending them to their false gods for help , ver. , . but then see how upon their submission , and reformation , gods compassions are againe manifested to them ; it is said his soul was grieved for the misery of israel , ver. . and shortly after they had , under jephthah , whom god raised up to be their deliverer , a very great victory over their enemies . and have not we our selves found somewhat like this , more then once ? how low had our sins brought us the last yeere about this time ? and how much vengeance did god take upon our vntowardnesse within a few months . our armies broken in the west , and broken in the north , bristoll lost , and glocester and hull besieged ; and with us very little strength and very few spirits . but god gave us grace to bethinke our selves , and humble our selves , and to enter into a more strict , and solemne , and complete covenant with him , then ever before . and how many gracious answers , and pardons , and victories , he hath granted us since , our souls know , and all the world sees and admires . how should we then improve all this , to strengthen our faith in god , and to comfort our selves in his grace , all whose paths are mercy and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies , psal. . . and to set to our seale to that voice of faith and experience . psal. . . they that know thy name will put their trust in thee . for thou lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee . i will conclude all , with that most remarkable place of the prophet , isai. . . when he had foretold , for their carnall confidences , and rejecting of the faithfull prophets admonitions , and seeking to get flatterers to preach to them , very great judgements , so as to reduce them to a very low condition and small number , he addes . and therefore will the lord wait that he may be gracious unto you , and therefore will he be exalted , that he may have mercy upon you , for the lord is a god of judgement : blessed are all they that wait for him . the lord is a god of judgement , righteous and wise . he will not endure our vntowardnesse , which he sees and knowes , more then we our selves doe , or will take notice of : and he knowes , that if he should deliver us too soon , we would grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again as ever , or worse ; that if he should deliver us , what we have a great deale of humane strength ( at least , while we have so much carnall confidence ) that he should loose the honour of it . therefore he waites , and therefore he will be exalted . but both shall be in graciousnesse and mercy to us , to all his faithfull ones , that wait for him , even in the way of his judgements ( as was noted before , isai. . . ) and if his judgements , his vengeance , worke repentance and faithfulnesse in us , we may and should take even that as a pledge of his answering and forgiving mercy in christ . amen , amen! finis . errata . page . line . for those who read the inventions of those whom . 〈…〉 fo● ps●l●es ● p●alm p. o. marg. for first . text. p. 〈…〉 for num● 〈…〉 &c , , read numb. ●● , ●● , , , , p. & . for was ● . 〈…〉 l. ●● . for ●●ap . read 〈◊〉 . p 〈…〉 . . for 〈…〉 . . for that lies r. that it 〈◊〉 . p. c. l. . for 〈…〉 . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- a sam. . . b zech. . . c isai. . d pet. . . . e luke . . notes for div a e- introduction . context . division . explication . what is meant by taking vengeance . negatively . affirmatively , in two things . . doctrines f●●st handled historically . . moses . . his faithfulnesse . . his failings five . . aarons failings three . gods displeasure for their offences . iii. samuels failing . gods displea●ure for it . gods graciousnesse answering . moses . . aaron . . samuel . pardoning there all . doct. . reas. . the be●t have corruption in the as well as the worst by nature . reas . co●rup●●d n●●u●e not ab●l●●h● i● the b●●● ▪ proved . illustrated in that the corruption of the best appeares in things wherein they most excell in vertue . righteous noah intemperate . just lot defiled . faithfull abraham distrustfull . meeke moses passionate . faithfull moses beleves not . humble david revengefull . iob impatience . the prophet ionah refuses to goe on gods errand . justifying his sin after he had repented of it . after many yeares ieremie resolves to preach no more . after a tryumph over a temptation , is ( in a manner ) wholy transported with it . the two greatest friends in the world paul and barnabas , contending and parting upon it . reason . s●tans violence in temp●ing them continually . reason . men often are tempt●●s to the godly . doctrine . gods mercy to his servants , though offending him . reason . he hath engaged himselfe to heare prayers . reas. . he is ever able to doe them good . god hath received a ransome for his servants offerces . reas. . god ●lorifies himselfe in his servants repentance . reas. . else god would have none to serve him . reas. . god is a god in covenant with his servants . doctrine . god is sometimes severe to his , though still mercifull to them reas. . gods holinesse . reas. . gods justice . the justice of a father . reas. . the faithfull need it sometimes . reas. . to teach by-standers , . that the wicked sh●ll not s●●pe alwayes . . that there is no cause to reproach religion for the faults of any . applic. vse . of humiliation . of which there is but little signe usually before or after the publike servic●s to remedy which a constant exhortation in one of the sermons would be greatly profitable . n. b. three sorts of sins to be humbled for . personall , namely against our covenant in generall . n. b. specially for like sinnes to these pointed at in the text . . neglect of sacraments . baptisme abused , neglected . the lords supper abused , neglected . . unwillingnesse to venture upon hard taskes . . complaint of our thanklesse and fruitlesse imployments because not successefull at first . . distrust passionately discovered , b●f●●e men , by unwarrantable words and actions . n. b. . complying with others 〈…〉 . . partiality in imploying and conniving at friends . nationall sins to be humbled for ; of three sorts . . the sins of those that pretend to be faithfull . necessitie of this consideration . n. b. are not many apparently worse then they were wont to be ? in signes of pride . neglect of the sabbath . of family duties . secret prayer , even despised . in self-seekings . errors , and strange opinions and practises . a spirit of bitternesse against all that dissent from them . the sins of the generality . ignorance . covetousnesse . vse . humiliation for nationall sins . . profanenesse . n. b. vse . humiliation for nationall sins . the sins of our armies . n. b. vse . humiliation for sins . . our being guilty of others sins . we complaine much ▪ but not to god . vse . humiliation for our guiltinesse of others sins . sometimes we dare not . but seldome ●●y them to heart . specially we want zeale for reformation . applic. vse . humiliation for the danger of our sins . applic. vse . exhortation to be watchfull and resolute in faithfulnesse in all things . ephes . . mich. . . prov. . . pet. . . vse . exhortation to observe our solemne covenant . a wish that it w●re read every fast day . take h●ed of offring to elude it , least others breake covenant with us . specially if we urge it on others . and proceed against them refusing . take heed of delayings . particularly , . in personall reformation . n. b. . in family reformation . neglected much . urged . in refer●●ng our armies . in reforming the generall prophanenesse and ignorance of all places . . in doing justice upon delinquents . and restraining the disorders of such prisoners . . in reforming the oppressions of any entrusted by the state . . in endeavouring a reformation of religion according to the word of god . . let none say there is no government of the church in the word . n. b. generall rule about lawes in the word . . owne what is in the word as from god . . examine all things diligently , and then hold fast that which is from god . thes . . prov. . . a speciall observation of the originall of all authority to be from god . . exhortation to extirpate heresie and schisme , &c. specially antinomianisme and anabaptisme . these were proved by witnesse before a committee of parliament . yet all that erre are not to be dealt with alike . speciall exhortation not to hearken to a generall toleration . as most contrary to the covenant . what burcurs only may be tolerated by the covenant . instances to shew the absurdity of an universall toration . ob. toleration is only pleaded for in matters of the first table not of the second . a. . conscience must regard both and be violated in neither . a. . gods honour and mens soules are of more regard then worldly matters . god commanded idolatry to be punisht in false prophets . yet they might pretend conscience . ch. . no punishment can work conversion . an. no more can preaching without gods blessing . but both are meanes by him appointed . . exhortation to trust in god . this made hezekiah so great and happy a reformer . the mischiefe of being affraid of men . the mischiefe of suffering sin in others . q. may not a multitude be forborne in errour ? a. . god no where saith they may . a if they might at other times , not now . speciall wisedome to know why judgements on a land . all enquiry should be made after it . vse . of consolation to gods faithfull ▪ ones . instances of grace after failings and judgements . . of david . . of israel . judg. . . our owne since last yeere . conclusion .